Socializing online - with a twist

Move over MySpace, Person.com - webcams, chat, personals and more has arrived!! I am so tired of people putting up "glam" pictures or photos that aren't even themselves on personal sites to pretend they are someone different. At Person.com, the users are encouraged to put up live Web Cams, so you can see exactly what the person looks like and what they are doing right at that moment. You don't have to have a Web Cam to join, but it is a lot more fun if you do.

Joining and using the site is totally free and in addition to the personals, they have chat rooms and forums, as well as "hot or not" polls and the "play & flirt game" for even more fun. Their slogan is "Person.com, get addicted" and I think many people will once they find this site! It combines MySpace and online dating, then takes it a step further.

Tick tick tick

OK, I'm getting really grossed out by all the ticks we are finding. Yesterday we worked out in the yard for a couple of hours. We wore pants and sprayed ourselves with bug repellent. Later that night, I found one very small tick on my daughter, and then another small one on myself. Luckily those didn't hurt at all since they were so small.

Then today, we pulled three more ticks off our dog. We use Canine Advantix on her once a month, but I think we will try Frontline next time because I heard it works better at repelling ticks. The worst one was a very huge tick (a quarter of an inch across) on her lower lip. There was bruising around it and it bled when we removed the tick. Eeewwwwww.

Appreciative Coaching

Have you ever heard of Capella? It's an accredited, fully online university where you can get a distance learning degree. Your classes are all taken from your computer, so you can work it around your schedule to best fit your needs. Capella currently offers 82 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate programs. With almost 18,000 students worldwide, many people are furthering their education without totally disrupting their schedules.

One of the faculty members of Capella, Sara Orem, has co-authored a book entitled "Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change." The book is based on recent developments by psychologists who suggest that people and organizations flourish when they focus on human ideals and achievements. They use the term Appreciative Coaching to describe teaching with the use of positive images, dreams, and focusing on people's positive aspects, rather than pointing out their problems. Basically, making people feel good about themselves, so the organization can work together to achieve their goal. The book is geared toward individual coaches of managers, executives, and “those who do one-on-one work with people who can influence and create change in their organizations.”

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Ways to cut monthly bills

There has been a lot of buzz lately about VOIP or voice over internet protocol telephone services. You can use regular telephones and the service should be seamless. At the time of our move, we looked into VOIP for our internet and telephone service, but it was not cost effective enough at that time.

Now, however, Vonage is offering one free month of service and a plan that costs $24.99 per month for unlimited local and long distance calling. That's about half of what we pay for the same service with AT&T. Maybe it's worth looking into again.

Re-thinking some choices

My hubby and I have both been feeling kind of "down" in our moods lately and we're not sure why. I think we are bummed since we've lived here and been self-employed for almost a year and we're still not making as much as we thought we would. We're making about half of what we need each month. And the other half? You guessed it, coming right out of our savings account. Even though this is what we were saving for, we didn't think we'd have to live on it for this long and we're getting kind of nervous.

Sometimes we wish we would've gotten a cheaper house, but then you never know what work it might have needed. If we decide we can't afford this in a few months, we will have to sell our house, which could take a year or more because that's how long houses are on the market around here. Even if we could sell it, we probably wouldn't get as much as we paid, plus the money we've put in it with updates and making minor repairs. Then where would we move? The only really cheap houses around here are in Berryville and we wouldn't be able to live our current lifestyle with the trolley and walking to town, etc. I have no idea. We're just starting to get worried and a bit stressed out at the moment...

Shouldn't a vacation be relaxing?

One vacation option we've never tried is the "all-inclusive" experience. I always thought it would be way too expensive and that we could find better deals searching for hotels, food, and activities separately. But at Vacations.net, the leader in the all-inclusive experience, you can book a Great Beach Vacation with savings up to 50% off regular rates. They've just revamped their website with a customized booking engine and intuitive functionality. The site conveys a relaxed feeling with its color scheme, images, and soft edges. The navigation is easy and everything you need is right there on the front page - simply and without clutter.

