Life Lately

I honestly don't know how us moms do life, especially the ones who work out of the home. I know I am in constant motion going from one thing to the next from the moment I wake up (which is usually at 530a). Getting myself ready, Kingston ready, Christian ready - working an 8 hour shift while trying to make time for 3 pumping session, making dinner, picking up the house, bed time routines. You name it  - us women are seriously amazing. God was so right when he gave these responsibilities and the personality traits  to the women - because I wouldn't have it any other way. I really feel a sense of accomplishment and power when I'm able to successfully get through my day knowing all that I do. 

Anyways, where I was going with that rant ... I haven't been writing much because we have been busy these last few weeks. Hopefully now that the holidays are over, I'll have a little more time to sit down behind the computer. Be prepared for more things baby and all things having to do with our new home! 

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Life lately:

1. We have completed all our paperwork for our house loan and the inspection has been done. Now we are just waiting to see if the seller will make the recommended changes (new dishwasher, fix some plumbing in master shower, and fix a piece of siding that is rotten) and to finalize our loan. We close in about 20 days . . . I can't wait! Even though I'm nervous for that first payment to come due.

2. Two weekends from now we plan to take a trip up to Kansas City to visit the new IKEA and Nebraska Furniture Mart. We are on the look out for a new couch, king size mattress and a dining room table. I'm hoping for some good deals. This sista likes saving money. 

3. Once this house stuff is finalized - I plan on trading in my car and getting something much less expensive. Right now we have two car payments which is totally unnecessary because my car is only driven to and from work, the grocery store and a few other errands. I would love to have a car that's reliable and with no payment. Ideally I hope to find a 4 door Honda - in good condition with medium miles. I hear those cars last forever! 

4. Tax season is quickly approaching and the word around the block is that having a baby gets you more of a return?? If that's the case, I think Kingston is going to buy us some new carpet. 

5. I've been working at Koch for about 15 months now and I have yet to have a formal review. My boss said it's coming but needs final approval from her boss. What makes me nervous is that all the other team members have had their reviews approved and have been given them but mine is still in limbo. It had me worried but my boss assures me it's nothing bad.  Who knows. Hopefully I'm not in the process of getting canned. :/ 

6. CT's sister stayed with us for a while over Christmas break. Kingston had such a good time with his Aunt and I love seeing other people love my son. It makes this mama's heart so happy. 

7. Thank goodness for the buy, sell trade sites on Facebook. Prior to moving I plan to get rid of a bunch of our junk, and previously I've had such good luck using those sites. This way I'll be able to make a little extra cash and not have to tow it all the way across town. My goal is so start as fresh as possible in the new house. Right now we have such a mixture of stuff from my home in Salina, stuff from CT's college days and my college days. I know eclectic is a popular style but it's definitely not mine! 

8. My sister graduated from college last May and her first student loan payments is coming due this month. She has one private loan from Sallie Mae that is going to cost her $400 a month and there is no way for them to lower it any. Like seriously ... how can anyone afford that? And that's only one of her loans. She still has another one on top of that one to pay! Poor girl. Why haven't hackers used their talents to wipe out the student loan databases? People without student loans don't know how good they have it. 

9. Because my husband gained some pregnancy weight with me and it's the new year - we've started trying to eat healthier. No more eating out (which we are SO guilty of), more fish and veggies and no juice. I'm still drinking my coffee and dr. pepper so I'm not fully committed to this 'diet'. I guess you could say I'm more of the hubbys cheerleader and cook. 

10. I chopped off my hair and I love it. Out with the old long stringy pony and in with the new long bob. I'm trying to work on that MILF status. ;) 

My Life in Lists: If I had one MILLION dollars

This week I'm linking up with Marci - If These Walls Could Speak and Kelli - Team Gilbert for their new weekly link up - My Life in Lists. 

I dream about this daily - what would I do with a million dollars? 

How amazing would it be to come into a million dollars one day?  

I guess it would only be amazing if I came into it anonymously. 

With my million dollars this is how I would spend it: 

1. Pay off our STUDENT LOANS. 

We literally could afford a nice house in what we pay monthly for our student loans. 

The worst part about it all - I'm not even using my degree. 

 2. Build our dream home.

 via

via

3. Be able to be a stay at home mom - Michelle Duggar style.

AKA have lots of babies and be able to afford them!

I would also want to be able to adopt 2 little mixed babies from the US too. 

  

4. Travel: 

Fiji

via

Hawaii 

Castles

5. Invest it so I can make millions more!! 

FML. Student Loans

A few weeks ago I got mail stating that it was time for us to send in our last years proof on income so they could decide how much they were going to charge us monthly for our student loans.

Man, did that get me super depressed and in a slump.

Student loans SUCK! 

CT and I could afford a nice house for the amount we have in student loans. 

 It really is so depressing.

CT and I went to a private school, where we were both student-athletes and paying 24 thousand dollars a year.

 

CT went 4.5 years and I went 4 years. 

We had a few scholarships but not near enough to cover full tuition. 

You can do the math. It's not pretty.

 

Good ole Friends University. 

It really was a great school: nice facilities, small class sizes, attention needed from teachers. Looking back I did love it, but if hind sight was 20/20 I definitely should have went to Juco for two years getting all my prerequisites out of the way before going to Friends. 

After really looking into what all we owed, and seeing what our monthly payments were going to be, I came to the conclusion that we really need to start budgeting.

And adding to it, I figured out how much we spend on eating out each month. For the past 5 months - anywhere from $300-$600. 

How awful and eye opening that was.

It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about all that money we wasted. 

I have heard good things about the Dave Ramsey debt reduction program. 

Anyone had an experience using it? 

I don't know much about it other then it's kind of like a cash envelope system. When the money is gone you don't get any more until next month. 

We are going to start doing that for entertainment, eating out, and lunch money for work. 

Other things we are going to start doing to help us save some money:

1. Start shopping for Christmas and Birthday in the off months and start doing DIY gifts.

 I have a gift section started hidden in my new buffet table. I recently hit up the semi-annual bath and body works sale. 

Most everything was 75% off. 

You can't beat that! 

I got a bunch of goodies and saved lots of money. 

2. Use coupons.

 For any and everything.

3. Meal plan so I don't make frequent stops at the grocery store. 

 I have gotten a lot better at this but there is still room for improvement.

4. Plan better/cheaper date nights 

 Picnics, farmers market/flee market trips, batting cages.

Those a just a few ideas of mine. 

What do you do to save money? 

I haven't quite been able to talk the husband into down grading our cable package . =/ 

I doubt that will ever happen.