Go Away Annoying Callers

I'm starting to learn that I don't have to answer the phone every time it rings. Now that we have caller ID, I can see who's calling before I even pick up the phone. If the call is from an 800 number or Caller ID is blocked, I'll often ignore it. OK, sometimes I'll ignore it. Other times I just can't help myself, and I'll pick the phone up anyway - only to have them hang up in my ear. Talk about annoying! Then I wonder why they bothered calling here if they weren't going to talk to me. It does not make me very happy at all.

Today I heard about a new website called Annoying Callers.com, a database of phone numbers used by telemarketers and other annoying callers. You can enter phone numbers that have been calling you and find information about the companies using those numbers and see comments by other people who have received calls from those numbers. I can't wait to try it next time some annoying caller hangs up on me, or asks to speak to my husband during the day when he's at work. Once I find out for sure who's behind that number and decide that I do not want to receive any more calls from them, I can block those calls. Yes, I know I could have blocked them before (we have VOIP - I can block any number I want), but I always think, 'it could be important.' Probably not, but you never know.

Annoying callers, you are in trouble now.

Camera Critters (#21)

The Rumble and Roar edition

In honor of Harley Davidson's 105th anniversary, which is going on this weekend in Milwaukee and the surrounding area, I thought I'd post this critter:

And this critter from 5 years ago at the 100th birthday party:

What do you mean you don't see a critter there? Look closer -

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

Charter is Giving Away Laptops

Do you have high speed Internet yet? I can't imagine life without it. Either I would get frustrated and spend less time online, or I'd just spend more time online trying to do the things I want to do.

If you don't have high speed, now is the perfect time to sign up, or if you just want to save money over what you're already paying, now is the perfect time to switch. Just by signing up for one of Charter's services, you will be automatically entered in the Charter Laptop-a-Day Giveaway. Charter is giving away 30 laptops, and you could be one of the lucky winners. Click that link and visit the Charter website to see what they have to offer and the specs on the laptop. It sounds like a nice laptop, but do the specs really matter when the most important thing is that you can get it for FREE?

Just think how nice it will be cruising the Internet at top speed with your new Charter service and your brand new laptop. It will make doing homework so much easier, for those of you going back to school. It will make working from home easier, not to mention blogging and keeping in touch with your online friends. Just sign up for one of three great Charter services online – Charter High-Speed® Internet at $19.99/mo for 6 months, Charter Digital Home™ and High-Speed Internet at $69.98/mo for 6 months or Charter Digital Home™, High-Speed Internet, and Charter Telephone® at $99.97/mo. for 12 months. Pick the service that best fits your needs, sign up online, and you automatically get a free Shell gas card, and you're entered in the laptop giveaway.

The first winner will be announced September 1^st, and there will be one prize a day for the 30 days in September. The sooner you sign up, the more chances you have to win.

Sky Watch Friday (#36)

It's Friday again, and that means
Sky Watch Friday!

Driving back from Palmyra (Jeffrey was driving) the other day I really liked the way these clouds looked. The lower ones looked so solid against the higher ones. They look like you should be able to just reach up and touch them, don't they?

Just a little to my right, the edge of those higher clouds and some blue sky.

If you enjoy looking at the sky as much as I do, you'll want to check out Sky Watch Friday. You can enjoy skies from around the world!

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Keeping Track of the Kids' Money

A while back we decided to give the kids a certain amount of money every month and make them responsible for their own expenses - clothes, shampoo, makeup, stuff like that. Every couple of weeks I transfer money into their accounts, and they're supposed to keep track of it and pay for their own stuff. It sounds like a good way for them to get used to handling their own money and to get an idea of what things cost and that money does not grow on trees. Well, maybe not that last part, with money just showing up in their accounts.

The problem with the whole system is that they aren't very good at keeping track of the money they spend. Especially Beth. I've also been adjusting the amount I transfer them sometimes - deducting for things like text messages or something I picked up for them when I was out shopping. And then I got busy on the calendar and got behind on reconciling everything. Now I have these odd amounts, and though I knew what I was deducting for at the time, now I'm either totally confused or it takes me a lot longer than it should to figure out what's been deducted, what's been paid for, and what I still need to charge them for. It's too much like running my own credit company, without the benefit of interest and late payment charges.

So, good idea - make the kids responsible for their own expenses and help them learn to handle money. However, to make it very clear to both them and me, I need to set up automatic transfers so they get their money every two weeks, and then I need to turn around and deduct the money they owe from their accounts. It just took me a year or so to figure that out...

I'd Rather Be Warm and Cozy

As mentioned in my 7 Things post, I really don't like air conditioning. I think I would be able to tolerate it, if only people didn't seem to think that air conditioning and refrigeration are the same thing. Sure, turn the air on to get the humidity out and lower the temperature to a comfortable level. That's OK, but why do you have to try and freeze me out?

When I go shopping in the summertime, I have to remember to dress warmly. Summer clothes just aren't practical. The people I go to church with like the temperature a lot colder than I can stand, and let's not even talk about movie theaters.

Then again, let's talk about movie theaters. Last summer I forgot to take a sweatshirt when we went to see a movie. I was hoping against hope that it wouldn't be too cold in there, but of course it was extra cold that night. There was no way I would have been able to enjoy the movie, so I finally had Cory go out to the van (before the movie started) and get the Mexican blanket that we always carry in there so I could cover up and get warm.

I wish I had heard of the Cabin Cuddler and had one of these. The Cabin Cuddler was designed for airplane travelers, to keep them warm in those refrigerated summer cabins and also to address the cleanliness and hygeine issues of all those blankets and pillows on the airplanes, the ones that have been used by you don't know who and cleaned probably never. Can we just say "Gross!"?

I don't travel much, but I can see plenty of uses for this in real my life.

I wouldn't have been able to share with Cory in the movie theater because the Cabin Cuddler is contoured for individual use. That's OK; I can be selfish. He just would have had to have his own. The Cabin Cuddler even has a pocket to keep your feet warm - because sandals just don't do it. The coolest (that is the wrong word, isn't it?) thing about the Cabin Cuddler, besides being contoured to keep every part of your body warm and being machine washable, is that it folds up neatly and fits inside its own tote bag with an inflatable pillow, and then the tote bag turns into the pillowcase. That sounds much more convenient and less bulky than that Mexican blanket! I'd love to have one of these in the back of my van so it's available whenever I need it. I could just grab the handy tote bag and take it in with me.

Cory could have used one of these last year when he went on the band trip to Boston, too. He was supposed to take a travel blanket for the bus, but we didn't really have anything big enough to cover him that wasn't bulkier than he wanted to deal with. I don't think he ended up taking anything, and he did survive, but this would have been so much nicer.

The Cabin Cuddler comes in two of my favorite colors, black and cranberry, and shipping is free if you order two or more. I can already picture a cozy winter day, all wrapped up in my Cabin Cuddler, reading a book. With the Cabin Cuddler you can turn the thermostat down and save money! I'll have to order black, because I'm afraid the cranberry will clash with my red couch.

You're Being Tracked Now

I logged into Google Analytics today, and it's working now. I'm guessing it just doesn't work when you put the code in a widget, and it needs to be right in the html? Or the code changed. Or something. (Obviously something)

I'm still unsure about most things. Do I have to use the widgets for things? Or can I just put it in the code like I'm used to? Trial and error, I guess.

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Full Color Brochures

VistaPrint says that your budget should never force you to decide how many colors you can afford on your custom Brochures. I love that idea, because all those years we were putting together the school calendar, we never had the budget to use more than one color. Even one more color would have made a huge difference. Imagine if you want to put together a brochure to introduce and promote your company. You'll make a bigger impact and better impression with full color.

VistaPrint makes it easy to create your own brochures. Start with one of their templates, add images and text. VistaPrint has over 70,000 images to choose from, or you can upload your own. If you've already designed a brochure on your own computer, you can upload the file for printing. There is a one-time fee for uploaded images and files, but you can use that image in future orders at no additional cost.

VistaPrint lets you order your brochures in whatever quantities you need, and even in small quantities, offers the best value. Printing isn't quite the involved process it used to be, so the cost is lower, and VistaPrint believes in passing the savings on to their customers. For even more savings, enter the coupon code FreeBrochures08 to get 25 Free Brochures with your order.

Bad Program!

Before she left for work yesterday, Beth said her computer was messed up. Some antivirus program had suddenly appeared and started scanning her machine, telling her that she had all kinds of infections. After she left, I had to go into her room to leave some of her laundry on the bed, and her computer was repeatedly restarting itself - blue screen, restart, blue screen, restart... - so I turned it off. The weird thing was that, as I turned it off, I momentarily saw her desktop and running programs. That's not normal.

Last night I remembered that I wanted to turn the computer back on and see how it acted. It booted up, and immediately this program (Antivirus XP 2008) started up and started scanning, saying she had multiple infections. So I started searching for this program online and found that it is definitely a problem. It installs itself without permission, scans your system, and tells you that you have a bunch of fake security risks that can only be removed if you purchase a license to this program that you didn't ask for in the first place. Real nice, huh? It also won't let you uninstall it in the usual way. The blue screen thing? Fake. If you attempt to scan your computer with a real program, this one doesn't like it and tries to trick you into thinking your computer is really messed up. OK, if you have this stupid thing on your computer, it is really messed up. It really needs to go away.

