October 31, 2011

You Decide the Winner

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

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There is a new contest in the online world.

And it about subjects that are near and dear to our hearts.

We all have an opinion about which is the cutest: Puppies vs. Babies.

And not only do you get to vote, you get to tell the world about your vote.

You can tell why you voted how you did, and all the reasons you have for voting that way.

In this Puppies vs. Babies online contest, the one who gets the most votes will be the winner of $5000.

And my choice?

I am most partial to the babies.

Now, I have owned a dog, which was only eight weeks old when we got him, and he lived with us until he passed away at the age of 13.

He was definitely a part of the family, but when the babies came along, they stole my heart.

Being the mother of two, and now a grandmother, I can honestly say there is nothing better than holding those babies, and rocking them to sleep.

Their wide smiles and bubbling laughs just can't be beat.

Of course, this is just my opinion, and vote.

And until November 23rd, you can cast your vote also, to help decide once and for all who really is the cutest.

Visit Sponsor's Site

October 30, 2011

Don't Forget Grandma

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

As a parent, it seems most important for the kids to have a cell phone.

We want to be able to connect with them and have them get in touch with us too, and not just for emergencies.

But sometimes we forget about our older relatives.

They are the ones who sometimes get overlooked when it comes to these modern technologies.

Cell phones are very important for them to have also.

And the TracFone provides a great Senior Value for the older generation.

It allows them to also Get into Everywhereness with their low cost plans that offer great nationwide coverage.

They offer pay as you go plans with cards purchased in retail stores or online.

With no contracts, credit checks, or activation charges, there are no surprises with these plans.

International calls cost the same as local ones - this is the only wireless service that offers this feature.

And since grandma probably isn't interested in texting, they have a simple phone just right for her.

But if texting, taking photos or videos, or accessing the web are something she enjoys, then they even have a cell phone for her that starts at $29.99, a price she can afford.

Grandma can Get into Everywhereness and connect with the rest of her family and friends for a pretty reasonable price these days.

Keeping the whole gang connected doesn't get any easier than the Get into Everywhereness plans with TracFone

Visit Sponsor's Site

October 27, 2011

A Balanced Feel




It has been almost a month that I have been doing the Yoga exercises.

And when I have to miss a day or two, I really miss it.

The movements and poses really do work.

The posture is better when just regularly standing or sitting.

Picking things up off the floor is so much easier - the bending is smooth and the head doesn't pound.

And the overall feeling of well-being can't be beat. 

But the best part is a couple of pounds have been shed, and that is a good thing!




















October 21, 2011

Upped the Weights





The four pounder has been retired, and the ten pounder has taken it's place.

The reps are now done with the five, eight, and ten pound weights.

Though they are hard, they are not as bad as I thought they would be.

I did feel them the next morning.

I am glad to be back up to them, it has been a couple of years.

I will keep up with them this time, and hopefully can advance to next ones in due time!


















October 16, 2011

A New Banana Bread





One of my family's favorites is banana bread.
 
But after all these years of making it to use up the last couple of bananas that nobody wants to eat, they are getting pretty tired of the same old thing.
 
So I tried a new recipe for those old bananas.
 
I now make Banana Crumb Muffins, and they just love them.
 
The recipe is almost the same, but they have a cinnamon crumb topping on them that really makes them have a great taste.
 
It makes a dozen, and it is easy to pop a couple in the freezer to pull out later.
 
Glad we found this new twist on an old favorite - sometimes change is good!
















October 9, 2011

Apples and More Apples





The apples have arrived.

And my daughter got a very good deal on a bushel of them.

So, we made Apple Jelly - something I haven't done in years since the kids were small.

I forgot how gorgeous the color of this treat is - a pale pink.

And the taste - just like eating a fresh apple, only sweeter.

Apple Crisp is in the oven now and the house is smelling delightful.

It was good spending time with my daughter.

And passing on the knowledge and skills that she will use too.

She did good finding that apple deal!















October 6, 2011

Yoga Update


I am really liking the Yoga exercises.

I have done it for six days now and can feel a definite difference in many areas.

Of the six tapes that came in the set, there are a couple that I will be using regularly.

The beginner one was fine for the first couple of days, but once I learned the poses, I was ready for a few more that one of the other tapes provides.

I find the exercises smooth and very stress-free.

I don't think I will ever be as flexible as the instructor, and the extra weight doesn't help either.

It's hard to bend deeply into many of the poses, but I am hoping that improves with time.

I have a couple of blocks and a belt that came with the mat I bought many years ago for my morning exercise routine.

It is good to be able to use them.

With my weight and my age, I don't see me doing the inverted poses or the back bends, but many of the seated, standing, and kneeling ones are very doable.

I will post more updates as I continue to learn and hopefully improve with this new exercise.















October 1, 2011

First Day for Yoga


We will not be swimming for a while since it is going to be cold and rainy for the next 4 - 5 days.

So I figured it would be a good time to check out the yoga videos I purchased over the summer.

It is a set of six videos made by Living Arts.

They are for beginners and a couple of them focus on strength and flexibility as one gets better at it.

I must say, after doing it, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be.

I am not near as flexible as the instructor, but the poses and holds were not hard as she kept saying they were for beginners.

I think it is because many of the exercises I do in the morning really have been working even though the waist line doesn't show it.

My innards must be more in shape than I realized.

There isn't a lot of moving around with this yoga as there is in the exercises, but I sweat just as much as when I am doing them.

It's a kind of exercise that creeps up on you and you get to take a nice relaxing cool down at the end.

I think once I get the routine down, I am going to like it.