Protecting Our Children

I will be the first to admit that I am overprotective.  My oldest will be a teenager soon and it's going to be time to loosen the cord a little but you can be darn sure I don't want to!  It's going to be a fine line between giving her some freedom, the trust to make good choices, and protecting her from people who mean to do harm to children.  I'm not sure how I'm going to walk that line.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I hope everybody had a great Christmas (or whatever holiday you may celebrate during this time as there are several).  Our was busy but good. 

Stay safe during the celebrations going on during New Year's Eve.

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!

Google Adsense Disables My Ads for Violent or Disturbing Content. HUH?

I received an email from Google AdSense early this morning disabling my AdSense ads on this blog due to this post. They said:

"AdSense publishers are not permitted to place Google ads on pages with violent or disturbing content, including sites with gory text or images. As a result, we have disabled ad serving to the site."

My post they are referring was blasting people who posted pictures of this accident for the whole world to see and for the person who actually sent these pictures to this girl's parents! Did they not even read the post they were referring to?

Head South for Winter

As my husband and I got into our frozen car two mornings ago to run errands, our breath puffing out in front of our faces, we talked about how great it would be to become snowbirds and just run off every winter to the deep south, like panama city beach FL. We aren't the right age yet to be snowbirds but I'm willing to die my hair silver and pretend. This cold is for the birds with wind chill hovering around zero. Most birds fly south. That's where I'd like to be this time of year. One of these holidays, we should plan a holiday vacation for the kids to Florida. I hear it is 80 degrees there right now from a friend. Wish I was there!

Call me Peg Bundy

The wall above my sink is damaged. I need to cover up the imperfections in the drywall and I was thinking about using a glass tiles or a metal tile. I've never used either before so it'd be a learning process for me. I really love the glass mosaic tiles. I always see them being used on those home shows on television and they always look so nice. The home shows always make everything look so easy though. I don't want to spend the money buying the supplies and then mess it up. I wish I had a Bob Vila gene! I have a "Peg Bundy, Married with Children" gene. There are some things I am just useless for and home repair and home updating is one of them.

Tiger Woods - Who Cares??

I've been sliding on my blogs lately. I started a new job and with the holidays coming (and shopping starting), something had to give.

There's all kinds of popular trends in the news today - Tiger Woods' affairs (which I'm tired of hearing about), the Nobel peace prize speech President Obama will give, the Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People (which I won't watch because our local stations are out until my dish gets moved). All I want to do is get the painting above my kitchen sink finished and get my shopping done! I really don't care who Tiger Woods is sleeping with. That's between Tiger Woods and his wife in my opinion. Be done with it already!

Kids Influence

My husband isn't a regular smoker but he used to smoke cigars a couple times a month. He did this regularly for several years. He even belonged to a cigar-club that sent him different cigars. One of his favorites was a Padron cigar.

He hasn't smoked them in a few years. A few years ago, our kids gave him a really hard time about smoking. They made him feel so guilty that he gave it up right then and there.

The kids were very proud of themselves. They still are. They like to tell the story all the time.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody celebrating it today. We have a big dinner planned for our children and ourselves together for today's holiday. We don't have any family coming into town and no plans to leave town though the thought of hitting the southern states for a vacation and some warmer weather is a nice dream.

I am not a fan of winter and I know it is just around the corner. A nice vacation to Hawaii with summer clothes and women's sunglasses sounds good about this time of year though not affordable. Maybe one year my kids would prefer a vacation instead of toys for Christmas? Not likely anytime soon! Maybe when they're all teenagers, a family vacation instead of holiday gifts would be a great change (plus get some time in together as a family before they all leave the nest). I have YEARS to worry about that though!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Enjoy your time with family and friends.

Kids on a Bungee Cord

A nearby mall has this fun activity for kids to do. They strap the kids into a safety harness. The safety harness is attached on each side to long bungee-like cords which are attached up high over a trampoline. The kids can jump on the trampoline and these bungee cords lift them up high. Even my four-year-old did it and she had a blast. I thought for sure she'd be scared but no her.

I won't have a trampoline because of all the injuries caused by them but this was a fun way for them to use a trampoline and go MUCH higher than the backyard trampoline. There was one girl jumping really high and then doing flips in the air on it!

Woo hoo! Found a good Thyroid doctor!

I'm not sure if you know this but I also write a health blog and thyroid blog. If you follow one of them, you know that it's been really hard finding a good doctor who accepts our insurance who believes in looking at natural dessicated thyroid medications over synthetic medications. Most mainstream doctors refuse to even consider anything but what the big pharmaceutical companies tell them to prescribe. It's been really frustrating.

I think I've finally found a good one though. He's about an hour away but the drive is fine (especially if my husband does all the driving) if I can finally get a decent doctor who doesn't want to over medicate and remove organs that don't need to be removed.

I live in an area where the economy is somewhat suppressed but not as bad as many places so we're lucky to have good insurance still. If you're looking for insurance for your family, you should check out Blue Cross North Carolina. I'm just so glad to feel like I may have found a decent doctor who can help manage my thyroid with me. I've been doing it myself since April (since I fired my endocrinologist and family doctor) and I've been doing pretty well with it but a doctor's support would be nice too.

If you have thyroid problems and want to see my blog, comment here and I'll give you the link.

Piddle Puddles from Toy Poodle

Having two puppies in the house at the same time can be fun and sweet but I'm finding that having two piddle puddles at the same time isn't much fun. I'm glad we don't have carpeting in our house right now!

Isn't she just the cutest? I was always a "big dog" person (huskies, shepards) and thought little dogs were frou frou, frilly, girly dogs but this little toy poodle just melted my heart. At least she makes just little toy puddles too! That's sure a lot easier to clean up than big dog messes!

Huffing, Danger in the Home to our Kids

If you have kids that are a bit older - upper elementary through high school - have you talked to them about the dangers of huffing yet? Kids take things they find around the home and get high from it. It's important to learn what they use, how they use it, to lock this stuff up, and have a good talk with your children about the dangers. See the video here.

I wrote about it here.

Engagement Rings as Family Heirlooms

Oh my gosh! I have never seen a hand engraved engagement ring before but I just saw some online when I was doing a search for engagement rings orange county. These are the kind of rings that become definitely become family heirlooms! I thought the price would be beyond affordable but they're not. It's about the average price paid I think.

I love the idea of passing my wedding set down to a daughter to wear. The problem is how do you do that when you have more than one? I have several nice pieces so I can divvy it all up somehow but the wedding set is the most important one. I don't want my kids to think it is playing favorites.

Good Deals: Is high speed satellite internet better?

We are going to change our television programming to try to save some money with the way the economy is right now. Hopefully it'll mean companies are more ready and willing to deal a little on the prices. While I'm looking around, I'm wondering if high speed satellite internet is better than what we have now.

Have you been able to negotiation costs on things like Internet and television services? It seems to me that everything should be negotiable if companies want to gain customers.

I wonder what else is negotiable that we don't know about? Grocery deals? Boy, wouldn't that be nice! It seems to me that the utility companies wouldn't deal because we're limited on who we can switch our service to so they have us right where they want us...just like gas prices. Are retail stores willing to negotiate? I just bought four winter coats for my kids. I sure would have liked to have a break on those prices. Would one store give you a cost break to get you to buy from them over another store?

Where are the best deals?

Ack! Entrecard ad just wrong!

Ack! Did you see the Entrecard ad to the left today? The woman is looking to get undressed in the picture. That's not what I would have picked for this blog.

I am seriously considering removing all the entrecard ads from my blogs. I stopped paying much attention to them when they switched their advertising method but never removed them. However, now I have thousands of credits (probably about 15,000 or thereabouts) with them from when I did participate. Are they worth anything to anybody? Who knows.

