Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Some Finished Scarves...More coming this week!

Would love your opinions on a couple items I have finished. Also have a few more items that I have not taken pictures of yet, that will be posted this week in preparation of a contest!
Click on the pictures for a larger view.
Extra long and warm Ruffle Scarf.
This is also extra long with silver beads in the fringe. Extra soft and light!


I appreciate and need your honest reviews. I need to know if these are items folks will be interested in. I will be doing a variety of items including jewelry so it is important to know how it appeals to the public. I trust you all and your thoughts! Thanks in advance! I might try and go outdoors to get better lighting since it is so dark in our house this time of year to get better photos. We need some Sky Lights.
Thanks in advance to all my great friends and their encouragement! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your kindness and help these past couple years!


Vote on Mr. Snowman

Please help me win a gift card by voting for my picture below!

You do need to register by going to the green box on the right and signing up. No spam or emails will invade your email box. Then vote 5 stars for my picture of the carved snow Santa. Only one vote per email so please help by passing it on to others to vote also….I need all the help I can get! PLEEEEEZE?
Click here:






Saturday, November 28, 2009

Saturday, November 21, 2009

More Technical Difficulties?



NOT AGAIN!

Don't know what happened but, my blog decided to send out a bunch of old posts. Maybe it is because it feels they were not read by enough folks!



Anyway, I apologize. I did go in and delete a bunch of contest posts, so maybe it triggered something to send other posts around it or something.

Both Papa and I have been battling a bad cold for the last couple weeks. I was hoping to get another post in very soon, especially with some pictures of some jewelry and knitting I have been making and selling.

I think you all will be pleased.  I am having folks place orders from just seeing me wearing the products out in public.  So, I am hoping everyone else will agree and enjoy some of the great items.

As a little teazer, I wanted to show you a pair of gloves, size small, that I will be giving away before Christmas.  It would made a great gift to your favorite gal that will add some fun and warmth at the same time to her great style! Made from a blend of wool, silk and nylon.

Be sure to keep looking back, as soon as I am better, I will get more pictures and post the contest soon with some woderful other crafts.



Friday, November 6, 2009

Time for a RANT......

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, and a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best present I ever recieved...my son Mason!



We all work hard to make sure we live responsibly and within our means. We also try to make sure we have a buffer just in case things happen. You now, the rainy day fund.


Well, we were doing pretty good. Even though we came close to not being able to afford the trip to Ohio when both our beautiful dogs had to be put down, we were still able to tap into some resources and with a lot of luck from the Good Lord, we were able to go. We always try to have resources to use in case of an emergency.

Now after a couple more set backs to where our rainy day funds are tapped, we find out that while Mason was in California running at the Pac-10 championships, his car, the one we had spent a lot of money on so he could have it to take to Arizona, was torn into by someone so they could steal the Catalytic Converter! Tearing it out they also destroyed 2 sensors that also need replacing!

This is going to be about $1000 after every thing is paid for!

From what I have found out on line from the USFA.gov website is:

Although catalytic converters have only small traces of the metals platinum, palladium and/or rhodium, stolen converters can be resold for up to $200 each to scrap-metal dealers. The units do not have serial numbers that can be used for tracking.

If this is a problem, especially a big one, don’t you think the city officials and law enforcement agencies would be doing something about this? Why would scrap metal dealers be buying the converters from anyone that is NOT a licensed mechanic or at least one that is attached to the car? It is like when people were stealing man hole covers and selling them. HELLO…where did it come from? You know that man hole cover was covering something!

Why is the city and law enforcement not making sure that buying these possibly stolen converters a crime so as to deter anyone from sliding under someone’s car and ripping it out? Not only does it cost the owner money, but, it can be dangerous: "On some of these cars, if that pipe gets cut off near some wiring or a fuel line or a gas tank-which in some cases are not shielded—there is a possibility of a fire and/or explosion."

First thing I am hoping Mason does is file a police report and inform the Apartment Complex. He should also find out if the Apartment complex holds any liability insurance when there is vandalism committed to personal property. Then, I told Papa and Mason to get the ALARM system back up and working. First though they should find out if the alarm would go off if someone tries to steal the converter again.

If Mason was living here. Maa would be getting a hold of all kinds of officials and scrap metal dealers. I would definitely mak sure that our community put a stop to this kind of theft, fast. It is hard as it is for College kids, or even folks like us who are trying to survive on a single small income to live responsibly without idiots stealing from us and getting away with it because our communities don’t do anything to stop it.

Have it happen to the officials, and they would do something I am sure. But, until enough people speak up and speak loud enough, we who try to live responsibly and morally are going to be done in by more small time crooks. Is it not enough we have been raked over the coals by the rich, but now we have to look out for the small time crooks that won’t hesitate to put your life in danger much less cause you huge financial hardship when you are just barely getting by.

I am so very proud of my son. He is the best birthday present I ever got. Yes, it is my birthday today and it is Mason’s tomorrow!

But, he has always been very responsible and determined to do what he wants and he will forgo any fun, or even having anything to open for Christmas just so that he can save and have what he truly wants. He has been saving his money for a trip to Japan next year, plus he had a rainy day fund if something happened. Something we have always tried to tell him was important to have.

And now he has to use it to fix the car! He was also planning a trip for Thanksgiving to see his grandparents in California. Now he can’t afford this either.

How bad do I feel right now? Can’t even imagine how horrible I feel that I cannot bail him out. All I can hope is that I can provide him with some funds later so he can replace what he lost. Something I will work on and that Papa for him this year.

