When more is more

Sometimes, saving means spending. Most of the time, this is because buying a quality product will greatly reduce or maybe even eliminate the need for replacement down the road. Here are ten things that you should splurge on, not because you like to waste money but because you know you sometimes get what you pay for.  

1. A quality mattress. You work hard and you will spend hour after hour on it. Make an invest in your sleep and get something comfortable.  And get some good linens for it. If a new mattress is out of the question right now, think about getting a quality mattress pad. 

2. Kitchen knives. Good ones can last forever and they make cutting so much easier (and safer). 

3. Electric toothbrush. I fought getting an electric toothbrush for a long time - because I am cheap after all - but it cleans so much better than a manual one and you are likely saving yourself from future painful, both physically and fiscally, dentist visits. 

4. A good coat. If you live any place where it drops below 40 degrees and snows or rains a lot, a warm and WATERPROOF (not resistant) coat is worth it. Time and distance will move ever so slowly when you are wet and cold. But thankfully there are sales on coats throughout the year, particularly around the holidays and at the end of winter. Or shop sites like REI Outlet and Backcountry Outlet. 

5. A good phone case. A MUST if you have children. My case is still rather cute and it is completely smash/waterproof. My phone goes down daily with no problems. It did cost me $70, but that sure beats spending $600+ on a new phone. 

6. Professional hair care. Your hair is one of the first things people notice about you. Plus, you feel like a million bucks when you look good. It is worth it. 

7. Appliances. Like a good stove or washer and dryer. You use these practically every single day. While I am not saying go for the most expensive with all the bells and whistles (my husband swears we need the fridge with the TV in it...), do not go for the cheapest option either. Buy something that will last and something that is reliable (look for ratings). 

8. Buying in bulk. When I see something I regularly use on sale, I often stock up. Last week, I bought five of my favorite deodorants, six things of toothpaste, and several things of wild salmon because we use these items all the time and they were all on mad sale. My storage shelves and freezer are stocked and I can wait to buy these items until the next sale (or one or two after that). However, you must learn to control your urge to go too crazy (no one likes a hoarder) - be mindful of expiration dates, how much space you have, will you really use it, etc. 

9. Car. A good car that is a couple years old is where it is at. We all know a new car is never a good investment, but buying something that is really cheap will likely cost you in the long run through high maintenance costs as well as having to buy another one sooner rather than later. Additionally, you should research the make and model of the car for its reliability - I am partial to Toyotas and Hondas because, while they cost a little more to buy, they last and last and last. I learned my lesson with an Audi...

10. Vacations. Adjust your budget so that you can put a little bit aside each month for getting away somewhere special at least once a year. It can be a weekend getaway a couple hours away or a month long escape across an ocean. I know when I think about my best memories from this last decade or so, most of them are from vacations (I rarely remember when or where I bought a piece of clothing or electronics or something). 

Vietnam 2014 - We saved and saved and saved to go to this amazing hotel with its own tram (but I did walk the steps several times to try to walk off all the damn calories I consumed...)

What are some items you like to splurge on that save you down the road? 

Roth 101

Do you thinking investing for your retirement is confusing? It is. But it does not have to be so daunting you avoid it. You can make it simple. First, take advantage of your employer's retirement program, if they have one. Start there. Next, open a Roth IRA. 

But what the hell is a Roth IRA? A Roth (named for the dude who helped create it) IRA (aka Individual Retirement Account) is a retirement savings account that grows TAX FREE! YOU WILL NOT PAY TAXES on your earnings as the money adds up or when you cash it out. You hear that? TAX FREE!

HOW IN THE WORLD IS THAT POSSIBLE? You already paid taxes on this money...but it is only for retirement (must by 59 1/2 before you withdraw).

What do you put your money in? You can invest your hard-earned dinero in mutual funds (I love me some Vanguard funds - www.vanguard.com), stocks, bonds...

But there are some stipulations... 

1. You can only contribute up to the maximum each year. Right now, the max is $5,500. If you cannot do the max, do something, anything. 

2. There are income restrictions (varies based on single or married) and you must earn an income (cannot open for a child - look into a 529 for your kiddo).

3. You can pull your money out in certain circumstances, but try not to. If you pull out before 59 1/2, you will likely face some fees on the earnings (no penalty for withdrawing contributions). And fees are the worst. 

