I woke up this morning to little Z patting my cheek, smiling at me and saying "ake up gma". Happy Easter to me! What a memory to treasure. He slept next to me last night and inched me right off the king sized bed during the night- but after I moved to the other side I got some sleep. (just a note to self...bio fam did not call Z this weekend. No attemp to wish him a happy Easter, whatsoever.)

DD1 had a houseful for brunch. There were 16 of us and we enjoyed a full spread of eggs, sausage, bisquits, gravy, hashbrowns, fruit and juice. After we ate, the adults hid eggs and I did dishes. Then, all the kids went and hunted eggs. Egg hunting is always such fun, no matter what age you are. Z found his share, and continued looking long after the originals were all found and everyone else was done. DD3 kept rehiding eggs behind him and he was entertained for a long time. The older kids had so much fun with each other. There is nothing quite like cousin time when you are young.

DD1 bought everything for breakfast- so I chipped in $40 towards the bill. I was so greatful that she hosted the morning that I didnt mind paying for lion's share of the food.

I came home to an empty house. DD3 went to visit a friend and will be gone a couple of days, so I have the house to myself. After a busy weekend, I was ready for a few hours to myself. I am still cleaning and decluttering, just not as fast today. I am putzing between reading, laundry and decluttering.

I made a big pot of black bean and chicken soup, which will be lunch and dinner for a couple of days. I still need to make oatmeal for breakfasts, but will do that after I get the soup cooled and put away.

I was channel surfing a little earlier and an Oprah Lifeclass show was on. Nick Vujicic was featured during the show. He is such an inspirational speaker. Each time I see him, I am inspired to be a better person.

Its been a beautiful day.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter- no matter if or how you celebrate-I hope you have a day filled with love, family, friends,and deviled egg or chocolate bunny.

Our little ones will be hunting eggs and playing with cousins. Should be a great day!

Hugs to all!

Today was a productive day.

After a fun date night with my 7 yo granddaughter last night, she woke up a little after 7am and we made some refrigerator cinnamon rolls- (a grandkid favorite- they were on sale, and at 10 minutes to bake, they were too easy to pass up after a long tiring week) Gramma had some much needed coffee too.

After her mom picked her up, I started cleaning the back patio. Last weekend I brought my vintage hutch in from out there and all the stuff that came out of it needed to either find a new home, be donated or tossed. (Most of it was tossed. I am very pleased with the results this afternoon! My patio is cleaned and swept, the patio furniture is scrubbed, toys are all organized and I am ready to spend some Spring time out there!

DD3 and I loaded up a big box and a bag full of Goodwill donations. Clothes, books, knicknacks, misc dishes, etc. We took the hubs truck (and I drove, to make sure I would be ok driving it). That went fine- Im not sure why I have always been intimidated by it. After dropping off the Goodwill stuff, we stopped by the dollar store and I got a few things to hand out to grandkids tomorrow. Just little stuff. Their moms are also starting their spring cleaning and have been donating/tossing as much as possible, so I didnt feel a need to buy more stuff. I spent $18, which was a candy, sidewalk chalk and a ball or bubbles each child. I also bought a new bucket to use for general cleaning and watering some of the plants here...(I noticed my old bucket had cracked and so it got tossed this morning).

We stopped for groceries that should last for most of the week ($58)- which is a big bag of chicken, some pasta, black bean soup fixins, milk, fruits and veggies.

DD2 asked if we (DD3 and I) could keep Z tonight. DD3 has missed him and wanted to spent time with him, not knowing how much longer we will have him..and so he has been here all afternoon. He is so stinking adorable. We watched "Wreck it Ralph"- a very cute movie, but at 2, Z is still pretty young to understand much of it...but he sat on my lap the whole movie laughed with gramma and kept telling me how funny it was. He conked out about an hour ago and is asleep in the big bed.

After Z wakes from his nap, DD3 will take over most of the babysitting tonight. I plan to read, finish laundry and tackle a closet or two.

I received the $208 check in the mail for the refund on the cabin reservation that I cancelled. I was hoping the refund would arrive without problem, and it did..Now to wait for the check to clear!

Today was a great day. Tomorrow we are all invited to DD1s for brunch. Then, I just plan to relax and enjoy the rest of the day here at home.

The hub's friend who is fixing my car called last night and said I could come and pick it up today. The new part wont be here for 5-7 days, but, since he is leaving on vacation, he put it back together and changed the steering fluid so it is drivable for short distances (back and forth to work). Either my SIL or the hub will replace the pump when it comes in. In the meantime, I will baby the car and use it only as necessary.

It is SO hard to be at work this afternoon. It is a gorgeous, sunny day. Unfortunately, my office gets too hot when the sun is out, so I have to keep the blinds closed- which means I cant even look out the window and enjoy the sunny-ness! I sure hope this weather carries over to tomorrow-.

