Person.Com

I found this new site called person.com for fun dating, chatting and personals. On it you can use webcams to talk with other individuals, vote for who's hot and who's not, you can participate in the "play and flirt" game, read blogs, join forums and much more. I agree that is a site that seemingly hundreds of people are flocking to and probably having a blast; however, I found the site to be lacking maturity for those of us who are truly looking for desirable relationships. The site layout is great, and a person is able to navigate around quite well. I guess when a site offers to help you meet new people for dating or non-dating that we would get past most of those immature questions that have to do mostly with sex. Although I am sure there are tons of people who like this and will enjoy the site immensely.

This post sponsored by person.com

LAUS DEO

One detail that is not mentioned, in DC, is that there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument.

With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc... This is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this historical information. On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.

Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are 555feet, 5.125 inches high, perched on top of the monument, facing >skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, un-noticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.

So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!"

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo .......Praise be to God!"

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant ..a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south , the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God!

Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.Praise be to God! When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God!

Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy ."One Nation, Under God." I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on! "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Laus Deo!

When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)

Paintball

Our MC kids have a paintball family day coming up soon! I think that I am going to try and see if I can go with them! I have never been paintballing before can you believe it? I know tons of people who have gone and had a blast. Most of those that go on a regular basis are those junkies who own their own stuff! So I thought I'd check out an online paintball store and see what kind of equipment was needed for paintballing and what the prices were.

This online store sells everything paintball!! You won't believe all the great stuff you can get here (all right, I'm sure you can believe it!). They sell awesome paintball gear and paintball supplies like gun sets that make me feel like I'm in the army; paintball gun cases, barrels (things that go on your gun), vests, masks, gloves...you want it, they probably have it! Everything to get you hooked up out on the paintball field. So I'm not very knowledgable on paintball manufacturers but they sell names like: Tippmann, Spyder, Smart Parts, Dye, Draxxus plus many more brands which you can find on the website.

Now that I know there is tons of paintball supplies and gear to keep me safe, I just might go out and do a little paintballing. Now who do I want to take out the most?.........

This post sponored by pntball.com

Final Three

I am a fanatic Amazing Race fan and last night we got our final three for next week's finale! No you do know that this is Amazing Race All Stars....they brought back players from previous seasons...some who had won the million and some who didn't.

Danny and Oswald got eliminated last night, which was kind of sad. But really they didn't stand much of chance as they were marked for elimination and had to come in first! Lately, it's been real hard to beat the blondes....they keep coming in first every week!

The final three are:

1. Eric and Danielle-they participated in season 9 on separate teams, started dating and are this year as a team! Not my favorite couple, but I wouldn't mind if they came in second. If it was down to the last minute and it was between these two and Charla/Mirna...I'd vote for them!

2. Charla and Mirna-Yep, she's a little person, and unfortunately she uses her "littleness" to her advantage far more than is right! I don't like this couple and I hope they lose. They are very rude, mean and verbal to other people. They just rub you the wrong way...but anyways, they participated on Season 5.

3. Dustin and Kandice-Beauty Queens Rock the World!! Dustin is a hometown girl from Puyallup, WA! But they play the game well, and I hope they win. They participated last year on Season 10!

So, I'll be tuning in next Sunday night on CBS to find out who the big winners are!

E-Learning

As an educator, and an individual who is going back to school to earn my Masters Degree in Education, I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to go to college. I personally think that everyone should give college at a least a try...go for at least one semester and check it out. Education is the key to so many locked doors...imagine the places you'll get to go with a college education!

There are tons of places to go for e-learning, but one great online spot is Capella University. From this great place of learning, Sara Orem (a faculty member of Capella University) has co-authored a great book titled, 'Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change’. This is a great book to read and learn from. In addition to reading this book, Capella University is a great place to get an education. They are a fully credited online university offering graduate studies in many fields, undergraduate studies and certification programs. Check them out if you are interested in furthering your education.

This blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Home Alone

I feel like a teenager again, and I think it's time for a party!

Seriously, Barb and Charlie just left for the weekend and I am home alone until Monday night! Hmmm, what should I do this weekend? I already have a glass of wine sitting here while I type...

....I am going to a birthday party tomorrow night, which means I can sleep in late tomorrow morning! Then I am going to a Scrapbook "Bingo" on Sunday after church. What is Scrapbook Bingo you ask? Well, I am heading to Scrapbooks, Etc (the store I scrap at next to Longston Theatre on Meridian in Puyallup) and while we scrapbook we are going to play Bingo for prizes. Marcie, I'm feeling lucky so I think I have a good chance of winning something!

As for wild parties...I never had any when I was a teenager, so I don't think I'll start now!

Educational Family Fun

Do you like to spend time with your family? Do you know it is great if you spend time with your children helping them extend the things they learn at school while at home? A lot of people think that their child learns at school and home isn't for learning! What a sad state of thinking. However, there is a way for you and your child to take learning home and have fun at the same time! There is this site that offers science kits for sale that you can use at home! My sister and I got a microscope and slides for Christmas one year and we had a blast looking at anything and everything...I think we might have even looked at boogers (you'd think we were boys, but nope girls can be just as gross!). A couple of things that I would buy off this site would be an anatomy model and a solar system set. I go for these two because they are things I have actually studied in school and are subjects that are absolutely fascinating. I love to see how things work and seeing a human skeleton/model and the solar system in action are fantastic. I think I made a solar system with my friend Dani for a science fair when I attended Sumner Junior High back in the 80's!

