Golden Rainbows

Wouldn't you know after 4 days of rain once again today it rained, thankfully we hope the rain is getting out of the system and our vacation next week will be really nice. Today after the rain broke the sun came out and we were hit with a beautiful Rainbow. I wondered could we chase down the end of the rainbow and find the little leprechaun at the end of the rainbow with his bucket full of gold. Now realistically that's not going to happen so it might be a better time to buy gold bullion . Gold has been proven over the course of time to be one of the safest investments.

Snow man time?

The kids were asking me if they could make a snow man soon, but alas there is nothing falling but rain. It has rained for 4 days straight, it hasn't shown any sign of letting up. The wind is blowing so hard it is forcing water under the siding and causing drips to form in the ceiling, Merry Christmas to us I guess. There will surely not be a white Christmas for us this year will there. Anyway I told the kids soon enough we would be out in the yard making snow balls and snow men so they just needed to hang tough for a few more weeks.

The mystery Water Cooler

Do you ever have one of those moments when something weird happens to you that you can't figure out. Tonight I was sitting here relaxing with the computer, the house was nice and quiet, the kids were all off to bed and out of no where the water cooler starts to chug water. Now no one has been near the water cooler for hours so now why all of a sudden does water start chugging down to fill the cooler? It spooked me out for a few minutes for sure so now I'm sitting here on edge.

Golden Dreams

What kind of investment opportunities do you have in your portfolio. It is important to stay up to date with your investment mix and to be very aware of what you are looking out of your investments. There are different things to consider depending on where you are in your life. There really never is a bad time to buy gold coins, it has proven itself to be a very safe investment choice that provides stable returns with minimal risk. Gold is currently trading at some of it's highest values in recent memory but don't let that discourage you as with the dollar continuing to drop normally the value of commodities like gold bullion will continue to rise.

All I want for Christmas

This is what I heard the other day from my son, common Dad all I want for Christmas is a PS3 with call of duty and a wireless controllers and and and....oh yeah by now I stopped listening. I tried to explain to him that at this point a $500 plus ps3 might be pushing it and the rest of the list might have to hold off. It's scary the expectations kids have for Christmas these days, of course they get this from their friends whom get spoiled by their parents.

Slushy Madness

The kids recently discovered the slushy machine at the store near our home, with it being a little warmer lately they love the cool treat. The store here has 8 flavors of slushy so it will take a while to try all the flavors but the kids do like to mix the flavors to try combinations of Rainbow that they create. I tried one the other night and the combination of brain freeze and sugar rush.

Future Investments

I've been looking for alternatives for my investment portfolio, something that I can have some faith in it's long term value. Of course my investments are diversified but with the markets so volatile you have to be as careful as possible. For generations Gold has been known for it's value and beauty, a sure sign of wealth the world over. Now how does one buy gold bullion and coins with confidence. The US Gold Bureau is a leading expert on investment quality gold and coins and can help you get the most for your investment dollar. They have the ability to ship your purchase directly to you or they can store your investment until you are ready for your shipment.

11 day countdown

Christmas is getting closer and closer with only 11 days left before the big day. We are getting excited to go visit with family over the holidays. Unfortunetly we are staying home for Christmas and travelling for New Years. We are hoping for good weather on our travels and of course looking forward to a Happy New Year.

My Christmas Wish

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG. All opinions are 100% mine.

Well with Christmas fast approaching I have been working and shopping very hard to get everything on the Christmas wish lists of my family. I started a bit earlier than normal this year and it is wonderful to be almost done before the calendar even flips over to December. I decided it was time to start hinting around to my wife for my Christmas wish list. I am really hoping she gets the hint and gets me a new cell phone, I am so tired of my ancient cell phone, I can barly send a text on it let alone browse the Internet. I have been checking out the LG Optimus, it provides smooth Internet browsing the capability of sync up to my outlook from work. It also offers access to Android Market and over 80,000 applications. It also has a built in camera so I can catch those special moments with the kids when  and where they might happen. It's incredible how much the technology behind cell phones has advanced in only the last few years. Can you imagine where LG will go next with Cell Phone technology. I can imagine a day in the very near future where we literaly use our cell phone for everything.

Let it Snow

The first snow of the year hit here yesterday and boy did it ever hit us good, although there wasn't a lot of snow down, only 15cm it snowed constantly all day. It started late in the evening while we were at my Christmas party. When we thought it was over I went out and cleaned the driveway and just as I was finishing it started again, in only seconds it was a full blown blizzard. I wonder if it will be a rough winter or not this year.

Family Guy

I recently discovered "The Family Guy", it is quite the comical masterpiece. If you can dumb yourself down a little bit and appreciate it for what it is. It's great because although it has been on for years, I get to catch up with 4 episodes every night. The one thing I haven't really figured out about this show but does anyone other than Brian understand Stewie?

Making life easier

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG. All opinions are 100% mine.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG. All opinions are 100% mine.

I made a decision that it was time to make my life easier for a change, to make that happen I decided it was time to get rid of my tired old cell phone and start shopping around for something better that could help me organize my liffe better. One of the phones I researched was the LG Optimus 7, it will allow users to capture photo's and video and play back on the hd resolution screen. You can watch movies and browse the Internet wherever you are. There are so many options to think about when you are shopping for a new cell phone, you want one that provides you a good plan that is best suited to your requirements. The Optimus 7 provides you with lot's of digital storage with 16MB of memory that can store 100's of mp3, video and picture files that can be viewed at your disposal. The Optimus 7 can also be used to play your music files and to send and receive text messages to keep you up to date and in contact with all your friends. If you find yourself in the market for a new cell phone you should take some time to see if the Optimus 7 would match all your needs.

The Chase is over

Well Mr. 5 time has done it again, 5 titles in a row for Jimmie Johnson, the Nascar Hype machine promised us a race of the year but really it didn't deliver the goods. The challangers never made the points close, the race was pretty good but the fate was sealed when Jimmie qualified so well. Can anyone beat this guy for a title, I think he just played possum all year to make us think he was vulnerable. We have to wait to see what happens next year.

Shiny Purchases

If you are considering purchasing silver or gold coins for your collection or as an investment, you may want to arrange for immediate delivery or for secure deposit until you are ready for them you should contact the experts at the US Gold Bureau. The US Gold bureau has been building a team of experts for years and are one of the most reliable sources for gold investments. Gold has been increasing in value especially with the decrease available gold being mined. As the supply continues to deplete the demand will also continue to rise driving the value of any investment you make up making you more money on your investment.

Writing Club

My son Kohl arrived home from school the other day very excited to have joined the writing club at school. His assignment was to write a short story on whatever he wanted. He already had it planned out in his head and he was writing a story about a giant shark and a crew of boaters that get into trouble with the Shark, ala Jaws. He has written a page a night the last few nights and his story actually is pretty good. He says he already knows how the story will end it's just a matter of writing the journey there, spoken like a true writer. I can't wait to see how it turns out, maybe in a few years we will see the "Shark of Doom" in the theatres.

