There is Such a Thing as Too Clean

Both of my parents are very festidious.  Anything they possess whether it be a piece of clothing, a kitchen tool, or even a car is treated with the utmost care.  In fact, everything they own is in mint condition, again, including their cars.  We never had a problem selling any of our cars.  Anyone who knew my family and knew my Dad, also knew that they would never find a used car that was taken care of as carefully, or as meticulously.  My brother and I were both given regular chores.  Mine was always the cars.
Every weekend I was to clean each of our cars.  Now when I'm talking clean, I mean wash every single inch, both inside and out.  The whitewalls of the tires were to be scrubbed with an SOS Pad.  And every car was to be waxed.  The inside doors rubbed down with Armour All.  The car floor mats were scrubbed clean and dried.  Windows were washed, streak free, on both inside and out.  It seems a bit overdone, to do this weekly, but again, our cars were emaculate.

I can't say that now as an adult I complete this routine weekly, but I have learned the proper way to clean my car... from years of experience.  I do enjoy having a clean car and work very hard to keep it this way.  Just recently, I was working magic with the Armour All and went a little too far.  I decided it would be nice to have my car floor mats shine.  I took the Armour All and went to town polishing and cleaning them.  They turned out beautiful!  I couldn't figure out why my Dad had never instructed me on this incredible way to clean the mats!  I put them in my car and they were maginificent!  And then... I tried to get in the car.  I nearly slipped straight out onto the garage floor!  My kids have slipped getting into the car!  I have tried to pick up friends, only to have them slip there way into the car.  Yes... you can take clean a little too far.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated.  However, the views and opinions are my own.

Unbelievable! The Internet Knows Me?

Every year when I receive my Christmas bonus I am very responsible with 90% of it.  The other 10% I use to buy something perfectly frivolous.  I figure I have worked very hard for the entire year, and it is time to reward myself with something that I just want.  You'll notice I said "want", not "need".

This year I gave myself an e reader.  To be specific, I purchased a Kindle.  I absolutely love it and it has been a fun prize that I am using all the time.  Now here's the weird part:  Ever since I purchased the Kindle... every time I am on the internet... I am bombarded with items that go with a Kindle.

I did buy it online.  And I did shop around via the internet to figure out what type of e reader I would prefer.  I didn't even notice it at first, as I busied myself with other things on the internet..... answering my email, checking bank accounts and now there is no mistaking that the internet is keeping track of me!

Every advertisement.  Every little side bar.  They are all Kindle covers.  Kindle lights.  Kindle protective shields.  I must admit it has been rather helpful.  And the ploy to tempt me to purchase further items has no doubt worked on me.  I now have a protective shield over my touch screen.  I have a fun and decorative skin over my Kindle.  And I have a dependable cover to protect it.  All ideas given to me by the internet.

It's a shame, I can't see food dishes that I would like and could purchase them to be delivered to my door.  But then again, maybe the internet would know what foods I enjoy if I first started making a few purchases.  This could get awfully expensive though.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for an seo company
and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Oh... The Beauty of A Smile

I have been very blessed.  My family has always been complimented on our beautiful smiles.  Yes, we are all very "toothy" with big, wide, happy smiles.  I was blessed with parents who both have beautiful smiles.  And our greatest blessing has always been that we have always had a reason to smile.

As I grow older, teeth have moved, enamel has yellowed and some have even begun to appear longer than they once were.  I now understand the expression of being "long in the tooth".  Apparently, as you grow older, your gums recede, making your teeth appear longer.  Thank goodness for the advancements of cosmetic dentistry.

There are clear trays that are virtually invisible that will straighten your teeth.  They truly do work wonders particularly if you are just trying to make slight adjustments to where they once were before you quit wearing your retainer.  An added bonus is that with these type of braces, you can not eat with them in, and if you do eat, you need to clean your teeth thoroughly before putting the tray back on.  Losing weight is very common.

There is also countless ways to whiten your teeth.  There are again, trays for this procedure.  There are whitening strips.  And there is the in office whitening that your dentist can perform in a single visit.  The options are many and this single cosmetic advancement works miracles.  I was so happy with the whitening, that I didn't even feel the need to do anything further.

For those who are "long in the tooth" it is a little more difficult.  I was told by my dentist that he could file the ends of my teeth slightly in order to make them appear.  This is a painless procedure but I didn't like the risk of messing with my older enamel.

All in all, there are so many cosmetic procedures to keep you smiling and believe it or not, my Mom and Dad still have two of the best smiles I've ever seen.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for cosmetic dentist NYC and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

How Fun is The Shaving Brush?

So I went to my daughter's play which was set back in the time when men still used shaving brushes.  I have always been fascinated at how much fun it looks when the brush is foaming up the soap in the mug and then slopped onto the face.  So much fun, that I wanted to look into it.

Everybody who knows me, knows I hate to shave my legs.  In fact, I do not shave in the winter, ever.  I see no point in the ritual seeing how my legs are covered with long thick socks, pants, and/or tights.  But now that there is the fun of using shaving brushes, I must admit I have been tempted to shave this winter.

In exploring the advantages of the shaving brush, it seems that it not only softens the hair, but actually lifts the hair in preparation to shave it.  When you apply shaving cream or soap by hand you end up matting the hair down and therefore do not get as close of a shave.  The use of a shaving brush eliminates the need to press the razor to your leg in order to get a close shave.  Besides these advantages, it is most importantly, super fun to apply this way.

When I was a small child, I had so much fun with an empty razor and pretending to shave my legs just like Mom.  Here I am, over 50 years old, and I fill like a little kid with my big bushy brush and painting the foaming lather all over my legs.  It's winter so I don't do it often, but this summer, I'm going to have a blast!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Frozen Pipes? We're Wasting Water!

It’s that time of year again.  I grew up in San Diego, where we conserve water.  Always have for as long as I can remember. I also know that when it comes to things of Utah winters, I am always caught a little of guard.

In San Diego, I spent Christmas wearing a T-shirt and maybe riding a new bike or skateboard.  Not so, in Utah.  Riding your new bike is not something you see often on Christmas morning.  But the one thing that really threw me off guard was one winter night when it was supposed to get extremely cold.

