After a very long, frustrating, unhappy and unhealthy 6 months of working at Westside Pizza..... I gave my notice yesterday that I am done as of the end of March!!! Personally, this has been a good 3 months too long now, and my body and mind and soul have paid a dear price for it. I have gained about 15 pounds, become depressed and unhappy, and have lost touch with the lifestyle of health and fitness and family that I so dearly loved. I am no longer a cyclist, but rather a guy who loves cycling, and longs to become a cyclist once again.
Although I took on this second job for the right reasons, it has turned out to be one of the worst things I have done in a very long time. As strongly as I feel about getting completely debt free, and being able to start building wealth and preparing for retirement....... the way things have gone for the past six months, I won't be around to enjoy retirement anyway. This job has done nothing for me other than to take away what I worked so very, very, very hard for over the past several years.
And so, I am now ready to move forward once again. I will miss the added income that this job provided, as it was helping to pay the debt snowball. However, I will not miss the job itself at all. I will not miss the time away from home, and from my family. I will not miss the time away from my health and my fitness. I will not miss the time away from my cycling. In fact, I would love nothing more than to simply be done this week!!!
On the much, much, much happier and more exciting side of life....... I was so very blessed to have been able to work 72 hours of overtime at the BFD last month!!! That's a lot of extra cash. My very first reaction was to simply throw it all at the debt snowball. But as I thought about it, and thought about unhappy and unhealthy I have become over the past 6 months, I couldn't help but think about how much I have wanted to get away from this place.....from the long, wet, dark and cold winter we have had. I long for sunshine and warmth, something to revitalize my soul a bit, and help me get back on track once again. And so, I decided that we need to go away for spring break this year........
And Hawaii it is!!! Long story on how this came to be. But, we are heading to Maui for spring break. And, we have invited Grammy & Papa, and Uncle Brad to join us as well. Family vacation, for a full week in the sun and the sand and the surf!!! :-)
Now that we have everything in order for our trip, and now that I have made the decision and given notice at Westside..... I just want to be done, and I can't wait to go!!! :-)
Sunshine, warmth, sand, snorkeling, good food, family....... our very first time ever to Hawaii. Yes, this should make life a whole lot better I do believe!!! I need this, and am really hoping that April will be a huge turn for me for this year.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
And Just Like That..... MARCH!!!
Here we are...... March has arrived!!!
In just 20 days from now, I officially hit my mid-forties, turning 45 years young. I had some really big plans for this particular year for myself, but alas, most are falling through already. Such is the way of life I suppose. It has been a really rough past 5 months for me, and so I should have expected that things may not work out as I had hoped or planned. Instead, I need to move forward and just go with the flow instead. Tougher said than done, but it's what I need to do. Who knows, may 50 can be the big year for me to hit the milestones I had planned for this year!
Crazy thing is...... it's now March. The Winter months have taken their toll on my this year. I am so done with the wet and cold and dark and dreary days!!! I have become physically and mentally and spiritually down, and am so very much in need of a major pick-me-up. And so, with the help of 72 hours of OT worked in the month of February........ I am taking that family to Hawaii for spring break!!!!! :-)
Yes, we are heading over to Maui on April 1st (this is no joke), and returning on the 9th. Our very first time ever to Hawaii. I am so ready for it, I can't stand the thought of it being a month away still. Sun, sand, surf, R&R......... it is going to be awesome!!! I am hoping that this vacation will be life saving for my soul. I am simply not meant to be a Pacific Northwester in the Winter months!!! I need sun, warmth, dry. I can see already that I need to plan ahead for each year, to go on a vacation somewhere sunny and dry and warm midway through the Winter. Just the fact that I have this trip booked now, has me already feeling so much better!!! :-)
This month is going to go by fast, I am quite certain. The anticipation of going to Hawaii will be pushed aside as we deal with kids' sports, drum lessons, school, work, and getting ourselves ready to go. I am quite certain that it is going to be time to go before we are even ready!
February is all now a blur, I can't hardly remember what all went on or happened, in order to write it here. Quite simply, I worked..... A LOT!!! My regular schedule with the BFD, 24 hours on exchange of time at the BFD, 72 hours of OT at the BFD, and all of my shifts at Westside Pizza. I guess that is why I don't remember much about it. I hope to scale that back for the month of March, but will still be working at Westside Pizza two days each week. I also am hoping to pick up more BFD OT whenever possible, so we can have spending money for Hawaii that doesn't have to come out of our family budget. Having the whole trip paid for in OT would be wonderful. :-)
Still on track with the Dave Ramsey financial plan. Exception that Dave wouldn't approve of is this trip...... I know for fact he would say that this money should go directly to the debt snowball. However, I am still doing the debt snowball. I am still working the second job. I am still keeping our family budget in line and working. The only thing that hasn't been working is me keeping my overall physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through this process. With that, I personally feel that I need to take this break. I need to get those things back, so I can push forward once again. Sorry Dave!
