HULA HOOPING FOR FITNESS!

Today is the day that....I decided to start hula hooping for exercise.  I've been thinking about it for awhile since I have seen it becoming more and more popular.  I've seen it on Ellen and Oprah but more and more people are getting into "hoop dancing" check out Rachel Lust on YouTube that girl is AMAZING!!!!  Now I'm not looking to do all of that, I just know that I'm at a point where I need to start doing some sort of exercise that I don't feel is boring or something where I will hurt myself.  

So a few weeks ago Brian's Aunt Geri who is a hoop instructor was having a Grand Re-Opening of her business aRoundJoy The HoopShack extended an invite for me to come.  So I went yesterday and had a great time!  Let me tell you the last time I hooped for real I was about 10 years old and I'm thinking this can't be too hard.  Man it is more work than you think. And I was a little scared about going because number one of my size, and number two didn't want to be embarrassed of how I would look hooping.  Everybody there made me feel so comfortable and actually gave me tips and cheered me on while I hooped for the short 5 or 6 seconds at a time that I could.   I was glad that I went.  Not only did I meet some pretty awesome people but every one of the people that were hoopers told me they don't know what their life would be like without their hoop.  I guess it is just like someone who loves to run and can't imagine going one day without jogging.  Now that is dedication to doing something you love!

Then after the event was over, Aunt Geri gave me some one on one tips to help me get started, gave me a wealth of information about posture and how to keep the hoop up.  So I think that this is going to be something I will be able to keep up for a while.  Last night my body was a little sore and today it was REALLY sore but I did some stretching and hooped for as long as I could which was about 15 minutes and I danced for about 10 minutes.  But that's good for someone who pretty much does no exercise.  And boy did I break a sweat big time!

So if you are interested and want to know what it is all about check out her web page at www.aroundjoy.com and if you have questions give her a call I know she will be happy to answer any question you may have.  

I haven't been blogging often lately but will type up a quick blog just to let you know how hooping is going for me.  By the way the picture up top are my hoops!  Aren't they bee-yoo-tee-ful????  Ha ha ha!

Well until next time....

MOTIVATION...HOW DO YOU GET IT? DO YOU ALREADY HAVE IT?

THIS is the day that.....I've been reflecting on the word motivation.  

This is something that I have lost over the last few months I think....when you look up the word motivation on Wikipedia (I love Wiki) it says:

Motivation is the driving force that causes the change from desire to trying to achieve in life. For example, hunger is a motivation that induces a desire to eat.

Motivation has been shown to have roots in physiological, behavioral, cognitive, and social areas. Motivation may be rooted in a basic impulse to optimize well-being, minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure. It can also originate from specific physical needs such as eating, sleeping or resting, and sex.

Motivation is an inner drive to behave or act in a certain manner. These inner conditions such as wishes, desires and goals, activate to move in a particular direction in behavior.

Then I think to myself so does lack of motivation mean a person stops trying to achieve things in life?  What if certain life circumstances prevent a person from achieving goals does that mean they lack motivation?  I have a very hard time believing that yet it is easier said than done.  

I have so many ideas running in my head at all times (don't try to get in my head because you don't even want to be there) so many things I want to do, see, buy and achieve.  Yet when I really get down to wanting to start a project or a goal.....I never seem to start it and then get mad at myself because I never finished it.  

So the whole point of this post is how do you get motivated?  Or do you already have it?  I have heard it is within everyone so how do you ignite it or get it going or whatever you want to call it?  So many people have goals in life, some want to lose weight, exercise, eat healthier, get a new job, buy a new car,  go back to school for a new career and never do it and then complain that they weren't able to do it because of lack of motivation or determination.  Now determination is a whole different chapter in the book.

So if it is an inner drive allowing motivation to happen, then what starts the inner drive?  So many questions and hard to answer.  That is something to think about.

Well until next time....

MY SPACATION AT SPA CASTLE!

