I got my degree from college after I turned 30. Before I went back, I wondered if the "college kids" would think I was still one of the cool kids. I had 2 small children of my own and really didn't fit into the party scene or the "hey, let's hang out after class" group. I had responsibilities and a family to get back to.
It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life! The college kids did accept me and I enjoyed it more than when I was with my peers right out of HS or, in my case, Junior College. I related so much better with my professors and could see their point of view to a greater extent.
The only drawback was the distance I had to travel. I lived in Floyd, VA and I attended class in Radford, VA. It was about a 40 minute drive each way and took quite a chunk out of my already busy day to make the trip there and back.
If I had to do it all over again, I might think very heavily upon using an online university to get my degree. I've heard about Waldon University and when I looked into WaldonU.edu, the degree programs look well-represented and complete. I also noticed a lot of Walden University Graduates make the news and also are named as staff for other universities once they graduate! Walden was named by U.S. News and World Report as having the No. 1 online graduate program in education by enrollment and the No. 3 online graduate management program by enrollment, to name a few accolades!
If I was ever to get serious about going back to school for an MA, I would definitely consider Walden University's online degree programs. Getting an advanced degree in the comfort of my own home is an appealing option! The more I learn about Walden, the more I am drawn to their accessibility and assistance to non-traditional students like myself!
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Thursday, October 6, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Good Digestive Health With ReNew Life Review and #Giveaway
We have all heard the saying "You are what you eat" but it would be truer to say Youare what you properly digest and the nutrients that you properly absorb. I used to have issues with my digestive system as a younger adult. I would get horrible stomach aches and be in misery until it finally went away. I also had bowl problems. I couldn't go! It was painful. I finally realized that I needed some help with my digestive health. It took a few years before I began taking probiotics, soothing herbs for my stomach issues and more fiber--both soluble and insoluble. Now lest you think I took many different products to fill my needs, the answer is no. I simply found one great product with all of the things I mentioned built right into it. It helped my health so much! ReNew Life has a product called FiberSMART, which includes probiotics, herbs and a balance of soluble and insoluble fiber. I feel safe using ReNew Life because they select only the finest ingredients, free of harsh contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, PCBs or any other ingredients that work against the body's natural cleansing and detoxification process.
If you haven't heard of ReNew Life, it's about time. ReNew Life is The leading digestive care company in the US; ReNew Life is featured in food stores including Whole Foods, GNC, Walgreens, and CVS.
Digestive health awareness should be developed early because young adults can suffer with digestive problems, like I did, especially since they are usually running crazy busy lives and eating horribly! In association with the Young Adult Education Initiative, ReNew Life started the 'How Does Poo Move You' video contest (some very hilarious potty humour), which was very successful and has stressed a few key points in order to make young adults and everyone more aware of the importance of digestive health. They are:
1. Make your diet a healthy diet, rich in fiber, low in processed carbs/sugars, along with taking an all-natural probiotic supplement.
2. When taking a dose of antibiotics, supplement it with an all-natural probiotic supplement within 2-3 hours. Turns an upset gut into a healthy gut.
3. Daily exercise means a healthy metabolism. Sitting idle throughout the day will make it difficult to go #2.
4. It should be a lifestyle goal to have 2-3 proper bowl movements a day.
Right now I am trying the ReNew Life DietStart Cleanse System, designed to jumpstart a weight loss program and enhance metabolism, something I need to do. I'm hoping it doesn't make me have to go to the bathroom too much, since I work full-time at a high school in a classroom full of obnoxious boys, who would totally tease me if they found out I was on a cleanse or had to go poo a lot. But there are some great reviews for this particular product, 29 to be exact. In general, they gave this Cleanse System great ratings. I may wait until this weekend to start, though. ;) I'll let you know in a later post how it goes!
ReNew Life offers a 60-day money back guarantee (minus shipping and handling) on all products ordered directly from their website!
{Closed} I'm pleased that ReNew Life would like to give one of my readers a $50 Gift Certificate to their online site! There are so many great products you could take advantage of at their site! For a chance to win, please complete the mandatory entry and any extra entries you'd like to in order to increase your chances of winning!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
A Magic Elixir..Could it be Apple Cider Vinegar?
