We were able to print off our (or his)W-2 yesterday.
I spent about an hour trying to figure it out. Another hour trying to print out LES's (pay stubs) to compare to, and another 45 minutes or so talking to someone from H&R Block.
I learned a LOT!!
Dustin's income is not federally taxed. Only bonuses.
We still pay Utah State Tax. Not Washington.
BAH(housing), BAS(food), and other allotments are not only not taxed, but also not included in your Income.
Although we are very comfortable living on only Dusitn's income, on paper, we look poor as dirt.
Ofcourse, Dustin could not wait to file our taxes. We downloaded the H&R Block computer program for free from militaryonesource.com. We e-filed for free. Our direct deposit was free.
Our return, we checked it twice! The amount on our check has 5 digits. Way more than we were expecting!
Now to prioritize what we need, separate it from what we want, and have the controll to put all the rest into savings.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Party Invitations
Normaly I get an idea nad can run with it.... this time not so much.
Probably because Gavin is having a medical themed party. Weird I know. But it WILL be cute- just wait I'll blog about it more later.
I love to make my invites by hand. I had originally thought of making them look like a presription. Harder to do than I'd planned.
Usually inspiration will hit me somewhere in the middle of a craft store, so off I went. I was there for well over an hour. I'd hoped to see some cute paper with syringes on it, or x-rays, ..... something cool like that. I was out of luck. So I strolled the rows and rows of scrapbooking and card making supplies. Nothing jumped out and said "YES! This will be perfect". Nothing.
So I settled on two colors, grabbed the cardstock and an extra pack of white cardstock and decided to stick with the prescription pad idea.
The invites themselves need to be fairly simple so I can mass produce them. I think we'll end up passing out about 30 of them. I know. Shoot me now.
I found some clipart. Hopefully I can overcome this creative block and get something cute done tonight.
Too bad Gavin didn't want a Fancy Nancy party for his 8th birthday. I found TONS of cute stuff for that.
Probably because Gavin is having a medical themed party. Weird I know. But it WILL be cute- just wait I'll blog about it more later.
I love to make my invites by hand. I had originally thought of making them look like a presription. Harder to do than I'd planned.
Usually inspiration will hit me somewhere in the middle of a craft store, so off I went. I was there for well over an hour. I'd hoped to see some cute paper with syringes on it, or x-rays, ..... something cool like that. I was out of luck. So I strolled the rows and rows of scrapbooking and card making supplies. Nothing jumped out and said "YES! This will be perfect". Nothing.
So I settled on two colors, grabbed the cardstock and an extra pack of white cardstock and decided to stick with the prescription pad idea.
The invites themselves need to be fairly simple so I can mass produce them. I think we'll end up passing out about 30 of them. I know. Shoot me now.
I found some clipart. Hopefully I can overcome this creative block and get something cute done tonight.
Too bad Gavin didn't want a Fancy Nancy party for his 8th birthday. I found TONS of cute stuff for that.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Check One!
Okay, well it's not fully checked but on its way!
I've been wanting for a long while now (before we moved in here) to put some type of hide-a-bed in Gavin's room. I had even tried unsuccessfully to convince Gavin that that is what he wanted for Christmas.
I found the one I really wanted at Ikea. It's kinda futon-esk but it was twin size and folded up with the cover on looked more like an armless chair.
The drive to have one comes from a few different areas.
First, when children come over, any children, (Logan's friends, Gavin's friends, my friends kids) they always end up in Gav's room playing. Some extra seating would be nice. My kids also have all their video games in Gav's room, and I prefer they not all pile on the bed all the time.
Second for sleep overs. I hate making kids sleep on the floor. I know I did it when I was a kid and never minded on little bit. It would just be nice.
Third and most importantly (I think) is for when we have company come stay. We end up kicking Logan out of his room. Wich is fine and doesn't bother me at all. Really! But.... if the kid is giving up his whole room, I think it would at least be nice for him to have decent place to sleep while he shares his brothers room. Those boys are getting far too big to share a twin bed anymore.
It was that third arguement, and the fact that we are having family come stay with us next month that convinced Dustin the purchase was worth while. The more I thought about it though, the more I was rethinking the size. Next month it won't be just Logan, but Jace too, who will be kicked out of her room.
It was only $50 more to go with the "couch" size as opposed to the "chair" size. I can fit two kids on the couch size! So I started looking over the weekend. Dustin kinda agrees the couch size is best, but really isn't excited about how expensive this is becoming.
**Seems off track- but go with me here.**
Last night I couldn't sleep. Earlier in the day I had been talking to a friend about pottery barn kitchens, craigslist came up. I stated looking around the free section of CL last night to really just entertain myself. Sometimes it's funny what people put on there (used binkies?-really?). One of the ads was listed as Ikea Frame. I was thinking picture frame, wich I was keeping an eye out for a crafty project. I clicked.
