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."