New "job"

I got a paper route. I needed something that I could do to make a little money, that the kids could go with me and that wouldn't take up a ton of time. I looked through the paper, thinking I would do some sub work or something like that. I figured up how much I would have to work and it wouldn't have been the minimal amount that I was looking for. The newspaper is always advertising for carriers and adults being welcome. I decided that that sounded like a good choice so I called and the guy brought the paperwork over yesterday. I'll make around $150 a month (piddly, I know) but that is enough. Evan's check covers the bill, but only just. This will be extra money for the "things" that come up all the time. Either holiday presents, school charges (spirit-wear, that I spent a fortune one, field trips skating rental, etc etc etc) car expenses, dinners out, whatever. I told C if he would help me, I would pay him a portion of the amount. That way, he has the opportunity to earn a little money as well. He has been asking about an allowence, but I think 6 is too young for that. Having him help me and paying him for the amount of help he gives (probably a price per paper he helps with) will hopefully help him learn about money and money management.

In other news, we got a really strange check in the mail yesterday. A few months ago, we got a letter from child support enforcement saying that dh was $1200 behind in his support (he wasn't). Since then, we have been trying to figure out what is going on, talking to CO, trying to talk to IL (they have this horrible automated system that basically says "if we didn't answer your question, get on the website" which requires a name and password we don't have), talking to the people at work, etc, etc, etc. Our checking account was frozen and I opened a new one in my name alone to take care of bills and things still. Since then our account has been unfrozen (although I only knew that because I tried to send a bill payment, not because I got any notification). Despite the fact that this mess is still pending, we got a check yesterday for over $2000 from child support enforcement. Of course, we can't call IL to see why we got the check or what we are supposed to do with it. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. $2k right before Xmas could be a really good thing, if it actually ours to use. I know what I would like to do with it but what is actually going to happen is that I'm going to deposit it in savings and leave it set for some time. At some point in the future, if the state hasn't contacted us and said "oops, we didn't mean to send you that", we'll use it to help pay off some of our debt, which will be awesome :)

Productive today

So far this morning, I've been pretty darn productive. I have got dh's insurance straightened out (finally, it's only been going on for 2 months), I got the cell phone bill straightened out (apparently I had the wrong address so the payment was never processed, nevermind the fact that that is where I've been sending payments since August and all of them have been fine) and the correct amount paid. I called about a job that I'm interested in. And now I have to go put away laundry and finish washing (I love that we moved the dressers in the laundry room so stuff comes straight out of the dryer and gets hung up, but that means I actually have to hang it up and I can't just pull stuff out and shove the next load in) the rest of the clothes. And I have to create a spreadsheet for C's class Christmas party to see who is bringing what and what is already brought. I don't want another fiasco like Halloween since all the parents will be there as well.

In other news, I'm going roller skating tomorrow night! I love roller skating and haven't been in over 10 years. The last time I went was the one and only all night skate I've ever been to. It was ok but I should have gone with (had, in reality) a better class of friends because the it all drama all the time with them. Being locked in a building with 10 drama queens (guys included) and 100 other people to feed the drama was just asking for trouble, which we got in spades. Relationships were formed and destroyed, tears were shed, fights were nearly started, curse words were screamed, all in the course of less than 12 hours. It was insane. Tomorrow will be better. I'm going with C and my dad to celebrate the end of skating in PE and all the other Westie's will be there so I'm excited. :)

Snow Way

I hate snow. I dislike winter, overall, although I look better in long sleeves than short so I like that fact. It is cold and everyone craps their brain as soon as the first clouds sheds the first flake. I can forgive people, to a very small degree, that have never driven in this garbage. People that have lived here their whole lives have no excuse. If you can't drive in it, get on the bus and out of my way.

Perversely, I was just watching the weather and they are saying chance of up to an inch of snow tomorrow night and then a "significant" chance on Saturday (although weather channel says 20% chance tomorrow and only 30% on Saturday so we'll see). I'm a little excited about it. I don't want anything like we had in Feb.
where everyone had to work crazy hours and we ended up with several house guests because we live in town and no one could make it home. An inch or two, enough to go sledding without messing up the roads (tis the season to be travelling, after all), would be ok. The kids really like the snow so I don't mind it as much because of that.

Shoes

Typically, I wear Birks. Unfortunately, it is now cold and snowy and I can't wear them because my socks get wet. :( I bought some camo slip on Chuck's last year for my birthday. I spent far too much on them but they are crazy cool looking so I'm ok wearing them. They solve the wet feet problem of the Birks, but present a problem of their own. They are FLAT. They have NO SUPPORT of any kind. This wasn't a problem in the past, but I have recently come to the conclusion that they are the reason that I've been having back problems. I bought some shoe inserts that were supposed to help with that but they were too tall and pushed my foot clear out of the back of the shoe when I walked. I got some lower inserts but they haven't really helped. So, I have no shoes that I can really wear since our lovely snow the other night.

I was looking at Payless.com (since I can't afford anywhere else) for some slip on tennis shoes. I like the ones that look like real tennis shoes but have no back. I like slip on shoes because I can't stand and put on shoes (I have no balance) and I don't like having to lean over and tie my shoes because I'm fat. After seeing that there were no shoes like what I was looking for, I started browsing the rest of the site. I got distracted by the dress shoes (which I need a new pair of as well, but those are far less important than the tennis shoes) and I'm amazed at the number of "holiday party" shoes that are completely open. The reason I need new dress shoes is because my good ones are sandles and my feet get very cold when I wear them for "holiday" parties. Do these people not understand that it is winter time? That in a good portion of this country, you can't wear dress sandles in December? I do like the boots they have though. I might get a pair of those for dress (I have an old pair but they don't fit anymore)

I might take the kids shopping this afternoon and see if I can't find something that will work for one or both of my current lack of shoes :)

What should I do?

What I am currently doing:
Sitting on the couch making a blog entry
Thinking about putting on jammie pants and a sweatshirt and maybe digging up a blanket.

What I should be doing:
Going to Kinko's to print calendars
Going to Dollar General to buy Kleenex and Sudafed (we are all getting sick here and it sucks)
Taking Lizzie to the last story time, ever, at the old library.

Alternately, I need to clean the living room, including moving all the furniture and sweep and mopping the floor.

What will I do? Probably keep sitting here and then feel guilty that I got nothing done.

Tis the season to be downloading

I just went WILD and dled a TON of Xmas stuff. I can't wait to see the CATW kit that is coming out in a couple of weeks. It is going to be stellar and I hope to get every dl. I used to have a lot of Xmas kits and little use for most of them. Now that I'm working on a project that includes lots of old Xmas pictures, I have a need a no kits. Well, I HAD a need and no kits, but now I have plenty. I just have to unzip and tag all of them now :)

Woohoo, party time!

We went to J's b-day party this afternoon. I was the only mom who stayed (and I spent 2 hours chasing 8 "superheroes" around with a camera trying to get pictures for the b-day mom). By 5:30, the kids had baths and were jammied for bed. By six, they were watching TV and I was laying on the couch reading a book about digital photography. By 6:30, they were still watching TV and I was napping on the couch instead of reading.

We had a seriously rocking Saturday night. Look at us wild party animals! LOL