Gallarific

How many times have you thought that it would be great to let your friends and family see some of your precious photos online, but you don't know how to go about setting up an online photo gallery? Want to know an expert in building PHP image and photo gallery script - Gallarific is the best at it!

Gallarific is a "fast, lightweight, web-based photo gallery that lets you collect, organize and share your photos with friends and family. Because it's online, you can upload and access your photos at any time from any computer with an Internet connection."

Gallarific is super simple to use too. I'm sure some of you have come across other photo gallery software that practically required a degree in computer programming to understand. Gallarific isn't one of them. If you are looking for something simple then they are for you.

What I like the most about Gallarific is that you can display several photos on a page at a time:
or you can display just one photo, whatever you like best.
To get your copy of gallarific, click HERE They also offer a 30 day money back guarantee.

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Final quiz answers

9) On a Monday morning, you can find me: at the bank getting money from the ATM

10) My favorite material possession:

11) To relax, you'll find me:

12) My guilty pleasure is: Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Espresso

13) One thing I can live without:

14) And lastly, when I look at someone, the first thing I notice is their:



Well, that's the quiz. I hope you enjoyed it and learned a few more things about me.

Wirefly

Well, 2006 is over and last week Wirefly, a leader in the world of comparison shopping for wireless phones, phone plans and phone accessories, announced their list of the top ten best selling cell phones of 2006? Can you guess which one made it to the top of the list? I'll give you a hint. It's super slim and the name sounds like something that you'd find in the medine cabinet. No, it's not what you're thinking, silly! It's the RAZR!!!! Cingulars Motorola Razr came in first, followed by the T-Mobiles Razr and Verizon's Razr. If you'd like to see what else made the list, you can do so here.

One year ago, Wirefly also predicted several trends that they thought would influence people's purchase of cell phones. How did those trends compare to Wirefly's predictions?

1. Music and mobile TV phones
Yep, you guessed it. Nine out of the top ten phones were camera phones and a lot of the new models shipped by Wirefly in 2006 emphasized music capabilities.

2. Bigger selection of smartphones with more robust operating systems
2006 did see the introduction of exciting smartphones like the Treo 700 series, the Motorola Q, the Blackberry Pearl and Blackberry 8700 series, and Pocket PC's like the Verizon XV6700. This just proves that users still demand functionality.

3. Cell phones designed for children
There were very strong growth sales for phones made just for kids. Wirefly also
made a deal with Disney Mobile, which is now a featured carrier on their site.

4. Expanded GPS services
Increased marketing of GPS services by the cell phone carriers themselves. Wirefly also expects to see this trend continue.

What really drew me to Wirefly though was how easy it was to compare cell phone prices and services. I don't usually visit comparison websites, but Wirefly made it so easy that I will from now on.

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Fun Weekend

We celebrated my hubby's birthday this past weekend with a trip to Casino Aztar. He was all excited about going. We also got to see Joan Jett in concert while we were there on Friday night. She was playing at Hoosier's Lounge, which we have to walk through to get to the casino, so we stopped and enjoyed that for awhile too. I love Joan Jett! She is such a hard rocker and really had the crowd moving with her songs. Even hubby was dancing (inconspicuously, of course) along with everyone. After listening to several of her songs, including "I love Rock and Roll" and "Bad Reputation" we went on to the casino. We usually just play the slot machines as neither one of us are good at any of the other games, but hubby decided to try his hand at Blackjack this time. He didn't do bad and he stopped when he started to lose. He ended up winning $50 from five games. Saturday afternoon was spent playing at the arcade, bowling and swimming in the hotel pool. It was really a nice, relaxing way to spend a birthday. We did come home to find 3" of snow on the ground, but even that didn't put a damper on the weekend.

Free Online Games

I don't get the chance very often, but when I do I LOVE to Play Games online. My favorite type of games to play online are word games, but I like the casino games too. I've been going to a new website called Game-2-Play.com and it is great. There are over 150 games to play, all of them are flash so no downloads to your computer needed and best of all they are free! You don't have to register to play either although if you do you will get unlimited game play 24/7! Visit them now and relax with some fun games.

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Quiz Day 3

I hope everyone is enjoying this. It's almost like a scavenger hunt trying to find all of these different photos:)

5) The most important thing in my life is: MY FAMILY

6) I always carry:

7) My favorite mode of transportation is: My Ford Five Hundred.
8)My eyes are:


Ok, that's enough for today. More tomorrow:)

FDA RECALL

If you or a loved one has had a hernia operation and received a Bard Composix Mesh Patch then you should call 1-866-374-0338 now because you may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer. A fever, abdominal pain, tenderness at the surgery site or any other unusual symptoms could signal the need to see a doctor immediately. You can read more about this at Composix Kugel Mesh Hernia Repair Patch Recall. Pass the information on to anyone you know that has had this type of surgery too.


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More Picture Quiz

There are several questions on this quiz, but I'll try to post as many answers to each entry as I can so it doesn't drag on for several days.

3) How old am I?


4) How old do I feel?

Are you a diva?

What used to only be used to describe a female opera singer is now used to describe anyone who takes pride in looking and being her best. If you are a Diva then this is the website for you. The Diva's Dreams by Belisi is a blog for women who take pride in having the best of everything, from clothes to home décor. Fashion, style and hospitality experts talk about topics including fashion trends, interior design, and entertaining.



Diva’s Dreams features fresh content relevant to modern day divas. If you want to know which designers are hot or which styles you should add to your wardrobe stop by Diva’s Dreams for their daily tips.



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Cool Picture Quiz

I received an email yesterday from a friend of mine about a picture quiz. It's really cool, but as slow as my email is there is no way I was going to send that many pictures to everyone. I'd be sending for a week! So, thought I'd just post a few each day here on my blog instead.

1) Who Am I?



2) Who knows me best?

PayDay Loans

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Driver's License

My daughter will be getting her driver's license in just a few months. It's all she ever talks about anymore. Every time we go somewhere, she wants to drive. Most times I let her, but there are days when I just want to get there and I don't. Those are the days that she thinks I'm evil. Yesterday was one of them. She wanted to drive into school. I said "not today" and she went ballistic. I know she needs the practice, but come on. Don't bite the hand that holds those car keys, girl, or you won't be driving at all.

In my state, kids have to have at least 50 hours of driving time BEFORE they are allowed to get their license. My daughter only has 15 hours in, but one of her friends has almost 25 and that's just not fair. Never mind the fact that her friend has had her permit for two months LONGER then my daughter. I get hit by these questions anyway. Why can't she drive more? Don't we want her to get better at driving? Why are we so mean? Hello? Is she paying for the gas? We let her drive as much as possible, but we're not going to be driving around for no reason, it's just too expensive. I'm sure she'll figure that out once she does have to pay for the gas herself, but now it just means we are evil parents who aren't cool.

