Love your job?

Just over a year ago, the economy caught up with me and I was laid off. At the time I was working for Continental Airlines as a reservations agent and I enjoyed my job. It was taxing at times, but the pay was good and the benefits were great! I was devastated when I found myself in the "layoff pool". The company had to downsize just as with most sales jobs have. But the funny part is, once I was no longer working, I realized just how stressful my job had been. I absolutely could not fathom working another phone sales job. I looked at getting back into school, finding a new career, one that I could enjoy.

But then, after 6 months of unemployment, I couldn't do it anymore. I needed to work and we needed the money. That's when the opportunity to apply for my current job came available. I knew I would get the job, how could I not? They were looking for phone sales agents in a travel industry capacity. I have well over 10 years experience in phone sales and 3 years in the airline industry. But I was hesitant, it was getting back into phone sales...

My first day on the job put all my apprehension to rest. This was nothing like airline reservations. The customers were friendly, the company small and the pay and benefits were great! I have been with this wonderful company for almost a year now and I cannot imagine working anywhere else!

I work for Get Away Today Vacations. We specialize in Disneyland and San Diego (Southern California) and we can honestly guarantee the lowest prices on hotels and attraction tickets for most of Southern California! But I can also get great prices on other great destinations as well like Hawaii, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. Just looking at some of the great deals, I am sending my Brother and his Wife to Puerto Vallarta for less than $900 per person, flights, hotel, car and all meals included! Less than $2000 for 7 nights! I love my job! If you are looking for the best price on a vacation, give me a call at 1-800-523-6116. Just ask for Stephanie and I'll get you an amazing vacation at the best price!!

Book Sharing

I am in the midst of my fall cleaning and among many, many other things, I have way too many books. Kids books, novels, self-help books, preteen books.... Tons and tons of books that I just need to get rid of. But instead of just sell used books, I would rather give them to someone that will enjoy them. I wish we had a book exchange program in my area. That would be great! But until then, I guess I will take the children's books to the local children's hospital and send the rest to the DI. If anyone has any other great ideas, I would be grateful to receive them!

Cyber Monday is coming...

Cyber Monday. The biggest internet sales day of the year. It's the day where people jump online to buy the electronics, special toys and other big ticket Christmas gifts that they didn't get on Black Friday.

Internet sales companies know that this is the day when frustrated customers, who ate themselves sick Thursday, only to find themselves standing in line way too early Friday morning to buy the latest and greatest electronics at door-buster prices and found they were beat to it by some maniacal woman who seemed to think she needed 17 52” flat screen televisions, turn to the online world for not as great, but will suffice deals to make sure that the Christmas tree is dwarfed by the large pile of boxes, brightly wrapped in foiled warping paper surrounding it.

Because of this knowledge, they are ready every Monday, following Thanksgiving, with decent sales and gimmicks to drive web traffic to their site. Not an easy task considering they only have 24 hours to move as much traffic as they can away from the billions and billions of other available sites out there. But they do it because they know that is where the money is. So, get your fingers ready, start your exercises now, because if you're not quick on the draw, that maniacal woman that beat you to the 52” flat screen televisions, will score herself another 20 Dell laptop computers that you have had your eye on!

My Stinky House

My house has been so stinky lately! I am not sure what is causing it but I have replaced the swamp cooler pads and the humidifier filters, I have left the windows open and even fed a couple of lemons to the garbage disposal and I still can not figure out what is so stinky! I am out of ideas!

The most amazing thing is... the boys room smells better than the rest house! Go figure! Any ideas on other things I can try?

Get Plenty of Sleep

The days are getting longer, the sky stays light much later and gets light much earlier and we get much less sleep. Not to mention, all the summer re-runs of my favorite shows! There is definitely not enough sleep happening at my house!

But don't despair, I have some great tips to help you fall asleep without the need for sleep aids.

1. Eat Early: Your body uses food to produce energy. So why would you eat just before you go to bed? That is the one time that you do not want energy! Not only will you fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer if you eat earlier, you will also help your metabolism to burn off those calories and lose some of that winter weight. So eat your dinner early and if you need a little snack before bed roll up a piece of cheese in a slice of turkey or drink a glass of warm milk. Turkey and Dairy both have the amino acid tryptophan which helps calm your brain and makes you sleepy.
   
