Today is the day..... my day.... my birthday..... my 45th. Don't feel any different, other than being about 20 pounds heavier than I wanted to be at this time. Tired from being up at work, and getting up early. Disappointed in the weather, since I had plans to ride today. But alas, it is still my birthday!
The weather is crazy. The forecast had been for today to be nice, and dry, just on the cool side is all. However, so far today, we have had sun and rain and snow and hail.... and it doesn't show signs of great improvement that would lead me to getting my riding gear on! :-(
Good news, the weather is supposed to be much better tomorrow, and I don't work!!! So, letting go of the dream to ride 45 mile on my 45th birthday..... putting it off for one day. I will go for my ride tomorrow, and maybe will be able to convince my brother, Brad, to go along with me!!! :-)
My kids are amazing and awesome!!! I love them so much, and they most certainly love me!!! They spent 2 1/2 hours working together last night, to make a most awesome Happy Birthday Daddy sign for me, which they had hanging on the side of the house for me to see when I came home today!!! It is awesome. I posted a picture of it to FB, so you should be able to see it for yourself. I can't wait to get my hands on both kids, and give them hugs and kisses like crazy!!! :-)
Hair..... that is the hot topic around here this week. We were supposed to get Evan's hair put into corn rows two days ago..... but, long story made short, it didn't happen. Instead, we are heading back to Bellingham Beauty School today at 3:30pm, for Evan to be used by the head instructor, as she puts on a class for her students on how to put in silky dreadlocks!!! Yes, that is right.... Evan is going to get the dreads that he has wanted for so long now!!! I will post photos this evening...... not sure at all what he is going to look like.
Anyway..... since I am not riding today, and Tracie and the kids are at school.... I am heading into B'ham to meet a fellow friend and firefighter, for lunch at Coconut Kenny's, and a couple of pints at Kulshan Brewery. :-)
Just 10 days away from being in Hawaii...... and that will be how I celebrate my 45th birthday!!!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Hitting My Mid 40's.....
Today marks my final week of being in my early forties. This Friday, I turn 45 years young, and it doesn't bother me at all. The only thing I am upset about is the fact that I had hoped and planned on being in the very best shape of my life when I celebrated my 45th, and that just isn't going to be the case. Sadly, due to a very rough past five months of working a second job that I hated, and losing out on the time that I once had for taking care of myself...... well, I lost what I have spent the past several years working so hard for. I gained back about 15 pounds, and lost lean muscle mass at the same time. I am very disappointed that I am in the condition that I am now physically, and that I won't be meeting my goal for myself come this Friday. But, on the bright side, I also won't be working the second job any longer, and will now be back on track to get myself physically and mentally and emotionally healthy once again. I am confident that I can be back where I want to be once again by the time summer arrives.... and I just have to move ahead and accept that is how it is.
Yes, I had really high expectations for my 45th birthday, and those expectations aren't going to happen. I am disappointed, yes, but also happy, knowing that I am now able to start moving forward again towards being a much happier and healthier person. I need that so very badly right now.
I am so very much looking forward to going away to Hawaii the first of April, to soak up some much needed sunshine and warmth, along with an escape from day to day life here at home. I look forward to connecting again with my kids. I look forward to once again starting back into a fitness lifestyle. I look forward to just resting and relaxing on a warm, sandy beach. I look forward to having fun, and laughing, and playing. I look forward to coming back home fully rejuvenated and ready to forge ahead in life.
We have a lot to do over the next two weeks. Getting everything ready to go, shopping still for things we need, sports activities for both kids, brakes replaced on my Honda, getting our new house sitter acquainted with our home and animals, Biolife plasma donations to earn more spending money.
No doubt, the next two weeks are going to fly by. We will be in Hawaii before we know it, and that is awesome. I have been ready to go since we booked the trip!!!
For now, time to go start tearing into the Honda's brakes..... been running metal on metal for way too long. I got a day or two of work ahead of me on this project.
