I added $4.96 to the coin jar today and that gave me enough quarters to roll them up. I've got $41.50 ready to deposit into the safety net portion of the EF so will go over to CU#2 tomorrow after the dentist but before we leave for Seattle to deposit that. That will bring my EF total to $887.86.

I am getting a little nervous about Seattle. Meeting a new doctor for the first time unsettles me. I hope he has a good bedside manner. If not, he's got a marvelous Italian name with big, rolling vowels that I can amuse myself with saying in my head to keep my nerves down. It's the sort of name you can't help but say in an Italian accent, too. Well, I'll try to help it if I have to say it out loud, but if the doctor is anything like his name, fun and interesting, then I will be happy. Yes, I am that geeky.

DH and I are comtemplating going to the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum while we there. Really it depends on how my knee reacts to the previous day's car ride. If the muscles sieze up then walking around a museum won't be much of an option. So hopefully it will be okay, especially after elevating it all night.

I need to go and check whether or not our hotel has free WiFi or a pool. Forgot to look into that when we made the reservation. The pool would help me work the kinks out, especially of my leg. Now I'm almost wishing we got the room with the jetted tub. Oh, well. Maybe they have a hot tub.

I paid my dental bill today when I took DS in for his cleaning, $345. I also took DD in to get second cervical cancer vaccine, which was no cost, at least up front. DD has a dentist appointment tomorrow and I have one Thursday morning to have two cavities filled before DH and I head down to Seattle for our overnight before my appointment at Virginia Mason. I will probably have to take hydrocodone for a couple of days again. Oh, joy.

DH comes home tomorrow and I will be so glad to see him. I am so stressed out right now. I'm not sure why because everything is running like clockwork, but it may just be it's been a super long three weeks with him gone this time around.

I added $5.71 to the coin jar today. I just need three more quarters and then I can roll them and then I will make a deposit into the local safety net portion of the EF fund.

I spent a little money at the grocery store getting some milk and a rottisserie chicken. DS has a concert at 6:30 and has to be there at 6:10 and his dental appointment lasted until almost five so I didn't really have time to make anything, since I didn't exactly plan ahead. Which I should have done, but oh, well, I will stretch that chicken to within an inch of it's life, and it will become enchiladas and quesadillas and soup.

It was a pretty boring weekend, actually as we stayed in. About the most adventurous thing I did was watch a rather mediocre new episode of Doctor Who with the kids.

This morning I picked up a gallon of milk and then had $2.06 to put into the coin jar.

I have physical therapy at noon today so that will be $90 out.

I transferred $1000 to savings for upcoming medical stuff. I have $600 or so left in checking and $55 left in cash for the week. $345 of that will go to pay the dental bill.

We made reservations for our overnight at The Inn at Virginia Mason next Thursday night and refrained from getting the room with the jetted tub that would have cost over $50 more.

I need to call the doctor's office and see if I can reschedule DD's follow up vaccine for another day this week. It was scheduled at the same time as her dentist appointment and I didn't realize it until Friday when I got reminder calls for both. It may just be easier to reschedule her dentist appointment, though.

I haven't done much with finances today, to be honest. I did pay on the Bank of America VISA, $2000.

$20,844.54 original balance
-$2,000.00 amount paid
------------
$18,844.54 new balance

I got $100 out for cash. I will do the rest of the bills tomorrow. I got a dental bill in the mail today of $345. And that's only for what I've had done so far, not what I have yet to do, which will cost about the same amount, I think. Seems like it never ends.

My mother has said that we don't have to pay her the usual $1000 a month on our loan from her for this month or next because of all the medical bills. She said she's fine for money right now and that she'd much rather we not have to put anything on a credit card or wipe out our meager emergency fund. We will continue to pay the $300 a month for utilities, the $40 a month for garbage, and the $65 a month for internet. Those aren't part of the loan payment anyway.

It's a bit of a relief to know I can put away that $2000 for medical and not have to scrounge AND not have to take so much from debt repayment.

Today I paid the garbage bill for this house and the phone bill for the old house. $37.68 and $44.92.

First off, I put $3 in ones and $1.23 in coins into the coin jar today, eventually destined for the EF. I also went to the grocery store again as I had totally forgotten to buy deli meat for the kids' lunches when I did my big stock up. Plus we were out of fruit bars and rice bars so I got some of those as well, and they had a good milk sale going on, so I went ahead and stocked up a bit. The milk doesn't expire until the 25th so there is plenty of time to drink it and I shouldn't even have to set foot in a grocery store again for several days. I'm hoping at least ten days. I spent a total of $55.52.

I had physical therapy today so that's another $90 out the door. I really wish I didn't have to go every week but when I skip a week it starts getting hard to walk properly again, and the last thing I want is to go back to using a cane. It screws up my shoulder, scapula, elbow and arm and I end up limping which makes my other leg and hips hurt. I guess for now it is a necessary evil.

