I'm Back and missing everyone

     Since I have last posted so much has changed in my life.  When I was here posting and telling how things were going I decided I wanted to get out of the house and get a part-time job.  SO I started work at Speedway working just a few days a week and before I knew it I was working 40+ hours a week.  After 1 year and 5 months I was promoted to Assistant Manager which for a brief moment was great.  

     As soon as I got out of training for the manager position Covid-19 was a thing and everything was closing down, but because everyone needs gas we were considered "Essential Workers".  I suppose the good news is that I did not lose my job like so many others did but I had to go to another district and work which was an hour drive one way.  If there was accident it cold take way more than 1 hour to get to work or home.  Covid has made life very difficult for everyone and it has caused a ton of stress on me and my family.   So in October I stepped back down to Cashier or Customer service representative so I could come back closer to home.

    In July I went to a virtual Pampered Chef party and had a blast.  It was held n Facebook, so we could party in our PJ's or in our work clothes but nobody ever saw us.  We played games, learned about new innovative products that just made life easier, and I learned about some fun and festive recipes.  We learned about easy week night dinners, fun things to cook with the little ones, and even healthy dinners .  I enjoyed the party so much that I decided to start selling it myself.  I have owned Pampered Chef products for years and I love every piece I own.  So why not share the great products that I love and want to tell the world about?  So, I decided to dive in and I setup an account.  I have been so happy working with PC and selling their products the last few months.

     Are you interested in Pampered Chef?  Maybe you've never heard of PC?  Check me out at Pampered Chef website and the great products they offer.  I would love to schedule an online party with you.  Stop by my Facebook page and ask me anything you would like to know, rather about the business, scheduling a party, or becoming a consultant yourself

Behind CLosed Doors Review

I received #BehindClosedDoors to review and give my thoughts on the book.  Because this was an advanced copy it had some of the reviews from

8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids

My Thoughts:
When I saw that this book was a prospect for review, I jumped on the opportunity.  Not only because it sounds like it would be a great tool in my toolbox of parenting but also because at that very moment I was having trouble with my daughter that just turned 12.  So of course I said Yes I would love to read the book and do a review.

Life with an Addict

     Can you recognize an addict on the street?  My guess is probably not, I know because it is like trying to judge if a man is a cheater or a woman is an abusive Mother, it is just something you can NOT look at someone and know.   As a community, or nation we tend to look at people and judge them, but the truth is you can't look at people and tell if they are sick, addicts, if they are a rapist, murderer, or even if they are homeless or hungry.

     I have seen what addiction can do to a person, and a Family and no good ever comes from any of it.  Now I say addicts and instantly everyone thinks drugs, but did you know that there are thousands of different types of addicts?  I will go through just a few of the addictions that we as a Nation suffer from today, and try and show you how these addictions affect not only you but your Family.

Facebook, Twitter, Social Media

I am sure this is one that we all can relate to in some form or fashion.  Within this addiction you can include your smartphone, computer, email, or even on-line shopping.  I you wake up in the morning and one of the first things you do is cheek your email, or Facebook, then guess what?  You are a social media junkie!  I will be the first to admit, when I get up in the morning, I get my oldest girl up for school, make my pot of coffee and then to the computer I go to see what is going on for the day. Once I check and see what's up then I play Candy Crush, my downfall for the computer pr phone, :(.  The downfall to this addiction is not only do you lose contact with the Family that you live with but sometimes this particular site or sites can lead to cheating on your spouse or mate.  When you go out to dinner next time, just take 5 minutes and watch the people sitting at the table, not talking to the ones they are with, and have their nose crammed into their phone.  Nowadays this addiction is starting at very young ages because chidren as young as 5 are getting their own tablets and smartphones and I think it hurts our community because now we don't now how to talk to other people face to face.

Shopping and Couponing

I have actually had people say to me that there is no such thing as an addiction of couponing or shopping but yes there is.  I myself love couponng, and shopping, however if you are buying things because just because you have a coupon, or they are on sale, then you may have a problem.  Especially if you don't need it, can't use it, know someone that you will give it to, or have somewhere to put it, then it is an apparent addiction.  I have what you would call a stockpile in my home, in fact my son calls it Jennie's Grocery store, LOL.

