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Why MY budgets don't work!

In working with S to get a handle on our finances, I came across this article while searching for reasons why budgets don't work--and thus what to do to help them work better or what to do instead. In one blog post, it summed up exactly what I'd been frustrated with or had been realizing on my own (and just hadn't followed through on yet). Hope it helps one of you as well!

3 reasons most budgets don't work and how to fix them (a.k.a. How to create a budget that works)

Moments

Last Friday, H came to me and asked, "Mom, can you help me stand the Christmas tree back up?"

I'm grateful it fell away from Lil'S, who was playing nearby on the floor.

Also last week, I started singing a song to Lil'S, swaying as I did so, and he started bop'n along. :) New Skill of the Week!

Today I caught on video Lil'S's current New Skill of the Week and his First Lesson From Big Sister. Nice. He even pushed himself away from the table so that he could do it. Little Smarty Pants!

Sad moment for me: I got an email from a fellow church member sharing that there was an opening at a preschool I'd looked at for H last year. I was all excited, thinking, "Hey! This is perfect!" We don't have the $ to put Little Miss in a regular preschool, but we were planning to put her into a summer program to get her used to being away so much as paying for three months is significantly cheaper than paying for 9 months. Of course, I forgot how much preschools typically run: $250/mo easy. $250/mo for three months would be a dream. $250/mo for five months would be a nightmare.

Oh, well. . . . At least she's doing similar activities to what I've been doing with H--even if H's not getting to do those activities as regularly as I'd like. But the good thing from all this is that I found the mom running this in-home preschool has a blog about running her little school. Nice! She also has links to some other preschool sites. Bonus! I've added it to my "A Few Helpful Ladies" list there along the right of this blog. The name of her school is Mind Garden Preschool. Cute name, huh. If I was an organized, not-ADD-mother, I would totally do the same thing she is: running a fun preschool for my kids and their friends and getting paid to do it!

Joseph & Mary

Here's something Christmasy.

(And maybe later I'll actually get something Thanksgivingy added in as well.)

I can't remember what inspired this, but this moment was certainly H's idea.

More Halloween

So, I know Halloween is long gone, as is Thanksgiving, but I meant to get these posted. Okay, so, really I have 100+ pictures I've "meant to get posted", but that's kinda how things go most of the time around here.

This outfit was made by S's mom when he was little and was about to play the part of the crocodile in Peter Pan. A better picture would show how there's plenty of arm and leg length for growing. H was sure cute in it, though, running about the house with that huge tail dragging behind her. (No, this wasn't her costume...did I not post what she was wearing? Did I ever get a Halloween post up? Hmmm......I'm not surprised if the answer is no....) And my apologies for allowing you all to see the state of my entryway.... ;) Housekeeping has never been my forte, and it shows sometimes.....um, much of the time.....um, okay, so.....most of the time! :)

Here's another little something Grandma S sent along. (S & I and H got schokolade!)

Happy Fall!

Why is it that when I go to do a quick photoshoot the date stamping option is turned on? And why do I not see this until the pictures are taken? And, why is it that I still don't know how it's turned on and off in the first place? Oh, well. Beautiful day + beautiful kids (am I impartial?) = time for pictures!

Happy Fall!

My camera lens was dirty too, but again, oh, well!

Cute kids negate lots of things, right?

Yum! or should I say, Yuck!

Yeah, yeah, messy background, I know...but look at that face!

To-Do Lists

S sent the following link to me today (with a kiss!).

http://the99percent.com/tips/6945/if-it-wont-fit-on-a-post-it-it-wont-fit-in-your-day?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4cd42382e2f6bc26,0

I replied the following after pulling up the website:

"It's not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen."

WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THIS PLACE TO ME SOONER? ;)

:}{:

p.s. I assume it's because you just stumbled across it yourself, but, ya know....

