NOW is the time! It's MINE & I AM WORTH IT! (friends welcome to tag along!!)

[Amy&Dan]

Julie, I really hope your dh doesn't take that pay cut. We had to do that in 2005 and we are still recovering . I'll say a prayer this doens't happen for you guys!

I think that Body Bugg sounds amazing. I so want to get one, do you mind if I ask how much they cost?

I am hoping you (and me too) have a good solid weight loss at WW this week!

I hate to tell you, but we are under winter storm watch for Saturday, we may get like a foot. I hope it doesn't come to you!

 

[goldcupmom]

Well, it happened. Yesterday DH was told that all management at his level & above, HR, test, ....basically everyone but engineering & factory, will have an 'approximately 10% reduction in take home pay' - translate - about 20% of gross - beginning immediately thru the 3rd quarter. Trying to avoid layoffs. UGH!!!!! But, better than a 100% reduction in income. 10% doesn't sound like much, but w/ 3 'adult' kids & 1 income, we basically live payday to payday.

He isn't concerned, thinks life is just the same. But, he doesn't pay the bills! He marvelled a couple of weeks ago that I sent him to the grocery for a gallon of milk & it was more than $1.50.....try more than twice that! I told him that I'm taking him 'shopping' this weekend so he can get a reality check. He needs some new dress shirts for work....he outgrew his....literally....and thinks he can pick up 3/4 for about $25 total....not even at the thrift store here!! Hopefully he will 'get' it!

Thankfully, he finally cancelled the gym no one has had time to use...$90/month savings. DS22 has been giving me $500/mo (and overdrawing his acct to do it) to pay off his portion of the Credit Card we put DS19s car repairs on....(still no car done)...so it will have only DS19s bills on it & he can now pay. I'm going to INSIST that DS22 keep giving me $200/mo towards the over $12K he owes me for his legal fees, etc. DH did get a decent bonus mid march (of course the govt took 1/2), and we're getting back some in taxes. We already don't eat out except maybe 1x/month, carry lunches, don't have a landline/newspaper delivery, rent movies at the $1 machine, etc, so really there isn't too much more to 'cut' that is readily visible. Obviously DH needs to STOP his casino habit. Between that & watching the utility usage...can you say we usually have 2-3 TVs and about 20 lights running all the time around here...except when I am home alone!! Ridiculous!!

OK, back to reality....Today is WW, then need to go across town to the Credit Union to deposit kid money, then pick up Pizza for dinner w/ restaurant.com gift cert(I accidently bought it for the place about 30 min frm here instead of the one 5 min from here) Then take DD & DS19 to work before going to grade papers. SO BORING & Mind numbing, but I figure I will have made enough doing it to pretty much pay off the cruise balance....IF we decide this weekend to go ahead....cuz ya know it will cost more than just the balance on the cruise....

But, so far, I have the 2 nights hotel in Orlando free. Rental car using DH work code is only $70 for 3 days picking up in Tampa & dropping in FtL & includes full insurance. Gift cards from My Points for food in Orlando....they will just have to deal with Subway, Chili's & Panera. I used Amtrak points for my train trip down to FL & had 1 R/T on Southwest left, so air is just 5 one ways total.

So basically only expense will be the cruise balance, tips, spending money & of course clothes shopping in Orlando, but much of that will be kids bdays & Christmas w/ a little 'back to school'.

It's times like this when I'm glad that I'm a sale shopper/stockpiler. I pretty much have enough of the essentials....TP, kleenex, cleaners, tampons, shampoo, etc to last for the 6 months...& we all know how those add up!! I will only replenish when I can get basically free! And, we are getting a CVS soon!!!!!!!!

Well, enough of dwelling on this. Time to get moving. This weekend is more digging out & marking for Garage Sale. I may list a few things on Craigslist..including DS19 Bug. Please pray he sells it SOON!!! That would really help as then he could take over his tuition payments again!

More later after WI.

 

[toystoryduo]

Julie,

I'm sorry to hear about your DH's paycut. My DH had to take one too on the busiest contract he has. It's been okay so far as God has provided for us in other areas.

I think stockpiling and being a bargain shopper are huge blessings during times like this. You do a wonderful job at both! And did I hear that you will be getting a CVS soon?!?!??!? Yippee!!!

I'm sending some your way so that you can still take that cruise. With all that goes on in your life, you definitely need that vacation!

I'm sending prayers and lots of your way. God will work everything out!