Looking back on previous vacations, the most stressful thing is trying to figure out where to get a good meal for a decent price. We would sometimes spend hours walking around aimlessly searching for food. A lot of time is wasted this way. If the trip included all meals, drinks, and activities, you would never have to worry about what to do next or where to eat. More time would be spent where it should be - with your loved ones, having fun and relaxing.

Maybe this is why I always feel stressed out after a vacation instead of rested. Next time, we'll go "all-inclusive" and see what a difference it makes.

Save time while still keeping up with the news

If you are short on time (and hey, who isn't?) you can combine reading blogs and getting news information. The News Blog at Congoo lets you create a news circle where you can build and share your own focused portal and includes over 480 topics to choose from.

Just pick your favorite categories from the list to get only the news within those categories. Get all the news you want, but none of what you don't! That will save you even more time.

Still no new leaves, but a glimmer of hope

My neighbor informed me of an article she read that said if the vegetation freezes after an early Spring bloom, it will go through a quick cycle of Fall and Winter, and then back to Spring blooms again within a month or two. I am very relieved to hear that we will not have to suffer through a hot summer without any shade!

I just hope the blooming starts before my mom's visit at the end of May because it doesn't look very pretty right now.

Your dream vacation may be within reach

Do you dream of taking an exotic trip to a foreign country that only an experienced travel agent could set up for you, but don't want to pay the usual overhead that they charge? United Vacation Network is a wholesale travel agency, so you get all of the service and extras you would expect from a professional travel agency without paying agent's commissions.

They handle destinations in countries all over the world and can arrange all of your travel details including condominiums, hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, resorts, cruises, airfare, rental car, RVs, tours, and individually prepared customized vacation packages. Their staff maintains proper accreditation and the required licensing and training needed to support their clientèle and provide them with the vacation of their dreams at the best possible price.

Blog review: Mortgage Lowdown

Upon arriving at Mortgage Lowdown, I am struck by the site's simplicity and its lack of advertisements. This is a refreshing change in the world of finance-related websites and blogs. There are great tips and articles, all regarding mortgage banking and home ownership. Some of the articles have images to break up the text, and the site could probably use more graphics in general to keep readers' interest.

My only concern is that since the topic of the blog is so specific, they may exhaust the topic of mortgages and find there is not enough to write about in the future. Overall, this is a well thought out blog with some very informative posts and I plan to subscribe to their feed via Bloglines.

I am an aunt!

My sister-in-law had her first baby girl on April 12, so I am officially an aunt. Unfortunately, since we live in Arkansas and they live in Colorado, it will be awhile until we can meet her in person. We will see if we can manage a trip sometime late in the summer. I have another dear friend who is also expecting a daughter in July, so we want to meet her as well!

All these babies! Kind of makes me feel sad that I probably won't get to experience the joy of pregnancy and childbirth again. But then I think of all the traveling and experiences we are looking forward to when the kids get older - and if we had another baby, we'd just have to start all over and wait that much longer. Eureka Springs is not too "baby friendly" with its cracked and crooked limestone sidewalks and steep terrain. It is impossible to push a stroller anywhere downtown. We used the baby backpack carrier last year and that worked well, but with a 2-year old it is very tiring on the wearer's back.

Oh well, I will just have to look forward to more nieces, nephews, and grandchildren...

Landscapers with a personal touch

We have been reading several books and taking notes in preparation for a small garden in our side yard. I wish we could hire a professional to do our Landscape Design, but we just can't afford it right now. Maybe in a few years we will tackle the tough parts in our backyard, and we will definitely need help because of the sloped terrain.

