Sunday, April 26, 2009

Yippie, I Won

Thank you so much Everyday Mom of One. I received my prize and I LOVE it. Its exactly what I wanted and I was so excited to get it in the mail. I think I forgot to mention what I liked in the email but this is what I wanted. So when I opened the box to my surprise there was the items! Yippie!

Heres a pictures of my prize and the link to this Eco Friendly company that is commitment to the environment. SeaSide Naturals


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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Look what I found

Saturday the twins came running in saying something was wrong with our outside cat. Shes our mouser. We have a really big problem out here with rats the size of cats and field mice. They wreck havic on our garage and everything else. But since mouser has been here... no mice ! It looked like something had attacked (same coyote that hurt Elmo the duck??) and she needed to mend so I cared for her and put her in the garage in a dog kennel.


Sunday night as we were getting ready to close the garage door I heard something. Like a kitten crying in the distance. I listened and didnt hear it again. I thought maybe it was the echo of the puppies our dog just had. I had the twins come out and listen but they didnt hear it either. So the next morning one of the twin and I went to investigate over near our pigs where I thought the sound was coming from. nothing. humm... I decided since I was so close to our big horse trailer I'll just go into the living quarters and grab some thing out of it and as I closed the door I heard the crying again! Sure enough in the middle section of the trailer where there are built in dog kennels there they were ......




This one......

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and this one.....

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and this one.....


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Arent they cute~!


They were very weak and wobbly. The poor things hadnt eatten in two days. She was so happy to see her kittens. Happy to say mama cat and kittens are doing great. :)

Yippie, now we have more cats to help with the mice population!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Electric Bill


Im totally agree that if you save alittle here and alittle there, its starts to add up and you'll be saving alot. So Im starting to work alittle on the electric bill. Something we can control.

I started posting my electric bill awhile back when I plugged in all those power surgers. Well, so far my bill has gone back up.This month its was $106.xx. When I call the electric company they just say that for the size of my house (2700 sq ft) that is an excellent price. Well, Im not happy with that price. I worked really hard turning off those power surgers. Makin sure they were all off when the appliance wasent being used, driving my family crazy to turn those lights off!

So yesterday I spent about 3 hrs researching what everything costs in my house. I wanted to know what was using the most. My moms electric bill is in the $30's. (1800 sq ft) I thought I have almost exactly what she has so why is mine so much higher? Well, after comparing my moms, and our electric bill I figured it out.

I found a website that helped me work the numbers. I didnt want an exact number, just a very close number and this website matched what I came up with. Link

Also here in Southern California they charge you in Tiers. So the more you use they move you up a tier and you pay more and more.

I couldnt believe how little electricity somethings in the house used compared to others. Did you know that my coffee maker that runs 2 hrs a day (auto shut off) cost more a month to run than my fridge or my freezer that runs 24 hrs, 7 days a week. Heres the approx break down so you can see how things add up. These are approx. but their close. Theres a few items not listed like the oven digital clock and plugging in the cellphones to charge.

_My house_____
55" big screen tv $15.73 (15 hrs daily)
Coffee maker $7.28 (2 hrs daily auto shutoff)
Laptop $2.17 (12 hrs daily)
Hubbys pc $14.56 (24/7)
My pc $7.28 (12 hrs)
Twins bedroom tv $0.60 (1hr daily)
Twins bedroom tv $4.03 (8 hrs daily)
Dryer $13.78 (4 days month 4 hrs each day)
Washer $2.24 (4 days month 4 hrs each day)
Fridge $5.46 (24/7)
Freezer $5.46 (24/7)
DVR $2.86 (24/7)
Lightbulbs (11)$3.96 (energy savers 5 hrs daily)
Microwave $2.86 (30 min daily)
Dishwasher $9.36 (20 days mo. 1hr each day)
PS2 $.85 (8 hrs daily)
Wii $.25 (2 hrs daily)
Fax/copier $5.40 (24/7)
Electric blanket $4.03 (10 hrs daily, auto shutoff)
Total $101.34 not including taxes and fees

It amazes me how things add up. Now that I know what is using the most Ive decided to cut down on the use of those appliances to see if I can save.Less tv, Less dishwasher, less dryer, hubbys pc will be turned off unless in use, and so will mine when were not doing school. And that COFFEE MAKER, Im setting the timer for 1 hrs and I'll manually turn it off. Their reading our meter in 2 weeks so I might not post the next bill but I'll post the following bill since we'll be starting this money saving goal starting today. OH and yes I'll still be turning off those surgers :)

If you have a money saving tip, please post it. I would love to hear them. :)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter Everyone :)

ahhh pottery barn does it again :)

Friday, April 10, 2009

Cutest Idea for Easter for your Kids!!!!!!!!!!!

