I was so sleepy after working 2 12 hr. shifts that I went to bed around 9pm last night. I could hardly stay awake. Of course that meant I was up at 5:45am. I am also fighting allergies/cold/ or sinus infection. Not 100% sure which. I woke up stopped up yesterday morning and my head was clogged all day. I took a Claritin this morning and I am starting to feel slightly better. Natalie was having a leftover "I didn't drink enough water" camp stomach ache and was lying on the couch alternating between moaning and sleeping before church, so we decided to stay home.
Actually, we took advantage of the no tax on school supplies and went to Wal-Mart to get her something to help her stomach get back to normal and I went ahead and spent my $50 I had budgeted for school supplies this week. I hope I got enough for the whole year. You can get a lot of school supplies for $50. Walmart is pretty empty on Sunday mornings.
Not much else planned for today other than church tonight and the older girls have a devotional afterward. Hoping my head will clear up enough to do my exercises.
I also wrote the checks for the rest of the bills due in this 2 week budget. Since Aaron got paid yesterday. Looking at the bright side, I have enjoyed this challenge of staying in the budget. I am such a nerd.
I am spending SOOOOO much less money on groceries. I don't even know how much I was spending before, but I am know that I am saving at least $200 a month, possibly up to $400 a month. .
This is by making a detailed menu of 7 dinners and desserts, making a detailed grocery list from this menu, adding breakfasts and Aaron's lunches to the grocery list, shopping at Aldi and only getting what is on the list. I make the "hard" dishes on the days I am home. Normally, I would buy a lot of premade, processed food, easy to make for Aaron while I am at work. I save the easy dishes and leftovers for Aaron to make or cook. He can follow any recipe if he wanted, but his goal is easy and the least amt of time in the kitchen. I love to cook, so it works out good that way for us. I also take all leftovers for my lunches at work. I have to take a lot, since I leave the house at 6am and arrive home at 8pm at the earliest. Even eating in the cafeteria at work at a discounted employee price adds up.
Aaron went to Aldi with me Friday. He was amazed that the full grocery cart was only $151. I am too lazy to do a price comparison, but guess that I probably save about $50 shopping there when I fill up the cart. The bad thing about Aldi is that they don't carry everything. For example, rice milk, I have to go elsewhere.
Next stop China
Next Stop China!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
A Bit of Irony
I forgot to post about this earlier.
I had mentioned that we were changing home school co-ops and one of the reasons was because the girls hardly got any of their classes that they wanted. The reason I knew this was because the Co-op had sent out the list of classes that had filled up on Monday (our sign up date was Tuesday morning). Most of the girls' 1st and 2nd choices were already full.
Like I mentioned before, I am terrible at making the final decision to stay or leave somewhere. I finally emailed both the new co-op and the old one.
Less than an hour later, Madelyn got the mail and in it was a letter from our old co-op, with a list of the classes the girls got in. And come to find out, Madelyn got her first choice in classes, Natalie got her first choice in classes. Poor Hannah got 3rd choice in all her classes. So that wasn't a good excuse to leave anymore.
However, I had already sent the emails and I feel good about the decision still. I am glad that I sent the emails before getting the mail though, because I would have really second guessed myself.
I had mentioned that we were changing home school co-ops and one of the reasons was because the girls hardly got any of their classes that they wanted. The reason I knew this was because the Co-op had sent out the list of classes that had filled up on Monday (our sign up date was Tuesday morning). Most of the girls' 1st and 2nd choices were already full.
Like I mentioned before, I am terrible at making the final decision to stay or leave somewhere. I finally emailed both the new co-op and the old one.
Less than an hour later, Madelyn got the mail and in it was a letter from our old co-op, with a list of the classes the girls got in. And come to find out, Madelyn got her first choice in classes, Natalie got her first choice in classes. Poor Hannah got 3rd choice in all her classes. So that wasn't a good excuse to leave anymore.
However, I had already sent the emails and I feel good about the decision still. I am glad that I sent the emails before getting the mail though, because I would have really second guessed myself.
USCIS Fingerprints done
Aaron took work off today and Mom watched the 3 kids at home while Aaron and I drove to Birmingham to have our fingerprints done for USCIS. We were only there about 10 min. and we were done, ready to drive the 1.5 hrs back home.
Getting our USCIS fingerprints done is exciting, however a little depressing seeing how we have so long to go before affording this adoption. But there could always be a miracle and someone pay for our adoption or somehow we pay our debt off real, real quick.
