Accountability 201: Checking in from the first 30 days

Here's the first progress report.  It's been a busy, but refreshing month.  Wrapping up school did take the majority of the time, but since mid-month, I've been able to crack down on items from this list to attempt to make some progress.

Bits and pieces of work, play, and rejuvenation, while balancing home, family, and responsibilities.  It's never an easy thing, but then, I don't really know how to slow down.

Next check in will be August 1.  And I promise I'll include some pictures to accompany some of these projects.  Silly, I know, but pictures DO say 1000 words... (now, if I can only get my camera to cooperate...)

How many of these can I get finished by September 1?

• Home
• Kitchen
• Clean and Organize Frig
• Finish shelves & stock pantry
• Organize under sink
• Organize cabinets
• Electric
• Faucet Replacement
• First Floor
• Paint Stair Risers and Trim 
• Organize Breezeway
• A Frame away
• AC Mounting boards (exterior)
• Basement Stairs
• Garage
• Bed to Attic
• Table workbench
• Camp stuff on shelves
• Attic Stairs
• Wreath to Attic
• Second Floor
• Organize bathroom closet
• Repaint bathroom
• Towel Rods 
• Closet Curtains
• New shower curtain & rug

• Yard
• Organic Veggie Garden
• Potato Condo & layers
• Lettuce
• Side Shade Garden
• Trellis (Pallets)
• Chicken Coop

• Personal
• Doctor
• Mammogram
• Pap
• Eyes 
• Kid Dentist
• Budget
• Annual Budget Update
• Monthly Budget
• Pay off One Credit Card
• Debt Snowball (+1000/mo)
• Sinking Fund ($2000)
• Read 5 Fiction Books
• The Mazerunner
• The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer
• Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer
• HS Summer Reading tba
• MS Summer Reading tba
• Read 3 Non-Fiction Books
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• tba
• tba

• Fitness
• Yoga
• Sunday 10:30
• Second Day?
• Boot Camp @ Tanya's
• When?
• 30 Day Challenge- Start July 1
• Abs (need to catch up already!)
• Arms (ditto!)

• Office
• Organize File Cabinet
• Organize Manuals
• Shred Documents
• Legacy Box

• Upload
•  TpT
• Line of Best Fit Project
• Rule of Four
• #1 Drama problem
• #2
• #3
• #4
• Bundle
• DC POWs
• FACES foldable

• Worcester (AxiD Corporation):
• Furnace Cleaning
• Sprinkler Inspection
• Alarm Inspection
• Washer Service
• Fire Extinguisher Inspection

• Canning, Freezing & Household:
• Liquid Laundry Soap
• Liquid Fabric Softener
• Dishwasher Detergent
• Lemon Kool-Aid Mix
• Strawberry Jam The recipe is HERE
• Green Salsa
• Red Salsa
• Pickles
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Chili Sauce 
• Freezer Meals
• Print and Organize menus
• Shop & Labels
• Stock Freezer for winter
• Flash Freeze
• Kale
• Carrots 
• Peppers
• Potatoes (cook first?)

• Thirty-One:
• Fall Preview - June 12
• Book 3 parties summer
• Catalog July!
• Book 3 parties fall
• Book 3 vendor events
• RSS
• Budget (Jan - July)
• Better Together Event (Aug)

• Family
• NYC w/ Dad and boys (July 2) Info on the Intrepid Sea and Air Museum HERE
• ComicConn @ Mohegan (August)
• Hike
• Beach (Early July)
• Tubing w/ Softball (August)
• Scouts:
• Camp
• Pack equipment
• Merit Badges
• Citizenship of the Nation - A
• Archery - A
• Boards of Review/Feast

• School:
• Tutoring (through June 30th)
• Recertification (due in August)
• IPDP completed w/ certificates IN PROGRESS
• IPDP signed
• Recert application & $ sent to DOE
•  Yearbook
• Ladder & Timeline
• Training with Software
• Summer School (July 13)
• Summer School (July 13)
• Gr 7
• Gr 8
• Videos on SchoolTube
• INB usage
• Distribution
• Algebra Tiles
• tba
• Geometry Plan
• INB
• Year Calendar
• Algebra Review (biweekly - 10-18 packets)
• Math 8 Plan
• Pre-test MC
• Post-test MC/OR
• Vocab Tests MC or Matching
• Checklists (including bookmarks)
• HW Lists
• Study Helps
• Pictures of Current Work for samples (every chapter)
• Vocab Examples too!
• WYLB

Happy Summer!  And here's to accountability and accomplishments!

