Where has the time gone?

It's New Years Eve and I am thinking back over this past year. WOW!!! That's what I would say.

I have had a lot of obstacles come my way, but I am still here. Have you ever heard that saying "For every step I take forward, I take 2 steps back"? Well that's about how this last year has been for me.

But that's ok. The Holidays have been enjoyable. Work is very long hours. My son just turned 11 years old. (another wow). My daughter is slowly letting the girly girl in her come out. I have met new friends that I will keep forever. Along with my old friends. And I still have that strong desire to keep moving ahead in my future. To stop working for someone else and come home full time with my home business.

Time has flown by. I really can't believe it's almost 2009. Time really does go by extremely fast, the older I get.... LOL.

So to everyone, I wish you all a Happy New Year with Love, Peace and Happiness.

The correct way to weigh yourself:

Merry Christmas

From my family to yours, have a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed Holiday Season.

Managing a Home Business as a Work at Home Mom

Managing a home business as a work at home mom can be a challenging, yet very rewarding endeavor! Many women who have young child elect to leave the workplace in order to focus on their children, and ensuring that the operations in their home are running smoothly and effectively. In times of economic woes like the world is currently facing, it is often quite challenging to live off of just one income. This is why more and more women are starting to create and operate their own home based business. If you are working to establish a home office, and create a supplemental income for your family, there are many preparations to be made. Here, I will offer some strategies on managing a home business as a work at home mom.

Creating a Schedule

If you are starting your career as a work at home mom who manages a home business, the first thing that you will want to do is to create a schedule. The idea is to create a schedule that will work in conjunction with your parenting responsibilities to optimize your profits so that you may be successful. Now, with that being said…how do you do that? It is actually quite easy to set the schedule. The hard part is sticking to it. Consider implementing the following tips in order to create a schedule that will work for you:

1. Set a certain amount of time each day to conducting household chores. Naturally, the time that you set must be a personal choice. During this time, take care of the laundry, dishes, vacuuming, and other things that must be contended with in order to maintain the home.

2. When it comes to meals, it may be appropriate to dedicate one day a week to preparing meals for the rest of the week. Believe it or not, it is actually much easier and quicker to create five to six meals at a time than to space them out over several days.

Prepare a chicken casserole in one dish, and a meatloaf in another oven safe dish, and throw them both in the oven at the same time. While those are cooking, cook a pot of stew and maybe some chicken and dumplings on the burners. There, you have four to five meals depending on leftovers. You may also want to throw some burgers and hotdogs on the top burners. Then, simply freeze the meals and pull them out to defrost the morning that they are to be eaten. Once you defrost them, reheat, and you are all set!

3. If you have children that are at least toddler age, there are many chores that you can assign to them to help make things run more smoothly. They can pick up their own toys, learn to set out their own clothes and dress themselves, assist in dusting, and even feeding, watering, and walking pets! You should also assign certain tasks to your spouse, such as taking out the trash and lawn maintenance. Putting dishes in the dishwasher, starting the washer and/or dryer and even helping the kids get ready for bed are also great chores that can be assigned to your spouse.

4. When you work at home as a mom, it is important to understand that it is not going to be your typical eight hour work day. You will need to block certain times to dedicate to your work. I say, if you are just starting out, blocking work in two hour intervals is appropriate. As your children get older, and the family becomes more accustomed to your work, you may move that up to three or four hour blocks. However, it is important to know and understand that this may take time.

5. Designate certain activities and projects on each day of the week. For example, break up the house work into certain days. For example, Sunday can be your “cooking” day, and you may designate Monday as your “laundry day”. There is no rule that says everything has to be done, in completion, in one day.

Professional Goals

If you are a work at home mom that is in the process of managing a home based business, it is important to set professional goals. One of the best ways to achieve this is to create a sound business plan. This is a basic documentation of the way that you want your business to operate, the way that you want to handle your finances, a detailed list of your resources, and where you want to go with your home business. Businesses that do not incorporate a business plan into their endeavors typically fail due to lack of direction. It is likely that you really want and need your business to work, so do not fail to leave out this essential detail.

Quality Time

Once you begin your home based business, you will come to face the challenges that so many work at home moms face. Typically, the main challenge is separating the personal life from the professional life. It is essential that you have some quality time scheduled in among all the household chores, professional projects, and deadlines. This should be scheduled in daily. Then, there should be a day set aside, at least one, which you dedicate to your family. Let’s say Saturday your spouse is off, and the kids are home from school – make this your “family day”. Go out and visit the museum, the park, the zoo – or just sit down and play some games together!

Conclusion

Managing a home business as a work at home mom will likely prove to be challenging. However, it is also a very rewarding experience that you will come to cherish. If you follow the techniques contained within this article, you are likely to experience the success that you always dreamed of as being your own boss!

Leon Edward runs www.FocusOnTheFamilyLife.com and presents online free information on family issues, health, budget, relationships, hobbies, money saving tips, print coupons online and work at home ideas. Leon Edward also helps people to start, build, market internet business and ways to earn money on the internet in a home business. Get Your free legitimate internet business kit and training , visit www.homebusinessit.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Too Funny

Saying Good Bye To Those You Love

Saying good bye to a friend is hard enough. Saying goody bye to those that have touched your life and made a difference in your world, is even harder. And that's what I had to do last night.

Last night was a gathering for everyone that knows the family that ran the daycare where my daughter used to go. And at this gathering, was a chance to say good bye to the family since they are all moving to N. Carolina.

I am so happy for them all and wish them all the best, however, I feel a loss. Like I am losing family. They were more than a daycare/preschool that took care of my daughter. They were family to me. And they knew it. I know how they care about me and my kids. We became close friends and I will miss them.

