I was fortunate to receive an offer from the place that I wanted to work at. I have had 7 interview requests from different schools in this district. That makes me feel good because I finally feel like I am at a place where I have some experience and training to back me up. The classes that I have been taking and the experience I have been getting in the classroom is starting to pay off.

I will receive a 32% salary increase from my last teaching contract, super excited about that! Cost of living is higher out here, but SO's cost of living increase will cover the higher housing costs, the only significant price difference that I really notice. The plan is to roll the raise into the taxable investment account for now.

I am simultaneously continuing to work on my professional certificate, this is one of the reasons that I have been sought out for these jobs. It is the edge that many other teachers do not have. I'm not saying that to boast, but to just point out that those extra steps CAN help you in the long run. Developing interests within your career, getting extra training, taking on additional duties, these types of things will bring positive results eventually.

Not to say that I am guaranteed whatever I want in my career, but I do know that if I work hard with good intentions and a positive attitude, positive things are going to come my way. The whole law of attraction thing.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. I am thankful for the pay raise, thankful for the great job opportunity, and I will make this a good move for my family.

I'm a temporary nanny for a few weeks for a family out here. The family has plenty of money and likes to show it- consumerism at it's finest.

Anyway, I was driving the kids to run some errands today, and the oldest, at 11 years old, asks if I "like" my 2008 Kia. I kind of shrug and tell her, yes, it's in good shape and runs really well, and we can fit lots of stuff in it. Then she asks if I plan to buy a newer, nicer car "after getting settled" at my new job and house.

I was surprised by the question, and told her it wasn't important to me to get a new car, unless I needed one by then.

Later on she asked about the new place we are renting in a few weeks. She asked if we were going to move out of the townhome to a bigger home in the future!

(It's actually a single family home we are renting, it just isn't 4,000sqft like her home. It has a nice yard, super close to work and is in a very good school district.)

She asked about all of this stuff nicely, but it was almost like she felt bad for us for having to "make do" with a Kia and a smaller home.

Her dad is really snobbish, so I'm sure she's heard some adult conversations on my choice of car or home. It just goes to show how adults can shape a child's attitude about money. And how money can't buy manners!

I have strengthened my vow not to complain about money to my girls. They know that I am furthering my education so that I can be better at my job and make more money, but I reassure them that we don't "need" more money. It's nice to have but in no way makes us better than anyone else. I don't want them being materialistic and always wanting "more", never being happy with what you have.

This summer has been a whirlwind. I spent a week in the Midwest visiting my family that I haven't seen in 10 years. It was a nice trip, but felt very long!

You may recall SO received orders to DC area in the Spring, and the kids and I were not able to go along initially because their dad wasn't on board. It turns out that his job is up in that area so he approved of our move out there, since he can see the girls just as easily up there as anywhere. Basically, he works up there and can live anywhere, as long as he returns to duty on his scheduled days. So he has flexibility.

The move means SO, the girls and I all can live under one roof again, saving the expense of 2 households. It also means I am able to accept the higher paying job, and get the experience I need for the next phase of my professional goals. I'll have more financial details later this week.

Right now I'm the temporary nanny for a family out here, and we drive home on the weekends to pack. The movers pick up our household goods on Aug 1. We will be ready!

I have birthday parties planned for both of my girls that everyone is excited about, and lots to look forward to. So lots of changes and stress, but also fun things to look forward to and be thankful for.

Whew! Glad to have that over with! I earned the Basic Series professional development certificate, which is 3 classes. I can continue to earn the Advanced Series, that is 5 classes. But I'm going to take a breather this next session. All these classes count towards professional certification, but I still have a ways to go before I earn that. I need to get supervision hours. This may be the year that I start my supervision, to get the ball rolling.

We have rented a house in the DC area. It is within our budget, a great yard, great family neighborhood, excellent schools, and the girls can each have their own rooms. It is within walking distance to transit station, so on the weekends we can avoid the traffic. Their dad works out there so the girls will be able to spend time with dad when he's not on a work trip.

The Skype interview went really well last week, the school wants me to come see the classrooms with summer school in session so that I can decide if I want the job! Summer school starts up next week for them, so I will visit on Friday. As soon as it is official I will notify my current school. I already talked to HR, I just need to fill out resignation paperwork since the new school year hasn't started.


We will be moving out there even if this one position doesn't work out. I also have an interview with another school scheduled for next week. And if that doesn't work out I will look for private companies that work with children with special needs. One of the great things about this area is that there are tons of professional opportunities, I should easily be able to find a supervisor to start my professional hours.

