tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 2, 2022 23:30:15 GMT -5
Okay, I will probably edit these, but here is a start to 2022 goals:
Home:
Finish the basement (not just the construction part that DH is doing, but furniture and any decorations we want)
Either make my flower beds look good, or plant a vegetable garden (or both, but not holding my breath on that)
Replace dining room rug
Declutter my closet
Paint the exterior of the house
Financial:
Max 401k accounts for DH and me
Max backdoor Roth IRAs for DH and me by end of January
Max mega/post-tax 401k option (or whatever it is called) for DH and me (this is $10k each at our employer)
Fund kids’ 529 accounts to amount we get a state income tax deduction for
Set up wills/trust
Set up a brokerage account for DH and me
Increase our charitable giving (and get the kids more involved in this)
Personal:
Read at least 36 books
Try something new each month (recipe, restaurant, class, etc - anything as long as it's something new)
Family:
Visit all of our city’s parks
Vacation/explore someplace new
Be intentional about getting outside more (not sure if I'm going to track hours for the kids a la the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge or not, but at least be mindful about it)
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 2, 2022 23:29:44 GMT -5
That seems really short! We've always gotten 2 weeks and 1 or 2 days for teacher in service. Yours seems long to me. We’ve always gotten just over a week or so off. There’s no teacher in service days included either as the marking period ends later in January. Also, I think you go back earlier than we do. We started August 30th this year. This is longer than we've had previously (to be fair, my oldest is a 4th grader, so only my 5th time through this...we also got a week at Thanksgiving when we've never had more than W/Th/F before). The last day of our 2nd quarter was the last day before the break started, but grades have all been submitted, so the in service days on T/W are for professional development, I think, not marking. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 2, 2022 23:27:22 GMT -5
Our breaks were at least two weeks in the past. But this year our governor signed a law stating kids can't go back more than 10 days before Labor Day, or something like that. Because $$ is clearly the priority and not our children 😡 I forgot about that...one more reason the MO governor is a douchecanoe. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 2, 2022 18:28:35 GMT -5
I went outside with the kids yesterday and shoveled some snow. And today a slow walk today with them in the 15F weather with lots of stops to look at frozen pinecones and whatever else caught their fancy. But I was outside and moving, so I’m going to call it a win.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 2, 2022 18:25:27 GMT -5
Do you have a number in mind that you would retire at? Are you planning on retiring early? Around what age? No set number in mind. DH is 45 and I am 40, and our kids are in 4th grade and kindergarten. DH wants to retire at 60, and I want the option to retire when he does, though I’m guessing I at least work another year after him. We’re both engineers, and don’t have physically demanding jobs, so as long as I’m still enjoying my job, I’ll probably keep working, at least part-time (which would be an option at my current employer). We actually just met a few weeks ago with a financial planner that is a benefit of the 401k company that work uses. He ran a bunch of modeling based on projections out from where we are now, what we’re continuing to add to 401k and IRAs (plus kids 529 - he also modeled the funding the kids’ college tuition), and except for a few of the worst case scenarios, we should be fine. The kicker for us is healthcare - that was going to cost way more than I thought (though to be fair, I haven’t really thought about it). |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 2, 2022 17:59:02 GMT -5
Sam, I’m jealous that school starts tomorrow. Ours doesn’t start until Thursday. And their last day was the Friday one week before Christmas. So these crazy children will have been home for 2.5 weeks. Looking at the forecast for Thursday, it also wouldn’t surprise me if that ends up being a weather day - it’s going to be cold, so no clue if the busses will be able to start.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 1, 2022 20:31:32 GMT -5
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 1, 2022 19:58:18 GMT -5
2 million in retirement savings, congratulations! Do you mind sharing your retirement plans? Thanks! What are you looking for? The breakdown between the different retirement accounts or what we’re invested in. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 1, 2022 11:39:32 GMT -5
We use Resolve or Spot Shot - both have worked well for kid messes, cat vomit, etc.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 31, 2021 23:40:33 GMT -5
Found my 2021 goals from the old thread (and for anyone else who wants to look theirs up, it's here: ymam.proboards.com/thread/64322/new-years-resolutions?page=1Family:
