Hi, I’m Kelsey.

I’m a nearly 30-something Air Force wife and Accountant, living a normal, frugal life in the Midwest where I was born and raised. I super LOVE thrift shopping, road trips (van living), coffee, organization, Netflix, children’s books and financial planning (#nerd).

My husband, Micah, astonishes me daily with his ever-growing knowledge BUT in one long sentence he is: an electrician, plumber, inventor, landscaper, master mechanic, technology fanatic, problem-solving machine, wood-smith, energizer bunny, cyber security expert, drone aspiring, Air Guard soldier with a HUGE pride for the United States and an enormous heart for family, friends, animals and most importantly – Jesus Christ.

Micah and I met our last year of college during our first class project, an interview…the questions veered off course a bit. By the end of the semester I was praying for a man like Micah to marry; less than a year later he asked me on a date, and six months after that we were hitched. Va Va VOOM! That’s when the real fun began! Hehe, anyone who is married understands the true beauty and hardship of it…

I moved into a dirt-floored basement man cave with an “open concept” laundry/bedroom situation and several roommates. Turns out the man wasn’t a millionaire and our first year of marriage brought on a whole new level of broke…

More of the story to come, but fast forward 5 years later after —

  • A house fire
  • Workplace violence
  • 5 moves to 3 states
  • Road trips through 40 states
  • Many Fights
  • Crying more than I ever thought humanly possible
  • 4 marriage conferences to see how other people survive
  • Hopping the border to Canada
  • Buying our haunted mansion fixer upper
  • Surviving a home invasion
  • The deaths of many family members
  • A major career change
  • Deep depression
  • Healing
  • A year of simplifying life and building lifelong habits

and I’ve decided to try a new hobby, blogging!

Come follow along our journey in home renovations, thrifty finds, U.S. road trips, and all things frugal living.

I’m new to the blogging world! Prepare yourself. There may be some “TMI” moments in here because I am a transparent, speak the truth — talk about personal salaries & expenses, bring up life struggles and marital fights, share the real story — kind of person. Those topics others say are “personal matters” will be all over this page. Welcome to my life!