We Caught Fish!

I took today off from all this computer craziness, and we went fishing. We went to a lake we hadn't been to in a while, Lake Cherokee. The ducks were friendly, and the fish were biting. I posted all the pictures here if you want to check them out. It was wonderful spending the day with my little family.

Last night Junior and Ryan went to their normal fishing spot on Lake Blalock, and Ryan caught the first catfish of the year. Of course, because I wasn't there, I have no picture to show you. I really need to get Junior in the habit of taking the camera when they go. Not my new pretty purple one...the old one. I don't want mine accidentally ending up in the lake. I know how those two can be!

What Happens In Vegas

The clumsy and reckless Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) is fired by his boss and father (Treat Williams) and together with his friend and unsuccessful lawyer Hater (Rob Corddry), they decide to go to Las Vegas to have a good time. Meanwhile the fiancé of the workaholic stock broker Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) breaks up their engagement because of her lack of attitude. Her friend and bartender Tipper (Lake Bell) convinces Joy to spend a couple of days also in Las Vegas. Due to a hotel management mistake, they are lodged in the same room and later they hang around together. During the night, they get completely wasted and on the next morning, Jack and Joy find that they got married. While discussing to briefly end their wedding, Jack borrows a coin from Joy to gamble in the jackpot machine and wins three million dollars. They question in court the ownership of the money and the conservative Judge R. D. Whopper (Dennis Miller) freezes the money and sentence them to live together with Joy moving to Jack's house for six months and attending regular counseling sessions. Each one decides to make the life of the other hell on Earth to force to get out of the marriage.

I loved this movie. I am a fan of Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz to begin with, and being able to watch them together was a treat. They had amazing chemistry, and kept me laughing the whole movie.

If you haven't seen this one, you should. I recommend it highly.

Cool Custom Shirts

I was checking out this website, MONIKER, that sells custom men's shirts. It was pretty cool. You get to pick all aspects of the shirt you want, from collar type to shirt tail. You then choose a fabric, and have a shirt made to your specifications. The shirts are just Phase 1 of Moniker's roll-out. They will soon introduce Phase 2, which will be a full menswear line, including suits, sport coats, trousers, vests, tuxedos, and top coats. They are also hoping to introduce a women's line 2010. I am excited to see what they will offer for us ladies. Another thing I like about them is that they have committed 10% of the companies equity to a charitable trust that will invest in efforts to end poverty. That means when you buy a shirt, you are also giving to charity. That is very cool.

88 Minutes

In Seattle, the successful forensic psychiatrist and college professor Jack Gramm (Al Pacino) is in evidence since he was responsible for the condemnation of the serial killer Jon Forster (Neal McDonough) influencing the jury to sentence him to the death row. Jon accuses Jack of manipulation, inducing one witness and sister of one of his victims to testify against him. On the eve of Jon's execution, Jack receives a phone call telling him that he has only eighty-eight minutes of life, while a killer is copycatting Jon, killing women with the same "modus-operandi" and is investigated by Seattle Slayer Task Force. With the support of associate Shelly Barnes, an FBI agent, his friend Frank Parks, and his assistant Kim Cummings (Alicia Witt), Jack investigates some weird and problematic students, a security guard of the campus and the woman with whom he had one night stand. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil


I'm not sure what I thought of this movie. I know, that doesn't make much sense. I think the idea behind the movie was good, but the acting left a little to be desired. I almost felt like each actor was portraying their roles individually, but they never fully came together. There were too many twist and turns, most of which made little sense, and were not necessary to the plot. Alicia Witt played Kim, Jack's student teacher, and I was not impressed with her acting at all. It seemed emotionless. And she was in most of the movie. I don't think I would recommend this movie at all, unless you are really bored and have nothing better to do.

MagNext Is Fun

All three of my kids love to play online. They have specific websites that they are allowed to go on unsupervised, and this is one of them. It's called MagNext, and it has quite a few games the kids can play. When I signed each of them up, they were able to chose a marble, that represents them onscreen. Kasi was quick to enter the shop, where she decorated her marble with a Santa hat. They have all kinds of things you can "buy", like the ability to change the color of your marble. I liked the pinkish purple color with the white butterfly, but Kasi had her own ideas.

Ryan was not interested in the shop. He just wanted to play. Of course, as soon as he realized there was a racing game, that was where he had to be.


He spent a lot of time playing The Spheron Speed Challenge. It looked like fun, so I told him to let me try. Of course, I was no where near as good as he was. There is just something about boys and their abilities to play racing games.

Both kids were excited to invite their friends to play. They can meet up with them, and play games against them. This is a safe place for them to play, and that is so important to me. I asked each of them if they would come back to play again, and of course they both said they would.

Camera Critters ~ 29

I think I said last week that I was done with my zoo pictures. I was wrong. I found this one of the birds that drink nectar right out of the cup if you hold it out. On this trip, I was lucky enough to get pooped on.
To participate, go here.

Junior's Toys

My husband loves his air compressor. He especially loves the Stanley Bostitch Pneumatic Tools that go with it. I, personally, am afraid of most of them, especially the nail gun. Those things can shoot a nail straight through you. It did come in handy, though, when Junior put the new roof on the old house. Instead of hammering down each shingle, he used the nail gun and saved himself a lot of effort. Not that putting down the shingles was easy, but it was a lot easier than it could have been. I like his air compressor because it makes blowing up my lawnmower tires a lot easier.

Awesome

I was all set tonight to drop Brandi off with the party and head to my moms. We got there early, so we were waiting on Sara. When they got there, the mom said she already paid for my ticket, so I should stay. So I did.

Missy...we got to see it in 3D! The only bad thing was we were in the second row (the place was packed!) so now my vision is all messed up!

