Cornucopia of Blog Hops…

  

To celebrate the Fall Season  a couple of fabulous bloggers are hosting The Cornucopia of Blogs Hop!

Hosted by

• Mama to 4 Blessings ~ a homeschool, thrifty, child related crafts, reviews & giveaways blog
• Survey Junkie ~ great reviews & giveaways plus some really great link ups throughout the week
• Musings of a Stay at Home Mom ~ homeschooling blog
• Fun Saving Money ~ Monday menu's - awesome recipes & coupons to print to go with the recipe, reviews & giveaways plus other great saving tips!

I decided to join in. Visit the hostesses and make some new friends!

Only 100 percent juice

I’m a juice snob. I can admit it. I’m a bit obsessed with ensuring my children only drink 100 percent juice, soymilk or water, and I normally shun all other so-called beverages. I just recently started to relax a little by letting them have a little lemonade, iced tea or soda on a very occasional basis. It was more because they were able to have these forbidden liquids while away from home so I thought instead of depriving them at home and being the “bad guy” I would be a little more lenient.

Lucky for me, even with the leniency, my children still prefer water or 100 percent juice so I knew they would be game to try Welch’s Healthy Start 100% Juice. It has no added sugar, contains two times the antioxidant vitamin C of the leading orange juice and drinking 8 ounces of the juice gives you two servings of fruit.

When I received the coupons from BzzAgent to try the juice, I wanted to taste the blueberry pomegranate concord grape, but the store where I was shopping wasn’t carrying it. I ended getting the grape juice and I didn’t expect to see any difference in the taste than the regular 100 percent grape juice I normally purchase

I poured a cup of the juice and my taste buds went wild. The grape taste was so fresh and pure that it is actually the most refreshing juice I’ve tasted in a long time.

This juice has natural antioxidant power straight from grapes and it’s an excellent source of calcium. In addition to the  grape and blueberry pomegranate concord grape flavors, it also comes in white grape orange mango. Available in the refrigerated aisle at grocery stores and Walmarts everywhere, Welch’s Healthy Start retails for $3.79 for a 59 ounce carton.

To keep up with what’s going on at Welch’s visit their site, Welchs.com, and follow them on Facebook to learn about promotions, coupons and contests.

Disclosure: I received coupons from BzzAgent.com, of which I am a member, to purchase Welch’s Healthy Start 100% Juice for the purpose of sharing information about them with my friends and family. The opinions expressed here are my own and are in no way influenced by BzzAgent or Welch’s. More information can be found in my complete disclosure policy.

$25 Amazon.com gift card {giveaway}

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Congratulations to Valerie from Frugal Family Fun Blog.
You have 48 hours to respond. Merry Christmas!

It's a woman's world! is pleased to announce we are partnering with Crib Mattress Reviews to host one of their giveaways. We have a $25 Gift Certificate for Amazon.com to giveaway to one of our loyal readers. This is the ideal giveaway this time of year to help with holiday shopping.

How to enter:

Mandatory: It’s easy! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what you will do with the $25 Amazon.com gift certificate if you win. (1 entry)

Earn extra entries for the following to increase your chances of winning:

1. Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave the link to your post in this post’s comment section. (Counts as 3 entries; leave 3 separate comments)
2. Digg, Stumble, etc. … this giveaway (1 entry each)
3. Follow me on Twitter and post the following. Don’t forget to leave the direct link to your tweet in the comments section. (1 entry):  Enter to win a $25 gift card to Amazon.com from @Petula1968 & #cribmattressreviews at It’s a woman’s world! http://tinyurl.com/27m4dns
   

This giveaway runs from November 28th to  December 15th at 11:59 EST.

Official Rules:

• Open to U.S. residents only
• Must be 18 or over
• No purchase necessary

The winner will be  selected using Random.org, will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn. Please be sure to leave a valid email address.

About the sponsor:

Crib Mattress Reviews provides free, quality information related to baby mattress reviews such as facts on choosing the right crib mattress size and choosing the correct crib mattress to keep your baby safe and comfortable.

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

Exciting, mysterious journey {book review}

When I first began reading the advance reading copy of Guardian of the Gate, which is the second book of Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. In the beginning,  it seemed as if I needed to have read the first book to understand what was going on, but I was mistaken. As the book progressed, enough of the background was revealed to make it an interesting novel to stand on its own.

Guardian of the Gate, which was released in August 2010, tells the story of Lia Milthorpe who journeys to the uncharted isle of Altus to continue her search for the missing pages of the Book of Chaos, which are supposed to tell her how to end the prophesy that has turned generations of sisters against each other as it has already done to her and her twin Alice.

