Fun heath adivce from Dr. Jim and Sidekick Bob

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of © Blue Shield of California for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

There seems to be no time to take a breath today. Our lives are just so busy. We are going to work, playing on the weekend, taking our kids to dance class or soccer. It seems we are never sitting still. With all this busyness, is it any wonder we have no idea when we are sick? The only time our bodies are resting is when we are sleeping. That means we only have 7-8 hours to renew our bodies and minds.

Well, what happens if you can not sleep? What happens if you want to sleep, but can not? This sounds like something called insomnia. As it turns out, Dr. Jim and Bob are here to give you some advice on how to fix this insomnia issue.  . There are all sorts of ways to "fix" insomnia, but for quick answers and lighter side, the only place to go to is Dr. Jim and Bob's Fun & Helpful Health Advice. Health issues can be stressful and allow for a chuckle to. At the time of such an unwelcome health issue, this is when going to  is a must. In fact, make sure you keep Dr. Jim and Bob's Fun & Helpful Health Advice on your homepage or bookmarks for other health issues.

Another health issue related to insomnia is snoring. Oh my, if not being able to sleep is aweful, what about snoring. Of course, for the most part, the person snoring has no idea they are snoring, but their spouse certainly knows they are snoring. . This snoring does not have to go on forever though. There is no need to go at this frustrating health issue alone, especially when you have Dr. Jim and Bob to help you along.

The best thing about Dr. Jim and Bob is they will do all the work for you. They just love scanning the Internet all day, everyday for answers to your questions. They want to be your guide to healing youself. To stay up to date on all your health issues, you can LIKE Dr. Jim and Bob on Facebook right now. Blue Shield of California is a non profit company, they offer access to alternative care like chiropractors and acupuncture, access to awesome doctors and a variety of health care plans.

If you already have Blue Shield of California, you know what they are like, if you do not have Blue Shield of California, switch to them today.

 

Making Cookies, Chocolate Chip

Well, it is that time of the year again, the time for baking homemade cookies. When the weather turns cold, there is no better time to bake homemade cookies than in the Fall and Winter months. For one thing, who really wants to leave the home for a sweet treat and homemade is always better. Another good thing about eating homemade cookies is the ingredients. When people buy store bought cookies, if they look on the ingredients, they will see a lot of preservatives and ingredients they would not want in their bodies, much less their kids bodies.

When cookies, or cakes, for that matter are made at home, all the ingredients are right in from of the baker. Let's see, there is butter(real butter), flour, sugar(real sugar), salt, vanilla, brown sugar, eggs, et. al. See all ingredients we know and love.

Hmm, what shall I bake next? A chocolate cake, vanilla cake, brownies, Christmas cookies! Christmas cookies, of course! I have all the ingredients and cutters, I will make some this weekend. My twins love to help me frost them. In fact, I have been looking on a recipe website for homemade frosting. I need to make chocolate and vanilla...

Yes, the baking season has arrived so make sure all your 'kitchen staples' are in your pantry.
 

Lifetime Garden Box: Day One-1-

My parents has asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said nothing. Then one day I was on Amazon looking for something I could grow my veggies in and came across this Lifetime Garden Box. The box is on the left sidebar. This is awesome and it took nothing to set up. I loved when it arrived. The box was lightweight and was easy to carry to the backyard, open up and take out all the parts.

The best thing about this garden box is it will not rot and it has this tent over the soil, with a zipper. I am slowly growing veggies right now and once they get big enough to transplant, they are going to on into my new Lifetime Garden Box.

Anyway, back to what I was going to talk about. When the box arrived, I showed my twins and we opened it up together in the backyard. They had a blast cutting open the box, sitting on the box, pulling out the parts for the box and oh yes, playing in the box. Oh yeah, even at 7 years old, my twins still love playing in and on boxes. Are you kids still like this?

After all the parts were laid out, I began reading the directions.

 

 

 

 



 

 

My twins, they love doing projects and this is just another one for them to tackle. I am wondering if they will be this way when they get older. This is what we accomplished after opening the box. Then we came back before the sun went down to put the puzzle together.

 

Formal Dresses at Affordale Prices

Owning a formal dress is important. One never knows when they will need to wear a formal dress. With all the events in life, a young lady will need at least one formal dress in their closet. These are just some events in life where formal dresses might be necessary:

• Wedding
• Prom
• Evening
• Cocktail
• Homecoming
• Graduation
• Formal

This list can go on, but these are just several events in life where a formal dress is, more likely than not, to be worn. Formal dresses come in a variety of colors and styles to. This makes looking for a formal dress exciting. It is nice to have more than one choice when looking for a formal dress.

The color of formal dresses range from white, green, blue, yellow, pink, red and purple. These colors are all popular, especially when they come in the perfect design.  Color is a powerful tool, especially when it comes to clothing. Once the gown color is choose, it is easy to choose the design. They both go hand in hand. Some gowns are floor length, short to the knees, strapless, v-neck, sheath, princess style, mermaid, ball gown and many others.

Formal dresses of today are far removed from dresses forty to fifty years ago. As the times change, so to do the formal dress style, design and colors.

Trusting Schools to Keep Your Children Safe

As parents of children in the public school system, we put our kids on the bus in the morning trusting that they will make it home to us safely at the end of the school day, with very little control of what happens once the bus pulls away. We trust the bus driver to get them where they need to be safely, the school authorities to keep the school grounds secure and the teachers to push our children to learn. We trust the cafeteria staff to keep the food clean and sanitary, healthy and nutritious. We trust that no harm will come to our children while they are away. Unfortunately in these times, this is not always the case.

