Reality of Recession

Since Jason came into our house, I haven't been able to really work like I used to.  I still do a little recruiting here or there.  Its usually when he is sleeping which isn't much.  Jason wakes up at 6 am every morning.  No alarm clock for him.  It is his internal clock.  I can't focus the time that I need to on work to get things done.  I get so frustrated as I watch the bills stack up.  Its simply a fact of life that we need to deal with.

I've considered a lot of different options.  Such as going back to the brick n mortar work field.  I haven't worked outside the house for over 6 years.  Not since Faith got sick as a small child.  Doctors thought that she had cystic fibrosis.  Thank God she didn't.  I came home because she could not stay well in daycare.  She actually had a ear infection, hand, foot and mouth, and strep throat at one point and didn't act like she was sick.  She was used to being sick that much.  Her pain tolerance level was extremely high.

Until last year, I was recruiting from home.  Now I wasn't making that great of money but I was making enough to keep my family out of the red.  I can't do that with Jason.  He simply will not be quiet if I am on the phone.  Instant red alert to him "Mommy is on the phone I need her now."  So working at home hasn't worked.  I can't go outside the home to work.  It simply is not financially feasible.  That would cost us $1000 a month for both kids in daycare.  That does not include gas, money to eat, clothing expense, etc.  I haven't worked outside the house for six years so the type of job I am going to get would not make sense to do it.

You have to be certified in the state of Kentucky to provide daycare.  Now I could do that.  But I don't have the money for the classes or the daycare while.  Any suggestions?  I am starting to sell Avon virtually since I can't afford to buy the stock that is necessary.

Any suggestions would be great.

Free Things to Do With Your Children

This recession has made things especially tight for the family. Most of these are free or don’t cost very much. I was thinking how useful it would be to have a list of some ways to have fun without spending a lot of money:

1. Play sports together: soccer, basketball, baseball, kickball or football.
2. Paint or draw together.
3. Create a fort in your living room out of blankets or cardboard boxes.
4. Go on a hike.
5. Have a sunset picnic at a park or beach.
6. Play board or card games.
7. Go to a playground.
8. Find out what day your museum has a free day. Most do.
9. Play hide-and-seek.
10. Ride bikes or scooters.
11. Watch a movie and make popcorn.
12. Bake cookies (let the kids help).
13. Go to the zoo.
14. Go to the library.
15. Create a scrapbook.
16. Color together.
17. Make play dough from scratch.
18. Make homemade mini pizzas.
19. Go to a public place, people watch, and make up imaginary stories about people.
20. Visit family.
21. Create a treasure hunt for them (leaving clues around the house or yard).
22. Create a family book, with information and pictures about each family member.
23. Fly kites.
24. Donate stuff to charity.
25. Pitch a tent and sleep outside with marshmallows that you roast.
26. Have a water balloon fight.
27. Explore your yard and look for insects.
28. Go for a walk and explore the neighborhood.
29. Make hot cocoa.
30. Play school.
31. Play in the dirt together. Make mud pies or plates. You can even make up restaurant situations.
32. Sing songs.
33. Bake a cake and decorate it.
34. Play dress-up.
35. Thumb-wrestle, play mercy, or have a tickle fight.
36. Play “I Spy” in the car or during a walk.
37. Draw on the sidewalk with chalk
38. Set up plastic bottles and a ball to play a bowling game.
39. Make a mobile.
40. Take a Firehouse Tour
41. Create a collage
42. Make sock puppets.
43. Make pasta necklaces.
44. Go to the dog park.
45. Make a mask out of paper, string, and crayons.
46. Go sledding
47. Play Simon Says.
48. Catch lightning bugs.
49. Go to a community movie. Most cities have them.
50. Make and bury a time capsule.

Recession

Ok what part of recession didn't the goverment get? I've known we were in a recession for over a year now. What did they think was going to happen when we went to war? I don't really get on my high horse about government very much but this subject just ticks me off.

I go down the street and see house after house now that is empty because someone couldn't afford their house payment. My heart breaks for those families. I know how easily it would be for us all to be there. I think the government should wise up and stop sending our people over there. We need our money here in the United States not in other countries. So lets bring all of our troops home.. Let's take care of our homeless and economically strapped families. Lets take some money from the rich companies so that us middle class people can survive.

Stop giving our money away to companies that should be able to survive.. I didn't say car company but you know what I was thinking. Cars have gone up every year. Please don't tell me that the car companies can't afford to build them. Please don't tell me that the top executives can't afford to take a pay cut. We all know they can.

I think the people should take back the government. You know we keep electing a president every year but quite frankly..the president doesn't really make the decisions. The houses do. The people need to stand up and say..."We want better health care programs, less taxes...we want to be able to support our families. We want to keep our kids home from the wars. Keep our money in the United States and not out of it. Save flood victims. Save people losing their houses. Help those poor people on the street. Help the middle class that is now becoming the low class."