Down and out...

Today is really the first day that I've felt alright and feel almost like myself. My back is healing nicely with the help of my dear Chiro and the nausea seems to be at bay...at least this minute!

Hopefully, I can get some good opps and be able to make up for lost time! God knows, I just spent $150 in diapers the other day and I'm going to need to keep the money coming in!

I want a new bed!

A few years ago we invested in some nice new furniture for our upstairs master bedroom. So far, so good and I love having space to put our clothing. Before we used to try to cram it into the existing K-Mart particle board furniture!

We have nightstands now too which are handy to keep meds, books, and other stuff too.

One thing that we don't have a is a nice bedframe. We decided not to go with the bedframe that went with our original black furniture because we didn't like the style. Not to mention, we just couldn't fit it in our car!

So I've been looking at Oak Beds and other styles that might complement our existing decor.

Time4sleep.co.uk offers some great styles and the prices are pretty reasonable.

I really like this nice style and I think the light wood with our black existing furniture would look really nice.



This post sponsored by: Time4sleep.co.uk

A day of work - no kid!

Grammy's at school today and I'm feeling pretty good! Which of course means that I have to do tons of house chores and then I need to make some money!

I got a few subbing calls last night and this morning but since I had a chiropractor appointment I couldn't go to them. I went ahead and scheduled next week appointments on days that I have Graem. I figure she can come along with me to the appointment and on the days she has school I can try to get a subbing job to bring in some extra cash.

I really don't understand...

when companies invest tons into marketing without doing their market research. It's such a waste of money when you're watching a kids show and you see a commercial for a product that caters to seniors!

What were they thinking? Why couldn't they target their audience a little bit better?

I think it's important for any company to target their marketing efforts and in order to do that they really need to know who buys their product and what demographic they need to market to.

Traveling...

Since we've been traveling so much lately I think it's only fitting that we consider getting some new luggage. Since our family is growing and I'm sure we're going to need a bigger suit case I have my eye on a travelpro.

They have bigger suitcases on wheels and I like the fact that they also offer different colors.

I realized what a dumb idea it is to have a black/navy suitcase when I'm trying to locate it on the conveyer belt! I always say "next time I'm going to get a red suitcase."

It just makes sense...

When I worked at the newspaper we constantly had clients that wouldn't pay their bills. Not only was it embarassing for the sales person to go and ask for payment - it seemed to be a bit unprofessional.

I wish the newspaper would have bothered getting a commercial collection agency to do the bad work.

That way when we went around asking for more money they wouldn't remember us bothering them for money!

I think it's important to keep a seperation between church and state and collection and sales!

A day of work!

It's too damn bad that my back is in the crapper now. I literally walk sideways and can barely even sit down. Today I had to throw my panties and jeans on my body because I can't bend over.

Thank God the PT/Chiropractor was able to call this morning and she's going to fit me in tomorrow at 9:00am.

Maybe then I can move a little bit after the appointment.

Got ponz?

I'm not talking about tampons either! I'm talking about my favorite way to save money - Coupons!

I've been trying to get maternity clothes and it's been pretty slim pickings on the department stores. So I've started resorting to going online to buy my clothing.

Just last week I purchased clothing from The Gap and Old Navy. It was great because I was able to hop online and get some amazing coupons that allowed me to say 10% on my order and also got me free shipping!

I've also been looking for some good Zappos coupons because I want to purchase a pair of Keen sandals - but I want to get a killer deal on them!

Of course, maybe I should take advantage of their Dell Coupons and get a new Dell laptop! That way Margot and me don't have to fight everynight on who gets computer time!

NCNatural.com offers some great coupons and I like how organized the website is. They are easy to find and the codes seem to be valid and not expired like most of the other coupon websites out there!

This post sponsored by: NCNatural.com

Subbing and work.

Well, I must say that subbing has been pretty sporadic lately. I got a few calls this morning but because we had a doctor's appointment I wasn't able to take an assignment.

I plan on working Thursday though and I just hope and pray that the class isn't as bad as the last time that I taught middle school!

I think the trick is not to teach on a Friday and also make sure not to get a "goof off class" and stick with a math, science, or English class!

A little piece of the world series.

Last night when we were at The Pines I couldn't help but watch a little bit of the World Series playoffs. I would love to go to a World Series game and it's always been a dream of mine.

Every time we go to a sporting event whether it's hockey or baseball I always get a bit tearful because I love everything about it. I love crowd, and the fans, and how eager and competitive the players are.

I hope Graem gets the same excitement and love for sports that I have.

Of course, I've just discovered some great memorabilia that could help document the different events that happen in sports history.

I've always been obsessed with baseball and although my team, the Houston Astros, have yet to win the world series --- I still cheer them on every year.

I am glad that I was able to witness on television history in the making when Barry Bonds nailed his 756th homerun! I've also come to appreciate the different types of items that might help me remember the time including this wonderful piece of art:



I love how it is professionally mounted and the pictures and just perfect to capture the moment in history that might never be changed!

Millionairememorabilia.com offers a great website that has just about everything you might want or need to decorate your home and even home theatre room! They have sporting icons and even great pieces from movies too!

Right now they are offering 15% off of their list prices. This would be a great time to purchase that special piece of memorabilia for the holiday season! Not to mention, the website is easy to use and you can place your order within minutes.

Holiday shopping made easy and fun!

I left my heart in Branson!

Every year my grandparents would go to Branson Missouri for a week long vacation and to enjoy the music, productions, and great food. It's a great place to enjoy down-home fun in a southern atmosphere!

They actually used to go with a bus full of seniors from the church. I'm not sure if they were allowed to gamble on that trip or not!

I've heard that Branson is a great place for families and old people alike and there's tons to do there!

Graem's Christmas!

I have most of Graem's christmas gifts because I buy them throughout the year when I see them on sale. Of course, we got her the awesome grocery store Playmobile when she was just a few months old! It was originally 199.99 and I saw it at TJ Maxx for 49.99! Can't go wrong with that.

