Living under construction...

Being under construction really sucks but thinking about the outcome makes it all worthwhile! We have been working on the second floor of our house for what seems like forever. Today the drywall is being installed (not by us thank goodness!) The picture above is of one of the rooms that is ready for taping. By while all this wonderful progress is being made, my house is a mess! Dust everywhere, strange people in my house, and inability to put things away because we had to make room - just makes me so uncomfortable. Don't misunderstand me, I am so very grateful to have made it this far. Hopefully it will only be a little while longer. If anyone has ever done house remodeling or a complete tear-down as we have, you'll understand how my emotions are fluctuating!

Reconnecting with family for the 4th of July

Even though the independence of our country is an important holiday we all pretty much celebrate the 4th of July with barbeques, family and fun! My family usually uses this day to invite all of our friends and family over for a huge potluck barbeque. The kids play in the sprinkler and the adults play horseshoes. This year we've opted for a much quieter gathering because we've been working on our house. We're going to still spend the day relaxing and visiting family and of course stuffing our faces with great barbeque! There are plenty of fireworks displays going on around the area so we hope to at least go to one. I am really looking forward to a day off of work to reconnect with some family we haven't seen in awhile. Happy 4th of July! Happy Independence day!

Insulating your home on a hot day...

Insulating your home on a hot day is not how I pictured spending my summer! This home rebuild project has been 8 years in the making and I am so over it! I think this is the last major construction piece that we are doing ourselves (I hope!) We are several small pieces away from being done with the insulation. With 85+ degree days, I dread having to suit up in protective clothing, mask, goggles and gloves. Not only are you beyond hot but add itchy to the mix and it is NOT a party! Insulation is not the hard part of building a house, it's just tedious, tiresome and boring. The good part about it is that our house will conform to the best quality of energy efficiency with thick insulated walls and attic. Once all is said and done, an air conditioner won't be needed as much as we have planned for everything to heat and cool as naturally as possible for our climate. My husband said while we were working that we reminded him of the line in Monsters Inc. when the abominable snowman talked about another character "king itchy." :)

Enjoying summer on a budget...

Summer has begun and all my kids want to do is go out and play! Activities to keep them occupied can get costly, so every year we sit down to make a list of things we want to do over the summer. After the list is created, I tweak it to fit my family's budget needs. Some of the activities can be scaled down or with coupons making them doable. Most of the activities are budget conscious on their own. Here are some of he things we like to do: Minor league baseball. We are very lucky to have a minor league baseball team just 15 minutes from our house. With tickets as low as $9 per person, we can go take in a game or two! Concerts: Most towns have a summer concert series available. We pack a dinner and snacks, bring some lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of music! Library: With the summer reading list in tow, we will head off to the library for reading, crafts, and air conditioning! Sightseeing: A visit to the zoo, museum, or other public venue can usually be an inexpensive treat! Beach: It's a bit of a drive, but it's a top priority for summer fun! We take boogie boards, buckets, shovels, snacks, and flip-flops and spend the day on a public beach. Amusement parks and water parks: I always subscribe to the attraction's email list or facebook page for discounts and coupons. There is always something to do over the summer that keeps the kids entertained and the strain off the wallet! +Summer +Frugal +Activities +Kids +Family

Stop calling black people "African American"

This is one of my biggest pet peeves - referring to black people as African Americans. The reason this bothers me so much is that African American is not a color. It's a nationality. If we're talking about continents to describe backgrounds, then why don't we refer to white people as European Americans? Don't they all come from there? (I'm being facetious) Or even Irish American or French American, when talking about the color of their skin. Sometimes white people are called Caucasian but the definition of this word is not about skin color it's about physical types that also include people from northern Africa! (shaking my head and sighing) When asked what color I am, I say I am mixed - half black and half white. I don't say half African American and half white because that simply doesn't make sense. If you ask me about my background, well that's a different story. Here is a perfect example why black people should not be referred to as African American.... I have a friend who was born and raised in Egypt (which is in northern Africa for those who need a geography lesson) but has since settled in the US. He has a beautiful desert tan coloring to his skin. When asked what color he is, he says white. I laughed because he is more"African American" than most black people! Please stop looking for labels! Not everyone can be classified into a certain ethnic group, religion or nationality. There are people from all walks of life that "look" black or white but you just don't know. Personally, I'd rather you just ask me than assume.

