tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Sept 30, 2023 22:29:13 GMT -5
Here is my September 2023 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $216,888 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,835,732 Brokerage: $65,004 529s: $96,476
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,726,800
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
We're down over 3% thanks to the stock market. But otherwise, no big changes last month over the previous months.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Sept 5, 2023 13:53:20 GMT -5
It’s been awhile since I read it, but The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry might be one he enjoys. It’s an adult fiction book, but I remember it as interesting and had lots of info about the Knights Templar.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Sept 4, 2023 0:12:14 GMT -5
and.....values taking a dive today! I'll make myself feel better by checking ibonds for interest payment....but down about 30k in the market so far, interest isn't going to be much.... still I like to see it This post was the kick in the pants I needed to move a little money from savings to our taxable account.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Aug 31, 2023 19:34:35 GMT -5
We were on vacation at the end of July/beginning of August, so I didn't go back and look at our numbers for then until I did the August update today. And since our numbers went down slightly, I'll just report the August numbers.
Here is my August 2023 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $214,693 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,929,212 Brokerage: $64,460 529s: $102,101
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,823,166
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
DH is dangerously close again to 2 commas in his 401k, but not there yet. He hit it in late 2021 for a few months, and then things started tanking. So almost back there! I was above my all-time 401k high in July, but back under it again, so guessing I'll cross back over mine soon as well.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Aug 27, 2023 10:35:33 GMT -5
Yikes, steph!! That’s a doozy of a first day and broken arm story! Glad she (and you!) handled it all well, and hope you’re both getting some much-needed R&R this weekend!
And I hope she has a quick recovery! And gets switched to a waterproof cast soon! When C broken both bones in his arm last year, I was pleasantly surprised that they switched from the heavy plaster cast (his only went halfway up the upper part of his arm, though) to the waterproof one at the 10-day appointment. But no compound fracture on his end. Thankfully the bones stayed inside the skin or I’d have lost it.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Aug 23, 2023 12:28:45 GMT -5
Honestly...I'd love it if dc didn't want to tell the neighbors. That feels safe to me for dc and me. I love feeling safe. What did you decide, rae? This is probably the wrong answer, but I’d probably lean towards having DC share with the kids, and then texting the mom right after to give her a head’s up before she gets questions. But I also lean towards asking forgiveness rather than permission.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Aug 23, 2023 12:26:16 GMT -5
Yesterday's new 5th grader quote, "Why didn't someone tell me about exponents?! They are so cool!" This is her first chance to take advanced math and not be bored. Older one isn't mathy, so it's our first time. I didn't realize it meant skipping 5th grade math and jumping completely into 6th. Prepared to hold on tight for the ride as it's likely to shake her math confidence for a bit. Day 1 was a complete hw meltdown including how the on level math didn't have hw bc their classwork was a review of addition complete with coloring in answers. That would have bored her to tears. Meanwhile, hers was place value and she got it except the very hardest two problems on the page which were 6th place decimals that she didn't have notes about. Checked my understanding online, added to her place value chart, and she was off and running again. Helps that the next morning two other kids were whining about those problems and she was able to share edited chart to help them. What I don't understand is why the math teacher would tell the kids that they are skipping a grade. They're 10 and 11, that only causes anxiety. Let them do the work and see. DS gets to take an advanced math class for the first time this year in 6th grade, and was so excited when we got the email that he’d gotten into 6 Plus Math earlier in the summer. If I understand correctly, they do 6th grade curriculum plus at least half of 7th math, and then in 7th do the rest of 7th math plus 8th math, and then do algebra in 8th. Maybe. Not totally sure. Or maybe it’s algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th. Either way, he’s excited and one week in, it’s going well so far. Math is the only option they have for advanced classes, which is definitely a bummer for kids who excel in other subjects. C is doing band, so only got to pick 2 additional one quarter length each electives. He picked Flight and Space, which he’s excited about, and ended up with Spanish, which he’s not excited about it - I think it was his 5th or 6th choice. At least in middle school, he has PE every day/quarter. No idea about the high school yet.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 8, 2023 18:56:27 GMT -5
Recent reads since my last post:
The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan - I liked it, though DS(11) didn’t really get into it and didn’t end up finishing it
Happy Place by Emily Henry - I didn’t like this one as well as People We Meet on Vacation or Beach Read, but still enjoyed it
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - cute read
How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis - okay read
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - this was a reread and I still loved it
When Nobody Was Watching: My Hard-Fought Journey to the Top of the Soccer World by Carli Lloyd - I didn’t know much about Carli Lloyd outside of Olympic medal-winning soccer star, and I found her story interesting
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Strautin - didn’t really love this one
The Librarian of Crooked Lane and The Medici Manuscript (Glass Library #1 & 2) by CJ Archer - these were okay, and I’ll likely read the 3rd when it comes out in September
All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley - this was a different, but enjoyable read
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood - I love everything she writes, and this was no exception. I reread it a few times before it had to go back to the library
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed - informative and quick read
Out of the Corner by Jennifer Grey - I listened to the audiobook (she narrates it) and enjoyed it, though I could have had less time spent on her nose job
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren - loved this one
There were a few other unremarkable rom coms in there as well, that were fine, but not overly memorable.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 4, 2023 19:42:35 GMT -5
Oof, celebrated some family birthdays at my ILs today. DH’s you get brother split from his wife a few months ago, and his older brother divorced years ago, so now I’m the only DIL. And…it’s weird and awkward. And more so because it’s not “my” family. And DH’s younger brother is still in the middle of the hate and anger. One of the birthdays we were celebrating was DS’s, and when he said thank you for his birthday gift, he started to say “Uncle and Au…” and trailed off, which set off some comments. Not directed at DS, but I’m met up with SIL since then, and like most relationships, it takes two. I already usually send the kids with DH solo most of the time, and pretty sure I’m going to keep doing that, outside of some holiday stuff.
