DIY ice rink

Guest post written by Pheobe Tomlin

Last year one of our kids' friends parents made a homemade ice rink in their backyard. So of course the kids were there all the time. It was like we barely even saw them at all during the whole winter! Or at least during their winter break from school.

Well this year I'm going to try and make one myself. So I went online to try and find direction sfor as to how to make one and when I was doing that I found some clear wireless internet deals. I think we're going to switch over our internet service because of them and we haven't been happy with our old internet service for a while now.

From what I saw online, it seems like making an ice rink is going to be almost too much trouble, almost. But IÕm excited to ice skate on it myself because I used to do a lot of figure skating back when I was growing up. My husband I know is dying ot play some hockey on it too.

Tender Beef Stir Fry

I like to buy a couple pounds of tender beef stir fry and pressure cook it. It makes wonderful broth and then I divide it into 3 containers and freeze it. When I make homemade soup, all I have to do is pull out one of the containers and I am ready to go. I like homemade whole pea soup, and homemade rice soup using this beef and broth. I also add the kind of beef bullion that comes in a jar, a spoon at a time to your taste to both soups. It also salts the soup so you don't need to add extra salt. I love having containers ready in the freezer so I can make the soup anytime. It is getting colder now and a big kettle of soup is perfect.

PlayStation®Move

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine. It would certainly be a dream come true if suddenly a PlayStation Move dropped into our lives from out of nowhere. It is about time that all the couch potatoes in our house got off their seats and got moving. Today people just do not get enough good exercise and this is a great way to do it and have tons of fun at the same time. The kids can bring in their friends and play the games they like and we can bring in our friends and play those game we love most. I just learned that we can get the Move bundle for only $99. You can't beat a deal like that. Friday nights are family night at our house and this will bring a whole lot more excitement into it. Our favorite would be the Brunswick Pro Bowling as we have always loved to go bowling every chance we get. However, we have so many golfers in the family, they would be so thrilled to get the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 game and compete against each other. Besides all the competition, we all would be getting the much needed exercise we could all use from the oldest down to the youngest in the family. Our boys are always trying to outdo each other in one way or another and this would be a great way for them to compete against each other. I love the easy to handle controller. Another good thing about the variety of games is that it doesn't matter that the kids have more experience at gaming than we do, there are plenty of games for those of us who haven't played as much. That makes it easier for us to compete with each other and the kids too.

Mississippi River

Last week we went with relatives to McGregor and Guttenberg on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River. The River has been in flood stage for weeks and was still 4 feet above flood stage after the 3 days we were there. My sister-in-law wanted to ride the ferry across the river in the worst way but the currents and whirlpools were really bad and the ferry couldn't run. It would have been too dangerous if it had run. But we had a motel where we could sit outside, right along side the Mississippi and watch barges trying to go south. They couldn't go north because many islands were covered and there were all kind of sand bars that they were getting hung up on even south of Lock #10.

Depuy Lawsuit

I do not generally believe in lawsuits. However, I think there must be many people who have a Depuy Lawsuit. I could not believe my ears when I heard that Johnson & Johnson had recalled hip implants. They recalled 93,000 of them. Can you imagine all the people sitting in front of their TV set with hip implants wondering if their implant has been recalled. It is one thing to recall a car or a toy, but to recall an implanted body part? It is almost unimaginable. I wonder how many people have gone through a great deal of pain and suffering with their hip replacement only to find out the implant was not right. And now they have to have a second surgery to replace it. I would certainly get hold of the best firm of attorneys and see if I have a case.

Glenn Beck

Do you watch Glenn Beck? My husband would not miss a program if he can help it. He has a great many good points about the way American is going. I think it would be good for more Americans to sit down at least a few times a week and listen to him. I do not get to do that very often as I am working on the computer but I can hear some of it from here. I know the upcoming election is going to be very important and I hope every American who is eligible to vote will get out there and vote for their choices.