It might be a while, but, we will. Until then I hope Mason reports this to the proper people and hopefully prevents it from happening to others. If it is a huge problem in his town I can only hope enough people get together to make a difference. I know there are a lot of students just barely getting by and for something like this to happen could really devastate someone. So, Mason, be like your ranting Maa, and stir the pot to prevent any further criminals from getting away with this!

Makes me so mad! I hope no one ever has to deal with this kind of theft, especially when they are already facing so many obstacles as it is these days.

Ohio In October, a Beautiful Trip!

A HUGE THANK YOU To Amtrak for the Free trip!

When I first won the trip from Amtrak, it became a huge cluster of misfortunes that made it impossible for me to adhere to the rules so that I could accept the prize.



The basic thing was that I could not travel on the train to anywhere without 24 hour layovers, bus transfers and being stuck in a seat for the whole trip for days at a time. That is something I am sure all of you know I cannot do.



So, I tried to turn down the prize. When I entered, I was in good health and able to deal with the physical aspects of traveling on the train. But, now it was impossible. But, Amtrak would not have it. “You won, and you are going on a trip!” was what the coordinator said! And I cannot thank her enough for all her help in getting us to Ohio to see our daughter Sarah, her husband and all the In-laws including Sarah’s new niece, Jaidyn. Oh, what a doll she is!

Me and Jaidyn, I heard and FELT that girlfriend!


We had a blast when we got to meet Michaels Sisters, mom, brother in law and niece at a restaurant called “Hoggy’s” near Columbus. I have to say the food was fabulous and so was meeting everyone. I could not eat all that I got and the 3 tiered platter of appetizers full of wings, onion rings, and everything else you can think of was off limits if I was going to be able to even have any room for lunch! It was so good and had to take home a “piggy bag.”



We had a lot of fun since we were celebrating Michael’s birthday, except when Michael had the temper tantrum because he did not want anyone singing happy birthday to him. Gee, spoil all our fun! You know it was all about us and our fun…not yours! I know how you feel though, I hate it too!



Then of course we had to go shopping afterwards to burn off all that food! I am glad Sarah insisted because I found a beautiful denim skirt that Papa bought me for an early birthday present. Right now I cannot wear pants or anything that rubs against my leg because it causes extreme burning pain so finding a cool casual skirt that was my style and was soft on my leg was a huge score! I love it, thanks Sarah for forcing us to shop and a huge thanks to Papa for the birthday gift!



The drive was wonderful especially since all the leaves were turning for fall. I tried to get as many pictures as I could as we sped through the back roads through the car window. But, if it was not for Sarah and Papa, I would not have gotten a lot of these great pictures of the fall colors. I wanted to stop several times, but, Michael was bound and determined to get to Columbus in record time!



Not bad for going down the road at 60 mph! It was just
beautiful in so many places! I have so many more I could show you!


What I forgot about living in West Virginia and the Ohio area was how people kept there lawns and gardens so lush and green. Not a brown blade anywhere! It brought back the memories of the many older neighbors where I use to live and how they were always coming out to yell at us to “Stay off the grass!”



We got to go to a auction sponsered by a fund raiser the day after we got there. This was one thing I wanted to do since Sarah is always telling me how much she loves going and all the good deals she gets. But, I was a stick in the mud and not much fun since it was freezing cold and I ended up having a low sugar. So, we did not stay the whole time. We did see some beautiful wooden inlaid boxes I thought I would try to bid on, but, lost. I could not understand ONE WORD that auctioneer was saying! I would have gone up to 60 dollars for the big one that sold for 55! It just happened so fast and had no idea what the price was at! So, I thought I would try to get the smaller one. I was ready, Michael was telling me the price from behind me as the auctioneer was rambling in a foreign language. I bid 30, 40, then it went to 50 and I was…NO WAY! Not when the bigger one that was 3 times larger sold for $55!! I was surprised at how high things cost and Michael told me that when it is for a fundraiser, they always pay much more. I guess it was not the right one for us to attend. But, it was the only one they were having while we were visiting and it was quite the adventure!



It is just all confusing as they ramble, and the price he yells out is high, then low, then high..then I DON’T KNOW!



I guess I have to attend them more often so I can get the hang of it. There was some beautiful handcrafted furniture and even wooden trunks that are my favorite things and would love to have been able to afford! Shoot, then I would have to ship it. I will just have to go to the auctions around here and see what they have!

We did a lot of driving, and visited some great restaurants, Amish owned eateries. We also saw a LOT of buggies and Amish folks around. Very quaint. It makes me feel that they are responsible for keeping the country side so beautiful.




I was hoping to get more pictures of the Amish Buggies and especially some sites around Berlin, but, time was not on our side.  Too much driving and legs that don't cooperate!
But, did you know they have little carports at the Wal-Marts so the Amish can park their buggies?


But, we also spent a lot of time relaxing, especially since my legs has swelled up to the size of Evergreen Tree Trunks! So, trying to keep them up was a must. They actually did not loose the water until a couple weeks after getting home!



It really made traveling very uncomfortable, but, I was determined not to let it spoil the good time I was wanting to have.


Sarah and Michael came by very early the next morning.
Notice the heating pad on my legs! LOL!
Heck, it was family so we were in no hurry to get dressed,
besides, I can't hurry if my life depended on it!
It was a great bed that we could either make hard or soft on each side, depending on what we liked. Papa liked it soft and I liked it hard. It was more comfortable then MY OWN bed!


