Me Time

Sometimes Hubster has to work late. Sometimes he has to go back into work after dinner. On rare occasions he goes out with the guys for a couple drinks. All these scenarios have one thing in common...ME time!

I like being alone. On these occasions when my third responsibility has other things to do, I enjoy having a glass or 3 of wine and either catching up on some recorded TV or hanging out with my laptop and playing some games. I play a variety of games and enjoy the interaction of others in the chat rooms when playing online bingo. I'm not a big bingo enthusiast, but at BingoHouse.com, the game plays itself, allowing me to wager in side games like slots (I love me some slots). I also get to chat, so I'm not drinking alone. Even if the others aren't drinking (although I believe they are) I'm not alone...but I am (because I like to be).

Internet bingo has been around for ages, but Bingohouse has put a twist on it. Allowing it's users to play games on the side, marking cards for its users and offering a variety of atmospheres to play in, they lead the way to maximizing the Bingo Fun.

I started with the free bingo and I'm glad I did. It took a few to get the hang of what was going on. Playing for free allowed me to watch and check out the different features. I haven't won yet, but I'm just as excited about virtual money won as real...and the losses are easier to swallow.

Hooray for Top Dropper Day

The wise people at Entrecard decided to take what other smart bloggers were already doing and promote droppers each month on individual blogs. I get to list my top ten droppers and give you the opportunity to visit some other great (or at least faithful) EC Droppers. Here is MY list of regular EC visitors...

Parental Instincts

Parenting tips and information from the father of two.

EverydayLiving

Weight-loss tips and stories, mixed together with humor and fun. All this and more, to help you get through the journey of Everyday Living.

C'est La Vie

This is my blog! It's the chronicles of a single mother who's balancing parenting and being a full-time college student with aspirations to become a nurse.

Scandinavian Ways - Winesworld blog

Winesworld is a friendly wine guide for amateurs, by amateurs. We will blog about travel in Scandinavia, food & wine and other Scandinavian ways of doing things.

Letters

Sarcasm, wit, and humor, all in letter form.

Daily Coloring Pages

Coloring pages that are not only fun but educational. Great for homeschooling and sunday school, as well as rainy days! Top of the fold placement and I try to always return drops.

Web Blog of Greg Mathews

Posting on anything that catches my attentions from SEO experiences with Google to things in the news.

More Fun Than Allowed...With Kids

A parenting blog. Things I have found useful and not so useful. Suggestions for having fun with your kids.

Everything Under the Sun

About life, relationship, church,people. Anything we can talk about under the big big sun.

New Orleans Food and Fun

The best of New Orleans recipes, New Orleans restaurants and things to do in New Orleans.



Thanks to all of you! I really appreciate you and EC for giving us the opportunity to find great blogs we may have missed without our daily drop addictions.

This Sucks!

If things could get worse, I’m not sure what would be next. Still no connection. Boog went to bed screaming of a tooth ache. PP is still whiny with some sort of ailment, Has a fever that comes and goes, with no other visible symptoms other than constant whining. She is so not that kid. Usually content to play on her own, she is currently attached to my hip and whines at the smallest thing, like her sippy cup falling on the floor. All this would be much more tolerable if my head didn’t feel like someone had it in a vice, ready to split it wide open, heck that might bring some relief.

The good news is that we got Boog an emergency dentist visit and Hubster is taking him now. Hopefully they can get it fixed and he will be more comfortable. I wrote down the schools number off his agenda, but must have written the fax number down in my haze. Have you ever had a severe headache and had to listen to the tone of a fax blaring in your ear while 2 kids are screaming and Hubster is trying to talk about which card he should take to pay for the visit? Don’t do it. It about sent me over the edge. I wanted to run screaming from the house and find a nice quiet place to relieve my pain, or at least reduce it. But I stayed. Hung up the phone in disgust, hugged both kids, gave Hubster the appropriate card and tried quickly to get the boys out of the house so I could deal with just one miserable child. Not that she is miserable, she’s just feeling miserable…and so am I. Thank goodness for DVD’s because the cable is out along with the Internet connection. Help us all.

Memory Walk 2009

My Mom's group signed up for the 2009 Alzheimer's Memory Walk yesterday. I have not yet set up my personal page, but that will be done in the next day or so and I will surely let you know.

Last year 9 of us walked and in order to look like a team, we tie-dyed shirts and had every intention of stenciling the groups name...but ran out of time. This year we are talking about having shirts printed or embroidered with the logo. I was researching options yesterday and came across Threadsmith.com, which offers brand name products, the ability to preview your order, and satisfaction guaranteed fast delivery.

We ran into a problem with a local t-shirt designer a couple years back when he attempted to keep our money even after trying to give us a sub par product. We were not thrilled. If we start planning our custom embroidered shirts now, we have plenty of time to get the groups input and order exactly what we want. Threadsmith.com also offers a volume discount. We would need at least 40 shirts (for the group as a whole, not just those participating in the Memory Walk) and they offer 25% savings at 40 or more.

This will definitely be one of our top choices when ordering. We have 3 new babies in the group and another on the way, since they also offer baby items like bibs and onsies, they are a good match for our ordering needs.

