Mesothelioma Answers and Support

Mesothelioma is not only a big word but it is also a very scary one for someone or their family who are dealing with it. Fortunately they are not alone. There are others who are going through the same emotions, physical symptoms, financial scares and treatments. There are people you can talk to to get answers, share experiences and just relieve some stress if necessary. At Mesotheliomahelp.net, you can get answers to some of your hardest questions, support for your emotional ups and downs and you can find people just like you, going through the same struggles and the same fight. It's a wealth of knowledge and a wide support network for people battling mesothelioma and families supporting them.

Dieting Right

Diet pills are all the rage now. Everyone wants them, everyone has their own opinion on which one is the best. Leptovox does it all, Fastin is the safest or Lipo6 is the most effective. Everyone has their own opinions.

Personally, I prefer a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. Unprocessed foods, fresh fruits and veggies, plenty of rest and lots of invigorating exercise. I noticed that when I started eating better and spent more time moving and less time sitting I felt better, I looked better and I had a ton more energy. Not to mention, I knew that I was not taking anything that could possibly cause my body serious harm now or later in life.

It's Almost Here!

2 more days to go and Christmas will finally be here! Then I can relax in the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of my Lord and Savior and enjoy a peaceful day with my family after a hectic season of rushing and stressing.

I love the Christmas Season because there is no other time during the year that you put so much effort into showing the people you love that you care about them. And there is nothing I enjoy more than showing those I love that I care about them. However, sometimes in doing that it can cause me a lot of stress. I am on a limited budget and if given the opportunity I would buy the world for those I love just to see them happy. And then there are all the little things that I want to do with them, not just for them. The baking, the decorating, the parties. It all costs money and in today's world, a lot of money. So the stress for me is pretty real, but well worth it! However, when it is all over I want to get a room, at a vegas hotel, drop the kids off at my Mother's and enjoy a relaxing weekend with my husband, at the spa, in the warmth of Nevada.

But until then, I am really excited for Christmas to come. Excited to celebrate the birth and life of My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with the ones I love the most.

Mulling Spices

I am sure that all of you have heard of Mulled Cider, right? Well, I have been asked a lot lately about mulling spices, what they do and what they are good for. The answer is incredibly simply actually.

Mulling is a tradition that dates back many centuries where beverages are heated and mulling spices are added and infused throughout the drink. Common beverages in which to use mulling spices are Juices, Ciders, Brandies and even Hot Chocolate.

Mulling spices can be anything from your basic Cinnamon to Star Anise spices to Orange and Lemon Peel and just about anything in between. The most popular are Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves, Anise, Orange and Lemon Peel, Pineapple Fruit and Cherries.

Mulling can be achieved by grinding the spices or fruits into a powder and adding them directly to your beverage or you can use a tea bag or cheesecloth bag to add the whole leaves and berries and allowing them to sit in the bag, in the beverage and removed just before serving.

If you would like a wonderful new treat try this Recipe for Mulled Hot Cocoa:

1 Gallon Hot Cocoa
1 tsp. Cinnamon Powder
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg Powder
1/8 tsp. Cloves Powder
1/2 Dried Orange Peel

Add the Orange Peel to the Hot Cocoa and allow to simmer for 7-10 minutes. Add the powdered spices and simmer another 5 minute. Remove the Orange Peel and throw it away. Serve.

This is a wonderfully mellow Mulled Hot Cocoa. Enjoy!

Scary Economy

I can't believe the downturn our economy has taken! It all started with banks/credit card companies giving outrageous loans to people who could not afford them. Then when they were foreclosed on, the banks/credit card companies started struggling and jobs get lost. With the jobs lost, money gets tight and the economy gets worse. Then the smart people, the ones that took out reasonable loans for modest houses, begin to feel the strain. Then more jobs are lost and the unemployment rate hits the highest we have ever seen. Less and less money gets spent and more and more jobs are lost and suddenly the smart people are becoming less and less able to make the day to day bills like their mortgages and their auto insurance, they are struggling to pay for food and gas, they are losing their jobs and having trouble finding new ones. And yet the US government has decided to bailout the Banks/Credit Card Companies that caused all of this, to the tune of 700 BILLION dollars! And yet, those that are being affected, those that were smart and yet are paying the price, are the ones that are being left out, left to flounder and fend for themselves. Does this sound right to you?

And the worst part is these banks/credit card companies and other "big businesses" are having to "lay off" their corporate CEO's and other big wigs with pensions that most of us would have to work a lifetime or more to earn!

So now, here's my solution.... Let those that made bad business decisions go bankrupt (natural consequences, after all!) and take that 700 Billion dollar bailout, pay off the national debt and let the hard working Americans do what we always do, work hard and look towards a better future with lower taxes and less idiots to bailout!

Revisited: Keeping Kids Rooms Tidy

I just thought that with Christmas fast approaching, this would be a good post to revisit. As the Christmas presents start piling in, rather than just packing it in tighter, why not call in the moving trucks and get to work tiding up the kids rooms and getting rid of some of their older toys and clothes? Here is a great list that we personally use to help the kids keep their rooms clean and tidy daily but especially through the hectic Christmas Season.

"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."

Baby Mama

This is a movie that caught my attention on a flight from Houston, Tx to Salt Lake City, Ut. It was playing on the flight and my headset did not work properly so I was not able to get much more than just enough to whet my appetite.

This weekend however, I finally found the time and energy to tackle the HUGE job of reclaiming my family room which had turned into the family dumping ground. There were boxes and toys and clothes, a set of mattresses laid out on the floor and one single pathway between the bottom of the stairs and my office which if the childrens computer was being used, I was required to walk on the mattresses to get to my office! But in less than 6 hours, with the help of my enlisted children, we got it done. We move the couch forward and opened up a place in the back of the family room for Lee's weight bench even. The couch is now close enough to the TV that you can actually see it and it is now a comfortable room in which for us to watch our movies and spend time. Eventually I want a flat screen TV to hang on the back wall and home theater seating along with a coxy fireplace in the corner, but for now what we have is much better than what we had.

So with my reclaimed family room, I went out and rented 3 movies. One of which was Baby Mama. We were able to sit down and watch it, but after a period of time, I realized that this was by no means a children's movie and I had to kick the children out of the room. But Lee and I really enjoyed it. It is a very cute story about a lady that can not get pregnant, is not married and desperatly wants a baby. She finally decides on serrogacy and before long the plot is moving. As most movies it gets very predictable, but I do have to admit, there was one part that I did not expect. That was very refreshing. It will make you laugh and I would highly reccommend it to any pregnant women or mother's.

Stretch Your Laundry Detergent

I love this tip because it does SO much to stretch your budget. One of ht most expensive things I buy is Laundry Soap. I need something that will get the stains out and keep my kids clothes looking new and bright as long as possible. I can not afford to replace their clothes before they out grow them! I buy Tide, but it is expensive and with a family of 7 I got through it very, very quickly. But this little tip has helped to stretch the laundry soap just a little bit further and not break my budget.

Add 1/3 cup of baking soda to 2/3 cup Laundry Soap prior to adding to the wash. This will not only stretch your laundry soap but also helps to eliminate odors and keep them out of your clothes, as well. Baking soda is very inexpensive and easy to come by. But the biggest thing you have to remember with this trick is you need GOOD laundry soap to start with. This trick is not going to work with Purex or some of the other cheapish brands. Hopefully, this little trick will be as beneficial to you as it has been to me. Enjoy!

Pants for My Man

Lee came home the other day, after a company meeting and announced that I was right. Once I got over my initial shock, I was able to request the full story. I guess he felt rather out of place in his torn up jeans and Wahoo! T-shirt, sitting in an office with the "big man on campus". I guess he was dressed in a button up and tie. Even though the rest of the guys around him were in jeans and t-shirts, he felt out of place and my having said to him "dress for the job you want, not the job you currently have" struck him as not just the regular steam I blow. He suddenly saw some wisdom in it.

So he made the request for a couple new pairs of pants and some nice shirts. Not a difficult request. I would just run out to Smith and Edwards and pick up a couple pairs of nice Wranglers. Simple enough, right? WRONG! First I decide to stop at IFA and see if they have the right style and what the price is. I end up picking up a pair of jeans for him and two pairs of Croc's for Ladybug (they were on clearance for a buck!) and dragging Baby out of the store kicking and screaming because she wants a bunny! Yes, a real live bunny rabbit with long ears and soft fur that I made the mistake of letting her pet. (I won't do that again!). Then we work on making our way to Smith and Edwards. Something that should have been a very easy task as I visit this store very, very often. However, my wonderful mind has issues with directions so I end up getting on the wrong road and can't find it. After a desperate phone call to DDad and the best directions he can give over the phone, Baby and I end up at our destination. I thank my father and in we go with just under 40 minutes to get pants and get home. We grab two pairs of pants for Lee at $19.99 a pair, and I decide that the identical pair that I just bought from IFA for $31.99 are going back.... tomorrow. I buy the pants and head out the door and head for home. We make it just in time for Baby to get ready and go to Dance.