This move happened rather suddenly. SO has been out there since March, and now finally the stars have aligned and we are able to move out there as well. That of course changes all the other plans we had placed, but this is what we have ultimately hoped for, to be together as a family again. The commuting on the weekends for 4 years would get old.

I have firmed up plans for the summer job. I will earn about $1170 for 13 days of work. Work that is basically caring and entertaining a couple of girls, along with my own kids. No errands or cleaning, just taking them places to have fun, keeping them happy while the parents are at work. I think I can manage that, especially since I would need to do that for my own children, anyway!


I don't have plans for the extra summer money, I imagine I will put it in savings for now. When I build up my savings to $5000 I transfer it to my taxable investment account and start again. This will help me reach my goal more quickly. Which is great because savings has been very slow lately.

I have two more weeks of class, then I am done with class #3.

I have an important meeting tomorrow via Skype. I don't want to jinx myself by talking about it here, but I will update all when I get more news. It will mean changes at work and home but also great career advancement and a nice salary increase. Change is not always comfortable, but it is the only way to grow.

then a much needed break! The first week of break will be spent at home, as we have a variety of appointments and errands. Also an end of the school year party we are hosting, a sleep over, and a dance recital. Then we leave to spend a week in DC with SO, before flying out to the midwest for a week over Independence Day weekend. Finally back home for some downtime around the 9th of July. I'm excited about it all, I'm ready for some fun with my family.

I only have a few more weeks left of class #3. I need to think about when to register for class #4. It is only going to be offered a few more times so I don't have too much choice in the matter. But I don't want to overwhelm myself, it does take a lot of free time, and in early fall free time is very limited. I'll look into that this weekend. Not to mention that it costs me $890, that I pay out of pocket.

I should be back to saving a decent amount each month, as I finally have some sort of budget for expenses in the house by myself. I won't be able to save as much as I did when SO lived here full time, but that is just how things have to be for now. I'm grateful we can keep the house and manage 2 households comfortably.

As a side note, my plants are doing well. The hostas have just exploded, those babies have been coming back for 3 years now. I planted some annuals that are growing and look healthy. I also planted an azalea bush last weekend, and it looks like it is surviving. So my yard may not look like Better Homes and Garden, but at least it looks like we care, and most of the plants are alive! Baby steps, right?!

A former principal contacted me and asked me to come over to her school next year... I accepted! I'm excited about this new opportunity. She mentioned that my department really needs to get brought up to current practices, and she was very excited about teh skills that I am bringing. It's a nice feeling when someone requests you due to your performance at work, feels good that someone notices.


So not only do I have a new school to look forward to, but I also am looking for a new house. SO will be in DC for the next 4-5 years, and I will be in this area because the kids' father is here. He may be gone a lot for work trips, but this is his home base and I do want the kids close by so they can all be together when he is not working. SO is selling her house and I will find a new one that is more affordable for me in our preferred school district. I am in the process of gathering financial paperwork for the lender.

I am also done with week #3 of my online class. I was "this" close to dropping it and losing my tuition, but then I just went through the "motions" of school work. Before I knew it, I was fully engaged in the work that needed to be done, and by the time my live class was scheduled to begin, I was up to speed. Sometimes I need to just push through the really tough parts, and it isn't nearly as bad as I anticipate.

Today will be a busy Monday, I am sure. I have a few more IEPs to write before the end of the month and some advanced planning to do so I don't feel so rushed. Plenty to keep me busy. Then after work I can think about all of the other things going on in my life!

I am on a sweets kick, ugh. Litte DD wanted to bake some brownies, but I seem to be the one eating them! I also picked up some fudge "for the girls" yesterday from a local shop. Usually I don't even bring that sort of stuff home. I do so much better when the stuff isn't even in the house.

Besides that, I've had a productive weekend. Doggie developed conjunctivitis so an unexpected vet visit and medication cost $82. That took up much of my extra money for the pay period, so there is no $25 for plants. Instead little DD and I bought some colorful annuals for under $5.00. At least they will brighten up the yard. I will pick up some annuals next pay period with my spending cash. I did plant some hostas a few years ago that came back last year, not sure if they will return this year. I didn't realize I had to move them in the winter, oops.

I have a couple different options for work/home next year. I'm ready for a decision to be made, the uncertainty is irritating.

On the list for today: run 3-4 miles, watch videos for my class, meet with instructor online, prep for work week ahead. I may not have to leave the house at all, unless I want to do my run outdoors.

