Sticker Shocked into Wanting to DIY

After reading countless appliance blogs/postings, watching countless youtube videos on refrigeration repairs, and checking the prices for the parts I need...I (hesitatingly) believe that I could fix our refrigerator problem on my own...

...but I won't. I'm not sure if I could have diagnosed the problem on my own, though there appears to be 3 to 4 solid things to check in order to determine what the issue is when your refrigerator is warm and your freezer is cold, but freezing up.  It would take me quite a while to figure out the specific issue, so having someone come out to diagnose the problem was worth it. However, there appears to be quite the mark up on the part I need. Across the board, I found that the part that I need is less than $100.  My repairman wants to charge me $345 for it. His time is $145. I won't dispute the cost of his time. Fine. That's for his expertise...And it took him about 20 minutes to determine the problem and it would have taken me several hours, I'm sure.  But a $245 markup for a part????? Really?????  Between my husband and I, we were able to talk him down a couple hundred dollars...but still...bye-bye anniversary weekend away that we've been planning for 2 years....That mark up alone put me in to a DIY frenzy.  Hence the checking out of appliance blogs, youtube videos, etc.

I found out (and it's taken me about 8 hours of research to determine this) that I can probably change the part myself fairly easily.  I just had to figure out where my part is located and what it looks like. The hardest part was finding out where it is.  I know silly, but I could not find my specific refrigerator model on any of the forums and somewhere out of left field I kind of stumbled on it.

Being a SAHM means that we do not have a lot of disposable income. We gave up my "cushy" paycheck so that I could raise our kids. Not having a lot of disposable income makes me much more money conscious.

In retrospect, I kind of wish that I had more faith in my abilities, thanked the repairman for coming and paid him for the visit and diagnosis. Then, I wish I had ordered the part on my own and fix the problem on my own.  I bet I could. Well, now after hours of research, I bet I could.  Next time, I won't doubt my ability so quickly and see if I could do it myself.

Have any of you been sticker shocked into DIY? What have you done on your own because you could not fathom spending that much money on a project? Have you ever wished you let a professional take care of it instead?

Hebrews 10:35
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence for it has a great reward. (New American Standard)

Two Vikings and a Monkey

It seems every year we decorate just a little more for Halloween. Part of it is that we have children and there is a reason to decorate and of course, I'm not working so there is time to decorate.  And every year I start thinking about next year's costume.

When Boogie was born his Aunt M. bought him a sweet pumpkin costume. He wore it when he was a baby and Buggy wore it for her second Halloween. (Her first Halloween she was just 9 days old).  I had planned on putting it on Mr. Bananas this year, but Hubby found a cute monkey costume and he couldn't resist.

This year the kids had decided to be characters from their favorite movie, "How to Train your Dragon."  I did look online for any ready made costume, but I'm not one for spending tons of money on a costume that will be worn once maybe twice if I'm lucky. And when I say tons of money, I mean $20-$25 per costume. I know it's not that much, but for something only worn once and for just a few hours, I can't justify it.  So after looking at the crazy prices for the costumes I decided to improvise and make my own costumes putting together pieces from different outfits to make a costume.

The result was:

 "Hiccup":  green fleece pants, snowboots, a green shirt (I bought for $5) that I cut and sewed the "lacing" to make it look like the real characters shirt, a wide piece of ribbon for a belt, and a leather vest given to me by my SIL (Thanks, L!) to replace the v-neck sweater vest I was originally using for "hiccup's" vest, and a cardboard shield (that Hubby made after walking in the door at 11:30 at night from a week long business trip so that it would be ready for Boogie's Halloween parade the next morning).

"Astrid":  All the pieces I did buy, but I can use separately as pieces to real outfits she can wear outside the house.  1 "magic" shirt (that stretches to fit any kid any size), legwarmers for her arms, pleated skirt, wide black headband for a belt, black stretchy pants, boots,  an orange headband, and a cardboard battleax Hubby made the day of our October snow.

And of course, Mr. Bananas, had the only non-homemade costume:

For the Godparents: Love, Mr. Bananas

One of my favorite pictures, because of the look of delight on Buggy's face when Boogs held her hand in his school's Halloween parade.

I love Boogie's expression in this one.

Buggy grimaced like the viking she is in every photo!