Life and Reviews

We are so excited to be so close to having a place to live.  After losing our house to foreclosure, we have been living in our camper in my mom’s back yard for far too long.  We only slept in the camper, the rest of the time we were in the house.  Mom’s house is just so small, and their is NO privacy for any of us. 

When you have had your own home for 15 years and you suddenly find yourself homeless with two kids, it is pretty scary.  This economy has not been kind to anyone except the gasoline companies.

We are at the exciting part of building…picking out the colors of the walls and flooring.  Hopefully everything will be complete in a few weeks.  We made the entire attic living space.  It is a 20×30 foot space from which we will have a mastersuite with a bedroom, bath, small living area/kitchenette and a bathroom.  The kids will get a bedroom of their own downstairs.  We will finally have a bit of space and some much needed privacy.

My mom had her garage turned into a master bedroom suite to give some much needed living space a couple of years ago.  Craming an entire house of stuff into someone else’s house is not an easy task and unfortunately, some stuff you really didn’t want to get rid of has to go for lack of space. 

I guess you never realize how very little you need to actually make it in hard times.  We have learned that stuff just gets in the way.  We have been able to donate a ton of things to the needy.  I think this has certainly gave us a new perspective on the important things in life — each other.   We are very thankful this year to have our family, health, and a roof over our heads!

There are so many different types of computer desks available today that it is hard to decide.  You may just be looking for a new way to organize your workspace or your child’s workspace.  Home Decorators has an extensive selection of computer desks. 

You may need a space-saving corner computer desk or prefer to hide all away in a computer armoire.  You may need more room to work such as a writing desk for your computer.  The Oxford Corner Writing Desk I is very pretty and is one I would certainly consider.

These computer desks would make great Christmas gifts.  It would be a very thoughtful and useful gift to give.

For the serious hunter, bright, clear images from a quality pair of Nikon All Terrain Binoculars is a crucial piece of equipment for every hunt.  These binoculars are simply amazing.  They are precision aligned optics for extended viewing.

Nikon’s name and reputation are known far and wide for the superior products they make.  Some of the amazing features of Nikon’s All Terrain Binoculars include:  being 100% waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof.  These binoculars are also ultra-rugged.  The Nikon All Terrain Binoculars are also very lightweight compared to other binoculars which makes them unique. 

These would make wonderful Christmas gifts for the hunters or outdoors-men you know.  Something to make your gift-giving even better, you will receive a FREE Nikon Pro Gear Promotional Gift Card ($25 or $50) when you purchase an eligible Nikon ATB Binocular from an authorized dealer from now until December 31, 2008. 

Click here to learn more about the Nikon Free ATB Pro Gear just in time for the Christmas shopping season.  You cannot go wrong with these great All Terrain Binoculars Promotion from Nikon. 

Today was report card day at our house.  Both of my children as I have talked about earlier started a new school this year which we have been very impressed with.  Ding – ding -ding! We have GREAT report cards!!!! Hooray!!

I am so proud!  My oldest, Cameron who is in 7th grade made Honor Roll! He also had a 100 average in science! Go Cameron!!!

My youngest, Kennady who is in 2nd grade did excellent as well.  She had Excellent in many areas as well as significant improvement in the others.  Her reading level jumped from first grade 2nd month to second grade 6th month now.  I am very proud of her accomplishments!

We have a very happy household tonight!!

Because of the poor economy, many are not seeking medical treatment that normally would.  People just cannot afford to run to the doctor when they feel poorly.  I know that is how we are doing it in our family and I have insurance.  I even work for the hospital where we would be treated. We have to pay $1,000 for each diagnostic test such as a CT, Cardiac Testing, or an MRI.  Who has that kind of money? I certainly do not.  We also have to pay $1,000 for in-patient or out-patient surgery too.

Our insurance is so pitiful and expensive now, I cannot afford to go when I normally would have.  That is because not only do we have a bad economy to deal with, as an insured person, I am paying for those who are not insured, but run to the ER like it is their primary physician 2-3 times per week.  I kid you not.  Sad but true.

“The health care system was not in a good state really any time in the last five to 10 years. This has simply stressed it to a very severe degree,” said Dr. Eric Schackow, a family physician in Chicago. “It does become very disheartening and discouraging because we find ourselves with our fingers in the dike.”  It is not going to get any better in the near future. 

Hilary Clinton was the only candidate who knew and understood the problems with the health care system in the U.S..  Since she is no longer a candidate, we are back to square one on the hopes of any positive changes anytime soon.

 U.S. hospitals are reporting an uptick in emergency room patients, according to the American Hospital Association. Clarke said that includes a rise in uninsured patients with conditions that could have been treated elsewhere, and he expects that to increase.  This is already a bad situation.  Many give false addresses, names, and social security numbers making it impossible for hospitals to collect payment.   They also come in with bogus ailments seeking narcotics above all else.  This further increases the health care costs because of unnecessary tests ordered by doctors to cover themselves.  That is why insured people pay so much in premiums, out of pocket percentages,  and co-payments.

