Silver

When is a good time to buy silver or any type of precious metals? Some experts say now is the perfect time for buying silver, gold, and other precious metals. At this very time world demand for silver is higher then it has been in the past, demand for silver out weighs annual production. This has been the tread since 1990. Experts believe that above ground stockpiles of silver are getting close to zero, as more and more people move towards investing in precious metals, such as gold and silver. Monex Deposit Company is one place to go when deciding to invest in precious metals such as silver. With over 30 years of experience they will be able to lead you in the right direction when it comes to your investment.

I was paid for this post. My honest opinion was given and not swayed in any way.

Cold & Flu Season

The cold and flu season is upon us! I already have my first cough and stuffy nose. I am hopeful it will run it's course without too much agony and move on out of my house, with no one else getting infected. With all the warnings of H1N1 we all must be very careful. I am a firm believer in NO VACCINES, so this girl is not getting the flu shot or the H1N1 shot. I am more fearful of vaccines then getting and dealing with the actual disease.

Website Hosting

I really enjoy surfing the Internet and checking out what others have done on their websites and blogs. Finding the right kind of website hosting can be a very frustrating experience. I have found a website which gives out independent reviews of the top 10 web hosting providers. They also provide such information as monthly web fees, if your domain is free, how much space is available, how much traffic is allowed to that site, and how the host is rated, meaning good or bad.

Why is this information useful to anyone? It is useful because it compares different companies who provide services for anyone who may need a website for a business or for someone like me who loves to blog. This website is very informative with giving out information based on categories such as, multiple domain web hosting, free domain names, best blog hosting, best email hosting, and many other topics.

When it comes time to select the right web hosting site for your next project visit Web Hosting Geeks. It's time well spent when it comes to researching exactly what you need for your next endeavor. Why look all over the Internet when all the information you need is in on spot. Look them up today to compare your current host against the 10 ten competition.

Stormy Weather

Today we have had a very rainy day. We have had some nice, steady rain, and we have had down pours. Thankfully, when I have needed to be outside I have missed the rain drops. The weather reports are not sounding very nice for this afternoon or tonight. Sounds like we could gets severe thunderstorms with hail and strong winds. I sure hope the weatherman's predictions are wrong.

Medical Equipment

Anyone who has a medical condition where supplies are need on a monthly basis, Allegro Medical may be just what they need. They offer a auto re-order program for their customers in which supplies ship at predetermined intervals. If your in the market for any type of medical equipment, Allegro Medical is here to help. They offer over 55,000 products for their customers to choose from. Shop by product, condition, or category. Sign up for their free ecatalog to take advantage of super discounts and specials. Allegro Medical was established in 1996 and is one of the leading suppliers for life enhancing products. Visit them today to see what they can offer you.

Easter Picture

This is my niece Gracie Jayne. She is the cutest little easter bunny I have ever seen. Jen recently sent me this picture and every time I look at it, it makes me smile. She has this look on her face like what the heck are these ears doing back on the top of my head. I have a feeling by the time Jen was done taking these pictures Gracie had had enough.

High School Football

I cannot believe Cole will be playing freshmen football this year. It just doesn't seem possible that he is that old already. Next week he will start football camp. He will start out with practices from 4-8 in the evenings. The next week is what is called killer week. During this week they will have four hour practices in the morning, have some meetings in the early afternoon, and finish the day with another four hour practice. I hope the temps stay cooler so that the boy's practices will be more tolerable.

Online Degree

Today's economy makes it even more important for adults to obtain further education to help diversify themselves from everyone else who is also looking for a job in today's world. Capella University, an accredited online university, makes it easier by offer online degree programs, which help adults to obtain their Master's degree or PhD from the convenience of their home. Currently Capella University offers 109 graduate and undergraduate programs, along with 15 certified programs. Choose from programs such as education, business, and public safety. Capella University have over 23,000 students in all 50 states and 45 countries around the world.

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Unusual Temperatures

This summer has been very unusual, the temperatures have been below normal. I have only had to run my air-conditioning for about 2 weeks total this summer. Tonight the temperatures are suppose to get as low as 48 degrees, which in this area is more like fall temps. I don't mind these kind of temperatures when it comes to sleeping, however winter will be here before we know it and summer never arrived:(

Auto Body Shop

My son's latest purchase is a 1989 Ford Probe. John and Cole did a really great job picking out Cole's first car, however there are a few area's of concern. This is not surprising considering the age of the car. Just by looking at the car it looks in great condition, unfortunately there are a few rusty area's on the under part of the doors. Thankfully, there are places like an auto body shop yorba linda, which are capable of fixing rust spots and major areas that may need repaired. Since their goal is to keep your safety as their number one goal, you can feel good knowing your vehicle is in good hands.

