I should have known it would happen. What, with working practically every day of the week, between two jobs, and still trying to find time to fit my family in on weekends, when not at work..... yes, January has come to a close already. And for me, I don't feel like I have much to show for it, or report about it.
I managed to get one..... yes, just one, bike ride in for the entire month of January. For any of you who really know me, you know just how sick to my stomach I am about this. I cancelled my Homestead Fitness Club membership this month, because I have been unable to make it work with my current schedule in life, to include exercise and fitness like I have been so used to now for the past several years. And for those of you who really know me, you know just how sick to my stomach I am about this.
I have worked every day of the week, Monday through Friday, this month.... and have also worked one Saturday and one Sunday (both full 24 hours). I put in nearly 45 hours at Westside Pizza the first half of the month, in addition to my 96 hours at the BFD. And for the second half of the month, I will have 70 hours in at Westside, along with 96 hours at the BFD. Crazy...... 72 hours per week the first half of the month, and 83 hours per week for the second half. In addition to all of these hours of work, I have somehow managed to also find the time to get to Biolife and donate plasma a half a dozen times. Another $160 to go directly towards the debt snowball. No wonder January had basically come and gone, and I have really nothing to show for it!!!
Not completely true, though. All of my hard work is slowly paying off and helping to work towards a future of financial peace. I managed to fully pay off and close the account on our first credit card debt. That felt really good!!! Just three more to go now, and the debt snowball is starting to roll.
In addition to making progress with the debt snowball, I have also found time to work on ways to try and save us more money per month, and per year, anywhere I could think of. The first, as I mentioned already, was by cancelling my gym membership. A savings of $40 per month right there, which can now go towards credit card debt. The next thing I did was to look into our home owners insurance, which had gone up by $700 over just the past two years!!! Ridiculous, to say the least. Long story made short, with a lot of work, a really great friend in the insurance business, and determination to make things better for us...... we have a new insurance agent!!! Marty Stauffer has now taken us on with our home owners insurance, as of yesterday morning. The switch didn't save us as much as I was hoping initially, but still came in at $300 per year cheaper! In addition, in 6 months to a year, things will have improved more, and we may see the rates drop again!!! Along with that, I was able to keep our auto insurance with Liberty Mutual, without any rate increase. And in doing so, I discovered that by paying monthly, as opposed to in full annually, we are paying nearly $150 more per year!!! So, I just saved us an additional $150 per year as well, because we will now be paying for our auto insurance in full upon renewal.
I also made a big decision to pull escrow off of our mortgage account. All monies are coming back to me in the next week or so. From now on, I am monthly budgeting the monies and placing them into one of our three savings accounts, where that money will gain .5% interest quarterly, rather than letting an escrow company have it. I will make the payments instead, and reap the rewards of interest gained while the money is in our savings account!!!
I wish I had learned about Dave Ramsey about 20 years ago!!! We would be pretty darned wealthy right now if I had. Oh well, at least we are finally heading in the right direction. If I could just come up with a second job that pays more than minimum wage, it wouldn't be such a slow and painful process. But alas, at least I have a second job that is working around my BFD schedule, is close to home, and that s slowly allowing me to pay down our credit card debt..... much fast than with minimum payments!
The kids have been busy with school and basketball this month. We are wrapping up the basketball season this week and weekend. Sierra had had a really fun time for her first time playing. And Evan has really grown as a basketball player this season. No doubt, football and baseball are his primary sports..... but, the kid loves being active, and has had a really great time playing with his buds.
This coming weekend is Superbowl Sunday already. I can hardly believe it. Evan is very excited. We will be watching it here at home, as a family. Little smokies, chips and dip, and football. :-) We are cheering on the Ravens this year.
I am hoping and praying to have more time for taking care of me in February. I miss cycling so very much. I miss exercise so very much. I miss feeling good about myself so very much. I have backed off my work hours at Westside for the month of February by one day each week. This will give me one day off during the week, besides weekends, to hopefully better take care of myself, and to get some things done that just aren't happening here now.
For now, time to start thinking about and working on taxes. Still waiting for all of the paperwork to arrive, but should be able to get them done in the month of February I would think.
For now, time to start mentally preparing for another long day at Westside......
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
January 1, 2013...... YIKES!!!
YIKES!!! It really happened. A whole year came and went in the blink of my eyes!!! Absolutely crazy, but here I sit, watching the sun rise outside on this first day of January, 2013.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to us all..... and may each and every one of us find new and/or renewed health (physical, spiritual and emotional), happiness and joy in our lives throughout the next twelve months!!!
For today, I pray that all of my family, friends and loved ones are able to just simply relax and take it all in....... reflect on the good things of this past year, and focus forward on plans for the upcoming year ahead as well.
Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of my life. Life.... it's messy sometimes, but I love it just the same!
Time to start thinking about taxes now...... Major Downer! :-(
Have a great day, a fantastic start to January, and a fabulous New Year as well :-)
Oh, and to end on a positive note...... today, I get a 2% pay increase at the BFD, and I also get an $0.11 per hour raise at Westside Pizza!!! Things are already looking up for 2013!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to us all..... and may each and every one of us find new and/or renewed health (physical, spiritual and emotional), happiness and joy in our lives throughout the next twelve months!!!
For today, I pray that all of my family, friends and loved ones are able to just simply relax and take it all in....... reflect on the good things of this past year, and focus forward on plans for the upcoming year ahead as well.
Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of my life. Life.... it's messy sometimes, but I love it just the same!
Time to start thinking about taxes now...... Major Downer! :-(
Have a great day, a fantastic start to January, and a fabulous New Year as well :-)
Oh, and to end on a positive note...... today, I get a 2% pay increase at the BFD, and I also get an $0.11 per hour raise at Westside Pizza!!! Things are already looking up for 2013!!!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Bringing The Year To Close.....
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve day already! How crazy is that?!?!?!?!?!?!
This year has come and gone so fast, it scares me to think about the years ahead. Our kids just keep growing up faster and faster, and our lives just keep getting busier and busier. More and more things seem to be finding their way into our lives, and yet, as long as I can be a part of them with my family, then I am happy.
