My dishwasher arrived today! RW our mobile home park manager met me at the thrift store to pick it up and take it to my house. While I was there waiting for him, I found a bread machine (I don't know how much it was, didn't want to ask in case it was a really good deal - not sure if I'd actually use one...) and this really neat trio of stuffed snowmen sitting on top of each other for the library (free! since it was for the school.)

Anyway, RW brought the box into my kitchen and asked me where I wanted it. Thinking he meant the dishwasher, I told him on the counter. He placed the box on the counter ... and then left!! I managed to get the box off the counter with the help of a chair, but then discovered it was upside down. So ... carefully I got it onto the floor in an upright position. Then using the weight lifters stance, I managed to pull the 60 pound dishwasher OUT of the box and place it on the counter!

Whew!!

I haven't tried to hook it up yet because when I was shopping on Sunday I forgot to get dishwashing detergent. Ooops! My dad is sending me a box of things I couldn't fit in my carryon and is including a baggie of detergent to last until I get to the store again. Sweet guy, huh?

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I received about half of the books I ordered before leaving for break today. Already have them all cataloged. One of the boxes I'm anxiously waiting for (and really wish had come!!) is full of graphic novels that my 2nd graders will go for. Hope it gets here tomorrow - I have 2nd grade on Thursday. Although I think the boys will be quite happy with the 10! Star Wars books I got.

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It looks like today is actually going to be a no spend day! Yahoo ! I hope to have lots of those this year.

I was reading on another frugal forum and one of the message threads was the goal of being a "miser" in 2012. I don't know if I want to go quite that far ... but I am rethinking some of my spending lines. I want to make sure that I have a *little* something for fun, while at the same time am socking away as much as possible. My car is not getting *any* younger, so the need for a replacement fund is quite urgent. I have very little room between me and being in debt again if any big expense were to happen -- so the need to get my EF loaded is also urgent.

However, I don't see any way around traveling for Thanksgiving and for Christmas ... and I can't count on generous people paying for my airfare (like my mom's guy friend paid my Thanksgiving tickets 2011) so I must prepare for those expenses. I also feel that it would be really remiss of me to not enjoy some of the wonders of this area ... so I plan on taking a trip during Spring Break to a place about 5 hours from here - where I'll do either a one or two day camping/horseback trip into a place which will help me learn more about the Navajo.

As for the summer travel ... I know both of my parents want me to come see them. However the cost of doing that would just about kill my other financial goals. So ... I'm going to tell my mom that she saw me last summer (the whole summer really), so this summer I'll spend time in CA. Then next summer I'll spend it in TX with her.

And of course, the iPhone 5. I plan to wait til at least next January to actually purchase it (so most of the kinks will be figured out). My current phone by then will be nearly 4 years old -- way older than ANY of my previous cell phones.