:}{:

I then actually read the thing and wrote to him again:

Nice. It's just like the idea of a "stubby list" and the addition I included about having another list next to the first for notes for day 2. I like the post-it note idea because it also sticks to anything (but without my needing to roll up balls of sticky-tack and stick'em on the paper and then stick the paper to the cabinet, etc.) and the next day list is right there attached to the first list. Small, so easy to carry with. Ha....there's the problem, though. Small. Easy to carry with. Likely to get lost. Hmm....well, I guess it's just another way to reach the same goal, and as I often jump from one method to another (new and thus exciting method), maybe if I bounce between the two I'll get something done, eh?

;)

Thanks again for emailing it to me!

*"Stubby List" is an idea from the book ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize your Life where you write a short list of the most important things you need to do during the day. To make it ADD-friendly, you use a marker to write the list in nice, loud, large letters. That way, I've found, the list shouts at me from where I sticky-tacked it to my kitchen cabinet every time I walk past. That is, until I've started igoring it, as I started to do within a week, so as I mentioned to S, maybe this will be a good "side" technique for me to move on to whenever I find that first technique isn't working. It's kinda like how I used to switch between my morning alarm clock's alarm and radio settings. Once I started sleeping in even if the radio turned on, I'd set the alarm to buzz and wake me up--and vice versa.

What's your fav way to manage your to-dos?

comparison shots

4 June 2010, 2mo old

Sept 2010, 5.5 mo old

Just 3 mo and 2 wks between these shots

My Husband, Part II

This is another reason why I love my husband:

Shortly after posting on those yummy-sounding Nutella cookies, I was walking thru my local Target and spotted these huge jars of lovely Nutella. As I'd never before come across the large jars, I could certainly hear angels singing in the background as I approached them. It was a great moment.) I then balked at the price (ow-zers!) but reminded myself that--hello!--these things were HUGE! Hm...now, how much did I need for those cookies? Then, that little voice in my head (normally it's the angel voice in this situation) brought up the ingredient question, so, as is my habit, I picked up a jar and turned it around to read the list. Shocked and horrified, I saw it contained skim milk. (So maybe it was really the devil voice reminding me, and he's probably laughing right now.) I'm one of the lucky few among the lactose-intolerant who feel the not-so-pleasant effects of lactose indigestion when even just the tiniest of quantities is consumed. The good angel won out on that arguement, as I'm trying not to buy anything for myself that contains milk products. (Yes, that includes milk chocolate as well. "Bye, bye Love..." ...lucky for me I do like dark chocolate. I don't know how I'd survive otherwise. Lots of peanut butter and chocolate no-bake cookies, I guess....Anyway....) The Nutella was returned to the shelf. I just kinda had to do it and not think about it. If I had thought about it, I'd be eating Nutella cookies right now instead of writing this blog post. (Not that I didn't just got to Amelia's, a local dessert haven, last night and down some lovely chocolate praline cake. Most baked goods have dairy in them. So I'm sure that's why I'm hurting right now, but, it's not like I'm innocent here, so no point complaining, right?) I didn't have the to guts to write about not being able to make that Nutella cookie recipe. I expected I'd break down and cry if I did. It was difficult enough seeing the printed-out recipe sitting on my computer desk. I tried adding it to the scrap-paper pile, but I couldn't bring myself to reuse it for printing coupons, coloring pages, and the like. I just couldn't let go of the hope that someday, maybe someday, I would be able to eat Nutella (without any ill effects) and joyfully create those crispy-chewy cookies. And eat them too, of course. (But why I'd eat cake from Amelia's and not buy the Nutella? Sheesh. You know, the Nutella would have tasted 100x better. Where are my priorities???)

