Some gripes about adjusting

Well Ricky is done with school. He is done and at work full time this week. HOOOORAY. Today is his birthday. The kids and I are going to get a few birthday things today and hopefully have a mini party for him tonight. He won't be home until 7 or 8 though.

There are some things really frustrating me and I'm trying very hard not to let them. For example I'm freaking sick of him commuting, already. (Well he's been doing it over a year already.) I want to move closer to the city because getting up at 5am sucks. (I don't always get up with him but I do a lot.) And he doesn't get home until 7 or 8pm. I am also already frustrated at our mounting bills (loans, more insurance, and looking at buying a car for Ricky. Oh, and $900 in gasoline per month). We have more money, but more bills. Isn't that life. We are 600 dollars over budget according to the budget maker online that I attempted to use. (Whhhhat?!) And no savings #@! Arugh...
One thousand dollars a month on food expenses (inc. cat/dog food and misc household type stuff) and then another 700-1000 dollars a month in student loans does not help things. The Explorer Ricky currently drives is costing us 900 dollars per month in gasoline (hence the looking for a new car thing). This stuff is STRESSING me out. Ricky keeps dropping quiet hints about me shopping at Whole Foods less. (I don't go that much)

Ricky is so mellow about it all though. I asked him why he's not more frustrated while trying to get over this hump we seem to need to get over. He said, "I've been waiting 10 years so what's waiting a little longer. It's a process, and we have to take it one step at a time." I love him and his positively too mellow and totally content attitude. Even if it is sickening sometimes.
:)

Well now that I've written out the frustrations I can focus on the positive; like how he got a job before graduation. How he got a good job that he likes with lots of growth potential. We are all healthy and happy and the new baby will be here sometime at the end of next month. I also need to remember we don't even have a real schedule or anything down yet. We are just starting off with all of these brand new changes and bills. I'm just not good at adjustment periods.

One other thing that is bothering me is that Penelope Juliet is making me crazy. She wants to nurse and I have no milk this late in this pregnancy. Instead of giving up and loosing interest, as I've been now waiting for her to do for at least 6 weeks, she just hangs on and decided a nursie with no milk is better than no nursie at all. In fact right now she's pitching a total fit about nursing so I gotta go. She is trying to mimic her sister and suck her thumb sometimes but she just doesn't like it or get it. So she pops her thumb in and out of her mouth and the two girls giggle about it. But, she is clearly looking for a way to self soothe and she's having trouble.

Also, the older kids want to learn about the Empire State Building and today is library/craft day... and I need to update homeschool blog with some adorable photos.

unexpected offers / life

Ricky had an unexpected offer regarding his new job the day before we left for our trip. They want him in the office sooner (which meant today). He tried telling them he was still in school and felt it may be best he wait until the end of this month as originally planned. Well... he was offered part time work until school gets out --and they will give him FULL salary pay and FULL benefits. And he gets to pick the schedule around school (21 hours). How could he say no? Well he couldn't. :) So over the weekend we went shopping for some more spiffy suits, ties, shoes and what-not. We shopped both online and in store. We both had a lot of fun. It was a great weekend overall that we spent together.

Last night I sensed Ricky awake a lot. Every time I opened my eyes he was cuddled up to me with his eyes peering at me. I think he was excited about today. He says he slept well though but just woke up a lot so that's good. Finally we both got up around 4:30am but mostly because the little girls were sick and woke up. Penelope has a fever and Layla a dry constant cough. So we were really early risers today.

I'm playing catch up after getting back into town. The worst part has to be getting the kids back on a schedule. Also, I'm looking around and my house is SO dirty. I need a housekeeper. I think today I need to put the kids to work with some rags and spray cleaner. Everything is just kid-messy. Sticky chairs, table, walls, bathrooms, the desk, the floor (needs vacuumed), windows...

Later this week I'm picking up some hens. I finally found some young hens -not chicks- that are getting ready to lay. I have tomato plants that need planting too. That is really hard to do when our garden area is over run with weeds, still un-tilled for this year, not to mention I totally missed spring planting for this year.

With a feverish baby on my lap and Layla being needy I just don't have a lot of hope for getting things done this month...or this summer. At least we have some one weed eating the yard right now. It looks like a jungle. Today I daydream about moving somewhere grassy (which we hope to sometime soon). We live in a very nice place, but it's super rocky and we have barely any land cleared. (We are IN the woods). The grass is always greener on the other side though, right?

I can not wait until Ricky gets home tonight (or calls me) so he can tell me all about his first day. Right now he's out to lunch with his new bosses and probably other coworkers. He looked so awesome in his suit this morning. I hope he continues to love what he went to school for, he's worked so very hard for this.

Photos and a new job for Ricky

Below: Watermelon Belly early outside a few mornings ago (27 weeks) and a photo of Penelope washing Layla's hair in the tub.





Some baby love, snuggles, and kisses...


More photos on the kids' homeschool blog

Our family has really exciting news; Ricky landed a great job in the 'big city' and will start as soon as he finishes graduate school. He finishes school on June 26th and starts June 30th! This is very exciting. He was offered a Vice President position for a developing and expanding investment management consulting group within a huge financial institution! This is a wonderful opportunity for him (and our family)! I am so proud of him! He has worked so very hard and I'm glad he is starting off so well! He will commute (just like he has been for school) for a while then we will move closer to the city. We don't want to move too far though. We are not city people! :)

Well I just realized we leave tomorrow to go to Las Vegas. (My "hometown" & we are going to my little brother's wedding) We are not packed yet. CRAP! How did THIS happen? I better get going. Penelope is hanging ALL OVER me too and I'm feeling smothered.