Since I’ve become the working half of our family, and it’s coming up to our second pay day, I thought it was about time to take charge of our finances so I know exactly where everything is. I’ve been so neglectful of this part of my life, and it’s lead us down some not-so-good paths in the past.

Luckily, we’ve managed to clear ourselves of our debts now, and I want to make sure it stays that way, as I’m already a lot less stressed just knowing that we have enough to cover all our bills without having to go without anymore. Don’t get me wrong, we’re by no means rich, but I’m now earning enough to get us by stress-free the majority of the time.

So… I actually made a budget sheet on iPage (Apple’s version of Excel). I couldn’t believe how easy it was. There was already a template there for family finances, so all I needed to do was pop in some numbers in the right squares, and it did all of the math for me. Yay!

I’ve decided there’s no point in trying to start saving this month, so as of January 2009, a certain amount will go into my savings account every pay-day. It’ll probably vary by around £50 depending on months that we have birthdays and such to plan for, but still, it’s there. If all goes correctly, then hopefully we’ll finally be able to save for a rainy day, or maybe even a holiday somewhere once the boys are a bit older.

I know to most people this will seem so trivial, but having lived off of my student overdraft for so long, it’s nice to finally be in the black, and know that I can stay that way.

How do you cope with Christmas? Is it something you save for every year, do you bring out the credit cards and end up paying it off for the next year, or something I haven’t though of? I’d love to know everyone’s secrets!

*wanders off*

J enters the living room.

*looks next to Zack*

J: “I don’t see the chicken…”

Zack: “WHAT THE HELL? I don’t see the chicken!!”

J and I look at each other, and burst out laughing…

Oh dear, he’s never going to learn is he??

Max’s eye has come up nicely - just in time for me to have to take him to his appointment for his Meningitis vaccine today…

He was NOT amused at having not one, but TWO jags today - one on each leg. As soon as I handed him a biscuit though, all was forgotten.

it seems that karma got Zack back today for causing his brother’s black eye - he hit his head at nursery and now has a prize egg to show for it, plus he had to come home early. Whoops!

Interesting day here, and it’s not even bedtime yet! How was yours?

plus these:

equals this:

Poor little dude. Thankfully he was back to his usual self once he had a bottle in his hand - not too different from his father tbh!

I went over to my parents house to set up their emails - something I do every day, typical!

Not that I’m complaining… I did offer to go over after all, really I just wanted an excuse to see my mammy and get a cuddle. Nothing beats a mum-hug does it? So now they have their internet up and running properly, and a shiny new computer to use it! No chance of you not seeing this then is there? Love you Mum! Love you Dad!

Right, that’s all you’re getting today… off to… uh… do stuff on the computer…

*coughWoWcough*

I almost had you all fooled!

Taz asked if it was skin. Kind of…

Ree thought it was a piece of tile.. nope!

Kim had a few goes… a peach, loo paper, or Max’s neck? You were kinda close with the last one!

Dechion may have thought he was going to be mocked, but let me tell you hon - you’re the winner! Yay for my wow-blogging homies… or, something.

It is skin Taz (yay!), and yes Kim, it does belong to Max, it’s a close up of Max’s birthmark. Here… let me show you:

That gorgeous scrummy little birthmark on the back of his hand. I kiss it every day. It makes my little boy even more unique than he already is, and I love the thought that one day, hopefully, someone he loves will love it just as much for the same reason - that they love him to pieces, every little bit of him.

*cough* anyhoo, now that the mushiness is out of the way… gratz Dechion! I hope you’re having a great Wrath Day like me! /hug

For those who don’t read Kim’s blog Frog Ponds Rock (OMG WHY ON EARTH DON’T YOU READ HER BLOG WITH IT’S FROGGINESS AND AWESOME PICS AND JUST JUST JUST, HOW COULD YOU NOT READ HER BLOG???), Kim has a bit of fun with her readers by showing them a mystery object for them to guess.

I actually won that once by the way… check me out!

Anyhoo, back to the point! I have a Mystery Object, and here it is!