The hotel was fabulous. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn. We had to pay for it, but, we wanted a nice place with an indoor pool. When we went swimming it was wonderful. My body felt so good being weightless. And it seemed all the swelling caused my legs to insist on floating! It was hilarious to try and tread water only to have my legs keep floating up to the surface even though I tried my best to keep them down. But, it was worth staying there and joining their rewards program. We were able to accumulate 2 free nights from just this trip! The room and service was 3 star in my book. Though it was only a 2 star hotel. The room was HUGE! As well as the king sized bed that had options on how hard or soft you wanted your side to be.



I loved my new bathing suit, it actually looked good on me and was so comfortable. So glad I bought it. If you missed that post, you should see it. I got it for a great price and they have many great styles. Check out this post here: http://cusmile2day.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-review.html



Though, I really want one like Sarah had! Hers was a two piece and very stylish. Since swimming those few times, it has made me want to go all the time. It is so good for me and feels wonderful! I can get my exercise without going through so much pain! I wish we had an indoor pool here in our community association, but, both pools are outdoors and closed down for the season. Guess I will just have to strike it rich and build one in the house! It is the best exercise for me and makes me pain free just floating weightlessly on the top of the water. I REALLY want one! We do have a community pool in town. But, no car. Even if I had a car I cannot drive. I guess I just have to strike it rich and build it myself!



The trip was a great success, even with the few “hiccups” we had to experience. One being when the elevator went out and we were stranded on the 3rd floor since they were not going to get the part in for another 36 hours! (No, they did NOT even have a service elevator!) But, they carried down Gaget (My HUGE mobility scooter) and put us down on the first floor. Then when it got fixed they moved us back. Then we had them double charging us and putting all our money on hold, along with the car rental. But, that too got fixed. It seemed that even the airlines were bound and determined to mess things up, but, they couldn’t ruin a trip that meant the world to us.  Poor Gaget, they lost or broke off her bumper, and with the way I drive, she got a crack in her front panel! Reminds me that I need to get the info so they (Airlines) can replace it. They even confiscated Papa's favorite Peanut butter sauce he got at the Amish Deli that he LOVES at the security gate. Oh, he was upset! He loves that stuff since Sarah and Michael sent it to us last Christmas.



It was so good to see the North-east again after a lifetime of being away and even better to meet my daughters new family. I promised myself that I would not go my kids lifetime without meeting their in-laws. My parents have never meet my husbands parents and we have been married over 20 years now. I don’t think they have ever even spoken to one another. And even though Sarah and her family live so far away, there is no reason why we could not eventually make it happen. I am so happy I did. Now when Sally and I email each other, we know each other more intimately which will help us to become closer. It is a wonderful feeling when your family grows by leaps and bounds! And very soon, Paula, Sarah’s sister in law will be adding another new member!


HORRIBLE picture of me, but, this is a good indication of how much the cats missed us! These two DO NOT get along or get within a few feet of eachother much less next to one another because they needed their loving the morning after we got home. Ashly never comes in since Kitty chases her away in the mornings, but, this day Ashley was not letting us out of her site and would not stop crawling all over us as well as Kitty.  I think they are now a bit more tolerant of each other and willing to share us. I hope they know how much we missed them too. Especially when I am going to post such a horrible picture of me so everyone can see how attached they were to us when we got home.  Boy, you should have heard them yelling for us when we came through the door!  They were so happy we were home!


It is hard to have all the kids so far away now. But, I will be working hard so that we can travel to see them more often. Yes it is next to impossible when I am not working or making money, but, where there is a way, Michele always finds it. There is hope that I will be able to get some treatment that will make me much better after the beginning of the year.  But, that is another post.  Both Greg and I want to be traveling, by ground that is! But, we are waiting for a Hybrid RV! So, it might be a while. Plus I have to make it rich first. That is coming up, I just know it!



Our trip was quite the adventure and I have a couple more posts to make about it. One is about meeting someone on our return trip. You never know who you are going to meet or when you do meet them, who they really are!! Little did I know what a special person she was until I decided to “Google” her. So, be sure to look for this story coming up.



Also coming up is Mason and his race at the PAC-10 Cross Country Meet in Long Beach. His misfortune while he was in California when somebody decided to rip off the catylitic converter off his car that is costing him his savings to go to Japan to fix. ($1000) This will be a rant I am sure!!



Also I have some knitting and jewelry I have finished and getting ready to post and sell. Plus a giveaway! I will also be taking special orders if folks want things made in particular colors, or certain types of jewelry made. Stay tuned as I get myself together as well as my extremely slow computer that is moving about as slow as I am, to get these things done.



I am also trying to work on my blog to add more functions to it. But, it is a “Teaching myself how to do it” process so it is taking some time. But, hopefully you will be able to navigate much better to see my projects, be able to buy them, watch videos, etc. Wish me luck!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Technical Difficulties

I have to apologize for the technical difficulties my blog was experiencing.


It seems the template that was used became inactive on Photo-bucket, causing my page to fill up with tiles of the inactive account making it impossible to read my blog.

I am surprised I was able to get it fixed so that it is readable and at least half way decent looking with my total lack of intelligence when it comes to figuring out HTML's required to build a site.

I have wanted to post a bunch of stories and promise to get on them ASAP, including our trip to Ohio and the wonderful adventures, plus a few responses to some blogs I have been reading that have caught my attention and really would like to comment on.