Accountability 201: Round two for summertime to-do

June is here, and school is in the downhill slide (with a few roadblocks along the way, but we should make it unscathed).  That means it's time for my summer-time list of items that I ignore most of the school year, and have to get completed before the whole school year creeps up on me again.  Overwhelming?  A bit, but breaking it up into chunks and checklists actually helps me stay on top of them, accountable, and less risk of forgetting (which is happening more and more... and I definitely rely on my calendar and post-it notes!).









So this year, the list comes back out to get all the craziness out of my head and onto (electronic) paper.  I still have the sticky notes in my office, but since I'm actually spending LESS time there, and more out and about, this electronic version may be more appropriate this year.  Time will tell.



Last summer, my strategy of a TOP 5 list worked quite well.  It kept be on track and gave me a target.  Sometimes, it was less than 5, sometimes more, but it was a starting point, and I was able to make progress.  You can read my FIRST and LAST posts from last year here and here.


This year, I'm attempting what appears to be MUCH more.  It seems overwhelming, daunting, crazy; but that's my style.  Bite off more than I can chew to give me a lot to feel good about at the end.  (Who ever finishes their list anyway?)  I plan on rewarding myself along the way... and several of these are setting myself up for fall success in both school and business, so it's worth it.

Three months, and MUCH on my list.  Let's get this party started!

 
How many of these can I get finished by September 1?

• Home
• Kitchen
• Clean and Organize Frig
• Finish shelves & stock pantry
• Organize under sink
• Organize cabinets
• Electric
• Faucet
• First Floor
• Paint Stair Trim 
• Organize Breezeway
• A Frame away
• AC Mounting boards (exterior)
• Basement Stairs
• Garage
• Bed to Attic
• Table workbench
• Camp stuff on shelves
• Attic Stairs
• Second Floor
• Organize bathroom closet
• Paint bathroom
• Towel Rods 
• Closet Curtains

• Yard
• Organic Veggie Garden
• Potato Condo
• Side Shade Garden
• Trellis (Pallets)
• Chicken Coop

• Personal
• Doctor
• Mammogram
• Pap
• Eyes
• Budget
• Annual Budget Update
• Monthly Budget
• Pay off One Credit Card
• Debt Snowball (+600/mo)
• Sinking Fund ($2000)
• Read 5 Fiction Books
• tba
• tba
• tba
• HS Summer Reading tba
• MS Summer Reading tba
• Read 3 Non-Fiction Books
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• tba
• tba

• Fitness
• Yoga
• Sunday 10:30
• Boot Camp @ Tanya's
• When?
• 30 Day Challenge
• Abs
• Arms

• Office
• Organize File Cabinet
• Organize Manuals
• Shred Documents
• Legacy Box

• Upload
•  TpT
• Line of Best Fit Project
• Rule of Four
• #1
• #2
• #3
• #4
• Bundle
• DC POWs

• Worcester (AxiD Corporation):
• Furnace Cleaning
• Sprinkler Inspection
• Alarm Inspection
• Washer Service
• Fire Extinguisher Inspection

• Canning, Freezing & Household:
• Liquid Laundry Soap
• Liquid Fabric Softener
• Dishwasher Detergent
• Lemon Kool-Aid Mix
• Green Salsa
• Red Salsa
• Pickles
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Chili Sauce 
• Freezer Meals
• Stock Freezer for winter
• Flash Freeze
• Kale
• Carrots 
• Peppers
• Potatoes (cook first?)

• Thirty-One:
• Fall Preview - June 12
• Book 3 parties summer
• Book 3 parties fall
• Book 3 vendor events
• RSS
• Budget (Jan - July)

• Family
• NYC w/ Dad and boys (late June/early July)
• Comic Conn @ Mohegan (August)
• Hike
• Beach
• Tubing w/ Softball
• 
  
• Scouts:
• Camp
• Pack equipment
• Merit Badges
• Citizenship of the Nation - A
• Archery - A
• Boards of Review/Feast

• School:
• Summer School
• Gr 7
• Gr 8
• Videos on SchoolTube
• INB usage
• Distribution
• Algebra Tiles
• tba
• Geometry Plan
• INB
• Year Calendar
• Algebra Review (biweekly - 10-18 packets)
• Math 8 Plan
• Pre-test MC
• Post-test MC/OR
• Vocab Tests MC or Matching
• Checklists (including bookmarks)
• HW Lists
• Study Helps
• Pictures of Current Work for samples (every chapter)
• Vocab Examples too!
• WYLB

Happy Summer!  And here's to accountability and accomplishments!

Financial Freedom in progress

February vacation week has arrived, amid yet another snowstorm, and it's time for me to check-in with many of my 'big-girl-life' items.  This week tends to be financial driven - taxes, budgets, and thinking forward about summer plans (usually because, like today, it's FREEZING and SNOWY outside and I'm getting cabin fever!) 


