Very Quiet

My kids have seemed to scatter.  Of course you always want you children to turn into happy, independent adults and this is what we've done.

The oldest graduated from the arts and dramatic academy in New York City.  She and her husband have lived in various neighborhoods in Manhattan for nearly ten years.  I'm not sure they will ever leave.  It is a wonderful place for me to go visit them... but I don't think I could live a great length of time out there.

My third daughter graduated from Utah State University and consequently moved to Arkansas the very next week.  Her husband is in dental school down there so I completely understand their need to settle down there.  She served her mission in this area and loved it.  As they prepare and save for a home... I can see their looking at real estate in the south such as Fayetteville and northern kansas city real estate.  Again, it will be wonderful to visit... but I have no desire to live in this part of the country.

And then we have daughter number four.  She also graduated from Utah State University.  She didn't wait a week to move.  She moved the very next day!  And how can I complain when she got her dream job of working for a theatre company in St. George.  She's not too far... but far enough that she can't just pop over for Sunday dinner.

But it's all good isn't it?  People think we're crazy when we say our family gatherings seem so small with only five children.  But trust me when I say... when your used to eleven... it feels very quiet.

This is a sponsored post for Remax, however, all the points and views are my own.

Stay Up To Date

I have been blessed to never really suffer from back pain.  My parents on the other hands seem to deal with this discomfort daily.  I've always wondered why they would have such bad backs.  Neither one of them is overweight.  They both are active and take care of themselves and yet... the silently groan when bending over to pick something up.  They silently ache when getting up off the couch.  And it always seems to be at it's worst first thing in the morning.  And then on a recent visit... I discovered the problem.

First you have to understand that my parents meticulously take care of everything.  My Mom's cell phone is archaic.  It's at least 15 years old and it looks as though she just purchased it.  My Dad's car looks better than the day he got it.  We actually have a waiting list of people who want to buy his car when he decides he wants a new one.  And their bed is the very same bed from when they first married.

On a purchase of a bed, my parents made sure to purchase the very best.  I mean you spend a third of your life sleeping... so it stands to reason that you would want a top of the line bed... and this is what they purchased.  It has stood the test of time.  I swear you would think they bought it yesterday.  Now... here's the problem.  They bought it during a time where it was believed that an incredibly firm mattress was the best thing for your back.  There was no posturepedic or tempurpedic products  There was no pillow top or memory foam.  This mattress is like a rock.  I slept on the thing and thought I would need medical help to get up in the morning.

So despite the fact that my parents can purchase an item and keep it forever in beautiful condition... they still need to keep up with the present and see what it has to offer.  The advances we make daily give you opportunity to improve your life.  It is important to stay up to date on what is out there.

This is a sponsored post for Healthy Back, however, all the points and
views are my own.

Stories To Tell

I work for a company that ships semi trailers of product via all over the United States.  We also receive semi  trailers from as far north as Canada to as far south as Mexico.  In other words, we deal with truck drivers coming and going all day long.  Frequently, drivers will be parked out back waiting for a dock door to open up for them to back into.  And we occasional get the driver who asks to park his rig in the back with a sign:  freightliner trucks for sale.  The variety of trucks is fantastic, but the variety of truck drivers is even better.  And the stories they tell...

We have one driver who travels with three dogs in his trailer.  The stories he tell of how his dogs are his constant companions.  To me it sounds crazy but it works for them.  He must talk to them all day long.  They know what he wants before he even says it.  When he gets out of the truck, they pile out.  And as he climbs in they all jump in with him.

We have another driver who tells stories of the most amazing places he has eaten along his travels.  The most amazing pie in the Midwest.  The most incredible barbecue in the south.  From pizza places to fresh fish, he can tell you the absolute best place to eat anywhere in the country.

They witness things along the side of the road that you just wouldn't believe.  I swear each time a driver tells a story it becomes more and more elaborate and exciting.  Oh.. .the stories they tell.

This is a sponsored post for Navistar, however, all the points and views are my own.