Edited to add: Whew! Glad the ad changed. They should really have higher standards on what pictures they accept on their advertising.

Behind in Thanksgiving Plans

Boy will I be happy when Friday hits, but that also means it is that much closer to Thanksgiving. I haven't even started figuring out what we're eating yet. I've been busy with work and grounding kids that it's not been a priority.

My husband mentioned today about going shopping on Black Friday. Is he nuts? I went out ONCE on Black Friday and I was so disgusted at every store I went to by people's behavior that I walked out of every store empty-handed and finally went home. He has no idea. I think he means for ME to go out shopping but I think he should go. It was his idea after all! My preference is checking out the Black Friday ads for online shopping. It's my favorite kind of shopping!

Christmas Gift Ideas for Men: Mens Jewelry

I think most women appreciate nice jewelry as gifts. For the first decade of our marriage, it is what my husband bought for all holidays and special occasions (and he has great taste too). Wouldn't it be nice to step out with your guy with him wearing a nice piece of mens jewelry too?

I have always loved when my husband wore a piece of jewelry. I think it's sexy and if the guy knows what YOU think about it, perhaps having Santa leave him a little something under the tree would be nice too. After all, if your guy is like mine, he's probably given you so much already.

Send out baby shower invitations during hunting season!

What is the best day to throw a baby shower at this time of year? I say the best day is football game day or during hunting season. With football and hunting season well under way, now is the perfect time to get all the girls together for a shower (party, get together, just to have fun) for all those hunting and football widows out there. Of course, there are women who enjoy both too.

For me personally, I'd prefer to send out the baby shower invitations while the boys were away hunting or watching football to get some good girl time in. Unless it is during the big game - Ohio State University vs. University of Michigan this weekend. Even though I'm not a big fan of football, that is one game I always keep an eye on.

Couture Jewelry for Christmas

Here is a really good idea as a Christmas gift for her: Put Couture Jewelry in her stocking. Many women love getting jewelry as gifts. I'm one of them. Just bring on the sparklies!

Whatever you do, do NOT buy her appliances unless she specifically asked for something in particular. Buying a microwave or a vacuum cleaner will not go over well. Buy her something from your heart!

Live Chat on Your Web Site

I've noticed that a lot of blogs offer message boards or a live chat on their web sites. I am wondering if that would be something useful on one of my other blogs. Would it bring more traffic perhaps by forming personal relationships with people who regularly visit my blog? That blog sees a few thousand visitors a month but perhaps the bounce rate would be lower if there was more of a one-on-one with the readers.

Party Favors for 13th Birthday

My oldest is going to be turning 13 years old in two months. How fast they grow. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that she was just a toddler running around outside and falling down in her pretty, matching outfit. She got up and was not happy about her dirty hands so my sister showed her how to wipe her dirty hands down the front of her pretty clothes and then keep on playing.

Now she is almost a teenager with all the teen attitude to go with it. She wants to have a party for her 13th birthday and I would imagine it is going to be another vampire party. Her 12th birthday was all about Twilight. I'll bet she's going to want a New Moon party this year with party favors and all. Last year, I had to create everything myself because they hadn't merchandised Twilight into the party supply area. Hopefully, they've learned from that mistake and will capitalize on the popularity of the saga this year so I don't have to make everything myself.

Consequences for Bad Behavior

In addition to having the flu last week, while recovering I also had to ground three out of four of my kids. I've obviously grounded them before but never to this extent. I took everything away from them and am making them earn it back. By everything, I mean, texting, computer, videos, television, sleepovers, and whatever else is a privilege and not a necessity. Last week was a difficult week which isn't unusual for many families but I've never had my kids act THIS bratty at once. I think part of it is my daughter is almost a teenager and when she takes "that tone" with me, it's like nails on a chalkboard and I get irritated right off.

I am so not looking forward to the teenage years. My stepkids are teenagers but they're long distance so it's not a day to day thing. I can see all that the ex is letting my husband's son get away with and it amazes me that a highly intelligent boy is allowed to almost fail in school rather than give consequences. It's not like we can do much about it. It's her way or no way. I could send her family relationship books. I'm sure she'd appreciate that. Not.

My husband thinks the teenage years will be easy for our son but not so easy for our three girls (for us and our son). He said he was going to take our son out of the house once a month to get him away from all the hormones. He thinks he's funny. I'd like to get away from all these hormones too! I can't run away from them though since mine follow me.

Miley Cyrus Dead Rumors

What is it with people wanting to spread rumors like this about Miley Cyrus being dead? It would be horrible enough if this was a true story for not only her family but all her young fans and their parents who would have to explain death to their young, upset child. What a morbid rumor to spread.

College Football vs Bridesmaid Gifts

It's been a busy Sunday today. I've taken my daughter to her riding lesson and my son had a friend over for a school project. I have to go pick him up in a few minutes from his friend's house again. I'm supposed to be looking for bridesmaid gifts but I got caught up looking at the college football rankings instead.

Next weekend is the big game between Michigan and Ohio State. It's a huge deal being from Michigan but a Buckeyes fan. Boy I bet that doesn't make me too popular with some hometown people this time of year. I wanted to see how both teams were ranked to see if OSU was going to smear Michigan again next weekend. Fingers crossed for a good game!

Forget to plant my bulbs! Need grow lights!!

I didn't get my spring bulbs in the ground that I bought from a school fundraiser. Yikes! Being in the north, I think it's too late now. I hope I can plant them next year. I have 50 of them!

If I had room for them and some grow lights, I'd plant some of them now and get them ready to go dormant for winter or maybe push them to bloom earlier. I've read you can do that with some plants, but since I do not have a green thumb, I'd probably kill all the bulbs.

I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that I can plant them next year. There is probably something I'm supposed to do with them this winter, other than leave them sitting on my kitchen counter. I better find out.

Mens Sunglasses: Great Gifts for Him

If you're searching for good Christmas gift ideas for a husband or teenage son, I know there is one thing my husband is never without: Men's Sunglasses. When I met him, he had several pair of expensive sunglasses but the amount of sunglasses he owns has gone down with the addition of each child. That doesn't stop him from wanting though; he always stops to look at them every time we pass a display.

They obviously have to be functional but they have to look good too. They do look good on him! When all of our kids are grown, he can go back to having several pair instead of just the one. He can be the old, gray guy with cool sunglasses!

Get Computer Services or Toss It Out the Window?

If it's not one thing, it's another. Yesterday, my computer went through those automatic updates that Windows does if you let it. I made the mistake of putting it on automatic. Well, I automatically had my computer messed up for hours yesterday because of it! I kept getting error messages, my computer kept freezing, and my monitor was missing the whole right half. Makes it a little difficult to work when I can't see a quarter of my screen.

I got most of it fixed, but there is still one error message left when I turn my computer on. It's something about a catalyst control and the ATI adapter. Huh? That's a foreign language to me. I googled online for help and what Windows offered, didn't help at all. If this keeps up, I may have to call a professional to fix it like orange county computer services. For now, I'm just putting up with it. As long as I don't have to reboot today, it won't irritate me anymore (until tomorrow morning comes and I turn on my computer).

My computer is only a couple months old so I better not toss it out the window...yet.

Work at Home or Kids Franchise?

I've been working from home for about two years now. I've tried a couple of different things during that time but decided that blogging was the way to go. My schedule is my own (which makes it great with four kids).

With the economy hitting the dirt, I am seeing several empty businesses in town. It has me thinking a little bit about what kind of business could be run successfully right now. A specialty shop carrying products you can't find anywhere else but the big city would be a fun business. Any kids franchise would be popular in this area since it is very kid-oriented and when people spend around here, it does tend to be on the kids before themselves.

