Cute Cake Decorating

The countdown has begun and summer vacation is definitely around the corner. While children can’t wait for the last day of school, many parents are concerned with finding enough things to keep their kids busy all summer. There are of course the summer camping trips, family reunions and a few trips to the beach, but what about the rest of the time? What can you do to keep them stimulated and busy?

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Today I took time to sit and meditate.  I sat on a park bench amidst some beautiful flowers.  I listened to the birds singing.  It was lovely.  Well, until I snapped out of it by the ring of my cell phone.

Our lives function with the assistance of technology.  This technology is wonderful.  Computers at home, copy machines at the office, GPS in the car, and mp3 players between them all.  These instruments are great up to the point that they aren’t interrupting.

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No matter where you look these days, you’re bound to see a computer nearby. People use them at the office, they take them to school, they surf on them in coffee shops, and even use them to entertain restless children. They are simply everywhere. A good portion of our lives are stored, shared and displayed through the use of computers. With so much of our lives trapped in a small man made box with wires, a battery and some computer parts I know nothing about, it’s no wonder people are worried about losing information stored in computers, and what might happen if their computer crashes and all the information is lost forever.

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Canine Buddies

There are currently nearly 80 million pet dogs in the United States.  Thirty nine percent of households own at least one dog.  With so many of us owning dogs, why is it so difficult to answer the question, “Why do you love your dog?”  In my case, I love their loyalty, companionship, and playfulness.  I love coming home to their wagging tails and wet kisses!  I love how they tolerate playing dress-up with my daughter.  They also great to take along on a hike or use as jogging partners.  At night, they are my watchmen.  In the morning they are my alarm clock.  They are so many different things to our family, it’s hard to imagine life without them.

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Not too long ago, you would pass someone in the store, see them in a restaurant or meet them in a college class and feel right away that you wanted to get to know them better. There was just something in the way they looked, or how they spoke that was intriguing to you. Slowly you would get up the courage to approach them and find some way to strike up a conversation, hoping they would find you charming or interesting. If this initial meeting went well, dates would follow and a relationship might form. For thousands of years people having been meeting this way, but not anymore.

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Unlimited Choices from Netflix

A few years ago my husband and I moved to a new state and lived with a family friend for about 9 months. She had one small TV with about 4 local channels to choose from.  By the time we moved to our new home, we were used to watching barely, if any, TV, and only an occasional movie. We decided to get just a small TV and use it to watch only movies. We realized that following regular TV shows was no longer something we needed, and having a 2 year old, we were aware of the negative things she could see on TV and in commercials. It was around this time we decided to get Netflix so we could have access to movies and TV shows to watch whenever we wanted. That was four years ago and today we are enjoying our Netflix membership even more.  Here are ten reasons why I love Neftlix:

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Ipod

My husband is an electronics junkie!  GPS, laptops, cameras, watches, music players, whatever it is, he loves it!  When a new device comes out he has to get his hands on it and knows all the specs and such.  I, on the other hand, do not share his enthusiasm for electronics.  I am more old-school.  However, I do recognize that electronics have helped my life in many ways.  I use my GPS when driving around town.  I am typing on my laptop while at the library right now.  One of my favorite devices is my ipod.  It goes with me in the car, jogging, and many more places.  The ipod is something that has truly filled a niche that I didn’t know existed.

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Building a Raised Garden

After about a year and a half of marriage, my husband and I bought our first house. We were very excited to update the paint, flooring, landscaping, appliances and wall coverings, but we didn’t know where to begin. Our first big project was re-painting our dining room, which turned out pretty well. We stripped the wallpaper off, painted the walls a straw color, then smeared stain around with cloths to give it an old Latin flair. We were so proud of ourselves, we couldn’t wait to start another project. Unfortunately, not all the projects we did went as smoothly, and we soon learned to seek out expert advice to help us avoid pitfalls along the way.

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Personal computers are everywhere.  They are in our home offices, kitchens, cars, workplaces, phones, and even in our children’s toy boxes.  The utility they offer seems limitless.  When I think of my daily activities and the assistance that computers give me I am in awe.  I really don’t know how we got along without them.  Over the years I have owned several types of computers, between desktop and laptop computers.  My laptop has become my personal assistant.  I take it everywhere.  Sony offers a great line of laptops.  Their customizable series is my favorite.  At 13.3″ it is the perfect size.  It is small enough to take with me while offering a screen large enough for my daughter to watch a movie on.  Sony’s shopping process makes it easy to choose exactly what I want and upgrade whatever features I need.  Their battery life is incredible also.  I have included a link to a coupon for Sony.  I highly recommend checking it out!

Fun at the Beach!

I don’t know about you, but it seems like spring is taking a while to show up and that makes summer seem even farther away. Right around this time of year I start to get really antsy for bike rides, hikes, wearing flip flops and feeling the warm sun on my face. I know summer will be here in a few short months, but at this moment in time, it feels like that day will never come.  So, what’s a girl to do with this type of a quandary? I think the only rational response is to sneak in a mini spring vacation that will give you just enough incentive to hold out a little longer until summer arrives.

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