Kmart Bluelight Specials

This post was sponsored by Kmart. All the opinions are mine.

Attention Kmart shoppers! The Kmart Bluelight Specials are back for one day only; Saturday, August 1st. There will be over 40 great bluelight deals in store, and you can find even more online at kmart.com. To keep up with all the great deals and specials, follow @kmartdealsnnews on Twitter.

Now, I can not believe that tomorrow it is August. Where did the last two months go? It seems like only yesterday that the kids were finishing school for the year, and now they are getting ready to go back. In fact, they only have about two full weeks of vacation left. I am not looking forward to the early mornings, but I am looking forward to having some time to myself. It has been too long since I have been alone, and I am going to enjoy it.

I am hoping that I can find some good back to school specials tomorrow at Kmart. I know Kasi and Brandi are interested in wearing jewelry this year. I'm not sure how I feel about Brandi wearing any, but Kasi is definitely at that age where she wants to fit in with her friends, and apparently all the girls are wearing rings and necklaces now. Looking back, I think I was about her age when I got my first piece of "real" jewelry. I am hoping I can find something simple for her, like a ring or bracelet. I am still trying to talk her into getting her ears pierced. I think she would look even more beautiful if she wore some earrings. But, she is afraid, and I refuse to force her. She'll do it when she's ready.

Junior is hoping to find a good deal on a grill. The one we have is great, but he wants something smaller that we can take camping with us. I am sure he will find something, and if he does, he can't complain about me spending money.

What kind of bluelight special are you hoping to find?

Saving Money

I consider myself a thrifty shopper. I never pay full price for meat; I either wait until it goes on sale, or I but it when the store marks it down. This usually happens right before the "good by" date, but I freeze it anyway, so it doesn't matter. Buying meat this way can save you up to $75 off, depending on the store, and sometimes the butcher on duty. We have a good relationship with the meat girl at our local supermarket, and she will usually give us a really good deal if we catch her marking the meats down.

I also like checking out the clearance section. The other day, we found 40oz jars of Skippy Peanut Butter for $2 each. They are normally almost $5 a jar, so we didn't do too bad. I bought the last two that they had. They are good until August4, 2010. We use a lot of peanut butter around my house, so I know it won't go to waste. I love finding holiday sprinkles in the clearance section. I especially love the containers that have five or six different kinds of sprinkles that are usually in the craft section. I won't but them until they are below $1, and I now have a good stockpile of sprinkles for Valentine's Day, Easter, and Christmas.

It's a good thing I love to bake!

Vending

I am hoping someone can explain this to me, because it happens everywhere I go. Well, everywhere they sell cold drinks. We go into the grocery store, and as we are checking out, the cooler full of Cokes looks so inviting. I will usually grab a diet whatever, and be on my way. I usually pay about $1.50 for said diet whatever. Not twenty feet away, right by the exit doors, are the Vending Machines. These vending machines offer the same selection, the same size bottles (or cans), and are just as cold, if not colder, then the one I just bought. Yet the Vending machine beverage is about $.50 cheaper than the one I just bought at the checkout. Why do I keep buying the one at the checkout? I have no idea.

The people who manage the Vending Machine Business must get their drinks at a great price, and therefor can offer them to us customers at a lower price. I bet they make a ton of money, too. I have seen vending machine routes for sale in our local paper, and they all claim to bring in thousands of dollars. Junior and I really should look into starting our own vending business, because we could use a couple of thousand dollars.

Fun In The Water...At What Price?

My kids have been loving the pool. The girls are in it almost every day, for hours on end. Ryan goes in sometimes, but he likes to go do side jobs with Junior.

The only problem I am having is Brandi's hair. Her hair is long and fine, and the chlorine is making it feel like straw. I have tried washing it as soon as she gets out of the pool, but that doesn't seem to be making a difference. I am thinking about giving her a hot oil treatment, but am not sure if that will help her fragile hair or make it worse?

Can you treat a seven year old's hair like that? I know I need to do something. She had such soft, beautiful hair, and I want it back in that condition. The chlorine doesn't seem to bother kasi's hair at all, but hers is course and thick to begin with.

I remember when we had a pool growing up, I spent the summers with green hair! lol! At least Boo's is still blond!

Moving In February

I think Junior and I have come to a decision about moving. Since we resigned until February, we will start looking for a new place in January. He still wants to look at Apartments in Wisconsin, but I am still against moving that far. I might consider moving to NC, but that's as far as I will go. I am sure there are beautiful Apartments in Madison , just like there are nice apartments around here. I don't want to go into a complex, but will consider another duplex. I would love to find a house we could rent, and the company we rent from actually has some that they manage. The trick will be finding one that will be vacant in February, and that is in our price range. Junior spoke with the receptionist at the management company, and she said we should have no problems moving to a different property within their network. That was a relief, because I am very happy with their management style. Hopefully I will be able to pull Junior away from the Apartments in Platteville that he is looking at, and talk him into something a little closer to home.

Preferably in the same town we live in now.

Soft Food

I am having a hard time finding foods I can eat with my mouth hurting. Yesterday I cantaloupe for supper, and not much else during the day. Tonight I wanted something that would actually fill me up, so I made soft tacos. They were yummy, but chewing still hurt. If I don't lose some weight this week, I will be very surprised.

Make Your Search Easier

Do you often search online for music, videos, and games? If so, check out Rapid4me.com. You can use this site to Search Rapidshare Files and find exactly what you are looking for. I will admit that there are many things about the internet that I still need to learn. I love finding sites like this that make simple tasks even easier.

