Money Saving Monday #16

Our hot tub has been broken for about 6 months. We had it installed around the same time we had our pool dug a couple summers ago, and it is my favorite part of our yard. We use it year-round and I love the heat of the water.

Unfortunately, the economy here in Arizona continues to plummet and both the swimming pool and hot tub company are bankrupt. While we had a 5 year warranty, once the company went bankrupt, the warranty no longer existed. (As a side note -- both these companies had been in business over 15 years and were well established in the community. The hot tub company even manufactured all their own tubs locally. Such a loss!)

My money saving tip for today is to marry someone handy. LOL! If my husband wasn't so handy with tools and mechanical things, our hot tub would still be broken! Instead, thanks to his skills, information on the internet, and parts from ebay -- my hot tub is working once again!

So, while it definitely helps to marry a handy person, my real tip is to do the research and try to make repairs yourself. Bo performed research on the internet and had a pretty good idea of what was wrong. He then searched ebay and found the part he believed we needed. When it arrived, he took apart the heater, replaced the bad part, and re-filled our hot tub.

Obviously, if you have no mechanical or technical skills, then a professional should be consulted. I'm grateful that my husband has auto mechanic skills from his time in the Air Force, and has hvac and electrical skills from his years in the industry. Having those skills has saved us thousands of dollars over the years.

The hot tub feels glorious! I know that it's 110 around here right now. I still like sitting in the hot tub in the evenings! And our pool is only a few steps away if it does get too hot.

(This picture is of our backyard. The hot tub is to the right. I do feel a bit spoiled when I look at how nice it is!)

Frigidaire Refrigerator in the House!

Thanks to Mom Central and Frigidaire, my new Frigidaire refrigerator was delivered to my house this afternoon. I'm thrilled to be part of the Test Drive program so I can try out one of their new appliances and share my thoughts and experiences with my readers. I am still amazed and thrilled that I was chosen to participate in this program and can't quite believe I received a brand new refrigerator.

It's here now, and I am waiting for it to cool down so I can fill it with groceries. I picked up a last minute training session last night, about 20 minutes before I got the call that the refrigerator would come today. I have a great husband, so while I was gone he moved our old refrigerator into the garage with the help of a couple neighbors. By the time I came home, he had scrubbed the floor beneath the refrigerator, and left a nice clean spot for our new refrigerator.

This afternoon, the delivery truck arrived right on time, and the sweet man brought this beauty in and installed it in my kitchen. Coming off the truck, it was hot -- and I thought it was neat that we could see how hot the inside of the refrigerator and freezer were on the door! When he first plugged it in, the refrigerator was at 99 and the freezer at 98. When he left about 40 minutes later -- the temperatures had already dropped to 79 and 91.

I was impressed with how quickly it cooled down, and I can't wait for the ice! It was recommended that I let it make ice overnight, and then throw out that first batch.

So far, so good! Although I think my stove is a little jealous of the shiny stainless steel.

I know I'm lucky receiving a new refrigerator -- but you could be lucky, too! Head over to My Mother Load and enter to win a suite of appliances to be delivered to YOUR kitchen. You can enter the Daily Dare to win a new washer/dryer -- or you can let Frigidaire know what you would do with an extra hour and win a whole suite of appliances.

Check back throughout the summer as I write about our experience with the new refrigerator! If you're nearby, head on over for a crushed ice drink!

Random

Just some random thoughts for a Friday . . .

• I've read 2 good books this week --Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression. I guess the title says it all, huh? It's a memoir (which is one of my favorite genres.) And then another memoir -- Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom. Another fascinating true-life story! It is frightening how small changes can suddenly become oppressing reality.
  

• I thoroughly enjoy teaching and am struggling with figuring out childcare again. The homeschooling mom who has done it, won't be available nearly as much in the fall - and at the same time I have more opportunities to teach. I don't want to stop! (and financially I can't anyway) Finding care for L is fairly easy -- it's the 3 of them that is a challenge. I am not sure what the answer is, but realize it might be giving up homeschooling. This could be a post in itself.
  