A couple days later I returned the third pair to IFA and got my money back. But now I am still looking for a couple more pants and some nice shirts for him. He is pretty hard on clothing so I need something sturdy yet with that business look. I found some pretty nice tactical pant, the kind the police and military wear, but I worry that they might not be "business" enough. They are definitely sturdy, with reinforced knees and seat and plenty of pockets, 10 to be exact! I really think he would like them, but I just can't decide on the "business appeal" of them?

Workout at Work

Do you sit at a desk all day? Are you worried about what it can do to your body? Flabby tummy? Love handles? Well, worry no more! Here are a few exercises that you can do in your office chair to tighten those buns, strengthen your abs and work out those arms.

Abs
Sit on the edge of chair, arms extending in front. Keeping back straight, contract the abs and slowly lower torso towards back of chair. Hold 2-3 seconds and repeat.
Curls: Cross arms over chest and sit up straight. Contract abs and curl shoulder towards hips, pulling abs in. Hold for 2 seconds. Relax. Repeat for 10 reps.

Buttocks
Sitting upright in your chair, tighten your butt muscles and hold to the count of 15. Relax. Repeat 10 reps.
Sitting upright in your chair, no leaning against the chair back, raise both legs and hold to the count of 10. Relax. Repeat for 10 Reps.

Arms
Hold your arms, parallel to the ground at shoulder height, out to your side. Slowly raise them until they are parallel with your body. Slowly lower them until they are parallel with the ground again. Repeat twice and rest. Repeat for 10 Reps.

Time to cut back?

With the economy in a downward spiral, every family finds themselves in the same situation. Money is tight and demands are tighter. How do you find yourself coping with the frightening and ever changing economy? I have found that I have had to cut back on a lot of the "niceties" in life. New clothes and eating out have been some of the first to go. Thoughtless spending and not taking the time to check prices, gone as well. But I worry that in time, the necessities are going to fall victim. What about our health care? Our gas and food? Our dental care?

I had a friend tune me into one company that will help us out when it comes to my families glasses. After all, Big C and I are both dependent on our glasses for daily life functions. What would we do if we were to break our glasses? My insurance only provides for one set of frames and lenses per year. But thanks to my good friend T, I was turned on to a company called Zenni Optical. Their prices on eyeglasses and frames are incredible, so affordable! Frames starting at just $8 with lens tinting available for less than $5! They have Men's and Women's frames and even Kids frames! It's good to know that I don't have to worry about my families glasses. Even with the downturn of the economy, I can afford to see, and look good doing it!

Movie Night

Are you sick of the same old movie nights? Popcorn, soda and chips? Well then maybe it's time to kick it up a notch? Here are some great, quick, easy and delicious treats for your movie night!

Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
1 Small Onion Chopped
1 8oz pkg. Cream Cheese
1 8oz tub Sour Cream
1 pkg frozen spinach
1 Jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts, chopped
1 Cup Kraft Shredded Italian Cheese Blend

Saute the onion in the butter until clear. Add the rest of the ingredients, in order and stir until well mixed over medium heat, adding the cheese blend just before serving. Dish into a serving container and sprinkle with a little more cheese for presentation.
*To add a little kick, you can add 1/4 cup jalapeno's, finely chopped before the spinach.

Serve with chips or toasted bread. Garlic bread is especially yummy with this!

Quick Fudge:
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 8oz package Semi-Sweet Baker's Chocolate squares
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Line an 8x8 baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving flaps on the edges to use to lift the fudge out of the dish. In a microwave safe bowl, pour the milk and add the squares of chocolate. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted. Add Vanilla and pour into the baking dish. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Now there are some things guaranteed to throw some life back into your movie nights!

Shopping for Fixtures

Wow! What an exciting adventure, huh? Actually, it was quite eye opening! My wonderful angel children informed me the other day that the naughty little entity that lives in our house, the one that goes by "Not Me" or "Nobody" had broken the faucet in the bathtub. So, since I could not find "Not Me" to drag it along on this boring little excursion, I decided, much to their dismay, to take the innocent little children who had had nothing at all to do with the faucet being ripped nearly out of the tile wall.

Amid the groans and moans, fussing and whining, we made it to the local Home Depot to start our search for a new tub faucet. After 3 stops at the drinking fountain, one detour to the lawn and garden section to retrieve the 5 year old of the riding lawn mowers and a stop at the restrooms, we found ourselves in the bathroom section.

To my surprise, their was a HUGE array of faucet selections! So large in fact that the children got caught up in a game we play called "I Spy" where someone describes a detail or two and the rest have to guess which one they are talking about. This turned into alot of fun, even for me, and before long we had moved from the bathroom faucets to the kitchen faucets and ultimately ended with trying to agree on how to redecorate our kitchen. Sorry Little Man, we will not be installing cabinets with the Batman symbol engraved. But the Corian counter top you found will be coming home soon, I'm sure!

As for the tub faucet, we settled on a plain silver one with ceramic handles, much like the one we already had. But the day turned out to be much more fun that I had prepared myself for.

Let's Move Up In The World, PLEASE!

I work for the sweetest, most wonderful people the world has ever been graced with. In that I mean that they would give you the shirt off their back and button it up for you. They thrive on service and ask nothing in return, ever. I love them to death. They own a little Kitchen shop in the downtown area and I can tell you that I would work there for free (if they would just hire men! Goodness I hate working with women! We have got to be the meanest, cattiest, most backstabbing gender. Wow!). However, one of the things that drive me crazy (other than the women), is the lack of technology. I guess that should help to foster the quaint feel of the store, but as an employee, it drives me crazy! We don't even have barcode scanners at the registers. We still enter the merchandise by hand. Some of the gals have gotten very, very quick at it. I on the other hand am still very slow (as they are also quick to point out). But give me a barcode scanner and I have been in retail long enough I could make their heads spin! Hee Hee Hee...

Save On Electronics

As our society progresses so does our dependence on electronics of all kinds. The average impoverished household still comes with the basics, a television, a personal computer and of course, a cellular phone. However, as our economy inches closer and closer to a depression disaster zone, we are finding ourselves needing to cut back, save money, be frugal. And as the money begins to ebb then the retailers find themselves backed into a corner. "Lower your prices or sell nothing at all." For a retailer, that is not a good place to be. It means laying off workers, cutting back on expenses and benefits for employees and paychecks dwindling. Which in turn sends our economy deeper and deeper into depression. However, to try and stay afloat, retailers will take the "Lower Prices" approach to try and stay in the black. That's where we, average Americans can cash in. Prices fall and the electronics that we need for our very existence, i.e. cell phones, personal computers, car stereos, etc start dropping in price and you start to see amazing deals to keep the money flowing in a positive direction. So keep your eyes open for those great deals. They are out there, and thy are going to continue to get better and better.

Football Sunday

Call in the Chicago accident attorney's, there has been an accident in Detroit! What a poor game. By that I mean that I am grateful that the Bears pulled it off, but come on! They are a MUCH better team than the one that showed up today. Of course, the Bears offense seemed to collapse a bit under the pressure of starting quarterback Kyle Orton leaving the game before halftime after suffering a right ankle injury, but what was the rest of the teams excuse? The defense kept slipping up and allowing the Lions to score on them before finally joining the game and shutting them out in the second half. Lets hope that they can pull it together before nexts weeks match-up against the Titans. Without their starting quarterback, they are really going to need the rest of the team to show up and pull their weight. The Titans are the only undefeated team in the NFL and it is about time they fell off their high horse and met up with their downfall at the hands of the amazing Chicago Bears!

Vogue Magazine

I just wanted to throw this out there. I am not a huge magazine reader and especially not a fashion magazine reader. If I have any magazines come to my home they are magazines like Sunset or Country Living. So I was shocked when I picked up a copy of Vogue at the airport.

I was excited about it because it was in German and I thought that my son would be excited to see it. However, as I was showing my husband the pages and how it was printed in German, being the wonderful Man that he is, he noticed not the words or the language at all. No, his attention was drawn immediately to the pictures of naked women that I had neglected to notice at all! Which just goes to show you the difference in a Man and a Woman!

However, upon noticing that, I started flipping through the rest of the magazine and it resembles a playboy magazine more closely than it does a fashion magazine. I was shocked and very disappointed! Not only can I not give this little treasure to my son to take to his German class, but it is also something that I will never, ever purchase. What a disappointment!

Home Spa Time

There is nothing like having a relaxing day/night in the comfort of your own home. It's even better if it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg! So I thought I would give you some great recipes and ideas to make your At Home Spa Night fantastic and inexpensive and make yourself feel Beautifeel!

Bath Salts:
Making your own bath salts is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to add an extra ounce of relaxation to your Spa Bath.

