Bang Head Here

Stressed. Holy crap am I stressed. Day in and day out, things aren’t getting easier – but that’s what we get for growing up and becoming adults, right? More responsibility, more work, more duties and only so many hours in the day to meet deadlines and get things done. I’m stressed.

I probably don’t have any more on my plate than many of you reading this, in fact, some of you may be way more stressed out than me. But here I am, ready to rip my hair out. I need a break. We all need a break. We all deserve a few minutes (that’s all I ask) each day to have to ourselves. Whether we spend this “free” time exercising, reading, writing, crafting, napping (on and on I could go), we all deserve time to unwind.

But in this fast-paced world we live in today, is there any time to be anything other than stressed?

Next Thursday I leave for Captiva Island for 5 days. I need it. I deserve it. I work hard. A stress release – maybe? Or will I come back even MORE stressed, knowing I didn’t get any work done at home for five days. It’s a catch-22, but I sure as hell am looking forward to spending time with my BFF.

Life is stressful. Take a moment to yourself. You deserve it.

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit - and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.” – Brian Dyson

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I Love a Good Deal & Freebies!

I have always been a thrifty shopper. My mom and grandma taught me the value of a sale and we rarely ever bought everything for full price. Once I got to college, there was a Gabriel Brothers store nearby and so that is where I would do a majority of my clothes and shoes shopping. I just can't stand pay full price for something that I know will be on sale eventually. However, I know my girlfriend Erica is cracking up right now.

I made her go boot shopping with me late last fall. Now, for those of you who don't know me, you know that boots are something I love, but own very few of. This is because they don't make boots with a big enough calf area for me (yes I am talking about the taller boots). I played soccer for a billion years, so yes, I have a calf muscle and it's not going away. So I always have trouble finding boots.

We ended up finding a pair that actually fit at Sears, however, they weren't on sale - just full price. I was really struggling to decide if I should buy them or not, but thank goodness for Erica and talking me into it. I have worn those boots enough times to pay for themselves. But would ya just know....I was at Sears the other day and those boots are now 75% off! AHHH I hate that! But guess what! I got another pair, just different color. Hehe.

I am also a freebie lover. My favorite website is www.spoofee.com. It is a great site that people share where the freebies reside. Sometimes it is just samples, which is cool, but other times it is the real deal. From spoofee I have received a box of 10 full size Take5 candy bars, post-it notes, razors, pens, tshirts, ahhhh the list could go on and on.

Spoofee also got me hooked to collecting Disney Movie Rewards and Pampers Gift to Grow points. Even if I never buy either product, there are enough free codes that I was able to get 2 DVDs from Disney and I entered a bunch of contests through Pampers (of course I haven't won yet, but maybe someday).

The point is, always look online for coupons, freebies and giveaways. You may be surprised what you are able to get!

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Happy Birthday!

Apple fans across the world are recognizing what would have been the birthday of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple. He passed away last October after a long battle with pancreatic cancer; leaving a lasting legacy. Jobs would have turned 57 today.

With the increasing use of Apple products, Steve Jobs became highly recognized over the past few years. He helped to transform digital communications and technology with a string of products like the Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Instead of thinking of technology as a geeky hobby, he helped change most to view it as a modern life necessity.

In this day-in-age it is hard to think of what life would be like without technology – without knowing your friend’s every move in just a “slide to unlock” and a few fingertip taps. I just got my first Apple product this past Christmas and now I am not sure why it took me so long to make the switch.

A couple of Mac-obsessed fans plan to stage a birthday party outside of the company’s Fifth Avenue store. Putting aside any criticism that it may be too soon, and aside from the weirdness, dancers will gyrate (yes gyrate) to Bob Dylan songs all while vegetarian birthday cake is served. Black turtlenecks will be passed out to the hundreds of Apple fans.

The party planners have yet to notify Apple that this full-blown party will be taking place outside of their store – wonder how this will go over? In case you are interested in attending the event, it will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. I suggest arriving a bit early if you want one of the turtlenecks and the veggie birthday cake.

Three apples changed the world: Adam and Eve's forbidden apple, Newton's apple and finally, Steve Jobs's Apple. Happy Birthday Steve Jobs.

