What Does Autism Look Like?

PDD-Nos Memoirs

Tonight I was glancing at the referral URL's on this blog when I came across a new visitor. I decided to click on the link and take a look. I'm very glad that I did. I found the blog titled: Father of Child With Autism. His post was about a YouTube he had found that was a tearjerker. I decided to watch it.

He was right.

Here is the YouTube for you about the beautiful little sister Jorie...

BRADY BUNCH CASTING: Want to Watch Us on TV?

I got an email a little over a week ago from someone from this new reality show that is being cast. Was I interested in auditioning for the show or put the casting notice up on my blog? Hhhm.. I called my mom first. She said really think about it and I told her to pray about it. Only God knows the future right? I can't stand living life at the end of a toppling domino trail. I've had it.

My kids were driving me crazy! Everyday they would come home and ask me if I sent the email. My answer, "NO, not yet!" I sat them down and explained that are lives would probably change forever or at the very least for six months. Their private lives would no longer be private. They've watched Paris Hilton's Simple Life, My Super Sweet Sixteen, The Hogans, Nanny 911, The Newlyweds and other reality shows. They know people will criticize them and judge them. I know it too. Why did I send the email to audition anyway? I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm tired of being financially strapped. I still don't have furniture, now my dog is in the hospital and my car hasn't been repaired. If this will bring us enough money to pay alL the debt....we're in. We always do everything together anyway. Perhaps this will help The Diva jumpstart a career in the movies. You have to hear her accents! The Comedian is a wiz at accents too. They love the camera, we could use the money and America needs to see what living with ADD and autism is really like. What do you guys think?

I'll keep you posted!

813 Casting and Stick Figure Productions are currently casting for "Your Reality" on TV Land. Your Reality is the show that features everyday people as the real-life versions of classic TV shows. The Brady Brunch, Three's Company and Cheers is the focus right now and the search is on! (Actors, models & students encouraged to apply...)


THREE'S COMPANY...

Do You Have a Bizarre or Unique Living Situation?
Are You Living the Real-Life Three's Company?!

Do you have as much fun as Janet, Jack & Chrissy?! Do you get into crazy misadventures, date each other's friends or send mixed messages? Do you have a flirtatious or sleazy neighbor, or does your suspicious landlord drop in at all the wrong times?

If you answered Yes! to some (but not necessarily all) of the above questions and you think that your living situation is similar to one on Three's Company, you could win your very own reality show (and some cash)!You don't have to be a perfect match. If youve got a Jack and a Chrissy, you don't need to have a Janet. You can be two guys and a girl, or two girls and a guy, you can even be only two people - any combo works! We want fun, outgoing roommates who like the possibility of being on TV and winning some money.


CHEERS...

We're looking for a cast of characters like the one on Cheers! We want to meet regulars from neighborhood pubs across the country.

The similarities to the Cheers cast doesn't need to be exact - in fact, you can have minor similarities as long as your group of regulars knows how to have a good time!


BRADY BUNCH...

Is Your Family the Real-Life Brady Bunch?

Do you have blended family? Do you share a home with your step-family? Do you have a large family? Is there any sibling rivalry or bickering between the boys and the girls? Does a line form for the shower in the morning? Most importantly, does your family have as much fun as The Brady Bunch?!!

If you answered Yes! to some (but not necessarily all) of the above questions and you think that your family is in some way similar to The Brady Family on TV's Classic show The Brady Bunch, you could win your very own reality show (and some cash)!

Your family doesn't have to match the Bradys perfectly, you just need to have some things in common. There can be one son and two daughters, three sons and one daughter, you can even be two or three daughters - any combo works! We want fun, outgoing families who like the possibility of being on TV and winning some money.


TO APPLY...

If you feel like you're a match for any of these three classic shows, email us at YourReality@813casting.com ASAP. Tell us how you're similar (similar characters, similar story lines, similar set-ups, etc.). Be sure to include your phone number and, if you've got em, some pictures of you and your family/roommates/or bar patrons.

Your Reality on TV LAND is produced by Stick Figure Productions and is being cast by 813 Casting. TO RECEIVE FREE CASTING NOTICES from 813 Casting, log onto www.813casting.com and click "receive free casting notices". It takes a minute to sign up and is always free. For more info on Your Reality, check out www.stickfigureproductions.com/casting6.html




Location: Nationwide

It's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Compensation: your own show plus possible cash prizes

The Challenges of Well Water and Filters!