It is a book of ancient myths and legends that includes romance, danger, betrayal and intrigue. And it’s a book that keeps you wanting more. Will Lia find the missing pages, will the darkness win, and will her twin’s growing powers and dark nature beat out Lia’s light and goodness?

A little bit of a SPOILER follows…

The answers to those  questions won’t be answered in Book II. You won’t get to the end and find out if Lia defeats Alice, if her powers get any stronger or  if she ends up with her true love James or Dimitri who she seems to have an undying passion for.

…end of spoiler.

I like the details of the book and the fact that you – as the reader – don’t have to be too knowledgeable of ancient myths and the like. Although I like a book that sets you up to want to pick up the next one, I don’t like a book where you have to get the next one to find out what happens. On the other hand, after reading the press materials that arrived with the book I understand why the Zink takes this approach. The book is published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers for ages 12 and up; that demographic of readers are loyal to authors and normally collect books in a series.

I found Guardian of the Gate to be a truly interesting read even as an adult, and given the opportunity I will definitely pick up a copy of Prophecy of the Sisters and look forward to the release of the next book in the series.

To learn more about the author  and her fascination with ancient myths and legends, visit Michelle Zink online.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink 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.

Do you need a personal trainer?

A lot of us had taken the time to share what we’re thankful for this holiday season. Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, but we’re still basking in the love, family, friendship and food! The food, for some, will continue on for several days and some of us may gain a little weight or get off track of our healthy and weight loss programs.

Now would be a good time to hire a personal trainer. A personal trainer is someone who embraces your goals and pushes you toward them. I’ve been surprised at home many people are taking advantage of the service and the areas you can find one. In fact, I recently learned of a Vancouver personal trainer who comes highly recommended.

Whatever you do to get back into or stay in shape during the holiday season, be sure to continue on that path.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and don’t eat too much sweet potato pie.

Have a joyous, fun-filled Thanksgiving

It dawned me a few minutes ago that I should have scheduled a Happy Thanksgiving post, but I didn’t so I just popped on here to wish you all a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving day. I’m not going to stress about what I haven’t finished or didn’t get to, and I’m hoping you maintain a stress-free, joyful day filled with family fun and laughter.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. Here’s to a day of family, love and turkey-day goodness.

How to take care of your lips

I’m not one of those women who has to put on makeup before I leave the house. Even though I go through stages of wanting to “put on a face,” the stage doesn’t last long. So I resolved myself to maintaining the health of my skin, putting on mascara to define my eyes and applying lip gloss to keep my lips moisturized.

I find that I like to use lip gloss and lipstick along with some type of lip balm. Using two products instead of just one makes lip color last longer as well as assists in keeping my lips moisturized.

One of the best products on the market is lip lacquer, but they aren’t all created equal. The first time I used that type of product was in 2002, for my wedding, which is when it was just becoming popular. Although I liked the concept and it lasted longer than regular lipstick it was difficult to remove. Lip lacquer has come a long way since then. It can now be used alone or with your favorite lipstick and it maintains its shine and prevents color from bleeding. An added benefit is the natural ingredients: vitamins A and E, avocado oil, sesame seed oil and jojoba seed oil.

Take the time to at least add a little color and shine on your lips. What is your one beauty must-have?

Wordless Wednesday – Anna’s best friend from school

Imagine Anna’s delight when her little friend came over for the Mega Blok play date.
Aren’t they cute?

Check out  pictures of all my children.
And visit 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

Welcome home…

On June 23, 1991 I gave birth to my first child, my first daughter, and up until the time she graduated from high school we hadn’t spent more than a week or two apart. And we have rarely went more than 48 hours without talking on the phone.

Amber came home for the summer and went back to school to begin the fall semester and, believe it or not, I’ve only seen her once in the past three months. The longest we’ve ever been apart. As she gets older, and makes a life for herself, I’m sure those time periods may get longer and longer… But I don’t have to think about that right now.

Sometime this evening my first baby, Munchkin, will be home for the Thanksgiving holiday. I relish in the time we’ll have together this week and I’m already anticipating the laughs, jokes, sharing and getting on each others’ nerves (LOL) that’s sure to accompany the visit. It’s something – and someone – I’m really thankful for.

Welcome home, Amber…

Mega fun with Mega Bloks {play date re-cap + review}

One of the reasons I love blogging is I can do things for myself and my children that are either entertaining, educational or necessary. Another of the reasons is I thoroughly enjoy sharing products and information with my friends (including my blog readers and friends) and family. So when MommyParties contacted me about hosting a party sponsored by MegaBloks I jumped at the chance.

The MegaBloks party was this past Saturday and, despite my nervousness, it was a huge success. Not all of the children showed up that were scheduled, but it worked out perfectly. My youngest, who was the official host, greeted her guests at the door and they all went right to the Play’n Go Table that was set up in the middle of the floor. Before the children started their building and playing, I told all the mommies (and a couple of grandmas) about the Play’n Go Table.

