We got the notice today that my husband's amount he will be getting for unemployment is $203.00 (I thought that was going to be the amount but sure was hoping for more!). I don't know how they think a family can actually live on that amount but that's what we are delt so I have to just deal with it.
My husband went job hunting yesterday and found a possible one but it is pretty far away and it doesn't start until after March sometime, with gas prices creeping back up I think this may not work out but he is keeping all possiblities open.
I sold our Apologia Astronomy book - Yea! What a blessing that is, I mailed it off this morning. I hated to see the book go but we will make do with the other ones we have.
It sure has gotten hot here in Florida! What flip flop weather we have been having! Just last week with the wind chill we were facing 19 degrees now we are hitting 80 degress.
Have a great day : )
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Only Tuesday
Good Tuesday Morning!
I am up earlier then usual, the horse and dogs must hear something outside and they just won't settle down so here I am up at 4:30am - Yikes!
Not much new here, No job yet for my husband.... Since my husband's boss told him that is was only temporary, he keeps thinking each week he will call.... Yesterday, he said he was going to get a tire fixed at around 3:00pm and we didn't see him again until 8pm! He was hanging out with these bunch of guys who sit around all day and drink beer : ( I told him we were just getting ready to send out a search party for him and he just shrugged his shoulders and didn't say anything. He has projects around the house that he could be doing so it really get's on my nervous that he thinks it's okay to be spending money on beer...
School work is going real slow!!!!! I am trying to settle my brain down from thinking of ways to save money (We still haven't implemented any of my ideas yet!) and get back to planning our school week. It is hard enough to get Kelly to remember what she is learning on a normal day but now things are worse knowing that her father has no job and the bills just keep coming in. Her biggest fear it to loss the internet & honestly I need it too, writting to you guys is my only outlet. Anyway, I gave up on Astronomy (I am going to sell the apologia book to make some money for bills), Kelly knows the basics of it and she really doesn't have any interest in it like I do so we will move on. I am really hoping to focus on Zoology 3 and do work pages on each animal we cover since she just LOVES all kinds of animals.
This is us: A few streets over from us yeaterday there was a massive amount of police cars at this one house, not sure why they were there but our first thought is are the poodles we see sitting out in the yard okay? We are nuts that way! I keep hoping & praying that school work finally kicks in for Kelly but she really has me worried, what will this child do for a job if her learning skills are so low. I mean math is like pulling teeth with her and we are still only working on divison problems. The one area she is doing a bit better on is reading, she LOVES the Geronima Stilton series of books and actually spends a bit of time reading them!
I did start a Frugal Families group on yahoo for families in our area like us who are struggling during these tough times. I have 13 people who have signed up, not to many yet but I hope more do. I thought it would be a good idea for people to be able to share ideas & tips on where to buy the cheapest food, cut bills ect. It gives me something else to think about anyway.
Did I mention that I dropped one of my library books and it has a major stain on the cover? I am in hot water now.... the rest of the book is not touched so I am hoping when I return they let me slide on it..... that seems to be the way my week is going already : (
Hope everyone has a wonderful day today!
I am up earlier then usual, the horse and dogs must hear something outside and they just won't settle down so here I am up at 4:30am - Yikes!
Not much new here, No job yet for my husband.... Since my husband's boss told him that is was only temporary, he keeps thinking each week he will call.... Yesterday, he said he was going to get a tire fixed at around 3:00pm and we didn't see him again until 8pm! He was hanging out with these bunch of guys who sit around all day and drink beer : ( I told him we were just getting ready to send out a search party for him and he just shrugged his shoulders and didn't say anything. He has projects around the house that he could be doing so it really get's on my nervous that he thinks it's okay to be spending money on beer...