I totally recommend this movie! I am a big Seth Rogan fan, so it's no surprise that his character, Bob, was my favorite. Such a simple little monster, who kept me laughing the whole movie!

If you are thinking about going to see this, GO! It's great!

Are You Feeling Busted?

I think most people, at one time or another, have shopped at Sears. In my opinion, they offer something for everyone. My husband loves getting his tools at Sears, because they come with a lifetime warranty. I think in the fourteen years we've been married, he has only had one tool replaced. That just shows how well the tools are made.

My kids get a lot of clothes from Sears, too. Especially for Christmas. This past year, my mom gave Kasi a pair of jeans. The first time she put them on, the knee split right open. I'm not sure if it was weak material, or if it has been sliced with a razor knife or what, but I took it back to Sears and they replaced it. The women who work there were so nice. I know they didn't have to replace the jeans, but they did. That is awesome customer service.

Sears is having a sale right now where you can get 75-80% off original prices on fall and winter apparel. This is the perfect time to do some Christmas shopping. I know that's what my dad does. This sale only lasts until April 18, so take advantage while you can. If you can't get to a Sears store in person, shop online at Sears.com

Another cool things Sears is doing right now is their Busted Moms contest. If you are on Facebook, just become a fan. Then tell Sears why you think you should receive a $2500 Mommy Makeover Package. All you have to do to enter is share your story about how the economy has left you feeling busted.

You can also enter the contest through Twitter @bustedmoms.

So what are you waiting for? Go shop, and share your story. That's what I am going to do.

Monsters VS. Aliens

Brandi is going to see this movie tonight as party of a birthday party.

It's supposed to be awesome because it's the first cartoon to be done in 3D.

I have seen some of the coming attractions, and it looks like it's pretty funny.

Ryan and Kasi want to see it too, but I refuse to pay $10 each for us to go see it.

I'll wait until it comes out on DVD in a couple of months, and buy it for them. I'm cheap, I know!

Got Music?

Are you a musician? Are you looking to get more people listening to your music? If you want world wide exposure, upload your music to YouMusic.com. You can upload audio or video, and then promote yourself in the chat rooms. You can even enter to win prizes. Check out YouMusic.com - Got Music? Find Fans! Love Music? Find Talent!

The Evils Of....

If you are friends with Kasi on facebook, this is to let you know I deleted her account.

She did a very irresponsible thing, and gave out her username/password to her friend.

Am I being to harsh? I don't think so.

That friend could decide to tell her friend, who tells their friends, and so on and so on.

I wish I could figure out a way to show her the dangers of the internet.

Any ideas?

Thursday Thirteen ~ Nine

Thirteen New To Me Blogs I Enjoy Reading

burlap condoms

contemporary concepts

dogmaw glass

in the back door of my mind

insanely chay

just me

kala pohl designs

mummy diaries

spotted cow soaps

sunflower seeds

the way i see it

where the road takes us

yummy

I think I found most of these blogs through entrecard.
Others have commented on my blog in the past, and now I am loving theirs.
If you are looking for new blogs to read, I recommend checking these out.
They are great reads.

To participate, head here.

Stop Gambling

Have you ever heard of poker machines? They are big versions of the little hand held poker games you can buy at any electronics store. These poker machines used to be legal in South Carolina. You could find them in convenience stores all over the state. A few years ago, they became illegal, because people thought they were having a negative impact on our community, and that people were wasting their money by gambling on these machines.

I can see how some people can become addicted to these types of machines. But making a particular form of gambling illegal doesn't solve the problem. The people who became addicted will find other ways to gamble. You can just as easily play poker online for real money, too. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out that these same people are gambling online. Gambling is like any addiction. People are going to find a way to do it.

If you know someone in your home that is addicted to online gambling, you should get BetFilter. This program blocks access to online gambling. It is one hundred percent discrete, and can not be un-installed within the license period. This is a great way to prevent the ones you care about from gambling away all their money. Just make sure you get them outside help, as well. Like any addiction, gambling needs to be treated like an illness. There is help available.

Passionate Blogger Award

Two of my favorite people, Tammy from crazy mom with four boys, and Kat from candles, crafts, and whatnot, gave me this award.

Thanks guys!!!! I love both of your blogs!

I want to pass this along to Jenn, Missy, Tammy, Kristin, and Diana.

You are all passionate bloggers, and wonderful friends.

Satellite Versus Cable Television

I have cable television. When I signed up, I got a deal for twelve months. I have my phone, internet, and cable bundled together for one bill each month. It is easier to keep track of just one bill each month, but I gotta tell you. When my twelve month deal is up in August, my cable bill is going to go up a lot. I need to start looking now for a better way to get all the channels I want.

Junior is wanting to go with a satellite. We looked into Dish Network, and right now they are offering an amazing deal. They have a package that is only $9.99 a month. I think the cable portion of my bill is about $55 a month, so I would be saving about $45 if I switched. There are so many things I could do with an extra $45 a month! They are even offering free HBO and Starz for three months, or five channels of Cinemax for a penny a month for twelve months.

If you order now, they are also giving away some pretty cool free gifts, like an apple iPod with 50 free music downloads, a digital camera, or a digital picture frame. I have been wanting one of those digital picture frames, so that is just an extra incentive for me to give in and let Junior get his satellite.

Kasi

We just got back from Kasi's concert, and it was great. She did a wonderful job.

This is a shot of her in her gown, before we left.

I have some pictures from the performance I will try and post on my picture blog later tonight.

I am so proud of her.

Kid's Choice Awards

Kids Games | Kids Video | Kids Music | Quiz

Do you have kids? If so, I am sure you are well aware of what the Kids' Choice Awards are. They will air this Saturday, March 28, at 8pm on Nickelodeon. I know we will be watching them here. Right now, kids can vote for who they want to win. Just clicking on the widget above will take them where they need to go to do so.

