Have you tried PlayStation®Move?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine.

What if a magical genie showed up at my house and left a PlayStation® Move for me and my family? Well, I’d be extremely excited that it is something fun for the entire family to do. (I’d also be excited that I didn’t have to buy it for myself. LOL)

The PlayStation® Move is motion gaming that you can experience with the PlayStation®3 system. The high-tech – and cute! – controller gives you full range of motion, and the system has a lot of games (about 100) that can be enjoyed with family and friends.

Not only would it be something I can do with my children, but it has games the children can play against each other. They’ll be having fun and getting a little more exercise. Now, exercise is exactly what I need so I would definitely use Move with the children and by myself to get the maximum benefit of the gaming system.

I think I would really like playing Aqua Panic! with the kids. This is what their site says about the game, “After a violent tropical cyclone, the fish, shrimps, octopus and other creatures living in the sea are thrown out of the water... There is no time to waste! Use original tools to lead them to freedom! Quick thinking and speed will be necessary to succeed your mission to save them all! Aqua Panic! invites you to save as many fish as possible throughout 80 Machiavellian levels, using different tools as well as interactive elements available in the setting according to the seasons!”

Doesn’t that sound like fun?

If you already have PlayStation®3 you can add the MOVE bundle package for only $99. Have you tried it yet?

 

Memorable, exciting read {book review}

I had never read a book by Elin Hilderbrand, but now I know what I’ve been missing. I recently finished reading The Castaways and it was a great read once I got into it.

From the book jacket:

“With rumor of infidelity straining Greg and Tess MacAvoy’s marriage, the couple head out on their sailboat one early-summer day to celebrate their wedding anniversary, hoping the roughest waters are behind them. But in an accident off Nantucket, they mysteriously drown, leaving behind two small children as well as the three couples who have long been their closest friends. Tragedy brings to the surface long-simmering conflicts and emotions, and the MacAvoys’ six grieving friends find themselves unprepared for the revelation of secret upon secret as they struggle to answer the question: What happened to Greg and Tess?

The Castaways probes the boundaries of friendship and forgiveness as it tells a page-turning story of passion, betrayal, and suspense, filled with the perfect details of summer island life that have made Elin Hilderbrand’s novels beloved bestsellers.”

When I originally began reading the novel, I had a difficult time getting into it because I didn’t expect it to be broken up into sections that told the story from each characters’ point of view. But once I got beyond that personal pet peeve, I found it to be interesting, intriguing, exciting and mysterious. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to discover what happened.

In addition to that I was mesmerized by the details and descriptions Hilderbrand used. For instance, when she described the tragedy of 9/11 it was from a point of view that made you think she was standing their watching or had personally experienced it.

“She watched footage of the plane hitting the second tower on Addison’s sixty-inch plasma TV, in the closed-up, air-conditioned, professionally decorated comfort of her own home. … According to Tom Brokaw, America was under attack. Phoebe waited for the planes to come screaming over the ocean. … On the TV a plane hit the second tower, which was Tower One. Again and again. … The channel showed people hanging out their windows. Hanging out their windows so far up? … At some point it hit her. This was real. Reed was in that building… The TV showed people jumping. Jumping from the hundred and first floor? …”

And that’s just one descriptive, heart-stopping moment. It’s just the start of how she in tune with Nantucket and relays the beauty of the island, the tragedy of relationships, the back story that brought everyone to where the are and the love, deceit, pain and jealousy that lurks underneath it all.

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand free of charge to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. If you make a purchase through the above Amazon link I will receive a small commission. For more information review my complete policy.

Keep your home secure

There is always a lot to do when maintaining a home: taking care of the yard, the plumbing and the regular maintenance. Keeping the inside clean and taking care of your family. One of the most important things we do to care for our families is ensure that everyone is safe.

One way to have that assurance is to invest in a home alarm system. With a home alarm you can activate a code upon leaving, secure the area when you’re in for the night and you are constantly connected to a company that can notify the police, fire department or other emergency personnel should a need arise.

Sometimes it may be hard to find a home alarm systems company you can trust, but there is a home alarm directory that is an online resource for security listings, quotes, reviews on companies and articles. You can find all the information you need within one site, which will help you make an educated decision.

We never want to leave anything to chance when it comes to protecting our families. That’s why it’s important to be sure that they are safe and sound in the comfort of our own home. Not sure which company to choose? Check out the home security directory for more information.

