5 Links...

I got tagged by Mommy Gets Paid!

Instructions are as follows:

Just copy paste THIS and everything below up until my Five links:

I thought it would be cool to have a meme where we post links. We can post up to five. Then we tell five more people to share their links. If we all share who tagged us, our links are sure to be seen!

They can be business links, favorite sites, affiliate links, whatever you want…

There are Five Rules:

1. MUST be clean. No R rated sites.
2. Only FIVE links.
3. MUST tell 5 people.
4. A link back to the person who tagged you
5. Lara’s Place is the meme originator. (an active link is appreciated)

———– end copy paste ———————————–>

My Links
Stop the Ride Originator of Make it From Scratch Carnival.

Lis Garrett - a Writer's Woolgatherings. One of the first bloggers I read regularly & still do!

Combo Probe Thermometer Timer/Clock - Silvertone My secret to the PERFECT Christmas dinner Prime Rib!

My Space My other online addiction, could spend hours updating & commenting!

Renovating the Money Pit one of my other blogs. It should be a busy one in 2008 after looking at my list of To Do's!!!

I don't do the tag thing, so If you want to be in comment & I'll link to ya!!!

2008 Goals

Goals, resolutions whatever you call them! I was working on these while babysitting 2 8 year old twins, so I may need to tweak them.

1. Budget our money better. Pay bills on time- while our village doesn't report to credit companies, the pay the electric bill every 2 months is starting to drive me batty.

2. Pay down our debt by at least $2400. We have a loan payment of $130 a month so we'll snowball the other $70 into the best place for it. Number 3 was list debts so we know what we have to pay when, but it fits better with #2.

3. Use savings, rebates & misc found money to fund our emergency fund. We had a good start to it last year but it was depleted opening various checking & saving accounts that are more accessible to us. Once we get the direct deposit fixed we'll set up a weekly payment back into the ING account. We want to have at least $1000 in the EF by December 31, 2008

4. Blog daily, I have been neglecting my blogging. Mostly because I work online as well & it is just a lot of sitting in front of the computer.

5. Work on one DIY project everyday. We have a HUGE list of improvements we will be making in 2008 and most are to be done by us. The only thing I won't do is the roof!

6. Do better at cards to friends & family. Birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I have been really slacking lately.

7. Focus on MYO (make your own) mixes and grocery items. Now that I have the stand mixer of my dreams, and while it still wasn't the "Frugal" thing on my list it was a deal you just couldn't walk away from. The day we bought it the Licorice was available for $259.99, free shipping & a $50 rebate. So we end up only paying $10 more than my Mom did for her Artisan. Plus I have the horse power I need for it to last a very long time.


I mean really, the bread machine I want was $199 and it only took me a year to kill the $50 bread machine I had!!! Plus I will be selling my old stand mixer on ebay sometime after the holidays (last set like mine sold for $102).

8. Eliminate more clutter. As we can replace substandard items with good quality items I need to get rid of the old stuff!!!

We have to be really careful with our money now that we are back to one main income source & we are planning on moving some rooms around again on top of the remodeling & updating.

Of course I am babysitting again. When school is in it's only a couple hours a day, but they are friends with my kiddos so it's nice. And they were here almost everyday while someone else was getting paid to watch them...

So who knows what 2008 will hold, I am going to spend the last few days of 2007 reflecting & celebrating with my family!

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Just a quick note to say...


Myspace Layouts


Get More at COMMENTYOU.com

We are at my Moms Monday night & we are hosting hubby's family Tuesday for dinner. The cookies are made, I'll share pics once I get them up! Of course we only had green food color, forgot it was on my list, oops. NEVER shop without the list!!! hehehe!

Seven Things

Seven Things
Stop the Ride! tagged anyone who was interested so here it goes! It is a fun and simple meme. Just tell your readers seven random things about you.


1. I have crooked pinkies! So do both of my children, really the only way to tell that the Prince is mine (other than being there for the birth ~wink~)

2. I LOVE power tools & home improvement projects. I spent a half an hour today sanding the bathroom walls & then doing the second coat of mud. The best part, I didn't make any mess because I used the shop vac attachment that sands & sucks the dust, WOOHOO. I love technology! At least handy technology, still don't have an mp3 player!