Connection Lost

Oh me Oh my. I was just having a conversation with a friend the other day about Internet access. We have Cox, the local cable company and she did as well, but due to loss of Internet repeatedly over the last 6 months, they switched to Verizon FIOS.

I’m drafting this post in a word document since today I awoke to no Internet. The cable company is not sure how long it will be down, but calling Verizon for a quote on their bundle package may be in order. I’m lost without connection as I work from home. I can go somewhere with WiFi but would have to tote along a 2.5 year old so time would be limited.

On another bad note, one of my blogs has been reported (apparently several times) as containing malicious content. Funny that the warning only pops up in FireFox browser and not IE. EC has deleted the account, I don’t blame them, I just wish I had a clue as to where the malicious content was or how it got there, so I could remove it…but I don’t. I’ve spent the last couple days trying to figure it out and am working with google tools to try and get it fixed, but today I’ll have to wait until the connection comes back to do anything else.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Food for Thought 1/23

I missed this last week but thought I'd jump back in. If you want to play along visit Jodi over at Beacon of Hope as she is posting the questions every Friday. I'm just not sure how she is keeping track of who is following, but who cares, the questions are insightful and self-reflecting so here goes...



Food 4 Thought Friday ~ This week's questions
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Breakfast: How would you describe your life right now...a Three Ring Circus, the Indy 500, the Boston Marathon, or a day at the beach?
Hmmm. I would say my life is like a roller coaster. Lots of ups and downs with a couple of twists in there as well. Always something new, a little scary, and in the end...a total rush.

Lunch: If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Today I would have to say violet. It started out blue (calm) and then the munchkins were at each others throats causing red, mixed together that's purple, but Boog has now left for school, so the red is fading and were headed back to calm.

Dinner: What is the strangest food you ever ate?
I've had frog legs, snails, and I love raw oysters, but I don't think any of those are strange, people eat them all the time. I do get cravings for chocolate ice cream and Fritos, which is completely delicious, but probably the one thing others think is crazy, except my high school friends who enjoyed it with me.

Midnight Snack: Have you ever seen a Broadway musical? If so, which ones?
When I was 12 I went (alone) to visit my Aunt who lived in New York for 2 weeks. We saw Annie, Sugarbabes, and A Chorus Line.

Recipe for the Week (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?) :
De-clutter the bedroom. It looks like a hotel room after a long vacation. The luggage has been unpacked, the clothes have been worn, and everything has just been tossed aside, but no maid service has arrived to pick up. It's a mess and I hope to tackle it this weekend, but will shoot for having it complete by the end of next week.

February Meal Planning

Did you think this was going to be my meal plans for next month? I don't even know what's for dinner tomorrow. Tonight the kids go to church with the In Laws for dinner and choir, and I have GNO with the cul-de-sac gang. We're ordering in Chinese.

Just a couple more weeks and I will be travelling to Michigan to get together with my childhood friends. We are planning our annual dinner party on Saturday night (February 28th) and I am very excited. Last year I went to celebrate my birthday (a big one),and this year we will be celebrating birthdays of 3 friends that are a year younger than me. I had my dad prepare the meal last year because 1. He's a great cook and 2. It was my birthday. This year, I thought I would do the meal. I love to cook and being able to do so for a group of people that are as experimental as I am, and enjoy good food, makes it even more fun.

I was looking around online for somedinner party ideas and have yet to decide on a theme, but want to do something fabulous to honor my friends, and to once and for all convince my father that I can cook beyond boil-in-bag food. Do they even make those anymore? So I'm thinking possibly Mexican or Italian. I make a great spaghetti sauce and with a fancy salad and some yummy artisan bread we would all be Fat Dumb and Happy. I also do a mean Fajita and like the idea of everyone serving themselves...hmmm...tough choice.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I love new recipes and have an appreciative audience. Want to suggest something?

Pink's Crock Pot Challenge

This is the other news I was supposed to post about yesterday...I didn't...sorry.

Pink...Like the color is having a Crock Pot Challenge. Getting everyone to use their crock pots at least twice a week and sharing recipes. I knew I had to cook some NC BBQ this week to deliver to a friend who just had a baby (my Mom's group provides dinners for a week to the new moms in the group after the birth), so I would only have to come up with one more recipe.

As it turns out, Hubster also needs to have some BBQ ready for a thingy at work on Wednesday (same day I need mine). Thank goodness we were too lazy to return the duplicate crock pot we received 9.5 years ago as a wedding gift. He brought home 3 pork shoulders last night. His two are cooking now, and mine will go on tonight after he chops up his. He's going to kill me for sharing this recipe, but maybe he won't see this. Sorry Honey. It's for a good cause.

That's one of the shoulders that's been cooking over night.

North Carolina BBQ

For the sauce you'll need white (or apple cider) vinegar, crushed red pepper and Texas Pete. There are no specific amounts, mix the 3 together to the desired flavor.

Put 8-9 pound pork shoulder (or butt or picnic) in crock pot, pour in sauce mixture to fill pot about a third of the way, liberally cover pork with salt. (Hubster says pour until it's covered, and then add more) Let cook for 10 -12 hours on high. Turn off crock pot and let meat cool for about an hour. Take out shoulder and chop up, removing fat pieces and using a portion of remaining juices to moisten. (We like ours finely chopped, but you can cut or chop however you desire)

I like mine on a roll, with extra Texas Pete and Cole slaw...Yum!