Of course I had to check out how it worked, so I types Sugarland into the search box. I was not too happy with the links that popped up on the side. They were for private fantasies and orgasm movies and something called spermholle. Because of this, I will not allow my children to use this site. I am not sure if I will ever use it again. I'll have to go in and see if I can find a settings button where I can turn off the adult ads.

Cuteness

I got this in an email from Missy today. This is just one of many funny pictures...but it's the one I liked the best!

On a side note, please say a prayer for my brother and his wife. I won't go into details, but they need some happy thoughts sent their way.

Thanks bunches!!!!

Banking Baby's Cord Blood

What do you give the expectant mother who already has it all?

When I was expecting my first child, I thought I needed to have everything. Baby bath tubs, swings, bouncer seats, toys, teethers, special bottles and clothes. Ryan had so many different outfits, and if I remember correctly, he probably only wore about a third of them before they were too small. I never used the baby bath tub, either. I found it easier just to bathe him in the sink. I did love the swing and the bouncer seat, and those were the two things I insisted on having when the girls came along.

There is another gift for expectant mothers that I never even considered, because at the time, it wasn't readily available. These days, it is not only available; it is also affordable.

I am talking about cord blood banking. The stem cells found in cord blood are already being used to treat seventy five different diseases, and in the future, they may be used to treat many more. These cells are from your baby, so they are an exact match. If you have other children, there is a one in four chance that those cells can help them, too. Banking these cells is an investment in your child's future. You may think it is too expensive and that you can not afford it, but let me tell you. Cryo-Cell has many different payment plans and options to help you. Right now they are offering special UCORD pricing of $995 for processing, testing and first year of storage plus the cancellation fee is waived. Using the code: 995PS saves you over seven hundred dollars. You can also choose to enroll in their Signature UCORD Service and Exclusive C’elle Service, and pay one low price of $1299. Just use the Promo code: P2PS.

Invest in your child's future today.

Better...At Least A Little

I think the antibiotics are finally kicking in. My mouth is no longer throbbing, and the pain is manageable. Maybe I'll actually be able to get something done around here today. We camp next week, and I still have so much to get together.

But I'm not getting anything done sitting here!

Massage Chairs

A couple of weeks ago, we went to our local mall to walk around. I am not a mall shopper. I prefer Walmart, but Kasi and Ryan are both at an age where they want to wear certain brands of clothes. I have been dreading this, but I guess it was inevitable. Anyway, as we were walking around, we found these massage chairs where you could sit for a couple of minutes, and pay to have them massage you. Junior sat right down and started feeding it quarters. He has always had trouble with his back, and he said he could sit in that chair forever.

This got me thinking about maybe finding a Massage Chair that we could keep at home. I found these Human Touch chairs, and they sound just like the ones at the mall. Some of them were very clinical looking, and didn't exactly look like they would fit well with in my living room. Then I found this one. It's their HT-1650 AcuTouch Massage Chair. It looks just like a regular recliner, but has all these wonderful features. You can program it to do the rolling, kneading, compression and percussion techniques of massage professional, and you can customize which area you want massaged, from neck to foot. You can pick which technique you want, as well as the intensity. I have a feeling, though, that Junior will never get out of this chair.

Who knows. I may become addicted to it, too.

Ice, Ice Baby

I wrote all about my ER trip yesterday on my other blog. You can read it here if you want to. Right now I am sitting with ice on my jaw, trying to stay awake so I can watch the season finale of Deadliest Catch. I'm not sure if I am going to make it.

Junior is making me cantaloupe and biscuits for supper. I am so hungry, but it hurts to chew. At least the cantaloupe will be easy to eat.

Save Money On Formula

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that right now two of my sisters are pregnant. I just found out over the weekend that another family member is also expecting, so this will be three babies in the next seven months. Two of these babies will be given baby formula and the third will be breast fed. There are many reasons that women choose to breast feed, and I think one of the most common is to save money. I know the experts say breast milk is best, but formula these days is supposed to be just as nutritious. Every brand has to follow strict guidelines to make sure that every baby gets exactly what they need.

When I had Brandi, I didn't even try to breastfeed. I would have loved to, but I had problems in the past with Ryan and Kasi, so I just pumped for a few weeks. The doctor put her on formula as a supplement, and after a lot of trial and error, she responded well to the lactose free formula. At the time, there weren't any store brand formulas available. I wish there was, because I found this baby formula savings calculator that will show you how much money you can save by using store brand formula. I tried it out, just to see how much I could have saved, and was a little shocked with the results. I just put in the brand of formula I used on the left, and the comparable Parent's Choice (Walmart brand) formula on the right.
Then you fill in how long and how often you feed the baby formula, and they calculate how much you can save.

I could have saved $52.16 a month using Walmart's brand of lactose free formula. That is a lot of money! I am going to pass this information along to my sisters, because I am sure they have other things they could spend their saved money on, like diapers and wipes. We all know you can never have enough diapers.

Elite Blog Artist Award

Look what I got! It's another award from one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Kat. She has a couple of blogs, Candles, Crafts, And Whatnot and Soy Wax Candle Blog. She also runs an online magazine, The Angels Weekly. She is one talented lady, and is an absolutely wonderful friend.

Thanks for thinking of me, Kat!

I should pass this along, but I'm not going to. I don't have the energy to do any more links. If you like it, want it, need it...whatever...consider it yours!

How Cute Is This?

