The van I have now is a white Dodge Caravan.  It has given us so much trouble since we bought it.  I would really love to get a Honda Odyssey.  Honda's are known for their reliability and lifespan.  That's so important to me when I am out on the road with our family.  I checked out a Honda at Car Prices, and was very happy to see that they will give me a free quote on a new or used Mini-Van or any other car I choose.  The one I would really like is the Honda Odyssey...I think a blue one like the one pictured would be nice. 

"this sponsored post is helping to buy books for our homeschool"

The last week here in Tennessee has been so cold!  I am usually not one to get very cold as I am constantly moving all day chasing children.  But lately, I have been getting quite chilled.  We live in an older house and it wasn't insulated well when it was built.  We have a heat pump, but when the weather gets down below freezing, it just can't keep up.  I'd really love to have a Gas Tower Space Heater for our living room, because that is the room most used by our family. 

The exact one I want (above) is called a 'Comfort Glow' Vent-free Infrared Gas Tower space Heater. I like this one because it is safe and doesn't require any matches as it has an automatic electronic ignition.  AND it is made for smaller spaces.  While we do have a large family, our house is rather small, and the size of this heater is perfect as it can be installed into a corner, or even a smaller space.

"this sponsored post is helping to buy books for our homeschool"

One thing I really wish I had taken the time to do is learning to play the piano.  I just love listening to piano music, especially the old hymns...just so beautiful!  I found the neatest site where you can learn to play and recognize Piano lessons & piano chords .  This really neat guy named Duane will send you free piano lessons through a newsletter he publishes.  Did I mention he does this for free???  After going through all of the 101 the free lessons, you are welcome to purchase his many other piano lessons on CD and DVDs.  He goes into much deeper instruction for those serious about learning to play the piano.  If you are wanting to learn, this might be worth checking out!

"this sponsored post is helping to buy books for our homeschool"

As a little girl, from maybe the 6th grade and up, I used to dream about my wedding and what it would be like.  I pictured long beautiful gowns, soft pastel colors, fresh picked flowers tied with a pretty ribbon, and a guy who looked like my "Ken" barbie doll.  I wanted lots of attendants, flowers, and a beautifully catered reception in a beautiful victorian home; complete with a mini symphony orchestra.  It was a nice dream...Fast forward to two weddings later, and you realise just how difficult and EXPENSIVE it can be to plan a wedding.  My second wedding was very small, but was still extremely stressful to plan all by myself.  If I had researched getting help, then I would have definitely used this Wedding Planning Service.  It is called 1Wedding Source, and connects potential brides with all the different vendors needed to plan a wedding.  The best thing is that this service is completely FREE!  That is music to my ears.  1Wedding Source has a whole network of locations all over the United States. This wedding planning website will explain everything you need to know about planning a wedding, including your wedding dress,  invitation ideas, favour ideas, brides maid dresses, wedding photographer advice, bridal flower bouquets, catering, cakes, ceremony and receptions, entertainment and honeymoon.  There are also lots of articles on the site to help with any additional plans and services you might need.

"this sponsored post is helping to buy books for our homeschool"   

So many people nowadays are overweight, myself included.  For people who are severely overweight, there is a new option besides gastric bypass. If you live in Texas, you can try the newest houston weight loss system called "Lap Band Surgery," and is done by a network of surgeons called Journeylite.  The surgery is done laparoscopically, and is very helpful in achieving weight loss by making the stomach smaller.  A smaller stomach reduces the amount you eat, and leads to weight loss. Other convenient locations are Tampa, Florida and Los Angeles, California.

"this sponsored post is helping to buy materials for our homeschool" 

WHEW!  It is Christmas night and I am pretty much exhausted.  After running around for the last two weeks getting ready for the Holidays, I am finally ready to slow down and take a break.  I would love more than anything to be able to take a short "weekend" trip with my husband.  Anywhere would be fine really, just so we could get some alone time.  I think I'll go to Hotel Reservations and let them book our trip.  Depending on what we want to do, will tske care of all the details for you.  You can plan your hotel, flight, and rental car from one place.  They also have some really good vacation packages which can save a family like us a good deal of money.  But on this trip, I want to have my husband all to myself.  I would really love to go to Myrtle Beach...who cares if it is WINTER!  I would love to go and just be near the ocean. At Hotel Reservations  you can stay at the Prince Resort and have a rental car for one week, all for under $600.00 for two people.  That's a really great deal!  OK Honey, THIS can be my Valentine's present....when do we leave???

