We Ditched the Dish

Well, We did it.

We ditched the dish.

The days of recording our favorite shows and complaining about having to watch live tv are through.

With my husband's new job came new financial challenges.  You may remember from this post that he is currently living in two places.  An apartment that we were SO blessed to have been hooked up with, and here at home with us, 1.5 hours away from work.  This new chapter in our lives has presented some new challenges, and reminded us of some old ones, not the least of which is the pay cut that we took for this job.
When I tell people how significant the pay cut was to take this new job people think that we are nuts, but let me explain:  The schools here in the county we have been living in are rated between 2 and 3.... and that's out of TEN mind you!  That's horrible!  Don't get me wrong, this place had its uses and charms, and we are all too grateful for the opportunities that we have had here, but we have always known that this place was just a pitstop for us.  The schools in our new county are rated up in the 8 and 9 range!  Good gracious, what a glorious change!  I know that leaving the good money and taking less all for the sake of providing our children a better education and a better community and really, a better quality of life was the righteous choice for us to make for our family, and I am proud of and stand behind that decision, no matter how hard this is. 

What we've gained...

In a way, ditching the dish is something I have been secretly wanting to do for a while.  Having "cable" hinders us from getting up and getting going.  It keeps us from interacting as much with each other.  It keeps us lazy, and it keeps us plugged into the TV when we should be plugged into each other and having quality time together.  

Cable is a trap.  Don't get me wrong, I am  having withdrawals (to a certain extent).  I hate that I missed Sister Wives on Sunday, and the finale of Top Shot All-Stars, and Futurama, and Adventure Time (lol, that's an odd collection, huh), But something I am definitely NOT going to miss is the $73 per month we were paying for it.  Having cable or satellite is a luxury and not a necessity, so we kicked the dish to the curb, and we aren't looking back!  

We aren't totally lost without it though, we still have tons of shows on DVD and enough movies to make your eyes bug out, and oh dear the video games!  We are still able to entertain ourselves, only none of those other sources of TV fun make you feel trapped the way satellite/cable seems to.  And frankly, it is so much easier to get lost in TV because there are so many choices, you can hardly step away.  But with all these other things, you can only be sucked in for so long, and then you get kind of bored.  

Another thing that rocks about ditching the dish is that I have gotten back into reading more.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.  So that's a bonus!  Right now I am speeding through the 3rd installment of the Fallen series, "Passion".  It's not too bad, and it's a pretty quick read.  who knows what is next, I'll probably read Catching Fire again so that I can refresh my memory before the movie comes out (<---so stoked about this!).  I'll probably throw the Twilight and Harry Potter books in the queue as well, I can never go too long without reading them through again.

What comes next...

I just found out this morning that another house we looked at a while back, which ended up going under contract, is back on the market.  Could this one be our house?? Who knows.  But Lord knows I'm on my knees daily praying for the opportunity for us all to live together again!  I want so badly for us all to be together, and to be homeowners for the first time!  

I know God will bless us in due time, and unfortunately for my nerves, I just need to keep praying and stay positive and most of all trust that when the right thing comes along God will set it aside for us! 

I hope y'all are having a PERFECTLY AWESOME long weekend and I look forward to hearing from you

(nudge nudge comments? nudge nudge) lol

House Hunting Rocks & Sucks

Hello All, and let me start by saying, UGH.

We have been on the hunt for houses in the new place where my husband got a job in June.  It has been kind of a culture shock because the housing market there is much different, and you get a lot less house for your money.  I get it, really I do, the schools are better there (a huge reason we chose to move there) and it's a nice place on the whole, but it just really sucks for people like us.  My husband is the sole provider while I'm in school and so our income is limited, ipso facto, so are our choices.

The reason house hunting rocks is because it is so fun to go into these places and just see the differences in space and architecture.  It's fun to see the way that other people decorate.  It's fun to wander around the empty ones and imagining where you would put all of your stuff.

The Reason it sucks is that we have kind of run out of choices.  We were on the hook for this one.  Then it didn't work out because the owner was giving his current tenant first opportunity to buy and she got approved.  Back to the drawing board.  There are a ton of houses for sale in the area, but the average price is in the $300-500k arena.....  do you know how much Cops get paid?  You don't?  ok, let's just say not enough to buy those, not by a long shot.

So, here we are.  Dying for the opportunity to get moved into, might I add, our first home, and yet, we are coming up empty handed over and over.  I just wish I knew what God had in mind for us, because I really felt in my heart of hearts that it was that one.  I'm just a little lost.

Hopefully in a few months we will be able to look back at this time and understand what the purpose of this back-and-forth and all this waiting was, but as for now, I'm stumped.  We are just so desperate for the change, and for the opportunity to be home owners we can taste it.

More waiting....

Sharing a Laugh

I watched this video this morning and couldn't stop laughing.  I just thought I would share it.  

I found this through one of my favorite websites for goofiness and hilarity, Cheezburger.com

Mind you, some stuff on this site is NSFW (not safe for work) and even in this video there are a few suggestive answers to game shows questions, so viewer discretion is advised.

You should also be warned that you can, and most likely will, lose HOURS or maybe even DAYS looking at all that this site has to offer....

You have been warned!!

Wise Words Wednesday #10

Sometimes, I have extreme difficulty taking off my little tunnel-vision-goggles and stopping to just take a look around at the big picture.  It is so easy to get caught up in everyday crazy that we don't really look around at what is passing us by, or what is happening just outside our line of sight.  We think we can control EVERYTHING and when we can't we get so angry and disillusioned with life.  I personally have to override my crazy once in awhile (easier said than done) and stop and smell the proverbial roses.

