Teen Rehab

I know that this can be a sensitive subject; however, I know that is a subject that is very rampant in today's society. If you know a teenager or have a teenager that is suffering from drug addiction, alcohol addiction, mental health and behavioral health issues then you need to check out this site for a teen rehab center called Echo Malibu. You can contact them confidentially and have all your questions answered. The picture here is called Helping Hands and that is just what they want to do for those children who are battling addiction and health disorders.
This post sponsored by echomalibu.com

HSM 2

And what exactly is HSM 2? Well, before I tell you I have to let you know that this post if for Chipo (and Noah!).....

....HSM 2 is High School Musical 2....it premiered on Disney last night and we had a little viewing party over at the Kapp's house. If you aren't already aware of it...High School Musical was probably the largest watched showed on Disney...EVER! And the soundtrack was the biggest selling OF ALL cd's last year (in all genres of music)....that should tell you a lot about the tweeners impact on today's culture....they want, but they can't buy so mom and dad shell out the money!!! Amazing.

So, yes, I went over and watched it. One--I own HSM (Yes, I admit it ok?) and Two it has my secret crush Zac Efron in it!! LOVE that boy! Anyway...in case you haven't watched it...my advice? Go for it...you know you're going to watch anyway!!!

Missionary Travel Agency

Calling all men and women who feel that they have been called by God to be missionaries...at some point in time that should be every stinkin' one of us that calls ourself Christian. Whether you are a short-time missionary or a life long missionary, one thing that you will always need is a way to get to your missionary destination. As an individual who has been on many missionary trips and has seen the process of organizing airline flights for 30+ people, working with a Christian travel agency who specifically deals with missionary travel would be a delight!! The Golden Rule Travel Agency strives to find the best missionary travel fares for all people who are traveling. They use alternative routing through airports, special contracts with airlines and coupons to get you the best deal! The staff at this agency are all solid Christian men and women and some who have been missionaries themselves, so they understand what you are going through. To get a better idea of how much work they have done for people visit their site and read the testimonials that men and women have written them...some from Directors, Pastors and Missionaries. Where is God calling you to go and how are you going to get there?

Job Interview

Yuck. I haven't had to go to a job interview for quite a while now....in WA I was established at a couple of schools, plus I had a few part time jobs that I had been at for years. But now that I am somewhere new and I need to pay my bills, I have to go job hunting again!!! Yuck, Yuck, Yuck. So anyways...I have a job interview at an office today for a part-time receptionist job. The hours are Noon-5pm...don't know any other details yet, but I will definitely let you know. I have also signed up with a temp service, and I am going to go into Starbucks on Monday--they have open interviews on Mondays! I'll be honest...trying to find something that pays enough, but is part-time or temporary is hard. Why the part-time and temporary? Well, remember I am in school and in a year or so I have to student teach! So no working for me during that time. But then again, God has everything under control!

Electronic Mortgage Closings

As a WA State Notary whose biggest source of income as a notary I have notarized quite a few mortgages and refinances for people. However, there is excitement building for those who are in the mortgage business as they are moving more and more toward electronic closing instead of tons and tons of paperwork! I have seen the amount of paperwork that is printed for each and every mortgage that is signed...it is a lot....and then it all has to be stored somewhere. It makes so much more sense to move this type of business into the electronic storage field. Can you imagine how much easier it will be for mortgage lenders and those consumers (that is US) who use an electronic closing? No worries about standards being met and kept...many of today's leading companies have been working on maintaining standards for quite a few years now....they are not about to come out with such great technology that would end up hurting consumers!

This post is sponsored by encomia.com

Celebrate Post #700

What a better way to celebrate post #700 by remembering my favorite singer!

Elvis Presley

I know I was only 3, thirty years ago; however, I am a true fan of Elvis Presley. Yes, I know he screwed his own life up and that he died too soon due to his own stupid decisions.....BUT I still find him a fascinating man. I love all the dorky movies he has made....Blue Hawaii, Kissin' Cousins, Jailhouse Rock, etc.....and I LOVE his music...recently the song In the Ghetto keeps rolling through my mind but that is because I have been rolling through a few ghetto places! He has sang gospel, rockabilly, rock-n-roll.....traveled with greats such as Johnny Cash!!!!!

