Christmas Carols

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Madacy Entertainment. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is a local radio station that is playing nothing but Christmas Carols. It seems to be the only thing my mom will listen to anymore. The other day when we went to the movies with her, my girls didn't care for it. I think it was mostly because they were old, classic songs that they have never heard before. In fact, there were quite a few that I had never heard before. But I guess that when you are playing Christmas music twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, you have to have quite a variety of songs.

My kids prefer the fun, silly songs, like Frosty the Snowman and Jingle Bells. Throw in a little Rodolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, and they are happy kids. This is why I am thinking about downloading 60 Christmas Carols For Kids from Amazon mp3. Normally $9.49, starting Black Friday it is on sale for only $3.69. I checked out the songs on the album, and most of the kids favorites are on there, plus a few that even I have never heard of.

Every year, Junior and I pick one night where we take the kids and just drive around looking for Christmas lights. There are a few houses that we try to go and see every year, and I love singing Christmas carols with the kids while we're driving around. It would be great to have all the fun and silly songs they love playing while we sing. Trust me, this drives Junior insane, but it's only once a year, so he's a good sport. I'm hoping we can pick a night next week to go out.

It's going to be so much fun.

My Deal Of The Day

I went shopping today....just not at 2am. I waited until about 3pm to venture out, and walmart and hobby lobby were mt only two stops. I found a bunch of wood ornaments for the tree for 40% off at hobby lobby. Of course, the selection was picked over, but the ones I found were pretty cute. I like to do a picture ornament for each kid every year, and I found really cute ones for this year.

The best deal, though, was to be found at walmart. I found two PS2 games for Ryan for $7 each. One is a fishing game, and the other is a jeep racing game. They aren't "have to have" games, but I know he will love them.

I also found a copy of one of my favorite movies, Music And Lyrics, for $2. That's right, I said $2. I wish we had gotten to walmart earlier, because I would have loved to have seen what other movies they had for $2. I was lucky to have found this one hidden in the bottom of the pile.

I believe it was the last one.

They had a few other things I would have liked to have gotten, but I had the kids with me, and it was luck that I had the video games in the buggy. They had fleece blankets for $4 each, and the girls were begging for them. I wish I could have snuck them in the buggy for Christmas, but oh well.

I am going to have to get someone to watch the kids when Junior and I find the money to go shopping for the rest of their Christmas.

If we ever find the money, that is.

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so many things to be thankful for...

• my husband
• my children
• my mom
• my dad
• my siblings
• my nieces and nephews
• the house I live in...even though I hate it...there are people who have nowhere to live
• the food in our cabinets
• that my husband is employed...again, so many people are not
• my friends...who are like my family
• izea...they afford me the opportunity to work from home and be with my kids every day
• and all of you...who read this little old blog and support me in every way

I love you all!

Santa Is Coming To Branson

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.
Brandi came home from school the other day and asked me if there really is a Santa Claus. She said some kids on the bus were saying he wasn't a real person, and she was pretty upset about it. I told her that as long as she believed that Santa was real, she didn't need to worry about what the other kids thought. I also told her that the kids who don't believe don't get presents from him.

I know at almost eight that she is going to stop believing soon enough. It makes me sad to think of not having that magic in my house anymore. It also got me to thinking that maybe I need to do something special for her before she realizes the truth. This is where the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing comes in handy.

From now until the end of December, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel every weekend. Mrs. Claus will share stories with the kids, and Santa will deliver presents to your children in their rooms. The kids can even have their picture taken with the Jolly Old Guy. Starting at $209 a night for a family of four, that is a pretty good deal.

I want these last few years that Brandi believes to be special. The kids are growing up so fast, but at least I can now look forward to sharing the magic of Santa with my grandkids...many, many years from now.

Spider Bite

We took Kasi back to the dermatologist today, and the results were in...a spider bite! The nurse said she has never seen a spider do that to someone, so she had the doctor look at the slides twice. He found some kind of arachnid cells (or something like that) which leads him to believe it was a spider bite. What kind of spider...they have no idea. She asked a lot of questions about ticks and whether we spent time in the woods...well, yeah...we camp and fish, although the rash was on her back before we went camping. It just doesn't make sense to me that it started out small, and kept getting harder and bigger. Wouldn't a spider bite stayed one size? I guess I just need to trust their diagnosis...I mean, they are the experts.

