Weekend? Where are you?

I know I'm half way through the week...but good God...it's taking forever! This morning we were in such a rush. Shawna was subbing, I was trying to get Grammy ready for school and it just feels like we never take time to just relax and enjoy things.

Maybe this weekend we can do something family oriented.

Summer Camp!

Every summer I used to go to Summer Church Camp and it was not only the highlight for me...but also for my parents!

I loved my week of fun with friends and the First Baptist Church of Houston's Youth Group. In fact, I still keep in touch with many of my old friends from camp and the youth group.

We used to go to a campground in San Marcos, Texas. The campground was pretty decent and the food was alright too.

I never realized this before but there must be millions of Texas Summer Camps! The one that has really peaked my interested is located in the hill country and sounds like luxary!



Lone Hollow Camp is located on over 3,000 acres and offers over 78 miles of outdoor scenery and recreation. They also have two private lakes!

One thing that I absolutely love about Hill Country Camps is the beautiful scenery. I went to Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas and the sunsets are sunrises are absolutely breathtaking. It's really a great way for kids and adults to connect with nature and themselves.

Of course the one reason why I specifically love Lone Hollow Camp is because they have granite showers and pillow top mattresses. Have you ever heard of a "camp" like that? Sounds more like a luxary hotel in the middle of beautiful surroundings!

SIGN ME UP!

This post sponsored by: LoneHollow.com

Work.

Lately, I feel like I'm running to work, answering phone calls, and I hardly even get a break to eat my lunch. I know it's going to slow down but I can literally keep up. I've gotten to the point where I go in on the weekend just to organize myself to be able to pick up Monday.

I really wish there was time to take a vacation between all of this!

Darnit, credit cards. I love you.

We have had credit card debt for over 10 years! Ever since Shawna and me have been together we have had collective debt - then married debt, then college debt, then infertility debt!

It was not until recently that we were able to get all of our debt paid for. At one point we had accumulated more than $30,000 of debt.

While it's been challenging with Shawna staying home with Graem we've been able to better balance our money and direct my salary towards getting our debt down. Also, a two year break from infertility has helped too!

One thing that we took advantage of was 0% balance transfer[s], balance transfer credit cards . We currently have two cards that have 0% on balance transfers that doesn't end until August. So we have put our money in an ING account so that it gains interest and then in August we will pay off the balance and get out of paying any finance charges and able to make a few bucks on the interest of the money in ING!

Another thing that any smart and educated consumer will make sure to do is compare credit cards, credit card comparison .

The CreditCardStore.co.uk makes that really easy to do! The website is easy to navigate and it even provides a nice grid so that you can see what credit cards best meet your financial needs!

Lastly, we really made sure to look at the cash back credit cards, reward credit cards. Is it really worth it to get a free plane ticket after spending over $25,000? Probably not!

Looking for the best credit cards can be tricky. Many times it takes patience, negotiation, and time to find the perfect card. That's why it's nice to know that CreditCardSTore.co.uk makes it easy!

This post sponsored by: http://www.creditcardstore.co.uk/

Poor Grammy...

Grammy's been so constipated lately. Yesterday she tried and tried to poop...but nothing.

Today she went to lunch with Shawna and I heard that she finally pooped after three days of trying.

Maybe we should put her back on the poop medicine.

Feel the beat!

I love music! When I was growing up my parents listened to oldies and classical music. So I now have a deep appreciation for those.

Since we have an iPod most of our CDs and favorite tunes are on it. It's been so nice to have all of our music together on one device and be able to listen to any genre we want at any given time.

When I met Shawna she got me into country (the Texas in her!). I don't listen to much anymore but I like a few of the older country songs.

One radio show that I made a priority to tune into last Saturday was Wally's Rhythm and Blues Internet Radio Show. Wally plays some great tunes which include: jazz, rhythm and blues, oldies, and doo wop. His radio personality is very warm and soothing and I like the fact that he can give a little history lesson with each song that he plays!

I love the oldies from Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Temptations and many other motown bands.

Check out Wally's show between 3PM and 6PM EST. I have already emailed Wally my favorite song "I hear a symphony" by Diana Ross and The Supremes and hope to hear it for next Saturdays show!

Work, work, and more work!

Yesteryday, I went in and worked for a few hours and was so glad to be back home. This morning I woke up and got in a few hours before the girls woke up.

I decided to clean the house and do a good vacuum of the living room, couch, and to mop the floor. (Only to have the dog track in footprints!)

Now, it's time for "family nap".

I love the weekends!

I love my reality television!

