The Plan for the Year 2009

With my mom in town for the last few days, I've been able to get a ton of paperwork done. Mostly just having a moment to sit down, rework the last year's budget, and have a clear enough mind to think about what our family should accomplish this year.

I don't necessarily consider this planning to be resolution-ary in nature, but maybe it is. Is planning and resolving much different?

Kevin and I were able to sneak out for dinner tonight at Front Street Cantina in downtown Geneva. They just opened and as far as Mexican food goes around here ... it's aw-ight.

It was not a very romantic dinner since we decided to go ahead and have our planning meeting.

Mostly we talked about money. We ironed out our 2009 budget. Our expenses are pretty stable, but the discretionary categories we discussed at great length. Kevin is paid twice monthly, so we try to work on a 'per payday' system. Per payday, there will be $350 available for all things necessary for the house (food, toiletries, eating out, diapers, Lubbock's clothes, etc.). Per payday, Kevin will receive $200 for his gas, clothes, lunches out, and haircuts. I will receive $150 for gas, clothes, lunches out, day time activities, and haircuts.

Certain concessions were made. Namely, I agreed that since Kevin has fill his tank once a week, I agreed to allow for a trigger for a raise in allowance if gas prices hit more than $2.50/gallon. Hopefully, we won't have to get to that point.

We discussed larger financial decisions and made a prioritized list of what to do. This list includes (in order) paying off Kevin's car, saving for property taxes so these can be paid once the bill is received, beefing up the emergency savings account, paying off the laptop we bought last weekend (did I mention that?), and starting a travel fund.

Our 2009 goals are: (in no particular order)

1. Pay off 75% of debt relating to car and credit cards
2. Research the benefits of refinancing the house
3. Declutter house by 50%
4. Expand family
5. Take two trips downtown with Lubbock
6. Take a vacation just Kevin, Lubbock, and I (not to visit family)
7. Clean up front yard (trims trees, plant grass, move bushes)
8. For Kevin to be 'overweight' (instead of obese ... see the BMI charts) and for me to be 'normal' (instead of overweight) ... assuming I'm not pregnant
9. Have a party for our friends
10. Have a date night once a month

The family mission statement is still a work in progress, but the draft is this ...

AS A FAMILY:
We love each other.
We practice patience.

AS SPOUSES:
We encourage daily.
We appreciate each other.

AS PARENTS:
We provide learning opportunities.
We set clear boundaries.

AS A CHILD:
I excel in using my imagination.


I dunno, maybe it's a bit wordy. It's not visually balanced which totally messes with my OCD side.

I have a ton to write about pertaining to our social life this last week, a trip to the nature center, a playgroup, story time tomorrow, lunch with friends from the city this Saturday ... I'll find time to write soon, but for now ... I'm going to spend a little time with my mom.