I finished the orientation and saved all of the first unit's materials to print today. Looks like my weekends will once again be filled with online videos and studying! Not looking forward to that part AT ALL, but the information will be super useful to me at work and will help my career. Must remember that.

I'm thinking ahead to the weekend. Besides homework, I want to take a break long enough to go to the local nursery and pick out some plants to freshen up our front yard. I will set aside maybe $25 to do this, so I need to pick carefully. Besides an azalea bush, I'd like some annuals (those are the ones that come back each year, right?) that are successful in full sunlight. Any suggestions?

Sunday will be my last day off before returning to school from break. I will be energized, though, and ready to wrap up the year soon. I have lots of paperwork deadlines coming up from now until school is out, so I know that the rest of the year will go fast.

We spent 4 days in DC with SO. Although chilly, the weather was mostly pleasant. I got to take my girls to a few local parks and hike, lots of fun! We also went to see the cherry trees and visited the National Harbor. It feels good to be back home, though, and we are all looking forward to tomorrow so that we can rest and prepare for the school week.

I did not do very well with my spending this paycheck. My 13 year old has been going through a growth spurt, and all of a sudden she can fit into ladies sizes, where's my little girl?! So I picked her up several new outfits that she can mix and match and they should suffice for the spring. I also picked up the 9 year old some clothes that were on sale. Shoes for both of them.

I didn't find anything for myself, though I could really use some Springy clothes. Although I want to wear some professional classy clothes, most of my time is spent hands on with the kids on my feet all day and I need to find clothes that reflect that as well. I get overwhelmed and then I don't buy anything.

I went ahead and transferred some money out of short term savings to cover the spring clothes (that sort of thing is what it is supposed to be used for, anyway). I will "live" the rest of the week with money for groceries and gas and that is about it. I spent my extra spending money on Spring Break.

I have the security deposit in hand and the lease is signed. A single guy in his 30's, works as a civilian at one of the nearby bases. He has been at his current place for 2 years with no issues, but likes that my place is on the beach and has a washer/dryer and dishwasher I feel confident that this will work out for both of us.

SO has been home for the past several days as her new assignment gave her some transitioning leave. She goes back Monday evening. The girls and I will drive up Thursday to spend some of our break up there with her. We plan on driving into DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival, we are all excited about that.

Nothing much saved this month as I had the condo vacant and I diverted some savings to cover that. I will be back on track for next month.

Happy Easter and may everyone have a peaceful, warm day!

Last night I stopped to think about how much time I spend in the kitchen- it's a long time! Now that it is just the kids and me I make simple meals, because as the only adult in the house I don't have the time to make really complex things. But even with simple pasta and vegetables, after prepping, cleaning from dinner, packing lunches, prepping for the next night's dinner, and prepping for breakfast, it's a lot of time spent in the kitchen!

On the weekends I probably spend even more time in the kitchen because that is when I would take more time to cook bigger meals, or a pot of soup for lunches for the week, or a bread, etc.

I'm not complaining, I like to eat and I like to eat healthy foods so you do what you gotta do. I just need to be vigilant about scheduling enough time for cooking and food prepping. I'm glad I like my kitchen!

I think the time is coming. This one is over 5 years old and is starting to really have issues. I also need to look into purchasing a portable hard drive to use between home and work. I've used a thumb drive in the past, but I think I should start saving all of my work on the hard drive. I will need to educate myself on all of this before I take another step.

I need to fill up on gas this morning, as I'm driving to DC tomorrow after work. SO is moving this weekend . I will be up there this weekend to help her move, and then she will come down next weekend for the long Easter weekend. We have our commuting schedule laid out for the next few months.

My next class starts April 1, during Spring Break. At least I should be able to easily find the time for studying that week. It is a 10 week class, it will take me to the summer. I'm paying for that class on a 0% interest credit card, each pay check I pay $100 towards it, so the class should be paid off as part of my budget without having to take out of savings. Just in time for the next class~!

Sunday was sooo chilly and overcast, I just wanted to huddle in my sitting room with a blanket. Which I did, for a few hours. After a nap I got up and did some leisurely chores.

Since the girls were with their dad I took advantage of the time alone and did my Easter shopping. I picked up a couple bags of candy, which I will also use for my students. I spent about $8 per person for additional basket fillers. I picked up little useful things that I thought they would enjoy.

I did some organizing of the kids' bathroom yesterday. I painted it last month and I've been redecorating the room as I find things that would fit. It's looking very cute in there!