Learning To Ride A Bike

I am not sure why Dru is so unhappy in this picture. I have been studying this picture and the only thing I can figure out is that she was determined to get on this bike, but her leg got stuck. One thing I really enjoy about my children is watching their determination when trying to figure things out. If my memory is correct, I think she finally was able to get on the bike the right way and then every thing was good in the world again:)

Karisma Hotels

Karisma Hotels, which are located in the Mexican Riveria, are luxury hotels located on white sand beaches. There are five wonderful hotels to choose from whether your are wanting an adults only resort or a family friendly place to vacation. If your summer includes such plans as destination weddings, then Karisma Hotels adult only locations could be just the place for you. The El Dorado Royale Resort may just be what you always dreamed of for you honeymoon. This is the place to be pampered, as it is set on 450 acres of tropical rainforest and has over a mile of unspoiled beach.

Detasseling

July is the month for detasseling here in Iowa. The beginning of the month is when detasseling usually starts, however because of the cooler temperatures this year the kids didn't start until last week. Cole decided to detassel this year to help pay for his first car, unfortunately he may not make as much money as he would have liked because of the late season. With football camp around the corner, it may mean giving up some detasseling days.

Dancing Queen

Dru, who is 18 months old, had a really great time dancing at Meridith and Ryan's wedding. I don't now how many guest told me how much fun they had watching her dance all night long. She was out on the dance floor twirling, falling, and running from one end to the other without getting tired. I think she could have out lasted almost any of the seasoned wedding goers. I hope this isn't a sign that she will be a handful in a few years.

PowerOptions

If online stock options trading is something that is of interest to you, than Poweroptions is something that you need for your covered calls portfolio. They offer timely essential data, extensive analysis, and comprehensive option information to help with all your stock options. To find, compare, analyze, and make money this is the perfect program for you. SmartSearchXL technology, offered by PowerOptions, is the only online technology that helps aid in the best return for your stock option trade portfolio. They offer education materials and toll free customer service support to help with any questions that may arise. Visit them today to sign up for your free 14 day trial period.

Turkey Hunting

My husband John is an avid hunter. One type of hunting that he enjoys is turkey hunting. Last spring John was able to bring home this tom. The thrill of the hunt is to be able to call the turkey's in, get them close enough without seeing you, and shoot them with a gun or an arrow to claim your prize. John was lucky on this day and got exactly what he was aiming for.

Wedding Day

This past July Becca and Cole were the most adorable bridemaid and usher I had ever seen. Becca, who is nine, has already been in her fair share of weddings. I thought she looked very grown up and she did a great job with all her "duties". Cole, who is 14, was a very handsome usher, who also did everything just perfect. Don't they just look like the cutest couple.

Gold Investment

With today's economy the way it is I often wonder what investments are safe and will hold strong through almost any kind of economic times. One type of investment that has been around for a very long time is investing in gold. Monex Deposit Company is one place I have found that will be able to help with this type of investment. Not only do the deal in gold, but also silver and other precious metals. Monex Deposit Company has been around for about 30 years and is one of the leaders in this type of investments. When looking for competitive market prices when investing in gold, visit Monex.

Piles Of Leaves

Becca always loves it when the weather changes, it's fall, and the leaves are falling off the trees. One of her favorite outside activities is to rake up as many leaves as she can, run through them, and hide from us to see if we can find her. Sometimes the best things to entertain children are not toys but just being outside using their imagination.

Ford Probe

My son, who is 14, just bought his first car! It's a 1989 Ford Probe. He is so excited to have his very first car. I cannot tell you how many times a day he asks if we can go for a drive. The only problem he has with it so far is that it is a five speed and he doesn't quite have the shifting down yet. So, on the rides that I have taken with him it has been very jerky and bumpy drive.