As a side note, a local teen is missing. Please click on the link to learn more.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/02/22/penn-state-new-kensington-student-reported-missing/#.T0ZhDBfgZGw.facebook

Please share this information with your friends and family. If you see him, call the Frazer Township Police Department at 724-274-4204.

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Bizarre and Interesting...The HeadlinesToday!

Every day I like to check out the news headlines and see what’s happening around the world.  This morning I was on yahoo.com going through the captions and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.  Here were some of this mornings “important” news topics on yahoo.com…

1.       Team’s Costly Shaving Violation

2.       Scuba Diver’s Surprise Sign

3.       “Terrifying” MLB Bobblehead

4.       Man Jailed Over Messy Yard

Hysterical right?  It’s not until farther down on the page do they list the more serious news topics like the crazy price of gas, the GOP debate and what’s happening overseas.  But I think the most interesting story today online has the title “Water World” Discovered 40 Light Years Away.  Apparently, scientist working with the Hubble Space Telescope discovered a new type of planet that they are describing as a “water world.”  Located in a constellation 40 light years from Earth, they say that the planet is smaller than the planet Uranus, but larger than Earth.  They believe the average temperature of the planet is 450 degrees Fahrenheit and because of these high temperatures and the pressures, exotic materials like “hot ice” or “superfluid water” are created. 

Is it just me or is this just fascinating stuff?

First of all, I find it amazing that the Hubble Telescope can see something 40 light years away.  I also think it’s amazing that something exists 40 light years away.  I can’t even fathom that distance and yes, I realize that space is all about distance because everything is ridiculously far away but, when I start thinking about it…I mean really thinking about it…it kind of freaks me out.

I have no idea why I’m talking about this today.  I guess the overall news headlines of the day I found humorous and I found the discovery of a new planet to be interesting so I decided to share.  I do have one question for everyone reading this though…

Do Aliens exist?  I mean...with a space so big as space...don't you think something else has to be out there beside us?  UGH!  I'm freaking myself out again!

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Dear Me

Ever wish you knew then what you know now? What would you tell yourself?

Dear high school me,
You are so pretty. You look good in your swim suit. Your boobs aren't too small. Your thighs aren't too large. Someday you are gonna look back at those photos and think, "Damn, I really was hot."

Don't get so wrapped up in boys. The guy you are dating now you won't marry. Enjoy his company, but not at the expense of losing yourself.  Enjoy your time with your friends. Don't be friends with the girls who like drama. You'll end up losing them as friends anyway, so just bypass the hassle. These actually aren't the best years of your life. It gets even better!

Don't try to act so mature. You are going to spend the rest of your life chasing your youth.

Dear college me,
Don't be so upset about not going to school where you wanted. It all works out in the end. Study more. You will need a good GPA more than you will need memories of late-night drinking binges. Some friendships last, some don't. Move on. It's all a learning process. Love your roomates. It's tough, I know, but they are who you will remember forever when you look back on your college days. And some of them won't be around anymore by the time you are married with kids. Enjoy them. Flaws and all.

Start exercising. You think you are so busy...and you are, but napping is not busy, it is wasteful. If you start working out now, it will become part of who you are the rest of your life. You body will thank you!

Don't smoke. You look stupid, not cool. And don't go tanning. Again, stupid, not cool.

Dear pre-kids twenty-something me,
If you hate your job, quit it. This is the time to be selfish. No kids, no mortgage. Find what you love now. You will thank me later.

Travel more. Visit friends. If you think life is busy now...keep reading.

Dear post-kids twenty-something me,
You are still so pretty and put together, though you feel like you are forever falling apart. The kids, the house, the husband.  Enjoy it. It's gonna fly by. Don't get so upset about the toddler throwing a fit. Laugh at it. So, you didn't get into grad school. There is a reason. You don't know it yet, but there is. Don't worry so much about getting everything done.  Eventually, what needs to be done, gets done!

Dear thirty-something me,
Read the other letters I wrote to my past you. It still all holds true. The characters may have changed, but the lessons haven't.

And the best years of your life...you are living them! Enjoy it!

