Category: Family Life

First I have to thank everyone for their very kind words. It really meant a lot to me to see all the great comments that supported me, prayed for me, and wishes for our safety. I just can’t thank you enough and it was wonderful to read them.

We came back last Thursday and have moved in with my mom. We were told that we wouldn’t have electricity for up to 6 weeks. We got it back last night. YAY! But we won’t have cable, phone, or internet for who knows how long. BOO! I’m very grateful we at least have our house, with no serious damage, and cold A/C again. I don’t want anyone to think I’ve abandoned my readers, but it’s going to take some time until I get back to a more normal life.

I am going to start pushing them pretty hard next week to get my services back. They love to give you the run around about why they can’t come to send a technician to look at the line. At least I’m getting a credit for the weeks I haven’t had any service so that does help. I hope to get it all back by next week. I’ll be able to check in until we go back home this weekend. I just wanted to update that we are safe and sound.

Well after my not so great adventures after Gustav, we did give moving a lot of consideration. It’s never easy to leave your friends and family, and then you have to start over in a new and strange area. Some people would also consider it a wonderful adventure. We had several areas in mind, including, Atlanta. There are some wonderful jobs in Atlanta that we did look over online. We decided to stay put for now since the last big one was over 15 years ago.

Today’s thrifty tip is visit your local library. I live in a pretty small town, but my library can get me most books I want, even if it’s at another branch. I can rent VHS and DVD movies for free. I’m impressed with how many newer titles are available. Over the summer, they had a reading program for the kids. My son won a few prizes, and he met his 25 book reading goal. You can also use the computers and internet as long with your card. Check it out today.

We are planning our first trip to Disney World for next year. We are debating if we should stay on grounds or in a condo hotel off grounds. It would be very convenient to stay at Disney with no worries about driving to the parks daily and parking. We could just catch a shuttle or bus. I would also prefer to save some money staying offsite, plus have a bigger place. We need to just write down all the pros and cons to make our choice.

I am constantly on the prowl for great deals and bargains, but I also like to give unique gifts when I can. Some people are much easier to shop for than others in my family. I came across a great product called Cabin Cuddler which would be perfect for my husband’s grandmother. She is constantly complaining about how cold her house is during the winter. She has been having problems with her legs so this will be great for her. The blanket has a great foot pocket so it will stay put to keep her toasty warm. She can also bring this with her when she travels.

My brother would really love this since he does a lot of flying for business trips. He refuses to use the airline provided pillow or blanket. He feels that these are germ infested which aren’t properly cleaned. This also comes with an inflatable pillow. It inflates easily, and is perfect for traveling. I love that it comes in a handy tote bag which would fit perfectly over the handle on his rolling suitcase. I’m considering purchasing one for us to use on our Walt Disney World trip next year. It’s never too early to start your Christmas shopping.