Saturday was a whole different story. Although it rained initially it ended up being a beautiful day, where we didn't even need a jacket. I brought DD to the oceanfront for a charity 1 mile Shamrock run, and it was so much fun. A great day to enjoy a run at the beach!

Saturday night we had leftovers for dinner and then met up with friends at a bar we hadn't been to before. We spent $22 on drinks, still cheaper than a dinner out. We had a great night catching up with friends.

All in all, a fine weekend. Very March-ish, with the weather going from one extreme to the other.

The last 2 posts I've attempted to write initially posted but they are now gone. Ugh...

I'm too tired to rewrite. I made it cash only this pay period, pay day is tomorrow, that's it. Happy weekend, to all!

I registered for class #3 of my series of 5. $890 that I paid out of pocket. I may get a few hundred of that back next summer in tuition reimbursement from work, but I have to wait and see if the funding will still be there.

I wrote out the cover letter for my job application. I want to keep my options open for other job opportunities that may help me reach my long term professional goals. I think that staying where I am will not help me in the long run. Furthering my education and seeking a more specialized position will help. I don't have to accept anything if I don't want to create too many changes in my life at once, but I do want to see what else is out there.

We had a cold, cold weekend. I got my errands finished and all of the work that I had to do is finished. Next we are heading to my mom's for dinner, and then back home to get to bed early in anticipation for another work week.

I spent money: $49 dinner out for the kids and me, $24 at Walmart for Easter decorating and drinks for my parents' dinner, $2 coffee and apple pies, $30 for gas, $13 for sewing supplies for DDs class. That was easy to spend...need to be very careful with the rest! Just $78 left :0

Although it is still cold outside, I'm seeing the end of the tunnel with warmer days here and there. I know for the next month or so the weather will play tricks on me, but that is all part of the season. I've started to enjoy running outside so whenever the temps are mild enough I grab my mom's puppy and try to tire her out on a good run. My mom appreciates it as much as the puppy, a tired dog is a well behaved dog!

I successfully met my fitness goals last month, and even ran 4 bonus miles and completed a bonus workout. I have started to look forward to my workouts because I feel so good afterwards. Plus, when I workout consistently and feel good, I tend to make better food choices. Which makes my body feel good, and I'm more inclined to workout. A healthy cycle! I need to remember this during the tough moments when I stray from the workouts or good eating, I don't want to break out of the "good" cycle.

Financially, I have to be careful. I took out cash for the next two weeks for spending, so when it is gone, it is gone. I just don't want the added hassle of credit cards and transferring money from account to account. I tend to spend more money that way. Of course if I'm not careful I spend the cash just as easily, there is just a stopping point when it is all gone.

Starting balance: $208

This weekend I plan to work on my website for a couple hours, I'm anxious for it to be up and running. I will also do some work from school that I haven't been able to catch up on during the week. I received a new student and there is a lot of paperwork to transfer over, but you aren't given any additional time to do it all. I should have that completed in a few hours as well. So I guess I should plan on one day this weekend to be lazy at home, so that I can be in front of the computer. Well, at least I won't be spending money!

Cold days are forecasted for the weekend, so I can plan on computer work, grocery shopping, and an indoor workout for Saturday. Then Sunday church with SO and the girls, cooking for the week, and dinner at my parents' house. I'm looking forward to it, easy going weekend!

For some reason last week we had something to do every night after work. Between special afterschool activities, special cooking for work and family for Valentine's day, and shopping I was exhausted. I literally felt like I had no time to relax except when I was in bed sleeping.

I usually try to go Nowhere after work during the week, besides lessons for the kids. If I forget something from the grocery store, I try to just make do. I think that those little stops add up to some serious time (and money) wasters. I do most of my errands on the weekends when possible. I save after work errands for banks and things that aren't open on weekends.

So this weekend I have slept in and recuperated from the busy week. The girls went with their dad for the weekend, they were looking forward to that. Friday night we had take-out pizza and then went to Barnes and Nobles, where I had a gift card. I picked up a gift for one of my students who is leaving to another program, I'm going to miss him so much, even though he is by far my toughest kid

Saturday we shopped for groceries, the bill only came up to $62, woohoo! It's important to note that we eat out for dinner usually on Friday and/or Saturday, so we don't buy as much food as someone who never eats out. We do shop for breakfast and lunches, though, for 7 days a week, and 5 or 6 dinners.