Christmas was different and very special for us here this year. For the very first time since Tracie and I have lived here (21 years), my mom and dad (Grammy & Papa) came up and celebrated Christmas with us! This was a monumental event for us both, and an even bigger deal to Evan and Sierra! We have always either spent Christmas by going south to Portland, or spent it alone here, or have had Tracie's family come up and join us. So, this was a pretty big deal. And, it turned out to be a great Christmas!!!
Grammy, Papa and aunt Janice all came up on the 23rd. We all went out for a very nice Christmas Eve dinner at Giuseppe's restaurant in Bellingham, before attending Christmas Eve service at CTK. Our incredible little girl, Sierra, along with her big heart for God, had done an outstanding job at collecting over 750 food items to give to the CTK food bank the week before Christmas. This touched Pastor Grant's heart in a big way, and he happened to include her story in his sermon, along with a photo of her and all of her food as she delivered it! It was a very special moment of recognition for Sierra, and one that Grammy, Papa, Janice and uncle Brad all didn't see coming. It made our Christmas Eve just that much more special. :-)
Of course, on the not so much fun side of things...... with my current state of work schedules, and with every weekend being filled up, and with kids around... Tracie and I hadn't done even one bit of Christmas shopping up until Christmas Eve day!!! And so, we were out the door at 7am, just the two of us, off to get every bot of our shopping done while the kids stayed home with Grammy, Papa and aunt Janice. I am so very thankful that this year it was brought to my attention that I am able to cash out two of my vacation days for the next year, and that the money from doing so came on my December 10th paycheck!!! This made our Christmas shopping experience about 200% better than I can remember it being in years past!!! Since we do NOT have credit cards, and do NOT use credit or borrow money to pay for things any longer..... cash is our only option. Although I will have two less days of vacation next year, it was most certainly worth it!!! :-)
Christmas Day was most excellent!!! To have Grammy, Papa, aunt Janice and uncle Brad all here with us...... what a fun morning we all had. The gift opening lasted for a couple of hours. And the gifts were all wonderful. I do believe that all of us gave and received things that were unexpected, and that brought lots of joy and happiness to us all. Quite seriously, though, I was just loving the fact that for the first time in 21 years, my immediate family was all gathered in our home on Christmas Day!!! :-)
We had way too much food all day long, followed by a prime rib roast and Papa's scalloped potatoes, along with Grammy's green beans for dinner. I do believe that the word of the day for us this Christmas was.... Glutton!!!
Another very cool thing about Christmas here this year...... it snowed!!!!! Yes, we had a little bit of a white Christmas. It wasn't a lot, and it didn't stay.....but it snowed, and it was pretty, and it just felt right!!! :-)
The next day, Grandma and Grandpa Fornshell came up to visit with us, and to stay to celebrate New Years with us. So, we had a house full of family for a day and half. Grammy, Papa and aunt Janice left to go back home on Friday, the 28th, as I headed off to work my very last shift of the year at the BFD.
I am now done working at station 4, and am done at the BFD for 2012. I will start my new watch on January 3rd, out of the big house, station 1, B-shift. Already looking forward to the change, and excited to get back into the swing of fitness and health once again, after letting things go these past few months.
It has been a very difficult adjustment for me, with picking up a second (part-time) job back in October. I took on working for Westside Pizza in Everson on my days off from the BFD, with exception of the weekends. Pretty much, any day of the week (M-F) that I am not at the BFD, I am working at Westside Pizza now. I have kept weekends open (unless I am at the BFD) so I can at least have some time with my family. I work at Westside from 11am until we get through that dinner rush, which can be as early as 5:30pm, but usually winds up being 6:30-7:30pm. And so, I wind up putting in anywhere from 21 to 32 hours per week at the second job, along with my standard 48 hours per week at the BFD. With my new schedule, I am working between 61 and 80 hours each week now, while still trying to keep weekends free and clear as often as possible. This has had a definite negative effect on me personally. My physical health has declined substantially, as my ability to get my regular fitness and cycling routines in diminished greatly. And with being so very, very tired all of the time, it has been extremely difficult to get out of bed at 3:30am to head to the gym and workout before starting my day. I thought that I would be able to keep things going strong with workouts while at work on shift at the BFD, but the fact is that I am so tired on those days, that I try to use any down time we may have to try and rest and recover! Because my physical health has gone by the wayside so much, my mental health and attitude certainly took a turn for the worse! I am not happy about that, or proud to admit it. But it is true.... I am not the same happy and healthy person that I was just a few months ago. And, it is time to change that!!!
All of that to say, the second job is both a blessing and a curse to me. I am lucky to have been able to find such a job, that is so close to home, and that works around my schedule without any problem at all, in a time when so many can't seem to find work at all. I am lucky to have found a way to bring in additional income to our current financial situation, that we have been so desperately in need of now for such a long time. I am lucky to have been able to earn just enough money from this second job to afford me to follow Dave Ramsey's plan for financial peace, through getting rid of any and all credit cards, through building up an emergency fund that is separate from our other monies, and to be able to begin working on paying off all of our debt through the debt snowball plan. I am cursed by having this second job in that I am missing out on a whole lot with my kids now that I used to be able to take part in. I am missing out on being with my family at the same level that I have been accustomed to for the past eleven years. And I am cursed by what this new work schedule has done to my fitness and health and cycling routines.
But, after doing this now for the past couple of months, I am getting adjusted to this new life. And with the new year coming, I have committed to myself that I WILL find a way to make fitness, health and cycling all a priority once again. I WILL find a way and a time to include these things back into my life, and into my busy schedule. I know how good I feel, and how much more energy I have, and how much happier I am when I have regular exercise and bicycling in my life!!! I WILL persevere!!!
