Do You Know Your Pupillary Distance?

The other day I had to have my glasses fixed.  I broke the little part that sits on my nose, and they were very uncomfortable to wear without it.  As I was waiting in line, I overheard the customer in front of me ask the receptionist lady if the eye doctor would be able to tell her what her Pupillary Distance (PD).  The receptionist told the customer that she would have to have a full exam done before that information could be given out.  This didn't sit well with the customer, and she stormed off.

While the receptionist was fixing my eyeglasses, I asked why the customer in front of me got so angry.  She said that a lot of people are coming in and asking for their PD, but they don't want to pay for the information.  She explained that they need to know their PD to order glasses online, from places like ZenniOptical.

I didn't comment to the receptionist, but after I left I was still thinking about it.  Why would people think they could get a service, even just a measurement, for free?  I may not agree with having to pay for a full exam, but if the eye doctor charged a small fee for this service, then maybe everyone would be happy.  The doctor would make a little money, and the customer can save money by buying glasses online.  Sure, the doctor will lose the sale of the customer buying his glasses, but if it's a choice between a little money for a simple service or no money at all, I would think he would lean towards making whatever money he can.

At least that is my opinion.

Green Hair

Kasi wanted highlight in her hair for her birthday, so I gave her some.  They looked great until we started swimming every day.  Now her blond highlights are green.  Even mine and Brandi's hair are showing a little green.  I blame the chlorine.  My mom bought something the other day to get the green out, but we haven't tried it yet.  She says that once we do get it out, that wetting our hair before getting in the pool will help keep it from turning green again.  I sure do hope that is true...

Purple Roses

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 1-800-Flowers. All opinions are 100% mine.

 I always tell people that my favorite flowers are pale yellow roses.  Junior got me some once, and they were so beautiful.  I was checking out the flowers at http://www.1800flowers.com and although I didn't find any pale yellow roses, I did find the purple ones in the picture above.  Aren't they beautiful?!  I have never seen purple roses before, and I think they may be my new favorite flower.

Junior doesn't give me flowers often, but when he does, I love it.  I especially love when I get a flower delivery for no reason, other than because he loves me.  I think that means more than him sending me some on Valentine's Day.  I mean, why wait until a holiday to show the person you love that you are thinking about them?

Although I do remember one Valentine's Day when Junior did send me flowers. It was my first week back at work after having Brandi, and I was so sick.  I didn't want to call out, because I had just gone back, but I was sent home after getting sick in the bathroom.  Little did I know that Junior was having flowers delivered to my work.  I was waiting for him to come pick me up when a delivery guy came in with a beautiful bouquet of roses.  All my co-workers were saying the flowers were for them, and when the guy said they were for me, I was so surprised.  It was a wonderful part of an otherwise awful Valentine's Day.

So tell me, who would you send flowers to, and why?

Random Questions I Stole From Someone Else's Blog

1. What time did you get up this morning? Around 9, I think
 
2. How do you like your steak? before my first pregnancy, I preferred rare, but now I like it well done
 
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? New Moon...can't wait until Eclipse next week!
 
4. What is your favorite TV show/s? I watch so many great shows, but right now, I'd say True Blood!
 
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? right where I am, only in a house I own, not rent
 
6. What did you have for breakfast? um, cereal, I think
 
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Chinese
 
8. What foods do you dislike? seafood...I just can't eat something that lives where it pees...I have issues, I know
 
9. Favorite place to eat? mom's house :)
 
10. Favorite dressing? For salad? ranch
 
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? ha!  that's funny ;)
 
12. What are your favorite clothes? anything comfortable
 
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Hawaii
 
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? depends on my mood...
 
15. Where would you want to retire? um...right here?
 
16. Favorite time of day? nighttime, when I am the only one up, and I can get stuff done
 
17. Where were you born? Oklahoma
 
18. What is your favorite sport/s to watch? not a sports fan, at all.
 
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? I'm not tagging, so I have no idea
 
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? really?
 