Perfume

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It's snowing!

For the first time this winter, it is actually snowing today. And it is sticking to the ground. That part I could do without. I like to look at it, but don't want to drive in it or walk in it or anything like that. And it is downright cold out there today. For the most part, this winter has been really mild with temps no lower then 35 degrees, but today the high is only 24. Brr! It can stop now. I'm ready for spring!

Maildrop

What is a maildrop? A maildrop is a secure address, recognized by the postal service, where you can rent a box and use it as a postal address. You might know them better as letter boxes, mailbox rentals, remailing services, forwarding services. Basically, it is a business that allows customers to use their mailing address for a small fee.

Who would use a maildrop? People who travel or spend long periods away from home, such as truck drivers, retired individuals and out of state college applicants.

If this sounds like something you would like to check into, check out the remailingservice at www.maildropguide.com. They are the largest internet directory of mail boxes, mail drops and remailing services.

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It must be a guy thing

Had my sit down chat with hubby last night. I don't think much got through to him though. It must be a guy thing because while talking to my mom this morning she said that my dad does a lot of the same things that my hubby does. Hmm. Well, if she can put up with it for 40 years, i guess I can too:)

Cave Creek Resort

If you are looking for a great place to take a vacation and have some fun or maybe just a place to buy some investment property, why not check out Cave Creek Real Estate. Located over 20 acres in Arizona's Sonora Desert, there are magnificant mountain views. This is the place to go for your relaxation!



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Sometimes I hate my hubby!

Today is one of those days. Normally, he can get away with a lot before I really get peeved at him. However, he's used up all those free passes this weekend. Between being a sarcastic pain in the a** and his constant putdowns, I've had it up to HERE! Tonight, whether he wants to or not, we're having a little chat about this!

Teen Website

If you have a teen, I imagine they like to keep in touch with their friends either by phone, email or instant messaging. There are also several websites out there that pertain to teens where they can set up message boards and keep in touch with friends that way. My daughter recently ran across a website called Sconex. It's a bit different from the other websites she has seen as they offer "quizzes" or "teen quizzes" on their site. These quizzes are made up by YOU and can be sent to your friends or published on your site for everyone to take. My daughter told me that this was one of the main reasons she signed up for this website because it sounded like a lot of fun.



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Shopping Spree

I finally took some time to shop for some new clothes for myself. I am one that almost always puts my family before myself when it comes to certain things, clothes being one of them. It must be something about becoming a mom that makes that gene appear because I know I never did that before I was married. It was all about me then:) Anyway, I rarely buy clothes for myself because 1)I hate to shop 2)I hate to shop and 3)I hate to shop, but when you can see THROUGH a SWEATSHIRT(!) that means it is too old to wear in public anymore and it is time to shop whether you like it or not. I did good. I found four new shirts that will take me through the winter. I know, I should have probably bought an entire new wardrobe, but hey, this is progress for me. My daughter was even proud of me for picking a few hipper styles so maybe she won't be too embarrassed to be seen in public with me anymore. Yeah, right. My next shopping trip will have to include blue jeans. I am down to just a couple of pair that fit. That trip won't happen for awhile, but when it does I'm sure (insert sarcasm) it will be a LOT of fun!

Tummy Honey

Mother's Intuition has a line of stretch mark cream called Tummy Honey. It is all natural and hypoallergenic. It contains no artificial preservatives or petrolitums. The Tummy Honey stretch mark solution line includes prevention and fading products for stretch marks. Tummy Honey is a great product to prevent stretch marks and the Stretch Out line works to help fade existing stretch marks. This isn't just for pregnant women either. Stretch Out will help to fade stretch marks caused by body building, weight gain or loss and growth spurts usually 50-70%! The Tummy Honey line is sold in well over 40 states and five different countrys so it should be really easy for you to find. Check it out today!

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Good news!

We have an artist in the family! Well, I already knew my daughter could draw, but found out today that she is going to be featured in our local newspaper as their Artist of the Week. Yay! She'll get her picture in the paper and also a $50 savings bond. how cool is that?

Car Classifieds

Are you looking to buy a new car or truck? Or are you trying to sell one you already own? Why not check out the New & Used Cars at lemonfree.com. On this website, you can search for that Chevy Camaro you have been dreaming about since you were sixteen years old or that awesome Chevy Silverado that you have been needing to haul all of your work stuff around.

You can also list your auto for sale for FREE in their classified ad section. In this section, you get up to ten pictures and unlimited text at no charge! And the listing will stay active until your vehicle has sold. How's that for service? Go check them out today.

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Already?!?!?!

Wow, can you believe that an entire week of the new year has come and gone already? Does this mean that this year is going to zip by too? I sure hope not although I do wish for warm, springtime weather to get here as fast as it can.

Things have been busy here so I figure that is why the time is flying. January is usually pretty busy with the business, trying to get all of our tax paperwork together and stuff. I hate that part, but it is nice to clear out the files and have them empty for awhile. Of course, I have to find a spot for the old files and that is becoming a bigger challenge each year. When we first started this business, the years files could easily fit in a shoebox in our closet. That is no longer true. This year I'm moving them out to the garage in big 20 gallon plastic bins!

Also, me and my sister in-law have been busy planning my parents 40th wedding anniversary party. It has been fun, but gee is it time consuming! We went shopping today though and took care of pretty much everything on our lists except for the food. That will be done closer to the actual party date of February 4th.

In between tax stuff and party planning, I'm also trying to get back into the diet and exercise mode. So far though I'm not having much luck with it. I have good intentions, just not the motivation or energy. I keep thinking that one day there will be a fairy show up on my doorstep and he/she will just zap this fat away. Oooh, wouldn't that be fabulous? Oh well, I can dream, can't I?

And on that note, I'm going to go. Hubby should be home soon and I haven't even begun to think about what to fix for dinner tonight. YIKES!

Beach Cruisers

I have always loved riding bikes. When I was a little kid, you could bet money that any time the weather was nice that I would be outside on my bike. Of course, now that I am an adult I don't even own a bike, but I would love to get one so that I could go on bike rides with my kids.

If I were to get a new bike, I would probably get one of the beach bicycles from XYZ bikes. I have checked out their online catalog and looked over all of the different styles that they offer. I think I would probably get the firmstrong urban lady beach cruiser if I had my choice. It is a single speed, which people might think is old fashioned, but that is what I grew up riding so why not stick with what I know? The one they show online is pink or you can choose green, neither of which is really a favorite color of mine. If I were to get one, I would rather have it in a bright red or yellow! That would be more my style.