Causes and treatment for vertigo

Having suffered from bouts of vertigo for a few years now, I have been trying to figure out the triggers that bring it on in order to possibly stop it! The first time I fell ill with vertigo was after seeing a band play in a bar. I had no idea how loud it was going to be! As the drinks were flowing, I forgot how loud it was and had a great time!.. Two days later I felt like I still had a hangover - which just could not be possible because I didn't have that much to drink, I drank plenty of water and it WAS two days later! This dizzying feeling I had was weird and I just couldn't figure what was wrong. I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with vertigo. Vertigo is in inner ear condition where the dangling things come loose and roll around causing you to loose balance. Basically, you've lost your marbles! Seems that by not wearing ear protection, I suffered damage to my ear canal. (Bet you're thinking grandma was right! I was...) My blood pressure was extremely low, so I actually needed to eat something salty to help regain my pressure before I passed out. He also instructed me on some exercises I could do to roll the "marbles" back into place. This felt extremely uncomfortable and made me even more nauseous. As the years have passed, I have have found out what triggers the onset of my vertigo and how to minimize the time it debilitates me - allergies. I have always had allergies in one form or another. I usually suffer from sinus problems maybe even a sinus infection, in the fall and summer. After a good heavy rainfall, even when the pollen is supposed to be stuck downward and not floating around, is when I suffer the most congestion. It's this seasonal allergy that brings on the vertigo. It's common knowledge that the ears, nose and throat are connected so it's not crazy to conclude that my vertigo (based on when it happens) is attributed to my my allergies. Just this past week our area saw heavy rainfall with flood warning and everything. I started getting a stuffy nose and clogged ears. Not realizing it at first, I didn't take my usual cold & sinus medicine. By the next day, I couldn't walk straight. Besides my "typical" allergy symptoms, I had vertigo. It's the most horrendous feeling not being able to drive, walk, concentrate or even sleep! I tried the exercises, tried to get rest, drank plenty of water - but still didn't get much relief. I took an antihistamine and that slowly helped. I think the reason it helped was because it was blocking whatever else I am allergic to. I think I've learned my lesson and if my theory is correct, I should be able to nip the vertigo symptoms in the bud before it interrupts my life!

Gardening

I had my daughter pick our first ripe strawberries of the season! She got about a quart full! We had saved the plastic containers from strawberries and blueberries bought in the store to use just for the occasion. We actually didn't plant any strawberries this year...these are growing from the year before - and there are double the amount of plants! I think we'll be able to pick through the summer the same amount I would have bought from a store! I'm very excited to show my children how to grow their own food, take care of it and harvest! It's our real-life Farmville!

The ups and downs of life....

I haven't written in awhile (again) and so I sat down to write my thoughts but first I read my last few posts. "We did it" and "Money Woes" got me thinking how in a short time my life has been a roller coaster ride. I took the day off to have more work done to the house. We're back on the upward motion of this house-building ride! The end is in sight but boy what a ride it's been! I am thankful to have figured out a way to continue the process. This journey has been exhausting. We'd lose sleep over the many decisions that came with building our house. How much money could we save for the next project? Should we spend money on the house or take a break and go on vacation? Many families struggle with money like saving and spending, but not many also have the burden of building on top of everything else. I am looking forward to an easier balance of work and rest.

We did it!

Wow I can't believe I haven't written since August! A lot has happened since then! I was getting ready for a week's vacation with the family - which turned out to be wonderfully restful, relaxing and fun! My husband and I were conceding defeat once again, that we wouldn't be able to finish our house. Well, September rolls around, the kids start school and BAM our house is being worked on! Long story short, we got a great reference who came out with a great price and was able to start right away! Passers by couldn't believe how fast the second floor went up! (We couldn't believe it either)It was just so nice to see our kids' faces when they came home from school! It was a dream for all of us that was finally becoming a reality. Time has passed and the initial shock has worn off but we are all still very excited to move forward. The outside of the house is finally finished after 7 years! We are planning on taking a break through the winter and moving slowly on the inside because of birthdays and Christmas. We hope to be fully moved in by the Spring.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

It's almost time for the kids to go back to school! While this summer has flown by, I still can't wait to get back into a routine! I've already started school supply shopping and hope to finish by next week. I'm waiting until the last minute for clothes because as history tells me, the kids will outgrow the clothes within the first month of school! I'm almost set with my girl scout meetings for the year and my PTA involvement will significantly decrease now that the kids are older. I've started thinking about what I should be doing with all my freed-up time. I would love to go back to school myself, but don't know if I can afford it. Maybe I can volunteer more or get involved in something else to feed my spirit....only time will tell!

Reflecting.....

Today I had a nice visit from my parents, grandmother, brother, aunt and cousins. After the chaos died down, I started to think about my life and what I've made of it so far. On a bad day, I can easily complain that my house still isn't finished therefore, I don't have enough room to entertain overnight guests. I can bitch and moan that my kids' friends can't come over because they'll see that we live in a smaller house. I whine that I the completed house I want isn't lavish but enough for our needs - but yet we still don't have it. On a good day, I realize that my house has been a "home" since we lived here. Our guests have always felt welcome and even with some crowding and maneuvering, have stayed overnight in comfort. I think back to my parents struggling to give me the same homey feeling which they never realized I always felt. I am grateful for that. I am also grateful that (I think) my kids feel the same way, and that I had something to do with that.

