It Is Time To Get Your Teaching Degree

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

I did not complete college until I was in my forties. I had the chance to go to college after high school, but I had other ideas and at that point in my life, I was done with school for the time being.

If you have been thinking about returning to college then you might want to consider The USC Rossier School of Education MAT@USC. Especially those interested in a teaching degree and those wishing to use an accelerated program. This program is offered entirely online and experience in the field. The program is accelerated and can be completed in 12 months if you so desire. The program offers a great tuition reimbursement program and scholarships to help with tuition and other costs.

You can earn a Master of Arts in teaching from one of the most prestigious schools in the country and become an alumni of the USC Trojan graduates. Ranking 22nd in the United States and 9th of all private universities according to a News and World Report. Graduating from Rossier School of education would be a great addition to anyone’s resume.

The MAT@USC blog has a video that you can use to familiarize yourself with the program. You can also read about actual student experiences. In May, the first cohort of the MAT@USC will graduate.

Therefore, if you are thinking about a degree in teaching it will be worth your while to check out the program information. Get started on your way to a teaching career!

Give Me Back My Crate!

The company that I work for just bought a professional scanner because, well we scan big documents. It is quite nifty and very fast. It arrived in a huge crate that is about 4′ long and about 3′ wide and probably 2′ tall.

As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted it. Why? Because it would be perfect for a corn planter. That is me always thinking of ways to plant knew things?

Anyway, I went and asked the supervisor of the department if I could have it. He asked a couple of people and then came back and said I could have it. I was ecstatic to say the least. I went home and told Corvette and he was just as pleased. We were probably farmers in another life.

Everything was great and I was to bring it home on Thursday until I went on break and saw a sign on the door.

Buy Tickets For

Crate Raffle

WTF!!!!!!!! That baby is mine! I go and tell the receptionist that it was given to me yesterday. She says to talk to the office manager. He says people are fighting over it and this is the best way and get this no one else asked for it. Only me. Me. Me. Me.

So by now the whole office is starting to talk about The Crate. Some go and ask how many raffle tickets you can buy.(Just so you know, my friends did this in hopes of giving me The Crate.) Management decides that it would not be fair if someone bought fifty tickets and someone else could only buy one ticket. So on my last break I see this sign on the door.

Crate will be auctioned

Friday 11:oo

There was even talk of having everyone write an essay on what they plan to do with The Crate. Hmm, I think I would have an edge on that one. Don’t you think.

Anyway, I am still steaming. I will get over it, but it was mine dammit! Also, I do not know if I will participate in the auction. I can not see paying some crazy amount of money for something Corvette can build easily and rather inexpensively.

Plus, I can not bear to watch losing it to some one else.

How About Kissimmee?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

Although I have never been to Florida, I would like to visit someday. Florida has so much to offer, such as Disney World, the Everglades and great beaches. While reading up on Florida, I decided that one of the best cities to visit is Kissimmee.

Disney World is just a stone’s throw away. You can also visit MGM Studios, Universal studios and the Kennedy space center. I grew up watching men walk on the moon and then watching all the space shuttle launches, so this would be top on my list. As a child, I visited Busch Gardens in California and would love my family to see this beautiful place in Florida.

If we go, I would love to first:

1. Spend a couple days to explore Disney World.
2. Take a drive to either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf Coast.
3. Visit Busch Gardens to take in the beauty.
4. Definitely visit Sea World and watch a few shows.
5. Go to Kennedy Space Center to learn about science and technology.

Yes, Kissimmee is really, in the center of everything in Florida and with so many places to stay, Hotels, campgrounds and other vacation rentals, there is an accommodation for every family.

I found prices as cheap as Howard Johnson’s for about $21.00 a night. Wow what a deal! However, if want something a little more luxurious, there is the Gaylord Palms Hotel for about $264.00 dollars a night.They offer everything from five restaurants to a children’s playground. On the other hand, if you are so inclined try one of the great RV Parks, Kissimmee has to offer.

Either way, vacationing in Kissimmee will be both affordable and fun and it will surely create lasting memories for everyone! Think about a Kissimme vacation this summer. You will not be sorry!