This post sponsored by sciencekits.com

Revisiting my dilemma

So I decided to not take the long term sub position at the tribal school. I was worried about whether or not I was hurting myself by not securing absolute employment for the next few weeks; however, I worked yesterday and today! I'm thinking that I will definitely get back into a full weekly schedule once the WASL is over! So, I'm content and at ease with the decision I've made.

My job today was a breeze...I had first period plan, 2nd period study hall with 3 paras, 3rd period plan, and 4th period with 2 paras helping. Today was a great day, sometimes I wish more days were like today!

Moving?

Are you moving anytime soon? Cross country? Or just across town? Do you know how you are going to get all your stuff from Point A to Point B? Moving can be such a hassle, especially when you are uncertain as to how you are going to get all your earthly belongings moved to your new home. Well, aren't you in luck that I know a site that helps you wih moving relocation services!!! This company helps you with quotes for long distance moving, international moving, cheap movers (my personal favorite), and other moving relocation services. The quotes are based on your location to the location you aremoving to and estimated move weight (how many bedrooms you are moving). Just think you get an awesome quote from a company that can help you out and you don't have to depend on borrowing Bubba's truck for a few days (although paying the tab in beer can be cheaper sometimes)!

This is a sponsored post

Mariners Tickets

Whoo--Hoo, I was the 102nd caller this afternoon with Q Country's Swing into Spring contest. What did I win? Mariners tickets...oh yeah!

The tickets were actually supposed to be for tonight, so I was kind of panicking trying to figure out who I could get to come with me last minute notice! However, the station's promo people called me and I was given the option to have tickets sent to me on another night. Don't know which night, but I get to go a Mariner's game (picture me doing a a happy dance right now!!).

It pays to call into radio contests friends...I was caller #4, caller #15, and then I couldn't get through at all because I was in no reception zone, and then lots of busy signals, and then!!! A voice on the line talking to me! You know once the person answering phones actually starts talking to you that you won!!! Yeah, for me!!!

I'll let you know when I go! And hopefully I'll be able to take a few pictures to put up!

Bid 4 Prizes

I admit it, Ebay is one of my favorite places to visit online. I get a rush from trying to outbid others and be the lucky one to take home the prize. I find myself bidding more than I would actually buy the item for because I "think" I'm getting such a deal! Go figure.

But wait....hold the presses...there is a new site out there that lets you bid on items. However, this site has a bit of a twist to it! I think this may be my new favorite place to go online!! It is called bid4prizes and the goal is to actually bid the LOWEST price for the prize. If your bid is lowest you win! OMG, how easy is that? So, for example if there is a $200 Ipod up for bid and you bid the lowest, and most unique bid then you when it. You could walk away with that $200 Ipod for a PENNY! If there are multiple bids on the same amount...say there were two or more bids on everything from a penny to a dollar, but 56 cents only had one bid then the person who bid 56 cents would win the prize! Doesn't this sound like fun? It sounds addicting to me! Please tell me if you play and especially if you win....I am going to try today!

Dilemma

So I was offered a long term sub position today...lasting at least three weeks, if not more. However, I had to face some decisions when looking at whether to take it or not. It is for a tribal school (nothing against tribal schools); however, the way their kids act...even to regular teachers is very hard for me to take. They are very disrespectful, rude, sometimes physically violent and their is way too much leniency on the adult side towards these kids. It is a very hard place to teach. I love kids, and I want to help them, but I'm not ready to be in a place that there isn't at the very least respect for any adults.

So after thinking about it all day, and talking it over with a few people, I decided to not take it. I have been very busy this year with my other district, Sumner, and I feel that after this week's WASL testing is done that I will be busy for the rest of the year. There were a few other factors that played a part in my decision as well...one being that Sumner pays more per day and isn't as far to drive. And I am so close to accruing the needed days this year for a bonus...one that will come in handy when I move in a few months.

There are so many hard decisions in life, but I feel confident that this was a right decision. And I'm not comprimising any of my educator core values (and personal Christian core values) by teaching somewhere full time that doesn't hold to what I believe.

Investing for the Future

What do you do to now that is an investment for the future, in regards to actual investments? Do you stick to your 401(k) plan from your job? Do you invest monthly in an IRA (individual retirement account)? Do you simply have savings that you put money into every month? I have started my own investments the last few weeks, and hopefully saving for my future. I have started an IRA account, a Money Market account, and I have a savings account. What else could I do to invest in my future though? There is a company, Global Futures, that helps individuals find what they are seeking in the financial investment arena. They are an exchange and trading company that works world wide...globally around the world. They have a strong solid client foundation and can do the same for you! They have great platforms to invest in, resources, support, promotions and they are globally minded in that they speak your language (literally...they are able to speak to clients in a slew of languages so that everyone who wants to invest is able to speak with someone comfortably).

Breaking News....

....I received a voicemail today from my friend Shannon who just moved to the San Diego area this week with his wife and kids (they are the ones starting the new church down there). Well, he wanted to call me to let me know.....are you ready?

....There ARE country music stations in the San Diego area. He called and left me a voicemail to let me know that I would be ok to move to San Diego. He wanted to make sure that I was covered in the music arena. What a great pastor looking out for his leadership!!!

Last year, the last country station pulled out of LA, and when I was visiting my sister at Christmas there were NO country stations on the radio dial. So I just assumed that there were none in Southern LA. I happened to tell this to Shannon, because I was kind of bummed....so he was just calling me to give me reassurance.

Hallelujah!!

Meet the Bachelor

Ok, so I've been suckered into watching ABC's "The Bachelor". For those of you who don't watch and have no idea what this show is about (although that would be pretty hard), there is one guy amongst a bevy of women who are all striving to receive a rose every week. If you are one of the lucky ones receiving a rose then you come back the following week, if no rose....you're on a plane home.

