I have a vision dilemma. I’ve worn glasses for near-sightedness since about 4th grade. I’ve worn contact lenses off and on since high school. The problem with contacts has always been that I can’t read with them in. I have to wear cheater glasses to see my computer screen if I’m wearing my contacts. That kind of defeats the purpose of contacts, you know? On the plus side, I’m 53 years old and I still don’t wear bifocals. My reading vision is just fine (so far).

Since I’ve resigned myself to wearing glasses, I decided to look into buying less expensive glasses online so I can have a wide variety of eyeglasses as fashion statements. I’d heard that there were online companies that sell prescription eyeglasses at great prices and I was determined to find a reputable one. I got lucky on my first try.

The site has changed a little since my first order but the selection, quality and prices are still the best. I love that I can search by color, shape, price, style, and type. I love that my whole order ships for just $4.95. I love that I can have any pair of prescription eyeglasses sunglass-tinted for an additional $4.95. And I really love the huge selection of $6.95 eyeglasses. Of course, when my reading vision does start to deteriorate, Zenni Optical offers bifocals from $23.95 and Progressives from $28.90.

With such great prices, there’s no reason not to buy cute glasses for every holiday. There’s turkeys for Thanksgiving, snowmen or snowflakes for Christmas, pumpkins or black cats for Halloween, and hundreds more holiday themes. Let’s face it, we all spend more money on ugly Christmas sweaters just to wear one time, so why not some festive eye wear for the holidays?

Zenni Optical doesn’t sell expensive brand name frames. They make and sell their own brand. They don’t spend a lot on advertising because they figure if they concentrate on providing the best product for the best price, happy customers will spread the word. And we do! Every time I get new glasses, I show them off at work. My co-workers and my bosses have been checking out Zenni Optical’s site and a couple have started a Favorites list.

The only downside to buying from Zenni Optical is the time it takes in the morning to decide which pair of glasses I’ll be wearing. Pink glasses with my purple blouse? Red frames with the black jacket? Purple glasses with my yellow sweater? Decisions, decisions…

• Posted in:
  • Fashion,
  • Health,
  • Shopping
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments (0)

Is everyone out doing the Black Friday thing? Well, not me. I’m proud to say that I have never shopped on Black Friday. In fact, I’m not even tempted to walk into a store on Black Friday. I have to work today and that’s where I’d much rather be (if not in my own bed, of course.)

I do shop locally but I also do much of my shopping online. I’ve got a layaway at one store, and I’m thinking about picking up a few other things at another local store. One year, I bought virtually every single gift online, with the exception being the Kids Bikes that I prefer to be assembled before I bring them home. Experience tells me that I’ll have a happier husband if all the gifts come pre-assembled.

I used to think that Christmas shopping would get easier as the kids got older. That didn’t happen. Now there are grandkids and daughters-in-law as well as my own kids. Lots of gifts to buy and trying to keep everyone’s likes and sizes and stuff straight requires a spreadsheet. I refuse to go into debt for Christmas so staying within my budget is important. The husband and I have not exchanged gifts since the kids came along so at least that is one less thing.

Even though I don’t do Black Friday and I have quite a list to complete, it’s all worth it. When everyone opens their gifts on Christmas my heart is so full and joyful that nothing else matters. I love the sounds of kids playing and laughing and adults becoming kids again as they try out all the new toys. I love this time of year.

If only the tree would decorate itself…

• Posted in:
  • Family,
  • Kids,
  • Shopping
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments Off

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before so I will now: I have a new job. Well, it’s not really new. I’ve had the job for over a year and I love it. I work at a group home for girls. I’m not sure why I waited so long to apply for this job but I’m so glad that my friend Amity pushed me until I relented. This job was made for me.

Of course, no job is perfect and this one is no exception. The worst part of my job is the facility itself. It’s a beautiful building, clean and spacious. The floor, though, is a pain, literally. The floor of our building is concrete covered in carpet or tile. If you have never walked on a concrete floor you may not understand this. The fact is, walking on concrete all day causes more pain the feet than anything I’ve ever done. There are times when it feels that the bottom of my feet are bruised.

I’ve tried scheduling more pedicures with extra massage but my feet still ache. The only thing I’ve found that really helps is good arch supports for shoes. No amount of soaking or massaging after the pain starts even comes close to arch support inserts. Most days my feet don’t hurt at all and when they do hurt now, it’s minor and nothing like it was when I first started my job.

I’ve also picked up a few tips about shoes while searching for a solution to my foot pain. Specifically, shoes that are very rigid and don’t twist and bend give the best support. That would explain why one pair of lightweight, comfortable sneakers put me in pain the fastest. Also, when it comes to work shoes, comfort is more important than fashion. Always.

Now that my foot issues have been solved I love my job even more. I do hate that my job keeps me from blogging the way I used to do, but I’m going to try to make time for blogging in the future. I miss expressing myself this way. I miss interacting with those who stop by here. I even miss telling the whole online world about my achy feet!

