Early Christmas Present

I got my Christmas present early this year. It wasn't planned. It just kind of happened. I totally blame my neighbor, Jessica. She's the one who faithfully came to my house, picked me up, and took me (as her guest) to the gym. She had hoped I would become a member and that we could go together a few times a week. It was the perfect plan. We were both very excited. That was until my frugal side came out and ruined it for us!

You see, the yearly fee for gym membership was pretty high once you figured it up. I figured I could take that same amount of money and invest in a piece of gym equipment for the house so that I didn't even have to go out to get my exercise. The only thing I ever seemed to use at the gym was the elliptical. I already have a manual treadmill at home so there was no reason for me to use that at the gym. So, instead of spending the money for the yearly gym membership, we decided to go invest it in an elliptical. I feel good about the decision, as I think it is the best use of the money. I know that I will get much use from the elliptical and that it will only benefit me as far as my health is concerned.

So, no more thinking about alli . From here on out, it's diet and exercise all the way. No more letting myself go. No more gaining 20lbs at a time. No more feeling terrible. Just good healthy thoughts in my future!

 

Franklin Springs Family Media

Last Christmas, my family bought me several films from Franklin Springs Family Media. I'm just now taking time to watch them and I have to tell you, I love them! My favorite so far is the Eden String Quartet: A Bountiful Blessing. From the back of the box:

Their road to becoming accomplished musicians has been anything but ordinary. Join the Miller sisters - Megan, Krista, Leah, and Therese - on the fascinating journey from their family’s cattle ranch to their distinction as an outstanding stringed quartet. The beneficiaries of a multi-generational vision for God-honoring family, the Millers encourage, entertain, and inspire an appreciation of hymns and classical music - and for the building of families that honor the Lord.

The music is beautiful and seeing this family together is a true blessing. I wish I had home theater seating so that I might invite family and friends over to watch it with me. Since I don't, I hope that I will be able to share this wonderful DVD with each family or friend that comes into our home. If you haven't heard of Franklin Springs Family Media, look them up and check them out. There are many wonderful films waiting to bless you!

Clorox Anywhere

As one with sensitive allergies, I am constantly looking for ways to reduce allergens in our home. We love pets and have plenty of those types of things to worry about. Recently I was given the opportunity to try Clorox Anywhere. I am always a little skeptical of these types of products. Will they really do what they claim to do? I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Clorox Anywhere is an anti-allergen fabric spray that is dye and fragrance free. It neutralizes up to 90% of pet dander and dust mite matter. It is safe to use around children, pets, and is also environmentally friendly. It is also safe to use on most fabrics, but it it's always a good idea to test a small area first.

In my use of the product, I found it to be very effective. It did seem to reduce pet dander, which was one of my desires. I continue to use it as needed and look forward to seeing the long term benefits from using it. If you'd like more information about this product, check out the website at http://www.clorox.com/products/overview.php?prod_id=aaafs.

As always, thanks to Mom Central for the opportunity to try this amazing product!

Got Ideas?

I'm a sucker for cute party invitations. I love finding them marked down after any given holiday. I usually stock up and the following year, I've got lots of cute little cards to send out. I've seen some really cute Halloween invitations out there but my favorites are birthday invitations. I've used up most of the ones I got last year so I'm on the lookout for more. Yesterday while in Target, I saw these adorable note cards with initials on the front. I resisted the urge to toss some in my basket but I kind of wish I had snagged a few. They were really cute with colors that I just love.

What I need to do is learn to make my own. I could get as creative as I wanted. I never attempt that though because I don't feel very creative. Some people can dream things up instantly in their head. It takes me much longer. If you know if any sites that might help get my creative juices flowing, send them my way!

Online Shopping With EbillMe

Recently I had to do some online shopping because we needed parts for hubby's computer. Since we normally buy our stuff from Tiger Direct, I headed over there and found what we needed. When I checked out, I was able to use a new payment option that doesn't require the use of a credit card. Ebillme allows you to pay for items using online banking. It is simple and easy to set up an account and attach it to your bank account. The advantage of doing this is that you don't have to charge items. It is like paying cash for your purchase. If you bank online, you will find that this is a really convenient way to make purchases. The payment process was so easy that I'm sure to use it many times on future purchases. Overall, I'm happy that I had the opportunity to try ebillme and I am very satisfied with my experience.