This season's bachelor is Andy....an Officer and a Gentleman! He is a doctor in the military, and obviously single...a great catch; however, having to find your "true love" on a reality TV show is a bit much for me.

It is amusing to watch, although lots of the show is so fake. At this stage in the game....there is only six girls remaining...the women are all catty and vicious. They are spreading lies about one another and striving for one on one time with Andy. And Andy? Oh, he is making out with almost all of them. I admit it makes for some fun TV watching, but I can't imagine that anyone hooking up on this show will last forever....but you never know!

I think the top three are going to be Bevin, Tessa and Tina!

Wedding Favors

You know the most popular month of the year to get married in is right around the corner! That's right, June is almost here, and it seems as if every girl wants to be a June bride. But are they ready? Do they have all the supplies they need for their special day? Are their last minute wedding supplies that are needed to make that special day picture perfect? For those of you who are getting married or are just helping with the wedding what better gifts to give to those attending the wedding than unique personalized wedding favors such as totes, picture coasters, wine labels, mini albums, silk fans, cookie cutters and so much more! Check out this great site to find unique gifts for your wedding and have fun planning one of the greatest days of your life.

This is a sponsored post

Gov. Gregoire

How unfortunate to live in a state where the Governor isn't the greatest at making wise decisions. Washington State has always been known as a liberal state, and it has shown in the laws we have passed (abortion) and the people that have been placed in office (I am not a Gregoire fan, and never will be).

On Saturday, Governor Christine Gregoire signed a domestic partnership bill into law. What does this mean? It means that those who are same sex couples, and elderly couples have the same legal rights as married hetro-sexual couples in our state. They basically said it was ok for gay and lesbians to co-habitate and receive the same benefits as married men and women. I have nothing wrong with gay and lesbians.....God has said to LOVE the sinner and HATE the sin. Do I think they are wrong? Yes, but that is for another day.

I believe that this new law simply throws WA State into arenas that we didn't want to go before this, and that traditional wedding vows are getting a low blow.

This quote from a recent news article sums it up best:

"I think it's an unfortunate step backward, not knowing where it will lead us culturally," said Joseph Fuiten, a Bothell pastor who is the leader of Positive Christian Agenda, a state group of Christian organizations opposed to gay marriage. "Giving 'marriage-lite' benefits without the benefit of marriage strikes me as not a good idea."

Dirty Dancing

OMG, one of my favorite movies is coming back to theatres! Yep, Dirty Dancing is celebrating their 20th Anniversary and they are showing the movie is select theatres next week! On May 1 and 2, you too can watch Johnny dancing with Baby......dirty dancing style.

When this movie first came out I was only 12 years old, and of course my parents wouldn't let me watch it! I wonder why? Yet, over the years, this became one of my all time favorite movies. Yep, I am totally one of those people that knows every line and every song.

"No body puts Baby in a corner!" That is probably the most famous line in the movie!

I believe that I read somewhere that the new movie edition is also going to include a special tribute to Jerry Orbach, the actor who played Baby's Father, and who died a few years ago!

I don't know about you, but I plan on watching this movie next week! Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

Investing With Silver

I have always been one to think that gold is the way to go! It is shinier, more expensive and more valuable...at least that is what I have always thought. However, did you know that silver is an excellent material to invest in? Now don't get me wrong...gold is still a great investment and probably one of the most sought after investments; however, expand your horizons and invest in silver as well. What better way to invest in silver than by buying coins, and a great coin dealer is Monex Deposit Company. Now is the time to buy as the silver prices have been depressed through the machinations of the US Government. Over the years, they have continously thrown silver onto the market, and depreciating their silver hoard, thereby making the price of silver drop. Where the government used to be a major seller of silver, they are now a major buyer. Jump on board and invest in silver today!

This is a sponsored post

Yeltsin Dies

Boris Yeltsin, former president of the Soviet Union, died today at age 76. This isn't normally something that I would blog about, but Yeltsin was definitely an interesting figure within the history of the Soviet Union. He saw the demise of the Soviet Union, and embraced democracy yet he wasn't a very hands on president. He blamed the issues plaguing his country on those who were beneath him. Never taking credit for those problems himself, or as a political force. I'm not the most familiar with his reign but I do know that he was definitely an interesting figure in our current world events. Will he be missed? I'm not quite sure!

New Tattoo!

Nah, I really just got a henna mermaid on my arm today at the Puyallup Fair! It isn't the best picture, but you get the picture! The KMPS booth was just across from a henna booth and they offered us girls free henna tattoos! They were hoping for some good advertisement! With the weather being kinda crappy this weekend they didn't have a lot of good business and were hoping that when people saw our henna work that people would want it done as well! It was kinda fun. It only took about 10--15 minutes, and the guy that did mine freehanded all of it! I was very impressed by his work. I don't think I will be getting a real tattoo on my forearm any time soon.

Auto Mechanic School

Are you a guy (or gal) who wants a great vocation under your belt? Do you know that most people look at if you went to school or not? Have you ever thought about going to auto mechanic school? If you have ever wanted to become an auto mechanic and weren't quite sure where to start looking for schooling at then you have to check this website out. It gives you the names of some of the top auto mechanic and diesel mechanic schools within the industry. If you are just graduated from highschool looking to start a career or you are someone who is looking to change careers this is the place for you to start looking! They list schools by state so you can go right to the place that is closest to you! It doesn't get any easier locating the perfect school than this!