They took her stitches out, and the holes look almost healed. She has some butterflies on their now. I have to continue to work the ointment into her back for the next four weeks, and she goes back the Monday after Christmas. I gotta tell you, I was a whole lot better with the ride this time, which is funny because there was a lot more traffic due to the holiday. I think it had something to do with the fact that we had traveled it before, and I kind of knew what to expect.

So that's the story of Kasi's back. We are going to keep praying that the ointment takes care of it, and she is rash free very soon.

Amazing Deals From Charter

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter Communication. All opinions are 100% mine.

In the past year, Charter has had some pretty awesome giveaways. I know I have told you about a few. It is with great enthusiasm that I am going to tell you about the deals they have going on before the year ends. I am a little disappointed that I am not a new customer (I have been a customer of theirs for years) because they are offering an awesome deal right now on their cable/telephone/cable bundle package. With packages starting at $69.97 for 12 months, ordering all three services also gets you a $2oo gift card. So not only are you going to save money for an entire year, but you get free money. How can you pass up a deal like that? But, you need to hurry, because this deal is only good until Cyber Monday.

But, after Cyber Monday, they will begin 38 days of giveaways. That's right. Every day they will be giving out an amazing prize, from iPods and camcorders to televisions and GPS units. Check out Charter’s Daily Deal Web Site for all the details. I, personally, want to win some of the Showtime prizes. You all know how much I love my serial killers and kings. (For those who don't watch, that means I am a fan of Dexter and The Tudors) They also have some HBO stuff. If you want to keep up with daily deals, become a fan of Charter on Facebook. They will be updating daily, and trust me, I am going to be getting those updates. Seriously, I want some of that Dexter stuff.

Let me end by saying that I have been extremely satisfied with the service I have gotten from Charter, and I highly recommend that if you have them in your area, you should consider using their services. And don't wait too long, or you will miss out on this great deal.

Did You Watch Criminal Minds Tonight?

I am just blown away by what happened on tonight's episode. I don't want to give anything away for those who tivo it, but I just have to say, I can not believe the direction they went.

I missed the past two episodes, so I was a little confused at the beginning of the show. I am going to see if I can't go on the CBS website and watch them. I want to catch up...

My Dream Kitchen

Now that Junior and I have decided to move, I am excited about finding a new place. I wish we could afford to buy something of our own, but that's not a possibility right now. Hopefully in a few years, because I am tired of paying rent every month, when that money could go towards owning our own home.

When we do finally buy our own place, I know exactly what I want. It must have four bedrooms, and a large kitchen. Actually, a huge kitchen. I want stainless steel appliances, stainless steel kitchen sinks, white cabinets, black marble counters, and a black and white checkered floor. I want enough room for a huge table, with at least eight chairs. I want a center island, with bar stools and a pot rack hanging from the ceiling.

I want my kitchen to be the place where my guests hang out when they come over.

I want it to feel "homey".

And now we need to win the lottery so we can afford to buy my dream kitchen, I mean my dream house.

Stitch Removal

Today is the day Kasi gets her stitches out, and we finally find out what is going on with her back. Of course, this means another trip to the dermatologist, who is an hour away, and hopefully this will be the last time.

I also have tons of baking and cooking to do before tomorrow. I am making some yummy stuff, and I really don't want to leave it until the morning. Let's just hope that the traffic isn't too bad on the interstate, what with all the traveling people will be doing today.

I am nervous enough about the drive already....

TOP 9 Rapidshare Search Engines Review

This is a sponsored guest post written by Anuta on behalf of rapid4me.com. Post powered by Sponzai.

If you never dealt with rapidshare, you are not an Internet user. Millions of people every day upload and download files to rapidshare – this modern info giant. So that users always could find what they search for, there exist special search engines, which search only for rapidshare links and thus save your time and effort. There are hundreds (if not thousands of them) nowadays.

Each one chooses for himself, how to download files from rapidshare in the most convenient way. But, as far as have noticed, main criteria remain the same: easy search and relevant results, high download speed, possible additional advanced options and user-friendliness. Today I'd like to make a surface user review of 9 rapidshare search engines, which, to my mind, are in the top.

1. http://rapid4me.com/



What is noticed at first site is a guide for beginners. Though it is not that important for promoted rapidshare users, for many dummies it will be of good help. The design is pleasant, no unnecessary ads, banners and other similar spam (but rather profitable one, should I admit), I believe it means that rapid4me's developers really care so that their users could find what they want without being attacked by numerous banners.




You may also add rapid4me.com to your search engine list and that's also very convenient, if this search engine meets your demands. What I didn't notice at other similar resources I found at rapid4me.com: here together with rapidshare links, one can find torrents (http://torrents.rapid4me.com ) and .pdf (http://pdf.rapid4me.com ). Such a universal search engine. Good idea, to my mind.




