Monday, July 23, 2007








I had a very lengthy surgery (3 hours) and they had a lot of work to do. The bowel had become looped around the thin fat layer in the abdomen and was basically herniated. There were a lot of adhesions that they were able to remove and they were able to do the surgery through a scope, rather than open me up.

They did find some white spots in the abdominal region that they took a biopsy of (they called in a gynecologist and they appear to be endometriosis), we will have the results of the biopsy early in the week on the 24th at least.

I had to stay in the hospital longer than I expected due to my bladder not wanting to function correctly (there is urine retention and a lot of pain). I had to come home with a catheter and will have a fill and void test on the 26th to hopefully find out what is going on. This is the initial diagnostic test, if it isn't conclusive, I will have to undergo more tests to determine what is wrong.

I still have quite a bit of pain from the surgery, but my worst problem right now, is the bladder. I hope everything will be back to normal very soon. The Lord is faithful and true and has brought me through a lot. There is nothing that He cannot do and I have faith that everything will be fine. We go through periods of difficulty in our lives and although they are sometimes challenging, they make us stronger. I could spend hours telling you how the Lord has blessed us, watched over us, healed us and strengthened us.

I will give you updates as I am able (it is very difficult to sit down to post even this much) and hopefully within three weeks or so, I will be able to resume posting the site in its entirety.

God bless you and yours,

Sherri

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Well, today is the day. I have my surgery at 2:30 this afternoon, so hopefully, the doctor can take care of all these nasty adhesions (scar tissue) that are tying things together.

I don't really know how long the recovery will be. The doctor wants to try a less invasive procedure first and if things are too bad, then he will have to "open me up". I'm hoping for the less invasive procedure, there is less pain and less recovery time. If I end up having to have the other surgery, I will not only be in the hospital for a few days, but will have a few weeks recovery time at home.

I have tried to put a little extra content in today, as I don't know when I will be able to resume my daily postings. Please check back often and peruse the archives; there is a lot of content that you might enjoy reading.

Thank you all for your prayers and continued support through this, I really appreciate it. Take care and God bless you.

Sherri

Computer Virus Humor













AIRLINE LUGGAGE VIRUS - You're in Dallas, but your data is in Singapore.

AL GORE VIRUS - Claims that it is the Internet. Causes your computer to just keep counting and re-counting.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER VIRUS v 1.0 - It terminates and stays resident. It'll be back!

COUCH POTATO VIRUS - Just sits there, eating chips all day.

DISNEY VIRUS - Everything in the computer goes Goofy.

ELLEN DEGENERES VIRUS v 1.0 - Your IBM suddenly claims it's a MAC.

HEALTH CARE VIRUS - Tests your system for a day, finds nothing wrong, and sends you a bill for $4,500.

MARTHA STEWART VIRUS - Takes all your files, sorts them by category and folds them into cute little doilies to be displayed on your desktop.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN (NOW) VIRUS - Forces your PC to recognize its female connections as male connections.

NIKE VIRUS - Just does it.

POLITICALLY CORRECT VIRUS v 1.0 - Never calls itself a "virus," but instead refers to itself as an "electronic microorganism."

QUANTUM LIAP VIRUS - One day your PC is a laptop, the next day it is a Macintosh, then a Nintendo.

SHARON STONE VIRUS - Makes a huge initial impact, then you forget it's there.

STAR TREK VIRUS - Invades your system in places where no virus has gone before.

TIM ALLEN VIRUS - Appears helpful, only to destroy your hard drive upon contact.

TOBACCO INDUSTRY VIRUS - It contends that there is no reliable scientific evidence that viruses can harm you computer or that it targets adolescent computer users.

X-FILES VIRUS - All your icons start shape-shifting.

Listed below are some older, lessor known viruses that still pose a threat:

DAN QUAYLE VIRUS v 1.0 - Thers sumthin rong wit yur kompueter, butt ewe jsut cant figyour out watt.

LEONA HELMSLEY VIRUS - Deletes files smaller than it is.

ROSS PEROT VIRUS v 1.0 - Runs for awhile, leaves the system, then re-appears, but with less effect.

ROSS PEROT VIRUS v 2.0 - Activates every component in your system, just before the whole thing quits.

ROSS PEROT VIRUS v 3.0 - After several years, the damage caused by this little virus is still unclear. It often displays impressive graphics which have little relevance to the users interests or needs.

