Labor Day

Tomorrow is labor day, well, actually in just a few minutes it will be.... I know that there is a true historic meaning for labor day, but for me this year it really will just be about me laboring. I have a list of things I wanted to get done this summer that really hasn't been dented, and I plan to pull some of it off tomorrow. I will be painting my two porches, putting away the summer toys, toying with the idea of buying patio furniture covers to try to keep our table and chairs from getting too yucchy from the imminent snow, and just trying to clean up our messy place. Fun day, eh? Plus we'll be starting school. How much can we pack in? We'll see!!!

Reputation

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."

Henry Ford

Kind of the forerunner of "Just Do It!" :)

Perfect Love

I'm having one of those poor me not feeling very loved days, and I'm certainly not being very loving right about now. This email just "happened" to come to me today. Isn't it cool how that kind of stuff works out?

by Max Lucado

Isn’t it good to know that even when we don’t love with a perfect love, he does? God always nourishes what is right. He always applauds what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For he is love, and love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 NASB).

God passes the test of 1 Corinthians 13:6. Well, he should; he drafted it.

So where does this leave us? Perhaps with a trio of reminders. When it comes to love:

Be careful.

Until love is stirred, let God’s love be enough for you. There are seasons when God allows us to feel the frailty of human love so we’ll appreciate the strength of his love. Didn’t he do this with David? Saul turned on him. Michal, his wife, betrayed him. Jonathan and Samuel were David’s friends, but they couldn’t follow him into the wilderness. Betrayal and circumstances left David alone. Alone with God. And, as David discovered, God was enough. David wrote these words in a desert: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.… My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods” (Ps. 63:3, 5 NIV).

Be prayerful.

What if it’s too late? Specifically, what if you’re married to someone you don’t love—or who doesn’t love you? Many choose to leave. That may be the step you take. But if it is, take at least a thousand others first. And bathe every one of those steps in prayer. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Ask God to help you love as he loves. “God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love” (Rom. 5:5 CEV). Ask everyone you know to pray for you. Your friends. Your family. Your church leaders. Get your name on every prayer list available. And, most of all, pray for and, if possible, with your spouse. Ask the same God who raised the dead to resurrect the embers of your love.

Be grateful.

Be grateful for those who love you. Be grateful for those who have encouraged you to do what is right and applauded when you did. Do you have people like that in your world? If so, you are doubly blessed. Be grateful for them. And be grateful for your Father in heaven.

My mess

We've had houseguests for a few days, and they were wonderful, gracious, clean up after themselves houseguests. However, I enjoyed visiting with our houseguests and have done nothing for a few days, and our house reflects it. I never would claim to be an excellent housekeeper, but currently I'm not sure where anything is. I've got piles on top of my piles. There are things I can't even see anymore!! I think I have a table lamp on our kitchen table, but where is it? Oh yes, under the piles of mail and papers!! And where's that cat?.... :) It's bad. Hmmmm. Nap time approaches and the vacuum cleaner and garbage can are calling me. See you when I've made a bit of progress!

I need to work today!

I have such a pile of work that I need to do today. I know that I've mentioned this before on here, but I help my husband and my father in law's business out by answering phones, managing the accounts, and doing some marketing. I've been doing okay with the phones and the money, but marketing has been on the back burner lately. I need to do some research into promotional products and then get some work done today on that. We'll see how it goes.... holding my breath I'm not :).

Whoops!

I am trying to check in here at least once a day. The blogs that have four and five entries a day just amaze me!!! You know what though? I was enjoying a weekend with my kiddos, and I'm not going to stress that my "stuff" didn't get done. Whoops! It didn't get done, and I'll move on... The days go by too quickly to waste them on regrets.

Have a great today! See you soon....

Things for sale

I've yapped on before on here about how much I enjoy the internet, even though my kids would probably say I enjoy it a bit too much :). Today I want to ramble on about things that are for sale online that you can't find anywhere else. Look on the auction or retail sites and you can find all sorts of wild things... I found life size poseable stunt dummy mannequins on ebay, dog life jackets on amazon, and even a site called Lunar International where you can buy the moon, or at least property on it. I guess there isn't such a thing as a person that has every gift that you can think of anymore - there are tons more options!!!

