Sweet revenge

Revenge is a common theme in great movies. Of the movies that have left the most impact after viewing, revenge was almost always the motivating factor for the main character. Take Mel Gibson's character Mad Max in the classic Mad Max trilogy. In the first movie, a vicious biker gang unmercifully murders the family of a cop (Mel Gibson) and from then on, every move he makes is for revenge. This raw, action-packed, amazingly low budget Australian film has become a classic among movie lovers around the world. Revenge is one of those raw emotions that many of us experience, but not many of us get to act upon. When we see someone in a movie get the revenge they deserve, it is very powerful to watch and makes for a great movie.

This is why I am so excited about Tim Burton's new movie "Sweeny Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Revenge is the main theme, and it stars Johnny Depp, who is my favorite actor. It is a movie adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thriller "Sweeney Todd." After being unjustly sent to prison, Johnny Depp's character is released along with his rage. He takes out his revenge on those deserving when they enter his barber shop and some are never heard from again. This is the first movie which features musical numbers by Johnny Depp and I am anxious to see him in this new vein of acting.

For information on this movie opening in theaters December 21st, visit the official Sweeney Todd movie site or you can also visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace.

It's de-cluttering time again

Every four months or so, I get this incredible urge to purge - clutter, that is. Maybe it's the annoyance with having to step around boxes to get to my desk, or the mish-mash of items being stored in my bedroom closet that should be somewhere else. Or maybe it's the change of weather, who knows? All I know is, organization time has come again.

Luckily, we don't have a lot of the sentimental collectibles that some people struggle to get rid of like trophies, china sets, model cars, and so on. Our trouble is the stacks of artwork that my kids have done that we just can't bear to throw away - although my daughter now understands the concept of picking the best and pitching the rest and did pretty well during our last household purge. Now if I could just get her to part with some of those stuffed animals, we would really be making headway!

Potty training debate

Once you have children, you realize that there are opposing views on virtually every aspect of childrearing. It begins with breastfeeding vs. bottle, then thumb sucking vs. pacifier, then Family bed vs. Cry-It-Out. When the baby is a little older, the debate is about potty training. My parent's generation trained children early, around 18 months. When my first daughter was trained three years ago, most were in favor of later child-led training so I was within the norm. Now that my son is three, the super-early training promoters have come out (we're talking infant potty training, which I don't even comprehend) so my son seems really behind in his potty learning skills. He has until August to be fully trained before starting pre-school, so we're starting to get serious about it and he does seem to be much more interested lately so that's working in our favor.

I have a friend who doesn't really have a choice in starting to potty train her son because even though he just turned two, he is almost too big for the largest size of diapers. She has jokingly mentioned that she may have to start buying him adult incontinence supplies until he is fully trained. I think they do make pull-up style diapers in a 3T-4T size, but they are very expensive and it would probably be easier just to go ahead and try to train him at an early age.

The key is consistency and right now in my house that is one thing we do not have. Since I am a substitute teacher, I could be called in to work anytime and then my husband has to try to work from home while watching my son as well. Trying to enforce potty training at the same time may be too much for him to take on right now. We'll probably do a "crash course" during Christmas break and if he's not trained after that, we'll aim for summer break.

Sicko in my future

I am excited to watch the new Michael Moore documentary entitled "Sicko." We had a showing last week at the library and 75 people showed up, which was our highest turnout to any documentary viewing. I did not attend since I have small children, but since we ordered it for check-out, I just put my name on the waiting list. I picked it up a couple of days ago, but have not had time to watch it yet. I am planning to watch it tonight after putting the kids in bed.

From what I've heard, it is all about the lack of decent health insurance and affordable life insurance in our country. It compares the insurance as well as health status of many different countries with the United States and apparently some of the comparisons are staggering. I have enjoyed other documentaries by Michael Moore, so I'm sure it will be very interesting and informative. I'll post a review after I watch it.

