The Sewing Mom

Living in North Texas, we become accustomed to the heat. In fact, we had more days with temperatures of 100 or more this year than any other year in recorded history. So, it is with trepidation that I woke up this morning and realized I was going to actually have to turn the heater on in the house. After running the a/c units pretty much none stop for almost 7 months straight, having about 1 week with no a/c running, and this morning, waking up to outside temperatures in the 30’s, our family room thermostat was screaming at me to turn on the heater! So, I did.

This is what I woke up to this morning:

The house is not at a comfortable 67.  Yes, we still need to dress warmly, but at least our teeth aren’t chattering!

This post brought to you by Zenni Optical. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’ve been noticing over the past several months, particularly when I’m working, staring at a computer screen, that everything I’m looking at is a taking on a fuzzy look.  The words on the screen are harder to see.  Reading words in a book is becoming a bit too straining on my eyes, and that tiny print on aspirin bottles?  Forget about it!

I know I need new  eyeglasses, but they are so expensive.  I had budgeted in to our annual health savings account for this year, but a couple of other things came up that ate up that budget, so I’m having to wait.  My prescription sunglasses are at least a year older than my regular glasses, and that prescription is slightly different too.  My insurance only covers up to a certain dollar amount, and that amount doesn’t even cover one pair of glasses, much less two pair.

I’ve been hearing a lot about the cheap eyeglasses from Zenni Optical. From what I understand, the only thing cheap about the glasses they offer is the price!  Seriously, even after my insurance pays their part, I still end up spending at least $150 by the time I get the bifocals and everything I need in the lens, and of course, I have a tendency to always find the most expensive pair of frames in the shop.  I’ve look at the Zenni website and I have found several frames that look almost identical to the expensive frames currently on my face.

I think it’s a great way to save money, and right now, I can use all the help I can get with our household budget!  Remember, we have a teenager and teenagers are constantly “needing” one thing or another that seems to require me to open my wallet, time after time!

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I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving. Wherever you are and whomever you are with, may you give thanks. God has blessed us in so many ways and we thank Him for all he has given us. Enjoy your day and remember, don’t eat too much (or keep the Tums handy!).

Thanks to Parent Reviewers I was asked to download a free 1 year subscription to AVG Internet Security 2012 to use and review. Note: I received a 1 year free trial and no other compensation. This review is written by me and reflects my own personal opinions.

This morning, I downloaded the AVG Internet Security 2012 on to my daughter’s netbook. She uses her netbook mostly for homework assignments, email and social networking, particularly Facebook. I felt that her netbook and AVG were a perfect combination.

The download was super simple and took maybe 10 minutes time. AVG Internet Security 2012 is not just an anti-virus protector, but also helps block spam. What I really like is that it also protects this netbook from picking up malicious links from Facebook. With Facebook recently having been hacked, it made it clear that we do have to protect ourselves even from our favorite websites. The AVG security software also checks links as you surf the web, ensuring that websites are safe before they open up in your browser. With this netbook being something my daughter uses on a daily basis, I feel like I’m not just protecting her computer, but I’m protecting her. Isn’t that my job as a mom afterall?

AVG runs in the background and doesn’t slow down any of the operating systems, in fact, it can actually speed things up by keeping things clean. Take a look for yourself at AVG.com and get a free trial, or for a mere $54.99, get a 1 year subscription. For that low price, you also get customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is truly the most comprehensive internet security software at the lowest price that I’ve ever found and I recommend it for personal use on all your computers and netbooks.

We did it! My daughter & I braved the grocery store only 2 days before the big Thanksgiving holiday! Surprisingly, we came out unscathed, but I’m sure glad we went when we did this morning and didn’t wait any longer. By the time we came out, the parking lot was most certainly fuller and the aisles were becoming much more crowded.

I just finished putting all the groceries away and setting the turkey in water in the sink to thaw. As of right now, our menu will include turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans almondine, asparagus, fruit salad and rolls. For dessert we will have pumpkin pie and chocolate cream pie (made by my daughter). Of course any of this could change by Thursday!