So, let's have a moment of silence for today the 30th anniversary of his death!

Green Energy

So my friend Marcie has started a new blog about being earth friendly! I found out that the UK is striving for green energy and zero carbon left by you the consumer! Not only are we striving to be green in our own neighborhoods, but this is a goal that is being strived after throughout the entire world!! They are working on this goal with individual consumers, but also with schools throughout their area...just think what could happen if individual consumers, schools and businesses get in on this!


Here is the actual press release about this:

BRITISH GAS LAUNCHES GREENEST ENERGY TARIFF

9 August 2007: British Gas has announced it is launching two new green energy tariffs, Zero Carbon, which will be the greenest tariff available on the domestic market and Future Energy. British Gas has launched the tariffs, in response to the increasing demand for green energy products.

Householders signing up to the Zero Carbon tariff will:
• reduce their household energy carbon emissions to zero through Kyoto compliant offset schemes which will meet the new Defra requirements
• help fund a direct increase in investment in renewable energy generated in the UK
• contribute to the new British Gas green fund which will:
o invest in developing new renewable technologies such as wave power
o oversee a programme to help schools in the UK reduce their CO2 emissions

Gearóid Lane, Managing Director British Gas New Energy said,”Our new tariff responds to consumer demand for truly green energy solutions. It is essential that customers have confidence in green energy tariffs and that their credibility is not damaged by tariffs that claim to be green but in reality do not deliver any incremental environmental benefits. Green tariffs are moving from niche to mainstream products and we’re leading the industry by offering a tariff that will do more for the environment than any other product currently available.”

Under the government’s Renewables Obligation (RO), electricity suppliers in the UK are already required to produce an increasing percentage of their electricity through methods such as wind farms which, unlike traditional power plants, produce zero carbon emissions. For 2007/2008 this figure is set at 7.9%.

In a recent report, the National Consumer Council (NCC) raised concerns that some energy suppliers are packaging electricity which is produced under the RO scheme as “green”, yet it delivers no additional environmental benefits. The NCC called on energy suppliers to take steps beyond their legal requirements and offer green energy tariffs that provide genuine additional environmental benefits, in particular CO2 emissions reduction.

British Gas worked with Global Action Plan and The Climate Group’s “We’re in this Together” campaign to develop Zero Carbon which goes further than any other green tariff in meeting these requirements offering consumers the only zero carbon option on the market.

The tariff carries a premium of £84 per year, reflecting the higher cost of producing energy through lower carbon emission schemes.

Virginia Graham, Chair of Global Action Plan, said, “The British Gas Zero Carbon tariff delivers on all three of the essential requirements of a green tariff which are: additionality, transparency and verifiability. As such it is a very welcome new offering in the market. Consumers signing up to the tariff can be confident that they are getting 12 per cent more renewable energy than they would otherwise have got. The carbon emissions from their electricity and gas will also be offset with emissions reductions from projects accredited by the United Nations.”

Zero Carbon is one of the first initiatives launched through the ‘We’re in this Together’ campaign, which was launched in April 07 as an alliance of some of the UK’s biggest brands who are all working to help their customers reduce their impact on the climate.

Dr Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group and founder of ‘We’re in this Together’ said, “We’re committed to offering people ways to make a real impact on climate change through Together.com. We’ve worked with British Gas to ensure that Zero Carbon is a genuine step forward in delivering more environmental benefits than any other tariff currently available.”

British Gas’s second green energy tariff, Future Energy, offers an alternative green electricity tariff at a premium of just £20 per year. Customers signing up to this tariff will contribute to a green fund which will provide solar panels and other renewable energy technologies to UK schools. Money from the fund will also be invested in development of future renewable technologies and sources.

To sign up customers can call British Gas on 0845 604 0055 or visit www.britishgas.co.uk

This is a sponsored post

Fishies, Auntie, Fishies

Just before I left for Cali my sister Camille and I, along with cutie patootie Dajia, went up to the South Hill Mall and Petco. Once in the store Dajia ran straight for the fish tanks totally excited...tapping on the fronts, yelling at her Mom to come look and just in awe of all the fishes. My batteries were dying; however, I did manage to get a few cute pictures of her and the fishies.