The good news is, I have already finished the taxes (and have allotted the refund into 3 categories).  The bad news is, I have gotten off the envelope system wagon and need to give myself a fresh start!

I also found this site that has some FUN visual aids (for visual people like me) to keep track of their Debt Free journey.  Looks like my printer and my colored pencils will be getting some action today!

I'm laying out the groundwork, getting back on track, and making a plan.  This WILL happen!

 Debt Free Charts

New Year's Resolutions - Round two

While the chaos of the holiday season has finally passed and the routine of school is back in full swing, I realized that I didn't sit down to formalize my goals for the new year.  I also didn't reflect back on last years' top 5 goals (You can read my post from 2014 in it's entirety HERE).

However, I think the same top five make their appearance in the 2015 list:

#1 Finances: this seems to be an annual goal, though each year the focus takes on some twists.  In 2014 I was able to purchase a truck and a van in cash, which was a huge goal, but in doing so, affected some of my other savings plans.  This year, the goal is simply to stick to the budget and make progress at specific intervals (monthly and quarterly seem like appropriate checkpoints).  I'm also hoping to set the goal of a family vacation in 2016, but beginning savings for that so we can pay for it in cash. 

#2 Manage my time better:  time vampires still rear their ugly heads, but checklists and timers are very helpful in managing the chaos.  I have always been a creature of crunch time, the busier I am, the more I can get done.  When I have 'lots of time', I tend to get sucked into non-productive things.  Even over this last vacation, I found that my time was lost on some things, though enjoyable, didn't help me get through my list (and others I ignored altogether).  This year, I'm going to stick to the schedule, the routine, and my sacred six items to get done each day.  The trickiest thing will be to truly prioritize those six items (oftentimes, there's six things just in one facet of my life!)

#3 Focus on Family: my boys are getting older, and it's thrilling to watch them develop their own personalities, interests, opinions (no matter how strong) and share their strengths with others.  I relish the opportunities to share in their adventures, whether it is through drama, scouts, school, or sports.  I still want to be able to spend quality time, one-on-one, with each.  As our schedules becoming increasingly full, that's usually in a car as we commute from one place to another, but taking advantage of any opportunity is key.  I also value technology so I can connect with my extended family (including nephews who live out of state).  I love the fact that we can stay an active part of their lives even though we live far apart.

#4 Clutter Control: I definitely get my organization (or lack of it) from my parents, who are products of depression-era parents.  I am slowly going through items that I claimed I can 'eventually use these' for projects or storage.  Even kid #2's room got an overhaul with a new bedroom set and we pulled EVERYTHING out for him to reevaluate before going back into his Fortress of Solitude.  Unfortunately, he's learning his skills from me (and I'm not exactly the best role model for this!).  This year, I'm going to complete a weekly 30 minute purge, picking an area and tackling it whole heartedly for 30 minutes (using a fill-the-box mentality).  Hoping that a small, regimented focus will result in big changes over time.

#5 Be Grateful:   Thank you goes a long way.  2014 was challenging, but supportive friends and family allow me to stay the course.  I continue to be grateful for health and everyday joys.  Thank you notes, appreciative post-its, and even the occasional chocolate surprise allows me to tell those around me how much I appreciate their efforts as well as their support.  And who doesn't like a chocolate surprise!

So as the winds howl and the ice forms outside, I curl up in front of the fire with my cup of cocoa and a few fuzzy pups.  These are moments that I appreciate that allow me to reflect, regroup and recharge for a new year full of new surprises, new adventures and new attitudes.

Until next time -

Update: Accountability 101 - THE FINAL REPORT

Today is the day.  September 1.  The day of accountability for my summertime checklist.  I really didn't dread today as I have in the past.  Feeling frustrated that my 'list' wasn't all done.  And the list grew... as it always seems to...  This year was of a different nature.  The accountability was different.  The results, maybe not so.

I did enjoy having a digital checklist this summer (even though the paper ones on post-its still creeped onto my desk).  And despite feeling plugged-in far too much this summer, I feel VERY accomplished with this list.  I got a lot done during summer vacation.  And even found time to reconnect with my kids and teach summer school.  Admittedly, some of the larger house projects didn't get done (either due to finances or a need of hiring someone to do them).  But I am pleased at the list of Personal Development items that were completed.  Especially time with my family as well as reading books for enjoyment.  That is something that I have missed, and really didn't even realize it until it wasn't there.

Now, I will revisit my quarterly goals (which were set in July and run through the end of September) that are a bit more streamlined.  And as school starts, encourage my 8th grade students to set those EIGHT goals for themselves (3 academic, 3 Personal Development, 2 Interpersonal Development) that we can measure this school year.

