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.

Soccer, Football, Dance, When Is It Too Much?

When does it become too much for a child is something that has been discussed over and over and disagreed on on so many levels. However, that is not what I want to discuss. As a mother of five children I know how hard it is to try and balance schedules but my question is when does it become too much for you as a parent?

At the moment, I believe myself to be at the end of that rope. I am still managing, but if I were to try to add one more thing to our schedule I swear it would break. I have my oldest son in football which practices every day with games on Saturday and scouts on Wednesdays, my oldest daughter in Cleerleading on Fridays and girl scouts on Monday nights, my youngest son in Soccer on Tuesdays and Thursdays and my baby girl in Dance on Wednesdays. Now that is on top of my training/work from 6pm to midnight every night and my bowling on Tuesday nights.

My oldest son would now like to bowl the Fall and Winter leagues again. I hate to tell him no because he is actually pretty good at it. Okay, he beats me most of the time, but I just cannot add another thing to my schedule without becoming stressed and overwhelmed.

So what I am wondering, and I would like input on this, is at what point do you start to limit? Or do you? Would I be better off to let him express his talents and rely on another family member to get him to and from bowling? I am just not confident on where to draw the line and what color it should be. Any and all advice would be helpful.

Time To Find A Great Deal

Is it time for you to finally find a great deal on the things you are looking for, rather than the stuff you don't need or want. Have you ever noticed how retailers will put the ugliest things on sale with super great prices to entice you into the store, but then all the cute stuff is regular price? Well, there comes a time when you need to take action and find your own great deals.

You all know I love shopping, even have a bit of a problem with it, but I have to admit that when it comes to shopping, I have learned most of the tricks. I wanted to share one of the best of them with you.

We all know how expensive an Omega Seamaster James Bond watch can be. Well, I found an Omega Seamaster James Bond Watch at AuctionSHARK for only $1390! It is normally at least $2000. A two thousand dollar watch for nearly half price?! That really is a great deal! Auction Shark hunts down the best deal for you checking online retailers and even Amazon and E-Bay for the best and most totally awesome deals! I happened to find this one on Amazon. Who knows where the next great deal will come from? does!

September 11th, 2007

Today is the 6Th anniversary of the day that tore our nation apart and in doing so bonded it together stronger and more determined than ever. I think it was best put by Toby Keith in his song Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue. "A Sucker punch came flying in from somewhere in the back. When we could see clearly through our big black eye, man we lit up your world like the 4Th of July" We were totally sucker punched but we maintained our dignity and our determination, we put together rescue efforts, we pulled together our resources and we pulled through. And we were pissed! We then took action. We may be on shaky ground with the UN at the moment, but I guarantee you that no nation, anywhere, will question anymore that we have the resources to defend ourselves and the determination to do so.

As for 9/11, many, many lives were lost that day and with that comes a deep sense of sadness, pain and heartache, especially for those that lost someone close to them and also for those that survived and everyone, everywhere. Every American, young and old, will remember where they were that day and what they were doing. Every American was touched in some way, knew someone or knew someones family. I fall into that category. My best friends brothers both worked in the World Trade Center. I had met Scott, the younger of the two, but never Donald. Scott is a carefree twenty something young man, with the same mentality. Thank God for that. With that mentality comes a lack of responsibility and because of that he was late for work, a common thing for him. He was on the subway when the tower were hit. I was at my friends home, watching the news broadcast with her when she got the call saying that Scott was alright but he didn't know where Donald was. Donald had made it to work on time. As the older brother, he was more responsible and had his head on a little straighter, due in part to his age and some to a motorcycle accident he had many, many years before that left him nearly paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Knowing Donald's physical condition, my friend was very very worried. I sat with her throughout the day and by evenings end, there was still no word. No one knew where Donald was.


The next morning, I was back over sitting with my friend when the phone rang again. She hesitantly answered it as she had for the last 24+ hours, dreading what might be on the other end. As her son and I watched her intently for any indication of what was being said, her face lost all color and she began sobbing and laughing all at the same time. Donald was alright. But his story was an amazing one.

He had arrived to work on time and was headed into work when the first plane hit the tower adjacent to his. As the panic ensued he tried his best to maneuver his wheelchair down the steps of the tower but was not succeeding due to the mass panic. A complete stranger picked him up out of his chair and half carried him away. They first took shelter in a pizza shop a little ways away but when the second plane hit they were evacuated from there to a firehouse and then another shop further away from downtown. It was rough in going, Donald can hardly walk, but this stranger stayed by his side the whole, grueling 18+ hours of the ordeal. They were covered in soot, ashes and dust. Tired, hungry, thirsty and filthy. As the Second tower fell, the little pizza shop in which they had first taken cover was crushed by the falling debris. As the city around them was ripped apart, the whole city came together to help each other, neighbor, friend or complete stranger. It didn't matter. They were all Americans and each and every one of them are Heroes. They all helped each other and perished or survived, they came together to comfort, assist and do what they could to help their fellow Americans. Across the nation, the same outpouring of love, compassion and concern was flowing strong and hard through every heart and soul as people everywhere came out, showed their support, made their donations and prayed for the help that was needed.