As I was apparently too traumatized by the discovery of milk in my precious Nutella, I failed to move on and search out substitutes. Then, tonight, my Knight in Shining Armor burst upon the scene. He had emailed me a link to a video on YouTube explaining how to make Nutella the "Primal Way". Cue the angelic chorus! It couldn't be true. It had to contain all these crazy ingredients that would cost a ton--in time and effort--to get them. Well, at least I knew it would have to contain hazelnuts, cocoa, a sweetener of some sort, and what in the world would make it so thick and smooth and spreadable? Coconut oil! One thing. Remember overly simplistic me? One item I can do! And, so what if I don't know the slightest thing about coconut oil--outside of the fact that it or palm oil pared with trans fats are heart attack central, but luckily most of our trans fats have already been cleared from our shelves....except for my fake whipped cream. (How else am I supposed to enjoy dairy-free desserts?) Even if it's not something I'd find during my weekly trip to Kroger, my Knight's passes Whole Foods everyday on his way to/from work, so finding the oil is not going to be a challenge. (Ha, watch it magically disappear from all the shelves in NC just because I wrote that.)

I have to thank the Primal/Paleo community. As much as some in the food world may consider them "extremists", I've found with my lactose intolerance that if you can't go along with the mainstream on something, usually there are extremists out there who already have 100s of great ideas to help you out. So, thanks, guys! You're the best!

Happy 6 Months!

My big boy!

Yesterday we decided to introduce Lil'S to squash--not the pureed kind. This was the homecooked, mash-it-up-a-bit-on-a-plate kind.

Mmm, texture!

This past week Lil'S started giving H and Daddy kisses. They're thrilled!

(He's given me "FEED ME, MOMMY!" kisses for about a month now.)

An Actual Vacation!

Last week Monday we took off to the coast for a little daytrip.

We checked out the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, Fort Macon,

and just a touch of sandy beaches.

(no swimming, darn hurricane rip tides)

Lil'S actually got a lot more out of this visit than I thought he would!

check'n out the otters

otters check'n out us

turtles!

ooo! touch pool!

We found this little guy near the aquarium's parking lot.

He was hardly a cm long!

S heading to the beach

look'n out over the shoreline

seashells!

how'd this kid get so cute?

Seth presenting at SAA

What's that? You can't find him?

Look behind the podium.

Tee, he, he!

My Husband

My husband is absolutely in love with his son.
This is one of the reasons why I love my husband.

My husband is absolutely in love with his daughter, no matter her appearance.
This is another one of the reasons why I love my husband.

[sorry! no pict of me this week! ....or month?]

My husband is absolutely in love with me,
no matter my appearance or my mood--and that's saying a LOT.
This is another one of the reasons why I love my husband.

But, I also have to confess. . . . and you'll have to forgive me on this one:

My husband makes me awesome food.
This is also one of the reasons why I love my husband.
They say food is the way to a man's heart, but I think it applies to women too.

Busy Week!

Can I go do this now, too?


Sunday:

Happy 5 months Lil'S!!!
He decided to celebrate by getting his first tooth!
(During church my friend starts giving a talk/sermon on reverence, and I burst out, "Hey, Seth! He's got his first tooth! See! Stick your finger in there! You can feel it!")

Saturday:
We helped out a family who attend our church with the stable they're leasing. Negative: THE HEAT. Perks: good conversation, great BBQ, and a horse ride for H. Would we do it again next year? Probably!

my tired little imp waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for her turn to ride the horse (and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting)

my other incredibly tired and overheated little imp--and my sweet hubby coming to tell me Lil'S was hungry just as it was H's turn to get on that horse

attempt #1 to get H on the horse

attempt #2 to get H on the horse

"WHEEEEEEE!!!!!"


"She kept on saying 'whee!' for at least half the trip," S said.



Or, maybe that was the entire trip.

Did I mention it was HOT?

Friday:

Waffle Street: The Confession and Rehabilitation of a Financier

S and I attended a church friend's book signing. S knows him much better than I do. I know his wife much better. :) They're expecting their first baby very soon! I've gotten mid-way through the first chapter (it'd be more, but, hey, I'm a mom here!) and have really enjoyed it so far--both Jimmy's humor and the way he makes the finance world easier to understand.