Will I do this again next year?  Right now, I'm not sure.  I may give myself another type of electronic challenge (again, accountability from an extrinsic source) depending on what my goals are at that point.  One thing that I do enjoy, is the constant nature of self-improvement.  There is always something that can be improved.  And today is always a good day to start.

THE FINAL LIST STATUS (As of Sept 1, 2014)

• Home
• Organize Under Kitchen Sink
• Organize Linen Closet
• Paint Kitchen and Hallway
• Organize Dining Room Reorganize
• Build Bedroom Wall
• Build Attic Stairs/Entry
• Build Bedroom Closet
• Organize Basement Closet
• Clean Basement Carpets
• Organize My Closet
• Closet Curtains (purchased, need to install)
• Help Kids organize rooms
• Glassware into storage
• Bulletin Board in Bedroom

• Yard
• Paint Bulkhead
• Fire Pit (dig out, border, pit, rocks)
• Screen House Office - replacement due to storm damage :(
• Organic Veggie Garden
• Side Shade Garden
• Trellis (Pallets)

• Personal Development
• Schedule Doctor Appt
• Life Insuranc
• Read 5 Fiction Books
• Inferno
• Divergent
• Insurgent
• Allegiant
• Four
• The Notebook
• Unwind
• Unwholly
• Unsouled
• Pieces
• Read 5 Non-Fiction Books (or Audiobooks)
• Smart Money, Smart Kids
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• Start
• Book #4
• Book #5
• 30 day challenge
• Abs (day 15 - abandoned)
• Arms (day 15 - abandoned)
• Thighs
• Butt
• Shoulder
• Back
• Budget
• Annual Budget
• Emergency Fund Baby Step 1
• Sinking Fund +$2000 (status $800)
• Debt Snowball +600/mo (status $600)
• Eric's Budget

• Office
• Organize File Cabinet
• Organize Manuals
• Shred Documents
• Strong Box Break into Old and Purchase new
• Create Legacy Box
• Organize Bills
• Tutoring Business Cards
• Linkedin Account 
• Eric's Office
• Eric's Job

• Upload
•  TpT
• Essential Questions Blue/Purple
• Line of Best Fit Project
• Rule of Four
• DC POWs

• Worcester (AxiD Corporation):
• Furnace Cleaning (Scheduled August 8)
• Sprinkler Inspection (June)
• Alarm Inspection (scheduled August 8)
• Washer Service (scheduled August 8)
• Fire Extinguisher Inspection (June)
• Spackle Walls
• Hot Water Heater Moved (scheduled August 8)
• Exhaust Installed (Scheduled August 8)
• Carpets & Couch Cleaned (July 29)

• Canning & Household:
• Liquid Laundry Soap
• Powered Laundry Soap
• Liquid Fabric Softener
• Tomatillo Salsa (LOTS!!!)
• Red Salsa (pending)
• Pickles (no cukes in garden)
• Spaghetti Sauce (little tomato yield)
• Chili Sauce (little tomato yield)

• Thirty-One:
• CONFERENCE (end of July)
• Year Analysis ($25K in PV)
• Budget (Jan - June)
• RSS
• Set Goals

• Family
•  Jiminy Adventure Park Raincheck
• Tubing (tenative) - CANCELLED July
• Hartford Comic Con (July) - CANCELLED
• Boston Comic Con (August) - CANCELLED
• Jiminy Adventure Park - reschedule Fall 

• Scouts:
• July 3rd Firework Games (rescheduled to July 5th)
• Boards of Review 
• Star Review - A (At Camp)
• Personal Fitness - A
• Citizen of Nation - A
• Metalwork - A (At Camp)
• Climbing - A (At Camp)
• Tenderfoot Review - C (At Camp)
• Canoeing - C (At Camp)
• Nantucket Trip (August - tentative)

Summer School: How to Tame the Paper Overload!

As summer school has started, I realize how much organization and streamlining I accomplish during the first day of any school.  It's always overwhelming, and stressful, but once my systems get into place, things tend to run fairly smoothly.  The expectations are in place, and the summer blahs that my resentful students seems to go by the wayside (for the most part).  With the program we have in place, they feel like they have control of what they can work on, as long as they are given timeline and score parameters, and it works.

This year, we set up a modified Interactive Notebook, mostly for accountability with scores, attendance, a table of contents, and scrap paper for the skills.  Training the students in our routine was half the battle.  Simple systems like numbering pages and writing the day's date at the top seemed basic, but until a routine was established, proved quite difficult.

Another paper overload area was tracking scores on the computer program.  We created two types of trackers.

