What's new with me...

So I start a new job on Monday----just a part time job at a drug store.  But I'm kind of excited,  mostly because I haven't had a job in a while & it'll be good to make some extra money & get out of the house for a bit.  We have lots of home repairs we've been putting off, not to mention college expenses in a few years for Emily--- so it's definitely going to be helpful to have a little extra money.   The great thing is that it's really close to our house,  so if need be I could even walk to work.  I guess it's maybe a mile a way. It took like a month to get the job... I was grateful I could be patient since we've been surviving on one income already & I didn't really have the pressure of HAVING to find something immediately.   It was a long process though, I was kind of surprised by just how long it took, considering it was only for a part time position.  I felt a little like I was applying for a job at the CIA. LOL!  I had two interviews... an initial one,  and another one to discuss the pre-screening test I'd need to take (drug urine test, compatibility test & background check), then I waited another few weeks to hear back with the results.  I wasn't worried about any of them... I mean I knew I didn't take drugs or anything so I felt pretty good about the likelihood of getting the job, it just required patience.  Which thankfully unlike so many others who are unemployed we were lucky we could handle.   Anyway, what else?   Emily's doing really great in school this year- in fact, she got straight A's on her first progress report. Which is really saying something.... her math this year is really tough.  I was helping her study.... & man o man am I happy that the book gives the answers to the odd problems cause I'd have no clue,  I have to google practically everything.  Which makes me sound really dumb I know,  but I'm just gonna blame it on the 25+ years I haven't done it & the fact that she's in a very advanced math program.  In fact it's the "exact" same class as the High School Algebra level--- and their last test in the class is the high school's final & determines if they will jump to Geometry in High school.  So I'm happy she's doing well in it.  She amazes me with how easy this stuff comes to her.  She's really blessed that way.  Brian's been away for the last few weeks but is coming home soon--- I can't wait, I really miss him.  He was a way for our Anniversary which was a bummer.... but he sent the most delicious chocolate covered strawberries.  As I stated on facebook... the best present would have been him being home but they were a pretty good substitute...LOL! ;) They were awesome!!! Really- Emily & I ate the 12 strawberries in two & 1/2 days! I want more!!!! LOL! I told Brian he should sent me some more as a Congratulations gift for my new job! He didn't go for it,  he said not at that price! LOL!   Anyway... feeling very blessed right now.  I just hope that I like the job & that it eases some of our burden.  Take Care everyone.  It's almost the weekend. :)

A poem I used to read to Emily at bedtime...

Little Donkey Close Your Eyes
                                               By Margaret Wise Brown


Little Donkey on the hill
Standing there so very still
Making faces at the skies
Little Donkey close your eyes.

Little Monkey in the tree
Swinging there so merrily
Throwing cocoanuts at the skies
Little Monkey close your eyes.

Silly Sheep that slowly crop
Night has come and you must stop
Chewing grass beneath the skies
Little Sheep now close your eyes.

Little Pig that squeals about
Make no noises with your snout
No more squealing to the skies
Little Pig now close your eyes.

Wild young birds that sweetly sing
Curve your heads beneath your wing
Dark night covers all the skies
Wild young birds now close your eyes.

Old Black cat down in the barn
Keeping five small kittens warm
Let the wind blow in the skies
Dear old black cat close your eyes.

Little Child all tucked in bed
Looking such a sleepy head
Stars are quiet in the skies
Little child now close your eyes.

I've never....

...been skiing (snow or water)
...paid for a manicure or a pedicure
...had a professional massage
...been out of this country
...been on a vacation with JUST my husband since our daughter was born (almost 14 yrs ago)
...eaten sushi
...paid more than $40 for a purse or handbag


 There's probably only two I care to do.  Which ones do you think they are?

My favorite "fast" food! :) Love it!

Doesn't this look delicious? I know it's a little blurry but took this pic a few weeks ago at Qdoba! SO GOOD!!!!! I recommend it- so healthy & so delicious.  :)

