DH is turning 40 this year and I have been trying to think of something special for him. He isn't really the type of person who likes to be the center of attention so a party wouldn't be the best idea. I did toy with the idea of a party but after 2 weeks of thinking about it I got super frustrated. Restaurants wanted close to $1000 for a buffet for the number of people I was thinking of. Plus the 2 I wanted had limited time available in the month of October. I tried some lodges at local parks and they are all booked until next year. So I have gone back to my original idea of going to Salem.

DH LOVES Halloween. His birthday is 10/28 so every year we do something Halloweenish for his day. He has always wanted to go to Salem to see all the Witch Trial stuff so that is what we are doing. I have already booked the hotel in nearby Peabody thanks to Koppur's recommendation. I am in the process of looking at Salem's website to get a bunch of ideas for things to do. There are a ton, all Halloween related! I am planning for us to leave in the middle of the night on the 23rd, drive and come back on the 26th(middle of the night). It is about 8.5 hours from where I live but I figure it will be easier on the kids if we drive at night so they can sleep and be well rested by the time we get there.

I am so excited and anticipate that he will be excited as well. I am planning on doing some baking and freezing it so we have snacks to bring. I have $600 saved so far. From what I hear it is pretty expensive there so I will continue to save what I can before we go. My goal is to pay up front for everything.

Now the hard part is not telling him or the kids until it gets closer to the date. I am bursting with excitement-I don't know how long I can go without telling!

Thanks for everyones support on my last post. I think I am feeling better about things and am trying to be more patient with both the finances and weight loss.

It was a busy weekend and I got away from my budget a little. I am going to look things over this evening and get back on track. I don't think it is too bad. I had the itch to shop over the weekend so I bought a few things I hadn't planned for. I really wanted some new sweaters for me now that fall is coming but I didn't find any that I liked. I ended up with a few t-shirts for me, a pair of sweatpants for DS, and a fall jacket for DD that was on sale at Gap for $17. And I splurged on a bottle of nailpolish for myself.

I took the kids plus one of DD's friend fruit picking on Saturday. We picked apples, peaches, and raspberries. The kids had a lot of fun and we got lots of fruit! I made some lemon raspberry muffins and some apple bars yesterday. Hopefully they will last the week.

My sister called all frantic last week because we have accounts with Merrill Lynch. They are the remainer of my dad's retirement account. She thought we were going to lose everything but as it turns out we are OK for now. I called our advisor and he said not much is going to change for us. My poor sis lost a whole night sleep worrying about it.

DH and the kids spent the better part of yesterday putting out all our Halloween decorations. I think we have more Halloween stuff than we do Christmas. It's crazy but he loves it. There is now a stuffed Dracula sitting on one of the rocking chairs on my new porch.

I made my lunch and brought my homemade goodies to work today so it looks like I am going to end this day with only spending $1.35 for coffee. Not too shabby!

Much like weight loss I am very frustrated with paying off debt. Neither seems to want to go away very quickly. I think they like me.

I was always fortunate when it came to my weight. I was a stick until I hit about 29 and got pregnant. I remember being a teenager and drinking milkshakes hoping that they would put some meat on my bones. Enter my 30s and the metabolism slows down and now all that meat I was wishing for has found a home. I guess I shouldn't really complain as this is the first serious effort I have put into losing weight (I am 5'7" and currently at 156 lbs). It just isn't coming off fast enough and it seems like all the things I am doing right aren't helping. I am not eating after 7pm anymore and I am limiting my stops for coffee and a donut in the am. I haven't drank much soda and I have increased the amount of water and fruit I take in. Exercise has been limited due to the foot injury which is starting to feel better.

Credit card debt seems to be in my blood although I should know better. My parents were in deep debt when they both died. Luckily I didn't inherit that debt but I remember them struggling to pay the bills. Why would I want that for myself? Well, I know I didn't set out to want that. I did some soul searching and came up with the thought that when I was younger like late teen early 20's I was dealing with the fact that my both my parents were alcoholics. The falling down drunk kind. They had been all my life. I believe that as soon as I hit 18 and was able to get a store credit card I went out and bought myself stuff to make me feel better about the situation at home. That mental process stuck with me for years and I always associated buying things with making myself happy. I didn't think about the long term consequences. So, here I am 37 years old. Both my parents passed away in 2001 and I am for really the first time in my life trying to get this under control. I am getting frustrated because I have created my budget, done my menu plan, and basically stopped all shopping and it doesn't seem to have made any difference whatsoever.