Then I get to thinking about all the hours that I'd have to devote to an outside business and that my schedule would no longer be my own. I think while my kids are still young, I'll stick to being a work-at-home parent. I want to be home whenever my kids need me right now.

Did you hear what the movie studios are trying to do now?

Like the movie studios don't make enough money as it is for themselves and their overpaid actors...now the movie studios are in talks with certain companies (like Netflix) to force them into withholding new movie releases for 30 days from their customers so it would force consumers to buy them instead.

I'll just cancel my Netflix and stop going to the movies altogether. I'll just say to heck with all of them. It's not that important to me to watch a two hour show with an overinflated budget to go along with the overinflated egos of the actors anyway.

Learning to play guitar and nail care

Did I tell you that I am learning to play guitar? I am. I guess you're never too old to learn new tricks because this dog is learning and it's not as hard as I thought it would be! It's fun too. My husband is getting a really big kick out of and plays along with me and sings.

The one thing I had to give up was long fingernails on my left hand. That's not a big price to pay for being able to play along with my husband and kids for some family musical fun. I'm not opposed to making them look better with some help on my nail care in Huntington Beach. I'd get pampered and a vacation out of the deal.

My oldest daughter is taking what I learn during a guitar lesson and teaching herself as I practice. So now two of our girls are getting guitars from Santa this year. It's definitely a family thing! We're all going to have to learn how to take care of our nails and still be able to play with them because neither one of us want to use picks to play. Learning Classical Guitar has some tips on their web sites on how to play guitar with nails.

Notebook Computers

Have you noticed the prices come down on a notebook computer lately? I noticed last week when we were at an electronics store. A pink one caught the eye of my four-year-old daughter so I stopped to see what she was raving about. They are becoming so affordable now.

When my stepdaughter graduates from high school, I'm hoping we'll be able to afford to get her a nice laptop computer as a present. It would be a graduation present she could take with her to college and get some good use out of.

They'd make great Christmas gifts for somebody on your list this season too!

The Flu Hits Home

I don't think it was the H1N1, but it hasn't been fun around here. It started Saturday with my oldest vomiting. Then she was fine. I thought maybe she'd eaten something bad (we'd gone out to eat that day).

Monday morning comes and my son is vomiting at 5:00 a.m. I send him back to bed. I guess my daughter getting sick wasn't something she ate because she passed it to her brother. No school for him. Poor thing.

About two hours later, I'm worshipping the porcelain gods on my knees! Not fun.

My son spends the morning laying around and then he is better. He's up and doing things. Meanwhile, I am on the couch. Any time I move, bad cramps go through my abdomen. By the time the afternoon rolls around, the cramps are moving lower and I have chills. By bedtime, I am pretty miserable with chills (I could not get warm) and inhaling hurts my chest a lot. Since I have asthma, THAT worried me the most. I usually use my Advair inhaler once a day but at that point, I hit it again and then went to bed hoping I wasn't going to have to track down hubby at work or make a hospital visit. Going to the ER is a last resort to me (that attitude almost killed me once, waiting too long during an asthma attack) but I had every intention of getting over it and putting up with the people in lab coats to avoid almost dying this time.

Tuesday morning, my son is back in school. I'm still crampy if I move and my lungs are a little heavy but not like last night. The worst of it was last night. I hope anyway. I have too many things to do to be sick!

It's weird the way a bug goes through the house and affects family members differently. My kids bounced right back. It's taking me longer to even think about bouncing. Like I said, I don't believe it was H1N1 but it was definitely some type of bug.

Neverending Sickness

Does it seem like illnesses are on a loop in your house? Cold on top of colds. I've had two respiratory infections already this Fall with the last one knocking me on my backside for a couple days. All of my kids have had colds already with my youngest seeming to have one continuous one since school started!

Last night, my oldest child vomited. Just once. No fever. No aches. She had cramps, got sick, and then was fine. Must've been something she ate? Today my stomach is so cramped, it is making me nauseous. This is my second bout with some type of stomach virus (or food irritant) this Fall too. What's the deal?

I do not like the summer months but boy would I like them back about right now just to get these germs away from us!

High-Def Hotties

We bought a new HD television a few months ago. At the time we bought it, I had no idea you actually had to pay to add HD service to your television plan in order to reap the benefits the television offers. I thought it was just there - like the television signal you get when you have an antennae. Duh! Leave it to us to do something that ends up costing us more money in the long run. So we have this HD television that we haven't been using for the HD capabilities. Other priorities for our finances I guess.

I'm comparing different equipment and plans so that hubby can get his HD with his television viewing. So many options to choose from - bell tv and others. I'm sure my husband would like to see Kate Beckinsale in full high-def! I wouldn't mind seeing a certain Pirate in the same hi-def so we're even.

Three Total Weight Milestones: One Met

I have broken up my weight loss into three milestones so that meeting each one is quicker which gives me encouragement to move onto and finish the next milestone. I'm managing my thyroid medication by symptoms and it's been working so much better.

I've lost some of the weight I've gained since getting thyroid disease. I'm right at the start of the second milestone (ten pounds to lose in this milestone) but I'm at a standstill. The weight isn't coming off again. I'm also losing more hair than I should be and am always cold. Rather than give in and find best weight loss pills, it's time to increase my thyroid medication a very little bit to help take care of these symptoms. As hypothyroid symptoms decrease, so will my need to increase medication.

Optimizing my hormone levels is what is working for me right now. I'm not ready to give that up yet!

Big Bird is 40

Big Bird (and the rest of Sesame Street) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Can you believe that big, yellow bird is 40 years old? Does that make you feel old too? It sure makes me feel old. They're only two years older than I am.

What do you get a 40-year-old for this birthday/anniversary? Perhaps a little eye wrinkle cream? Ha! If anybody gives me eye wrinkle cream for my 40th birthday, I'll smack 'em.

Happy Anniversary to Sesame Street!

We have a dog named after one of the show's characters - Cookie Monster. The puppy started out as just 'Cookie' but it quickly turned to 'Cookie Monster' after seeing what her personality was like.

Still Looking for Madeleine McCann

Madeleine McCann disappeared two years ago at the age of four. She would now be six. They did an age progression to show what they think she'd look like now in the hopes that somebody would recognize her. It's really hard to look at her big, beautiful eyes in this video and realize she's just gone. My youngest is now four and I can't imagine the anguish of losing her and not knowing what happened. I don't understand how people can be so sick. Our society is full of disgusting excuses for human beings and it's scary.

My only concern is that it seems like they aged her too much in the picture. She looks more like she'd be 8-9 years old in the video instead of the six she'd be.




To see the full video because I know my columns are cutting off part of it, click here.

It feels good to kick the sickness

I am finally on the back end of this respiratory infection I had. I don't think it was the flu, though I never did take my temperature. Between the head and chest pressure and the sore throat, it was a miserable past few days! My asthma doesn't do well when I get a cold and this was definitely not an exception. My chest felt very heavy for a couple days. I'm glad it's over!

Kitchen Islands and Character

Yesterday I saw a GORGEOUS kitchen. It had exposed brick on one wall and a huge island in the middle with this great copper/brown colored finish. I love islands and wish our kitchen was big enough to have one too. What a great country kitchen. I didn't notice the sink but I can imagine how copper sinks would look great in this kitchen!

We just redid our kitchen a year ago. I tried to figure out how to get an island installed but there was just not enough room. If I'd had a separate dining room, I could have but we have an eat-in kitchen so space is very limited. My next house will have a big kitchen!

Bang! Bang! Down the Expressway

So we are driving down the expressway the other day and something starts hitting the passenger door of my SUV. It's hitting so loudly that I'm afraid there is going to be paint damage and dings in my door. It turns out that the rubber mat that is supposed to be adhered to the running boards has come up, leaving half of it flapping in the wind! We ended up having to pull it off completely so we could get home without any damage. Now I am on the search for Mopar parts to replace the rubber mat without having to replace the running board.

They were too expensive to have installed. I can't believe the mat came up! It's been too long to get it covered under any type of warranty so it'll be our expense. There always seems to be some expense ready and waiting for us.

Visit the Underworld with Hades & More

My husband found this site and gave me the link. Somebody spent quite a bit of designing this site. It's pretty cool. It's called River Styx. Check it out here.

Bestselling Kids Toys & Black Friday Specials

Here are the bestselling kids toys. You might want to check them out before your kids start handing you their Christmas lists.

Speaking of Christmas shopping, here are the Black Friday specials.

Man Arrested for Making Coffee Naked in His Own Home

Somebody cuts through his yard, sees him naked in his own home, and calls the cops? Ever heard of trespassing?

Grow Lights vs Heat Lamps: I'm a Dork

I was looking for some type of light for the top of our corn snake's cage to keep him warmer this winter. I want to keep the heat down a little to save money (via propane savings) but don't want Willy to get too cold. I wasn't sure what I was looking for and found grow lights first. I'm such a dork! He needs a heat lamp, not a grow light. Does it look like he needs to grow anymore? I think not! He's not oregano to stick under a horticulture light!

As you can tell, I know next to nothing about snakes. Willy is the pet of my ten-year-old son (and dad helps him care for him and feeds him). The feeding thing? Yeah, that's kind of gross.

Cold & Flu Season Hard on Asthmatics Like Me

Has any household escaped the cold and flu season so far this year? It sure does seem to be starting early. I just had one cold a couple weeks ago and now I have another. The same for my youngest daughter (who gave them both to me by the way).

With asthma being prevalent in my family (my oldest and I both have it), I'm wondering what I can do to reduce the amount of cold and flu occurrences in the house. Each cold seems to hit me harder than normal because of my damaged lungs.

We live near a grain elevator and you would not believe the daily dust in our house! (Kind of scary thinking about how much we are inhaling into our lungs now that I think about it.) It's crazy dusty in our house. I was telling my husband today about a central vacuum, wondering if it would help with the overload of dust we get in our house. Might just help my asthmatic lungs too!

You'd think with all the scientific knowledge in this world, there would be a cure for asthma by now. Do you ever wonder if there IS a cure for some of these life-threatening diseases and the government and Big Pharma just aren't letting us know because illness is a big money-maker for Big Pharma? I'm not usually one for conspiracy theories but I really wonder in the medical field if there isn't a little somewhere.

My Birthday Present

I was right. My husband bought me an acoustic amp for my birthday. He's being 100% supportive of my learning to play guitar. I knew he wouldn't listen to me when I told him not to buy me anything. I know people say that and they don't mean it, but I really do. We have bills piling up.

BUT, I love my amp. Now I need to trade in my electric guitar for an electric acoustic and I'll be good to go!

Funny Video - Free Photo Booth

Funny video!

Universal Studios Free Photo Booth

When Guys Get in Trouble

I just found this VERY funny site that explains to men what jewelry to buy and when - engagement rings, earrings, 'I'm sorry' jewelry, anniversaries, birthdays, engagements, baby's birth, etc. Men need to know this stuff! It's a one-stop advice and shopping haven for men. It had me laughing several times!

My man is usually really good (I say "usually" because he had one bad jewelry choice early on in our relationship) at buying jewelry but I know a lot of guys get that glazed look in their eyes when it is brought up. Men just don't have any idea what kind of jewelry to give or when to give it. They don't want to give something that means more than it should (don't want a woman to get confused over a ring you thought she'd like versus a ring she thinks is an engagement ring when it's not...boy would that be uncomfortable to talk your way out of!). They also don't want to give a piece of jewelry that doesn't mean enough.

I'll give you an example of great gift-giving. After the birth of each of our kids, on the Mother's Day that followed the birth, my husband bought me a ring that had the baby's birthstone in it. It was a very sweet, sensitive gesture. Not only do I have many good pieces of jewelry to choose from now (in many colors), but the jewelry means the world to me to have and wear. It will be something I can pass down to my kids down the road. I would definitely recommend this for dads to do as a gift for mom after the birth of their child or for the Mother's Day immediately following the birth! It'll be THE most appreciated gift, besides your newborn, of course.

Another example of gift-giving, that didn't go that well, was in the beginning of our relationship, when my husband and I had only been dating a very short time. He bought me an expensive gold necklace for Valentine's Day. I thanked him and acted pleased but internally, it freaked me out a bit. It was a serious gift at that early point in our relationship and it made me nervous (I know, usually it's the guy that gets a case of the nerves). A pair of earrings would've been better (and the web site, Bella True, in the "Tips for Guys" section confirms my feelings.) It was too serious, too fast, and I stopped dating him for a couple months shortly after that. OK, I ran - fast. I admit it.

The web site not only has pretty jewelry, but useful advice for the guy who is unsure what he should do and when he should do it and it gives us women a chance to laugh out loud because we can see our guy, or past boyfriends, in these predicaments.

You seriously need to bookmark the Tips for Guys page at Bella True and forward the link onto the boyfriends, husbands, brothers, uncles, etc. They need a little direction!

Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday! Happy Birthday to Me!

Usually I am looking at womens jewelry but this year, I told my husband not to spend any money on me. I'd rather it go towards our bills that seem to keep piling up. Otherwise, I'll just feel guilty. Knowing him, he won't listen because he thinks gifts are a necessity.

Since I'm learning to play guitar, maybe he'll surprise me with a guitar amp for my birthday. I know he's been looking at them. I'm learning to play on an electric guitar but I eventually want to switch over to a folk size acoustic (that I can still hook up into an amp of course!).

Juggling Your Boss and Swine Flu

I wrote about the swine flu scare the school had over my oldest daughter earlier in the week so I won't bore you with repeating the tiny details here. Quick summary, she has asthma, they panicked over her asthma cough because of swine flu panic and sent her home from school when they shouldn't have to wait to see if she got a fever. Waited 48 hours, no fever, so I got a doctor's note to take her back to school.

Anyhow, there are a lot of kids out of school with fevers and vomiting right now at the school. My son said half of his class has been missing this week. When I went to pick up my daughter (see first paragraph), there was a little girl on my other daughter's cheerleading squad that was in the office with the flu. Her mom was called from work at the hospital to pick her up, showing up in her lab coat. I'd imagine there have been a lot of parents everywhere getting those phone calls to leave work to come get a sick child. I'm glad I work from home and my schedule is my own. I don't miss having to juggle my boss's demands and a sick child at the same time. I don't miss those times at all! I'd imagine the workplace is suffering right along with the schools - not only do they have to deal with employee illnesses, they also have to adjust to parents having to leave to take care of their sick child.

H1N1, School Freaks Out Over Asthma Cough

Is the H1N1 bug as bad as the government is making it out to be? What's your opinion? Is it as dangerous as they say or is it a ploy from Big Pharma and the government to make money? Is it worse than the basic flu that hits the masses every year about this time?

My 12-year-old daughter has asthma. Every year about this time, she gets an asthmatic cough that lasts a few weeks. With the weather changes and all the corn being cut down right now, she has that barky cough right now (no fever). I remember during Halloween last year, she barked all through trick-or treat. It's that time of year for her. Unless or until she develops a fever, it's her asthma. She went to school today and they ended up calling me to come get her. She still doesn't have a fever but they're panicking over the cough. "OMG, H1N1. LET'S ALL PANIC."

Ugh.

Let's not all freak out people! If she had a fever, then I would have kept her home. If this is her asthma cough, it lasts about a month. Am I supposed to keep her home from school for a month for something that isn't contagious because people are panicking?