It was actually on the news.  It was going to be so cold that everyone should be sure to leave their water running, so the pipes wouldn’t freeze.  Leave the water running?  All night long?  Frozen pipes?  What are we talking about?  After further explanation from a neighbor who has lived their entire life in Utah, I was even more confused.  Just live the faucet dripping.  Dripping?  All night long? And if you don’t leave it dripping the pipes will freeze and burst.  Burst? This is the strangest thing I’ve ever heard!  So you’re telling me if I turn my faucet on so the water will drip, just drip this will be enough to keep the water from freezing?  And don’t understand, but I certainly do not want frozen pipes… so I do it blindly.

During the night, all I could think about was that I need to get up and turn off the faucet.  I’m wasting water.

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Bucks2Blog and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Her First Resume

My teenager needs a job.  She’s done odd jobs here and there, in fact, she has had plenty of jobs in the past, but this is the first time she is looking for a “real” job.  And so she needs a resume.  When you’re an adult this seems relatively simple, but for a teenager, it can be a little tricky.

We all get creative when it comes to our job descriptions and preparing a teenager’s resume is no different.  It’s just a little more creative.  Babysitting becomes “Child Care”.  Tending while the parents go to the movies, becomes “providing for children’s needs for varying lengths of time”.  Her “Sales Experience” and “Customer Service” were when she went through the neighborhood painting house numbers on curbs for $5.  When her older brothers played soccer, she was taken to tournament after tournament where she sold suckers… “Sales Rep” for a fundraising company.  When she came into my work and helped fill fruit baskets, this became “Production Line” work.

She pretty much did whatever odd job she could get her hands on and so for the reason why she quit working a particular jobs was always that it was “seasonal work”.  And actual by the time we were done, she had a fairly decent resume for a girl who was just turning 16 and looking for that first “real job”.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for a resume builder company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Meat, Candy, Even Ice Cream Online!

One of my favorite lines from The Grinch is when he says “ packages, boxes, and bags!”  There are so many wonderful things I love about the holiday season, and truly I do not focus on the presents except that the food is so much fun!

Some of the most wonderful packages contain food items and it always astounds me at the things you can get online and have them delivered right to your door.  A Christmas ham is always a favorite!  And chocolates never disappoint!  And once we got a “Tower of Treats” which was absolutely incredible!  It had popcorn with chocolate and caramel drizzled all over, and cookies, and chocolate dipped pretzels.  Every package in the tower was a wonderful treat that we thoroughly enjoyed!  And fruit!  The most delicious pears I have ever had did not come from the farmer’s market.  They were delivered to my doorstep in the dead of winter.  Juicy and sweet perfection!  And the number one most amazing thing ever delivered was ice cream!  Yes, you can order incredibly unique and delicious ice cream online and have it come right to your door!  And as amazing at it may be, you can order your entire holiday dinner online.  You wouldn’t have the delicious smells of it baking in your own home, but then again, they have everything on the internet… they just might have a candle?

Yes… I could be a shut in and still enjoy all the “packages, boxes, and bags” of Christmas!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for online steak and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Hiring a Bankruptcy Attorney is Money Well Spent

It’s never a feel good moment when you have to file for bankruptcy.  There is the obvious stress that comes with owing money such as letters, telephone calls, and even garnishment of wages.  And although filing for bankruptcy can help you make a new start, the thought of it is just plain discouraging.  And then comes the added blow that despite the fact that you are filing bankruptcy because you do not have the money to pay your debts, it costs money to actual complete the process.  Yes… it is costly to file for bankruptcy.  What happens is that many people in this situation decide to do it themselves, and let me tell you, this is one instant where I would not suggest saving money.  I am beyond what most would call cheap, and still I would not recommend filing for bankruptcy without an attorney.

A friend of mine decided to do it on his own.  He spoke of all the money he would save.  He spoke of how easy it was to gain instructions from the internet.  He dreamed of his new start.  And despite continued warnings such as:  Bankruptcy has long-term financial and legal consequences so hiring a competent attorney is strongly recommended, however, he continued to do it on his own.  He was sure he had done everything correctly and then he started getting those annoying collection phone calls.  He had not included all of his debts.  And he was not allowed to include them in the bankruptcy and therefore had to file... again.

It's true the old adage of "you get what you pay for" and in my opinion, paying for an attorney to make sure this rather large decision in your life is taken care of... completely.    

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for a Las Vegas Bankruptcy Lawyer and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Don't Push On It

People always want to know the best way to get out of debt.  This reminds me of when the doctor asks me if my stomach hurts and I reply “only when I push on it”.  Well then “don’t push on it!”

Now I realize this seems a little too cut and dry, but honestly the best way to get out of debt is to not go into debt in the first place.  I understand that things happen.  And things will come up where you simply have to go into debt.   Most of us are in debt to purchase a home or a car, both necessities, and both items where the general population can not pay cash for the total amount.  But I’m talking about debt for those frivolous items we think we need.

I’ve seen people purchase homes way beyond necessity.  Or there are the purchases of the latest technology in computer or television.  The latest technology is great but is it really necessary if your current TV works just fine.

I’m the first to think of going out of my budget, but thankfully, I remind myself of the daily burden of paying off debt… and then I “don’t push on it.”

This post was sponsored by a company that can help you find an attorney in Louisiana. However,the views and opinions are my own.

To Join or Not To Join?

Country clubs tend to get a bad wrap on TV and in the movies.  It always seems to be that they are portrayed as snobbish and uppity places that exclude people by race or income or standing in society.  To be honest, that has always been my take, but then again, I have never been a member of a country club.  Who am I to judge?

After some research there are some very nice benefits.  If you have a passion for golf or tennis, you certainly would benefit from a country club.  You would always have availability to play and would not have to bother to pay on a per use basis.  Your fees would be included in your membership. 

Another benefit is that some country clubs have various locations throughout the state, country, or even the world.  With your membership you are welcomed at any club.  So, while you travel you have the ability to use any of their facilities.

