Hooray! We got our water bill down. Still waiting on the results of the electric?! Been very busy the past two weeks helping my friend get her new house movie in ready! Makes me inspired and wanting to finish my house. But alas there is no money in the budget right now for that! :( So I will have to wait till after Christmas! Kinda sucks though! Oh well I will get over it!
In other news my oldest daughter and my middle son made the middle school basketball team! So happy and proud of them both. Watch out MJ my sons coming to take your crown! LOL! I wish that for him, but then again not really he would have to move away from me then. I don't know what it is between a mother and her son but it is a very special relationship. He is my little man!
I did very well on my no impact week. I did give in an buy us all a frosty from Wendy's one day and I dried a couple loads worth of clothes that week. But all in all I think I did very well considering...
Till next time, live, love, and laugh!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Updates :)
Ok well it is thursday, so I thought a update was in order. I took the no impact challenge this week. And I'm sad to say I made somewhat of an impact. But I think all in all I did pretty well so far.
I didn't have to work any this week, so no long distance driving was required. I did however go to a wendys and buy a frosty for two of my kids and myself on tuesday. I have not eaten out at all this week so far though. I was very tempted last night when the kids soccer team had pizza and my youngest and I had missed out on it, to go out and get a pizza or go by a drive thru somewhere for our dinner. But I had chicken I had already thawed out for dinner so I grilled that and her and I had grilled chicken wraps. Proud of myself for that.
I also have hung up almost everything that has been washed. I think the dryer has only been on three times this week and for someone who uses it everyday 3 or 4 times a day that is a big improovement. I also didn't rerinse anything this week so far due to leaving it sit too long in the washer. That's huge! I have made sure that the heat setting is off on dishwasher when possible(when I'm here).
I did however have some trouble with the soda thing. I really need to work on this! I am up to drinking sometimes 1 to 2 a day (2 liters) so this is causing quite a bit of impact! Will have to pray for strength in this area.
I didn't really have to make a special trip out anywhere so if it wasn't necessary(picking kids up) I didn't go! Of course this should have resulted in a cleaner house but really all I got done was catching up on blog reading and playing on facebook. Hmmm. I still have a ways to go, but I think I'm on my way there.
Here are some of the things I already do:
Wash in cold or warm water(depends on how dirty:/)
Recycle all paper and cardboard products(there is no plastic recycling in my area)
dry a lot of clothing on lines
cook as much as possible from scratch
bake my own bread
turn off lights and tv when leaving room
Drink filtered water instead of bottled
Clean with non polluting green cleaners or homemade
Take 5 min showers almost always(need to work on this one though)
Buy as much clothing and household items as I can from yardsales, and thrift stores
Teach my children the importance of self suffincy(sp) and the impact their actions have
Don't watch alot of tv
Make my own Laundry soap
Use all natural/organic shampoo, lotions, soaps
Buy local when possible(sometimes it isn't when the nearest farmers market is 15 miles away)
Changed all our light bulbs! :)
Carry our own bags to store (when I can remember) :( working on this one too!
Can't think of anything else right now. But as you can see alot of little things can add up to a big difference. None of these things are hard to do or I wouldn't do it! I'm lazy like that! I would probably but I wouldn't be as good at sticking with it on a normal basis as I am now if it were hard.
Ok now on to utility bill update
as of last month
Water 150.39
Electric 129.03
Gas 38.43
cell phone 150.73
kids lunch bill 89.50
cable 66.47(which will go up to 100.00 because we consolidated cable, internet, phone into one bill) which will save 40 to 50 so far)
These don't look like huge bills but coupled with about 800.00 in credit bills and 500.00 in groceries it adds up. However it is going to be winter here soon so inevidabley the Gas and Electric bills will go up some to keep us warm. We already keep our thermostat set on 68 and use an electric heater for back up to take the chill off the room we are in. We dress in layers and have blankets around so the heater isn't a necessity only on really cold evenings spent in living room watching a movie or the basement play room. We also use fans to circulate the air, so this helps some. Not on the electric bill but in the comfort level. Family and friends know my house is cold and to dress warm and so this results in less company in the winter months. I can't decide is that a good or bad thing? :)
Goal: to get utility, and grocery bills down to have more to send to credit companies. and to use less energy!