I am a poster child for reality television. In fact, even printed off the application and filled it out to be part of "The Biggest Loser" but decided against it because I didn't want the world seeing how fat I was!

One reality show that I have really been keeping up with is PayPerPost's Rock Startup. It's up to episode twelve now. Each episode depicts the ongoings of a start-up dot.com blogging for money company.

I like how it's the "real story". It's behind the scenes and you really get to see the highs and lows of the company! Ted Murphy is the Owner/President/CEO and an absolute maniac! He seems like a really cool guy to work for and the videos show how his team celebrates their successes.

I really like watching these episodes because I get to see some of the people who review my posts! It's really nice seeing a face to the name! Of course, the only time I hear from these people is when I've messed up!

My favorite episode of course was Episode three. They moved into a new office. The old office was dark and the cubicles were the size of a child's playpen - minus the comfy pad. In the episode they gave us a tour of the new offices and it looks like they're really moving up! The episode shows some of the struggles and joys of moving into a new space, working with contractors, and making sure internet is up and running!

I also liked seeing how they decided to meet with the radio stations and run some advertising. It sounds like Ted is willing to "test the water" and I think it's really going to pay off. Not to mention, that commercial was damn cool!

Check it out:



One thing that I can really appreciate about PayPerPost (aside from my awesome "paychecks") is that everyone looks like they work their butt off...but still have a good time and it's like a big family!

Why can't I get a job at PPP? Then again...I haven't seen many big mamas on reality television!

The only thing that I would change is showing more of the dynamics between the team. Also, I'd like to see more information about how the company is funding, interactions of the advertisers with PPP, and more boardroom footage.

Our upcoming menu

For lunch I picked up some honey baked turkey, bavarian ham, deli cheddar and swiss, and ciabatta rolls.

Tonight we're having filet mignon, deluxe Kraft mac & cheese (Shawna's pick, not mine) and maybe salad or bok choy. We've been working on the pile of bok choy for weeks now--maybe we'll finish it tonight.

Since I also picked up some sub rolls, we might do meatball subs and salad tomorrow night.

Just if everyone...

had it in their heart to support a positive cause the world would really change for the better.

On March 9th "The Ultimate Gift" will be released in theatres throughout the United States. The movie features the following actors/actresses: Abigail Breslin, James Garner, Ali Hillis, Drew Fuller and Brian Dennehy. Abigail Breslin is a Academy Award Nominee for her role in "Little Miss Sunshine".

The movie started out as a grassroots movement that was able to gain interest from 20th Century Fox. Fox is now publicating the movie in over 800 movies nationwide.

The whole premise and idea behind the movie is "The only way you can truly get more out of life for yourself is to give part of yourself away.” Just if more of us did this or valued this idea as part of their way of life.

The whole idea is quite simple but I think many times in our busy lives we forget others and in turn loose sight of ourselves.

They are actually using this information to promise it in the curriculm in the schools and it has become a movement among teenagers all over. To see get more information you can check out the "Show of Hands" website.

This movie is a must see and just in it's 300 pre-screenings it has raised over 500 million dollars - which is unheard of!

I think this week I'm probably going to try to pick up the book first so that by the March 9th screening I can have some background and enjoy the movie more!

This is the official site of the movie "The Ultimate Gift" and the grass-roots movement its starting to help charities and give to others.





This post sponsored by: "The Ultimate Gift"

The Overflow

After we got back from the doctor's office, I went downstairs to do laundry. The acrid smell was overpowering--I nearly passed out. Yes, the odor of shit beach, the now TWO cat boxes we maintain to keep our cats happy.

To my pleasant surprise, I found two garbage bags full of the excrement from the last time Shawna emptied the box--which was probably right before we went to NYC!

It was so horrible: the clay particles of the litter were all completely soaked, and turds were actively poking out the box. The ammonia smell was so intense.

I can't believe how much effort we put into allowing the cats to crap in the house. They go outside, for cripe's sake! So not only do we have to pay extra to maintain their health due to outside contaminants (worms, fleas & ticks, FELV vaccine, etc.), but we don't even get the benefit of them crapping outside.

I say we have to adjust our cat management strategy: either they stay inside and have the luxury of crapping indoors, or they get to go outside but have to crap there too.

Credit cards - our love/hate story!

When I was in college I loved credit cards. I signed up for about 10 different cards in college because I would get a free t-shirt! I would buy anything and everything in sight. Of course, it wasn't until I had graduated and had a job that I realized that I'd have to pay back all of that money!

In fact, ten years later, we just paid off all of our credit card debt! That's quite amazing considering that at one point we had an all time high of over $30,000.

