Make more of it!

Are you ready to make 2012 your best year ever?

Maybe you’ve thought about leaving the rat race and being an entrepreneur. Maybe you’ve already made the jump. Discover the power of 1 focused hour a day with Henry Evans, The Hour A Day Entrepreneur. I am very proud and excited to be a part of the launch of this new book because it is only with YOU – the entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur – that we will overcome these current economic times. Join in and make 2012 YOUR best year ever! http://bit.ly/1hrbook

I’ve more than one ‘home’ business. All it takes is an idea, and the courage to act on that idea. Put it in play! Make it work!

NOT my actual office

Let’s not call them resolutions, lets call them goals. Resolutions are stark, point blank and sometimes tough. Goals can be done in steps.

One of my goals this year is to read more. What were my steps?

Acquire a Kindle and learn how to use it. (That’s working out well by the way, on book # 4!). I also set a goal for myself of posting (on at least one of my blogs) every single day. You see I have ‘ahem’ several…. and trying to post to all of them every day just wasn’t working, especially when you toss into the mix 2-3 e-commerce stores, and a full time job…

Anyhow, you too can learn how to set goals, and then bigger goals and how to actually accomplish them.

You learn to let go of the things that don’t matter, delegate some things that do, and do the things that ‘you’ need to do, whether that’s something creative, learning something new, or taking on a new challenge.

Blue Collar Buddha is one of those rare books you just can’t put down. Author Paul Streitz chronicles his struggles to overcome heartbreaks in life and business as he strives for a fulfilled, successful life – and imparts valuable lessons. Maybe something we can all learn from! Visit Blue Collar Buddha to learn more.

Blue Collar Buddha

Microbrew of the month- Perfect for the beer aficionado, a microwbrew of the month club is the gift that keeps on giving. Each month the lucky recipient gets to sample specialty, handcrafted brews delivered right to their door. By the end of the year he will be a connoisseur of the premium stuff. There are quite a few reputable companies online to do all the hard work for you.

Grilling Tools – Let your man be the king of his domain with a top of the line grilling set. There are packages of all sizes, with all the specialty tools needed to be a grill Master. Set’s often include, grill tongs, spatula, basting brushes, cleaning brushes all in a carrying case. He’ll never need to borrow your utensils again.

Automotive Accessories- Men love to pamper the number one lady in their life –their car. Any item them helps keep her in tip top shape well go over well. A portable code reader gives the auto enthusiast a way to check the diagnostic trouble codes. You can also give him personalized floor mats, a GPS, or an upgraded car stereo.

Bar Accessories- Is the man in your life a genius behind the bar. If so, he will love a few tools to elevate his game. Pick him up one of the new infusion pitchers on the market that makes flavor infused beverages. Another great idea is a soda maker for maker signature seltzers or a wine saver vacuum to keep the open bottles fresh.

Poker Night- Give a Christmas gift idea for him he will love. Deliver to him everything he needs for a Poker night. Poker chip sets, an automatic card shuffler and a tabletop poker table is everything he needs for a night in with the boys.
Movie Box Set- Let him experience his favorite movies again and again with a box set. There are quite a few genre specific special edition collections and popular movie series like Star Wars, the Omen, and Lord of the Rings. There are also great historical documentaries and ESPN films gift set collections he can watch to his heart’s content.

Video Games- There is a gamer in every man. Whether XBOX, PS3, PC or the Wii there is a perfect video game to make him as giddy as a boy. And the best thing is you don’t have to browse through the stores to pick it up. You can buy one of these easy Christmas gift ideas for him online without leaving the couch.

christmas-pie-girl-

According to a report by the Council of Economic Advisors, kids 8 -18 spend seven and a half hours each day exposed to media. The rise of people glued to the computer is believed to be one of the main reasons for the decline in board games. It is not uncommon for each member in the family to be in separate rooms engrossed in a different form of media. Mom’s shopping online, Dad’s watching the game, Sis is texting, while Junior plays a shooter online with his friends. What makes board games great Christmas gifts is they force us to unplug and spend time together.

Parents and family members can have a positive impact on how children see and approach life. Kids who feel a close bond to their parents indulge in less risky behavior and are more successful in school. The earlier you start forming positive connections with your kids the more likely they are to stay close and keep the lines of communication when they hit the challenging teenage years.