I didn't have to work any this week, so no long distance driving was required. I did however go to a wendys and buy a frosty for two of my kids and myself on tuesday. I have not eaten out at all this week so far though. I was very tempted last night when the kids soccer team had pizza and my youngest and I had missed out on it, to go out and get a pizza or go by a drive thru somewhere for our dinner. But I had chicken I had already thawed out for dinner so I grilled that and her and I had grilled chicken wraps. Proud of myself for that.
I also have hung up almost everything that has been washed. I think the dryer has only been on three times this week and for someone who uses it everyday 3 or 4 times a day that is a big improovement. I also didn't rerinse anything this week so far due to leaving it sit too long in the washer. That's huge! I have made sure that the heat setting is off on dishwasher when possible(when I'm here).
I did however have some trouble with the soda thing. I really need to work on this! I am up to drinking sometimes 1 to 2 a day (2 liters) so this is causing quite a bit of impact! Will have to pray for strength in this area.
I didn't really have to make a special trip out anywhere so if it wasn't necessary(picking kids up) I didn't go! Of course this should have resulted in a cleaner house but really all I got done was catching up on blog reading and playing on facebook. Hmmm. I still have a ways to go, but I think I'm on my way there.
Here are some of the things I already do:
Wash in cold or warm water(depends on how dirty:/)
Recycle all paper and cardboard products(there is no plastic recycling in my area)
dry a lot of clothing on lines
cook as much as possible from scratch
bake my own bread
turn off lights and tv when leaving room
Drink filtered water instead of bottled
Clean with non polluting green cleaners or homemade
Take 5 min showers almost always(need to work on this one though)
Buy as much clothing and household items as I can from yardsales, and thrift stores
Teach my children the importance of self suffincy(sp) and the impact their actions have
Don't watch alot of tv
Make my own Laundry soap
Use all natural/organic shampoo, lotions, soaps
Buy local when possible(sometimes it isn't when the nearest farmers market is 15 miles away)
Changed all our light bulbs! :)
Carry our own bags to store (when I can remember) :( working on this one too!
Can't think of anything else right now. But as you can see alot of little things can add up to a big difference. None of these things are hard to do or I wouldn't do it! I'm lazy like that! I would probably but I wouldn't be as good at sticking with it on a normal basis as I am now if it were hard.
Ok now on to utility bill update
as of last month
Water 150.39
Electric 129.03
Gas 38.43
cell phone 150.73
kids lunch bill 89.50
cable 66.47(which will go up to 100.00 because we consolidated cable, internet, phone into one bill) which will save 40 to 50 so far)
These don't look like huge bills but coupled with about 800.00 in credit bills and 500.00 in groceries it adds up. However it is going to be winter here soon so inevidabley the Gas and Electric bills will go up some to keep us warm. We already keep our thermostat set on 68 and use an electric heater for back up to take the chill off the room we are in. We dress in layers and have blankets around so the heater isn't a necessity only on really cold evenings spent in living room watching a movie or the basement play room. We also use fans to circulate the air, so this helps some. Not on the electric bill but in the comfort level. Family and friends know my house is cold and to dress warm and so this results in less company in the winter months. I can't decide is that a good or bad thing? :)
Goal: to get utility, and grocery bills down to have more to send to credit companies. and to use less energy!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
No Impact project week
I've decided to join Colin over at noimpactman.com in his No Impact Week Challenge. I however believe I will call my week a Low Impact week. Here are some of the things I plan to do during this time period...
1. Walk to store when possible
2. Line dry everything including socks and undies
3. Use cloth where possible, haven't reached the point of no tp, not that I think I ever will!
4. Use less electric and natural gas, which means I will have to snuggle with hubby to stay warm ;)
5. Turn the heat dry setting off of dishwasher that we will only be running when full and absolutely necessary. I will try to keep all dishes up and there should be no need for dishwasher to begin with.
6. Wash clothes in cold water, using my homemade laundry soap
7. Turn television off and try to get family going in a game or something possibly by candlelight or small lamp
8. Time myself in the shower 4 to 5 minutes
9. Make my own bread(which I do most of the time)
10. No eating out- too much waste
11. I don't have to work so driving won't be necessary but to pick kids up at school only, they would otherwise ride bus but they have soccer practice after school and can't
12. Drink filtered water
13. Keep a check on lights, ie: don't use during day, open blinds and front door to let in light, and make sure kids turn lights off when leaving rooms! may proove to be the biggest challenge!