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? whoever steals this...
 
22. Birdwatcher? nope
 
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? night, without a doubt.
 
24. Do you have any pets? Brandi has three hamsters
 
25. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? I am going to be an aunt again!
 
26. What did you want to be when you were little? day care worker
 
27. What is your best childhood memory? spending time at my aunts house
 
28. Are you a cat or dog person? cat

29. Are you married? Yes.

30. Always wear your seat belt? abso'freakin'lutely
 
31. Been in a car accident? when I was little...
 
32. Any pet peeves? too many to list...the biggest, though, is when people dog ear the pages in books they borrow from me...I hate that!
 
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? cheese & mushrooms
 
34. Favorite Flowers? pale yellow roses
 
35. Favorite ice cream? chocolate peanut butter
 
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? um, taco bell I guess

37. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? none, never took it LOL..

38. From whom did you get your last email? izea
 
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? best buy
 
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? nope, I am pretty predictable
 
41. Like your job? love it!
 
42. Broccoli? yum.
 
43. What was your favorite vacation? camping with my family
 
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? my mom took us out tonight for our anniversary
 
45. What are you listening to right now? iCarly
 
46. What is your favorite color? purple and black
 
47. How many tattoos do you have? None.
 
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? none.
 
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 7:37 pm
 
50. Coffee drinker? nope.

God Bless America

I was doing my normal stalking of Etsy for elephants, and check out this guy I found.  He's perfect for the 4th of July, and completely unique.  He's expensive ($50), so I won't be adding him to my collection right now. :( 

I found him here, in HUNBUN22 Holiday Folk Art For You's etsy shop.  She has quite a cute little collection of pieces, most of them are holiday themed; all of them unique.

I will be saving my pennies though, until he is mine....

I Was Looking For A Lamp, And Found This

 My bedroom has a ceiling light.  At night, I like to read in bed, but find the overhead light to be too much when Brandi is trying to sleep.  (yes, at 8, she still sleeps with me)  I was online looking for a nice lamp to go on my nightstand, and came across Himalayan Salt Lamps.  If you are like me, you probably have no idea what they are. I found this explanation online:

Salt lamps are naturally beautiful and ambient while generating an increased balance of airborne negative ions; which are scientifically proven to enhance human health, environment, and well-being; These are hygroscopic too, thereby reducing moisture content which airborne particulates/bacteria need to remain airborne and survive.

That sounds pretty interesting to me.  I want one of these lamps now.  Not for reading, obviously, but to see if it makes a difference in our health and well being.

Free Drinks All Summer

Want to win a great cool down prize?  A Caring Heart is giving away a $10 gift card to racetrack, which you can use to buy a refillable mug, that you can then refill all summer for free.  For FREE!  I entered here, and you should too.  Good luck!

Junior Would Wear A Watch

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Voctorinox Swiss Army. All opinions are 100% mine.
Junior got another three Homer awards at work, which means he is getting another $50 bonus.  No watch this time, which is a good thing.  He still hasn't worn the one they gave him for his last 9 Homer awards.  It's not that he doesn't like it; it's just that he doesn't like the strap.  He is a simple guy, and the metal links are too fancy for him.  He prefers a leather strap.

I thought getting him a watch he liked would be a great Father's Day gift.  I found this Victorinox Swiss Army Dive Master 500 Mechanical watch, and I really do think Junior will love it.  It doesn't have any fancy gadgets, just a simple face.  I am not sure how he will feel about the red strap, though, so I might have to see if I can get it with either a black or brown one. 

I also became a fan of Facebook IWAW sweepstakes page, where I can enter the I Wear a Watch sweepstakes.  They are giving away 30 Victorinox Swiss Army timepieces over 30 days.  I hope I will be one of the lucky winners.  You should become a fan, too, so you can be entered in the giveaway.

You KNOW You're A Redneck...

