Don't forget to change your clocks back one hour this Sunday!!!

Not too bad

Sooo, the hair coloring thing didn't turn out too bad. It's a little bit darker than I had pictured, but it's all the same color, and the conditioner in it actually made my hair very happy, so all in all a good thing. Every 6 weeks - don't think that will happen, but a nice little time consuming one time treat. I'm still not big on putting my picture online, so you'll have to imagine how devastatingly beautiful (hahaha) I am on your own.

Ok - enough rambling - on to the rest of my exciting day!! School, a little laundry, cleaning, planning for co-op tomorrow, and maybe, just maybe, a trip to the library. Whooooo!

See you soon :).

Ready for Halloween?

I may be doing something tonight that will really prep me for the upcoming Halloween holiday. I am going to attempt to color my hair. The outcome could be bride of Frankenstein!!!

I had my hair trimmed today, and the lady who did it recommended me coloring to my natural color, because I have some old highlights, some old perm, just a bunch of different layers of different shades. Soooo, this should be easy - if I do it right no one will even notice. Or, it may end up something like this!

I should probably wait till at least the 2 year old is in bed, right? Maybe a better chance of me following directions :).

I'll let you know how it goes!!

A View Through Sarah Palin's Eyeglasses

I got this little devotional blurb in my email today. It's a cute reminder, by Kelli Regan, about where are focus should be. What do you think?

"Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.'"

Luke 18:42 (NIV)

Devotion:

In the midst of the media storm surrounding the upcoming elections, there's one news item you may have missed. An economic crisis is upon us--and Sarah Palin is at the center of it. What's the cause of this crisis I'm talking about? Her glasses.

In less than one month's time Sarah has become a household name. Everyone has an opinion about her. But whether you're Republican, Democrat or Independent, there's one issue regarding the vice presidential nominee on which the majority agrees. We love her glasses! I suppose not since Ben Franklin invented bifocals have spectacles captured our fancies so.

Women (and even men) are flocking to their opticians in search of Governor Palin's Kawasaki 704 series designer specs. In less than two weeks, the Japanese company that manufactures the $375 frames received 9,000 global orders. That's more than they normally produce in a year! I'm no economic analyst but there's no way supply can meet that demand.

According to Governor Palin's optician, she selected her now-famous frames from hundreds of choices. I've worn glasses almost my entire life and know what a difficult decision this is! After much searching she selected just the right pair for her--and the rest, as they say, is history.

I imagine many of those buying frames like Mrs. Palin's will later regret their purchase. Something about their new glasses will look "off." Maybe the frames won't flatter their face shape, match their personality, or complement their coloring or hairstyle. Why? Because eyeglasses simply aren't an off-the-shelf purchase. One size does not fit all.

Sometimes we do this with our faith. We see movers and shakers in our church, in our favorite ministry, or in our Bible study who appear to have it all going on. They glow under the spotlight, and we think they must know or have something we don't because...well...just look at them. So we not only admire their godly ways, we try to emulate them as well--we try to "wear" their faith. We might try to copy how they pray, or worship, or talk, or sing, or have devotions, and so on. But when we do, something doesn't fit quite right.

That's because nothing is more one-of-a-kind than our walk with the Lord. While we can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters, we can't order up elements of their walk to accessorize our own. To do so is to lose sight of what God wants from us more than anything: our individual devotion focused on Him. He wants us to love Him with a sincere faith that's custom-made with our own unique personality, passion, experiences and gifts.

Have you been borrowing someone else's faith? Do you want to be custom-fit with a prescription of your own? Go to Jesus, the One who gives sight to the blind. And when He asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" respond, "Lord, I want to see." (Luke 18:41)

As popular as they are today, Sarah Palin's glasses will become yesterday's news. While much of our attention is fixed on who will lead our country come January, we must remember politicians come and go. But there is one leader who has, does and will stand the test of time: Jesus. As we set our sights on the future, let's never forget on whom we need to fix our gaze. And let's offer Him our one-of-a-kind devotion.

What good is five minutes?

I love the goofy little tips that you can catch in women's magazines. Here's a list from Woman's Day...

Five Smart Things To Do With 5 Minutes:

• Sew on that button!
• Order a free credit report - annualcreditreport.com - to get info from all three major reporting agencies
• Go through your cupboards and put together a bag to take to a local shelter or food pantry
• Test all of the smoke alarms
• Check Facebook and MySpace to see if your kids have profiles

Better than thumb twiddling (which I do ever so much!! :) ) any day!

My plans

So I've got two pre-adolescent girls... And High School Musical 3 came out on Friday. We stayed away from the theatre for a few days, but we are headed there this week. And you know, I don't mind really. It could be a lot worse. I just read a review of the movie on pluggedinonline.com (a great resource for us parents) and it looks about the same as the other two movies. They've been fluffy cute movies, and also conversation starters for me and the kiddos. When we've seen the stars in tabloids at the check out line, we've had conversations about who you make your heroes, about how important those choices you make in a split second can be... good conversations, teachable moments. I can deal with the singing and dancing for my girls, and for those moments. :)

Lazarus

Anyone who reads any of my blogs must wonder if I get paid by Max Lucado to constantly talk up his writing. :) Nope, just am constantly touched by it, so want to share. Take a quiet moment and check out this one.

Marys need to remember that service is worship.

Marthas need to remember that worship is service.

And Lazarus? He needs to remember that not everyone can play the trumpet.

You see, as far as we know, Lazarus did nothing at the dinner. He saved his actions for outside the house. Read carefully John 12:9:

“A large crowd of Jews heard that Jesus was in Bethany. So they went there to see not only Jesus, but Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So the leading priests made plans to kill Lazarus, too. Because of Lazarus many Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.”

Wow! Because of Lazarus many Jews were “believing in Jesus.” Lazarus has been given a trumpet. He has a testimony to give—and what a testimony he has!

“I was always a good fellow,” he would say. “I paid my bills. I loved my sisters. I even enjoyed being around Jesus. But I wasn’t one of the followers. I didn’t get as close as Peter and James and those guys. I kept my distance. Nothing personal. I just didn’t want to get carried away.

“But then I got sick. And then I died. I mean, I died dead.

“Nothing left. Stone-cold. No life. No breath. Nothing. I died to everything. I saw life from the tomb. And then Jesus called me from the grave. When he spoke, my heart beat and my soul stirred, and I was alive again. And I want you to know he can do the same for you.”

God gave Martha a bass drum of service. God gave Mary a flute for praise. And God gave Lazarus a trumpet. And he stood on center stage and played it.

God still gives trumpets. God still calls people from the pits. God still gives pinch-me-I’m-dreaming, too-good-to-be-true testimonies. But not everyone has a dramatic testimony. Who wants a band full of trumpets?

Some convert the lost. Some encourage the saved. And some keep the movement in step. All are needed.

If God has called you to be a Lazarus, then testify. Remind the rest of us that we, too, have a story to tell. We, too, have neighbors who are lost. We, too, have died and been resurrected.

Thoughts? Share please....