"this ad is helping buy more books for our homeschool"

I just found the neatest site that offers all kinds of books in an e-book format.  Probably my favorite thing to do is read ...after all my little ones are in bed for the night.  Books are my passion, and at any given time I will be in the middle of five or 6 books at one time.  The  site I found is called Books On Board and they offer all kinds of genres of books, bestselling authors and Romance Authors. Books on Board has over 190,000 titles in several different formats.  Formats included are Adobe pdf, Mobipocket, Microsoft Reader and Palm/ereader format. They even have audiobooks, which my children love. 

"this is a sponsored post"

I really love the house we live in.  We bought it about three years ago.  However, it was built in the early 1950s and really needs to be updated a bit.  All of the blinds and window treatments came with the house.  I love the curtains, but the mini-blinds are SO old.  I seriously don't think they have been changed since the 1970s. They are the old kind and many in our home are twisted or have simply broken in some places.  I keep hoping that the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition people will show up at my door one day.  All the window covers for this show are provided by Select Blinds.  Their prices are so reasonable that I may have to check out their mini blinds.  The ones I would really love for my home are the distressed wood blinds.  They are so pretty and would add a rustic, earthy touch to our home. Maybe the Home Makeover show would throw in Ty Penington to hang all my new blinds for me...hey, I can dream can't I?

"this is a sponsored post"

I just turned 37 a couple of weeks ago.  That really doesn't sound very old to me, however, my body feels like it is around 45 years old.  I am tired all of the time, and my energy level is gone soon after lunch.  It is all I can do to make it until my husband comes home.  It is all very depressing really.  But, I  just found out about a new anti-aging supplement called Proleva. It seems like maybe there is some hope on the horizon!  Proleva is a powerful antioxidant that fights the signs of aging. Yes, there are many other anti-aging products on the market right now, but the difference is that Proleva fights aging at the source instead of just masking the symptoms.  Proleva neutralizes free radicals and helps your body by slowing aging at the cellular level.  I love this because Proleva is all-natural.  It is made up of fruit extracts.  The last thing I need are more chemicals in my body. And everyone knows that red wine and green tea are now good for you. Well, one serving of Proleva has the health benefits equal to 5 glasses of red wine, 9 cups of green tea, and 4 cups of pomegranate juice – combined! That's pretty amazing.  I can't wait to give this a try.  To learn more about Proleva or try a 10-day free trial – Click Here .

"this sponsored post is helping to pay my medical bills"

I have some friends who have a houseboat and every year during the Christmas season their boat is decked out with about a million lights.  It must take half of forever to get them all hung correctly.  I asked them once if it was expensive to have all the lights on all the time.  They said to keep the lights on just overnight is almost $500.00 a month.  YIKES!  That's as much as we pay for electricity in our home for 3 months.  I went on to tell them that there is an alternative to regular Christmas lights.  In the Tech-world, the new buzzword is "LED Lighting."  You can see and hear about it everywhere.  Well, there is something new in the LED world.  It is rope lighting.  LED rope lighting, while a little on the expensive side, is well worth the money because they will last for 50,000 hours!  They consume very little energy, at only about .47 watts per foot.    The LED rope lighting is sold in bulk and can be cut to specific length desired. This lighting is  great for sculpture decoration, building outlines, step lighting, handrails, displays, window and architectural highlighting, decks, patios, gazebos, boats, RVs, and more. Connector and clips are included. 