New book order

My son Blake arrived home today from school very excited about his new book order, it had in it a 14 book christmas package for only $20. He thought it would be great for him to have all these Christmas books for us to read at night before bed. It had a good selection of books including classics like Frosty, Oliver, Clifford and the Grinch. I think I will try to break down and get him the package as he always looks forward to me reading to him before he goes off to bed each night. Merry Christmas buddy!

Gold investments

Did you know that the actual reserve of gold is rapidly depleting and the current level of mining can not keep up with the demand. Over generations gold had been mined and formed into jewellery, gold bars and gold coin as this continues to happen the remaining underground reserve has depleted. The shortage had increased and will continue to increase the value of the investment. Now is an excellent time to get into investing in gold resources as it considered a safe investment. The value is expected to continue to raise as it becomes harder and harder to find new resources. If you would like to learn more about investing in gold including how to find investment resources you should consult with experts like those at the US Gold Bureau, they have a team of professionals that have been working on providing the best available information for years.

Rain rain go away

It is freezing today and the sound of the wind and rain beating on the house sure made me want to take an off day from work and just stay in bed. Of course it didn't work that way, the kids needed to go to school and I had things that couldn't be put off at work. I made it through the morning and am certainly looking forward to the weekend, well at least Sunday off to recoup.

Call of Duty

My son is driving me crazy, every time I see him all he wants to talk about is the new COD game that is coming out next week. He tells me about the clips of the game he's found on Youtube, the missions he's going on. He's planning an all nighter at his friends house the night it get's released (Good Thing they don't have school the next day) It's COD all the time so I can't wait for it to just come out so we can talk about something else for a change. He's COD obsessed by the way.

Great gifting options

We love jewellery, if it glitters it is beautiful it is always a great gift idea to buy gold. It's a universal gift that is always appreciated. Gold has long been used as a form of money and a form of wealth and power. It could be a very good time for you to take stock and evaluate what gold you have as the available stock piles have been depleted many manufactures are looking to buy your unwanted and broken gold jewellery to melt down and re use. You can search for help from experts like the ones at the US Gold Bureau to source gold products for you. They have years of expertise in sourcing the best stockpiles of gold and precious metals.

Wii in Red

The kids are looking forward to the new Wii that is coming out on Sunday. It is a red wii (Christmas Wii the kids call it) and it comes with a couple of games and accessories. The kids think it is a Santa special and have added it to their Christmas List for the Family Gift. Should be a fun Christmas Morning then for sure.

Master MInd

We have been waiting patiently for Master Mind to come out now for the last few weeks. My son wanted to go to it for his Birthday but we had to wait for it to come out first. We have a family night planned to go on Saturday and of course we will be enjoying it in 3d to make it complete. A great trip to the treat store will have to happen first so we are well stocked for the movie.

History Lesson

Throughout the ages men and women have dreamed of gold, it has been a driving factor in our history, wars have been raged over, loves have been found and lost over it. Long a symbol of beauty with our jewellery and gold coins, gold has been used as monetary form. Currently Gold is used as an investment product for many reasons. It has historically held it's value and is always in demand, over the last number of years the available raw material that can be mined is not keeping up with the demand which is driving up the value of gold. If you are interested in investing in gold it is a good idea to invest the time doing your research and speaking to the experts at the US Gold Bureau to assist you in making the smart decisions with your investments. They can assist you in sourcing your gold and then arranging secure delivery or storage depending on what you need.

Martinsville Showdown

It's week 6 of the chase and the showdown at Martinsville is tommorrow. I have read that it is now down to a 3 man race between Johnson, Hamlin and Harvick. I am a Harvick fan and support to the end but I have to admit I am a bit concerned about this week as he qualified 36th while Hamlin got the pole and Johnson starts 19th. It is also the first weekend with his new pit crew after a sudden change by RCR to remove his entire pit crew. If he can managed a decent finish and pick up a few points on the 48/11 than he should be in good shape the rest of the way but it will be a challange this weekend for sure. Good Luck 29!

TZone

Have you heard of Tzone yet, this was a new addition to our area and it is fantastic.
The machine is used to tone your muscles and stimulate circulation along with a variety of other things. We went for the last month and a half and had our measurements done after one month. My wife and I both lost 8 1/4" in total from our body measurements. It doesn't create a big weight loss but tones, we do our cardio via the treadmill at home or walking and also have both lost over 5lbs so a great start for us. If you have it in your area you should check it out it's a 10 minute a day workout.

Regency Beauty Schools

Looking at alternative options to ones career path should be taken seriously and although not always easy it is important to make smart choices. I know for many people it is a difficult decision to make but with careful consideration it becomes much easier. The cosmetology school in Phoenix offers the most current education methods you can recieve with hands on training and practice. The Regency Beauty Schools started out over 50 years ago and has grown to over 80 location to serve their student base. If you would like to find out more information about location nearest you or what they have to offer you in your situation check out RegencyBeauty.com.

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com or contact Regency Beauty Institute – 10217 North Metro Parkway West – Phoenix, AZ 85051

Best Laid Plans

I found this old laugh from a couple of years ago and thought I'd recycle it again.

My wife was out tonight with Jay and I got all the kids off to bed and was waiting back for them to arrive home. I set up Blakes drum stool infront of the fireplace knowing Carrie would want to warm up when she got home. She came in sat down and promptly fell right on her best a**et, oops so much for being nice. I don't think she damaged anything except maybe her pride but it was sure good for a silent laugh, I'm not brave enough to laugh out loud.

House Renovation

One fun renovation project we recently had was a put on hold for a little while that was at least until our insurance company came along and gave us the inspiration to finish it up. We had an old wood burning fireplace in our computer room...now we had no intentions of using it but there were a number of upgrades that had to be put in place if we intended to keep our insurance policy. I came up with this idea to rip out the wood burning fireplace and replace it with a new electric fireplace, we got an awesome deal $20 for the fireplace insert as teh glass was broken in the front and the wood surround was scrap wood from my work. If I had gotton all the work done to the other fireplace I would have been over 1000.00 to get everything fixed so I thought I was doing a very economical solution, in the spring we are going to add some tile over the wood surround to finish up the look.

Gold, Gold, Gold

The images of Gold have become part of pop culture all around the world. We have all dreamed of having piles of gold, from Alladin's piles of gold coins to the pirates and their hidden chests of gold coins. Let's not forget the Lepracaun and his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, our society is obsessed with gold. The United States Gold Bureau is the leader in precious metals and has been helping match investors with the rarest of coins and bullion for many years. They have access to the best information from all around the world and can find you the rarest of coins. If you are looking to buy, sell or trade your coin turn to the US Gold Bureau staff for your best support and expert advice.

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

chill is in the air

We had to break out the warm winter pj's for the kiddies and change over to the flannel or fleece sheets. Everyone enjoyed the warm cozy sleep so much and woke up toasty warm. It looks as if we will be in for a cool fall and winter so we have to get used to it but at least we are all ready.