500 hours outside - who knows, I stopped tracking; I do know that we were more intentional about being outside more, which was really the goal Visit all of our city’s parks - nope, will probably try this again for 2022 Read to kids 325 days (or more) - stopped tracking, but I'm pretty sure I hit this; I averaged somewhere around 5000 pages read to the kid(s) (most the youngest, but sometimes the oldest listened in; he prefers to read on his own at this point) Vacation/explore someplace new - done! Home:
Finish the basement - lololol; DH is still working on this as I type, but should be done in 2022 Plant a vegetable garden - nope, but I did plant tomatoes again, so I'll take that Replace rug - nope Paint M’s room - nope Purge at least 500 items - not sure; I stink at counting decluttering items Financial:
Max 401k accounts and Roth IRAs for DH and me - done! Find kids’ 529 accounts to amount we get a state income tax deduction for - done! Set up wills/trust - failed Don’t screw up 2021 taxes (they will significantly change for me in 2021 once I purchase shares in my employer’s S-Corp, so I will have to use a CPA for the first time) - think I'm okay here Increase our charitable giving - haven't added this up yet, but not sure we made it Personal:
Read at least 36 books - done! (final number was 41) Increase average number of steps per day over 2020 - need to check this still Send at least 40 letters of appreciation to people who have positively impacted my life by my 40th birthday this summer - done! this was seriously one of the coolest things I did in 2021, and I'm so glad I made it happen; I sent handwritten letters for my 40th birthday to 40 women who have positively impacted my life - it was family members (mom, sister, aunt, cousin), people I volunteer with through my professional society, friends, and female coworkers and leaders at work |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 31, 2021 23:27:30 GMT -5
Updated our NW tonight, which clearly means I have nothing better to do on NYE...  Here is my December 2021 update: ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $271,653 House: $512,700 Retirement: $2,004,394 Brokerage: $5,907 529s: $83,334k Company Stock: $0 DEBTS: Company Stock Loan (to shareholder I'm buying stock from, at 0.52% for 7 years): $0 Total NW: $2,877,989 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. The ESOP happened, closed 11/30, and cash is in our account, so my company stock is now $0 as is my debt, and my cash went way up. For now, it's sitting there until DH and I decide what we want to do with it. At the very least, I'll fund our backdoor Roth IRAs in January, and I might go ahead and bump our 401k contributions way up to max those early (DH and I work for the same company, and they don't put in the company match until February or March of the following year, so if we max early, it's fine - we'll still get the full matching amounts). For anyone who read some of my earlier posts, I did purchase plane tickets to Phoenix over Spring Break to visit the Grand Canyon (and Saguaro and whatever that other National Park in Arizona is - forgot the name and I'm too lazy right now to go look it up), and plane tickets to go to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone this summer. I have rental cars for both places, and lodging mostly figured out for Yellowstone/Tetons (including 1 night at Old Faithful Inn), but only a couple of nights figured out for our Arizona trip, so I need to figure out the rest. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 30, 2021 23:32:16 GMT -5
No walk yesterday, but DD and I went on one today. Well, she scootered and I walked.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 28, 2021 0:46:13 GMT -5
I’ve been taken advantage of the warmer than normal weather, and M wanting to use her new scooter, so have gone on walks outside the last few days. It’s supposed to get cold tomorrow; so hopefully we still get out, or I figure out something else to do at home since I’m at least currently motivated to be active.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 26, 2021 11:43:39 GMT -5
So glad the trip is going smoothly, Sam! My next level of trip is going to come when M can read. That was a trip-changer for C, and I can’t wait for M to be there. She loved books, so I get to read aloud books to her on trips (DH does as well, but he’s usually driving, so I’m on reading duty). We took some books on CD last time, so that helped as well.
And agreed, no diaper changes or sippy cups or baby food is a game changer! I was pleasantly surprised how well our road trip to Louisville and Mammoth Cave went in November. C wants to go to Nashville to see the Parthenon there, so we’ll likely road trip that in 2022 since the last one went well.
Hoping that the adoption news for your nephews is good news and soon! Sounds like the kids all had a blast!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 26, 2021 1:05:06 GMT -5
Merry Christmas!! 🎄
Overall, a good day at my house. M wanted a stuffed crocodile from Santa, and “he” delivered. C, who knows the Santa truth, was a smart aleck and asked for a stuffed jackalope. Mission accomplished, child. My sister gave us the dollhouse her girls inherited from our cousin’s daughters, so we had that by the tree - M was super excited about that. And it’s taller than she is - it’s eventually going in our basement (hoping DH has that finished in the next couple of months), but not sure where it’ll live in the meantime.
