Life in Eureka Springs

Memories of the 80's

2009-05-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

I mostly grew up in the 80's, so I feel nostalgic about movies like "The Goonies", "Pretty in Pink", and "Some Kind of Wonderful." What I missed out on were some of the 80's television shows, since my parents controlled the remote back then. One show that is a great example of 80's style and mannerisms is called "Square Pegs" and it stars Sarah Jessica Parker right before she was in "Footloose" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."

The popular girl on the show, played by Tracy Nelson (sister to the Nelson twins), speaks all "valley girl" to an extreme point. "Like, gag me with a diet pill. Oh my god!!!" She is very annoying, like, for sure. Anyway, I watched some of the episodes the other night, courtesy of a friend who checked it out from the Berryville library. Even though I didn't watch the show as a kid, seeing the fashions and hairstyles definitely brought back many 80's memories. It was a totally fun time!

What's in a name

2009-04-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

Since my major in college was Fine Arts, with an emphasis on Commercial Design, I scrutinize company logos more than the average Joe. I remember one of our projects in Design class was to take an existing logo and update it. Looking at all those logos you realize that some logos are great and work perfectly well for the company (like Mobil gasoline), while others just don't fit (like YES paste).

Then I see logos like the one for Sony Vaio and I just don't know what to think. True, it is modern, cool, and sleek - which are probably all the things an electronics company would want you to think about them. My concern is the lack of legibility. It took me a long time to even be able to read the logo, so I didn't know what the company name was at all. Now that they have been around for a few years, perhaps the logo has become recognizable enough for people, so most know it spells "vaio" by now.

Financial clean-up

2009-04-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

Now that our taxes are done, I am going through our family's financial profile and figuring out if there are any areas we can save money on. First of all, we are planning to drop our land line soon since we also have a cell phone and it just seems silly to overlap those two payments.

I'm also planning to get some free insurance quotes to see if we can get a better deal on our auto and homeowner's insurance. It seems like insurance prices can vary quite a bit between carriers.

2009 Tourist season has begun...

2009-04-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

...with a fury!!! Wow, I can't believe how many tourists were in town last weekend. Many people came to town just for the spring library book sale, which makes me very happy. We broke the record again for the most money made in a book sale. Many thanks to the hard work of the Friends of the Library who make our two yearly sales possible.

All the businesses are up and running for the season, from shops, to restaurants, to hotels. We even heard of a new old-fashioned soda fountain which will be opening on Main Street soon! I think that will fit in great here.

Milk required

2009-04-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's kind of irritating how much milk is pushed in school, especially when your children are lactose intolerant. Of course, they have the option to drink water, if they bring a water bottle from home and fill it at the drinking fountain. This is inconvenient, at best.

Getting personalized water bottles would be the most economical and environmentally friendly for children who prefer water. I hate buying expensive bottled water to send to school, then it could get mixed up with bottles that other children bring. As long as they don't lose their bottles, they could be refilled and kept at school all week, coming home to be washed on the weekends.

4 days and counting

2009-04-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Tax time is always a stressful time for everyone. Even if you are expecting a refund check, there are so many hoops (in the form of paperwork!) to go through to get it. Many people wait until the last minute, ultimately filing for an extension. Some people avoid doing their taxes like junkies avoid drug rehab. But I don't like the idea of pushing something into the future to avoid it for the time being. You will still have that new date looming over your head every day until it arrives, and what good is that?

My advice: just dive in and get them done already! Then breathe a sigh of relief... until next year. The IRS website has all the forms you need, either to e-file or to print out and mail in. No more excuses, just do it.

Movie Review: Seven Pounds

2009-04-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

I want to talk about a very interesting new movie I watched last night, but it's difficult to talk about without giving away the premise. I am so accustomed to movies that are so obvious and easy to figure out the ending that this one threw me for a loop. Basically, Will Smith plays the main character, who has it in his power to drastically alter the lives of seven people who each have a medical condition. One person is blind, one has a bad heart, one has mesothelioma, one has leukemia, one needs a liver transplant, one with kidney problems, and a woman in an abusive relationship.

He specifically seeks out genuinely good people to help in his own special way, which will blow your mind when you watch this film. Well, I don't want to give it away, but it is definitely a unique film and I recommend it. Check it out at the library!

Waiting and planning

2009-03-26T06:58:00.001-07:00

I guess it's been sort of a "blessing in disguise" that our house is taking a long time to sell, because we are still tweaking our building plans and coming up with new ideas for our land. My husband has been using a cad drawing program for the floorplan ideas. It helps a lot to be able to really see the plans on the computer screen. Then we can put things like furniture and appliances in the drawing to see how everything will actually fit and how good the "flow" of the plan is.

During this waiting period, we have also taken advantage of many deals on used building materials. For instance, we picked up two van loads full of used lumber from a wood chicken house that was dismantled. We have bought four doors and four windows for 1/10th the price of what we would have paid for new ones, and they are in great shape overall.

So we'll continue plugging away, waiting until our current house sells, but coming up with more ideas and finding more deals in the meantime.

What I don't miss

2009-03-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

I was talking with my son's teacher the other day about the fact that although we own a television set, we do not subscribe to cable or watch any TV channels at all. Living in the mountains makes antennas useless, and without paying for cable or satellite, we can't pick up any stations in our area. This is just fine by us, as we prefer to be totally in control of what we (and especially our kids) are watching. So we only watch the videos we own, or ones we check out at the library for free. It has been years since we have paid to watch anything.

On a recent vacation with relatives, the hotel had plenty of television channels to pick from, but we weren't interested. Flipping through the channels only reminded me of what I dislike the most about television programming. During the day, there is mostly soap operas and talk shows to pick from, which I believe actually lower your IQ the longer you watch. I mean, why would we want to know the life story of someone who requires a paternity test to know who her baby's father is? I think the only reason people watch these shows is to make their lives seem normal by comparison.

Even watching movies seems like a waste of time lately. I sit there and think of all the more productive things I could be doing. Only about one out of every ten movies I watch do I consider really worthwhile anymore. Anyway, that's my two cents.

Fakers

2009-02-27T18:59:00.000-08:00

I've never been to New York, but I have heard of all the "fake" designer brand merchandise that is sold there. Even the fakes have pretty high price tags, if you ask me. The most popular items are replica watches and purses or handbags. I say, if no one can tell the difference, you might as well save some money and go with the cheaper one. Maybe the designers will get a clue and lower their prices a bit to compete.

Then again, who am I kidding? Designers will always get their full prices from celebrities and the super-rich.

Digital frames

2009-02-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

Digital frames are a great way to display digital photos as a slideshow anywhere you have room for a photo frame. The only problem I see with them is that they use batteries, so if they are constantly running, they would go through batteries pretty quick.

For a child, a digital frame would be instant gratification so they could just take out the memory stick from their camera and plug it straight into the frame to view all their pictures.

Improve your food

2009-02-20T18:41:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading Susan Powter's book entitled "Food" for inspiration on eating healthier. I read her first book "Stop the Insanity" years ago and I really like her brash writing style and upbeat voice. She is a very strong woman who has been through a lot in her life, and shares her years of nutritional research with us.

She doesn't fall for dieting gimmicks, and would rather eat whole foods than take a weight loss pill. She believes even vitamins are a waste of money, preferring to get her daily supplements from fruits and vegetables. She also clears up much of the misinformation on food labels. I thought I knew how to read nutrition labels pretty well, but I learned a few valuable things from Susan's book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their health and eating habits.

What is that noise?

2009-02-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

We noticed a strange squeaking, clicking sound coming from our van whenever we turned the wheel. We took it in, and they said we needed a new axle on the passenger side. So we replaced that, then another weird, faster clicking sound started. This seemed awfully coincidental to me, but they claimed it must be something else, like stiff coilovers that needed lubrication. But the sound would come and go, and of course it was always quiet when a mechanic would listen. The sound seemed to fade, so we didn't worry about it.

Fast forward a few months, and the original squeaking click is back. I feel like just giving up since it is such an old car... Hey - it's 12 years old, but only has 145,000 miles on it. Cars should last a lot longer than that. I guess we'll keep band-aiding it to get a few more years out of it.

Thirst Rescheduled

2009-02-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

Due to the record-breaking ice storm during the last week of January, we had to cancel the first Thursday Thirst book club. The date for the first meeting has been rescheduled to February 26th. We hope you'll join us in the Library Annex at 6pm to talk about Twilight!

Eureka tourism

2009-02-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

The recession hasn't really affected our town as much as most of the country, I suspect, since we are a tourist "hot spot." People may have cut back on expensive, exotic locations, but they are still taking vacations to small American towns like ours. Because tourism is so unpredictable, our town has always had a high turnover of businesses in town, even before the recession. It is common to see small business for sale signs in several shop windows, especially during the slow winter season.

I am confident that people will continue visiting Eureka Springs because it seems that this town makes a positive impression and stays with people, urging them to return. I know it happened to us, and all the people we've met that continue to visit or have decided to move here permanently.

Medication paranoia

2009-01-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

After an allergic reaction to pain medication given to me after having my wisdom teeth removed in college, I am paranoid to take almost any prescribed pain medications. This is one of the main reasons I chose natural childbirth to deliver both of my children. Then after pulling a muscle in my neck during said natural childbirth, the midwife prescribed Tylenol with codeine, which I reluctantly accepted because the pain was excruciating and had lasted a couple of weeks. I took one pill, and felt dizzy for two whole days! I couldn't even care for my newborn without assistance.

So you can see why I would never try Leptovox, or any of the other hundreds of diet supplements available. There are so many side effects to worry about with any drug, that are sometimes worse than the affliction itself, it just isn't worth it. Add to that the expensive prices, and I'm definitely happy to spend my money elsewhere!

Stampede!