I love that little table, which you can see here without the Bloks on top. Those four pieces – the yellow, green, blue and orange ones – lift off and there’s a little storage area within for the MegaBloks. It’s easy for children to unlock the table, with a little knob in the center, and get ready for play all by themselves. If you want to take the table to go, all you have to do is push two tabs on each leg and all four legs fold down and you’re ready to go. No assembly, no mess and no fuss. Just the kind of toy I like!

 

The party was planned for children in Anna’s age range (she’s 3), but when everyone didn’t show up that allowed the three older kids (my two ages 7 and 5, and a friend’s daughter also age 5) to participate in the fun. I was amazed at how long the children played with that table. The built cities and buildings then tore them down, they built again and knocked them down… over and over again.

 

 

View Full Album

 

Most of the children had noticed the Lil’ Vehicles (Lil’ Pink Bus, Lil’ School Bus, Lil’ Boat, Lil’ Dump Truck and Lil’ Tractor) sitting off to the side and it wasn’t long that they all tired of waiting to get their hands on them. Once they all decided on which vehicle they wanted, we set up races two by two.

 

Here are Anna and Aries, looking very serious, waiting for the signal to go (no, we didn’t let Aries get a jump on Anna. LOL… She scouted back a little)…

…  And they’re off!

These boys (who I call Little J and Big J) are cousins. Here they prepare to race.

My two middle children, Andre and Amareah, got in on the fun again. I think they tied each time they raced each other!

 

Each of the children raced two or three times, if not more, and by the time they tired themselves out it was juice pouches and a Mega Munch snack for everyone. Stopping for a snack and a drink did not stop the children from playing; they continued to roll around their vehicles around the room as some continued to play with the Play’n Go Table (retails for $39.99).

One of the most exciting parts of the play date was the drawing at the end. When the adults arrived they filled out an information card that was put into a bag for a drawing of the raffle gift, the Pull Along Musical Pirate Ship (retails for $29.99).

 

 

 

And the winner was… Giselle and her son Jalen (please forgive me if I misspelled names). The mom, who really only came to bring her sister and her son (Damien, one of Anna’s favorite friends at school), was thrilled when she won. And, of course, her son was as well… such a cutie who was excited to find out that he had won.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My review: The Mega Bloks Play’n Go Table is a fabulous choice for children ages 3+. The table is sturdy –  one play-date guest decided to slam it up and down – and versatile. The children at the party made so many different structures, buildings, towers, bridges and scenarios that I lost count; and my children have since found other blocks that also fit coming up with hide and seek for the little play people and a variety of other structures. The ‘Lil Vehicles, which include bloks inside of them, also proved to be sturdy against dropping, continuous rolling and crashing.

One of the things I like about Mega Bloks is how easily each separate toy fit with whatever you purchase. For instance, if you get the play and go table and later get a vehicle, the bloks inside the vehicle are easily incorporated. And the bloks can be bought unisex in the Classic 80-piece bag or strictly girly in the Pink 80-piece bag.

Now Anna wants to know when her friends are coming over again… Oh boy, I think I and MommyParties have created a “play-date loving monster!”

To check out the toys I mentioned here, as well as others, visit the Mega Bloks site. Be sure to surf around after you take a gander at the Maxi toys because there are all kinds of Mega Brands that your kids will love.

Disclosure: I received, free of charge, a Mega Bloks MommyParties Kit that contained enough Mega Bloks and information to share with 10 children and their moms.  No monetary compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

How to deal with paralyzing stress

There are moments in life when you’re sure of a lot of particular things or subjects then there are moments in life where those subjects become even clearer causing a somewhat surprising – and sometimes “duh” like – moment. Intellectually, I realize that personal situations and setbacks cause stress and inner upheaval, but it wasn’t until today that I realized how truly paralyzing some of these situations can be. Or, for my new-age, uber positive, overly thoughtful group: how truly paralyzing I allow them to be.

I’ve mentioned in the past how… uh… challenging the past three and a half years of my life have been. And I’ve even eluded to what has been going on the past three weeks. I told someone that either something truly, extra, stupendously fantastic is going to happen or it’s all going straight to hell. Yea, that’s a little chuckle worthy, but it’s so how I think. Let’s look at the most recent evidence:

• Almost three weeks ago I had the washing machine replaced after the other finally and completely died. Huge sigh of relief and happy dance to have a new one, and a bundle of love and thanks to the person who enabled that to happen.
•   About two weeks ago, a small leak in the tub began. That turned into a major, gushing waterfall. It went from a potential $55 job to a $345 job. Good gracious. Another happy dance for getting it fixed, for the sound of running water finally stopping and for the plumber who allowed me to give him half of the money at the time of repairs. The other half? Well, let’s just hope he’s understanding and patient.
• Last week, Friday, the alternator in my van died. Suddenly, but slowly. I did my morning run/carpooling and it slowly died and shut down during my afternoon carpooling. Thankfully, I got it into the driveway (happy dance for that!), and I won’t tell you how the past week has been trying to find rides for the children to get to school, waiting for money to get it fixed and the ensuing stress of the whole ordeal.
• Then the phone goes out. That’s all I’m going to say about that one.

