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Archive for December, 2015

Final few days

December 30th, 2015 at 11:15 am

Since we are downsizing in order to stay in the same neighborhood, we went ahead and sold a bunch of stuff on Craigslist. A sectional ($350), Ikea chair ($50), spare fridge ($100), bed ($80), and Ikea kitchen island and chair ($300). Looks like a bunch of spare furniture, but this house had a full basement and it was set up like a small apartment. The cash will go towards mover expenses. Friends have offered to help move, but honestly, I don't want to put anyone through that! Gone are the days of fold-up furniture, our stuff is heavy!

The kids and I will be leaving today to visit family a few hours away. We will be celebrating New Years with them since the kids wanted to stay home for Christmas. It will be a nice break from the obligations of the move.

I have worked out twice this week and hope to work out at least once more while out of town. It helps me stay sane! I am used to going to morning workout classes 4-5 time a week. I can't seem to wake up naturally to attend my 5 am class while I am on break!

I miss the routine of my work week. I have to admit that I am one of those people who do better with a routine. There, I said it. I like short vacations to break it up, but for the most part I operate better staying with the flow. I guess most people do.

I am looking forward to a fresh start in the new place. Not to mention lower utility bills, as the new place is smaller.

2016 goals and changes ahead

December 28th, 2015 at 12:31 pm

I've finally had a free moment to sit down and think about the upcoming year.

First of all, the landlord will not be renewing our lease because she has received orders back to the area and will be moving back in her home. Ugh. We were notified this shortly after all of the Christmas decorations went up. We've done our best to keep things "normal" for the kids for the holidays, despite the fact that we have been spending all of our free moments packing, purging, and scouring the internet for appropriate rentals. It has not been a super exciting holiday season.

Secondly, DW and I will be getting separate places when we move. Things have been really tough the last couple years (coincidentally when we officially married), and we feel like we are just running in circles with each other. We love each other, but cannot seem to get along, even though we have been to counseling. Instead of repeating the same behavior over and over again, which is indeed making me crazy, we are going to physically separate. Start with a clean slate, and just go from there. We will be seeing a counselor during the time apart to help us navigate.

DW will be paying a large chunk of our rental, so I can still take care of everything I need to financially. I've found a place a few blocks away so the kids can still take the same bus, attend the same school, etc. I just want to take the focus off of my relationship problems for a bit and enjoy my family.

Financial goals are very simple this year, given the changes that have developed. I'll be satisfied with meeting those goals.

I've missed everyone! Rambler alert...

December 20th, 2015 at 01:56 pm

I had to go back and catch up with everyone over the past few weeks. Seems like I've missed a bunch of changes, and I hate that. Birthdays, sad family news, and sweet times too. I don't "know" you all, but then again, I do!

I have finished my fall semester. The class was super intense, but I have learned so much from it. My practicum was also very challenging because my supervisor really pushed me. I had lots of programs to write, data to collect, and research articles to read. All to make me a better analyst. And of course I love this stuff, so it wasn't torture, just difficult getting myself started on the work. Plus she really wants me to work for her company, so that says a lot about her opinion of me.

The next semester has already started for me. I have 2 classes to take for maintaining my teaching credentials. That is separate from the post grad program. So when these 2 classes are finished I can go back to the certificate program and finish that up.

My personal relationship is still shaky, it needs a new foundation. I'm not ready to make any decisions there. I just wish I could go back to when things were great, I couldn't imagine any couple being more in love than us.

But that's life, right? We don't live in a vacuum, we impact one another, connections grow, some break, some get all tangled up. But we are all still held together, with a Oneness. I envision a busy little planet, all of our drama and stuff going on. All of the emotions involved. Death, birth, religion, change. But we are held together with a membrane, so now one falls out. I swear I am not drinking, I can't get the words out just right! If I was an artist I could draw the little planet with activity, and then draw the Spirit holding us all together. We are all in this together. We are not alone.

Enjoy the season, everyone!

December already

December 6th, 2015 at 12:36 pm

We only have a few short weeks before winter break, unbelievable! I would be more excited but I have a lot of stuff due for my 2 classes that I have been working on. Once I turn everything in I can start getting excited!

I have been having a good time with the kid. My oldest had super grades this semester and, as promised, I let her get her hair dyed pink. The stylist is very skilled at coloring and she added purple hues to give the color some depth. I have to admit, it looks beautiful! If you can't have pink hair when you're 16, when can you do it?!

I treated the youngest to some Christmas nail art because she has been so responsible this school year as well and brought home fabulous grades as well.

Last night I continued with present wrapping. I can mail out the last of my out of town presents tomorrow.

My youngest created her own advent calendar using Pinterest for inspiration. Each night we pick a puffball that has an short activity attached to it. Last night the activity to was to pick names and surprise that person with a "gift" that you already owned. It was cute to see what the girls "picked out" for each other. The oldest gave the youngest half a pack of gum because she knew her sister loved that flavor. The youngest gave the oldest an earbud case that was missing the earbuds because she figured her sister could store her earbuds in it. I don't know why, but it was very heartwarming!

Within the next month or two I will need to throw all my extra cash onto the credit card. I used it for larger purchases, tuition, pink hair, etc. And stay on budget with the rest of my money. I've been doing a lot of "Whamming" to the Gift category in my YNAB budget! I keep finding little things!