Gramma Ray's Blog

When I was tidying up the house this morning I found the weekly flyer for the grocery store. I glanced through it and realized several of the things I was thinking of making this week were on sale AND there were some coupons on them too. Hmmm....

I made a menu for the week of chicken picatta, black bean soup, baked rosemary/lemon chicken and steak sandwiches--lunches are deli turkey sandwiches and leftovers. (I will have oatmeal for breakfast, which I have on hand.) Then, I headed off for the store..I spent $54.21 after saving $28.27 (34%). The young lady that lives with me doesnt eat red meat...mainly sticks with chicken or tuna. So I try to rotate what we have, but we eat lots of chicken. Thankfully, I love chicken. But I tossed in a couple of pieces of chopped steak for dinner...she will have to plan something for herself tonight.

I still have a premixed batch of muffin mix and some frozen berries, so Im gonna whip that up for snacks and desserts this week.

I plan to stick to the budget, although I do have an extra $25 incase we need any perishibles. Should be a yummy, healthy week!

My paycheck yesterday included the adjustments that I made in my 401k (from 5% to 8%) and prepaid medical (from $300 yr to $1200 yr). It was $190 less than usual. My annual increase doesnt kick in until next payday, but I am figuring an extra $100 net- which still puts me below my previous take home by $90 every two weeks. If the merit increase isn't approved, I will adjust the budget accordingly for 2012. But I am hopeful that at least part of the 90 will be covered with even a small merit raise.

I still need to increase my 401k to meet retirement goals, but we also need to allocate towards debt reduction- so I am trying to balance. Plus, I want to allocate some towards the hubs 401k as soon as we can change his contribution amount.

DD1 turned 30 yesterday. She is such an amazing young lady. A thought occured to me that she is now the same age my brother was when he died. I have a new appreciation for how my parents must have felt- as (in my eyes) DD1 is still my baby who has so much left to experience. I hugged her extra tightly when we said goodbye after dinner last night.

DD2 had to work and wasnt able to join us, she also didnt have a sitter for the lil foster guy (12 mo)..so he joined us. He got a little cranky and I had finished eating, so I took him and walked over and watched the guy grilling the steaks who kept entertaining the baby by making the open fire flame up. He doesnt smile or laugh easily or often, but he did at the fire flash. At one point Z looked at me, put his tiny hands on my cheeks and came in with a big slobber baby kiss. LOL. Clearly he was having fun. I just adore this lil guy. As he is developing and trying to stand, we have noticed one of his legs turns very awkwardly inward and his foot is very turned. Because his first several months were spent literally living in a carseat, it may have caused things to form wrong, so they are going to run some tests and set up a corrective plan.

The hubs next rotation home will only be for two weeks again...he loves this job and is more than happy to work the extra week when he can. However, this will probably be the last 4/2 rotation until next winter. Until then, he will be on 3/3 which will be so nice.- We can actually take a week long vacation together and go do something...maybe even a couple of them.

With my new position at work, I will need to attend an out of state training this year. My choices are Boston in May or Chicago in September. I am leaning towards Boston, simply because the training is sooner and I will be able to do my job better once I attend. The nice thing is that the hub can come with and we can take a few extra days to sight see. (We have to pay his travel and the extra nights at the hotel ourselves, but still a fun opportunity to visit somewhere we have never been!) Anyone have insight if one or the other option is mo' better?

Well, time to get at it this morning. I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!

I have never, in almost 30 years of working, asked for a raise. Until today. I get a decent increase each year, but where I fall on the payscale for my position is in a low percentile-because every year they do a salary adjustment so I never move up the scale. With my experience I beleive that there is a disconnect between where I am and where I should be.

So...I put my ducks in a row, asked for advice from a former VP of HR, took a deep breath and then just asked.

The initial response was that my reasoning made good sense and that my request is reasonable and understandable. Now it goes to the decision makers. My fingers are crossed because the increase I asked for was very fair and left plenty of negotiation room. If it happens, I will be very pleased and will have extra to go towards my retirement goals. If it doesnt, I am still VERY greatful for my job and will put it to rest.

I mentioned in my prior post that DD1 was caring for her hubs grandma, who had been released from the hospital under hospice care. They moved a couple of weeks ago into a bigger home to care for both grandma and grandpa and let them live with them. Sadly, she passed way yesterday. I am so proud of my daughter for stepping up and giving grandma a place to enjoy her last few days. Even arranged for grandma to have a manicure, which made her so happy. She was so tickled to 'go home' with her pretty nails. Grandpa is able to grieve for his lost life long partner of almost 60 years in a loving, caring enviornment.

The hub is enroute to Alaska tonight. He will be gone for the next month. We sure had a fun time this last two weeks. I booked a rental home at a resort we enjoy for his next first weekend home. Until then, DD1 celebrates her birthday, I get to go visit DS and DIL and enjoy the my new position and office at work.

Life is blessed.

I typed out a nice long post last week and when I hit send, it was sent into the ol cyberwormhole...I didnt have time to repost, so...I will try it again now.