That’s where the paralyze-ation comes in.

As I’ve tried to force myself through my regular activities and work, I couldn’t figure out why I was so immobile. Why nothing was getting accomplished. Why I felt … AARRRGGHHHH. Yup, that’s the only word I can come up with for the feeling.

That’s when I realized I was paralyzed. I was paralyzing myself. I couldn’t shake the thoughts of trying to solve these problems especially the one of not having a vehicle to take care of my responsibilities especially when it comes to my children. Of not having enough resources. I couldn’t focus on anything else.

Now the question is: How do I un-paralyze?

I’ve found that if I completely and narrowed mindedly focused on one task, I can forget about everything else and get through it, but that didn’t cause an ongoing level of movement. It only caused spurts; important responsibilities were being neglected. Before I – or anyone else – can move through paralyzing worries there are some steps that must be taken:

1. Read a book or watch a movie/show that is entertaining or interesting to you, which  normally works for me. (Right now I’m reading Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink.)  By focusing my mind on something else it wipes the worries from my mind. But you can’t do it without also …
2. Meditating. For some that means prayer, but I mean just spending quiet time clearing your mind. Think about what you just watched or read, and gradually let your mind drift. Picture a meadow, a sea, the sun, a naked body – whatever causes you peace, happiness or both. Now you should be ready to get things in …
3. Order. With a detached attitude and logical thought make a to-do list of what you must do. These are things you are in control of. My list looks a little like this: wash a load of clothes, write a post (with the subject, if applicable), wash dishes, straighten living room, make bed, complete assignment, call mom… You’ll notice the list consists of work- and home-related tasks. For me, it’s the only way to move forward because if it’s all work I’ll feel overwhelmed again. Before you begin your list, you must decide on a …
4. Treat/Reward. Yup, you have to treat yourself like a child. Well, I have to treat myself like a child. For instance, if I complete my assignment I can have another cup of coffee. If a wash dishes then I can have a piece of chocolate and so forth. It doesn’t have to be food or beverage, but you get the idea. Then you’ll have to …
5. Repeat.

One of the keys now is for me to remember my own advice and, most importantly, implement it. In fact, the act of writing this post has been somewhat therapeutic because it’s doing something I love to do.

Now it’s time to move on to the next task. While I’m working (sleeping, goofing off…), take a moment to share how you move pass paralyzing stress.

Just a little reminder about Campus Talk Blog…

… I’m over there as well.

At the very cool and informative Campus Talk Blog, I’m the resident “first-time college mom” and I write Parents’ Perspective. In case you’ve forgotten, my baby went off to college last year (summer 2009) and now she has about two years under her belt. I think for her it feels like 10 years, but that’s another story.

So while it seems like I don’t talk about my beautiful Amber that much any longer – that isn’t necessarily true. She’s actually the topic of conversation in almost every one of my posts. Lucky her. :-)

I’ve been able to take my experiences as a first-time college mom – and her experiences as a college student – and mesh them with some helpful, entertaining and informative pieces. Not every post is about Amber, but just about every post is inspired by the fact that I have a child in college.

Be a dear and pop on over for a peek. The CTB experts (in student leadership, finances, study skills, relationships, etc.) would love it if you took a look around, read a few posts and left some comments. Then come back here and let me know what you think. Mmm’kay?

What I should have said…

I’m taking Bloggy Moms’ November 2010 Blog Challenge

This may be a hard post for some to read and understand, but it’ll be the only time you’ll “hear” me say this online. I never want my children to think that I don’t love them or want them, but I must admit that I wish I had said no when my ex proposed.

Or I guess I could write, I shouldn’t have said yes. Either way – it shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have let it happen.

Yes, my children are a blessing and a gift – the situation, in my eyes, is not. And it wasn’t necessarily so from day one of the marriage.

I should have known the second day of our honeymoon. The minute I thought, “What the hell have I gotten myself into.” The next thought was I should leave immediately and get an annulment. Not a great way to start…

There’s no way to relay all of my thoughts and everything that happened from that moment on. It would be a lie to say every moment was awful and, from my perspective, it would be a lie to say that my short marriage was good.