This is a sponsored post

Jason Michael Carroll

Yesterday at the Puyallup Spring Fair KMPS showcased Jason Michael Carroll in concert. His current single is a song called, "Alyssa Lies." It is a great song, although it is powerfully sad in that it talks about child abuse.

He took the time to come over and talk with Tony Thomas on air and sign a few autographs before the concert. You can't see in this picture but I was standing right next to him! Oh well!

This is a picture of him during the concert! I didn't actually get to go and watch as I was manning our booth, but I could hear him a bit and he sounded great! More amazing

was the fact that he stayed afterwards to sign autographs. The amazing part? He stayed until almost 11:30pm signing for his fans...he finished his concert at about 8:30pm! At least 3 hours of signing autographs, taking pictures and chatting with fans. This is one entertainer that l

oves his fans. Watch out for this guy, I have a hunch we will be seeing more of him in the months and years to come!

Rehabilitation Program

There are so many men and women who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction and want to break free from the addiction, yet they don't know where to turn. There are many great programs out there to help people in these situations, and there is a great site that helps you with referrals for drug rehab. This site gives you information on addiction, recovery, intervention, drug info, and aftercare. They are committed to helping those in need find the right rehabilitation center for them. You can also contact them via phone by calling 1-877-84-SOBER. They also have links to other articles that relate to drug addictions. So if you know someone that would benefit from this service, please check this site out so they can get help.

This post sponsored by 4rehabilitation.com

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday Grandma! This is my Grandma Pat (along with my sister Camille), and she is celebrating a milestone birthday! Today, Friday April, 20th is her 75th Birthday! Although if yo ask her she will tell you she is only 57!

My Grandma is one of those grandmas that everyone loves. She bakes lots of goodies (they have dessert almost every night), she sews lots of fun gifts (I still have dolls and jewelry boxes she has made me), she drags out pictures for you to look out even if you've seen them a hundred times, she kisses you on the lips (yep, kinda embarrasing sometimes, but you know you love it!), she gave me my first bath (now that creates a special bond!)....and she is just full of love! This woman never slows down either! She has taken on a lot of responsibility with my Grandpa's health including his dialysis every other night. Plus she STILL gets asked to paint houses and such around town (Hello, she is retired even though she doesn't remember that little detail).

This Grandma is definitely hand picked by God as a very special woman. I couldn't have asked for a better Grandma than her! Plus, I share her middle name: Ann...so you know she is cool! I figured I'd give you a picture of her and Camille as they have birthdays only a few days apart. My Uncle Kevin's birthday is in just a few short days as well (he is my Grandma & Grandpa's baby!)....he is also celebrating a monumental birthday...#50....Happy Birthday Uncle Kevin.

Whoo--Hoo

Sanjaya is gone! I'm not normally so mean...ok, I guess I am sometimes. But really? He just wasn't cut out for the top of the top in American Idol. I agree that he had an outstanding audition performance, but he should have been kicked off a long time ago. He should never have made it into the top 10 of American Idol. Oh well....at least he is gone now! I'm still rooting for Blake, although it seems like America is rooting for Melinda. How could Blake be in the bottom three last night....did my votes not count for anything?

Mortgage Blog Review

I have been given the opportunity to review the Mortgage Lowdown Blog, and give my opinion! I LOVE giving my opinion (and I always have one). This is a very well laid out blog, that is very appealing upon a person's first look! They have "Carnival of Home Improvements" which is a post that multiple authors of blog posts relating to mortgages, property and home improvements can post to. I like this as it gives us the readers multiple places to look for information. Because we all know that home mortgages can be a touchy subject and one that requires lots of research. There are also other articles that pertain to mortgages such as fraud and rates. If you have some mortgage research to do I would suggest starting here.

This post sponosred by mortgagelowdown.com

Work, or Should I say Lack of Work

OMG...I'm going crazy! I haven't worked all week.....I need work!!! I'm thinking that because this week is WASL testing week, most teachers are encouraged not to be absent and therefore, I haven't gotten any phone calls to sub this week! More than the money made (which is kind of a neccessity) I'm trying to accumulate enough days worked this year for the bonuses at the end of the year. I'm still in the running for the $500 bonus, but just barely. I really need to work the rest of the year.

I am working for KMPS at the Spring Fair in Puyallup starting tomorrow if any of you would like to stop by our booth and say "HI!". I'll be all by my lonesome tomorrow night, so I'll really need someone to come and talk to me (just please don't be like the KMPS stalkers out there! :0 ).

You would think though with me being home that I would have gotten lots done this week? Yep, nope!!! I've done a bit of scrapbooking...have a bit of organizing of ribbon to do right now so I better get to it!

Do You Need A Vacation....

....then I have a website for you! For all of you who are going on vacation or simply need a vacation there is a website for you to check out. United Vacation Network is a site dedicated to helping those of us who need to find vacation information such as: car rentals, condominiums, hotels, B&B's, resorts, cruise, airfare, RV (although after watching the movie RV I'm not so sure!), vacation tours, and more!! The individuals that help you find what you need are licensed and have established relationships within the industry in order to get you the best deals. So whether you are looking a short weekend trip or a month-long getaway to Greece (oh wait, I have to wait a few years for that one!), check them out to get the best deal out there.

This is a sponsored post

Rooting for Blake!

I so don't want Sanjaya Malakar to win American Idol that I went back to calling in votes last night! I haven't called in a vote all season; however, I DON'T want Sanjaya to win....I think he is an ok singer, but not American Idol quality. And I don't think he is taking is seriously either if you go by his song choice last night...."Let's Give Them Something to Talk About!"

