First Post of 2011!

Well, here we go again!

I'm attempting to do this blog thing, as a tool for myself to publish my thoughts, my accomplishments and my goals. It always seems to help with accountability when you "put it all out there" and that is my intention.

I have been very inspired by my cousin, Lauren, who started in 2010 with health/diet goals for each month and has expended that for 2011. Its motivating to see how others can set goals and succeed! Maybe my goal setting can be motivation in some way for others as well!

I am participating in an online/blogging program called "3 in 30" for each month in 2011. See more info here (http://www.facebook.com/#!/3in30)

For January the goals I have selected to focus on are:

1) Eliminate Dannon's nap time bottle. The boy is getting closer and closer to being two (gasp!) its been my pure laziness and using the excuse of the big changes he has experienced with the move to California that has continued the use of his bottles at nap time and night time. Nap is the first to go, and so far its been a success!

2) Read each night with Ashlyn. This girl is a reader! I need to make it a priority to spend a few quiet minutes with her each night, minus all the other normal distractions. It gives us time to bond and be close, and gives me a chance to re-live some of my favorite books from my childhood. Right now we're working on the second book in The Boxcar Children series, I think we're going to need library cards in the very near future! We've been reading a chapter each night, and haven't missed a night yet!

3) Develop a working budget/cash system for the month of January. This is the one that is intimidating (and very well could end up being on my 3 in 30 list each month this year!) I've got the bones of the budget, but I'm struggling with committing to a cash system for the non-bill categories as well as calling to make arrangements with a credit card company and my car company. I am ashamed to be so far behind on these two debts... but, it is what it is and I need to take control and tell our money where to go instead of wondering where it went. One day we will be debt free. It has to start somewhere. But not without a budget. So far I've just avoided most spending (hey, that helps too!) but I can't imagine that working for long.... ugh. Ok. Must. Finish. Budget.