Branch Through Window

Post contributed by Toni Jensen

I was really glad that we had decided to get home security this summer when I got a call from our service provider when we were relaxing at the beach. The alarm had detected activity and no one was answering the phone. The alarm system provider immediately called the police and had them go to our home. It turns out that there was a big storm while we were gone. The whole week was going to be filled with bad and nasty weather back home. A tree branch had been struck by lightening and fallen smack dab through our bay window in the living room in the back of the house. It immediately set off our glass break alarm and alerted the security system and the police. Because we have a high fence in our back yard, if we hadn’t had a security system, the burst window could have sat there the entire week. The rain and other debris would have gotten in the house and ruined everything in the living room. While I was really glad that someone wasn’t breaking into the house, I was even more glad that we found out about the window and fixed it before more damage could be done!

Last Football Game Of The Season

Tonight is my son's last JV Football game of the season. Tonight they head over to Clarion and I hope the come home with a victory. This season has not been a winning season for the JV team, which is very unfortunate as the varsity team is finally having a great year. I home Cole is able to have a great game and scores at least one touchdown. He is a wide receiver, he plays Y, whatever that means. It seems he is thrown to more the end of the game or when they are in a crunch. Go Indians.

DVD encore of Memphis

Guest post written by Sandy Wolfe

There's nothing quite like seeing a Broadway show, or at least that's my opinion. I really love seeing them each and every time I go. That's only about four Broadway shows now but I never seem to grow tired of them. There's a really great reason why they're so popular. I went and saw Memphis last time we went to New York and I heard they filmed a live performance and released it as a DVD, so I wanted to track it down and watch it again.

While I was looking online to try and find it, I saw a site where you can compare hearing aids. I've thought about getting some for a while now, so that helped me figure out which ones I actually need.

I found a really great Memphis show review, which I completely agreed with, and then I finally found a place where I could rent the DVD. It was so great to watch it again. It was almost like we were there watching it again. It was the next best thing to actually sitting in the audience.

iPhone or Droid

It's time for me to consider a new cell phone, as mine is not working very well. My brother owns a Droid and absolutely loves it. He likes that it has an actual keyboard, not just a touch screen. Being on the Internet is easy and he has no problems connecting. My sister has the iPhone and she also loves her phone. She loves that it is just a touch screen, iPod, and the Internet also. It seems to me that they both have wonderful options and I just need to decided and make my purchase. Too bad both phones cannot be combined into just one, the best of both.

Actos Lawsuit

It seems that when we need to take a medication for health issues it almost becomes a toss up as to wether we should really take those medications because of the serious side effects. One such instance is the drug Actos, which is prescribed for those with Type II Diabetes. The side effects range for heart attacks, heart failure, and bladder cancer. This makes me very sad as that there are many people that suffer from Diabetes, including my own mom, who are now at risk for something maybe even worse that what they are being treated for. If someone suffers from one of these side effects an Actos lawsuit is always a possibility.

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

Football Season

Football season is upon us. For those of us that love the sport whether it is the NFL, college, or high school the season is upon us. Three days of football, my husband is going to be in heaven. There is Friday night when our son will be playing, Saturdays when there is college ball and he can watch the Iowa Hawkeyes, and then there is Sunday watching the Minnesota Vikings. I am excited to watch Cole on Friday nights but that is about the extent of my enthusiasm. Looks like John is going to be or not be doing much for the next three months.

Chores

I have decided that I am tired of being the only person in our home that does all of the household chores. It seems like I just get the laundry done and someone comes home and the basket is filled up again. Or those of us that are home at supper just get things cleaned up and others come home, eat, and leave their mess for me to clean up. Shoes, that is another thing that I just don't understand. Why is it so difficult to take shoes off right when one comes in the house instead of leaving them all over the house. I am dreading hunting season, which is right around the corner, as they will be so much crap laying around the house.