You will need: Epsom Salt, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Food Coloring and Essential Oil in your favorite fragrance. Start by mixing 3 cups of Epsom Salt, 1 cup of Sea Salt and 2 cups of Baking Soda. Mix well and slowly add your choice of food coloring. (Hint: to mix colors, mix in a separate container prior to mixing with the salts.) Add the food coloring a drop at a time until your desired color is reached. Then add the essential oil, remembering that the stronger the salts, the less you have to use but too strong will make it unpleasant. Once mixed, the salts can be kept in a Ziploc baggie or a Tupperware container until used up.

Quick and Easy Facial
The perfect way to Relax and Rejuvenate after a long day is a soothing, moisturizing mask and eye compress to moisturize and relax away the stress of the day, leaving your skin healthier and more toned than ever.
Ingredients
2 slices of cucumber
2 tablespoons of honey
2 teaspoons of milk
Method
Combine honey and milk, stirring until completely combined.
Apply to face and throat.
Take the cucumber and place one on each eye.
Lie down for 10 minutes.
Remove cucumber and rinse off mask with warm water.

Foot Spa
Treat your feet to a soak in this milk and water mixture and follow it with the sugar scrub for incredibly soft feet.

Ingredients
7 cups of water
2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of lotion

Directions
Heat the water and milk and in a pot on the stove or microwave in a microwave safe bowl. Heat it as hot as your feet can handle. In a separate bowl mix the sugar and lotion.
Pour milk mixture into large bowl and soak your feet for at least 10 minutes. Then use the sugar and lotion mixture to massage your feet to exfoliate and moisturize. Rinse with clean water and pat dry. Massage additional lotion to soften your feet.

Oatmeal Hand Spa and Care Treatment
This is a wonderfully gentle hand scrub made from oatmeal, lemon juice and olive oil that leaves your hands nourished and soft.
1 cup + 2 tbsp oatmeal
1 ½ tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp olive oil
¼ cup Water
Directions
Add Water to 1 cup of oatmeal and let stand until oatmeal is softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add Lemon juice and Olive Oil to 2 tbsp Oatmeal and mix well.
Massage mixture into your hands and allow to stand 1 or 2 minutes. Rinse with cool, clean water and pat dry. Liberally apply moisturizer to your hands and let it soak in 10-15 minutes. Then dry with a clean cloth.

School Pictures?

Are school pictures really the way to go or are there less expensive alternatives out there? The answer is a resounding YES! There are many ways to get your children's yearly pictures much less expensively than school pictures and here's why.... School pictures usually start out with packages around $20 and go up from there. Now, with 5 children, as in my case, that's $100 minimum! Then if I want anything more than that, the price just keeps going up. You can end up at $200 before you know it! Not to mention, the pictures turn out looking a bit like mug shots.

Now here are some great alternatives; all of which I have used many times.

Take your own pictures.
As simple as that sounds, it has been the best option for me, over and over again. I started out with a 35mm camera and two rolls of film. I have since moved into using a digital camera. Both options have returned beautiful pictures. I will take my kids up into the mountains in the fall and take their pictures in the beautiful fall leaves. We will take a couple different shirts and a couple props from what ever was their activity of choice that year i.e. footballs, dance clothes and shoes, ice skates or cowboy hats and boots. It made the pictures very personal to each child. We pack a picnic lunch and make a fun day of it. By the time I am through, I have spent less than $50 for film, processing, enlargements, gas and lunch.

The other option that I use often, especially for Football or Dance pictures are the discount retail stores like Wal-Mart and Target. I tend to prefer Target over Wal-Mart because I get to chose a package from a variety of poses. Wal-Mart makes you take the package from the first pose only and then the rest are very expensive. The other great thing about Target that I have not seen Wal-Mart offer is you can choose either the very inexpensive package, or you can choose to purchase by the sheet at a very low initial price. However, if you end up without enough pictures then any reprints are very expensive. On the other hand, Target has just the basic backgrounds... White, Black and Brown where as Wal-Mart's backgrounds are constantly changing and are usually very fun and bright. Either option is great for someone that is nervous about taking pictures themselves. You can usually get packages for around $7 per child.

Either of the above options are more time consuming than just doing your daughter's hair a little nicer and sending her off to school in the morning, but I can almost guarantee that you will get much better pictures and you will save LOTS of money!

Coconut Oil for Weight Loss?

This is something that I am just now hearing about. I love using pure, cold pressed, unprocessed Coconut oil as a lotion. It makes my skin so soft and moist while making it smell just scrumptious! I have always known that it is intended to be used in cooking and has an amazing array of health benefits, but it was just recently that I heard that Coconut Oil is actually a great way to kick start your metabolism and help you lose weight naturally! I had no idea! The biggest draw back is of course, the price. But they say that you only need 3 tablespoons a day to get all the wonderful health benefits and to kick start that lagging metabolism and start losing that weight!

Quick and Easy Holiday Appetizers

I love the holidays. The chill in the air, the sparkle of the snow covering the trees, the Christmas lights and the warm feeling all around. It's the one time of the year when we focus, not on ourselves, but on Christ and his love and sacrifice. We find ourselves drawn to helping others, thinking of our fellow man and spending more time with our families. My favorite part of the Holidays is the time I spend with my family. The dinners we share, the fun we have in the kitchen cooking up great meals and the "down time" spent playing cards or watching "A Christmas Carol". I am one however that loves the down time. I love snuggling up on the couch with my husband and all of our children, cups of hot cocoa and a big bowl of popcorn, watching the fire dance and reading one of our families favorite books.

That being said, I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A few pies, stuff the turkey and I am just about done. I want to get to that snuggling, or snuzzling as Baby calls it. So anything beyond that needs to be quick and simple. Things that I can outsource to the littlest of children. So over the years I have found great appetizers recipes that are both quick and easy as well as scrumptious! Here are some of my favorites:

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

1 Pkg. Bacon cut in to thirds
1 Can. Sliced Water Chestnuts

BBQ Sauce:
3/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar

Toothpicks

Wrap each water chestnut slice with 1/3 slice of bacon. Push a toothpick all the way through to secure the bacon to the chestnut. Lay on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Mix BBQ sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until sugars are dissolved. Remove bacon wrapped water chestnuts from oven the and drain off the grease. Dip each in the BBQ sauce and lay them back on the cookie sheet. Return them to the oven for 20 minutes. Serve Warm.

Another favorite is Mexican Seven Layer Bean Dip:
1 can refried beans
1 can Fritos Bean Dip
1 container Guacamole dip
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
1 can sliced black olives
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Mix beans and spread in the bottom of a 13x9" baking dish. Cover with a layer of guacamole dip. Mix the Mayonnaise, sour cream and taco seasoning and cover the guacamole layer. Mix cheeses and sprinkle to completely cover the sour cream. Top with olives, tomatoes and onions.

For more great appetizer recipes and all your holiday cooking needs, take a minute and visit My Recipes.com. They have a huge database of holiday recipes to make any party absolutely fabulous!

Darling Fall Decorations

You will need:

1 Roll of Toilet Paper
1 Fall Patterned Fat Quarter
1 7" Strip of Green Patterned Fabric
1 4" x 4" Piece of Brown Paper Bag
1 Piece of brown string

Set the roll of Toilet paper in the center of the fat quarter, with the fabric print side down. Pull the fabric up around the toilet paper roll and tuck it into the center of the toilet paper roll, wrapping it completely. Roll the paper bag piece and tie a string around it. Lay the piece of green fabric across the hole in the toilet paper and stuff it down in the toilet paper hole with the rolled up paper bag piece to make it look like the leaves and stem.

Hannah Montana Books

For my Daughter's 9th birthday, she got almost 90% Hannah Montana stuff. She just love's Hannah Montana and I find her to be a better role model than most I have seen. So I have allowed her to indulge. But I have to say, I was just a little disappointed with the Hannah Montana book she got. She was just thrilled! It was on her reading level, just a little under even so as to make it fun easy reading and she loved the story. I, on the other hand, was disappointed that it was nothing more than the scripting from the first couple of episodes. I guess I was hoping for a new story, new story line, something different. But, the good thing is, the book was not written for me, and my little girl just loved every minute of it. I guess I can not complain too much.

Chiropractic sound good?

I have been desperately wanting to see a chiropractor and a masseuse in the same office. Finally I found one. Then I found out that my insurance covers up to $1500 per year for chiropractic and massage. I am in heaven! But then after my first visit, I left feeling very overwhelmed. I was told that I had scoliosis and he gave me a whole list of supplements to take. Everything from Omega-3 to anti weight loss pills, something called Juice +, which actually sounds pretty good. It's a supplement from fresh fruits and veggies, pressed into a powder form and the sugar has been eliminated. But now, here I sit, looking at a wellness plan consisting of well over $1400 per year and wondering, was this really the best idea?

