You're kidding.......RIGHT?!?

I love FALL! I especially love when we have a Fall where the cool weather does not wait until Thanksgiving to get here! This year, thankfully, we began getting cool weather by the 1st few weeks of October! YAHOO!

I was totally psyched! The moment it was cool enough, I turned off the air conditioner in our home, opened the windows and let the air do all the work! I naturally turn off all lights when we are not using them, so I am pretty savvy about keeping the electricity bill as low as possible. However, to be able to keep my AC off as well???? I was thrilled!!!

Then, Monday, the new energy bill arrived. I was almost as excited to hear what our bill was as I would be hearing that someone just randomly sent us a check in the mail for $500! I called Scotty, and he assured me it had arrived. I waited in anticipation over the phone as he opened the envelope............................

Was it as low as $60?!?

Was it $80?!?

TELL ME NOW!!!!!!

Then, I heard the words.........

"Honey, our electricy bill is $300."

"WHAT?!?" "You're kidding with me, right?"

"No." "$300."

I was sure somehow he had forgotten how to read the bill. So, I rushed home and sure enough the bill was for $298.75! HOW? On top of the bill read: "Estimated Bill", so I called Stream Energy Customer Service. After sitting on hold for 30 min, a sweet lady got on the phone. I kindly explained to her how I loved Fall, I had been turning off my AC, opening windows and did not understand how my bill (which is never over $120) can now be almost $300.

Then, she kindly replied: "Well, since not everyone in the Texas/New Mexico power grid has recieved their power back yet, we are not getting current, accurate reads from everyone's meters. All residential customers are getting what we call "Estimated Bills". Which means, whatever your residence paid last year at this time in energy, we are billing you. So, you do owe the $300. It is due by the due date or you will be subject to having your power cut off."

uh..........yeah

So now, apparently, I have to manipulate the budjet to find an extra $100 or so to pay this bill of energy we didn't use. The good thing about the deal is that when they finally do get an accurate read, if they realize they over-charged us, our next bill will be a credit and could be as low as $0. Geez.......I sure hope so.

For your enjoyment...

This Halloween proved to be fun and disappointing. My 2 year olds had a BLAST this week! Here was our schedule at school:

Monday: Decorate Trick-or-Treat bags
Tuesday: Make Spider Apples
Wednesday: Decorate Halloween Cookies
Thursday: Discover Pumpkins
Friday: Wear your costume and Halloween Party!

Needless to say, I had to get quite creative to keep everyone from bouncing off the walls from their constant sugar high during class. Myself and the other teacher decided to go to school Friday as characters from the Wizard of Oz. She was the Tin Man. She looked FANTASTIC! I sure am glad I didn't choose her character. I could not have pulled it off as good as she did!

However, I was extremely sad when, after work, I raced home, touched-up my make-up and waited in anticipation for...........NOT ONE TRICK-OR-TREATER!!!!!!!!! NONE. I was so bummed!!!!

This is my very first Halloween being married. My very first Halloween to be in full costume waiting to answer the doorbell and see those sweet faces, and NOT ONE!

*sigh*

WHO IS GOING TO TAKE ALL THIS CANDY?

I am seriously considering having a Halloween Party next year. People must come to my home, ring my doorbell and say "Trick-or-Treat!". Even if it takes me sending invitations and making food............

I'll take it!

This Saturday night I get to have an extra hour of sleep thanks to good 'ol Daylight Savings!

I am a bit sad, however, that it will begin to get darker earlier. I enjoy being able to walk in the park in the evenings with my sweet Scotty. Now, we will have to be home be 7 or so to beat the sunset. :(

Even though Daylight Savings comes around bi-annually, I am sure that in the Spring, I will be just as surprised to lose my hour.....and will probably write a blog-rant about how upset I am about that. ;)


OH - here are some fun things going on today:
1. I'm cooking a SUPER YUMMY desert for my work staff luncheon.
2. Going to early voting before work.
3. Hottie and I have "date night" tonight. :) :) :)
4. I'm carving pumpkins with my class today! FUN and MESSY! :)

Can you believe it?!?

I'M READING!

I know! It is CRAZY. For those of you that know me well....I hate reading. Seriously. I think, in my lifetime, I have read maybe 4 books. In school, I would do ANYTHING I could to NOT read books for class.

I remember, in 9th grade English, our teacher would give us a quiz each Friday over the chapter we were supposed to read the week before. However, he loved the it when "students" would get enraptured in a book, so he could talk about it for hours. So, every Friday I would somehow ask a question about one of the characters that I "just didn't understand". He would begin a discussion about the chapter we were on and why that character was doing what he/she was doing. By the end of each discussion, I would have almost enough information to make at least a "B", if not an "A" on each quiz. By "test time", our "study guide" was our quizes! I made an "A" in the class - without ever picking up a book!

However, now I am getting older (hopefully wiser) and realizing a couple things:

1. I want my children to love reading. How can I instill that in them, if I don't read joyfully?

2. I want to become the kind of wife and mom that honors God, but I definitely have no idea where to begin. I know I am in for some heavy reading, prayer and mentoring...

So, after many suggestions from wives I look up to, I bought the book "The Excellent Wife". I have not even had this book for a week and am already on chapter 10!!! I am captivated, humbled, inspired and excited!

Marriage, in two months, has already taught me that I am definitely all about ME. I love serving Scotty. I love making him lunch, dinner, making the bed, doing laundry....all those things. However, the moment I feel like one of my "needs" are not being met, something in me just wants to make everything I do shut down. I want to say, "WAIT! I did all "this" and you can't see that I need "that"???" Then I'm done.

Sad.

That is NOT God's plan for marriage. That is NOT God honoring.

If you are a wife, and have not yet read this book, GET IT. It will revolutionize the way you think about your life, your purpose and your husband.

....more to come..........

Are you willing to die for your faith?

Believe it or not, this question pops up in my mind more than a couple times a week. I wonder, in that moment:

Could I die and be okay with never having children?

Could I die and be okay with leaving my sweet husband of only 2 months?

Could I die not knowing if my dad ever accepted Christ?

Could I????

The truth is, I have to. I have to believe that God's plan for my life is GREATER and my own. I have to just trust Him. Trust He will take care of my family. He is the ultimate provider.

I read THIS, and am praying He is caring for Gayle's family now.

I'm IN LOVE!

With my crockpot, of course!

I don't know how any working person can truly live without one of these fantastic inventions. I am fine with coming home a couple nights a week and making dinner, but there is nothing like getting up in the morning, throwing some carrots, potatoes, onions, seasonings, roast and water in a crockpot - setting it on low for 8hrs - and returning home from work to a home full of wonderful aromas and a fully prepared Pot Roast dinner ready to eat!

While I am on the subject, here are some other things I simply cannot live without:

I have not always been a coffee fan, but thanks to Coffee Mate - I am almost an addict! Best of all, they have seasonal creamers! Currently, Peppermint Mocha is my favorite while Scotty prefers Pumpkin Spice...BOTH occupy a corner of the refrigerator.

Swiffer makes TONS of great products I love, but currently I cannot get enough of this little handheld duster! I have the one with the long extended handle, and I am able to dust the fans, all the blinds and the top of the doors without breaking a sweat! I LOVE IT!

So.............what can YOU not live without????

Thank God mine was indoors!

Have you seen this yet?