Did You Know You Can Make Your Own Brochures with VistaPrint?

Did you know you can Make your own brochures with VistaPrint?

My daughter and I love to do this kind of stuff. As a matter of fact, we did make a brochure for our church telling about our year round activities for youth and families. It was my daughter's idea and it turned out to be a good one. But if we ever need one to be done with a more professional look, I could turn to the "make your own brochures" department at VistaPrint.

Starting at only $39.99, this is a great way to promote your business, organization or activity. And for an even better deal, you can use this coupon code to get even more brochures for FREE! Just be sure to type in "25 Free Brochures" when your coupon code is requested.

VistaPrint tries to keep the process simple for you. You can use a design template to customize your brochure. You can choose from stock photos/designs or upload your own. If you prefer, you can have one of their professionals create the design for you. You can receive the brochures you create in as little as three days. Be sure to check out the free product samples available from their site as well.

Did You Know About Schedule2Drive?

Did you know about Schedule2Drive?

I love this website! It makes it easier to help my son complete his required drive times. It is an interactive website in which you access the calendar and choose from available times for your student to arrange required drive times. This way you can see available times and choose one that best fits with your family's schedule.

Did You Know Where to Buy Home Gym Equipment?

Did you know where to buy home gym equipment?

If you just can't get to a gym or don't want to pay a long term gym membership, perhaps you have thought of bringing the gym home. This way you can work out in your own home when you have the time and the price of a home gym will pay for itself in a shorter matter of time. You can do your homework online before purchasing. You can even order online and have it shipped for free.

There really are no more excuses!

Did You Know Wednesday is the Best Day to Ask for a Raise?

Did you know Wednesday is the best day to ask for a raise?

Psychologists have found that Wednesdays are the best days to ask for a raise. Also to give your boss ideas and suggestions, Wednesdays are the days! I guess the middle of the week is a time for a little less stress.

This is what I heard on the radio anyway...

Did You Know You Can Make Your Own Biscuit Mix?

Did you know you can make your own biscuit mix?

For years I used products like Bisquick. But after going to camp for several years where we make our own biscuit mix, I decided it would be better to do that at home. That way I can use better ingredients. For example, I will use unbleached white flour or wheat flour, organic shortening (or at least trans fat free) and aluminum free baking powder. This way I know that the things I am baking for my family are more healthful and I can still have the convenience of using a mix. It's really pretty simple.

Mix 6 cups flour, 3 T baking powder, 1/2 T salt, 3/4 t baking soda. Cut in 1 C shortening. Use as you would Bisquick.

Did You Know It's Hot Out There?

Did you know it's hot out there?!

If you are anywhere near where I live, I am sure you know! And when I am out driving my kids all around to their various activities, I often wish I had a better air conditioner in my car! It is just so hot that it does not cool off fast enough. I don't know if it's because it's old, or because I need a new ac compressor, or because we are nearly at 200,000 miles, but it is HOT out there!!!

Did You Know You Can Pay Anywhere Online Using PayPal?

Did you know you can pay anywhere online using PayPal?

For a long time, I had been wishing this was true. Now it is! PayPal has a new plug in that you can add to your tool bar. You can use this to pay for online purchases, even at places that don't accept PayPal. Using the plug in, PayPal will generate a temporary Mastercard for you to use for your online purchase. It is pretty easy to set up and simple to use. I have used it twice now and love being able to use the funds in my PayPal account rather than having to put the purchases on my credit card. The only problem is now my PayPal funds are getting smaller more quickly!

Did You Know Where to Get Your 5.11 Tactical Gear?

Did you know where to get your 5.11 tactical gear?

What is "tactical" gear anyway? This word has come to be used by military and police clothing manufacturers. It is used to describe clothing that is used to perform or enhance performance during certain maneuvers. It can range from pants, shirts, hats or other equipment to help with such maneuvers. I found such gear available at LA Police Gear. They are offering free shipping, free hat and free knee pads when you buy any two pair of 5.11 tactical pants.

Did You Know Los Angeles Has Voted for a PlasTax?

Did you know Los Angeles has voted for a PlasTax?