They also offer classic beach cruisers, men's cruisers, women's cruisers, kid's cruisers, multi speed cruisers and even chopper cruisers! How cool is that? If you are in the market for a new bike, go visit their website. You'll be happy that you did.




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Dish Network

Living out here in the country like I do, we don't have the option of cable tv. If you want to watch more then NBC, CBS or FOX, which are the only local options we have here, then you need to get a satellite dish. That is what I did. Now I went through a local dealer here in my hometown, but you might want to check out this Dish Network Deal. They offer 100% Free installation of your DISH TV dish and other equipment, a free DVR (digital video recorder, and a free HD Receiver (if you choose) and HDTV channels. DISH TV also offers $100.00 back on programming and $200.00 back on HD Programming. They offer a great range of programming so you are sure to find something that will fit your needs. Go check them out today.

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Arizona

Do you ever dream of winning the lottery and moving someplace with warm weather? Or maybe even moving there now just to get away from the cold winters in your area? Here in illinois, the winters can be pretty darn cold so I've dreamed of moving a lot! If I ever do move, I'll be checking out the Scottsdale Condos listed on scottsdalefineproperties.com website. They have a long list of homes for sale so why not go browse through them. You might find that dream home you've been thinking about.

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Time

2006 really flew by and now it is actually 3 days into 2007. Why does time seem to go so fast anymore? I know I wasn't able to accomplish all that I wanted last year because I just didn't seem to have the time. I am hoping that this year goes a bit slower, but I know it won't. The older I get, the faster the years go. When I was younger, I couldn't wait for the school year to be over so summer vacation would be here or until I was 16 and got my driver's license or better yet, 18 and able to graduate, but now all I want is to slow down, relax and enjoy the time that I have. My main resolution this year isn't the standard lose weight and get healthy one. That is still on my agenda, but my main resolution is to slow down and actually enjoy life. Stop and smell the roses or iris or even dandelions, look at all the beautiful scenery when I'm riding in the car instead of focusing on how soon we'll be at our destination. If I don't accomplish all the chores and errands on my to do list, oh well. Those things will still be there tomorrow, but this day will only be here once. When it is over, that is it. I don't get the chance to live it again so I'm going to enjoy it while it is here.

Celebrity Gossip

Have you ever wondered about celebrities in other parts of the world? Do they go through the same things as celebrities here in Hollywood? Now you can see for yourself at YummyCelebrities.com. This website mainly blogs about Asia celebrity and entertainment, but there is also some gossip about hollywood celebs thrown in too. I've read a few of the articles and they are very interesting. Go check it out!

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Managing Employees

If you are self-employed like my husband and I and you have employees, do you ever have problems keeping all the employee information organized? I sure did. That is until I found ManagerAssistant.

With ManagerAssistant, you can track employee behavior, evaluate employee performance and control employee activities all with just one application. And with their Performance Review Software when it comes time to do those yearly reviews, all the employee information will literally be at your fingertips.

Why not visit ManagerAssistant.com today and try out their ManagerAssistant Version 3.0 Demo for 14 days, risk free! I'm glad that I did!

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Today in History

This article was in our weekly newspaper today and I found it interesting just how many different things have happened on this date in the past.

December 29
1848 - President James Polk turned on the first gas light at the White House

1890 - The US Seventh Cavalry, in efforts to suppress the Native Americans of South Dakota, massacred over 200 men, women and children. The massacre occurred at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

1937 - Babe Ruth returned to baseball (he had retired in 1935). He was announced as the new manager of the Class D, De Land Reds of the Florida State League; quite a long way from the big leagues.

1945 - Sheb Wooley recorded the first commercial record made in Nashville, TN.

1949 - KC2XAK of Bridgeport, Connecticut became the first ultrahigh frequency (UHF) tv station to begin operating on a regular daily schedule.

1952 - The first transistorized hearing aid was offered for sale by Sonotone Corp.

1953 - Jean Stapleton debuted in her first Broadway play.

1957 - Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme were married.

1972 - After 36 years of publication, the last weekly issue of LIFE magazine hit the newsstands.

1985 - Phil Donahue and a Soviet radio commentator hosted the "Citizen's Summit" via satellite TV.

1986 - After 18 years and $47 million expended, the restored Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL, reopened for business.

Some famous birthdays:

Andrew Johnson, 17th US President

Inga Swenson, actress

Ed Flanders, emmy award winning actor

Mary Tyler Moore, emmy award winning actress

Ray Nitschke, pro football hall of famer

Jon Voight, actor

Ray Thomas, musician

Ted Danson, emmy award winning actor

Paula Poundstone, actress, comedienne

Jule Law, actor

Time to Refinance?

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Car Refinance can be a real bear to deal with, but with RateGenius.com, they can help you get a great interest rate and save you thousands of dollars! You can even enjoy up to 90 days until your first payment. Best of all, there is no cost to you for their service.

Check them out today because everyone can use a little extra cash in their pockets!

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No Excuses

WOW! Just when I needed it, I run across this fabulous website about weight loss! It is called No Excuses Gym and has articles about everything from weight training to jogging.

The woman who is writing it is a personal trainer and aerobics instructor. She worked for a five star private spa and club in Las Vegas for three years, but then decided to go into business for herself. Her name is Marcela and she is there to help you design your own personal fitness routine and help to set your weight loss goals. Her program will be designed specifically for you and will suit YOUR schedule and YOUR lifestyle.

I've read over her site and there are a lot of very interesting articles on it. She discusses things like portion control, little steps to eating healthier, how to choose what dishes are the most healthy at restaurants and even where the top hotel gyms are located. She also discusses how to do different exercises on her website. I have found those articles the most helpful to myself because that is where I tend to have the most problems when it comes to my doing exercises.


She also has an article called easy simple workout. All of these exercises are done sitting down which is a great way to get started exercising if you're not in the best shape (like myself) and can't do a lot of the more stenuous exercises out there. This is where I'm going to start at least until I build up my stamina again.

So, why not check out her website. There is no time like the present to get started on the new you!


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New Year Thoughts

I've been contemplating what I want this new year to bring for me and, just like every year, the top item on my list is to be at a healthy weight. I thought last year would be THE year that I finally achieved that goal, but nope, it didn't happen. Actually, I've gained back pretty much all the weight that I'd lost. Not good. So, will this be the year that I finally get up off my ever expanding behind and get it done? Will I make my goal in 2007 of becoming a healthier, happier version of myself? I hope so. I'm taking steps in the right direction anyway.