1. Bullying - This topic usually doesn't stir up much concern until there has already been an incident of bullying involving your child. By better educating our children on forms of bullying and how to respond to them, we can prevent violent responses and emotional scarring. We can also help prevent future occurrences of bullying by informing our children of the detrimental consequences of bullying other children.

2. Drugs/Weapons in Schools - The issues of drugs being offered to our children and weapons being brought onto school grounds are often topics that make parents uncomfortable, leaving our children unaware of the possibilities of danger and how to react when these situations arise. Children are better able to respond to situations when they are informed, and who better to inform them than their parents?

3. Discipline - There should be no question about the discipline policy your child's teacher uses in the classroom. If there is, it is your responsibility as a parent to ask questions. I had to ask my kindergartner's teacher how she handles children who act out in class because my daughter can be hard to handle at times. She explained her methods to me and eased my mind. If there is anything you disagree with, you can talk it over with the teacher. If this doesn't resolve the issue, take it to the next level of authority, because we certainly do not want our children receiving the wrong forms of discipline at school. The child also needs to understand the forms of discipline in their classroom and if possible, this should be followed up at home.

The bottom line is that we all need to be proactive in our children's education and we need to stay well-informed. This leaves less room for error and helps to keep our children safe when we cannot be with them. Prepare them for the dangers that lurk around every corner. We have to set them free someday.

Author Bio:

Ken Myers is the founder of http://www.longhornleads.com/& amp; has learned over the years the importance of focusing on what the customer is looking for and literally serving it to them. He doesn’t try to create a need; instead he tries to satisfy the existing demand for information on products and services.

 

 

International Tractor Co., Inc. Worldwide

International Tractor Co,. Inc. buys all sorts of heavy equipment for their clients worldwide. The president of International Tractor Co., Inc is the visionary Eilat Lev. He has been the president since 1991  where ITC capitalizes with their own team experience, buys with new and used construction machinery which they then trade worldwide. ITC has a sales team that has over 40 years of cumulative experience in the industry. With this much experience, it is no wonder ITC is the #1 heavy equipment company around.

Here are just a few of the heavy equipment products they buy: attachments and components, air compressors, cranes, dozers, forklifts and a lot more heavy equipment. Other heavy equipment ITC buys include the import and export of major brand names such as: Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, Dynapac, Bomag, Terex, Hamm, Kobelco, JCB, and Ingersoll-Rand as well as additional lines from smaller manufacturers.

ITC will provide their clients with an array of services such as: purchases, evaluations, inspection and shipping to and from a variety of worldwide destinations. ITC also handles logistics to necessary for import and export documentation and terms of payment. This including Irrevocable Letters of Credit and foreign exchange.

Throughout the years, ITC have completed transaction in more than 90 countries all over the globe. ITC is also well experienced in all international markets regarding heavy construction machinery. There is also a guarantee from ITC that they can locate a wide variety of machinery at your price range and region.

As if 2007, the sales have gone over 3.5 billion and climbing. Right now, ITC buys a lot of used trucks and equipment than any other heavy equipment company in the world.

If you are wondering where ITC buys their heavy equipment products to, they buy to the Richie Bros. Co. Auctioneers  who has been in business since 1958. Over the past 50 years, the Richie Bros. Corp developed a unique business model like no other. At Richie Bros., they use an unreserved public auction which creates the global marketplace for their clients.


Throughout the years, ITC have completed transaction in more than 90 countries all over the globe. ITC is also well experienced in all international markets regarding heavy construction machinery. There is also a guarantee from ITC that they can locate a wide variety of machinery at your price range and region. Over the years, ITC has done substantial business with major auctioneers such as Ritchie Bros, Lyon Auction, Worldwide Auctioneers and others. ITC has acted as both buyer and seller in the auctions.

Buy Fall Bulbs Now for Brightly Blooming Bulbs this Spring

Nothing makes are garden more beautiful than displaying blooming spring flowers. When spring bulbs are planted this fall, those bulbs will bring a smile to your face as you see this showing brightly all over your backyard, front yard and around your home. Right now is the time to discover Burpee's selection of fall planted bulbs with an incredible array of shapes, colors, sizes and bloom times.

When you shop online right now at Burpee you will save 20% off orders $60+ at Burpee.com with code AFFGET20 through 9/17!. These bulbs are just amazing. Look at all this color. When looking at these Tulip bulbs it makes you want to skip winter and go straight to spring. Burpee has a time zone schedule on their website so their customers can see what the best months will be to begin planting. There are a lot of varieties of tulips too. There is the Barbados, Apricot Amor, Blushing Lady, Brown Sugar, Eternal Flame, Foxtrot and so many more. Tulips are amazing as they have this neat little package and when they bloom, they are just divine. Tulips can be admired from outside or cut and placed in a vase.

 

If these Tulips look and sound lovely to you, how about another Burpee deal for Save 15% on orders of $50 or more with code AFFMATO through 9/30 at Burpee.com! Now, as much as I love Tulips, I love Daffodils even better.Oh the Daffodil, with it's own smiling face just waiting to make you smile and take on the day. The Daffodils from Burpee come in a nice variety of colors too. My favorite Daffodil is the Peeping Tom. Oh when these bulbs come up, it makes me think of summer and how  I can not wait for summer to arrive. It is a shame Daffodils to not last too long. They grow and then they are gone, but they are so worth the wait. Look at how lovely this bulb is. Just looking at this bulb will put a smile on your face and melt away the cool spring blues. Some other

Daffodils are the Mint Julep, Goose Green, Spellbinder, Tahiti, Dutch Master and so many more.

These are just two of the bulbs Burpee has for their customers to look at and purchase today. Whether this is your first time planting bulbs or you have planted bulbs forever, it is still easy to do and well worth the wait as you see your little packages open up in the sun.

