Hubby hasn't gotten any of the jobs he applied for. He got the 'not interested' official letter from the one up north we were hoping for, and the rest he just hasn't heard back on.
I'm cursing up a storm over here. Cursing every stupid financial decision we've made in the last several months.** And there have been plenty, let me tell you. It's kind of a habit with us.
We were so sure Hubby would get this job, it really sounded promising. So promising, that, as you'll remember, he left the job in TX to come back and interview for it. So now, no job in TX, no job here, and no unemployment. Gah!!
The suckiest part of it all is that this could have been so much better for us. We always manage to take a basically good situation and screw it all to hell. I mean, we are debt free minus the car payments and my student loans. And shortly we'll be down to one car payment instead of two. No credit card or medical or other debt and/or loans. And we no longer have a mortgage to worry about. But, a good portion of our financial cushion has been wasted on crap. And now that we're closer to the edge of the cliff, well, now what? That's the part I'm freaking out about.
Frick.
I think we're going to be have a bit of a role reversal here. I'll be working my tail off full-time and going to school part-time while hubby stays home with BW. We'll be getting rid of my car, getting our bills down to the bare minimum, and portioning out any student loans, tax returns, and bonuses over the year to get by. Hey, maybe we'll actually make little enough to qualify for grants next year, that'd be a bonus.
Part of me isn't happy about this at all - I wanted to be the one to stay home with BW, and now I'm hardly going to be home at all. The other part is pretty damned happy one of us has a good job, and happy that it looks like my priority - ONE of us being home full-time with BW - is still possible. Or at least still possible with a lot of sacrifice. We just have to make it through the next few years of school for me, and it'll all be better.
I know MM could find work doing something, somewhere. But if we can make it work with him staying home with BW, we've decided that maybe that's what we should try to make happen. MM is pretty great about the cooking and cleaning. I think he'll transition pretty well into the Mr. Mom role, leaving me to focus on school and work. And as long as I can dedicate all my free time to BW instead of housework, I'm OK with that.
I keep saying I've always wanted to live frugally, get rid of most of the luxuries and frivolities, and really keep focused on our family. Now's as good a time as any, I suppose. Right?
******
*That's my G-Rated, all-encompassing curse word. I like to use it at work. Kind of a lot. That, and son-of-a-cow.
**Kittens?? Sure, why not?! We can afford a few more mouths to feed. Hey, let's spend lots on going to a concert! And that trip to Vegas? Of course we can afford it!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Fluffy Balls of Terror
We got kittens! Because, apparently, we're nuts.* ;)
BW's been asking for kittens for a while now, and we kept telling him no. Well, MM kept telling him no. I was sort of ambivalent. If I didn't have to clean the litter box, I didn't really care.
I like cats, and we miss our dogs. They're still living with MM's friend, until we're in a place we can keep them at. And we may be losing Eva - MM's friend has bonded with her, and since we didn't get her until December, he's technically had her longer than we did at this point. I think we'd all be OK with him adopting her permanently. I just miss my Daisy May.
Anyway, we were all missing something furry, MM finally changed his mind, and after we checked out the Humane Society's website** MM decided to take BW and go pick one out. We ended up with a pair of sisters, three months old.
They're adorable and playful and BW is in love. He's been really great with them - playing with them, cleaning their litter box, making sure they always have food and water.
We're still trying to pick out names. Any ideas?
***
MM still hasn't heard back about the job he interviewed for. Supposedly this week. They have been in contact, apparently they're waiting to hear back from his last employer. I'm a huge bundle of nerves, and I'm not even the one applying. I hate the whole application/interview process!
It has been really nice having him home, though. He's been having dinner ready and on the table every night when I walk in the door. I bought him a rice maker the other day, and he's been using that a lot. He does all the dishes. Keeps our place relatively clean. I'm hoping all this doesn't come to a screeching halt once he's working again. It probably won't, he's always helped out as far as housekeeping goes.
I'm off to work now. Still liking the job for the most part, but, oh how I'd like my old life back. I miss being home with BW all day!
*****
* According to M2. She's right, though. We are nuts.
** An average of 100 kittens and cats dropped off there per day - sad, disgusting, and completely avoidable. Spay and neuter, folks. Seriously.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday
I finally saw Harry Potter today. I'd been waiting to see it with my friend M. In vain, it turns out.