Hannah's New Car

Have you tried buying a car lately? Sheesh! A few weeks ago, we co-signed a loan for my niece so that she could get a newer car. We thought it would be a fairly simple process but it took about three days to complete everything. Our niece, Hannah, is only 19 and she doesn't have any credit built up so she came to us for help. She and hubby spent a day or two looking and finally found a car. They went back the following day to do the paperwork and get things squared away. Well, things were going great until the dealership realized Hannah didn't have any insurance. She was planning to get it as soon as she left the car lot. We thought she had existing liability insurance that would cover it until she got to an insurance place to bump it up to full coverage. What happened was that she canceled the liability insurance that day and decided to go to another agency to get full coverage. When this agency proved too expensive, the only option she had was to do a car insurance comparison. That took an entire day. In the meantime, the car she had just bought was sitting on the lot. She wasn't even able to bring it home. She was upset but in the end, it all worked out. She got the insurance she needed and was able to pick up her car. She is now the proud owner of a 2004 Saturn Ion. She is thrilled. It's been tough for her and her brothers since my BIL passed away. He would be very proud of Hannah. I know I am.

Next On My List......

I finally got the garage purged, for the most part. We can actually walk through it without having to kick stuff out of the way and that's a great feeling. We still have some work to do but we have made huge progress. There are still tools and garden supplies that need to go to hubby's building and I've cleaned off some shelves for the stockpile of food and supplies I plan to start accumulating. I'll tell you more about that as things progress.

My next order of business is to get my desktop computer cleaned up. No, it's not dirty. However, it does have tons of "junk" on it that needs to be deleted. That comes from letting a nine year old play games on it. I want to get everything cleaned up and all the junk done away with so that I can use it for storage. For the past eight years or so, I've taken only digital photos. At first, I had them all in nice little folders. Then I started to blog and starting taking some pictures only for that. As you could probably guess, things are now a mess and I've got pictures all over the place. It's going to take hours, days, weeks even, to get the mess cleaned up but I will prevail. Once they are all cleaned up and in the proper folders, I plan to get one of those tiny usb flash drives to back up my pictures. That way, if the computer crashes, they will be ok. This will also be nice if I want to have a ton of photos printed. I can just run to the store with the flash drive, pop it in, and BAM! There are all the pictures.

Here's the dilemma I feel coming on. How in the world do I categorize the photos? Do I do it by year? Do I label them as kid, family, friends, etc.? This is exactly where things started to go wrong with me before. I got overwhelmed with all the pictures we were taking and I got sloppy with my file naming. I'm curious to know how you categorize your digital photos. We have a lot of photos of everything so I need some well thought out advice. I'd like to set up all the folders before I even start trying to move the pictures. I know y'all are going to have some great advice for me and I can't wait to hear suggestions so bring them on!

Have You Heard About Social Spark?

Last September I started doing paid posts, like this one, for PayPerPost. It has been a really neat experience for me and I very much enjoy writing for them. Recently, they launched a new site called SocialSpark. This is a social network that connects bloggers and advertisers. Now bloggers can search and find advertisers that have products they are excited to write about. Advertisers can find bloggers who are better suited to write reviews for their products. It's a win-win situation. I can't tell you how nice it is to write about a product or service you love and get paid for it! Besides being fun, it is also a helpful way for many people to work from home. It has really helped me earn the extra cash we need for dental bills :-o)

Something I really like about SocialSpark is how advertisers can see my public profile. They can read a little about me, see some of my interests, and what my blog is about. This allows them to be more selective in extending ad opportunities. Advertisers also create a public profile so that bloggers can read a little about their company and the products they offer. This gives us (bloggers) more control over the ads we write. We can sort through ad opportunities and pick the ones we like rather than taking opportunities we might be less passionate about. I am a mother and I would rather be writing about products that fall into the parenting category instead of writing about car parts or something I know little about. This is a wonderful way to voice our opinions and experiences with certain products. We are the ones purchasing most of these products. Who is better qualified to write about such things?

