Restless energy

I was at the school til 8 PM tonight. I was not alone. Most of the other teaching staff was still there as well. Just so many details to get ready for the first day.

I am home and full of restless energy. I should have gone for a walk but there were too many little things to do. Dishes were all over the kitchen from the supper I missed. Laundry from DS1 now that he is home again. Towels. Lord do my boys breed these things? Writing out the cheques for the boys. There will be fees of over $100 each when they go to register for school tomorrow.  Floors to sweep and counters to wipe. Paid a few bills online and filed those bills in my office in a box.

DS1 ended up working tonight. We didn't expect that. He wasn't even supposed to be home til tonight. I think BIL forgot that. He got paid and brought his cheque home. Handed it straight to me to see. Love that training is paying off. He will go deposit it tomorrow.

Garbage out. The few bottles/cans we had go in the recycling. Boys have their stuff at the door as DS1 will drive them over to register. I have to leave early as we are doing a breakfast for students/families before classes start. After school DS1 has hockey tryouts for the Junior A team. DS2 is looking forward to seeing his friends since he's been gone most of the summer.

Clothes for tomorrow are picked out and tshirts ironed. I swear they just shove them in their drawers. Llibrary books are in the vehicle so I don't forget to return them.

I feel like I'm already back on the wheel. trapped LOL

Here's to a night of no weird 'first day of school' dreams/nightmares.

Bought with airmiles

When I knew that DS was going to BC I checked out using Air Miles for the flight. There wasn't enough for both of them to go using the miles. I looked at hotels that were sponsered in the area but they were not well 'liked' in online reviews. I rented a car for them while they were there using the miles.

And while I was there I browsed other rewards I could redeem (read 'spend'). Some things are ridiculously prices in miles. Some things I'd never use.

But I DID find a couple things I spent my miles on.

I picked up HELLO Canada - 6 months, 26 issues, for 260 miles.

I also picked up Money Sense - 1  year, 7 issues, for 75 reward miles.

I have to admit, it was fun to spend :-)

Do you save your reward miles for flights, or use them on other things?

Back to school for the Money Tree Family

Well I start work today.Two days of meetings and then the kidlets start on Wednesday. And then the whirling treadmill begins again.

There is a whole ritual that I seem to go through for school start. Each year it gets refined a little bit, but the basics are always still there. It makes those first few weeks go so much smoother.

So for all of you who didn't realize how anal I am, prepare for TMI lol

Back to school routines:

• School supplies are bought, unpacked and put in backpacks by mid August
• Any new school clothes are bought and everything in their drawers and closets get sized and donated if too small
• Money jars are filled and budget/expenses are updated
• Vehicles are washed and cleaned inside and tanks filled. I made DS1 do this with his car before he left for BC hockey
• All bed linens are washed. Bedrooms are dusted and tidied
• Fridge is cleaned out and restocked with fresh fruits and veggies.
• Pantry is cleaned and restocked with basics
• Some meals are made ahead and frozen like stew, ground beef ready for spaghetti/taco/sloppy joes etc
• That miscellaneous drawer in the kitchen with pens and such is cleaned out and stocked with working pens and notepads
• Bathrooms are all cleaned.
• Recyclables ( bottles, papers, cans etc) have all been taken in.

• Garage is cleaned out (ish)
• I go through my clothes and give away some that are past wearing or I have given up on fitting me
• All the basics are restocked:toilet paper, kleenex, paper towel, cleaners, trash bags etc
• A roll of toonies and a bundle of $5 are in the drawer for the occasional days when I let the boys eat from the small cafeteria at school.
• My Mom's calendar is ready to go

My Last Day

of summer

I can't complain. I really can't. I get a long summer. but like everyone else coming off holidays, I have a last day before work starts. This is it. It feels very bittersweet.

I know getting back to routine is always good for me, but it does start to feel like a hamster wheel after awhile - and I am afraid to get off it without getting my foot caught in the spokes.

So I am curled up on my couch with fresh coffee in hand, watching an episode of Gail Vaz Oxlade on Slice tv, and plotting how to spend my last day.