A country club membership does provide a certain status, and therefore can be very beneficial in both socially and in business.

I will never be a country club kind of girl, but I have gained a somewhat better understanding as to why some might like to join.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for Florida Country Clubs and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

The Debt of Christmas Past

Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year!  I absolutely love getting caught up in the holiday spirit!   There can be a price when I lose all my inhibitions, and become completely absorbed by Christmas.  I can get lost in the smells of Christmas in the time it takes one batch of cookies to bake.  And I never grow tired of cookies and milk, caramel, or fudge.  Sure, I will over indulge and maybe gain a few pounds, but it is so entirely worth it.  I don’t feel guilty or stressed in the least.  But lose my inhibitions in the mall, and then I have a problem.

Retailers are no dummies.  With all the decorations, the Christmas music, Santa, the smells of roasted nuts, the candies, the busy shoppers haven’t a chance.  Luckily, our family is not too engrossed in gifts, but I absolutely love finding the perfect gift for each of my children.  It does my heart good when on Christmas morning, they open a gift that makes them smile.  It is easy to go over budget when I look around and enjoy the atmosphere of the mall.  Then the holiday spirit takes me away to the land of credit card debt, which is wonderful until after Christmas.

After Christmas is when the true Scrooge should appear, pinching every penny to pay off the debt of Christmas past.  For me, the best way to handle this is by setting a budget where I set up a recurring payment from my bank account to my credit card.  This way I have no choice and I won’t be late or short on a payment.  I continue to do this until I get my tax return.  Usually, my tax return will cover the balance.

So enjoy those cookies, because dropping a few pounds is so much easier than paying off a huge amount of holiday debt.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Black Friday... Online!

Black Friday is serious business for our family.  Serious fun.  I have always scoped the ads and figured the game plan.  Early Black Friday morning, usually 3AM, I announce the teams, and give them their envelope with their assignment.

In making the teams, you have to pair the weak with the strong.  The announcing of teams is exciting, but nothing compared to the drama of knowing what item you are assigned.  To see if you were entrusted with a most important purchase.  A gift that was the only gift one of the younger kids had asked Santa for was always a high priority assignment.  Or a hot item for the year like Game Boy, $5 Art Kit, or a Pokemon back pack.  You knew it was do or die.  You had to return with your item.  Your envelope contained a visual (picture from the ad), a map of the store to show where your item would most likely be located, and the cash to purchase it with.  If there was more than one item at your store, you would have multiple visuals which you would split up among the team.

As years have past we have had to make adjustments to the changes in shopping.  Stores keep opening up earlier and earlier, until this year they opened on Thanksgiving at midnight!  And as the kids have gotten older, the objects of their desires has obviously changed.  This year the hot item was a Singer sewing machine for only $60 and three of the girls wanted one!  This was going to require some maneuvering.  I mean how can you dart in and out of the crowd, grabbing other items needed while carrying a sewing machine!  And how would we get one of them to NYC?  And then the latest in the shopping craze hit us!  What if they sell online?

We took a look for the sewing machine while the turkey was cooking and much to our surprise it was online, $60, free shipping, and had a promo code for $5 off!  We snatched up three before the mini marshmallows were melting on the yams!  Oh don't get me wrong... we still went out among the craze of Black Friday but even after going to one store where the line to purchase was a two hour wait, we looked at each other and all thought the same thing... online shopping!  We went home, purchased everything we wanted from that particular store, free shipping, and got our $10 for every $50 spent.  And we were fast asleep by 5AM that morning!

I am participating in a blog campaign for Bucks2Blog for an ecommerce
solution company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are
my own.

My Obsession with Shoes

I have a problem.  Shoes.  It doesn’t matter how many pairs of shoes I own, there is still a pair that I need.  OK… maybe not need.  There is always a pair that I want.  If I based my purchases of shoes on need then I wouldn’t have a problem now would I?

I truly did need a pair of black flats.  Every woman knows that this is a basic in every girl’s arsenal of shoes and my previous pair was acquired by a daughter.  No matter, because I really wasn’t crazy about the old ones and they hurt my feet.  The black flats I found are perfect.  Super cute.  Comfortable.  And fit like a glove.  On first glance you would think this was no problem.  I performed shopping like a man.   Know what I need.  Look for it.  Purchase it.  Done.  Not so.

In my efforts to explore the shoe world of black flats, I came across my problem.  More shoes!  It stands to reason that I would come across other shoes in my search for black flats.  I think the shoe stores set up like a grocery store.  You know how they put the milk in the far back of the store so you have to walk past everything else?  Well, black flats are in the back so you have to walk by all the boots, the pumps and the sneakers.  It’s a mine field for a shoe junkie.  Now I feel the need for a beautiful pair of gray boots, a pair of barefoot like sneakers, and some killer red pumps! 

You can clearly see that I do, in fact, have a problem… but it’s nothing my Christmas bonus won’t fix!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for handmade shoes and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

The Gift of Cosmetic Dentistry

I was at a craft store the other day and a sweet looking young girl, probably in her 20's, was checking me out. She was very courteous and kind and was efficient at her job. She was not what most would call gorgeous, but a nice looking girl. I couldn't help bu wonder that despite all the pleasantries we were showing one another, she didn't really smile, She kind of did a half smile with her lips covering her teeth. It reminded my of the first smiles a teen does after getting braces. Our transaction continued and I said something that brought out a full smile which revealed her reluctance to smile. Her teeth were worn and rotted. I don't think there was single exposed tooth that did not have some kind of mark or decay. It broke my heart. We all know how incredibly expensive dental care is regardless if you have insurance or not. I've always wondered what I would do if I ever was rich. Would I be philanthropic and give to countless worthy charities? Would I buy homes for the homeless? Would I get caught up in buying hundreds of pairs of shoes? It's possible. But after seeing this sweet girl, I had a greater thought. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a moment like this where you could help a person right on the spot. Of course you would not want to offend, but in someway I would have loved to offer to take her to my dentist and get all the necessary work done first to make her comfortable, and then secondly, do any cosmetic dental work that would make her a million dollar smile.

