A little more specific.

I love watching my son grow. Well, sometimes I love it. I'm actually still really sad that he is my last one and he is growing up so stinkin fast. I was sitting in class today thinking about how old Jaida was when I went to nursing school the FIRST time. It seems so long ago!! She was 2. Same age as my son. I felt like I neglected her so much that year. Yet, here I am doing the same thing to my baby boy.
The differences between them are ASTOUNDING!
I told my son today, "Bugs, go get some shoes on so we can go pick up sissy from school."  He literally went and put on SOME shoes. His sisters. Concrete thinker!

I can't wait to spend more time with my kids!! The photographer in me will have pictures GALORE when I have school finished this time. I took TONS of pics of Jade when she was smaller, I am not getting to do that as much with my son. I feel like a bad mother! Hopefully once I graduate and am able to get my kids into more activities and spend more time with them, it will make up for this year I am lacking. 

This has got me thinking of when I went to school the first time. Jaida has always been so mature! She use to want to do everything I was doing. If I studied, she studied. I have proof:

She would do "school work" on her laptop and take notes just like I did.  (See my huge pile of books?!)

She drew "dead bodies." 

Silly nerd girl :)   I love her.

My son on the other hand doesn't even like to pretend to study. He is 90 to nothing ALL DAY EVERYDAY! It's nearly impossible to study around him. However, he has started taking an interest in doing "homework" with sissy.. and by doing homework, I mean drawing on her actual homework with markers.. or having her chase him for her homework, then he does mean things to it, like put it in the toilet. 

Ahhhh... the joys of boys!

I wish we could go back to my Jaida-bug being that little! She was so dang cute! Not saying she isn't cute now, but now her cuteness comes with attitude. She's 9 going on 20. Im serious! 

She tells me things now like, "You "totes" don't understand MY generation.." or when someone texts her saying LOL, she feels the need to explain that it means "laugh out loud," as people who are MY age clearly have no idea what txt talk is. 

Daniel and I were talking about remembering when they launched Google. She was literally disgusted. She said, and I quote, "Oh my God, you're not serious? Ya'll are OLDER than GOOGLE?!"    ....as if Google was the oldest thing ever. 

Little baby Jaida didn't act like that. She thought I knew everything!

I'll never forget sending her to my bestie-boo Launa's house for the day. Launa is now a nurse, and can "totes" understand medical jargon.. but back then, she didn't really know med talk. Anyway, Jaida and Savannah (her bff) are playing, and Jaida runs to Launa to tell her, "I think I scratched my cornea!!!" Launa freaks and says, "Oh my Gosh!!!! Whats a cornea?! Do I need to call your mom?!"   ...hilarious!!!!

Having a "nurse" daughter is pretty fun. She doesnt get afraid of procedures (i.e. stitches on her chin due to taping plastic play dishes to her feet and trying to "iceskate.")  Or... getting shots, MRI's, staples.. none of this scares her. She is also pretty good at fixing up her friends and family who get hurt or need first aid. I am pretty proud of that. She's a pretty awesome kid. 

Although, when you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she will tell you she is going to attend UGA and be a waitress while in school... but she is undecided on what to go to school for. 

Now that I am feeling all nostalgic, here are some throwback pics of me from nursing school the first time... a LONG time ago. 2007-2008. 

Which one am I? 

Can't wait till we are taking these pictures again!! Only this time I'll be wearing green! I think I need to start taking more pics of classmates and random things to help me remember. Plus, because I am so ancient (as Jade likes to say) cameras now a days are WAY better than they were back then!! 

Anyway, I'm gonna get to studying Pedi. I have a pretty big test tomorrow! 

Until next time!

I'm still alive, I promise!

So much has happened! I feel the need to catch you up on the latest buzz! I havent been on here since February! 8 months. Jeez. It was like I was in nursing school or something?!  Oh wait.. I totally am! I am halfway through my 2nd to last semester. And, I really get no time to myself. I go to school ALL DAY Monday thru Thursday, then work 12-14 hour shifts Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
See? No life.

I also am not even going to begin talking abut my debt. When I got my acceptance into the program, I found out the VA decided not to do the "Vaneep" program this year.. meaning, no school funding. They also decided not to allow us to work part-time, so I had to go back to Pedi home health. However, I cannot work full time hours anymore due to school, so we lost about 15k a year. All my debt reduction was for nothing it seems. I am more in debt now than ever. We had to get a 2nd car to allow me to get to school and work, I had to take out more loans to survive, I had to take out student loans to pay for school and books, We maxed out our emergency credit card, and we are pretty much always behind on things now.