Now is the time to reclaim at least one night a week to spend with the entire family. There is no simpler way than designating a family game night. With so many different types of board games, there is style of game for all taste and gameplay all ages can enjoy. Settle on a nonnegotiable day to hold game night every week. Rotate who decides what game will be played every week and post the weeks choice on a calendar. Consider letting the person also choose a special snack to compliment the chosen game. Crack open the box, and watch as the entire family loosens up with laughter and a whole new family interaction unfolds.
In the midst of all the storytelling and smack talking, a few lessons slip through. Kids learn the concept of following rules, flex their problem solving ability and improve general reasoning skills. Maybe even more important, the different game strategies compel your kids to reason through moral problems. Simply playing with parents they can learn how to lose, and win, with good manners and grace.

This year wrap a board game or two and slip them under the tree. In no time at all you’ll see why board games are some of the best Christmas gift ideas. Who knows, you may even start a new Christmas tradition.

jumanji

The owner died a couple years ago and it looks like his relatives finally took an interest in cleaning up the place.

The first thing they did was spray paint FREE on the trailers.

The trailers disappeared pretty fast. They probably went for scrap.

BUT, whomever hauled them off must’ve dumped the entire contents out in the yard.

It’s a real mess.

I don’t believe the family can handle the new mess all by themselves. They’re going to need a Junk Removal Company to come out, probably with a front end loader and a roll off dumpster in order to take care of that mess.

front-end-loader

Once they get that lot cleaned up I suspect they’ll be able to sell it for a pretty penny. It’s right on the corner of the highway!

One way you can add a big impact in a small space is by the use of mirrors.

Wall mirrors in just the right spot reflect the light and make a room seem larger, brighter and more inviting.

And what Mother wouldn’t love this sweet mirror for their little girl’s room?

mirror

With it’s Sleeping Beauty shape and bluebird design, get ready to hear your own little girl playing make believe.

“Mirror mirror on the wall..”

You can go searching high and low for the latest gadgets or you can visit Discount Deal Codes and Geeky Gadgets. The reasoning behind that is that you can’t be privy to all the fads yourself! You’ve got to rely on other people to scout (at least some things out) for you.

For the items that you know you can score in town, be sure to look online for those Walmart Coupons and those Target coupons too!

I’ve recently started shopping Target again, and I don’t know why I stopped. Except now that means one more stop I have to make on Saturdays!

But, I can’t do without my bargains! This past week I bought desk fans, clearanced out of course since fan season is really gone, for under $2 bucks a pop!

Fan season may be gone, but I get hot in the office…

We won’t go there.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg! You can find printable coupons for most stores online! Print them out ahead of time (when you make your shopping list) and carry them with you, and you’ll be ahead of the game!

You do realize that Christmas is just around the corner, don’t you?

Many people are paring down their Christmas lists to just immediate family (partly due to the economy) and other’s are completely changing the way they do gifts.

Some only buy gifts for the kids, no adult gifts at all, not even for great granny. Some people do a name exchange (typically drawn over the Thanksgiving holiday or other pre-Christmas family get together.) And some people are going a different route, they’re only exchanging gifts that are handmade by the gift giver! (No fudging!!)

One of the more popular items to make, that is VERY easy to do is beadwork.

Now, I’m not talking extensive ‘Native American’ quality beadwork, but in more simple terms, merely stringing.

These days you can even find theme beads, like the little owl shown below. Found at beadcrafty.com!!

How cute would that be on a pair of silver earring findings? (Findings are the metal pieces used to essentially put pieces together.) The little owl could also be the ‘object de art’ on a simple pendant necklace, or the main bead on a string of beads making a bracelet!

Beads are inexpensive and easy to work with. You might just unleash the inner crafter in you!

owl bead

I know!

Kids, even grown kids are never happy with the bargain eyeglass store. They want the high dollar ones at the mall!

I’ve decided that this year, when she asks, and I know she will, that I’ll spring for the doctor’s appointment, but then I’m going to set her down in front of my computer and have a choose a stylish pair of eyeglasses online!

These days you can find designer brands, high-end styles, and glasses that are just ‘too cute’ at such reasonable prices that you can get two pair! I’ve done the two pair ‘thing’ before and I usually get sunglasses for the second pair.

At the prices you’ll find online, you could even get MORE pairs than two for the same amount of money you’d spend in town, OR LESS!

Think about it, I could get her a stylish pair for work, a pair of sunglasses and a pair of FUNKY bright colored ones. Something wild that I could never spring for in town.

Now, hopefully, someday she’ll have employment with benefits that include glasses, but until then, online it is!

purple-glasses

Life is fleeting. We blink and our children are all grown up. Where did the time go? It’s times like these that we wish to savor even the little things. After all, the best memories come from the little things. You needn’t take an expensive trip somewhere and buy tons of gifts for you or your children to remember good times. Really, what’s needed most is simple togetherness.