School work is going real slow!!!!! I am trying to settle my brain down from thinking of ways to save money (We still haven't implemented any of my ideas yet!) and get back to planning our school week. It is hard enough to get Kelly to remember what she is learning on a normal day but now things are worse knowing that her father has no job and the bills just keep coming in. Her biggest fear it to loss the internet & honestly I need it too, writting to you guys is my only outlet. Anyway, I gave up on Astronomy (I am going to sell the apologia book to make some money for bills), Kelly knows the basics of it and she really doesn't have any interest in it like I do so we will move on. I am really hoping to focus on Zoology 3 and do work pages on each animal we cover since she just LOVES all kinds of animals.
This is us: A few streets over from us yeaterday there was a massive amount of police cars at this one house, not sure why they were there but our first thought is are the poodles we see sitting out in the yard okay? We are nuts that way! I keep hoping & praying that school work finally kicks in for Kelly but she really has me worried, what will this child do for a job if her learning skills are so low. I mean math is like pulling teeth with her and we are still only working on divison problems. The one area she is doing a bit better on is reading, she LOVES the Geronima Stilton series of books and actually spends a bit of time reading them!
I did start a Frugal Families group on yahoo for families in our area like us who are struggling during these tough times. I have 13 people who have signed up, not to many yet but I hope more do. I thought it would be a good idea for people to be able to share ideas & tips on where to buy the cheapest food, cut bills ect. It gives me something else to think about anyway.
Did I mention that I dropped one of my library books and it has a major stain on the cover? I am in hot water now.... the rest of the book is not touched so I am hoping when I return they let me slide on it..... that seems to be the way my week is going already : (
Hope everyone has a wonderful day today!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The Week Is Over - Yea!
Good Saturday Morning to ya!
Yesterday sure was an eye opener for my husband, He went out looking for a job and he said there just isn't any..... nothing. He picked up his last check and the boss said he was trying to find work but nothing is showing up. The reality of it all is starting to sink in. This is the last bit of money we will have until the unemployment checks start coming in (which of course who knows how long that will be with our luck), they say three weeks. I also signed up for food stamps, they said I should hear back from them in 10 days. It really goes to show that you MUST have a little emergency money lying around for cases like this, which of course we don't. It really is scary not knowing what is ahead. I pray that we get enough food stamp money to feed us for a good chunk of the month because we will need to use the (hopefully) $200.00 a week for bills (electric/car insurance/phone/internet/cable). As I mentioned the internet & cable are things we can get rid of. When filling out the food stamps they asked me what my son makes which I put down, I just hope they don't figure that as money we use since it goes to his car payment....
I hate to keep asking but if you could send some prayers our way that this all works out I would really appreciate it!
On to other news, my son picked up his books for the Police Academy - YIKES! they sure look hard. They have to learn so much about the different laws that are very technical. Lots of vocabulary too, He is reading them over before he starts just so he get's a feel for what he will need to learn. This sure is a big undertaking, I just hope he can balance this and working 35 hours at Winn Dixie.
On a happy note: I saw the most beautiful cardinal you will ever see! I was feeling depressed about everything when I went outside there he was, his color was the redest I have ever seen. He looked like he was glowing, that's how red he was. It took my breath away for a few minutes and then I ran into the house to get Kelly. She saw him but he had moved and wasn't in such a great spot for viewing. I also called my husband and he saw him too. It really made my day light up a bit : ) I just wished I had gotten a picture of him to show you all! I am going to keep an eye out for him, maybe he will come back.
Hope you all have a wonderful Sat.!
Yesterday sure was an eye opener for my husband, He went out looking for a job and he said there just isn't any..... nothing. He picked up his last check and the boss said he was trying to find work but nothing is showing up. The reality of it all is starting to sink in. This is the last bit of money we will have until the unemployment checks start coming in (which of course who knows how long that will be with our luck), they say three weeks. I also signed up for food stamps, they said I should hear back from them in 10 days. It really goes to show that you MUST have a little emergency money lying around for cases like this, which of course we don't. It really is scary not knowing what is ahead. I pray that we get enough food stamp money to feed us for a good chunk of the month because we will need to use the (hopefully) $200.00 a week for bills (electric/car insurance/phone/internet/cable). As I mentioned the internet & cable are things we can get rid of. When filling out the food stamps they asked me what my son makes which I put down, I just hope they don't figure that as money we use since it goes to his car payment....