The First Resume

My daughter has been looking for a job this summer.  It used to be so easy to find the perfect summer job.  Babysitting jobs, life guard positions, fast food employment, and other teen friendly ways to make a little extra money.  Now it seems more difficult.  At this time, everyone is having trouble finding a job.  And this makes every job opening even more competitive.  You need a great resume if you hope to make it to an interview.

As an adult who has held many jobs, it's not so hard to create a resume.  In fact, it is sometimes difficult to condense it down to a simple read.  My daughter, on the other hand, has barely enough to make one page.  And that means it's time to find a resume builder and get creative.

She's babysat.  Maybe we can say she was a supervisor over anywhere from two to four subordinates.  She has managed and delegated duties.  She has made important decisions which had direct impact on the organization as a whole.  Yes.  That sounds professional.

She's had cleaning jobs.  We will consider this a maintenance position where she was entirely responsible for the condition of her "office".  She has worked in many environments, both commercial and of the private sector.  She not only maintained the work schedule, she worked independently.

And her favorite job was scooping ice cream at our local favorite ice cream shop.  This would most definitely be considered a customer service position, as well as something in the communications and public relations field.  A pleasant presentation and outgoing personality were all requirements for the duties in which she was hired to work directly with the public.

Yes.  A creative resume.

This is a sponsored post for Pongo, however, all the points and views are my own.

The Bucket List

Everyone should have a bucket list.  I was blessed to have a life threatening illness while in my teens.  Many people comment on my use of the word "blessed" but trust me when I say... I have been blessed by this event in my life.  I have been given a perspective that makes my life even better.  Everyday is a new experience, everyday I want to create another wonderful memory.  A bucket list is a part of this way of living.

A bucket list comprises those things that you absolutely have to do before, well... you kick the bucket.  My list includes the most important, like seeing my children graduate from college, or get married.  It includes baking cookies and playing with my grandchildren.  But a list like this makes you think... and tell the ones you love how important they are to you.

And then my list also contains the crazy things that I just want to experience.  Packing chocolates at my favorite chocolate factory, becoming an ice cream tester, or be the ice cream man for a day.  Driving the truck with the music which draws children running for blocks.  I want to sky dive and para sail.  And I want to eat my way through Europe.

And I want to take all of my children and their spouses and children on a fabulous family vacation!  We spent a lot of years camping... but I want to fly on a Charter plane service and stay in a luxurious hotel on the beach and just play and enjoy my family close around me.  Everyone at once!  This is the best item on my bucket list.

This is a sponsored post for Clear Jet, however, all the points and views are my own.

Bad... And Yet A Great Experience

I recently purchased a bag online.  It was a black leather messenger bag for my daughter's college graduation gift.  She was getting a Bachelors of Science degree in Social Work and I thought it would be perfect for her case files, iPad, and other tools for her work.  It was beautiful online, but when it arrived, I was more than disappointed.  I was disillusioned.

The bag was cheap and the so called "leather" was crinkled like plastic.  It most certainly did not smell of leather.  More like a vinyl like plastic smell.  I paid over $100 for this bag.  Granted, I knew that a leather bag of this type would have been closer to $300 but it was on line and it was a "Sale" item.  Well, sale or no sale, this bag was not worth $25.  I found a contact phone number on the website and called immediately.  I informed the customer service representative that this bag was cheaply made and was certainly not any kind of leather.  He replied that the bag was not supposed to be made of leather and acted like that was pretty obvious.  He further explained that although the description includes the many pockets, compartments and features of the bag, it never states what the bag is made of.  I then replied "please read the NAME of the bag."  To which he replied "Black Leather Messenger Bag".

Now here's the incredible part:  He very kindly said that I was completely correct and that he would refund my full amount plus shipping!  I thought this might take several weeks to see my money, but no!  My bank account reflected the amount in less than a week!  He indicated that they had a wonderful billing system that allows them to track virtually everything.  Their subscription management service included all facets of my order, form of payment, date and time of payment, ship date, notes on the return, and countless other information!  They knew everything about my order and how to process the return.

