The Locator

I have wanted to watch that show called The Locator on the WE television channel. I kept missing it but I am watching an episode tonight. I guess the person who does the locating decides each week which cases he will take, and then you follow him on his journey.

This week he was trying find a guy that a lady had met years ago when they were both in the service. When the lady got pregnant she decided not to tell the father. Now the son is like 25 years old or something and in the service himself. The son had a service buddy die and it really shook him up and brought to the surface the need to know his father.

The "locator" tracked down the father. On the first phone call to the father (his name is Dean), Dean hung up on the locator because he thought the call was a hoax. After Dean had a while to think about it, it dawned on him that it was a possibility so he called the locator back. Dean is currently happily married and the father of three other children.

Now they are working on having Dean and the son, Chad, meet. Luckily his wife is being very supportive of the whole thing. They did a DNA test just to make sure that he was the father, which I think is smart. They have not told Chad that they have found his dad yet. They are getting ready to surprise him right now. The locator took Chad on a drive and stopped to talk to him on a road. He then told him he was standing on the driveway to his dad's house.

Wow! I can not imagine that feeling. Seeing your parent or child that you never knew existed. What a great job it must be to reunite loved ones. And the sad things is that he seems like he would have been a good dad. The foot notes on the episode said that they spent Christmas together and that he has become close to his father and a sister. I hope they all do well together.

Lovely Lighting

A few weeks ago my family and I were visiting some friends of ours. We often go over to their house to let our kids play with their little ones. Over the years there have been many little mishaps either at their house or ours, even before we all had kids. A spill on someones new carpet here, a broken TV tray there. It seems like we trade accidents back and forth.

The latest little mishaps was by one of our kids at their house. Our youngest somehow pulled on the cord that went to a lamp and pulled it over. Luckily no one was hurt, but the lampshade was crushed. I decided to visit a website I had been to before, Farreys.com. They have so many lovely lighting options in every thing from table lamps to torchieres. I figured they would have some nice shades to choose from and I was right.

While the selection of lamps and lamp shades is nice, the site always makes me want to buy new light fixtures for every room in the house. It is amazing how much the lighting in a room can change the whole feel of the room.

Finally a Happy Ending

There have been so many sad or horrible stories in the news lately. Part of me wanted to write about it, I mean that is why I started blogging right, so that I could voice my opinions on things. Well I just did not have the stomach to "talk" about these recent horrible happenings.

I just read a story that actually made me smile. Two men in Massachusetts saved a 18 month old little girl from almost certain death. One man was a across the street from the little girl's house when he noticed the her dangling from a third floor window. The first man raced across the street dodging traffic as he ran. By the time he got across the street another man had noticed what was going on. Before they knew it the little girl lost her grip or something and started to fall.

The two men managed to catch the girl and save her from the 40 foot drop and near disaster. I hate to think of what might have happened if they had not been there to catch her, but they were there! Finally a happy ending! I am so glad that this little girl was saved. I am also thankful for the feeling of something being good in the world this week.

Fitness Equipment Options

I am still on my quest to find the right combination of timing and motivation to get myself into better shape. I signed up at the local fitness center, but it is so hard to get time to actually go there that it is not doing me much good.

I thought perhaps if I got a good workout machine for the house that I would have less excuses. I found this website called SmoothFitness.com that has some really useful features. There are tools on the site that help you pick out just the right piece of equipment based on several criteria, such as your height, budget, number of users and more.

I was thinking I might get a treadmill, but I can't really decide between that and and elliptical machine. Either type of machine would help me reach my goal of a more healthy, toned body, I just have to commit to using it. I like the idea of the fluid motion of an elliptical, but my husband likes to actually run so I think he would prefer a treadmill.

I found something new on the site that I had never heard of before called an AGILE exercise machine. It is a new technology twist that is similar to an elliptical machine, but with even more types of motion involved. I guess it works more muscles in different ways to help tone and tighten your body. Like I said there are many great options when it comes to fitness equipment, and SmoothFitness.com is a great website. Now I just have to pick out the right equipment and stick to a workout schedule so that I can reach my goals.

Cable Costs

I am wondering how we ever got by without cable TV, net and phone service before, but I am now trying to figure out how to cut costs on it.
I checked with them today and we could get bare bones cable just for the TV for more than we are paying now because somehow we locked into a price before which by the way includes HBO for less than what I would pay for just 16 channels.
All this change over to HD TV and the new boxes and all the commotion to make sure we have reception is driving me nuts.
So I guess for now we are stuck with cable until I can find a cheaper replacement.
Every thing costs so much anymore and this economy sucks!

Have A Seat

Mom and Dad went on a vacation a couple of years ago and one of the places they sent to was North Carolina.
Mom was telling me about this furniture place that had great furniture that they sold at discount prices and she wished that they had a trailer and were on their way home because she would have bought some furniture from them right then and there.
So as chance happen as I was surfing the net the other nite I ran across this same store that Mom was telling me about.
I opened the web link and wow did they ever have nice furniture...I mean rally nice!
Mom was really taken with some other their Ashley Furniture and when I showed her what I had run across, she looked at Dad and informed him that she waited way too long and wanted to go back to that store and get her some new dinning room and living room furniture...NOW!
So dad said that the prices were so reasonable and he agreed the furniture was quality stuff, so when the income tax check comes in, they will be on their way back to North Carolina to get new furniture.
Between you an dme though, I think Mom will get jusgt a bit more than dinning room and living room sets, I saw her sneak peak at a couple of bed room sets too.
We will see...it will be a nice trip all the way around for both of them.

Turning a Cupcake Into a Castle

Ok, so we survived the trip to the party and cake supply store. We let the girls talk us into way more pretty little plates, cups and do-dads than we needed, but they were happy. We went to the aisle that had all the candles and cake toppers to look for a Tinkerbell topper. The girls start oohing and ahhing over all cute little characters and pretty little candy embellishments. They of course could not agree on any item.



One started picking out Tinkerbell, then they saw heart shaped candies, then princess designs, then a Cinderella candle,,,Aaaaaaakkkk! It made my head spin. They ended up with heart candies, a Cinderella candle, a Tinkerbell candle, AND the princess candies. I was picking out pans to try and make the giant cupcake then I had a brainstorm. We had bought a kit to make a castle cake last year and we never got to use it. So since they picked out mostly princessy things I asked them if we could make a princess castle for the party instead and do the cupcake another time. Wonder of wonders they agreed,,,,hurray! So now I have to make a castle instead of a cupcake. Which means I need to learn to make those little icing flowers before this week end.



It also dawned on me last night that PUMP IT UP, the party place that I was telling you about, was going to supply all the paper products. I completely forgot, but the girls wanted princesses and Tinkerbell anyway. I should know better than to take the girls shopping with me for stuff like that. Daddy and I are both big suckers when it comes to making the kids happy.

Finding The Best Rates

My hubby and I were just taking about trying to refinance our home. I started looking around the net to see what the current mortgage rate were. I could not believe how hard it was to find real information. I thought I would just type in current mortgage rates and I would get my answer, but it was not that easy.

I finally found a cool site, called MonitorBankRates.com, that has all the current rate information I needed an more. They not only have mortgage information, but CD Rates at Banks, credit card rates, and other banking rates. There is a section of useful financial calculators too. You should check it out if you are looking for that lately financial rates and information!