2. http://rapidlibrary.com/



This resource has already won its popularity and has it's own number of devoted users. They also have an option “Rapidshare Search Toolbar from Rapidlibrary “ and besides provide search by different files types. At first sight everything is clear, but when you choose the file to download and get to the list of links, you may feel a bit puzzled because of number of colors at the page and other things which distract attention. Personally for me it is a minus, though it is very subjective, sure thing. In all the rest this search engine deserves attention.




3. http://www.rapidsharemix.com/



When only you visit homepage, you see a logo and developers' promise to provide users with “new updated, constantly improving database”. And whenever I tried to find some certin file, my searches were rather successful. So let's hope that developers do not act against their conscience and are absolutely sincere.




Another useful feature that bursts upon my eyes – an ability to download the file in question quicker than by other similar resources. You don't need make additional clicks – just choose the file, enter CAPTCHA to have access to the links and voilà – start the download process.




4. http://www.filestube.com/



Rapidshare, megaupload and mediafire search engine provides users with advanced search by word, phrase, date and size, which sometimes may be essential for the search process. The process of search and download is quick and doesn't require registration. Another interesting detail – premium accounts are said to cost only $1.99. Does this mean high download speed or just unlimited access to the resources of... filestube.com??? The latter is true as it turned out. Would you like to pay for what other similar resources provide on a free basis? The choice is upon you!




5. http://rapidpedia.com/



This search engine allows us to take the bull by the horns. You have come to find and download some file – you are welcome, nothing will distract your attention from the main aim. Came – found – downloaded. Everything is precise and clear as it should be!




6. http://fileshunt.com/



Rapidshare SE possesses a huge rapidshare links base, which you may get... only after you pay for the access code. But when you do, you are promised to be shown to “unlimited access to all files stored on our servers with no size and speed restrictions”. Intrigued? Me too. All the rest satisfies the most sophisticated users: design, simplicity, user-friendliness – perfect!




7. http://rapidqueen.com/



Rapidshare search engine doesn't provide any advanced search options, searches in titles, specific file types etc. This search engine specializes on its main function – search for and give access to rapidshare links. What else is need from a decent functional rapidshare search engine?




8. http://rapidshare-search-engine.com/



As soon as you enter this page, you see the list of recent searches and get the idea of what users usually look for. Enter the file you need and get to another page with the list of links. Very convenient - smooth motion of your mouse to the search results and you have all info about the file: size, search tags, status, file type. You are satisfied with this info – start downloading.




9. http://avilib.com/



One more easy to use search engine on rapidshare. What I like about particularly this one – it's minimalism in design is professionally combined with maximal functionality. If you don't like overloaded pages with numerous options you never make use of, avilib.com is YOUR rapidshare search engine. The download procedure remains the same.

Our First Thanksgiving Of The Year

Last night, we went and had turkey with Missy and her family. (notice the turkey hat on Sam's head...that thing is getting a lot of mileage!) There was good food and great friends, and really, what more can you ask for?

The kids had fun driving each other nuts while the adults hung out and ate. And eat I did! It has been a while since I have been this full. Missy makes a mean turkey!

Being Technologically Challenged

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bad Boy Media. All opinions are 100% mine.

I keep asking the kids what they want for Christmas, and so far, I haven't gotten too many ideas from them. Ryan said something the other day about wanting an iPod, but I refuse to get him one. He has an mp3 player that does the same exact things, and it doesn't require me to bog down my computer with iTunes. I have had an iPod in the past, so I speak from experience when I say that our mp3 players are better.

I asked him why he wants an iPod so badly, and he had no answer. I think it is just because it's what his friends have. He has a tendency to follow the crowd, but I mean, who didn't at that age. He especially likes going onto youtube and listening to all kinds of music, as well as watching all kinds of videos. With the YouTube Downloader, I can put all those things onto his mp3.

Using this software, we can Download YouTube videos and music, and do a lot of technical things to them that I don't understand. It's a good thing I have Ryan around, because he usually has to explain all this stuff to me. It's crazy how we have the same mp3's, and I can play music on mine, and that's it, but he can record from the radio and do a million other things. When it comes to recording, or downloading songs, Ryan has to do it for me.

I admit to being technologically challenged. It's a good thing their is software available to help me, and all the others out there like me.

