Still Picking up the Pennies

DH was hired a few weeks ago, as a part time custodain at the school district he graduated from. With a possibility of going to full time if he got his CDL to be a bus driver. So he did, he just got official word that he got the full time position last night In all honesty taking this job is both good and bad news. Good it is a job! Bad is that he losing another $250 a month from unemployment, but the benefits are good, I am told. So we will have health coverage, but need to cut the budget yet again.

We are really struggling these past few days. Unemployment check has not hit the bank yet, it was due in on Thursday and the house payment was due on Monday, hopefully it will come soon. I do get paid on Friday but it is not enough to cover the house payment. We went on a 4H bus trip yesterday to Duluth, MN. It was really fun and nice to put our cares aside for one day. My parents paid for the trip and gave me cash for meals. While in Duluth we toured the William Irvin ship, went to Imax and the Lake Superior Zoo. All of the places were very educational and exciting for our family. It did however start raining while we were at the zoo, so we only got to enjoy half of it. Here is a photo of a cake I made for my niece's birthday. Tomorrow I go to the VA hospital to the MOVE clinic, I am going to speak with a dietitian and a nurse. I am hoping they can give me some info on weight loss.

I am in my own little funk. I am having doubts about this entire medical transcription thing, I am doing. All these long ass terms are kicking my butt. and seems like I never have time to study. I am 42% done with the courses and my average is 92%. Job-wise I love my new job, I like working in the kitchen and the gals I work with and it will be nearly full time from mid aug-nov, so I will love that. DH is talking about going to truck driving school, which is NOT ideal but we are getting to the point where things really, REALLY HAVE to change. A new class starts up every 4 weeks so he is thinking of going in mid Sept-mid Oct. The boys are back in school, I will be working a lot and not needing day care. While we are not late on any bills, things are slipping, only one 1/2 way decent vehicle, everything needing to be replaced or fixed around the house. So that is that! Sorry to rant. I am really trying to put on my big girl panties and deal with it. We have a safe, (pretty) secure home, ...

time for an update and a plan for February 2010 ok, lets see, where to begin. The Dfamily and I made it through Christmas and had a WONDERFUL day, season. I did have a couple of Christmas angels. We spent what we could on presents and excepted that. January, in a nutshell was ok, DH applied for many, many jobs, there are three that would be really GREAT, low pay but in his career field and enjoyable. But we shall see. UI is still keeping us a float along with my two part time jobs, I have been taking every single hour offered to me. Noah's birthday is coming up and we are going to splurge a bit for it. I have kept to NO eating out, no carry away and being frugal to the bone. So now, my food stamps has went from $382 to $262 a month because I am working, I expected it and will just have to watch that again also. I am going through the steps to apply for a hardship for our mortgage and it is still pending, this will give us a bit of a break for 6 months. I applied for eme...

Usually by now I am completely done with Christmas prep! This year we have had so many changes in our lives and it shows, I have just about nothing done!! so I am challenging myself to do one major or semi major thing a day. That way I should be done in the nick of time, but without major stress or burn out. I am starting Friday, I work from 11-5. I plan to sign our names to all of our Christmas cards, and start addressing them.

It has been awhile since I have written. We have had a busy fun summer. I can feel autumn in the air! Which makes me sad and a bit glad. Glad because fall means settling down into a comforting routine and a new beginning so to say. Sad, because winter in all it's harshness is coming and too quickly! We have had a very fun summer filled with a bit of camping and day road trips and the fair. I started a part time job, my first full day is tomorrow, I am very excited to be working out of the home for the first time in over 10 years, but it is still only part time which is the best of both worlds for me right, now. DH is still unemployed but keeping busy. We are repping the benefits of a small garden, and a bigger chicken coop. He has all the winter's wood here just needing to be split and stacked. I am going to start to make my entries on my blog a little more regular.

While the weather in the UP has been very chilly compared to past years, we have had a pretty fun summer so far! My oldest DS and I just got back from 4H camp. While it was completely exhausting, it was the BEST!! Both of us promised to return next year. We also have a few more fun things scheduled. But also got back on track with our semi-homeschooling summer plans. My DH is still unemployed, but we may have some good news lurking in the near future. If you could send good thoughts or prayers our way, it sure would be appreciated. He has been busy collecting the winter's wood and fishing. Although we have had NO fish dinners lately, we sure should stay warm all winter. He has also kept himself busy by planting a small garden. His next project is to build on the the chicken coop, as the babies are nearly ready to be evicted from the basement. I am sick of the "barnyard" smell in the basement! The boys have been busy also this summer. The oldest is done with summer school...

so sorry if anyone even reads this! My DH got laided off one month ago to the day. So things have changed and changed a lot. He is looking for work but of course there is none to be had, we are not in total panic mode yet. I got myself a little part time job cleaning a house for some one I know. I hope to expand the hours as we go. I have also started taking a few cake orders from friends and family, in hopes to raise a few bucks. I have done pretty well with my pantry challenge, but have not post the details, sorry. I have applied for medicaid, and food stamps also so that may be another route of writing for me. I surely am glad that we are not starving because i has been a good 3 weeks since I applied and no word yet. I am also taking a course to become a medical transcriptionist starting about 2 weeks ago as well so lots of news from here. OH also we 'won' ok, well the kids won two gold fish last night so they are our household new creatures. We orders 6 baby chickens toda...

Well it has been a few days,so I will update. On 4-26 we had to run our eldest son, age 9 to the walkin clinic 68 miles away, he had strep throat but feeling better. We stopped at taco bell, for a total of $5.98 for four people, over budget but not by much. On Monday we had left overs of the chicken enchiladas(which were shit food btw!) for a total of $3+ Tuesday, my life changed a bit, my DH lost his job, downsized and his position was terminated. There was NO notice at all, we honestly thought we would never be in this position again, no income, no future legacy to pass on to our children. I hope and pray that we will be ok. He will get a severance package and unemployment but as a single income family, I am in complete panic mode!! and for the pantry challenge, now it looks REALLY important! We had hot dogs 88cents, buns $1.02 and baked beans $.92 for a total of $2.82. but NOT the most nutrious meal ever! but good comfort food.