Aaron and I then went to Aldi, where I only went over by $1 on the groceries for the week. I can make up for it next week, since we are doing 2 week budgets. Aaron HATES to go to grocery stores, but he was sweet this time with minimal irritation :)
Oh yeah, the other day when I went over all the repairs in the last year, I forgot about having to replace our hot water heater and buy all new tires for the Montero. :(. I knew there were things I forgot about.
I never did get finished going through our old file cabinet. Maybe tonight. I haven't felt real great today, so I may just lie around tonight. Working 12 hours the next two days! Money, money!
Getting our USCIS fingerprints done is exciting, however a little depressing seeing how we have so long to go before affording this adoption. But there could always be a miracle and someone pay for our adoption or somehow we pay our debt off real, real quick.
Aaron and I then went to Aldi, where I only went over by $1 on the groceries for the week. I can make up for it next week, since we are doing 2 week budgets. Aaron HATES to go to grocery stores, but he was sweet this time with minimal irritation :)
Oh yeah, the other day when I went over all the repairs in the last year, I forgot about having to replace our hot water heater and buy all new tires for the Montero. :(. I knew there were things I forgot about.
I never did get finished going through our old file cabinet. Maybe tonight. I haven't felt real great today, so I may just lie around tonight. Working 12 hours the next two days! Money, money!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
New Pictures, Changing Co-ops
Natalie and Hannah are at camp this week. Madelyn chose not to go, so we have enjoyed spending alone time together this week. Something that does not happen much. Of course the boys are here, but they nap and go to bed early, so that leaves time for Madelyn and me. She wanted to go shopping for clothes yesterday. I had to remind her that clothes were not budgeted and for a long time, we will only be buying necessities. She is ok with that.
We got up early and dropped the boys off at Mom's house so that Madelyn and I could go pay for our car tags today. Last day to do it. Madelyn kept asking me while we waited in line. "why couldn't you just pay it at the first of the month?'" I kept answering "because I put it off" she would ask again like I didn't understand her question and I would answer again like she didn't understand my answer. Finally I told her I just now got the money.
Today my plans are to sort through our filing cabinet and get rid of things we don't need, and make a few new folders. BORING! I also plan to do my exercise. Of course, like usual, I have not lost any weight, however, I can really tell how much stronger I am. Mom kindly offered to let me leave the boys at her house until lunch. It has been nice and quiet here.
She just spent 10 days in TN at my brother's house watching his kids while he and his wife went on vacation, and the boys have really missed her. Ethan asked me almost every morning "is Grandma here?" Mom came home Sunday and then rode with me to take the girls to camp. All the kids went and Aaron got a quiet afternoon in the house. It was cute because I think Ethan said "I love Grandma" at least 20 times on the way there and back.
The kids go to a homeschool co op here. We have been going to the same one since we moved to AL in 2007. It is a good one and I don't have anything bad to say about it. It is huge with over 180 families that meet each week for different classes. I have not taught the last two years since we got the boys. Truthfully, between homeschooling and work, I really, really don't have the patience and time for it. I am already overwhelmed sometimes. I am not complaining, I agree with their policy that if you are a teacher, then you get to sign your kids up first for their co op classes. Well, since I don't teach, by the time I sign up, many of the classes the kids wanted to take are full. This year being the worst. I don't know what classes my kids made it in this year, but I know that 5 of them were full before our sign up time. And the kids will be disappointed. And I have been considering changing co ops at some point anyway. And I think this will be the year to do it. No sense in driving 35 min. each Friday to attend classes that they don't want to go to without any of their friends. Their friends can spend the night once a month and they will see them more then than the 5min. between classes and 15 min. at the end of co op before we leave. I have found a co op that is just starting this year. A friend I went to college with told me about it. It is the same distance away and it is affiliated with the same religion we are. You only have to commit to teaching a class every other week. I just think it is a good time to leave.
Aaron just asked me on the phone if I have signed up yet (deadline is tomorrow) I told him no, even though I have made the decision, I have SUCH a hard time leaving one thing and moving on to something new. Even if I don't like where we are, even if I am excited about the new thing, just saying the words and telling the people we are leaving is so stressful for me. Aaron readily agreed that I did have a problem with that. HA! He knows me so well. I have not told the other girls yet since they are at camp. I dread that too, but I also feel good about this change.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Change in Plans
Before we adopted the boys, we became debt free, other than our house. Now, the debt free lasted about a week because that was what we were waiting for to send in our dossier. It was very hard to wait until we had no debt, but I am glad we did.
