tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69145832024-03-07T02:49:55.293-05:00In Our HouseJMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.comBlogger736125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-39183562826895947872012-09-19T13:36:00.001-05:002012-09-19T13:36:44.777-05:00What about the New Look?<span id="fullpost">
Soo..... notice anything new?</span><br />
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I was messing around one day last week on my blogger dashboard and decided to check out the new templates available. Guess what I found out?<br />
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It doesn't have a preview button and when I clicked on a template to see what it would look like, it changed the blogs template automatically!!! <br />
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Talk about panic mode! At least it didn't delete my widgets and sidebar elements. It took me a while to get everything straights, especially since the widgets didn't want to get along with the template elements and a post decided to make everything out of synch.<br />
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But, that's all in the past now, and my blog is back up. Not quite sure that I will stick with this template yet though. I like the clean lines, but it's kind of bland don't you think? I kind of miss my old header which I had forever.<br />
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The good thing is, I kind of cleaned up and updated some things around here. For one, I consolidated my blogroll and took some links out that are no longer working. I'm kind of sad to realize how many blogger that I started out with are no longer around.<br />
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I haven't figured out yet how to reconfigure this blog according to the new Blogger. I still have my old blogspot address. But in the meantime, here we go blogging again. Don't be surprised if the template changes a few more times before I'm happy with it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-37137092515304107442012-08-01T16:19:00.001-05:002012-09-19T10:27:08.935-05:00Facebook Obsessed<br />
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Hey, I did good this week! I didn't post a status update on facebook for three days!<br />
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Stop laughing. That's quite an accomplishment considering how much time I have wasted on that site!<br />
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So much so that I've devoted several blog posts about it:<br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2012/07/26/too-much-time-on-facebook-how-do-you-manage/">The start of my facebook diet</a><br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2012/07/05/cleaning-house-again/">Pruning the facebook friend tree</a><br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2012/06/04/who-says-you-dont-meet-real-people-online/">Touched by someone I never met outside of facebook</a><br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2012/02/28/free-facebook-cards/">You can get Facebook Cards from Moo! Did you know?</a><br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2011/07/27/love-gives-me-hope/">The facebook comment that made me go AWWW!</a><br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2011/01/18/sad-and-insecure-on-facebook/">Would you rather be the sad-and-insecure or the stalker on facebook?</a><br />
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<a href="http://amoores.com/2010/11/14/your-life-on-facebook/">Have you ever thought how your life would look if you took all your status updates and made a movie out of them?</a><br />
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-31249404351799229922012-07-26T16:16:00.001-05:002012-09-19T10:08:18.958-05:00Do you have a dream kitchen?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5a_QMG0dXzt2buZG874YgBPZTFJG7KN4oiN-fcE6S_v8vVqqyIIxEB2Bdffm0xp5yiNfOi1W_m72NLEuI82HmaCk_wnUD3H-4IB9bpLjnNEZItaIeRM6YyHZIY8aih3f3eCKwA/s400/kitchen005a.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
I'm a <a href="http://inourkitchen.blogspot.com/">food blogger</a> and I take photos of everything that comes out of my kitchen. If you've ever taken photographs of food, you will know how difficult it could be to make it look appetizing or at the very least make it look real. Most people recommend that in natural light is the best way to photograph food. I agree. Some of my best photos happen when I either take the dish outside or take it by my only north facing kitchen window with great lighting.<br />
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That's great for weekends when I do most of my cooking early in the day, but I work full time during the day and usually by the time I get home and cook something for dinner, it's dark out and there goes my natural lighting. All I'm left with is the sucky fluorescent light in my kitchen and between that harsh blue light and shadows, it's almost hopeless to take food photos at night.<br />