Cool Tinkerbell Cake Stuff

I was looking around Ebay to see what kind of Tinkerbell cake stuff was out there. I found this cute set of Tinkerbell and the other fairies. My girls did say it would be cool to have ALL the fairies on the cake, but I did not know what I might be able to find. Now that I know they exist I need to go and find them locally somewhere.

I would just order them off of Ebay, but I am not sure if they would make it here on time for the party. The design of the cake in the picture is so cool . If the girls had not already picked a giant cupcake as their cake I might have tried this design. I am going to try and get a leaf icing tip and put a bunch of leaves on the cupcake and flowers too. I am not sure what I can manage to do myself. I might have to buy the flowers, but I want to give it a shot at making them.

I guess it is a trip to the party and cake stores today so that I can see what I can get my hands on. I don't want to go overboard, but I want to get some streamers and balloons too! You gotta have balloons at a birthday party right?

The Perfect Birthday Place

If you have been to my blog before you know that I have been searching for just the right place to have a combined birthday party for my two oldest kids. You may also know that I research stuff to the tiniest detail before I make a decision. Well, ladies and gentlemen the search is finally over!

What would you say if I told you I managed to find a place that is affordable, clean, and fun for any guest from the young to the young at heart? Sounds impossible right, well believe me it isn't, it is a place called PUMP IT UP. They are a chain of "Inflatable Party Zones" that have all those awesome bounce houses, obstacle courses, slides, the whole nine yards. We are going to the Hartville, Ohio Pump It Up, but they have over 175 locations so there is a good chance that there is one near you. If you are looking for a place to rent for your kids' next birthday party, I would definitely check out their website.

I am so excited I can hardly wait and it is not even MY birthday. My daughters know that we are planning a birthday party for them but other than what kind of cake I am making, they have no idea what else we are planning. My oldest just sat down next to me as I was looking over their website again. She saw the cool pictures and said "Ooh, can we go there?", I smiled knowingly and said "maybe someday baby". I was giggling inside thinking about how happy her and her sister are going to be that day. They are going to feel super special having the whole play area to themselves.



This is the first time we are having a big birthday party outside of the house. We have never rented a location before so of course I wanted to make sure I chose a good one. I had heard from other friends that this place was awesome, but I had never been there before, so I got on the website and was amazed at the range of packages, pricing, and options. I am bringing my own cake because the girls requested a particular cake. If I wanted to this place would supply every thing from the cake, to pizza and drinks, to goodie bags, the list of options is huge. They even give you a HELPER! Did you hear that moms and dads a HELPER! hurray!

I can not see a down side to this place. I have the party there, they bounce and play, they eat, then the Pump it Up helper cleans up the mess, and we all go home happy. I will post again after the party and let you know how it went.

Attack Of The Giant Cupcake

I am still working on the details for my daughter's combined birthday party. I always save some elements as surprises and then other details I like to have their input. This year I am letting them pick what kind of cake I make.

In previous years I have made heart shaped, an Elmo head, even a treasure chest complete with gold and jewels. Trying to get two kids to agree on ANYTHING is not the easiest thing to do, but I think we have reached a compromise. One daughter wanted Tinkerbell and one wanted a giant cupcake. So what are we making? You guessed it,,,A giant cupcake decorated with Tinkerbell stuff.

Now I just have to figure out HOW to go about making the giant cupcake. I have watched countless episodes of cake shows like "Ace of Cakes" and I think I might carve this cake like I have seen them do many times. Although Duff at Charm City Cakes might not approve because he does not like cupcakes, he did make the Guinness World Book of Records' biggest cupcake one year. ( I do not know if the record still stands) So I guess as long as it is not your typical cupcake Duff will be ok with it lol!

I think I am going to order some Tinkerbell stuff off of the net. I don't think I can master sugar sculpture in a week. I am going to head down to the cake and candy store downtown and see what kind of pointers I can get for making the cupcakes itself.

Online Help For Treatment

I have talked before about different treatment centers that I have read about locally, or on the internet. I recently found a site called Treatment-Centers.net. They are an online guide of sorts that can help you find the help you might need for a variety of disorders.

Some people have drug or alcohol problems and some are dealing with eating disorders, then there are others that have what is known as dual diagnosis. Simply put, it is when you have more than one addiction or disorder to deal with at the same time. There are facilities that specialize in dual disorder treatment and it's special challenges.

This site seems really helpful if you or a loved one is looking for treatment in a almost any category of problem. There is even a resources sections where you can find links to books, magazines, support groups and much more. You can even join their online community and get support right over the net into your home.

Cake For Dinner

All the thinking about cakes and birthdays that I have been doing made me think of a different cake I made before.

Does this look yummy? It is not chocolate or vanilla, or even marble cake. It is a MEATLOAF cake..yes Meatloaf. It is a fun twist on the old standby that combines solid nutrition with a touch of fun.

You can get complete instructions here. But your family will get a kick out of this unusual presentation.

SO let them eat cake for dinner!

The Saturday Morning Snuggle

One of the things we really like to do as a family is to snuggle together on the couch or in our bed. We watch tv or a nice movie together and it is a really simple, nice time. We especially use to like piling in the bed together on Saturday mornings. We have not been able to do this since our old mattress wore out.

We have been meaning to get one for awhile now, but just can't seem to find a bed we really like. I was searching the net and found a site called Time4Sleep.co.uk, they have a nice selection of wooden beds on their site. I like the warm feeling of a wooden bed in a bedroom myself, but there are plenty of other styles on that site as well.

I can not wait to get a new bed set up and maybe buy a new comforter set too. Then we can all snuggle the whole morning again like we used to. I think for the first family snuggle in the new bed that I will make a nice (not to messy) breakfast. Some lovely English muffins and juice, maybe a little tea too. Mmm I can almost feel the cozy comforter and smell the warm tea. I can't wait!

A Silver Lining to Natashia Richardson's Death

If the parents of a Mentor, Ohio 7 year old had not heard the story of story of Natashia Richardson's death, they may have a had a tragedy of their own. Connie and Donald McCracken were watching television one night when they heard of the stars accidental death due to a head injury. There thoughts went to their daughter who had gotten hit in the head a few days earlier with a baseball.

The family was outside playing when the girl was accidentally struck above her left temple area. It swelled so they put ice on it. The little girl acted fine so they thought everything was ok, but then again Ms. Richardson seemed ok for awhile after her accident too. Should they get their daughter checked by a doctor? Later that evening, their daughter came down with a headache, that was the last straw in the decision making process, they called their pediatrician.

They ended up taking their little girl to the local hospital, where she was soon taken by helicopter to Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. They did not even want to chance the 30 minute ambulance ride. When they got the girl to Rainbow Babies she was rushed into surgery. She did in fact have a similar type of internal bleeding that Richardson had.

Doctors said that if the little girl had gone to sleep that night, she probably would not have woke up the next morning. I am sure it would be only a small consolation to Natasha's family, but a consolation none the less. And I would think that Ms. Richardson would also be glad that she could help in some way save the life of a little girl. I am glad that the McCrackens paid attention and took action.

Spruce Up Your Fencing For Spring

If you are like my husband and I you can not wait to get started on all the projects of spring. Plant a garden, clear out old leaves, maybe paint the shed and the fence this year. Usually the task of painting a fence can be a bit of chore. Check out this cool gadget called a Ronseal Fence Sprayer.

It is a cordless battery powered unit that gives you the freedom to go anywhere in your yard or garden. It says that the battery will last long enough for you to spray up to 40 fence panels. That would be a pretty good sized fence.

