Obama..."My Pet BaRock"

If you are a Barack Obama supporter, you may be interested in this website www.MyPetBaRock.com. It's a play of the 70s pet rock and I have to say it is tasteful and darn right creative. When it comes to Obama novelties there are a million TShirts, plates, coins, posters and such, but nothing like this... I would venture to say the "My Pet BaRock" is going to be a big seller. It's a great collector's item!

Way to go Defender Pro!

One of my personal pet peeves has always been without question, poor customer service in any type of establishment, online, etc. No excuses ever!

I had a little issue with my computer and had I had no clue about what it could be. A friend said it sounded like I had a virus on my PC. Well, as it turns out I had let my Anti-Virus expire. So, I ran up to Walmart and purchased this product called Defender Pro.

To make a very long story short, I zigged when I should have zagged on the easy installation process and found myself with another issue.

Defender Pro Tech Support to the rescue!!! Great customer service, 5 stars, Thumbs up, etc.

Through their online chat they walked me through, corrected MY errors and had me up and running.

Customer service like that must be recognized. My reps name was Darla and to put it in simple terms, Darla Rocks!

Keep it up Team Defender Pro.

Dr. Siegal's Cookies Arrived

Yippy Yeah... my Dr. Siegal's Cookies arrived yesterday! My husband handed me the box with a little smirk on this face. Of course I ripped the box open, dug through the bubble foam to find MY box of cookies - Oatmeal Raisin was my choice. It's pretty cool, they have 6 cookies in each resealable bag that you can carry with you if you are out and about. The traditional diet program is to replace 6 cookies with two meals and then eat a sensible dinner. (Sensible Dinner- hmmm, that could mean a lot of different things to different people. I don't think they mean a Big Mac Value meal.)

Anyway, back to the cookies... I will say they are not like Mrs. Fields, but they are better than some of those diet bars. There is no way I can replace two meals with the cookies while increasing my exercise routine, so I will use the cookies as snack replacements. I had one late this morning with a big glass of water. It really did do the trick, I don't have the grumbling in my tummy. But I do still have the little evil voice in my head saying..."even though your tummy isn't grumbling, don't you just want just a little flavor savoring in that big mouth of yours?" Ha! Mind over matter - determination!

Hooray for Cookies!

Moms in workout clothes... Oh boy!

Now that I have the opportunity to take my 6 year old to school in the morning, I thought I would incorporate a little exercise with it. The school is less than a mile away, the weather is nice and Gracie loves riding her scooter. So I have been gearing up in my most modest running shorts and long sleeve shirts to run along side her. It's a great way to start the day and I hope it is building some great memories for her.

So what is there to talk about... the other Moms I see at school, in their workout clothes. Mind you, they have driven their kids to school and walk them to the playground. I understand they may be heading straight for the gym after drop off, and I commend them for that. It's the outfits I am struggling with... their are 2 Moms in particular that have caught my eye, my husband's eye and my friend's eye and God knows how many other parents and childrens eye. I'm telling you, this is quite the sight! I will refer to them as Mom #1 and #2.

Mom#1 - really needs someone to sit her down and explain to her - spandex biker shorts DO come in a larger size. It's not that she is that large of a women, it's just the way they fit. I am here to say - the SHORTS ARE WAY TO TIGHT. (especially in the front, if you know what I mean)

Mom #2 - last year she got a new set of twins, no... NOT children. She is quite proud of her purchase and likes to wear a very small sports bra EVERY morning. Like the spandex of Mom #1, she needs to understand sports bras do come in larger sizes. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her new enhancement, I just don't have the need to see 80% of the twins that early in the morning.

These Moms are giving us hard working, appropriate workout size wearing Moms a bad rap. What can I do but laugh and hope nobody is writing something like this about my attire.

Hooray for Spandex that fits!

Check Your Child's Homework...Hores or Horses

I hope this does not offend anyone... but as a Mom of a 6 year old, that is learning to read and write, this really hits home. Ha- enjoy.

I've been good AND bad - trying to get fit

Last week I vowed to get focused and start changing 2 things: 1. what I shove in my mouth, and 2. start exercising regularly.

I was pretty good over the weekend... I attended a football party and brought a BIG salad for everyone, kind of funny... the chicken wings, meatballs, con queso dip, cheese and crackers, nuts and so on, seemed to be the big hits. Leaving a lot of salad for me to eat! Of course, I had a few wings and chips, but not like usual.

I also went on a hike, or should I say a climb, up Squaw Peak, which was very steep and quite a good work out. Check out the view. (located in Phoenix AZ)




So here is were I slipped... When I was grocery shopping yesterday, they had the cutest big AZ Cardinal cupcakes, I just had to buy them for the girls. But guess what, they didn't want to eat them last night... here is what they look like today.