...when this is your truck:

Last weekend, we were walking into a local grocery store when we passed this truck.  Yes, that is chicken wire screwed over his window.  And yes, I got a picture of it.  Or I should say, Ryan grabbed my camera and took the pictures, because I was too chicken.  Turns out, there was a dog in the car, so I guess this was the owners way of letting it get some air.  Kind of a good idea, but I still wouldn't do that to my car.

It's All The Same

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.
When my kids were little, I was on WIC.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it is where you get assistance paying for formula for your baby.  I was lucky enough to qualify for enough to keep my kids fed every month, but there were a couple of times where Junior and I had to buy a can or two ourselves.  My youngest is eight, and even eight years ago formula was ridiculously expensive.  We always bought the store brand, because we didn't always have enough money for the name brands.

I recently read an article online where they discussed a law suit involving baby formula.  It seems the makers of Enfamil, Mead Johnson, were sued for false advertising when they claimed that their baby formula was better than the store brand.  Not everyone knows that all baby formulas have to meet strict FDA guidelines, and that they all contain the same nutrients for babies.  This should come as a relief to a lot of parents who buy the name brands, thinking they are giving their baby a better start.  They can now save money and still give their babies a great start in life.

Now if I could just convince my sister, because she always pays more for the name brands for my niece.  maybe I need to show her the article I read.

Check Her Out!

Brandi has no fear when it comes to my mom's pool.  She has been wearing her pink swimmies, and jumping into the deep end.  She has been bugging me about swimming without the swimmies, so yesterday I had her try and swim in the deep end on her own.  She did awesome!  She shocked me a little when she started treading water in eight feet of water!  Since she was swimming so well, I told her she could jump in without her swimmies if she wanted to, and she did.  Now, she doesn't want to wear the swimmies at all, but I am not there yet.  I still want her to have them on for a little while longer, if for nothing else than my own peace of mind.

Busy, Busy, Busy

 Junior has been working his butt off at my mom's new house.  The previous owner didn't keep up with the landscaping, so it has fallen into junior's lap.  He likes staying busy, so he isn't complaining too bad.  Today, though, when my mom started talking about building a deck around the pool, Junior gave me a "help me" look.  I think he might suggest my mom hire an oakland county contractor to build it. 

Or he might just try and talk me into helping him.

This Is My Summer

I may not be around too much this summer. My mom's new house came with a big 'ole pool, and we are really enjoying it.  I haven't been dropping ecards on this blog, and my posting has been pretty pathetic.  I know this, but there are more important things going on in my life right now, and I am sure you can all understand that.  When choosing between my computer or a day in the pool, I am happy to say the pool will win every time. :)

Where To Go On Vacation

How do you decide where to go on vacation?  Like most people, I have a destination in mind if I ever win a dream vacation contest.  I would want to go somewhere with crystal clear water at it's beaches, with temperatures in the low 90's all the time.  It would have to be somewhere I could drive to, because there is no way I would ever get on a plane, so Hawaii is out. 

Realistically, I could see loading up my family and driving north, then spending a few days in New York Hotels.  My kids have been bugging me about seeing The Statue Of Liberty, so we would check that out while we're up there.  I also want to take them to the top of the Empire State Building.  I remember the first time I went there as a child.  I was petrified to go up. Once we got to the top, though, my fears disappeared because it was so beautiful. 

We also have the option of going west, and visiting some Las Vegas Hotels.  I just worry that there won't be much for the kids to do, because none of them are old enough to gamble just yet.

I guess we could also go south, and stay in Orlando Hotels.  We could visit Disney, and Sea World.  I also have family in Florida I haven't seen in a while, so we might find a way to do a mini family reunion of some sort.  No matter what we decide, I think we'll have fun just being together.

Or at least that is what I am hoping.

