The Oireachtas are behind us - 367 miles there and another 367 miles back. The drive was perfect - all people were enjoying Thanksgiving and NOT driving. We were amazed to see how packed the Cracker Barrel Restaurant parking lots were. We ate our dinner on Wednesday evening, so all was not skipped.

Columbus, OH shuts down for Thanksgiving. Not one pizza parlor open for business - not that I can blame anyone. Thankfully I packed a lot of breakfast foods which we ate. I was so obsessed with costume checks, I forgot about things like plasic utensils and the number of our dog babysitter where our furry critter was staying. Oh, well!

My dancers danced fabulously and the competition was ridiculous. They compete at a lower level and were up againsts Preliminary Championship and Championship dancers. Neither "recalled" - the top half of the Midwest's best dancers are called back for ranking - but I was SO proud of them and they handled the disappointment well. I was so proud. Their teachers said they danced beautifully for their first time ever at this competition.

My parents came and it was fun in all - we ordered pizza one night in their suite and yesterday after leaving the hotel we drove around deserted Columbus and checked out a funky little park that had a replica of the Santa Maria there.

I am glad that we are home. The budget hasn't yet been tallied up, but we are within reason. Gas was under $1.60 a gallon. Kids eat free at Denny's on Saturdays (wa-hoo!)

Now it is time to embrace the holidays! It is the start of Advent - we are off to church and put up the trees after that!

Hope everyone is having fun this long weekend.

A few days early - I am signing off until next Sun or Mon. I wanted to wish all of my fellow SA bloggers a Blessed Thanksgiving spent with family and friends, enjoying the gifts in your lives.

I am inspired by you all, and hope to accomplish more in 2009 because I am on my journey to true financial fitness. Making better decisions for the present and the future, based on your stories and journeys and daily struggles.

I am celebrating tomorrow with my immediate famiy, and then we are travelling for the dance competition. If anyone is on the road, drive safely.

Enjoy the Holiday! I am thankful for many things, including my blog friends here! Peace!

Thermostat set at 65. Flannel sheets on the bed. Big fat flakes of snow falling (seen easily through my bedroom window that only has sheers). Good day to stay in bed? Totally!

However, snap back to reality:

* Get oldest kids out the door for school.
* Get things planned for DD's birthday tomorrow (surprise visit from XSIL in town from NY will be a huge hit - we're pulling the kids out of school out of school at 11:30 and going to lunch. Kids know nothing about this)
* Finish shopping for our Thanksgiving dinner on Wed
* Start packing for our trip to Columbus
* Go over dance items (for the 50th time)

So, my list of things to get done continues. Maybe I can hibernate one day in December?

The money is still holding out and with DH's pay from the work he did this weekend, I will have enough to cover our dog's hotel bill (she's staying with a neighbor who is a professional dog nanny)
AND our travel expenses. It is all looking fine.

in the sale ads, that is.

Yesterday I came down withh an awful headache - verging on a migraine. Ringing ears (at times), upset stomach almost to the point of heaving, light sensitivity, etc. I am not an OTC pain-reliever, but yesterday I took Excederin Migraine every four-six hours.

One of the things I needed to do was make-up - that is purchasing brand new stuff for my daughters. Walgreens had a Revlon sale, but one get 50% off AND I had coupons. Sadly, I didn't feel motivated enough to get out with them and can't trust DH to do it. So I did the mental math and decided to stay in bed all afternoon and early evening.

Well, DH picked up a paper this AM. I am feeling better, and guess what?

CVS has all Revlon buy one, get one free. Whee!

Firstly, thanks to all who responded to my previous post encouraging me to tackle this overhaul and commiserated with me. While I am overwhelmed by the out-of-controlness of my basement (and other areas of my home), I am hopeful that tranquility is around the corner (hopefully it isn't a really long block)!

I did come up with 30 items that can easily leave as well as a big bag full of old games, puzzle and paperback books.

I have started to inventory my stockpile of textbooks for homeschooling next year (it has been a desire of mine for awhile and I took a lot of things offered on the outside chance that I really would embark on this journey). Anyhow, I have things scattered in several places and am slowly rounding them up to my eventual school room.

Confession: I have in the past been a bin hoarder. Bins of all different shapes and colors and sizes! Sadly, most of what is left of my collection are the lids. I don't know how or why this is the way that it is. I AM glad that plastic lids are recycleable and I plan on clearing out at least twenty lids. Don't ask how, I am still asking how to myself.