One great landscape designer I found online is SLDA. They believe your landscape is "extended living space for expanded living." SLDA has a three stepping-stone process to ensure you will love your landscaping for years to come. The first step is a 2-3 hour walk of your property and an interview. They want to get to know you and your family's habits and what you expect from your yard. They strive to design landscaping that fits your family, not just the property. The second step is the designing. They use CAD and computer sketches to view the ideas on the computer, before even picking up a shovel. You can review and make changes as needed before the contractors begin working. The third step is implementation. You will get daily updates on the progress by a company representative, or you can log-in to the "client work in progress" section of their website to see progress notes and pictures of your yard for yourself.

From the very start, to the smallest details, to the completion - your landscape designer should have your complete satisfaction as their goal. SLDA meets this requirement and will even follow up with you for a long time afterwards to ensure that you are still happy with your landscaping and how it is maturing.

Get the vitamins you need

Another part of a healthy lifestyle is making sure your body has all the necessary vitamins and minerals to function properly. Many multi-vitamins on the market are not formulated correctly and are difficult to swallow, have poor absorption rates, and are not made with beneficial plant-based nutrients. The 12-in-One MultiVitamin is different because it is a soft gel capsule that is easy to swallow and will break up fast in your system to deliver the plant based nutrients as quickly as possible.

Their website has a risk-free trial promotion going on right now where you can try it for one month absolutely free, plus you will get 50% off your next order, a free newsletter subscription, and a free product with every shipment. You have nothing to lose, and a healthier body to gain - so check it out!

It's Book Sale time!

I just wanted to post a quick announcement about the library's Spring Book Sale going on this Friday and Saturday, starting at 9:00am on both days. We have happily received tons of book donations from our wonderful patrons, and as a result, the book sale will be packed with many many great books for sale.

Since we don't charge late fees, we depend on donations, tax dollars, and the book sales for revenue. I'm excited to see how well the sale does and how much it will benefit our wonderful Carnegie Public Library.

Total de-toxification

There is more to being healthy than exercising and eating healthy food. Most people have several years worth of toxin build-up in their systems from poor eating habits. One way to purify your system is to use the Dual Action Cleanse system.

This is a two-part system that safely maximizes elimination and assists in cleansing the vital organs and lymphatic system. The prices are very reasonable, and you can get on the "auto-ship" program so you never run out of products and your shipping will always be free.

Why I eat every three hours

I am currently reading a book called "The 3-Hour Diet" by Jorge Cruise and it really makes sense. This isn't really a diet, but a way of eating that is like a breath of fresh air in the world of restrictive fad diets. There are no off-limit foods at all, and the major point he makes is that unless you eat every three hours, your body goes into "starvation" mode and basically starts breaking down your existing muscle mass for energy. For every pound of muscle you lose, you burn 50 less calories even at rest.

What this means is, even if you don't exercise you can at least keep the calorie-burning muscles you already have if you nourish your body with food every three hours. Then you will burn more calories even while you are sleeping. Now, of course if you exercise you can lose even more, but he believes anyone can lose an average of 2 pounds per week just changing their eating schedule.

There are a couple of rules, but they are easy and become second nature when you incorporate them into your daily life. The first rule is that you must eat your first meal within one hour of waking. Otherwise, you will have no fuel and your body will start using your muscles for energy. Then you have a snack three hours later, lunch three hours after your snack, another snack three hours after lunch, dinner after another three hours, followed by a small treat. He advises not eating within a couple of hours of your bedtime so your body will be ready for rest and not trying to digest a meal, which could keep you awake.

Overall, I have felt really good since starting to eat every three hours and some of my pants are already looser at the waist. I tend to get mood swings and headaches if I don't eat regularly anyway, so this is a way to help keep my blood sugar levels steady throughout the day without feeling deprived.

Other options for brain tumor patients

I recently read about an exciting new non-invasive brain tumor treatment called the Gamma Knife, which allows surgeons to remove tumors without cutting into the patient. This revolutionary piece of medical equipment rotates around the patient's head and discharges a powerful beam of energy that destroys brain tumors without invasive surgery.