We miscommunicated. She texted me the day HP opened, asking when we were going to see it and if I wanted to catch it at the Cine Capri. I texted back yes. She asked when, and then said that the first weekend might be a little crowded. Maybe the following weekend? I responded, sure, no problem.
I took this to mean we see wait and see the movie together. So I waited. I put BW off when he wanted to see it, told him we were waiting until it was a little less busy, 'til M could join us.
She took it to mean she could see it with someone else, but as long as she saw it again with me, it was OK. And since she saw it after work, mid-week when I couldn't go, she didn't call to warn me she was going.
So, after I threw a huge fit about her Harry Potter betrayal,* we made plans to see it the next morning. And we did. At 9:20. I made her get up early for me.
I loved it, mostly. I was inspired to buy the box set of books at B&N, since it was on sale and 20% off on top of that. I have no clue what happened to all the books I originally bought.
I want to read them all with BW - he's listened to some, but not read any of them - and watch the movies one by one. I want to be fully prepared for the last one,** because I seem to have forgotten most of the last book. It's been a while since I've read it.
I also bought our tickets for the Tempe Fall Festival - The B-52's, Gavin Rossdale, Jason Mraz, and Rob Thomas. Yippee!!!! That's one I cannot wait for. I am so excited about this show, I don't even mind that it's in September and it'll be a bazillion degrees out.
The show starts at 5:00 pm, so it's gotta be better than Lollapalooza, right? Of course, I was much younger and thinner back then, and the heat didn't seem to be quite as horrible. Hopefully I won't melt away into a huge puddle of goo while singing 'I'm Yours' at the top of my lungs.
In other news, BW is all enrolled in PUBLIC SCHOOL at home. Still at home, still at home, still at home (say like I am, softly, like a mantra), so, I'm not completely flipped out about it. He's excited, and it is pretty cute. He's been doing math every night in preparation. I love his enthusiasm! I hope this all goes well, he's so thrilled to try it.
We're still waiting to hear back from the job interview up north. Back to thinking about living in an RV for a while if we head up there. Not sure that'll ever pan out, but who knows. We've unpacked the bare minimum here since we'll more than likely be moving again if MM gets this job. Again. Yay!*** I hope he does. I hope he gets it and likes it and it works out for him, because, honestly, there's nothing else happening and it's starting to freak me out.
****
*She asked if I was going to bitch about her to all my other friends. I told her nope, but I was blogging about it. Seems fair, in light of the crime.
**Two? I heard that the last one was being split into two different movies. And the first was due on sometime early next year? I have no idea how accurate that info is.
***Definitely a sarcastic yay. I'm so frickin' tired of moving.
We miscommunicated. She texted me the day HP opened, asking when we were going to see it and if I wanted to catch it at the Cine Capri. I texted back yes. She asked when, and then said that the first weekend might be a little crowded. Maybe the following weekend? I responded, sure, no problem.
I took this to mean we see wait and see the movie together. So I waited. I put BW off when he wanted to see it, told him we were waiting until it was a little less busy, 'til M could join us.
She took it to mean she could see it with someone else, but as long as she saw it again with me, it was OK. And since she saw it after work, mid-week when I couldn't go, she didn't call to warn me she was going.
So, after I threw a huge fit about her Harry Potter betrayal,* we made plans to see it the next morning. And we did. At 9:20. I made her get up early for me.
I loved it, mostly. I was inspired to buy the box set of books at B&N, since it was on sale and 20% off on top of that. I have no clue what happened to all the books I originally bought.
I want to read them all with BW - he's listened to some, but not read any of them - and watch the movies one by one. I want to be fully prepared for the last one,** because I seem to have forgotten most of the last book. It's been a while since I've read it.
I also bought our tickets for the Tempe Fall Festival - The B-52's, Gavin Rossdale, Jason Mraz, and Rob Thomas. Yippee!!!! That's one I cannot wait for. I am so excited about this show, I don't even mind that it's in September and it'll be a bazillion degrees out.
The show starts at 5:00 pm, so it's gotta be better than Lollapalooza, right? Of course, I was much younger and thinner back then, and the heat didn't seem to be quite as horrible. Hopefully I won't melt away into a huge puddle of goo while singing 'I'm Yours' at the top of my lungs.