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Best Laid Plans

My family loves surprises. My mom, in particular, loves to surprise my brother, Tim, and I. But it can be pretty easy to surprise her, too. Several weeks ago, my brother said he wanted to surprise my mom and come home and see her. Tim lives 7 hours from my mom and that drive after work on a Friday night and then back again on Sunday can be exhausting. Because he doesn't get home that often, I knew that she would never suspect anything if I told her late in the week that I wanted to come home even after being home the weekend before.

After a little planning, it was decided that I was to take my mom to breakfast and then Tim and his girlfriend, Katie, would surprise my mom there. Well, that didn't happen due to a squirrel getting trapped in my mom's chimney. The squirrel was supposed to be gone, but the guy who was to take care of the situation was a complete sheister, which is a completely different story.
 

Because my mom and I were waiting for another guy to come and take a look at the squirrel situation, we couldn't go to breakfast. So in a quick decision on how this surprise was going to be pulled off, my brother picked up donuts and came to the house to surprise my mom there. Regardless of the location, my mom was still shocked to see my brother and his girlfriend at the front door bearing donuts.

While planning the surprise was fun, the point of Tim and Katie coming to Ohio was to spend time all together even if things didn't go exactly as planned. It is fun to reverse the roles and be able to make my mom feel special, especially after a rough couple of months.

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A common field forever changed

This weekend I headed out to Summerset to celebrate my best friend’s 27 years of life. During our weekend celebrations, which included snowboarding, food, jello shots, food, Blue Moon cupcakes, more food, board games and even MORE food, we also stopped by the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA.

I think until you visit the memorial in person, the media clips, the articles, the photos, do not do it justice. The memorial is special – simple, but includes many elements. It is a quiet place for those to come and reflect and honor the heroes of Flight 93.

We talk about it every year on September 11 – the everyday heroes from that flight. They were courageous, proud, and did what they knew they had to do. You think about all of this when visiting the memorial.

Those 40 passengers and crew members, their families, THAT day – it is all encompassed by a marble wall in the middle of a field, in the middle of nowhere. Most of the passengers were from California or New Jersey, some from other countries. But their final resting place lies in these flatlands in western PA. It was surreal. Eight acres of what the coroner claimed as the crime scene is now and forever will be the marker to one of the most horrific events in American history.

If you have time some weekend, visit the memorial -- any of the memorials. I really gained a new appreciation for the heroes of that day.

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The Best Job Ever

Did you ever look back on a past job you held and thought to yourself, wouldn't it be fun to step back into that position and do it all over again? I am sure there are a lot of you thinking, WOW she's off her rocker today! But the job I had when I was in college was honestly the best job I ever had, and I can't imagine a better job that has yet to come. I would gladly go back and work it again...if only I made more money!! $$

My sophmore year of college a Starbucks opened up nearby. Growing up in Slippery Rock (yes, where the University is), there was not a Starbucks for miles upon miles. And I can't even think of when I was at a Starbucks to even know what it was about. But I knew that it was new, just opening, and they were hiring. So I went in and filled out an application. The girls behind the counter seemed like they were happy and were just chatting away to me - a great first impression.

A couple of days later I had an interview and I remember the manager asking me if I would like a drink, on the house. Since I had never been to a Starbucks before, I quickly glanced at the menu and picked a strawberry frap. I have never been a coffee person, so I avoided that but still, this was my first Starbucks drink experience...and it was good!

So I was hired and I can truthfully tell you the first couple weeks were stressful and hard. I know you're laughing at me thinking how hard can it be to sling some coffee, but it is so much more than that. It is memorizing recipes (no wonder my memory is shot now) and customer's usual drinks, and basically just being super friendly even on some days that you just didn't want to be around anyone.

However, once I got the swing of it, the job became enjoyable. Going to work was actually fun and it was all because I loved the customers, I loved the people I worked with, it was a great organization who cared about their employees (AKA- partners) and it was so easy! I was lucky to work with a WONDERFUL group of girls (we had a few guys here and there but the girls stuck around) and we all became best friends, and still are to this day. Sure, some have moved away, and came back, but we all still talk and when we get together it is like we haven't skipped a beat.

So now can you think of a job that was the best job ever? Or maybe it is your job now! That would be lucky. Tell me about where you work/worked and what made it so special.