2. No Caffeine, No Sugar: Caffeine is a stimulant and should be avoided 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. Sugar on the other hand will spike your insulin levels and make falling asleep difficult and later, the dropping of insulin could cause you to wake and have trouble falling back asleep.
3. Turn off the TV: Almost everyone has a television in their bedrooms now and I am no exception, but the stimulation caused by television and even the computer, can make falling asleep very difficult. Do not watch television or use the computer during the hour leading up to bedtime and you will find it much easier to fall asleep.
4. Meditate: Meditation has long been touted for all the mental and physical benefits it can bring. If you meditate prior to sleeping, it will help your brain "turn off". Think of your brain as a computer. Before you can turn the computer off it has to download and install all updates and then power down. Your brain needs to do the same thing. Mediation will give your brain a chance to file all thoughts and slow down.
5. Have a Routine: Start an hour before bedtime and take a shower, paint your nails, write in your journal, meditate or listen to soothing music. But do the same thing, at the same time, in the same order every night. Then when you take your shower, your brain and body know that it's time to start shutting down. By bedtime, you will be yawning, relaxed and ready to fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.
   

My Friend Has Gone

I had great plans for this summer. I am still working, but my kids are home. Ladybug is old enough now to "babysit" so Big C can take some time to spend with his buddies. I bought them all season passes to Lagoon so they can spend time there with their friends as well. However, Big C's best friend and his most likely candidate to spend the summer at Lagoon with, is also the son of my best friend.

About a month ago, her oldest son decided to further his relationship with his girlfriend and she is moving in with him. Which of course means that Mom and Little Bro need to move out. About the same time, she realized that her parents and sister really need her help. Her parents are getting older and her sister has had brain surgery and suffers from seizures and yet cannot get her social security disability benefits and struggles to support herself and her beautiful children. So my friend is moving in with her parents to help them out and to be closer to her sister. The problem.... They live in South Carolina! Talk about a ways away!

So she left this morning and I am going to miss her terribly, my son is going to miss her boy terribly and she is going to miss Utah terribly. Hopefully, she can talk Utah up enough to make her parents, sister and brothers decided that they need to move here too. One can always hope!

Cigar Box Purse Craft

Purses are one of my favorite accessories and also one of my favorite crafts! You can take basic everyday items and turn them into some of the most amazing purses! One of my favorite items for purses are Cigar Boxes. Cigar boxes are durable, come in many different shapes and sizes and hold up well to the abuse we women put them through.

My favorite cigar box brand is macanudo. They come in lots of different sizes and are very durable. They take clasps and handles well and if I decide to leave a little bit of the box showing, they have very decorative coverings already.

Most Cigar or Smoke Shops will just give you their empty boxes if you ask. Some will charge a nominal fee, but I have never paid more than $10, and that got me a nice stack of boxes.

Once you have your boxes, you will need to visit a craft store and pick up your clasp and handle. I have found that a hinge clasp works best but magnetic clasps can be fun and add a different dimension to your purse. Your handle can be anything from a regular length of rope to beads on a heavy wire. Most craft stores have pre-made handles or you can purchase a heavy gauge wire and your own beads. I prefer this option as it gives me the ability to personalize my purse just a little bit more.

You'll also want to decide how you wish to decorate your purse. You can do just about anything from tole painting to decoupage to using embellishments. I have one purse that I painted in bright spring colors and added huge 70's style flowers. Another one I printed off lots of black and white pictures of my family and decoupaged them all over the purse and accented it with red ribbon, beads and silver rhinestone embellishments. I have purses covered in fabric, purses with paper mache and silk flowers and even one covered in my children's drawings. There is no limit to what you can create! Wander the isles of the craft store and see what peaks your creativity!

Once you are home, you will want to start decorating your box. I had to learn the hard way that it is important to drill the holes for your handle and your clasps first. That way you know where to place your embellishments, or in my case, where not to place them! Once your holes are drilled, decorate away!

When you have finished decorating your box, then create your handle. If you are using ribbon or rope, tie a tight knot in one end and thread the other end from the inside out through the first hole and then from the outside in through the other hole. Tie a tight knot in the last end and your purse is ready to go. (HINT: If your knot is too small, add a bead to the knot to make it just a little larger.)

If you are using wire and beads, thread your wire through your hole and either add a bead to the end or coil a few time to create a mass which will hold the wire in place. Thread your beads on to the wire to your ideal length. Bend your wire to form a handle and poke the end through the second hole. Again coil it or add a bead to hold it in place.

Add your clasp and your pure is complete!

Prepare for the LSAT tests

I can not believe how important these LSAT tests are anymore. Back when I was applying for college, way, way back when, I was able to squeak by with a "less than stellar" score. Now days, you need a top score to even be considered by the top colleges. Don't leave it to chance!

There are a few different ways you can prepare for your LSAT tests. Current and past teachers and tutors are excellent resources for current information and extra practice. On the other hand, there are many online resources for lsat prep. You can get online, brush up on the information that will actually be on the test, cover test taking basics and pre-test strategies and even take practice tests. Whatever you decide, make sure you do your best to practice and study hard prior to taking one of the most important tests you will ever take. Good Luck!

Office Furniture Addict!

I love office furniture. I don't know what it is, but I could easily fill my entire house with office furniture. I currently have a desk in my office downstairs, a desk in the family room, a desk in the living room and one in each of the children's rooms. Of course, I can't stop with just desks! Desks also need floor lamps, chairs and filing cabinets! My kids and my husband think I am nuts! Heck.... I think I am nuts!

Tough job market, tough times

In July I was laid off from my career in the airline industry. I was out of work for more than 6 months. I was not actively looking for a job for the entire 6 months, and I did get a job that I ultimately had to turn down, but even at that, the job search was not easy. It was a tough market with lots of highly qualified candidates vieing for the job right along with me.

But ultimately patience won out in the end. I was skimming the newspaper and came across a job that sounded ideal. I got that little flutter in my tummy and it just felt so right. I applied and have been with this great company since December. They have taken me on a familiarization trip to Southern California and just generally spoiled me rotten. I don't believe I will ever change companies again. I found my dream job!

Best Wrinkle Cream

I have used alot of really great wrinkle creams in the past and I have found alot of really bad ones too! Right now I am using Oil of Olay, but I am wondering what everyone else finds to be the best. So what I am asking for are your personal wrinkle cream reviews. Which ones do you like? Which ones make you break out? Which ones just don't work? Which ones work just as good as the expensive ones? Speak up and let me know.

A Solution to Life's Craziness...

As a Mom, I never seem to have enough time in a day. I get up, get the kids ready for their days, feed them, dress myself and we head off to school and work. I spend 6 hours every day at work while the kids are at school taking my lunch break to pick up me kindergartener and taking her to daycare after her school day is done. Then I pick her up, pick up the other children and head home to clean, cook dinner and start our bedtime routine.

Somewhere in there I am supposed to be finding time for me. Time to exercise, time to relax, time to enjoy life. Needless to say, It doesn't always work that way.

My poor husband is no exception. He works an 8 hour day, has a 2 hour, round trip commute and comes home to his enormous "honey-do" list. The poor guy has tons of household duties awaiting him, a motorhome he needs to fix, his parents he needs to help move and a gigantic house waiting for him to rewire it top to bottom. I wouldn't blame him if he called a plumber, and electrician and a motorhome towing company and just got rid of it all. And yet, he just keeps trudging along, trying to get it all done. All the while trying to find time for himself as well.

So here is my solution to it all.... I'm going to Disneyland!

Stand by your man, Keep him healthy

Women, most of us take a daily multi vitamin of some kind. Some have calcium, some, like mine are stress relief assistance and some are a well rounded general health type. We know it's important to keep ourselves healthy and we know that most of the time we do not have the time or energy to eat what we need to to get those vitamins we need.

However, our men eat what we eat. So if we are not getting the proper nutrition, neither are our men! So how many of you bought a men's multivitamin for your sweetheart last time you were at the drugstore?

It's just as important for them to stay healthy and keep their energy up. After all, we need them! Who else would move the furniture for us to vacuum, kill the bug in the bathroom at 1am or knock out the wall when we get the wild idea to remodel. We need them to be healthy, and just like our children, they depend on us to keep them that way.

Natural Detoxification....

It is always important, especially in today's world of high calorie, high fat, high preservative foods, to help our bodies flush out all of the unnatural things we put into them. Your kidneys for example need lots and lots of water to flush out all of the chemicals and minerals that build up in them. Your colon, or large intestines, need regular treatment to flush the toxins they retain.