The thing that is so funny is that although the bag was not as described in the name of the bag, and truly is was a piece of junk, I will continue to shop at this website simply because they had incredible customer service and knew what they were doing. 

This is a sponsored post for Chargify, however, all the points and views are my own.

Finding Your Interest

My youngest son has successfully completed his first year of college.  I have to admit that I was thinking it might be good for him to stay and take another class or two... but he wanted to come home for the summer and I am so glad he did.  I missed that boy!  It turns out he enjoyed being away at school... but not really school.

You see... he doesn't really like school.  He's never been one who took satisfaction in studying or homework.  In high school, he did what was required to get by... to graduate.  My oldest daughter was very much the same way... until we found a school where she could do what she loved... perform.  And she was able to sing, dance, and act... but there were also books... and she didn't seem to mind the books and studying when it was something that truly interested her.  So I'm thinking we just need to find the interest for my son.

He's a very charismatic and charming young man.  He is also strong and excellent with any kind of physical work.  And he is smart... when... it is something he cares about.  Ask him for sports statistics and he can give you them all, explain them all, memorize them all.  During his year of college we tried him in a Communications class thinking maybe a sports reporter... which he liked, received a good grade, but ultimately said he liked it because the professor was great.

My son also wants to make money!  Who doesn't right?  We tried an introductory business school class... where he received a 'B' so I thought we were really on to something.  He said it was somewhat interesting but not sure.  It's a start right?  We just need to find that interest.

This is a sponsored post for the University of Denver, however, all the points and views are my own.

Home

My youngest daughter just completed her junior year of high school.  In a year's time she will be graduating and starting college.  And the home that she grew up in will be empty.  

I have heard the term empty nest.  I understand what it means, and I understand a little more about how it feels.  I have been thinking about it for some time.

To me a house becomes a home when the people you love are in it.  This gives me options of a variety of places across the United States.  I have a daughter in New York City, but I honestly don't think I could handle day in and day out in NYC.  I love visiting, but that's enough.  I have a daughter in Arkansas and I really don't have to elaborate on why I don't want to live the rest of my life in Arkansas.  Another daughter is in St. George, but the heat would melt me.  I have a favorite aunt and numerous cousins in the mid west, but kansas city real estate is out of my price range.

And then it just came.  Another daughter is building a home and has room for me. My daughter and her husband, and their daughter (my beautiful granddaughter) and me all under one roof in their beautiful new house.  I'm sorry... it's not a house... it's home.

This is a sponsored post for Remax, however, all the points and views are my own.

The Social Media Generation

Today's generation is a generation of social media.  And if you have any hopes of reaching the teen and young adult crowd with advertising, you better keep this in mind.  Information, education, news, and other data is obtained through electronic media.  And social media is distinctly different from industrial or traditional media such as newspapers, television and film.  Social media is relatively inexpensive.  And most important is that it is easily accessible and anyone, who is familiar with social media is able to publish or access information.  I can not begin to guess the amount of time this generation spends on social media.

Of course the first think that comes to mind are the things my generation has been able to master.  Email, instant messaging, and texting were the beginnings of social media.  And then it got more complicated.

First there was My Space and then came Facebook.  It is positively mind boggling when you think of the number of people using Facebook.  I would think that if you wanted to advertise something and reach the greatest youth population, you need go no further than Facebook.  The amount of time my own children spend on Facebook is mind boggling and they are actually mild compared to other kids.  Fortunately they do have jobs, and outside interests that keep them from sitting all day at the computer.  And just when you think you might have Facebook figured out, they change and "improve" with things such as a timeline and custom facebook pages.  And there's more social media...

We have Twitter and Bebo.  There are blogs and microblogs.  Some of these I have heard of and others I have absolutely no idea what they are about or how they work.  But I don't feel so bad.  I am happy to be a part of my own generation where we actually talk to people in person and I only "follow" those I truly care about... family and friends.

