Some cheese with my whine.

I always joke with my mom that there is no "normal" month to budget from. But, seriously I could use one. Just one, that's all I'm asking. Let's run down the expenses since Sept:
Well, there was a trip to the Zoo and a hotel stay, around $250 if you want to count gas. :) Then there were two new carseats for the kiddos, around $300. Then there was one year's worth of grocery money (at least it better be!), $3,000. Then, a golf ball hit the window. $165. Then, the furnace needed to be serviced, $108, and the rooms painted to put the house on the market. $200. Then, the dryer died. Service call $48, new washer and dryer, somewhere in the $1,800 neighborhood. Then we put our house on the MLS, $595. Then, I talked to an accountant and we owe $2,000 in taxes. Then Hubby brought his truck in to be serviced. We just got an estimate for $3,100, apparently calipers, a rear differential, u-joints, rotors, brakes and some transmission leak. Then Hubby tells me we need new tires. If I were a MasterCard commercial, I would end with "Having a well stocked emergency fund? Priceless". (oh, please don't add up all those numbers, you don't want to know the total. Trust me.) And that's just since September. Don't even make me recall the first half of the year!!

Oh, did I mention that Christmas is next month?

Seriously, one normal month? Would that be too much to ask?? maybe, just maybe Murphy could take 2008 off?

Oh, did I mention that our property was reassessed, and our property taxes are going to be...let's just say painful...next year.

Maybe I don't want whine and cheese...maybe just a really big martini...or two...or three...

In other news, Buddy has decided that he no longer cares about using the potty. Except when DH is home. Oh well, except that pull-ups are not cheap!

All right, I am officially done whining now. :)

Really though I should not be whining because God is good. We have our health (except that Little Miss has a cold agian...I think she was healthy for a grand total of 8 days), we have a happy family, God (through my hard working husband) continues to put food on the table, heat in the house, and clothes on our backs, and when it comes down to it, that is really all we need; everything else is just a bonus. So, we can only be thankful that He has provides our daily bread. I look around and see so many people hurting, so many children living without, so many parents who have to work multiple jobs just to survive and I have no right to ever complain about my life. We have never been left begging for food, and God has continued to be faithful to us. So, I guess my MasterCard commercial is less about a healthy emergency fund, and more about a gracious Heavenly Father. Because in the end, we don't deserve any of it. Especially not the Christmas presents.

Living in Limbo

It seems that everything is in limbo at our house right now. And let me say that, for the record, living in limbo sucks.

So, our house is still on the market. Our effort has been ramped up (insert sarcasm here). Basically, it's on the MLS and if someone calls us, we show it. But that means we're living in a house without anything personal, no family pictures, no books, no real extras. Sure, I could cut it down more, but then the kids would have nothing to play with. I'm not in a hurry to sell, I could live here for a long time, but I just wish it would be over one way or the other. I'm sick of throwing dirty dishes into the oven, throwing toys into the washing machine and anything laying around into a random drawer when someone wants to come see the place. I just want my own house back. I'm not sure WHAT we will do about Christmas. Probably put a tree up and that's it. I mean, it looks a tad cluttered and "personal" with our hope chest full of Christmas deocrations. So, anyhow, now we just hang out and wait.

Also, last night was the first night Buddy had to sleep w/o his "pipe" (pacifier). We (I say we, but it was Me, Hubby said he could care less if Buddy kept his pipes until kindergarten...) had him give us his pipes, throw them in the garbage and then he got two new Veggie Tales Movies. Ofcourse, Hubby was a weenie and stashed a back up pipe on the top shelf in Buddy's room. We can't give it back now, or we'll never be able to get rid of it. If we give it back just bc he cries, he'll just ALWAYS cry. Hubby's a softie...so I end up always playing "bad cop". So, we're in limbo land of "no pipe, but not over the pipe". Fun. Also, today Buddy decided that he was a big boy and it was time to use the potty. Where did that come from?? I've been asking for weeks and always get the "no, not today mom" answer from my 2 year old. But today, we went potty 6+ time w/ only two "oops" in his pull up. Again, where di that come from? it's like overnight he gave up the pipe and decided to no longer be my baby in any sense of the word. So I guess I'm committed at this point to finishing potty training. But again, in Limbo: "no diapers, but no trained".

In all of our looking for houses, I've decided that I have some deal breaker issues, they include:
- mater bathroom. I won't budge on this one, I decided
- attached garage
- living room & family/bonus room
- 4 bedrooms
- Sep. laundry room
- More than 1 bathroom (seriously, is that even an option???)
I've seen a lot of houses, but I will not move anywhere I don't get those things. It's just not worth my hundreds of thousands of dollars to have to share a bathroom w/ my kids, or haul them out of the car in the pouring down rain. It's just not. However, if it gets me out of living in limbo....
nope, still wont.