Alright, enough rambling - children need some attention and I must go. Happy shopping!

New book

So I ordered a new book. It's been a little bit since I sat down and read a whole book that didn't have pictures, so we'll see how it goes. I've heard good things about this one, and I've read other ones by this author, Kevin Leman. It's called "Have A New Kid By Friday." Seems like a bit of a stretch, but hey, I'll give it a whirl. I really do enjoy the kids I have, so I don't want totally new ones :), but I would be glad to lose a bit of the attitudes that are popping up. If I find anything great in the book to share, or if my home suddenly becomes a wellspring of tranquility, well, I'll let you know.... It's nap time and I'm going to catch a few pages before it's done!

ULTA Coupons

I am always looking for coupons - love 'em!!! Especially with more of my budget needing to get directed towards gas, I count on my coupons in helping to shave money off of our expenses wherever we can: groceries, car repair and services, video rentals... There are coupons for just about everything!!

I have found an online coupon destination that I hadn't yet heard of, and want to share!! ULTA coupons is a great new place to check out. They have coupons, coupon codes, online coupons, free coupons, discount coupons, saving codes, ecoupons, discounts, deals, promo codes, promotional codes, free online coupons, free shipping coupons, discount codes, offer codes, and online coupon codes all listed on their site!!

I have a few other things that I need to get to tonight, but this site is getting bookmarked, and I will soon be printing up a storm of good stuff from this site. See you there!

Seeking

Every time I read Max Lucado's stuff, I am touched by something in it. This excerpt seems to hold a key that so many people are seeking for. Even though I've found this key, this holds a reminder to me of my correct focus. It's so easy to get sidetracked.....

"Seekers of popularity, power, and pleasure. The end result is the same: painful unfulfillment.

Only is seeing his Maker does a man truly become man. For in seeing his Creator man catches a glimpse of what he was intended to be. He who would see his God would then see the resaon for death and purpose of time. Destiny? Tomorrow? Truth? All are questions within th reach of the man who knows his source.

It is in seeing Jesus that man sees his Source."

Website services

Even though I'm juggling a few blogs and managing a few websites, I really am just beginning to learn about web hosting and all of the possibilities that are out there. The more that I learn, the more that I realize that I would probably benefit from some professional help. (I'm talking for my website now, not mental health for me, though that might be arguable as well!!)

There are a lot of small operations out there offering assistance, so how to sort it all out? I came across one that looks very promising. Concentric Business Solutions is a leading provider of shared web hosting for small businesses. They offer a wide range of hosting and registration services specifically geared towards small business websites, including email hosting, domain name registration, web hosting, and freebies like spam filters and virus protection.

I know that as my writing endeavors online, as well as our small business hopefully, are expanding, I am really going to have to check out my options carefully. I'll be filing this name and link away!!

Memory foods

I have an awful memory. My daughters call me "Dorie," like the fish in Finding Nemo with the short term memory loss. I hate to think what might happen if my memory deteriorates even more as I age. I read an article the other day that listed off foods that have a positive effect on memory.

• Salmon has omega 3s that help reduce inflammation, which may reduce the risk of dementia as you age. 2-3 servings a week optimal.
• Olive oil rich diets may lesson risk of developing Alzheimer's.
• Red wine contains an antioxidant that may reduce plaque buildup in the brain. Try one glass of red wine or grape juice a day.

If it might help, why not incorporate it into my diet? I need to have a list going.... :)

Cord blood banking

I know I've mentioned stem cells on here before. Stem cell research is a hot political topic, and it's been encouraging to see companies come forward with alternative ways to collect stem cells, rather than using the very controversial cells from aborted babies. Cryo-Cell is one of those companies, offering parents the ability to store cord blood stem cells from their babies' umbilical cords. As a matter of fact, they are in the middle of a campaign right now to educate parents about this option.