I hate to keep asking but if you could send some prayers our way that this all works out I would really appreciate it!
On to other news, my son picked up his books for the Police Academy - YIKES! they sure look hard. They have to learn so much about the different laws that are very technical. Lots of vocabulary too, He is reading them over before he starts just so he get's a feel for what he will need to learn. This sure is a big undertaking, I just hope he can balance this and working 35 hours at Winn Dixie.
On a happy note: I saw the most beautiful cardinal you will ever see! I was feeling depressed about everything when I went outside there he was, his color was the redest I have ever seen. He looked like he was glowing, that's how red he was. It took my breath away for a few minutes and then I ran into the house to get Kelly. She saw him but he had moved and wasn't in such a great spot for viewing. I also called my husband and he saw him too. It really made my day light up a bit : ) I just wished I had gotten a picture of him to show you all! I am going to keep an eye out for him, maybe he will come back.
Hope you all have a wonderful Sat.!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Wooo Hooo It's Friday : )
Here we are at Friday morning, I will be glad when this week is OVER!
For one thing is is still darn cold here!!!! I can't wait for these low temps to pass. I hate the cold it just goes right through me and all I want to do is curl up in bed and pull the covers over my head which of course I can't do.
Yesterday would you belive my husband & I headed over to the feed store to buy horse food, when we went to leave the car wouldn't start.... I was so glad my husband was with me otherwize he would of thought I did something to the car. It looks like the battery is shot : (
Then I called my library to renew the books I have (I try and stay on top of this since the overdue costs could really add up with having so many books out). Would you belive they now tell me that you can only renew a book three times and then it needs to be returned. I asked the gal "When I bring the book in and the library checks it back in can I take it back out that same day"? and she said she thought so as long as no one is waiting for it.... I guess they have had trouble with people renewing because they can't find the book any more ect. but gosh this is going to be a pain the neck for me because we are using the "History Of Us" books as our history spine and we use them all the time. By the way my books were due back yesterday - 10 cents for every book every day it's late. I hope to get there today but with the car issues not sure.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday : )
For one thing is is still darn cold here!!!! I can't wait for these low temps to pass. I hate the cold it just goes right through me and all I want to do is curl up in bed and pull the covers over my head which of course I can't do.
Yesterday would you belive my husband & I headed over to the feed store to buy horse food, when we went to leave the car wouldn't start.... I was so glad my husband was with me otherwize he would of thought I did something to the car. It looks like the battery is shot : (
Then I called my library to renew the books I have (I try and stay on top of this since the overdue costs could really add up with having so many books out). Would you belive they now tell me that you can only renew a book three times and then it needs to be returned. I asked the gal "When I bring the book in and the library checks it back in can I take it back out that same day"? and she said she thought so as long as no one is waiting for it.... I guess they have had trouble with people renewing because they can't find the book any more ect. but gosh this is going to be a pain the neck for me because we are using the "History Of Us" books as our history spine and we use them all the time. By the way my books were due back yesterday - 10 cents for every book every day it's late. I hope to get there today but with the car issues not sure.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday : )
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday - Where is Friday?
Good Thursday Morning!
It sure is DARN cold here in Florida this morning!!!!!!! We are having record breaking temps., they say this morning with the wind chill we are going to get to around 19 degress or lower in some places. Kelly and I bundled up the horses best we could last night prepairing them for this mornings hard freeze. We took a sleeping back and placed it on Chances back closing it with rubber bands and clips & Roper we borrowed an old horse blamket from my son's girlfriend (I just checked on the boys & Chances "coat" has fallen off). We don't even have winter coats....usually you only need them maybe one or two days a year here - You should of seen me last night in my hooded sweatshirt jacket putting on the horse blankets, I was freezing my butt off! I sure hope this kind of weather pass soon!!!!!!!