I remember when I was a little girl I wanted RC cars. My grandfather had them and really loved them as a hobby. You can do so much with them. He actually had cars and the airplane. Of course, I remember him flying the airplane and it constantly falling apart!

I can't wait til Graem gets old enough to want more technology based toys!

Our bathroom.

I have no idea what we're going to do with our bathroom. The lighting is probably our biggest concern. There is a crack in the ceiling and every time it rains we have water coming from the light fixture!

We figure it has something to do with the vent that is located on the top of our roof.

For some reason it must not be sealed well and water gets in and starts leaking in the bathroom.

It's pretty dangerous when you think about it. You can turn on the light and be zapped!

*Must get carpenter out soon to fix problem*

You've got mail.

When we moved into our new house we were shocked to hear that we would have to go to the postoffice to pick up mail.

We later learned that if we put a mailbox outside that all of a sudden we would start getting mail!

We looked locally for the perfect mailbox and had a pretty hard time. The selection for mail boxes was few and far between and we had our choice of two different styles!

Thank God we aren't overly picky and went with the Black Rubbermaid that matched the shutters of our house!

Looking for a deal?

When we were in the process of refinancing we shopped everywhere for the best deal. Little did we realize that the bank that we went through for the original mortgage was going to be able to offer the best refinance deal!

We have a few friends who are Real Estate Agents who always keep us posted on good deals and incentives that are out there.

Another resources is ehomemortgages.com. They offer great information about mortgages, refinancing, and can even help you find a real estate agent in your area!

This post sponsored by: EHomeMortgages.com

Puttin' in some time.

Today I'm playing catch up with blogging and housework! I have the kid today and so we'll see what I can actually get done.

Tomorrow I have changed my schedule around in hopes that I get a subbing call - but we'll see. I really haven't seen too many jobs available these days.

Is your family protected?

With a new baby on the way it makes us really reconsider what we should be doing with our life insurance. Since we're living on Margot's income we have to consider what we'd do if for some reason she weren't around.

More than likely I'll need to call up our insurance agent and get another quote to increase our coverage.

I'm also going to look on SecureInsuranceQuotes.com too. The last time I called State Farm they wanted to double the premium for only $100,000 more coverage.

This post sponsored by: SecureInsuranceQuotes.com

Back home!

We've had such a great time in San Fran. We've done the tourist thing and I've walked about 200 miles since I've been here.

Of course, I'm not looking forward to the redeye flight tonight. But I am ready to get back home and sleep in my own bed.

Monday is going to be a heck of a day cause I'm thinking I'll probably be exhausted. Tuesday is Graem's first day back at school and then Wednesday we have our second ultrasound!

Quite the busy week already!

My aching head!

Since I started using the medications for infertility I have had the worst headaches. They are pretty constant and I'm guessing it's because of all of the hormones and estrogen running through my body.

I've had friends that have had migraines and never understood the urgency and pain.

I just heard the other day that doctors are using Botox for headaches!

I wonder if you can get rid of your headaches and your wrinkles all in one session?

That might not be too bad!

Our house.

We have thought about moving for the past few years. With a new baby on the way it's pretty evident that the move will happen sooner than later because we really need more space.

Of course when looking for a new home we really want to make sure to find a good inspector. Home inspectors have to pass a home inspection exam in order to become licensed.

Compucram.com offers a great guide so that you are able to pass the tests with flying colors. The prep software is easy to use and is sure to make the difference.

This post sponsored by: Compucram.com

Got the call.

Today I got a call from the discharge planner at the hospital. She wanted to know if I had any nurses or aides that might be able to help her out. It sounded like she had someone in the hospital that needed private care.

Unfortunately, I've decided not to do the care aspect because it's too much of a liability and very honestly the staffing was becoming a nightmare. I think when people pay around $20 an hour they don't understand that you can't really do care and it's more of a companion services.

I tried calling the social worker back but she had already left for the day.

I'm glad she remembered me!

I love your tat!

I remember being younger and skinnier and thinking that I might want a tattoo. Then over the year I saw cute people that got fat and their tattoos started sagging and losing their shape.

That of course made me decide against tattoos!

However, we have friends that have tattoos and are very fond of them. Some people even see it as a type of lifestyle. If you're looking for tattoo singles then I think you're probably going to enjoy the website tattoolovers.com.

TattooLovers.com is a special place for tattooed people and the people that love them to come together. Tattoo dating really makes sense when you think about it. Already you have formed a common bond and if it's as easy as hooking up online and looking for the perfect person and profiles -- then it makes a hard task much easier!

Trying to pace myself.

Today I have quite the honey do list! Margot dropped G off so I'm doing blogging this morning. Then I have to make some calls, take Murphy to the vet, get the oil changed in Margot's car and stop by the post office.

I seriously don't know how we ever did this when we were both working full time jobs! Of course, we didn't have a kid and we had a housekeeper.

Can I get a ride?

I used to love riding motorcycles. Of course, I was absolutely horrible at it and perhaps one of the biggest liabilities on the road!

We never really got into the scene because we didn't ride a whole lot and were still in school and didn't have a lot of time for socialization.

Now biker planet offers a great place bikers and non-bikers alike to meet up! If you're looking to find friends or perhaps your biking soulmate then you've got to check out the website!

It just makes sense to have a website that has a common interest. You know when searching through the profiles that everyone that has signed up has an interest in bikes or biking.

It's really a lifestyle and to have someone who understands and enjoys that could be half the battle in finding Mr. or Mrs. Right!

Biker dating has never been this easy and fun.

Paid the IRS.

Well, I just renewed my operating certificate for the U.S. Government. Basically it allows me to operate a business! It was a whopping $9.00 that of course I will write off towards business expenses.

I have no idea what in the hell I'm going to do with my taxes this year. It doesn't seem worth it to file seperate as a business when you don't bring in that much...but on the other hand I can write off a lot including a home office.