Sweet memories

Every time I look at my wedding ring, I remember when my husband and I found it. We were not even shopping for wedding bands at the time, but we were browsing in an antique mall in Denver, Colorado off South Broadway. We had already purchased my wedding dress at the same antique store and I was very fortunate to have found a dress that was exactly the style I wanted and fit me perfectly.

We saw all the rings behind a glass counter and immediately I was drawn to one in particular. We asked to look at it and amazingly, it fit. Then we asked the price and my happiness faded. Compared to new rings from a jewelry store, it was quite a bargain, but to two young college students on a budget it seemed just out of reach. I tried on several more rings that were nice, but none made me light up like the first one.

Then my wonderful husband-to-be said, "Let's go ahead and get it, OK? We'll be alright." And you know what? He was right, and I couldn't be happier with our decision. I still sit and look at my ring several times a day and I just smile. When I am stressed about money, I can look at it and hear my husband saying, "We'll be alright." And I know that everything happens for a reason and it will all work out somehow.

For health

One habit I really have to start working on is remembering to take nutritional supplements. As I get older, my body has different nutritional needs. For women, calcium is especially important to keep bones strong and ward off osteoporosis. I also like to take 1000mg of Vitamin C and a Zinc supplement to keep illnesses at bay. This is essential since I work at the elementary school as a substitute teacher. A regular multi-vitamin, plus these three supplements are what I try to take on a daily basis.

I also take vitamin A and vitamin E if I feel stressed, as they help to prevent cold sores. Taking all these vitamins also helps me get a big glass of water down first thing in the morning, so that's another plus. It's just difficult for me sometimes to swallow so many pills in one sitting. I can't take any in the evening, because I take a thyroid replacement, which cannot be taken within 2 hours of eating or vitamins. It's a juggling act, for sure. But isn't everything in life?

Sister city?

I was reading about St. Augustine, Florida, and have found several similarities to our little town of Eureka Springs. First of all, the town is centered around the arts, with many local artists and art enthusiasts. Every month, they host the First Friday Weekend Art Walk which is a free tour of all the art galleries in town on the first Friday of the month from 5pm to 9pm. They even offer free parking, a free sight-seeing train, and trolley tour. Eureka Springs has art walks as well, but I'm sure the St. Augustine Artwalk is much bigger.

I would like to visit St. Augustine especially since it is the oldest city in the United States. There must be some really amazing architecture to see. The fact that this event is free of charge, with many different modes of complimentary transportation to get people around is what interests me the most. In Eureka Springs, the trolley prices have just gone up and are now out of reach for most residents to use on a regular basis. The sight-seeing train also costs money, and it would be really nice if both would give complimentary rides during our artwalks.

We will definitely visit St. Augustine some time, especially since we have friends and relatives that have recently moved to northern Florida that we could visit at the same time.

Pride of ownership

I will never understand the lack of pride in ownership of some people. Just because they don't have a lot of money doesn't mean they have to turn their front yard into a veritable junk yard. The value of the neighborhood can totally be brought down by the indifference of a few people living there.

You can't win sometimes. If you live in a neighborhood with covenants and restrictions you are limited in the type of home you build and what kind of fence you can put up, but without any restrictions, you contend with the trashy-ness factor.

Home accessories

If you are looking for outdoor accessories for your home, I found a one-stop online shop that carries a variety of mail boxes, welcome mats, garden hose holders, address plaques, personalized faux stone address planters, weather vanes, and more. All prices are listed, and a shipping fee chart lets you know exactly what you can expect for total cost.

Seattle Luxe is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau's Online Reliability program, so you can purchase online with confidence.

For the ladies

OK girls, I've got a Christmas tip for you. One way to save money and benefit yourself as well as your partner is to buy some fine lingerie for yourself. Your man will definitely accept this as "his" Christmas gift, and you get something nice for you, too. And since you get to pick it out, you can make sure it fits and complements your body so you can feel confident wearing it.

Let's face it, if he tries to buy lingerie for you and it doesn't fit or you don't like it, would you really try to return it? I don't think so.

Extra curricular activities

With all the activities available to children these days, it is hard for a parent to decide what to expose their child to. When I was a child, I started with dance (ballet and modern jazz), but that only lasted a year or so. Then I got into recreational soccer, but that only lasted a couple of seasons and involved a lot of driving on my parent's part.

Probably my favorite activity was horse riding. In Colorado, there is an equestrian group called Westernaires that teaches young people ages 9-19 horsemanship, including riding techniques as well as proper grooming. I'm not sure all the costs that were involved, but I know they required equestrian riding apparel including boots.

I guess it all comes down to money, as most things do these days. When you are considering an activity for your child, you must realize all the costs involved, from application fees, monthly fees, uniforms, equipment, travel costs, and maybe more. I found out recently that some organizations like Girl and Boy Scouts actually offer scholarships that help pay for the membership fees, so be sure to ask about assistance if you require it.

Happy Thanksgiving

This morning, I woke up to our first frost of the year. It didn't snow, but there are little bits of ice on the deck from the slight drizzle we had last night. We are planning a small Thanksgiving dinner just with our little family of four and I think it will be very nice.

Christmas is stressful enough, so we like to keep Thanksgiving simple. We bought a smoked turkey from Hart's Outlaw Bar-be-cue, so it only has to be warmed in the oven for about an hour. We'll just cozy up in our house and spend time with those we love the most, and be thankful for all we have.

Bridge the gap

Since the holidays have sadly become so commercial and consumer-driven, it is understandable that many people find themselves strapped for cash at the end of the year. Rather than drown yourself in credit card debt, why not check the rates on Payday loans? You can get multiple quotes and they don't even require a credit check.

The process is very simple and can be done completely online in a matter of seconds. The money can be deposited into your checking account electronically, and you agree upon a date for the money to be electronically withdrawn to repay the payday loan.

City mouse, country mouse

I mentioned in an earlier post the idea of moving closer to town, but I'm not sure if this is even a possibility. We just started looking at vacant lots in town with the thought of building a very small house there. The problem is, there are very few vacant lots and the ones that are for sale are quite expensive for their size. I mean, compare a third of an acre for $38,000 with twenty acres for the same price a little ways out of town.

We essentially have two different ideals of how we wish to live. On the one hand, we would like to live in town and be able to walk to all the amenities in town. On the other hand, we don't like interacting with tourists very much and would like a small place out in the country, with land to interact with nature and expand upon if we want in the future. Living in the country would obviously be a lower cost of living, since we would have a well and septic or composting toilet/gray water system, connecting only to electric service. We would pay a bit more for transportation into town more often, but could also grow some of our own vegetables. Building would be much easier in the country too, without all the rigid Historic District guidelines to follow.

I also like the idea of our children growing up in a country setting, where they have room to roam and could pitch in and help with many of the aspects of keeping up the house and land. I want my children as far away from commercial consumerism as possible. Since they will still go to public school, they will be influenced somewhat by what their friends are into, but I can certainly control our attitude toward it at home and hopefully some of what we teach will "stick". Maybe we should aim for our "country mouse" dream for now, and see what happens in the future...

Child proofing tips

Anyone with small children knows that once they learn to crawl, all bets are off. You may think your home is safe for babies, but they will always surprise you with what they get into. Children are very curious by nature, which is good for their development, but bad when they get into dangerous stuff. Sometimes, it's more of an annoyance than a danger issue. For example, I can't leave anything on the kitchen table because it will either end up on the floor, or ripped up or drawn on if it is paperwork. This is also true for the counter tops. Everything must be pushed to the back and out of reach of little grabbing hands. From the age of 18 months to about age 5, this is just a fact of life.

Electrical devices are particularly interesting to children, which makes baby-proofing home entertainment components a challenge. A tv mount or armoire are good choices to keep electronics out of children's reach, but easily accessible to adults. CD players can be placed up on tall dressers or bookshelves, and we keep our telephone and answering machine up on the kitchen counter (just barely out of reach for my growing three year old!)

Another tip to avoid hazardous poisons is to use only natural cleaning products. I have cleaned everything in my home using a vinegar and water solution for three years now with no problems at all. If I need a bit of extra scrubbing power, I just add a sprinkle of baking soda, then spray with the vinegar solution. The results are just as good as commercial cleaning products, vinegar is a disinfectant, and I don't have to worry about keeping poisons out of reach. Of course, I still keep the vinegar and baking soda out of kid's reach, but if they accidentally found it I wouldn't have to panic or take a trip to the hospital. A great book to read on natural cleaning and other everyday products is "Home Safe Home" by Debra Lynn Dadd.

Little memories

One of the notable things I remember about living in Colorado City a couple of years ago is taking my children for walks around the nearby golf course. They would get a kick out of finding golf balls and usually found at least five on every outing. The thing I enjoyed most about living in that area was our ability to walk to most nearby amenities, the few that there were.

Colorado City kind of felt like an unfinished town, with things spaced out and lots of barren land in between. From the condo we were renting, we could walk to the post office, a small seasonal cafe, the pharmacy, the gas station, the doctor's office, the dentist, a used book store, and the telephone company. While that's better walk-ability than most areas, I would still like to be within walking distance of a park, a library, and possibly a grocery store. Those are the amenities my family uses the most. As such, we are considering a possible move closer to town. We are still working on the details, so stay tuned for further information...

Fall Art Fair

This weekend is the third annual Eureka Springs Fall Art Fair. The art fair will take place at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center. More than 75 local artists will display paintings, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, drawings, stained glass, mixed media and more. This is the perfect place to shop for original gifts or just to see some amazing art. The hours are Saturday, November 24th from 10am to 6pm and Sunday, November 25th from 11am to 6pm. The cost is $2 per person. Come support the local Eureka art scene!

Life's pains

My beautiful mother has been living with some severe joint pain that occurs sporadically. She never knows until she wakes up in the morning if she will be able to function normally or not. Sometimes the pain is so bad in her arms she has to miss work. Her doctor was baffled for a long time, since the episodes were so few and far between, with no apparent connection. He assumed it was some sort of over-exertion from exercise, but we knew that wasn't the case because my mom has always kept active. She takes long walks at least four days every week and these pains came on very sudden, with no change in her activity habits.

After repeated attempts for more help and relief for her condition, to no avail, she decided to get a second opinion. After hearing her symptoms, the new doctor immediately diagnosed my mom with Rheumatiod Arthritis. RA is an autoimmune disease which causes chronic inflammation of the joints. I am surprised the first doctor didn't think of this right away, since she also suffers from the Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Hashimoto's is also an autoimmune deficiency and it is common to be afflicted with more than one autoimmune disorder. At least now she knows what is causing the pain, but the bad news is my mom doesn't like taking drugs of any kind because they cause insomnia for her. She would much rather treat this topically, but hasn't found a product strong enough to relieve the pain enough to carry on with daily activities.

I was fortunate to receive some free sample packets of Freeze It Gel, a new product to alleviate pain which contains natural ingredients like vitamin E, aloe, and ILEX (an herbal extract from a holly shrub that enhances the effects of the pain relief ingredients). Freeze It also contains menthol and camphor to numb and cool the afflicted area deep down into the tissue of the muscle or joint. This gel is also helpful for common sore muscles and sore necks or back pain.

I think Freeze It is just what my mom needs to help with her joint pain. She could carry a tube with her to ease the fear of a sudden painful attack and go on with her life with more confidence. This post is actually my entry into a Freeze It contest. If they like mine the best, I will win a year supply of Freeze It that I would happily send to my mother to ease her pain.

What is the tooth fairy to do?

Last night, my daughter lost her other "big" top tooth. So now she is truly the toothless wonder. She put her tooth in an envelope addressed to the Tooth Fairy, put it under her pillow and eagerly went to bed.

Fast forward to the morning, and she comes upstairs with her envelope and says the Tooth Fairy didn't come. We said, "Was your tooth under the pillow?" And she says, "Well, I found it under the bed this morning. So I must have pushed it off in my sleep." So of course, the Tooth Fairy couldn't find it and therefore, didn't leave her any money.