The hub has been home almost two weeks. He leaves to go back to the slope on Wed already.

We went to Vegas this past weekend. We had a really nice time. I got a great deal on airline and hotel tickets...so it wasnt real expensive...$300 roundtrip for both of us...and $300 for the hotel for three nights with a view of the strip. We played all weekend and came home with a little more than we started with. (this did not include food...which came to about $200 for the three days we were there..)

All in all, a great mini get away that we both enjoyed! (Dealers in bikinis?? really??)

Now the hub will head back to the slope for another four week stint. He is working 4 weeks on, two off right now...but when things slow down, he will go back on 3 on, 3 off.

The new job is going well. I am enjoying NOT having so much stress. I got a 5.5% raise...but am still working on a merit increase. I will be happy with the regular raise, however.

The kids are all doing well.

Dd1 recently moved into a house so they could take in SILs grandparents. Gramma is under hospice care and is down to days. I am so proud of her for taking on this responsibility and giving grandpa a safe place to land when gramma goes.

Dd2 is still fostering the lil guy she took in almost a year ago. He is THRIVING in her care and just turned one.

DS and DIL are all settled into their new jobs and home. They moved to northern Calif just after thanksgiving for better job opportunities and they are doing great..I am SO proud of them!

Life is good!

ps...Papa...happy 79th birthday. I so wish you were here to celebrate with. I miss you soo much.

I am on vacation today and Monday. The hub and I are flying to Vegas tonight for a mini get away. Other than local jaunts around Oregon, we havent been on a trip in quite a while. Neither of us are big gamblers, I just found a great deal on flights/hotel and there are so many other things to do there for a couple of days. (I had hoped to watch Green Bay play on the mega screen this weekend, but *sniff* they lost last weekend to the Giants. However, the 49er/Giants game should be a good one....)

The hub is home until Wednesday, then he heads back to Alaska for 4 more weeks. The $$ from the extra week in the rotation is nice, but this is just temporary for the ice roads..in March or April, he will go back to 3/3. I have made sure to work the budget so that the extra goes to debt reduction or savings and is NOT part of the normal budget.

Three weeks into the job, and I am enjoying having the reduced stress level. I decided to take this term off from school and just relax. Since the hub has been home the last couple weeks, it has been REALLY nice not to have to worry about studying and deadlines.

The kids are all doing well. My DIL found a good job and so she and my son are FINALLY financially independent from mom. I actually got paid back a little this month!! SO proud of them. I am going down to visit them President's weekend next month...and am so excited to see them all!

My DD1 is moved into the new house and SILs grandparents are there with them. Grandma was released from the hospital to hospice and only has days to weeks. I am SO PROUD of my daughter for taking on this responsibility and making grandmas final days comfortable and giving grandpa a soft place to fall when she goes.

DD2 still has the foster baby. He turned ONE last weekend and there were no phone calls to check on him from any of his family. SO SAD...but again, I am uber proud of DD2 for taking this lil guy into her family. He has been with us for 8 out of his 12 months...I hope he stays permanently. He is a sweet, sweet lil guy.

I went to a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) luncheon this week. Basically, a CASA is an advocate for a child who is in foster care. The CASA is court appointed to make sure the childs best interests are a priority while they are in the system- it is a minimum 2-3 year commitment and more preferably a commitment to that lil person until they are 18 (and beyond). There is such a need for volunteers in our community. I am seriously looking into becoming one. I am going to another meeting to find out more about the details.

I have gone back to having my hair done in a salon. The reason is that my friend who lost her son (22)to cancer this past year is the owner of the salon and her business has been struggling- she struggles to find the strength to get out of bed each day and to put one foot in front of the other. Her heart is so broke. The first couple months it wasnt unusual to find her curled on the couch in the waiting area, not having served a client all day. Her customer base dropped and she almost closed. But last night when I got there, she had a plan, a little hope and seemed to have turned a corner. She is staying busy and finding additional ways to draw customers in. She surprised me with a manicure using gels while my hair was processing. I love the look this morning and am considering regular manicures now. Helping my friend this way is so worth it.

Welp..time to get packing...a fun weekend awaits!!!

After a four week stint, the hub is on his way home tonight. He is enroute from Anchorage to Seattle now and will be home at midnight if the flights go as scheduled. He will be home for two weeks and then back to work for four more weeks. While he is home we will go to Vegas for a couple days, but also leave plenty of time to relax and rejuvenate.

I am anxious to see my paycheck tomorrow. In January of each year my job gives staff back 10% of all interest earned/paid between our savings and loan accounts. It is a wonderful perk. However, I also upped my 401K contribution (from 5% to 8%) and raised my pre-paid medical from $30 to $100 per month to cover some extra medical needs this year. When I checked what was pending to deposit tomorrow it was over $100 more than normal...so either my 10% was more than I expected, or the increases didnt go through yet. I am anxious to see which it is.