Older and looking for a date?

Since I have a background of working with seniors I know how lonely they can be. Many times when they would enter into an assisted living residence or even a nursing home their partner had passed away and they didn't have their soulmate.

I had always wished that there was a way for them to meet other seniors and possibly engage a romantic relationship.

Now there's a senior personals online where seniors can meet other seniors and form a relationship.

DatingForSeniors.com is easy to use and you can build a profile instantly. You can search by location and age.

Life's not over when you hit 70! It's just beginning. That's why I'm glad senior dating is getting the much needed credit that it deserves!

Ready to work!

Well...I've had a pretty exciting past few days. Last week I subbed a few times. Then of course, Sunday I find out I'm pregnant. I've been nursing a cold and some tiredness...but other than that...I'm so happy!

Today Graem's at daycare and I waited to get a subbing call and I only got one this morning for Special Ed. I decided to pass and stay at home and work.

When we get back from San Francisco Graem is going to start going to school three days a week which should allow me to be more consistent.

Bad credit blues?

When I was in college I had horrible credit! I didn't realize the importance of paying bills...much less on time! When I moved up to New York I had some debt and of course no job.

Of course, when I entered into my 20's I realized that I better straighten my act up or else I wouldn't be able to get a car or a house!

Thank god I never had to apply for a bad credit credit cards. Margot's dad has a few and the credit card rates are close to 30% interest!

However, even people with bad credit need it and if that means high interest rates that's what you have to do in order to re-establish credit.



BadCreditOffers.com offers a great website that could help you get back on your feet again.

This post sponsored by: BadCreditOffers.com

A death in the family.

Well, Tuesday Margot went to work and we got the call that she thought Peanut had been run over. Unfortunately, it was our cat and he had been killed by a car on one of the main roads.

We were all pretty sad and I really haven't felt like doing much of anything lately. I'm tired, sad, and really just feel like I don't have energy.

Tomorrow, I'm actually going to be subbing for the middle school and maybe that will help get me into the gear again.

You're not welcome here.

I'm talking about my period.

Obviously, I'm trying to get pregnant and I'd be happy as a clam not to see my period for the next 9 months or so!

When I do get my period it's absolutely horrible. I have horrible PMS and cramping. I should seriously be locked in a cage for a week until it's over.

I might want to try PMS relief in the future. Since I'm going to take a break from trying to have a baby I will be able to take some natural medications to help with PMS symptoms.

At least that won't make getting my period *as bad*.

Couldn't believe it...

When we bought the Honda CRV I made sure to get all of the accessories with the car. I was stupid enough to buy them through the Honda Dealership and actually had them put them on.

Later, I found out that I could have gotten all of the accessories aftermarket and paid about 1/2 of the price!

I'm glad I didn't get the car spoilers because the Honda one actually started rusting on the car.

We were told by the dealer to get the aftermarket one because it was made better than that Honda one.

Hmm...

In our new house...

we're going to do it up pretty nice. I've already decided that in the family room I want to have a great home theatre system, equipped with the best equipment, and even home theater carpet! I've heard that the carpet is suppose to help with the acoustics and make a great home theatre system sound even better.

Of course, we first have to move and then save enough money to get a nice system.

Maybe we'll hit the lottery soon?

Phoenix, Arizona!

My friend, Jen, just got back from Phoenix. She had to go for a business trip and she said she absolutely loved it. I'm just waiting for the day that Jen just decides to move to one of her visited places. I'm guessing it would probably happen during the winter when it's cold and miserable in upstate New York!

She mentioned a beautiful development desert ridge homes which is situated right in Phoenix. The houses are beautiful and she couldn't believe how they are situated.

The real estate in Phoenix is really hot too. You can checkout TheHolmGroupAZ.com's website and get an idea of the different real estate options available. It seems like a new place for young professionals. Plus, you can't go wrong with all of that sun!

I'm from Texas and I can attest how much I miss those sunny days and even the nice sunburns that I had to nurse on a weekly basis -- IN DECEMBER!

Back to the grind..

Well, we've hired a friend to come and watch Grammy today. We've decided to pay her the same amount as we would daycare. She's unemployed and looking for work and we really need her to help us out so it works for both of us.

Of course, the good thing is that it gives me time to catch up on work and it's good for Graem too because it means she doesn't have to watch Backyardigans and Maisy all day long!

We're moving.

Not really, of course...but we can still talk about it.

Last night our basement had water in it and I swore we were going to call the real estate agent today and put the house on the market. I guess I'm too lazy.

Maybe we should consider Real estate short sales - northern california. I love the weather in California and we'll be there in October to check out the ASLA conference....

This post sponsored by: Northern California Real Estate Investing

Ugh.

I'm friggin' horrible. I've been on bedrest and I was way too depressed to put any hours in last week. I should seriously try to be more consistent about all of this.

I just feel right now my life is such a rollercoaster ride and I have to focus first on Graem, then myself, and then trying to get pregnant.

Maybe next week will be better.

Happy Graduation!

When I was in high school and about to graduate we sent graduation announcements to everyone. In part I think it was because my parents didn't know if I was going to graduate or not and was happy to see it finally happen!

We went through the school's company that helps sponsor graduation but they were so expensive!

Now with the internet you can actually buy graduation announcements online and get a pretty good deal.

I love going...

bedroom furniture shopping! We went years without having bedroom furniture. We had moved the same particle board furniture from apartment to apartment and it was in pretty bad shape by the time we moved into our house.

It wasn't until a year ago that we finally broke down and bought some nice furniture! I like the style and it's black which matches the decor in the bedroom. Plus, it's lasted pretty good and the price was perfect!

Do you need a tutor?

When I was a kid I did pretty good in school. However, there was a time in high school where my parents hired a local kid to tutor me in Spanish. It was just one of those things that I couldn't understand.

If you're looking for an Innovative Tutor - look no further. Score Learning Centers offer great tutors for kids 4-14.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

To work or not to work on the weekends?

