Today is Father's Day and before I write the funniest story ever, I have to say that I am married to the most amazing man ever!! He is everything and more I could ever wish for in a husband and goes above and beyond to be an excellent father. He loves our boys so much and I hope they know how lucky they are!
Ok, so for Father's Day we went up to Prescott to visit the Mills and go to a barbecue at Lynx Lake. There was a hodge podge of people, some family, some friends. One of the people had a little boy about Colton's age and the kids started playing together. Before we knew it, it all went downhill. A long time ago, my kids use to call each other "dude" all the time. I don't know why I don't really love that word, but after hearing it 50 times a day, I finally told them that a "dude" was the hair on an elephant's butt and they stopped calling each other it almost immediately. Fast forward to today and this is what I get:
Colton: "Mom, Dawson said Stoney (yes, that was the kids name) has a hairy butt!"
James: "What?"
Colton: "Dawson said Stoney had a hairy butt."
James: "Dawson did you say that?"
Dawson: "Yes (starting to cry) but he called me Little Dude."
James: "That isn't a bad thing to call you. You can't go around saying mean things to people."
Dawson: "But he called me Little Dude and that hurts my feelings."
James: "Why?"
Dawson: "Because I don't have a hairy butt."
Me: DING, DING, DING...the light bulb went off and I knew what the problem was.
So after fifteen minutes of trying to convince him that when Stoney called him a "Little Dude" that he wasn't saying he had a hairy butt, the boys were off playing again. We had a great day with great friends and lots of laughs along the way.
About Me
- Andrea
- AZ, United States
- I am a mom raising 2 great boys and I am married to a wonderul man. Although life hasn't necessarily turned out the way I pictured, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
#13 - Check!
So with only 830 days left, I have only managed to check six goals off my 101 goals list. BUT, I just checked off the most important one and it happens to be my favorite number too.
When my hubby and I got married, we were making good money. Actually, he was making good money which is why it wasn't a hard decision for me to stay home when I had Colton. Even with my loss of income, we were still doing very well. However, when he became a firefighter, things got interesting. While he was testing we did everything we could to prepare: we paid off both cars, had zero credit card debt and saved every penny we could. When he got hired, we quickly realized that there was not much we could do to offset a $74,000 pay cut.
We have been extremely blessed that because he was a mechanic for 14 years before becoming a firefighter, he always has had a side job and back up plan for income. That coupled with my packing for the elderly and his moving and we have managed to stay afloat and debt-free except for the mortgage. I have always been frustrated a little though because a huge driving factor in the career change was the amount of time it allowed for the family. He only works 10 days a month!! But, if you spend 15 of your 20 days off a month doing side jobs, you are actually home less than before.
So, since day one, it has always been my goal to be able to live within his paycheck again. With two boys who seem to cost more every day this is not an easy task. BUT, I am happy to report that 4 years and 9 months after becoming a firefighter....WE CAN LIVE ON THE SALARY!!! (That is so exciting to me, I can't even begin to tell you!)
Of course, we still need side jobs for extracurricular things like sports, eating out and getaways, but it is just that now...a side job. We love them and are blessed when they come around, but we are no longer dependent on them to keep the lights on.
A lot of my friends have been surprised when I tell them about this and make comments like, "But you do stuff all the time. You had the money all along didn't you." And the answer is no. What I have learned in the last 5 years is how to be a cheap skate and get everything I can for free. For example:
When my hubby and I got married, we were making good money. Actually, he was making good money which is why it wasn't a hard decision for me to stay home when I had Colton. Even with my loss of income, we were still doing very well. However, when he became a firefighter, things got interesting. While he was testing we did everything we could to prepare: we paid off both cars, had zero credit card debt and saved every penny we could. When he got hired, we quickly realized that there was not much we could do to offset a $74,000 pay cut.
We have been extremely blessed that because he was a mechanic for 14 years before becoming a firefighter, he always has had a side job and back up plan for income. That coupled with my packing for the elderly and his moving and we have managed to stay afloat and debt-free except for the mortgage. I have always been frustrated a little though because a huge driving factor in the career change was the amount of time it allowed for the family. He only works 10 days a month!! But, if you spend 15 of your 20 days off a month doing side jobs, you are actually home less than before.
So, since day one, it has always been my goal to be able to live within his paycheck again. With two boys who seem to cost more every day this is not an easy task. BUT, I am happy to report that 4 years and 9 months after becoming a firefighter....WE CAN LIVE ON THE SALARY!!! (That is so exciting to me, I can't even begin to tell you!)
Of course, we still need side jobs for extracurricular things like sports, eating out and getaways, but it is just that now...a side job. We love them and are blessed when they come around, but we are no longer dependent on them to keep the lights on.
A lot of my friends have been surprised when I tell them about this and make comments like, "But you do stuff all the time. You had the money all along didn't you." And the answer is no. What I have learned in the last 5 years is how to be a cheap skate and get everything I can for free. For example:
- Go to Picture People or Kiddie Kandids and just get your free 8x10 (yes you will have to pick your favorite picture) and then come home and scan it and print enlargements to Costco or on photo paper which is much less expensive than $15 a sheet.
- Go to Harkins and buy a $25 gift card. You will get a free popcorn and with your $1 drink, it makes concessions easier to swallow.
- For Dawson's birthday, our entire family went bowling (10 of us in all.) The week before, I had joined the bowling alleys email list to get coupons and got one emailed for 10 free games of bowling and shoes just for joining. It would have been $57.84 and I didn't pay a penny!
- We have credit cards that we use and pay off every month, but get the points and cash them out for rewards like gift cards to restaurants.