So, baseball season begins for Evan this month. Fast pitch softball starts for Sierra this month. Evan is moving forward very well with his drumming and lessons. Tracie is still working at the school, and is back on track again with her online studies. I am working both BFD and Westside still this month. Let the fun begin!!!
In just 20 days from now, I officially hit my mid-forties, turning 45 years young. I had some really big plans for this particular year for myself, but alas, most are falling through already. Such is the way of life I suppose. It has been a really rough past 5 months for me, and so I should have expected that things may not work out as I had hoped or planned. Instead, I need to move forward and just go with the flow instead. Tougher said than done, but it's what I need to do. Who knows, may 50 can be the big year for me to hit the milestones I had planned for this year!
Crazy thing is...... it's now March. The Winter months have taken their toll on my this year. I am so done with the wet and cold and dark and dreary days!!! I have become physically and mentally and spiritually down, and am so very much in need of a major pick-me-up. And so, with the help of 72 hours of OT worked in the month of February........ I am taking that family to Hawaii for spring break!!!!! :-)
Yes, we are heading over to Maui on April 1st (this is no joke), and returning on the 9th. Our very first time ever to Hawaii. I am so ready for it, I can't stand the thought of it being a month away still. Sun, sand, surf, R&R......... it is going to be awesome!!! I am hoping that this vacation will be life saving for my soul. I am simply not meant to be a Pacific Northwester in the Winter months!!! I need sun, warmth, dry. I can see already that I need to plan ahead for each year, to go on a vacation somewhere sunny and dry and warm midway through the Winter. Just the fact that I have this trip booked now, has me already feeling so much better!!! :-)
This month is going to go by fast, I am quite certain. The anticipation of going to Hawaii will be pushed aside as we deal with kids' sports, drum lessons, school, work, and getting ourselves ready to go. I am quite certain that it is going to be time to go before we are even ready!
February is all now a blur, I can't hardly remember what all went on or happened, in order to write it here. Quite simply, I worked..... A LOT!!! My regular schedule with the BFD, 24 hours on exchange of time at the BFD, 72 hours of OT at the BFD, and all of my shifts at Westside Pizza. I guess that is why I don't remember much about it. I hope to scale that back for the month of March, but will still be working at Westside Pizza two days each week. I also am hoping to pick up more BFD OT whenever possible, so we can have spending money for Hawaii that doesn't have to come out of our family budget. Having the whole trip paid for in OT would be wonderful. :-)
Still on track with the Dave Ramsey financial plan. Exception that Dave wouldn't approve of is this trip...... I know for fact he would say that this money should go directly to the debt snowball. However, I am still doing the debt snowball. I am still working the second job. I am still keeping our family budget in line and working. The only thing that hasn't been working is me keeping my overall physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through this process. With that, I personally feel that I need to take this break. I need to get those things back, so I can push forward once again. Sorry Dave!
So, baseball season begins for Evan this month. Fast pitch softball starts for Sierra this month. Evan is moving forward very well with his drumming and lessons. Tracie is still working at the school, and is back on track again with her online studies. I am working both BFD and Westside still this month. Let the fun begin!!!
Friday, February 15, 2013
Waiting on Spring
BAM!!! February 15th today. And with being half way through this month already, I find myself in huge anticipation of an early Spring arrival this year! It quite simply can't come fast enough for me. I am dreading the winter months, and the cruddy weather. I am longing for longer days, warmer days, sunny days. I am really hoping that the darn groundhog is right this year!
And it feels like it's time for Spring around here now as well. We have wrapped up basketball seasons for both kids. Sierra did great, and had a lot of fun. She learned a lot this year, and I suspect she will want to play again next season as well. Evan's team made a huge come back the second half of the season, and went on all the way to win the championship game for their division! And with basketball behind us now, we are already focusing in on Spring baseball season. Evan will be trying out for the competitive 12U team in early March. And Sierra has stated that she plans to play girls fast pitch softball this year also. So, we are ready, and looking forward to a lot of outdoor fun in the months ahead. Bring on the early Spring weather..... mostly sunshine please!!!
Another thing that makes it feel like Spring...... taxes! I keep hoping that they will get easier each year, but it appears to be just the opposite. Slowly, a little bit each day, I keep logging back in to Turbo Tax online, and making a wee bit more progress. It isn't looking good so far, though, with us currently owing around $1200 still. I really hope that will change by the time we get all the way through.
I have now been working my second job, at Westside Pizza, for 5 long months. It hasn't gotten any better, and I do not like it any more than when I first started. However, it has been helping greatly with our financial struggles, and with working towards paying off our debts, in an effort too become completely debt free, and to move ahead towards financial freedom. On the bright side, it is working, and we are making progress with every pay period. On the down side, it is a very slow process, and taking much more time that I had hoped on or planned on.