Golden Memories

I have been collecting coins since I was just a little boy when my Grandfather gave me a bag of old coins he had collected over the years. I thought it was really cool to have little pieces of history from all over the world. As I have been growing my coin collection I have been working on collecting more valuable and rare coins. It is a bit more difficult to do this on my own so finding an expert in bullion like the team at the US Gold Bureau was the logical next move for me to grow my collection. They have all the connections and access to the best and rarest coin and bullion reserves. Whether you are collecting for fun or for investing it is a good idea to use a service to protect your investments and make sure you are getting the value you deserve.

Here's the chase

Well we are 4 weeks into the chase for the Nextel Cup and the question is who will win the chase when all the dust settles. To no ones surprise Jimmie Johnson is back in control of the chase and looks to be in line for his 5th championship. Will anyone be able to step up and take it from him? It was looking like Harvick would challenge for the championship this year but has been only dropping top 10 finishes instead of his early season top 5's. It's going to take some luck and skill for someone to unseat the 48 team.

Mobility Solutions by NMEDA

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently had a friend of mine that needed a specialized vehicle to transport their ill father the question came up where do people with special needs or disabilities find their vehicles to transport themselves around. I did some research for her and discovered an article that discusses the NMEDA non-profit association that educates consumers on how and where they can purchase the vehicle especially equipped for their specific needs. The unique thing is is that every case is special and no circumstances are identical. It takes people with specialized skills to make the modifications necessary to meet the needs that people with disabilities have with their vehicles. Sometimes it can be just a simple case of the elderly having difficulty with standard vehicles and just needing some modifications to maintain their mobility, while in other cases extensive modifications might be required to give someone back their freedom and ability to transport themselves from place to place. NMEDA has become a fantastic resource for people to use to increase their personal mobility for themselves or care for someone who has special needs. NMEDA dealers have been authorized to sell vehicles that meet the needs of their clients. Taken a step further is the NMEDA (QUP) Dealer which have gone through an intense accreditation program to ensure they meet the highest quality, safety and reliability within the industry. By checking out the NMEDA website you can find the authorized dealer nearest you to assist you with your questions and getting you back on the road faster. My local dealer is Harding Medical at 3447 Kempt Rd in Halifax, NS Phone: 902-453-6900 which is only a few hours away and very central to the needs of all maritimers, take a few minutes to find how close your mobility solutions can be.

I'm the lettuce in the sandwich

With Blake around you never know what moment of comedy is coming next...tonight as I was tucking him into bed he hit me with one of those head shaking moments. I usually put out his fleecy blanket and he jumps in it and then I fold it over him. Tonight we finished washing his second blanket so I put one on the bottom and said I'd cover him up with the other. He jumped up on the blanket and looked at me and said I'm the lettuce in the sandwich now you can put on the other bread blanket. It's hard not to laugh with this guy around.

Drug company lawsuits

How are we supposed to trust anything, one thing you would expect to be able to trust would be your own doctor. Unfortuenetly with all the money involved in the drug industry it's scary the power that they control. I'm so happy to hear that some of these drug companies are getting what they really deserve for cutting corners and not taking the proper care in testing their drugs. I recently heard about the start of Trasylol lawsuit that have been filed against the drug company that manufactures it. Trasylol is a drug that is used to control blood loss during heart surgeries. Another drug that has been in the spot light for lawsuits is the drug Accutane. Accutane Lawsuit have started to come up as people that used the drug to help treat Acne have been linked to IBD and Chron's Disease. This is only the tip of the iceberg in today's drug industry we will be sure to see many more drug lawsuits come up as we start to see the true side effects of these drugs.

Poor Puppies

We went for a walk tonight and for the first night this week we decided that we wanted to go for a walk just my wife and I. We have been taking the dogs with us everynight and they were not impressed with us tonight when we were getting ready and didn't get their leashs out of the closet. It was a much nicer walk without them but we did feel sorry for them, especially when we got home and they were staring out the windows for us.

Nanny McPhee

We washed Nanny McPhee 2 tonight with the kids, we really enjoyed the original and I have to say the 2nd one was probably even better. The kids were so excited to be able to watch this new movie. They were giggling throughout the movie especially when the little piglets got away and did syncronised swimming in the lake. It was really cute and hopefully it will not take as long for them to make Nanny McPhee 3 with a little c and a BIG P.

Golden Bars of investment

I was reading an interesting article today about investments in Gold and Silver, I was surprised to read that the mining industry is struggling to keep up with the demand for gold bar and silver deposits. This of course is driving the value of existing reserves and making it the perfect time to add this to your investment portfolio. The experts at the US Gold Bureau have been expertly trained to help you make the best investment choices to meet your specific needs. They can arrange to have your gold and silver delivered to you immeadietly of arrange for safe storage until you need to access your deposit.

Nascar...WTF...Clint Bowyer

I have officially heard it all now, having just come off an dramatic win last weekend and climbing up to 2nd in points Nascar is slamming Clint and the #33 team with an 150pt penalty for one of the rear end measurement being off by 1/60000th of an inch, this would be thinner than a piece of paper. Team owner is stating the car was rammed from behind by other cars and pushed by the wrecker after running out of gas. I watched the broadcast and there is no question the wrecker was pushing it hard. I think Nascar is going way over the top with this one ruining the entire chase for the 33...way to go Nascar!

Cell Phone Options

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been looking for an affordable cell phone option for our family for months. I was getting tired of my current program, that left me without enough minutes and was hard to top up. I had to make a special trip into the store to buy top up cards. We have such a busy life I need to keep things as simple as possible to avoid throwing life into chaos. I spent some time searching different options and discovered a new company called Boost Mobile, they have a great set up that allows you options with your cell phone. Boost Mobile allows you to pay via online, in person at a boost location or by you mobile phone. You can also Re-Boost your account with easy pay options using your debit card or credit card, you can register your payment method to make automatic payments. I can even use the Boost Mobile to update my Facebook and Twitter accounts to keep up with what all my friends are up to. It's so cool to be able to use the Blackberry to keep in contact with all my friends, family and business associates. It is also fun to use it to surf through my favorites sites. I also like to use my phone for walking and treadmilling and love to have my favorite tunes with me so the Rant Model is fantastic for keeping my favorite music set up to play while also allowing me to take pictures and video with the phone.

The end of Summer

The true sign that the end of Summer is actually here, we have drained the pool today and taken it down. The debate now is where are we going to set it up next year. We have been thinking about moving it over to the other side of the yard and starting a deck around the pool. It just doesn't seem that relaxing sitting on the ground when the pool is 4'up and you can't see what the kids are doing in the pool. We will see what the spring brings, with any luck we will be able to afford the decking that we want.

The US Gold Bureau

Investing can be a very risky thing, how do you know what makes a smart investment that will protect your investment and grow your security. One of the historically best investment commodities has always been precious metals like gold and silver. In these very difficult economic times when the stock market is very unstable it can be very tough to decide what to invest in. When looking for a wise investment choice you might want to look to the experts, the US Gold Bureau has been helping people make smart investment decisions in metals for many years. They have a team of experts ready to help you buy gold bar and other investment metals. They have access to all kinds of coins and bullion that are difficult to access for most companies, providing you with fast and secure investment opportunites.