Lately, I must say that I've been somewhat laxed about posting and putting in a few hours on the weekend. I know that it would help financially but I also feel like if I start working then it ends up taking hours and then I end up spending half of my day on the internet and computer.

I know there's probably a happy medium and right now I feel that I should probably just do work when Graem is taking her nap.

Hmm..I've got to get her back on a weekend nap schedule!!

Tudors?

No, not that type of tudor..I'm thinking about Reading Tutors for our little girl, Graem!

She's going to be three in December and I know that at some point we're going to have to get into a more educational environment.

When she turns 4 she'll be able to go to a Score Learning Center and receive great education help...but until then I think I'm going to keep trying to get her into the local montessori school.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Center

Office is open!

I'm having my office hours now and I've been here for about an hour. I had a nice lunch with my friend Jen and it was great to meet up again. It's been a while since we've hung out and a lot has gone on over the past month.

Even though I've just been here for an hour I've actually been able to get quite a bit of work done. It's amazing what can happen when you don't have a two year old begging for milk every ten minutes.

Good stuff.

I must say that I constantly have my eyes opening for blogs that cover just a little bit of everything and aren't your typical CNN.com or NewYorkTimes.com. I think I've found just that with the newest Business Blog - GimmieTheScoop.com.

The articles are articulate and well written. Not to mention, they seem to cover politics, business, and the economy. Those are three things that are very tricky to cover - yet the author does a great job.

If you're looking for a good Political Blog that keeps it real...you've got to check it out!

This post sponsored by: GimmieTheScoop.com

Tomorrow.

Well it looks like with all of these appointments that I've pretty much overplanned my afternoon tomorrow. Yikes.

These doctor's appointments take half of my day and then I'm meeting with my friend Jen for lunch tomorrow afternoon.

It seems like this week has just flown by and I know that next week will too since I'll be in limbo land with my egg retrieval!

Go Cowboys!

Okay, I admit it...I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and every Thanksgiving I remember seeing the Dallas Cowboys on television because my Uncle Brian was obsessed!

They had a horrible team growing up and literally did so bad that you couldn't give Dallas Cowboys tickets away!

Now of course, it's a little bit different and Cowboy's tickets are pretty hard to come by unless you want to sit in the nosebleed sections!

That's why I like to go through a vendor that has some of the best seats around - PremiumSeatUSA.com.

Their website is easy to use and they have some awesome seats! I've always had the philosophy that if you can't sit close to the action you might as well just watch it on television!

Get thin.

I've tried just about every diet and the most recent was with the help of my "Fat Pills" - Xenical and Phentarmine that were prescribed by my doctor.

I lost a good 75 pounds but ended up gaining about 20 pounds back from the most recent infertility treatments.

If this last attempt to get pregnant doesn't work I'm really going to look into getting weight loss surgery.

JourneyLite.com offers some great information for people who are interested in getting the lap surgery and you can even find a surgeon in your area and enroll in a free seminar too.

This post sponsored by: JourneyLite.com

Exhausted...

but I actually have some time to get some work done while Graem sleeps on the couch! I'm hoping that she'll be gone for at least a couple of hours so that I can get done all of the blogging and computer work that I have to do.

Why do I procrastinate again?

Holy shit I have a lot to do and I know that Graem is going to wake up any time.

Of course, I still have to upload 1 1/2 years worth of photos to SnapFish.com too!

I wanna see Mickey too!

I was just talking to a friend the other day about how I can't wait to take Graem on a Disney vacation! We were thinking of doing it later and when she was older but the reality is I think she would love to go now.

She's just starting to get into the whole princess thing and she loves the rides! Just a few weeks ago we went to the local fair and she had such a good time on the kiddie rides. I was shocked and thought she might have been a little bit more reserved!

I'm always on the lookout for a good deal and if we're thinking about going to Orlando I should probably keep my eyes open for Disney World Tickets!

The last time we went we had some comp tickets that Margot's aunt and uncle gave us so we didn't have to pay for them. OrlandoFunTickets.com offers some great ideas for entertainment and you can also get some great deals through the website!

I love my coupons!

Just the other day I used a few coupons from CouponChief.com.

I ended up purchasing a new water filter for our refridgerator and was able to find a great Labor Day code! I got the $39.00 water filter for $32.00 and that was minus tax and included delivery!

I was also able to use the Target coupon and get 10% off of the order. Graem's carseat would have been close to 4$290 - but with the coupon at least it soaked up the cost of tax and I got free shipping too!

I was wondering just the other day what we used to do prior to internet shopping and coupons. This holiday I plan on doing all of my shopping online and using the great coupons on CouponChief.com to help me save money!

Gotta go...I just found some great Gap Coupons that are calling my name!

So much for a day off!

I've wanted to kill Margot lately because when she wakes up Graem wakes up with her. UGH! It makes me want to scream because typically Graem has stayed in bed with me and we've been able to sleep in.

Thank God this morning Margot dropped Graem off at daycare and I've been trying to get things together around the house. I finished cleaning and now I'm trying to do laundry, blog, and also I have to make a run to the store to pick up Gatorade and also to pick up meds, and drop off the video.

This afternoon I plan on uploading all of our pictures to SnapFish! That is going to be crazy since we have TONS that we need to get printed. I'm not looking forward to the cost of the prints either.

A get away?

We're going to Margot's conference in San Francisco in October but other than that we don't have any plans for vacation.

We talked the other day about really making it a priority each year to have a family vacation. Margot works so hard and I know she likes to get away and enjoy herself.

We've even talked about doing a little camping too! Big Bear Vacation rentals offer great places that are fully equipped with the luxuries of home!

Even though I'm not a camping person I think I could probably be *alright* in one of these nice cabins or villas.

Of course, I'd be even better with Palm Springs Vacation homes! I love the sun and the beach and it'd be great if we can find a place right on the beach to relax and have fun.

Destin Vacation Rentals are also looking pretty good about now!