THIS Is The Day That..... I write about when I did a spa day for myself. Now before I start this was a unique experience for me. Not anything I thought I would be comfortable with but was. This little piece of heaven is located in Carrollton TX and I cannot wait until I get the chance to go back.

The first thing you do is check in and it costs $35.00 for 24 hours. You are given a wristband with a number. You walk into the first locker area and place your shoes in your assigned locker then proceed to the next counter where you are given a uniform that you wear in the establishment.

This spa is pretty much like a Korean bath house and if you don't know what that is see what I found on Wikipedia below:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jjimjilbang

A Jjimjilbang (Hangul: 찜질방; hanja: -房) is a large, gender-segregated public bathhouse in Korea, furnished with hot tubs, showers, Korean traditional kiln saunas and massage tables. Jjimjil is derived from the words meaning heated bath. However, in other areas of the building or on other floors there are unisex areas, usually with a snack bar, ondol-heated floor for lounging and sleeping, wide-screen TVs, exercise rooms, ice rooms, heated salt rooms, PC bang, noraebang, and sleeping quarters with either bunk beds or sleeping mats. Many of the sleeping rooms can have themes or elements to them. Usually Jjimjilbangs will have various rooms with different temperatures to suit guests' preferred relaxing temperatures. The walls are decorated with different woods, minerals, crystals, stones, and metals. This is to make the ambient mood and smell more natural. Often the elements used have traditional Korean medicinal purposes in the various rooms.

And that is exactly what it was like. On the first floor it was segregated by gender where you scrub your body down before you get into the mineral bath or sauna. Now if you are shy then being on the first floor is not for you but let me tell you NOBODY CARES ABOUT LOOKING AT YOU!! And if you can get that through your head then you will be able to enjoy those hot water tubs with jets. If that is not for you then I suggest you venture to other areas of the place. And to the idiots who were wearing bathing suits in the tubs and to the other idiots taking pictures in that area need to learn how to have respect for other people. Is it pretty down there?? Yes it is.....but did you even think that people who are not dressed may be captured in your photo that you are probably going to post on Facebook?? Oh and read the GIGANTIC signs telling you NO bathing suits in tubs and no cameras in the tub area. But the situation was taken care of.

The other area on the first floor is the pool area that has an aqua bar, pool, hot tub and a small lazy river section in the pool. Second floor they have various sauna rooms, ice room, sleeping areas, massage room, infra-red lounge area (aka french fry lights), nail/facial salon, sushi bar, juice bar, and a quiet sleeping room. Third floor has another Korean restaurant and an area where you can relax and watch movies as well as a fitness center. Top floor has a club/bar up there. I'm sure that I am forgetting something but the experience was great, the people were awesome and the sushi was great. Although next time I'm going to the Korean restaurant. My friend went there and had a smorgasbord for less than I paid for two rolls of sushi.

All in all my experience there was relaxing and awesome since I don't treat myself to anything like that normally. But I felt it was something that was okay this time. But I would definitely recommend this place even if you don't do everything there. Oh yeah they have rooms that you can pay for there and spend the night there. So if you have a significant other and want to do a spa weekend together this is the place to go!

Well until next time....

DOES THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY WANT MY BLOOD TOO?

This is the day that I blog about my experience getting my driver's license transferred to Texas.  Having lived in three states I've had to deal with the Department of Moter Vehicles (NJ), and the Registry of Motor Vehicles (MA) which they are never pleasant experiences.

So shortly after I get to Texas,  I'm going to purchase a car. YAY! But then I find out that the guy says he can't sell me a car if I don't have a Texas driver's license. BOO! I'm thinking that is the craziest thing I've heard but I did some research and it is true. But you know what.... If I paid cash for the car, I would need NO license or insurance. They pretty much wouldn't care so I was upset about that. Now I have to take the day off from work (which I just started) because I know if is going to be a long ordeal.

