Moving To NYC

I just found out that my sister in laws older sister is moving to Manhattan! How cool is that? She's single--and it's really adventurous of her, but can you imagine, just picking up and moving? Sally is going to fly out to help her out as her mover NYC, I would love to join them, but with the kids, there is not a chance. It's always been my dream to visit and Christmas shop. The closest I ever got was Thanksgiving and the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. But really, I want snow, and hustle and bustle--and to shop at FAO Schwartz on Christmas Eve! Can you imagine?? Now I'll just have to call Emily--and hang out at her place!

Delta Faucets

When we moved into our house, you wouldn't believe the 70's motif that was going on in some of the rooms. Mind you, that's when the house was built--but come on, in 30 years no one found the time to update? The first thing we did was a bathroom redo. New toilets, shower and tub and best of all new Delta faucets! These are perfect! Beautiful, affordable, durable and stylish! I was mortified to bring people through that bathroom for the longest time, but no more! Everything is just perfect, and beautiful!

Hannah Montana Memorabilia

When I think of the word memorabilia, I generally think of sports memorabilia. You know, bobble heads, baseball cards, collectible jerseys. All things that my family really isn't interested in. But I found a site that specializes in memorabilia of all kinds. Sport, Movie, Television and for my family...Music! They have amazing choices from Hannah Montana to High School Musical. My kids would especially this Hannah Montana set.



On the movie side, I would love the Pirates of the Caribbean or Harry Potter sets myself--or even the Bourne Identity! I just find it amazing that all of these priceless items are available at very reasonable prices.

I would really want somewhere special in the house to showcase a beautiful piece like this, somewhere where the kids can't get to it and destroy it! Once I find that space--I will have to do some shopping. There is even a really amazing "Peanuts" set if you love the classic cartoon. I have a friend who has decorated her entire house in Snoopy stuff. From kitchen canisters to bedding. She's definitely going to want to see this for herself, because it would be perfect in her home theater in the basement!

If you are a fan of movies, sports, music or really anything--check out this site--they are bound to have something of interest to you!

Quick Last Minute Neighbor Gift

You'll need Oatmeal, Christmas Glitter, baggies and ribbon.

Fill each baggie with 1/8 cup oatmeal and 1 teaspoon glitter. Attach the cute little tags with curling ribbon and curl. Hand these out on Christmas Eve.

Remember to save one for your own little ones!

This has been a great activity for my family. We all gather at the kitchen table and each child has a job from the oldest to the youngest. My youngest will hold the bag open while the next in line adds the glitter, the next will add the oatmeal, the next punches the holes and cuts the ribbon and the oldest ties on the tags. We have hot cocoa and cookies, play Christmas carols and make a wonderful night of it. The kids look forward to it every year.

Then on Christmas Eve, as we are out and about heading to wherever we are going, the kids each get the opportunity to run up to the homes of our neighbors and friends and hand them the Magic Reindeer Food. They always know that we will have one left over for ourselves. Then just before bedtime on Christmas Eve, they run outside to find the perfect place to sprinkle the food. We sprinkle it on the lawn (snow), and head back inside for hot cocoa, cookies, bedtime stories and prayer before they are tucked snuggled into their beds.

I Love Christmas!

Medical Jewelry

We've all seen the Medic-Alert bracelets that people wear letting EMT's and doctors know just what they're allergic too, or what other problems they have. They were always very conspicuous. If you met a person wearing one, you knew exactly what it was for. But these days you can actually get medical jewelry. It does the same thing, but in a little less conspicuous way. There are really cool watches with the information printed on them, or a little dressier bracelet or pendant. Just something new to handle the same old problem. I think they are a great idea!

A Little Tape Will Do

If you walk by my computer you may just laugh! My cords are literally taped to the all with scotch tape. You see, my Cat 5 wire that connects my modem to the phone line is missing it's little tooth that holds it in place. So until I can get out and buy a new one, it's taped into place on the DSL breaker. Then the DSL breaker is also missing it's tooth and won't stay in the wall. So it's taped to the phone jack with scotch tape! Honestly, as bad as it sounds, it's a tremendous improvement over last month...they were all stuck together with band aids because I didn't have any tape! Ah, life with kids!!

Baby Needs

I just recently gave away my baby furniture. It was about time, and a neighbor was having twins and really needed all of the help she could get. I can't imagine needing two of everything! Plus, how much room will two baby cribs take up in the nursery? I had so much fun shopping for all of my baby necessities that it was hard to see some of it go. I'm done with kids, I do know that. But I honestly think that a part of me will always want "just one more". My husband is far happier to be done than I would like, but hey, not everyone can be as baby hungry as me! It's what I always wanted-and now that all of my babies are gone--I can't help but want more!

Student Loans

When I was younger and contemplating what to do after high school, I can honestly say, there was no such thing as a private student loan. You could get three different government ones, but nothing beyond that. And if your parents showed too much income on their tax return, you didn't even qualify for that. So basically, if you didn't qualify for one of the three--you were out of luck. I'm happy to see that there are now different options. More and more kids are being forced out of a college education because of the soaring tuition rates. Hopefully there will be many more opportunities for these kids to find the help that they need to finish their education.

Gifts For Dad

Does your husband wear a watch? Mine doesn't, must be something to do with the workplace. I honestly wish he would because then there would be one more gift idea every time a holiday rolled around. He gets nothing of the "cliche" dad gifts, no ties or handkerchiefs. No wallets or watches. He gets plenty of homemade cards and crafts and lets be honest, I think those are more enjoyed than the tie collection ever could be. But to go out and get him a really nice watch like an Audemars Piguet or a BVLGARI, heck even a pre-owned Rolex would be awesome. But since he's not that into watches, a beautiful hand colored card will have to do!

Kindergarten Math Box

My youngest son's kindergarten teacher sent him home with a Math Box, just for him, and for him to keep, and she sends home daily activities for him to do with it. It is absolutely wonderful for him, more of a game than learning, yet he learns SO much from it. It has been so great for him that I wanted to share it with you.

Contents:
Box
Folder for Activity Sheets
Chalkboard and Chalk
Attribute Shapes
Number Cards
Dot Cards
Clay
5 Paper Clips
25 Colored Toothpicks
25 Miscellaneous Buttons
4 Small Paper Plates
Red, White and Black Beans
Math Journal
Pattern Block Shapes
Adding Machine Tape
2 Tangrams (different colors)
Q-Tip
10 Pipe Cleaners
Yarn
5 Straws
1 Hanger
5 Clothes Pins
2 Dice
Pad of Sticky Notes
Calculator
Ruler

Put the loose items such as the beans, toothpicks and buttons in plastic baggies.

I will add daily activities to keep your child entertained and learning. Keep checking back for new activities and printouts.

Crazy Life

I've had so much fun in the past getting the kids ready for special events in their lives. I love to sew their outfits, and even make up their kids party invitations. But I just can't seem to figure out where the time has gone lately! We have a huge event coming up this weekend--and I have had no time to prepare for it. I'm sure it will all come together and be totally awesome, but right now--I'm feeling a bit behind the 8 ball! I certainly hope life slows down a bit in the new year!

Plus Size Lingerie

There is one thing I've never understood! That would be plus size lingerie. Not that there is anything wrong with it, and I'm thrilled that heavier women get to have the fun that comes with lingerie. Honestly, when you are just a little bigger than you should be, nobody wants to show it off in lingerie! I think I would be far to self conscious to actually be able to pull it off. But I'm a little bit more shy in that respect than most, so maybe I'm just being weird!

Sweet Caroline

Did you hear that Neil Diamond recently told the story of his inspiration for his hit song, Sweet Caroline? I have always loved Neil Diamond--this is one of my favorites, but not my very favorite. That is saved for America--I still get goose bumps and tear up when I hear it! But I digress!!

It turns out that the inspiration for this song was a picture he had seen of President Kennedy's daughter Caroline decked out in her horse riding apparel standing next to her pony. He was captured by the exquisite innocence of the moment, and a while later put the words and music together in this song. It took him less than an hour to write it. It's still one of the songs he's best known for.

Free Fire Safety Dinner

Now most people I know would love to have a Free dinner at an upscale restaurant such as Ruby River or Red Lobster. I know I can't pass it up!

Now here is the catch, you have to sit through a very informative and very worthy Fire Safety Seminar.

Really! That's all! It is a great seminar, and yes, their ultimate goal is to sell you some very expensive, albeit good, fire safety equipment. However, they will not attempt to sell you anything that night! I mean that in all seriousness. They give an amazing and eye-opening presentation on Fire Safety while you are eating your dinner and then they send around a small card. You write yes you would like them to come to your home at a later date, write the date and your name and address on the card and they show up to give you information on their Smoke Detectors and Fire Safety Equipment. Or, you write No on the card and hand it back. It's that simple. They really are the first no pressure sales company I have ever seen do this. I was totally impressed.

