Craft Time!

The girls are finally old enough that I am breaking the crafts. We got finger paint to do some crafts for Valentines day and it has gone from there. Ava has loved it. She's not a big fan of getting her hands a mess but put a paint brush in her hand and she is busy. Hailey loves it, mess no mess, she is a happy girl.

 

The GET OUT OF DEBT Project

NOOOOOO NOOOOOO I haven’t abandoned this project or idea. We began the bulk of what we wanted to do on February 1^st and so far its going well. We are spending less and eating at home more. We are not buying unnecessary items. I have our cash envelopes cut and ready for our next pay cycle. We are paying off what we can fast to prepare for the move. We are hoping to move in with a family member if we would sell our home then we can pay ‘rent’ and save money to pay down debt while our home is being built on our land. We are using our ‘extra’ incomes with our 2^nd jobs and paying those ONLY towards debt. No extras for us, no extras for the kids. We are using our full time income if we want something special, working it out and doing it when we have it.

So far his one Credit Card is nearly paid off, our other Credit Card is close, and then we have one that will be worked on once we get taxes back. I am trying to use my commission from Thirty One for any Thirty One that I need instead of putting it on CC and also to pay on CC debt we have. Once all the CC are paid off they will be going away as an Emergency needed item ONLY.

We are starting a Christmas and Vacation fund so that we are not scrambling to pay for this stuff. I absolutely love the holidays so need to make sure we have what we need in there so I can spoil everyone the way I want to.

So February is half over and we are just beginning, it is going to be a big task and something to keep up on but I cannot wait for the final result. To only have to pay for our home and vehicles would be a dream.

Life Update, January flew by

So it's been a while. We have been busy at home. We have made a lot of BIG decisions in the past 2 weeks that has our minds spinning now on the ‘to do’ part of it all.

Kenny and I have decided to put our house up for sale. We want to see what the market does and if we get any bites. We never saw this house as our ‘forever home’ but thought we might be in there at least 5 years. Well something struck us a few weeks ago and we want to test the waters. So since that happened, we have been busy, busy planning what we need to do to get the house ready for ‘sale’, what we are going to do with a few bigger items, and our puppy. We just want to make sure everything is right before making this move but it all just feels right. We met with our realtor last week to go over the house, get some pointers from her, and then to discuss price. It is all very exciting but very nerve wrecking.

Life has been busy with my Thirty One Business. It is booming and staying steady. February has been an awesome month so far with some pretty awesome hostesses. They are what make this business fun! Thirty One is all about rewarding their consultants and customers, so beginning February 16^th I will be promoting a little more than usual. On February 16^th, Thirty One begins its OJ Program!!! That’s right, this program lets you join MY TEAM at www.mythirtyone.com/kmbowers and once you submit $1000 in sales in your first 30 days, you receive your $99 enrollment fee back!! Also I am making this a little fun and will be purchasing a bag from March’s special for you to help you begin your business so you can show everyone how wonderful this company is!! So you receive a $300 valued kit for FREE and a FREE bag. I am so excited and love helping out my team so this program is just the right time to join and begin your business.

The girls are doing great. They are both growing like weeds!! Hailey had her 15 month check up and is almost 24 lbs and 31 ½ inches long! She isn’t too far behind BIG sister at all. January was a very low key month for them just going to daycare and home. This is how I like it. We haven’t had any sickness since Christmas but runny noses and coughs. Nothing too major.

So we are good, I am signing up for lots of giveaways. I have been working on my own giveaway for months now….NO TIME to do it with my little monkeys. So I am thinking maybe a giveaway for March. I have been doing small guessing games on my facebook page, so check that out if you want www.myfacebook.com/idontgetsundays I am sending small Thirty One gifts to the winners. I love spreading the love of Thirty One to others. I am loving all the participation and meeting new people through the blog.

We are super busy at work, so my break times that I take to write up a little something about us, or post a giveaway I helping promoting isn’t happening, I hate being behind, I hate being late, and I hate not being active, so wanting that to change. Now that spring is right around the corner I am hoping to get my energy back and to get back in the swing of things. Winter has lasted too long.