Not much financial news this afternoon. Today was the hubs payday and everything went where it was planned to go.

I miss my car. I havent had time to try driving the hubs rig and have relied on DD3 taxi-ing me around. NOT fun.

The hub suggested last night that I should consider replacing my car so it doesnt start nickel and diming us. hmmm. This, from my mechanic husband... My car, a 2005 Kia Amanti, has only 85,000 miles on it. Ive owned it since 2007. I would hope there are still many good years left on it before we get to that point. However, I will definately track any problems with the car so that I we will know for sure. Aside from this week, the car is still in really good (cosmetic) condition and is very comfy to drive, so unless I really need to change, doing so is not on my near-future to do list. (Nor do I want it to be).

The hubs paycheck is $200 more than budgeted. However, he had a couple of charges on his visa that we payoff each month. The net extra is being absorbed into the food budget. Having DD3 living with me and not having a car have both added to convenience foods this week. Whatever is extra will go towards the car repair bill.

ZERO. CC#3 is finally at the magic number!

Now to work on the final debts. I was going to rebuild savings, but it stll does not make sense. The last unsecured debt I have is a visa at my job that is 100% accessible if there is an emergency...so I will apply all extra money there, until it is also PIF. Granted, putting everything towards this debt can give me a false negative (Christmas club $, vacation $, freedom acct $, etc..and the balance will vacillate accordingly...but every dollar saved there, means less interest charged to me in the long run.) It just means I have to TRACK every penny in and out of this account so that I stay on track.

While I am paying down this debt, normal payments will go towards the car...Speaking of the car, it will be about 8-10 days before I have it back and drive-able. Not having my car is no fun. The good news is that the bill to fix it will be under $200, which is well below what is in the car repair account, thank goodness!

11 hours, most of them in the car today. For a whole bunch of that time, radio was out of service area. What's a girl to do but solve all of lifes issues floating around in her brain.

My thinking theme today was the stress that clutter is putting my my life. I constantly shuffle and try to organize..only to do it all again and again. Its time to minimalize my possessions.

When I stopped for lunch, I made a starter list of all the things to go through and thin out:

Clothes
Books
DVDs
The toy closet
towels
vases
the garage
blankets and sheets
bathroom products that either didnt work, or I havent used
Kitchen gadgets

This is my starter list. Also on the side burner..the garage, old jewelry, miscellaneous storage drawers, old electronics and cords.

My goal is to end of with less of most of these items than I keep. Spring cleaning started tonight. I weeded through my dresser drawers and got rid of everything that doesnt work or that I dont use. Some was trash, some will go to goodwill. I succeeded on tossing more than I kept.

CC3 payment is pending...tomorrow I should have a nice ZERO balance. I havent heard anything about the car.

The coast was gorgeous again today. I had a late lunch with a beautiful ocean view. What a treat. However, after 11 hours, I was ready to be back home and in my jammies. (The ones that made the cut!)

Life is good!

I made reservations last week to stay in a 'rustic' cabin the first weekend in June. (Which is my birthday weekend) The hub had suggested it. We have never been to this lake and so I thought it would be fun.

Unfortunately, after I booked it, I started looking at reviews. Uh-oh. Complaint on top of complaint about the dirtiness (filthiness) of the cabins and the condition/broken-ness of the old furniture and appliances. And more complaints about the really bad service from the staff. To top it off, a friend said she camped there several years ago and the mosquitos were horrible. I really dont like mosquitoes...

So I called the hub back and asked why he suggested it. He said a co-worker fishes there...but has never stayed there. The hub wanted to watch a fishing derby that weekend. ACK. Not the birthday get-away I would have planned.

I called and cancelled the reservation today. They promise to return my deposit via check within 2 weeks. Hopefully, it will be that easy.
Note to self...check out the hubs suggestions from now on BEFORE booking.

I hope to learn what is wrong with my car this afternoon. And I really hope it can be fixed this week.

Tomorrow, CC#3 will be PIF. I sooo enjoy logging into the accounts and seeing ZERO balance owed, but that will take another couple of days after the payment transfers.

Today was a stay at home day.

I perused pinterest last night, which always inspires me in one way or another. I decided to look around my home and see what I could redecorate with that I already owned. I found it on my back porch..

When I moved into this house, I decided to put a cabinet I have had for about 30+ years on the covered patio to hold our bbq supplies. It has been out there for two years collecting some dust and just aging.