14. Visit a thrift store and try to start building childrens winter wardrobe
15. And for my BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF ALL!! Drink eight glasses of water per day instead of soda pop :)
These things are all quite simple and we should be successful. note I said should be! We already do some of this some of the time, it's just going to be a matter of doing it all of the time...
:)
1. Walk to store when possible
2. Line dry everything including socks and undies
3. Use cloth where possible, haven't reached the point of no tp, not that I think I ever will!
4. Use less electric and natural gas, which means I will have to snuggle with hubby to stay warm ;)
5. Turn the heat dry setting off of dishwasher that we will only be running when full and absolutely necessary. I will try to keep all dishes up and there should be no need for dishwasher to begin with.
6. Wash clothes in cold water, using my homemade laundry soap
7. Turn television off and try to get family going in a game or something possibly by candlelight or small lamp
8. Time myself in the shower 4 to 5 minutes
9. Make my own bread(which I do most of the time)
10. No eating out- too much waste
11. I don't have to work so driving won't be necessary but to pick kids up at school only, they would otherwise ride bus but they have soccer practice after school and can't
12. Drink filtered water
13. Keep a check on lights, ie: don't use during day, open blinds and front door to let in light, and make sure kids turn lights off when leaving rooms! may proove to be the biggest challenge!
14. Visit a thrift store and try to start building childrens winter wardrobe
15. And for my BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF ALL!! Drink eight glasses of water per day instead of soda pop :)
These things are all quite simple and we should be successful. note I said should be! We already do some of this some of the time, it's just going to be a matter of doing it all of the time...
:)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
OMG! I had no idea!
Ok I know noone reads this blog yet but I like to pretend they do... So anyway I was doing the bills today something I regret saying I have left up to hubby for quite some time now, too long apparently! I discovered that our utility bills are outrageous! I just recently took on a parttime job so that will help with some of the overage, but my concern is getting those bills down as low as this family of 5 can possibly do and still be comfortable. I like to consider myself pretty frugal, and green as well. And in most choices I am but I hadn't realized I had let myself slip so much with the bills. Our water bill was over 150 and our gas bill which we have barely even used yet was over 70, we have consolidated the phone, internet and cable now with our cable carrier so that will save a good chunk of change, but there is still the cell phone bill that is 150 also. Don't even get me started on the credit card payments! I tried to help my husband with the bills for a short time about 6 months ago but ultimately got tired of playing secretary and told him to write his own damn name! But anyway I decided today that I was going to do it while he was at work so he didn't stand over me and panic(he has ocd) But stupidly I let him knwo I was doing this and the phone calls started! Ahhhh! I finally got all that squared away and what I discovered was just crazy! I am just as wasteful and consuming as every other american! Even though I try to buy recycled products, recycle what I can in this area, buy things with the least amount of packaging, turn off the lights, heat has only been on once this year, and lots more! It doesn't really matter all that much! I'm not conserving on the main resources I consume! Well I should say "we" since I'm not the only one living here!
Let's see how much I can get these bills down in the next billing period. I know the gas will not go down much but the electric and water need to come down greatly. Cold weather is coming so let's see how much I can keep the electric and gas down. Anyone else wanna join in my challenge. I will post later with all the actual numbers and see what ways we can get these bills down! Till then keep turning the lights out when you leave the room and unplug anything that is not being used. It still draws nearly 50 percent of the power when off than it does on!
have a great day everyone! or rather noone! LOL!
Let's see how much I can get these bills down in the next billing period. I know the gas will not go down much but the electric and water need to come down greatly. Cold weather is coming so let's see how much I can keep the electric and gas down. Anyone else wanna join in my challenge. I will post later with all the actual numbers and see what ways we can get these bills down! Till then keep turning the lights out when you leave the room and unplug anything that is not being used. It still draws nearly 50 percent of the power when off than it does on!
have a great day everyone! or rather noone! LOL!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sorry ;)
I've been mia lately! sorry! I have been trying to get a part-time job. I have acheived getting a part-time job and now I don't want it! God help me, we need for me to work for awhile at least. But I had trouble keeping up with it all before I don't know how I am gonna be able to do it now! My husband is a huge help and will step up I'm sure, but I will miss being the one tucking my son in each and every night and him hugging me while he says his prayers cause it just isn't bed-time till mommy tucks him in. I will miss little talks with my 13 year old about the new goings on in her life before she goes to sleep, and I will miss my youngest kissing me good night and making sure she feeds her fish. Sure I'm not going to work all evenings, but inevitebly I will work some. I am hoping to not work more than 3 to 4 days a week, but I don't think my new boss is getting the gist of that request. Typical man only hears what he wants to hear:) But none the less I am returning to the world of working people if only for a short while and kicking and screaming I will be there!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
We made it!