She is going to try again tonight and hopefully the envelope will stay under the pillow so the Tooth Fairy can find it this time.

Police gear website

You don't have to be an official policeman, fireman, or military official to wear official 5.11 tactical clothing. 5.11 tactical is the leading creator of quality gear and clothing trusted by officials who require safety, accuracy, speed and performance. Their website organizes all the products by category and prominently lists all prices for ease of shopping.

I regularly shop at Army Surplus stores for original purses, backpacks, and boots. I found many interesting items on the 5.11 tactical site as well, so I'll also be checking that site from now on. Another plus is that for orders totaling at least $50, ground shipping is free.

Amusing mail

I just have to share a card I received in the mail today. The outside of the envelope was very mysterious, with a crooked computer generated address on a shiny gold envelope. Inside was a postcard printed on one side with the following text verbatim:
___________________________________
i am

a million holiday lights
the nutcracker in tights

exquisite menus
and honky tonk venues

gilcrease, philbrook, utica square
an overnight visit beyond compare

the perfect holiday destination
and this is your invitation.

Tulsa
VisitTulsa.com/holidays
___________________________________

I just had to giggle when I read this. Honky tonk venues? The nutcracker in tights?? How I got on the tourism mailing list for Tulsa, Oklahoma I'll never know, but at least it's good for a laugh now and then, right? I can appreciate their simple new look and modern style, but is that really the best they could come up with to say about their town? Sounds like a brainstorming session went awry somewhere over there.

Are those real?

Since Eureka Springs is located in a mountainous, heavily wooded area, many homeowners like to keep their home and yard decorations natural to blend in with the environment. As such, there are lots of natural wood furniture stores and artists who do very well in this field. Our town is also famous for all the limestone used throughout the town's architecture. Aside from all the limestone buildings, there are miles and miles of limestone retaining walls, as well as limestone sidewalks throughout the historic district.

Many newer homes have stone accents as well, although they are not always the real thing. Thanks to manufacturers like the Artificial Rocks Factory, it is easier than ever to get the look of real stone without the high cost or major heavy weights. Fake stone is much easier to work with and it is so realistic, no one will know the difference.

Some popular choices in stone decorating ideas are fake rock address plaques and welcome plaques. Molded from real 1,000 pound boulders and made from construction grade cast stone with a hollow interior. So the final product looks just like the real boulder, only hollow inside and weighing only about 50 pounds. Since they are so light, you may be wondering about possible theft. Not to worry, each rock is equipped with an anti-theft metal eyebolt cast inside with directions for its use shipped with the product.

The regular price is $299, but for a limited time all rock address markers and welcome plaques are $199 plus $50 for shipping and handling. The rocks with welcome plaques are in stock, ship immediately, and can be ordered as late as December 13th for Christmas gifts. Since the address plaques must be custom made for each order, they are delivered in 15-20 days, so in order to be delivered in time for Christmas, these must be ordered before November 29th.

Six year old woes

My husband and I were talking the other night about how we have noticed that our daughter doesn't smile as much as usual and suddenly she is very fearful at night and has trouble sleeping. Remembering back to when I was six years old, I was very fearful as well and I wonder if this is just normal for her age? I would go to my parent's room every night and sleep on the floor just to avoid my room. I didn't even care if they punished me, as long as I could be out of my room.

Looking back, I think my fears were somewhat valid, since my room was at the front of the house, while my parent's and sister's rooms were both at the rear of the house. So I was worried that a burglar would break in through my window and my parents wouldn't hear since they were on the other side of the house. I guess if a burglar was smart, they would probably break in through the back of the house, but as a kid I always thought my room was a sure target.

Our current house has a strange room layout as well, with the master bedroom on the main level, and all three of the other bedrooms in the basement level. So her room is under ours, but her brother is down there too, so it's not like she is all alone. When we originally bought the house, we were planning on using the third downstairs bedroom as the master until the kids were older. But we underestimated the size of our bedroom furniture and it just didn't fit in that room. At first, the kids had no problem sleeping down there and would only come upstairs sometimes during the night, but lately it has become more of a regular occurrence mostly with my oldest.