I decided it needed to come in the house. So I reorganized my dining room and made room for it...brought it in, cleaned it up and here is the result:



This is a vintage piece, (Napanee Kitchenete) so shame on me for not having it displayed accordingly- but it now has a place of honor in my home. The chicken on the shelf was my grandmothers. I can remember seeing that above her old antique stove as a little girl when I spent time with her. The butter churn was one of my moms favorite antiques that she found in her antique collecting days about 35 years ago. (Both of those pieces were kept inside, not outside with the hutch.)

DD3 wanted chicken picatta tonight, so I made a nice big batch. It was very tasty and will provide leftovers for several days.

My SIL came by today to look and listen to my car. His suspicion is that the power steering pump is going out. He called someone and found out the part is a little over $100. A friend of the hubs who is also a mechanic is coming by tomorrow to see if he can fix it or not. If he can, I should have the car back in a day or two. If not, I will drive the hubs truck until the hub gets home. Hopefully, it can be fixed quickly. I am more comfortable in my car than that big truck.

I have loved having a couple days away from work this weekend. I stayed so busy today that I didnt have time to think of how busy the week ahead is going to be.

I am so glad I brought the hutch inside. This really is one of my favorite pieces of furniture! Isnt it cute?

I scheduled a transfer to payoff cc#3 yesterday. Within a couple hours, I was driving my car and the steering went kaput. Not sure what happened- but the steering wheel no longer aligns with the tire direction and it is really hard to turn. I checked the power steering fluid- looks ok. Of course, the hub wont be home for 3 weeks. So, my sil is coming over tomorrow to take a look- and hopefully, this isnt a hugely expensive problem. Until it is fixed, I will have to drive the hubs tank of a truck that I have never driven.

:/

I am still committed to paying CC3 as planned.

I currently have $350 in the car repair fund, and I have money in my allowance savings that I can use. I really hope the car repair fund will cover whatever is wrong.

blasted Murphy...talk to the hand.

I returned the magazines I checked out last week to the library. So far so good, no late fees!

Date night with Gs (age 4) was fun last night. At one point he came up to me and said "gramma, I need to tell you a secret"...then he whispered in my ear "I love you so much" and followed with a sweet little kiss on my cheek.

So funny story..I went to the mall with my girls and grandkids today. GD (age 7) rode with me. On the drive we were talking about her style sense (mismatched bright striped socks, a lion print hat, etc.) and I told her she was 'fashion forward' and that gramma used to mismatch her socks on purpose in high school. We got to talking about what she could be when she grows up..fashion designer sounded boring..and I told her she could do anything she wanted, so long as she paid attention in school and did her best. I asked her what she thought she wanted to do....and she said...
"well, I can count to one hunderd while jumping on one foot"...lol. Nuff said...we then discussed her new stuffed animal that was joining us for the day.

I love kids. They can say the darndest things.

The hub called last night with his schedule for the next few months. He is ending his 4/2 rotation, but not until the end of May. This means he will work one week more than I had thought...which means 1. a little more pay than I had budgeted for and 2. the budget I worked for the rest of the year had to be tweaked. The way his pay works is he gets: a partial payday, followed by 2-3 full paydays, followed by a partial payday, followed by 1-2 weeks of no payday- depending on if he is 3/3 or if he is 4/2. It makes budgeting interesting. But the way it tweaked everything worked well. Of course, any extra goes towards CC#3.

Tomorrow night is date night with my grandson (age 4) who loves all things McDonalds. Hopefully, a plan B will sound better to him and we can forego the golden arches. If the weather is nice, I will suggest the park and a dinner picnic, follwed by an ice cream cone on the way home.

I didnt realize that our library only checks magazines out for one week, with no renewals- which means they are due Saturday AND I cant put them in the book drop. So, the library is on my to do list Saturday. I dont think I will check out more magazines, however.

I put my name on the reservation list for Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. I have read his books before and thought a refresher would be good. I am #2 out of 2...so it will be about 5-6 more weeks until I get it. One of the novels I reserved put me at #117...that one will be a while...lol.



Update on Z:

Tomorrow was Z's permanency court date. DD2 has been preparing herself for the outcome. Today they called to tell her court was delayed, once again, until June, which is past the two year mark that Z has been with her (us). I am grateful for the extra time with him- in the meantime, DD2 feels like she is on an emotional rollercoaster. It is like peeling a bandaid off super slow.

Today, I got to spend almost the entire day with my three daughters. What a great day it was. We started off with bagels and coffee in J, then did some shopping there. I bought a jasmine soy candle and a couple of small items for the kitchen at the kitchen store.

Then, we went to office depot so DD3 could look for a tablet or netbook. We headed off to lunch and finally ended up at Trader Joes. I LOVED having them to myself for the day and just having girl time!

This evening I made oatmeal for the week and made up lunches for Monday and Tuesday from leftovers.