Autumn brings out many colors, oranges, yellows, reds and shades of each. The one color we don’t want autumn to bring however is blue, boredom blues that is. The last thing we want to see as parents is our child locked up in the house all day bored, watching TV or sitting on the couch playing video games. Primrose Schools, a family of over 200 accredited preschools believes there are frugal ways to engage children in meaningful activity. “It’s important to keep children’s minds active, but it doesn’t take an expensive activity or big vacation to capture their attention,” said Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose Schools. “After all, imagination is free.”

Each season is to be celebrated for its uniqueness. Think of what your family values, what special traditions you share with one another, and while you’re thinking, here are a few wallet-friendly suggestions to enjoy Autumn:

1) Make s’mores and hot chocolate. Sit outside huddled and bundled around a small fire pit. Don’t fear the coldness; embrace it. We have clothes for a reason. Have fun together in the nippy air catching up on old times, talking about current events, and sharing funny stories with one another. The stars in the dark night flicker and wave to you and your fire. The warm gooey-ness of a scrumptious s’more in your mouth. Just because it’s Autumn doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it in all its splendor.

2) Watch classic movies snuggled together. Autumn is the time for all those movie classics to start showing on TV. Yes, you’ve seen them before, but usually to pass time until the football game begins or waiting for the Turkey to be done. This time make the movie the event; not something to pass time. Get everyone together. Make it a production. Get the blankets and pillows out. Pop some popcorn. Get some drinks. Wear your pajamas. Dim the lights. Action! Take in the movie, think about how it applies to your life, think about what you learned from it, and after the movie is over, share with your family your thoughts. Ask your little ones what they learned from it. You’d be surprised to hear what they have to say.

3) Go to a petting zoo. Really? Yes. You might glimpse baby goats, sheep, or other baby animals at this time. This is especially exciting if you have little ones. They’re just old enough to know a little about different animals and their sounds. It’s a great time to let them pet these animals who don full Winter coats and are eager to see people. People mean food and will be eager to greet your little one. It’s exciting to share in the excitement of a child exploring the world around them.

4) Go apple-picking. Autumn is the season for apples. Chances are that if you’re picking for apples, there is sure to be hot apple cider and doughnuts nearby. If you’ve ever had hot apple cider, then you know it it’s sweet yet pleasantly tart. It is unlike mere apple juice. Autumn would not be Autumn without it. The apples you’ll pick are super cheap and you can buy them buy the bushel if you prefer not to pick them yourself. There are so many wonderful ways you can use apples. You can use them in your Turkey stuffing, apple pies, but you can also just cut one up, sprinkle with cinnamon, and zap in the microwave. Such deliciousness. Drizzle with syrup and garnish with chopped walnuts. You’ll never look at an apple the same way again.

5) Go for a scenic drive. Gas is expensive these days so don’t go far. When you consider what’s all around you, you really don’t need to go far anyway. Turn on the heater, bring some snacks, and sing your favorite family songs. Point things out to each other on the way. Play “I spy” and other car games. This is especially popular with little kids. Stop at the farmer’s market on the way. Make this a tradition.

6) Make Autumn wreathes for your front door. For that matter, go all out and decorate all of your doors! A fantastic unknown type of wreathe involves the use of a wire hanger. If you find one, hang onto it. Shape the wire hanger into a circle. Take plastic baggies and tie them around the hanger and fluff them out. The end result is a wreath of snow and/or ice. It’s beautiful, suitable for the elements of rain and snow, great for the holidays, and is a breeze to clean.

7) Decorate for the holidays. Get out the Halloween and Thanksgiving items and whatever other items you use to celebrate during this season. This is an all-day event in itself. Put on some great music, have hot drinks, and yummy goodies. It’s so exciting putting up decorations. You needn’t do anything else for the day.

Make your own family holiday. What’s one more holiday? Take your favorite family activities and foods and create something unique to your family. Make a “pajama day” or a day where you can only walk backwards when someone says a key word. Be imaginative. Designate a special date or perhaps something really random like the second Sunday of October and keep to it every year. Keep this in mind for other seasons too.

9) Go to a pumpkin patch. Don’t go to the store to “pick” your pumpkin. Going to the pumpkin patch is a lot of fun. You’re most likely to see barnyard animals here as farms grow pumpkins. Let your kids pick out the perfect pumpkin. It’s funny to see them try to pick up the heaviest one they can. Sometimes, if the pumpkins are small enough, you can get those for free. Let your kids get a few and decorate their own.

10) Collect leaves. Leaves are at their prettiest during Autumn. You can use them for anything. Use them as a centerpiece, to make art rubbings, to decorate the walls, and even for your wreathes. This can be made into an all-day event as well.

There are so many fun and inexpensive ways to enjoy Autumn. Take advantage of this time you have. You will not get this time back.

family_time