One was a standards post-it tracker taped on the wall above each students' computer.  These trackers had the computer program coded skills on post-it tabs and allowed the students to self-monitor the skills assigned to the class.  They could move the tab along the spectrum, in four color-coded areas.  We discussed how they should set a small goal when they start a skill, like reaching a score of 50, then when that goal is reached, to modify it to another goal.  I was trying to get them into the 70% range (the orange, Satisfactory, area), which depending on the skill, could be quick, or could be quite challening.  However, many of the kids wanted to reach MASTERED (100%), and were frustrated when that proved too challenging.  They also noticed that their risk was greater the higher their score was.  Getting one question wrong while in the 90% range dropped significantly, and they needed one question correct for every point they wanted to earn back.

The other tracker was a hanging folder for each student and demonstrated where to access the daily data measuring their progress.  Having each student document their own data, rather than the instructor gathering everyone's, proved helpful in two ways.  They documented not only their cumulative scores,  but also their performance and time practiced.  The weighted average was calculated by me, as a percentage of time spent,

First, it allowed the student to reflect on their performance immediately.  Yesterday, in fact, I had a student who commented that they were very off track, as their total practice time was only 15 minutes (when we typically have two 20 minute target sessions).  He noted that he was very unfocused.  I hope that this reflection will allow him to keep himself on track today.

Second, it allowed me to keep all the students records in one place, in the classroom, for evidence on their progress.  Our summer school this year is set up to be more remediation practice rather than pure instruction, so this allowed us to document the skills practiced and provide evidence for the administration once the program is complete.

We'll check back in a few weeks to see how the systems are maintained.  It's giving me hope - especially for kids who are not as strong mathematically, reluctant and resentful to being here in the summer, and are weak in organizational skills.  They CAN find success and improve in their skills - especially when they feel like they are in some control, have immediate feedback, and can set and meet goals.

Right now, were working on intrinsic motivation with some electronic motivation built into the computer program.  My back up for the last week is some extrinsic motivation (in the form of stickers and candy).  We'll see how their resentful attitudes are in a few weeks.  I'd LOVE to report that I don't need to break out the stickers!

Accountability 101: How the Summer Projects Were Accomplished

Summertime is a time to rejuvenate and relax.  I look forward to reading a good book, sitting out on the porch, sleeping in, spending time with my kids and friends, traveling...

However, there are so many things that fall by the wayside during the school year, that it's also a time for me to get caught up on life. Renovations, annual repairs, doctors appointments, even squeezing in a long weekend vacation or two. I find that it's so difficult keeping up with the day-to-day items that I justify putting things off until later (usually a vacation week or summer), then get overwhelmed when I look at the long list that has been created.

Every year, I tape a LOOOONG piece of poster paper to the door and map out the summer, May through September, to see the big picture (as well as to see who is where and when).  I do a similar thing in January with the a new calendar, even going as far as color coding each kid's events (that lasts a little bit, mainly because I don't maintain it).  It's helpful for a visual thinker like me, but also to communicate to the rest of the household.

 I discovered two main obstacles in my attempt:

One - my to-do lists are WAY TOO LONG.  It is OVERWHELMING when I start putting everything in one place.  It is DAUNTING to start to chip away at it.

Two - my paper lists and post-its become crossed out and rewritten and despite the fact I can eliminate many of them as I accomplish them, I never feel as though I'm getting any momentum... then come fall, feel defeated (even if I have completed many of them!).  I have a post-it tracker in my office and a paper list in my calendar, but I really never have everything in one place.

This year, I'm going to try something slightly different.  I'm going to have a TOP 5 of the day.  Five main things that I want to get completed.  This is especially helpful for those little things, like calling doctors or scheduling appointments, that I remember at 11:30 on a Friday night and tend to forget when the office opens the following Monday.

So I'm going to keep an electronic master list here on this blog and check in periodically to track my progress.  I'll still use my post-it tracker and a goofy sticker chart for myself (that's the teacher in me too).  I even would be thrilled to say that each day I'll get one item completed from each facet of my life, though I don't think that's going to truly be feasible, but at least it's a start.


How many of these can I get finished by September 1?