Come Friday, I hope to log 45 miles on the bike, to celebrate my 45th birthday. And then, I plan to enjoy a nice birthday dinner, and a couple of delicious beers.
Yes, I had really high expectations for my 45th birthday, and those expectations aren't going to happen. I am disappointed, yes, but also happy, knowing that I am now able to start moving forward again towards being a much happier and healthier person. I need that so very badly right now.
I am so very much looking forward to going away to Hawaii the first of April, to soak up some much needed sunshine and warmth, along with an escape from day to day life here at home. I look forward to connecting again with my kids. I look forward to once again starting back into a fitness lifestyle. I look forward to just resting and relaxing on a warm, sandy beach. I look forward to having fun, and laughing, and playing. I look forward to coming back home fully rejuvenated and ready to forge ahead in life.
We have a lot to do over the next two weeks. Getting everything ready to go, shopping still for things we need, sports activities for both kids, brakes replaced on my Honda, getting our new house sitter acquainted with our home and animals, Biolife plasma donations to earn more spending money.
No doubt, the next two weeks are going to fly by. We will be in Hawaii before we know it, and that is awesome. I have been ready to go since we booked the trip!!!
For now, time to go start tearing into the Honda's brakes..... been running metal on metal for way too long. I got a day or two of work ahead of me on this project.
Come Friday, I hope to log 45 miles on the bike, to celebrate my 45th birthday. And then, I plan to enjoy a nice birthday dinner, and a couple of delicious beers.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Good-Bye Westside Pizza, and Hello Hawaii.....
After a very long, frustrating, unhappy and unhealthy 6 months of working at Westside Pizza..... I gave my notice yesterday that I am done as of the end of March!!! Personally, this has been a good 3 months too long now, and my body and mind and soul have paid a dear price for it. I have gained about 15 pounds, become depressed and unhappy, and have lost touch with the lifestyle of health and fitness and family that I so dearly loved. I am no longer a cyclist, but rather a guy who loves cycling, and longs to become a cyclist once again.
Although I took on this second job for the right reasons, it has turned out to be one of the worst things I have done in a very long time. As strongly as I feel about getting completely debt free, and being able to start building wealth and preparing for retirement....... the way things have gone for the past six months, I won't be around to enjoy retirement anyway. This job has done nothing for me other than to take away what I worked so very, very, very hard for over the past several years.
And so, I am now ready to move forward once again. I will miss the added income that this job provided, as it was helping to pay the debt snowball. However, I will not miss the job itself at all. I will not miss the time away from home, and from my family. I will not miss the time away from my health and my fitness. I will not miss the time away from my cycling. In fact, I would love nothing more than to simply be done this week!!!
On the much, much, much happier and more exciting side of life....... I was so very blessed to have been able to work 72 hours of overtime at the BFD last month!!! That's a lot of extra cash. My very first reaction was to simply throw it all at the debt snowball. But as I thought about it, and thought about unhappy and unhealthy I have become over the past 6 months, I couldn't help but think about how much I have wanted to get away from this place.....from the long, wet, dark and cold winter we have had. I long for sunshine and warmth, something to revitalize my soul a bit, and help me get back on track once again. And so, I decided that we need to go away for spring break this year........
And Hawaii it is!!! Long story on how this came to be. But, we are heading to Maui for spring break. And, we have invited Grammy & Papa, and Uncle Brad to join us as well. Family vacation, for a full week in the sun and the sand and the surf!!! :-)
Now that we have everything in order for our trip, and now that I have made the decision and given notice at Westside..... I just want to be done, and I can't wait to go!!! :-)
Sunshine, warmth, sand, snorkeling, good food, family....... our very first time ever to Hawaii. Yes, this should make life a whole lot better I do believe!!! I need this, and am really hoping that April will be a huge turn for me for this year.
Although I took on this second job for the right reasons, it has turned out to be one of the worst things I have done in a very long time. As strongly as I feel about getting completely debt free, and being able to start building wealth and preparing for retirement....... the way things have gone for the past six months, I won't be around to enjoy retirement anyway. This job has done nothing for me other than to take away what I worked so very, very, very hard for over the past several years.