Bullion

The Monex Companies have been in business for over 30 years now, so why not trust them for all of your precious metal investments. The Monex Deposit Company is here to help you invest in silver bullion, gold bullion, and other precious metals. They offer a dedicated staff who are there to help with all your investment needs. Monex makes sure your precious metal investments go right where you want, immediate personal delivery or a safe storage facility of your choice. With such great service, support, and products why wouldn't you visit them today to see what they can offer you?

Good Sales

Becca and I did a little shopping today while Alli was at her speech appointment. We ended up at the mall and there were a lot of great deals going on. Thank goodness we were limited on time because I could have spent a lot more money then I did. They had great deals on clothes, shoes, jewelery, and just about anything else you could get your hands on. I hope to maybe go back this weekend without kids and take advantage of these great sales.

Beautiful Day

Yeah, I got my wish. Today turned out to be a very beautiful day, the perfect day actually. It started off with sleeping in, that doesn't happen very often. We then went to Alli's Speech appointment, played outside, went to softball, and just enjoyed a perfect day outside. The sun has been shinning most of the day, it's not too hot, or to windy. Too bad there are so many pesky bugs out. I hope this is the start of many more sunny days to come.

SmartSearchXL Technology

SmartSearchXL technology. What is this, who can offer it to you, and what can it do for you? SmartSearchXL technology, offered only by PowerOptions, is support technology that identifies the highest return option trades. PowerOptions, with their SmartSearchXL technology, lets you sort, filter, and analyze over 3,000 optionable stocks and 195,000 options to to help you make a profit. All this can be done from the convenience of home by simply using their educational materials and their toll free customer support. Visit PowerOptions today to get the competitive edge you need to buy and sell stock options online. It can only be an advantage to you take part in this exceptional online stock trading company.

Bedtime Blues

I seem to have two girls that do not want to go to be tonight, I think they have the bedtime blues. I remember as a child having those. Everyone else gets to stay up and have all kinds of fun (or so I thought), while I had to go to bed, wishing I was up with them. I can hear Alli upstairs pounding on the floor, her calling card for get up here and snuggle with me.

Rain Again?

Tomorrow is my day off and I am hoping for some warm and sunny weather, however I think there might be some rain in the forecast. June is half way gone and we really haven't had a really sunny, warm day yet. It would be so much fun to play outside with the kids tomorrow and I hope the rain doesn't interfere with my plans.

Holsted Jewelers

If you are anything like me, no matter what the occasion jewelery is a very nice gift, whether you are giving or receiving. When it comes to designer jewelery Holsted jewelers is the place to go. They have been in business since 1971 and they have provided beauty, craftsmanship, and quality in all their products since then. Just ask the millions of satisfied customers that Holsted Jewelers has helped. There is something for every budget, design, and style. If you are searching for quality jewelery that cannot be found in any retail store, this is the place for you. When shopping for your next piece of jewelery, be sure to check out Holsted Jewelers.

Speech Therapy

Julia is Alli's speech therapist. Alli has bi-weekly appointments in Mason City with Julia and from what I can tell she loves every minute with her. They have been working on a picture book for Alli so she will be able to communicate with those around her. By doing this we are hoping to work up to a communication box. This will be such a positive in Alli's life as well as for the people in her life.

Lia Sophia

Recently Jen, my sister-in-law, started selling Lia Sophia Jewelery. She needed to have five parties in order to become an official consultant with the company, so of course I was asked to host a party. Wow, am I glad I did. I got some really great jewelery from this company. I was able to get rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. It was a good time for everyone who came and so far everyone is happy with the product they received.

Online Degree

The following blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Is getting your master's or PhD degree something you have been thinking about for a while now? If you are a hard working adult who is looking to get your degree online, Capella University just might be the place for you. To get first hand educational experiences from students, faculty, and staff check out their many podcasts, which usually run about 15 minutes long. Capella offers 109 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 15 certified programs. Just a few of the programs they offer are in education, public safety, business, and human services. Currently Capella has serves 23,400 students from all 50 states and 45 different countries. Visit them today to see what they can offer you.

Brown Bear

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See. That is Dru's favorite book. We have all the words to that book memorized. If you ask her to get Brown Bear, she will remember exactly where she left her book and she will run and get it. She is very lucky in having so many people to read it to her, if mom gets tired of reading it she moves on to dad, then Cole, and finally Becca. Her big sister Alli also loves this book and doesn't mind hearing it over and over.