Unbelievable

I awoke to the phone ringing at 5:30 this morning...



Let me back up. The weatherman said we were getting a snow storm starting around 11pm last night and it is supposed to snow until sometime this evening. Total accumulation is supposed to be 1 to 2 inches. First of all, how does it snow for 12-18 hours and only accumulate 2 inches? Secondly, I awoke several times during the night to look out the window...nothing.



The phone call was the automated system for the school, letting us know that due to inclimate weather there would be no school today. I looked out the window...nothing. I'm in Virginia now, originally from Michigan. In Michigan, school was almost never cancelled. I'm watching the news and all the reporters are talking about the very chilly temperature...it's 30 degrees.



I'm floored. Excited they are still calling for snow. Stunned that school is cancelled. Laughing at the reporters that think 30 degrees is bitterly cold.



Good Tuesday Morning!



Thank You Hubster for bringing home that bottle of wine last night...I'm gonna need it come this evening.

Monday Madness and my Plea for a Vacuum

So I have a couple things to say today.

First off, Momdot is having a Hoover vacuum giveaway and I need your help. I'm supposed to tell them the worst gift I ever received, and then they will determine the top (worst) 20 gifts and post them, then voters will pick who's gift is the worst and they will receive a Platinum Lightweight Bagged Upright and Portable Canister worth $399. I'm ready to switch back to a bagged vacuum. I have 2 bagless ones and it's a pain to take them outside to empty them and then use my cone vac or a broom to clean them up before bringing them back into the house. So, my worst gift ever? Well, I had to look around. I found this in my closet.

The picture is not the greatest(sorry). This lemon yellow Housecoat was a gift from my MIL. Her intentions were pure, she gave me this to take to the hospital to wear after the birth of my first child (5 1/2 years ago). I don't do house coats, or bathrobes, or nightgowns (unless they are of the silky or sheer nature and they are worn to bed but removed before actually going to bed, if you know what I mean). The fact that she thought this would be a good thing to take to the hospital, with a matching nightgown (no idea where that is or why I still have this) is beyond me. She's had a child. A woman needs some pants after having a baby. You can't wedge one of those ginormous pads in your undies and expect them to stay without some extra support.

So, that's my worst gift ever. If you think that I should win a new vacuum for that then vote for it over at Momdot on January 29th. Prior to having a first child a vacuum would have been way more appreciated than this.

If you think I am ungrateful, and just love this robe, leave a comment and maybe I'll send it to you. It's size medium and still has the tags on it.

I think I do a second post on the other news in a little while. So come back and check that out too.

Sunday Sleep In

I mentioned that yesterday Hubster had to go into work. He thought it would only be for a couple hours. He left around 10:30 and was home around 5:00. Time flies when you're having fun...I guess. He told me how much he appreciated my understanding and that I could sleep in this morning and he would take care of the kids. I DID sleep in...until 7:00. Puddin Pop came and got me, I took her downstairs, got her some juice, let the dog out, made a cup of coffee, let the dog in, grabbed my coffee and my laptop and came back up to bed. I let Hubster know that PP was downstairs. He got up, and went down with her. So, I'm working. I've abandoned my plush corner chair office in the living room and have retreated to my bed, for some peace, quiet and alone time.

As I sit on the bed, I look around my mess of a room (still nothing done with the re-vamp, but I'll get there) and am trying to figure out where I can put a desk for an upstairs office. I think I'll take Sunday mornings as a work day and get myself geared up for the week. I can get my list together for US Family Guide and the calls I want to make on Monday, post upcoming events and any reviews. I think being able to do it uninterrupted may make my life easier and will definitely cut down on the amount of time it will take me due to not having to refill sippy cups, find specific toys to prevent melt downs, and making meals and snacks. Of course, we'll have to set some guidelines. As I type this, I'm trying to get a 2 year old NOT to play with a 14 pound bowling ball she found in my closet. Sounds like I may have to use the lock on the door, or a megaphone to let Hubster know he's lost a kid.

One of Those Days

Yep. Been one of those days. Nothing goes right. Everything I touch immediately touches the floor (because I drop it or knock it off the counter) and the kids are stir crazy because it's like 10 degrees outside. They tried to play outside, bless their little hearts, but it only lasted about 10 minutes. It was one of those days where a treadmill , stationary bike or other piece of fitness equipment would have come in handy for them to blow off some steam. Instead we bowled, played baseball and tennis on the Wii. We meaning me included, so I got nothing done.

I really wanted to get some cleaning done today, but only wanted to clean the bathrooms once. The kids love to help, but today I just wanted to do it and have it done. Not do it with the kids and go back and do their parts over. The problem was that Hubby got called into work, so my visions of accomplishing something went right out the window. I really should figure out a way to get this stuff done when they are here, but I get sucked in to their needs (way more important than my cleaning) and without Dad to occupy them, What was I to do? Besides, after cleaning flour, cocoa, cereal and milk off the floor, I pretty much had had all the cleaning I could handle.
The kitchen floor, by the way, is spotless.