The Easter Bunny was HERE???

I usually dont get too excited over holiday decorating but this one is just the cutest idea Ive heard in a long time.

Not only is it super cute but its a tradition that Kaye remembers from Childhood. I love that. This is what makes those lasting childhood memories. Head on over to Kayes blog to check out the instructions!

Its just too cute!!!!!!

Meet Elmo !

Heres some photos of my sweet duck Elmo. Shes been living in our laundry room in a large dog crate for several days now. She was attacked by some wild animal and her left leg was hurt. Shes usually pure white and fluffy but now the poor thing looks like she went to war. I gave her a bath to get most of the dirt off but her face still needs alittle work. Shes very animated and really cracks us up. Or maybe that should be "Quacks us up"!! hee I wanted to practice using the new camera so I took her outside and snapped these photos :)























Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Tagged ... alittle bit about me

I have been tagged by the Jane over at one of my favorite blogs called Workthatwardrobe.

The guidelines are as follows:1. Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention; add a question of your own.

2. Tag several un-tagged people.

What is your current obsession? Hum.. blogging and playing with my new fancy dancy camera. (Big thanks to Kim over at Mimi Charmante for helping me)


Good fika place? (That would be coffee to us non-Swedes) Starbucks of course!


Do you nap a lot? Hardly ever. Only when Im sick.


Who was the last person you hugged? My hubby


What’s for dinner? Beef Barley Soup with garlic bread (made with my dads recipe)

If you could be any rock/pop icon for a day who would it be and why? (Janes question) I can only think of a actor. I like music just not into the rockstars so I have no idea. So since Im a hippy at heart I would be Goldie Hawn. I love her kick back, let things roll off her back, easy going attitude.


If you could go anywhere in the world for a fully paid for vacation where would you go? (my question) Before I die I want to go to England, Scotland and Ireland. My hubby is irish/scottish and his gggrandfather (Might need more greats added) was a mason and built castles. I would love to find some of those. Another goal is to find the spookiest, grandest old castle and stay in it. My mothernlaw and I want to do some research for our ancestry work we've been workin on so that would be fun to do. I know I have a family member that owns a pub somewhere in London or right outside of London so that would be fun to find him.

What are you listening to right now? My hubby talking to a customer on the phone.


What is your favourite weather? WARM!!! Im always cold, my bones feel cold all the time so warm weather is my favorite. Not hot, just warm. Even though my favorite time of the year is Fall.


What’s on your bedside table? Lamp, plant, my bible, cell phone, favorite lotion, Stephanie plum series (book 14) by Janet Evanovich. Totally hiliarious series.


Say something to the person/s who tagged you. I love reading your blog. I just love seeing how your putting your outfits together and how you work them and reuse items of clothing to get a totally different look. Ive learned so much. Ive found my favorite jeans because of your blog (thank you ). I also feel a connection since since most of my mothers side of the family is from England so seeing the scenery is fun for me.



If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Hum... this one is hard. I live where its dry, brown and theres a ton of dirt so I want to live where its GREEN. Where grass grows on its own without a million dollar water bill every month to keep it alive. hee Anywhere its green!

Favourite vacation spot? Sequoia National Park where you find those huge huge huge redwood trees. They are so grand they take your breathe away.


Name the things you can’t live without. My family and my computer.



What would you like to have in your hands right now? Enough money to pay off my house.




What is your favourite tea flavour? Hum.. I really dont drink tea cause I like coffee better but when I do I like Peach flavored.


What would you like to get rid of? All the junk in the garage. Ive cleaned that darn garage 6 times now in the 2 years we've lived here and it keeps getting cluttered again. LOL


If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Somewhere green and warm! Probably Hawaii. My favorite island is the big island and I like the town Kona. I got pregnant in Hawaii so watch out for the black sand and jelly fish.!!! Im warning you from experience! hee


What do you miss? (This is Belette Rouge's question) Warm weather and my grandfather. I was very close to him and I miss his humor.


What are you reading right now? Havent read in weeks since Ive been so busy. Stepheanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich "Fearless Fourteen".


