Silly me. I already mentioned but I asked BM wherever he wanted to go out today we would splurge. Well, #1 is McDs which surprised me a tad. Well sure we can go play on the playland and spend a couple of bucks on a Happy Meal if he likes. But I said, well how about dinner? You can go wherever you want or we can cook your favorite meal at home? What do you want?

"Chicken & Stars."

LOL. I think it is just like something in a can dh gives them as a treat once in a while. Like sphaghetti-os or alphabet soup. I guess it's like chicken soup with pasta stars.

It's funny dh and I were so excited by an excuse to eat out we thought the kids would really enjoy, but all they want is a can of soup. As evidenced by the boringness of home cooking and the rareness of eating out, that is all they really want. Hehe.

Anyway, BM did get a transformer toy from LM, and a computer game as well as a remote controlled helicopter (we saw it at a friends' home - kids LOVED it - and dh spotted it on sale somewhere a while back). The kids also got Stomp Rockets...

http://www.amazon.com/D%2BL-Company-Junior-Stomp-Rocket/dp/B...

I haven't seen them in action but some kids at the park had them and were letting the kids play with them and they just could not stop talking about these rockets. Dh happened to see these on sale for $5 at Ross or Marshalls (one of those) so he grabbed them.

So for today I am taking the kids out to play in the morning, popping by the store to get frosting for cupcakes, and then dh or I will take BM to McDs for lunch. Probably me because I would love some friend and/or a sundae. Yum yum! Nap time, and then tonight when it cools down we will have to go try out the stomp rockets. Oh after our Chicken & Stars dinner.

Doesn't keep much to make the kids happy...

In other news I just had a revelation. Since my efund is doing so well I will divert $700 to the IRS for ROTH conversions. I have 2 IRAs and I have been waiting for the market to bottom out a bit (and also to save the cash - even moreso) but I am getting to the point where I have the cash to cover it. So it just occured to me my one IRA is in a very slow fund right now. The managers converted a ton to bonds and cash and it really hasn't been going up wildly as the rest of my funds. I decided I might as well convert that one now. I can fund both without dropping my efund below $10k.

So I will get rolling on that one today or tomorrow. I figure I have until 9/15 to send in the tax.

The other one, I am just not sure. Of course if I think about it, if that fund dropped 10% it would only be a $100 difference in tax. I almost should do that one first because I need to add some money to it so I can move my $100 cash to a mutual fund. Hmmmmm.

I guess it's just time to bite the bullet and do both. I should have $1700 for the taxes and a good $11k back in the e-fund by then. IT shouldn't hurt my goal to get back to $12k by 12/31 and it really needs to be done. Our tax situation will be pretty equal to last year. Last year we converted $20k to ROTHS. This year we'll convert $15k but I got a $5k raise, so it will even out. Of course I probably get even more overtime and maybe a bigger year-end bonus - but overall not more than $1k or $2k. I think it will be a pretty equal tax year. Which means I will report around $90k in income at a 15% tax rate. Woohoo. I was doing some calcs in my head trying to see if we were near the 25% tax rate and we're getting there with the ROTH conversion, but not quite. But this is why I feel it is so urgent to get this done now. These low tax rates will not last forever and one part-time job on the part of dh would make us pay a good 10% more on the conversion - easy... Well that and I already mentioned I am not eligible to contribute to a regular IRA either... So I have to change all mine to ROTHs.

Oh well, it kind of sucks to be so close to my goal but to have this to pay off first. Bummer. But still... Getting there... Still feeling good about 12/31 meeting all my goals. & also, should get some overtime bonus to soften the blow.