Is there such a thing as a professional blogger? Is that what I should consider myself? Who knows, but it looks really cute on this business card.

I have been thinking for a while that I should have some made up, so I decided to see what I could come up with. I was searching through business cards templates and found this one with three kids on it, and felt it related to my blog quite nicely. I wish I could change it to two girls and a boy, but that's a small detail. If I decide to order these, I can get 200 cards for under $10. That's a great deal, if you ask me.

ADHD

Ryan is going to the doctor today. As most of you know, he has ADHD, and has to take Ritalin every day. I am supposed to give it to him over the summer, but I don't. This means he needs a couple of weeks to get it back into his system before school starts back. I am hoping he will have a good year this year. He has a hard time keeping up with all his subjects...when he has a problem in one subject, he puts all his focus on that one subject, so the others suffer. We need to find a way to get him to spread his focus to all subjects. I know last year he had a lot of tutoring, and I hope they offer him that again this year.

Win A Laptop

Three weeks from today, my kids go back to school. I really can not believe the summer has gone by so quickly. Going back to school means going back to school shopping, and that puts a serious dent in our wallets. Charter has decided to help us parents out by giving away gift cards ranging from $25-$100 with special online deals. They are also having a Laptop-a-Day Sweepstakes, where they are giving away a HP 550 Notebook 15-inch with Windows Vista and a NeoTec Compu Backpack every day until September 15th. I remember last year how shocked I was last year when one of Ryan's teachers required him to carry a jump drive to school. I know this is the age of technology, but I always wonder what the parents do when they do not have a home computer. They must spend a lot of time at the library.

To keep up with the latest news and specials offered by Charter, follow Charter on Facebook and Charter on Twitter. I will admit that I am not a big Twitter fan, but I think that is mostly because I don't understand how it works. I think I need to get a book or something about it all. Do you thin they have a Twitter For Dummies?

Quick Update

I ended up in the ER yesterday because of the pain in my jaw/ear. Long story short, I need to have my wisdom tooth pulled. I am now on an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory pain reliever, and feeling a little less pain right now. The only drawback is that I am also a little loopy. I don't do well with mediation, and slept over 12 hours last night, and I could still sleep for a few more hours. In fact, as soon as I do a few posts, I am headed back to bed.

Software

Nowadays, there are software programs to help just about everyone do just about anything. Take Waste Management Software, for example. This software can help waste management organizations keep track of all things waste, helping them serve their customers better. Our local recycling center could use a little help in this area. They are so unorganized, which makes me hate going there. Ryan loves it, though, and goes with Junior every chance he gets.

It must be a boy thing.

Being Neighborly

It seems our neighbor has decided to forgive us for the whole demon dog thing. The guy has always been friendly, even after the dog thing. The girl, however, has been a little pissy.

Last week, though, she knocked on our door, asking to use our phone. She was as nice as could be. Then yesterday, while Junior was working on his coworker's car, she walked over and asked if we needed milk and eggs. Seems her WIC was about to run out or something, and they had extra. Junior said sure, so she gave us some.

I guess we are finally forgiven for protecting our kids.

Making Money Online

I am what some people consider a "mommy blogger". Although my kids are no longer babies and toddlers, I am still amazed by the things they do every day, and I love to share those things with all of you. In the midst of all those "mommy" posts, there are some reviews, because I like to make a little money. A lot of us "mommy bloggers" do. Working online, from home, allows me to be here for my kids, and that is important to me.

If you want to make money online, check out Maverick money makers elite coaching club.. You can watch over one hundred video tutorials. I am continually trying to become a better blogger so I can make more money, and I am always interested in new ways of making a few dollars. You can find ways of making money online, too.

Because let's face it, in today's economy, every dollar counts.

Is It Bedtime Yet?

I am so tired. I wish I could climb into bed right now and sleep until morning.

If I did, I would miss all my shows, and Sunday is a good television night...Food Network Challenge, True Blood, Hung, Army Wives, Next Food Network Star.

It might be worth it, though. I am literally dead on my feet.

Besides, I can watch all these shows on demand tomorrow.

Working On Cars

Junior has been making a lot of extra money this past month working on people's cars. Word got out at his work, and all his co-workers have been coming to him for repairs. His boss even asked him to replace her BMW AC compressor. I know how horrible it is to not have air conditioning in the heat of the summer, so I can understand her wanting her air conditioning compressor replaced. Luckily Junior can get the auto ac part she needs to fix it. His only problem is figuring how much to charge her. She is, after all, his boss.

Hmmm.....

Most people, myself included, complain when they are charged more for something than is advertised. But what do you do when you are charged less than the posted price?

I ask because I was in Walmart today, but not the one we normally go to. My mother taught me a long time ago to watch the prices of things as they ring up, and I do. Walmart is especially bad about things ringing up for the wrong prices.

Anyway, I was at the deli counter, and I wanted some salami. Normally, I pay $4.88 a pound at the regular Walmart. This Walmart had it for $5.34 a pound. I asked for a pound, thinly sliced, and then commented to Kasi that it was more expensive at this Walmart. When they went to weight my salami, I noticed that when they keyed in the salami, it showed up as $4.88 a pound.

I didn't say anything.

Now I think I should have. I think maybe the posted price was for a different brand of salami, or maybe it was just a mistake. I don't know.

What would you have done?