Tomorrow DD3 is going to go shopping for me to pick up dog & cat food, toilet paper, laundry soap. I also am very low on quinoa and oatmeal. I love that she is willing to go pick these things up so I didnt have to take time out of the weekend to do it. Normally they hub does this type of shopping at Walmart, and I really dont like to go there. The quinoa and oatmeal we get at the grocery store as they carry the type I use. (Thank you DD3!!)

This weekend was more spendy than normal for me when the hub is gone, but I stayed within budget and allowance. And what I gained in time with my girls was well worth it.

Today, I did something I havent done in over three years...I went to the library! It felt like visiting an old friend! I had forgotten how nice it was to pick out books, magazines, browse movies..and to leave with materials to enjoy for free! One thing I noticed was that the library was much busier than I remember. I checked out 3 books and 4 Arizona Highway magazines. One of the books is a book I started reading last fall at the rental house- The House of Sand and Fog. I didnt get all the way through it and have wanted to...now I can! I got the current Danielle Steel novel "Forever Friends" and a book called Save Big.

I have always been a big fan of the library. When my kids were younger I would spend my lunch hours there, and it was my 'quiet time' during the work week..and the kids and I would go together on the weekends. We are fortunate and have a big, beautiful two story library here with lots of reading chairs throughout. I know this is a luxury that could go away. The hours have been cut back over the years because of budgeting..one year, the library was even closed for months- but for now, it is open and I am looking forward to visiting it regularly again.

Then, I stopped by the grocery store and spent $81 picking up items for DD3 and I for the next week. Tonight I am having chicken and quinoa. (DD3 went out with friends) This week we will have enchilada pie, teriyaki chicken and rice, tortellini, spaghetti, and bbq chicken. Lunch is sandwiches or leftovers, breakfast is oatmeal.

Last night was my date night with Z. We had such fun. He giggled and played and slept in the big bed with gramma. I took pics and caught some moments on video...we had a great time.

Tomorrow morning DD1, DD2, DD3 and I are going to out for bagels, coffee and girl time! I am excited to have them all together for a couple of hours. We are going to the little historical town that I love to visit which is about 30 minutes away. They homemake their bagels and their coffee is wonderful...so everyone is looking forward to the treat and the time together.

While the hub was home, he accidentally backed over the neighbors basketball that was left in the street gutter. He delivered a new one to the dad within a couple of hours when the hub came home from running errands. Today the dad delivered a plate of homemade cookies and a thank you note. How sweet. I am a stickler about looking before backing up, so in no way did I feel the family needed to thank the hub, he was at fault for not seeing the ball (thankfully it wasnt a child!)..but it was very, very sweet of them to do. I put the cookies in the freezer for the hub to enjoy when he gets home.

I picked up the taxes from our accountant yesterday. I will need to pay $6700 for 2012 taxes by tax day..and also pay $1630 in quarterly taxes for the rest of the year. *choke*..I plan to pay quarterlies in April and June and then sit down with the accountant again and see what we will really owe for the remainder of the year to pay accordingly.

CC#3 on my sidebar is still going to be paid in full by the end of the year, whether or not I have to pull from ING to do it. AND I will make a dent in the 2014 debt payoffs by the end of the year.

How?

I cancelled the cruise and eliminated the big vacation line from the budget altogether. Until debt is paid off, we wont take one. (I left the small vacation budget that provides a means of a long weekend getaway here and there...)

I reduced our allowance budget by 25%. I eliminated all but a small deposit to savings each month, since we have our emergency fund already. I shaved from just about every line item possible to come up with the $530 per month needed to pay the extra quarterly taxes. And, I am continuing the original snowball payment amount on the debt.

Thankfully, our original budget had wiggle room in it and it wasnt too financially painful. I am so grateful that we did. AND...I am extremely happy that I used all the added income last month to pay down debt BEFORE learning about the taxes. Otherwise, I am afraid I would have used this as a convenient excuse to use the money for taxes.

So...there is the plan.

I am so glad it is Friday. Tonight is date night and it is Z's turn. I am very much looking forward to one on one time with him. Gramma needs to enjoy him while I can...

I had my appointment this morning with the financial counselor. He is also a trusted co-worker, so I have full confidence in his review and evaluation.

The short version is that I explained our debt and repayment plan, he looked at the social security, 401k and pension statements and used his fancy program to come up with a plan.

Of course, life doesnt always go as planned on paper- but he had really good news. He said that if we keep doing what we are doing (he felt we live fairly frugally for our income- yay!) that my goal of retiring at 60 is very much possible. AND he said that, again if all goes as planned, the hub could retire by 60-62 if he wanted to!!! Hurray! We have to stay focused and frugal...but he was very encouraging that it can work.

He was conservative in projections- did not include any equity growth in the homes. Although at 60, we will need to rent the home in town for either close to the payment, or sell it. Which hopefully by then should not be a problem.