I downloaded the latest version of Spybot Search & Destroy and ran that. The bad program repeatedly tried the blue screen thing while it was scanning, but Ctrl-Alt-Delete pulled it out of it. Spybot found the Antivirus XP 2008 as well as a whole bunch of other stuff, removed most things, and had to restart to remove the rest. So I restarted, Spybot scanned again, the antivirus thing tried the blue screen a couple times, but by the time Spybot was done it didn't list Antivirus XP 2008 in the list of things found. It was past my bedtime by then, so I'm still not sure if it worked. I hope so, because some of the directions for removing the stupid program are just too complicated.

The whole thing just makes me mad. Seriously people - spend your time and energy on creating a good program that people will want to buy instead of on figuring out how to trick them into needing your program, and having to pay you for it. That's just plain mean.

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Do You Like This Movado?

Practically every time we're in a store together, Jeffrey wants me to look at watches with him. Do I like this one? Do I like that one? I must admit that a lot of times I don't like the ones he likes. So he keeps looking.

Maybe I'll surprise him by linking him to these Movado watches at TheWatchery.com, and I'll ask him which ones he likes. He'll be surprised because I don't usually pay any attention to watches. I own a couple, but I never wear them, and the batteries are dead. When I'm at home, I have clocks on the wall, and when I go out, I take my cell phone. Who needs a watch? Jeffrey and Cory, I guess. Neither one of them likes to leave the house without his watch, and Jeffrey wears his all the time, just taking it off to go to bed. He tells me that's normal.

I suppose his watch isn't just for telling time. It's an accessory. It's jewelry, and a reflection of who he is. There are some pretty nice looking Movado watches at TheWatchery.com, at significant savings off the list price. They also give you a free watch with purchase and free shipping. I'm having a hard time figuring out which one(s) I like best.

I can just see it now - we won't even have to leave home. Jeffrey will be sitting in his chair, looking at watches on his laptop and asking me which one I like. He's already doing it with motorcycles and computers. Why not watches? He may just find the one, or actually the two, since he'd get a free one, too.

No Visitors Since 8/17?

I just logged into my Google Analytics account and noticed that it stopped tracking everything the day I switched to the New Blogger. What is that about? I copied the code into a widget, but that doesn't seem to be working. So now I deleted that widget and copied the code directly into the html. I hope that works. Is anybody using Analytics with your blog? How did you make it work?

I went looking for Analytics widgets gadgets, but they all said they were broken.

Visioneyes laser eye surgery

I'm starting to seriously think about LASIK, at least scheduling a consultation to see if it would work for me. I've been wearing glasses since sometime in elementary school, wore contacts for a short time after Jeffrey and I got married and before we had kids, and have been wearing glasses since. When I think about laser eye surgery, though, I worry about the cost, I worry about complications and side effects. I wonder if it's the right thing for me.

I keep coming back to the fact that it would be so nice to be free of the glasses, not to have to put them on first thing in the morning, and still be able to see. I realize that Vistaeyes laser eye surgery Melbourne is a little far away, and I will need to find a reputable clinic a bit closer to home, but their website has some really good information. They have information on the risks involved, types of procedures, basic information about LASIK, and a simple explanation of how your eyes work and how that affects your vision.

If a Vistaeyes clinic is in your area, you can schedule a free consultation online. They'll take care of you from the first time you contact them to your last post-operative exam, keeping you informed every step of the way.

Slap That Hand

I made Chex Mix today, and when Cory came up from the basement and saw it, he was ready to dig in. I had to 'slap' his hand away because, if he gets started eating it, there won't be any left for the rest of us. We can't have that, can we?

I had to search for the Chex Mix recipe online (gotta love the Internet!) and the first one I found only gave microwave directions. I suppose it would be fine, but I just think things taste better cooked in the oven. So I finally found the right recipe. Instead of mixed nuts, I use party peanuts (the kind with no skins) and instead of bagel chips I use Cheerios. Did the 'original' Chex Mix recipe have bagel chips? I certainly don't remember that.

Anyway, one batch of Chex Mix made, cooled, and containered. I will just have to give Cory a little bit at a time if I want to have any for myself.

Relax in a Nice Bath

It really has been a while since I took a bubble bath, or any kind of bath for that matter. Showers are just so much quicker, and I don't take the time to relax in the tub. With two teenagers in the house, you'd think I'd need to more often, but I don't. It's like showers are the norm, and baths are a luxury.

When we were building our house, I would have loved to put a whirlpool tub into our master bathroom. Again with the luxury thing, it just cost more than we had to spend at the time. So we have a basic one piece tub and shower surround, and it works fine. Still, I like the idea of having a whirlpool tub and maybe one of these days we can visit the bathtubs store at Simply Bathtubs and pick one out. They have all kinds of them - drop in, free standing, and clawfoot. Did you know you could buy a clawfoot whirlpool tub? I didn't until I visited this site. I'm not sure clawfoot tubs are my style, but I think they're really nice.

Probably our biggest question if we ever decide to get one of these will be what kind of tub will fit in our bathroom and how are we going to get it in there. You can search on the site by style, length, and price, and, if you still have questions, the people at Simply Bathtubs are ready to answer questions by phone or email and to give advice about getting the right bathtub. I'm sure they've helped other people with the same thing and helped them figure out whether they wanted a drop-in tub or whether free standing bathtubs would be a better fit.

Simply Bathtubs has many different sizes and styles of bathtubs. Their prices are supposed to be the best possible. All the tubs are listed both with the list price and the Simply Bathtubs price, so you can see how much you can save by ordering from them. And shipping is free, every day. Even with these savings, I'm sure it will be a while before we replace our tub. Hopefully we won't need to be looking at the discount walk in bathtubs by then, but Simply Bathtubs has those, too.

That's a Lot of Questions

I stole this from Frigga at Any Apples, but she stole it first, so it's OK. It just looked like fun.

1. How many people live in your house? 4
   
2. Do you like your siblings? Yes, now that we're all grown up and don't live together
   
3. What color are your nails? natural
   
4. What’s your favorite place on earth? my bed
   
5. Ever punch someone in the face? no
   
6. Did you have a dream last night? not that I can remember
   
7. Where is your top from? It's a t-shirt Cory bought in Destin. I got it when he didn't want it anymore
   
8. Are you mad at someone? No
   
9. Where’s your best friend? Sitting in his chair next to me
   
10. Last place you bought something from? Pick 'n Save
    
11. Last person you were in a car with? Cory
    
12. What bank do you use? Chase
    
13. Do you like being in photos? No
    
14. Who’s your last missed call from? Beth
    
15. Ever broken something at someone else’s house? Probably, but I don't remember what or when
    
16. Are you a good driver? I've never gotten a ticket or been in an accident, so I guess I'm OK
    
17. When is your birthday? May 20
    
18. What kind of mobile phone do you have? MotoROKR
    
19. How old will you be in 5 years? 48 (that can't actually be right, can it?)
    
20. Are you a movie buff? I like movies
    
21. If you could move tomorrow, would you? NO. I hate moving
    
22. Do you like the weather today? Loved it!
    
23. Do you like the outdoors or indoors better? Outdoors, but mostly I find myself indoors
    
24. How tall are you? 5'4"
    
25. If you had to choose an age to remain for the rest of your life what would it be? I can't imagine getting younger, so I guess 43
    
26. What’s something in your past you wish you could relive? I really don't know
    
27. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends? Sleep in
    
28. Favorite nearby vacation destination? Wisconsin Dells
    
29. How’s the weather? The weather has been perfect for a while now - 70's during the days and nice cool sleeping weather at night
    
30. Does anything on your body hurt? My heel because I have my feet up on the coffee table, and it's getting a little hard
    
31. What was the last television show you watched? Wanna Bet?
    
32. Do you prefer orange or cherry ice-pops? Orange
    
33. Do you like pickles? Yes - dill, and bread and butter
    
34. Does your hair still smell like shampoo? No, just hair
    
35. What’s plugged in in the nearest socket? Computer, duh! :-0
    
36. What was the last thing you wrote by hand? labels for the DVDs I copied
    
37. What’s your favorite tv advert? I laugh every time I see the one about the milky rollover minutes
    
38. Do you pay attention to celebrity gossip? No.
    
39. Have you sung out loud today? No
    
40. Do you wish it was 4 years into the future, or 4 years back? A little of both, but probably 4 years back, as long as I get to know then what I know now
    
41. Can you touch your nose with your foot? Of course
    
42. Do you prefer paper towels, or napkins? Paper towels - napkins are mostly worthless
    
43. Are you currently texting anyone? No. I don't think I've ever texted anyone, ever
    
44. What was the last movie you watched? No Reservations
    
45. Whom did you last high-five? I don't even remember
    
46. Do you watch the Olympics? If you have to ask that question, then you haven't been reading my blog
    
47. Can you dance? Some
    
48. Do you keep the oil changed in your car? Yes
    
49. Have you ever been hunting? No.
    
50. Do you like taking pictures? Yes!!! :)
    
51. What about making scrapbooks? I've never done it
    
52. Are you a sushi lover? No, never had it
    
53. What is your favorite restaurant of all time? I'm having a really hard time with this one. I'm usually disappointed in restaurants, because I know I could have done better at home, for less money. I'm thinking of a restaurant we used to go to in Champaign, where you got to cook your own steaks, but I can't remember the name. Jeffrey cooked me the perfect steak there - blackened on the outside and red on the inside!
    
54. Does it annoy you when people drive slow in the fast lane? Yes
    
55. What do your parents do for a living? They're retired
    
56. Are there any famous people you’d like to meet? Reba, Tim & Faith
    
57. Do you get tired of hearing about celebrity divorces? Yes, and then especially tired of hearing about them moving on and marrying someone else. Yeah, like that's gonna work.
    
