dumping cable

Right before I moved into my new house, I wrote about dumping Netflix. Six months later, I'm dumping cable.

I knew going in that cable would probably be a temporary pleasure. But I was getting a great deal through the cable company, so I decided to go for it. Plus, they offered a great deal on a DVR, and I'd wanted one ever since I heard about them. (The DVR didn't disappoint—in fact, it was probably my favorite aspect of having cable TV!)

Today, I got my bill for February—the first bill after the end of the six-month introductory pricing. And I about fell over dead. My bill (which included cable, internet, and DVR) jumped from $67 to $117! No way could I justify paying that much, especially since the cable was only expanded basic—no "fancy" channels. So I called the cable company to try to negotiate a better rate. (When I signed up, the lady told me they were constantly running "retention specials" to keep customers.) No such luck. The best I could do would be to sign a 1-year contract and lock in an $83 rate for my current cable channels and 30 meg internet. Who on earth needs 30 meg? Not me! (I currently have 15 meg, and I've had both 7 and 5 before with no streaming issues.)

So, I decided to keep the internet and dump the rest ... thus saving me roughly $80 per month. As soon as I got off the phone, I went to Hulu Plus and reactivated my subscription. $8 vs. $80 ... It was a no brainer. Most of the shows I currently watch are on Hulu Plus, and I rarely watch shows as they air, anyway.

So what will I miss the most (besides the DVR)? Hallmark movies and Friends*, neither of which are on Hulu Plus. (Amazon Prime & Netflix do have some of the older Hallmark movies, but I'm interested in the new ones.) The solution for Hallmark was simple: take my VCR back to my parents' house and record the Hallmark movies there, which is what I was doing pre-cable. But Friends was trickier ... until I got an email from WBshop.com this afternoon. This isn't what it said, but it might as well have:

Dear Becky,

Congratulations on saving $80 a month by dumping cable! In celebration, please use all but $2 of that savings to purchase all 10 seasons of Friends. Thank you for your business.

WBshop.com

That's right: I just bought all 10 seasons of Friends for what I'm saving by dumping cable. Think of the things I could buy with that $80 each month! (Just kidding. I'm going to save it! Most of the time ...)

I am a bit sad to see cable (and my beloved DVR) go. I now have 36 hours to watch the most important things that I've DVR'd and not watched yet. (I'm thinking Sherlock needs to move to the top of that list.) But I'm confident I'm making the right choice. There's just too much of my father in me to be OK with paying more than $120 per month for cable and internet!

Goodbye, precious DVR!

*I have a storied history with Friends. It premiered when I was in junior high, and my brother and I would sneak into our basement to watch it (and other NBC sitcoms). When my mom found out, she banned Friends. Being a (fairly) good child, I stuck to the letter of the law and didn't watch Friends anymore. However, as Mom didn't ban anything else, we continued to surreptitiously watch a myriad of other shows she wouldn't have approved of. In college, I started catching Friends episodes here and there, and that sporadic viewing continued until I got cable. Then I realized that Friends is on TV constantly, and I've recently been watching an episode or two after work each night. Even though it's a 20-year-old show (crazy!), it doesn't feel like it. And it's certainly tame compared to what's on TV today!

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recipe: biscoff brownies

I have a thing for box brownies. Seriously. I have yet to find a from-scratch brownie that I enjoy as much as a brownie from a box. So when I was craving chocolate the other night, I turned to my old stand-by ... but I decided to amp it up with some cream cheese and Biscoff spread ('cause you can never have too much Biscoff spread!). And they turned out delightfully, if I do say so myself!

Biscoff Brownies

Brownies:
1 family size box brownie mix and the ingredients called for on the package

Biscoff topping:
1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese (or regular or reduced fat), softened
1 egg
1/2 cup Biscoff spread
3 T sugar
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix up brownies according to package directions. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. In medium bowl, beat together Biscoff topping ingredients until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls over the brownie batter. Using a table knife, cut through the brownies several times to swirl the topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until set. Remove from oven and cool 30 minutes before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

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best books of 2013: top 10

It's that time again: time to pick my favorite books of the year. (And this year, I'm actually posting before the new year—if only by two hours. That's quite the improvement over my 2011 and 2012 lists!) If my Pinterest board is to be believed, then I read 87 books in 2013 (and I'm not sure that I remembered to pin each book I read). Out of those 87, I enjoyed the vast majority, so narrowing my list of favorites down to 10 was quite difficult—so difficult that I'll be publishing a list of honorable mention books later this week. Below are the books that I settled on as my favorite 10 reads of 2013.

10. Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter (my review)

Barefoot Summer is a fantastic opening to Hunter's Chapel Springs series. Madison and Beckett's chemistry practically leaps off the page, and the conclusion is heartwarming and satisfying. I can't wait for book two's release this spring!

9. Anomaly by Krista McGee (my review)

Anomaly stunned me. I expected to enjoy it (it's YA/sci-fi, so how could I not?), but I didn't anticipate the way McGee would so completely suck me into her world. The book ends with a delightful twist, and I can't wait to read the second book in the trilogy!

8. Duchess by Susan May Warren (my review)

The final book in Warren's Daughters of Fortune trilogy, Duchess is also the best. For whatever reason, it really resonated with me—and I especially connected with main character Rosie. Here's a snippet of my review: "Really, Rosie could be any of us. No, we don't all have bombshell looks or the attitude to go with it, but we do all have regrets and hurts that motivate our actions, and without surrendering to Christ and trusting that He loves us, we could gain the whole world and still be searching for meaning and wholeness. The spiritual lessons found in this book (and the rest of the series) are profound, yet not at all 'preachy.'"

7. Shattered by Dani Pettrey (my review)

Shattered is the second book in Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series. It focuses on Piper and Landon, two of my favorite characters from the first book in the series. Packed with mystery and romance, Shattered was easily my favorite romantic suspense novel of the year.

6. Moon Over Edisto by Beth Webb Hart (my review)

Of all the books on this list, Moon Over Edisto is the least overtly "Christian" and the most literary. (It is put out by a Christian publisher, but the faith aspect takes a backseat. And I think that's totally fine.) It's the only novel that I read this year that I thought my sister, who tends toward literary snobbery, would enjoy—and so I promptly bought her a copy as soon as I finished reading mine. Moon Over Edisto is a beautifully-written novel about family, and it ended far too soon for my liking.

5. The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen (my review)

If you love Jane Austen, you'll love Julie Klassen. I've read several of her books so far, and each one is better than the last. The Tutor's Daughter is pure delight. Here's a bit of what I had to say in my review: "As I read, I couldn't help but feel that I was reading a Jane Austen novel. Or, more accurately, that I was watching a film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, as Klassen has a way with words that put a very clear picture into my head as I read. The plot evokes memories of Northanger Abbey, Emma,Pride & Prejudice, and even Jane Eyre while still remaining unique." Klassen's next book, The Dancing Master, is currently sitting on my to be read shelf—I can't wait to pick it up!

4. A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund (my review)

I loved everything about A Noble Groom...especially the hero, Carl. In my review, I said that "Carl gives Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy a run for his money. While Carl is by no means perfect, he is wonderful (and a lot less uppity than that Darcy fellow)." And that cover? It may be my favorite book cover of the year!

3. On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin (my review)

Fun fact: Sarah Sundin is the only author to have a book appear on my "best of" list each year that I've made one: With Every Letter was number four on my 2012 list, and Blue Skies Tomorrow was my pick for my favorite book of 2011.

On Distant Shores continues Sundin's streak of excellent World War II fiction. I love that while her books are full of romance, they contain so much more. On Distant Shores highlights the struggles pharmacists faced in the Army, and Sundin wrote about it so realistically that I wanted to call my senator to demand fair treatment for them! I'm eagerly awaiting Sundin's next novel.

2. Invisible by Ginny Yttrup (my review)

Ginny Yttrup was a new-to-me author, and she totally blew me away with this novel. Invisible focuses on three women, each of whom is hiding in some way. As they connect with each other, they work through emotional and physical trauma and learn about the God who loves them infinitely. Invisible is completely captivating, and when I finished reading it, I just had to sit there and let it sink in. I loved it.

1. Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay (my review)

Dear Mr. Knightley, Katherine Reay's debut novel, is so unique and fun! I don't think I can say it better than I did in my review: "Honestly, I picked up Dear Mr. Knightley expecting a simple romance, but this book turned out to be so much more—throughout the course of the novel, Sam found her voice, her place in the world. And, yes, she found love—in many forms. One of the most touching aspects of the novel was not the romance (though it was sweet) but the love Sam found in family.

Dear Mr. Knightley is a novel that will grab you at the first page and not let go until you've finished the last. Run to your nearest bookstore (or, more realistically, click on over to the website of your favorite bookseller) and get your hands on a copy of this book. You won't regret it!"

I almost wish I hadn't read Dear Mr. Knightley yet—because that would mean I could experience it again for the first time! For a limited time, it's only $2.99 for Kindle (check the price before you buy)—you really need to read this book!

