Samhain and the day of the dead

Do you know what you celebrate? Do you know what you believe?

Halloween, All hallows eve or Samhain (a druid holiday for summer end) all have murky connections and observances.

All Hallows Eve is where very superstitious people believed that the dead could return to earth. To appease their loved ones in remembrance they would leave treats on their doorsteps.
They also would dress up in costume to "trick" the evil spirits into thinking they were on of them - a major reason that Halloween costumes are so gruesome.
I mean why else really do you want to dress your child up like Jason, or Freddy?
Doesn't he just look so sweet? Mama's little serial killer.

All Hallows Eve was supposed to be the day before All Saints Day a sanctified day in which one would remember and thank the unnamed Saints. Over years and years of mixing religion and superstition this became known by many as the day of the dead. (Not the official day of the dead, but many have moved it to suit the holidays) In which some people would honor their ancestors and visit graveyards with treats. food and costumes. Mostly everyone seems to have forgotten All Saints Day and the fact that they were suppose to come back to God after celebrating a pagan holiday.

Samhain is much more complicated and much harder to find the truth on. All the web sites carefully select their words and phrases, things like The old Celtics would make large bone fires and have sacrifices.
Hmmm.... researching the old druids you find out that they used to do human sacrifices to their gods and several high religious days of the year. 
After Catholicism went into the druid areas of what is now Scotland they switched to animal sacrifices. They would then walk through the large burning fires smoke to purify themselves against evil.
Samhain is also called The Witches New Year.

Now this is what I found trolling through hundreds of pages on the internet over the last two weeks - many sites contradict each other, many try to down play past events and histories.

I would suggest that you do your own research on the matter if you don't like mine or my interpretation of what I found.

Just beware of the easy searches things like "History of-" Those are the links that try to down play the origins, instead try searches like "How to celebrate-" or just the name its self.

Now many people have asked me why I don't celebrate Halloween or allow my children to (I didn't as a kid and I never felt I was missing out on anything). Now, besides the fact that I don't believe in any of the above reasons to celebrate, I also have issues with Trick or Treating.

One - as stated above I don't find dressing your child up as a demon, witch or murder to be cute.
Two - I don't think its fine to teach your children not to take candy from a stranger or to talk to strangers and then one day a year tell them its ok.

So for all friends and family that think I am silly or mean for not celebrating this strange day filled with superstition and myth, I have answered you.
Now, in turn you can answer me. WHY do you think its a good day to teach your children to celebrate?

Christmas gifts and House!

Alright I lied house updates first!

My roof is done (has been for a few days but I didn't have time to post pictures!)

I organized my hubby's tools and set up a mini shelf until next spring when he can go out and really do it.

This is the original to the house 61 year old cast iron bathtub

The yucky hole after the men took out the tub.

I will post more pictures of the new tub and bathroom as it continues to be finished.

We still have to do the floor, walls and shower parts before its all done.

Now to the fun part! Christmas gifts and Black Friday in October (complete failure by the way!)

We hit Sears, Kohls, and Target.

Target is where we did most of our shopping.

Hint if as a store you want to bump up your black Friday by a month

Here is what you need to do -

a. Have you Christmas items out on the shelves.

b. Have some of them on sale.

c. Have winter items on sale - not just coats.

I won't be wasting my time with this day next year (Target wasn't bad but still not even half their Christmas section was out)

So my incredible BFF bought my hubby and I an early Christmas gift, so that I would have it when my sisters come for Thanksgiving!

Pretty!

Sun Chips Project Day Fourteen

So I am posting this a day late - I did however take this photo on Friday. So far the bags have endured snow, rain, children and some sun. (I know that's a lot for 14 days)

Do I think the bags have changed at all? A little.
Do I expect results this soon? Nope!

Honestly, I think I will be digging these out of the snow in the dead of winter before we see some real changing.
I will continue posting every Friday no matter so that we have an accurate photo blog.

Shingles and Toys!

They backed up this huge truck into my driveway then swung a long arm around aiming it at my roof. Then the driver got to ride the conveyor belt up to my roof! How cool is that?
I would think this was the coolest job ever if it weren't for the snow melting off my roof right now.

See the package of shingles riding the belt? Seriously! I am a little kid out here today playing with lots of new toys!

I also got good/bad news Saturday in the mail. This years property taxes on our new home!
 