• Home
• Organize Under Kitchen Sink
• Organize Linen Closet
• Paint Kitchen
• Organize Dining Room
• Build Bedroom Wall
• Build Attic Stairs/Entry
• Build Bedroom Closet
• Organize Basement Closet
• Clean Basement Carpets

• Yard
• Paint Bulkhead
• Fire Pit
• Screen House Office
• Organic Veggie Garden
• Side Shade Garden
• Trellis (Pallets)

• Personal
• Doctor
• Life Insurance
• Read 5 Fiction Books
• Inferno
• Divergent
• Insurgent
• Allegiant
• Pieces
• Read 5 Non-Fiction Books
• Smart Money, Smart Kids
• Book #2
• Book #3
• Book #4
• Book #5
• 30 day challenge
• Abs
• Arms
• Thighs
• Butt
• Shoulder
• Back
• Budget
• Annual Budget
• Emergency Fund Baby Step 1

• Office
• Organize File Cabinet
• Organize Manuals
• Shred Documents
• Strong Box
• Legacy Box
• Organize Bills
• Annual Budget

• Upload
•  TpT
• Line of Best Fit Project
• Rule of Four
• DC POWs

• Worcester (AxiD Corporation):
• Furnace Cleaning
• Sprinkler Inspection
• Alarm Inspection
• Washer Service
• Fire Extinguisher Inspection
• Spackle Walls
• Hot Water Heater Moved
• Exhaust Installed

• Canning:
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Red Salsa
• Pickles
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Chili Sauce

• Thirty-One:
• CONFERENCE!

• Scouts:
• July 3rd Firework Games
• Boards of Review

Happy Summer!  And here's to accountability and accomplishments!

Get Your Finances in Order

Like many people at the start of the new year, I set my top 5 goals for the year.  Some were personal, others were with the family.  Some were narrow, some were broad.  Most had bullet points that I can use as a checklist.  You can read my entire blog post HERE.  

Goal #1: $$$$  Get your financial house in order  $$$

My first goal for 2014 of getting my financial house in order.  I had organized all the papers and done a 'month in review' budget for years, but decided that I needed a kick in the butt and accountability.  Enter Dave Ramsey.  I had come across his free podcast of his daily radio show that spoke of finances.  Dave has a very 'in your face' personality.  He tells it like it is... even if it's not what you want to hear.  And that's refreshing.  He had spoken about his method of getting out of debt and accumulating wealth.  It was different than the other information I had read about (mostly investing in real estate, that was out of my reach now, and in year's past).  He principals included a checklist - I LOVE CHECKLISTS! - that seemed like an easy road map to the goal I was trying to achieve.  

So, as a birthday gift to myself, I enrolled in his Financial Peace University that was being held at a nearby church.  Though I hadn't been a student in a class in a while, this was a bit of a commitment - 10 Saturday nights, plus homework - but I knew it was an investment in myself and my future!

Each week covers a particular area of this checklist, what Dave calls the 'Baby Steps'.  And the class has facilitators, but is actually a video presentation of Dave and his colleagues (so everyone essentially gets the same class).  It also had an online component, so if you missed class or wanted to recap the highlights, you could review the video at a later date at your convenience.  This worked out great when I missed class due to inclement weather!

The Baby Steps are no secret, Dave talks about them regularly on his radio show.  It's basically 'common sense' or what Grandma would have told you growing up!  They are as follows:

#1 $1000 Emergency Fund (available for EMERGENCIES)
#2 Pay off all debts (except the house)
#3 Fully Funded Emergency Fund (3-6 mo expenses in bank)
#4 15% into Retirement
#5 Kids' College
#6 Pay Off House Early
#7 Build Wealth and Give!

My journey began with Baby Step #1: $1000 Emergency Fund.  I have carried a 'savings account' that is linked to my checking, and always got nervous when it was below $1000, but never thought of it as something separate.  So a bit or reorganization, and that step is checked off the list.  It's there for EMERGENCIES, like the furnace breaks or you get a flat tire, not for a WANT.  That's something you plan for, in the BUDGET.
 So along with Baby Step #1, I also reorganized the budget and moved to an envelope system of money management.  The idea is to CASH FLOW your expenses, with cash, and not live on a Credit Card.  That was, and continues to be HARD!  But it's also changing behavior, and I certainly am a work in progress...

The budget changes month-to-month, and that's very different than how I had previously arranged my budget analysis.  Each month, you take your paycheck, before you get it, and tell you money where to go.  EVERY PENNY!  Of course, as a pseudo-perfectionist, doing this in pencil was a must, because it's a ZERO-BASED BUDGET.  No money is left over.  And I wasn't very good at that.  But once the basics were covered (Home, Utilities, Food, Transportation), and monies set aside for Sinking Funds (like auto insurance, home insurance, the dentist, Christmas/Vacation savings and those other bills that are planned, but not monthly), then the other bills (ie: DEBT, like credit cards) could be addressed.

So cross that one off the list!
#1 $1000 Emergency Fund (available for EMERGENCIES)

So on to the next step.  That's the step I'm on now, Baby Step #2: Pay off all debts (except the house).  It's taking care of all the debts I have (except the home mortgage).  This is daunting.  It was something that I was aware of, but since I used credit A LOT, and didn't pay down my balance, it was always there... never a zero balance.  And I didn't ever see one.  So now that the Envelope System is in place, the cards cut up (still working on this one... but most are and I'm not adding to them), and the budget has told every dollar where to go, what's remaining becomes the DEBT SNOWBALL.