She missed pre-algebra today (as well as other classes but pre-algebra is an honors math class and she needs to be there to understand what they're learning). She has to be home for 24 hours to see if a fever develops. So she'll miss a second pre-algebra class tomorrow and probably not be able to cheer for her last football game because of the rules about having to be in school the day of the games.

Now if she develops a fever, then she'll stay home until she hasn't had a fever for 24 hours but I don't think it's right that they kicked her out of school when she's not showing symptoms of having the flu! I know a lot of kids have the flu right now (whether it is H1N1 or not remains to be seen) but she has no fever!!

7 Pounds Gone So Far

Since switching my thyroid medication from a synthetic T4 to a natural T3/T4 combination, I've lost 7 pounds (so far). Hopefully, 20 more will fall off along with the other 7!

Thyroid Hell

Driving Pet Peeves

I don't have road rage. I don't get THAT mad while driving. What would be the point? Of course, that doesn't mean that I don't get irritated enough to let slip a few bad words when other people's driving irritates me.

Last week, two cars coming in the opposite direction passed a garbage truck in front of them - and they didn't care that they almost caused a head-on collision (with us!). That elicited more than just a few bad words from me (think finger gestures). They deserved it!

Other things that irritate me:

• Tailgating.
• When people don't turn on their turn signal until right when they turn or not at all.
• When lights are out so braking is a big surprise to you when all of a sudden, the car in front of you is a lot closer than it should be. 
• How about when the car in front of you passes illegally on the right hand side of the road because the person in front of them is stopped to turn, leaving you little notice that there is a car stopped right in front of you? That really gripes!
• Another irritation is about cars and not driving specifically. The heavy bass beat that kids seem to think is awesome to hear half a dozen cars away? It hurts my ears! My ears are sensitive - they can't take heavy bass like that (nor can they take the high-pitched dog trainers that aren't supposed to be heard by humans. Yes, those hurt my ears too). I can't imagine what that bass is doing to that car's passengers' ears.

Green Cleaners: Buying Instead of Making

If you'd rather buy your household cleaners than make them, here is some information you should look for when choosing to find products that are good for the earth:

• All-Purpose Cleaner: should be chlorine-free, ammonia free, solvent free
• Window & Mirror Spray: should be ammonia-free with no synthetic fragrances or dyes
• Liquid Dish Soap: should be plant-based, biodegradable, with no synthetic fragrances or dyes.
• Dishwashing Detergent: should be plant-based, biodegradable, phosphate free, chlorine-free, with no synthetic dyes or fragrances.
• Oxygen Bleach: should be chlorine-free.
• Stain Remover: should be plant-based, biodegradable, chlorine-free, and solvent free.
• Toilet Bowl Cleaner: should be plant-based, biodegradable, chlorine-free, and ammonia-free.
• Surface Scrub: should be plant-based, biodegradable, chlorine-free, with no synthetic dyes or fragrances.
• Concentrated Cleaners: should be plant-based, biodegradable, with no synthetic fragrances or dyes.

Husband vs Wife Decorating

They make some awesome new tv stands for the HD flat-screen televisions, don't they? I'm being stubborn though.

For years, I wanted a big armoire that looked antiqued, with doors that closed the television inside. With so many kids, any help closing up clutter is a necessity!

About four years ago, I finally got it. Now I won't give it up for a flat screen television. So, we just slid it inside! It's not the ideal situation to get the full sound effects from an HD flat-screen but for now, it's all I'm willing to give up for my husband to have his flat-screen!

Take a Hike!

BRRR! Why does it feel SO cold? I usually love Autumn but it seems like it's been colder than usual (shouldn't be a surprise because the summer was definitely cooler than usual too). Winter depresses me so this cold is for the birds! It can take a hike!

We are adding to our vacation wish list. Our destination additions are Salem, Massachusetts and Asheville, North Carolina. Not that we have a vacation planned (who can afford it right now), but it's nice to have something to look forward to anyway.

Hopefully after winter graces us with its presence and then gets the heck out of here, we'll have family visiting again. My sister and sister-in-law plan to travel in their RV so hopefully they make a stop near us on their travels for a visit. Traveling by RV seems like it'd be fun (much better than putting 4 - 6 kids in an automobile and traveling). All we'd have to do is ensure our rv insurance is updated, stock up on food, and hit the road!

Green Cleaning: Non-Toxic Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Non-Toxic Toilet Bowl Cleaner:

Ingredients ~

• 1 cup borax
• 1/2 cup white vinegar

Here's what you do with it ~

• Flush the toilet to wet the bowl.
• Sprinkle borax around the toilet, then liberally apply vinegar on tip.
• Let sit for 3-4 hours and then scrub.

Green Cleaning: Air Freshener Spray

Air Freshener Spray:

Ingredients ~

• 1 clean 12-oz. spray bottle


• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol


• 25 drops bergamot essential oil


• 8 drops clove essential oil


• 5 drops lemon essential oil


• 1 cup distilled water

Here's what you do with it ~

• In the spray bottle, combine the alcohol and oils, shake well to disperse oil.


• Add water and shake for a minute or two to blend.


• Let the mixture sit for a few days before using. This will allow the fragrance to blend.

A quick spritz will freshen a room!

You can experiment with different oils like lavender, pine, orange, grapefruit, eucalyptus, rose or spearmint.

Green Cleaning: Fabric Softener

Fabric Softener:

Ingredients ~

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup white vinegar

Here's what you do with it ~

• Fill the washing machine with water.
• Add the baking soda and then the clothing.
• During the final rinse, add vinegar or pour into softener dispenser.

Is your family taken care of if you die?

I was talking to a man who sells life insurance last year about going into the business with him. I had thought since the economy was down, business would be bad but he said it was just the opposite. When the economy gets bad, he said his business goes up because it gets people thinking about their loved ones being taken care of. I bought all the materials, studied, and was ready to take the test when I decided against it. He and a relative of mine got involved and it ended quickly and nastily. I didn't think it'd be a good idea to get into that mix!

Learning all the ins and outs of life insurance had me thinking about my own family and own life insurance policies. I did start looking for online life insurance though to beef up our current life insurance we already have, which we did. I haven't decided if I will ever pursue a career in life insurance but now our family is covered should anything happen to one of us.

Dr Would Not Give Swine Flu Vaccine to His Own Kids

Will you vaccine your kids? Why or why not?

Medelita Contest to Win $50 AMEX Gift Card

Medelita is a top supplier of medical clothing - lab coat, nurse scrubs, clinician scrubs. If you're a nurse or work in a hospital, they can hook you up. If you know somebody who is, start your holiday shopping early.

For the rest of us not in the medical field, they can still hook you up - with some extra spending money. Enter their contest by September 30, 2009 to win a $50 AMEX gift card.

Alli

I wrote the other day about insulin resistance and belly fat due to high cortisol (caused by chronic stress). It's a big problem in our society as people get busier and busier while the economy stresses us around the clock. I'd like to see a study of how much weight people have gained over the past few years while our economy hit the skids.

There are probably a lot of people looking at weight loss products. I looked up an alli review myself. I wanted to see what the side effects of this could be because it's highly visible in the aisles when I go shopping every week. Does it work? Doesn't it? These are things that I was curious about.

Great Way to Get Kids to Floss

Getting my kids to floss has always been difficult. The smaller ones have a hard time manipulating the regular flosses with their hands and getting all the areas they're supposed to. Now there's a kids floss that my kids think is "cool" and even my four-year-old was able to do it herself after I showed her how briefly. They didn't mind me doing it but they were a bit impatient to do it themselves. Now that it's more fun for them, I'm hoping they'll continue to floss regularly now.