Interesting book

I have been following the war and things that are going on overseas in Iraq. I’ve known a few people that have been deployed over there, friends and family members, and want to keep track of things so I know what is happening. I never liked studying history or wars in school, mainly because they were in the past and had nothing really to do with me (at least that's how my teenage mind saw it), but I do find it more interesting to me now to learn as much as possible about this current war. There is a new website called Iraq Study Group Report. It is offering anything and everything Iraq related. This site is updated regularly with the lastest information in relation to Iraq and the present day war. Their books are priced super low so I'm going to order a hard copy now. They also have the option of downloading an ebook, but really with a cost well under $10 it will pay to get the real thing. They also offer safe and secure ordering and accept all major forms of payment including Amazon gift certificates. Why not go check it out today?



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Merry Christmas!!!

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Christmas today. I had a fantastic one. I was able to spend time with my loved ones and celebrate the magic of the season with my kids, niece and nephew. granted my kids are old enough now to not get as excited about Santa, but my niece is only 3 and my nephew is 7 so they were both super excited about all the gifts.

Tonight has been spent putting things away, finding a place for all the new items that we brought into the house and getting rid of the boxes and wrapping paper. Every year at this time, I wonder if my house will ever be the same because right now, even after putting things away all evening, it still looks like a tornado went through.

It is raining now too. the forecast originally said we would get up to 2.5 inches of snow today. we've only seen a few flakes so far and i'm keeping my fingers crossed that is all we see. I'm not a big fan of snow at all as my friends and family know and I would be perfectly content if it never snowed here in the winter again. If someone would just invent a way to keep the snow off the roads, MAYBE i would like it better. And then again, maybe not:)

Anyway, again, I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday. not long before it will be 2007 and that is when we all get to look forward to the blessings of the new year to come.

Breathing a sigh of relief

FINALLY! All of my packages came in today's mail! I'm so glad. I was really beginning to worry that I'd be several short on Christmas morning. Whew!

I can't believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve. The season is going by too fast, but truthfully it will be a relief to have all the hubbub over with and get back to life as normal.

Free Phone

There are several websites that offer coupons or deals, but how would you like a cash back offer for a change? Sign up at dealking.com to get cash back offers such as a prepaid T Mobile to Go phone or a Cingular Go phone for free. DealKing has several offers to choose from, but best of all the sign up is free. And they respect your privacy so no annoying email offers. Sign up today and start saving!




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Holiday Funny

I think this pretty much sums up how some people feel during the holiday season. I know I've felt this way before. When you're stuck in line and that one rude person keeps hitting you in the butt with her shopping cart, wouldn't it be nice just for once to turn around and smack her over the head with your purse? Aah. Santa you've got the right idea!

Online Calendar

How many times have you forgotten birthdays or anniversarys because you didn't have them written on your calendar? Wouldn't it be nice if there were some way to get a reminder sent to you via email or even via your cell phone? Well, guess what?!?! There is!!! Check out the online calendar at American Greetings.
It will help you remember all those birthdays, anniversarys and holidays with reminders sent to your email address. Or you can set it up to send text message reminders to your cell phone. The service is very easy to use and I strongly recommend that you try it. You'll never forget a special day again.

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I'm getting worried

Only two more shipping days until Christmas and I'm STILL waiting on 4 gifts to get here! Three are in one shipment and should have been here by 12/13 but they got lost along the way so the website I ordered them from had to reship them. They are supposed to be here no later then tomorrow, but when I checked the tracking service, it is saying they still haven't arrived in Missouri and that is where they got lost the last time. The fourth gift has shipped, but it is also taking forever to get here. I do think it will get here in time. It just took longer to ship because it was backordered.

Keep your fingers crossed. I am. Well, I'm actually keeping my fingers, toes, eyes and legs crossed. Hopefully that will be enough.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are everywhere. I see commercials for them on television, in magazines, hear them on the radio. I get flyers from different companies in the mail almost every single day wanting me to sign up for their card. In my opinion, I think it is a good idea to have a credit card, but to only use it for emergencies such as car repairs or bills. Don't use your card to go out and buy your groceries. If you put them on the credit card then you'll be paying even more for them by the time you add all the interest into the equation. When I was younger, I had several credit cards and I eventually got into trouble by using them over and over on anything and everything. I got to the point that I couldn't pay even the minimum payment each month because of the high interest rates. I was in so much debt, it was ridiculous!

Well, there is a company out there that wants to help you change all that with 0% credit cards . Learn about the latestcredit_card_news and get some greatcredit_card_advice . They will also help you understand everything there is to know about credit cards.



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Choosing baby toys

If you are like me, you have a hard time choosing baby toys that are age appropriate for your kids or your friends or family. The Nursery Toys Guide is a website that will help take some of the guesswork out of your gift buying. To check out their recommendations, click on the "choosing baby toys" link above. You'll be glad you did.


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Sick

Of all the times to get sick, now is NOT one of them. I have been fighting a major stomach bug for the past two days. I don't know where I picked it up, but the symptoms started after going out to eat the other night. I thought it was food poisoning the first day, but since it has hung on for going on three days now I think that it is a bug instead. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm feeling better by this weekend. I still have a few more gifts to buy and there is no way I can do that if I'm spending all my time in the bathroom!

More last minute gift ideas

Are you still searching for a few last minute Christmas gifts? Here is another website that might interest you. This one is called OpticsPlanet.net and they specialize in anything optical. They have telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, night vision goggles, rangefinders,leupold rifle scopes, police and baseball radar guns, opera glasses, ballistic goggles, flashlights, regular sunglasses and even RX sunglasses! They have thousands of optical products in stock, including toys, and right now they are offering FREE UPS shipping on orders over $29.95. So, why don't you hop on over to www.opticsplanet.com today and cross those last few items off your gift list.


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Christmas Memories

I miss the days when the kids were small enough to visit Santa. I have noticed that Christmas just isn't as exciting as it used to be for me. The excitement is still there, but not as much as when the kids couldn't keep still from it. I remember one year when my daughter was about 5 years old. It was a few days before Christmas. We lived in a trailer and she didn't know how Santa was going to get inside to leave her presents since we didn't have a fireplace. Well, I took her outside and showed her the vent that the furnace exhaust came out of. It was just a pipe sticking out of the roof, but I said that Santa would be coming down that. He's magic, you know, and can shrink down small enough to fit. Anyway, she was satisfied with that answer so we went back inside. I forgot about the conversation truthfully and we went about the holidays as usual. Just a few years ago, she told me that she had HEARD Santa come that Christmas Eve. I asked her to tell me about it and this is what she told me:

She was laying in bed, almost asleep, when she heard this loud boom come from the hall. She jumped out of bed and peeked underneath her bedroom door. She said she didn't see anything except a pair of boots! She just knew it was Santa and if she didn't go back to bed that he wouldn't leave her any gifts.