My medical condition has gotten a lot worse as of late and am trying my best to get beyond it and make sure I am able to recover. There are some things on the table right now that will cure some of my deficits and make me a lot better, but, it will take some time. From what I am being told, it will be extremely painful before it will be better. So all your prayers would be appreciated.

I have also been getting more crafts done and think it is going to be sooner, rather then later when I get them up and going. I think a lot of you will be pleased with what you will be seeing. I know I am. And if you are petite or X sized, you will find something for you or someone you care about.

Right now I am just happy to be able to write a post you all can read and let you know I survived the trip, and motivated to get better physically! So look forward to some pictures and stories coming soon!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Thank you Carogonza, and LivingRoomsDirect.com!


Has made me a Winner!!

Click on her site above to visit read reviews and Enter Contests!

I was so lucky to have entered a contest to a wonderful and now my favorite Home Furnishings Stores on the Web Called LivingRoomsDirect.com. Click to visit and go shopping for thousands of great home furnishings.

It was very hard to find one thing I wanted since there was so much, so I decided that since we are going on vacation, I needed to stay within the budget and a couple dollars over. So, I did good and only went 4 dollars over which LRD credited me! What wonderful service is that?

I would tell you what I got, but, I can’t. It is a gift for my daughter and her Husband who we are going to go to see soon. It will be between both their birthdays so we are celebrating when we get there and I will give it to them then. I know Sarah will love it. Not sure about Michael, I do not know him very well since we live so far away and only met him once. But, I am sure they will enjoy it! It can be used anywhere, so it is versatile enough for them both to figure out the best way for them both to use it.

LRD has EVERYTHING! Living Room, Entertainment, Bedroom, Dining room, accent furniture, rugs, lighting, slipcovers, mirrors, screens, water fountains, vases, etc. And don’t worry about quality since they all come from Big Brand Names such as Broyhill, Distinction, Lexington, Stratford, Catnapper, Bauhaus, Wildon Home and more.. Understand my dilemma about making a choice? And guess what? Not only are the prices very reasonable, but shipping is FREE! HELLO….FREE!

But, I have to give Carolyn a huge THANK YOU for turning me on to the great site, plus giving me a chance to win the Gift Certificate!! You rock as well as your site! I am there almost daily, today I am hoping to enter some of the ones you listed for the spa, robe and slippers, etc. I can’t help but smile every time I see your button it is so cute! And most of you will see it on my side bar, it is the pink one with the girl who has her arms stretched out ready to give you a big hug!

I recommend to everyone to pay a visit to both sites and add them to your favorites or sign up for their newsletters. It is worth it to me and you know how I don’t like spam or useless emails. I swear you will not be sorry! Even if it is to get some good ideas on Decorating by looking at LivingRoomDirect.com’s pictures, you will truly benefit.





Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Museum Way Pearls Review and Giveaway

Click here Museum Way Pearls Review and Giveaway to enter.
Click here http://www.museumwaypearls.com/ to go shopping for wonderful pearls!

What gal would turn down Pearls? They are gorgeous and a must have!


Click the link above to Enter!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

In Memory of Pepe and Molly


Both Molly our Beagle and Pepe our Chihuahua

Pepe is our 8 year old Chihuahua and Molly is our 14 year old Beagle. Molly was a pound puppy that we rescued from the local puppy pound. It was pretty funny when we brought her out for a little walk. We had the door open to the back of the van and she rushed over, jumped in and sat down. She looked at us like "I am ready to go home now!"

She was a strong, muscular beautiful Full blooded beagle that looked as if she has eyeliner around her eyes. She was so lovable and wanted to be pet and massaged ALL the time. If we left the house we had to put her in a kennel (More like a airplane hanger since it would have fit a couple Saint Bernard’s) since she was horribly neurotic if we left her. She would shake so hard and then try to destroy everything in the house! She loved it when we would come home, jumping all over us and demanding attention.


We got Pepe a couple years later. Papa had always wanted a Chihuahua like the one he had when he was a child that was also named Pepe. He loved that dog very much but, his family had to give him away when they moved from Oklahoma to Colorado. He has always wanted another dog like him.

So, I kept my eyes out for a Chihuahua, but, they were so expensive up here in the Northwest. Finally I found one in the paper for under $300. So, I rushed from work to get him before anyone else so I could surprise Papa when he came home from work. The breeder was so excited about how I just loved how cute he was even though he did not look like a typical Chihuahua with pointy ears, etc, she gave me $50 off.


He sure was surprised! And so was I when he got angry at me for spending the $250! "We cannot afford this, it is too expensive!" He kept saying as he held Pepe, named him within 2 minutes after his other Chihuahua he had as a child and would not let the dog down for hours when he finally took him out to play with and make Pepe do his business. Pepe was only about 8 weeks old...so he was so tiny and cute!


For the next couple years, that dog did not leave Papa's side as he would take him everywhere except work! Took him to Mason's ball games and even would tuck him in his jacket while he would go in the grocery stores, EVEN THOUGH he was told dogs were not allowed! I think it took 2 years before Papa quit complaining about how much money I spent, even though you could tell that the man LOVED this dog and would never give him up for anything. I told him I would take him back....but, NO WAY..."He has bonded with us now and it would be too traumatic if we gave him away" Papa would explain.


Pepe and Papa were two peas in a Pod. And Pepe was Molly's husband who took such good care of her. He was constantly by her side, licking and grooming her. When Molly got hurt and had to spend a couple days at the vet, poor Pepe was beside himself. He sat at the landing in the middle of the stairs going up, with his paws hanging over the step, waiting for Molly to come upstairs as she usually does. Pepe would not eat, drink and then cried at the door until I would let him out so he could search the yard for her.