58. What are your plans for the weekend? It's only Tuesday. I'm already supposed to have plans?
    
59. How often do you tan? About once a week when the temperature gets above 60
    
60. Are your nails always manicured? No, never
    
61. Could you ever go without eating meat? Yes
    
62. Where is your favorite place to buy groceries? Super Walmart
    
63. When was the last time you took a bubble bath? Sometime last winter when I wasn't feeling good
    
64. Do have good sense of style? I think so, but my daughter doesn't agree. :P
    
65. If you could have any car, what would it be? Mustang
    
66. Do you like fast food? No, all that grease makes me feel bad
    
67. Have you ever cut someone off while driving? Yes, but not on purpose, of course
    
68. Do you like to receive compliments or give them? Not really
    
69. Have you ever been to a casino? Once, and I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to be there.
    
70. What do you do to relax? Read a book, watch a movie, waste time on the internet
    
71. Do you like kids? Usually
    
72. Does family mean a lot to you? Yes
    
73. Are you going to the beach anytime soon? I wish
    
74. What is your favorite perfume? I don't like perfume. It gives me a headache
    
75. What is your favorite men’s cologne? same as above
    
76. What is your favorite type of dog? I don't have one.
    
77. If you had to move to a different country, which one would you choose? Australia
    
78. Do you like to color in coloring books? Yes
    
79. Do you think you would have been a hippie in the 60s and 70s? I don't think so
    
80. Would you rather be cold or hot? Hot
    
81. What is the one website, other than MySpace, that you visit most? Facebook, except now that there's no Scrabulous, I don't go there as much
    
82. Incense or candles? candles
    
83. What brand of cosmetics do you use the most often? Cover Girl
    
84. What is the one tv advert that annoys you the most? Someone else mentioned this, and I'm going to agree - those V8 commercials where people get bonked on the forehead for not eating their vegetables. Hello, if they had the V8, they wouldn't need to eat the vegetables. Isn't that what the commercial is trying to say?
    
85. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Early bird - except on the weekends
    
86. Would you rather be smart or beautiful? Good thing I don't have to choose! I mean, smart.
    
87. What is your favorite reality show? Survivor
    
88. What ringtone is on your phone? Smiling in the End
    
89. What would you tell a 3-year-old that asks where babies come from? Mommies (I'm keeping Frigga's answer!)
    
90. What is your favorite type of cereal? Granola
    
91. Are you double jointed? No
    
92. What videos do you search for on YouTube? Whatever pops into my head at the time
    
93. Have you ever given money to a homeless person? No
    
94. Have you ever had to go to A & E? If I knew what that was.... Do any of you know what that is? (No, I don't)
    
95. Who is your favorite comedian? Bill Cosby or Jeff Foxworthy
    
96. Name some foods you will not eat: pork, shrimp, lobster
    
97. Do you have any irrational fears? Probably, but if they're my fears, then they're not irrational to me, are they?
    
98. Do you snoop in other people’s medicine cabinets? No
    
99. How much would you pay in ransom if someone stole your pet? Nothing.
    
100. Have you ever eaten green eggs and ham? No.
     
101. Ever had surgery? No.
     
102. Ever walked through a fast food restaurant drive thru? Yes, KFC with Jeffrey way back when!

Wow - that really was a lot of questions! Did anyone make it all the way to the end?

Misty May-Treanor Gets a New Partner

Image by Getty Images
via Daylife Announced this morning - Misty May-Treanor, who, with her partner Kerri Walsh, just won her second Olympic gold medal in beach volleyball, will be getting a new partner. No, not a new volleyball partner, a new dance partner. That's right, the stars for this upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars were announced on Good Morning America, and Misty is among them.

Misty's new partner is Maksim Chmerkovskiy. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do on the dance floor! That mirrorball trophy will go nicely with those gold medals.

The Olympics are Over

You may now resume your regularly scheduled life.

This is not the exact video I wanted, but here are some highlights:



Congratulations to Team USA for winning 110 medals - 36 gold, 38 silver, and 36 bronze.

If someone finds or knows where to find the montage video they played on the TODAY show Friday, the one with the song What if It All Goes Right, please let me know. I really liked that one.

7 Things

Melinda Zook tagged me, and you all know how good I am at keeping up with my tags, right? This is actually pretty good - she just tagged me Tuesday, and I'm already doing this. You should be really proud of me!

The rules:
* Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
* Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. Is it random enough to say that I'm really bad at doing the memes I'm tagged for? I mean, can that count as one of my seven, since I already mentioned it? Well, it's my list so I'm counting it.
2. I'm pretty sure I'm going to suffer Olympics withdrawal this week.
3. When I was in college, I didn't write letters home very often, and my mom really hated that. I just didn't have time to write enough to be worth the stamp it took to mail it. How I wish we had email or blogging back then!
4. Even with email, I don't keep in touch with anyone very well. If they really want to know what's going on in my life, they have to read my blogs.
5. I do not like air conditioning. Other people seem to think that air conditioning and refrigeration are the same thing, and I freeze. I want to wear my shorts and sundresses in the summer, and air conditioning usually means I have to cover up with a sweater. Sweaters are for winter!
6. While it is a bit surprising to those who know me that I like Tillie as much as I do, I am not going to turn into a crazy cat lady. I don't know where Cory gets such ideas.
7. I once attended an Olympic soccer game. It was in 1984 at the Rose Bowl. None of us actually knew what was going on except for our friend from Jamaica who did his best to explain everything. I don't remember who was playing except that the team who won the game went on to win the gold medal that year.

And that's 7! I know the rules say I'm supposed to tag 7 people, but I'm just going to leave it up to you. If you feel like doing this on your blog, leave me a comment, and I'll tag you, or link to your list of 7, actually.

Camera Critters (#20)

Is this normal?  Tillie likes to sprawl all over the place.  The other day I looked over to see her sleeping like this:

She just cracks me up.  I'll find her in the middle of the hallway like this, in the middle of the living room, wherever.   When she wants attention, she'll just plop down, roll onto her back, and give you her tummy to rub, but other times, when no one is around, she's sprawled out like this too.  Must be comfy...

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

and Everyone Says She Looks Like Julia

I saw this on Misty's blog. She morphed right into Julia Roberts! So, since everyone is always telling Beth that she looks like Julia Roberts, I had to try it. Julia Roberts didn't come up at all. Maybe it's the picture I uploaded?

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity

The Price of Driving

Beth keeps talking about buying her own car. She's been looking and trying to figure out what the payments would be and what she thinks she can afford. Right now she has it pretty good, because she gets to drive one of our cars. We pay her car insurance, as long as she maintains a B average in school, and we pay for maintenance and repairs on the car. If she buys her own car, she'll have to pay all that. The only thing she really has to pay for now is the gas she puts into the car, and actually she's not doing a very good job of keeping track of that and paying for it. When she started driving, we got her a Discover card on our account, so she would always be able to pay for gas and not get caught without gas and without cash to pay for it. Also, we get 5% back on the gas purchases. Probably not the best idea because using plastic just doesn't feel like spending real money, and even though she knows she's responsible for paying it, she just doesn't keep track and spends her money on other things before the bill comes due.

So, basically, she owes us quite a bit of money for the gas she's been putting in the car. How does she think she can actually afford a car payment, insurance, registration, and maintenance on her own car? We told her to figure out how much it will cost and start paying herself - putting that amount into her savings account every month. Then she'll get into the habit of paying it and figure out how much she can really afford, before she gets tied to a car payment. Besides, she's not 18 yet and couldn't get a loan, and even though we love her, we're not risking our credit score by co-signing a loan or whatever she thinks we should do. Not without some demonstration that she really can and will handle the payments.

Sky Watch Friday (#35)

It's Friday again, and that means
Sky Watch Friday!

Walking down the path and through the trees, looking up.  I know the sky is up there somewhere!

I feel really short.

 

If you enjoy looking at the sky as much as I do, you'll want to check out Sky Watch Friday.

Credit

As you have noticed by now, I changed my blog layout. I'm liking it. I just wanted to give credit for the original design to FinalSense. They have all kinds of great looking Free Blogger templates. I found one that I liked, and then I modified it. Here's the original:

I changed some colors, added my own pictures, and came up with what I have now.

FinalSense has so many different templates, it's easy to find one you like, just the way it is. Choosing one is the hard part.

Clicksmart - Connecting Consumers and Professionals

There is so much information available on the Internet, but it's not always good information. It's hard to tell the difference between good and bad sometimes. Clicksmart is an online directory of certified, pre-screened experts. Clicksmart takes the guesswork out of choosing the right real estate agent, insurance broker, landscaper, or other professional. If a business or professional is listed with Clicksmart, that means they have met certain requirements in order to be certified. If they don't meet the requirements, Clicksmart doesn't list them.

If you need a raleigh landscaper, you enter your zip code or city and state, and you get a whole list of Clicksmart certified landscapers. You can even search within those results. If you don't need a landscaper in Raleigh, you can search other cities and even find attorneys, realtors, contractors, massage therapists, and other types of professionals.

Come to think of it, we could use a landscaper for that patio project, just not one in Raleigh. I'll have to enter my own zip code.

Go Misty and Kerri!

I'm up past my bedtime again, but Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are playing for the gold medal right now, and I can't miss that. Those girls are so completely amazing. Kerri will do something awesome, and then Misty will, and there's just no way to decide which one of them is better. They are just the perfect team.