There were good times. Good moments. In the end the bad moments, and one significant final moment, tainted the entire relationship. It’s unfortunate and even sad especially for my only son – and second child – who still has memories of his parents being together.

Hopefully what I should have or shouldn’t have done will become a distant memory. There will be no guilt, no blame and life will continue to move forward … for the sake of my children who I love with all of my heart.

Sisterhood, chocolate & Stampin’ Up fun

After the recent unexpected events in my life, I needed a little time to relax, reconnect and have fun so when Saturday rolled around and it was time for my Chicks & Chocolate Stampin’ Up party I was ready and raring to go. Everyone needs a little down time, right?

Now it’s not the type of party you may be thinking of; it’s a hostess party that featured the Stampin’ Up line of products including rubber stamp sets, wood or clear mounts, stamping wheels, decor accents and stencils for custom-made home decor and, I’m sure, much more. Our demonstrator for this Stampin’ Up class was Shaunalynn. You may recognize Shaunalynn as the blogger behind The Art & Science of Parenting, but she’s also a Stampin’ Up demonstrator.

Before the demonstration even began we started laughing and having fun. Beatrice, shown here on the right, came with her daughter Gara and they both immediately proclaimed to be NON-crafters. They said they couldn’t cut straight, didn’t glue anything and plethora of other un-crafty type behavior.

Shaunalynn, being the ever roll-with-the-punches-type gal, said that’s okay because cutting straight was not necessary and there’s no wrong way to do it.

And what exactly would we be doing?

We would decorate little chocolate candy bars and make them suitable (and beautiful!) for gift giving and make greeting cards. As soon as Shaunalynn said chocolate, Beatrice was all ears. Seems as if she and I share a certain chocolate fetish. She likes it so much that she allowed Shaunalynn to stamp her hand with “So much chocolate so little time.” (Of course this was after she joked and asked Shaunalynn can the stamps be used on people…) Perfect, don’t you think? And Beatrice was quite amused with the result. So much so that she decided she would purchase the chocolate stamp set in January when it becomes available to the public. Yea, we had the inside track thanks to Shaunalynn.

 

 

 

We finally got down to the business of stamping and began with our chocolate bars. I managed to capture a few steps in the process. Even though the three of us complained, fussed and presented our OCD tendencies, we finally ended up with little presents we are proud of.

That’s my first Hershey bar after it was wrapped with the cute little papers. Then we stamped some stock paper  and used a fancy punch to shape the paper. Below are the two I covered – the middle and bottom ones. Shaunalynn, who created the one on top,  showed us how to use the inkpads to put a little color to our cutouts. I’m really pleased with how they turned out and don’t think I want to share. :-)

Then it was time to make our greeting cards. We were each given a little baggy that contained five different sizes of paper. We took the stock paper, folded it in half and were taught a trick to get it folded straight – that’s our card. Then we were instructed to tear the second piece diagonally. You would have thought she told us to build a pyramid. Every ounce of OCD came out as we tried to tear perfectly. Regardless of how many times she said there’s no wrong way. Each piece had to be torn, glued and made to have a weathered look around the edges.

That’s Gara giving her paper the weathered/worn look. I’m not going to mention how many times she tore one of her papers in the wrong direction – twice!  The next couple of pictures show the card as I made it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finished products:

The card on the left is the one I made and Shaunalynn did the one on the right then gave it to me.

 

 

 

 

Gara and Beatrice, despite their doubts that they could do it, made fabulous cards and cutely covered chocolates.                

Just for hosting the Stampin’ Up class I received the holiday mini catalog, the Definitely Decorative catalog and the 2010/2011 Idea Book & Catalog. Those books are filled with ideas and products that are great for the seasoned crafter as well as the beginner. I saw quite a few ideas I’d like to try. In fact, the holiday mini catalog featured some Simply Adorned Baubles that gave me the idea to create jewelry-inspired gift cards to add to my Etsy shop, Jewelry World. (If you visit, don’t say anything about there being just one piece there. I’ve been having “technical difficulties.”)

If you’d like to schedule a class with Shaunalynn (that’s her pictured above) or order some products, check out her Stampin’ Up site. She’s patient, fun and not at all bossy. :-D Her demonstration was easy to follow and we had fun doing it. In fact, I’m waiting for Bea to schedule hers so I can do it all again.

Muddled mind, missing muse

I love alliteration

Just write.

That’s what “they” recommend when creativity wanes. This worked fairly well when I was a magazine editor because I could take the facts and the quotes, arrange them how appropriate and muddle through stringing it all together with some input from the editorial team. This often doesn’t work so well when you’re alone working from home.