Since ACV is a diluted acid, it may contribute to changes in the body's ph balance, making it easier to absorb the nutrients it takes in during meals. Apparently ACV does a great job doing that as well as possibly activating digestive enzymes which will, in turn, break down carbohydrates to sugar. This will slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and gives the body more time to pull sugar out of the blood. Wow, a potential godsend for those prone to blood sugar spikes and diabetes. Another thing I've heard but not sure it is scientifically proven is that it is a great metabolic booster and aids in weight loss. That would be great, since it is a lot more cost effective than many weight loss secrets! One thing to be careful about is taking ACV straight. It is highly acidic and could erode the enamel on your teeth. Taking it with water or juice is highly recommended. Also make sure it is the cloudy kind - the more murky and brown, the better! The label should read organic, unprocessed, or unfiltered. The standard dose is 1 - 2 tablespoons mixed with water or juice. It also may be mixed with organic honey at a 50:50 ratio
Now here are some things that people are saying about ACV. Take these suggestions at your own best disgression -
- Gets rid of toe fungus by saturating area with ACV
- 1 Tbsp before meal for dramatically lowered blood pressure
- 1 Tbsp before meal for natural weight loss
- When mixed with honey 50/50 will cure ulcers
- cures and prevents bladder infections
- Use it to remove problematic moles and warts
- Cures and prevents Shingles
- Cures Acid Reflux
- Kills Lice (Wash hair, clothing and bedding with it)
- When taken with honey (50:50) cures sore and achy muscles.
- Take it to get rid of sugar cravings
- Increases Energy
- Prevents Cancer
- Gets rid of watery eyes
- Drink 2 oz. of vinegar to save life if you are allergic to bee stings and get stung
- Cures the common cold. Drink 2 tsp of ACV in glass of water at the first symptoms and do several times/day.
- Clears up acne
- Cures hot flashes and balances hormones
- Strengthens hair, fingernails, collagen and cartilage
- Takes sting from sunburn and prevents peeling
- Take ACV diluted during flu season to prevent the flu!
Disclaimer: I have not tried all of these suggested uses and am only repeating what has been told to me and what I have read in testimonials. Use at your own disgression! I intend to do the same!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
COTTONAGE.com REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY
I'm going to get a massage this next weekend! I love the whole experience of being systematically relaxed by a trained expert. I love the whole atmosphere - the candles, the relaxing music, the beautiful art, the trickle of water from a fountain, the quiet conversation or better yet, no conversation, and the cotton robe and slippers that I get to wear! It makes me feel so comfortable. I love a soft well-worn cotton robe to put on when I'm relaxing.
That's why I was so happy to hear about CottonAge.com. They have amazing deals on cotton robes, towels, slippers and other things cotton!
The robe I got from CottonAge.com was a 100% Cotton Waffle Diamond Spa Style Robe in white. I love the high quality cotton and also the texture, which is very absorbant and has the potential to become very very soft after washing. It was their one-size fits all and I loved how it gave me plenty of great room but I wasn't swimming in it either. I'm about 5"5 and of average weight...ahem. I also let my husband try it on and it fit him well too! He's a big guy, at 6"1 and 228 pounds. So one size truly does fit all!
Giveaway: One reader will receive the same robe I reviewed and also the Hair Wrap Towel that I reviewed earlier this month!
Here's how to enter the giveaway! First do the Mandatory entry!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
An Option for Adoption
I love this poem and believe it is true~
"I didn't give you the gift of life, but in my heart I know the love I feel is deep and real...as if it had been real. For us to have each other is like a dream come true. No, I didn't give you the gift of life but life gave me the gift of you." --Unknown
I believe that there are many families in this country who would gladly open their hearts and homes to children domestically and from other countries. But because the process is so difficult, children around the world have been left to fend for themselves.