"this is a sponsored post"

I don't know about you, but my husband goes through cell phones like a woman goes through new shoes!  At any given time we have about 4 old cell phones lying around.  Some of them even end up as "play" phones for our kids. I have discovered a site that will recycle cell phones and pay you cash.You can read more about it at Cell For Cash Press Kit.  It's so easy to do...just fill out a form at their site, and if you qualify, they will send you a postage paid box to mail it in.  Now, how easy is that?  You can do your part in recycling your old phones and even pocket a little cash.  Here is a press release about it:

 This America Recycles Day CellForCash.com Wants to Pay You to Recycle Your Old Cell Phones

More than 100 million cell phones are retired each year in the United States, and most are just stashed away adding to an already hazardous stockpile. CellForCash.com lets you upgrade without the guilt when you sell your old cell phone online.

OCALA, FL, November 14, 2007 –- Has the latest cell phone in the TV commercials got your number? Do you want to upgrade your feature-challenged cell phone for the feature-rich model and do the right thing for the environment? CellForCash.com enables you to upgrade without the guilt by recycling your old cell phone for cash.

Over the last few years the environmental hazard discarded cell phones can cause has become a growing concern. Research has found cell phones to leach hazardous levels of lead when disposed of in landfill conditions. As a result, programs banning electronic devices from regular trash pickups are becoming more common throughout the country.

Some research suggests that less than 10% of cell phones are recycled. Others say only about 5% of people will recycle their old cell phones, and a few actually do throw them in the garbage. In any event, every month more and more cell phones are added to the stockpile.

“America Recycles Day is a great time to remind people that the old cell phone they have stashed away shouldn’t be trashed,” said James Mosieur, CEO of RMS Communications, the company that operates CellForCash.com. “Responsibly recycling an old cell phone is free, easy, and it may even come with a payoff.”

Mosieur encourages people to visit CellForCash.com before buying a new cell phone. “Consumers should be determined to recycle even before they choose a new phone,” he says. "Besides, getting $20 for your old phone could make the difference between getting the model you want and just settling for the one you can afford".

CellForCash.com pays for over 600 different models of used cell phones and then re-markets them around the world. Payouts range from just a few dollars to well over $200 for each qualifying cell phone. If your phone does not qualify for payment, CellForCash.com will recycle it for free. Printing a pre-paid mailing label from the website and handing the package to your postman is a lot more convenient than going to the local landfill.

Some recycled cell phones are used in the company sponsored 911 Cell Phone Bank program, which provides no-cost emergency cell phones to the elderly and victims of abuse throughout the country. Over 1,500 cell phones are donated to law enforcement and other agencies every month.

“Phone upgrades do create a dilemma for the environmentally responsible, especially since most people already have a few stockpiled,” Mosieur said. “But as more consumers learn about recycling solutions like CellForCash.com, they’ll realize there is an immediate payoff for recycling; cash today and a healthy environment in the future.”

About CellForCash.com
CellForCash.com pays cash for used cell phones, and makes the process simple by displaying the phones it will buy and the prices it will pay for them right on the web site. It also provides sellers with already-addressed, postage-paid mailing boxes. The site lists over 600 models from 21 manufacturers including Motorola, Nokia, LG, and Samsung. For more information visit the web site at www.CellForCash.com.

"this is a sponsored post"

I just love the Fall season.  Days are getting chilly, and homes are getting cozy.  I love to turn the lights down low and sprinkle candles all over my home.  It is so warm and inviting; makes me want to curl up with a quilt and my sweet husband.  I love candles, but I always forget to blow them out.  There have been a few times that I have even left the house and forgotten to blow out my candles.  Well, thank goodnes someone has invented Flameless Window Candles.  Flameless Candles are battery powered real wax candles, and are completely fire-safe!  The candles have an LED light down inside and they flicker just like a real candle. The candles also have a recessed blackend wick for a realistic look. I like that these candles are safe for my little ones to look at and touch.  Many of my children at one time or another have gotten a burned finger from trying to touch the "light."  

     I love the little votive candles that are small enough to put in my bathroom.  They make some beautiful Flameless Votive Candles that I would love to have.  They would look so good in my bathroom or my bedroom.  I also love the Flameless Round Candles.  I have many of these in my living room.  The round candles even give off a mild vanilla scent, which is one of my favorite scents for my house.  So, put away your matches and go check out this site.  You'll really be impressed with the variety that they offer.