Let's go, girls! Gold all the way!

(note my fitness level - sitting on my couch, watching other people get active.)

Gold - Gold - Gold - Gold!!!!!

It's Not Just How Much You Weigh

I heard on the news recently that, if trends continue the way they are, nearly every American will be overweight or obese by 2030. That's pretty scary. What's also scary is that so much emphasis is placed on losing the weight, more so than on being healthy. It's Not Your Weight That Matters--It's How Much of Your Weight is Fat. Normal weight people are not necessarily healthy, especially if they aren't physically active. They can still be at risk for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

I'm really glad that, when Jeffrey decided to lose some weight, he also decided to start walking and working out. It not only helped him with the weight loss, but I know he's in much better shape, and getting better, and his cholesterol went way down! Yes, he looks better, but the main thing is that I want him to be healthy because I want to keep him around for a long time.

From the International Sports Sciences Association:

Press Release:

Fitness Assessment: Measure Your Fat, Not Your Weight
It’s not how much you weigh, it’s how much of your weight is fat.
Simple test determines your fat content, health risks.

Carpinteria, CA – August 20, 2008 - Within the past week, the American Heart Association, Journal of the American Medical Association and the American Cancer Society have cited new studies that seem to indicate the deteriorating health of Americans may not be related solely to weight--but to declining overall fitness levels.

While it is virtually impossible today to remain oblivious to the importance of exercise for staying healthy, there has been a marked emphasis on “weight” versus “fitness” in western society’s perception of health and wellness. Consequently, many people of “normal” weight continue to be uniformed of the fact that they may still be at risk for elevated levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar if they lead a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle.

It has long been known that there are adverse effects associated with physical inactivity. Adults who are less active are at greater risk of dying of heart disease and developing diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure. Illnesses related to physical inactivity and poor diet cause at least 300,000 deaths each year in the U.S.

Body mass index (BMI), which is calculated through a height-to-weight ratio alone has been the standard method of measuring a person’s “fatness” or “thinness” since 1950’s and 60’s, when obesity was becoming a noticeable medical concern in the U.S. As a result, being at a “normal” BMI weight is not necessarily a reliable indicator of health.

In fact, physically active individuals who have more lean tissue than their sedentary counterparts, as well as taller people, often have a BMI that classifies them as obese when they actually have healthy body fat levels. Likewise, and more dangerous, slender or thin but inactive individuals often have a BMI that puts them within normal, or even underweight, ranges when they actually have high levels of body fat.

Because of the overemphasis on BMI that has developed over the last few decades, these “skinny fat” people often remain unaware that they are at an elevated risk for developing diseases typically associated with obesity until they are already facing health issues.

According to the International Sports Sciences Association, an organization that has educated and certified personal trainers for more than 2 decades, using a quick but reliable method of measuring various body circumferences (e.g. neck, thighs, upper arm, waist, hip) to assess total body fat better determines one’s body composition (fat vs muscle) than BMI alone. Measuring circumferences also provides personal trainers and clients with a very easy way to gauge clients’ progress.

“For people to begin to take a proactive approach to their health, they really need to know what their percentage of fat versus muscle is.” said Dr. Sal Arria, CEO and Co-Founder of the ISSA. Dr. Arria goes on to add, “most studies have shown that by just adding ONE circumference measurement at the waist to BMI, you can better predict a patient’s risk for type 2 diabetes and for all-cause mortality. Waist circumference is also about twice as good at predicting future coronary heart disease than BMI alone.”

The ISSA believes that personal trainers and health clubs should be utilizing circumference measurements as another tool to assess body fat because trainers can achieve proficiency with a few hours of practice and when done properly, the results can be replicated.

Patrick Gamboa, ISSA Vice President of Education, cautions that a person’s true fitness cannot be assessed by body measurements alone. True fitness must also take into account strength, aerobic capacity and flexibility measurements to most accurately predict longevity. Most gyms offer this type of assessment for free to their members.

About the ISSA
Since 1988, the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) has provided certification and continuing education to more than 100,000 wellness professionals in 85 countries around the globe. The ISSA offers a core personal training certification as well as eight additional specialized fitness certifications.

I Love Me a Man in Leather

Jeffrey has been riding his motorcycle back and forth to work this week, every day so far. Still he must not be getting enough of riding the bike.

Cory drove me around while I did some shopping today. I bought important stuff like lettuce and nectarines and milk. I also bought some shorts at Walgreens. I bought a couple pair of them last year for $3 each, I think, but now they are on clearance for 99¢. So I bought 3 pair. Then, after I got home and tried them on, I realized I grabbed the wrong size. For some reason I thought I needed a small. Some things I really do need a small, but these smalls are just too tight on my rear end. I know I would not be comfortable wearing them, without wearing a long, baggy t-shirt.

When I mentioned this, and how, at that price, they would probably all be gone by the time I got back over there, Jeffrey offered to go exchange them for me. He did ask Cory if he wanted to drive him over there, but Cory didn't. So Jeffrey put on his jeans, boots, leather jacket and helmet, and rode the bike to Walgreens to exchange my shorts. Sweet, isn't he?


Yes, he is sweet, but I think he really just wanted an excuse to ride the bike.

Official Olympics Visa Gift Cards

So, I'm pretty much obsessed with the Olympics, if you hadn't noticed. I'm sure there are a few other people out there who feel the same way. What are we going to do when it's all over? Only two years until the winter Olympics...

In honor of these Summer Olympics, GiftCardLab is offering official and collectible 2008 Olympic Visa Gift Cards. That's right, gift cards with all your favorite Olympic athletes on them - Michael Phelps, Nastia Liukin, Kerri Walsh, Jonathan Horton... They're all available, but only for a limited time. These are definitely better than your generic run-of-the-mill gift card. I bet you're thinking of all your Olympics obsessed friends and family and trying to figure out which gift cards to get them, right? Or maybe which gift card you want for yourself. Will it be Michael?

Thank You, Country Bob's!

Remember that yummy all purpose sauce from Country Bob's? The sauce that is amazing on grilled chicken and burgers and that makes really good meat loaf? If you haven't tried it yet, you should, and now I have even more ways to use it because today I got this gorgeous Country Bob's cookbook in the mail. I really wasn't expecting that. At all.

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce-BBQ Sauce-Seasoning Salt-Steak Sauce via kwout

There are so many great looking recipes in this book. I don't know what to try first.

You can still get a coupon for a free bottle of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce if you haven't done it yet.

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• Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

Something's Interfering with My Sleep

Image by midorisyu via Flickr They had a story on the Olympics last night, saying that they realize watching the Olympics is interfering with everyone's sleep. I guess we're lucky that it only lasts a couple weeks, right? Of course, the Olympics aren't the only thing that interferes with getting a good night's sleep. Having teenagers seems to be interfering with our sleep, too.

Either Beth works until 10pm, and then has to drive home, or she's over at Tim's and not wanting to come home until the last possible minute. Try explaining that, even though it's summertime and she gets to sleep in, the rest of us are still getting up at normal time. This week I may be staying up watching gymnastics or something else important, but most nights I (we) want to get to bed before 11pm. And I'm just not good with going to bed until I know she's safely home where she belongs.

Those of you still buying diapers and crib bedding may think you're not getting any sleep now, but just wait until those precious babies are teenagers. Parents don't get to get a good night's sleep until those kids finally move out. At least that's my theory.

Heads or Tails - Heads or Tails

That sounds kind of redundant, doesn't it? But...

This week's theme/prompt is:

HEADS *OR* TAILS - Heads *Or* Tails

I'm going with TAILS!!

A twitching Tillie tail, to be precise. I'm not sure what Jeffrey is talking about - something Olympics-related it sounds like. And, speakng of the Olympics, did you see Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh kick those Brazilians' tails? Those girls are absolutely amazing!

Visit the home of Heads or Tails to join in and to see more participants.

Web Hosting Options

Since I just now made the change from Classic Blogger to the New Blogger, I suppose the next question is when am I going to make the move to a web hosting company. Obviously I'm not one to make any major moves quickly. I am looking at the options, though. I like comparing what I get for what price, but I've also come to realize that customer service is a big part of the whole package. If I'm going to jump into something, I like knowing there will be someone to help me if I have any problems.

Network Solutions web hosting has award winning customer service. They offer 24/7 technical support at no extra cost. That's good to know, because I hate being charged for technical support - hate it. Luckily I haven't had any major problems with Blogger so that I needed any kind of technical support because, does Google even do that? I guess you get what you pay for, huh?

Network Solutions doesn't offer free webhosting, but they do have several packages and prices, so you can get just what you need. Along with the hosting, you also get a free domain name, email boxes with spam and virus protection, free website building tools, and more. Standard web hosting starts at $9.96/month with an annual purchase.

I'm not ready to make the change yet, but I'll keep Network Solutions on my list.

Because Lynn Asked

I added some pictures to the header. It is more fun with pictures, isn't it? Probably I should have been doing something more constructive with my time, like clean my house maybe, but now I have pictures in my header.

I've also been playing around with the template on one of my other blogs, and I realized the New Blogger does not work the way I thought it did. I thought the point was that you could change things easily. Well, maybe some things are 'easier' but the fact that changing your template means that a lot of your widgets get deleted and have to be rebuilt and replaced just seems to defeat the whole purpose. The html widgets are easy enough, because all I have to do is paste the html in and save, but what about those link lists? Having to paste in site name and link separately, over and over? Not my idea of fun. Is there an easier way?