I also had to text and then tel DH later in the car that in no uncertain terms are our kids to ride in a car his father is driving. I saw MIL at oldest niece’s baby shower last weekend, and she mentioned that FIL has fallen asleep on the toilet several times and wakes up when he’s falling off, or hits the floor. And that she hasn’t made a quilt in over a year because he stays up all night, and then catnaps in her sewing room so she can’t sew during the day much. And then I saw him fall asleep at 5pm today when everyone was there (and it definitely wasn’t quiet in the house). After we had the convo on the way home, DH mentions that his dad said something recently about driving down a state highway near their house and all of a sudden being in the median, so I’m sure he nodded off then as well. He shouldn’t be driving at all, and I’m worried he’s going to hurt someone.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 3, 2023 12:42:13 GMT -5
7/1/2023 So much cash… got rid of some of it by extra spending but not enough 😂 Planning on spending some more on a new roof soon but probably need to increase investments, too. Or buy a more expensive house. I always vote for more vacations! That helps spend money! 🤪
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 3, 2023 12:39:13 GMT -5
Most expensive wedding we attended was in Toronto. Flights for 4 was around $2k, plus hotel and car rental and everything else. Totally worth it, though - we stuck around and went to Niagara Falls, plus tons of sight-seeing in Toronto. The wedding was a lavish (to me, at least) Hindu Indian ceremony, and so beautiful. We had a blast, and I am so glad we went.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 3, 2023 12:35:02 GMT -5
Lol, The Willamette Valley is considerably cheaper than Sonoma County. I don't live close enough to it for you to stay with us and tour it. We do have a a rural set of wineries/vineyards where I live, but they're not renowned. Although, we do have world championship blue cheese. I'm a bigger fan of Willamette Valley Pinot noir, so I definitely want to do an Oregon wine and beer trip. We do the Finger Lakes often (4 hour drive), time to branch out. I just can't resist being in a wine country and not stocking up on wine. My Wine Club (8 women) went to Willamette Valley last October for our 15-year Wine Club anniversary and loved it. And I swear we looked like lushes when we got back to KC and the multiple wine boxes came rolling off the luggage carousel. Which doesn’t include the other winery wine clubs we joined that were shipping wine later.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 1, 2023 13:56:18 GMT -5
Here is my June 2023 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $230,837 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,897,800 Brokerage: $43,792 529s: $100,370
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,785,499
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
We're up over 5% over the previous month, but still down from December 2021, which was our high so far (we are getting pretty close to that, though). After I updated my spreadsheet, I moved some cash over to our brokerage account. Probably should have done more of that a few months ago before stocks started going up.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 31, 2023 22:25:57 GMT -5
Here is my May 2023 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $220,533 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,774,419 Brokerage: $41,237 529s: $93,649
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,642,538
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
We're up about 0.9% over the previous month, but still down from December 2021, which was our high so far. I did move some of the cash over to finish funding the kids' 529 accounts this year, and DH's and my Roth IRA accounts.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 24, 2023 23:56:34 GMT -5
Last day of 5th and 1st grades for my babies today. C is off to middle school next year, so it’s also the last time they’ll be at the same school. 😭 And in a holy growth over a couple of time periods, here’s a couple pics of C from first day to last day of 5th grade; and first day of kindergarten to last day of 5th.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 24, 2023 23:53:23 GMT -5
I have The Sun and the Star on hold at the library, drama, so glad to hear you liked it!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 24, 2023 23:51:27 GMT -5
Pink camo cast. Has to get wet every day which means I can use it to institute daily showers which are needed in the summer anyway and as we head into the stinky ages LOL. Hope she doesn’t catch on quickly to what C did last year when he was in a cast on his right arm. He figured out he could just thoroughly wet the cast in the kitchen sink on days he didn’t want to shower. 🙄🤪
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 14, 2023 16:51:41 GMT -5
Happy Mother’s Day!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 14, 2023 16:51:31 GMT -5