The whole idea is to get away from upstate New York when we're buried in snow around January or February and go someplace sunny and beachy!

Venture Capital, Venture Capital Database

A lot of investors these days are looking to take their money out of the stock market and invest it in many different ways.

In fact, I think VentureDeal Venture Capital Database has a lot of great companies and start up ventures that just need the extra revenue to get off of the ground.

I have a friend who invests in venture capital and he's had some losses but overall he does really good and just a few weeks ago he bought a big house on the lake!

VentureDeal.com offers an easy to use website that anyone can understand and navigate through.

If you're looking to invest money and get out of the up and down stock market...you've got out check out VentureDeal.com!

I'm bad.

I've been really bad about actually working lately. It's so hard to get back into gear when things are so unstructured. Plus, I've decided that when I have Graem that's our time and I'm not going to do computer or television.

So of course, that means that it's less time for me to get work done.

I've been trying to cram everything I need to do in Wednesdays and Fridays but lately I've been finding myself going to Syracuse for doctor's appointments.

At least tomorrow it's just me and my computer.

Oh yeah...and a dirty house!

What a great idea.

When our friends L&L got married they did things a little different than the typical bride and bride. In fact, it was nice to see things changed around a bit!

They gave their bridesmaids and people in their wedding an engraved swiss army knife!



I thought the idea was unique. Plus, it was something that people could use indefinately.

I've recently come across this great website that has some awesome offers on gift ideas! InternetGiftMarket.com is an easy to use website and has a full array of great priced items that are sure to send you running for your credit card!

I'm always at a loss for what to get people for Christmas and Birthdays. WIth this website I'll never run out of ideas!



This post sponsored by: InternetGiftMarket.com

Just the other day...

I got a call from the hospital. My favorite social worker R called and asked if I was still in business and doing the consulting. She said that a booklet full of service providers had come out and she didn't see my name.

I told her that I wasn't doing the actual companion care but I was doing the case management. She said good and that she would put my number in the booklet and make sure to pass out the information.

I've got to find out how to get in that damn booklet next year.

Business and golf?

Mix perfectly - I must say!

When I was a corporate girl I used to golf quite regularly. In fact, we constantly participated in golf tournaments around town and it was really good publicity for us to participate in the non-for-profit tournments.

I was fully equipped with some nice clubs but I wish I would have had a better selection of golf apparel ladies.

One thing that I discovered was that it was harder for me to find the bigger sizes in a women's style so I ended up getting mens shorts and shirts.

Our little lady.

A few months ago I picked up some costume jewelry
for Graem. She's constantly trying on my jewelry and I figured if she had her own she wouldn't want to wear mine!

Plus, the cost of the jewelry was so cheap that I was able to get her a nice selection. She loves putting on the necklaces and bracelets. In fact, I even found a kit that had Barbie on it and lights up! Of course, they have some clip on earrings too. But those only lasted a matter of minutes before she lost them in the car.

I know at some point she's going to want real earrings...

Getting older?

Since I've started getting older I'm realizing more and more that things on my body aren't the same that they used to be. Most recently I went to get my hair cut and also some highlights.

I realized that my hair is thinning on top! My mother has a thinning hairline so I knew it was just a matter of time but I was hoping to avoid it since I don't use tons of Aqua Net!

I think I might need to check out Provillus. Provillus is a topically FDA approved medication that will help with hair regrowth. It helps to nourish the follicles that have been dead in the past.

One thing that I realize when I'm on all of these infertility meds is exactly what hot flashes are! It's horrible and I really can't believe how older women do it! I mean one minute I'm fine and then within a few minutes I'm sweating all over and feel like it's 200 degrees outside!

Of course, I know it's just a matter of time before I go into early menopause since I've been using so many eggs each time we do the infertility treatments. I wouldn't be surprised if it starts around my 40th birthday.

Of course, I might need to look into the cellulite cream sooner than later too!

Truth be known there are so many products out there and there's no telling which ones are good and which ones are a hoax. That's why I'm glad I stumbled across TrustSource.org. It allows people to leave the opinions and you can really find out what has worked for people instead of just reading advertisements.

Another progesterone?

I've been on progesterone for years in order to try and keep a pregnancy. The whole idea is that if you take it the drug will help you build your uterine lining and carry a pregnancy to term.

However, they are also prescribing progesterone to women in order to help with PMS, menstral cramps and actually regulate a period.

I say, if there's a med to help women with their monthly period and the unbearable side effects - AMEN!

Lovely lady lumps.

I've always had plenty of "backside" and been very fortunate. Even when I was thinner in high school I was told many times that I had black booty.

However, not everyone is as lucky as myself. In fact, some girls are beautiful but they might look even better if they had a little junk in the trunk!

Now they can purchase padded panty and get all of the behind that they've ever wanted!

Don't take my word for it though...check out LoveFiFi.com. They've got just about anything you could ever desire to make you look hot! Plus, their prices seem really decent too.

Slacker.

Okay, yesterday was a work day and G was at daycare. I had tons to do. What did I do but call up my friend in Syracuse and spend the day at lunch and shopping with her.

Bad girl.

I should have done everything I had to do.

I guess that means that today and Friday are going to be my catch up days.

So close.

At one point we were so close to getting all of our debt paid for. Then of course we took out the home equity loan for the IVF refund program and now we owe another $20,000!

What were we thinking?

Even though I know it was the right way to go...I can't help but think that's still a lot of money and it would have been so nice to be debt free!

Fortunate for us we have very good credit and have never had problems getting credit cards or loans.

However, there are others who need bad credit loans. Many times it's hard for people to get credit because of their past credit history.

600.net offers information on credit and can also help you get your finances back on track. The website is easy to navigate and has almost anything and everything financial related.

This post sponsored by: 600.net

Catching up.

Well, I'm quite impressed that I'm able to do a little bit of work today from home. Despite the fact that I'm sick and Graem's home with me. Of course, she has been in front of the television for the past few hours....