I also managed to (1) get my daughters' school dresses for their team dancing over to the recommended European tailor to let skirts and sleeves out.
(2) Take care of a bit of apartment business regarding tenant issues
(3) Ironed DH's shirt for tomorrow

I can tell this will be an arduous process, but at least my toes are wet.

Good luck on everyone's organizing efforts.

is I live in a house filled with stuff we don't use (probably could easily part with 85% of the stuff).

This is an honest appraisal and self-assessment. I mentioned in an earlier post on this blog that DH and I are in the process of determining in home-schooling is the best option for our family.

One resource I found is helping me realize that in order to embrace a more simplified life, I need to do a major purge and declutter. I need to implement more structure to find a groove that works for me/my family.

My basement is a place of denial. I am denial about how much C*A* is actually down there. This is a place that I envision being able to escape to and have fun. We cannot use the air hockey table because Halloween decorations are piled on it. We cannot use the pool table because one of my children hid the balls. When my inlaws came in Sept we set up a daybed down there for them, the trundle unit is still in the middle.

I had better wake up and smell the coffee, and be a woman of action.

My goal: Come up with stuff to take to Once Upon a Child tomorrow for resale.

So my financial day to day life is shaping up. I have found some discipline and retrained my thinking to see "success" (albeit small) rather than shortcomings.

Time to transfer that mentaility and make some transformations in my day to day household.

$360. Am I remotely happy about paying this? Not at all.

I AM happy that I have the $360 sitting there.

This does include an oil change and tire rotation too.

is so far pretty good. My gift from my family was the DVD "Tinkerbell" (I am a kid at heart and mourn the fact that my girls are getting too big to be excited by Barbie movies and Disney fairies), though they did sit thru two viewings of the movie on Saturday night. We had donuts and I enjoyed the hand-made cards from the kids (nothing beats that as well)

My official party was at my parents yesterday. I wanted pizza, and pizza I got. Ate far too much. Had angel food cake with all the trappings AND rootbeer floats. My parents had something I stitched reframed (that is an expense I can't really afford right now) and slippers, some candle holders and a hard--covered kids book which I have wanted to add to my collectiion; and my brother got me a gift card to Target.

It was a low expense weekend. DH spent $50 (reimbursible) on a part for a tenant's oven. This is going be another bad weekend coming up with him gone ALL weekend. I will survive though, and it is a busy schedule with kid activities.

My tenant was supposed to pay her rent on the 15th. She gave a post-dated check for the 19th (her paycheck needed to clear) so I will be happy once that is deposited in my account.

My minivan needs to go in for breaks. Who knows how much that will be?

So far, so good. I am managingg 40 well.

I have been told by three people that the 40s of today are the new 30s. That is great, but I'm not quite sure that I am ready to move into that category of 40 to 64 (as listed on the medical testing guidelines at my OB/Gyne's office). I would like to remain in the 18 to 39 group a little longer!

That said, my birthday is tomorrow - the big 4-0.

I had my brother over for dinner last night, so I woke up to a clean house and happy children. So my day is off to a good start!

My birthday gifts have arrived: $200 from my grandparents ("help the economy" was the note from my Gran, she knows my tendency to save or hoard) and $300 from my father. I don't have to make any decisions on how to spend it right now, I'll wait til after Christmas and decide how to allocate the expenses. My party is on Sunday and I am hoping for gift cards to Walmart so I can buy new dishes. Sad, isn't it? Wanting dishes -

I am finally maturing (or my desire to be a good example to my children is shining thru my usually tarnished exterior?) My brother has handled a situation in DH's family which has taken an unexpected turn for the worse. It involves taking sides and settling an estate from the 1960s. Anyhow, the elderly woman who my brother is representing has said some truly horrific and mean things about my MIL. There may be truth in the conversation, but GROSSLY exaggerated, etc. Why did my brother share with my DH what was said about his mother? Who knows this? At 35 and a lawyer, I would hope that he had learned enough about common sense and confidentiality to not share.

DH is totally upset, and I agree with his right to be. I am too frankly. However, my inlaws have sinced moved two states north and have limited contact with elderly relative since she said OTHER things about them. I told DH under no uncertain terms should he disclose or pass on what was said. It won't help the situation and will drag MIL back to a painful place she has seemingly moved on from. I will keep on DH to "let it go, move on, it isn't as though this is a close relative that we see."

End of discussion. He had to agree with me. I am not a Pollyanna or Rebeckah of Sunnybrook Farm, but I do believe sometimes it is best to move forward. Or at least find something worthy of one's time and energy.

Today the Capital One debt is GONE! It was really annoying me and shrinking by such a minimal amount even with a low APR and 1-1/2 or 2 times the minimum. It is gone! Payment hit today. I am going to close that account.