I know some of you have no desire to write about products and services but if you have the slightest interest in doing so, I recommend looking into SocialSpark. As I've said before, it has been a nice opportunity for me to express my opinions and earn a little extra cash at the same time.

I'm Almost There

I'm on the home stretch. I can see the finish line in front of me. I'm only steps away, or should I say, pounds away. I can smell it. Victory is about to be mine!

When I started this quest to lose twenty pounds, I didn't actually think I'd do it without the help of lipovox, hoodia, or some other fancy product. Honestly, I didn't really even believe I could lose the weight. I like to eat and it wasn't like my health was in danger. I just felt sluggish, out of shape, and just plain old fat. I was carrying baby weight from nine years earlier. I had stopped getting any real exercise. My clothes looked very sloppy. I had plenty of reasons to lose it.

When a friend introduced me to her secret (Weight Watchers), I thought hey, I can do that. Again, I didn't actually think I would lose it because I didn't think I had the wheel power to say no to all the foods I loved (that were unhealthy or really fatty). Imagine my delight when I learned that with WW, I could eat anything I wanted as long as I was willing to count the cost. I didn't have to give up mashed potatoes. I could still eat queso. Chocolate cake, come over here. I didn't even have to give up my beloved Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop Tarts! I could eat all of those things. The catch was that I had to evaluate what I put into my body and figure out how to eat those things in moderation so that I could still drop the weight. It was so much easier than I ever imagined it would be. I think I started near the end of February and I've lost 15 1/2 lbs. to date. It has come off more slowly than I had hoped for but that's because we've had several health issues with our family in these past months(my BIL passed away suddenly, MIL had a severe heart attack, and my grandmother's health has been declining rapidly). During a few of those times, I've returned to "emotional eating" status. All in all though, it has been easy, and fun. I should also mention that my hubby has been on the diet with me and has lost over 30 lbs.

So, what did we do differently? Well, we followed the WW Flex Plan guidelines (which included eating appropriate portion size), started using at least 90% lean meat, cut down egg and oil use (using mostly egg whites and healthy oils), cut down our sugar consumption (this was my BIG problem area), started drinking more water, and learned to recognize the signs of eating due to boredom, stress, or emotion. It really was that simple. I paid more for lean meats but I found that because we ate correct portions, it didn't really cost us any more in the end. Oh, and fast food, we just said no to most of it. We picked places that we knew had healthy food choices. The thing is, we could still eat at McDonald's and those places. We did simple things such as eating a side salad in place of fries. It's amazing how many calories and fat grams you cut by simply doing that.

I've decided to lose a little more than originally planned. I have about 7 lbs. more that I'd like to drop. I've always heard the last few pounds are the hardest to get off but I hope I can do it quickly. I know there are several of you who are trying to do this too and I just want to tell you to hang in there. Sometimes I know it feels like you'll never get there but you will. The coolest things will start to happen too.....like yesterday, I went to try on some pants and had to go 2 sizes smaller than I normal. That was a cool feeling! So stick with it and you'll feel so much better in the end. If I can do it, anyone can do it!

Mondavi Family Legacy

A few days ago, Robert Mondavi passed away. If you like wine, you might recognize his name. He helped put California wines on the map. After his father's death, Robert and his brother, Peter, took over the family wine business. The two of them could not get along and parted ways. Robert was so successful that he made the Mondavi name, and wine, famous. Peter continued to make wine but never with as much success as Robert.

I'm not an expert on wine, by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I'm an amateur. I'm trying to develop a taste for red wine but currently, the only thing in my wine rack is Sutter Home White Zinfandel. Mondavi wine was one of the first ones I tried when I began the quest to find out what I liked so I'm feeling kind of sentimental.