Love my Plants

I planted a herb garden for the first time this year. I am looking forward to harvesting basil, parsley, chives, thyme and cilantro! This is a new adventure for me since I have never grown herbs. They are just now coming up and since I love to grow things, it is very exciting!

One thing I worried about is what to do with them at harvest time. Well I think I figured it out. I was reading the paper and I came across this little gem. It is called the Compact Herb Keeper. It basically keeps the herbs fresh. It is also only $17 from Cuiscpro.

Our Orange tree that we planted for our Lolly Pop Kid is flourishing. We expect to harvest many oranges this year. It doesn’t make it better, but at least something nice is coming from this awful tragedy. We will never forget our Crazy Little Redhead. Ever.

There are many blossoms! I am happy!

Munk Yourself!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

I absolutely love this! "Alvin and the Chipmunks" was one of my favorite cartoons as a child. I know, I just dated myself, but nevertheless, I loved those little chipmunk boys. Alvin was always getting into trouble and Dave was always shouting "Alvinnnnnn!" One of my first albums was the Chipmunks sing the Beatle's hits. I rocked out more than once in my bedroom to Alvin and the Chipmunks.

If you have not seen these movies with you kids you can now enjoy them in the comfort of you own living room. You can get the DVD, "Alvin and the Chipmucks: The Squeakqel on March 30th. You can also purchase the movie on Blu-ray or through digital download. Plus there is a double DVD Pack that includes "The Squeak Along" Bonus Disc. This disc lots of fun things for the the whole family. You can buy it now and your family can start enjoying the Chipmunks like I did as a child and continue to as an adult.

In addition, you can visit you http://www.munkyourself.com/us/ and choose a funny chipmunk that you can accessorize, add audio and have fun playing with the chipmunks. Hey, mommies, your kids will love it.

Nothing like More Munk Mayhem for a little extra fun! Check this out for some great family fun today!

Enough Already!

*Warning! If you have a weak stomach, you might not want to read this.*

Me and Corvette had dinner at Chilis the other day. Corvette always gets the Baby Back Ribs. He loves them. He always brings the bones for the dogs because they love them!

So, I gave the bones to the dogs and they enjoyed them as always. Everything seemed fine. Lucie, my big red dog wolfed down her bones. Buddy, who has some missing teeth because of age basically knawed his bones. Everyone was happy.

Fast forward to later in the day and all of a sudden I hear it. That sound dogs make when they are going to yak. I run into the hallway to find Lucie hacking up the bones, all over my floor. Yuck. I don’t do well with anybody or anything throwing up. I had trouble with it with my own kids for pete’s sake!

Of course, Corvette is not going to clean it up. The only time he ever cleaned up pet yak was a time I was out of town and Angie my kitty yaked on the fireplace. Anyway, I go get some paper towels and clean it up. But the story does not end there. Next, I made a big mistake. I throw it in the toliet and flush it. Guess what. The yak plugs up the toliet! Eee gads! Also, we do not have a plunger!

Ok, so now I have to tell Corvette what I have done.

“Why did you put it in the toliet?” he says.

“Because it smelled!” I reply. Makes sense to me!

Well it was late in the day and neither one of us wanted to go to the store. Corvette says he will stop and get one the next day on the way home from work. Luckily, I have two bathrooms.

Ok, done. Over with. So I thought. We go to bed and right around 2am I am awakened to the yaking sound again. Yep, Lucie is doing it again, but this time it is in my bedroom on my carpeting. I jump out of bed in my sleeping stupor and try to get her outside, but of course that did not happen. Cleaning time again. Luckily, this time there wasn’t alot so I go in the bathroom to grab toliet paper. All of sudden Corvette is yelling for me not to throw it in the toilet! No duh dude!

I get done and go back to bed and thankfully the rest of the night is uneventful. Now you might think the story is over. Not. even. yet.
The next day I go to work. Then I come home after work. I feed the dogs. I feed the cat her “wet” food because she will not leave me alone until I do. I turn on the TV and my laptop and sit down on the couch to write an email. The cat jumps up of the arm of  the  couch and sits down. All of a sudden I hear it again. Yak sounds! I look up at the cat and see she is facing me and getting ready to let loose! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I lunge at her to try and get her off the couch. I did not quite make it. I did however manage to move her head away from the couch so her head is pointed towards the floor. Can you believe it. She projected it halfway across the room! I have never seen an animal do that. Ever.