Look What I Found On Etsy

A purple elephant!  I want it, too.  I found this cute little OOAK Polymer Clay Elephant in Alecia Edwards etsy shop.  Isn't it adorable?  She has other animals listed, too, like crocodiles and turtles.  I especially love the parrot sitting on an egg.  The prices are reasonable, too, which means this little guy will be mine.  Soon.

Taking Medications

 How do you make the decision to use a medicine that you know has some pretty awful side effects?

It's a tough choice, and one that, thankfully, I have never had to make.  I have had to decide which medications are right for my son, who has ADHD.  We tried a couple of different medicines before finding the right dosage/frequency of doses, and now that he is doing well, I don't want to change things.  One of the things my doctor suggested while we were trying to find the right medicine was the Ritalin patch.  At the time, this was a brand new thing, and I decided against it because no one knew what the side effects would be.

This happens more often than you think.  A new medicine comes out, doctors prescribe it, and then after a lot of people take it, the side effects become known, and most times, they are not pleasant.  Take this accutane class action suit.  Doctor's prescribed this medicine as an acne treatment, and now find out "Accutane has been linked to severe bowel problems, suicidal tendencies, and other painful illnesses in people who used the medication regularly".  I have seen commercials on television lately about this medicine, too.  It's scary to think people are having such problems simply because they wanted to clear up their acne.

This is why I am leery of taking any type of medicine.

Ryan's First Job Interview

...if you can even call it that.  Last week, Ryan went into our local Zaxby's and filled out an application (they hire at 14).  The manager told him to come back Monday for an interview. 

Well, Junior had him up there at the required time, and Ryan was all ready to be interviewed.  We had deiscussed the kinds of questions he might be asked, and he had great replies.  When the time came, the guy told him that they didn't have any positions available right now, but he would keep his application on file. 

I was kind of ticked, because the guy could have told him that last week when he handed in the application, instead of getting his hopes up.  Now we're all hoping that before the summer is over, Ryan will be called in for a job.

Business Cards

I still have not ordered business cards.  I think I am the world's biggest procrastinator.  This can be a good thing sometimes, and in this instance, it has allowed me to discover something that can help me to stand out.

I know the traditional use for Plastic Cards is for businesses and such, but why not use them as business cards?   Eye Catchers is a Plastic Card Manufacturer, and I have looked at some of their samples, and I really believe I could come up with a really cute business card for myself.

You all know I'm a little different, so why shouldn't my business card reflect that?

Will We Be Swimming?

Another busy day ahead.  We're heading to my mom's house to help get the pool ready.  I spent last night vacuuming, and am going to do the same today.  Mom found out the pool hasn't been used in two years, so there is a lot to get cleaned before it is swim-able.  Hopefully by tonight, we will be jumping in!

It's That Time Of Year

We have almost made it through our first week of Summer vacation.  The kids are staying up later, and then sleeping in later in the mornings.  This works well for me, because I like to stay up late and then sleep in, too.  In fact, last night, I stayed up until I got Junior up at 2:15, and then I went to be.  I was up before 9, which wasn't fun, but it was still about 7 hours of straight sleep, which was nice.

Junior and I have been talking about when he should take his vacation this year.  He gets three weeks now, but we will only use one week over the Summer.  We decided that because of money, or the lack thereof, we are going to do a local camping trip for a few days.  The kids will love it, and I will enjoy relaxing for a few days with no internet.  Junior will be in heaven because he will get to fish all day and night.

We also talked about what we would do if we didn't have to worry about money.  My first thought was Hawaii, but I am petrified to fly, so we would have to go somewhere we could get to by car.  Junior said we should head to the west coast, since neither of us has even been. I checked out some Mission Beach vacation rentals and  San Diego vacation rentals, and was able to find some pretty cute places to stay.   Having recently rented a house with my sister's for our weekend getaway in Tennessee, I can weigh the options between staying in a hotel or a cabin/house.  A hotel has room service, but a house has a full kitchen and more privacy.  That said, do I really want to be cooking while on vacation?  I don't think so.  Besides, money is no object, so why not stay in the nicest hotel I can find?  And if we like it nice enough in California, we could check out a San Diego property management company about finding somewhere to live permanently.