A Fantastic Halloween Costume

I was surfing the web the other day, looking for something that had nothing to do with Halloween costumes of course, when I stumbled upon the cutest Halloween costume I have seen in a very, very long time. I decided that I would make one up for Baby. It was a little baker girl and so easy! A little white dress with a red and white checkered apron and child size oven mit. Add a bakers hat and a rolling pin, a little fluff of flour and you have the cutest little baker you have ever seen!

Fall is Fast Approaching

Fall is not as far away as it once seemed. I am finding myself enjoying the comforts of bigger sweaters in place of thin flirty shirts and chosing socks and shoes over fun flip flops. There is a definite chill in the air and the fire last night was just not quite warm enough. My cravings for hot cocoa, warm pumpkin bread and soothing soups are slowly waking from their summer slumber and my desire to fill my freezer with yummy icecream and cool treats is dwindling. I find myself sweeping the patio, cleaning out the planters and getting out the patio furniture covers. My gardening techniques have turned from nursing young helpless plantlings to harvesting the fruits of my labor. I find myself spending more time outdoors and my energy begining to renew. The heat of the day does not bothere me as much and I find the slight cooling refreshing and exciting. Fall is my favorite time of year. It encompasses everything that I love. The cooler weather, the fresh fruits and veggies, the wonderful fall foods and the beautiful colors of the leaves. I love a plate full of warm squash, pumpkin bread, corn on the cob and fresh tomatos. Gone are the sweltering days of summer and here come the calm and quiet days of Fall!

Cure Acne Naturally

I am getting greener and greener and the funny part is I used to laugh at all the "tree huggers" and think they were ridiculous. Now I am finding myself agreeing with them alot more now than ever. I find myself leaning towards things that are more natural and natural cures is at the top of my list.

As a 30 year old woman, I am finding that I am still struggling with a slight case of acne. Nothing heavy and nothing that would cause me to wear tons of make-up, but a pimple here and there and once in awhile, one that gets really ugly and is a bit embarrassing. So I started looking for natural acne cures. Things that don't break my budget and help me be more natural. Here is what I found on Buzzle.com. I can't verify any of it, but I will let you know if any of it work, because I will definitely be trying some of it.
"Some Natural Anti-Acne Products you will find in the market Tea Tree Oil, Aloe Vera, Zinc, and Vitamin A are some natural products that have been used with some success to cure Acne. A word of caution about 'natural' skin care items. They often contain certain chemicals for preservation purposes. Some of these may not be advisable for you if you're pregnant or have certain special health considerations. As mentioned, it is best to consult with your doctor before embarking on any therapy.

Tea Tree Oil - Tea Tree Oil is obtained from the Melaleuca alternifoliais tree from Australia. It is very effective against Acne as it contains bacteria-fighting substances called Terpenes. Acne is often caused by bacteria and the Terpenes either outright kill them or weaken them enough to be destroyed by protective antibodies. There are very little side effects from using Tea Tree Oil.

Aloe Vera - The watery gel from Aloe Vera plant is also a highly effective natural cure against Acne. The enzyme-rich gel has very soothing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It can also be taken internally and helps clean up and detox the digestive tract. This in turn can help clear up the skin.

Zinc - Zinc is taken in the form of capsules. It helps to strengthen the human immune system and to repair the skin.

Vitamin A - Vitamin A tablets are also a natural and effective Acne cure. Vitamin A promotes healthy skin.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E also helps in countering Acne. It is a natural antioxidant and beneficial for the skin. Vitamin E comes in soft gelatin capsules that contain Vitamin E, Soybean Oil, Glycerin, and Water.

Some Natural Homemade Cures to counter Acne - The most important thing to do if you suffer from Acne is to drink at least four pints of water every day. Drinking a lot of water is very beneficial to your skin. Including fresh fruit and leafy green vegetables in your daily diet will also bring about a marked improvement in the quality of your complexion.

Before bathing, apply a mixture of tomato pulp – real tomota pulp, not packaged one – honey and rose-water to your face and keep for twenty minutes before washing off.

At night, before going to bed, apply a mix of cream, glycerine, and lemon juice to your face and again keep it on for a short while before washing.

Regular Yoga exercises will also improve skin and overall health.

I HAVE HAD IT WITH CREDIT COMPANIES!!

I have had it with credit companies! Don't they have any sense of compassion? Empathy? Human nature at all? Or is money really all they care about?!? Never mind, I already know the answer to that question. Luckily for me, I carry nothing shy of my house and vehicle on credit. Everything else is cash or nothing! But for the poor, unspecting people that get themselves wound up into the alure of credit cards, there is no help. No escape! First they loan you exorbident amounts of money and make it seem as though it will be so easy to pay it back, then they start. The bills come and you find out that you have way more debt than you can handle and start worrying, then you miss a payment and they add on extra fees, outrageous fees, so you have no possible chance of ever getting caught up. Then come the heartless debt collection agencies that call and call and call some more, upwards of 10 or more times a day I have seen. They are ruthless. Finally when you can not handle it anymore, they finally get around to doing something, usually reposessing the stereo, car or computer you bought, sell it at market value, and cancel your debt or worse, force you into bankruptcy which WAY too many Utahns are currently facing. Yet here we all sit, waiting for the federal government to step in and impose laws to make it easier on debtors. But why doesn't Utah take a bigger stand? Why don't we implement the rules to protect our state from bankruptcy disaster? I think that creditors should be held just as responsible for bankruptcies as the debtor. They are just completely heartless!

Run For The Health Of It

Running is a great way to get you heart pumping, your brain functioning and your body looking and feeling great. However, having 5 children of my own, I can understand how difficult it is to find the time to get out and do it, let alone the energy! However, according to an American study running women produce a less potent form of oestrogen than their sedentary counterparts. As a result, female runners cut their risks of developing breast and uterine cancer by half, and by two thirds their risk of contracting the form of diabetes that most commonly plagues women. Also running has been proven to be an effective combatant to monthly cramping. Running is supposed to aleviate the cramps! Not to mention, it's just plain good for you.

So my challenge for this week is start with just 20 minutes every other morning and go running. You can even run around the block with your child. Do it for you. Do it for them. It will clear your head and make you more efficient throughout the day.

Removing Crayon From Laundry

As I pulled the warm clothes out of the dryer, I wanted to cry! Each and every piece of laundry had any where from small to very large orange stains. The tale tell signs that I had washed and dried a crayon. Now this is nothing new, old school actually. So I went to my blog and dredged up this post from way back when. Embarrassing as it is to admit, this is not the first time I have ruined a load of laundry with a crayon! However, it makes for the perfect Tuesday Tip and Trick for today. Enjoy!

This is a great tip that every mom should have in her never ending supply of ideas. Yes, this is a discovery made due to necessity. As I was putting my girls to bed one night I realized they had no pants to wear to school the next day so I ran downstairs and hastily put all the jeans I could find into the washing machine and I went to bed. Early the next morning I got up for work, put the jeans in the dryer and signed on to work. After work I woke the girls, put them in the shower and came down to have their jeans warm and ready for them when they got out.

Much to my dismay, one of my children, my suspicion lies with my youngest boy, had left an orange crayon in their pocket. Not a pair of jeans were safe. Every single pair of jeans had the unmistakable markings of melted crayon. Well, needless to say, my girls got a new pair of pants that morning and I went in search of a miracle cure for melted crayon.

What I found was a wonderful product call Goo-Gone, sold by most large retailers and grocery stores in their Laundry and Cleaning sections. It is a solvent that works on almost everything. I personally have used it for years to remove everything from candle wax from a shirt to price stickers from plastic and glass surfaces. This stuff is almost as versatile as WD-40! But would it take out the wax and color of the crayon?

Well, I found that it did a great job of breaking up the wax and removing some of the color but something more was needed for the remaining color. This is where I introduced, plain old, everyday dish soap.

So here's the process. Place a white paper towel between the layers of fabric. Squirt GooGone on the spots and allow to sit and absorb. I found that if I squirted one pair and then squirted another pair, I could then return to the first pair to start scrubbing. Using a toothbrush I would scrub in small circles a few times then I would freely add some dish soap and continue scrubbing. I was convinced that it was working by the orange tint arising in the bristles of the toothbrush. After scrubbing each individual spot I then washed in hot water with extra detergent.

I was really amazed by how well this process worked. There were no residual grease marks or color. The jeans all looks as great as they did before the crayon attacked them.

College Road Trip

I am very excited to say that our family got the opportunity to rent College Road Trip from Red Box this weekend and we loved it. It was a geared to the older children and the younger ones lost interest pretty quickly, but with a mattress in the living room and a kitchen full of treats, they still enjoyed the evening.

The story line of the movie is an over protective father who's not so little girl getting ready to go to college in another state. He decided to take her on a road trip to "re-connect". Along the way he does every stupid thing imaginable to keep his daughter from "going away" to college. Along the way they do manage to reconnect while they get themselves in to alot of very funny mischief.