2009-01-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve was interesting this year. My in-laws traded their Las Vegas timeshare with one in Branson, so we spent the week between Christmas and New Year's there with them in the condo. It was nice to visit with relatives, but the overall feel and pace of Branson is just not "us", if you know what I mean. Let's just say that Eureka Springs and Branson are just about as opposite as two towns can get.

How about a little comparison:
Traffic - Eureka Springs: zero. Branson: tons, all the time.
Tourists - Eureka Springs: mostly artsy types who appreciate history and old architecture. Branson: retirees who like to golf and appreciate cheesy entertainment.
Prices - Eureka Springs: very reasonable. Branson: very overpriced.
Overall Feeling - Eureka Springs: relaxing, stress free, and friendly. Branson: hurried, stressful, and people treated somewhat like cattle.

Anyway, we held out pretty well until the final night of our visit, New Year's Eve at the Dixie Stampede. The night started off with a bang when my husband refused to be in the "required" family photos taken before entering the arena. His mother even said, "Thanks for ruining my evening." The pre-show was very entertaining and probably our favorite part. The guy was a world class juggler who could balance huge things like chairs and ladders on his chin. Then we were "herded" into the horse arena, which is set up like a stadium with rows in front of the seats so the wait staff can run by and serve your food. The riding was very good, and I wish there had been more of it. The trick riding only lasted a couple of minutes. The horses were beautiful, dressed in english saddles and still decorated for Christmas.

The food was very tasty, but it was unnerving when we were eating chicken and they started doing chicken races down below. Then they passed out pork loin, and what was next in the show? You guessed it - the baby pig races!! That part really bothered me, but I don't think many of the other guests were even aware that we were eating and being entertained by the same animal simultaneously.

Anyway, we ended our trip feeling very "overdosed" by Branson. I don't think we will go back for a very long time.

Hardcore copycats

2009-01-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

It is mind-boggling to see how many diet supplements are on the market right now. I realize that self image and vanity are a top dollar market, but can they really be that different from one another? I would bet that the same active ingredients can be found in most of the top diet pills on the market, and the variety comes only in the other "filler" ingredients. Hydroxycut hardcore is currently America's #1 diet pill, but at $60 per bottle, there are many copycats out there offering the same formula for much less.

People pay so much money for "miracle solutions", when what they really should be spending their money on is better food and a good pair of walking shoes. More home cooked meals, smaller portions at each meal, more fresh fruits and vegetables, and much more exercise could benefit nearly everyone.

Thursday Thirst

2009-01-14T08:53:00.000-08:00

I am excited to announce a new book club I am starting to discuss horror literature. It will be held on the last Thursday of each month, at 6pm - starting January 29th.

We will start by discussing the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Meet with us in the Library Annex building at 192 Spring Street.

Deprivation

2009-01-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes people question my family's frugal lifestyle because they don't understand why we would "deprive" ourselves of everyday luxuries that most families enjoy. Just because we don't watch television, only have one car, and limit our belongings, we are anything but deprived! We enjoy saving money and the environment with our daily choices. And since we have a habit of saving any extra money, we can afford to take vacations at least once a year.

Although we have traveled more than many families, there are still many places we have yet to explore. The east coast is one such area. It would be so much fun to book some Outer Banks rentals and get a large group together to share the vacation. Even the smaller rentals have enough space for 8 people to sleep. Why not share the cost and the fun?? We have also never been to the west coast, and would love to visit Sequoia National Park in California, then on up to Oregon and Washington. A way-in-the-future dream is to visit Europe, and if we continue along the path of simple living, we may just get there someday.

Aging eyes

2009-01-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

I always thought my mom was being paranoid when she said she didn't like driving at night. I've heard of night blindness too, but I never knew exactly what it meant. Well, now that I am in my thirties, I don't like driving at night either! I can't fully explain it, but I feel like I can't drive as well at night and the headlights from the other cars really bothers me. Even if their "bright" lights aren't on, I feel like I can't see for a second after an oncoming car passes by. Is this what night blindness is? Why didn't it bother me when I was younger?

I have also noticed some weirdness with my vision when I am reading lately. All of a sudden, the page will take on a "magic eye" effect and some of the words look like they are floating above the page. I have never needed eyeglasses, but I'm thinking to get this checked out, in case I need reading glasses or something.

Future of keeping warm

2008-12-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about buying an electric blanket to warm up the bed on really cold nights, and upon searching the internet, I came across a new technology that I simply must share. They are little rubbery discs, the size of a Frisbee made by Snuggle Safe. You heat them up in the microwave for 5 minutes, and they hold 100 degree heat for 12 hours! After that, they slowly cool down to room temperature. They are currently made for pet beds, but I am very excited about this. I am sure they will develop the technology more to be used in a larger scale in the future. I have heard of several people using them in their chicken coops to keep the hens warm, and with other outdoor livestock. It can even be used in the car.

There are no cords, so the uses are limitless.

Guaranteed life

2008-12-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

One of my least pleasant memories is the first time I applied for life insurance. They sent a nurse over to my house to do the medical exam. As if the long list of questions weren't bad enough, then it was time for the blood test. Now, I don't have a problem with needles, but occasionally nurses have problems finding my veins. Apparently, they are "deep" and "roll around" when poked. One time, when I donated blood I had to be poked three times by a couple of different nurses before they found a good vein.

This life insurance examiner was the worst, though. He made three different holes in each of my inner elbows, before finally getting enough blood to fill the vial. Afterwards, one of my arms had a 6-inch bruise for weeks and was very painful. All this for insurance in the unlikely event of my death. I've heard about guaranteed issue life insurance, where no medical exam is necessary and everyone is accepted, regardless of health history. This sounds great, but how much does it cost?

I would think that if they suspect you are on the way out, your monthly payment would be much higher than the people who passed the rigorous medical exam and questionnaire. However, it is great that even terminally ill patients can get life insurance, in the interest of their loved ones. It only takes a few minutes to get a quote online, so it's probably worth the time to check it out and compare rates.

End-of-year deals

2008-12-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

Many stores are clearing out electronics to make room for the next year's models. I've seen discount tables at several stores, and the online stores have many items on clearance too. I've seen Canon, Samsung, Pentax, and Panasonic digital cameras, laptop and desktop computers, printers, and televisions, among more.

So if you got any gift cards for Christmas, check out these deals to get the most bang for your gift buck. Hope everyone had happy holidays! We spent most of this week outdoors since it was so warm - 68 degrees today!

Baby Jesus missing again

2008-12-16T19:20:00.001-08:00

Since there are newly installed security cameras in several downtown locations, you would think the baby Jesus in the Nativity Scene would be safe this year, right? Wrong! Even though it was chained to a cinder block, someone stole the entire thing! Were they caught on camera? Yes. Could the perpetrator be identified? No.

This is a yearly tradition of sorts in Eureka, and the Jesus is usually found and returned, with the wrongdoer paying a fine and getting a slap on the wrist. I think maybe it is time to give this one a rest and just let the baby Jesus be.

Better late than never

2008-12-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

When my children were babies, I did the research and I knew that cloth diapers were healthier and better for the environment. But when there is a newborn baby in the house, disposable diapers are just so much more convenient. I wanted to spend all my extra time catching up on sleep, not doing laundry. I did have a set of cloth diapers, but they were only used as burp rags.

Fast forward four years from when my youngest was born, and I have found a use for those old cloth diapers! My son has been potty trained for a year now, but he still has occasional night time accidents. As such, we have kept him in the pull-up style diapers at night, every night. They can be reused a couple of times if there was no accident, but they get a bit fuzzy after that. Pull-ups cost much more than diapers, even if you buy the generic brands, so I was anxious to find an alternative.

So I came up with a homemade pull-up. I take a cloth diaper and fold it over to make a thick strip. Then I have him hold it on himself, covering from under the belly button on down between the legs, while I help pull up his regular underwear on top. Then he wears a pair of plastic over-pants, topped of with the pajama pants. So far, this has worked quite well, and the clean up isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

If he wakes with wetness, we soak the items in a bucket filled with water and a splash of bleach. I swirl it around for a minute, then dump the water. Then I rinse everything with plain water, wring out, and hang it to dry. When they are dry, I put them in the hamper to be washed at the end of the week with the rest of the laundry.

Keep it simple

2008-12-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

I have found that for the most part, simple equals less expensive, which is great because our tastes are simple. Simple designs are more efficient and easier to clean, and easier to build yourself. We are planning our future house to be very simple at the beginning, and we will embellish it as we go, as we see fit. This way, the house will be an ongoing project, which appeals to our need for change, and it will keep us busy finding ways to improve things.

In the beginning, don't expect to find Grohe faucets or other fancy fixtures. We are hoping to find deals on used house parts, or if we must purchase something new, it must be on sale. We have already been keeping an eye on the classified ads and have picked up a couple of exterior doors for dirt cheap. When people remodel, they just want the old stuff gone, so there are great bargains to be found locally. We prefer to reuse things if they are still in good shape or can be repaired. It just feels like the right thing to do.

Bearing fruit

2008-12-06T19:51:00.000-08:00

We were walking around on our piece of land the other day and were pleasantly surprised to find a wild tree bearing fruit - lots of fruit for such a small tree. I vaguely recognized them, and decided we better research on the internet before attempting a taste. I found out they are persimmons, which are common in the Ozarks. Although I have seen them in the grocery store, I've never bought any due to their high price. According to the site I found, persimmons are known to be very sweet when they are very ripe, but quite bitter before fully ripened.

We were planning to start a little orchard right around there with some apple and Fig trees, and I am thrilled that we already have an established fruit tree growing wild in that same area of the land. Now if we could only find a pecan tree, I would be in heaven. :o)

Ups and downs

2008-11-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

My husband is an independent computer guru, handling both the software side of things (web design, logos, programming) and the hardware side of things (trouble shooting computer problems, setting up systems, server issues, etc). I help by handling some of the financial stuff, like keeping the books and paying the taxes. Business in the computer world is in a constant state of flux, where months are either really busy or really slow. We are currently in a state of "up" and it is hard to keep our schedules straight, while still finding time to spend with our kids.

