Late as usual

Ok, well, so of course I'm getting a late start to my posting for the Vegan Mofo 2009! It's what I do, don't ya know! LOL.

Ok, well, the last few weeks for my family have been quite interesting. They are not taking to the idea of going Vegan well at all. I get the doesn't this burger look good thing or "mmmm, meat!" alot. That's partially my fault as I can't bring myself to show the kids the Earthlings video. It affected me so much but they are young. Are they too young? I know that it would be good for them to see, but at what age do you show something like that? Particularly to a bunch of omnivores who have really known no other way?

My husband is pretty much a lost cause. He says that he has no problem with it and will eat whatever I fix, but to not expect him to run out to the Arby's. We went to Chipotle the other day and here I am ordering a vege burrito and Mr I-Have-No-Respect walks up to the poor little girl and asks for a cow burrito. I mean the look on her face said it all. Jaw dropped, sad look in her face, she really truly reminded me of that one particular cow in that movie that stays with me every minute of every day. I wanted to hurt him. It was cruel and showed how big a jackass some people can be.

I got into a philosophical debate with my nanny's boyfriend the other day as well. Trying to explain things and show him WHY is pretty much a lost cause. He's 19, from a small town, and an Xbox junky. Need I say more? Well, he says he goes by what the Bible says about it. I calmly explained that the Bible is completely subjective and should in no way be leaned on for anything(sorry folks). It was written by humans and therefore in no way explains how things should be for Earthlings. If it had been written by a cow, would it say it was ok to eat humans? NO, it wouldn't. Cows don't eat MEAT!! They do nothing to harm anyone else on this planet! And that goes for most, if not all, animals that the human race uses as dinner! It's something to think about and if I can get just one person to just think about it, maybe I can do some good.

If anyone should have any ideas on what to do about the kids, that would be fabulous. Do I share the video or do I just keep going as I'm going and gradually "fix" things with their diets? What age would you say is right to show that video? I want them to see, to understand, but I don't want to damage them.

On a brighter note, I fixed what the family says was a pretty good meal. See the picture above. It's not the best picture in the world but for being a camera phone(my 14 yr old trashed ours during one of her fits before getting sent to live with her sister). Plus its not the best lighting in my itsy bitsy kitchen but you will get an idea of it.

I just started throwing things in so no recipe to share but I can give you a list of ingredients.

EVOO
pesto
zucchini
summer squash
mushrooms
diced jalepeno
garlic
splash of italian dressing
splash of tabasco
whatever pasta you prefer

Do whatever you like with the ingredients. Want more of something, add it. Want none of something? Remove it. I was just throwing in what was in the fridge. I like to experiment. Will I be able to get it "just right" ever again? Probably not but that leads to more experimenting! :)

Well, I have a couple of tests to take for school so I best be getting to that. Plus I have no idea what we are having for dinner yet and I've got a few things to do for clients so I'd best be getting to it.

Till next time, LIVE, LAUGH, and LOVE to the fullest!
Amy

So Majestic!

I'm browsing around researching a potential client and found the most amazing tapestries at TheTapestryHouse.com. The Wildlife ones are gorgeous! Go check out the elephant one, or the lions. They are so majestic! You can see them at TheTapestryHouse.com. I have to get back to work now. I lost an hour already just browsing through that website. YIKES!

Hey Twitter folks!!

Hey, sign up to SponsoredTweets and make some money tweeting! http://bit.ly/10Vivq

New Vege Lifestyle

Well, meat is now history for me! I watched a video that has pretty much turned me off forever. I mean, WOW!! Hubby doesn't understand it but he hasn't seen the video. I figure out 3 yr old vegetarian had seen it in the womb or something as if you try to put meat on his plate, he eats around it. I always thought he had issues with being picky but turns out he knew something already that I didn't.

I will be participating in VeganMOFO III next month. This will give me a chance to try out all the new recipes and whatnot that I have been wanting to try. Will have digital camera in hand to experience the joys of kids(and hubby's) faces as we remind ourselves that mom probably shouldn't be in the kitchen! lol

I will also be heading more into the Vegan rather than the Vegetarian. What they do to dairy cows and chickens is appalling and I don't want to be any part of it. I will test out a new something or another on a regular basis and give my honest, probably to opinionated opinion on it. Its my blog so if I hate it, you will definitely know it. Let's hope that is not the case.

