Budget Plans

We hit the big old goose egg in the bank account, Ugh! I was panicking the whole time too. I was super worried about all the auto payments that would come out on Monday and how we wouldn't receive a paycheck until Wednesday. I just didn't want to have to pay bank fees and deal with all trouble.

Enter stage left My husband was here to save the day! He had a solution and fixed everything. I finally have my banking software balance current since a 0 makes things really easy to handle. The paycheck went in and I got to work planning how we would spend our money responsibly and not have to rely on credit or see that dreaded goose egg again.

I'm sure there is some deep meaning behind my inability to plan things out but it just hasn't hit me over the head just yet. 

So I took a deep breath Ok maybe I took two. I put my big girl panties on and I got to work. I have been using a print out sheet just to sort of track at a glance how I am spending my money and to see what bills are due.

It's nothing fancy. I tried to break things down weekly so it is manageable. The amount category is in grey, since most bills are semi predictable I just put the average. Things like our weekly car payment withdrawal almost never get written over. But things like the water and electric tend to change a little. I used to track our fuel expenses religiously but have gotten out of the rhythm of tallying it each week.

If you'd like a copy of my form just leave a comment and I'll send it you.

Have a great day!

Nina

tired

Have you had one of those days....

Where you feel like no one is listening....

and you're repeating yourself all the time.....

It was one of those kind of weeks for me last week. I was irritable at the slightest thing and no one wanted to be around me. And I honestly can not blame them. But what is a Mom to do when things are beginning to circle the drain?

 You can scream, yell, shout and completely alienate your family. You could run away and join the circus. Lock yourself in a tower and wait for your prince charming to rescue you (hubby comes home, whips everyone in to shape and saves the day)

Or we could try something new.... Ignoring things that are undesirable. I am starting a new thing where I give warnings once on certain things. The particular example that comes to mind is shoes and back packs being left where ever the boys feel like it. 

Our slab house doesn't have the most ideal entry way. I tried to use the maintenance closet as a catch all and when one child had a back pack and gear he wanted to take care of it worked great. Now DS4 wants to take care of his own things and I need to have more kid friendly and accessible storage.


This is what I started with.....

This is the after! 

I piled most of the crud in the middle of the garage and started with a blank slate! The carpet remnant is an odd shape but I found it works great if I place the trimmed out corner around the bench. The bench was a project from last year that didn't turn out quite as expected since I cut the pieces with the lengths and widths mixed up. But I was able to make it work and the original bins hold misc toys around the house. 

I removed the pink bins and decided to use just one bin so we can fit snow pants in there this winter. By moving the bench to the other side of the door when there is an over spill of shoes I won't trip over them when I am leaving for work in the darkness at 4:45am.  

Stay tuned for more I have even more areas in the garage to tackle!

Nina

Sunny Side Up

Do you see things in a positive light? Are you a sunny side up kinda person?


I actually enjoy budgeting and paying my bills. It's a game to me however it is depressing as hell when you can't pay every bill and uber sad when you reconcile your bank account only to find out you spent it all and didn't pay a single bill. I found the website www.betterbudgeting.com quite a few years ago when things were really crummy.


 I am not sure why the heck My hubby and I thought it was a good idea for us to have a car payment that was $543 every month. But that site helped me to see what a realistic budget should be. Now don't think I'm some money guru and I know everything however I have learned to like planning for things and it feels awesome when you get to but that item you've been saving for even if it only $20. 


For some reason finances where never discussed growing up by my mother or by Mark's parents. I picked up her habits even though my mother and I never talked about money. I wonder if it wasn't picking up the habits just because we never discussed it?? I guess I had the thought process that there would always be money in my account. WRONG! Oh is that ever a wake up call! Mark does tend to buy things just because he wants them. We all need shoes and yes you do definitely get what you pay for, however I just asked Mark to buy his favorite brand of shoe DC for around $40. It requires patience and he did it! It was awesome! 


It's a sore subject to talk about money no matter when/why/how/where I bring it up. Sometimes I find myself giving a disclaimer statement about what I'm going to dive into. And even if I'm not looking at him I know he's rolling his eyes at me. In fact I do get a lot of eye rolls and they aren't all just from him. 


So how do you keep your finances organized?
Nina

May I?

Last month I wanted to know where you are? We are constantly pulled in different directions and it feels crazy, insane, wonderful, joyous and just plain amazing to be alive and have people that need you. 

Who needs you? Do you put others at the forefront and allow yourself to be consumed by them? 

I recently posted on fb  Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. It sparked this mini debate about being codependent. I realize that I am an odd duck since I am lost without my family. No really I do feel lost when I have unannounced free time I usually just take a nap.

I am trying to break the urge to go shopping all the time. As it turns out, shopping as a hobby is really hard to break. Especially when you grow up not knowing better. Credit card debit will certainly change your opinion on that real quick. robbing Peter to pay Paul is no way to live.

The house is slowly getting in shape. I am so proud of myself for my mail sorting task! Today I brought in the mail and opened it all. YES even the letter from the IRS that made me want to run and hide under the covers. The center island remained clean and I even helped Mark clean up the dishes mess that the boys and I made from our quick dinner. Oh do I have a long road ahead but I'll get there one baby step at a time. just like flylady says you can do anything for 15 minutes so I'm off to clean up the rest of my mess in the kitchen!

Love you all! 

Nina

where am i?

Where am I?


I have been feeling pulled into a million directions lately. I started working a second job in March. I am working towards being a shift manager at my first job. I am the Committee Chair person for Pack 582, my son's Cub Scout Pack. Oh and I am still trying to potty train DS3. He just won't sh*t on the toilet yet. It's so frustrating! DS3 just take a sh*t on the crapper already it'll feel so wonderful when you do. PLEASE!!!


I love the gym! It's such an amazing place. I love it when DH and I can workout together. It makes me fall in love with him all over again. He has such an amazing personality and I love his sense of humor. NOT his pranks! No no not at all! As my TEAM Weightloss class finally came to and end I finally lost weight! Yay! Nine pounds! It's so awesome!


Where are you?
Nina

New Year, New You!

New Year, New You. It's a phrase we hear often and many people make new years resolutions. Did you? 

I did: loose weight, get organized and stop yelling. 

So how do we all get there? How do we reach our goals? 

Mine are very broad and are unobtainable as they are now. I  like many really would like to reach my goals. But the BIG question is how do we do it?

I am starting by breaking them into monthly goals.

January

Declutter Home

Loose 10lbs

No Yelling :)

February

Loose 10lbs

Maintain Tidy Home

Continue Not Yelling

March

Loose 10lbs

Maintain Tidy Home

Continue Not Yelling

April

Maintain Tidy Home

Continue Not Yelling

May

Maintain Tidy Home

June

Maintain Tidy Home

July

Maintain Tidy Home

August

Maintain Tidy Home

September

Maintain Tidy Home

October

Maintain Tidy Home

November

Maintain Tidy Home

December

Maintain Tidy Home

I'm sure I'll have more to add to April thru December. However I am starting with a 27 fling boogie everyday to declutter. I joined TEAM Weightloss at the gym we meet three times a week. I have a food diary now. Both of those things have made me calmer so I have not been yelling even when Gage was an hour past his bed time and still not getting ready for bed! Yay me!

So what are your big plans?

Nina

Ugh! What a day...

STRESS!!!!


I have reached my limit. I feel completely over worked and over whelmed with the things going on right now......


Why is it so hard to do things bit by bit? Why must I feel as thought I have to do everything with the all or nothing mentality? I have lost my big girl panties. Usually I would just pull them up and get to work. I just don't feel like I am able to do that.


I wish DS3 would just #2 on the potty already. Cleaning up the carpet and the walls has gotten to be a pain in the kiester now. Not sure what it will take to get him motivated. Maybe he'll find his motivation when I find mine.


It's hard to be there for everyone when you're thinking of all that you should/could be doing instead.


Tonight's goal before bed:


say I love you to the boys and shine the sink.


Nina

Bucket List

So last weekend went well! I got the house company ready by bedtime on Saturday. I got internet installed on Sunday morning. Hot spots cleaned up and toys mostly picked up. So this weekends list is.....

Play area sorted and picked up.

Paper cabinet sorted

Stash and dash hiding spot emptied

Paint stairs and play area

Paint bedroom

Find home for scrap-booking supplies

Entry closet organized for winter gear

Wish me luck I'm going to get started early and see how much I can accomplish before PPF!

Have a great day!

Nina

Goals

Do you have goals? Do you work towards them on a regular basis? I have struggled at goal setting for a long time. I tend to pick things that are too vague or completely unobtainable. It is a life lesson I have yet to learn I suppose. 

Next weekend is Widow's weekend and My wonderful hubby has also decided to head out to a friend's cabin this weekend so I get two Widow's weekends this year. So in an effort to turn this into a positive I am setting some goals. 

Let's start with my bucket list:

Play area sorted and picked up.

Paper cabinet sorted

Bench area cleared off

Stash and dash hiding spot emptied

Mount Washmore tamed

Paint stairs and play area

Paint bedroom

Find home for scrap-booking supplies

Drop off all unneeded/unwanted things to C.A.E.R

Entry closet organized for winter gear

That felt good! Now I'm off to tackle this weeks school papers and make dinner.

Have a great day!

Nina

Focus

It may not surprise you to know that I have been pouting. I mean full on two year old kinda temper tantrum. I don't like clutter yet I allow it to take over my life. I need to pick up after myself. I have been dealing with the mail when I bring it in. no more piling. I just have lots of magazines that I feel like I must keep. I cancelled quite a few. I actually filled out a do not contact form on one site because it was locked in with an old renewal service I had. What a silly problem to have. 


Well it's time to put my big girl panties on and deal with my clutter. I'll be sure to update with pictures today and I will definitely be participating in Paint Party Friday this week! 


I've managed to follow right along with  100 days to Christmas every day! I'm so proud of my self. So today's focus will be I can complete any task!


Have a great day,
Nina

Day 2 of 100 days to Christmas!

I'm so excited to be prepared for Christmas and every holiday in between! I have to admit I started putting my holiday binder together early but my Calendars Ready! I printed off Jen's cover to her book 100 days to Christmas for my binder and got started right away. 


This is such a wonderful idea and I wish I would have always known about this but I'm determined to make this the best Christmas yet! Especially since I am now a hunting widow. Bow opener for deer started this morning and my hubby will be spending every free second in the woods from now until New Years eve. Let's wish him luck that he gets a deer on the first day and then will have to wait until November for his next chance at a deer during firearm season and muzzle loader season.


Here are some photos of my progress. I even printed off a banner from the site 100 days to Christmas for the spine of the binder and I used what I already had for dividers and of course the wonderful printouts from List Plan It! 

Have a great day!

Nina

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

What a great idea!

I love this idea! I printed out the first printable Jen from I heart organizing made back in August. I even made my own afternoon and evening printouts. Well she updated and I love it even more! What a great way to keep the kids on task and help remind themselves of what comes next.


Here's a few pictures of the schedule I have. It's in sleeve protectors on the boys bathroom door.

I have placed the new print outs on the pantry door with the calendar and lunch menu print out.

ah it looks so cute! Lets hope we get out the door on time and don't miss the bus again.

Let's get started....

Good Afternoon!

I've decided to try something I read on Mainstream Mom's Blog. Her blog is wonderful! I enjoy it very much and she just recently had a wonderful post about the 100 days before Christmas.

I purchased the program and you can purchase 100 Days to Christmas here. It starts on Friday September 16th. 


I signed up for the daily email and today's link up is what is your favorite thing about fall? Mine is totally pumpkin pie! I've already made two this year!

So Delicious!

I'm so very excited about the up coming holiday season! I can't wait to get started and I plan on blogging my entire way through this!

Thank You Mainstream Mom and Jennifer Tankersley!


Nina

Trying something new....

So my adorable, lovable wonderful cousin does something I thought I might give a try. I haven't painted in a while actually the last time I did it was at her house and it was a blast so I set the boys up watching a movie and I decided to paint some scrap lumber I had in the garage. Not bad if I do say so myself.

It's getting there but it needs something else, harvest moons are pretty but it needs something else...

Tada!

Have a wonderful Paint Party Friday!

nina

Weekly Clean Up!

Hubby is smoking a beef brisket on Sunday. It's so yummy! And I can't wait! It takes all day to cook it slowly. And the whole house begins to smell like it as we are waiting for it to cook. It's a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Grill going with amazing food on it, relaxing in a lawn chair, kids running and playing. ah so nice...


Plus we'll have a house full of friends who are allergic to our four pawed family members. So it means the whole castle needs an extra deep cleaning to rid it of the mini puff balls that form from all the shedding my lovely dogs do! Got the steam cleaner going earlier, got the windows open for some fresh air. Ahhh so nice!


nina

1st Day of School

My oldest started 1st grade today. He'll be gone everyday this year and I'm going to miss him but it should give me a chance to make this house feel more like a home, tackle all of those clutter hot spots, finish my family binder and stay on track using my calendar. Ok, maybe I'm expecting a miracle but if I aim too low I won't know what I am capable of doing. DS2 has a cold and I am trying my best to keep him from giving it to his big brother, wish me luck on that one.

So where to start.... Well the clutter has to go! As flylady says you can't organize clutter. So since I can't even see the surface of my desk I'm starting there. Followed by the grave yard of unwanted things and unfolded laundry that is growing in the master bedroom. Not exactly warm and inviting. No wonder I'm not sleeping too well. Ok ok Back to the desk it's a dumping ground for everything I just am not sure what I should do with and I would/need to keep it cleaned off so I am able to keep track of my business things. 

 Yay! What a great way to start off the school year. Now what should tomorrows project be???


Nina

Pantry Overload!

I love love love having a pantry! It's great but I am not using my space very well at all. My budget is $0 so it's time to scour the house and see what I can find to fix my disorganization. I have a hard time finding things which means putting things away is also difficult.

I took down the unused chore chart. One big over sized chart for two kids didn't work. Magnets ended up everywhere and I had to store them out of reach for DS2 which means DS6 doesn't use it and has barely earned any allowance all summer long.

I printed some labels for the shelves and since I don't have a laminater I placed them in snack size baggies and clipped them to the shelves. Baking supplies on top, boxes on the second shelf, cans on the third and pasta on the bottom shelf. I placed the paper towels and napkins in an unused clear tote.

 I used packaging tape to attach labels to the baskets. Chips on top so the ideally don't get squished by DS2 then two snacks baskets easy to reach and easy to see when we need more.

I also took the recycling out. Amazing how that makes such a difference.

So an afternoon well spent and one more less messy place in the house.


Have a great day,
Nina

Messy Messy Kitchen!

My kitchen is.....


a huge mess! The center island is full of junk and the counters are uber cluttered! I don't let the kids cook with me because the mess will just get bigger and something might get ruined. Which means I 

a: feel guilty for not teaching them skills they will need.

b: get angry and crabby about what I can and/or can't do.

So where to start? Guess we start at the back door and go clockwise around the room. That way I take tiny steps and don't just shuffle things around. Which will lead to a full garbage can, a happy mommy, a happy husband and most importantly a decluttered kitchen.

Here's the before.....

And my After....

So not too shabby for an afternoon. I emptied the garbage twice and it looks like I should take it out again. Yay go me! It looks much better now what to do tomorrow?

Taming kids art supplies

Markers, crayons, paints and colored pencils were stored in various plastic zip-lock baggies at first glance not a bad way to keep tabs on them. However I managed to have multiple bags for the same thing and was considering buying more supplies because I wasn't sure we had enough. Well, I was wrong so I checked my closet for something to use and this is what I found....

an unused makeup bag just collecting dust in my closet

It's now a great place to keep the boys art supplies