Breaking through the Fibrofog…

this isnt even all of the great grandkids on my moms side of the family, theres quite a few missing but it’s still neat!!   I have a pic of all of us cousins sitting at my grandmoms house, so this one will be nice to compare to that one.  I’ll have to pull it out once I can get to it in my basement, the repairs are slowly coming to a point where we can actually “finish” a room or two. I’m very excited!

here’s some other random pics.  caleb took this of Dean and Zeke.   This is from July 24th of Zeke and caleb, not sure why it’s such a bad quality pic.

Before

During ( he enjoyed the mullet look I think )

After

I told him that shirt doesnt go with his new do but we havent made it to take his good shirts to the drycleaners in a week or so

FYI : after tightening the cap on the car’s battery it now runs.    I’m just afraid to go out and have it die on me again!!  I’ll at least test it out to pick Caleb up from school, I had to walk him to school and it’s already way too hot!!  the next few days are going to be even worse!   blah!

You cant be serious!!!   We’ve been driving our car, which is a tight fit w/ three car seats and leaves little to no trunk room for shopping trips w/ the double stroller in the trunk, but I still love my hyundai…even though at this moment it is sitting in the driveway and wont start!!  We were driving the van only when we had to and Dean used it for two trips to the dump this weekend, but it feels like the transmission is going to die so we are trying to avoid a breakdown and not drive it until we can get it fixed, which will be after we get money to fix it.  we were driving the car until then, since it was just fixed and we thought would hold us over, and even w/ the inconvenient lack of roominess, it could get us where we needed to go.   We were out and about almost all day today, home for about an hour this afternoon for a quick nap then out again til 10 pm tonight.  on our way finally home tonight the car started acting funny.  the lights would come on and off, I shut off the a/c and radio in an attempt to get us home without it stalling.   we got home, barely.   We sat in the driveway and “tested” it.   Turned on the a/c, radio, and lights and hit the accelerator, the a/c and radio would go off and on til when finally while Dean tested more by rolling down a window, and the car died.   it wont start again.    we just spent $400 getting it fixed last week.    we currently have no reliable transportation.  AGAIN!!!   Zeke has a drs appt on Tuesday for his check up and vaccines, I dont want to reschedule since it’s already past his 4 month birthday, but I dont know how I’ll get there or anywhere else this week.    We currently have no car payment, both vehicles are good in that respect, paid off.    BUT we dont have the money to keep putting into fixing them, let alone neither is worth any thing we put into them.  the car probably has no trade in value, maybe a hundred dollars or 3 because of the new $300 alternator and battery!

we never got a new cell phone after Bo nuked it last week and were going to order a new one tomorrow, but with this going on we are considering cutting the directv tivo and not getting another cell phone since our current contract is up and we can end without any additional charges.   That would be some extra money that we could use each month towards a car payment if we end up needing a new vehicle instead of having two crappy vehicles, and guessing insurance on one vehicle would save us over insuring two, or so I’d hope.    I am stressed beyond belief about this and so many other things, one plus to everything going on, I can still go to the dr since I met my maximum deductible for the year so whenever I go to the dr til next year it’s free, wish the same was true for the boys!