Being a homeschooling mom, I am always looking for a good bargain, especially when it comes to computer software.  At www.CostCaptain.com, they offer Microsoft products at academic discounts.  They supply hundreds of schools, libraries, colleges, and homeschoolers.  To qualify for the discount, you must fall into one of the following categories:

*Accredited Educational Institutions

*Administrative Offices and Boards of Education

*Faculty and Staff of Schools/Colleges

*Enrolled Students of Schools/Colleges

*Public Libraries

*Public Museums

*Homeschool Programs

The software they offer includes: Microsoft, Iomega, Symantec, Corel, and Adobe, just to name a few.  These are not copies, or a lesser grade of software, they are 100% brand new software, sold by a licensed Microsoft reseller.

For all you homeschoolers out there, you might try leaving a few subtle hints for Christmas gifts.  A Cost Captain gift certificate would be a great Christmas present for any educator!

"this is a sponsored post"

Next month on November 13th, all adults should really think about getting a memory screening.  I am only 36, but Alzheimers, as well as a host of other geriatric diseases like Dementia, can appear in your early 30s.  Hosted by the Alzheimer's Foundation Of America, the National Memory Screening Day, is a free confidential service provided to those who are concerned with memory loss or associated problems.  Memory screens are an important first step in early detection of alzheimers, and other memory loss conditions. Memory loss can also be caused by depression, thyroid disorders, or even vitamin deficiencies.  That is why it is a good idea to be screened at any age.  You can go to the National Screening Website and find a screening location in your area. Early detection of an illness can lead to early diagnosis and a better quality of life.  There is no cure for Alzheimers, but the Alzheimers Federation Of America is dedicated to continued research.Their website can offer encouragement and ideas on aging and caring for your loved one.  Your donation to the Alzheimers Foundation can help them to find a cure! 

Did I ever tell you that I have the UGLIEST feet in the free world?  I have always hated my feet.  I have huge bunyons on each side which makes it impossible to find shoes that really fit and feel good.  So if I am ever out shopping or doing anything that requires alot of walking, not only are my feet sore, but my lower back as well. I found the coolest site that makes custom shoe inserts. At Sole you will find custom footbeds that are heat moldable and will fit your unique foot perfectly, even really UGLY feet like mine! 

Sole has many different product lines.  One caters more to athletes and is called DK Signature Series.  They also have other footbeds for everyday.  The one I really love is the Sole Ultra Softec. It has just three easy steps for a perfect fit.  First you heat them in the oven, slip them in your shoes, and then insert your feet into the shoes.  The sole will mold perfectly to your feet. I think this is a great idea...why didn't someone think of it sooner? 

If you are looking for an inexspensive way to promote your business this Holiday Season, at the same time giving a gift to your current and prospective clients, then you really should check out Promotional Pens by Vista Print.  Vista Print offers high quality custom retractable black ink pens. These pens have a metal clip and rubber comfort grip that display a stylish and professional look.  It's really easy to design a pen through Vista Print.  They take you step-by-step using your own logo, or you can use one of their templates.  Prices start at just $4.99 per pen, but the more you order, the more you save, and just in time for Christmas! 

 Vista Print is also offering some really nice freebies such as 1) One free promotional pen that you can customize, just pay s&h. Coupon Code: FreePen07, 2) One Free wall calendar, just pay s&h. Coupon Code: FreeCalendar07, 3) 10 Free custom holiday cards.  Coupon Code: Freeholiday. 

