Mattress Shopping

I have been looking at mattresses lately. Clint desperately needs a new set. He has been complaining of back pain nearly every morning. I have discovered that there is a hollow in his mattress! No wonder his back hurts. So I have been looking and I have discovered that you can get a decent twin size mattress set for surprisingly little. And I don't mean the kind that you would put on a spare bed, either. The ones I was looking at had lots of good support and a pillowtop. They were very comfortable! Looks like I will be buying a mattress for him very soon.

Invites

It used to be that invitations were just simple things. Anymore an invitation is an elaborate thing! I have seen examples online of unique baby shower invitations and party invitations. Personally I like simple but some of these invitations are just too cute to pass up! I love the ones with your baby's footprints on them! And any opportunity to put an embarrassing photo of your loved one on a party invitation should not be passed up. Okay, maybe I don't like simple invitations as much as I thought I did.

Old Van

My old van is starting to show her age. She is 10 years old and has over 200,000 miles on her. She also has some rust starting on her doors. She has also been having the occasional mechanical problem over the last year or so. She is getting worn out and some of her parts are showing it. Just last week we replaced her alternator. Pretty soon we will have to put on another set of brake rotors and brakes. I am starting to wonder exactly how much longer this old girl is going to be able to hang in there. I think van shopping is not too far in our future.

I Love Watching Beauty and the Beast on Satellite TV

Content by Mitch Osborne

Ever since I was a child, my favorite animated movie has been Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I'm not quite sure why it was my favorite. I certainly watched many animated movies during my childhood. Perhaps I identified with the main character, Belle. I have also always been fascinated by the talking candle and the talking clock. During my teenage years I thought I was "too cool" to watch a movie like that anymore. Lately, however, I have been trying to watch it every time it comes on TV. Since I use tvbydirect.com for satellite, I actually get many opportunities to watch it. This is good, since my children seem to enjoy it as well.

This is one of Disney's darker movies, so you should use discretion if you are planning to let your children watch it. There are several times when the townsfolk talk about killing the Beast. At one time, they are marching towards the Beast's home while chanting over and over that they want to "Kill the Beast". I hadn't yet discussed death with my children the first time they saw this, so they were quite confused. At the end of the movie, the Beast seemingly dies, but Belle gives him a big kiss and he turns into a prince. This is one of the most romantic movies that will ever be created.

New Shoes

I have $40 worth of coupons and gift cards to be used at JCPenney. Normally I use those things to buy things that the kids need. There is always someone around here that needs something! This time, however, I am going to use them toward a new pair of tennis shoes for myself. I have been trying to take better care of myself lately. I am taking a multivitamin and watching what I eat (to an extent anyway!). I am also taking more care in my appearance and this is where new shoes comes in. My old pair of shoes are worn out and used for barn shoes more often than not. If I want to wear them somewhere, I have to clean the mud and stuff off of them first. It is time to take care of my feet, too! By the end of the weekend, I should have some new shoes.

My Real-Life Miracle

Guest post written by Ann Hall
The one bad part to using the taxi system in New York City? It’s nearly impossible to track one down after you’ve taken a ride. The other day I’d just caught a flight back in to LaGuardia and did the dumbest thing—I left my wallet in the backseat after I paid! I must have set it down as I got my luggage out of the back. I was frantic for almost an entire week, canceling my credit cards and such. Then, a miracle happened.

Some really kind soul actually found my wallet in the car after I’d gotten out and held on to it until they found my number on an old card shoved in one of the corners. knew something like that would happen?

We actually got to talking when she dropped the wallet off. It’s funny, she was on her way to the Miracle Ear location right by my house to have a hearing loss test done. She convinced me to go with her so we could continue our conversation. We went together and actually had a great time, as weird as that sounds. I think this might be the start of a great friendship. Maybe things happen for a reason!

Bad Sleep

I have been suffering from poor sleep for a few weeks. Some of it has to do with back pain that I have been experiencing. Some of it has been that we have shut off the ceiling fan and closed the windows at night. And some of it has been that I have been doing too much thinking before bed! Needless to say, I have been tired during the day. I have been taking multivitamin supplements but that really isn't going to help the tiredness much. I really need to get back into a good sleeping routine! Until then I am going to have to keep slogging through my days. I do manage to take a short nap every day after lunch. That does help me get through the afternoons a bit better. My days still seem long and mostly unproductive due to the tiredness. I hope to get back to sleeping better soon.

Staying In

Authored by Alvaro Jordan

As someone who suffers from a self-diagnosed agoraphobia, the idea of leaving the house to watch a movie in the theaters sounds a bit frightening. The dark shadows, empty spaces, and hundreds of people with judging eyes makes me quite uncomfortable. I much rather prefer watching a movie in the confines of my own home, without anyone touching me with their insidious germs, without having to sit on a chair or god forbid a toilet seat covered in invisible disease. Thankfully, modern convenience has made it so we can watch movies on demand from the comfort of our own living rooms.

With a push of a button on my DVR, a wide array of movies are made available for my viewing pleasure. It is indeed a pleasurable experience, because I can feel the false air of the ventilation on my cheek, and hear the tinny sounds from the old speaker system I bought from a garage sale last year. Compared to the baleful echoes and overextended air conditioning of a movie theater, my living room is pretty much heaven on Earth, which is the name of our planet. Also, I don't have to spend a fortune at the concession stand, and can enjoy coke and microwave popcorn with my movie for about one thousandth of the price. If it weren't for on demand and my satellite TV from DIRECTV New Mexico, I'd have to go outside, and that is an exercise in dread.

More Than Chicago

I had a good laugh today. I received an email from a company I do business with. They were wanting to know, since I was from the Chicago area, if I wanted to attend an event. Hello! You need to check your directory submissions! Just because I am from Illinois does not mean that I live close to Chicago. It is a 5 hour drive and a 4 hour train ride for me to get to Chicago. In fact, if I lived in the southern tip of Illinois, it would take over 6 hours to drive to Chicago. Come on, folks. Look at a map once in a while. Illinois is a long state! Not everyone lives near Chicago. In fact, most people don't. Illinois is largely an agricultural state with great areas of low population. Look at a map before you make an assumption about where someone lives.

Discovered a New Recipe

Thanks for the post, Kathy Shelton

The other day, I was watching a cooking show on my satellite TV that I got here, and discovered a new recipe to try. The recipe was for chicken tortilla soup. A few of the main ingredients included: diced tomatoes, chicken broth, green chillies, and shredded chicken.

Our family has been trying to live a healthier lifestyle, so this seemed like a good and healthy recipe to attempt. We have been working toward eliminating fast food from our diets. Now, we just want it on an occasional basis. For this reason, I've been looking for new recipes to cook. So, when I saw the chicken tortilla soup, I knew it was something I wanted to try out.

The soup was surprisingly very easy to make. It was also quick. In fact, it only took about forty-five minutes total. It turned out great, too. The whole family loved it. It was a recipe that I will definitely make again sometime in the near future. Along with that, it even left us with some great leftovers to eat later on in the week.

Water Weight

I seem to be drawn to those things that are natural diuretics. I love lemons and coffee and tea. All of those things help will have you going to the restroom often. However, I was surprised to find some unusual natural things that help rid your body of extra water. Cranberry juice (I knew that one but forgot it!), fennel (yuck!), dandelion, green tea and ginger are a few that will help you get rid of the extra water weight. I may see about a supplement that contains some of these natural diuretics. I know I carry extra water around. I am ready to be rid of it!

Man's Best Friend

Guest post written by James Henson
It's true what they say--dogs really are a man's best friend. I've had Pal for nearly 15 years now, and we've been through a lot together. Well, I just retired--and I think he's enjoying it more than I am!

We've been adventuring through the town a little more lately, both on foot and by car. Thanks to our roaming, we actually found this great field area that works kind of like our very own Dog Park. I'll take Pal off his leash and let him run around for a while, which he just loves. Plus, it's pretty off the beaten path, so we have it all to ourselves.

He's also taken a liking to riding in the car with me, even if it's just up the street. I've gotten to where I even take him grocery shopping with me! Of course, I have to leave him in the car but I think he really enjoys people-watching.

The other day, I had to go get a hearing test done, so I even took him with me to that. He waited paitently in the car while I got my Hearing Aids by Miracle Ear, so I took him to our special park afterward as a reward. Yeah, the retired life is sweet--just ask Pal.

Going to a Professional Baseball Game To See The Players

Thanks to Erich Emerson

I love going to professional baseball games to see the players. What really makes professional baseball games fun for me is getting to see the professional players live. When I can't go to the game, I watch it on TV with my satellite TV from www.BestChoiceTV.com. Seeing the professional players in person who otherwise would only be distant people over the TV is what really makes going to professional baseball games fun for me.

As a big baseball fan, and a person who is in a fantasy baseball league, I really keep up with the players and track them through the season. Seeing them on TV and reading about them on the internet is fun, but seeing them in person really adds another layer of reality to the fun that is professional baseball. Seeing the players themselves at the stadium, even if it is from a distance, is what makes baseball fun for me. I love going with my friends to professional baseball games, and sitting and discussing the different players and their performance through the season. Going to professional baseball games is how I like to have fun.

New Freezer, Old Air Leaks

Recently we had to buy a new upright freezer. Our old one was about 10 years old and just died on us. So we bought a new high efficiency one. Wow! What a difference! The freezer is in our entryway and that room was always warm. Even in the winter it was warm. I know why now. That other freezer must have been running constantly! That room is a whole lot cooler now. In fact, we may have to replace the door hardware on the backdoor. Why? Because we realize that it is actually leaking a lot of cold air into the house! The old freezer running all the time was just compensating for the air leaks. What a way to find out.

Business Travel is Fun

Guest post of the week by Brittany Booker

I love traveling and I get to travel a lot with my job. Sometimes I am only gone overnight but usually I will be gone for at least a week. Each time I leave on business travel it is always the same routine.

I get up extremely early and drink a cup of coffee. I double check my briefcase to make sure I have all of my documents, and then I load up my suitcase in the trunk of my car. I set my home security alarm that i found at allhomesecurity.com before I leave and then I head out to the airport.

On the airplane I usually am going over my notes for the week and reading about the clients I will be meeting with. By the end of the flight I have usually dozed off.

I fly all over the United States including Boston and Chicago. I have only been to New York once for business travel. As much fun as that business trip was to New York, I much prefer my business trips to Chicago.

The clients I work with in Chicago are easy going and I honestly look forward to meeting with them again. When I travel on vacation I usually stay at economy motels, but when I am traveling for business I usually get to stay in some very nice hotels.

I always return from my business trips with a good story.

Homecoming

We have all survived Homecoming weekend with needing any medical carts! It was a fun but extremely busy weekend for all of us. When you live in a small town homecoming is really a family activity. We all go to the parade and to the football game. I suppose if we had thought about it we may have even gone to the pep rally. However, we felt that we had plenty of other things to do, too! My oldest 2 went to the dance last night. We have a couple of friends sleeping over so today will be a bit hectic, too. Its okay though. Homecoming only happens once a year!