We moved into this house about 15 months ago and oh the repairs we have had to do.
*Cleaned out septic tank
*Replaced collapsed sewage lines to septic tank.
*Replaced plumbing for downstairs clear to septic tank (because it was leaking into the garage)
*Replaced upstairs AC when it died
*Replaced section of ceiling in boys room, when leaking AC caused it to collapse (day after we moved in)
*Replaced dead microwave with cheapest one we could find
*Replaced fridge that died the day after we moved in (went to look at refrigerators at Lowes with the kids when we came home, Hannah telling me the boys ceiling was in the floor...not a good day)
*Had to buy a lawn mower for new yard (our 15 yr. old one died)
*Bought a new bed because our mattresses were so old that Aaron and I could barely move every morning, our backs hurt so bad.
*Still have not replaced our dishwasher that stopped working about 4 months ago
*And one of the biggest expenses a few weeks ago, had to spend many, many thousands to replace the AC downstairs.
* $1,600 to our social worker and USCIS for our new adoption.
Needless to say, we still owe on a few adoption loans, have to pay for the AC, have to pay off the rest of our van, plus some credit card debt. UGH! I am too ashamed to say what our total owed is.
Truthfully, I was a little irritated that Aaron was wanting to wait again for us to be debt free. Well, he said other than the house and car. So pretty much we will get our fingerprints for USCIS this week, but plan on sitting on our home study and adoption paperwork for a LONG time, or perhaps a SHORT time if some miracle happens.
I have always felt the burden of paying off the debt myself, since, most of the time, the amount of hours I work, is how much we can pay to debt. So I had to schedule time to work around everything else I do and truthfully, it was overwhelming, depressing, and stressful. It seemed impossible to pay off debt when after a few month of paying it down, an expense would come that would shoot it right back up to where it was and now with our new AC, almost increase our debt by 1/3.
However, Aaron is working on the budget with me. We are setting goals of how much to spend on certain things. It is a challenge to try to spend the least amount as possible. It is a challenge to only buy what you need, not what you want. But since we are working on it together and I don't feel like it is all up to me (who was failing miserably), I am actually excited about getting rid of this awful debt. I am excited to think about how much money it will free up each month. I am excited to think that when we do adopt again, I won't have to work all the time.
Perhaps Aaron will get to go on a detail. When he goes he is normally gone for 16 days. We miss him, but it is a blessing because he usually brings home 4-5 x his normal pay with all the over
We moved into this house about 15 months ago and oh the repairs we have had to do.
*Cleaned out septic tank
*Replaced collapsed sewage lines to septic tank.
*Replaced plumbing for downstairs clear to septic tank (because it was leaking into the garage)
*Replaced upstairs AC when it died
*Replaced section of ceiling in boys room, when leaking AC caused it to collapse (day after we moved in)
*Replaced dead microwave with cheapest one we could find
*Replaced fridge that died the day after we moved in (went to look at refrigerators at Lowes with the kids when we came home, Hannah telling me the boys ceiling was in the floor...not a good day)
*Had to buy a lawn mower for new yard (our 15 yr. old one died)
*Bought a new bed because our mattresses were so old that Aaron and I could barely move every morning, our backs hurt so bad.
*Still have not replaced our dishwasher that stopped working about 4 months ago
*And one of the biggest expenses a few weeks ago, had to spend many, many thousands to replace the AC downstairs.
* $1,600 to our social worker and USCIS for our new adoption.
Needless to say, we still owe on a few adoption loans, have to pay for the AC, have to pay off the rest of our van, plus some credit card debt. UGH! I am too ashamed to say what our total owed is.
Truthfully, I was a little irritated that Aaron was wanting to wait again for us to be debt free. Well, he said other than the house and car. So pretty much we will get our fingerprints for USCIS this week, but plan on sitting on our home study and adoption paperwork for a LONG time, or perhaps a SHORT time if some miracle happens.
I have always felt the burden of paying off the debt myself, since, most of the time, the amount of hours I work, is how much we can pay to debt. So I had to schedule time to work around everything else I do and truthfully, it was overwhelming, depressing, and stressful. It seemed impossible to pay off debt when after a few month of paying it down, an expense would come that would shoot it right back up to where it was and now with our new AC, almost increase our debt by 1/3.
