Getting A Degree Online

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

Have you ever thought about finishing your degree online? I know I went to college years ago. Many, many years ago. But I never finished, and I wish that I had. Maybe if I did, Junior and I wouldn't be struggling financially right now.

Nowadays, with colleges offering online classes, it is easier than ever to get a degree. If you are thinking about becoming a teacher, "The USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC offers current educators and aspiring teachers the prestige of earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university with the convenience and flexibility of studying online." When the time comes for field experience, you can do that locally. You can finish the program in as little as twelve months, and they offer scholarships and tuition reimbursements. I know if I was to apply, I would probably qualify for some type of financial aid.

If you are accepted into the program, you would be taught by an awesome faculty, who are recognized for their contributions to modern education. You would also be able to participate in the schools commencement ceremonies. You can read more program information and decide if this is something you would be interested in. I don't have the time right now to start school, but maybe in a few years when Brandi is a little older, it might be something I will consider.

Still Sick

Ug. I'm still feeling like crap. I can't take a deep breath. If I do, I have a coughing fit that leaves my chest hurting worse and my head spinning. I started some antibiotics, hoping they will help. I really can not afford to go to the doctor, so hopefully these will help.

I just took more nyquil, so I'm heading to bed.

Night.

Work Experience

Junior is working on a friends car. He was supposed to change the head gasket, but then discovered the heads were cracked, which equaled much more work. (kinda sounds like I know what I'm talking about, doesn't it?) Because of his bad back, he delegated some of the work to Ryan, who was in heaven! They made a great team, and now the job is almost complete. Ryan is definitely racking up some automotive experience!

Keeping Baby Close With The Beco Baby Carrier

My niece is almost five months old. I can not believe it! When I was a kid, I remember hearing the adults saying that the older you get, the faster time goes. I don't think truer words have ever been spoken.

My sister also has a three year old, and sometimes she needs five hands when, like the rest of us, she only has two. This is where the beco baby carrier, which can be found at La Stella Blu, would come in handy. It would allow her to carry my niece, and still have free hands to help my nephew, or get some housework done. I was reading about this specific carrier, and I like that it comes with something you put inside of it to make it comfortable for newborns.

I wish I had one of these when Kasi was born. Ryan was 18 months old at the time, and this carrier would have made my life a whole lot easier.

Hershey's And The Children's Miracle Network

Hershey’s has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network and this Easter Hershey’s will donate up to $5000 to CMN through the Better Basket Blog Hop campaign. It’s so easy to participate and will only take a few minutes of your time. Hershey’s will donate $10 per post up to 500 posts. When we are all done that will be $5000 raised for Children’s Miracle Network!

Here’s all you need to do.

HERSHEY’S BETTER BASKET BLOG HOP RULES:

* Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
* Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
* Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
* Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this #betterbasket blog hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
* Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010). * Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.

I was asked to participate by Stacey, from all stace, all the time, and I just couldn't say no. This is a wonderful idea, and a great way help the Children's Miracle Network. I don't want to single anyone out...I want you all to participate. Let's see how much money we can raise...together!

Changing The World

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

Did you read the New York Times online last week? If so, I am sure you noticed some of the banner ads declaring "Global Songs". These ads were all about a movement that started in 2005, which has gained continued momentum since. Apparently, it is all about how the people of the world can change the world, by not settling for mediocrity.

It all started with this, a simple message;

"The World's Problems Are Severe and Urgent. Solving Them Requires Something Drastic and Immediate. So I Am Posting a Website for the People."
- Rockefeller Aldrich Kennedy-Popton 1/20/2005 5:00 AM

His website, THE PERFECT MOMENT NEVER ENDS, has so much information on it. I have to admit to being a little confused. I listened to two of the songs now associated with this movement, called "One" and "It's Up to Us to Change the World". They focus on what is wrong with our world, and I think the songs sound like they are from the 80's. Which isn't a bad thing, because I love 80's music. However, I can not see myself listening to these songs on a regular basis. But, they do get the groups message across, and that is what is important.

Can we, the people, make this happen? Who knows. But it's nice knowing there are some of us out there trying.

LOL!!!!

