Gosh, I have been in SUCH a good mood lately. Back to my old self. I don't know if it is more the vacation, work settling down a tad, hormones, or what. But I'll take it.

I am also trying to arrange a day off to spend more time with my niece next week, while the fam is gone anyway. I knew this weekend would be a bit early but I think she is terrified as everyone returns to work and life next week and she will be home alone with 2. Poor thing, I haven't a clue what that is like. It's bizarre how many benefits there are to a husband who stays home. For one, I never had to be alone with a newborn, or 2 wee ones, until we were all well adjusted. Neither of us had to. She had askes me much about the adjustment for BM and it was probably minimal. If nothing else it was hard for him to be used to being home and then going off to work when my leave was over. But little changed in his world as I went from being busy at work to being busy with baby. But we had special time all the same. LM won't get that since I am not planning any more maternity leaves - EVER. Hehe. YEs I am staying AWAY from the water around here - for sure.

I am sure it goes much in the same way that historically extended families lived together and took more care of each other. I guess we had that in a sense - for a few months anyway.

But anyway, I know I came here last year exclaiming my love for my job and I have been rather grumbly lately. But things are getting better. My workload is lessening dramatically as we are outsourcing more to another state. & well I have LOTS of time off these coming months. I figure I may take a day off to see my niece, but likewise since the fam will be gone I can make up the time working late or working a weekend. Matters little since I will mostly be bored. But times like these I really LOVE my job. Just flexibility to come and go as long as I get the job done. Ten times easier than normal without the fam to take care of. Well, when my SIL first mentioned it I thought, I can't take one more day off. But then I thought about it and figured it would be a nice distraction while I am alone.

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Anyway, a long time ago I bought a bunch of kitchen stuff online (3 years ago?) and I bought an electric skillet that was too big for the dishwasher. I could probably care less (but I don't cook every day either). Dh had a cow and I ended up just giving it to my mom. It was really nice and she loves it. Well, what goes around, comes around. I was telling her about my functional christmas wishlist and all about how dh and his family hates it. But pretty much they can bite me. IT's maddening all the stipulations they have on gifts, yet they insist and insist and insist though around December every year I usually beg them not to give me gifts. Forget about it. But that just opens up more worms. Egads. But anyway, it's just this weird Christmas drama thing, and the best solution I have found is to ask for stuff I need. Or would never buy otherwise. Though I aim more for need. Just puts a load off when I don't have to squeeze x and y into the budget somehow. They think I am crazy but it makes me happy. Maybe stuff a little more on the "I should buy list" but it's not a true need so it will never get bought. Something along those lines. For now I have bathe towels and a rice cooker on there. I have them, they work. But they aren't doing so well either. As I mentioned my list offhand the other day, my mom exclaimed she had a rice cooker that she had no idea what to do with. So I guess that was a fair trade, skillet for a rice cooker?

Anyway I picked it up yesterday and it is NICE. Very fancy. Much nicer than ours. I frankly think we will throw ours out. The pan is scratched up and the it continually unplugs itself. It's frankly annoying. I don't even have the heart to freecycle it, and I have freecycled some nasty stuff - LOL. But we have a bad habit of holding onto things if they work. I guess we are pretty cheap in that regard. Well this will be a nice upgrade.

The other funny thing is I was thinking of buying a pumpkin scented candle last year and never did. I have no idea how it came up in conversation but my mom has one to spare too. Funny how stuff like that works out.

OF course though it sounds nice, I have to work harder on my list now!!!! Bah. I thought I Was making progress on that chore. Hehe.

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I just saw today that IRS announced that 401k contribution limit will be $15,500 again for 2008. Take note.

I already knew as well that IRAs will be $5k in 2008.

I think catchup contributions are still $5k for 401ks and $1k for IRAS (if you are over 50). Not 100% though.

Now if only I had a 401(k).