Car Wash

I took the car through the car wash. I spent the maximum and really got it clean underneath and all over. It looked just great. It looked like a new car. Then it started raining. It never fails does it? It almost seems to know when you have washed your car. It isn't long and the rain starts and there you sit with splashed mud and dirt all over your car again. It is a good thing we have good car washes in this part of the country as the weather can change almost daily.

Gold Bullion

What do you think of when you think of a gold coin? I think most of us would like to have some because we know they are very valuable. Perhaps you are not aware that you can buy gold bullion as a safe investment for the future. It keeps its value and most generally increases in value. It is a great way to preserve your wealth for the future, knowing that it is a safe and rare commodity. Did you know that you can make your gold purchases directly from the United States Gold Bureau? Well you can. Not only that but they have a very expert professional staff that will assist you in finding a safe depository for your gold.

Pizza Ranch

My husband just called to me here at the computer and asked if I would like to go to the Pizza Ranch for supper. Of course, I would. We will leave in about 50 minutes. I have been on the computer most of the afternoon and will be happy not to have to cook supper tonight. It has been so windy and cold and rainy too. However, the rain quit and the sun came out for a little bit and warmed things up about 6 degrees and it doesn't seem quite so cold now. I am looking forward to pizza and broasted chicken for supper.

The Falling Leaves

I think there is a song about the falling leaves and the end of summer. The leaves that were left on the trees are really falling today. We had a yellow leafed tree outside out kitchen window that has hung onto its leaves until now. Now the ground is completely covered in yellow leaves. My husband went out last week and mulched all the leaves and the lawn looked so green and nice and now it is just covered with leaves again. Well they will stay there now till Spring.

Depuy Lawsuit

I could not believe my ears when I heard on television that they were recalling hip replacements. You hear a great deal about toys and baby products and cars but a body part? I can't imagine what people are going through that have had their hip replacement recalled. What they need is a Depuy lawsuit if they have had physical problems that they thought were their own fault but were caused by the faulty replacement part. A good law firm can tell you if you have a case or not. That is certainly what I would do if I was in that position. I can't imagine going through a second surgery because of this. Surgeries are very painful to begin with without having to go through another one through no fault of your own.

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Baby Shower

Have a baby shower on Saturday. It is for a new little great grandgirl that is due in early December. They have already named her Ava. I haven't heard that name for a long time. Some of the older names are coming back again like Emily too. It will be fun to see all the new things little Ava will receive at the baby shower. I haven't been to a baby shower in quite awhile.

High Wind Warnings

We have high wind warnings today. Everything is blowing around. I just heard something hit the side of the house. Now is when any weak trees or tree branches will break off. The trees are really swinging and swaying. I can see out the window and the lawn is now covered with leaves again. It was clean for just about one day. We mulched them all up and now we have a whole bunch more.

Buy Gold Bars

When we often think of investments, of course we think immediately of stocks and bonds. Some people put their money in CD's but what they should do is buy gold bars if they want to be sure they have invested in something that is safe and secure and will retain its value and grow in value, as well. Civilizations for centuries such as the Romans and Greeks and others, have always known the value of gold. They knew that by investing in gold that their wealth was protected and secured. Perhaps you have never even thought about gold as an investment but today's television is advertising gold every day now to let you know what a wonderful investment it is. It is really quite easy to purchase gold through the U.S. Gold Bureau. They have an excellent staff that can readily assist you in your purchases.

Changing Beds

I got out the warm sheet blankets and put them on the beds. Also added another light blanket to the bed so it will be nice and warm. The nights are getting really cold. We turn down the furnace at nice so it is cold in the house. That makes it good for sleeping. However, you want to climb into a warmer bed to start with and not cold sheets.

Calling All Fashionistas

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Liz Claiborne New York Outlets. All opinions are 100% mine.