I realized that I am doing a decent job keeping the expenses confined to the grocery and gas gift card purchases (a % supports the kids' school). At first I was OVER the budgeted amount, then I decided we needed to reduce the stash in the pantry/freezer and I bought only milk and fresh produce for about a week. VOILA, I had a surplus! And shopping twice a week with only thos upcoming meals has helped. AND I contributed to the food pantry nice things (not the leftover can of apricots from making Kolachkis, or the can of Split Pea soup that no one wanted) (I confess, I have done that when the kids needed to contribute and I didn't go to the store). We are having my brother over for dinner tonight and it's Italian (baked ravioli, meatballs, bread sticks, and pudding for dessert). I have learned that entertaining can be fun without being grand and/or elaborate.

My unbudgeted spending for the week was $8.62 for pictures for DD 9. DD 10 is going today so that is going to be another $8.62. These packages are far cheaper than anything I'd pay at the dance competition; thanks to JCPenney's and their coupons. And I've deducted this from the $80 misc funds available for our trip.

It is nice to have money upfront for things. I think a lot of my freaking out from stuff in the past (recent past too) has come from not knowing what is going in and what is going out. Having it all in one place was the smartest thing that I ever did.

Now I am hoping to be more aggressive with the debt tackling, doing more than rolling up this freed up $75 minimum from Capital One. I'm doing an OK job financing Christmas thanks to shopping in advance and turning my rewards points into gift cards.

Just my Thursday observations for the week past. Have a good weekend!

We are members of an undergound cult-like sport called Irish Dance. We do this because of our heritage (relatives came over from Ireland on a boat to Canada in the late 1800s) and also because our dauthers love it and have natural talent. While this has cost we (the parents) a lot of money, it rivals nothing to the hours that are spent in class and practicing. The sport has taught our daughters how to lose graciously, how to be a team player (they compete on a team as well as individually), how to overcome disappoint, how to have realistic expectations, how to see that determination and hard work do pay off.

Well, I have learned today that when runnin with the big boys as a solosit at the Midamerica Championships, there are things called wig donuts to bright height to the dancer (I have to stifle a hilarious roar of laughter just typing that!) and the dreaded tanner.

The dance school provides the make-up artist and I have a list of Loreal makeup to buy for each daughter x2. YIKES! And to think I thought I was doing good by having the correct socks and a surplus of bobby pins!

Today DH is getting paid for his side job which involved painting a vacant apartment for my father. Incoming is $630.35. Labor: $425, supplies $95.34, management of other apt $110.

This is covering the trip to Columbus. The hotel with parking is $400. I am estimating $50 for gas. $80 for miscellaneous (I do stockpile food prior to going so at the most we will splurge is ordering a pizza and having it delivered) like an in-room movie, etc.

I am also taking $100 from this to restart up our NYC Fund for May 09.

I had parent teacher conferences for the three oldest. No surprises there. My children are polite, respectful, kind, and smart. They present no significant behavioral or educational issues. I do have weekly contact with the 1st Grade teacher, and M improved on his spelling getting only one wrong. And he is working more independently. Despite not being able to read or spell, his reading comprehension was 90% which is what I am totally after. I want him to be an engaged learned and participate despite his issues. ("All small accomplishments in the right direction" according to his teacher) The best thing I heard though was from a parent of a friend who knows of our difficulties with M, and she smiled and said, "They ALL do learn to read. Whether Kindergarten or 4th Grade. They all do learn to read."

Thanks to all of you who gave me kind words of encouragement yesterday about deciding to homeschool. I am heading to the library tomorrow to check out some books and I am looking into CO-OPs in our area. I have also started talking with my children about the possibility. While I feel that it is ultimately my decision, I do want to know what their concerns are prior to committing to it.

The kids are home again today - a 4 day weekend for them. Yesterday I did a cooking blitz in the kitchen and made: scalloped potatoes and ham, meatloaf muffins, turkey chili, and DH's favorite grown up tuna & noodles with capers.

My daughters are having two birthday parties back to back in December. The family party the first weekend and their friend sleep over the second. They spent a good 1-1/2 hours making their invitations yesterday.

Enjoy a quiet and peaceful day.

I am taming the "All or Nothing" monster which lies within. I am finding middle ground and I feel good about it.