The Mondavi story is both fascinating and sad. Like many family businesses, there were disagreements that led to the parting of ways. Before Robert and Peter fell out, they had one of the most successful labels in the Napa Valley. Robert's business did well until fighting between he and his sons, coupled with poor financial choices, destroyed the empire. The business was bought by the world's largest wine company in 2004.

I didn't know any of the family history until I learned that Robert passed away. I don't think I'll look at Mondavi wine the same again. I think I'll look at it, see the beauty of the bottle and label, but think back to the strife in their family. A sad ending to an amazing wine making career.......

Time For Change

If you are anything like our family, you probably use the spring time to spruce up your home. We usually do some painting, carpet cleaning, and wash down the walls. It's amazing how much better I feel once we've done this. Because our house was built in the mid-80s, it has a lot of outdated things that we are slowly trying to switch out. The indoor lighting fixtures are very outdated and we've been replacing those one by one. The bathroom faucets are the next thing on my list. Then there's the almost 30 year old carpet......sometimes I think I'll just yank it up and walk on the plywood until we can afford hard wood! LOL!

I really enjoy doing these types of things. My problem is, I try to do too much at one time. I'll start painting and then decide I want to clean out a closet. I have the incredible urge right now to pull up the sticky tile in our bathrooms so that we can put ceramic tile down. I'm trying resist that one though because I haven't purchased any new tile to go down yet.

What is it about warm weather that makes a person want to do this kind of thing? Or is it just me? Please tell me you do it too. I blame it all on my mother because she always has a project going. It doesn't matter how big or small, she's always doing something. I'm comforted by the fact that I know at least one other person who gets this way in the spring. It seems that more and more, people are doing things themselves. Do-It-Yourself shows and websites are popping up everywhere. I'm so glad because if my urges get the best of me, I fear I'm going to need some instruction on how to correct mistakes! LOL!

Franchise Opportunities

Recently, a new hotdog place opened up near our house. We went in to eat on one of the first days they were open. My husband told me the story of how he used to eat hotdogs at a place like this in a neighboring town when he was a boy. We struck up a conversation with the owners and found out that they had been given the opportunity to buy into the franchise. They were thrilled to be running their own business and we were thrilled that they had opened right below our house. This seems to be a growing trend.

I have to wonder what it would be like to take advantage of this type of opportunity. I've toyed with the idea of starting my own business. I wonder if any of you have ever bought into a franchise? Are you glad you did? What do you like or dislike about it?

Kids Ask the Funniest Things

My youngest daughter cracks me up! She loves all things girly. Lately she has become very interested in jewelry. Any time we are in a store, she loves to look at the racks of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. A few days ago, she picked up a gold anklet and slipped it onto her wrist. She yelled at me to look at it and wanted to know what I thought of the "cool bracelet" she found. Not long after this, our oldest daughter and I were in a department store looking at jewelry. I had to laugh when she asked me if I thought that toe rings could be used as regular rings. Where do kids come up with these things?

I'm not complaining though. There was a time when I wondered if they would ever like girly things. They are finally growing out of the "I wanna climb a tree stage" and into the "young lady" stage. I'm enjoying every step of this journey and cannot wait to see them in the role of wife and mother. I thank God for them every day.

Bed Making 101

Have you ever tried to make the top bunk of a bunk bed? It is not a fun task. We bought bunk beds for the girls when they were younger. Logan has since outgrown the bottom bunk and has moved into the spare bedroom and into the full size bed in there. That leaves Caroline in their tiny room and of course her bunk is the top one. I'm not sure why she is so attached to it. I've tried to get her to sleep on the bottom bunk and she does occasionally. However, she doesn't really like to. There is just something about that top bunk. The only problem I have with this is that it is almost impossible to make up the top bunk. It's not like one of those uber cool platform beds that is the perfect height for her and easy on my back.