I will also find out next week what my increase will be for this year. I know it will be at least 5.25%.

I took tomorrow off, so I have a four day weekend to spend with the hub...next week I work three days and then have the next four off for Vegas- gotta love a schedule like that!!

I thought I would share this fun photo. My Son and DIL were out shopping and realized their daughter was people watching....or vis versa...the sweetness of youth..made me smile!

For Christmas, I gave my son and his family an annual membership to the Sacramento Zoo and adjoining Fairytale Town. They are new to the area and their money is so tight, so I thought this would give them something free to do all year. Normally, a day pass to these two parks would cost them over $40 - but they will get in for free anytime they want to go.

They made their first trip today and I thought I would share a couple of the pics...

This is my grandaughter enjoying one of the feathered friends...



And this is my grandson petting a snake...oh my.



It sounds like they had a great first visit. The membership allows them to take two extra people anytime they go- so an added bonus is now family wants to visit because they can go to the zoo!!

I have been cooking this afternoon getting meals ready for the week ahead. Plus, this is my week to take dinner to the local homeless-teen shelter- so I have made soup, lemon chicken and have the chicken all cooked for the shelter meal. (This is a smaller shelter and I have to cook for only about 12 people)

The hub comes home on Thursday...pretty excited to see him- this was a four week stint and he will be home for two and then back in Alaska for another four.

I was supposed to have a free day today. My daughter had to attend a foster parent class and she needed a sitter for the foster baby. I had asked my other daughter to help me, and offered her $20 to help. So we spent the day hanging out - the lil guy started running a fever about mid-day and just wanted to be cuddled the rest of the day.

Let's backtrack a little.....I have a big heart for him, his first 4+ months were spent in a car seat. Mom was very young and immature, dad was very abusive. Lil guy learned to drink a propped bottle and lived with a soiled diaper for hours on end. When my daughter got him 7 months ago, his head was misshaped from staying in one position and he had NO leg strength from never using them...and a horrible case of diaper rash.

In the past 7 months he has gone from a very withdrawn baby to thriving...so when he wants to cuddle, we cuddle. He slept in my arms for almost 4 hours. The housework and reading suddenly didnt seem important and I loved every second today.

Since I was occupied, I offered to get pizza delivered for lunch. $30 + $20 for my helper. So $50 for the day today. But cuddling a lil guy who cautiously appreciates affection was priceless. Slobber, goobers and all.

Tonight I am just hanging out at home, watching Crazy, Stupid Love...(just started).

Its been a great day!

Just a random rambling...

Today was interesting. I had three different people mention that 2011 was one of their worst years and then proclaim that 2012 would be better. Each of them put hope into 2012 being a turning point. They said it already FELT like a better year. I have to wonder if this will be THE YEAR that allows people to breathe a collective sigh of relief....or if it is just hope built on a shaky foundation.

I can see positive changes in my kids situations...there is definately financial relief for the hub and I. But am I confident that this is a long term turn? Not so much yet. I remain cautiously optimistic.

My new normal is to spend frugally and save what I can. Pay off what I can, use up what I can, wear out what I can and save for the next rainy day.

Housing prices still have not turned around..unemployment rates are dropping slowly, but not in the jobs that sustain long term, banks that arent failing are getting creative on finding new fees to find profit...and then reversing the decisions at the cost of consumer confidence....but I think in listening to others, people have gone back to basics of family, friends and what is really important. In the credit union world....a penny saved seems to mean something again.

Hmmmm....

Maybe things are turning around afterall. Just with a new, "new normal".

My son moved his family to Sacramento in November. As a mom, it was so tough to watch them go- but I gave them a hug and wished them luck as they drove away...hoping that they would realize that dreams can come true. They settled in, my sons job flourished and today...my daughter in law accepted a job offer for $4 more an hour than she made here. Between the two of them, they now can not only make it each month financially, but they will start getting ahead. I am so proud of and for them. This was a big scary move...but I know that this will help them become independent and more successful as a couple.

Then, last night my DD1 called to ask my advice. They want to take his grandparents into their home to provide foster-type care for them. Grandma is not doing well, and grandpa is struggling himself. They found a house that is big enough for all of them, and DD1 will continue to stay at home to care for them and the kids. Grandpa is so greatful to know he and his wife will be welcome and cared for in her final weeks. I am beyond proud of my daughter for taking on this responsibility.

DD2 continues to foster the little guy (almost 1) He has been with her and her family since he was 5 months old. To him, she is mom, and we are his family. Some days it is tough to have another little one under foot...but she is determined to give this little guy some stability. I am so proud of her too.

And finally, DD3. She is going to school and doing her best to be independent. She is such a sweet soul.

I dont think there is anything more important or rewarding to a mom than to have my kids all making great decisions and giving this game of life all they can to make it work.

I am, truly, blessed.

My new job description is exciting. I think I will enjoy all of the opportunity ahead.

The hub comes home a week from tonight...he will be home for two weeks- while he is here, we will be going to Vegas for a few days. Life...is very, very good.