Goal 1: $5,000 to credit card debt by end of December 09 (13 month goal)

With the eradication of the Capital One credit card debt (officially gone on the 13th when the payment hits), for 2009, I would like to eliminate another $5,000 in credit card debt by December 2009. I am counting this as a 13 month goal because I am startin in December 08. This will require a total of only $385 to credit card payments (which is roughly what I am paying now). I don't think that I will pay off totally the Bank of America which is at just under $4,000 because $235 per month goes to that, but after I accomplish some other things I can add additional funds to maybe get rid of it all.

I am seriously contemplating homeschooling the three oldest so that will save $560 a month in tuition - and I could easily spend money on a quality curriculum and supplemental classes for higher level math at the community college and PE classes at the Y. (I have one daughter who is quiet and getting picked on, the next one tested in the 98th percentile and is bored, and the littlest has a severely impaired phonological ability requiring a ton of individual work at home). For those praying people, please send a prayer that I make the decision that is right for my children. I have a whole lot of relative who share unsolicited opinions and aren't exactly supportive. And as my best friend pointed out, "Homeschooled children are wierd." None of us want wierd children.

And we have a family trip to NYC planned for May/June 09. That fund was wiped out when I had to purchase dancing dresses for the daughters at the same time. That is Goal #2, fund the trip!

I have had the goal of paying off the smallest credit card (Capital One) which had a $1,450-ish balance in Ocotber. I sent in a large one-time payment of $535 which brought the balance down to $915.

Fast forawrd to my checking account which has a rather healthy balance. This is AFTER I have paid the $400 for the plumbing SNAFU and $80 to the vet for follow up/more meds. I moved to my money market account 1/2 of the mortgage payment due on the 15th and 1/2 of the tuition payment as well. I also accounted for the $150 withdrawal which happens weekly for the $50 gas gard and $100 grocery cards (I have been averaging less than that, so there is money accumulating there as well.)

The balance that I had left was just under $930 which is enough to pay the balance off of the Capital One card. There is an automatic payment scheduled to hit the account on the 14th. Wahoo!

I am not sure how and or why it worked out that way, but I am feeling confident about parting with my money knowing that a paycheck and rent are coming in next Friday/Saturday. And the wonderful thing is by the end of the month (the 28th paycheck, I will be one mortgage payment ahead and one tuition payment ahead.) We have cut out all discretionary spending for a few weeks now (aside from the plumbing issue and the vet issue) and there was a 3rd paycheck to improve things.

I guess now I'll move on to tackling the next lowest credit card which is Bank of America. Let the snowballing begin! Balance on that is $4,300. Bah!

Ok, so yesterday I get a 30% off your total purchase at Kohls if you use your Kohl's charge. I can get awfully carried away with that one - 30%.

I went in and scored a few good deals -

A 100% Cashmere sweater for my mom - her favorite colors in argyle - $100 down to $44.95, then with the 30% off it was $31.50.

Thermal jammies for my niece (well, sort of niece given her mother lives with my brother) for $13.99 down to $9.79

A stainless steel 4-cup coffee pot for my father for $30.00 before, down to $21.00

So I can pencil off a few folks from my list!

We will be travelling on Thanksgiving Day to Ohio for my daughters' dance competition.

We have chosen to celebrate on Wednesday with just our immediate family. I have put together my shopping list based on the sale items for this week. Here is what I am looking on spending:

2 Jennie-O Turkey Pan Roasts (one white/one dark) GOF $6.00
Hungry Jack instant potatoes GOF $3.00
Betty Crocker Spice Cake cupcakes $.67

I'll obviously supplement to add dinner rolls of some sort, a side vegetable and home-made frosting. This is a breeze compared to the shopping that I used to do when I hosted sit-down dinners for 12 adults and worried about all the food being done on time, etc.

And here is the kicker, my kids will love it - won't matter to them a bit that I haven't slaved for hours. I am looking for fast and simple (given that I will be packing and co-ordinating, etc). To make it fun, I plan on heading to the Dollar Store for festive paper plates and napkins (SHOCK!) And I might have DH decorate the kitchen the night before with orange and yellow streamers. Don't think I can find brown.

I am actually looking forward to this!

DH managed to repair the broken faucet at the rental property following the $348 emergency call to have a stripped washer removed. $70 in parts at the local specialty plumbing store. Plus $32 for the stop payment check fee at the bank after Roto Rooter charged my $300 to do NOTHING. Could potentially have been $900 based on estimate from emergency plumber. I am afraid that I don't quite necessarily see it as a $450 windfall in my favor, but IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE.

The tenant's boyfriend moved in with her and she let DH know that she will pay the rent due on 11/15 on time. On 11/30 she will pay the balance due on the security deposit. And on 12/15 she will pay the rent due on that day.