Eilat Lev's International Tractor Co, Inc has Online Bids for Heavy Equipment

Eilat Lev, the president of New York-based International Tractor, has been buying and selling equipment at Ritchie Bros. auctions around the world for almost 30 years.

 

 

When he can't attend an auction in person, Eilat bids online- using rbauctionBid-Live to purchase more than US$16 million of equipment to date.

 

Eilat Lev has been traveling the world, buying and selling equipment, for more than 30 years. "International trade is my niche," says Eilat, owner and president of New York based

International TractorCo. Inc. "Like Ritchie Bros., I think globally. Most equipment I buy and sell starts in one continent and ends up in another: from Europe to South America, from Asia to the Middle East. It's all about supply and demand." 

Early in his career, Eilat found that he often crossed paths with Ritchie Bros. "I understood the global marketplace before most people - but Dave Ritchie understood it too," he says. "I would go to remote places looking at machines and someone from Ritchie Bros. would be there the week before or the week after." Intrigued, Eilat attended his first Ritchie Bros. auction in the late 1970s - and he's been a regular customer ever since, buying and selling close to $2oo million of equipment at auctions around the world. In 2007 alone, Eilat registered to bid at more than 100 auctions, purchasing close to $15 million of equipment. Over the years Eilat noticed a changing mindset among equipment users.

"Dave Ritchie transformed the way people in 

 

"Being able to sit at home or in my office and bid live on a machine being sold in an auction 1,ooo or 5,ooo miles away- it's incredible." 

the industry looked at auctions," says Eilat. "He showed why it's better to buy from an unreserved auction than anywhere else: you get the machine today, you pay a fair market price. I take my hat off to Dave: he took a simple concept and, with hard work and good people, turned it into a huge international success story." When Ritchie Bros. used the Internet to open up the global equipment marketplace, Eilat was one of the first to take advantage of the opportunities it presented. "Twenty years ago," says Eilat, "it took a lot of time and money to find equipment outside your local market. Now you can go online and find all the information you need about a machine being sold on the other side of the world."

 Ever the pioneer, Eilat was one of the first people to bid online at a Ritchie Bros. auction when the company introduced its Internet bidding service, rbauctionBidLive, in 2002. To date, he's purchased more than US$16 million worth of equipment using the service. "There are so many auctions now, all over the world, and I can't be at all of them," Eilat explains. "Being able to sit at home or in my office and bid live on a machine being sold in an auction 1,ooo or s,ooo miles away - it's incredible." 

Although he appreciates the ease and convenience of online bidding, Eilat says "it will never replace the experience of being physically at the auction and bidding in person."Although Ritchie Bros. auctions have opened up a world of opportunities for Eilat Lev, it's not just equipment that keeps him coming back. "I'm quite old-fashioned," he says. "I enjoy the personal relationships I've developed with Ritchie Bros. over the years." 

rb RITCHIE BROS.

Auctioneers

5 Homemade Gifts Any Kid Can Make

When you think about homemade you usually do not think about children. After all, homemade can mean the project is difficult, right? No, in fact homemade can be quite the opposite. Making things by hand does not mean it has to be hard at all. If you think about it, handmade gifts were the first gifts ever. How many children make drawings or cards for their parents as their first real gift? Those are things that parents, grandparents, and family friends treasure forever because they come from the heart. With that in mind, here are five great homemade gifts that any child can create and give away:

1.      Story book – What could be better than a personalized story book? A person of any age would be delighted to see their name in a story just about them. Not only does this delight the person getting the gift, but it also gives children the opportunity to use their imagination and picture themselves in someone else’s shoes. They can think about what occupation the person has, what they do during their day, what they are interested in, and where they would like to travel to.  

This allows children to think about others in two ways: by making an effort for someone else and thinking about someone else’s life. All it takes to create a story book is some construction paper, yarn, and a hole-puncher. Punch three holes on one side of the papers and thread the yarn through the holes. Tie in pretty bows and your book is ready to write and illustrate. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils make for great illustrations. Have children work on their handwriting and artistic skills while creating a gift for someone else.

 

2.      Recipe Jar – Everyone can use a little help when it comes to cooking, so why not give them the gift of a meal or dessert? Using dry ingredients that will not spoil, children can create mixes for soups, chili, cakes, or brownies. By layering the ingredients neatly in a large mason jar, children not only create a meal but a work of art as well. Add colorful ingredients like multi-colored pasta, mini candy coated chocolates, or various spices to the jars to really bring out the artistic side.  

The kids can decorate the jar with paint or material. Make sure they give the recipe with the jar so that other can replicate this tasty treat. Simply have them tie a small card to the lid of the jar. If there are nuts or gluten, please make sure to include a warning for allergy sufferers. Kids can have fun creating these delicious gifts, and then can make their own for dinner that night!

 

3.      Wind chimes – If you have a creative child that loves to collect things, this is the perfect homemade gift for them to make. Virtually any collection of small objects can make a beautiful wind chime. Sea shells and coral tied to a piece of driftwood make a great ocean themed wind chime. For a more masculine touch, washers, nuts and bolts tied to a wrench make a great decoration for the garage workspace. Sea glass, marbles, or natural stones catch the light as well as the wind, and a copper-tinted coat hanger holds them all creatively. Simply use fishing line to dangle the odds and ends and your child has the perfect gift in no time.

 

4.      Pencil holder –Everyone with a desk needs a place to put their pencils, and what could be better than a constant reminder of how much they are loved? Almost any tall, thin container can be made into a pencil holder. Mason jars, tin cans, mismatched glasses, small boxes, and even weighted toilet paper tubes can be turned into desk accessories. Have the children use their imagination to come up with objects that will work. Decorate with paint, markers, crayon, material or anything else they can think of. A little glitter and glue are not bad ideas either. They can even attach a picture of themselves to really personalize their gift.

