Where is the money??

Wednesday is PayDay in our house. DH gets his paycheck and deposits it before coming home. We worked out a budget system... at the beginning of the month we figure out what is due when... and make a schedule of when we will pay things. We try to leave ourselves "extra" money... so where does it all go??? Some weeks are better than others... but we don't usually have much extra money after the bills and motgage and gas money. And that doesn't even include groceries... that is what I use my babysitting money for.

Of course, having 3 kids doesn't help. Will's glasses = $150. Summer camp = $150. Scholastic book orders = $50 (my weekness!). Puppy visit to the vet = $175. Bowling on Saturday = $9. Bagels at bowling on Saturday for the kids = $4. Weekly weigh-in at WW = $10. School lunch cards = $32 per KID as often as they need them.
And this month we had 3 birthday parties... not to mention *Colby's* birthday party next weekend...not quite sure how I'll manage that one yet. :)
I'm not complaining... but boy is it hard!! We're not poor by any means... but sometimes it sure feels like it! And it's so hard when the kids ask to stop for ice cream and you have to say no because you honestly don't have $10 in your wallet. Or when you have to borrow money from your own kids so they can buy lunch that day!!! Of course, you pay them back...but it's just the point!!

And you look around and see other people with these HUGE houses... and pools...and new SUVs... and brand name clothes... and wonder what you're doing wrong. You wonder "Where do they work? What do they do?"
But of course...I am a stay at mom first and foremost...and I am that because it's very important to me... more important than a big house, or a new car, or brand name clothes. Who cares if we can't eat out every week? Who cares if the van has some rust on it (me me me)? Really... I have an AWESOME husband who works 2 jobs so I can be home... and 3 adorable kids that make my life worthwhile. And I *know* that in 20 years they'll be gone and I'll have extra money and be wondering what the heck to spend it on...
That being said... winning the lottery would sure be nice!! It would be such a de-stresser to have money in the bank... "just in case"... It would be so nice to not live week to week. But... it is what it is... and it's okay.