Look what my husband and I did! He ate the yellow cake and I ate half the chocolate. Now what do I do, can't leave these for the girls. NO... I won't listen to that little piggy in my head - I will not eat the rest!

If only my Dr. Siegal's Cookies would get here!!

Wish me luck!

Valentines Gift Ideas - Discounts at Things Remembered

Things Remembered is a great place to find something different for Valentines Day. Over the years, I can't tell you how many times I have been shopping for a gift in the mall and walked right past Things Remembered. But over the holidays, my Dad was visiting and he really liked the steel flask I gave my husband umpteen years ago. I thought it had cost me about 20 bucks and if you can believe it, it still costs $20. So I ordered one for my Dad and thought I would pass on the gift idea to you.... make your Valentine's shopping a bit easier and save a few bucks. Here are a few deals I found:

FREE Standard Shipping on Orders Over $100! Shop Things Remembered!

10% Off Any Order! Use Code: LOVE10 Valid ONLINE ONLY!

40% Off All Personalized Frames at Things Remembered!

15% Off Orders Over $80! Use Code: HEART15 Valid ONLINE ONLY!

20% Off Orders Over $100! Use Code: VALDAY20 Valid ONLINE ONLY!

Up to 75% Off Personalized Gifts at Things Remembered's Clearance Sale!

Blog It... for Worth While Cause

Singer Neko Case is the ultimate advocate for animals. She has partnered with the Best Friends Animal Society to raise money. It's so simple, it would be a shame if us "bloggers" don't participate.

Here's the scoop...

By posting on your blog the online release of her new single "People Got a Lot of Nerve", from her forthcoming album Middle Cyclone (out March 3), $5.00 will be donated to Best Friends Animal Society and a $1.00 for every user of iLike that adds the song to his/her profile.

The fundraiser started January 13 and runs until February 3, 2009. Click Here to find out how you can help.
Public Service Announcement

More Weight Loss Ideas... What will work for you

I was talking with a friend this morning about this whole weight loss issue. Seems everybody I know wants to shed a few pounds. But we all tend to approach it a bit differently. So it got me thinking and I did a little searching on the Internet and found some different ways to go about getting rid of the FLAB. Here they are... maybe something will catch your eye and get YOU motivated.

DietClassics.com... Appetite Suppressants compared to the popular brands: Relacore,SlimQuick and Zantex. Up to 50% OFF Weight Loss Supplements – Click Here to get yours TODAY

Diet.com...is a leading brand name in online weight management offers users the Personality Type Diet, a truly customized weight loss program based on a user's lifestyle and diet personality. Get 3 FREE extra months of Diet.com Premium Membership when you purchase a 6-month membership. Use code FREE3M2008 on the payment page.

eDiets.com... features the eDiets.com Weight Loss Plan, the Atkins Nutritional Approach, the Glycemic Impact Diet, the New Mediterranean Diet, and many more. We also offer 11 different Healthy Living programs for those with special needs, including the Living with Diabetes Plan, and the Heart Smart Plan. They also have a meal delivery service, Deliciously Yours, which was acknowledged by the premier award-winning food website, Epicurious.com, as the best meal delivery service. Judged on flavor, nutrition, portion size, convenience, variety, and customer service & support tools. Get one FREE week of meals with your first eDiets' Deliciously Yours meal delivery order

Weight Loss... getting Fit in 2009

Boy, everywhere I turn someone is talking about losing weight. Seems like every other commercial is either about the "Biggest Loser" , Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, yadda yadda yadda. If I wasn't one of those people that needed to shed a few pounds, they probably wouldn't bother me as much. This past year of eating, drinking and NOT exercising has paid a toll on my body. I knew I had a problem when the jeans I bought last year (as a temporary fix - HA HA, until I lost the few pounds I had gained) were starting to get a too snug, the red flags were going off in my head!

I know I have control over this thing... this thing called FLAB. I would prefer a six pack stomach instead of 6 doughnut rolls stomach! I was on my way to getting into shape using Wii Fit and then all the visitors starting arriving in November. Over the past 58 days, we have had 35 days of overnight guests... yes, over a month of guests! So all results from the hard work I did using my Wii Fit has disappeared and a few belly rolls have arrived.

So this Tuesday I started jogging in the morning and will increase the time out once the guests are gone. I have cut back on the food intake and the types of foods I am shoving in my mouth, but I know I will need to be more disciplined. I read the piece in People Mag. about Josie, who lost 120 pounds using the Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet. Sounds good to me, eat cookies and loss weight! I made the decision this morning to do a bit of research on the cookies, they are a bit higher priced than I prefer, but I think I can make them last longer than a week. No way can I replace two meals a day with cookies, but I can supplement the cookies for my snacks. Wish me well... I'll let you know how it goes.

