My ranch share site

http://andreamcknight.shutterfly.com/

Budgets

Even though I am choosing not to participate in the recession, I have put the hubs and I on coffee/lunch budgets of $20 a week. It keeps me from spending money on lunch everyday. Instead I take my lunch into work from home & I get my Grande Starbucks Doubleshot on Ice each morning and once a week I can have lunch a Cane's or Chick-fil-a.
This budget is only for those items. Dry cleaning, gas, groceries, cigs, etc. are not included.

Confirmation!

I just got confirmation today that we are all approved to be going to the Marlboro Ranch!!!

MR Trip - More Scans

Here are some more scans of what we got with our contract paperwork.

Olympics

So, my sister's curling team (rock, not arm) won the USA Olympic Trials in February for the 2010 Winter Olympics. While this is incredibly exciting, I also know it will be very costly. There was so much discussion back and forth about who is paying for what, Mom and Dad can I stay with you and all the other craziness. I am so glad that we are now in a holding pattern. We (are pretty sure we) have tickets-which is NOT an easy thing to get your hands on, no matter how obscure the sport, we have hotel rooms booked from Bellingham, WA to Vancouver, BC, Canada and we are all in agreement that we need to fly into Seattle and drive up to Canada. It's actually a great thing because I was born and raised there. I will get to visit with some old friends so that will be nice. The 2.5 weeks I have to take off work won't. They are pretty cool about it because they see this for what it is. AN EXCITING, ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT. I have to keep reminding myself of that everyday.

I also should add, I cannot be more proud of my sister and all she has accomplished.

Marlboro Ranch Summer Trip 2009

Yes. I am a smoker. Save the lectures. I will quit when I am damn good and ready. I am not ashamed. Now poor, due to the high tax.

However, Marlboro threw me a bone. An all expenses paid trip for me and a guest (the hubs) to their ranch in the Crazy Mountains outside Bozeman, Montana. They pay for the flight. They put you up in a room at the ranch. They provide all meals. They have activities for everyone to do, which, from what I understand, you get to pick from. These include horseback riding, zip-lining, fishing, biking, cattle wrangling, off-roading in Hummer's (REAL ones), mountain biking, hiking, massages, back country tours and I even think they will take you to Yellowstone Park. Free booze from 5pm-till. Free stuff when you get there. And the coup de gras is a check for your expenses. $1250. Cash money. The catch? A 1099 at the end of the year for the value of the trip-$5000. No problem. I already talked to my CPA (AKA my mother-in-law) and our liablity will only be a bout $700. What did I do to get this? Obviously, you have to be a smoker, but I have been on their mailing list for a few years. It's not a scam. I have done extensive research. We have sent in all of our backround check info and contracts, we are just waiting on the dates we will actually go. Should get that in a few weeks. Until then.......