This kind of schedule stress is still much easier to handle than the "big corporate world" kind. I am so fortunate to have my husband around most days and I wouldn't trade our current situation, even if it meant more money. Sure, he could do an online IT job search and find companies willing to pay top dollar for his knowledge. We have been there already and we prefer to be more in control of our work lives. Of course, corporate jobs are always part of "plan B" if business gets really slow for too long, but things have a way of working themselves out, and we haven't had to go down that road for almost three years so far.

Plans and life changes

2008-11-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

We have been revising our future building plans again, since we are convinced that we won't be able to make all our money back on our current house. Since the incidence of the damage from Hurricane Ike, we have also decided that a basement is necessary, even if just used for storage, so we can have a safe place to go when the next emergency strikes. I'll have to start getting quotes on how much it costs to excavate around here. We were hoping to do some of the digging ourselves, but our trials with digging even small holes around here turns out to be a painful and rocky experience.

Once we get the hole dug, I believe we can do almost all the work ourselves. We have been reading a lot and feel we have a better understanding of the inner workings of houses since we repaired an entire wall in our kitchen, including reinstalling cabinets. Our new house will be much more simple in nature, and as small as possible, so the work should take less time and will definitely take less materials to complete.

We are looking forward to some major lifestyle changes with this move. The obvious is the smaller house, which we hope will force the kids to spend more time playing outside. Don't get me wrong, my kids love playing outside to matter where we are, but the new lot slopes down and is set below street level, so I feel they are safer playing outside over there. Our current house has a circle driveway and we live on a dead-end street, so many cars will use our driveway to turn around and I worry about the safety of the kids and dog if they are playing out front. Since we are also planning to start a garden at the new place, the kids will love helping with that too. They have recently taken an interest in where our food comes from and what things are made with, so gardening will be a great learning experience for all of us. Plus, the fresh organic vegetables, herbs, and fruits may eliminate our need for vitamins, medicines, or diet pills.

The other major change will be increased exercise. We will be closer to town, and within walking distance to the park, the library, the post office, and all the events that happen downtown. We are planning to walk or ride our bikes for any downtown errands, including my commute to work.

I know these are many changes to make at once, but I figure "why not"? These are changes we have been thinking about for years and are only just now beginning to make them real. Also, implementing these changes while the kids are young will make for a better transition and will help to cement better living choices in their minds. In this way, things like reusing materials, composting, gardening, and conserving energy will be second nature to them and they will continue practicing these things for the rest of their lives.

Our little "Super Scottie"

2008-11-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

My readers please excuse me, but I simply must gush about my daughter (again)!! At an awards ceremony at the elementary school, my daughter won one of the coveted "Super Scottie" awards for making the honor roll, and exhibiting exemplary behavior at school. Only four kids in her class won the award and we are so proud that she was one of them.

I was worried she might have trouble adjusting after they shuffled her grade around a month ago and she was switched to a different teacher. But as usual, she has made the best of it and is thriving. I love having those moments when I am truly proud to say, "Hey, that's my kid!"

Keep the vacation

2008-11-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

We're big on taking vacations in my family. We try to go on at least one trip as a family each year, even if it is somewhere close. Kids can't tell the difference and they have just as much fun traveling 100 or 1,000 miles from home. The part they like is getting their parents' undivided attention and spending time together.

We've sort of made a tradition out of visiting Disney World every few years, but I'm not sure how many more Disney vacations are in our future. We went about a year ago and now that our family consists of four people, the expenses were higher. We realized after a couple of days, however, that the children's meals were the best deals in the parks and the resorts and we ended up buying them for the kids and the adults for the remainder of the trip. We try to live very frugal, and it is so hard to pay $4 per meal, per person every day. I kept reminding myself that we were on vacation in order to justify the high cost.

There are many places to visit around here, we have never been to Hot Springs, Little Rock, or even the Buffalo River area. Just because the economy is in hiatus, people still need vacations to reconnect with their family and escape from the stresses of everyday life. We just need to keep it simple and keep it close to home for a couple of years.

Reading bug

2008-10-25T19:59:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the library summer reading program, my daughter "caught the reading bug" and ended up reading around 200 books last summer. Now that school is back in session, I am proud to report that she has been classified as reading above her grade level. Reading is so crucial in all parts of school, and I'm so thankful that she picked it up as well as she has. I can only hope we are as lucky with our younger son. I have a gut feeling that he will have a harder time, but maybe I'm just stereotyping him because of the other typical "boy" behavior he has been exhibiting lately.

Maybe he will learn young, simply because big sister is doing it and his competitive spirit will take over. Only time will tell. The important thing is that both of my kids love school and we will continue to foster that because when there is love for learning, everything else just falls into place.

Garage alternative

2008-10-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to building our very own small house, just as soon as we sell our current one (I know, I know, easier said than done right?). Anyway, we have been researching ways to save money building, without cutting corners or lacking in quality. Luckily, we live in a pretty moderate climate, where it doesn't get super cold in the winter. We enjoy the benefits of a garage right now, but we are not planning to build one at our next house.

Many people in this area have carports, but those can detract from the look of the house, depending on the style. I remember a really neat carport at a house in a small mountain town in Colorado that was built out of wood, and it looked kind of like a cross between a barn and an arbor. If we decide we need a carport, I think we would build something along those lines to fit in with the natural surroundings.

Youth Authority at the library

2008-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

The library has started a fun new program for teens and pre-teens. It is a gaming club called the Youth Authority. They meet the first and third Thursdays of every month in the late afternoon. There are several video game stations set up at each meeting, including an xbox 360, Wii, and PlayStation. The most popular game right now is Rock Band, and the library has the full set, so several members can play at once.

This program is for 7th to 12th graders, so if you are interested, call the library at 253-8754 for more details and specific times. As always, library programs are free and snacks are served!

Autumn in Eureka Springs

2008-10-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Aaahhh, the cooler, beautiful days of autumn are here. This is by far my favorite season, especially in Eureka. The leaves are absolutely stunning, there is a wonderful smell in the crisp mountain air, and the best part is that the fall lasts a really long time here. This is the perfect time for walking and hiking because the insects are dying off, as well as the humidity. My family tries to walk or bicycle as much as we can, and not just for hobby, but to run errands as well.

The trouble with our town is that there are no sidewalks, except for downtown. The sidewalks downtown are somewhat difficult to manage because they are 100+ year old limestone, which is slick and uneven. When we moved here, our son was a year old so we walked with him in a stroller. After a couple of tries taking a regular stroller on the downtown sidewalks, we went online to get something more appropriate. We picked a lightweight jogging stroller with inflatable bicycle-style wheels and have determined that jogging strollers are the only way to travel with a baby or toddler in Eureka Springs.

My son has since outgrown the stroller, and we sold it for a good price at our latest garage sale. I am impressed at what troopers our children are when we walk, even on steep terrain. They don't complain unless we walk more than 2 miles, and if we stop for a drink and a snack, they are good to go another mile or so. Another fun and earth-friendly game is to bring garbage bags along and see who can find the most trash and recyclables along the way. This teaches kids a good lesson on the trouble with littering and how important it is to do our part for the community.

Economy in hiatus

2008-10-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

Since the condition of the economy is so unstable right now, many people are pulling their money out of the stock market. Even futures trading, which are considered more stable, will be at risk because of the rising prices of agricultural and industrial commodities. Economists say that in order to bounce back, we must hit a low point - which we haven't hit yet. Most people are aware that the country is experiencing a recession, and there is even talk of "Depression 2.0".

Chances are, if we fell into a depression, it wouldn't be as bad as the Great Depression of the 1930s. The trouble is, Americans are used to a very high standard of living, which will be altered dramatically in the case of major economic upheaval. I don't think small towns like Eureka Springs will be affected as greatly as larger towns and suburban areas. Many of our residents already live without television, use public transportation, walk or bicycle around town. Some residents have substantial gardens, and there are a few that live happily off-the-grid without running water and electricity. Those are the people who will be affected the least, and others will want to learn from them. Rather than panic, people should do research, learn skills, and prepare now in case conditions become much worse.

The almighty television

2008-10-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today in the mail, I received an invitation from Direct TV to enjoy 150 channels at the low price of $29.95 per month for an entire year. Since television was the first expense we cut out in our household in order to save money, I figured the cable and satellite television companies would really suffer during a recession. Then I remembered... this is America. Where would most Americans be without television? How would they know what to buy, where to shop, what to eat, or what to drive?? The TV addiction runs very deep for the majority of this country.

America has a love/hate relationship with television, though. I've noticed that whenever I tell people that we don't watch TV, almost everyone will say something along the lines of, "Well, I don't watch that much, mostly educational channels and the news." Also, no one likes the look of the big gray box in their living rooms. Hence, the invention of pop up tv furniture and armoires to hide the TV behind doors while not in use.

I've never heard someone proudly announce that they watch four hours of television each day, yet this is the average for the American public. This saddens me, because this is essentially time that is wasted. This is time that could be spent with loved ones, strengthening family bonds, working on hobbies, exercising outdoors, or simply relaxing and having some real meditative "down" time.

Recurring car sounds

2008-09-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

We had our left axle replaced by Johnson's Automotive at the beginning of the summer because the van was making a clicking sound when turning. Almost right after that, we started hearing another sound when turning the wheel, kind of like a squeaky fast clicking. We took it back to Johnson's, thinking it had to do with the axle again, but alas, the sound stopped the day I brought it in. I explained the sound to the mechanic, and he suggested that it might be squeaky bearings in need of lubrication and that when we hear the sound we could bring it right over anytime. OK, great.