Okay, guilty mom has set in.

Must get dressed and get out of the house!

When the kid gets older...

and maybe when we get another baby we are definately going to make it a priorty to go on vacation. When I was a kid we *never* went on family vacations. I can't tell you if it's because my parents didn't have much money or noone wanted to be around each other for more than two days at a time!

Margot and I have talked about making a trip to Orlando, Florida. Of course, we'd probably fly, rent a car and look for Orlando Villas. Homes.OrlandoVacation.com offers some great discounts on vacations in the Orlando and surrounding area and can really help when planning a vacation.

Living up here in New York it's hard to plan a vacation because we have no idea what the area is like - nor do we know what the fun things to do there are!

So, it's nice to know that you can check out one website that has it all!

Looking good in the neighborhood.

I must be the first to admit that I am totally not into fashion. I dress like a hillbilly and half of the time I walk out of the house in flip-flops and plastic shorts. It is seriously a tragedy waiting to happen.

That's why I'm glad that I came across a new website that will keep me in the loop. Tobi.com specializes in fashion. They have some great clothes and what's even better is they have articles and a column geared towards monkeys like me who have no fashion sense. I like the fact that they have a fashion guru that is there to answer your fashion questions too.

I was shocked to see that velvet clothing was making a comeback this year! I remember every year my mother and grandmother would find the reddest and most velvety dress they could find each year for my Christmas dress. Of course, those were also matched with the brightest red, shiny shoes they could find.

Velvet apparel has always been a favorite of mine, though. Not only does it fit comfortably, but it's forgiving, and it feels so smooth and silky!

It's amazing how twenty five years later velvet clothes have made a come back! Who knows maybe parachute pants will come back too!

You know I'll be first in line when that happens...

I have a new addiction!

I must admit that over the family reunion I became addicted to Monopoly! We ended up buying Dennis the new Monopoly that works with debit cards and no real bank. It was super cool and I even downloaded the game for our computer.

Of course, I'm glad that it wasn't poker because then I'd have to start shopping for good, quality, poker tables!

You know I never can do anything half-way and it always has to be the best! That's why I've bookmarked AmericanGamingSupply.com in case I ever have a gambling or gaming addiction and need to find a nice table.

I stepped on the scale this morning...

and was shocked to see that I only gained five pounds from family reunion. Of course, that's not counting the gaining since fertility drugs and trying to get pregnant for a year now!

That's why I'm considering hydroxycut to help me lose those unwanted pounds.

I figure I've tried prescription meds and although they did a good job...they were so expensive! It'll be a nice break on my pocketbook to buy something that's cheaper and just as effective.

I love to golf!

Unfortunately, I rarely get out enough to enjoy golfing. I purchased a new pair of golf clubs a few years ago before I resigned from my job.

I think since I've had them I've only played a handful of times. It's amazing how I can actually go out on the course and hold my own! The last time I went out I had a pretty decent game and didn't loose too many golf balls in the woods.

Of course, I consider anything less than a case of balls a good game of golf!

Take me away to Orlando!

In just a few years Grammy will be old enough for us to take her to Orlando. She's already starting to get into the whole princess thing and I can't wait to take her to Disney!

When we were in New York we went to Coney Island and she rode on all of the kiddie rides. She loved it!

If we were to go to Orlando we'd probably want to stay in a vacation home Orlando. It just makes sense when you're traveling with kids and want a nice place to call "home"!

Plus, since we really like a nice and quiet place --- we've all but given up on staying at hotels!

For a good cause.

A few years ago when I worked for an assisted living I was very active with the community and also with the Alzheimer's Association.



In fact, every year they had the Memory Walk and for a few years I was on the board and even selected as the Chairperson for the event. There was really a lot to putting on such a great event and being a "behind the scenes" person I really got to see all that took place! From the donations to the fundraisers and really trying to make enough at our walk to help the worthy cause.

Now the Alzheimer's Association is at it again with their annual Memory Walk.

I think everyone should be passionate about something and as I was working with older people and even people as young as fifty five years old ... I saw something so devastating and knew that I wanted to make a difference.

When the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk came along I knew I wanted and needed to be a part of raising money to find a cure.

It appears that they haven't announced dates for our local walk but I think this year I'd really like to be a part of it and even raise money and walk! Plus, I think it's good for Graem to see at a young age what it's like to help organizations raise money and to help others.



The walk is nationalwide and anyone can sign up! Just make sure to sign up early. Take it from me...it makes everyone's job who is organizing the event a lot easier if they have an idea of who is going to show up!

If you've got the walking fever -- feel free to sign up as a Team Captain too!

Forever and a day...

since I posted and I deeply apologize!

We were at the family reunion in New York City and I really wanted to just take a break from posting, work, and enjoy family and good food.

Of course, I'm sitting about 10 pounds fatter and wishing I would have done some work about now!

I guess that will always be waiting for me tomorrow when Grammy's at daycare!

The next step.

Well, I feel like I've tried everything to lose the weight including: exercise, fat pills, and dieting.

Now, I think it's time for a lap band. The good thing about the lap band is that's it's adjustable and not a permanent fixture - however your eating habits do become permanent.

Sometimes I feel like I just need a little jumpstart. Check out JourneyLite.com to get more information on this great surgery that has changed the lives of so many people.

This post sponsored by: JourneyLite.com

Much needed time.

Well, we're in New York City now and I've had ltitle to no break because I've been so busy carting around the family!

Tonight was one of the last trips to the airport so hopefully, I can hang around and enjoy the company without being the driver!

Want to get a tax deduction?

Our taxes this year are going to be a major mess. I have some business expenses but we've done a horrible job at taking out tax money from my blogging and consulting.

Good thing we have a few months to get everything together! I guess I should start saving receipts now!

We are constantly looking for ways to get a tax deduction too! A few years ago we had Graem and that trimmed off about $2,000.