They also have a lot of other interesting products on that site like eco-friendly stain for you to use on your fence project. Check it out!

I Am Not That Trusting

I just read an article about a man in Britain who was so trusting of his GPS unit that he almost go himself killed. He said that the unit kept insisting that the dirt on which he was traveling was a road. In fact it was nothing more than a dirt footpath or pedestrian trail of some sort.

I guess the motorist thought that the GPS knew best and kept obeying its commands. It was not until he came up against a thin wire fence that he stopped his vehicle. He was only inches away from a 100 foot drop. Are you kidding me?! Even if a device, a map , or even a person gives me directions I am certainly going to stop following them when they lead me off the beaten path.

While we were on our trip this past Christmas we thought that the GPS was wrong a couple of times when we were using to find a particular store or location. We did give it the benefit of the doubt for a mile or two, and eventually it did lead us where we want to go. But I am sure if it said turn right and plunge off the nearest cliff that my husband would have thrown the thing out of the window.

Always Call The Right Lawyer

When you get involved in a legal matter, you absolutely need to know when to call a lawyer and to make sure that you contact the right kind of lawyer for your particular situation.
Not all lawyers handle criminal and family cases.
Lawyers specialize in certain fields to serve you the best way they can.
So if you are ever arrested say for DUI or Domestic Violence or any criminal charge you would need to get in touch with a good criminal lawyer.
I know this for fact because I have a cousin that lives in California and he had a charge come up that was totally bogus and it is a good thing he lives out there because they have some of the best criminal lawyers in his area.
He immediately made a call to a number that connected him to a legal group in the area that has a AAA rating with the BBB and that is due to their business ethics, professionalism and client satisfaction.
The San Fernando and Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyers got there quick and told him on first contact what to do and not to do with the police in order to give him a fair and honest representation.
Long story short, the lawyers were familiar with the matters involved in his type of case and actually got the charges dismissed.
He now has no record and he is being very careful of what friends he chooses to run with.
What a close call that was. But all's well that ends well.

Rainy Days and kids

It is not snowing here today but it is raining out and the kids are so bored.
I am trying to figure out something to make them happy inside, but it is a bit hard with the ages the kids are.
Oh what to do?
And I am totally against them watching TV all the time.
I refuse to have a bunch of COUCH POTATOES.
Oh, my what a nice thing just happened.
Hubby called and invited us out for a nice lunch.
So I am packing my tribe up and we are going OUT TO LUNCH!
I don't even have to figure out what to fix for lunch here and I won't have to do dishes.
How cool is that?!
See you all later

Seeing The Best of Vegas

I got to go to Las Vegas two times in my life so far. I had a great time each time I went of course, but I wish I had a little bit longer to stay each time. I still have not gotten to see a Las Vegas show. I think that all of the great shows are one of the main reasons people go to Vegas. I mean the gaming sure is fun but you can go several places these days if your only goal is to gamble.

Next time I go I hope I get to see one of the Cirque Las Vegas shows that are out there. I have always wanted to see Cirque du Soleil show, but I was never really out there long enough to get to go to one. I think next time I will plan ahead and make sure that I get tickets to a show before I leave for Vegas. That way I will be sure to go and that they won't be sold out when I get there.

I found this cool site called BestofVegas.com where you can research anything and everything that is going on in Las Vegas. You can even purchase events tickets right from the site. I was looking around the site and found out that there are now at least five different Cirque shows. Now I have to decide which one I would want to see that most, they all sound awesome. I think the one called O would be a cool one to go to if we take the kids, and then there is one called Zumanity which would be better if it is just the hubby and I.

It says that Zumanity will open your eyes to the sensual side of human culture. Sounds like an interesting date night event with my husband. The Cirque show called O looks like a combination acrobatics and water ballet or something. I think our older kids would flip out. OF course I would have to make sure they did not set their own trapeze act up in the basement when we got home, they are rather inventive.

I am going to have to go back to that site and check it out more later. They have so many cool things going on in Vegas I think you would have to spend a year there to start seeing everything there is to do.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the tissues iz! AAAACHHOOO!

I can certainly tell that spring is on its way because every other person in my household has some sort of sniffle, sneeze or cough. Even before we get the full benefit of green grass and pretty flowers we have to deal with sinuses and hay fever. It does not seem fair that all the yucky stuff comes out before the pretty stuff does.

It is time to stock up on tissues, throat spray, antihistamines, and don't forget the hard candy. We were just starting to have a few warmer evening where the furnace was not running all night. So the family just starts breathing easier because the drying furnace is running less and BAM! I really love spring and the promise of the new season to come, but it gets a little frustrating when you are the mom trying to keep the family healthy.

I think I am going to talk to the family doctor and our pharmacist to see about some natural alternatives to antihistamines this year. My favorite pharmacy to go to is a natural health pharmacy in our area called Ritzman's. I do not know how wide spread that chain is, or if it is just in Ohio. I like going there because they are well versed on homeopathic and man made medicines. They understand that there is more than one way to treat something and it is not always the most common or even the most expensive.

I also like that they know how natural stuff and other drugs work together or NOT together. I like having the option of what to use to keep my family healthy.

HAPPY SPRING...AAACHOO!

Shopping for Auto Insurance

I am sure you are familiar with many of the popular search engines these days right? Well my dad thinks I am a search engine. I am not sure if that is a promotion or not because when I was little he use to think I was a dishwashing machine. Anyway he wants to see if he can get a better deal on Van Insurance so of course he has me do the research.

I found this cool site called autonetinsurance.co.uk, now I am not sure if they can insure people outside of the U.K. but I might see if that is possible. They sound like a really interesting company. They even have types of insurance that I did not know existed, such as tool insurance, and pet insurance. I guess they came up in my search because their home page says they can save you up to 70 percent on van insurance, sounds like a good thing to me!

If you are in the UK I would definitely check them out. It says that they price check 40 of the UK's leading insurance agencies every day and that they have 24 hours customer service. I will have to tell my hubby about the tool insurance, I never knew there was such a thing. Maybe it is a guy thing. I will probably tell him and be all excited about it and he will say, of course there is tool insurance. I still want to tell him anyway just in case he does not know, because he has a lot of tools that he uses for work. Insurance is always a good idea.

Disney's New Bi-racial Couple

OMG,,,,is it a slow news week or what? With all that is going on in the world and the economy I can not believe people have the time to be in an uproar about a DOLL!.

I guess for some time people have thought that there should be an African Disney Princess. That sounds fine with me, all little girls like to play with dolls that look like them or their family. Disney came up with Princess Tiana and re-writing the frog prince story for this character. Well now that there is a lovely dark skinned princess for little girls to play with everyone is happy right? wrong!

I guess when the frog gets kissed he turns into prince Naveen who is tanish, but has" decidedly white features" I think is how the article I read put it. Yes I admit that the prince looks like he has a tan, or maybe he is Latin or something, but WHO CARES!? Then there was also hub bub I guess over the original name for Princess Tiana. She was going to be Maddy but some thought that it sounded too much like "Mammy". Then others were upset that the story is set in New Orleans because it was stereo typical or something. I though the people of New Orleans had a great cultural background that they were proud of, lots of tradition and roots? Where are they suppose to set it Utah?

If anything maybe the fact that this couple does not "match" is a better lesson for little ones to learn early. That is suppose to be what America is about right. the melting pot. More families I see now days are more like a rainbow than a matched set. You would think that people would be praising the diversity lesson here. I am tired of people looking on the bad side of things.