The key is spreading the word, because many medical professionals, caregivers, and patients are not yet aware of this new procedure. I decided to blog about it to help save lives by informing people of the Gamma Knife.

I love the library!

I started my new job at the library a week before last Saturday. I love it so much! It totally appeals to my sense of organization. It is pretty low-stress, even when we are busy. Actually, I have always liked staying busy while at work, as it makes the day go by really fast.

Everyone that works there is really nice and have been very welcoming to me. It is also great to meet all the local patrons and to get to know new people. Since the job was listed in our small local paper, everyone says "So you're the one who got the job in the paper. You lucky girl!" Yes, I have to agree that I am very lucky indeed.

Roller shades - not just for kids anymore

I remember as a kid, I had one of those white roller shades that you pull down to close and are kind of tricky to open. They work like the maps teachers have on the wall in school. Anyway, upon perusing the web for interesting and cost-effective window coverings, I have found that Roller Blinds have come a long way.

They are now offered in a wide variety of colors, fabrics, and patterns. Think suede, leather, and linen. No, these are not the 1980's variety at all! I was impressed with all the looks you can create with these new roller shades. You can even add trimming for extra style. Since they take up hardly any room and have the most minimal "stack back" area when open, they won't interfere with any other window treatments you have.

Even though you may consider them as only a room darkening option to go along with your drapes, these simple, low maintenance shades look just fine on their own. They create a bold, modern, clean look that would improve upon the mini blinds many of us have currently on our windows that need desperately to be replaced.

Home improvement projects all around

Since the weather has warmed up a bit, we have been tackling all those home improvement projects we planned on doing last fall but never got around to before the cold hit. We had already purchased the materials and they were just taking up space in the garage. So we've been doing little things here and there as we have time, nothing major yet. Mainly it's stuff that has to be done before the damage is so bad that a professional must be called.

For example, we had a dented air duct coming from the unit outside. So the rain water would pool on the metal and it was slowly rusting away. So rather than wait until it rusted through and we would lose heat, my husband constructed a little roof to go over the ducts to channel the water away and thus prevent any future rust.

Another problem we had was with the local squirrel population trying to eat our house. I know it sounds funny, but I'm not kidding. They use siding material to build their nests, so they will chew pieces off the side of the house and use it for bedding. We had about three of these munched up areas around the house, so we patched it with an outdoor patching vinyl.

Next up? Probably refinishing the kitchen cabinets, since that is inexpensive and labor intensive. So we will get the satisfaction of doing a lot of work on the house, but don't have to spend a lot of money.

Website review: Debt Consolidation News

I ran across an opportunity at PayPerPost that really caught my eye. It is a blog about debt consolidation and related finance articles. The articles are very informative and I plan to go through the archives to read more. I am curious why the blog is entitled "Debt Consolidation News" since so many other topics are covered. I would have selected a more broad title for this blog since it gives helpful information for a wide variety of financial topics.

One suggestion I would make to the blogger is to consider having fewer posts on the frontpage. Since the posts tend to be fairly long, maybe limit the frontpage to five posts, or list them as "teasers" that the reader will click on to read the entire article. Overall, the layout is nice and straightforward and I like that there are images to break up the text. This helps with the flow for the reader and keeps their interest. Another plus is the lack of distracting advertisements on the page, which readers appreciate so they can read articles uninterrupted.

droopy blooms

Well, we were spoiled by the unseasonably warm weather last week and were shocked back into winter last weekend with our (hopefully!) last hard freeze. All the trees and flowers were in bloom and then BAM! they are all droopy and dead-looking now. I hope all the leaves will bloom again, or we will have a very hot summer without shade!

I know nature has a way with these things and everything works out, but for now Eureka's vegetation is in a sad, sorry state indeed.