And so, I am now ready to move forward once again. I will miss the added income that this job provided, as it was helping to pay the debt snowball. However, I will not miss the job itself at all. I will not miss the time away from home, and from my family. I will not miss the time away from my health and my fitness. I will not miss the time away from my cycling. In fact, I would love nothing more than to simply be done this week!!!
On the much, much, much happier and more exciting side of life....... I was so very blessed to have been able to work 72 hours of overtime at the BFD last month!!! That's a lot of extra cash. My very first reaction was to simply throw it all at the debt snowball. But as I thought about it, and thought about unhappy and unhealthy I have become over the past 6 months, I couldn't help but think about how much I have wanted to get away from this place.....from the long, wet, dark and cold winter we have had. I long for sunshine and warmth, something to revitalize my soul a bit, and help me get back on track once again. And so, I decided that we need to go away for spring break this year........
And Hawaii it is!!! Long story on how this came to be. But, we are heading to Maui for spring break. And, we have invited Grammy & Papa, and Uncle Brad to join us as well. Family vacation, for a full week in the sun and the sand and the surf!!! :-)
Now that we have everything in order for our trip, and now that I have made the decision and given notice at Westside..... I just want to be done, and I can't wait to go!!! :-)
Sunshine, warmth, sand, snorkeling, good food, family....... our very first time ever to Hawaii. Yes, this should make life a whole lot better I do believe!!! I need this, and am really hoping that April will be a huge turn for me for this year.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
And Just Like That..... MARCH!!!
Here we are...... March has arrived!!!
In just 20 days from now, I officially hit my mid-forties, turning 45 years young. I had some really big plans for this particular year for myself, but alas, most are falling through already. Such is the way of life I suppose. It has been a really rough past 5 months for me, and so I should have expected that things may not work out as I had hoped or planned. Instead, I need to move forward and just go with the flow instead. Tougher said than done, but it's what I need to do. Who knows, may 50 can be the big year for me to hit the milestones I had planned for this year!
Crazy thing is...... it's now March. The Winter months have taken their toll on my this year. I am so done with the wet and cold and dark and dreary days!!! I have become physically and mentally and spiritually down, and am so very much in need of a major pick-me-up. And so, with the help of 72 hours of OT worked in the month of February........ I am taking that family to Hawaii for spring break!!!!! :-)
Yes, we are heading over to Maui on April 1st (this is no joke), and returning on the 9th. Our very first time ever to Hawaii. I am so ready for it, I can't stand the thought of it being a month away still. Sun, sand, surf, R&R......... it is going to be awesome!!! I am hoping that this vacation will be life saving for my soul. I am simply not meant to be a Pacific Northwester in the Winter months!!! I need sun, warmth, dry. I can see already that I need to plan ahead for each year, to go on a vacation somewhere sunny and dry and warm midway through the Winter. Just the fact that I have this trip booked now, has me already feeling so much better!!! :-)
This month is going to go by fast, I am quite certain. The anticipation of going to Hawaii will be pushed aside as we deal with kids' sports, drum lessons, school, work, and getting ourselves ready to go. I am quite certain that it is going to be time to go before we are even ready!
February is all now a blur, I can't hardly remember what all went on or happened, in order to write it here. Quite simply, I worked..... A LOT!!! My regular schedule with the BFD, 24 hours on exchange of time at the BFD, 72 hours of OT at the BFD, and all of my shifts at Westside Pizza. I guess that is why I don't remember much about it. I hope to scale that back for the month of March, but will still be working at Westside Pizza two days each week. I also am hoping to pick up more BFD OT whenever possible, so we can have spending money for Hawaii that doesn't have to come out of our family budget. Having the whole trip paid for in OT would be wonderful. :-)
Still on track with the Dave Ramsey financial plan. Exception that Dave wouldn't approve of is this trip...... I know for fact he would say that this money should go directly to the debt snowball. However, I am still doing the debt snowball. I am still working the second job. I am still keeping our family budget in line and working. The only thing that hasn't been working is me keeping my overall physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through this process. With that, I personally feel that I need to take this break. I need to get those things back, so I can push forward once again. Sorry Dave!