That is one thing I am hoping will come out of the Obama presidency, that once and for all this dividing line will go away. He proves there is truly equal opportunity for all if you work hard enough for it. Until we stop pointing out the differences, there will always be an issue with being different.

We are Humans period..let's start acting like it.

More Dreams of The Perfect Vacation

Oh my goodness, I found another awesome vacation idea. Check out this link about Cancun tours and activities. Have you ever wanted to swim with dolphins? I have always thought it would be a fun thing to do, but now that I have kids I would LOVE to have them experience it.

My oldest two are totally in to animals and fish etc like most kids. They love going to the zoo or even just to a park to feed the ducks and squirrels. I know I said I wanted my next vacation to be kidless, but if I could take them to do something like this there is no way that I would pass it up.

It says that even if you do not want to actually swim with them you can sit really close to where the dolphins are and just relax in your chair and enjoy the sun. This would be cool for someone that maybe can not swim, or just doesn't like to get into the water but they would like chance to get close to something so majestic as a dolphin. Check out the pictures on the site to in the photo gallery. Every pictures looks like a postcard. Maybe one day I will get to mail one from a place like this, and say "WISH YOU WERE HERE".

Do Donor Organs Have Tissue Memory

That movie I was watching on TV last night about a man and a woman who each received a heart from a child's parents who met their demise at the same time. Some how the man and woman met each other and had memories of the donors' thoughts. Both the man and the womand kept havig dreams about a little girl or a house they did not know before, it turned out to be the daughter of the two people gave donated the hearts.

The child of the donors got involved with the two recipients and at the end of the story the child asked the lady if she could listen to her heart and then asked the man the same. As she listened to the woman's heart, she stated that she would know that heartbeat anywhere and that it was her mom. When the girl lay her head against the man's chest she listened for a minute and then whispered. "Hi Daddy"...it about ripped MY heart out.

Throughout the movie the man and woman had thoughts and memories that weren't theirs but those of the donors'...does tissue memory really happen? Another character in the movie had food cravings that they never had before. You hear stories like this about organ recipients having cravings or thoughts that they never had before the surgery. I don't know if any were ever proven. For instance did anyone really like new foods that the donor liked?

It seems possible and impossible all at the same time....who knows?

Augmentation

I have had 3 children and have had the privilege of breast feeding them.
The only problem is now that I am done having children my breasts seemed to have moved south on the anatomy and I would like them back up where they belong.
The breast tissue seems to have lost some elasticity and are sagging a bit so I have checked into getting Breast Augmentation in the Spring.
The facility where I check at gave me a free consultation and we decided the augmentation would definitely the way for me to go.
The procedure will take only about an hour and I will have to stay overnight and in a week get any stitches out.
I will have only a 4-6 weeks recovery from physical activity time, which is minimal for what this operation will do for my body and my mind.
I know I will feel great about the whole thing and I will look so much better in my clothes.
This will absolutely make my disposition better.
I am sure the kids and hubby will be happier if I am happier.
so now when I get ready to do this, I will call the clinic and make my appointment time and if I am lucky enough I might hit at a time when someone else cancelled and get that appointment AND 500 off my total bill.
It doesn't get any better than that.

A Stranger's Heart

Ok, I am still watching and or listening to TV. I thought I would change it to something a little more light that the medical examiner show. I flipped over to one of my favorite channels, The Hallmark Channel.

They always have lovely movies, but they aren't always so light hearted. I missed the beginning of the one that is on tonight, but I am going to have to catch the beginning. It is called a Stranger's Heart. I guess there are two people, a man and a woman, who both got heart transplants. Well the two either were already friends, or became friends after their transplants I am not sure. Well the they and another transplant patient have been dealing with tissue memory or something.

They were both drawn to some little girl and later find out she is the little girl of the people whose heart they got. One got the mom's and one got the dad's. They started going by the school yard and the little girl eventually noticed then and came over to the fence. The little girl asked one day if they were guardian angels.

Another day the little girl asked if they could give messages to someone in heaven. The little girl was so upset that she did not get to kiss her parents goodbye that day, and was feeling like it was her fault....OMG! I about cried my eyes out! The little girl almost looked like on of my daughters so that did not help much.

Do you believe in tissue memory? I don't know, but it seems possible to me. You hear about transplant recipients having new likes, dislikes, dreams etc after a transplant. It can not all be a coincidence. What if a loved one of your donated organs, would you want to meet the recipients? That is another dilemma in the movie. Good movie.

Do You Care About Your Credit?

Do you keep tabs on your credit? These days it is more important than ever. You need at least decent credit to get almost anything. I am waiting for them to hand you a credit application when you go out to a fast food restaurant.

If you are like me you might not have the best credit. I have been working on being better at taking care of my credit score. I thought I would look into some of those companies that help with credit repair. There are so many out there now, they are easy to find, but which one to choose? I research almost anything before I do it maybe to a fault sometimes, but it is the best way in my opinion. Take you time, look around and pick the right company.

I searched for terms like repair credit, and fix credit. One company that came up was Repairyourbadcredit.com. There were a lot of testimonials on the site that you can read. And there is a fee involved, but is says it will save you that many times over with what you will save buy getting better deals on things like credit card rates. It is worth looking in to that's for sure.

The New Improved? Dora

I guess Mattel, the company that makes the Dora the Explorer doll has a bit of an uproar on their hands. The released the news that they were going to unveil a new older version of the popular Dora doll. This was suppose to be a "tween" version of Dora made to appeal to 5 to 8 year olds the article said. First of all when did 5- 8 years old become TWEEN? 10 -12 maybe, but 5 -8 is no where close to a teenager to me.

I think that is part of why there was so much hub bub about the dolls release. As a parent I am tired of the world trying to rush my children through their childhood. Childhood passes by so quickly as it is. I do not want my little girls emulating Hannah Montana, or Bratz, or a new "SEXY" Dora.

Now the picture I place here does not look all that bad to me, as far as it does not look trampy or anything. But before they released this full color drawing of the proposed new Dora, they only released a silhouette. Parents thought she was wearing a super short skirt or something. This outfit is tasteful enough, and I like that she does not have make up on. This could be a good alternative to a Bratz doll or something, but they messed up.

What I think they should have done was to release it as a relative of Dora, like and older cousin or something. There is already a cousin Alicia or something on the show, they could have just made this an older character on the same show to appeal more to the next age group.

I say hurray for a non trashy looking doll, but boo that they would be dumb enough to try and mess with an icon. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Weigh Your TV Options

Have you been trying to decide what kind of television provider you want to have? Are you a cable person, a dish person, how about a Direct TV person? I found a site that will help you weigh your Direct TV Options as well as other types of providers.

I went to this site and took a simple 5 question quiz to tell them what mattered to me in a TV service provider. Did I want local channels or a DVR etc, then I entered my zip code. They came up with the results of what providers were in my area. The results showed that with the choices I made in the quiz that Direct T V was probably the option I would like the best.

I would recommend checking out this site if you want to what providers there are in your area, and who might be the best fit for your TV watching needs. Think about what you really want in a television service, then take their short quiz. See who is the right fit for you.

Dr G. Medical Examiner

If you have read my blog at all you probably have noticed that I watch a lot of TV. Well watch is a loose term, usually I listen while I am doing other things like chasing the kids, blogging, doing laundry etc. Most of the day time hours there is some sort of kids show on in the background, even if the kids aren't watching I might have a Baby Einstein DVD on for the baby.