we’ve gotten little work done on the house w/ no help w/ the kids or the work, so that’s frustrating as well.   we’re out of money for repairs, to car or house and still need a few things for both!   I wish the cars had had problems before we got the refinance money, then we could have fixed them first or gotten a new vehicle first and let  the house stuff go, again.  but now we’ve got a mostly repaired basement and no working vehicle, it’s a bad position to be in.  we could sell the house as is and still make a profit but the issue is where would we go that we could afford and will Dean have a job there.  this move situation really is turning into a financial decision and that alone. we need out of this mortgage for a cheaper one especially now that we might have to bite the bullet and get a new (to us, used of course) van.   Good things, well if I had a vehicle, I have started house cleaning for a friend every other week, next week is the off week for her so I am starting to clean our church for a little bit of cash every other week as well.  so I’ll be able to bring in some money as well which could help w/ the car payment if we need it, but I’ll need a vehicle to get me there!!! so really if we cut out the unneccessaries, which to us seem so vital in our spoiled life, like the cell phone(this last week it’s been hard to live without since we’re so used to relying on it!) and tivo and directv.   Before this happened I mentioned to Dean we could go w/out the directv since he and I are rarely watching any tv due to the house repairs keeping us busy and/or tired, and Caleb is watching way too much tv as is, so it would be good for us to not have it as an option anyway.  So I think we’re cutting it off tomorrow.    the cell phone is almost a neccessity for us, and if we can find a way to afford it I think we will, considering dropping the land line and having a cell only which means we might also get a cheaper isp since right now we’ve got cavalier for both phone and internet.  so many things to process and really little time, we need a vehicle, well we needed a reliable one for the last few weeks and now here we are again stranded at home, thank god dean carpools to work!!   speaking of Dean, in an attempt to “clean up”his look in hopes of landing the job transfer he’s shaving his head, his hair was longer than mine!!  the last time he’d done this was right before we had caleb, literally that week when we knew when he was going to arrive he shaved his head in anticipation of his new role as daddy, or something like that.  kind of ironic, he shaved his head, that same week if not w/in a day or two got the job offer to move to Baltimore, so with any luck maybe something similar will happen!!  

It’s been requested that I update.  I have tried to several times this week and just ended up not posting.   Some things going on I dont want to blog about, healthwise and otherwise.   In general things are going well.   the kids are keeping us busy, Caleb is going stir crazy and having behavior issues because of it.   I finally went and bought some safety latches for the appliances in the kitchen after finding the fridge door left open by Bo way too many times!  I moved the microwave for those of you who were freaking out about that issue.   now it takes up what little counter space I have, ugh!    Zeke is still the happiest baby on the block.  though he’s getting bored w/ just laying around all day and will let us know when he wants to be sitting up and playing.  I think he’s still too little for the exersaucer but my friend just got a bumbo seat and she said we could use it until her newborn is able to use it.   so that might help him with his boredom!  it wont be long and he’ll be cruising w/ the other boys, then I’ll really have my hands full!

the basement renovations are going smoothly.   One room is complete, one almost complete, hoping to get lots done this weekend but I’m having some disabling back pain, this is week 2 of the pain but now it’s at the point doing much is hard.   So Dean is having to do lots of the work himself.  I painted some yesterday and am paying for it with more pain today.   I had a drs appt yesterday for some other issues and will be getting a special type sonogram in a month to see what’s going on.   Looks like I might end up w/ another surgery if things are like they were after I had Caleb.  About 6 months after I had caleb I had surgery for ovarian cysts, this time it’s much worse though, this time it’s fibroids but I’m worried it might be more than that becuase how bad the symptoms are.   but I thought I said I didnt want to talk about that?  oh well…gotta run, caleb needs clothes on and Bo is playing in the bathroom sink.    so that’s an update , nothing you needed to really know I’m sure.   but an update just the same.

yesterday Zeke turned 4 months old.  He is “talking” to us all of the time and will smile at just about anyone.   He’s always so happy, though the last few days has been a little fussy so I’m wondering if he’s starting to teeth since he’s usually always happy.   He hasnt rolled since his first few times but is always moving.

today Boaz is 20 months old.   Bo is quite the handful lately, as you can see here.   He doesnt feel the need to use words, instead of saying juice he’ll hand you his cup, go to the fridge, get out the juice and give it to you, no matter how heavy it is.  Yesterday he poured the Brita pitcher all over the floor in his attempt to get me to give him some water!   He definitely gets his point across without words.   It’s annoying but I guess at least it’s good he can show me what he wants.   He’ll bring you your shoes if you say we are going out or bye bye, as well as whoever elses shoes that are home at the time!

Caleb is growing by leaps and bounds as well.   He is drawing “real” pictures and can read many words, he’s always amazing us with is knowledge.

Dean is working hard at work and at home, the home improvements are going great, by the weekend we’ll have almost all of the rooms in the basement finished.