So, baseball season begins for Evan this month. Fast pitch softball starts for Sierra this month. Evan is moving forward very well with his drumming and lessons. Tracie is still working at the school, and is back on track again with her online studies. I am working both BFD and Westside still this month. Let the fun begin!!!
In just 20 days from now, I officially hit my mid-forties, turning 45 years young. I had some really big plans for this particular year for myself, but alas, most are falling through already. Such is the way of life I suppose. It has been a really rough past 5 months for me, and so I should have expected that things may not work out as I had hoped or planned. Instead, I need to move forward and just go with the flow instead. Tougher said than done, but it's what I need to do. Who knows, may 50 can be the big year for me to hit the milestones I had planned for this year!
Crazy thing is...... it's now March. The Winter months have taken their toll on my this year. I am so done with the wet and cold and dark and dreary days!!! I have become physically and mentally and spiritually down, and am so very much in need of a major pick-me-up. And so, with the help of 72 hours of OT worked in the month of February........ I am taking that family to Hawaii for spring break!!!!! :-)
Yes, we are heading over to Maui on April 1st (this is no joke), and returning on the 9th. Our very first time ever to Hawaii. I am so ready for it, I can't stand the thought of it being a month away still. Sun, sand, surf, R&R......... it is going to be awesome!!! I am hoping that this vacation will be life saving for my soul. I am simply not meant to be a Pacific Northwester in the Winter months!!! I need sun, warmth, dry. I can see already that I need to plan ahead for each year, to go on a vacation somewhere sunny and dry and warm midway through the Winter. Just the fact that I have this trip booked now, has me already feeling so much better!!! :-)
This month is going to go by fast, I am quite certain. The anticipation of going to Hawaii will be pushed aside as we deal with kids' sports, drum lessons, school, work, and getting ourselves ready to go. I am quite certain that it is going to be time to go before we are even ready!
February is all now a blur, I can't hardly remember what all went on or happened, in order to write it here. Quite simply, I worked..... A LOT!!! My regular schedule with the BFD, 24 hours on exchange of time at the BFD, 72 hours of OT at the BFD, and all of my shifts at Westside Pizza. I guess that is why I don't remember much about it. I hope to scale that back for the month of March, but will still be working at Westside Pizza two days each week. I also am hoping to pick up more BFD OT whenever possible, so we can have spending money for Hawaii that doesn't have to come out of our family budget. Having the whole trip paid for in OT would be wonderful. :-)
Still on track with the Dave Ramsey financial plan. Exception that Dave wouldn't approve of is this trip...... I know for fact he would say that this money should go directly to the debt snowball. However, I am still doing the debt snowball. I am still working the second job. I am still keeping our family budget in line and working. The only thing that hasn't been working is me keeping my overall physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through this process. With that, I personally feel that I need to take this break. I need to get those things back, so I can push forward once again. Sorry Dave!
So, baseball season begins for Evan this month. Fast pitch softball starts for Sierra this month. Evan is moving forward very well with his drumming and lessons. Tracie is still working at the school, and is back on track again with her online studies. I am working both BFD and Westside still this month. Let the fun begin!!!
Friday, February 15, 2013
Waiting on Spring
BAM!!! February 15th today. And with being half way through this month already, I find myself in huge anticipation of an early Spring arrival this year! It quite simply can't come fast enough for me. I am dreading the winter months, and the cruddy weather. I am longing for longer days, warmer days, sunny days. I am really hoping that the darn groundhog is right this year!
And it feels like it's time for Spring around here now as well. We have wrapped up basketball seasons for both kids. Sierra did great, and had a lot of fun. She learned a lot this year, and I suspect she will want to play again next season as well. Evan's team made a huge come back the second half of the season, and went on all the way to win the championship game for their division! And with basketball behind us now, we are already focusing in on Spring baseball season. Evan will be trying out for the competitive 12U team in early March. And Sierra has stated that she plans to play girls fast pitch softball this year also. So, we are ready, and looking forward to a lot of outdoor fun in the months ahead. Bring on the early Spring weather..... mostly sunshine please!!!