Potty Training

Just this minute my 16 month old daughter yelled potty and ran to the bathroom and yes she went poopy on the potty. Yeah, this is the first time ever for Dru to use the potty! She is so proud of herself:) and I don't blame her one bit. John and I can't wait for her to get out of those expensive diapers. Dru has sat many times on the potty with no success, however tonight was an exception. I hope this is the start of a good relationship between Dru and the potty chair:)

Allegro Medical

A favorite online medical supply store, which was established in 1996 and has over 1 million satisfied customers, is Allegro medical. Allegro medical is one of the most technologically advanced and largest retailers of life enhancing medical supplies. Just a few of their offered medical equipment includes exercise and fitness items, dietary supplements, maternity supplies, back brace, and diabetic test strips. Subscribing to their popular and free allegro medical ecatalog is a great way to take advantage of huge sales that Allegro Medical is offering. To take advantage of their website is as easy as searching by product or category. The next time your in the market for health care supplies, visit Allegro Medical to see what they can offer you.

Grilled Chicken

Tonight John and I decided grilled chicken was what we were having for supper. Cooking anything on the grill is always way better than anything made on the stove. I decided to marinate the chicken before we put it on the grill and I hope it has a good flavor. John usually does pretty good when grilling and it looks like tonight is no exception.

Purse Party

Last Thursday, I was invited to my sister-in-law's purse party and of course I just had to go. There is almost nothing more funny then watching a bunch of women at one of these things. We all go absolutely crazy trying to find the perfect purse (like we already don't have a dozen purses we can't live without). What a great profession to be in, I don't see how anyone could fail at selling purses at a party. Personally I don't know any woman who could leave a party like that without purchasing something.

Personalized Baby Gifts

Even when I had baby number four, it was so much fun getting personalized baby gifts for her. It doesn't matter how many children a mom has, each one is an individual and deserves their own special mementos. I have found a fun website which offers a great variety of personalized items for the newborn, toddlers, and parents. Anything from nursery decor, blankets, bedding, picture frames, and just about anything else you can think of. Not only do they offer great gift ideas, but the next time it's your turn to plan a baby shower visit the baby nest to get great ideas.

Bike Ride

About two years ago our gravel road was finally paved. This was a nice addition to our property. Not only did they decided to pave our road but they also added a nice bike trail that attaches to another bike trail about a mile down the road. Tonight Cole and Becca decided they would ride their bikes on the new bike trail and see if they could make it to the knob. I guess they need to get in a little better shape to make it up the large hill which is on the way to the knob. With a daily bike ride it should be easy to conquer that large hill in no time flat.

Summer Vacation

The kids are in their second week of summer vacation. Not that I want to wish the summer away, but Cole and Becca are already driving each other crazy! If they cannot get along any better than this, it's going to be a very long summer. I guess the chore list needs to get longer so that they are occupied and will stay away from each other. Thankfully there is always softball, baseball, swimming, and detasseling to keep them busy as the summer goes on.

Paintball Package

My nephew Joey is a huge fan of paintball and all it has to offer. Last year for Christmas all he wanted was paintball equipment. Since I am not that familiar with this sport I had no idea as where to even begin looking for the specific items he was asking for. I wish I had known about this great website which offers a great paintball marker package. Zephyr Paintball offers the lowest prices on paintball goggles, guns, hoppers, and much more by suppliers such as Dye, Invert, and Pure Energy to name just a few. Zephyr Sports first started in 2003 as an internet store specializing in paintball accessories.

New Aquatic Center

Last year our town built a brand new aquatic center, unfortunately some pipes froze over the winter months. Since this happened, it has delayed our new aquatic center from opening on time this year. There were several areas of the pool that needed to be dug up, pipes replaced, and new cement poured. It finally opened yesterday and Becca just cannot wait to there and try out the water. I hope the weather improves this week, as it has been rainy and cold, so that she can finally make it there for some fun in the sun.

Rustic Furniture

John and I have always dreamed of building a log cabin, unfortunately we have to wait on our dream home for a few more years. However, John owns a construction business and is very handy around our home. We have placed cedar walls throughout our home and would love to get some rustic furniture and kitchen cabinets to tie it all together. One day we will have our log cabin and the authentic rustic look we both desire.