Nintendo DS Woes

I made the mistake of picking up Boog's DS the other day while he was at school. The big mistake was in starting my own file. Boog and his Dad are playing Super Mario and are working on world 2. I'm on World 3. Big mistake. I am now the go to adult when Boog gets stuck. He just brings me the DS and tells me to get him through a level...I wish I could. Sometimes it takes a LOT of tries and he doesn't understand why I can't do it the first time...I wish I could.

Monday is a no school day, as are next Monday and Tuesday. My fear is that I'm going to be playing Mario a LOT on those days, please help. The weekend I will defer to Daddy, and hopefully they can get beyond world 3 and I will no longer be considered the "expert". I will be out shopping for dog supplies and other random necessities just to avoid playing. It's really giving me a headache...or maybe it was the wine I was drinking while playing.

Home Security

I recently was having a discussion with a friend about home security systems. I don't remember what got us on the topic of
home security but I mentioned that after all the different systems I had worked with throughout all the restaurants I managed, ADT would be my first choice.

I've had several opportunities to work with this company and was always impressed by their level of customer service in all aspects of the business. From the technicians that set up the systems and did any repairs, to the agents who called when I couldn't seem to remember my code upon entering the restaurant I just transferred to, all were polite, friendly, and made me feel safe in what could potentially be a dangerous environment.

ADT systems are easy to use, reasonably priced, and offer a feeling of security as valuable as the security itself. I would recommend this company to anyone looking for a home or business security system.

As for me, we have a home security system...her name is Ashley and she is a ferocious, face ripping Min Pin. Don't tell the kids...they think she's sweet and cuddly.

PTA Fun, US Family Guide and AI

What do these 3 things have in common?

They are all things I am very excited about.

First, I had a PTA Meeting last night and came home with a template for Boog's Yearbook page, rather the page for his class. I have all the pictures of the kids and can do whatever I want for their class page. This is very exciting and reminiscent of working on my Junior High year book several (hundred) years ago.

Second, I attended a webinar for US Family Guides and came away as the Editor in Chief for my local area and look forward to getting started. The national website is branching out to local domains and will include all the great family things to do in my area. I look forward to this new exciting position and working with the other editors in my group.

Third, American Idol. I anticipate the start of the new season every January and this season is looking full of talent. I can't wait for Hell week and all the competition in Hollywood. I already have 2 picks for the top 12. I'll keep you posted on that.

It's turning out to be a good week!

WP Themes and my Moving Slump

I had previously mentioned here or on my other blog, who can keep track, about moving and completely redoing one of my blogs. It's my first baby and needs to be updated with an original theme and a domain of it's own. The domain has been purchased and a new host has been decided, and now I am completely stumped. The new host had an offer to "move" everything, but I apparently checked the wrong box and now have a whole bunch of files and other stuff I don't understand to deal with, and no motivation to start teaching myself how to build and import and whatever else I must do. I do know that I would like to first pick out a theme, so I'm not losing any extra coding by trying to add that later (right now, every time I change my text or coding on my home page, I lose my adsense ads. haven't figured out why).

So in looking into themes, I came across wp remix which offers premium WP themes. They offer a master theme that is totally customizable and offers several layout options to suit the need of the user. The package allows you to set different sidebars and headers on each page within your site, if you choose to do so.

WP Remix also has an affiliate program offering you 50% of each purchase you refer. That's an increase of 30% from their previous offer of 20% on referrals.

I'm still shopping. I hope I can find a theme that motivates me to figure out the rest of my move (or at least motivates me to make a phone call to the new hosting site) and I can get beyond this slump I am feeling for being so stuck.

Twitter Moms Wine Tasting...Good Times

I mentioned last week that the Twitter Moms were having a wine tasting. The chosen wine was Panarroz Red "06 that apparently was available at BevMo...and nowhere else. I didn't even know what BevMo was but typed it in and found out they could ship me the Panarroz (priced at $8.99) for $13.41 shipping, regular mail. But since I found this out the day before the actual tasting, it would have cost me $35 to ship over night. I couldn't justify paying $44 for a $9 bottle of wine. I contemplated not going (or logging in) since part of the allure for me was to actually discuss the wine, but I decided to join in anyway...and I'm glad I did. It was a total blast. Only like 3 people had the actual wine, some weren't even drinking wine. We talked about our individual wines, legs, quail (someone was actually making that for dinner. Boy, I need to step up my cooking game.), pizza and lots of other stuff. It was an enjoyable evening and I will definitely be attending the next...with the right wine.

Below is an excerpt from the evening. Thought you might enjoy. People were just showing up as they saw the tweets. Someone even tweeted to others how funny a wine tasting looks in print. Good times.

Everything You Need to Know about Labels

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AI ~ Day One

First off, I thought the show did a much better job of NOT showing all the train wrecks. They had a lot of talent and it was nice to see that. They seem to have a little more compassion this year as well. I'm still confused as to how many yeses one needs to make it to Hollywood, it would seem as though 2 is all that's required, but I was surprised at how many got 4 yeses, that just doesn't usually happen.