Invest In Your Childs Future

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I want to tell you again why you should consider saving your babies cord blood. Right now, there are 75 different diseases that can be treated with the stem cells found in cord blood. No one knows how many different diseases these stem cells will treat in the future. There is no greater gift you can give your child than the chance to live a long and healthy life. This cord blood may also benefit your other children, because there is a one in four chance that they will be compatible.

When thinking about where to store your babies cord blood, consider Cryo-Cell. They are the industry's leader, with more quality accreditation than any private cord blood bank. Right now they are doing something really great that can ease the burden on families that want to store their babies cord blood during these tough economic times. They are offering special UCORD pricing of $995 for processing, testing and the first year of storage. They will also waive the cancellation fee. This will save you $725. Just use the code 995PS before midnight on July 26th. You can also choose their Signature UCORD Service and Exclusive C’elle Service, and using the promotional code P2PS gets you this package for only $1299. I know this is a lot of money, but if you look at it as an investment in your children's future, then it is worth every cent.

Camera Critters ~ 41

I have no idea what kind of monkey this is, but it's so cute!The day we went to the zoo, all the monkeys were so active. We spent a good amount of time just watching them monkey around.
lol! I know, I'm a riot!

To participate, go here.

Bluelight Specials Are Back

We used to have a kmart near us. In fact, it was a super kmart. They had a full grocery store on one side, and a regular kmart on the other. It was always packed, so I don't understand why they closed it down. Now when we want to go to kmart, we have to drive about forty five minutes. Sometimes it is worth it to take advantage of their sales.

Tomorrow, June 25, is one of those days where the drive will be worth it. They have brought back the Kmart Bluelight Specials, and there will be saving all through the store. I am especially interested in their patio furniture and grills. I would love to find a nice table and chair set to put under the shade tent by the pool. I know the kids would love to be able to eat outside, and right now it's a little hard because we don't have a table. I am hoping to find a great deal, because we are running a little low on cash.

There will be about forty different in store specials tomorrow, as well as other online specials. You can keep up to date with all things kmart by following them on twitter @kmartdealsnnews. I really need to figure out this whole twitter thing so I can follow them. I would love to have the inside scoop on all the great specials they have. But remember, the bluelight specials are only for tomorrow, so make plans to head to the kmart closest to you.

My Tooth

Remember my toothache from a couple of weeks ago? For a few days it felt better, and now....ug! The pain is now in my jaw and my ear. I know I need to go have it pulled, but I am cheap and a chicken. I know it will get rid of all the pain, but I can not get up the courage to get it done.

Maybe if it still hurts NEXT week....

Taking A Wildwood Vacation

My kids love all the teen stars on the Disney Channel. I just found out that Radio Disney is doing a Summer Concert Series that will be held in Wildwood, New Jersey at Morey’s Piers. It starts in June and goes through August. I am looking into staying at a Wildwood New Jersey Motel so that I can take the kids to one of the concerts. I don't think they will care which starts they get to see. The concerts are free, which is awesome, and many Top Radio Disney artists will be performing.

I know my sisters who live in NY and NJ would want to meet me there, so we could make this a wonderful little family vacation. I was checking out the Morey's Piers website and it was so user friendly. There is so much information available. I can plan everything ahead of time, and that way we can schedule enough time for each activity.

Now I just have to talk Junior into taking another vacation.

Ready To Go

We just finished getting everything we need for our camping trip. I am glad we were able to finish shopping this week...I like being prepared. The only thing now is the food, and we need to wait to do that. I am getting so excited!

Junior is looking forward to fishing all night. Last time we went here, the catfish bit better after dark. Ryan caught a huge one, and Kasi and Brandi both want to catch on this year. I'm hoping they do, although Brandi has a tendency to get bored and lay her rod down. We have lost several to the fish that way.

I might have to tape the rod to her hand this time! lol!

What Web Host Is Right For Me?

I recently switched two of my blogs to dot coms. I thought it would help others to take me more seriously if I owned my own domain name. I have been thinking about web hosting and my friends have all been so helpful with their ideas. I have one friend in particular who suggested I go with KVChosting.com. They offer free hosting with no banner ads, Unlimited Cheap Web Hosting, reseller hosting, vps hosting and dedicated hosting. They guarantee 99.99% up time, which is about as good as you can get. If you have any questions, they offer level 3 support, with around the clock 30 minute response time. This sounds like great web hosting, so I might just listen to my friend and sign myself up.

It's A Major Award

Look what I got from Kat! According to her, this award is for anyone who likes to smile and/or laugh, and just generally spreads that along in this blogging world we all travel in.

I definitely try to make everyone who visits this little blog smile, at least a little. I have even been known to make some people lol, or at least that's what they tell me.

I am supposed to pass this along, but I am so tired right now, and don't feel like doing all the links, so....if you are reading this, consider this award yours!

I Want A New Couch

When Junior and I were first married, we lived in a one bedroom mobile home. I think it was only about 40 feet long, but it was just the two of us, and we only stayed in it for about a year. We didn't have much furniture except for a bed and a dresser. We didn't even have a couch at first; we used a twin sized bed as a couch. Eventually we got a couple of Love Seats , because that was all we could fit in our living room.

Since then, all the couches we have owned have been hand me downs from family members. I would love to one day invest in a Leather Couch; black, of course. I found the one pictured at buycouchesonline.com. They offer discounted prices and free shipping, which is awesome because I love saving money. They have a pretty good selection, too.

It will be nice to have something brand new for a change. Hopefully it won't be long until we can afford it.