Here it is Fall already and getting colder every day. It is time to get out the Fall wardrobe and see what needs to be tossed and what you can keep. Then we all want to go shopping for the latest in Fall fashions. But those things we would like to have really cost a great deal of money. I know everyone wants fashions by top designers and I found out that the Liz Claiborne New York Outlets are having a fabulous sale with as much as 50% - 80% off. If I could only get there I could use several beautiful new sweaters. Mine look pretty sad as they have had a great deal of wear. The next thing I would look for are a new stylish pair of boots. I would be the envy of all my friends. I have worn my old boots for such a long time. But probably most of all I need a good warm new winter jacket because we live in a very very cold climate here in the Northern part of the Midwest. We get lots of snow and ice here. Which reminds me, I need some new gloves and a couple of nice warm scarves to go with my new jacket. And while I am at it, I would also love to get to the New York sale at Liz Claiborne Outlets and get several pair of nice warm winter slacks and some long sleeve stylish blouses. With the wonderful sale that is going on, I know I would be able to get everything I want at such discounted prices. It would be a dream come true. I would love to take along a few of my friends so they could enjoy these wonderful sales too. If you folks out there reading this are any where near these outlets in New York, be sure to get over there as fast as you can and stock up on your winter fashions. Happy shopping everyone!

Deer

Now is the time of the year when the farmers are taking out the crops. This means they stir up the deer and you can find them almost anywhere. The worst part of it is that they are often on the road and that is very dangerous. You have to keep your eyes open for them. If you have one run in front of you, you must hit the deer and not try to avoid it. If you try to miss it, you will have an accident and you will be fined for not having your car under control. Sounds funny doesn't it, but that is the way it is.

Sundown

Sundown comes earlier and earlier every day. Last night my husband said to just look at the clock, it was only 6 o'clock and the sun was going down. We don't like to drive at night anymore so really dread the shorter days and earlier nights. It won't be long and it will be time to change the time again. Fall Back is what they call it and we change our clocks back an hour to gain a little more sunlight but it doesn't last for long.

Buy Gold Bars

For centuries, civilizations have known the value of gold. They knew that it was a safe way to keep their wealth if they owned gold. People love gold jewelry and other beautiful items made of gold. It has always been popular with everyone and there has never been a better time to buy gold bars than right now. If you are looking for a safe investment that will stand the test of time, then check into buying gold. It keeps its value and most often gains in value. That is just the kind of investment everyone needs. The U.S. Gold Bureau has a dedicated staff who are very knowledgeable and are ready to assist you in your purchases of gold. They will also assist you in deciding on a safe place to store your gold.

Fall Weather

Fall is definitely in the air. It is very cold this morning. The furnace kicked in a couple of times last night so I knew it was going to be cold when we got up this morning. With a hot cup of coffee and hot cup of tea, we started off our day with breakfast. Then I ran and got a haircut and it was still cold. The sun is shining but it is going to have to work to warm it up today. I guess the wind will switch to the south so that should help. My baskets of flowers are really blooming yet so I am happy to see that. They haven't frozen off yet.

Yearly fair tradition

Guest post written by Bill Carlson

We don't just go to the fair every year, but we also have made it a huge family tradition for us, right up there with trick or treating and Easter egg hunting. So I'm really excited to take the whole clan next week to the state fair.

Each of us has so much stuff going on all the time that it was a little tough to move all of our schedules around so that we could actually go together. But I actually found a huge group discount online for tickets, so I think that's going to help us a lot with the cost. When I was booking all of us through that, I found http://www.cleartvbundle.com/ and read through and decided that would be another great way to cut our family costs.

The thing that I most look forward to about the state fair though is the funnel cake eating contest that me and my sons always have. We started it a few years ago unintentionally and since then we've just done it every year.

Fall Days

We are having some beautiful Fall days. We have had a couple of weeks now of no rain, just lots of sunshine. It has been perfect weather for the farmers to get their crops in. They say they are getting a good yield. Also the corn is so dry they don't have to dry it as much so that save money. The cattle are out in the corn fields that have been combined and they really enjoy that. The kids are at play and it won't be long and it will be too cold to be outside for very long. So we all need to enjoy these days.