"Treasure Your Chest" and feel yourself up

This is was sticky post that remained at the top of the blog, 'til the end of October, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

As most of us can see from the pink that is being spread around, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of that, E! News host Giuliana Rancic and Lindsay Ayner, found of the national breast and ovarian cancer non-profit Bright Pink, "felt themselves up" during "Treasure Your Chest" a live webcast to fight breast cancer hosted by Orbit White Bubblemint gum. Following is the video that every female should watch:

Watch live streaming video from treasureyourchest at livestream.com

 

Take time to "Treasure Your Chest" and make time for regularly breast self examinations.

Disclosure: No compensation was received to share this information with you, courtesy of MomSelect, but I am entered to win a year's supply of Orbit White Bubblemint Gum. For more information review my complete policy.

Use reputation management

Control your online reputation and remove the not-so-nice things about you or your business that may have been splashed all over the Internet. With Reputation Management you can protect yourself, your clients, your business, your brand and your company.

Taking control of your online reputation is important. You don’t want a negative review or complaint, especially one that is untrue, to follow you around the virtual world. And you don’t want something that wasn’t meant for public knowledge out there either. By hiring someone or a company to keep up with your reputation management, you’re taking a proactive approach to something that can get out of hand.

Reputation management companies know all the details necessary to assist you in control your online reputation. They can break down the ethics code to fight and destroy whatever is necessary. It’s important that companies take control of that and using a reputation management company will ensure that you get back your control.

With the spread of social media, having a reputation manager is becoming more prevalent and necessary. Having someone to take care of this for you is not an immediate fix, but may take one to six months to push down negative sites. Being proactive is what you need… so don’t take reputation management lightly.

I'm famous!

My friend Tina, at Mummy Diaries, hipped me to this and I love it. I always knew I would see my picture and name in lights and magazines… uh, other than my byline. Ta-hee, hee, hee!

I hope you enjoy this ‘cause I really did! http://bit.ly/9KllrV * :-)

*For some reason I wasn’t able to get the video to work on my blog, but just click the link to view.

Experiencing the new Carmex Skin Care {review & giveaway}

This post brought to you by Carmex®. All opinions are 100% mine.

For the past week or two I've been using the new Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Healing Cream to review. I was excited to try these products because Carmex is a well-respected brand and it's always great when a reputable company offers something new.

Both of the Carmex® Skin Care products have a somewhat cocoa butter scent, which is light and refreshing. It's a little surprising at first, but it's not overpowering. The healing lotion, which can be used daily to soothe and protect dry skin, is my favorite. It goes on smoothly and isn't greasy leaving my skin feeling extremely soft. The cream is used to repair rough, dry skin. It has nine healing ingredients and seems to smooth dry heels, elbows and any other area that needs soothing. However, there's a certain texture or something - when I rubbed the cream into my hands the texture and feel wasn't as smooth as the lotion.

I'll definitely use the lotion on a regular basis because it makes my skin smooth and soft, and the price is reasonable at $5.99. What to buy some soon? You can find it at Walgreens stores, Walgreens.com and Drugstore.com.

COMMENT TO WIN

You want a chance to win a full-sized Carmex Healing Cream? It's easy to enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and tell me know what you like about Carmex products.

That's it. Giveaway is open to US and Canada and ends Friday, November 5th. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email (be sure to leave your email address in the comments), and will have 48 hours to provide their address before another winner will be chosen.

Does your child say, ‘I hate you?’ {book review}

When I first heard about the children’s book The Day Leo Said I Hate You by Robie H. Harris, I was intrigued by the story and attracted by the illustrations (by Molly Bang), but I wasn’t sure I wanted to give it to my children because of the title. I know it may seem silly; it’s not that I thought there wouldn’t be a positive message in the book, but – on some level – I assumed my children would take the title as a license to say “I hate you!”

I was completely wrong. I gave the book to my son for his 7th birthday and I read it to him, his siblings and one of their friends the day of his birthday. (A perfect chance to get children’s reaction on a book I’m reviewing, right?) Well, they were mesmerized by the dialogue between Leo and his mother. They silently listened to the book as I read in my perfect storybook voices. When Leo told his mother that he hates her the children’s faces registered shock even though they already knew he was going to say it.

In the end, Leo’s mother explains to him why it was wrong and hurtful to say those words and tells Leo why she loves him anyway. The book ends with the two of them cuddling and laughing at their own list of things they hate and, ultimately, what they really love.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m glad my children did as well. Here are two things I like the most about it: 1) The images of Leo and his mother are ethnic in appearance. Their skin is tan and their hair dark. It looks like they may be Asian, but at least they are more representative of my children and their friends compared to the majority of children’s books on the market. 2) It clearly relays the message with few words and with colorful and engaging illustrations.