DH contacted me that he did suspend the Toyota payment for this month so I was able to pay the other two medical bills, $31.71 and $96.51. I also sent $100 off on the 18 months same as cash computer loan. Even though I have the money to pay this, I'd rather collect interest on it when I'm not being charged any interest o the loan, which will be paid for long before the time is up.

That house that we like so much has been taken off the market because it didn't sell. I am hoping that means they are going to let it sit for six months and then relist and make it look like a new listing. With all the information I've gathered about that house, if it is put back on sale by the time we are ready to buy again, we can probably get the price way down, since no one has bought it despite three price reductions and I'm thinking they'll just be happy to be rid of it at that point.

DS went back to school today and he had a good day and had no pain. He didn't eat breakfast though and he didn't want to take a lunch because they got out early. I made him take a couple of rice bars so he'd at least have something if he did get hungry. His appetite is way off though since the surgery. He's lost five pounds and if he keeps eating like that he's going to lose more. Which considering he was 10 pounds overweight at his last physical isn't a bad thing but I don't want his nurition to suffer at the same time. He did eat half a piece of chicken, some watermelon, some potatoes and a glass of milk for dinner though so at least he isn't starving.

DD is doing well on her prediabetes diet. Her face has gone from being quite round to having a pointy chin and cheekbones and she's only been on the diet since the 3rd. That's only 13 days. She says all of her tops are getting loose, too. I've been following the diet for the last 4 days and I can already see a change in my face and feel a change in jeans as well. So it seems it is working quite well for us both.

I watched the documentary Fat Head (after someone here rec'd it) the other day with the kids (they got such a kick out of it, it's so funny and entertaining) and it really describes well what has happened over the last couple decades in our country. Plus it really explains in a very understandable way how insulin works with protein and how it works with carbs. I'd definitely rec it to anyone who wants to learn why our weights in America are so screwed up. It's not new information (at least to me) but it is presented in a way that would be very helpful for those who haven't done the reserach themselves.

Finished reading The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritson. I swear that woman has a very grisly mind, but her books are can't put them down sorts. I'm already well into The Keepsake. It is so nice to be able to read again. Now that I'm used to them my trifocals are worth their weight in gold.

Also bought gas today. $44.74 for 10.92 gallons at $4.09 per gallon. Yeeps.

Well, I managed to pay all but two of the medical bills I've received this month. The ones that are left are due on the 22nd. DH is supposed to susepend the Toyota payment this month (we're ahead), but he hasn't e-mailed me or texted me that he has done it yet. I asked him again last night so hopefully he did do it and just flaked on telling me. So I'm leaving enough money in the checking account in case he forgets or doesn't get it done on time. If he gets it done then I will be able to send that last bill out. Otherwise it will have to wait until the 20th. But it is a local bill so mailing it on the morning of the 20th means it will be there by the 22nd.

$159.64 my doctor
$148.00 my specialist
$137.00 GE Money Bank (3 months same as cash, glasses)
$_62.17 Imaging
$+_9.03 Strep test lab fee
----------
$515.84 Total medical out

I still owe $274 to GE Money Bank for our portion of both my daughter's and my new glasses. We have two more months to pay that without interest. The other medical bills wwill be $96.51 and $31.71, so a total of $128.22.

I did a major grocery shop yesterday. I spent $86.88 at Trader Joe's and $209.04 at Haggens. Haggens had sales on beef chuck roasts, beef ribs, and chicken legs. I also got 8 pounds of hamburger at TJ's. We should be set for protein for the rest of the month and a bit into June. Got lots of produce, too. Blueberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet potatoes, pineapple, and purple cabbage and orange juice. We should be good on everything but milk (after the milk I just got is finished).

I spent 2/3 of our alloted grocery budget, but I think it'll be fine because we needed the major stock up on protein. There hasn't been any really good meat sales since Easter and that was just on ham and there's only so much ham a person can eat.

DS is doing really well. He didn't take painkillers at all yesterday during the day and only took a dose at bedtime (more my idea than his, but I didn't want him waking up in pain in the middle of the night). He is eating almost normally again. He goes back to school tomorrow. It's an early release day so it couldn't work out more perfectly for him.

I think I might have to buy a new crockpot. The ham I made yesterday got a bit dried out. Low has functioned as high for some time now, but I think it's gotten even hotter now. Hopefully the roast I made tonight will be okay. I am keeping a sharper eye on it, since I am home this time.

SA ate my last entry. It's been a while since it's done that so I got lulled into complacency and didn't control C before trying to post it.

So far today I have repaid off the BoA Master Card. That's the one I paid off last month but then DH accidentally put his airplane ticket on. It's also the one that the health club fee is on, so the two together were $722.95. I will change the card for the health club before the next one is charged.

So that leaves us with 2 cards paid off, one big loan paid off and only the one VISA with a hefty balance on it. I also have my AMEX but that gets paid off monthly.

I went ahead and had DH suspend the car payment again this month as we are still several months ahead, because of all the medical bills. If after I pay all the medical I have enough leftover for the car I'll mail in a payment. Even though we autopay online, they still send me a bill each month.