She says she can't fall asleep because she is worried she will have a bad dream and wants us to tell her something to think about to help her fall asleep. So we do and she goes to her room. Five minutes later, she comes back and says it didn't work and do we have any other ideas. Last night, we told her she could turn her light on and read a book. She said OK and left our room. She didn't come back for over an hour, so I went down to check on her and the lights were all off and she was asleep. So maybe books will help her. That would be good reading practice too, since she is just beginning to read. As for the sadness and lack of smiles, we're still baffled.

Artistic heat source

One of the things we are really missing in our house is a fireplace. Not so much for the heat, but for the ambiance a fireplace brings to a space. I found a really neat new idea in the realm of home fireplaces and fire pits called fire glass.

It is essentially the use of pieces of glass instead of logs in gas fireplaces and outdoor fire pits. Check out the gallery at their website for some very unique ideas for traditional gas fireplaces, and for some totally outrageous ideas for artistic outdoor fire tables. The different colors of glass are used to create an image that the fire permeates through, creating a centerpiece like no other.

Friday night follies

I don't know what it is, but my children always have trouble sleeping on Friday nights. Usually every other night of the week is fine. Maybe it is the transition to the weekend, or maybe it is just a coincidence, but it seems that everyone has trouble staying in their beds on Friday nights. Routinely the scene goes like this:

1. My three year old son comes into our bed around 1am.
2. After being sandwiched for a couple of hours and realizing I can't sleep like this, I try to carry him to his own bed. He wakes up and says, "Where are you taking me Mommy?" So I put him on the couch in the hopes that he will fall back asleep right away.
3. He does not go back to sleep and comes back into our bed.
4. We all finally fall back asleep just in time for my six year old daughter to come in the room around 4 or 5am and she is upset that there is no room for all four of us in the bed.
5. I manage to wiggle out of the bed and go with her back to her room to spend the rest of the night in her double bed and set her alarm so I can wake up to get ready for work at the library in the morning.

I have realized long ago that being a parent means giving up your right to a full night's sleep. As such, I can function pretty well on very few hours of sleep, but every now and then it catches up with me and I just crash in the afternoons. I am always saying I need to get to bed earlier, but when I do I feel like I am cutting into quality time with my husband. Parenting is a juggling act, that's for sure!

Resource for singles

Without mentioning any names, I'll just say that I know several single people who are getting anxious to meet the right person and unsure how to go about it. Sure, there are online dating sites, but how do you know which one is right for you? Well, now there is a solution. Prime Dating Sites is a singles resource that reviews online matchmaking services to meet charming singles. People can use their site, choosing between various options to determine which dating service would best serve their needs.

Whether you are looking for friends and fun, or a serious romantic longterm relationship makes a huge difference in which site to post your profile. Some dating sites have very in depth questionnaires which take a long time to fill out, but are more likely to find your perfect match. Their review of the popular dating site called eHarmony, explains how you take a Compatibility Test, which eliminates your need to search through endless profiles to find potential mates. After you take the test, they do the search and deliver profiles of possible matches right to your inbox.

If you are even considering giving online dating a try, you might as well visit Prime Dating Sites first, so you know exactly what to expect from the top online dating and matchmaking sites.

Shut-down mode

Well, with the change of the calendar to November, many of the restaurants, hotels, and shops in town are now on their "off season" schedule. This means that most of them are closed from Monday-Wednesday or Thursday. Each establishment sets their own rules, of course, and some are already completely closed for the winter, while some are open the same days, but with an earlier closing time. Your best bet with winter in Eureka Springs is to call ahead to any place you are hoping to shop or visit and double check their schedule.

Even with these changes, we still had many tourists in town the last two weekends, and it had us locals baffled. When I was working at the library on Saturday, many people said they had trouble getting around town and even parking by the library because of all the people in town. The best we could figure is maybe people were driving in this area to look at the changing leaves. Normally the best weekend for that is in late October, but this year it was a bit later since we had such warm days into the first weeks of November.