Good new has come to me as we prepare to start 2013. I recently discovered that I will receive a 2% pay increase at the BFD, starting January 1st. In addition, WA state has increased minimum wage beginning January 1, to $9.15 per hour. So, I will be also getting an $0.11 per hour increase at Westside Pizza!!! Every little bit helps, I suppose. :-)
More good news...... apparently the Myans were wrong?!?!?!?!?!?! The world didn't end on December 21st, as so many were expecting. Hmmmm.... Those crazy, lyin' Myans!!! :-)
On a bitter-sweet note.... December 21st would have been great grandpa's 95th birthday, if he were still with us here. However, instead he got to celebrate his 1st birthday in heaven..... and I am so very happy for him. :-)
As we jump into January of 2013, I can see that our calendar is already filled up with work, school, basketball for both kids, drum lessons for Evan, getting the Christmas stuff taken down and put away, getting the house cleaned and organized once again, and beginning to put everything in order to start working on our 2012 taxes..... always a joy!
I can see the writing on the wall....... it is going to be February before we even know it!!! :-)
I certainly hope that everyone else enjoyed Christmas this year as much as we did here. And I hope that everyone is able to enjoy and celebrate New Years tomorrow evening, safely, with family and friends!
The days are getting longer now, and although we are in the Winter season, I am looking forward to sunnier and warmer and drier days ahead.... I know they are coming eventually! ;-)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
This year has come and gone so fast, it scares me to think about the years ahead. Our kids just keep growing up faster and faster, and our lives just keep getting busier and busier. More and more things seem to be finding their way into our lives, and yet, as long as I can be a part of them with my family, then I am happy.
Christmas was different and very special for us here this year. For the very first time since Tracie and I have lived here (21 years), my mom and dad (Grammy & Papa) came up and celebrated Christmas with us! This was a monumental event for us both, and an even bigger deal to Evan and Sierra! We have always either spent Christmas by going south to Portland, or spent it alone here, or have had Tracie's family come up and join us. So, this was a pretty big deal. And, it turned out to be a great Christmas!!!
Grammy, Papa and aunt Janice all came up on the 23rd. We all went out for a very nice Christmas Eve dinner at Giuseppe's restaurant in Bellingham, before attending Christmas Eve service at CTK. Our incredible little girl, Sierra, along with her big heart for God, had done an outstanding job at collecting over 750 food items to give to the CTK food bank the week before Christmas. This touched Pastor Grant's heart in a big way, and he happened to include her story in his sermon, along with a photo of her and all of her food as she delivered it! It was a very special moment of recognition for Sierra, and one that Grammy, Papa, Janice and uncle Brad all didn't see coming. It made our Christmas Eve just that much more special. :-)
Of course, on the not so much fun side of things...... with my current state of work schedules, and with every weekend being filled up, and with kids around... Tracie and I hadn't done even one bit of Christmas shopping up until Christmas Eve day!!! And so, we were out the door at 7am, just the two of us, off to get every bot of our shopping done while the kids stayed home with Grammy, Papa and aunt Janice. I am so very thankful that this year it was brought to my attention that I am able to cash out two of my vacation days for the next year, and that the money from doing so came on my December 10th paycheck!!! This made our Christmas shopping experience about 200% better than I can remember it being in years past!!! Since we do NOT have credit cards, and do NOT use credit or borrow money to pay for things any longer..... cash is our only option. Although I will have two less days of vacation next year, it was most certainly worth it!!! :-)
Christmas Day was most excellent!!! To have Grammy, Papa, aunt Janice and uncle Brad all here with us...... what a fun morning we all had. The gift opening lasted for a couple of hours. And the gifts were all wonderful. I do believe that all of us gave and received things that were unexpected, and that brought lots of joy and happiness to us all. Quite seriously, though, I was just loving the fact that for the first time in 21 years, my immediate family was all gathered in our home on Christmas Day!!! :-)
We had way too much food all day long, followed by a prime rib roast and Papa's scalloped potatoes, along with Grammy's green beans for dinner. I do believe that the word of the day for us this Christmas was.... Glutton!!!
Another very cool thing about Christmas here this year...... it snowed!!!!! Yes, we had a little bit of a white Christmas. It wasn't a lot, and it didn't stay.....but it snowed, and it was pretty, and it just felt right!!! :-)
The next day, Grandma and Grandpa Fornshell came up to visit with us, and to stay to celebrate New Years with us. So, we had a house full of family for a day and half. Grammy, Papa and aunt Janice left to go back home on Friday, the 28th, as I headed off to work my very last shift of the year at the BFD.
I am now done working at station 4, and am done at the BFD for 2012. I will start my new watch on January 3rd, out of the big house, station 1, B-shift. Already looking forward to the change, and excited to get back into the swing of fitness and health once again, after letting things go these past few months.
It has been a very difficult adjustment for me, with picking up a second (part-time) job back in October. I took on working for Westside Pizza in Everson on my days off from the BFD, with exception of the weekends. Pretty much, any day of the week (M-F) that I am not at the BFD, I am working at Westside Pizza now. I have kept weekends open (unless I am at the BFD) so I can at least have some time with my family. I work at Westside from 11am until we get through that dinner rush, which can be as early as 5:30pm, but usually winds up being 6:30-7:30pm. And so, I wind up putting in anywhere from 21 to 32 hours per week at the second job, along with my standard 48 hours per week at the BFD. With my new schedule, I am working between 61 and 80 hours each week now, while still trying to keep weekends free and clear as often as possible. This has had a definite negative effect on me personally. My physical health has declined substantially, as my ability to get my regular fitness and cycling routines in diminished greatly. And with being so very, very tired all of the time, it has been extremely difficult to get out of bed at 3:30am to head to the gym and workout before starting my day. I thought that I would be able to keep things going strong with workouts while at work on shift at the BFD, but the fact is that I am so tired on those days, that I try to use any down time we may have to try and rest and recover! Because my physical health has gone by the wayside so much, my mental health and attitude certainly took a turn for the worse! I am not happy about that, or proud to admit it. But it is true.... I am not the same happy and healthy person that I was just a few months ago. And, it is time to change that!!!