It's so hard for mothers to leave their children at a daycare. There are so many fears that we have. The biggest fear I had was for that (1) moment that someone would do something to my child that would traumatize them forever. All it takes is one instance....One moment. And I did not have to think twice about any of that at this daycare. I was ease and knew that my child was very well taken care of.

Over the years, my daughter became very popular there. And to this day, everyone knows her. My son is a big hit there too. He went for a short time and became friends with alot of kids. It's funny how the family remember my daughter from when she was a baby going there and to see how big she is now. The love this family has for kids is not fake....It is real...Genuine.

Erin....Thank you for being so good to my kids. I know all of us needed that and you did just that. I wish you the best in all that you do.

So for Rob....What can I say. I don't come across men like you. You are very rare and both my kids love you. They know that you are all about the kids and we all appreciate you.

Danielle...It's been nice to work with you as well lately. The love that you show for the kids is awesome. As parents, we feel it and as co-workers, we see it. You are very focused with your life and I wish you the best.

Amber.... Boy we go back. And I so appreciate you. You really care about everyone. Parents and kids. And there was one moment is church that made my heart pour out for you and Rob. I'm sure you remember when this was. But I will just say that I wish you and Rob the best. I know without a doubt that your future children will be blessed to have you both as parents. And that you both will be and already have been great parents to our kids.

Pastor Jim ....You have touched my soul. All your sermons were done in a way that moved me. I still remember so many of them still. Your interaction with all the kids at the daycare, the way you just showed yourself to them allowed everyone to be at ease. You really do rock.....

And now Nancy.....Ohh my goodness, how we go back. You have been a steady and calm voice for me. And at times, you have even been my back bone. You have such a tremendous spirit and such a huge heart for all. It was you that I met first and it was you that allowed me the peace I needed to leave my child with you while I went to work. You have touched me and will always be in my heart.

I know I said this all last night. But I know you will see this and maybe if there is ever a time when you need to think of those that really care about you, each one of you, you can come here and see for yourself.

From my family to yours, We Love You All and will miss you. Wishing you all the best.

Thanksgiving With Maxine

Hooray For All Teachers

ok... So I have been helping a friend out who runs a daycare....It's the same daycare that my daughter used to go to when I was working. And in return, they are helping me out. I am a long time parent there and knows everyone. And the current administration is leaving and a new one (who I know) is taking over. The old administration consists of FAMILY. It was all pretty much family run. Which is one of the reasons it attracted me to have my daughter go there. They are genuine and true. They really are as good as they come across.

So with the family leaving, it is nice to have someone (like myself) that is familiar to all the parents.
Someone that the parents could be comfortable leaving their kids with. And this was presented to me in a way that sounded so promising. And exciting. Which it is....But I have to admit after a few weeks, OHHH MY GOD..........I am exhausted!

I have done everything from working in the baby room... Which is the hardest. Hands down. So for all the parents that come in thinking that all we do is cuddle with the babies all day...... WOW..... You are so wrong. There is a tight schedule. And when there are 8-9 babies, crying at the same time.... That will test you. While 3 need to be changed, you have 4 that are hungry and 2 that are tired and want to go to sleep.... All I can say is, WOW!!!

Trying to teach a group of 3 year olds is impossible. You have one child off to the side, whipping shoes at another child. And a little girl in the middle, just taking all her clothes off.....And trying to keep the focus of all these kids is pretty much impossible.

I'm great at being a floater. A floater is someone that does alot of the physical work. accommodates all the needs to everyone else....All the other workers.....Makes sure everything and everyone is running in tip top shape. And that all their needs are met. You never have a minute to rest. But I like it that way.

I always felt that teachers and daycare workers did not make the money they really should have. But now I know from first hand experience that it's true.

I have a chance at advancing myself with this profession... But I have to honestly say......This is hard. I am spending more time with everyone else's kids than my own. And for the first time in my life, I am coming home EXHAUSTED. So my kids are getting a very tired mom and on a much less time frame than ever before.

I just want to give a BIG Hooray to all teachers and daycare workers. You are tremendous in my eyes.

Fact # 5

You'd have to drink 500 bathtubs to get a dose that caused any harm in animal studies.

There are a number of reasons that this statement is not true:

• It's not just the dose, it's the timing. Low doses of certain chemicals at specific days of fetal development can cause permanent problems that often only manifest later in life. The same dose at a different time may have no measurable effect at all.
• Tiny doses are often toxic to some people. Recent EPA funded research found that some people are 10,000 times more sensitive than the average (median) person to certain forms of air pollution (Hattis 2001).
• We are all exposed to mixtures of hundreds of chemicals, and no one knows the dangers of these mixtures in our blood. Not only that, no one can ever know. To test just 100 chemicals in combinations of 3 would require 162,000 tests. And that is just for one effect, say cancer. For nervous system toxicity, it would take another 162,000. For endocrine effects, yet another 162,000. And so on.
• Sometimes low doses are more toxic than high doses, yet this type of study is almost never conducted. Low dose toxicity appears especially true for chemicals that effect the endocrine (hormone) system. In one recent study an estrogenic chemical caused enlarged prostates in rats at 2 ppb, but had the opposite effect at 200 ppb (Welshons et al 1999). A study with common pyrethroid insecticides induced hyperactivity in rats at doses up to 0.7 mg/kg but no hyperactivity at a dose 60 times higher (42 mg/kg) (Schettler et al 2000, pg 83). The reason appears to be that at higher doses defense mechanisms kick in. Health effects linked to low dose chemical exposures in animals (but not found at high doses) include increased prostate size, premature onset of cyclicity (menstruation), increased uterine weight, and hypersensitive immune system responses (vom Saal et al 1997, vom Saal et al 1995, Gray et al 1989, Halling and Forsberg 1993, Fan et al 1996). Industry almost never does tests to determine low dose effects, so when they say low doses cause no effects in animals, it is almost always because they haven't looked.
• People are often more sensitive to toxic substances than test animals. Animal tests missed the toxic dose of PCB's by 10,000 times (Rice et al 1996). The dose that caused permanent loss of IQ was only found through tracking of injured children. In another recent survey, humans were shown to be up to 200 times more sensitive than animals to 21 chemicals known to cause birth defects (Klaassen 1996).
• Chemicals are almost never studied for toxic effects at low doses. Animal tests are conducted at high doses for reasons of statistical power. This bias, while necessary, has created a dearth of knowledge of possible low dose effects, particularly on systems known to be sensitive to well-timed tiny doses of chemicals, such as the developing brain, nervous system, and endocrine (hormone) system.
• Low dose effects can be easily missed by standard high dose animal studies (assuming that the tests have been done at all). A low dose effect that occurs in just one out of every 1,000 people could be missed completely by animal studies which use only 500 animals at relatively high doses. An effect that occurred in 1 in 1,000 people would injure 270,000 people in the U.S. population.