WebMD states, "The practice of natural colon cleanse dates back to ancient Greece. In the United States, cleansing the colon -- the large intestine -- became popular in the 1920s and 1930s. But when the theories behind it lost support, it fell out of favor. Recently, though, colon cleansing -- using, for example, teas, enzymes, or colon irrigation -- has experienced resurgence"

It is now highly believed that the toxins found in your body can cause all types of illnesses such as fatigue, exhaustion, naseaus, pain, cramping, headache and weight gain. One of the main theories behind detoxifying your body, dates back centuries to the belief that undigested foods, minerals and vitamins cause buildup in areas of the body. The buildup creates toxins that are then released back into the body and are rapidly absorbed into the blood by the very nature of where they are stored.

So I would think that a regular, natural detoxification of your body would be very beneficial to your overall health and well being. Natural detoxifications can be done many, many ways. Anything high in antioxidants like grape juice and green teas are a great way to help your body on a daily basis. And for those who are believers, many religions believe in fasting as a religious practice, however, God would never lead you astray! Fasting regularly is a wonderful way to give your body the chance to flush out all the toxins it's keeping. And a water flush is another great way to flush your body, especially your kidneys.

Take some time to find out which option or options would be best for you and try it. See if you can give yourself that boost you need.

I want your opinion...

I have been seeing alot of appetite suppressants being advertised lately, tons of appetite suppressant reviews that you can never be sure legit, and I am wondering if any of them actually work. I want to hear from people who have actually tried them and I want to know your results. Did they really suppress your appetite? Did you lose weight? Did you find yourself binging after they wore off? Did you find the side effects to be too much to handle? What are your experiences? I want to start an open conversation about appetite suppressants, complete with your experiences, thoughts, warnings and praises. So please, let me know what you think. Leave your comments below and lets start a discussion on this.

Why kids are better than 1 hour on the ellipticals...

Why having kids is better than spending an hour on the ellipticals...

#1 Laundry, Breakfast, Shopping, Cleaning, School Program, Dance Practice, Soccer Game, Football Practice and finally bedtime....

#2 "Why did you draw on the wall with permanent marker?!?" Scrub, scrub, up and down, up and down, scrub, scrub

#3 "You let the dog off it's chain?!?" "Here puppy, puppy. Here puppy, puppy" "No! Bad puppy! Don't run away from me!"

#4 "You had a crayon in the pocket of your jeans and I missed it?" Take the clothes out of the dryer, scrub, scrub, scrub.

#5 Kitchen cleaned, on to the livingroom. Livingroom cleaned, on to the..... What have you done to my clean kitchen!?!?

#6 Disneyland? Seriously?!? How about the beach instead?

Natural Eczema Treatment

I have long been a huge promoter of the wonderful health and wellness benefits of Coconut oil and here is yet another wonder benefit. Coconut oil works as a healing agent as well as a wonderful moisturizer so for those of you with eczema, try this.

Take a teaspoon of Coconut oil, mix it with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. After washing your hands with soap and water, massage the coconut oil and sugar mixture over the area affected by eczema. Rinse the mixture off and pat dry. Massage with another 1/2 teaspoon of plain coconut oil and pat dry with a soft towel. You will instantly feel the difference!

Wintertime Blues

It must be wintertime. I know this because my father just returned from Arizona. He was down there looking at Phoenix and Scottsdale foreclosure homes. He always seems to get the wintertime blues just about the time the inversion starts to settle in and he starts thinking that the grass is greener somewhere else.

But the good news is that soon the inversion will lift, the sun will find itself closer to the earth and melt the snow and he will start to get cabin fever and I mean that in every sense of the word. He's building a cabin up in the woods and he can't wait to get up there to play!

I Want to Win a Wii

I am very excited. Today my boss announced that the top seller will win a Nintendo wii with the Guitar Hero upgrade. Now, I'll admit, I do already have a Wii, but I do not have the Guitar Hero nor do I have a Wii that I can use. Every waking minute at least one child is on our Wii.

So if and when I win the Nintendo Wii from work, I will put it in my newly cleaned craft room and they will NOT be allowed to use it! Wahhhhhahahahah!!!!

I Hate Computers!!!

I work all day on a computer. These lovely little POS systems are supposed to make our lives easier, however for all their bells and whistles, they are inherently irritating! They never work the way you want them to, their programs can only work one way and a simple change can take six weeks to create, test and install, followed by another six to twelve weeks of troubleshooting and "bug fixes".

Well, at work we are in the six to twelve weeks of troubleshooting, "bug fixes" and hair ripping! I can't seem to get through a single order without needing technical support to finish it out. Considering I work partially on commission, this is negatively affecting my bottom line here people!!! Can't I just take the orders by hand???? Pretty, pretty please!?!