"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.

Pokemon Translations, Part 1

Introducing... Emily the Pokémon translator.  Emily has always loved Pokémon.... & since she is now old enough to have a YOUTUBE acct she has made her first video for her channel.  If you know anyone who enjoys Pokémon, please make sure they take a look at it! She's quite good at matching up the Pokémon body language to the words.  I guess we can add "Pokémon Translator" to her list of talents..... LOL!  :) Love her.

PS... Emily asked me to write this blog so that she'd get more traffic to her youtube. Funny girl. (But... I guess I should be flattered, that she thinks my blog will bring her traffic. ha. ;)

YUM YUM give me SUM

Our family loves a place called Qdoba.   It's a perfect place to visit if one is trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.   What we love most about it is that it's a casual Mexican food restaurant, that offers healthy choices that our family just loves!!  Brian & I get the "naked" burritos which are burritos in a bowl without the surprisingly high calorie tortilla shell.  I think they are like 300 calories or something in general.  I had no idea how many calories they were until I started caring how many calories they were...lol.   Brian & I stick with the veggie options... (avoiding the cheese & sour cream) I get rice (my only relatively bad item), black beans, chicken, pico, corn, lettuce & medium salsa)  It is one of my favorite things in the world to eat... NO LIE! I love it! It taste so fresh & yummy & healthy!!  Emily gets a "bean" burrito which isn't "technically" on the menu but they make it for her anyway... they just charge her for the beans, cheese, sour cream & tortilla shell.  (It cost maybe $3 that way!) Anyway... I totally recommend this place especially if you are trying to eat better but still like us, want to go out & eat every once in a while.  Truth be told we probably go there once a week..... we love it so!   Also they have a "frequent" diner card that gives us free entrees, chips and salsa.... etc! :) It's awesome!  The one by us offers a special daily deal on Tuesday, if you go on Tuesday you get double points!  We've already gotten a free entrée, free chips, & we have enough points that by next visit we'll have another free entrée! I love freebies! :)   We also go to other local places on "cheap" days.... this is a must for people on a budget.  Tuesday is cheap salad day at our local Salad works & on Fridays it's $5 a cup at the Frozen yogurt place in town.  I totally recommend finding out if your favorite places have a deal day & visiting it on that day.... saves your family a lot of money that way! :) It's a win win!

Remembering Autumn

When I woke up & checked facebook this morning there was a post by a classmate I went to high school with about today being National Remembrance Day for Murdered Children.  So I want to start this post by remembering her daughter, Autumn Pasquale who was murdered at age 12 in Clayton NJ.  She was murdered by two teenage boys over her BMX bike.  I know... it's hard to believe.  So senseless, so tragic, so heartbreaking.   I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it is for her parents & family.  I think of this little girl so often, a child I barely knew & yet she floats into my thoughts ALL THE TIME.  I hope Autumn & her family can feel all the love being sent to them by so many today & everyday.  RIP Autumn.

It also got me thinking of my mom, she was the closest person to me that I've lost in my life.  She died of cancer at age 51.  While I knew she was dying,  part of me couldn't process it, I was so distracted at the time, that I know now I just couldn't. See, my mom died at the same time my daughter Emily was fighting for her life after being born extremely premature.  It was such a difficult time,  living two life altering events simultaneously, but now in a way, I find comfort in it.  As difficult as it was at the time.  I can't imagine not having Emily there to distract me from the complete sadness that would have destroyed me.   To see my beautiful baby girl fight so hard to just be here & every day after to see the amazing girl she has become keeps me hopeful & thankful.  Everyday I miss my mom but I found that life could still be beautiful & that is where the comfort lies, in the beauty left behind. I just hope that Autumn's parents find comfort everyday some way too.  Perhaps knowing people haven't forgotten about Autumn helps them, surely through their other children, their families, through rainbows that Autumn's mom shares on facebook that always seem to come at just the right moment to let her know Autumn's still around & in a million other beautiful ways.  That's my wish for them.  That in whatever way they can,  they are able to find some comfort in knowing that not only is life still beautiful but that Autumn's still around.   Autumn-what a perfect name, a truly perfect name, each & every year everyone has a beautiful reminder of you.