Check out what happens when I take Junior shopping:

We were in the Easter aisle, and Junior just had to try on this basket hat. I was shocked that he actually let me take his picture. The first words out of his mouth were,

"You better not blog about this!"

Yeah, okay honey.

Beef Stew With Rice

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

I am the queen of easy meals. I really do enjoy cooking, but doing full meals every day is sometimes a little overwhelming. I always have a few "safety items" in my pantry for those days that I just don't feel like cooking. I am sure we all have things like spaghetti sauce and mac and cheese stashed somewhere, because these are things the kids love, and they are easy to make.

My kids favorite easy meal is Dinty Moore stew with rice. All I do is open a can of stew, and throw it in a pot. I heat it on medium low (so it doesn't burn on the bottom) while I boil water for rice. I use the ten minute rice, so that means within fifteen minutes I have supper on the table. It really doesn't get much easier than that.

You can find lots more recipes that you can make using hormel products by visiting their recipe section. There is one recipe in particular that I can not wait to try. It's called Valley Fresh Chicken and Broccoli Casserole. It looks really simple to make because it uses canned chicken, and it sounds delicious. I am a big fan of canned chicken. It is what I use when I make chicken salad. And my chicken salad is yummy. Just ask my kids.

I am looking forward to seeing how many of these recipes my kids will eat, because using these tasty products will definitely make dinner preparation easier.

What A Storm!

Check out this sky! Do you see the green in it? It was so weird.

Three minutes after I took the above picture, the hail started falling.
Hard.

Check out the size of those suckers!

Thankfully it only lasted about fifteen minutes...but the rain, wind, thunder and lightning lasted a little longer. I was just glad we were home, safe and warm.

Becoming Energy Efficient

There are so many little things that we all can do to make our homes more energy efficient. I always say I want to do my part, but Energy saving is not something I think about on a daily basis. I know I should, and I found a really cool website that opened my eyes a little to the energy I waste in my home.

Signing up is free. All I had to do was enter a little bit of information about where I live, the type of house I live in, and some information off of my power bill. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have "mobile home" as a selection, because I think it would have made a difference in the recommendations they made for me. The picture below is a shot of what they suggested I do to make my home more energy efficient.
The first suggestion they made was to lower the temperature on our hot water heater, and I find it kind of funny, since this is actually a subject that Junior and I debate all the time. I think he has it set too hot. In fact, the water is so hot that you can not shower without turning on a least a little cold water. He has always, since the day we got married, insisted that he gets to set it where he wants since I don't know how to change it.

I pick my battles, and let him win this one. But, maybe if I show him the money we can save on our power bill, he might have a change of heart.

I wish they had asked about home appliances, because they recommend that we buy an energy efficient one when we replace our current one. Our current one is less than 5 years old, and it is energy efficient. So is our dishwasher. They also recommended we use those funky light bulbs, and we already do. Maybe I just didn't go far enough with the evaluation?

Either way, they made many useful suggestions that I will take into consideration as I try to reduce our home energy consumption. You can head over to the site and find out what you can do to make your home more energy efficient too. Trust me when I say it only took a few minutes, and now I have a better idea of what my family needs to do.

And I am going to make sure we do it.

My Chest Hurts

I have got a nasty cough, and it is making it hard for me to sleep. Every time I lay down, I have a coughing fit.

So, I had Junior take me to walmart so I could get some medicine, and I expect to spend the next 24 hours sleeping.

I'm not kidding...I do not do well with medicine. Even the day time formulas make me sleepy. I will have to drag my butt out of bed tomorrow, because Brandi's best friend from her old school is having a birthday party tomorrow, and Brandi is so excited to go. Then Sunday we are going to my mom's to celebrate the March birthdays. So, that means I need to get my rest tonight.

I'm off to pop some pills....

Are You A Winner?

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

A while back, I did a post on an iLASIK Video Contest, and I encouraged all of you, my readers, to make a video and enter for yourselves. Well, the contest is now over, and the winners of this Abbott Medical Optics Inc sponsored contest have been announced.

The grand prize, $5,000 winner is Alex! Check out his winning video, "You Gotta See This Music Video":

Submit entry

Contest details

Pretty funny, right? Definitely a winning video.