I am still on my coffee hunt too. I tried the Starbucks DoubleShot Espresso & Cream awhile back and still haven't had a chance to update on that. Did you know that it does not have Caffeine listed as an ingredient? LOL

Ok, well, have lots of work to do today so will talk to y'all later! Till then...Live, Laugh, and Love!

Amy

Wow, I've been busy....

Ok, well, good news! That bad day only lasted one day and perked right up. I have so much going on that I had no choice but to get back to life. Working through Elance has true been a blessing for me and my family. Not just in the money it brings in, but also the fact that it gives my mind something to concentrate on when I need it the most. I am currently bogged down with it though. Working 10-12 or more hours a day, 7 days a week plus trying to keep up on school work, kids, and life in general. BUT, I am going to get my teeth fixed, I am going to get me an uber fast computer, and if hubby gets his crap together and gets the stuff done that I gave him to do and continues to help over the next few months, he gets to open a car lot. Yeah, yeah, we live in a town of 300 but he has a good concept. Cheap, ugly cars that RUN. No money down, no credit check, no payments! You are not going to find a brand new Chevy Aveo or anything of the sort, but you will get something you can afford and that will get you where you need to go without breaking the bank and without having that problematic car payment each and every month for years.

So, anyway, between work and the darts game I am now addicted too(see Dartse.com, I am busy busy busy and loving every minute of it!

Hope everyone is well. Drop me a line and say hi! And, as always, Live, Laugh, and Love!

Amy

Going to be a bad day....

Ok, well, some of you know that I am bi-polar and that I have my ups and downs like most people but mine are ups and downs on steroids or crack or something. The cool part about that is no matter whether I am up or down, I thrive on my business side. It's a place to focus and over-achieve I suppose, but really, the more stressed I am, the better I am. My personal ups and downs aren't nice at all though and they can be extreme. You also know that there have been some happenings in my life over the last 3 years that do not help matters any, some being too recent to just forgive although I am trying. Recently, I'm fighting a lot to keep my down times to a minimum. It's not easy based on what I am dealing with in my personal life and none of it is in my control which is never a good thing as far as me personally goes. Control is what has kept me off medication. It is a MUST and when other people mess with that because they "can't help it", I "can't help" but wonder why I subject myself to it and all the other things that I have put up with over the years. No normal person would. Hey, I have an excuse. I'm already messed up and, even before I was diagnosed, people thought I was not quite normal. How many 5 years olds do you know who can quote Shakespeare? Hmmmm... I just need to deal with everything so here I am mouthing off in my blog. It's my blog, so I can say what I want, right? I will get over the fact that other people's actions are very hurtful and sometimes it's really hard to get passed that hurt. I really REALLY am trying but with almost painful results. It will get better. It always does.

Anyway, today is going to be a bad day. I already slept(if you can call it that)half the day away. I've got my music on helping me deal with it. To me, some songs express my feelings for me when I can't. They help me work through things. I listen to them in my headphones so as to keep it to myself most of the time as it really doesn't help anyone but me.

So, on my playlist today:
Always ~ Bon Jovi
Tell Her ~ Lonestar
When She Cries ~ Restless Heart
Can I Trust You With My Heart ~ Travis Tritt
Anymore ~ Travis Tritt
Best of Intentions ~ Travis Tritt
Live Like You Were Dying ~ Tim McGraw
A Perfectly Good Heart ~ Taylor Swift
I Knew I Loved You ~ Savage Garden
Good As I Was To You ~ Lorrie Morgan
I'm the fool in love with a fool ~ LeeAnn Womack
Maybe he'll notice her now ~ Lonestar and Trisha Yearwood
She Wouldn't Be Gone ~ Blake Shelton
To Make You Feel My Love ~ Garth Brooks

Well, that is a partial list. Like I said, bad day. Travis Tritt is my friend. lol. You'd think those who cause the hurt over and over again which lead to the bad days would be more apt to comfort and do everything it takes to prevent it to begin with but I will handle it on my own like I always do. Things have changed though. The nightmares are back and I can't silence them. Sleep is unrestful and it's all getting the best of me. We will see what the days have in store I suppose.

