Welcome 2010

I hope ya'll had a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa... whatever you celebrate, I hope it brought you much joy. We had agreat holiday. We started with a great reunion of friends that I have not seen in over 20 years. Then we had Christmas eve dinner at my house. So two back to back parties at my place and I'm still recovering! My Christmas gift won't be here till mid January. But it's ok, I can wait. I'm patient like that ya know.

I have mentioned that my New Year's resolutions are usually broken within 2 months. So once again I will not be making any. I will try to blog more often and I again, will try to lose some weight. I'm trying, not committing! LOL!

May the new year bring you much love,happiness & health and a little bit of money won't hurt either.

In recovery mode

We have been home for a week now and I am ready for another vacation! Now if only my bank account would be as ready as I am...

The trip was great! NYC was fun like always. We had the opportunity to see 'In The Heights" on Broadway and we highly recommend it. I really want to see Billy Elliot and it is on my list for next time.

We boarded the Norwegian Jewel on the 28th, on a dreary cold day in the NYC. After two days at sea, we arrived to the very welcomed heat of the Caribbean.

As some of you know, I review hotels & cruise ships for a living. This is a personal review and no compensation was received.
This was our second journey on the Jewel and we were not disappointed. I don't think that I will be able to go back to 7 day cruises any time soon. This was our first time sailing for longer than a week and we LOVED it! I was a little concerned at first, thinking that 14 days was too long. But I find that it is just right. The Cruise Director/Activities Staff was fantastic! We were never bored!

Food is subjective and I will not dwell on that, except to say that we did not go hungry! We ate ate every specialty restaurant on board and were not disappointed!

We bought our Future Cruise Reward certificate on board, so we are set for our next journey! If you sail with NCL, I highly recommend buying one or 10! Actually, I think you can only buy four, but it's so worth it!

Oh, and three words...Spa Pass Rules!

I arrived home very tan, somewhat rested and 3 lbs heavier. If ya'll ever get to visit Belize, definitely go cave tubing! That was the highlight of our shore trips. If you do, go with Vital at cave-tubing.bz. I highly recommend them for their professionalism and attention to safety.

Anyhoo, back to reality.

I cannot believe that the holidays are already here. Seems like I just took down the darn tree the other day! Now it's going back up next week.

Looks like I will be hosting Christmas Eve at my house this year, so I am not signing up for Thanksgiving as well. If no one decides to do it, then I see us at Cracker Barrel! No stress.

I need to get my blog on!

Wow, I'm going for a record here! Almost 2 months since I blogged!
Between FB and the new TV season, I just keep forgetting.

I lasted on Nutrisystem for one month and 10 lbs. After the 10 lbs it froze and by then, I was already getting kind of sick of the food. It's not fantastic to start with, but bearable. I'll probably try again AFTER our cruise AND the holidays.

Speaking of which, we leave for NYC on the 28th and our ship leaves from there on the 30th. Reports are that it is freakin snowing in Jersey. I, do not like the cold. Period. This should be interesting. I've been looking for Winter clothes, which is no easy task. I cannot have anything around my neck. Turtle necks? No way! So, I'm told that I'm supposed to layer. If any of you live or are in NYC between the 28th and the 30th, and see a roly poly on the ground, please pick me up. Weebles wobble but they don't fall down, but this weeble-o will have a hard time getting up with 20 layers of clothes on!

Tips to Deck the Halls

I have been following Theresa's blog for a while now and she has now started giving holiday decorating tips. How cool is that? You know that I need all the help that I can get. Especially when it comes to my banister. My main holiday decorating problem is that I start getting lazy half way through and just want to get it over & done with.
I'm not exactly a minimalist when it comes to decorating, but I also don't go all out. You definitely can't see my house from space!

So head on over there and check it out. Oh, and did I mention that she's also having a giveaway???

I don't even remember the last time I posted on here. Seems that Facebook has taken over. Although, I don't share as much on FB. My lack of blogging, may also have to do with the lack of anything to write about. I've been hibernating again. Sort of.

Danny & I left on a 7-day cruise on July 26. An all expenses paid cruise. That is definitely the best way to travel. We had a great time but had way too much food. We went to St Thomas and to one of ou favorite islands, St. Maarten. Since we left from Pt. Canaveral, we also took a side trip to the Kennedy Space Center. To unleash D's inner astronaut.

So after a week of over indulging, I came home and ordered this:

I'm only on day 4. I'm eating more than I'm used to, but supposedly better. We shall see. The food so far is hit or miss. Some I like, others I absolutely hate. I have been drinking a ton of water and haven't had a Diet Coke in 4 days. Haven't even suffered withdrawl symptoms from that. The gym owns me. Geez, just 2 weeks of not working out and my body hurts! It's telling me "That'll teach you. Stop slacking!!"

