So since staying with my friend, who lives in the next town over ... I've had to double my gas budget. I've been putting $100 on the walmart giftcard every two weeks, as opposed to $50. OUCH! And I use just about all of it.

Thank goodness this arrangment is only temp. My other friend and I have found a house that we really like, and we're going to moving in about mid April. I don't think it's going to cut too much of my gas budget down though, since it's still a bit outside of town, and I have to drive all the way in to drop Julie off at daycare.

Plus, by the time we move, my company will also be moving locations. It's only another exit down the interstate, but I don't know exactly what it's going to do gas wise.

Oh well, there's only so much one can do, right?

This weekend, I haven't been able to find someone to watch Julie. My mom had heart cath surgery and isn't going to be able to watch her since she can't lift her. They don't if there's anything wrong with her, nothing's pulling up at all. The test came back normal. I emailed my brother to let him know what was going on, plus I told him to email her which he's really bad at. He hasn't gotten word if he'll infact be coming home in March or not.

I have a friend who is going to watch Julie on Sunday, so that's nice. I think I am going to have to call in to Cracker Barrel on Saturday and let them know about my mom and tell them I just can't come in. I've called everyone I know, and this weekend's just bad.

I need a day off anyways, so I might head over to Disney. I have some friends spending the weekend there, so I won't have to pay for parking ... and since I'm already spending so much in gas I probably won't even notice a difference.

I've run into a bit of a snag in the "save money department".

Since moving in with a friend, I don't feel "proper" cooking meals in her home. I don't know how to explain it, I just feel rude to start cooking for myself in her house. So, I've been eating out for breakfast and lunch, which is bad on two fronts ... loosing weight and saving money. I need to find a way to balance. I should just ask her if she minds if I cook, I'm sure she wouldn't. I think I am just going to buy some frozen lean cuisines or something, at least it's a start.

I've put the new job hunt on hold, since I', not sure if I want to leave at this time. I hate feeling like that.

My mom is in the hospital right now with chest pains, so it's driving me crazy that I can't be there with her. So far, the test have come back fine ... but they might keep her again tonight.

I went ahead and opened a bank account last night, though I am really serious about doing this year as "cash only" as possible to make myself more aware of my money. See, I'm getting a great return in this year and I can't wait to have it direct deposited into my account. PLUS, since I'm living with my friends when I get the new place *possibly* it will make me feel better being able to sock money into an account.

Speaking of the above, my friend and her boyfriend asked if I would be interested in renting a house with them. I am more than ok with the idea ... since it will mean that my rent will be around $300-400 a month, instead of $700-800. We're looking at either three or four bedrooms, so that Julie will have her own room. We might have another friend of ours in the fourth bedroom, or we might keep it as "the boys playroom" as we jokingly call it since her boyfriend and all of our friends are really into playing video games and we would never be able to watch tv in the living room. It looks like the move out date would be April, and since it's not looking like I will be able to find a place open before that ... it looks like the best decision.

Right now, Julie and I are living with my friend Kim and her husband Hans. They have a six year old son named Brad, who Julie is literally falling in love with. It's so cute. The only complaint I have with it is the drive. I'm spending about double what I usually do in gas weekly. But, I had to get out of my parents house before World War Three started. Long story short, my mother is bipolar ... and I honesly couldn't handle being yelled at any longer for little things. Like Julie accidentally dropping her dinner on the floor ... or spilling her milk. It just got to be too much, so my friend offered us her guest room ... and it's working right now.

I swear, everytime I turn around there is more drama in my life. That is something I am going to work on ending. I wonder if it ever goes away.

Tuesday, my friend invited me out to dinner, and then paid, which was awesome. Our server was a friend of mine who I love to death, so I left him a huge tip since I wasn't paying for dinner anyways. I've been buying lunch and breakfast sine I feel so weird about cooking at my friends place, but I think I am going to buy a few things for lunch this week to save some money.

Sunday is my sister's birthday, and I feel bad since my parents didn't give me enough warning, I won't be able to get off work. She'll be nine, so I don't think she'll honestly miss me. I have to think about something to get her, she wants something for her Ninentdo DS ... kids and there expensive gift ideas.