Just another ANNOYING trip to the grocery store

Actually... I don't generally HATE going to the grocery store. I'm the type of person who "meanders" the aisles looking for the deals.   If you've read my blog before you know about my "frugalness".  When grocery shopping, I buy what is on sale ONLY!  If it's not on sale I don't buy it.... & generally we don't eat that thing that particular week.  The things I know our family likes to eat I make sure I have enough for a few meals of it all the time.  In order to shop this way though,  it takes a lot of time & I've learned to be okay with that... I don't like to rush at the grocery store.  I take my time cause that's how I get the good deals.  When I rush I tend to not save as much.  So I always go when I have plenty of time.  Like I said, I generally like shopping but today was different..  First off... they were supposed to have a deal on a 4 pack of Chicken Noodle soup, for 2.99.  I know cold & flu season is here & I always like to have a few on hand just in case.   So when I got to the soup aisle... I didn't see them.  I ask the lady working on the aisle about it.  She's very nice & says she doesn't think they have those.  In fact when she uses her little "inventory" scanner thing they say they are "discontinued"  Which is kind of funny cause it's spotlighted in the ad... & takes up an entire page top.    BUT she's actually really nice & says to go ahead & take 4 & she'll let them know up front to give me the deal.  Ok, great!  Thanks!  Next they had a deal that if you spent $30 on certain items, you can get $10 back,   in 2 $5 off coupons for the next 2 weeks.   SO I figure out what it is I should get from the 20 or so items to choose from.  I decide the simplest & most necessary things to get are cat food, cat litter, & apple juice.  Staples & we actually NEED to get apple juice & cat litter.  Our cats still have probably a 1/2 bag of cat food but... what the heck they'll need it soon enough.  Plus this will put me at just a dollar over $30.00.  I head down the pet aisle & see the cat litter & cat food.  I grab the cat litter & head to the cat food.  It's 11.99 I look for it & find it. So I grab a bag & notice it says now 22 lbs. Don't really think much of it cause it's IN the spot marked 11.99 so I'm thinking I just scored this great deal!  I finish up my shopping which includes a great deal on big cans of petite diced tomatoes & tomato sauce.  We are big Chili fans!! I've also just discovered a great Jambalaya recipe that calls for tomatoes too.  Anyway if you buy 12 cans they are only .66 cents.  They are usually 1.49 a can.  That's a really great price.... so I get 12.  I felt like I've been in the store for ever even for me... I finally make it to check out.  I lift all the heavy things for her to scan... & notice the cat food rings up at 17.99... I'm like that's suppose to be 11.99, it was right under the sign & if it's not I just need the right one cause I have to reach $30 to get the $10 worth of coupons.  I wasn't yelling or saying that they had to give it to me for that price but am understandably a little annoyed cause it WAS right under the sign.  SO she has the bag guy go get me the right one.  I tell her,  that they might want to check because it was definitely right under the sign & I don't want another customer to get annoyed too.  I worked retail before so I'd want to know if I was them.    She has to call over the manager to void out the original cat food.   So while she's there- I tell the manager it was under the wrong sign.   She's like.. .OH really I'll go check.  After a few minutes,  she comes back & says to me... I don't see it.  Infact there aren't any other of the 22 lb bags there, only some up top.   Ok.. well what does that mean?  I feel like they were accusing me of lying... which is now starting to tick me off.  I mean I think I was being pretty nice considering IT WAS right under the sign. I say well I don't know. It was right under the sign but maybe it was the only one. I don't know.  Since I was not requesting the bigger bag for that price I don't really see the need she had to say that.    The cashier then says to me,  well there's no reason to get upset.  I'm thinking am I entering the twilight zone.  I WASN'T upset.  I was trying to help them because I found it in the wrong spot & someone else might too.  But now I'm actually starting to get ticked.  Cause I know my intentions were good & I don't like people thinking they aren't, I generally thought I was helping them out by saying they might want to check.  UGH! Anyway... she finishes up ringing me up & gives me my "store printed" coupons.. Don't you know? THE $10 COUPON isn't there... & I have to go CUSTOMER Service to get one printed!!!!! WTF!!! Well they got their wish NOW I am really upset!.........& when I get home I remember that with everything else going on, I never said anything about the soup, so I paid the regular price! DOUBLE UGH!

"We didn't want to end up in a roadside ditch"

We recently made the switch from Comcast to DirecTV.  We've always had Comcast so I wasn't really sure how I'd like DirecTV.  Our Comcast bill just went up again recently and so that was when we decided to make the change after they really couldn't help us too much with making it any less.  We've had DirecTV for about 2 weeks now & I must admit I really like it.   The picture is so clear, and I feel like the guide is more "customer" friendly. The only down side I have found is with the On Demand service & the fact that shows don't show up as quickly.  I did with Comcast, get used to the fact, if I missed an episode- I could almost always watch it the day after it aired to catch up.  With DirecTV it's more like a week or more later.  But otherwise our family has been quite happy.  That might also have something to do with the fact that we are getting a lot more premium channels for less money & Brian made sure that we got the NFL Channel so that he could see every Steelers game! That made him really happy!  I'm really liking all the movie channels we have now.  Because more movie channels = more movie watching = more movie reviews on my blog... LOL! Be on the lookout for those on here.   So far we're really happy, & haven't had any problems at all,  not even with reception..... which is always what I feared before with direcTV, ofcourse we haven't had any real big storms either.  We did get a tip from believe it or not the Comcast worker who came out about our internet- who told us to make sure DirecTV put the dish on the ground (w/ cement) as opposed to on the roof, which apparently is never as secure as it should be.  So that's what we had them do.  So thought I'd share that tid-bit on here for all of you too. :) Have a great day,  I gotta go... there's a movie on.