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.