Getting it a bit? What should you do now? Research Roth IRA options at places like Vanguard and Fidelity. And do it now, especially if you are in your 20s because it adds up in the long run! Put the money in and forget about it. Make small contributions monthly - a couple hundred a month (or whatever you can manage) is much easier than one big contribution a year. 

What I like Wednesday

Nude Flats. I am obsessed with a good nude flat. They are a classic for me. You can wear them with any color and with anything, from jeans to dresses. I always feel like I look more polished when I wear my nude flats. The only problem with nude flats is that I usually have to buy a new pair once a year since they lose their luster when you wear them so often. First world problems, I know. Therefore, while I want to buy a good quality flat (leather, comfortable, simple construction), I do not want to spend a fortune on a pair. Here are a few great options for you if you are in the market for some nude flats.

Vince Camuto Ellen - I own these in black and red and they are very comfortable

Lucky Brand Emmie - I own these in nude! So good!

Steve Madden Klaraa - I have had these in the past!

Do you know of any good quality nude flats out there? What are some shoe staples for you?

Saving $ on the FLY

One of my most proudest buys in recent memory were two flights on Etihad courtesy of an error sale on Christmas 2014. I scored roundtrip flights from Chicago to Abu Dhabi for a little over $200 each. These flights typically go for $1000-2000 a piece. I was beyond impressed with myself...and it made up for the grandma slippers I received from my husband for Christmas... Now, a deal of this nature is really only a deal if you have plans to travel that direction...and I did (don't ask...). Otherwise, you are creating a massive trip without much planning and thus will likely result in significant cost.

So here are ten tips to save money on your travels...

1. Airfares are generally lower during the shoulder season - the period of time between high and low season. Any season can be a shoulder season, depending on where you go. Europe's high season lasts from May through September, but head to places like Paris, London, or Rome in October and you will find fewer crowds, comfortable temperatures, and cheaper airline ticket prices. Mexico and the Caribbean has great weather in late April and May, but prices for flights drop during these months as they fall after spring break and before summer vacation. 

2. Airlines typically post new airfare sales midweek. To save yourself some time, research travel sites, such as Skyscanner, and sign up for e-newsletters that list the best deals (we particularly like The Flight Deal). When booking a flight, arrange your travel for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, if possible, because these days are generally the cheapest times to travel. As an added bonus, airports tend to be less crowded on these days.

3. If you will need to check bags on the flight, find out how much you will be charged before purchasing the fare. Most airlines and travel sites offer this information online. To compare rates side by side, visit Airfarewatchdog.com's baggage chart, which lists baggage rates for different airlines, including fees for overweight and oversize bags. It is also a good idea to double check fees on a airline's website since policies do change (damn them...*shakes fist*). 

4. If your departure and return dates are flexible as well as airport (perhaps fly out of or into another airport nearby), use airfare search engines, such as Google Flights, to play around with dates and airports. They will search the web for deals, covering hundreds of sites in a matter of seconds and thus saving you the time of clicking through each site on your own. 

5. Up for an adventure and do not mind where you go? Check out Skyscanner's Everywhere tool or explore the map option on Google Flights and Kayak to find the cheapest flights from an airport. This is how my family ended up going on a trip to Germany recently...

6. Bring your own food on board! So much cheaper...and better. Just be mindful of how much your food smells. And bring an empty water bottle too - fill up at fountains as you travel! 

7. Weigh your luggage before you leave home. I always share one bag with my son, even when we visit family for over a month, and thus I often push the weight limit. One experience shifting items between checked and carry-on bags to get to the right weight (all with same small child needing tending to...) and you learn to always check the weight of your luggage before you go to the airport... Or just be ready to pay for overage charges. 

8. Back in the day, two one way tickets were a lot more than a single roundtrip ticket, but not so nowadays. Today, buying a one way ticket can be much more cost effective AND you might find better flight times. Some online sites already mix and match flights, but they frankly do not show you all the available combinations. 

9. A non-flight tip: Eat like a local. Not only is tasting new foods part of the adventure, but you will likely eat far better and save money when you eat like a local. Our family always makes the best of our hotel's breakfast, gets lunch and snacks at local markets, and then eats dinner at a well recommended but affordable restaurant (Need one? We often use TripAdvisor). 

