2012 Goals

Well since I'm on the blog ranting and raving I should do this post as well.

I'm not one for setting New Year Goals. But I'm looking at 2012 as a new start. 2011 was pretty brutal to us. Not so much as we trying hard to stay on our feet and some very hard decisions were made. Glad they were made and glad we stuck to our guns, but things are tough.

So for 2012 we are hoping to stay on our feet. That things become easier. We have a family reunion coming up we need to save for. My biggest goal of the year will hit coming right out of the box. Pay off the van. We owe 4297. something. We will be doing our tax return in about 2-3 weeks give or take some time (I lack time) After we pay the school, what ever is left is going to pay off the van in hopes it's enough. If it's not enough we will be tighten our belts even more and paying off the van. Getting rid of this monthly payment will help our bottom line. It's seriously killing us.

I'm hoping to play catch up on some past dues. The TV, Phone and Energy are running about a month beyond. I'm hoping to play catch up there this year. So that would get rid of late payments I pay every month.

Putting in the new garden, we will be doubling if not tripling our space. I am getting at least 5 new fruit trees and maybe some nut trees. Our front yard is getting a bit of a make over as two beds will be removed, too shady to grow anything. I planted them full of beets and nothing grow. How depressing is that? But there is so much to do. From building a fence, to building beds 10-20 new beds. 8-10 feet by 4 feet. Plus lots of smaller beds to hold herbs. I'm thinking of adding in more grapes. Maybe some new blueberry bushes. We are hoping that 75-80% of our food will come from the garden. In hopes we just have to buy flour and meat. That would help our budget a lot.

With that there will be much more canning, drying and freezing. Oh joy.

That and just trying to stay away from the bank, hoping to save a few pennies this year. I was thinking I could just start burying coffee cans in the back yard, but that won't work. We have three dogs that would dig them up. The goats would play kick the can so that won't work either. IDK. We have some financial goals to meet this year. It would be nice to make them. But I don't have high hopes, I figure if we can stay on our feet and be OK, then we will be OK. Worry about saving another day. Be grateful hubby has a job. Be grateful we are slowly saving for retirement now. Slowly it's not a lot, but it's something verses nothing now.

We are hoping we will be able to save to expand out the house, I don't think it should be a 2012 goal. But it's on our radar and if we are able to set aside some money to do so. Like when we have 500 saved call the contractor and get plans made for expanding. When we can afford the permits go and get permits. As we can afford things, get things done. It will be slow, but we are doing cash only. On top of trying to pay down the Mortgage in hopes one day sooner then later to be Mortgage free. Once we are Mortgage free that will free up money to save for retirement. Because right now we can retire when we are 97 years old.

Hoping to continue cupcake of the month. Really hoping to expand out my baking some. I love baking allergy free, it really takes some thinking some days. But yeah it can be fun. I love how my items are gum free. I love how I have been able to stick to my guns and keep the kids safe from food allergies, I don't understand why some people don't understand. My child is allergic it means he really can't eat this. My mother called me the other day, can the boys have corn syrup. Seriously? I'm grateful no new allergies have popped up. I love how I do all the baking for the boys lunches. I don't buy anything from the store for their lunches. It's all hand made. Yes, a lot of work but in the end you save a lot of money and for me that is worth it. I know what is in my kid's food and what is not in the food.

Just hoping to keep up with life. I have fallen behind so many times this year. There are days I'm on my feet until I fall into bed around midnight or later, and then back up at the crack of dawn to do it all again. Someday's I wonder if I should scrap everything and home school the kids. But they love their school so much and honestly I need to get out of the house. So I just hope I can keep up.

Marcie

PISSED, TICKED, LIVID

So we went through check fraud back in July. The people took everything, from our Mortgage payment that was set to go through the next day or our food budget money for the month. The bank finally did give us our money back, and we were able to pull out the money and pay the Mortgage in person as not to take a ding on our credit report. Thank God!

At the same time we opened a new account and closed down the old. New checks were ordered, but you know what as of today I have not written another check. We went to an all cash only system. We have been on top of our money knowing where every penny goes. So back when we opened our new account we asked for the overdraft protection to be taken off. Because honestly if you have gone through check fraud it is so very scary and for that to happen again would probably kill us. So we sat right there and the lady typed into her computer and said OK it's off. Anything else.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Well this morning I went to check our bank account, I know there is only 3 dollars in there, I know this. Well except it showed a negative 34 dollars? WHAT? So me being beyond livid Hubby called the bank and said we had this taken off in July, you were not to pay anything that we didn't have money for? Why didn't the bank reject it? Well because you have overdraft protection on your account. So we paid it and feed you.