This is her running toward the tanks...."Come look Momma!"






One of the rare moments that she granted me a cheese smile before turning right around and looking at the fishes again!

"Sheesh, Auntie haven't you taken enough pictures of me?"







This picture of Camille and Dajia, with her arm around her Mom, looking at the fish tank is probably my favorite.

"I like this one, oh and that one. Come closer Mom and see this one!"

OH the innocence of childhood...how sweet it is!

Super Bowl Contest

Remember that I would tell you all when the voting opened for my HUMPTULIPS picture? Well, it's open:

Click here on Rachel_Ann's Superbowl Link

This contest is won purely by others voting for me!!! SO please vote!

PS...You can vote ONCE a DAY!!

My Robot

So those lovely folks over at PPP (that is Payperpost...where I blog for cash) has asked their posties to write up a blog post about designing our own personal robot. I've been thinking about this and I don't need a maid (no house of my own), I don't need a replacement husband (I would need a husband to replace!), I don't need a lawn maintenance robot as I have no lawn....so what exactly do I need?

I need a robot to be me! Not a clone, but a robot to do my everyday life so I can sit back read a book and blog more! Seriously, how nice would it be for your robot to know when to run errands, when to pick up the mail or go to the post office to mail packages out? How 'bout a robot that does your homework for you (you see I am a graduate student who should be doing homework right now and not blogging!)....could I even send it to work and collect the paycheck on my personal robot? Oh, I think so! And as it is doing my job and taking care of my life...I will just vacation around the world, drink and be merry!

And once I am graduated from grad school? Oh yes, my robot will be correcting Social Studies papers, quizzes, tests and projects! I'll just go in to teach my students (as I truly do enjoy that part) and the robot can be my assistant!

Christmas Gifts

No, you're saying it is too early for Christmas thinking? Well think again! I have already bought Christmas presents....four to be exact. Buying early means that you aren't swamped right at Christmas time and you don't have to be stressed. That is why I'm letting you know about a website that deals with gifts for him...husband, father, boyfriend, son....whatever guy is in your life, this is the site to go to! Since I am usually anally organized...especially with my scrapbook stuff, I would go the extra mile and buy my hubby totally cool garage cabinets...preferably these red ones since they just pop out at you and look sharp. Just think...tools, stuff, tools (what else do boys keep in the garage?) and even more tools can be keep neatly organized (and outta sight) in these nifty storage units. What would you buy for your guys Christmas gift?

This post sponsored by cargarageguy.com

WHEN YOU'RE FEELING STUPID, READ THIS!

Thank you Charlie for sending me this via email...he sends me some of the funniest things:

(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.)
Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not
live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever,
then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever,
which is why I would not live forever,"

-- Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest .

`````````````````````````````````
"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids
all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love
to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and
death and stuff."

--Mariah Carey

````````````

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very
important part of your life,"

-- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become
Spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign .

`````````````````````

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part
of my body,"

-- Winston Bennett,
University of Kentucky basketball forward .

`````````````````````````````````````````````

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the
lowest crime rates in the country,"

--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.

```````````````````````````
"That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death
by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,"

--A congressional candidate in Texas .

````````````````````````````
"Half this game is ninety percent mental."

--Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

``````````````````````````````````
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's
the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."

--Al Gore, Former Vice President

And ..

"We are ready for an un foreseen event that
may or may not occur."

-- Al Gore, Former Vice President

Teens and Investing

Do you have teenagers? I don't; however, I have nieces and nephews whom I want to know are responsible with their money and who understand how money works. Unfortunately, I wasn't one who was smart with my money when I was an older teen/young adult and I want my nieces, nephews and future children to understand how money works, how to use it wisely and how to invest for their futures. There is a great new blog on teen investing that you and your teen should look at together. This is very informative on how to invest and what to invest in....go ahead give your teenager a few dollars (at least a $100...believe in them!) to invest in stocks and see how they do...who knows they may surprise you! I bet that they will find it interesting to invest and will keep up the habit throughout their lifetime! Even though this is a blog to help parents discuss with their children the hard topic of money, parents will begin to enjoy educating their children!

This is a sponsored post

Place to Live

I found a place to rent tonight and I can move in tomorrow. It is just a room within a house, so nothing fancy right now...I don't even have furniture. I have to go buy an air mattress tomorrow and look around for a desk and chair....yippee...

The house...big, in a nice neighborhood that has kids, there are three other women living there. The two ladies I met are around my age and Korean. She said they aren't home much, so it is nice and quiet there! I will take a picture soon and put it up!

More Pictures

So I'm assuming you all realized that I was at an amusement park this weekend? Alissa and I went to Universal Studios on Saturday and Sunday. It was nice to go two days in a row because we didn't have to feel rushed going on all the rides and stuff. I vant to suck your blood.....ok, yeah...he kinda scared the crap out of me! I was expecting him to do something, but he blew a big breath of air on my neck and freaked me out!

This is me and Alissa just hangin' out in Hollywood! No, really this is a backdrop in the park that we got our picture taken in front of!

This was the movie set of War of the Worlds on the backlot tour of Universal. This set was mammoth! Really unbelievable!

For you Julia Roberts fan you will know that I am about to enter the bookstore from her movie Notting Hill. Too bad they aren't real books, I haven't picked up a book to read in almost a week and I'm going a bit batty. I think one of my priorities is finding a used book store soon.

And of course no Universal backlot tour would be the same without a glimpse onto Wisteria Lane from The Desperate Housewives set. You do know that houses used on Wisteria lane have been famous houses in other television series? Like Leave it to Beaver. And who knows who livs at 1313 Mockingbird Lane? Yes, their house is one of the regulars on Wisteria Lane.

Famous People I Met....

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to meet several famous individuals....Unfortunately, I'm not on a first name basis with any of them...

Scooby and Shaggy were spotted quite frequently this weekend. However, there was never any sign of Fred, Daphne or Velma...I wonder what Scooby and Shaggy did with them!?! I actually had to take many shots of these two so I could get a half way decent picture for Susana and Brittany...I hope you appreciate my efforts!

Oh the Simpsons, everyone's favorite cartoon family....at least most everyone. I personally don't like them but my Dad thinks Homer is hysterically funny; alas, no Homer was spotted.

How can you not know who this is? Marilyn Monroe of course!

Doc Brown was just scootin' around the place...he seemed kind of distracted, so I'm sure he had some experiment about to blow up in his lab. So if you have ever wanted to ride the "Back to the Future" ride at Universal Studios you better do it now. The ride is closing in September.

And finally, Fiona and Shrek! I had a nice conversation with Fiona...she told me that she had lost her babies. She left them in the stroller near the Nickelodeon Blast Place and forgot to take them out of the strollers and then couldn't find them! Hmmm....I wonder if the big ogre knows that his babies were lost?

Buck Owens Crystal Palace

I'm catching up on some of the pictures I've taken the last few days! While driving down to CA, we were going through Bakersfield. I had heard last year that Buck Owens had some bronze statues created and put up in Bakersfield....I wasn't quite sure where, but we found that he had a nightclub/museum in Bakersfield. So Alissa and I headed there for a little side trip.

This guy on the right is Garth Brooks of course....as if you can't tell by the way his head is thrown back and his arms are out! He is one of my favorite singers.






This is a picture of Buck with some other famous individuals! My fav in this picture would have to be Johnny Cash!







