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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!)