Humans are effected by low doses of chemicals.

• It takes just 40 parts per billion (the equivalent of 1 drop in 15 bathtubs of water) of the hormone MIS to produce male sexual organs in the human embryo (Josso 1993). Put another way, it takes 40 ppb of MIS to terminate vaginal development in an embryo, the seminal event in the development of a male instead of a female child.
• PCBs at just 5 parts per billion in maternal blood during fetal development can cause adverse brain development, and attention and IQ deficits that appear to be permanent (Schettler et al. 2000). Five parts per billion is equivalent to one drop of water in 118 bathtubs.
• Dioxin causes a significant change in the sex ratio of children born to men who have just 80 parts per trillion of the chemical in their blood (Mocarelli 1996 & 2000). Men father nearly twice as many girls as boys when their blood levels of dioxin reach the equivalent of just one-drop of dioxin in 7,400 bathtubs.
• Low doses of lead cause learning deficits in children, but the same dose has no effect on adults. Just 10 mg per deciliter, or 100 ppb (the equivalent of 1 drop in 6 bathtubs) in the blood of a two year old can cause a significant decrease in IQ in adolescence and adulthood (CDC 1997).
• A 5/1,000ths ounce chip of lead paint can put child in the emergency room with lead poisoning (Calculated based on CDC 1997 & EPA 1998).
• And while it not a toxic effect, our sense of smell illustrates the exquisite sensitivity of the human brain. People can detect maple furanone at 1 part per quadrillion, or one drop in 590 million bathtubs of water (Leffingwell 1991).

References

Fan F, D Wierda, KK Rozman. 1996. Effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodizenzo-p-dioxin on humoral and cell-mediated immunity in Sprague-Dawley rats. Toxicology 106(1-3):221-228.

Gray LE, J Ostby, J Ferrell, G Rehnberg, R Linder, R Cooper, J Goldman, V Slott, J Laskey. 1989. A dose-response analysis of methoxychlor-induced alterations of reproductive development and function in the rat. Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 12:92-108.

Halling A, JG Forsberg. 1993. Acute and permanent growth effects in the mouse uterus after neonatal treatment with estrogens. Reprod. Toxicol. 7(2):137-153.

Hattis, D, et al., 2001, Human interindividual variability in susceptibility to airborne particles, Risk Analysis, in press.

Josso, N, et al., 1993, Anit-Mullerian hormone: the Jost factor, Recent Progress in Hormone Research, 48, 1-60.

Klassen, CD, ed. 1996. Casarrett & Doull's Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons. Fifth ed. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Leffingwell, J and D Leffingwell, 1991, GRAS flavor chemicals - detection thresholds, Perfumer & Flavorist, 16, 3-19.

Mocarelli P, P Brambilla, P Gerthoux, et al., 1996, Change in sex ratio with exposure to dioxin [letter], The Lancet 348, 409.

Mocarelli, P, et al., 2000, Paternal concentrations of dioxin and sex ratio of offspring, The Lancet, 355, 1858-1863.

Rice D., A. Evangelista de Duffard, R. Duffard, et al., 1996, Lessons for neurotoxicology from selected model compounds: SGOMSEC joint report, Environ. Health Perspect., 104, 205-215.

Schettler T, J Stein, F Reich, M Valenti. 2000. In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development. Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility. May 2000.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997, Facts on Lead, http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/guide/1997/docs/factlead.htm.

US Environmental Protection Agency, 1998, Risk Analysis to Support Standards for Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil: Volume 1, EPA 747-R-97-006.

Vom Saal FS, BG Timms, MM Montano, P Palanza, KA Thayer, SC Nagel, MD Dhar, VK Ganjam, S Parmigiani, WV Welshons. 1997. Prostate enlargement in mice due to fetal exposure to low doses of estradiol and diethylstilbestrol and opposite effects at high doses. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:2056-2061.

Vom Saal FS, SC Nagel, P Palanza, M Boechloer, S Parmigianai, WV Welshons. 1995. Estrogenic pesticides: Binding relative to estradiol in MCF-7 cells and effects of exposure during fetal life on subsequent territorial behaviour in male mice. Toxicol. Lett. 77:343-350.

Welshons W, SC Nagel, KA Thayer, BM Judy, FS vom Saal. 1999. Low-dose bioactivity of xenoestrogens in animals: fetal exposure to low doses of methoxychlor and other xenoestrogens increases adult prostate size in mice. Toxicol Ind Health 15(1-2):12-15.

Frosty Gets Caught

Willing to give up your child

I was watching the news the other night and there was this single mom that lived in New Mexico and she had a 9 year old little girl. She worked the graveyard shift at WalMart. And she was unable to find daycare at night while she worked.