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An Ode to My Friends

Some of you may or may not know this but I recently accepted a new position with another company. I regret to say that I had to leave my wonderful WW&B friends behind. I will no longer get to see them every day or enjoy their lunch company. For now, it is the occasional lunch meet-up or after work happy hour. What we had goin’ is hard to find, it is not every job that you will thoroughly enjoy the people you work with. When I found myself lying in bed, cursing my alarm I would think to myself, “hey, at least I get to go in and hang out with the girls!” - it made it easier to get out of bed. Now, when I say I would get to “hang out with the girls” I do not mean that we got to sit around and talk boys (ok sometimes we did), paint our nails and fix eachother’s hair, I mean that we got along so well that work didn’t always seem like work. We had fun bouncing ideas off of each other and working on projects together.

So here I am, in my new job, feeling lost. Where do I fit in? A new crowd of people-I am the newbie. Every time you get a new job you go through it, first you are elated with excitement that you got the job; you celebrate with your friends and think of the fun, new things to come for your career. After that, you start to panic and question if you will be able to do the job. You get nervous about your new responsibilities, the new company culture and of course, the new people you will be working with.

I have come to realize, while starting a job is a stressful experience, it doesn’t have to be full of constant worry and anxiety. Keeping a positive outlook and using your new role as a stepping ground to a new, exciting time in your career– that is the way to go. It is ok and normal to feel overwhelmed because everything is drastically different.

Even though it will be a bit harder to see the girls, and will take much more planning than before, I know that we will all remain friends and see each other on a more regular basis. I am grateful to have had the chance to work with such amazing people. Whether they know this or not, I really learned a lot from all of them both on a personal and professional level. Instead of co-workers, they became friends and as I said before, that doesn’t happen often.

So this is an ode to you, my lovely WW&B friends/bloggers/co-workers/comrades –I miss you!

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Happy Hump Day!

Wednesday…typically referred to as “Hump day”, is a day that most people look forward to.  It’s the middle of the work week, one day before “Thirsty Thursday” and two days from Friday.  So why do I find Wednesday’s to be the absolute WORST day of the week?

I think it’s because Wednesday’s are really the start of my very busy work week.  Owning my own bar/restaurant and working my “big girl” job really fills my schedule.  On Wednesday’s, I wake up at the butt-ass crack of dawn and go to my office for a full day.  Then I rush home, change, make dinner, do the dishes and I then I rush down to the bar to start my shift.  By the time I get home it’s very late and before I know it, my alarm is going off and I’m up, logging in to my computer and working my “big girl” job.  I then shut down, jump in the shower and back to the bar to get it opened.  Again, I get home late and then it’s up again to work the “big girl” job.  I then have to call in the liquor order for the bar, pick-up the liquor, take the liquor to the bar and check it in and put it away.  Then it’s back home again to get some housework done whether it is cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.  I make dinner, clean-up, jump in the shower and back to the bar.  By Saturday, I’m exhausted but I know I just have to get through one more long night at the bar and then finally…it’s Sunday.  Precious Sunday.  The day where I don’t get out of my jammies, I don’t answer the phone; I don’t cook, clean, do laundry…nothing.  I lay on the couch with my hubby, watch mindless TV, order pizza and take a million naps.

Now don’t get me wrong…I love my life and I’m very happy with both the bar/restaurant and my “big girl” job.  Sometimes I feel pretty damn lucky…like I “have my cake and I’m eating it too” kind of thing. What drives me crazy is that everything needs to run on a very tight, strict schedule or it all won’t get done and I can’t have that.  My list each and every week has to get done or I feel like everything is falling apart.  I know, that’s slightly dramatic but, it’s the truth.  This must be what it’s like to have children.  I can’t imagine all of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, running around and craziness that goes into to being a parent.  Especially if you’re working parents.  I think you guys are crazy but I give you mad props.  Because if my week is this crazy and it’s just because I own my own business and work another job…I can’t imagine what it’s like to have kids. 

So I guess this blog post is dedicated to all of the hardworking people and parents who just don’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done but somehow always managed to get done…like me!

Happy Hump Day!