• Just because I own a cell phone doesn't mean I will answer it immediately (or even at all) when it rings. I won't. That's what voicemail is for. Sometimes I'm busy, sometimes I'm sleeping, sometimes I don't hear it ring, sometimes I just don't feel like talking on the phone. Oftentimes, I have the ringer set to silent. If you need me, leave a message or send me an email. Don't harangue me because I don't pick up every time the freaking phone rings. It doesn't own me. (Can you tell this is a sensitive issue this week? Sometimes I think about going back to snail mail letters only . . . )

• My eyes have changed again and I need a new prescription. Our insurance covers 1 eye exam every 2 years, and it's only been 18 months since my last one. Unfortunately, my eyes appear to have changed enough that I really can't wait. Um, and I'm a dork bc we don't have the same insurance anymore and I don't think we actually have any vision insurance anymore. So, I guess I better just make that appointment and teach another class.

Enjoy your weekend!

Small Successes (Vol 23)

Danielle Bean over at Faith and Family is hosting small successes--an opportunity for Moms to identify the little things they have accomplished in the craziness of daily life. Here are mine:

1. I received awesome reviews for the classes I taught this week. It especially makes me feel great when I'm told my patience is appreciated, and that I'm an excellent instructor.
2. I was able to take my family to the circus, thanks to my blogging efforts!
3. I created the time to hang out with a friend, in real life, at Starbucks with our 2 year olds, while our boys attended VBS. It felt great to just sit and talk -- with only one child each to watch over and not worry about cleaning house in order to visit. There's something wonderful about being able to look someone in the face while talking -- and not having a phone or computer screen between us.

Head on over & share your small successes!

Review: Ringling Circus

We had the absolute pleasure of attending the Ringling Circus last night as it passes through Phoenix this week. Our kids have never been to the circus, and both my husband and I hadn't been since we were young kids, so everyone was looking forward to it.

We had a fantastic time! There wasn't one moment of boredom during the entire performance. In fact, when they announced intermission, my oldest said "You mean there's even MORE??" and was thrilled when I told him there was.

The performers showed amazing physical skills, and the magic tricks that were throughout the "Zing Zang Zoom!" show were great. C likes to practice magic, and was thoroughly impressed with a number of the tricks -- including one where a person in a suspended box became a tiger. He told me that he knows there is distraction involved in magic tricks, so he tried hard to concentrate but still was stumped by a number of the tricks.

I think I was most amazed by the athleticism of the performers! From the dancing clowns, to the tight rope, to the flipping through the air -- it was all exciting and fun to watch. N got this great photo of the people directly across from us in the arena. You can see the amazement and awe on everyone's face!

L was thrilled with the elephants and tigers, and couldn't believe there were so many elephants parading across the stage.

I can't recommend the circus enough, and know that I will definitely go again when they return in the future. If you're in Phoenix -- they're in town all weekend! Head over to Ticketmaster and use the code "MOM" in the MC Promotion box to purchase 4 tickets for $44. (You can purchase additional tickets for only $11 as well - but you have to purchase at least 4.)

Many thanks to Mom Central and Feld Entertainment for sending my family to the circus this year. We had a wonderful time, and it was a great treat for us all!! It was also fun to see another local mom blogger -- Geri! She was looking lovely, as always!

I also got to see the winner of my 4 pack of tickets! She had seats just a few rows in front of ours. Here she is with her daughter at the circus last night --

Tell Me Thursday - Home

This picture was taken in our new office. The french doors let in plenty of light, and L's play housefits perfectly in that corner (until we finish her room.) The bookcase is the one I wrote about buying from Ikea and it perfectly covers up a door that used to lead from our bedroom onto the patio.

L absolutely loves playing in her house, and will often go in there, play with the knobs on her stove and yell "DINNERTIME BOYS!!" and expect them to come running. LOL!


Tell Me Thursday is for all the folks who play Wordless Wednesday -- but want to share the story behind their picture/s!