I am a single mom and understand this dilemma. All previous jobs I had since I have had kids, had a cut off time so I would have time to pick my kids up at daycare in time since they closed at 6:00 p.m. It's hard to work 2nd or 3rd shift when you have kids and no family around. Daycare closes at 6:00 p.m. here.

But, this lady was on the news saying that she was in a position where she had to choose between her job and her 9 year old daughter. And that she was willing to give up her daughter to anyone that could take care of her in order to keep her job. I could not believe what I was hearing. There is no job that would even make me consider giving up my child/children.

If it was really that bad, and there was no daycare, no other jobs, no family, I would ask a friend to help take care of my children....And if you don't have any friends, then I would get the county to step in and take care of my kids until I could make arrangements to take care of my kids. At least you can get your children back from the county....But when you give a child up to a stranger, you won't. I don't understand how a person (mom) would be willing to go on the news and announce that she was willing to give her daughter up in order to keep her WalMart job.

Now how is your child supposed to feel when he or she sees the news down the road, about their mom willing to give their child up in order to keep their job? I just don't get it.

Awww, to my children.... I love you both more than anything!!!

Bonding Over Cookie Play

When one thinks about baking and cakes you normally visualize kids age 5 or 6 and above doing the activities. This activity can actually be taken down to toddlers aged 2-4 and done under parental supervision.

This weekend my boys and I had great fun attending a cookie baking playdate with his friends. They enjoyed squishing their hands through the cookie dough and pressing out the various shapes using the assortment of cookie cutters that I have.

The boys learned and practice how to share with their friends as we had limited cookie cutters and all of them were eying the Thomas the train cutters. They took turns and shared what resources we had.

This activity is very easy to prepare as you can do the dough before hand and store it in the fridge.

Recipe Ingredients

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar - lightly packed

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Put the butter, both sugars, salt and the baking soda in a large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer for about 3 minutes. Blend in the eggs and vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed and add the flour gradually.

This cookie dough is best used when chilled so try to mix it up ahead of time to allow for a couple hours in the refrigerator. Chill between batches.

Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Do try it out with your kids. They will certainly enjoy it.

Dominique Goh, elementary school educator and mom to two active boys. Catch my writings at my blog- www.dominiquegoh.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

What I Am Grateful For

So what is it about Thanksgiving that REMINDS everyone to take stock in what they are grateful for? I'm sure it stems from school days when we are taught about the pilgrims and the sharing of the food. I'm also sure we all know that we should be grateful on a daily basis.

Which brings me to this:

I always journaled.....Daily.... For years..... But I can honestly say, that I have let that go for the last year or so..... Life just got in the way....I became busy and my priorities changed, which led me to drop my journaling.

Well, for the last month, I have been back to journaling and keeping a Grateful journal. It's part of this class I am taking. And of course, I see the difference. I feel the difference.

Keeping a grateful journal allows you to see the little things that are important to you, that most tend to over look. Being alive one more day.....Seeing your kids smile....... The food you are about to eat.......Having a warm place to lay down at night.......These are things to really be grateful for..... Yet, so many over look these things.

When you can take a few moments.... Be still.....Sit in silence with a pen in your hand and you will begin to drown yourself in gratefulness. It will just pour out of you. And that's what I have been doing lately. It's hard to see everything when you are rushing around, unable to catch a breath.... LOL.

So, at this time of year, I would like it to be known of some of the things that I am Grateful For.

1) As much as I hate it.... I am grateful for hearing my kids fight and argue. That means that I am here to hear them.

2) I am grateful for all of our health.....

3) I am grateful for all of my friends...New and old. It's something how you can look back at your friends, and how long you have known them... They have been there with you, throughout all the good and the bad. My friends have been with me forever... (We're talking 20 years plus) and of course I have met new ones.

4) I am grateful for the family that's in my life.....My sons father is a GREAT example. As I have said in the past, we just did not work.....But he is a great father. I can truly rest at ease if something were to happen to me, and know that my son will be taken care of. So much to the point that I am thinking of having my sons father and his girlfriend be guardians of my daughter, in the event that something happens to me.

That's a hard issue to deal with. I would love to think that I will be around form a VERY long time. But the truth is, I may not. And as I have spoken about, my daughters donor is NOT or WANTS to be in her life. And then you have this man who has always considered my daughter as family. Not only is that important to her, but to me as well. She so much loves him and his girlfriend.

*** I have been asked how I really feel about this... And I believe this. I have a little girl that may not know her biological father, but she does have a male in her life that is like DAD to her. She SOOOO looks up to him. I wonder if he knows just how much.... And with that comes his family....They take to her and seem to really care about her. So I look at it like, how can I deny her of any EXTRA love that she can get? Who does not want love? And she is blessed with lots of love.

5) I am grateful for the closeness that I have with God... And the closeness my children have to God as well.

So I say journal.....It keeps you focused.....Grounded......And you will begin to realize all the things you are grateful for as well.

What I Want In A Man

What I Want in a Man (age 22)














Original List:
1. Handsome
2. Charming
3. Financially successful
4. A caring listener
5. Witty
6. In good shape
7. Dresses with style
8. Appreciates finer things
9. Full of thoughtful surprises
10. An imaginative, romantic lover



What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 32)
1. Nice looking
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3 Has enough money for a nice dinner
4. Listens more than talks
5. Laughs at my jokes
6. Carries bags of groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal
9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries
10. Seeks romance at least once a week



What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 52)











1. Not too ugly
2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car
3. Works steady - splurges on dinner out occasionally
4. Nods head when I'm talking
5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down
10. Shaves most weekends





What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 62)










1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed
2. Doesn't belch or scratch in public
3. Doesn't borrow money too often
4. Doesn't nod off to sleep when I'm venting
5. Doesn't retell the same joke too many times
6. Is in good enough shape to get off couch on weekends
7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear
8. Appreciates a good TV dinner
9. Remembers your name on occasion
10. Shaves some weekends




What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 72)













1. Doesn't scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep
4 Only snores lightly when asleep
5. Remembers why he's laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears some clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers that it's the weekend




What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 82)












1. Breathing
2. Doesn't miss the toilet.

Saving Money On Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving dinner can be a very expensive meal. But you can take steps to reduce the costs this year using a few of these ideas.