A study by the U.S. Census Bureau (2005) shows that August is the month with the highest number of births recorded in the United States. A baby is born about every seven seconds in this month, so this is a great time to really raise awareness in new parents about this amazing opportunity. Cord blood contains vital stems cells that can be harvested and preserved. These stem cells can be used to treat 70 diseases, including leukemia, anemia, lymphoma, diabetes and cerebral palsy. New research also continues, and there may be even more uses for these important cells in the future.

Cryo-Cell offers innovative, safe and affordable solutions for cord blood banking. The company is committed to serving the needs of parents, with highly trained child birth educators available for consultation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have successfully stored more than 150,000 cord blood samples to date, so they have experience!! There are a few current offers posted on Cryo-Cell's website that I hope that you'll either check out yourself, or pass along to someone who might be able to benefit from these services. Good stuff!

Where did it go?

I was picking up toys in the backyard last night and saw leaves!! Not in the trees where I wanted them to be, but on the grass already. They're starting to fall!! I am completely not ready for summer to be wrapping up already. I knew it was. I saw it on the calendar, but leaves!! Where did summer go?

Online help

You know, even though it seems to take up more and more of my time, I am thankful for the internet. With our homeschooling, I am always looking things up for lesson planning, or for the kids to get more information. I love to pull up directions on Mapquest, and do just all sorts of work on it. I love that if I wanted to look up information about Columbus moving truck companies, I can do it in two seconds. I even found this website, clicksmart.com, that has prescreened all sorts of different experts, from massage therapists to mortgage brokers to help for moving in Columbus, OH. I must admit I've gotten a little spoiled, but I like it :).

Fighting insomnia with good food choices

Isn't it one of the ironies of mommyhood that you can be so exhausted and still have trouble sleeping? :)

I found an article that gave a few foods that help to fight insomnia:

• Lowfat yogurt and other calcium rich foods boost serotonin, a calming hormone that helps to promote sleep.
  
• Bananas are packed with B6, a vitamin that helps to regulate your internal clock - try one a day.
• Potatoes have a sedative effect - just half of one within four hours of bedtime should help.
  

I could do this - not too tricky :) Sleep well!!

Planning

I'm in a bummed out mood tonight. Money seems to have taken over my brain. It seems to be an issue for everyone right now, but it's really annoying, one of those blissful things that you don't really get when you're a kiddo. I need to spend some time balancing the checkbook tonight, and I've put it off for so long that it's going to be a real pain. With the stay at home mom piece, it just seems like there are so many things that need to be put off. We're not talking luxury vacations,but things like joining the YMCA or taking lessons in something. There's just not enough extra for that kind of stuff right now. I do know, however, that it's all about choices. When we choose for me to be at home with the kids, we do so knowing that money will be tight, and I need to celebrate the good and not bemoan the not so good. Ok, 'nuf of that for tonight. Stand up, brush myself off, and off I go! Good night!

Another way to save money

As you know, I really really like to save money. I like to compare prices on things, use coupons, and shop the sales. I like a bargain. One area that I would like to try to save some money in, but haven't done recently, is in my auto insurance. I have been meaning to check out the prices of auto insurance online, and to compare them to what I'm paying now at my local insurance person. I do like supporting local small businesses, but oh how I love saving money!! Such a conflict :). It wouldn't hurt to look!

Foods for energy

More food ideas to help specific areas of health that I've come across...

Foods to help you get energized:

• Almonds and almond butter help stabilize energy because of the mix of protein and healthy fat.
  
• Eggs have lean protein and help to give you more energy than an all carb breakfast.
• Coffee can give you a quick shot of get up and go, but try to limit to two 8 oz cups a day

Yes, energy would be good!!!

Logos

I know that when we started my husband and father in law's home inspection business, designing the logo was a huge undertaking. We spent a lot of time and money to have someone put our ideas on paper, and then into the right format on the computer. Then, after that was done, having office supplies, promotional and marketing materials, and logowear made up was another monumental project, and expense. I wish that we had known about the much less expensive, and less complicated option that Vistaprint offers. They have the technology to help you to design logos yourself, or they can have their design and copyright services do it for you. Then, ordering your products with that logo on it is a snap. I even have coupon codes for a ton of products here:

Coupon Code - Description

• Labels50 - 50% Off Address Labels
• FreeInvite - 10 Free Invites
• BizCard08 - 50% Off Business Cards
• FreeBrochures08 - 25 Free Brochures
• CarDoor25 - 25% off Car Door Magnets
• Checks25 - 25% off Checks
• PC50 - 50 Free Oversized Postcards
• Stamps50 - 50% Off Small Rubber Stamps
• TShirts25 - 25% Off T-shirts

Unfortunately we've done all of the logo design work already, but I will certainly be replenishing our supplies with these codes from Vistaprint. I love a bargain!!!

Food for beating stress

I read an article the other day about foods that you can eat to help beat stress.

• Sunflower seeds are a good source of folate, which helps your body produce the feel good brain chemical dopamine.
• Spinach has magnesium and improves your body response to stress.
• Blueberries contain antioxidants, which counteract the effects of stress hormones on your body.
  

It seems like lately we've all been getting a little stressed out, so I guess adding these to our grocery list would be a quick and easy first step in destressing.

Web hosting help

Soooo, I threw out the question about page rank before, and I have found a site that may be helpful if I need to start from scratch. Web Hosting Geeks has a site that offers web hosting rating, to help you pick a good option for web host. They even give you specific places to look for free domain names. I really hope that I don't have to go this route, but if I do, I'm glad to have resources like this. I don't want to have to spend a ton to set up a new site. I really, really hope that I can get this one moved up a bit in the ranks. We'll give it a little more time and see, I guess.

Page Rank

Just wondering if anyone can share any wisdom with me about page rank. I started this blog off doing quite a few paid posts, and without many steady visitors, so I got slapped with a pretty bad page rank. Since then, however, I've gotten more consistent with my posts, and have picked up quite a few visitors (lots of them Entrecard friends - thanks! :)), but still my Google rank hangs loooooooowwww. My Real Rank with Izea has improved dramatically. Am I missing something obvious? Hints here would be great. Thanks.

Help me get organized!

See the closet in this picture? This is most definitely not any closet in my house!! I get lots done, and in my own chaotic way I'm kind of organized, but wow - I could use some help getting really organized!

My living area is clean, but piled and cluttered. There are piles of school books, piles of laundry to be put away, piles of mail to be read, piles of bills to be paid. In the kitchen there are piles of clean dishes in the drainer waiting to get put away. In our bathroom, piles of towels needing to go into the linen closet. Our business and personal records are in file folders, but those folders are stacked in precarious piles, rather than neatly filed away.

My husband bought me a Dymo labeler not that long ago, and you know what, it's fun! I can organize stuff, label stuff, and maybe even find stuff!! It's the beginning of the school year, a fresh start. Imagine all of my homeschool folders and totes all labeled up: art supplies, curriculum helps... It could be amazing!! Now, I just need to find where I put that labeler!! (Hey, that link above takes you to a neat site full of tips and advice - see you there!!)

Eggs for supper

This is one of those easy posts, but you never know if it might be a great reminder at the right moment for someone.

We're all struggling to stretch dollars right now, including our grocery dollars!!

I read an article the other day encouraging us to consider eggs for supper. High protein, eaten in moderation very healthy, and cheap cheap cheap!! Eat them just on their own, boiled, scrambled, fried, whatever, or get creative and use them in frittatas with veggies, in sandwiches, or in many many other egg based recipes.

Again, simple, but just another tool to cut that bill!!

International face

With the Olympics dominating so much of our conversation, and our tv time, right now, it seems as though different international sportspeople are all over the television. Zara Phillips is just that, but also a member of the Royal family. She appears in a Land Rover advertisement
horsing around, showing off both her horsemanship skills and her polished beauty. Poor guy trying to make his moves!!

Car emergency kit

I read something the other day that talked about being prepared for emergencies, which is always a good thing, especially when you're responsible for little people, so I thought I'd share a list of car emergency kit items...

• first aid kit (buy prestocked at WalMart for about $10 or stock with at least hydrogen peroxide, band aids, gauze, antibiotic ointment, instant ice pack, ace bandage)
• fully charged cell phone
• properly inflated spare tire
• owner's manual - what's that emergency light mean?
• flashlight
• state map
• moist towelettes, change of kids' clothes, Ziploc bags (in case of needing to vomit)
• feminine protection supplies
• drinking water, nonperishable good
• safety triangle or flare
• blanket(s)

Any other ideas?