What do you fear the most? (Andrea’s question) Losing my family



What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own (new or vintage)? LOL Im fashion challanged so I have no idea! Im not really into designer clothing. Im a Gap, Old Navy, Jeffery Beane kind of gal.




Admit one thing you feel awful about. Once you have written it down, you are no longer allowed to feel bad. (Mervat's question) That I dont always spend time playing video games with the twins. They always ask me but I really dont like playing video games so I tell them later. Well, sometimes later never happens. I think today I'll spend alittle time playing with them :)



Heres the people I tagged:

Our Suburban Cottage

My kids Momma

Blessed Frugalness times two with twins

Kayes Kreative Korner

Mabel + Lola

Terries lil piece of Serenity

Mimi Charmante

Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

Mom of one

Ducks in a Row



PS: If anything doesnt make sense Im blaming it on the cold medicine. LOL

Monday, April 6, 2009

New Challange


Ive decided to join a weightloss challange! GULP.

I do not have an addictive personality so for me to stay on track is sometimes hard. I go gungho for a week or so then it peters off to something else that has my attention... something like decorating.... or food.... or couponing..... or decorating.....or organizing...... or weightloss? Weightloss??... what weightloss????

So heres the deal, Ive joined Everyday mom of one. Hopefully I can stay on track and I can lose alittle weight that Ive gained. If you want to join us just click on her link and head over to see the details. Its very simply and easy. Nothing hard or confusing. Which is perfect for lil' ole me!

Let me know if you join us on this journey :)






Start Date: Monday April 6th

Current Weight =158 (fully clothed, and just ate breakfast)



1st Goal = 153



Date to Reach 1st Goal = April 20th





Goal for this week = Walk 10,000 steps each day with pedometer. whether its steps from walking, riding exercise bike or whatever as long as it reads 10,000 for that day.

Drink min. two water bottles daily. I really dont like water. I hardly ever drink it. But when I do drink water I lose weight. So 2 water bottles daily min. is a great feat for me. :)


My mom gave me her ab lounger so I'll be doing 80 crunches daily also.





I LOVE this pedometer. Works great. Bought it from Costco online awhile ago. I just dug it out and its battery is dead so I'll be buying one today.






My super duper fancy camera should be delievered today. OHHHH, I hope so, so I'll be taking pictures. I might even take a picture of myself. Gulp again. I really dont like my picture taken but it might be a good incentive to stay on track :)

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Ive been sitting here searching blogs and websites looking for the perfect blog background. Im still feeling alittle sick. So between coughing and blog searches I got to laughing at myself.

I cant leave well enough alone. I go to others websites and get ideas then the computer geek in me starts thinking, "I could do this", "I could do that"! UGH I serously need to go to a "Learn to stop changing your blog background every other day AA meeting".

Meeting would go like this....'

Councelor: Ellie, you really should be happy with what background you have at this moment.

Me: I am but have you seen all the totally cute backgrounds out there?

Councelor: yes, but you need to at least live with your new background for a few days to see if its what you really want.

Me: Are you kidding me? I might miss a new background or find something Way better. Gotta go look now!

Councelor: I think your hopeless.

Me: (nodding in agreement) I think your right.



Im blaming this on the cold medicine. Its making me search new background! Thats my story and Im sticking to it!


A big thank you to my good friend Linda who was very sweet to offer to pick up pig food for me so I wouldnt have to drive anyway today :)

Friday, April 3, 2009

Im tired of being Sick!

I havent posted lastely because I have just felt icky. I got a really bad cold and now Im coughing like crazy. All that nasty stuff is in my chest and I feel so tired. Im on the upwards hill through. Im feeling alot better today. Twins arent too happy since that means no more slacking on homeschool.





On an upnote Im getting a new camera! Im so excited I get goosebumps when ever I think about it. Well, technically its for the business. We need pictures for my hubbies website and our old digital camera is dying a slow death. He walked over to my desk the other day with money in his hand that we got unexpectedly and said "Go order that camera you've been wanting". YIPPIE! So I emailed Kim over at Mimi Charmante asking for advice since I know she loves cameras and I love her pictures she posted. She was kind enough to call me with all the information. Between my coughing and hacking I got so much information and I felt that I knew what camera I wanted. So off to Costcos website to buy one. Now Im waiting. .......... I feel like a little kid at Christmas..... waiting.... waiting.... is it here yet?..... wait..... I know I just ordered yesterday but is it here yet???.....



Tic toc.....



Tic toc.....



Hum... maybe if I move the hands on the clock time will go faster??