All of that to say, the second job is both a blessing and a curse to me. I am lucky to have been able to find such a job, that is so close to home, and that works around my schedule without any problem at all, in a time when so many can't seem to find work at all. I am lucky to have found a way to bring in additional income to our current financial situation, that we have been so desperately in need of now for such a long time. I am lucky to have been able to earn just enough money from this second job to afford me to follow Dave Ramsey's plan for financial peace, through getting rid of any and all credit cards, through building up an emergency fund that is separate from our other monies, and to be able to begin working on paying off all of our debt through the debt snowball plan. I am cursed by having this second job in that I am missing out on a whole lot with my kids now that I used to be able to take part in. I am missing out on being with my family at the same level that I have been accustomed to for the past eleven years. And I am cursed by what this new work schedule has done to my fitness and health and cycling routines.
But, after doing this now for the past couple of months, I am getting adjusted to this new life. And with the new year coming, I have committed to myself that I WILL find a way to make fitness, health and cycling all a priority once again. I WILL find a way and a time to include these things back into my life, and into my busy schedule. I know how good I feel, and how much more energy I have, and how much happier I am when I have regular exercise and bicycling in my life!!! I WILL persevere!!!
Good new has come to me as we prepare to start 2013. I recently discovered that I will receive a 2% pay increase at the BFD, starting January 1st. In addition, WA state has increased minimum wage beginning January 1, to $9.15 per hour. So, I will be also getting an $0.11 per hour increase at Westside Pizza!!! Every little bit helps, I suppose. :-)
More good news...... apparently the Myans were wrong?!?!?!?!?!?! The world didn't end on December 21st, as so many were expecting. Hmmmm.... Those crazy, lyin' Myans!!! :-)
On a bitter-sweet note.... December 21st would have been great grandpa's 95th birthday, if he were still with us here. However, instead he got to celebrate his 1st birthday in heaven..... and I am so very happy for him. :-)
As we jump into January of 2013, I can see that our calendar is already filled up with work, school, basketball for both kids, drum lessons for Evan, getting the Christmas stuff taken down and put away, getting the house cleaned and organized once again, and beginning to put everything in order to start working on our 2012 taxes..... always a joy!
I can see the writing on the wall....... it is going to be February before we even know it!!! :-)
I certainly hope that everyone else enjoyed Christmas this year as much as we did here. And I hope that everyone is able to enjoy and celebrate New Years tomorrow evening, safely, with family and friends!
The days are getting longer now, and although we are in the Winter season, I am looking forward to sunnier and warmer and drier days ahead.... I know they are coming eventually! ;-)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas Break Has Arrived!!!
Today officially starts Christmas break for our kids. NO SCHOOL!!! No school, starting today, and all of the way into January of 2013!!! Yes, both kids are quite happy about this. :-)
For me, this is a reminder that Christmas is very fast approaching now. Just one week away, with only this weekend ahead to do our Christmas shopping. Yes, you read that correctly..... we have NOT done one bit of shopping for Christmas as of today. WHY? Well, because of a lack of sufficient funds up until my paycheck came on the 10th. And then, because of a lack of time available to do any shopping since then!!!
Interestingly, it seems that when I make any sort of comment on Facebook about not being happy or excited about having to work my second job at Westside Pizza, I tend to get all sorts of negative feedback from people, letting me know how that this is how their work lives and home lives are all of the time. :-(
My first response to this is, if that is completely true..... then I am really sorry for each and every one of them. That breaks my hear for them. I wouldn't wish for any of my friends or family members to be stuck working 60-65 hours each week, with 24 hour shifts thrown in to the mix twice a week, and having to work weekends and holidays as well. :-(
My second response to this is, I am guessing that most of the people who are making such comments don't actually realize that I am now working 60-65 hours a week, with 24 hour shifts thrown in twice a week, and still have to work weekends and holidays!!!
The fact that I may complain about having to work a second job, for minimum wage, at a pizza joint, where I am 12 years older than the owner, and old enough to be every other employee's dad (thus, don't exactly fit in perfectly)........ well, it really has nothing to do about the job itself!!! No, it really has everything to do with how it has altered my personal and family life...... missing out on very important life events in my kids' lives, missing out on things I have been a part of for the past 11 years, missing out on my routine of fitness and health and cycling lifestyle, and simply feeling like I am now more or less just a "part time" dad.
I know that others have to work long hours, five or six days a week, etc. But the fact is, that is NOT the career path I chose. At an early age, I started down a career path that would afford me a wonderful work schedule, and would allow me to have plenty of time off to be with my family and lead the life I wanted to lead. For the past 22 years, I have enjoyed the firefighter work schedule and lifestyle, because I worked very, very, very hard to earn the position of professional, career firefighter.
So please, excuse me just a bit if I come across as though I don't care about everyone elses work schedules or routines, etc. That really isn't the case at all. Simply, I care more about what I have recently given up, and how it is effecting me and my family.
I most certainly hope that this will be a short term pain experience, which will bring about long term gains. I pray for that, in fact, daily. This is not a situation I ever planned to be in, or thought I would be in. I can only pray that sometime this next year, a light may begin to shine at the end of the tunnel, and that it will grow brighter and brighter. I really do not want to be working at the pizza place a year from now..... in fact, I really hope to not be working there in six months from now. But, I will do what I have to do in order to help my family out of the mess that I put us in.
OK, stepping down from my soap box now........ whew!!!
So, Christmas break is here. The kids are out of school. And today, it is cold and snowing, and the wind is blowing! We no longer have any TV in our home, and I will leave for work at 10:40am, and not be home until after dinner this evening. I have no idea what these kids are going to do with their day...... I can hear them both already, "I'm bored. There's nothing to do" :-)
But alas, the weekend will be here in a few days, and we will be very busy once again. Grammy and Papa will be here on Sunday, and hopefully Tracie and I will be able to go do our Christmas shopping. I have six days off beginning on Saturday, so I will get to spend time with my family, and enjoy Christmas at home!!!
Time for more coffee......
For me, this is a reminder that Christmas is very fast approaching now. Just one week away, with only this weekend ahead to do our Christmas shopping. Yes, you read that correctly..... we have NOT done one bit of shopping for Christmas as of today. WHY? Well, because of a lack of sufficient funds up until my paycheck came on the 10th. And then, because of a lack of time available to do any shopping since then!!!