He suggested considering upping our 401k contributions to lower our taxable income this year..AND then after debt is paid off, opening and contributing to Roth IRAs.

He did recommend looking into a good disability insurance plan for the hub.

Anyway... THAT is good news!!

The hub is on his way back to Alaska tonight. He got a nice surprise at the airport when he was upgraded to first class- since he flies so much he is on stand by for first class (upgrade free) and every once in a while he gets lucky!

Several weeks (a couple of months?) ago I decided to harvest my own green onions in a glass of water on the window sill. They are doing great. I have clipped them several times and I ALWAYS have fresh, organic green onions. However, once in a while I have to clean them off and out..and there is nothing worse than slimy green onions that have gone bad...yucky mess. Thankfully, I usually catch them before this point, but because I was gone last week, I had some past- that-point tonight when I weeded through them. Yuck. However, the rest are very happy and heathly and will produce lots more for my cooking and garnishments! Such an easy thing to do...and no more forgetting them at the store!!

There isnt much financial news to post about. All bills are set to payout on time between now and the end of the month. I have $5400 of the $6500 tax payment set aside for April 15th (and not a day sooner!) The rest will come out of our April 5th paychecks.

Update on Z

We got news today that there is a high likelihood that Z will be leaving us soon. His biological grand-mother, who lives several states away, will most likely get custody. My heart is broken for him, my daughter and her kids. But if the courts feel this is in his best interest, there is nothing else to do. We learn the final decision on the 22nd if not before. I hope and pray that he adjusts well to the change. Since we got back from California, he doesnt want DD2 out of his sight. So I cant imagine what losing her and the kids permanently and swiftly will do to him short and long term. Heartbreaking for one family...hopefully joyful news for another.

DD3 arrives home tomorrow at 6:30pm. I am excited to see her!!

I finaggled the budget, pulled the cruise savings out of ING (I refuse to call it the other name), and figured out how to payoff the tax bill by April 15th. And, I wont have to touch savings. $6500. poo. But, since there is no getting around it, I am grateful we have the means to pay it by the deadline.

I am not sure what the quarterly bill will look like, but I am hoping that I can squeeze the first quarter payment out of the budget...then we should be ok budget-wise. I was able to tweak things on paper and save $700 a month for a new quarterly tax bill. Next winter, when the hub is making extra in OT, I will be sure to set aside enough to cover this expense.

The good news is that I ddnt have to change much of the debt repayment plan. Vacation savings took a hit, as did extra savings for a few months..but I have a plan we can live with.

In May, I get to work over on the coast for 5 days, training staff. This means 4 nights at the condo!! When Im not training, I will get to work at the condo, enjoying that wonderful view. What's not to LOVE about that? My work will require at least 1-2 days a month there otherwise.

The hub leaves for Alaska on Wed for another 4 week rotation. On Thur, DD3 arrives home from hers. It will be nice to see her again!

Woot! Happy Blogoversary to me!



Here are today's stats:

•Date Started: Mar 11, 2006
•Entries: 1,213
•Comments: 5,039
•Total Visits: 3,066,095

I want to appreciate all of the fellow bloggers here who have provided friendship, support, an occasional and much needed knock on the noggin, and lots of financial advice! Each of you have made this an amazingly interesting and fun 7 years!

I had to make a big girl decision today. Because of the tax situation and what we now owe to the state...I cancelled the cruise. There was a part of me that cried NOOOOOOO....but the realistic part won. It makes no sense to pull from savings to pay this debt AND still take an extravagant vacation. I will pay the taxes, budget for future year taxes, continue on the debt trajectory, and then save for a vacation. This is so much more in line with my BHAG of retiring at 60, if not sooner.

Because it was far enough out, there were no penalties for cancelling the cruise, but I will end up paying $75 on my airline ticket. I dont think there is a fee on the hubs since he is a MVP with Alaska Air.

Day one back at work is as insanely busy as I had envisioned, so this is my very short lunch break...just taking a little time out to woot with my SA friends! Thanks for making this financial journey so much more enjoyable!

This post is dedicated to all of you who read the blogs, but have never joined. Every year on my Blogoversary-EVE I send an invite out to all of you to join us!



This is a special club- very knowledgable and very supportive...and a great deal of fun!!

Registering to blog is super easy.

Just as you enjoy reading the blogs, we would enjoy learning about you and your financial journey. Whether you're just starting, are a full blown saver, or somewhere in between, EVERYONE has something to share and everyone benefits in some way.

So c'mon and join us...hop off the fence, come out of the shadows, take the dive, and become one of the SA team!