Working at the library, and now substituting at the elementary school, I have gotten to know so many of the Eureka residents. Whenever I am in town I see people I know and it is a great feeling. I never thought I would know so many people after only living here for a year and a half. Now if we could just get my husband out of the house more often so he could meet more people...

Holiday recipe

It's no secret that Thanksgiving is all about the food. We get together with friends and family to share a huge meal and give thanks for all we have. Many holidays involve families sitting down to a fancy spread of food, but Thanksgiving is the only one that revolves solely around the food.

Anyway, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only holidays my mother makes her homemade mashed potatoes. I remember these from my earliest days as a young toddler at the dining room table. Tasting them now brings back memories from long ago. They are always a big hit, and the recipe is surprisingly simple and intuitive.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

7 large potatoes, sliced
Butter
Milk
Garlic Powder
Onion Salt
Parsley (fresh or flakes)

Boil the sliced potatoes in a large pot until they are soft when poked with a fork. Drain out the water and blend with a mixer. Add butter and milk slowly as you mix, until you reach the desired creamy consistency. Then add the spices, tasting as you go, until you reach the desired flavor. Potatoes will thicken a little as they cool.
Makes 10-12 servings
_______________________________________

I currently only have a hand mixer, but my arm gets very tired blending such a large amount of potatoes. It would be much easier to use a stand mixer like the Eclectrics® Mixer. Hamilton Beach has been in the mixing business since 1911. With a history that goes back almost one hundred years, you are ensured satisfaction with a Hamilton Beach® Mixer. Their all metal design with 400 watts of power can stand up to the toughest of mixing jobs, even 9 dozen cookies or 4 loaves of bread at one time! The mixers have twelve settings to get exactly the results you need for the job. Hamilton Beach® backs their product with a full three year warranty on the Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer. During the month of November, All Eclectrics® Stand Mixers qualify for free UPS ground shipping.

A day on the town

The last few days have been unseasonably warm, and since we are all finally recovered from the nasty head cold that affected everyone in town, we decided to take a break from working on Tuesday and spend the day outside. While we should have been working in the yard, we didn't feel like doing that. We decided to walk downtown to take care of some errands. We buckled the boy into his stroller and leashed up the pup.

We walked over to the courthouse to pay our utility bill, then up to the post office to check our box. All the while we were taking pictures to share on the Eureka Springs Pictures website. Then we headed to one of the hotels so hubby could take some pictures for his Underground Eureka website. So technically, we were working, although it certainly didn't feel like it. It was about 1:00, so we were feeling hungry for lunch. We headed down to the New Delhi Cafe for a quick bite. I love the "Simply Avocado" sandwich, and hubby is partial to the British classic "Catfish and Chips."

We ate outside on the patio since we had the dog with us, and the live entertainment out there was fabulous. As it turns out, the singer was one of the mothers of some students I have taught at the school while substituting. So we chatted a bit, enjoyed her beautiful voice, and even bought her CD. It was a very enjoyable time and we were so glad we decided to get out of the house that day.

User-friendly coupon site

With the holidays coming up, I feel I must share any information I get regarding coupons and online shopping. Getting all your shopping done from the comfort of your home is definitely a plus during the crazy-busy Christmas shopping season. I hardly ever set foot in shopping malls these days, but you will never in a million years see me near one during the months of November or December!

So anyway, I'd like to share some Online Coupons I found which may be helpful. All online shoppers have used Amazon at some point. You can find virtually anything through their site. So I'm sure an Amazon Coupon would come in very handy. There are very specific categories as well, like MusiciansFriend Coupons for the musician in your life, or PETsMART Coupons for the pet lovers.

These coupons are updated daily for truly up to the minute deals. The site is very simple and easy to navigate and there are no advertisements to get in your way. So you can get in there, do all your shopping, and get on with your life.

High expectations

I was a bit disappointed in my daughter yesterday when I substituted in her class for the first time. I was all excited thinking what a great day it would be, that she would be my little helper, and so on. Well, apparently she is one of those kids that acts up more when their mom is around. She kept pushing the limits and I almost had to give her a time-out on two separate occasions. And since her friends saw her goofing off, even when her mom was in the room, they figured they could do it to. I had to warn them several times throughout the day.