Interestingly, it seems that when I make any sort of comment on Facebook about not being happy or excited about having to work my second job at Westside Pizza, I tend to get all sorts of negative feedback from people, letting me know how that this is how their work lives and home lives are all of the time. :-(
My first response to this is, if that is completely true..... then I am really sorry for each and every one of them. That breaks my hear for them. I wouldn't wish for any of my friends or family members to be stuck working 60-65 hours each week, with 24 hour shifts thrown in to the mix twice a week, and having to work weekends and holidays as well. :-(
My second response to this is, I am guessing that most of the people who are making such comments don't actually realize that I am now working 60-65 hours a week, with 24 hour shifts thrown in twice a week, and still have to work weekends and holidays!!!
The fact that I may complain about having to work a second job, for minimum wage, at a pizza joint, where I am 12 years older than the owner, and old enough to be every other employee's dad (thus, don't exactly fit in perfectly)........ well, it really has nothing to do about the job itself!!! No, it really has everything to do with how it has altered my personal and family life...... missing out on very important life events in my kids' lives, missing out on things I have been a part of for the past 11 years, missing out on my routine of fitness and health and cycling lifestyle, and simply feeling like I am now more or less just a "part time" dad.
I know that others have to work long hours, five or six days a week, etc. But the fact is, that is NOT the career path I chose. At an early age, I started down a career path that would afford me a wonderful work schedule, and would allow me to have plenty of time off to be with my family and lead the life I wanted to lead. For the past 22 years, I have enjoyed the firefighter work schedule and lifestyle, because I worked very, very, very hard to earn the position of professional, career firefighter.
So please, excuse me just a bit if I come across as though I don't care about everyone elses work schedules or routines, etc. That really isn't the case at all. Simply, I care more about what I have recently given up, and how it is effecting me and my family.
I most certainly hope that this will be a short term pain experience, which will bring about long term gains. I pray for that, in fact, daily. This is not a situation I ever planned to be in, or thought I would be in. I can only pray that sometime this next year, a light may begin to shine at the end of the tunnel, and that it will grow brighter and brighter. I really do not want to be working at the pizza place a year from now..... in fact, I really hope to not be working there in six months from now. But, I will do what I have to do in order to help my family out of the mess that I put us in.
OK, stepping down from my soap box now........ whew!!!
So, Christmas break is here. The kids are out of school. And today, it is cold and snowing, and the wind is blowing! We no longer have any TV in our home, and I will leave for work at 10:40am, and not be home until after dinner this evening. I have no idea what these kids are going to do with their day...... I can hear them both already, "I'm bored. There's nothing to do" :-)
But alas, the weekend will be here in a few days, and we will be very busy once again. Grammy and Papa will be here on Sunday, and hopefully Tracie and I will be able to go do our Christmas shopping. I have six days off beginning on Saturday, so I will get to spend time with my family, and enjoy Christmas at home!!!
Time for more coffee......
Friday, November 30, 2012
Here We Go...... December!!!
Tomorrow brings us to the final month of 2012, and the beginning of the Christmas season once again around here. It seems crazy to think that in the blink of just four weeks, we will be starting a brand new year once again! I have no doubt at all that December is going to come and go faster than any other month this entire year for us...... as I have the calendar of events right here in front of me.
Tomorrow, the first day of December, and also a Saturday..... starts us off busy! Evan has his very first basketball game of the season, in Ferndale at 11am. After his game, Evan will be going to a birthday party and sleepover for his friend, Halston. They will head to the movie theater at 3pm, then back to Halston's place for the night. This will be our first year without having Evan with us as we head off to the annual Lynden lighted Christmas parade tomorrow evening..... bittersweet for sure! We love that or boy is growing up, and has fun things to go do with good friends, and yet, a little piece of our hearts break at losing a little piece of tradition that we have had since he was a tiny little guy!!!
On Sunday, we will attend our regular church service. We will also be making arrangements to get Evan back home with us again, so we can head back to CTK Bellingham in the evening, for the CTK Christmas CD release concert, at 7pm. A great way to kick off our December, and get into the Christmas season spirit....... a Christmas parade, followed by a Christmas concert!!!
Our first week in December will find me working three full days at Westside Pizza, and two full 24 hour shifts at the BFD.....and so, I will not be around at all until the next Saturday once again. :-(
While I am gone all week, Tracie will be tasked with basketball practices for both kids, Evan's first Pep Band gig at a basketball game, early release and late arrival one day for school, volunteering in Sierra's class at school (in addition to her normal work schedule at the school), getting Evan to his drum lesson on Thursday, and then heading out for her girls night out on Thursday night, whenever I finally get home from Westside Pizza.
On Saturday the 8th, Evan has another basketball game, smack in the middle of the afternoon, at 2:30pm. We have a party to attend that day as well, which starts at noon. That day also appears to really be the only good day for us to go as a family to get our Christmas tree, unless we want to wait another week, and only have the tree up for half of the month this year!
On Sunday the 9th, Uncle Brad and I take Evan and his good friend Adam down to Seattle, via the Amtrak train, to watch the Seattle Seahawks play against the Arizona Cardinals!!! This should be a really great, fun and long day for us all. :-)
On Monday the 10th, Evan has his very first band concert for school, at 7pm. We are very excited to see how much he has learned, since he really seems to enjoy music, and band class, as well as his private drum lessons!
I will only work two full days at Westside Pizza that week, along with only one 24 hour shift at the BFD..... so that I can attend the band concert on Monday, as well as Sierra's school Christmas Program on Thursday afternoon!!! Evan will again have another Pep Band gig that week, for another basketball game. I will have the first of my two visits to the medical clinic, to get my annual BFD physical taken care of.
Then, it will be Saturday the 15th, just that fast! If all goes as planned, I am hoping to take the family down to take in the Warm Beach Lights of Christmas. Of course, Evan has a basketball game at 3pm, and, depending on the previous Saturday, we may or may not be needing to go and get our Christmas tree!!! Oy Vay......