I, of course, know most of these shows all to well, and have my favorites. I would love to see iCarly win. As much as I like Hannah Montana, the show, I am not too keen on how Miley lives her life. She's not a great role model for my kids. But Miranda Cosgrove is someone I don't mind my kids looking up to, and I really do enjoy her show. I also hope Twilight wins, because, well, we all know how I feel about that series of books. I will be SHOCKED if it doesn't. I am hopeful High School Musical 3 will win best movie. I know I voted for it. I really did like that one. It is up against The Dark Knight, and that one might just win because of the whole Heath Ledger thing. Who knows. I am sure I will find out, though, because my kids will be glued to the television watching.

Chorus Concert

Kasi has a chorus concert tonight. Junior took today off so he could go. The funny thing about this school is that they recommend that you leave after your child performs. There are usually too many people in the auditorium, and leaving provides seats for those left standing. Luckily, the chorus performs first, so we should be out of there by 6:45.

Return Address Labels

Most of you probably think of business cards when you here someone mention vista print. I know I do. When Junior had his own mechanic business, we used them to make his business cards. They have an awesome variety of free business cards. The only catch is you have to have their advertising on the back. We did not care about that.

What I didn't realize is that they offer a variety of other products as well. I was checking out their return address labels, because the only ones I have are basic ones that a charity sent me, and I want something a little more, me. Those of you who know me, know exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something purple, preferably with an elephant.

I was able to find purple labels, and I even found a yellow label with a pink elephant. But, I wanted purple with en elephant. So I did the only thing I could think of. I used their simple program to make my own. What do you think?
It was so easy to do. They had a nice variety of templates to chose from, and I got to pick everything from the color of the words to the font used. I like the fun type of fonts, and this one was perfect. The original template had the writing lined up on the left, but I chose to have it centered. That's just what I like. There are probably thousands of combination's you can use, so your labels can be truly unique. I really do think I am going to go back and order real labels in this design. I think it's very "me".

Ordering is very simple, as well. I had the option of saving my design by entering my email address, that way when I go back to the site later, I can find my elephant labels. There prices for these are reasonable, as well. I was very pleased with the whole experience, and recommend them for all your label needs.

Birthdays!

Today is Jennifer's birthday!
Head over to A "Sample" of Jennifer's Thoughts to wish her a happy birthday!
She's such a wonderful mom and friend!

It's also my sister Colleen's birthday!
She doesn't have a blog...maybe someday!

Happy Birthday Girls!

Ryan's New Favorite Movie

The girls and I were excited that Twilight was coming out over the weekend. I had budgeted the $17 so I could get it for them on Saturday. Well, as luck would have it, Junior lost a hundred dollar bill sometime on Friday, so my extra money was gone.

No Twilight movie.

We woke up Saturday, Junior's birthday, and I worked our money enough where we could still go out to eat to celebrate. Junior worked until 3, so me and the kids had all day to ourselves. I was looking for something to watch, and saw where my cable company had Twilight on demand. So, I ordered it for $4.99, and in the following 24 hours we watched it 4 times! lol!

The funny thing is, Ryan was making fun of us girls, but decided to watch it, "to see what all the fuss was about". He loved it! I think it was all the vampires, not the love story, that got him.

Well, yesterday we had our birthday brunch, celebrating all the march birthday's in the family. My sister Colleen gave Junior a gift certificate to Target, and my sweet, sweet husband bought my girls, and Ryan, Twilight with it. He said he felt bad about losing the money, and wanted the kids to have it.

Awwwww....

He's such a good guy!

Happy Birthday Carrie!

Guess who's having a birthday today?
One of my bestest friends, Carrie, from rantings of a woman.
Or maybe you know her from jabber jaws.
Either way, make sure you go wish her a happy, happy birthday!
Love ya, Carrie!!!!!!

New Young Artist

I grew up in the eighties. When I was in high school, there were two teen aged artists who came out with albums, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. They were both young, and my parents didn't mind me listening to them, because they were so unlike all the other hair bands of eighties fame. There was always a debate about who was the better artist, and like many people, I thought it was Debbie Gibson. She showed such dedication to her music by writing her own songs and recording them in the studio she had build at her home. I think I was right, because even today, Debbie, who later decided to go by her full name, Deborah, is still singing, and last I heard, Tiffany was posing for adult magazines.

Now that I am a mom, I would love to find the same type of singers for my kids to listen to, and I think I found it. Lena is a young artist who has been singer for as long as she can remember. In the past, she has recorded covers of others artists music, but recently she has released a new song, Framed. She wrote this song in collaboration with Kosta Lois, a veteran Hollywood music composer and producer. You can listen to it on Lena's myspace page. I let my kids listen, and they all enjoyed the song. I will warn you, though, not to let your kids read the comments, because there is some bad language.

Hubby's Birthday

Doing what we do best...

...laughing!
The girls surprised Junior with supper at the Beacon (yuck! but Junior loves it) and then cake and presents at home.
They got him a bunch of fishing stuff, and homemade cards.
They lined our driveway with birthday signs, and I'll be posting those pictures here.
It was a wonderful day!

Sale At Sears This Weekend

How cute is this dress? I found it at Sears.com. The best part is that it is a plus sized dress. As most of you plus sized girls like me know, it is so hard to find comfortable, cute clothes to wear in the summer. Most things are just so tight and unflattering, that you just end up sweaty and miserable. This cute little dress looks like it would keep me cool, and make me look a little fashionable.

If you are looking for a great deal on fall and winter Sears apparel, shop between now and April 18th to get 75-80% off original prices. I know my dad and his wife love to hit these types of sales, because they stock up for Christmas next year. They definitely need to save where they can, because this year they will be buying for 21 grandchildren. Yup, I said 21.