Foliage, Family and Fun

Guest post of the week by Roscoe Harris

Fall is always one of the most beautiful times of the year here in Pennsylvania. On the weekends, my husband and I like to spend the day out in the parks with our dog, Nunzio. We walk for miles along the Allegheny Bike Trail and take in the wonderful sights and scents of the changing foliage. Both avid photographers, we take hundreds of photos of ourselves, the dog, and the beauty of nature that surrounds us.

After a long hike, it's time to get home, scrub the dog's paws, and have a long soak in the hot tub. As we lay there in the bubbling water, we gaze up at the stars and listen to music, or talk softly about work, our plans for children soon, or our next home renovation project. When it's time for dinner, we usually make something quick, pop up a huge bowl of popcorn, and settle down on the couch for some satellite TV from bestchoicetv.com. We massage our sore muscles, go through the photos on the laptop, eat, and enjoy a movie or two. Fall is our 'together' season.

Apple Season

It is apple time everywhere. Everyone enjoys apple bars, apple pie and just plain eating a good crisp sweet apple. Our doctor actually said the other day that it is true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. They are very good for your digestive system. They provide a healthy alternative to all the sweet and salty snacks that surround you every where you go. They provide fiber for your body as well. Now is the time to get the best fresh apples available.

Bullion

I know there are a great many ways to invest your money. However, have you seriously considered buying gold bullion? In checking out the Internet, I found that it is one of the very most safe investments you can make. Gold has always been valuable down through the centuries. People love to own gold objects, watches and all types of jewelry. Gold keeps its value and most often gains in value and is a safe way to preserve your wealth. I also found out that you can make your purchases directly from United States Gold Bureau. I did not know that until now. I found you can purchase your gold directly from them and have it shipped to you. However, you may decide on a safe depository instead and that may well be your very own local bank.

My Brother

I am hoping to get over to see my brother today. He is in a physical therapy unit for his knee replacement. They did a different kind of surgery on him and I don't think it was a good one. Now they sometimes cut the cartilage to put in the knee replacement. The problem with that is that he has to have a heavy brace on his leg to keep it straight, except for therapy. It has taken him 3 weeks to be able to put weight on it. I hope they don't do this to other people.

Mississippi River

We went over to the Mississippi River during the week and spent a few days checking out the beautiful trees. They have turned colors for fall, however, they were not as bright as they usually are. My husband says that is because they didn't get the frost that we did. We have beautiful trees right here at home. They are reds, yellows and a mixture of green and red. I love to see the trees that are turning red at the top and still very green at the bottom. They are gorgeous.

Hoover Alabama Cosmetology School

If you are considering a career in cosmetology, Regency has expanded and they have a fine school at Regency Beauty Institute Hoover 1775 Montgomery Highway S., Hoover, AL. 35244. There is a wonderful campus at Hoover Alabama Cosmetology School that should be of great interest to you. They have a great placement service which is quite important to all graduating students. They have also expanded to many salons all over the United States where people can go and save money. Wouldn't it be exciting to be able to work on a cruise ship? Traveling while working and enjoying the cruise at the same time? Many enjoy working on the runways with the beautiful models. That may be your dream. It only takes minutes to get on the Internet and see what they have to offer you.

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Rib Crib

We have a fairly new restaurant nearby. We are going out tonight and eat there. Our brother and sister-in-law from Wisconsin are coming and we will pick up another sister-in-law and go there to eat. They have wonderful ribs. However, they also have a huge menu besides that so we should have something really good to eat. It will be a good visit for all of us.

Theater Night for Four

Guest post written by Florence Webber

My husband and I took our grandkids to the movies this past weekend. We hadn’t seen the kids in a while, so we thought we would take them to the local cinemas for a nice outing. Most of the movies that were showing were for adults, but we found a movie called Alpha and Omega, a cartoon movie about two wolves that made the perfect option for the kids.
They seemed to really enjoy the movie, and I was happy to see that we made a good choice for them. We were also glad that we brought our new Miracle Ear hearing aids to the theater, since we ended up in the way back.