Yesterday, Los Angeles city council voted for a Plastic Bag Tax of .25 cents on every shopper who requests to use plastic bags. If this fails, the council will look at banning plastic bags by 2010.

In 2002, Ireland instituted a similar PlasTax . Consumption of plastic bags went down 90% and litter was drastically reduced. Over $9 million dollars was raised from the tax and put into a "green" fund to help the environment.

The purpose however is not to raise money, but to raise awareness of how much we consume and harm our earth each day without even thinking about it. I like the idea. I know it is hard to get into the habit of bringing shopping bags to the store. I forget at times too, especially if it's not the grocery store. Each time I go grocery shopping, I am seeing more and more customers bringing their own bags. I do believe every little bit helps and maybe one day our kids will be the ones who live it as a lifestyle.

Did You Know About Better World Books?

Did you know about Better World Books?

I found this book site last night. I really like what I saw. I love to buy books. I especially love to buy books at bargain prices. When I found good prices at Better World, I was happy. Then I was even happier to find that there are no shipping charges in the U.S! (only $2.97 worldwide!) Then, not only was I happy, I felt good about what I was doing.

See, Better World Books not only provides customers with great books to read, they are doing something to make this a better world for everyone. They provide books to Africa. They donate books and money to other literacy projects as well. They also provide carbon off sets for each item shipped (we're only talking a few cents per book.)

So far, I like everything I've seen about Better World. Stop by and check them out for yourself. Making this a better world is something they are striving to do, one book at a time.

Did You Know About ZenniOptical.com?

Did you know about ZenniOptical.com?

I had seen their website before. In fact, I've written about them before. Recently, some folks saw Zenni on Fox! Zenni is the place to get $8 prescription glasses for the whole family. They have a good selection of frames and lenses. They can have such low prices because they sell only their own manufactured frames directly to the customer, no middleman is involved, with virtually no advertising budget! This is great news for those folks whose kids keep breaking their glasses!

Did You Know We Started Driver's Ed. This Week?

Did you know we started driver's ed this week?

My son started his driver’s ed. class this week. We have decided to put him in a driving school rather than teach him ourselves. (Pretty funny from a homeschool mom!) But since he is no longer homeschooled, we wanted him to be able to complete the course in the summer during school break.

The owner of the driving school is a track coach at another high school and lots of the kids already know him. This put me a little at ease, knowing he has a good rapport with many kids and is used to working with teens. Of course I have my hesitations as well, but overall we are hoping this is a good experience for our son.

The funny thing is that very many of our friends are teaching their kids to drive rather than sending them to a school. The driving school is a lot more expensive, at least double. But I don’t have to keep up with any paperwork, it is a much quicker course, and I think it will be good for him to drive with some other teachers besides just my husband and myself.

Next Monday, my son will be eligible to go and get his permit. Beware the student driver!

Did You Know About Throwing Virtual Rocks?

Did you know about throwing virtual rocks?

Over at Dirty Little Secret , Jerseygirl has been throwing rocks lately. I think this is a healthy way to vent. I am always cranky and I don't have the excuse Jerseygirl has! So today, I thought I'd join Jersey and throw a few rocks at the things that are driving me crazy!

1. My Maytag dishwasher! It is three years old and it's no good! We have to literally wash the dishes before putting them in or they won't get clean. Sometimes we have to re-wash dishes after getting them out, or run the washer twice.

2. My daughter for losing a brand new pair of pants I bought her. She tried them on, and has not been able to find them since!

3. The teens who wrapped and egged my neighbor's yard and house . They won't be home until next week! We are taking care of the house while they are gone. So, guess who got to spend nearly 2 hours cleaning up all the mess!

4. My husband's cold. He has been sick since May. It's not getting much better. And it's developed into bronchitis. He is on an antibiotic and an inhaler.

5. My son's priority list. Maybe one day something else besides basketball will be at the top of his list.

6. My "to do" list. It's pretty long, but nearly all I do is drive my kids around to all their activities! (Though in just a few short years I know it will drive me crazy to sit around wishing I had kids to drive places!)

7. My car. At least my husband fixed the side view mirrors . But I cannot stand having a two door car to tote said kids and their friends around. It is hard for long legged, bulky, sweaty teen aged boys to climb into the back seat!!!