These are pictures of my Grocery store, excuse the pictures, I dropped my camera and now I have black spots.  I show these pictures to show you what couponing can do for you and your Family but to also say that what I have here are things that me and my family will use.  I don't just buy it because it is on sale or I have a coupon, although these are tempting times to buy.  Also if you are going over on your budget, then you stop and think about why you are purchasing these items.
This addiction carries a lot of positive because you are saving money but it gets bad when you are spending money you don't have, and you are buying more toothpaste (you already have 12 tubes) and not food for the next week.   You need to learn a little balance in making sure you have the needs meet then work more on the stockpile.  Eventually you'll have everything you need, and see where this can be a great thing.

Sex, Porn

 These are some that you can't look at someone and say yelp, they have a problem.  People with these addictions typically tend to hide them from embarrassment.  Sadly today if you watch TV you are being exposed to the porn much more than a society should be on a regular basis.  Personally I feel this desensitizes our society and I know for my family the things that we watch affect the way we feel and think.  What am I trying to say?  Well, if every movie that is shown is about a woman, who is being beaten by a man, then we start to think that it is normal.  Our children see this and the guys think that is how you treat a lady and the girls think that is the normal.  Now don't get me wrong, obviously there is still a difference in the movies we watch and porn, However do you know how easy it is to get FREE porn now?  I have a 12 year old daughter that had a tablet, unfortunately getting on these sites are so easy, and she found the, that now she has a completely wacked out idea of what me and her daddy do when we are in our room.  Now my fear is that when she gets older that she is going to feel that what she saw is normal and never really know what true love is. I honestly believe that some of these things are what develops rapists and murderers in a lot of cases, but it is just so easy to find now that it is horrible.

Alcohol and Drugs

This is one that just about every Family in America can relate to in some form or fashion.  While Alcohol is  legal is can be very devastating to families.  It does NOT affect just men or women or any particular age group, in fact I would say that this one that starts long before the legal age and by the time they are of legal age is has become an addiction. Alcoholism is also a family heredity that is a big problem. There are social drinkers, these are drinkers that have a drink in  asocial setting 1 or 2 times a year.  They generally

War on Drugs and YOU

     I am sure that in your community you have heard any Law Enforcement Officer referring to the term "War on Drugs", well do you know how this affects you, your family, or even your community?  I have watched a few things trend in and out, some drugs are more popular than others for a moment and then another takes over.  Have you noticed this trend in your area?

Drugs have been around for as long as the early 1800's, being used for medical purposes and recreational use.  But the question is how do you stop the illegal drugs from coming into your community, or even home?  I wish I had the answers but unfortunately if you will look at history of drug use in the United States you will see that about the time we think we are getting one drug off of the streets a more powerful and harmful drug is already being introduced.
 

Keeping Your Vessel Elevated with High-Quality Fixtures

Boat owners know that proper boat care often calls for keeping the vessel's bottom off the ground. If the boat is allowed to sit on damp or loose soil, the bottom could corrode and become damaged, making the boat unsafe to take out onto the water until it is fixed. When you want to keep your own boat off the ground in your garage or elsewhere, you can do so by investing in equipment like boat dock lifts and other equipment like chains or cables. You can find all of the gear you need to keep your vessel safe and intact when you shop online.


Sling Kits and More

One of the easiest and fastest ways to get your boat lifted involves using a sling. Building a sling can be quite simple when you purchase a kit from an online store. The kit comes with all of the components you need to put the sling together. It also comes with instructions for how to build the sling. Once it is built, you can elevate the boat and keep it secured when you are not using it.

You can also find wood mounts, central pipes, and clamps when you shop online. These fixtures also help you keep the boat off the ground while it is being stored or when you are making repairs to the sides and bottoms. These fixtures are designed to be safe to use and secure enough to hold the boat's weight. They also come with instructions on how to install and use them safely.