10. Another non-flight tip: Use ATMs to withdraw cash. You almost always get a better deal, even with the fees, withdrawing money using your debit card from an ATM than exchanging cash at a foreign exchange counter. Also, withdraw enough to last you a few days - the more withdrawals you make, the more fees you pay. But having a lot of cash on hand is worrisome for many, including yours truly, and thus do what makes the most sense to you. Why cash over card? We like using cash on our travels to help us stick to a budget. 

What travel $ tips do you have? Please share in comments. 

Things you are wasting money on

We are all guilty of wasting money in one way or another. No one is perfect. Here is a list of ten things we should think twice about before spending our hard-earned dollars. I am not saying you should never splurge, but I am saying you should give your spending habits a good review in order to see where you can cut back. 

1. Expensive coffee. I love Starbucks about as much as the next gal, but that crap adds up. So make it at home or give yourself a weekly coffee budget. 

2. Cars. Cars are not a good investment, especially new ones. While they have a nice smell, they drop in value the moment they leave the lot. Buy used and drive it for several years (at least until it is paid off). Personally, I love Toyotas and Hondas because they are very reliable and hold their value. Maybe not the sexiest cars, but I have money in the bank! 

3. Food. Did you know we waste about 25% of the food we buy? When food spoils or we simply throw it out, that is money down the drain. Think about it - You spend $100 on groceries and about $25 of that is wasted... That adds up! Some tips to waste less? 1. Plan ahead and stick to a list. 2. Do not shop when you are hungry (My #1 food buy when I am hungry: Milk Duds). 3. Keep tabs on your food in your house (Never eat that kale in the fridge? Stop buying it!). 

4.The latest tech gadgets. Is the next iPhone really going to be that different from the current one and make your life so much better? Do not fall under the marketing spell of rushing to buy the newest model of every gadget.

5. Not taking advantage of a 401K. If the company you work for offers a 401K match, take advantage of it. Yes, that will mean money deducted from your paycheck, but you will be leaving money on the table if you do not sign up. 

6. Brand name products. Go generic whenever possible. Unless you are Oprah or Bill Gates, you have to prioritize because you cannot have the best of everything. And there is often no difference between generic and brand name items (Do not believe me? Check the label!). Areas you may be able to save money on include food, clothing, and toiletries. 

7. Credit card interest. ATM fees. Late fees. Tickets. Irresponsibility is just damn expensive. 

8. Cable. I hate cable companies. They are expensive and rude. So why deal with them? Be done and stream Netflix, Hulu, whatever instead. TV is bad for you anyway. 

9. Bottled water. Why buy bottled water when you can drink water from your tap for free? We here in the Pacific Northwest have amazing water - get yourself a cute water bottle and just fill it up. Elsewhere? Get a Brita or something and skip the plastic bottled stuff. 

10. Eating out. Eating out adds up. $50 for a family of four dinner out or groceries for a few days? One of those fancy $25 martinis or all your lunches for the week? The occasional meal or drink out is really great, but the more you make at home, the better off your wallet will be. Plus, you tend to be healthier at home than out. Do not like to cook much like me? Cook large quantities on the weekends so you will have leftovers during the week or stick to simple recipes (my family loves baked salmon and salad - so easy!) or get yourself a damn Crock-Pot (put your ingredients in there, turn on for several hours, and you are done!).

Did we miss something? Share something we are guilty of wasting money on in the comments.

Thrifty Thursday

I love me a good thrift store. In fact, most of my clothes come from thrift stores. "I love your shirt, Jade, where did you get them?" Thrift store. "That dress is so cute, where did you get it?" Thrifted it for $3.99. "That jacket is so nice, where did you get it?" Thrift store on a 50% off day. I have scored many amazing deals during my thrifting adventures. Here are ten tips for buying clothes at a thrift shop.

1. Check the label. The very first order of business is to check the label. This is your first test to see if it is worth buying. Look for well-made clothes with a reputation for hardiness. 

2. Shop in the right area. More affluent areas mean more people with money and thus better odds of finding quality stuff. Some people consider thrift stores and used clothing shops nasty, dirty, unorganized places. Some are, most are not. Explore your community to find the best shops. Once you find a goodie, you will be hooked. 

3. Check the quality of the material. This is connected to #1. A high quality fabric will stand the test of time over a cheap fabric. 