Living in a city, you take certain things for granted. You never really notice little things until you visit a remote area or go on vacation to another country. Simple services like frequent garbage pickup, fluorinated water and water pressure in your shower are things one just expects after living in a major city. That's why I had a hard time adjusting to my new location. When I moved here, the first thing I was told was, "Don't drink the water." What??? How do you not drink the water? Bottled water was an added expense to our grocery bill, until I discovered filters.

Since the children liked to drink water, I purchased a filter for the sink. Originally, I had bought a water filter in a pitcher. The only problem was the kids would sometimes just get the water straight from the faucet...which was a no-no! That's when I bought a water filter that you attach to your faucet. The next problem was buying the filters. I live in an area where everyone needs to have filters because we have well water. Yup, there are still places that have such a primitive system. (At least I think so.) So what do you think happened? The filters were always sold out. Well this site would have come in handy! The site http://www.filtersfast.com makes it easy to get the filters you need. They sell filters for your pitcher, faucet and even portable units that purify water for emergency situations. (I guess those are the kinds they use when there are earthquakes, tsunamis and floods.) At http://www.filtersfast.com you can have next day delivery for most products.

Before you spend money on your filters, visit this http://www.filtersfast.com and comparison shop. You may be saving some serious money and a needless trip to the supermarket. If you're like me, you can never leave the supermarket with just the one product you needed to get. (Especailly if you're accompanied by your kids!)

Don't get me wrong. Country living has it's perks. Well water and septic tanks are not one of them. (Oh and neither are the bears or the deers!)

The End of My Rope...

Something is wrong with my dog. I'm very upset right now, but there is nothing I can do. I've had to resort to calling my ex-husband to help me. I don't have any money in my account and he needs to see a vet. Of course, The Entrepreneur and I have been calling him most of the day and no one knows where he is.

I'm pretty frantic. I hate being financially strapped. If I had the money, I'd be in the Vet's ER right now. I don't even have enough money to make it through the week. If he doesn't make it I'm not getting another dog until I have enough money to deal with situations like this. I love that dog. My ex gave him to The Princess on her birthday several years ago. He is tiny, cute and hyper. I hope there is something we can do. I hate being poor.

Just needed to vent...

What Were They Thinking?

I hope all of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. Mine was very hectic. Then I had to make it home so that Sleepy Dwarf could make it to Toys R Us at 6am. I didn't go shopping, the funds are very low...


I am trying a new way to monetize my blogs. While surfing the site, I came across a video site similar to YouTube.com. This one is called Ebaumsworld.com. I became upset when I saw this footage. First of all, why would any human being do this to another...especially a child. You tell me what you think. Honestly, I think there should be some repercussions...

PPP Forums: A Great Way to Communicate With Fellow Posties!

Being an avid blogger with 13 blogs and 3 squidoo lenses, I spend a lot of time on the blogoshpere. This is one of the reasons why I find out about new legitimate companies that pay you to work from home.

While I was surfing, I came across a Google Ad that caught my eye. It was an advertisement for an e-book that claims to help you earn money on PayPerPost. Naturally, I clicked on the ad and was taken to a splash page. The ad stated they could help anyone earn a full time income using payperpost and that they would reveal the secrets of the big money earners. Hhhmmm...

Of course, I went right over to the PPP forums and posted a new thread. I spoke about the ad, gave the link and asked my fellow posties to comment. The big earners of PPP (they're listed on the blogger dashboard), were some of the first to answer. What did they think? They were shocked that someone was charging $21.00 for an ebook with information that could be obtained for free on the PPP forums! That's why I enjoy this service. I was curious to see what other people thought and with one action- I got a reply. Not ony that, Ted Murphy (the owner) replied to the thread. Even he was unaware of the ebook that was being peddled.

What was the icing on the cake? The author and moderator of the copycat PPP boards replied on the thread as well. Everyone got to explain their motives and it all happened at the PPP forums. Not bad, huh?

So, if you don't get paid to blog....follow the hyperlink above and learn more about this crazy new cooky company! They are currently paying $10.00 for people to make a quick video. If you're into making commericals, this might be a great way to get noticed. Just tape the quick, 30-1.30 second video, upload it to Youtube.com and submit it to payperpost. (Of course, you must register your blog and be accepted into the program first. Follow the Make Money Online link below for more information.) It's a great way to earn some money for doing what you enjoy!

Related Topics
Learn how to earn money from home at MAKE MONEY ONLINE on Squidoo!

Mary Kay: Great Gift Ideas!

Mary Kay has many great gift ideas for the holidays. They have a great line of skin care products, cosmetics and spa products. In the coming days, I'll be sharing some pictures of the products they offer that I especially like. Perhaps you may want to give the products a try...