 

[goldcupmom]

Exactly right, Tracy! We may not always have everything we want, but God WILL provide us with everything we NEED. We've seen worse times...like 1995 when we moved cross country 3x, made double mortgage/rent payments for 6 months+, then DH lost his new job 30 days after we bought a new house & sat on that one for another 6 months after moving again. But, 2 yrs before I had been in a car accident in Phoenix where I was the only one really injured (broken hand) & when the settlement came, it was EXACTLY enough to pay off enough to keep us out of bankruptcy and to take the kids to WDW for the 1st time....I had had a budgeted low budget 'someday' trip planned before all this happened, and the amount I got in settlement was, to the PENNY exactly the amount of our bills & the trip. Coincidence? I think not!

 

[goldcupmom]

OMG! At WW I was down 3.8!!!!!!!! I am totally in shock!!!

 

[lovinaz]

Wow! Congrats on the loss!!!

I'm sorry to hear about DH's pay cut, hopefully it will only last as long as they predict and you will be able to make things work out.

 

[toystoryduo]

Congrats on the weight loss, Julie!!!!! You are doing a great job!!!!

 

[Lesli54]

Congrats on the lbs down! It is amazing how much you have taken off by being more accountable with your Bugg.

Thinking of you as you and your family work through the cutback.

 

[DisDee]

Hey Julie, found your new journal so I'll be visiting you again. Congrats on the recent weight loss and sorry to hear about DH's pay cut. You are right though...some how things do work out and God does provide for our needs. Keep up the good work!

 

[traceycooper]

congrats on the loss julie
sorry to hear of DH's wage cut - but like you said it could have been much worse!! i hope you still manage to make your vacation

 

[Amy&Dan]

Julie, I am so sorry about the paycut. That really stinks but as you say it could have been worse. It just costs so much to run a household and like you we live paycheck to paycheck. Oh well, we do the best we can and somehow God keeps us under His watch and it all works out.

Congrats on a big loss, that is awesome! You worked hard for that so be proud.

I so hope you go on that cruise! You really need that and deserve it.

I think its great to keep making ds22 pay that $200 a month. Its good for him and you.

I can't wait to hear how dh gets a bit of sticker shock when you take him shopping!

 

[goldcupmom]

Gee, there aren't enough hours in my days! My best intentions of getting on here daily just go right out the window.

So, here's the updates since I last posted:

4/2 -
2957 Cal burned
1007 Cal eaten
1950 Cal deficit
19740 steps
2H 28 m activity

4/3 - Bodybugg site down so no food input
2388 Cal Burned
10037 steps
1H 7 m activity

4/4 - site still down
2326 Cal burned
10799 steps
1H 25 m activity

4/5 -
2662 Cal burned
1050 cal eaten
1612 cal deficit
16615 steps
2H 20 m activity

4/6 -
2765 cal burned
1234 cal eaten
1531 cal deficit
15025 steps
2H 21 m activity

4/7 -
2748 cal burned
1110 cal eaten
1638 cal deficit
18074 steps
2H 33 min activity

4/8 -
2683 cal burned
1250 cal eaten
1433 cal deficit
17991 steps
2H 33 min activity

Tomorrow is WI, but I'm not sure I'm going. I'm living on about 5 - 6 hrs sleep a night as I dont' get home til 10:15, then, of course, there is dinner to put away, dogs to potty & feed before I can get into bed. And I'm the 1st one up daily at 5:30. So, with nightly interruptions, I'm not getting much sleep. But, DH, DS22 & DD are off on Friday, DS19 doesn't have to be up til 9 & I am planning to SLEEP IN!!! If I miss WW, so be it! I don't anticipate much of a loss this week after last week, but either way, I hope to sleep!

The best news I have is that the cruise is ON!!! So, the plan is that I leave here on 7/14 on Amtrak....ALONE...for 3 days. I will be in Chicago on 7/15 for about 3.5 hours, and in DC on 7/16 for about hours. I get to Orlando on 7/17 & the 2 & 3 yr olds are going to get on the train with me & ride to Kissimmee....20 minutes I can handle. The toddlers & mommies are then going to be camping at FtW & I will go to my DSis. 7/18 DSis & I will go to garage sales, breakfast @ panera, pick up water, wine, etc for the cruise & pack. 7/19 DSis, her DH & I will go to Orlando for the day & I will spend the night at FtW with the kids. On 7/24 I pick up DH, DD & DS19 & a van in Tampa & we go to Orlando for 36 hours of power shopping at the outlets....I've started my NEED list & my Christmas lists. Then up early on 7/26 to drive to Ft. Lauderdale, return van & get to pier about 10 a.m. We'll leave for home from Ft. Lauderdale on 8/1 when we get back.