• Posted in:
  • Health
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments Off

New Kid’s Ministry Is Latest Achievement Of Daniel Del Piano

The Bible is one of the most inspirational things in the life of Dan Del Piano. As an avid reader of the Bible, Daniel Del Piano has observed that the New Testament often contains stories that have to do with children. Because of the significance of children in the New Testament of the Bible, Dan Del Piano decided that it was important for him to help enrich the lives of children. Daniel Del Piano has done so by establishing a ministry called Kingdom Kid’s Club.

Kingdom Kid’s Club Lets Daniel Del Piano Give The Gift Of The Bible To Kids

When Dan Del Piano began developing Kingdom Kid’s Club, he knew that he wanted its main focus to be on providing God’s word to kids and then motivating them to read it every day. To achieve the goal of providing God’s word to kids, Daniel Del Piano came up with the idea of having sponsors give Bibles to kids. To achieve the goal of motivating kids to read the Bible every day, Dan Del Piano decided to use incentives like diplomas and prizes that would encourage kids to shoot for reading milestones.

The Kids’ Ministry Of Dan Del Piano Will Help Boost God’s Kingdom

The ability of Daniel Del Piano to create such an inspirational ministry for kids is admirable. Dan Del Piano hopes that his Kingdom Kid’s Club ministry, through its work with children, will help to revitalize God’s kingdom.

• Posted in:
  • Kids,
  • Spiritual
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments (4)

If you’re a parent raising your kids in a small space, you know it can get pretty messy pretty quickly. Spaghetti-O stains on the carpet and modern art masterpieces on the wall are one thing, but the excessive accumulation of stuff is a whole other monster to slay. By the time the third birthday rolls around you typically have enough toys to start your own toy donation organization and run it solo for a year. Consider this doesn’t even factor your massive amount of crap that packs every closet space and cabinet nook possible. I wouldn’t go as far as to contact the makers of the show “Hoarders” for help, but there are a few logistical problems you may run into that are worth figuring out before you even admit you might have a clutter problem.

No matter what, if you’re confined to a small space and have no room to expand, then I highly suggest looking into a self storage facility. These places are cheap, easily accessible, and as secure as a Zurich bank, relatively speaking. You don’t have to worry about not having enough room in your apartment to fit the things you actually need in life.

The benefits of self storage show through when you compare it to the option of simply hauling your crap out to the dumpster or donating it to Goodwill. Simply put: kids are flakes. When I was a youngster I told my mom I had no interest in my loyal teddy bear anymore and wanted her to toss it out. My mother, the wonderful long term thinker that she is, decided to just stow it away. Three months later I rediscovered my best friend hiding in a kitchen cabinet and we haven’t parted since (he sits on my desk.) Your kids will be the same way. They won’t care about all those toys until they’re gone, and then you’ll have to explain to your traumatized child, albeit irrationally, that you threw their cherished toys away.

If you have enough old toys to fill a storage facility and continue to live in a small apartment, then maybe you should reconsider your lifestyle as well as that of your kids. But more likely than not there’s plenty of your own junk that you’ve kept holding onto out of uncertainty. In the storage space left over you’ll have plenty of room to really make a dent in your living space.

This way, in six months, instead of breaking your kids heart over his lost Optimus Prime action figure, you can be the superhero instead.

• Posted in:
  • Life
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments (2)

The other day I was reading an article on married couples that decided to renew their vows. Naturally, as a wife and mother, I was interested in this idea, and it sparked a few questions. These ceremonies aren’t a new idea, but they have steadily grown in popularity over the years. It’s just average people wanting to do something new to re-dedicate themselves to a life partner and show how much they love and appreciate the time they’ve spent together. It also discussed how when younger people get married they don’t tend to have much money, so they buy less expensive rings. In these cases, it was commonplace to find other stone options for the ring, instead of a diamond. This got me thinking. If you’re interested in renewing your vows, or even if you’re getting married, here are a few affordable options to upgrade your wedding ring with more original choices.

In the past few decades we’ve come to understand the horrors that come along with supporting the diamond industry. Blood Diamonds or conflict diamonds are mined in war zone and support war efforts, warlord activity, which tend to be violence toward citizens, and insurgency. It’s really hard to know that these diamonds encourage a climate of fear and violence. There are conflict-free diamond companies, but some are expensive. Black diamond engagement rings are a beautiful alternative that is stylish and original. With designs customizable to suit any style or budget, they’re the perfect choice for standing out in the crowd.

I ran across this website called, Off Beat Bride, and I loved all the alternative options for weddings. One article was called “Non-Sucky Wedding Rings,” and I had to laugh. It talks about how people want alternatives to diamonds, and it lists options, such rubies, sapphires, blue diamonds and a many others. It’s a really neat website that has a ton of other ideas for your celebration, that are a little offbeat but worth considering.

If you’re not as concerned about cost and you’re more interested in the symbol, then you might want to consider getting a pendant or pair of earrings. My Jewelry Box isn’t a place that you should necessarily choose to buy your jewelry from, but it does offer many alternative bridal jewelry options for someone looking to get some ideas. I recommend at least giving it a look see.