 

5.      Treasure Box – Whether you are young or old, you always have things you treasure. Have the kids make up a treasure box for a gift. Something that captures the unique spirit of the recipient. Using a small box, preferably one with a lid, have the children decorate it with things that are meaningful. Pictures cut out from magazines, drawings, or stickers work well. They can also do the classic glitter and pasta route for something that looks like a king or queen will use. 

Fake gems and shimmery accessories can make it glamorous. For a more masculine box, try the monster route. Using googly eyes and lots of green, make a box an alien would be proud to use. Glue on paper teeth and yarn hair for effect. Even a Halloween themed box, like a mummy’s chest or a vampire’s casket could be a fun give away idea. Decorated tiny mint tins make for great treats! 

Whether they are making a Christmas gift, a birthday surprise, or just a gift for any occasion, these ideas should get them started. There are tons of inventive ideas they can come up with using objects you have around the house. There is no reason to have to spend a lot of effort or money coming up with gift ideas. All it takes is a lot of creativity and a little time for children to create gifts that will last forever in the hearts and minds of their recipients.

Author Byline:

Ken Myers as an Expert Advisor on multiple household help issues to many Organizations and groups, and is a mentor for other “Mom-preneurs” seeking guidance.  He is a regular contributor of “www.gonannies.com/”.  You can get in touch with him at kmyers.ceo@gmail.com.

The Fall Fruit and Vegatable Seeds are Here!

So September is here. It kind of appeared out of nowhere. This summer went by so fast and all of a sudden it is the fall season. For all my gardening readers, right now is the best time to Save 20% on orders of $60 or more with code CAFFCOOK through 9/30!  Right now you can look at the varieties of fruits and vegetables ready to plant for the fall season.

If you have never tried blueberries, blackberries or raspberries, right now is a great time to buy some plants and grow them in your backyard. Growing your own fruits will have you enjoying the 'fruits' of your labor. Backyard gardeners  who plant, grow and eat fruit from their backyard will also be able to share their fruit with family, friends and neighbors.

Along with fall fruits, there are fall vegetables for planting. For salad lovers, there is an array of lettuce to look at and put in your shopping cart. Some of the most popular lettuce are the Fuseables Alfresco Mix, City Mix and Global Mix. Since we are entering the fall months, the Lettuce, Fall and Winter Mix will be something every salad lover must purchase, grow and eat during the fall and winter months. Just because summer is behind us does not mean we have to leave behind the yummy vegetables from summer.

All these fruits and vegetables look delicious. Look the price of food are going up, so it is a good idea to begin learning how to grow your own foods at home. Plus, if you have little children, show them how food is really grown and that it does not just magically appear at the grocery store.

It is about time we get back to basics and learn to feed ourselves again.

The Wind Came Out of Nowhere

Yesterday it was in the low 90s and today, today it is windy and in the mid 70s. Seriously, what is happening to the weather? Well, I know what is happening, but you would not believe me. When the wind acts this way, do you like to stay indoors our outdoors?  

I do not mind hearing the wind and seeing it go back and forth in the air. I also do not mind hearing in as it flows against my house and fences. It is nice seeing how awesome and powerful wind it. We can feel the wind, hear the wind, put have no idea where it really comes from.

Sure the weather man will tell you the wind is coming from the north, south, east or west at this MPH. Anyway, it is supposed to still be summer for a couple of weeks. In my city, it is usually hot until mid October. Hopefully this is just a fluke and we will have better weather tomorrow.

Yeah, it would not be nice to end summer with it being windy and chilly. If the temperature drops below 75 degrees, I am indoors and covered with something warm. My tolerance for the cold, or extreme heat, no...I have none. Give me 75-85 degrees and I am great.

It is a good thing I do not live in a cold climate state or city. Just to make sure the weather will be tolerable, I am going to look at my Kindle Fire -Weather.com right now. Right now it is 76 F, feels like 76 F and wind is coming from the W @ 16 MPH.  It is a good thing the sun is out and I do not see any clouds as it is showing on the Weather.com app.

Now for the 36 hour view, it is going to be a low 55 F with winds coming from the W @ 10 to 15 MPH. Labor Day it is 'supposed' to be 96/59 F. Okay, this is but a prediction...I shall see...

Have a safe and blessed Labor Day weekend!

Farmers, Come Check Out the Monthly Specials

Whether you have a small, medium or large farm, finding the items you need can sometimes be difficult to come by. If an Ag store near you does not sell what you are looking for, there is no need to fret, it is time to add the FarmTek.com website to your favorites and begin shopping there today.

If you desire to own your own chickens and eat your own eggs, then you will need a chicken coop and feed. Having chickens in your backyard, especially your farm, have become popular today. With the way our food source is going downhill, being able to grow our own food at home has become that much more important. The same goes from eating your own chicken eggs.

I recently had some farm fresh chicken eggs and wow, they really are different from store bought eggs. Obviously, they taste fresher and the chickens are not kept stacked upon each other in unhealthy living situations. It really is a shame Americans are not growing their own food as we used to. How did we allow this to happen in our nation?

Being free to buy the seeds we want, plant them, see them grow and eat the fruits or our labor, is the very best thing we can do as human beings. This is something that should not be taken for granted.  
 

When looking for Agricultural Supplies they can all be found at one location online where you will not have to go running around like a 'chicken' with its head cut off anymore.