But now, it's as if our van is taunting us. The sound comes and goes, only occurring on weekends, or other times when we cannot possibly take it right over to the automotive shop. So we haven't been able to get a positive answer yet. I figure that since the sound is only occasional, it must not be too critical. It does get annoying, though.

Paperwork shuffle

2008-09-29T15:25:00.000-07:00

One important thing to keep in mind when shopping for mortgage quotes is to ask the bank if the mortgage is through their institution, or if they are selling it to another bank. For example, we decided to go with a local bank for our mortgage because we figured it would be easier to deal with. Imagine our surprise when we discovered the bank had sold our mortgage to Washington Mutual. It didn't make much difference to us at the time, but now that we are dealing with a large insurance claim that involves the mortgage company, I really wish we could deal with it locally.

Apparently, when the claim is over five thousand dollars, the check is made payable to the mortgage company as well as the homeowners. The mortgage then deposits the money into a restricted account and will only release half of the funds until the homeowners send in a bunch of paperwork to prove they are actually having the house fixed. Once the work is completed to their approval, they release the rest of the money to the homeowners so they can pay for the work.

So we are busy juggling through paperwork, while work is being done and the contractors (understandably) want to be paid for their work. Then a couple of days ago, Washington Mutual was bought out by JP Morgan Chase. Oh, great. So now we are worried that this will slow things down even more and it will take longer to see the money.

Computer future

2008-09-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, it is getting more and more difficult to share one computer between my husband and I. Although all of his sources of income are internet-based, I also make a little cash with my blogs. So he is on the computer about 80% of the time, while I squeeze my online work in the remaining 20% of the time. This is a fair arrangement, I think, but it is frustrating sometimes to juggle the other household tasks and errands around my other jobs and the online ones.

We have been considering setting up the old desktop computer again, since we had the hard drive rebuilt. We are just hesitant, since we don't know what the future will hold. We will probably have to put it in storage while we build our tiny house on the land we purchased.

Timeshare computer

2008-09-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

A few months back, the desktop computer that my husband did most of his web design work on crashed beyond repair. Rather than purchasing a new one, we decided to take turns using the laptop with separate log-in profiles. This has put quite a strain on the laptop memory, which causes it to run very slow. Simply booting up and logging on takes a good 5-10 minutes, and switching users takes just as long.

I think a better idea would be for us to go down to the library while the kids are in school, so one of us can use our laptop and the other can use one of the library's computers. Then we can knock our work out at the same time, and spend less time overall on computers and online.

Vegetarian at heart

2008-09-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

If it were up to me, our family would be vegetarians. It's not that I hate meat, but I could take it or leave it. My children prefer vegetables to meat in their meals, and would live on fruits and veggies alone if they could. We went completely vegetarian for a little over one year, but my husband got bored with the tofu and bean concoctions and started craving meat again. I mean, it's not like he would ever join a bacon of the month club or anything, but he does enjoy meat a few times a week - especially if it is cooked on the grill.

The thing I miss the most about banning meat from the kitchen is the ease of cleaning. I feel like my kitchen is much more sanitary when I don't have to worry about cleaning up after raw chicken, pork, or beef that has been prepared there. With meat, you have to be conscious of which utensil was used for what, and did it touch any raw meat, or did anything drip on the counter, etc... It is much easier to clean the cutting board and the knives if they were only used to chop veggies.

Oh well, at least we have two or three vegetarian dinners in our house per week, which is a reasonable compromise between the meat lover and the veggie lovers.

Make-up, part deux

2008-08-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

I do understand the need for make-up coverage during puberty, when skin flares up, oiliness rears its ugly head, and acne products become a necessary part of the daily routine. I remember having such bad break outs that sometimes I wouldn't even want to show my face at school.

The only thing a girl can do is cover it up with make-up. Then you feel like you have to accentuate your eyes to get the focus off the zit on your chin, and that's were the heavy eye make-up starts. The problem is, make-up can make breakouts worse and it becomes a vicious cycle in skin care.

The make-up debate

2008-08-29T08:58:00.001-07:00

My daughter is seven years old and has recently become very aware of her appearance. She wants to pick out her clothes for school in the morning and brushes her hair and wears headbands and necklaces. Yesterday, she got out her kiddie make-up set and started putting eyeshadow and blush on. That's where I resisted. I didn't wear make-up until middle school, and looking back on it now, that was probably even too early.

The hard part is that when she sees me applying make-up, she says, "I thought you said we don't need make-up to look pretty, Mommy." True, I did say that. I believe it too. But some days, Mommy feels she needs a little coverage and a little color. I'm not a huge make-up wearer. I only wear powder on top of my daily sunscreen, and mascara on my top lashes. I'm not the type of person who won't have my picture taken, or have a passport redone because I don't like the way it turned out. I truly think that most women look just as good, and some look a heck of a lot better without so much make-up on.

Back to the cell

2008-08-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

Now that both of our kids are in school full time, we are considering getting rid of internet service at home and spending time at the library with our laptop picking up the wifi signal. This would save us about $75 per month, and we were planning to do this in the near future anyway, so why not try now?

We already picked up a cheap cell phone before our summer roadtrip for emergencies, and we have 500 unused minutes on it. So we would use only the cell phone for all our calling needs, and add minutes as we go. Of course, my husband (the family techie) has figured out most of the phone's features already just by tinkering around with it. As for me, I have figured out how to lock the keypad, because unlocked cell phones have a tendency to either make a call from my purse, or get into the hands of curious children who have just learned how to dial "911" for emergencies.

Stair-step town

2008-08-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

Eureka Springs has been nicknamed "The Stairstep Town" because of all the walking trails and steps built into the mountains connecting neighborhood streets. You can't truly see Eureka if you stay in your car. Sure, the architecture on the main streets is beautiful, but when you are walking along meandering trails is when the town's true beauty is revealed.

Besides, it is much better for your health anyway. Who needs diet pills when you have fresh mountain air, interesting scenery, and walking trails and steps. In fact, back when the area was known for its healing springs, many believed that it was a combination of the spring water, the exercise, and all the time outdoors that healed people.

Keep it hidden

2008-08-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

I guess by now most people know how I feel about television. I have mentioned that we do own a set, but only watch movies on it. I don't like to see the big gray box when it is not in use, so we keep it behind the closed doors of an armoire. There are many options besides tv stands for televisions.

Aside from an armoire, TVs can be mounted on the ceiling or wall, keeping floor space clear. This is a great option for households with young children because all the electronics and cords are out of reach from curious hands. Even old cedar chests, bookshelves, or medicine cabinets can be converted to house a television set. If it must be in your home, get creative and hide that ugly beast!

Still TV free

2008-08-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to report that my family has ~~survived~~ thrived for over two years now continuously without television. We still watch movies at home, but no commercial television. Since our kids were two and five when we gave it up, they don't know much different and have had no adjustment problems. I suspect it would be more difficult to get an older child or teenager to suddenly give up TV.

Do we miss it? Never. I think it is silly now when I hear people discussing last night's episode of whatever reality show happens to be popular that season. They are a dime a dozen in my opinion and offer no value whatsoever, educationally speaking or otherwise. If someone asked does Fenphedra work ? I would happily answer that I don't have a clue, because my time is not constantly robbed by commercials. If I wanted to find out, I would simply search the internet. Television commercials are one-sided, since they are paid for by the advertising company. When you research information on the internet, the results are well-rounded, ranging from scientific research, to statistical data, to user reviews.

I've noticed a lot more people sharing the same views and giving up cable, and many giving up television altogether like we have. Maybe it is because we live in a small town with many progressive thinking people, but I would like to hope that this trend will be widespread. We have nothing to lose. We have more family time, intelligent activities, and relaxation to gain!

Wall lighting ups and downs

2008-07-29T20:14:00.001-07:00

Choosing indoor lighting is much more difficult than you would think. Maybe there are too many choices and that is part of the problem. Take, for example, the wall sconce. If you have one pointing downward, you can see the bulb, which some people dislike. If you point it with the opening upward, the bulb is hidden, but it collects bugs, which everyone dislikes.

OK, so maybe you point a sconce downward, but lower on the wall so the bulb isn't in plain sight. Anyone with small children knows why this is a bad idea...

Eureka Springs School of the Arts

2008-07-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

Our daughter was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship to attend a summer art class at ESSA, and we are very happy with the experience. She originally wanted the painting class, but she was enrolled in "Working with Metals" instead. There was another class which used airbrush and stencil techniques to make T-shirts. She was somewhat skeptical to work with metal, but after the first day, she told me, "Mom, I love working with metal!" She made a variety of Christmas ornaments, jewelry, metal boxes, and more.

I was so glad she thrived, especially since she was the only girl in the class. The instructors were Mary Springer and Eleanor Lux and they did a wonderful job teaching my daughter. They definitely made an impact and my daughter feels that she can try lots of new art techniques that she may have not thought of trying before. Thank you ESSA! I definitely recommend these summer classes for school age children.

Yard Sales - oh my!

2008-07-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

August 1st and 2nd is the 14th annual Yards and Yards of Yard Sales event organized by the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce. We paid the $15 to be "official participants" and to be included on the map given to visitors looking for bargains.

I've been scouring through all our closets, the garage, and the basement to find things worthy of selling at our yard sale. We have a pretty wide variety of items this time, from baby gear (our three year old refuses to sit in a stroller any more), to appliances, to electronics and household items. It's strange how many promotional pens I've found with the names of companies I've never heard of. I suppose the life of a pen is much like the life of money, changing hands so many times it ends up very far away from its origin.

Anyway, I hope this year's yard sales are a big success and that we can sell lots of stuff and make a little bit of money!

Socializing

2008-07-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

We've lived in Eureka for over two years now, and I'm happy to report that we've made plenty of friends. Thanks to my job at the library, I have a group of friends to go out on the town with. I've never been a big drinker, (you'll never find a wine refrigerator in my house!) but I enjoy going to bars with friends to visit and hang out.