I just keep telling myself it will all be better when I graduate in May. I can start working on my debt again then, as I will be working full time again. 

BTW, I have 200 days left till I graduate. Remember when I had 200+ till I could even apply to the program?! 

AHHH! Im so excited. 

School is very stressful, though. Thankfully this year, I have a super awesome school bestie named Sarah. She is seriously one of the things that keeps me going. Without her, I'd be lost. 

I also had to put Jaida back in public school. It got way too hard to deal with my school work AND hers. She is doing really well, and adjusted with no issues. Her teachers are both super nice. I held her back in 3rd grade though. I didn't feel like she was ready for 4th grade. I am glad I did. She was struggling with math.. and now she understands it better than I do. 

I also found out I have a new nephew on the way. He is due in 17 days!!! His name is Landon, and I am freakishly excited to meet him. Baby fever will hit me again soon, I just know it. For right now, though, I am just excited about where I am in life. I love the direction I am going, and I know things can only look up from here. My family is going to be so blessed. 

Oh, and I also turned 30. I didn't have a party like I had planned... with me being in school and having to work, I had no time. I'll make up for it next year. I'll have my "Roaring 20's, 31st birthday" next September. I can't wait to graduate and get life on the ball again!

Anyway, I guess I'll get to work now! All work and no play makes Summer a dull girl.

Until next time!

Latest Payoffs!

I paid a ton of stuff off last month. See?

• My mortgage. Currently up to date! Not behind!!
• I also currently owe $400 to my HOA. PAID
• One car payment. Currently up to date! Not behind!
• I have a Victorias Secret card with a balance of $97 PAID
• I have a Best Buy card with a balance of $279 PAID
• I have a Target card with a balance of $161 PAID
• I owe Finger Hut $1234 $1209
• We have a joint Texell Credit Card with a balance of $1383 $900
• We have a joint Texell loan for our swimming pool, balance of $2300 PAID
• 1 loan from Security Finance, balance of $1500 $1150
• 1 loan with Family Loans, balance of $1000 $820
• My daughters 3rd grade homeschool balance $500 PAID
• College Network (AKA HORRIBLE joke loan), balance of $6042 (and I have NO idea what this amount is right now. They don't send regular statements AND they never answer their phone.)

BUT TODAY... I paid off Fingerhut and my Family Loan.

So..... now it looks like this:

Heres the original list with some NEW modifications!!!!

• My mortgage. Currently up to date! Not behind!!
• I also currently owe $400 to my HOA. PAID
• One car payment. Currently up to date! Not behind!
• I have a Victorias Secret card with a balance of $97 PAID
• I have a Best Buy card with a balance of $279 PAID
• I have a Target card with a balance of $161 PAID
• I owe Finger Hut $1234 $1209 PAID
• We have a joint Texell Credit Card with a balance of $1383 $900
• We have a joint Texell loan for our swimming pool, balance of $2300 PAID
• 1 loan from Security Finance, balance of $1500 $1150
• 1 loan with Family Loans, balance of $1000 $820 PAID
• My daughters 3rd grade homeschool balance $500 PAID
• College Network (AKA HORRIBLE joke loan), balance of $6042 (and I have NO idea what this amount is right now. They don't send regular statements AND they never answer their phone.)

I'm so excited!!!!!  YAY ME!!

Until next time!!

Guess what!

I have been slacking on blogging lately. It's not that I didn't want to, believe me I did! However, my horrible new English teacher is putting me through the ringer at school. Plus I am working ALL the time it seems.
On a side note, I find out my nursing school fate in 23 days! I am so excited. I also discovered that the program at my job I was going to use to pay for nursing school and allow me to NOT work, is not happening this year. Apparently they don't have "placement" for us once we graduate.... in 2015. Ridiculous.

Therefore, I will probably be going back to pedi home health soon. Which is fine with me, the hours are much better. I can work as little or as much as I want.. plus I will be able to study. Don't get me wrong, I will really miss my 3J peeps and the Veterans, but there is no way I can work full time, go to school full time, homeschool Jaida, and be able to spend time with my hubby.

......On to the good stuff!!  The real reason I am so excited about this blog today.

As of today, I got rid of the three credit cards I had, paid off my swimming pool, paid my HOA fees, paid off Jaida's school, and put $800 into my Emergency Savings Fund.

Here is the original plan I had in December for the upcoming year:

Debt

Heres the original list with some NEW modifications!!!!