OK BY NOW I'M BEYOND PISSED.

You can hear me in the back ground. WE WERE LIED TOO, THAT FLIPPING LADY LIED TO US. Russell repeats it's the law? What do you mean, we HAVE to have overdraft protection on our account? ME: THAT IS NOT THE LAW, THAT IS A BULL DONKEY DOO (seriously I used those words) LAW, SHE IS LYING TO US AGAIN, THAT IS NOT THE LAW WE DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE OVER DRAFT PROTECTION ON OUR ACCOUNT. HANG UP AND LETS CHANGE BANKS. I'VE SO HAD IT WITH THIS BANK. BULL DONKEY DOO TELLING ME I HAVE TO HAVE OVERDRAFT PROTECTION. YEAH YOU GO THROUGH CHECK FRAUD AND THEN TELL ME I HAVE TO HAVE OVERDRAFT PROTECTION.

All this loud enough for the person to hear on the phone. Boy can I rant when I want to rant. The lady again said it was the law, Hubby said no it's not, we are being lied too. Please reverse the fee, we will not be paying that fee for a mistake you made and in the mean time we will be looking for a new bank.

So Hubby got off the phone and called around. NO it is NOT the law you do not have to have overdraft protection on your account. BUT if you don't have enough money in your account and we have to turn back a payment we charge you a 30 dollar fee. ARG!

NOW 4 years ago, we were in the land of fees, it's how we lived, at one time having 40k of medical bills on our dining room table and doing everything we could to stay afloat. So yes we used that overdraft protection and was feed 30 dollars each time we used it. It killed us but at times it's how we made do. Two years ago we stopped using the over draft protection and were able to stand on our feet. Which was nice, at times only having a few cents in the bank, but they were our few cents. I do NOT want to know how much over the years I have paid in bank fees!

Fast forward to July and we were hit with check fraud, because we had overdraft protection the bank allowed a 2,000 check to clear our account no questions asked. And then feed us on top of things! Because we didn't have 2,000 in the bank. So when we changed accounts we asked for it to be taken off. But we were lied to. I think the biggest issue for me is just the fact we were lied too, someone sat right there and looked me in the face and lied to me.

So hubby called a few banks/credit unions, but this is the norm, no you don't HAVE to have overdraft protection. BUT we will fee you if we have to turn back a payment.

So honestly what is the point of changing banks then?

So we have been cash only since July, we would go to the bank every Friday and get out the cash we need and that would be it. We have never had a debt card (this actually shocked those banks we called), we don't have credit cards, (well wait I do have a pre-pay credit card). So why not take it to the next step and see if we can LIVE without a bank?

LIVE WITHOUT A BANK?

What is stopping us from cashing the work check at work? What is stopping us from going over to the Mortgage bank and paying in person? What is stopping us from going down to the energy company and paying in person? Seriously. Can we live without a bank? So for now we will keep our account open, I will change hubby's pay checks to no longer go into the bank. We will pick them up in person and cash them at work. We will take this day by day and see if we can live without a bank. This might actually be a fun challenge for 2012. The year without the bank!

I will NOT be feed by bank fees in 2012. I will NOT be lied too by banks, I will NOT be told something is the law or we HAVE to do it. I honestly won't be told what to do. I'm too dang old to be told what to do!

So that is my BIG Rant for the day. I'm so fed up with Banks, and fees, the fees just kill ya. Can someone explain to me how being feed 30 dollars per transaction helps you in this game of life? It doesn't it digs you deeper and deeper into the hole. They should just hand you a shovel. Well I'm putting the shovel away. I'm Done.

COTM: Gluten Free Peppermint & Red Velvet Cake

Oh do I have a pretty one for you this month. I tired to do this before Christmas, but a fight with Directv and I totally forgot to add some of the ingredients. I didn't have another chance to make another batch until yesterday. And OH boy did they turn out this time.

So the recipe is very easy You take my Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake Recipe before you add in the cocoa and beet powder, you separate the batter. Half stays white and the other half you add a bit of cocoa and some beet powder until you get the color you want. Don't forget to add in a dash of peppermint extract into both batters. In the cupcake pans you put some white, top off with some red, and top that off with some white. I baked these at 350 for 20 minutes. If I had to do again, I would make this recipe twice. In one mixer I would leave white, the other mixer I would do the red. I only got about 10 cupcakes going this way and I didn't separate the batter well, so I had more red.