This is a product to pamper your feet. The gift set contains rosemary mint fizzies that are effervescent. They relax your senses and soothe your feet. Visit the site for even more products and be sure to register for their contest that will run between Nov.24-Nov30! Visit the site and register to receive email notifications of new products, brochures and sweepstakes. You can visit the site and create a wish list you can post on your blog or even send in an email to your friends and family!

Sounds Like you Enjoyed Yourself!

Hey, Tamale...wanna trade lives? WEll...not really,JK! I don't think it would be fair since my life is so overwhelming, demanding and unrewarding and yours is SSSwwweeeett!

Sounds like you had a good time in Las Vegas. For my readers that are clueless as to my references, PayPerPost.com just paid for a couple's wedding in Las Vegas. The staff joined the owner Ted Murphy in the ceremony and party. Visit the payperpost blog to get all the juicy details. If you don't know who payperpost is, read about them on my blog or follow the link after this post. Find the hyperlink for payperpost.com and click on it. The link takes you to a tutorial that explains how you can join payperpost and get paid to blog!

Tamale just taped a new confessional at YouTube.com talking about the great time payperpost had, as well as the surprise she found on her desk. HP just signed on as an advertiser and she got a new digital camera. Hey! Do we (the bloggers) get a new camera? Can we at least compete in a contest for a new one? I can really use a digital camera! I currently use my Samsung cell phone's camera, but TMobile's now charging me to download my pictures! Not only will I use it for my 13 blogs, but it will really come in handy with the ebay auctions I want to start!

Anyway Tamale, have lots of fun with your new camera. PayPerPost.com promises to update their Flickr account with lots of new pictures. If I am able to get one from HP, I will do the same. I Promise! (Seriously, for REAL!!!!)

This is What Worries Me...

Newsweek has an article that I wanted to share with all of you. The article concerns autism and adults. Most of you know that I try to live life day by day. My life is overwhelming and anything more that has me sinking into the Abyss.

Right now, I'm concerned with The Little One's progress in speech. He understands what everyone speaks to him. Whether or not you get a rsponse depends on his interest in your subject matter. Then an article like this comes along and it's as if someone is shaking me out of a deep slumber.

What Happens When They Grow Up was written by Barbara Kantrowitz and Julie Scelfo. It's a wake up call. As autism bloggers we need to get the word out. After reading this article, I learned that there is some legislature that may be on it's way that may help. This new legislation may be the key to the help that we need for the autistic in America.

Read the article and the comments too. There were a few people that left a comment that say they are austistic individuals leading a "normal" lifestyle. That is a great thing, but I believe this article was geared towards the care of the ones that can't and don't. The question that lays the heaviest on my heart comes from the aging parent that wonders, "What will happen to my low functioning autistic child when I'm gone?"

Learn to Delegate

If you have a business that has to ships to customers, you know how time consuming it can be. You also understand that the inventory takes space and space takes money. To reduce the amount of time you need to spend organizing, storing and sending your products you can hire a company to do it. This frees up your time to market and advertise your buisness to create more customers and ultimately more profits!

Order fulfillment houses operate at the very end of the internet retailing chain. Customers store their products in the fulfillment warehouse, the orders are made and they ship the products. There is a fulfillment house called Pick Pack Logistics. They are headquartered at 14675 Titus St, Van Nuys, Ca 91402. Their new Bay Area Location is located at 2114 Adams Ave. San Leandro, CA 94577 and can be reached at 818 997-0866 or 510 562-6130. Visit the link and see how they can help you increase your profits.

Friend or Foe?

The Princess will be 8 years old on Thanksgiving this year. I wanted to book a party for her at Build a Bear, but I had a car accident and lots of other unexpected expenses. Her paternal grandmother called me and asked if she could give her a birthday party at the harness museum. (The Princess loves animals). The party involves a tour of the harness musuem, 3 games, 1 craft and a trip to the stables so they can see the horses from a balcony.

The Princess has a hard time in school. She is very shy and the other kids are cruel to her. They call her names and she spends recess alone. I've been to the school various times to ask for permission to be at the playground during recess and I was denied.

Her grandmother wanted to see if there were any kids she wanted to invite. The Princess stated she only wanted to invite one girl. Last Monday she went to school and told her "friend". The girl told her she wouldn't attend unless she could bring her other friend. (That other girl is mean to my daughter.) The next day she came home and told me the "friend" told her she would only attend if she could ride a white horse. The day after that The Princess came home and told me her "friend" had told her she couldn't attend her party because her mother was allergic to horses. I finally got fed up with the stories and told The Princess to not talk to her "friend" about the party anymore. That kids was making me sick with all her demands, complaints and storytelling.