After groceries we shopped around for items to finish out my sitting room. Everytime I look in the room I smile! I worked on my website for about an hour and a half, and then we went out to dinner at a new restaurant recommended to us. After dinner we relaxed together with the fireplace on, which was timed perfectly because it began to sleet outside. A good time to be warm and dry inside!

Today I will work out, update my finances and work on my website for about an hour or so. It can get addicting once I get involved with the work, so I better do all of my other stuff first! I also have some BoxTops to clip and count for my school, I volunteered to manage that program for the PTA. At least it is something I can do from the comfort of my new sitting room!

Since SO is moving to DC, some of our furniture will go with her to furnish her basement apartment. We got on Craigslist this weekend to look for the rest of the furniture she will need. She got some great deals, I think she's addicted to Craigslist now!

I picked up a beautiful sectional for my sitting room since SO is taking the furniture that is in the room now. The room isn't done yet, but it's going to be fabulous! I love to read and "lounge", so this room is going to be my refuge from the world. I'll post pictures when it is complete, along with the makeover budget. The only thing that will not be done is painting. I want to hire a company to paint the upstairs and I'm not ready to spend that money just yet.

Besides furniture hunting, we did our usual cleaning and cooking for the week. I also ran 30 minutes yesterday, on the treadmill since it is too cold outside for me.

I have almost completed my taxes, just waiting on one more statement. So far I'm getting a refund, so that will go straight to savings account.

I received a $4 rebate check in the mail, my rebate account is now up to $44 for the year.

I met my exercise goals for January, now I'm starting again for February. 25 miles and 8 additional workouts. Yesterday after work I exercised with a coworker, it does make it more fun and keeps me more accountable. It is so much easier to pass up a workout when it's just me.

I am restricting eating out to just the weekends, and just one meal. Mostly for my health, because lately I've slacked off a bit and slipped in some junk meals here and there and I feel the effects. If I just stick with a planned meal out on the weekends, I can plan my menu for the rest of the meals, I've gotten good at that. I should save some money that way, too.

I'm going to get into work early today and finish some mandatory training that is due soon. Nice start to the day, to get something off of the "must do" list.

I cashed in $31.44 in Chase rewards, so the check is on its way. I will add it to the Rebate money account when the check arrives. I rarely use that card anymore so I figured I would "cash out" while I was thinking of it.

It was way too cold for me to run outside after work. Instead, I took the kids home like usual and then got right on the treadmill before starting dinner. The kids didn't seem to mind that we ate dinner later than usual, they usually get a snack after school anyway. I had plenty of energy after my 3.5 mile run, enough to get me through the nighttime routine. Now I'm ready for bed, I have a few more busy days ahead of me this week!

What a renewing weekend! Saturday I did all that exercise, grocery shopped, and baked some banana bread.

We spent Sunday in D.C. looking at a few places for SO to call her new home. We found the perfect place, and the owner is fine with me, the girls and the dog coming down to visit and stay during our down time. (Mostly she will be coming back to see us, though, easier that way). While we were out there we met up with a friend of SO's that she hadn't seen in ten years but kept up with through facebook and text messages. We had such a good time! She invited us to stay the night. Since the kids were with their dad for the weekend and we had nothing pressing to do the next day, we went ahead and stayed over.

This morning we got up early and headed back home. I would have loved to stay for the Inauguration events, but unfortunately have to work tomorrow. We had lunch together at Olive Garden and have been relaxing at home ever since. I've been working on my side project, it's fun stuff! I'll show you all when it is at a sharing point, it is still very much under construction. I also completed a job application for another school, I like to keep my options open each year.

The kids are on their way home now and then we will have dinner and get ready for the short week. We spent about $80 on eating out, gas and shopping for the weekend, all in all not bad.

It's beautiful outside, except for the air temperature! It was 40 something, not weather I usually run in, but it was so sunny and pretty outside I decided to go for it anyway. I bundled up, then SO and I took our dog to a local park. The dog didn't want to walk, she is a little thing and I guess she got cold. Either that or she got embarassed in her puffy pink coat! So SO waited with her in the car after ten minutes of walking. I ran for 20 minutes and then headed back to the car. After lunch back home I got on my treadmill and ran 3 more miles, then I did some weight training for about 15 minutes. So I got some great exercise in today and I feel good!

Tomorrow we are headed to D.C. for the day, need to check out some possible apartments for SO. We won't be moving up there with her, the girls' dad is having issues with it and I'm not going to drag the girls through any drama. I'm disappointed but I'm not going to dwell on it. At least D.C. is only 3 hours away so trips back and forth for all of us will be pretty convenient.

