live like no one else...

if you're familiar with the dave ramsey mantra, you know that you could finish that sentence with "so that later you can live like no one else."  this has been the philosophy of the pfeifer household since november of 2011 when we decided to enroll in financial peace university.  i remember when we were preparing to enter into matrimony, we received a lot of unsolicited advice from well-meaning parents, married friends, pastors, grocery store cashiers (you get the idea.)  everyone added their two cents (ha) and there were varied pearls of wisdom, but one thing that almost everyone agreed upon was that we had to address our money issues and come up with a solid financial plan.

we both knew of dave ramsey and were vaguely aware of his principles, but we wanted to expound on that and when the class was being advertised that day in november at mass, i knew this was the time to go for it.  though financial peace university is offered in a classroom setting, we opted to do the class online because of our crazy, abnormal life.  (i highly recommend this option for couples in alternative settings, as it allows you to work at your own pace.)

through the fourteen weeks of the course, we learned everything from setting up an emergency fund to investing and developing our kids' college funds.  we tackled the tough issues like what amount of debt had each partner brought into the marriage and what was our financial lifestyle philosophy.  we had conversations we never would have had and we came up with a logistical map for our future.

we completed the class two weeks ago and i can say that it has been life transforming.  i am fearful of what would have happened to us in the future if we had never taken this course...i can tell you with total assurance that it wouldn't have been good.  just three months in to the program, we have compiled a $1,000 emergency fund and we have paid off four credit cards, cut them up, and closed the accounts.  we now budget and pay cash for everything we do and we are on track to be completely debt free in february of 2014.

now, let me tell you, this has not been easy and we have had to make sacrifices.  i came from a world in which i had major retail credit cards and you just CAN'T LIVE without a credit card - what about emergencies?!?!  (as in, i have a cocktail party next weekend and it is an absolute emergency that i go find an appropriate outfit.)  i have been a victoria's secret vip angel member for the last five years and today i cut it up...you think that was easy?!  but it is my new way of life...

BEFORE: endless supply of sequined swimsuits, miracles bras, and lacy panties!  oh those rewards! translation: high interest rate, always spending, never really owning what i purchased anyway...

AFTER: no more borrower being slave to the lender, buying things from victoria's secret outright, and no more racking up stuff on the card to get my measly little $10 off coupon.  FREEDOM!

i am not sharing all of this with you to sell some sort of gimmick, but i always feel it is my responsibility that if something has greatly changed my life, i need to share that with others.  this lifestyle can set you free, give you peace of mind, and free up your income so that you can invest, spend, and give it away.  it gives you excitement and motivation for the future and opportunity to build wealth, so that you can impact the community and pass on a great legacy to your children.  it takes an incredible amount of sheer self discipline and it is not always met with eager approval.  many people will shake their head and many people will question why you aren't spending your money...they will say you're not normal.  well seemingly, "normal" is broke, so i don't know about y'all, but i don't wanna be normal!!!

i will use this blog to update our progress and share any insightful tips i might find along the way on saving money and investing.  i am THE biggest personal finance nerd!!!!  (but proud of it.)  in the meantime, go check out dave's site and explore.  it will change your life and your family's life as you know it.

best dressed golden globes

hope you managed to catch one of my favorite events of awards season on sunday night!  ricky gervais was slightly entertaining, the speeches and nominees were for the most part interesting, and the presenters were fun to watch --- but let's be honest, we're really watching for the fashion!  i don't know about you, but i do think it would be delightful to step into the louboutin's of guliana rancic for the evening.  i love watching the e! red carpet pre-show before all of the ceremonies, it is truly probably my favorite part.  this year did not disappoint in the least and here are my nominees for best dressed of the night in no particular order:

STACY KEIBLER - VALENTINO.  this dress is divine!  i love everything about it, and out of all the dresses, this is the one that i would have chosen for myself (as if i had the opportunity to attend such soirees.)  the color is red hot and fantastic and the bow accent is both chic and adorable.  she was glowing on sunday night (something tells me this has more to do with being george clooney's gf) but anyhow, she was radiant!

JESSICA ALBA - GUCCI.   absolutely stunning!  but then again, i've come to expect it from this bombshell.  with a body like hers and that angelic face, it would be hard to make a mistake.  i think this lilac color suits her coloring perfectly and the embellishments add the right texture.  i think this dress is both feminine and distinctive.  