Updating....

So adore this photo of Ethan. Last Wednesday I finally got my act together at the last second and made three hats for a skit they were putting on at school. (On Thursday) Yep I made this hat. Which of course I will be getting use out of as my in laws just had their 50th anniversary party this past weekend. Ethan wore the hat. I didn't make them for nothing now. Notice no Tucker? Tucker had a massive nose bleed right before the skit was to start. Now see a mother holding a nose, taking photos and taking a white shirt off Tucker because if he gets blood on it I'm dead! At the end of the skit, still holding the nose, one child half naked and photos were taken. I saved the White shirt!

So last Wednesday I started to get sick, by Friday I could not get out of bed sick. Saturday and Sunday were a blur. Because Tucker and I were sick. Saturday night Cole fell sick. Sunday night guess who else fell sick? My oldest, my helper. This isn't just any sick, this is very high fever, not eating, I can't get out of bed sick. We are still in recovery mode. As it was very brutal. Cole still has not over come the fever. But lots of napping going on here, and not much else. Can someone explain how the hubby didn't get sick?

Friday night as I put the kids to bed (about the only thing I did that night) I went to veg out on the couch and watch TV. Well TV was not to be, as our TV receiver decided right then and there it was time to give up the ghost. Hubby called Saturday and they put a new receiver in the mail. Received it Tuesday night and Hubby called today, and called and called. Three different people, including a manager and they won't hook it up for us. We are beyond dumbfounded at this point? So as of right now we are still without TV. No huge deal for me, as it is only turned on when the kids go to bed. But as energy is slowly coming back, I have so much to do. But at this moment I will tell ya Directv has crappy customer service. So not happy spending two hours on the phone, took about 20 minutes just to find us in the computer? After being with them for over 10 years, might be time to leave them? I told hubby one more day if they don't hook us up tomorrow when you call, I'm sending everything back and we are done! (I don't think hubby can live without TV) (someone tell him he may have too)

So because I and two kids were sick we missed out on my in laws anniversary party. Honestly I'm not a party person. But apparently Ethan had a blast showing off his new hat.

Cupcake of the month is coming. It's a great one, but it didn't come out the way I wanted it today, I kinda missed a few steps. Note don't curse out Directv and make cupcakes at the same time. The cupcakes are nummy, but didn't come out the way I wanted. So hopefully tomorrow, would LOVE to post before Christmas. 

Christmas, I'm so not ready. Everything has been bought, but not wrapped. I finished up everything last week, so there would be no mad dash going to the store for this or that. Which is good now that we've been so sick. Many will not receive Christmas cards. As my list is on a computer, the computer is in a cabinet, behind the couch, the couch has jars under it. When one is sick they are too week to do diddle squat so the computer will stay put and I have to let things go.

Christmas...I'm more freaking out about after Christmas. There is mountain of work to be done after Christmas. Need to make plans on expanding the garden and getting beds in and ready for spring. I have to re-wrap the green house. It's so crazy how time is just flying by these days. Barely a time to breath these days. To me it's amazing how the babies are just growing.

Until later...

Christmas Photo Time

I feel like I'm soooooooooooooo far behind in life right now. It couldn't be the 12 Angel Costumes I just got done making for their Christmas Play could it be?

So decided this was the morning we were going to do the darn Christmas photo...I got the kids dressed, took them out into the cold and said one good shot and we will go in! I got a few good shots, but all in less then 5 minutes, they seem to be pros at this (or is it the cold?)

I then came in and was on Costco.com and they have a great Christmas card price going on right now. So I cheated, I am letting them do our Christmas cards, in turn saving me from running all over town because only one store carries the right envelope I need, and I can never remember the store! I will run out of Card stock, I won't ever really decide on a card until 2 days before Christmas. Yes, I have been known to mail out Christmas cards on Christmas Eve!

So I pick them up Friday then I will go to the post office and mail them. I only bought a few, so in case you don't receive one, the first photo is my Christmas card, the second photo is just too cute.

COTM: Double Chocolate Cupcakes Gluten Free

First we shall do a lesson in baking powder

Without...

With...

USE IT....Lesson over...