One thing that we've decided to do is keep the good cards. The ones that offer 0% credit cards and that ones that have 0% balance transfers. That way if we are ever in a bind we won't be forced to use a card with a high interest rate!

Check out this great website that offers TONS of information on credit cards! I like the fact that it lists all of the credit cards in a grid and you can decide which one best meets your financial needs.

This post sponsored by: http://www.creditcards-gb.co.uk

Our animals.

What I've realized while being on bedrest today is that our animals are such lazy asses. They literally don't move all day. Bailey has been on the couch and only got up once to bark at the mailman. Then she went right back to her warm spot on the couch and sat down.

Murphy has been licking her limp foot every 10 minutes and Peanut won't stop gnawing at his junk.

God, I wish I were a pet.

NEWS JUST IN.

Kentucky Fried Chicken is now offering fish.

What has this world come to? Fish....KFC.

Say it isn't so?

Is it 5:00 yet?

It's 4:14 and I'm waiting for 5:00pm to get here so that I can leave work, pick Grammy up and go home! We have a fun night planned.

Laura and Lydia are coming over and we're ordering pizza, wings, and salad. Then we're just going to hang out and maybe watch a movie.

They are actually going to spend the night since they'll be watching Graem when we go to Syracuse tomorrow morning at 6:00am!

Thank God for good friends!

Debt down.

Ever since Shawna and me have been together we've had debt. She moved to up New York with some college debt then we accumulated some together. Then of course with the infertility and a new house -- we reached an all time high.

Just a few weeks ago we ended up paying down all of our debt!

In a few weeks we will more than likely request an Online Credit Report to make sure that all of the credit card companies have turned in their information. Also, we'll make sure that there aren't any outstanding balances out there. One thing we've also talked about is closing some of the accounts that we no longer use.

Creditloan.com offers some great information on overcoming debt and also how to get into a low interest loan and work your way towards financial freedom.

This post sponsored by: CreditLoan.com

Weekend -- get here.

Even though it's Friday I'm not overly excited for a good weekend. Because I missed some work for appointments and staying home with Graem when Shawna wasa sick I have hours to make up this weekend.

Which of course means...that it's not really a weekend for me.

I've always heard ..

that by having one of those Gold Supporter Shield stickers on your car that it might get you out of police tickets!

Years ago one of our friends used to sponsor the Gold Supporter Shield program and he would get a new sticker each year and put it on his truck. A few years ago they used to have the dollar amount that you contributed directly on the sticker. Our friend got pulled over a total of 9 times in the period that we talked and literally only got 2 tickets! One of those being for a DWI.

Whether it actually works or not --- it's worth a try! God knows, those tickets are pretty darn expensive and if you can support a good cause and possibly get out of a police ticket -- it's money well spent!

Get your FOP Gold Supporter Shield today and support the men and women who protect us daily.



This post sponsored by: FOPDonate.com

Daycare and babysitting.

We have discovered that we are seriously in a bind when Graem needs a babysitter or daycare if Shawna's not able to. I called IC3 and they couldn't squeeze her into today because they already had 10 days. They totally tried to make it work...but they just don't have enough help.

Now, I'm trying to work with Graem bothering me every few minutes and Shawna resting on the couch.

Best friends after all!

I just heard on NPR how Cisco and Apple Computers had settled on sharing the I-Phone idea and were actually going to combine efforts on other technological ideas.

Cisco offers many different types of services including: wifi, VOIP, Video Conferencing, secure networking, and data centres.

Since I'm the tech person in the office and handle most computer issues I've come to appreciate the services and products that Cisco offers. I've wanted wifi at my office for some time, however, I am not sure that our area would promote the use of a wifi so that we could get a good signal.

My work actually uses a Cisco Data Centre and it's very consistent. They offer a great product with outstanding customer service. In fact, we have only had to contact customer service once and it was a server issue on our part.

This post sponsored by: Cisco

It just doesn't stop.

Last night Shawna had to go to the hospital because she has OHSS. Basically, it's a condition that has happened because her ovaries have become enlarged due to the stimulation drugs.

Grammy and me went up there for a few minutes. We couldn't stay long because Graem was cracking and screaming these high pitched noises.

Shawna got home at about 10:00 last night and had to go in first thing today to the doctor's office in Syracse. It looks like she has so fluid collecting in her belly that will have to be drained.

The doctor is going to wait until more collects and do it all Saturday morning. She's also on 100% bedrest and that means no lifting or taking care of Grammy. Of course, what the means for me is that I've got to figure out how to juggle work, home, and taking care of Shawna.

Minivan here I come!