I was able to get a 20 minute Jillian Michaels workout in during my lunch break. Not the ideal situation but I had a meeting after work and I really needed to exercise for my sanity.

My assistant has been out with the flu, so my tough classroom has been even tougher, I'm exhausted! Tomorrow is Thursday, though, I'll make it through the week.

I spent $1.87 at Mc D's for a coffee and apple pie, sometimes in the morning it's nice to have a hot cup of coffee to look forward to on a rough day.

It was a great plan, but it didn't pan out. We decided to meet up at a local restaurant with a fabulous Happy Hour special, where I can get an amazing burger, fries, and beer for under $10. I guess the word got out, though, because by the time we arrived there were no seats available anywhere. We ended up going to a nearby restaurant for a regular meal. So it cost $20 instead. It was still good, it just would have tasted better at under ten bucks! But I wasn't going to ruin a night out by being cheap- the main purpose was to get together with friends and share a meal. I can make up the difference in cost somewhere else.

We were very careful at the grocery store this morning. We usually budget $80 a week, but to make up for going over last week we only spent $55 this week. And we have some good, simple meals planned. We are very careful to use what we have and to not run to the store for little things here and there, I end up spending too much that way. We just go grocery shopping once a week.

Tonight we plan on staying in, I'm looking forward to that! We have some dvds to watch, and there's always some cooking to do if we feel up to it. I plan on taking a nap soon, though, I enjoy taking a short nap on the weekends!

I am almost out of my spending money for this pay period. I have $36 left to get me through the weekend. I am sure I can manage on that. The girls don't have any purchases that have to be made, I still have half a tank of gas, and groceries come out of a separate budget. We plan on eating dinner at home Friday night and then meeting up with friends for a drink, so that shouldn't cost more than $10. I just have to leave it at one drink only! I am also a beer fan, so maybe I can get by with $5. I'm limiting those extra calories anyway. I don't need more than one drink.

Yesterday after work I ran 4 miles, it was gorgeous outside!!! This morning I did a quick kettlebell workout, so I'm ready for my day.

I too, am waiting for payday. In addition to the tax adjustments, my medical insurance premiums will increased. I also started the dental plan since ex has retired and the kids were no longer covered. I will adjust to it all somehow.

I am getting over some sort of bug. Not a head cold, but a really nauseous, under the weather/dead tired/ drag-down feeling. I couldn't even drink coffee or tea, that's how blah I felt. Each day I wake up, though, I have been feeling a little better.

I miss working out, I haven't done anything since last week. Well,I walked for about 10 minutes yesterday during my lunch break, just to get the sunshine and fresh air. I'm feeling good enough today to get some exercise in. Today I plan on jogging around the school neighborhood as I wait for my DD2, she has to stay afterschool for a club. There is always work to be done in my classroom, but I figure getting in exercise is more important today. I want to get back to healthy after being sick this week.

Finances aren't as great as I would like, but I am keeping up with everything. I also have a supportive SO who will help me out if I ever need anything, so I have that to be thankful for.

I'm almost done with this class I'm taking. I have a test to complete this weekend, and then next week I study for the final. I take the final after New Years and then I am done.

I want to take a break from classes but I also want to utilize the tuition assistance I can receive for this school year from my employer. It is only for a few hundred dollars (the class is $890), but that is a few hundred I don't have to pay. I suppose I can push through another class. There are five classes for the certification. I am finishing up class #2 of 5 right now. The certification will really put me ahead for my career, especially when I can get direct supervision hours. It's a long term goal, not something I want to complete right away.

Still thinking about my 2013 financial goals, it seems as if I can barely think past this week.

My finances may be murky right now, but they are improving every day. This year I had the child support cut in half due to ex not finding steady employment yet. That really impacted the finances.

I also have the issue of SO getting new orders. That has still not completely played out, but we are getting closer to finding a solution every day. It was a lot of added stress in 2012.

Right now I am focusing on remembering the good that is in this world. One sick individual created such devastation, but I must remember that goodness and love is pouring out of others who are heartbroken by this evil.

Yesterday I didn't spend any money, typical for a week day. I don't want to spend any extra time coming in and out of stores after work so I just plan all of my errands for the weekend if possible. Then I knock them all out in one trip and have the rest of the time off.

Tonight I should be coming straight home as well. I have my online class meeting after dinner so it will just be our regular after school routine and homework.

The bright side to the work week- less money spent!