Who am I kidding.  I love it here in SC, and that's where my family is.  Vacationing is one thing, but I don't think I'd ever move away.

A Playdoh Masterpiece

Here is more of Brandi's creativeness.  She made this "angel cake" for a baby's 1st birthday.  I used to love playing with Playdoh.  I also used to like eating it.  Come on now, you all need to admit to this.  Remember how it tasted salty?  Today's playdoh doesn't.  Trust me.  :)

Wii's in Gym Class. Really?

I know I have written before about how horrible I think my school districts physical education program is.  I mean, the kids play the wii during gym.  Is that really considered physical education?  I don't think so.  They can, and do, do that at home.  I think the schools should use the Spark PE curriculum, or something similar, to get our kids moving.  I mean, they can apply for the PEP grant 2010 and use that money on things other than wii games.  I am not sure why it bothers me so much that the kids play video games at school, but it really does.  I mean, they are always talking about the school's budget, and where to make cuts.  I say start making the gym teachers work for their paychecks instead of putting the kids in front of a television screen.  Implement a coordinated school health program, getting parents and the community involved in helping our kids get healthier.  

I am in no way saying that it is the sole responsibility of the school's teachers to get our kids moving.  I know I have to do my part as well.  My kids love to ride their bikes and play outside.  Sure, they are not on any type of sport team or structured activity, but I grew up using my imagination while playing, and my kids do the same.  I think it has made them extremely creative.  But when they are at school, they need guidance, not video games.

At least that's my opinion.

Free Chicken

Did you sign up for your free spicy chicken sandwich from Chic-fil-A through Facebook?  I did it for all of us, except Brandi.  You had to be over 13 to print out the coupon.  Luckily, I have a coupon for a free sandwich that Ryan got from school that I am going to use for her.  We have to go tomorrow, between 2-5pm to get our sandwiches.

I hope they're good. :)

I Have So Much to Learn

A weird thing happened today.  I was at my mom's house, and I got on her computer to check and see if I had any pending opps.  I write for a few different sites, and when I logged into one of them, I didn't qualify for as many opps as I had this morning.  I checked their stats page, and it has both of my blogs that I write paid posts on as having page ranks of 0.  I thought this was a little odd, because I didn't think we were due for a page rank update until July.  This led me to Google's page rank checker tool, and it said both blogs still have their rank, so I am guessing it's the paid site that is messed up, not my blogs.

I will admit, though, that I am no expert when it comes to Social Media Services and Site Search Software.  I know I should be networking my sites, letting people know about them, but I have no idea how.  I have read articles and to be honest, most of what they say goes right over my head.I am just a simple mommy blogger trying to make a little extra cash, and not lose my page rank in the process.  I have a Twitter account, because I read that Twitter is a great way to network yourself.  The problem is, I don't get it.  I really need to Learn More about the different platforms, and how they contribute to SEO.   Then I have to learn more about SEO.

Any suggestions?

The Lovely Bones

There is something you should know about me.  When I start to read a book or watch a movie, I have to finish it.  Even if it is horrible.  Even if I know what is going to happen, I have to finish.

Well, this movie broke me of that.  I couldn't make it more than 30 minutes. 

It sucked, which really sucked because I had heard such good things about it. 

Brandi has been bugging me for weeks to watch it, so yesterday we settled in to watch.  I think I actually fell asleep.  The last thing I remember watching was the police finding the girls hat. 

I am now wondering if the book is as bad as the movie.  Have you seen or read this story?  If so, which was better?

Jeans

 I used to hate shopping for clothes.  Before my breast reduction, nothing ever fit right.  I couldn't find bras that were big enough, so I tried to wear clothes baggy so people couldn't tell.  Doing so just made me look a whole lot bigger than I am.  Now, I am in no way saying I am not a big girl, because I am.  I am just saying that by wearing baggy clothes, I made myself look bigger.