This is a sponsored post for OrangeSoda, however, all the points and views are my own.

Seeing The Country

I saw a sign that read:  Hiring Truck Drivers and it made me think.  At this time where unemployment is at an all time high, why would there be such a sign?

Acquiring your CDL is a much less expensive than a four year degree.  It certainly doesn't take as much time.  And with truck drivers in demand, new drivers can enjoy higher starting wages.  Some companies, in their search for new drivers will even offer a siging bonus of up to $5000.

A full time truck driving job also provides benefits for the driver and his family.  These often include not only health, but vision and dental insurance as well.

I think the most inviting part would be that your office window would look out on the many different landscapes of America.  You would be able to travel from sea to shining sea.  Exploring our country from the Grand Canyon to Niagara Falls.  You could see the Rocky Mountains and the rolling hills of the Ozarks.

The flexibility of schedule, the pay, and most important the opportunity to see a different sight each day makes the truck driver a coveted position.

This is a sponsored post for MTS Driver Recruiters, however, all the points and views are my own.

I Love My Job

I love my job.  I work on a computer all day and I speak to many people who are on their computer all day.  The difference is that many of the people I speak with, are complaining about their computers.  They either say "my computer is down right now" or "my program is frozen".  A day hasn't gone by where someone hasn't said that "their computer is slow today".  Oh how I love my job.  We work on a Dedicated Server.

We have a great tech team who works hard to make sure our server is always working to the best of it's ability.  They install only the software and applications our employees use, where if we used a shared hosting server, we would have other software and applications installed for other users.  We do not experience time delays.  I love my job.

We also decide when we can access the server.  When our tech crew needs to shut down the server so they can work on it, or update programs, they can do it at a convenient time for our company with no worries for any others who might be sharing the server.

My job is made easier, more convenient, and I am more efficient due to our dedicated server.  Like I said, I love my job.

This is a sponsored post for Hivelocity, however, all the points and views are my own.

Traveling Green

My daughter and I just got back from a short vacation to Michigan.  I am happy to say that we saw many opporutnities to travel green.  A very pleasing change to our airports is not only the internet access and places to plug in our portable phone charger, but they also were stocked with recycling bins.  We realized that even when you are away from home, you can be a little green.

We chose non stop flights for our trip.  It doesn't seem like much, but each time the plane touches down and takes off, not only is more fuel used, but it is more fuel into our atmosphere.  We also rode bikes or walked whenever we could to cut down on taking unnecessary car trips.

And I'd never heard of a locavore.  A locavore is a person eating foods produced within 100 miles from where you are at the time.  This can be great fun because when I travel I would rather feel the culture I am visiting so I can "absorb" the area by eating the local fanfare.  And if you haven't ever been to a farmer's market, you need to go, now.  It is a wonderfully fun experience.

The other thing we found that is so obvious and I believe makes a profound impact on our environment.  Invest in a water bottle.  You take it through security empty and fill it on the other side.  You save money.  You save the environment from the plastic.  You save the fuel trucks use to cart water from one area to another which is just ridiculous.  Don't even get me started on that one.

Traveling green can be fun and challenging which brings a little more interest and excitement to any vacation.

This is a sponsored post for Goal Zero, however, all the points and views are my own.

I'm A Little Frustrated

Technology is great.  It really is, however, I have a complaint.  But first I have to explain to those born before the 70's how I would look up a phone number.

There was a large book called the telephone book and it was huge.  It is amazing that each county had their own phone book and they were all huge.  Page after page of people you wanted to be able to contact.  It seems like a hassle, but at least when you looked in the phone book and circled the name of who you were looking for, that was the end of the search.  Now a days... it is quite different.

In my cell phone I have four listings for my friend.  All of them have the same phone number, but I can't see that when I am just trying to look up her number.  Instead what I see is choices between her nickname, her first name, her full name, her Mrs. so and so name.  I know I'm the one who must have entered her into my phone multiple times, but still it is frustrating to try and figure out which title to use.  I could delete some of them, but I am always skeptical about deleting because what if I have an added bit of info on one of the entries I delete?