Junior And I

I have very few pictures of Junior and I together. Brandi took this one at Missy's house tonight, and I think it came out pretty good. I had having my picture taken, so it is rare that I willingly allow it. But, since it was for Brandi, I did it. And the end result was a pretty decent picture.

The Gift That Keeps Giving

Have you made your Christmas gift list yet? Have you checked it twice? If you know of someone who is having a baby, think of giving them a C'elle gift certificate for Christmas. They can use it to help pay for the cost of storing their child's cord blood.

I know for some this can be a touchy subject, but from what I have read, there are so many potential benefits that make saving the blood a good idea. Not only can the stem cells be used to fight off many diseases, like cancer and heart disease, for the child the blood was collected from, but there is a good chance it can be used to help that child's siblings. Before making up your mind, find out more about stem cells, and what they can be used for.

Now, I know banking your child's cord blood can be expensive. That is why giving gift certificates is a wonderful idea. Given in denominations of $50, receiving several can really help lower your out of pocket expense. It's just a matter of letting family and friends know that this is what you want. I wish that I had know the value of cord blood when I was pregnant. I would have looked into banking my kids cord blood.

Playing On Picnik

I love picnik. They have these really cute holiday frames for your pictures, like the lights on that I used. I just use the free stuff, and trust me when I say there is tons of free stuff. Of course, if you pay for a membership, you get even cooler stuff.

Oh, and that's a picture of my elephant shelves all decorated for Christmas, courtesy of Brandi Rose.

Felix

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of GoViral. All opinions are 100% mine.

You all know that I am a cat person. If I had the money, and the room, I would be one of those crazy cat ladies who has hundreds of cats. No, seriously, I would be. So, when I learned about MyFelix, I just had to try it. See my cat right there? He (or she...I'm not really sure which yet...but I guess I should name it...lets make it a girl named Holly) is so cute! I haven't really had the chance to figure out all that she can do, but so far she has walked around my screen, jumped a few times, sat up nice and pretty, then walked back to the corner and went into her little cat house for a nap. When I have time later I am going to teach her how to do some tricks.

It was really easy to download the program. Three simple steps and there she was. I didn't have to give out any personal information either, which I like. You need to have Windows XP or higher, and it doesn't work on Apple Mac or Linux.

Even if you are a dog lover, you will still think this little kittie is adorable. Just think, there is no litter box to worry about, and no cat hair all over your furniture. Just a sweet little cat to bring a smile to your face whenever you need it.

Come On, Drool With Me

This is how I spent my morning...making yummy peanut butter cookies topped with melted milk chocolate. Tonight we are headed to Missy's house for a little pre-Thanksgiving turkey dinner, and I made this to bring along. I am also making a macaroni and cheese, and a vegetable of some sort. I can not wait to eat, and hang out with some of my favorite people in the whole world!

My Biggest Fear

I was so happy a few weeks ago when we turned the clocks back. I am not a fan of it getting darker earlier in the day, but I love that it gets light earlier. Why, you ask? Because when I walk the kids to the bus stop in the mornings it's nice being able to see where we are walking, and when I walk back home, alone, it's nice to not be scared to death. When school first started, I was ready to have Junior install an outdoor wireless camera so that if something happened to me, he would know.

Sounds crazy, right? The thing is, the kids bus stop is at the end of our driveway. Our driveway is a little wooden bridge that goes over a creek. The creek is surrounded by trees and bushes, and is the perfect place for someone to hide. When it is pitch dark out, and I can only see right in front of myself, it tends to get a little scary. Or, maybe it's better to say that I tend to scare myself, thinking that someone is waiting to grab me as I come back across the bridge. Junior always says they would bring me right back because I am such a, well, you get the point.

The thing is, I know that I am just being paranoid. I know that more than likely, no one is waiting to jump out at me. But, having a wireless surveillance camera outside might give me the peace of mind that I crave. Because even now, with it getting light out earlier, I am still having to use a flashlight in the mornings. I still panic a little when I come across the bridge. I still open the door quickly, and lock it tight when I get inside.

Now, don't laugh at me. I am fine when Junior is home in the mornings. I am fine when I walk to the bus stop with the kids. It is only when I am completely alone that I freak out. I think it is because I worry that if something did happen to me, no one would know about it until it was too late. This is why an outdoor security camera would be perfect for us. Junior can chose between Vivotek, Lorex, or SVAT, and decide which one best fits our needs. I want something that will record all the time. That way, if something does happen one morning, Junior will have it all on tape.

So tell me, what are you afraid of?

