WE'RE HERE WE'RE HERE WE'RE HERE!

So after three days of driving we ended up here at about noon on Tuesday. I have so much more money left over  than I had anticipated. It's awesome!

The drive was alright, dad convinced me to take 95 all the way up so we could avoid hitting snow in the mountains and we hit so many ridiculous tolls! I picked on him, because my route would have avoided them all. I swear I didn't realize ho high they had gotten!
We only hit snow once driving through Virginia, and it came out of no where so there was no salt on the roads and our smooth sailing slowed down for a bit.
We made it out though, and now we're here!

I have talked to me new boss, and hopefully will begin work within the next week.

Other than that it has really just been a whole lot of family time. My entire family (mom dad and brothers) haven't been together in years so it was interesting. I'm wiped out from the whole thing.

Hopefully within the next few days things will start to mellow out and get into the norm. I still feel like I'm on one big vacation.

I am going to crash now.

My Dearest February, Thou art always the Worst.

Financially Speaking that is.

I don't know what it is about this month, I start off strong, still reeling from bringing in the New Year with a bang. Then two or three weeks go by, valentines day, my Birthday and all of a sudden I've lost track of my spending and my budget for the month is shot to hell.

Maybe you've noticed my lack of spending? Well thats the reason.

Today Marks the first day of our last week as Floridians. These next few days are going to be hecktic and I don't know if I will have time to post. So I figure this is as good a time as any to review my monthly goals.

-Double up on my Car fund : Put $10.00 each week instead of $5.00This thought donned on me the other day, I figure, why not? So instead of putting $20.00 aside, I'll be putting $40.00 aside this will bring my total to $80.00! Woo - High Roller. Its getting there - a little at a time.
We were laggin here in the middle (all of that mindless spending) but assuming all goes well this week we nailed this one! :] And I am that much closer to a new Car!
-Put $80.00 in my Charity Fund
I guess this is my magic number this month! So far I haven't put anything in my charity fund and that's a little upsetting. Now $50 seemed like to little, while $100 seemed like A LOT so I'm sticking to $80 this month.
Almost there! Once I work on tuesday I will be there and we will be writing our check. I am so happy we managed this!
-Comlete 1/2 of my first blanket.
I am slacking! I swear to you I will never crochet another blanket again. it takes WAY TO LONG!
Probably my best accomplishment! I was on a roll! then I slowed down, but I am deffinately about halfway there. I can not wait to see this puppy finished.

Whats next you ask?
March Goals:

-Do some exercise 3 times a week.
My original goal for the year was to walk 3 miles a week. But finding the time to walk was difficult. So I'm changing it to exercise. Any kind. 3 times a week.

-Attempt to put $200 in my emergency Fund.
I haven't put anything in here yet, but if I'm going to get to $2,000 by January, I need to start being more aggresive with it.

-Show Auston the awesomeness that is New Hampshire.
I grew up here. He is moving from Florida for the first time in his life. I just want him to understand the beauty and coolness of where we are going to.

-Donate $90 to a charity of my choosing.
A little more than last month, but I can't skip out on a month, or else meeting my goal for the year will be near impossible.

-Sew 3 baby bibs.
I want to start sweing and selling different items to help pay for our adoption fee's in the upcoming years. Hopefully I will be gitting a machine shortly.

-Write another Chapter in my book.
I have been neglecting my story :( And it is off to such a great start. So this month I want to sit down, and really focus on it.

There you have it!
Agressive, but imprtant to me! <3

Little car and I visited the Jiffy Lube :]

So my little 1994 Honda Civic is once again responsible for transporting Loveyy and I from one home to the next.
Almost two years ago I was packing her up and driving her 1,500 miles down here. I never thought she'd have to make the trip twice.
With the big move just 11 days away we decided to bring her to the car doctor for a check-up.
They filled up all of her fluids, and changes the oil. They also convinced me to flush the radiator. I haven't done this since I got her and I have put a good 100,000 miles on her since momma gave her to me after graduation in 2010.
All of this should have cost me around $130, which was steep but if it needed to be done, then it needed to be done.  However, with coupons, and discounts it only came to $70! I'd say I got a good deal! Proud? I am. We also bought some fuel injector and filler her up so hopefully her gas mileage will improve a little.
I LOVE when we take her in and get her tuned up, she always drives so much better afterwards.