C (9) got some new legos, Bakugan toys, snap circuits, books and clothes. He was pretty excited about a new Chiefs hooded sweatshirt. And the Legos and some of the books. My sister got him a Harry Potter wand he really wanted, so that was a big hit as well.
M (5) got some Barbie things, a new scooter, sparkle silver shoes, fuzzy slippers, books and a new Lego set. The scooter was definitely a hit - we went on a walk/scooter ride this afternoon so she could test it. My ILs got her a new sled last weekend at that Christmas celebration and she was disappointed in no snow today - sorry, kiddo. But I’ll take 55F and Sunny.
DH got me a leather crossbody purse/small tote I wanted…except he didn’t order the zipper option I specifically asked for. I like it and will still use it, but wanted it for trips as well. Oh well, I can keep using my old bag I have for travel. He also got the matching leather zip around wallet, which is awesome.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 16, 2021 21:46:38 GMT -5
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 13, 2021 12:52:07 GMT -5
Hugs, taz.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 7, 2021 22:32:45 GMT -5
C had a Special Chorus Concert tonight. 4th and 5th graders have the option to sign up for special chorus, and he wanted to do so (which surprised us). They meet twice a week and 745am (school starts at 820). They got to perform for the district offices yesterday, and then for parents/family tonight. So much fun - the kids did great. Our district is still in a mask mandate for elementary schools, and the kids were all wearing masks, but you could still hear them.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Dec 7, 2021 14:31:43 GMT -5
Here is my November 2021 update:
ASSETS:
Checking/Savings: $180,794
House: $512.7k
Retirement: $1.95M
Brokerage: $5.6k
529s: $76.6k
Company Stock: $214.5k
DEBTS:
Company Stock Loan (to shareholder I'm buying stock from, at 0.52% for 7 years): $175k
Total NW: $2,763,161
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.
The ESOP happened, and closed 11/30, but the cash was pending in my account, so I'll update in December with the adds from the stock sale/wiping out my company stock and the debt I had on it. We also have a meeting with a financial planner in a couple of weeks, so hoping that gives me so clarity on what I might want to do with our extra cash.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 27, 2021 17:17:41 GMT -5
Popping back in to try to motivate myself some more between now and the end of the year. I partially cleaned out my closet a couple of weeks ago and pulled out tons of jeans and shirts that were too small. I posted everything in lots on local Buy Nothing FB group and the last set of shirts got picked up yesterday , so yay for clearing out some space. I’ve also managed to give away some kid stuff there recently, and sell a few things on FB marketplace. Still tons more to go, but I’ll take any progress.
DH is in the middle of finishing our basement, and is at the stage now where it’s finishing time. As I type, he’s spraying the ceilings to add the texture to them. The flooring is on order and should be here in the next week or two. So maybe it will be done in the next couple of months (he started this in January of this year) and we can move stuff back into our storage room downstairs….maybe.
We went to my sister and her significant other’s house for Thanksgiving. Pretty sure there were about 30 people there. But all we had to do was show up, so I’ll take it. Besides the 4 of us and my mom, and then sis, her 2 kids, boyfriend and his son, everyone else was his extended family. In my family, everyone pitches in to clean up. But as soon as they mentioned clean up, his entire extended family left - like fled. Not a big deal - sis, mom and I got it all taken care of, but even sis was a little shocked by it.
My mom turned 70 today, so we hosted a small get together for her at our house. Sis and her family, plus my aunt and uncle, and another couple from my hometown that are longtime friends. My other uncle and aunt were supposed to come (that uncle is mom’s brother and only living sibling), but they nailed a couple of days ago. She had a good time, and is currently napping on my couch.