It's All New to Me

I finally switched to the 'New' Blogger and a new template. I like the layout, but I'm not sure about the 'New' Blogger and all those widgets or gadgets, or whatever they're calling them now. I think I finally got it figured out, but I feel like I have less control now - even though I can edit the html, it doesn't act like it's going to work.

Let me know what you think, OK?

Post #1011

Nothing significant in that number, it's just that I always miss the milestone posts. I didn't even know I was supposed to be paying attention or that there was any significance, until I had passed way over my 100th post. So, I thought I'd acknowledge post #500, but I missed that one, too, and before I knew it, I had passed #1000. Who knew I had that much to say?

I don't really have much I want to say about progesterone, though - just that I better save this link.

Since I missed post #100 and #500 and #1000, what's the next significant post I should try to catch? Does it really matter?

Camera Critters (#19)

Black dragonfly on yellow. At least the dragonfly posed for a picture, even if my daughter won't.

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by (the dragonfly obsessed) Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

Senior Pictures

So, Beth is a senior this year, and someone has convinced all these kids that the thing to do is get senior pictures taken. Never mind that she 'hates' school and can't wait to get out of there. Beth had to have senior pictures, too. Now, I have a camera. It's digital. I can shoot lots and lots of pictures and probably come up with one or two decent ones, at least. I said I'd take her picture, but she would have nothing to do with that. And when Beth makes up her mind, whether she's right or wrong, there's no budging her. She was not going to cooperate with that at all, even just to see what we might come up with.

So, she made an appointment at Glamour Shots - makeup, hair, photo shoot, and a coupon for 48 wallets for $48 with any purchase. She even took her friend Kayla along so they could have some pictures taken together. All that took about 3 hours, while I waited, and waited. At least I had a book with me, so I did get some reading done. Then, we had to wait some more before we could look at the pictures. They downloaded the pictures to the computer and put them into a slideshow, with music even, so we could look at them and decide which ones we liked. Then she added everything up, and it came to $2300.oo or so, (with 19 poses selected). Nobody in their right mind would pay that much for pictures! And nobody really needs that many poses or that many pictures, seriously. Anyway, we narrowed things down, and it still cost way more than I really wanted to spend, but I ended up buying the pictures anyway. Kayla said it was cheaper than what her pictures are going to cost, and she isn't getting as many. They really did turn out nice. We got 4 different poses, and one of those was of the two girls together, a 5x7 for each of them.

I've been doing some looking online tonight (yes, I should have done this before but I didn't) to get an idea of what senior pictures cost, and, from the pages that actually gave some prices, I guess we came out OK. However, I really would rather have taken some myself, and I see I'm not the only one who thinks so. Here's a great article on do-it-yourself high school senior portraits. Yeah, just what I said - if only that daughter of mine wasn't so stubborn hard-headed picky opinionated determined.

Hopefully next year Cory will let me take his pictures. If we don't get anything he's happy with, then we can look for a place to get his pictures taken - or just buy him a plane ticket and send him to Oregon so his uncle can take the pictures.

Just Sayin'

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Sky Watch Friday (#34)

It's Friday again, and that means
Sky Watch Friday!

I really liked these clouds Wednesday evening.  There's something about big, white clouds that I just can't resist.

Look at the size of those things compared to the houses!

If you enjoy looking at the sky as much as I do, you'll want to check out Sky Watch Friday.

Eyeglasses for Less

Two things I need to do - get a haircut, and get new glasses. I keep putting it off because I don't know what to do with my hair, and I know new eyeglasses will be expensive. That is, they can be expensive if you buy them at the eye doctor or vision place. I've just recently heard about Zenni Optical, and I really want to try ordering glasses from them. They have glasses starting at $8. Can you believe that? $8. That includes single vision lenses and the frames.

They also have glasses that cost more, but I think my favorite $8 are these:


Shipping is only $4.95, so for a total of $12.95, it's certainly worth trying them. I could grab a couple pair for way less than I'd have to pay elsewhere. The shipping is still $4.95, no matter how many pair you order, so it's an even better deal to order several pair at once.

The reason Zenni Optical can sell glasses at such low prices is that they sell only their own glasses, directly to the consumer, cutting out the middleman. I'd say it's definitely worth looking for anyone who needs glasses but doesn't want to spend an arm and a leg. You can also add extras, like sunglass tinting and anti-reflective coating for an additional $4.95, but all Zenni Optical glasses, even the $8 ones, come with anti-scratch coating, UV protection, lens edge polishing, and more. You can find the full list on their home page. You can also get bifocal and progressive lenses, the same things you'd find at the eye doctor, only less expensive.

Zenni Optical was recently mentioned on the Clark Howard Show, and you can read what some real people who have tried the Zenni Optical glasses think of them.

I Was Almost Right

It didn't cost $216 to register the kids for school. It cost $310. Actually, it would have been right around the $200 mark, except that I ended up paying for a parking pass for Beth and going ahead and paying for her yearbook.

$50 for a semester parking pass, which Beth is supposed to pay for. She doesn't think she should have to pay it, but she's driving because she's signing up for work release and going to leave school early every day, hopefully to work. She's tired of 'working all the time just to pay for the gas to get to work' and I figure this falls into the same category. In the end it'll be cheaper than having to pay a few parking tickets.

$60 for a yearbook, since it's her senior year. Even though she 'hates' school, I guess she needs something to remember it by.

Label This

Along with the school fees associated with the beginning of school, there's also the cost of buying school supplies. I heard on the news the other day that the average family spends $500 on school supplies each year, and that doesn't count school clothes. What? It seems like we're spending quite a bit on supplies every year, but there's no way we've ever gotten close to $500. No way.

Still, we end up buying quite a few supplies. In elementary school, the kids needed pencils and crayons, markers, folders, notebooks, and glue sticks. Now that they're in high school the supply list is a little simpler - pretty much notebooks, folders, pens and pencils. Not quite as much fun as when they were little, is it? We also used to design fun labels for all the school supplies, with a cute picture, name, grade, and teacher's name on them. Then the kids got to label all their school supplies. We've kind of gotten away from that, and they usually just write their name in their notebooks and folders. Maybe the kids are too grown up for those cute labels we used to make, but they still need to have their names on everything that belongs to them. Things in high school have a tendency to become someone else's property if they're not clearly labeled.

Perhaps one of these DYMO label makers would be useful. They're small, portable, and easy to use. The kids could make labels for their notebooks and folders, and there would be no question who they belonged to. Besides, labels are more fun than just writing your name. There are some fun ideas and suggestions for getting ready to go back to school on the DYMO website. One helpful suggestion is not just to label the notebooks and folders with the kid's name, but also with the name of the class that notebook is going to be used for. I can see that being helpful, so the kids don't accidentally take the wrong notebook to class.

Once we've got all the new school supplies labeled, I can use the label maker to label all the new File folders I need to keep track of our bills. My file drawer is too full, and I need to clean it out. While I'm at it, I want all new folders with easy to read labels. It's amazing how much more organized I can be with a good system. We could even make labels for Beth's clothes bins, so she knows what is where (when it isn't on the floor) and it's easier to find. And I could label stuff I put in the freezer, and... I can just see labels on everything!

School Registration

I've got to register the kids for school today. I was filling out the paperwork this morning, and I had to stop and think, and double-check. I had to fill in the student's name and grade on each sheet. Grade 12. Grade 11. Seriously? How did that happen? It seems just yesterday they were cute little things starting kindergarten and first grade.

Registration shouldn't be too difficult this year because they sent the paperwork ahead of time, instead of having to pick it up and fill it out there. Both kids need to get their schedules finalized. Every year Cory has to get them to add Jazz Band to his schedule because they leave it off for some reason. This year I watched him fill it in on his schedule, and still they left it off. Beth has to figure out whether she's graduating after first semester or going to be able to take some classes at WCTC through the Youth Options program. I hope she gets to take the classes, because that means at least some of her schooling is paid for.

The thing that always bothers me is that there's no list of fees or even an idea of what it's going to cost me. The secretary just adds up this, that and the other thing and gives me the grand total. I did look it up, and last year it cost me $216, so I guess I can figure somewhere around there. I guess overall that's not so bad, right?

Just My Size coupon, No Matter How Small

I spent a while this afternoon cutting out coupons. Mostly we just get the Sunday paper for the ads and the coupons, but I hadn't cut them out in several weeks. One of the things I hate most is buying something and then realizing I had a coupon for it at home. Every little bit helps, and I'm all for saving as much money as possible.

The same goes for using online coupons. I love shopping online because of the convenience, and oftentimes the price is better. I'm especially happy when I get free shipping, too. Still, that's not good enough if there's any possibility of saving even more. Did I mention that I'm a little obsessive, and cheap? Yep, that's me. If there's a coupon code, I want to use it. I was even excited when I found a code some Micro SD cards I ordered were $9.50 each instead of $10 each. Since I ordered 4, that meant I saved $2. Some people might not think $2 is much, but that's $2 that I can use for something else, like gas! Or put it in the bank and save it for later. See, any coupon is a Just My Size coupon! I'm happy with the little ones, and I'm even happier with the big ones.

Savings.com looks like a helpful site for finding online coupon codes. Members find the coupons and rate the coupons, so it's easy to see which coupons are the most useful and popular. It's easy to search by merchant or category. I'll be checking this site next time I'm ready to buy something online.

So Tired

These guys kept me up too late last night. They were amazing and so much fun to watch.

Is anyone else missing sleep because of the Olympics? I just have a hard time turning it off. And that's just on TV. There is all kinds of content online, too:

Exclusive Summer Olympics news & widgets at NBC Olympics.com!