Topamax

A anti-convulsant drug used to treat epileptic seizures in adults and children is now being looked into for it's very serious side effects. The drug Topamax is also used to treat migraines and hopefully will prevent them. Unfortunately, Topamax has very serious side effects causing cleft lips and cleft palates in newborn babies. There are varying degrees of severity, but knowing it could have possibly been preventable is heart wrenching. The attorney's at O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath and their staff are waiting to help with such a liability lawsuit. Contacting this Austin personal injury attorney is just one way to help with such a unfortunate situation. Their expertise and highly trained staff are waiting to help.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949


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

Summer's Almost Over

It's official, the end of summer has almost arrived and with that it's time for school to start. It seems so unfair that the summer months have to go by so fast and the winter ones seem to stay around forever. The end of summer not only brings the start of school, but also football and volleyball. Soon things will go from green to brown and the temperatures are going to start dropping way to fast. The only good thing about summer coming to an end is that it is that much closer to it starting all over again.

Survivor Is Still One Of The Best Compeition Shows

Thanks for the post from Stan Atkins

On Thursday nights, the http://www.expertsatellite.com are taken advantage of in our house is tuned into one of the best Prime Time Competition Shows around: Survivor. This is really the show that started it all so many years ago. Of course, the contestants get dropped off in the middle of nowhere and are left to fend for themselves. While a basic food, like rice, is usually given to the contestants, who are usually split into two teams called tribes, they have to find their own steady supply of food. Plus, they must make their own fire and usually have to boil water before drinking it. The conditions the players must endure are usually very difficult.

But what makes Survivor such a great show is the challenges. The reward challenges are usually for some great food or sight seeing experience and the immunity challenges are for staying safe from being voted off the show, but just the activities the folks have to do is what really separates Survivor from the average competition show. Sometimes the challenges reward physically strong competitors, sometimes the fastest, but sometimes the smartest and most clever rise to the top. Survivor is one of those games that requires several different qualities from the players, but the really trick is to pull the whole thing off while you are starving. This is just a great show to check out, and a lot of fun to see what creative games the folks come up with.

Heat Advisory

Today in Iowa we are in a warning for an extreme heat advisory. We are suppose to have a heat index of around 105 - 110 degrees. I am ready for summer and warm temperatures to begin, however, I am not sure I want it to be that hot. Not only are the temps going to extreme, I think we are suppose to have some very high humidity. If thats the case I had better finally turn on the A/C, especially if I don't want Alli to be crabby. She does not like the humidity.

Arlington Beauty School

Over 50 years ago in Minneapolis, MN Regency started it's legacy of running one of the best beauty schools in the country. Regency started out with just 2 schools, however, since 2002 they have grown from just 2 to over 80 schools in 19 states. If cosmetology is the career for you Arlington beauty school could be just the place to start. Arlington beauty school, just one of the 80 schools Regency has to offer, will get you off in the right direction. Their professional staff will teach the skills needed to help get their students the talent and confidence needed to succeed in this industry.

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com or contact Regency Beauty Institute – 1118 West Arbrook, Arlington, TX 7

I was paid for this post. My honest opinion was given and not swayed in any way.6015

Sunshine

The weekend has finally arrived and I am hoping with it's arrival we will get to see a little sunshine. This week started out with record breaking high temperatures and the next day it was 30 plus degrees cooler. I woke up this morning to the sun trying to show itself, however the clouds have now taken over. The weekends are so much more fun when the sun is shining and the weather is perfect for being outside.

Seasame Street

My three year old daughter Dru is watching Seasame Street this morning. She usually doesn't watch this program, however, today she seems to be enjoying it. This program sure has changed since I watched it as a kid. For one thing we didn't have Elmo's World, which is what is on right now. It is kinda of annoying the way Elmo talks in the third person all the time. Elmo does provide good learning though. Another change since my childhood would have to be Abby's Flying Fairy School. Dru also seems to enjoy Abby and her school gang. They always manage to get into some type of trouble, but they always seem to find a solution to help get themselves out of it, teaching a lession to the viewers.