Yesterday, The Princess came home and told me her "friend" told her she didn't like horses. She was excited though, her "friend" had given her an invitation to her party. The Princess is reciting the story of how her "friend" told her she hates horses and stops to gawk at the invitation. The inviation has a horse on the front. I look at her and ask, "Didn't this girl say that she hates horses?" Confused, I pick up the inviation. As I read the invitation outloud, I realize this girl booked a horseback riding party on the same day and time as my daughter's birthday party. Enclosed in the envelope are two papers: a medical statement form and an accident waiver!

Today The Princess came home and told me she told the girl her party was on the same day and some time as hers. The "friend" laughed and stated, "Everyone's coming to my party, anyway..." She's going to be 8?? What a mean-spirited child? I wonder if she's been watching Mean GirlsThe most shocking part is that she was supposed to be the only girl that The Princess called her friend. If she considers her a friend, I don't want to know what the enemies are like. I explained that the girl was envious and mean and was not her real friend. Ladies...I'll be cutting back on the blogging. I need to make some appearances in the classroom. I need to bring the equilibrium back in that piranha tank.

Boy, I'm glad I'm not going to meet the mother of that child. I can just imagine the tree that poisoned apple fell from...

For This, I Am Thankful...

During the time that I was pregnant with The Princess, I did a lot of crying. I was very angry about having allowed myself to be vulnerable and wasting time on a relationship that was doomed for failure. I was heartbroken that my children would not grow up with both their parents. I was bitter because even though I tried my best and stayed in an abusive realtionship, things didn't change. I was furious because he left me with all the debt and walked away with a lucrative business. His blatant infidelity was a blow at all the attempts I made to keep it together. I was angry with God because although I prayed, fasted and stood on His Word, the answer to my prayer was a resounding....NO.

During that time, I found comfort in the Bible. I found that worship songs lifted the heaviness in my heart and released the chains of hopelessness. There were also songs that ministered to me, that were not "Christian" songs. Although they were based on a Christian premise, they weren't in the gospel genre.

When she was still in my womb, there was a name that I was toying with. This name was very meaningful to me. I wanted to name her Zion. My reasoning was that for some reason, God kept blessing me with children although my marriage was falling apart. Zion was the name given to "The Chosen People". Only God knew why he had chosen me to raise this child, without her father. A child that would come at a very tumultuos time in my life. In the middle of the tempest, people that were not of the faith advised me to terminate the pregnancy. I knew that the life inside me deserved a chance. It was going to be very difficult, but I knew that God would never leave me nor forsake me. Looking back, I think I understand why God blessed me with this life. She helped me to focus and hold it together every time I thought I didn't have anymore strength. At the times when it was the darkest, she was a little light that God gave me. She gave me hope for the future and a reason to kneel down and pray when I wanted to give up. For this, I am thankful.

There is a song that reminds me of that time. I still remember the tears, the fears and the prayers whispered in the dark. Funny, how a vivid memory can live inside a song? At a time when others celebrate a new life, I was worried about survival...

I want to share the song Zion by Lauryn Hill with you. The link will take you to my myspace profile at Make Money Online at Home where the song is located. Just click on the play button and you can hear the song.

Carnivals This Week..

Two family oriented carnivals that have plenty of great reads!

Carnival of Family Life #27 is being hosted by Michelle at the blog titled scribbit. Pssst...she lives in Alaska! How cool is that...Now I can say I know two bloggers in Alaska! Read why I can relate to the post Hectic at the blog The Common Room!

Carnival of Kid Comedy is up at Life in a Shoe. You know what? She has me beat by one kid AND she homeschools! That's one strong woman! A Proverbs woman at that! On that carnival I found another mommy with 7 dwarves (a fellow Proverbs woman too). Read her post Little Boy blue... at Our Seven Qtpies.


Be sure to click the button on the side bar to be a part of any of the blog carnivals that are going on. I like to post the carnival at the end of the week, to get more visits to the participants when they would usually be winding down...

Need to Earn More Money?

Do you love your job and don't want to leave your company? Are you faced with the dilemna that you need to earn more money, but you don't want to leave your current comfort zone? You can consider the option of returning to get your master degree. Is it too difficult to juggle the time, commute, family and housework? Consider studying online!

Capella University is an online university that can help you achieve your goals without creating more debt. It was founded in 1993. They offer graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology. Their bachelor's degree programs are in business and information technology. The best part is thhis: No babysitting fees, no transportation fees or money wasted on take out! It is a great solution for a busy moms and dads!

PPP: Get to Know Them!

