Week 26 of 52 - The Year is Halfway Over!

Do you realize this week is the halfway point of 2011?   How are you doing with your New Year's Resolutions?  As I reflect on my 2011 Resolutions, I’ve learned this about being on a budget:

1. 1.  I don’t miss The Learning Channel (TLC) as much as I expected after cutting the cable, but darned if I don’t wonder how my addicted friends are doing on A&E almost every Monday night.
2. 2.  Buying coupons already clipped online saves my dear husband two trips to the local grocery store – once to buy the Sunday papers, once to return the ones missing their inserts.
3. 3.  As it turns out, tracking where money went is not budgeting.  Telling money where to go is budgeting.
4. 4.  Despite planning, inflation happens.  Gas, electricity, insurance, water, and food prices will increase.
5. 5.  Inflation is not an excuse.  Plan anyway.
6. 6.  Treating ear infections is not optional.  Pediatricians will rob a haircut budget in a heartbeat.
7.  7.  Writing about being on a budget will never attract as much attention (or be as fun) as a vacation countdown or new car photos.
8.  8.  Writing about being on a budget will make you think twice about doing something stupid with your money.  Similar to how keeping a food diary can make you stop at 2 cookies instead of 7. (Or at least make you want to break your pencil.)
9.  9.  Combining checking accounts and communicating to your spouse about your budget will make money magically appear…and disappear from your slush fund.
10. 10. Selling household items on Craigslist that no one else will miss can support a disappearing slush fund.

As for my photography, I’ve learned:

1. 1.  I love having an excuse to play with my camera each week.
2. 2.  People are smartly marketing to momtographers like me.  I will never be able to sell enough on Craigslist to keep up. 
3. 3.  The more I learn about photography, the more I realize I need to learn. 
4.  4.  People are smartly marketing to momtographers like me.  I don’t need all this stuff to make memories.
5. 5.  My out-of-focus photo will always be just that – unfocused; my semi-clever editing is no disguise.
6. 6.  Clean editing is more me than creative processing, back to learning the basics.
7. 7.  People are smartly marketing to momtographers like me.  I may need an Intervention myself. 
8. 8.  Finding a friend to critique my work - priceless. 
9. 9.  No matter the exposure, tone, or focus, I will always treasure the imperfect photo more than one never taken.
10. 10. Selling a telephoto lens doesn’t reduce the need for one.  Thankfully I have the red hair to find him in this photo.
11.  

Happy Father's Day...

On this day, we celebrate dads and I have two reasons to celebrate.

 My own dad for starters. 

I could write a book of Dicky-isms and have most of what I need for living (besides the Bible of course).

He has a knack for calling it like he sees it.  Last year when I contemplated a 401k loan, his words rang in my ears, "You can't borrow your way out of debt."  I realized I needed to grow up, roll up my shirt sleeves, and truly eliminate debt, not just borrow from another source.

Calling it like he sees it extends to our personal characteristics.  From an early age, he told me, "You could argue with a fence post."  He was describing my innate ability to think and talk any particular topic to death.  A trait I've carried on into my adulthood, much to the delight of my husband.

He is one of the most generous people I know.  At times, he did with less to make sure we did with much.  Even as a young adult, he would slip up to me and say, "You need anything?" as he stuffed money in my hand before I made the drive back to Athens.  He may not have understood why I left my family, our mountains, and a full-time job to pursue a dream, but he went above and beyond to support my efforts.

My time in Athens ended with meeting my husband and now that we are parents, he rocks as a dad too.  I can think of several reasons, but three fun ones spring to mind:

1.  He makes sure we are well-fed.  Yes, I'm a dietitian who doesn't enjoy cooking. (Stop and ponder those implications for a moment.)  Thankfully Walt does enjoy cooking.  He was gone this weekend and we ate PBJs for three meals in two days.  We even ate them in the woods to "change it up" a bit.

2.  He thinks first of their comfort before fashion.  Samuel has been crawling in the yard in the last week. Walt dressed him in long shorts and high socks as he was concerned about his knees in our dry yard.

 3.  Whenever I don't want to play something, I can count on being able to say, "Oh, that's a game that daddy will LOVE to play with you."

Happy Father's Day guys!