My self evaluation was due today. I always struggle scoring my work- but also feel better after I am done and have outlined my accomplishments for the prior year. It was a very busy year with lots of checkmarks. If my boss agrees with my score, I should get a 5.25% raise, which will be nice - expecially in a year that many financial institutions have wage freezes or are laying staff off. I have also aksed for consideration for a merit increase since I am taking on new responsibilities..but I will be happy whether or not the merit increase is approved. (This is the first time Ive ever asked for anything above what was offered so I am interested to see what happens.)

Today was a no-spender. Pre-planning for weekly meals really does help. Tomorrow I will need to get gas, but I shouldnt have any food or other expenses the rest of the week!

All in all, the first day in my new job went well. I am in limbo still as all of the changes are in process, so my new stuff doesnt officially start until the 9th...and I have already passed my old stuff on to the person taking that job on...so I am using the free time to uber organize my office and set some goals for this year. I will have a job description on Thursday and will meet with the team on Friday to discuss the reorganization. Change is not always the easiest thing, but this one feels like a good one - especially once I wrap my head around the expectations.

I am very blessed.

Tomorrow I go back to work. It is officially my first day in my new position. I hope I like it!! Because of some changes at work, my department is no longer...and I am now over risk management for the cu. I love the detective type work I will be doing, and I wont be supervising a full department, so it will be much less stress...plus I dont have to take a cut in pay- I might even get a raise. All in all, not a bad deal. The biggest plus- I am no longer managing facilities, so toilets are now someone elses problem .

I continued to organize today. I made a menu plan and have all meals planned for this week. My lunch is packed for tomorrow and I will take bagels and creamer for breakfast all week. My meat is marinating for teriyaki chicken tomorrow night...and I made a chicken enchilada pie that is in the freezer for Thursday...so I am all set until Saturday!!

The hub and I are going to Vegas when he is home this time. It is a quick trip..arrive Friday night, fly home Monday...just a fun get away. The flight was cheap and the hotel was only $85 per night (Treasure Island)...I am excited to get into a little warmer weather for a couple of days. Neither of us are gamblers, so we are primarily going for the sights and fun.

The Ducks won the Rosebowl today!! (Sorry Wisconsoners)

Happy New Year to all! I hope the year is off to a good start for everyone!

I started the year off by upping my 401k allocation to 8%. My employer also contributes 8%- so one step towards my 5 year plan.

I also upped my prepaid medical at work to 1200 for the year so that I can start getting some stuff taken care of that I have been putting off and also to have some of those 'fun' milestone tests done now that Im 50.

Ive spent the past couple of days decluttering and organizing. I have several big bags and a couple of boxes set to go to Goodwill.
I spent about $50 dollars yesterday on a storage rack, some plastic tubs and bins and a label maker. I have a closet designated for grandkid toys that is always an eyesore. So I pulled everything out, organized everything and tossed all the broken toys and those missing parts. I have to say the before and after are dramatic and it feels great to have that monster under control I also cleaned and organized my (walk in) closet that was getting hard to manuever around in....no more!!!

It feels great to be off to a good start. I am getting some of my motivation from a site called Pinterest. If you havent visited, its just a site filled with random ideas. But I am also just really ready to be more organized. I have done MAJOR purging at work as well. I love starting the new year off a little lighter on STUFF and a little more focused on gratitude.

The hubs job is going awesome. He is working at a remote camp as the sole mechanic. He is getting lots of overtime, which he loves. Yesterday there was a cold weather advisory that exposed skin would freeze after 15 minutes....umm...he primarily works outside...so Im sure he stays layered up. But Id take a pass on that...lol. But again, he LOVES it. So go hub! And the added money is helping us catch up and planand hope for the future.

Well, Happy New Year friends.

This was a tough year for Holidays. I have always wondered how people can be upset during the Holidays..but this year I found a new empathy for those who struggle during the holidays. I really struggled not having my parents or my brother (only sibling) here...I guess no matter how old you get, you miss having someone from your nucleus family...

I mentioned that my job is changing. Before starting the Holiday I moved my office to my 'new home'. I am glad to be done with the move. I got pretty sick for a few days...high fever, missed some work...but ended up being back to work to settle in to my new office.

Christmas was nice, with all my kiddos here for most of the day. The lil guys had so much fun with their gifts.

The hub wasnt here for Christmas, but we will take a trip to Vegas in January. He is working a ton of overtime. This will help us build up savings for the summer and a few little trips. Plus we are paying down debt. I hope to retire in 5 years...but that is negotiable depending on how the next few years go.

However, my focus is on making a 5 years retirement plan work....

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. I plan to catch up on your blogs...

What is wrong with me?

I have been teary for days...and today I left work early using a mental health break excuse...when really, I just came home and lost it.

I have so much to be greatful for..we are ahead on bills, and starting to make headway in paying ahead on our debt. The hub loves his job...I have about 15 coming for Thanksgiving and am ready for the big day..