Trust me, that’s as big as I could get it without it going blurry… So, what do you think it is?

Answers in the comments please and I’ll give you some bling and linkie love if you get it right, and maybe even if you get it wrong.

He screams and shrieks at the top of his voice from the moment his little butt gets wet until he’s out and been thoroughly dried.

Let me demonstrate.

He doesn’t like his baths… and when he realises that Mummy and Daddy won’t help him,

… he tries to get out himself!

It doesn’t seem to matter whether we bath him in the little bath, or in the big bath. With me in there, or on his own. Whether Zack joins him or not, he screams the WHOLE time, bless him!

I hope that it won’t be too long till he’ll start to realise how much fun he can have in there if he just relaxes.

Word for the week in my head… Wrath!

Thought for the week in my head… Just a few days til Wrath is released! (WoW expansion) Only a couple more sleeps!

Thing for the week in my life…Wrath released on Thursday! (Did I mention… SQWEEE!)

Song for the week in my head… Love Song by Sara Bareilles.

Food for the week in my belly… Chocolate cheesecake - thankies J! /hug

Colour for the week in my life… Blue! I keep noticing a gorgeous rich deep blue most places I go - whether it’s a sign on the side of a bus or the guy that’s sat opposite me at work. Awesome colour!

Smile for the week on my face is…excited! (WRATH!)

Blessing for the week in my heart… Earlier shifts for work so I can spend more time with my babies when I get in from work, and a half week on top of that - yay!

Hmmz, who can I tag? How about Veronica, Taz, Ree, and Sandy.

1. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?
J, Zack and Max. Take your pick!

2. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?
The release of Wrath of the Lich King for WoW on thursday - THIS THURSDAY! I even managed to book off thursday and friday from work as holidays so I can spend more time playing. (Yes I’m an obsessed wow geek!)
3. Who was the last person you called?
Chopstix - my favourite Chinese takeout. I had chicken satay for dinner last night, yum!

4. What were you doing at 12am last night?
Configuring my UI on WoW.

5. Are your parents married/divorced?
Married.

6. When did you last see your mom?
About a month ago, although we talk on the phone almost every day.

7. What are you wearing right now?
My jammies, with extra socks cause my feet are cold!

8. Where is your favorite place to be?
My typical answer would probably be either my bed, or sitting in front of my mac, other than that, I’ll say snuggled up with my boys on the sofa - doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it’s bliss!

9. Where is your least favorite place to be?
Changing rooms, just about anywhere. I hate trying on clothes!

10. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
I’d love to go back to my childhood home, specifically up the back garden of it where there is the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen!

11. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?
Hopefully not in Dundee, other than that, I really don’t have a clue. I’d love to be working successfully from home as a virtual PA or something similar tbh, but only time will tell - at the moment I’m just concentrating on making money to live off. >_<

12. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?
J and his friend coming in drunk last night - twas such a funny sight, I couldn’t be mad!

13. What cities/towns/villages have you lived in?
In order since I was born: Glasgow (Cardonald area), Innellan, Dunoon, Dumbarton, Dollar, Glasgow (Pollock area), and Dundee for over 6 years now.

14. Are you a social person?
Yus! Can’t get me to shut up!

15. Do you sleep alone?
Nope, J is always there, letting me take over most of the bed, bless him.

Ooh well that was fun! You can always try joining in too! Here’s a link so you can have a look at the other Sunday Thieves. Hope you all had a good weekend!

For the past few months, Zack and Max have started sitting together. Well, maybe I should say Zack has started sitting next to Max. Now that Max is mobile, our house is frequently filled by giggles and shrieks on both sides as they chase each other around the house on all fours - Zack will actually go on all fours so he’s on the same level as Max! I am LOVING seeing the bond between them grow. As Zack has said, Max is ‘much more fun now mummy’ since he’s started crawling and trying to walk around the furniture and such.

I’m making the most of this, cause I’m betting that in a few years time I’ll be having to pull them apart from taking each others toys and such!

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