And as troublesome this is with my personal phone, you should see my contact list at work.  It is mind boggling.  You see my company has five branches and we cross over on our contacts.  So one person may have a contact in by their first name only, but another might have the contact under both their first and last name.  Some employees list their contact by the company they work for, or by their role in the company.  We have numerous duplicates salesforce and again, deleting is not the answer.  Some of my fellow employees have cell phone numbers, or work phone line extension numbers that others have not included in their entry of the contact.

Technology can be frustrating.  But shouldn't technology find a solution?

This is a sponsored post for Ring Lead, however, all the points and views are my own.

Adjusting to After Vacation

My daughter and I just got back from a short vacation.  We were only gone for four or five days and trust me when I say that we couldn't have gotten home soon enough.  Please don't misunderstand.  We had a great time.  It's just that if we would have stayed for a week or two, we both would have come back quite a few sizes larger than when we left.  Vacation is just that... vacation.  We indulged in everything and this most certainly included food. 

Breakfast was free at the hotel and it wasn't your simple continental breakfast. They had Belgium Waffles that you could make yourself and we did... each and every morning.

We stopped at local places for lunch and dinner.  And at every single place there was someone telling us all the wonderful things that we just had to try.  And we did try everything.  We wanted to feel the ambiance of the area and what better way than through the food.

And there was a wonderful place called Moomers with homemade, hand churned ice cream.  I don't think I need to tell you how many times we frequented this hot spot.  It was daily and it was multiple times per day.

By the time we got home, we felt inspired to begin anew.  First we were in need of a natural body cleanse and a grocery shopping trip to restock the kitchen but with fruits and vegetables, and whole wheat bread and pasta.  And lastly, we set a goal to begin a regular exercise program.

My daughter is at a spinning class as I write this blog.  Happily, I am here with a coconut pineapple ice cream cone.  I'm older.  It takes me longer to make adjustments to my life.  This is only my second today... which is an improvement.

This is a sponsored post for Xango, however, all the points and views are my own.

Shaving. Quite The Responsibility

Shaving.  It truly is quite the responsibility.  We all have unwanted hair, and let's face it, it can be less than appealing to see someone particularly hairy in these unwanted areas.  Although I have never been to Europe, I understand that this is not the case.  Never the less, I live in America and with that comes the responsibility to be presentable in public and this includes shaving.

I still firmly believe that men have it much easier than women when it comes to grooming.  I think every woman would agree that our required maintenance takes considerably more time, money and effort than any man.  There is one exception:  shaving.  Sure women have more areas of concern, but we do not have to shave them on a daily basis.  Men on the other hand, have to shave their face every single day.  Even if they are growing facial hair, whether beard or mustache, they still need to trim around them.

Now I have trouble of razor burn when I shave my legs even though I do it maybe weekly.  And my legs are much tougher than a face.  So I feel for the man who has to shave his face daily.  In asking how my son avoids razor burn he informed me of the pre shave.  Never heard of it.

Pre shave is a step where you apply an oil which gives an added layer of protection before you apply the shaving cream, or soap.  It not only moisturizes the skin and protects against razor burn or irritation.  So why hasn't anyone offered this to women?

Since shaving is a responsibility of both men and women, I think it is the responsibility of both sexes to share any tricks to the trade!

This is a sponsored post for The Art of Shaving, however, all the points and views are my own.

Start 'Em Young

For the high school student, finding the summer job can be difficult, especially in this day and time where work is so hard to find.  And unfortunately, our schools today don't seem to prepare our children for the task of finding a job.

Wouldn't it more useful to offer a semester class preparing students for finding work.  From creating a resume to job interviews, from how to search for a job to networking, the class would be a skill beneficial for the rest of their life.