It really was a good family movie, possibly not for the younger kids, but for the older ones and Lee and I, we totally loved it!

Free Silver Jewelry

I haven't mentioned it in awhile and so I thought it worth mentioning. Silver Jewelry Club offers handmade jewelry for free with a new piece debuting every ten minutes or so. All you pay is $6.99 shipping and handling. Below is their current listing.







I can tell you, I have ordered quite a few pieces from these guys and I have been completely satisfied and often wowed by the quality and craftsmanship of their pieces. This is definitely not costume jewelry.

Starbucks, What Do You Think?

Starbucks has been around for a very long time now and has led the coffee industry in sales and volume. They have inspired many, many coffee connoisseurs to open their own coffee shops in aspiration of the "big bucks" that have become synonymous with coffee. Who in their right minds would have paid $5 for a cup of coffee before Starbucks came around? Not me! So now with the economy waning a little, Starbucks has released news of new espresso machines that will revolutionize the way they do business. So here is what I am wondering, will this new machine really kick their profits back into high gear or do you think that the $5 coffee trend is waning as well. Have consumer wised up and figured out that good coffee can be just around the corner and a lot less expensive? It will be interesting to see where this takes the Coffee Giant.

Are Pills Really The Answer?

Every time I visit my doctor anymore she draws more blood. From the results of the blood works she prescribes me more pills. And more and more I am starting to wonder, it this really such a good idea? Should I not be trying to control my body with natural things, diet and exercise and such instead of chemically altered substances? Every day you see it, diet pills, thyroid pills, ED pils, they seem to have a pill for nearly everything! But is that really the best option? Are there ways to combat things without pills? I know I was able to. When they diagnosed me with Hypothyroidism and put me on pills, I started to do some research and found that the Iodine in salt is necessary for a healthy thyroid, however, too much can cause problems as well. I seriously slowed my salt intake and within the year my blood test came back normal again. I have been off the thyroid medicine for 5 years and every single blood test comes back normal. Could that work with other things? I would think so. Hopefully the industry starts to turn to more natural cures as opposed to chemically altering our bodies all the time.

When Computers Get Old

My children's computer is my old computer, the poor old thing is really struggling to keep up. The games and activities they want to play are not compatible with it, it does not have nearly enough system memory and it keeps freezing in strange places. It won't load the girls Princess game and it won't play the toddler games. In general, it's days are up I believe. But now the question is, where do old, out date computers go. It feels wrong just throwing it out with the trash?

Saving Garden Spinach

Saving Spinach from your garden can be tricky. It is a very particular vegetable but it makes any summer salad a lovely treat. Right after harvesting your spinach, take it directly in the house and rinse it in cold water. This will allow it to "go to sleep" and the deterioration process will immediately be slowed. Take it right out of the water, shake it off, bag it and put it directly into the fridge. This will make your spinach last about a week longer once you get it into the fridge and it will stay nice and crispy.

Dress Your Home in Fabrics

DIY home decorating is quickly becoming the norm in our beautiful state for many reasons. It's easy, any beginner can make a couple of throw pillows to accent her couch. It's cheap; compared to hiring a home decorator, DIY is pinching some serious pennies, but even compared to purchasing pre-made Window Treatments, Drapes, Valances, Swags, etc., you are still saving a bunch. You have options; stores just do not have the ability to carry every color and/or pattern or combination to make your home look just the way you want it. It's fun; especially with friends and family. I am sure most of you scrapbook or stamp or have some other gathering that includes getting together with family and friends to create your masterpieces. Home decorating can be just as much of a social gathering. Get your friends together and have a home redecorating at your place. Next month, her's! It's so much fun. Or if you prefer to work alone, it can be just as fun. Get our your needles and scissors, put on some good music and enjoy a fun and relaxing afternoon, turning your home into your home.

There are so many small things you can do to make a HUGE difference. Starting small will give you the confidence to tackle larger projects. Start with some throw pillows for your couch. Look around your living room. Is there a picture or a certain color that you would like to draw into your decorating? Personally, I have a curio cabinet with all my dolls and a light pink picture of dolls that was given to me years and years ago. The picture has always gone with my dolls, but it does not match my new living room. However, I was able to find a fabric that had the same pink from the picture and the brown and blue from my couch, a strange combination I agree, but once I made some throw pillows, it pulled the whole thing together seamlessly.

Now Valances and Swags are not my thing. I know you can do them yourself, but for me, I prefer to purchase them. However, I can still have control over the colors, patterns and textures but finding the right place. Fabric Workroom is a wonderful option to actually making your own. You have the ability to mix and match a myriad of designer fabrics, you can choose from classic styles or create your own custom window treatments. Their prices are affordable and their selection is great.

Other great DIY options are blankets and throws. They create a carefree, cozy, "this is my place" kind of feel to any room. Blankets and throws are so easy to make and can be done in an afternoon with minimal supplies. Tied fleece throws are great for kids rooms, dens or family rooms and fleece comes in many, many different colors and patterns. You can even find sports prints, animal prints or licensed character prints to match just about any decor. Light fabrics combined with a very thin batting can be quilted into a heirloom couch blanket in a matter of a day or two. With blankets and throws, the possibilities are endless.

I hope this gives you some inspiration and a desire to get out there and DIY! Turn your home into "your home".

Pack it Safely

Anytime you travel, safety is a concern. Where to keep your wallet, your purse, laptop all types of expensive, personal items. Luckily there is a company that is looking out for the very same thing. Pacsafe has many, many different options to keep you and your personal belongings safe while you travel as well as a whole list of T.S.A. approved travel kits and luggage options. They have super safe, anti-theft purses and slings that would be a great gift for anyone you know that travels often. Or there are T.S.A. approved luggage tags to take the hassle out of checking your luggage. They just have a whole myriad of options for the experienced, well seasoned traveler as well as the complete novice. Before your next trip, take a minute to look over this site and make sure you are well protected.

Moving? Make It Easy On Yourself!

I am adding this under Tuesday Tips and Tricks because I am so impressed and I just don't think enough people know about this option! My friend T just moved here from South Carolina. She didn't have a HUGE house, but she had accumulated the things she needed to live. Furniture, books, computers you name it. Look around your house, you'll know exactly what I mean. Just lots of stuff.

Well, she was going to drive here but her little car was WAY to small to fit even the smallest of furniture, except, I think she did somehow manage the computer chair, without the wheels? She looked into renting a U-Haul truck but the price on a one way rental was astronomical! Then she found this thing called a Moving Pod!

I had never heard of any such thing! It's a portable storage container. They bring it to you, drop it at your doorstep (figuratively), leave it there while you load it and then when you are ready to go you schedule a pick-up, they load it up and haul it to your destination for you! Once there, they secure it in their storage lot until you are ready for it again and once again, they bring it to your doorstep for easy unloading! The whole idea ofmoving pods is just amazingly simple. But the best part about the whole thing was the price! Nearly half the price of a U-Haul, more than half the price of a moving company and yet, all the transportation is done for you. It is just such a convient option to regular moving, I can't believe I had never heard of it!

Relax In Paradise

As a mother of five, I seldom find time to rest, let alone all out relax! My father has a hot tub and once in awhile I will manage to find the time to escape to sit in the warmth and steam, outside under the stars with the smell of the pine trees wafting over me. Well, I decided that it is hard enough to get out there, it's time to get one of my own! I talked to the hubby and it was a done deal. Our credit union was having a spa sale so we got a great deal and now we are in the process of building the gazebo around it and deciding on hot tub accessories (like a good looking cabana boy!). I found a great website for hot tub covers, they had great prices and some amazing designs! I had no idea you could do that with a hot tub cover! Wow! So hopefully next thing I know, I will be relaxing in my own hot tub paradise! Check out the one I chose!

Isn't it amazing? Really, I will be relaxing in my own private paradise. I have even bought ferns to accent around the deck! Anyone want to join me?

I do have to point out just one thing, just so you all don't think that I am all about the aesthetics, after all, my husband does, this particular cover is made with heavy duty re-enforced outdoor vinyl and the most durable and proven ink sets available. It is tested and proven to be waterproof, resistant of the chemicals used in most spa's, they won't tear, mildew or shrink.

And as for the wood on the gazebo, I might have fought against that horrible looking, green, treated wood with the little holes all over in it, but I agreed to redwood and yes, resealing it every year. And I did give in on the plastic vs. real wood flooring. But in my defense, what good is a spa if it is not relaxing? And just how relaxing can it be without being aesthetically appealing??? So, my paradise is now in the works, complete with a beautiful spa cover to give the look of a plush forest, redwood gazebo and plastic floor (awww, we all take a little, give a little). Now, if I could just find that cabana boy!

Dinosaurumpus

Dinosaurumpus! Is one of my very favorite children's books and one that the kids and I have read so many times that the cover is falling off and torn and the pages are curling. This is a darling book that introduces children to the different types of dinosaurs with a cute little rhyme and happy, colorful pictures that help to bring your children's imaginations to life.