In other news, BW is all enrolled in PUBLIC SCHOOL at home. Still at home, still at home, still at home (say like I am, softly, like a mantra), so, I'm not completely flipped out about it. He's excited, and it is pretty cute. He's been doing math every night in preparation. I love his enthusiasm! I hope this all goes well, he's so thrilled to try it.
We're still waiting to hear back from the job interview up north. Back to thinking about living in an RV for a while if we head up there. Not sure that'll ever pan out, but who knows. We've unpacked the bare minimum here since we'll more than likely be moving again if MM gets this job. Again. Yay!*** I hope he does. I hope he gets it and likes it and it works out for him, because, honestly, there's nothing else happening and it's starting to freak me out.
****
*She asked if I was going to bitch about her to all my other friends. I told her nope, but I was blogging about it. Seems fair, in light of the crime.
**Two? I heard that the last one was being split into two different movies. And the first was due on sometime early next year? I have no idea how accurate that info is.
***Definitely a sarcastic yay. I'm so frickin' tired of moving.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Insert Clever Title of Your Choosing
Hi all! I've been neglecting the blog because lately it's just been more of the same. I figured I finally had a little something to say, so here goes.
MM is still waiting to hear back on the job - he went in for some testing and has an interview Monday. At 10:00 PM. I know, weird, right? But, it's a warehouse and he wants night shift, so I guess it all makes sense.
Work is still going well-ish. It's a great company with great benefits, and I'm really, really good at customer service. But I feel like I'm being stabbed in the eye each time the phone rings, and this is so not what I want to be when I grow up.
On the plus side, great company, great people, wonderful customers. On the minus side, stabbed in the eye. My major work-life problem is whether to stay and just aim for a position more to my liking, or to keep on down the nursing/radiology tech/ultrasound tech route and give up the great job. And really, if that's your only work-life problem, you can't exactly complain.
Well, you can. But you sound really ungrateful and silly. So I'm trying hard to keep up my positive attitude. And, seriously? In this economy, I'm happy to be working and have a secure job. So, not complaining. Much. Once we find out what happens with MM's job, decisions will have to be made. Until then, it's all good.
As far as home schooling and home life go, that's all beginning to stress me out. Obviously with me working full-time and with MM hopefully working full-time soon, being home with BW isn't going to be happening. If MM gets the new job, the pay won't be as high as it was out on the rig, so me staying home full-time is no longer an option. Possibly part-time, but I'm not sure about that yet.
So what to do? We're working on getting opposite shifts so one of us is home with him all the time. Which is do-able, but I'm worried about the quality of our time with BW if one of us is sleeping half the day, and the other is at work. Doesn't sound all that enriching and wonderful, doesn't it?
I'm worried that our laissez-faire approach to home schooling isn't going to work with all we have going on. If I'm working and going to school and trying to home school, let's face it, something is going to suffer. Which isn't fair to BW.
I think we're going to try a different route this next year. I'm still not willing to put him back in a brick and mortar school, but we're exploring the Connections Academy. From what I can tell, it's basically public school at home.
BW would still have to do all the state testing (shudder), but the lessons are more individualized to the student, it's fairly self-paced, and there's lots of one-on-one time between student and teacher. There seems to be a lot of great classes offered. There's even an environmental club the kids can do.
Right now, I'm feeling like it's a decent compromise - someone else worries about organizing and planning the learning, but, as parents, we're still extremely involved. We can still work around our own wacky schedules and we can still be together as a family. I'm hoping that this will be the best of both worlds - the benefits* of public school with as few of the negatives as possible.
And if it doesn't work, there's always the option to pull him and try something different. Right?**
*****
* I do believe there are some benefits to public schooling. I just came to feel that the bad outweighed the good, it didn't particularly work for our family and (for us) there was a better option. And for the last two years, home schooling went wonderfully.*** I can't exactly call this new option 'home schooling', but at least the being at home part is still on. I'm not quite willing to let go of that yet.
** I have this fear that once we get sucked into the system, we'll never get out again without a fight. It's a little irrational, but I feel like someone will try to stop us from going back to home schooling if we make an appearance in an AZ public school. Like maybe it's safer to just lie low and not draw attention to ourselves. I'm a tad paranoid.
*** BW's love and skill at reading and learning new things has been exploding lately, and he's been on a cooking kick - wanting to learn more, looking at recipes, making his own simple meals. It's been a lot of fun!