At some point if/when my car gets old enough and we decide to buy another one we might consider car donation. CarAngel.com is a non profit that allows you donate your car, boat, and even house!

They end up selling your items to the general public and use that money to help at risk kids, orphanages, and local communities. You can get rid of your car and know that it's going towards a good cause...plus you can reap the benefits and get a nice little tax write off!

If you are wondering how you can "Donate my car" just go to CarAngel.com. The website is really informative and pretty easy to follow.

Car Donations are the newest and easiest way to get a nice tax deduction! Aside from being blind or having triplets. Then again, we'd probably love to have the triplets!

I got your number!

Living in upstate New York we don't have many options when it comes to services. As a healthcare consultant I'm always looking for options. Especially, for families that call me and live outside of the Tompkins county area.

That's why I'm glad to come across a pretty good Internet Yellow Pages where I can look up services in all areas.

Radiux.com offers over 14 million listings and it's pretty easily organized. In fact, this also makes shopping for family who live in Houston and New York City a piece of cake!

Now we don't have to look online for a big company that spends way too much advertising to get a business that will do the job for half of the price!

Family reunion.

It will be nice to have a laptop at this family reunion. Plus, I feel that the kid is somewhat of a buffer too. Many times when it's just the adults you have to talk and the silence is too weird at times.

WIth a kid at least you can expect some talk about potty training, terrible two's, and her future college plans.

Traders!

We've been going to Trader K's on the commons for years. When we first started going we used to sell our old clothes for money that we would use to pay our bills. Even if we were still wearing the clothes...we'd sell them!

You know, desperate times call for desperate measures!

Now, we go through our clothes every six months and get rid of all of the lesbian sweater vests that we have banned from our house.

Hopefully, this Trader run will hook us up with some good eat out money!

I never knew...

My marketing background has always been pretty extensive. I've worked on both parts of the spectrum including selling advertising and being the Marketing Director that purchases advertising.

I've worked with print advertising and radio. I've always prided myself in producing a really good finished product that was effective for the organization.

I've never worked with television or commercials. I'm guessing that it's a much different type of advertising because there are so many parts of it.

One thing that you have to know about is hd stock footage. Basically, that's the same type of idea as clip art in print advertising.

AlwaysHD.com offers a huge selection of footage for firms that are looking to make a commercial. When you think about it...it probably costs much less to get stock footage than it is to shoot your own!

Nekkid kid.

Grammy just got out of the bathtub and she's sitting but naked and wet on the couch. No wonder we need new furniture.

I'm just glad that the couch is brown.

That was bad. Really.

Mail.

Lately, we have been getting such crap in our mailbox! I can't even believe that companies waste their money on stamps to send out this stuff. I mean does anyone actually ever open anything that has a presorted label?

Ready to be recruited?

When I was in college and even after I graduated I was recruited and looked over by a few big corporates and recruiting firms. Typically, I'd get a few interviews and they'd find out that I only wanted to live in certain locations and that would be the end of our conversation!

Now there's a Executive Recruiting Firm Blog that offers some great information on working with a recruiting firm and even interviewing and getting the job.

AEFeldman.com offers recruitment services for people who are looking for an executive position. Their trained recruiters are there to help the organization and the potential employee.

They are into the business of finding the perfect match for your organization!

The stock market.

I must admit I'm somewhat glad that I pulled most of my stocks out of the market. With the past few weeks being so bad I would have lost my shirt with all of the losses. I can't believe it's so rocky.

I have a friend who invests and does quite well. She's big into saying when the stock market sinks --- that's the time to buy.

Of course, that's assuming that you have money to invest and that you haven't lost it in the previous crashing market!

I should open...

a counseling service. I swear I have one friend that constantly calls and she's a wreck. I understand that's what friendship is all about buy lord have mercy. Sometimes I feel like it's even too much for me!

I think she needs a good dose of vicodin mixed with an anti-anxiety and anti-depression coctail.

Straight from the office of Dr. Black.

Exhausted.

I just woke up a few hours ago and I'm already tired. Is this part of being an old far or is there something wrong?

Of course, even if I were to lie down to take a nap I'm not sure if I could actually go to sleep!

I feel like Grandpa on the Simpsons. The second that I sit still I fall asleep!

Or-lan-do!

I think it's just a matter of time before we head down to Florida. Of course, our next big trip is to Brooklyn for family reunion, then San Francisco.

But I do know that Florida will be in our near future. Graem has already started showing interest in the whole princess and Disney thing. I think she'd just love it to see actual characters! We just rented Cinderella over the weekend too!

Of course, since we alwayd so our vacations on a budget we'd probably have to look into a discount orlando hotel!

Orlando.com offers a great website where you can plan your whole vacation! They offer some great hotel offers and even information on getting around including car rentals too!

A much needed break!

Well, we're going to be taking some time off and heading to family reunion in the next week or so. I think we'll be leaving Thursday and returning the following Wednesday.

More than likely I'll still do a little bit of blogging from Brooklyn but I don't plan on spending too much time on the computer.

Unless, of course, Margot's family is driving me nuts.

Where to host?

I'm looking at some alternatives to the usual webpage hosting sites. I've used some of the obvious ones out there, but find their service lacking. Sure, it's good when it's good, but when it's bad, then it's really bad, with customer service lines like, "Sorry, there's nothing else we can do" and "I'm not quite sure what to tell you."

I just found out from a friend that there's a local hosting site that is managed in town, and it turns out that we're mutual acquaintances with kids Grammy's age. Maybe I'll look into that.

Business credit cards

When I first started my business, I wanted it to be a cash-only operation--for myself, that is. I didn't want to go into debt over getting it started, so I didn't get a loan.

But now it seems to make sense to get a business credit card, so that I can track my business expenses separately from personal expenses. I hate filling out Credit Card Applications, so I'm going to use CreditCardSearchEngine.com to narrow down my choices. It's important to fully research all the options out there before committing to a credit pull. I also need to minimize fees and expenses, because, as you know, I'm cheap.