I had two more medical bills come in today's mail so we've hit the $1000 mark. But we've also hit our deductible. I found that out when I went to pick up three prescriptions at the pharmacy yesterday and only had to pay the reduced amounts and not the full ones. I'm sure DS's surgery put us over. Now we just have to pay our portion.

I've got sinusitis/bronchitis again. Went to the doctor yesterday and he put me on generic Biaxin. He also gave me 7 free Ambien pills because I haven't been sleeping with the persistant cough. The other two prescriptions were for other health conditions. I also picked up some over the counter Robitussin DM cough syrup. Altogether I paid $67.72.

I paid $215 to the chiropractor and I also paid the mortgage on the old house of $375.86. I went to Kmart to buy a bunch of toiletries, a bottle of pink nail polish (99 cent splurge), a bottle of Vitamin D, and I also got two shirts for myself that were 25% off, total of $77.55.

I finally got to CU #2 and deposited my coin jar money. It was a deposit $39.50, which brought the total in that account to $219.41. This is part of my EF. The rest is kept in ING and is $627.36. Altogether it is $846.36. I am hoping to squeeze out enough this month to hit $1000. I put three ones and $1.30 in coins in the coin jar tonight.

Tomorrow I will sit down and with the checkbook, balance it, and then figure out which medical bills I pay this week, along with anything else that is due before next payday. I think the bulk of the bills will all be due out of the next payday, so I can make some progress on the medical this week. Maybe even all of it that I have so far. Here's hoping.

I added $1.87 to the coin jar. This cleans out my purse and keeps me from spending that last little amount on a cheeseburger. Tomorrow is payday so I'll feel like I'm making a slight amount of progress again. I hope. It's going to be a bill heavy month and that's going to make it hard not to feel down about it. I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that we won't make as much debt progress as usual. And that I don't need to eat out to artificially boost my spirits over that fact.

I am debating whether or not to skip the car payment this month as we are still several months ahead on it. Right now it's set up to come out on the 19th like usual. I don't want to skip it, yet at the same time absorbing over $700 worth of extra medical this month is going to stretch things. The budget does set aside $500 for medical. But with weekly $90 physical therapy sessions and monthly chiropractic and three monthly prescriptions, that money is already eaten up.

Plus it's going to cost around $250 for going down to Virginia Mason, spending the night in a hotel, and meals and extra gas to Seattle and back.

At the minimum (for me to feel like I'm making any progress at all) I need to send $2500 to debt repayment, $1000 of that being for DH's work expenses for airfare/hotel/food, and $500 being for gas/health club/phone. We budget $3500 a month for it right now and try to squeeze out any more that we can. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. That's still $1000 that will be going to principle debt repayment this month. I remember months when we were lucky if it was $15 over the interest.

Not really much to check in on. I had physical therapy today so that's $90 out. I didn't even make it one day on my no takeaway. I had a regular sized cheeseburger and small soda. I haven't had soda with high fructose corn syrup in it for so long and my resistance was just down so low I didn't even care. Ugh. I can definitely feel it in my system and my body is not happy with me.

I am just exhausted. It is hard taking care of someone who is recovering from surgery. Especially when it affects my sleep. I wish the kiddo could make it through the night with no painkiller, but he just can't yet, poor baby.

Friday is payday and I will be glad to see it here so I can start paying off some of these medical bills and make a debt payment. Of course, this is the one that doesn't do much of anything but hold us even. The payday after that is the one that makes progress. Some days I feel like I live paycheck to paycheck. And not in the traditional sense, but in the sense of anticipating the next check so I can work my debt snowball, and possibly having no life.

I need to get back out there in the world again, but until DS goes back to school next week that's not really an option. I'm actually anticipating my dentist appointment tomorrow, even though I really don't want to deal with a numb face again, as I will have adults to talk to, or at least who will be talking to me. Two more cavities to fill and have them fix the tooth they filled before that still hurts every time I bite down on something medium to hard. I have at least kept up on my flossing every day.

I've been reading Tess Gerritson novels that I checked out from the library lately. Read Vanish last week and am part way through The Mephisto Club. I really like her books. They are mysteries usually, although she has this fantastic sci-fi one called Gravity. I read a few of them several years ago, but I really don't remember so much swearing in them. Could be faulty memory or could be she's changed with the times. But it is so unnecessary for the plot. It's getting harder and harder to find writer's who don't gratuitously drop the F-bomb all the time. *sighs*

I spent $42.21 on takeaway today. Doggone it, the eating out has gotten out of hand again. So as of right now no more takeaway or restaurant meals for the rest of the month. I seriously need to get my act back together.

I think I am just exhausted taking care of DS, waking up to give him medicine in the middle of the night. He's so lethargic and helpless from the painkillers. And of course every time he sneezes or yawns or eats, it just hurts him so much. Part of why I got takeaway today. He wanted egg flower soup and I figured it'd be a way to get protein into him. That and my resistance was just way down.

