Muffins, Magic, and Makeovers: How My No-Spend Challenge Went Off-Track (And Why It’s Okay)

Hey friends! It’s only been a week since my last update, but man, what a week it’s been. Between prepping for cancer treatments, bookish adventures, a mommy-daughter date, wig shenanigans, and, well, a few unplanned splurges—I could’ve done a little better sticking to my no-spend challenge, but hey, life happens. Plus, I’m rearranging a lot of things to fit into my new reality of being a cancer patient—including my budget. So, I’m giving myself some grace. Let’s dive in and see how this week went, shall we?

Literary Escapes and Bookish Delights

Let’s start with the fun stuff—books. Because if you can’t escape into a good story when life gets tough, what can you do?

Rebel Witch: A Magic-Filled Escape
There were three books I pre-ordered last year that would be my exceptions to my “No Book Purchases in 2025” rule. One of those books was Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros which I purchased last month. Another is Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli, the second book in The Crimson Moth romantasy duology which was released on February 18th. That very evening, I happily cracked open my Amazon package which beheld this precious book and got straight to reading, leaving my cancer-related worries behind for a little while. Book therapy is real, folks.

Empyrean-Themed Book Club Shenanigans
Speaking of magic, my book club went all out for our Onyx Storm meeting. We started with a night at Painting with a Twist where we painted DRAGONS! Now, Painting with a Twist is definitely pricey and absolutely destroyed my no-spend challenge…but it was dragons, y’all. Can you blame me? After that, we had a pot-luck style book club meeting with book-themed snacks and activities along with a delightful discussion of dragons, signets, and wild theories. I didn’t have to spend much other than contributing to snacks (which was already in the grocery budget), and it was so much fun.

Muffin Misadventures

Another preplanned purchase I made this week was tickets to the Muffins with Mom event at my daughter’s school. I asked my daughter a few weeks ago if we could skip this (because, you know, no-spend challenge), and she promptly made it clear that she would never recover from the emotional damage of that decision. So I bought my $6 tickets and said, “Okay! It’s a date!”

We showed up to her school bright and early Friday morning. Now, when I was envisioning this mommy-daughter date, I was picturing a nice, cozy event with muffins the size of a mother’s love and coffee flowing like a river. But that is not what I got. The cafeteria was PACKED, y’all. It felt like the inside of a clown car after a circus performance–everyone was jammed together, elbowing for personal space and fighting for survival. Breathe in. Breathe out. After an Olympic effort fighting our way through the crowd, we finally made our way to the muffins. The microscopic, peanut-sized muffins that were rationed at one crumb per person. And the coffee machines? Empty. Sigh. I could have spent that $6 on a much better muffin haul from the grocery store.

BUT–it was nice to spend some quality time with my girl. Although next time, I’m bringing my own coffee and muffin stash.

Facing Cancer with Courage, Cheeseburgers, and Community

I had my first oncology appointment on Tuesday where I learned that my breast cancer is Stage 2. The prognosis is good; the doctor is very confident that I will beat this. The treatment plan is scary, though. I will need to do six months of chemotherapy, surgery, and more follow-up treatment which will depend on what they find during surgery. The appointment was actually very reassuring, and I was filled with a lot of hope. The medical staff was great and really took their time explaining everything to me and answering any questions that I had. However, I was there much longer than I thought I would be, and I failed to plan for hunger hitting. By the time I left the appointment, I was ready to eat my own left arm and had an hour drive home. Needless to say, I broke my no-spend challenge and splurged on a Jack in the Box burger, curly fries, and milkshake. No regrets.

After I learned that I will be going through some pretty intense treatment, I realized there are quite a few things I would like to purchase to help make this journey a little more comfortable. Things like hats to cover my bald head, coloring books to keep me occupied while I get my infusions, and a pill organizer to manage all the medications I will be taking. I didn’t want to break my no-spend challenge, and I had so many people reaching out to ask me how they could help. So I decided to make a “Cancer Sucks, but Presents Help” Amazon Wish List and allow people to bless me. And bless me, they are. Every time I get a package, it feels like a little hug hand delivered to my door from the people who care. So, if you’re reading this and you’re someone who has purchased something from my wish list…thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re making this journey just a little bit easier.

Wig Shopping Fun: A Little Hair and a Lot of Laughter

Here’s something I didn’t plan for this year—losing all my hair. And while I’m all for hats and scarves, I really want to hold on to my femininity when I’m out in the world. So, wigs have become part of the plan–and thus, part of the budget.

I went wig shopping this weekend with a fabulous group of friends and my kids. While I was on the hunt for wigs that would match my natural hair (you know, to at least look like myself), we also went wild and tried on the most ridiculous wigs we could find. We had an absolute blast, and it was one of those moments that really helped my kids understand that cancer won’t take away our joy.

Finding Joy in the Little Things

So, there you have it. A week full of splurges, emotional appointments, wig shopping shenanigans, and tiny muffin disappointments. My no-spend challenge may have gotten derailed, but I’m learning that life doesn’t always go according to plan, and that’s okay. Sometimes, you just have to lean into the support of your friends, laugh at the weird moments, and remember that there’s always room for a little joy—even in the middle of tough times.

Thanks for reading, and thank you for all the love and support. Until next time—stay strong, stay silly, and keep finding the light, no matter how small.

The Mission Mom