We got through our first offical full week of school and no major issues. Well there were a couple but nothing shocking! Now if next week goes half as well it will be a miracle! I often wonder why I don't homeschool and then I get them all out the door to school and I listen to the sound of nothing! And I remember! Don't get me wrong I love my children dearly and wouldn't change anything (but the fighting) but those moments that are too few of just the quiet, are priceless! I normally don't even turn on the tv because that would just be too much noise!
One day my kids will grow up and leave home and embark on their own lives, and I will once again be left in the quiet, until the grandkids come along. So yes I do cherish my time with them I know it is limited. But everyone needs just a little quiet time too!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Vacation from Hell!
Did you ever go on vacation and somehow you just knew it was going to be awful? No matter how much you tried to tell yourself you were being crazy you knew it was coming.
Well, we took a weekend trip to Kentucky last weekend to go to the Louisville zoo and Six Flags. It started out innocent enough, the weather was suppose to be mild and nice-it wasn't! The kids should have been grown up enough to handle it-they weren't! Mom should have been able to deal with it-she wasn't! My feet after walking around for the biggest part of the day looked like grapefruits they were so swollen. My husband is one of these people that can't leave till he's seen it all! Otherwise he didn't get his money's worth out of it. Drives me crazy sometimes.
Well we finally leave the zoo and go to check into hotel and yeah nice wasn't a word I would use to describe first impressions. So I say it's ok its mostly clean and we are only going to be here when we sleep. Well who knew there would be no sleep? Certainly not me! My poor friend and her daughter had occompanied us on this trip were in the room next to ours. Well after everyone finally got wound down and fell asleep around 12 midnight my friend starts feeling something biting her. Thinking it is her imagination doesn't give it too much thought until it just kept happening and he daughter was complaining of something biting her as well. They threw on the light and jerked back the covers to find bed bugs crawling on their beds and them! Well of course my friend immediatley starts calling me to come over to see if that is what it is and what should she do? I let the phone ring quite a few times thinking she is just wanting to talk knowing she is a nightowl. When we finally go to the door she tells me what's going on and I go to inspect. We immediatley advise her to call the front desk and tell them of the situation they of course tell her they can give her another room but she will still have to pay for it because "after all they can't go around giving out free rooms" She of course told them where to stick it! By now it is way past 2 am and I'm completely physically and mentally exhausted. Well she comes back up to pack up her stuff, I wake my husband and ask him to go help her find somewhere to stay the night till we can find a mutal hotel in the morning close by. (I had two younger ones asleep and we didn't have bed-bugs) So he did and she found one just less than a block from us, yeah that will do till morning. Nope! She gets up to the room and thankfully theres no bed bugs but the place is disgusting! There is mold all over the bathroom, wallpaper is dirty and falling off the wall, and the carpet stunk and was stained very badly! I had just gotten back to sleep thinking all would be well till daylight at least. I was wrong, no sooner had I fallen asleep and my poor friend calls me to describe the place and tells me she is not staying here. I offer for her to just come back over and I will sleep in the van with her. She agrees but doesn't want me to have to sleep in the van. During all the commotion the little guys wake up and my 13 year old who has been awake during this whole time starts to meltdown and decides she is not cooperating for nothing! Finally we all get settled in the room, my friend in a couple chairs, her daughter in the double bed with my girls and my son in bed with my husband and I. We woke at about 8 so we had 4 hours of sleep and went onto Six Flags next day and spent the day at the water park so that we could relax by the poor if we wanted. Miserable hot and dispite sunblock I got my scalp burnt! But we found a nice hotel- Marriot We went out to eat at a nice restraunt called the cardinal. Very good! So that kind a made up for it, but my poor friends grandfather had died shortly after we arrived and she never got to say good bye, very sad. So her and her daughter had to cut the amuzement park side the next day short to make it home for the wake. I had to force my husband to leave cause he just had to get his money's worth in over 95 degree weather, I wasn't riding the rides cause I just don't roll that way so it was just a barrel of monkeys for me having to sit in the heat and follow them around. I finally told my husband I didn't care we were leaving, I was tired, sore, and hot and the kids were worse my son was on the virge of heat stroke! He reluctantly agreed we should go! and we were on our way, after getting sidetracked slightly we made it home the kids when they weren't asleep fought(of course)! I tell you I was so glad to see my house and sleep in my bed I could have cried!