Last night, we saw some amazing singers...WoW...Jordin sure can belt it out, and I thought Phil did very good (considering that he hasn't been doing too well lately), and I think Chris did ok...he could have done better but I think he still had the Virginia Tech incident on his mind and that was affecting him.

My favorite though? Blake, from Bothell, WA! I hope he goes all the way and takes American Idol by storm. He would be amazing frontman for the show.

Life Insurance

Life Insurance, one of those things that you don't really think about until sometimes its too late (then you're not able to think about it!). Where do you start when researching life insurance? There is this site that gives the life insuranc low down...meaning that they have a ton of articles about life insurance. One nice aspect about this site is that they have "Carnival of Life, Happiness, and Meaning", which means that they let bloggers post different articles relating to life insurance (with a brief synopsis of the post). I like this because it gives multiple aspects to one issue, and not just one man (or woman's) viewpoint. This is a very well laid out blog about life insurance, with a wide range of articles...very pleasing to the eye and very navigatible. Kudos on a job well done!

This post sponsored by lifeinsurancelowdown.com

Marc Wymore

We've done some switching around of jobs at our church the last few months, and one of the changes is our new worship pastor. His name is Marc Wymore (that is him and his wife Bethany). Marc has been our young adults pastor the last year or so, but his real passion is music and worshipping Jesus!

Marc has a brand new CD out called, "Better Part of Me and You". It is an awesome song. He also has a new website that is fantastic: Marcwymore.com. You can hear his music on his site or on Marc's Myspace Page. Or you can come join us for a weekend service at Puyallup Foursquare Church on Saturdays at 6pm or Sundays at 9am and 11am.

I think, no, I know that you will enjoy listening to Marc! You can even buy one of his new CD's. Nope, I wasn't asked to do this little promo, I just like encouraging people in ministry and Marc is a great guy who loves the Lord with all his heart and is following the passions that God gave him. Way to go Marc!

Landscape Design

So I don't own a house, so landscaping isn't right for me AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME; however, I do plan on having my own home someday and I don't like to plot out how my yard is going to look. I will leave that up to the professionals. Don't you agree that it would be best to have someone come in and get a feel for what you want and then plan your landscaping around that? But more than what you want this Landscape Design Team also incorporates into the design: traffic flow, children, pets,and how your landscape will grow in years to come. They also look at things that we might not think of: want kind of lines do we like (curved or straight), which door do we use more often to go out onto our property, what's your budget, and much more. See they are the people who look at the big picture. And more importantly they check in with you over the years to see that your landscape design is holding up and fulfilling its role, plus they give you tips to keep your property looking top notch. They listen to what you want!!!

This is a sponsored post

Goodbye Party

My friends Shannon and Liz and their children are leaving today for San Diego! They are moving down there to start a new church in the Oceanside/Carlsbad area. Last night we went to Paradise Bowling in Parkland to have a little going away party. Lots of people showed up and it was quite funny to watch some of them bowl! My favorites are those who feel as if they move their body one direction then the ball will somehow follow! I'm not sure that they understand the physics of bowling! :) Even Shannon, on crutches from his recent knee surgery, bowled! I just went to hang out and chat, and I got to hold cute little Brooklyn for awhile (she's eight months or so)! **This is Shannon dancing with Pastor Christopher in Malaysia a few years ago!**

It was nice knowing that it wasn't a tearful goodbye, because I will be seeing them in just a few months! But I do pray traveling mercies and safety as they begin their drive down to San Diego today! Blessings on you and your family!

Gamma Knife for Brain Tumor Surgery

Do you know someone who has gone through brain cancer and possibly surgery? Or are you like me, and just like to keep people apprised of the up and coming medical advancements in order for more people to hear about it and possibly save lives. Gamma Knife is an effective way for brain tumor treatment. It's high level of accuracy is based on three factors: The Gamma Knife was designed specifically to provide the very best radiosurgical treatment of brain tumors; Radiation is delivered simultaneously from all angles; and the patient's head is stationary. Why wouldn't you want to spread the news about this treatment or find out more about it? Check it out, maybe we can save a life.

This post sponsored by braintumortreatment.org

Unneccessary Violence

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom building across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33.

Students bitterly complained that there were no public-address announcements on campus after the first burst of gunfire. Many said the first word they received from the university was an e-mail more than two hours into the rampage - around the time the gunman struck again.

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said authorities believed that the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.

"We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur," he said.

He defended the university's handling of the tragedy, saying: "We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it."

Investigators offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name was not immediately released, and it was not known if he was a student.The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus. Witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive. A student used his cell-phone camera to record the sound of shots echoing through the stone classroom building.

The massacre took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said.Two people were killed in a dormitory room, and 31 others were killed in the classroom building, including the gunman, police said.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," Steger said. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."

Steger emphasized that the university closed off the dorm after the first attack and decided to rely on e-mail and other electronic means to notify members of the university, but with 11,000 people driving onto campus first thing in the morning, it was difficult to get the word out. He said that before the e-mail went out, the university began telephoning resident advisers in the dorms to notify them and sent people to knock on doors to spread the word.

Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum would not say how many weapons the gunman carried. But a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was incomplete, said that the gunman had two pistols and multiple clips of ammunition.

Flinchum said that some doors in the classroom building had been chained shut from the inside.Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building.Some students bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time.

"What happened today, this was ridiculous," student Jason Piatt told CNN. "While they send out that e-mail, 20 more people got killed."

Students and Laura Wedin, a student programs manager at Virginia Tech, said the first notification they got of the shootings came in an e-mail at 9:26 a.m., more than two hours after the first shooting.

The e-mail had few details. It read: "A shooting incident occurred at West Amber Johnston earlier this morning. Police are on the scene and are investigating."

