Ya-Hooo!!!! Life is definitely good when payday falls on a Friday! Ok, drum roll please!!! We have been on our new budget for almost 4 weeks now, and we have money in the bank, and money is savings! Isn't that fantastic?!? It is so very tempting to go out and spend the extra money on things I've just decided we did not need at the time. But, hey, we went 4 weeks without, I guess they are not that important after all. My big splurge were some PJ's for Nathan when I went to Target to stock up on diapers. Great deal by there by the way if you need diapers. Tomorrow's the last day.
This week was qutie the work-week. I, for one, did not enjoy work very much. We had a stressful staff meeting Tuesday. Everyone is on edge about their jobs. The students were difficult. Makes my job extremely difficult when I try as hard as I can to reach them, and just hit a brick wall. I definitely welcomed the weekend, for me, AND for the students. Hopefully, next week will be better.
The kids are great, as always! Natty loves gymnastics! She is more into the social-factor though. She loves being able to run around and be with kids her age. She knows ALL capital letters now. She can also count up to six (she can also count up to 5 in mandarin). She knows the numbers 2 and 6. She also knows quite a few colors (black, blue, pink, red, yellow, green).
Nathan is doing great! He has 6 teeth, the 6th one breaking through this past week. He is SO close to crawling. Doesn't look like he'll do Natty's commando-crawl, but that's ok. It's so cute to watch him get on his hands and knees, then start inching backwards. He is also very close to sitting himself up. He can sit by himself if you place him on the floor. He's also gotten pretty good at entertaining himself. He is starting to like his cereal (finally!) and some fruits. He eats like a champ. He likes apples, bananas, and pears. :)
Tim and I are good. We don't like our work schedules very much, but it's the cost we gladly pay for not placing our kids in daycare at this point. Tim started teaching his FIRST college course a few weeks ago. I think he's doing fabulous. We also celebrated his "29th" birthday last week. :)
Well, that's an update into our lives. Hope you guys are off to a great weekend!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wish List
Well, I've been sheepishly thinking about what I'd like for my birthday. :) The older people get the less they want to celebrate their birthdays. I, however, LOVE birthdays. I love having fun and making a big deal, and making people feel special. I love shopping for presents, and wrapping them. Anyhow, I've been thinking about things I'd like, and tried to come with ones that would help our family save money as well.
#1. Bread Maker - this one's REALLY cool. I have to spend $2-3 a week on bread. I would LOVE to be able to make my own bread. This ones from Target.
#2 Scrapbook cart - my scrapbooking stuff is EVERYWHERE. It's hard living in an apartment because I can't just have my own craftsroom. I would LOVE something kinda like this.
#3 SHOES - I desperate need a new pair of work shoes. Aren't these cute??!
#4 Sweaters!
#5 Jacket
#6 Food Chopper - I love these! Had one a while back and busted it. Such a time-saver!
#7 Casserole Dishes - Since Tim and I are on the go so much, it's nice to have breakfast to munch on in the morning. Aiming for something quick and easy, I've been trying to make a breakfast casserole at the beginning of the week, so we have something the rest of the week to munch on before going to work. I would LOVE some of these though, they have LIDS!
Oh well, that's the list. :) I really don't care if I actually get anything from it, but it's fun to shop around and look. :) Anyways, back to watching Fringe with the Hubby. :)
#1. Bread Maker - this one's REALLY cool. I have to spend $2-3 a week on bread. I would LOVE to be able to make my own bread. This ones from Target.
#3 SHOES - I desperate need a new pair of work shoes. Aren't these cute??!
#4 Sweaters!
#5 Jacket
#6 Food Chopper - I love these! Had one a while back and busted it. Such a time-saver!
#7 Casserole Dishes - Since Tim and I are on the go so much, it's nice to have breakfast to munch on in the morning. Aiming for something quick and easy, I've been trying to make a breakfast casserole at the beginning of the week, so we have something the rest of the week to munch on before going to work. I would LOVE some of these though, they have LIDS!
Oh well, that's the list. :) I really don't care if I actually get anything from it, but it's fun to shop around and look. :) Anyways, back to watching Fringe with the Hubby. :)
Week Two
Happy Friday! And Happy Two Weeks on our budget for us! Well, it's been a little more than 2 weeks, actually, Monday will be 3, but I haven't had a WHOLE lot of time to blog. The kids are a joy, but the consume pretty much all my time, not that I mind. :) I've learned and accepted that certain things will just be taking the backseat for a while.
Anyhow, this week has been pretty good. We started off Monday celebrating Tim's birthday a few days early since he had to work on Wednesday evening. I successfully made ribs for the first time. They sure turned out pretty well, and I am not a big ribs-fan.
This week, I believe what had been impressed on my heart the most about our budget is how liberating it is to not be a slave to our money. The Bible says we were placed here to glorify the Lord, and we certainly won't be able to do that if we are fretting about money. Having a set cash allowance is great. I know what I have, and once it's gone, it gone, and I have to wait. I know exactly how much I have, and how much I can spend. This has definitely kept me in check and not spend out of our means.