Lo and behold- it is the frame of the exact "couch" size hide-a-bed. And it's free. And it has 2 covers. All I'd have to get would be the matress. Who wants a used matress from a strangers home anyway? I looked it up. The matress is $90.
I waited all night to call, it drove me crazy. I waited all morning. I didn't want to upset someone by waking them up too early. I called, she answered. She is going to call me at 4 when she gets home from work so I can go pick it up!
Now.... here's hoping she really does call! Might brake my heart if she doesn't.
It sure will make it hard if I have to pay full price for it now...
I've been wanting for a long while now (before we moved in here) to put some type of hide-a-bed in Gavin's room. I had even tried unsuccessfully to convince Gavin that that is what he wanted for Christmas.
I found the one I really wanted at Ikea. It's kinda futon-esk but it was twin size and folded up with the cover on looked more like an armless chair.
The drive to have one comes from a few different areas.
First, when children come over, any children, (Logan's friends, Gavin's friends, my friends kids) they always end up in Gav's room playing. Some extra seating would be nice. My kids also have all their video games in Gav's room, and I prefer they not all pile on the bed all the time.
Second for sleep overs. I hate making kids sleep on the floor. I know I did it when I was a kid and never minded on little bit. It would just be nice.
Third and most importantly (I think) is for when we have company come stay. We end up kicking Logan out of his room. Wich is fine and doesn't bother me at all. Really! But.... if the kid is giving up his whole room, I think it would at least be nice for him to have decent place to sleep while he shares his brothers room. Those boys are getting far too big to share a twin bed anymore.
It was that third arguement, and the fact that we are having family come stay with us next month that convinced Dustin the purchase was worth while. The more I thought about it though, the more I was rethinking the size. Next month it won't be just Logan, but Jace too, who will be kicked out of her room.
It was only $50 more to go with the "couch" size as opposed to the "chair" size. I can fit two kids on the couch size! So I started looking over the weekend. Dustin kinda agrees the couch size is best, but really isn't excited about how expensive this is becoming.
**Seems off track- but go with me here.**
Last night I couldn't sleep. Earlier in the day I had been talking to a friend about pottery barn kitchens, craigslist came up. I stated looking around the free section of CL last night to really just entertain myself. Sometimes it's funny what people put on there (used binkies?-really?). One of the ads was listed as Ikea Frame. I was thinking picture frame, wich I was keeping an eye out for a crafty project. I clicked.
Lo and behold- it is the frame of the exact "couch" size hide-a-bed. And it's free. And it has 2 covers. All I'd have to get would be the matress. Who wants a used matress from a strangers home anyway? I looked it up. The matress is $90.
I waited all night to call, it drove me crazy. I waited all morning. I didn't want to upset someone by waking them up too early. I called, she answered. She is going to call me at 4 when she gets home from work so I can go pick it up!
Now.... here's hoping she really does call! Might brake my heart if she doesn't.
It sure will make it hard if I have to pay full price for it now...
Monday, January 18, 2010
Home!
It feels great to be home. This vacation did exactly what vacations should do:
It gave me a nice break to spend time with my family. It gave me enough time away from my home to miss it, and want it back.
I feel totally recharged and ready to go! Needless to say my list is ever growing of things I'd like to do, and need to do.
I'll fill you in slowly as I check them off one by one!
Yay for vacations, and yay for being home!
It gave me a nice break to spend time with my family. It gave me enough time away from my home to miss it, and want it back.
I feel totally recharged and ready to go! Needless to say my list is ever growing of things I'd like to do, and need to do.
I'll fill you in slowly as I check them off one by one!
Yay for vacations, and yay for being home!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Crazy Cake
Okay, it's been a long while since I posted a recipe.
This one is so yummy, but it takes some trust. Have faith, I would never have you bake something yucky.
This cake is super easy, and so moist! Better than anything you can get out of a box. Besides- who wouldn't want to brag about the cake they made from scratch?
Preheat oven to 350.
IN 9x13 cake pan mix together:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Make 3 wells.
In first hole add 2 tbsp vinegar.
In second hole add 3/4 cup oil and 1 tsp vanilla.
In 3rd one pour 2 cups cold water.
Mix until well blended.
Bake 30-35 minutes.
This cake is so rich and chocolatey you really could skip frosting all together, I think it isn't cake without some. I use a very thin chocolate icing.
It's the best- promise!
This one is so yummy, but it takes some trust. Have faith, I would never have you bake something yucky.
This cake is super easy, and so moist! Better than anything you can get out of a box. Besides- who wouldn't want to brag about the cake they made from scratch?
Preheat oven to 350.
IN 9x13 cake pan mix together:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Make 3 wells.
In first hole add 2 tbsp vinegar.
In second hole add 3/4 cup oil and 1 tsp vanilla.
In 3rd one pour 2 cups cold water.
Mix until well blended.
Bake 30-35 minutes.
This cake is so rich and chocolatey you really could skip frosting all together, I think it isn't cake without some. I use a very thin chocolate icing.
It's the best- promise!
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