Drivers Education

Well, it's official. Cole has now been signed up for Drivers Education. He will start his class in about one month. This makes me a little nervous. The law here states that six months after completing Drivers Education a child as young as 14 can receive a school permit. This will entitle Cole to drive to school without an adult in the car with him. Eeek! I just don't like the thought of Cole driving a vehicle without his father or I. I sure hope this class and the driving instructor helps Cole to realize what a serious matter it is to drive a car, especially when he is by himself.

Allegro Medical

Allegro Medical was first established in 1996. By 1998, Allegro Medical was the first ecommerce medical equipment and home health care site available on the Internet. Since launching their ecommerce site, Allegro Medical has grown to one of the largest and most technologically advanced independently owned retailers of life enhancing products. Their products range from exercise/fitness equipment, maternity care, jay cushion, daily living aids, shower chair, wound care supplies, and much, much more. One never knows when our health will leave us restricted to our home. It's a great feeling to know that there is a place to go to purchase medical supplies from the comfort of home. Check them out and see what they can offer you.

April Fools

Mother Nature sure played a cruel April Fools joke on us. Today we woke up to snow on the ground! It wasn't much, but it was snow, it was cold, and where exactly is Spring? Thankfully all evidence of the snow was gone by afternoon:) Today I heard quite a few people say next week is not suppose to be much warmer. Come on already! When is Spring going to get here! Not only do the kids have Spring Fever, so does Mom.

Megan Joy

I really enjoy listening to Megan Joy, from American Idol 8 sing. Her voice is very unique, and when she sings a song that suits her style, it is just awesome. I do agree that I think it was her time to go tonight however, I will miss her unique voice, her beautiful smile, and those amazing blue eyes. There is something about her whole style and I believe we may be seeing her in the near future, not on American Idol.

Holsted Jewelers

Holsted Jewelers has been in business since 1971. Within the last five years alone they have sold over 15 million different products to very happy clients in North America and abroad. The jewelry that Holsteds sell cannot be found in any retail store, so rest assured that your shopping experience will lead you to a true fashion find. Choose from designer jewelry and fashion jewelry sets, which are affordable on any budget. Holsted Jewelers products are created to the highest standards, a strict quality assurance guideline is followed at all times, and each piece of jewelry is inspected twice. Why not look them up the next your in the market for a spectacular piece of jewelry.

Speech Therapy

For the past two months Alli has been receiving speech therapy. Today Julia, Alli's therapist, was very pleased with their session. I should really say the Julia has been very pleased with almost all of their sessions, however today Alli showed more promise and enthusiasm with objects which do not interest her much. We are trying to get Alli using a speaking device to help her communicate with those around her. Alli is non-verbal and this can be very frustrating for her and those around her. I hope that she continues to grow and understand the device, this would make all of our lives easier. I guess I can only hope it does any way.

File Extension pdf

As the world of technology is ever changing, so is the way business meetings are run. Now days travel is no longer a requirement as video conferencing is becoming more popular. The worry of sending documents or having documents on the internet having the chance of being altered is getting to be a thing of the past. Adobe Systems has created a file extension pdf. PDF stands for portable document format and it's main purpose is for document exchanging. What does this mean for us? It means we can now look at documents on the internet, have it look very similar to the way it will look when printed on paper, and we will no longer have the worries of changes being made to the document.

CAP Conferences

Today we had CAP conferences for Cole, he will be a freshmen in high school next year. A CAP conference is where students, their advisor, and parents get together and decide which classes are best for the student to be taking. They have required classes they need and they are also able to take a few electives. Cole will have a very busy schedule next year. I sure hope he adjust well to being a high school student. Homework and studying are not his strong suits, so I hope he likes the classes he has enrolled in.

Rare Coins

If you are a collector of rare coins, wouldn't it be nice if there was a company that stood behind it's recommendations, market information, quality selection and service. I am happy to tell you that there is and that company is Monaco Rare Coin, a company of Monex. Feel at ease knowing your own personal representative is working for you when it comes to collecting or investing gold, silver, or platinum bullion and all rare coins. Monaco Rare Coin has been a trusted leader for nearly 40 years. Feel secure knowing their expertise is your reward. They do this by keeping their clients up to date on all breaking news and opportunities.

Learners Permit

My fourteen year old son Cole has just passed his driving test, which means he can now drive a car as long a parent is with him. Cole now finds any reason under the sun for why we need to be going to town and it is never as simple as going from point A to point B. Not only do we have to take the longest possible route getting there, but there must also be other places we need to go. Not only does he want to drive everywhere, but he now thinks because he is driving the car he can control what radio station we listen to and how loud it will be. Boy does he have a lesson or two to learn yet.