New website ranking system

I'm always finding new websites and thinking to myself, "Now why didn't I think of that?" The latest site to add to my list is Big Web Links, which is a site where members bid for position in their directory. Users have control over listing placement, because they are sorted by bid amount and anyone can add to the contribution of a website. The idea is, if people find a website really useful, they would want to promote it, so they can add any dollar amount to a website's contribution total in order to help move that site up in the rankings of Big Web Links.

So if you want to stay on the top, you have to consistently have the highest contribution amount. This is genius for the creator of the site, because you have sites competing for top position and you can see right on the page how much contributions have been made for the top sites. The top 10 listings are shown on the homepage, and the top 20 are shown on the "top links" page. All listings are permanent, but your ad will get "bumped" down in the listings unless you keep the contributions high.

Tick on the boy!

Ewww, I just had to tweeze a tick off my son's shoulder. I knew it would happen eventually, since we've found three on our dog, but it is totally different on a child. It didn't seem to bother him at all, though. He even said it tickled when we pulled it out. It's fascinating to me how something so small can get such a good grip on the skin and how hard you have to pull to get it off.

I guess we should have known when we moved to an area with a mild climate and lots of vegetation, there would be lots of bugs too. Oh well, no place is perfect.

Another great site to shop for Mom

The next time you send someone flowers or a gift basket, why not use a company that fully understands that the gifts you send represent you and are devoted to making sure that impression is superb. Dot Flowers will send flowers, gift baskets, charming cookies and more in beautiful arrangements.

Their website is bright, cheerful, and easy to navigate - which is important for those last minute orders that must be completed in a hurry. They will even deliver on the same day you order, if you place your order before 1:00pm Eastern Standard Time. You can place your order online with their secure order form, or you can call the toll-free number to place an order with a member of their award-winning customer service staff.

Whatever the occasion, Dot Flowers is fully committed to ensure your satisfaction with their service. Mother's Day is coming up, so I think I will browse the site and place an order for the wonderful mothers in my life.

Travel and all that jazz

My mom just told me that she is planning to come visit at the end of May / early June and is hoping to attend my daughter's Kindergarten graduation as well as the tail end of the May Festival of the Arts. I was glad to hear of her plans, since we had an argument around Christmas and she mentioned that she may not come visit us here again.

I figure, since we moved to a new place our relatives would want to come visit here rather than us going back to Colorado and seeing all the same things. Don't get me wrong, it is great to be able to see all our friends and relatives when we visit Colorado. But it is very exhausting and the kids are still very young. When you travel with kids, there is so much more gear involved and extra stops along the way if you drive. I think it is just easier for the grandparents, aunts, and uncles to visit us - since they are all adults and can handle travel easier. Plus a change of scenery is nice once in awhile.

Forex is making headway

Have you ever heard of "forex"? It stands for Foreign Exchange trading and many investors are including it in their money making strategies. Forex involves trading foreign money on a daily basis to take advantage of the fluctuating exchange rates in your favor. I only just heard about it a few weeks ago, and have since noticed mention of Forex more and more.

Companies like global futures can assist you by starting an account and managing your Forex Trading Account online. Global Futures was established in 1998 and is one of the largest independent introducing brokerage firms offering futures, options, and foreign exchange services on all major exchanges around the world. They charge very low commissions for Retail and Professional Accounts and volume discounts are also available. They let you name your own commission rate and they try to match or beat that rate because they want to add you to their list of loyal customers.

Brrrrrrrrr

I knew the weather would be colder today, but gee whiz! It hasn't even reached 50 degrees and it is almost 1:00 in the afternoon. The weird thing is it is sunny outside, but the sun just isn't warming us up. I guess this is the cold front my relatives experienced in Denver last week passing through. You really get used to the warm weather, then a cold day like this throws you for a loop. I let the dog out this morning and didn't bother to put shoes on because I was used to 60 degree mornings. I was in for a shock, this morning it was only 40 degrees.