Dealing with DS recovering from surgery and DD on her new pre-diabetes diet has just been stressful. But I can't let my way of dealing with stress mean reaching for the wallet and buying things. That's a surefire way of spending more than I intend to and losing focus on what I need to stay focused on.

And in today's mail another medical bill arrived, this one for DS's strep culture. They paid part of it, but the other part went to the deductible, so we owe $9.03 on that one, bringing the total of medical bills received this week to $725.88.

I cleaned out my purse and added $4 in ones and $1.59 in coins to the coin jar. The 4 ones will be added to the $26 I have ready to deposit to the EF if I ever remember to actually go to that CU. I'll be driving right by it on Monday when I go to physical therapy, but odds are 10 to 1 I'll forget again. I'm so scatterbrained lately!

Sounds like a person when I put it like that.

Anyway, after a decent night's sleep (only interupted twice to give pain medicine) I opened the stack of bills that came in the mail yesterday. Only four of them were medical bills, the other two were garbage and propane. But we still have several bills to come, including the one for yesterday's surgery which will be a biggie. So far:

$410.17 for our portion of lenses (Vision)
$_96.51 for DD's blood panel (medical)
$148.00 for my specialist visit (medical)
$-62.17 for DD's sinus x-ray (medical)
--------
$716.85 total

When I was estimating I figured at least $1000 would have to be taken out of debt repayment this month. We probably won't get any of the bills for the consult or the surgery until the end of the month or June, so that can go out of the June budget.

The propane bill for the old house came today. It is $352.29. I've set aside $100 a month for the past two months, so I only have to come up with $152.59 this month. I thought $100 a month would be enough since the furnace is only set at 60 (because there was a lot of snow up that way even in April and I didn't want the pipes to freeze). I guess with the cost of oil going up, the propane went up as well. Temps are staying at 55 to 60 right now so next time I go out there the furnace will be turned off.

The garbage bill also came but it was well under the $50 a month I budget at $37 something.

I need to balance the checkbook for the week, usually a Saturday chore, but I'll likely put it off until tomorrow as DS is still being quite clingy.

DS came through surgery very well. The doctor told me that his tonsils and adenoids were blocking 70 percent of his airway. And they weren't even as swollen as they were last week. He should get a lot of relief now and be able to sleep better.

They gave us a big bottle of liquid Tylenol with codeine with a refill if he needs it. Unfortunately the effect seems to be wearing off about a half an hour before he can take any more. So he gets whiney then, and about ten minutes after he takes it again the whininess goes away like magic. Poor kiddo. I wish it would last the whole four hours.

He's eating pretty well. Lots of frozen smoothies and then he actually had a bowl of soup around four and Annie Bunnies all natural mac and cheese (the rabbit shaped pasta ones).

A big stack of medical bills came in the mail today. I've been waiting for them to show up. I didn't open them. I'll do that tomorrow when I'm running on more than 2.5 hours of sleep. Otherwise I'll probably not bear up under the final count too well. Much easier to handle on a good night of rest and a clear mind.

Forgot yet again to make my deposit to the EF. I even went to that CU to get a notarized affadavit that we actually live where we live so I could turn in the registration packet for middle school registration. Since none of the utilities are in our name we have to have other legal proof. This will be the last year, though, until he starts high school, but by then we won't be living here anymore, we'll be in our own home again with our own utility bills as proof of where we live.

I went to Walgreen's today to pick up medication, vitamins, and toiletries. I spent $62.10 there. Then I went to the grocery store and spent $23.15 there. Hopefully I won't have to go out at all next week for shopping.

After that, I went to the library and paid 25 cents for parking. DS is all loaded up with books for the next week. I'm not really sure he will feel like reading but he wanted to have them just in case.

I am starting to feel nervous about his surgery tomorrow. I've been through this once with his sister and it's sort of a helpless feeling. It's in God's hands, I know, but that's my baby in there.

My daughter is adapting to the new pre-diabetes diet far better than I thought she would. After 36 hours on it she says she already feels better within her body. She isn't find it difficult to stay within her alloted carbohydrate and calorie levels. I think this diet is going to actually lower our food budget because she is becoming far more satisfied on far less calories and eating a lot more produce and a lot less meat. I know it's early days yet, but I certainly hope it continues.

After my son recovers from his tonsilectomy I am going to join her on the diet, I think. I've known I am insulin resistant for years, so it will benefit me as much as it does her.

It'll be a lot easier to cut out restaurant meals now, since they will be so difficult to calculate compared to home cooked meals where I can weigh portions on my little digital scale. Eating out is and probably always will be my weakness. It really messes with the budget, because I don't really plan for it and then we go anyway and then I have to shuffle everything to make up the difference.

DS wanted ribs for dinner tonight since he won't get to eat meat for a few days after his tonsils come out. Sort of a last supper sort of thing.