There are several companies that pay you to blog. Each company has a feature that differentiates one from the other. PayPerPost has a forum that allows "posties" to communicate with each other. It creates a tight knit community of bloggers that help each other.

Forums are great because you can receive information very quickly. Bloggers can share their blogs, their difficulties with postings and more. The administration can read and get insight as to what is working, what needs to be changed and what needs to be eliminated.

PPP has many opportunities everyday. You can always find something to blog about. You never know what new product, site or service you will be reviewing. The have a wide variety of advertisers. There are offers for personal finance bloggers, sports bloggers, gamers, mommy bloggers and more! The different offers are worth varying amounts. Each requires a different mininum amount of words. This is advantageous for those times that you don't have time to type out a 200 word post. You can find an offer with a minimum amount of 40 words, complete it and submit it!

Try PPP and see for yourself! PPP is blog advertising that is fun and profitable for a blogger!

Who Are The Jonas Brothers?

The Diva just started a new Squidoo lens to showcase her favorite band called
The Jonas Brothers! It is still under construction, but I wanted to share it. She will be adding much more information, pictures and even videos you may want to watch. Be sure to bookmark it, so that you can easily return to read all the new features.

For all you guys that reached this post through Google, bookmark the lens. She will be adding lots of features in the coming weeks. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on anything!

Autism and Scripted Language

Many people speak about autistic people and their use of scripted langauge. I know I've read a lot of content in the past. Yesterday I tried to find a blog that wrote about such an instance, but couldn't find it. My next step is to go through the archives of two of my favorite autism bloggers: Bloggg and Autismland. I'll be looking for their perspective on this issue and will get back to you.

In the meantime, let me tell you why I am curious about the subject. I wrote previously about how two of the boys hid in the minivan to avoid the consequences of the dreaded washing dishes chore! After discussing their consequences and the severity of what they did, The Little One came over to them. In each of his little hands, he held a hand of his older brothers.

He looked at them and said:

No TV. No Phone and NOOooo friends. Now go to your room!

Then pointed upstairs!

Now, we were all shocked that he understood what was going on and what he said was even more surprising. That is...until we mentioned it to The Diva. She told us that it was the script on one of That's So Raven episodes. Three days later, I watched the episode with him. He got up and acted the part, just like the father did on TV. He recited all the right words with the right gestures. I know that he memorizes a lot of content. He announces the next shows on The Disney Channel before the announcer does! He's pretty funny because he tries to deepen his voice!

Not too long ago, I had a conversation with another special needs mom. She told me she doesn't let her son watch TV because he memorizes everything and repeats it over and over ...with no reason. He will have outbursts of scripted language and for that reason he doesn't even watch movies. I don't have that problem, he memorizes scenes from movies and uses them in appropriate scenarios. I feel that he learns a lot from interaction with his siblings, his classmates, educational videos, movies, TV, radio and even computer games. Since he is like a sponge, we try to feed him as much knowledge as possible. Ok, I confess. I even take the chance every now and then, to teach him the periodic table. Hey, he loves Jimmy Neutron! Anyway, I understand why she does what she does. Although they are both on the spectrum, The Little One is diagnosed with PDD and her son is diagnosed with Asperger's. Her son speaks fluently and mine has a hard time with his speech. There are times he doesn't experience dificulty (like when he sings that the words just flow. Other times, he loses consonants.

In the end, every autisitic child is different. I will continue to allow my child to surprise me with all the knowledge he has stored in his mind.

Last night, he colored a Crayola wonder markers poster his father bought him. The poster was hung up in the hallway, after he went to bed. This morning he was surprised to see it hung on the wall. He stopped, pointed and exclaimed:"Oh! It's so BEAUTIFUL!" and he beamed with pride wearing a smile from ear to ear. Those are the moments that make parenting a special needs child "special"....

Better Than "MTV Cribs"

If you enjoy watching MTV cribs, than you will definitely love to peruse Scottsdale Realtors! These homes are beautiful. Hey, there's no harm in dreaming. Isn't that how Gates, Trump and Robbins got their fortunes? They had big dreams and laid out attainable goals. Anyway, back to the homes. Many of these homes are located in Scottsdale, Arizona. When you visit the site, be sure to follow the link to the homes of celebs, athletes and the elite! You will be amazed at the luxuries that are available!

Can't Find Tickets for The Cheetah Girls?

Little One's Dad strikes again. He bought tickets for four of us to see The Cheetah Girls' Concert. This will be The Little One's second concert. His first one was a couple of months ago, at the Radio Disney Concert in NYC featuring The Jonas Brothers. The Diva is wishing with all her might that the surprise performers at the Atlantic City, NJ concert will be The Jonas Brothers. On the other hand, it could be Ali and Aj or any other of the Disney endorsed artists. She'll be on cloud nine if it works out to be her favorite band...we'll see.