I had 2 whole days alone - Thursday and Friday. DS1 was gone to hockey camp in BC and DS2 was at bible camp. I spent one long full day at school working and the other I spent shopping for household things and cleaning and laundry....updating budget and expenses etc.

It felt very luxurious being at home alone. Does that make me a bad mother?

speaking of bad mothers, when I went to pick DS2 up from camp yesterday I got there early. I know they are all busy wrapping things up so I stayed  in the parking lot with my window open and read so I wouldn't take away that last time from DS. I saw him way off but didn't say anything. He and his friends were sitting at a picnic table. Voices carry. I heard him say once "WHY WHYYYYYYYYY does my  mother have to be here?" Then again 10 minutes later I heard him, in response to someone, saying "well I want that to NOT be my mother sitting over there in the parking lot" There was such venom in his voice.  It hit my soul. I turned the vehicle on and spun out of the parking lot and headed back to the highway and just drove and cried til I could pick him up and not cause a scene there. He's never spoken like that about me (as far as I know). It was a very long hard day for the two of us. I felt hungover by supper with the emotional drain. I am not sure what I did wrong that he feels that way about me.

So today I can choose to spend time at home with DS2. head to the city with him to watch a movie. or go to the school.  I guess we will see how he feels when he wakes up.

I watched the memorial yesterday of Jack Layton, Leader of the Opposition. Another person (who happens to be a national politician) gone too soon. His son spoke, very well, as did his daughter. I am haunted by something they said....a quote from their father.

"You can wait forever for perfect conditions, or you can make the best of what you have right now"

on my bookshelf

Thanks to the inspiration of My 1/2 Dozen Daily,I thought I'd share what is on my bookshelf. (Note: by bookshelf I mean in the bathroom, on the floor of my bedroom, in the livingroom and in my suv.

I just finished this one. I had read a different 'knitting brings us all together' kinda book by Debbie Macomber but this one was different. At one point I was mad at a plot point and put the book away for a week, to ...........teach it a lesson I guess?  lol

I am reading this one for work. Just nicely started it.

I think I am the only woman on the planet left who  hasn't read this. I have trouble with these kinds of books. I feel like I'm supposed to DO all the things in the book and then tend to feel like a failure if I don't. I suspect that was not the intent of the author LOL

Sister #3 gave me this as an early birthday present. Looks interesting.

Where the summer money went

Another summer has come and gone and once again I am more than pleased that I had saved some money up for summer activities. It is sooo much easier to enjoy when you know the money is set aside for it.

This year was quite a different year. I actually used some of the money on myself. Usually it is all for the boys and things that make them happy. I don't bebgrudge them that at all, but it was harder (with a bit of guilt) that I spent money on me. It DID get easier as the summer went on though LOL

I had saved up $1000 and here is where it all went.

• $200 for a visit with my friend.  I went at the start of summer and met her halfway. Haven't seen her in years. That money was for gas for the 9 hour return trip drive and a bite to eat.
• $100 for Golf. The boys went earlier this summer to the lake to golf. Fees, cart and gas
• $275 went for tickets to Wicked, parking at the theatre and a supper beforehand. A group from work was going. I had initially expressed interest in a ticket. That changed to a bit of sticker shock when I found out the tickets were $109 each. This came at a time when job action was happening and I was in a bit of panic mode at the smaller paycheques and the uncertainty of the future. I backed out at that point. Perhaps the quietness of summer calmed me but at the beginning of August I decided I really wanted to go. I contacted the lady who bought the tickets for the group to see if she had any left. She had two. I jumped on them. I am taking niece 1 of 4 with me. She is expecting  her first in September. She's off work on mat leave and her significant other just got bumped out of his job due to increases in administration (which equals cuts down at the grunt level). He's been there for five years and to lose his job was a bit of a shocker, especially with the baby coming. When I talked to her to see if she wanted to go with me I could tell she was hesitant and she asked how much the tickets were. I laughed and said they were free for expectant mothers!! I am so glad to be able to treat her. I honestly don't remember the last time I did. I do remember taking her to Oliver and Company when she was 6.  She sobbed at the beginning when the kitties are abandoned in the box and no one wants them and it was cold and raining.  That was 21 years ago. I am picking her up in the burbs outside the city and then we are going for supper, then the movie.
• $100 for the Fair. The boys went this past Fri night. We don't always go. It does cost. I persuaded their dad to take them while I went to Wicked. DS1 met him there after practice. This money covered their admission ($8 each), ride passses were $32 each. Their dad can pick up any food needs they had there.
• $100 US to Nephew 4 of 5. He left today for the States. He just graduated this June and is going to visit folks in Colorado to see if he wants to become a hunting guide. He's very excited about that. He was coming through town and I stopped for literally 2  minutes to hug him and slip him some emergency money. "to tuck away for an emergency," auntie said. He was very surprised.
• $20 to niece 4 of 4. She was in town with her mom and her brother before they took him to the airport in the city. She's worked all summer and is very responsible, but what teenage girl wouldn't want an extra $20 to spend?
• $125 for movies.  I hit 3 movies in the city this summer. Money covers admission and shared gas costs to city.
• $80 for misc boys' expenses. Money for DS2 when he went to BC and money for DS1 when he went into the city for ice times.