The TLC Kitchen is here for You

If cooking or baking, is not something everyone likes to do. This is true for the everyday individual just looking for some foods they can eat daily, weekly and monthly. The TLC kitchen serves more than this though. In fact, the TLC kitchen has Chef-prepared meal gifts with nationwide shipping from TheTLCKitchen.com. Order now! This is a great idea for families with new babies, a family member or sick friend or sympathy meals.

While at the TLC Kitchen website, you will see the three departments they have food services for: The Meal Stork, Get Well Meal and Sympathy. Of course these are just the names for each important occasion in any one's life, but if cooking is not your thing, it is time to stop eating very unhealthy fast food and buy a weeks worth of gourmet meals from the TLC Kitchen.  

The best thing about purchasing already made gourmet meals is they arrive in 1-3 business days. Of course, this time will depend on where you live. The meals you have to prepared will be a blessing to the ones recovering or going through a time of grief.

If you think flowers are nice to receive, but will not last forever, it is time to put the flowers away and feed the body and mind with food your recipients will remember.For the same price as a flower arrangement, your recipient will appreciate a meal they can warm up and enjoy without the hassle of planning a meal or running to the grocery store.

It is time to depend on a food company, The TLC Kitchen, who will be at your service for any occasion. Even if you want a weeks or months worth of meals, this is the only company to place your order with. There is no time like the present.

Burpee Fall Veggie Seeds are Here!

It is time to order your Burpee fall veggie seeds. I just received my veggie seeds and will begin planting them soon. Right now is the best time for you and your family to purchase some Burpee fall veggies seeds because you can Save 15% on orders of $50 or more with code AUG1550 through 8/31 at Burpee.com! This is a great deal and there are so many veggie seeds to look at a choose from.

Growing your own garden is so rewarding. When I see the seeds I plant begin growing, it is amazing. I stopped buying veggie plants at home and garden stores because I wanted no GMO seeds. GMO stands for Genetically Modified (Engineered) Organisms. I am not sure about you, but knowing there is something intentionally modified in my body does not sit well with me.

So I began buying and growing heirloom seeds. Shop Burpee.com for Heirloom Seeds right now. It is a great time to stock up. The way I see it, if the food prices get any higher and are grown with GMO seeds, you will want to learn how to grow your own garden now and start making your own compost patch.




Gardening has become very important today, especially for the backyard gardener such as myself. Planting heirloom seeds, that produce healthy non hybrid food, is the best way to take care of yourself and your family too.

The Cook's Garden Fall Specials

Fall, can you see it, feel it and smell it yet? If not, it is just around the corner. In my backyard, a lot of leaves are already falling from my very large tree. The leaves actually began falling a couple weeks ago. This morning I walk outside and there are a lot more leaves falling. Even though it is still summer, the weather is between summer and fall right now. It is is humid at times, with clouds overhead.
It seems the seasons are confused right now. Well, whatever the reason is for this strange mixture of seasons, it is time to

Start Your Fall Salad Garden Now at CooksGarden.com! Save $10 on any Order of $40 or More with Coupon CAFFLEAF through 8/20. I just purchased some more seeds from Cook's Garden, but have not planted them yet. I am still seeing my summer fruits and veggies come up. Isn't it just wonderful when you can purchase heirloom seeds, plant them, see them grow into beautiful (good tasting) food you can eat from your own backyard? Well, you know it is! This is the only way to eat food these days.

If you are buying foods in your grocery store, those fruits and veggies, more likely than not, have no flavor whatsoever. The grocery store food usually has not nutrients anymore and are grown from GMO seeds. Growing your own foods is easy, a labor of love and well worth it.

Right now, my tomatoes are coming up, the green part that is. I feed my tomatoes everyday and they just keep growing and growing. I am seeing my onions growing too. I think I am growing sweet onions, if I am not mistaken. The lettuce I am growing, I have it growing in two different places. In one place,the lettuce is growing real fast and in the other place, even though in the sun, see growing not so fast.

The zucchini I am growing is really producing more flowers. The zucchini finally began flowering last week and I am so excited to see at least 5 to 6 zucchinis pretty soon.

See, it is exciting growing your own food. It is, and will be, rewarding for you, your family and you friends too.

School is Back in Session!

With all the kids going back to school this month, kids who have been playing with their pets all summer long will be missing their 'sister' or 'brother' as they head off to school for the day. This could, indeed, cause a Separation Anxiety affect. Well, have no fear because the ONLY NATURAL PET STORE LLC, is here. They have just what any pet owner is looking for when it come to curbing the separation anxiety for the back to school blues.

Only Natural Pet Store, LLC, has put together a page of back to school ideas to help your four legged family member adjust to the change and stay entertained. For the month of August, when you shop at Only Natural Pet Store, LLC, use the code BACK2SCHOOL for 10% off on products like Separation Anxiety Cures, Puzzle Toys, Chews and even Doggie Backpacks.
So see, not only will kids be happy to see their friends again and see who their new teacher will be, pets will still be entertained at home without the separation anxiety affect.

Yeah school is just around the corner

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Can you believe it! School is going to begin in a week or two. My goodness, that means kids need to get clothes and yes shoes. Shoes are just as important as clothes. Right now, there is a BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon. It would be sad if this was missed right now. Famous Foothwear sells a wide variety of shoes from tennis shoes, sandals, flats, high heels and boots. Shoes come in white,black, brown, pink and many more colors for you to look at and purchase.

Along with shoes, Famous Footwear sells socks, totes, slippers, backpacks, gymsacks. Famous Footwear also sells name brand shoes from Clarks, Converse, ASICS, LifeStride, New Balance, Nike, Reebok and a lot more. For whatever name brand shoe you are looking for, they are at Famous Footwear, under one roof.