Hope you all are doing well!! I’ll try to check in more often.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 22, 2021 23:00:36 GMT -5
I've struggled with teaching effort. Both of my kids shy away when something doesn't come naturally and hard work can be better than results in the real world. But I also don't want them wound too tight over shit that ultimately doesn't matter and I really have no idea how to balance both ideals. Somehow we struggle with both problems. So much this for C. It frustrates me to no end that he gives up whenever something is the least bit hard. M will usually keep at something until she figures it out, but not big brother. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 22, 2021 22:58:03 GMT -5
I’m always amazed at how insecure/competitive many wealthy people are. Luxury brands, whether they are really quality merchandise or not, are the badges of their success. It’s the mine is bigger than yours syndrome. Bigger yachts, bigger houses, more houses, fancier airplanes, etc., that is. So true. I see it with a few of my friends who are always upgrading their boats and trucks and seat location of their season tickets and the hotels they’re staying in when they go on group trips. They haven’t went too extravagant on homes and vacation homes yet but that will be the next logical step. They are always trying to out do the group and I think it gives them a rush.. It’s like they’re chasing the high. Maybe you’ll be the beneficiary of invitations to the new and upgraded vacation homes! 😉🙃 |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 22, 2021 22:55:35 GMT -5
DH donates to church.
I donate to my professional organization, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) for their K-12/STEM education programs to get STEM programs in low income schools.
We also donate to the kids’ school district foundation - they have projects needing funding so I let the kids choose one or two each and make a donation.
The local food bank is another one.
Kids’ school does a fundraiser for foster kids - each class adopts a boy and a girl and the kids donate gifts based on the wants and needs of the kids. We contribute to that each year.
Donations to causes our friends and family raise money for throughout the year, whether that is a run/walk/stair climb, bike race, or FB fundraiser.
I’ve given small, nominal amounts my undergrad Alma Mater in the past, but I’m feeling disenfranchised with them right now, so we’ll see if I give them anything next year. I made a small donation earlier this year, so I’m not making another one this year.
United WE - they’re local to me, but their work supports women outside the Midwest as well. From their website: United WE tackles barriers to women’s economic growth and unlocks women’s economic potential through research, policy solutions and civic engagement.
I’m probably forgetting something but those are the main ones.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 14, 2021 21:34:21 GMT -5
My kiddos got shot #1 yesterday. They are 9 and 5. We went to a pharmacy about 40 minutes away in a college town as that was the soonest we could find appointments- everything else was after Thanksgiving. Both did great. My oldest’s reaction to realizing that he wasn’t going to be fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after the 2nd dose was pretty funny. What are your plans for masking after they are fully vaccinated? Dd9 is pushing hard to skip masking. Our school will go completely masks optional 1.10. Right now they are only masking in public areas with mixed classes. Dd13 and dd9 are among a handful masking all day. Not sure yet. As it’s cold and flu season, I’d love to make through spring break, but once they’re both fully vaccinated, I might be okay without masks for them. For now, their school districts still requires masks at the elementary and middle schools so it’s a moot point. The high schools just changed or are about to change to masks not required- though they have gating criteria on percentage of kids testing positive for COVID and/or being absent. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 13, 2021 21:42:58 GMT -5
My kiddos got shot #1 yesterday. They are 9 and 5. We went to a pharmacy about 40 minutes away in a college town as that was the soonest we could find appointments- everything else was after Thanksgiving.
Both did great. My oldest’s reaction to realizing that he wasn’t going to be fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after the 2nd dose was pretty funny.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 12, 2021 21:00:40 GMT -5
9.5 to 10 was the worst age so far for us. Meltdowns and explosions over everything and nothing at all. Then 10 hit and went back to being relatively easy. I'm assuming it was hormones. Editing because I don't want to jinx myself! Ignore my last post…didn’t read far enough down in the thread. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 12, 2021 20:59:30 GMT -5
My patience level is really thin with that kind of stuff too. How old is he? Past the dreaded 9.5? I hope it is a short lived phase. Wait….what I have I missed. What happens at 9.5?!? Because C is about 4 weeks away from 9.5. Also - solidarity, MPL. C blames all of his problems on everyone else, and it’s usually DH or me that bears the brunt of it. |
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 12, 2021 20:55:50 GMT -5
Congrats, joss!! Excited for you and the next adventure!
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 8, 2021 21:28:09 GMT -5
Congrats, crone!!
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 5, 2021 17:37:37 GMT -5
Have an awesome trip with the kids, Sam!! We went to the beach near Gulfport and to Pensacola Beach at the end of the summer and both kids loved it. The last time we’d been to the beach was 3 years ago when we went to Hawaii, and M hated the sand, so I was excited to see she was loving it as much as her brother this time.
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