The idea of the debt snowball list all debts and organize them from least to greatest balance.  Then, pay minimum balances on all your debts stack all extra money available (after that well organized budget) towards the lowest balance.  Once that debt is paid off, use that amount and put it towards the next lowest balance.  As the smaller debts are paid, the snowball gathers momentum and you FEEL like you are making progress towards tackling your debt.  And you are.  Slowly at first, but eventually, as the snowball gets bigger and bigger, the debt will literally melt away!  

So here is my debt.  YIPES!  $35,000 to start.  That's daunting.  And, sadly that doesn't include college loans, like most folks.  Those were actually the first that were paid off.  My debt is solely car and credit.  But the plan is in place, and I'm chipping away.  $4,200 paid off since February 1.  YAY!  

But the great thing, that I'm super proud of, is that I did purchase a used Truck and Plow in CASH!  A bit of planning, but that's the first major purchase since I started Financial Peace University.  It was due to savings as well as selling a ton of items with my friend Craig (Craigslist and Ebay are awesome for this).  Also hoping to add to the snowball this April with a Tag Sale.  Another thing is to change my tax witholdings to get more in my paycheck throughout the year, and a much smaller rebate next spring.  That extra cash will go towards the snowball, as well as funding sinking funds for budgeted expenses.


So the journey continues.  I hope to finish Baby Step #2 by the summer of 2016.  It's a big challenge, but with extra jobs, extra cash and lots of motivation (and some accountability here on the blog), I will tackle this!

Happy Budgeting!

 

New Year = New Goals

The new year brings us a chance to reflect and renew for the upcoming calendar year.

Fortunately, in my line of work, I am able to 'regroup' on several cycles (academic calendar at school, seasonal catalogs for my direct sales business, calendar year).  But a disadvantage to that is that I never quite feel like I get my feet under me to get the ball rolling.

 I may not be completely organized (or even partially organized) but with new gusto I will send my TOP 5 goals for the upcoming year.  Putting them here will, I hope, keep me accountable, and will also help me to check in on a regular basis (and reset if necessary, despite the calendar I'm currently on).

#1 Get my financial house in order:  With a monthly budget (and sticking to it! *note, the spreadsheet link has fictional numbers), attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University this January, consolidating the debt with a home equity loan, and sticking to the envelope system, I have a big mountain to climb.  But I am determined and I hope that during the first 9 weeks of the year, I will be able to make great strides on this!  I consider this as a birthday present to myself - and a goal I'd like to make significant progress on in 2014.  The nerd in me is making some graphs and timelines and spreadsheets to wrap my brain around it, but I hope attending the class (with my beau) will also allow me not to complete this in isolation.  It's difficult to complete any task, let alone one that has a lot of emotional value, but I feel that this is my Number One priority this year, for the benefit of my family.  Getting expenses under control will also help focus on what the income needs are - especially on some of those 'fringe' jobs I have - and give me a goal on what those areas should bring in.

#2 Manage my time better: This one will be a tough one to actually benchmark.  It's a lofty goal, that will be able to be worked on in all the facets of my life.  I do have my favorite product (and comparable app for my phone) that I use frequently at school.  Read about it here on a previous blog HERE.  I shared the second one with a colleague at school, who worked with students who needed visual cues and lead time.  I also have found that I have been using my phone app more often - but not sharing it with the kids as often (for cleanup, reading, etc).  For the upcoming year, I'd like to be working more on an internal clock that this one, but also focus on a task at a time and give it my all.  If I am focused on a task, I can actually become quite OCD.  But if I have a long list (like cleaning or organizing my house) I notice that I can work for long periods of time, but it doesn't appear that I get much done, mostly because I flit from room to room and never quite get one section 'completed'.  I think I'll focus specifically on a 15-minute cleanup daily before I leave for work, cleaning off my desk each time I use it (both at home and at school), and working on school work for no more than 60 minutes at home.

#3 Focus on Family: Now that my kids are getting older, they are venturing out in their own interests.  As mom, I feel like it's partially my responsibility to remind them of the importance of family and family time.  Unfortunately, with some technical difficulties, one of our true family time events has been disrupted (watching movies together), but I hope to actually get that rectified today.  I also feel it's important for the kids to set (and strive towards) goals themselves, so we also are sitting down today to write down those goals and post them in their room.  Our goals are thematic:  academic, scouting, health/fitness/athletic, recreational/extra-curricular, and personal.  I'm curious as to what they decide as well as helping them create a timeline and smaller goals to reach the big picture.  Personally, I am setting aside one-on-one time each day with each kid and a 'date night' once a week. 