I have a friend with a baby who swears by Colic Calm.  I just wish it had been available when I had my first child.  He was colicky all of the time.  We rarely slept.  It was a very bad first year for all of us.  We were told to switch formula numerous times trying to see if that was the problem.  Nothing worked.

Colic calm was originally designed to treat colic in babies and gas but, many parents have also had great success in helping with baby reflux. Colic Calm does not alter the balance of babies’ delicate digestive systems. The best part is that the homeopathics in Colic Calm stimulate the body’s self-healing properties.  

Another great thing that Colic Calm does is to help a baby’s digestive system adjust to new foods, relieves hiccups and soothes stomach upset that often results from increased saliva production during teething.  Colic Calm is a 100% natural remedy and is an allergen-free formula.  My first child had hiccups in the womb and nearly every day for his first year.  It would have been a blessing to have Colic Calm!

The parent reviews on the website speak volumes about how wonderful this product is. 

Monterrey Chicken
Weight Watcher Friendly Recipe!

Points: 6 Servings: 4

4 (5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 Cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup 2% Colby and Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese*
1 (14 oz.) Can Rotel (Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies), drained
Sliced Green Onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten. Season each with a little pepper.
Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-low heat until no longer pink. Place each breast onto a baking sheet and top each breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and 1 tablespoon of bacon bits.
Place into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).

No matter the season, this is one of our all-time family favorite desserts!! Yum!!

Pina Colada Bread Pudding

• 1 1-lb unsliced loaf French or sourdough bread
• 1 10 oz can frozen Pina Colada drink mix
• 1 (6-oz) can pineapple juice
• 1 12-oz can evaporated skimmed milk
• 1/2 cup cream of coconut
• 2 (7-8-oz each) bananas, sliced crosswise
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup Irish cream or 1/4 cup light-rum, optional
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 8-oz can crushed pineapple and juice
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• 8 or 10 fresh mint sprigs
  

  ---

• With sharp knife, trim crust from bread; discard crust or make into breadcrumbs for use in another recipe.
• Cut bread in 1″ cubes; set aside.
• In blender or food processor fitted with metal blade, combine 1/2 of following ingredients: drink mix, pineapple juice, milk, cream of coconut and banana slices
• Process until pureed. Pour puree into 6-cup bowl
• Puree remaining 1/2 of liquid ingredients and banana slices as well as eggs and liquer (if using)
• Combine both purees
• Combine raisins and crushed pineapple with juice; set aside
• Place about 2/3 of bread cubes in slow cooker
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• Spread 1 cup raisin-pineapple mixture over bread in slow cooker
• Top with remaining bread cubes
• Then top with remaining lemon peel and raisin-pineapple mixture
• Pour pureed ingredients into slow cooker
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours
• Spoon pudding into 8 or 10 dessert dishes and serve hot

This dessert is also delicious cold. Spoon into serving dish, cover and refrigerate; eat later.
8-10 servings

This link to sign the petition to release Ratchet from Iraq now worked!!

In case you haven’t heard Ratchet’s story…

In May, Army Spc. Gwen Beberg and another soldier saved the puppy from a pile of burning rubbish. Ratchet soon gained international celebrity when it was revealed military personnel are not permitted to care for pets in Iraq, according to the AP.

Beberg, who claims she wouldn’t have been able to pull through her 13-month deployment without the companionship of the dog, had all sorts of issues in her attempts to send the 6-month-old mutt home to Minneapolis.

But an online petition signed by 65,000 people urging the Army to let Ratchet go to America helps to illustrate the emotional cause, and last night Operation Baghdad Pups succeeded in loading the dog onto a charter flight to Minnesota, the AP reports.

The military had earlier permitted Ratchet to leave Iraq, but not on its dime or by it means. The rescue work came at a cost of about $5,000, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International, the parent group to Baghdad Pups.

Sure sounds like a lot of cash and effort, but it goes to show the extent to which dog fanciers will go.

Patricia Beberg, the adoptive soldier’s mother, earns honors for quote of the week, as reported by the AP:

“He has been her emotional support, confidante, sanity-saver and a connection with something other than a war zone,” she said of Ratchet’s relationship to her daughter.

to read more about Rachet’s trip and arrival in the U.S. …click here

Did you know your favorite moisturizer or multivitamin has a markup of 700 – 1000%???? That is sad isn’t it?

OROVO was created to combat the supplement industry’s trend of concerning itself more with profit margins than with people. By cutting corners in the type and quality of their ingredients, these companies are able to create cheap products, market them under false pretenses, and ensure they see the largest, quickest profits they can manage.

OROVO is a ground-breaking company designed with a simple idea in mind: to provide top of the line health supplements and beauty products to consumers from all reaches of life. It all started with the release of our widely acclaimed Top 10 SuperFoods supplement called Orovo. With the success of this first product we have since expanded into creating a variety of health and beauty lines at the industry’s most affordable prices.

Interested in earning some extra income? Orvo has a great opportunity. Forget everything you think you know about home based businesses. OROVO has exploded the possibilities of what a home based business can be. Not only are we revolutionizing the health industry, but we are completely revamping the very model of what a home-based entrepreneur can accomplish.