[JERRY2KONE]

First off I retired from the US Navy 13 years ago after serving proudly for just over 20 years, so I draw a monthly retirement which isn't much. Our three younger children lost their mother two years ago to cancer and we receive approx $600 a month for each of them from SSI (tax free). I made about $10K taxible income on my Gov job and my wife has become the real bread winner in our family now so our combined income was well over $100K last year. She is still working out the details on our filing, but we usually receive about $6K to $10K in our return. We are not expecting much of anything different from 2008 to 2009.

Considering where we both were about 10 years ago both in our second marriages struggling to get by month to month it is nice at 50 to finally be in a better relationship, and in much better shape financially. We're still not rich by any means because of our upside down home in California, but we make ends meet. Our 5 older children are all in college at some level and paying their own way thorugh the system, so all we provide are occasional gifts to help them out. This is what we have both worked so hard for all of our lives, and it is good to finally not have to worry if we can afford to eat out occasionally. She was just asking me where I would like to go for our annual Gov paid R&R this summer while the kids are at their grand parents. Vegas, Hawaii, Florida, or Jedju Island(Korea)? My response was how about Vegas 3 days, then California for a few days and pick up the kids, then Hawaii for a week with the whole family before returning to Korea.