Of course this picture is from Buck's Hee-Haw days. It was a corny show, but man it made you laugh and it had tons of famous stars coming through on a regular basis.









ELVIS lives! Of course we know that Elvis is alive and well in Walmart in Georgia, but for today he is cast in bronze in Bakersfield, CA. You do know that Thursday marks the 30th anniversary of his death? Sad.







And of course it wouldn't be complete without a statue of the Man in Black himself....Johnny Cash!

Oceanside

Well, we made it here! I am sitting in Shannon and Liz's house in Oceanside, CA. It was a long drive down. To be honest, my emotions are still running pretty high....not all good. I've been having thoughts running rampant about whether or not I stay or go....obviously I decided to come down! I'm being obedient to God for this season. I believe that I will be coming home; however, I have people telling me that I'm going to love it here and never want to go home to Washington! Do you see my dilemma? I'm trying to be obedient, I'm emotional, I'm scared to death but excited, and I already want to come home!!! Obviously, I will be constantly praying about what God wants me to do and do what is right for me. I still have school to think about and getting through all of that as well.....so......!!!!! Plus, my Maddy keeps calling me telling me that she loves me and wishes that I would just come and live with them!

Anyway, I just needed to express some emotions! Forgive me for barging through! Love you all!!

FREE Homeschool Curriculum

As an educator, and as a friend of many parents who are homeschooling their children this opportunity popped out at me as fantastic! There is a site that is offering K12 Free Homeschool Curriculum...FREE my friends!!! These are online curriculum courses that are nationally accredited, are authentically Christian courses, have 180 days of lesson plans and activities, 24/7 access to the material and over 140 core electives to chose from! If you are currently homeschooling or are thinking about it check this site out...it may help your family out immensely in the financial outlook of life, PLUS it is a Christian curriculum!

Here is the Press Release for this company:

Press Release:K-12 Online Academy Launches and Offers Landmark Free Courses

Summary: K12FreeHomeschool.org, the first private k-12 online school with tuition-free core courses, is ready to open its’ doors this school year.

Keywords: ONLINE HOME SCHOOLING, HOME SCHOOL, HOME SCHOOLING, HOME SCHOOLING ACADEMY, LEARNING BY GRACE, HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS, HOME SCHOOL TEACHING, HOME SCHOOLING SOFTWARE, THE GRACE ACADEMY, THE JUBILEE ACADEMY, THE MORNINGSTAR ACADEMY, HOME SCHOOLING CURRICULUM, CHRISTIAN CURRICULUM, INTERNET SCHOOLING, CHRISTIAN ONLINE SCHOOLING, VIRTUAL SCHOOLS, FREE HOMESCHOOL, K-12 HOMESCHOOL, K-12 SCHOOL, K12FREEHOMESCHOOL.ORG

Philadelphia, PA –- This week’s release of K12FreeHomeschool.org represents the much anticipated opening of the first tuition-free online academy core curriculum for K-12 grade homeschoolers. The new, first-of-it’s-kind online model for Christian Homeschoolers is supported primarily by outside corporate, non-profit and educational funding instead of the traditional “paid tuition” model.

“Nothing like this has ever been done before,” says Mimi Rothschild, a veteran homeschooling parent and CEO of Learning By Grace, Inc., managers of K12FreeHomeschool.org. “Our mission is to deliver world-class educations to our students and give every family, no matter what their financial situation may be, a great opportunity at providing their children with a quality education.”

The launch comes at a time when many parents are tired of the failing public school system, but don’t have the money to send their children to a traditional private schools which, because of soaring tuition costs, are reserved for the wealthy.

“I understand that parents don’t want their children growing up in sub-standard and sometimes dangerous public schools. I also understand how much work homeschooling takes, I should know because I’m a homeschooling mom. K12 Free Home School takes the pressure of homeschooling off parents and is also incredibly affordable,” says Rothschild.

K12FreeHomeschool.org is nationally accredited and offers tuition-free courses, which include materials at little or no extra cost, and optional elective courses, which are offered at a 50 to 75 percent grant reduction.

K12FreeHomeschool.org also enables parents to customize their child’s education to best fit their child’s learning styles. This approach to education is a breath of fresh air when comparing it to public schools’ approach of one-size fits all curriculums. K12 students excel in the relaxed environment of their homeschool and have the ability to go at their own pace.

“It’s the 21st century and it’s time we starting using 21st century technology to benefit our children’s education. Each child learns in their own unique way, therefore each child should receive an education that caters to their needs. With the technology we have at our fingertips, there is no excuse for not giving each child in America an individualized world-class education,” says Rothschild.