The Tank is Drained

It has been a very exciting week with lot's of exercise and work. I have been very busy at work getting ready for the Christmas season. I am also getting into a new exercise program with my wife. It has been great getting back into a rhythm of exercise. We are doing a combination of walking, tzone exercise and taking care of what we are eating. It certainly is a lifestyle change, my wife is making the most of it with the amount of miles she is putting on her feet she is certainly melting before my eyes and she is looking great. I hope we can find the strength and energy to keep it up without crashing, we are trying harder to get sleep when we can so that's important.

Inebriated Man

A completely inebriated man was stumbling down the street with one foot on the curb and one foot in the gutter. A cop pulled up and said, "I've got to take you in, pal. You're obviously have had too many tonight." Our wasted friend asked Ociffer, are ya absolutely sure I'm Drunk?" yeah, buddy, I'm sure," said the Cop. "Let's Go." Breathing a sigh of relief, the wino said, "Thank Goodness, I thought I was crippled." LOL

How to invest in gold bullion

I have been looking for an safe investment to build some equity in, with the markets in such disaray and many investment properties and options falling apart. I have been researching different options and have become very interested in investing in gold bullion. By turning to the industry leader US Gold Bureau, I have found that they have been the experts in investment grade precious metals for a long time and their representatives are able to locate and advise on trades of any metals. It is an excellant time to invest in Gold and Silver as the available stock is dwindling which will secure the value of your investment.

A Great Joke

CAKE OR BED
HUSBAND IS AT HOME WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME WHEN HIS WIFE INTERRUPTS,
HONEY, COULD YOU FIX THE LIGHT IN THE HALLWAY?
IT'S BEEN FLICKERING FOR WEEKS NOW.
HE LOOKS AT HER AND SAYS ANGRILY, FIX THE LIGHTS NOW?
DOES IT LOOK LIKE I HAVE GE WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO.
FINE, THEN THE WIFE ASKS, WELL THEN, COULD YOU FIX THE FRIDGE DOOR?
IT WON'T CLOSE RIGHT
TO WHICH HE REPLIED, FIX THE FRIDGE DOOR?
DOES IT LOOK LIKE I HAVE WESTINGHOUSE WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO
FINE, SHE SAYS THEN YOU COULD AT LEAST FIX THE STEPS TO THE FRONT DOOR? THEY ARE ABOUT TO BREAK I'M NOT A CARPENTER AND I DON'T WANT TO FIX STEPS HE SAYS, DOES IT LOOK LIKE I HAVE ACE HARDWARE WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. I'M GOING TO THE BAR!!!!
SO HE GOES TO THE BAR AND DRINKS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS...............................
HE STARTS TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT HOW HE TREATED HIS WIFE,
AND DECIDES TO GO HOME
AS HE WALKS INTO THE HOUSE HE NOTICES THAT THE STEPS ARE ALREADY FIXED. AS HE ENTERS THE HOUSE , HE SEES THE HALL LIGHT IS WORKING
AS HE GOES TO GET A BEER, HE NOTICES THE FRIDGE DOOR IS FIXED.
HONEY, HE ASKS, HOW'D ALL THIS GET FIXED?
SHE SAID, WELL, WHEN YOU LEFT I SAT OUTSIDE AND CRIED.
JUST THEN A NICE YOUNG MAN ASKED ME WHAT WAS WRONG, AND I TOLD HIM.
HE OFFERED TO DO ALL THE REPAIRS, AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS EITHER GO TO BED WITH HIM OR BAKE A CAKE.
HE SAID, SO WHAT KIND OF CAKE DID YOU BAKE? SHE REPLIED,
HELLOOOOO.. DO YOU SEE BETTY CROCKER WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO!

Streaks

I recently got a great joke email from a friend of mine, I thought I should take some time and share it with everyone, so you could all have a laugh

Thought for the day...
If you sometimes get the sudden urge to run around naked.
Drink some Windex. It will keep you from streaking.
Have a Great Week!

Golden Memories

I have been collecting coins since I was just a little boy when my Grandfather gave me a bag of old coins he had collected over the years. I thought it was really cool to have little pieces of history from all over the world. As I have been growing my coin collection I have been working on collecting more valuable and rare coins. It is a bit more difficult to do this on my own so finding an expert like the US Gold Bureau was a huge help to grow my collection. They have all the connections and access to the best and rarest coin and bullion collections. Whether you are collecting for fun or for investing it is a good idea to use a service to protect your investments.

Microwave popcorn is safe?

I found this information on my MSN news recently and was shocked to hear what kind of dangers there are in a simple bag of popcorn.

Dear Lou,
What about popcorn? Is it safe, healthy, and free of pesticides? What exactly is in the artificial butter flavor?

Thanks,
Greenee Trailer Trash from Mississippi

Dear Greenee,
You might be sorry you asked. When I'm done here, there won't be much left to enjoy in your average batch of conventionally-grown and processed popcorn. But don't give up hope. You know how, in basic training, the Army breaks people down and builds them back up again? I break down America's favorite foods -- in this case, one that we consume to the tune of 16 billion quarts each year -- and build them back up with something more sustainable, and often more delicious.

In that vein, let's take a look at the problems with your average store-bought popcorn. Now, Greenee, I'm going to use some harsh words, and I hope I don't offend you. But I'm poppin' mad about the state of popcorn -- a fun-to-eat, whole-grain crunchy treat that has been deflated by the embrace of corporate food marketers.

The problems with conventional popcorn start in the corn field.

The popcorn you find at the movie theater and in microwave boxes is likely to have been raised with the aid of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, and fumigants.

More: 8 easy ways to take pesticides off your menu

For a less-than-soothing bedtime read on this delightful subject, download the Popcorn Agri Chemical Handbook. This chemo-phobe's horror story includes a section on "tolerances" -- that is, details on just how much pesticide the EPA will accept in your movie-time snack. If you don't have time to curl up with this PDF, let me cut to the chase: The list of acceptable chemical residues is long and includes malathion, a nasty organophosphate.

Now, onto bad news masquerading as good news: According to the Popcorn Board, a nonprofit, check-off organization funded by U.S. popcorn processors, there is no genetically modified popcorn on the market -- but, biotech varieties are in the works. How long popcorn will stay genetically pure is anyone's guess, but it may be a moot speculation.

Many farmers now believe that, on account of corn pollen's pesky habit of drifting around on the winds and fertilizing any old corn plant it meets, there is no genetically pure corn left in the world. Recently I was disturbed to read that my favorite garden seed suppliers, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, reported that they had been doing "major and expensive" GMO testing on all of their corn varieties. Sadly, much, if not most, of their corn is contaminated with GM Franken-genes.

GM corn is a big bummer because a recent study found that the mice that ate GM corn had impaired fertility, which grew worse with each subsequent litter. This bummer snowballs when you realize that most corn in the U.S. in now genetically modified.

Greenee, if you still can bear to eat corn at all, let's also take a look at:

Artificial butter -- that pathetic excuse for flavor

You know the fake but yummy buttery smell that wafts out of microwave popcorn bags? Until very recently, it was due to a flavoring agent, diacetyl, which causes the serious, potentially deadly, and ignobly-nicknamed disease popcorn lung, that has sickened factory workers who inhaled the stuff.

