almost payday

I am SO glad payday is almost here. This has been a spendy month. I definitely did not plan to save enough money to cover costs for prom and grad. My first time through so I will be far better informed next time with DS2....but in the meantime....

So far we have the Suit, tie, pocket thingie, belt, dress socks and shoes. All of which will be worn and  used again regularly except perhaps the pocket thingie.

Then we have cap and gown fees required by school.

Prom tickets.

I got a few... FEW of his cap and gown pics from the fancy photographer. For my mom, my sisters etc. I literally had my breath taken away at the costs for the big packs.

I had forgotten the escort corsage and his lil flower. I got silk ones. The others would wither before prom even started.

We have been having decorating bees trying to get  everything ready for prom. Some of these moms LOVE the opportunity to take charge and I am happy to let them and just be a flunky. Cut and glue, I can do. No thinking or planning required.

Listening to the ones with daughters talk about costs made my stomach turn. The dress and jewelery. The hair and shoes. The fancy pics. Boys are SO much easier.

My niece will be taking the formal pics. Not sure how much this will end up costing but certainly less than the fancy ones.

I bought a dress thanks to my online shopping buddy Asian Pear. It has worked for my april wedding I went to and will work for prom and then for grad as well. No one's going to be looking at moi LOL

For DS2's grad I will find some ways to cut costs, not because he doesnt' deserve things, but because I will be more informed on how to get more bang for less buck.

RRSP Update

At my last update, the money I had put in during the last week of December, did not make it on the statement. It was 'there' in spirit, just not on the statement which was printed before the money went in.

My balance right now  is $6174

It is currently divided between 65% Canadian  Equity (Dividends) and 35% Canadian Income (Bonds)

I have contributed $5500 over the few years since I started which means a lovely $674 has been 'earned' since the start.

If I am reading the statement accurately, I am earning just under $8 a month on the bonds and $15 a month on the dividends.

Better late than never but I will forever kick myself, just a bit, that it wasn't started sooner.

Long weekend Saturday

Most folk were headed up to the lake for the long weekend, and my DS2 was one of them, but for the rest of the Money Tree family it was a weekend at home.

DS1 started work last week and is working his way through this long weekend. It keeps him busy and out of trouble :-) I went down to the campground late this afternoon and took him some supper. It was his first 8 hour shift. I know he needs to be a big boy and pack his meals but we were barbequing and it seemed a shame not to share it with him for his supper break. It was really good to see him so confident, on his own down there. He was on the afternoon/evening shift and worked alone. As I got there, he was talking with some guests so I curled up at a picnic table to the side to wait. I didn't want to be THAT mom :-) I was so proud to hear him talking to them IN FRENCH. They were from Quebec and making their way across the country. All those years of immersion paid off I guess. They were speaking a little faster than he's used to hearing but it was all good. Very cool.

For DH and I, Saturday was yard labour work. Our newish neighbours are tearing down their fence and putting up a new one. The old one is 40 years old according to my oldest neighbours on the other side. We agreed to share the cost of our common piece. DH also decided to do the back fence as well. Our neighbour on the other side does not wish to redo the fence, so for now, the old one will remain. Everything looked so naked and bare without a fence. I mean, the old one was only 4 feet high, so it was hardly Fort Knox, but with things down, it felt so exposed. Can't wait for the new one to go up. Hope it goes smoothly. It was nice to actually have a moment to talk to these folk. They are a younger couple with a little girl and a newborn son. She is a teacher in the area too, though I had not met her before. This new fence is 6 feet high.  It's going to be very different back there not being able to see across the alley or the next yard.

The mosquitos have come in full force. They are fierce!!!

Happy Saturday.

Beginning of Grad season

Friday night I headed up to the community where my sister lives. It was my niece's graduation. Very small town. 15 graduates. I haven't been able to make it up for any of her siblings' grads so I really enjoyed the small town aspect of it all. We started with supper for the grads and their families at the community center. Then off we went to the school for the ceremony. She was valedictorian and I was so proud of her as she gave her speech. This is the last of the grandchildren, aside from my two, to graduate. I found myself tearing up quite a bit as I realized this would be me, at my son's. very soon. Long dresses are back in again. I remember my grad with it's ballgown. ahhh memories.

Tonight was my niece's graduation. She is the last of the grandchildren to graduate aside from my own two.  I haven't been able to make it up for her siblings' graduations so I was happy to get there for this one.

It was  a small town graduation. 14 graduates. These kids have been in the same class their whole lives and know each other inside and out. We started off the evening with a family only supper at the community center. Each graduate and his/her escort came in and paraded around so everyone could see. Then they were introduced and the MC told a little bit about the student, their memories of high school and their hopes for the future.

After the supper we went to the school for the ceremony. This was open to anyone, with chairs reserved for those who had been at the supper. I was very proud of her as she gave her valedictorian speech. I found myself tearing up quite a bit, only to receive a smack from her mother (my next oldest sister) to stop it  because I was making her cry. I realized that I would be in the same position very soon, and it was starting to sink in.  Long dresses are back in. Most of them strapless, but not all. Several of them had a corset laced back which looks lovely, but is a pain in the *ss to tighten or to fix should anything....err....upstairs.....be falling out.

After the ceremony there was a brief formal dance and then the extra family like moi headed home while the immediate family went home to change. There was a parent controlled party out on a grad's farm. It gives the kids a chance to celebrate in a very controlled evironment with the parents to be sure everyone was safe and got home safely.

Here is a picture of the back of my niece's dress. I love love love the blue.

They did family pictures that day. I wish I looked as pretty and put together as my sister does when she is all dolled up.

A wee bit more snow

I love it when I forget I have money coming in. It doesn't happen often so I appreciate it when it does.

My travel and conference reimbursement fees came back today giving me another $120 for the kitty.

Off to the bank I go and now I am under $350 on the LOC. This should be gone soon :-)

Happy  Happy.