Lately, we have been tossing around the idea of getting a minivan. We've looked at some of the new Toyota Sienna's but they are just too expensive and we don't want a huge monthly payment.

We figure we can justify the minivan idea since we are (hopefully) a growing family and you can't have more than two carseats in our current SUVs.

We've looked locally at cars for sale but haven't found a thing. I just checked out LemonFree.com and did a search on Toyota Siennas and there are quite a few almost new ones that are for sale.

I like the fact that the website is VERY easy to use and within minutes you can find any car. I also like that you can see the car and most of them even have a picture of the car so you can get an idea of what color and shape it's in.

Gone are the days when we could just buy a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry and call it a day!

This post sponsored by:

Damn.

Just as I was talking about appointments I get a call from our couples therapist. We missed the damn appointment! We go once a month or so these days and I swore I had it for next Wednesday at 4:00. Anyway, he was cool about it and we'll just try to make the appointment 2 weeks from today!

Work.

I feel like I've been working way too much and it's always hard to leave Grammy and Shawna in the morning --- but there's not other choice. I typically work 45 hours or so a week and in that time I'm able to get most of my work completed.

With two doctor's appointments this week it's going to be murder to make up those hours and might even mean that I have to do a 1/2 day either Saturday or Sunday.

Why can't we just be independantly wealthy?

Burn, baby, burn.

We have central heating throughout our house that is powered by natural gas. It's extremely expensive and so we actually tend to use space heaters more often. We really don't like not having zoned heat because when we turn on our central heat we have to heat the whole house!

One thing that we've actually looked into is propane heaters. Our friends Laura and Lydia have propane and the heat their house with a centralized propane heater. Their one heater is extremely efficent and seems to heat their house pretty evenly.

Desatech offers some great heaters, gas logs, patio heaters, and gas stoves. They offer free shipping and their website is filled with tons of information on propane applicances.

I think when we do the remodeling to our house we might consider another heating alternative. There are tons of options out there and we really need to choose the safest and eco-friendly source of heating out there!

This post sponsored by: http://products.desatech.com

Too busy.

This week has already flown by. With work being so hectic, my doctor's appointment yesterday and the insemination today I feel like everything is in fast forward.

We have absolutely no plans for this weekend except maybe hit the outlet mall or the Syracuse mall for some new work clothes for me.

Hopefully, Shawna will feel up to it after not feeling too hot the past few days.

Don't short change yourself.

If you've been injured and looking to receive compensation for missed work, doctor's bills, and pain and suffering then you need to go with one of the best attorney's out there.

Accident claims can be evaluated free of charge with AccidentConsult.com. They have Specialist Personal Injury Lawyers who are waiting to hear from you.

If you don't win - there isn't a fee. No hidden costs or games.

Go with the person who's going to fight for you!

This post sponsored by: http://www.accidentconsult.com

Home at last!

It's been a long day today and I'm so glad to be home. I walked in and Shawna had cleaned the house. AMEN!

Our friend Jen is coming over and she's bringing dinner with her! We're going to do a low-key night tonight and eat subs from Subway and watch L-Word.

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

Busted?

Have you been doing something you shouldn't have? Are you in the pen? Do you need a good attorney? I'm not just talking about the attorney that you see during commercials when watching Jerry Springer.

I'm talking about someone who specializes in your case. You need an attorney with not only the knowledge of how the system works but the experience and education.

Luftman Heck and Associates offers only the best and most qualified attorneys to handle your case. They specialize in: Estate Planning, Corporate Transaction, OVI/DUI, Criminal Defense, Traffic Offenses, Consumer Law, Bankruptcy Law, and Personal Injury.

They are located in Columbus, Ohio and are noted as one of the top firms in the area. They are members of the following: Ohio State Bar Association, Colmbus Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, and the Better Business Bureau.

You can actually view the four attorney's profiles online and decide which one would best suit your legal needs. Their website is quite informative and gives you information about the type of law practiced, contact information, and resumes of each attorney.

Go with the best when dealing with your legal needs. Looking for a good attorney can sometimes be hard and discouraging to find. Trust the people who want to work for you.

This post sponsored by: Luftman Heck and Associates

We need a maid.

Our house gets so dirty these days. I think we can safely blame this one on the kid! I found dog food mashed into the carpet this morning and playdoh smeared on one of our chairs.

I miss having Tracy clean our house spotless and walking into a fresh, new-looking house.

My two cents..

I get paid weekly and typically what I end up doing is using each paycheck to pay down our debt, one paycheck to pay for the mortgage, and then car payments and insurance.