There have been several times where my husband and I have talked about adopting. We weren't able to have children of our own, even though we both have children from our previous marriages. We both really wanted to have children, but because Greg had a vasectomy that was 15 years old, the reversal didn't work. I was heartbroken and wanted to adopt. The thing that prevented us each time we talked about it was the prohibitive cost of adoption. We had already spent $15,000 on the reversal and because I was 42, the doctor strongly discouraged us from using my eggs for artificial insemination. So we looked into adoption. That's when we realized how expensive the process is. Now, we're definitely not affluent, by American standards. But by some standards, especially 3rd world countries, we'd be considered very wealthy! But the cost of adoption is crazy!
One couple in Genola, UT fell in love with their sponsored orphan, a 14-year-old boy, who they were only having in their home temporarily to introduce him to people here in the States who might potentially want to adopt. They already have 6 children but this boy fit into their family so well and it felt right. Now they are trying to adopt him, along with his younger sister who still lives in the Ukraine. To make this adoption happen, they will have to put up $55,000, a sum which they certainly don't have just hanging around in an extra account somewhere. What they do have is creativity, drive and motivation. Even so, it will definitely take awhile for them to reach that goal.
For these two children, should they be lucky enough to be able to be adopted into this family, their life will be much better than if they were to stay in the Ukraine. According to the family, orphans in the Ukraine have a very bleak outlook. 70% of girls living in orphanages end up in prostitution and 60% of the boys end up in forced labor situations or forced to enlist in the Russian Army. With no one to help them with education or housing they are forced to choose between one of these lifestyles.
In my opinion, the cost of saving these children from those lifestyles seems like it is a very brisk business and profiting some individuals very well. It almost seems like human trafficking but to a different class of people--people who want to help these children and who would love them. Why is it be so expensive to save these children from lives of drudgery, poverty and crime? Not really an answer from anyone other than it takes a lot of agencies to complete an adoption and all of them require money.
But it is what it is. Is there an easier way around that? Most families who are thinking about adoption don't have sufficient and available funds to do so. But over time, they would have the means to raise or accumulate enough funds to complete the adoption process.
Right now there is an idea floating around called the Perpetual Adoption Fund. It is based on the idea of the Perpetual Education Fund, an already tried and proven system to help motivated individuals in 3rd World Countries. Basically it is a collection of donated or otherwise accumulated monies set aside for the purpose of helping individuals or small groups accomplish a common purpose. In the case of the Perpetual Education Fund, it is for the purpose of furthering the education of people in 3rd World Countries. It works like a low-interest loan, with the recipients paying it back when they get their new jobs. The repayment goes back into the pot so that other people can benefit from the fund as well.
With the Perpetual Adoption Fund, people would apply to be helped with the fund as they go through the adoption process and then they would pay it back when the adoption is complete.
I think this is a fabulous idea and I hope that the embryo of this idea will flourish and become a fully developed program someday.
In the meantime, the family who is attempting to adopt the two orphans from the Ukraine are trying to accomplish it the old-fashioned way! It's a noble and worthy cause and I wish them well! Read more about it here!
"I didn't give you the gift of life, but in my heart I know the love I feel is deep and real...as if it had been real. For us to have each other is like a dream come true. No, I didn't give you the gift of life but life gave me the gift of you." --Unknown
I believe that there are many families in this country who would gladly open their hearts and homes to children domestically and from other countries. But because the process is so difficult, children around the world have been left to fend for themselves.
There have been several times where my husband and I have talked about adopting. We weren't able to have children of our own, even though we both have children from our previous marriages. We both really wanted to have children, but because Greg had a vasectomy that was 15 years old, the reversal didn't work. I was heartbroken and wanted to adopt. The thing that prevented us each time we talked about it was the prohibitive cost of adoption. We had already spent $15,000 on the reversal and because I was 42, the doctor strongly discouraged us from using my eggs for artificial insemination. So we looked into adoption. That's when we realized how expensive the process is. Now, we're definitely not affluent, by American standards. But by some standards, especially 3rd world countries, we'd be considered very wealthy! But the cost of adoption is crazy!