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Happy Valentine's Day

Original Artwork by Miss Katie Jean

The Legend of St. Valentine

The history of Valentine's Day--and the story of its patron saint--is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl--possibly his jailor's daughter--who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and--most importantly--romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Thank you, http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day!

Origins of Valentine's Day: A Pagan Festival in February

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial--which probably occurred around A.D. 270--others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "Christianize" the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat's hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.

Valentine's Day: A Day of Romance

Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity and but was outlawed—as it was deemed “un-Christian”--at the end of the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine's Day should be a day for romance.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.) Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

Typical Valentine's Day Greetings

In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings.

Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap." Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

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The Single Girl's Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. As a single girl, I should be sad that I don't have someone to be my valentine. But I don't feel that way. Would it be nice? Sure, but such is life. I like Valentine's Day. Maybe because it is a little bright spot in a cold, dreary winter.

Those singles out there who are completely opposed to Valentine's Day can rest assured that an alternative option is offered - Singles Awareness Day or Singles Appreciation Day. In addition to the holiday name change, people can wear green or black to go against the grain of wearing red. Or you can completely ignore the holiday all together.

The thing that I don't like about these alternatives is that it makes people who are single look bitter. There may be some single people who are extremely bitter that they don't have a significant other to share this Hallmark holiday with, but why share your bitterness with everyone. A person's happiness shouldn't be dependent on a relationship status.

So instead of feeling terrible about being alone, do something special for yourself. Get a pedicure, go out to dinner with friends, watch a good movie, share your love with your parents, siblings, friends, whoever! It is just one day...and this too shall pass!

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Did you know...??

Ah, yes, the random things you learn as a pet owner. I’m sure we all have our interesting, funny and even horror stories about pet ownership, but in the end we have each learned something from the situation. In my life, I have been the proud owner of a number of animals, including hermit crabs, turtles, dogs, fish, rabbits, horses… and they each have taught me something – tricks to the trade and interesting tid-bits about ownership.

Let me start off by telling you, my beloved fur baby, Chase, had a run-in yesterday with an unknown animal – might have been a dog, a cat, or perhaps even a raccoon, but regardless, he came in bloodied and wounded.

Lesson 1: It is ok to over react when your fur baby is injured, but do not over react to the point you convince your veterinarian best-friend that it’s so bad, we might have to amputate if infection sets in. Yes, I over reacted. But he was injured, and his pathetic little eyes told me he was hurting. So – from this lesson and trip to the vet I have learned that it is FREE to get your pet’s antibiotics filled at Giant Eagle instead of having your veterinarian’s office fill them for a pricey amount.

You all know I have turtles, and I love my turtles, despite Ferrari out growing every tank I have ever put her in. My newest discovery has to do with feeding.

Lesson 2: Turtles have the ability to throw up. Who knew? But they can. Apparently I over fed her, so she puked. We were very perplexed by this, so clearly I Googled about the situation. And yep! Turtles have the ability to vomit. Note to self: feed in smaller amounts.

As mentioned above, and as many of you may know, my BFF works for a veterinarian. And she is awesome and saves the lives of our fur babies every day. She is full of great stories (like the frog named Jesus that was puked up by a dog twice and survived) and random facts.

Lesson 3: Animal anti-diarrhea medicine works for humans too! She let me know this first-hand.

In college, my roommate and I bought a rabbit, a dwarf bunny named Dancer. We read on the internet that rabbits can be potty-trained to use a litter box like a cat – so really, your bunny can hop around your home (or in our case a dorm room) freely. We thought this would be awesome…

Lesson 4: Potty training with bunnies doesn’t work unless you take the time to teach them. Dancer crapped and peed wherever she wanted, ate through just about everything we owned, including Christmas lights and a leather purse. She didn’t stay around much longer after that. My recommendation – keep the rabbit in the cage.

What are some random/interesting things you have learned while being pet owners??

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Ladies: Need I Remind You that Valentine's Day is Less than a Week Away

Even though my husband does not believe in Valentine's Day, I still end up buying him something little just to say that I love you and always thinking of you. Sometimes it's hard to find something small that doesn't cost a fortune, something that he will actually like or even use.