Business expenses

I didn't realize when I formed my business that there would be fees involved with keeping the name registered. It looks like I have to pay a fee every two years to keep my address updated, payable to the state. I suppose $9 every two years isn't so bad... I need to stop being so cheap and pay up!

The cost of doing business these days, I tell you.

New logo and marketing materials!

Marg's work is finally updating their logo, getting a website (YES, for the first time), and updating their image with a full overhaul. It's like a whole new firm!

They've been using their current logo for about 15 years now, and for a firm that's in the design industry, it's important to keep current and look contemporary.

I'm excited to see what their website will look like (I can finally show my friends what my partner does), and to see their brochure sheets. Maybe they'll get some nice glossy portfolio folders too!

When Grammy gets older...

and maybe when we get another baby we are definately going to make it a priorty to go on vacation. When I was a kid we *never* went on family vacations. I can't tell you if it's because my parents didn't have much money or noone wanted to be around each other for more than two days at a time!

Margot and I have talked about making a trip to Orlando, Florida. Of course, we'd probably fly, rent a car and look for hotel orlando. Orlando.com offers some great discounts on vacations in the Orlando and surrounding area and can really help when planning a vacation.

Living up here in New York it's hard to plan a vacation because we have no idea what the area is like - nor do we know what the fun things to do there are!

So, it's nice to know that you can check out one website that has it all!

Halloween!

I can't believe Halloween is just around the corner! In fact, it's hard to believe that last year our little girl was a lion. She wasn't too fond of the costume and actually cried when we tried to put it on her.

This year she's saying that she wants to be Pablo from the Backyardigans however, I'm thinking that animal masks might be the way to go! That way she would haven't to put on a hot costume which freaks her out and she could be the animal of her choice.

TheJungleStore.com has many different masks to choose from and they also offer animal costumes too!

The little things.

When we moved to our house it was in need of a major make over. However, we really didn't have the money to do major improvements. We painted the interior, got shutters, got a new front door and painted it.

For the kitchen we painted the counters, got cabinet hardware, and really worked on helping it with a face life. We also got the stick on black and white tiles and put them on the existing ugly yellow flooring!

All in all, we're pretty happy with the improvements that we've made. Of course, having a house is always a work in progress and we'll never be completely happy until we have another bathroom and an extra 2,000 square feet!

A nice "thank you".

Typically when I work with people in business I try to do whatever I can to let them know that I appreciate their business. Since I have a small community based business and many of my clients are word of mouth it really pays to do the little things like thank you cards and such.

Years ago I used to send flowers or candy but that got somewhat expensive and didn't really get across the point. Plus, at times people would feel awkward for accepting a nice bouquet!

Now I think fruit baskets are the perfect gift! Whether it's to say "thank you" or "get well soon" it's nice to know someone is thinking of you.

Plus, before when I used to bring chocolate I would get a whole lot of people say that they're on a diet or diabetic. Yikes.

GourmetGiftBaskets.com offers a great selection of really beautiful fruit baskets! Plus the prices are just perfect and they deliver.

What more could you ask for?

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YIKES!

I have a love/hate relationship with scary movies. I used to be alright with them when I was younger and even used to go to the haunted houses located throughout the Houston area! Of course I would pay the ten dollars and run through the houses within thirty seconds screaming like a mad woman.

One of the last scary movies that I watched was an old repeat of "Alien" that was playing on UPN. Even though it was just weird and old....I still got the creeps! I think it has to do with knowing that Margot gets scared of movies too and with both of us scared it's like the blind leading the blind!

At least for that one I didn't have to leave the lights on and after thirty minutes I had forgotten it.

Now Rob Zombie has done it again! August 31st his new rendition of: Halloween the movie will be making it's appearance!

Check out this darn scary preview:



Anything that has kids, monsters, and dead policemen is a note to me that it's way too scary!

Whatever happened to the days when I could watch scary movies, go to haunted houses, and even tell ghost stories in the dark?

Hopefully, I won't pass my scared gene to little Grammy!

Then again, I'm not sure she would be able to appreciate Halloween the movie quite yet!

Too damn early.

This morning Margot woke up early and Graem was not far behind. Then Margot came upstairs and told me she would be leaving in a few minutes. So of course, I woke up too to eat breakfast and make sure that Graem was going to be okay.

Now it's 8:00 amd Grammy and me are exhausted! She's already had a Backyardigans overload and we have to be out of here in the next hour or so.

Augh. Why can't we just get more sleep???

Send me an angel, right now.

We are constantly looking for ways to give back to our community. At one point we were donating money to the human rights campaign. We have even been known to work at the occassional soup kitchen.

Now there's a new non-for-profit out there that is looking to accept cars, boats, and houses for donation. Boat Angel allows you to give your used or unused boat for donation.

BoatAngel will actually make arrangements to pick up your boat and leave you with a receipt that you can use for a tax deduction come tax time.

A few years ago we actually had a boat that was just sitting under our car port. The boat was working and it just came down to us not having time each summer to fix it up, get tags, and take it into the water. Plus, when the baby was born we really didn't have the time!

Had we known about the boat angel outreach center we would have donated our boat for a worthy cause.

BoatAngel actually uses the sell of boats, houses, and cars to support their efforts to educate children and also help with prison reform. They have also been known to give prisoners and addicts the skills that they need to be successful community members once released into the community.

Score!

My friend Lindsey takes her daughter to Score Learning Centers and can't say enough about what they've done for her child. She uses their Reading Tutors and already her four year old daughter can read at the second grade level!

I wish we lived closer to a metropolitan area that offered tutoring and Score Learning Centers!

We'd be the first to sign up for them!

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

Tomorrow's plans.

Tomorrow I'm getting back into the grind. I will be dropping Graem off first thing in the morning and then I have to come back over on this side of the lake to head to a shrinky dink appointment.

Then I think I'm probably going to hang out at home and do my blogging.

Gotta love a fun packed day of blogging and shrinkage!