The message warned students to be cautious and contact police about anything suspicious.Student Maurice Hiller said he went to a 9 a.m. class two buildings away from the engineering building, and no warnings were coming over the outdoor public address system on campus at the time.

Everett Good, junior, said of the lack of warning: "I'm trying to figure that out. Someone's head is definitely going to roll over that."

"We were kept in the dark a lot about exactly what was going on," said Andrew Capers Thompson, a 22-year-old graduate student from Walhalla, S.C.

At least 26 people were being treated at three area hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries, authorities said. Their exact conditions were not disclosed, but at least one was sent to a trauma center and six were in surgery, authorities said.

Up until Monday, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history was in Killeen, Texas, in 1991, when George Hennard plowed his pickup truck into a Luby's Cafeteria and shot 23 people to death, then himself.The massacre Monday took place almost eight years to the day after the Columbine High bloodbath near Littleton, Colo. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives.

Previously, the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history was a rampage that took place in 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin, where Charles Whitman climbed the clock tower and opened fire with a rifle from the 28th-floor observation deck. He killed 16 people before he was shot to death by police.

Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, about 160 miles west of Richmond. With more than 25,000 full-time students, it has the state's largest full-time student population. The school is best known for its engineering school and its powerhouse Hokies football team.The rampage took place on a brisk spring day, with snow flurries swirling around the campus. The campus is centered around the Drill Field, a grassy field where military cadets - who now represent a fraction of the student body - practice. The dorm and the classroom building are on opposites sides of the Drill Field.

A gasp could be heard at a campus news conference early in the day when the police chief announced that at least 20 people had been killed. Previously, only one person was thought to have been killed.

A White House spokesman said President Bush was horrified by the rampage and offered his prayers to the victims and the people of Virginia. "The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed," spokeswoman Dana Perino said after the shootings, all entrances to the campus were closed, and classes were canceled through Tuesday. The university set up a meeting place for families to reunite with their children. It also made counselors available and planned an assembly for Tuesday at the basketball arena.After the shooting began, students were told to stay inside away from the windows.Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the fourth floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put.Police said there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings.

It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting.Last August, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus. The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

I need a new Cell Phone

I love my cell phone company, more importantly their customer service ROCKS! However, and that is a BIG however, the phones I buy from them don't seem to be out of this world great. So I have a few options: stick with what I have right now and forget about how bad my phone sucks, go upgrade to a fantastic top of the line phone (which will cost me big bucks, which I don't have), or I can check out the great cell phones at wirefly.com. Wirefly offers great phones that you can get for free with instant rebates and discounts (which do require a new cell phone account).

One of the hottest deals that they have right now is the Blackberry Pearl...which seems to be way in right now with everyone who is anyone! I think that I need to be a someone! Not only can you get this ultra-cool Blackberry Pearl phone free you can also get $50 cash back! Cash back people...they are paying you to buy a phone and talk to all your friends. Yes, you do have to activate a new account, but how many of us switch cell phone companies quite frequently? This phone is off the hook awesome. The Blackberry Pearl has all the standards: texting, camera, digital voice, etc., etc., but did you know you can open Microsoft Word with it! OMG....how fantastic is that! Who needs a computer when you got the newest cell phone technology? The Blackberry Pearl isn't the only great hot deal on Wirefly though....they have deals from all the cell phone companies like Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Cingular, Nextel, Sprint, and for those of you who have kiddos...Disney! You can look for great deals by cell phone carrier, cell phone brands, and pre-paid cell phone companies. There are so many great free phones on this site that you are going to be having a heck of a hard time deciding what you. As for me? I think I will stick with the same cell phone company, and simply look for a new phone. I will definitely be looking a the Razr or some other type phone when I do decide to buy a new one.

This post sponsored by wirefly.com

Happy BIrthday Camille!

Happy Birthday Gypsy Princess! You are 25 today! Whoo--Hoo!

Today is my baby sister Camille's 25th birthday (that is her and her daughter Dajia). She is a great little sister. I probably thought she was a pain in the butt while we were growing up, but hey, I was 8 years older than her.

She's a received a lot of teasing over the years since she is the youngest. I had her convinced at a very early age that our parents adopted her from the gypsies because her gypsy parents didn't want her anymore and left her in a garbage can. She believe me for awhile. That is why her nickname is Gypsy Princess! She grew out of believing those "lies", but shhhh, don't tell her it really was true! :)

Our circle of sisters is complete with me, Shannon and Camille!

Las Vegas

Come on all you high rollers! Any of you like to play and win big money? Who here likes the sounds of quarters coming out of the slot machines? Me, Me, Me. Showgirls, Celine Dion, Cabaret Acts, PBR National Finals (Yes, of course that is my favorite), The Bellagio, Caeser's Palace....Where can all these things be found? You guessed it! Las Vegas, NV!

Ok, so I am a little jealous as my friends Rodney and Holly are heading to LV the first week of May. They are going down on one of those free trips through one of those companies that want you to buy condos or such. But hey, it's a free trip. And do you know that those places don't cater to single people...only married people? Ok, I digress!

Now, Las Vegas is more than just lights and glamour, it is actually quite a nice place to live (not everything revolves around the strip). Las Vegas real estate is quite a booming business down there....and they have absolutely gorgeous homes. If you are interested in looking at homes in Las Vegas or just taking a peek at what the homes are like down there, there is this great site of MLS Listings in Las Vegas....MLS means multiple listing services....more houses from more realtors to look at! Maybe I'll tell Rodney and Holly to check a few houses out while they are down there!

This post sponsored by millionsaver.com

Do you know....