One couple in Genola, UT fell in love with their sponsored orphan, a 14-year-old boy, who they were only having in their home temporarily to introduce him to people here in the States who might potentially want to adopt. They already have 6 children but this boy fit into their family so well and it felt right. Now they are trying to adopt him, along with his younger sister who still lives in the Ukraine. To make this adoption happen, they will have to put up $55,000, a sum which they certainly don't have just hanging around in an extra account somewhere. What they do have is creativity, drive and motivation. Even so, it will definitely take awhile for them to reach that goal.
For these two children, should they be lucky enough to be able to be adopted into this family, their life will be much better than if they were to stay in the Ukraine. According to the family, orphans in the Ukraine have a very bleak outlook. 70% of girls living in orphanages end up in prostitution and 60% of the boys end up in forced labor situations or forced to enlist in the Russian Army. With no one to help them with education or housing they are forced to choose between one of these lifestyles.
In my opinion, the cost of saving these children from those lifestyles seems like it is a very brisk business and profiting some individuals very well. It almost seems like human trafficking but to a different class of people--people who want to help these children and who would love them. Why is it be so expensive to save these children from lives of drudgery, poverty and crime? Not really an answer from anyone other than it takes a lot of agencies to complete an adoption and all of them require money.
But it is what it is. Is there an easier way around that? Most families who are thinking about adoption don't have sufficient and available funds to do so. But over time, they would have the means to raise or accumulate enough funds to complete the adoption process.
Right now there is an idea floating around called the Perpetual Adoption Fund. It is based on the idea of the Perpetual Education Fund, an already tried and proven system to help motivated individuals in 3rd World Countries. Basically it is a collection of donated or otherwise accumulated monies set aside for the purpose of helping individuals or small groups accomplish a common purpose. In the case of the Perpetual Education Fund, it is for the purpose of furthering the education of people in 3rd World Countries. It works like a low-interest loan, with the recipients paying it back when they get their new jobs. The repayment goes back into the pot so that other people can benefit from the fund as well.
With the Perpetual Adoption Fund, people would apply to be helped with the fund as they go through the adoption process and then they would pay it back when the adoption is complete.
I think this is a fabulous idea and I hope that the embryo of this idea will flourish and become a fully developed program someday.
In the meantime, the family who is attempting to adopt the two orphans from the Ukraine are trying to accomplish it the old-fashioned way! It's a noble and worthy cause and I wish them well! Read more about it here!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Why I Endorse BSOA
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My son, Eddie, is a pretty talented guy. He is 23 and he completed his degree in Urban and Rural Planning at BYU and now is in the midst of his MPA (Master's of Public Administration) Program, also at BYU! He did it on his own while working and while doing something else he loves--fighting MMA, his chosen sport, with a team called Team Unbreakable. He has done really well with that, winning most of his matches. I attribute a lot of the discipline it takes to accomplish that kind of work to something he learned much earlier in life--when he earned his Eagle Scout Award from Boy Scouts of America.
I remember attending a meeting with him when he was just a little guy and there were several elements that were great. First, it was very patriotic with the habitual flag ceremony. It was great to see how the boys were taught to honor their country and treat the flag reverently and respectfully. Another great thing to see was the recognition these boys received when they earned their merit badges. No effort goes unnoticed and it is always recognized with badges or certificates. I think that the positive recognition for their effort helps to spur on even more elbow grease to achieve greater goals. Last but not least, the refreshments were always there. I love that parents are involved to help their kids achieve goals. Eddie always had a good time whenever we went.
There are so many reasons to Be A Scout, among them just a couple I will mention here! For one thing, are you looking for a way to get your son out and active? Scouting offers activities that help kids stay in shape and educate them on proper nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. It just comes naturally with all of the activities and outings that occur as a result of being a scout! It also involves you, the scout's parent, and helps you teach a wholesome system of values and beliefs, while also building and strengthening relationships among family members. But it isn't all camping and tying knots. There is a new emphasis on STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math. There are 31 STEM-related merit badges, to help Scouts develop critical skills that are relevant in today's competitive world.
I know that we value our sons and want them to do the best they can in this world and in life. I strongly recommend looking into what Boy Scouts has to offer!