I get up early so I can be the first few in line but these Texas people are early risers and there are about 40 people waiting outside. So I stand outside in the freezing cold for 30 minutes and finally get inside to warmth! I tell the lady that is checking me in and she asks if I have all of my paperwork. I tell her yes I had my driver's license, birth certificate, copy of my lease, copy of my renters insurance policy, and my original as well as my new social security card. She looks at me and says "oh you're married?" I told her yes and then she says "we need a copy of your marriage certificate so we can see where your married name originated from." Really? I've never heard of such a thing. So I go BACK home to get my marriage certificate then go back to the DPS.

Now I stand in the freezing cold for another 45 MINUTES! And finally get inside...ah the warmth again, I get a seat and have to wait for 2 1/2 hours before I get called. I go up to the counter and hand her all of my documentation and say you guys need a lot of proof of my identity do you need blood too? She just laughed and starts going through everything, gets to my birth certificate, flips it back and forth and says "this is not a birth certificate we can't accept this."  I can feel the anger and irritation rise within me and tell her that is all I have and it was good enough for the state of Massachusetts as well as Texas the last time I was in Texas. Then this lady has the nerve to point out that they still have my current Texas drivers license in the system under my maiden name and it doesn't expire until 2016.  I'm thinking then why are we having this issue? And why can't I just show you my social security card and marriage certificate to get my old driver's license changed?

She now has to go to her supervisor to see if it is OKAY. While she was gone I'm standing there thinking if they tell me I can't have my license then I'm gonna snap and they are going to have to deal with a very angry black woman. But lucky for her everything was okay and she proceeds with processing my license and I get my temporary one. Yahoo!

So 5 HOURS later I head off to the car dealership to get a car. And after being at thr dealership for 2 1/2 hours, I did and now I'm happy.  The last thing I have to complete is wait for my stuff to get here which the movers say should be next week then I can start getting settled. Because of the crazy weather in the Northeast as well as across the county, things have been delayed.  So we are still sleeping on the floor with air mats and an air mattress. I will be so happy to sleep in my bed when it gets here.....no bed since February 18th and counting.   UGH.....

Well until next time....

TRYING TO SETTLE IN

THIS is the day that I'm reflecting on everything that has happened the last couple of weeks. It is Saturday morning, the husband is asleep and Zoey is just sitting here grooming herself. I'm thinking to myself.....do you hear that? And what is it I hear? NOTHING! Peace and quiet! Just having this moment to where I can just relax (even though we have no furniture yet and are camping in our apartment) and do nothing is the best feeling in the world.

I have been burning at both ends since the 14th of February with no breaks between. And it just feels good to sit here and have absolutely nothing to do.  And you know what for the moment I'm just going to enjoy it. This is what I have been needing for a long time and it is a great feeling!

I will have to say this relocation to Texas has been awful....there were so many challenges that I've had to deal with and I thought I was going to break. If I didn't have the most supportive family, my East Church family in Milton and friends I really would have. The encouragement, love and amazing amount of support has been so overwhelming and it has made me think I am SO LUCKY AND BLESSED to have each and every one of these people in my life.

And people who say Google+ and Facebook are a waste of time makes me know that it is not after this rotten moving experience.  The support, positive vibes, messages and words of encouragement have either come from people I have never met in person or people I don't really talk to very often.  It has been very overwhelming....but in a good way!

I have never taken anything for granted and this move has shown me that I shouldn't take the people for granted who have been there when times are really tough.  You truly do know who your true friends are when you really need help and who will step up to the plate when that time comes.

This blog is dedicated to ALL of the people in my life who has made an impact....no matter how small they think their contribution is.  You all have NO idea how much the presence in my life means to me and you all know who you are.  I love each and every one of you and I just want to say THANK YOU for being there for me and my husband and being part of our lives. And THANK YOU for helping make me see that everything is going to work out and be okay.

Well until next time....

FIRST DAY ON THE NEW JOB!

