Monthly Archives: October 2007

Home Sweet Home

Posted on by
Reply

When we bought our home several years ago, our realtor found a good mortgage company for us to deal with.  They guided us through the process and explained everything to us.  They made signing the contract and all the paperwork as efficient as possible.  People looking for mortgages want the best deal they can find and want cheap mortgages. Some people want buy to let mortgages with the purpose of renting out the properties.  Whatever the purpose for buying a house, everyone wants the best deal they can find on the interest rate and on the closing costs for purchasing the property.  That’s why it is good to shop around and compare companies.

Extreme Home Makeover: The Chiari People of Montana

Posted on by
Reply

We are watching “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” right now. This mom, Julie, and her three daughters all have this condition called Chiari. Chiari is a structural defect in the part of the brain that controls balance, and it can cause all kinds of neurological problems, and in severe cases it can cause death. For 16 years I think it was, Julie didn’t know what was wrong with her. It took literally 100 doctors to finally diagnose and do surgery and get her to the point where she is today. Her daughters have inherited her condition which really bothers Julie. And to make matters worse, they lived in a chicken coop that they added on to and tried to make livable.

What is really sweet and inspiring is the fact that, in spite of Julie’s situation, she reaches out to others who have this condition and has helped so many people and their families. She is really making a difference in a lot of other people’s lives and has even helped to save lives.  If you would like to know more information about the disease, go to Chiari People.

My Friend, the Jewelry Maker

Posted on by
Reply

My friend makes beautiful jewelry. In fact, she’s having a jewelry show real soon, and I can’t wait to go. She taught elementary school art classes, and so this is a perfect way for her to still use her artistic talent. She wears a lot of pretty jewelry she has made that matches her outfits. It’s really a nice effect to have jewelry that matches an outfit perfectly. And it’s really neat to have a home based business and  be one’s own boss.

Eggless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – Cookie Dough Safe to Eat! :)

Posted on by
2

When I was helping take care of Baby J this week, our daughter wanted to make cookies. She had this new recipe she wanted us to try. The neat thing about this recipe was that while we were making the cookies, we could safely eat the cookie dough. And it was sooo good. These cookies were delicious warm out of the oven and also the next day. Not many were left after that.

Here’s the recipe:

  • 1 cup butter (I want to try 1/2 cup butter & 1/2 cup applesauce and see how that works)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 2 cups quick oats
  • 1/2 cups raisins (I may add more because we really like raisins)
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat the first four ingredients until fluffy. Add the flour and salt. Mix well. Add the baking soda to the boiling water and add to mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop by teaspoonful on to ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake! This should make around 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Cruises = Great Food

Posted on by
Reply

Our daughter’s sister-in-law took dance classes since she was very young.  When she was in high school, the dance team would go on these wonderful cruises.  They would perform while they were on the cruise. Her mother and brother (our son-in-law) would go with her, and they said the food was wonderful.  I’ve never been on a cruise, but I can imagine it would be fun eating all those great meals. I would want to go for a walk outside on the deck after every meal since I would be eating more than ususal.  Now where would I want to go?  There are caribbean cruises that sound nice.  If I went, I know one thing…there would be activities, beautiful beaches, places of historical and cultural interest, plus plenty of great food!

Cereals for Kids

Posted on by
Reply

Most kids love the sugar-filled, barely nutritious cereals that are out on the market.  Ideally, cereal for kids should be very low in sugar and high in fiber and protein, but I don’t know many kids who will eat that kind of cereal.  So maybe a sugar/fiber ratio would help.   If the cereal has a lot of sugar in it then a requirement would be that it has to have a lot of fiber.  For example, Cinnamon Spoon Size Shredded Wheat has 12g of sugar & 6g of fiber (& 4g of protein) which is a really good amount of fiber.  If the cereal has a moderate amount of sugar then it would need to have a moderate amount of fiber.  Wheaties has a really good ratio with 4g of sugar and 3g of fiber.   Cheerios only have 1g of sugar and yet have 3g of fiber (& 3g of protein), so Cheerios are really great.  They probably have the best sugar/fiber ratio of all.

Have You Ever Thought About Starting Your Own Business?

Posted on by
Reply

We had our own business for a few years. There was so much to learn about starting our own business, though.

Have you ever thought about starting your own business? There are certain requirements that must be met for setting up a corporation. The IRS has certain things they require. Even if it’s just a one person company, there have to be shareholder meetings and records kept of the company minutes from those meetings. Bylaws and an Operating Agreement have to be created.   It all sounds so complicated, but the nevada corporation can make things a lot easier.  They offer free forms.  And they can prepare the whole set of documents for only $20-$25.   One thing that is a must is a tax ID number.  They offer tax id forms to apply for a number, or they can get the actual tax id number for their client for only $25.  If someone needs a corporate kit, they probably have the lowest price available. They also have a FAQ section to learn difference between LLC and Corporation, etc.  If you are planning to start your own business or are already in the process of starting your business, then I hope this information will be helpful.

How to Clean Wax out of Candle Holders

Posted on by
1

We bought a lot of clear, glass candle holders for our daughter and son-in-law’s wedding reception. I saved them to loan to friends, but the only problem was wax left in the holders. I found that one of the best ways to remove old wax was to put the holders in the freezer for a few hours. Then I took the holders out of the freezer, turned them upside down, and the wax fell out. I put the glass holders in the dishwasher to get out any wax residue, and they looked good as new!

Financial Help

Posted on by
Reply

Some people need help getting back on their feet after a financial crisis. There are all sorts of reasons people may need help.  Maybe there are medical bills, college bills, bills from being self-employeed, or maybe overuse of credit cards.  If they have bad credit, then they need help with credit repair.  If they find the best credit offer to suit their needs, they can rebuild their credit by making timely payments.  They can keep a check on their credit score by getting a  credit report.  Then, hopefully, they can rebuild their financial future.

What a Great Week!

Posted on by
2

This week was great.  I went to help take care of our grandbaby while our daughter was busy getting things finished for a deadline on Thursday evening.  I loved getting up in the morning and getting to watch Baby J smile and make his precious little two month old baby sounds.  And he was really hungry in the mornings (and afternoons and evenings…LOL).  He was so cuddly during feeding time, and I loved to burp him over my shoulder and feel his soft little head against my cheek.   Now, I’m back home, and I really missed holding him this morning.  He is so precious and such a blessing in all of our lives!

“Pink for the Cure” – Susan G. Komen

Posted on by
Reply
The Breast Cancer SiteI had a friend die of breast cancer and leave behind three children, the oldest was our daughter’s age, and the youngest had just celebrated her third birthday. I can remember having them over when their daughter was a tiny baby, and we were all focused on the joy of having a newborn. Little did I know that years later I would do the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” in her memory.  There is something I can do now, too, and that’s participate in “Pink for the Cure.”

I have several friends who are breast cancer survivors, and they all know that breast cancer research is so important! We can all do our part to help further this research. This month, there are several companies that have “Pink for the Cure” on their packaging and will donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. Also, you can go to 3 Day Mom for more info.
Here are some of the “Pink for the Cure” packages in the stores:

*Argo Corn Starch

*Betty Crocker – Hamburger Helper, Cookie Mix

*Energizer Batteries
*Fleischmann’s Yeast

*General Mills – Cheerios, Total Raisin Bran

*Green Giant Vegetables

*Karo Syrup

*Mazola Pure Cooking Spray

*Northland Cranberry Juice

*One A Day Women’s Vitamins
*Pillsbury- Crescent Rolls & Grands Sweet Rolls

*Progresso Soup

*Spice Island Pure Vanilla

*Thomas Kinkade “Angel of Hope”

*Viva Paper Towels

*Yoplait Yogurt

Our Table

Posted on by
Reply

When our daughter’s sister-in-law did a study abroad semester at Oxford this past spring, she kept a blog of her experiences there. I remember her last entry. She wrote how she would miss her little kitchen table where she would eat, study, have a cup of tea, and look out the window and watch what was happening outside. When I think of our dining table, I remember so many happy times at that table. I remember bunches of high school kids (and then later college students) being crowded around it to eat and all of us enjoying our meal together. I remember when my parents were alive and eating together at that table. I remember all the birthday parties and all the holidays, when it was decorated for whatever the occasion. It’s just a table, but tables can hold so many memories. There are all kinds of tables… pool tables, ping pong tables, poker tables, etc., but my favorite is our dining room table.