It is hot! In the upper 90's all week. Decided to take the Monkey's swimming today. It was really fun, but we spent too much money due to lack of responsibility and planning. I didn't have any cash, but I knew the pool accepts checks to get it. So I decided not to take my whole purse, just my wallet as we headed out the door. What I forgot is that I put my driver's license and ATM card in a pocket of my purse.

We got in fine with a check, but Elder Monkey realized he didn't have his goggles. Is that his fault or mine? Chlorine really burns his eyes, so I paid for another pair of goggles at $6, so to get in and goggles was $18. That is 3 pairs so far this summer.

Then we find out that the food court doesn't accept anything but cash for non-members. So we borrowed some money from my sister. What I should have done was pack a lunch, but I didn't quite get it done before we headed out the door. Another $8. Kind of an expensive swimming trip.

I read an article this week about how one mom sets up gear for her kids for summer. Each kid gets one swimsuit, one towel, one pair of goggles, and one pair of flip flops each summer. If they are lost or ruined, the kids get to replace them if they want to. She also gives them each a mesh bag to keep their stuff in. It is their responsibility to gather the stuff, make sure it gets to and from the pool, and hang it up to dry when they get home. It is laundered once a week. I think I am going to implement this with my Monkeys. Elder Monkey is definitely old enough to do this. Then I can worry about sunscreen and lunch or snacks.

Big Rich has been out of town until last night. Poor Pepe le Chew hasn't had nearly enough walks. He is acting like a raving lunatic. Right now he is racing around and around the house. I read that a dog really need about 1 1/2 hours of walks every day. Ideally an hour in the morning and a 1/2 hour in the evening. I'm fine with that most days, but I'm also training for a 1/2 marathon. He is too young to run and I am having a hard time fitting in all the activity for both myself and the dog. It's just too hot to go out between the hours of 10 am and 7 pm. But, where there's a will there's a way. I will get it figured out.

I haven't found a replacement for
Big Rich's car console. I may just see if I can have it reupholstered somewhere. Or maybe my dad would be willing to do it for me. Big Rich was surprising cool about it. He even decided today that he actually does really does like the dog (who is currently trying to eat the computer wires).

Big Rich gave me a check today for the monthly expenses. I don't want to deposit it until the 1st of the month because I was to start again fresh this month. I royally botched my $100 challenge. I'm going to try again in July, with some slight modifications. I'm not going to include gas. It just eats up too much of my $100. So I am budgeting gas seperately. $100 will go to everything else during the week, gifts, entertainment, clothes, fees, activites and groceries. I think I can do it.