One Less Car.

We sold the van a few days ago.

There were multiple reasons for this, mostly because we needed the money.

We have been continually digging a hole for our selves metaphorically when it comes to finances since I quit my job last May when Maeryn was born. It seems that every time we get back on track, some emergency rears it's ugly head and we're right back to square one.

The latest was surgery for Mozart, our cat, who now has a new owner (due to Jonah's horrific allergies) but we still have a huge medical bill. He was stuck with a blockage in his urethra and was unable to pee for a long period of time - poor guy. The vet said either we did the surgery or they put him down. Sorry. Couldn't make the choice for them to kill my cat because he had a kidney stone or whatever that was due to stress (we were away for the weekend and neglected to leave a radio or TV on).

Anyway, Mozart is with a friend now and probably much happier with Maeryn chasing him and pulling his tail and Jonah intentionally trying to scare him throughout the day - I know for a fact he's already had catnip and several other adventures, but we are down a significant amount of money.

Michael and I talked about it a lot and really, we are just sick of having less than $0 at the end of each pay period. It's beyond living paycheck to paycheck for us now. We were having to ask friends for help buying food.

My parents were ultra generous and gave me the funds to pay for my college loan for the next two months. I know they were hoping we would keep the van. It is very handy for long trips, hauling, and driving places with family and friends in one vehicle, but in the end, Michael felt it best to sell, and I had to agree with him.

With the money, we replenished our savings (it was holding at the $5 minimum balance so we could keep the account open), we will pay for our vacation, get some clothing for Michael for work (he was down to three dress shirts), some school clothes for the kids (Jonah is wearing last year's slightly too small stuff), move Maeryn to a toddler bed and Jonah to a big boy bed (tear), pay off the credit card we used to pay for Mozart's surgery, visit the doctor (well...I will be visiting the doctor for several maladies), get Jonah's wart treated (big and obnoxious on his toe), buy a new shower curtain for our bathroom (ours is quite the mildew retreat at present), finish building the backstairs (so that our slider goes somewhere instead of just to a clif like drop off), get a bike rack for the car (since we sold our bike hauler), and replace the carpet that was destroyed in the great basement flood of 2009.

I'd also like to get some grass in our backyard (it's just weeds and dirt). But that's beside the point of all of the above.

Thus far, Michael has been biking to work every day (which had been his custom anyway), so it doesn't matter much that the van has been sold to a better place (we hope).

I've been trying to get back in the running habit, but it's been tough to do. I made a schedule to swim every other day and run on the opposing days, but Michael has been in training this week, so swimming hasn't happened, and this evening I'm heading out to coffee with a friend, so running most likely won't happen either. Not a good situation. I MUST run tomorrow.

Meanwhile - I'm thrilled that we can afford to go on our Niagara Falls vacation (with stops in Philly and NYC) - and hoping that Michael gets on the ball getting our passport photos together and calling the hospital to get birth certificates for Jonah and Maeryn.