Budget birthdays and loads of sarcasum (be advised, I rant)

My fiance and my birthdays are are about 1.5 weeks away from each other (and mine falls on Mothers day this year too.... so within a week and a half, we have 2 birthdays and mothers day... and that can get really expensive when you don't have really any spending money... not to mention a lot of time and schedule coordinating among lots of people.

Normally for a family members birthday, we have a nice dinner out that my mom treats for and we come home to cake and presents... for close boyfriends/partners/fiances we generally do a nice dinner at someone's home that they cook, exchange presents, and have cake...

then there's mothers day... if my mom isn't working, we go to a restaurant or brunch or something after flowers and cards, and gifts are presented... in the past my mom would just pick up the tab, but last year for my mom's birthday, my sister decided to change things up at the table... You'll have to read the post on that... long story short, my mom's birthdays, mothers days, etc will now be "our treat" for our mom in addition to presents, flowers, etc and that means well have to pay for our now fiances too... yup that's plural folks.

My older sister couldn't take that I was getting married and instead of waiting 3 months for me to get married, she convinced her boyfriend to jump the gun so she could be the center of attention yet again, so shes engaged now... and has also decided to throw her engagement party the day after my fiances birthday... so that's four things coming up all in a week and a half time sequence... She's also feeling very bent out of shape that she needs to celebrate my fiance's birthday at all... even when I brushed off her poor planning for her engagement party so close to everything.

So, I did what any normal and sane person would do. I called my mom up explained to her that because it will be a busy 2 weeks for everyone and that everyone would be doing a lot of money spending, that it would be perfectly fine to do a joint birthday celebration for Keith and I. (only one cake needed, one dinner out, and only one night we'd have to get all 5 of us free for schedule wise.) I didn't mention that my sister was pissed that my fiance even had a birthday to begin with... So she told me she'd think about it, but I think I sold her on the idea because work has been slower and it should be more convenient for everyone else, (including my sister who the world revolves around)... and its also good to do a joint thing especially since I don't want to make them make my fiance feel even worse and more homesick by how they treat him. Ya, i'll miss the solo birthday gig, but its not like my 25th was going to be awesome anyway with all the family drama and what not that was going on. I won't get the huge blow out party my sister got last year for 25, or the diamonds for that matter.

I have no idea what to do about my sisters engagement party gift wise... but we will figure it out and get them something... or we'll never hear the end of it (Oh ya, and btw, my mom is helping her plan that party too... and guess what that meant? Yup, and hour and a half crying and arguing conversation on the phone about my mom NOW offering to throw me an engagement party 4 months after the fact when the wedding invites are already in the mail because now she feels guilty for treating my sisters engagement all properly and leaving mine out in no wheres ville.)

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My sister is also upset that I can't tell her right this instant how nice a place i can afford to pay for, for mothers day this instant.