One of the easiest and best ideas when trying to save money on Thanksgiving is to make it a potluck. Have all the parties coming to dinner provide a dish. We do this EVERY year and it cuts down on costs considerably. Make a chart listing categories such as main dish, vegetables, starch, dessert, drinks, etc and note who will provide what in each category.

Another idea is to not cook more than everyone will eat. My mother loves to cook many different dishes “just in case” but this “just in case” has often turned into a waste. Do your calculations on serving sizes and don’t over feed your guests.

Shop in advance. Things like butter, canned cranberry sauce, and soup stocks (unless you make your own) tend to go on sale during holiday time. Make sure you get yours before they run out. Pick up these storeable items (butter can be frozen) a week or two in advance. Search brand websites and your newspaper for coupons for even larger savings.

Make it from scratch. No need to go gourmet but making such items as your own breads, pie crusts, and such is cheaper than buying them pre-made. You can even make some in advance.

Make a grocery list before you go shopping. Do what great meal planners do. Make out that menu, with recipes and ingredients for each dish you are making. Check your pantry for what you already have on hand and then take that list with you to the grocery store. You are less likely to overshop and you won’t have that “uh-oh” look on your face come Thanksgiving day when you are making a dish and have forgotten an ingredient.

Think autumn instead of just Thanksgiving when it comes to decor. If you already decorate each year for the holidays you may have what you need on hand and there is no need to acquire new decorations. Some fall foliage from your yard decorating the front door is simple and yet so low cost. Easy and elegant. If there are children who will be coming give them construction paper, glue and scissors and have them make some great decorations for the house. They can do this the day of to keep them busy. Use it as a great learning opportunity.

Have an enjoyable, memorable Thanksgiving that does not break the bank.

For more information on cleaning and organizing your home visit Homemaking Organized. And for tips on taking care of you visit Beauty for Mommy.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

The Choice

When it comes to dating, and you are a single mom, what do you look for? Are you looking for someone that you are compatible with? Someone that you are attracted to? Or do you look for someone that would be good for your kids? A good guy?

When there are kids involved, your expectations seem to change. Gosh, before kids, I always seemed to be attracted to the "Bad Boy" Image. And I know I was not alone. But now that I have kids, I find that I am pretty picky. Maybe too picky. But to me, my kids will be influenced by whoever I am seeing. And I look for the positive. And try to avoid the "Bad Boy".

I have to take my hat off to those women that make time to date while they have younger kids. It's hard to find the time (at least for me). Or maybe it's just how I prioritize in my life. To me, dating is not something I HAVE to do.... However, being there for my kids and working my business IS.

So if there is a good guy that you are interested in, tell him how you feel and why you are taking things slower than he may want. He may really understand and respect you even more for being honest.

There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge.

Are You Secure At Your Job?

As you all know, I live in Ohio. Now known for the 2nd state with the highest job loss. WOW!!!

The only good thing that's been happening lately is the price of gas...However, I see it's creeping back up as well.... Was to be expected though.

Now there's talk about passing a 2nd Bail Out Bill.... Hmmmm....Wouldn't it be nice if someone could just bail you out when needed? I know it would be for me. LOL

The point I am making is this:

1) Are you secure with the job that you have?
2) Will the work you do today, reward you later as well?
3) Is the company you are working for in any financial trouble?
4) Have your hours been cut? Have you been laid off?
5) Are you unsure of your future? And the future of your family?

Consider this:

1) Start out working part time from home and then over a period of time, you will have created your own full time, at home business.
2) Work for a company that has NEVER had lay-offs or cut hours back.
3) Work for a company that is NOT one cent in debt.
4) Gain the flexibility you need. If your kids are sick, or you have an appointment, no need to worry about being fired or let go.
5) Take the first step in learning more and see if we have a match for what you are looking for. There is no pressure to come on board.

You take the first step by visiting my site.... See if you would like more info and would be interested in seeing the work that we do. If so, fill out the mini application.... I call you and set up a time that's good for you where you can come and see for yourself, the work that I do and if it's what you are looking for. Then you decide if you would like to join forces with an incredible company that allows you to create your own work schedule, and you could be bringing in the couple hundred extra each month that you need to help make ends meet.

Take control of your future NOW......Don't leave it up to the economy to determine how you live.

Almost Losing Focus

So everyone that knows me and keeps up with this blog, knows that I am a very determined person when it comes to my business and my kids. I strive for more and will DO what I say.

And I have said it before..... How a woman starts dating a man and begins to lose focus of what her goals were and what mattered to her.

Well, I see how easy it is to get caught up in that "New Moment" feeling.....When you meet someone and you immediately click......You Get along well and there is this "Strong" attraction between the both of you.

Whether it's a subconscious or conscious choice, I am NOT allowing myself to do what every other woman I know has done.... Lose focus of what their goals and dreams were before they met that person.

I'm sure I am among the few.....Most women would be pleased to meet a man of their dreams and live the way they both agree.....But, I am different, and I know it. I am living my way and living for my dreams and hopes that I have. And if I should meet someone that I think I could really care about, well then, he is going to have to accept me, my dreams and goals and not expect me to change.

And when I hit the level of success that I am striving for, then he will be there to greet me with open arms.

I am still keeping focused on what I want.... My dreams.... My goals.....No matter how much I may care about a man.

Just a little personal insight........... LOL.