It helps me as a Christian to know that there is always one constant in life, one thing I can put my finger on and say, "yeah, that's real", something, or more accurately Someone, who is a constant, who is always there and always cares and is the absolute truth of life. It's like spinning around and around as a kid and if you don't have something to keep focus on you get dizzy and out of control. But with God as the one thing to stare at and focus on, sure everything else is still crazy and spinning like mad, but he's there, keeping everything in perspective and keeping you from totally losing control.   That's one of the reasons that I love this verse from Psalms 46:10, it tells me, "Hey!  stop what you're doing and for Pete's sake settle down!  I've got this"

If I just keep doing what I know is good and right and I just Trust in God the rest of the time it's gonna be fine....  So just settle down.

If you have suggestions for Wise Words Wednesday

Drop them in the comments below!

Meeting Bloggers in REAL Life

I follow a good deal of blogs, as most bloggers do, and I will not hesitate to say I do not read every single post from every single blog I follow.  Sorry.  It's just not possible.  Between Wifing, Momming, and Studenting (lol, how much do you love my new verbs?) I have just a tad bit of time to sit and read blogs before I have to get back to business of one form or another.  That being said, a blog has to be especially  fantastic for me to subscribe via email.  To me, email subscription to a blog is like the most fangirl thing to do when you really love reading someone's content on the regs.  I say ALL of that to say this:

There is one blog, that no matter what, I always have and always will read every single post from, and that blog is Interiors by Kenz.

 I absolutely love this girl!  her writing style is so fun and light it really makes you feel like you are just having coffee with her, not reading through paragraphs on a monitor.  She is so creative and really versatile and extraordinarily skilled at what she does.  Not only is she an awesome writer and DIY-er, but she also is so extremely well-rounded and there is more than meets the eye with this girl!  She plays violin in a symphony, and she's a pilot!  Like, whowhat?!  When I read her about me page I was blown away, I thought, no, there is no way in heck that she is actually a real person!

As you may have read in a previous post, at the beginning of this month I got to meet my blogger idol, Mekenzie from said blog.  She is just as delightful in real life as she is on the interwebs.  Which brings me to my next point and back around to the title of this post.  

Meeting bloggers in REAL life makes you feel a little bit like a stalker.  

It's weird.

We had an awesome breakfast at the Flying Biscuit Cafe in Atlanta, over which we talked about all the things that had been going on for her at the Haven Conference that weekend and my much less exciting adventure of getting through the toll road with only $.43 thanks to an extra  nice cashier, and also about the vast differences in our climates (She lives in Utah).  But I found myself asking questions based on all the millions of little factoids I knew about her from reading her blog for months and months, and like I said, it makes ya feel a little bit stalkery.  I talked myself out of this weird little feeling and really enjoyed being able to connect on a personal level with someone I have admired from across the country for such a long time!  

Have you met a fellow blogger and felt this same sensation?  

please tell me I am not alone in this!   

Wise Words Wednesday #9

I'm starting a new series of Wise Words today, All of which look like Chalkboards.  

And really, Who doesn't love this chalkboard trend?

Enjoy!

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These are some seriously wise words from Ayn Rand, author of Atlas shrugged (among other things).

It is so easy to compare ourselves to others, and to feel jealous and resentful, but this isn't how we better ourselves.  We have to really be CREATIVE to find our own way, and challenge and compete with ourselves, and not EVERYONE else around us.  We need only improve and maintain ourselves to really be happy.  If you go through your whole life trying to beat down other people you will never feel complete because there will always be someone else to beat down just behind them.  Where as if you look only to bettering yourself then there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

Not to mention that you can keep people around to support you instead of smashing them under your boot on the way.

Do you have suggestions for Wise Words Wednesday??  

I am always open to suggestions! Leave in a comment below! 

Checking Up

Rainy day here in GA 

Well, I know apart from Wise words posts, I haven't really posted in a little while.  It's been a little stressful and busy around here.  We are house hunting and the like and that can be very irritating at times.  We found our perfect place, but there are other complications around it that are out of our control.  We are ready to go on it but we can't yet because of other people.  I hate feeling like I don't have any control!

Me and my Bunny-girl hanging out

Wise Words Wednesday # 8

I know that I have the issue now and then when things get difficult or tense where I look at myself and think, "Ugh, what the point??  Why am I trying so hard?!"

This verse from Galatians stays on my inspiring passages list for just that reason

So that I can look at it and remind myself, 

Nothing bad can come from doing good.

Sometimes the good that can come takes longer than we may like, but it's on the way.

Just be still and wait for it.

If you like Wise Words Wednesday or have a Scripture/Quote suggestion, 

Please comment below!

You are more than welcome to share anything from Wise Words Wednesday, 

So, go right ahead!

Thanks y'all!

Wise Words Wednesday # 7

I'm off of Swifty at the moment, however, I do love this line from "Ours"

I think we have all been able to look back at how either someone treated us or how we treated someone and realized the REAL reason for the throwing of stones and felt a sheepish for not noticing it before.

I have spent a good deal of time the last couple of years seeking out people who I know I have not been as kind to as I should have been, not only to make myself feel better about my poor behavior, but also, hopefully, to give them some assurance and closure.  

It's hard to admit you're a jerk.

But I have done it. 

And I think all parties are better for it.

If you like Wise Words Wednesday or have a suggestion please drop it in the comments section below

Also, please feel free to share!

Thanks Y'all!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

photosource

That's right everyone, the most treasured time of year has come again!  I can hardly contain my excitement or my record-button-pressing!

It's Shark Week!!!

And on behalf of the sheer awesomeness that is Shark Week I have made a roundup of some of the most awesome arts and crafts and handmade delights that the interwebs can provide!

Enjoy!

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