But what about Bikini Girl? This girl is obviously smarter than she looks. She does have a nice body and the confidence to go with it, but don't be surprised when she misses the call in Hollywood. I don't see any way she will get through, unless maybe she goes naked. And what was Kara thinking trying to match voices with this kid? Seemed a little childish, good for ratings, and entertaining to watch, but childish nonetheless.

My favs so far? The little brunette 16 year old cutie (I don't have a name) and the pink haired rocker chick, look for these 2 ladies to advance to the top 24...just my opinion. More tonight, and more from me tomorrow.

My kid is a Flippin' Genius

Puddin Pop is a genius. Sure, she doesn't know what Loquat trees are, but either do I.

The other night she was taking a bath, yep, I'm one of those bad Moms that leave their children unattended in the tub, and she apparently wanted to lay back in the water. Oh what I would give for a tub big enough to submerge my whole body, but enough with that visual. The water level was so high that it would have submerged her whole face, causing breathing difficulties and sure death, but she was too smart for that. My little problem solver dumped all her toys and came up with a "helmet" that would raise her head just enough so the water could not fill her mouth and nose.

I busted out laughing, ran for the camera, and snapped a photo of my NASA hopeful.

Pretty darn smart, huh? I'm going to have to start researching enrichment programs for this one...or swimming lessons.

Please, I Want a Grill.

In an effort to create healthier recipes for the family, I've been looking into new appliances to achieve this goal. The George Foreman line of grills (roasters and fryers) offers a new alternative for healthy cooking. Their goal is to continue providing new and innovative products to make family cooking faster, and more healthy. I like faster too.

Boog is finally branching out and trying new foods and I think indoor grilling would be healthier and fun to do as a family. Currently I cook bacon in a pan on the stove. It sizzles in it's own fat and, while tasty, is not the healthiest way to start the day. My In laws cook strips of bacon in the microwave, putting paper towel between layers to soak up the fat. This is a healthier option, but does nothing for the taste and/or flavor.


I did a post last week about the London broil I cooked in the crock pot. How much tastier it could have been if cooked on one of George's grills. The thought of roasted potatoes and other assorted veggies has my mouth watering, at 7 am this morning.


We often grill in the summer and spring, but never seem to use our grill in the colder months, even though it really isn't that cold. My father brushes the snow off his and stands in the cold, to get a good piece of grilled meat, there's just something about the flavor of a grilled steak that no other method of cooking can achieve.

The George Foreman site, which promotes healthy living, has a product selector that lets you pick which features you want your grill to have, what you want to cook, how many you regularly cook for and it suggests the best grill for you. I've already got mine selected. They also have a ton of delicious recipes on the site to get you started. I am so excited about this grill that I put together a little video, for your enjoyment, in hope that someone will determine that I should have one of these grills for my own.

Screaming Toddler and American Idol

It's 6am. I'm normally up at this time...alone. Puddin Pop was tossing and turning all night long. Yelling about roller skates, being too hot, screaming that something (I have no idea what) is hers and all sorts of other gibberish. That girl has some lungs. Hubster got tired of listening to it took his pillow to Boogs room and shut the door. So we are both up (PP and I) It should be quite the enjoyable day. Maybe I can get her to take a nap...but I won't hold my breath.

In other exciting news...American Idol starts Tonight! I'm not to fond of the auditions, it's sad to me that some of these people think they have talent, and also a shame what people will do to get on TV...but I watch. I start picking my favorites and usually have a winner picked out by the time they get to the top 24. Thank goodness we god the DVR switched out over the weekend, I would be crushed if I missed an episode. It was bad enough that last years finale was cut short and I had to look up the winner online the following morning. I've already set a 10 minute buffer to avoid that happening again.

Look for my 2 cents on the whole show, including the new judge, and who should and shouldn't get the golden ticket.

Shopping for Time

Okay, not really time, but something that keeps time...like a watch. I've never really been a watch person, I rarely wear any jewelry other than my wedding rings, and even that is iffy, depending on what I made for dinner the night before (if I take it off, I often forget to put it back on). Lately, with schedules to follow and a kid to meet at the bus stop, I find myself searching for my cell phone to find out what time it is while I'm out. Sad, I know, I use my phone as a watch (and rarely as a phone). So I started to peruse different watch sites and thought I'd give a couple hints before my birthday next month.

I came across Kenmar Watches and just love this site. They offer Men's and Ladies watches and the site has every category you can think of to search by. You can search by brand, price, style, and my favorite option...color. I clicked on pink and found this beautiful watch


Breil watches create both Men's and Ladies watches with an Italian design and the finest of European movements. Sure to create buzz and worthy of every compliment. Breil watches are heirlooms to be passed down through generations.

Unfortunately this watch is currently out of stock. Another likable aspect of this site is that it guarantees the lowest prices on all brands in their inventory. When I clicked on this watch I received a message that the pricing was unavailable due to not having it in sock. It should be back in stock within 7-10 days and the price will be listed lower than any other internet price (that's their promise).


While shopping their site, I also had the opportunity to chat live with a representative. While I see this often on sites offering services, I've rarely seen this option on shopping sites. Someone right there to offer support and help you find exactly what you are looking for.


