A Month of Sicknesses!

Luke started it with the croup. This was the second time this winter that he awakened during the night unable to breathe. This time, however, we had the nebulizer available with the appropriate medicines. The next day I took him to the doctor and he confirmed that Luke had croup once again. He has always had a history of having respiratory illnesses ever since he had RSV at 7 months old.

After Luke returned to health, Brad was knocked down by the flu. Ironically, this is the first year the kids and I have ever had a flu shot! Brad has never had the flu and therefore had never chosen to get a flu shot. After spending almost a week in bed, he has now said that he will be the first in line next year to get his flu shot!

This week, Grant has had a severe sore throat. The sore throat started on Friday and he has missed two days of school already. I don't ever remember seeing Grant cry from being in so much pain. After taking him to two different doctors, he was prescribed an antibiotic for a general throat infection. Two different strep tests came back negative. However, he could have an infection similar to strep without actually having strep throat. Grant slept in again this morning but seems to be doing much better and was even able to eat breakfast this morning. This is major progress! I will be taking him to school even if he is a little tardy.

We are hoping that this will bring an end to all the sicknesses in our home for a while. We are definitely ready for warmer weather and better health!

Martina McBride
 
More CMT Music
 
More CMT Music Videos

"Reward" Yourself During Tough Economic Times

We are a one income family with many expenses, just like most people. However, I feel that by being involved with certain reward programs, we are able to reap many benefits! Let me show you how you can do it too . . .

Our family of five enjoys going out to eat, but I can't say that we are eating out any less during these tough economic times. We've always pinched pennies when dining out anyway. First of all, we only go out to eat once a week as a family, usually after church on Sundays. I cook simple meals throughout the week and Sunday is my "day of rest". We used to get those free or reduced priced kids meals at restaurants. That no longer works for us since Grant is 12 and Sydney is 10. Luke, age 6, still eats like a mouse so he's not even an issue.

So what do we do?? First of all, we order waters to drink, and I'm not talking about the bottled waters which cost more than a soda. We have figured that we save at least $10 each time we go out to eat just by drinking water. Water isn't necessarily a favorite of mine. However, when you consider that restaurants charge as much for one soft drink as the price of a two liter soda, it makes you think!

Secondly, I love my Citibank PremierPass Mastercard (www.citicards.com) because of the rewards I get through the program. Our family has been using this card for two years. Now I wouldn't necessarily recommend getting a credit card to just anyone. It is a definite responsibility and can get many people in trouble. However, this is a card which we choose to charge our expenses on each month, and we pay it off as we go. We charge everything from groceries to doctor's visits to cell phone expenses each month. Again, I want to emphasize that we stay on top of things and pay off these expenses as they occur! I would NEVER encourage anyone to maintain balances and end up paying interest charges as well. We are able to maintain a zero balance and reap dining benefits and other rewards at the same time.

Here is an example of some of the benefits we have received this year just for using our card. Last July, I was able to fly to the Uppercase Living Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota for FREE. This past November, I redeemed some of my points for a $50 JCPenney gift card, a $25 Olive Garden gift card and a $25 Chili's gift card. In January, I redeemed more points for a $100 Macaroni Grill gift card, a $100 Chili's gift card, a $50 Olive Garden gift card, a $25 Starbuck's gift card and a $100 Bed Bath and Beyond gift card (which I will be putting toward new kitchen knives). I still have many more points left to use right now and I'm constantly putting them to good use. Not bad for a $75 yearly fee!! All rewards are usually received within a week to two weeks period of time.

Since 2003, I have also been a member of MyPoints (www.mypoints.com) in which I receive similar types of rewards. When shopping online, I make sure to login to MyPoints first and I receive points for my purchases. Once the points add up to the amount I need for a reward, I redeem them. I will warn you that MyPoints also sends advertisements through your email. However, it takes me no more than 15 seconds to click on the offer and receive a few points to add to my account. Again, I have redeemed many rewards for Amazon.com gift cards, restaurant gift cards and others! Of course, I also receive points for referring others to the program so please contact me at writeonthewall@yahoo.com for an invite!

If you are considering ways to cut back expenses or pamper yourself with simple luxuries during tough economic times, I hope these simple ideas will help.

This article was forwarded to me in an email and I found it to be so interesting. Another reason I feel so blessed to live during this time. However, I feel that some of the same advantages we have in this century could also be viewed as DISadvantages.

THE YEAR 1908

This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine!
The year is 1908.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1908 :

************ ********* ********* ******

The average life expectancy was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles
Of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in 1908 was 22 cents per hour.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which
Were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used
Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from
Entering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas , Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea
hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health'
Eighteen percent of households had at least
one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE ! U.S.A. !
Now I forwarded this from someone else without typing
It myself, and sent it to you and others all over Canada & U.S.A
Possibly the world, in a matter of seconds!
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

IT STAGGERS THE MIND

A Summary of Our 2008 . . . .