MM is still waiting to hear back on the job - he went in for some testing and has an interview Monday. At 10:00 PM. I know, weird, right? But, it's a warehouse and he wants night shift, so I guess it all makes sense.
Work is still going well-ish. It's a great company with great benefits, and I'm really, really good at customer service. But I feel like I'm being stabbed in the eye each time the phone rings, and this is so not what I want to be when I grow up.
On the plus side, great company, great people, wonderful customers. On the minus side, stabbed in the eye. My major work-life problem is whether to stay and just aim for a position more to my liking, or to keep on down the nursing/radiology tech/ultrasound tech route and give up the great job. And really, if that's your only work-life problem, you can't exactly complain.
Well, you can. But you sound really ungrateful and silly. So I'm trying hard to keep up my positive attitude. And, seriously? In this economy, I'm happy to be working and have a secure job. So, not complaining. Much. Once we find out what happens with MM's job, decisions will have to be made. Until then, it's all good.
As far as home schooling and home life go, that's all beginning to stress me out. Obviously with me working full-time and with MM hopefully working full-time soon, being home with BW isn't going to be happening. If MM gets the new job, the pay won't be as high as it was out on the rig, so me staying home full-time is no longer an option. Possibly part-time, but I'm not sure about that yet.
So what to do? We're working on getting opposite shifts so one of us is home with him all the time. Which is do-able, but I'm worried about the quality of our time with BW if one of us is sleeping half the day, and the other is at work. Doesn't sound all that enriching and wonderful, doesn't it?
I'm worried that our laissez-faire approach to home schooling isn't going to work with all we have going on. If I'm working and going to school and trying to home school, let's face it, something is going to suffer. Which isn't fair to BW.
I think we're going to try a different route this next year. I'm still not willing to put him back in a brick and mortar school, but we're exploring the Connections Academy. From what I can tell, it's basically public school at home.
BW would still have to do all the state testing (shudder), but the lessons are more individualized to the student, it's fairly self-paced, and there's lots of one-on-one time between student and teacher. There seems to be a lot of great classes offered. There's even an environmental club the kids can do.
Right now, I'm feeling like it's a decent compromise - someone else worries about organizing and planning the learning, but, as parents, we're still extremely involved. We can still work around our own wacky schedules and we can still be together as a family. I'm hoping that this will be the best of both worlds - the benefits* of public school with as few of the negatives as possible.
And if it doesn't work, there's always the option to pull him and try something different. Right?**
*****
* I do believe there are some benefits to public schooling. I just came to feel that the bad outweighed the good, it didn't particularly work for our family and (for us) there was a better option. And for the last two years, home schooling went wonderfully.*** I can't exactly call this new option 'home schooling', but at least the being at home part is still on. I'm not quite willing to let go of that yet.
** I have this fear that once we get sucked into the system, we'll never get out again without a fight. It's a little irrational, but I feel like someone will try to stop us from going back to home schooling if we make an appearance in an AZ public school. Like maybe it's safer to just lie low and not draw attention to ourselves. I'm a tad paranoid.
*** BW's love and skill at reading and learning new things has been exploding lately, and he's been on a cooking kick - wanting to learn more, looking at recipes, making his own simple meals. It's been a lot of fun!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Oh, The Drama!
So hubby headed to TX, went through all the processing* and worked his first full day yesterday. During the day, he got a call on an application he'd put in for a job a couple hours from where we're at now.
It's a pay cut, but it looks like a good company to work for. Plus, two hours away means he can be home every weekend. On one hand, we won't be paying off our cars. On the other hand, we'll be a lot closer and neither of us particularly want to move back to West Texas.
Looks like MM will end up working just enough to pay for his trip to TX, and then coming back here.
I have to say, BW and I are pretty thrilled. :)
******
*And found out about the lovely cut in wages his old company had instituted. Which nobody mentioned until AFTER he was processed and on the rig for the first day. Nice.
It's a pay cut, but it looks like a good company to work for. Plus, two hours away means he can be home every weekend. On one hand, we won't be paying off our cars. On the other hand, we'll be a lot closer and neither of us particularly want to move back to West Texas.
Looks like MM will end up working just enough to pay for his trip to TX, and then coming back here.
