I haven't been bloggy because just a lot going on.

I did do a number of fiscal chores:

**Rebalanced investment portfolio today.

**Updated various financial spreadsheets.

**I redeemed $50 credit card rewards to my ROTH - updated my sidebar. Already up to $1050 for 2013.

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It is driving me nuts that we don't have a calendar!! Usually dh's Grandma gives me all her "free" calendars for Christmas. They think it is funny. But, I tend to put more practical items on our wish list, and told her many moons ago I would take all her free calendars (from various organizations). The kids have calendars and we use them to track their allowance. Apparently we manage most our lives around the calendar. I hadn't particularly noticed, but I went to the calendar to add things 2 or 3 times this weekend, and it started driving me nuts. No one gave us any calendars!! So, I got a 20%-off coupon and will run to Michaels today. They always have calendar for like a buck or two. I will buy two. Then we can get organized for January.

I think it's funny that I didn't notice until January 5th. But, I am definitely noticing now.

I added a calendar to my Amazon wish list so that I don't forget my calendar needs next December.

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Have you seen mortgage rates this past week? Holy cow?

The interesting thing is that if we just commit to a 15-year payoff on our current loan, the interest rate is so low to begin with that moving from 4% to 3% is not substantial. Not even worth the hassle. (Total interest savings is maybe $15k - $60k x 25% - BUT this means a lot of risk and hassle - and does not even include refinance costs).

The 3% loan was so enticing though, that I am rethinking just pretending like we refinanced and committing to the higher payment. I don't mind the higher payment while gainfully employed. I just don't want to give up the flexibility for the unknown future.

That said, I don't really like sending smaller sums to various goals all at once. So, I think I will only send extra payments to the mortgage about twice a year. It is already in my goals (see sidebar), but in my brain I am making it a higher priority in the here and now. Unless my income is reduced, or something catastrophic happens, we should really put that much away to the mortgage every year. Even if something else has to give.

All of this also makes me doubtful that we would ever refinance again. But interest rates have surprised us many many times, so who knows!!

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I did run my taxes though I am not sure how accurate the figures were (we need a software update). It is about what I expected, so may be right on. Software company assumed AMT patch + extending old tax rates and tax breaks.

I missed a deduction in my estimates, and so ended up with tax due of exactly $900. (I had estimated $1,000). Will see...

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**Mr. Snake goes back to school on Wednesday, I hope. & we can turn off the heat then. Somehow we have managed to keep him alive and well. Just a few more days...

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I am totally in limbo between "crazy tax season" and "fun."

Friday our internet was down at work and so I left early. I was fully intending to work from home, but the day was so GORGEOUS on my drive home. Forget that - I took the kids to the park around 3:30. Ran into our neighbors, who decided to have an impromptu party. (There are 6 of us, with 10 boys. Girls are conspicuously missing from my elder child's grade and from our neighborhood - it has always been rather odd. BM's grade is 75% male/25% female, at his school. These 10 boys range in age from 5 to 10).

We fail miserably in the winter months, but we are trying again. Another neighbor did do a Christmas open house. Superbowl party is set. I offered to host in March. We are trying a "first Sunday of every month" thing. It's not really necessary in the summer months, but I think we tend to hole up inside and get more busy during the school year and the colder months. So we try again...

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Today is the live Dragon show.

Monday, BM has a big overnight field trip in San Francisco. It is a sailboat thing. I volunteered to drive before many details emerged. But I managed a couple of days off work during "no vacation time." I will be giving up my overtime this week, in exchange (working two Saturdays to make up for it, though I'd be working Saturdays anyway, so no huge sacrifice).

So I feel kind of in vacation mode until we return.

I am *not* chaperoning. HA! I am driving and will hang out with family and friends Monday. Will pick up sleepy kids (& adult?) Tuesday a.m. I suppose I should prepare for a lot of driving - need to find my MP3 player. I am taking the gas sipper because I can't imagine parking (or driving) the minivan in San Francisco. I also did not want to get stuck driving 5 kids. I offered to drive one other child. I doubt any other adult would choose to cram in my car - we live in SUV central. But, will see.

The idea only recently popped into my head - I have been having mad cravings for a favorite Mexican restaurant in the bay area. I did not know when I would get a chance. But now my chance is here. Woohoo!! I also have 3 library books on my nook to get through.

Oh boy will it be back to reality for me on Wednesday! Then I Will just be buried at work until May or so. I will enjoy this last hoorah.

We also have to get down to the post office this next week to get the kids' passport applications processed. I guess we all have to show up in person. More time off work for that probably. So, yeah, that is how it has been lately. Never boring over here.

P.S. I know some of you have ties to England, so let me know if there is any must-see for a 10-year-old. They have all the obvious things on their itinerary. They are staying the whole time in London. We had talked about France or other countries, but think they will keep it to England. But open to suggestions. (If you missed it, MIL is fulfilling her dream to take her grandkids "anywhere in the world" when they turn 10. BM is her eldest grandchild, and turns 10 next summer. He chose England. She is going to be busy traveling the next 3 years with 3 grandkids in a row - at least we spaced them out a wee bit).