Reviews

A few days ago, I put that little badge over there saying I was interested in doing product reviews on this blog. I thought it would be a good way to bring in a little extra money. I know a lot of you do these types of posts, so let me ask a couple of questions.

• Do you charge money for your review, or do you just keep the product they send you to review as payment?
• If you do charge money, do you charge per word or per link, or both?

I hadn't thought that far ahead, and I someone today ask what I charge. I responded, and then they asked to see some reviews I have done. I went through my blog and found a few book reviews, and a couple of actual product reviews, but I am not sure if it is what they are looking for.

• Do you have potential jobs ask to see reviews you have done?
• Should I link to some on my sidebar?
• And finally, do you search out products, or do they find you?

Where To Live

For the past I can't tell you how long, the kids and I have been playing farmtown. In case you have been living under a rock, farmtown is a game where you can plant and harvest crops, and tend to your animals. It is very addicting. My mother actually got us started on it, and now my kids and I have been competing with her. She's still in the lead, but we are catching up.

Playing on a farm reminds me of the times we used to visit my father's Aunt and Uncle in upstate NY. They had cows, and I remember standing at their fence, and they would call the cows over so we could see them. Growing up in NY, it wasn't common to see cows, but living in the south, there are cows everywhere. I can leave my driveway, and within a mile in every direction, I will see cows. It kind of makes me want to check out Ranches For Sale. I would love to live on enough property that we could get some livestock. I think that would be really cool. Junior would prefer finding Fly Fishing properties for sale . He would never go to work if he had the option of fishing every day. I don't think I could look for Hunting Property For Sale. I have issues with killing innocent animals. I know that hunters kill to stop overpopulation, and that it is part of nature, but I don't want it happening in my own backyard.

What kind of property would you like to live on?

And The Answer Is...

Jelly Belly Green Apple Pudding Snack!

Looks gross, doesn't it?
I don't like pudding anyway, and even if I did, there is no way I would eat this.
I had the kids try it, and though Ryan loved it, the girls didn't.
It made Brandi gag, and Kasi actually cried.
Yeah, that bad.
I was going to send the correct guesser a pack of these puddings, but that was before I knew how awful they are.
I am not sure I want to torture them.
Since Miss Donna and Jennifer both guessed correctly, they can decide.
Do you want some yucky, I mean yummy green apple pudding?

Let me say we also bought the Bubble Gum, Blueberry, and Very Cherry flavors.
The girls won't even try the others, but Ryan likes them all.
Must be a boy thing.

Get Ready For Campus Life

I never went away to college. I did go to a local community college for a few years, but sometimes I feel like I missed out on an important part of life. I never got to share a dorm room, or join a sorority. Okay, so maybe I wouldn't have joined a sorority even if I had the chance, but you know what I mean. College is where some people find themselves, and realize who they want to be. It is also the place where teenagers learn to be responsible for themselves. I missed all that.

If you have a child ready to go off to school, make sure they are prepared. You can check out CampusReady on Facebook, where you can join discussions, vote in the polls, or see what events Sears is offering to help get your young adult ready for college. I was reading one discussion about whether or not is is a good idea to friend future college students on Facebook. The pros were all for it, saying it is an easy way to have friends when the time comes to start school, especially if you are lucky enough to friend your future room mate. The cons say that one of the biggest things about going to college is meeting people, and I you know them ll before, it kind of takes the fun out of those first few weeks. If I was honest, I would say I am all for meeting your future classmates. I am very shy, and knowing things about people beforehand may make things a little easier for me.

One of the other things future college students need to prepare for is money. Did you know that Sears can help with this? Parents can go to Sears and buy reload able gift cards. The parent gets one and the student gets one. The parent can put money on the card by visiting a Sears store, or by going online, and the students can get all the things they need to make their college days a little easier. Students can use their cards at Sears or Kmart, so I am sure they could find whatever they need. It might be nice for them to know there is more to eat than Ramen Noodles.

Sears CampusReady helps students make their dorm rooms their own. I hope when my kids are old enough to go off to college, they are as prepared as they can be, and that they always know that I am here to help.

Deadliest Catch ~ Desperate Hours

We love the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch. You can find us every Tuesday night, 9pm, glued to the television. Brandi has started watching it, too, and last night I had to explain what a Greenhorn is. I love that she wants to know everything. She is going to be one smart cookie when she's older.

Wait, she's a smart cookie now...when she gets older, she will be unstoppable.

Anyway, I found this book at The Dollar Tree a few weeks ago, and found it fascinating. Each Captain has a chapter dedicated to them, and it's weird, but as I was reading their words, I was hearing their voices in my head. The book gives a behind the scenes look at the boats and their crews, and there are some awesome pictures. I am sure you all have your favorites...I know I have mine. Actually, I have two favorites. I love Sig and Phil. I know they are probably every one's favorites, but that's okay. They are great guys. I love watching Phil interact with his sons, Josh and Jake. I love how Sig is mostly easygoing, and his crew is mostly happy.

If you are a Deadliest Catch fan, go find this book. I paid $1 for mine, and it was well worth it.

How Do You Make It From Paycheck To Paycheck?

Junior and I have experience with payday loans. In the past, they have helped us out of some sticky situations. I know there were a few years we used them to buy Christmas gifts for the kids. The key to a Payday cash advance is to pay it off as soon as you can. It's easier than ever to apply. All you do is fill out an online application, and you can know in minutes if you are approved. It's quick and confidential, and can help get you from one paycheck to the next. In today's economy, more and more people are needing assistance between paydays. Now you know where you can go to get the help you need.