After popcorn lung sickened a consumer -- a Colorado man who ate a whole lot of microwave popcorn -- many big popcorn makers pulled it from their products.

Despite pressure from lung doctors, public interest groups, citizens, unions, politicians, and so forth, the FDA still classifies diacetyl, as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). California, meanwhile, is trying to ban it. (For the latest developments on diacetyl, go the public health blog The Pump Handle.)

The Popcorn Board could not tell me whether any popcorn makers still used diacetyl. In an email, a spokesperson explained, "The mission of The Popcorn Board is to educate consumers about the fun, economical, whole grain nature of popcorn." (And evidently to publish the Agri Chemical Handbook.)

I'm not sure what popcorn makers now use for butter flavor. According to Stephanie Childs, spokesperson for ConAgra Foods, their butter flavoring is a proprietary recipe that contains "no added diacetyl." (Among ConAgra's popcorn-centric brands are Orville Redenbacher's, Jiffy Pop, Act II, FiddleFaddle, Poppycock, and Crunch N' Munch.)

Are you still here Greenee, or have you clicked away and started drinking? (Remember, bourbon is made of corn. I'm just saying.)

Finally, let's look at:

Excessive packaging -- the handmaiden of Satan

Even though you can get store-bought popcorn with relatively clean ingredients (such as Newman's Own Microwave Popcorn No Salt Organic), you are going to end up with some sort of bag at best, and at worst the Russian nesting doll-style of packaging that comes with microwave popcorn: a bag wrapped in plastic within a box. All of this packaging is hard on the earth, and some of it might be hard on your health.

The Teflon that coats some microwave popcorn bags can break down into a chemical that has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals. Microwave popcorn bags are often coated with a perfluorinated chemical (PFC) called a "fluorotelomer" that can break down into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which can make its way into hot food such as piping hot popcorn.

Not surprising, California (new state motto: "the Cassandra State") attempted to pass a bill to remove PFCs from food packaging. ConAgra, by the way, is phasing out its microwave popcorn bags that contain PFOAs.

More: Top 10 worst packaging offenders

Don't go away yet, because, as promised, I need to build popcorn back up. There is, in fact, a way to eat your popcorn and not screw the planet or your health. Here you go:

Recipe for morale-building popcorn

Special equipment note: You will need a plain brown paper lunch bag.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup certified organic popcorn. This will be free of pesticides and free of Franken-genes (fingers crossed). If you are able, buy it in bulk to save money and reduce the packaging (bulk organic popcorn is typically available in natural foods markets). Or, look for kernels sold in recyclable glass jars.

Real butter, organic if possible. Sure, butter is high in saturated fat. But, like the nutritionist and educator Joan Gussow, has said, "I prefer butter to margarine, because I trust cows more than chemists."

Instructions:
Although you may use any popcorn popping method you like, ironically, it's the microwave that makes easy, fast popcorn without extra oil or closet-clogging equipment.

Put the corn in the lunch bag, fold it few times and put it in the microwave, fold side down. Nuke it for 2-3 minutes or until you hear the kernels slow down to about five seconds between pops. (There are those folks, including the Popcorn Board, who say that making popcorn in brown bags is dangerous and that you should stick to manufacturer's packaging, but I, rebel that I am, choose to keep an eye on my cheap, cancer-free brown bag.)

Remove and open the bag very carefully, because the escaping steam will be hot (as, well, most steam is, whether it's escaping or just doing time and waiting for parole). Dump the popped corn into a bowl and drizzle it with real butter.

Next, grab a movie. Watch the very smart and funny documentary King Corn if you are in the mood for yet more on the subject of corn and its industrial undoing. If not, I highly recommend any of those Jason Bourne movies.

So, dear Greenee, whether popcorn is safe, healthy, and free of pesticides depends on the kind you buy. Even if the flavorings in processed popcorn aren't lung-searing, your average bag may contain lots of salts, artificial colors, flavors, trans fats, etc. If you can, make popcorn at home. Just don't burn it -- that smell will last all night and haunt your dreams.

Enjoy!
Lou

Golden hobby

When thinking about picking up a hobby for all my spare time I was wanting to get into something that I could use as a collection but that would also hold or increase it's value so it didn't feel like I was just throwing my money away. It took me a while but I decided that it was time to buy gold coins I thought it would not only be an exciting collection to have as I could always be searching for hard to find coins but it would be one that would hold it's value through out time. Now the question was where to get started, I did some research on the Internet and discovered many companies that help investors and collectors alike to find the rarest coins available on the market. Their expert advisors have instant access to all kinds of coins from all over the world and can help you find coins of interest for you with their vast resources. This is an exciting time to get into collecting or investing in coins if you are interested do your reserch and find someone you can trust to help you get started.

Mr. Lobster at the beach

Sometimes walking on the beautiful beaches around here you never know what you might find. Last night while walking along the beach Blake and I found this big lobster on the shore line. It was pretty cool looking at this guy on the beach with Blake, Kohl and Trinity. They usually only see lobsters in the tank at the grocery store so to inspect one up close and personal was fun. What will we find on our next journey off to the beach?

Summer fun

What do you do in your area of the country for fun in the summer. Living on the East coast we have plentiful access to beautiful sandy beaches and that is typically a great resource for summer fun. The staple BBQ and camping is also very popular in this area of the country. I am curious in hearing what is going on in other communities for fun these summer months.
Visit My Perspective

All the Glittery Things in Life are Golden

Everyone loves Gold, it has been used since the dawn of civilisation. It has been used to show wealth and power. It has been used as a trading tool and form of payment. Currently the economy is going through much change and uncertainity which creates the ultimate time for investors to buy gold coins in a great and stable environment to maximize your earnings potential. Gold is currently at it's highest value in weeks but remember it is a proven commodity and is as close to a guaranteed investment as you can get. You don't need to to have a pirate map with and X marked to find gold, there are many opportunities and professionals that can assist you in all your investment planning needs.

Mouse Problem

It was a funny experience, well not so funny but anyway about a week ago it was late and night and the house was quite and dark. I was moving from the family room up to bed after a movie. When I walked through the kitchen, again it was dark, I thought I saw something dart accross the floor. I convinced myself it was nothing and went to bed. A few days later I was in the kitchen sitting on the laptop when I heard a scurrying and rustling from the wall. Sure enough we had a mouse in the house, we went for traps and set them up but in the mean time the little bugger chewed through the phone line. One night while watching a moving in the living room we heard the trap go off. We thought that was the end but to be sure left the extra trap out, the p.butter when missing off the other trap so I knew there was another one too. Within a couple of days he was caught to so hopefully that is the end. I haven't seen any other evidence around so hoping this weekend with us being away if there is anymore they will feel comfortable enough to sneak out.

Sleeping beauties

Why couldn't I get this lucky every day, normally our dogs are full of energy but on our trip home last weekend they were excellant. A few minutes into the trip they curled up and went to sleep and slept for hours. What a pleasure it was to drive in peace from the dogs. We are soon planning a vacation trip and with any luck they will travel this well again, I'm thinking my wife might have slipped them a sleeping pill in a treat or something.