Green Cleaning: Automatic Dishwashing Detergent

Automatic Dishwashing Detergent:

Ingredients ~

• 2 cups borax
• 2 cups washing soda
• 1 clean 32-oz. plastic container with cover

Here's what you do with it ~

• Combine the borax and washing soda in the container and seal it tightly for storage.
• For each load of dishes, put two tablespoons of the mixture in the dishwasher soap dispenser.
• For sparkling dishes, add 1 to 1-1/2 cups of white vinegar to the rinse cycle or pour vinegar into the rinse compartment before starting.

7th Grade Health Class Topics

My 12 year old has a Health class in 7th grade. I've never had "Health" before so I asked the teacher for the syllabus. Here is what is included:

• Nutrition
• Body Systems
• Physical Fitness
• Suicide
• First Aid
• Sexuality
• Drugs & Alcohol

I'm curious to know what exactly they will be teaching for Sexuality. I would imagine that during these classes, a lot of kids will be wearing red faces.

My daughter is already certified through the Red Cross for CPR/First Aid so that part of the class should be just a refresher for her.

Belly Fat and Insulin Resistance

Did you know that stress can give you belly fat? Stress can cause high cortisol levels which in turn causes insulin resistance. Some other signs and symptoms of insulin resistance includes fatigue, sweet and caffeine cravings, headaches, migrating pains, elevated blood pressure and of course, elevated cortisol. Considering that all of that predisposes you to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and hormone-sensitive cancers, it's important to remove what is causing the stress where you can and learn to relax stress away when you can't remove the cause from your life.

Need Husband Motivator

Last winter, my outdoor furniture was left outside in the elements because my husband kept putting off and putting off putting them away...until spring came and he didn't have to! This year, I might have to invest in outdoor furniture covers so I don't need to worry about my beautiful patio table getting ruined. It took me a year to get that table so I want to take care of it, but I can't move it down the long deck stairs and into the garage by myself but I can cover it up by myself. So I guess his choice will be to move my furniture into the garage or hand out the cash! I wonder if that'll sufficiently motivate him?

Green Cleaning: Super Window and Glass Cleaner

Super Window & Glass Cleaner:

Ingredients ~

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
• 3-1/2 cups water
• 1 clean 32-oz. spray bottle

Here's what you do with it ~

• Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle.
• Shake well before using.
• Spray on surface; use newspaper to wipe.

Vow Renewal: More Thoughts

When you renew your vows and have a celebration afterward, do you still do some of the traditional things like throwing the flower bouquet and wedding favors? I know already that I want a wedding dress since I didn't have one the first time. It wouldn't be over the top since it is a vow renewal but I definitely want the dress. I'd like to include our children in it in some way. A reception with music, food, and a cake would be a must. Memorable vows is another must. I found some samples but haven't found anything that really felt right so far.

Since I'd prefer to do the actual ceremony outdoors, do I want to take a chance with an outdoor reception as well with weather or go for indoors to eliminate one worry? There's just so many things to think about when I start to seriously think about planning this for our future.

I know we'll do it eventually. We got through a difficult ex (years of it). Since we came through that closer than before the chaos, I think we can weather any storm in the coming years.

Green Cleaning: Citrus Disinfectant Spray

My kids have been on their school's environmental team for the past few years. They brought home several "recipes" for non-toxic cleaners so I thought I'd share them.

Citrus Disinfectant Spray

Ingredients ~

• Peel from one orange, grapefruit, lemon or lime


• 3 cups white vinegar


• 1 clean quart jar with lid


• 1 clean 32-oz. spray bottle

Here's what you do with it ~

• Combine citrus peel and vinegar in quart jar. Fasten the lid and store the mixture in the cupboard for two weeks. Give it an occasional shake during this time.


• After two weeks, remove the peel from the jar, strain vinegar and return to jar.

To use as a spray cleaner, pour one cup of citrus vinegar in the spray bottle and fill it with water.

To use it to clean linoleum floors, add one cup of citrus vinegar to two gallons of water.

Green Cleaning

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting many recipes to make your own household cleaners that are safe for the environment and your family. My kids brought these home from their Green Team meetings at their school (environmental team). These could help prevent 32 million chemicals from being dumped down our drains every day. Wow! That's a lot!

Take care of our environment. Take care of our wildlife. Take care of ourselves.


Subscribe to my blog so you don't miss the Green Cleaning series of posts coming soon.

Did You Forget Grandparents Day?

Did you remember that Grandparents Day was this past Sunday? We did (well, I did). I hope you remembered to do something nice for the grandparents of your children (buy a nice gift like Yellow gold diamond necklaces, perhaps a gift certificate to a nice restaurant, a phone call). Perhaps you just dropped all your kids off at their grandparents house so they could spend the day together (giving you the day off). That sounds like a great gift to me!

Did you forget that Grandparents Day even exists? I know a lot of people aren't even aware of it but if you need to score points with the in-laws, it's worth it to keep it on your calendar.

Sunburned Eyeballs

I did something really thoughtless over the weekend. My two youngest girls were cheering for the football team and we were out in the sun for three hours straight during the hottest time of the day. Being mid-September, I wasn't thinking about sun damage. I should have been. I ended up with a bad sunburn on my arms, chest, and face. The worst part - sunburn on my lips and my eyeballs (not eyelids but my actual eyes).

Talk about eye damage! My eyes feel like something has been scraping them...real gritty. I burned them pretty good. I didn't have any regular sunglasses with me but I could've grabbed my husband's. Nobody would have noticed if I would have wore Men's Sunglasses. Would've preferred his to frying my eyeballs! I wasn't even thinking about sunburn.

Is there such a thing as a handfasting vow renewal?

My husband and I really want to renew our vows but not in a traditional sense. We want it to be more of a handfasting type of ceremony.

Even though we didn't do the big celebration before or after our initial ceremony when we married, we do want to have some type of party for family and friends this time around. I'll have to forget about all the bridal shower games since I'm already married but we should be able to plan something nice. I just need to figure out how to incorporate renewal vows into a handfasting ceremony.

Shouldn't be too hard right? Actually, it seems a bit daunting to me.

Luna Moth Caterpillar Pictures

I took these pictures tonight of a Luna Moth Caterpillar that was making its way across a part of our yard.

I went searching online to see what it would look like after it does its thing. This is what it will look like after it comes out of its cocoon:

Hugh Hefner Files for Divorce

Hugh Hefner just filed for divorce from his long-time estranged wife, Kimberly Conrad. They've been separated for more than ten years (were living together as man and wife for nine years previously). He is also asking that his $40,000/month spousal support be reduced to $20,000/month. Either way you look at it, that will buy a woman a lot of womens shoes!

They also have two sons together (learn something new every day). If his sons were born in 1990 and 1991, which is what I found online, his kids are now adults. How long is a man expected to pay spousal support? No clue.

Basement Flooring

We live in a bi-level so half of our living space is halfway underground. I am stumped on what kind of flooring to lay downstairs. Being half underground, the cement floor is cold (and it can get damp down there). I know I definitely don't want carpeting, especially with our four dogs coming in and out of the house down there regularly. I am thinking either a ceramic tile or one piece laminate flooring that looks like a wood or ceramic tile floor. If I go ceramic, it will probably stay cold which won't be too comfortable in the winter (unless we make it heated underneath). If I go with a one piece, it'll mop up easily from the dogs (but be hard next to the cement like that).

I didn't think when we bought this place how hard it would be to modernize it. It's been expensive so far and we haven't even finished one level yet!

Daughter's First Heartbreak

On Friday before coming home from school, my daughter had her heart broken when a girl told her that my daughter's boyfriend was breaking up with her. What made it really bad was this girl, who the boy used to do his dirty work, is the same girl that has been nasty to my daughter since she started going out with this boy at the end of last school year. The fact that he allowed this girl to do that, and then he used this girl to do his dirty work, tells a lot about how respectful he is towards girls (or not in his case). She's better off (she'll see that eventually).