• My mortgage. Currently up to date! Not behind!!
• I also currently owe $400 to my HOA. PAID
• One car payment. Currently up to date! Not behind!
• I have a Victorias Secret card with a balance of $97 PAID
• I have a Best Buy card with a balance of $279 PAID
• I have a Target card with a balance of $161 PAID
• I owe Finger Hut $1234  $1209
• We have a joint Texell Credit Card with a balance of $1383  $900
• We have a joint Texell loan for our swimming pool, balance of $2300 PAID
• 1 loan from Security Finance, balance of $1500  $1150
• 1 loan with Family Loans, balance of $1000 $820
• My daughters 3rd grade homeschool balance $500 PAID
• College Network (AKA HORRIBLE joke loan), balance of $6042 (and I have NO idea what this amount is right now. They don't send regular statements AND they never answer their phone.)

Looking better, right?!

I have already started planning on how to pay off at least one of my silly loans. I'll promise you this, I will NEVER take out another loan again. EVER.

I am so proud of my progress, and how much I have grown to love budgeting and saving money. I cannot wait to attend Dave's University classes with my coworker, and becoming DEBT free (minus my house and car) by next summer. I will also walk across the stage next summer and get pinned as an RN. woot! Good things are coming for me and my family.

Oh, and I promise I'll be better about updating this blog. I won't let my evil teacher stand in the way again. I hope!


Until next time!

The Plague.

I am pretty sure I narrowly escaped death from "The Plague." My whole household was sick. We were fighting each other for the restrooms. I am so glad its over. Worst. Disease. Ever.
I'm not sure really what it was.. flu, gastroenteritis, Ebola. Who knows. All I do know is that is was the most horrible experience ever. It's bad enough being sick on your own, or seeing your kids sick. But, my husband was sick. I don't even have to say much else, because ALL wives out there know what I mean. He was whinier than my 2 kids. He moaned and groaned and whined. I literally had to tell him to shut up before I suffocated him out of his misery. Sick 8 year old, sick 1 year old who wouldn't stop pooping everywhere, sick 29 year old BABY and then sick me. When moms get sick, no matter how crap-tastic we feel, we still are the ones left to deal with the kids. And for some reason, my kids hate sleeping, especially while sick. My son learned how to remove his diaper and poop on the floor. Fun times. I felt really bad for him though, because the poor baby pooped so much his butt was raw and bleeding. We went through 22 diapers in one day, because he just wouldn't stop. And when he wasn't pooping, he was puking. What a mess.
Jaida ran a high fever the entire time and just laid around. When she started feeling better, she helped me take care of the baby. She's such a good helper when she wants to be. However, if you interrupt her during a game or when she is on her phone, it's like you asked her to walk on hot coals. She gets angry. Much like her dad. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I am sick of talking about our plague, so lets move on to another subject.School started Tuesday!! Wow, I feel so out of touch. It feels like I haven't blogged in forever. I already took 3 quizzes, and made 100's on all of them. I am trying to stay ahead. One of my classes is awesome, and allows you to take quizzes and do homework whenever, as long as you keep up with the due dates. So, I have already taken Week 1 quiz and week 2 quiz for that class. I am going to try to get that class done and over with. My Business writing class is a little different. She only lets you do one week at a time. She wont even let you see what is due next week to allow you to get ahead. Her class is going to take forever! I like getting things done early, especially when I have down time.
Oh well, at least one of my classes I can hurry through. I am mainly just trying to stay busy while waiting on my acceptance letter. The English-Business writing class is a class that I would have needed while in the bridge program. I'm just getting it out of the way so I can focus all of my time on my actual nursing classes. The other class is a First -Aid class. Why am I taking that you ask? Because I needed a class worth 3 credits to allow me to get my reimbursement money for tuition, and it will be an easy A. Plus, you can never learn too much about first aid as a nurse. Maybe this class will teach me new tricks, and keep things fresh in my mind. Besides, it was the only other "health" type class I could find that was online and available. All it can do is boost my GPA more!

I cannot wait to be paid again. (next week!) I can start socking money into an emergency savings fund and I am going to pay off my V/S credit card. I think I have changed my mind about slicing up the cards. I never want to be in this situation again. I will never again buy anything on credit... ever again! Whats the point in holding on to the card? So in a moment of weakness, I can go charge things I don't need and fall back into the credit card trap again? I don't think so. I am done! February will be a good month for us, we will get income tax, my school reimbursement, my husbands KPI bonus (about $400) and I will get my raise from work. Things are looking up. I am going to take all of the money I get, pay off as much as I can while putting $1000 aside for emergencies. My plan is coming together! I love it!!

Well, I am going to go do some homework.

Until next time!!