Topamax

I had never heard of Topamax until a lady at work started using this prescription drug for her migraine headaches. At first all went well for her and she started improving a little bit on her migraines. After about three or four months of using Topamax she started experiencing some pretty bad side effects of this drug, the most significant was drastic hair loss. She finally decided she needed to stop taking Topamax because of the hair loss but she was also concerned about other side effects she may not have been aware of. O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath are attornies in the Austin, TX area that qualified to help with any type of Topamax lawsuit, especially if your unborn child was injured because of this harmful drug.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

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

Summer Is Here

The summer holiday season is finally upon us, and with that comes a new set of rules for the house. For some reason when there is no school my children think they can stay up as late as they want, do what ever they want, and stay out as late as they want. My son's favorite quote so far this summer has been "what else is summer for if I can't hang out with my friends and as late as I want". I guess he doesn't understand that he is a part of a family that does have rules, but when your 16 you always think you know it all. I guess he is in for a surprise when he has to hang with his parents and sisters.

Softball

Tonight Becca has her second softball game of her fifth grade season. They will play a doubleheader and she is so excited. Becca is hoping to play shortstop or secondbase. These are the positions she played last Friday night when it was so beastly hot outside. Tonight is the exact opposite, it is so cold we will be wearing jeans, sweatshirt, and snuggling in a blanket. Last week Becca never got a hit. I hope tonight she is more confident and will take the ball for a great ride.

Topamax Lawsuit

There is nothing in the world that compares to the birth of a child, it is the most amazing feeling in the world. The only thing that can possibly go wrong is when you hear those dreaded words that there is something wrong or there are complications. One situation where these words could be spoken is if during your pregnancy Topamax was taken and now your newborn baby is born with a cleft palate or maybe something even worse. Fortunatly there is O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath whose attorneys are available to help with this situation. They understand that Topamax could be the reason for your childs issues and they are ready to help with any liability claims that may be needed. If you need to file a Topamax lawsuit and live in the Austin, TX area please give them a call.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

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

Crazy Weather

Wow, this week has had some really crazy weather. The weekend and beginning of this week started off with record high temperatures. Over 100 degrees in some area's along with very high wind speeds. Now today it is very cold. Jeans and sweatshirts are definitely needed. I just don't understand why we cannot have a happy medium. Tonight we will be going to Becca's softball game and we will probably need blankets to help us keep warm. Crazy.

My Favorite Prime Time Competition Show

This guest post from Margaret Mills

These days there alot of reality and competion shows that are on prime time television. I have been a huge fan of these types of programs for a while now and I love to watch them because they keep you on the edge of your seat. There is no better feeling than turning on my satellite television from www.directstartv.com and watching a competition show in high definition. This leads to my favorite prime time competition show and that is NBC's Minute To Win It.

Now, the first time that I seen chef Guy Fieri on his Food Network show, he came across to me as a cook that was made for television. Well, Guy Fieri is a good game show host and it is so very evident with Minute To Win It. The games that the people have to play in this show are so innovative that you sit there and wonder just who in the world had the mind and innovation to come up with them. The thrill of the show though is watching the people compete and try to finish their assigned tasks in the minute time frame. Another good thing about the show is the large amounts of money that they compete for and the excitement when they are able to win.

Minute to Win It is definitely my favorite prime time competition show on satellite television.

Confirmation Sunday

This Sunday, May 1, 2011 is the day my daughter Alli will be confirmed. We are so blessed that this event will be happening for her. Alli is Autistic, non-verbal, and socially not age appropriate. The other children getting confirmed have been very gracious to accept her disabiliies and have included her as much as they can. My husband and I are also very fortunate to have Sandy in Alli's life. She is a very special lady who has worked with Alli every Wednesday so that she can get confirmed and truely learn about our Lord and Savior. Thank You so much Sandy for ALL you have done for Alli!

NBA

It's always a lot of fun to watch the NBA games on TV. Someday I hope to get to a NBA game. I live only a few hours from Minneapolis/St. Paul area, so going to see the Minnesota Timberwolves is actually something that could happen. With all that has happen in recent months with players leaving teams to join another team I have become more familiar with teams such as the Miami Heat and http://www.ticketamerica.com/orlando_magic_tickets.html.

I am a product of growing up in the 80's and back in my day the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan was the team to watch, unfortunately I have not watched them lately and don't know if they are still the "A" List team. Another team to watch back in my day were the Utah Jazz, according to my husband, who is a huge basketball fan. I really should take the time to watch both teams and see how they are today.