I had to stop and think for several minutes what it could have possibly been. My hubby had stayed up late that night to put a few of the gifts together and he mentioned that when he walked back to the bathroom he had tripped and banged into the furnace door. We figure that is the boom that she heard. The boots though are still a mystery. Hubby was barefoot when he went back so it wasn't his shoes that my daughter saw. Wow! Do you think that she really did see Santa's boots? I guess only Santa knows:)

U-Doo

If your kids are like mine, they love to have cool ringtones on their cell phones. There is a new program out there now that will let them build their own PERSONALIZED ringtone with a matching avatar for their phone. They can download the tones to their mobile phone or even email them to friends or publish them on their MySpace page. If this sounds like something that your kid, or YOU, might enjoy, check them out! The first 60 days are even totally free!!!


U-Doo! Check it out HERE

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PayPerPost

I found out today that the website that I am "employed" with(PayPerPost) will be releasing an official statement on Monday, stating that all paid advertisment ads must be fully disclosed. Well, I guess since I'm officially being paid for these ads now, that must mean me. So, from now on I will have a link on my site stating my disclosure policy. For now though here is my disclosure policy in full:

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

And if you would like to read the official release statement, you can go over to www.techcrunch.com
and read it there.

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this was a payperpost affiliate post

Gift Ideas

So, time is running out fast for getting your holiday shopping done. I've been racking my brain for ideas on gifts for friends and family. I think I've hit every single store within driving distance of my house and no luck on finding anything that works for me. Until now....Delightful Deliveries! They have the biggest selection of gift baskets that I have ever seen! And they're not just for Christmas. They have gift basket ideas for birthdays, new babies, a job well done, to say I love you, to say thank you, housewarmings and get well wishes. Their website is really easy to navigate and they provide excellent service. Plus they are offering this special: Buy More & Save!! Use coupon code "buymore" get save 5% on your order.



You can buy chocolates, fresh flowers, fruits, nuts, baked goods and even gourmet meals. They also offer a gift of the month area where you can sign up to receive anything from bbq sauce to coffee to wine. Their fruit club was voted "Best Overall, Best Value" by the Wall Street Journal 11/30/01!!! Sounds good to me. I'm going to check it out and place my order. Why don't you? Just click on the link below to visit their website. You'll have everyone checked off your list before you know it.

Gift Baskets

This is cool!

Anybody want to know how to make a few extra dollars for your Christmas shopping? I found this website called PayPerPost and it is awesome! I've made $15.00 just today. How? Well all I did was write two posts that maybe took ten minutes, if that. That is it. I didn't have to sign away my life and I didn't have to pay any money. I wasn’t forced to write the posts and I wasn't forced to write about something that I didn’t want to write about. I got to choose what I wanted to write about, wrote a short post about it, published it to my blog, submitted the post to PayPerPost, it got approved, and now I’m getting paid! How cool is that? Just for writing this short post, I’m going to get paid $10.00!!!! Awesome? Yes, I would have to say it is.

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If you would like to learn more about PayPerPost, just click the link above to visit their website. It'll tell you what you need to do and soon you'll be raking in the bucks:)

TGIF...finally!

I've never been so happy to see a week come to an end as I am for this one. This has just been one long week. There have been problems with everything from our daughter to the business. I'm hoping this weekend gives everyone the opportunity to slow down and relax so that next week is better.

Working at Home

As all of my family knows, I work at home. I used to work outside the home, but since my hubby has started his own business, I have been a work at home girl. I love it! It gives me so much more freedom then working for someone else. I can set my own hours. If I don't want to start working until noon, no problem. There is no dress code. Most days you will find me sitting at the computer dressed in sweats. And if I am sick one day or my kids are sick then I don't have to worry about being reprimanded or the possibility of getting fired because of it. I'd always thought that it would be boring to be home all day, but I'm telling you that isn't so. Even though I'm not out smoozing with others, I am still connected to the outside world through all of our customers. Working at home is the best thing that I've ever done. If any of you ever get the chance to do it, I strongly recommend it.

work at home business opportunities

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

You Are a Tree

You love every part of the holidays, down to the candy canes and stockings. And you're goofy enough to put a Christmas tree ornament on your tree!

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

Holiday Shopping

Why does it seem that people lose all sense of respect and courtesy around the holidays when it comes to shopping? We went to the mall today to get some of our Christmas shopping done and there were so many rude and obnoxious people out there that I finally just said the heck with it and left. I was only able to purchase one gift and that was only after much patience to even get to the product on the shelf. There was this one woman who, even after I asked her nicely twice to move out of the way, just rolled her eyes at me and continued looking at what she wanted to see. I finally just had to reach around her. She didn't care for that either, but I'd already been nice about it and that wasn't getting me anywhere. I knew there was a reason that I did the majority of my Christmas shopping online. So that I don't have to deal with people. Does that make me anti-social or a Scrooge regarding the holidays? I don't think so. I think it just makes me a person who would like to see some holiday spirit get into these people for a change.

A few Thanksgiving funnies

Asked to write a composition entitled, "What I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving,"
little Timothy wrote, "I am thankful that I'm not a turkey."

What key has legs and can't open doors?
A Turkey.

What did the mother turkey say to her disobedient children?
If your father could see you now, he'd turn over in his gravy!

Why can't you take a turkey to church?
Because they use such FOWL language

Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?
Yes - a building can't jump at all

What did the turkey say before it was roasted?
Boy! I'm stuffed!

Why did the Indian chief wear so many feathers?
To keep his wigwam

Thanksgiving Eve

Happy Thanksgiving Eve to everyone. I hope all is going well. I've been a busy bee around here the past few days, trying to get things ready for company. On top of that, I've been sick. Colds are such a fun thing to have when you're busy....NOT! At least it isn't the flu or something to where I can't still go about my day and get things done. It would just be way more enjoyable if I wasn't stopping to sneeze and blow my nose every five minutes.

So anyway, I've been cleaning and sorting around here. It's amazing how much junk one can accumulate without even realizing it. I've tossed tons of stuff that I didn't even know I had. The sad thing is that there is still tons more that I could get rid of. The kids are off of school today for break and have been helping me finish up. The floors have all been vacuumed and the kitchen mopped, clutter has found a home and the dust has been dusted away. I still have a pie to make and a dishwasher to load, but otherwise I'm done for the day.