Are you looking to purchase tickets that for The Cheetah Girls, NFL games, NHL or any other event? There is a site where these Event Tickets that are solld out and hard to find can be bought! Premium Seats USA provides a huge selection of first-class tickets to all concerts, sports and theater events nationwide. Visit the link and search for your desired event. They even have sell tickets to comdey shows and Vegas shows.

Although The Cheetah Girls may not be as big as Shakira and Maroon 5, these tickets are hard to find. I think the fact that they are having surprise guests at their concerts sells even more tickets. If your child really likes Disney artists, you may want to look into a concert Radio Disney is having for their 10th anniversary. Not only will The Cheetah Girls be performing, but so will The Jonas Brothers, B5, Ali and Aj and a slew of others. The only problem is it's in Dallas TEXAS! The Diva is begging her Dad to fly her to the concert. He's actually considering it, lucky her. I can't see spending airfare, hotel expenses, car rental fees and concert tickets fees because she says, "I'll die if I can't make it to the concert." (Think she's watched Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and Freaky Friday one too many times!) Well, if she goes..it will be time she will never forget, I'm sure. With me, she's lucky we're making the trip to Atlantic City, NJ!

A Great Way to Relax

This is a great palce to destress and if you live in Indiana, it's the place to visit! Professional Healing Touch, Inc is a massage therapy office that provides a relaxed and stress free environment to bring a tranquil, peaceful time to lounge. They're professionals are trained in massage therapy to insure that you have a great experiencce. They provide massage chairs and offices for relaxing isolated stretches!

When I was single, I worked several jobs at the same time while also going to college full time. I found that massages were a great way to relax. It was a way for your spirit and body to rejuvenate. There are many types of massages and spas, you must research and find the right one for you. I don't like the idea of sitting in a tub of mud..especailly when I don't know how many other people sat there before me. Actually, I don;t want to know. I don't like the idea of hot rocks being placed on key points on my back or body. For me, a plain old full body massage is the ticket. Before you do anything, find out exactly what they offer and what you want. Professional Healing Touch, Inc may be your new home for massage therapy.

This is a great gift to give yourself or a loved one this holiday. A day of relaxation and a getaway for the stresses of life! Professional Healing Touch, Inc. has six years of experience and they guarantee a soothing experience. For more information follow the link to send an email or call:

Powerful Healing Touch, Inc.
4718 Eagleswatch Lane
Indianapolis, IN 46254

Main: (317) 201-3758
Fax: (317) 329-1021

Trade Show Graphics That Squash the Competition

For trade show displays
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They've got you covered whether you've got the graphics designed
already, you need help turning a design idea into reality, or you choose from
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They REALLY HATE Washing Dishes!

My mother says this can only happen to me.

Monday morning my sis called from San Diego. As we were talking, I was walking around and happened to look out the window. That's when I noticed that there were two bare feet propped up on the arm rest of the passenger seat of my minivan. Now this van doesn't work. It needs repairs, so it's just parked in my driveway. I assumed it was Sleepy Dwarf. He was outside with his father raking the leaves (Which they never do. It may be because they thought my friend was coming over to do some repairs and they didn't want to look like the slackers they are). Anyway, I stepped out on the deck and called out to him. The person dove to the backseat. I became furious. I kept thinking, they better not have done what I think they did.

As I approach the minivan, it's rocking with movement and I see The Comedian diving for the back seat. Then I catch The Entrepreneur trying to jump into the cargo space?!?! What were they thinking?

ME:
"GET OUT OF THE CAR RIGHT NOW!!!"

THEM:
"WAIT, MOM LET US EXPLAIN."

ME:
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT. I DON'T CARE WHAT TIME IT IS, YOU'RE BOTH GOING TO SCHOOL!" "GET DRESSED NOW!!"

THEM:
"BUT IT'S LATE ALREADY..."

ME:
"ARE YOU CRAZY? ARE YOU TRYING TO NEGOTITATE?"

They found their bookbags, socks, sneakers and sweatshirts.

I went to bed late, blogging to make the money for the car repairs. I didn't wake up early that day. They have been missing the bus, whcih is noy only an inconvenience, but it is also an unnecessary expense. Not only that, but by the time I can drive them to school...they usually miss their first two classes. As a consequence, I make them wash the dishes when they miss the bus. The boys hate washing dishes. Really hate it. Why do you think they didn't tell me they missed the bus? They didn't want to have to wash dishes.