We got through the day without any major snags, and I didn't even get a headache. Being a substitute teacher is a tough job, that's for sure. My job at the library feels like a walk in the park by comparison. Starting last week, all the teachers have been complaining about students acting up without reason. We figured everyone is just ready for Thanksgiving break, which is the entire week off school in our district. I know I'm ready for a break!

Beware the Mist

Stephen King is a remarkable author who has the uncanny talent for exposing mankind's deepest fears, even ones we don't realize we have. This is what I find true in the new movie The Mist by Stephen King. After watching the trailer, I remembered one particular time in college when my husband and I were driving with my mother and we got caught in a very sudden and very severe thunderstorm. We were already in our own neighborhood, and even then, the fear that comes with sudden lack of visibility is definitely real. I guess it's the mystery of what is in front of you, worrying that you may hit something or someone else who has the same lack of vision. In our case, relief came fairly quick and we were able to just drive extremely slow until we got home. But now I can understand how people find themselves caught unexpectedly in a bad storm or tornado, or even a really dense fog that suddenly rolls in.

In the movie, a mysterious mist rolls over an entire town and people are forced to choose either to stay where they are, or to confront the mist. People are split in their religious beliefs as some think the mist is some sort of "second coming" of Christ. Others just think it is the weather and are not scared at all... Until strange things start to happen related to the mist that surrounds them. The movie definitely looks creepy and will scare people on a deeper level than they probably realize, which is what usually happens with Stephen King's material. Check out the information on the website and definitely view the trailer to see what all the buzz is about.

Lake Leatherwood improvements

There is a new group promoting outdoor activities in Eureka Springs, and last week they made some improvements at our city park, Lake Leatherwood. We went hiking there today and saw the trail maintenance improvements and the new trail markers. Today was one of those days where it would have been a crime to stay indoors. When you are given the gift of 70 degree weather in the middle of November, you take full advantage!!

Anyway, we had a very nice day walking around the lake and feeding the geese. As usual, the geese became a bit too friendly and one of them nipped my son's finger. But no worries, he was back to feeding them only a few minutes later with no tears shed. My husband is trying to start a new habit of spending at least one hour outdoors each day. I think that would be great, since he spends so many hours in front of a computer screen, plus the outdoor time is just what the kids need to release all that extra energy.

On the home front

We keep going back and forth between wanting to make home improvements, and wanting to save our money for future endeavors. My thoughts are: if we make our current home more to our liking, we will want to stay in this house longer and will strive to make it happen. Plus, any improvements we make will only add to the value of the house, which is good for resale value as well.

All that said, we still like to find the best deals on home improvement projects. I found a great sale on quoizel lighting for anyone who is interested. You can save up to 70% off their regular prices for wall sconces, bathroom lighting, chandeliers, and lanterns.

Our biggest plans for future home improvement projects include adding a stone facade to the front of the house for better curb appeal, and of course hardwood floors which are a long term dream for the main level of the house including the kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Thirteen years already?

Most people think this is pretty silly, but my husband and I still celebrate the anniversary of our first date, which is this weekend. Sometimes we even cherish it more than our wedding anniversary. We figure, the first date was the most important event, which started our relationship, which led to marriage, and eventually children. But without that first date, none of the other things would have followed.

Anyway, we are celebrating thirteen years together, and yes, I have a babysitter this time! We still don't have any concrete plans nailed down, but just knowing we will have a whole evening to ourselves makes us giddy. It's been far too long since I've been on a date with my husband.

Now I've mentioned before that we don't exchange gifts anymore and haven't in many years. So I'm not expecting a pearl necklace or anything. We'll probably just have a nice night on the town. The weather on Sunday will be absolutely perfect (high of 72, low of 55), so we would be happy just hanging out in Basin Park with some hot tea, talking and people-watching. Aahhhh, I'm getting more relaxed just thinking about it.