I know that I can continue to add to this list. Maybe I need to make this a regular blog posting...it's a pretty tame way to vent and maybe I'll yell less at the kids, we'll see.

Got any rocks you need to throw??

Did You Know About Bugaboo Stroller?

Did you know about Bugaboo stroller?

I'd not heard of these before. We have lots of new little ones at church, with a few more to come soon. I know that these new moms and dads will have a life changing experience when their new little ones arrive. That is why Bugaboo has designed a stroller with simple design and a sophisticated function. They have become "world renown for rethinking the mobility needs of parents and creating a new breed of stroller that is versatile, streamlined, and has a personality all its own."

Did You Know Botox is Being Used to Treat Tourrettes Symptoms?

Did you know Botox is being used to treat Tourettes symptoms?

My husband was just watching a show about Tourrettes Syndrome. He has a family member who has this, so he is interested. I did not see the show, but did walk through at one point when they were talking about a new technique used in helping to control some of the symptoms. One new thing they are doing is using Botox to help curb the vocal tics. They say this has worked for 80% of patients. The idea is to freeze the vocal cords to impede the message from the brain in reaching it. This is to help cut down on the vocal tics which many Tourrettes patients deal with. For the particular girl on the show, it did not work.

Did You Know About Advantage Rent a Car's Summer Specials?

Did you know about Advantage Rent a Car's summer specials?

As more and more families rethink summer vacation plans, many are choosing to stay closer to home. With gas prices and air fares, many can't afford to do the trips they had dreamed of this summer.

Advantage is trying to help folks get a little more for their money when they are traveling. Many summer specials are being offered on car rental. Many cars start at $20.99 a day. Get a $25 off coupon in Texas (hurry, this only lasts until tomorrow!) Pick up a car in Florida and return it to Chicago O'Hare for only $1 per day. They are even offering 50% off of luxury and convertible cars!

If a car rental is in your summer plans, be sure to check out the summer specials!

Did You Know Easy Ways to Help Children?

Did you know easy ways to help children?

In reviewing a blog I recently came across, it was brought to my attention that there are some other easy ways to help children while surfing online. Two that I recently learned about are very similar. One is Aid to Children . You simply play an online vocabulary game to help make donations to World Vision. The other is like it in that you also play a vocabulary game to help give free rice to children. My son did this as school. It is the Free Rice website. Check them out.

Did You Know About Vessel Sinks?

Did you know about vessel sinks?

I guess I have not really seen these before. They sure are pretty! I love the natural stone and the rustic look. It looks like something I'd see at a nice bed and breakfast. If we ever build a dream house, I may have to look into these vessel sinks. I think they would add a really unique look to any home.

Did You Know How I Think Coffee Drinking is Changing?

Did you know how I think coffee drinking is changing?

I mentioned to a friend how I think that coffee drinking is changing. For example, last week at camp we had more soda drinkers than coffee drinkers. I said we needed to buy less coffee and more sodas. But after re-thinking this, I am not sure that is true. I mean, the teens who were jr. counselors like their coffee too. They were all fond of sporting their bottled Starbucks Frappacinos they brought. So maybe we need to upgrade and bring along a fancy coffee maker like espresso machines!

Did You Know You Can Make Up Your Own Personal Disclosure Policy?

Did you know you can make up your own personal disclosure policy?

When I first started blogging for money, I went to a site and copy and pasted in the disclosure policy for my blogs. However, I had seen some who had made up their own. I did not feel like I could do that at the time, though I could see they were more enjoyable to read. Today, in going through my blogs, I found two that had never had a disclosure policy posted. I know, shame on me, though I do think it's pretty obvious that I have sponsored posts among them, I do still like the fact that I am up front about it. So, in seeing the deficit on those two blogs today, I went ahead and made up my own personal disclosure statements for them. I think they fit in better with the style of the blog itself and it turned out to be pretty easy and more fun too! If you are really bored and want to read these two personal disclosure statements, one is here and the other here .

Did You Know About Research Being Done to Harvest Stem Cells from Women's Menstrual Blood?

Did you know about research being done to harvest stem cells from women's menstrual blood?