Our car is finally fixed, $400 later!!  We’re taking the van to the mechanic tomorrow, praying it doesnt cost a ton since it looks like to replace our back door, which needs done for security reasons, it’s going to cost us at least $500, for one freaking door and that’s probably the least it will cost.   we need a front door too but at the cost I dont think we’ll be able to pull off both doors getting done.

well I need sleep, been going on about 5 hours of sleep  a day and working hard all day so it’s not a great thing on my already aching miserable body.   so gonna try to get in bed and asleep so I can at least get those 5 hours of sleep!

Before we moved into this house at the end of 2001 we had to completely renovate the first floor.   Since then the basement has only got a little attention, mostly when I got time and we had some extra cash to spend, which of course wasnt often.  I had painted the office downstairs, when my friend moved in she painted the now playroom and bathroom downstairs.   In order to prepare to possible sell we have to finish up work in the basement.   we’ve been sanding, and doing drywall patches for a week or so off and on after the kids go to bed.    Last night Dean and I, but mostly myself(yes I am proud of this) tore out the laminate floor in the basement bathroom.  it was a mess and needed repaired so we just pulled that room all up and will patch the cement then lay down new laminate.   I’d love to redo more of the floor downstairs but we’re about out of money and we dont even know how much we’ll need to spend to fix the car and van.   We’ve already put $300 into the car and it’s still not working and Dean and the neighbor did the work on it.    So….luckily we got mostly everything we need to finish up most of the projects.  A big thing the realtor and even we said needed done was that we need a new basement door and a front storm door.   We are not sure we’ll have the money for those after the floor, the only reason we dont have them yet is because it takes 3 weeks for home depot to put them in and we were trying to find someplace else to do it.  tomorrow Dean’s going to check w/ some local contractors to see if it’s cheaper and takes less time.

Today my friend’s husband put up a celing fan w/ a light fixture in our kitchen, I am very excited about it. The fixture where it is hasnt worked in years and we just used a hanging Ikea light and it was annoying so now we have air circulating and light!! it’s awesome.  He also helped Dean repair and hang some new gutters, we ended up buying what we need and it cost a little under $300.   so much better than the 1100 estimate!

Tonight Dean and I painted some primer and the ceiling in the office.   We’re almost done the office painting and then that room is done.  Then we will finish the laundry/living area ceiling.  Tomorrow night after we sand some more spots in the bathroom we’ll put primer up and hopefully by the end of the week all of the painting will be done.  Once the painting is done we can work on the floor then hang up closet doors and rearrange furniture.   All of this work is being done after the kids are in bed, the last week and a half we’ve been up until at least midnight working in the basement.   It’s nice to see progress!   I am excited, even if we dont move the house will be so much nicer!  Another major project is our master bathroom on the first floor but that will have to be a weekend job since the sanding noise will bother the kids at night time.   so for now we work on the basement and hopefully next weekend work on our bathroom.    I’m suprised Dean and I are getting along so well while we do these repairs.  It’s nice having something to do  and see get done to completion.  It’s so neat to see what we can do that we didnt think we could.   I also bought the supplies to tile the backsplash in our kitchen but that will be one of the last things we do and may not do if we get to the point where we have a job for Dean and are ready to put the house on the market, the realtor said the kitchen was fine but I wanted the backsplash done a long time ago so we have the stuff and if anything we’ll take the supplies with us to use on our new home!

lots to do, I have been feeling bad but as long as theres work to do I will keep working hard to get it done.  I have a drs appt scheduled tomorrow afternoon but I am going to have to cancel, no sitter.  My friend has let us borrow her van for a few days so that’s nice, I was thinking I was going to have to cancel becuase I didnt have a car to drive.   but no, it’s because I dont have a sitter.  Dean is off this Friday, we planned for him to take off so we can work on the house during the day and get more done.  If anything so we can make a trip or two to the dump!   Fun stuff, working on his day off.  Well it’s late again. we stopped working early tonight since we are waiting on drywall and primer to dry before we can do more.   So maybe we can be asleep before midnight for once!   but not if we can stay awake for an episode of psych!

update: car is still not working after a new battery and new alternator.   it will have to go to a  mechanic on Monday I suppose.  Now we are working on getting the van up to par so we can safely go out!  Geez…..slowly all of our money to fix the house is slipping out of our hands (ie. bank acct!)   So much for our big dreams on getting the house in shape to sell or at least enjoy!