Double Chocolate Cupcakes Allergy Free
By Ginger Lemon Girl
Converted by Marcie Dingerson

2 Cups Gluten Free Mix (I use Bob's All Purpose)
1/4 Cup Baking Cocoa
1/2 Cup Agave
2/3 Cup Almond Milk (I used Rice)
1 Cup Pumpkin
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
Chocolate Chips

Basically I dumped everything in the bowl and mixed, this made about 12 cupcakes. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. I did fill the tins 3/4ths full. Enjoy.

Which Owl?

I spent tonight designing this owl. Obviously I have more work to do. The bottom of that body needs to be expanded out a bit and his wings need to be adjusted. But other then that I think he is adorable?

Owl number two is a pattern I bought.

Which one are you digging?

Updating

Lots going on here and not enough time to blog. First Bridget has been sick, very, very sick. Basically her partner in life died, she lost her spunk and the other goats took the chance to beat her up and push her around. Unaware to me until she started to drop serious weight. So last Monday night I found her down really late at night, another goat probably knocked her over and she couldn't get up. Well I picked her up and brought her in and she was in the goat hospital (aka laundry room). We brought in hay and gave her grain and treated for worms yet again and kept her warm and happy.

Tuesday was spent giving her a bath. I kid ya not I gave this goat a bath. She has had diarrhea so very badly and she needed a good bath and tail cutting. Another night in the laundry room and I was ready to kick her out. But I couldn't just kick her out, she needs her own space where she won't be picked on and where she can eat.

Here comes in the make shift pen. We went out and bought a tarp and set to work. We used things that were in the back field and came up with this. Really hard to see because we spent two freezing hours on this project and it was near dark when we were done. But she gets to see her goat friends, she has her own space where she can eat freely all by herself. During the day we will let her out and as it gets dark put her away. The great thing is I can see her from the house. So if there is a problem I can spot it right away. She is starting to gain weight, and the most exciting news is she has normal poop.

In the goat world sadly poop is where it's at. If a goat has diarrhea, basically start digging a hole, she is sick and you can rarely save them. Normally poop means everything is working well. We got lucky with her. You should see how happy Bridget is in her new palace.

Speaking of that it took me over an hour to clean up the goat hospital. I have forgotten how messy this can get because we haven't had anyone in the laundry room in a very long time.

Next I went looking for a recipe and for the life of me I could not find it. But I found stacks and stacks of printed recipes and all sorts of binders, half full. So I organized. When I was done, I still didn't find the recipe.

See I organized!

Next, It's Thanksgiving and I am not big at all about Thanksgiving. Maybe because my mother is always drunk and speaking negatively about everyone, and my father is usually passed out from too much food after the meal. The TV on really loudly, kids bored out of their mind because dinner is an hour late, because my mother had so much negative to say and she wants to make sure she got it all out? Honestly I don't want the kids around that. So I ditched it this year. And honestly I'm not up for making a Thanksgiving meal here. So we did a rousing meal of fish and chips and onion rings.

We have plans to hopefully one day to expand out our house a bit, with that giving us a bigger dining room and kitchen and living room, and I like to use and a lot apparently? So I'm hoping down the road to put on a big meal and have an open invite to everyone from family to friends, and either come or go I don't care, but your invited. So one hopes I can do that soon?

So I am loving this pumpkin picture....

Because it shows off the table runner I have been working on. Isn't it lovely?

Then we have the 30 dollar Thanksgiving make over. Do you see the piece holding up the TV, I spent a whopping 30 dollars on it. It totally inspired us to make over the whole room. After getting this piece in and the TV up and everything moved in. We decided to take everything else out of the room. We re-worked the bookcases and we got rid of a lot of toys. It needed to be done. So basically if there wasn't room, it wasn't coming into the room.

In the end, 5 bags of toys in the garage, a garbage can full, and two book cases were removed. See you can see the wall now. I totally love that we got rid of a lot of toys. I love how you can walk in there. I love how there is a space for everything! I yell clean up and it's cleaned up in 5 minutes now. Because the kids know where to put the toys.

Apple Pie Anyone

So I somehow got roped into making Gluten Free Apple Pies for the school feast. I don't know how this happened, just started talking and walked away with me making pies. I used Cybele's Recipe out of her Book I used my Apple Pie Filling from my Recipe page and there you go. Two awesome looking Gluten Free Pies.

Who know Gluten Free could look so good? Let's just hope they taste just as good?