I have to say, BW and I are pretty thrilled. :)
******
*And found out about the lovely cut in wages his old company had instituted. Which nobody mentioned until AFTER he was processed and on the rig for the first day. Nice.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Latest
So. Lots of new stuff going on here at the Casa de Heck!
We'd made our reservations to go to San Diego for July 4th - so wouldn't you know it? Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m., MM's old driller called and asked him to come back to work.
In Texas.
The next day.
Since there wasn't anything else on the horizon, MM decided to head back out. It looks like he'll be working twelve on and four off again, so he'll at least be able to come back home every six weeks or so. We figure he can do that, and BW and I can come out there a few times, schedules permitting.
That leaves me here, trying to decided what the heck is going to happen with me and BW. A little hard to home school when your hubby is out of state and you work full-time.
So....I'm thinking about changing to part-time, which I may be able to do sometime in September. We'll still have insurance through my work, I shouldn't have to juggle BW around too awfully much, and since I'm going to school still part-time online, I think this is the way to go. I may have to break down and put BW back in school, as much as I hate to go that route. I guess I'll just have to see how things play out.
We're back in limbo. Yay!!!*
***
As for San Diego, BW and I still went. We took my mom, and we all really had a good time. Other than the fact that, for some reason, I could not follow driving directions to save my life.** I swear, the GPS would tell me to turn left and I'd instantly turn right. I have no idea what my problem was.
We spent Saturday at Legoland, starting out our day at the Sea Life Aquarium. We stayed for fireworks, and BW got to ride just about everything he wanted to.
I only had to listen to a few phone calls from friends and family bitching about how MM shouldn't have gone back to work out of state. Apparently, a lot of people are really offended by it. I realize it's not ideal, but we're committed to making it work for now. In this economy, I'm just glad he's working. And I have a plan. Which shouldn't surprise anyone - I always have a plan. They don't often work out the way I intend them to, but there you have it.
My plan is a pretty good one, though. It will have us debt free by the beginning of February. We've got two cars we're paying on, and between our savings and our new extra income, we can get them totally paid off. Once we get down to a life where all we have to pay is living expenses, we'll have to decide what we want to do with ourselves once again. And that, my fine webby friends, is something I'm very much looking forward to.
****
*Sarcasm doesn't translate well online, does it?
**Nobody tells me what to do!!!!
We'd made our reservations to go to San Diego for July 4th - so wouldn't you know it? Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m., MM's old driller called and asked him to come back to work.
In Texas.
The next day.
Since there wasn't anything else on the horizon, MM decided to head back out. It looks like he'll be working twelve on and four off again, so he'll at least be able to come back home every six weeks or so. We figure he can do that, and BW and I can come out there a few times, schedules permitting.
That leaves me here, trying to decided what the heck is going to happen with me and BW. A little hard to home school when your hubby is out of state and you work full-time.
So....I'm thinking about changing to part-time, which I may be able to do sometime in September. We'll still have insurance through my work, I shouldn't have to juggle BW around too awfully much, and since I'm going to school still part-time online, I think this is the way to go. I may have to break down and put BW back in school, as much as I hate to go that route. I guess I'll just have to see how things play out.
We're back in limbo. Yay!!!*
***
As for San Diego, BW and I still went. We took my mom, and we all really had a good time. Other than the fact that, for some reason, I could not follow driving directions to save my life.** I swear, the GPS would tell me to turn left and I'd instantly turn right. I have no idea what my problem was.
We spent Saturday at Legoland, starting out our day at the Sea Life Aquarium. We stayed for fireworks, and BW got to ride just about everything he wanted to.
I only had to listen to a few phone calls from friends and family bitching about how MM shouldn't have gone back to work out of state. Apparently, a lot of people are really offended by it. I realize it's not ideal, but we're committed to making it work for now. In this economy, I'm just glad he's working. And I have a plan. Which shouldn't surprise anyone - I always have a plan. They don't often work out the way I intend them to, but there you have it.
My plan is a pretty good one, though. It will have us debt free by the beginning of February. We've got two cars we're paying on, and between our savings and our new extra income, we can get them totally paid off. Once we get down to a life where all we have to pay is living expenses, we'll have to decide what we want to do with ourselves once again. And that, my fine webby friends, is something I'm very much looking forward to.
****
*Sarcasm doesn't translate well online, does it?
**Nobody tells me what to do!!!!
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