When I finally brought Molly home, who was still a bit crippled (She never regained full function back, but, did get a little better) and could not walk well or go up or down stairs and Pepe was jumping all around her and would not leave her side ever again. In fact if I took Molly out alone when she started loosing control of her bladder he would go into hysterics, whining and barking. He really spoiled her by always grooming her. When he would stop, Molly would paw at him to continue on and he would start licking her ears or head again. We were afraid that when Molly's time came to go, Pepe would die of heartbreak.


We started to talk about putting Molly down a few months ago since she was already deaf and mostly blind. She also was incontinent, but, we were holding off because of how it would affect Pepe who loved her so much.


Then last week, Pepe had an accident. We rushed him to the emergency Vet who took x-rays and an exam, but, could not tell us why he had not use of his back side and problems with strength in his front legs. He could not even go potty without us manually squeezing his haunches. For the next few days he seemed to go downhill where he cried all the time and then stopped eating, drinking or even having any urination or BM.s.


We got all kinds of speculations of what might have been wrong, all which were neuro and costing us at least a couple thousand dollars to diagnose and more if it was curable. So, Papa and I had a huge decision to make. We finally determined that since Molly has been incontinent in the house almost daily for the last few weeks and with Pepe in so much pain plus his body shutting down we had not other alternative then to take them in together and have them put our of their misery.


It was very hard for us, but, when Papa came home so we could take them, it was so strange. The movie channel we watch that shows the same movies over and over had a movie playing that I have not seen on the schedule and we even looked later to see if it was coming on again soon, and could not find it. The movie was “ All dogs go to Heaven”.


If anyone knows me, they know that at certain stressful or confusing times in my life something will come on the TV, sometimes for a brief second that makes a huge difference and that has caused huge changes in my life. So, this was weird for us and just kinda comforted us at this very stressful time.


We went to the vet and stayed with the dogs for the whole procedure. First they gave them a anesthetic where they went to sleep. I was holding Pepe and for the first time in the last week he was snoring loudly like he always does. To me this meant he was comfortable for the first time. But, when he gave Molly the anesthetic, Molly kinda fought going to sleep, seeming to enjoy the “high” she was having. Looked like she was watching a tennis match since her head was going back and forth like she was watching the ball bounce from one side to the other. The Vet then informed us he is thinking she has a heart problem because she would not fall asleep. Well, she was old and everything else was failing so we would not be surprised. But, she seemed like she was having a great time while on the drugs!


I broke down for the day. But, we are talking about all the wonderful times, and the frustrating times we shared with them while they were here. But, because of the Movie, we are sure, both are in Heaven together. We don’t have to worry about Pepe being broken hearted because of loosing Molly and both are no longer suffering any more.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Wow...it has been sooooo long!

I am baaaaack!!


It seems like I have been gone for a year! But, I realize that I really need to get my life back and this blog and community is a large part of it.

I really need to get in touch with the empty nesters and parents of older children as well as the grandparents and mothers of the young ones. We all learn from each other. I think what is missing is the older generation and what they can do to help the younger moms, since they have “been there and done it”.

Plus the young moms are helping us grandparents and grandparents to be up to date with the current and more improved ways and products to raise our kids. Not to mention the new more environmentally safer products to use and much healthier ways or products that we have not heard of.

So, I am going to be looking for ways for all generations to come together and do this. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Now with the WWW, we can involve the WORLD to nurture our families and environment so that EVERYONE will benefit.

What Questions do young parents have for older parents? What questions do older parents and grandparents have for the young parents?

And yes….there will still be contests!! I will post the ones I find and then have my own, so don’t worry!

Remember the scooter and AE Aviators that we won…well look at Papa enjoying them both! The Aviators are almost like wearing prescription glasses! Now I know why the company is contracted by the Military! No glare what so ever! Sometimes Papa forgets to take them off when he goes inside since the are so well made and he can see inside and out! Dark enough for full sun but, light enough for inside! And the scooter…he is like a kid with a new toy. Rides it to work at least 3 days a week! It is really cool, a lot nicer then I though it would be. Like the BMW of Scooters!


And yes, Mason is back at school. He was glad to trade the scooter for the car with Papa!

Though he would have liked to have both! But, I think that was a smart move. Mason also took the bike that Garrett’s parent’s gave to him so he can ride to school and work and use the car for long distances or getting around quicker.

He is running Cross Country right now. Preparing for Indoor track that will start the beginning of the year. He is doing so much better and getting back into shape after his long illness that set him back the whole outdoor track season. We are anxiously awaiting for him to start so we can see more of him.

So, this is a quick catch up and I will get busy with more. Hopefully we will get more members and start learning from each other and helping each other through these confusing, fast paced times. Until the next time…give out a shout and let me know who is still there and get the conversation and topics going! I love to hear from everyone! Like my friend says “Comments are the air I breathe, as long as they aren’t polluted!”

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

It pays to Eat Pasta Sweepstakes!

Who does not like Pasta? Even my son will eat it and he is the pickiest eater I have EVER known!
A total of $50,000 in Groceries will be given away.
  • Grand Prize (8)-Free Groceries for a year ($5200. ea.)
  • First Prize (42)-mini grocery shopping spree ($200 ea.)
There is a limit of one on-line sweepstakes entry per day per person/e-mail address. So be sure to enter daily untill October 30, 2009 to have as many chances to win as possible!
After entering you can also get coupons on deliciously healthy Ronzoni Brands and also recieve healthy recipes the whole family will love.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Chatty Cathy...