Enough Already!

Needless to say I once again cleaned up animal yak. This time it was all over the floor and running down my couch. Luckily, I moved her head or it would have been all over my open laptop. That would not have been pretty.

I made up a new rule. If you can not keep the food inside then your not eating. Just kidding. Oh and by the way. I decided to spare Corvette the one about the cat. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

Giveaway Coming Soon!

I wanted to let everyone know that if you go to the Safeway family of stores between March 24 and April 6 you can purchase Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake and Traditional Brownie Mixes for $0.69. Just in time for your Easter baking!

Also you can go to Bakesweetmemories.com for great coupons deals that you can download right to your Safeway card. I love this feature. No clipping and having a purse full of paper. Bakesweetmemories.com has some great baking ideas. Wait until you see the super cute bunnie cake!

In addition, I want to let you all know that I will be giving away a $25 Safeway gift card soon plus a great gift pack that I will share the details about in a few days. Trust me you will not want to miss out on this one.

So be sure and check back in the next few days so you can enter this giveaway!

Giveaway made possible by Safeway and Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

I Took the Power Back

Yes I did. I finally started to seriously train Lucie, my big red dog. I got really sick of her literally walking all over me! From jumping on me to not listening and just generally being a bad dog.

So a couple of days ago I changed my whole demeanor. I started apply tactics like not letting her walk in the house before me and making her stay when told. I have not let up and surprise, she is obeying me! It is not taking her long to catch on either. The dog is very smart. I knew that when I adopted her.

So, I am going to run with this. Corvette was very impressed when I showed him how I can handle her now. We still have lots of stuff to work on, but I will not give up.

Yes  Lucie, I am the pack leader now!

See How My Garden Grows

I am happy to say that my garden has sprouted! I was worried because after planting a couple of weeks ago we had a cold snap. I wondered if the seeds would germinate since there were a couple days we woke up to frost.

So far the asia radish is the first to make an appearance and my red radish is peeping out. Also, my tomato plants and peppers seemed to have survive unscathed. Now the temperature is in the 80s, perfect my little veggies to thrive. The weather is supposed to stay like this for the next ten days which makes me happy. I will start posting pics soon as right now there is not much to see.

This is a great time of year here and I always enjoy Spring. Although it probably will not last as Summer comes early, usually it is hot by the end of April and pretty much stays that way until October. Also, by Summer I mean hot. We are talking 100 degrees almost everyday. But, I would rather have the hot temperatures than having to shovel snow any day!

Oh, and Miss Lucie, my big red veggie eating dog. I watching you!

A Great Way to Get on the Road to Wellness

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of wellnessdaily.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

Achieving wellness and fitness is important to many people. Is seems you can always find a magazine or newspaper article pertaining toeating right or exercising. There are also great websites that provide information on getting into shape and eating well. One very informative site is www.wellnessdaily.com. The site provides guidance and community support and helps the user find ways to make the process simple and manageable.

The online community contains all the latest news as well as expert opinions. There are videos and nutritious recipes that are easy to make. You can find blogs about nutrition and fitness and interact with people seeking the same knowledge as you. Users can create a personalized news feed that address the subject each user might desire to learn about. This site is like one stop shopping for people looking to learn as much as possible about wellness and fitness.

Years ago, I used to use exercise DVDs to stay fit. These days walking my big red dog, Lucie does the trick. She does not just stroll along! I have always eaten well, even as a child. My mom used to bake our bread and when I was a young stay-at-home mom, I did too! I have to confess that I really do not like sweets! Yes, I am probably in a small group here, but it is true. I would rather eat a great bagel then eat a donut.

If you go sign up on Wellnessdaily.com, the first 25,000 registered users will receive a $5.00 rebate on the purchase price of any Jennie O Turkey Store product. So not only will you be improving you health and fitness level, you can save some money too! So, go checkout Wellnessdaily.com. I am sure you will be glad you did.