The value of a smile is priceless. The confidence it brings is immeasurable. I don't have fantastically shaped teeth or all of the professionally whitening, but I have a decent smile and I love to smile! I can't imagine what it could do for a persons life to feel free to smile. Sure, there are other greater needs obviously like food and shelter, but to have the extra money to do a deed such as giving someone their smile sure seems pretty great.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for a franklindentist and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

A Flood of Online Marketing

I am grateful to work for such a kind and generous employer. He truly is one of the most giving and thoughtful men I know. Working for him and his company has and will always be one of the greatest blessings in my life. Despite the fact that he maintains all of these wonderful qualities throughout the year, every year, he still gives a Christmas bonus. I can honestly say that it is not necessary. Again, I am blessed beyond reason, but I will admit it is wonderfully fun.

I am very responsible with the vast majority of my bonus, but this time each year I will indulge and buy myself something I absolutely don't need. I buy the item I want, no matter how frivolous. It doesn't matter if I already have a pair of tennis shoes. If there is a really great pair that I just love, I get them. One year, I spent it on filet mignon and See's Chocolates... and it was fabulous! No guilt about spending the money when I could have easily gotten hamburger and a Kit Kat bar. This year I have had my eye on an e reader.

I have been searching the internet far and wide to compare and review The Nook, The Kindle, Kobo, and Sony readers. I start to waiver sometimes and think well... maybe another pair of shoes but everytime I am on the internet whether I am checking my email, doing my work, looking up an address in MapQuest... there is The Kindle.  I am not kidding! My MSN homepage has The Kindle. My email sidebar has The Kindle. I am not a push over with advertising. Beer commercials are stupid and do not make me think beer will add to my happiness. A diet Coke commercial doesn't convince me that I am a stick of a model. And Cover Girl commercials do not blind me into thinking that I will be as flawless as Queen Latifah if I use their foundation. And television commercials are in my head for but a moment. But The Kindle is always there... always prompting... always reminding... and seriously making me want to just click on it and buy it! The Kindle has open the flood gates on online marketing!

I haven't caved yet, but I predict when I get my bonus and I turn on my computer to look at what I might want to spend my frivolous portion of it on... The Kindle will be all smiles and jumping up and down for me to buy it!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for an internet
marketing company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are
my own.

A Masterpiece

I have a daughter who loves art.  When she was just in elementary school, she entered every coloring contest we knew about.  And, in fact, she won many.  To her, it was never just coloring and staying within the lines.  She would make a dark outline with the color crayon she was going to use and then shade in the rest.  Her coloring book was truly beautiful.

She went into the Art IB Program in high school and positively thrived.  I know I’m her Mom, but she is blessed with an unbelievable talent.  She became the Sterling Scholar in Art.  She then went to Utah State to major in Fine Arts and then fell in love with Theatre Art.  She will graduate in May 2012 with a double major.  She even has a piece hanging at The Huntsman Cancer Hospital.

I give you this background so you may somewhat appreciate that I am not idling talking about a child’s school drawing, when I say that she has drawn a picture for me.  I have wanted a piece of art from her for quite some time and when I saw it, it brought tears to my eyes.  It is a drawing of the Savior’s hand reaching down, as if for me.  Those of you who know my health history will understand how deeply this artwork has touched me.  I want desperately to hang it, however, I have come upon the dilemma of framing this beautiful piece.

It certainly can not be put in a simple cookie cutter frame found in most discount stores.  I ventured out to have the piece custom framed, something I have never done before.  Without question, the custom frame was breathtaking.  It truly was perfection, until the price.  I am the queen of let’s make a deal, but there was no getting the price within reach even with my 50% off coupon.  I looked up framing online and I only saw more exquisite and more expensive custom frames.  It only opened my eyes further to what I could do to enhance the beauty of my daughter’s artwork.  Normally, I would never consider paying so much for a frame… but it’s my daughter’s.  I will begin my savings plan today so I can make this what it is… a masterpiece.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for custom framing NYC and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Mom Knows Best

My daughter and I went shopping yesterday and all I can say is that winter clothes are the best!  I love winter for many reasons… the crisp cold air… the holidays… the snow… baking… snuggling up in blankets.  But I think the thing I like most about winter is that the cold makes people dress in modest clothing.

Summer is awful when it comes to dressing modestly.  There are far too many people out there wearing things that they really have no business wearing.  The first thought that crosses my mind is where is your mother?  A mother has the responsibility to be honest with her children in saying that something is inappropriate.  I am certainly not from the 50’s Leave It To Beaver age where I am wearing a dress to clean the house, or white gloves to run to the store, but honestly is it too much to ask for a girl to wear a skirt or dress that covers her rear end… even when she has to pick up something off the floor?  There are shorts out there that look like underwear.  And men are just as bad.  Shorts slung down below a beer belly with the Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned?  It is certainly not an image I want imprinted in my brain.

But winter is full of warm corduroy pants, sweats, full and bulky sweaters, hats and gloves.  Everyone is covered up.  I am covered up.  And with the holidays and all the yummy baking and Christmas goodies there are no worries about any slight bump or bulge from gaining a few pounds because it is covered with my thick warm sweatshirt, or puffy down coat.  And there’s such variety!  In the summer it is camisole, camisole, camisole.  In winter it is, cardigan, sweatshirt, flannel shirt, cashmere, wool pants, and I could go on and on.

It’s comfortable and cozy, and those vital parts that Mom’s should teach their children to hide are covered.  

This makes winter clothes loveable. 

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Our Morning Juice

You know how there are those people who simply can not wake up in the morning without first having a cup of coffee?  And there are even people who can’t start their day without a soda.  Well, for me and my family, it is juice.  This became painfully apparent when I hosted Thanksgiving with all 14 of us staying in my small but cozy home.

In preparation for the week, naturally, I went grocery shopping.  I purchased 2 – 89 ounce orange juice, and 2 – gallon size apple juice.  The first couple of days, the juice slowly disappeared, but by the time all had arrived, I was buying juice almost daily!  Blurry eyed, with hair a mess, and bad breath, one by one, they would all stumble into the kitchen looking for the wake up call of juice.

We love juice.  So much so, that when we talked of “cutting back” we all knew we weren’t talking about cutting back on our juice consumption.  We were talking about cutting back on making so many dishes.  And it began.  The first person would make his/her way to the kitchen and take their glass of juice… but then leave the cup on the counter and without even thinking about it, the next person would pour their juice in the same cup.  And so it went… drink your juice and leave the cup.  The juice disappeared, but we had cut our dishes by more than half!  And, unfortunately, we all caught a cold.  I wonder how that happened with so much Vitamin C in our systems?

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Xango and their mangosteen juice by Bucks2Blog and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Why Organic Meat?

When it comes to organic foods, I have always understood the theory behind eating organic produce.  If they spray chemicals on fruits and vegetables, then it makes sense that we might be exposed to those same chemicals if we don’t wash the produce properly.  And even then, it also stands to reason that some chemicals may not wash off completely.  But when it came to organic meat, I just didn’t get it.  I mean, they don’t spray a cow, and even if they did, what would it matter?  We don’t eat the skin of a cow.

Apparently, animals raised for natural beef are not fed antibiotics or growth hormones.  In fact, they are raised in a much healthier environment and fed with organic feed and nutrients.

In addition, animals raised for organic meat are treated in a more humane way.  They are not confined and spend time in the outdoors in the fresh air.

The manure produced by organically raised animals is used for farming.  Mass producing industrial farms produce so much manure that it can spill over and contaminate wells spreading diseases such as E. coli and other pathogens.

All in all, I can better understand the reasoning behind organic meat and I support it, however, I still prefer produce.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for an natural beef
company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

With or Without

Growing up, I never wore make-up.  I’m not sure if it was because I was a tomboy, and consequently, my focus was on sports, or because my mother never wore make-up.  I only have one sibling, a brother, so make-up was just not in our house.  Then I had children… and five of them were girls.

From the very beginning, the oldest held a fascination for make-up.  I never understood it, because she did not grow up seeing her mother use it.  I don’t even own any.  Never the less, she begged and begged to be able to wear make-up.  With four younger sisters, the family rules of make-up began.

There was positively no make-up use, with the exception of nail polish, in elementary school.  Let me just say, that sixth grade without make-up is apparently a travesty and my rule bordered on child abuse.  The rule was enforced despite my helping out at the school and seeing 12 year old girls with foundation and some with fake nails!  Some had even began to pluck their pre-pubescent thicker eyebrows.  Years from now I knew they would be wishing they hadn't.

Upon entering junior high you were presented with a clear mascara.  A wonderful invention.  It was like putting a little Vaseline on your lashes to make them shine.  It satisfied my girls need to feel like they were really applying something.

In the ninth grade you were allowed a real mascara, but nothing heavy.  Upon entering high school, the eyeshadow, in neutral shades was allowed and a faint touch of blush.  Fortunately, these three items, mascara, eye shadow, and blush was perfectly fine with them.  Sure there was the occasional “go get me a Kleenex” so I could “soften” their application, but all in all, the rules worked out nicely.

My message was always that they were beautiful with or without make-up and I stand by this still today.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

I Want A Tank

It’s always a right of passage in a teenager’s life when they turn 16 and can drive.  For a parent, it’s a passage into stress like we’ve never known.  There is the stress over the cost of a vehicle that ultimately will be ruined through multiple fast food drive thru opportunities and other normal teenager uses.  And, what type of vehicle, short of a tank, will safely surround our beloved offspring that we have worked so hard for sixteen years to protect from harm?

When the first of my children was close to turning the magical age, she was very well aware of the minimal financial resources she had at her disposal.  She was the oldest of seven children.  There is the expression that “you either have kids or money… but you can’t have both.”  Well, she knew we were a part of the first group.  This is what jumped her into the purchase of a red Ford Fiesta for $500.  True, the cost of the vehicle was manageable and the insurance on this piece of junk was next to nothing despite her being in the high risk group.  The problem was the match book size and cracker box construction.  I planned a Buick Lucerne type car where a large amount of mass and substantial sheet metal would keep crash forces from my priceless cargo.  She loved it, and thankfully, it died within a year.  I jumped the minute it looked weary so that I could make the next selection.

An Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was just the ticket.  It had over a 100,000 miles on it.  It was perfect.  It was the tank I was looking for in everyway.  No CD player.  Definitely no iPod capabilities.  Solid.  This car lasted through many a driver in our household and withstood the pressure.  A daughter hit a pole and I couldn’t have been more pleased.  The pole was dented at a good 45 degree angle, but the Oldsmobile… didn’t have a scratch.  Next, a daughter rear ended someone.  Again, damage to their puny vehicle was substantial and required we contact our insurance carrier.  The Oldsmobile didn’t even look like it was involved.  Then the car reached the point where the DMV issued a “Selvage Title” which again, dropped our insurance.  In explaining to my children what this meant I said, “It means the car is worthless”.  You could total the thing and insurance won’t pay us a dime for it.”  Again, thankfully, no one ever did.

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Bucks2Blog about ChicagoSubaru and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Just like anything else in life, filing for bankruptcy has it’s the positives, the negatives, and the oh crap!

If you have ever been in the situation where you can not pay all your bills, you have lived with the fear of answering your own phone.  You have experienced the stress of going through your mail.  And heaven forbid… the knock at the door.  A huge positive with filing for bankruptcy is that once your petition is filed by the court, a “stay” goes into effect, which stops all of the annoying credit collection attempts previously mentioned.  Another positive includes getting a fresh start financially.  There are times when the bills are just too unmanageable and starting new feels good.

Negatives include the obvious black mark to your credit report, but chances are if you are in this kind of financial trouble, your credit report has already been damaged.  There is also a feeling of guilt that you have bailed on paying back your debts.  And then the stigma the general population has toward people who file for bankruptcy, to which my standard reply is the cliché “Never judge until you’ve walked a mile in that person’s shoes” and even then, “Never judge.”