According to the weather forecast, it will be cold (highs in the upper 50s, lower 60s) until next Monday, then it will be back to normal with highs in the mid 70s. Hopefully after this week, we can turn the heater off for good until next winter. Our natural gas bill for February was $130 and March was only $50 - what a difference the heater makes!

Speaking of a Disney World vacation...

I found some great deals on Orlando hotels at OrlandoVacation.com. In addition to hotels, you can compare prices with vacation homes as well, which might be a better deal if you travel with other family members or friends. That way, you will have a kitchen to prepare homemade meals so you could save money by not having to dine out all the time. If you split the cost between two or three families, it would probably even be cheaper than staying in a hotel and a lot more comfortable.

This site also has park admission tickets at a discount, and offers package deals that include Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World tickets that you can customize based on how many days your visit will be. You have the option to reserve your stay online through the website, or you can call the toll-free number if you prefer a live customer service representative. OrlandoVacation.com is a member of Better Business Bureau's Online Reliability program, so you can book your trip with confidence.

Dogs sniff out mold

If you live in Pennsylvania or New Jersey and are worried about mold in your home, I have your answer. If you have been suffering from health problems, mold in the air could be the culprit. A PA mold removal company uses dogs to detect mold in the air inside your home. The EPA confirms that the use of mold detection dogs could significantly reduce sampling costs for home and business owners.

I have never heard of using dogs to track down mold, but it makes sense. I only worry if sniffing mold spores could cause health problems for the dogs. I am sure they have done testing for the dogs' safety, since it is expensive to train a dog to track specific scents and once a dog is trained to find mold, the company could use its talents for many years.

Do spelling and grammar still count?

suggested by Spelling Search

"How important are spelling and grammar in the world of blogging? Is it the thought that really counts, or does lack of formality destroy the message?"

I believe that spelling and grammar are important no matter what you are writing. Unfortunately, I seem to be one of the few bloggers who believe this is true. Ever since the start of email, people have become increasingly lax in their grammar in messages. I think text messaging on cellular phones increased the problem, since people try to get their message across with the fewest amount of characters. This is when everyone started using 4 (for) and U (you) and all kinds of acronyms like BTW (by the way), LOL (laugh out loud), and SAHM (stay-at-home-mom).

These have carried over into the email world for sure and it's just a matter of time before blogs start looking like encrypted messages since everyone is too busy to sit down and write a proper post.

Get the relief you need

Ever since I can remember, I have suffered from headaches. After numerous visits to the doctor and dentist, I was finally diagnosed with TMJ as a result of jaw clenching during school and in my sleep. The dentist made me a very expensive, but uncomfortable hard clear plastic mouthpiece to wear overnight. I didn't wear it very much, but just knowing what caused the headaches seemed to make them lessen. I would notice the clenching during school and I would consciously relax my jaw. Now that I am a housewife, I only get the headaches once every couple of months or so.

If I ever make a trip to New York, however, I could always get New York TMJ Treatment at their specialized chiropractic office. They help people with sports injuries, back, neck, and spine pain, as well as sleep disorders and headaches.

The new librarian

I am excited to start working part-time at our lovely Carnegie Public Library here in Eureka Springs. I'm sure many people applied for the job, since it is one of those truly "local" jobs that doesn't cater to tourists.

Job openings don't happen often at the library, as the current employees love their jobs and hang onto them forever. I'm honored to be chosen and I'm excited to meet more Eurekans and hopefully make some new friends!

Time for another Disney adventure?

As I mentioned in my last post, my husband and I spent our honeymoon in Disney World ten years ago. We also took our daughter there when she was almost three years old. She had a blast and it was the perfect age to bring a child for the first time. This summer, our son will be almost three, so we are wondering if it may be time to go again. I think we would have a great time, it's just such a financial burden. We would have to pay for airline tickets for all four of us, plus hotel (which usually is very reasonable within the park), plus theme park admission tickets.

