The last thing I got done today was a double batch of gingerbread dough which I have sworn solumnly to help the boys turn into GB houses tomorrow. Oh, that WILL be messy. But it will make for good blogging as long as the batteries in the digital camera hold out.
In other news, we had a WONDERFUL time with Mary Ann, her daughter Rose, her grandson, Morgan, and her son-in-law, Vance. They are all such wonderful people and we had yummy food and great conversation. In fact, we had such a good time that we decided to do it again in less than a week before Mary Ann has to head home to Arizona. Rose and Vance and Morgan live here for the time being, and I'm hoping we can continue to get together while they're here.
I have 90% of what I need to start a new work project, but the missing 10% is crucial, so instead of workwork today, I did errands. I took the boys to preschool and stopped by the insurance office to make a deposit to our HSA. (My HSA account is through the bank owned by my insurance company and they'll overnight my deposits for free. Free is good, right Risha?) Max and I visited the post office, Target for a big Bionicle that he had earned the money for by selling something on eBay, and the Dairy for, duh, milk. Around this time we concocted the idea of the gingerbread house, so we went back to Penn State, picked up the twins, and hit the grocery store for gingerbread items. Only, right next to the grocery store was a hair place with cheap kids cuts, so I decided to have Ben and Milo professionally trimmed for once (pure laziness as far as Ben goes -- he just gets a #1 all over his head. Milo gets longer on top and short on the sides, so there is some small amount of skill involved. Skills I don't really have, but usually fake okay.) It was lunch time though and Milo in particular was in an uncharacteristically impish mood. By the time we were done with the hair cuts they'd lost all patience. I had to have words with the boy twice and Max was beyond grouchy. We talked about THAT on the way home.
Got home, fed everyone as quickly as possible, ::poof:: dark scowls all gone. Mental note: simultaneous growth spurts happening here, don't. skip. lunch.
I got Max started on school work four hours later than normal, but he was eager given the promise of gingerbread house baking. I gave him a list and then left them all in the care of Chris. Emily and I went back to the post office, on to the health food store to get some pectin and blue berries, and then off to the park to throw the ball and walk for 20 minutes. Poor Emily. Her hair is so long she's nearly blind. It didn't stop her from running her heart out, but she had to use her nose to find the ball more often than not. Then she was eating/licking the grass -- I hadn't brought water because it was 42 degrees or something and it hadn't occured to me. So we bopped over to Petco for a small bag of pig ears and a bottle of water. Jeez, if you're ever feeling invisible, down (not that I was, but . . .) just borrow Emily and head to Petco. Even incredibly overgrown (and frankly, muddy) she got gushing compliments from literally every human we passed. Those who knew a poodle when they saw one were practically cat calling after her. I think she blushed under all that fur. Had Emily HAD puppies today, I'd have sold them all right there in the parking lot. As it was, I promised the groomers we'd come back when she's had a hair cut so she can see her admirers.
Then it was home for dinner. Chris and I pow-wowed over the family Christmas list. I have a lot left to make but think I can be done by the end of next week to get most gifts shipped.
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4 comments:
Free is ALWAYS good. But I'm puzzled and perplexed about an "HSA" account. Pardon my ignorance, but what IS that?
Health Savings Account = wonderful tax shelter thing that you put money in. You're allowed to put in, basically, some percentage of your health insurance policy's deductible. It's pretty near the whole thing. Then you use this money to pay for everything medical related -- while it's not so generous that it will cover maternity clothes, it "covers" things your insurance company wouldn't -- i.e., speech therapy for a child with developmental issues (speech therapy is usually covered where there was a trauma, but not when the kid is just plain old speech delayed). The medical payments made *from this account* are tax-deductible. It takes the place of the old, much more cumberson, cafeteria-plan type accounts. Plus, they earn interest. And, really you don't have to show your receipts to anyone until you get audited (this is not to encourage cheating, just pointing out again that it's MUCH easier paper-work wise. You open the account, you get a checkbook, you write the checks, you send the receipts to your accountant (or your file drawer if you do your own taxes), done).
Now, since I'm self-employed, the outrageous premiums I pay each month are already tax deductible. But since I'm self-employed, I also have a deductible that could buy a flat in Manhattan (well, not a penthouse, but you know . . .), and, we carry two monthly drug prescriptions, so between the meds and the co-pays, etc, the HSA has been a real tax benefit to me. Which is good since self-employment taxes are otherwise enough to make any sane person seriously consider being a Wal-mart greeter instead.
OOOOOOHHHHHHHH. I have one of those. (DUH!) Mine's just through my employer, so I have to show my receipts before I get reimbursed. It's a great deal to get it all paid for pre-tax though. Between my nasty tooth stuff this year, His Nibs' $70/month in prescriptions just to keep him alive (blood pressure), glasses and such, we drain it most every year. Well, except the year that Jack was born. Kid cost someone $55k, but the hospital & doctors didn't get the final bills to us until May (the cut off was March 31st), so we left money on the table.
I was wondering if you have the recipe from your pampered chef stoneware. My co-worker lost hers and I am trying to get it for her for a gift.
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