New year, new beginnings, new goals

I'm not one for New Years resolutions.  The excitement of the new year fades quickly and most of the population does not stick to the resolution(s) they made.  But I guess you could say this year is different for me.  I feel more resolve to change certain things in my life.

I've decided to do a scaled down version of 101 in 1001.  Let's face it, a lot of things can change in 2.75 years.  So many things on my old list be came unimportant or things that just weren't attainable any more with a new baby.  But, I did complete quite a bit of it, and as a list maker, it made me feel good to cross off a few things here and there.  So, I decided that this year I would make 27 goals for the year.  One for every two weeks of the year.  They don't have to be completed weekly, I just wanted to scale down the number of goals.  I originally started with 52, but I trouble coming up with that many.  I'll start with 27 and if I have more to add I'll add more.

I've decided to make some of the goals more long-term and therefore, more difficult to achieve.  But others will be quick and easy.  That way I can feel like I'm accomplishing *something*.  So, here they are.

1. Get on a budget, and try to stick with it for good!  I've lived out of my/our means for a while.  Living on credit and not really having a solid plan to pay it off.  Right now I'm using Mint.com for budgeting, and I recommend it, it's pretty cool! (0/12)
2. Pay off credit card 100% and keep the spending within a limit that I can pay off *every* month- I'd say $500/month.  I paid the card off a few days ago using a lower (than the CC) interest rate loan that we already had.  But now the challenge is to keep the spending down every month so that I can keep the balance at zero. (0/12)
3. Lose 6 pounds.  I've got 6 pounds of baby weight left to lose! (0/6)
4. Lose 4 pounds to equal a total of 10 (0/4)
5. Lose another 5 pounds to equal a total of 15 to put me into the middle of my BMI range. (0/5)
6. Save for  and buy new camera (monthly goal $150).  I've got my eye on this one!  ::love::
7. Take pictures of Sofia monthly.  This one should be easy as I'm already doing it, but I want to make sure I continue it! (0/12)
8. Go to the dentist every six months.  To some this might seem silly, but I, sadly, have not been to the dentist in years.  It just wasn't something that was instilled in me in my childhood. (0/2)
9. Finish Sofia's growth chart
10. Hang curtain rod and curtains in Sofia's room
11. Get Bandit's claws clipped or filed every 3 months (0/4)
12. Buy and start a compost bin.  This is something I've been wanting to do for a while.  I really want to be better about not being so wasteful.
13. Try to finish C25K program- 9 weeks.  I don't know if this will be feasible for me because of my knee, but I think it might help me to get back into running. (0/9)
14. Sell maternity clothes, put that money towards camera savings
15. Start savings account for Sofia
16. Sell Sofia's no longer used toys and "gear".  Put that money into her savings account.
17. Get cloth diaper inventory up to 24 diapers and/or GroVia inserts (16/24)
18. Fill Sofia's month-by-month picture frames, 13 total pictures in each (0/13 x2)
19. Have a small, successful, and cute first birthday party for Sofia.
20. Buy an external hard drive, keep all pictures and important files updated on said drive.
21. Get house "baby-proofed" (stove button caps, oven locks, doorknob locks, cabinet locks, toilet seat locks, etc)
22. Try to be consistent in using coupons (i.e stockpile non perishables)
23. Work on my photography skills (do any one or more of the following- complete my photography book, complete the 12 weeks to better photography, and/or take a photography class)
24. Buy a chest for my Grandmother's silverware, polish said silverware and store correctly
25. Buy and install fireplace doors or screen (kind of counts as baby proofing)
26. Buy and install a ceiling fan for Sofia's room
27. *Possibly* re do fire place hearth and surrounding area with new glass tile
    

Christmas traditions

Now that we have a baby I've been thinking a lot about Christmas gift-opening traditions.  In my family, the tradition was to open one small gift on Christmas Eve and then open the rest on Christmas day.  Everything was wrapped, that could be, even "Santa's" gifts.  If it needed to be assembled then it was already done, and obviously not wrapped.  On Christmas morning we would wake up look at all the unwrapped stuff and then go in order around the room opening the wrapped gifts.  That way everyone could appreciate what they received.  The hubs has never been very specific about what they did, but he would be fine opening all gifts a week early. 

Earlier this week this exact topic came up on a chat board that I frequent.  Someone polled the users and asked what traditions they had for Christmas gifts.  There was one option that stuck out in my mind that I thought might work best for our family.  That was where all the family gifts (from mom/dad) were opened on Christmas Eve- this would appease the hubs.  And then all of Santa's gifts and the stocking were done on Christmas day- this would appease me.  I don't like opening EVERYTHING before Christmas... it just ruins the fun.  The only thing I wonder about is when the kid(s) learns there's no Santa.  Do you still do it this way?  I would assume so, and I know that even as an adult I will get gifts from "Santa" and my mom still acts like she has no clue what it is.  ;)

I'm thinking next year we'll start this little tradition with our family.  I like it.  It separates family gifts from Santa's gifts and family gifts don't get over shadowed by Santa's.  Which, lets face it, are ALWAYS what you really want!

Some other family Christmas-time traditions I have been considering are...  hot chocolate and a drive around to look at Christmas lights.  Watching the original "Grinch" (animated version) together as a family.  Getting an ornament for Sofia every year to commemorate that year.  Baking cookies for Santa, even when she gets too old to believe in Santa.

So for this Christmas I leave you a few of my favorites from this Christmas.  We did Christmas on Christmas Eve because my dad's side does a big lunch on Christmas day.  We decided to split it up so that Sofia would not be too cranky.

uh oh, i feel an obsession coming on

I went to Michael's today to look for a very specific item. I came back with a bag full of stuff... oops. I'm suppose to be saving money! I guess I did, technically, since almost every item was on sale. But who am I kidding. I still spent money I wasn't suppose to. Are you dying to know what I bought yet? Is it that hard to guess knowing which store I went to? That's right, scrapbooking supplies.

I used to scrapbook in high school and I loved it, and that was before they came out with all these really cute stickers, and cutouts, and dye cuts, and buttons, and pens, and, and, and... ugh! I think it actually would be good for me to have a hobby (other than sitting on the internet). I'm just afraid that it is going to get really expensive. I guess I'll have to write a small budget/month to allow myself to do it. I'm actually thinking that my first project will be a mini book of my nephew to give to my SIL.

Back to the drawing board

so to speak. After only one month of officially TTC, we have decided to hold off. :( Things might change by the next O day, if we feel more confident in our spending/saving, but as of right now we're putting it on hold. Of course, there still is a teensy chance that I might get pregnant this cycle, but it's highly doubtful.

We had a very unexpected monetary emergency pop up yesterday that has depleted our wimpy savings account. We're down by half and we're both seeing this as a sign that now just might not be the best time.

The good thing in all of this is that it has forced me (and him, finally!) to take a really good look at our own budgets and how we spend money. We've come up with an action plan and hopefully we'll be able to save even more than we were before! Let's hope the determination holds true.

NEW HAIR!

I FINALLY got my hair cut, YAY!!! I ended up having 10 inches chopped off. I plan on donating it, but am having a hard time finding a charity that doesn't require all this stuff. If you have any questions, other than Locks of Love, please let me know. Anywho... here's a picture