There were also other prizes, and those winners are:

Category 1: My Contacts Are Getting In The Way Of My Good Time

First Prize: “You Gotta Be Kidding Me! A True Story” by Robbo (HDTV package — a $2,500 value)

Second Prize: “Contacts Stink” by windysail (Flip UltraHD™ camcorder — a $199.99 value)

Category 2: My Favorite Sport Or Activity Would Be So Much Cooler With Better Vision
First Prize: “iLASIK Would Make Surfing More Enjoyable” by jhbmw007 (HDTV package)

Second Prize: “Foggy Riding” by Snowman (Flip UltraHD camcorder)

Category 3: You Should See Life After The iLASIK® Procedure
First Prize: “Orbs Of Perfection” by Danny V (HDTV package)

Second Prize: “Army LASIK” by ahowalton (Flip UltraHD camcorder)

If you want to check out all the entries, you can head to the iLASIK Video Contest website. While you are there, make sure you register to get some great eye care products.

My Little Diva

Last weekend, we went out on my dad's boat. The kids had a blast, and I found it totally relaxing. We cruised around the lake...Brandi even got to drive for a little while. That drove Ryan nuts because he wanted to drive, too, but he's a little too big to be sitting on my dad's lap. As we eased back into my dad's dock, Brandi got a little too comfortable...

Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book Of Grub

The title just about says it all. If there is anything you want to know about food, you will more than likely find it in this book.

This book, written by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey, the self-proclaimed "sexiest fat men in America", is hilarious! I could not put it down once I started reading it. To be honest, I was expecting it to be more of a cookbook, and while it does have a few recipes scattered throughout, it is more about their take on food. Which, by the way, is pretty funny. I mean, when they quoted Big Bird from Sesame Street to prove a point about giblets, I was literally laughing out loud. They also have a few "top ten" lists which were great, especially the "Never-To-Be-Broken Rules Of The Church Potluck".

But, if you only read one section in this entire book, it should definitely be "The Rick And Bubba Restaurant rating System". As funny as it is, it is also so true!

I would not recommend buying this book if you are looking for a traditional cookbook, because that is not what this book is about. This book is written to make you laugh, with a few recipes thrown in. I can not wait to try their Peanut Butter Bars Of Joy. I love chocolate and peanut butter, and these bars have both. Yum.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor.

***I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

BFF's

Chocolate and peanut butter.

Two perfect foods who were made to be together.

Consider them BFF's, if you will.

Now that Easter is right around the corner, my favorite Reese's have been in the stores, and I can not get enough. See those little eggs over there in that picture? I could eat an entire bag of them and still want more. Yes, to me they are that good!

So imagine my delight when I saw this bad boy in the grocery store the other day! That's right, it is a huge peanut butter filled chocolate egg.

I had to have it...but it was $5. I can not, and will not, spend $5 on one piece of chocolate, no matter how big it is. I will, however, pay $2.50, and that is exactly what I did the other night when I found them BOGO free. I can not tell you how much I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into this bad boy.

Now, if you look on the box, it shows a thin layer of chocolate, and lots of peanut butter. In reality, it was a really thick layer of chocolate with a lot of peanut butter.

I know, you are asking yourself, "why is this chick complaining about the thickness of the chocolate?". Well, because the reason I like the little eggs is because the chocolate melts away in my mouth, without having to be chewed. This bad boy needed to be gnawed, and I wasn't feeling it. Plus, as you can imagine, it was very rich! I'm glad I cut it in half to begin with, and it still took me a couple of days to eat the whole thing.

Would I buy another? probably not. Am I glad I got it on sale? Absolutely. I would have been really upset if I spent $5 just to be disappointed.

Now, if I could just get the pop tart people to make a chocolate peanut butter pop tart, the world would be a perfect place!

Oh, My Aching Feet!

I have a terrible time with dry skin in the winter. I blame the heat in the house. I usually get flaky skin on my legs, and an even more embarrassing place; my face. This winter, though, has been pretty mild. We haven't had the heat turned up too high, and my face has been okay. My legs have been dry, but I have been managing with a moisturizing lotion. I did have a new trouble spot show up, and that is my feet.