I'll be checking my e-mail for notification when this watch is back in stock. We'll see if it's even close to what I would pay for a watch (or Hubster would, which is more).

Food for Thought 1/9

Jodi over at Beacon of Hope has a Friday meme that I want to participate in. It will be my first, and I look forward to more. Check out her site to join in, and leave a comment here if you are participating so I can check out your answers.

Food 4 Thought Friday ~ This week's questions
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Breakfast:What one word would you put on your gravestone?

Gone.

What else can I say. That's just my mood this morning.

LunchWhat happened today that made you feel good?

I had breakfast made before the kids came down. Boog's lunch was packed and I was drinking coffee, relaxed, when they got up and the morning chaos started.

DinnerIs there something hanging over your head that you need to do right now?

A lot of things. Most overwhelming is the laundry, I just can't get motivated to get it all caught up. It's gonna take more than a load or 2 a day.

Midnight Snack What are you most looking forward to at this moment? Least looking forward to?

Looking forward to my girls trip at the end of February. NOT looking forward to paying for the plane ride to get there.

Recipe for the Week (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?)

Focus on getting the house picked up and a little more organized. Get some cleaning done, and spending the weekends together as a family rather than trying to catch up on work while Hubster and the kids go off to do something fun.

Are You an AllStar?

Boog and I tried out another new game this morning. That's his avatar on the left. His screen name is Scooter (a nick name his dad gave him).

Action Allstars has games available for the sports enthusiast in your life. With Baseball and Football being at the top of Boogs list. The Football was way too hard for me, I'm much better with just the mouse or arrow keys, but get very frustrated using both at the same time. Boog loves all the action and is quick to point out all my wrong moves.

Sign up is free, the games and virtual world are fun to be a part of, and I liked that I can restrict Boogs chats to predefined terms (they also have free chat available), it makes me feel like he's safe playing without me watching over his shoulder the whole time.

Partnered with NBA.com, MLB.com and ConnectSafetly.org, Action AllStars provides young gamers a safe environment to meet up with friends, play games, buy virtual stuff, and chat in a safe, user friendly environment.

While I'm totally awful at the sports games, big league bites is right up my alley. I'm serving up food like nobody's business. Fries are in the fryer, pretzels are in the warmer, I've got drinks ready and Phillies on the grill. I'm only on the 3rd level and will probably be playing all day...or at least until I complete all the levels.

Check it out...if you have nothing better to do. Don't check it out if you have housework or real work to do. I'm pretty sure my housework will have to wait until tomorrow.

Virtual Wine Tasting

TheTwitterMoms are having a wine tasting tomorrow night. I'm so excited. The chosen wine is Panarroz Red 'o6 from Spain. My job today is to try to locate it so I can be ready. If you are not already a member or TwitterMoms, join up and then join us tomorrow for a fabulous twitter wine tasting.

I'm looking forward to trying this new wine (new to me, anyway) and chatting with the other ladies who are participating. The tasting is 5-7 PST which makes it from 8-10 for me. That actually works better as the kids will be in bed. I've invited a couple friends over to help with a live tasting and will be getting them set up on Twitter as well. It should be a fun evening. I'll be posting a review of the wine over the weekend, so be on the lookout for that.

Got any plans? Come join us

Magnext Virtual World

I had the opportunity to play on Mega Brands MagNext Virtual world today and all I can say is...I can't wait for Boog to get home from school. The site is exciting in it's graphics and the racing game is similar to Mario cart (with the speed up arrows) that we played a lot over Winter break. I think he will really enjoy it.

I tried the challenge arena, but I guess at 10 am, most kids are in school, so no one showed up. It's probably a good thing, since I don't even know what I was challenging them to. I, being a puzzle person, did enjoy the icoaster. It's a roller coaster track that is missing pieces. As your ball comes to the gaps, you have a limited amount of time to figure out which piece needs to be put in. The music was kind of annoying, but I just turned it off. You earn magz by playing and challenging, and then can buy cool stuff for your sphere to personalize it. The site has a chat feature and you can invite friends to join and play with you.

I see Boog having an enjoyable time with this game. I think he will also be excited to invite his friends to play. He has 2 friends that are a little older and he will be happy to tell them about a new game rather than playing a game they've already mastered.

If you have a grade school child who thinks webkinz world is for girls (it isn't, but this site is much "tougher"), make sure you show them the magnext virtual world. I'm sure it will be a hit.

Homemade Cookies

There's a reason I do not make cookies from scratch. I like to buy the dry mix that you add a couple ingredients to and bake. I was having some difficulty with chocolate chip cookies a couple years ago. Every batch I made was puffy and tasted...well...rather flavorless. I just couldn't figure it out. I tried different recipes, different chips, and they all tasted and looked awful. I explained the dilemma to my MIL and do you know what I found out? And don't laugh, because you probably already knew this. Baking soda expires. Yep, dear MIL asked about the expiration on my baking soda, I looked, it was out of date, I bought some new, and have not had a problem since, well not with the look or taste, my new problem with homemade cookie recipes is this

Who needs this many cookies? I think I made 6 dozen, and they are not small. I know I ate at least 6 yesterday, Hubster had 6 after dinner, I gave 6 to the neighbor and sent another 6 to the bus driver this morning. The kids have each had 3-4 and I still have 3 dozen sitting on the counter calling me. "Mmm, don't we look good with our chocolate and butterscotch chips?", "We would really taste good dipped in your morning coffee with vanilla/caramel creamer." Now if I could just get my Wii Fit to call me with such enthusiasm we'd be all set!