Another thing that makes it feel like Spring...... taxes! I keep hoping that they will get easier each year, but it appears to be just the opposite. Slowly, a little bit each day, I keep logging back in to Turbo Tax online, and making a wee bit more progress. It isn't looking good so far, though, with us currently owing around $1200 still. I really hope that will change by the time we get all the way through.
I have now been working my second job, at Westside Pizza, for 5 long months. It hasn't gotten any better, and I do not like it any more than when I first started. However, it has been helping greatly with our financial struggles, and with working towards paying off our debts, in an effort too become completely debt free, and to move ahead towards financial freedom. On the bright side, it is working, and we are making progress with every pay period. On the down side, it is a very slow process, and taking much more time that I had hoped on or planned on.
Turns out, it can be a negative either way..... I can work less and make less, so it will take years longer to make progress and get the desired results, or I can work more and make more, but not ever be home with my family. Already, I miss them so much and so often. And already, I have lost control of my health, my fitness routine and my bicycling. So, I am choosing to back off at Westside, and to now only work two days each week there. It will still bring a bit of extra income to help pay down debt with the debt snowball program we are working. And it will hopefully allow me more time to start trying to get my life back a little bit, and especially my overall health. The negative effects of not being able to work out or to ride my bike have been overwhelming.
So, the bright side is that we are still going at the Dave Ramsey approach to getting out of debt forever, and to becoming financially free for the future. The not so bright side is that it is going to take us quite a bit longer than the average 18-24 months that seems to be the norm for most of Dave's examples that he uses to tell us about. I am seeing that this may very well be a good 5 years for us. And that means putting off early retirement for me..... a bummer for sure, but at least I started young enough to still be able to handle an additional 5 years with the fire department. And thankfully, I absolutely LOVE that job, so it won't kill me to put in more time there.
We had a fun Sunday last weekend, celebrating Brad's 42nd birthday, with a big day of bowling, with our good friends, Kevin and Stephana Timmer. We all had a great time, and I do believe we should do this sort of thing more often. I know that the kids would agree with me here.
Grammy & Papa will be coming up at the end of this month to spend a week with us, as the kids have their mid-winter break from school. Not sure what we will be doing, but I am sure we will have some fun. For now, just trying to finish out this month, work on getting our taxes done, and work towards getting the kids ready for baseball and softball.
Anxiously awaiting Spring's arrival...... with much anticipation!!! Have I mentioned just how much I dread the Winter months here in the PNW?!?!?!?!?!? I really long to go somewhere, even for a week to get away. Palm Springs, Arizona, Hawaii....... oh, how awesome would that be!!!
Good-bye February..... you will not be missed!!! :-)
And it feels like it's time for Spring around here now as well. We have wrapped up basketball seasons for both kids. Sierra did great, and had a lot of fun. She learned a lot this year, and I suspect she will want to play again next season as well. Evan's team made a huge come back the second half of the season, and went on all the way to win the championship game for their division! And with basketball behind us now, we are already focusing in on Spring baseball season. Evan will be trying out for the competitive 12U team in early March. And Sierra has stated that she plans to play girls fast pitch softball this year also. So, we are ready, and looking forward to a lot of outdoor fun in the months ahead. Bring on the early Spring weather..... mostly sunshine please!!!
Another thing that makes it feel like Spring...... taxes! I keep hoping that they will get easier each year, but it appears to be just the opposite. Slowly, a little bit each day, I keep logging back in to Turbo Tax online, and making a wee bit more progress. It isn't looking good so far, though, with us currently owing around $1200 still. I really hope that will change by the time we get all the way through.