But I am sad. Dag nabbit. I miss my parents. I did ok last year, but this year is tougher for some reason. Maybe having my son and his family gone this year...maybe having the hub in Alaska...not sure.

Sorry to complain...really, I have so much I am thankful for.

I know taking two classes this term was more stressful than I want to do again. And because of the changes at work, I am seriously reconsidering school altogether. Especially when I have to choose between my grandkids and school on the weekends. I enjoy learning- but I also enjoy having time to bake and enjoy my grandbabies.

Ok, enough whining for one post. I am not sure why such a mood lately...I need to just snap out of it.

I have noticed that there are more co-workers selling things this year. Just this past couple weeks I have been asked to buy Scentsy and Papmered Chef. I know the girls selling these things are needing extra income, but the items seem so overpriced. I bought a warmer and some of the wax from Scentsy. It arrived yesterday and I tried it today. So far I am happy with the product. It smells really nice and is lasting a long time- but this is something I wouldnt normally buy...

Then, I ordered a pair of kitchen shears ($25) and a couple of coupon slicers (for my daughters -$3.75 ea)from Pampered Chef. I normally would pass on things like this, but it is so hard to when I know how tough this year has been for some of these families. However, I will probably find other ways of helping instead of buying these things.. any ideas?

Rather than spend the entire weekend fretting over my criminology test, I went ahead and focused this morning for a couple hours straight and just took the darn thing. I finished within the hour limit and got 94%!!! yay.

I still have a bunch of homework, but at least the pressure is off on the test. Tonight, my GS-age 7- is spending the night. DD3 is also here babysitting the little foster boy for DD2 so she could go to a movie. So, no homework tonight. The Ducks are playing USC, so I am watching the game and enjoying my family. (The game kinda sucks...the Ducks keep fumbling the ball!!)

I also checked off a couple of chores on the master clean list today. We steam cleaned the floors and I eliminated all old mail clutter and scrubbed the counters. I moved everything that isnt necessary to the garage to allow for more space for all the seating. So, I feel like I am getting a good start on the Holiday prep.

To prepare for Thanksgiving, I used a couple of big post-it flipchart sheets to outline the plan to help stay organized.

On one sheet, I listed all of the chores we need to do to ensure smooth sailing on the day. This is posted on the kitchen wall and each day we are ticking off done items.

On the other sheet, I listed who was coming, the meal plan, and a shopping list.

My houseguest and I are tackling the chores and checking them off as we go...The other chart is really helping me to figure out seating for children and adults, as well as let everyone know what they can bring. I also have went through the cupboards and determined what we have so I dont buy things we have on hand.

My spluge this year is a Honeybaked ham. It is an extravagance...but one I am looking forward to. We had one about 20 years ago and I loved it...and Ive not had once since. I am really looking forward to the treat!

My SIL is getting our turkey free from his job. My daughters are coupon queens and getting pretty much everything else we need for very cheap.

So, I feel like we are on track for an organized and yummy day.

I took the Friday and Monday after off. So to top it off, I get a five day weekend to enjoy! It will be filled with shopping, homework, more homework, football, wrapping, decorating, and more homework...not necessarily in that order.

Our menu this year is Ham, turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potaotes, yams, asparagus, green beans, stuffing, gravy, rolls, fruit salad, and assorted pies.

I will have 13-15 people here...so it should be a blessed fun family day.

I love the Holidays...

I am so ready for this week to be done. Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday.

Today, several long term employees learned their jobs were changing and some took significant paycuts. Sadly, this is due to the mortgage industry changes. The bubble burst has hit home. It made me really appreciate even more that I have a job and have not had to take a pay cut. I am blessed.

The hubs paycheck is pending on our account. It was much more than I was expecting. Not sure why. He is going to call me once he gets his stub. I was expecting $850 bring home for his first few days back on this hitch...the deposit is $1450. This is good news, if it is correct. I just cant think of why such a big difference. Hmm...

Lots of homework slated for this weekend. I am so ready to just take ONE class next term. I have had to put off grandbaby visits way too many times this term... not good. This weekend is my SIL and granddaughters birthdays. Having so much pressure for homework is making it tough..so I wont do this again. I know this means that I wont get my degree anytime soon...but with the tradeoff being time with my family, I am good with it. I make good money for not having a degree, with the hubs job, we are financially fine without me climbing any higher at my job. And if all goes well, I am hoping my 10 year retirement goal may be cut to five years....we will see.

Tomorrow is the farewell party for my friend. It will be a bittersweet day for sure. But I cant wait to see what she accomplishes with the teens she helps.

I have tooted the Amazon horn a few times here, but last night I had an experience that has me scratching my head and wondering about the site.

Knowing I have a Prime account, my daughter called to see if I would order something for her. She had the item picked out and let me know what to get. I did a search on the site and found the item, but the price she found and the price I found showed a $7 difference. We compared all the details, including the number of comments on the item (1829) and it was identical, except for the price. As a prime member, I would have recieved two day shipping for free, she would have paid...Is it possible Amazon is upping the price on items under the prime membership to cover the "free" shipping????