4. Look for additional discounts. Is there a certain color tag or type of item on sale? Is there a sale day coming up? Who does not love saving even more money? I particularly love 50% off days. That Banana Republic dress that costs over $100 new just a season or two ago with a tag for $9.99 is now $5. ThankyouverymuchIwilltakeit.

5. What to avoid:

- Clothes with lots of embellishments - First, they are hard to maintain anyway, but nearly all clothes with sequins, heavy stitching, etc. have a shelf life and likely ended up at the thrift shop for a reason...

- Damaged clothes - Check for holes! Check for stains! If you do not have the ability to fix it yourself, do not waste your money. So examine your items thoroughly. 

- Trends of yesterday - Tracksuits. Crocs. Giant belts. Jeggings. You know...stuff you should not be wearing.

- Shoes can be hit or miss - everyone's feet wear differently. I only buy shoes if they are new or practically brand new. 

- Underwear. Come on now...

6. Make sure you launder your finds properly. Always check each item's laundering tag and give them a good refresh. 

7. Now this might seem obvious, but if you do not wear it, do not buy it. You do not save money buying something that just sits in your closet. 

8. Thrift shops are the place to buy kids clothes. It is crazy to buy a baby nothing but brand new clothes since they grow so fast. My son might wear a onesie once or twice before he outgrows it. Therefore, he wears mostly thrifted finds. I do not feel so bad about him wearing a onesie or pants or something a handful of times if I paid $1 for it. Plus, many times his clothes end up with the day's "leftovers" on them...

9. Regardless if you thrift or not, one of the best fashion tips anyone has ever given me is to get a good tailor. If you wanna look exceptional, it must fit just right. What a tailor charges for minor alterations depends on where you live, but it is almost always worth it considering how much you paid for the item. If you got the item for a steal and add $20 for tailoring, you now have a perfectly fitted piece of clothing for a fraction of what you would have paid new. 

10. Thrifting is a great way to recycle someone else's items, but if you go shopping without an idea of what you are looking for you could end up spending much more than you planned for...or looking around forever. Maybe that is part of the fun, but having a couple items in mind will focus your outing more. Related to this, one thing I do - to keep myself from becoming a hoarder - is I must bring a bag of items to donate when I go thrifting. Stuff in, stuff out. 

Have fun! 

Why you are in debt

You have no money. In fact, you owe money. Does this sound about right? No matter how old or young you are, most of us have had some experience being in debt.

Now, you say if only you would make more money would you be out of the hole. But the truth is 99% of us will not save money more if we received a raise. SAVING MONEY HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE.

The only way to get out of debt is to understand why you are in debt. Understanding why you are in debt is the first step to controlling and eventually eliminating it.

Here are ten reasons why you might be in debt:

1. You use credit to buy things you cannot by in cash/when you do not have cash. This is simple - if you cannot pay for it in cash today, you cannot afford it.

2. You buy stuff you do not need. Shopping is not a source of entertainment and retail therapy is not really therapy. The feeling of instant gratification of buying something is temporary. But you know what kind of gratification lasts longer? Delayed gratification. Why? Because you know you truly earned it.

3. You believe buying a more expensive brand means you are getting a better product. Sometimes this is true, but a lot of the time you are just buying the name. You have a problem if you are buying something largely for the brand behind the item. "But my friend has one," you say, but your friend is probably in debt too, so stop.

4. You buy a brand new car every couple years. A car is supposed to get you from Point A to  Point B. If your current wheels continue to run strong, keep it. What is more important to you - living debt free or the new car smell? Plus, it is simply irresponsible to pay interest on something that decreases in value so drastically.

5. You pay full price for something. Wait for sales, shop at discount stores, look for deals online... Planning ahead and doing some research will save you a pretty penny.

6. You do not budget. You have to plan to pay off your debt. You also need to make sure you are spending less than you are taking in.

7. You are not saving. One word: Automation. You have to plan for your future as well as the occasional surprise expense (Can you say Emergency Fund?).

8. You are house poor. You own or rent a house way bigger than you need. Not only do you pay more for the house, you spend more on maintenance, utility bills, and stuff to fill it up.

9. You spend money on shit that is bad for you. Why are you spending your hard-earned money on things like gambling, smoking, and drinking? On top of that, major health problems that often follow will cost you more money down the road!