Tony Mitton has a wonderful way with words and a very creative imagination that grows throughout his writing which flows off the pages and into your child's head in a colorful imaginative story full of excitement and fun.

Guy Parker-Rees illustration's are so colorful and vibrant that they just jump off the pages and into your child's imagination to complete the total, amazing experience.

This is a book not to miss. Take the time to find it and read it to your children. I was able to get my copy through the Scholastic book orders my children brought home and I am sure that your local library would have a copy to check out. But however you get your hands on it, just do it, read it and I hope you can enjoy it as much as my children and I have.

Keeping Kids Bedrooms Tidy

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.

Eye Glasses

Wow, I am really behind on the news! I guess that there was a news story about an online company called Zenni on Fox News I guess they offer prescription eye glasses for as low as $8! Of course I hear this after I have my whole family's eyes checked and get glasses for the ones that need them. Big C, of course had to have the Converse brand frames, which were $125.00! That's before the lenses, protective coating, shatter proofing and scratch resistance! We are totally not talking cheap here! $8 would have been a bargain! So I decided to check them out.



I went to ZenniOptical.com to see what they had. I am sure they are going to have basic, run of the mill, glasses. Nothing fancy, nothing special. Boy was I wrong! They had a better selection than Sears and all of them, I mean every single child's frame was totally reasonably priced! They didn't have any designer brands for kids, that I could find, but what they did have were stylish and trendy and not a single pair was more than $29.95! Every single pair was under $30! That just can't be beat!

So now I am left thinking that I definitely paid too much for Big C's glasses. However, I know he will lose them, break them or just plain grow out of them like he does everything else at the moment. So a little vindication comes from knowing that I know am armed with the information I need to make the right decision next time!

Opening The Door To Prayer

I love this quote by Elder Henry B. Eyring from his Ensign, November 2000 talk, Write upon My Heart. It reminds us, as a mother, what a powerful and important role we play in the day to day lives as well as the eternal progression of our children and families. We are their foundation, it is our job to make sure they know that they are loved by us as well as their Heavenly Father and their Savior Jesus Christ. It is our job to open the door, to give them the foundation of prayer.

"When we teach those we love that we are spirit children temporarily away from a loving Heavenly Father, we open the door of prayer to them.

"We lived in His presence before we came here to be tested. We knew His face, and He knew ours. Just as my earthly father watched me go away from him, our Father in Heaven watched us go into mortality."

Silly Sally

If you have the opportunity to read Silly Sally by Audrey Wood, I guarantee you will love it. It is one of my all time favorite children's books. The story reads like a poem with laughable illustrations and a hilarious and very creative story line. The pages are filled with brightly colored illustrations that will keep a child attention and imagination going for a long time. It is a repetition book which is great for smaller children but it is fun enough that even my 12 year old loves it.

It begins... Silly Sally went to town walking backwards, upside down.
Along the way she met a pig, a silly pig. They danced a jig.
Silly Sally went to town dancing backwards upside down....

Along her journey to town she meets up with a pig, a dog, a loon and a sheep before meeting Neddy Buttercup who has a silly way of getting them all to town.

I just can't say enough about how much fun this book is for young children as well as older ones, myself included.

Save BIG $$$ on Groceries + a Killer Deal on Newspapers

I am in love! I was introduced to a new website (completely free!!!) by a wonderful lady. She was giving a class on saving money on your groceries. I have seen this concept before but she had some great new ideas and wonderfully easy organizing tricks that even I can do. So here's the concept:
You combine the store's sale ads with coupons to get products at amazing prices, sometimes even free!

All you need to do is visit Grocery Smarts, use password g84ctw, and they make it all so easy. They list all the stores ads, combine them with the coupons from this week and previous weeks newspapers and tell you which ones will give you the best deals.

Some of the great deals from this week were Herbal Essences Shampoo and Conditioner $0.50 each bottle, plus a free Mani or Pedicure! Power Aid Sports Drink; Free. Oral B Tooth Brush; Free. Juicy Juice, 8 pack Juice Boxes; $1.00. Duncan Hines Brownie Mix; $0.50 each. Stouffer's Family Size Dinners; 2/$5.00. These are some MAJOR savings! My receipts show well over 50% savings at all stores.

Now, I have just started so I don't have the coupon power that I will shortly. However, here is what is suggested. You should get one Sunday Paper for every member of your family, babies included. This allows you to get one product per person using the store ad and your coupons. So in my case, I would buy 7 news papers, one for each of us and I would have had 7 coupons for Power Aid. I would have been able to get 7 bottles of Power Aid for FREE! Oral B Toothbrushes, I could have gotten all of us toothbrushes for FREE! You get the picture, right?!?

Salt Lake Trib and Deseret News:

1 Sunday Paper each week $39/6 months

2 Sunday Papers each week $78/6 month + $8 Grocery Gift Card

3 Sunday Papers each week $117/6 months + $16 Grocery Gift Card

4 Sunday Papers each week $156/6 months + $32 Grocery Gift Card

Standard Examiner

1 Daily Paper and 5 Sunday Papers each week $17.50 per month for 6 months

(I know this sounds like a HUGE waste of paper, it does to me too. But just remember, all those papers you get can be taken to most elementary schools and they recycle them for money!)

Do Kids Need Computers?

These days there is so much wonderful information available on the Internet and so many wonderful activities to keep kids entertained through the heat of the day. But is it all really necessary? It is such a huge expense to buy them computers even with the great electronic deals you can find, you are still pushing hundreds of dollars. Does it really make sense?

Personally, I believe it does. The world is headed in a direction where computer are now the norm and will soon be a constant. Poverty nowadays comes with a cell phone and a computer. Households that do not have money for groceries have computers, Internet access and cell phone communication. It's a way of life that our children need to get used to.

Now with the gas prices the way they are and the economy in a recession, more and more employers are turning to telecommuting to save on the overhead of the business and to help their employees save on the price of gas. Working from home, even for part of the work week is becoming more and more prevalent. By the time our kids are grown, they are going to need to know the computer and Internet inside and out for their jobs, for the day to day lives. I don't know that they necessarily need their very own computer, but I do think they need one available to them, protected age appropriately and monitored closely, but they need to know how to network, how to surf the net, how to send and receive e-mail and how to type. It will affect them in the future.

Gotta Do Something Else

Big C gets the opportunity to visit his friend once a week. At our house, we do not have any gaming devices, the computer is for me and my job only and the televisions hardly ever come on. So he gets there and there is an X-Box, a playstation 3, a computer that they can play on, a PSP and then the television, if they ever get around to it. He spends the whole time playing. I think that his friend gets a bit tired of it, but then the next day they come here and play outside. So I guess it all works out. They get the game time and then the outside time. But, I really wish they could make more games that were as educational as they are fun. Why can't they make war games more historic, I guarantee that you would have a world full of kids that knew their history!

Video Games All Day

D's friend was here today and the boys basically sat ALL DAY on the XBox! Yes, I could have stopped it, D got tired of it but his friend can barely leave it long enough to eat or talk. I snatched them up and took them to the store to get a soda, then dropped them off about three minutes from the house to walk back - it was finally cool enough to be outside. D was ready to stay out for a bit but his friend couldn't wait to get back in and play. Time to clamp down on this!

It would have helped if D's bike was in riding condition, he needs a new inner tube I think. His brother managed to pop it and hasn't replaced it; instead he bought some kind of goo to fill it with. I'm not sure which way we're going on that... Anyway, D's friend said if D will fix his bike, maybe next time they're over here together, C (the friend) can bring his bike. That would be wonderful - his parents bring him in either a van or a truck so there's room. It's better when D goes to C's house, they have a trampoline, a large yard, lots of places to go in the neighborhood.

Because D never leaves the house normally, I had thought of a treadmill for exercise but exercise bikes might be better. I'd like either one and I know D (and C when he comes over) would be all into hooking them up to something. We could have a whole row of them! At least when they sit all day on games, they'd have to exercise to make them run. Some of these exercise bikes you can make payments on; when it's too hot to be outside, they and I could still be treating our bodies right!

Well I Tried!

I pulled out another box from storage to go through, I'm trying. Can I help it if so many things I don't need anymore will be perfect for my little grandbaby girl to play with? Or that some of these things have caused my oldest son to say, "I remember when we got that!" and then go on to happily talk about all the circumstances of a particular item and how much he enjoyed it?!

To me, this means it's not my fault if I don't get rid of all these things - I was GOING to. Really, I was. But I'm not selfish enough to follow through with it. See, it's not laziness this time, it's my noble character shining through!