THIS is the day that.....I start a new job. This is something that I never thought I would be doing.  Leaving a job after almost 20 years is never an easy thing to do. Starting a new job after being at another one for almost 20 years is even harder.

So I get to work early but I sit in the car  because I don't want to be a goody goody by going in too early. So I finally went in and was so nervous.  I was greeted by hugs and smiles and that was very welcoming and made me feel at ease. And I'm thinking that this will be a good experience.

I had a great day! Everybody was very nice, the office is nice and I got a coupon for a free breakfast taco at the deli. Maybe I will use it one day this week.

Oh and a bonus they took me out to lunch and where did we go? To El Fenix which is my favorite place to go! I love their chips!

I was so grateful for the day although I think I may have fell asleep briefly during training. Ha ha ha!

This is going to be a good experience and everyone is so laid back in the office. So that is awesome!

Well until next time....

TRAVEL LOG TO TEXAS - DAY THREE

THIS is the day that....we got up early to complete the last stretch of driving. We have about 16 hours to go and we need to be in Texas TODAY!

We get on the road early and when we got to Arkansas I was thinking we are in the home stretch not much further. But it was still a long way off! Listening to the GPS mile after mile and it seems like it is never ending and that we are not going to get there in time.  This makes me nervous because the main thing that is on my mind is I have to be at work.

So we cross the border into Texas and I'm like YAY! Then I see a sign for Texarkana and we have 200 miles to go! Are you kidding me?????? So I'm thinking.....okay we are in Texas so we can do this. 

We reach our final destination around 11:38pm. Unload some things out of the mini van and spend some time with DaShonda (my friend who is a life saver by letting us stay with her until our place is ready) before I go to sleep.  I finally get into bed around 12:38am.  Why is it I get up at 4:45am?

So tired but we made it and drove 1,823 miles in 3 days.

Well until next time....

TRAVEL LOG TO TEXAS - DAY TWO

THIS is the day that.....I'm taking time to blog about our trip yesterday while my husband is driving.

We got on the road about 9:00am. My mother told me last night that we have to do better than that and should be like my father. When we were kids my father used to wake us up at 2:00am to be on the road by 3:00am. Well that's not happening I am a morning person however my husband is not.  But we clocked a little over 700 miles yesterday so that's good. We drove through Connecticut, parts of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and almost all the way through Virginia. So that is not bad in a day of driving.

Our meals has consisted of gas station food, McDonald's, Subway and whatever the hotels have had for breakfast. I'm looking forward to real food when I get to Texas.

On a side note.....Zoey has still been awesome during this trip....she has slept most of the time and gets excited when she can stretch her little legs for the breaks.

Driving through Virginia was beautiful but I wish it were summer because it is probably even more beautiful with trees covered with leaves.

I guess will end for now...we have to haul butt to Texas as I have to report to work at 8:00am!

Well until next time......

TRAVEL LOG TO TEXAS - DAY ONE

THIS is the day that....I'm up early thinking about yesterday. Was it a day of mishaps? Maybe but it depends on how you look at it.

First we got up preparing for the day with the apartment looking like a tornado hit it. My husband is calm as a cucumber as I'm thinking there is NO way we are going to get this done by 10:30am. Well we didn't and I asked ifthe landlord could come back in an hour. He said he couldn't but he would come later that day. I wanted to be there for the walk through because you know how landlords try to scam people. But in this case we had no choice. My job start date has moved up to Monday so we have to get to Texas.....by SUNDAY!  YIKES!!!!

So we continue to pack the van and it is filling up quickly. So now the decision is that we have to start throwing MORE stuff away.  My anxiety levels are rising as this is the stuff I really really wanted to keep and I just had to let go.  I guess in the end it is materialistic things and I can always replace them.