Dinner tonight:
Beef ribs (seasoned not sauced)$3.96
Green beans $1
Corn $.89
Baked sweet potatoes (.39)
Milk $1.50

Total: $7.74

Money out today on autopay:

$142.00 to storage (a day early, hmph)
$-32.70 Life Insurance (me)
$-35.90 Life Insurance (DH)
--------
$210.60 Total

I'm a tad bit miffed that storage came out today as it is supposed to come out on the 5th. I hadn't transferred the money out of savings and into checking yet, had planned to do that today. So I have a $2 transfer fee because the CU did the transfer instead of me doing it. I knew I should have done it last night, but I was so tired and it's just not supposed to come out today. On the bright side is that I had money in savings to transfer to checking so I didn't get a $13 overdraft.

I am going to make sure I transfer the money for security and cell phone at least three days in advance. Although Verizon has never jumped the gun on taking things out, security has, and there's a first time for everything.

I need to write out and mail the check for the power out at the old house. It's $23 something. It's usually $19 something, but we spent a lot of extra time out there last month, packing and cleaning, so had the hot water tank on.

The meeting with the dietician went well yesterday. It's a radical change in thinking and diet. DD can only have 1400 calories a day arranged over the course of 3 meals and 3 snacks. Each meal can have no more than 45g of carbohydrate and each snack can have no more than 15g of carbohydrate. And she has to have protien at every snack or meal. Which is harder than it sounds when you are keeping calories low. Protein is the high calorie food.

We sat down and filled out some index cards with calorie and carb counts so we could figure out some meals and then have the cards for quick reference. It takes a lot of planning, but once it's done that makes it easy to just flip through the cards and calculate the meals we want to make. She's also keeping a meal log, so some of these meals will repeat and be even simipler to figure out because the math will already be done.

I don't think it will affect the grocery budget too much. The only major changes are a different type of peanut butter, spelt tortillas instead of flour, and flourless sprouted wheat berry bread from Trader Joe's. I'll have to figure out how to make that eventually because it's $4 a loaf, but for the time being I'll buy it. Both kids like it and it's not got any allergens in it that my son has a problem with.

Once I've got my daughter firmly on track (probably a week), I think I will try to go on the same diet. I've got insulin resistance, too, but mine's never been as bad as hers. Still, I could stand to lose weight and eat even healthier. And I think it will help her to have someone doing it with her. (Dietician said I could have 1800 calories, though, because of my exercise schedule).

I added 78 cents to the coin jar.

Very little going on today. Car insurance of $95.61 and house insurance of $41.00 came out on autopay today. Tomorrow or the next day life insurance will come out for both DH and myself. On the 5th storage autopay will come out, and then nothing until the 12th.

I will mail off the electric bill tomorrow and pay the AMEX online.

I paid out $90 for physical therapy today. DH gassed up the car before I took him to the airport. It was $3.99 per gallon at Costco and he got 8 gallons for $31.92. We also put a smidgeon over 4 gallons in his dad's truck last night, but that was at $4.03 a gallon and was $16.20.

I went to the grocery store and got milk, strawberries, and medication from the pharmacy. Altogether it was $71.17.

We are making up strawberry/banana/orange/pineapple smoothies and freezing them in rocket shaped Popsicle™ molds so that DS will have some dye free, artificial ingredient free, homemade Popsicles™ after his tonsilectomy. Mom is also going to make some homemade ice cream for him to have.

The new chicks are growing so fast. They already have distinct personalities. The cuteness factor is off the charts.

I can't believe it's May already. Where has the time gone? Does anyone else feel like this year is just whizzing past? Certainly feels that way to me. Maybe it's because we are accomplishing so many financial goals this year. Does time drag on when you are dreading your debt payments instead of looking forward to paying them off? I think it probably does. Making progress speeds up time or something like that.

DH told me that there is a possibility of another job on the horizon. It would basically be the boss of the position he's in now. And it would come with a 33.3% or more raise. I'm not going to count that chicken until it hatches, but of course my mind couldn't help dreaming a little. It would put him back on 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off which means even more than the wage increase.

I hate 3 weeks on, three weeks off with a passion. It is hard on the kids, hard on me, and hard on the budget because I have to budget on a six week pay cycle and not on a four week one, so some bills get paid twice in one pay cycle and if I'm not tightly organized it messes up everything. To not have to deal with that and go back to a monthly budget would be awesome.

The only problem I can forsee is that though this job is the boss of his current position it is with a different company subcontracting to the main company, which means a change in benefits (again) and a possible Cobra. He's not sure how far in the future this would be but if we're lucky it would be after I have my surgery.

I don't want to try to do a pre-existing condition thing there. I want it over with before, so hopefully it'll work out like that. I don't know. It depends on how soon Virginia Mason can get me in for surgery after the initial consult at the end of May. I guess though with the dramatic income jump we'd at least be able to afford the Cobra payments and the medical payments.

I know it's a little early to be planning, but please Santa, all I want for Christmas is a healthy body, kay? Thanks.

Today has been one of those days where I just feel like I've been behind on everything. Hence the staying up until one a.m. to get it all done. I am going back to the dentist tomorrow, they are going to do more cleaning, but I don't think any more dental work unless it's to fix the tooth that has been hurting since they filled it last week. It's a dull pain, but I don't think it should still be there. I hope it doesn't cost extra because it's their fault it didn't get done right the first time.

I'm planning out my shopping for next week. It's going to have an inordinate amount of expensive ice cream, dye free jello, dye free fruit bars (that are also free of apple or grape juices) and TJ's pudding on it, since my little allergy boy is getting his tonsils yanked. I bought a big bag of potatoes for mashed potatoes and we have eggs to scramble. I figure that'll make up the majority of his diet for the first few days and then we'll move on to soup. I've got a turkey carcass that needs boiling down soon and then I can freeze the broth for making soup next week.

Mom went and bought some more chicks, say they are under the heat lamp in the rarely used bathroom's bathtub. Good thing there are four bathrooms in this house. They are cute little things, but not quite as cute as last time when they were only a day old. Not quite as cuddly at four days old and with some of their feathers showing already.

I don't know what they are, but they aren't the same as the red one and the black and white one that are grown. The chicks are yellow (3 of them) and light brown with a black stripe down the center (the other three). They don't mind being handled either, but then the chickens never did. It was the ducks that were against it and we won't be getting more ducks.

I just really hope the chicks and the older chickens will get along when they are introduced. That won't be for at least several weeks though. I'll try to get a pic to post as they really are very adorable.

I transferred the money out of ING for property tax this morning and sent it to my local credit union. It's due on Friday, which is the day it will arrive in my account. I still think it's ridiculous that money transfers take that long when it's you doing it, but when it's them taking the money out for payments and stuff it's so much faster. I want that three days' worth of interest, as miniscule as it is. Anyway way, that's $518.17 for half the year.

The ENT scheduling nurse called this morning and we scheduled DS's tonsilectomy for May 6 at ten with a check in time of nine. I was surprised they had an opening so soon. It's right in the middle of the yearly testing (that used to be the WASL but is some new test now that has an abbreviation that sounds like a sneeze). So he'll miss some of that, but he's only grade 5 so I don't particularly care too much. I'd rather he miss testing than miss real school lessons, you know? He'll be out of school most of the next week, maybe all week if the recovery is slow enough.

DH and I are going out to lunch today for Mexican food. DD doesn't care much for it, it upsets her stomach, and DS's throat is still too sore for spicy, so we're going without them. We will probably spend about $20.

We took DS to the ENT today and he definitely will be getting his tonsils taken out. Today's appointment (once it's gone through the insurance) will cost us $150 since it was a new patient visit (we're still working on our deductible). So far we've accrued over $1000 on our deductible this year (but only been billed about half of that so far). It has been an expensive few months! And will only get more so with his surgery and then mine. We've got about $1300 more to go on the deductible.

I have to pick up my super expensive prescription today which is (I think) $150 also. Hopefully after my surgery I won't have to stay on it. Next week I'll have to pay for my high blood pressure medicine. Which is also expensive. I will be glad when we hit that deductible and they start paying for prescriptions.

Next month I am going to have to take money out of our debt repayment for medical. I've been waffling on it, but decided I'll hold back $1000, and maybe an additional $500 that would have gone to rebuilding the EF. It will set us back a month, but we should still have the final credit card paid off at the end of the year, just December instead of November.

I think I will be able to send for my $250 cash back check from one of our credit cards next month. That will go to the EF.

After calling up the specialist yesterday to complain about it being over 2 months with them sitting on their hands I finally got a call this morning from Virginia Mason. The problem? The local specialist never gave the people at VM my phone number so they had no way to contact me. For over 2 months. You can bet I will not be dealing with these local people again. But I did get an appointment set up, not with the original doctor that was recommended but one of her partners who does the same type of surgery over scar tissue. I chose to do this so that I could get in in May. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get in until the fall. After waiting two months already, I just did not want to wait that much longer.

DH will be home at the time of my appointment so I won't have to worry about driving in Seattle traffic. The VM people gave me the names of two hotels they are affiliated with but we will have to check out prices and see if they are cheaper or more expensive than a regular hotel. At least progress has been made.

It's going to cost my mom $4000 to get the plumbing fixed. And they are going to have to dig up part of the driveway to do it. She planted hyacinth vines about five years ago and the roots are growing through the pipes. This is why you never plant exuberant, fast growing vines anywhere near a foundation or where there are water/sewer or gas pipes. At our old house the hyacinth and clematis are well away from anything like that. And when we do get a new house we will definitely locate all our pipes before we plant anything.

Speaking of houses...that one we really like about six blocks from here that has way, way overpriced itself has dropped in price again, down to $400,000. It is still way overpriced for everything (neighborhood, value of home, amount of remodel, amount of purchase price a year ago), but if it keeps falling like this and no one buys, maybe by next year it'll be down around the $300,000 mark (which is probably still too high, but is much more reasonable and affordable), we'd actually consider giving it a go. Of course we still have to sell our old house first. Who knows? Right now it's just a pipe dream anyway.

I went to the dentist today at 11. It is almost 5 and my mouth still hasn't thawed out from the novacaine completely. Half my lower lip looks like someone gave me a fat lip and it's darker than the rest of my lips. I have to go back in on the 29th. And maybe again in another week. Yeah, word to the wise, don't go three years between cleanings. Even if you don't have dental find a way to pay up front and at least get your cleanings done.

My glasses came in at Lenscrafters. They are going to take a bit to get used to since they are progressive lenses. I can read a lot more clearly now, even teeny tiny print. Figuring out how far away from the computer screen I need to be is the difficult part. I haven't tried driving yet. I want to wait a few days until I get used to the trifocal aspect of things. My clip on sunglass lenses fit just fine on these frames so I won't have to buy new ones, which is nice. But these frames are pretty similar to the old ones so I sort of thought they would.

I made an appointment to get my son in to see an ENT about getting his tonsils removed. I had to wait on hold for fifteen minutes. I listened to their darn stupid speel all the way around six times. I wish they'd just play music instead because I really don't care about plastic surgery or laser hair removal or acne treatments or anything the other partners in their thing do. I just wanted to make an appointment. *sighs*

I called back my specialist yet again (going on 2 months and one week now) about the Virginia Mason thing and this time they said they had faxed them a couple weeks ago and all they got back was "Recieved." Umm...yes, and...? What does that mean? I mean, seriously, Miss Receptionist, could you be any less helpful? So she said she'd fax them again and call me tomorrow. (I won't hold my breath). I mean, give me the name of the stupid specialist at Virginia Mason and I will call myself and schedule an appointment. (Oh, no, they don't do it that way.)

I'm about to start all over. I'd have to go to Mt. Vernon to do it since this practice is the only urology office in my county. I am just so frustrated with them. Why is this so darn difficult for everyone to just do their jobs?

Okay, okay, I'll calm down now.

Picked up four more hams at the grocery store today. We spend $21.64 for 16.8 pounds of meat. I am making one tonight in the crockpot.

We cancelled the trip we were planning to take to Seattle this coming weekend to spend the day at the Science Center. I know DH is disappointed, but with DS's tonsils as big as hockey pucks, he is just not going to be well enough to go. The Star Wars exhibit will be gone before we have the chance to go again, and not gonna lie, I'm glad of it. Wading through the Harry Potter exhibit was really tough last time. It was overcrowded, hot, and smelly. And we had to pay extra for it. So I wasn't looking forward to a repeat performance with Star Wars, even if I am walking now and don't need a wheel chair again.

It was a lot of expense that we just don't really have the money for at the moment. I had to squeeze hard to pay off the Master Card, what with both income taxes and property taxes being paid off this month, so it was just a bad month for it. Throwing a long day trip on top of that would have been expensive. $45 for the tank of gas for a round trip, $12 for tickets into the exhibit (we have free membership to the center but special exhibits are extra). At least two restaurant meals for a family of four, so $60 or so. We packed our lunch last time we went, but no one wanted to eat it. We were all so tired and a cold lunch on a frigid day just didn't pan out, so I won't fool myself on saying we could pack a lunch. But anyway, it's saving over $100 that we didn't need to spend to not go.

I had to cancel my physical therapy yesterday to take DS to the doctor. We are waiting on the 3 day strep test results to come back. The instant one was negative, but sometimes it takes a few days and the doctor didn't like the way his throat looked. Anyway, I saved $90 by not going. Of course, we will have to pay the pediatrician in full instead, but that bill won't come until next month when things are way less tight. At least this should be the last super tight month we have.

I finally received a bill from the specialist that I saw on February 15. I don't think I've ever dealt with such a slow to bill doctor's office before. It's $148. It would have been $168, but at that time we were on the medical that had a $20 co-pay. Anyway, the $148 will all go to the deductible. I am debating whether or not to pay it now or wait until the end of the month. It doesn't have a due date on it.

I am still not getting the information I need from them regarding Virginia Mason and the referral which is more than ticking me off a little. I will call again tomorrow. I should not have to call them once a week. This runaround is terrible. I am tempted to withhold payment until they've done what they were supposed to do. I mean that is supposedly part of what I'll be paying for, right?

I am tempted to go see a new specialist from scratch and start over. It might well be worth it, especially if this one doesn't see a need for me to go all the way to Seattle for a surgery. Of course that would mean a new patient fee all over again (that's why the other bill is so high).

DS is sick right now. His tonsils are swollen up and bright red and covered with pus, so majorly infected. Plus there is blood when he coughs up phlegm (which might be from a broken blood vessel from blowing his nose too hard). We are taking him in to see the on call doc in a little bit. I've got to get going on finding an ENT because they want to take his tonsils out and I think it's time to schedule a surgery.

My allergies are driving me crazy, but at least I am over my cold.

Spent $30 on ice cream and egg flower soup for DS. It hurts him to eat anything else right now.

