. Money Spent Today: $800. OMG! It is not a good financial day for us today. Our A/C was the original A/C to our house. Our house was built in 1967, so you can imagine the size of this beast and how “energy efficient” it has been running.
We had someone come out and give us a quote for a new heating & air system a few weeks ago. The quote was for OVER $4K. When the guy told us this, I avoided all eye-contact with my husband, for fear that he and I would both start cracking up. You know, that nervous laugh that you get when you are completely floored about something?? They did offer a wonderful finance plan where we could pay on it for ten years at around 14% interest rate….um, no freakin’ way! Another nervous laugh as we exited the kind salesman out the door…immediately followed by laughing until we are crying.
Fortunately, my dad works in heating & air so he was able to find us a dented model for around $760 (that includes tax). He is going to install it for us and we are going to buy him a gift card to take my mom out to dinner as repayment for all that he did for us. Considering he is saving us (at least) a grand, I think it is the least we could do.
We are still on the lookout for a new furnace, but a new A/C is much more important to us with those hot summer months just around the corner.
Luckily, we have been anticipating this little fiasco so we had the money set aside (*patting self on the back*). No surprises (other than that outrageous quote). Always good to be prepared for life’s little emergencies!
How-To Keep Your Kids Busy:
Here are a few things to keep on hand for your children this summer!
Balloons (regular, water)
Balls (play, rubber, super, tennis, Wiffle)
Beach Ball
Bubbles, fancy wands
Bucket, handheld hoe, rake, shovel
Bug catcher, bug keeper container
Cards (playing, Old Maid, Crazy Eights)
Chalk (colored, white)
Clay, cookie cutters, miniature rolling pin
Dominoes
Insects (plastic)
Jacks & ball
Jump rope
Kaleidoscope
Marbles
Kite
Paddle ball (with ball attached)
Pinwheel
Sailboats (plastic)
Sponges
Squirt Guns
Swimmies, raft
Telescope
Word Search Books
Inspirational Reading Material: This site is full of great information on how to plan your next playgroup. Online Playgroup covers everything from snacks to crafts and offers great theme ideas.
MomAdvice Reading Material: Summer Survival
On Our Dinner Table: I am making two Sticky Chickens for dinner. I am serving them with a baked potato & some homemade bread. One of the chickens will be for our dinner tonight and the other will be diced and made into chicken salad sandwiches for another night. These taste just like rotisserie chickens. I am doing them in the oven (because I prefer a crispy skin on my bird), but you can do them in the slow cooker if that doesn’t bother you.
Sticky Chicken
Serves Four
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
3 lb roasting chicken
1 cup chopped onion
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and onion. Rub herb mixture inside and outside of chicken. Place in food storage bag; seal bag. Refrigerate overnight. Remove chicken from bag; stuff with onion. Place in crockpot on low 6-8 hours; high 2-4 hours. Chicken juices should run clear and chicken reaches 180*. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. *Can cook at 250 degrees for 4.5-5 hours.
Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories 421kcal
Protein 72g (145%)
Total Fat 11g (16%)
Sat. 3g (13%)
Chol. 235mg (78%)
Carb. 5g (2%)
Fiber 1g (5%)
Sugars 2g
Calcium 55mg (5%)
Iron 4mg (20%)