However, Aaron is working on the budget with me. We are setting goals of how much to spend on certain things. It is a challenge to try to spend the least amount as possible. It is a challenge to only buy what you need, not what you want. But since we are working on it together and I don't feel like it is all up to me (who was failing miserably), I am actually excited about getting rid of this awful debt. I am excited to think about how much money it will free up each month. I am excited to think that when we do adopt again, I won't have to work all the time.
Perhaps Aaron will get to go on a detail. When he goes he is normally gone for 16 days. We miss him, but it is a blessing because he usually brings home 4-5 x his normal pay with all the over
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Much Better
Well, I am feeling much better since my post last week. I am not as weak. I actually worked 3-7 on Monday. Bad thing is, I still cough a lot. But the cough sounds much better. I still get out of breath easily. I am working 12 hours Friday and Saturday, so hopefully that will get me back in the routine of working and being up all day.
I still have done nothing for the homestudy.
Here's the deal...
We still owe money for the last adoption, plus we owe some money on the credit cards. Aaron and I want to get all of that paid off before we start again. We will go ahead and get our homestudy done, but as far as starting with the agency, which will be an automatic bill of $6000 + we want to wait until we are out of this debt. Once we do pay off the debt, Aaron's goal is to get $7000 in the bank, so that we can pay the first part of the adoption in cash. Do you see how this adoption keeps getting pushed farther and farther away...???
Which is really sad to me. I have been trying to work as much as I possibly can, but the days that I can work are few. I can only work 12 hour shifts on Thursdays, every other Friday, and Saturdays. I work 3-7 on Mondays, and I could probably work 7-11pm on Tuesdays, but that would #1 put me driving home 30 min. around midnight and #2 put me finally going to sleep after 1am. I have done it before and will probably do it while we aren't doing school.
I wish I could work fulltime, just until this debt is gone....
And depressingly enough I missed out on a lot of money last week when I couldn't work.
I had to remind myself today that God knows which child He wants in our family and He can make the financial situation turn around to time it just right.
So, seeing that our debt isn't decreasing as fast as I want combined with me being sick = me feeling too depressed to work on tedious paperwork. However, it has to be done next week because we do have a timeline if we are going to use the same social worker, which we are and we want to.
The girls are starting soccer. I think Hannah has been to one practice and Madelyn has been to two, even though it started a few weeks ago. But it has rained or been very cold for practice or Natalie has missed a few times for her cold, but maybe the weather will turn warm and stay that way. There are 6 weeks of Saturday soccer games. Which also is another day that I can't work unless I miss a game. What to do??
On a good note....
We only have 22 days left of school that we HAVE to do. There is a good stopping point in our curriculum in just about that amt of time, so I think we will get to that point, stop for a little bit, then start right back up. June is busy with Madelyn and Aaron flying to Ethiopia, so we may just take that whole month off. Looking forward to days where all we have to do is find something fun to do to keep us occupied.
I still have done nothing for the homestudy.
Here's the deal...
We still owe money for the last adoption, plus we owe some money on the credit cards. Aaron and I want to get all of that paid off before we start again. We will go ahead and get our homestudy done, but as far as starting with the agency, which will be an automatic bill of $6000 + we want to wait until we are out of this debt. Once we do pay off the debt, Aaron's goal is to get $7000 in the bank, so that we can pay the first part of the adoption in cash. Do you see how this adoption keeps getting pushed farther and farther away...???
Which is really sad to me. I have been trying to work as much as I possibly can, but the days that I can work are few. I can only work 12 hour shifts on Thursdays, every other Friday, and Saturdays. I work 3-7 on Mondays, and I could probably work 7-11pm on Tuesdays, but that would #1 put me driving home 30 min. around midnight and #2 put me finally going to sleep after 1am. I have done it before and will probably do it while we aren't doing school.
I wish I could work fulltime, just until this debt is gone....
And depressingly enough I missed out on a lot of money last week when I couldn't work.
I had to remind myself today that God knows which child He wants in our family and He can make the financial situation turn around to time it just right.
So, seeing that our debt isn't decreasing as fast as I want combined with me being sick = me feeling too depressed to work on tedious paperwork. However, it has to be done next week because we do have a timeline if we are going to use the same social worker, which we are and we want to.
The girls are starting soccer. I think Hannah has been to one practice and Madelyn has been to two, even though it started a few weeks ago. But it has rained or been very cold for practice or Natalie has missed a few times for her cold, but maybe the weather will turn warm and stay that way. There are 6 weeks of Saturday soccer games. Which also is another day that I can't work unless I miss a game. What to do??
On a good note....