Not only do they ahve to do the dishes, they lost the privilege of watching TV, using the phone or playing video games...until I say so. What were they thinking? As if I wouldn't have found out the next day?! The school calls the homes of kids that were absent to alert the parents, in case of situations like this.

They didn't go to school because it was late in the day. I made them go outside and rake leaves. they ask me if they could eat lunch. My response was, "If your plan would have worked, you would have still been in that van until 3pm. You weren't worried about it then, why worry now. So, that's when you get to eat." After they raked the leaves, they did their laundry and cleaned their rooms....and then they WASHED THE DISHES!

Kids. Tt's funny how they have a completely different thought process and they think it makes sense??!?!?!??

These are the Best PrePaid Calling Cards

If your family lives far, you have a child in college or a loved one is the military...you know how your phone charges can stack up! If you're not lucky enough to live in a place where they have VOip services, then you resort to prepaid Calling Cards"to curb your phone usage and charges.

Using calling cards has the advantage of giving you a time frame in which to work with. The biggest problem with calling cards are the fees they charge just to use them. If you use them at a payphone, most companies charge a connection fee that ranges from 50 cents to a dollar! The fee is less from a home number, but it's still ridiculous. You pay the company to get the card and then you pay them to use it too!

Not anymore! There is a calling card that has gotten rid of all those nasty fees that steal your money. How?
1. They are convenient to purchase. They can be delivered instantly via email.
2. They can be used by any touch tone phone and even your cell!
3. You can see all your call records! That means they make themselves accountable for their services, unlike other companies!
4. No fees!
5. No more guessing which card has minutes! This card is reloadable as needed!

Get the most out of your money. Buy a prepaid calling card that has your best interest at heart!

Where's Nani?

Both of my parents were here for a whole day, but my mother stayed two days extra. The Little One was thrilled. Every nw and then,he would bring up taking a plane to see Nani. Remember, we were planning to go to PR this summer. Due to unforeseen financial difficulties I backed out at the last minute. He didn't forget.

He was thrilled to have his grandparents here. As soon as he got off the school bus in the afternoon, he would ask "Where's Nani?" Unfortunately, my parents are returning to PR. My children are very sad and The Little One is the most upset. He asks me "Where's Nani?" everyday. I explained that they went to the city, but that they were going to take a plane back home to PR. What do you think that he replied? He signed plane and then he asked me to take him to the plane so he could go to "Porto Rico" see Nani and go to the beach. He loves the beach, even though he's only been there once??? Anyway, my parents will be leaving Tuesday at 2pm. I wish that they would stay longer, but I understand that they miss their home....

Have a safe trip. We love you very much!

I'm Appalled!

I'm upset about what I read about The Magic Eraser! After logging on to post to one of my other blogs, I was shocked and dismayed to read about a product that is popular among households with children, but not mindful of their base customers. This product is very dangerous and not properly marked as bieng so by the manufacturer.

The blog Kerflop has written a post about the product The Magic Eraser and being the mom of a 7 children of which one is a 5 year old graffiti artist, I felt I had to get the word out. Not only that, I have often praised this product and have blogged about it. After her son became ill and showed signs of burns on the face, she became alarmed. Her son had been cleaning the scuffs off the baseboards with one of these products. After calling the Poison Control Center, she was told the main ingredient in The Magic Eraser and similar products

contain a harmful alkaline or “base” chemical (opposite of acid on the pH scale) that can burn your skin

. The product had given her son severe burns. Don't take my word for it, visit her blog KERFLOP and read Chemical Burn. Read what the company emailed her in response to her complaint of not disclosing the ingredients on the product's packaging!

Be sure to warn all your family and friends of the dangers of these "erasers!"

As I was reading this entry, my stomach was doing flip flops. On September 13th, 2006 the kids cleaned all of The Little One's writing off the walls with this product. The Comdeiand was fooling around, as he often does and ut on of the erasers in his mouth. I reprimanded him because I thought it ws dangerous. Frankly, I didn't know the ingredients of the product. I thank God that nothing happened to him...

Make Some Money for Your Holiday Shopping

The holidays are approaching quickly. Here on the East Coast, the temperature is dropping and the gas, oil and electric bills are rising. Don't fret. There are many ways on the net that you can make money. If you are a blogger, there are mnay opportunities for you. There are companies that will pay you to blog. I'm not kidding! You can Make Money Online by blogging for Blogitive!

Blogitive was one of the first companies to introduce the business model of getting paid to blog. They offer bloggers a way to earn money by doing what they enjoy-blogging! The best part is that they pay weekly by paypal.