You can save even more if you shop this weekend, because between March 20-22nd, they are offering an additional 15% off shopping pass on regular, sale and clearance priced apparel, shoes and accessories. You can go here to print out your coupon. The best part is that you can use it in store or online. So go. Shop. Find some cute stuff and save some money.

Busy Day Ahead

Tomorrow is Junior's birthday.

The kids have a lot of baking and cake decorating to do tomorrow while he is at work.

I also have to get this house spotless, because we are having a "March Birthday" family party here on Sunday.

Not only is Junior's birthday in March, but my sister, brother, brother-in-law, niece, and two nephews also have birthday's in March.

It's a busy month for us, so we celebrate them all at once.

But being sick this week, I have a lot of cleaning to catch up on.

I'm gonna be a busy girl...

Picture Bracelet

My sister comes down from New York to visit once a year. A few years ago, she came down in February. She had just been to a jewelry party, and bought herself the coolest bracelet. It was silver, with six spots to put pictures of her kids. I loved it! If you know me at all, you know my kids are my world. I asked her where she got it, because I wanted one, and she told me they were only available in New York.

Three months later, I got a package from this same sister. It was a gift for Mother's Day. I'm sure you have guessed by now that it was a bracelet, just like the one she had. She even took pictures of my kids and put them in it, so it was ready to wear. I absolutely love this bracelet, and still wear it from time to time. I need to update the pictures, because as you can tell, my kids have grown a little since then.


Do you have any Jewelry Stories that you like to share? If so, you can enter this contest to win a diamond necklace. All you have to do is share your jewelry story like I did. While you are at the website, check out the Jewelry Information Center. You can find information about jewelry trends, cleaning tips, and even educate yourself about the different kinds of jewelry available. Make sure you read all the jewelry stories that others have shared, and make sure to share your own.

Watch This!!!!

You have got to watch this video! It is all Brandi!

I was playing with Ryan's video camera. I've never used it before, so I was trying to figure it out.

I don't think I did too bad a job!

My voice still sounds a little funny from being sick, though :)

Emerge Labs OrganicSkinCare.com

I am all for healthy looking skin. I never wear makeup, so I do not have to worry about build up from that. However, I do love my skin to be soft and wrinkle free, and prefer to use products that are natural, and not full of harsh chemicals. That is why Emerge Labs Organic Skin Care sounds like it would be perfect for me. They use cells from a rare Swiss apple, which have been shown in studies to protect skin stem cells, which promotes self-renewal capacity of the skin. Sounds great, right? In fact, all of their skin care products are 1005 natural and organic. I think I might just give it a try.

Ginger Is Out!

The past few days have been beautiful! Because of this, Ginger keeps running out. Well, this morning, he ran out, and I couldn't get him back in. So, we decided to leave him out with the boys. I thinks it's what's best, and what will make him happiest. Unfortunately, I don't know what to do about Brandi. She wants a cat to sleep with, so I guess I'll be looking for a kitten...a GIRL this time. I'm gonna make sure of it.

Prom Time

It is almost that time of year again. Prom. The highlight of every teen aged girl's high school years. I remember mine. Deciding which dress to wear, in what color was the hardest decision to make. To help make it a little easier, if you are looking for a prom dress, or even an evening dress, ElegantMart.com has them for less.

Feel Better, Mom!

I got these beautiful flowers from my beautiful daughters.

Why?

Because I am beyond sick.

I can't stop coughing...I have no voice!

I can't talk above a whisper.

I have spent all day dozing in bed, which is where I am heading right now.

I just wanted to let you all know that I have read all the comments on my last post, and as usual, you guys rock!

You made me laugh, you made me cry (miss donna!), you showed me the support I needed, and helped me to see what is really important. I am going to respond to it all, maybe tomorrow, when I can think clearly....I am heavily medicated on nyquil right now...and most of you may know that I DO NOT do well with medicine...I will sleep for days....

But, when I am up and around, I will be back!

Hold On...

Hello all. It's been a while since I have given you a rambling, senseless post, so hold on tight cause here it comes.

I have been thinking a lot about this blog, and what purpose it serves. Aside from the paid posting, and an occasional meme, I find it lacking. I use more filler posts, and have found myself not really "writing" on here. I put my pictures on a separate blog, and my crafts on another. I have my weight loss blog, but that is private, and also lacking lately. I find that when I made it private, I lost a lot of readers on that one. In fact, I think only missy and miss donna were reading it on a regular basis. Which leads me to something else I have been having trouble with.

I used to have a lot of loyal followers. Friends who commented on every post, every day. Now, don't get me wrong...I love you guys who still do this! I appreciate the heck out of you guys!!!! I just mean that at this time last year, I had a group of women who were like sisters to me. None of them are actively blogging anymore, and I miss them. I miss the daily interaction. I don't know how to find that again. The blogs I read now are great, but they are their own little communities. How do I make myself fit in with them? I don't know.

I am the queen of lurking. A lot of the blogs I read every day, I never comment on. I just don't feel like I am witty enough, or that my comment will be as good as the others. Does that even make sense? I want to find somewhere I fit in....

So tell me your secrets. How do you find new blogs to read, and in turn make new friends? Because isn't that what this whole blogging thing is about? Connecting with people who share our interests, our daily struggles and accomplishments? Making new friends along the way?

On a side note...there is no show funnier than The Big Bang these days...

Um...where was I? Okay. I knew when I started doing the paid posts that I would lose some readers. I used to hate reading blogs that did paid posting. I understand. If you hate the paid posts, just read every other post. I think that is what happened. My posts, my stories, got lost between the paid posts. Then I just stopped writing them. I need to write more, and write better. About me. About my family.