To be continued in next post as I'm afraid this LONG post will crash.....

 

[lovinaz]

Woohoo on the cruise!

And getting to sleep in tomorrow!

 

[goldcupmom]

DS19 just called. He left his cell in class & it is now gone. UGH!!!!! At least I have a back up 'ghetto' phone he can use until he is eligible for his new one on the 27th of this month.

Monday sas 1 month with the Bugg. I took measurements when I started & these are the 1 month results:

Start - 1 month
Abs 43 41.5
upper arm 14.5 13.75
Waist 36 34.5
Hips 41 40
thigh 24 23.75
bust 42 41

So, 6" difference total. I'll be glad when I can start seeing a change. I can tell in some of my clothes, though, which is good.

My hormones have been totally whacked the last week or so. Feel like TOM is just around the corner, but nothing yet. Today my heart is flipping a bit, so maybe soon. Or then again, maybe not.....I'm with the Amy's and want to have a reproductive riot!

My grading job is way ahead of schedule & if we keep up, it looks like we will be done in about 2 weeks instead of 4. Good 'cuz it is SO BORING, Bad 'cuz I'd like the extra money. DS19 has 4 weeks til finals, DD has 5 weeks til finals. Then in 7 weeks she leaves on her 1st cruise of the summer.....lucky duck! 8 days on RCL out of CA & the parents have gotten the 2 girls their own suite. NICE!

Time to now go & pick DS19 up early & see about stopping service to his old phone. grrrrrrrr........

Oh, starting the week of the 20th DH has to take of 1 day every other week...to compensate for the pay reduction. In his brilliance the announced last night it would be "great" as he thinks we should go somewhere those weekends & do things. All I could do was stare....then remind him of WHY he is taking 3 day weekends for 6 months! And yes, the shopping trip was an eye opener for him!

More later.....

 

[toystoryduo]

Yeah Julie!!! I'm glad to hear that the cruise is still on. Your plans for your trip sound like a lot of fun! I bet you are so excited!!!

Were you able to sleep in today?

I hope you have a great day ahead!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Julie, when the horomone burn fest happens, I'll send you an invite! I hate that feeling of having TOM on the horizon but not knowing when or if it will actually happen. So I hear ya on that one.

Men, sometimes you have to sort of HIT them over the head to make them see the light of day Tell him those three day weekends are for home projects while you go to the spa.

Can't belive its finals and summer just around the corner. Hope you get ds' phone squared away.

 

[Lesli54]

The cruise just sounds like so much fun. Although, your pre-cruise plans already have me worn out.

I don't know whether I should be glad or sad for you on test grading. The extra $ would be nice, but I know that it is not your ideal job.

Isn't it amazing how much sticker shock a DH can have? Fortunately, mine nows the cost of food (he sees it daily), but sometimes clothing for kids can surprise him. Of course, I have to admit, that I still have problems coming to terms with how much things cost now-a-days.

Hope you have a great Easter weekend.

 

[traceycooper]

great news that your trip is still on

 

[goldcupmom]

There are just not enough hours in a day anymore.....ugh!!!

I FINALLY finished all 3 kids state taxes....today! Easter has come & gone I leave 3 months from TOMORROW!!!! Sounds like forever, but I know it will go fast.

Rumor has it that the scoring center will have an 'Ohio' job available right after this one & we weren't scheduled to finish til 5/8, but looks like it will be more like 4/21. I will definitely continue on if given the chance.

Today was Day 8 of Jillian's 30 day shred. So far, so good. Except for the scale. I weighed yesterday, & despite of being absolutely spot on w/ points & calories, I've GAINED.....like 3 lbs!!! Stupid hormones!!! But, I know my size is changing. Sunday I wore a pair of pants that BARELY fit 6 weeks ago. I was able to pull them down without undoing them & even the thighs were loose. I also tried on shorts today that I had tried on in Feb & put in my drawer. Got rid of about 1/4 & another 1/4 are on the verge of too big to wear. Sad that all my Adidas shorts that I basically live in are in the 'outta here' pile.....but happy to now be in a Medium!!

Still no car for DS19. Off to get things done....

 

[Amy&Dan]

Julie, I agree: STUPID HORMONES!!! The next three months will fly by and at the rate you are going you will be in a bikini for that cruise. 3 Days alone on the train sounds heavenly. Hope the "Ohio" thing works out, that's more spending money for the cruise.

Don't worry about that gain, it'll be gone in no time. Awesome about the clothes fitting and being in a medium!