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.

The Declutter Anxiety

I don't really have much to say ... just busy decluttering the house. It will never end. I think I have a hard time with some categories of clutter because I was raised to be very emotionally attached to things. Not that the actual memory doesn't matter, but that you need the thing to remind you of the memory. I'm not sure that makes sense.

Anyway, I've kept EVERY card and letter I've ever received. I even have love letters from my first boyfriend, Travis. I asked Kevin once if that bothered him and he said it didn't. I haven't read 99% of what I've kept, but I have about 5 large shoe boxes full of stuff like this. It takes up a ton of space.

I'm considering getting rid of ALL of it. I think I might even do it without looking through the boxes. I can't decide, though. If I start going through it piece by piece, I feel like it will be some huge emotional roller coaster ... all sorts of memories.

I have gotten over most of the fears I've had about decluttering ... the 'what if I need it later' kinds of feelings, for example. This one was easy. If I could look it up online, replace it fairly easily, or if it was cheap to begin with ... out it went. But, it's the emotional attachment to things I'm having a hard time with.

So, letters ... pictures ... trinkets ... very hard time. Does anyone else have this problem? How do you deal with it?

Another thing I'm working on is family goals. I told Kevin to think of six things he wanted to do in 2009 and I'd think of six things. Then, we'd try to accomplish them this year. I have five on my list so far. We're gearing up for our financial meeting soon and this is something we'll discuss then. I'm also drafting a Family Mission Statement. Basically, I'm attempting to run the house more like a business with schedules and goals instead of just floating through the day with no direction. So, I'll write more about this after our meeting takes place.

All in all, I'm pretty excited about this year. I just feel like I have to get the house in order physically so that I can get a better mental grasp on what's going on. It also just feels like a never ending project. I really need to practice positive thinking more ... think happy thoughts, Nata-Leigh!

The Great Team

Last night was Kevin's office party. I don't know if they consider it to be the 'holiday' party or not, but I like that it's after all the craziness of the holidays has settled and you can relax and have a good time.

To get in the mood, I got a snazzy haircut. Paul, my friendly hair guy, flat ironed my hair. I got lots of complements. It did look awesome last night, but since I am completely incompetent when it comes to using hair tools, it will never look quite that spectacular again. I washed and styled on my own today and it still looks pretty good, though.

So, Gretchen picked me up so I didn't have to drive home alone and as soon as we got on the highway, it started sleeting. Luckily, Gretchen's new-Christmas-present-car-with-a-big-red-bow has four-wheel drive, so we were fine. And Gretchen, you're a fine driver!

We arrived at Maggiano's just as they were having everyone sit down for dinner. They had delicious gnocchi with a tomato vodka sauce and wonderful tiramisu (although I took a picture of the cheesecake). We sat with Jim & Gretchen, Kevin (O.) & Maureen, and a few other peeps.

Prior to dessert, they presented awards and Kevin's team won best team for the year. He was so proud. And I'm proud for him. I know he works hard to do a good job and to be recognized in such a big way had to have been a great thing for him ... and his guys and gals.

We made it home by 11p, so it wasn't that late of a night. And I'm glad. Lubbock woke up a few times last night screaming. I think he's having growing pains. So, I gave him some ibuprofen and put him in bed with us while he calmed down. I was rubbing his legs (I remember that when I had growing pains, it was always my legs that hurt the worst) and hummed for him. Unfortunately for me, the only song I could think of last night was Silent Night. Why when you're tired, can you brain not even function well enough to think of one other song?

The Letter J

Posted.

The Scarf Monster

As I continue my decluttering conquest of the whole house, I have tried to have fun with the process.

Yesterday, I had pulled all my scarves out to determine which 3 were staying and which 15 were going. Lubbock had an instant attraction to the ones that were going. He dragged them around, wrapped them around himself and rolled around on them.

Being the silly mom that I can be, I decided to tie them around him ... all of them. We had so much fun. He spent about 30 minutes getting them all off and then brought them back to me to put them back on him. Oh, it was so much fun. I love those snowy day activities that come about from boredom. And no toys required.

An update on my party outfit ... I called Gretchen and asked what she was wearing. She said that she was wearing jeans. Really! I was so excited. I love my dressy/sexy jeans. So, I went to Kohls (since by this time I didn't have the energy to dig through racks of thrift store clothing with Lubbock) and found a cute one in the clearance rack. I'm pretty excited and hope that with my new haircut I'm getting this afternoon, I won't feel so drab. I'll have pictures later.

The Tin Man

Dear Friends ... I may have unknowingly exposed myself to a deadly situation. Perhaps, a little dramatic, but hear me out. Didn't the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz die from being painted silver?

I chose silver envelopes for my New Years cards and upon pressing them closed, the silver rubbed off on my finger. *Gasp* I immediately felt the familiar sound of angels calling me toward them, but warded off their efforts by using soap and cold water (our water heater is killing me, too, and Kevin doesn't want to look at it until this weekend ... I might try to fix it myself since our dear friend, RJ, showed me how).

Other things that are killing me include my inability to consume enough liquid (as shown by the deep crevices in the finger above). Since my week long bought with all things icky (I'll spare you), I have been super thirsty. The good side effect is the jump start to a more healthy year. I'm drinking tons of water and am less hungry.

And the thought that Friday is Kevin's office party. I can't help fight off the feeling that I'm frumpy when I go to one of these. I've always felt like that ... even back in the day. I think I have a hard time being social when there's more people in an area. I am better in small groups. I've always told Kevin that I consider myself more of an acquired taste (like beer). At first, people don't know quite what to make of me ... I'm an over-sharer, am really lame most of the time, have a third grader's sense of humor, and on occasion, I talk with my mouth full. I think most people like me once they give me a chance, but I also think most people don't stick around long enough to see past my quirks. Anyway, I'm choosing instead to dwell on what to wear to not feel frumpy. I do not own anything in my current size fancy enough to attend a steakhouse dinner party and am not wanting to invest an a nice outfit for the event either.

Brandy and I went to Target this morning and I tried this dress on. It was okay, but since I'm so short, I felt like it was a few inches too long on me. So, instead of spending the money on a dress that is just okay, I think I may try my luck at a thrift store this afternoon. I haven't gone to one of these for myself in ages. I'll keep you updated on my shopping safari.

I haven't blogged (I mean a proper blog) in so long, I seem a little out of practice with thoughts even more scattered around than usual, so I appreciate you reading through this entire entry (if you haven't given up on me yet). I promise to get back in proper blogging form soon.

I've missed you.

The Shortest Posting

12/31 ... got sick (again, and again, and again) ... canceled New Year's Eve plans with Brandy. Felt even worse because everyone else has canceled, too. (Felt even worser because I forgot her birthday.)

1/1 ... still sick with back aches, headache, and stomach ache. Go the ER. Have viral infection.

1/2 ... still feeling dizzy.

1/3 ... take a pregnancy test (just in case) and it's negative.

1/4 ... take it easy ... still having dizzy spells ... still can't eat much without getting queasy.

1/5 ... first have to finish New Years cards to send out and then will get back to the blog-o-sphere.