It is about 2:00pm by the time we finished and I wanted to be on the road at least 2 hours ago. Thank goodness it isn't snowing but when we got to Rhode Island we hit a lot of traffic and there was a lot of fog! So we drive and drive and drive I'm thinking we are on the road for 6 hours and I look at the clock and it has only been 3 HOURS!  I want to keep driving but my husband thinks it is a better idea to pull over for the night but I think we should continue driving for as long as we can. Now we are driving through heavy rain which slows us down and then we hit rush hour traffic in Stamford Connecticut. Which led me to wave the white flag and give in to my husband's suggestion of pulling over for the night.

Through all of this Zoey has been a trooper....she just laid on the floor the whole time not complaining at all. Husband slept although he said I woke him up when I was singing Nights on Broadway along with the Bee Gees. Pfffffpt.....he doesn't know what he is talking about he was snoring. Or does he because I WAS listening to that song.

So that was our day yesterday, the van is packed to the limit but we will be chugging along shortly. We are enjoying the wonderful lame ass continental breakfast....my husband's words (well I am) before we pack the van and head out.

Before we came into the hotel last night I checked the odometer thinking we had driven a loooooonnnnng way and we haven't even driven 160 miles yet. Sigh
.....we have a very long way to go.  I thought we would have been near Maryland or something by now. Oh well...

Texas....here we come whoo hoo!

Well....until next time

CHANGES...CHANGES....AND MORE CHANGES...

This is the day that.....I have made several changes to my blog.  I have changed the name from To Boston and Beyond....to THIS Is The Day That....
Why have I changed the blog name do you ask????  Well first I haven't done much with the blog since last September and it just became stale.  So I figure a new look, new name, new URL and it will motivate me to keep blogging. And besides...it is time for a change I think.

Not only have I changed the look and name of the blog, there are a lot of changes that are going on in my life.  One major change is I have left my job and I'm moving back to Texas for another job.  I think this is going to be a good move not only for me...but for my family.  And who would have thought that I would have left my job after almost 20 years?  Not me....but I took the chance and I'm going to do it.

I know...I know...I swore that I would never move again but hey things "change" right?  But I do have to admit that after this move I really don't think I will be moving for a while.  And this time I mean it....this time the move has not been as smooth as expected.  There have been several mishaps, extra expenses and it is a little stressful with only two more days to go.

I sort of had a meltdown today and had to call my mother.  After I got off the phone with her I did feel better but still overwhelmed.  I do feel that after all of this everything will work out and be what I want it to be in the end.  My friend Brian told me one day....think of this as if you are having a baby, you have to go through all of the labor pains, it's so painful, you may be miserable and you may poop on yourself but once the baby is born everything is okay and you will be happy.  I just love how he makes me laugh when he comes up with these things.  Ha ha!

With this change in my life also comes some sadness, I will be leaving friends that I have met here as well as a church that I had become a major part of over the last few years.  I have connected with some amazing people while I have been here in the Boston area and I am so sad to have to say good bye to them.  I also met my husband here on the subway on the Red Line, so that is another wonderful thing that has happened to me here.  But man this weather up here is for the birds!  I'm so done with the cold....and I try not to complain because I do live in the New England area but it has been cold here since OCTOBER!!!!!  I'm ready to leave this.  It is kind of ironic that I will be starting my new job almost exactly the same date that I started working here in Boston. 

Bring on the warmer weather!!!!  I'm not looking forward to the drive it will be a long one.  But I'm sure I'm going to have A LOT to blog about for this road trip.  I think this will be our "vacation" this year so we better make it a good one!

Well until next time....

TEXT MESSAGE LINGO.....I DON'T GET IT!

Okay....anyone who knows me knows that I am on my phone pretty much 90% of the time.  I do prefer to text instead of talking on the phone.  (Yes...I'm one of THOSE people!) But of course the younger generation has their own way of communicating these days with abbreviations.  

I see some of them on Facebook or with my younger friends and nieces when we text message.  First I think to myself what does that mean...then I have to "Google it" so I know what the heck they are talking about.  Then I reply back like they think I knew what they were saying in the first place.  HA HA HA HA!!!!