When the kids are in bed, that is when I watch my "big people shows". I don't like to watch anything to heavy or racy when the kids are awake. Even around our littlest who is just trying to talk now, I won't watch stuff that has violence or talk of murder etc. I worry about what they might pick up...

Anyway I first started to write this post because of something I just heard on one of the TV shows I watch some times. Discovery Health Channel has a show called Dr. G. Medical Examiner. I like watching forensic shows and who done its, especially when the outcome is justice for someone. Sometimes I wonder why I watch because it can be so heart wrenching, but I think it is the solving of a puzzle and the justice that draw me.

But tonight Dr. G. said something that really hit home. She said that the people that she will be examining tomorrow don't have any idea. They are home with their families, or working, just going on with their lives. Her point was that you never know when your last day will be, so you should live and love as if each were your last day. I agree with that sentiment, and whenever I hear something like that it gives me goosebumps. I wish I could hold on to that feeling and really live every day like that.

More Great Coupons

I did look around some more the other day when I was at Savings.com. I am glad I found those coupon codes for HP, they will really save me some bucks on my printer purchase. Well I did look around to see what other savings I could find. I can't even remember all the ones I looked at, but if you are Kohl's shopper you need to go and check out the kohl's coupons they have on that site.

There are some kohls coupon codes that are good for online, some coupons for in store savings and some work for both online and in person. I know in my area that Kohl's usually runs some pretty good specials, so if you can get a little extra off here and there, even better! So if you are looking for coupons for kohls, I would definitely check out Savings.com.

If you are like me, or like most people that like to shop, I am sure you will do a little extra looking around while you are at the site. It is good to look because you might not even realize that there is a coupon for something you were going to buy anyway. These days every dollar saved means even more than it use to.

The Replacements

Have you ever seen the movie "The Replacements"? It has Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman in it. I have seen it before but I decided to watch it on cable again tonight. It is just one of those funny, come from behind stories that make you feel good in the end. I guess that is why I chose this movie from the list tonight. What is your favorite pick me up movie?

While I was listening to the movie, surfing the net, blogging, etc ( Yes I multi-task lol), the soundtrack gave me a flashback. The movie is set against football as a backdrop so it has a lot of rah rah sports songs in it. They played that one that you hear at almost any sporting event. I don't even know the name of it, but it goes DUH DAH DAH DAH HEY! It made me think of when I use to go to hockey games with my friends. We had so much fun, it was great.

I wonder where those friends are these days, I have not talked to the one that got me started going to see hockey in ages. AHAHA now they are playing I WILL SURVIVE!,,, that's another fun song. You know you turn it up and sing it in the car..come on...admit it! LOL

Anyway, we use to always sit in the corner so we could see the most crashes and pile ups. If any of the banshees of section 128 are out there, contact me.. WE HAD A BLAST!

Real Free Foreclosure Lists

Have you ever tried to search the web for listings of free foreclosures? It seems that every time I find what I think is supposed to be a link to a free site, it there is a catch. They want my full name, address, etc, for a mailing list I would imagine. Even worse is when sites you have never been to before want you to give them your credit card information. Are you kidding me? I do not know you, and you are asking for my credit card number? That is what is makes me feel like.

Well I found this website called FreeForeclosureBlog.com. They have real honest to goodness lists of free REO foreclosures. I wondered for the longest time what REO stood for but evidentally it stands for Real Estate Owned Foreclosures. Anyway, this blog is pretty cool. They have a map based list that you can click on and see listing by state which is nice. Another area I really like is the list of houses broken down by the banks that own them. That way if you have a particular bank you like to deal with, or that you know has a lot of properties in your area, then you can look through their holdings.

I looked around on there a little, clicked a few lists, and a few states. They never asked me for credit information, and there was contact information for each house I looked at. So if you are looking to buy a foreclosure you might want to check this site out.

Does Justice HAVE To Be Blind?

I thought that the term "Justice is blind" was suppose to refer to fairness. I wonder anymore if it is just blind period!

I just got done reading an article on that monster from Austria who held his own daughter captive in a dungeon he built under his house for years. While in captivity she was rapes repeatedly and forced to have five babies with this sicko.

It says that he may not get life because some of the counts like slavery, were "questionable". There is also a charge of murder that they defense thinks will not stick. Do you know what that charge was for? Because he let his own grandson/son turn blue and die. Saying "whatever happens, happens" Well I think they should put this monster in a public square somewhere and bring back the public stoning. Then WE can say whatever happens, happens!

Save Me From My Printer

I think I have told you about how much I like using Savings.com. That is the site that has all the awesome saving codes and coupons. Well I am in desperate need of a new printer. I normally by HP printers, but this last time I got a new one I was swayed by a new brand on the market. This printer has completely stunk since the day I took it out of the box. The maker of my current printer will remain nameless for now, until I get a hold of their customer service. If they make it right I will tell you the whole story, hopefully with a happy ending.

Anyway, so I am back on the hunt for a new printer. I checked Savings.com for hp coupons, and they had several. There are some hewlett packard coupons that will give you free shipping on any order over various amounts, hp coupon codes specifically for printers, and many other great HP products that you are probably going to buy anyway. You might as well check out Savings.com and save some money while you are at it.

They have codes for so many stores, I think I might look around while I am here. I figure I am going to save at least 20.00 on my printer purchase, I might as well see if there is anything else I need while I am there right? I let you know what I find later.

Kids Make Up Their Own Colors Of Crayons

I just adore it when babies start talking and they are actually learning things from you.
We were going over crayon colors the other day and I just realized that if I had to spell the colors the way the baby is pronouncing them ...I COULD NOT DO IT !
LOL LOL

Yellow is something like lellow or lewlow and blue is blur and red is re, I think. It is almost like I broke through the baby code language barrier, this could be a major break for me. It is so thrilling to hear babies communicate.

I also noticed while looking through the crayon box, that many of the color names the I was use to when I was growing up are not there, and there are some I have never heard of. Did you know there is now a shade of yellow called Macaroni and Cheese? The kids have their own way of pronouncing that too...."Monkey Cheese" lol Gotta love it!

Want To Know The Latest Codes?

Instant BlackBerry Unlock Code can turn your cell phone into a globally usable cell phone.
All you have to do is simply go online, enter the info they want like Model Number that is under your battery, locate your IMEI number, know your service provider which is usually the Logo o the cell phone and then enter to cart.
Depending on what you choose, you could get your code to unlock by email within 10 minutes or up to 7 days...some system requests take longer.
When you check the website you will see what I mean.
If you are Military they give you a generous 25% OFF !
And here is another offer from Unlock Code - if you do a video and put it on Utube about unlock to talk codes, they will give it to you for free. The service fee for turning it on that is.
This is a very innovative idea.
Phone service has come a long way since I was a kid.
Do check the web area for this news to get ALL the details, I am sure I forgot to tell you something important.

Beautiful Mailboxes

I don't know why I have always been into mail and writing letters. Like most kids I was always hoping for something "for me" in the mailbox. As I got older I loved to write letters to people, I even had a pen pal when I was in school. I thought about all this the other day when I was wondering why I like mailboxes so much. I boiled it down to the fact that I like what they represent, which is communications between friends and loved ones.

When you get to be an adult mail loses some of its charm because of bills, but it does not have to if we remember the fun of an actual letter. Another way of bringing some of the fun back to mail is by getting a pretty mail box. I found this awesome site while I was shopping for a mailbox for some friends of mine. I thought it would make a unique house warming gift, but there were so many great styles I could not decide which one to choose. I might see if they do gift certificates at Mailboxixchange.com.

