Updates

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. A lot has been going on around here. To get you up to speed here is a list of events:

1. bye-bye bottle. We've stuck to our guns about not spending Bree to bed with a bottle. She has cried herself to sleep for the past week but its getting better. Tonight she only wimpered for 30 seconds or so before she past out. My plan this weekend is to pack up the bottles for good. She has also been waking up in the morning with a dry diaper so that is also a plus in the semi-near future of potty training.

2. Hurry up and wait is the name of the game for my bathroom. We ran out and bought everything and now have to wait for steps 3, 4, 5, and 6 to be done first. Right now it is primed and ready to be painted tomorrow night. You'll just have to wait until I post pictures to see which color I picked. :o) Other then that we're waiting on a friend to finish the plumbing for the shower and drawers to be sanded. Hopefully only another week and its done!!

3. Our furnace is original to the house so that makes it a whopping 35 years old. Not very efficient anymore. So we had someone give us a bid and since have been discussing the pros and cons on replacing it now or waiting. I don't see the point in waiting. Yes its a lot of money right now but right now we both have good jobs/incomes so now would be the best time. But because it is a lot of money (and thats scary) Jim would like to wait. I guess you could say I won out because they are coming next Friday to install the new furance and AC!!

4. Speaking of jobs, there has been a lot of drama at the library lately. Needless to say the economy has been bad but because of years of smart spending and saving the library hasn't been affected. Until now. Its been projected that the 2009 budget for the library will be cut by $93,000. Ouch. We've done what we can by ordering less, not turning on all computers/lights, just eliminating things here and there but by Januarys reports that wasn't enough. The library board had no other choice but to take drastic measures. Upcoming changes include raising fines, cost of faxing and printing, which I know to outsiders it doesn't sound like much but when we have patrons that owe us $200 or more on 10 cents a day per book and now we've raised our fines to 25 cents per day per book, its a lot. We're also saying goodbye to two coworkers. :o( The library will no longer be open on Sundays and Fridays which means everyone will lose 7 hours of pay per week. Honestly, with sooo many lay-offs and other budget cuts, losing 7 hours isn't so bad. For me personally, I couldn't be luckier. I'm still brining home enough to make my mortgage payments (which is all I've ever done and the rest just stayed in the savings) plus with being closed on Fridays I now have a three day weekend every week!! That also means I'm home more with Bree which is all I've ever wanted anyways. The library board will re-evaluate our financial status in three months and see if more changes are needed. Trying to find the silver lining here, all the bigwigs on tv are saying they project an incline in our financial situation by the end of the year. Lets all pray that happens.

5. As for Bree, not much has changed that I've noticed. I have a lot of pictures I need to post so check back often.