I have now been working my second job, at Westside Pizza, for 5 long months. It hasn't gotten any better, and I do not like it any more than when I first started. However, it has been helping greatly with our financial struggles, and with working towards paying off our debts, in an effort too become completely debt free, and to move ahead towards financial freedom. On the bright side, it is working, and we are making progress with every pay period. On the down side, it is a very slow process, and taking much more time that I had hoped on or planned on.
Turns out, it can be a negative either way..... I can work less and make less, so it will take years longer to make progress and get the desired results, or I can work more and make more, but not ever be home with my family. Already, I miss them so much and so often. And already, I have lost control of my health, my fitness routine and my bicycling. So, I am choosing to back off at Westside, and to now only work two days each week there. It will still bring a bit of extra income to help pay down debt with the debt snowball program we are working. And it will hopefully allow me more time to start trying to get my life back a little bit, and especially my overall health. The negative effects of not being able to work out or to ride my bike have been overwhelming.
So, the bright side is that we are still going at the Dave Ramsey approach to getting out of debt forever, and to becoming financially free for the future. The not so bright side is that it is going to take us quite a bit longer than the average 18-24 months that seems to be the norm for most of Dave's examples that he uses to tell us about. I am seeing that this may very well be a good 5 years for us. And that means putting off early retirement for me..... a bummer for sure, but at least I started young enough to still be able to handle an additional 5 years with the fire department. And thankfully, I absolutely LOVE that job, so it won't kill me to put in more time there.
We had a fun Sunday last weekend, celebrating Brad's 42nd birthday, with a big day of bowling, with our good friends, Kevin and Stephana Timmer. We all had a great time, and I do believe we should do this sort of thing more often. I know that the kids would agree with me here.
Grammy & Papa will be coming up at the end of this month to spend a week with us, as the kids have their mid-winter break from school. Not sure what we will be doing, but I am sure we will have some fun. For now, just trying to finish out this month, work on getting our taxes done, and work towards getting the kids ready for baseball and softball.
Anxiously awaiting Spring's arrival...... with much anticipation!!! Have I mentioned just how much I dread the Winter months here in the PNW?!?!?!?!?!? I really long to go somewhere, even for a week to get away. Palm Springs, Arizona, Hawaii....... oh, how awesome would that be!!!
Good-bye February..... you will not be missed!!! :-)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
And..... January Is Gone!!!
I should have known it would happen. What, with working practically every day of the week, between two jobs, and still trying to find time to fit my family in on weekends, when not at work..... yes, January has come to a close already. And for me, I don't feel like I have much to show for it, or report about it.
I managed to get one..... yes, just one, bike ride in for the entire month of January. For any of you who really know me, you know just how sick to my stomach I am about this. I cancelled my Homestead Fitness Club membership this month, because I have been unable to make it work with my current schedule in life, to include exercise and fitness like I have been so used to now for the past several years. And for those of you who really know me, you know just how sick to my stomach I am about this.
I have worked every day of the week, Monday through Friday, this month.... and have also worked one Saturday and one Sunday (both full 24 hours). I put in nearly 45 hours at Westside Pizza the first half of the month, in addition to my 96 hours at the BFD. And for the second half of the month, I will have 70 hours in at Westside, along with 96 hours at the BFD. Crazy...... 72 hours per week the first half of the month, and 83 hours per week for the second half. In addition to all of these hours of work, I have somehow managed to also find the time to get to Biolife and donate plasma a half a dozen times. Another $160 to go directly towards the debt snowball. No wonder January had basically come and gone, and I have really nothing to show for it!!!
Not completely true, though. All of my hard work is slowly paying off and helping to work towards a future of financial peace. I managed to fully pay off and close the account on our first credit card debt. That felt really good!!! Just three more to go now, and the debt snowball is starting to roll.