And that was my summer.

A bouquet of birthdays

We had a great party yesterday. This is our week of birthdays and there was some mass celebrating going on. The primary guest of  honour was my father, who turns 75 on Tuesday. Supplemental celebrators were my nephew and his fiance whose birthdays are this week, and we celebrated in spirit, my 1 year old great nephew, whose bday is today.

We had it at mom's and there was a wonderful BBQ for all. Ribs and chicken, salads and veggies and fruits. There were 39 people there, and that was with a few of the family who couldn't make it.  There were cakes galore, drinks to toast the occasion and wonderful weather. My dad had fogged the yard so we could actually enjoy being outside with the mosquitos having their own picnic on us. It was semi potluck so everyone brought a something. Salads, veggies, casseroles, marinade for the ribs, chicken, crackers and dips, different desserts for the non cakelovers. ice cream. That really cut down on the costs of feeding so many folk.

He really doesnt' like presents. Things to dust or store or never use, he thinks. He got practical gifts or fun ones. Gift cards for stores he actually goes to were the popular real gifts. More appreciated were the fun gifts. 75 acorns for the squirrel that lives in his backyard. 75 peanuts in shell for the squirrel. 75 drywall screws as he plans to go out to my sister's for a bit of construction. 75 apples from the farm for his deer stand. 75 pellet shots to scare away the coyotes which keep trying to kill the kittens at my sister's place. 75 of his favourite peppermints. Things like that.

The absent nieces and nephew phoned. The nephew actually phoned just as we started to sing Happy Birthday. it was long distance from the US. He just went down there so dad ran to go talk to him. We blew out the candles so we could start again when the call was done.

DS1 got to be there for a bit before he went to work. My brother in law, his employer, waved him off while eating a rib and mmmmmmmmm mocking him. DS2 was actually home so that was good. He built the fire in the pit and had the responsibility of watching over it so that the little ones running around didn't get too close. He bonded with a 3 year old girl (daughter of my cousin) he's never met. Sweet thing who talks non stop and is very hard to understand at first, but lovesssssss watching fire.

We do things fairly simple in our family. Just good, strong family moments.

Today is a day of going over to clean up mom's patio and putting away the extra chairs. DS2 heads to bible camp today so we have to pack and drive him out. It's about 75 minutes from home.

Happy Sunday everyone!

It............was.............................amazing

I love, love, loved it!!! I still literally get goosebumps as I watch this when Elphaba sings as she starts to fly. We had such a good time. I hadn't realized that my niece had never been to a musical. I picked a great one to begin her addiction to these shows. I am glad I saved summer $ for it.

A week of Ta Dones!!!

Lordy I felt like I was running all week. It will be good to kick back and relax tonight and enjoy a great supper and WICKED.

What did I get off my list?