When customers sign up for the rewards program,they will be earning $1 for every dollar they spend on shoes. That sounds like a pretty good plan, especially for families with more than one child in the house. When enough points are accumulated, a person can earn certificates of $100 in one year, there is also a discount on your shoes just for signing up and you get special discounts too.

It would be a good idea to sign up right now so you can print out these coupons online and use them in one of many the Famous Footwear stores nationwide. These coupons need to be used between 8/2-8/18 so sign up now and take advantage of these coupons.

Grocery Food Prices Are Rising

How many times do you go to your local grocery store in a week? Have you been keeping track of the price increase? Do you think these prices will go down, or up? With the cost of corn going up, food prices (and corn is in everything-unfortunately), you will see food prices rising.

I am not sure about you, but rising food prices is not something I am looking forward to. What will happen if prices continue to rise? How will you be able to purchase the food you need for the week, month and year? Every person on earth needs food to stay alive, right?

When, not if, but when the food shelves are empty, I do not want to be asking what happened to the food? My girls are not happy campers when they are hungry. If my girls get fussy for lack of eating, I am sure your kids are too. Over two years ago I began stocking up on storable foods. There is nothing wrong with wanting to feed yourself and or your family.

As the price of corn rises, so to will the price of food on every grocery shelf. Nothing could be more unexpected than rising food prices. Being hungry is something nobody wants to feel. I can barely handle going hungry for a day, much less a week, month or a year.

Knowing you and your family will be fed as food prices rise will leave you at ease when you Get your supply of storable food at eFoodsDirect.com! eFoods Direct, Inc. has been in business for over 25 years in Utah. eFoods Direct, Inc. sell the top nutritional storable foods individuals and families alike. eFoods Direct, Inc. sells a variety of Long term food storage for one (1) week, Two (2) Months, one (1) year, case lots and accessories. Along with storable food, they sell water too. Just as food is important for our bodies and minds, so to is water.

You CAN bet your life on eFoodsDirect! There is no time like the present. If you are thinking of yourself, think of your family.

Semi-Homemade Mini Pizza

The grocery store in my city sells these mini, already made, pizza crusts. They are the size of those personal pan pizza's at pizza restaurants. Okay, so when it comes to making my own pizza, I only make it one way and have been eating my personal pan pizza's since I was twenty this way:

I use these ingredients:

• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Diced up white onions
• Diced up tomatoes
• Cut up Jalapenos

Yeah I know, it sounds yucky, but it really is good. If it were not good, I would have stopped making these years ago. So, here are photos of me making this personal pan pizza: one of a kind:

Oh yummy, this looks good huh? Make it and you will like it too. Try something new and you will be surprised at how yummy it is. 

My Vegetable (Zucchini & Summer Squash) and Myers Lemon Garden is Growing

My garden is growing and growing and it looks so nice. I am growing green zucchini and yellow summer squash. Some of the squash plants are dying off and leaving room for the plants that are getting bigger. This is what I expected to happen. Since this is really my first vegetable garden, I am just gitty to see how nice and big the zucchini is growing. This morning I was watering my garden and I finally see a single yellow flower on my zucchini. Oh yeah! I was so happy to finally see something flowering. I knew if flowers began to appear on a particular vegetable plant, that means a vegetable is about to appear. I can not wait to see how big this zucchini will grow. My parents are also growing zucchini. Their zucchini was huge! One must have been as big as my forearm. I brought one home from my vacation, ate some for dinner and shredded up the rest for zucchini bread.

I am still waiting to see my summer squash flower and some of these plants are dying off too. I am actually glad because I saw my parents garden and their plants were huge! I have to confess, I did plant more seeds than were needed, but I wanted to make sure somethng began to grow.So, along with the zucchini and summer squash growing, so to are my tomatoes. Even before summer began, I was planting my tomatoe seeds. As expected, they did not survive because their time to grow was not yet. That was alright, I kept re planting the seeds anyway. Yes, I am a novice gardener and will learn by trial and error. Two weeks ago I re planted two varieties of tomoato seeds. Someone told me tomatoes love water. So I have been watering this tomato pot like crazy. These seeds seem to love the water and so do I. I can not wait to see them begin to flower and grow. I think I am going to try a fried green tomato too.

Next to my tomato pot are jalepeno seeds. Just like my tomoato seeds, I have re planted them more than once as well. I am sure I re planted the jalepeno seeds two weeks ago too. Now, I am still waiting for something to come out of the dirt. I used to make my own salsa all the time. It has been years since I have made salsa. Just like my tomato seeds, I planted more than one variety of pepper seeds.                                                                      

Finally here is my Dwarf Myers Lemon Tree.This tree is the same size as it was when I purchased it. My parents have a Dwarf Myers Lemon Tree and their is in the ground and way much bigger than mine is. I am not sure how big this will get since it is in a pot. Anyway, this is my lemon tree and look how nicely it is growing. Last month I saw two tiny lemons on the tree and I was so excited. Then at the end of last month I saw another lemon appear. Two weeks ago I see my lemon tree exploding with blossoms! I told my husband, "Looks like the honey bees have been very busy!" I was just so excited and can not wait to see how many flowers will turn into lemons that will survive.

I love lemons and hopefully the flowering lemons will all survive. My twins want to make lemonade. These are some more photos of how nicely my lemon tree is growing and how busy the bees are and how bees are very important to our food supply. Never take a bee for granted, for when and if you do, it may be the day we no longer have any more food.

The two lemons growing on one side of my lemon tree.

Big ideas begin with AstroBrights papers

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With school beginning in less than a month, kids will be using a lot of paper. Just as white paper is important, so to is bright, cheery paper. One way to wow a students teacher is with AstroBrights papers. This paper comes in 23 bright colors. These colors allow a students ideas to shine and get the teachers attention. AstroBrights paper is perfect for school projects, for home crafts and at the office.