There you have it: my top 10 reads of 2013. Check back at the end of the week for my honorable mention books. Happy New Year!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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a december of living dangerously

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my cats getting in the Christmas tree. Soon after, I came home to this:

At that point, I was certain that I wouldn't decorate my tree. But then I remembered the angel.

My mom's cousin made this angel ornament for me when I was young, and ever since, I've believed it should go at the top of the tree. (My sister disagreed with me, and one year, we had probably our most epic fight ever about which angel should be the tree topper. I can't remember how we resolved it. But for as long as I've had my own tree, this angel has been on top.)

Once I had the angel out, I decided to put the ribbon on the tree ... and then something came over me, and I decided to decorate the whole tree!

I did put unbreakable ornaments at the bottom, and it's a good thing. Within 30 seconds of seeing the decorated tree for the first time, Hammond had pulled an ornament off.

Isis's favorite part of the tree is the nativity scene. This is the set we used when I was a child, so it has sentimental value even though most of the pieces aren't pretty. It's also pretty indestructible, which is a plus when you have cats around who enjoy chewing on things! Isis has taken a special liking to the shepherd (the one next to her nose). She's been known to pick it up and cart it around in her mouth.

I may be crazy ... but after nearly a week of having a decorated tree, we only have one ornament fatality (one of the glitter balls) and no injuries. Here's hoping we make it through the rest of the Christmas season unscathed!

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my cats love christmas...

...Surely that's why they're climbing the tree, right? They just want to get in the Christmas spirit?

Hammond climbed the tree so quietly that I didn't know he was there until I walked by and saw this face looking out at me. He has a bell on his collar—how was he able to turn himself into stealth cat?

And then it's monkey-see, monkey-do. If Hammond can climb the tree, then Skaara can, too!

This is precisely why the ornaments will most likely stay in boxes this year.

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mid-november holiday thoughts

I used to be one of those people who couldn't stand hearing Christmas music before Black Friday. I was of the opinion (as I'm sure some of you are) that Christmas music should be reserved for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I even blogged about it way back in 2007.

All that changed this year. In the week leading up to Halloween I was dying to listen to Christmas music ... so on November 1 I pulled out my Christmas music. Or at least I tried to. I know exactly where all of my Christmas cds were in my old house. But here? I can't find them anywhere! Fortunately, I'd copied all of my favorite albums into my iTunes, so I have them digitally...but I'd still really like to find my cds!

So here's why I think I was so anxious for Christmas music: The Hallmark Channel. The Hallmark Channel has always been my favorite destination for Christmas movies, but when I was cableless, I had to content myself with whatever Hallmark movies I could find to stream online or to buy (cheaply) on DVD. If you've been reading my blog recently, you know I now have cable and a DVR. (Yippee!!!) And this year, Hallmark decided that the Christmas season began on November 1. I'm not sure if they've done this in past years, but this year, they're running Christmas movies nearly 24/7. And they promoted this "Countdown to Christmas" all through October, so by the time November rolled around, I was more than ready to watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music!

Hallmark is premiering 12 new holiday movies this season, and I've watched all of them so far. (I say "holiday" movies because The Thanksgiving House is, obviously, about Thanksgiving. It stars Nebraska boy Justin Bruening and is a decent, if not enthralling, flick.) My favorite by far is the one I thought looked the cheesiest: Snow Bride. The title alone is ridiculous. But it's so much fun! Here's the promo video:


Is it the world's greatest film? Of course not! But it's certainly a lot of fun to watch ... and it doesn't hurt that Jordan Belfi is so attractive. (OK, it's probably the character "Ben" that I'm attracted to ...) If you missed it when it aired, you'll have ample opportunity to watch it before Christmas. Its next airing is next Thursday at 10/9 central, and I'm sure it will air multiple times after that.

While I've been enjoying listening to Christmas music at the office and watching Christmas movies at night, I must admit that I'm getting a little Christmased out. I even deleted several movies from my DVR without watching them. Perhaps once I get my decorations up, I'll feel more Christmasy ... but that's going to have to wait a while as I try to figure out how I can possibly have a Christmas tree with three crazy cats in the house!

Are you "doing" Christmas yet? Any advice for keeping my cats out of my Christmas tree?

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no surprises here

These are my Amazon Quick Picks over the last two days. I think they've got a pretty good read on me, don't you?

Also, these movies remind me that the Christmas movie season is just around the corner. Yippee! The Hallmark Channel will begin showing Christmas movies on November 1. Two months of Christmas movies ... I can't wait!

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