Why can't we seem to "get ahead"? We aren't behind by any means, but I'm so ready to be able to invest each month to what I know is the level that we should. Currently, we just put aside $200 in retirement/savings each month. We should be able to put at least $1200 away each month. But, to find that extra $1000 each month just seems to be a lost dream. It's frustrating sometimes.

Did you guys know that Christmas is right around the corner? Yep, it's on Dec. 25 again this year! DH and I will suggest to my sisters that we at least draw names this year for the grown-ups and then just buy for all the kids in the family. I wonder how they'll take that. Between the 4 sisters and each husband, that adds up to a lot of worthless junk that gets bought. We want to bring the focus back to the kids for this season. So, I guess we'll just have to see what their response is...

I'm beginning to despise my boss and her touchy/feely ways. She's such a 2-sided person at times. I like my job and the people I work with but I just can't wait to be rid of her. Her management style is very much opposite of mine and it's annoying. Of course, her contract is good for another 4 years so it'll be a long wait. In the meantime, I might keep my eyes open for what comes available elsewhere.

I've dropped back to taking just one class a semester for my MBA so that means that it'll be another 3 years before I fully finish. Geez. I would love to take a year's leave of absence and go full-time for a year to get it over with but with my kind of job, I just can't do that. Oh well.

We took a family trip to Disney World back in June for the first time. Afterwards, we thought that would be the end of Disney for at least 10 years or so... but it looks like I have to go to a conference in April right in Orlando... so we'll have to pull the kids out of school for 4 days but if we go again, that would mean airfare for me and our hotel stay would be paid for by work. Should we or shouldn't we all go again? We can't make up our minds... it'll still cost us around $1000 with tickets/food and all for all 4 of us to go - don't know if it's worth it or not.

I so have the itch to invest in real estate right now. It's driving me batty to not have any down payment money to go out and get a loan for buying a condo or a house to rent or flip. For the past 6 months or so, I've really seriously thought about real estate - it's becoming an obsession!