Money

Today Started off very well!  I was almost late for work by a few minutes but the traffic was smooth and All the Lights were green!!  I mean how much better can a morning get???

Then I realized that Christmas was just around the corner, and I have NO presents actually bought yet, picked out, yes, bought, no.  Oh why are the Holiday's so stressful??  I almost got put into a bad mood until I had an Idea!

Since we are on a tight budget right now I started brain storming on how I could save a little money monthly.  It's getting tight too since Rodeo season is over until January and Since Sean is still working on the farm and getting paid very little. 

So what did I do you ask?? I called some of my Bill people and asked them for their help on giving me ways I could lower my bill!!

First I called Dish Network and realized that they were having a deal on packages that will save you 10 bucks a month and all you have to do is do paperless billing or sign a 24 month contract.  Dish also pointed out that we had the very highest package that contained a lot of channels that we didn't even watch so I bumped our packed to the lower one and saved another $10 bucks.  Cha Ching!  $20 dollars in my pocket.  If I want to bump it back up after a while, I can no problem!

Next I called Verizon,  I realized that I wasn't using "my Circle" correctly and after doing a quick analysis online of the people I was calling, I realized we could knock off 400 minutes amonth by adding a few lines to our circle.  By saving those 400 minutes we were able to bump our package down to fewer minutes a month and ChaChing, another $20 bucks off!   I then realized we were being charged $15 bucks on Seans phone for internet use,  we use my phone for internet so we don't need that on Sean's!  ChaChing! Another $15 bucks!

I went to the Insurance company and raised my Deductible to 1,000 until I can afford to go back down again,  I just can't have a wreck!!  ChaChing, another $30 bucks in my pocket.

Lastly, this is a biggy.  Sean and I are going to trade his truck in for another truck with a cheaper payment.  (maybe, we haven't quite commited yet)  But if we do it will save us  $170 a month ChaChing! 

Total Savings Monthly.. $255.00 woo hoo!!  That will be a nice change!  If you have any money saving tips...let me know!!

Smell ya later!

Ok so I've never expressed my Love for Late night TV, but I'm about to.   It all started in Jr. High when I started staying up late and secretly turing on my bedroom TV to watch Conan O'Brien.  Now that he's on the Tonight Show I get to watch him and Jimmy Fallon, both of whom I LOVE (never a big fan of Jay but I love Jaywalking & Headlines)   Side note.... I actually sent in a Headline and HE USED IT ON LIVE TV!!!! 

Ok so here is Jimmy Fallon as Neal Young singing my new favorite song...and yes I've known every word to this song since I was little.  I'm sad to admit that....

Anyway He is hilarious and extreamly talented.   I laughed through this whole song, So without further Adieu...Jimmy Fallon (as Neal Young)  ps there is a 15 second commercial before this video....just wait for it, it's only 15 seconds ok?

Arkansas Longhorns?

Today's post is a Not me monday with a few cows at the end. 



This weekend I did NOT eat three bags of cotton candy, a pound of nachos, a large bilizzard from Dairy Queen, and I did NOT drink like 78 cokes :)  I would never be that much of a pig.

I also Did not wear my boots (covered in cow crap) into the movie theater to watch New Moon at 9:30 immediately after Sean ran his steer, and did not, secretly wish that Jacob was my boyfriend....eight pack abs and all. 

And now to the cows...

Today At Lunch I went home to see if Sean wanted some lunch because today they were Working Cows, separating the momma's from the babies. Of course I had my camera and thought I'd take a few shots

Can I share a few? Ok Good.

Some of our cows have Long horns...they are called "longhorns" pretty creative huh?

Some of them have shorter horns, they are Corrientes from Mexico.  I think this one's horns were victim of a Steer wrestling match gone wrong. 

They come in all shapes and sizes and colors.  My favorite are these white and red ones.   I don't really know why...

Actually to be honest...these are my favorites

Look at all these cows...
Hey, wait a minute...that's not a cow.

That's just Mr. Key, Don Key. He keeps the coyotes away, supposedly.

Oh, excuse me, I didn't realize this stall was taken....





There...that's better.

There's my cowboy, in his cowboy hat and shirt and...well never mind.


Here's his ranch hands.. I hear the one on the right is really lazy and the one on the left begs for food a lot.

Oh how sweet it is to live on a farm.  Have a good Monday!!

Winner?

Well I wish I could Begin this post by saying that Everything worked in our Favor and Sean won another saddle, but sadly I can't.
Let me just give you a run down of what happened.

Sunday afternoon The rodeo began at 2.  The Steerwrestling was the second event after the Bareback riders.  Sean was third from last to go, so there were 12 guys in front of him.  When it was Sean's time to run his steer the fastest time so far had been a 4.2.  Sean had to be faster than a 4.2 to assure him money in the round, and money in the average, which would put him ahead of the guy that was Winning the year by about 500 dollars. 

It all came down to one run.  One nod of the head, one jump off the horse, one steer on the ground.  Sean backed into the box and I turned the video camera on.  I was shaking so hard the camera was shaking.  Sean had drawn the perfect steer.  This steer was the one he wanted and the one he knew he could be faster than a 4.2 on. 

Sean nodded, frosty took off, the gates flew open and Sean threw the steer in 3.3 seconds!  Then.. (cue sad music)  the line judge that checks the barrier threw his flag, meaning Sean had broken the barrier, he had left to early, about 6 inches to early, .1 second too early.  This added 10 seconds to Sean's time.  I saw the flag fall to the ground through the corner of camera screen.  My heart fell into my legs.  I got misty eyed and sick at my stomach.

I wanted to throw up.  Had Sean waited .1 second he would've been a 3.4 with no broken barrier, won $2,400, a saddle, and a buckle for winning the year, and a buckle for winning the round. 

I wanted to curl into a ball and cry.  I can't imagine what went through Sean's head. 

We really needed that money, but I guess God has other plans.  Sean was over it in about 20 minutes.  By the time I walked out to the truck he was over it.  I'm still not over it.  I'm still upset.  I wanted Sean to win, bad.  I'm mad a little bit.  Not at Sean, becuase I know he didn't do it purposely. I'm not really sure who I'm mad at, I guess I'm just mad at the whole situation.  He was worried about leaving the box late like he had the night before and just went to early this time.  The steer was supposed to leave faster than he had, he just didn't.  It just wasn't in the cards this time.

I asked Sean how he wasn't upset and he said, "That's the way rodeo goes.  There's always another Rodeo to win money at. You win some, you loose some." 
.....Sean should've married a less dramatic woman is all I can say.  I'm still pissed.

But on a good note we finished the Season with a total of $4,200 won through out the year in the UPRA finals a total of $6,290 in the ARA and $8,972.83 in the CRRA finals.  In reality Sean won about $10,000 this Rodeo Season. (some of the rodeos we went to were co-sponsored by the ARA & CRRA so you got money in both association for winning one rodeo)  Plus he also two saddles and two buckles.  If you consider all the money it takes to get to the rodeo and entry fees, I think it's safe to say we came out way ahead this season.     Not too shabby for amatuer rodeo if you ask me?  

Next step..Pro Rodeo. yikes!