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.