"this is a sponsored post" 

Everyone already knows how much I dislike going to the Dentist.  But, in order to stay healthy, we really need to go every six months for a cleaning.  I have had dental insurance in the past, but have found it to be a complete waste of money.  Basically dental insurance only pays for emergencies.  Now how many dental emergencies could you possibly have?  Even when I broke my tooth off with a tootsie roll, that was not considered an emergency, but rather a "cosmetic" problem.  I found a site called discount dental plans.  Discount Dental Plans are designed for individuals and families who are interested in getting a discount on their dental services.  It is not an insurance plan, but a discount program that can be used with any participating provider.  If you become a member of discount dental plans you simply show your card at every dental visit and immediately recieve a discount on your charges.  Traditional dental insurance features many drawbacks including costly deductibles, tedious claim forms, long waiting periods and other limitations. On the other hand, discount dental plans are affordable, easy-to-use and free of these hassles. So, what exactly does this plan discount:

• Examinations
• Cleanings
• X-rays
• Fluoride treatments
• Root canals
• Braces
• Dentures
• Wisdom teeth extractions
• Gum surgery
• Dental implants
• Fillings
• Crowns
• Bridges
• Plus many other dental procedures
With a large family like mine, this will be a godsend.  (let's see..7 children X 2 cleanings a year, that is 14 cleanings alone, not to mention if someone has a cavity or something)  To join, just look through all the different discount dental plans available, and find the one that works for your family...they even have customer service that will help you find the best deal.  Once you have become a member, you will have instant access in 1-2 days. 

"this is a sponsored post"

Several years ago, I worked for a construction company as their secretary/receptionist.  They were wonderful people to work for and I learned so much about contract business.  I was responsible for typing up bids, contracts, and site details.  As a construction company, it is a very good idea to get bonded for your own protection as well as your client.  There are several different types of contract bonds you can get. If you are wanting to know how to get bonded, you should contact a bonding company that handles commercial bonds. To start the process you need to apply. Your agent will usually have an approval for you anywhere from that same day to 4 business days. You will then be given your premium cost and an agreement between you and the bonding company. The bond is then issued 1-2 business days from receipt of payment and the agreement.  A contractor that does any type of building or construction should look at applying for a Bid Bond.  A Bid Bond is a guarantee that the  bonding company will provide a performance bid if the company is awarded the contract.  A Performance Bond guarantees the performance of the of the contract and payment (payment bond) of materials and labor by the contractor to all subcontractors and material suppliers. The bond is submitted by the winning bidder upon award of the contract. The Performance & Payment Bond are typically issued together, as they are so closely related.

"this sponsored post is helping to pay for my medical bills"

My daughters and I found this site over the weekend where you can have a virtual makeover and use celebrity hairstyles.  If you would love to see a  celebrity hairstyle on yourself just try it.  My daughters and I had the best time.  You can upload your own picture or use a picture of a model with the same features you have.  Of course I uploaded my own photo.  First I got to pick out whose hair I would like.  After going through all the celebrity hairstyles, I decided on J-Lo.  Then it took me through step-by-step trying new make-up.  First we chose eyeliner, then blush, then lipstick with lipliner.  They even had hats and hair accessories to try.  And then of course my daughters took a turn.  It was really fun and they have so many different things you can try like: a virtual makeover, virtual hairstyles using either celebrity or pictures of different hairstyles, tips on makeup and its application according to your skin type.  They also have a makeover gallery so you can see others who have done a virtual makeover. I am sure that you all just can't wait to see my makeover...you know I always did want J-Lo's Hair! Remember, NO LAUGHING!

 My Makeover

"this sponsored post is helping to pay my medical bills"

I don't know if any of you have seen this before, but I am very impressed with this stroller.  Having 7 children myself, I have gone through MANY strollers.  Most of them end up being sold at a yard sale.  The stroller that I am talking about is the Mutsy Urban Rider stroller.  This is what I would call the Cadillac of strollers.  The best I have ever seen. I like this because it grows with your child.  It provides a bassinett for when you have a newborn and it also can switch out and put in a seat for your growing toddler.  They come in so many styles and colors....kind of  "retro chic" in its design.  My husband likes it because it looks "modern." In Strollers  they have 5 models, the Urban Rider, the Urban Rider “Next”, the 4Rider, 4Rider Light and their 3-wheel compact fold Spider (great for traveling!). A new stroller model will also be introduced this Fall. Mutsy strollers have LOTS of great features, their Urban Rider even comes with two sets of wheels, one for the streets and one for the trails.

Another great benefit of this stroller is that all the parts are interchangeable.  So, instead of needing to buy 3 different strollers, you only need one!  Sounds like a great deal to me!