I'm still looking for that easy magic pill.

Crusing!

We are off on our cruise until August 2nd! Hurray!

Neglect

There is no other word for it. I have been neglecting this blog. Last time I posted was like 3 weeks ago. Obviously, I would never be able to make money from this blog. I have been busy with FAFSA. Again.

I hate to admit it, but Kari turned out just like her momma. I can figure out commissions in a snap. I can tell you the price of a sale item in a heartbeat. I calculate tips without a cheat cheat. BUT, I HATE ALGEBRA! And unfortunately, it does not come easy for Kari either. That one class brought her GPA down to slightly under 3.0. She has two GPAs a her school. One for requirements and one for her major. The other one is at 3.75. The ever so gracious Bright Futures program only look at one and took away her scholarship. So for the upcoming semester, we'll be lookin for loans. What ticks me off about the whole thing, is that money is free flowing to everyone that knows the system and lies through their teeth. It goes back to what I detest the most, liars and cheats. Especially those liars and cheats that live off my taxes.

Anyhoo, I have the opportunity to take an all expenses paid cruise next week so I am a happy camper. Don't worry, no one's taxes are being used to fund my trip. :-) Wheh we return, I am considering biting the bullet and tryin either Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. They're both quite $$$ but I do have an empty CC with a very low interest rate, so I might use it for that. Anyone have any experience with either? I know that WW works but I just don't do meetings. I'm thinking maybe 3 months on the $$$ one and then maintain on WW on my own. We'll see.

Saw my cardio this week and he says al looks well. I have a stress test and echo when I get back but only because I haven't done them in over 3 years. My eyes are still bothering me. Oh, and I have to get my ultrasound to check on the cyst. Man, getting old sucks!

Hope all is well with ya'll.

Happy Independence Day!

I just posted this on my FB and decided to share on here too.

This exchange of letters to the editor was published in the Arizona Republic newspaper in June, 2005.


Subject:
Appropriate reply by one of our Air Force Brethren

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.

A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back.

Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall.

When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, I hope it stung quite a bit.

The complaint:

Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:

Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation
of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!

Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special? Any response would be
appreciated."


The response:
Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday):

On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques.

Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at
Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.

A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer
witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?" The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
CO 63rd Fighter Squadron
Luke AFB

Old Lady Eyes

I have 20/20 vision. I can read an eye chart all the way to the last line. A couple of years ago my opthamologist told me that by the age of 42 I would need readers. Bingo. I just broke down and bought a pair. Actually 3 pairs. The lowest they had was +1.50. They give me a headache but at least I can read tiny print on pill bottles and such. I still don't need them for actual reading. I can still read books, magazines and newpapers ok. But I don't think that will last much longer. I hate getting old!

Another Party!

Brain Fart

For some reason, I thought today was Father's Day! Just ignore my previous post and come back and read it next week! :-)

Happy Father's Day

Every single time that this commercial runs on TV, I am transported back to when I was a kid. I didn't know why. It was kind of a Déjà vu type of thing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I asked my girls if this is a new song. Or if it's an old song. Or maybe a remake. They didn't know.

I finally remembered to google it. I find out that it is an old song. Almost as old as me. A song called Tuesday Afternoon by The Moody Blues that I heard quite a bit when I was just a toddler because my dad would listen to it frequently. This one and Nights in White Satin.

I don't think that I have heard Tuesday Afternoon since I was a kid and the commercial just triggered a memory.

It always amazes me how a song can take you back. Whether you realize it or not. With some songs, I can even remember a day, a place or what I was wearing. This is from someone who sometimes can't remember what I did the day before!

So this song takes me back to my dad. A dad that I only had for 14 years, 5 months and 9 days. A dad that I managed to learn a great deal from in the short time that I did have him. A dad that lived and breathed for us. A dad who was rich beyond words but not in the monetary sense. A dad that had a gazillion friends that loved and admired him for the person that he was. A dad that set the standard for the qualities that I would later look for in a husband. He would be happy to know that my girls have that type of dad. Just like him.

How fitting is it that the commercial is about a girl and her dad?

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads!

I strayed!

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that I LOVE Target. About 3 or 4 times a year, I cheat and enter another big box retailer. The funny thing is, that I really do not like that other retailer at all! But when they double coupons up to TWO dollars, I can't restrain myself. So today, I dragged D to (gasp) K-mart and got myself $110 worth of stuff for $35! Yay me!

What a gossip!

I told my deepest, darkest secrets to a friend. She then goes off and blabs it to the world! She even posted a video online. Since it's already out there, I will share it on here. If you listen closely, you will even figure out the juiciest secret of all! I'm so embarrassed!





