Footprints on the Moon

As 2008 rolled into 2009, I sat down and thought about what I hoped to accomplish with my finances this year. “Get out of debt” just didn’t seem to do it for me, so I sat down and lined up four more specific goals to focus on. So how did I do?

1. Pay off my car — DONE! I have been driving a fully paid off vehicle since January 16, 2009!

2. Put money back in my emergency fund — I had a goal of $500. This is both DONE and NOT DONE. I met my $500 goal fairly easily, and fairly early on in the year. But then I raided it to pay on a credit card. I know, I know, this is the exact opposite of what you’re supposed to do, but the credit card issuer made me angry and I was eager to get it paid off as quickly as possible. The fund currently holds around $100.

3. Save money for Christmas in cash– Also DONE and NOT DONE. Same reason as above, I raided this account to help make the final payments on my card. However, I did end using entirely cash for Christmas. Not a present was financed, so I count this one as a success even if it wasn’t to the letter of how I originally thought it would be.

4. Pay off WaMu Credit Card– DONE, DONE, DONE! Woohoo! Of course, they closed the account on me just before I managed to pay it off entirely, dinging my credit (damage of about THIRTY points to my FICO score ), but this credit card and its debt was going to be out of my life forever anyways!

As far as 2010 goals go… more of the above! Just exchange “Capital One” for “WaMu” in Goal #4! I hope to be more successful in the area of leaving my savings alone! I just find it too tempting when I’m within striking distance of paying something off, and that amount of money is just sitting in savings. Hmm… earn 1% interest, or pay off a debt at 20% interest! I realize that’s not the point of my emergency fund, but I just can’t help it!

So yes, leaving my savings alone… paying off my Capital One credit card… and paying back my Grandma the $250 I owe her. Here’s hoping for a great financial year in 2010!

I’m still at work, and I’m starting to think that I’m the only one here. I’ve had, count them, ONE visitor through the lobby all day today, and a handful of phone calls. Mostly from the lovely telemarketer calling to offer me my free insurance marketing magazine. Uh, no thanks. Just like the previous 983478 times you’ve called. I’ve taken down and repacked all of the Christmas decorations, balanced my checkbook, and reached the end of the internet…

So let’s look at pictures from Christmas 4 of 4. Otherwise known as, the post in which I post pictures of babies other than Killian! Number 4 was Christmas afternoon with the entire extended family on my mom’s side. Food and babies galore!

I didn’t get a whole lot of pictures, and some of what I did get didn’t turn out that great (wow, are we a family full of red eyed people!) but I have a few to share.

Like this picture of Lily playing with Aunt Ann.

Izzy and Joe with Carleigh’s stuffed piggy.

Carleigh with her reclaimed piggy and her blankie, snuggling in Dagon’s lap.

Carleigh again, partway between cheesing for the picture, and deciding to yell at me for disrupting her play with my flashing camera in her face.

A blurry picture of Mom and Alexander…

And Alexander making flirty eyes at my camera… I wish you could see the grin he’d flash me just after the flash went off every time, but I never managed to catch it.

No picture opening presents because I was right in the thick of it, and with paper flying everywhere, the only thing I managed was pictures of the backs of heads!