How To Tell If You Need To Pray At Work

12 Ideas To Relieve Stress

Owning your own online home business is wonderful, but if you are like me, there are days when you feel down and stressed. You just can't seem to get going. Sometimes sitting in your lonely home office, it seems like you are the only person on earth. You feel like you are locked in a cage with no way out! This can also be compounded by a slump in your business sales and/or success!

When you feel like this, it is hard to get any work done and can be very counterproductive for you. You must step back, take a break, clear your head and get rid of some stress!

I have found a few things that can help alleviate these problems and would like to share them with you.

1. Get up and get away from the computer for awhile. Even if it is only for 10 - 15 minutes. Walk around the house, stretch your muscles, do some neck and back stretches. These can do wonders!

2. Take a walk. Get dressed, go outside, breathe in the fresh air and take a 20 - 30 minute walk. This is one of the most invigorating things you can do to clear your head and get the cobwebs out. Walking is the one activity I would recommend the most.

3. Call a friend or family member and just chat for awhile. This can also be a great way to lift your spirits and confirm your suspicions that there are other people on this planet! ;-) Chat for awhile and laugh a little. Laughter is a great medicine!

4. Have a little fun! Put on some of your favorite music and dance around the house. Let loose and have some fun. Act goofy, crazy or waltz yourself to China. This helps get out some of the frustrations and pent up emotions that can cause the blues.

5. Just relax! Turn everything off, (including your computer), make yourself a cup of coffee, cocoa or just plain water. Just sit in complete silence and watch the birds outside or put a cool cloth over your eyes. Let your mind just go blank for awhile. Forget everything and just relax!

6. Exercise your mind! Show your mind that there is more than just the computer. Do a crossword puzzle, play a few games of solitaire, or read a book. These are all great ways of getting your mind off business and clearing out all the old to make way for the new.

7. Do some housework! This might not be the most fun thing to do, but it helps take your mind off business for awhile and believe me, after about an hour of housework, you will be more than ready to get back to business!

8. Take a TV break! Watch a program that allows you to escape to another world. After you are finished you just might be glad to be back in your world.

9. One thing I do when business gets the better of me is to shut the computer down for the day and turn my attention to other things that need to be done. Just taking a small break from business can help, but when things are really stressful we may need a longer break.

10. Get some sun! After being indoors so much, we need to get out and get some sun. The sun is very good for your mind and body. Sunshine is a very good anti-depressant! But do remember to wear protection so you don't get too much exposure.

11. Enjoy time with your family! Play a game, take a walk, watch a heartwarming family adventure movie, or just sit and talk. No matter how hard we work, we need to make time for family.

12. Eat healthy foods! This we all know, of course, but it is much easier said than done. Start by changing one meal at a time or adding one healthy food a day. The better we feel, the better we can handle everyday stress!

I hope some of these pointers will help you relax and get back to business. I know they have been a great help to me more than once. Sometimes when you are feeling unproductive, stressed our or just plain tired, the idea is not to work harder but to stop working and give your mind and body a well-deserved break!

Terri Seymour has several years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at www.seymourproducts.com for help, resources, support and more. Seymour Products also offers resell ebooks for $1 each, free affiliate programs and a free weekly ezine. mailto:subscribe@seymourproducts.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Thank You Anonymous

Ok, this will be my last comment on this Rip Off Report. I appreciate all comments... Good or bad. And since someone has been responding to this post and the prior post as well, I will respond back.

Of course I would post your comment. I posted your first comment as well. I have also noticed that you seem to be the one fired up about this, a little more than myself.

I'm not retracting anything. I stand firm on this. Not because of other posts or blogs. I am capable of making my own decisions based on the numerous business's I have spoken with that have been personally affected by ROR. Just because (ROR) may have done good for a few business's, does not make it right or ethical to request money from other companies to clear their negative feedback. And it's that EXACT situation I hear from other companies.

For example, a company handles a return from a customer and it takes 10 days instead of 7. Now this customer makes a negative claim on ROR and the company then turns around and issues a $5.00 credit to the customer. As a way of saying they were sorry for the slow return. Now that part is not even mentioned in ROR. That company is still left with a negative comment and Rip Off Report all over them. This company is now classified as a scam by ROR.

As for the BBB, Wherever the headquarters of a company is located, that is where an individual would contact the BBB for info on a specific company. And the BBB does keep records longer than 36 months. If an issue is resolved, they will tell you. If there are open claims, they will tell you. Yes, they do archive but it's much longer than 36 months.

OK.... That's all I have to say. I would like to thank "anonymous" for the comments. I feel your passion on this subject and thank you for your words and input.

It is so GREAT that we live in the United States. We can disagree with each other and express our self and not be hung or crucified for what we believe in. Again, Thank You.

Rip Off Report - Part ll

Ok....My previous post re: Rip Off Report was meant to show everyone that you CAN'T just trust anyone that reviews your business or a business you are looking to get involved with. If you are considering to work at home, join a business, then just make sure you run it through the BBB. They have nothing to gain or lose. They are here to tell us what company is legit and what company is not. That's their job. To inform us.

Now, since anonymous commented on my previous post. I will take a brief moment to explain a few things.

1) Yes, that's an old photo.....But it is him. Did not have time to go searching for an updated photo.

2) Hundreds of companies that have negative feedback are coming out and saying that ED will clear their name and negative feedback, "For A Price".

3)I have nothing personal against Ed. I don't know him, never met him and he's never commented on me. But a scam is a scam. No matter how pretty the package.

4) What does get me angry about this is when people are trying to find a legit business and come across false, negative comments about a company. Again, everyone.... Just go to the BBB.

The economy is terrible right now.....Between Ohio and Michigan, I don't know who is worse off. We are losing jobs left and right. So when someone decides that they have had enough and would like to join a business, they should not base their decision on a company and their credentials from some guy that requests a little pay off to remove any negative comments. Makes me wonder how some of those negative comments got there to begin with.