....the meaning of:

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Make a guess...I'll tell you who's wrong or right!

Answer: Fear of Friday the 13th

New Coffee Bar in P-Town

So my friends West and Shaun are opening a new coffee bar in Puyallup. It is should be opening soon...they have been working very hard on getting everything good to go. The name you ask? Coffee Bar! Nice, short and simple....the logo for it is on my sidebar. You can also check out the Coffee Bar myspace page! Or the Coffee Bar website (I hear that they might still be hiring!). They are located at 208 South Meridian in Puyallup...I will let you know when they are up and running!

Romance

What does a single gal like me know about romance? I do know that I want to be one of those wives who leaves love notes in her husbands lunch, notes written in lipstick on the bathroom mirror, letters delivered to his office just to say, "I Love You!". And more imporantly? I want to be on the receiving end of those kind of love notes. I don't want a marriage that doesn't have an element of romance (that is sometimes spontaneous)!

But do you find yourself at a loss for words? Do you not know how to put things into writing? Well, there is this great site...and even for me who doesn't have someone (YET) to send love notes to it is an awesome site. They have romantic notes, I miss you notes, I love you notes, I adore you notes and much, much more!!! They even have stories.

And this dream story is how I want my relationship with my husband to be....God created me in my mother's womb for one special guy...we just haven't hooked up yet!!! So check this great site out to get a few new ideas, or enhance the ideas you already have for romance!!!

This post sponsored by romanceforeveryone.com

Seattle in the Rain

Our MC'ers are having their third intensive in Seattle today. They left the church at 6am this morning and made their way to Westlake Center in downtown Seattle. This intensive is called the Gospel of John. You guessed it, at ALL TIMES there will be a student standing on the street reading out loud the Gospel of John. Once the book is finished, they start all over again! While one student is reading, the rest of the students are witnessing/ministering to those who are out and about. They go from 6am till Midnight, giving a wide range of times for all sorts of different types of people to reach out to. We are hoping to touch base with those going to work, those just out shopping, the homeless, the street kids, and whoever else finds themself down at Westlake Center today. This is a great intensive to get the kids thinking outside of their own church box...taking things to the street definitely gives new perspective to a person.

I pray blessings and many divine opportunities for them today!

Daycare Search

How many of you in bloggerland have children? I'm going to venture a guess, and say A LOT! Have you tried successfully or unsuccessfully to find the right daycare, nanny or in-home childcare? Do you get frustrated just dialing phone numbers over and over? Let this site help you out! You can find a daycare provider, nanny, babysitter, in-home childcare, or other types of childcare by searching by your child's age, available start date, near your zip code and showing the results in list format or a map.

This post sponsored by daycarebear.com

Have you ever done something stupid???

Ugh, I totally missed out on working today and it is all my fault. As a substitute teacher, I am basically on-call, and my phone usually starts ringing about 5:15am (nice and early!). I didn't think I was going to get called today because they highschools had half a day, and we are just back from Spring Break (although I did work the rest of the week).

So anyway, I woke up about 20 minutes ago, thinking, "Bummer, no work." Then I turned over in bed to grab my phone and see what time it is, and lo and behold I have missed calls and a text.

MISSED CALLS????? FROM WHO??????

So I look through my call history....school called twice this morning in the 6 o'clock hour. So why didn't I hear them? Oh crap, I had my phone on vibrate last night because we went to a movie and I forgot to turn the vibrate off and the volume up before going to bed.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!!!!!

So needless to say, I have today off. It's not terrible (although payday will be a bit tight), but accumulating actual days of work is crucial at this point as we get bonuses this year for amount of days worked! I'm shooting for the $500 bonus, which means I have to work most of the rest of the year!

Window Treatments

While on vacation, my Grandma was fixing her blinds for the motorhome. She actually took slats from one and put them in another....such work....I never knew people actually fixed those plastic blinds, but I shouldn't be surprised that my grandma did! I think blinds are one of the easiest ways to decorate your windows, and they are easy to install! You don't have to take them down and throw them into the washing machine to get them clean, you simply have to dust them! There are so many different styles of designs of blinds, to fit any decorating style you hav in your house! There are roman blinds, venetian blinds, old colonial roman blinds, atlanta roman blinds, and so much more! This site lets you look through all the types of blinds that they offer, and then you can buy a package to make your own. They give you everything to make your own set of blinds, except for the fabric. Which if you think about it is great, you can pick out fabric to match your home exactly ('cause we all know that sometimes the fabric we see in pictures isn't what shows up at your front door!).

This post sponsored by terrysfabric.co.uk

Provisional Acceptance

Well, I'm officially a Graduate Student! Well, kinda....technically there are a few loose ends to tie up before I can be called a matriculated student (does that sound scary to anyone else?) I start classes on May 1st! I am studying for my Masters in Teacher Education in Social Sciences with Teacher Certification. Who knew that it was going to take so long to finally get all my schooling finished.

So what do I have to look forward to?

1. More school loans (like I didn't have enough all ready!)
2. Actual studying that needs to be done
3. Reviewing history lessons (social science is mostly history)
4. Taking a CA State History course and an Introduction to Micros/Macros at a local community college in CA
5. No sleep!!!
6. Student Teaching
7. Papers to write
8. A THESIS to write (that surely is scary)
9. Taking the CSET exams once finishing school (these are the CA state exams for those who want to be history teachers)
10. Did I mention NO SLEEP (and probably NO MONEY)!

Doesn't this just make you want to run out and become a college student again?!!?