Week 24 of 52 - Learning and Earning

Where is my sweet three-year old?   Healthy independence is good, but the times of outright defiance left me wondering if someone had replaced him with a very small teenager.  My instructions to come inside followed by:
“No.”
“I not want to.”
“I’m not your best friend,” to which I replied, “That’s right, I’m not your best friend, I’m your mother.”

“It’s just a phase,” I tried to tell myself. Several time-outs and spankings later, a friend suggested I include a reward system. Use popsicle sticks or stickers she said. Instead, I used what really excites him.

Coins. Yep, some who know his extended family might say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

So each day starts off with 5 pennies and 2 nickels in the “Keep” baggie. Each small infraction moves a penny to the “Lost” baggie. Each big infraction moves a nickel to the “Lost” baggie as well as his usual punishment.

It’s only been a week and we see some slight improvements. He eagerly picks up the toys at the chance to earn more coins.  He excitedly describes what he will buy with his money, “A teddy bear, a pink hoe for mommy, and blue hoe for me.” (He’s also very into digging in the flower beds with me.) 

We also see him learning the idea of forgiveness. He was so happy at the start of Day 2 when all the lost coins returned to the Keep baggie. Never mind that by 8:30 am, one of those coins found its way back to the Lost baggie.

A coin lost to bad behavior brings frustration, “Just throw them all in the trash. I don’t like my money.”

But oh how he loves putting the coins in his banks at the end of the day.

Week 23 of 52 - Happy Birthday Samuel

He was 19 days early. I couldn't believe he was really here.

We had been blessed with one son and after that time, we had learned another child would truly be a miracle for us… yet four months after the diagnosis, I was pregnant.

In the early hours of June 5^th, I felt the undeniable labor pains.  A dear friend carted off a teary-eyed George at 1:30 am. We began the hour’s drive to the hospital.

Having already delivered one baby who almost came before my epidural did, I began mentioning my strong desire for pain medication as soon as I checked in.  The nurse giggled and reminded me she wasn't even sure I was in labor yet.

During the next 10 hours, I reminded everyone who entered my room (including any passerby glancing my direction) that my birthing plan included an epidural. Once my doctor confirmed I was in early labor, she broke my water to “move the process along."   She promised an epidural and said she would be back to deliver my baby later that day.  Sounded like a plan to me!

In the next 30 minutes, I…

• Cursed the epidural that didn't come fast enough,
• Prayed God would forgive me for cursing, and
• Prayed for help delivering this baby.

My newborn son arrived before the doctor did and he hasn't slowed down since that time.  

We chose a music theme for his birthday...he loves clapping his hands to the rhythm.

 Yummy strawberry-filled cake from Cecilia's.  Definitely a new tradition for our birthdays.

 

Birthday boy was more subdued with his smash cake than I expected.

Big brother taking his turn at smashing the pinata (or pin-yata-ata as he said).

Thanks to my dear friend Meg, I'm actually in a photo!  We are very into sock monkeys...obviously.

Happy Birthday little guy, may I never forget the miracles of God.

Week 22 of 52 - Beach Vacation becomes Staycation...

Tell the truth, as the temps hit mid-nineties, you’ve thought about the beach this week, haven’t you?

I certainly have.  According to my family calendar, I’m on the North Carolina coast right now.  We had an opportunity to travel with Walt to a work conference.  I’ve looked forward to it for months.  

Free room, the only expenses would be gas and food.  As the time drew closer and gas prices inched higher, we realized the vacation would impact a bigger financial goal.  So we re-grouped and the beach vacation became staycation for me and the boys.

Once I adjusted to the reality, I unfurled my to-do list and realized the opportunity before me - to catch up!  Mounds of scrapbooking and photo editing were at the top of the list.  So for the first time ever, I sent the boys to the sitter’s house and stayed home to work on these projects. 

I had a pang when I told George that daddy was at the beach and he asked, “Why we not go?”  I told him we needed to save the money right now. He dug in his pocket, handed me some make-believe money, and said, “I’ve got money for the beach.” I fought the urge to grab a suitcase and hit the road at that very moment, and instead told him to wait; we would celebrate later this year.

A couple edits from a lovely couple's wedding that I worked on this week…