Hi guys!
Sorry I've been out of touch. I stay off the Disney sites primarily b/c it depresses me & worries me what the future may hold for us. Scott still doesn't have a "REAL" job. He couldn't even find part-time anything for the longest time b/c they'd just assume he'd quit soon as soon as he found a "REAL" job.
The "REAL" jobs don't want to hire him at lesser salary b/c they say he'll demand too much over time. They just don't get it. In this economy, a "REAL" job that uses your talents at 60-70% of what you used to make is a fantastic offer. He was soooo close to a final deal on a job w/ Navteq--they provide many of the maps you see online. He was sooo psyched about it. They called him 30 min before he was about to get on the train to go downtown to do the final lookover. (He was the only candidate at that point.) The managers called when they got out of a morning meeting that had placed a hiring freeze indefinitely.
He finally got hired working at ToysRus in late October, but didn't start getting hours until the last month. They work him to death for very little pay & only a 10% discount--which in an area which pays the highest sales tax in the country, basically means you save the tax--UGH. They lied when they hired him about Black Friday. He wasn't even allowed to buy anything that morning.
My New Year's Wish is for him to find a fulfilling, challenging job that pays at least 60-70% of what he used to make.
We still have our cruise booked for June & keep saying that we won't cancel it but it's hard to justify it w/ his job situation & the economy.
I took on a part-time job. I'm teaching the 8 hour traffic school 1-2 Saturdays a month. It pays well (almost triple what Scott makes), so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. We want to keep the boys doing the exact same things: scouts, piano lessons, one sport a season, Catholic school, normal X-mas gifts, etc. Scott & I won't buy for each other but the kids won't notice b/c we'll still do our X-mas stockings w/ simple things.
Again, I'm so sorry I haven't been posting. I just feel like I'd be too much of a downer & I try not to think too much about Disney. I need to get working on renting out the points we don't need for next year. I'll hopefully find time to work on that while I'm for 2 weeks at Christmas.
If anyone knows good people who'd like to rent or tranfer points, please keep us in mind. We have approx. 150 points available in our Feb 2009 use year or possibly closer to our total 250 if we have to cancel our trip.
We're blessed to have our health & to have been smart savers/no credit card debt kind of people our whole lives--so hopefully this 2nd bump in Scott's career will end in early 2009. We also have a wondeful renter for the other house who seems interested in staying & possibly even buying it in a year or two.
You are in my thoughts even if I'm not posting.
[
B]Kay[/B]: Take care & try to recover carefully. The GF sounds wonderful. We loved it there last year w/ my Mom. I 
high tea there & will never do tea anywhere else again......well maybe Palo w/ right GF.
Marion: Have fun. I tried to catch up & it sounds like you've got some fun travels planned. Hawaii, cruise,....wow you're getting as hard as Kay to keep up w/. I'm so jealous too b/c I can't take off more than 2 days as a teacher once a year & it can't be joined w/ a holiday weekend.
Char: I hope your trip was fun. I too am curious: What is a Disney Mom?
Dee: I'm glad Christine & TJ are enjoying h.s. How are YOU feeling?
Oh & my Mom was living w/ us until early October. The day we took her home 4 of her sisters surprised her from Ireland & went to live w/ her for her
1st week home. We also planned a huge BLOWOUT 80th B-day celebration for her. We figured battling cancer twice in 8 years as well as making it to 80while looking much younger deserved a big celebration. It wound up being a family & friends reunion--over 80 people showed up: catering, full bar, big slide show w/ music, party favors w/ her favorite candy from years ago, etc. 8 out of 10 her siblings were there! It would've been 9, but one was in the hospital. It was amazing & worth every penny and all the effort. My cousin split the cost & planning efforts w/ me--so again I was very blessed.
My DH surprised me w/ a 40th b-day party the following week. It was small but oh so nice. I've struggled a bit w/ the turning 40 feeling too. I'm not quite past it yet. I wanted to have a girls weekend away, but my BFF's hubbies didn't go along w/ it. My friend who turned 40 10 days after me was whisked off to a suprise weekend in FL w/ her DH. My other friend wasn't interested in spending $ on 1 or 2 nights away--even though Scott would've taken care the hotel depending on where we stayed.
Miss you guys & wish we could all travel together again!
Maybe we should just plan a girls getaway weekend to WDW together some day???