Wow. This post sounds a little whiny, and that was not my intention at all. I am just a little lost right now, and trying to find my way back to it. But back to where, I do not know. That's what I'm trying to figure out. I find myself spending more time on facebook these days. I know, there are a lot of you right there with me. That's not helping this blog either. And now with all the talk about entrecard changing next week. I'm not sure what to do about that, either.

Do you see a common problem here? I am just so unsure of a lot of things. I hate feeling this way. I am a creature of habit. I do not like for things to change, yet I feel a change is desperately needed around here. I have been debating becoming a dot com, but do I really want to do that with this blog? As stupid as this is going to sound, I miss enjoying the ride. I wish I could go back. I wish I had never let certain people run me away from who I was. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe I am just unhappy with the whole concept of this blog. Maybe things have gotten too complicated. I want things simple again.

I would not trade the last year for anything. A lot of changes happened to our little family in the last 18 months. All good things, but changes none the less. Junior and I both had surgery last year...can you believe it's been almost nine months since I had my boobs done?...and then we moved. The kids lost a lot of family...3 grandfathers, two grandmothers, aunts, uncles and cousins. It's been hard. I haven't talked about it much on here, because I wanted to keep this blog upbeat. Which means I probably won't talk about it again. If you really want to know the whole scoop, let me know. I'll give you access to my private blog and you can go read my entries from the past year. It might give you a better idea of who I am, and who I want to be.

That's pretty funny, that at 37 I am still unsure of who I want to be. I know I want to be skinny, lol, but we all know that will never happen. I'll settle for healthier. I've always wanted to be a mom, and I rock at that, if I do say so myself. But I'm not sure who I want to be. I'm the wife, and the mother, but I think the woman has gotten lost somewhere along the way. Make sense?

I bet at this point, if you've even made it this far, you're wondering what brought all of this on. To be honest, I'm not too sure. Maybe it was seeing my number of followers increasing, but the number of commenter's decreasing. Maybe it was realizing that it only takes me about thirty minutes to visit the blogs I love each day, and I feel like I need to put more of an effort into visiting others if I want others to visit me.

So I will leave you with this...

Let me know you're here. Even if my writing sucks, just say hi. Tell me to step it up a little.

If you lurk on my blog, speak up! I will come visit you, too. I know this is a give and take, and I am ready to give more. I want to be a better blogger, and a better friend.

Help me get there.

Please.

Find A Great Job

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I was the GM of a division of an industrial Fortune 500 company, and although I had a good job, I wanted to take advantage of the tremendous growth in China. I asked Lightship Research http://www.lightshipresearch.com if they could find American companies with manufacturing operations in China and then, of course, line me up with the hiring authority in the US. I wanted to make sure it was an American company so I could repatriate in the future. They did two searches for me: one to find all of the industrial companies where I could generate leverage in China and the second to find out which ones were owned by American companies. It took 8 weeks and I accepted an offer to be a Division President for a capital equipment manufacturer just outside of Beijing. My team was very knowledgeable and very professional. I recommend them to anyone making an executive job change.

T. Chen, NC

Izea (sham)ROCKS!

I opened my door this afternoon, and found this.
A green box.
From Izea.
I've never gotten a box from them before...so I was excited!

I looked inside, and found this:

And under the shirt, I found all this:

Brandi just had to model all the goodies...

and then stole the t-shirt and pencils!

There were fortune cookies, and a sucker, and mints, and even energy drinks.
I just have one question...did you get a box, and if so, can you use the link they put in the card to find out about the energy drinks? I can't...for some reason it says the site doesn't exsist.
Let me know...

Real Men Wear Pink

Does your husband, or significant other dress nicely for work or church? Do you like for him to look his best when you go out for dinner? If so, you should check out these Luxury ties. They are one hundred percent silk. Don't you just want to pinch it between your fingers and caress it? I love the color of this tie. Some men don't like wearing pink, but I think just a little splash, like this tie, would look great on any man.

You can find this, and other beautiful ties, at B.J. Brand New Ties. If you order before April 15, you can get free shipping.

Sick....Again! I Hate This Weather!

I am coughing, yet again. I can not take a deep breathe. It hurts to much.

Ryan has been coughing again, for days now. His chest muscles hurt, too.

Brandi is all congested, again, and Kasi has been coughing, too.

I wish Mother Nature would just decide whether she wants it to be warm, or cold.

This going back and forth is killing us!

Kissimmee Giveaway

I will admit it. I have only been to Florida once, and it was before I was married. I was twenty two, and we went to visit my Aunt. It was the first time I experienced the major theme parks, and I had an amazing time. I have been thinking about taking my kids to vacation there, and have pretty much decided on Kissimmee as the place to go. Not only do they have tons of things for families to do, like going to museums and theme parks, but they also have a lot of things families can do for free. I was excited to read that there are plenty of lakes in Kissimmee where fishing is permitted. In fact, they are full of bass just waiting to be caught. I can see my family fishing and picnicking on the waters edge. This could keep us entertained for days. I would also want to be a part of the Kissimmee Sculpture Experience. This is where you can walk downtown, and view the artwork of a dozen artists whose work was selected to be on display along the streets.

Now that I have told you what we plan to do in Kissimmee, don't you want to go, too? This is where I can help. You could win one of five vacations to check out Kissimmee for yourself. You could win one of three weekend getaways for two, or one of two week long getaways for four. All you have to do is go here to enter. I entered, and all I had to do was fill out a general form, with name, address, phone number, and then check that I was over eighteen. That was it. So what are you waiting for? Go enter for yourself.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

How all you entrecarders read about the upcoming changes? I gotta tell ya, I spent the last two nights reading all the comments, and I am amazed at how many people have such strong opinions about the changes about to take place. Me, I don't think I understand it enough yet. I get that they are going to sell advertisers our widget spots. I get that we will have to pay (with credits) if we do not want the ads to run. I understand people being upset by this. What I don't get is the whole "above the fold" thing, which they have no changed to "one scroll down". People are in an uproar about being told where to put the widget. I, personally, hate when I have to search a page for the widget, and find it all the way at the bottom. But that is just my opinion. The people who are complaining about it, have know from the time they joined that it should have been up top. I just don't get what all the fuss is about.