The week of the 17th through the 21st, Evan has yet another Pep Band gig, another drum lesson, more basketball practice. Sierra also has more basketball practice, and I go back to working three full days at Westside Pizza again, along with two full 24 hour shifts at the BFD again. So, for me, it will be Sunday the 16th.....and then, Saturday the 22nd, just like that!!!
Grammy and Papa and aunt Janice will arrive at our place on Sunday, the 23rd. They will be here to celebrate Christmas with us this year, the very first time in nearly 22 years that we have lived up here!!! Amazing...... the kids are so happy and excited. they have been waiting for Grammy and Papa to be with us on Christmas for years now!!!
I will not work at Westside Pizza from the 22nd on through the end of the month...... only the BFD on the 28th. Time to be with my family for a while, and enjoy the season of Christmas.....even if for only a matter of days for me this year.
As soon as Grammy and Papa and aunt Janice leave us, Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Larry will arrive, to ring in the New Year with us this year.
And so, there it comes and goes...... the Month of December!!! It will be a whirlwind, and my head is already spinning. I am sad to know how much I am going to miss, but hopeful that someone will get photos and video of Evan at his Pep Band gigs for me to see. I will at least be there for both kids' Christmas Programs, and to see their basketball games..... that makes me very happy.
WHEW...... there is the rundown..... if you don't see from me or hear from me this month... I apologize. Nothing personal. In fact, if you like, you can come to Westside for a pizza, or call in and ask for me to deliver to you!!! :-)
Seasons greetings.... Happy Holidays.... and most importantly, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Tomorrow, the first day of December, and also a Saturday..... starts us off busy! Evan has his very first basketball game of the season, in Ferndale at 11am. After his game, Evan will be going to a birthday party and sleepover for his friend, Halston. They will head to the movie theater at 3pm, then back to Halston's place for the night. This will be our first year without having Evan with us as we head off to the annual Lynden lighted Christmas parade tomorrow evening..... bittersweet for sure! We love that or boy is growing up, and has fun things to go do with good friends, and yet, a little piece of our hearts break at losing a little piece of tradition that we have had since he was a tiny little guy!!!
On Sunday, we will attend our regular church service. We will also be making arrangements to get Evan back home with us again, so we can head back to CTK Bellingham in the evening, for the CTK Christmas CD release concert, at 7pm. A great way to kick off our December, and get into the Christmas season spirit....... a Christmas parade, followed by a Christmas concert!!!
Our first week in December will find me working three full days at Westside Pizza, and two full 24 hour shifts at the BFD.....and so, I will not be around at all until the next Saturday once again. :-(
While I am gone all week, Tracie will be tasked with basketball practices for both kids, Evan's first Pep Band gig at a basketball game, early release and late arrival one day for school, volunteering in Sierra's class at school (in addition to her normal work schedule at the school), getting Evan to his drum lesson on Thursday, and then heading out for her girls night out on Thursday night, whenever I finally get home from Westside Pizza.
On Saturday the 8th, Evan has another basketball game, smack in the middle of the afternoon, at 2:30pm. We have a party to attend that day as well, which starts at noon. That day also appears to really be the only good day for us to go as a family to get our Christmas tree, unless we want to wait another week, and only have the tree up for half of the month this year!
On Sunday the 9th, Uncle Brad and I take Evan and his good friend Adam down to Seattle, via the Amtrak train, to watch the Seattle Seahawks play against the Arizona Cardinals!!! This should be a really great, fun and long day for us all. :-)
On Monday the 10th, Evan has his very first band concert for school, at 7pm. We are very excited to see how much he has learned, since he really seems to enjoy music, and band class, as well as his private drum lessons!
I will only work two full days at Westside Pizza that week, along with only one 24 hour shift at the BFD..... so that I can attend the band concert on Monday, as well as Sierra's school Christmas Program on Thursday afternoon!!! Evan will again have another Pep Band gig that week, for another basketball game. I will have the first of my two visits to the medical clinic, to get my annual BFD physical taken care of.
Then, it will be Saturday the 15th, just that fast! If all goes as planned, I am hoping to take the family down to take in the Warm Beach Lights of Christmas. Of course, Evan has a basketball game at 3pm, and, depending on the previous Saturday, we may or may not be needing to go and get our Christmas tree!!! Oy Vay......
The week of the 17th through the 21st, Evan has yet another Pep Band gig, another drum lesson, more basketball practice. Sierra also has more basketball practice, and I go back to working three full days at Westside Pizza again, along with two full 24 hour shifts at the BFD again. So, for me, it will be Sunday the 16th.....and then, Saturday the 22nd, just like that!!!
Grammy and Papa and aunt Janice will arrive at our place on Sunday, the 23rd. They will be here to celebrate Christmas with us this year, the very first time in nearly 22 years that we have lived up here!!! Amazing...... the kids are so happy and excited. they have been waiting for Grammy and Papa to be with us on Christmas for years now!!!
I will not work at Westside Pizza from the 22nd on through the end of the month...... only the BFD on the 28th. Time to be with my family for a while, and enjoy the season of Christmas.....even if for only a matter of days for me this year.
As soon as Grammy and Papa and aunt Janice leave us, Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Larry will arrive, to ring in the New Year with us this year.
And so, there it comes and goes...... the Month of December!!! It will be a whirlwind, and my head is already spinning. I am sad to know how much I am going to miss, but hopeful that someone will get photos and video of Evan at his Pep Band gigs for me to see. I will at least be there for both kids' Christmas Programs, and to see their basketball games..... that makes me very happy.
WHEW...... there is the rundown..... if you don't see from me or hear from me this month... I apologize. Nothing personal. In fact, if you like, you can come to Westside for a pizza, or call in and ask for me to deliver to you!!! :-)
Seasons greetings.... Happy Holidays.... and most importantly, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thankful.....
Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!!!
We all have so very much to be thankful for. I pray that every one of us will remember to give thanks and praise to Jesus Christ, for He is the very reason that we have anything at all to be thankful for!!!
With all of the things that I can, and often do, let bother me and get me down..... I choose to put them all away this weekend, and focus only on the goodness and greatness of our God. I choose to give thanks for all of the blessings that are provided to me and my family each and every day.