Music helps...

Wow this has been a crazy ride of ups and downs emotionally! I've made sure I've been exercising and taking vitamins, but I haven't been able to shake the slump I've been in. I'm sure everyone knows exactly what I'm talking about! Anyway, today I finally figured out what works for me! I have the music blasting and I'm dancing around the living room with my daughter - dancing our cares away! Actually, dancing is exercise which is also why it helps me. I'm just letting the music pour through me and get lost in it, singing at the top of my lungs! Next time you're feeling low, having "one of those days", turn the music up and get your silly on!

If I don't laugh, I'll cry...

Tonight we spent the evening with neighbors. People, just like us, who are are through some shit. Sometimes it's good to see other situations to help realize that you're not alone. In this case, we were able to just hang out and vent our problems, then put them aside to enjoy the small stuff - like good friends, our health and a wonderful evening with good people!

This was going to be my year...

I had some crazy idea at the beginning of 2012 that this was going to be a great year. We were working hard, enabling us to pay down some credit card debt. We were able to send our daughter to camp and our son to another country. We applied for the permit to continue working on our house and obtained certificates of occupancy on the work we had already done. Our jobs were good, the money was coming in. Our community is great, we have wonderful friends surrounding us and our kids seem happy. I still believe this is our year, but with extenuating circumstances, we are nowhere near where we were just a month ago. It's important to remember that life is going to have it's ups and downs. Unfortunately we are in a "down" moment. I still feel very fortunate and know that things will get better. I think I will take my kayak out tomorrow on the lake just across the street and revel in the beauty and appreciate the small things.

little bit of good news

When everything around me seems to be going wrong, one little glimmer of hope peeked through yesterday. When the housing market crashed in 2006, so did our dreams of finishing building our house. Thankfully we made great progress in the year prior, but the second floor with our bedrooms got put on the back-burner for now six years! Well, yesterday, we were issued the building permit to finish the house! I'm so excited even though we barely have the money to do it! It will be good for us to have this project again. Building a house can put a ton of strain on a marriage but my husband and I work pretty well together. Plus this gives us something to look forward to - a finally complete house.

What an end to a pretty good day...

I'm still debating whether or not to change jobs. I'm not ready to go back to school and change careers, it's more of a "job" for now. I've realized that since my kids are older now, I can go back to work full time. My family can definitely use the money! I go through ups and downs at my current job (as we all do). I only work part time but the hourly rate is pretty decent. There isn't room to grow with this company as it's pretty small, but it's convenient to home and the hours are flexible. The real downside is that many of the people I work with have no sense of professionalism whatsoever! I have problems. We all have problems. I take whatever is going on inside my head and leave it at the door when I go to work. This, to me, is a basic skill of workplace etiquette and unfortunately many at my small office do not possess this skill. We have one who slams doors, another who constantly complains that she hates her job and wants to be fired (if she quit she wouldn't collect unemployment). The owners of the company don't set a great example either, with constant mood swings that can make any employee go mad or even want to quit. I usually walk around with a smile and a sarcastic joke to lighten the mood. Who wants to be round so much negativity? Anyway, one person (not mentioned above - yes ANOTHER person) has decided to make me their target. They like to think that they can tell you what your job is and how to do it - all with an attitude. I don't answer to them. I refuse to be treated with such hostility that comes from nowhere. This person has already been reprimanded for their behavior and the way they talk to others but I fear it's just getting worse. I'm not sure what my next step should be. The only person above me is the owner. If I go to her and report the latest problems, do I look like a tattle-tale? Should I pull this person aside and kill them with kindness asking what can we do to resolve whatever the issue is? Should I take them out back and kick the crap out of them? Not sure, but the last one seems like the most fun for me! Unfortunately their are going to be assholes wherever I work but I'm not sure in such a small space I can take it anymore...

the day we will never forget...

I thankfully did not know anyone personally or have an incredible story of a near miss. But I still sit today and reflect - as I'm sure we all are. I think back to what I was doing that day, where I was when I first heard what was happening. You couldn't make phone calls on land lines or cell phones because the lines were tied up with families struggling to find out if their loved ones were ok. We heard stories of families saying "I love you" for the last time. These stories still make me well up with tears. I am thankful I didn't have to be one of those people but I pray and cry for those that did. We didn't turn off the television for days, just watching all the news coverage. The gruesome pictures embedded permanently into memory. Bless everyone, those who were lost, those who lost, those who helped and those of us still remembering so that we may never forget.