I would like to provide my fellow ladies with some easy gift ideas that every man will like. These gifts will work for boyfriends (new or old), fiances, husbands (again, new or old) or even your dad or best guy friend.

• Brownie Heart: Go to the dollar store and buy a giant heart cookie cutter. If you can find 3 that are different sizes, go for that one. If not, one is fine. Pick up some red, white or pink icing and some sprinkles. Don't forget the brownie mix and ingredients! Now you can make a huge brownie heart and decorate it for your loved one. Guys ALWAYS like brownies...even the picky ones who don't like chocolate.
• Fun Dip: Yup...I said it. Fun Dip. It isn't something that you can't always find, but I found it in a 24 pack that was actually meant for kids Valentine cards. He'll love it!
• Cigars: Not my favorite gift, but he likes them. It is like a hall pass to doing something that I really don't like.
• Special beer: This gift is now off the books for me, but for those of you who don't own a bar or distributor, get him a special case of beer that he may not choose himself. He will appreciate you buying him alcohol...I promise.
• Finally, you can just go simple and buy a card. And yes a 99 cent card, or even the 2 for $1 cards from the Dollar Store are perfectly fine because all that matters is that you show you care. If he cares, he may even keep it forever!

Good luck on your Valentine's shopping! And don't wait until the last minute - just like Christmas, everything will be gone!

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Tis' the Season

Wedding season is quickly approaching. As you know one of my dear friends and co-WW&B bloggers will soon be hitched. A best friend of mine is also getting married in June, I was asked to be a bridesmaid :-) . I am sure most of you have either been a bridesmaid or a bride so you are well aware of all the planning and fine-tuned details which must take place.

As a bridesmaid you have duties you are expected to perform to help things go more smoothly in the planning and on the actual day of the big event. I have never been great at making decisions, I am usually indecisive by fault and I wish I wasn’t. For the shower, each bridesmaid must make a gift basket which will be given out while the soon-to-be bride is opening her presents. We will have a timer and when it goes off, whoever’s gift she is opening at the time will get the basket.

My dilemma is what sort of themed basket should I make? That is where you all come into play. Please, I beg you, give me some ideas. Here are the already-claimed basket themes: wine basket, lottery basket, nail polish basket, spa basket. I looked to Google for some inspirations and here are a few ideas I like:

1. Grilling/BBQ Basket
Content Ideas - grilling tools, grilling mitt/pad, grilling spices, marinades,grilling vegetable basket, apron, skewers, BBQ Sauce

2. Ice Cream Basket
Content Ideas -Toppings, sundae dishes, waffle bowls and cones, sprinkles, ice cream scoop, cherries, grocery store gift certificate

3. Beach Bag
Content Ideas - Sun screen, blanket, beach towel, sand pail/shovels, beach ball, etc.

4. Steeler’s/Tailgating Basket
Content Ideas - Steeler’s shirts, etc., BBQ sauce, apron, grill brush, oven mitt, plastic dishes or tray, snacks, condiments.

5. Cleaning Products
Content Ideas - Bucket, glass cleaner, furniture polish, kitchen cleaner, cleanser, dusting mitt, tile/bath cleaner, rubber gloves, sponge, toilet bowl cleaner, disinfecting wipes, floor cleaner

I know you are all creative, have any other ideas? Or, which of the ones listed would you be excited to get if you were a guest at the shower? All help is appreciated :-)

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I'm OBSESSED!

I’m not that person that goes home after work and jumps on the computer to surf the net.  I use a computer so much for work that the last thing I want to do is strain my pretty, blue eyes after I get home.  With that being said, I’m very out of touch with all the “cool” websites out there.  However, all that has recently changed as my dear friend and fellow blogger, Katie, introduced me to Pintrest.  Have you been to this site yet?!  Most of you reading this are probably shaking your heads yes and thinking to yourself “jeez, this girl isn’t kidding…she really is out of touch with the Internet” but, I don’t mind, I know I’m behind the times. Needless to say, I’ve become OBSESSED with Pintrest.  I’m on it all the time and it’s really sparked my creative juices and I’m finally getting some things accomplished around my house.

Here’s a brief description about some of my fun Pintrest projects that I have going on.