I especially like the swimming, diving, gymnastics, and beach volleyball. Right now I'm sort of ignoring tennis, but I do have it on. Today I also watched some water polo and a really strange sport that I think is called handball. It kind of looks like soccer, except that the players can pick the ball up, toss it around, and throw it into the goal.

I just heard that Michael Phelps has reached his limit of MySpace friends, so I guess it's too late to be one of his friends. Bummer! He's so awesome, and his dog is such a cutie, too.

Vacation Planning

Since Beth went to Florida with Tim and has been talking about all the fun things they did, I've been thinking it would be fun to go back to Florida. Along with those great Florida beaches on both sides of the state, there are also so many things to do in Orlando. Our favorite place to visit was Sea World, but we also enjoyed Disney and Universal Studios. It seemed like kind of a waste, but Tim's mom took them to Universal Studios when they were visiting. I say a waste because Beth wouldn't ride any of the fun (read scary) rides. Tim had to go without her on several of them. I remember the last time we took her there - she was 1. So I ended up going on at least one ride by myself because she was too little. Then when we went back to Florida when she was 6, and Cory was 4, we took the kids to Disneyworld. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride scared them. They only liked the It's a Small World ride, which seriously is enough to make an adult's head explode. Maybe we should have looked for things to do in Las Vegas instead.

Because everyone likes different things, it's important to plan your vacation ahead of time, so you get the most out of your limited vacation time and everyone gets to have some fun. One of the easiest ways to do it is to sign up for the Trusted Tours & Attractions newsletter. Each month you get informative, useful, and practical articles, travel tips, and money saving deals. Sign up now, and you'll be entered to win a $150 Magellans gift certificate. Last month, they were giving away a $150 iTunes gift card, and before that a camera, so besides great online travel guides and savings on attraction tickets, they have chances to win some great prizes, just for letting them help you plan your next vacation.

We could have visited Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas.

Big Bang - Link Explosion

I posted this a while back, and I keep meaning to update the list. I'm #636, and there are now over 1000 blogs on the list. It really has been amazing watching this spread around the blogosphere. I've been watching my links increase and wanted to link back, so here goes:

*Start Copy Here*

You do not have to be tagged to play along. This game is simple and so are the rules.

1. Copy from *Start Copy Here* through *End Copy Here*

2. Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post the "Big Bang" at each site you add.

3. Tag or don’t tag, your choice, however, the more tags you create the longer the list will grow.

4. Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list. (If you would like the instructions for the scroll box code, leave me your email address and I will email it to you. The scroll box is totally cusomizeable.)

5. Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often. This process will allow late-comers to get as much link benefit as the first ones in. Once you are on the master list people who have participated earlier will update their bookmarks and help everyone lower than them out on the list.

1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Juliana's Site 3-Rusin Roundup 4-Grow Rich Along With Me 5-Comedy Plus 6-lynda's loft 7-Amel's Realm 8-MAX 9-Speedcat Hollydale 10-Mariuca 11-Complain Complain Complain 12-Mariuca's Perfume Gallery 13-Life Is A Roller Coaster 14-Sugar Queen's Dream 15-First Time Dad 16-Life 17-My Life 18-The Painted Veil 19-My Thoughts 20-DatCurious.com 21-Little Aussie Cynic 22-A Nice Place in the Sun 23-DatMoney.com 24-The Down Side OF Up 25-Ladyjava's Lounge 26-Cat Tales 27-moms.....check nyo 28-Colorado Baby 29-It's a Woman's World 30-ENLIGHTENED BITS 31-My View of "It" 32-My Reviews and Finds Along the Way 33-Our Hep Chat 34-Rantings of a Woman 35-The Callalily Space 36-Mom Knows Everything 37-Hazel 38-Chronicles and Tales Unlimited (RED) 39-From the Mouth of Jabber Jaws 40-Sunny Side Up Foodie & Lifestyle 41-Carmel Corn 42-Daily Stock Picks 43-The Whole New World 44-Wifespeak 45-Slavery Bliss 46-Rooms of My Heart 47-Unpredictable Life 48-My Life, My World 49-At Your Service 50-All About Ebay 51-Everything Amazon 52-Dork Muffin 53-My So-Called Site 54-New Wife Blog 55-Tendre Poison 323 56-Nick's Bytes 57-My Scratch Pad 58-Choc Mint Girl 59-Life Is Just Around the Corner... 60-Amori, poseia, art... virtuali by Hanna 61-Maryannaville 62-monaco - monaco's 63-Nyumix's Blog 64-read my mind - my keyboard monologues 65-Shower You Children With Love - The Right Way 66-Secret Agent Mama 67-Pinaymama's Diary 68-Answers to the Questions 69-Work of the Poet 70-A Total Blog 71-My life, my hope, my future 72-NORTE 73-A Window to Our World 74-Life as a Mom 75-FIELD OF DREAMS 76-lisgold 77-See Me for What You 78-Caught in The Stream 79-Pinay Mommy Online - My Home 80-foster me up 81-CRUEL VIRGIN 82-Garden of Moments in Blog 83-So Cute 84-Love Everlasting 85-WeLcOmE To My CriB 86-WELCOM TO PINAYSMILE'S JOURNEY 87-Ice's Icelog 88-Jenny's Wandering Thoughts 89-Hobbies and Such 90-Sweet Paradise 91-Mommy's Gibble Gabbles 92-Rusin Recipe Roundup 93-My Small World 94-Little Peanut 95-Online Ramblings 96-My Mood My Feeling 97-BLOG it with ALLEN 98-Entertainment World 99-Let's Go Singapore 100-Firelynx 101-Catsy Carpe Diem 102-Every Beat Of My Heart 103-Always Da Fresh Princess 104-Listening.. Learning..Living 105-All About Mars 106-Syii From Afar 107-Some Thoughts I Have 108-From Here and Beyond 109-My Paid To Blog 110-Scholarship Corner 111-Cell Phone Review 112-"Apples of the Eyes" 113-It's All About Play 114-The Luttrull Journey 115-RennyBA's Terella 116-Unchained Melody 117-Out of the Blue 118-The Lure Of the Unknown 119-Maricel's 120-my blog 121-Spiff, the Spaceman 122-Living Well 123-The Dog Log 124-Catnip Corner 125-A Piece of Idea 126-Observations From the Back 40 127-Poetry by The Redneck Gypsy 128-Odd Facts 129-Juliana's Lair 130-My life is murphy's law 131-lisgoldsmemoirs 132-My memories, as time goes by 133-Somewhere over the rainbow 134-Blogging by Sandee 135-Our Journey to this so called life 136-Idaho Daily Photo 137-Memories that Never Fades.. 138-Anything goes 139-Your Caring Angels 140-Little Paces 141-Laketrees 142-PoeARTica 143-fracas 144-Just FraCas 145-Archies Archive 146-Growing Up Together 147-A Woman's Diary 148-Mother's Got A Dot Com 149-Close To You 150-Hot Shit Form Here 151-Astro Galaxy 152-Detector 153-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 154-My Life is Peachy 155-The Down Side of Up 156-Magical Milestones 157-In Search of Life 158-RebelationsdotNet 159-Jen Jen's Place 160-Mimi Writes... 161-Strange but true 162-Depois de minha viagem 163-Your Perfect Wedding: 164-Make Money Online 165-Primitive Ornies and Bowl Fillers 166-Vegetarian Diet Lifestyle 167-Looking Out For You 168-BENOLSATUEM 169-OtherSide 170-Hacko's Site 171-where was I 172-Making Money Resources 173-text's Site 174-Movie Corner 175-Rahasia Bisnis Internet 176-Online Dating Tips 177-Beauty Kissing Tips 178-Forex Trading Tips 179-Singapore Tour Guide 180-PPC vs PTR 181-Indonesian Film 182-Adsense Success Stories 2008 183-Bali Tour 184-Paypal Indonesia 185-Review Bisnis Internet 186-Blog Daniel Scardua 187-Much of a muchness 188-Gagiers Amazing World 189-Clumsy Mommy 190-Leaotheblogger 191-PBDesigns Reading and Crochet Blog 192-Gagiers Striking Zone 193-DrowseyMonkey 194-Yesterday Today n Tomorrow 195-Auntie Dar's Life 196-Sky Windows... 197-Filippino Life Abroad 198-Leao the Blogger 199-Zoop's Rantings on Life 200-My Journey 201-A Sweet Taste of Life 202-This is a Miracle 203-Lavanderia Virtual 204-Nancies's Web - Family Life 205-Dating Profile of the Day 206-my wooden robot 207-Juliana's World 208-urban : trendy : lifestyle 209-Lucel Juliana's Library 210-Cooking Momster - My Life Journal 211-Anggie & Jeremy boy Online Journal 212-'Doc Doc Doc' 213-Transforming My Life 214-Gratitude Journal 215-Simplydunn.net 216-emila's illustrated blog 217-AZZY'S BLOG-A-ROONIE! 218-MAMABLISS' TREASURED MOMENTS 219-The Sky's the Limit 220-PROJECT HEAVY TRAFFIC 221-just another ordinary story.. 222-Samuel Rolo 223-The end mission! 224-R S S Submissions 225-Laice's Pics 226-Health and Fitness 227-Brainybimbo 228-Journey with WaterLearner 229-Zoop's Rantings on Life (at Blogspot) 230-Dear Me (Ivan) 231-Tour the Tabon Caves 232-Book Calendar 233-Love me. Hate me 234-Everyday health and beauty 235-BLOGANDO & ANDANDO 236-Memoirs.:*CRoSs mY hEARt*:. 237-The Chic Shopaholic 238-CK Go Places 239-Red Empress: Hell Flavored, Taste like Valentine 240-QUEENBEE 241-Le bric a brac de Cherie 242-jaqqq in the blogs 243-Bijoux & Banter 244-When Silence Speaks 245-MadTomatoe's Blogging Tools and Widgets 246-Conceptis addict 247-Madamoiselle 248-My Wooden Robot Blog 249-A Simple Life 250-It's a dog's life 251-A Technocrat's Blog 252-Misty's Words 253-My Dogs Keep Me Sane 254-New England Lighthouse Treasures 255-NoDirectOn (not: NoDirection) 256-Additional BlogLOve 257-I am DZOI 258-Caroland's Breathtaking Adventure 259-Blur Ting 260-Rojoy's Daily Update 261-Down River Drivel 262-Momhood Moments 263-Real World Mom 264-REALWORLDMOMUNPLUGGED'S WEBLOG 265-Lucca D Jiwa 266-AngrianiWorld 267-Marketing•Review 268-sejuk sesangat 269-Everything and then Some..... 270-Gbex...reachingOut 271-Heart of Rachel 272-The working mom / Finding balance... 273-Madamoiselle ver.2 274-Latest Keyword 275-Tanny's Blog 276-Pay to Review 277-Happy Life 278-Pet Haven 279-Teratak Nurani 280-A Melhor Novela de Todos os Tempos do Último Verão 281-TYNIE World 282-Wanmus's Blog-get cheapest web hosting 283-mokkikunta 284-BLOGHIT, POLIBLOG, TOP TOPICS 285-none of your business 286-Expat Travels 287-The Poor Mouth 288-GIRLIEGEEK.ORG 289-Tau Tau 290-Points of View 291-kimf3's Blog 292-Bing-My Treasures 293-Everything Green 294-The Pipeline Fixation 295-~Menempuh Arus Masa-Life-Photography~ 296-Pea in a Pod 297-{Me and Mine} 298-Beblan Anak Tukang Jahit 299-How Bourgeois 300-Julie's Blog 301-Emphbone 302-Simply the Best 303-Euroangel Graffiti 304-My Daily Nourishment 305-the worldwideweb addict 306-(¯`•._.• PalavraS ArticuladaS •._.•´¯) 307-The Big Life 308-Wild Borneo 309-Failure is the Key to Success 310-The muxic box's memories 311-What Goes Under the Sun 312-Cronaca di Gatteo 313-Angelika's other blog 314-So Real 315-Jaque 18 316-Overtime 317-When Life Becomes a Book 318-On the Bricks 319-Central Perk New York 320-The Simple Life of a Baghag 321-BlogBlast For Peace: The Official Site 322-Miss Cellania 323-Miss C Recommends 324-homeschooling.teacherjulie.com 325-belolats.com 326-The Original Blue Ribbon Bloggers 327-No nonsense Internet Tips 328-Its Not a Weekend; Its a Lifestyle 329-myfavehangout.com (Rich Valla) 330-Blog District 331-Official Travel Guide 332-EMJEI SAYS 333-www dot project rasso dot org 334-Work At Home Opportunities 335-VirusHead 336-Gracie de Guzman 337-Jollyjo 338-Jollyjo.tv 339-Ev Nucci's THE CAREER STRATEGIST 340-Ev Nucci's Resource Economics..Grease your brain 341-MARKETING MYSELF 342-NORTE 343-ACROSS THIS BRIDGE 344-STRUGGLING PARENTS 345-Read Between the Lines 346-Internet Lifestyle 347-THE SLEEPING TURTLE ART GALLERY 348-HIDUP BIAR SEDAP 349-BLOG ABOUT RICH 350-7101 Islands 351-Binding Ink III by Ndp the Poetress 352-mutiara hati 353-GreenBucks 354-Istilo Pinoy 355-Sweet and Complex Living 356-Angelika 357-my thoughts in writing 358-sharingplatform 359-Just the way it is... 360-LUCID CREATIVITY (Nelle-MyVirtualWorld) 361-TEACHERJULIE.COM 362-Bits and Pieces 363-Confessions Of A Breathing Tote Bag 364-My Joys 365-Fiction Earth 366-... My Precious ... 367-MY VIEWS ON MY SO CALLED LIFE 368-A Reality Bite 369-Cobb Community 370-Angelea's Blog 371-Janeth Vicy's Life Journey 372-NinaRepublic 373-Peaceful Mind 374-ME, MYSELF + 2 375-Mommy Jane and Little Sophia's Fasion misADVENTURES 376-ONKNEES - ITS NOT WHAT YOU THINK..... 377-SHEENISM 378-SAILIN' THRU LIFE (ASecretPlace) 379-Project Management Tutorial 380-Labindalawang Piraso ng Kokomban 381-Gorgeous Traveller 382-Sharing Gifts and Ideas 383-MUMBLINGS 384-Because Life Is Fun 385-PsychPatient MD 386-Everything Is Free 387-BRAINY MOMMY 388-Simply Unique 389-precious moments 390-Pearly Scripts 391-LIGHTNING AND THUNDER 392-Rayani Friends 393-WORK CULTURE 394-Psychology 395-Gold News 396-Applied Psychology 397-Scientific Psychology 398-Backwoods Drifter 399-New Beginning 400-Life in General 401-Life Is Like That (That's Life) 402-Life With Roxxymetal 403-SEXY MOMMA 404-The Z Files 405-I'll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book! 406-DOODLE PAGE 407-Escape Hatch 408-The Official Afterslaughter Weblog 409-Mommy's Little Corner 410-MALTED MONKEY 411-MOM AND THE CITY 412-Life with the Two Crazy Dogs 413-the joys (and pains) of being a woman (My Untamed World) 414-Making Cents-Sense of Technology 415-USER GAME REVIEWS 416-Write Shy 417-DOMANTYS.net 418-ZWANG 419-ANYTHING GOES! 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Testing

