Cut Your Cell Phone Bill In Half! Yes, HALF!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

To me, it seems as if most cell phone companies want to get their greedy little hands into everyone's pockets.  They lure you in with awesome deals on the most recent phone with all the bells and whistles and music and cameras and web this and web that, only to stick you into a 2 year contract that ends up costing you much more than buying the phone out right would have. (hook, line and sinker)

With Straight Talk it's just the opposite.  Straight Talk has zero activation, reactivation or termination fees.  You know what else is missing?  Contracts.  NO Contract ~ amazing concept, right?  And no credit checks.  I've never really understood why cell phone companies need credit checks anyway. 

The best part of Straight Talk is their monthly service is only $45 bucks a month!  That's for unlimited service for calls, text, picture messaging and web.  There is also an "All You Need Plan" that offers 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30 MB of web data.  Impressed?  Yeah, me too!

Straight Talk also offers International Long Distance on a pre-paid basis (call a friend), so if you have family out of the country, this really helps you keep in touch.

The phone selection from Straight Talk is not so shabby either.  They have smart phones, touch screens, and app capable phones.  Or, you can get a reconditioned phone starting at $10 that have Bluetooth capabilities, cameras, music players, etc.  Straight Talk has everything you need!

So, I have two questions for you.  First, what would you do with all the extra money you would save every month by using Straight Talk?  Second, what are you waiting for?

MIA

I feel like this whole summer I've been missing in action.  Seriously, MIA.  I just haven't felt like blogging lately.  Unusual for me.  There are a lot of factors that caused that but I'm ready to pull my head out and begin again.  I really love this thing called blogging and sometimes I even get paid for it.  That will be another post. 

So, anyway, we're back from our 2 week vacation to AZ for my baby sister's wedding.  It was magical, of course, as all weddings should be.  Here's the bride and groom:

They said their own vows and moved everyone to tears.  Except the groom.  He's a Marine, after all.             

And here's me and mine of almost 17 years:

My nephew and my sister's new brother in law (10 and 8, respectively) channeled Michael Jackson and brought the house down.  You've never seen such great moves!  It was completely awesome :)

We also got to reconnect with really good friends over the course of 2 weeks.  It really reinforced the idea to move back home.  Realistically it still can't be for another 3 years.  We just need to keep that goal at the fore front of our minds and make it a reality. 

These are a few of the things we are missing:

Only 3 years and counting!

Home!

We're back here in AZ right now for my sister's wedding.  It's a week from today.  It's been completely awesome hanging out with friends and family.  I LOVE being HOME!!

Parent's Choice Infant Formula Sweepstakes

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Times are tough and money is tight for families all across the country.  Walmart is making it a bit easier though, with their Parent's Choice Infant Formula.  It's just the same as name brand but at a much lower cost.  Walmart is going one step further and giving one lucky family a $10,000 scholarship.

The contest is open to legal U.S. residents that are 18 years or older.  Enter soon, though, the contest ends August 15th!  Click this link for more information: Parent’s Choice Infant Formula Savings Sweepstakes . Who couldn't use a $10,000 scholarship for their kids?

If you are paying full price for name brand formulas, you owe it to yourself to check out Parent's Choice Infant Formula.  It meets the same FDA requirements as other, pricier brands at half the price. 

College is expensive but a $10,000 scholarship would go a long way towards tuition and books, so enter the contest today: Parent’s Choice Infant Formula Savings Sweepstakes . It's been all over the news lately that colleges are raising tuition.  The estimated cost per semester right now is over $11,000.  Wouldn't $10,000 be a nice "down payment" on that tuition? Enter today ~ Good luck!

The Mutant Genes Are Contagious!

So my darling husband thinks he is part mutant. You know, X-Men type mutant not zombie type mutant. Are zombies mutants? Anyway, he has been run over by a forklift. Twice. And survived with nary a scratch. Nary, not a word you see used every day. He's built like a shorter version of The Thing from the Fantastic Four. So, he's a mutant.

And now, I think after 17 years it's finally rubbing off on me. I have had poor eyesight forever. Wearing glasses or contacts since I was about 11 or 12. My eyes had gotten pretty bad and I didn't think it was anything more than regular changes in vision, age, etc, just figured my prescription was old. I hadn't been to the eye doctor in about 3 years. I was diagnosed with diabetes and it all made sense. Last week, made the eye doctor appointment and got a new trial pair for my drastically changed eyes. Within 2 days those new pair weren't working either. Went back yesterday to see if I could get another pair that actually worked. He checked my eyes again and just shook his head. He said, "In 23 years I have never seen this happen before". My eyes went from near sighted to far sighted. I can now see distance, which is completely new for me and it's fabulous! But I can't see close up, which totally sucks.