·         I’ve have had two old windows sitting in my dining room for the last four years.  I really like them but I just haven’t been able to figure out what the heck to do with them.  So there they sit.  They have no purpose and no home.  I literally look at them every day and I question whether or not I should keep them because they are just taking up space but, thanks to Pintrest, I now have the perfect idea for them.  I’m using them to create a family photo wall.  I’ve already selected the photos and I’m waiting for just a couple more from my mother-in-law and up they will go.  FINALLY, these fabulous old windows have a purpose!  Can I just tell you how excited I am?!

·         The next project that I’m working on is an arts and crafts project for above my bed.  My husband and I have been living in our house for seven years and for seven years; we’ve looked for something to hang above our bed.  It’s a giant wall and things that we’ve found that we have liked are either the wrong colors or too small.  Now, thanks to ideas on Pintrest, I’m creating my own art piece with canvas boards from Michael's, scrapbook paper, paint and glue.  What’s so great about this is it is allowing me to pick the exact size that we want and the exact colors and honestly, the project couldn’t be easier!  These should be finished up this week and after seven years; we’ll finally have something hanging above our bed! 

·         The last Pintrest project that I’m working on is actually out in my garden.  It seems weird to be talking about gardening when it’s February in Pittsburgh but, with all of the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having, I’ve been able to get outside and do some serious clean-up in the yard.  I’m currently collecting empty liquor bottles from our bar and I’m using them to line the edge of my flower beds.  This is not only a great way to recycle the bottles but it looks neat and the bottles really catch the sunlight.

So what I’m trying to say is that if you haven’t been to this incredibly amazing site called Pintrest, you are missing out!  It really will give you amazing ideas for your home and garden.  It will give you great recipe ideas and places to travel too.  It will even give you fashion ideas, book ideas and paint colors.  It’s just an amazing site and I’ll be anxious to finish up my projects and show you pictures of them.  Hopefully they will inspire you to get creative! 

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Brand Loyalty

Today at lunch the WWB gals and I were discussing the Super Bowl ads from last night.  While I usually watch the Super Bowl strictly for the ads--even if the local team is in the game--I feel like I missed a lot of them last night. I did catch a few and they were decent. But would they make me buy? The answer is a resounding NO!

Super Bowl ads are not made to switch a loyal customer from Company A into a loyal customer of Company B. It is production value. It is memorability. Will it be talked about at work on Monday?

It got us to thinking, what brands are you loyal to? It's as old as the Coke vs. Pepsi debate!

There are plenty of products that I am very loyal to! I have used the same face soap for the last 20 years! I don't use it everyday, but I still love it! I have grown in my product spectrum, but this one is always a staple.

My oldest son will only eat Reduced Fat Cheez It crackers. I've even tried saving the box and putting regular ones in it. Nope, he knows.  It has to be a certain brand of bread, peanut butter, etc. I swear he would starve before ingesting something that isn't one of his "brands."

My youngest son tells me things are wrong if a company changes their packaging. Giant Eagle recently changed their shredded cheese packaging and while making pizzas one night, he told me it was the wrong cheese. First lesson for my six year old in marketing--the product didn't change, just the packaging.

I can remember in college it was my turn to buy ketchup for the house--at this time I didn't eat ketchup much, if at all. Not originally being from western PA, I bought the store brand. When I brought said ketchup home, my roommates were appalled at my choice. How dare I buy something other than Heinz. "Really," I thought. "It matters?" Yes, yes it does! Fast foward 15 years and I can only buy Heinz. Everthing else just isn't, well Heinz.

We are like this with clothes, shoes, household items. While I may pick something up here or there, there are a few stores that I go to religiously when I'm in need or want of something new. Honestly, if I can't find it there, I usually just stop looking!

We all have products and services that we bow to in loyalty. I'm totally screwed if Sunshine stops making Cheez Its or Giant Eagle changes their packaging again!

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One Foot In Front of the Other

Last April, I participated in a 5k that was associated with the Glass City Marathon in Toledo, OH. This year, I am going to do the same. But hopefully there will be a difference between this year and last. Last year, I walked almost the whole way. I had no intention of running it, so I wasn't disappointed with the end result. This year, I would like to run it or at least attempt to run it.