What do you think?

Do You Ride A Bike?

Do you ride a bike? I don't mean the kind of bike you peddle, I mean the kind of bike you RIDE. If you do, are you a lone rider, or do like riding with a group of people? I love seeing a bunch of motorcycles coming down the road. They make a lot of noise, but I love seeing what they are wearing. My favorites are the guys with the long beards and all the leather clothes. They look like they are having such a great time. I bet they would love this metric motorcycle community
where they can watch videos and see pictures of awesome looking bikes. I'm not even a biker, and I enjoyed watching the videos!

100 Truths

I found this on posh totty and thought it looked interesting. Feel free to steal it and do it yourself.

1. Last beverage → water...I've been a good girl lately...gave up the diet soda
2. Last phone call → my sister, Tami
3. Last text message → don't text
4. Last song you listened to → the beginning of iCarly
5. Last time you cried → watching ER the other night...I am so sad it's ending

SIX HAVE YOU EVER:

6. Dated someone twice? → nope
7. Been cheated on? → nope
8. Kissed someone? → yup
9. Lost someone special? → haven't we all?
10. Been depressed? → yes.
11. Been drunk and threw up? → um....who hasn't

LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:

12. purple
13. purple
14. purple
15. purple

HAVE YOU:

16. Made new friends → it's hard for me to make friends, I'm very shy, but yes
17. Fallen out of love → that's a tough one...I think there are different kinds of love
18. Laughed until you cried → yeah!
19. Met someone who changed you → I think everyone we meet changes us in some way
20. Found out who your true friends were → yup
21. Found out someone was talking about you → yes, and I have been guilty of talking about others...it's something I have worked really hard to change about myself.
22. Kissed anyone on your Facebook friend's list → *blushes*
23. How many people on your Facebook friends list do you know in real life → more then half
24. How many kids do you want to have → already have three monsters
25. Do you have any pets → yes, four cats
26. Do you want to change your name → nope
27. What time did you wake up today → the first time...7am to get Junior up...then about 9:30am for good
28. What were you doing at midnight last night → seeing if any opps came open...I'll share a secret...more times then not, PPP posts opps between 11:50pm and 12:10 am. shhhh...don't tell anyone...I stay up most nights to see if they do, then I drop my 300 ecards, then I go to bed.
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for → when Junior is completely smoke free
30. Last time you saw your father → my birthday-ish
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life → I wish we didn't live paycheck to paycheck...it sucks.
32. What are you listening to right now → Speeders...this show is so funny!
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → Sure...my dad, my brother, and my nephew
34. What's getting on your nerves right now? → the kids are hyped up on sugar, and it's after 10pm...I really wish they would go to bed
35. Most visited webpage → facebook, without a doubt, with my blogs a close second

36. What's your name? → jennifer
37. Nicknames → jenn...if you call me jenny I will ignore you...unless your my Aunt Linda or nephew Matty
38. Relationship Status → married, happily
39. Zodiac sign → Aquarius
40. Male or female or transgendered → um...what is transgendered? I'm a girl
41. Primary School → yup, went and graduated...won the music award
42. Middle School → yup, played in the orchestra
43. High school → most days...graduated with regents diploma...not quite honors, but better then a regular diploma
44. Hair color → blond-ish
45. Long or short → pretty long
46. Height → 5ft-ish
47. Do you have a crush on someone? → James Marsden
48: What do you like about yourself? → my sense of humor
49. Piercings → yes :) only in my ears
50. Tattoos → um, no, that would require needles and I don't so needles
51. Righty or lefty → righty

FIRSTS :

52. First surgery → c-section with Ryan
53. First piercing → I was 12 when I got my ears pierced
54. First best friends → christina carey and kristen banfill
55. First sport you joined → I did cheerleading as a kid...that's about it
56. First pet → probably a cat...we always had cats
57. First vacation → crap, I don't remember
58. First concert → okay, first concert I was in was 4th grade orchestra...first concert I went to was new Kids On The Block
59. First crush → oh, man, I think his name was Brian

RIGHT NOW:

60. Eating → nothing
61. Drinking → water...still being good :)
62. I'm about to → play bubble town!
63. Listening to → still Speeders
64. Waiting for → midnight....you know, the ppp secret I shared before?

YOUR FUTURE :

65. Want kids? nope...I'm DONE!!!!
66. Want to get married? um, I hope to STAY married...
67. Careers in mind? I want to be the best blogger in the world! LOL! Just kidding...I just want to make enough money to pay a few bills

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX? -

68. Lips or eyes → I'm a sucker for blue eyes
69. Hugs or kisses → hugs
70. Shorter or taller → taller.
71. Older or Younger → my man is older by 6 years
72. Romantic or spontaneous → I am a creature of routine...
73. Nice stomach or nice arms → I don't care so much about either
74. Sensitive or loud → um...we're loud...does that answer this one?
75. Hook-up or relationship → I guess since I'm married I'll go with relationship
76. Trouble maker or hesitant → who made up these questions????