And as if all this wasn't enough I stupidly decide that it would be a good idea to get school shopping out of the way the next day! I think my poor legs are still trying to recoup. I hope all your summer plans went better! God Bless!
Well, we took a weekend trip to Kentucky last weekend to go to the Louisville zoo and Six Flags. It started out innocent enough, the weather was suppose to be mild and nice-it wasn't! The kids should have been grown up enough to handle it-they weren't! Mom should have been able to deal with it-she wasn't! My feet after walking around for the biggest part of the day looked like grapefruits they were so swollen. My husband is one of these people that can't leave till he's seen it all! Otherwise he didn't get his money's worth out of it. Drives me crazy sometimes.
Well we finally leave the zoo and go to check into hotel and yeah nice wasn't a word I would use to describe first impressions. So I say it's ok its mostly clean and we are only going to be here when we sleep. Well who knew there would be no sleep? Certainly not me! My poor friend and her daughter had occompanied us on this trip were in the room next to ours. Well after everyone finally got wound down and fell asleep around 12 midnight my friend starts feeling something biting her. Thinking it is her imagination doesn't give it too much thought until it just kept happening and he daughter was complaining of something biting her as well. They threw on the light and jerked back the covers to find bed bugs crawling on their beds and them! Well of course my friend immediatley starts calling me to come over to see if that is what it is and what should she do? I let the phone ring quite a few times thinking she is just wanting to talk knowing she is a nightowl. When we finally go to the door she tells me what's going on and I go to inspect. We immediatley advise her to call the front desk and tell them of the situation they of course tell her they can give her another room but she will still have to pay for it because "after all they can't go around giving out free rooms" She of course told them where to stick it! By now it is way past 2 am and I'm completely physically and mentally exhausted. Well she comes back up to pack up her stuff, I wake my husband and ask him to go help her find somewhere to stay the night till we can find a mutal hotel in the morning close by. (I had two younger ones asleep and we didn't have bed-bugs) So he did and she found one just less than a block from us, yeah that will do till morning. Nope! She gets up to the room and thankfully theres no bed bugs but the place is disgusting! There is mold all over the bathroom, wallpaper is dirty and falling off the wall, and the carpet stunk and was stained very badly! I had just gotten back to sleep thinking all would be well till daylight at least. I was wrong, no sooner had I fallen asleep and my poor friend calls me to describe the place and tells me she is not staying here. I offer for her to just come back over and I will sleep in the van with her. She agrees but doesn't want me to have to sleep in the van. During all the commotion the little guys wake up and my 13 year old who has been awake during this whole time starts to meltdown and decides she is not cooperating for nothing! Finally we all get settled in the room, my friend in a couple chairs, her daughter in the double bed with my girls and my son in bed with my husband and I. We woke at about 8 so we had 4 hours of sleep and went onto Six Flags next day and spent the day at the water park so that we could relax by the poor if we wanted. Miserable hot and dispite sunblock I got my scalp burnt! But we found a nice hotel- Marriot We went out to eat at a nice restraunt called the cardinal. Very good! So that kind a made up for it, but my poor friends grandfather had died shortly after we arrived and she never got to say good bye, very sad. So her and her daughter had to cut the amuzement park side the next day short to make it home for the wake. I had to force my husband to leave cause he just had to get his money's worth in over 95 degree weather, I wasn't riding the rides cause I just don't roll that way so it was just a barrel of monkeys for me having to sit in the heat and follow them around. I finally told my husband I didn't care we were leaving, I was tired, sore, and hot and the kids were worse my son was on the virge of heat stroke! He reluctantly agreed we should go! and we were on our way, after getting sidetracked slightly we made it home the kids when they weren't asleep fought(of course)! I tell you I was so glad to see my house and sleep in my bed I could have cried!
And as if all this wasn't enough I stupidly decide that it would be a good idea to get school shopping out of the way the next day! I think my poor legs are still trying to recoup. I hope all your summer plans went better! God Bless!
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