I have interviewed students for jobs and it never ceases to amaze me the lack of interview skills.  Most kids don't even show up with a resume.  With the internet, and the amount of time this generation spends on computers, why is it they don't know about something so simple and basic as resume templates?  Creating a resume couldn't be easier and if they started creating them while in high school , just imagine how perfected they would be by the time they graduated from college!

Practicing interview skills is something, and I don't care how old you are, you can always find improvement.  And we all know that the more comfortable you become with practice, the more comfortable you will be in the actual interview.  Preparation is key, and most kids have no idea what to expect, and for that matter, what to wear to an interview.

We start our kids out young, around 3 years old to learn their colors, their body parts, and how to spell their name.  Let's start them young, around 15 or 16,  in preparing for a career.

This is a sponsored post for Pongo, however, all the points and views are my own.

A Business Considered Family

I work for a great company.  The owners are not only hard working, but extremely kind and generous.  My fellow employees are good and I enjoy working with them.  I am very blessed to work for a company that feels like family and I can honestly say it is a pleasure to do my very best each and every day.  It is a prosperous company and with this comes some risk, and I'm not talking about a financial or business risk.  I'm talking about my family here.

I love these people, particularly the owners.  In their working hard and creating a profitable business this has allowed them to purchase their own planes.  They took flying lessons and now when it is necessary to fly across the country for meetings, to check up on our other branches, or whatever, they can do this on their own.  I don't like this addition to our work.  Like I said, I love these people and it scares me.

I would rather have them hire a Jet charter service where they would have the privacy, but it would also come with a much greater experience.  It's not that these guys are not talented or capable, but how many times do you read of a private plane, flown by someone who had the desire to learn to fly, have a problem and go down.  I would like to see the people I so incredibly care about, use a little more caution.  But then again, I must admit that I have always thought it would be fun to fly with them!

This is a sponsored post for Clear Jet, however, all the points and views are my own.

The All Too Important Plumbing

I'm sure I've mentioned numerous times about my excitement of building a walk out basement with my daughter and her family.  We recently got to go to what they call the "Design Center" and they were not kidding.  This place was full of every thing you could design your home with including the kitchen sink!

She picked out counter tops, flooring, cabinets and drawers, and the handles or knobs for the cabinets and drawers.  And it was interesting to hear what things should all match.  Apparently faucets, door knobs, and lighting should be of the same finish whether it be silver, polished nickel, or this other type that was beautiful but I forgot the name.

When it came to my turn, my items of importance were the windows and the plumbing.  You see, I was just making sure that the structural things were covered.  I will finish the basement in a year when I sell the home I currently live in with my youngest daughter who will be a senior next year.  So although it wasn't as exciting as the colors of the inside walls or the outside stucco and fascia, the windows and plumbing are all too important and I was very happy to make sure I was equipped.

I will have a bathroom and a kitchen, which both needed to be plumbed.  And I added three windows so my space would be lit beautifully.  It is going to be wonderful!

This is a sponsored post for Rotorooter, however, all the points and views are my own.

Let Your Fingers Do The Walking

I remember my Grandma and Grandpa saying things like "I remember when a loaf of bread cost a nickel."  Or "I remember when we would put a dollar of gas in the car."  I used to think, "Wow... they are so old."  And now I have the same feelings of sharing the things I remember.

I remember a commercial that was very catchy and it said "Let your fingers do the walking through the yellooooow pagesssssss."  Yes, we would use a giant book filled with white pages for people and yellow pages for business and look them up by alphabetical order.  The other funny thing about these incredibly large and thick books was that they actually hung them from telephone booths with a thick metal cord.  Oh yeah... telephone booths... where the heck did they all go?  Don't get me started.

But the truth is... is that contacting someone via the computer was impersonal and cold.  And for a business to even attempt online marketing was ridiculous.  No one would pay attention.  Whose going to get on a computer?  This statement goes right along with the fool who said, "African American's can't play basketball."

