Crazy ideas

I think all of my siblings would agree at times I can come up with some crazy ideas. But evidently this one tops them. Ok let me explain from the beginning.
A couple of months ago I received the electric bill and I cried. Literally it was over $600. YIKES! So I began to try and figure out what the deal was. So I cut back on how much we ran the heat turning off the upstairs all together. Then the next bill only went down to a mid 400's. Yes still high. So I talk to my kids and told them there would be no more heater. We were through the worst part of winter here and we could just use blankets and sweats etc. Bought mom a heater for her room and we should be all good.
I got the bill this week. I was sooooo excited... Only .... drum roll.... $250. Could I really be excited about a bill that much. I was. Totally...

I had told my kids before we received the bill we were going to do no electricity night once a week at our house. This is where I have been told by my loving sister I was a little crazy on this idea. I did ask for opinion in her defense. But really it seems that there is always too many TV's on in multiple rooms, Xbox, computers if it uses electricity it was on. Plus to get my kids to not be dependent on electronics to entertain themselves was a chore to say the least. Some were better than others.
If nothing else it gave some good quality family time and save some money in the process. I decided on Thursday night to be the night. As the day went on I wanted to badly to just cancel it and go home and go to bed. Yeah right. After doing the errands I needed to do with the 3 older ones I went and picked up Sebastian and Alex from Trapper's house.( thanks kim for helping me out)
As soon as we got home it was getting dark. Candles were lit all over the house upstairs and down. Lantern was turned on. Groceries were put away in the dark. Kitchen straightened up in the dark or by candle light.Yeah I know sounds so fun. It really was. Malcolm started a fire in the fire place and we ate dinner with the lantern as our center piece.
Sebastian, Eve and myself then Cole later gathered in the den to put a card together for a friend. Malcolm and Alex started playing the piano. Malcolm and Alex got bored and went upstairs to read by flashlight. The rest of us spent the rest of the night playing in my stamp it up stuff. Making cards sitting by the fire. Sebastian then started to read on the couch.
We did scriptures and prayer by lantern light. It was a little cold downstairs as the fire died out. By this time everyone but Cole and myself were asleep. We put out the fire. I think it went really well. Malcolm is rarely asleep early and even though 10:30 isn't early it is for him.
After talking to the kids about it they all agreed they enjoyed it. Malcolm's only request was to be able to use his ipod. But due to my no electronics rule. It is a no. NO phones either.
I did give in last night and turn on the heater. It was alot colder than it had been in a long time and I didn't want the pipes to burst.
You know even though it sounds a little on the crazy side it made all of us including me think about what's important. Spending time with my kids with no distractions was nice. You forget how much having every day things can interfere with you communications with your kids.
I don't know how much this will really save me on my Electric bill. I do however think it will provide for many hours of uninterrupted entertainment and family time with my kids. Hopefully many memories will come of it. And if it does decrease my electric bill that would be a great side note.

On a side note: I did get to use all of my stampin up items I just purchased what over a month ago that had never been used. :)