I guess there are ways to find my missing muse, right? We’ve all read the tips: read others’ work, take a break and come back, just write, meditate … there are quite a few things that work for different people. I haven’t found a sure-fire way to get them to work for me especially when life is getting in the way.

I actually started this post in the hopes of fueling some magical beginning to my writing day. Hoping it would spur me into my quick clicking, multitasking writing, answering emails, tweeting, blogging and reading. Yea, my multitasking is over the top and today would be a good day to take one thing at a time. My “one thing at a time” is blogging/writing and watching television – I generally have office hours on my couch when I’m extremely stressed. It’s better than sitting at my desk, trying to work and gazing at a blank screen or shuffling papers.

Now I’m running out of time before the first child gets home from school (all getting rides because of the dead van) and the motivation of little time to myself is pushing my brain into gear to at least get some things accomplished.

What about you? How do you motivate your mind and your muse?

Have a happy Monday.

You’re not going to believe this

Earlier today I wrote a post about my house and the plumbing, etc. Well, this is a short update: The plumbing issue is gonna cost $305 and I got a deal from a plumber that I’ve used before in the past. I forgot all about him and came across his number while talking to someone about the situation.  I paid $45 for them to come out, which has already been subtracted from what the cost of the repair is.

And that’s not the “you’re not going to believe” part. My van died today. Think it’s the alternator. Between having to replace my washing machine two weeks ago, the plumbing issue and everything else in between… the van breaking down on me was just shocking.

Needless to say, I’m now officially tense. Anyone have an extra $600 laying around… give or take?

Needing to repair this old house

Health wise, today is not a good day. I’ll spare you the details of the chronic illness flair ups, headache/cold/chest thing. Weather wise, it’s gorgeous outside. Sunny, fall colors, a breeze and not too hot or too cold. But inside this house, things are falling apart.

Although that may be a bit dramatic it doesn’t lessen the fact that as a homeowner when something needs to be repaired or replaced there’s always something else that needs to be repaired or replace soon after. Case in point: Not more than two weeks ago a very good friend of mine had my washing machine replaced because the other one died. No spinning, no washing… I just bought that one used in January so this time instead of going that route or getting the old one fixed I was able to get an extremely nice one on the least expensive side.

One problem solved.

With the change of weather I discovered the heat in the van and the heat in the house aren’t working properly. Although I’m not surprised by those two there is still the matter of having money to replace and repair. The van seems to be leaking, burning, eating coolant. No coolant = no heat. So when I run out of coolant I use water ‘til I can get some more coolant. The heating and air unit in the house needs to be replaced and the wonderful heating/air guy that I had dropped off the face of the earth.

A few weeks ago RP asked, “What’s that sound?” We perked our ears up and realized there is a slight dripping from the faucet in the bathroom. I put it in my mind that I need to get the little drip fixed. The little dripped turned into a big drip, which yesterday turned into a geyser. I’m burning electricity (yup, it’s the hot water) and wasting water…

Plumbing problem + no funds = high bills, repair costs

Gone are the days when every man you know is handy and every neighbor is trust worthy.

I am not meaning this post as a vent (only semi) or complaint ‘cause I’m not even in a bad mood about it. Given my compromised physical state there isn’t much I can get worked up about right now.

What am I going to do? At this moment, I’m hoping that a friend of mine who is on his way will be able to fix it enough to get the water to stop and bide me some time to get some plumbing money together. And that, believe it or not, is just the beginning of the list of things that are falling apart.

If you have some advice you know I’m always open to it, but take a moment to read my plumbing facts before you comment :-):

• No, there isn’t a little thingy on the knob to pop off to reveal the screw so I can tighten.
• No the pipe from the water heater to the bathroom didn’t turn off the flow of water.
• The water shut-off value is in the crawl space under my house… all the way at the front of the house and the access point is at the back of the house.
• My house was born built in 1968 and 99.9 percent of the piping is old. Any pipes for the tub faucet are behind the wall. Previous plumbing has been done in a way to avoid knocking down the wall to access it, i.e., “there was no money for it then either.”

Right now I’m going to sip my coffee and wait for – what I hope will be – my plumbing hero. In the meantime, feel free to send me some money (the PayPal link is in my sidebar), send your handyman to my house, buy me a brand new house or simply leave a comment.

I want to win a trip to BlissDom ‘11 … Wish me luck!

Ever since I really got into blogging – and loving every minute of it – I’ve wanted to attend a blogger’s conference. I’ve watched them come and go, read others’ posts about the fun they’ve had and the information they’ve learned as well as watched some mom and women bloggers grow (business blogging wise) after attending. And I want to be a part of it.