Since I see so many of the locals at the library and the school, it seems a lot easier to make friends. I recognize most people and am not as shy as I used to be about starting conversations. It seems that living in a small town has made me less introverted. Now if we could only get my husband out of the house more often...

Summer exercise options

2008-07-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

During these hot and humid summer days it is really hard to keep up with my exercise routine. All I feel like doing sometimes is sitting on the couch in my air-conditioned house and reading a book. I know there are options like video workouts and indoor fitness equipment, but I prefer being outdoors when the weather is nice.

Since we moved here from such a dry climate, maybe our bodies are still adjusting to the humidity and it will get easier. I have noticed a difference this summer vs. last summer, when I almost fainted riding my bicycle to work one humid morning. It seems easier to catch my breath and I listen to my body so I know when to slow down before it is too late.

Eureka sounds nice

2008-07-07T20:13:00.001-07:00

There are no shortage of wind chimes here in Eureka Springs. In fact, the world's largest tuned musical wind chime is here! It hangs from a huge oak tree and the overall length is over 35 feet. You can visit it in the parking lot of Celestial Windz Harmonic Bizaar, just south of town on highway 23.

It is very common to hear bells while walking around our town and it fits perfectly with the architecture and the overall relaxed and magical feeling. Most residences sport at least one wind chime on their porch, and many of the businesses hang them outside too. The old churches chime their bells also and it sounds spectacular. Just one more thing to add to the long list of things I love about Eureka Springs!

Disney deals

2008-07-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

Our family is pretty big on Orlando vacations because we are artists, big Disney fans, and just love theme parks in general. We have read many books about "behind the scenes" Disney World and are fascinated by the alternate world the "imagineers" have created. My husband and I went to Orlando for our honeymoon and spent the entire trip in the parks. The second time we went was when our daughter was almost two years old and she loved it. Her favorite part was meeting all the characters and getting to ride so many rides even though she was so young. Disney does a great job catering to families with small children.

We went again early this year when our son had just turned three, and although we had a good time, it seemed more "commercial" this time. It seemed there were more ploys to separate parents from the money in their wallets. We managed to avoid spending too much, but it took a few days to find the best deals on meals and activities. There are many websites on the subject of saving money while visiting Disney World, and I suggest doing research before taking a trip there to get the best deals while still having a great time.

Life and death

2008-06-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I am a super-frugal person. I am always looking for ways to save money and cut back on purchases. There are a couple of things that I feel are necessary that some people may overlook. One of those is life insurance. In the event that a spouse dies, life insurance is such a relief, both financially and emotionally. If you get life insurance when you are young, the monthly premiums are very affordable.

The second necessity is a will, which I am ashamed to admit we haven't written up yet. Add that to my "to do" list from the previous post. Having children really changed how I view wills and it is so important to specify who will take care of them and where all your valuables will go. Well, I'm off to research wills on the internet...

My turn!

2008-06-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by my lovely friend Jody to answer a few questions about myself. And here we go:

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
Ah, the summer of 1998. My husband and I had recently moved into his parents' basement after being laid off from our jobs and having one of our cars stolen (that was one rough Spring!). We were both attending college, while I also worked temp jobs and my hubby was trying to finish an album. On the weekends we went to goth clubs and lived the usual carefree life of college students before having kids.

2. What are 5 things on your "to do" list?
Read every book by Eckhart Tolle (I was totally inspired by "A New Earth")
Do more work on our piece of land to prepare it for building
Lower our monthly expenses (even more!)
Have the monster of all garage sales
Sell this house! (I know that's not technically something that I can do, but I'm doing all in my power to help it along)

3. What are 5 snacks you enjoy? (in no particular order)
Popcorn, popped the old-fashioned way on the stove
Chips and home made salsa
Cashews
Gummy Bears
Red Hots (but they make my tongue raw!)

4. Name some things you would do if you were a millionaire.
Travel, travel, and more travel.

5. Name some places where you've lived.
Houston, Texas
various suburbs of Denver, Colorado
Omaha, Nebraska
Colorado City, Colorado
Eureka Springs, Arkansas

6. Name some bad habits you have.
biting my nails and cuticles
I am a total organizational freak and somewhat of a perfectionist, but I am only very critical of myself. I don't judge others by the same scrutiny.

7. Name some jobs you've had.
Movie theater concession stand, later promoted to the box office.
Video store rental clerk
Walgreen's cosmetic counter
Licensing agent at an Insurance company
Administrative assistant at a big Phone company
Librarian
Substitute teacher

8. Name those whom you are tagging.
Well, I honestly think Jody would be the only one of my friends to do this, and since she tagged me, I guess I'll try Tales from the Crib, but don't hold your breath...

Gracefully aging

2008-06-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

One of the concepts covered in "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle is becoming detached from your outside image. Getting out of the mode that your physical body is not essentially who "you" are is very difficult. Being a woman, it has been ingrained since a very young age that women must not be seen unless they look their best. My mom never leaves the house without make-up on, even if it is just a trip to the neighborhood grocery store.

I have gone through phases of not wearing any make-up (mostly when there was a newborn baby in my house), but have now settled on a very quick regimen of facial sunscreen, powder, and a little mascara daily. The funny thing is, when I wore no make-up at all, the only people to comment on it were my mother and my sister.

Now that I am in my thirties, I am starting to see some aging in my face. I don't exactly have the money to buy the best anti wrinkle cream, so I will just continue with preventative measures like daily sunscreen and sunglasses to prevent wrinkles from squinting. Aging gracefully is a matter of being in the right mindset.

Oh, how school has changed!

2008-06-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

When I was in elementary school, computers were just making their way into residential homes. I was one of only about three other students in my class with a word processing program to turn in printed reports in the 6th grade. The internet wasn't a viable resource until college, and offered much help with my assignments then.

Today, children start using the internet as early as age two, and computers are a staple in every classroom in the country from Kindergarten through high school. Students in middle and high school carry a flash drive on a lanyard around their neck with all their computer files stored. I just hope that by the time my kids are in school, we aren't expected to purchase laptops that they carry to school. Call me old fashioned, but I think kids are too young for that much responsibility.

Weight woes

2008-06-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling lately with how to deal with recent weight gain. I know it is mostly due to stress, and I will probably be able to work much of it off when we are working our land and buiding our house. In the meantime, I have gone shopping to get clothes that actually fit, not worrying about the size on the tag. It looks and feels better to wear one size too big than two sizes too small. I don't like it when clothes cling on all the wrong places.

Sure, part of me wants to look at a list of best diet pills, and just buy a "quick fix," but that's not me. I'm not one to take medications unless they are absolutely necessary because I have terrible reactions to certain drugs. I prefer the natural approach of either accepting my body the way it is, or realize that I have to change some habits and make life changes for better health all around.

Everything is relative

2008-06-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

My husband was talking with a friend about our plan to drastically cut our living expenses, so we can semi-retire and continue make our living through art, music, web ventures, and of course, my coveted library job. His friend lives in Boston, and he commented that $1,000 a month would barely buy daily coffee in Boston.

Everything is relative, and while the cost of living there is probably much higher than here, Boston jobs also pay a lot more to make up the difference. For example, the median household income in Boston is $42,500, while here in Eureka Springs, the median household income is only $26,600. Another issue that Eureka Springs residents have to contend with is the tourism market and the fact that most of the town virtually shuts down for several months in the winter, making some workers stretch nine months of income out over the entire year. I'm lucky that the library remains busy all twelve months.

You know you're a Mom when...

2008-06-02T21:03:00.000-07:00

...you enjoy the feel of your son rolling a Hot Wheels car over your back more than a massage at a spa.

...you lower your standards of what you consider "clean".

...your favorite smell is the top of your child's head.

...you lick your finger and wipe something off a kid's face.

...you can watch your child sleeping for hours.

...you find yourself repeating the same thing 100 times a day.

...you start humming theme songs from kids' movies.

That's all I could think of right now. Please add more if you think of any!

Manly gift idea

2008-06-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

I just thought of a great Father's Day gift for any man who doesn't like to wear jewelry, but needs to keep a schedule. A pocket watch! I didn't realize that they still made these, but new pocket watches come in many different styles to suit virtually any man.

There are the classic styles, in either gold or silver, suitable for any history buff. There are some very modern styles, for Mr. GQ on Wall Street. And then there are the very simple ones for the "no frills" type of guy. The prices vary widely, starting around $60 and ranging all the way up to $400. With great sales going on, and free shipping on many items, now is the time to get Father's Day shopping done.

Wine rack delimma

2008-05-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to come up with alternate uses for wine racks, since we have this really cool one that hangs from the ceiling, but only one bottle of wine to put in it. We are not big drinkers here, but the rack is very artistic and I would rather put it to some other use than get rid of it.

So far, I've thought of putting other cooking bottles in it, like olive oil and such, but finding bottles big enough to fit is proving difficult. Things like wine racks just look so much better when they are full, so if anyone has any ideas for what I could put in mine, please share them! Thank you.

DJ's Restaurant Review

2008-05-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

DJ's Drive In has opened in the location that was previously a Sonic Drive In that failed. I'm not sure why the Sonic failed, because it seems that Eureka Springs is lacking in the fast food department and the Berryville location is always hopping with business. I would have expected someone to jump on a franchise opportunity to open it again, but maybe they have rules against re-opening in the same location.

We went to DJ's for dinner last week and it was good. The service was pretty quick, and the food was decent. We ordered crawfish po'boys, fries, and shrimp baskets for the kids. They loved their food and I thought the fries were really good. As for the po'boys - they were good, but my husband is from New Orleans and let's just say that after you've had the real deal, everything else falls short. The crawfish were a bit chewy and there was no remoulade sauce. Our overall impression was good, and we would eat there again.