Junior Did It

Junior resigned our lease today, but only for six months. I can admit now that I was a little worried, because of the whole dog issue, that they would ask us to leave instead of resigning. But now I can breathe easier, and not worry anymore.

On another note, my garden has shriveled up. No matter how much I water, my cucumbers won't grow right. Instead of being green and prickly like the were at the beginning of the summer, they are now yellow and almost swollen looking. My tomatoes are still ripening, but my peppers are rotting on the plant. I never got a single one harvested. The zucchini is still doing great, and there are a few squash still growing, but nothing near what I had. I had such high hopes for my little garden. At least I was able to enjoy it for a little while.

Storage

My sister moved into her new house last week. For a month before the move, she had a POD in her yard, making it easier for her to move things. Everyday she would move a few boxes to the POD, and when they were ready to move, the POD was picked up and delivered to the new house. There was no moving van, just a couple of trips with her husband's truck to get the furniture to the new house.

The only problem she had was when the POD people picked up the POD early to put in storage. My sister forgot that she had the pick up scheduled, and didn't have anything in the POD secured. When it was redelivered, most of the boxes were thrown all over the place. Luckily, nothing was broken. She used lots of packing, and her things were well insulated.

I had no idea that we had a POD place in our area until my sister used them. I know we have lots of self storage places. In fact, they seem to be everywhere. If you are looking for a storage place, or a POD place, check out USstoragesearch.com. You can find storage places in your area, and compare units and prices. This makes it so easy to find exactly what you are looking for. If you are unsure about whether you want self storage or mobile storage (PODS), you can read their article about storing tips, and it can help you to decide. They have moving and packing tips, too, which I found very helpful. When we moved last year, we sold a lot of our furniture, because it wouldn't fit in the apartment. I wish we had gotten a storage unit and kept it all, so we would have it when we get a bigger place.

There's nothing I can do about it now. At least now I know for next time how easy it is to find a storage unit that meets my needs.

What IS This?

Quick question....what do you think this is?
Come on now, use your imagination.
Leave your guess in the comments, and if you are right, you might just win a little something.
I will post the answer tonight, so get those guesses in!

Do you want a hint????
How about....it's green!

Life's Hard All Around

My neighbor delivers sheds for a living. He was telling Junior yesterday that business has slowed so bad that he is only making about twenty dollars a day, and most days he just comes home early. The one perk to his job is that when they repossess a shed, he can keep whatever is inside if the owners don't come get it within a certain time frame. A couple of months ago, he brought home a hot tub. It supposedly works great, but he can't hook it up because of the wiring in these apartments. For now, he is storing it on his side porch, and looking at hot spa covers. When they move, he wants it to still be in good working condition.

A Little Snack

I spend a good part of my day sitting at this computer. The other night, I was complaining about all the work I had to do, and that I was hungry, but I didn't have time to get up. After about an hour, I finished all that I had to do, and I got up to stretch my legs. When I sat back down a few minutes later, this is what I found:

Brandi left me a little snack on my keyboard. Isn't she the sweetest!

Dog Shampoo

My family had a variety of pets growing up. I remember having a huge fish tank, and my dad filled it with fish he caught in the lake. It was really cool feeding them, because if you held the food right above the water, they would jump for it. My parents also rescued a baby squirrel once. You know what? I think we might have had a couple of different squirrels. I remember bottle feedings, and the babies sleeping under the heat lamps. When they got old enough to go outside, they would climb up my dads leg. If I remember correctly, we let them go in a friends backyard because he lived in the woods.

We also had cats and dogs. There was one time my parents brought home a dog from the pound, and she had serious problems. She was petrified of paper bags, and would go nuts whenever we brought home groceries. I think she had a skin condition too, because she was always chewing on herself. I think my parents returned her to the pound because she never really adapted well to our family. There were five of us kids, and they needed a dog they could trust around us. We ended up with a Golden Retriever, and had her for years. She had papers, and was beautiful.

I remember my dad bathing her regularly with dog shampoo. She loved the attention, and always smelled clean. Does your dog smell clean all the time, or is he or she scratching all the time, and stinky? If he or she is stinky, you might want to try Dinovite's all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds. This shampoo rinses easily and leaves your dog smelling wonderful for a long time. It contains pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties. It is also a flea deterrent, which is great, and it contains no chemicals, perfumes, or fillers. This makes it easy on your dogs skin.

I wish sometimes that Brandi wasn't afraid of dogs, because I have fond memories of our dogs growing up. I would love my kids to experience that, too. Maybe someday, when she is a little older, we will be able to get a dog.

I really want a Golden Retriever.

I Want To Win!

Mom Knows Everything.com is having a great toy giveaway sponsored by All Children’s Furniture who carries everything from toddler beds to toys. Stop by before midnight AST July 29th to enter to win!

-Contest is open to Canada and US residents only. Contest closes midnight AST July 29th with the winner to be announced the following day. Prize will be shipped to you directly from All Children’s Furniture.

I want to win the Hot Wheels, which Ryan loves, or the HSM dolls, because the girls love those. If I win, it will be tough deciding what to get! Head over to Tammy's to enter yourself.

Happy Blogiversary!

Do you guys know Miss Donna from Made In Heaven? She is the sweetest person you will ever meet, and she has the biggest heart.

Well, today is her two year blogiversary!

I know I am a lucky girl to have found such a wonderful woman, thanks to blogging.

If you find a second today, go wish her a happy blogiversary!