Coming up with just the right idea can be difficult. This is especially true if you’re buying for someone else or you just want to stand out, but I’m confident that these selections, even if they’re not what you choose to go with, will get you headed in the right direction. Everyone has different tastes, so remember that you don’t have to let other people decide what’s beautiful when picking a ring or other jewelry.

• Posted in:
  • Fashion
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments (2)

I use to be able to post on my blog everyday, always finding something fun and happy to write about. I liked that. Then things began to go wrong. At first, I just figured it was a little bad luck here and there but then the bad stuff just became overwhelming. In fact, for quite some time the only thing I could see in my life was the bad stuff. When good things happened, I was afraid to be happy because I was certain something bad was sure to come along and mess up my happiness.

Well, I’m done with that kind of thinking. Of course bad things are going to happen. That’s life. But good things keep happening, too, and I’m going to celebrate the good things. After all, why should the down times get all of my attention?

Good things keep happening around here. There’s the new grandbaby, Sofia Louise. There’s the new job that I absolutely love. And now there’s my husband’s new job. We’re not sure how long he’ll be with this company but for now it’s great that he’s back to work.

The building industry has suffered so much lately with homes in foreclosure, banks not wanting to lend and the economy in a general mess. We sold a few things just to keep us going. My husband even thought about selling our extra generator. I’d gone so far as to call a construction equipment rental company to see if they were interested in buying any of our equipment. Now, that won’t be necessary.

I know bad things are bound to happen again. Like I said, that’s life. Ups and downs are all part of the process. I just have to remember to learn from the bad stuff and celebrate the good stuff. I can’t wait to see what wonderful things Tomorrow will bring!

• Posted in:
  • Life
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments (2)

Let’s see how far I get this time in my blogging.

I don’t know why I have such a hard time staying with this. I did so well for so long. Then life threw me a few curve balls and I walked away. Now I can’t get back.

I’m thinking of this as I did smoking. Well, kind of, but the opposite. I kept trying to quit smoking and kept failing. Over and over, for years and years. And then I quit and it worked. I never went back again. In the same way, kind of, I keep trying and trying to get back to blogging but I keep failing. I just can’t seem to care the way I used to. But eventually, I’ll start blogging again and I’ll stick with it. It’ll happen when the time is right.

So now I’m working on it. We’ll see how it goes.

The straight library knocks the analogue.

• Posted in:
  • Blogging
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments Off

New Experiences And Teaching Are Important to Ryan Kannett

Ryan M Kannett enjoys new experiences in his life yet remains committed to the natural world. Several new experiences presented themselves to Ryan Michael Kannett in the spring of 2009. Ryan Kannett and his family were guests at an audition for American Idol and were also participants at the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. While these experiences were fun, Ryan Michael Kannett remains an active supporter of environmental educational through his park ranger duties.

Outdoor Sportsman Ryan M Kannett

During the summer months, Ryan Michael Kannett lives the life of an outdoor sportsman. Ryan Kannett kayaks the brisk waters of the Boquet River and plans to hike every one of the 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. Not only does Ryan M Kannett enjoy the beauties of the eastern seaboard, he also spends time in Wyoming and Montana. Ryan M Kannett takes pleasure in visiting Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park and enjoys camping in this breathtaking wildlife preserve.

Ryan Kannett Sharing The Environment

Because Ryan M Kannett likes sharing his passion for the environment, Ryan Kannett spends time as a park ranger. Ryan Michael Kannett enjoys educating park guests by showing videos that explain the park’s history, by answering visitors’ questions, and on several occasions, has been called upon to rescue park visitors from mishaps.

Ryan Michael Kannett enjoys spending time outdoors as much as possible.

• Posted in:
  • Life
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments (1)

Adair Homes has constructed more than 12,000 high-quality homes at affordable prices since 1969. Adair Homes continues to change lives by building homes that stay affordable throughout the years. Adair Homes are Northwest Energy Star certified and built with an extremely high level of energy efficiency so that customers know they will maintain low monthly operating costs on top of the extreme value they receive with their initial purchase. The move-in equity that Adair Homes has provided to its customers is over $300 million to date, and that doesn’t include real estate appreciation.

A Plan for Everyone With Adair Homes

Adair Homes is a customer driven company and offers plans for various budgets and families of all sizes. With three different plan series, families can choose from Classic, Traditions or Signature finishing touches. Whether a customer needs 700 square feet or over 3,500 square feet, they can find the perfect floor plan because many of the plans are customizable.

Simple Financing Available With Adair Financial Services

Adair Homes understands that financing is crucial to buying a home. So they joined with Adair Financial Services to give its customers a simple, hassle-free process when applying for a mortgage. The company’s building model provides so much move-in equity that many Adair Homes customers secure their construction loan with little, or even no, down payment. Through outstanding service and aggressive rates, Adair Financial Services creates a remarkable value to customers so they can finally live in the home of their dreams.

Contact Adair Homes today and see how a high-quality home for your family can be within reach.

• Posted in:
  • Arts & Humanities,
  • Life
• • Send to a friend,
  • your printer or
  • your friend's printer
• • Comments Off