I’ve also seen the perks gained, and  the virtual friends that meet up. I’m jealous that I haven’t gotten a chance to meet all of my blogging buddies. That’s why when I read that One2One Network, which I’m a member of, is having a giveaway to win a trip to next year’s BlissDom Conference, I just had to enter. So, as you can guess, this post is one of the ways I’m entering.

I mean, really, what do I have to lose? A little time to write this post? If I don’t enter and at least take my chances I can’t complain about not being able to go. Well, I could, but it would be futile.

Take a look at what those who enter have a chance at winning:

GRAND prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops), 3 nights at the Opryland Hotel, AND airfare/travel to the conference (up to $500)!!! (~$1500 value!)

FIRST prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops), 2 nights at the Opryland Hotel!! (~$800 value!)

SECOND prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops) (~$500 value!)

Isn’t that fabulous?

The contest started Tuesday and runs through  midnight (EST) Monday, November 29th. Here’s what you need in order to be eligible to enter the giveaway:

• You have to be a One2One Network Member (If you’re not a member? Join here!)
• You have to  ‘Like’ One2One Network on Facebook
• You have to follow One2One  on Twitter

To enter to win just:

Leave a comment (this one is mandatory) on the One2One post about the giveaway and share what you hope to learn at BlissDom ’11.

For ADDITIONAL entries:

1. Tweet the contest: I want to go to  #blissdom with @One2OneNetwork! http://bit.ly/O2Obliss.  …Leave a separate comment with the URL to the tweet.
2. Post on Facebook: I want to go to BlissDom ’11 with One2One Network http://bit.ly/O2Obliss (And be sure to tag One2One Network in your post so they can see it.) Don’t forget to leave a separate comment on their post letting them know you posted to Facebook.
3. Blog about the contest: Let your readers know about this incredible giveaway! Write a post on your blog about the contest or why you want to go to Blissdom, and leave a separate comment with the URL to the post for another entry!

Be sure to check O2O blog to get the information and instructions from the “horses mouth.”

Just the thought of winning this giveaway causes my heart to skip a beat with excitement. I can only imagine all of the great information I’ll come away with and the fun that I’ll have.

Tell me, have you been to a blogging conference? If so, what did you like most about it? And have you already registered for BlissDom ‘11 or have entered this contest?

Good luck to those who enter… and I hope to see you there.

Last taste of summer

This evening when my children arrived home from school and after they had finished most of their homework I let them go outside. They ran, screamed, threw leaves, climbed a tree, rode a bike, pushed cars, carried tree limbs, played with bugs and a variety of other things that only children can think to do.

I let them play ‘til it was about dusk… Yes, we’re having unseasonably warm weather, and they’ve asked me a few times in the past couple of weeks to play outside or go to the park. The first couple of times it was too wet out then it was too cold out, but today – with the temperature in the high 60s and low 70s – presented possibly the last time they’ll get to play outside with outside concern of coats, hats, gloves, runny noses and colds.

A couple of times I peeked at them, admonished them for being close to the street and, at the last minute, noticed the uniform pants my son didn’t change out of all. Oh well, it’s his last taste of summer, I thought.

Given that we’re in the South, there may be a few more days here and there that call for outside play or a longer stroll from mailbox to door. It’s nice to get those days in and not be confided to the house… the last taste of summer.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(All pictures were taken over the summer.) 

Prepaid funeral planning

Did you know you can get your funeral planning accomplished in advance? It’s one way you can ensure this final ceremony is taken care of for peace of mind of yourself and your family.

Funeral services can be prepaid and many people choose to make those payments on a payment plan. Choices range from one year to up to 15 years in advance with monthly, semi-monthly and annual payments option via check, credit card or direct debit.

Prepaying is an effective way to put money, which grows tax free, aside for a funeral expenses.

Hot new album by Norah Jones {music review}

Over the past couple of days I’ve been listening to “…Featuring” – the new album by Norah Jones. This artist’s fans should be pleased with this collection, which will be released on November 16th, because it features her musical collaborations from the past decade. (Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Ryan Adams and more.)

The fourth song on the album is my favorite – it’s “Baby It’s Cold Outside“ by Willie Nelson Feat. As soon as this song started to play it seemed to transform me to a time when I first heard it. Probably as a child while watching television… I don’t exactly recall the moment, but it’s strikes my heart and my soul. Another favorite is “Ruler of My Heart” by Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Of course both songs feature Norah. I like “Ruler of My Heart” because it has a soul-filled, bluesy feel. It tugs at me and I can visualize myself slow dancing with a sexy man in the middle of a sparkling white room. I’m wearing a red satin gown and [insert your imagination here]. Then the next song begins and we keep dancing to “The Best Part” with El Madmo.

Can you tell I like those songs?