My son, Eddie, is a pretty talented guy. He is 23 and he completed his degree in Urban and Rural Planning at BYU and now is in the midst of his MPA (Master's of Public Administration) Program, also at BYU! He did it on his own while working and while doing something else he loves--fighting MMA, his chosen sport, with a team called Team Unbreakable. He has done really well with that, winning most of his matches. I attribute a lot of the discipline it takes to accomplish that kind of work to something he learned much earlier in life--when he earned his Eagle Scout Award from Boy Scouts of America.
I remember attending a meeting with him when he was just a little guy and there were several elements that were great. First, it was very patriotic with the habitual flag ceremony. It was great to see how the boys were taught to honor their country and treat the flag reverently and respectfully. Another great thing to see was the recognition these boys received when they earned their merit badges. No effort goes unnoticed and it is always recognized with badges or certificates. I think that the positive recognition for their effort helps to spur on even more elbow grease to achieve greater goals. Last but not least, the refreshments were always there. I love that parents are involved to help their kids achieve goals. Eddie always had a good time whenever we went.
There are so many reasons to Be A Scout, among them just a couple I will mention here! For one thing, are you looking for a way to get your son out and active? Scouting offers activities that help kids stay in shape and educate them on proper nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. It just comes naturally with all of the activities and outings that occur as a result of being a scout! It also involves you, the scout's parent, and helps you teach a wholesome system of values and beliefs, while also building and strengthening relationships among family members. But it isn't all camping and tying knots. There is a new emphasis on STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math. There are 31 STEM-related merit badges, to help Scouts develop critical skills that are relevant in today's competitive world.
I know that we value our sons and want them to do the best they can in this world and in life. I strongly recommend looking into what Boy Scouts has to offer!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
CottonAge.com Review and Upcoming Giveaway!
I was able to review the Hair Wrap Towel and I really love a few things about it! I've always made due with a regular towel to wrap my hair after washing. After trying this hair wrap towel, though, I've become a spoiled woman. My hair always feels like it is getting pulled when I wrap my head in a regular towel and it is also really heavy on my head. I really can't stand having my hair in a towel any longer than absolutely necessary. But this CottonAge.com hair wrap towel is lightweight, yet highly absorbent because of the micro-fiber. It is extremely comfortable and doesn't pull my hair.
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| Waffle Bathrobe $11.99 |
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| Women's Crew neck Tee $5.99 |
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| Cotton Tote Bags 5 colors - $2.69 |
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
eShakti's Dress Length Theory
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tribute To Rafa Nadal at the U.S. Open
I have thoroughly loved watching this guy play for the past 5 years. I am hoping he wins this year. But the odds are that if Novac Djokovic stays true to form, he would win. I'm not quite ready for that, as much as I admire Novac's great winning streak that put him at the #1 seed this year. Go Rafa!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
A First Year As An Organ Donor
My driver's license came up for renewal this year and for the first time I checked the little box that says 'yes' for organ donation. Prior to this, I've had mixed feelings about my being an actual donor. I've heard how much it helps other people and all, but I just felt a tad squeamish over the fact that after my immediate demise people are hovering over me (like vultures, it seemed to me) and harvesting my remaining healthy organs. Please, I just need a moment to be....dead?
But as story after story comes to me about the people who are affected and given another chance at life, my heart has changed.
One story recently shows what an impact just a little check in a box can make. Last summer, July 2010, a wonderful, healthy, good-looking boy was just living his life. Brandon Curtis had lettered in 3 sports that year at his Springville High School. After football practice, he was goofing around with some members of his team of which he was captain. They were driving in the parking lot, doing donuts in a jeep. Not exactly the smartest thing, but something not unlike what any teenage kid is prone to do with his buddies. Believe me, as a teenager, I've done some pretty stupid things myself. The difference is that somehow, I'm still here, while Brandon lost his life that day when their jeep rolled and he was pinned underneath.
