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Bits and Pieces

August 29th, 2012 at 09:07 pm

I sent for another $5 gift card to Amazon from Swagbucks today, so that should show up in a week. I have gotten $25 worth of free gift cards this month. This is the first month I've managed to do that in. Not bad for 10 minutes worth of effort in a day (if that).

I've qualified for a couple of the good surveys at ACOP this month. Will probably have a decent cash out next month.

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I have two crockpots full of tomato puree cooking down into sauce. I have decided I don't care that it takes longer, it's hands off and that makes it easier for me. The whole house smells like tomato sauce.

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I just found out that my mother invited two of my nephews up to stay next week. Starting on the first day of school. There has been the whole long summer to do this and she invites them up the first week of school? And the first week of homeschool for DS? Sometimes I don't think she thinks things through. My nephews are supposed to be homeschooled, but my sister is...lazy about it. Oh, they do get educated, but not on any kind of a schedule. This is just going to make things ten times harder for us. Oh, well, it's not like I can do anything about it. This is part and parcel of living in someone else's home.

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I hope our house sells fast and we come out of it with a good down payment. I really want to not be subject to Mom's whims. I feel like the dang thing is never going to get on the market, though. They were supposed to paint the outside of the house last weekend and the inside this. For whatever reason it didn't happen and now they are planning to paint it this weekend. The weather is supposed to be good for it, but I'm not sure about how much longer.

And for some reason or other they seem to want to paint the outside first. Even if it rains. This is not a good plan in my mind. *sighs* Since they are fitting us in around other people there is not much I can do about that either.

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We have close to $800 worth of eyeglasses to pay off in the next 3 months (same as cash, fortunately). If it isn't one thing it's another. Our vision insurance only covers glasses every 2 years instead of the industry standard of every year for lenses and every 18 months for frames. They do cover one eye doctor visit per year though.

Unfortunately both kids' prescriptions have changed so much that there was no way of putting it off for another year. Fortunately DH and I are not having any problems with ours and can wait another year. Personally I think insurance companies should take into account changes in the prescription and if there is a valid change, then pay for it or some of it, regardless of how long it has been. Just wanting different frames sooner is not valid, but the eyes changing enough to make a major difference is medical and should be covered no matter what.

Next payday I will finally finish paying the dentist for DH's crowns. Yesterday I made another $500 payment to DS's doctor. That leaves us owing them two more payments, or a total of $1000 left. Ugh. But no interest. I think I'm putting half of next year's tax return straight into the HSA next March.

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I borrowed $300 from the freezer fund which will be replaced over the course of next month (I hope). I needed to buy school clothes and supplies before school actually started and with all the extra medical I've had to pay from DS's head injury this summer, I couldn't budget enough for it. It was either that or take it out of the emergency fund, which I couldn't justify. That is okay, though.

Fortunately DS didn't need much because he's homeschooling, but he did need fall appropriate clothing as he has grown way, way too much since last fall to fit into anything he had. And DD had to have non-marking sole shoes for PE separate from her regular shoes. She has PE all year though and at least her feet have stopped growing. She should be fine except for snow boots (which can wait a few months) and she can always use mine if she has to. DS will need them if we have a bad winter, though. And DH said something about needing new work boots soon. It never ends.

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We got 3 duck eggs today. We were pretty sure we had 2 males and 2 females, but now it's looking like 3 females, with Patches being the one male. Because ducks don't lay more than one egg a day.

3 Responses to “Bits and Pieces”

  1. Homebody Says:
    1346278626

    My suggestion is put off your homeschool start for another week and enjoy your nephews! Really in the overall scheme of things is it that big of a deal? I know living with your mom is probably difficult. I was short-tempered with my granddaughter today.....being with her 24 hours a day, even though she takes naps (napping now) and goes to bed at 8:00 pm, when my son-in-law is not here, I am responsible. Now that she is sleeping so sweetly beside me on the couch, I feel bad.

    Also I have never had vision or dental insurance and paid for everything myself when raising my kids. At least only two needed braces!! I don't have dental insurance now and DH needs a bunch of work done. Luckily I have been going every 6 months and paying myself, and so far so good!

  2. LuckyRobin Says:
    1346284877

    HB--We will probably have to put it off anyway. We are still waiting on the very slow moving school district to fax the paperwork. They just couldn't sign it and give it to us to fax. Oh, no. So it is likely we'll be starting the second week of September.

    My nephews can be difficult to enjoy. Very loud and rambunctious and they have some manners problems. Both of them are very smart, intelligent boys though, with good senses of humor. It really just depends on which aspects of their personalities they decide to focus on. The good ones, I'm hoping, otherwise it will be a very long week.

  3. Homebody Says:
    1346292520

    Aaah... well good luck. I know my daughter is having a hard time with a high school friend who now lives close to her with 2 kids close to my granddaughter's age who are totally out of control. DD is trying to limit exposure to them. I do understand.

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