Instead of sending out a Christmas letter this year, I decided that I would actually take the time to update my blog with the highlights of our year. Of course, we started out 2008 in Connecticut. This was our second year there and although it is a beautiful state, it sure does get cold!

Grant and Sydney enjoyed taking skiing and snowboarding lessons at the beginning of the year at a ski resort only 15 minutes from our home in Connecticut. Although Luke would have loved to do the same, he was still to young for the lessons which they took. Grant played basketball with a school team for the first time. He LOVED playing basketball even though he has lots of learning to do. Grant and Sydney were both involved with the student council at their 100 student school (K-6th grade). Sydney participated in girl scouts as well as karate.

After finishing up their school year in June, we drove all the way from Connecticut to Myrtle Beach, SC to meet my dad and stepmom, my brother and his 6 year old daughter, and my sister, her husband and their almost two year old son. Talk about a drive which we never wanted to do again! Our trip was a week long and my main objective was to have family pictures taken on the beach. I have always loved the ocean and it's where I feel closest to God. There is something so powerful and peaceful about seeing how far the ocean spreads and listening to the crashing waves. So . . . my dream came true and we had some pictures taken at Myrtle Beach by Kara Stovall. I really liked the way most of them turned out, although I regret not having certain others taken during this time.
Not long after we got back from Myrtle Beach, I went to the Uppercase Living convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was great getting the sneak peak into all of the positive changes which were taking place with Uppercase Living. It was fun getting to meet several demonstrators whom I had only had contact with online!The biggest news of this year is that we made a major move from Connecticut to Tennessee, my home state. Yippee!! Of course, we were sad to leave all of our new friends in Connecticut, but we are so happy to be back in the south. Brad is loving his job here in Tennessee. He especially loves the fact that he is only ten minutes from work. The kids have started making friends and have already found extracurricular activies to be involved in. Grant is playing basketball again through the church we have joined, Sydney is on the spirit squad at school and Luke will be starting Upward basketball soon as well. the kids have all adjusted really well and seem to be doing great in their new schools. As for me, I have been busier in the last three months than I was for the entire two years we were in Connecticut. Shortly after moving here, God blessed me with a wonderful Christian friend who shares many of my thoughts and beliefs. Since then, I have met several other wonderful ladies and have started developing relationships with them. I have joined a local recreation center and exercise three to four times a week. I really enjoy the aerobics, the spin (cycling) classes and even Zumba. I have been able to get involved with a Bunco group and have started studying Moses in Bible Study Fellowship. I have even gone on a scrapbooking retreat. So . . . as you can see, I've been really busy -- but I'm loving it!

Most recently, we got Grant his "own" dog. JoJo is a black miniature schnauzer and has really won all of our hearts. JoJo is as sweet as she can be but she can be quite vocal and energetic, of course. Bandit, our nine year old shih-tzu has finally started to tolerate her and I think they will eventually be friends. Right now, however, it is like a little kid wanting to play with a cranky old man.

Unfortunately, we also had to say a sad goodbye to Sydney's little guinea pig, Coconut. Coconut had come into our lives back in January along with Luke's guinea pig, Lizzy. Coconut developed an upper respiratory infection shortly after we moved here and although we had tried to fight it with antibiotics, she only went downhill. When we discovered that she had pneumonia and it would be unlikely that she would recover, we made the tough decision to have her put down. Sydney, of course, was extremely brokenhearted and decided to get a new guinea pig whom she named Peekaboo. Peekaboo is only two months old and is a very vocal little friend for Sydney.

Our family spent Thanksgiving with Brad's family and we are looking forward to seeing my family during the Christmas holidays. We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family, good health, a nice home and so many friends. We look forward to the year 2009 and all it holds in store for us!

Getting ready for Thanksgiving . . .

I love being a stay at home mom! Today, I was able to go spend the morning with Luke and his first grade classmates. They were celebrating with Thanksgiving festivities. The kids rotated between classrooms learning how to weave, making "pumpkin pie" with vanilla pudding, pumpkin in a can, graham crackers and whipped cream, making Native American drums, using Native American symbols on writing, etc. The kids had a great time and learned a lot about Pilgrims and the first Native Americans. This is a picture of my little pilgrim.

We have a new puppy!

Although we have an 8 year old shih-tzu, the kids claim he is mine. Bandit follows me around everywhere and seems to only obey me. Sydney and Luke had acquired new guinea pigs (Coconut and Lizzie) earlier this year and have thoroughly enjoyed them. They are by far some of the easiest pets we've ever had. Of course, Grant has been asking for "his own" pet for some time now as well. We finally broke this past weekend and purchased a solid black miniature schnauzer after getting good reviews from both my aunt and several websites. The new puppy's name is Jo-Jo (she received her name from both my sister and my mother's middle names LOL) and she has been a joy thus far. Only three small accidents in the house (and it was really our own faults). These dogs are supposed to be some of the easiest to housebreak and I'm impressed already. They also do not shed which was another plus in our minds. Here is a picture of Jo-Jo and Grant.