Whether you have this concern with your child or not it’s still a good lesson to teach and a great book to read. If you’ve read it, let me know what you think about it. And, if you plan on buying it, would you be so kind as to click my Amazon link below? I get a small commission for purchases. :-) Thanks!

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Day Leo Said I Hate You!* by Robie H. Harris free of charge to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

*Released new in paperback next month.

Online cash advance loans

It’s unfortunate that many of us are having financial hardships, but that’s the reality and sometimes we have to do what we need to just to survive and take care of our families. That’s why it’s good to know that you don’t have to go up to your local pawnshop or pack up the kids to go the payday loan office, you can do it write online with iloans90.com.

Getting cash advance loans can mean the difference between putting food on the table or paying a bill. It can give you peace of mind to know you have options if you really get into a financial bind.

Retro Runway: Blog Party

Because I love Melissa (Frugal Creativity) so much, I’ve decided to embarrass myself just a little and participate in her Retro Runway: Blog Party. She got me to giggling at her post about the 80s hair and the stirrup pants so I had to search my computer for my own goodies. I didn’t feel like finding photos to scan so let’s see what I come up with.

Here’s what it’s about: It’s  the blog party where you can show off, laugh at, or groan over the styles that we used to wear.  Share your photos, stories, or both ... whatever you like ... and link up at Melissa’s place!

The first picture I’d like to share is one that was taken in 1986/87 and one of my friends from that time period was nice enough (yes, I mean that sarcastically) to post on Facebook then tag me. Not only do I not remember the picture being taken, I can see that I wasn’t thrilled about it either.

I have no idea what I’m wearing, but I do remember those earrings, the big rose-colored glasses with my initials (that was so IN!) and the hair. It’s when we first started doing braided extensions. Nope, that’s not my hair. I look kind of cute, right? LOL

The next one is almost 10 years later. I can’t believe I used to wear pants like that… styling! I had just started growing my dreadlocks, but I thought I was too cute. And I was still sporting large glasses – although not the same ones as before.

Lucky for me I don’t have any other 80s pictures on my computer. They’re all safely in a box outta your prying eyes.

Are you going to join in on the party? I wish you would ‘cause I would love to see some retro pics of you. Add your link below and/or visit other participants and have a little fun.

 

Not shabby at all {product review}

I don’t recall where I saw it first – that link to Shabby Apple. But ever since I discovered the clothing boutique if I see a link to them I quickly click over and peruse the pages of luxurious-looking, unique clothing collections and to-die-for accessories.

And then it happened: A wish come true was waiting for me in my email in box. Sweet Olivia (I added the sweet!) sent me an email asking if I’d be interested in receiving an item to review. I think before I responded I did a little happy dance. Now, here I comfortably sit in one of the best dresses I’ve ever owned.

I’m wearing the Helena, a pink knit dress with cap sleeves and a square neckline (pictured below). This is the description from the site:

Whether you're riding your basket-clad bicycle to the farmers market or making an ethereal entrance at a holiday soiree, this luxurious jersey knit dress will surprise and delight with it's ruffled neckline, ruched bodice, relaxed cap sleeves and floor-length skirt.  No-fuss fabric means it's the perfect dress for travel.

It’s definitely a dress that can go from casual office to mom errands and a walk in the park or a night out with friends. I think it can be dressed up or down as well as transcend the seasons. Today, it’s about 80 degrees, I’m wearing it with black and tan wedge sandals and a double-stranded black beaded necklace. When it gets a little cooler I’m going to try it with my three-inch wedged, black suede clogs and a fitted jacket.

The only concern would be my legs being chilly. The skirt fabric is a little thin so it may be a challenge finding something to wear under it that doesn’t cause static cling. I had a little challenge this morning ‘cause I don’t have the correct undergarments. I found some no-line undies, but they aren’t the right color and were very visible. Luckily for me I had a half black slip (hey, I was raised in the 70s and 80s!) so that took care of the see through problem. I just don’t like wearing slips and all of that, but otherwise I’m extremely comfortable. I think I’m going to look for a ankle-length, which is where the dress comes on me, silk or satin slip (or something) with spaghetti straps. I know the material will feel just as glorious against my skin as this knit does and it may be that added warmth I’ll need when it’s a little chilly outside. I probably could have stood a larger size (which would have prevented this entire undergarment problem) since I’ve gained a few pounds all from the boobs down!

One of the best things I like about this dress is that it’s similar to a maxi dress (I’ve been wanting one for eons), but what makes this one better is that it’s unique, sophisticated and versatile. I love visiting the Shabby Apple site and looking at all of the selections – including women’s wear, shoes & bags, jewelry & accessories and preteen & girls. Visitors to the online retailer can shop by collection (13 in all including the silk road, the berkshires, central park and baja) or category (14 including sophisticated, black, bridesmaids and flirty).

Here’s a little info about Shabby Apple:

After years of not being able to find stylish dresses that covered enough skin to make you really feel comfortable (without wearing a tank top, cardigan or long slip), owners Emily and CK decided to do something about it. They visited trade shows, marketplaces and designer studios only to discover the problem was not that department stores weren't buying the right dresses, but that designers weren't designing them. Shabby Apple is proud to offer you fantastic dresses that allow you to look fabulous, without having to compromise anything else. A return to what dresses were always meant to be — a one-piece outfit. No need to add anything...no tank tops, no cardigans, nothing (except accessories, of course!).

The Shabby Apple team are true to their word: the definitely provide fantastic dresses that look fabulous (I searched the blogosphere and saw quite a few women sporting and talking about Shabby Apple) and it’s now on my list of top places for classy and unique dresses. Shabby Apple is not so shabby at all; nope, not at all.

Disclosure: I received the beautiful Helena dress from Shabby Apple free of charge to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

Garage floor improvements

Don’t tell her I told you this, but my mother is a neat freak. Well, I guess I should say she is particular about the way her home and land are kept so she is extra vigilant in ensuring that it is maintained (how was that?).

I recall my mother using plastic runners on the high-traffic areas of the carpet and putting cardboard down in the garage so it wouldn’t get stained with oils and leaks. Most people don’t do that and end of having a very stained garage floor and, in addition to that, there are the normal scratches, cracks and damage that come with age.

Now there’s a way to transform a dirty garage floor to a creative work of art by using Logo Floor from Modutile. There are many design choices from floor tiles in a solid color or checker pattern to a favorite image, customers can decide on any of the unique designs.

The flooring is easy to install and consists of interlocking tiles that are made out of high impact plastic that weighs about one pound. This flooring can help homeowners keep their garage floors in better condition by creating a barrier again dirt and debris. The flooring is also easy to clean – now that’s something about it my mom would love.

If you could have an image or artwork on your Garage Floor what would you choose?

Andy Andrews books for young & old {book review}

I don’t think I’ve ever come across a book for adults and one for children that contained basically the same information and was told in a way that was entertaining, educational and inspiring for both groups. That has changed. I recently read two books by the New York Times Bestselling Author Andy Andrews that fit the bill: The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters and The Boy Who Changed the World.

I happened to read The Butterfly Effect first. In fact, it’s a book I’d forgotten I received for review. The theory of the butterfly effect, which was introduced in 1963 by Edward Lorenz to the New York Academy of Science, states that when a butterfly flaps its wings and sets molecules of air in motion, which move other molecules, then more molecules of air it will ultimately start a hurricane on the other side of the planet. Lorenz was laughed at and the theory because somewhat of a science fiction myth.

But, what Andrews points out is that the butterfly effect is real and he uses historic moments and figures to illustrate his point in both books. Words can not do justice to how Andrews tells the stories. From an adult standpoint it is information we already know or have heard somewhere, but not in this manner. As I read The Butterfly Effect I experienced chills as the story went on. The small book is only 109 pages in length and takes about 15 minutes to read, but it is compelling and inspiring. I actually began to believe that the things that I do in my life can have a huge impact on things in the future. A huge positive impact.

I doubted whether The Boy Who Changed the World would have the same effect on me, let alone on my children. But boy was I wrong. Two nights ago, I read the children’s version, which I gave to Andre on his birthday, to my children (ages 7, 5 and 3) and they listened closely to what I read. The look on their faces was one of amazement and wonder.

When I finished reading the children’s book, which is a softer version of one of the stories from the adult version, my son said, “I want to change the world.”

My 5-year-old daughter agreed. I said, “You can.”

He said, “But I’m not big; I can’t make anything.”

‘You don’t have to be big. You can be like Norman in the book. And remember the boy who made the crutch for his friend? It was just something small. You just have to think of something that you can do for someone else.’ That’s a paraphrase of my motherly advice.

I did clearly tell the children that they can change the world and they can do anything they set their minds to. Don’t worry about it; just keep that in their mind to think about.

In reading that book to them, as well as absorbing the butterfly effect, I think I have in essence caused a shift in the future. The molecules have moved… the molecules are my children. Regardless of what I do with my own life, I’ve inspired them – with the help of Andy Andrews – to think outside of their small world.

I’ll look for opportunities to help them with their world-changing pursuits, direct them to things that interest them and support their passions. Right now I can’t think of a better way to help change the world.

Have you read either of these books?

Disclosure: I received copies of both of the above books free of charge to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

Using quality management software

When I was in military about more than 20 years ago there were a lot of regulations and procedures that needed to be followed, and I’m sure it isn’t any different nowadays. There are probably still just as many, if not more, procedures that need to be followed. The one difference though is most likely how the information is managed.

A lot of companies and organizations use quality management software to assist in tracking processes that require compliance to certain standards such as those required by the Food & Drug Administration. With that software a company is able to monitor all aspects of their processes and report on it. Testing and reporting at various stages is what keeps companies on track, and quality management software does just that.

Do you work for a company or business that uses quality management software?

MicroFiction Monday #54

My friend Diane Estrella always writes the coolest posts. On Mondays she participates in MicroFiction Monday, which is hosted by Stony River. “Microfiction” means the shortest of short stories. Think Aesop’s fables, comic strips, or even jokes: complete stories that can be told in under a minute. We’re invited to write a story about a select picture in 140 characters or less (including spaces and punctuation).

Here’s this week’s picture:

This is my first time participating… Here’s my take:

“What about this one, grandma?”

“When me and grandpa first married we ended summers with friends. This time your mommy was in my tummy.”

Anyone else gonna join in?

The ears have it

My sweet little Anna had to get tubes in her ears today. I got up at about 4:30 a.m. to make it to the hospital by 6:15 a.m. for an 8:15 surgery. I was able to go into the operating room with her and stay until she went under the anesthesia. She was good until they put the mask on her face – she didn’t like that part at all. Other than that she was so good/the perfect little patient.

Now she’s having a little pain and drowsiness, but she’s her normal 3-year-old self in between naps, pain and drowsiness. I wish I could get the picture off of my phone to show you how cute and peaceful she looked playing in her hospital bed (before being wheeled into the OR).

Needless to say, when we returned home, we took a nap. Thankfully the middle children had spent the night with their father and were at school.

Here’s my little sweetie (circa May 2010), isn’t she a cutie? It’s amazing how experiencing these moments makes you realizing how even more precious they are.

My son is 7 years old

It’s been seven years and one day since I gave birth to my only son. It seems like the time has passed slowly and quickly all at the same time. Wasn’t he an adorable baby? Can you see him? It’s the only photo I have of him at that age on my computer. Andre was born six weeks early at 4 pounds 16 ounces. A healthy and impatient little boy. That description still fits him to this day.

I’ve found it such a sweet moment to truly realize that he’s my son. My only son and that holds a special place. My daughters are my heart and special as well, but there’s something different about having just one son (no, I won’t have anymore children!).

He really enjoyed his birthday celebration and was thrilled when he found out RP got him a fish. Introducing Basket. Yup, he named him Basket. Basket the Beta.

Look at his expression when he finally realized what it was. He and RP set up the tank. It was a beautiful and fun moment. Made even more fun in the fact that I didn’t have to participate. 

 

 

Each time I turned around or looked for Andre, he was looking at Basket. Asking questions about Basket. Talking about Basket. He definitely loves Basket! I really like the silhouette of this picture with him looking at the Beta tank, I just wish I had a better camera to make the photo even better.

Here he is telling his daddy all about his birthday – what he got from school, about his fish and that he still had another gift to open along with cake and ice cream to enjoy. 

He loved the Transformers cake (even though they could have written the words on their better, I said that, not him!) and his very cool Batman balloon. Nope, we didn’t do a theme this year. Just a few things he would definitely like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	**

   

Happy Birthday Son!

I hope you had a wonderful day. May each day bring a new appreciation for the little things and a realization for how much you’re loved.

**The two books I gave Andre for his birthday are fabulous. I received them to review and hadn’t showed them to the children yet. They were perfect choices for him: “The Day Leo Said I Hate You” and “The Boy Who Changed the World.” Keep your eyes open for those reviews in the near future.