3. I have just gotten back into using coupons & rebates. For a while I was convinced that it was more time than it was worth, boy was I wrong!

4. I started blogging as a way to catalog my info so next time I lost a hard drive I wouldn't be without!

5. I have lived in 13 different apartments or houses (one 3 separate times) in my life (of course I'm not counting the 4 months I was in foster care, who knows where I was then I was place at 4 months old)

6. I dislike wallpaper, with a passion. I have only 1 room left on the first floor with paper & it's ok, so it'll stay until we remove the dropped ceiling.

7. I wanted to be an Environmental Engineer when I grew up. I even have 3 1/2 years worth of college credit to start (yes start, I'd have had another 2 years at least to go). But I decided that the debt I was already in wasn't worth the career!

I am supposed to tag seven of you, if you want to play feel free! Let me know I will link to it!

Cookie Dough is Made

I made the dough for my cut-outs & Chocolate Italian Cookies.
We also got the fridge cleaned out & the desk moved, the kitchen is mostly cleared out I only have one corner of piles to clear out then it will be done! Woohoo! I'll be folding laundry & going through a stack of papers while we watch tv tonight.

Things we didn't get done because we completely rearranged the living room AGAIN.

1. Sand the bathroom walls & repeat mud process, then sand again.

4. Laundry, laundry & more laundry. I took 2 days off from the load a day & now I am buried under Mt. Washmore.

5. Clear out kitchen of all non-essentials.

6. Take box to Salvation Army or other place.

7. Wrap more presents

8. Sew our Christmas head bands, cut fabric for more headbands.

9. Get Real Tree, set up inside

Christmas prep.

My PODA for the weekend (Parade of Daily Adventures for you non-FLYers!)
1. Sand the bathroom walls & repeat mud process, then sand again.

2. Bake 2 batches of the PB kiss cookies, dough is already made, now I just have to bake the cookies.

3. Clean out fridge

4. Laundry, laundry & more laundry. I took 2 days off from the load a day & now I am buried under Mt. Washmore.

5. Clear out kitchen of all non-essentials.

6. Take box to Salvation Army or other place.

7. Wrap more presents

8. Sew our Christmas head bands, cut fabric for more headbands.

9. Get Real Tree, set up inside

10. Move comupter desk & clear off desktop

Next Week
1. Bathroom Ceiling, drywall, tape & mud, sand, paint whole bathroom

2. Clean Bathroom, hang new shower curtain

3. Paint, cut & hang trim for front room

4. Organize book shelves in front room

5. Laundry room clean up

6. Move chairs around for party seating

7. start on Christmas side dishes

8. Finish shopping Walmart, CVS trip

9. Clean carpet in playroom

10. touch up floor with stain in front room

11. clean hamster cages.

12. Fling Boogie like a crazy person!

13. Finish decorating house (after all the major remodeling is done!)

I'm sure there's a ton more!!!

Birthday gathering number ???

#3

#4

So how are you supposed to handle birthdays that are close together & close to a major holiday??? I guess I am just too used to always celebrating my birthday with Christmas (Christmas Eve baby here, ha!). These images are from the cake & friend gatherings with our next door neighbors kids.

I am thinking about doing something more substantial after the chaos of the Holidays has passed, like in February when we are itching for a change. McDonald's, bowling, just a wild & crazy party at the house... we shall see! I used to have pool parties in July (Christmas in July, why not birthday!).

The problem with multiple gatherings is that they go through this "I want" phase. Like why did the presents stop??? And then we get hit with the extremeness of Christmas. At least I seem to have curtailed the massiveness of Easter (one year it was as BAD as their Birthday gifts, eek).

Tag I'm it...

1.What did you accomplish this past week?
2.Did anything not go as expected?
3.What was the highlight of your week?
4.Did anything exciting happen that you did not expect?

Feel free to tag others and check out our site to follow the answers of others!
From Sandi (link back didn't work, I'll update it if you comment again!)