Tomorrow I'll be hosting dinner with my family. A total of ten if my grandma is able to make it. It'll make for a housefull, but nothing compared to when I was a kid and we'd all congregate at my aunt's house. Now THAT was a full house. It was nice though and brings back fond memories.

I hope everyone has a wonderful time with their families and friends tomorrow. Don't eat too much!

New 'Do

I was feeling like a bit of a change so yesterday went to the salon and got a new 'do. I'm loving this new style and color. Amazing how something so simple can make you feel so much better about yourself. I went from a redhead back to a brunette and from hair past my shoulders to hair that is just now skimming the shoulders. The new profile picture is my after pic. Figured it was time to change that too. Now if you could just go to a "body salon" and get a body makeover just as easily, wouldn't the world be a perfect place? I know it's not that simple though so I'll just keep trudging along. I'll make it eventually.

Update on my son

My son is feeling a bit better. The rash seems to have finally stopped spreading, but he is still itchy. We've done the moisturizer, the benadryl at night and the oatmeal baths, but the itching is still there. At least it isn't getting any worse though and we're keeping the fingers crossed that the rash is gone sooner rather then later.

Have you ever heard of this?

I had to take my son to the doctor today. For the past week, he has had a rash on his stomach and back that has been driving him nuts. It itches like crazy and seems to be spreading. I thought it was just dry skin to begin with because the moisturizing lotion that we were putting on it seemed to take the itch away. But yesterday he said it was really drying him crazy and could I PLEASE call the doctor. Thankfully, they were able to get him in today and since the kids didn't have school that worked out really well for us.

When we got to the doctor, they actually got him right in. We only sat in the waiting room for maybe five minutes, if that. The doctor came in not long after the nurse left us in the exam room, which was also shocking because usually we have a much longer wait. Anyway, the doctor looked Matt over and started asking him questions about where the rash was located, what the itching really felt like (tolerable or drive you insane itching), did it itch more at certain times of the day? The doctor suggested scabies, but my son didn't have all the symptoms of that (Thank God!!!) so he kept on going. He thought it might have been contact dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, etc. Then he noticed that my son had two larger patches on each side of his neck. They looked almost like an old burn that had dried up with the skin starting to flake. That's when he gave me the diagnosis.........PITYRIASIS ROSEA.............huh? I'd never heard of it before.

This is what the doctor told me. Pityriasis rosea is a rash that usually follows a viral infection or upper respiratory infection (My son had this a couple of weeks ago) It isn't contagious, but it is very itchy. There is no cure for it other then symptomatic treatment such as moisturizing lotion and a antihistamine to help control the itching. Here's the kicker....pityriasis rosea usually takes anywhere from 4 to 12 WEEKS to heal and go away. At least once you have it, you generally don't get it again. Similar to chicken pox, I guess?? So, I guess for the next month, at least, we will be moisturizing and taking benadryl and hoping that the itching and rash goes away. Should be interesting.

How Many?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 14 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween, everyone! Are you ready for all the little trick-or-treaters to come knocking on your door tonight? Do you have plenty of treats so you don't get tricked? I hope that I have plenty although I won't be here tonight as I'll be driving my son around to his favorite stops. Hubby and daughter will be manning the doorbell tonight. Good luck to them!


Update on the daughter: She is feeling fine now. Must have just been a 24 hour thing. She went to bed Sunday afternoon and said she woke up at 2:30AM, feeling wonderful and wide awake! She was able to fall back to sleep, thankfully, and got up Monday morning raring to go.


Update on Weight Loss Challenge: It ended Sunday (the challenge, not the diet) and hubby won, but we all figured he would. He lost a total of 5.6% of his weight, I came in second by losing 3.9%, daughter lost 3.4% and son lost 3.1%. We're all moving right along though. No challenges set for November. We figure with the holidays coming up that will be enough of a challenge in and of itself to deal with.

Again, I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween. TRICK OR TREAT!!!!!

More sad news and illness too

More sad news has hit the family. Our neighbor passed away Saturday from a massive heart attack. Good grief when is this going to end. I can't handle anymore bad news.

Daughter is also now sick. I don't' know if she has the flu or what, but she's been vomiting all day today. No fever or aches/pains or chills, but it could still be the nasty flu. Son was sick last week, but felt better after a few hours of staying in bed. This thing with my daughter is a bit worse then what he had. Hopefully she won't pass it on to anybody else.

Sad news

Sorry I didn't post last week. Things have been hectic around here. There was an accident last weekend that was pretty upsetting to my daughter. She was so worried that a couple of her friends were involved in it, but thankfully they weren't. Still, it led to a LOT of phone calls, emails, and what ifs. Then on Monday, we found out that a friend of hers had committed suicide over the weekend. Talk about another punch in the gut. She cried pretty much all day. She's doing better now, but has the funeral to deal with tomorrow. She wants to go, but then again doesn't. I don't blame her. It's hard enough when someone has lived a full life and passes on, but this boy was only 19 and had just begun to live. How do you say goodbye to someone that young?

Another week

Another week has passed in our family weight loss challenge. I lost one pound this week. Not as much as I'd have liked, but at least it was a loss. My daughter also lost 1 pound. Hubby actually weighed yesterday too and in two weeks he has lost twenty pounds. It's a big chunk and I know it is mostly from starving himself, but he won't listen and I get tired of arguing with him so haven't been saying anything to him about it anymore. My son also weighed to a two pound loss this week. So, we're all doing really well. It's nice to be doing this as a family. I must admit it has made it so much easier to pass up the junk with the whole family passing it by.

We went out over the weekend two different times and just knowing that everyone else were passing on their favorites made it easy for me to do the same. We ate pizza Friday evening and normally we would order the large with everything plus bread sticks or garlic bread. We ended up ordering the salad bar and a medium pizza instead. Then yesterday we went bowling and didn't order nachos or anything else fattening from the snack bar, just some diet sodas. Afterwards we went to Applebee's and all of us ordered weight watchers selections although I really wanted something from the new Tyler Florence entrees. After eating, we went to the mall and walked and walked and walked. Then on to Sam's Club and walked some more. I'd say we easily burnt off the majority of the calories we took in. Then on to the furniture store where we looked at couches. We ended up buying a very nice one with recliners at each end. We were in my car though so had to make a trip back home to get our truck to pick it up. Anyway, our Sunday was very nice and fun.