Troubled Computer - Frantic Son

The computer is giving us a bit of a problem; we weren't sure if it was the computer itself or just the monitor. D brought the monitor from his room down to the main computer to try it and so far, it's working just fine. The monitor kept fading out and displaying horizontal white lines like a signal was being disrupted. D was frantic! He had borrowed big A's jump drive recently to get everything off of the computer in his room (the older computer that has no longer functional components and doesn't go online) to put it on the main computer. He's begging for more ram for the one in his room, I already had to do that for the one down here for my work - and then didn't really seem to need it! He was so relieved to find it's most likely the monitor that is causing the problem after he just copied all his files to this computer for safekeeping, all his music he's written on Cakewalk, and programs he's written.

Now he's trying to persuade me we need a flat monitor for both computers! I like the idea because then I can move this monitor up to the higher shelf and stand while i use the computer and down for him. He wants to sit while he uses the computer so we'd both be happy. Those thin monitors are easy and mobile, especially compared to lugging these huge unbalanced "old style" monitors. I already have been looking but he doesn't need to know that yet!

I Love A Good Massage

Every day I'm debating with myself whether or not to return my massage chair cushion to the store. It's so hard to do! It feels so very good but I end up with a neck ache. I'm not totally convinced it's from the cushion, is it because I don't want to be? If I don't decide soon, it will be out of my hands because it will be out of the allowable time frame for returns. This cushion is something I have wanted for years, finally found one, spent way more money than I'm comfortable with spending...
I realized today that returning this to get a bike is not that reasonable. I know I won't be outside while it's this hot, I hate the heat. And D's bike is still sitting here with a flat tire, if we won't go to the trouble to fix it, why should I buy another bike to leave sitting around? Maybe I'd better unpack that cushion again. After all, the cushion feels wonderful on my back, it has the revolving "knobs" that go up and down your back while rotating, what luxury! If I end up with a neck ache, well D has been massaging my neck for $$! Put the two together and it works out well, actually. I think I just made up my mind.

Where Have All The Recesses Gone?

In the series of historical fiction I've been having D read, there are a couple of times when school recess was referred to. One book mentioned two recesses in a day, later I'm noticing only one is talked about, a combined lunch then play time. That reminded me that kids used to get two recesses in elementary when D's brothers were young, then it went to one, now do they even get one? D's last school, for middle school was only a fifteen minute break!

So, we send kids to school, they sit all day, are not allowed to interact generally, then are made to clear their plates in the cafeteria (I doubt many schools do this but some do to avoid wasting food), have a very short time to be active, then back to more sitting. After that, they go home and sit to do homework much of the evening. Then we wonder why our American children need to lose weight?

Yes, I realize video games, computer games, TV, all that, contribute a great deal but where do children have role models or the chance to MOVE?!

Unbounded Laziness

My laziness astounds me at times. So often I think of clearing out some of the junk in this house that we brought in from storage. Yes, this stuff was in storage for years, I don't expect to finish everything all at once BUT I've had it for months now! I still have box after box after box that I haven't really bothered with. I think of things like if I die, my boys will have to deal with all this nonsense. I like having the bare minimum, just what we need, and a few things for enjoyment. I certainly have no need for old bills, spider-infested boxes of papers and junk, clothes that have been in storage that I can't fit anymore and way too much other miscellaneous nonsense. It's ridiculous.

Instead of setting some obvious goal like go through and completely take care of one box a day or even one box a WEEK, I read or sleep and worry about my job. The big giant air hockey table I need to sell is still sitting in my dining room; I actually DID put an ad up for that but someone took the ad and never called. You would think after discovering that three weeks or so ago, I would have put up another one by now! Not so. My laziness knows no bounds...

Horses and Playgrounds

The grandbabies were just here - little A and I were discussing the new park I found, she's excited about it. One thing I'm a bit worried about is that the playground is in the sun. This whole place has trees and shade but the playground equipment is right out to boil! We'll just have to make this a morning trip.

The other thing about this park she likes is that there are horses right beside it. They're in a fence, belong to the neighboring house, but the horses come up to the fence and littles pet their noses. Pretty cute. We didn't discuss how horses need a lot of room to run, plenty of fresh grass, horse supplements at times, or any of that, she's only four and she just wants to touch them.

Little D likes the horses but is more interested in cows, he had a toy cowboy and a toy cow today, so of course, the cowboy was riding the cow! Babies are so cute and adorable. I'm glad we have a new place to take them instead of always to the same neighborhood playground.

Even Dreaded Jobs Have Perks

Maybe I still hate my job but one thing amused me today. A guy called and had a question, he went on and on and ON. At the end he said, "I just want to know this, I've asked you five times and you haven't even answered." Well. For one, he hadn't stopped five times so that I could answer, he stopped twice and I DID answer then. Two, we are not allowed to interrupt a customer. Three, he had a really sexy voice and a sexy Aussie accent, I wasn't about to stop him from talking!

Adorable, Beautiful Babies and Their Stuff!

Today after work, I have to make sure I get to the post office again, I have so much trouble getting things mailed! I have a gift card for Barnes and Noble for my son, a pretty stationery set for my daughter-in-law, and of course, something for the baby!

This time it's a toy, earlier my daughter-in-law asked for bedding for the baby - she and my son were surprised at how many times a baby's sheets need to be changed! I sent several a few weeks ago, now I'm wondering if they need more, should I say I'm hoping?! There are so many adorable things for babies! This site has plenty of baby bedding, it also has pre-baby things for the soon-to-be-mommy.

Check this out on that page, it's HILARIOUS! Under Most Popular Selling Products, middle of the section, it's great! The pacifier, do you see what it says?! I work on the phones all day and that really struck me, I'm still smiling about it!

This is what Sleep should be

Time spent sleeping should be encapsulated in a bubble and bounce along only loosely attached to the timeline of life without counting against you. It should not affect nor be affected by the passage of one's usual life.

Where should I spend it?

My router may be trying to die on us. It's my son's really but whatever, we all use the same one. In the mail today, I got a card from my parents and wondered why, what holiday is coming up? It's almost my birthday, I had forgotten; they also sent a check! I had planned to take back my newly purchased massage cushion (it feels great but I end up with a headache, can't explain that), to trade it for a bike. With the check I could keep both or go get something to make my work setup better. Now i guess at least some of it's going to a new router. Perfect timing!

Scary, scary, scary -Job change

I'm feeling guilty. I think I'm going to quit my job. Yesterday I DID quit but they asked me to wait and think it over for 24 hours, so I worked today. The only reason I didn't definitively quit is because I don't yet have another job.

Today I found one to apply for, it should be the perfect fit. I feel guilty because where I'm working now is a work-at-home job, the people are great, the pay is what I need, the hours are perfect, everything would be fine if I could stand the actual work. But I can't. So after all their investment in my training, I'm going to quit? That feels so wrong! But if I can get this other job, I have to.
It's scary because this new job may not be a good fit either, I won't know until I try it. If it's not, I have no recourse! Oh, well, here goes, time to update and send in my resume.

Besides, I probably should leave my house once in a while.

Shrinking for Health and Happiness

On a forum I visit a woman posted about the heartbreak of not being able to have kids. I've never met her but it reminded me of a woman I knew "back east" who recently had a baby after none for so long. Their situations were completely different, the woman I knew was hugely obese and she was too unhealthy to be pregnant as a result. I never really had thought about that before but it makes sense. This woman was suffering in all kinds of ways because of obesity, I don't know what was wrong that led to it in the first place.
She moved away for a long time with her mother to be under a doctor's care and had surgery. I don't know if it was lap-band los angeles area surgery but there are centers in several locations. Now she's over 250 pounds lighter, her face is sparkling, she has energy and...a beautiful baby boy! Not that that will be the result every time :-) . I'm so happy for her!


I don't know what other health problems she had, obviously people that get that huge don't do it just from overeating. But just being normal sized helped her self-esteem enough to give her a better attitude toward her health - we all know how much of an impact attitude has on a person!

Is It Really So Hard To Send Mail?

Father's Day is coming, I wonder if I'll get things bought and sent in time? Probably should have already done it, true? I'm waiting now for a call from my parents telling me they received the package I sent, I wish I could write this part in smaller letters because it's SO BAD:

The package contained birthday cards, anniversary card, Mother's Day, pictures of the babies. Why is that bad? Their 50th anniversary was in FEBRUARY! Their 50th! That's major and wonderful so what kind of daughter waits this long to send cards and gifts?? One like me apparently.

It's not entirely my fault in a way. My dad hates holidays and attention, my son (not D) is the same way. Well, yes, D is too quite often. The boys' dad was too. Surrounded by males who don't want to be told when to acknowledge their loved ones or when to acknowledge BEING acknowledged as a loved one - well, that's my excuse. Are you buying it?

Outdoor Gear Time!

Anyone that has guys going hunting, fishing, hiking, any of that, ought to take a look here to find the tough clothes they'll need. Maybe the guys won't care so much about how durable/tough they are but who wants to be repairing or replacing ripped clothes all the time? Not me.
What the guys will like about these tactical pants is probably the fact that they're covered with pockets - okay, maybe they WILL care about how tough these are. They will appreciate not having to deal with bottoms ripped out of pockets they've stashed whatever equipment they need in. It says they're reinforced, double grommeted, all that.