Now we couldn't imagine looking for a book, sifting through it's pages and then squinting to find the business under the right heading.  In fact we don't read real books.  We read books downloaded to our electronic reading devices.  We can sent an IM or a text in split seconds.  Email flies to it's recipient in seconds.

Let your fingers do the walking?  Nope they are running.

This is a sponsored post for OrangeSoda, however, all the points and views are my own.

House or a Home?

It is crazy all the things they do with homes today.  Jetted tubs in the master bath.  Stereo throughout every room in the house.  A driveway that spins your car around so you don't have to back out.  Theatre rooms complete with movie chairs.  But none of this stuff makes your house a home.

Of all the things I love in my house, it is the people I love the most.  People make your house a home.  There is nothing like the smell of cookies to bring everyone to the kitchen.  Or the laughter of everyone playing a game.  Or the sound of popcorn popping while we lay all over the family room to watch a movie.  And it is the comfort at night of everyone having made it home from work and school, safe and sound.

From small apartments in New York City, to sprawling pasadena homes, it is the same.  People.  People make a house a home.  You can have all the house amenities in the world, but if you don't have people you love to share them with, then it is just a house.

I am blessed to have always had a home.  I won the parents lottery and was raised in a loving, and fun home.  And when raising my children we had a home.  With seven children it has been a very lived in home, but never the less a home.  And now in my later years, I can look forward to a home with my daughter's family.

My grandchildren near me.  Nothing makes more of home.

This is a sponsored post for The Partners Trust, however, all the points and views are my own.

Time Together

Today I went with my daughter to the "Design Center" for her to pick out her counter top, cabinets, flooring, paint, stucco, and so much more!  It was positively crazy all of the things there were to choose!  And I am happy to say that my daughter loved every minute of it!  It really was so much fun, but it wasn't the colors, textures, and styles that brought a smile to my face.  It was the fact that this is the beginning of our living under the same roof.  Time together.

We will have our own separate living spaces.  I mean she has her own family and they need their own private family time.  I will be below in a beautiful, spacious walk out basement, and have my privacy.  It is the time we spend together that I am anxious to experience.

As Baba, I will bake cookies and the aromas will bring my grandchildren, and children for that matter, down to me.  I can't wait to have the wonderful smells of baking spread throughout the house.

My daughter's husband is such a good man.   He is kind, and loving, and incredibly giving.  He works hard and although he has two bachelor's degrees, he is currently enrolled in graduate business school.  I am so proud of him and I certainly do not want to take anything away from him.  I love him dearly, but while he is at business school, every Tuesday and Thursday night... my daughter and I will have our time.  Time together.

This is a sponsored post for University of Denver, however, all the points and views are my own.

I Love My Bed!

Can I just say... I love my bed!  And this is not a casual oh I love this or I love that.  I mean... I really really love my bed.  In fact, I say it almost every night with great gusto when I get in.  And I don't just get in my bed... I look forward to going to bed... I am excited to go to bed... I run and jump in my bed!

It used to be that I had one of my parents old beds... which was very nice of them... and I'm not complaining... well... I am complaining.  It was hard.  Not hard like sleeping on the floor.  I'm talking hard like you are sleeping on the sidewalk!  Sleeping on this bed my arms would go numb, my hip bones would have bruises, my back ached.  And I don't have a back problem... but in this bed I experienced back pain for the first time.  I decided I needed to make a change.  I mean it is a substantial part of your life that you are in your bed!

I took my tax return... and mind you... I am an extremely frugal person.  I don't just go around spending hundreds of dollars here or a thousand there.  And I spent over a thousand!  And it was clearly one of the best things I have ever bought in my life!

It is a pillow top soft bed that yields gently for my bony body.  Any position... virtually any position... it is comfortable.  I jump in and sink down into it and pull my puffy down comforter in it's incredibly soft and crisp duvet cover with such happiness and zest... I can't help but scream "I love my bed!"  And my sweet daughter always replies "I know Mom."

This is a sponsored post for Healthy Back, however, all the points and views are my own.