The best news is that now that our finances are more in order, it feels GREAT to be able to give our resources away to those who need them more. I use to always stress when giving money for our tithe or offering. I would stress knowing that we wouldn't have enough for the rest of the month if we gave XYZ, etc. I can now say that we have faithfully written out our checks 3 weeks in a row, and it feels GERAT! I also was able to give a little money to the Haiti fund through our cell phone bill.
I, by myself, have none of this under control. It has been through prayer, submission, and trusting God with our finances that things are starting to look up now. We don't make a lot of money, but I've learned that I really wasn't be as responsible as I thought I was. When I came to that realization, as much as it hurt, I knew it was a sin that I wasn't being smart and responsible with our finances.
Please keep us in prayer that we continue to discipline ourselves to do what is right. Recently, I learned of some pretty bad news in regards to our district's budget. Things do not look good for many people, and several are worried about their jobs. I, for one, believe that what will happen will be God's will, and we will be brave with whatever challenges we need to face. However, this goes to show even more, how important it is for our family to save up for a rainy day (Haven't you guys enjoyed the rain this week????).
Well, hope all are off to a great weekend!
Anyhow, this week has been pretty good. We started off Monday celebrating Tim's birthday a few days early since he had to work on Wednesday evening. I successfully made ribs for the first time. They sure turned out pretty well, and I am not a big ribs-fan.
This week, I believe what had been impressed on my heart the most about our budget is how liberating it is to not be a slave to our money. The Bible says we were placed here to glorify the Lord, and we certainly won't be able to do that if we are fretting about money. Having a set cash allowance is great. I know what I have, and once it's gone, it gone, and I have to wait. I know exactly how much I have, and how much I can spend. This has definitely kept me in check and not spend out of our means.
The best news is that now that our finances are more in order, it feels GREAT to be able to give our resources away to those who need them more. I use to always stress when giving money for our tithe or offering. I would stress knowing that we wouldn't have enough for the rest of the month if we gave XYZ, etc. I can now say that we have faithfully written out our checks 3 weeks in a row, and it feels GERAT! I also was able to give a little money to the Haiti fund through our cell phone bill.
I, by myself, have none of this under control. It has been through prayer, submission, and trusting God with our finances that things are starting to look up now. We don't make a lot of money, but I've learned that I really wasn't be as responsible as I thought I was. When I came to that realization, as much as it hurt, I knew it was a sin that I wasn't being smart and responsible with our finances.
Please keep us in prayer that we continue to discipline ourselves to do what is right. Recently, I learned of some pretty bad news in regards to our district's budget. Things do not look good for many people, and several are worried about their jobs. I, for one, believe that what will happen will be God's will, and we will be brave with whatever challenges we need to face. However, this goes to show even more, how important it is for our family to save up for a rainy day (Haven't you guys enjoyed the rain this week????).
Well, hope all are off to a great weekend!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Calling All Boxtops!
Hey everyone! Happy Friday! I've got a favor to ask all of you out there! We are fundraising for our school through Box Tops. Box Tops can be found on many of the household items you already purchase on a daily basis. If you don't collect, could you please forward them to me? Every Box Top raises 10 cents for our school! Here are some brands with Box Tops...
Arinda Fanning
c/o Citrus Hills Intermediate School
3211 S. Main Street
Corona, CA 92881
We'll be collecting until February 19th, and the class that raises the most gets a secret prize! (their teacher as well!)
- cottonelle
- kleenex
- ziploc
- Huggies
- Pull Ups
- Cheerios
- Kix
- Lucky Charms
- Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper
- Kotex
- Avery
Arinda Fanning
c/o Citrus Hills Intermediate School
3211 S. Main Street
Corona, CA 92881
We'll be collecting until February 19th, and the class that raises the most gets a secret prize! (their teacher as well!)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
First Week
Well, we've been on our new budget for a little over a week now. It's only been a week, but I feel like I've learned so much.
1. I learned just how irresponsible we can be with our money when you do not keep track of our spending.
2. I learned TO keep track of my spending. It really opened up my eyes to where our money was going, and why we felt like we were always short.
3. Giving ourselves (Tim and I) a cash 'allowance' has really forced us to think about what we are spending our money on.
4. Cash allowances have also GREATLY decreased the use of our debit card.
All in all, I think we can say that we feel relieved and proud of ourselves. With spending money more wisely, we also believe we are honoring the Lord more - which definitely leads to more blessings. They will not necessarily mean more monetary funds, but I (for one) have such a greater peace knowing we are honoring God with our finances. Truth be told, the way we spend our money can definitely be a witness to those around you.
Hope you all are having a good week. Halfway to Friday. I, for one, am very excited. Will keep you posted on whatever we learn, as I know we have a LONG road ahead of us. Being on a budget one week definitely doesn't make us experts, but I'll try to encourage you each week by what our family learns.
1. I learned just how irresponsible we can be with our money when you do not keep track of our spending.
2. I learned TO keep track of my spending. It really opened up my eyes to where our money was going, and why we felt like we were always short.
3. Giving ourselves (Tim and I) a cash 'allowance' has really forced us to think about what we are spending our money on.
4. Cash allowances have also GREATLY decreased the use of our debit card.
All in all, I think we can say that we feel relieved and proud of ourselves. With spending money more wisely, we also believe we are honoring the Lord more - which definitely leads to more blessings. They will not necessarily mean more monetary funds, but I (for one) have such a greater peace knowing we are honoring God with our finances. Truth be told, the way we spend our money can definitely be a witness to those around you.
Hope you all are having a good week. Halfway to Friday. I, for one, am very excited. Will keep you posted on whatever we learn, as I know we have a LONG road ahead of us. Being on a budget one week definitely doesn't make us experts, but I'll try to encourage you each week by what our family learns.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
A Fresh Start
There's nothing like the feeling of a fresh start to the New Year. While last year was crazy, I wouldn't change it for anything. However, as cliche as it may sound, yesterday made me feel like we were turning over a new leaf. There was so much we wanted to accomplish, and so much we had hoped for, but it just wasn't God's timing. The main reason I was excited yesterday though, was because we started a new budget plan.
We've tried different budgets, spreadsheets, etc, and they just never stuck. However, we've come up with a new plan that I am confident will make us discipline ourselves and allow us to put a nice chunk of money into our house fund. Please pray our family sticks to it. Last year really showed us that we really were not THAT responsible, or as responsible as we though we were, with the money we brought home each month.
There is so much I want to do this year, but I know it'll all be in baby-steps. I think our BIG goal this year, is really to get into a house. Our lease here at the apartment is up in May, so please pray we'd make a wise decision. We wouldn't be ready to purchase a house then, but we don't want to renew for a whole year. Pray a shorter lease won't drastically increase our rent.
Well, fresh start also means going back to work tomorrow. We had to take 2 furlough days this week because of the economic. Please pray for good news when we all return. There are some pretty narly budget proposals that will be voted on. Please pray that there'll be minimal lay-offs if there has to be any.
We've tried different budgets, spreadsheets, etc, and they just never stuck. However, we've come up with a new plan that I am confident will make us discipline ourselves and allow us to put a nice chunk of money into our house fund. Please pray our family sticks to it. Last year really showed us that we really were not THAT responsible, or as responsible as we though we were, with the money we brought home each month.
There is so much I want to do this year, but I know it'll all be in baby-steps. I think our BIG goal this year, is really to get into a house. Our lease here at the apartment is up in May, so please pray we'd make a wise decision. We wouldn't be ready to purchase a house then, but we don't want to renew for a whole year. Pray a shorter lease won't drastically increase our rent.
Well, fresh start also means going back to work tomorrow. We had to take 2 furlough days this week because of the economic. Please pray for good news when we all return. There are some pretty narly budget proposals that will be voted on. Please pray that there'll be minimal lay-offs if there has to be any.
Happy Tuesday Everyone!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Out With the Old, In With the New
January - Tim turns 28. Arinda trying to keep morning sickness at bay. Natty takes her first trip to Disneyland.
February - Arinda turns 26, and feeling fabulous to be expecting another baby. Our family takes trips 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to Disneyland. Kudos for their get in free on your birthday promotion and park hopper tickets.
March - We find out we're expecting our first son! His name would be Nathan Joel. We place an offer on our 1st house. And our offer is accepted! We're going to be homeowners!
April - Signing paperwork away.
May - The house didn't work out. We had to back out of our offer. We move across the street to rent another year. We also find out that we are going to have a niece! Yay for Matt and Maggie!
June - Arinda watches her first full set of 8th graders graduate. This was the first year she had her students as both 7tha nd 8th graders.
July - Welcome to the world, Nathan Joel Fanning. After being told he'd be early, Nathan decided to teach us all a little patience and came just about 2 weeks overdue! Arinda went in to be induced, fining out she was in labor, and Nathan came later that afternoon.
August - Loving our family of 4!
September - Tim and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. Arinda goes back to work from maternity leave, starting her 4th year of teachimg - all 8th graders.
October - Finally getting the hang of having 2 kiddos, feeling more confident about going out.
November - Natty has her first dentist appointment. Our princess turns 2!!! We celebrate with a Curious George themed party in her honor.
December - Nathan gets to celebrate his 1st Christmas! Tim finds out he will be teaching his 1st college-level class!
As you can see, our year was full of ups and downs. One thing remains confident, and that is the fact that our God never leaves us, nor forsakes us. Through everything we've been through this year, we know God is with us, watching over us, and strengthening us. We are stronger followers of Christ because of 2009. While unknown, I can't wait to see what 2010 brings for our family. Here are some of my goals:
- Get a nice chunk of our bills paid off.
- Save up for a downpayment for a house. (Goal is 10%)
- Be consistent with putting money into the kids' saving accounts.
- Start my Bible study earlier on in the week, so I'm able to learn as much as I can.
- Stick to our budget.
- Help Natty with her potty training
- Stay withint our $600 budget for groceries, food, and diapers.
- Help Natty finish learning the rest of her alphabets
I am not much into making resolutions. I do want to reflect on what I didn't accomplish or areas I could have done better in, commit them to the Lord, and fix them.
Happy New Year 2010 everyone!
I know ours is off to a great start!
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