Another time later in the week, my husband took the kids there for "happy hour" to get slushes. He was disappointed to find that the price seemed a bit high for half-price drinks, and when he looked closer at the receipt, found that they charge twenty cents for every flavor added to the slush, including the main flavor. So if you order a strawberry kiwi slush, they add forty cents. This seems a bit misleading to me, since no one would order a slush with no flavor, so at least the first flavor should be included in the menu price. The slushes didn't taste as good as Sonic slushes, according to my family, and the consistency was very hard and frozen in a ball.

We have not tried their breakfast menu at all, the sweet potato fries, fried okra, nor any of the other desserts or ice cream. I suspect we will be going back to DJ's in the future.

A New Earth

2008-05-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

I just started reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, as I have heard from many people that this book has transformed their lives and the way they experience the world. Of course a statement that bold intrigued me, so now I am on my way to be forever changed for the better. I am only on page 30, but so far he has talked about how we are controlled by the ego and that from a very young age, we attach ourselves and our worth to the things that are "ours."

I have been yearning to detach from many of our belongings for a long time, and have been succeeding slowly. But there is a long way to go, especially in the way of convincing the children to let go of so many of their things. This is not a money issue at all. There are many people who have plenty of money, but choose to live a simple, minimalist life. In fact, the people with the most money who are not in the habit of sharing their wealth with the less fortunate seem to be the most depressed, spend the most time in drug rehab, and often commit suicide. If money were the source of happiness, these things would not happen.

On the contrary, the people who make lots of money, but donate most of it to charity, like Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates seem to be genuinely happy people. There are many other folks who are not considered "rich" by our standards, but because they volunteer their time and give of themselves and their money whenever they can, they live very satisfying lives as well. But since they are not famous, they don't usually make it into the news - and they are probably perfectly happy with that as well. The truly generous don't do it for recognition and prefer to remain anonymous.

Summer trip

2008-05-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

Well, we are all set for our trip to visit family and friends next month. We are using some of the points earned on our credit card for free hotel stays, one night each way. Since it is a 14 hour drive, usually more with the kids, we like to break the drive up into a two-day trip. This relieves the stress for parents and kis alike.

Of course, I wish we could have saved those free nights for a vacation alone with my husband, like maybe some nice Hilton Head rentals, but the points will build up again before we have the chance to take another trip. Once the kids get a little older, we're planning to leave them with their grandparents for a couple of weeks while my husband and I get some much deserved rest and relaxation and finally get to take a real vacation.

But until then, it's off to Denver to visit the old stomping grounds. We decided to drive our van this time to keep costs down. Car rental prices have shot through the roof lately, due to the rise in gas prices, I'm sure. So hopefully we won't have any major problems and the van makes the trip OK. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Economic Stimulation

2008-05-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

Like most Americans, I was skeptical when I first heard about President Bush's "economic stimulus" plan of sending additional tax refund checks out to every U.S. household. But I have several friends who have already received their money, so I know it is true! I was wondering how the government could afford to give away so much money, but I suppose they are hoping we will be good little consumers and spend, spend, spend!

One of my friends is thinking of putting her check towards Lasik eye surgery and I think that's a great idea. Might as well spend it on something you've been saving for already. Our check will come in very handy, since we're purchasing acreage next week and won't be closing on our house for awhile. I suppose our grocery and house upkeep purchases will stimulate the economy a bit.

Changing of the guards

2008-05-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

When we purchased new Frigidaire appliances two years ago, we also got an extended warranty from the store. We had to call for service on our refrigerator because it was making too much ice and spilling over the storage bin, and we were surprised when an Electrolux repair guy showed up. He told us that Electrolux and Frigidaire are the same company, with different names in different countries. In Europe, the Electrolux brand is common, while here in the states we have known Frigidaire for years.

The repairman also told us that the company is slowly phasing out the "Frigidaire" name, which I think is kind of sad since their logo is a classic American icon. There are not many examples of architecture or products from the fifties.

I just heard about Electrolux vacuums and I'm wondering if it is all part of the same company. There are many different models of vacuums and they are pretty expensive to buy new, but there are refurbished units available at a discount.

What to wear

2008-04-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

Now that I am "thirty-something" I don't feel the need to impress people with my wardrobe. I just wear what is comfortable, but doesn't make me look like a slob. I was never too much into being fashionable, and usually stuck with classics like jeans, t-shirts, and button-up shirts. The only times I remember worrying about my outfit was when my husband and I would go dancing at nightclubs in college.

The nightclubs we went to were pretty much fashion shows in themselves, with extravagant outfits including thigh high boots, leather, vinyl, and electrical tape. We never went quite that far, but I wore some outfits to nightclubs that I couldn't imagine wearing anywhere else. It was fun at the time, but we are beyond all that now.

Drink and be merry

2008-04-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

I find it gets harder each year to come up with unique gift ideas for friends and family. In fact, a large part of my holiday stress comes from the thought of buying gifts and I usually procrastinate until the last minute and then scramble to come up with something.

I found a website today that sends wine gifts to recipients. You sign up on their website for one of the wine clubs, and choose from the four different levels based on price. Then your lucky recipient receives bottles of wine each month from award-winning family owned wineries.

This is one of those gifts that keeps on giving and will remind the recipient of you all year long!

Farmer's

2008-04-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

We've been happy with our insurance and have gone with Farmer's for years now. I've tried comparing car insurance online, but have yet to find a better overall rate with the level of service we are accustomed to. We have our auto insurance and our homeowner's insurance through Farmer's, and our agent in Denver several years ago helped us set up life insurance as well.

We've had claims in the past and everything was taken care of with little to no trouble. Overall, we have no complaints and have recommended Farmer's to anyone looking for a solid, trustworthy insurance provider.

City slickers

2008-04-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

We went to Silver Dollar City a couple of weeks ago in Branson, Missouri, which is a little over an hour's drive from Eureka Springs. We drove a different way than usual, and ended up on the "Main Drag" of Branson, which looks much like what I imagine Las Vegas does (although I've never been there). There were many shows and attractions with digital signage outside luring passers-by to choose their show over all the other possibilities. Frankly, simply driving by was "show" enough for my kids!

The weather that day was cloudy and it looked like rain, but only rained about fifteen minutes the whole day. The park was very uncrowded and we actually got to ride several rides twice in a row without even waiting in line. The longest we had to wait in line was ten minutes for one ride! That's the way to go - we're planning on hitting Silver Dollar City whenever the weather is slightly crummy.

The shape of things

2008-04-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is just around the corner and although they are not for me, some people may be inclined to use diet supplements along with their exercise routine to get in shape for the season. I found a review of cheap diet pills online that has a list of the most popular brands and a link to find the cheapest current price on Ebay for each item.

I got a great workout today by raking all the leaves out of our flowerbeds in the front yard. It amazes me just how many leaves can build up in one season! I also did some weed pulling, which is a great exercise for hamstring muscles and I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow.

Computer frenzy

2008-04-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Today was another busy day at the library, mostly due to computer use. We had three hours during the day where people had called ahead to make appointments, and we were booked up ahead of time for all five computers beforehand! That always makes me nervous because I don't like turning people away when we are full. Some days I feel like we are a laptop rental service and I can't imagine how we got along with only three desktops only one year ago.

On one hand, I think it's great that the computers draw more people to the library and has increased our circulation of books and movies. We have increased circulation by over 1,000 items per month since I started working there one year ago, which is quite impressive for a town of less than 2,500 residents. We now average approximately 6,000 items circulated per month.

But part of me is saddened to see a beautiful old library with computers all over the place. There is no beauty in technology and it takes away from the serenity of the architecture the way it was meant to be enjoyed. I guess you can't stop progress.

Her first boyfriend

2008-04-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in the car, my 7 year old daughter nonchalantly says, "Mom, I have a boyfriend who loves me." I say, "Oh really? Who is it?" Turns out it is a boy who has been in her class for two years, but apparently they just discovered they love each other "just a little bit" according to her.

I don't think it is a big deal, buy my husband seemed a bit upset by it. He grilled her with questions like, "You don't kiss him or anything, do you??" She just made a disgusted face and said, "No, we just draw pictures for each other."

So we're not quite ready for "the talk" yet, but she is growing up so fast that before too long we will be breaking out acne treatments and fighting off real boyfriends. The good news is that since we live in a small town, there are many other parents looking out for your kids too because everyone knows you. I don't think the teens around here can get away with much... but I could be wrong.

Glorious spring!

2008-03-28T20:10:00.001-07:00

We had plenty of rain last week, as you may have heard in the news. It wasn't that bad in our area, but the Beaver suspension bridge was closed for a couple of days due to the lake rising above the bridge by a couple of feet. Good thing there is another way into Beavertown over land - it's just a much longer drive. As a result of all the rain, everything is blooming here and it is gorgeous!

This is bad news for those who suffer from seasonal allergies. I have never had problems with allergies, but my husband sure does and I feel so bad for him. At least there are air purifiers to treat the air indoors, but this time of year has the nicest weather, so who wants to stay inside? I hope neither of my children develop seasonal allergies. So far they don't seem to be affected by weather changes, aside from picking up common colds from school.

Shleppers

2008-03-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

While I consider myself a very frugal-minded person, there are some areas where it is worth spending more money for quality and peace of mind. Sometimes a company's reputation is worth more than the price of their services. I admire companies that have been around for a long time with loyal customers, especially if they are "Mom and Pop" operations. For example, the New York Moving Company called Shleppers. They have been helping New Yorkers with moving and storage since 1978 and have earned themselves New York's top spot in the industry.

Even though moving is serious business, Shleppers keeps their website interesting by including humorous graphics and anecdotes, which makes them stand out from competitors. Their "shlep-ology" page is hilarious. In our world of large corporations, it's nice to see smaller companies making a name for themselves and rising above the competition.