Just 11 more days!!
I can not wait.

Nineteen to go!

In exactly nineteen days I will be packing up the last little bits of my belongings loading my two cats and my dog and Loveyy into my itty bitty 1994 Honda Civic, while my dad gets into the 16 foot budget truck I have reserved and we will all be pulling out of Austons moms drive and heading for our new home in the mountains.

This has all happened rather quickly. When I started planning this trip 6 or 7 months ago it seemed like it was going to take forever! Even as soon as 2 months ago I still could hardly see the end of all the moving, and packing and planning and stress. Now its basically here at my doorstep and I am still a little shocked by how quickly these past 6 months have gone by.

I am amazed by my ability to pull something as large as moving 1,500 miles awway in just a few short months. Auston has never made a transition like this. I however, am all to familiar with starting fresh. I have moved to many times to count! The summer before I started high school I moved from New Hampshire to California. Talk about scary. Maybe the fact that I'm callous to moving now is why I have such trouble trying to talk to him and comfort him. He is after all leaving everything and everyone he has ever known behind, and I am headed towards my mommy. I know its tough.

Here are a few pieces of advice when planning a move such as this:

• Give yourself Ample amounts of time! Like I just said, these past six months have FLOWN by, and honestly I'd be okay with staying and saving for another month.
• Let those who will be most affected know EARLY on. That way everyone has a chance to say their piece and get used to the idea of not having you around. It will still hurt when the time comes, but atleast everyone feels as though they have put their best foot forward and said what they needed to say.  - When Auston's family found out, I thought they would never get over how upset they were. but they did. It just took some time. And yes It is still going to suck, but atleast they were able to give us their input.
• Check, then check again, then RE-CHECK your budget. Make sure every last thing is included. Don't forget food for your trip, or the fact that your car will need a tune up if you're driving. Are animals coming? You might want to factor in fees at hotels for having animals with you. Gas is a big one - for my car its going to cost around $200, but the truck will be around $600, thats $800 in gas alone!
• Downsize. Do you need everything in your house? We got rid of tons and tons of stuff and still require a 16 footer to move it all. The less you move the smaller the truck, the less in gas. Its really a chain reaction. So look at your things and think "is this really worth paying to ship?"
• Ask for help! I don't know how this trip would have been possible without the help we have recieved from friends and family. Some helped us move, some are storing tings for us while we are in a transitioning phase, some are caring for the animlas, and some are housing us during the transition. Help is key! Trust us.

Thats all the advice I have for now. After the big day I'll probably do a big breakdown of everything involved.

Its Official.

I recieved my tax return yesterday!Which means that I am officially ready to move.

Of course, all the money I have saved up only covers "the moving" part of this new endevor, but I should be recieving plenty in the next couple of weeks to help with the transitional phase as well.

I also recieved another W2 that I wasn't expecting, so now I have to go file some ammended taxes. All that really means is a little more money for me though! Seriously, who's going to be upset about that? Not this girl.

My car insurance is getting paid tomorrow, and that is our last official bill, so my last two paychecks should be going towards fixing up my 1994 civic for the long haul. Poor Baby - she's going to hate me. I'll have to buy her a new bumper sticker.

Not a whole lot has been going on here, just a lot of working. And Planning.

We have been eating out a ton! because we aren't in our own place anymore. I didn't think this would upset me as much as it does, but I am really not happy. I will have to make more of an effort to buy easy meals to cook here. I can't wait to get back into my own place, with my own kitchen.

I also plan on participating in Carla's mini challenge this week. I just have to figure out who to send something special to.