This was not an ordinary kid by any means. This was a boy who thought about everyone. "Brandon was the kind of person that if you couldn't finish running your quarter mile and he was done, he would come back and run with you and help you." -Conrad Beach, 15, teammate
"Brandon loved to bake and cook. I'm a lunch lady and Brandon would bake and make cookies for me. He was a friend to everybody." -Cheryl Beutler, family friend
"brandon was a good friend to me he was there when no body else wanted to talk to me he made me feel like i was part of the group and i always went to the games to support him he is going to be missed by all who knew him" -elisia, friend
It was because of who Brandon was, that his father wasn't surprised that he had chosen to be an organ donor. And with that decision he was able to help 6 people continue on in their own lives.
Because of privacy laws, Brandon's parents weren't given the names of those who Brandon had helped, but one day it happened anyway. Marlee Dalton walked into the Reams grocery store where Brandon's mother, Dianne Curtis works. She was looking for information about Brandon Curtis so she could visit his grave. Instead she ran into his mother and told her this story. As she was in the hospital waiting for her kidney and pancreas that was to be donated by Brandon Curtis, she closed her eyes and saw a young man facing her. It startled her. It was only later after reading about Brandon and seeing his picture that she realized it had been him. (That brings chills to me) She was able to meet his mother by coincidence (?) and thank her and tell her about this experience. In addition to Marlee, a 10-year old boy received a kidney, a 27-year old father received a liver, a 66-year-old man got a new heart, a 44-year-old man received two lungs, and one other woman was also a beneficiary of Brandon's generosity in death.
There are many more examples of how one choice can mean so much to so many. And while I don't want to be in a position to make this gesture anytime soon, it's nice to know that I might be able to count for a little bit more good on this earth before I'm finally laid to rest someday! In the meantime, thank you Brandon and all like you, for seeing the needs of others and acting on their behalf, even after you're gone.
source
But as story after story comes to me about the people who are affected and given another chance at life, my heart has changed.
One story recently shows what an impact just a little check in a box can make. Last summer, July 2010, a wonderful, healthy, good-looking boy was just living his life. Brandon Curtis had lettered in 3 sports that year at his Springville High School. After football practice, he was goofing around with some members of his team of which he was captain. They were driving in the parking lot, doing donuts in a jeep. Not exactly the smartest thing, but something not unlike what any teenage kid is prone to do with his buddies. Believe me, as a teenager, I've done some pretty stupid things myself. The difference is that somehow, I'm still here, while Brandon lost his life that day when their jeep rolled and he was pinned underneath.
This was not an ordinary kid by any means. This was a boy who thought about everyone. "Brandon was the kind of person that if you couldn't finish running your quarter mile and he was done, he would come back and run with you and help you." -Conrad Beach, 15, teammate
"Brandon loved to bake and cook. I'm a lunch lady and Brandon would bake and make cookies for me. He was a friend to everybody." -Cheryl Beutler, family friend
"brandon was a good friend to me he was there when no body else wanted to talk to me he made me feel like i was part of the group and i always went to the games to support him he is going to be missed by all who knew him" -elisia, friend
It was because of who Brandon was, that his father wasn't surprised that he had chosen to be an organ donor. And with that decision he was able to help 6 people continue on in their own lives.
Because of privacy laws, Brandon's parents weren't given the names of those who Brandon had helped, but one day it happened anyway. Marlee Dalton walked into the Reams grocery store where Brandon's mother, Dianne Curtis works. She was looking for information about Brandon Curtis so she could visit his grave. Instead she ran into his mother and told her this story. As she was in the hospital waiting for her kidney and pancreas that was to be donated by Brandon Curtis, she closed her eyes and saw a young man facing her. It startled her. It was only later after reading about Brandon and seeing his picture that she realized it had been him. (That brings chills to me) She was able to meet his mother by coincidence (?) and thank her and tell her about this experience. In addition to Marlee, a 10-year old boy received a kidney, a 27-year old father received a liver, a 66-year-old man got a new heart, a 44-year-old man received two lungs, and one other woman was also a beneficiary of Brandon's generosity in death.
There are many more examples of how one choice can mean so much to so many. And while I don't want to be in a position to make this gesture anytime soon, it's nice to know that I might be able to count for a little bit more good on this earth before I'm finally laid to rest someday! In the meantime, thank you Brandon and all like you, for seeing the needs of others and acting on their behalf, even after you're gone.
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| Brandon Curtis |
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