HAVE YOU EVER :

77. Kissed a stranger → nope.
78. Drank hard liquor → sure...I used to love me some vodka
79. Lost glasses/contacts → I have never lost my glasses because they are always on my face
80. Sex on first date → I'm a good girl ;)
81. Broken someone's heart → not that I know of...but I have had my heart broken
82. Had your own heart broken → I guess I answered that one already
83. Been arrested → nope.
84. Turned someone down → yes
85. Cried when someone died → um, I'm not made of stone.
86. Liked a friend that is a girl? → liked like LIKED? No.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

87. Yourself → if I don't, who will?
88. Miracles → absolutely
89. Love at first sight → lust maybe, but not love
90. Heaven → yes.
91. Santa Clause → don't we all?
92. Kiss on the first date? → sure
93. Angels → the one looking over me works overtime, I think

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:

94. Is there one person you want to be with right now? → I'm with him already.
95. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? → No.
96. Posting this as 100 Truths? → I guess...but if this is 96, how is it 100 truths?

Web Hosting

I have been thinking, for a while now, about becoming a dot com. I was looking into buy domain hosting, and this site seems to offer a great deal. For starters, their initial registration price is low, and if you buy their hosting, you get your .uk domain name for free for the first two years. Of course, after those two years you will be charged their normal renewal fees, which are low. You can check them out here. They include a homepage builder with your domain name, and you can have up to a three page website. There are no set up charge, either. There are no additional extras you need to purchase. Everything you need is included in their low prices.

Of course, there are other features I haven't mentioned. Most of them I do not understand yet, which is why I am still doing research. They include URL forwarding and email forwarding addresses with your domain name, for free. From what I understand other hosting sites charge for these services. I am still looking into what is the best option for me, but I will say that this sounds like a great deal. You may not want to pass this up.

Beautiful Quote

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right.

Forget about the ones who don't.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

I stole this from frigga, just because I liked it.

Camera Critters ~ 28

It's been a while since I posted an elephant picture, so here you go. This is from our zoo trip in December, and the last of my pictures. I guess I need to find more animals to photograph! lol!
Good thing I have four cats.
To participate, go here.

Beads, Anyone?

Don't you just love these beads? They are from Kristin's etsy shop, Paper Mache Beads.

You can have a chance to win these cute little pink beads by entering this giveaway.

I found these beads in her etsy shop, too. I love the black with the purplish colors.
In fact, I love all of her beads. You should go check them out.
I'm sure you'll find some you love, too

Dolphin Bubble Rings

Did you watch the video above? If not, you should. It is awesome.

Dolphins are such beautiful creatures. I could watch them swim all day and never get bored. I would love to one day swim with some. I have seen videos of that, and it looks like it is an amazing experience.

The video above shows dolphins at SeaWorld. The dolphins that live there have found a way to entertain themselves. They have learned how to make bubble rings. It seems they shoot air out of their blow holes, and by angling their heads a certain way, the air that comes out is formed into a ring. At first it is a pretty big ring, but as the dolphins play with them, they get smaller and smaller. The dolphins like to spin them and twirl them, and this motion makes the bubbles sink instead of rising to the surface of the water. When they get really small, the dolphins pop them, and start all over again with a new bubble ring. It's really amazing because this is something that they have taught each other.

I would love to be able to witness these Dolphin Bubbles first hand. I think a trip to SeaWorld might be in our future. Maybe a few years into our future, but I would love to go visit the underwater view areas and see this behavior for myself.

Out Of Their Mouths....

I found this over at the wise young mommy's, and thought it looked like fun! All you have to do is ask your kids these questions, then post their answers. The girls were excited to do this, but Ryan was a reluctant participant, but I'm sure you can tell that by his answers.

1. What is something mom always says to you?

• B ~ do your homework
• K ~ give me the remote
• R ~ shut up and do your homework

2. What makes mom happy?

• B ~ elephants
• K ~ when us kids leave her alone
• R ~ when we (the kids) are good

3. What makes mom sad?

• B ~ getting dog poop on her clothes (I don't ever remember this happening!)
• K ~ when I fell down the hill (at the old house)
• R ~ missing an opp online

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

• B ~ she tickles me to death
• K ~ when she forgets something, then remembers a minute late
• R ~ she falls alot

5. What was your mom like as a child?

• B ~ I don't know!
• K ~ nice
• R ~ mean

6. How old is your mom?

• B ~ 37 (yup)
• K ~ 35
• R ~ 80 (smartass)

7. How tall is your mom?

• B ~ taller then me
• K ~ 5 point 9 inches (yeah, she said inches)
• R ~ shorter than me

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

• B ~ eat salad and play the computer
• K ~ play guitar hero
• R ~ being on the computer

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

• B ~ how would I know?
• K ~ work
• R ~ sad, sits and cries

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

• B ~ collecting elephants
• K ~ cooking
• R ~ being grumpy all the time

11. What is your mom really good at?

• B ~ making money
• K ~ beating Ryan at guitar hero
• R ~ yelling at kids

12. What is you mom not very good at?

• B ~ nothing
• K ~ she's good at everything (I love this kid!)
• R ~ fishing

13. What does your mom do for a job?

• B ~ make money on the computer
• K ~ pay per post blogging stuff
• R ~ sit at the computer

14. What is your moms favorite food?

• B ~ salad and chinese
• K ~ chinese
• R ~ bacon ( I hardly ever eat bacon?)

15. What makes mom proud of you?

• B ~ getting A's on my report card
• K ~ good grades
• R ~ catching fish

16. If your mom were a cartoon, who would she be?

• B ~ spongebob, because I want to see you everyday, and I watch spongebob every day
• K ~ tom, from tom and jerry (I have no idea why)
• R ~ bronze kneecap (I have no idea who this is, but all the kids cracked up when he said it...I think I might have to look this one up! lol)

17. What do you and your mom do together?

• B ~ read and sleep (yes, she sleeps in my bed)
• K ~ play ladder ball
• R ~ play guitar hero

18. How are you and your mom the same?

• B ~ both like purple and elephants
• K ~ we're both girls
• R ~ we have the same middle name

19. How are you and your mom different?

• B ~ she has dirty blond hair, mine is real blond (thanks kid, lol)
• K ~ I have to go to school, and she doesn't
• R ~ she gets to make the punishment decisions, and I wish I could

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

• B ~ she always hugs and kisses me, and tells me she loves me
• K ~ she takes us places she doesn't really want to go
• R ~ she says she does

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

• B ~ he's funny
• K ~ nothing (funny kid)
• R ~ that he's gone most of the time (an even funnier kid!)