That will put me back on track to achieve my goals in a timely fashion. The second half of the security deposit owed will go into the savings account that I wanted to create.

DH's second paint job has moved up to this month. That really kind of sucks, but this is an apt building close to home versus one that has a 25 minute drive one way. I am proposing on helping him out, if he'll have me do it. I can certainly paint trim and use an edger. I am not the best roller. The nice thing is we are looking at our time in Columbus, OH as a mini-family vacation (swimming in the pool, watching movies, ordering a pizza in, plus my parents will be there).

And we should have a good chunk of change by the first weekend in December (an extra $1,000 at least).

The weather was SO nice yesterday I could barely stand to be indoors. Today it is cold and dark and windy and rainy and awful. I already ate three packs of M&Ms from the Halloween candy and needed to take in to the basement. SAD, no willpower today.

(1) A - Paid down the Capital Once Credit card from $1,450 to $915
B - Paid $335 to money market to get it up from $8,765 to $9,000

(2) Sent a conbtribution of $195 to the college tuition program in our state for the kids

(3) Increased DH's 401K contribution to 10%

(4) Successfully managed to avoid any money-related issue/discussions with relatives. Pulled myself together over psychological issues which really have nothing to do with money.

(5) Redeemed some reward points to get a $50 Toys R Us gift card and a $25 Target card

(6) Accurately predicted within 15% our grocery and gas budget using prepaid gift cards through fund raising program at the school

(1) I fulfilled my civic duty and voted! DH was up and out at 6:15. He was totally nut-so patriotic and wore his 4th of July polo shirt that is made of a cotton decorated with various American flags. Don't forget his "I voted" sticker.

(2) I made a medium sized donation to the Church's food pantry which was emptied out last Thursday. I almost had tears when I saw many bags of donated food were already there outside the school office. Life is good when we all help one another.

(3) I mowed my lawn. Beautiful weather here in the Midwest. Fresh air and exercise.

Have a great day and get out and vote!

In my earlier post today I lamented because I probably won't make some goals to eradicate some debt and get my savings account back up. We had a plumbing issue at the rental property and other unexpected expenses. I am still able to pay cash for these (no new debt) and make the minimum payments on the credit cards. Frustration sent me here to whine. I don't want to be a whiner, but I think I certainly have those tendencies (in frank and honest self-assessment).

Anyhow, I just got an email from our school that our parish's food pantry is empty (out of food with the exception of some pasta) because last Thursday (they do this weekly) they fed over 70 individuals and are out of everything.

Good Lord (I say that with respect) how much farther in the sand could I stick my head? There are families in my community that cannot afford to feed their families.

Well, that was my wake-up call ... I am going to take stock of my pantry and see what I can send over. The School's student council is doing an emergency collection.

I am thankful that I can feed my family.

Disappointment ... worry ... concern (and not even of the major kind -- like facing unemployment)

I started November feeling confident about things - all the money in one place (Excel) seeing it all mapped out -

How fast it all fades ... $350 to the emergency plumber ... $40 for vet follow-up on Wednesday ... $75 to $80 for plumbing parts (whole other post about DH's desire to become a part-time plumber this weeked ...) ... AND travel to Columbus, OH for the big dance competition, etc. etc.

I want to cry ... all of my plans for paying off the lowest credit card and reaching my savings goals seem to be fading.

We paid cash for supplies for DH's side job with my dad. I can't wait for reimbursement and will have to call him today. At this point every dollar counts.

I shouldn't have bought two dresses for $54 on Saturday - but I didn't know that the plumbing issue would suck another $400 from me. I rarely buy myself anything new and to finds two thing that I liked and looked good in was unusual. I attended a Quincenera Party with my brother's girlfriend and had a great time. It was so funny for the quiet traditional me to be my brother's girlfriend's date at a party with wild-fun loving folks from Latin America. Talk about life outside my comfort zone!

I shouldn't have spent $31 on fast food yesterday, but my kids had a great time. Sad ... they never really eat out anyhow ...

So here I am hoping that I can make 75% of my goals for the year end ...

And my Cub Scout is selling wreaths and I have to place my own order. I think the grandparents will be getting breakfast coffee and hot chocolate - I can kill two birds with one stone ...

BUT I am almost broke ... the good news is I can cover my bills, but I will have -$23 at the month end. UGH! How do people do this every month?

I have to force myself to breathe ...

November 1st Expenses:

$38 Groceries (budgeted gift card)
$25 Gas for my car (budgeted gift card)
$54 Clothing (debit card/me-2 dresses)
$53 Supplies/2nd job (debit card)
TO BE REIMBURSED 11/2 check