Mounted Deer

On Saturday Cole will be bringing his first deer home. This is not just any deer, it is his first buck that he shot earlier this fall. This is the reason why John decided we would get it mounted. Cole is so excited and Saturday cannot get here fast enough. For the last few months all I have heard about is how great it will look on the wall next to his dad's "Buck":) Needless to say I am not to happy to see another one on my living room wall. I guess if it makes Cole happy it makes mom happy. I just don't want to see anymore on my walls. The men in my life will have to build me a new house with a room just for their stuffed animals.

Capella University

As of September 30, 2008 Capella University has 24,000 students in all 50 states and 45 other countries. Not only do they have this to be proud of, but one of their graduates happens to be Jeannie McGuire. Jeannie McGuire, who earned her master's degree in human services through Capella University, has received the Sunny Andrew's Award for her commitment to social work. Not only do they offer human services as one of their online degree, but they also offer education, public safety, information technology, and business. They offer 111 different graduate and undergraduate specializations in all. They also offer 15 certificate programs. Check out the programs they can offer you when you decide it's time to further your education.


This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

One Year Check-Up

Today Dru had her one year check-up. Yes, it's true! I just don't know where the time has gone, I can't believe she is 1 already. Compared to other children her age she is in the 97% for height and weight, just like all of our other children were. She is meeting all of her requirements for this age, this is a wonderful thing to hear as we have one daughter already with special needs. I am so grateful that God has blessed us with this very special gift, I just don't know what we would do without her!

Babysitter's Series

My Daughter Becca just loves to read. Her latest reading adventures are the Babysitter's Series. She has just turned nine so I think she can relate to these books really well. It wasn't that long ago that reading came hard for her. I am so glad that she has found that reading can be so much fun and can take her on wonderful adventures.

Autobody Repair

Today Becca, Cole, and I decided we would head out and do some shopping, as we didn't know when we would have another chance to go. Before we left this morning I noticed that the winds were a little gusty, but it wasn't snowing, so I thought we would be just fine. Boy was I mistaken, the weather was awful and we should have just stayed home. Not only were there white out conditions, there were also way to many drifts. We saw quite a few cars in the ditches and a few fender benders. I am very grateful that I was not one of these unfortunate cars. I wonder if they have an autobody repair shop where they can take their cars? I have found a website where people can go to find the right autobody repair shop for them. They have over 10 years of experience, minimum of 95% approval rating, Dun & Bradstreet verified, Written Lifetime Warranty, and they also participate in an annual audit. I have only need to have auto repair done a couple of times, but I know if I would ever need to have anything repaired on my vehicle, I will definitely be checking out collisionrepairexperts.com, to find the closest shop to me.

Blizzard

This morning when I woke up I thought it was a little windy outside. I really didn't think much of it until I decided to head out of town to do some shopping. I really should have turned around and headed home because it was more than just a little windy, there were white out conditions and drifts to plow through. As a matter of fact, I had to go through a drift so long and deep that I nearly got stuck! I am very glad to be home.

Personalized Wedding Supplies

When I got married more than 15 years ago, at the age of 20, things were very different when it came to planning my wedding. Once the ring was purchased, the dress and tux's were bought, the flowers and food were decided upon it was time to tie the knot. It was as simple as that however, that is not the case in today's bridal world. Meritdith is getting married in July and listening to her talk about all the things that she will need to get done over the next few months make me glad my daughters won't be getting married for a long time. I have come across a website though that I think Meridith would be happy to know about. They specialize in unique personalized wedding favors. The Knot Wedding Shop has top-quality supplies and novelty items such as cameras, wedding toppers, and personalized attendant gifts to add whatever personal touch she is trying to achieve for her special day.

MAMA MIA

What a great movie! I was unable to go and see this movie at the theater, so I decided to buy this movie and give it to myself for Christmas. I do have to say I opened it early and I am glad that I did. I bet we watched it about five times that weekend! The music is wonderful and the storyline was very clever. Becca, my eight, almost nine year old daughter, loved the movie so much she had to purchase some of the songs to download to her ipod. She now goes around the house singing "money, money, money in a cruel mans world". How cute is she? I do have to say very cute. She also has quite a few others songs memorized. She loves to sing them all. If she could watch MAMA MIA every day, I think she would.