• Well I am writing this as I curl up and wait for my oil change to get finished. It's been needing done for about a month and I honestly haven't any excuse for not booking it aside from procrastination. With school starting toute suite, it was time to get it done.
• A run to the school Monday to move out all the trash I cleaned out of my room. Not really fair for the caretaker to come back from holidays and find dozens of bags throughout the school that need to be hauled out. The boys helped one of the other teachers move out trash. She is retiring after this year and spent dayssss this summer going through all her things so that she doesnt' have to sort and clean when she is done in June.
• Dr appt for DS2 on Tuesday
• Eye appt for me. Lordy that took up HOURS on Wednesday. (see future post). The receptionist reminded me that the boys haven't been in, I knew my days were limited to book before school so...
• Eye appt for the boys on Thursday.
• Took boys for school supplies and a few new clothes for school. We barely get home and ds1 has a new shirt on. Oh no no mama says. Those are for school. He doesn't get it. Sigh. I will have to keep working on him.
• Binders/school bags are ready to go. It's much easier to do when they are High School level. Still it's nice to know that they can just grab their stuff and the pens/looseleaf, dividers, etc are all ready to go. Yesterday was the last day all four of us are home all at the same time until August 31 so it needed to be done.
• Laundry and bed linens are all caught up. We spent a glorious 30 minutes matching socks while watching the Rider game. tooooo many sock widows.
• Scouting supper on Wed for the group that went to BC and their families. Was delicious and so lovely to spend time and bbq with folks. I made an apple crisp and a rhubarb crisp. mmmm rhubarb crisp.
• Of course before they get to put away their new stuff they have to clean their rooms, go through their closets and drawers etc. They were not happy but they did it. dH even did some which is rare (and greatly needed)
• 7........count them 7 garbage bags of clothing sorted and ready for donation. Another 2 bags  of clothes that were ready for trash along with 3 bags of actual garbage out from shelves and closets.

and now I am off. Laterssss all

A week of To Dos

DS2 got home last night so for a week I have a full house again. He's only been home about 10 days this summer so I have to admit it's a little weird having him home. He had a fantastic time running the Scout camp the past 2 weeks. It's so great to see him empowered that way. I think his voice got even deeper while he was gone. My but they do grow up.

DS1 is done one of his hockey camps. It went well I think. He was just infused with energy at being on the ice again. You can truly see how much it brings him alive. I had to chuckle when I saw him greet his teammates from last year, many he hasn't seen since March. They were so excited to see one another.

I hae a lot to do this week. Among the list is:

• fridge cleaned and scrubbed out - DONE
• restocking veggies and fruits
• Dr appt for DS2 - DONE
• Book an oil change for my vehicle - DONE
• Lots of walks
• WW points back on track - DONE (so far)
• A trip to the city on Wed I think. DS1 has made arrangements to practice with a team there, DS2 needs a few back to school clothes and we may hit the final installment of Harry Potter
• School supply list for the boys and picking the items up, Thursday I think
• School work!!!!!!

Oh, and one other little thing planned for Friday....

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

You know summer is coming to an end when...

• it's getting dark just a bit earlier than a week or two ago
• there is dew on the vehicle windows in the morning and all over the grass when I get up at 4 AM to let the cats in/out
• the squirrels that live in the tree in the backyard and chattier than usual
• a few leaves in the trees are less green and more........yellow
• I am spending a couple hours  a day at the school............and I am not alone
• Staples had it's Teacher Appreciation Day  this week. (and while I very much appreciate being appreciated....the 'treat' bags had 2 small crayons, four mini pencil crayons and a whole bunch of paper promos for products. It really was a waste of packaging. Poor trees)
• Jiminy the Cricket is back under my bedroom window, singing away happily almost 24 hours a day. I actually enjoy him. Such an enthusiastic late summer member of our family.
• I feel like I need to squeeze out every walk I cabn before it's cold
• picking raspberries and saskatoon berries is almost over
• lots of fresh carrots and peas, cucumbers and potatoes from the farm.
• the crockpot has come out again
• Hockey tryouts begin. Nothing like curling back up in a chilly rink to remind you the hot days are over.