I think a friend of mine, Elaina, described the album well when she said it’s “true Norah Jones style.” Although she didn’t like a few of the songs because they “lacked soul,” (she gave it an 8 out of 10) I believe Norah fans will find this compilation a pleasure to listen to and share. I give it a thumbs up (a 9.5) ‘cause I don’t expect every song on an album to appeal to me. If it speaks to me in any way then it’s on my list of favorites.

If you want to give it a listen, get a copy for yourself or for someone else as a gift don’t forget it’ll be released on the 16th. And if you want to ensure you get your copy, just preorder at Amazon. Keep up with Norah and everything that she has going on by visiting her site (you’ll find cool videos), following on Facebook or taking a peek at YouTube.

Enjoy the toe-tapping, hip-rocking sounds.

Disclosure: I received “… Featuring” by Norah Jones free of charge to facilitate my review as a member of the One2One Network. No other compensation was received. Any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.

Oh what a week!

This entire week has been one big blur of anger, frustration, busyness, exhaustion, adjustment and forgetfulness. And then I wake up this morning feeling about 90 percent better. No one could have been more relieved than me because I have been so annoyed that I have been annoying myself. Really.

It’s bad when your own mental, physical and personality crap fueled by circumstances and medication is getting on your own nerves. Pretty sad, but at least I can admit it.

Did anything change between last night and this morning? Nope.

Did I feel more positive? Not really.

What was the change? Adjustment.

If you aren’t already aware from previous health and weight loss journals that I’ve posted – where I “bare my soul” regarding weight and health problems – I take about 12 pills per day. Give or take. On Monday one of my doctors added two meds and subtracted one…

The result? A wave of brain activity, body responses, little memory lapses, unfocused moments and a bevy of internal activity that didn’t take kindly to the stresses of my life. Oh the stresses.

So here’s to surviving the week…

How has your week been and what are your plans for the weekend?

Coupon code for Phonics Rock ‘N Learn

Late last month I won Rock ‘N Learn’s Phonics volumes 1 and 2 DVDs from Tammy at Mom Knows Everything. In the letter that came with the DVDs, the company was nice enough to include a coupon code for a 25 percent discount when orders are placed through their website, RockNLearn.com. Use the code SSA25 when you check out to receive the discount. You have until December 5th to take advantage of this deal.

Mega thanks to Tammy, Ms. Downs at SSA PR firm and Rock ‘N Learn!

I’m actually saving these DVDs to give to my son (to share with his siblings) at Christmas. So, hopefully I’ll remember to post a review of what we think about them.

Wordless Wednesday: Where’s the doctor?

View Full Album

**Don’t worry! These pictures are about three or so weeks old.**

Anna is just fine!

For more Wordless Wednesday visit 5 Minutes for Mom, and don’t forget to check out my last Wordless Wednesday post. Thanks for visiting.

MyTies - private, social networking app for iPhone

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

The iPhone has some fabulous apps and there's another available for you for the best price ever! FREE! The application I'm talking about is MyTies.com, which is a private, social network for the iPhone. This application allows users to use their personal address book to make several private networks by allowing them to invite their contacts to join their created groups. This type of group structure lets users choose which group(s) they want to share text messages, video creations, photos and location information with.

What's the best part about MyTies? You - the user - can share information with different groups at anytime, all your posts are private to your groups and only you can invite who you want to see your posts. What do I like the best about MyTies? Even as someone who doesn't have an iPhone yet I appreciate the fact that I can set up groups to be able to easily send the items to them that I want to with a simple click. It's a function I've wanted on my simple phone for the longest.

It doesn't take long to download and it's free so go ahead and run the MyTies.com iPhone app today. And there's something else in it for you: Use the promo code "myprivacy" so you can get 20 more invites within the app for the chance to connect with more friend and family.

Happy networking.

Thinking about purple

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the movie The Color Purple with Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and a cast of other well-known and talented actors. The same scenes touch me each time; like when Sofia gets beat and put in jail, Miss Celie puts a curse on Mister, when Sofia finally sees her children for a brief moment after eight years… and many more.

The one scene that never fails to move me is when Celie and Nettie are finally reunited in the end, and Celie meets her children. Tonight it dawned on me, Celie gets her happy ending. She’s old as all get out when it happens, but it’s a happy ending nonetheless – her life finally takes a turn for the better.

Is it possible that after so much struggle a happy ending is possible? Compare your situation with Celie’s – in relative terms – do you see the light at the end? I’m not just asking you, I’m asking myself as well.

When a moment of hope peeks through the clouds

The miles of travel seem quick

When a glimpse of light makes it through the dark

Time doesn’t seem so thick.

Reaching out to grab the thinnest of threads

The celebration welling up from within

Hoping this time when I see the light

The pain and struggle really. will. end. -Petula