Now I'm holding shampoo bottles, magazines and menus at arms length. I have readers (cute ones, of course), and am anticipating having several pair, one in each room. Maybe I'll even get one of those chains to hang them from my neck. Nah, I don't think I'll go that far.

So, the mutant genes are contagious and I've caught them. Maybe his mutant genes will keep him from "catching" diabetes?

Thursday Hop

I love blog hops ~ making new friends, linking up with awesome new blogs. Join me at the hop!

May the "FORCE" be with you

Being forced to do something often brings about great things.  Steve and I have been stuck in ruts before personally and professionally, together and seperately.  Most of the time we just complain about something but never really make much of an effort to change what it is we are complaining about. 

But then something happens that forces us to make that change.  For example, in our many years of marriage we've lived in a few different houses.  Some we liked, some we didn't.  The ones we didn't like, we still stayed in.  Why?  Pretty much because it was easier than moving.  But then something would happen that would make us jumpstart that need to move and we would just do it.  I've also had a few jobs I didn't like.  But I stuck with them and just complained about them.  Why?  Because I hate looking for another job and I really, really hate interviewing.  But then something happens like the company goes out of business and I'm forced to look for another job.  It's easier to just stick where you are than to make the change. 

Almost every single time though, that I've been forced to make a change, it works out better for me in the long run.  I'm hoping this diabetes diagnosis is going to work the same.  It's forcing me to make changes in the way I eat, the way I cook and the way I live.  They are all positive changes but they are also a lot of work.  I KNOW I can do this.  I can make these changes and pretty much stick with them.  The alternative is not good.  I could have a heart attack or stroke or I could lose a limb.  I don't want any of those things to happen.  So, I have no choice, I have to make these changes.  It will make my body better, make my health better and let me live long enough to see any grandchildren I may be blessed with.  Diabetes sucks and I wish I didn't have it but it's FORCING me to be a better me. 

The Impatient Gardener

I don't really have a green thumb but I want to have one.  I'm a bit too impatient to wait out a garden.  Right now I have 2 tomato plants, 1 green pepper plant, 1 orange pepper plant, 2 cucumber plants and 4 jalapeno plants.  So far the only thing producing is the tomato plants.  I have 6 tomatoes sprouting out so far and couldn't be happier that I haven't killed it off.  Yet.  And we have one, teeny weeny green pepper started but it's slow going.  Nothing on anything else yet.  And it's driving me crazy.  I want instant gratification.  I want it all NOW! 

I faithfully go out every day to check the progress of each plant.  Sometimes in my pajamas.  The neighbors are thrilled, I'm sure.  This morning I noticed that one of the tomatoes is starting to turn red!  Words can't say how excited I am about that!  I love, love, LOVE fresh, home grown tomatoes.  The kind you buy in the store just aren't very flavorful sometimes.  Nothing like fresh, right?  I now wish I had bought 3 or 4 or 10 more tomato plants.  I would like to get tons and can them.  Make some sauce, make some salsa, so when we are buried in the snow, I've got goodies!  But since I didn't buy 3 or 4 or 10 tomato plants I will hope and pray that my neighbors are over run with them and give them away like they've done before.  I'll also hit up the farmers market and buy them out of their tomatoes.  It doesn't solve my problem of getting my hands on stuff now or getting my garden to produce more.  I'm just too impatient to be a gardener!

Better-ish

So it's been about 5 days since "D" day. Diabetes diagnosis day. I gotta tell you, this really sucks. It's not something to take lightly, it's not something to forget about and just let happen to you. It IS, however, a life changing "illness" or "disease" or "condition", whatever you want to call it, that has the potential to either decrease the quality of your life or end your life.

BUT, it doesn't have to be that way. Many, many people live with diabetes and manage it very well. The ones that don't...well, I don't want to think about what happens to them. It's sad.

So, I'm figuring things out, making appointments, watching what I eat and reasearching lots of stuff. Today I went to the eye doctor. Haven't been in about 3 years. I had noticed a change in my vision and I knew that the prescription I had was no good anymore but I was too LAZY to make the appointment and go. So I suffered. I've been suffering with the eye thing for at least, at least 6 months but I can't recall how long it's actually been that my eyes have bothered me.  And that's another thing that is a result of diabetes.  Confusion.  Oh yes, I've blogged about it before, the dreaded memory gap.  I felt 80.  You could tell me something and 5 minutes later I'd ask you to tell me again.  It's not that I couldn't remember the telling, I couldn't remember the details.  It truly stinks.  BUT, now I'm on medication, my blood sugar is going down, my memory is getting clearer, my circulation is better, my eyes are now on the path to being better.  The doctor is waiting to give me a prescription for contacts until the blood sugar goes down further so it doesn't have to keep changing a lot.  Right now I'm in temporary ones until we get it all figured out. 

I've got a pretty strong support group too.  Most are positive and keep my spirits up.  Ryan asks me every day about my blood sugar and is my mini monitor.  He is always asking if I should be eating this or that.  It's pretty cool but shouldn't be his responsibility.  I mean, I appreciate the help but I never want him to think he has to be my keeper.  Anyway, we'll get it figured out.  Eventually.

Well, that sucks...

I read somewhere the other day that there were an estimated 17 million people with diabetes. After Friday, it's now 17 million and one. I have diabetes.

I don't much about it, I don't know how I got it. Ok, I can guess how I got it. Mostly from having unhealthy habits. It's adult onset Type 2 so that means, at least for now, I have to take medication but not insulin.

My doctor tried to explain it to me but it's not really fair to think I'd remember any of it because, let's face it, when you first get a diagnosis for a disease you aren't really thinking about the how or the why you are thinking of the "what now" and the "how is my life gonna have to change" and "crap, this is really inconvienient".

I told my kids and they were a little scared. For the last two days they have monitored my eating and drinking habits, asking me if I'm sure I can have that.  And for the last two days I have told them the truth and I say, "I don't know".  Because I really don't know.  I know that I should stay away from sugar and simple carbohydrates that break down in to sugar.  But....can I eat fruit?  Bananas are high in sugar but can I eat watermelon?  I love chips and salsa.  I could live off the stuff.  But the chips are bad, right?  What if I switched to whole grain chips, is that good enough?  It's all rather confusing.  I know some diabetics drink diet soda.  I'm not a fan but I can tell you that sometimes water just isn't good enough.  I need something extra.  But diet citrus green tea tastes funny and sweet to me.  That's not good, right? 

I understand it's a balancing act and is somewhat difficult to find the balance at first.  But what are the alternatives?  I have to find that balance or I get other symptoms and could lose a foot or go blind.  Or die.  Yes, it all sounds dramatic and I'm really not trying to be overly dramatic about it because that's not good for anyone.  But I can't ignore it and I have to treat it with a sense of urgency because it has to get balanced.  Because the alternative really sucks! 

I'm taking medicine and hope that it starts to improve my blood glucose.  I'm checking my sugar obsessively right now.  I don't know how a "high" feels and I don't know how a "low" feels.  I know right now I'm extremely "high" but I feel fine.  And I know that most diabetics feel "fine" even when they have a high.  So I'm just trying to figure all that out.  My family has been supportive and I'm grateful. 

The day I was diagnosed, 7/1/11, I went out and bought 2 books and a planner/guide.  One was Diabetes for Dummies and the other was a cook book.  The planner/guide has given me some great info.  Ironically, the web has not, but I think I'm looking for the wrong things.  I don't want to know the scientific, medical part of it, the pancreas and the glucose and the blood and the ketosis or whatever.  I want to know how to take care of it.  TELL me what I need to do.  I mean, in a way it does, it says watch what you eat and exercise.  But it doesn't tell me WHAT to eat.  I want someone to give me a menu with things I like and will want to actually eat and drink.  But that's not what they do.  At least I can't find anything anywhere.  I'm looking for someone else to take the burden and just tell me what to do to make it better faster.  And that's not how it works.  I know. 

The diagnosis explains a lot though.  My vision has changed in the last year but I didn't attribute it to diabetes.  Just figured it was time to have my eyes checked.  Been a little crabby lately.  I usually have a high tolerance for my kids obnoxious tendencies but recently, not so much.  I've also been super tired.  I thought maybe it was due to the heat and humidity of summer.  But it's been really bad lately.  Like, wake up and shower, clean the kitchen, throw a load of laundry in and call it a day, take a nap kind of day.  One of the worst parts of this is that I haven't had the energy or the desire to blog or do much of anything.  Anything.  It truly sucks. 

I'm hoping with the meds now and watching my intake of, whatever, I'll be back to my normal "lively" self.  In the meantime, I'll just keep trying to stay awake and take care of me and my family.