Golden Future

There is one constant through all history, no matter what nation you speak of, what time you speak of there has always been a love for Gold and Silver. It has been a sign of wealth and power for everyone from the wealthiest to the poorest. It has been used for jewelery, made into gold bars. It has been used to trade, to barter and to exchange. In today's world the deposits of gold is becoming harder to find as much of the raw materials that are needed to keep up with the demand. The United States Gold Bureau has a team of professionals that are properly trained to help you locate and
buy gold coins and can help you with your purchase, delivery or deposit of your gold investment. Gold serves many purposes from investment to decoration and wealth. It provides so many opportunites to secure your financial future for years to come.

Fencing Update

Due to financial concerns from building our first section of fence we decided to go with a more economical approach to the rest of the fence. Instead of replacing it all this year we are scraping, painting and using as many boards as we can from our torn down section to fix up the rest of the fence. It would have been about 3000 to replace the rest of the fence or we can stain for about 200. We got a great deal on stain at CT at only 12.99 a can instead of everywhere else it is pushing $30 a can. There is no choice of color only Red Wood but it looks pretty good.

Fathers Day Dream

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's Fathers day and the thought that comes is today is my day to feel special and important, a day when the family will show their appreciation for the early mornings, all the days of making lunches, taking them to school, helping with homework, getting them to their games and activities on time and using every spare minute all for the family and never putting myself first. It's true I choose the family life and I wouldn't give it up or change it for anything but it would be nice if only even for 1 day of the year to feel truly appreciated by them. I would love to watch a few select shows but normally give them up to spend more time with the kids or to do projects around the house with my wife, so I would love to have a HD Tv package with a DVR so I can watch what I want when I have time to, I found a great Fathers Day special from Charter that will give me just that and it will even allow me to save money on my other services in a bundle that contains my phone and Internet as well. For sigining up right now I can get up to a $300 Home Depot gift card that will allow me start another project with my wife. An even better deal could be had when I Enter now to win an iPod Touch, Charter will be giving away 100 Touch's and maybe I could be one of the lucky ones. I could even use my IPhone to
get updates, fun extras, and facebook only deals on Charter’s Facebook page. It could be a Father's day to remember, so I will have to wait and see how it plays out.

Field Trip Fun

I got to take a day off of work last week to enjoy a special day with my daughter. Every year at the end of the school year her class does a field trip, and I am very lucky to have been allowed to go again this year. We got to visit many locations within a couple of hour radius. We visited a beautiful beach, a fish hatchery, a turn of the century church and of course we went to a special restaurant as well. It was a really fun day even if it lasted until 8pm. She was very happy to have me along as the only DAD that took the time to join the trip.

Fence Boys

I had a wonderful opportunity to spend some special time with my boys last weekend. We had part of our fence that was in very bad shape and it had to be replaced. The boys and I made a trip to the Depot to get some lumber and supplies. It was a great day and everything turned out great, we only need some stain now to finish up the look but that will have to wait for another weekend.

Lottery plans

You can always hope to win the lottery but for most people it isn't realistically going to happen. It is a much smarter to take the time to due some reserch to learn how to invest properly to secure your future. It is recommended to have at least 5% of your investments in the secure form of precious metals like gold, investing in gold has long been known as a very secure investment bringing wealth to generations of true investors. Gold has recently been raising in value as the resource has become harder to find underground. You have probably seen ads asking for you to turn your unwanted or broken gold in for cash. One of the most secure forms of gold to invest in is to buy gold coins, they are easy to measure and very durable. You can store them easily or display them for there beauty.

Prince of Persia

Jay informed me tonight that he would like to go to see this movie, not sure really what it is all about but it is based on the popular video games that he has been playing the last couple of years. I will have to make a point to get him to this show as we missed the last movie he wanted to see the Green Zone and he was pretty dissapointed. He is getting older and is always a good sport on going to the movies for the younger kids with the family, so we will make sure he get's to this one for him.

Great meals start here

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of henderson bas. All opinions are 100% mine.

It has been a mad house around our home the last year since my wife went back to work, she took a job that allowed her to work the evenings from 6 until 1am so we wouldn't need any sitters. I find it pretty challenging getting everything done at night when I'm home with the kids. We have 4 and the older ones are pretty self sufficient but our youngest boys 5 and 7 still need lots of attention and guidance. I sure find myself exhausted by the time I get everyone to their extra curricular activities, some supper a trip down the homework lane and off to bed. Most nights it is 10 or later before I even sit down. My wife has started working on getting supper ready for us a head of time the kids love anything with chicken in it and we prefer to use Maple Leaf Prime Chicken in our dishes. We recently found a contest open to Canadian Residents that offers a lucky Mom out there the grand prize of household services for a Year, the
Year of the Mom contest is open only to Canadian residents so all my Canadian followers need to go enter now to celebrate your special Mom for all she does for you. The contest is also offer 1500 secondary prizes of Maple Leaf Prime Chicken Products another great prize offering.

The Fire Pit

What an exciting night we had, a wonderful BBQ followed by the burning of the giant apple tree stump in our yard. It is so big it takes two of us to roll it back into the hole. We built a huge fire underneath the stump and watched it burn for hours, it is after midnight and we are just getting back inside. The kids had a great time roasting marshmellow's and hanging out. I know one thing I need to head off to the shower before going to bed from all the smoke. We made a lot of progress on the stump tonight but it will still be another night or 2 to finally get rid of it once and for all.

Looking forward to the long weekend

It's that time of year the first long weekend of the Summer Season, well almost summer. It is supposed to be beautiful here this weekend so I am planning some yard work and a lot of BBQ's...yum. We are also going to take in the Shrek movie but that will have to wait until Sunday afternoon as it is supposed to rain then so we won't miss a minute of the nice weather. After a long couple of weeks of work I can't wait.

New enjoyable experience

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nestle Nescafe Dolce Gusto. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everyone enjoys free things, and even more when the free things can give you wonderful tasting beverages that your entire family enjoy it's even better, there is a contest open right now to all Canadian residents only until June 24th at Divine.ca where you will learn about the new Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine and even get a chance to win a NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machine of your very own, there are 10 up for grabs so enter now to get your chance to win 1. You can have the highest quality hot or cold beverages right from the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the cost of the daily visits to your local coffee shop. The Gusto machines take a unique capsule that delivers the best quality and flavored beverages you can get out of home machine and even compares to the highest quality coffee shop machines that you see in many shops. If you interest is sparked enough to want your own Gusto and you can't wait for the draw date to take place you can find your own machine and many of the retailers you shop at everyday. The Gusto machines are sold by the Bay, Home Outfitters and many other great retailers and you can find the replacement capsules your retailer or local grocery store for added convienence. There are currently two models with prices ranging from $159 to $179 with the Tfal model available from Walmart and the Krupp model at other retailers. The future of at home brewing is now so try your new Gusto machine now for a full flavor experience so unique.