The best parts of summer

Everyone has their own definition of Summer and what that means to their family. The activities and things you look forward to are part of what gives summer such anticipation and allure. We are a pretty simple family in terms of what we do, and what we can afford.  I was feeling nostalgic the other day and started coming up with a basket of things that makes summer..............well.....................summer, to us.

• camping at the lake with family. We tent but others in the family have 5th wheels.  campfires and fishing and all kinds of great fun
• woodcutting. This is my dad's favourite. It is probably hard wired into him from when he was a child and this was a necessity, not a choice. While we do not have a fireplace, my parents do. The wood goes for that, or for outdoor firepits. There is just something grounding about having a campfire.
• Baileys and.................. coffee...hot chocolate...ice . It's all good.

• Weekend fishing trip for the boys. They got two of those this summer. One included my 21 year old nephew. They love this and it wouldn't feel like a complete summer without it.
• Fish fry over the fire at midnight. delicious
• Picking raspberries and saskatoons! and eating them!!
• Lots and lots of walks. I have TIME and can go at different times of day and have time to explore longer routes. alone, preferably and NOT with an IPOD. I prefer to hear what is coming and enjoy the sounds of the world. I can listen to music anytime. My walks are meant for quiet. Recharging.
• Road trips. Up to the lake. to the city. to camp.
• Movies. I actually had time to go to movies in the city this summer. Three of them. That's more than I went to in the whole previous year LOL

• Time out at the pond at the farm. My dad built it. Bridge and pavillion and all. We used to stock it with trout but they kept dying so until we figure that out, no trout for us. But a garden and a fire pit and wonderful lovely nature.
• BBQing. Grilling, I guess some call it.  Food cooked outdoors. Steak, chops, burgers, veggies. It all tastes so wonderfully fresh and it tastes a bit like freedom (leisurely time)
• Fields of canola and wheat. It is great fun watching it grow and mature and change colour. The canola itself is so vibrant!!! This pic is one of my favourite spots near home.

The sound of loons. There is something magically, haunting about them and they are a big part of my summer sensory experience

Where the money stands

as of August 7th

Debts
Mortgage- $33 427.55
Vehicle Loan - $ 10 487.20

Total Debt - $43 914.75


Savings
Back to School - $1500
EF (TFSA) - $2015.00


Special Savings
RESP - $7760
RRSP - $2673

I will be taking the Back to School $ off for the next summary.  I noticed that my RESPs have gone DOWN this month despite $200 being added to it. I will have to investigate what happened here. It should have been at about $8025.

No rest for the wicked

 Yes, on this lovely Saturday,  I am busy at the school working. I might as well. DS2 is gone, DS1 is at the lake with friends and DH is at my sister's acreage cutting grass.

I did quite well this year. I stayed out of the school until the third week of July. I think that's a record for me.

I came in once in the third week of July to find 'wet wax' signs so I turned around and went home. But reality is reality and there is work to be done. I have put in about 14 hours so far. While I am fortunate enough that I do not have to pack up my whole class, there is still a lot of work to do when the floors are cleaned. I spent about 3 hours moving all my furniture back where it belongs and wiping off the surfaces. Funny, those don't get cleaned by anyone but me. I then decided it was time to purge and re-organize things. I am close to the end of that. Then the real work begins of prepping, reading more new curriculum and planning new units to go with it.

I have come to the conclusion that I have toooo much stuff. I have been in this building for 12 years now and while I have purged and cleaned before, it really needed to be done again. It is frightening to see how much I have here that I have purchased. There is no budget for such things. I have rubbermaid tubs of all sizes, clear snap lid containers for units with lots of pieces, my own desk chair, stackers and dividers and dishtub sized containers everywhere. Magnets, pens, markers, a filing cabinet and three sets of shelves. Whiteboard markers and cleaners. Novels. tons of novels for the students to read.

I have over 100 ARGUS posters. I mean really....at $2 each minimum, my I have spent a lot of money over the years. Some are funny, some are thought provoking....some go with particular units or themes. I teach most subjects so there are a lot of topics I felt the need to buy posters for. Even second language ones since I teach French as well.  I haven't bought for a couple years but I let myself buy three new ones this year.