Wordless Wednesday - Home

Play along at Wordless Wednesday!

Money Saving Monday #15

No room addition stories today! (We're not finished yet, but that had a lot to do with the fact I worked out of the house all week, and I was feeling a bit complacent since my computer is in the new space. I haven't really looked at the mess our old office is in!)

Today my "Money Saving Monday" tip is to know your target price when shopping! I used to keep a price list, and while I still think they are a fantastic tool, I confess that when I lost mine in a computer crash I haven't recreated one again.

I do, however, keep some target prices in my head so I know a good deal when I see one. Everyone's target prices will be different -- based on your budget and the area you live in -- but it's a good idea to know what yours are.

I won't spend more than $2.50/box for cereal. That is my target price, and my kids know that as well. Of course, I prefer buying cereal for less than that (coupons help!) but I won't go over.

For packaged cookies, my target price is $2/package. For canned soda, it's $2.50 a 12 pack. For 5 lb bags of sugar, it's $1.50.

When I notice something below my target price, I try to stock up (if I have the room in my budget and my pantry.) Around the holidays, sugar and flour are always discounted, so I try to stock up. I keep the extra flour in the freezer, and the sugar in Tupperware to keep it bug-free.

Target prices don't work for everything. We drink 2 - 3 gallons of milk a week, so while I would love to set a target price for milk, since I buy it every week it can be difficult.

In order to set a target price, you need to know what sale prices and normal prices are in your area, as well as what coupons are usually available for different products. My husband may think he wants to set a target price of $1/box for cereal - but then he would never eat cereal because I have only got it that low once for his favorite cereal in the last few years.

Kashi GOLEAN Crunch! Cereal is my favorite cereal. I was excited last week to find that if I used the code "KASHNTRL" and signed up for Subscribe & Save at Amazon, the per box price was $2.50. I stocked up last time Target had it at that price - but was literally on my last bowl when I found this deal!

Which is another tip - don't limit yourself to grocery stores for food shopping. Target & Amazon sometimes have the best deals for certain items. I find that I can often meet or beat my target price for packaged snack items at Target.

Look Good . . . Feel Better

My mother-in-law died of bone cancer just over a year ago, after beating breast cancer a few years prior. When I heard about the Look Good . . . Feel Better site from Mom Central, I was intrigued enough to check it out.

They are a public service, non-brand affiliated service that helps women (as well as teens and men!) dealing with cancer to feel better about themselves during and after their treatment. They provide free cosmetic and hair counseling, as well as skin care and makeup tips, to help them deal with the changes in their appearance brought about by cancer treatment.

Look Good . . . Feel Better is celebrating their 20th year of service this year, and are hosting an essay contest on their website. They are reaching out to cancer survivors to share their stories of hope, determination and courage in order to help others going through similar situations. Five women will be chosen for the "Women of Hope is Beautiful" campaign and be featured on the website as well as winning a trip to New York City, where they will have a fabulous makeover.

I think this is an amazing organization, and I am happy to help spread the word about their mission and their contest through my blog. Thanks to Mom Central for letting me know about them! I don't think my mother-in-law was aware of them, but I do hope that this organization can continue to help boost the self-esteem of individuals fighting cancer.

Happy Father's Day 2009

If I was a little more organized, I'd have a photo of my dear hubby with each of our children, but here he is the day our youngest was born.

He is a wonderful father who is hands-on, involved and ever-loving. I couldn't have made a better choice in the man to father my babies.

He works tirelessly to care for his family, and strives to be gentle and kind in all his actions.

He is a wonderful example of caring for others, and always taking the time to say hello or helping out another person.

His idea of a perfect Father's Day was to spend the morning building an awning for our back door, and then taking the family to see a family movie and then out to dinner. Back at home, he read to the boys before bed, comforted our daughter when she woke up, and then even went out to pick up Coldstone for the 2 of us after the kids were all in bed.

I knew when I met him he would be a great father. Every day, he shows me again and again just what a fantastic dad he is. Happy Father's Day, honey!