New Year's Resolution

So last year I started doing more online surveys. I always did a couple here or there. But this year I did my research and picked up 3 more sites that I know to be legit. Ever since Nathan was born I made it a point to make nap times my rest time as well. Even if I don't sleep, I don't clean or any thing like that. It makes the rest of the day go smoothly. And now with two kids I really rest at nap time (well only when both kids are napping). I don't take naps well so I decided this would be my "taking surveys" time. I spend about an hour at nap time and an hour at bed time to do this. I started in late April last year and I did pretty well. My goal this year is to saved up enough money to pay for all my Christmas shopping this way. Below is a break down of how I did last year (remember I started late April) and my goal for this year. I cashed out as much as I can before then end of this year so I can have a clean slate and show you how I do. Wish me luck! Happy New Year!!! May 2012 be a joyous year for all of you. And may the Lord guide and direct every day.

$380 in surveys and Ebates
over $20 in spare change approx.
Recycle cans $12 approx.
rebates $12
gift card rewards from buying multiples of house hold things (like diapers) $55 approx.
Most of this was started last April
Total last year: $479
Goal for 2012: $600

Life Update and a Merry Christmas

Well the end of the year is quickly coming. This has been one amazingly interesting year. Its had its ups and downs but over all I wouldn't change it. The Lord has been good to us. His provision and care for us cause me to shout for joy daily!

I started this year pregnant!  And I am ending this year with two of the most incredible boys ever! The pregnancy was hard this time around. And Nathan couldn't have been a more amazing little boy for me while I sat on the couch or napped or waddled around. He was patient and kind and sweet the whole time. Then the moment he met Zachary the love that Nathan shows for his little brother only grew daily. There was never a point where Nathan resented having Zachary around. And Zachary loves Nathan so much. It shows daily that these two are going to be the best of friends.

Also subbing has been a blessing. Joel and I are always looking ahead to the future when I can stay at home full time. We see a light at the end of the tunnel but we don't know exactly how close we are. Every time we set a goal it gets set back because of something or other. I would love for it to be by October of next year so I can start home schooling Nathan in preschool. But we will see. Until then, the Lord provides the jobs I need to help us out with finances.

Zachary is seriously the happiest baby you will ever meet. If he is crying its because he is not feeling well. And he doesn't really cry as much as he just cries out for comfort. He may not be the best sleeper (just as he was starting to sleep through the night, a tooth popped through), but you would never know it. Not a cranky baby. He is huge and chunky but a pretty content little guy. He is rolling over one way. And I think he will be sitting soon. All that extra padding on the bottom helps with the balance.

 

The holidays are harder to enjoy this year. Joel got a new boss a few months ago and for some reason he loves doing over night shifts on holidays (something his old boss didn't do). And Joel has to do both Thanksgiving and Christmas overnight shifts. With kids and no family around the holidays just become another day to us and that makes me the most sad of all. I love that Joel is trying something new and working hard to get good at it but changes like these make it hard sometimes. But Nathan and I have been enjoying our time of decorating the tree together, making sugar cookies, introducing Santa, and reading about the birth of Jesus, and also learning HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS. And Nathan responded before the book was done, "That's not nice, he needs to bring Christmas back!" My compassionate boy.

 Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Next year starts a new resolution for me that I can't wait to write about. A first for me because I don't make resolutions!

Weekly Update on Christmas savings...

One of the ways that I like to save for anything is putting aside any extra money that comes our way that is not in our normal budget. This week we sold our old stroller on craiglist. A single stroller just doesn't work for us anymore. We now have a sit and stand stroller so I put our old stroller up on craiglist and sold it this week. I put that money into our Christmas fund for the year.

Some of you might be wondering why I am doing this for the first time and not before. Let me explain. When Joel was a teacher he would get a bonus in December every year. This bonus was enough to pay for all our Christmas shopping. Then last year, I was subbing and doing childcare at the same time. That was like an extra amount of income that allowed me to cover for Christmas. Well, this year the boy I use to watch started preschool. I am still subbing and working hard to sub as much as I can but I also have some things in December and January that I am planning for as well. Like my finger print clearance card is due and there will be two weeks in January, because of winter break, where I will not be getting a paycheck. I am trying to get that money set aside now. Plus, I like this challenge and its like a game to me. And I want to win!

Ok, so this week I sold our stroller and all the extra change I have from grocery shopping to add into our fund.

 

$30 for the stroller
$4.27 in spare change to add to the fund

Total = $34. 27

Old total = 138.31

New total = 172.58

Saving for Christmas

We are a family of four on a tight budget. I coupon, shop sales and clearance, and set a budget for everything. And I always try to come in below the budget amount. I also take online surveys to help bring in extra cash for stuff. So I started late this year as a test run for next year. I want to earn all of our Christmas spending budget by surveys, saving change, rebates, and gift cards. 

Let  me explain how this happened. I follow a blog called Couponing to Disney.  Its all about this mom of 2 and how she saves for their families annual trip to Disney World. I love her blog. She is always posting the best deals. I got a couple of friends to follow her too. But its so inspiring to see how she does this. I thought I want to do this but I want to start small. So how about Christmas. This blogger can save $3000 in a little over a year, I want to save about $500-$600 in a year. So starting January 1st is when I will kick off this huge Saving for Christmas 2012 campaign. I want to show you where I am at this year since I just started in Sept.