The mail boxes on this site range from solid utilitarian to the most awesome works of art you could imagine. Why not make a statement with one of the first things people see when the drive past or pull up to your house? Check them out, they are beautiful.

Password Protection

You have heard the term password protection before right? Usually it refers to a software program to keep your passwords safe. Well I don't need that type of protection, but what I need is protection FROM passwords. I may have whined about this before I am not sure, but when the phrase password protection popped in my head it made me laugh.

I have to remember my own passwords, my mom's, my husband's, and some passwords for a couple other family members. They usually aren't for anything super important, just things like email accounts or ebay or something. I don't mind in general. but I think I am close to reaching storage over load in my brain. Earlier today my dad asked me why his Ebay password was not working and I said you probably used the wrong password. He goes on about how he knows his password, and that he had already used it three times that day. Knowing my father as well as I do, I knew I was right and reiterated that he must be entering the wrong password. This is the man that uses the terms Ebay and AOL interchangeably.

After he tried a couple more times I finally got through to him that he was entering the wrong password and I could see the look of understanding wash across his face. I then knew he was on the right track, but I hurried out of the room before he could ask if I remembered the password he did need. I know he figured it out or he would have called to me, but I just had this overwhelming urge to flee. I felt like saying nooooooo,,, not another password,,aaaagh. I could see one of those error messages like you get on your computer flash across my brain.

***ACCESS DENIED** ** DISK ERROR** ** STORAGE OVERLOAD**

(and mom if you read this, that does not mean that I don't like helping you or anyone else, I was just maxed out when I wrote this..you know I love you!)

Scoot Along Little Ogie

I usually take the children and go to the YMCA for a swim now and then. This is a place you come to make yourself stronger and healthier and meet people and have a great day at. So I am sitting in the van this one day and I look to my side in the next parking space wondering if I am going to have room to get my child out of my van because the person that pulled in the next space, by the way it was a handicapped space, parked so haphazardly that I do not think I could squeeze a piece of paper between my vehicle and theirs. Luckily for me I have sliding doors on both sides of the an so I had an escape route for plan B. As I am unlatching my children from the car seats, I watch as this person struggles to get out of their vehicle and wobble to the door of the Y. They got in before I could get close enough to help, but I thought for sure they would fall or drop to their knees before they got there.

It made me wonder why some people who obviously need help walking don't use something to help them. They could get a walker or better yet, some people can get an electric scooter.
I watched as they went in and saw that their destination was a therapy section in the facility.
Let me see now, it was an older person, I would say definitely on medicare, couldn't walk very steadily by them self and going to therapy...Yes that SCREAMS...GET A SCOOTER to me!
My Grandma had one and she got around every where with no problems. It was a wonderful thing she did for us all when she got her scooter. We did not have to worry about her falling down anymore and that took a whole bunch of stress off of the entire family. When we went on outings it was so much nicer and when she went to the store we did not worry about her.
I can't imagine if people need electric scooters why they don't go get one.

At War Over The Pot Drawer

Why is it that generation after generation we buy all these store bought toys for our kids. Well many of my kids' toys are from yard sales and such, but the point is the same. We spend money on toys and the kids want to play with the pots and pans in your kitchen! LOL!

My mother is about ready to tape her pan drawer shut because of my littlest rascal. We have baby locks on many of the other kitchen cupboards, but he has found every one that we did not baby proof. His older sisters did not even get into the other drawer and cupboards at all. I guess my son had to have his own special brand of trouble.

I can always tell when I hear the familiar rattle of a pot lid followed shortly by, " you little bugger, get out of there!". Hey at least I can tell where he is at that exact moment. I think mom is about ready to glue the rest of the drawers and cupboards shut though...we will see who wins this war....LOL

It's Time For Spring Shoe Shopping

Spring is right around the corner and I am so ready for it to get here. We have had a few really nice days around here lately and it really gave me spring fever. I starting thinking about all the things I like to do in spring like, spruce up the yard, plant a garden, clean out my closets, etc.

As I was sorting out the shoes in my closet I also thought of another spring tradition, shoe shopping! There is nothing that ushers in a new season like shopping for new shoes and clothes. I think I told you before that when I want to get a new outfit I start with the shoes for inspiration. I found the most awesome shoes at a site called daniblack.com. They have all the evening shoes you could want, but I am on the hunt for a fun spring shoe. Something I can wear with either some cute capris or a flirty little sundress.

daniblack designs so many great shoes it was hard to choose, but I think I found the one. It is a style called MILLY, it is all strappy and studded. There are three colors to choose from in this style, but I am going for the vibrant orange color like in the picture I put in this post. I was tempted to get the shade called Espresso because I love coffee and they are cute, but I figured I would add orange to my shoe wardrobe.

If you are looking to get your wardrobe ready for spring check out daniblack.com for the shoes. If you have ever fallen in love with a pair of shoes in a magazine there is a good chance it was a daniblack creation. You can even check out the press section and review all the different magazines the shoes have been featured in. You might just find that shoe you "had to have". There is even a fun blog on the site too!

It Works Without Batteries?

We are always trying to find new things to amuse and educate the children at the same time and today my Mom came up with a great idea...and it is some thing that works without batteries, can you believe that?!
Back when my Mom was a kid..LOL...theh had a toy called Paper Dolls.
They had cardboard figures of people and then there were sheets of printed clothes that you cut out and dressed the dolls with.
How cool is that?!
Today you go to the store and buy a doll that costs like mega bucks and the clothes cost an arm and a leg.
Not these, they are paper!
We decided to xerox extra clothes because we already know what will happen the first day the girls get these dolls...but they are only made of paper remember.
It will teach them how to take better care of their toys as these are fragile and I am sure they will want to play with them over and over again.
Another nice thing is that when they are done playing with them, the dolls and clothing fit very nice in a large gold envelope and takes so little space to store.
One other thing I almost forgot, the doll set is the characters from Little Women, so we are going to get the movie for the girls to watch so they have some understanding of the dolls and may appreciate them more.
Is this a great idea or what?
Thanks Mom!

Beware Of Dog?

I see signs posted all of the time...Beware Of Dog.
But I can't post a sign like that for protection in my house as I only have a little type of dog.
Oh, I could post that sign, but I think it would make a burglar laugh so hard that would be the only reason they would not bother my house.
All kidding aside, it is important to us to have our loved ones safe 24 hours a day so we had a chat with Eagle Burglar Protection people and found that we could afford their system for our home.
We also could add the carbon monoxide and fire alerts with our system through them.
They have professional installer put the system in and it is state of the art equipment that you will find most burglars can not penetrate.
If anything wrong is going on the alarm is already set into motion and the company is alerted and they in turn automatically call the authorities.
There is also a remote control device I can use to turn on and off the alarm and the system is easy to use and is working even when I am away from home or sleeping at night.
This type of alarm system gives us a peace of mind I never realized one could have.
I feel so safe with this equipment being in my home, you won't know what I am talking about unless you get one of your own in your own home.
Burglar alarms aren't just for businesses, our family is as valuable as any piece of jewelry, car or what ever treasure one has that could be stolen from them.
So we did the right thing and got the right system.

Sanjay Gupta Passes On Appointment

Popular CNN corespondent Sanjay Gupta has declined the chance to be America's Surgeon General. I would have liked to have seen him take it, because I think he would have been a good spirit for the office, but I understand why he did not want to take the job. He said that he wanted to concentrate on his family and medical career.


