New Year, New Goals

Happy 2011 to all our friends and family that follow our blog!

Brent and I made some resolutions for the year: most of them regarding fitness and organization.  My biggest resolution for the year is frugalness.  I went through all the advertisements sitting in our mailbox and clipped coupons for the first time in my life a few days ago and man, does it feel good to get those DEALS!   2010 was incredibly hard on our bank accounts. I quit my full-time job, had a baby, and brent did 6 full months of a non-paid internship.  With all the state budget cuts, teaching jobs are incredibly hard to come by right now.  Thankfully Brent became a substitute before the hiring freeze (he is away at a sub job right now)  Don't worry family, we're doing okay.  We've just had to learn to live a different lifestyle! We used to go clothes shopping and take vacations...  But I'm hopeful we'll get back there one day soon.   I'm mostly very thankful for my job that gives me so much flexibility that I am able to juggle it while still being home with the baby boy most of the day.   

So we are not sad to say goodbye to 2010, because 2011 can only lead to good and more profitable things!  Our hope for this year:

*Brent gets a teaching job - or at least a full-time position with benefits somewhere that lets him use his degree he's worked so hard for

*I finish my coursework to become a BCaBA (board certified assistant behavior analyst) - missing those letters from behind my name is what is holding me back from getting more work right now.  Being board certified is pretty much required to be a servicer in the eyes of insurance companies (but let me take a moment to say I am so happy there are more insurance companies covering our services... even if it means me going back to school.)  The BCaBA should help me out until I can finish my masters degree.  

*we move to a bigger place, in a REAL neighborhood.  I want to be walking distance from a playground... and I desperately miss my art room (all my materials are in storage to make room for Ryland!)

*Arrange our schedules so Ryland rarely needs childcare (we love to be with him!)

*pay off our car and one of our credit cards

There are the big goals - I think each one is attainable :)