Now, if you are interested in attending their dinner and seminar, please e-mail me at tyclayhope@yahoo.com with your name and e-mail address and I will e-mail you back with your choice of dates.

I would highly suggest this seminar for anyone with children at home. It truly is an eye-opener!

Make Gift Card Giving More Personal

I have never been a huge fan of giving gift cards. It just seems so impersonal. "Here, I didn't know you well enough to know what to get you so I got you a gift card". The funny thing is I absolutely LOVE getting gift cards and I have never thought it was impersonal at all when I got them. I can't explain that.



But now there is an even better way to give a gift card. It is a Visa gift card with your personal picture on it. It could be your families holiday picture, a picture of something they really like or anything at all. The possibilities are endless and it takes all of the impersonality out of giving gift cards!

At The Drop Of A Hat

Have you ever used Provo Crafts Knifty Knitter. I swear it is the greatest invention ever. Of course it comes from old wooden Amish Knitting Looms, so they are not necessarily new, but they are amazing. They are so easy, my kids love to use them and I can whip out a knitted hat in under an hour. It is relaxing and so quick.

They make great gifts for friends but the best part is you can pick one up for yourself and have Christmas gift made for everyone in your family by the end of the week.

Knifty Knitter Hats top my list as The Quickest and Easiest Thrifty Christmas Gifts.

Christmas For The House

I love the holiday season! I mostly love looking around the house and finding those items that each individual room could really use. You know, a dresser in the boys room, a couch table for the living room, tv stands in the family room. These items, though not too expensive on their own--can really add up when you are looking to purchase them all at the same time. So for Christmas, we get to splurge a little and get everything the house needs in order to keep it up and running throughout the coming year!

The Field Museum in Chicago

We just returned from a wonderful trip to Chicago with my 6 year old son. It was his birthday trip. We took him to see Sue, the world's largest and most complete T Rex ever discovered. She is proudly displayed at The Field Museum in Downtown Chicago. Along with a myriad of different exhibits, the kids loved it almost as much as the adults did. It was a great learning experience for us and my little guy. He can name all sorts of interesting facts about Sue and other Dinosaurs we saw there as well as some of the animals. Before we went there he had not idea that a Woodchuck actually existed.

It was a great family adventure and for the three of us cost only, $31. However, the gift shop took another $36 for the book and the pencils and dino egg and who knows what else we had to have. It was just chock full of crap. But it was crap I had to have!

Holiday Dinners

The other thing the holiday season brings out in this house, dinners! Parties, work get togethers, family dinners--you name it, we'll eat it! Yesterday we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house, and this week alone will bring 2 or three more! After that, the Christmas parties begin! That means it's time to bring out the elliptical and shed some of these unnecessary calories before they find permanent residence somewhere they shouldn't!

Flipping

With the rush of the holidays upon us, the budget is generally pushed to it's breaking point. This year, with a new job we should be doing really well--but I can't stop thinking about possible ways to make more money here and there. My sisters aunt used to be a Realtor and is working in Arizona at buying and selling foreclosures. Since she isn't working through a real estate franchise, all of the profits will be her own! How amazing is that? I think I will hit her up for some pointers and see if this is something we can start doing next year!

Creamy Country Veggie Chowder

I had this for Dinner tonight and wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to see it and try it! It is so incredibly good. I even added mushrooms with the onions and celery tonight. It was great!

This is a delicious, hearty and healthy soup. It contains six different veggies and bacon.

Creamy Country Veggie Chowder

6 slices Bacon
1 medium onion chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half
5 medium potatoes diced
2 Cans Cream of Celery Soup
2 Tablespoons Parsley
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup Carrots sliced
1 cup Green Beans
1 can Cream Style Corn

In a large soup pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel but leave the drippings. Add the Onion and Celery and saute until tender. Mix in the Flour. Immediately add the Half and Half, mixing as you do. Add the Potatoes, Cream of Celery Soup, Parsley, Seasoned Salt, Pepper and Worcestershire Sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes stirring often. Add carrots and Green Beans, return to a simmer and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes until all the veggies are tender. Break the bacon into small pieces. Add the bacon and Creamed Corn and simmer another 5 minutes or until warmed through. Serve with warm, dense rolls for dipping.

Christmas Letter From Santa

This is always a fun little thing for children to get. It's a personalized letter from Santa. Imagine the excitement in your child's eyes when hey send a letter to Santa and he replies! All you have to do to get your child's You FREE Letter from Santa is click on the link, add in as much detail as you can and your letter will be e-mailed back to you. Then you print it off, stick it in an envelope and put it in your mailbox for your child to find. It is a great way to kick of the Christmas season with a child's anticipation and excitement.

Door Stop Buddies

I love this quick and inexpensive craft. It is easy enough to do with your children and makes a great gift for adults and children alike.

Finding inexpensive stuffed animals at this time of year is usually pretty easy. Dollar stores or discount outlets or discount stores like Big Lots and Wal-Mart are great places to look.

What you will need for one Door Stop Buddy:
Stuffed Animal
Rice, Sand, polyurethane pellets. (Some kind of material to create weight. A large rock works, but not as well. Also, if you choose to use sand, make sure you have a container to keep it contained. I will usually use rice or pellets.)
Needle and Thread
Seam Ripper will really help

What you are going to do:

Turn your stuffed animal upside down and find the seam in his little bottom. Using the seam ripper or any other method you would like, open the seam in his posterior. Fill a strong plastic bag with rice, sand or other weighting material. Take out just enough stuffing to make a hole that you can fill with your bag of weight. Stuff your weighting material into your buddy's behind and use some of the removed stuffing to pad around it. Stitch his little derriere back up and he is now weighted at his bottom which will cause him to sit upright. When you want your door to stay open just prop up your little Door Stop Buddy against the door and he will make a cute little addition to your room, watching over your door and holding it open for you.

Homemade Dinner? What's That???

I have been working so hard lately that my family and their dinners are suffering! But after all, taking 6 hours out of a mother's day is determental to the survival of the domestic home front! I mean really! How can you expect a woman to continue to get everything done that she normally gets done in an average day when you have just cut the day by 9 hours? A six hour a day job, in my case, can take up to 9 hours out of my day! I have to drive the hour to and from work, there's an extra two hours, plus getting ready, getting the kids ready to survive without me, with only their father for support and survival, a minimal help at that. There is another hour gone. Plus the six hours I spend away from the house, sitting behind a computer, earning just enough to pay for Christmas and my van, thinking about all the things that need to be done at home that are now being neglected in favor of the football game and Barbie dolls.

The bad thing is I love to cook! I love making fancy meals that require shredding, chopping and mixing. Unfortunatly, the mixing thing has come to a screeching halt as I broke my mixer trying to make Royal icing. I have always liked Hamilton Beach Mixers and now I am looking at an Eclectrics® Mixer by Hamilton Beach. Hoping that if I get it it will handle the abuse I put my kitchen gadgets through.



Growing up my Grandmother always had a Hamilton Beach Standing Mixer and so now, as an adult I can not handle having anything less! I have tried hand mixers and while they are much less expensive they are just too much work for me! I must have a stand mixer! No question about that!

Hopefully within the next couple of days I will have a new mixer and cooking dinner will become easier and get back into a normal routine. Then maybe my husband will become inspired by the wonderful food and decide that it would not kill him to clean the bathroom or do the laundry? Okay, so I am dreaming, but at least he is not cheering for my teams, so long as they are not playing against his. I guess that is the best I can hope for.

Re-Upholster Furniture/Save Money

Save money!

Rubber Ducky Candle Holder

I wanted to share this adorable baby shower decoration I saw recently. I've copied it and put it in the kids bathroom with the whole rubber ducky theme. But this is so cute. You can buy the candle and hurricane at Michaels for under $7.00. Then you add a little later of the blue decorative glass stones. Miniature rubber ducky is next, and the candle flavor of your choice sits on top.

It was so simple to make, and you could switch out the white candle for a pink one for a baby girl--and it's just darling!

Postal Rant!

Have you noticed how quickly postal rates are rising--and yet the mail man has less and less actual mail to deliver? Why is it that we are paying higher prices for stamps when 90% of the mail I get are from the area grocery stores, or credit card deals. I'm sorry--all of this 'junk mail' got a discounted rate at the post office because they mail in bulk, but because I need to send one birthday card to my nephew across the country--I have to pay full price? It just doesn't make any sense. Plus now, so many subdivisions are turning to the cbu mailboxes, which cuts the entire subdivisions mail into one communal set of boxes--so they work less, give discounts for bulk mailings--but our postage stamp rates rise month after month after month!