I am at a loss. It is so hard to try to deep yourself out of debt when you are trying to keep your family going. Kids are expensive and they need things. I am not talking about wants. I gave up on wants. Needs are expensive enough. And the weight, well, I am holding on to the idea that once my foot is healed I will head back to the gym. Just not seeing either number (total weight and/or total debt) decrease is very, very disappointing.

I am so glad the weekend is here! It is itme to do my grocery shopping. We managed to do well the first 2 weeks of the food budget. I stuck to my dinner menu and enjoyed the fact that I had everything that I needed to make each meal at home. No running out to the store for one or two things. I am going to sit down today prior to shopping to figure out what we need for the next 2 weeks.

A couple of observations-my husband will eat any and all sweets that are available to him. He had eaten all the brownies for DD lunch this past week so I am going to have to be a little more creative with hiding stuff.
He also ate all the corn chips I bought to make chicken nachos. That was a bummer.
The kids ran out of dessert-not exactly a need but something they enjoy. Could have used the brownies but we know what happened to them.

So, keeping all that in mind I will try to come up with some other ideas to protect the food.

I caved in and got my haircut last night. I love my hair! My hairdresser whom I have been going to for the past 7 years always does an awesome job. I am so happy with it! It is a cute short cut, full of layers, and style. He highlighted my hair to a really light blonde-almost platinum. It's different and so what I needed!

I am putting in some overtime at work today and then off to hang with the kids and do the shopping.

Tomorrow DD starts her travel soccer practice. She is going to be practicing with members of our local professional team. Not bad for an 8 year old!!

What do you think-should I put a lock on our kitchen cabinet to keep the Hubs away from the food?!

That is what is on the menu for tonight. With some garlic cheese bread-yum!

The menu is still going strong although I have had to tweak a few nights. Monday I worked late and DD had play rehearsal so Daddy took them to McDonalds. Tuesday Daddy bought pizza. So, tonight I am reining them in. Daddy is not doing so well with his food budget but that is a battle for another day. He tends to take the easy way out when it is his night to make dinner. Even if I have something prepared and all he has to do is heat it up he takes the liberty of going out.

I am also going to try to make another blueberry pie tonight if my foot will let me stand on it long enough. If not I will have to freeze the blueberries and make my pie another day.

I made brownies on Sunday and told DH that they were for the kids desserts all week and DD lunch. That didn't fly. He ate just about all of them. I think the kids each had one for dessert one night and DD had one in her lunch. The rest were eaten by Daddy. Now it is up to him to find something to put in DD lunch box as a dessert. I don't think she is going to be happy!

I am stopping after work for the orthopedic boot. I am hoping it will help with my walk in from the parking lot. I am not looking forward to wearing it but I notice it hurts the most when I walk long distance and unfortanely that happens twice a day. They priced it over the phone at $20 which I will be able to get back through flexible spending.

I was noticed my goals on my sidebar. I have to come up with some new ones and update where I am on the ones listed. Add it to my list of things to do!!

For the past week or so my left foot has been hurting. It is the top of my foot right under the second and third toes. I noticed over the weekend that it was swollen so decided I should probably get it looked at today.

Saw the PA who thought it might be fractured. He said if it wasn't I should ice it and take Advil. He gave me a script for orthopedic shoes! Good God, I am only 37! I am not wearing orthopedic shoes!!!! 15 minute consultation-$20.

Off to the radiologist to have an x-ray done. The PA suggested I wait there and have the film read so in case it was broken I could go to the ortho place next door and have it casted. Needless to say I spent all afternoon there getting the pictures taken and waiting for someone to decide if it was broken. Long story short-not broken. $20 please.

So, I am left not knowing what is wrong but do knowing it hurts and I have a nice little limp going. I am going to do some reseach online tonight to see what else it could be.

All this time I should have been at work so I want to make up my time rather than using vacation or sick time. I know, crazy me not using sick time but I figure if I am not really sick I should make it up and use the sick time for when I really can't get in here.

I stopped at McDonalds on my way back to work. First time for McDonalds in a long time. Went through the drive-thru. Got half way to work and noticed they gave me someone elses order. Went back and got what I ordered, got to work, ate at my desk and now I feel ill. I don't think my stomach likes fast food anymore.

Last night's dinner menu consisted of Mustard Crusted Steak, baked potatoes, rolls, asperagus and peas. It was yum-o! Tonight I am not cooking b/c DD has play rehearsal and I have to go get her as soon as I am done with work. Hopefully Daddy fed them on the way to the rehearsal.

Still sticking with the budget and am exciting to be well below in some categories. DD and I went to a farmers market on Saturday to get the fruits and veggies for the week and only spent $14.50 which I thought was pretty good.

Anyone know of an easy way to drain pastina? That was the most challenging part of my dinner last night. The pasta is so small that you can't put it in a strainer. I put a lid on the pot and tried to dump the water out while saving the pastina and got steam burns but managed to get most of the water out without losing all the pasta. The whole family enjoyed the dinner and there is enough left over for 1-2 of us to eat it on Leftover night.

Tonight I made homemade Egg, Bacon, and Cheese Biscuits like you can get at McDonalds. They turned out really well and I would like to think they are a little healthier than McDonald's version. We ate them with a bunch of fresh grapes.

I am proud to say I haven't been to the grocery store since last Sunday and I don't have any plans to go until possibly this Sunday. Yeah me!

It was movie night at our house tonight. I rented Nim's Island for me and the kids. Very cute movie in my opinion and the kids enjoyed it to. .99 for family movie night-I'll take it! I also rented Juno for me but I am so tired I don't know that I will make it to the end.

Payday today. I plugged my income into my budget and paid a few bills. So far so good. I hope the rest of the month goes as planned. The only category I think I may fall short in is gas for the car. I budgeted $200 and I am not sure if that is enough. In all other areas I am right on track.

I am taking my car in for an oil change and inspection tomorrow morning. I budgeted $50 so let's hope it isn't more than that. I am confident it will pass inspection as I got new tires a few months ago and everything seems to be working as it should.

We are off to a family birthday party tomorrow where we will probably have pizza for dinner. I am looking forward to not having to cook as well as spend some time with the family. I already purchased the gift a few weeks ago and managed to stay under $25.

Sunday I am hoping it will rain all day so I can lounge around and take a nap

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis from the Food Network! It should be ready in less than 60 minutes and has many ingredients that the kiddos like so I am hopeful this recipe will be a keeper.

We took the kids to Friendly's last night to celebrate Peeps (DD) first day of 3rd grade. She had an awesome day and loved it. She was actually cheering when she saw the bus coming down the street yesterday morning. Weird, I know! So, Friendly's was packed with lots of other families probably out for the same reason. Service was slow and Chicken (DS) was not well behaved. We were there for 1 hour and 20 minutes at least and most of that time we were reprimanding him. DH had to take him outside for a while. Not good. So, I am not eager to eat out again as a family for say 5 years Perhaps by then it will be a little easier.

Viewed my upcoming pay stub today and noticed that I did underestimate my income on my budget. I am going to split the extra between additional debt payments and savings.

I have finally decided what to do for DH 40th birthday. I am going to go ahead and have a party. He wants it small, just family. I think this will be one of the occassions when I don't listen to him I think I am going all out for a big, yet not expensive party. His bday is right before Halloween (which is his favorite holiday) so I have my theme all set!

My budget for the month of September is done. I estimated my income a little low. I work on call so every month differs with how many on call days I will have and if I have to resolve anything when on call. So, I am hoping that my income will be a little higher than what I put down.

I have every penny accounted for which is a good feeling. I have a sense of what and what we (I) can or can't afford this month.

I also planned out the whole month full of dinner menus. My DH was leary at first and said "How will I know what I feel like eating on say 9/15"? To which I said "You will eat what I make on 9/15 or you can make something yourself". I know he will eat what I make just so he doesn't have to make anything (he's like that )

I went to the grocery store and to Sam's Club this weekend to get a jump start on purchasing the food for the month. On my budget I had $100 for Sam's (for mainly the meat) and $150 at the grocery store. I came in at $117 at the grocery store and $62 at Sam's. So that leaves me with $33 for milk and veggies/fruit and $38 for Sam's for the rest of the month. Since I know I don't need anymore meat from Sam's I will probably get some milk and fruit next time I go. I am trying to cut down on the number of trips to the grocery store I make.

I also spent $70 out of my $200 gas budget. I am trying to be mindful of the amount of errands I run on the weekends.

So, hopefully this will go well and encourage me to continue next month.

What is for dinner tonight you ask? Pizza-take out. With it being the night before school starts and I am won't get home until after 6:30pm I figure pizza would be good so the kids don't have to wait for me to eat. And yes, I did figure pizza into the budget