I Do Have A Son, Too, Ya Know

It seems like the only pictures I ever post over here are of the girls. Usually whenever I pull out the camera, Ryan runs. But yesterday, as he was relaxing on the lawnmower, I sneaked a shot. Of course it came out a little blurry, but he wouldn't let me take another.

Must be a boy thing....or a teenager thing.

It's Almost Moving Time

My mom will be moving soon. Just like last time, she will be renting a truck and we will be doing all the work. I wish we could all chip in and hire a professional moving company like Moving Company Los Angeles.

Their website promises:

• they will beat any competitors price
• reliable - affordable - professional
• #1 in customer service
• free estimates
• professional packing
• experienced, professionally trained movers
• clean trucks with liftgate and ramp
• customer satisfaction is their main goal

Now, because we live in South Carolina it is impossible for us to use movers los angeles services, but I would love to find a local company promising the same things, because after we move my mom in December, we have to move ourselves in February. If I know my husband, though, we will be moving without the aid of even a truck. We will probably just use our trailer and whatever friends pick up trucks we can convince to help us. The last time we moved, we did it ourselves, and I refuse to do that to Junior again. I will definitely be rounding up some volunteers.

But, if you are planning on moving, and live in the Los Angeles area, check out Melrose Moving. You can call 1-800-431-3920 and get a free quote. Trust me when I say I wish we could hire professionals, too.

**This post is brought to you by Melrose Moving. All opinions are 100% mine.

Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen

I just watched this movie with Brandi and I LOVED IT! When Ryan got the first one last year for Christmas, I was thrilled. Normally, this is not the type of movies that I enjoy, but the special effects are awesome! I think Ryan liked it more because Megan Fox was in it.
Shia LaBeouf always cracks me up, and this movie was no disappointment. Sure, there was all kinds of action, but there were also some pretty funny parts. I can not wait until the third one comes out!

Tofurky And Gravy Soda

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Jones Soda. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay, so you guys read my last post, right? If not, let me catch you up. The nice people at Izea sent me a Thanksgiving goodie box, and inside was an adorable turkey hat, and a bottle of Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda . I can not tell you how much I love getting free stuff!

I was fully prepared to wait until Thanksgiving to let the kids try the soda, but they broke me down. Tonight we opened the bottle, and they all took a swallow. Brandi was the first, and it was pretty funny watching her take a big mouthful.

It was even funnier when she ran to the sink to spit it out.

Kasi was up next, and while she didn't spit hers out, she did not like it at all. The face she made was priceless.

Junior was up next, and he seems to agree with the kids; not so good. I think if I had served it with mashed potatoes or veggies we might have had better results.

There was one person who loved it. My 14 year old son, Ryan. Of course, he had to don the hat for the taste test, and he was totally rocking it. I am going to bring it to my sister's house on Thanksgiving for everyone to wear. We are also going to a friends house for a Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday night, and I am going to bring it there, too. Consider this your warning, Missy. I am coming armed with turkey! lol!

I hate to say that this beverage gets three thumbs down, one thumb up in my house. You want to know why I didn't try it?

Because I'm chicken. I couldn't do it. Plus, I have issues when I drink non-diet beverages.

Thank you again, Izea and Jones Soda. It was fun trying out this drink!

Thank You, Izea!

When I stepped outside today to get my mail, I found a green box on my front porch.

I had my front door open, and I was singing some Lady Antebellum at the top of my lungs while washing dishes. Yeah, I am sure the mail lady heard me...slightly embarrassing! But hey, my kitchen is clean, and now I have a new hat. Wait til you see it! But first, let me show you what else was in the box.

Can you read the label??? It is...are you ready...tofurky and gravy soda. To be honest, I am afraid to try it, and am kind of relieved that I can not drink sugared soda. But, the kids and Junior have volunteered to be my guinea pigs on Thanksgiving...I'll let you know what they thought!

You want to see the hat that was keeping that soda company in the box?

That's right...it's a turkey! I love it!
Brandi grabbed it as soon as she walked in the house from school, and tried it on.
Then she stood in front of the mirror for an hour laughing at herself!

Thank you again, Izea, for the fun Thanksgiving treats!

Who Needs A Vacation? That Would Be Me

I need a vacation. Seriously, as stressful as the past few months have been, I need to get away and just relax. The biggest question is where would I go?

I would love to visit Australia, but I will not fly, so that is out of the question. It would have to be somewhere we could drive. Maybe Florida? The kids have been bugging me to take them to Disney. Or maybe we'll head north and go meet my newest little nephew? Where ever we decide to go, we will probably have to rent a car. Why put all those miles on our van when Car Rental Prices are so reasonable these days? The last vacation we took was to Ohio, and that years ago for my brother's wedding. We rented a car for that trip, and it was a much nicer car than we drive. It was really nice. I could handle doing that again.