But here is a list of ones that I didn't know about but found funny:

Coo = Cool ( When I think of that word I think of a bird "cooing")
Gerd = Oh my God (What happened to OMG?)
HMU = Hit me up (Makes sense to me)
WBU = What about you
KK = OK (What too lazy to type an O?)
KMSL = Killing myself laughing
LOLZ = Laughing out loud (Another version)
TBH = To be honest (I just was wondering what this meant today)
W/E = Whatever
BISLY = But I still love you
O RLY = Oh really
MEGO = My eyes glaze over (There were times I could have used this one!)
MTFBWY = May the force be with you (People actually use this?????)
TTT = To the top 
YMMV = Your mileage may vary (Okay.....is this what childhood predators use in chat rooms?)

So there you have it....hopefully this helps you having more knowledge about abbreviated texts and if you are embarrassed to ask.  And if there is anything else that you are questioning here is a link http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/internetglossary/tp/The-Top-Text-Message-Acronyms-of-2011.htm it will help you alot.

Well until next time....

SEE ME, HEAR ME AND SPEAK

Am I blind?
I don't think so
I see what you see but
I see things differently

Does that make me wrong?
NO
Does that make you wrong?
NO
We just see things differently

Am I deaf?
I don't think so
I hear what you hear but
I just hear different words

Does that make me wrong?
NO
Does that make you wrong?
NO
We just heard thing differently

Am I mute?
I don't think so
I speak what's on my mind
And you speak yours

Does that make me wrong?
NO
Does that make you wrong?
NO
We just express ourselves differently

We are different
The world is made up of different people
Different views
Different minds
Different words

Embrace all
Hear, see and speak

Hear me, see me and speak

Stephenie Birmingham~ 2013

Well until next time....

FROST ICE BAR - BOSTON

So look at what we have coming to the Boston area....an ice bar.  Now I've heard of ice bars before and thought it was a nifty concept.  The first time I have ever heard about this was when Norweigan Cruise Lines debuted their newest cruise ship called Epic in 2010.  I remember thinking wow...what a neat thing...your drink will NEVER get warm!

Now on a cruise ship it might be a novelty...but in Boston where we tend to have some pretty harsh winters?  This may be something tourists may want to do which this is good in the summer...but Boston does not have a lot of tourists in the winter.  But here are some of the features of this new location:

• General admission:  $18.99
• Alcoholic drinks:  $ 11.00  (with no garnishes)
• Non-alcoholic drinks: $ 6.00
• Insulated capes and gloves provided
• Amazing ice sculptures and furniture

When you first walk in you will be in a room where the temperature is 38 degrees.  This then prepares you when you actually enter the bar at a temperature of 21 degrees.  Brrrrrrrr!!!!  

So this is neat but the there are two negative things...in my opinion which are:

• Groups are taken in every 15 minutes and can only say 45 minutes
• NOOOOOOO FOOOOOOOD!!!!!

Okay I can understand the time limit of you having to be in there since it is so cold.  I mean honestly I would not be able to stay the 45 minutes.  But there is no food!  You know how many foodies there are out there?  Well this is NOT the place for you if you want to eat.  But I can also understand that because everything would probably freeze.  

The bar is located in Faneuil Hall Marketplace...and for the foodies, there is plenty of food around that area so you will be just fine.  Would I go here....probably just for the experience but I would be curious to see how this bar does during the winter months here.

Well until next time....

I'M NOT DOING THE SAFETY BOUNCE ON THE T!

Watch this video.....I have nothing else to say.

Well until next time....

DNA TESTING ON YOUR DOG POOP?????

Okay....so this past week I saw this article in the Metro.  I'm all for people being fined if they don't pick up after their dog.  But there is this condominium community where all dogs have their poop tested for their DNA.  That way if an owner doesn't pick up after their dog, they send it to this company to find out what the DNA is and which dog this poop belongs to.  Then the owner gets fined....are you kidding me??????