It only makes sense for us to keep the bunk beds as long as we can. After all, their bedroom is tiny and the bunks are perfect for that space. Once she outgrows the bed it will be a different story. The mystery to me though is this. How in the world are you supposed to make up the top bunk? If you watched me do it, you would crack up. It's not a pretty sight. Honestly, I look like I'm wrangling an alligator. Humor me here and tell me I'm not the only one who has this trouble. I have to think that it is a universal problem. Now come on, share your stories with me. I know you've got one! I won't laugh, I promise (grin).

Oh Brother

My brother is a Virginia state trooper and works in the Charlottesville area. He seems to like his job very much. We are not as close as we used to be but I still worry about him. He didn't exactly choose the safest career :-o) He's a new dad and his wife is young. If I sat around and thought about it too long, I'd worry myself silly.

I remember growing up, he wasn't the neatest person in the world. In fact, if you could get him to pick anything up, you were doing good. When he went to "police school", he had strict guidelines to follow. He had to have all of his gear in order and his tactical boots had to be spotless. Basically, he couldn't be a slob and make it. It's been awhile since I've talked to him but the last time I did, he was training to be part of the SWAT team. It sounds very exciting but again, potentially very dangerous. In order to help me deal with his new position, he'll be getting lots of gifts from LA Police Gear for Christmas this year. I want him to be prepared for his new role and I also want to be able to go to sleep at night!

Drug Rehab

Drug addiction is a serious problem in our society. Every time you turn around, you hear of someone who is going through drug rehabilitation in hopes of kicking their habit and returning to life without drugs. I've never had this type of problem and no one close to me has ever faced it. I am very thankful for that and I'm also glad to know there are facilities out there that specialize in this type of care.

I've never understood how a person gets hooked on drugs. I'm certain that is because I never had any experience with them. As a teenager, I was convinced that if I tried to smoke marajuana (which a lot of my friends were doing) I would die. I'm not sure why I thought that but I did. I thought that if I did it, I might have a heart attack or something of the sort. To think about doing anything harder than marajuana never entered my mind. It's funny to think back on that but I do so with great thankfulness. God protected me during those years and kept me from exploring those things. Since my time as a teenager, newer, easier ways to experiment with drugs have cropped up. I pray that God would protect all those who may be tempted by friends to try these things.

Internet Slander

Isn't it funny how judgmental we are as a nation? Now, think about us as individuals. How many times have we assumed the worst about someone without getting all the facts? I'm ashamed to admit it but I've been guilty of this plenty of times.

A few years ago, someone we know was the subject of some pretty critical judgment. This person is in a leadership position and some people find his views/beliefs controversial. There were a handful of people that really put his name through the ringer. Because they did it online, they kept their identity anonymous while dragging this man of God through the mud. They said terrible things about his family. They were cruel and said things that were untrue. This was hurtful to the man's family and to his reputation.

This must be a common problem because there are companies cropping up that help with reputation management. I think this could be very helpful to companies or individuals who are dealing with similar situations. The thing is, once someone has written negative things about you on the internet, it takes awhile for those things to go away. It takes time to build positive publicity again. This may all sound strange but I'm comforted by the knowledge of this type of help. You never know when you may find yourself or someone you know in the center of internet chatter that may or may not be valid.

Holiday Card Shopping

My friend Jenny and I decided that we would prepare for the holidays very early this year. Around Christmas last year, we discussed getting together once a month to craft since we want to hand make most of our gifts for this year. We have done pretty well until this month and we haven't found the time to get together. However, I've been doing some preparing on my own.

I'm a little obsessed with Photo Greeting Cards. I love them. I look for new designs every season. I want something unique yet simple. It has to be bright, but not too bright. I want it to reflect my personality, with a splash of color. Many of the cards I have received are tucked away in a box. I get them out each year and look through them to get ideas. Afterwards, I start my online search for the perfect one. It is such a challenge to pick just one because there are so many wonderful designs out there. I think looking is half the fun and finding the perfect card is the other half. I'm starting my search early this year and I hope to have my cards selected by summer. My mother and I have long talked about starting a tradition concerning our holiday cards. She has always wanted to sit down after our Thanksgiving meal and address our cards together. Once we get that done, we will put them into our "out" basket and wait for a couple of weeks before sending them. I'm already looking forward to our first annual "card party."