Fun furniture

I was wandering around, "window shopping" online, and found something that I thought looked beautiful, but I don't really think it would stand a chance in our house. It looks like too much fun!! It was a beautiful piece of furniture that held a pop up tv. Yeah, my kids would be making that tv go up and down so much that we'd probably wear that mechanism right out... Plus, I'm not shopping right now anyway... But, in a make believe land of no kids pushing buttons and extra money, I'd be getting this - fun stuff :)

Economy and real estate

My husband does home inspections, as I've mentioned before, and the market right now is not exactly making that a booming business. 95% of his inspections are homes being purchased, and well, to get those inspections here people kind of need to be buying homes. I don't know about home sales specifically in different regions... How are sales in Georgia? How about Wilmington NC real estate? Not sure. I do know, however, that sales are certainly slowed down in northeast New York. I truly hope that it picks up soon, although this is an off season for us anyway, we won't see a ton of home sales over the winter. I hope and pray that the government figures out a solvent plan, and we individuals don't panic and make the problems that we do have worse....

Noises

So I've decided that I'm going to be a wimp and come inside to warm up. The girls are manning the garage sale for a few minutes. I was up early this morning, and I'm cold, tired, and whiny.... I had to get up early anyway, but then I got to hear all sorts of slam banging outside from a couple of moving trucks, way too early to be doing that sort of productive thing!!! Grumble grumble grumble.... Ok - I suppose I shouldn't leave them out there for too long. Maybe the nice thing would be to go sit out there and let them come in to warm up... maybe :).

Garage Sale - Take 3? 4? Last one!!! !

Ok - crisis averted.. Now, at 7 am, I am off to fetch change for my daughters' final garage sale attempt of the season. God has been gracious and granted us a 50 degree day today, so it shouldn't be too bad. They are just determined to get rid of some of their "babyish" things, and well, clearing out clutter is a good thing. Garage sales are just such a production!!! And the last one netted under $20 total I think!!! So, off we go. Hopefully today is a little more profitable :).

Photo Calendars for Christmas

I don't think it's a secret that most everyone is going to be looking to save some money and spend a little bit less this Christmas. We just don't know what this new year is going to hold, more than we usually don't :).

Have you ever tried VistaPrint? I've used this website to order Christmas cards, business cards, brochures for my husband's business, logowear, all sorts of goodies. They have a real decent quality product, and amazingly low prices, especially if you poke around the site and look for the specials. I'm thinking this year that I might be using them to order some of my Christmas presents as well. What grandparent or aunt wouldn't like my cute little kiddos on Photo Calendars? I'm thinking that would be a good gift for the parents of the little one I have in foster care too, a year round present...

Okay - gotta run and tend to a cranky one. It's easy to place an order there, but I'd like to somewhat be able to focus. Happy shopping!

Cheap room redo

I am so clueless when it comes to redecorating and girly stuff! I can paint and clean. Not saying I do, but I can. :) The rest, beyond me... I did find a neat little article on Lowe's website about redecorating a room for $100 - thought I'd share :).

1. Rearrange the furniture. Pull the furniture away from the walls and position it at new, more inviting angles, and you will change the look and dimension of your room.
   
   
2. You've always heard "to spruce up a room, paint it." Paint one wall your favorite accent color. The color can be as bold or as subtle as you like. Just make sure the surrounding room complements the color. Now, hang a new piece of art on the wall that has the same or similar colors. You'll be amazed at how often your eye is drawn to that area of the room.
   
   

3. Liven up a room with plants.

   A new rug softens a room.

   Bring nature inside. Plants always add a touch of newness to any room. If you don't have a green thumb, silk plants and trees will do the trick as well. Look through some magazines to get ideas on using plants to decorate.
   
   
4. A new area rug is a great way to soften a room. Find one that complements the room, but also has a touch of jazziness to it. Put it at an angle under a coffee table or dining room table.
   
   
5. Make a framed picture collage on the wall. If you have a few frames that don't look good together, faux finish them.
   
   
6. Update your bathroom fittings/fixtures. By coordinating new bathroom fittings with your current fixtures and adding vanity lighting, you can completely change the appearance of your bathroom.
   
   



7. A new stylish lamp adds a touch of wow to a room.

   Light up your room with new lamps. You can mix and match lamp bases and shades for a hip new lighting solution in any room.
   
   
8. Faux finishing a room is a great way to create a totally new look with little expense. Several finishes are available to work in any room.
   
   


9. Replace your cabinet hardware

   New cabinet hardware will improve the look of the kitchen.

   with new pulls and knobs. Plenty of styles are available to help modernize the look of your kitchen.
   
   
10. Depending on the size of your room, wallpapering and adding borders is a great alternative or addition to painting. Several types of wallpaper are available based on where it will be used.

Spending cuts

Just wondering how you're weathering the latest money issues in our country? Have you cut anything off of your spending list? Changing your Christmas list around a little bit? I know for us right now we're trying to cut the obviously unnecessary things, but the definition of unnecessary can vary a lot from person to person. I would probably chop entertainment or things like HDTV from my list, while my husband would probably axe some traveling or gas money. How about you? Where are you making cuts?

Vaccines, Autism, and Parents

We just had physicals for both of the girls, and the number of vaccines recommended certainly are rising. I was glad that we were given a little time to make our decisions, as I really didn't know much about some of them. I wanted to come home and do some research, and then I actually received this in an email, which was helpful too. This was posted on parentalrights.org, a great family website:

TRENTON, NJ — Hundreds rallied at the New Jersey Statehouse on Thursday, October 16, to protest a new state law adding four more vaccines to the state’s list of mandatory inoculations, already the longest such list in the nation. Various reports estimate the crowd of parents and children at 300 to 500, gathered to draw attention to the new regulation, which requires for the first time that children from 6 months to five years of age receive an influenza vaccine to attend day-care and public schools.

The debate over the benefits and dangers of vaccines is not new, but it is drawing new attention. First there is incessant advertising promoting Gardasil as a vaccine against the human papilloma virus, which in turn is purported to cause certain kinds of cervical cancer. The new drug is being mandated for sixth graders by various school systems across the country, and has been added to the list of vaccines required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for all women between ages 11 and 26 seeking citizenship. Yet, the New England Journal of Medicine warns that the drug only went through five years of clinical studies – much shorter than normal — while it takes twice that long for HPV to result in cervical cancer.

Then there are Hollywood starlets Jenny McCarthy and Amanda Peet, who exchanged barbs in recent months, the former claiming the possibility of a link between vaccine preservatives and autism, the latter opining that “parents who don’t vaccinate their children are parasites.” McCarthy has recently released a book on the subject.

According to an APP.com September 23 article on vaccinations, two candidates in the up-coming presidential election have also touched briefly on the issue, including Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Obama, in an April rally in Pennsylvania, said “the science [regarding vaccines and autism] right now is inconclusive, but we have to research it.” At a Texas town hall meeting in February, McCain said that while “it’s indisputable that (autism) is on the rise among children, the question is what’s causing it. … [T]here’s strong evidence that indicates it’s got to do with a preservative in vaccines.”