Couponing

So we are starting to coupon again, we were slacking for a while at the end of last year. I have re-established our binder and have been keeping up with our newspapers coupons, which the last coupon of months, sometimes they just sat on the counter until they were expired. So we are getting a start on that. I am looking for websites to help with couponing and sales. What is your favorite website(s) for couponing??

My Mouth Just Farted!!

From our 3 year old. Whenever Ava burps now she says ‘Excuse me, my mouth just farted!” with a big grin on her face.

This girl is saying some pretty funny things. I am trying to write them down so she has them when she is older. Her way of thinking is cracking me up.

The Get out of Debt Project

So we are starting 2013 with a Get Out of Debt Plan. We hope to be debt free in a few years, its all in time. We did not get into debt over night and there’s no way we are going to get out of it over night.

But we are making a lot of changes and doing different things different ways to try to help us. As we set up these projects and different ways, I will be sharing what we are doing and how it’s working and if it works for us.

Our first plan is to use cash when possible and stop relying on our debit cards. They are too easy. So I am working on money envelopes to help us with the items we can pay cash for and start there. I still plan on paying bills online however eating out, misc buys, groceries, and other items will now be cash only items. If we are out and decide we want to eat out, if I don’t have the envelope on me for this, we are not going to do it.

Our second plan is to use our extra income, our 2nd jobs to go towards debt instead of our 'extras' like we have been. We have been using money from our account and our 2nd jobs for our 'wants', that’s time to stop. We have to start using this extra income as a way to help our debt ratio. So now when 31 commissions come in we will be putting it towards a credit card or unexpected bill that comes in.

Getting into this mind set will be huge for me. I was never really raised on a budget because my family like many lived week to week and paid what they could but always made sure we had food and shelter. There was no extra money to do much or buy much. When we did have a little extra, we spent it on what we wanted. I want to put that little extra towards something to get it gone and done, out of our debt spreadsheet.

I have the snowball spreadsheet on the computer, just need to plug everything in. I have different worksheets to keep us on track and of course I want to make up those money envelopes to help us.

We have no kids on formula and only one in diapers so our baby cost has gone way down than it was a year ago. We are getting closer to getting a few things paid off and we can see the light but its going to take a lot of hard work on our part.

We cannot wait to get to the point where we can begin working on our 'wants'. We have so many projects we would love to do but are waiting until the debt is gone before focusing on the other stuff. Hoping this new venture gets off the ground running and continues to make good habits for me, Kenny and the girls.  

Heartbroken again…

Ugh…
Yesterday I gave up all my baby clothes to another little itty bitty baby that was born this past October. Baby Jolynn is at Ava and Hailey’s daycare and her mother had asked if I had any clothes for handmedowns. WELL YEEEESSS!!!

I have been fortunate enough to be given awesome high qualify handmedowns and also the things that I had bought for the girls. I have been talking about going through the girls clothes for months now, one because I didn’t have the time and two, because I knew I would be emotional with it. Its just another baby thing out of our house.  Another reminder of no more newborns.

It took a lot on Saturday to throw everything into the bags and look through to see what I wanted to keep for them. I kept their Easter dresses Aunt Gail have bought them and Christmas dresses plus a few special outfits like their coming home from the hospital and certain favorite cute ones I put them in.

Tuesday morning, Kenny loaded all 5 bags into my trunk and I dropped them off with the girls at Vickies house. I have 3 empty totes now, ready for size 4, 5, and 6 handmedowns or bargains that I catch at the end of seasons.

But its done. Hailey is in 18 months for winter, will probably be in 2T by summer and as she grows out of things, I will be passing them on to who needs them in our circle of friends with little ones or to baby Jolynn.

I know next time it will be a little easier. Adjusting to having 2 toddlers and no more little baby will be fixed soon enough when there are a lot of little babies around to hug and snuggle. There are like 4 people due in the spring. I will get all my little baby snuggles then.

We have so much coming up that I know one day I will be thankful to be out of the baby stage and not worrying about nap times or diapers. One day….

Until then, my heart will tug just a little as I watch my two little girls grow so fast.