My New Bathroom

I wrote, not that long ago, about my little bathroom project I had going on. I wanted new lights for the room as well as a darker blue paint on the walls. I got it all finished and it looks wonderful. I never realized just how much bathroom vanities really make the room. If you have a really nice vanity--it can hide a lot of flaws in the room just because it draws your eye to it. I just love how the entire project came together--and I will put the finished pictures up SOON! ahem!!!

New Puppy!

We are getting a puppy! I know, it's the last thing we need in our lives at this moment--but honestly, who can resist the sweetness! And this will be a little dog--not like the big dogs we have had in the past and currently have. Plus, the dog supplies are so much less expensive for the little dogs. Well, except for all of the bling and costumes you can put on them these days! I don't know, I'm not one for foofing out a puppy dog--but hey, some people love it--and if it makes you happy--I say go for it!

Vegas Baby!

We are heading out of town this weekend. I can't wait! On Friday night my husband and I will be heading to Las Vegas for a huge blogging convention. Who said I don't take my blogging seriously!! I'm really excited--more for the time away with my husband--and secondly for the weather. It's been getting chillier and chillier here--so a weekend in Sin City sounds just perfect to me!! It's just a short trip, a weekend away-but with so many kids at home, I can't wait to just sleep in!

Addiction

I was talking to my sister today and was saddened to find out that her youngest nephew has been put back in jail. He had been in jail twice, through two drug rehabs--and back in a halfway house for second time. He had a day pass on Halloween afternoon, and had borrowed his grandmother's car to go pick up some milk for her. There is a grocery store on the corner and she expected him back within just a few minutes. However, his trip took him 60 miles out of his way, and he came home stoned. His dad had to turn him back into the police, and he is back in jail. It's now up to the drug rehab services to see if they want him to remain in the program or to finish the rest of his three year sentence. Very scary times for this young man!

Are You Covered?

Is your family covered? Do you have medical insurance for your family? Home owners insurance? Life insurance?If you do not have family insurance what are you waiting for? A seemingly minor trip to the doctor's office or a minor car accident can turn into a lot more, really quickly. All it takes is a little thing to blossom into a huge problem and your family can end up bankrupt, losing your home, without money and without help. What would you do then? Don't take the chance! Make sure your family is covered and prepared for anything life can throw at you.

To Go Plasma or Not To Go Plasma

I am a huge fan of my plasma monitor that I use for my computer, however, I still use the nice old style televisions. I have looked into getting us a big screen plasma television, however, I am having a hard time finding a place to put it. I love that there is almost no depth to them at all, but I hate that they have to be hung on the wall. I am too used to having the freestanding televisions that will sit happily on the floor like normal.

Well, as plasma televisions become more and more prominent in regular households, I am forced more and more to consider the different options available to me. I began looking at some interesting things like a plasma tv lift, some of which can even be put at the foot of your bed and the television comes right up and out of the cabinet. I think I am one that would like something like that better than hanging a $3000 television on my wall like a picture.

My Ideal Meal

I love comfort food. That kind of food that is so completely unhealthy and fattening, but it tastes so good that it just can't help but make you happy. My ideal comfort food is sauteed mushrooms and onions with a whole wheat roll and cream of potato soup. There is just nothing better to warm you up and make you feel full and happy. Unfortunately it can not possible be good for you!

Should I Invest In Real Estate?

That is something I have been considering for quite some time. I would love to own homes in different states and be able to travel where ever, when ever I liked. Eventually I will retire from Continental and still have pass benefits and so I will need places to stay at when I suddenly have tons of time and the world to see.

I have looked into real estate in Houston as well as Phoenix real estate either would be great places to spend some of my retirement. Of course, I would love to own some property in Italy or Hawaii as well. That would be perfect!

I Need A Personal Trainer

I went to the gym for the first time in many, many years yesterday and I decided one thing. I need a personal trainer worse than anyone in that entire gym. I am not fat by any means, I am not even overweight. In all reality, I am grossly underweight, which is exactly why I need to be in the gym. I need to build up some muscle, tone what I do have and try to get a handle on being more healthy.

However, I walked in to this room full of people that looked like they had a plan, a purpose and I stood there looking lost. One of the worker people came over to me and asked if she could help me out. She suggested that I start with the treadmills and then move on to the ellipticals . The tread what and elipti who's? What in the world was she talking about? But rather than looking stupid, I nodded my head like I had the faintest idea what she was talking about, waited for her to walk out the door and headed for the snack bar.

By the way, what is up with that? Why in the world would they have a snack bar in a gym? I mean if they had healthy food, I can see that, but NO! These guys had things like pizza, ice cream and those amazingly yummy pretzels. Oh yeah! That's what I am talking about. My trip to the gym ended in frustrated indulgence with a great big soft pretzel doused in butter and covered in salt, a large coke and a cup of soft serve ice cream! It's no wonder I don't feel any healthier!

Making Halloween Costumes

Making my kids Halloween costumes this year was not by any stretch of the imagination easy, but it was fun and it created a great opportunity for me to spend time with my kids and for us to work together and create something that they were proud of. It was a really great experience. It ended up costing me more than it would have to just buy them a costume and it took tons of time, but they loved it and I would not have traded the time I spent with them for all the money in the world. What a great experience!

Who Have You Lost Touch With?

I have two really great friends from elementary school that I would love to get back in touch with, unfortunately, I have no idea where they have gone or what they are doing now.

One is Tiffany, she lived with her family in a mountain town just east of where I now live, however she moved on and started going to another school and we slowly lost touch. I was in the super market once and I saw her mother. We talked and I found out that she was going to Hawaii, I believe for a cheerleading competition. I gave her mother my address and phone number and asked her to give it to Tiffany. She either did and Tiffany decided that she did not want to contact me or her mother forgot. Either way, I never heard back from her.

The other is Jessica, my best friend from the time Tiffany left until I moved into public school in the 5th grade. We spent every possible minute together. I remember there was a little house or shed type thing behind her house that we would play in. It was dirty and run down but it was our own place to play alone and quiet.

Well, now here I am, 20 some odd years later, wishing I had kept in touch with them better. Luckily there are things on the internet such as people search engines that allow you to search for people you knew or people you want to get to know.

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

I am not a huge fan of spending a lot of time in the kitchen so this recipe works great for my family.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Whole Cut Up Chicken
1 Cup Sliced Carrots
1/2 Cup Sliced Celery
1 Med Onion Diced
4 Chicken Bullion Cubes
2 Quarts Water
1 Package of Pasta
1 T Parsley Flakes
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

Broil the pieces of chicken for 10 to 15 minutes on high to brown the outsides and bring out the richest flavor. Start the water boiling and add the roasted chicken, Carrots, Celery, Onion, Cubes and seasonings. Boil for 20 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are soft but firm. Remove the chicken, remove bones and chop into bite size pieces. Add any type of pasta you would like and boil until the pasta is cooked. Return the chicken to the pot. Warm and serve.

With some warm rolls, this makes a great cold wintery day meal.

Microwave Cooking

I love cooking with my microwave. It saves me time and honestly, with my crazy work schedule, I have learned to scale down the portions to allow me to cook in the microwave ovens they have there at work. It take just a little prep time at home and when it is dinner time at work, I pop it into the microwave at work and I have a home cooked meal that is healthy and MUCH better than fast food.

I have even done brownies in the microwave. I mix the batter, separate it into a couple microwave safe dishes with lids and take one a night. Microwave them for 45 seconds to a minute and I have a warm chocolate brownie at work! It's great!

The Benefits Of Internal Skin Care

I am a firm believer in being able to heal yourself if your body can produce the proper tools to do so. Unfortunately, too many people do not get the proper nutrition to keep themselves, their body, bones and skin healthy. Then they end up at the doctor or dermatologist and are told that they need unnatural remedies to correct the problem.

My question is why not find the root of the problem and correct it rather than just treating the symptoms? We can treat the symptoms of a problem for the rest of our lives and never, ever find and correct the problem in the first place. Of course that means a lifetime of medication purchases for the pharmaceutical companies, but for the rest of us it means lost money, declined health and dependency on an unnatural substance to keep us going.

Fortunately there is one company that is working to treat the problem of healthy skin from the inside. R.G. Skin Revitalizer, which stands for Red Gâc, is an oil extract from the tropical superfruit Gâc, it is rich in carotenoid antioxidants, and when taken as part of one’s daily diet, essentially provides skin daily nourishment that works from the inside out.

It is just so nice to see a company that cares about naturally caring for your skin.

Calling All Seamstresses....

Calling All Seamstresses, Joann's is having their Midnight Maddness, 99 cent pattern sale!!! I did not know about this until I unknowingly walked into the trap. And for me it is a trap, a money losing trap because I buy all of these extravagant patterns that I will never make due to lack of ability.

Well this time it was no different, I bought a darling pattern for cheerleading uniforms, a pattern for really fancy dresses, a mid-fancy dress and a cute little summer dress pattern, then some Halloween costumes and a pattern for prairie dresses.

Now if I could just manage to use at least some of them then I will feel much better!

How Would It Be

It's no secret that I love the art of massage. I could go every week if I could afford it. Unfortunately I can not afford it most of the time. But how would it be to have a video tutorial that could teach your spouse to give the same kinds of massages as the professionals? You could learn together and massage each other. What a wonderful Valentine's Day gift. Take a look at what they offer.



This one is a Foot Reflexology Video and can show you the techniques involved in reflexology in the foot. How to relieve stress, cleanse the body and such.

Stealing Cinderella

I heard this song on the Country Music station that I listen to and I just fell in love with it. While I am not a Dad and the feeling are different for me than for a Father, the song just makes me remember to love my kids in the here and now because very soon now will be just a memory and gone forever. The times of running through the sprinklers, jumping in the leaves and dancing on Daddy's feet are so short lived. Enjoy them while they are young.

Stealing Cinderella
By: Chuck Wicks

I came to see her daddy for sit down man to man
It wasn't any secret i'd be asking for her hand
I guess that's why he left me waiting in the living room by myself
with at least a dozen pictures of her sitting on a shelf

- Chorus -

She was playing Cinderella
She was riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes i'm Prince Charming
But to him i'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

I leaned in towards those pictures to get a better look at one
When I heard a voice behind me say "Now, ain't she something, son?"
I said "Yes, she quite a woman"
and he just stared at me
Then I realized that in his eyes she would always be

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes i'm Prince Charming
But to him i'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

He slapped me on the shoulder
Then he called her in the room
When she threw her arms around him
That's when I could see it too

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
If he gives me a hard time
I can't blame the fella
I'm the one who's stealing Cinderella

Where Can Your Job Take You?

Where can your current job take you? Mine takes me all over the world. I love it! I work for Continental Airlines, from home and while the pay is not the greatest at $6.89 per hour, but they offer good commissions and incentives and the benefits are amazing! I can fly my family anywhere in the world for a reasonable amount of money, okay for a ridiculously small amount of money. They offer the ability to trade away parts of your shift to allow for extended vacations, health, dental and vision benefits as well as the ability to work from home. But most of all, the best thing about my job is the flight benefits. I can take my son to Chicago to see Sue, the world's largest Tyrannosaurs Rex, or I could fly down to Ohio, buy myself some Ohio State Buckeyes tickets and watch the Buckeyes play a football game on their home field. I could take Clayton to Germany to get a feel for the environment to help him along with his Country project. There are just so many opportunities that this job offers me.

Where does your job take you again???

Continental OnePass Miles

Did you know that Contintental Airlines Onepass program offers an incredibly easy way to earn miles towards getting yourself a free flight? I am talking SO easy. You can shop online at most of the major retailers and earn miles on your account. I bought my girls Halloween costumes on Target.com and earned myself 450 onepass miles towards my next free, revenue flight. And it was so easy and something I would have done anyway, as the costumes were not available in store anywhere.

It works great, it is a win, win situation and I am well on my way to earning a free flight. Are you?

I love Designer Jewelry

I am a sucker for fine jewelry and I can always tell a knock off when I see one. So when I saw this site I was amazed! They have an amazing selection of fine designer jewelry with some of the most beautiful designed I have ever seen. I am a typical woman and I love diamond as much as anyone else but put diamonds with white gold and it make for an amazingly stunning design. Take a look at their Calla Lily Diamonds line. I love the shimmer and shine involved when you combine the white diamonds and white gold. Then once you get it on your hand it just stands out and begs to be seen.

If you love designer jewelry as much as I do then you have got to check out this site, but if I were you I would leave your credit card with your husband, 'cause you are gonna want to use it! Trust me!

Flower Halloween Costume

My little girl wore this costume last year and she loved it because it wasn't bulky or overdone. Just simple and cute. I loved it because it was SO easy to make.

I took a regular, inexpensive headband and wrapped it in green felt. Then I cut 14 flower petals out of pink felt. I then cut 7 pieces of wire, twice the length of the petals and bent them into the shape of the petals. I then glued two petals together with the wire between them to help them stand up straight. Then I glue each completed petal to the headband. Once on the headband I used gold glitter glue to add decoration to the center of each petal.

I dressed my little gal in all green and put her headband on and she was the prettiest little flower I have ever seen.

*We also teased her, saying that she was a weed everytime she took off her headband. She would yell back, "I are not a weed!" It was very cute.

My Cats Are Worse Than My Kids

I don't know what it is about cats that causes them to think that any and all rules do not apply to them but my cats are the worst! They play where they want, sleep where they want, expect us to let them in and out on a whim and play with them or be bit in protest. They poop and pee where ever they feel like and eat anything that appeals to them.

My poor husband is so frustrated with them because they keep sleeping on top of his models and legos, knocking them off the shelves, breaking them and chewing on them when they look tasty.

My living room is not safe either! They claw at the couch, knock over the table lamp, pee and poop in the corners and chew on he throw pillows. I have half a mind to banish them from the house completely.

Fortunately for them, I was reading online today that cats that are feeling lonely will act out in an attempt to get attention, just like small children. So I am going to give loving on them more often a try but geez! They are worse than my children!!!

Bedroom Cleaning Check List

I have struggled, trying many different ideas to get my children to get their rooms cleaned and keep them that way. I finally found something that has worked! We made a bedroom cleaning chart that has worked so well. We had to tweak it a little the first time we went through it to accommodate everything in their individual rooms and their individual personalities as well as to not make any one step over whelming but the finished product has worked like a charm.

They start with their 30 minutes of cleaning every day and get as far through the list as they can. Then the next day they start at the top again so as not to get behind again and work as far as they can until eventually they finished the last thing on the list and the next day they started at the top and got through the whole list in a matter of minutes and were able to get on to other chores in the house.

Now their rooms have this quick checklist that they go through everyday to keep their rooms clean and they are much happier and so am I. Below are the two lists that I created. Feel free to use them and adapt them to your children's individual needs.

Boy’s Bedroom Cleaning
 Make Your Bed
 Pick Up All Blankets, Pillows & Stuffed Toys
 Pick Up All Dirty Clothes
 Take All Dirty Clothes To The Laundry Room
 Pick Up All Clean Clothes & Put Away
 Put All Shoes In The Closet
 Pick Up & Throw Away All Trash
  Pick Up Lego’s
 Pick Up All Other Toys And Put Them Away
 Put Away All Things That Belong Somewhere Else

Girl’s Bedroom Cleaning
 Make Your Bed
 Pick Up All Blankets, Pillows & Stuffed Toys
 Pick Up All Dirty Clothes
 Take All Dirty Clothes To The Laundry Room
 Pick Up All Clean Clothes & Put Away
 Put All Shoes In The Closet
 Pick Up & Throw Away All Trash
 Pick Up All Dolls And Put Them Away
 Pick Up All Other Toys And Put Them Away
 Put Away All Things That Belong Somewhere Else
I hope you can find this as helpful as it has been to me.

Traveling Help

I had no idea how many bags are "mishandled" by the airlines and airports until I started working for the Airline. Suddenly everything is becoming more and more clear to me. While only about 7% of bags are mishandled, think about that in terms of more than 1 billion people fly every year with baggage. Now do the math and tell me what you think?

Well, I had the opportunity to get my daughter a dog tag. They come in a wide range of colors with options of Sports logo's on them. As I was getting this for my daughter, I got a pink one with a cheerleading logo on it. I had her first and last name and our complete address engraved on it with the intent that she put it on her suitcase when we travel, that way, if her bag is lost, it can be returned in a timely manner, rather than shipped to a warehouse to sit and eventually be auctioned off to the general public.

But I was really amazed when it arrived. It was much, much nicer than I had expected. It was a gorgeous shade of pink, the engraving was easy to read and done very well, they even included a chain to go with it. But the most amazing thing to me was the quality of the workmanship and the quality of the product. It was a thick metal, much more so than most dog tags you see and it was obvious that someone has put a lot of time and care into the machines they use. I have seen many places that do engraving and their machines engrave too deeply and leave the sharp little edges around the letters or they engrave to softly and it is impossible to read.This one was done perfectly! No sharp edges, deep enough to easily read and prevent any type of abrasion rubbing it off. I am just completely impressed, I think I will need to get one for each of my other children now.

Hannah Montana is Coming To SLC

If you have a Daughter, this is really not a huge surprise. Everyone with a young daughter probably already knows about this and has been begged for tickets to the sold out show that are now being scalped for upwards of $1000. Well the good news is there is a small glimmer of hope for those of you who are not interested in paying $500 for a place for your hinny to sit through a 3 hour concert. Many, many radio stations and businesses have jumped aboard the Miley Cyrus "Hannah Montana" wagon train and are offering contests to their listeners and customers.

Here are a few that I know of:
Cricket Stores
101.5 The Eagle
B98.7
And Automatic Car Credit on Main Street in Layton.

Go to their websites or into their stores and register to win. I might just see you there! I have 2 little 8 year olds bursting at the seams!

When Is It Time?

When is it time to replace the kitchen faucet? My poor kitchen faucet has definitely seen better days. It is leaking from the base and the hand sprayer sinks down into the hole in the sink because the plastic ring that holds it so nicely is broken off. We do not have a water softener and so the faucet get caked regularly with lime scale and while I clean it often, it consistently gets worse and now it sprays in all directions. Washing the dishes and mopping the floor now go hand in hand. I would call this a good time for a new kitchen faucets, wouldn't you?

Now will someone please tell my husband???

Getting Organized

I have started to get more organized by making daily schedules for my children. I have laminated them so the kids are able to use a dry erase marker to mark off what they have done. It helps them keep on track to get ready for school in the morning and to get their homework done at night. Their Schedules look something like this.

Morning Checklist
 7:30am Wake-up
Brush Teeth
Make Bed
 7:35am Eat Breakfast
 7:50am Shower
 8:15am Get Dressed
 8:25am Gather Stuff For School
Get Coat, Hat and Mittens On
 8:30am Leave For School

After School Checklist
 3:45pm Home
Snack
 3:55pm Homework
Reading
Extra Practice
 5:00pm Play
 6:00pm Dinner
 7:00pm Housework
 7:30pm Brush Teeth
Get Pajamas On
 8:00pm Bedtime

Exceptions
Wednesday  5:30pm Housework
 7:00pm Scouts
 8:00pm Brush Teeth, Pajamas
 8:15pm Bed

I take into account the fact that five children cannot shower at the same time so I alternate that throughout the morning and the child next in line is great about keeping the showering one to their time limit because they know that they may miss breakfast or something else important if the first child in the shower takes too long. I also take into consideration each child's extra curricular activities and adjust the schedule for that day to include everything.

This has worked really well in allowing my children the freedom from me hustling them all morning and all night and allowing them to have some independence and be responsible for their own time, while I am still able to provide them with the guidance they still need.

How Can A Business Survive...

How can a business survive in this day and age without the new technology that is offered by web based programs and options. No company can survive in this world of high speed internet and Wi-Fi without the basics like e-mail, mobile phones with internet access and such. Now the latest in innovation, is the mobile website which is a great way to keep your business going strong no matter where you, or your client are currently located.

There was an article in AdWeek talks a little bit about where the market is leaning in respect to companies needing a wap site and something like this becoming mainstream. Personally, I think they are being way to conservative in their opinions. I see this as something that is going to take off like wildfire and lead the industry to greater heights and much more accessible company options.

Wonderful Vacation to San Antonio TX

This is exciting for me to write as I have not yet had the opportunity to take this little adventure, but am planning it as our next family vacation. I have a very dear friend that told me about a place in San Antonio Texas called the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch where you can drive through the refuge with a bag of feed and your windows down, or the minivan doors open and the animals will come right up to your vehicle to eat from your hand. Animals like white rhinos, antelope, zebra, wallabies, ostriches and many other exotic animals will come right up to see you! It sounds like an experience to amazing to pass up!

Then when it is time to strech your legs you can park and wander through the walk-about area where many animals including giraffes, lemurs and talkative macaws await your arrival. Young ones or the young at heart are sure to love the petting zoo where you can find rabbits, African guinea pigs and small sheep. They have a cafe and picnic tables to stop and eat before continuing on to your next destination.

Add the River Walk in downtown San Antonio and you have an amazing adventure. I can't wait to get my kids out there. And me too!

The Dreaded Chores!!!

No one likes to think about having their children do chores. It is not pleasant and never, ever fun. They fight, they whine and they argue. However, know you are not alone in this! Most parents go through it and most survive it with little permanent emotional scarring. Luckily for us, now a days we have the Internet to assist us in our times of need and out there in the big wide world of the web is an amazing little blog called Chores and Allowances. It is all about Parenting from a fathers point of view, sometimes funny, some times thoughtful but always helpful. His blog is created to help parents of young children, tween and teens in a fun and thought provoking way and he accomplishes this very eloquently. I promise you, it is worth your time to take a look and have a laugh with a father that is right there with you.

Great Prices on Gift Certificates

Everyone loves to receive Gift Certificates, it gives them the freedom to get what they want, when they want it and they know that someone was thinking about them. Not to mention I am sure most of our recipients would love to know that we didn't starve our families to get them a gift! Well here is a great site that offers Gift Certificates to local Utah businesses, retailers and services.

They are constantly changing and a new one is featured on Good Things Utah on ABC4 every Monday morning between 10:00 and 11:00am. Gift certificates are limited, so if you see one you would like, get it now, before they are all gone.

The Beauty of a Grandfather Clock

I have always loved the beauty and timeless elegance that a Grandfather Clock lends to any room, be it a family room, sitting room or entry way. Grandfather clocks command attention and admiration. I have always wanted an Heirloom style Grandfather Clock to stand watch over my living room until I started looking at the Howard Miller grandfather clocks and saw Howard Miller's Contemporary collection. I immediately fell in love with the Urban Floor Clock It's precision and fine craftsmanship is absolutely gorgeous and would compliment my home beautifully. I can imagine it sitting in the sitting room in an apartment flat in Upstate New York. It just has such a contemporary, clean look to it.

Grandfather Clocks just have a timeless elegance to them that makes you think of old English mansions with an old Grandfather Clock in the sitting room, chiming the time for the kids to head to bed or the midnight hour. They have a mystique, an intrigue to them that few people, including myself can ignore. Some people have family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation, and others have chosen to purchase their own and start an heirloom of their very own, something that their children will remember and will pass down to their children and grand children.

BooBoo Bunny Craft

A really cute and inexpensive gift is BooBoo Bunny. The idea is to give children something cuddly and cool when they get hurt.

They are so simple to make and may be adapted for very young children and infants.

What you'll need:
1 Wash cloth
10" of 1/8" or 1/4" Ribbon
Hot Glue
2 Wiggle Eyes
1 1/8" cotton ball
1 1/2" cotton ball


Roll the wash cloth tightly into a tube. Fold it in half, then in half the other direction. At about 1/3 of the way back Tie it with the ribbon. The first fold will create the bunny behind. The next fold will create the bunny's head and tying it will separate the head from the ears. Then you will glue the wiggle eyes and the 1/8" cotton ball to the head to make the face. Then you will want to glue the 1/2" cotton ball to the behind to make a fluffy bunny tail.

After you are done you can slip an icecube into BooBoo Bunny's behind and keep him in the freezer until you need him.

To adapt this to an infant, you would want to sew on eyes and tails. Use yarn knots as eyes and tails or just use stitches to represent eyes. Then you can dunk BooBoo Bunny in water and freeze for a wonderful teether.

How Do You Sleep?

For some reason lately, I have been having a very difficult time sleeping and I am finding my bed to be more and more uncomfortable. I wonder if I am changing, getting older maybe? (Not me! I'll never get old!) Or if the bed is just wearing out. My husband is not noticing a difference so I think it is probably just me.

Either way, I am starting to think that it is time to buy a new bed anyway. Not just a mattress set, I need a new bed. I have just a cheap canopy bed and my children have taken to hanging on it until the cross beams are bent and now my husband and I just hang our clothes on it and never in the closet anymore. Yep, definitely time for a new bed. I have seen some that I really like, like the modern platform beds, but I think I would have to have a much larger room for something like that so I may just go with a sleigh bed. I really like some of those. Either way, I get to go shopping! Yipee!

My Plan For My 11 Going On 16 Year Old

My oldest it only 4 and 1/2 years away from driving and I am scared to death so I formulated a plan. A plan that has many loopholes I understand, but at least I have a plan. We started out last year looking for a very old beat-up car or truck for him to begin restoring and it was not until two days ago that we hit the jackpot. My grandmother had a 1954 Dodge Pick-Up truck just sitting on her property that her father had left her. This truck has not even been registered since January of 1979 so it has sat a long time in the field.

Everyone has asked for it and up until this point I had never heard her say that anyone could have it. She has been very protective of it and very intent on getting it restored. So I approached her about letting Clayton, Lee and I take a shot at getting it restored for Clayton to drive when he turns 16. She agreed! So tonight we took to opportunity and pulled it out so we could get it out of the weather and start working on it immediately.

Once we pulled it out of the weeds I was impressed to find out what great shape it really is in. There is minimal rust and the drive train works fine. We have not even attempted to start it although it ran when it was parked nearly 30 years ago. Once we kill the wasps off, drain and replace the oil, we might just have a go at firing her up.

Clayton is busting at the seams with excitement. Not only is this an old truck, but it is also a family heirloom. My plan has strengthened one hundred fold. The truck will be the fruit of his labor and a wonderful show truck when finished, but more importantly, a family heirloom that he will treasure, hopefully enough not to hot rod and destroy.

Computer Virus Warning

I do not know where I got it from, and I wish I did so I could warn everyone to be super careful, but I got a devastating computer virus the other day. It shut down my whole system and I could not even load anything. It was awful. I called my support desk and they had me run through a series of different anti-spyware and antivirus programs. When he asked me what I was running, I told him I had Norton's Symantec Anti Virus Program. He kind of snickered and explained that Norton and McAfee are the "lumbering giants" of the computer world. They are clumsy and slow and seldom work anyway. So he had me download some other anti virus software from the Internet and we tried those. When nothing worked he escalated me to a Code 3, meaning that I could not sign into work until someone else called me back and we got my computer running. Well finding myself without my shifts and a lot of extra time on my hands, I loaded my Norton Symantec and started it running. When it was bedtime it was still running and so I let it go. When I woke up it had found 2 malicious files. I deleted them and lo and behold, my computer suddenly worked great!

My two warnings: First: Do not get a computer virus. Second: If you do happen to get a virus, DO NOT let anyone tell you not to use your Norton anti virus program. I could have save myself hours and pay had I just followed my instincts. Don't make the same mistake I did!

Cute Office Craft

I really liked this idea. You take a 22" x 30" piece of plywood and a piece of sheet metal the same size, or you can make it whatever size fits best into your office, and adhere the sheet metal to the surface of the plywood with a heavy bonding, red line tape is great for things like this. Then get 3/4 yard of your favorite fabric from the fabric store and wrap the plywood and sheet metal with it. Wrap it and pull it tight, you can even use some spray on adhesive to adhere the fabric to the sheet metal, but pull it tight enough to keep the fabric close to the wood, turn it over and staple the fabric to the plywood side.

You have just made your own personal magnetic memo board. It works great and I love mine. I do wish I had sprayed some adhesive to the sheet metal to help keep the fabric from being loose, but other than that, it is a great place to keep my many, many notes using my favorite magnets.

Just a Fun Birthday Tradition

Tomorrow is Sarah's 4th birthday and it was so nice to be able to continue our tradition of filling her room with helium filled balloons to wake up to, but we started another one this year. We bought jammies for her to open before she went to bed to remind her that her birthday was tomorrow. It helped to get her even more excited than she already was. We wrapped it early in the morning and made her eye it all day long. Every once in awhile she would go over and pick it up and look at the package, but she was always really good to put it back and patiently wait until later. When we finally let her open it she was positively giddy. She was giggling so hard she could hardly unwrap it. It was a great experience. I can't wait until Tyler-Ann's birthday to try it again!

Christmas Is Just Around The Corner

Christmas is just around the corner, are you ready? I am sure not, but it's a good thing for me that I know about this little known secret called Coupon Chief that can save me hundreds of dollars on the gifts I would buy anyway! Coupon chief offers coupons for nearly all of the major companies like Dell, HP, The Gap, Old Navy, Target, Best Buy, Wine.com, 1-800-Flowers.com and so, so many, many more!

My favorites are the Web Clothes coupons where they offer you 10% off your entire order and have some of the cutest baby and children's clothes I have ever seen.

And the Photo Works coupons where you can get some really great photo greeting cards at a 15% discount! That makes Christmas cards a breeze!

So make your holiday season full of cheer rather than full of stress and use coupon chief for all your holiday shopping.

I Love Fall Foods!

My favorite season is Fall. I love the colors, the cooler temperatures and most of all the delicious food. Apples and squash, pumpkins and corn, apple cider and hot cocoa. Fall is by far the best time to eat. I wanted to share some of my favorite fall recipes. Some are simple, others are complicated, some I even had to look up! But all are fabulous!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Baked Squash

Stuffed Pumpkins

Homemade Apple Cider

Home Made Apple Butter

Grilled Corn

Homemade Hot Cocoa

Calling All Designers!!!

The Ford Motor Company Fund offers a generous scholarship program called Ford Blue Oval Scholars program. It has been offered for years and has help many students further their education. The Ford Blue Oval Scholarship Program is a very prestigious scholarship and they want to make sure that it stays that way.

In that vision they have opened up a logo design contest for designers to design a prestigious new logo for their Scholarship Program. The current logo looks like this, and while it creates a high standard to exceed, I know there is someone out there that can do it even better and make it look even more prestigious and worthy of the scholarship it is promoting. I would love to see one of my readers win the first prize, as it is nothing to laugh about. The first prize winner will receive an Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, with a retail value of $1,700!!! That is amazing! Second Place will get $300 for design software of their choice, Third Place, $150 for design software of their choice and Fourth through tenth place will get a $50 Music Download Card.

These are some amazing prizes and well worth the time to design something fabulous! Make sure you check out the rules and conditions and then get to work designing the next Ford Blue Oval Scholarship Logo!

Do You Have A PayPal Account?

I can't imagine why anyone would not, but I am finding that there are lots of people that have yet to discover the great rewards that come from having a PayPal account. Not just the average buy and sell easily on e-bay thing, everyone knows about that. (I hope!) But I am talking about the ability to get a PayPal debit car and use your account just like your checking account and get 1% cash back on your purchases! Then there is their above average interest rate. Don't quote me on this but I think it is currently 5.5% or right there close. My mortgage rate is lower than that! I love having the flexibility of using my paypal to buy and sell and use my funds immediately. It has been well worth it.

Instant Term Life Insurance with NO exam

The wide world of the web continues to grow each and every day and with each new improvement, our lives become easier and more carefree, right? Well, I don't know about that, but one company has taken to the web to make getting a term life insurance policy even easier. It's called an eLifePolicy and it only takes a few minutes and three easy steps to get yourself or your spouse signed up. There is no exam and if qualified, you can print your in-force life insurance policy in minutes! Easy as that!

It's never a bad time to reinforce your life insurance policy. The statistics in the United States are staggering when it comes to the huge number of people that are either under insured or not insured at all! I would hate to finish my life as a burden to my loved ones. So take some time and make sure your life insurance is enough to take care of your family if something were to happen to you today.

Down on The Farm Cub Scout Craft

I saw this little craft and thought it would be tons of fun as the gathering activity to keep the boys busy as everyone arrives. You take a pine cone and paint it yellow. Then as the boys arrive give them each a small cup of glue a pencil or other stick and a cup of cotton balls. Tell each of the boys to dunk the cotton ball a little way into the glue and then poke it in between the scales of the pine cone. Once their chick is fully stuffed give them two eyes, a beak and two feathers. Have them glue the eyes and beak on to the front and one feather to each side for the wings. Display them for the remainder of the pack meeting.

Colon Cleansing

This is an interesting subject to me, especially since I have no idea what my colon is, what it does or where exactly it is located. However, it has become a hot topic in the last few years. I am very used to cleansing my kidneys, by drinking lots of water and fasting, however, I have never heard anyone explain how exactly you would go about cleansing your colon? There are lots of products on the market made especially to colon cleanse, but is there a natural way? If not, how safe are these products on the market now? And what are the consequences of not cleansing your colon?

Are You Planning a Trip With Your Children?

Are you planning a family trip this winter? I would like to suggest that you look into pending some time in the pristine wilderness offered by Yellowstone national park. Most people have been to Yellowstone during the summer as evidenced by the throngs of people that crowd every corner of the park during the summer months. But so few people have been able to experience the pristine beauty of the park when the snow has fallen and blanketed every trail and every tree. They geysers steam and the hot pots glow. It is calm and quiet. The animals are lazy and slow due to the cold temperatures and much easier to see.

Yellowstone offers many cabins and hotels or you can stay just outside the park in West Yellowstone, MT where the streets are not plowed and the preferred mode of transportation is by snowmobile. Yellowstone is a magnificent park and it is a rare treat to be able to experience it blanketed in mother nature's finest beauty.