Now to just convince Junior, because he's the one who will be driving!

I just noticed that I have over 200 followers! How awesome is that! I never in a million years would have thought that so many people would be interested in what I have to say. Now, because this is me we are talking about, now that I have said something about it, people will unfollow me and that number will drop. That's just the way things go for me! lol!

To those who are following me...THANK YOU!!!!!!

Oh, Canada, You Have The Best Contests!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dr. Oetker. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay all my Canadian friends, I have something to share with you. Have you heard about the Dr. Oetker Kitchen Makeover Contest? No? Well, let me give you all the details so you can play to win.

The first thing you have to do is go out and buy some pizza. Specifically, some Casa di Mama Pizza. Find the PIN from specially marked packages and enter it on the website for your chance to win a $20,000 kitchen makeover.

Don't think you're lucky enough to win the grand prize? Fear not. There are also eight secondary prizes to be won, including a fridge/freezer, freestanding electric range, dishwasher or microwave, all from Whirpool.

If you still don't think you are lucky enough to win one of those, maybe you'll be one of the 2000 people who will instantly win a Casa di Mama Pizza or a pizza cutter? Sounds to me like the odds are pretty good that you can win something.

I went to the website, and they are giving away bonus pin numbers when you become a Savoury Moments Member. I wish I could join and play, but I do not live in Canada. That's right, us Americans can't participate. But, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for my Canadian friends. I know Carrie is redoing her kitchen right now, and that $20,000 could come in really handy!

Oh, Eli

Okay Top Chef fans...it's down to the final four. I was sad to see Eli go, but wasn't surprised. Now the big question is who will win?

Will it be one of the brothers? If it comes down to the two of them, I see Brian winning.

Or maybe Kevin will bring them both down. He has won a surprising number of Judge's Tables, and to be honest, I love the food he cooks. Sometimes simple is the way to go.

And then there is Jennifer. If she can find the gusto she had at the beginning of the competition, she could be a force to be reckoned with.

Who do I want to win? That's a hard one. I guess I want to see Kevin win it all. Just to prove to everyone that you don't have to be all pretentious...good food is good food.

Period.

Reaching Out For Financial Help

Bills. Never ending suckers of money. No matter how much money we have coming in, more and more seems to be going out. In fact, we are in the horrible position right now where there is more going out than is coming in.

And it stinks.

Our heads are barely, and I mean barely, above water right now, and we are weighing our options carefully. Junior and I are looking into Debt Consolidation, in the hopes that we can have all our loans merged into one affordable monthly payment. It would be wonderful if we could also qualify for debt settlement , which is where the counselors negotiate what is owed, and sometimes they can cut interest rates, get rid of late fees, and even have our creditors settle for less than what we owe. Debt Negotiation can be tricky, so it is best left to the professionals.

I am looking forward to the day when if we want to do something, like go to the movies, I don't have to save up for weeks. My girls want so badly to see New Moon this weekend, but they are going to have to wait because I do not have the money right now. Maybe next week I can squeeze $30 out of Juniors check to take them, but I am not holding my breath.

Three Men On A Hike

I got this in an email from my dad, and think it's pretty funny...

Three men were hiking through the forest when they came upon a large raging, violent river. Needing to get to the other side, the first man prayed,

"God, please give me the strength to cross the river".

Poof...God gave him big arms and strong legs and he was able to swim across in about 2 hours, having almost drowned twice.

After witnessing that, the second man prayed,

"God, please give me strength and the tools to cross the river".

Poof...God gave him a rowboat and strong arms and strong legs, and he was able to row across in about an hour after almost capsizing once.

Seeing what happened to the first two men, the third man prayed,

"God, please give me the strength, the tools, and the intelligence to cross the river".

Poof...He was turned into a woman. She checked the map, hiked one hundred yards upstream, and walked across the bridge.

Ha! I love it!

Do You Have What It Takes?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Popstation. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you believe that you have what it takes to be a superstar? Do you have the vocals to make it to the top of the charts? Do you know how to get started?

If you think you do, check out PopStation. This is the place to go where you can record an original song, and have it voted on by the fans. There are no judges, just everyday people who love music. Just register with the site (it's free to do so) and visit the practice rooms. It is here that you can practice singing, and then record yourself singing an original song. Original songs are released Monday through Thursday, with a different branch of music each day. Since I am a country music freak, my day to visit would be Tuesday. Of course, I am no where near good enough to record a song, but I am more than happy to listen to other people make these songs their own. The more of yourself you put into the song, the better your chances are of being "discovered" by the PopStation audience.