I’m stuck & sleepy

I made it into bed my 9:30 last night. Relaxed, talked… fell asleep around 11 p.m. My phone vibrated around 11:30. My son woke me up around 11:50. My youngest daughter woke me up around 12:30. My BF woke me up around 2:00 a.m. My youngest daughter woke me up around 4 a.m. … So, what was the point of going to be early? I think I was more tired today than any other day when I go to bed between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Really. Seriously. The only thing I wanna do is sleep.

I’m so tired that I can’t recall why I typed “I’m stuck.” Sleepy, I get. Stuck, not so much.

So, you’ll be happy to know I was in the bed by 10 p.m. (first part of experiment a success), but I didn’t get anymore sleep than normal (second part of experiment a bust!).

Right now it’s 9:12 p.m. and I’m laying in my bed pouting because the old television in the living room won’t show a picture. Luckily I already set the DVR to record Criminal Minds so maybe the picture will show tomorrow.

Tonight I’ll try again. I’m not feeling too hopeful, but wish me luck anyway!

Wrap it up by 10 p.m.

As a mom of four (three at home during non-school hours) and a freelance writer who works from home, I normally have a lot going on. My days are full with carpooling, homework, play dates, meals, housework, doctor’s appointments, assignments, responsibilities and about 100 other things that I can’t think of right now. Although I try to get as much accomplished as I can each day there are times when I just don’t feel up to it. During the week I’m exhausted and petering out around 3 p.m. By the time I get the children in bed by 8, clean up the kitchen and do any quick housework, I normally go back to the computer to work a little longer. But I think I’m going to try something different for at least a week: I’m going to go to bed by 10 p.m. during the week and see if that gives me a little more energy during the day.

You know what I mean, right, moms? I am supposed to get up around 5:30 a.m. to start my day and get the kids to school. Two have to be to school no later than 7:45 and one has to be there by 8. So I have to get everyone up, dressed and fed by 7:15. I wake up exhausted, end up hitting snooze (on two different alarms) for more than 30 minutes or so and still have to rush. Or not get myself completely ready for the day… SIGH.

Tonight starts my quest for more rest (ha, I like that rhyme) and we’ll see how and if that makes a difference in my energy level during the day. Oh, by the way, if anyone says for me to exercise also I’m liable to track you down and make you eat a raw stalk of broccoli. … I’ll get to it eventually, especially since the scale this week didn’t show any loss. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure I gained 1/2 a pound, but who’s counting?

Well, it’s 8:43 p.m. and if I don’t start shutting down now it’ll be after 10 by the time I even get to my bedroom then I have to do that entire ritual. I hope you’re getting a good night’s sleep. Let me know if you have any ideas of how I can get in the bed earlier and get everything done! :-)

Watch ‘Almighty Debt’ on CNN – 10/21 @ 9 p.m.

On Thursday, October 21st at 9 p.m. CNN will air the Black in America Special: Almighty Debt, and I recommend that everyone tune in to catch this extremely interesting, enlightening and thought-provoking special. I had the opportunity to view an advance screening of some of the 90-minute documentary with a couple of friends and it fueled a conversation full of losing homes, increasing income and downsizing. And, it left us with the question: So what’s the solution?

The special, hosted by Soledad O’Brien, follows three individuals/families who have markedly different circumstances. A young man with a C average that wants to go to college and believes the debt of education is something he’s willing to take on. That’s why across the blogosphere, Twitter and other social networks, the question has been posed, “Is it worth going into debt for education?”

Almighty Debt also explores the crises of the last efforts of a couple to hold onto their home. A home that they haven’t paid mortgage on in two years. Then there’s the gentleman who was laid off from his job of 28 years and still hasn’t found employment. His stack of applications piled as high as a small toddler.

Soledad mainly explored the connection between faith and debt in the black church. She interviewed Bishop Soaries, a New Jersey minister heading First Baptist Community Development Center, who says that people have to begin dealing with things that are within their control – one of those things is debt.

The statistics and facts do not make for a good bedtime story: 81 percent of those graduating college will have debt and those of us who are middle class by income (as opposed to middle class by wealth) are a mere paycheck from being low income. One out of three will fall out of middle class.

All of the particulars – and there are a lot more – you’ll have to catch for yourself when you view Almighty Debt this Thursday on CNN. The consensus of my small group who viewed it? Interesting, sad and somewhat overwhelming. Is there hope? For some, definitely. For those in the special? Well, you’ll just have to watch it for yourself.