I will be looking into this this weekend to see if this was a fluke, or if it is a Amazon's practice. I will not be a happy camper if I have been duped into believing Prime membership is something it is not...

One of my co-workers is leaving and we are having a farewell for her on Friday. She has worked there 20 years and is leaving to take care of at-risk homeless teen girls. Because of her tenure, the company is giving her a nice gift and send-off...and because she is a dear friend of mine, I was asked to work with another friend to pick out the gift and arrange the send off. So, we spent today shopping and putting the gifts together, ordering food and creating a scrap book. We had such a fun day putting this event together. We had a budget of just over $500 for food and gifts. We bought her a nice outdoor rocker for her back porch, soft pjs, a robe, a lap blanket, tea, wine, candles, a journal, gift cards, and an uber soft loveable teddy bear. Then, we ordered about 7 platters of fruits, breads, and croissant sandwiches for the breakfast. All in all, it was a great day spent planning an event fit for a special friend...and getting paid for my time...and it didnt cost me a dime!!! Gotta love that!

In advance, sorry for the rant.

Today, I was really glad I made that oatmeal last night...I ended up not having time for breakfast or much time for lunch, so my oatmeal served as both meals.

Right after I hit the enter button on my post last night, my houseguest came home and told me BOTH headlights were out in my car. So, I had someone look at the fuses today, but that was not the problem apparently- as replacing them did nothing for the lights. So, I came home before it got too dark (did I mention uber busy day today)....

So, tomorrow, I will try replacing the bulbs and hopefully that will be the end of it. Having the hub in po-dunk Alaska when I have no headlights this time of year really stinks!!! I hope this is an inexpensive fix.

I received a collection bill in the mail yesterday for $31. I know that medical collections must be high with the economy being so crazy. But I have asked my Dr office during my last TWO visits about paying this bill..both times I was told that they were waiting on the second insurance company and that I didnt need to make a payment. But now I get a collection letter. ARGH. I have a pre-paid debit card for my medical, so paying $31 is no big deal--WHICH IS WHY I KEPT ASKING. So I called them today and they said the second insurance had never been billed. I went ahead and paid the bill but asked them to please bill the insurance as they have stated. It is so frustrating. They are so used to hearing 'stories' that they are immune to really helping...but cmon.

One more gripe (honestly, this all happened today)...I turned in some old photos (great-great ancestors) last week to be reprinted...they needed 2-3 days and I said I would pick them up in a week. In spite of my crazy day, I ran over on a quick break to pick them up and THEY WERENT DONE! He was just starting to work on them. Seriously?? He said to come back in an hour...huh?? I had meetings all afternoon, so I couldnt go back for them. His 'sorry' could not have been less sincere...seriously, if he only knew the day I was having.

I have no energy or enthusiasm for homework tonight, so I am taking the night off. A glass of wine and mindless TV for me tonight....Its been a day.

I took a vacation day today and thoroughly enjoyed it. I slept in, worked on my research paper for criminology, wrapped some Christmas presents, planned Thanksgiving dinner and made a shopping list, replaced my very cranky hair dryer, GOT TO HAVE LUNCH WITH MY SON, and am now watching the Packers game (and they're winning). (Go Green Bay!) I also made my oatmeal for the rest of the week. Yep, great day!

Work has been really stressful lately. My job is changing and not necessarily to something I am passionate about. But I am paid well, and will do what I need to do. All the parts of my current job that I love, I will no longer be responsible for. My focus will be on risk management...lots of interpreting regulations and stuff. But I am greatful to have a job- I know I am blessed and have been a little spoiled- so I need to buck up and do this.

My son left with a UHAUL packed full today to start moving his family to Sacramento. My DIL will move at the end of the month. It was SO GOOD to see him. I will certainly miss them and will be spending more time on the road once they get settled in...luckily, I have a very good relationship with my DIL. I need to add a line item to the budget for gas for trips there.

This weekend my girls and I did our annual girls trip to Portland. We have done this trip for about 5-6 years now, and it is something we look forward to (and save for) all year. We left on Friday morning at 6am and just got back a couple of hours ago. We had an awesome time shopping, eating amazing meals, sightseeing, and just spending time visiting. We came home with tired feet, lighter wallets and happy hearts. I stayed well under budget and even picked up the tab on the more costly meals so the girls dollars would stretch a little farther. I remember being a mom of young children and never having enough money. They were so appreciative...and I enjoyed treating! Both the girls are actively frugal. This morning, we stopped by the store so they could buy 3 newspapers each for the sunday coupons and circulars and they planned their shopping/couponing on the drive home.

The hub is on his second trip to Alaska for his job. He is loving it. He was home for three weeks and left last Thursday. When he arrived, he found out he is now on 4 & 2's meaning he will work 4 weeks and then be home for 2 and then work 4, etc. This means more paychecks, but less time at home. It is up to him how much he works- but he wants to put in as much time as possible, so thats what he will do. The extra week nets about $2200, so it will help us achieve some of our goals much quicker.