Yesterday I got my husband to fill out the info. for unemplyoment. I really think he was sitting back waiting for his boss to call him. When we filled it out his boss said to put only temeporary down - You should have seen the argument over that one! When we got to that point if you list temporary you have to have a date for when they are going to re-hire you (He has no idea if or when he will got back to work for this employer), He screamed at me that "WE ARE NOT PUTTING DOWN PERMENENT". I shut the computer down and walked away from it. Here I am only helping him and he is screaming at me, but of course if I don't do it it won't get done so I got it back going and we did finish it with putting permenent down. Then I filled out for food stamps, you need so much info. for that form, I was on there for a terribly long time. Hopefully we will get these two things up and running which will help. He has contacted all the places he knows for work, no one has anything right now - one guy said he has a big job starting sometime in March to check back then - YIKES! I have been searching the computer for food stamp living and found this "blog" the guy is living on $176.00 for the month but he is single. If anyone see any sites for really low cost living please pass them on to me.... (justme32110@yahoo.com)
Kelly's birthday is on the 19th., We had hoped to take her bowling & miniture golfing again this year (she had such a blast last year when we went with my son & his girlfriend). She says it was the last time she actually has had fun : ( But it looks like we won't be able to do that but I am thinking about packing a lunch & searching for some walking trails to do that may be fun (if it EVER warms up here). My baby turns 14 year's old - Before I know it she will be able to drive! I really miss the younger days, they grow up just to darn fast!
On the school front, I have to pass along a fantastic book to read if you are working on the Civil War time period: "Pink & Say" What a book!!!!! It's an easy reader but it soooo good. I do have to warn you it brings tears to your eyes when reading it. We are chugging along slowly, Kelly is still having a ton of trouble with basic math (if you have any ideas let me know). I figured out we have something like 20 more weeks left of school if we want to end when the public school here does. Time sure is flying by!
I do have to say we have been reading alot of books for our history curriculum and they are all starting to run together..... I think I need to cut down on the number and just shoot for the goodies : ) It's been tough having my husband home during school time, yesterday he napped so it worked out good.
Well I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!
It sure is DARN cold here in Florida this morning!!!!!!! We are having record breaking temps., they say this morning with the wind chill we are going to get to around 19 degress or lower in some places. Kelly and I bundled up the horses best we could last night prepairing them for this mornings hard freeze. We took a sleeping back and placed it on Chances back closing it with rubber bands and clips & Roper we borrowed an old horse blamket from my son's girlfriend (I just checked on the boys & Chances "coat" has fallen off). We don't even have winter coats....usually you only need them maybe one or two days a year here - You should of seen me last night in my hooded sweatshirt jacket putting on the horse blankets, I was freezing my butt off! I sure hope this kind of weather pass soon!!!!!!!
Yesterday I got my husband to fill out the info. for unemplyoment. I really think he was sitting back waiting for his boss to call him. When we filled it out his boss said to put only temeporary down - You should have seen the argument over that one! When we got to that point if you list temporary you have to have a date for when they are going to re-hire you (He has no idea if or when he will got back to work for this employer), He screamed at me that "WE ARE NOT PUTTING DOWN PERMENENT". I shut the computer down and walked away from it. Here I am only helping him and he is screaming at me, but of course if I don't do it it won't get done so I got it back going and we did finish it with putting permenent down. Then I filled out for food stamps, you need so much info. for that form, I was on there for a terribly long time. Hopefully we will get these two things up and running which will help. He has contacted all the places he knows for work, no one has anything right now - one guy said he has a big job starting sometime in March to check back then - YIKES! I have been searching the computer for food stamp living and found this "blog" the guy is living on $176.00 for the month but he is single. If anyone see any sites for really low cost living please pass them on to me.... (justme32110@yahoo.com)
Kelly's birthday is on the 19th., We had hoped to take her bowling & miniture golfing again this year (she had such a blast last year when we went with my son & his girlfriend). She says it was the last time she actually has had fun : ( But it looks like we won't be able to do that but I am thinking about packing a lunch & searching for some walking trails to do that may be fun (if it EVER warms up here). My baby turns 14 year's old - Before I know it she will be able to drive! I really miss the younger days, they grow up just to darn fast!