Today is the first day that she will see this boy since getting the news. I hope she does ok today. I'm worried about how her day will be today.

They ride the same bus as well but I drove her this morning because she had two bags and her cheerleading uniform to carry today for cheerleading pictures. Not only was she carrying too much to sit three to a seat on the bus, but I was hoping to minimize her having to deal with him today (they don't have any classes together) so she doesn't have too upsetting of a day. I don't think she'd want cheer pics that look like she's been crying.

Jenna Bush Hager on NBC's Today

Did you hear that President George Bush's daughter, Jenna, is now a correspondent for Today on NBC? I was surprised to hear it because it seems like some of the networks have been a little one-sided with the current President.

Jenna Bush Hager is a teacher and author. Now she can add television to her resume. Good for her if it is what she wants.

Speaking of President's daughters, I don't hear much about Chelsea Clinton anymore. We all watched her grow up basically, which has to be awkward for her. While most of us as kids are worrying about the best acne treatment, she had to go through the awkward years in public. I think the last time I remember seeing her in the news was during the last presidential campaign.

The Vampire Diaries Coming to the CW

Did you hear about the new vampire show that is coming to the CW on September 10th? It's called The Vampire Diaries and it is based on the book series by L. J. Smith.

Don't get confused about the other vampire series on HBO called True Blood. That is for mature viewing, which disappointed my twelve-year-old.

I don't know yet how they are rating The Vampire Diaries so I'm not yet sure if my 12-year-old, who wants to watch it, will be able to but she's excited about it and hopeful.

I'm just thankful not to have another medical drama on television again. I guess wardrobe changes are easy given they usually wear medical scrubs but given the popularity of vampires right now, thanks to the Twilight series, it'll be nice to have something else to choose from on television. I just hope they don't overdo it with the vampire stuff.

Health Care Reform

Boy, the health care reform debates sure are heating up. I agree that there needs to be reform, but I do not want the government to have a large role in it. I just don't think that is what our country is about. It seems like the people who feel as I do are now the majority as the approval ratings for the reform goes down.

I want choices. I want to have some control over my health. I want to be able to pick and choose what my family's coverage is, have insurance options with insurance quotes for competitive pricing, and go to the doctors and specialists I choose to in a timely fashion. It's up to me on who and when my children see doctors. I certainly don't want my most important little lives to be on the government's schedules!

Great Review on Playmobil Toys

I recently posted about Playmobil toys on my Facebook page and a former classmate talked about how much her son loved his Playmobil toys. It was a good review and helped me decide to add some of their toys onto my kids' Christmas lists this year.

It's hard to know which toys are going to go over well with kids and which ones will be tossed aside. These toys are in the "play with them" category so that's great for me. I don't like to spend money on toys only to see them not played with.

I'm glad I posted about them on Facebook. Having friends who can vouch for purchases, before you spend the money in this economy, is a bonus.

Congrats to My Little Brother

My little brother surprised me a couple weeks ago and married his girlfriend. Many of us were all expecting a wedding next year. He pulled a "me" and had a quickie ceremony in front of the judge in a civil ceremony instead. It's what my husband and I did when we were in the middle of a court fight with his ex, no extra funds for a wedding, and we just wanted to be married without all the family hassles involved.

Everybody has met his new wife, except me. I'm hoping to meet her the next time we head to their state for vacation. Everybody talks highly of her and my little brother (who towers over me by the way) is a good guy so I'm sure she's great.

I did see a picture of them afterwards but you know what? I didn't notice if they were both wearing rings and what kind! I should have looked. I can't believe I didn't. My only excuse is that my kids are running me ragged this summer. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to think of much of anything except where which kid has to be next.

There are so many choices now for wedding bands available. It's not just gold or silver anymore. I really like the palladium rings. I think my husband would too (and we always planned to update his wedding band eventually because his band just isn't very comfortable).

Parents of Small Children: Ink Remover

How many of us parents have had our children get hold of an ink pen and write on themselves, on clothing, even on the walls? I know mine have. They've also gotten hold of make-up, markers and scissors too but that's another story.

There is a product called amodex. It's marketed as great for lab coats and scrubs for medical personnel but what parent couldn't use a bottle of this stuff? It has an unlimited shelf life so you can keep it on hand (for those trying time as a parent) without worry that it will go bad.

Here is a list of what it can be used for: ink stains, permanent marker, food stains like chocolate and coffee and more, blood stains, lipstick, makeup and more. I think I want more than one bottle of this to keep handy in the kitchen when kids make messes but also in the laundry room.

Horse Loving Family

We have two horses. One is my horse and the other is my oldest daughter's horse. I ride Western (when I ride...it's been a year since a horse of ours died and I haven't rode since) and my daughter rides English. I like to ride casually (at a walk) while my daughter likes to canter and jump. We are complete opposites when it comes to what we enjoy about horses.

Just Reduce Your Calories By 100 a Day

That's what my endocrinologist told me during my last visit when I complained about the weight gain because of my thyroid disease. I told him I don't over-eat, used to be tiny, etc. Instead of him even considering that my thyroid disease, which slows down your metabolism, is to blame, he said, "Just reduce your calories by 100 calories a day and you'll lose 20-25 pounds in a year." I wanted to hit him! A doctor who is SUPPOSED to be knowledgeable about thyroid disease was an idiot!

I seriously doubt anything but getting my thyroid function optimized is going to drop this weight, not even diet pills. I am going to change doctors. I was just not happy with this doctor at all. His "cookie cutter" treatment for my thyroid disease was:

• Synthetic drugs;
• Another biopsy; and
• Removing my thyroid.

Oh yeah, and this was before he'd even examined me for the first time!

Vegetarian Magazine Shocker

I received this vegetarian magazine in the mail recently. I thought it was going to be about how to become a vegetarian eating all the proper food groups, but it was more of a "let me show you what they do to the animals with full-color pictures and see if you can live with yourself" magazine (at least that was as far as I got which wasn't far). I didn't get past the second page. I love bacon! I didn't want to see more. My husband looked through it and told me I probably wouldn't like bacon after seeing the pictures in the magazine.

I buy organic food when I can afford it and if my kids will eat it. I found that some products, like organic milk, they can't stand. I haven't seen organic clothes sold in the stores I frequent so far but I heard that there are good lines of organic baby clothes available.

I haven't picked up the magazine yet to finish reading it. It's sitting on my table staring at me, waiting for me to pick it up.

Racing

My son saw some kids on dirt bikes racing around a track over hills and became interested. It looked like they were having a blast but I also see the downside of it. I see broken bones, but all he sees is fun.

My husband has been trying to get me to agree to get our son some type of small ATV for the last couple of years but I want to wait until he's older. I'm worried that a small ATV will grow into a larger ambition for bigger racing vehicles like a yamaha rhino 600 and the racing world.

Do you think he'd settle for a video game about racing? I guess it depends on how serious he is about wanting to race, if it is just for play, or if it was a momentary want after seeing the kids on the dirt bikes.

Twitter Used Illegally

Were you wondering what happened to your Twitter recently when something took them down? Reports are that the attack on the Twitter system was politically motivated and had to do with Russia and Georgia. There was a secondary problem found while investigations were taking place with a user using it to control several hundred computers in Brazil causing problems online for others. That account was taken down. I've barely managed to figure out how to use Twitter correctly and others are using it to cause mayhem.

Computers are great...when they work right and don't create more problems, aren't they? You have to be careful about what information you use your computer for and what information you have available on your system for others to steal. Taking safety precautions can go a long way in helping you avoid this. There are companies who can help you do this, as well as companies that will provide you great computer support (for back up, networking, etc.) like orange county computer services.

I've had my identity stolen. I am not sure whether it was done online or if my credit card number was passed along by a merchant in a store I visited, but it's not pleasant getting it all fixed.