The best part is that once every three months, one #1 artist will earn the "Big Deal", where they can experience recording an album first hand. If you are lucky enough to be that artist, you and a friend will get a three day, all expense paid stay in a NYC hotel, where you will spend two days recording your own album, complete with the help of industry professionals. Sounds pretty cool. But, you can't win if you don't enter, so go. Get to work.

And one day when you are rich and famous, don't forget that you heard about PopStation right here. It's always nice to acknowledge the "little people".

Okay, So I'm Back

My head feels a little better, so I decided to get some work done. I spent the morning watching Rendition, with Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal, who make a really cute couple in real life. The movie was okay. Witherspoon's husband, and Egyptian, goes missing from a flight from Africa to the US, and she spends the movie trying to find him. There is a parallel storyline of terrorism and torture, and at the end of the movie, I kinda went, "huh". Like I missed the connection somewhere along the way. I blame the migraine.

Anyway, a couple of Excedrin seems to have done the trick (for now), so I am trying to drop my ecards before my head actually explodes.

Wish me luck!

hotelicopter.com makes hotel content portable

This is a sponsored guest post written by Carl Schwartz on behalf of hotelicopter. Post powered by Sponzai.

Site publishers and bloggers now have a new content tool at their disposal. If you have travel content on your site, you now can embed detailed hotel information by location or specific hotel. This makes it much more contextual for your readers.

hotelicopter.com launched its latest innovation this week. Going beyond what is currently available, hotelicopter now gives any web site owner the ability to publish detailed, interactive hotel content on their site for free.

hotelicopter, recently named the emerging hotel meta-search site by Piper Jaffray & Co., helps travelers find amazing hotel deals worldwide, including for Las Vegas hotels, Orlando hotels, Chicago hotels, Los Angeles hotels, and New York hotels.

In three easy steps, site publishers can quickly enhance any travel- or event-related content they offer by adding hotel photos, star and user ratings, addresses, and average rates per night.

Here is an example of a specific hotel:

Create a hotel list of your own!

Powered by hotelicopter

In a recent report, Phocuswright discovered that simple booking engine widgets do not add much value on content sites such as destination marketing organizations (DMOs). The report goes on to state that booking engine widgets are not used very much on DMO sites (Phocuswright Destination Marketing: Understanding the Role and Impact of Destination Marketers; June 2009).

This hotel content is perfect for:

- Web sites that publish articles about specific destinations

- Bloggers focused on specific cities and travel topics

- Event organizers who want to offer local hotel choices to attendees

- Sports organizations

- Family sites (weddings, reunions, parties, funerals, etc)

- School web sites

Pretty cool content to offer your readers. To start building your own hotel card widget, visit h2go.hotelicopter.com and follow the very simple instructions.

Taking The Morning Off

I woke up this morning with a headache. I thought laying back down would help, but now I have a full blown migraine. I just took some medicine, and am going to try and relax for a while. That means no computer. I think looking at the screen makes it worse. (duh, right?) So, I am going to see what happens, and maybe I'll be back later. I still have to drop ecards and do some paid posts, but right now I just want my head to feel better.

Oops, I Forgot, Again

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alice.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a bad habit of forgetting to buy household things when I go shopping. Junior ends up having to make special trips to the store because we run out of paper towels, toilet paper, and soap. I don't know why I can't remember to buy these things. I wish there was a way for these things to be delivered to my door, without my having to think too much about it.

Oh wait. There is. It's called Alice.com. I am not sure of they did this on purpose, but when I see the name and think of what they do, I think of Alice from the Brady Bunch. I don't know why. But anyway, Alice.com is a really interesting website where I can order all those household items that I always forget to buy, and have them delivered to my doorstep, free. That's right, I said free. No matter what you buy, or how much you buy, shipping is always free. I started my own account, and had fun looking at all the things you can chose from. The first thing I looked into was soap. Simple bar soap. They had 71 different varieties, and my brand was cheaper than what I pay in the store. Alice.com will also apply any coupon they find to your order, without you having to do anything special. They will even remind you when it is time for you to order more stuff. That is definitely what I need. They also have a "refer a friend" program, where you can offer them $10 off once they spend $50, and then get a percentage back at the end of the year.