My Weekend

Today two more monsters were made. They are so ugly they are cute. It kills me. Now in the photo below you can see which three I made and which two we picked up at a craft show.

Look What I Made

So we adopted two monsters today, photos to come on those. I thought I could make those. So I came home and created some monsters. This was the first one done. He will be adopted by Cole. I need to hit Goodwill and get some plushy fabric, I don't normally buy or use plushy fabric. So more to come, stay tuned.

He is so ugly, that he is cute. 

Owl

How utterly adorable is this owl? We went to a sale today and  apparently he just had to come home with us. I gave in  because having 15 billion stuffed animals in this house is just not enough!

COTM: Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes

So here you go, Cupcake of the Month. A very nummy chocolate and vanilla marbled cupcake.

Gluten Free Marble Cupcake

1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Pumpkin
1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup melted Coconut Oil
2/3 Cup Coconut Milk

Mix Then Add;

1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 3/4 Cups Bob's All Purpose Mix

Mix then take out about one cup of batter, add to that one cup 1/3 Cup Baking Cocoa, and 1/4 Cup boiling Water.

Fill Cupcake pan with Vanilla and Chocolate well swirling it. I used a knife to mix things up. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Incredible Allergy Free Chocolate Cookies

Do you see the photos? Oh yeah baby. Chocolate cookies covered in chocolate. How can it get any better? Oh it can get better, they are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and everything else free and they taste amazing.

These are freezer cookies, what is funny is I put them into the freezer days ago and totally forgot about them until this morning. Oops. So I took them out and sliced them up and baked them. I then covered them in melted chocolate and there you go. Some happy kids eating, nummy chocolate cookies.

Yeah, I'm missing a few, kids attacked I saved what I could.

Incredible Allergy Free Chocolate Cookies
By Marcie Dingerson

1/2 Cup coconut oil melted
1 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Rice Milk
3/4 tsp Peppermint Extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix and add

2 Cups all Purpose Flour, I use Bob's.
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1/4 Cup Tapioca Flour/Starch
1/2 tsp salt.

Mix. Roll into a log and cover with plastic and put into the freezer for at least two hours, I did days and they still turned out fine. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.

I covered with melted enjoy life chips and a little coconut oil.

Shhhh Don't Tell Rachel

Just whipped this up for a Girl Named Rachel...I hope she likes it. It's arriving in her mail box soon.



What Is Wrong With This Picture?

My Four Year Old has more homework then my 8 Year Old!

There is something seriously wrong here? And Cole is so very serious about his homework. Lord Help Me.

Gotta Love It!

10-11-2011

We lost an Angel today. Very sad day here. Angel was 16 and so we know her time was coming. Sunday when this photo was taken, I realized after the photo was taken, she was acting really weird. When I realized she was looking for a place to die. We brought her in and made her comfy in the living room. Where she was until she passed on this morning. This way her every need was meet, and someone was always with her.

Now Angel was my dog, when she was 2 I rescued her from a really bad house. She was beaten and abused and it took many years to get her to realize that I won't hit her. If she could be glued to my side then she was. To the point I would consently trip over her. She was all mine.

And so today it was no surprise she waited for me to come home to die, She wanted me holding her.

But let me tell you about the last few days. See yesterday as we were coming home from school, I turned onto our street where I came eye to eye with a deer. I sat there for the longest time on our street looking at this deer. We do not have deer around here. We have lived here for 9 years, never a deer. But yesterday? A deer, and I was eye to eye with it? He didn't run off, nothing, just steered right back at me. I now believe that was Jake, Jake had come back to take Angel home with him. Those two have been together since I picked up Angel 14 years ago.

So today, big rain storm happening today. I ran to Lacey after dropping off the boys. Then over to Tumwater, get done, and get back in the car soaking wet. I get a call from hubby, we need canning lids. Really? Um yeah? So I go back into the store and buy canning lids. In that short amount of time, I come out to no rain. I am able to drive home with no rain issues. I walk into the house and put down my things and go to her. She curls up to me and passes on. She had waited for me. It was that fast.

When I realized she was gone, her Spirit and everything is just gone, it's just her body there. It was so very quick, knowing she is not there, I get up and look outside, where the sun comes out and it's so bright and sunny. I realize that is her, she is telling me she is OK. She is with Jake now and she will wait for me.

Angel was 16. She will be missed. 