Right now, I have $138.31 in various cash flows that I will break down for you in a little bit. This is just from Sept. and Oct. alone.

So here is the break down.
$40 in Paypal cash that I will transfer to our checking account from various survey sights
$20 in Amazon gift cards from another survey sight
$10 in Target gift cards from another survey sight
$35 for carrying a cell phone around and recording my snack intake for 2 weeks from another survey sight.
$5 cash/check from another survey sight.

So right now we are at $110 for surveys in two months

Now we have $7.48 in spare change (I pay in cash and never use the change but save it)
And another $3.60 for recycling cans (we don't drink a lot of soda and we already traded in a couple times this year)
$17. 23 in various gift cards that I can use towards Christmas gifts.

So that totals $138.31 in two months. I may earn a little more before Christmas but it can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks for some things to come in. I do have some rebates that may come in but I may or may not use them this year.

I hope to share this with you every month next year on my progress.

Nathan is a Big Boy now!

At the park riding his bike!

With Nathan turning 3 its that time again that I go through all the new things he has learned this past year. First of all, my kid is amazing. I love his positive outlook on everything. And the way he encourages every one he is around.  So  I thought I would do a run down of last year and the awesome development of Nathan.

• He didn't really start talking until he turned 2. But with that came full on sentences!!!!
• He can count to 20
• He knows his ABCs
• He can recognize shapes and colors
• He can trace his name and other letters
• He has learned how to play hide and seek, candy land and memory
• He knows how to ride his tricycle
• He can sing his favorite songs from memory
• He is the greatest big brother around
• he can build sand castles
• he can swing and hit a ball with a bat
• he helps with baking
• he can paint
• and he is learning but not great at coloring inside the lines of pictures
• and his imagination has finally blossomed and I love how he makes everything fly, jump or race. 

I can't wait to see what this next year brings as we start with simple preschool lessons at home.

Just wanted to throw one in of Zachary

Helping Zachary with Tummy Time by giving him kisses

Wow! Its been a while.



Nathan playing Angry Birds on Joel's phone.

 Life has kind of taken over since I have had Zachary. I have started subbing again and getting back into the routine. However with an early start time my mornings are rushed and unbelievably crazy. But I love the paycheck again! Zachary is a tank! I can't even get my whole hand around his thighs. There is still an inch or more of space between my thumb and my middle finger! He is just 2 months and in 3-6 month clothing! Nathan is awesome. Energetic but so sweet and loving. But still not interested in potty training. No matter the bribe! L-A-M-E. Joel is good as well. Working like crazy and back to school is quieting down, holiday season is fast approaching. Which means we will never see Joel.

Along with all of that we just had some friends in town. It was wonderful to spend 3 full days with family and friends and do absolutely nothing. Kelly and Sheldon make life so easy and stress free. I wish we lived closer. That is life right now. Joel is working, when he is not working, I am working and the boys are growing.



Kelly and Sheldon with Zachary!



IT'S HOT IN ARIZONA!

In May we had this beautiful weather. I couldn't believe it. No matter how hard the weather tried it couldn't get into the 90s. That is not normal for AZ. Especially Tucson AZ. I was dreading this summer with being pregnant and chasing a toddler and trying to keep life normal, but May was gorgeous and made life a little easier. However, June came and with it we said goodbye to the 80 degree weather and we never saw the 90s. It went straight to the 100s! Y-U-C-K!

I bring that all up because I am miserable. I usually handle the heat fairly well. But this year with 26 extra pounds all in front of me I hate the heat. I can barely breath and I can barely get things done. But I am so looking forward to the phase of this summer when we finally get to meet Zachary!

Nathan has finally gotten past this terrible twos things! Thankfully in time for a little brother. And with it I have been met with an unbelievably compassionate son! I can't believe how much he cares for my well being. He is gentle and sweet. He cuddles and hugs. He never complains that I can't run or do stink bug rolls or jump on the bed with him. He asks if he can walk in the grocery store but when I say no not today, he says "ok mommy, when Zachary comes out of your tummy". Even his sleeping has changed but his happy attitude has not. He doesn't get cranky when he is tired, he now gets loopy. And just starts to giggle like crazy at nothing at all. I am loving this improved child of mine. The Lord has blessed us with a child that is easy going at the right time!!!! I believe with all my heart that God did this to help ease the pressure of being pregnant right now.

Joel is doing really well. Work is crazy right now with a remodel but his improvements as a manager has been noticed. Now we prayerfully hope that with that acknowledgement will come the pay raise. Our goal is for me to not to have to substitute teach to help make ends meet. And we our hoping that goal can happen by next April if not sooner! Joel is trying to survive the remodel at work and we are actually seeing the birth of Zachary as a two week vacation from the remodel and the crazy long hours that Joel has been putting in. He will go back to work and there will only be about a week left of the remodel!!! That's going to be nice.

We are hosting a small group at our house this summer. We did it in the spring and loved it. I hope we can continue to serve in this way for a while. I love how the Lord is moving in people's lives. Including ours.

Sorry there are no pictures, just an update.