We didnt realize that this is the time of year for whale watching. Today we went to lunch at a little place with ocean views...and we got to watch a whale enjoying the harbor. It was out there the entire time we dined. The whale shot water through its blowhole and then we would see its tail and it would disappear for a few minutes, only to return to the same spot and start again. It was such fun! (and lunch, $30 with tip, was yummy!)

Then we headed over to the beach and sat in the sand and watched the seagulls, boats, kids playing, kites, and just visited. Quality time with the hubby-very nice!

On the way back to the condo we stopped for an ice cream cone and walked along the pier. This particular one sustained damage from the tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. It was surprising how few boats were docked. A reminder that our economy has not bounced back very quickly here.

When we got back to the condo, the hub went for a short walk and I took this picture from our balcony, of him enjoying his stroll:



This vacation has gone much too fast, as they often do. I squeezed an awful lot into 8 days...but enjoyed every second..with the exception of last nights news about Gus. :/ (I spoke with DD2 a couple of times today and she and the kids are coming to terms with his being gone.)

Tomorrow we head back home and Monday its back to work for me...but I wont think about that today.

From the happiest place on Earth to heartache in one day. DD2 and the kiddos, lost their little dog tonight when it was hit by a car. Poor things, they were so excited to get home and see him, and tonight they are heartbroken The hub and I are at the coast and it happened after we got here, so our condolences have to be over the phone.

Ugh. So not fair for them. Such a dark cloud over their vacation.

RIP Gus:



DD3 learned that she is done with her slope job for the season, so she is coming home next week. I am so excited to see her. She has had such a good time there, and has a nice savings account even only working for 8 weeks.

The hub and I have free use of a beautiful ocean front condo this weekend, that my employer owns. As an employee perk, when it is not in use for work, we can stay here for free. I reserved it a few weeks ago..and it stayed available for the weekend. We arrived this afternoon and the weather is wonderful. The sunset was amazing, and now we are just watching some TV and relaxing. Albeit, sad for DD2 and the kids. Here is the hub sound asleep in the sun earlier:



Tomorrow we may do some sightseeing, or we may just hang out here and do some beach walking- either is fine with me so long as I dont have to spend much time in a car.

My middle grandaughter, age 5, was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis when she was 2. She has had three treatments that have all thankfully resulted in periods of remission. She has to be checked every 6 months.

Yesterday was her appointment, and the JA is back and has spread. This time in a spot right behind her Achilles tendon that will require weekly shots by mom or dad, indefinately, to keep her joint from fusing. She will also have to have her eyes checked every 3 months because this form of JA is also the form that affects eyesight. She told me on the phone last night that she never wants to go to the doctor again, EVER. Bless her heart.

I wish Gramma could grant that wish. But this is one gramma can't fix. I can just ache for her and give encouragement that it will be okay.

Thankfully, I get to see her on our way down south tomorrow. Cant wait to give her a hug.

Are vacations worth it? I mean, all the work you do before you go to make sure things are covered while you are gone...followed by all the work waiting when you get back. Seriously, I know we will have a good time, but the before and after make me wonder if its all worth it. Two more days...I can do this.

Three full days of walking and standing at Disney had me nervous. My tennis shoes were a present from a friend, I wasnt there when she bought them and didnt try them on and they are not the most comfy fitting shoes.

So, yesterday I stopped by a local store that carries well made (ie expensive..) shoes. I told the guy there that I am a gramma about to spend three days at DL with two grandkids, and I needed to know my feet would survive. He had me try on a couple of options, and then put THE sandals on my feet that were IT. OMG- most comfortable pair of shoes ever. I have never spent $130 for a full years worth of shoes, perhaps even two...let alone on a single pair. But, I did yesterday. They are sooo comfy, that I do not have buyers remorse. The older I get, the more the comfort of my shoes matters. (I sound like my gramma...)

Other than the shoes, I have had a no spend week. All meals out of the dwindling cupboard and fridge. Tonight I am going to dinner with friends.

Not much else on the financial front to add. Tomorrow the hubs pay will show, and I can update some numbers then.

Careful planning and I still managed to goof up. I brought my lunch today...all the makings for a roast beef sandwich...cept I forgot the bread. Today is a 9 hour work day, so not a good day to forgo lunch.

Then, out of the blue, I received a message from a co-worker that she had brought something for me to try today. She is Filipino, and boy can she cook! Every once in a while she will bring a little something for me to try...and today was awesome timing. It was a recipe she created- like an enchilada only not with tortillas, but with..well, egg roll wraps? filled with spicy ground pork, bell pepper, onion and potato..Whatever it was, it was super yummy...and free...and much appreciated-

but it was also breakfast AND lunch because I ...also failed to bring the oatmeal. Must be Monday.

I am on hour 9 of my workday, because I didnt take a lunch hour...and I am planning to work another hour. So, my 15 minute mental break is reading some blogs and writing this post.