I also choose to remember the millions of people around the world who have nothing in comparison to what I have. I choose to cry out to God on their behalf.
Give thanks and praise. Be thankful. Live, laugh and love.
We all have so very much to be thankful for. I pray that every one of us will remember to give thanks and praise to Jesus Christ, for He is the very reason that we have anything at all to be thankful for!!!
With all of the things that I can, and often do, let bother me and get me down..... I choose to put them all away this weekend, and focus only on the goodness and greatness of our God. I choose to give thanks for all of the blessings that are provided to me and my family each and every day.
I also choose to remember the millions of people around the world who have nothing in comparison to what I have. I choose to cry out to God on their behalf.
Give thanks and praise. Be thankful. Live, laugh and love.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A Case of the Blues Month.....
No, I am not writing today to seek sympathy or pity. I write this today simply for me. Something to hopefully one day look back when things are much better. Something to be able to reflect on in different times than now. This post is for me, and to just put my feelings out there..... not on FB or other social media, where I have managed to outcast myself by being "too open", "too honest", and "sharing too much".
This is my personal blog, which I keep as my own personal journal of sorts..... just not on a daily basis. So please, if you are reading this post today, do not feel sorry for me, or think that I am asking for you to feel sorry for me. Please do not think that I am looking for anything from anyone. I am asking God for those things already!!!
With that all said...... here is what I am feeling today:
As the title says, this is a month of the blues for me. I have been feeling blue, down, out of sorts, out of health, out of my comfort zone, out of life the way I have known it for some time now. I have not been in great spirits, or very positive attitude this past month. My world has changed, rather dramatically..... a whole new paradigm for me, and not one I was really looking forward to, or excited about. This whole new way of life for me has come because of me, so I can't blame anyone else but myself. And yet, I am disgruntled because of the situation that I am now in. I am frustrated at my situation, and disappointed in myself, for ever having let things come to this point in my life.
Because of this new paradigm shift, and new life schedule that I have taken on over the past month, a lot of things have changed for me, and not all in a very good way. My physical health has taken a beating. I have not been able to figure out how to fit my fitness into this new routine as of yet. And that really bothers me. I feel fat, out of shape, and generally unhealthy right now..... and I do not like that at all. My bike has sat in the garage, unridden now for a full month! This really has me down, since this is not only my hobby, but my health.... both physically and mentally. I was so very close to reaching and/or surpassing my goal of 3,500 miles for the year, and now I don't know if I can or will even reach the goal. And as I have come to learn quite some time ago, when my physical health health isn't doing well, my mental health takes a beating as well.
To add insult to injury, this new schedule, which includes working from 11am until typically 6-7 or 7:30pm most of my days off from the BFD, keeps me away from my family more than I have ever been before. My only real time with Evan and Sierra now gets to be right as they are winding down for the evenings, getting ready to go to bed. Or, in the mornings, when they are getting started, and heading off to school. The only exception to that being that I have so far kept my Saturday's and Sundays open, if I am not scheduled to work at the BFD. So, at least I get one, sometimes two days a week to bee home with them.
I know that this may seem to be a normal thing for most people. But for me, it is not. I chose a wonderful career as a firefighter, which provides a great shift work schedule, which allows more time at home with family than the typical 9-5 work schedule tends to. I have never worked a 9-5 job in the past 21 years, and have had the luxury of being able to be active and present in my kids' lives a great deal..... right up until just over a month ago now. And I will not lie, this has been extremely difficult for me to handle. I do not like it one bit. And my heart has been broken a bit in not being around my kids as much as I am used to being. Yesterday really brought that to the front for me...... both kids didn't have school yesterday, and don't have school again today either. I realized that as I was preparing to head out to work all day at Westside Pizza. And again, today, I will be working all day at Westide Pizza. Of course, I will have tomorrow off from both jobs, and the kids will be back in school.
So, yes, I am having a bit of a pity party here. But no, I am not looking for pity from anyone else here. This is just a place for me to express myself, for me, and me only. This is a means for me to vent my frustrations, concerns, worries, angers, hurts, etc. And I truly hope that one day, much sooner than later, I will be able to come back and read this from a much better place than I am in right now.
I know in my heart and my soul that I still have so very much to be thankful for. I really do. And with Thanksgiving coming up next week, I will choose to reflect on those things, and plan to give thanks and praise to God for all of the good and wonderful things that He has done for me, given to me, and continues to give and do for me, and for my family and loved ones. I will choose to put others before myself, and realize that I have been down before, and God helped me get back up and get going again. I am certain that I will find my way out of this situation in time, somehow, some way.
For now, I just needed to put down how I am feeling, where I am at, what I am thinking. For me. No, it doesn't take care of everything. In fact, it hasn't really changed anything. I still have to go to work today, for minimum wage, at a pizza joint, on my day off from work, while my kids are at home with no school. But, it makes me feel better just a little bit, being able to off-load my feelings in some way, other than expressing it through anger and frustration, at those who don't deserve it. I am not pleased one bit about having to take on a second job, and yet, I will praise God that he has allowed me the opportunity to have this job, in a time when there are so many people struggling to just find work. I don't enjoy being the oldest employee at my second job, by 14 years over the owner (and my boss), and old enough to be most of the other employees' dad...... but I will thank God for the opportunity to represent Jesus, and to hopefully be an example to others as I work with them.
Has this been the best month or so of my life....... not even close! And yet, has this been the worst month or so of my life.... NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! This is what I need to remember. This is what I need to hang on to. I, at one time, was in a much deeper and darker place in my life than I am even remotely close to being right now. And back then, I didn't have Jesus. I was doing life on my own.... and it wasn't working very well. Now, I have Jesus on my side, and a family worth everything to me.......... and that makes a huge difference! With Christ, all things are possible...... so, I know that according to His planning and timing, I will manage to get through this.
For now, I need to work at keeping my chin up and shoulders back. I need to sit down and figure out how to plan out my days better, knowing that my old schedule just isn't working anymore. I need to figure out how to incorporate the vitally important aspect of fitness back into my life, so I can re-energize once again, and allow the endorphins to run through my blood and bring back the energy and happiness and satisfaction that comes with regular exercise. I need to plan it out, and then commit to it, and get started once again.