Horray for Cookies!

Improve your Hair...Thin Hair or Losing your Hair

My hair stylist says I have a lot of hair, but that its very thin. Duhh, I have to really work hard to get that full bodied look. Keeping that full body for more than an hour is another struggle. But hey, I have been dealing with this my entire life, you would think I was use to it. My options: Long hair- NO, shoulder length hair- NO... short cuts- YES. (big sigh)

But something is changing with my hair, no... not the color, the amount and the fullness. It's growing faster and fuller than it ever has before. I started taking 1 Biotin a day and after a month and a half, I can really tell a difference. So how did I find this miracle? My sister-in-law's father is a pharmacist and recommended Biotin to her when she was loosing her hair and she recommended it to me. I truly didn't believe it would work, but hey, why not try it. I have been pleasantly surprised.

Just a bit about Biotin: it is an important B Vitamin that aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. While also providing dietary support for healthy hair and nails. You can pick it up at your local Walgreens or pharmacy.

Horray for Full Bodied Hair!

Tell Me... How do you manage your time?

In a world that seems to move faster and faster, sometimes alarmingly fast with today’s technologies, it can be a challenge to keep our lives on track and still meet our needs; both personally and professionally. Whether at the top of the corporate ladder or just starting our career, we all seem to be performing the same balancing act.

So how do we get off this merry-go-round? I’ve decided to devote some time toward finding solutions to just “that question” and would like to enlist your help. My request; over the next couple of months, I invite you to join me in taking these short surveys so that I might better understand how working moms manage their work/life balance. I know it’s a lot to ask and I don’t want to bog you down with more to do, but if I can find some solutions would it be worth it to you?

Click Here to take survey

Can Michelle Obama save the Fashion Industry?

I try to start my day with a little bit of the Today Show and a good cup of tea. I watched a piece on Michelle Obama and her down to earth fashion sense and how the American public is running to the stores to buy what she is wearing. She was on the "The View" and talked about the dress she was wearing from White House/Black Market. They interviewed a rep from White House/Black Market and she said they ran out of the dress in a week!

What is that about???!!! I don't know about you, but what the 1st lady wears plays ABSOLUTELY no factors in what I will be wearing! Where is your independence, confidence and own personal style? Just because she looks good in it, will you? If she had her nose pierced or a tattoo on her butt, would America be running out to local parlors too? I'm just scratching my head on this one. Don't let others influence your style.

Now I want to acknowledge something... I think it's great that she is not spending oodles on high end clothing, it's nice to see something a bit more "Average America". But my question is... how long will that last? How will she be influenced when she hits the White House?

Did the Holiday Wine Stain Your Teeth?

We have a beautiful wine rack that holds 128 bottles of wine, we have never been successful in filling it completely. We have been close, but never at full capacity. We started Thanksgiving with about 5 cases and have 1 case left. The rack is looking quite sad! How does that happen... to many house guests and parties. Not only is my waist line suffering, my teeth are too. When I slowed down to look in the mirror this morning, I scared myself. Dull, stained and yucky would be a good description for my teeth. I haven't been using my whiting pen...I ran out of it and with all this Holiday cheer I forgot to reorder. It really does work, only takes a minute, every morning and night after brushing. I have tried the laser brightening and the custom fit trays. The laser didn't do much (and was expensive) and the solution for the trays irritated my gums.

If you haven't tried these pens, you should. I order through SmartWhiteTeeth.com and they have a 15 day 100% money back guarantee and NO shipping costs. Check it out!

My Confession....It's been 17 days since my last blog

Forgive me for I have been completely distracted by my family visiting. It all started November 20th... the first wave of loved ones arriving and it is still going strong. Ughh!! As we dropped my Dad off at the airport (for the second time) last night, I started thinking about how many days we have had guests over the 2 months... 35 DAYS - yes... more than a month's worth of entertaining, parties, cooking, changing sheets, sightseeing and of course more eating and drinking. So this morning, I am taking a moment to relish in the fact that we have 4 full days alone before the next round arrives on Jan 10th.

Now don't get me wrong, we have had a great time and the best guests of the bunch are coming this weekend, it's just that my social skills are exhausted and my jeans don't fit! Do you think I can lose the 5 pounds I gained? The 5 pounds it took me twice as long to lose as it did to gain! I will have to get back to the Wii Fit (Strength) exercises, it really does work, it's me that didn't "work it" and now I have to start over.... double Ughh!!