Gym Membership

Last May, I joined Prarie Life Fitness for a number of reasons.

1. I was going to spend $200 on private swimming lessons for the girls, but to join the gym for two months was $240, which included a session of free swimming lessons.

2. I am/ have been having lots of issues with my pelvic floor and anxiety, so I thought some excercise would help me out.

3. Childcare. With my membership, I get 3 hours a day of childcare, per kid. I thought this would help with some anxiety issues for me. They offered all kinds of kids classes this summer. Courtney often took scooters, tumbling, crafts, and Megan took dance there all summer. They would also get to go to the gym and play with hula hoops, balls, etc.

4. Unlimited access to the indoor and outdoor pools. I intended to go swimming a lot last summer but it was going to cost us about $10 for all 4 of us to get in. For the gym membership fee, I could go whenever I wanted. We went there a lot! It worked out great because Christian didn't always like to swim or it was too hot, so I would put him in childcare.

So because of this gym membership, it did cost me $120 a month, which is a lot of money. But for the summer, I could justify it because we used the pool so much. Now I'm enjoying it and don't want to give it up for the fall. I talked with Matt and we decided that I could use some of my piano money for my gym membership. I thought that was fair. He always tells me to find something I enjoy and spend my money on myself. I enjoy exercising and swimming, so I agreed!

I earned $60 a month teaching piano lessons and that covered my membership. The kids were another $60. So, we were good to go...Until I learned that my piano student will not be taking lessons past August. :( She was one of the best students I have had, but due to scheduling, they weren't able to make it work out anymore.

So my next thought was that I can go back and substitute teach. Then I could earn the whole gym membership fee amount in one day. I haven't subbed in two years and the lady at the subdesk at OPS was not happy about that when I talked to her last spring. Last fall (2010), I got a letter in the mail that if you did not sub 3 times per semester for that school year, your name would be deactivated off the sub list, which I thought was fair. I didn't really have a desire to sub last year. I was nursing a baby and had other kids to chase. So I thought I would be taken off in May.

In the spring, I talked to the sub desk's assistant and she asked if I would like to stay on for the fall and I said yes! Then about a month later, I talked to the lady who runs the sub desk and she said "You haven't subbed for two years. I don't have time to deal with you. I have people who will sub for me everyday." After some hesitation, she agreed to give me one last chance until December, so all summer, I had assumed I was on the list yet. (Apparently these two ladies never communicated either!)

I emailed this lady yesterday because I am ready to sub again and she informs me that I have been deactivated from the sub list! In her email she wrote that they had tried to contact me, but due to no response, they kicked me off! What??? And therefore, I would need to reapply to get back on! I wrote her an email back and said, "No, I talked to you and you said I was going to stay on." I never heard back from her. I think she told me I could stay on, didn't make a note of it, then took me off. Kind of makes me mad.

So, no piano lessons and no sub jobs. Honestly, I wish there was a quick sort of way to make money to help pay for the gym membership. But I also feel so overwhelmed this fall, that I don't want to pick anything else up. Heck, I'm going to be homeschooling for 3-4 hours a day, plus taking care of the other kids and the housework. The gym does me a world of good, but it isn't cheap.

I guess could pick up another piano student or I could reapply to sub, maybe Millard would actually hire me. Or maybe I could go give platelets- haha, I don't have any of those. Maybe I could be a food tester, maybe I could consign a whole bunch of clothes and make some money. maybe I could teach somebody else's kids along with mine...maybe the possibilities are endless...