I have to stop by the store on my way home to pick up a prescription...I have a prepaid medi card..so the stop shouldnt interfere with another no spend day...but then again, I will be at the store and...

I guess time will tell.

Ok, back to work for me.

The week ahead is an exciting one.

The hub gets home at midnight on Thursday. . However, I leave the next morning for the Cali/Disney trip for 7 days. The hub DOES NOT want to go with us and is looking forward to having some time to himself. Sleep is first on his agenda.

As mentioned above, Friday DD2 and I leave with her kiddos to go to Disneyland. I will also get to spend 3 nights with my BFF, who lives down there while DD2 takes the kids to go she her grandmother.

I am on vacation for a week...we will get home on the following Thursday night...and then I reserved the work condo for the hub and I for Friday and Sat night, which is free to us!

FUN!

Today I am going to put in a few hours for work, then I will work 9 hour days Mon-Thur and take Friday as a comp day so we can get on the road a little sooner than planned.

For the long drive, we will take drinks and snacks in a cooler. I plan to freeze some water bottles to keep things cold and then provide drinking water when they melt. DD2 and I have been stocking up on Disney themed treats, stickers, activity books, etc to make gift bags for the kids to enjoy on the drive.

DD1 has a dual DVD player for the car that we are going to borrow and perhaps even some movies the kids could enjoy.

I bought some potting soil yesterday to start my rosemary and basil plants- the two herbs I buy fresh regularly. I thought growing my own would be a little less expensive and much more convenient. I have been harvesting my own green onions in a glass of water on the window sill for about a month, and that is working GREAT!

My food plan for the week:
Oatmeal for breakfast
some sort of chicken for dinner..its defrosting, not sure what I will make yet
leftovers for lunch or pb&j

I am going to dinner on Wednesday with friends.

No big money news this weekend. I did double check the cc#2, which is now showing PIF. It is nice to pay, but feels awesome once it shows on the account balance.

The hub has been working some very long days- so Friday's paycheck should be much higher than budgeted.

Today will be busy packing, working, shopping for the things we need for the trip, getting ready for the week ahead and getting the house uber clean for the hubs home alone time.

Lots to do, better get busy!

Today was payday for the hub and I. I decided to move money from ING.... *ugh* I mean Capital One, to go ahead and payoff CC#2 today. I will transfer that money back to Capital One on the 8th and save whatever interest would have accumulated on the debt. I updated the sidebar. Total debt payoff in Feb is an all time one-month record for us... $11,264!!



I am eager to see what all of this does to our credit scores!

Now, on to cc#3!

The investment counselor gave me a to-do list before our meeting. I need to get the hubs most recent pension projection, our social security statements, current 401k information and investment options, and an idea of what our tax advisor suggests for Roth vs Traditional as far as tax bracket calcs.

The hub will be going to see our accountant while he is home to get our taxes done. Last year, we received a good sized refund- I anticipate that being the case again- potentially even more, since the hub was in Alaska more than half time and may not have to pay Oregon taxes??? Not sure, but I am eager to find out. I didnt calculate a refund into the debt payments, so whatever we get will go towards cc#3.

Tonight is my date night with my oldest GS (8). He is my carnivore who will want steak for dinner..so today will not be a no-spender.

A week from today we leave for our Cali/Disney trip. So much to do between now and then!!!

One of my (long?) term goals....my BHAG actually... is to retire at 60, if not sooner.

I currently contribute 8% to my 401k, which is the max that my job matches. (I love that they contribute this much, so nice!) I plan to raise my contribution amount once debt is paid off...In the meantime, I am embarrassed to admit that I set my investment options up years ago and have never changed them. This is primarily because I dont understand them. However, our job allows each employee a few hours a year to talk to an investment counselor for this very purpose. I have just never taken advantage of it.

So today, I emailed my investment profile to the counselor and set up an appointment for next month to get a solid plan in place. He briefly looked over my current investments and let me know that they need updating... since they currently conflict with each other. At least he didnt laugh.

He asked a few questions and pointed out that with the hubs pension (he is fully vested from the union job he left to go to the slope), what I currently have invested plus an additional 8 years of investing...plus 15-20 years left for the hub to work and invest (the hub is 7 years younger than me), we are in a good position to meet our goals. (yay!)

So, debts are being paid and I am getting the financial house in order to achieve the retirement goal. 8 years feels like a long time, but I know it will go quicker than I expect...and I very much want to be prepared.

Feels good to face the financial details head on and learn that it very well could work as planned.

BHAG = Big hairy a$$ goal...

Today was a no spend day. Actually, the last several days have been no spenders with the exception of Monday when I ordered the ironing board, which arrived this afternoon! How bad is it that you get excited about an ironging board--but I have gone without one for so long that it feels like a real treat to have one again.