We only have 22 days left of school that we HAVE to do. There is a good stopping point in our curriculum in just about that amt of time, so I think we will get to that point, stop for a little bit, then start right back up. June is busy with Madelyn and Aaron flying to Ethiopia, so we may just take that whole month off. Looking forward to days where all we have to do is find something fun to do to keep us occupied.
Friday, March 22, 2013
New dog, bronchitis and homestudy
We got a new little dog a few weeks ago. He is so cute. I have been wanting an indoor dog for a while. Mainly to alert us if someone were to try to break in...give me a chance to get the gun. We went to our local animal shelter and found a tiny little Pug mix. He is around 2 years old. We named him Frodo. He has worked out really well. He had a few accidents in the house at first, but other than a couple of vomiting episodes the last 2 days (he does not do well with human food)., he hasn't had an accident in the house for a while. At first the girls would take him out on the leash, but now I just open the door, let him go and he will come back barking when he wants back in. I think he has lived in a house before. At night, I put him in our cat carrier and he stays in there all night without whining. I am too afraid to leave him out all night. I might find lots of accidents if I did.
I have been miserable this week. I felt fine Saturday. Worked a 12 hour shift, came home and was wonderful. Last Sunday, I woke up and felt a little tired. I already wasn't planning on going to church because Aaron had to work and all 5 of the kids were snotty. By lunchtime, I was sooo tired. I took a nap and when I woke up I was soo achy. My temperature went up to 100.8. Now I know that is not much of a fever. However, I have not had a temp above 99something since college. 16 + years! I don't know if other people feel this way, but any time my temp goes above my normal, even it if is barely 99, for some reason, my knees and calves ache so bad. I can hardly stand it.
So from Sunday afternoon until Wed. morn, I ran a 99-100 temp, which made my legs ache awful. I finally broke down and took a few doses of ibuprofen, even though it tears my stomach up. Alternated between lying on the couch with a heating pad on my legs and taking hot bathes.
I had to call in for my 3-7 shift Monday. Natalie and I went to urgent care Tuesday because she had it too. I believe I have bronchitis and I even started taking a stronger antibiotic today. The same thing they gave Aaron for his back in Feb.
Long story short, I had to call in for Thur. and Fri both 12 hour shifts. I don't think there was any way I could have worked this week. I have been so weak. I had the grocery list done since Wednesday and finally today, I ventured out. But even then, Mom came and stayed with the kids so Aaron could drive me and push the cart at the grocery store. I have to constantly sit down to rest. Yuck! I hate this.
Finally tonight I am feeling one iota better and may be seeing the light at the end of this sick tunnel.
We met with our social worker last Friday. Since I have been sick, I have done NOTHING for our homestudy. So maybe this week I can get to working on it. She will come again sometime next month to meet with us and take a detailed tour of our house.
I have been miserable this week. I felt fine Saturday. Worked a 12 hour shift, came home and was wonderful. Last Sunday, I woke up and felt a little tired. I already wasn't planning on going to church because Aaron had to work and all 5 of the kids were snotty. By lunchtime, I was sooo tired. I took a nap and when I woke up I was soo achy. My temperature went up to 100.8. Now I know that is not much of a fever. However, I have not had a temp above 99something since college. 16 + years! I don't know if other people feel this way, but any time my temp goes above my normal, even it if is barely 99, for some reason, my knees and calves ache so bad. I can hardly stand it.
So from Sunday afternoon until Wed. morn, I ran a 99-100 temp, which made my legs ache awful. I finally broke down and took a few doses of ibuprofen, even though it tears my stomach up. Alternated between lying on the couch with a heating pad on my legs and taking hot bathes.
I had to call in for my 3-7 shift Monday. Natalie and I went to urgent care Tuesday because she had it too. I believe I have bronchitis and I even started taking a stronger antibiotic today. The same thing they gave Aaron for his back in Feb.
Long story short, I had to call in for Thur. and Fri both 12 hour shifts. I don't think there was any way I could have worked this week. I have been so weak. I had the grocery list done since Wednesday and finally today, I ventured out. But even then, Mom came and stayed with the kids so Aaron could drive me and push the cart at the grocery store. I have to constantly sit down to rest. Yuck! I hate this.
Finally tonight I am feeling one iota better and may be seeing the light at the end of this sick tunnel.
We met with our social worker last Friday. Since I have been sick, I have done NOTHING for our homestudy. So maybe this week I can get to working on it. She will come again sometime next month to meet with us and take a detailed tour of our house.
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