On the school front, I have to pass along a fantastic book to read if you are working on the Civil War time period: "Pink & Say" What a book!!!!! It's an easy reader but it soooo good. I do have to warn you it brings tears to your eyes when reading it. We are chugging along slowly, Kelly is still having a ton of trouble with basic math (if you have any ideas let me know). I figured out we have something like 20 more weeks left of school if we want to end when the public school here does. Time sure is flying by!
I do have to say we have been reading alot of books for our history curriculum and they are all starting to run together..... I think I need to cut down on the number and just shoot for the goodies : ) It's been tough having my husband home during school time, yesterday he napped so it worked out good.
Well I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
What A Difference A Day Makes.....
It amazes me how quickly things change around here!
Yesterday I was feeling alittle like my old self, excited about schooling again, breathing easier that the bills were getting caught up a bit..... then my husband came home and said those words "I got laid off today"! And so it starts. His boss told him that he is trying his best to find work to put down that the lay off is only temporary on the unemployment application.... but whose to say how long temorary might be.
My husband has been trying to figure out how much unemployment he will be getting - The website says here in Florida the lowest amount is $34.00 and the highest amount is $250.00 that you can get. He is filing today, It takes awhile before you get this rolling. I will apply for food stamps today also, I read where they said 1 in 10 families here in Florida are on food stamps.
I just pray that this all works out : (
Yesterday I was feeling alittle like my old self, excited about schooling again, breathing easier that the bills were getting caught up a bit..... then my husband came home and said those words "I got laid off today"! And so it starts. His boss told him that he is trying his best to find work to put down that the lay off is only temporary on the unemployment application.... but whose to say how long temorary might be.
My husband has been trying to figure out how much unemployment he will be getting - The website says here in Florida the lowest amount is $34.00 and the highest amount is $250.00 that you can get. He is filing today, It takes awhile before you get this rolling. I will apply for food stamps today also, I read where they said 1 in 10 families here in Florida are on food stamps.
I just pray that this all works out : (
Monday, February 2, 2009
Here We Are At Monday Again : )
Good Monday Morning!
Hope everyone had a great "Super Bowl" weekend.
We picked up our income tax refund check on Wed. from H & R Block (If we paid an extra $21.00 we got it earlier then the 8 to 15 day wait). It felt sooooo good to have a bit of cash around again for a little while any way. Kelly & I went and paid our bills, the biggest being the 2007 property tax bill ($1008.00) ouch! But having the bills paid (not caught up belive or not) made my day. It is so much easier to breath when you aren't weighted down with major over due bills.
Having got that mess out of the way I hope to tackle school again. This past week has been alot of running down to town for the income tax a number of times which throws me all off our day. I just LOVE how Sheri over at Shades Of Pink throws together a school session, for example see her post:
..: The Saturdays:..
We are reading and studying The Saturdays over the next several weeks. Although the book is a Juvenile Fiction book (around ages 9-12) I feel that there is so much that can be learned through reading this book.
Chapter 1:
History: Hitler (Follow the links from this page to PDF on Hitler and his control)
History: Read "Auschwitz"
History: Read "Holocaust, the events and their impact on real people" watch the DVD and interviews
History: Watch "Paperclips"
Language Arts: Write a descriptive paragraph
Fine Arts: Bach and Tchaikovsky
Art: Pen and Ink drawings
Note!! D14 and M11 have each decided to learn a piece by Bach or Tchaikovsky. M11 is currently practicing Dance of the Sugar Plum fairies on her keyboards (I can hear it from here) and D14...guess what he picked? Toccata and Fugue by Bach (You can see it played on the electric guitar here)
Chapter 2:
History: Benjamin Franklin and bifocals: Read about his various inventions and write a short essay on one invention of your choice.