We are dealing with peoples lives here. There are honest business's that have Ed and his rip off report plastered on them. And this Ed seems to think that he has the power to play with and ruin peoples lives.

Now, with that said, I will say there is ALOT of scams out there as well. And when you can't tell the difference between what's legit and what's not..... I suggest that you get the company name you are considering to join and call the better business bureau and check that company out. Hmmm, I wonder what happens when you call the BBB about "Rip Off Report"?

If you need more info, click here.

Or Here or Here

Rip Off Report Is A Scam

Ok, so I have even come across this website a few times. The guy that owns it, Ed, makes his website look so real and honest. And yes, that is his mug shot above. He is a wanted criminal. He is known for the "Rip Off Report".

So as a public service, I felt that it was my duty of informing everyone of the FACTS.

Take a look for yourself..... See how Ed and his "Rip Off Report" is just another scam in itself.


Click Here For The Facts:

So for all the Legit, Work At Home Businiess's out there, and for those seeking to work at home, I hope this helped. Just know that we have the BBB on our side.

Join My Legit Work At Home Business

My Defining Moment

I'm sure we have all had that ( One Moment ) that we made a decision on something and here it is years later, and the outcome that we were hoping for, is not what had happened.

I was just with a couple friends the other night and we were talking about how our lives used to be and growing and choices and where we are at today.

For me, the biggest turning point that affected me was when I was pregnant with my son.
At that time I had a great job (did not realize it then, though) and it was my first pregnancy. I loved it. I remember even pushing my stomach out further than it was, just to make sure everyone knew I was pregnant.... LOL. Not that they could miss it. It was a planned pregnancy. I was excited and could not wait. I, for the first time found THE man that I would have my child with. I was 29 when I had my son. And up until I met him, I did not desire having children with anyone. It just was not right.

Every morning, on the way to work, I would rub my stomach and talk to him. I immediately felt connected. And when I held him for the first time, I fell in love. It's amazing how you can fall in love with your partner and think that's as good as it gets...... Until you have a child. I fell in love with my son. A deep, unconditional love that I had never felt (even with his father). There were no strings..... No conditions. I would love my son no matter what!

I did not expect that I would feel his way, but I did. I could NOT leave him. Maybe it was the "first time mom" syndrome.... I don't know. But I just could not leave him.

I was receiving maternity pay while I was off. And my 6 weeks were up for maternity. The company I worked for gave me an additional 6 weeks off to make up my mind and come back to work for them. I had been there 10 years until I had my son. While I was pregnant, I did plan on going back to work. I just had no idea how I would really feel once he was in my arms.

My Defining Moment

I told the company that I could not come back... At least at this point. I did not know that I would feel this way for my child. I could not leave him and did not want to leave him. So I said "No".

From that moment on, that "Choice" I made, affected my life tremendously. I would have been at that company for 30 years when I turned 49. I'm 40 now. From that moment that I made that choice, my life has completely changed.

Just as I had no idea how I would feel once my son was really here...... Is the same as my not knowing how my life would turn out years later.....I guess I was just in the moment and not looking ahead.... Like now, I can look back and see.

Sure, now I wish I had stayed with the company. But on the other hand, I also believe I gave my son his best first four years since I was able to be at home with him and not place him in daycare. And I know both sides of this since my daughter did go to daycare after I had her. I see the difference. And I am a firm believer that if a MOM can be at home with her child, she should be.

I wonder how my life would be different if I had just gone straight back to work after having my son. Where would I be? How would things be differently? The outcome is very much different than I had anticipated. I am definitely not where I ever thought I would be at this point in my life. But I am.

I'm glad that I was there for my son and that he did not have to go to daycare. That probably explains why we are sooo close to this day. We formed that bond right from day one. However, is it wrong to wonder what my life would have been like had I made a different decision?

As I was sitting around with friends that have known me for 15 years plus....We all have made choices that were for that moment... Not looking in the future....And felt best at that time. Some choices were for the best and some were what we now call "hurdles" and are still trying to get over.

Think carefully about the decisions you make. You really do need to think ahead..... Not just in the moment.

I've Been Tagged Again.... LOL

Ok, so I have been tagged by Tammy. So here I go.

The Rules:

*Link to the person who tagged you.

* Post the rules on your blog

* Write six random things about yourself

* Tag six people at the end of your post.

* Let each person know he or she has been tagged.

* Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

About me:

1) I am opposite of shy..... Really outgoing.

2) I am NOT a breakfast person.

3) I am a very determined person. I don't give up!

4) I am a dreamer. I strive for more and work for more.

5) Before kids, I did not think I would be a good mom. I'm glad I was able to prove myself wrong.

6) I CAN'T live without my coffee.


Who I Tagged:

Leslie
Gray Matters
If only I had
Gucci Mama's
Penny Pinching
Seriously Mama
Kristin
Clair
April

5 Ways To Fight The Flu

As cold weather approaches, so does the flu season. But there are several things you can do to keep from getting the flu.

1) Get the flu shot. The best way to deal with the flu is to prevent it. Many people worry that a flu shot will give them the flu. Because the vaccine does not have a live germ, it cannot cause infection.

2) Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Teach your children to do the same. The flu germ spreads through the air.

3) Wash your hands often with soap and water. The flu gem can live on doorknobs, telephones and other everyday items.

4) Eat healthy foods and get plenty of rest. Healthy habits help your body fight off germs.

5) Ask your primary care provider if you or a member of your family should get a pneumonia shot. The flu, if not cared for, could lead to pneumonia. This is especially true for the elderly, young children, and those with certain medical conditions.

Golf For Beginners

How To Determine Your Website Page Rank

How good is your Web site?