10. You fail to become money smart. Do you need to become a financial expert to get out of debt? No, but you need to know the basics. Like know that simply paying the minimum will not evaporate your debt. Or what your interest rates are (and that you can shop around for the best rate). Or know what you take in and what you ship out.

At the end of the day, it takes discipline to get out of debt. It also takes discipline to live below your means. But it does not mean your life will not be rich - true wealth is not measured in objects. So do you want to look rich or actually be rich? 

Money cannot buy...

- A child's laughter

- A great story

- A good conversation
- Time

- True friendship

- The feeling from a first kiss
- Forgiveness

- A sense of accomplishment

- The soothing sound of rain

- Reminiscing with an old friend

- That throwback song on the radio

- A sunny day

- An inside joke

- Passion

- An old smile
- Your health

- The sunrise

- The sunset
- Character
- Purpose

- Making someone else smile 

- Smiling back

- The comfort of your own bed
- Manners

- Home

- Kind words

- The sound of a light breeze

- Watching animals in nature
- A positive attitude
- Integrity
- Common sense

- A good laugh
- Peace

- The feeling of acceptance

- Absolute silence 

- Finding something you thought you lost

- The feeling after a good workout

- A long hug

- Snuggles
- Wisdom

- A great memory
- A relationship with your kids
- An honest politician 
- Patience

- Respect

- Singing at the top of your lungs

- The words "I love you"

- A star-filled night sky
- Innocence 

- Changing fall colors

- Spring blooms

- Priceless, sentimental objects

- HAPPINESS

What else cannot be bought with money? 

New and improved blog

Blog comeback number I do not know. 

But with a new focus: living well smartly and with a little style. 

And a new name: Jade Saves Money.

Now let's give this a go.

Pinterest

Possibly the best internet site ever. I am an addict. Who needs to get work done? Pining my life away.

http://pinterest.com/

Student Thought of the Month

Several students in one of my classes win with this joint effort: They thought little monkeys, like chimps, were just baby monkeys that eventually grew up to be big monkeys, like gorillas. They did not know they were separate. To help them understand, I explained how little dogs, like chihuahuas, were not baby dogs that eventually grew up to be big dogs, like Great Danes. Totally separate beasts. And there you have it.

I have seen a lot of things...

...but I have never seen a person nose get busted from point blank range. Background: during my coed soccer game last night two guys went up for a ball right in front of me and conked heads hard. The result: one dude with a good headache and the other with a busted nose. It was horrifying. Blood everywhere. A super crooked nose. And the sound of bones colliding... *CRINGE* I am sure my face went something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgAFNzEWWY4. But do know the dude on my team with the busted nose went to the hospital and he is going to be fine. And we lost. As usual (they do not like to pass to girls).

Just call me Ms. Anderson

This insanely busy summer of studying and teaching for no $ has resulted in this: school has started and I am officially a teacher. I am teaching Honors World Geography and co-coaching girls soccer. Perfect for me, right? It is a lot of work (in at 7:30, out at around 4:30 to only do more work at home), but I am loving it so far (but ask me how I feel later this year and my answer might differ...). The kids have lots of energy, but good energy that just needs to be channeled.

This whole week has been quite enjoyable, but I think my favorite moment was this one:
One of my Honors World Geography students responded to my question regarding where I am from with "CONNECTICUT!" I burst out laughing because it was completely unexpected (I was expecting Texas (even though I already said I was not from Texas) or something like Oklahoma or California) and he was so sure of his answer. I now call him Connecticut.

FC Barcelona V Club America

G and I went to the FC Barcelona v. Club America game at Cowboys Stadium yesterday. Why?
1. Air conditioned location outside my apartment (too hot to do anything outside).
2. I LOVE soccer football...and I am working to get G into the sport.
3. Check out the new stadium.
4. Snagged great tickets for cheap.
5. FC Barcelona is one of the best teams in the world (and sponsored by the Qatar Foundation).

Cowboys Stadium. Looks like a spaceship landed in the Metroplex (you can see it from miles away). Fact: Cost over 1 billion dollars (I use that fact when talking about the Louisiana Purchase with students, which only cost a bit over 200 million in today's $, to help put it all in perspective).