Stone Hawk Program

No, I'm not in need of a recovery program; however, there are thousands (if not millions) of men and women who suffer from drug and alcohol dependency. And quite frankly, they need help. Hopefully, (and prayerfully), they have friends and family who are supporting them to get help and end the vicious cycle of death that they put themselves through. I haven't gone through this situation personally, but I do have members of my extended family that suffer from drug and alcohol addiction and I know how hard it is for them and their family members. The Stone Hawk program is a rehab center that is part of the narconon centers and narconon international. I'm not totally familiar with this program, but I do know that people who are trying to help others with this disease mean a lot to society. The blog for these centers include testimontials from clients, links to a three-part video that was part of a radio show, and a more in-depth description of narconon international. If you, or someone you know, needs help with drug and alcohol addiction maybe you should check this site out as a possibility.

This post sposored by narcononstonehawk.com/blog

Awesome Hand Art

I was teaching today and didn't have a book to read (ugh!), so I was reading the Reader's Digest that the teacher had in her classroom. Ya gotta love Reader's Digest....especially all the jokes and funny stories they print.

Anywho, I digress.....They did this article on this guy who paints animals on people's hands. The above picture was my favorite. It is an eagle which took they guy 10 hours to do. And he says that once the photo shoot is over, and the person washes their hands all that hard work just goes down the drain (pun intended!). Check out the other animal creations he has done--Reader's Digest called the article, "Sleight of Hand"!

Toronto Hotels

Yes, I am definitely one of those people who comes back from vacation wishing I was going on another vacation. I also plot and plan vacations like a mad scientist! Just ask my friend Susana, I'm always talking about the next vacation we need to take (in fact we have one planned!). One place I got acquainted with a few years ago was Canada (our young adults retreat started up there a few years ago). I love Canada. I have only been in the Vancouver & Victoria area, but I am anxious to visit the rest of that great country. When I vacation I have to stay in hotels (the only way to go!), and Canada, especially in Toronta, has great hotel properties from Delta Hotels. The Toronto Hotels from Delta have great amenities like a gym, pool, high speed internet, great views of the city, but more importantly they have the region's LARGEST INDOOR WATERSLIDE. OMG...let's go...I love water and waterslides. So if you are looking for a great place to vacation, check this site out, and book online, before you pack your bags!

This is a sponsored post

Grandma and Grandpa's House

I had all last week off (gotta love those school breaks), so I headed over to Eastern Washington to visit my Grandpa Shorty and Grandma Pat. I love them so much! They are the best grandparents a girl could ask for.

I flew over on Monday and my Aunt Colleen picked me up from the airport. I had a nice visit with her, and my cousin Kendra and her two kids (Kennedy and Dawson) came over for a visit. I hadn't seen them since last year....it was good to see them again.

The rest of the week was spent eating good Grandma cooking and just hanging out around the house. I did cut the grass one day, and helped them lift a few things that were too heavy for them. I also experienced my Grandpa's dialysis treatments...he has been pretty sick the last few years. He has dialysis every other night. It isn't too hard for him, but it is fairly hard for my Grandma...she starts getting everything ready about 7pm, and he doesn't usually get hooked up until 10pm...so it is about 3 hours of preparation.

We went into town one day for doctor's visit, so I was able to visit some more family...my Auntie Helen, cousins Davey and Melanie (brother and sister) and their various children.

All in all, it was a good Spring Break. How was yours?

Great Business Tool

Do you own your own business? Are you constantly looking for leads, and how to actually secure those leads? I have worked in various occupational fields where the heart of the business relied on the leads garnered and how they were secured. However, most of us also know that lead management, getting those leads and keeping them, is sometimes a difficult job. No longer is this an issue! There is this site that helps you get those leads and maintain them with a reduced cost-per-acquisition and more importantly, with increased PROFITS (which is ultimately the bottom line). This company actually starts tracking your leads with website visitation...not just when the lead contacts you! Imagine how that can increase your sales! Some of their features include: Automatic Lead Delegation; Calendar and Tasking System;
Visitor and Campaign Tracking; Inbound Call Tracking; Revenue Tracking; Search Engine Traffic Details; Website Integration ; Sales Team Management; Low-cost Implementation and SO MUCH MORE! If your business needs a boost, I encourage you to visit their site.

This post sponsored by aimpromote.com

We will return to our regular scheduled programming...

...next weekend!

That's right, I will be gone all week (and this time with no public library handy). I am flying to Spokane tomorrow morning to visit my Grandparents. They will pick me up in Spokane and then we will head back to their house in LaCrosse, which is about 70 miles away. I love my grandparents, and I am so grateful to be able to spend the week with them. My grandfather has been fairly ill the last few years, and his health isn't the best right now. So, I decided to spend my Spring Break visiting them! Plus, I just love spending time with them....eating Grandma's cooking, listening to stories from my Grandpa and just hanging out.

So until next weekend, have a fantastic week!

Mexico Vacation

It's Spring Break. You know what that means? Fun in the Sun! Ok, honestly, I was never one of those college co-eds that went to Mexico or Florida for Spring Break. However, as a "responsible" adult who likes to take nice vacations, I do find myself in Mexico every once in awhile (as kenny chesney says, "have another beer in mexico!"). Now you can take exotic vacations in Mexico too! There is a great website that offers great deals on Mexico Vacation. This site is top of the line for all inclusive Mexican resorts, with huge savings. They also give you tons of information such as: amenities of the resort, detailed room options, recreational activities (although I thought laying on the beach was the only recreational activity), virtual tours, reviews from other travelers, and lots of other hot deals. Check it out now if you are in the need of a fantastic Mexico Vacation.....ah, the Sun!

This is a sponsored post