How about you? Are you preparing early? Do you have your cards picked out? Do you have a tradition that surrounds your cards? If so, I would love to hear about it!

Au-Pair Services

Because so many women today work, Infant Specialized Care is in demand. Daycare centers are packed to the gills and many working moms find it difficult to find care for their child. Finding a reliable care giver is sometimes extremely hard. Many turn to relatives for help. What happens if you can't find that help? Have you ever considered using an au pair? For many, this may be the perfect solution.

One benefit of having a live-in au pair is that the child is constantly in a familiar environment. For many parents, this will bring them comfort. If you are a working mom in need of child care, be sure to check out this service. I've included the press release below so that you might read more about it.

DEMAND FOR QUALITY INFANT CARE FAR OUTSTRIPS AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Despite 55% of U.S. Mothers with Infants In The Workforce, Childcare Providers Offering Specialized Infant Care Services Remain Rare

San Francisco, CA, February 26, 2008 – With over half of U.S. mothers of infants employed outside the home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, most must arrange for infant care. Experts agree that the first year in a child’s life is the most critical developmentally and requires a consistent, nurturing caretaker. With maternity leaves as short as twelve weeks, mothers are confronted with leaving their newborns in someone else’s hands. Unfortunately, with limited training for childcare providers and overcrowding in day care centers, what is a mother to do?

This month AuPairCare (www.aupaircare.com), a leading au pair agency, will begin offering Infant Specialized Care™, a program that provides families with a trained, live-in au pair who specializes in infant care and development, allowing working parents to provide their babies with consistent care in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Demand for this service clearly exists: Based on a survey sent to 400 AuPairCare host families, almost 2/3 of families with infants currently employing au pairs said they would be interested in an infant qualified and trained au pair if the service were offered and would be willing to pay for the additional training.
Infant Specialized Care au pairs receive over 40 hours of infant care training, covering topics, such as feeding, bathing, changing, soothing techniques and safety. Additionally, they receive specialized training in infant stimulation and development, infant massage, infant sign language and certification in Infant First Aid and CPR. This training is complemented by significant hands-on experience working with infants, with each of the Infant Specialized au pairs having at least 400 documented hours of childcare experience with children under the age of two.

“Having my au pair specifically trained to care for my baby will help alleviate some of my ‘mommy guilt.’ Just knowing that my baby is being well cared for and challenged developmentally will allow me to stop worrying and focus on my work,” says Kenna Norris, back-to-work mother of a 13-week old baby.

“With so many women with infants in the workforce and a clear lack of quality providers catering to this age group, developing a tailored au pair service that offers specialized infant training and experience was a priority for AuPairCare.” said Heidi Woehl, Vice President of AuPairCare.

AuPairCare’s Infant Specialized Care program launches this month nationwide.

About AuPairCare
AuPairCare is a leading au pair agency in the United States providing affordable, live-in au pair childcare. Designated by the U.S. Department of State since 1989 as an official au pair agency, AuPairCare has successfully placed over 30,000 au pairs from 40 countries with caring American families. To learn more, please visit http://www.aupaircare.com

Contact: Karie Stern
Tel: 415-608-9195
E-mail: kjstern@comcast.net

 

Do You Eat Oysters?

Two oysters wash up on the beach. One oyster says to the other, "you crack me up!"

Many people eat Gulf oysters and love them. Although I'm not one of those people, I certainly agree that there are many great benefits from eating them. They are loaded with zinc, B-12, and omega 3 fatty acids that make them very good for you. However, did you know that if you have certain health conditions, you are considered "at risk" when consuming raw oysters? If you suffer from a stomach disorder, cancer, diabetes, liver disease, or any other disorder that weakens your immune system, you are considered one of these at risk individuals. If you fall into this category, relax. This doesn't mean you will never eat oysters again. You just have to take extra precautions when consuming them. One thing you can do is eat fully cooked oysters.

You can find this and much more information at beoysteraware.com.