K12FreeHomeschool.org is managed by Learning By Grace, Inc., the foremost leader in online education and single-handedly changing the way Americans educate their children. Learning By Grace also manages other learning resources including The MorningStar Academy, The Grace Academy, and The Jubilee Academy.


K12FreeHomeschool.org is the first online nationally accredited K-12 private school to offer tuition-free courses. It is a ground-breaking online program that equips students with a desire to learn and allows parents to provide their children with an affordable first-class Christian education.

Learn more about K12FreeHomeschool.org by visiting http://www.K12FreeHomeschool.org.

Contact Information:
Mimi Rothschild
866.367.4722

This post sponsored by k12freehomeschool.org

Send me your EMAIL, please!

Hello friends and family...as I am not in WA and able to see you frequently....I am trying to get email addresses for all my friends and family members.....

If I don't have your email yet, would you kindly consider sending it to me? Natalie A....I really want yours and I don't have it since I don't have access to the MC computer anymore!! Email me at rachelannmac@hotmail.com.

Many thanks and many blessings. I hope that you are all enjoying the summer, the warm weather (it was warm when I left) and the fact that school is starting again soon (that is for those who are parents with school aged children!......we saw a school down here that was starting August 20th!!!).

Well, Alissa and I are getting ready to head off again for the day...toodles!

Sandals and the Beach

Yep, yep (for you people with kids, you should know Ducky says that!!)....I am in California...not at my final destination, but getting closer. I can hear the ocean calling my name, "Rachel, we are waiting for you!" Seriously, I LOVE water and the beach....that is my favorite place to vacation and it doesn't matter what beach in what part of the world...as long as it is attached to a large body of water.

Since I am headed to new waters I decided to take a look at new shoes (what a great excuse, heh?) :)......'cause you know you need good sandals for the beach! I hate wearing socks...so sandals are pretty much my constant mode of footwear. There is this site that offers reef sandals, and they look fantastic! Over the last few years all the fairs having been selling those Croc sandals, and everyone I've talked to say they are extremely comfortable! However, even though this site sells them I think I am going to take a look at their flip flops and sandals more appropriate for the beach....BUT once I am back in WA I am finally going to buy me a pair of Crocs!!!

So, these are reef sandals that I picked out as the ones I like!! I really like the blue pair and the white pair...even better these are on closeout special right now, so you can buy them for only $30 and there is FREE Shipping....not a bad deal! They look comfortable and sturdy enough for walking on the beach......so if you have plans to head out to the beach, whether just a day trip or a vacation, check these guys out you might find some snazzy new sandals for your trip!

This post sponsored by sandalsuperstore.com

Hello From California

Well, Alissa and I are in California although we are taking the drive very easy and quite slow compared to others! While driving through Shasta we decided to take a scenic detour and check out the Shasta Dam...it is huge....which isn't too surprising considering that Lake Shasta is huge!



Not the greatest picture of me I know, but the sun was in my eyes as I was taking the picture. Just below us in the lake were four or five houseboats that looked like they were having quite the party....we wanted to join in!




This is Alissa....she is a great friend who is riding down with me to Oceanside and then flying home on Monday....Thanks!

We are staying in Tulare, CA tonight which is south of Fresno. We decided to get off of I5 and go down Hwy 99 for awhile. We are going to go through Bakersfield tomorrow and check out the 9 foot statues that Buck Owen had commissioned before he died! Interesting I know.

Love you all and miss you tons! Rachel Ann

California or Bust

Brittany....she doesn't let you take pictures of her; however, when she gets ahold of the camera and does it herself she turns into glamazon girl! She is such a beautiful young lady...she will be 13 in October, but I secretly think she is at least 30!


Two of my favorite Mexicans....Madalyne and Mason! Aren't they adorable! Mason turns 4 in just a few weeks and Maddy is about to turn 9 in October...where does the time fly?


And these are two of my favorite sisters....wait, they are my only sisters! Love these girls!












And this is me and Dajia at the mall the other day.....she is a handful!