The articles I read admitted that the Surgeon General is more a figure head than anything, but that Dr. Gupta's fame would have brought some notoriety back to the position. They were hoping to put the Surgeon General's office back in the spotlight like it was in the days C. Everett Koop. I know that Dr. Koop is the only Surgeon General I can name, can you think of any others of the top of your head?



Dr. Sanjay Gupta is someone that America is already familiar with. He has that ease of manner and a way of delivering information that makes us want to pay attention. It doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eyes for all those media opportunities. Yes, he is the complete, marketable package, I guess that is why Obama chose him. I wonder who will be the next choice?

Finding The Right Part

I do not claim to be a mechanic by any means. Machinery in general is kind of a mystery to me. I know the difference between types of screwdrivers and wrenches and things like that,but that is where my mechanical knowledge really ends.

My dad on the other hand can do things like rebuild a whole car, including the engine. Where I come in is my computer knowledge, or what he perceives as my knowledge anyway. Some people are just not as comfortable around computers or trying to navigate the internet. Whenever he is trying to find something on the internet I usually end up helping him locate it. I do not know what it was for, but whatever his latest project was he needed a special valve for it. He told me needed Worcester Valve Parts, so I searched and found a nice looking site that sold all sorts of valves.

I showed dad the site and he found the Worcester Control Valves he needed, ordered them and I think a few other things from the site and was a happy camper. I guess that site, BoigHill.com not only carries Worcester Valves, but several other companies parts as well. They can also help you figure out which valve or part you need for your particular project.

Chicken Nuggets Are NOT An Emergency

I can not believe the story about the woman who called 911 because for some reason a McDonalds would not give her some chicken nuggets. I never heard the whole story so I do not know why they would not serve her the food. I think at one point she asked for her money back and they would not give her money back to her. Through out the disagreement she called 911 three times.

Now if I go to a store or restaurant and decide I want my money back I may or may not be within my rights to do so depending on the reason. There is no reason however for me to call 911 about it. People these days are lazy, they want what they want the exact second that they want it. With the internet and cell phones people have gotten use to instant access to almost anything they want, movies, books, research, chat, online 24/7. Heaven forbid someone has to look up a phone number so that they can call the NON-emergency phone number.

People need to remember what an emergency is. Do you want a bunch of lazy people clogging up the 911 phone lines with complaints of bad service at a fast food restaurant?! Give me a break. There was even a lady from Australia, I think it was, that would call 911 because she was hoping to meet a man. While the thought of that is amusing, it would not be funny if you could not get through to 911 because someone like her was on the line.

It is just like when people are in too much of a hurry to pull over when they see the lights of an emergency vehicle flashing behind them. Just remember next time you want to call 911 for something stupid, or you don't pull your car over...I hope no one you love is trying to get help at that moment. What if that ambulance that you would not let pass was on the way to help your family?

Access Your Computer From Anywhere

Did you know that there are services now that will enable you to gain remote access to your computer from Anywhere? You just have to have your computer hooked up to the internet to be able to use the service. One company that I was looking at is called RemotePC.com and they have plans that start as low as 4.95 for one computer. They also have plans for businesses that can accommodate 25-100 computers. I like it when a company has a no job to big, no job to small approach. It lets me know that they appreciate my business even if I only need the 4.95 plan.

They even have online help that you can allow access to your computer to help with technical problems you might have. The Help Desk feature is an additional charge, but it might be more than worth it for the access to technical support, especially if you are running a small business. I It would be a lot cheaper than having another employee on staff. You can go to their website to learn more. They even have cool demo videos that explain more about how the service works.

Patron Saint of WHAT!?

Jesus Malverde? I think that is what I just heard. My husband and I are watching that new show Homeland Security, if you have not seen it yet it is a good show. You never know what you will see on this show. Some customs agent just said that the drug traffickers don't rely on crucifixes so much as a saint they created called Jesus Malverde.

How on Earth do you make up a saint? If you did make one up, what would make you think that it would work for one. For another why would a saint help you do something illegal. The customs agent says the drug runners believe that Malverde will protect their drugs, money and firearms. OH MY! I can not believe the stupidity of some people.

I wish I would have gotten a better look to the necklace the agent was showing. That way if I saw a traveler next to me one day with that necklace I would know not to get behind them in the customs line because they are going to be a while..I hope!

Still Dreaming of a Vacation

I told you the other day that I wanted to go to the beach for a real vacation. A nice, slow vacation where we can take our time and enjoy what ever area we go to. I was surfing the net some more and came across a site that features Rocky Point beach homes in Mexico. I found it on a site called SeaSideMexico.com. This site has a ton of information if you are looking to plan a vacation to Mexico. The can help you book a luxury hotel, a seaside villa, or even find out what events are going on.

I had not thought of going to Mexico before because if we go somewhere warm it is usually to Florida to visit family. The pictures on this site really make me want to go. Am I there yet? LOL! I watched a video clip on the site of a place called Bella Sirena. I know Bella means beautiful, I don't know what Sirena means, but it is definitely beautiful! It would be so nice to go to a nice seaside villa for at least a week. I would not take my cell phone for emergencies but if anyone calls me while I am getting my beach side massage that I am dreaming of I will not be a happy camper.

Have you ever been to Mexico on vacation? Did you plan it yourself or did you use an agent or website to help you? Since I have never been there before I would want to use a site like this to help me plan a nice trip. I would not want to book the wrong place because I do not know the area. One time I booked a hotel for a short trip and I was NOT happy with it at all, I wish I would have gotten the help of someone who knew the area better than I did. There is nothing that will ruin a trip more quickly than not liking the hotel or area you are staying at.

Rihanna and Chris

Oh My goodness, I do not know why I am following this story so much but I can not ignore it. I just heard that Rihanna is going back to Chris Brown even after he beat her to a pulp. Did you see that picture of her face?! I can not believe she is even thinking about taking him back.

I know it is really none of our business in general, but as a woman or just being concerned for another human being, it kind of is our business. I guess several other celebrities are trying to get meetings with her to talk some sense into her. I heard one celebrity ( I can't remember who), wants to have Tina Turner talk to Rihanna since Tina knows first had what dealing with abuse is all about. I hope that is true, and I hope it helps Rihanna see the light.

I am all for giving people the benefit of the doubt and seconds chances when they are deserved. I can even understand when someone gets angry and maybe smacks someone ONE time,,,,and that is a big maybe. For someone to hit another person until their face looks like that, there is no excuse and no changing the abuser. What makes this even worse, is the rumor that the reason she might be taking him back is because she is pregnant, I certainly hope not. Even if she decides to let this man be a father to her baby, that does not mean that she needs to put up with his crap.

I don't know the answers, but I just hope she thinks long and hard before making any decisions. My prayers go out to her and her loved ones.

Our Dream Restaurant

My hubby and I were dreaming about opening a restaurant some day. This is a dream we often talk about and plot out in our heads. I don't know if we will ever go through with it, but it is fun to dream and plan all the details. We have several different scenarios ranging from a soup and sandwich shop here in America, to going to Ireland an opening an eatery there.

One thing we agree on for any type of restaurant is the style of restaurant table that we would want. We think that round tables are the best for allowing the people seated at them to see each other and converse easily. That is what a big part of dining out is all about, the social aspect. If it weren't then people would eat at home more often. There is nothing more fun than sitting around a table full of friends and family enjoying a good meal, talking, laughing.