- I enter every contest I come across...like the one today on my friend's blog for circus tickets http://intentionallykatie.blogspot.com/2009/06/attention-phoenix-readers-win-4-tickets.html
Monday, June 15, 2009
Why, Why, Why?
I have a couple posts that I am working on about our recent vacation and Dawson's birthday, but right now I am here to vent.
Yesterday afternoon, my hubby went to Checker to get some oil for the car. He came home, changed the oil, we had a nice evening and went to bed. This morning he woke up and went to go to Home Depot to grab some stuff to work on his brother's rental house. However, he noticed his credit card was missing.
My first annoyance is that this is the second credit card he has lost, the last one was last July. I know he is busy. I know he works hard. I know his mind is in other places. And I know I have lost things before too, but for criminey sakes, it is really a pain in the butt to have to change everything when you loose a credit card.
I quickly got over my frustration with him though because I know he genuinely never set out to cause me more work. I proceeded to call Checker and of course they told me they hadn't seen it and took down my name only which I thought was weird. Then I went to my online statement. Holy crap! Are you kidding? Some moron, probably the kid that worked at the store, charged over $400 of junk at Checker, then filled up his tank of gas for $60+ and decided to do a little more shopping.
Seriously people! We work hard for what we have. My husband works side jobs up the wazoo so that we can take vacations, put the kids in sports, etc. We are not given anything and it flat out pisses me off when someone takes advantage of that. We have great credit and the credit card company was extremely nice, but why am I wasting my entire day doing this. Why do I have to close the card, wait for a new one, contact the five people who charge it automatically every month and give them a different number. Why?
And, what about the dumb kid who took this. He wasn't even smart enough to just make one purchase at Checker. He made three separate charges. No outside person who came in to the store and found the card is going to continue to charge on a stolen card at the same store. It is probably some young kid who isn't smart enough to think it through that for $700 he may get fired from his job and have a felony on his record by the end of the month. If he was in front of me right now, I would probably shake him.
So, I think I am done. I actually think I even feel a little bit better. Guess I better go back to my day now.
Yesterday afternoon, my hubby went to Checker to get some oil for the car. He came home, changed the oil, we had a nice evening and went to bed. This morning he woke up and went to go to Home Depot to grab some stuff to work on his brother's rental house. However, he noticed his credit card was missing.
My first annoyance is that this is the second credit card he has lost, the last one was last July. I know he is busy. I know he works hard. I know his mind is in other places. And I know I have lost things before too, but for criminey sakes, it is really a pain in the butt to have to change everything when you loose a credit card.
I quickly got over my frustration with him though because I know he genuinely never set out to cause me more work. I proceeded to call Checker and of course they told me they hadn't seen it and took down my name only which I thought was weird. Then I went to my online statement. Holy crap! Are you kidding? Some moron, probably the kid that worked at the store, charged over $400 of junk at Checker, then filled up his tank of gas for $60+ and decided to do a little more shopping.
Seriously people! We work hard for what we have. My husband works side jobs up the wazoo so that we can take vacations, put the kids in sports, etc. We are not given anything and it flat out pisses me off when someone takes advantage of that. We have great credit and the credit card company was extremely nice, but why am I wasting my entire day doing this. Why do I have to close the card, wait for a new one, contact the five people who charge it automatically every month and give them a different number. Why?
And, what about the dumb kid who took this. He wasn't even smart enough to just make one purchase at Checker. He made three separate charges. No outside person who came in to the store and found the card is going to continue to charge on a stolen card at the same store. It is probably some young kid who isn't smart enough to think it through that for $700 he may get fired from his job and have a felony on his record by the end of the month. If he was in front of me right now, I would probably shake him.
So, I think I am done. I actually think I even feel a little bit better. Guess I better go back to my day now.
Monday, June 8, 2009
My Baby is 5!!
Today is my baby's birthday. Not my first baby, but my last baby. He was supposed to be my chance to redeem myself for everything I didn't know or did wrong with my first. Instead, he has been a learning experience that was completely original.
Nothing about my pregnancy was easy, he came early, stayed in the hospital and has had some doctor appointment or therapy almost daily since. But, that is not who he is. Those are the cards he was dealt, but it doesn't define him.
He is unique in the best of terms. He has a hundred different faces. He has a voice that makes me melt. He is the only kid that can make me laugh through my tears of anger. He is my shopping buddy. He has the best one liners. He loves sharks and starburst and anything blue. He wants to help with everything. He is always looking in my purse for gum. He is adorable.
And now he is 5.
He starts kindergarten in the fall, which is something we were so unsure of two years ago. He will make friends and do great and I am sure will have a very close relationship with the principal, but it is all good. He is growing up and although I wish I could keep him this age forever, I am excited to see what and who he becomes.
I may never get it right with either of my boys, but I hope through everything that they knew they were loved and that I tried.
Happy Birthday Dawson!
Nothing about my pregnancy was easy, he came early, stayed in the hospital and has had some doctor appointment or therapy almost daily since. But, that is not who he is. Those are the cards he was dealt, but it doesn't define him.
He is unique in the best of terms. He has a hundred different faces. He has a voice that makes me melt. He is the only kid that can make me laugh through my tears of anger. He is my shopping buddy. He has the best one liners. He loves sharks and starburst and anything blue. He wants to help with everything. He is always looking in my purse for gum. He is adorable.
And now he is 5.
He starts kindergarten in the fall, which is something we were so unsure of two years ago. He will make friends and do great and I am sure will have a very close relationship with the principal, but it is all good. He is growing up and although I wish I could keep him this age forever, I am excited to see what and who he becomes.
I may never get it right with either of my boys, but I hope through everything that they knew they were loved and that I tried.
Happy Birthday Dawson!
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