We refinanced a few years back and it's really been a positive financial decision on our part. It seems that we were able to take off 15 years on our mortgage and only add about $200 more per month.

When looking around for different mortgages it is important to really know what you are getting into and equally important to be comfortable with the terms.

One idea that One Account Mortgage has devised is actually treating your home mortgage account as a savings/checking account. The whole idea is to have your paycheck deposited into this account and the balance that remains in the account whether it's applied to the payment of the mortgage or not is use to reduce the finance charge that you accrue.

Another great thing about going through One Account Mortgage is that you can pay more on your mortgage without penalties or even take a break from paying if need be. The website is pretty easy to navigate through and provides tons of information about mortgages in general.

It sounds like a really smart financial move and I've never heard of anything like it. This is something that I think is worthy of more information and might even help you pay off your house faster!

This post sponsored by: One Account Mortgage

Way too much going on.

So as most of you know we're in the middle of yet another infertility treatment. Shaw's been making most of the trips to Syracuse solo because I've been trying to put in hours at work. Plus, we have a deal where she goes to those and I'll go to the insemination. It just seems easier and less stressful on both of us!

Dennis left this morning and it's always nice having him around. We talked about him being a donor and if this cycle doesn't work the we are going with him for the next IVF cycle.

That's a huge burden off of all of us and it seems "simple." We have talked through it in the past and I think at this point it's just best if we move forward with the idea instead of play the "what if" game.

I think we all figure at this point --- what's going to happen is going to happen.

Who knows this IUI Wednesday could work and 9 months from now we could be Mamas again!

I ZOOOF you!

Our family is located all over the world including Canada, Philippines, Hong Kong, Saipan, and of course the United States. It's hard to get together or even communicate because we're in different time zones.

One resource that looks really cool in connecting families is ZOOOF! You can choose from 35 languages and it's the only website out there that is specializing in connecting the world!

You can write your family history and invite family members to view and write information. You can also post pictures and updates.

I think it's pretty cool and something that I will have to get my family registered on!

This post sponsored by: ZOOOF.com

Dinner tonight!

Tonight we had such a delicious meal. I made chicken breast on the bone marinated in lemonicious, italian dressing, and buttermilk. It turned out really good and crispy!

Then we had cut up cooked yams.

Now we're vegging out in front of the television getting ready to watch the All-Star Basketball game.

The city that has everything...

We've been looking at vacation destinations over the past few weeks. One place that really comes to mind because they have a little bit of everything is Dubai. They have beautiful beaches and also seconds as a great city for a "night on the town".

Check out properties and the Palm Dubai. You'll see some great adventures that are waiting for you!

This post sponsored by: DubaiVenture.co.uk

Sledding!

Today was an eventful day: we went for brunch at Thai Cuisine, which was delicious! Okay, so it was a bit indulgent--we spent way too much for the 4 of us. Grammy was a good eater, she ate Chinese broccoli, acorn squash custard, pad thai, penne with chicken, panang curry noodles, baby corn, and drank a ton of jasmine tea.

For the rest of us, it was a lucky day--they had our favorite dishes, including nam sod, grilled squid steaks, and ground chicken with penne and basil. It was hard to convince everyone to go sledding after this meal!

Online dating!

I met Shawna online more than ten years go. We met on an IRC chat group. Who would have known that we'd get together, get two cats, a dog, house, and kid!

Online dating has become extremely popular over the years. One online dating service that seems to be very popular and best of all - FREE - is JustSayHi.com!

You can view thousands of full profiles that are informative and many people choose to put pictures on theirs.

That way you have some idea of what you're getting into!

Unless, of course that picture isn't of them...and it's their best friend! Then that's a whole different story.

This post sponsored by:

Our good little girl

This weekend has been a dream compared to last weekend--Graem has been happy, watched little tv, and got into very few struggles with Mommy and Mama over trivial things. Maybe it's because we had company, or maybe it's because we were a little more focused on her--playing Candy Land, Memory, and Sequence, and doing puzzles.

Yesterday Jen and I built a snow fort--Grammy, Dennis and Shaw stayed inside. When it was done, Grammy made her appearance. She sat in it for about 2 minutes, and then asked to come out. It was so beautiful, sunny and warm--yes, warm at 25 degrees--and Grammy just sat there in the sun, happy to eat snow off her mittens. She squealed with glee, it just made me smile!

Jen helped her make some snow angels, and made little butt plops by dropping Grammy into the snow. Grammy was so happy, until the snow worked its way in between her gloves and jacket. What a day.

Sharper than a tack!

I am always shocked to see my brother, Dennis, dressed up in professional attire. It just registers to me how we aren't kids anymore and actually both have jobs!