It's a sad day today, as I am leaving Puyallup and heading down to San Diego! Yes, I'm excited; however, I finally reached that scared to death point too. I have had much internal struggle over this move the last week or so, ask my friend Alissa who has so graciously listened to me more than once! However, I know that God has called me for a season to move down there and help. What does a season look like? It could be a few months, a year, a few years....I'm not sure quite yet....but Washington is home and my family and friends who have become family are here! Not that I don't have family all over the place...but this place will always be home to me!




I wanted to leave you with some pictures to look through as I won't be on here for a bit! Hopefully, it won't be more than a week.....for some of you bloggers that isn't long at all. I am hoping that some of you will have new posts up once I am back on so I have new news to catch up on!! Come on a few minutes a day keeps everyone updated!

Hotel Camping

It is summertime and all my friends and family look forward to this time of year so that they can go camping. My friend Christina is probably the biggest advocate for camping that you will ever meet....she can get the grumpieset, non-camper out in the willderness in no time flat! Ask me, I know...she's gotten me to go camping more than once. HOwever, I enjoy a more refined way of camping and that is staying in hotels! I know that you may think that sounds boring; however, just think about it: clean beds, you don't have to clean, running water, tv at night, security in that the door locks...and on and on....

I love to travel all over the US and all over the world and I love to stay in hotels...they are easy and convenient! It is somewhat frustrating though to go somewhere and not have prior hotel reservations...so my recommendation is that you book before you go! there is this great site hotelreserverations.com that has listings practically every where you have an inclination to go, um camping! So if your friends are headed out this summer to tent in the wild unknown and they want you to go....I say go for it! Once you know exactly where they are headed then quickly get online check hotelreservations for locale and availability and then book your room. Presto...you have just made a fantastic choice for your summertime camping experience. Of course, you won't want to go to your hotel room until after the Smores are made! Just think...do you want to go travel overseas? Europe and Asia? Get online and book now. The prices are low and convienent as well which makes this a win-win deal for you! Me? I'm headed to California so my driving partner, Alissa, and I will be making some hotel reservations for somewhere between PUyallup and San Diego!



This post sponsored by hotelreservations.com

Arlington

How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns?

This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance Very fascinating. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why? 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30."

Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb.

There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the s torm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930. God Bless and keep them. We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

Halloween the Movie

Ok, I'm not the biggest fan of scary movies but that is because I get TOO SCARED! I admit it, I'm a big ol' wimp when it comes to watching scary movies. I love the suspense; however, when the music gets intense and you know someone is waiting in the wings to kill someone I jump and then I scream long and loud! The movie we watched all the time as kids was Halloween or was it Friday the 13th? (Gosh, I'm getting old....)....I remember watching it once with my friend and we were babysitting on Halloween night...watching it in the family room with all the lights off....someone was in the kitchen and then they went to open the pantry door (at this point I was off the couch and inching out of the room but had my eyes riveted on the tv still) and a body fell out all bloody and with knives sticking out....I jumped, I screamed...then I turned around and jumped and screamed some more because one of the kids decided to walk out into the family room and was just wearing a long white tshirt so of course I thought it was some ghost or person ready to kill me!!!! WOW!!! So take this not so scary movie and translate it into......

Rob Zombie's (he wrote AND directed this movie) Halloween the Movie comes out in just a few weeks on August 31st and it seems like it will be one of those movies that keeps you jumping and screaming......hang on for a wild ride! This talented, but somewhat demented man, should keep you on your toes with suspense, thrills and chills....I'm sure I know many people who will be going to see this movie! The trailer is amazing...the techniques that Rob is bringing seem fantastic...and I'm sure that he had a say in the music and I have the feeling that his musical and artistic side is going to be a big plus when it comes to this movie....plus it just isn't a scary movie it is pure scariness! Watch the youtube trailer below for a sneak peek at this new movie and tell me if you plan on going and watching...I'm sure to hear yes votes from Susana and my sister Shannon and her husband Ernie!

The Human Calculator