After the movie we let the kids play in the arcade out in the lobby for a little while. We always try and make sure they have a good time when we spend time together.

I think next time we have a day with the kids, we will take them miniature golfing. That’s the only thing they love more than movies!

Surgery Go Ahead

My brother had full knee replacement. Ever since he has had some problems. They said he had some infection around the incision so are giving him antibiotics for 10 days. He has been having physical therapy now for several days and was doing well. Or at least we thought so. This morning he called and said they were going to x-ray the knee as they felt something may be wrong inside. I sure hope not. I would hope they wouldn't have to open it up again. That would be horrific. His blood pressure is too low too so hope they figure that out.

Beautiful Homes in Troon North in Arizona

Many people love to go to Arizona for the winter. But often when they stay there a few months, they decide it is a beautiful place to stay permanently. But where do you go to find homes? That is where going on the Internet and checking out places like Troon North Real Estate come in handy.
It is fun to search through all the various beautiful homes that they have listed. They also provide you with maps so that you can see the locations. There is so much to do in this community. Being close to two great golf courses with a clubhouse that has so many amentities itself, is a real plus. No matter what type of home you are looking for, they have a huge selection of homes of every type and size.

Bill Paying

My brother does his bill paying by computer. However, he is now in a physical therapy residence recovering from knee surgery. Therefore, I am taking my laptop over to him this morning so he can get his bills paid on time. Otherwise, he will have to pay some enormous late fees. We sure do not want that to happen. Bills are expensive enough without adding more to them.

Volunteering at Your Child's School

Guest post written by my buddy Royce Heath

A good parent goes the extra mile for their child, or the extra kilometer, depending on whether or not you are a patriot. I go to volunteer every week and help out by participating during recess, watching kids to make sure they are playing games by the rules and adhering to the mores of fair play.

I volunteer about twice a week, sometimes even when the school doesn't ask me to. This is because I have plenty of free time and am a very lonely man. Such is the abyss of my loneliness that I often stare at the clock and wonder when my kid will return home so we can watch cartoons together. I am a simple man who loves cartoons, although my child only watches to patronize me, as she is far more interested in watching reruns of Seinfeld. In any case the best way to help out is to teach the kids new games and have an ebullient attitude. Children can sense when you aren't being completely enthusiastic, so I suggest before you go to volunteer you imbibe a vat of coffee. This will help you match their energy, especially during high intensity games like tag, hopscotch, and ring around the rosey.

Thankfully, despite living in a terrible neighborhood with rampant crime, I am able to leave my home in peace thanks to my Home-Alarm-Systems, which I set before I leave.

Frost on the Pumpkins

We have had frost for the last two nights now. Have had to turn on the furnace too. I turned it up a little about 5 this morning as it was getting downright cold in the house. I put my 2 baskets of hanging flowers in the garage to save them as we are supposed to have a nice week from here on. A bit of Indian summer as we call it around here will warm it up again. The leaves are really falling. Relatives may come next week and we may go east and see some of the trees. It is always so pretty in the fall.

Tire Chains

In the winter weather when the snow is flying, it is important to have a good pair of tire chains. And you also want some that are easy to put on. This company offers the best tire chains in the world. They are Peweg chains. I don't know if you realize there is a difference in the metal used to make tire chains but there is a big difference. Their chains are made of Nickel Manganese alloy or also Nickel Manganese. The reason for this is that if you have a smaller vehicle, an steel alloy chain could break more easily and you wouldn't want damage done to your vehicle. It can get quite expensive to fix damages from broken tire chains. Therefore, you want to get good ones even though they may cost more because you will save yourself a lot of grief and money in the long run. Weight of heavy loads can do a number on your tire chains and its like they say, you get what you pay for. So get the best and they will last longer and you are sure to be more happy with them.