DH cleaned out his wallet and I cleaned out my purse and we came up with $2.35 in change which I put into the coin jar. I've got enough money in the laptop fund now to pay off the laptop (even though I'm making monthly payments of $100 instead of paying it off, since it is a no interest/18 month loan), so I am going to switch the coin jar savings so that it goes to the EF. Since the EF needs some serious rebuilding after taxes ate it up I think that's the best thing to do.

DS is not feeling well. He woke up with his throat on fire and all congested and then he threw up. Poor child. I figured he'd get sick after the class trip. It was pretty cold where they went and I doubt he kept his hat and gloves and scarf on despite being in the mountains and in the snow. Because he says his tonsils are hurting I will take him to the doctor tomorrow. I cancelled my physical therapy appointment.

DH has a dentist appointment tomorrow so hopefully it won't be at the same time since they are on opposite sides of town. DH could walk to his if he had to, it's only a mile and a half. Or ride his bike. Doctor is seven miles away, though and with DS sick and it being so cold out still, we definitely need the car.

We've been pretty fortunate with DS not getting sick much this cold season. He's had two colds as opposed to the almost constant cold and flu that his sister and I have had. It takes a lot to stop this kiddo and right now he's curled up in bed, so that tells me he truly is miserable.

Oh, I really don't like going there. It's always so hot inside the building. But DD needed her hair cut. She got about five inches off and a fun, cute, easy to manage style. It just touches the nape of her neck now. So that came to $30 with the tip.

After I had my eye appointment at Lenscrafters and oh, boy has my perscription changed. Not only has my distance vision gotten worse, but my near vision has gotten bad enough that I had to get bifocals. Progressive ones so no line, but man it was so nice to at least temporarily be able to see clearly through the machine.

Unfortunately they had to order the right type of lenses so it could be up to ten days before I get them and they can't even order them until Monday morning. The insurance covered $200 of the lenses and frames, but we still had to cover $247 ourselves. That is how bad my eyes are that I can't use normal lenses anymore. We put it on our Lenscrafters account, which is three months to pay off with no interest. I will, however, pay it off next month when the bill comes.

DD still needs to get an eye exam and new glasses. I will put that in the budget for May as well. She's only got one thing wrong with her eyes, thank goodness.

We ate lunch at the food court. DH and I split a fish and chips from Ivar's that came with a clam chowder and soda. DH had the clam chowder and soda. I got a water bottle and had one piece of fish and half the fries. It cost $12. The kids split a meatball marinara footlong sandwich from Subway, a bag of chips and each got a rootbeer for $8. So $20 for lunch out.

Dinner tonight is homemade tacos. Yummy. DH and I are sitting down tonight and doing a full week's worth of meal planning.

So here's the money out for this payday:

$1,102.89 BoA Master Card pay off
---800.00 BoA VISA
---250.00 Emergency Fund
----44.92 Phone for old house
----65.55 Internet
---144.00 Water/Sewer for old house (2 months)
----42.78 Garbage old house
---100.00 Propane holding tank
---100.00 Property Tax holding tank
----17.00 HoA Dues holding tank
---250.00 Medical holding tank
----69.97 Medical payment
----32.34 Lenscrafters
---100.00 Computer
----------------
$3119.45

We sent the taxes off today with the check for $5,506.03. I added $250 to the emergency fund.

$277.36 old EF Balance
+250.00 added
---------
$527.36 new EF Balance

I've got $120 cash for the week and $291 in the checkbook.

I have $475.72 in the holding tank now for future bills.

The amount of credit card debt left on the BoA VISA is $19,566.94. DH still has to buy his next plane ticket so that will bounce it back up above $20,000, but starting next month it gets $3000 a month so we'll start making serious progress paying it down once that starts.

Tomorrow I have an eye appointment and will get new glasses. That will be covered by insurance. DD is getting a haircut which will come out of my $120 cash.

So far our budget has been working perfectly. Here's hoping it continues.

I cannot believe it, but I guess all that white stuff on the ground is proof. It snowed overnight last night. It was 60 degrees and gorgeous yesterday. What happened to spring? Ah, well, maybe it'll kill off some of these buds that are spreading their pollen around and causing my allergies to act up. I don't think we've ever had snow in April here before in my lifetime. Usually the middle of March is the absolute latest.

The money for taxes that I transferred from ING showed up in my CU account so I'll fill out the check and we will mail that off tonight.

Tomorrow is payday and we will be able to pay off another credit card. I am excited about that.

Not really a lot going on otherwise. I'll have to buy some medicine tonight. $3.13 for one prescription and $10 for an over the counter decongestant.

DH is home. So far no spending frenzy temptations. He did spend $17 at the airport to get a neck pillow for the airplane. His old one started losing all it's polystyrene beads so he tossed it. And he rented a digi player on the plane (which I told him he could do if he wanted to) for $6.

It feels really strange to have DS gone on his class trip. The house is so quiet. It's kind of nice to have the break, to be honest, even though I miss him. He's a high energy child and I am a low energy parent. He'll be back Friday afternoon.

I think that about covers everything.