What this place needs to do is hire a company that picks up and removes dog poop that is not picked up.  Then any owner needs to pay a small fee that would cover the service per month.  That way you don't have to go through all of this.  

I don't know about anyone else but I would seriously think about moving into a place that does this. And boy do I feel sorry for the people who own the condo and are stuck. I mean we always pick up after our dog here but really? Dog poop DNA????  Wow!

Well until next time....

I AM ME!

I normally don't write poetry because my brother has always been the poet and writer in the family.  But for some reason these words have been rumbling through my head so I decided to write them down.  This is rough so it's not perfect.

So here we go...

I AM ME

I am me
I can only be me because I am who I am
I cannot be who or how you want me to be
Because I am me

I tried to conform or do things 
as people expect them to be
But in the end I am still me
Thinking being like someone else
Trying to live their life
Want their things and do what they do
But I can't
Because I am me

I'm not perfect and never claimed to be
But I know I have a good heart, mind and soul
Because I am me
There are only a few things I can do
Exactly like others
Breathe, feel and bleed
But other than that
I am me

Just let me be who I am
Embrace who I am
Live my life to the fullest
Do the best I can
I can be happy doing the one thing I know how
and that is being me
I cannot and will not change
So let me be
I am me....I am me....I am me!

Stephenie Birmingham ~2013

Well until next time....

POO-POURRI - SPRITZ THE BOWL BEFORE YOU GO AND NO ONE ELSE WILL EVER KNOW!!!

Okay....now I found out about this product that I saw in an advertisement in a magazine.  I thought to myself this really can't be true, it has to be a joke.  Well my friends.....it is not a joke.  And I found the website where you can purchase this lovely product.  Their website is www.poopourri.com which I know that you all are VERY excited to view their products. Apparently you can "deodorize" your toilet bowl water before you proceed with evacuating your bowels.  (I could say other things but I'm trying to keep it nice here.)  And they have a lovely catchy motto:

I actually ventured to their shop now link and saw they have a line of products with catchy names like, Sh*ttn' Pretty, Party Pooper, Poo-Tonium, Dr. Potts, etc.  They are different scents and come in various sizes as small as able to fit into your purse or big enough to sit on the back of your toilet. The prices range from $6.95 - 29.95 and they also have shoe deodorizer and breath spray.  The breath spray is called Potty Mouth...I LOVE IT!!!!!  As humorous as this is...it is a a little too pricey for my wallet, so I think I will stick with good ol Glade for less than $2.00 for a can.

My question is how do people come up with something like this and make money?  And my next question is...who buys this stuff?????  Last question is....does it REALLY work????? I mean it makes a great gag gift I will say.

Soooooo....have fun with this great find of the day!

Well until next time....

I'M A RADIO CELEBRITY!!!! WELL.....SORT OF!

Well my day started out pretty exciting. I listen to the Karson & Kennedy morning show on a radio station here in Boston called Mix 104.1.  By the way, they are awesome morning radio show so listen to them sometime if you can. Kennedy was talking about a wedding she attended where the couple met at an odd place. So they had people call in to talk about their odd experiences on how they met their spouses.

So I was thinking I could call and tell my story on how I met my husband and I got through!!! So I explained that both my husband and I were from Dallas Texas and lived fairly close at one point but never crossed paths.

One day on the train after I moved here (and I was homesick), I hear this guy talking about how much he misses Dallas even though Boston is nice and all. So I was sitting a few seats down and I said "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt your conversation,  but I understand what you mean I just moved here a few months ago and I really miss Dallas". So we started talking about where we lived in Dallas and other small talk. He got off at his stop and I didn't think I would see him again.

Well just a few weeks later I saw him walking through the train station and I couldn't remember his name exactly.  But I called out the one I thought it was. And it was right as he turned around when I called him. He didn't even remember me at first so I had to jog his memory a little bit and we started talking and got on the train. As we were approaching his stop, he asked me for my phone number and asked if I would like to go out for coffee sometime. So I said sure. He ended up calling me that evening to ask me out for dinner the next night.  I wasn't expecting anything to come of it, I just figured I was new in Boston, he seemed like a nice guy and I didn't know many people yet so why not.