Proponents of vaccine legislation cite “herd immunity”, the theory that immunization even extends to those too weak to receive the vaccine if a super-majority of the community – something between 95 and 99% of healthy citizens – are immunized. This argument makes immunization a public health issue, rather than a matter of personal or parental choice. Looking at the issue from this perspective – and considerable evidence supports the “herd immunity” theory – it is not such a stretch to see where Peet is coming from. If the community members too weak to be vaccinated can only stay healthy if everyone else is vaccinated, then to say “parents who don’t vaccinate their children are parasites” may not seem unreasonable.

On the other hand, despite insistence to the contrary by medical associations and pharmaceutical companies, an indisputable body of evidence suggests a correlation between thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in certain vaccines, and autism or autism-like symptoms resulting from heavy metal poisoning. New Jersey, as mentioned above, requires more vaccines than any other state. Is it a coincidence that the Garden State also has the highest per capita autism rate in the country? While no studies exist to conclusively prove such a link, none exist to disprove a causal relationship, either. Such studies, one way or the other, are not needed by parents who have seen an immediate down-turn in the health of a child after vaccines were administered.

Carolyn Schmidt of New Jersey attended the rally in Trenton, holding a picture of her son at five months, healthy and smiling. “He got his DPT shot the day this picture was taken,” she told a Times of Trenton News reporter. “Within five hours, he was rushed to the hospital with a grand mal (epileptic) seizure that lasted an hour. He’s never been the same since.” Today, the 16-year-old is mute and bound to a wheelchair.

Another rally attendee, Patricia DiFiglia has an even more tragic story. Her daughter Gianna was only four months old when she received four vaccines at a routine doctor visit – and died two days later.

Are vaccines safe? Or are they too risky? Parentalrights.org does not claim to have a solid scientific answer to these questions. Then again, it seems no one else does, either – and this is reason enough to leave this important, potentially life-or-death, question up to the parents.

At Thursday’s rally, one of its organizers, Louise Habakus, made the point we would make: “This is not an anti-vaccine [issue]; it’s a freedom-of-choice [issue]. This one-size-fits-all approach is really very anti-American.”

The Parental Rights Amendment will aid parents in retaining their fundamental right to make important medical decisions in the lives of their own children, with common-sense exclusions for clear cases of abuse or neglect. Should a series of sound scientific studies arise proving vaccines are safe and necessary, they may one day constitute a government interest “of the highest order” to protect children’s lives by mandating inoculation. Likewise, a similar body of evidence arising to the contrary may see vaccines, or at least thimerosal, banned. Until such evidence exists one way or the other, as long as the only “proof” on either side is opinions and associational positions, the final responsibility rests with parents to do their own research, draw their own conclusions, and make their own choices in the life of their child.

Shopping Online?

Today's economy has nudged me into doing something I didn't do much of before - shopping online. There's no gas involved, I can compare prices easier, and well, hey, I can even do it in my jammies. One thing I remain concerned about, however, is safety online. Are the sites I'm on secure? Can someone be looking over my shoulder in cyberland and snatching my information? There is a new application called buySAFE designed specifically to help alleviate these concerns. The buySAFE Shopping Advisor is a free tool that makes online shopping safer and more secure.
It provides exclusive access to buySAFE Bonded Merchants, and automatically protects purchases with a bond guarantee of up to $25,000 as well as identity theft insurance – all at no cost. Shopping Advisor also provides Safe Shopping Ratings. These are available on more than 320,000 eCommerce sites in the search results of Google, Yahoo, MSN, and eBay. Wow! So it does research for you and protects you - nice eh?

I need to head online to pick up some more homeschool curriculum type stuff, as well as to begin my Christmas shopping, and I think I'll be heading to buySAFE first. I'll be downloading that free application and giving it a whirl. Have you ever tried this service? How'd it work for you? Share, share!! :)

We as a country are in such a mess financially. Money news dominates the front page each and every day. I think all of it is making us take a closer look at our own personal finances as well. What can we do?

My sister forwarded me this article in an email, and it's good - right in your face, but good.... Dave Ramsey at his best :)

YOU Fix You:

What it takes for us all to overcome the crazy economy

By and large, 70% to 90% of you wanted something to be done to calm the economy, but you didn't want $700 billion in new debt to bail out Wall Street. The stock market has had record declines since then. What's going on?

You need to remember that you need to take control of your life.

It's disturbing that people in government totally disregard what their constituents tell them to do. It's disturbing that the market goes down and the media panics about this. It's disturbing that greedy banks made horrible, high-interest loans to people who couldn't afford to repay, and broke people signed up for the loan and cried when they couldn't afford it - like someone did something to them. It's disturbing that arrogant people in Washington ignore their constituents and takes huge strides toward socialism.

All of these things are disturbing, but none will cause this great nation to cease to function. None of these things are the seeds to the beginning of the end. You're okay. We're going to be fine.

But the most disturbing thing is some people's reactions.

Don't react based on fear or panic. Another negative reaction is that you are looking to Washington to fix your problems. Why would you do that? They have never fixed your problems, and you want Obama or McCain to fix things. That's ridiculous; there has never been a president who can fix your problems. They always say they can and they never can.

At what point did Bill Clinton fix any of your problems? At what point did he cause you to prosper? At what point did George Bush end your career or cause you to prosper? When did Ronald Reagan fix your problems?

When you look to Washington to solve your problems, we've got the seeds to destroy this country. It's time for YOU to change YOUR life.

There was a sweet 43-year-old lady making $15,000 a year who called me asking what Congress was going to do to help her. My answer to her was "Nothing. It's not their job. It's your job to read a book or take a class to get better so you can make more. Why have you accepted this as your lot in life? Why are you sitting around waiting on Congress or president to fix your life?"

It's not Washington's job to fix what's going on with you. If you are waiting on Washington to change something, you've got a long freakin' wait! It is YOUR job to take care of you. Don't sit around and watch TV and panic and think you can't do anything. I've made and lost money, and every bit of that had to do with me being smart and diligent or stupid.

Quit blaming Congress or looking to them to fix you. YOU have to fix you! When you wait on the government to fix your life and wait for money to be taken from others and given to you, that's a spirit of envy, and it's wrong. The only system that works is capitalism functioning under moral restraint.

Get some moral restraint, become a capitalist, and go be somebody!

Baby Stuff 101

I found a new site in my wanderings today, Mustela. They carry all sorts of pregnancy and baby skin products. Now unless God really throws a zinger at me, we are done in baby land, but they have some pretty neat products that I wish I had about ten years ago.

This tube over on the side is Stelaker, a product specifically designed to remove cradle cap. Honestly, I spent hours picking this gunk off of my first born's head. I tried baby oil and a little comb and everything the pediatrician recommended. I wish I had this!!

Also a fun feature on the site, independent of buying anything, is a Parent's Corner, with lots of tips, advice, and other good stuff for new parents, or even not so new ones. A nice place to check if you just need a quick answer, and don't want to bug your mom or pediatrician again!!

If you have a few moments during nap time, check it out and let me know what you find!

Comments on Obama and Abortion

This presidential race has captured my attention probably more than any in the past. I'm not sure if it's because I'm older and more aware, or if it's because of the many twists and turns it seems to be taking. Candidate Obama especially seems to be hitting the news just about every day with someone giving us a new update or change on something.... Anyway, this one is straight from an email I received today, and full of some thought provoking comments. Let me know what you think...