On my way down to my Mom's house I was flipping through various radio stations looking for something to listen to when this math guy caught my ear. A radio station was doing this interview with some guy who has come up with a new way of doing math...it was incredible I tell you!!

FIrst of all you have to restructure your thinking to revolve around the number 9. Counting on your fingers? Start with 0 and go to 9....all numbers revolve around 9. How do you check this? For example: 65.....add the 6 and 5 which equals 11....subtract that from 65 which gives you 54....5 plus 4 is...9!!!!

He also explained how to add numbers in columns without doing it the long way with pencil and carrying numbers over to the next column!!! He was fascinating. I really like learning how to add numbers up without a pencil....quite convenient if you ask me! Anyway, if you want to check him out yourself go to his website where he touts himself as the human calculator.

Dead Poet's Guesthouse!

Susana....this post is for you!

There is a fantastic getaway in Provincetown near the Cape Cod beaches....one that means beaches! two...cape cod, we can go and mingle with all the other upper echelon of society matrons....or we can just go visit and have fun!

Once there where is the best place for Provincetown lodging? One of the best is probably the Carpe Diem Guesthouse, which the owners have dedicated to the "Dead Poet's", they even have a Walt Whitman living room. I suppose you could go here and feel inspired to write poetry or that long lost novel that is burning deep within your soul...me? I'll go to the beach!! Once there, there is so much to do at the Guesthouse and in town...you can visit the peaceful patios that give off the idea of being in beautiful gardens, eat a German breakfast cooked by one of the owners, relax in the common room...the choices are endless! In town there are activities year round...watch boats sailing, paint on the beach, find a concert or go whale watching...the choices are many! Have fun staying at the Carpe Diem Guesthouse...I just like saying that name...way cool!

This post is sponsored by the carpediemguesthouse.com

All Over the State of WA....

...This weekend I literally visited all parts of WA State. I started out on Sat morning working at the Future of Flight up in Mukilteo for KMPS...my last day working for them! Let me tell you, if you haven't made the long trek up there to see this you need to, especially if you have kids that love airplanes...they have interactives, airplanes hanging from the ceiling, and you can go on a Boeing tour...very cool. There were people there from all over the world....I met a guy from Peru and a family from the Netherlands (they were hilarious)!

Once done working, I drove out to my Dad's house in Enumclaw, got in his car and drove over to Moses Lake in Eastern WA. My Dad was going over to see how Mason was doing since his accident and visit the family. So I decided to tag along for a quick trip, even though it meant missing my last weekend at church...sorry all my P4 family, but my family came first. My nephew Josh came over with us as well.

Well, we left Moses Lake about 4pm, headed home with a pit stop at my Dad's cabin in Cle Elum and got to his house about 7:45pm. By 8pm I was on the road again, this time driving south to Vancouver, WA to visit my Mom for a quick visit. I dropped Josh off and got to Vancouver just about 11pm! Sat and visited until about 1am, went to bed, got up and went to Kohl's and lunch....then headed home about 2pm!

I got into Puyallup yesterday about 4:15pm, and decided I needed a quick pedicure so I stopped for that and once I got home my sister was there waiting for me.....so Camille, Dajia and I headed to the mall to walk around. I got home about 8:30 last night! Wow....what a whirl wind weekend.

And how was yours?

Bedroom Furniture

As I am getting ready to move I have been thinking of my bed! I know weird. But the thing is I bought this fantastic bed a few years ago, however, I have a feeling I'm going to have to go bedroom furniture shopping again! I'm one of those people who likes the soft wood look, no heavy cherry colors for me! I also love sleigh beds....you know you really have to enjoy your bed and bedroom furniture because you do spend a lot of time in there!

So this is the bedroom set I picked when I took a look through galleryfurniture.com. I love bedroom sets that have multiple pieces to the set...come on everything needs to match, doesn't it? Very elegant and classy...now I just need that house! Hm...

So how do I know what to pick, where to buy?.....the hows, where, and whys are endless. Buying furniture is important business. Houston Furniture has a great website with so many possibilities of furniture. What are you looking for? Bedroom (master, youth, futons, armoires, etc), living room (Sofas, loveseats, chairs, ottomans, sectionals....leather, upholestry), dining room, entertainment, office? There are so many options when buying new furniture...why don't you just remodel the whole house and go check out the website and see what strikes your fancy. Who knows you just might fall in love with a piece and absolutely need to have it!