I took an extra day off tomorrow to catch up on homework and to start wrapping Christmas gifts. I have ordered many of my gifts online this year and have quite a few to wrap...so I want to get a head start. I am blessed to earn almost 6 weeks PTO per year, so I have plenty to take the day tomorrow.

No matter how much fun I have on our trips, I am always glad to get home. There really is no place like home!!!

I spent yesterday working on homework, preparing my oatmeal for the next few days and making/ planning meals for the week. It paid off, because today was my second NSD in a row- well, at least for food. I did spend $520 today on the hubs RT airline ticket for his 3 week rotation home. Usually the RT ticket is closer to $600- so this was a deal!

Tomorrow should be another no spender, and then Wednesday I am taking my friend, who just lost her 21 yo son, to dinner.

I got 100% on my two first week assignments for school. I have two tests coming up, so lots of study time ahead.

Last night I tried a new recipe and it turned out really good. Chicken and dumpling casserole :

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chicken-and-Dumpling-Cass...

Just a really good dish of comfort food! When I make it again I will probably add carrots- but the dish turned out very similar to the picture on the recipe.

Well, time to stude before bed.

The hub called and his first day was a loooooong one. He got up yesterday at 3am to catch his flight to the slope..then, the plane was delayed. He finally arrived at 9am and went into training. After attending training all day, his shift started at 6pm and he worked until 6am this morning. 8 hours of regular time and 9 1/2 of OT for his first day (He earned about $650 for one day!). Poor guy- he was exhausted this morning and then slept all day. He is working the 6pm-6am shift, which is fine for him since he has always worked nights.

I spent the day doing homework and cooking. I made a big pot of black bean and chicken soup. I had all of the ingredients for this, so no cost today.

I also made the first batch of muffins from the mix I put together last weekend. I bought a pkg of frozen berries (blue, rasp and black berries) ($3.29)and made triple berry muffins this time...It looks like there are enough berries left to make two more batches. The muffins turned out awesome. I can see why the recipe got rave reviews!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/All-Star-Muffin-Mix

Tomorrow, I will make a second batch to have for next week as well as the oatmeal. Between the soup, the oatmeal and the muffins, I am pretty well set for the first half of the week.

I pulled all the bedding off and washed the sheets, blankets and bedspread today. I swapped out the sheets we were using for a set of shabby chic rosebud sheets my kids bought me about 5 years ago. They are pretty and I am reluctant to use them daily when the hub is here...he occasionally falls into bed after working all night oblivious to how much residual (grease) he has on his arms...Id rather not use my foo-foo sheets when thats posssible. SOOO, for the next three weeks, I get pretty sheets! Cost for feeling uber feminine while I sleep, nada!

All in all, an awesome day. Loving the weekend and the chance to catch up and relax.

This week has been so busy.

The hub is in Alaska and back to work! I am uber busy with school- taking two classes might not have been the wisest decision Ive ever made.

Let me start this post by telling a story. Wednesday morning I was getting ready for work- I had stayed up late Tuesday working on homework, so I was not as alert as normal.

I was sitting at my dining room table putting my shoes and socks on and my cat was being very talkative..not his usual style, but it was entertaining. I slipped my foot into my shoe and it didnt go all the way in....about the same time I hear an unual squeek for somewhere nearby...as I wriggled my toes trying to get my foot in my shoe...it dawned on me- that moment of clarity - why the shoe wouldnt go on, my cat was so talkative and the squeek...

I kicked off the shoe and SURE ENOUGH...a MOUSE went scurrying away...followed by the cat.

EWWWWWWW

no, make that a double ewwww...

NEVER again will I feel ok just putting my foot into the black abyss of a shoe without first checking to make sure my cat hasnt chased a critter into it.

DD3 texted me that she needed school books. I signed up for my classes last May and ordered my books at a deep discount from Amazon, to save $$. Of course, she needs her books by Tuesday...which means paying a higher price for an amazon prime provider to get them here quickly. Instead of $130 for the books, I paid $165...but that was still cheaper than the over $200 we would have paid at the college bookstore. But still, I hated paying so much more because of her procrastination.

It worked great this past week to pre-cook and prepare the oatmeal for my breakfast at work- so I will do that again. I also have chicken in the freezer that I'll pull out to make some dishes for dinners and then leftovers for lunches. It was MUCH less expensive for meals this week. Weekend preparation will definately help me stay on budget while the hub is gone!

I have so much homework this weekend..so off to hit the books. I want to carve out time to relax and have some fun too!

I dont know what it is about fall that puts me in the mood for cooking and baking...but today was a sure a busy one!

We had some very ripe banana's, so I made a couple loaves of banana bread. I will freeze one and take the other to share at work tomorrow.

While looking up the banana bread recipe on the Taste of Home website, I found another recipe for muffins that included directions for pre-mixing the dry ingredients for 4 batches. When I am ready to make the muffins, I just mix in eggs, milk and butter + fuit if desired. So I mixed up a nice big batch of the dry mix. The directions show that these can be made with just about any fruit...I love blueberrys, raspberries, bananas, etc and will be giving those a try.

I cooked my oatmeal for my breakfast for the next three days and it is in the fridge ready to go in the morning.

Tonight for dinner we had a Costco lasagna that I had in the freezer. There are plenty of leftovers for a couple of lunches.

The hub is officially unemployed now...until Friday. He leaves on Tuesday for Alaska. He has spent the weekend packing and getting all his stuff ready to go. Needless to say, hes 'uber excited'.

School starts tomorrow. I am taking two classes this term, so I will need to focus even more than usual- this will be a test to see if I can juggle more school with my job- which is another reason I was motivated to get the food figured out for the week.

Then again, I want to try to stick to a food plan and budget while the hub is gone. It should be easier for me to do since it will just be me and the houseguest. I plan on taking breakfast and lunch most of the week...and to make our dinners at home. Feels like Im off to a good start!

Busy, productive day!

Oh the bounty of fall...My cherry tomatoes are ripening at the rate of 2-3 cups every couple of days. This is the first time I have grown cherry tomatoes and they come off the vine so darn sweet! YUM.

Next year, I dont think I will grow lettuce- mine was bitter this year..and I really enjoy costco's romaine lettuce and get six heads for about $3... But I will definately do zucchini, tomatoes, and sunflowers. I am still waiting on the pumpkins..

I was reading the following article with interest today. The writer decided to write a series of articles about eating on a $30 per week budget (which is what she determined is the average food stamp budget) The commenters on the article pretty much ripped the story to shreds. It will be interesting to read her follow up stories...

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/09/21/could-you-eat-on-30-a-we...

So..the hub is arriving in Alaska a day earlier than he needs to and so I called the hotel that Lucky Robin suggested...instead of $125 + tax, I mentioned that the hub is starting employment on the slope and they discounted the room to $59 + tax. I would not have known to do this without LR's advice. SO THANK YOU!!

In addition, the hub called a friend who worked with him last time he was there and the friend will be in Anchorage that same night for training, so they are going to have dinner together.

A nice fix to a mistake Id say!

The hub found out today that they told him the wrong day to be in Alaska..instead of the 27th, he needs to be there the 28th. I checked on changing the ticket and its going to cost about $250 because te fair has gone up- ouch. So the option is to pay to change, or pay for a hotel + food for the extra day he will be there. It will be about a wash either way, so I will leave it up to him what we do. He also shipped his tools and gear today, which cost $900. The original ticket, plus the extra$250 for the error plus shipping his tools has brought the pre-employment expenses to $1500. THe money for these expenses came out of LTS...so I have already built a repayment of this money into the new budget.

I finally got the code to register for my second class that I have been waitlisted for (Criminology). I finished enrolling and all is good...now I just have to pay $788 for this term. I will pull this money out of my ING account and so long as I get a B or better it will be repaid by my job at the end of the term...now THAT is motivation.

Im ready to be done with expenses for now!!!

In addition to Criminology, I am taking Intro to Health. I am looking forward to both. I have worked with law enforcement in my job first with fraud when I oversaw operations and now with security..so I am very interested in criminology...and I think a good dose of Health will be beneficial in taking better care of myself. Time will tell as I get knee deep in to mid-terms and finals in the coming weeks...

Life is good!

Very busy weekend for sure. I got a call from DS Friday asking if I could watch his two little ones so he and DIL could meet halfway for a date night. (He is down in Sacramento) So GD (4) and GS (20 mo) arrived at about 2 yesterday, along with my oldest GS (7) who also wanted to come and spend the night.

With three little ones, I stay very busy...right now they are all out in the garden picking the red cherry tomatoes for me. To them, it is like an Easter egg hunt scavaging the tomato plants for the ripe ones. Everyone will be heading home at about 2...and the hub and I are planning on a QUIET evening tonight!

I picked up another Christmas present yesterday at Costco, and ordered a couple on line. I have about 25 people to shop for, so starting early is a must. So far I have 7 checked off my list. Funny, I used to worry about shopping early because of thoughts like "what if I find something I like better" or "what if it goes on sale for less before christmas'...and ultimately would end up spending MORE because I couldnt find what I wanted at a decent price or they were sold out of the less expensive options. I have somewhat let go of that mentality. I love having it all done ahead so that during the busy Christmas season is spent WITH family instead of IN STORES. I still like finding the perfect gift, but I am less critical of what 'perfect' means. I guess I have re-framed my gift giving expectations.

The hub has one more week at home. He is so busy finalizing his wood sales and getting everything packed. He has next weekend at home and then he leaves on the 27th. He reminded me that his pay will be different than what I budgeted. He actually will earn time and a half for everything over 8 hrs each day, which is a nice surprise for the budget. We did talk about the tentative budget and he was ok with it.

Ok, kids are done with tomatoes...so back to gramma time....