Strange childhood recollections

2008-03-23T20:07:00.001-07:00

I just recalled a forgotten childhood memory...

For some reason, as a kid, I always thought it would be fun to have a stair lift in our house. This was quite silly of me, since we didn't even have stairs in our home, and I guess I first saw a lift on the movie Gremlins when the old woman gets propelled out of her window when the lift goes berserk.

I also loved that kiddie ride in Chuck E. Cheese's where you ride in the little seat around the circle like a big clock, which also reminds me of stair lifts. Anyway, I just wanted to record the memory so I could remember it and maybe I'll figure out what is up with this obsession I have with little mobile seats?

Practical solution

2008-03-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

So after weeks of my 3 year old wetting the bed about once a week, I got annoyed by the smell of his room in the morning and having to rush to do laundry while trying to get ready for work. If he had a foam mattress it would be even more difficult to clean, but we needed a new solution none-the-less. We had already tried putting him in Pull-ups at bedtime, but he adamantly refused because they look too much like diapers and he was a "big boy" now. Point taken.

I had looked for the plastic diaper covers before and could not find them anywhere, but I decided to look again because those would work for our bedtime situation. I finally found them at Wal-Mart, way on the very bottom rack in the cloth diaper section. They do make the plastic covers up to size 3T, so it would be nice to put them in the toddler underwear section too, but that's just my opinion.

We had to hide the package from my son, since it had a picture of the Gerber baby on the front. There was no way I could sabotage this idea by having him think these things were for babies. When we got home, I discreetly unpackaged them and removed all traces of babies from the wrapper. Then I pulled out a pair and saw that the baby picture was also on the tag, so I cut it off before introducing them to my son as his "Protector Underwear."

Success!! He accepted them with no problem, puts them over his underwear for sleeping and takes them off in the morning when he wakes up. He went three days with no accident, so I still wasn't sure how they would hold up - but this morning, he woke up early after wetting his pants. The plastic covers worked perfectly. His underwear was soaked, but everything else was totally dry. I'm sure after feeling how wet they got, his bed wetting will lessen, but until then we have the "Protector Underwear" on our side!

We're just old-fashioned

2008-03-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

My husband and I tend to agree with our grandparent's generation when it comes to certain things like finances, family, and what's important in life. If you talk to someone in their seventies or eighties, their advice will be to steer clear of mortgage lenders when you buy a home. Of course, most people today find it impossible to save up enough money to buy a home, but stay with me. If you do require a mortgage to purchase a home, at least try to pay it off as soon as possible. There are many payment acceleration programs offered, or you can just pay extra toward your principle on your own. The argument against paying off the mortgage tend to involve taxes. Well, I can tell you firsthand that the tax benefits are just a fraction of the amount you pay each year in interest, which you would not be paying at all if it were paid off.

We also believe, like our grandparents, that families should eat as many home cooked meals together as possible with no other distractions. We gave up television two years ago, which promotes reading, artwork projects, and imaginative game playing.

Vacations are viewed as a necessity in our family. Vacations promote bonding and learning for everyone and we believe families should take at least one vacation per year. And you can't use lack of money as an excuse - the togetherness is what counts, whether you are 1,000 miles from home or 100. Kids don't understand distance anyway, they just get bored with really long trips. So find something close to home to explore as a family, keep it simple, and everyone will be happy.

Signs of spring

2008-03-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Yay! Spring is finally here! Some of the flowers around town are blooming and I heard my first mourning dove "coo" of the season (which happens to be one of my favorite sounds). Many of the trees are just starting to show little buds on the branches, too.

The kids are officially on Spring Break now, and it seems that we needed it more this year for some reason. I just can't seem to catch up since the time changed last weekend, so hopefully this week I can regroup and gear up for the rest of the school year.

What a difference

2008-03-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

One thing that really struck me as different traveling to Disney World this time was the amount of luggage we took. The last time we went, we only had one child and she was two and a half years old. Since we were staying at a hotel in the park and relying on Disney shuttle buses for transportation, we had to bring everything we needed with us from home. This included diapers (one whole suitcase full!), snacks, and drinking water.

This time, even though we have four people in the family now, we had less luggage than last time. Most of this is due to the fact that both children are potty trained and out of the "baby gear and supplies" stage that makes traveling with infants such a challenge. My in-laws also rented a van during this trip, so we were able to shop for snack foods and drinking water at local grocery stores. Of course, we still bought way too much food in the parks, but that was to be expected. That's the one nice thing about traveling with babies - you can carry lots of stuff in the bottom of the stroller, like picnic lunches, extra drinks, and extra jackets. Without the stroller, we didn't want to carry a backpack around with us on the rides, so we just opted to eat park food much of the time.

Oh well, now that our kids are older, we plan to start traveling more like we used to. We've missed it a lot and it is something that the whole family enjoys.

Father's Day deals

2008-03-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Continuing with my affinity for online shopping and finding great deals, I found one site that has great ideas for Father's Day. Most men would be happy with a gift of more tools, right? I found an online store called Burns Tools with all the major tool brands, plus deals like free shipping on Delta machinery and DeWalt products.

The site is organized so searches can be done by product or by brand name, which is very convenient. The design is simple and straightforward with easy navigation. The Burns Tools store is a member of the Better Business Bureau's Online Reliability Program, which gives consumers peace of mind while shopping on the internet.

You get what you pay for - not always

2008-03-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

There are certain things that I believe fall into the "you get what you pay for" category, and others that are purely status symbols. For instance, I think paying more for high end tools is a good idea. If you are working on a project and the tool is inadequate, the project ends up costing more because of ruined materials, so you should just spend the extra money on a better tool to begin with.

Other items, such as designer home accessories seem a bit excessive to me. Spending $375 on top of the line Moen faucets, that look every bit as stylish as the $85 version seems pointless. Unless you actually tell everyone who enters your bathroom that the faucet cost that much, they would never guess. I would save the money there and spend it on nicer accessories like light fixtures, artwork, or mirrors that people would actually notice.

Online shopping rules

2008-03-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

So I've mentioned before how moving to a small, somewhat remote town has spawned our revelation with online shopping. I mean, we've shopped online for quite sometime now, probably longer than most people, but now we buy practically everything online aside from groceries and everyday household items. With the price of gas as high as it is now, it's cheaper to pay the shipping fees (if any), and we save the wear and tear on our car, and we don't waste half a day driving to the big stores.

Another thing that happens when we drive an hour to Rogers for shopping, is that we usually have to buy at least one meal out while we are there, which is more out-of-pocket expense. I know, I know, we could pack food to take with us right? Well, we just never expect our shopping trips to take as long as they do, but let's face it - stores like Home Depot and Lowe's are like the Twilight Zone, aren't they? Where does the time go???

So anyway, now that we do most shopping online, we are somewhat obsessive about getting the best deals. We will search all over the place to find a site with Kohls coupons, or free shipping, or whatever comes out the least expensive. Shopping online is also convenient because you can read consumer reviews for the products. This is important to us because you can never trust advertising 100%. Pictures of products online can be very deceiving.

So even if it takes a couple of hours to find what we are looking for, we still come out ahead in the long run by shopping online.

Do what you like

2008-03-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

A few years before moving to Eureka Springs, I had a typical job as a secretary in a big corporate office. Everyone was overworked, and we were definitely understaffed. You know, with situations like someone in your department quits, and rather than hire someone to fill the position, they just push all their duties on to other people to absorb within the department.

One of the parts that most people dread, especially managers, are the quarterly employee performance evaluations. It's not that we don't enjoy meeting with our managers, getting praise for a job well done, and possibly a raise... It's the lack of time to meet for the evaluation, coupled with rushing through it so everyone can have a turn and feeling like a number, rather than a person.

Fast forward seven years to the present, where I am now working my dream job at the library. Sure, the pay is much less, but when you love your job it truly makes all the difference. My stress level is lower, I am much happier, and I feel like I am contributing to my community. I get to use my quirky organizational skills (obsession!), and my odd knack at remembering names comes in very handy as well.

I guess in conclusion, I would just like to say that if you are unhappy and stressed in a job, it's not worth it. The risk to quit is huge, but things have a way of working themselves out and if you can find what you truly love, and make enough money doing it, you will feel happier and more "on track" with life.

I just can't do it Captain!

2008-03-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

There are certain things I just can't bring myself to pay money for. One of those is haircuts and colors. I have cut my own hair and my whole family's hair for years with great results. I also dye my own hair because the salon is outrageously overpriced for coloring and I have only been disappointed once, which was easily fixed the next day.

Another area I don't like to spend money is on herbal supplements and weight loss. For example, I've wanted to try hoodia ever since I heard of the benefits, but I just can't shell out the dough. So I keep drinking my green tea (for the antioxidants) and walking as much as I can (for the exercise and the fresh air). Some people achieve great things with herbal assistance, and that's wonderful for them, but I'm just keeping it simple for now.

The price of trying something new

2008-03-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

Many people are wary to start a new hobby for fear of spending a bunch of money getting started, then realizing they don't even like the hobby after all. For example, say you wanted to try golfing. You may be inclined to buy golf equipment, golf shoes, and a snazzy new outfit. This is true for many sports and hobbies.

I found a list of free or very frugal hobbies to try in a great book I am currently reading called The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches. Most of them will even save you money by learning a practical skill to be applied directly to everyday life.

Here are some of the ones I think are worth trying:
Birding
Climbing trees
Composting
Conservation
Cooking
Crafts
Dancing
Dream interpretation
Foraging
Fossil hunting
Foreign language learning
Free attractions and events
Free factory tours
Gardening
Genealogy
Haircutting
Hiking
Kite flying
Meditating
Painting
Reading
Recycling
Sewing
Stargazing
Writing
Yoga

Water all around

2008-03-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

Many people don't realize that Eureka Springs is surrounded by many lakes, which provide for fishing, boating, water skiing, and other water sports. Beaver lake is so clear that there are SCUBA excursions offered. I've never seen lakes so clear and blue as we have around here.