Back to work....I have a million and one things to do for my clients this week still. I just needed to rant a bit and have a conversation with, well, me I suppose. Luckily I have work to keep my mind and heart from racing.

Remember, no matter what, Live, Laugh, and LOVE!
Amy

A quicky update and a favor!

Hey folks! Long time, no post. Sheesh, I have been busy. I still haven't had a moment to update everyone on our trip to Vegas or the fact that I moved in a live-in nanny or that my youngest son just started PreK, or the biggest news so far that the BABY will be turning 1 on Friday!!! OMG!! Where does the time go?

I'll be having another contest or ten here in a short while so you want to make sure that you are keeping up on the posts. Based on my current schedule, it could literally happen at ANY TIME!

In the meantime, you see that new little Facebook Fan widget over on the right? Please go click on it and fan Karianna's page. She's my solar cooker lady and I absolutely love the one my hubby got me for my birthday. The fact that Karianna is an absolutely wonderful lady to chat with is a big deal as far as us deciding to buy this particular one.That thing is an absolute life saver nowadays with my Freelance career having taken off and it being too hot to actually cook anyway. The time and energy savings alone are helping with that live in nanny expense I mentioned above! HEHE....

So, just so you know, I'm not going to turn this into a Sponsored Post or Pay Blog completely. I SWEAR! Some things come up that are just too good to pass up and, with the economy the way it is, I know you will understand the occasional Paid For or Sponsored Post. I will never say anything that I don't completely agree with as the one thing I am is truthful(to a fault sometimes). You will always get an honest review of whatever it is and I will always try it, whatever it is, first before writing anything about it!

Well, I am currently sitting in Denny's drinking coffee and working several projects for clients waiting for hubby to get out of school so I will end this now and wish you a happy night!

Till I get a couple more minutes, LIVE, LAUGH, and LOVE!!

TAKE CHARGE!!

As some of you know, a few years back I was a victim of a burglary. Someone came into my rented house through the only window that was not nailed shut. Me and the kids were asleep behind a closed door just 20 feet from this window. They took everything but I thought they had missed my checkbook. Well, turns out they were smart enough criminals and only took a handful here and there throughout the checks so as not to raise too much suspicion. Wasn't I surprised when a cop showed up at my door saying "This isn't your signature, is it?" Looking at it, nope, definitely not my signature and definitely not for the amount that was written. These guys went on a spending spree that concluded my usage of checks forever. Shortly after that, and the nightmare that followed trying to fix the mess, I found Netspend and their Prepaid Visa Card and haven't looked back!

Netspend is, in my opinion, the leading provider of reloadable prepaid debit cards and services in the United States. You can use it to make purchases, pay bills, secure reservations, and shop online. My husband and I have one account for emergency use that my mother has a card for. You know, "just in case". The other account is for our paychecks and we use the Online Bill Pay function to pay our bills. And, for those with bad credit who can't get a credit card but need the ability to use it, the Netspend card can be used anywhere the Visa logo is accepted. NetSpend has one of the most convenient networks in the country. With more than 30,000 card purchase locations and a total of approximately 90,000 debit card reload locations(including Murphy fuel centers), it is the absolute easiest way to get all the features you want without the headache and worry of an actual bank. With Netspend, you really are in charge!

A few examples of how a Netspend Prepaid Visa Card can help make your life easier.
1)They offer online bill pay. A couple of clicks and your done.
2)They offer direct deposit for payroll and government checks like your IRS tax refund. Take advantage of that and not have to wait for the US government to mail it out!
3)Let's say your daughter is off to college and finds herself needing funding. You have a card, she has a card. If you have a shared account, easy. If you have separate accounts, it's just as easy. They have cardholder to cardholder transfers so you can transfer money to anyone in the world with a Netspend card.
4)Think security. If you are wary about checks and cards in general, you only have to load on the card what you want to load on it.
5)Black Friday sale. You put only how much you want to spend for Christmas on your card and, come the early hours of the day after Thanksgiving, you sit in your pajamas and do your shopping online avoiding going over budget AND dealing with those nasty crowds!
6)Do as we did this week(post coming soon) and load what you budgeted for a trip to Vegas on your card and go have fun at Vegas knowing that you will be sticking within your spending means. We paid for the hotel and the plane tickets with ours and only put on the card what we were willing to lose gambling. It's working out pretty good and we are leaving tonight and aren't completely broke! YAY!!