In addition to making progress with the debt snowball, I have also found time to work on ways to try and save us more money per month, and per year, anywhere I could think of. The first, as I mentioned already, was by cancelling my gym membership. A savings of $40 per month right there, which can now go towards credit card debt. The next thing I did was to look into our home owners insurance, which had gone up by $700 over just the past two years!!! Ridiculous, to say the least. Long story made short, with a lot of work, a really great friend in the insurance business, and determination to make things better for us...... we have a new insurance agent!!! Marty Stauffer has now taken us on with our home owners insurance, as of yesterday morning. The switch didn't save us as much as I was hoping initially, but still came in at $300 per year cheaper! In addition, in 6 months to a year, things will have improved more, and we may see the rates drop again!!! Along with that, I was able to keep our auto insurance with Liberty Mutual, without any rate increase. And in doing so, I discovered that by paying monthly, as opposed to in full annually, we are paying nearly $150 more per year!!! So, I just saved us an additional $150 per year as well, because we will now be paying for our auto insurance in full upon renewal.
I also made a big decision to pull escrow off of our mortgage account. All monies are coming back to me in the next week or so. From now on, I am monthly budgeting the monies and placing them into one of our three savings accounts, where that money will gain .5% interest quarterly, rather than letting an escrow company have it. I will make the payments instead, and reap the rewards of interest gained while the money is in our savings account!!!
I wish I had learned about Dave Ramsey about 20 years ago!!! We would be pretty darned wealthy right now if I had. Oh well, at least we are finally heading in the right direction. If I could just come up with a second job that pays more than minimum wage, it wouldn't be such a slow and painful process. But alas, at least I have a second job that is working around my BFD schedule, is close to home, and that s slowly allowing me to pay down our credit card debt..... much fast than with minimum payments!
The kids have been busy with school and basketball this month. We are wrapping up the basketball season this week and weekend. Sierra had had a really fun time for her first time playing. And Evan has really grown as a basketball player this season. No doubt, football and baseball are his primary sports..... but, the kid loves being active, and has had a really great time playing with his buds.
This coming weekend is Superbowl Sunday already. I can hardly believe it. Evan is very excited. We will be watching it here at home, as a family. Little smokies, chips and dip, and football. :-) We are cheering on the Ravens this year.
I am hoping and praying to have more time for taking care of me in February. I miss cycling so very much. I miss exercise so very much. I miss feeling good about myself so very much. I have backed off my work hours at Westside for the month of February by one day each week. This will give me one day off during the week, besides weekends, to hopefully better take care of myself, and to get some things done that just aren't happening here now.
For now, time to start thinking about and working on taxes. Still waiting for all of the paperwork to arrive, but should be able to get them done in the month of February I would think.
For now, time to start mentally preparing for another long day at Westside......
I managed to get one..... yes, just one, bike ride in for the entire month of January. For any of you who really know me, you know just how sick to my stomach I am about this. I cancelled my Homestead Fitness Club membership this month, because I have been unable to make it work with my current schedule in life, to include exercise and fitness like I have been so used to now for the past several years. And for those of you who really know me, you know just how sick to my stomach I am about this.
I have worked every day of the week, Monday through Friday, this month.... and have also worked one Saturday and one Sunday (both full 24 hours). I put in nearly 45 hours at Westside Pizza the first half of the month, in addition to my 96 hours at the BFD. And for the second half of the month, I will have 70 hours in at Westside, along with 96 hours at the BFD. Crazy...... 72 hours per week the first half of the month, and 83 hours per week for the second half. In addition to all of these hours of work, I have somehow managed to also find the time to get to Biolife and donate plasma a half a dozen times. Another $160 to go directly towards the debt snowball. No wonder January had basically come and gone, and I have really nothing to show for it!!!
Not completely true, though. All of my hard work is slowly paying off and helping to work towards a future of financial peace. I managed to fully pay off and close the account on our first credit card debt. That felt really good!!! Just three more to go now, and the debt snowball is starting to roll.
In addition to making progress with the debt snowball, I have also found time to work on ways to try and save us more money per month, and per year, anywhere I could think of. The first, as I mentioned already, was by cancelling my gym membership. A savings of $40 per month right there, which can now go towards credit card debt. The next thing I did was to look into our home owners insurance, which had gone up by $700 over just the past two years!!! Ridiculous, to say the least. Long story made short, with a lot of work, a really great friend in the insurance business, and determination to make things better for us...... we have a new insurance agent!!! Marty Stauffer has now taken us on with our home owners insurance, as of yesterday morning. The switch didn't save us as much as I was hoping initially, but still came in at $300 per year cheaper! In addition, in 6 months to a year, things will have improved more, and we may see the rates drop again!!! Along with that, I was able to keep our auto insurance with Liberty Mutual, without any rate increase. And in doing so, I discovered that by paying monthly, as opposed to in full annually, we are paying nearly $150 more per year!!! So, I just saved us an additional $150 per year as well, because we will now be paying for our auto insurance in full upon renewal.
I also made a big decision to pull escrow off of our mortgage account. All monies are coming back to me in the next week or so. From now on, I am monthly budgeting the monies and placing them into one of our three savings accounts, where that money will gain .5% interest quarterly, rather than letting an escrow company have it. I will make the payments instead, and reap the rewards of interest gained while the money is in our savings account!!!
I wish I had learned about Dave Ramsey about 20 years ago!!! We would be pretty darned wealthy right now if I had. Oh well, at least we are finally heading in the right direction. If I could just come up with a second job that pays more than minimum wage, it wouldn't be such a slow and painful process. But alas, at least I have a second job that is working around my BFD schedule, is close to home, and that s slowly allowing me to pay down our credit card debt..... much fast than with minimum payments!
The kids have been busy with school and basketball this month. We are wrapping up the basketball season this week and weekend. Sierra had had a really fun time for her first time playing. And Evan has really grown as a basketball player this season. No doubt, football and baseball are his primary sports..... but, the kid loves being active, and has had a really great time playing with his buds.
This coming weekend is Superbowl Sunday already. I can hardly believe it. Evan is very excited. We will be watching it here at home, as a family. Little smokies, chips and dip, and football. :-) We are cheering on the Ravens this year.
I am hoping and praying to have more time for taking care of me in February. I miss cycling so very much. I miss exercise so very much. I miss feeling good about myself so very much. I have backed off my work hours at Westside for the month of February by one day each week. This will give me one day off during the week, besides weekends, to hopefully better take care of myself, and to get some things done that just aren't happening here now.
For now, time to start thinking about and working on taxes. Still waiting for all of the paperwork to arrive, but should be able to get them done in the month of February I would think.
For now, time to start mentally preparing for another long day at Westside......
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
January 1, 2013...... YIKES!!!
YIKES!!! It really happened. A whole year came and went in the blink of my eyes!!! Absolutely crazy, but here I sit, watching the sun rise outside on this first day of January, 2013.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to us all..... and may each and every one of us find new and/or renewed health (physical, spiritual and emotional), happiness and joy in our lives throughout the next twelve months!!!
For today, I pray that all of my family, friends and loved ones are able to just simply relax and take it all in....... reflect on the good things of this past year, and focus forward on plans for the upcoming year ahead as well.
Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of my life. Life.... it's messy sometimes, but I love it just the same!
Time to start thinking about taxes now...... Major Downer! :-(
Have a great day, a fantastic start to January, and a fabulous New Year as well :-)
Oh, and to end on a positive note...... today, I get a 2% pay increase at the BFD, and I also get an $0.11 per hour raise at Westside Pizza!!! Things are already looking up for 2013!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to us all..... and may each and every one of us find new and/or renewed health (physical, spiritual and emotional), happiness and joy in our lives throughout the next twelve months!!!
For today, I pray that all of my family, friends and loved ones are able to just simply relax and take it all in....... reflect on the good things of this past year, and focus forward on plans for the upcoming year ahead as well.
Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of my life. Life.... it's messy sometimes, but I love it just the same!
Time to start thinking about taxes now...... Major Downer! :-(
Have a great day, a fantastic start to January, and a fabulous New Year as well :-)
Oh, and to end on a positive note...... today, I get a 2% pay increase at the BFD, and I also get an $0.11 per hour raise at Westside Pizza!!! Things are already looking up for 2013!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)