And, I need to pray, pray, pray...... and pray some more. I know God wants to hear from me. And I do pray..... but mostly only for everyone else, and not for myself. I need to start praying for me as well..... for I am also important, and I also matter.
OK..... enough of the blues. Enough of the pity party. Enough of the dwelling on the things I am not happy about but can't change. Time to work on changing what I can change, and time to start praying earnestly for God to bring change to those other things. Time to start a new day.
This is my personal blog, which I keep as my own personal journal of sorts..... just not on a daily basis. So please, if you are reading this post today, do not feel sorry for me, or think that I am asking for you to feel sorry for me. Please do not think that I am looking for anything from anyone. I am asking God for those things already!!!
With that all said...... here is what I am feeling today:
As the title says, this is a month of the blues for me. I have been feeling blue, down, out of sorts, out of health, out of my comfort zone, out of life the way I have known it for some time now. I have not been in great spirits, or very positive attitude this past month. My world has changed, rather dramatically..... a whole new paradigm for me, and not one I was really looking forward to, or excited about. This whole new way of life for me has come because of me, so I can't blame anyone else but myself. And yet, I am disgruntled because of the situation that I am now in. I am frustrated at my situation, and disappointed in myself, for ever having let things come to this point in my life.
Because of this new paradigm shift, and new life schedule that I have taken on over the past month, a lot of things have changed for me, and not all in a very good way. My physical health has taken a beating. I have not been able to figure out how to fit my fitness into this new routine as of yet. And that really bothers me. I feel fat, out of shape, and generally unhealthy right now..... and I do not like that at all. My bike has sat in the garage, unridden now for a full month! This really has me down, since this is not only my hobby, but my health.... both physically and mentally. I was so very close to reaching and/or surpassing my goal of 3,500 miles for the year, and now I don't know if I can or will even reach the goal. And as I have come to learn quite some time ago, when my physical health health isn't doing well, my mental health takes a beating as well.
To add insult to injury, this new schedule, which includes working from 11am until typically 6-7 or 7:30pm most of my days off from the BFD, keeps me away from my family more than I have ever been before. My only real time with Evan and Sierra now gets to be right as they are winding down for the evenings, getting ready to go to bed. Or, in the mornings, when they are getting started, and heading off to school. The only exception to that being that I have so far kept my Saturday's and Sundays open, if I am not scheduled to work at the BFD. So, at least I get one, sometimes two days a week to bee home with them.
I know that this may seem to be a normal thing for most people. But for me, it is not. I chose a wonderful career as a firefighter, which provides a great shift work schedule, which allows more time at home with family than the typical 9-5 work schedule tends to. I have never worked a 9-5 job in the past 21 years, and have had the luxury of being able to be active and present in my kids' lives a great deal..... right up until just over a month ago now. And I will not lie, this has been extremely difficult for me to handle. I do not like it one bit. And my heart has been broken a bit in not being around my kids as much as I am used to being. Yesterday really brought that to the front for me...... both kids didn't have school yesterday, and don't have school again today either. I realized that as I was preparing to head out to work all day at Westside Pizza. And again, today, I will be working all day at Westide Pizza. Of course, I will have tomorrow off from both jobs, and the kids will be back in school.
So, yes, I am having a bit of a pity party here. But no, I am not looking for pity from anyone else here. This is just a place for me to express myself, for me, and me only. This is a means for me to vent my frustrations, concerns, worries, angers, hurts, etc. And I truly hope that one day, much sooner than later, I will be able to come back and read this from a much better place than I am in right now.
I know in my heart and my soul that I still have so very much to be thankful for. I really do. And with Thanksgiving coming up next week, I will choose to reflect on those things, and plan to give thanks and praise to God for all of the good and wonderful things that He has done for me, given to me, and continues to give and do for me, and for my family and loved ones. I will choose to put others before myself, and realize that I have been down before, and God helped me get back up and get going again. I am certain that I will find my way out of this situation in time, somehow, some way.
For now, I just needed to put down how I am feeling, where I am at, what I am thinking. For me. No, it doesn't take care of everything. In fact, it hasn't really changed anything. I still have to go to work today, for minimum wage, at a pizza joint, on my day off from work, while my kids are at home with no school. But, it makes me feel better just a little bit, being able to off-load my feelings in some way, other than expressing it through anger and frustration, at those who don't deserve it. I am not pleased one bit about having to take on a second job, and yet, I will praise God that he has allowed me the opportunity to have this job, in a time when there are so many people struggling to just find work. I don't enjoy being the oldest employee at my second job, by 14 years over the owner (and my boss), and old enough to be most of the other employees' dad...... but I will thank God for the opportunity to represent Jesus, and to hopefully be an example to others as I work with them.
Has this been the best month or so of my life....... not even close! And yet, has this been the worst month or so of my life.... NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! This is what I need to remember. This is what I need to hang on to. I, at one time, was in a much deeper and darker place in my life than I am even remotely close to being right now. And back then, I didn't have Jesus. I was doing life on my own.... and it wasn't working very well. Now, I have Jesus on my side, and a family worth everything to me.......... and that makes a huge difference! With Christ, all things are possible...... so, I know that according to His planning and timing, I will manage to get through this.
For now, I need to work at keeping my chin up and shoulders back. I need to sit down and figure out how to plan out my days better, knowing that my old schedule just isn't working anymore. I need to figure out how to incorporate the vitally important aspect of fitness back into my life, so I can re-energize once again, and allow the endorphins to run through my blood and bring back the energy and happiness and satisfaction that comes with regular exercise. I need to plan it out, and then commit to it, and get started once again.
And, I need to pray, pray, pray...... and pray some more. I know God wants to hear from me. And I do pray..... but mostly only for everyone else, and not for myself. I need to start praying for me as well..... for I am also important, and I also matter.
OK..... enough of the blues. Enough of the pity party. Enough of the dwelling on the things I am not happy about but can't change. Time to work on changing what I can change, and time to start praying earnestly for God to bring change to those other things. Time to start a new day.
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