Bed Ideas

I belong to a moms group that is both an online forum and a meeting place for moms in the area. We get together with the kids, participate in charitable events (Memory walk) have family holiday parties (all the ones the kids can't do in school, like Halloween and Easter) and get together monthly for a Girls Night Out.

We have veteran moms with teenagers, and new moms with newborns. It's a great place to jot down a question and get ideas and advice from others, and since it's local, when it comes to shopping and purchase needs, recommendations are easy to check out.

With a lot of moms with toddlers, there have been several conversations over the last year about childrens beds. When to move kids out of cribs, what type of bed to get. Toddler bed versus twin or double. We moved Boog to a toddler bed, and then a queen. He stopped waking and coming into our room the first night with the queen. Puddin Pop went straight to a twin, and stays all night. I looked into several themed beds for the kids. Boogs room is diggers and dump trucks. If this bed would have been available in my area, he surely would have loved it .

When I went to pick out PP's bed, I saw a beautiful wrought iron carriage that I fell in love with, and then had visions of monkeys swinging and climbing on the bed like they were on the monkey bars at the park. This would have been a good option.
In the end, we went with regular beds and dressed them up with the bedding. The kids don't seem to mind, and the beds will last longer than a digger phase.

Setting a Bad Example

I oopsed. Is that a word? Is now. The other day Boog lost one of his bakugan cards under the fridge. I couldn't even see it, but he and the neighbor girl swore it was there. I couldn't find my yard stick, which I often use to retrieve things from under the fridge, as well as to clean all the dust and stuff that gets under there. It was no where to be found. I grabbed a large knife out of the drawer, with the safety shield still on, and tried to dislodge the card, that I couldn't even see. It didn't work, I put the knife away (most of the sharp knives are in a knife block on top of the fridge, but this one won't fit, so it's tucked on the side of the "fancy silverware" drawer). I didn't think anymore about it. I ended up pulling the fridge away from the wall, and the kids found the card behind it.


Two days later, Puddin Pop loses a pencil under the fridge. It just rolled right on under. Since we have a gazillion pencils, I told her to get another and i would get it later. I realized after 5 minutes or so, that it was really quiet...too quiet. I called from the living room to PP and asked what she was doing. She said she was trying to get the pencil. I again told her I'd get it after a while. Imagine my horror when she came into the living room...with this

Knife in one hand, protective cover in the other, she proclaimed "It won't work." I knew exactly what she was referring to, Hubster looked at me puzzled. I quickly took the knife and put it in the drawer, vowing to get some child safety equipment to keep said drawer locked. I then removed the pencil with a handy tinker toy stick (hoping she catch that) and went right over to pour a glass of wine...to calm my nerves.

Bad Mommy. Bad, bad!

What to do with Frozen London Broil

Yesterday, I was in the mood for something easy for dinner. I love to put stuff in the crock pot and let it cook all day. Not only is there a feeling of "getting ahead" by having dinner cooking at 9:30 am, but the house always smells so wonderful. My dad still thinks I can only cook things that are boil-in-a-bag, so this post is for you, Dad.

I got out my trusty crock pot

I boiled 2 cups of water and added two beef boullion cubes. I then added a 1.5 pound london broil, frozen. A little forthought and it may not have been frozen, but this works just as well. I seasoned the meat with pepper, garlic, salt and onion powder. I let it cook on high from 9:30 am to about 1:pm (3.5 hours), at which point it looked like this:

I then peeled and cut 4 large potatoes and 2 large carrots and added them to the pot. I continued to cook on high until 4:00. I turned the crok pot off (to let it cool some) and at 5:00, served this for dinner with a fresh loaf of french bread.

Usually I just put the leftovers in one container, but this time I decided to portion them out to make it easier to reheat. Hubster sometimes comes home late and this will allow him to just pop it in the microwave and heat an entire meal. I also must confess that I ate one for breakfast. It was super yummy.

First Day of School...Again

Yesterday was Boogs first day back to school after having 2 weeks (17 days with the extra weekend) off for Winter break. It was like the first day. He said he didn't want to go. Claimed he was sick (but changed his mind when he was told he would have to spend the day in his room...resting). So he ate his breakfast, got dressed, brushed his teeth and headed out the door to the bus stop with Dad. When the bus arrived, he walked across the street, took the first 2 steps onto the bus, and came right back off. Kicking and screaming, begging not to have to go. Hubster put him back on the bus, assured him everything would be okay, and sent him on his way. He was fine by the time he got home, but sheesh. I think I'll find a school-like program to keep him occupied over Spring break, It's too stressful to watch.

Time Out for Toys

I have not really made any New Year's resolutions, but I would like to get my house more organised, as soon as Boogie goes back to school and Hubster to work (tomorrow) I'll get started.

