Unsure about your utility company?

Thanks for the guest post by Donn Schroeder

I recently had a weird experience with one of my utility companies. I got my bill in the mail as usual and put it in the stack of bills that was piling up on my desk for the month. Once I got around to opening the bill that I had put off looking at I got quite the shock. It was my water bill and it was way higher than any water bill I have ever had before. I was pretty surprised because I keep a close watch on these things to make sure we are getting billed correctly. I call the water company and they told me they read the meter and that number on my statement was correct. Still in shock I asked them to come check it again because this just can’t be right. There is no way we used that much water short of leaving the hose on for a whole month. I started wondering about my other utilities and so I checked out www.texaselectricityproviders.com reviews to see what kind of electricity rates I could get. While I was dealing with the water I may as well take care of the other utilities too.

Love this

I really like this jacket! I have boots similar to these, now to just find a jacket and I will be all set!!

Shopping

I have been finding some great deals when I am out shopping for clothes lately. I found several tops on clearance for work. And today Trent and I each got a pair of jeans on sale, and with a discount for "Teens 4 Jeans" (a program at Aeropostale). Now if only I could find a deal for welding jackets I would be all set!

My next shopping adventure will be for a mattress and a vacuum; but this will have to wait until we get our taxes back. Hopefully our tax guy won't take as long this year like he did last year!

Superbowl

Who are you rooting for? Trent was excited to see that the Giants are up against the Patriots, as he is ready for the rematch, but sadly he won't be able to watch it live, as he was scheduled to work. I told him I would record it for him and he can watch it when he gets home from school on Monday.

I don't care who wins, I am just watching to see the commercials like I have done so many times in the past. On the menu will be pepperoni pull apart bread and chili cheese dip. I need to get some pop yet, and will do that when I drop Trent off at work. Hopefully there will be some on the shelf this time around, as there wasn't any Coke when I got groceries yesterday.

New way to do meetings

I wish that the meetings I have to go to for work could be done via teleconferencing, as the times my manager has them scheduled for just don't work well for my schedule at the moment. The running back and forth to work twice in one day is just wasting gas in my book. With the way the techno world is going you would think that we could all just plug in our phones, computers, tablets or what nots, and let the meetings commence! One day!

Old movies

John and I have been watching some really old movies lately. Today is no exception; on the tube right now is "Airport 75". Early he found a Frankenstein movie, one he has seen so many times, but never tires watching it. Me on the other hand, I could have done without watching it for the umpteenth time!

I am ready for Once Upon A Time to start... the I am taking over the TV for the night!

I hear it

What you may ask? I am hearing songs on the guitar coming up from the basement from my hubby strumming on his guitar. Its been a long time since he has gone down there and just strummed. I have missed that!

We need to really get plugged back into a church, and get him back in on the worship team! I know he misses this, even though he says he doesn't. If only our old church had the teaching we are needing at this time in our lives, sigh.

But for now I will keep on encouraging him to go down and play, even if its just for a few minutes a day... but only when I am home, so I can hear it.. yep I am selfish like that! LOL

The Hunger Games

I just finished this series. The first book, I was disturbed by it, as I thought it was sick and twisted, that they would use kids from the ages of 12 to 18, to be thrown into a lottery to be pulled for the "games". They fight to the death to the sole victor. As sick as the book was, I couldn't stop reading. I proceeded to the 2nd and 3rd books rather quickly, and finished up the last one on Friday.

I am now ready for the movie that will be coming out in March. Now I need to find a new series to read. But then again, I have a ton of books that I have downloaded to my Kindle, I just have to pick one and start reading. I love getting the free ones, just have to remember what they are about, as I have been downloaded them all month and don't remember.

This is the year

For me getting some sort of camper! Now that I am working, I want to have some sort of camping attire... I am over the whole tent camping, so either a pop up, or a small motor home. I will be calling our insurance guy to get some rv insurance quotes. I am thinking it will be more along the lines of a pop up, so that means we will be getting a new vehicle as well so we can pull it.

With me working during the week, I will be going right from work to the camp site, so there MUST be great restrooms/showers, as I can't go into work smelling like campfires! That won't go over well at all! I may just change my work clothes before I leave work, and leave my slacks and blazer in my locker, and the tops for the week, just to be on the safe side to keep them smoke free.

Hopefully this all works out for us this year! I am ready to enjoy some camping this year, as we didn't go but once last year.

A few more weeks

I can hardly wait! Walking Dead will be back on! Its been a long 2 months! I am ready for my Fairy Tales and Zombie night to resume! I hope they will do an all day marathon so I can be refreshed with all that has happened this last season.

My mother in law thinks I am weird, as I am into weird things lately. First it was the vampires... but how can you resist a "sparkling vampire" as in Edward... oh my. Then the Zombie's and not the Hunger Games. I am still reeling from this book, as it blows my mind that they used kids in the games, and then the war. But that's fiction for ya!

Cooking for real

Author: Joyce Mccall

Being at home all day with the kids means I spend a lot of time thinking about what we’re all going to eat. I’ve got the time to make a great meal so why should I – there’s something to be said for taking your duties as a homemaker seriously and really working to feed your family well. I love my family to death but it’s been nice having a McLean internet provider at home so I can spend time on the chat rooms for other foodies like me – I’ve learned so much! Besides the endless technique tips I’ve gotten it’s the recipes that really make it worth it. There’s something to be said for having a go-to meal for every night of the week and that’s what I’ve been working on – making sure my family is well fed and it all falls within the budget my husband and I have set for food. Who would have guessed I’d be the gourmet of the household? He cooked for me on our very first date!

Shopping

Why is it when you have the money you can never find what you want? And when you don't have any extra you find everything you want!?!? Two shopping trips out so far and not having much luck!

I did find a George Foreman grill, so that was nice. I have missed mine... no more getting splatter with grease when I make burgers and bacon! I used it tonight, and the burgers were yummy!

The next shopping trip will be later this week, as I need to find a pair of comfy black shoes and some black pants.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from my house to yours! If you are out and about, drive safely!

Presents

I think this is the first year John didn't get any funny tshirts from his mom for Christmas. She did get him a nice black shirt and a pair of jeans though. This will save me on a shopping trip for a pair, for the time being.

I had just went through his closet a month ago and weeded out all of his old, ratty t-shirts, in preparations for the new ones. Oops! So I guess I will be shopping for some t-shirts instead.

I love my gift from them, as I used a portion of it to get my Kindle Fire. The rest will go towards a semi new wardrobe for myself for my new job. Just got to find the time to go shopping!

Elf

I never get tired of this movie! Its on right now, and I am debating whether or not I want to stay up and watch it, or go to bed, as I have to get up early for work tomorrow.

And then the boy interrupts asking for help to make a shake. And silly me forgot to hit pause, I could rewind, but I am to lazy to find the remote. I should just go to bed. I can always go rent the DVD or dig in the box of all our VHS tapes to watch it later.

So with that, my bed is calling me... off to slumber land I go.

Fixing up the basement

I wanted to get some stuff, and try to surprise John with having his corner of the basment all redone, right down to the basement tile, but with this training for my new job and Trent getting sick, it has thrown a monkey wrench into my plans.

Maybe I can get all the things I need, and what not, and fix it all up for his birthday in July. By then, I will have enough money saved up and won't have to be so stingy on what and how much I spend! He has done enough for me in the past, that its time I start doing things for him!