I spent my lunch hour today working on our budget for the rest of the year. Because I am salary, my paychecks are the same every other week.

I budget the lowest amount that the hub has brought home each week to calculate his pay. The tough part is making sure I add the correct number of paychecks for the month, because he works 4/2 in the winter and 3/3 the rest of the year...which means every month is different.

I keep our budget on an excel spreadsheet with a different tab for each montn. Until today, I had projected through August, but now I have it through the end of the year. It is reassuring to see the budget for the whole year and to know the ebbs and flows for those months depending on how many weeks he actually gets a paycheck.

As I was working through it, I realized that I messed up in March and we will actually get a week of pay I hadnt budgeted for. That one week will pay for 3 of his airline tickets. Those tickets would have slowed down repayment of CC#3, but now that money will go there instead.

I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow, but dinner tomorrow night will have to be creative. Perhaps a PB&J sandwich...but I bet I can stretch out at least one more no spend day..or two. Hmm...

I was playing with the budget today and realized that if all goes as planned, I will send the final payment for CC#2 on March 28th. (I am paying $500 this week and will have the final $2300 by end of March)

That means that in two months, we have paid just shy of $10,000 in debt off. WOW. We have primarily accomplished this with bonus money and over time- so this pace of repayment won't be sustainable all year, but boy, this is a jump start in the right direction.

The payments from those three debts equals $470 per month, which will snowball into the CC#3 starting in April. By the end of the year on that trajectory, CC#3 will be down to about $2500. Factoring similar overtime and bonus money next year, we could potentially pay it all off sometime next year- which is my stretch goal. (yay!)

Since yesterday was a Holiday, this is a four day work week. I may work either Sat or Sun this weekend so that I can take next Friday (1st) off to leave for our California trip. DD2 got it off, and an extra day to travel that far with the two grandkids sounds like a great idea! I have four big report-type projects due right after I get back, so I am in high gear this week and next to get them done before I leave. Working on a weekend would mean less interruptions and better focus- and I dont really have any plans this weekend.

I used this past long weekend productively. I cooked oatmeal and chicken for most of the weeks meals. Today will be another no spender. Preparation sure helps stay on a food budget. I also cleaned house and caught back up at home- since I am leaving the day after the hub gets home, I want to leave the house nice and tidy so that he can fully enjoy his home alone time.

Guess its time to double check the a to-do list to make sure I get it all done...

This is post #1200. WOW.

I actually wrote a nice long post this morning, but forgot to copy before submitting and poof...it was gone.



Yesterday afternoon I got to work from home. I needed to be here when UPS delivered our Disney package containing the tickets, etc. I left the office at lunch time and stopped by the store on the way home to pick up some groceries. While I was there, I noticed that they had cut flowers discounted (since it was the day after V-Day). I picked up two bundles of tulips at 1/2 off.. one pink and one white. I just love this combo. Even though they are a 'day old' they were perfectly fine and look beautiful. The photo above is not mine, but resembled my the color of my tulips perfectly!)

I don't buy cut flowers often..maybe twice a year. Since the hub wasnt here for V-day, I decided to treat myself.

DD3, who is working in Alaska, has a friend here that is a single mom- which means she is a young, single mom..just 21. Her son's first birthday was today. She and DD3 have been friends since they were 12, so she is like family- although this is one of the kids friends that Im not too close to. DD2, Z and I went to the party.

First, I was surprised by how much she spent on this party. She lives on next to nothing..and barely makes ends meet...often not having food at the end of the month. She used at least $175 on this party..she told us that the location, a kids activity center, cost $130 for a birthday room for an hour and the children attendees have free entry to the facility for the day. (the money came from her tax refund)..She bought trays of meat/cheese, veggies and dips, cupcakes, etc...aside from her mom and grandma, ONE other girlfriend showed up. Z and the birthday boy were the only kids there. I felt so bad for her. SHe was very disappointed...and must have regretted spending so lavishly.

I have DD1s kiddos over tonight. Her and SIL are having a date night. My gs has been asleep for an hour or so, and my gd is watching Hotel Transylvania and snacking on girl scout cookies (that SHE sold me )....expensive little cookies too.

Update on Z

There are a couple of important court dates coming this month. The first is for his mother. They are adding more charges- and she may be going back to jail.

The other is the first permanency hearing. This could go two ways- 1- they could extend moms time to rehab 3 more months..and 2- they could start permanency placement proceedings, which will kick his file to a committee to determine where he will live permanently. If 2 happens, it is highly likely, now that Z is past age 2, that he will stay with DD2 and she will get to eventually adopt. But there are no guarantees.

My wish is that no matter what happens Z has a chance to grow up in a loving, nurturing environment. He is such a sweet little boy.