1. I accomplished a lot this past week! I worked everyday but Sunday; put up 1 Christmas tree; put the train around the tree; cleaned the house every day; stained one spot in the front wood floors (have pics will post later); I created our next CVS shopping list & worked on next weeks; painted most of the front/dinning room; washed the windows; fluffed the curtains; dusted the piano & cleared it off; did 5 27 Fling Boogies; Did 10 loads of laundry (at least); made bread; sent the kids out to play in the snow; got both kids successfully off to school on time & mostly prepared!; stacked wood; watched Christmas shows with the kids; caulked some leaks around the front door & windows; almost finalized Christmas plans; spent an afternoon with my Grandma, Aunt, Cousin, Mom, Sister & DD; Shopped till I dropped!!!; successfully avoided wrapping presents & lots of other things I'm sure I've forgotten!!!

2. Did anything not go as expected - hmmm Hubby lost his job, pay check direct deposit didn't work & had to drive 30 miles to deposit it only to find out we'd have to wait a week for the funds; the bank completely messed it up anyways; kids have decided to push every button on my last nerve (if I have to call Santa one more time...); and there is never enough time in a day!

3. The highlight of my week - Getting to visit with family, Grandma is going to AZ for a while & won't be here for Christmas.

4. Well, I didn't expect to be painting the front room, or having to replace all the electrical in the front room, and I didn't expect to un-wallpaper the bathroom, but they are all done & projects are coming along nicely!!! Woohoo to unemployment!!!

Recent comments...

To November Wrap Up


I thought I was the Queen of Piles. That's what my husband tells me anyway.

Love your blog and have added you to my blogroll.
Lisa

Thanks for the link, I love stockings too!!! Looking forward to reading more from you!

Cool! Good job!
Would you mind if I just copied and pasted your November list to be my December list?
stacie

Feel free! I'm here to help!!! Love the hair cut BTW, I went shorter, but I don't think I could go that short, you are very brave.

Hi! I love your blog and have linked to you on mine www.mommygetspaid.blogspot.com, check it out if you have time and of course I wouldn't mind a link back

Keep up the good work!
Take Care!
LJ

Love freebies, I'll be back ~ and I'll put you in my blogroll!!!

Love your site so therefore you've been tagged!

1.What did you accomplish this past week?
2.Did anything not go as expected?
3.What was the highlight of your week?
4.Did anything exciting happen that you did not expect?

Feel free to tag others and check out our site to follow the answers of others!
Sandi (who's link didn't work)

I'll post this next! Sounds like fun!!!


To Considering Domain Registration

i'd love it if you posted your journey into go.daddy. i've considered that route with my lifecoachmoms webs site....i'd be interested in what you learn
lylah ledner

Oh I'll give my experiences here! I'll probably be yelling for help!!!

Considering Domain Registration

Despite how you feel about www.GoDaddy.com
and their banned Super Bowl Commercials, you can't deny that publicity is publicity!!!

I am loosely considering GoDaddy.com Hosting Plans
and trying my hand at website creation. I don't have any complaints about Blogger, it is great. I am just wondering if I can spread my wings that far yet! I am not the most advanced technologically, but I haven't had to look up html tags in a whole month!!! Doesn't that qualify me for some lesser Geek-dom award??? Next thing you know I'll be selling out of my virtual boutique on second life...

November Wrap up

1. Teaching Kids about Money - Kids still missing the whole picture, but it's improving!

2. Saving Money - Well, does finding out how to get what you need for less count? Because my savings account has gone backwards (well only to open another account, it will get funded as soon as the direct deposits start going in).

3. Organizing - I am still the pile queen & it's making me nuts... I know better and yet here I am burried under piles of things I need to take care off. My poor piano bench is hidden, I only know it's there. But we did manage to make some head way in the kitchen & I have to have the place spotless before the holidays. I just refuse to do the toss & stash again.

4. Exersice & Weight - Maintaining, going to start swimming with my sister after the holidays.

5. Creative Time - I was able to spend an hour working on my Grandmas Mixer cover, I probably have another hour to go before it's finished, then I can work on my holiday head bands & my sisters tote bag.

6. Bed Time for Princess - 10 of the last 14 nights she has gone to sleep on her own in her own bed. Now if only she will stay there.

7. Emergency Kits - hmmm, knew there was something I was forgetting.

8. Routines - Our morning routines are set, evening still not all there but improving.