I recently hit a milestone of turning 35 and apparently it's true that it goes down hill at that point. I find that I instantly found myself being sore at the end of the day, some nights I can barely sit up with my back being so sore. I am hoping it is just a lack fo sleep and perhaps some stretching that might help me get back to my normal self. I am stretching out before going to bed and it seems to help alleviate the issues to allow me a good nights sleep even if the nights are too short.

Online medical supplies

With the convience of online shopping it has created many benefits for companies and for the average consumer. By developing an online system it allows companies like Jazz medical to save all the overhead of having multiple outlets to sell their merchandise. It also allows them to save on expenses and staffing so they can focus on fulfilling orders and talking to customers that need their assistance. All these savings allow them to pass savings onto their customers. Jazz Medical provides medical supplies, supplements and many other products to Hospitals and Nursing homes it also allows them to supply the average consumer as well. It also allows people to order supplies online to allow them to get their medical needs met with discretion. For example people that need to purchase inconsistance products sometimes find it to embarassing to purchase their products at a convential store. Jazz stocks a full assortment of kendall briefs to meet any needs.

Shrek the finally

An exciting Family night is coming up in only a few mere weeks, the next instalment of the Shrek Saga will be releasing in Theatre. I heard a couple of things about the movie, the first it will be in 3D which we all love and that it is the final installment of the franchise, I hope that's not true. We are looking forward to the this movie to see how they wrap up the storyline of Shrek, Fiona and Donkey.

Iron Man 2

The boys are looking forward to the new summer movie launches, it is always a favorite time of year for them. This year has a lot of activity for May with the first one being the follow up to Iron Man, we underestimated Iron Man when it came out and skipped it in theatre but loved it when it came out on DVD. We are eagerly anticipating the May 7th opening date for IM2, I think it will be a boys night out.

Regency Beauty Schools

Looking at alternative options to ones career path should be taken seriously and although not always easy it is important to make smart choices. I know for many people it is a difficult decision to make but with careful consideration it becomes much easier. The Cosmetology school in Louisiana offers the most current education methods you can recieve with hands on training and practice. The Regency Beauty Schools started out over 50 years ago and has grown to over 30 location to serve their student base. If you would like to find out more information about location nearest you or what they have to offer you in your situation check out RegencyBeauty.com.

What the...Snow

In our forcast for tommorrow is SNOW...this is after we have had many days of almost 20 and at least 8 to 10 everyday. It really sucks especially since we already packed away all our winter gear. Hopefully it won't last long once it hits the ground. I think I will even strike and refuse to get the shovels out to clean the driveway...that's it I'm on winter strike, do your worst Mother Nature.

KD Dreams

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kraft Dinner Gotta Be Canadian Contest!. All opinions are 100% mine.

Kd is one of the best known products available on the market today, almost everyone from every walk of life has enjoyed a box of this quick convenient item. It has always been a staple item that we have enjoyed for years in our home for those quick meals or the add on side dish.
It is important for us to have a batch of boxes available in our home everyday. We have our favorite flavors, Original, extra creamy and white and of course for summer the pasta salad is always a quick fix for BBQ night. KD is currently running a contest open to all Canadians that allows them to share their favorite KD memories to enter. The contest grand prize allows you to travel from coast to coast enjoying all that Canada has to offer. A 16-Day trip for you and a friend from the Pacific to the Maritimes, including hotel accommodation and $1,500 spending money!That would be an awesome two weeks that you would remember for a lifetime. All you have to do to enter the Kraft Dinner Gotta Be Canadian Contest!. Check out the links to see the other entrants in the contest and see what they have to say about Canada's favorite meal.

Spring Day

It's a beautiful Spring day and the Heavy Garbage pick up starts this week so that means it's time to get out and clean up the yard and basement. The kids are ready to give me a hand with all the works with their work clothes and gloves on so right after breakfast we are on our way out, wish us luck, should be fun.

Great memories

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of my favorite shows as a kid had to be the chipmunks, it was so much fun watching the mischief these little guys would get into. Having kids of my own it was cool to see the chipmunks movies start to come out. The first one lived up to my expectations and when the Squeakquel came out last year it was a definate for us to take the kids to the theatre to see it. The DVD recently came out on Blu Ray and DVD and the kids were excited to get their copy. They wanted the DVD/Singalong combo pack so we had to "
buy it now" as they said. If you enjoyed the Chipmunks as a kid or have kids/grandkids of your own you need to add this movie to your collection. With kids being so online these days there is also the option for online fun click the link to check out More Munk Mayhem where your little ones can have hours of fun with all the chipmunk activities. Now we have to start hoping for the next installment of our chipmunk favorites, I hope Dave gets a little more air time in the next one, I missed him not being around for most of the action. Until then we will just have to get our giggles on with the first 2 movies.

Competition is coming

It's an exciting time of year in our household when the dance year is coming to an end and the kids are getting ready for their year end shows and competitions. This weekend is the first of our competitions so the kids are a little extra nervouse for the first time being on the big stage. They will do fine as always

Investing with Gold

What kind of investment opportunities do you have in your portfolio. It is important to stay up to date with your investment mix and to be very aware of what you are looking out of your investments. There are different things to consider depending on where you are in your life. There really never is a bad time to buy gold bullion, it has proven itself to be a very safe investment choice that provides stable returns with minimal risk. Gold is currently trading at some of it's highest values in recent memory but don't let that discourage you as with the dollar continuing to drop normally the value of commodities like gold bullion will continue to rise.

Dunk Boy

It is the end of the School basketball season but that's not stopping Jay, with the hot weather he is back at the net, spending almost every night out with team mates practicing for next season. He came a long way this year with all his games so we are looking forward to next year.

I always knew

The sun arrived in style yesterday and boy we had a blast, we got outside to enjoy the heat and clean up the yard. It was a lot of work after a hard winter but the kids had a blast helping out and of course taking time to play. Blake grew some horns with the help of Kohl, I always knew he was a little devil it just took the heat to bring it out of him.

Everything that glitters is gold

Crocs Footwear

What is your preferance when it comes to Summer footwear, I know almost everyone has an opinion on this issue. Some prefer sneakers, some sandals, and others will enjoy Crocs. Our family purchases the Croc type of shoe but avoid the name brand ones. We instead will buy 2 or 3 of the no name croc's at a fraction of the price and they seem to last us the whole summer. What is your personal preferance when it comes to summer footwear.
Visit My Perspective

Cuddle Time

Kohl decided to have some cuddle time with Breigh the other night so after he got his pj's on he crawled up on her bed and had some cuddle time with her. They just laid there and had a nice relaxing time. It was very cute to see them having this special bonding time together. I look forward to watching them have many more times together as she is beginning to become more calm.

Yoda vs Darth

Jay and Kohl are big fans of the Starwars movies and decided one day to get on their masks and break out the lightsabers for a little dual. I found this video while going through some old stuff on the computer If you didn't know any better you'd almost think it was Yoda vs Darth Vader in an epic battle of good vs. evil. Well maybe they aren't quite ready for the big screen yet but they can sure put on quite the show. Jay swings his light saber as good as the characters in the movies, I tried to get him to teach me today and I had to give up he's too good.