Disclosure: I received a preview of Almighty Debt to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

Saving money on home improvements

Almost everyone who knows me knows that there are a lot of home improvements that need to be done around my home. From replacing the roof and windows to painting, plumbing and woodwork, there’s a lot to do. Making improvements to one’s home can be quite expensive so, like most homeowners, I want it to be done correctly but also as inexpensively as possible.

Home Depot is one of the most popular retailers to go to for home improvement supplies. Not only do they have competitive pricing, but I’ve recently found out that there are Home Depot coupons at Savings.com. I decided to browse the coupons and browse the Home Depot site and make some loose plans about what I would like to do first.

Hands down, the bathroom should be first on the list. The flooring needs to be replaced, the walls painted, cabinets and towel bars installed, tub and shower refinished, a new vanity and sink as well as all the pretty extras that make a bathroom comfy.

I saw a couple of different vanities that I would like, but the one pictured to the left looks like it’s the perfect choice. Do you have home improvements you need to make? Before you go shopping, check out Savings.com for Home Depot coupons.

Poll results

Thanks to the 51 visitors who took the time to vote in my recent poll. My purpose was to find out why people visit my blog. I wanted to get an idea of whether it was only because I’ve visited other sites or blogs. I’m surprised and oh-so-pleased to discover I was being paranoid (LOL). There wasn’t one person who visited just because I visited them. Well, at least not one who would admit it.

Here are the results:

I’m visiting you 'cause you visited me.	0 (0%)
I enjoy reading your blog.	24 (47%)
I performed a search & there was a link to you.	1 (1%)
I saw your link somewhere else & decided to come by.	16 (31%)
I don't know why I visit you.	0 (0%)
I'm just EC dropping.	0 (0%)
This is my first visit.	10 (19%)

 

What do you think about that? If you didn’t get a chance to vote in my poll, what would your answer have been? And, take a moment to tell me what you think of the results.

Thanks… and have a great weekend.

The winner is…

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the 250 Die Cut Business Cards from UPrinting. Our lucky winner is Ronda!

CONGRATULATIONS RONDA!!

I’ll be contacting the winner today and she has 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.

Grab audience attention with Vancouver web design

It seems like an ongoing task among bloggers: updating and improving the design of their blogs. That’s definitely understandable because there are quite a few things that need to be done around here as well. On the other side of the fence, there are business-related websites that also need to have a visually appealing online presence. Both bloggers and business owners can benefit from a company that knows what they’re doing when it comes to design.

People nowadays have very short attention spans and website designers understand that it’s important to grab someone’s interest right away. That’s why a Vancouver web design company works on the concept of cutting to the chase. With that concept being implemented they can guide companies into using the appropriate wording, links and design to best suit their business and services.

What do you think is most engaging about your site/blog?

Wordless Wednesday – Now & Then

 

This year	Last year

   

  There’s more Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Check out Anna’s funny face.

Go back to school… beauty school

A lot of individuals are considering returning to school to make themselves more marketable in the job market and others are making career changes to something they’ve always loved to do. A choice that some may make is going to beauty school.

New, or returning, students can consider the Blanche Macdonald Centre, which is known as a world-class educational institution for creative and applied arts. The centre is culturally diverse, open minded and operates under a hands-on policy.

Students can add their uniqueness, talent and experiences to the laid-back atmosphere of this college and begin their beauty school education.

Ban the peanuts…

… it’s time to get serious.

I told you some time last week (in my Cold weather, hot flashes & hormones post)  that my weight has creeped up since I lost the 60 pounds. I don’t want to tell you how much I weigh now, but I guess I can’t get around it. Well, I can, but then I think the accountability may make a difference. I now weigh 179 pounds (I could of sworn it said 175 last week!). That’s about a 19-pound gain. SAD FACE, SIGH!

Seeing that number in print really makes me a little sad. Over the past week, since I wrote that post, I have done a lot better with increasing my fruits, which was never really a problem, and vegetables intake. I haven’t been eating as much, but I think I know the weigh-gain culprit. The roasted peanuts. Now, if I would simply start working out and only eat the serving size or less of the peanuts then I think some changes would occur.

But I haven’t. I’ve begun stretching and doing some yoga, but not on a regular basis. My emotional eating is less because I haven’t bought anything fattening, per se, but I do load up on those peanuts. Lucky for me I’m not a basic food eater – meaning that I won’t eat a pot of mac and cheese or anything like that. But I will eat half the bag of peanuts.