Finally Bought Paint!

We finally bought paint for our kitchen and entryway. I picked out an olive color because I like Autumn colors - deeper greens, reds, golds, browns. When the leaves change color, I just love it! I thought that meant that my husband was going to start painting since it was his idea to get the paint when we did. I've been waiting for months now. Nope. It's been sitting on my kitchen counter since we bought it this past weekend and the next couple of weekends are already scheduled (and painting isn't on the schedule). I bought two pictures for my kitchen over a year ago (wine pictures). Now I'll have to wait longer to hang them I guess.

What kind of decor do you like? Some like country (hearts, geese, and rooster dinnerware), others like modern, traditional, etc.. I don't have any one style. I'd be happy just to have my kitchen painted!

Kids' Hair Cuts

A few weeks ago, I cut and colored my daughter's hair myself. I didn't do too bad of a job, considering I'm not a hair stylist, did I? She's never liked precise cuts - very straight lines - so that's right down my alley since I can't cut straight lines.

However, now that she's seen the cute new hair cut of Selena Gomez, she wants to style her hair like that. That'll mean a trip to the hair salon, like the Snip-Its kids franchise, because it's like a bob with very straight edges. Since I'm not good at straight edges, it'll mean a trip to the stylist and a bill. Gone are the days when I can give her the hair cut she wants for free.

Bathroom Faucets

I am looking for new hardware for the bathrooms and I am thinking about going with Moen faucets. They are a well-known brand and there are plenty to choose from. I want a really nice shower head that feels more like a massage than a shower. I have to have some stress reliever when I hide from the kids in the bathroom!

Thyroid Support at Local Health Food Store

I went to the local health food store today looking for some thyroid support medication that included Iodine. I've heard from other thyroid users that if you are deficient, Iodine can help shrink thyroid nodules (which I have many of) and some have had weight loss as well. You have to be careful not to put yourself into hyperthyroidism though. I looked at some herbal weight loss pills as well but I want to try to restore what my body needs and see if that helps with the weight first. You can follow my thyroid journey on my thyroid blog.

Texting While Driving

Did you know that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving? According to a study by Car and Driver...that's what they say.

The Obama administration is bringing together individuals next month (reports call it a summit) to discuss what to do about this. Hope it's better than the beer summit he just had (which I thought was really stupid). In one study of truckers, the risk of collision was 23 times greater if texting. Dialing a cell phone or reaching for an electronic device put the risk at 6 times greater.

I hope teenaged drivers aren't doing this (they're probably the biggest group that would?). Combining new driving skills, texting, and the erroneous thinking that you're going to live forever is a bit scary to me. I wouldn't let my teenaged stepdaughter (with the new driver's permit) drive my Durango before...now that I realize texting is a major issue (and she's a huge texter), that just put her chances at driving my truck even further away.

Proud Mommy Moment: Gifted Program

We received a letter in the mail from my children's school the other day. My eight year old daughter has been recommended for testing for the school's gifted program. We're very proud of her!

School Starting Soon: Good or Bad Thing?

The start of school is only a few weeks away. I love my kids more than anything else in this world but I'll give a sigh of relief around the second or third day of school (the first day of school is always a little teary/bittersweet) to have a few hours of quiet without the bickering between them.

I need to start getting them back into a routine. They've been staying up way too late this summer so I need to start inching them back towards their school night bedtime. It doesn't make that any easier when Disney puts all their new shows on that they want to watch (like Wizards vs. Vampires shows they have on now with Selena Gomez in Wizards of Waverly Place).

I am not going to invest heavily in back-to-school clothes until sometime in September since they usually get a heat wave through here in September while the kids sit in classrooms with no air conditioning. They'll be wearing shorts for awhile yet.

Back to School Shopping: First test for the economy?

It's time to shop for school clothes. Like a lot of people, back to school shopping this school year will be on a tighter budget than usual. I am really glad my pre-teen hasn't gotten into the "I can only wear it if it comes from a mall" mindset yet. I can still find her budget-minded clothes and she'll be happy with them. This will probably be the last year I can do that though.

I was looking for cute clothes for my younger two girls and found these girls dresses that would be cute alone when it is still a bit warmer and then with a pair of capris or stretch pants under them for the winter months. They are affordable and adorable.

I think the back to school shopping this year will show if the economy is rebounding or if we are still on a downward slide. I've seen bits of news from President Obama who says his stimulus package is doing what it is supposed to. I think the first test of that will be in the sales for back to school shopping. We shall see.

American Academy of Pediatrics Vaccination Schedule

I was looking up the 2009 vaccination schedule that the American Academy of Pediatrics has online, and I noticed that they show the vaccination for Gardasil as being called HPV. I guess since HPV is what it is for, it makes sense but it threw me a bit. I hope parents realize that the HPV vaccination will most likely mean Gardasil and that there have been a lot of problems seen in girls who get this vaccine up to and including death.

We need to be knowledgeable patients when it comes to our health. Just because people wear lab coats and have degrees on their walls, it doesn't necessarily mean that everything they say would be best for us. Be informed! Be mindful. It's your health. I think medical care is a must but I think we have to play a part in our own care as well.

Search Engine Optimization

I have been working on learning what search engine optimization is all about. I want my blogs to get a good amount of traffic. This one gets good traffic and my stepfamily blog gets a great amount of traffic. However, I need to work on getting traffic to some of my newer blogs still. I want to drive them up in the search engines when somebody searches for a particular word or topic so I am learning about seo services. I just want to keep my blogs interesting and useful.

President Obama's Health Care Plan

Does anybody understand exactly what it entails? What it will cost us? What it includes? Who it excludes? I don't. I have not heard anything good about it so far.

What about Bob?

My mother-in-law used to say my son, as an infant, looked like that baby (Bob) in all the commercials (What about Bob?). That baby was everywhere! There's even a stroller with his name called the Bob stroller though I seriously doubt it was named after that baby. I'm just being goofy. This stroller is for outdoor terrain - you can take it practically anywhere! That's a lot better than our stroller that barely managed the neighborhood sidewalks!

Is Imaginative Play Extinct in our Children?

According to an article on Primary School Suite 101, children who use their imagination benefit greatly in these ways:

• Learning cooperation;
• Being successful in school (helps children solve problems by thinking things through);
• Practice real life skills (playing teacher, playing grocery store, assigning roles, puppets, etc.);
• Encourages a richer vocabulary; and
• Helps children grow into creative thinkers.

I have to agree that children should use their imagination more. I also think that children today are over-scheduled (and we struggle with this ourselves). It was always an issue with my stepkids because practically every day of the week was scheduled for them and they really didn't know how to entertain themselves...just to be able to play. To sit still was foreign. They were used to running from one place to the next with their mom so when they came to our house, we made sure they had ample down time.

Our kids would sign up for everything they could too if they could but we have to have a limit, there has to be boundaries as we, as parents, set those boundaries. My kids certainly don't get to.

I enjoy seeing my kids find fun in make believe, in using their toys to create imaginative worlds. You can find nice toys, like at Mighty World Toys, that children can just sit and play. They can create their own fun that doesn't involve electronics (like video games) or being over-scheduled in every single extra-curricular activity under the sun.

Midget Racing

We just finished up with the pee wee cheerleading practice. The girls are 2nd and 3rd graders and really cute. They'll cheer for pee wee football.

While we were at practice (which is held in the park), I could hear the midget racing on the track in the park. It's actually called Quarter Midget racing and it's a huge deal in this area and for those who travel here to race. I've never seen it up close, only heard the whine of the engines as they raced around the track. I wouldn't want to race around a track but I'd love an all-terrain vehicle like the Yamaha Rhino 660 to take off road. That's my idea of fun!