I can not tell you the last time I put on a pair of socks. I'm serious. I usually wear either my fur lined crocs or flip flops. This leaves my feet vulnerable to the weather, and my heels are paying the price. They are literally cracked and brittle, and they hurt so bad some days. On a good day, I can get one of the girls to rub lotion into them, but it usually costs me something. I believe soaking them would help, but I can not stand to be in the tub for that long. I know, that's hard to believe since all I ever complained about before the move was not being able to take a bath. I guess I just got too used to showering.

I think the perfect solution would be finding some type of foot spa that I can use while sitting here at the computer, or while watching television. I found this BioEnergiser, and it sounds wonderful! Not only with it soften my heels, the "Bio-energy science goes to work on them with this remarkable BioEnergiser detox foot bath, extracting toxins that build up in your body and leaving you feeling renewed and rebalanced with more physical and mental energy." It uses sea salt, and I have heard that salt is wonderful for the healing process.

The great thing about this is that it will fit right under my desk, so I can soak while I work. It is these little perks that make me grateful that I can work from home, because I am pretty sure you can not soak your feet at a nine to five job.

Show Me The Money

Last Monday, Brandi has PASS testing at school. I am sure every school has some form of this. Each child is given a specific target number, and that is their goal score for the test. If you remember, when Brandi was in first grade, she scored off the charts on this test, and she did just as well last year.

This year she passed her target number, again. Yay, Brandi!

Now, as most of you also know, she switched schools recently, and I am still getting to know her teacher's style, and how she motivates her students.

I found out Monday that she bribes them to do well. See, she gave each kid who hit their target a dollar. To a third grade kid, that's huge! She told each kid that they could use their dollar to buy ice cream...which they sell in the cafeteria one day a week...to celebrate their achievement.

I am not sure how I feel about this.

I know I shouldn't compare the two school, but I can't help it. At Brandi's old school, every night they had homework that consisted of at least one workbook page of math (most of the time it was two pages), spelling homework (either writing all spelling words...there were usually about 15...three times each, or using every word in a sentence (and there were sentence rules...like having to be at least 6 words, and they couldn't start with "I") or putting all the words in alphabetical order), and reading (for at least 30 minutes). At this school, there is a sheet of math problems that comes home at the beginning of the week, called "smartie math". It has about 10 problems, and parents are encouraged to help the kids. When they return it on Friday, if they have 80% correct, they get a "smartie" candy. Again, rewarding the kids for something they should be doing anyway. ( and FYI...I refuse to give Brandi the answers on her math. If she gets stuck, which doesn't happen often, I will guide her to the answer, but she has to work the problems out herself.) This school also uses one sheet of paper, front and back, for homework for the week. Usually, it's writing 5 words in ABC order, or using three spelling words in a sentence. I feel like Brandi is not being challenged, and that she is falling into some bad habits.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for praising a good job, but bribing the kids with rewards for things they should be doing...not so much. I just hold on to the fact that there is only two more months of school, and hopefully next year she will get a teacher who is a little more challenging.

If You Kissimmee, I'll Kissiyou!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.
I know you have heard the old saying, that "opposites attract". I believe that Junior and I are proof that that saying is completely true. For instance, when it comes to discussing where to go on vacation this year, we can agree on only one thing, and it is for completely different reasons. We both want to go where there will be water, only Junior wants to fish in it, and I want to swim in it.

This is why Kissimmee is the perfect place for us to go. For Junior, there are plenty of lakes to go fishing. When he gets tired of that, he can tour the wetlands, looking for turtles and alligators. He can even take an airboat ride across Lake Toho. Okay, maybe I would also like to hunt up some alligators and ride in the airboat. And maybe do a little fishing, but only after I spend some time with the kids at the water parks.

I love the rides where you can sit in a tube or a boat, but I am not brave enough for those waterslides where you just cross your arms and push off. I am slightly terrified of heights, and I would never be able to do the initial push. Who am I kidding. I would never make it to the top of the ride to begin with. But strap me in a boat with five other people, and I am good to go.

As you can see, Junior and I really are opposites. He would rather enjoy the water from a distance with a fishing pole, and I want to be in it. Thankfully, there are places like Kissimmee where we can do both.

I've Been Spammed!

I have been blogging for about three years now, more or less, and for the first time today, this blog was spammed! I have email notification for comments, so I knew exactly which posts were affected. Or is it effected? I always get those two mixed up...someone please give me a grammar lesson here...I will not be insulted...I really need to know. I suppose I could look it up in a dictionary, but let's face it, I am much too lazy.

Anyway, why do these companies think they can leave comments like that? Do they think we don't realize what they are doing?

Shame on you coach purses for spamming up my blog!

Alvin And The Chipmunks ~ The "Squeakquel"

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

I remember when the first Alvin and the Chipmunks movie came out a few years ago. My kids begged me to take them to see it, but we waited until it was on one of the movie channels before seeing it. I was a little hesitant to sit and watch it myself. I mean, it was a movie about chipmunks. Now, whenever it is on, even if the kids are not home, I will watch it. It's a cute, funny movie my whole family enjoyed.

The begging started again when the "squeakquel" hit theaters, but again, I didn't take them. I know, I'm a cheap mommy who would rather buy the movie for the same amount of money I would spend taking them to the theater. Movie tickets are expensive these days! Now that the kids know that the movie will be out on March 30, the begging has begun again. They want the double DVD pack, which includes "The Squeak Along" Bonus Disc, that has more music, mayhem and all-new singalongs. And if you know my family, you know we love to sing along!

I found a site where there was a lot More Munk Mayhem, and I made my own little chipmunk. Check her out!

How cool is that! She is saying "this website is totally awesome", although it doesn't quite sound like that. My kids are going to have a ball making their own chipmunks, too.

I plan on getting my own copy of this movie, as well as the first one. I can pre-order the "squeakquel" and buy it now, making sure that I get a copy. I think this movie will be the perfect addition to Brandi's Easter basket.

The Eight Tens Meme

The Eight Tens Meme

TEN TO START.

1. Are you single? Nope...been married for almost 15 years

2. Are you happy? Yup.

3. Are you bored? No way! I am enjoying a quiet house with no kids or husband...oh, and the sound of New Moon playing in the background.

4. Are you naked? that's a kind of personal question...but no, I am not naked.

5. Are you a blonde? yes, yes I am

6. Are you moody? I don't think so, but others might disagree.

7. Are you a lover/hater? A little of both...that's what makes me so interesting.

8. Are you hot/cold? I'm hot and I know it! Oh wait, did you mean temperature? Yeah, still hot :)

9. Are you Irish? Yes...my maiden name was Carney.

10. Are you Asian? Hot at all.

TEN FACTS.

1. Name: Jennifer

2. Nicknames: Jenn, Mom, Bitch....the usual!

3. Birth mark: nope.

4. Hair color: blond...I thought we already covered this?

5. Natural hair color: mostly :)

6. Eye color: green

7. Height: I'm about 5 feet tall

8. Facebook Mood: um...I have no idea!

9. Favorite color: purple....and black...especially when these two colors are together

10. One Place to Visit: I would love to go to Hawaii, but I am afraid to fly...so I guess any other tropical paradise we would drive to...is there such a thing?

TEN THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE.

1. Do you believe in love at first sight? Sure enough

2. Do you believe in soul mates? why yes I do

4. Have you ever been hurt emotionally? haven't we all????

5. Have you ever broken someone’s heart? I'm not sure...but I know I have had my heart broken.

6. Have you ever been cheated on? yup...but not by Junior...an old boyfriend cheated

7. Have you ever liked someone and not told them? sure, I was a teenager once.

8. Are you afraid of commitment? nope.

9. Who was the last person you hugged? Brandi,as she got on the bus this morning

10. Who was the last person you kissed? Brandi, as she got on the bus this morning...is there an echo in here?

TEN THIS OR THAT.

1. Love or lust? hmmm...I am stealing Satcey's answer and going with a little of both!

3. Cats or dogs? I will be a cat lady someday...I just know it!

4. A few best friends or many regular friends? I have a few close friends, and that's all I need.

5. Television or internet? why would you make me choose?????

6. Chinese Or Indian? Oh, most definitely Chinese...but, I have never tried Indian food, so this is not an informed decision...feel free to send me some Indian take out...I will email you my address lol!

7. Wild night out or romantic night in? night in...who needs to deal with the public?

8. Money or Happiness? money would be nice, but I prefer to be broke and happy than rich and miserable.

9. Night or day? a little of both

10. MSN or phone? neither...I hate talking to people...I'm not kidding. My phone never rings, and I like it that way!

TEN HAVE YOU EVER.

1. Been caught sneaking out? I have never, ever snuck out...ever! ;)

2. Been skinny dipping? when I was younger and thinner, absolutely!

3. Stolen? I really want to say no to this...but I am not sure I can...

4. Bungee jumped? I do not have a death wish.

5. Lied to someone you liked? I think we have all lied a time or two...not that that makes it right...

6. Finished an entire jaw breaker? sure, when I was a kid...not these days...too much sugar for me.

8. Wanted an ex bf/gf back? wanted, as in the past, yes...now...no way!

9. Cried because you lost a pet? I cried for days when I had to put Penelope. my 18 year old cat, to sleep, and then again when Ollie died.

10. Wanted to disappear? after doing something extremely embarrassing...absolutely!

TEN PREFERENCES IN A PARTNER.

1. Smile or eyes? Eyes...every guy I have ever dated has had blue eyes
2. Light or dark hair? it doesn't matter to me
3. Hugs or kisses? probably hugs
4. Shorter or taller? okay, it would be impossible to date a guy shorter than myself!
5. Intelligence or attraction? how can I pick?
6. Romantic or spontaneous? romantic, I guess
7. Funny or serious? oh man, there is no question in my mind...funny! I have to laugh! All the time!
8. Older or Younger? The hubs is 6 years older than me, so I'll go with older
9. Outgoing or quiet? um...this is a tough one!
10. Sweet or Bad Ass? sweet

11. RICH? not a requirement, but a little financial security would be nice.

TEN HAVE YOU’S.

1. Ever performed in front of a large crowd? yup...I was in the school orchestra for years!

2. Ever done drugs? I experimented one time...and it was awful...so never again...it was pot...no hard drugs for this girl...I was offered coke one time, but I was smart enough to turn it down.

3. Ever been pregnant? I think so ;p

5. Ever been on a cheer leading team? yes, when I was in elementary school

6. Ever Been on a dance team? nope...this girl can not dance!

7. Ever been on a sports team? never.

8. Ever been in a drama play/production? yup...twice...Cinderella (I was the evil stepmother in 4th grade) and A Christmas carol (I was the narator in 6th grade).

9. Ever owned a BMW, Mercedes Benz, Escalade, Hummer or Bentley? Ha! That's funny!

10. Ever been in a rap video? HaHa! This is even funnier!

TEN LASTS.

1. Last phone call you made: um...I talked to my sister yesterday

2. Last person you hung out with: other than Junior and the kids...um...I don't remember...how sad is that!

4. Last time you worked: I work every day...it's called being a mom

5. Last person you tackled: tackled...not a chance...tickled...Brandi, trying to get her out of bed this morning

6. Last person you IM’d: that's too technical for me...seriously.

8. Last person(s) you went to the movies with: I saw New Moon with my mom and the girls a few days after seeing it with Missy

9. Last thing you missed: sleeping...had to get up early for the cable guy this morning.

10. Last thing you ate: um....let's see...pretzels before bed last night while watching Nurse Jackie and United States Of Tara...I am so glad they are back!

I totally stole this meme from Stacey! It's been a while since I have done one of these, and I know you miss reading all this random crap about me. Hope you enjoyed it!

Did You Qualify For The $6,500 Tax Credit?

Have you filed your taxes yet? I know we all have until April 15th to do it, but if you are anything like me, you filed the moment that W2 hit your hands. In fact, our refund has already been spent.

It never lasts as long as I would like.

We qualified for a bunch of credits this year, but the one we missed out on was the homeowner tax credit. I wish we had bought a home last year instead of continuing to rent. A nice $8,000 credit would have been nice. Heck, I would have settled for the $6,500 tax credit, but we have been renting for the past 15 years, so that was out of the question, too.

To find out more about these tax credits, check out the video below.


Still have questions? Talk to your accountant. I am sure he or she will be able to guide you to the best deductions for you. My husband and I would be lost without our tax preparers. We have been using the same company for years, so they know us pretty well. In fact, they gave Junior and I all kinds of advice for next year, like which receipts to save and which bills we can deduct as business expenses. Hopefully, this will help us get a bigger refund.

And that would be really nice.

A Birthday Dinner To Remember

Sunday is Junior's birthday. He is going to be 44 years old. We decided to celebrate his birthday tonight, because he will be working on a car over the weekend. The kids were out of school today (teacher workday) so when Junior got off at 1, we headed out. We had to pay a few bills, and then we were going to eat out.

It's kind of our tradition that the birthday boy (or girl) gets to pick where they want to eat on their special day. Junior couldn't decide where to go, so we drove aimlessly towards Gaffney (SC). When we got there, he decided that he wanted to eat at a fish camp in Shelby (NC) that he used to go to as a kid. I love riding in the car, so the 40 minutes it took us to get there didn't bother me, but the kids were getting restless. We finally get there, and go in.

It was so expensive! We spent more than I had planned, but it was for his birthday, so it's all good. The food was great - except for my calabash chicken. Now, for those of you who have never heard of a fish camp (I didn't until I moved down south) it is basically just a seafood restaurant. The girls and I ate chicken because we don't eat fish, and Junior and Ryan had fish. My chicken was chewy (not good at all) so the waitress brought me a different type, and it was 100 times better.

Let me tell you about our waitress. She was the sweetest old lady I have met in a while. While we were ordering, Junior was debating getting the oyster stew (ewww...), and I told him to go ahead and get it because it was his birthday. The waitress asked how old he was, and he said 21 and holding. She laughed and said that when you get to be her age, you love telling people how old you are, because it is an accomplishment. (she will be 70 in April) She told us her name, and asked what Junior's was, then walked off to put our order in.
Not two minutes later, the manager announces over the intercom that everyone in the restaurant wish Junior a happy birthday. I thought he was going to die! Everyone seated nearby of course wished him a happy birthday...but it gets better.

This guy:

came to our table and sang happy birthday to him! The kids and I were laughing so hard! It was great! Junior vowed never to go out with us in public again. I still hold to the fact that i didn't tell them to do any of that. It was all our 70 year old waitresses idea.

I also told Junior that from now on, where ever we go, I am going to casually mention that it is his birthday, just to see what happens.!

Sex On Fire

I love this!

Sex on Fire - Sugarland from Sugarland Music on Vimeo.

New Jersey Vacation

I have a sister who lives in New Jersey. She's been up there for about five years now, and I have never been to her home. I think it has been about seven years since I have even been up north at all.

I was trying to plan a trip up there this summer so that we can visit both of my sisters (the other lives in New York). The kids have been asking what there is to do up there, and I keep telling them that the possibilities are endless. The one thing I never did in the 22 years I lived there was visit Morey's Piers. I here they have awesome NJ Amusement Rides, and that they are unveiling a new ride this summer. There are even ways to save 35% on tickets. I think the kids would have a great time on all the rides, and spending time in the water park.

Heck, I think I would love spending time in the water park.

Just Because She's Beautiful

I have been writing a lot about Brandi lately, so I thought I would post a picture of Kasi.

Almost Spring

Just yesterday I was bragging about the weather here in South Carolina. I should have known better. Today was kind of yucky. It never rained, but it sure did feel like it would at any second. It wasn't cold, but the warmth of the past few weeks was definitely missing. I guess you could say it was a blah kind of day, and my feet stayed cold.

I also think my dreams of beautiful window boxes filled with flowers may have to wait a week or two. Technically, it won't be Spring for another couple of days, but I am so ready.

I love letting the warm breeze blow through the house.

I love that the kids can play outside without heavy coats. Last week, Brandi was outside in a tank top and shorts.

Now that mom has the pool, I am also counting the days until it is swimming time. I am hoping that will help me lose the rest of this weight.

And swimming is just fun!

I Want To See This Movie!

Steve Carell and Tina Fey...together...this movie has got to be funny! I think if I start now, I can convince Junior to take me to see it.

Or maybe I'll just ask my sister....

A Little Honesty

I want to start this post by saying that I am not judging anyone...I am honestly just a little curious.

I have been seeing a lot of these buttons on peoples blogs, and I don't get it. Do people actually click on it and leave money?

I saw one the other day asking for readers to help pay for dental work. I don't remember whose blog it was, and it really doesn't matter. I also saw one asking for "coffee money". Really? These people actually expect their readers to help them pay their bills, or even buy coffee?

Now, before you guys get all mad at me, I know several bloggers who really do need a helping hand, because of job loss and other circumstances, and they have reached out for help so they can have food on their tables. These are the people I wish I could help. But, like everyone these days, money is tight around here. Does that mean I am going to put up a donate button so I can afford the laptop I want so badly?

I don't think so.

I am curious, though. If you have one of these buttons, do you actually get donations?

Finding A Way To Have A Garden This Year

I can not believe it is almost spring. The weather here has been very pleasant. For the past week or so, I have had the windows open every day, letting in the beautiful fresh air and sunshine. Sure, it is still pretty chilly at night, but that's okay. I know that in a couple of weeks, the nice weather will be here to stay.

I have been trying to think of ways to make my yard a little prettier, because right now it is a mixture of grass and dirt. Last year at this time, I had already started my seeds for my garden. This year, I can't do that, because I am not allowed to plant a garden here. I was thinking of planting some herbs, and maybe a tomato plant, in some window boxes, but I am not sure which window to put the box on. One side of my house gets sunlight all day, but the kitchen window is on the opposite side. Would it look tacky if I had an herb garden outside of my living room window?

Then I got to thinking of maybe using PVC planters for my tomato plants. I could put them on my front porch, that way they wouldn't be in the way when the maintenance man mows the grass. I think that is the main reason we can't have a traditional garden. It would be too difficult for him to mow around. I am also convinced that if I planted some flower bulbs, he would mow those over too.

I found some really pretty window box planters for the house, and they are no rot. They are not made of wood, but they can still be painted to match the house. Our siding is tan, and our shutters are a deep burgundy color. I would paint the boxes the burgundy color, and then plant all different kinds of purple flowers in them.

Junior will be happy that I didn't paint the window boxes purple, because that is something that I would totally do.

An Opportunity To Make Friends?

At the beginning of last week, Brandi brought home an invitation to a birthday party. It was for a little boy in her class, and it was being held at a local pizza play place, Mr. Gatti's. I was excited for her, and thought it would be a great opportunity for her to bond with her classmates and make new friends.

The party was today, and she had a great time. The pizza place has a buffet, so in order for us to stay, we had to pay for the rest of us to eat. I told Brandi that she would go in the party room herself, but that we would be nearby. A few times I saw her alone at the buffet, but she looked happy. When the kids were let into the play area, I snuck a peek, and saw her playing air hockey with the birthday boy. Then they rode the bumper cars.

When it was time to leave, I went in and had her thank the mom for inviting her, and she told the birthday boy goodbye. I asked if she wanted to say goodbye to any of the other kids from her class, and she said she was the only one who showed up.

How sad. The birthday boy must have been so disappointed! That is why I don't let Brandi invite the kids from school to her parties. I learned with Ryan and Kasi that at this age, the kids just don't come. I hated seeing Ryan and Kasi waiting for their friends, and none showed up.

The good news is that as they got older, more and more kids would come. When Kasi turned 10 or 11, I can't remember which, she had 15 girls show up for her sleep over. And Ryan's first Halloween birthday party had a huge turn out.

For now, I will keep bringing Brandi to the parties she is invited to. I want these kids to know that she is a good friend.

Because she is.

Look What I Found

I was uploading pictures from my camera, and I found some that I didn't take. Check them out:

I think someone is quite full of herself! Lucky for her, she is kinda cute.