Discouraged

I have been feeling a little discouraged lately.  Maybe it is the pregnancy hormones raging in me.  Last night I just started bawling for no reason.  When my husband asked me what was wrong I couldn't tell him.

The state of the economy is really starting to worry me now.  I really wasn't worried for a long time but now things are really starting to effect us.  I have noticed every time I go to the grocery stores, prices have jumped again.  For example, Country Crock has jumped over $1 in price, that is an increase of 50%.  Most thing are 20-30 cents and when they were only a dollar to start with that is a huge percent.  Ray got a piddly raise this year, but I am still grateful for it since not many people got a raise.  The goverment claims that they give the military raises to match inflation or the growth of the economy or something to that fact.  But my grocery budget has been going over every month and I even increased it like I do every year.  I have been using coupons a lot more but the overages are adding up.  I really have been trying to save more this year and that has been a struggle. (I use the coupons when the item is on sale or is less than the brand I normally buy is.)

Now we found out they want to mess with the military retirement.  Before if you did 20 years you got 50% of your base pay every month for the rest of your life.  Ray has 12 years.  We had the plans that he would work about another 20 years after that and so that money would go straight to a retirement plan and we would live off his other income.  But if the plan goes through he would only get 2.5% for each year he has right now which would be shy of 30%.  Then he wouldn't receive that money for another 10+ years after he retired.  So now our retirement plans are pretty much messed up.  Why don't they cut the politicians retirement?  Most of them make millions anyway in other businesses.  There is no way they deserve 100% retirement for the lousy 2-6 years of service they give our country.

Ray and I made the decision that I would stay home and raise the children.  That we would sacrifice that second income and do as the Lord has asked us to.  I feel that the Lord has really blessed us.  We have been able to do a lot for what we make.  But now I am feeling the pressure.  We have been in the house for 7 years and things are starting to wear out.  Our carpet is hideous.  Our paint is nasty.  We have a rotted piece of wood on the back door jam that we need to replace.  I still want to get a fence so my kids can play out in our back yard without stray dogs and kids wandering in.  I'd like to take my children on vacations every year.  But something has to give.  So the fence may have to wait another year so we can fix the back door.  The carpet will take another cleaning and hopefully will last a few more years so we can finish painting the house.  Savings may suffer so I can pay for groceries to feed my kids.

Now just a side note about the groceries.  I do not shop at more expensive grocery stores and I usually buy store brand items.  Our grocery budget it actually probably at least 1/3 less than the average family of 5.  I make homemade meals most often and with less expensive ingredients.

I know the Lord will bless us, I just need to have faith and not listen to the news so much.

Yay, the lawn mower is fixed

Last year our lovely gas lawn motor died for good.  Ray has been wanting to get an electric one forever.  It was September and we finally found one at Lowe's.  We got it for a great price and got a military discount on top of that.  He got it out in May and mowed the lawn.  Then with the drought he didn't have to mow the lawn at all until he got back from school six weeks later (he came home on the weekends.)  It was completely dead so he charged it for over a day and it still wouldn't work.  While it was charging we had a small rainstorm.  That was the only time it got left in the rain.  We were extremely afraid that might have done something.  He found someone in town that does the warranty work for that type of mower.  Well, yesterday he picked up the mower.  It turned out to be a faulty switch, nothing to do with getting wet and was covered under warranty.  So now our lawn is short again.  Yippee.  Paying tithing works.

Independence Day

Last year we were on the road for Independence Day but this year was back to our normal traditions.

 We actually remembered to put out our flag.  We usually forget.

 Grandma and Kimberly ready to watch our own firework display.

 After the first one Kimberly had enough.  Soon after this picture I took her inside and put her down for the night.  Maybe in a few years we can try a big display but not until the kids aren't scared of the noise.

 Some of my better shots.

 Timmy and Sheila actually sat outside for the whole thing although they moved back to the middle of the driveway.

We just had about 10 or so this year.  I think it was the perfect amount for our kids ages.  Maybe next year we will get the next larger package.  Before our fireworks we had our american hotdogs, potato salad, macaroni salad, and watermelon.   We also decorated patriotic sugar cookies.  We didn't attend the parade again this year because it was too hot but that is something I would like to do in the next year or two.

Father's Day

Okay so almost a month late I am finally getting these pictures posted.

I rarely get pictures of Mother's Day and Father's Day so I am going to try to make a better effort at it.  A lot of these pictures turned out a little blurry and that was disappointing plus the nice overflowing garbage and messy desk in the background.  Other than that I love the pictures of Ray with our three current children.

Building together

I ordered a bookshelf and a dresser from Walmart.com and had them shipped to our local store.  We picked up the bookshelf and built it on the 2nd.

 Timmy was a big help.  He wanted to do everything from hammering to using the screw driver.

 The girls even got in on the action.

 Kimberly making sure the screws were tight.

 Timmy helping out daddy get the screws in upside down.

 I love this picture of Kimberly's funny face.  I never seen her make that one before.

 Finally it was time to hammer on the back.

I forgot to get a picture of the finished project but I love the look of the new bookshelf.  We placed it in the living room and took the one from there and put in our room and put the small one in the kids room.  I wish the other place I want to get a new bookshelf for was wide enough for this one because I would buy another one in a heart beat.

We got the dresser last weekend and Ray built it mostly while I was at a bridal shower and when I was reading to the kids.  It is white and went in the kids room.  I liked the look of it but it really is not that white.  I may give it another coat a paint when we paint the kids room later this year or beginning of next year.  Also it has a really cheap cardboard back.  That was disappointing.  Other than that I am pretty happy with it.

Another day at the beach

We do try to go out to the beach at least once a month.  The kids enjoy it, except Kimberly.  She whined the whole time this time so we cut our visit a little short. The water was warmer and the kids ventured in.