Lots of other stuff here too, not just clothes. I've got a brother-in-law who's a prison guard in California, he's always looking at things like this too. You should see all the boys (my boys, his boys, their friends) with their eyes lit up looking at things he uses! His family is also seriously into back country hiking, way beyond the bounds of civilization, so tough and durable matters.

Is There Still Slavery?

Some tree outside is blowing cotton everywhere - there are so many bits of this white fluff that it looks at times as if it's snowing. At first it was amusing, now...

It made me start thinking of people working in cotton fields, workers, slaves. That led me to wonder about people who are slaves now, even if we call where they work a sweatshop. Are there really still these situations? I've heard references to it from those who are furious about outsourcing by "money-grubbing" big companies. It goes against what America stands for; to make a profit off of slavery is definitely anti-American. I've read about slavery all through history, in most ancient cultures. It sounds as if every group of people have been slaves at one time or another - Greeks, Celts, Africans, Jews... Does it really still go on? And I'm not talking about people who are kidnapped against the laws of their country, I know that goes on everywhere. I'm talking about where it's just a fact of life, maybe even legal.

All this from tree seeds blowing in the wind.

Reminders Of Home

A woman at my work mentioned that she has a gift basket shop or small company. I don't know the details but I remember seeing selling gift baskets listed as a great work-from-home business. I like the idea but I've never actually bought gift baskets for anyone. The first time I tried to put one together myself, I found that I was individualizing it to the point that it could never be a generic gift. But one would be perfect for giving to neighbors or co-workers in an office.

Just last night I read a blog written by a woman living in a foreign country; she was missing her home. Can't you just imagine how wonderful it would be for a friend or family member to send her a gift basket of things from home? That could even work in America for people who have moved to a distinctly different part of the country - send grits and magnolia scented somethings to a displaced southerner, packets of coffee from that special shop to a northerner who's moved...whatever feels like "home".

Truth or Rumor?

Once again, I'm thinking of that deal in Colorado, but this time I'm wondering how true it is. My friend in MD that follows the news as closely as she can with wild littles racing madly about the house, hadn't heard anything about it. That surprised me and made me wonder if this is yet another rumor flying about that I thought was from a reliable source.

If true, I still say genitals decide the bathroom!
If not, I thank God we haven't sunk as far as I feared!

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To!

D and I have been watching TV a bit, and like everyone else, we're appalled at commercials. Things like products for women, incontinence supplies, products for men, don't need to be advertised like they are on TV! Except maybe they should. It's embarrassing to see them but how else do kids find out these things exist?
I've worked in a retail store and can't imagine how bad it would be for someone to have to ask for a product to take care of a problem they don't want to discuss with a stranger. At least they can see aisle headings and just go look for what they need. We sold a LOT of supplies for bladder control to old people. And I know of more than one woman that need things like that after having babies/surgery.

If these things are produced and people need them, I guess it's only fair that people see ads for them, even as distasteful as it may be. Are these physical problems increasing? Guess when it comes to human bodies, they don't make 'em like they used to!

I Want Traveling To Be Cheap and Easy Again

D is SO ready for a long trip. We need to go to California to see the newest addition to the family, my newest little grandbaby. I don't know why I'm so hesitant to drive to CA, I had no problem driving here to Utah from the east coast. Traveling is wonderful, I really enjoy it. The only reason I don't jump in the car and take off is that I'm not sure we have enough time to drive and that it would be better to fly. But even making reservations a month or two out is no less expensive. Plus, if we drive, we can take some of the myriad of boxes of books and assorted belongings my second son left at home when he moved out! THAT I can't afford to do on a plane now that they're charging for every box or bag you take.

Really I need to get online and check out distances, gas prices, cost of mailing boxes, all those things, before I can make a wise decision. I procrastinate because, so far, everything I discover says it will be prohibitively expensive no matter what I choose. So here we sit...

Daydreaming about Homes

When I consider buying a home, I look at all the homes I pass while driving, trying to decide where I want to live, what kind of home I want, how big. Mostly it's daydreaming, I'm not sure that I want to buy at all. The very "temporariness" of renting is attractive to me - I can take off on very short notice.

Something I've noticed is that I like brick homes, many are stunningly beautiful! But so many homes have vinyl siding instead of brick. The first home I owned, our "real" home where my babies were raised, was a 3 bedroom house with vinyl siding and I quickly saw the advantages. It looks as good as wood but comes minus the termites! The look of brick is beautiful but this is earthquake country - I imagine piles of bricks crumbling on our heads if a tremor hits! Maybe it wouldn't but it worries me anyway. Besides, vinyl is cheaper to buy and cheaper to repair.

I just have to decide where I want to live permanently and if I do at all. Somewhere with no mice, spiders, bugs, no deadly hot summers, reasonable snowfall, neighbors that disappear when I want to be alone and re-appear when I'm feeling like having company...

Just Take A Look!

Never Mind, It Won't Be Colorado!
I was considering going in with my brother on a place in Colorado but the law they passed (or are considering passing?) is horrible! Good grief, what an idea, to not allow separate bathrooms because someone is not normal? Some people who wish they were the opposite sex that they are, someone whose physical body doesn't match their mental makeup, someone who is "deformed" determines how normal people live?!

Do we also have to plant a little pet area in the restrooms for those who are confused and think they're dogs? Do we have to outlaw running tracks because some people can't run? Outlaw school because some people are retarded and it's mean to make them feel abnormal?

They ARE abnormal. It's a sad thing and helping messed-up people is part of what we need to do, but to adjust the entire world to pander to (not the right phrase) sick, hurt, deformed people to the detriment of people who are not suffering that way is way out of line!

Bathrooms are about genitals, people! Take a look and go to the appropriate place!

Exercise, Exercise, Come On Everybody, Do Your Exercise

Last night I reminded D - and myself - that we no longer need to stay inside all summer, in Utah we have nice weather. It's not really summer yet, but the sun is out, birds are singing, breezes are blowing, it's perfect. When it DOES get too hot, I'm going to want some type of exercise machine. D has been interested in treadmills ever since he used my mom's - that was years ago!

He wants one to run a motor that will do something, we haven't figured out what yet. The boys' dad always said he wants one that is required to go a certain speed to run the TV. I love that idea but we don't watch THAT much TV. Their dad did but we don't. I'd like to try one that runs my computer but I'm afraid to hook it to my work computer. What if I don't have that much energy one day at 6 a.m.?

Exercise machines come with all sorts of entertainment options to hook to them. But this I don't get - they're not run by your exercise! They're just to entertain you WHILE you work out. So I'll be spending tons of money (or would be if I had it to spend!) for a machine to do artificial exercise on that D will take apart to make even harder to use!

Maybe I'm strange but it sounds like fun to me.

Doors and Alarms and Baby Tinys

My doorknob doesn't work! We're in a rental so we're limited in what we can do I suppose. Is the house settling or something? Suddenly the bathroom door doesn't close - it won't latch. I could find a new doorknob at Schlage, one that will properly latch. On my bedroom door, it isn't all that important, I'm rarely in there but the bathroom is a different matter entirely! Especially when the grandbabies are here! You know THAT routine, right? If it's a locked door, littles bang and cry and try to break in because you're not letting them in. If the door was open, they wouldn't care at all.
D's door closes but has no lock. For his friend's birthday, I bought a gift for the friend and one for D - alarm systems from SpyGear. Both the boys (D and his friend) have little ones to keep their stuff protected from. They've set up these alarms so that whenever a little crosses the beam of light, the first alarm goes off, then a bit later, a shrieking LOUD alarm starts blaring and THEN (yes, there's more :-) it shoots a rubber dart at the intruder! Very funny to watch the littles get caught.
I want a fancy front door. I'm thinking of looking for a home to buy again so I can do what I want with it. The toss-up is that then I'd have to do all the maintenance myself. Doors, blinds, painting, etc. - all that is fine, even fun. But for fixing water heaters and electrical problems I really prefer being able to just make a call for FREE help!

Now I'm All Set Up

Yesterday I stopped at Office Max after running a couple of errands. I decided just for the heck of it to see if they have any desks for use while standing. Naturally they don't. And I had to see that while talking to a guy at a desk that he used while standing! Grrr!
It was just a huge, high cabinet basically, something I really don't have space for. Or space that I don't want to use like that and they didn't sell any anyway. Instead of looking for a store fixture supply outlet, I asked the guy for something a little weird. You know the pull out tray for keyboards that are attached to computer desks? I didn't see why I couldn't just get one of those and attach it to my shelves.

THEY SELL THEM! It's perfectly normal to ask for one! Most likely they're intended to replace one that broke on your computer desk but still...