What Makes YOU Happy?

The Happiness Meme
For this meme, you are to list 6 random things that make you happy.
1. Climbing into a warm bed on a cold night and having five of my cats curl up around me.
2. The smell of hyacinths in my backyard---I can't wait!
3. Spending time with my friends.
4. Getting coupons in the mail.
5. Seeing my students at school learning something new.
6. Spending time with DBF doing absolutely anything (even hounding!).

I read about this on someone else's blog (My Freezer is Full) and thought it's a great way to think of the positives in my life. I would tag others to post what makes them happy on their blogs, but I'll just invite everyone to do it.

I Miss the Grocery Challenge Thread!

I'm at the library so I can read the message board, but for some reason I can't post! I guess I'll have to call my Internet provider and ask why I can't get it at home.

MMTbarbi--- Thanks for the Qs!

Life's Full of Ups and Downs

Well, I broke down Thursday and bought a new computer. My old one was six years old and had a lot of problems even before it konked out Wednesday. I had an assignment to compelete online and couldn't do it at the local library, work or at DBF's. So I bought a eMachine from Wal-Mart. It wasn't really what I was looking for (I wanted more memory), but it was better than what I had and didn't cost a fortune. Luckily, it was only $298 for the tower (I didn't need a new monitor). My associate discount is 10%. I also bought Ginger 10 more cans of Purina One dog food because I had 10 FREE coupons. After my discount, the dog food and computer were $287.xx! I put it on the credit card, but thankfully I can pay the bill in full (out of the EF) when it ocmes in. I may be able to deduct part of the expense off my taxes next year since I need it for my class.

The computer is working great---except for one thing. I can't get onto the GC board! In fact I can't get into any of the moneycentral sites. I get this message: "An error occurred on the server when processing the URL. Please contact the system administrator." Does anyone have any idea why? Or how to fix it? It worked Thursday night when I first hooked the computer up because I bookmarked it to Google. I'm going through withdrawals!!

Tomorrow will be another expense....the dentist. I finally decided to get my upper left wisdom tooth removed. All my wisdom teeth came in when I was a teenager. This one has been chipping away for several years, but thank God, it doesn't hurt. However, I thought it's best to get rid of it before it starts to hurt. Hopefully, my dentist can remove it and I won't have to go to a dental surgeon. I have no dental insurance and I don't want to spend $1000+ on it.

I still need to post pictures of my Valentine's presents from DBF. Thank God I keep on my pictures on my media card! I accidently gave DBF one extra present---my cold! I've had it for nearly two weeks and he came down with it last week. Well, he can't say that I don't share!

Oh, good news---finally! I will be teaching summer school again! Four weeks of fun with pre-schoolers and I get paid nicely for it. Therefore, I won't have to work full time at Wal-Mart for eight weeks. I might pick up a day or two in July, but I doubt it.

Computer Troubles

I went to get online after work today and my computer just showed a black screen saying my configuration was missing or currupt. I don't know where my setup CD-ROM is to try to repair it....the computer is 6 years old and I honestly don't remember having it! The last thing I did on it was run my Norton's Anti-Virus! So I'm at the public library trying to do some homework....yuck. I want to be at home. Hopefully, I'll get it fixed soon. DBF's computer is on the blink too. I hate being disconnected from the world!

A Sweet Rescue Story!

An online friend sent me an email about a Rottweiler who was saved after being hit by a car. The organization that is helping with his care is trying to raise money to give him additional therapy. Even if you can't donate it's a great story if you love dogs.

http://cullensarchangelrescue.chipin.com/hudson

Quotable Wednesday---Love!

Love

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.

Love is content with the present, it hopes for the future, and it doesn't brood over the past. It's the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories and working toward common goals.

If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things that are missing. If you don't have love in your life, no matter what else there is, it's not enough."

Author Unknown


I found this quote in a newspaper in the 1990's and have carried it in my purse ever since. I put that last part in bold because I feel that it's so very true. DBF has certainly shown me that in the past 7 1/2 months!

Thanks to Amiryah for the idea!

My Stockpile!

It's not as large or elaborate as some photos I've seen on Hot Coupon World, but it's mine! I've always had an "extra" or a "spare", but I've only started on my stockpile a year ago after joining the Grocery Challenge forum.


Here is my stash of various household cleaning products. There's about 12 small bottles of Dawn, 3 packs of the free toilet bowl scrubbers, plus Pledge and other items. The Arm and Hammer cleaners are on top of the detergent bin.



It's so nice to have a stockpile of Tide! I got each bottle for around $4-$5 at CVS over the past year. Four 50oz bottles may not be much for some, but with only me in the house one bottle will last about 3 months.



Look what I got with the Lysol deal I posted about a couple weeks ago! I now have a total of 30 canisters each containing 35 Lysol disinfecting wipes. Oops, that's not counting the 3 canisters already opened! I use them in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room. Thanks to lbmoore and ProudMommy for sending me coupons to help with this! I won't have to buy anymore for years. I'll probably donate some to the school I work at also.



See what a .50 Cottonelle + Kroger equals? I have 13 four packs of Cottonelle single rolls pictured. Plus I had just opened a new pack to put in the bathroom. I even gave three or four packages away at Christmas is giftbaskets for my two brothers.



My stockpile is not very organized right now. DBF told me he thinks he'll end up having to build some shelves in my basement to hold it all. Sounds like a plan to me!

Bird Watching

No phone, no cable, no internet---what's a girl to do? Birdwatch and take pictures! I ended up take about 80 pictures over the past week. The tree limbs looked so pretty covered in ice---they looked like glass.