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Now let me dream a bit...<br />
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Let me dream that kitchen in the photo is mine... where there is no garrishly bright and buzzing fluorescent bulb in sight.<br />
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What we have instead are strategically placed <a href="http://www.inspiredled.com/products/kits">LED strip lighting</a> that provide ample light but still makes everything soft and pretty and not overexposed and bluish. I am biding my time to hit up my husband for a kitchen re-do and one of the main features that will take priority will definitely be the lighting situation.<br />
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It is usually very expensive to hire an electrician or contractor to install elegant <a href="http://www.inspiredled.com/products">LED strip lights</a> correctly but luckily, these <a href="http://www.inspiredled.com/">LED lighting manufacturers</a> have made it easy for Do-It-Yourselfers like us to install these systems.<br />
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You can buy a whole LED lighting kit with all the required parts already included and easy to follow instructions. All you need now is a handy husband and you'll be all set! LOL! I'm kidding. If you can read and follow instructions, they're pretty easy to install. I know because I've assisted my husband on a bathroom project, and most of it is pretty intuitive especially if you've done it before. But even if you haven't, just read the instructions carefully. <br />
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The best part? They are also not that expensive! You'd think you'd be spending hundreds of dollars on a lighing project for a kitchen, but based on what I've seen so far, I think it can be done quite cheaply! (keep in mind the FREE labor in the handy husband) :D<br />
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-27482596864648006342012-07-17T09:01:00.000-05:002012-07-17T09:07:36.745-05:00Winter is Coming!Yes, you Game of Throne fans will know what I'm talking about. Winter is coming! and it is now time to ready yourselves. <br />
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I know it's hard to even think about sweaters when it's sweltering hot outside, but keep in mind that the time to shop for clothes is when they are not in season. Ergo, you shop for winter wear in the summer and for summer frock in the winter. I know, crazy, right? <br />
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To get into the mindset of winter, start considering classic winter wear. And what could be more classic than cardigans? And when we think cardigans, there is nothing better than Irish cardigans. Check out <a href="http://www.shamrockgift.com/">ShamrockGift</a> for instance. You know you've owned similar sweaters over the years. You probably still have at least one in your closet. They don't ever go out of style. No matter what the current trend, these sweaters remail stylishly classic. You can combine them with trendy accessories and like magic, that fleeting trend is elevated to classic! <br />
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ShamrockGift is your destination if you're looking for genuine <a href="http://www.shamrockgift.com/product/carraig-donn-irish-white-cardigan">Cardigan made in Ireland</a>, hand crafted and unique and still affordable. Check out their line of very nice <a href="http://www.shamrockgift.com/products/traditional-irish-clothing-arans">Aran Sweater</a> for men and women. <br />
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Considering that these sweaters are handmade, authentic made in Ireland goods, the prices are actually not that bad at all! They cost online, about the same as what you would pay in department stores. Maybe even less. I have seen handmade Irish cardigans at high end department stores selling for hundreds of dollars. The sweaters at ShamrockGift are priced quite reasonably and according to their website, orders over $100 ship free! <br />
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So check them out.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-83421126327069211142012-04-16T13:30:00.000-05:002012-04-16T13:33:41.641-05:00Spring's a Comin'<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps the last of the waning moon in winter.</td></tr>
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It's a bit sad to see winter go, but spring is a comin' and I'm excited! The lovely branches on the trees are covered with leaves again, buds are coming on and the spring blossoms are already throwing their colors in the air.
It's a great time to celebrate life!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-88941702558412173822011-10-26T12:52:00.000-05:002011-10-26T16:03:30.352-05:00Pink Together GiveawayHere is another great giveaway from Cooked from the Heart, the <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/10/24/2011-pink-together-giveaway/">Pink Together Giveaway</a>!