And I personally, and very recently, just came across the ugly of filing bankruptcy in Utah.  Yes, there was a time, many, many years ago, where I had to file for bankruptcy.  I won’t go into why, but suffice it to say, that the debt was out of my hands.  The bankruptcy is not on my credit report.  It has been that long.  I have learned from the experience and now maintain an excellent credit score, but no matter.  I applied for a credit card, and despite my credit report with no negatives, I was turned down.  The reason?  I had once long ago, held a credit card with this institution which was included… you guessed it… in my bankruptcy.  This is the ugly.  I will never be a good risk in the eyes of this particular establishment.

So when considering bankruptcy, please take all of this into consideration.  All of it.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Websites and Why You Need One... A Good One

You have a business.  Do you need a website?  There really is no debate.  Yes.  Of course you do.

Just look a the statistics.  There are more than 20 million shoppers online, right now!  They are purchasing everything from books to computers to cars to real estate to jet airplanes!  In the U.S. alone, there are more than 250 million internet users, and nearly double the users in China!  People are online.  There is no way you can reach that many people by opening a store or office without creating a website.

And think of the exclusive nature of a website.  When you go to the mall, there is store after store after store doing all they can to drag you in to purchase their merchandise.  Once someone is on your website, it’s you, all you. 

There is no better way to communicate with the public.  Websites provide a wide range of media flexibility.  Besides text and pictures, you have video.  And just the other day, when looking for a hotel, I went on several virtual tours of the properties.  You can even create interactive charges to engage your online guest.

It doesn’t matter whether your business is a big operation, or small family operated.  If you don't have a website, you're losing business to other companies that do.  There is one exception to this rule.  If you have a poorly created website that only frustrates your customers.  You website needs to look professional and be user friendly.  This sends the message that you take your business seriously and value your customers.

Your website is important to your business.  Make sure you see it as an asset, because it most surely will be.

I am participating in a blog campaign from Bucks2Blog for an online website builder company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Losing a Tooth... Literally

According to pediatricians, you can expect your child to lose their first tooth around five or six years of age.  This is considered the “norm”, however, my children have never fit into this category.

My first child managed to lose her tooth less than a year after she got it!  We never found the tooth, but she was so young that The Tooth Fairy could hardly be summoned because she would have swallowed the tooth and any coins that would be under her pillow.  She didn’t even have a pillow at this time!  She went so long without a front tooth, that the skin got calloused and tough… so tough that the permanent tooth could not break through.  It was decided that they would cut the gum to give the tooth a chance to make an appearance.  When it did come make its way to the service, the tooth was covered with a splotch of what looked like white paint.  The dentist explained that this was a type of bruise to the tooth from when she hit it so many years ago.  I am happy to say, she has a beautiful smile today, thanks to cosmetic dentistry and the use of veneers.

My youngest daughter lost both of her front teeth at the age of two, and within a couple of weeks of each other.  The first was lost while tickling her brother… he kicked it right out.  The second was lost when she fell on the driveway.  This particular daughter doesn’t normally scream,  (I mean, when she got her ears pierced, she simply said “thank you” and was on her way.)  but she would not stop screaming.  Finally, I got from her warbled cries “I lost my tooth!”  Yes.  Yes.  We know.  Then we understood the reason for her cries.  She LOST her tooth!  She was having a fit because she didn’t know where the tooth was and needed it for the tooth fairy!  We all made our way to the driveway and didn’t come in until we found it.  And we did.

And we have the time where we tried to pull our daughter’s loose tooth, but gave her little brother a black eye instead?  We wanted to do the old trick of when you tie one end of a string to the tooth and the other end to a doorknob.  Just slam the door and the tooth will pop out.  Just as the door slammed, my daughter stepped forward, and her little brother came through the doorway.  She saved her tooth, but the door knob hit him straight in the eye.  We did have a successful do over, but the tooth went flying and was never found.  We had to write a note to The Tooth Fairy.  She brought a little extra this time… to her brother… for pain and suffering.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

A Shaving Memory

One of my favorite pictures of me as a little girl is one where I am sitting on the side of the tub, shaving my legs.  I was maybe six years old.  I truly look like I am having the time of my life.  And I was.  I still remember everything about it.  I got to use my Mom’s razor.  She took the blade out of course, but I didn’t care because I got to shave all by myself.  She let me use her shaving cream too.  Next to driving a car, I can’t think of anything that made me feel more grown up.  As I sat on one side of the tub and stretched my leg as far as it would go, so I could get my foot on the other side of the tub, I was just like Mom.  I was glamorous and beautiful, getting ready for an exciting date with my husband.  I wanted to shave my legs everyday. 

Boy, how time changes everything.

Now, at 50 years of age, I will do just about anything to avoid having to shave my legs.  Summer is a little tricky because there are times where you just plain have to do it.  Swimming is a big one.  You can wear capris or clam diggers to help hide a hairy leg, but swimming?  Shaving is your only option.  Although, I have gone to the pool, stayed in the pool the entire time, and then jumped out and drove straight home.  But all in all, swimming, you have to shave. 

Now when fall comes around, this makes going shave free very easy.  Pants, long skirts, and tights and you can kiss that razor good bye.  I’ll even wear panty hose if it means I can get away without shaving.  I guess I should be glad I’m not a guy.  They have to shave everyday and there is no hiding their faces with pants, long skirts, and tights. 

I think at the age of six, feeling grown up can be fun.  I’m 50 years old now, and I prefer to feel like a kid.

I am participating in a Bucks2Blog campaign about shaving soap and was compensated.  However, the views and opinions are my own. 

It's All About The Dress

Formal dances at the high school are always a big deal.  When you have a daughter, it’s all about the dress.  And believe it or not, with a son, it’s all about the dress too.  Let me explain.

Naturally, the first thing that crosses a girl’s mind when asked to a dance is they get to shop for a dress.  We all can remember what excitement there is to trying on formal dresses.  What color?  Long or short?  Straight or ball gown?  So yes, it is all about the dress.  And with daughters, you can guide them to a modest dress.  Fortunately, my daughters were more comfortable with a modest formal.  Sometimes it was next to impossible to find a dress with sleeves, but we improvised with jackets, and our own sewing techniques.   Quite often, their date’s mother would thank my daughters for wearing a modest dress, or even thank me.  We never fully appreciated this until we had our sons start to go to formal dances.