Getting More Information

If you are new to boating or using boat lifts, you may need some more information before you make your selection online. Many of your questions and concerns can be addressed when you read the website's blog. The blog is updated regularly for your convenience.

You can also use the contact option found online. The company has two ways for contacting it. You can email if you prefer or you can use the phone number listed at the top of the website. The website offers you several different ways to answer your own questions, however. You can access instructions to the products and also request an online quote if you need information about pricing.


Your boat can be kept safe and secure when it is elevated with lifts and slings. You can buy this gear when you shop online.

Winter Weather Threat, how do you prepare?

Here in the Eastern part of North Carolina where I live, we don't get much snow or any winter weather threats for that matter.  When we do it is almost ALWAYS ICE, not much is snow and if we do get snow it is generally a snow, ice, sleet, and freezing rain mix.  What kind of winter do you have where you are from?  How do you prepare for the threat of the storms?

Sometimes it takes a little prep for us simply because we don't get it enough to keep everything on hand and we don't think to prepare early.  Some of the ways we try to prepare for this great event though are as follows:

1.  Flashlights and batteries, as I said we get ice mainly and ice likes to take power lines down.  No power line, no power. Candles and matches also if you are just sitting in a room together, and they may just make you house smell nice while you wait for the power but DO NOT leave them burning if you are not able to get your eye on them or if you go to bed.
2.  Propane, Kerosene, Wood, Depending on what secondary heat source you have.   In my case I have a Kerosene heater and I will stock up on a little extra Kerosene in the event the power goes out we still have a source of heat to keep us warm.
3.  Extra blankets, the heat already feels like it is having to work in over drive so we keep extra blankets in the car, in case we break down or get stranded, and home, so we don't have to run the heat so high.
4.  Food, in the South for some reason everyone hears snow and they run to the store to buy ilk and bread.  It has become a joke among many other states, especially those that get a lot of snow, but it is what it is.  That being said, you need to have bottled water, can foods that don't necessarily have to be warmed up to eat, peanut butter, bread, any kind of food you and your family will eat that dosen't have to be kept cold or heated up.
5.  Non-electric can opener, for the obvious of opening those cans of food, when the power goes out.
6.  Clean, and warm clothing, done properly you can layer your clothes to keep warm and not feel quiet so wrapped up and still stay really warm.  This is a practice we try to do even whe it is just cold out side.
7.  Charge all cell phones, and tablets, your cellphone may be the only way you can call and check on another family member or if you have to leave call for emergency help.  Tablets and other smart devices can be used to get the up to date info on what is going on with the weather.  Also can be a form of entertainent, LOL
8.  Fill up your gas tank before hand, If the power goes out and you have to get to the emergency room you need to know you have enough gas to get there, in major traffic and if for some reason your car was to break down, you could leave the car running while keeping warm. 
9.  board games, sounds silly right?  Not really, now days most "Board Games" still have some type of electronic you need so get some old fashioned board games to keep the family entertained while waiting for the storm to blow over. 
10.  Medications, make sure you have enough to get through the storm.  If you are going to run low call your Doctor or pharmacy and let them know.  They can make previsions for you so you don't have to do without.  Also you want to keep all your needed meds in one place, maybe an old make-up bag in case you have to leave home in a hurry you can just grab the bag and go.
11. Baby formula, diapers, wipes, baby food, I don't have a baby so I tend to forget this sometimes but a big one if you do a little ones.  You don't want to have to get out in the storm for diapers when you could have prepared yourself in advance. 

Most of these are NOT just for your home, in fact it would be a great idea to have a few of these on hand in your vehicle.  There is nothing like being stranded on a highway, cold, no food, and no water to drink.  Make a home and car emergency kit and this can be for any storm.  Biggest thing to remember here is, if it is something you and your family enjoy and it is non-perishable then get it together in your storm kit. 

Did I miss something that you would like to add?  Leave a comment and let me know what are some other things that you feel is needed.  Personally I think I need a stock pile of chocolate, you know for the long days of hyper kids, no school, and to add to my coffee or hot chocolate <3.