This reminds me of my daughter when she was younger and would have so many stories to tell. She is still this way to this day! But, notice her inflections and listen carefully for actual words plus her hand language. I bet you can almost imagine what she is saying! Too cute not to share to my friends for a smile today!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Enter to WIN!

Ends November 8th!
Grand Prize:
Office Tailgating Party at ESPN studios for winner and up to three (3) guests: Includes round trip coach class air transportation for four (4) from the major U.S. gateway airport nearest winner\'s home to Hartford, CT; a two (2)-night stay for four (4) at a hotel chosen by Sponsor (two (2) standard double occupancy rooms); Meet and Greet with Scott Van Pelt; Tour of ESPN Studios, including SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, NASCAR Now sets and ESPN Digital Center; ground transportation to/from the hotel and airport while in Hartford and ground transportation to/from the ESPN Studios tour in Bristol, CT; $100 giftcard to ESPN Studios Store for winner and each guest (for a total of up to four (4) gift cards); Breakfast, lunch and snacks at ESPN Cafeteria; $250 spending money for winner only (to be awarded in the form of a $250 check); and,
The Ultimate Office Tailgate Prize Pack (for winner only). Prize Pack includes the following: (1) Dell* Adamo Laptop; (1) Dell UltraSharp 30-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor; (1) Harman Kardon* SoundSticks II 2.1 3-piece multimedia speaker system; (1) All-Clad* Electric Indoor Grill; (1) Stainless Steel Mini Refrigerator; (1) Hot Air Popcorn Popper; (4) Fatboy* Bean bag chairs; $360.00 spending money for office tailgating snacks (to be awarded in the form of a $360.00 check); (4) ESPN prize packs (for winner and 3 guests), each including (1) ESPN Duffle Bag, (1) ESPN360.com Cap, (1) ESPN360.com Sweatshirt, (1) ESPN360.com Travel Mug and (1) $250 ESPNshop.com Gift Certificate.
Total ARV of the Grand Prize is $11,705. Actual value may vary based on point of departure and dates of travel. Any difference between stated value and actual value will not be awarded.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

ShoeMall Wants YOU to Win Free Shoes- Enter Now!

"Win New Shoes!!"
Step into summer with the chance to win free shoes from ShoeMall. Click 'Get Started’' to enter to win a $500 ShoeMall gift certificate. You can even choose to share this contest with your friends to earn additional chances to win!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

WE WON!!!!




Hey Michele, It is our pleasure to inform you that you have been selected as a Grand Prize winner in the Foster’s Wine Estates “How Green Can You Go” campaign!! Congrats, you’ve won an e-Moto Metro High Performance Electric Scooter! IMPORTANT: If we do not receive your reply by 3pm PT, June 21, 2009, your prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected. We’ve attached some official prizing documents that you’ll need to fill out and return within 10 days (7/3/2009). Prizing generally takes 4-6 weeks to complete. If you do not receive your prize within this period, please notify One more thing! Could you please tell us what color you would like your e-Moto Metro High Performance Electric Scooter to be? Please choose from red, blue, yellow, or silver. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have!

Thanks, Brickfish Prizing Thanks to all of you that voted on My Post `and All the Brickfish Members that also voted daily on my Entry "Privileged to Share Their World" ! It was One of the 10 grand prize winners chosen to win the "e-Moto Metro High Performance Electric Scooter" sponsored by Foster's Wine Estates! Ten winners, were selected by Foster’s Wine Estates Americas Company from the top 250 highest scoring entries. Only 120 entered from 4 NW States. Their Family includes "Beringer", "Meridian Vineyards" and 'Chateau St Jean Sonoma." When I wrote this Blog, I was kinda wondering who else won, but, they had not posted the winners yet. Now they have! I am so glad they also picked the gal in second place, she is very deserving! But, I sent in my email first thing this morning since they wanted it by tomorrow. Boy, glad I checked it today! Usually I am not interested to use the computer on the weekends! A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that has supported me during this campaign on Brickfish.com! Including our little critters that have welcomed us into their home and who come visit me in the yard AND house. I have to watch the cats now since the third bird that flew into the house got caught by Bastet, our Russian Blue and feisty then ever cat! The huge Blue Cardinal was ok, but, I think Bastet was a little traumatized since she is an indoor cat! We picked out the Blue. or should I say "Papa" did. Mason is excited and I hope it is here while he is visiting. Both Mase and Sarah are excited and Papa is ecstatic!
We had a long talk with Mason about him taking the Scooter to College. It is going to cost a fortune to send it down and he wants to be able to take a bunch of things with him for his new apartment we also cannot afford to ship down, or give him money to buy. So, he is trading Papa for the car, and Papa is getting the Scooter.
This works out pretty good. We will save a ton of money on gas, Mason will be able to take down his bed, and enough stuff to furnish his apartment plus his bike. He will be riding the bike more then driving the car since he lives close enough to the school, so he won't be wasting money on gas, or parking fees, etc. Plus, he is looking forward to his road trip and seeing his Uncle and Grandmother since they live on the I-5 corridor, which is what he will be traveling on down to AZ. He won't have to pay for hotels, except for in Eugene. Too bad he does not know anyone there!
Papa says that quite a few people at the Port ride scooters to work already. But, none of those are electric. I told him it is time they break the "addiction to gas" and get electric and hopefully they will when they see his shiny new scooter. These days it is not the luxury car that you drive that makes you "all that" but, it is how "green" you are.
What is really awesome about this is that we can ride this around our critters and not worry about it harming their environment or being too noisey. One more thing to help our area here! I can imagine how nice and quiet it is. I picked the perfect place right around the corner where I will take a picture of it when it arrives. We are so excited about our first electric powered vehicle, we can hardly wait to get an electric car to fit us both! It only takes one step at a time and before you know it, our world will be so much better and healthier for it. WE DID IT GUYS!! So, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, EVERYONE for all the support you gave us. You all ROCK!
Right now we are trying to work on our garage sale and raise money for Mason and Leah's trips.
I have been very ill the last few weeks, hence, no blogs! Hopefully I will be better soon and get back to business and start posting my crafts. I am still also working on my Disability and have heard back from our Senator. I hope to be writing about this soon along with the statistics I found out about how they have doubled the amount of declining applicants, even though the amount of applicants that applied has only gone up by very few. Makes you wonder, especially after the billions that are suppose to be earmarked for SSDI. Well, more about that later.
I hope everyone is having a great summer, and be sure to enter some contests, you never know when good luck will be on your side!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Cancelled the Contest