SOFIA VERGARA - VERA WANG.  spicy!  latin women just know how to turn it on, it's just in their blood to be incredibly sexy and gorgeous.  the mermaid cut of this gown is so unbelievably flattering and she truly resembles a siren!  the jewel tone is so complementary to her skin tone and the intricate detail at the bottom is a work of art.  

CHARLIZE THERON - DIOR COUTURE.  there were some haters for this dress, but i happen to think charlize looks like a goddess.  i am partial because i think she is one of the most breathtakingly exquisite women on this planet.  so statuesque!  i love the ethereal quality of this look.  i think she nailed it with the color palate, hair, and makeup.  she is one of the few modern starlets that has that old hollywood glamour about her.   

tory burch, why must you do this to me?

any other tory fanatics out there?  i, for one, love the TB brand in all its tunic, color-washed, patent-flat glory.  i don't really have the funds to support this habit so i mainly dream about sitting on a yacht in st. tropez wearing an aquamarine tunic and my jack rogers sandals with a mojito in hand.  i just love tory's approach to design and i wonder if she was thinking she might be a powerhouse designer as she strolled along the campus as a young kappa alpha theta co-ed at the university of pennsylvania...all i know is, i shall be a lifelong devotee.  i am in a fit of envy over her 2012 resort collection as it is inspired by santa fe - another great love of my life.  so in order of the new collection, i wanted to express some love for tory and show a few of my faves:

new obsession

by now, many of you might have heard of kendra scott jewelry, but i am a recent newcomer to the brand. let me tell you, i have not been this excited or enthusiastic about a product line since i don't know when!  my fashion-savvy girlfriend, cori, introduced me to the brand and was even generous enough to buy all of us bridesmaids a set of earrings and necklace for her wedding in december.  she kept telling me, "you have to check out this jewelry, i think you would really like it.  it's so YOU!"  time went by and i forgot about it, because i try to avoid checking out retail since i am on the dave ramsey plan - more on that later...

today i finally checked out kendra's website and i am dying!  i am enthralled with everything!  this chick knows my style.  the use of vibrant color, unusual design, and statement pieces is incredible - plus she's a texas girl based on austin.  this jewelry will seriously get noticed...and i'm all about that.  i always figure, why make the effort to put on jewelry if no one will even notice?  those little tiny post earrings...nope not for me...i like a little va-va-voom.  however, if you don't like gigantic earrings; no big deal, kendra's got something for everyone.  my favorite feature of her site is the color bar, where you can custom design the jewelry!  how genius and inventive is that?  i have already decided that all the ladies in my life will be getting a custom-made kendra piece next christmas.  i've had so much fun designing today!  definitely check that out. below i have included some of my favorite kendra scott pieces for you to feast your eyes on:

offshore wife part II

prayer works!  i was raised from the dead and i recovered from my debilitating illness and i finally received a phone call from mr. pfeifer!  my heart can now rest in peace.  though we are not out of the woods yet.  my husband was due to arrive tomorrow and now he says it's one big cluster down in trinidad and they have no idea when their reliefs will report, so he could be coming home anytime.  ?#$%!!!!  do you ever want to wring someone's little neck and shout, "what is going on down there?  if a woman were running this ship, it would all be running smoothly!"  these guys have already been gone for a month, completely missed the holidays, and now their fate is "undetermined at the moment."  but alas i shall regain my tranquil demeanor.  the fact of the matter is that he is alive and well and will come home to me eventually.

there is something to be said for the fact that absence does make the heart grow fonder.  i am thankful that our relationship has little chance of growing complacent, stale, or commonplace.  when you're in this situation, you have to make each moment count.  as a true romantic, i am also secretly grateful that i still get to have those moments where i nervously perch on a chair at the airport awaiting a glimpse of my gallant gentleman as he pushes through the crowd to find me.  truth be told, to this very day, i still have that exhilarating feeling in the pit of my stomach and i always anticipate how our "meet-cute" will transpire.  it is like falling in love all over again.  

i am thankful that in this world of seemingly non-committal, instant gratification seeking, emasculated men; my husband is not afraid to be cavalier or honorable.  and i am immensely indebted to a man who despite the age of impersonal text messages (UR 2G2BT :) and rapid modernization, he still ends a crackling, international, short-lived phone call with, 