With sons, it is definitely all about the dress.  You have no idea what their date is going to wear, and worse yet, you have absolutely no control of it whatsoever.  This may seem like not that big of a deal, but when you send a hormonally charged, teenage boy, to spend the entire evening with a girl dressed in next to nothing, it becomes a very real concern.  When the dress is very low, or strapless, or even both, it’s just not the ideal situation you want your son to be in.  And when the dress is extremely short, this can be equally disconcerting.  I understand the mothers of sons thanking the girls for wearing a modest dress now.  It certainly makes it a little easier sending your son out the door.

So it is all about the dress… the modest dress.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog about modest dresses and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

I Eat Carbs

I was talking to my grandpa long ago and asked him what types of things are strange to him today.  I wanted to know what new ideas there are now that he finds peculiar from his day and time.  The first thing he said was “dog food”.  He went on to explain how it was crazy that people actually bought special food for a dog.  Nobody ever used to spend their hard earned money on food for a dog.  Dogs at scraps.  It was a dog.

Then he went on about the crazy things people eat and pay money to eat.  Caviar is nothing but fish eggs.  Fish eggs.  People buy water in a bottle when they’ve got water right inside their house.  And then he got started on diets.  Cookie diets.  No carbs diets.  Cleansing diets.  In his day, if you wanted to lose weight, you ate less, worked more.  Simple, but true.  I completely agree.

I’m just going to say it, “I eat carbs.”  My whole life I have been taught that carbohydrates are your energy foods, so it stands to reason that if you are not eating any carbs, your energy level will be low.  And I can’t imagine what a diet of all protein must do to your heart.  I have a friend who is only eating meat.  And I’m not talking about low fat meat like fish and chicken.  Any meat.  He’s eating sausage, bologna, pork chops, hot dogs.  It’s disgusting.  His carbohydrate count may be low, but his cholesterol must be out of sight! 

I had another friend who was doing the “cleansing” diet.  He was drinking tea, with lemon, cayenne pepper, and molasses.  He threw it up everytime.  I think we just need to listen to our bodies.  There’s not a body out there craving this concoction.  Not my kind of weight loss diet.

And it’s not rocket science.  If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight.  Simple.  We are a lazy people.  Just get up and move.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

The Best Part of A Long Distance Move

I’ve asked a few friends on what they think is the best part of a long distance move.  All have agreed it is the use of a moving company.  Sure… it’s easy to do it yourself when you are only moving a short distance.  You don’t even need to rent a moving truck.  You get your friends together, naturally you need one with a truck, promise them pizza and the move begins and ends one very long Saturday.  But a long distance move is more complicated.  The use of a long distance moving company is wonderful and justified by the length of the move.  I agree that the use of a moving company is a luxury, however, it is not the best part of a long distance move. 

My family has moved across the country twice in my life. 

When I was in the 4^th grade, we moved from Annapolis, Maryland to San Diego, California.  Although I was devastated to leave my very best friend, and the very best climbing tree (located in my front yard), the adventure was thrilling.  My Dad got out the map of the United States to show us the distance.  We were going to drive from completely one side of the map all the way to the complete other side of the map!  I was dumbfounded.  Could a car go that far?  And does that mean we will be eating out every single day?  And staying in hotels?  Wow!  We listened to “It Never Rains in California” all the way.  Ironically, we crossed the California boarder in a down pour.  We still laugh about that to this day.

While in college, my brother and I helped my Mom and Dad move from San Diego to Newport, Rhode Island.  This time we got to pick the route.  I chose to see New Orleans and Mount Rushmore along the way.  Obviously, I had not paid attention in geography.  I learned to play the harmonica on this trip.  This second time was extra fun because both my brother and I got to take turns driving.  I’ll never forget my driving in Pennsylvania with all the narrow bridges, turnpikes, and tunnels.  Right as we were entering another tunnel, I casually said, “Again?  Narrow is my worst thing!”  My brother couldn’t decide which was worst;  the harmonica when I wasn’t driving, or having me behind the wheel in Pennsylvania where narrow was “my worst thing”?  Ultimately, I got some harmonica practice in throughout the east coast.

The best part of a long distance move?  Getting there.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Winterize?

It’s that time of year where we “winterize” our homes.  I really had no idea what this meant.  Close the windows?  Get out the blankets?  Turn off the swamp cooler and turn on the heater?  This all seems pretty logical and certainly not noteworthy of a specific term such as “winterize”.  Unfortunately, I know better now.  To “winterize” your swamp cooler is a little more than just turning it off.

Last winter, I did just that.  I turned it off.  With my keen homeowner’s senses, I picked up the first problem right away.  When you walked through our hallway (where the swamp cooler is located) it was freaky cold!  Aaah!  That big, square, boxlike, canvas cover?  Where is that?  In no time, we found it, and shut off the cool draft coming straight through the ceiling.  All is well.  Winterize?  Just a bunch of men making something sound so much harder than it really is right?

Winter went fine.  No problems.  We stayed warm.  We baked.  We slept peacefully beneath all the down comforters.  And then we began to yearn for spring.  And spring came.  And summer.

Obviously, we remembered that we had covered the swamp cooler.  Piece of cake.  Just take the cover off and we are good to go!  I’m sitting at work when I get this frantic phone call.  My daughter is screaming, “The bathroom is full of water!”  I’m trying to understand.  “What?  What do you mean?  Which bathroom?  Where is the water coming from?”  She then explains, although still screaming, “There is water pouring out from the ceiling fan in the upstairs bathroom!  I don’t know when it started, but the bathroom is flooded with water!  And it keeps on coming!”  Naturally I jump in the car to rush home.  I get another call, “The water is coming through the ceiling lights in the kitchen!”  “What the?”