I am sorry to take the Johnsoville Contest down. I am glad I, was able to do it with only one entry and not a TON! But, I owe a huge Thanks to Andria for taking the trouble to register and vote. It was a little hard to navigate!
I did so because I decided that I do not want my blog to go in this kind of direction. I like to post contests, but, I do not want to post contests so I win a contest. I did this once and was successful, but, after talking to others, I have decided that it does not create a fair playing field. I should have just "asked" folks to do it without a promising something in return. Besides, all these people do the work and only ONE person wins. I want to give EVERYONE that votes something!
And after talking to some friends about what my blog is suppose to be about, I knew that I should remove the contest.
I would rather have contests to promote my crafts instead. I have so many things I have made, yet I have so many other things to do around the house, kids, etc., before I can finish the next stages.
I still need to take pictures, figure prices, do finishing touches etc. so I can post them and then make even more projects to sell, since I know these will go fast. I have so many ideas in my head that I have the supplies for and need to get them started! But, I need to finish and get rid of what I have so far. (Fingers crossed) But, this is what my blog is suppose to be about along with being an DENSAHW (Disabled empty nester stay at home wife)
So, if you are looking for my post "Win a $50 Visa Card" and cannot find it, this is why. Contact me at CUsmile@comcast.net if you have questions or want the link to vote anyway.But, I think letting it run its own course will be fine. I am sure if it deserves to win, it will. Just so happens it is called "Winnersville"! LOL!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Sunday, June 28, 2009

RYL is Giving Away a Free Asus Netbook!!

Click Here to Enter!

Contest Prize

Asus Eee PC Netbook with Intel Celeron Processor
-Intel Celeron Processor 353
-160GB Serial ATA hard drive
-1GB DDR2 SoDIMM Memory
-8.9″ WSVGA widescreen display
-Built in webcam and 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
-Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Operating System

Contest Dates

Start (entries can be submitted) - Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Finish (contest closed, no more entries accepted) - Friday, July 31, 2009
Winner Announced - Monday, August 3, 2009

I can think of the 100 different ways this would be useful for Mason at college. Especially carrying it around while he rides his bike from class to class.

Do you guys want to enter? And then give it to me? JUST KIDDING! But, I can think of quite a few of you that REALLY need one! Especially my favorite "nerd" or I am sure you have a need for it also or for someone you know. I could use it myself, but, kids come first!

So, Head over to "Revive Your Life" and Enter to Win The Asus Netbook!

And while you are there, check out the rest of their cool site.

You all know I like to enter contests, but, I enter contests at blogs that I especially like, and I like this one ranks high on my list. I am really glad I found this one! It is a lot different then most.

This is a community-based website that focuses on promoting self improvement and wellness.

Revive: Verb; From L.revivere "to live again"

rethink.renew. revive your life

Here are some of the great posts that everyone;

Refined Sugar and Health
Do You Suffer from Hyperventilation Syndrome?
The Impact of Magnesium Deficiency on Well-Being
What Are Antioxidants and Why Do You Need Them?
The H2O Factor: Hydration Supports Healthy Weight Loss

I found them all very informative, especially the "The Impact of Magnesium Deficiency on Well Being". I had been diagnosed with severe deficiencies in Vitamins D, B, and other things. To my surprise, there are a LOT of folks deficient in Vitamin D. I would have thought living in Hawaii and Florida would have given me enough to last my entire life but, I guess moving to the PNW was my downfall. Who knows why, just that it is common and folks should check into it.

The recent Post

"Do Before you die - A Bucket List" is one I really enjoyed.

A little preview:

Instead of hiding from death by putting strict limitations on your life, it should be accepted and subsequently used as motivation to reap the benefits life has to offer and get the most out of it while you still have the time.

While the glimmer of Hollywood production values and the combined talents of two respected actors shed an entertaining light on having a “bucket list,” the film consequently reinvented the notion of living as if there may be no tomorrow. If everyone compiled a list of goals they want to achieve before they die, it would not only help many come to terms with their impending fate, but also allow them to feel complete and satisfied with their lives when the time comes.

