My theme for 2012 is RECLAIMING …

reclaiming my health (and my husband’s)

reclaiming our finances

reclaiming my spirituality

and reclaiming our dreams by working at them each and every day

Part of that reclamation work includes reclaiming a blogging life.  With 2 blogs to keep (2witches, which will focus on all things related to spirit and bladeandcauldron which will focus on the more physical aspects of life).  How, exactly, I am going to fit this in (while I continue to work 2 jobs for the foreseeable future) I haven’t yet decided I only know that it is not something I am willing to walk away from.

Happy 2012 to each and every one of you.

Blessings!

Jia aka Mama Kelly

I am finding it harder and harder to sit down, when time allows, and find anything meaningful to blog about.

I am still here.

I am still doing my darnedest to work both jobs, do them well, and have energy left over at the end of the proverbial day to put a smile on my face for my family.

I am still spending what extra time I have to peruse my favorite couponing web sites, plan out each week’s shopping, cook real food whenever I possibly can, and working on some crochet projects for holiday gifts.

I am doing everything in my power to hold on to the hope that, in the end, that Accolan’s benefits will be reinstated and that life will be able to return to some semblance of normalcy before too many more months have passed.

In the meantime I wanted to stop by and wish a Happy Halloween to the readers that are still with us (and a Blessed Samhain as well).

Jia

Friday into Saturday is usually the one night that I can try and sleep in in order to play “catch up” on the previous week’s lost and broken sleep.  Thankfully last night was one such night.  THough, truth be told, I could lie right back down and fall back to sleep given the opportunity.

I only work a short shift at job #2 tonight (4 hours), but tomorrow will be  a bit hectic as I am working 5 hours at job #1, coming home briefly, and then going to job #2 for another 4 hour shift.  Then it is a usual week: 40 hours at job # and 21 hours at job #2.

We’re managing to survive since Accolan’s disability was cut off in July.  Not everything is getting paid on time.  We are having to fall a bit further into debt each month.  But, all things considered, we’re okay.

Of course it means that my 3rd job (now that my actual job #3 ended) is very close to what I used to do when Accolan was the sole bread-winner – to make what income we earn seem like much much more.

Some of that means spending hours flipping through sale flyers, perusing couponing websites, printing and or cutting coupons, and shopping.  Shopping with multiple coupons and combining them with special sales and price matching can be a little complicated and so it is something that Accolan and I do together.

From what I’ve seen of this week’s sale flyers, I won’t be able to pull off anything close to my great deal at Acme this week, but I should be able to fill some holes in the pantry nonetheless.

Another part of my “third job” is what is always is this time of year – gearing up for the holidays.  Watching for good sales on items the girls want/need is part of it.  But, this year, much of it involves trying to make as many presents as possible. You know? With all that free time I have (hee hee hee).

So are you starting to plan for the holidays?  Do you make any gifts?

Blessings

Jia

The week started out on a sour note.  Sephoni wound up with another occurrence of stomach pain and vomiting, and after some hemming and hawing Monday found us at the E.R.  While she wasn’t truly emergent, she’d been unable to keep much, if anything, down since Saturday and it was the 3rd episode in 3 weeks.  Having no health insurance these days, it seemed to make more sense to take advantage of the E.R.’s ability to do blood-work (and any other necessary testing) so we could leave with answers even if it meant another bill I would have to figure out a way to pay off.

Their diagnosis was the same it was last year – GERD.  It took until Thursday for her to be able to return to school, but by her birthday on Friday she was almost 100% recovered.  And so we were able to start off our weekend on a positive note.

We decided to take her to buy a new bird as the bulk of her birthday present.  She had missed having a feathered friend since the passing of Maya and for about $40 (bird, food, treats, new toys) we were the “best parents ever.”

Saturday brought with it the arrival of our friend Casey.  We had a lovely relaxing day: went out and bought our Halloween pumpkin and then went to a local Chinese place for dinner (treated by my dad). Afterward, we came home and had birthday cake.

Sunday we had a leisurely morning (coffee and pastry) and headed out to Eastern State Penitentiary.  The history was fascinating.  The visit itself was creepy and a bit sad.  While we didn’t have any overt experiences there were plenty of moments of arm hairs standing on end.  We ended our day with burgers at a nearby restaurant and a unexpected stop in a used bookstore.

It has been dubbed the “best birthday ever” by Sephoni and I think we all had an equally wonderful time.  Casey left last night, as always too soon for my taste, and the plan is for her to come up the weekend of 12/17 for our 4th annual cookie baking extravaganza.  The expectation is that she might have to pick up the bulk of the baking (with my girls as her slaves) as I don’t know how much (if any) time I will be able to take off.

In other news, I am struggling with what to do in terms of blogging.  I desperately still want Blade and Cauldron to turn into something more than a place for me to whine.  I am not really ready to let go of 2 Witches, and am contemplating renaming it (and possibly even putting everything previous into unreadable draft status) and starting anew.  The problem of course is lack of time, lack of energy, and lack of inspiration.

Working 60-65 hours a week does not leave me much.  But, I have to believe that there are ways to make the time, ways to create the energy, and even find the inspiration.

Blessings

Jia

This week will find me getting my full 40 hours at job #1, 21 hours at job #2, and clearing maybe $40 from job #3.

It’s hard.

Physically my pain levels are up and my resistance is down.  My fatigue levels are crazy high.  At the moment I am either having one hell of an allergy flare or am getting a cold.  I came home and made a pot of chicken soup to be on the safe side and plan to rest as much as I can in spite of having to work 8 hours days both on Saturday and Sunday.

I had to tell Sephoni that a birthday sleepover just cant happen.

Its not only that I would have a hard time affording a party on top of an outing she’s thinking about to Eastern State Penitentiary (she’s seen it on the ghost hunting shows), and a birthday present (even a small one); but, I am taking unpaid time off from both jobs over the course of her birthday weekend.

In part this is to allow me to be able to be with her for her birthday.  But, it is also because our friend Casey is coming up for the weekend.  For the past couple of years we’ve gone down to visit her for Columbus Day weekend.  Since we can’t afford the travel, or the related expenses, she’s coming to us. But, it makes taking any other time off nearly impossible.

I am having a hard time keeping up with any semblance of regular once-a-week cooking.  I managed to get some done this week … a huge amount of soup and a roasted chicken with a lemony gravy.  I may or may not put up a catch of pasta sauce with lentils tomorrow or Sunday before I go to work.  Accolan is trying to do more cooking (hamburger helper, scrambled eggs, hot dogs, etc) but we are having trouble finding a rhythm.

Other than that we are keeping our spirits up as much as possible and continuing our search to pinch every penny until it begs for mercy.  Eventually, I will find the time to post here more … I am hoping that at some point there will be some level of predictability in my schedule and I will be able to fit in more time here.  In the meantime to those of you who still read us, that you for sticking with us.

Blessings

Jia