Real Estate in Tampa

It just amazes me that with all the Baby Boomers aging and starting to retire, that the price of real estate has gone through the roof in some of the strangest places but places like Tampa Florida, the market is still pretty much geared to the buyer. Tampa real estate has changed a lot in previous years as it became a grand place for the retired snow birds to light, but with this new boost of retirees I would have expected the market to change again and even more drastically. It is really a great time to buy in Tampa.

I Love My New Sandwich Maker

I love my new sandwich maker by Cuisinart! It is wonderful for making quick grilled sandwiches or french toast on busy days. The kids love it because they can use it too. It fun and easy and relativly safe. I would not fathom to allow my 5 year old or 3 year old use it unaccompanied but my 8 year olds and my 11 year old are pros at it already.

On days that all I can do is manage to dress myself and the kids, let alone feed everyone, it is a huge help to be able to just throw a couple pieces of bread and what ever filling into the little sandwich maker and within 60 seconds we have a hot lunch. Ever had a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich? It's actually really pretty good!

Computer Woes

I have been having a hard time with the kids computer lately. It seems that the harder I try to fix it the more messed up it becomes. I think I have decided to get a new computer all together. Since I get a great discount on Dell Computers through my work, I think I will pick me up a new dell with a ton of Dell Memory and then the kids can have my computer and I will take the new one! I guess I could even get me a new laptop while I am at it!

Mineral Make-ups

Mineral Make-ups are the new rave. I was watching a television program dedicated to one specific "mineral make-up" that claimed to be 100% pure minerals and great for your skin. Coming from one that does not usually wear any make-up for fear of clogging pores, because of the time consumption and because I just plain hate the way they feel, I am actually interested in trying some of this mineral make-up just to see how it works and feels.

Have you ever tried it? Do you have any experiences with mineral make-ups, good or bad that you can share with me? Any tips or tricks? I'd love to hear about it. I will also do an update after I have tried it, and let you all know what I think of it.

Do You Own A Home Based Business?

Do you own a home based business? How do you network? Does it include word of mouth? How about fliers? How do you get the word out to people that you have a product or service to sell? Marketing is deffinatly not cheap and word of mouth is not the most reliable, albeit once the business is established, word of mouth with sink or swim ya.

But there is another option. Networking. Business to business and business to consumer networking is a great way to get your business off the ground and help you succeed. Take a minute to check out Direct Matches and register your home-based business. With over 65,000 members, Direct Match can provide you with a great business networking opportunity. You can grow your network and your business through a professional organization with an eight-year success record. They help you spread the word. Direct Matches also offers a free membership that provides you with a business profile, free advertising, free classifieds, free networking? This is a great opportunity to get your business going and growing. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Networking is a very important part of any business stratgy and now you can get that for free!

Non-Professional, I Have To Boast!

WELCOME HOME DON!!!

I am so excited that I just had to share the news with everyone. My brother is coming home from Iraq tomorrow. He has been gone for just over 2 years. He left for his initial training in May of 2006 and then by the 20th of September he was on his way to Iraq. He has been injured many times, twice badly enough to receive a Purple Heart.

But now he is completely out of danger and on his way home to stay. At least for the 6 months until he can manage to weasel his way back over there. He loves what he does and we are all so very, very proud of him!

WELCOME HOME DON!!!

Be Very Aware!

I went to see my doctor the other day and when she looked at my chart she realized that she, or in fact her receptionist had mis-recorded my illness in my paperwork and ultimately in the computer. She was explaining to me that she had entered it into her laptop correctly but their healthcare management software does not currently allow them to transfer their information from their in-room laptops to their main computer system because it would have to go over an insecure server and could possibly be viewed by someone other than the Doctor and staff and that would be in violation of the HIPA Privacy act. So, I guess when the nurse had entered the information into the main computer, my chronic illness became, chronic swollen toe! Oh, my swollen toe!

InsaneScouter, Helping Today's Youth, One Click At A Time

I found this site in my various ramblings through the world wide web and I have spent a lot of time on it since. I love it! Insane Scouter is a great resource for any person involved in scouts. There are some of the best Arrow of Light ceremonies, Ideas for Weblos Advancements, clip art, resources, skit, the list goes on and on! If you are a scout leader then you absolutely have to check this site out!

I Need A Receptionist

I decided that with five kids in 7 different activities, a husband that is constantly recruited to help other people and me working two jobs, sometimes three, I need a receptionist. Can you imagine it? I would have a cute little reception desk set up in my entryway, next to a little sidebar with a potted plant and a coffeemaker. There would sit a nice little old lady (no bouncy little blonde's allowed in this house!) and she would gently remind us when it was time to leave for our various activities, answer the myriad of phone calls that come in throughout the day. Help the kids with their homework and check to make sure they have no missing assignments, pay the bills and gather sort and file all mail and file all other important papers that enter my home. How happy my home would be!

One Of My Favorite Quotes

One of my favorite quotes of all times came from the mouth of non-other than the amazing Erma Bombeck. She has always held a spot in my heart with her humorous wit and wisdom. She has captivated me and always made me laugh. I do not remember if this quote came from a book or somewhere else, but I have always loved it as I am not a huge fan of housework myself, as evidenced from my own house.

"My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint."
-Erma Bombeck-

Time For You

One thing that 99% of women are missing is time for themselves. We spend so much time working for other people, our bosses, our kids, our husbands and anyone else that asks us. But we spend no time on ourselves. That is really something that needs to be changed as evidenced by the growing number of women falling victim to various different illnesses. We are pushing ourselves to hard and wearing our body down to the point that illnesses and diseases are becoming more and more prominent among women. It is time to pick up you Callaway golf clubs and get out on the green, or put on your hiking shoes and go spend some time looking at the changing leaves, but take the time! Do it now! It's time for YOU!

Do You Know The Fly Lady?

Have you been introduced yet to the wonderful world of the FlyLady? No? Well, you are in for a fantastic treat! The FlyLady can help you organize your home, get into a normal housecleaning routine and even take care of some of that "junk in your trunk"!

Take a look at FlyLady and see what she can do for you. You might also want to pick up one of her wonderful timers. Like she says: "You can do anything for 15 minutes"

Get In The Know and In The Dough

Have you ever been interested in "playing" the stock market? Well here is a great opportunity to try your hand or strut your stuff. MyWallSt.net's rookie challenge, is a great educational tool for both novice investors looking to test the waters, and for veterans who want to evaluate new trading strategies. It allows members to trade stocks from real companies using virtual money so you can get a feel for how your instincts are and how you would do.

What you do is sign up as a new rookie, it free to register and free to play, you will start off with $100,000.00 to invest. You are free to invest it however you wish. just to keep it simple, the only transactions available are buying and selling. Data for the simulator is based on a 15-20min delay on market data. They operate the same times as the real markets so orders will be processed Mondays through Fridays, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. There are different ranking systems, but the most important part is that winners are determined at the end of the market week, every Friday evening after 5pm. The ROOKIE member with the highest percent gain in portfolio equity for the week will be calculated and declared the week’s winner. Only members with $100,000 or more in total equity are eligible to receive weekly cash or prizes.

So get out there, strut your stuff and see how you do? Can you grab this weeks prize for the best investor?

Take a Vacation

I just want to share the current experience I am having. I have had the wonderful opportunity to come across a Continental Airlines employment opportunity that is going to allow me to work the reservations desk from the comfort of my home. Now, I am very, very cautious when it comes to work at home deals and I have found very few that are legit and worth the time and effort. Continental Airlines is one of those companies. They pay you $6.89 per hour to start and all through your training. Then once you start on the phones, they guarantee you an extra $1.55 per hour for your first year. Not only that, they offer you all of the regular in-house benefits. Medical and Full Flight Benefits. Just my flight benefits are well worth it! Myself, my husband, my children and my parents can fly anywhere in the continental United States for as little as $30 round trip! I can't wait. I will be taking a vacation very soon! How about you?

Continental Airlines should be starting a new round of hiring within the next month or two. Keep an eye out for it.

Finding Funding

My favorite subject, starting your own business. Being your own boss. Ruling your own roost for a change. But with all the glitz and glamour thoughts of owning your own business comes the overwhelming fears and questions associated with taking such a huge step, making such a monumental decision. Where do I start? Who can I turn to for help? Where will the start up money come from? Well you can find answers to those and all the other questions you have not even thought about yet on the wonderful would of the web. There are so many resources available out there to help you secure funding, start and prepare your business model and everything else you can imagine.

One of the first things you will need to think about is where are your start up funds going to come from? Are you willing to wager your home on your business idea? If not you need to start looking into Venture Capital Funding, finding investors that are as excited about your product or service as you are. You need to start working toward securing your funds as soon as you have made the decision to start up a business. But before you start working with any company that will be handling money, make sure you are aware of the company's background, history and track record. Do not go blind, make sure you are doing your homework. The last thing any up and coming entrepreneur needs is to be swindled. Know your facts!

