More of early spring

I say spring looking out at a snowy yard. It's frigid for April. I would complain but the frugalista in me thinks of it as a few less days I have to pay to water my lawn this year.

Our week started out so hard. S dropped into one of her holes. She had such a difficult time. And I remembered how frustrated I get when she bites and spits on me. On Monday I was so stressed out by the constant tension. I walked over to some stale chocolate chocolate chip cookies over and over. I called a good friend and she told me to chuck them. And then I ate them. FIVE of them. My stress left and I felt mighty sick. It was so nice to just not feel stressed out. I have a feeling if I had chucked those cookies I would have just found something else to munch on.

The good news is that S broke her cycle. It was a nasty one but she managed to get out. That gives me such hope. The more she gets out of those cycles the more she will have the tools to do it.

What else? It took T five days of working on his room to actually get it done. He's so stubborn. He's been doing extra push ups because he messed around at swim team. His coach said he had two amazing tries at the 50m fly considering he wasn't paying attention.

I went and looked at couches this week. We got ours over a decade ago when I traded a week of nannying for them. They were already several years old then but still way nicer than what we had. Well, the things are just getting too dang old. I noticed a hold where a really old scratch has worn through. It's exciting to get new furniture. It's something we always put on the back burner because it really isn't much of a need. We are kind of decade people I guess. It took us about a decade to buy a mattress and a decade to buy bedroom furniture.

I also went to my first political rally this week. I loved it. I wasn't really funky enough to rock out to the music or whatever. Sorry folks, when you are wanting hands in the air and what not I feel like a fool. I'm more of a fold your arms and observe type of gal. That being said I went from feeling like I could do NOTHING to make a difference in a country that is straying from its foundation to someone who felt like I had a chance at making a difference. And if nothing I do makes a difference, well, then at least I will know I just didn't sit around and expect everyone else to try. I came home and reread my constitution. (I am so not getting out my book with all the Federalist Papers in it...)

As the end of March came it made me really think about how government could learn a big lesson from everyday people. In March, I spent a chunk of my budgeted money early. Then, near the end of the month I gave the rest of my money to DH to take S skiing. There really wasn't entertainment money left so it came from the mama slush fund. Last week pretty much stunk. DH gave me a few more dollars that he had and that bought some basics but I was pretty much out of dinero. Now could I have put it on a credit card (although DH would be more than unhappy since we switched to cash)? Sure. Could I have told DH that I was just taking it out of the savings category of the budget? Sure. But we had a plan. And that plan was to live within our means and spend what we had. On Wednesday I was out and scrounged up the change in my purse to buy a bottle of water and an apple. Now don't take this as a poverty thing. It's not that at all. The thing was, I CHOSE to spend my money somewhat unwisely earlier in the month. As a result I had several days of NADA! Why can't the government figure out how to budget for needs and wants and then stick to it. Where is the rainy day fund? Why is decreasing deficit spending seen as so fabulous? You are in the whole guys (and gals) and you keep spending more. I'm sorry but I am not your ATM.

Where is the value of knowing you can contribute to society in some way by hard work. Now, there are exceptions of course. Some people can't work at all. Some people have to find unique ways to contribute. But why are a lot of people not willing to do hard work. It makes you feel good to work hard. How is sitting around watching cable television and eating subsidized food going to make you feel good? Needs and wants people! (I know that is not a sentence ;) )

How many people have hearts full of giving as the government taxes? Isn't that money going to the common good? Hmmm... I would beg to differ. You don't feel good when people make you do something.

Every night we discuss service at dinner. Each person shares a service. Our rule is it can't be something that someone asked you to do. When someone makes you do something it isn't the same as choosing for yourself. My five year old has figured that out. How can our government not see it too.

And the recipients... you know, when things are really stinky and someone offers to take my kids for an hour or two I feel such gratitude. I know they are sacrificing for me. I see and appreciate their sacrifice. There's a difference in feeling entitled to something vs. feeling grateful. Does the government really want to keep perpetuating entitlement? Maybe it does. People become slaves to them that way. "Oh I can't make my life better. I need them to take care of me..." What kind of attitude is that?

I was reading in Business Week this week about Venezuela and its current woes. The government has pretty much just taken over various industries and businesses. It will just take over grocery store chains for its own purposes. And the people are suffering. The government isn't able to run things as well as private industry was and production is down. There are food shortages for things that are staples. It was eery to read it and think of what has happened with our country and what our country faces. What happens when the government just decides that it will take over the big giant failing insurance companies? Oh, then take over more banks... and so on.

Okay, enough for now. I have two little girls that need my attention.

M this week got a solo in her year end program. She is really excited.

T was a turkey but didn't get into trouble at school.

D misplaced another scooter dang it. He's having scooter issues. He didn't however scream about it and so that is an improvement.

S had the week that started horrible turn good. She has had her 'Stratosphere' hair (a winding french braid) and loves it.

C told DH last night that sitting on his lap while he works isn't 'snuggling'. She's a picky snuggler.

Oh and me, I had so much fun grocery shopping yesterday. I was more than grateful that it was a new month. And in the end I was so grateful to have stayed within my budget.