There are great sites on the net that can help you plan out your dream restaurant. I found on called FashionSeating.com. You can look at different styles of tables, chairs, etc. You can get an idea of what is out there and what your style is. I like nice big tables, and wide chairs with arms. The more comfortable your guests are the better time they will have.

The End of Paul Harvey's Story

I was looking on PopEater.com for information on the death of Paul Harvey. I clicked on their Celebrity Obit section and figured it would be the most resent item there. I actually had to look elsewhere on the site to find the article on Mr. Harvey, but I could not believe the amount of celebrity passings I had not heard about.

Sometimes I know the names, sometimes only the faces, but when I read about them I often get that general sadness that you feel when you hear of someone passing away. I always wonder if they are glad they left a legacy of film or music or whatever. I regret when I know we will never see another great performance by some of the talented individuals. That is how I feel about the passing of Paul Harvey.

It seems so odd to think that we will never hear his distinct voice and style deliver the news of the day. The article I read said that Paul Harvey use to get up at 3:30 in the morning. He would have breakfast and then start scouring the new wires and papers for stories of the day. Getting up that early takes commitment. He was 90 years old when he passed and was in broadcasting for over 50 years. I know his son has worked with him for a long time, and I think has even filled in for his father on the air at times. While I love that he might carry on the tradition started by his father, I am sure that even Paul Harvey Jr. would agree that it will not be the same.

I was listening to local talk radio last night and so many people were calling in and telling their stories about how Paul Harvey affected their lives. Some loved it, some were "forced" by there parents or grandparents to listen and then fell in love. All had fond memories one way or another that were connected with Paul Harvey's broadcasts. He will be missed by so many people.

Affordable Custom Embroidery

I just found the coolest site, it is called ThreadSmith.com. They offer custom embroidery at awesome prices. In fact when you buy an item like a button down shirt, or a baby outfit you get basic choices of embroidery included.

If you buy want a more custom logo made, they can do that too for an extra fee. Unlike other custom embroidery places I have been to they do not charge a set up fee. That can save you a good chunk of money right off the bat. They also offer bulk discounts, so the more items you order the better your price gets.

I love the software they have on the site. It let me pick out a nice shirt I wanted to get for my husband. Then I took our last name and put it on the left chest area, picked a font and a thread color, and bam! It showed me right on the screen what my idea would look like when it was finished. I love interactive stuff like that.

The Bachelor

There is a reason some people are single for many years, and the recent bachelor has made that quite evident. He obviously has an inordinately difficult time making decisions in the first place, and then he makes the wrong decision ( according to him).

I like watching some of the reality shows, but I don't get into them as much as some people do. I guess they are fun, but I can not stretch my imagination far enough to think that you can find true love under spots lights and scrutiny. Any time you put someone in front of an audience they are automatically going to act a little different than they normally might. They might act a little nicer, or a little more wild, or even mean if the casting people suggest it. How am I suppose to believe that there is any chance of a real relationship developing here.

These shows are still fun escapism I must admit. I am looking forward to the new reality show called Cougar. It is like a bachelor for an older woman. That looks very interesting to me. We will see.

The Loan Crisis

I, like many home owners these days, have been keeping a close eye on the economy. Is this the only time since the Great Depression that home ownership was not an asset? My husband and I have been working hard to keep afloat in these turbulent times, and we are doing it, but barely. It seems that everyone and their brother are getting "bailed out", except for the people that are really trying hard to not need any help. Where are the programs for people that ARE NOT behind in their mortgages?

Our only hope is to find a way to refinance our current mortgage, but where were we suppose to start. I have been trying to figure out which company to go to. I read that Amerisave is an authority on home mortgage loans and on offering the best loan rate and pricing in its mortgage loan quotes, Amerisave aims to help individuals and organizations understand the issues surrounding home mortgage loans and other related matters. Find more information about the company through Amerisave's profile page. I am definitely going to a lot of research before I make a choice. I want to get plenty of information and Mortgage Loan quotes.

If you are in the same boat as we are, I wish you well. I do believe that America will get through this challenge like we have all other challenges in our past.

Laws Only Restricted The Law ABIDING

I can not believe that President Obama and the Democratic Congress are trying to rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America. They want to limit one of the basic rights we have, and that is the right to bear arms.

I think there main idea is to get rid of assault rifles and other "big guns" and some ammunition. I do not understand when legislators are going to understand that laws only affect the law abiding. I am not saying we do not need laws, but you can not make people follow them. A criminal by definition is someone that does not follows the laws and rules of our country, why would making more laws about guns make them listen any better? All that gun restrictions do is eliminate options for those that do follow the rules.

I personally do not want to carry an big gun on my hip ( maybe a little one), but I feel that law abiding citizens should get MORE rights than criminals on any topic. There are laws against drugs, there are laws against drinking and driving, or under age drinking, there are laws for everything and they still get broken. The only people that do not break them, are those that do not need to be told how to be responsible for something like a firearm in the first place.

I think before any change to the constitution is made that the whole country should get to vote on it, not just our "representatives". I often wonder exactly who they represent, they do not seem to represent the honest, law abiding citizen.

A Total Approach To Emotional Wellness

I was doing some research on phsycologists and phychiatrist the other day and came across the name of Doctor Daniel Amen. I think I had seen him a little but on PBS, but I never got to ctach his whole segment. I want to find someone local to my area that shares the same ideals as Dr. Amen.

Dr Daniel G Amen, founder of the Amen Clinics, aims to help individuals understand the importance of brain health and how to administer treatment for symptoms. Know more about this new approach to good health through Dr. Amen's profile here. He believes you can change your brain and not just your attitude. He believes in doing more than giving Treatment for Symptoms. He has amassed over 50,000 scans of the brains of patients, which is the largest collection of its kind in the country. He believes in getting people well again, not just treating them forever.

I have never really thought there was much motivation for psychiatrists and the like to heal their patients. It would seem they might fear putting themselves out of work. We would all like to think that any medical professional has our best interest at heart, but unfortunately that is not the case. We have to know what kind of doctor we are going to. I hope one day more doctors take a broad view of treating patients no matter what their illness. Make people well again, and stop treating just the symptoms when there is more you can do.

I think I am going to get a copy of Dr. Amen's book and learn more about his approach. You can learn more about his philosophy on healing by checking out the information linked in this post.

Missed Mr. Begley

I told you the other day that I was a fan of the Plant Green Channel show "Living with Ed". It stars Ed Begley Jr. and chronicles his pursuit to live his live in as "green" a manner as possible.

Just a day or two after I blogged about the show, I read in the newspaper that he would be at a local home and garden show. I thought that him being in my state was such and ironic twist of fate. Here I was just talking about his show, and he was going to be within driving distance of my house. I was so excited.

Well fate also has a twisted sense of humor, and things did not go how I had hoped this past weekend. My hubby and I had talked about going to a dinner event and the garden show this past weekend, and we made it to neither. He was already piled in school work and was going to have to juggle a lot of things to get time to go, but then our littlest child got sick. Our kids do not sleep much when they are feeling well, let alone when they are sick so we got virtually zero sleep. So going out ANYwhere was out of the question.

I am frustrated that I missed a fun opportunity to meet someone that seems interesting and sincerely nice. I hope he enjoyed his visit to our part of the country. Maybe one day I will get to meet him. Hopefully I will also have a "green" house too! ( Hopefully one day our kids will learn how to sleep...I don't hope for much do I?)