Cupcake Of The Month; GF Red Velvet Cake

Well I don't know when it became September 30th, but it somehow did. I thought I had plenty of time to do this cupcake, but apparently I did not.

I have been wanting to do a Red Velvet for months now. This cupcake through is not a true Red Velvet, it's a really good cupcake, but I had ran out of beet powder, so they look like chocolate verses red.

I will be putting up beets here shortly and trying the recipe again using new red beet powder. Aiming to make it a true red velvet.

But the cupcake itself is very good. Every bite the kids took was Oh Mom This Is Good! Three raving reviews. So that is good enough for me. This is just a great cupcake, great form and one I will be doing over and over again. Just a great cupcake all around.

Cupcake Of The Month
Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
By Marcie Dingerson

Make ahead:

Mock buttermilk, 1 cup rice milk, about a tablespoon vinegar set aside.
Flax Egg, Ground Flax, and sparkling water, mix and set aside.

1/4 Cup coconut Oil
1 Cup Sugar
Flax Egg
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Buttermilk

Mix and add in:

2 1/4 Cup all Purpose Flour, I used Bob's Gluten Free Mix
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
Beet Powder, I just dump until red.

Mix, bake at 350 for 18-21 minutes. I did little cupcakes at 18 minutes.

Icing, was coconut milk, mixed with powdered sugar until formed, and mix with strawberry powder for coloring. I have no idea on measurements, I just dumped until formed. But this is good with or without icing.

Ellie Got Some New Clothes

Ellie got a new coat today, and some new pj's. Plus her new blankie. She is styling now.

Ellie

The Birth of a Monkey. Oh Dear God how I hate sewing patterns. I do not understand the language it is written in, all the tucks and folds and flips. Oh why can't something be simple? This monkey took three hours to birth, luckily I did all the sewing long after the kids went to bed, as cuss words were a-flying.

BUTTTTTTTTT I think she turned out pretty well, she has some flaws, but she was the first monkey and I can only get better from here. Well I can hope?

So before going to bed last night, I put her on Tucker's bed, and boy was he thrilled to wake up to a new Monkey, but not any Monkey, a GIRL Monkey. So she needed a name, Ellie. So she was named, but Mom she needs clothes now. So tonight I made a very simple sundress. And Mom you HAVE to go to Goodwill tomorrow she needs a blanket and there is NOTHING Pink in this house. And Mom anything Pink will do, because she needs a blanket. So guess where I'm heading tomorrow?

I think she is now adorable, the dress put her over the top in cuteness. You after all can't have a naked Monkey running around. 

Bath-Time

Guess who needed a bath after a few hours of playing with Chalk?

Change Of Plans

So sadly as life changes, plans change as well. We were trying to pay down the van 100 a week, and yes it was killing us, but we were doing it. I had planned on taking a free week this week as we are getting hit with everything under the sun and miss a payment, and pick it up again next week. But here is where the plans change. We are putting paying the van on hold for now. And for the next 10 weeks we are going to attempt to save 100 a week, as hubby's truck is really not doing well at all. So we either need to fix up his truck, or buy him something to run back and fourth from work.

For right now we will continue to duct tape his truck up and really hope for the best.

After hubby is taken care of with an OK car for travel. We will continue to pay down the van. Although if there is anything extra in the budget I will put it towards the van. Currently stalled at 4409.

Order of things

newer car for hubby

one last medical debt (we are paying monthly but it needs to leave us)

Pay off the Van

Have a little savings

Work on paying down the house

Sadly, it might be time for an expert?

Well sadly I think I'm about to give up the fight? I have been trying off and on to fix Ethan's "new" sewing machine. I have fused with the bobbin, I have changed the bobbin, I have changed thread many times. I have opened it up and cleaned it out, I have seen it run with the covers off, there is a spot where it bunches and for the life of me I can't figure it out. You name it I have done it.

But if I keep going, he may be 30 before I get this to start working. So it may be time to save up a bit and get an expert. Well someone more knowledgeable in sewing machines then I.

First Day Of School

Well a sad day here as the kids head back to school, and we must start setting the alarm clock. After a sleepless night we got up way too early and headed to school. Ethan couldn't sleep, told me he was worried about the class having too many kids. Asked him about it today after school, and the class has just the right number of kids.

Cole had a blast, he was so happy when I picked them up. And he actually wants to go back tomorrow. So very sad, he is liking school. Fine i'll take them all back tomorrow.