Mommy Multi-tasking!

Seems I like to take off more than is smart to chew!  I have decided that my work is "unsteady"...not sure how long the business will survive and frankly there are so many folks, unemployed right now in my field (i.e. bookkeeping) that I couldn't even begin to get a job that will pay much for quite awhile if it does go away.  This is also a concern because I haven't had to go back to work full time since we had the little girl.  We had decided that I would work when she is in school and then off after.  This has worked out really well, with the exception of the summers, when Grammy & Grampy have willingly stepped in to help us out. 

So.....I took the project  of taking on doing a blog that might make us a little extra money if I had to go on unemployment: Freebies, Great Deals, and Swag Bucks.  I get to research and find coupons, deals, etc and help people find ways to save.  This has always been a bit of a passion for me and after Dave Ramsey I just can't imagine paying for something at full price!  I think I might actually try to tie in my passion for cheap cooking as well but that might have to be on the back burner since putting this all together is taking mommy time and I hate to do that.  I do feel like I've gone back to school trying to understand all this affiliate marketing and HTML stuff.  Most of it is partially sinking in and part is so far out of my understanding that I am going to have to seek help....which I'm not good at asking for!  Still this is fun and I'm hoping it will work out so that we can feel a bit more secure.  Oh and did I mention that we are thinking of letting people use some of our property for a garden coop for church.....so much to do and so little time to take it on!

Things change when you blink

I know that everyone told me that the time you have your child will go so quickly.  In the early years it didn't seem to hold true as we were with her so much and the daily journey just seemed....well, it was just life.  Now, as we are looking at the pre-teen little girl, things seem to be moving faster.  I can picture her in high school and college...then off for a life that doesn't include me on a daily basis.  The fun thing is watching what an interesting soul she is. 

The other day we went to Grandma and Grandpa Taylor's to exchange Christmas gifts.  It had been a few months since we had seen each other and it seems she "sprouted" when they were gone.  I got to see through their eyes how she had grown in just this short time.  I'd noticed the things like the talking for hours on the phone, texting between her and her one friend from school, her goofiness coming out, and her new interest in "negotiating with work" for things she wants instead of asking for them.  She's been writing a "book" on the computer, still drawing mostly manga type drawings, and bonding more with friends.  I've also noticed that the things that she is really interested in, she researches on the computer endlessly.  This kid knows more about her guinea pig than I thought possible.  She's growing up into such an interesting girl....

So I need to stop blinking because it's all going so fast and although I love who she is today, I know the girl of tomorrow is just as wonderful.  I feel blessed every day to have this child to nurture.  I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Getting organized....

I am not a person that does resolutions.  It's not that they don't work for me...I just chose to live life the way I'm going to every day.  I'm unlikely to make some monumental change by chosing one day to make that decision.  Maybe that's just me!

That being said, I've decided that I need to get my grocery budget in line.  After going through FPU it seemed that this is the one area I could affect just by being more diligent.  We are eaters.  We love food and I enjoy cooking.  I've always thought I was careful by watching the price per oz and buying when on sale but I don't think I've been near diligent enough.  There is definitely room for improvement. 

Though this is not necessarily a New Year resolution, it definitely is something I can do that will be good for my family. I'm going to give couponing a shot this year.  I've used coupons but never with any real objective in mind....just savings a little here and there.  This year I want to actually watch and try to stock up.  It's become apparent this year, with the unemployment of my dearest, to the slow down in my own work, that we are in precarious circumstances financially.  I can't even "budget" because there is no weekly amount I can count on.  This is why FPU was great for solidifying what we were already attempting to do, but didn't really change our financial peace as of yet. 

So I'm starting to coupon.  It's something I can control and I need something I can control right now.  I'll try to track my progress on my other blog but I thought I would put here what my thoughts were and why I'm trying to do something new and "different" this year.  Anyone else want to join me?

2010 - It's History!



I just thought about this....to our daughter 2010 is part of her growing up.  It's her "history".  She has grown and changed so much this year.  This is the second year of middle school.  She has played her viola for almost 2 years now.  She met a wonderful new friend last year and now her family goes to our church and spends time with us.  She's had one close friend since 2006.  We've had a few fun times this year as a family, going hiking, swimming, meeting family for the first time.  We've lost friends, gained friends and figured out the difference between  friends and aquantances.  She's gone camping in new places with her grandparents over the summer, and met a lot of people along the way. We tried to move this year....the economy took a dive and we've learned to live on less.  We were broken into and found that sometimes the stuff doesn't matter as much as we thought it did. 

Life is a blessing and I hope she will look back on this year like I do....so happy to have had each other.

Last day off

Well, here I am in my Christmas jammies after New Years day thinking about what a great little break this has been.  Sarah and I, with her friends spent a week baking and decorating with me.....I worked 3 1/2 days and was back off with Tracy and Sarah for New Years.  It has been a great blessing to be able to spend the time just hanging out and chatting with a growing up kid.  I have been really fortunate to not have to work much during her growing up.  Thankfully we get to spend every afternoon together after school and every weekend. 

It has recently become clear to me just how lucky we really are given what is going on around us. New friends of ours have been hit hard by the economy and the dad had to use the last of his unemployment to go to long haul trucking school.  He is coming from the construction industry that has been severely hit in the crazy "downturn".  Now, the kids go from a dad who has been home every day with them for two years, to no one being home until 6:00 pm.  The smallest can stay at safe key until mom can pick him up, but the oldest, who is Sarah's age goes home and hangs out behind a locked door.  I have been letting Sarah talk on the phone and "practice" her viola with the little girl while she is on her own so that she feels like she is not alone.  I could offer to take her but the parents "think that we do enough" for them so I have a feeling it might be overstepping.  I also remember that I was a latchkey kid that didn't have parents at home until at least 5:00 when I was growing up....  I have told the little girl that if she ever needs me....hears something...whatever, give me a call and I'm 5 minutes away.  I've also taken over driving her home and making sure she locks the door behind her before I leave.  I wonder if it's enough....

Anyway, this is what you get when I'm drinking coffee still in jammies and waiting for the family to wake for church...or rather time for me to wake them up.  Have a fabulous New Year!