When someone writes as eloquently and in such depth as Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, summarizing what's said in a manner that honors its complexity presents unique challenges.

But the speech the Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop delivered October 17 to a dinner of the Catholic Women's Group ENDOW (''Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women'') is so elegant, so important I'm going to give it a go.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput

An additional reason for talking about his far-reaching remarks is that I can mention what I have inexcusably failed to note earlier. Archbishop Chaput is the author of the wonderful new book, "Render Unto Caesar."

Let me begin by emphasizing what the Archbishop emphasized. He was not telling anyone how to vote and that what he had to say were "my personal views, nothing more." (He added, "I think they're pretty solidly grounded in Catholic teaching and the heart of the Church.")

Let me offer four quotations from his remarks.

1. "[D]emocratic pluralism does not mean that Catholics should be quiet in public about serious moral issues because of some misguided sense of good manners. A healthy democracy requires vigorous moral debate to survive. Real pluralism demands that people of strong beliefs will advance their convictions in the public square--peacefully, legally and respectfully, but energetically and without embarrassment. Anything less is bad citizenship and a form of theft from the public conversation."

What a fascinating insight, not limited to Catholics citizens, of course. It not only is incumbent on us to argue our case vigorously, to do otherwise is to deprive the public conversation of an important ingredient. Our participation is not an unnecessary add-on, but a crucial component to an educated citizenry.

2. "I believe that Senator Obama, whatever his other talents, is the most committed 'abortion-rights' presidential candidate of either major party since the Roe v. Wade abortion decision in 1973. " The "party platform Senator Obama runs on this year is not only aggressively 'pro-choice.' it has also removed any suggestion that killing an unborn child might be a regrettable thing."

Obama supporters have spun the changes in the party platform every which way but up. Far from suggesting a softening or a "reaching out" to pro-lifers, the Democratic Party's 2008 platform is even more cold-hearted, even more committed to enlarging the pool of aborted babies.

3. Referring to Prof. Douglas Kmiec's book, Can a Catholic Support Him? Asking the Big Question about Barack Obama, Archbishop Chaput said, "Prof. Kmiec argues that there are defensible motives to support Senator Obama. Speaking for myself, I do not know any proportionate reason that could outweigh more than 40 million unborn children killed by abortion and the many millions of women deeply wounded by the loss and regret abortion creates. To suggest--as some Catholics do--that Senator Obama is this year's ''real' prolife candidate requires a peculiar kind of self-hypnosis, or moral confusion, or worse. To portray the 2008 Democratic Party presidential ticket as the preferred 'prolife' option is to subvert what the word 'prolife' means."

4. (This falls in the "nothing new under the sun" category.) "And here's the irony. None of the Catholic arguments advanced in favor of Senator Obama are new. They've been around, in one form or another, for more than 25 years. All of them seek to 'get beyond' abortion, or economically reduce the number of abortions, or create a better society where abortion won't be necessary. All of them involve a misuse of the seamless garment imagery in Catholic social teaching. And all of them, in practice, seek to contextualize, demote and then counterbalance the evil of abortion with other important but less foundational social issues."

What is new is the level of intensity, sophistication, and sophistry we've seen going back to 2004. Following the defeat of Sen. John Kerry, pro-abortionists grasped that they had to rhetorically change their position while (if anything) hardening their commitment to abortion on demand at tax-payers' expense. The American electorate needed to be convinced the leopard had changed its spots.

Right now, depending on whom you believe, the Catholic vote is either slightly tilting toward Obama or split down the middle. What's clear is that this segment of the electorate is the most willing to tell pollsters that they are uncommitted or could change their minds by election day.

To help Americans of all religious persuasions or none understand the abortion positions of pro-life Sen. John McCain and pro-abortion Sen. Barack Obama, please download the presidential comparison sheet at http://nrlc.org/Election2008/comparison0909084c.pdf. You can also order multiple copies online at only a nickel each at http://www.nrlchapters.org/comparisonbuy.htm and have them sent out the same day.

Mary Kay

Well, it's been probably a few years since I had a home party, though I have to say, when I was selling Tupperware I honestly had some sort of home party in my home every month or two, trade off parties.... I don't really mind doing them though. This one especially is neat because my neighbor is trying to get this Mary Kay thing going so she can stay home with her kids, and see her husband. They've worked opposite shifts for some time, so that one of them was always with their young kiddos, and that has to be draining. Anyway, that's tonight, and looking at my house - whew!!! Everyone coming has kiddos too, so I'm not expected to have it spotless, but today's goal is to take it out of the yuck category. Lofty aspiration, right? So that, plus school, should keep me busy... See you tomorrow :).

How old am I?

I've seen blurbs about tests for your "real age" or "health age" before but haven't paid too much attention to them before, but I decided to give one a whirl this weekend. RealAge.com is a consumer-health media company and provider of personalized health information and management tools. These tools are designed to motivate people to look, feel, and actually be many years younger—to Live Life to the Youngest. Sounds good, right? So I chose to use the test that they offer, the RealAge Test.

Well, I've been feeling pretty old lately, just a lot of things going on and not enough sleep, but now this little test is telling me that, biologically speaking, I really am a little bit older than I am. I am 37 and a half, but according to my "real age" I am about 9 months older. Not much, but still, I'd prefer to find out that I am taking such good care of myself that I score younger :).

The nice thing about this test is its thoroughness. It takes a bit to work through it, but when you are done, you will end up with a little checklist to help you to improve your score further, to help you take care of your body even better. Good stuff, right? Take a crack at it and let me know how you do!

Take the RealAge Test! It's free!

Sunday reflections

Good morning!  I'm in a bit of a melancholy mood today, as a wonderful family visit has just wrapped up, but I am also feeling reflective.  I'm thinking through how quickly time moves by, and I know I've heard it from others too, but it feels so much quicker the older I get.....  It makes me just want to grab ahold of today and live it well, not fill it up with so much junk...  I want to take those five minutes when I could be doing a hundred other things and just hold my kids.  I want to be able to put my head on the pillow tonight and rest satisfied, knowing that I lived today well.  I hope that your today is a good one.  It's truly a gift from Someone bigger than us.  Use your gift well!

Mary

I just can't stay away from these devotional tidbits by Max Lucado. They're sent to me, and I just want to share them... Enjoy :).

Marys are gifted with praise. They don’t just sing; they worship. They don’t simply attend church; they go to offer praise. They don’t just talk about Christ; they radiate Christ.

Marys have one foot in heaven and the other on a cloud. It’s not easy for them to come to earth, but sometimes they need to. Sometimes they need to be reminded that there are bills to be paid and classes to be taught. But don’t remind them too harshly. Flutes are fragile. Marys are precious souls with tender hearts. If they have found a place at the foot of Jesus, don’t ask them to leave. Much better to ask them to pray for you.

That’s what I do. When I find a Mary (or a Michael), I’m quick to ask, “How do I get on your prayer list?”

Every church desperately needs some Marys.

We need them to pray for our children.

We need them to put passion in our worship.

We need them to write songs of praise and sing songs of glory.

We need them to kneel and weep and lift their hands and pray.

We need them because we tend to forget how much God loves worship. Marys don’t forget. They know that God wants to be known as a father. They know that a father likes nothing more than to have his children sit as his feet and spend time with him.