So, now that I have rambled on about Netspend and how convenient it is and the ways you can use this card, I will say although this is a sponsored post, this is nothing more than my opinion. I have been using Netspend for more than 5 years now and have never had a moment where I was lost, confused, angry or disappointed like I had with my previous bank and it's ineptness. Trust me, you will NOT be any of the above if you check them out either!

You can see all the card and reload options plus their Terms and Conditions. They also have a FAQ section should you have any questions. You can also ask me for a referral and I will gladly email you one! Hope on over to Prepaid Visa Card and check them out!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I stand behind them 100%.

Rockstar Roasted Coffee & Energy Light Vanilla

Ok, well, I've gotten a little distracted from my blog lately with all the stuff I have going through Elance(LOVE IT!!) and not feeling well and the million other things going on. I absolutely love that site! It's time to get back on to my Coffee & Tea Search and Reviews. Today, let's talk about the Rockstar Roasted Coffee & Energy Light Vanilla flavor.

As some of you know, Rockstar has a full line of energy drinks out on the market. I'm assuming they brought about the Coffee flavored ones to compete with the Starbucks version or maybe it's vice versa, I don't really know. Well, I was browsing the shelves at the store to see if they carried this one particular flavor that my husband has. Of course, they don't. I noticed this can that looked like a Rockstar and a Starbucks drink mated. lol. It was Light Vanilla and contained 50% Less fat and 50% fewer calories. As I have been watching my weight for quite some time now, I figured what the heck, I can get my coffee fix and watch the calories at the same time.

So, I took the 4 pack home and chilled it. The next morning I woke up and decided to take the easy way out and not brew my regular coffee that morning. I popped open the can, took a sip, and realized that it was very watery. The taste was good, not overpowering or anything, but it was really just plain watery. It was the right amount of sweet, the right flavor of coffee, but I prefer mine creamier. This wasn't what I expected at all. My husband, however, tasted it and went "Wow! That's something I could drink." He's very picky about his drinks so, as impressed as he was, he now has a ready supply of them waiting for him when he wants them.

I think this next week I am going to compare the Regular Rockstar Vanilla with the Starbucks Vanilla and see which one I like more. If the Light Rockstar with its 50% less of everything is ok, then with the 50% added back it should be even better, right? Guess we will see....

Till next time, Live, Laugh, and, as always, Love!

Thanks for continuing to follow me and my ramblings!
Amy

Zappos Shoes

As we are all very much aware, school is starting in a couple weeks. I have the great pleasure of school shopping for 5 children this year. They all have their own particularly likes, dislikes, and personalities. Each year, I am finding it harder and harder to find cost effective ways to outfit them to not only not kill my bank account, but to also make sure they are "cool", as it just would be the end of the world if they weren't so.

My biggest headache up till last year was buying them shoes. With prices escalating, it was always a chore to find them the shoes they need at a price we could afford. My girls are now into Women's size shoes so no little girly styles for them. We all know that the Big W does not carry anything "cool" so that just would not do! Last year, right around this same time, I found a site that I fell in love with for our shoe buying needs. Zappos.com carries all the styles of shoes that my girls and boys want as well as the ones to fit my husband's and my needs. Zappos has great prices as well which helps to keep within budget. They've got all the great brand names such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok right there in one location! It's an absolutely fabulous website and my kids were uber happy too! No complaints this year about having ugly shoes either! YAY!!!

Go, take a moment from the frustration of the "I'm bored" rant that I'm sure you are hearing as much as I am, and go take a look at the great running shoes they've got at Zappos. They are having a great sale on some of their styles. Personally, I'm picking up ME a pair of the Air VXT II they've got on sale. They are just like a pair that I FINALLY wore out. They are my favorite shoe ever and at a price that doesn't break me! While at Zappos, be sure to check out all of the other styles of shoes, clothes, and accessories they have in stock. They literally have something for everyone in your family and, the best part is, you don't even have to leave your house and fight the horrible crowds! Now tell me that isn't a win-win situation!

Be sure to check out http://www.zappos.com/running-shoes to see my new shoes that will be coming to me soon!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I stand behind them 100%.