22. Where is your moms favorite place to go?

• B ~ chinese buffet
• K ~ away from Ryan (nice sister, huh?)
• R ~ home, because whenever we are out, all she ever says is that she wants to go home.

Well, there you have it. Let me know if you do this with your monsters, I mean kids, cause I'll come read your answers, and give you a little link love!

Finding The Bad Stuff

Did you ever get the feeling that the person in the cubicle beside you is looking at things on his computer that he shouldn't be looking at while at work? To avoid creating a hostile work environment, there is a program you can use to discreetly scan work computers for questionable content. It's a safe and simply way to make sure your company is not exposed to harmful content. You can even make your employees aware that you are using this program, and it might deter them from going to these sites to begin with.

Where Is The Sun?

It seems our nice weather is taking a vacation. Our 85 degree days of the past weeks are gone. They were replaced with 40 degree temps and rain. The good thing is tomorrow I have no where to go, so I can spend the day at home, cleaning. I mean, what else is there to do on a cold and rainy day? Oh. yeah, sleep. That would be nice, too...

Nice Service Pieces

I never had a wedding. My husband and I were married at the courthouse on a Thursday morning. We decided against a big, formal wedding because I was 5 months pregnant at the time. I wore a blue maternity dress, and her wore black jeans and a shirt. There was no wedding dress, no tuxedo, and no bridesmaids. I didn't have a bridal shower, or a bachelorette party. I didn't get to register for the things I wanted at the fancy stores. My husband and I started our life together with nothing, and have come a long way.

I would have liked picking things out and registering for nice things. I always pictured myself picking out beautiful black and white china pattern, with luxury flatware and cutlery to compliment it. I would use these on holidays when I had my family over, and in the future when my kids had kids and they all came home for Christmas. I remember how my my mom used to use her good china and flatware on Thanksgiving when our entire family got together. I always complained about the forks, because they only had three tines, and it was hard to eat corn with them. You just couldn't get it to stay on the fork. I knew then that all my future forks would have four tines.

These days I use paper plates and plastic silverware when we all get together, and that's okay. It's more about being together than the things we use to eat. I would like to invest in some beautiful flatware someday. Maybe for my anniversary one year I will ask my husband to but me some. I don't need anything overly ornate. I have simple tastes. Maybe something with a simple rounded bottom, with a little decorative edge. I really like these:


Aren't they pretty? Not too fancy, but not too plain either. I think I might show this picture to Junior, you know, for future reference.

Thursday Thirteen ~ Eight

Thirteen Things That Need To Be Done Around Here

laundry...there are at least three loads that need to be done

floors...I hate mopping, and will put it off until it is absolutely necessary

curtains...they need to be washed, but that just adds to the laundry

bathrooms...does you stay clean for more than an hour? mine doesn't

fridge...so many leftovers that have been left for too long

dishes...dinner dishes are calling my name, yet here I sit

shoes...five people live here, yet there are always about ten pairs of shoes by the front door...my rule of putting away what's not on your feet never gets followed

dusting...so many elephant...so much dust!

plants...need a good soak in the sink

front porch...the gathering place for everything from fishing poles to hula hoops

grass...I am looking forward to this one...I want to mow so bad!

my desk...it's a huge mess of school papers and bills...I need to get organized!

the kids bookshelf...it's a mess!

to participate, go here.

My Scale

What kind of a scale do you have? I used to have a regular bathroom scale, but I couldn't tell exactly how much weight I was losing. I looked into digital scales and bought one. I like seeing each quarter of a pound melt away! lol! It makes it much easier to keep track of what I've lost, because the one I bought does it for me. It has memory for two people, so Junior and I can both use it. I like it much better than my old one.

Happy Birthday Tanner!

Today is my nephews birthday! I remembered this morning, and was going to have the kids call and wish him a happy birthday when they got home. But, things got crazy, and I just remembered, and I'm sure he's already asleep.

So....Happy Birthday Tanner!!!! Uncle Junior, Aunt Jenn, Ryan, Kasi, and Brandi love you!!!!

Hope you had a wonderful day!!!

Credit Card Information

Having good credit is so important these days. It helps you get the lowest payment deals when buying things like cars or homes, and having bad credit can prevent you from getting certain jobs. Using your credit cards wisely can be difficult, especially with so many out there offering different things. It can be overwhelming trying to decide which is the best for you. At DealsForCreditCards.com, you can compare different credit cards side by side, so you can see which is the best card for your needs. Personal credit cards differ from business credit card, so if you are looking for a credit card for your business, make sure you fill out a business credit card application.

I was browsing around their site, and found an article about credit cards for people with bad credit, and it was very informative. It explains how people with bad credit end up with crads with higher interest rates, and that's only if they qualify. Most times, it's easier to get a secured, or prepaid card. This would be the type of card I would need. I wish I knew years ago how much bad credit can have an impact on your life. My husband and I are working hard to repair our credit, but life would be so much easier if we never let it get as bad as it is in the first place.

Junior And Brandi

When Boo got off the bus this afternoon, she wanted to play a game of ladderball with her daddy. They were playing nicely at first, but then the usual happened.

He starts picking on her, and she gets mad.

Then she starts telling him off!

He laughs at her, which just makes her more mad!

Do you see the hand on the hip? And the finger pointing? She's such a little booger!