A great mommy blog

Thoughts on Christianity & Faith... Sentiments on becoming the Proverbs 31 woman... Precepts for being a Godly wife... Tales of mommy-hood... Ideas on managing the home... Tips on saving money at the grocery store & reducing your grocery bills by using coupons with sales... and other random musings!

This is how Marli describes her blog at http://www.womanlyexcellence.com/ , and I'd have to add one more thing - one of my new favorite blogs. Ok, so first off, she caught me with the great music that comes on when I open her page. I am still just computer dopey enough that I have no idea how to do that, and it's just too cool :). Then, I have to say I'm more than a little jealous that she seems to be able to intelligently articulate, even after having a child. That is my excuse for not doing so very often!!! Well, granted, I have a few of them here... maybe that's the difference :).

Marli has a mix of things that really capture my attention on her blog - links to free things, clickable printable coupons, mommy stuff, and some really good, challenging spiritual stuff. Just yesterday she posted this about our roles as wives and mothers:

What are we fighting for? What are we protecting?Like a soldier in battle for their land, the excellent woman fights for her home. She protects it from any influences from the enemy. She covers our husband, children and home in prayer. She serves her husband (cheerfully, I might add!), to help him succeed in whatever he does. He blesses her children. She manages her home and makes it a haven. She wisely manages her finances and makes sure her work is profitable. She does all these things and more and her children and husband bless her. Her work does not go unnoticed...

...The Excellent Woman is not excellent, virtuous, noble or good because of herself, she does it with the Lord's help. Seek the Lord and ask Him to make you the woman He desires You to be. Then work on it!

I'm planning to check in with her as she works on becoming a more excellent woman, and I'm hoping to be spurred on more in that myself!! It's not an easy journey, and walking along with someone else couldn't hurt.

Twelve tips for family closeness

It seems as if life is super busy for everyone right now, and families just don't seem to be a cohesive as I imagine they may have been in days in the past. I'm always looking for ways to reconnect, so an article in Women's Day recently called "recipe for closeness" caught my attention. The author lists of 12 "essential ingredients every family needs." I thought I'd share them with you :).

1. Make everyday moments matter. Turn errands etc. into connection time rather than task time.
2. Watch your words. Stop the sarcasm and put-downs. If you goof, apologize.
3. Reach out and touch. Seize opportunities for touches on the shoulder etc. to send a loving message.
4. Slow it down. Limit activities, esp. solo ones.
5. Make memories. Have shared experiences.
6. Create more couple time. Without a close marriage, it's hard to maintain a close family.
7. Have one on ones with your kids.
8. Lend a hand. Regularly ask "how can I help?"
9. Keep 'em laughing
10. Gather round the table. Have family meals together as often as possible.
11. Have fun together regularly.
12. Live your values.

Obviously there aren't any shortcuts for this. It's messy hard work, but worth it...

Ticks

Where we live in upstate New York, ticks are a big problem. I'm constantly checking, or forgetting to check, our kids and our dog for ticks. Letting them stay on your skin can end up leading to Lyme diseasem a nasty bacterial infection that can lead to joint, heart, and nervous system problems. I read an article the other day with some "to-do"s about ticks I thought I'd share...

1. Wear long pants and insect repellant when outside in grassy areas.
2. Check your family and pets daily. You have 36 hours to remove an infected tick before it shares the disease.
3. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers. Save the tick in a plastic bag, in case your doctor wants to examine it. Apply antibiotic ointment to the bite area.