4 Ways To Strengthen Your Relationship

I found this on my MSN main page today and thought it was a great read, you can take it for what it's worth but I thought there was some interesting thougts here.

Throw away those relationship handbooks and take a look at the fundamentals.

There is a common misconception about men that is wildly flaunted about society as if it were a fact, a product of our innate inability to care about people. This misconception is that few men actually care about relationships and of those that do, the majority don’t care how to develop and strengthen them.

Maybe this is a product of all those sleazy Hollywood breakups publicized in magazines. Or maybe it’s the movies, which express our society’s expectation that a man is either suave and sexy and therefore has no need to work at a relationship (because women will always be chasing him) or he is noble and romantic, in which case his natural self perfectly suits his woman.

Well, I am neither excessively suave nor sexy and I'm not overly romantic. I am not perfect and I don’t have movie star looks. So I’m stuck in the same situation as 99 per cent of all men: I care about my significant other and therefore I must work at a relationship in order to sustain it.

My point is that most men care about relationships and all relationships take work.

A Simple Comparison

What it all boils down to is this: most people just want to know that the person they love loves them. Truly believing that your significant other loves you opens the door for compromise and forgiveness. It’s sort of like a vending machine. You put your dollar in because you trust that you’ll get your candy, but sometimes the machine eats your money and you get nothing. What is your first reaction? Well, you’re hungry and irritated that you didn’t get your food, but later on, you realize you don’t trust that machine and instead you go to the vending machine in the next building.

Without further ado, this is how one can keep their own vending machine in proper order.

Let it Go

What do most couples fight about? Frankly, nine times out of 10, people fight about who left the lights on, who should’ve cooked dinner, whose turn it is to take out the trash or some other menial thing. It’s not easy, but try just letting it go. If your significant other sees you suck it up (even if it isn’t your time to take out the trash), it’ll make them think, “Wow. That was nice. I want to be like that.”

Taking the responsibility, even when you thoroughly disagree, is a great way to show you care and it speaks much louder than swear words or slammed doors.

Surprises

I’m not talking about birthdays, anniversaries or some other formal celebration. I’m talking about a random no-good Tuesday. Take him or her out to dinner. Put some flowers on the bed. Clean the kitchen so they don’t have to. Little surprises that mean something can express “I love you” far better than measly words.

When a person feels loved, they’ll bend over backwards to keep that feeling alive. Reciprocation is an infectious disease and when you treat someone you love with love, it’s nearly impossible for them not to return it.

Forgive

Obviously forgiving people for their mistakes is a biggie, but what people don’t realize is that most of the time we don’t actually forgive. When your husband or wife forgets to take the dogs on a walk, leaving you with the pain and he or she apologizes sincerely, bringing it up as ammo in the next battle means you did not forgive them in the first place.

Bringing up the past is a crutch and it creates bitterness because the person being criticized will inevitably feel like their significant other has not accepted the mistake, which in turn brings feelings of mistrust.
Throw away those relationship handbooks and take a look at the fundamentals.

Of course, if your girlfriend has cheated on you, that’s a different story. You have a right to hold on to that until things come around, but forget about all the stuff that doesn’t really matter. It will make loving someone so much easier.

Changing Perspective

This is perhaps the most important ability any person can have and I guarantee it will single-handedly solve the majority of problems in your relationship. Forgiving, letting go and surprising your mate, all great ways to show someone you care, will not create a relationship devoid of problems, but when you get to those fights, the ability for a person to step out of their own shoes and see the fight from their lover’s perspective makes all the difference in the world.

To understand that every action you take will have an effect on that person you care about makes things shine a different colour, does it not? For example, would you accept that job where you travel six months out of the year, the dream job you’ve been wishing for, if you knew that, even though your wife was cheering you on, deep down she was crying? The change in perspective would certainly give you some food for thought.

Before you take every word at face value, think of how you would feel if the roles were reversed. If your significant other was doing what you had the choice of doing, how would you react? The insight provided by such thought is pure gold and will keep you loving for a long time.

_____________________________________________
don’t kick the vending machine

Loving someone is about seeing who they are, not lamenting who they are not. For every thing I love about my girlfriend, there is something I wish I could change, but that is the great thing about love; you take the whole package and accept it. That’s love.

hot vacation destination

Are you searching for the ultimate getaway, Kariksma Hotels and resorts offers high quality vacations with more than you would expect. They have a number of properties located on the beautiful white sand beaches of the Mexican Riviera Maya. They offer vacations to match any lifestyle checkout their website to checkout which site would best match your destination weddings plans. They offer an all gourmet inclusive package that isn't just your ordinary food experience, they don't have buffet bars. Their meals are served in top of the line restaurant settings and sleek bars as well. Creating their breads, pasta's and other specialties in house creates the feeling of fine restaurant eating. They also offer fantastic spa treatment packages that will pamper you from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Onsite beach butlers will attend to your every need while on the beach.

Sponsoring Children in Need

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SEO 5 Consulting. All opinions are 100% mine.

I find it personally terrifying when I see the conditions from around the world, images of young children suffering from starvation and malnutrition seems so unneccessary when as a society we are throwing money away hand over fist throught war, poor social spending, excessive pay for politicians etc. There are areas of the World that are so impoverished that there literally isn't any clean drinking water, food is a luxury and access to healthcare and education is something There are organizations out there that are dedicated to helping people in these areas of poverty. There are organizations out there that are designed to help these communites find a better way of life. By signing up to sponsor a child you can help provide access to the vital things in life like clean drinking water and vaccinations. Plan Canada assists in all these things as well as access to education and many more things we tend to take for granted in our daily lives. 155 If you want to make a donation to sponsor a child you can do it so easily by accessing the Plan Canada website or by calling the hotline, for as little as $35 a month you can provide access to vital neccessities to a child. You can have your sponsorship set up to come out monthly or yearly whatever is best for you.

Where is winter

I am starting to wonder if we will have a winter this year, we only had 1 significant snow back in November. It didn't last very long as we have had a lot of rain due to the abnormal temperatures that we have had. Today for example we had rain and it was 7 degrees out. Now it is great for the heating bill but not so much fun for the kids that are used to sliding, skating and skiing. They come home from school now covered in mud instead of snow. I know it is only January and we still have some opportunity for snow yet in February/March but everyday that goes buy is one day closer to summer.

Book of Eli

My son and I went to see the Book of Eli tonight at the theatre, we really didn't know what the movie was about but he saw a preview for it and thought it looked pretty cool. I was impressed with the movie about the World after a Nuclear war. I don't want to tell you too much about the movie but if you can stand a little bit of violence it really has an inspiring story and an unexpected twist at the end you won't see coming. I give it 2 exciting thumbs up.

I Pod Dreams

My daughter was very lucky to get a IPod for Christmas from my wife. She was very excited to see this Christmas morning but me not so much as I always get to be the one to set up electronic stuff. I recieved the list of songs that she wanted and that took me a couple of nights to get them all downloaded then it was time to sync up the song list to her Ipod. Once I figured it out it was pretty easy to do and now to see her touring around with her Ipod attached makes it very worth it, especially when we get a hug and thanks from her.