End of January Update

Well, CPA's are really good at doing certain things, generally it is taxes, cost accounting, financial accounting, small business anaylsis, that sort of thing. Haircutting is NOT in that list you will note. However, accountants are usually good at finding new ways to save money too. So, when James looked like a badly groomed, just grown out from a bad buzz, scottie dog (that plug is chosen for you Nancy)...and...Carl had mandatory furlows announced...I got creative with James' horrible looking hair. I got out the cutting scissors. Now, I know you will be dissapointed that I have not taken a picture, but maybe tomorrow. I started out, just trying to trim off the sides a little bit, but then I took it too short and it was all downhill from there. After it had looked like (now I wasn't done yet) Anna had tried to cut his hair Carl said, "Just stop, just stop now" and I told him I couldn't I wasn't done yet...he walked away. Now after a lot of hair came off, more than I originally anticipated, I think, all in all, it looks pretty good. Carl calls it "high and tight" but will not admit that the CPA didn't do a completely disasterous job.

Oh the furlow thing...Carl has 1 week per month starting in March of UNPAID time off, until further notice. So, our income will be dropping by 25% starting in a month. Scary! We are going to test out all of our food storage, tonight we had brown rice, with rehydrated chicken pieces and beans.

This week has been interesting, it has been nothing but snow days. Now for you folks out of the East, when it snows 1 inch, EVERYTHING shuts down here, they just don't plow, neither has the idea of tar and gravel ever come to mind. I think they don't have the resouces for it. So, the kids have been out of school all week, yes all 5 days. This is tax season not the most convenient time to be out of school. Carl picked them up some sleds at the play it again sports store and they have been having fun with those. We now have about 8-10 inches on the ground. It is funny to watch Fritz go outside on the hill to go potty, because we got about 6 inches of snow, freezing rain, and then another 4 inches. So, he just kinda slides his front feet on the snow/ice and trys to catch some traction with his back feet. It just makes me roll with laughter.

James turned 10 this week, he had a great birthday, he got to spend it in his jammies and play video games. He did go outside for a little while to play in the snow with Emma and that was good. We gave him a little shelf stero system for his room, so he can listen to his Ipod. He seems to really be liking it. We got this before the furlow news. I made him a 3 layer lemon and chocolate cake, he really liked it. I also taught he and Emma how to play Rummikub, a favorite game with my family growing up. It is nice that Emma understands now and can play more of the grown up games. I like the princess games and all, but they are only so entertaining. James and Emma both like the Rummikub game. Other than that, the pinewood derby was supposed to be that night, however with the ice storm it got canceled.

Next Monday I fly out to Utah to do taxes...other than that nothing is new.