Marys are good at that.

They, too, must be careful. They must meditate often on Luke 6:46. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?” Marys need to remember that service is also worship.

If God has called you to be a Mary, then worship! Remind the rest of us that we don’t have to be busy to be holy. Urge us with your example to put down our clipboards and megaphones and be quiet in worship.

Soccer's done!

Tonight was the last night of the soccer season for us!! Yeah!!! Don't get me wrong - I loved it, as did my kiddos. Great sport. Great program. I'm just done. We're all just done.... The nights are getting darker, and colder, and well, we're ready to snuggle in, stay warm, and hibernate a bit. So, thanks for the fun, soccer buddies. See you next year!!

Look at me!

I am the queen of cheap, and some of my choices reflect that a little too much. I wear mostly my younger sister's hand me down clothes, stuff that is a little too dated for her. I buy groceries almost always from the sales flyer, and usually with coupons too. I buy shoes at stores like Payless. When it came time to get new glasses this past year, I of course limited myself to only the ones that were totally covered by our insurance. There weren't too many choices, and I ended up with a pair that look, well, cheap.

There is a new way to shop for eyeglasses that may help even cheap old me!! ZenniOptical.com sells Stylish Prescription Glasses Online from $8. They offer a huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. I poked around on their site and found a pair I really like... I might just be able to be cheap and stylish after all!!

The site looks great, and you know, I'm hearing about them more and more from other places too. There have been positive reports on Fox News TV and on the radio. The popular U.S. talk radio host of the nationally syndicated consumer advocate program The Clark Howard Show, has even recommended them. Why not check them out yourself? Let me know what you think....

Thankful Thursday

I think I have one of the few blogs that has never posted a "Thankful Thursday" post, so here you go.

I complain a lot here, kind of like a journal... When things are going well, I'm out there enjoying life. When things aren't going so well, I'm more likely to chase everyone away and blog... So you kind of get a grumpy picture of things.

I am thankful for tons of things, but today I'll stick with the top five, in no particular order:

1. for my Lord and Savior, who, for reasons I still don't understand, kept me from falling down into some pretty muddy disgusting pits of my own making, and for blessing me way beyond anything I deserve
2. for my husband and kids. I complain too much and hug too little. I love you guys.
3. for my extended family. As much as they may drive me crazy at times, I love them. I wouldn't be who I am without them.
4. for God being gracious enough to create us with a sense of taste - I really do love food :)
5. for the ability to homeschool. Though it is often my biggest headache, I'm grateful for these extra years of days with my kids.
   

Hyper-overload

I am feeling overwhelmed and overloaded today. My daughter has plumb worn me out!!! We've tried to make school and life work with our kids' personalities, but one of 'em is giving me a run for my money these days.... Any one have any tips on helping a highly distractible impulsive pre-adolescent stay on task? And keep attitude in check? I'm ruling out duct tape and heavy medication, but would appreciate any other ideas :)... seriously. Thanks!

The Good Napkins

I got this one as an email forward....

Ahhhhh! The joys of having Girls. My mother taught me to read when I was four years old (her first mistake). One day, I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar. I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping ''napkins' in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen?

Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for 'special occasions' (her second mistake).

Now fast forward a few months . . . It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife for dinner. Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine was to set the table (her third mistake).

When they returned, my uncle came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife, who gasped, then, began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Then came Mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the tablewith a 'special occasion' Kotex napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they didn't hang off the edge!! My mother asked me why I used these and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter. 'But, Mom, you said they were for special occasions!!!'

Life is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly, and for heavens sake, use THE GOOD NAPKINS whenever you can.

Cleaning shortcuts in the kitchen

I read a great little article about cleaning shortcuts and thought I'd throw a few on here from time to time, and hey, maybe even try a few!! :)

Today's blurb is about cleaning in the kitchen... Here are your tips:

• Cut down on countertop clutter. Only keep out what you use EVERY day, and store, or get rid of, the rest.
  
• Let cleansers work for you. Disinfectant cleaners should sit on your counter for about 5 minutes to really get rid of germs and bacteria. Use those extra minutes to do another kitchen job - unload the dishwasher or sweep up.
• Keep disposable wipes handy and touch up handles and messes throughout the day.

Any more?

Contentment's Enemy

I love receiving quiet moment food via email. Invariably they hit on the "right" day too!!! This one's on contentment, "coincidentally" on the day I was balancing the checkbook and paying bills!! :)

"Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns." (Exodus 20:17)

The tenth commandment, which deals with coveting, speaks to our deepest attitudes. Of course, the word, "covet," means to be dissatisfied with what we have and to desire more, regardless of what it may cost us or someone else.

One Christmas when I was a young boy, I received everything that I had wanted. I was so happy. I thought, "This is the greatest Christmas I've ever had!" Then I went over to my friend's house and saw his gifts. Suddenly, I was miserable, because he had been given something that I sort of wanted, but I had forgotten about it.

All of a sudden, all that I had (as wonderful as it was) was no longer acceptable, because my friend had something that I wanted more. That is what coveting is.

As adults, we can do this as well. Everything is fine in our lives, but then we see what our neighbor has. We see what somebody else has. Then we begin to covet that. We want that--and sadly, some will even go out and take whatever it is they are coveting. We might even covet another person's spouse.

It can ruin our lives. We are not to covet.

Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment is, " 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind' " (Matthew 22:37) and that a second and equally important command is to " 'Love your neighbor as yourself' " (verse 39).

All the other commandments are based on these two. So, if you can get these down, then everything else will come naturally.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.

Google abortion ads policy

I never really even thought of this, but apparently Google had a policy, until recently, to not allow advertisers that combined the keyword abortion with any "religious" content, thus effectively blocking pro-life groups from advertising on Google. This policy was recently challenged, and changed. Watch more about it....

He is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm

I just received this devotional by Max Lucado via email. I've read it before, yet I can always stand to hear it again. He is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm. The storm didn't surprise Him, or frighten Him. He's just waiting, right in the middle of it, with His hands out to me.... Anyway, Max Lucado says it better....

Peter knows he is in trouble.

The winds roar down onto the Sea of Galilee like a hawk on a rat. Lightning zigzags across the black sky. The clouds vibrate with thunder. The rain taps, then pops, then slaps against the deck of the boat until everyone aboard is soaked and shaking. Ten-foot waves pick them up and slam them down again with bonejarring force.

These drenched men don't look like a team of apostles who are only a decade away from changing the world. And you can be sure of one thing. The one with the widest eyes is the one with the biggest biceps--Peter. He's seen these storms before. He's seen the wreckage and bloated bodies float to shore. He knows what the fury of wind and wave can do. And he knows that times like this are not times to make a name for yourself; they're times to get some help.

That is why, when he sees Jesus walking on the water toward the boat, he is the first to say, "Lord, if it's you ... tell me to come to you on the water." (Matthew 14:28)

He is aware of two facts: He's going down, and Jesus is staying up. And it doesn't take him too long to decide where he would rather be.

Perhaps a better interpretation of his request would be, "Jeeeeeeeesus. If that is you, then get me out of here!"

"Come on" is the invitation.