<a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/10/24/2011-pink-together-giveaway/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Blog%20Stuff/PinkTogetherPrizePack.jpg" width="400"></a>
Click on the photo above to enter the giveaway. Here is what is in this amazing gift pack:
<ul><li>A 16 oz. box of Total cereal</li>
<li>VIP coupons valid for one box of Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios cereal and one cup of Yoplait yogurt</li>
<li>Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook Pink Together Edition, which includes a collection of more than 150 delicious recipes with complete nutrition information and a 32-page Pink Together Survivor Ambassador bonus section that shares inspirational personal stories of survival as well as recipes</li>
<li>Water bottle and removable silicone awareness bracelet</li>
<li>Drawstring sport backpack</li>
<li>Rhinestone ear buds</li>
</ul>
This giveaway ends on October 31, 2011, midnight EST.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-60098384606911327642011-10-06T16:25:00.000-05:002011-10-06T16:25:11.195-05:00Fun da-middles Giveaway<div><a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/09/29/betty-crocker%c2%ae-fun-da-middles%e2%84%a2-giveaway/"><img class="aligncenter" alt="Fun da-middles prize pack" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Blog%20Stuff/BettyCrockerFUNda-middlesprizepack.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Want to win this Fun da-middles Gift Pack? You have one more day to enter! This giveaway ends tomorrow, October 7, 2011 midnight, EST. All you have to do for a chance to win is to leave a comment.<br /><br />Hop on over to the <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/09/29/betty-crocker%c2%ae-fun-da-middles%e2%84%a2-giveaway/">Betty Crocker Fun da-middles Giveaway on Cooked from the Heart</a>!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-45553763888119824852011-02-26T22:40:00.002-05:002011-02-26T22:54:31.933-05:00Rice Cake on the Tourist Trail<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Foods/ricecakes.jpg" width="400" /><br />I am trying to maintain a website about our <a href="http://saguntostar.com">hometown in the Philippines</a> and one of the recent articles I just posted is the possibility that Pozorrubio, a small town in Sison may just be in a position to catch a spot on the lucrative tourist trail. A movement seems to be going on to revive traditional ways of making some of the delicacies like the rice cake pictured above. The novelty about these rice cakes is that the raw rice is woven into these baskets then cooked in sugar cane juice as it is caramelized into raw sugar or brown sugar. It's really a fascinating process.<br /><br />These rice cakes are fat-free but definitely not calories free for you dieters out there. But they sure are delicious! But like any calorie rich food, I believe that you don't have to totally forsake them. I was reading <a href="http://www.sensareviews.com/">sensa reviews</a> and they even say that those diet pills are not meant to work for long term solution, that healthy eating and exercise are still your best option for keeping weight off. That, and of course moderation.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-81197406087335531552011-02-26T22:29:00.002-05:002011-02-26T22:39:18.317-05:00Drugs to Mugs Meant to ScareI ran across this article today on the <a href="http://jmomfinds.amoores.com/2011/02/the-true-faces-of-addiction/">true faces of addiction</a>. It is a shocking look at how drug addiction not only changes you from the inside but even much quicker. It's actually quite scary. These people look like they've over dosed on <a href="http://nuphedra.com/">ephedrine diet pills</a> and have some crazy gross skin disease, but they don't. This is what your skin does on drugs.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.facesofmeth.us/drugs_to_mugs.html"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Blog%20Stuff/ss-110225-drugs-mugs-17grid-9x2.jpg" width="300"" /></a><br /><br />Scary, yes? If you look at the caption, this change came about in a mere few months. It doesn't take long to hit bottom. It's a drug education program called from <a href="http://www.facesofmeth.us/drugs_to_mugs.html">Drugs to Mugs</a> supposed to scare kids away from trying drugs. It scares me, but I wonder how effective this really would be for your people?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-4854981422575696462011-02-26T09:18:00.003-05:002011-02-26T09:57:47.316-05:00Playing House<a href="http://www.kindergardenkid.com/guidecraftcolorbrightkitchenstove.aspx" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Blog%20Stuff/th_GuidecraftStove.jpg" border="0" alt="play stove" align="left" hspace="10" ></a><br />When I was young I used to love to play house. Whether I only had a cardboard box to play with or an intricate <a href="http://www.kindergardenkid.com/kitchen.aspx">wooden play kitchen set</a>, it would be good enough to keep me occupied for hours! Well it turns out nothing much has changed now that I'm grown with my own kitchen. I still spend hours in there tinkering, experimenting and serving anyone who happens to set themselves down at my table.