What am I going to do about it besides talk? Good question. Hormones (need to get those soy supplements) and pain (need to talk to my doctor again about my meds) makes me absolutely super, extra lazy, but I’m going to keep moving forward with my stretching and yoga.

Today I received for review Yoga, which is Putumayo’s first CD release that features songs to accompany yoga practice and be a relaxing soundtrack for daily life (I’ll be doing a review of it very soon and give you more information about it so keep your eyes open.) and I’ll get back to doing one of my favorite yoga routines. Slowly but surely I need to get a handle on this part of my life before it gets out of control.

I have a few ideas in mind as well, but there are also areas of my life that I need to clean up and organize. I believe that once some other things get in order and some of the stress of a few situations is resolved, I’ll be better able to focus on doing these types of things for myself.

So once again, wish me luck as I begin my quest to lose weight again. First of all, right in this moment, I’m going to be thankful that I haven’t gained back 60 pounds. Now I have a three-part goal:

1. Lose 20 pounds
2. Incorporate movement, stretching and yoga into my everyday life
3. Lose another 20 pounds

Yes, I want to lose 40 pounds total by the end of March 2011.

What are your weight loss and/or healthy eating goals? Let’s do this together!

Photo restoration services

A few years ago when I was visiting my mother I “borrowed” some old photographs. My plan is to get copies of them and have a few faded ones restored, but they’ve been sitting on my desk because my mother hasn’t realized they’re missing.

I realize I should still do photo restoration because I don’t want to lose the quality of the photographs. When photos are restored it’s like keeping the memories alive. Photo restoration companies also offer such services as custom picture framing, large-format printing, photo re-creation, printing on canvas, poster printing, promotional signage and much more.

Right now all I need to do is get the photos copied, some restored and replace the photos in my mother’s album before I get caught.

About Killers {an impromptu review}

I just finished watching Killers with Katherine Heigl (Jen) and Ashton Kutcher (Spencer) and I decided to share, really quickly, what I thought about the movie. I’m sort of a random movie watcher – last night I watched a horrible vampire movie,  and this morning I finished watching the sequel 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, which I really enjoyed. Later tonight you might catch me watching a chick flick with a bunch of unknowns or an Asian thriller with subtitles. It doesn’t really matter as I simply enjoy watching good movies.

Killers is one of those movies. There is the love story, the mystery, the twist, the thrills and action… for me, it had everything I look for in a good movie. If you haven’t seen it you should just because I liked it and I said so.

:-D

And because I can’t resist trying to make a little money (because I need it!), I’m going to include an affiliate link. If you click and purchase I’ll get a small percentage (you want to help me out, right?), but that’s not why I wrote this. You can read my disclosure policy, if you like, and don’t forget to comment. Thanks!

Do your kids wanna rock?

I’m way late in posting this, but I had to let everyone know that the School of Rock, the national leader in music education, is offering a free week at participating locations until October 31st.

School of Rock has been giving kids, ages 7 to 18, lessons in guitar, bass, vocals, drums and keyboards. No experience is necessary; your future rocker just has to have an eagerness to learn. The free week will include

One private trial lesson (30-45 min) and one Rock 101 group class (90 min).  To redeem call 866-371-0557, use code SORBLOG

OR

Complete the online form and input the SORBLOG code in the Questions/Comments field and the school will contact you directly. The free week must be completed by October 31st.

The offer is available at participating locations and is subject to scheduling and availability. Don’t forget, you must mention the code SORBLOG when contacting the school to receive the free week.

Disclosure: I wrote this post as a member of One2One Network to help spread the word about School of Rock. This post may qualify me to be entered to win a Yamaha Electric PAC012 Guitar and one of five $50 gift cards. For more information review my complete policy.

Complete picture day look

My youngest child has reached another first milestone: Her first genuine school picture day. Even though she has an excuse from the doctor to be out of school today because of a virus, we couldn’t miss picture day so I went with her and they allowed her to take her picture first then do the class photo. (Her head start is a small location with only three classrooms.)

Of course, since I shared her pretty hairstyle with you I had to give you a glimpse of how gorgeous she looked today. Introducing the baby of the family – turned big girl!

All of these photos are beautiful,

but the next three are my definite favorites.

And, finally, the back view of this beautiful dress.

I’m so proud of how she behaved today – both at home and in school while getting her pictures taken. Although she has thoroughly tired me out I’m happy to have this day of memories. Fun, playtime, giggles, games, cuddling and pictures. :-)