Baking at Baba's!

I couldn't be more excited!  I have figured out where I will live for my retirement and I couldn't love the idea more.  Thanks to my extremely loving and kind daughter and son in law (I don't like to call him a son... in law because I love him like my own, but for the interest of making things clear I will make an exception.) I will be living in a walk out basement of their new home!  And ignore the word basement.  With it being a walk out, it doesn't feel like a basement at all.  And I have started a file with the wonderful things I am going to include in my new space.

I will have a great room!  This is something I have wanted for quite sometime.  A cute kitchen complete with new cabinets, beautiful counter top with counter top sealer, and an island for baking!  Yes this will be the focus of my entire space!

I want an island with a bakers block of wood for rolling out pie dough, cookie dough, and bread!  And the thing that will make it absolutely perfect?  It will be surrounded by little stools for my grandchildren to stand on and help "Baba" cut out cookies, or add the sprinkles, or to crimp pie crust, or sprinkle sugar and cinnamon for pie crust cookies.

The smells of baking will bring them all to Baba's!  A dream come true!

This is a sponsored post for VSeal, however, all the points and views are my own.

Semi Truck Trailer Ad Space

I saw the greatest advertisment on the side of a semi truck... and it didn't hurt that it was for one of my favorite treats.  The side of the trailer was painted so it looked as though you were looking inside and it had a picture of a guy in a hammock just relaxing.  It was painted so incredibly realistically that I thought I was actually seeing inside.  It was very 3 dimensional and the hammock looked so real it was as if it was swinging.  The ad was for Kit Kat bars and so the caption read "Have a break... Have a Kit Kat".  It was awesome.  I loved it so much that I started looking for others.

There was on for Van's shoes where the entire side of the trailer was a giant shoe on a skateboard.  It was painted so that it looked as though the trailer was skateboarding down the road.  Very cool.

And there was one where they painted the trailer to look as though it had been burned to the ground.  Incredible artistry because it looked like ashes and soot.  The ad was for Pringle's Hot and Spicy chips.  It was amazing.

I have often seen signs with semi trucks for sale, but we need to see more drivers take advantage of these great ideas and put up a sign with semi truck trailer advertising space for sale!  It's so much fun and makes trucks welcome on the road.  Just think if every semi truck trailer had these fun ads.

OK.  Last one and my favorite.  The side of the trailer was painted to look like a carrier for two UPS trucks.  It looked like the semi trailer was actually transporting two UPS trucks!  And who was the ad for?  Fed Ex!  Gotta love it!

This is a sponsored post for Navistar, however, all the points and views are my own.

It Works For Them

Although I grew up in San Diego, my folks have chosen to retire in Las Vegas.  Seems weird I know, but the benefits of moving to Las Vegas were just too good to pass up.  Obviously, living in San Diego is crazy expensive.  The other factor is that just going to the store for a gallon of milk was a long, traffic jammed chore.  Really, the area the live in feels very much like San Diego, warm, palm trees, sunny, but just without the ocean. And let's just say it, although I love the beach, but my folks weren't planning on spending their retirement years swimming at the beach.  A huge thing that moved them to Las Vegas was the house.

They would have been paying on the house in San Diego throughout their entire retirement.  In Las Vegas, they paid for the home out right.  No house payment.  Short sale San Diego was no deal, whereas, short sale las vegas was quite the deal.

A short sale is a property that sells for less than the balance owing on its mortgage.   A mortgage balance that is greater than the market value of the home, is not going to happen in California.  The value in the land alone in San Diego makes this impossible.  So Las Vegas showed great promise.  Like I said, they just bought it outright.  No loan.  No house payment.  The area they moved to is beautiful and you can't even see the strip.

Honestly, having spent so many years at my Mom and Dads, in San Diego, when I walk I'm in their house, I still feel like I'm in San Diego.  There's just no beach... which works for them.

This is a sponsored post for Schwartz Law Firm, however, all the points and views are my own.