And the rest of the week:

Sorry, it's a busy week this week, too--as you can see with how I'm still trying to finish posting on last week and here it's Wednesday. You'll just have to miss out on what else we did last week. ;)

Okay, fine, I'll fill you in on one thing. The past few weeks we've enjoyed a little evening entertainment, thanks to Lil'S. I'll have to include some "only a mother/grandmother would enjoy these" videos for you. Op, as I finally figured out where all those exported videos I've been trying to make have disappeared to (imagine that, picasa has a export folder for exported videos), I just might have to post them tonight. Or, as it's 11:25 p.m., maybe not.

Now, seriously, how can you not love that face?

Ballet: SNAP!

Validation

Thanks for sharing this with me, S. You are great. You are amazing!

I Will Survive II

Well, it's been another week without S as he attends the Society of American Archivists Conference in Washington D.C. Sorry I didn't get to post on that earlier. Well, as this last day of his absence winds down to a close, I thought I'd post a description of one of the week's adventures for your reading enjoyment. Note: It does at times reveal my darker side, so this may come as a disappointment to all you out there who think Mrs. S is really of Mrs. Super Mom in disguise. ;)

While still on a I'm-actually-getting-something-done! high after having a girl lend me a hand with things Thu morning, I was actually brave enough to cook Fri night. You should have seen me, though. First I had to nurse while browning the ground beef, which resulted in it being overdone on one side since I was too tired to think to turn it off/down, and then as I was stirring it, I made the mistake of trying to have H help with watering the plants out front when she was overtired, which means it takes 3 requests and 2 threats and 1 attempt to help her get out the door, at which point I realized I'd made another one of those little mistakes--this time leaving the garbage sitting inside the side door instead of getting it out last night--that results in a whole lot more work than you'd ever expect: 200 ants streaming out of the garbage bag that H moved onto the (just cleaned last week) family room carpet and 200 more ants streaming through a hidden tunnel under our door's threshold, scampering about for that lost golden bag of garbage. Let's just say I'm grateful I was making my stand-by taco soup. And as I'd pureed in some fresh tomatoes from our yard, it was more than just comfort food, it was AMAZING. You'd never know the ground beef had sat overcooking for 30 minutes because, as before, I didn't even think to turn it down--and that's after it was initially overcooked while nursing--while I chased around H and then 532 ants and then argued with Hannah and tried to get to a fussy Lil'S. During that time I seriously left the vacuum hose sitting over that hole the ants were crawling thru for a good half hour--and yet they kept on streaming in! I finally removed it and let them be, hoping that even though they obviously hadn't figured out not to keep going into that hole where all their friends were being sucked away, perhaps they would somehow figure out that their golden bag of garbage was now sitting on the deck, patiently awaiting the arrival of some pillaging animal that visited us during the night after I forgot to get back outside and get it in the garbage can.

Well, gratefully, the ants found the booty awaiting them out on the deck, rather than that which sparkled on my kitchen shelves, the taco soup somehow did get made, and my darling nap-deprived daughter did actually fall asleep by 8 p.m. I think it was God giving me a littlle respite before the adventures began all over again, starting at 1:30 a.m. with a little girl who just couldn't sleep. . . . for the next four hours.

:)

I will survive!!!

Happy 4mo!

Lil'S weighed in at 18lb 13oz and measured 27.5 inches at his 4mo appt on Friday (a week late). I'm glad he's growing evenly in height and width (upper 90s for everything). I've learned it's challenging to find well-fitting clothes when kids don't! :)

Thanks again for the cute blanket, Auntie E, and the glider, J!

He's rather outgrown the bouncy seat, although we still put him in it occasionally.

:)

p.s. Somebody sent us a darling, custom-made blanket, and I don't know who it was! The invoice didn't say! Please send me an email you if sent Lil'S a blue striped, airplane and capital S blanket from Two Tinas. I owe you a big thank you! (He's laying on it right now, actually, watching Word World with H.)