Is your Blog up to par?

There are actually websites that will measure the ranking of your website. For those of you that don't know what page rank is, it's a tool put together by Google that determines the effectiveness or efficiency of your Web site.

The higher your page rank, the higher your Web site is listed in the various search engines, and that means more traffic to your site. This, in essence, means more people are looking at your site, your products, your services, thus putting more money in your pocket in the form of paying customers.

If more people are going to your Web site then less traffic is going to your competitors' Web site. Unfortunately most people don't even know what page rank is but those visitors that do will place your website in a higher esteem than your competitors and feel that your content is much more valuable and insightful.

Now you are probably wondering how page rank determined? And more importantly how do you increase your page rank?. Well, let's look at the first part of that question.

One way to help determine your page is when another site links to your page with a back link. The more back links you receive from other pages the higher your page rank. It's a good idea to make sure the back links are coming from sites that have content on the same theme as yours.
This process can get quite involved and a little messy because all back links don't carry the same weight or force. The higher the page rank that a link is coming from the more beneficial it is in terms of boosting your page rank. So if you get links from a lot of pages with low page ranks it will not have as strong an impact as a few pages with higher page ranks.

Now this is the complicated part: If you have a page that has a page rank of 7 and it is already linked to 10 or 15 other pages then it will not be any more beneficial to you than a page that has a page rank of maybe 3 or so. There is only so much linking that a page can do. It's almost like the law of diminishing returns, in other words after awhile it begins to have the opposite effect.

Another way to improve your page rank is through the use of web directories. Not only will this increase your page rank but it will also increase the traffic to your site. So if you submit your site to a large number of Web directories you will be able to increase your rank. There are a number of web directories you can submit your website or blog to.

There's a host of other items that will definitely help you to increase your ranking and the general traffic flow to your Web site. Also if you are curious about the page ranking of your own site you can see exactly where you stand by doing a Google search for page rank. This should help you to find some of the sites out there that measure page rank. Once you find a site all you have to do is put your own URL in the designated box and you will have your answer. A page rank of 6 or higher is very high.

About the Author: Mel Richardson - Coach, Author and Internet Marketer has been recently putting together programs for those that are new to the internet and looking to build an online business. http://www.freeonlinemarketingstrategies.com/

Team Work

Are you looking for a way to bring in a couple hundred each month? Do you have a computer? Internet Access? A few hours each week to spare? Are you coachable? Are you serious?

Then click HERE. Maybe we have what you are looking for.

Magic Eraser

The photo is of Kolby - 24 hours after being burned by a Magic Eraser sponge. It was much worse the day before.

One of my five year old's favorite chores around the house is cleaning scuff marks off the walls, doors, and baseboards with either an Easy Eraser pad, or the real deal, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I remember reading the box, wondering what the "Magic" component was that cleaned crayon off my walls with ease. No ingredients were listed and absolutely no warnings were on the box, other than "Do not ingest."

My package of the Scotchbrite Easy Erasers didn't have a warning either; and since my child knew not to eat the sponges and keep them out of reach of his little brother and sister, it was a chore I happily let him do.

If I had known that both brands (and others like them) contain a harmful alkaline or "base" chemical (opposite of acid on the pH scale) that can burn your skin, I never would have let my little boy handle them. As you can see from the picture, when the Scotchbrite Easy Eraser was rubbed against his face and chin, he received severe chemical burns.

At first, I thought he was being dramatic. I picked him up, put him on the counter top and washed his face with soap and water. He was screaming in pain. I put some lotion on his face - more agony. I had used a Magic Eraser to remove magic marker from my own knuckles a while back and I couldn't understand why he was suddenly in pain. Then, almost immediately, the large, shiny, blistering red marks started to spread across his cheeks and chin.

I quickly searched Google.com for "Magic Eraser Burn" and turned up several results. I was shocked. These completely innocent looking white foam sponges can burn you?

I called our pediatrician, and of course got sent to voice mail. I hung up and called the hospital and spoke to an emergency room nurse. She told me to call Poison Control. The woman at Poison Control said she was surprised nobody had sued these companies yet and walked me through the process of neutralizing the alkaline to stop my son's face from continually burning more every second.

I had already, during my frantic phone calling, tried patting some numbing antibiotic cream on his cheeks, and later some Aloe Vera gel - both resulted in screams of pain. The Poison Control tech had me fill a bathtub with warm water, lay my son into it, cover him with a towel to keep him warm and then use a soft washcloth to rinse his face and chin with cool water for a continuous 20 minutes. My son calmed down immediately. He told me how good it felt. I gave him a dose of Tylenol and after the twenty minutes was up, he got dressed in his Emergency Room doctor Halloween costume and off we went to the hospital. They needed to make sure the chemical burn had stopped burning, and examine his face to determine if the burn would need to be debrided (from my fuzzy recollection of hospital work, this means removing loose tissue from a burn location). My son was pretty happy at the hospital, they were very nice and called him "Doctor" and let him examine some of their equipment. The water had successfully stopped the burning and helped soothe a lot of the pain. I'm sure Tylenol was helping too.

They sent us home with more Aloe Vera gel, Polysporin antibiotic cream, and some other numbing creams. By the time we got home, my son was crying again. I tried applying some of the creams but he cried out in pain. Water seemed to be what worked the best.

After a rough night, I took the above photo in the morning. He was swollen and wouldn't move his lips very much. The skin on his cheeks was taut.

Today he is doing much better. The burns have started to scab over, and in place of red, raw, angry, skin we have a deeper red, rough healing layer. I can touch his skin now, without it stinging.

If you are a parent or grandparent, this post is meant to save your loved ones from the horror these parents went through. Please share it with other parents, grandparents, babysitters, aunts and uncles ~ anyone you know who spends time with kids.

And no, this was not my child.