Turns out, it can be a negative either way..... I can work less and make less, so it will take years longer to make progress and get the desired results, or I can work more and make more, but not ever be home with my family. Already, I miss them so much and so often. And already, I have lost control of my health, my fitness routine and my bicycling. So, I am choosing to back off at Westside, and to now only work two days each week there. It will still bring a bit of extra income to help pay down debt with the debt snowball program we are working. And it will hopefully allow me more time to start trying to get my life back a little bit, and especially my overall health. The negative effects of not being able to work out or to ride my bike have been overwhelming.
So, the bright side is that we are still going at the Dave Ramsey approach to getting out of debt forever, and to becoming financially free for the future. The not so bright side is that it is going to take us quite a bit longer than the average 18-24 months that seems to be the norm for most of Dave's examples that he uses to tell us about. I am seeing that this may very well be a good 5 years for us. And that means putting off early retirement for me..... a bummer for sure, but at least I started young enough to still be able to handle an additional 5 years with the fire department. And thankfully, I absolutely LOVE that job, so it won't kill me to put in more time there.
We had a fun Sunday last weekend, celebrating Brad's 42nd birthday, with a big day of bowling, with our good friends, Kevin and Stephana Timmer. We all had a great time, and I do believe we should do this sort of thing more often. I know that the kids would agree with me here.
Grammy & Papa will be coming up at the end of this month to spend a week with us, as the kids have their mid-winter break from school. Not sure what we will be doing, but I am sure we will have some fun. For now, just trying to finish out this month, work on getting our taxes done, and work towards getting the kids ready for baseball and softball.
Anxiously awaiting Spring's arrival...... with much anticipation!!! Have I mentioned just how much I dread the Winter months here in the PNW?!?!?!?!?!? I really long to go somewhere, even for a week to get away. Palm Springs, Arizona, Hawaii....... oh, how awesome would that be!!!
Good-bye February..... you will not be missed!!! :-)
And it feels like it's time for Spring around here now as well. We have wrapped up basketball seasons for both kids. Sierra did great, and had a lot of fun. She learned a lot this year, and I suspect she will want to play again next season as well. Evan's team made a huge come back the second half of the season, and went on all the way to win the championship game for their division! And with basketball behind us now, we are already focusing in on Spring baseball season. Evan will be trying out for the competitive 12U team in early March. And Sierra has stated that she plans to play girls fast pitch softball this year also. So, we are ready, and looking forward to a lot of outdoor fun in the months ahead. Bring on the early Spring weather..... mostly sunshine please!!!
Another thing that makes it feel like Spring...... taxes! I keep hoping that they will get easier each year, but it appears to be just the opposite. Slowly, a little bit each day, I keep logging back in to Turbo Tax online, and making a wee bit more progress. It isn't looking good so far, though, with us currently owing around $1200 still. I really hope that will change by the time we get all the way through.
I have now been working my second job, at Westside Pizza, for 5 long months. It hasn't gotten any better, and I do not like it any more than when I first started. However, it has been helping greatly with our financial struggles, and with working towards paying off our debts, in an effort too become completely debt free, and to move ahead towards financial freedom. On the bright side, it is working, and we are making progress with every pay period. On the down side, it is a very slow process, and taking much more time that I had hoped on or planned on.
Turns out, it can be a negative either way..... I can work less and make less, so it will take years longer to make progress and get the desired results, or I can work more and make more, but not ever be home with my family. Already, I miss them so much and so often. And already, I have lost control of my health, my fitness routine and my bicycling. So, I am choosing to back off at Westside, and to now only work two days each week there. It will still bring a bit of extra income to help pay down debt with the debt snowball program we are working. And it will hopefully allow me more time to start trying to get my life back a little bit, and especially my overall health. The negative effects of not being able to work out or to ride my bike have been overwhelming.
So, the bright side is that we are still going at the Dave Ramsey approach to getting out of debt forever, and to becoming financially free for the future. The not so bright side is that it is going to take us quite a bit longer than the average 18-24 months that seems to be the norm for most of Dave's examples that he uses to tell us about. I am seeing that this may very well be a good 5 years for us. And that means putting off early retirement for me..... a bummer for sure, but at least I started young enough to still be able to handle an additional 5 years with the fire department. And thankfully, I absolutely LOVE that job, so it won't kill me to put in more time there.
We had a fun Sunday last weekend, celebrating Brad's 42nd birthday, with a big day of bowling, with our good friends, Kevin and Stephana Timmer. We all had a great time, and I do believe we should do this sort of thing more often. I know that the kids would agree with me here.
Grammy & Papa will be coming up at the end of this month to spend a week with us, as the kids have their mid-winter break from school. Not sure what we will be doing, but I am sure we will have some fun. For now, just trying to finish out this month, work on getting our taxes done, and work towards getting the kids ready for baseball and softball.
Anxiously awaiting Spring's arrival...... with much anticipation!!! Have I mentioned just how much I dread the Winter months here in the PNW?!?!?!?!?!? I really long to go somewhere, even for a week to get away. Palm Springs, Arizona, Hawaii....... oh, how awesome would that be!!!
Good-bye February..... you will not be missed!!! :-)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
And..... January Is Gone!!!
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......
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......
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......
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