I've been wasting time trying to figure out how to use Utterz this morning. I'm sure this will come in handy somehow, if only I can figure out how to use it. Those of you already using Utterz - any suggestions?

Mobile post sent by bcmom using Utterz. Replies. mp3

Our Soon-to-Be Patio

We're still waiting, but by the end of the month we're supposed to have some holes drilled out back. We're waiting because the guy who is going to do it has been really busy with real work. He's doing it as a favor because Jeffrey helped them re-design their cabin.

Jeffrey and Cory moved all the rocks from out back, and Jeffrey has it all measured out and marked. He wants to at least get the posts for the pergola put in. He was thinking get the pergola built and then put in the patio, but we were talking to a guy who does landscaping and patios at the fair last weekend, and he said do the patio first and then the pergola. Whichever way we do it, the posts at least need to be there first, because you wouldn't want to get the patio all finished and then have to come in and move pavers and dig things up to put in the posts, right?

We won't be needing patio furniture covers any time soon, but at least we're moving in that direction. I'm already looking forward to being able to sit out there and have my coffee in the mornings. I can even take my laptop, because there's power out there!

Camera Critters (#18)

Last Sunday Cory had to work at the State Fair from 8am-3:30pm. Since someone had to take him to work, we decided we might as well just take him and wander around the fair while he worked. We ended up spending most of our day watching the youth competition in the National Clydesdale Show.

First was the Youth Decorating, where the young people had 30 minutes to decorate their horses for competition.

When they were finished, the judge critiqued their work and gave them some pointers.

Then they were judged on their showmanship.

All the youth also had an opportunity to judge a group of horses. They were all out on the floor with the official judge, had their own score sheets, and we're scored on how closely they matched the scores of the official judge. I thought that was really neat.

Then they hitched their horses to carts and drove them around the ring.

One of the cart drivers was very young. I think they said 8 years old.

And then they added a horse and drove the wagons.

In the end, this young lady, who was right in front of us during the decorating (the one in the first picture), won the overall competition. This really takes some serious work and dedication on the part of these kids. It really is amazing. Certainly a very enjoyable way to spend a Sunday.

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

Yummy Potatoes

We've got a potluck tonight, and I went looking for a new potato recipe. I found this recipe for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, and I'm pretty sure we'll all need diet pills after we eat them. They smell wonderful, but the fat and calories - cream cheese, butter, sour cream. (I didn't use low-fat cream cheese)

They smell so good, that I doubt anyone is going to care, though. And calories don't count on the weekends, do they?

Alaska or the Caribbean?

In the past when I've thought about going on a cruise, I always thought of a Caribbean cruise - somewhere I could get some sun and spend some time on gorgeous beaches. Since I've seen these gorgeous tabblos by JoanW of her cruise to Alaska, I think I've changed my mind. The scenery! Mountains, glaciers, wildlife. Scroll down, start with Part 1, and go through them all. She shared so many great photos from her trip that I'm starting to think that those other cruises would be a letdown.

What do you think? If you've been on a cruise, or more than one, what kind of cruise would you recommend? Because, one of these days, we are going on a cruise.

Sky Watch Friday (#33)

It's Friday again, and that means Sky Watch Friday!

I missed Sky Watch last week because we went to the Wisconsin State Fair to see REO Speedwagon in concert Thursday night, and then I knew I didn't have time to post and visit on Friday. The week just doesn't seem complete without Sky Watch!

Here's a 'fairly' nice picture from the Fair, when we went back on Sunday.