And Peter doesn't have to be told twice. It's not every day that you walk on water through waves that are taller than you are. But when faced with the alternative of sure death or possible life, Peter knows which one he wants.

The first few steps go well. But a few strides out onto the water, and he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place, and down he plunges.

Peter's response may lack class--it probably wouldn't get him on the cover of Gentleman's Quarterly or even Sports Illustrated--but it gets him out of some deep water:

"Help me!"

And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes through the rain and pulls him up.

The message is clear.

As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don't need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won't be taken half-heartedly.

But when you mourn, when you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other name that you can call, then cast all your cares on him, for he is waiting in the midst of the storm.

Skin drama

My girls are still young, but we are approaching those incredible, overwhelming adolescent years at a terrifyingly fast rate. One thing that I am not looking forward to is the seeming roll of the dice in regards to their skin. Will they or won't they have acne and other problems with their skin? I know that cleansing habits and diet have a part in that formula, but part of it just happens. To me now, in adulthood, it's not that big a deal, but in the middle of it all I know it can be a huge drama. I guess we'll have to wait and see what the future holds and just do our best with it!

Dieting anyone?

Have you noticed how much time is devoted to talk of dieting and things like diet pill reviews in all of the blogs, and just online in general? Is it just those of us who sit in front of our computers for more time than the average joe that are thinking about this stuff so much, or is it everyone? I know that there's a lot in the news too, about the rise in obesity and such. Anyone have any success, or not, stories to share about any diet helps?

Weekend with kids

It's eleven o'clock on a sunny Saturday morning, and I can think of nothing better to do than going back to bed. I am exhausted!! The munchkin here woke up at 5:45 this morning!!!! So, here I sit, half awake, checking email and saying hi. I definitely need to get outside and work on outside projects today - it's approaching 60, and how often does that happen in New York in October? Anyway, this plus busing kiddos everywhere is the fun that makes up this weekend when kids are in the picture :).

Hypnosis anyone?

I'm wondering what you think about hypnosis?

I studied psychology in college, and we had small unit on hypnosis, mostly in using it in a therapeutic way to help victims of trama. Even at that, it was controversial, especially at a conservative Christian college.

What is hypnosis really? Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines hypnosis as "a trancelike state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject." Hmmm... So you can see why folks might be a little bit nervous about it.

There are practitioners of hypnosis out there, however, and there are even websites that offer to teach the average person like you or me how to dabble in it. You know, I've looked at this one site in particular that talks about hypnosis and mind control , and I've got to say that I am thinking about my kids and their hard to handle days.... Mind control sounds like a good thing for those times, doesn't it? :)

Subliminalmindlabs.com offers the opportunity to buy a download of hypnosis training, which they differentiate from magic tricks. The author touts all sorts of personal examples on how his "formula" has worked for him. He even offers a 60 day full refund. Anyway, check the site out and decide for yourself. Let me know what you think...

Homeschool Co-op

I think I've blogged on here about our homeschool co-op before. Well, we started up last week, with 87 kids registered. With only a few small bumps in the road we are off and running. It's a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. The kids are loving it, and I'm sleeping well on Fridays!!! Anyone else have experience with one of these?

Internet Dating

What do you know about internet dating? Just what you've seen on the commercials on t.v.? Do you know someone who's dabbled in it? Regardless of your opinion of it, I'm sure that you'll agree that internet dating has seriously changed the face of dating. Think about dating when we were teenagers - we were restricted to getting to know the kids in our school, or our church. Now it takes just a few minutes to meet hundreds of, if not more, available individuals. You can search for free for all sorts of variables, personality types, faiths, physical characteristics... Like tall guys? Enter that. A specific occupation you'd like to select, or stay away from? Enter that. Is faith important to you? Indicate that. Just like in traditional dating, caution is important, but the possibilities are certainly expanded. True.com is one of the popular internet dating sites, boasting of thousands having already begun their happily ever after stories. I am not going to be looking online myself, as I've found my own prince charming already, but if you're looking, sign up is free, so it wouldn't hurt to take a peek. Let me know if you do, and if you have any luck :). If you've looked in the past too, share. I'm sure that there a bunch of good, and not so good, stories out there!!

A.C. Moore Coupon!

Just wanted to share a coupon and some sales!

If you've got an A.C.Moore near you, check it out. I'm not sure that I'll get over there in time, but I hate to let a coupon go unused!! Let me know what kind of deals you find...

Adoption Awareness Month

Over 143 million children have lost one or both parents.

By 2010, the number of children orphaned by AIDS globally is expected to exceed 25 million.


Wow. I read these statistics on literature from Shaohannah's Hope, an agency that assists individuals looking to adopt. I've heard them before, but every once in a while it really sinks in.... My husband and I, and our children to some extent, felt called to do something about this a little bit ago, and decided to get licensed to do foster care. We've had a little boy in our family for the last year, well, almost a year. We don't know yet if he is here to stay or if he'll be able to go home to either of his parents, but it's been a great journey either way.... Opening up our home to a little someone who needed a family has been an amazing, stretching, exhausting, rewarding journey. We have learned just a little bit more about sharing our Lord's love in a real way.

November is Adoption Awareness month, but I didn't want to wait to share this little blurb, and this video clip. Take a moment to think on it, and to pray on it.



Now what?

Life without powersteering

Have you ever driven a car without power steering? My first few cars all didn't have it, and I remember the fun (sarcasm here :)) of driving one in particular, a Ford Festiva. Thankfully it didn't take too much to turn the car, since it was so little, but still, you really had to crank the thing!!! I guess it's one of those things where you "don't know what you've got till it's gone..." Power steering is a very good thing. Anyway, if you are in need of power steering rack parts, I've found a place to check out.... Powersteeringpros.com has all the power steering rack parts you need, and offers a full warranty and free shipping, which are huge. Check 'em out, and let me know what you think...

A Friend for Mommy

I assume that everyone else is in the same boat as me, not having enough time for the many things they're trying to pack into their lives. I read an article the other day about ways to work in friend time. That would be good, right? A friend for Mommy!

Here they go:

1. Take advantage of your kid's classes - have coffee during the hour long lesson (although it is nice to occasionally watch :))
2. Share chores. If your friend has leaves to rake, as do you, help each other and visit while you work. Hmmm - that's assuming you do any chores before 11 pm!!
3. Use technology to your advantage. Use blogs, email, texts, to stay connected.
4. Call, with a purpose. Set a weekly phone date?
5. Double up to work out. Walking together is a popular idea, cheap and still allows you to talk.
6. Send snail mail. Everyone likes to get something in the mail besides bills! This article suggested keeping a couple of stamped notecards in your bag and taking advantage of long lines or waiting rooms to write quick notes. I like this one!
   

Let me know how it goes!

Typing Help

I don't know how much typing you do during the day, but for me, between blogging stuff, filling in forms and sending emails for our small business, homeschool stuff, and then just life stuff, it seems like I log in a lot of typing time. Now, I haven't taken a typing class since junior high school, which is kind of evident in my speed....