"and don't forget, when i get home, you're gonna put your best dress on and i'm going to take you out dancing!"  

january book club

hey all you bookworms!  if you're looking for some reading material, please join me in my current study of amor towles' debut novel "rules of civility."  i have been looking for my next read for quite sometime, and this book made it onto several "best of year" lists.  i have only read the preface and chapter one, but thus far, i am loving the rich character description and great gatsby feel.  on that note, if you ever have any good books to recommend, please pass them along to me!!!
i am always looking for a good book...

the life of an offshore wife

happy new year everyone!  hope you're enjoying ringing in the first few days of 2012; as for me, i am sick as a dog and alternating between my bed and a scalding hot bath tub.  unfortunately, it seems i caught the flu and it is a viscous version.  thank goodness my fever broke this morning, but i still feel achy and the only time i plan to exert any energy is the moment that my delivery of chicken noodle soup a la jason's deli arrives.  i have discovered the only thing worse than being sick...is being sick alone.  you just never really knew how good you had it when your mother was around to lay a wet rag on your head, bring up all your favorite dvd's, and wait on you hand and foot!!  unfortunately, my family is 6 hours away, my  mother-in-law is in italy, and my husband is somewhere off the coast of trinidad.  

truth be told, i am getting a little frustrated living the life of an offshore wife.  i have gladly done the drill for the last 19 months and have seldom complained; for it is the only life we've known together.  when people ask me what it's like for your husband to be gone every other month, my eyes usually light up as i quickly extoll the remarkable benefits of having "me time," traveling, spending time with friends and family, watching my horrible television shows without protest, letting the house go, my husband making good money, etc.  however, yesterday i hit a breaking point where i finally have to admit that this is hard.  

i knew it would be difficult for my husband to be gone over the holidays (he left december 6) but preparing for christmas kept me busy and we had a beautiful, white christmas in my hometown which was lovely. after returning to san antonio, i set about all my energies to preparing for my company coming into town for the alamo bowl (go baylor!) and generally speaking, i didn't have time to think about my other half missing for these occasions.  plus, the entire time we have been together, we have never spent christmas, new year's, or a birthday together so you just kind of get used to it.  i started becoming agitated after the alamo bowl because it had been four days and i hadn't heard anything from theron (typically the communication in the carribean isn't first rate + if they're running out to a rig, the phones don't work) and then came the inevitable what to do for new year's eve.  our friends were gracious enough to invite me out to see a show at floore's (and i did have a genuinely good time) but it was kind of miserable being there alone surrounded by couples clinking their champagne glasses and kissing at midnight.  never occurred to me before, but new year's eve alone might even be worse than valentine's day?  though selfishly immature, all night i kept thinking, and this is why i got married so that i wouldn't have to spend any more nights like this!  then, as aforementioned, came the great bubonic plague of 2012.  which leads me to the present, haven't heard from my husband in eight days and wishing he was home to take care of me.  

my aim for this post is not to create a "woe is me" agenda or have you feel sorry for me, but i am trying to be honest and be relatable for others who might be in this situation.  i recently had a girlfriend comment to me, "your life is just so perfect!"  and i adamantly replied, "HA! what kool-aid have you been drinking?!?"  life is certainly good, but i want to whole-heartedly dispel the myth that it is perfect. i think in any situation, you just try to do the best that you can do and focus on the positive...at least that is what i try to do.  i have decided to create somewhat of a support group for other wives that are in this same predicament where we can vent or just lend some encouragement.  i am under the assumption that military wives have something of this nature, but obviously we do not fall into this category.  i feel there is a real need for offshore family support and it is something that the companies are really lacking.  and in all reality, i know it is not a solitary situation that i face; it is an issue that every community needs to address.  when i think of all the single moms out there busting their tails to make a good life for their kids without a partner, i am in awe of their courage and endurance.  going back to the two greatest commandments, "love God and love others," it is my goal this year to do just that.  

if you are the wife of a policeman/firefighter/military personnel/offshore officer and you have any stories or advice please share!  also say a little prayer tonight for my husband that he is okay and will make it home safely.  last, but not least, cherish your family and the people you love every day.