We are a strong nation. We are AMERICANS! There is no other nation, kindred or people that will govern us, control us or frighten us. We are strong! We are determined! And most of all, WE ARE ONE! WE ARE AMERICANS! Today is one of the best days to remember that. Fly your flag high, fly it proud. But tomorrow, fly it again, not in memory of the wonderful people that were lost to us, but to the Nation that protects us and the Nation that we love!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Gossip, Do You Spread It?

I am sure we all spread the gossip in our daily lives. especially those of us with blogs. It has become so easy to talk about anything and too often that happens to be gossip.

Gossip is defined as:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

gos·sip /ˈgɒsəp/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[gos-uhp] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -siped or -sipped, -sip·ing or -sip·ping.

–noun

1.	idle talk or rumor, esp. about the personal or private affairs of others: the endless gossip about Hollywood stars.

2.	light, familiar talk or writing.

3.	Also, gos·sip·er, gos·sip·per. a person given to tattling or idle talk.

4.	Chiefly British Dialect. a godparent.

5.	Archaic. a friend, esp. a woman.

–verb (used without object)

6.	to talk idly, esp. about the affairs of others; go about tattling.

–verb (used with object)

7.	Chiefly British Dialect. to stand godparent to.

8.	Archaic. to repeat like a gossip.

---

[Origin: bef. 1050; ME gossib, godsib(be), OE godsibb, orig. godparent, equiv. to god God + sibb related; see sib¹]

—Related forms

gos·sip·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. small talk, hearsay, palaver, chitchat. Gossip, scandal apply to idle talk and newsmongering about the affairs of others. Gossip is light chat or talk: to trade gossip about the neighbors. Scandal is rumor or general talk that is damaging to reputation; it is usually more or less malicious: The town never lived down the election scandal. 3. chatterer, talker, gabbler, rumormonger. 6. chatter, prattle, prate, palaver.

So, while not everything we talk about is considered gossip, that little piece I did about Lindsay Lohan and her rehab on my other blog, was deffinatly gossip. Gossip can be fine or it can be very, very hurtful to a lot of people so it needs to be taken very seriously and thought through very carefully. However, gossip can be a lot of fun as well. I know when Don was coming home, I gossiped about it to everyone but the important people, the ones that shouldn't know. I would not want to ruin the surprise.

But to get a good idea of the effects of gossip and what trouble or other it can cause, there is a cute new show premiering Wednesday, September 19th. It's called Gossip Girl and is a teen drama based on the novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar. It revolves around the lives of socialite young adults growing up on New York's Upper East Side attending an elite academic institution. It works through them dealing with sex, drugs, and other serious teenage issues. It centers mainly around, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), and their shared crush, Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford). As outsiders looking in, Dan (Penn Badgley) and Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) do not run in the same social or financial circles as their peers but are drawn into their lives nonetheless. The series is narrated by, "Gossip Girl" (voiced by Kristen Bell), who runs a website blogging about her fellow Upper East Siders consequently stirring the pot and feeding potential rivalries in this exclusive and vicious circle of friends. It sounds like it will be a great series with some really good life lessons, plenty of drama and loads of fun. I think this will probably be a hit for young and old alike. Maybe some of us "old foggies" can get a glimpse into the world our children are living in.

I will deffinatly be watching Gossip Girl on The CW on Wednesday night. Where will you be? If you do get a chance to watch it, drop me a comment and let me know what you think of it. What do you think of the picture of it? Funny, it reminds me of Grease. That is a little to telling of my age! **blushing**

Get Your H2O

I have really struggled, trying to get my daily recommended allowance of water every day. My doctor chastises me for being dehydrated all the time and promises me that if I would just drink enough water I would feel a lot better. Unfortunately, the only time I really drink water is when I can feel that my body needs to be cleansed. Now, if I were to drink water regularly, I am sure my body would not need to be cleansed on a regular basis. The water would already do that.

But the point is, I have learned that if I have a bottle of water with me regularly then I drink more often. As I work I have a bottle of water on my desk and a determination to drink it all before the half way day mark. So half way through my work day I have already drank a bottle of water. Then on my break I will refill it and add some Kool-Aid singles or a Poweraide single to it to give it some flavor and me some sugar to help me stay awake through the rest of the work day, or in my case evening as I am currently training from 6pm to midnight.