One piece of information that I recently passed on to him was Belisi's Sharp by Design Blog.



It seems to have some really good fashion advise and information - especially for professional business men and women who have to dress to impress.

Belisi talks about everything from Valentine's gifts to dressing for a date!

I can also appreciate the clean style that Peter Belisi fashions have. The fabrics are all made to perfection and some of the neckties, cuff links, and scarfs that I have seen are all beautiful.

I can't wait to get a glimpse at some of the spring fashions that should be premiering any day now.

This post sponsored by: Peter Belisi

Good baby back?

Graem was so good last night. I don't think she cried once. We had a house full of people including Jen C., Laura, Lydia, and Uncle Den Den. She loved being around all of her favorite people and she was so happy.

She was singing, dancing, saying her ABC's and 123's. Even though she didn't get to bed until late last night this morning she was up by 7:45am and happy as a clam!

I just hope she doesn't crack today at the Chili Fest due to lack of sleep.

Mmm...chili.

Our flop of a Valentine's Day...

On Valentine's Day it was so cold out and we got about two feet of snow. So, that really limited our plans of going out to dinner, our favorite restuarant, Sangam Indian Restaurant. It was quite the flop of a Valentine's Day! Not to mention, way too cold!

We had exchanged gifts a few days before and Shawna had basically purchased herself a bottle of perfume so I was off the hook this year!

As usual, she couldn't keep a secret and so I got my new Cephalon frying pan a week earlier. I have an idea she gave it to me early so I'd make her favorite meals.

One thing we should have taken into consideration was the opinions and suggestions of BELISI on Valentine's Day! He makes a list of the list of the most expensive gifts for Valentine's Day.

At the top of the list is the Bombardier Global Express XRS express jet for 48 million. The only thing that I could afford on the list is at the bottom and a bottle of H2O Bling water for $40.

Of course, that would only last about 15 minutes. I wonder if it's holy water or something?

Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaartay!

Tonight we are hanging out with the girls and Den. Laura, Lydia, and Jen C. are all coming over and we're going to do dinner! It's been a while since we've all hung out together so it'll be nice to see everyone!

Gotta go - L&L are here!

Don't forget...

to mark your calendars - January 19th! That's my birthday of course. I just turned 30 last month and I already feel like I'm going down hill fast!

SharpCards.com offers a great website where you can purchase birthday cards, holiday cards, just thinking of you cards, and many others.

One thing that I can appreciate is that they have a great selection of gay and lesbian cards. THANK YOU.

Look at these cards offered:





The site is very easy to navigate and cards are about a fraction of the cost that you would find them at the store.

I love this store and the next time I need to buy a card --- I'm going there!

This post sponsored by: http://www.sharpcards.com

What a way to start off the day!

I feel like lately all of my posts have pretty much been the same...about how Graem is horrible!

Well, this one will not be the exception. This morning was miserable and I almost debated stopping all fertility meds because I can't imagine having another kid like this around!

Graem woke up and was fine. She even ate a little bit for breakfast. Then God forbid she have to get dressed to go to daycare!

I was running on a tight schedule because I was subbing and Margot had a conference call at 9:00. So with both of us trying to get her dressed it took a good 30 minutes, a domestic between Margot and me, and tears!

Graem was a wreck and it wasn't even 8:30am. After she was dressed it got better and I dropped her off at school...but good Lord!

My grandmother would love...

My grandmother would love a professional poker or card table. She really loves her cards and spending time with friends playing cards is her current favorite hobby.

CardRoomSupply.com offers anything and everything you might need to have one hell of a card game. They sell card tables, cards, and accessories.

One thing I really like is that many of the card tables can be converted to very nice kitchen tables. That way when you're not playing cards you can still use the beautiful table and noone will know it's a card table!


The website is organized, extremely easy to navigate, and the pictures are detailed. That way you can see what your buying before you purchase.

They offer a 1-800 number and either you can order online or by phone. They offer free shipping on purchases over $100.

This post sponsored by: http://cardroomsupply.com

Candy Land!

This morning we were going to play Candy Land but Graem threw a fit. So I didn't want to reward her with a new toy.

This afternoon she was very well behaved and I let her open and play her new Candy Land. She seemed to really like it. Especially when she got a "Special card".

Of course, I hated to get the peppermint "special card" that sent me back to the beginning when I was only three squares from winning the game!

I'm going to have to find some way to cheat at this game...cause playing with a two year old could take HOURS!

Get Connected!

We actually don't have long distance because it's just so darn expensive out here. It's $7.00 a month and that's just to "subscribe" for the services. It's extra for each minute you talk!