Today, however, I'm fighting a major sinus headache. Or maybe it is allergies, I don't know. I just know that I feel terrible (upset stomach, stuffy nose, stiff neck, achy muscles, and sneezing, sneezing and more sneezing) Ugh! I hope to feel better as the day progresses, but right now I just want to curl up in bed and go to sleep, which is exactly what I think I'll do.

Weigh In

Sorry I didn't log on yesterday to post our weigh in results. We left early and I completely forgot about doing it last night.

I am happy to announce that I lost 7 lbs. this past week:) My daughter lost 4 lbs:) The guys are being secretive and not telling us how they did. They both said they are going to wait until the end of the month and reveal all then. The sneaks!:)

The weekend went well. We were all able to stick to the plan and eat well both nights that we went out to restaurants. Now if we can just keep doing that, we should be fine.

Onward and downward we go!

Now comes the hard part

All has been going good, so far, but now we are coming to the dreaded weekend and that is where I have the most problems sticking with a diet. We ALWAYS go out on the weekends and that inevitably includes eating at a fast food restaurant. Not good. I have such a hard time choosing the healthier foods, not that there are a lot to choose from anyway. I've done well today though and am hoping that the good habits carry into the weekend.

Better news. I hopped on the scale this morning just to see if my healthier eating habits have shown any results and it actually looks like it has gone down a few pounds. yay! My official weigh-in will be Sunday so I'll be back then to let you know how that goes.

And this is better?

ARGH!!! What is it with my hubby and his way of thinking? I thought after the argument we had Monday evening about his not eating during the day that he MIGHT do better yesterday and actually try. Nope.

Yesterday's menu was a granola bar for breakfast, a pack of beef jerky for lunch and a 200 calorie microwave meal for dinner. That's it. No more. So again, we had another disagreement. He thinks if he cuts 3500 calories a DAY from his meals that he'll consistently lose 7 lbs. a week. When I tried to explain to him that it isn't healthy to do that, you could see his eyes gloss over and you could just tell he wasn't listening anymore.

How do I get through to him that I just want him to be healthy? I know that he wants to lose it fast. Heck, so do I. I guess i've just tried to do this so many times that I have finally realized that there is only one way to lose weight and that is slowly. I hope that he realizes this soon. I don't want to write about anymore arguments between us. You'll all think that I'm a real nag to be around:)

Round 1

So, in my last post I told you how the whole family is having a competition to see who can lose the biggest percentage of weight by the end of this month, right? Well, the weekend was great. We all ate healthy and got in some exercise. Yesterday, I did well and got in my exercise. The kids ate well and also got in their exercise. My hubby, however, made me super duper mad. When he came home from work, he announced that he was ready for dinner because he was starving. I figured it was just because he had cut down his portions and was still getting used to that, but nope, it was because the only thing he'd had to eat ALL DAY LONG was a measley little granola bar at 5am!!!! WHAT?!?!?! Wasn't one of the rules of this healthier lifestyle that nobody would starve themselves? Yes, I believe it was.

So, of course, I asked him why he hadn't eaten anything all day and here was his reply. "You know that I work hard all day, I leave the house early and don't have time to fix breakfast in the morning. I am filthy by the time lunch rolls around and I don't feel comfortable eating anything in the truck (it's filthy too) and I don't have time to stop, clean up and eat in a restaurant" MY REPLY: "Ok, hmm, why not fix your breakfast the night before along with a lunch that you can take with you (no stopping), lunch could be a portable sandwich that you can keep wrapped in the plastic wrap while you eat so your dirty hands don't touch it. Even a Slim Fast shake would be better then nothing. Or better yet, STOP! Take a break! It won't kill you to take 20 minutes to stop for lunch. As a matter of fact, it would probably do you a world of good to get away from it all for a little while. I know we run our own business and you want to make it profitable, but it doesn't mean you have to kill yourself to do it." Needless to say, he didn't like my answers and actually got mad at me for even suggesting them so I just quietly read my magazine and let him go about his business. At least he walked on the treadmill. And he didn't really go overboard for dinner, but still. I would guess that he only ate about 500-600 calories total yesterday. Not good.

Round one goes to the kids (in my opinion) who were able to spend the entire day at school and still eat healthy then come home and get their exercise in. Yay Kids!

And the competition begins.........

This is what is going on here in my household. Over the weekend, the entire family decided to change our unhealthy lifestyle. We tossed all the junk food from the pantry and freezer, stocked up on healthy foods, fresh fruits and veggies and got to moving.

In order to keep our momentum going and not poop out after a week, my daughter came up with the idea to make this a bit of a competition. So, each month we are going to have a challenge. This month we are going to see who can lose the biggest percentage of weight. Kind of like The Biggest Loser, if anyone watches that show. She had originally said whoever lost the most weight in a month, but we changed that since everyone knows men lose weight faster then women and the heavier you are, the more you tend to lose when you start out. She didn't want to give her dad any type of advantage:)

We are all pretty much watching what we eat, but I am also following the weight watchers plan. I have been half-heartedly following it for two weeks already, but not faithfully. Now, I'm going to stick with it 100%. Anyway, since I do the cooking around here I'll be trying out some new recipes and putting the ww spin on them. Hopefully it'll help everyone out in the long run.

So, I will post here every week to let you see my progress and also see how the rest of the family is doing. Wish us luck! (Preferably send the extra luck my way so I can win that challenge! LOL)

Smile for the Day

How do they do it?

I've been reading some success stories in my current weight loss magazine and am just wondering how in the world they did it? I've tried countless times to lose weight, yet never seem to be able to stick with the diet long enough to meet my goals. How do they stay motivated? How do they overcome the frustrations? I really wish someone would tell me.

I am AGAIN back to trying to lose the weight. I couldn't even stomach the idea of going back on NS. The food wasn't bad, but I just can't eat another bite of it. So, I am back with Weight Watchers again. Doing the At Home version right now, but will probably go to the meetings eventually. I've only been on program for two days and so far, so good. I really hope this time is the charm. I need it to work this time. I am sick of losing and gaining the weight again and again. BTW, I've gained 35 of the 45 pounds that I lost on NS BACK! Yikes!

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions on how to stay motivated on this journey, please please please leave some comments. I need all the help I can get.