For office use, the AstroBrights paper can be used for flyers, brochures, invitations and announcements. There is no limit to what one can accomplish with AstroBrights paper. There is no time like the present to let that creative side out and use these fun colors in more ways that one. There is no need to be boring anymore, especially with AstroBrights papers right at your fingertips.

Right now AstroBrights is having a "Give a Brighter Year" sweepstakes. This sweepstakes is a win win. A win for the person who wins this sweepstakes and for the school of their choice. The school of winners choice will receive $30,000 for school supplies.

Just as students have a chance to win the sweepstakes, there is a famly-friendly prize for the "Make Something AstroBright" design challange. Once your project is complete, take a photo or video of your project and share it on Twitter with #goastrobrights and Pinterest.

This sounds like a fun way to earn money and prizes for the school of your choice and for a family too. Being creative has never been so  much fun!

Are you Still Spraying on Perfume with Chemicals?

A lot of women, myself included, like to have a nice fragrance sprayed on their arms, stomach or neck. With all the commercial ads showing all these name brand perfumes on the market, one would think this is all there is in the perfume market. This is not so and perfume wears need to know there is a natural, or vegan, perfume in the market that will not harm them.

These days, sadly, people can not eat anything with gluten. Well, as it turns out, a lot of perfumes contain gluten as one of their ingredients. Now women allergic to gluten can purchase Pacifca. Gluten-Free Perfumes and Body Products. Pacifica sells these products and more that are gluten free: Spanish Amber Natural Soap, Hawaiian Ruby Guava Take Me There Set, Malibu Lemon Blossom Solid Perfume and many other scents that are gluten free.

Along with natural perfumes, Pacifica makes and sells Pacifica Body Butters. Rich, luxurious moisture for skin. Not only do women like to have a nice scent on their bodies in the daytime, they also like to have smooth skin to. Having smooth skin, which also smells good, is an added bonus when it comes to finding the perfect new scent for your personality.

Spraying on a perfume scent just for you is something every women wants to wear and have people ask them about. Now, just as much as this is important, so to is a nice smelling home. Having a home smelling good when family and friends come over is always something to think about. This is why

Pacifica Pillar Candles. Perfectly fragrant, wonderfully decorative. products are a must have in any home. There are pillar candles in over 10 scents. The ones I like the most are Sandalwood, California Star Jasmine and Indian Coconut Nectar Pillars.

This is the best website for ladies who want natural perfumes on their body and have their homes smelling good all day long. The last thing anyone needs is more chemicals on or in their bodies. Pacifica offers natural products for the body that will not harm the user.

Summer is my Favorite Season, so is Keeping Cool

Aside from a body of water nearby to keep you cool, you  have to have a drink to also keep you cool. Whether it is winter, spring, summer of fall, I am always..always drinking coffee. If the weather is cold, I am drinking hot coffee. If the weather is warm (hot), I am drinking iced coffee.


One thing I like about Starbucks Coffee is they come out with a lot of new flavors for the VIA coffee packs. Right now you can get the New at Starbucks Store.com! Starbucks VIA Refreshers™ in Cool Lime. This is an excellent addition to the line of delicious Starbucks Coffees. These Starbucks VIA Refreshers™ Cool Lime taste great because they include kaffir lime with a little bit of mint and some cucumber and apple. This new VIA also has the natural energy of green, unroasted coffee beans.


This is a totally new way to drink instant coffee on the go and still get that refreshing Starbucks  taste you get from no other coffee company. When you think of summer, one fruit that usually comes to mind for some people are limes. Limes are somewhat bitter/sweet tasting. Limes are great for making salsas, adding to fish tacos, as a garnish, adding to adult drinks and now coffee.
Another VIA coffee on the go you might like is the New at Starbucks Store.com! Starbucks VIA Refreshers™ in Very Berry Hibiscus. Starbucks VIA Refreshers™ Very Berry Hibiscus is another great addition to flavors of summer. This VIA drink has ingredients such as tangy blackberry with a hint of hibiscus, some sweet ginger and lemongrass. This new VIA is also paired with natural energy from green, unroasted coffee beans.


It seems Starbucks is getting better as they continue to grow. This is especially true as they keep expanding their line of coffees on the go.

Pet Owners Today are Looking for Natural Pet Foods

A lot of pet owners today want to feed their pets natural food. That is, pet owners do not want any fillers in food that could harm their pets anymore. A lot of pet owners see their pets as their children, while others see their pets simply as a pet.

Either way, pet owners want to feed their pets the best food the can find. I have a cat who is over 10 years old and she needs food that will keep her going Well, all she really does is sleep and meow, but she still likes to eat well.
If you are looking for organic, grain free, allergy friendly, free range, hormone free, antibiotic free, humanely raised and sustainably grown and harvested. That seems to be a lot of high standards if you ask me. The Only Natural Pet Store was founded in May, 2004 as an online store selling natural pet supplies direct to consumers.
In 2005, Only Natural Pet Store began offering private label products, and currently over 160 of its own branded products. Only Natural Pet Store sells food, accessories, grooming and cleaning, flea and tick, holistic care and more for dogs and cats. Right now, you can get 20% Off 20 Pet Products - Dog & Cat. If you have cats, right now you can get All Natural, Premium Cat Food at Only Natural Pet.

Not only will you be feeding you animals better, they will thank you for feeding them better. The better food they are given, the longer they are sure to live.

Burpee Vegetable Seeds are GMO Free

If you anything about GMO seeds, then you know my thoughts on GMO seeds and why they are bad for our bodies and minds. About 90% of Americans want GMO foods labeled. Monsanto, the company that manufactures (yes, manufactures) these seeds does not want this to happen. Americans think the FDA have a responsibility to label foods grown with GMO seeds.