I thought that the video was embeded. I guess it's not working. If you wan't to see it go here

Do any of you own one of these fabulous products? This is what I see when I can't sleep. It's great for a chuckle though. I'm going to start coming up with stuff to sell on TV!

All You

I have been hearing about this magazine for a loooong time but I never even flipped through one. I have a ton of subscriptions, but they are ALL FREE! I said that I would never pay for a subscription. But I guess I lied. I just bought a subscription to All You from Amazon.com. Their price is $15 for a years subscription. But at check out they took off $5. No code needed. So, I figured that I'd find out what all the fuss was about. Just ten bucks. I think the $5 offer is only good for today, so run on over if you are interested.

Three Little Birds

So Cute!

This just in!

I just received THIS!

Mother's Day Giveaways Galore

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting some pretty awesome giveaways for Mother's Day. I have been wanting to buy my mom a digital photo frame, but they are so darn expensive. Well, one of the prizes is a Kodak EASYSHARE W1020 Wireless Digital Frame with Home Decor Kit .

They're also giving awa an HP Mini 1000. Not only is it totally cute but it is way more portable than my laptop. This may be totally selfish, but if I win, it will be all mine! You know what else will be all mine? The handbags that they are giving away! Can't wait for those to be posted.

To prove that I am not all that selfish, I would also love to win the Blueray player... for Danny!

Cuckoo for Cocoa Pops!

Poor Puppy!

In case ya'll missed it! :)

What the.... !!??!!

I just saw this commercial on TV. Not only is that scary king on it but the whole thing is kind of disturbing.



Why did they get rid of this one?

Cutbacks

Kari works as a teacher's aide with a County Public School. She got her hours cut.
Danny is with the county's fire rescue department and their saying that there will be MAJOR cutbacks. They're talking lay offs and demotions. In emergency services. Not only that, but police service as well. Ok. So you the criminals will be running free without worries and you can die on the streets because there will not be available emergency units. They already had a few cutbacks a few months ago. Some stations were shut down, and you had emergency units running calls that were about 20 miles away if not more.

So not only will the cutbacks affect us personally in our pockets but also in our safety.

Oh and the joy of finding out that since we pay our mortgage on time that we don't qualify for those great interest rates to refi! Plus, since the value of my houe has dropped, my lifeline equity line was suspended. That was our lifesaver on several occasions. And because of that home that we pay religiously, my girls don't qualify for financial aid for college. No financial aid & no equity line to help pay for it. SUCKS!

I have written before about the scam artists that know the system and know how to work it. Those that are on welfare their entire life, yet drive top of the line cars and wear designer duds. Since my taxes pay for all that, my blood boils. So back to college. Kari knows a girl who has a full grant. I'll just say that it's a necessity grant yet they are by no means needy. This is her second semester in college. She gets everything paid. Tuition, books, labs. Each semester she takes full time credits... then drops about half her classes towards the end of the semester. Heck, why not? She's not paying for it.

Hope ya'll have a great weekend!

Are you kidding me??????????????????

This would be my dream come true!

What the....

I get so ticked with people lately. You know the ones. The idiots. The ones that think that the whole freakin' world revolves around them. The ones that lie and cheat through life.

Why am I so riled up? Well, because one of them is trying to mess with my kid. And nothing ticks me off more than when they play dirty with my kids!

Kari got a call to babysit two kids. She couldn't make it so she told the lady that Kat could do it. Well, she quoted her the price and confirmed it with the lady. When Kat gets to the house, the lady rushes out the door and tells her that the kids are watching TV in the other room. Well, when Kat goes in the room, there are THREE kids. She does not charge the same for THREE kids. I told her that when the lady comes home, if she pays her for 2, to nicely explain that she charges more for 3 kids. (Although I wouldn't be so nice about it.) The lady is loaded. There is no reason for this.

Don't try to scam my kid or I'll beat you up!

Party Time!

Late again! I almost missed the party. Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom to get in on the fun and chaance to win PRIZES!!

These my top 3 picks:

#58 – Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer
Provided by: Moms Who Think


#89 — $100 gift card to HomeGoods

Provided by: HG Openhouse

And surprise, surprise!...

#19 — $50 gift certificate to Target Stores

Provided by: Shoot-Me-Now

If those are taken, I would also love any of the following:

# 21, 22, 88, 103, 109, 26 87, 118, 91 or 20

You see, I'm easy to please!

This & That

I posted these on FB and I figured I'd post on here too. You're welcome.

First, I'll show you my super famous self.

This guy was caught painting graffiti on a wall.

Then I found where he got his inspiration.

Then we see this near Time Square. Queen of Target at last!

And finally, OMG!... Vicky who?

And now for my favorite video of the week: