So...Plan B.

I've given a lot more thought to the holiday spending issue since I posted the other day. And, I've decided that instead of fretting over how to pay for everything and when, I'm just not going to go all out this year. I've already bought the girls each two things they really will like, and tonight I'll order their shared gift (Dance Dance Revolution). I think I'm just going to get them one more gift each, and call it good. For Hanukkah, I'm reverting back to last year's plan of small things (stickers, cards, markers) each night.

Honestly, writing out that post the other day really did cause me to stop and think about what I was trying to accomplish and why. And, I realized that it was becoming more about what mattered to me (that feeling of providing lots of gifts for the girls to open) than what matters to them (getting a few new toys and having everyone together to celebrate). They are young enough to not have any real expectations about the holidays yet. So, why am I setting myself up for years of buying more than I really should/can afford just so they will have lots of packages to open? They are going to love what I bought them this year, and when they are old enough to start requesting things, I'll be happy to buy them what I can afford. In the meantime, I don't need to go overboard in such a way that I'm needing to worry about how to pay for everything else.

So, with that said, I'm feeling a weight lifted off of my shoulders. This weekend, I will likely finish up the rest of the shopping and not have to worry about it come December. Who knew blogging could be so therapeutic?!?

Sing it with me: Its the most...expensive!...time of the year...

Sure, the holidays are wonderful and I look forward to them, but this year, more than in years past, I'm feeling stressed and pinched about the cost. I'm trying to think about what is different this year - after all, our income is higher than it has been in several years, so you would think it would be less of a pinch this year, no?

I guess it boils down to a few factors:

• Cash and carry. In previous years, I would try to fund most of our holiday expenses with cash, but had no problem falling back on the credit card to cover what I couldn't. I don't do that anymore - my motto is, if I can't pay cash for it, I can't afford it. And, I refuse to dip into savings, either. So, it is causing me to have to really budget out exactly what I plan to spend and when, in relation to our pay periods. I think the fact that I can't buy everything I want right when I want to, is making me feel tense.
• Elevating Hanukkah's Status. At our house, we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah (the former in the weird, Jewish way that my family always did, which involves no tree, but plenty of presents, and a bagel brunch. I know, we're weird). In general, the lion's share of the presents have arrived via Santa at Christmas. For Hanukkah, I would generally get the girls each a small thing for each of the 8 nights. But, Sadie's getting older, and I want her to embrace her Jewishness, too, so I feel like it isn't going to cut it to give her markers or a coloring book as a Hanukkah gift. Since I'm not willing to diminish the present orgy on Christmas day, either, it means that I'm committed to buying more stuff than in years' past.
• Eden's Birthday. Eden's birthday falls in early January. I don't want her to feel shortchanged by broke parents who blew their wad at Hanukkah and Christmas, so I've been trying to set aside money now to fund her party and presents, as well. I actually paid a deposit at the place for her party and already bought her main gift (bedding for her big girl bed she'll be getting from her grandparents), but the balance of the party expense will be due the day of, and I don't want to feel a pinch that week.
• The money pit house. Aside from the usual house repairs and expenses, we've had a nice opportunity pop up, which will be a good thing (cost-saving measure) moving forward, but it translates into an up-front expense. Evan got a hold of a free woodstove insert for the fireplace. Putting this in and burning the endless amounts of wood scraps he accumulates downstairs will be a free way to heat much, if not all, of our house this winter. That said, given that our fireplace has not been functional since the day Evan almost burned the place down when he was renovating it (a story for another entry), there is a lot of work to be done and money to be spent to get they system functional. We just bought huge slabs of bluestone for the facade (we needed to build it up as the woodstove extends five inches out past the brick firebox). They are beautiful and it is going to look stunning, but beauty comes at a price. Then, yesterday, we had the chimney sweep come and clean and inspect the existing ceramic chimney liner to see if it was safe and usable. $109 dollars later and it is none of the above (we suspected as much, but figured it was worth a shot). So, we now need to purchase a metal liner. We've been pricing them out and they run between $600-$800 dollars. Realistically, without dipping into savings, we're not going to have that together until at least February. Which means we won't have the thing functional until early spring, which kind of defeats the cost-saving purpose for this winter. Oh well. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying that at the same time I'm trying to buy holiday and birthday magic for my kids, we're also trying to squirrel money away for other things.
• Total Debt Liberation. The last factor contributing to money woes at our house is my obsession with and determination to, completely eliminate all debt except for our mortgage. We don't have credit card debt anymore (thank goodness!), but between the two of us, we have three student loans and a HEL. I've been following this 'snowball plan' to eliminate it and very aggressively paying it down. It is a great feeling to see it go down, down, down, but at the same time, I'm having a hard time giving myself permission to ease up for a month or two to accommodate other expenses. That's just something I need to work out for myself, I guess.

Anyway, in light of all of the above, I'm feeling pinched this year and will probably breathe a sigh of relief if the kids love their presents and we still have a roof over our heads and food on our table come January 31st.

• 
  

Catching up, pt 3 - Maryland

We took another trip down to Maryland 2 weekends ago - this time to celebrate Kayleigh's 2nd birthday :)

It was a fun, albeit short, trip. Alyssa and Jim threw a great party (love me those sweet and sour meatballs), and the littlest girls (K and E) seemed to start to connect this visit. The drive down and back was a breeze, and after the whirlwind that was Disney, the kids seemed pretty much unphased by traveling, eating and sleeping on a different schedule, and going to sleep in an unfamiliar (though, they both remembered our 'guest suite' ;) as soon as they saw it) place. I guess it really is a sign that they are growing up, and that we are maturing as a family. It is awfully nice not to be so chained to the naps, diapers, crib, and regimented meal times that have defined us for the better part of the past six years.

Catching up, pt 2 - Halloween!

Right on the heels of our Disney trip came Halloween. The girls had a great time hitting up the neighbors for candy, and it was a hoot to see Eden running along with the group. Big change from last year when she rode in a stroller!

Take a look at my scary, scary ghouls, I mean girls.

Catching up on our life for the past month, pt 1 - Back from Disney

Well, we survived! The trip was a ton of fun, but also pretty exhausting. The kids had a blast, though, and that's really all that matters to me. The resort we stayed at was really spectacular - in fact, I would say the pool there was as much of an attraction for the girls as Magic Kingdom. We spent two days at the park (MK) and really got to do just about everything we wanted, I think. Highlights:

-Meeting the characters (especially Cinderella and crew at our dinner with them)
-Watching Eden give Pooh and Tigger the biggest, most sincere and heartfelt hugs when she met them.
-Peter Pan's Flight - we all loved that ride, and did it multiple times.
-Ditto on Small World (what can I say, we're not thrill seekers).
-Sadie's Bippity Boppity Boutique makeover.
-Dinner at Boma - arguably the best meal we had the whole week.

All in all, it was a great trip, and it has really inspired me to save for, and prioritize family vacations.

"MoMEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want you to rock me!"

That was the not so sweet music that regaled me last night from a little after 2am on for about 35 minutes. Over the course of the past few months, Eden's occasional waking in the night has increased, first to a couple or few times a week, until finally, in the past two weeks, it has become a nightly event. She has been sick (sinus infection), so I have indulged it, going in and soothing her. However, last night was the night we threw her to the wolves, so to speak.

When she called for me at 2, I poked my head in the room and told her it was time to go back to sleep. She cried that she wanted me to rock her, and I told her no. I covered her back up and walked out. Boy, she didn't like that too much! She spent the better part of the next 35 minutes screaming for me, angrily, before giving up and going back to sleep. Unbelievably, Sadie slept through the entire event.

I'm hopeful that this is the start of better nights for us, because I really, really need me some sleep!

Fall Fun

I haven't been very good at updating lately, I guess because things have just been humming along normally - nothing that has felt particularly noteworthy. I have to keep reminding myself that what seems normal and not-noteworthy now is exactly what I set out to document when I began this journa. So, here goes.

We hosted some fall fun at our house this weekend....a pumpkin-carving party for the neighborhood kids (and parents). The kids carved and/or painted pumpkins and gorged on donuts, caramel apples, and cupcakes while the adults enjoyed hot cider spiked with apple brandy - fun for all! We had about 20+ kids of all ages - it was a lot of fun. It was Amelia's birthday, Marie brought a pinata and called the whole event her birthday party (I like how that woman thinks!). So, the kids were all sugared up and wild. Once it got dark, we all headed over to the neighbor's yard, where he had set up a giant outdoor projection screen. We lit the jack-o-lanterns, munched on kid food (pizza bagels and popcorn) and watched Tim Burton's, The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was truly a great time. I've said it before, and you know I can't pass up on the opportunity to say it again....

Wait for it....

We have the BEST neighborhood!

The kids didn't get to bed until past nine, and it took us quite a while to clean up the yard and get the house back in order, so I didn't get to bed until way later than I would have liked. Eden decided it would be a good idea to wake up in the night last night, so needless to say, I'm sleepy today. But overall it was a great day and worth every sleepy moment today.