I read once that if your children are fighting over a toy, rather than pick a side, you should give the toy a "time out." Toys also get time outs when one child is playing alone and getting on my nerves with offending toy, like all the stupid dart guns that get shot and ricochet of my wine glasses while I'm trying to cook dinner. However, the offending toys do NOT have a special time out spot, as the children do. I just try to put it out of reach, where no little person can reach it.

These spots include, the fireplace mantel, which is also used for toys that should not be used unsupervised, like magnets and books (the books are there to keep them in good condition. It was a problem when both kids were younger, and now I just haven't found another spot for them).





The top of the refrigerator, this is where toys go that disrupt me when I am in the kitchen, usually cooking dinner. This is also where supplies like paint, staplers, scissors and other dangerous and messy stuff goes. Oh, and my knives too, because, well, you can never be too safe. So it looks like this








The top of the entertainment center. This is for toys, games and anything else that gets left in the middle of the living room causing me distress. When no one wants to pick the offender up, it goes here. Puzzles and a couple memory games stay up there because Pudding Pop just likes to throw all the little cards around and it drives me CRAZY!



My first order of business, will be to find a better spot for these toys and get them off my appliances and furniture. But where? I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, do toys in your house get timeouts? Where do they go? I really need to know.

Lemonade at Five?

Thank You Ambrosia, at Brosia's blog for this lovely Lemonade award! It's been quite some time since I've received and award, and they are always appreciated. I commented to her that I really need a wine stand for all my lovely readers. If anyone comes across one, I sure would love to have it.

According to Ambosia, here are the rules:

The thing to do when you win one of these is to pass it on to those whose blogs you like, send some link love to the person that nominated you and (don't forget this step) go to the blogs of those you've nominated and leave comments to let them know they've won the Lemonade Award.

I'm kinda funny when it comes to awards. I love to receive them and will always post a Thank You, but I have found so many others who have received them all and/or just prefer NOT to participate that it's hard to pass them along. Instead I will offer up this award to anyone who feels worthy. Just take it, post it to your blog, leave a comment if you'd like and go continue to make lemonade out of lemons.

I Have no Voice...Sort Of

I woke this morning and tried to speak...nothing came out. Since it's just me and Puddin Pop up right now, and she won't stop asking questions (she's 2), I set her up with a painting project and figured the only way I could things out of my head is by telling you, feel lucky?

I was doing a tour of the Internet the other day and came across a super fun site that offers
custom promotional products. Okay, maybe not exactly promotional, more like, "here's what I really think" wine labels, that's the same, right?

Over at Cerebral Itch they have some darn funny wine labels you can purchase. Here's a couple of my favs:

The Obligatory Hostess gift, for that party you really do not want to attend.

"Behold, I give you the secret to a happy New Year"

Yep, that tells it like it is.

And the labels I'm sure the kids will get me for my birthday or Mother's day...

Yep, you read that right "Mommy's Happy Juice"

Sometimes it's a glass of wine that keeps me from selling the kids while I'm trying to make dinner and they are either trying to maim each other or are fighting over something really important like a penny or a pair of scissors.

There are several more labels for every occasion. If you're looking for a unique gift, or just need a laugh, check them out here.

Improve Your House and Lower Your Bills

Thanks to SIR Home, a leading Elkhart Home Improvement company, you can improve the look and feel of your home while lowering your heating and cooling costs. Between their selection of Elkhart Windows that will look great and prevent air from getting in or out and their selection of Elkhart Siding that will insulate your home against the elements and look great doing it, it's no surprise that more and more people are turning to SIR Home to help them upgrade their homes. If you're ready to cut your heating and cooling costs, improve the look of your home, and have a great company do it all, contact SIR Home today.

It's Been a Long Time

...since I've done a wine spotlight.

Hmmm, what should it be?

Ooh, I know

Lindemans Bin 40 Merlot

With a taste of plum and spice

Lindemans Bin 40 goes great with food such as veal and lamb and is also enjoyable alone. To compliment a meal, or relax with friends, this wine is sure to compliment the occasion.

A multi-district blend from vineyards throughout
South Eastern Australia

I first tried this with my parents and it continues to be one of their and my favorites.

Time for a Girly Vacation

Last year I finally decided I was old enough to go on vacation by myself, I was 40 after all. Actually, I must be honest, I've been on vacation by myself before, or at least traveled by myself to meet others, but last year was the first time since the arrival of my first born, that I left both kids and Hubster, and went home to Michigan for a birthday bash. I now have 2 friends that will be turning 40 in February and March, and I will again be heading home to celebrate with them...I can't wait. Hubster actually said that I was the only Mom he knew that took vacations without her kids, man does he need to find some more friends.

So, at the end of next month, I'll be packing my Delsey luggage, hopping on a plane, and arriving in the land of snow (this saddens me because I would really like to show the snow to the kids, maybe next year guys). I'll eat adult only meals, with adult beverages, and my girlfriends. I'll visit Dad and WSM (wicked step mother), they'll actually be hosting us out-of-towners, I'll relax, sleep in, watch some adult TV and come home relaxed and ready for the rest of the year.

I can't wait!