Simply RAVishing.

I have a major crush.

On my 1997 Rav 4.

Sure, she's getting old.
She sure is small to pack 2 kids into.
Definitely a bit on the tinny side.

But she BARRELS through snow.
Handles like a pro on ice.

Starts right up all winter long.

This car will not let you down.
In fact, it's my 2nd 1997 Toyota Rav 4
We sold my first before moving to Seattle.

We loved it so much.
We just had to buy another one upon our return.

We both always want to drive this car.

I love this car.

*and I am officially the biggest dork ever.

An expensive choice

An article in the opinion section of the newspaper caught my eye this past week. It was titled: Priceless (but with a cost). She delved into the whole working/non-working mother issue, and I of course was all ears.

Basically, she went into it about how she worked, had her first baby and kept working. But when her second came a long she decided she couldn't do it any longer and decided to stay at home. Fast forward 10-12 years and she finds herself a divorced mother of 2 teenage boys, working 3 part time jobs to pay the bills. She is not uneducated, she is just un-experienced. She dropped out of the work force, and went part time, right when her career was about to take off. So what does that leave you with? Not much.

I don't think choosing to stay home is a bad idea. Not at all. I did it. I wanted to do it. I enjoyed it. But I'm only 27 and most of the people showing me how to do things and who are a level above me are 25. There is no way that I could have stuck around at home longer, and still been able to get my feet off the ground professionally.

And while some may say, who cares about a professional career, I have to say what about divorce, death, or injuries? I mean, yes it sucks to think about those things but you just never know what life may hand you. Bad things happen to good people everyday. I am sure we could all list someone who life has been unfair to. At least I know I can.

So where does this leave you? I don't know. I would just say, it was a good reminder for me to think about. Our economic system makes staying home an expensive choice, and I don't just mean living on a tight monthly budget. I mean that while you're sacrificing the eating out and the new clothes to make ends meet, you are also sacrificing professional advancement, and while no one cannot hire you because of your age, I am sure they can find someone a lot younger than you with a lot less responsibilities, with the same, or better, qualifications. It's a tough world for mothers, everyone knows what is best for us, but only we can really know what's best.

sometimes I love technology

My friend is texting me from the hospital as she is about to start pushing.

FUN.

Now our boys will share Birthdays!

(and I realize that I need the obligatory 2 year birthday post, it's coming, I just don't have time today)!

operating at genius level

Here is the thing about accounting. You get a degree and suddenly you know everything. At least that is what everyone thinks. I'm suddenly a pro at taxes (uh, never took a corporate tax class), can read a financial statement like nobody's business, and can pretty much answer all your Quickbooks and Peachtree questions.

Because I have an accounting degree.

I explained it to my husband like this, if you take a spanish class for a couple of years and then someone drops you off in the middle of Mexico, you're a little bit screwed. And you learn fast. Because you have to, you need to survive.

Sink or Swim.

Most days I feel like I'm swimming, granted it's the doggy paddle, barely keeping my head above water type swim, but I'm swimming none the less. I'm learning fast too, (the learning curve isn't really a curve at all, it's more of a spike). But some days it's hard.

We are 'in the thick of it' right now. It probably won't get worse than this, which is good because I have about 3 weeks of work on my desk, but making it through the next couple of weeks seems daunting.

Plus it's hard to put in a 60 hour week and feel guilty "for not working enough."

Sigh. I'm exhausted. And today I got to spend the entire day with the kids, which really wasn't all that great because someone must have given them a grouchy pill this morning.

Miles has a cold, maybe an ear infection. Lacey has a minor cold and pink eye. Both of them have a case of the grumps. I put them to bed at 6:45.

Oh, and I have class tomorrow (yes, that's right. This internship I am doing is for credit, so I have to go to class).

MILES TURNS TWO TOMORROW! (yeah, I have class on his birthday...boo).

and currently this is a work blog. and I am not going to apologize for that.

Annie

A Month In.

One month down.

I can't believe I've been a workin' woman for one month. It's going great overall with the occasional breakdown. Nothing hard ever comes easy. Say that with me?

But I still do love the, sometimes foreign, language of accounting. Let's get to it...

The Good:
1. The Money (I'm not going to lie)- OMG my paychecks are HUGE. Like almost triple what I used to make when I worked FT huge.
2. Adult time (not going to lie again)- I love having adult conversations about adult things.
3. Feeling of Success- When you finally "get" something that's been stressing you out, its wonderful.
4. Free meals when you work late (which is like EVERYDAY).
5. Underground Parking (no snow on the car to brush off!!)

The Bad:
1. Not seeing my kids. I don't generally think about them too much at work, but when it's 8:00 and I am driving home I nearly lose it. When I get home and put dishes in the dishwasher and pick up the clothes from the day I realize I have no idea what they ate, no idea what they did, and no idea what they wore to bed, then I lose it. LOSE IT.
2. My brain is fried constantly.
3. Couple that with the fact that my brain is thinking about accounting constantly. I am making notes (real and in my head) on my files all day and night.
4. All I do is work and sleep. But at least it's -5 out right now, so what else am I going to be doing anyway?

So, after a month have we adjusted? Yes. I think so, for the most part. But we still have ups and downs, good and not so good days. Am I looking forward to April 18th? (darn Emancipation Day pushed back the tax deadline as I am sure you are all aware). YES.