I found a website with discount Disney World Tickets. They have many different options for daily tickets, from one to ten days, which they call "Disney Magic Your Way". In addition to Disney tickets, they also offer discount tickets for Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and all the popular Orlando dinner shows. Orlando Fun Tickets guarantees the lowest prices and best personal service on all their admission tickets. If we can save enough on the admission tickets, the trip may be worth it. After all, family vacations build memories that last a lifetime and the kids will only be this age once.

What's your happy place?

I can't think of anything to write, so I will do a Mindbump.

suggested by Life in Eureka Springs

"Describe your "happy place". What are the thoughts that help you escape from a stressful situation and calm you?"

My "happy place" is back on my honeymoon ten years ago at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. One evening, we walked along the beach and found a group of hammocks hung between the trees just calling out for us to relax. So we did, and it was so comfortable. The weather was perfect, around 70 degrees with a slight breeze. As we lay there watching the ocean and listening to the waves, some turtles came walking by...

That's the most peaceful I think I've ever been.

Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for Saturday

Some of our residents have put together a big Easter Egg hunt for the kids which will be this Saturday at 11:00am at Harmon Park. Volunteers are still needed to help stuff the eggs and hide them. If you can help, just come to Harmon Park at 9:00am.

They are expecting over 100 kids this year, and have about 150 dozen eggs to hide! Looks like it will be a great time for all!

Great Mother's Day gift ideas

Instead of sending a traditional flower bouquet to your Mother, why not surprise her with something different that she can really use? Gift baskets have come a long way, and you can send a wide variety of different baskets with many useful items inside. Fruit Gift Baskets are a traditional favorite, and are usually the most friendly on the wallet. For something more extravagant, why not pick an Italian Gift Basket, a Chocolate Basket, or Wine Basket?

Gourmet Gift Baskets is a family run and operated business that has been delivering specialty baskets since 1940. There are never any surprises, as they list exactly what will be in any basket you choose. Their website has pictures of the items assembled in the complete basket, and if you look at the detail page, you are supposed to be able to roll your mouse over the item to see what it looks like unwrapped. This sounds like a great feature, but I couldn't get it to work on my current browser.

You can shop on their secure site by category or view all available baskets by price. They offer some very unique categories, such as: new baby, anniversary, pets, housewarming, sushi trays, Texas baskets, Kosher, and many many more. You could send a basket for any occasion, really. A gift basket is always appreciated, and the recipient will know you took that extra step to create something truly unique that reflects the occasion or their particular interests if you order a basket from Gourmet Gift Baskets.

Time for some home updates

Now that spring is here, it is time to start doing some much needed work on our house. Ever since the first time we looked at the house when it was still for sale, we knew it needed new floor coverings. The carpet is fifteen years old (and it shows) and the vinyl floor in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room is stained, scratched, and even torn in places. It's kind of embarrassing that we haven't updated the floors yet, but it is quite an undertaking financially.

We definitely want to install hardwood flooring in the kitchen, dining room, and living room on the main level. In the master bedroom, the lower level bedrooms and family room we will get new carpet. For the two bathrooms and laundry room, we are still debating the options. Tile is nice, but depending on what type of stone you pick, it stays very cold (which feels nice in the summer, but is torture in the winter!)

Other options include ceramic tiles, travertine tiles, glass tiles, or marble tiles. For information on all the different options, I look at websites like Floorzbuzz. One thing I really like is they have all the prices listed for every item they carry, so you can easily make cost comparisons. They have images of each tile and you can order a free sample to see what it looks like in your home. Floorzbuzz offers many different options for kitchen tile, bathroom tile, and even simple accent tiles.

Their specialty is Accents Glass Tiles, a manufacturer of glass design applications since 1982. Glass tiles add depth of field and luminosity, making any area seem brighter and more spacious. They appear to "glow from within". Now that sounds like something I could use in my bathroom! You can vary the sizes of the tiles and make a pattern of shapes for visual effect like this: