My Opinion Counts

A Day for the Indianapolis Colts

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:12:00 +0000

What a great Sunday this has been. I have been working on organizing some projects and getting rid of some clutter. Hubby made chili so that meant no cooking for me! I looked in the sewing room and decided to just close that door. It needs some major re-organizing. It will take more than one day to get it into shape. Maybe I will get the kids to help me while they are home. I need to ask Greg if it is ok to make the room completely mine. He has stuff in there from when he graduated from high school! These are bags of mementos like old napkins and paper parasols. I think he will agree that it is time to purge.

We are enjoying the Colts win in Baltimore tonight. Kinda funny that Baltimore won't put "Colts" on the reader board. They call the team Indy. It's been over 20 years since the Colts packed the moving van and headed to Indianapolis. It is time to get over it Baltimore!

Personalized Gift Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:57:00 +0000

Oh wow! The stores were crowded today. Lynn dropped me off at one store because he couldn't find a place to park. I tried to get in and out but the lines at the checkout were long. Everyone seemed happy and helpful. I hope that doesn't change the closer to Christmas we get. I am convinced that gift cards are the way to go.

Why search and search for the perfect gift just to find that it doesn't fit or isn't the right color? You can put a picture on the gift cards from giftcardlab.com and personalize them! These cards are better received than anything you could buy at a brick and mortar store. Gift Certificate's from www.giftcardlab.com are special because you can make them fit the occasion. Take a picture of your sister's new baby and put it on a gift card. Can you imagine the smile she will have when she opens that envelope? You might decide to find a sentimental picture of you and your grandmother. A gift card with that picture will be special!

Do yourself a favor, order gift cards from www.giftcardlab.com. Aren't you glad I saved you from having to enter a mall?

Hallmark Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:01:00 +0000

Have you been watching all the Hallmark movies that have been on television? I love them. During the holiday season, Hallmark shows great movies. The other night we watched Hannah's Pictures or something like that. It was about a little girl in the foster care system. It also emphasized how Alzheimer's disease can mess up one's life. Sissy Spacek was in the movie.

Ice In The Midwest

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:43:00 +0000

I took Stacy to the airport and I got her there on time! Yay!(Yay about getting her there on time, not on her leaving.) This has been a problem. LOL So, I am about 40 minutes away and she calls to let me know she is on the plane and they said they will depart in an hour. What the heck! Why do they have to get them on the plane and then tell them? My mom said it is because they can push the airplane back and the FAA considers that they left on time. That stinks.

I think the reason the flight was delayed was because of the icy runway. The roads began to get very icy as I drove home. There was an accident that had traffic backed up. I took a country road detour and avoided the mess. I had to go very slow because my car fishtailed every time I tried to go faster. I crossed a bridge and the back end of my car started to go around. That is an awful feeling.

Finding The Best for Less

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:49:00 +0000

If you are trying to decide on a place of travel, you need to check out all the possibilities that Hotel Reservations.com has to offer. Their website is full of fun destinations. Hotel Reservations knows how to find the best prices for you. You will have more money to spend on excursions when you use Hotel Reservations to book your next vacation.

Enchanted

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:39:00 +0000

If you know that our daughter is home then you know we have been watching movies! We have watched Drew Barrymore in Ever After and Nicholas Cage in Next. Last night, we went to the theater and saw Enchanted. It was an adorable movie. I recommend it to everyone. Your kids will love it. Your husbands will tolerate it. The story is about a fairytale princess from the past who is thrust into present-day by an evil queen.

Susan Sarandon makes a believable evil queen. It was fun to watch her in this part. I'll bet she had so much fun with the role. The costume she wore was amazing! You will have to check out the shoes. Amy Adams, the actress who played Giselle, has the most beautiful skin. Looking at her made me want to go home and get out all my cleansing products!

Design A Unique Pool

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:21:00 +0000

The thing that I miss when winter hits here in Indiana is the chance to swim. All the pools close up over labor day weekend. I know that it is a good thing that it gets cold here because we don't get all the critters that you see in the south. I'm not sure that I could live where there are lizards!

My sister lives in Texas and I know that she loves being able to use her pool most of the year. There is a website that is fun for all those Texans to design their pools. Many customers of this pool builders league city texas have come up with some unique and beautiful pools through Decorativepools.com.

While they can have fun designing a beautiful pool, I can dream while I am wearing my parka!

Live Free or Die Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 04:55:00 +0000

Today, Taryn and Stacy went with me to run a few errands. I returned dishes to my sister in-law that I didn't want to have sitting around my house all winter. They go to Arizona in the winter and if I didn't get her dishes (that she brought food over in for Thanksgiving dinner) back, they would be put out of sight until spring.

We also got some ribbon to finish a purse I made. I made 2 purses this weekend and I got mom's and my snowman wall hangings ready to put on the binding.

We watched Live Free or Die Hard tonight. It was very good. I am leery of Bruce Willis movies because I usually don't like them. This one was action packed and had a lot of humor in it.

Win A Trip to Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 04:45:00 +0000

When it comes to our vehicles, we only want the best service. That is why we rely on AAMCO for quality service. They have been around for years and I know that it is because of their dedication to quality service and their commitment to their customers.

AAMCO is offering a fun Drive Hard / Die Hard Hollywood promotion. I would love to win the chance to win a four-day trip to Hollywood and spend a day with the Live Free or Die Hard movie stunt man. I entered my name on the website that tells about the promotion so I sure hope I'm the one they pick! I'd love to learn how they do all the stunts and how they make it look so easy. I want to find out what they do to stay in shape and how they deal with injuries. A trip to Hollywood sounds like a lot of fun!

AAMCO offers great deals on their services. They offer free towing when you need a major repair. That will save you a ton of money! All of their technicians are certified so you can be sure you will receive the best work on your car. They have over 800 locations in the US and Canada.

Check out AAMCO and sign up for a chance to win a trip to Hollywood!

Dog Was Joe Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 04:40:00 +0000

When we came out of the bookstore on Sunday, something struck me so funny. The dog in my picture is wearing sunglasses! At first glance, I thought the dog was a dummy or decoy to keep people from bothering the car he was in. As I neared the car he moved. He was real, in the car alone and was wearing sunglasses! I've never seen a dog leave glasses on for more than a few minutes. This dog was so cool!

Spice it up with Bling!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 22:54:00 +0000

As a somewhat "crafty" person, I am always looking for ways to make my things look different from everyone else's things. I like to put a little bling on my jeans or on a chambray shirt. Bling makes the ordinary become special!

It is so easy to play with Bling and spice up your things by visiting the blingitoneverything.com website where you can choose from all the Bling pattern kits. BLING pattern kits contain over 500 crystals per kit. Imagine all the fun you will have. You can put bling on your cell phone, notebook, and anything you want to spice up.

This is the time of year when teens dread visiting the relatives. They think it will be boring to sit around with people they hardly know. Now, you can engage them in a fun activity! Everyone will want to join in on the fun when you start playing with your Bling kit! The teenagers will no longer be bored and they will think you are so cool!

During their special promotion, when you order Bling kits, you will be put into a giveaway. If you´re lucky you can win something on blingitoneverything.com. Every 100th purchase will receive 1 Hannah Montana concert ticket! Wouldn't it be cool to win a much sought after ticket?

Get over to blingitoneverything.com and get your Bling kits ordered!

Meeting Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 22:48:00 +0000

I met some wonderful ladies while in Vegas. I have blogged with Robyn and Peggy for a while now and I am thrilled that we were able to meet. They are as nice in person as they come across in their blogs. Now, I can hear their voices when I read their blogs.

From the left: Robyn, Peggy and me.

Wall Fountains Make Wonderful Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:30:00 +0000

While visiting Las Vegas, I noticed that where the hotels had water fountains it gave an aura of tranquility. The flowing water muffled out sounds of people and machines and so it was easy to relax where the fountain was. There is something about a beautiful fountain that adds beauty to a foyer or family room in a home setting. They offer mind soothing tranquility in the waiting area of a business where a hectic atmosphere is the norm. Wall Fountains are easy to maintain and add so much to the atmosphere of a business or home. Wall Fountains from Garden-Fountains.com are very easy to maintain. They require no special plumbing so it is an easy task to intregate a beautiful foundatin in your home or office. You simply hang the fountain on your wall in the same way you would hang a picture! Add water to the fountain and you have a beautiful addition to your room. There are many types to choose from so check them out as you prepare your gift list. They make wonderful gifts!

Beautiful Las Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:25:00 +0000

Las Vegas is a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. I don't even gamble and I enjoy Las Vegas. The hotels are spectacular. Lynn and I spent a whole day going in and out of the hotels just so we could look at how they were decorated. I think it would be fun to be the decorator who got to choose the wall paper, paintings and vases etc. that made the hotel theme what it was. To start with a blank slate would be so much fun.

The flowers at each hotel was another wonderful sight to see. The Mirage Hotel even had orchids in their walkway. I would thing they would need a large team of landscaping specialists to water and care for all the plants in each hotel. I think that would be a fun job.

Las Vegas is more than a gambling site.

Cool Stuff Express

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 01:05:00 +0000

My kids are getting to the age where they want the "really cool stuff." They pick out their own clothes. I have attempted to buy clothes for them but I never get it quite right. They aren't that particular but they know what they like. I think something looks the same as what they have picked before but there is a small detail that makes the difference. So, I don't even go that route any longer. I would rather look for "really cool stuff."

There is an online site where everything they have is "really cool stuff." At Cool Stuff Express, they have everything from plasma disks to sand hourglass timers. Plasma disks produce the beautiful lighting effects that we have seen at cool clubs. My kids would love to have one to enjoy when they have their friends over. These disks create awesome lighting effects by carefully combining a mixture of specialized gasses. At the Cool Stuff Express website, I read;

These gasses control the color and effect of the electrical discharge of the plasma effect. By creating a special formulated mixture of argon, krypton, xenon, helium, neon and other inert gases, the effect of a plasma globe is created. This is then sealed typically in a solid clear glass globe.

They have science kits that enable you to learn about space and stars. They are great educational tools to learn about dinosaurs and solar power.This site has all that fun & cool and unusual stuff that you see in museum gift shops. Now you can order that cool stuff online.

There are all sorts of fun things at Cool Stuff Express. There are very funny hitch critters like a bass that shows everyone that you love to fish. There is even a bad dog that looks like it is attacking your hitch. LOL You can add a light to the critter and make your vehicle safer!

Cool Stuff Express is going to help me get my grown kids something that they will truly love for Christmas.

Solder Award

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:55:00 +0000

Today we were able to see the classrooms and other areas where Stacy has spent the last eight months learning all sorts of things. She has told me many things that she has been doing but it was hard to comprehend until I could see what she was describing. I am so proud that she received the soldering award. After talking to her instructor today, I realize what an honor that was for her to achieve. He told how it was important to be precise and accurate. He said that others who had soldered before had not done as well as Stacy. It doesn't surprise me since, I know how well she does with intricate things. She wires car radios so I know that she is used to detail work. I sure am proud that she does well at what she likes.

Flowers Make the Day Special

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:27:00 +0000

Isn't it cool when you receive flowers? No matter how my day is going, when flowers arrive it perks me up. The Tulsa Flower Shop, Flowers By Sally Ann, has the most beautiful arrangements of flowers I have ever seen. This family owned shop goes the extra mile to make every floral arrangement special. They offer friendly and prompt customer service.

Thanksgiving is approaching and I want to remind everyone to order your table arrangement. Having a beautiful flower arrangement will make your table special and might help when Uncle Harry starts getting on your nerves! Just glance over at your beautiful table arrangement and smile.

Cat Attack

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:24:00 +0000

I took the dogs to the doggie hotel this morning. We are leaving this afternoon for North Carolina. Stacy is graduating from Petty Officer School on Friday. It will be so good to see her!

Brody was so funny when we got to the kennel. There was a big yellow cat in the office at the kennel. Brody would not go into the office! I suppose he had never seen a cat before! He didn't know what to think and would not go where he needed to go! Mister nosy was playing it safe. LOL

Improve Your Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:59:00 +0000

I had an unusual experience yesterday. I was in the fabric store and a lady walked in and was asking the clerk for help. I didn't hear what she was saying until the clerk spoke to her mother. Her mother was waiting on me. It seems as though, the lady was looking for a way to make something out of a picture. I didn't want to appear nosey but I suggested she check online. I got her email address and today I sent her a link to Fotofix.com. Fotofix.com is a wonderful website for working with pictures. Their site allows anyone to do simple things like remove red-eye from a photo. It also allows more involved editing. It is possible to enhance images in ways that make teeth whiter, skin more even and make a body look slimmer! That slimmer part is the one I am interested in.

At Fotofix.com, you can improve on a picture. It is possible to smooth out skin and remove blemishes! High-quality digital enhancing can turn a crappy picture into one that can be displayed with pride. The team of professionals at Fotofix.com are trained to work with photos. They have experience with airbrushing and retouching techniques that make a work of art out of a poor quality picture. It is amazing. The best part about this great photo enhancement service is that it is very affordable!

I have a dorky picture that my husband insists on hanging in our family room. I am holding a big fish. I look so dorky and I have on big 1970 glasses frames. I would love to have those glasses removed from the picture. I am checking to see if they can do that at Fotofix.com.

Go Away

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:56:00 +0000

Sheesh. I did not need a problem this week. I am super busy getting bookwork done ahead so we can head to Vegas tomorrow night. My dog's groomer just called to let me know that Brody has fleas! Ugh. What do I do about that? Will they multiply while we are gone? I don't know what I am supposed to do.

Card Club

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:38:00 +0000

Aw! Take a look at Drew's picture in my sidebar. That is his new baby's foot. Being up against his hand makes it possible to see how tiny her foot is. That is such a great picture.

(scroll down for picture) Last night I had the girls over for card club. It was fun having it in the lodge room. That room is so big that I was able to have both tables in there. I hate missing any conversation!

I served apple dumplings. They came from our local bakery. They were so good. The apples were sliced with an apple corer. The corer cuts the apple into spirals. There was just enough cinnamon to make them taste yummy. I added vanilla ice cream to each dish. It was vanilla bean flavored and even though it was the cheaper, store brand, it tasted really good. Dessert was a hit!

We were able to see our cards because hubby put up a new light over the table.

Comparison Shopping Saves Money

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:15:00 +0000

How many of you are dreading Christmas shopping? Is it because you don't like to shop or is it because you have not paid off the Christmas bills from last year? There is a new saving site on the Internet called savebuckets.co.uk. Savebuckets.co.uk knows that many are strapped and are trying to do something about it. They are searching over 700 retailers for the best prices on over one million products. When you use their site you will find what you need at the lowest prices possible. The following press release explains it:

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST HAUNTS INDEBTED BRITS

- New price saving site launches to save Brits up to 20% this Christmas -

As the nation approaches the final countdown to Christmas, new research rings alarm bells over the financial impact of Christmas in credit crunch Britain. The research from the new money saving website Savebuckets.com reveals that as Brits prepare for Christmas, many are still paying off last year’s festive spending.

With 41 per cent of Britons paying for Christmas on credit last year, almost one in five are still paying for last year’s festivities (17%), fewer than one in three having cleared their Christmas debts when their January credit card bill arrived (29%).

Following a year of consumer confidence in 2006, Christmas spending soared 52 per cent in two years (from an average £548 per adult in 2004* to £837 per adult in 2006), with over one in five Brits spending over £1,000 on Christmas last year (22%). This year, with spending power at its lowest level for 10 years**, consumers are feeling the financial hangover from a more confident Christmas enjoyed on the credit card and loans.

Alarmingly, it is cash strapped youngsters and low income earners who, having spent the most on last Christmas, are most likely to be feeling the repercussions of last year’s spending spree (see figures below).

The research into the financial impacts of last Christmas amongst a GB representative sample of 2,000 British adults was carried out by the new money savings website Savebuckets.com which launches this week to enable Brits to get more for their money this Christmas.

With these alarming figures in mind, Savebuckets.com will give shoppers the opportunity to save up to 20% on their Christmas shopping. Putting consumers back in control of their spending, the site searches over 700 retailers for the best price on around one million products. The site includes a unique price checker which allows consumers to set the price they want to pay for items, notifying them when the price of a product falls to within their budget.

What To Pay

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:14:00 +0000

I am so glad that I live in a small town. I just had my hair done and it cost $70.00. I think that is a lot of money and yet I have heard that it is a cheap price to pay. In larger cities, it costs a lot more for a color job and a trim. Yikes! I think I would have to go gray!

What do you pay to have your hair colored?

Give Them Wings

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:07:00 +0000

What is it about children moving out of our houses? It causes me to cry yet I like that they have their own place. Maybe, as moms, we are never satisfied.

My friend went to her son's apartment and it was all she could do to not tell him to please do his dishes. LOL I have been there! I was proud of her for not telling him. He must have noticed her discomfort because he mentioned that he was going to be off from work on the weekend and planned on doing his laundry. LOL It was as if he had to let her know.

Satisfying Their Customers

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:41:00 +0000

I have been wondering what recourse customers have when they buy flooring online. Most places would want satisfied customers and would go out of their way to solve a problem. Of course, there are always the few retailers who take advantage of situations and are just in business for the money. What is really bad is that some of the manufacturer's of flooring are not wanting to stand behind their warranties if a product is purchased online. iFLOOR is concerned about that and is offering to warranty the product themselves. They want all of their customers to be happy and satisfied when they buy from them.

The following press release answers many questions for potential customers and existing customers who buy flooring online.

iFLOOR, America's largest online flooring retailer, today announced a $1,000,000 limited warranty designed to protect its customers from predatory manufacturer policies that exclude warranty coverage from online purchases.

The policy, which goes into effect immediately, offers up to one million dollars of coverage in the event that a customer's warranty claim is denied specifically because they made their purchase online. It is complimentary for every iFLOOR customer, and protects the buyer under the same terms as the original product warranty.

iFLOOR, Inc. CEO, Steve Simonson, came up with the program to combat "scare tactics" used by manufacturers of hardwood floors and laminate flooring. "Their idea is to discourage you from buying at a discount!" wrote Simonson in his blog "It's About Flooring". "This is not right! You deserve to save money! So we're going to take care of this problem once and for all."

And it would appear that federal law is on his side. Section 108 of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Act, states that, "In general, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty."

Under iFLOOR's new warranty, a key provision allows for iFLOOR to "seek justice" on behalf of the customer in the event of legal action. According to Simonson, "I'm putting iFLOOR's money where my mouth is."

About iFLOOR, Inc.
Since 1998, iFLOOR.com has been the leading online and retail flooring company, with 36 local retail stores nationwide offering more than 70,000 products, including hardwood floors, laminate flooring, bamboo flooring and cork floors. iFLOOR.com is the largest online flooring retailer according to Internet Retailer Magazine, and was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States for the past three years. Committed to quality customer service, superior selection and friendly expert advice, iFLOOR.com enables customers to buy flooring both online and in its retail stores at a substantial savings over traditional retailers. For more information about iFLOOR, please visit www.iFLOOR.com.