I've visited a variety of beach locations, from Galveston (yucky brown water) to Cancun, Mexico (crystal clear blue), to Panama City, Florida (somewhere in between). One area we have yet to explore is the east coast. I would just love to spend a vacation on Hilton Head Island off the coast of South Carolina. The beaches have a totally different feel on the east coast. Sea Pines rentals offers a wide variety of options for stay, whether you are traveling with a family of four or a group up to 24 people! The plantation style homes are exquisitely decorated, and are all within walking distance to the beach.

I can dream of future trips, but for the time being, we still have yet to explore all the lakes in our home town.

My best friend

2008-02-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

The other morning at breakfast, my husband proudly states that the night before, when he was finished reading a bedtime story to our three year old boy, he said, "Dad, you're my best friend." Aaaawwwwww, how cute.

Then, my daughter rains on his parade by stating, "Dad, he told the dog she was his best friend the other day." Upon seeing the disappointment on daddy's face, she said, "I mean, you're special too. He's been telling us all that we are his best friends."

In drastic contrast to the "terrible two" attitude we dealt with for over a year, all of a sudden our son has become very affectionate. He will just run up and give out hugs and say "I love you" all the time. I remember this stage with my daughter as well. Just around the time you enjoy spending time with your toddler is when it's time for them to start going to school.

Independence is key

2008-02-25T18:40:00.001-08:00

Well, it seems we are mostly back on track with my three year old son's potty habits. As you may recall, he was totally trained (much to my surprise) in one day on the first Friday in December. Once he understood what was expected of him, he would go about his "business" all by himself and only tell us after he had finished. He never told us before he went to the bathroom. He was very proud, as we all were and very independent about the whole thing.

Then I became too controlling (as I always do, dang it!) and he started using it as a control/stubborn issue. I would ask him to go potty and he would always say no, then he would wet himself from holding it for too long. Then I stopped asking and he was better about going by himself, but would still hold it for too long and sometimes have some wetness in the underwear.

So I've tried to ease up even more and it seems to be helping. I also put the toddler potty back in the kid's bathroom because I think the size of it comforts him, even though he will use the big potty too. I think he just likes having it there "in case" he needs it. Anyway, I'm very happy to report that we are only going through one or two pairs of underwear per day, rather than the four our five we were changing daily a couple of weeks ago.

Library business cards?

2008-02-24T17:09:00.000-08:00

Speaking of previous lives, our college life was also something entirely different. My husband and I were both Fine Arts majors, going for our Bachelor's degrees, with emphasis on computer graphics and advertising design. In college, one of my favorite areas of study involved company branding and logo design. I enjoyed coming up with a new "look" for a company and incorporating it into business cards, envelopes, and letterhead. Of course, in college it was much easier because art was all encompassing back then. We lived and breathed art almost 100% of the time.

Now that we have children and there is so much going on in our lives, I can't even find the time to come up with snappy business cards for myself. So I tried a website logo creator called LogoYes with much success. The free demo is simple and fun. First, you select what "image" you want to project for your company, the choices being High-Tech, Bold, or Flair. I chose "Flair" since I am a creative, artistic person. The next step is choosing your industry from a list of thirty choices. Based on the industry selected, you then go to the next step, picking a symbol for your card and the text to go on it. I was impressed by the large selection of images to choose from and the many different font styles. The final step is arranging the layout and choosing colors.

Since I work at the library, and I couldn't think of anything else to put on a business card for myself since I am into so many different things, I decided to make one that we could discreetly hand out in the library to patrons to remind them of proper library etiquette. What do you think?

Our previous life

2008-02-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, my husband and I were living what I now refer to as "our previous life." We were living what most would consider the American Dream, but we just weren't satisfied. We were working on Bachelor's Degrees in college while both working in the telecom industry. We were very surprised when we worked temporary assignments through a temp agency and both of us were offered full-time jobs without even a college degree. We thought we were so lucky to have "landed" these high paying jobs at such a young age.

I quit my job when I was pregnant with our first child, but my husband stayed on with his corporate job and we were saving money like mad, since he made more than we needed to live on. He continued doing well and climbing the corporate ladder. There was a point about four years into his job when he realized that he was not happy at all. He knew all the ins and outs of telecom, all the engineering gargon like CAT6, CAT5, T1, T2, and patch panels, but didn't feel like he was making a valuable contribution to society.

At that time, we were also living in a very large town and thought maybe it was the town that was getting us down. So we moved to a much smaller town, but he kept the same job. That helped a bit, and we realized that we did enjoy a small town much better, but the job was still a problem. All the corporate politics and threat of layoffs got to be too much and we decided to risk everything, quit the fancy job, and move halfway across the country to a small town we have adored since the first time we visited here.

We are struggling somewhat to make ends meet and our tax return is nothing short of embarrassing, but we are happy and that's what counts. I have a dream job, working in the historic Carnegie public library, and my husband is working on several online ventures. Our children are safe and we know most of the people in town after only living here about two years. Our new life is good.

Beautiful wedding on a budget

2008-02-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

At the time my husband and I were engaged, we were very young and trying to plan an elegant, beautiful wedding on a budget. We paid for everything ourselves, with the exception of the catering and the flowers. For two college students who work part-time, this was not an easy task. Several factors helped immensely and could be attributed to luck or simply being in the right place at the right time.

There was an antique store near our college campus that we frequently visited, but never bought anything. One day soon after our engagement, we were browsing in that store and I remember distinctly turning a corner and seeing a beautiful Victorian style wedding dress up on a dress form. My heart skipped a beat because this dress was exactly what I had envisioned my dress would look like and I had a feeling that it was even close to my size. I tried it on and guess what? A perfect fit! It was amazing and so "meant to be." The best part was the price - only $65 for the dress, the slips, and the floor-length veil. I was one happy bride-to-be!

A few months later, when the wedding date was approaching and we had been shopping for wedding rings with no luck, we went to our antique store again. One ring immediately caught my eye and I knew that was the one. It was a bit pricey for our budget, but we figured since we got such a good deal on the dress, we could spend a bit more on the ring that I would wear daily for the rest of my life. I tried it on and guess what? A perfect fit again! I look at my ring every day and think of that story and am so thankful for our good fortune to have found both my dress and my ring, and my husband for that matter!

Unfortunately, men's jewelry is a bit harder to find, and the antique store didn't have anything that would work for my husband's wedding band. We ended up going to a mall jewelry store and having one of their rings custom made in white gold so it would match mine. The style has an antique look, and in the white gold it does match mine quite well and we are very happy with it.

We even got a good deal on the location for the ceremony and reception. We found a park with a historical Victorian estate that could be rented for weddings. Since it was in a park, the cost was minimal and it was exactly the style we wanted for our wedding. The grounds were beautiful, with lush grass, beautiful flowers, and an old fountain in the front. Our cake was made by a good friend from college, and one of our art professors took photos for us.

Thanks to all of our good fortune, asking for favors, and doing plenty of research, we ended up spending less than $5,000 on our wedding and honeymoon!

One small kitchen addition

2008-02-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

My husband built a spice rack out of some of the kitchen cabinets that we removed when we moved into our house. He cut off the back to make it shallow and added small shelves inside. We hung it on the wall last night I love it! All the spices fit inside (alphabetized, of course) and there is even room for some of our vitamins and medications on the top shelf. It looks great and I am happy to see my husband taking a positive interest in the house again after encountering many problems with previous home improvement projects due to unorthodox building techniques used by previous owners.

We even involved our kids in the project. My three year old son helped me change the cabinet pulls, and our daughter helped us find the studs in the wall and make sure the cabinet was straight and level. We are very pleased with the outcome and it makes the kitchen feel more complete.

Change is in the air

2008-02-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

My husband and I have been working on changing the layout of our furniture pieces, in order to make our home more "visitor" friendly. Currently, we only have one loveseat and an over sized leather chair in the living room. We already moved the furniture around in the living room so that the flow of traffic to the master bedroom and bathroom goes around the grouping, rather than through it.

We are also planning to move the kitchen bar into the kitchen about four feet, and moving the eating area into the kitchen with a built-in bench seat on the back of the bar. Where we currently have the dining room, we would like to put an electric fireplace, with a couple of chairs to sit in front of the fire. The over sized leather chair will go nicely there, so we bought a new sofa for the living room to go with the loveseat in front of the entertainment center.

Since we have small children, we couldn't pick something fancy like custom Kravet fabrics. Instead, we opted for micro-suede because of its durability and ease of cleaning. Our loveseat is also micro-suede and I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to clean. In fact, only two weeks after we bought it, my son (who was about 18 months at the time) found a ball-point pen and drew all over it before anyone realized what he was doing. I was so upset and thought for sure it was ruined. Much to my surprise, all the pen marks came off with only a damp rag! I've been sold on micro-suede ever since. Micro-suede has more bonuses also, like the inexpensive price and wonderfully soft and comfortable feel.

My tech guy

2008-02-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful that my husband is "technologically savvy" enough for both of us. He's the one that connects all the cables for the entertainment center and sets up all our computer components. I wouldn't know the difference between audio and HDMI cables, but somehow, he just "gets" these things.

A lot of it stems from his music-making hobby. I've never seen so many different cables in my entire life than when he is setting up to do a live show - it's truly amazing that anyone can make heads or tails of that tangled mess!

Do you love your insurance company?

2008-02-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, insurance is one of those things that no one particularly likes to deal with, but is one of those necessary evils we all must endure. Once you find a good insurance agent or company you are satisfied with, you can rest easy and not have to worry about it much.

If you are still in search of that perfect company, you can get an auto insurance quote online as a first step, then add homeowners and/or life insurance to take advantage of "bundle" discounts.