Friday, January 23, 2009

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Resolving to do what...?

So we're in a new year now - gosh the last has gone fast, it must be something to do with getting older (and popping out a sprog)... :)! We had a lovely holiday up north in Christchurch and Wellington for a couple of weeks, and Moe got to meet his extended whanau which was lovely. It's crazy to think that next Christmas he could be walking and even saying some words! Being away together gave us a chance to have a chill out, because there were some very helpful grandparents always happy to step in and take over watching Moe if we wanted a bit of a rest. I also got to meet and hang out with bloggy buddy Nikki which was awesome - I had had things that I wanted to discuss with her before we met up but after two hours hadn't even got onto them we had had so much to talk about anyway, lol! I came back feeling really relaxed. It's also crazy how much of a difference two and a half weeks make - Moe changed so much in that time, but also I feel like I have become more chilled out about how to look after him and how to organize myself around him and him around me and Phil.
Have made some quasi New Year resolutions, mostly around spending and money. We investigated the possibility of selling our place before we left as it is most definitely on the small side for 2 new parents and a baby (and will be even smaller once we have a toddler). Before Xmas I was really really craving a bigger kitchen, and somewhere to put a dining table, and freaking out at our backyard of death (big naasty drops onto concrete and random steps). Unfortunately, due to the wee prob of the current financial crisis, the banks have become tighter than ducks butts, and the market has dropped meaning if we were to sell, we wouldn't get a hell of a lot more than what we paid for this place :(. The mortgage broker we use does reckon she could swing something for us but it would only be worth the risk if we found the perfect place. I've come up with all kinds of hairbrained schemes that would involve the same result - doing a house swap, selling our place and housesitting for a year or two - all of which are VERY unlikely in a town like Dunners (and with a small child and cat in tow). So we're just going to have to sit tight until the market recovers and we have more $$ saved :(.
So I turned my focus on our budgeting and come up with some ideas to help our crappy financial situation. I did a big reorganise of my pantry in the weekend. Our vege garden is in full swing so I have made a resolution that I am not going to do the grocery shopping next fortnight. Instead, I am going to try and use up all the tins and packets of stuff in the pantry that are cluttering it up, so I can do a proper stock up when its a bit emptier. We have plenty of vege in the garden so all I'll have to buy is milk, eggs and some fruit. So lets see how that goes... more photos to follow but I have to go attend to Moe's needs now. Hope everyone had a lovely Xmas and New Year!