#4 Clutter Control: This tends to be part of issue with goal #2.  I have intention to clean an area, then it immediately seems overwhelmed by chaos (hence the title of this blog).  My two most recent chaos areas are the kitchen and the dining room/office.  I have been essentially 'banned' from the kitchen (no one likes my cooking, so I have relinquished that duty) but not it's clean up.  Some might say that I am giving up control, which is a HUGE step for me!   But some of the routine is just having a place for everything, and returning it when it's taken out.  So the control and the reminders may still be in place (putting items in the trash instead of leaving them on the counter, dishes in the dishwasher instead of in the sink).  The dining room is my undoing.  I have found that going vertical is helpful, as is stylish storage.  Because we use the same space as an office, a library, and a dining room, the table tends to be overrun with papers, books, and a serious catch-all for mostly MY stuff.  As I stated in Goal #2, a 15-minute clean before work as well as cleaning off the desk and table each night will be my benchmarks.  I should even rate myself weekly.  That would be motivation!  Of course, one thing I do need to remember to do is photograph the 'before' and the 'after' of my projects.  I would like to take one one 'minor project' each week (like a junk drawer, or a linen closet) and one 'major project' each week (like a child's bedroom or the basement family room).  I am reserving the garage for Spring Break.  That will certainly be a proud moment to post that 'after' picture! 

#5 Be Grateful: Though I saved this goal for last, it is certainly the most important.  I don't thank people enough.  I don't tell them how much I appreciate them enough.  I don't live in the moment enough.  And I think 2014, despite all my other goals, should center around an attitude of gratitude.  I will thank more people.  I will tell more people what they mean to me.  I will live in the moment more. 

Our close and extended family had a rocky 2013, from a health perspective, employment perspective, academic perspective, but the outlook is bright for the coming year.  We had many people support us and our endeavors last year, and this year, we are making effective progress towards that end. 

So cheers to you and your family!  Wishing you health, prosperity, and love in 2014!

SMART Goals

Have you heard of SMART goals? It's a way of pinpointing your hopes, dreams, and goals into manageable tasks. 

S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Attainable
R- Realistic
T- Timely

In January, I made a list of goals, that I revisited every three months, assessed and revised.  I think that this kept my goals on a timely track, but also allowed me to revise them if they were too lofty, to make them more attainable in the timeframe allowed.

In my classroom, I had students set 8 goals for themselves (they are 8th graders) and we will be revisiting these goals this week.  I wrote about it in a previous blog HERE.



As 2014 approaches, I am not only looking to sum up the status of this year's goals, but also to set new goals for my personal life, my professional life, my social life, my spiritual life, and my financial life.  I also have goals for my kids and my students and would like to help coach them to setting and striving towards meeting these goals.

Only recently, I have come across some goals that are a much smaller window:  weekly and monthly.  In my experience, those were my 'checklists' rather than what I considered goals - but I'm starting to rethink that.  As long as those items follow the SMART goal checklist, I think that goals can be both super-short and longer term goals.  (right now, for example, my super-short goal consists of finishing holiday shopping and getting my sister's packages in the mail... I have been procrastinating on this one, and time is winding down to get it delivered on time!)

What type of goals are YOU creating for yourself?  Stay tuned to find out what MY goals are for the next year (and so see if I can check them off!)

Setting Goals and Sticking to Them

As the school year is getting into full swing, I finally have a chance to comment on my goal setting strategy with my students.  The challenge, to get them to commit to EIGHT goals (Seven of which are academic) in their Interactive Notebook this year.



The introduction of this task was clear:  Eighth Graders should have EIGHT goals.  Goal setting allows you to see progress, be motivated, feel accomplished.  Goals can be LARGE items or LONG TERM GOALS (like running a 5K) or can be broken down into smaller, manageable goals or tasks or SHORT TERM GOALS (run around the block, then move up to running for 15 minutes, then for a mile...etc).  We compared this to a series of stairs.




I hope to check in with the students on these goals several times a year to check on progress.  Some ideas about motivation, is making paper chain to hang around the room as we accomplish some of these goals (as a class) to add or stickers to add to their traced hands that they posted in my classroom.

At the end of the year, I hope to have an opportunity for students to complete a Goal Board to take with them.  I found that idea from a fabulous resource Teacherspayteachers.com where my teaching colleagues can post lessons and other resources that they have created.   I also have made a template of my own Quarterly Goal spreadsheet modified for usage that is available for FREE!  We'll see how the year progresses and how these kids strive to reach those goals!

 Create A Goal Board (Smart Goals)s by The SuperHERO Teacher

Template Quarterly Goals  by Stefani's Hope