School Daze

Hip Hip Hooray!! School is back in session here in my hometown. Yippee! My peace and quiet has returned. Sure, I'm sad to see the summer months fading away, but after the bickering between the kids and the constant "I'm bored", well, let's just say that the cooler months don't seem quite so bad:)

Football

We thought we were going to have a football player in the family, but after a week of practices my son has decided it just isn't for him. Here I thought he was having fun, but come to find out that from day 1 he has hated it. Why? Because at the first practice, he overheated and threw up in front of all his friends which was embarrassing. At the second practice, he again got sick but didn't throw up. Instead he was having double vision and felt like he was going to pass out. He didn't thankfully, just felt like it. The coach tried to get him to change his mind, but Matt held his ground. He said it wasn't fun and if he did stay that he wouldn't be putting forth 100% and he felt that wasn't fair to either him or the team. The coach understood so we turned in his gear this past Monday and are officially finished with the sport.

I am sad that he isn't going to be playing. I was looking forward to going to his games and cheering his team on. I understand why he quit though and am supportive of his decision. Who knows, he's only 11 years old so maybe he'll decide on a different sport later on down the road. Or he might be one of these guys that is more into the intellectual side of school instead. Either one is fine with me:)

just checking in

hello again, hope everybody is doing fine. I figured I'd better check in here so you all didn't think I'd dropped off the ends of the earth. Nope, I'm still here, just busy. Last week we had a couple of birthday and anniversary parties to go to. First one was for my grandma, who turned 98 on July 21st! Yes, you read that right, she is 98 years young and still going strong. The second was my aunt and uncles 55th wedding anniversary, which I'd planned on attending but didn't make it. I still can't believe they've been married that long. I remember going to my grandparents 50th anniversary and they just seemed so much older to me then my aunt and uncle do now. And finally the anticipated football season has started so we are now dealing with practices every evening. My son is enjoying it though and doing well. This week has started out pretty warm though and has caused him to think he lost his mind for joining but he knows it will get cooler and better as time goes on so he is hanging in there. Business is still booming also. I'm not as busy as I could be, but busier then I like. Hubby's burns are finally healed too. He will have a fairly big scar on his leg, but at least he still has the leg! There at the beginning when the doctors said he could lose it if he didn't listen to instructions really scared us both. We've also started the dreaded "back to school" shopping. The kids are NOT ready for that. But here in less then a month they will be back to the grind and I'll have my peace and quiet back:)

Why do I even try to do it?

There are days, today is one, that I wonder why I even try to keep up on this blog. Every time I think I'm recommiting to this diet, something happens and I fall off the wagon and go right back to my old eating habits. I thought blogging would help me with that, but it hasn't. Some people get so much inspiration from writing down their feelings, but it just isn't working for me. Others feel accountable to the whole world of bloggers by posting their goals and ambitions, but it seems like nobody even reads my blog anymore (this is the pessimism talking)so what's the point.

I was doing so well rededicating myself to eating healthy. I'd gone three whole weeks (that's a lot for me!) without slipping up once and I was losing at a nice slow and steady rate, but then my hubby had his accident and after that with the stress of taking care of him, hoping things ran smoothly with our business while he was unable to work, well, the stress got the better of me. I've ate nothing but convenient junk food these past couple of weeks and the scale has shown me that by moving right back up to where it was when I started this diet. And, of course, now I'm not in the right mindset anymore to even think about eating right and exercising. God, what is the matter with me? Why can't I get this thing right? When is that little light bulb going to come on inside my head and stay on so that I can kick this bad habit of mine and get fit and healthy? Hopefully some day soon, but it's not there now at all. My bulb has burnt out and it doesn't look like I'm going to be replacing it any time soon.

Hubby update

We had to make a trip to the doctor today for my hubby. He broke out with a fever yesterday and that is a sign of infection so I forced him to go to the clinic today. I'm so glad that I made him go too. The doctor looked at his leg and told him that it was as close to a 3rd degree burn as you could get without actually having one. He also said that hubby really should have gone to the ER that night right after it happened instead of just listening to the EMT that came out with the fire department. (I told him so!) His burns are now infected and he has to take the rest of the week off work and keep his leg elevated. The burns are not healing and his leg is pretty swollen. The doctor gave him a shot of high dose antibiotics and he is also taking them orally. They said if he didn't listen and stay off the leg that he could possibly LOSE IT! I hope that shocked him enough to listen. I'll tie him down if I have to just to make sure he does.

I don't know if I can handle dealing with another person with burns. As my friends and family know, my son had 3rd degrees burns when he was 2 years old. He pulled a slow cooker full of broth down off the counter and onto his head and shoulder. He had to have skin grafts on his arm. The doctor said if hubby's burns don't start to heal that he might also have to go through that. We don't have insurance now (thankfully we did when it happened to my son) so if he has to have surgery I don't know what we will do. I'm hoping and praying though that it doesn't come to that.

Other then that, things have calmed down here. Thankfully we have people who can cover for my hubby at work and I am home to take care of him and make sure he listens to the doctor. We won't be going out to watch the fireworks tonight in town, but I think we've all had enough fireworks this year.

I hope everyone else has a happy and SAFE 4th of July.

When it rains, it pours

I hate that saying, but it is so true when things tend to go wrong for me and my family. It never is just one small thing, it is always more. This has been the cruddiest weekend I've had for a long time.

It started Saturday with hubby getting into a big argument with one of our employees. I just knew that 1) hubby was going to have a stroke from the stress or 2) the employee was going to just up and quit and leave us hurting for help. Thankfully they were able to work things out, at least for now.

The next not so wonderful thing happened Saturday evening when my hubby and kids decided to light off some fireworks. Now, I am NOT a fan of fireworks, never have been and never will be. I don't like them, they scare me. I worry every year when they are outside setting them off that someone is going to get hurt or they'll start a fire. Well, this year my worries came true. I was inside at the computer, listening as one thing popped after another when all of a sudden my daughter comes flying inside "MOM, dad needs you outside quick! The field is on fire!" I thought she was joking at first because she didn't sound too panicked, but when I looked out the bedroom window there it was a ring of fire in the wheat field across the road from our house and my hubby frantically beating at the flames with his shirt. I called the fire department then ran out to see if I could help. We hooked up the hose and formed a bucket brigade. Thankfully they had harvested the wheat the day before so it was just stubble out there, but it still burned pretty quick. We were able to put it out before the fire department got out here, but in the process of trying my hubby got some pretty bad burns on his leg. They are second degree so not as bad as they could have been, but still.

And now finally to top off this wonderful (i say sarcastically) weekend, our ac has stopped working. We came home this evening to a house that was almost 90 degrees inside, the ac buzzing noisily out back. And of course this week is supposed to be hot and humid, highs in the 90's, until Thursday. DAMMIT, why does everything have to happen all at once? I'm so sick of it, but you know I'm just going to go hop in the tub and light some candles and relax. Hopefully tomorrow morning will be better and things will get back on track. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that one anyway.