Dieting

It really sucks to always be on a diet. I've tried many different things to lose weight, however it seems no matter how hard I try when I get to a certain weight I'm stuck and can no longer lose anymore. I've tried Weight Watchers, Atkins, and exercise and nothing really seems to help. I am now trying the HCG diet. This is suppose to trick your body into thinking you are pregnant so it burns more calories. You are also suppose to stick to a 500 calorie diet. Yeah right.

Wikki Stix

One very important aspect of being a child is their creative play abilities. Being able to use their imagination whether it be for craft projects are playing with their imaginary friend is very important and lots of fun. Having a project that is versatile, re-usable, and mess free is a big plus when it comes to a great family activity. Colorful, clean, and engaging craft projects always puts a smile on my daughters face. I visited a website called Wikkistix.com which offers a great product for keeping her entertained for hours of crafting fun.

Kitchen Remodel

My husband John and I decided that our kitchen needed a serious remodel. We wanted to give it a face lift without spending a lot of money. One of biggest sore spots were the cabinets. They were an awful dark stained color with lots of scratches and colored pictures from our son. At one point he was going through a stage of writing his name in black marker on anything and everything he could. Enough about that. So we decided that we wanted to go with a distressed, old farm house look. I painted the cabinets a sage green and then scuffed them up with sand paper. I then applied a black glazed based paint to them to help them look dirty and distressed. They turned out pretty cool. It's amazing what a little bit of paint can do to help a room be transformed.

Puriteam Water

Living in rural Iowa means that your drinking and cooking water comes straight from the well. Some people really like to drink old fashioned well water, however, I am not one of those people. I have been seriously looking for a countertop water filter, something that would make my drinking water taste better. We have a water softener for our home which helps remove rust from the water we use. I wonder if a Puriteam house water filter could be the answer to less rusty water? I would also consider a tap water filter or a drinking water filter, something that would make the water taste a lot better then what it does.

Mud Every Where

Mud is one of the things I dislike the most. About the only positive thing that mud brings is that Spring Time is close or already here. Things are starting to thaw and with that it brings a very messy driveway for me. Not only do all of our vehicles get very dirty, but the boys seem to bring it into the house. I really don't want too many windy days, however, wind brings drying out of the mud. This always puts a big smile on my face.

Personal Injury Attorney

No one wants to be in a situation where a personal injury attorney is needed, however, knowing who to call is a very important decision. When looking for an attorney, finding a law firm who is prompt and efficient with their legal advice is crucial. O'Hanlon, McCollom, & Demerath, personal injury lawyers for the state of Texas, is definitely a good place to start. If a situation arises where an injury has occurred because of negligence, an Austin personal injury attorney is available to advocate for your suffering. One great thing about their law firm is they offer a free initial consultation when it is convenient for their clients schedule.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four. This movie is to be released on 2/18/11 and I can't wait to see it. Hope you like the Trailer and want to see it just like John and I. It looks really good.

The Spurs Have Something To Prove

Thanks for the guest post by Bradly Watkins

Being a San Antonio Spurs fan used to be the coolest thing in the world. I grew up in San Antonio and I still live there, so being cool was easy. What made it great during all those championship years was that I was in high school at the time. We would all get together and watch the games. It was a reason to hang out, and the results of the game almost always put us in a good mood. I have more responsibilities today. For instance, instead of sneaking out the back door to see a game, I now make sure to set my home security alarm Baltimore ADT Home security deals prior to leaving. Different world. But, it's not a completely different world. That's because the Spurs seem to have one last run in their tank. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and company, are going to town on the rest of the NBA. They even won their first 7 road games, which is very difficult to do in the NBA. It seems as though a rivalry is forming with the Jazz, but that's not the team I'm worried about. Even the Mavericks don't scare me too much. I think we're about even with them. The team that scares me the most is the Lakers - of course. We all know Kobe wants ring #6, but how cool would it be if we stopped him? That would put this Spurs team at legendary status. Hey, crazier things have happened.

Rival Basketball Game

I am really excited for tonights high school girls basketball game. Tonight the two top teams of the conference are playing against each other. Both of their records for conference play are 5-0, this should make for a very exciting game. Usually our girls basketball team is not very good, sorry to say, however this year is an exception. How fun would it be if they could continue their winning record tonight. Go Indians.