The article goes on to talk about some ideas about what you might want on your "list" or just finding what it is that inspires you so that even if you have accepted death, you can still have a more inspiring, purposeful life that you find that completness and comfort in.. I would hate to think that I, for instance, would let my disability get in the way of doing the things that make me happy down to my heart and soul and that I derive a feeling of completeness from.

Sitting around and using my illness as an excuse not to live my life to its fullest gives me the willies. I do not want to pass on thinking I did not do all I can do to grow in spirit, love and adventure. I have so much I want to do, especially for my kids. I want to make sure I leave behind a lot of memories for them and my grandkids. I don't want them to remember me as someone that just sat around miserable all the time.

So, go and check it out and enter to win. You do need to sign up for a subscription, but, I think this is one you will get lots of insight from.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Wanna Win a Dyson?


I want one and I even have a Oreck!


Now, My Orek works great, but, it just so happens it sucks so hard it is hard for me to push since you all know my arms don't work that well!


I am thinking this will transform to move itself and all I have to do is guide it! Plus I am hoping I can turn it into a blower to blow off my porches, drive way and then it will extend all the way up to blow off my roof and all the gunk in my gutters. Yes, it can be done!


Just click here: Enter to win a Dyson from Mamaanista! And follow the directions for entry. You can even earn extra entries if you want.


To learn more click: Dyson.


Just think of all the possibilities this machine can turn into to help you out, especially when you are disabled!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Bellingham Herald "McHenry ready for test at USATF Championships"

Mason at the ASU Invitational back in March. Photo by David Daer
Former Sehome standout Mason McHenry says he is not intimidated about going head-to-head with world champion distance runner Bernard Lagat, NCAA Champion 800 meter champion Andrew Wheating or the rest of the nation's best middle distance runners.
At the same time, he said he isn't setting his sights too high for this weekend's 800 at the 2009 United States Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., either.
"I just want to go out there and have some fun," McHenry said in a phone interview. "I had a pretty good season, so I'm looking at this as sort of a bonus."
If McHenry manages to finish well enough, he could receive another bonus - a trip to Berlin, Germany, to represent his country in the International Association of Athletic Federations World Track and Field Championships.
To earn that trip, McHenry would need to finish in the top three in the only event in which he will be participating. The first round of the 800 will be held Thursday, June 25, with the semifinals scheduled to follow on Friday, June 26, and the finals set for Sunday, June 28.
"I figure it will take about a (time of 1 minute, 44 seconds)," said McHenry, who just completed his freshman season at Arizona State University. "Probably not (something he can accomplish) this year, but it's definitely something I think I'll be able to do it in a year or two." McHenry's best time in the 800 is a 1:47.76 he ran during the NCAA Indoor season at a national championships qualifier at Iowa State.
His best time during the outdoor season was a 1:48.25 on March 28 at the ASU Invitational. At the time, that was one of the fastest collegiate times in the nation.
He was hoping to improve upon that mark at the Pac-10 Conference Championships in May, but a late-season bout with bronchitis slowed him and held him to a 21st-place finish.
"Initially, I was a little surprised by how things were going to start my freshman year," McHenry said. "It was a little rough at the end because of the illness. I wasn't happy with how the season ended there at the Pac-10 Championships, but overall, I thought I had a pretty good year." McHenry said the Sun Devils had him focusing almost solely on running the middle distance events, which helped him improve his times quickly in his first year in college.
Though he ran mostly the 800 - an event he won a 2008 Class 2A state championship as a senior at Sehome - the Sun Devils also used McHenry a little in the 1,500 and on the 4x400 relay. "Basically, I think it helped me to just be running all year and to have some really good training partners and coaches to work with," he said. "Coming to college, it was just a matter of stepping up to another level. I realized pretty quickly that if I did what they told me to do and start making the steps they asked me to make, I could be pretty successful."
Among the areas the ASU coaching staff had McHenry focus on was more weight training. They also tried to bring more speed to his middle-distance with some sprint-like training.
And now he hopes that work will help him this weekend in Oregon. "I'm not surprised that I'm running on this level," McHenry said. "I guess I always thought I could make it here. Maybe I am a little surprised that it has happened so quickly. I didn't think I'd make it here after my first year of running college track."
Now that he's here, it's not an opportunity he plans to waste. "I plan to use this as a learning experience," McHenry said. "I'm going to go out and do the best that I can do and see what I can do against the best runners in the country. If I make it (to Berlin for the IAAF World Championships) that would be really exciting, but this year I'm just trying to lay the groundwork for the years to come."
Reach David Rasbach at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2271.
USATF CHAMPIONSHIPS When: Thursday through Sunday, June 25-28 Site: Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore. TV schedule: Friday - 5-7 p.m., ESPN; Saturday - 4:30-6:30 p.m., ESPN; Sunday - 1-3 p.m., Ch. 5 800 meters schedule: Thursday - 5:35 p.m. preliminaries; Friday - 6:10 p.m. semifinals; Sunday - 1:53 p.m. final
We, Papa, Mama, your sisters, the Herald plus numerous folks in the community that have been supporting Mason are so proud that he made it this far his first year in Collegiate Track and Field.
Little did we know when he decided to quit baseball his sophmore year that his words "I am not quitting to Loose" would ring so true!
I guess it runs in the family since all our kids have the same determination. We are so proud of our children who all have worked hard to attain their goals no matter how hard it gets. They all have been through a lot but never loose sight of what they really want or loose their determination even if they have to walk through fire to get there. I could not be more proud of all of all of my children.
Your whole family and friends plus many in our community are proud of you son! We know that you will be going far in the years to come no matter what happens today.