We are in Dallas Cowboys territory and thus OF COURSE Cowboys Cheerleaders will be there for the coin toss.

G was excited to check out the engineering of the stadium (massive doors, huge TV screen, fancy roof...) and attend his first big soccer football game.

View of field from our seats. We were in the first row on level 2 (of 4). We were very, very happy with our seats since we scored them for cheap.

FC Barcalona is the red/blue team, Club America is the yellow team. Doing whatever they do before kickoff.

FC Barcelona scores! We were lucky because most of the action the entire game was on our end!

He was fine.

Ref giving a yellow card. Do not mess with that face. A good teacher face.

Villa, one of the stars, leaves the game...and you see QF is prominently featured on the jersey. It boggled my mind to see hundreds, if not, thousands of shirts with QF on them. Makes me miss Qatar a bit more.

Necessary pic of me at the game. I look horrendous. I blame it on the hot walk to the stadium. We parked for $20 about a mile away. It costs $75 to park at the stadium. No joke.

It was 108 today. And 109 is predicted for tomorrow. And...

...100+ degrees each day for the foreseeable future. Awesome, just awesome.

It is too hot to go outside.

It has been 100+ degrees for over 30 days. I feel like I am in the Middle East again.

But I am keeping my whining to a minimum. Just a few salty words whenever I get into the oven that is my car.

I long for weather on the opposite end of the spectrum: snow, cold, rain... Like this:

A typical day in Siberiacuse.

And ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.

Update (8/3): It was 110 yesterday. Hottest day in 11 years (all time high is 113 degrees). And today's low was 86 degrees. The hottest low since 1939!

Weekend With Munchie

I went to San Diego this past weekend to visit with family (the Anderson clan together for the first time in about a year!), particularly my favorite niece, Ashlan (AKA "Munchie"). She is growing by the minute. She is amazing.

"Hi everyone! Look how big I am!"

She is already a tech junkie at 8 months! Here she is worming (almost crawling) her way to my computer.

This face makes my day.

And so does this one.

Looking rrreeeaaalll close! 

Her 'about to cry' face has the opposite affect on us: smiles/laughing at that wrinkled nose and puckering mouth.

Food coma.

She is starting to pull herself up on her own! She gets so excited she starts making faces and rocks the block thingy back and forth (and hence my finger holding it down). 

"'Hey, Auntie, I want your camera!"

I am taller than Uncle Skyler!

Swimming lessons with Grandma!

And it was tears galore...

...and some kicking...

...and more tears. 

Not napping like she was supposed to, but Aunt Jade did not mind. LOVE sweet quiet time together!

Sharing her binkie.

Focusing on her glo animal thingy...

...and proceeding to make out with it.

"I LOVE playing peekaboo!"

And she prefers to sleep spooning with her blanket...

Enjoying a quick ride around the patio.

Look at that face! My sweet Munchie!

"J is for Jade, my favorite aunt!"

"Give me your camera!"

Focus...real...close.

"Going to get you...

...and give you a big, wet kiss (if I can get there...)!"

$3 Coach Bag

I bought this pretty lady for $3 at my local Goodwill! I found this little vintage ivory number from Coach (with all the hallmarks that it is real) buried in a bin. Score! Just needs a little cleaning. And I have already received several compliments on it! Gotta love the Goodwill.

Loggerodeo!

G and I went home to Washington for the 4th of July and we had a wonderful time! It was beyond great to spend time with my family, run into many friends, and just enjoy a sunny 4th in Sedro-Woolley! It was simply perfect!

We do howdy in Woolley too!

One of Dad's favorite parts of Loggerodeo: carnie food

Mom, G, G's sis, her hubby, and Dad checking out the mighty Skagit

I love my Audi (except when I get it serviced...), but this is the perfect Jade ride

Otis attacking the water out of the hose

Ruby and Baker playing tug of war

Skyler entertaining all the pups (land of the little dog)

Otis likes everyone, but he really took to G 

One day I will have a little RV like this and drive it around the world

View from Deception Pass Bridge towards the Puget Sound and Olympics 

G on Deception Pass Bridge

Tricia, Josh, G, and Becky around the fire watching the fireworks at Big Lake

Mom and Mad

Wildflowers in the front, foothills in the back  

1-2-3 Cascades!

G and I living the good life (thanks Alaska Airlines!)