I have to tell you, getting that much water has really helped me feel better. I have more energy, I don't feel so weighted down, if that makes any sense and I just feel better all around.

Have You Ever Wanted?

I was shopping at RC Willey's last night, spending the $100 gift card I had and I came across a Nostalgic Miniature Popcorn Maker. It really popped popcorn, just like it's full size version, but it was small enough to fit on your counter top. It was so cute! I just loved it. I already have a chocolate fountain that I only use at Christmas and New Years, but how much fun would it be to have your very own popcorn machine. Look how cute this is. (I had to find a picture to include). I just love how it is fashioned after the old fashioned ones that you would see roving around the carnivals.

I can not for the life of me figure out where in my kitchen I would put it or what in the world I would want it for, but heck. It's just too cute to pass up. Now I just have to talk my hubby into letting me get it!

Do You Have Knowledge To Share?

We need people to help out at this years PowWow in Ogden. We need help on the registration committee as well as some good teachers for the classes. If you have spent some time in scouting and have some great ideas and information or just have some time to spare to help out, please let us know. We could use you!

It will require a lot of commitment on your part, but you will be able to attend PowWow for only $5, which covers the cost of your lunch and you would be doing something great for all the Boy Scouts and Cubs in the Trapper Trails District.

Come Help Us Out!!!

Congratulations Robyn!

Congratulations Robyn on your new home and moving in and all that fun stuff! I really wish I could be there to help you in your moving. That has always been one of the things I hate doing. Having to pack everything up and move it only to unpack it all over again. Not one of my favorite things, but then again, I have SO much stuff, most of which qualifies as junk, that is is incredibly hard to pack it all and move it.

But I am so jealous of you! I love looking for and at houses. I should be a real estate agent. I remember talking to you when you were looking for your house and how much fun you were having and how excited you would get. Are you still just as excited? I hope so! Your house is just beautiful and I can't wait to get out there to see it in person. Soon, very soon, I hope! Keep your fingers crossed and in the mean time, have a great time moving and getting acquainted with your new home.

Cub Scout Express Ideas and Fun

We just had our weekly pack meeting and I wanted to share with you what worked and what didn't.

We had our awards attached to darling little paper cutouts of train engines from the Cri-cut machine. In all honesty, the boys didn't really pay any attention to them. They would have much preferred a model train bringing them in which was one of the suggestions.

We bought Twinkies, butter cream icing and various candies such as starlight mints, M&M's, Spice drops and string licorice. Each boy got one Twinkie on a small plate, a couple of each of the candies and a small cup with icing and a fork. They were told to decorate their Twinkies into a train car. This took nearly 30 minutes and they had a ball. Every time one of the boys came and showed me their train, I would hold it up and loudly announce what a wonderful train they had made. They "ate" it up! It was great fun and surprisingly, they did not make too bad a mess. We were even in a carpeted room.
Some tips for this activity: Buy Twinkies in bulk from Sam's Club or The Hostess Store
The Bakery at Albertson's will sell you bulk icing in a clamshell container.
Little 3oz cups with a fork size scoop of icing is plenty
Popsicle sticks would probably be preferable to using forks

We used the ticket book idea out of the Program Helps and it worked great as a gathering activity and kept the kids busy while we got ready, however, handing them back out is really not productive or proactive. Lots of crying kids because they could not remember people or read the writing. Do the gathering activity, skip the handing them back out.

A Beautiful Ring

I just bought a beautiful blue topaz ring online and the other day my mother bought her a gorgeous jadeite and 14K gold spinner ring, also on line. I am quickly realizing that you can find some amazing deals on fashion jewelry on the internet. I had never before thought of the internet as an outlet for jewelry, but why not? You can get everything else on the internet, why not beautiful, fashionable jewelery?

The Mystery Solved

Here is what I used to see.
I have solved one mystery which ultimately has lead to another. Now that I have my new monitor set up, for the first time, I have been able to use the resolution of which my computer is capable. However, once I upped the resolution it changed the size of my screen enough that now I see my poor blog in a new light. Now here is what I see.

Now that I can see what everyone else sees, now I need to know how to fix it. Blog Doctor, Can you fix it???

Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration

Every one needs a reason to keep going day in and day out and little word of inspiration are a great kick in the pants, if you will, to remind you what life is about and why you are alive, or just some interesting facts to get your brain in gear. Get your daily dose of inspiration and wisdom with Karl's blog. He has an amazing way of stating the obvious and making action out of it as well as finding interesting and little known facts for you to ponder throughout your day.

The author of this blog is Karl Moore and he just really enjoys his blog and his radio show and really seems to enjoy his life. If you haven't had a chance to read his blog lately, find some time, it's well worth it. Today you can find out where the Bronx got it's name. Who knows what you can read tomorrow!