Anyways..... I have about 2 more hours of cleaning and sorting and tossing. Some goes to the garbage. Some goes to the recycle bin and some goes in a 'free to a good home' pile in the hall to see if anyone else may be able to use it.

I am not the only one who has been in. One is painting their bulletin boards. Another is painting their whole classroom. Two of the girls have been in and have their room set up and decorated.   I have a lot of work ahead of me before the actual start of work when I get paid again. I have to do lists all over my desk, by topic LOL

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone, wherever you are.

a hard time taking money

DS1 got paid yesterday for his work in July washing dishes. It was a long wait for him. He said he had no idea how people survive only getting paid once a month. His dad gets paid weekly and I get paid monthly. There was my prime moment to chime  in with a "that's why your mother has to plan things out and create 'fake paydays' each week'

He had a few debts. He owed his father $30. He is 'desperately' wanting a Chicago Jersey before they come to Saskatoon in September. He found one he liked in February when we went to Edmonton.  It, however, was $229.  He had decided when he was getting his job that he would save for the jersey. Then along came a friend who ofter orders things online and he was ordering a jersey. So DS and a few of his friends got together as they were cheaper with more being ordered. DS paid $30 for the jersey (borrowed from his father). It has not yet arrived so we shall see what quality it is. For $30 it could be a great deal, or a great lesson. He also borrowed money from me to go golfing with his trainer at the fancy golf course.  Thirdly, he agreed he would pay for part of his new stick he needs. The sticks run about $250 for his level of hockey. scary chit.  We decided he would pay $100 of it.

So yesterday he withdrew $190 of his hard earned money to begin payback. Funny, I had no trouble with him giving me the money he worked hard to earn, for his vehicle insurance, but for this, I really had a hard hard time taking the money from him.  He understood it and had no problem giving me money.  I had to do a lot of self talk to take it. The mother in me did not want to take his hard earned money. I  knew the lesson it created was more important that my desire to take care of him and provide for him.

and in the end, I didn't want to have to pay that MC bill all on my own.

I guess mama needs to keep learning too.

On a side note, my mother and father have decided that they don't want to cut their own grass anymore. They are 69 and almost 75, respectively and they work like dogs at their projects. Far harder than I do. But for some reason they are willing to give this up. DS1 has been hired at $20 a pop to cut their huge lawn. DS2 can do it if DS1 is out of town. Gas money!!!!

RRSP Update

I got my RRSP statement in the mail today. I only have it come twice a year so it's always a big surprise. I had made $100 in growth last statement in February. Much better than the one before that, where I made a whopping 89 cents.

I don't expect it to grow exponentially, but it was nice to see that I had made $75 in the last six months. That's more than I have been able to save for this year's contribution so how can I not be happy.

It does show though that interest and earnings grow and I didn't have to do anything to get that money. It motivates me to get more money in there so I can continue to watch it grow.

Clarity comes with fresh air, sunsets, campfires and baileys

and in the midst of it all, I thought 'Hey!!!  I have my debt total wrong in my sidebar'. It was right when I started this little adventure, back in 2008. But then I realized that when I bought the new vehicle in 2009, I changed how much I OWED but never changed the total amount of debt owing. Bad Jolie!!!

So to clarify, my starting debt was $84 458.22. Then I added on the sum of $29 661.30.

That means my actual debt total was $114 119.52. Ack!! that sounds even more awful.

But change it I shall.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

What a lovely weekend with family. There were 26 of us there in all. Bodies everywhere.  There was sunshine and fresh air......lightning storms and flooded tents............bbq ribs and burgers and freshly caught fish............... tubing and jetskiing (not for me) and fishing...........campfires, singalongs............. dogs and new babies and lots of baileys.

Family time just cannot be recreated or replaced.

I read a few books. Some for pleasure. A couple for school. Made my plan of attack for August... budget, to do lists, schedules etc.

Now off to do a mountain of laundry before I sent DS2 off for 2 weeks of Scout camp. I think he goes up to the Churchill River for part of it. for DS1, hockey try outs are looming on the horizon.

Happy Tuesday all.