Well, I feel SO MUCH better today. YAY! Back at work...

I am trying to put all my energy to work so I get a nice raise and or/bonus, and some overtime. I had wanted to work some OT in OCtober, but stuff always seemed to get in the way. Trying for a more profitable November. I brought in a lot of extra income last month through Ebay & Cookie LEe & expect more through some freelance accounting work this month. BUT putting in an extra few hours at work every week should be the easiest and most profitable... So I will work on it.

All that being said I am not too sure of my ability to focus and not pop online more than I should. But I will try - if you don't see me around it is good!!!! PRobably more blogging, but less posting. Bums me I don't have time to keep up with all the threads as is. HARDLY. LOL. But not even work, at home it looks like a tornado hit after being sick all week. I have no idea how I survived while pregnant (and very sick for 9 months). Dh is great in many ways, but picking up and cleaning, not his thing. Cooking, dishes, caring for kids. I guess it beats nothing. But when I Am out of commission I sometimes wonder how they would survive without me. SHould I hire a maid in my will? LOL. We are drawing up wills/trust now. I think I should have a maid clause. I Think he would just live in filth.

In the meantime, next years budget is looking more dismal by the day. TOo many unknowns to freak out yet. I Am trying to be patient. I should get our new health insurance premiums soon. Then I will freak out until I get my raise in january. Trying not to think too much about it until I know my pay and my expenses, which right now are somewhat unknown. But just got our property tax bill which went up $600/year (thank you worthless school bond) and I forgot our AAA membership which I just paid. Expenses are inching up fast. We'll re-evaulate when we have all the facts - more busget slashing I Am sure.

Dh said yesterday he will look for some tempt retail work. Not holding my breath. We figure he could work until mid-December, he has had a month to look for something. He has done squat. Going temp may work out better for us, may even work beyond december, but he has to get on it, sooner rather than later. *sigh* In the meantime I Am the only one bringing in any income, regular and extra and otherwise. SEriosuly $50 would help. HE doesn't need to bring in much.

Oh anyway, cool thing is my cruise is booked for next June - OMG. I am SO EXCITED!!!! I tell you I Could live wihtout fancy vacations and I never saw paying for a cruise in my future horizon. But a free cruise - bring it on. The even better part is the whole 4 days and 4 nights without kids - OMG!!! Sounds like pure heaven. We have had a few weekends away, but 4 nights is pretty sweet. We will probably miss them too much - how it always goes - can't win I guess.

The longer you read my blog the more you will conclude that dh and I are just simply spoiled rotten by his parents. Probably true. They gave us $3k last year AND a tirp to hawaii. & now this year I expected it to be super low-key and frugal, and now I am going on a cruise. Goodness! The funny thing is his parents are so "whoa is me we are poor." (Oh please - insulting to the truly POOR). & think my parents all rich and my parents are always like what the hell, they bought you what????? THey gave you what??? Maybe if they kept their money and stopped giving it to you - they wouldn't be so poor!!! Hmmmm. I think it is extra insulting because my dad did grow up extremely poor and my MIL's attitude is so whoa is me and my parents are lucky or something. Maybe some luck but a whole lot of hard work. Plus at the end of the day they are probably pretty equal financially - just spend their money very differently. The last time my parents dropped $3k on me or took me to hawaii? Hmmm, never. & I wouldn't expect them to.

Oh yes, but I do have the details and our cruise goes from L.A. to San Diego, Catalina Island & Ensenda. I have never been to cataline Island or MEXICO for that matter so I Am super excited.

I haven't even told any of my friends because I know they will just roll their eyes at me all spoiled rotten. I am keeping it low key but just had to get all excited here I guess. You can roll your eyes at me too I Don't mind.

HAwaii was pretty mixed because we had to travel with the kids. IT's like who says no to hawaii. But it was the second time we traveled with an 11-month old and the second time it sucked. Looking back we decided to say no next time. But then this comes along no kids. Our other gripe with Hawaii is we had to spend a lot of money in the end. It was free and MIL even bought us groceries for the condo we stayed at, etc., but it still cost us $500 in eating out, etc. in the end, and it was not a fancy vacation. I fear this cruise may head that way so I am budgeting hard for it so we can enjoy it. Though it is already looking good as the website had all the excusrions and none looked pretty interesting to me. Most of them were in LA and SD - been there done that. So that is good I guess. Mexico I think will be fun to explore on our own, as Catalina Island. For now my biggest worry is if we have to dress up for dinner or whatever. Yuck - LOL. Can't we just wear our jeans??? We'll see... It is nice they have all the message boards with info and I will learn as much as I Can ahead of time to keep the cost down. For sure we will have to pay some tips. I Am not sure what else at this point. But I Will be happy to lay on deck and chill and not spend a lot of money. As will dh.

Ah, I am REALLY looking forward to June!!!