We go to the fair almost every year, but we've never ridden these. Maybe one day. It would be interesting to see the fairgrounds from above, in the sky.

If you enjoy looking at the sky as much as I do, you'll want to check out Sky Watch Friday at its new home.

Wednesday in New Jersey

It's been ages since we've been to an amusement park. We have one not too far from here, but somehow we never get around to going. The truth is we tend to do more fun things when we're away from home on vacation. That's pretty typical, I suppose. So, if I want to do something fun, we're going to need to get away, maybe on a family beach vacation to New Jersey. There's a really great-looking park there called Morey's Piers, and I would love to go there.

They have special deals every day of the week, and I've found the perfect deal, for me and Jeffrey, definitely not for the kids, though. Listen to this:

XTREME RIDE WEDNESDAYS - $30

Take a turn on each Xtreme ride, then enjoy unlimited rides on all six roller coasters AND AtmosFEAR.

Oh yeah - unlimited roller coasters! My kids are wimps. They won't want to have anything to do with those roller coasters. Instead they'll want to spend time at the New Jersey waterparks. Morey's Piers has those, too. They have one called Raging Waters that looks like lots of fun.

Morey's Piers looks like a great place for a New Jersey vacation, and you can even book your hotel on their website. I guess I only have two questions - When can we go? and is it still considered a family vacation if we're not actually spending time together? There's so much to do at Morey's Piers, I'm sure we could find something we'd all enjoy doing together, if it's only eating pizza.

Piggy Bank Giveaway

Lynn - the piggy bank painter is giving away 2 adorable piggy banks over on her blog, After the Dust Settles. You can either win this little guy, the Whole Melon Piggy Bank, or you can win the piggy bank of your choice. I looked through all the different ones on the site, and there really are some cute ones, but I like this new melon one best, so that's the one I want!

Is the Media Supporting Obama?

Here's an interesting site - it's called UberSpat. Here users can create and participate in active online debates. They can be on any topic, and users can post evidence or arguments, such as blog entries or articles. Evidence is rated, and the best evidence eventually ends up on top. It should turn out to be a good resource site on a variety of topics.

I need to either search out or start a topic on smoking in public places because I'd love to see what people come up with. For now there's an interesting and timely spat entitled: "The media is blatantly supporting Barack Obama's presidential bid". On this topic, I'm just going to say that my usual morning news show seems to be walking a fine line of balance. If they talk to one of the presidential candidates, they talk to the other one. They don't seem to be overly hard, or soft, on either one of them. I guess that puts me on the Oppose side of that topic.

Now, when Hilary was still in the race, they did seem to be on her side, but that may just be because the two anchors are women, and it seemed to be a women's issue. Me, I'm a woman, and I can't stand Hilary.

Calendars - Tabbed and Counted

We got the calendars back from the printer yesterday - all delivered to the high school at 1pm. Most of them needed one tab put on, to keep them closed for mailing. Luckily, this week is band camp, and we arranged with the principal and new band director to have the band come in and help us. Those kids were awesome and whipped through those calendars! We were supposed to have them for half an hour but ended up getting them for 45 minutes, and they got about 3000 calendars done. Last year we didn't realize how good they were and didn't give them enough calendars so there were just a few of us left to finish up, and we ended up being there until 9pm or so. This time, we had them tabbed, counted, boxed and loaded by 6pm!

Our last year, and we finally figure out how to get it done in a timely manner...

Then today we took them to the Post Offices to get them out in the mail. By tomorrow everyone should have their brand-new School District Wall Calendar - only a week into the first month. That's not so bad, is it? Last year's went through August, so it's not like anyone was without a calendar...

Fancy Jewelry

I was so excited to receive a strand of freshwater pearls from PearlParadise.com in the mail a few days ago. I've never had real pearls. One look at these gorgeous black pearls, and I was in love. Of course I had to show Cory, and do the Pretty Woman snap the box shut thing. I never even had jewelry that came in a fancy box like that.So I've been wearing the pearls around the house, wondering why I never had pearls before. Now I remember - I always thought they were too expensive to even consider, but browsing the PearlParadise.com site, I realize they come in a wide range of prices. And yes, they can be expensive, but Pearl Paradise sells them at significant savings over traditional retail. If you want to buy pearls, this looks like the place to do it.

There's also a lot of information on the site about how pearls are formed, the difference between natural and cultured pearls, how to choose pearl size and necklace length, and how to take care of your pearls once you have them.

Thank you so much Pearl Paradise! I love muscles - mussels - pearls!

Heads or Tails - Manner

Image via Wikipedia

Today's theme is:

HEADS - Manner

The first thing I thought of was that part in Pretty Woman where the hotel manager teaches her which fork to use for what. How do you learn table manners if there's no one to teach you?

"I definitely have the salad fork. The rest of the silverware is, a little confusing."

I wanted to include a video of just that part, but I couldn't find one and didn't know how to get just that, so instead I started looking up table manners and found this site - Table Manners in 20 Minutes, which looks like a very helpful site.

Visit the home of Heads or Tails to join in and to see more participants.

4 on Explore

I was scrolling down the page when I noticed my Flickr widget. I'm used to seeing 2 on Explore, so I had to go check and see what the other two were.

1. Glow, 2. Sunset, 3. Stacks of Waffles, 4. Beth and Balloons

Do I know why or how they got there? No, but it's still kind of fun to note. I got to 4 one other time, but then it dropped to 2 and has stayed there for ages.

Camera Critters (#17)

My Camera Critters post is really late this weekend because we had friends over and played Mexican Train dominoes. I really need to get to bed because we have to get up early in the morning and take Cory to work at the State Fair, and then Jeffrey and I are going to spend the day there while he works. That means I have to get up at 6am on a Sunday. Whose bright idea was this, anyway?

I should be able to get some critter pictures at the Fair, so that will be a good thing. I thought about skipping Camera Critters altogether since I wouldn't be around, but I really can't let an opportunity to post a picture of Tillie go by without grabbing it, right? I probably won't get around to visiting any of your CC posts until later Sunday night or sometime Monday, but I do look forward to seeing them.

So, here she is, Tillie Cat, outside.

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

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• Camera Critters (#15)
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My House Smells Fresh

I recently received a package that contained a Renuzit TriScents scented oil starter kit with Seaside Breezes™ scented oils. As a rule, I avoid scents because so many of them bother me - perfumes, colognes, air fresheners - so I probably never would have bought and tried this. But, I was willing to give it a try.

Cory put everything together and set it to low. There are three settings on the Renuzit^® TriScents™ fresheners so you can decide exactly how much scent you need. We decided to put it in the hall bathroom because that's where the cat's litter box is, and we thought that would be the best room.

I have been pleasantly surprised by this freshener. The scent is not too strong. Actually I should say the scents are not too strong, because there are three different scented oils, Relaxing Waves™, Beach Breezes™, and Ocean Oasis™. The scents transition every 45 minutes. I'm going to be honest and tell you that I'm not really sure which scent is which, and I haven't spent a lot of time trying to see how they are different from one another. All I know is that they are fresh, pleasant scents, and they keep not only the bathroom smelling nice, but the rest of the house too. I would probably be happy with an even lower setting, and I'm not going to try the higher settings. For me, personally, I think that would be just too much, but it is nice to know there's the option, just in case that litter box gets too bad and Beth really needs to take care of it.

The fresh scent is supposed to last up to 60 days if you use it on the lowest setting, and then refill kits are available at your local retail store, suggested retail price $4.99. I can either go with the Seaside Breezes™ scented oils again or try the other fragrance, Morning Meadow.

If you'd like some extra freshness in your house, too, look for Renuzit^® TriScents™ fresheners where you shop.

Smoking in Public Places

We've been to two concerts in the last week - Styx and Boston on Saturday night and REO Speedwagon last night. The bands were great. I enjoyed listening to them. What I didn't enjoy was the fact that I had to breathe tons of cigarette smoke simply because I wanted to be there. It gets me to wondering - who decided that only the smokers get to have fun? Any kind of event like that and the smokers come out - huge throngs of them. The rest of us have to decide if the event will be enough fun that it's worth exposing ourselves to that. Do I really want to breathe that, probably get a major headache, burning eyes and sore throat? Or would I rather stay home?

And, seriously, why should I have to make that kind of choice? Why should my desire to see a concert mean I also have to be packed in with people blowing smoke in my face? And, no, they can't just smoke and get it over with. They have to constantly light up - first this one and then that one - never stopping, and each time it's like a new slap in the face. Do they honestly not know how rude, inconsiderate and obnoxious the whole thing is? Sure, they have a right to smoke, but what about my right to breathe? Who decided my rights are less important than theirs?

Couldn't we just cluster all the smokers somewhere together - downwind from the rest of us? Let them all breathe each other's smoke and let me actually enjoy something for a change?

I Need a Title for This Post

Poor Cory. First he had to work all day at the fair, and then since we were going to the concert last night, he had to stay at the fair until that was over. Talk about a long day with a lot of standing and walking. He was moaning about needing some kind of gel insoles or something for his feet. I can sympathize because I used to be on my feet all day, too. I remember it took me at least a week to adjust and not have sore feet every day.

Also, since he's used to sleeping in, getting up at 6am yesterday, then not getting home until after 11pm and having to get up again this morning at 6am was hard on him, or so he thinks. But he's young, he'll survive. Any ideas whether lack of sleep causes blackheads or not? Still, he won't die. We're the parents. We're much older than he is, and we got up early and got to bed late and got up early again, too.

You know? I'm glad tomorrow is Saturday so we can sleep in.