Our Lease Is Up

Tomorrow Junior and I have to go and resign our lease on the apartment. I am pretty sure we are going to resign, just not for a full year. We have the option of signing for six months or a year, and I am thinking we are going to do it for the six months. That way, if they don't want to do the Roof Repair this apartment desperately needs, we can move in February, when we have our tax refund to help with moving expenses. I have a feeling they may just suggest Roof Cleaning but I don't believe that will fix the problem. I think we need to have Roofing Contractors who know what they are doing come out and take a look. The maintenance man they have sent out in the past patches the hole, but it never lasts long. I don't understand why they don't just fix it properly, and then there won't be any more problems.

I also want to request that they send in someone to paint over all the water damage, or reimburse me for buying paint and doing it myself. I have water streaks all over the ceiling and walls, and to be honest, it's kind of ugly to look at. I hope they will make these repairs, because as cramped as we are, I don't want to move right now. I like our yard, I like the kid bus driver, and I don't want to pack up all of my elephants again. Do you have any idea how long that takes?

What To Do Today?

I still have the cleaning bug this morning, I am just not sure what I want to tackle. I need to go through Ryan's closet with him, but he's leaving to go do a side job with Junior this afternoon, and he is still sleeping right now. This kid has been staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning, and then sleeping all day. He is going to be in for a shock when school starts back.

Maybe I should clean out the fridge, because it really needs it. I cleaned out my desk the other night, and that took me an hour or so. It's nice to not be surrounded by mountains of papers and useless crap. I can actually see the surface of my desk. I know this won't last long, though. This is where everyone drops the mail, their drawings, and anything else they don't feel like putting away properly.

Maybe I will spend today making "do not dump your crap here" signs. Think that would work?

I Had A Weird Dream Last Night

I usually don't remember my dreams, but for some reason this one is bugging me. In my dream, I was a single mother. I don't know where Junior was; he just wasn't with me and the kids. It was weird.

I know the only way I would become a single parent is if something happens to Junior. I don't believe he would ever leave me. We have been through so much already, and made it through together. We have had money issues our whole marriage, and I have read that that is a big contributor to divorce.

Anyway, if I was to find myself suddenly single, I know I would be terrified of the thought of dating. How do people with three kids find the time to date? Where do they go to meet people? I would most likely end up on an online dating service. The problem is there are so many out there.

There is one service called West East Cafe and it's for Europeans looking for that special someone, a friend or someone to help them speak better English. Sign up is completely free, and within minutes of filling out your profile, you will show up in the results of other people's searches. If you find someone you want to connect with, you can email, instant message, or even video chat with them. I prefer the video chat, that way there aren't any surprises with what the other person looks like. I have heard that a lot of people fudge a little when describing themselves.

I hope that Junior and I are together for many, many more years, but it's nice to know there are options available where I can find someone, if that time ever comes.

A Productive Day

There is a good side and a bad side to everything. The bad side of my life right now is that I no longer have a PR3 on my craft bag, so the opps aren't there anymore. Sure, I still get some over here, but I find that I am no longer a slave to the computer.

The good side of this is that I am spending more time doing other things, like making those signs for my nephew to be, and swimming with the kids.

Today, I decided it was time to clean out the girls closet. I took every single piece of clothing out, and they tried on all of it to see what still fit, and what didn't anymore. I had put up a lot of clothes for Brandi that Kasi wore at that age, and most of it fit her now, so she is set for school, except for maybe some shoes. She likes to wear dresses, and her little black shoes are too small, so she needs a new pair of those. I'm not sure about her sneakers...I'll have to find those and see what kind of condition they are in. We only wear flip flops during the summer, so I have no idea where her sneakers are.

Kasi still fits in most of her clothes. I think at her age she doesn't grow as fast anymore. She probably needs shoes, too, and maybe a couple of pairs of shorts. She has a gift card to JCPenny's that she got for her birthday that she never spent, so maybe we'll check there for shorts.

I also helped Kasi get all the laundry done today, which hasn't happened since they were in school. I have been behind all summer, but now we are caught up.

At least for now!

I Found Discount Mattresses

My back is killing me this morning. I feel like I am falling apart. Last week it was my tooth, which is feeling better, and now it's my back. Who knows what will be bothersome next.

I think I know what the problem is with my back, though. I think it's my mattress. In the fourteen years I have been married, we have never bought a mattress. We always take in family members beds when they get new ones. The mattress I sleep on now has a spring sticking out of it, and it is falling apart. We flipped it over so the broken spring comes out the bottom, but it is still pretty uncomfortable to sleep on.

I really want to try a memory foam mattress. They look so comfortable, almost like sleeping on a cloud. The one thing that has been stopping me is the price. However, I found one, along with other discount mattresses, and I think we might be able to fit it into our budget. Or at the very least, when we get our tax refund next year we can purchase one.

I am pretty sure I can get a good nights sleep on this. No one needs to know I found it with other discount mattresses. I am perfectly happy to let them think I spent a fortune on it.

My Lucky Charm

The movie was great! We got there a little after 7, and they started to give away the sponser prizes around 7:30. Wouldn't you know it, Missy's name is called!
Yay!!!!!
Look what she won...an awesome cookbook. There's a recipe in there for pecan caramel sticky buns (or something like that) that sounded yummy!

During the next set of giveaways, my name was called for a pizza gift certificate!
WooHoo!!!!!!!

And not two seconds later, Brandi's name was called, and she won a Blockbuster gift basket, complete with candy and $5 gift card. She is already planning what movie she is going to get.