Those of you who “winterize” and know what it means to “winterize” understand that I never drained the water from the copper piping of the swamp cooler.  The copper pipes burst when the water inside froze during the winter.  Aaah... frozen pipes?  Summer came and my daughter turned on the pump of the swamp cooler and the water flowed from the broken pipes, filled our attic, flowed right through the ceiling fan in our bathroom, and then made its way to the kitchen ceiling lights.

Yeah… “winterize”… it means something.

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Bucks2Blog about plumbing
repair and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

The Stigma of Bankruptcy

Nearly everyone will experience financial difficulty at some point in their lives.  Whether or not you will have to file for bankruptcy is not an easy decision.  There is such a cultural stigma associated with bankruptcy that most hesitate from this desperate answer to their financial situation.  These misconceptions make the decision to file even more difficult, despite it possibly being the best solution for certain financial hardships.

We automatically assume that people filing for bankruptcy have credit card debt for frivolous unnecessary purchases, when in reality, this is rarely the case.  It all comes down to our placing judgment.  We place judgment on people who file for bankruptcy that they’re lazy and should work harder to pay off their debt. 

It is interesting to know that of all bankruptcies filed, more than two thirds of these are a result of medical debt.  With the rising costs of health care, it is no wonder.  Who can control this type of debt?  All it takes is a serious injury, a cancer diagnosis, or surgery… all beyond our control.  In fact, who can possibly prepare for such expense?  Health Savings Accounts are great, but when you receive a bill for over $200,000, I doubt anyone has planned for this type of a debt. 

Filing for bankruptcy is not a moral failure.  Filing for bankruptcy does not make you a bad person.  Over 15 years ago, we had to file for bankruptcy.  We had an overwhelming stack of medical bills.  We could have made payments for the rest of our lives and still never put a dent in the balance owed.  After talking with the many of the billing offices, the recommendation was always “file for bankruptcy”.  I admit it was strange to hear this solution from the very people we owed money.  It was difficult.  It was embarrassing.  In the end, it relieved us of the pressure of overwhelming debt.  We had a fresh start… debt free. 

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for a Las VegasBankruptcy Lawyer and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are
my own.

To Avoid Hoarding

I just got done watching “Hoarders” for the first time.  My instinct was to go through the house throwing every piece of paper, regardless of its importance away.  I came across a box with copies of bills from 2008… 2009… another box from 2010.  Why do I have these?

There was a time when people were afraid to pay their bills online.  We didn’t trust internet security.  We didn’t trust giving out our banking information.  Writing a check was tangible, right there in your hand.  Proof that you paid your bills.

But not so much anymore.  We have come to realize that paying our bills online saves us both money and time.  We’ve also learned that we are much more vulnerable to theft if it’s on paper and floating through the postal system.  We are paying mortgages, utilities, credit cards, everything via the internet.

We can pay our bills through our bank, through the biller’s website, or with a third party billing system.

My bank’s system is quite easy to use and I figure everything is at one location.  Going to each biller’s website is time consuming, although you have the ability to use your credit card and rake up travel miles, cash rewards, etc…  If you tire of bouncing from one billers website to another, then a third party billing system will work.  All your bills are collected, emailed to you and posted to your account and they are automatically paid out of the accounts you select on the dates you designate.

The greatest advantage in my eyes is the elimination of paper.  All of the bills showing up in your mail and all of the payment stubs after you have sent the payment.  I hate all the clutter and after seeing an episode of “Hoarders”… I am glad to get any paper out of my house.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

"FREE" is Great!

I was traveling this past week and came to realize a convenience I had otherwise not recognized. 

It started at the very beginning of our trip.  We were on our way to the airport and could not remember the exact time of our departure and also could not remember how many bags we were allowed to check.  Thanks to a very simple 800 number, we quickly contacted the airline and were able to find the answers to our questions. 

While in St. Louis, we were desperately in need of the nearest White Castle location.  Again, thank you for an easy to remember 800 number, 1-800-THE CRAVE, and we were eating sliders in less than 15 minutes!  The simple format of 1-800, and then spelling out something clever is a welcome feature to my forgetful brain.

The greatest feature of the 800 number is the fact that there is no charge for the call.  With the abundance of extra charges on my cell phone bill, I love knowing there will be no charge for the call, particularly since the majority of my 800 phone calls are frivolous and non emergency.  Case in point:  Shopping.  When a business has an 800 number for customer service, I buy more.  I automatically know that I can talk to someone and take my time in figuring out what I want, or discuss any problems with my order. 

And at a time where everything costs or has a fee attached, “FREE” is great!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was
compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

When to Hire an Attorney? I'll Tell You When

When your husband decides to take your kids so you can’t see them.  When he throws all your stuff out on the front lawn.  When he wakes you up at night so you will be too tired to go to work the next morning.  When he threatens to call immigration to deport you.  When he harasses you at work in hopes of getting you fired.  When he takes your paycheck and decides how he will spend it.

A very good friend of mine went through all of this in the last few months.  We tried everything we could to help her.  We put her up in a hotel.  We called the police.  We really had no recourse to help her.  When he called Social Services to say she wasn’t a good mother and that they should come and get the kids… that was the final straw.  We hired a lawyer.

From the first day… her life was better since we had a lawyer on her side.  A restrainer order was put in place the very day we called the lawyer.  Her husband was no longer allowed near the house.  This came as quite a shock to him when the police came and ordered him off the property.  When he tried to harass her at work, we called the police and with the restraining order in place, he was told he would be sighted with trespassing if he came to her work again.

And the help didn’t stop there.  He was ordered to pay child support.  The house and custody of the kids was given to my friend.  As the lawyer took step after step, it became quite obvious that this was not going to turn out good for my friend’s husband.  He had a change of heart all too quickly.  He was helpful and kind.  He spoke nicely to my friend and spoke nicely about her to others.  It is hard to believe but their marriage was saved.  They both loved each other, but fell into a pattern of abuse.  He sees more clearly now and I firmly believe this would not have happened without hiring a lawyer.  After everything we tried, it was the lawyer that got his attention.

This post was sponsored by a company that can help you find an attorney in
Lousiana. However, the views and opinions are my own.