Sounds great, right? I am excited to see how much money I will save using their website, and I am sure Junior will be excited that he won't have to run to the store for all the things I forget to buy.

I guess it's a win win for us. Let it be a win win for you, too.

Feeling Crafty

The past few days, I have had the craft bug. I have been painting Christmas ornaments and letting the girls paint some ornaments. I have been posting what they have made over on my craft blog if you want to take a peek.

I am trying to come up with gifts for Grandparents. I have said it before, but we are really short on money this year, so I have to get creative. I think we have come up with some cute things. I also have a few more ideas up my sleeve...we'll see how far I get before I get frustrated and give up.

Springpad

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Springpad. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love finding recipes online. This is a new thing for me, because it is only recently that I have decided to try new things. I am a creature of habit, and that held true for my food as well. I was scared to try new things, and one day I realized that I might be missing out.

Turns out I was.

Now that I am trying new recipes, I need a place to keep track of it all. This is where Springpad comes in. In a nutshell, Springpad is a free online personal organizer. I recently opened an account with them, and am feeling my way around the sight. From what I see so far, when I find a recipe I like online, I can add it to my profile. This is great because I am known for trying a recipe, loving it, and then when I want to use it again, I can not find it. Having all of my favorites in one place will make it so much easier. I can even upload pictures of the dishes I make, which is pretty cool. I mean, you all know how much I love taking pictures. Oh, and I can also make a weekly meal plan, and create my shopping list at the same time. How cool is that?

Right now, Springpad is giving you the chance to win $100. All you have to do is check out their bloggers favorite recipes, and when you add the ones you like to your recipe box, you are entered to win the money. It's that simple. You should Check out Springpad and enter the contest. I am going to be adding lots of recipes to my recipe box, so I should have a good chance of winning that money.

90% Off

Walmart has all their Halloween stuff marked down to 90% off. I spent about $5 and got sooo much stuff. I got bowls for $.30 each, napkins for $.15, "beware" tape for $10, a pinata for $1, and other stuff I can't even remember. I think I am finally at the point where I won't have to borrow my friends Halloween supplies next year when we have our party. I just need to find something to serve the punch in. My friend has a cauldron that I use every year, but I want to find something of my own. I guess that will be the one thing I'll have to pay full price for next year.

I See The Light!

Financially, we have had a hard few months. The good news is that we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our van will be paid off in the next few months, which will be a huge burden lifted off of our shoulders. Do you guys remember how hard it was to get an auto insurance quote when we first bought it? Thankfully we now have a very reasonable monthly rate, and I am thinking about paying for the entire year when we get our tax refund in February. I think having one less bill to worry about every month would be wonderful.

Jenn's Cafe

This game is sucking my life away. I thought Farmtown was bad, but that was nothing compared to this. In case you don't know, this is Cafe World on Facebook. I love this game! It is fast and easy to level up, and each time you do, you are rewarded with new food, or counters, or stoves. There are so many different ways to decorate your cafe, and I redecorate all the time. Right now I have over $350,000 coins, and I am waiting for the next upgrade to make my cafe bigger.

What's your game of choice on facebook?

Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hoover and Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

Christmas shopping.

These two words strike fear in my heart and have been known to trigger panic attacks. This year, we are struggling. I have no idea how we are going to finish out shopping before the big day. I do know that I am going to need some help.

I heard about the Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide, and decided to check it out. It has so much information! I had no idea that there were so many different websites that can tell you which stores are having which sales on Black Friday. (I did the Black Friday thing last year for the first time, and have no desire to do it again) Cyber Monday is more my style. I prefer to shop from the comfort of my own home, avoiding the crowds. For those of you like me, make sure you look for promo codes before checking out. This Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide gives you a few tricks to try with promo codes, too. I was going to share them with you, but I think you should go check them out for yourself. I was shocked at the number of sites that offer these codes. (check out a few to make sure you find the best deals)

Now that you know how to shop for the Holidays, let me tell you about Dirt Devil. I speak from experience when I say that I love their vacuums. In fact, in the 14 years that I have been married, I have only owned two vacuums, and both of them were Dirt Devils. Right now I have Vision, and I love it. It picks up everything, and it is a bag less, so there is no messy bag changes. I just take the canister outside when it is full and dump it in the trash.

If you are looking for a gift for someone special, think about a Dirt Devil. I know it's not the most romantic gift, but my mom bought me my first Dirt Devil, and I thought it was a great gift. Dirtdevil.com has lots of gift ideas, for him and her. Remember to check out the Holiday Gift Guide before buying anything, because the tips you find there can save you money.