The company, Monsanto who manufacturer's GMO seeds, now has immunity from the law. Really? If these GMO foods were so good for us, Monsanto would not be fighting this in court and having a rider added to protect them from lawsuits against farmers and American citizens.

With that said, for all my family and friends who are growing, or want to grow, their own vegetable gardens, Burpee is a company that has been around since the 1876 in Philadelphia. The Burpee company offers their clients the latest variety of seeds that offer a better yield and disease resistance.
For customers who want to grow an organic garden, non-GMO seeds, they offer their seeds that are never chemically treated. Burpee says they have never sold GMO seeds and never will now or in the future.

Here is the article on  Burpee, GMO And Monsanto Rumors Put To Rest. Burpee has been accused of being owned by Monsanto, this is not true. It is really a shame that a company such as this has to be attacked in the manner. When one is going the right thing and not cow towing to the big, bad, biotech Monsanto, they are more likely than not, going to be attacked.

These lies would harm any company who has been in business for over 125 years. It is no wonder the President and CEO, George Ball, had to write this letter to his clientele. Defending as company like this should never have to take place, but a company like Monsanto is ruthless and will do whatever it takes to 'take down' a company that is respectful of nature and their customers needs.

Right now Burpee says It's Time to Plant Your Fall Vegetable Garden! Save $5 off Your Order of $30 or More with Coupon AFFALL5. Expires 7/23. Along with this offer, current and new customers, can Save 10% on orders of $40 or more with code BURPEE1040 through 7/31 at Burpee.com!

Our health is at stake my friends, and if need be, we must resist this biotech company Monsanto. Genetically Modified (Engineered) Organisms, do not belong in our bodies or minds.

Organic Foods and Drinks

If you are listening to radio today, alternative radio, you will have heard or are hearing how GMOs are damaging to our bodies and minds. On the flipside, organic foods, are grown with heirloom seeds. This is a big deal to a lot of people these days, myself included. Just in case you are not aware of what GMOs are, GMO stands for: Genetically Modified (Engineered) Organisims.

Do you want genetically engineered foods in your body? Neither do I.

Please go here and read my article on Organic Foods and Drinks. I have added some great products I use for growing my organic garden. This will pay off, sweat,tears and great tasting food.

Continue to Feed Your Veggies and Flowers with Whitney Farms Plant Food

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whitney Farms for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are like me and are growing your own vegetables these season, but do not want to use chemicals on your garden, it is time to check out the organic soil found at Whitney Farms® Whitney Farms has 25+ years of leading gardening experience and has now improved their products. The new soil no longer has a lot of dust, for those who are not fans of manure, the manure smell is all but gone, this soil is now easier to apply to the soil already in your front of backyard, there are beneficial microbes and a speciallly designed protein based blend that allows plants to soak in the macro and micronutrients as they grow and thrive.

A couple of weeks ago I planted some heirloom vegetable seeds and I just purchased some more seeds. Before planting my seeds, I did not want to grow my garden in chemically based soil, so I began looking online for places I could find organic soil to go with my organic garden. If you want to eat organic food, the only way to grow it is with organic plant food.

 

If you think all plant food is the same, you would be mistaken.

• Organic plant food, in a way, is like heirloom (generational) seeds. A farmer or home gardener is able to use heirloom seeds season after season. Organic plant food works the same way in that fertilizers do not have to be constantly added to the soil season after season.
• An organic plant food uses soil organisms instead of harmful pesicides that hurt the ground soil, seeds and consumers of the fruits and vegetables.
• Organic farmers and home gardeners, if they have livestock, will reuse the manure and any uneaten fruits and vegetables again (mulch). Organic plant food does not contain anything created by man, like genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the soil.

Since I just planted my seeds, all I see are some tiny green stems popping out of the soil. Once my seeds begin growing to the vegetable or fruit it is supposed to be, I will upload a photo for you all to see.

 

In the meantime, I encourage all my readers to go to the Whitney Farms® website and print out a $3 coupon for yourself. Oh and tell your family and friends too.

A CoronaRita, What is a #CoronaRita?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chili’s Grill & Bar for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Does this sound good or what! Sounds like it is a cross between a Corona and Margarita. This CoronaRita is made with Jose Cuevera Especial Tequilia and a Coronita. Mixing these two excellent summer drinks together could  make for an interesting and fun way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year? The best place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo is at a Chili's near you, of course. There is no other place, right? With the warmer weather right at our heels, the CoronaRita is the best way to kick off our favorite season of the year. 

Chilis is one of my families favorite places to eat. In fact, it might be our favorite place, especially when I receive their coupons in my inbox where my girls can eat for free. Yeah, we eat at Chilis all the time. In fact, one of the booths has our names on it. No, I am just kidding! When celebrating Cinco de Mayo, I would probably want to celebrate with my girlfriends though. I rarely have a Girls Night Out and this would be the perfect time to get out of the house, have a few laughs and drink one of Chilis newest drinks. Yeah, I have a few girlfriends who would totally enjoy trying this new alcholic beverage at Chilis. 

Everytime I eat a Chilis I either purchase the Crispy Honey Chicken Strips or the Chicken Fajitas. Anyone of these menu items would go exceptionally well with a CoronaRita at Chili's. Actually, almost any food in Chilis menu will go well with this new CoronaRita.

Hey, if you like Chilis as much as I do and are going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo soon, what will you be eating and Chilis to go with your CoronaRita? Details please...details..

**You must be 21 years old or older to drink alcoholic beverages and as always, please remember to drink responsiblity.**