My live-in sister, Sister B, dyed my hair. Hers is now a cute navy blue and she looks like a fairy. Mine is now a ruby pinky-red. Feels good.
Very proud that I've been With It for over one month. The entire new year! Whoohoooo!
The Patriots won the Super Bowl and oh lordy was that a great comeback. I didn't know anything about football before I started dating Eric-- now I look forward to the season as much as he does! It even starts on my birthday every year. XD (This is true! Sept. 8 is the day of the first game of the regular season. Also my birthday)
Eric and I, in preparation of my starting training at Big Box Store, looked at all of our childcare options and realized that... we have none. This would involve working 9 hours during the day, Monday through Friday. My husband could cover a day and a half with his own overloaded work schedule. We don't make enough to pay for daycare, even from an in-home option versus a center, and don't qualify for the DHS assistance. My parents just moved 40 minutes away last week. There's an option to work overnights at the same rate with a little bit more pay, but Izzy doesn't sleep without me in the bed, Eric doesn't sleep more than a total of maybe 45 minutes at night as a result, and we snap at each other constantly when I work overnights. It was alright when I worked at Biggest Toy Store USA, because it was the holiday season and thus temp, but definitely not a long term option. So I spent the morning freaking out for about an hour, then sat down to do some hardcore thinking and research.
I came up with a new budget. Instead of spending our tax refund on fun stuff, it's cut way back (the only fun thing on the agenda is actually the Nintendo Switch and a couple of games) and focuses on granting us a little blow it money each week that we can blow or roll over-- all while making sure bills are paid and the insane pressure on both of us is lifted. Then I'm able to stay home with the boys. I'm ridiculously excited and absolutely elated for the time I'm being granted here. I'm going to look for a way to free up my evenings or my mornings so that I can get a part-time job and put that toward a down payment, but the time crunch is no longer there. Things will also be easier once we get into a new house with lower taxes.
Finally feel like an adult. Previously (yes, even in December) I'd be too tempted and give in and spend it on fun. But now it feels like a switch has been flipped mentally-- no, I can't just go on a Target spree with the boys unless I've saved up for it first. It's one thing to be able to say it confidently, but now the temptation is straight-up gone. I actually feel like an adult. I'm almost 25 and this is the first time that's happened. Guess that magical 18th birthday feeling was delayed a little. Eric, bless him, is four years older and said he's felt that way for a while. Good thing I've got him to keep me on the straight and narrow, hah!
Between being With It, home-pre-schooling, getting our financial act together 110%, and making plans to move by the summer... 2017 is our year.