Rummykub

Every Christmas Eve the kids are allowed to open one present. Our tradition is that it is always a new game for the whole family to play. This years game was Rummykub, something I remembered playing from my childhood, and thought that Cole and Becca would really enjoy playing also. Boy, was I right on that. We ended up playing game after game after game. John and Becca dominated the night by not sharing in any of the wins, Cole and I just decided it was an endless cause, that we were just going to have to play and know we would get our rear ends beat.

We finally got ourselves off to bed so that Santa could come, but right after opening presents on Christmas morning we were at it again. We were having so much fun playing Rummykub that we did not want to stop playing, in fact we were late for Christmas dinner at Grandma Barb's. Oops. . . thankfully everyone understood. I'm still wondering after all the games we have played since then, when will I finally win a game? Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter as long as we all are having fun, and believe me we are!

Gold Coins

One hobby that John started about 10 years ago was to invest in rare coins. It has been awhile since he has purchased any coins, however, I have heard him talking about starting to do some research again into rare coins, and even start purchasing gold coins and silver coins. One company that I will be sure to tell him about is Monaco Rare Coin, which is part of the Monex family of companies. With over 40 years of experience they are the leader in precious metals. I think this would be a good place for him to start. With their years of expertise, experience, and financial muscle Monaco Rare Coin can only be an added benefit to his longtime hobby.

Cold Night

Tonight the corn burner has been turned off. We are waiting for it to cool down so that John can do the weekly cleaning maintenance that is needed. There seems to be a chill in the air because we are lacking the wonderful warm heat from the corn burner. I am sitting at the computer right now with a warm sweatshirt and blanket, and I am still cold. It seems like once I am chilled it takes this body a long time to warm back up. Hopefully John will be able to start the corn burner sooner then later so the house can get nice and toasty again.

Basketball

Tomorrow afternoon Cole will start his Saturday basketball schedule. His first game is at 1:30, then 3:00. After his second game we will know if his team will play in any of the championship games. I sure hope they are able to compete against their long time adversary. Every time Cole's team is scheduled to play them, it seems they forget how to play the game. They get so nervous and look so terrible, they act just like they have never been on a basketball court before or a basketball for that matter. I hope they pull together and play ball like they know how and finally come out on top.

Blisters

I can honestly say that I am one of the millions of people who want to be healthy however, like most people I unfortunately am not as dedicated as I should be or, shall I say as much as I want to be. As soon as spring arrives, I always rush out and purchase a new pair of running shoes, because once again I have decided that I will start walking and hopefully within a few short weeks I will have worked myself up into running. Unfortunately I usually end up with a couple of nice blisters on the heels of my feet. Recently I came across a website which offers many different kinds of Foot Care Product, which can help with blister relief and even blister prevention. These ENGO patches have been awarded with the NHWC Seal of Approval. The next time I am in need of blister relief I will definitely be looking into the ENGO patches.

Ear Infection

Tuesday night ended up being a very long night for mom, dad, and Dru. Dru woke during the night with a fever of 100.3 degrees, which automatically means she cannot go to daycare. Not only did she have a fever, but she was very uncomfortable and nothing could settle her. Dru has only been ill a couple times in her short life, so when all she wanted was to be held I knew we were probably looking at an ear infection. So, off to Dr. Ramos we went, and sure enough, she had an ear infection in her right ear.

After seeing Dr. Ramos, who was very surprised that she had never had any type of infection requiring antibiotics, we were off to the pharmacy. Once we arrived at the pharmacy, who was also surprised that she had never taken any antibiotics before, we were finally given her Amoxicillin. After being on this medication for two days, Dru is starting to get back to normal. She still has a runny nose, but it is much better than it was.

Another Christmas

Wow, where did the holiday season go? I cannot believe that it is already January 9, 2009! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, I know my family and I did. By the time it was all said and done we ended up celebrating four different Christmas's. The time spent with all of our family is very special to all of us and we will always treasure all of the wonderful memories. It is so much fun to see all my children and their cousins playing together, it takes me back to my childhood when we would go to grandma and grandpas in Minnesota. We couldn't wait to see all of our cousins that we would only get to see during the Christmas season, as we all lived so very far apart.