DD14 had theater awards last night...no parents allowed which is weird to me but whatever. She won Outstanding Freshman, Outstanding Lead Role in a One Act, and Rookie of the Year. Pretty cool stuff! Congrats to your daughter! That’s awesome!!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 14, 2023 16:48:54 GMT -5
Recent reads: Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make - and Keep - Friends by Marisa Franco - I liked this okay; a little dry at times, but had some good anecdotes
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil - this is not my typical read but it was a wonderful and lovely collection of short essays by a poet. Highly recommend! Cute rom-coms I liked: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee Something Wilder by Christina Lauren (this was more adventure romance; I liked the Unhoneymooners better, but this was okay) The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 8, 2023 11:45:23 GMT -5
Nope, not feeling competitive! From what I’ve picked up on, I agree that we are in pretty similar situations and I like watching BOTH of our net worths grow! Me 45, DH 43, one elementary school child and one middle school child LCOL, small town in Midwest. BestPlaces.net gives our town’s COL as 80 with a USA average of 100. DH salary $235,000, plus bonus and stock options = $325,000 for 2023 I worked very part time after we had kids but stopped in 2020. Yep, similar! Me 41, DH 47, and two elementary kids (one heads to middle school next year) MCOL as we're in a decent sized metro area in the midwest (BestPlaces.net gives the town a 106 rating; rest of the state is 83, which I believe). DH salary/bonus was about $125k and mine was $160k.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 8, 2023 11:38:08 GMT -5
Here is my April 2023 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $238,701 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,743,655 Brokerage: $40,968 529s: $82,788
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,618,812
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 6, 2023 21:43:26 GMT -5
Beautiful ring, taz!!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 22, 2023 21:11:55 GMT -5
I’m not a troop leader, but was the cookie manager parent this year. M is a 1st grader, so has been in Girl Scouts for two years. In our area, the new troops for kindergartners don’t start until the school year starts, so you still may be able to put her in one at the school. Ours meets right after school in the school building, which I love because if I can’t make it, M can go to after school care (which is at the school) as soon as the Girl Scouts meeting is over.
I believe you’re required to have an assistant troop leader as you need two adults (or more) at every meeting. I’d say our troop leader probably spends 5-7 hours/month max doing prep work, attending the monthly service unit meeting, ordering badges, etc.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 16, 2023 13:27:55 GMT -5
I’ve been returning things at Whole Foods recently. Yesterday I was in and out in about one minute returning a few things.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 16, 2023 13:25:08 GMT -5
Recent reads:
You Got Anything Stronger? by Gabrielle Union - this was an audiobook read for me. Gabrielle Union narrates, and I highly recommend it.
The Self-Driven Child by William Stixrud - okay read
Cute romance stories I enjoyed: Reluctantly Yours by Erin Hawkins Mr Wrong Number by Lynn Painter End of Story by Kylie Scott Better than Fiction by Alexa Martin
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 3, 2023 20:44:29 GMT -5
tcu2003 and aricia you two are neck and neck! Any feelings of competitiveness? Not on my end. I love cheering for and seeing others succeed - especially other women! I think we’re pretty close in age, so would be fun to compare cost of living/geographic areas, salaries, kid ages, etc for grins and giggles. Same reason I like seeing azucena’s updates - similar combined household incomes, 2 kids, both in Midwest, both have too much cash, etc. ☺️
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 2, 2023 12:12:48 GMT -5
Here is my March 2023 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $224,631 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,732,254 Brokerage: $40,439 529s: $80,190
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,590,215
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 29, 2023 12:07:17 GMT -5
I’ve recently finished and would recommend d:
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci Meet Cute by Helena Hunting The Reunion by Kayla Olson
Of these, Taste by Stanley Tucci was hands down my favorite. I listened to the audiobook (first time I’ve ever listened to one that wasn’t a kids book in the car with the kids), and loved it. Stanley Tucci is the reader, and he’s freaking hilarious. I LOL’d at so many stories he told, and loved the book from start to finish. High recommend!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 29, 2023 9:36:45 GMT -5
Hugs, drama. I am not looking forward to the middle school and teen years, especially with DD.
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