Good News -
1. We bought the home for $110,000.00 and the state tax appraiser values our home at $127,000.00!
2. The $1300.00 they want in taxes has already been set aside in our mortgage!
3. With the old carpet being ripped out, the addition of a dishwasher and of course our updates to both the bathrooms our home now has equity before we have even made the first payment!

Bad News-
1. Taxes - YUCK!

It took the two young men less than half an hour to drop all the shingles off on my roof! Sweet!
Now we need the storms to stop along with some nice sunny dry weather! Four days of rain and snow, come on we normally don't get our first real rain storm until next weekend - seriously Utah loves to rain on Halloween!

Sun Chips Project Day Seven

Did anyone really expect them to look differently?

I didn't, but I have to keep an accurate log of photos.

Good news kids and dogs have left them alone, ignoring them completely so that is one worry down.

For the more serious side of composting please check out this blog!

Now on to house updates! Our old roof is off and thrown away!

Right now its rain proofed which is good as this coming weekend should be a wet one!

Monday if all goes well they will be laying down the white shingles on the roof.

I feel like a kid in a candy store with all the good things that have been happening the last few months!

Did you know that six months ago we had committed to staying in the mobile home?

God is good!

Banks, checking fee's and what to do.

Recently we bought our home, our loan originated with Stearns Leanding Company (a company I would never reccomend). My hopes were answered that they would sell off our loan shortly after closing and our loan is now in the hands of  Bank of America.

I am not unhappy about this, in fact we are thrilled that an actual bank will be handling our bank statements - as the other company couldn't even read the bottom of the paper work we gave them - I was terrified of their math skills.

However, this has caused me to pay more attention to news articles concerning this bank. (Follow the link for the full story.) Bank of America is now charging 8+ dollars for checking and to talk to a teller! Alright please answer me this, Why do people use banks that charge?

Seriously I have used a bank once and only once for my one year in higher education. As soon as I moved back home I returned to my credit union. A credit union that not only does not charge me fee's on my checking account, but credits my checking account interest every month. So again I will ask you, why do normal everyday people use banks when they only cater to millionaires and businesses and they treat the every day common man like something to be wiped from their shoes?

Here's something else you might not know, credit unions (if you do your homework before placing your money in one) have the ability for federal protection against failure just like banks do. All you need to do is make sure the credit union you are looking at is protected. I have banked at small credit unions and large credit unions.

With smaller credit unions you get more hands on involvement, board meetings, yearly dinners and voting rights. They normally will do several types of personal loans, savings accounts and car loans. Bigger credit unions still have voting privileges (normally by mail) and offer the larger loans for houses, and small businesses.

If every common everyday average household would leave the world of banking and go to a credit union the banks would remember who REALLY keeps them in business and who they need to cater to! The world is not made up of multimillionaires nor is it made up of huge companies, its the everyday man who pays more than 25% of the daily banking  revenue, revenue that they are trying to cash in on by charging all of these extra fee's!

Now some (especially the smaller CU's) need you to belong to a group, be related or have a savings account with said bank with a small fee keeping the account open at all times. The larger CU's do not require much more than an open savings account with 20.00 of non touchable money. Now seriously 20.00 one time that stays in your own account earning you interest or high monthly fees for a bank that treats you badly? To me its a no brainer, I mean seriously people didn't you ever watch its a wonderful life? CU vs. Banking!

So if you are a bank customer wondering what to do, you do have options. Credit Unions have all the same services as banks, they offer checking, savings and of course debit and online banking, you just have to shop around. Which I don't think is too hard when you think of how much money you might save a year (96.00 a yr on checking at Bank of America now).

Yes, my ranting is done - for now.

Answers and Projects

First on Monday I asked what to things you need to survive while traveling in space.

I also said I would pick a winner from the answers - I have to pick half of both love the pepsi and nano! What great picks!

Going technical and nerdy (sorry I am who I am - married to a nerd and I am converting!)
Here are the two things you need to survive if you ever troll the universe.

Dr. Who teaches us never to leave home without your sonic screw driver!

And we also learn from Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy that no matter where you roam never leave home with out your Towel!

Now on to house updates!

3rd bookcase installed in bedroom
Head board and base board of my new bed put together and done!

Also the roof project has finally started!
Father and son (our contractors) are pulling, ripping and tearing the old layers of my roof off.
This is great because my home is 61 years old! It had more than 3 layers of roof tiles stacked one on top of another - which causes the roof to be very heavy.
So this coming winter I can rest easy knowing that out of all the things that might go wrong in a new home - it won't be a leaky roof.

Today we plan on finishing up the cabinets as well as fixing some light fixtures!