The above is a screenshot of a typing test I took today - Dragon’s typing speed test! I found out that I could really cut down on my typing time if I used a dictation program. I never really thought about this - I've kind of just thought about dictation for doctors or lawyers. But it makes sense - why waste time and hurt my wrists if I don't need to? I could use that extra time to focus a little more on my homeschooling, or maybe, just maybe catch up on the mounds of laundry to be folded, or paperwork to be filed. So many options!! Now I just need to look into the details of this.



I found a program called Dragon Naturally Speaking that looks good, and it comes for both Macs and PCs, me being a PC person. I even found a place that offers Dragon Reviews. Check out below for more information:

Smoke Detectors

Hey - don't forget to grab some extra 9 volt batteries soon. It's a good plan to change the batteries in all of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year. The easiest way I've heard to remember is to do it when you change your clock - that's coming up before too long, on November 2nd. Happy battery changing!

Supercharged!

I am certainly not a car expert, and this is not a car blog, but when I come across something interesting, on any topic, I like to share :).

I found a site called superchargerpros.com that looks like a neat one. They offer great pricing and promise fantastic customer service, as they help you to buy what you need to soup up your vehicle. In the way of available parts, they list off the
buick supercharger, the mercedes supercharger, and the pontiac supercharger, just to name a few. If any of these are on your wish list, check 'em out!

Cake?

I read an article about slimming down today, which you can find in pretty much every woman's magazine that you pick up... This one listed off some different yummy foods and then asked, "Is it worth it?" and gave the equivalent of what you'd need to do to work it off.

We just finished a birthday here, and well, the cake needs to be eaten... Now I read that one slice of birthday cake takes a half an hour on an elliptical trainer. Yikes!!! One Snickers bar - half an hour of biking at a moderate pace - wow!

I like to eat this stuff, but I guess the question is good - is it worth it?

Buying online

How much shopping do you do online? I know that most transactions, even the ones that you run at your local store, end up running through a server online, but still I get nervous about entering my credit card number myself online. I'm afraid that someone might snatch it....

I've found a few different services that offer to increase your safety when shopping online, things like paypal, to protect your credit information. Something new that I found today was a service called buySAFE. The buySAFE Shopping Advisor is a free tool that makes online shopping safer and more secure. Shopping Advisor provides exclusive access to the Safe Shopping Portal where purchases are automatically protected with a bond guarantee of up to $25,000 as well as identity theft insurance – all at no cost to you. Shopping Advisor also provides Safe Shopping Ratings on more than 320,000 eCommerce sites in the search results of Google, Yahoo, MSN, and eBay.

I think, with all of the talk of recession I'm hearing, and with watching prices go up and up, that I'll be visiting stores like ebay and amazon a lot more, looking for bargains on kid's clothes and all that fun stuff. It's nice to know that there is another tool out there to help me to do this safely. Maybe I'll bump into you in my journeys... I'm off to download my free BuySAFE application. Happy shopping, and hopefully saving!

Ziploc tips

Woman's Day magazine may not feature rocket science, but it has a lot of helpful tips!! Today's? I learned 5 things to do with Ziptop bags:

1. Make a changing mat. In a pinch you can tear the sides of a big one open and make a sanitary changing area.
2. Pack accessories, organized by category (wow!! does anyone really do that?) so they're easier to find in your suitcase.
3. Knead dough. Put the dough in the bags first to keep your hands from getting all sticky. Hmmm.... This would also keep little helpers from eating it, throwing it and such!
4. Create a temporary funnel. Snip a corner and use for shampoo, glitter, whatever...
5. Clean a shower head. Put white vinegar in the baggie, rubber band it to the shower head for a half hour and let it soak. Easy enough.... (Do let it run for a moment before you hop in next time, or you end up smelling a little bit like pickles :).)

So there, you've learned something helpful. Go find a Ziploc bag and do something useful!

Need a payday loan?

Have you ever heard of Pay Day Loans? I think in this tricky financial place of today that they are something that more people may soon be trying to take advantage of. The way that they work is that a lender offers short term payday loans to customers needing cash. The process is much easier than that of a traditional personal loan, with the entire process being completed from your home or office, applying for your Pay Day Loan Online. Anyone tried one of these? Your experience?

Storage?

I read a great article about saving space and creating storage, and I should be off implementing the tips, but thought I'd share them here first...

• Get rid of the packaging that takes up so much room. Store games in bags or bins, rather than bulky boxes. Store cereal in smaller containers as well.
• Consider different items for storage. An example given is an old mailbox nailed to the garage wall to store small gardening tools.
• Make smart use of space, especially by doors, on top of stairs, and in the foyer. Think cabinets or bookshelves.
• Add a second rod to your closet or shelf tiers to your cupboard to more fully utilize space.
• Add hooks on insides of doors.
• Store cookbooks, trays, large serving dishes, and collections on top of kitchen cabinets.
• Add shelves over windows and doorways.
• Use underbed boxes, old drawers, etc. under your bed, and a skirt to keep them hidden.
• Pare down possessions.
• Make neatness and using space well a priority.

Good ideas... Now to the implementation stage, well, sometime soon... I really think if I had a weekend dedicated to cleaning and organizing, we'd be in awesome shape, but that is in the someday pile!!! Managed chaos is the rule for this season of life :).

Winter prep already?

It's October, and I live in northeast New York, so I should be ready for winter, right? I'm not!!! We just started raking, and now it's been down into the 30s at night, and I'm just not prepared!! I'm seeing people around me pulling out the little covers for their bushes to keep the snow off, putting away the lawn furniture, covering their grills, putting the car cover onto the "nice" car, all of the things that get done before the white stuff flies. The kids are excited, but me not so much. Too much work :). Guess I need to get a little bit of the childlike anticipation brewing in me!!!

Is it time to insure?

With all of the talk of money money on the tv, on the radio, in the newspaper, and just everywhere, I can't help but wonder if we are as prepared as we can be. Is this the time to perhaps add on insurance to be sure that we are covered, even if worst case things happen? I'm not an expert on any of this stuff, so I'm kind of wondering aloud... I've been reviewing our different policies: life insurance, mortgage protection insurance, homeowner's insurance, to be sure that we are adequately covered, and I'm not really sure what we really need. I guess it's time for a bit more research before I change anything around...

I don't like it....

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."

Maya Angelou

5 things to do with a hair dryer

I have a hair dryer in my house - somewhere... It's been many moons since my hair has seen that much attention!

Anyway, I saw an article in Woman's Day that listed 5 things (other than dry your hair :)) that you can do with your hair dryer, and well, thought that maybe you might be interested...

1. Remove crayon marks or wax spills by blowing on high heat until wax melts, then wiping with a sponge.
2. "Iron" your plastic tablecloth or shower curtain (be sure to hold about a foot away though).
3. Set frosting or icing (I'd have to de-fuzz mine for this one!!). Cool air hardens icing; hot air brightens a dull glaze.
4. Unstick a photo. Blow hot air on the back of the page while gently pulling the picture on the front.
5. Dust hard to reach places with the cool setting. (I think I'll use the leaf blower for my house!!! :))

Ever try any of these?

Silent mission

I received this in an email - powerful photo and story...

Wouldn't it be fitting if this went completely around the world!.....





John Gebhardt's wife, Mindy, said that this little girl's entire family was executed. The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head...but they failed to kill her. She was cared for in John's hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan. The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing.