One option instead of using our cell phones for long distance would be Vonage. Vonage is easy to sign up for and it's only $24.99 per month (plus taxes and fees). This amount includes both local and long distance. That's unheard of considering that just our local is more than that per month!

This post sponsored by: Vonage

I need...

some Indian Food. I've been craving the creamy goodness all day. I want Chicken Tikka Sagwala, Tikka Masala, and Lamb Vindaloo.

Oh delicious. Now, I just have to figure how to pick up the food from the restaurant and get it home. Too bad we don't live closer to Sangam.

Maybe we'll base our next home purchase on living closer to Indian food.

Forget the whole school system thing!

Get the hook up!

We have had cell phones for about nine years now. At this point I don't know what we would do without our cell phones! I feel like we've been with every plan out there.

Sprint - I used this wireless service when I was at Alterra. This was years ago and I only had the service for a few days because it literally did not receive reception in our house! So, I returned it to Sprint and the contract was null and void.

Cingular - We had Cingular service for about 4 years or so and I used that for business and personal. We noticed at some point that we were being charged out the wazoo every time we traveled because their network wasn't everywhere we were traveling. Which meant that we were getting charged for roaming on other wireless plans! The plan we were on other than that was pretty good and I don't remember going over in minutes too badly.

Verizon - We are currently with Verizon and we have been for the past 4 years. The reception works pretty good and there are only a few places where it is patchy. The customer service has been pretty decent. Of course the one part that I hate is that every few months it seems like there is a new "fee".

Our contract is due to expire February 2008 and I'm really not sure if we're going to renew with Verizon or look into another provider.

Wirefly offers information on all of the plans listed. They also give you information on the cell phones available with each plan along with costs.

One thing that I can appreciate is that they have a "wireless wizard" that asks you a series of questions and comes up with the perfect cell plan for you and your family!

Of course, I hope that Verizon has the I-Phone cause that's what I have my eye on!

This post sponsored by: Wirefly.com

Baby down!

Graem went down at 1:00pm today. It's almost 4:00pm now and she is still sleeping! We've had a funfilled day including Candy Land, puzzles, books, and baking cupcakes!

Hopefully, she'll wake up in better spirits than she has been. Maybe it's a lack of sleep?

I just keep racking my brain with reasons of why she's been so bad lately. I really can't figure it out...

I love big money!!

I think I'm one of PayPerPost's biggest fans. Of course, that nice box of goodies that they sent stole my heart! Plus, I love to make money blogging!!

Things have been changing at PPP central. One thing that I've noticed is that they have started is segmentation. The whole idea of this is to break down their bloggers by demographics, blog type, page rank, and tack rank/quality of blog.

I think it's a great option for advertisers because the reality is -- they are looking for the most effective advertising and one way to do that is to target their marketing efforts.

If the advertiser isn't happy then they are not going to spend their money with PPP and I'm not going to make money either!

For example, just a few days ago there was a $90 opp for people that had blogs dealing with diamonds and jewelery. I was obviously not eligible for this opp - but people that were hit it big! Plus, the advertiser got to spend a certain amount and know this his/her advertising dollars were hitting the targeted audience of people that like to read about diamonds and jewelery! So it's really a win-win for the advertiser and the blogger.

Most recently, there has also been a $1,000 post! I wasn't eligible because my page rank wasn't what they were looking for. Maybe someday.

The reality is PayPerPost has to be the most attractive and really appeal to the advertiser. This can be considered a real risky advertising campaign because it's so new and many companies aren't willng to take the chance without seeing results first.

Aside from segmentation another thing that helps the advertiser is that their rates are a fraction of the competitors. PPP charges a 35% service fee while competitors like ReviewMe charge a 100% mark up!

BTW, my blogs weren't accepted into ReviewME and I have close to 200 readers daily on each blog!

From an advertising standpoint --- I think PayPerPost is far superior to the other blog for money sites. They are organized, responsive, and don't waste advertiser's money. But more importantly, it's affordable! You can choose how much you want to spend and check it out and see if it works for your company.

There seem to be tons of repeat advertisers -- so they must be doing something right!


(This disclosure is required from all bloggers.)

Ready to go back to work...

I have decided that even if there's an avalanche outside I'm trekking my ass to work! Staying home with Graem and Shawna was brutal. With Graem screaming for me and Shawna doing posts it seems like I couldn't do much work at all.

Not to mention I felt like I spent half of the day outside plowing snow since Shawna can't breath in the fumes from the snow blower.

After tonight...