I had not heard of this before. I am not sure where the research stands right now, I think it is still pretty new and I don't know whether or not it has been confirmed as of yet. But I do find it very interesting. I am not in favor of abortions, which I think is where most controversy has been aimed over this subject. But harvesting from places like the umbilical cord, placenta and menstrual blood would definitely seem to bring another alternative to the forefront of this controversial subject.

There is a company that is now offering kits for women to collect and send in blood from monthly cycles to be cryo-preserved for potential use in the future. The kits are a bit steeply priced. The company is offering a $300 introductory discount right now, which will make it more feasible for some women.

Although this is new to me, I do find it interesting and I think other women will too. The stem cells from the blood will be preserved in hopes of using them to help treat the woman and her closest genetic kin (parents and children) against diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

You can find more information on this process and read Celle Client Testimonial at the Celle website.

Did You Know Garden Hoses are Not Safe to Drink From?

Did you know garden hoses are not safe to drink from?

Although this is old news, I just heard about it. Last week at camp, some of the counselors filled up an outside water jug with water from a hose. Some other adults said that this is not a safe thing to do. One said the hoses are made from tires, making it unsafe. I looked around and it seems that last summer , people were alerted to this unsafe practice. Not because they are made from tires, but because of the possibility of lead leaching into the water. Some hoses are marked as safe for drinking, and these are ok from which to continue the age old tradition of childhood.

Did You Know How To Cook Paella?

Did you know how to cook paella?

I have never cooked it before. I did not know that you need to have a special pan to make it come out just right. But when I came across this site selling paella pans, I thought I would have to get me a recipe and maybe even a pan! This stuff looks and sounds delicious! There are many recipes, with ingredients including rice, saffron, paprika, olive oil with available fresh meat such as chicken, pork, shrimp, mussels, scallops, crab or fresh vegetables. The special pella pan or rather paella pan, keeps the juices and flavors at the bottom of the dish and helps it to set the traditional crispy, caramelized, toasted bottom. Sounds delicious!

Did You Know About the Novel to Save the World?

Did you know about the novel to save the world ?

I recently found a blog in which the writer is actually in the process of writing a novel with the mission of saving Uganda, Africa! Talk about big plans!! This author has posted each chapter on his blog using a link to the downloaded files. The novel is free to read, but he was smart enough to get it copy righted. You can download chapters 1-10 and then follow the links for the rest of the chapters. There is even a link to donate to World Vision, a well reputed non-profit organization, to help raise money for poor children. (I am not sure if this is linked directly to Uganda or not.)

While I have not read the novel yet, I like this blog's approach. The author sees a need and is doing what is in his power to do. If we all take steps to do what we can to help out our neighbors on this earth, it will be a better place for all of us to live.

Did You Know Buy.com has Weekly Deals?

Did you know Buy.com has weekly deals?

I did not! But now that I know, I may have to check them out regularly. I have bought some speaker headphones from Buy.com, and we are happy with them. My husband knows that I cannot resist looking at a sale, and with these weekly deals, I don't even have to leave the house to find a great deal!

Did You Know How to Make Soda Ice?

Did you know how to make soda ice?

I was reminded of this simple and tasty treat this week. It is a perfect treat for July 4. Pour one 2 liter soda of any flavor along with one can of sweet condensed milk into your ice cream freezer. Mix and freeze as usual. This is so good. Use orange soda for a dream-sicle type treat (my friend likes to add drained, crushed pineapple to hers) or use Coca-Cola for a treat reminiscent of coke icees.

Did You Know About LiveView GPS?

Did you know about LiveView GPS?

I've never used a gps tracking device. On our way to camp last week, my husband was telling me about the time he and some other guys were going to check out the camp and they could not find their way. Two of them were trying to use their GPS devices and my husband was using directions from the internet. After all was said and done, they ended up at some ditch!

On the other hand, I was meeting a friend a couple of weeks ago. She left her house before I got directions to her. She used her GPS device to go directly to our meeting spot, with no problem.

With LiveView, not only can you find your way, but you can locate and track any vehicle in real time. You can be alerted to speeding. There is even a personal tracker available.