I am not a runner and I have no deep-seeded ambition to become a runner. So why am I participating in this 5k? Well, besides the full marathon and the 5k, there is also a half marathon. My brother and several of his friends came into town to run the half. With my brother's encouragement, I signed up for the 5k. My mom and a friend of mine from Baltimore also ran the 5k. It was a family event! It was fun to be a part of the action - running onto the field at the University of Toledo Glass Bowl, crossing the finish line (right behind an 80-something year old man), seeing my friends and family cross the finish line! It will be another family event. My mom is running the 5k again and my brother is running the half marathon.

To get ready for this 5k, I am using the Couch to 5k method. I am not very good with sticking to any kind of workout plan. I usually quit because I come up with excuses not to work out, like being too busy, not feeling well, etc. It is always something. I am crossing my fingers that I can stick to this one. Tonight I will complete the third installment of this journey. My mom and brother have been encouraging and motivate me to continue.

I still have a little more than 11 weeks to prepare, but I will probably need all the time I can get. So I am off on a journey to build up some running stamina and hopefully a little extra health benefit, too.

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A Second Chance Through Last Chance Corral

A little less than a year ago, a friend of mine went above and beyond and adopted two orphan foals from Last Chance Corral – an organization out of Ohio that is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming unwanted horses and foals.

These foals were just days old when she brought them home, and dedicated herself to becoming their “mothers.” My friend is a horse trainer, a breeder and professional horsewoman, but taking on two young, VERY needy orphaned babies was something she had never tackled before.

For nights, she slept in the barn, kept them wrapped in blankets, and woke at the wee hours of the morning to feed them. They depended on her.

Each year hundreds of orphaned foals come through the doors at Last Chance Corral, looking for homes and families to dedicate themselves to them. I know a number of people who have taken on this challenge, and given these by-products of the racing industry new homes and new beginnings. They are awesome!

The team at Last Chance Corral works solely off of donations and volunteers, but makes it work. They are able to save hundreds of foals each year.

This organization is something I believe it. It is a cause I support.

January started foaling season in the racing industry, and Last Chance Corral just received their first group of rescue babies looking for new homes. I know many of our readers

probably aren’t horse people, and could care less about this organization. However, I encourage you all to find a cause you support and spread the word and awareness on this cause.That is all I want to do.

I want to raise awareness for a cause I support. Read more about Last Chance Corral, their purpose, nurse mare foals and adoption.

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Movie Review: Real Steel

I am not an avid movie watcher, but when I have the time, or a movie catches my attention and I end up staying up past my bedtime to finish it, I like to tell people about it.

My most recent viewing experience was Real Steel. Adam was super excited when it came in that red envelope that everyone knows as Netflix! He ran around the house like a little kid saying, "Real Steel James Neal" Yes- the Penguin player who he is obsessed with (I like to call him Adam's boyfriend). But anyways, so he was really excited to watch it. So to begin, here is a preview of one of my favorite parts.

The movie is based in the not so distant future and features a younger kid, Max (played by Dakota Goyo) who I believe was 11, and Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) who you find out is his dad (but trust me, I didn't ruin it...you find that out in the first 5 minutes).

So Charlie fights these robots. I have to admit, they were really cool to watch. It was almost like they had to really build these robots to have them do the things they do, but we all know its CGI.

Well the story is about how Max's mom passes away and his deadbeat dad, Charlie, pays off Max's aunt and uncle to take custody of the kid. Except, the aunt and uncle are going on vacation and didn't plan for Max to go. So Charlie agrees that he will take him for a couple weeks or so but then he'll go live with them afterwards.

It is the typical movie from here. Kid hates dad. Dad doesn't like kid. Kid finds interest in robots. Dad starts to like kid. Kid almost falls off cliff. Dad starts to like kid more. Kid grows even more interest in robots and makes his own. Dad is proud. Kid wins battle. Dad wants to keep him.

I know it doesn't sound great from there, but I don't want to ruin it for you. It really is a good family movie and boys and girls will like it.

And trust me, there HAS to be a sequel coming out because there has to be more to it. You'll understand when you watch. Let me know what you think of the movie in the comments below!

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