Most Expensive Summer Ever

This is turning out to be our most expensive summer ever - and that's even counting the move last year.  So far we have had:

• Rather large and very unexpected medical bills for Tess
• To replace our washing machine
• To replace the sewer pump in our basement
• To buy Josh glasses (without vision insurance, of course)

And as of today we get to add one more to the list:

• To buy a new water softener

You might think a water softener is not a real necessity, but it is.  Our water is AWFUL.  And without the softener the dishwasher does a terrible job, the laundry gets dingy, I get all itchy after a shower, and my kids' sensitive skin flares up.  (I'm just glad it's not winter - their skin would probably start falling off.)

If we had decided to save our money and not buy a softener, we would have eaten the costs in cleaning supplies and lotions.

Anywho.  That's a lot of money to spend in one summer.  You could go on a cruise with that money.  Heck, you could go on several cruises with that money.

I would rather have gone on a cruise.

Instead, I will spend the next several hours editing papers so we can have a savings account again.  Because no matter how much you save, it's hard to feel financially secure after a summer like this.

Will this summer ever end?  And can we have a relatively cheap (and possibly lottery-winning) winter?!