The Story Of Mulan: Fact or Fiction?

My children asked me last night if Mulan, the Disney version, was a true story. I love questions like this as it gives us an opportunity, as a family, to discuss a topic, theorize on the different possibilities and formulate an opinion and then go to the wonderful world of the web and find the factual answer. This is a great learning opportunity for children as well as myself. I learn wonderful new things and my children begin to learn the art of formulating an opinion but then being open minded when the actual facts are presented.

The facts in this case are that while Mulan is a based on a true story, as typically as Disney does, it is very loosely based on that true story from Chinese Folklore. However, the great thing about Disney s they take common fairytales and bring them to life. Fairytales that most children and adults alike would never have heard of other wise. It is then our job to go and find out "the real story". Have you ever read the real Cinderella Story?

Help your Kids Sparkle

Getting your kids and yourself back into the daily routine of school can be challenging. But keeping yourself and your children healthy and eating right can be nearly impossible! All the early morning fights to get dressed, hair combed and finding the lost shoe and then after school the homework, sports and activities, it can get overwhelming. But if you have the time to check out the Whole Foods Market Back To School Podcast you can get some great tips and tricks on overcoming the challenges and temptations of sugary sweet cereals and greasy quick and easy dinners. It's well worth your time. They have plenty of great ideas and tips for keeping not only your children, but also yourself healthy, happy and sparkling. So get back to school in real style, get back in healthy style.

The In's And Out's Of Bowling

Bowling is a great game. Not a game I am particularlay good at, but a good game all the same. Why do I play? I get the chance, once a week to spend time with my husband and other adults. The kids stay home and I go out and enjoy myself.

Ambient Lighting

One of the greatest ways to add color, distinction and individuality to any room in your home is to use different forms of ambient lighting. Ambient lighting is not meant to light the entire room, but instead to create a warm glow that will change the look and feel of the room. Rather than the glaring and overpowering lights that you would normally see in homes, ambient lights are calmer, usually colored and often from very decorative fixtures.

Next time you look at a room and are trying to decide how to best decorate it, picture it with a soft yellow glow. How about a soft deep red? What color will bring out the best in your furniture? In your choice of paint colors? What will relax and calm you? What will invite you into this room? Spend some time looking for ways to incorporate ambient lighting into your overall decoration scheme and see everything you have been working for come to life.

Opportunity to Attend Pow Wow for Free

I am still looking for a few good men or women who are registered with the BSA as Adult Leaders to help me out with Registration for November's Pow Wow. So if you are interested in attending Pow Wow for free in exchange for working the registration table for one or two sessions, then please let me know as soon as possible and I can get you on our list of helpers.

If you are not interested in helping but would love the opportunity to advance your Scout knowledge and idea databases then be sure to get registered as soon as possible. Early Bird Registration goes until 15th of October and is only $15 which includes your lunch. After October 15th registration will be $20 which also includes your lunch.

If you have any questions please feel free to leave your comment here or e-mail me for further information.

Healthy Skin Should Be From The Inside

I have always believed that if you want healthy skin then you need to care for it not only on the outside but mostly definitely from the inside! our skin derives its nutrients from the foods you eat and the vitamins and minerals you put into your body, not on it. The lotions and such are simply replacements that you use to replace the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your body is already lacking. So the obvious solution is not to be lacking the nutrients you skin needs in the first place.

Eating right is a great way to accomplish that. Vitamin and mineral supplements is another great option if the foods you normally eat are not fitting the bill. Fortunately supplements like R.G. Skin Revitalizer, a newly discovered dietary supplement in the form of an oil extract, are becoming the trend in the beauty industry. This R.G. Skin Reviatlizer is made from the tropical super fruit Gâc, which is rich in carotenoid antioxidants, and when taken as part of one’s daily diet essentially provides your skin with daily nourishment that works from the inside out, providing you with glowing and radiant skin, day in and day out.

Great Blog of The Week #1

I have decided that I want to feature some of the great blogs I read on a daily basis, or find worth the read, every week. I want everyone to know about these awesome blogs and the first one I have decided to share is called My Thoughts and Ramblings by Lisa.

Lisa has a great way with words and is always fascinating to read whether she is writing about her life, daily happenings or products and services she enjoys, she is always smooth and easy to read. I totally enjoy reading her daily entries and hope you can get as much enjoyment out of her ramblings as I do.

The "New Girl" Birthday

My little girls, 7 and 3, have birthday's coming up soon. But as fast as they are approaching, I am nearly ready for them already. Rather than having a friends birthday party this year and having to plan and arrange everything, buy cutesy little plates and cups and send out birthday invitations like we do every other year, we are going to take the two little girls and get manicures and pedicures, get our hair done and go shopping for new outfits. It will give me some good "girls only" time with my little ones and I think they will have lots of fun. And there is no cleaning my house and getting ready involved. Ahhh... the bliss!

Announcing PowWow

CALLING ALL SCOUTERS!!!

Trapper Trails Council is holding their annual Pow Wow at Weber High School on November 3rd. For more information visit the council website at Trapper Trails and while your there check out all the other great stuff we have going on around our council.

Get your registration forms for Pow Wow in early to save $5. CD's will be available again this year and we have tons of fun stuff planned for you to take back to your Units.

BOY SCOUT LEADERS: Don't miss this one. We have more Boy Scouting, 11 year old Scouting, Venturing and Varsity stuff this year than ever before!!! Don't miss out on all the great information!

EVERYONE MARK YOUR CALANDERS FOR NOVEMBER THE 3RD!!!

Are You Still Single?

If you are then you have nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain in trying out this fun sounding new website called Smooch.com. They are an online dating service and they have all the features you'd expect from a modern dating site, great software, a huge database, but the big kicker is, it's absolutely free! Click here to go to Smooch.com

Joining an online or brick and mortar dating service does not make you desperate, it actually says more to the opposite. It says you want someone to help match you to someone you are compatible with, you are not willing to settle for just anyone. You want to find the one. The perfect one for you. So as far as I am concerned, put yourself out there and have some fun!

Wear A Helmet

I cannot impress how direly important it is for you child to wear a bicycle helmet when they ride their bicycle and just as importantly to wear it correctly. I wanted to point out some great sites for information and statistics.

Here is a link to a government site that will teach you how to correctly wear a bicycle helmet, including illustrations.

Nationally, only about 15 percent of all kids wear bike helmets according to this study asking kids what they think about bicycle helmets.

And you play a huge role in getting kids to wear their helmets. According to a special report on wearing helmets, "if parents wear helmets when they bicycle, then about 98% of kids wear helmets.".

This is such a serious and scary issue as so, so many children do not wear helmets when they ride their bicycles and the injuries and deaths that occur because of it are sobering. Don't take the risk. Protect that precious little head!

It Just Amazes Me

What is it about celebrities that causes them to do some of the stupid stuff they do? I mean, when you are constantly in the public eye, you would think that you would take care not do get your name in the news in a bad light. But no! These people are constantly going into drug rehab, getting caught drunk driving or in some sex/child scandal.

And it is constantly. You can not turn on the news anymore without hearing about Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton, Courtney Love or some other celebrity, drunk driving or being forced into drug rehab or under investigation for some sex scandal. It is just plain silly! Are they really that stupid or just plain spoiled rotten???

Everyone Should Have One

I won an iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner the other day and having had it just a few short days, it has become a lifeline for me. I don't think I could live with out it! It has become a focal point for my family. I yell "Are you ready to Roomba?" and the kids will come running and excitedly pick everything up off the floor so they can watch and play with Roomba as it moves effortlessly across the floor, saving me precious time and allowing me to get other chores done.

Just a few short days and this little robot has become a precious, time saving, children's motivating commodity. Now I just need to get myself Roomba's sister, Scooba and I will be set!

Scheduling Problems Solved

One of the hardest things I face in my day to day lives, especially with the schedule I outlined in my last post, is being able to schedule things so that i can remember them, don't overlap them and can get them done in a stress free manner. I think that is a daily struggle with anyone. Time management is a difficult thing. But Famundo is a great new, free service, designed to help you organize your daily life. It provides the ability to create a family hub, to replacing your huge calendar on the wall and the dry erase board by the door. No more refrigerator magnets or sticky notes all over the house. It can help you manage the family schedule and give you control over your life again. It has features like a "Homepage, Family Calendar, Message Board, Address Book, List Manager, Online File Storage, Photo Albums, Blog Engine and Family Vaults." It is easily shared, and downloaded to. It great for the children's online school newsletters. They can be downloaded right into your family calendar. I think I might actually be able to manage my hectic schedule with this wonderful new tool. It's going to be great and it is so easy to use.