I recently went clothes shopping, and was pleasantly surprised when I was trying on Miss Me Jeans three sizes smaller than I used to wear, and they fit. Did I forget to mention that I have recently lost almost 50 pounds?  That helps my clothes fit better, too. 

I am sure that you have heard that a finding a great pair of Joes Jeans means finding a pair that shows off your butt.   As much as I believe this, I don't think my butt will look good in anything, let alone a pair of jeans.  So I judge jeans by how they look on my legs.  I am short, so finding a pair that aren't too long is a challenge, and when I find a pair I love, I wear them until they fall apart.  So finding a Seven Jeans Sale is awesome, because I can stock up.  

How do you judge jeans?  Do you prefer comfort over your butt looking good?

Kasi's Going Blond

Kasi has been after me forever to put some highlights in her hair.  A lot of her friends have them, but I was still hesitant, because she is only, or was only, 12.  She turned 13 recently.

I was trying to remember how old I was when I first started coloring my hair, and I don't think I was much older than she is now.  So the other day we were in the store, and she asked again if I would highlight her hair.  This time, I agreed.

What we disagreed on was what color highlights.  She wanted purple, and I said no way.  Then she said red, and I was kind of okay with that, as long as it was a natural looking red and not a red red.  She wanted the red red.  We finally agreed that for now, I would do regular blond highlights, and maybe when she gets a little older, she can experiment with brighter colors.

It's nice to compromise.  I hope the rest of her teen aged years go this smoothly.

Avoidance

Junior's ex-father-in-law has been missing in action recently.  Junior worked really hard to get his old tiller running, so I bet he's been out in his field.  He hasn't been selling, but I think he has planted all his veggies, and is now waiting for them to produce.  Once his crops start coming in, I have a feeling he will be running the stand six days a week. (he doesn't work on Sundays)  He still has a bunch of flowers that he wants to sell, and I think I heard him talking to Junior about finding some palm trees for sale.  I believe his plan is to open a produce stand/mini nursery.  

Junior and I have talked about this, and we think he could make some really good money, if he would just be consistent.  He had me look up wholesale nursery phone numbers online so he could see about starting up an inventory.   He had a list of flowers and bushes that he needed prices for, and I did the best I could finding out what he needed to know.  But, because I am no expert on wholesale palm trees and flowers, I got a few things mixed up.

Maybe this is why he hasn't asked me to help him sell produce this year.

Top Droppers For May

A big Thank You to May's top droppers!

My Gypsygoods ~ Life, creative moments, saving money, nature, eco-friendly tips. Supporting & promoting the handmade community. 

Moonangelnay on Etsy ~ A contemporary handmade, fine art, photography, crafts, gifts, jewelry, fashion and Etsy focused blog, sharing weekly features, tutorials, original works and interviews of the new artists of Etsy.

Ruth's Creations ~ This is my blog where I write, among other things, about my online business selling crocheted items I make. Part of my sales are donated to Demelza House Children's Hospice, the favored charity of British actor Daniel Radcliffe.

my kids are my world ~ This is a blog about my life as a wife and mother of three kids, who are, obviously, my world.

Alterity Art ~ Specializing in No Harm antique and vintage button jewelry to preserve button's value and hierloom/museum quality of the jewery. Each piece is one of a kind :] 

feeding my family of five ~ I write about the things I cook for, and with, my family.

Crazy Mom ~ I'm a mom of 4 boys. I have been married to the love of my life for over 20 years. We enjoy sports, cooking, gardening, crafts, painting, music, watching movies and I love to shop.

Three Fates Design ~ A blog about a girl and her love of beadweaving and lampwork beads.

My Opinion Counts ~ I have opinions about just about everything.

Lovely Purses ~ this blog is all about creativity, my love of fabrics, bag design and construction, useful sewing advice, trends and current projects