He is a real Star of the war, and represents what America is trying to do.

This, my friends, is worth sharing. Go for it!! You'll never see things like this in the news. Please keep this going. Nothing will happen if you don't, but the American public needs to see pictures like this and needs to realize that what we're doing over there is making a difference. Even if it is just one little girl at a time.

James Gates U. S. Navy

Project day

I am taking a break on here for a few minutes, because today has already been a busy project day. Cleaning, repairing, more cleaning... I need to do some serious cleaning on all of our lighting fixtures - dust galore!!! But for a few moments I want to just sit and veg, so here I be.... You know what, I think the couch is actually calling me instead - real vegging :)

Superfoods - what are they?

I am constantly hearing about Super Foods: fruits and vegetables with amazing benefits for the people who eat them. I am clueless about this. Is there any truth to these stories? What are these foods even? How can you take advantage of these discoveries and get some of the health benefits for yourself?

To answer these questions we need to understand a few things, like what are free radicals and antioxidants, what does ORAC mean, and what kind of benefits can we get from eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day?

Antioxidants vs. free radicals
Free radicals form as pollution inside your body; these damaging molecules are by-products of metabolism. Metabolism is the way your body converts the three food groups – carbohydrates, protein and fats – into energy. The more energy you produce from food, the more free radical pollution you generate. Free radicals have been linked to a wide array of health problems, ranging from heart disease and cancer to arthritis and inflammation.

Luckily, foods also contain antioxidants. Antioxidants donate molecules to balance, neutralize and quench free radicals. They are very generous that way! They will keep donating until they are completely spent.

The efficiency built into Super Foods is amazing: the carbohydrates, protein and fats create energy and the antioxidants in the same foods neutralize the waste. A healthy food will quench as many free radicals as it makes. A really good food will quench more free radicals than you make metabolizing the food. For this reason, these nutrient sources are called Super Foods. You will feel better today and healthier tomorrow if you eat these foods.

We measure the antioxidant capacity in foods on a scale called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). The higher the number, the more free radicals the foods will quench.

Whole foods – the good stuff!
All foods contain antioxidants, even “junk” foods. But the problem is that junk foods don’t contain enough antioxidants to neutralize all the free radical waste they create from the metabolism process. In other words, junk foods contain more pollution than their built-in ORAC capacity can neutralize. So, your body is left imbalanced and at greater risk for health problems.

In contrast to junk foods, whole foods usually contain enough antioxidants to support waste cleanup from metabolism. And certain whole foods go even further – they are filled with antioxidant concentrations that are associated with longevity and vitality. For instance, blueberries have been associated with a sharp mind and clear vision for thousands of years. The berry has numerous concentrated antioxidants that have an affinity for your eyes, brain and heart. You can benefit from these antioxidants by eating fresh blueberries as well as whole food concentrates containing blueberries.

Other berries also contain dense antioxidant concentrations. That’s why eating a variety of berries is a superb way of getting the high ORAC antioxidants you need. Whole berry concentrates, such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries provide both the nutrients and antioxidants needed for healthy metabolism. Rare fruits, such as wolfberry (goji), acai drupes, and mangosteen also provide strong boosts of antioxidant power – so much so, that many have labeled them as Super Fruits.

What we need
We were designed to eat whole, ripe foods at their peak of freshness to help our bodies have sufficient antioxidants. So, approximately how many ORAC units do we need each day?

• Children – 3,000 ORAC units daily (about 5 servings of fruit and vegetables)
• Women – 4,200 ORAC units daily (about 7 servings of fruit and vegetables)
• Men – 5,400 ORAC units daily (about 9 servings of fruit and vegetables)

Considering our polluted environment, deficient diet and relentless stress I would suggest we consume even larger amounts of ORAC units every day.

More suggestions: Eat whole foods and make sure you include every color in the rainbow in your diet because different antioxidants come with different colors. Also, look for whole food supplements to augment your diet. Whole foods and whole food supplements will help improve your metabolism, reduce toxicity, increase vitality and improve your health!

Free Car Contest!!!!

Hey there - I found a great-sounding contest that I want to share!!!

Someone is giving away a new car that gets up to 45 miles per gallon on the highway. In this penny pinching age, wouldn't that be incredible!?! I'm sure that you're in the same boat as everyone else right now, double checking to see who has the cheapest decent gas in town, trying to consolidate errands to use less gas, having to say no to your kids more than you used to, simply because of the money... This might help a bit! If you order any Charter service online, or simply register today, you'll be automatically entered to win a brand new Honda Civic Hybrid worth $24,000. A free car, and a money saving one at that :)!!

I'd never heard of Charter before, but after taking a peek at the website, I'm impressed. Anyone have services with them right now that can share? From what I can see, Charter can help you save money on television, high speed internet access, and telephone service, and you just might win a car that can help you save on gas too. It only takes a moment to save some money, or just to enter and maybe save some more... Check it out :).

How do you cook a sweet potato?

I'm not a very creative cook, and I have several very no-adventurous eaters in my home, so sweet potato has never yet been served here. However, I did read a few creative ideas for preparing this heretofore elusive veggie:

• Sweet Potato Biscuits: Mix 1/2 c. mashed sweet potato with 1/3 c. buttermilk. Combine 2 1/4 c. Bisquick with potato mix and another 1/3 c. buttermilk. Mix to form dough. Knead 12 times on floured surface. Roll to 1/2 in. thick and cut into rounds. Bake on ungreased sheet for 10 min. at 450. (I might be able to sneak this one by!!!)
  
• Stuffed Sweet Potato: Microwave 2 sweet potatoes for 6 min. Mix 2 Tbsp. coconut flakes and 2 Tbsp. chopped pecans with 1 Tbsp. melted butter and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Slit potato and top with mixed filling. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes. ( Hmmmm - this one sounds good to me but I think I'd still have two that wouldn't touch it.)
• Roasted Sweet Potato: Peel and cube 3 sweet potatoes. Toss with 1 sliced red onion, 2 Tbsp. canola oil, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Transfer to baking sheet and roast at 400 for 25 -30 minutes, or till fork tender. (Not sure on this one either.... )

We'll see what kind of response I get!! :)

Sleeping problem?

Since we've added the two year old bundle of energy to our house, falling asleep is not a major issue for me. I used to pop Tylenol PM, now I can sit at the dinner table and fall asleep!!

I found an article that mentioned some ideas for those of you who might not sleep so well at this point in your life...

Eating too much too close to bedtime can increase your chances of sleep apnea or fragmented sleep. Ideally, eat your last big meal at least 2 hours pre-bedtime. Definitely steer clear of spicy or high fat foods for late night munchies. A better bedtime snack? Warm skim milk with honey. Hmm.... Never tried that one....

Aspirations

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them."

Louisa May Alcott



What are your aspirations? Mine? I must confess that in this season of life mine tend to be a bit shortsighted, like making it through our lessons, scraping the top layer of yuck off of the house, keeping the kids from fighting so much.... I've forgotten about the aspirations "far away there in the sunshine.." and forgetting them is sure way to get bogged down in the lists of today. Maybe tonight, after tucking in kiddos, I jot a list down of those far away high aspirations, just to remember :)