<br /><br />When my girls were younger, they were the same way. They loved playing house! We had a whole play house corner set up for them in their room and they would spend hours in there playing! I wish I had known about The <a href="http://www.kindergardenkid.com/">Kinder Garden</a> toy store back then. Luckily for the internet, almost every small store now can have a wider audience. They actual store is located in the historic downtown district of Skaneateles, New York. They carry the cutest collection of kid's toys from stuffed animals, wooden toys, puzzles, and these adorable kitchen sets. Oh they also have great dress-up clothes for kids and some of the toys offered on the site are hand-made and unique. It's a great site for anyone looking for unique gifts that are not usually found in your run of the mill department store.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-36932455958797109272011-02-23T19:35:00.002-05:002011-02-23T19:45:52.526-05:00Not Exactly Diet FoodOne of my facebook friends shared a link to <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chicken-Stewed-in-Coconut-Milk-Kuku-Wa-Nazi?cmpid=enews022111">this recipe</a> and since I had everything on hand, I decided to try it. <br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Foods2/Feb22004.jpg" width="400"><br />Now this won't <a href="http://www.howtolosebellyfat.org/">get rid of belly fat</a> anytime soon and it might even add to your cache of fat, but it sure is good! Now I like being at a decent, manageable weight, but I also like food too much to deprive myself. I found that eating in moderation is the key. Eating before you are stuffed if you're not sure what moderation is. Eating a balanced meal like this one, also helps. It's ok that you're eating meat cooked in rich coconut sauce but if you balance it out with some vegetables and steamed rice, you have a healthy and very delicious meal! Recipe will follow soon on the <a href="http://inourkitchen.blogspot.com">food blog</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-35262946370962850212011-02-23T19:17:00.002-05:002011-02-23T19:31:32.378-05:00Another Reason to Cut Out SodaAre you like many of us who are now in the midst to working to maintain our New Year's resolutions or are you with the group who have fallen off the wagon already? OR are you of the camp who meant to start with a healthier diet but just never even got started?<br /><br />Well if you're in the third camp, don't feel quite such a loser yet. It's not the end of the world. One quick and easy tip to a healthier diet is to cut out soda. That's right, just one simple thing and you may even end up losing weight! If you're a soda guzzler like some people, just cutting it out of your diet can save you almost a thousand calories a day! That's the equivalent of a whole meal!<br /><br />Besides, those things are toxic for you anyway. You really should do yourself a huge favor and just cut soda out of your diet. Even sites like <a href="http://www.dietsthatwork.org/">www.dietsthatwork.org</a> which sell diet pills will tell you that I'm right. <br /><br />For instance, did you know that Coca-Cola is an excellent solvent for rust? That's right! Don't bother spending lots of money on commercial rust removers, just pour some coke over your rust problem and scrub the rust off! Coke contains phosphoric acid which dissolves the rust. Now just think what it does to your intestines every time you drink some! If that doesn't make you quit sodas, maybe you're one of those people who claim to have a cast iron gut?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-62858497955373788532011-02-16T17:08:00.002-05:002011-02-16T17:18:41.080-05:00Olivari GiveawayI am a bit behind posting on my food blog since the <a href="http://www.thesource.ca/estore/category.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=desktop-computers">desktop computers</a> at home finally reached their limit and I am now reduced to sharing a lone laptop with my daughters. Not only is the laptop too small for my taste, that touch pad thing is just a pain. I like having a mouse. Anyway... I finally got around to posting one of my obligations.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/02/15/giveaway-extra-virgin-olivari%c2%ae-mediterranean-olive-oil/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Blog%20Stuff/Dec10012.jpg" width="400"></a><br />I am holding a giveaway for this <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/02/15/giveaway-extra-virgin-olivari%c2%ae-mediterranean-olive-oil/">Olivari Kitchen Essentials Kit on my food blog </a>until the end of the month. It's easy to enter, all you have to do is leave me a comment and you could win a KITCHEN ESSENTIALS KIT which includes:<br />· One full size, 17 oz. bottle of Extra Virgin Olivari® Mediterranean Olive Oil<br />· One heavy duty Olivari® garlic press<br />· An Olivari® recipe card for Fresh Bruschetta<br />· VIP coupons for you to try other varieties of Olivari® including classic and extra light taste.<br /><br />So visit my food blog and enter the giveaway here: <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/02/15/giveaway-extra-virgin-olivari%c2%ae-mediterranean-olive-oil/">http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2011/02/15/giveaway-extra-virgin-olivari%c2%ae-mediterranean-olive-oil/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-19702367217031592332011-02-03T14:03:00.004-05:002011-02-03T14:41:35.128-05:00Amazing ARTOBIOGRAPHY GiveawayHave you ever heard of ARTOBIOGRAPHY? If you're an artist, maybe you'll know what I'm talking about. <br /><a href="http://jmomfinds.amoores.com/2011/02/storm-of-the-i-an-artobiography-by-tina-collen/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Book%20Covers/stormofi.jpg" border="0" alt="Storm of the i" width="200" align="left" hspace="10"></a><a href="http://jmomfinds.amoores.com/2011/02/storm-of-the-i-an-artobiography-by-tina-collen/">The Storm of the i: An Artobiography by Tina Collen</a> is part memoir part scrap book, part portfolio and it is beautifully put together. It is a joy to look at but it is also a joy to read about this woman's journey to self-discovery.<br /><br /><p>The author, Tina Collen is giving away a signed copy of the book to anyone whose answer to this question she finds worthy:<br /><blockquote>"Oftentimes the objects we hold onto contain cryptic clues that point towards something deeper about ourselves. Take a look around your house (or your room) at the things with which you have surrounded yourself. Is there anything you are still hanging onto that seems to contain a hidden message for you? What do you think it is?"</blockquote></p><br /><br /><p>Do you have objects that you are holding on to? Perhaps you have a book of stamps, shoes, old appliances, vinyl records, or <a href="http://www.acekaraoke.com/">karaoke machines</a> stored in your basement or attic? Do they hold special meaning or contain a hidden message for you? Go leave your story on the <a href="http://jmomfinds.amoores.com/2011/02/storm-of-the-i-an-artobiography-by-tina-collen/">Storm of i review on Found Not Lost</a> and you might win a free copy of the book! It's really amazing. You'll enjoy it.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-77726352274767932272011-01-21T15:02:00.002-05:002011-01-21T15:18:34.481-05:00Health Insurance Concerns Even After ReformsA couple of years ago many of us were on pins and needles with anticipation for the promised reform bill. We had visions of better health care that didn't put us into bankruptcy. We rejoiced when the promised bill passed finally after much pulling and scheming and screaming. Today, can we really say we are better off?<br /><br />I'm not. I'm still in the same boat as I was in a couple of years ago. Thank goodness I managed to keep my job that luckily provides a somewhat affordable if not <a href="http://medicalhealthinsurancetoday.com/online-discount-health-insurance-quote.html/">cheap health insurance</a>. My kids and I still try to only visit the doctor at a minimum because whenever we have had a medical emergency, it ended up costing me an arm and a leg in fees. Fees that my health insurance does not cover. <br /><br />With the beginning of a new year, it's open enrollment at my job again. Time to renew benefits and time to review <a href="http://medicalhealthinsurancetoday.com/">affordable health insurance quotes</a>. It would be nice to be able to afford <a href="http://medicalhealthinsurancetoday.com/the-different-types-of-health-insurance.html">private health insurance</a> and go to whichever doctor you want at whichever hospital, but for us working folks it's going to be the HMO route. It's cheaper for us to be in a network or group but it also means that we have to limit some of our choices. The cheapest plan being offered at my company is a group plan where we can only go to service providers that are also signed up on the same network. Most of them are local which is good, and really for the most part, they are competent doctors. It's not like only the losers sign up for these networks. <br /><br />It's just that if we ever require a specialist, god forbid one of us gets seriously ill, it would not be as easy to go out of our network. But, that's the gamble that most workers in this country take. We pay high insurance premiums for mediocre care and pray like bloody hell that we remain mean and healthy so we can whine another day.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-48815015985541551462011-01-19T22:57:00.002-05:002011-01-19T23:13:46.029-05:00Spicing it Up<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Foods/Jan18012.jpg" border="0" alt="dried peppers2" width="150" align="left" hspace="10">Our garden is dead right now but we're already planning on what to plant in the spring. If you can believe it, we had tomatoes until November and I just used up the last bag of frozen tomatoes to make my <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2004/12/20/winter-chili-con-carne/">chili</a> last week. <br /><br />I still have one fresh squash left and I will probably cook that next week. Winter squash is a great <a href="http://storagefood.net">storage food</a>. It keeps without refrigeration or preservation. Its skin is it's own preservative! We also still have some frozen vegetables in the freezer that will probably stick around until the next batch start coming in early summer.<br /><br />Now you see why we're excited to get to <a href="http://backyard.amoores.com">the backyard</a> already?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-39817742080712938422011-01-19T22:51:00.002-05:002011-01-19T22:56:19.664-05:00Open Letter to the DelusionalDear Sad and Insecure on Facebook,<br /><br />I don’t know you beyond the name and profile you put up on facebook and I don’t mean to judge you or call you out. It’s just that ever since I found out about you, my perverse curiosity has been piqued to the point that I look forward to your occasional and pathetic post on facebook. Yes, to the point that the bottle of <a href="http://sleepingpillreviews.com/">sleep aids here</a> next to my bed have remained untouched because of my obsession.<br /><br />No, we’re not friends on facebook so you don’t come up on my feed. I have actually gone to the extent of searching your name just so I can have my nefarious need to feel superior satisfied. I give a little snicker when you talk about how beautiful your wife is and how grateful you are to have married her. My eyes roll when you dedicate love songs to the goddess that she is. When you thank her for being mother to your brilliant children and thank your lucky stars for delivering her to you when you needed her the most, I feel incredulous sadness.<br /><br /><a href="http://amoores.com/2011/01/18/sad-and-insecure-on-facebook/">Read the rest of this letter...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-1518842000288749792011-01-19T22:43:00.002-05:002011-01-19T22:49:08.959-05:00Great Fundraising IdeaI can't believe I didn't know this before! Did you know that tons of places will reward you for recycling your printer cartridges? My daughter's school send a note home last week asking parents to send their spent printer cartridges to school and the school can get paid for them! And here we've been throwing tons of them away.<br /><br />We used to have <a href="http://www.howardcomputers.com/">epson printers</a> that gobbled up ink and it seemed like we were buying new ones every couple of weeks or so. Even when we switched to printers that used up less ink, we still ended up throwing away bagfuls of empty printer cartridges. Now I'm glad we found another useful purpose for them than to just clog up the landfills.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-37871040806516524242011-01-19T22:23:00.002-05:002011-01-19T22:39:21.785-05:00Cat's Tongue<a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2010/12/20/cats-tongue-katte-tongen-or-lengua-de-gato/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Foods/xmas09014.jpg" border="0" alt="Cat's Tongue" width="400"></a><br /><br />My daughter loves these delicate sugar cookies called <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2010/12/20/cats-tongue-katte-tongen-or-lengua-de-gato/">Cat's Tongue</a> <span style="font-style:italic;">AKA</span> Katte Tongen or Lengua de Gato. We usually make these cookies whenever it's time for something sinfully sweet. They are buttery, melt in your mouth and stick to your thighs kind of sinful.<br /><br />The <a href="http://diet-pills.sybervision.com/">Most popular diet pill</a> probably won't work on these babies, but oh, they are so good that you'll forget about everything else. I kid you not!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-1147274349040898232011-01-15T18:59:00.003-05:002011-01-15T19:19:30.796-05:00The Cold Week<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/DailyPix/Dec4089.jpg" border="0" alt="snow day" width="400"><br />This past week was supposed to be an easy week at work. But then, on Monday the weather turned cold and icy snow started falling. It continued through the night until Tuesday when the roads turned icy and almost everything here in Durham closed starting with the schools. Yep, it was a <a href="http://amoores.com/2011/01/12/word-of-the-day-snow/">snow day</a> but the kids were not happy.<br /><br />For one, snow days mean they had to make up the day. That day is next Saturday. Wouldn't you be mad to have to go to school on a Saturday?<br /><br />Second, it was the last week of the semester and final tests were supposed to be this week and next week would have been an optional week, meaning they didn't have to go to school if they didn't have to make up a test and such. Instead, they will be taking their finals next week.<br /><br />For us adults, it was more of the worry of losing power due to ice. The grocery stores were packed the night before as people stocked up on the basics like bread, milk and eggs. At the hardware store, it was a rush for flashlights, candles and generators. The <a href="http://wisesales.com/EU2000.html">Honda eu2000i</a> type of generators, the ones on the smaller end, were the most popular. The large once can power a whole house but for a short time without power the small portables ones would do nicely to keep your necessary appliances like your refrigerators and freezers and lights going. We lucked out this time though, we didn't lose power. But it sure was cold!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-73572802885038252282011-01-09T11:10:00.003-05:002011-01-09T14:08:52.022-05:00Y'all Come See Us!<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/DailyPix/CtrlPk5.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/DailyPix/CtrlPk5.jpg" width="200" align="left" hspace="10"></a>The NY Times just listed <a href="http://amoores.com/2011/01/08/durham-a-travel-destination-in-2011/">Durham as one of 41 Places to Go in 2011</a>. I don't work for Durham, and I have no vested interest in promoting Durham, but I do love living in Durham so it's exciting for our city to be mentioned as a travel destination! <br /><br />This city has so much to offer that it's disappointing sometimes to be passed over time and again when people tout the gems in North Carolina. The city has worked to revitalize itself, like an old charming house that has updated everything from the lighting fixtures to the <a href="http://www.americanhomeplus.com/">bathroom faucet</a> and it's paying off. People are starting to notice the wonderful characteristics that gives this city its charm.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-39400435573075962712011-01-03T18:08:00.002-05:002011-01-03T18:23:56.509-05:00Hello 2011!Happy New Year! Did you have a good holiday? Did you get all that you wanted or wished for for Christmas? Was Santa good to you? Dis you wish for something expensive like diamonds or an iPad or an iPhone? Or perhaps a <a href="http://www.thesource.ca/estore/category.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=LCDTelevisions&sort=1&pagenum=2">samsung lcd</a> or a laptop more your speed? I didn't really want much. We have enough junk around the house. I got what I really wanted, which was a hassle free holiday and some really good food. We had all that and more.<br /><br />Well Santa was good to me but I'm afraid father time was not as kind. By the time New Year's eve came around, a killer migraine had me knocked out. I didn't even stay up long enough to greet in the new year! I've been laid up all weekend and it is only today that my head finally cleared up. What a relief! So today is the official start of my year. HELLO 2011!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-43044899181117585472010-12-25T15:00:00.002-05:002010-12-25T15:07:02.860-05:00Merry Christmas! Now come and win $50Merry Christmas! How's your day going so far? We just got home from our Christmas dim sum and we're stuffed! Now we're just vegging out in front of the TV watching the Dr. Who marathon on BBC America.<br /><br />Now for your chance to win $50...<br /><br />Visit my review blog, <a href="http://jmomfinds.amoores.com/2010/12/win-50-bank-of-america-blog-tour/">Found Not Lost</a> and leave a comment. The contest ends on Monday at midnight so hurry on over. If your comment gets picked, you will win a $50 gift card!<br /><br />Click here to leave a comment on the <a href="http://jmomfinds.amoores.com/2010/12/win-50-bank-of-america-blog-tour/">Bank of America Blog Tour</a> for a chance to win $50!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-2412806913082072722010-12-24T21:06:00.003-05:002010-12-24T21:18:28.867-05:00From our House to Yours<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Christmas%202010/snowcopy.jpg" border="0" alt="Peace" width="400"><br />We just got home from doing some last minute shopping. Not really for gifts, we got some more food to hibernate on over the weekend. We're planning on having a simple Christmas this year. Instead of us blindly shopping for each other, we decided to have some major girl after-Christmas sales shopping time next week instead. While our friends are fretting over which gadget they want or getting for someone, we are having a stress free Christmas and concentrating instead on what this day really means. So no worries about power tools, or <a href="http://www.thekershawstore.com/">zero tolerance knives</a>, or Wiis, PSP, or iPods or laptops. No anxieties over ugly sweaters and unwanted presents either. Best of all, no major clean up after the gift opening mellee. <br /><br />I admit, it's unconventional, but for us, at the stage my girls are in now, it works. So when everyone is doing the gift frenzy tomorrow, we will be enjoying a dim sum frenzy instead. No matter how you're celebrating this holiday, I hope it is enjoyable and meaningful for you.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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</div>JMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217941032371450987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914583.post-81902829212469984912010-12-19T16:22:00.002-05:002010-12-19T16:25:19.209-05:00Last Day to Enter!<a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2010/12/14/mozaik-prize-pack-giveaway/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/jmomblogs/Blog%20Stuff/mozaikprizepack.jpg" border="0" alt="Mozaik Giveaway" width="400"></a><br />I'm giving away a fabulous set of Mozaik dinner ware on my food blog and you only have one day left to enter! Sorry for the delayed announcement :)<br /><br />But if you'd like to enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on the <a href="http://www.kitchen.amoores.com/2010/12/14/mozaik-prize-pack-giveaway/">Mozaik Prize Pack Giveaway</a> post.<br /><br />Hurry on over there!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" TYPE="text/javascript"
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