Our son started sitting this last Saturday, he got his first tooth on the 17th, and has been saying “Dadda” since the 21st. They grow so fast and are so fun!

We got our daughter for Christmas on Friday, so we opened gifts with them on Saturday. Had Christmas with fiance’s family on Sunday. We also had our first marriage prep class last night. We are Catholic and have to take classes before we can get married in the Catholic Church.

This morning, my sister had her ultrasound to find out if it was a boy or girl. It’s a BOY!!!! Eeeek! I’m soooo excited to be an aunt and for my son to have a little cousin. 

What our family received for Christmas:
Me – $100.00 from soon to be mother-in-law, $200.00 from soon to be father-in-law, gift certificate to tan and a gift certificate to dye my hair from my parents, a cute new pair of black boots, and some bath and body works stuff.

Fiance - $100.00 from his mom, $200.00 from his dad, minutes for his phone from my parents (he uses Straighttalk), and meat injector for cooking his meat.

Daughter – $50.00 and 2 silver coins from her grandparents, and lots of toys from everybody else.

Son – $50.00 and 4 silver coins from his grandparents, a bunch of toys from everybody else, and $100.00 from his great aunt (my aunt) to his college fund through his GradSave account for his first Christmas.

This is the amount my son has received for his first 6 months:
His savings account = $115.66
His GradSave account = $265.00
Plus the 4 silver dollars
I think he’s had a good year!

I won’t know my status on my goals until tomorrow after payday.

We hope that everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! This was our sons first Christmas and he got spoiled! One more Christmas on Sunday.

Have a great rest of the year everybody!

My sons great aunt contributed $100 to his college savings through GradSave! So thankful for such wonderful family! Went to the store tonight and bought a variety pack of thank you cards. We'll start sending those out to let people know that we appreciate it!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I have to work half a day. And then it's hurry and wrap presents! At 5 we will go to church, 6 go to my step grandmother's, 6:30 go to my parents for dinner and presents.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Me: Saw in our local paper yesterday that I graduated from Central Community College on December 5th. I was definitely not not aware of this! I called and I graduated with my diploma, but not with my actual degree. I guess that's something!


The kids: I looked at GradSave accounts today and my mom and step-dad contributed $100 to each child today!

Total contributed to daughter through GradSave: $115
Total contributed to son through GradSave: $165

This is going to be a quick post, but.....CAR IS PAID OFF!!!!! We have no loans on our vehicles and I received my title in the mail the other day! Woohoo!

It's a good feeling that if something were to happen to it, I wouldn't owe anything on it! :-)

And... I got my grades today for the two classes I took this semester and I passed!! Only three classes left! YEAH!

My brothers are 5 and 7. We are going to get together tonight and make spend/save/give jars and a chore chart. I figured this would be okay since our son is little yet and we only have daughter every other weekend.

They are expected to clean a room and help at home without pay. So to introduce them to money, they will be able to come to my house a couple days a week and do chores.

We will see how it goes! :-)

I usually spend cash for as many things as I can. I save all of the change to pay daughter for her chores and then anything above that I put into my 6 month-old sons piggy bank(s). Well, his bank(s) were full so I deposited into my savings account that I don't really use and it earns a little bit of interest. The balance on that account is $65.66!

And then I splurged a little bit. I knew that Dave Ramsey was coming out with a new book that he and his daughter wrote, it comes out April, 2014. I saw on their facebook page that they were letting people pre-purchase it and then you get the Financial Peace Junior now and the book "Smart Money Smart Kids" in April. That was $35.00. So I'm waiting for Financial Peace Junior that we will use with our daughter. I probably didn't get much of a deal, but I was going back and forth on whether or not to purchase Financial Peace Junior because I really want it. So, I got it!

I have had a bit of a spending problem lately. Ugh! I think it's because it's end of the year/Christmas and I'm stressing out over getting my college classes done.

I am such a list girl and very goal oriented, it even drives me insane!
There has to be a list of things I need to get done around the house – or they won’t get done.
I have to write out a list of homework to get done – or it will just sit there and pile up, which I was very bad about this semester.
I have to write goals for work – or I’ll get distracted too easily.
And money – I have to have a goal for money – or I’ll find something to spend it on.
Neither of my parents were like this, so I’m not sure where I get it. I’m not usually one to be on top of things, but I really can be with a goal/to-do list. Today, I wrote myself a to-do list at work and it’s already halfway done – prepared a bunch of documents. Mainly need to do a little filing and lots of billing now. I think I’ll go ahead a write myself a to-do list for tonight.

I can’t wait until classes are over so that I can get back on top of house work!

Update on college: My advisor e-mailed me and said that they are going to offer two of the three classes that I still need. I have signed up – just need to find out what books I need! I absolutely cannot wait to be done!! I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’ll be done with school – although, I’m a procrastinator, I think I like taking classes and learning; or if it’s the fact that I’ll finally graduate, and have a degree and have something to show for my long 3 ½ years of working on an associate’s degree. Going to get it done before wedding after all!

2014 Financial:

My Income: $1,300.00/per MONTH (after taxes) – Yuck!
Other income: $1,500.00 – tax return
$1,000.00 – other

Monthly Expenses (does not include savings, retirement or college):
Bills: $400.00 (Cell phone, internet, tv, gas, electricity, water, car insurance)
Fuel: $120.00 (My fuel)
Groceries: $100.00 (I only pay a small percentage of groceries)
Babysitter: $50.00 - $65.00 (Depends on how many days and how long. I pay 35% toward babysitter. We will have to switch babysitters in June, 2013, so we’ll see if it becomes more expensive.
Misc.: $80.00
TOTAL: $670.00 - $685.00
Other:
Will be left with about $500.00/month for retirement/college/savings

Random expenses in 2014:
1.Wedding Gifts = $100.00
2.Wedding Travel = $500.00
3.Car Registration(s) = $500.00
4.Kids’ birthday parties = $300.00 ($150.00 each for cake & ice cream, party supplies, presents, etc.)
5.Vacation = $500.00 (Not sure we’ll take one)
6.Clothing = $500.00 – we are all really in need of some clothes!
7.Home (random doings) = $150.00 – the house is so blah right now!
8.Birthday gifts/Graduation gifts = $150.00
9.Christmas = $400.00
Total Random = $3,100.00

Investments in 2014:
College:$300.00 for the year (fiancé does another $300.00)
Retirement:$5,500.00 for the year (fiancé max’s out his Roth also)

Savings will go toward:
Shoulder surgery: $4,500.00 $4,000.00/$4,500.00
Recover time: $5,500.00
Roof: $2,000.00
Gutters: $1,200.00

I don't know how to manage next year:
1. Throw tax return and other at retirement so I don't have to budget so much for that - if I do that I'd contribute $58.00/week to retirement; or
2. Throw tax return and other at random expenses so that they are covered and we don't have to worry about it. Save monthly for retirement and surgery, time off, and house improvements; or
3. Throw tax return and other at surgery, time, and house improvements so we can get that out of the way.

I think I could cash flow us through fiance's time off work for surgery if I throw it at retirement. I just don't know the best way to go about it.

Fiance will also help with everything except my portion of college, and retirement.

Any ideas?! We have a lot going on next year!