So you never know where you are going to meet the one for you. If someone would have told me ten years ago that I was going to meet my future husband on the subway, I would have thought they were crazy. But I did on the MBTA Red Line but my husband jokes and calls it the LOVE line! Gotta love him!

So it is always neat to tell the story of how we met to people but it was even more neat to tell thousands maybe even millions of people on the radio our story!  It was fun to be on the radio maybe that's a job for me to be on a radio talk show? Oh wow me get paid to talk for a living???? That would be genius. Let me start working on promotional photos like below! This mind is turning LOL!

Well until next time....

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME......SHAME ON YOU!!!!

I was born and raised in New Jersey and our local news station had a segment called Shame On You. And it basically was focusing on people doing some odd things, shameful things. Alot of the times it focused on politicians, police officers, people in the legal system and people who had the power to take advantage of people.

When I read The Metro (a local newspaper in Boston), I see stories like this all the time. But this one takes the cake. I mean now people are taking advantage of the One Fund and putting in false claims. So far there was one man who put in a claim for his mother who has been dead for 10 years. Now this woman???  Thankfully they both have been caught!

I'm glad they are really looking into who they give money to because I would never think that people would take advantage of something like this. But once again people surprise me. It all boils down to greed....I cannot stand greedy people and people who are taking advantage of a bad situation. And then trying to steal from the One Fund who has been amazing with helping many bombing victims.

I'm sure I'm going to see more stories like these and I think I'm gonna start blogging about them but Shame On You AUDREA GAUSE!!!!

Well until next time....

EASY HOMEMADE DOG BISCUITS!!!

Well it has been awhile since I have blogged anything.  Things have been hectic and getting used to married life.  So every time I make these dog biscuits and I post pictures of it on Google+ or Facebook I always have people ask me about the recipe.  So I figured I would blog about it.

A friend of mine gave me this Doggy Bone Cookbook by Michele Bledsoe and let me tell you it has saved me some bucks:

The recipes are simple exact and if you have kids this is a fun activity for you to do with them.  Not only does this book have very simple recipes it includes a small cookie cutter in the shape of a bone:

Now this of course is a SMALL dog cookie cutter so if you use a larger one the recipe will make less than what I can get out of this recipe.  Zoey is about 15 pounds so if your dog is the same size you can get an idea of how many you will have.

PAW LICK'N CHICK'N

3 cups white flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup chicken broth (I used a packet of Goya Chicken Seasoning and made my own broth.  1 packet dissolved in 2 cups hot water and you got chicken broth!)

4 tablespoons softened margarine (I used salted butter)

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine flour, cornmeal, chicken broth and margarine (butter).  Knead dough for 3 minutes.  You may think you need to add more liquid but you don't and your dough should look like this:

Apply a light layer of flour to rolling surface and rolling pin.  Roll dough to 1/4" thickness 

Stamp out with cookie cutter.  Beat egg and milk together and apply to top of biscuits with brush

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.  I baked mine for about 40 minutes...don't wait for them to become brown because you are using white flour.  They will be hard like a dog biscuits you buy in the store.  The recipe says it makes 4 dozen but if you are smart about it you can get more.  I got 5 dozen with this recipe.

And you know what?????  It's Zoey approved!

So far I have tried the Bark-B-Q, Paw Lick'n Chick'n and Yappy Birthday.  Which Zoey have liked all of them.  The next one I want to try is the Garlick & Cheese but don't worry folks it does not have garlic in it as we know that garlic is not good for dogs. 

I hope this helps people who are looking for a healthier alternative for their dogs and it is really simple, AND it is a cost saver compared to the price of dog treats these days.  Just take 2 hours out of your day and you will have enough to last for at least a month.

Well until next time....