I told Missy she is my good luck charm, and I am taking her with me the next time i go somewhere that prizes are given out.

Junior's New Ring

Junior hasn't worn his wedding ring in years. He took it off when he got a job as a mechanic, as a security measure. He didn't want to hook it on some part in a car and hurt himself. When he got this job at Home Depot, I asked him to wear it again. Turns out it no longer fits. It will be hard to have it sized, because it has a design that goes all the way around. That leaves us with the pleasure of finding him a new one.

We were looking at Tungsten Rings and they were all beautiful. We decided that whichever one he likes, we will get it, and a matching one for me. I don't need a new one, but I want them to match.

We looked through all the tungsten carbide rings, and they were beautiful as well. I think we have decided to go with black titanium rings, like the ones pictured. Is that weird that we chose black rings to symbolize our marriage? I hope not, because I really love these rings.

I just hope that I convince Junior to wear his new ring all the time. He still works on cars as side jobs most weekends, and I have a feeling he will take the ring off. Maybe I should order him a size smaller than needed, that way he can't take it off. The only problem then would be getting it on his finger.

Some Pictures From Tonight

Here's a shot of my girls.
We stopped on the way, and their Nana treated us all to some KFC.
We had a nice little picnic before the movie started.

Ryan decided to come at the last minute.
Here he is waiting for the movie to start.

Here's Missy and Alex...goofing off, as usual.

Home Schooling

I feel my kids would be better off if they were home schooled. A friend of mine home schools her son, and he is doing great. They do things with other home schooling families, so he gets his social time. In fact, they do a lot more hands on learning than my kids do at school.


CostCaptain.com, a Microsoft Authorized Education Reseller, sells brand new Office 2007 Suite and Vista to students and school staff. Home schoolers can also take advantage of these deals, getting Microsoft Office 2007 from $99, and Vista Upgrade from $89. Once your academic eligibility is verified by their friendly staff, your products are on their way. I need to remember to tell my friend about this. I am sure she would love anything that could help make home schooling a little easier.

Hotel For Dogs

We are headed to the park again tonight to see Hotel For Dogs. We haven't seen this yet, and the girls are excited. Ryan decided he would rather spend the day with Junior, so it's just me and the girls again. I hope Alex isn't too disappointed, because we are meeting him and Missy there.

We're going to stop on the way and grab something to eat there while we wait for the movie to start. They supply free popcorn, peanuts, and coke's, which is great.

I just hope they have the bathroom situation figured out better this time.

Vegas, Baby

I have never been on an airplane. I am petrified to be in the air. This puts a damper on travel plans, because Junior would have to drive where ever we decide to go. I was just watching an episode of Friends, and it was the one where they all go to Vegas. Phoebe and Joey drive back in a cab, and it gave me a glimpse into what the trip might be like.

I have a friend who has been to Vegas, and I have seen her pictures. Talk about a beautiful, colorful place. She had video of her and her boyfriend walking through a kind of tunnel, but the ceiling was all lights. It was amazing.

This led me to do a little research. She said all the hotels were great, but I know that if Junior and I were to go, I would want to stay in the perfect hotel. We would probably have the kids with us, too, so I would like to find a kid friendly hotel. I found the New York-New York Hotel and Casino, and it sounds perfect for us. They have a Coney Island amusement center that offers arcade games, bumper cars, and laser tag. Oh, and let's not forget The Manhattan Express Roller Coaster or their recreations of Central Park and Times Square. I grew up in New York, so all of these sites are familiar to me. It would be fun to see the spin they put on it.

Of course, no trip to Vegas is complete without seeing some Vegas Shows. I have heard great things about The Blue Man Show, and Cirque du Soleil. I believe both of these shows are also kid friendly, so that's a plus. I'm not much of a gambler, so I would much rather spend my time in Vegas taking in some shows, and doing some sightseeing.

Then after about a week, we would be ready to head home. Hopefully with most of the money we came with, and memories to last us for years.

Ah...Cool

Last night our air conditioner went a little funky. It decided that it didn't want to work anymore. Junior took a quick look last night, and said that the fan stopped fanning. <-yes, that is a word! Anyway, we spent last night and all day today with no a/c in the living room/kitchen area. Luckily, the rain held off so me and the girls spent most of the day in the pool.

While lounging, I got phone call from Missy, and she said she had an a/c unit we could borrow until ours was fixed. Is she the best, or what?!?!?

When Junior got home from work, he sprayed some WD40 on the fan part, and it is working again, but who knows for how long. I am a little nervous that it will quit during the night, and the house will burn down. But Junior promised me that it is fine.

Show Off Your Success

Do you remember me telling you all about InTheRooms ? It's the website you can go to to find out about recovery meetings in your area. I remember sharing the story of how Junior used to be a borderline alcoholic, and how I believed going to meetings could have helped him.

I have never been to any type of recovery meeting before, but I have seen enough on television. I know it's probably not the exact same thing, but I assume one thing holds true, and that is how proud people are of their recovery time. It's been almost fifteen years since Junior has gotten drunk, and I am very proud of him. There have been a couple of times where he has had a drink or two, but never to the point of being drunk, and it's been many years since he has even done that.

I am excited to tell you all about the InTheRooms Facebook App. With this app, you can display your recovery time in a box on your profile, and in the community. You can even do it anonymously. You work hard to stay sober, and you should be proud of yourself. Show your pride by sharing your recovery time with your friends.