So what must you have to be accepted at Blogitive?
1. First submit your blog for review.
2. Your blog must be indexed with Google.
3. Be sure to have your blog's feed at feedburner.com
4. Have a good amount of traffic.

What happens once you're accepted?
1. Log in and check for offers regularly.
2. You will receive offers with a web release.
3. You rewrite the web release in your own words in a post.
4. You make sure you put the words in the link with the URL they supply.
5. After publishing your post, you submit the permaent link to Blogitive.
6. When your post is accepted, you receive payment within a week!

Good luck and have fun making money!

Get started right away! The sooner you start, the sonner you can start earning some easy money.

Batman and Batgirl

Little One's Dad bought costumes for The Princess and The Little One about three weeks ago. We took this picture of them outside next to the minivan (before the car accident). Dont they look cute?

Two Sundays ago, The Little One was invited to a Halloween party. There are only four kids in his class, so I knew it was going to be a time to get to know the other moms. Once we arrived and walked up the stairs to the house, he started to cry. I comforted him and told him I was going to stay. It took him awhile to settle down, but he opened up. He started to play with his classmates while I talked to two of the moms. One of his classmates was diagnosed with Asperger's, and the other was born with a condition that have ony 350 reported cases in the US-but 5 of them are in our county. Makes you think?

We traded war stories concerning doctors, sepcialists and the dreaded IEP meetings. We had been through a lot although all our children were under the age of 5. Of course, I was the mom with the most children. I usually am. Most sane people don't have 7 kids....LOL! Anyway, I learned about new programs (I'll be registering him in) and shared resources that had worked for me.

The two hours went by quickly, and we all enjoyed it. We all confessed that sitting down talking to each other (that had children with similar special needs issues) was not only refreshing, but also invigorating. I'm seriously considering inviting them to the home so that we can talk again.

From the Movie Screen to Real Life!

Two weekends ago, I watched the Fast and The Furious 3. Believe it or not, I enjoyed the movie. What I found a little disturbing is that they drag raced in areas where there were people. I kept thinking about being caught in the middle of something like that with all the kids????

Anyway, I thought it was crazy that the characters raced for pink slips. What??? People that bet their pick slips either are really confident in their skills or have so much money that losing a car is trivial. Then again, they can be so cocky that they lack common sense!

If you enjoyed that movie, you'll love this. Unbelievable, but true. This show has people that put their bill of sales up for grabs. The winner is determined by a drag race!

Here is a video with some Drag Racing Clips:


At least this drag racing is supervised. When you watch the clip, you will see some people take the challenge and then back out. I guess the reality of losing their car became very REAL!

If you enjoy this adrenaline rush TV, then you will love the all marathon of PINKS followed by the premiere of PINKS All Out on Speedtv on Nov 23rd. Oh and this post sponsored by Speedtv.com. Thank you very, very much!

A Truly Fantastic Story

The Chatterbox just ordered her senior ring even though she is a sophomore. That's how this school distrcit does it. She was talking to her mom about the design she was choosing for her ring. She decided to have a Puerto Rican flag put on the side. (Even though she is the second generation to be born in NY). Her mom laughed and told her she also had put the PRican flag on her ring. The Chattterbox asked to see the ring. Her mother told her she had the lost the ring years ago and didn't even know how or where...

Last night my sister called me exasperated. She had received a message from a person in California. The message stated the caller was cleaning out her deceased mom's home and had come across a high school ring with my sister's name inscribed inside (and the year and name of a school in the Bronx). My sister called the lady back. The woman told my sister that she was cleaing out her mom's jewelry box and found a high school ring. She found it strange, but what was stranger was that the ring belonged to a girl in the Bronx with a very distinctive name. Having such a strange name, she decided to do a search on the net. She then searched on another site and confirmed her name through the high school. She found a number in the Bronx that matched the name and decided to give it a try. What a story?! She then proceeded to tell my sister that she would be mailing the ring to her. She stated she was in the middle of cleaning out her mother's things, but that next week she would take the time to go to the post office! My sister was so shocked. She thanked her for taking the time to do a search to find her and to return the ring. The woman told her she felt she had to do the right thing. She stated she believed that if you lose something and it was intended for you to have it again, it will find it's way back to it's rightful owner.

Pieces like high school rings are very personal pieces of jewelry. Promise rings, engagements rings, and wedding rings are personal expresssions. Be sure to purchase your rings at the correct diamond jewelry store that will pay attention to your style, your life activities and your price range.

A ring that travelled across the United States to be in the hands of it's rightful owner. They couldn't figure out how the ring ended up in the jewelry box of an older woman that lived in California for years!

Now how's that for a true but fantastic story?