I'm ready to ship Shawna to Bulgaria. I might request for her to come back after she's done with all of these infertility meds but I wouldn't hold my breath!

Plus, she might fall in love with it there! It's the best of both worlds there. They have world classing skiing and beautiful beaches. Where can you go in the world to find that mix?

Bulgaria is a former Communist country changing it's ways. Do to it's struggle in the past I think this would be a noteworthy vacation spot. Not only can you get a grasp for other cultures but also feed an economy that needs your economic support.

Not to mention property in Bulgaria is probably a pretty sound investment! Check out BulgarianAnventure.com to look at some great resorts and property online.

This post sponsored by: http://www.bulgarianventure.com/

What are we going to do with that girl?

I really can't write enough about how Graem has been so bad! She's started getting so upset that there's nothing we can do to console her. Plus, she starts hitting you and screaming this high pitched scream.

Lately, I've just been putting her in the crib because I don't know what else to do. Plus, I figure it gives her a safe place to calm down. We also did a couple of time outs. Specifically after she had bitten me on the shoulder and hit Shawna on the chest.

I want my sweet baby girl back. I feel like she's been taken from me!

Got teeth?

The last time I was at the Dentist for my bi-annual cleaning he discussed how he was concerned about my grinding issue. About 2 years ago he made a special guard for my mouth which I wear every night and although it's helping the friction between my teeth ... it's not totally reducing wear and tear.

We always joke around about not being able to afford partials or implants but the reality is that I can never imagine walking around with nubby teeth or no teeth at all.

So it might be dental implants after all! The great thing about dental implants is that they are so natural looking these days and also you don't have to do anything different like change your diet or clean them a special way.

A great source to find out more about dental implants and also see a directory of providers in your area is ImplantDirectory.com.

This post sponsored by: ImplantDirectory.com

SO TIRED.

It's only 7:33pm and I'm so damn exhausted I can barely keep my head up. No wonder I was almost 45 on my Wii Sports tonight!

Is it Friday yet?!?!

I can't wait for Uncle Den Den to come visit this weekend. I have a special surprise for him. ;c ) Plus, maybe he can take Grammy off of our hands for a few hours!

I love a pink drink!

Today of course is the day of Pink, Red, and White and so what better way to celebrate than with Daucourt Martin Imports!



You can find some amazing Daucourt Martin pink drink recipes. I'm actually going to pick some of this up for the weekend. It looks like my kind of stiff drink!

This post brought to you on behalf of Daucourt Martin Imports.

See earlier post about alcohol!

Today was quite the doozie. With Grammy being in rare form and all three of us stuck in the house all day. I'm surprised we're all alive!

Of course, if we run out of milk or sugar in the house it's going to be armageddon!

I'm really not sure what's going on with Graem but she's had such a short fuse lately. Not only is she getting upset but she's SCREAMING this high pitched sound that reminds me of raptors (yes, the bird).

Hopefully, it's just a terrible 2's thing and we only have 10 more months.

Think Pink!

I absolutely love White Russians. The milk, kahlua, chocolate sauce, and vodka make me love life all over again.

There is one drink that I've wanted to try for some time and just haven't had the time to pick it up.

After this week -- I'm making time! Daucourt Martin's pink drink sounds like the perfect mix of summer and delight!

I could use that right now as we sit in over 2 feet of snow.

Check out some great Daucourt Martin drink recipes and make me a drink too!

This post brought to you on behalf of Daucourt Martin Imports.

Poor Grammy

Yesterday I took Grammy to the doctor because she has this weird rash thing. She's also been a little terror lately so we thought the two might be related.

The Nurse Practitioner thought that it might be strep and did a swab culture. She actually did 2. One that she viewed in the office and one to be sent out to the lab.

The one in the office didn't show the strep virus and this morning I called and the one they sent to the lab was negative too.

The NP was pretty sure yesterday that it was going to come back positive.

So, I guess it's back to the drawing board! I have a call out to the NP and hopefully, she'll have some suggestions as to what the strange rash is all over Grammy's body!

So, sorry.

I have been quite neglectful in writing on this blog. So much has been going on with the miscarriage, Margot's dad getting cancer, me substitute teaching, and then being a Mama!

Not to mention us starting to on trying to get pregnant again. With all of that...I just haven't had the time. Plus, I've been posting a lot of our other blogs.

I'll make more of an effort to post on this blog.

But for now...look at "the girl".

Family HUG!

Lately, Grammy has been so darn loving. Every night we make sure to have a big "family hug" and she is the one that instigates it. It almost brings tears to my eyes holding both Margot and Grammy at the same time and giving kisses.

I love being a family.