Upgrades

I am cheap, cheap, cheap. Anyone who knows me well knows that!! I am using a laptop that runs on Windows 98, can only run when it's plugged in and I'm sitting very very still, and well, when it feels like it. Our desktop is a step up. It was a castoff from a local college when they upgraded, runs Windows XP, and runs pretty well, usually. My husband would like for me to upgrade to a newer computer, one that runs on Windows Vista. I know he's right and it's inevitable, but I haven't yet brought myself to do it. I've heard that the customer service for Vista is great, and that they have distinctive Small Business Assurance. I could use that, as I seem to attract computer problems!! My computer especially seems to like freezing when I'm right in the middle of something time sensitive, like emailing a report out for my husband's business, or grabbing a paid post before someone else does. Stinky!!! It would be nice to be able to easily grab customer service from the Windows Vista team. Does it sound like I'm talking myself into that new computer and Windows Vista ? Like I said, it's inevitable :).

Recharging

I know, as I've mentioned before, that the times when I am stressed out and cranky are the times when I'm forgetting to recharge myself. It's kind of like attempting to use a rechargeable flashlight when you forgot to plug it in. It doesn't work. The key for me in recharging is plugging into my spiritual source of power. I know this, but just like leaving that flashlight on the counter instead of plugging it in, I forget all too often. Here's a great devotional I found about this topic.

Spiritual discipline

Mark 9:28-29: "When he came into the house, his disciples began questioning him privately, 'Why could we not drive it out?' And He said to them, 'This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer'" (NASU).

After the Transfiguration, Jesus, James, John and Peter came down the mountain and they were met by a dad and his son possessed by a vicious demon. The other nine disciples had attempted to cast it out without success. Jesus rebuked the demon and cast it out of the boy, returning him to his father.

These nine disciples had just returned from their first successful mission of preaching and healing, yet they were unable to cast out this one demon. Why? Perhaps because they had neglected the spiritual disciplines of fasting and prayer. When Jesus explained the failure as a lack of prayer, it must have been very humbling.

Spiritual discipline is necessary for all aspects of life, and particularly for parenting. The challenge of raising kids demands you turn to God each day and give Him the best of your time. How else can you hear His wisdom?

Consistent spiritual discipline prepares you for the challenges of parenting.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This devotional was emailed to me by Parenting by Design. It (www.parentingbydesign.com) was created by Chris & Michelle Groff with Lee Long, MA, LPC to help parents understand the Biblical model for parenting their children. It is a faith-based parenting series that compares current parenting paradigms to the ageless parenting principles in the Bible .

Stem Cells

When I was expecting my older daughter I looked into saving the cord blood cells from her umbilical cord. I had read in a magazine that they could be used for all sorts of amazing things, both for the baby I was carrying, and even for her family members. I figured, why not? I mean, this cord that was just going to be thrown away could have amazing potential! It could be used to treat a number of possibly life changing/threatening diseases, like osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Wow! The hospital at that time was not aware or equipped on how to do this, so unfortunately I wasn't able to do this. Time has marched on, however, and now scientists have found that this same help may potentially be found within a woman's own body -- in vital stem cells, which can now be harvested from her own menstrual blood.

Now, thanks to revolutionary stem cell research and technology of C’elle, a service dedicated to providing women with a safe and easy method of collecting and preserving stem cells found in her menstrual fluid each month, a woman can take control of her future, right in the privacy of her own home. With C’elle’s non-invasive collection process, menstrual cells are processed and cryo-preserved (stored at a very low temperature) for potential cellular therapies that may be used in the future. These self-renewing cells one day may even be used for sports medicine or cosmeceutical treatments, such as anti-aging therapies.

C’elle enables and empowers a woman to take control of her future health, and possibly of those genetically closest to her, in a fast, painless and stress free way. Now for a special limited-time "Caring is Sharing" promotion, a woman can purchase C'elle for herself and give a meaningful gift of life to her best friend, sister or loved one for free. To purchase C'elle online go to www.Celle.com and use special promotion code: 241.

You can even read C'elle Client Testimonials to get more information.

This seems like a win-win situation. This potentially offers all of the benefits of stem cells without the moral mess of stem cells that we normally see on the news. This is a way to help yourself and others without hurting anyone else. Very cool.

Barack Obama donations

I make no claims whatsoever to be current on political stuff. I'd like to be, but my mommy brain just isn't able to wrap itself around too much of it right now. I read this article on onenewsnow.com, and was more than a little surprised, however. Yikes!!!

According to Federal Election Commission filings, Barack Obama has received illegal donations from Palestinians living in Gaza, a hotbed of Hamas terrorists.

Obama received more than $24,000 in campaign contributions over a period of two months last fall from three Palestinian brothers from the "Edwan" family in Rafah, Gaza, which is a Hamas stronghold along the border with Egypt. The story was uncovered by Pamela Geller of the Atlas Shrugs blog. (see Federal Election Commission report)

Attorney and conservative commentator Debbie Schlussel notes foreign nationals are barred from making contributions in connection with any election -- federal, state, or local -- and an individual is allowed to give only $2,300 per election to a federal candidate or the candidate's campaign committee.

"The donations are basically through and through illegal -- that's number one. And number two is how the Obama campaign tried to conceal it," Schlussel chides." They listed the campaign contributions as coming from Rafah, Georgia. They used the 'GA' from Gaza so it makes it look like it's legal; and then for the zip code it says '972,' which is actually the area code to dial over to Gaza," she contends.
The attorney comments that if the Obama campaign is willing to "accept thousands of dollars beyond the legal limit and they're also going to flout [Federal Election Commission] restrictions...that's very indicative of what kind of president [Obama] is going to be."

"They're not going to be worried about the details and they won't mind if they break the law to get to the final result that they want," adds Schlussel. She believes it is a "major news story when a presidential candidate receives money from 'a bastion of Islamic terrorism.' And Schlussel argues that the media is "bending over backwards to help Barack Obama and cover up any negative news about him."

Schlussel says Pamela Geller will likely file a Federal Election Commission complaint against the Obama campaign for violating restrictions and limits on campaign contributions.

Summer vacations

Growing up my family did a lot of traveling. My father got to take some business trips, which we tagged along for, and then we just did a bunch on our own. My mom would get the little AAA travel guides and we would stuff as many sights in as possible!!! If we were in New York city, we would catch tons of things, from Wall Street to the Statue of Liberty to the Metropolitan museum of art.

Now that I'm the mommy, and especially now that I realize how much things cost, I'm not in quite such a hurry to travel. One place that I would really like to go however, is Boston. We don't live terribly far from it, and there are lots and lots of things to do in Boston . When the kids were little I went with my mom and sister one summer, and we had lots of fun. I remember that my younger one was only a teeny baby, so I spent a chunk of my time changing diapers and seeking shade, but even so, I enjoyed that city. So, one of these days, when the schedule is free and the gas money is saved up, I think it will be time for me to research some online travel guides and plan this trip! I may even tap into the resources of professionals like Trusted Tours & Attractions, so that I don't have to figure out all of the details.

Oh, as a bonus, you know how I like free stuff!?! If you sign up for the Trusted Travels eNewsletter by July 31st, 2008, you can enter to win a $150 iTunes gift card. That could provide some serious trip music :).

Energy

I am having a bit of a hard time lately with my energy levels. I'm not sure if it's just me getting older, or medication I'm taking, or what, but I'm finding myself not being able to keep up like I could previously. I am busy, very busy, but I'm always this way. I try to balance a million things, and kind of feed off of the stress of it. Lately I've been trying to eat more healthy, which I thought would make me perkier, but instead I seem to be dragging. Maybe this is how it feels when you're not living on a constant sugar rush? I don't know... I guess I need to give it a little more time before I go back on the soda attached to the hip program :).

Summertime

I have become such a wimp!! I never had air conditioning as a kid, or most of my life as an adult. I didn't even have it when I was pregnant!! I figure that we live in New York, where we really only run it for a few months, so why bother? Then, we got our first car with auto air conditioning. Shortly thereafter we moved to a townhouse with central air. Now, I'm hooked!
If I had to go anywhere for any amount of time in a hot stuffy car, especially with cranky, sweaty kids, well, I wouldn't be too happy. Luckily both of our vehicles, though high mileage, still have working air conditioning. In the future, however, should we need to do repairs, it's nice to know that there is a place like http://www.1airconditioning.com/ , that offers discounted pricing, and free shipping and a warranty on every part. Looks like a great place to keep on file!

Amusement Park Day

We have had a CRAZY couple of days!! First that concert and then today the Six Flags amusement park. Fun stuff. Good stuff. I, however, am beat!! The girls and I all had free tickets, thanks to Six Flag's Winter Reading Program - awesome program - so my bargain loving side couldn't miss that!!! It was nice to see the girls smiling, laughing, sitting near each other without poking at each other and squabbling. Very nice. Worth the aching back and tired feet (I am an old lady!!) Anyway, good exhausting day :).

STRESS!!!

Who do you know who is not stressed out these days? It seems like everyone that I know is trying to balance more and more, trying to stuff more into each day, and stresssing out big time, at least part of the time. I am quite often told that I am a "laid back" person, but, to be honest, I find myself stressed out many times each day. Sometimes the stress is a good thing, getting me moving, but sometimes it just makes me very very cranky.... (ask my girls; unfortunately they sometimes bear the brunt of my cranking). Anyway, I found a place that specializes in helping people deal with stress in a healthy way. The Stress Institute is a lifestyle company that provides solutions and practices in the fields of stress management, work/life balance, sustainability and mindful living to corporations, non-profits and individuals. Stress Management Speakers are available for conferences, trainings, and all sorts of good stuff. Check 'em out...

Avon

Anyone looking for anything from Avon? My sister just began selling, and I'd love to start her off with a bang, so please check out her website at http://ksenior.avonrepresentative.com/ . She's had a stinky run of stuff lately, so it would be a really nice treat for her to start this off with a few orders where she doesn't even know where they came from... Thanks for looking :).

Concert night

I took my girls to a Jonas Brother's concert tonight and I am feeling so old!!! I am exhausted!!! So, not a long post, but just a night night. Great concert, by the way. Fun, but nothing yucchy or inappropriate, very nice. And, the kids had a blast :). So, Tylenol and pillow here I come!

Payday Loan

Have you ever have one of those weeks when when things just don't go as planned? The bills come in before the paycheck, the car repair is higher than you thought, the kids need new shoes, the gas prices keep rising? Ideally we'd all have extra money in the bank, but the reality is that sometimes we need a little help. Thankfully there are companies that offer payday loans, "spotting" you money until your next paycheck. Payday Loans Mania is one such company with a nationwide online loan service that makes it easy to get the payday loan that you need.

New banner

I just wanted to show off my new little logo, and my new banner (installed up top). I found a great website, http://www.sikegraphics.com/ , through a co-blogger, bought a custom banner for a great price, and just wanted to share a great resource. Check him out :)

Things to clean

Trying to get a little bit of housework caught up today, but I need to share that I HATE dusting!! I really really do. If I could have my way, I would either never dust, or, if I did, I would get rid of all knick knacks and just have nice empty easy to dust surfaces. You know, not have to move any things to clean around, not have to wiggle your cloth in all the little crevices - yuchh! If money were no object, I'd even toss our tvs and get a pop up tv , so that the television would slide right back into a cabinet, and I could skip dusting that bad boy all together. BUT, that is not going to happen anytime soon, so what to do? Maybe it's time to teach the kiddos how to dust - I think that is the best plan! :)

Growing up

We've had this little nest just outside our front door for about a month now. We had three blue eggs for quite a while, then featherless little chicks, and now we've got three little birds, stretching their little heads up over the top of the nest to see what's going on outside of their safe little home. Their mom has still managed to keep them in there; they're not ready to leave just yet. She brings them food and cheeps at them if they lean too far out of their home. Soon, however, they will stretch further, and further, until they venture out of their nest. Soon their mom will have to watch them fly away, and trust that her training will be remembered. What a wonderful sad joyous day...

Laundry

Piles of laundry are threatening to take over our house. I've got dirty laundry piled in the hampers. I've got clean laundry piled in the family room, waiting to be folded. I've got folded laundry piled in the bedrooms waiting to be put away. And the real crisis is now I can't find a pair of shorts to wear. I'm not really picky, but I have gained a little weight, and I refuse to buy new clothes, so my options are a bit limited. I guess I have a few choices here: start exercising more, take some diet pills, buy some new shorts, or do laundry more efficiently. Hmmm.. What to do? :)