Ready for DiscoVery

6.8

vannienicole — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:16:26 +0000

It’s been a rough week. The Boy hasn’t been sleeping well, I am randomly covered in hives and my computer was hacked. What a week.

However, there were some milestones reached by the kids. The Boy read the words “man, fan and ran. He also began wanting to write letters. The Girl went to her first baseball game with daycare. We began our “Ancient Egypt” theme at home and are following The Story of the World Vol. 1. Books, learning, activities, etc. are all centered around the theme. Kids loved our last theme of “The Early Peoples”. We made cave paintings! See the picture to see The Boy’s picture of a boy and a hippo on the Nile as well as copying my word “Nile”.

6.5

vannienicole — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:09:38 +0000

Happy Birthday, Dad. We still miss you dearly.

365 Days of Life

vannienicole — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 06:40:46 +0000

I am going to start a little themed project to force me to blog a bit. I’ve never been good at diaries or getting all these ideas out of my swirling brain. So…….I will take one picture of the day, post it and same something. Very original, I know. However, what I lack in originality may just give me the push I need.

Those who know my story (the long form) know why I have large memory gaps. I would like to work on remembering and will put together a scrapbook (hopefully I remember) at the end of this.

The Boy

2011 is here

vannienicole — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:55:31 +0000

I know, a month late. Big changes have happened. Divorce was finalized on Dec. 2. Big changes are coming. I’ll be insanely busy, but will make it a priority to update.

Love!

An apology?

vannienicole — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:28:01 +0000

He apologized for being rude last night, bought himself a phone and then states he can’t afford to even start paying me back at least the $305 in receipts he still owes me. I haven’t even given him the bills for The Girl’s Girl Scouts dues and uniform yet. I’ll send that over with the receipt for this next month’s daycare. This is completely frustrating. His lawyer is trying to pin his financial screw up on me. Sorry, Lawyer Lady, but Douchetastic had MONTHS of warning that the account was closing. If he didn’t move his direct deposit, that is not my fault.

He says he will get me the rest of November’s money tonight ($33) and he fixed the overdraft on the joint checking. Now to wait a few more days with no activity so I can close that account too. I asked him to at least START making payments on the extra amount he owes me. We shall see how that goes. I am tired and annoyed with their passing the blame, excuses and non-follow through.

No wonder I just want to find a sperm donor for any more kids I have.

And again….

vannienicole — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 02:26:04 +0000

So tonight stbx had a “misunderstanding” (read: he’s either an idiot or he’s lying again).

He snottily handed me a $1 bill today and when I was confused he said “This is for my math error for the student loans.” Yesterday, he gave me a money order for $66 for his property settlement amount bringing his total to $99 for the month.

When I told him that student loans were $133, he said matter-of-factly, “Nope. It’s $100 and your lawyer agreed to that and it’s signed” (meaning by him, not me). So I sent him a “clarifying” email.

Stbx/Douchetastic/Sperm Donor with an attitude,

Tonight, though you stated that you had signed the new papers, you seem to be under the misunderstanding that I agreed to a $100 student loan payment and gave me $1 to fix your “math error” bring your total payment for this month to $100. Read the decree again that was sent to your lawyer as well as the agreement between us via our lawyers. CS is $367. Student loans is $133. This totals $500 as was agreed. This is being sent to my lawyer as well as you to make sure we are all on the same page.

Under 5.L. in our divorce decree:

“L. Respondent will pay $133.00 per month to Petitioner for his portion of her student loans, beginning September 1, 2010, and continuing on the first of each month thereafter until paid in full. Same shall be paid via income assignment with the child support each month.”

Also, since this is starting as of Sept. 1, you are currently 2 months behind as well.

Vannie

I really hope that his lawyer didn’t changed the totals again. Last time, she changed the totals using WHITEOUT on the decree. If she has, I am going to just straight take them to court for screwing around instead of continuing going round and round. This is getting ridiculous. If it’s just his misunderstanding, I would like to fix his “misunderstanding”. Although, I’ll do this with a smile to irritate him.

He also still currently owes me $305 and the $1 is, if anything, rude when you owe someone that amount of money. I have asked my lawyer to take the necessary steps to take care of this. The next payment on daycare is coming up and he still currently hasn’t even reimbursed me for October. 30 days is up on the 21st for the receipts I gave him last month that total $305 that he must pay for the kids. I make not make rent this month because my money is all tied up in his freaking account. Oh, did I mention that he overdrafted our joint checking again? While I was letting it sit the required number of days with no activity on it? Yeah. He is a douche.

On the plus side, if he did sign it, and the totals are correct, and it’s just his own misunderstanding, then there is a chance I can be divorced in a matter of days after receiving the paperwork back……….

Money, honey.

vannienicole — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:56:05 +0000

So I worked it all out. IRS site says Oct 15 for my refund from 2008 taxes. That money has every penny spoken for. BUT after all is said and done on the day it is deposited….

All bills will be caught up and paid.
Tuition for the semester will be paid ($415)
My divorce lawyer will be paid. (the last 1500)
My sister will be paid back ($470)
All unpaid debts will be paid (4 past due accounts totaling ~$840)
$200 set aside for Christmas
No credit card debt still.
$1000 in my Emergency Fund.
$175 in my “House” fund
$120 in Retirement Savings account (at the end of the year, I am moving it into my first IRA!)

All I will have is my car loan and student loans (though that is still a big chunk of debt), but will be caught up and moving ahead. I’m also setting aside $390 for “maintenance” stuff that I have been putting off:

oil change
getting the interior of my car cleaned and detailed
changing the air filter on our CHA system
getting my son a mattress for his bunk so I can have my bed back to myself. so tired of waking in pee.
getting the kids sheets for their bed (they are about to fall apart)
getting my comforter washed (like $10 at the laundromat…our washers and dryers at the complex are too small. been using just blankets)
getting a new pair of running shoes for me so my poor shins can get a break

It seems like so much money spent, but if I do it all right, then after this month I can breathe and relax. I will be prepared for the winter. And I’ll finally be divorced (HAPPY DANCE!). I’ll still be dirt poor and working my butt off, but it’ll be nice to have those debts no longer hanging over me, have a savings account for if the poop hits the fan again (no credit cards) and have those maintenance things taken off my “to do” list. They’ve been put off for forever. I seriously think it’s been ~10000 miles since my last oil change.

This will be the first time I will really be on the right side of money since I left my husband in January 2009.

Walking

vannienicole — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:08:06 +0000

Today I start walking into work and using public transportation more. I will probably drive to some of the sites that would take quite a while to get to by bus and when I have the kids to some extent. However, as of today, I am giving it up as much as possible.

SJS

vannienicole — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 23:06:11 +0000

Stevens Johnson syndrome is back. I am ready for a break. Seriously. I just want to be well for more than a couple weeks.

vannienicole — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 23:27:02 +0000

Today I gave up the elevator. using the stairs creates less electrical waste (from coal plants here in OK) and allows me some free exercise.

I subbed in a special education classroom today for the first time. It was amazing. I am doing it for the rest of the week, so we shall see if I still like it then.