Geography: Paris, France
History: Lucrezia Borgia
Science: Coatimunids
Science: Camels
Fine Art: Visit a Fine Art Gallery
Fine Art: Cooking: making Petits Fours
I just find this way of pulling everything together great. I have to wonder if with Kelly's memory the way it is if by tying everything together in a lesson might not be a better way to go for her..... (I know here she goes again thinking of changing her school plans). I have found we have been covering alot of books with the BiblioPlan history we are using and she does get ALOT more out of that way of learning then by using workbooks/textbooks. I am going to get the books together for the unit study "Bears on Hemlock Mountain" and see where that takes us. I am also going to use Sheri's notebook idea, We are using lapbooks for both astronomy & zoology 3 (I do soooo much more work with that and I don't really think Kelly is getting that much from it) so I thought we would try just note booking in one book like she does for those subjects. I am also going to use Scott Foreman's grammer & writting I have really been slacking in that area! With getting the income tax money I was able to fill my printer/copier ink refills (only $5.00 each at Walgreens this past week) - Thank you Bunny for offering to do my printing for me, You are such a DOLL! I bought hay and horse feed on Sunday so we won't have to go out today so hopefully we will get in a nice day of learning : )
Hope you all have a wonderful day today!!!!!
Hope everyone had a great "Super Bowl" weekend.
We picked up our income tax refund check on Wed. from H & R Block (If we paid an extra $21.00 we got it earlier then the 8 to 15 day wait). It felt sooooo good to have a bit of cash around again for a little while any way. Kelly & I went and paid our bills, the biggest being the 2007 property tax bill ($1008.00) ouch! But having the bills paid (not caught up belive or not) made my day. It is so much easier to breath when you aren't weighted down with major over due bills.
Having got that mess out of the way I hope to tackle school again. This past week has been alot of running down to town for the income tax a number of times which throws me all off our day. I just LOVE how Sheri over at Shades Of Pink throws together a school session, for example see her post:
..: The Saturdays:..
We are reading and studying The Saturdays over the next several weeks. Although the book is a Juvenile Fiction book (around ages 9-12) I feel that there is so much that can be learned through reading this book.
Chapter 1:
History: Hitler (Follow the links from this page to PDF on Hitler and his control)
History: Read "Auschwitz"
History: Read "Holocaust, the events and their impact on real people" watch the DVD and interviews
History: Watch "Paperclips"
Language Arts: Write a descriptive paragraph
Fine Arts: Bach and Tchaikovsky
Art: Pen and Ink drawings
Note!! D14 and M11 have each decided to learn a piece by Bach or Tchaikovsky. M11 is currently practicing Dance of the Sugar Plum fairies on her keyboards (I can hear it from here) and D14...guess what he picked? Toccata and Fugue by Bach (You can see it played on the electric guitar here)
Chapter 2:
History: Benjamin Franklin and bifocals: Read about his various inventions and write a short essay on one invention of your choice.
Geography: Paris, France
History: Lucrezia Borgia
Science: Coatimunids
Science: Camels
Fine Art: Visit a Fine Art Gallery
Fine Art: Cooking: making Petits Fours
I just find this way of pulling everything together great. I have to wonder if with Kelly's memory the way it is if by tying everything together in a lesson might not be a better way to go for her..... (I know here she goes again thinking of changing her school plans). I have found we have been covering alot of books with the BiblioPlan history we are using and she does get ALOT more out of that way of learning then by using workbooks/textbooks. I am going to get the books together for the unit study "Bears on Hemlock Mountain" and see where that takes us. I am also going to use Sheri's notebook idea, We are using lapbooks for both astronomy & zoology 3 (I do soooo much more work with that and I don't really think Kelly is getting that much from it) so I thought we would try just note booking in one book like she does for those subjects. I am also going to use Scott Foreman's grammer & writting I have really been slacking in that area! With getting the income tax money I was able to fill my printer/copier ink refills (only $5.00 each at Walgreens this past week) - Thank you Bunny for offering to do my printing for me, You are such a DOLL! I bought hay and horse feed on Sunday so we won't have to go out today so hopefully we will get in a nice day of learning : )
Hope you all have a wonderful day today!!!!!
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