WATERGATE VIRUS - Erases 18 minutes off your tape backup.

WILLIAM KENNEDY SMITH VIRUS - It strips your files, manipulates your data
and denies anything ever happened; and gets away with it

Courtesy of Bored.com Humor Site

Sherri's Poetry



The Lord is there for us at every moment. He is there to rejoice with us in our good times and He is there to comfort us during our stressful times. He is always faithful and true; just trust Him.





Trust Him

There are many people who have no future;
They put their faith in what money can buy.
Success is measured by their many possessions;
The life they live is a tragic lie.

Christian parents were not there to influence them.
No one taught them of Your love.
When everything goes wrong, they have nowhere to turn;
Their problems they cannot rise above.

If only someone could teach them to pray;
To ask for Your forgiveness and love,
They would call upon Your name in their time of crisis,
Praying to their Father above.

Your love is the most precious gift that we have;
We could never ask for anything more.
It is unconditional and will be forever true.
There will be many rich blessings in store.

Interesting Signs Found


On a Scientist's door: Gone Fission

On a Tennessee highway: Take notice: when this sign is under water, this road is impassable.

On an established New Mexico dry cleaning store: Thirty-eight years on the same spot.

On an United Airlines emergency exit row instruction card: If you cannot read this card...

On another Butcher's window: Pleased to meat you.

On the door of a Computer Store: Out for a quick byte.

On the door of a Music Library: Bach in a min-u-et.

On the grounds of a private school in Connecticut: No trespassing without permission.

On the menu of a New Orleans restaurant: Blackened bluefish

On the wall of a Baltimore estate: Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. - Sisters of Mercy

Outside a country shop in West Virginia: We buy junk and sell antiques.

Outside a disco: Smarts is the most exclusive disco in town. Everyone welcome.

Outside a farm: Horse manure, pre-packed bags, $10. Or, do-it-yourself, $1.

Outside a Hotel: Help! We need inn-experienced people.

Outside a muffler shop: No appointment necessary. We heard you coming.

Outside a photographer’s studio: Out to lunch; if not back by five, out for dinner.

Outside a second-hand store: We exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain.

Quicksand warning: Quicksand. Any person passing this point will be drowned. By order of the District Council.

Seen during a conference: For anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the first floor.

Sign at the psychic's Hotline: Don't call us, we'll call you.

This was seen on a car being towed by a large motor home: I go where I'm towed to.

On a roller coaster: Watch your head.

Sherri's Helpful Hints





Gardening Tips

Making Compost

A compost pile can be started in sun or shade at any time of the year. Good ingredients include leaves, hay, grass clippings, tree trimmings, food scraps, bark, sawdust, rice hulls, weeds, nut hulls and animal manure. Mix the ingredients together in a container of wood, hay bales, hog wire, concrete blocks or simply pile the material on the ground. The best mixture is 75-80% vegetative matter and 20-25% animal waste, although any mix will compost. The ingredients should be a mix of coarse and fine-textured material. Avoid having all the pieces of material the same size since the variety of sizes will help air to move through the pile. Oxygen is a critical ingredient. Turn the pile at least once a month; more often speeds up the process. Keep the pile moist, roughly the moisture of a squeezed-out sponge, to help the living microorganisms thrive and work their magic. Compost is ready to use when the ingredients are no longer identifiable. The color will be dark brown, the texture soft and crumbly and the aroma that of a forest floor. Use compost in all bed preparation and as a high quality mulch around annuals and perennials.

Mulch

The best mulch for any site anywhere is recycles plant material (leaves, twigs, spent plants, buds, bark, flowers and other plant debris) that grew on your property. That's the natural way it is done in the forest and on the prairie. The second best choice is purchased shredded native cedar. Third in line is shredded hardwood bark. Then there is a group in the middle that includes cypress which is not high on my list because it does break down well. We want the mulch to break down. That's what creates the true natural food for feeding microbes and plant roots. Pine needles make a good mulch but look a little out of place when use on property where no pines are growing. Lava gravel makes a good mulch and has the extra benefit of keeping squirrels and cats out. Looking more harsh than organic mulches and not breaking down into humus are the negative points. I'm not at all a fan of shredded rubber products, dyed wood or pine bark. It's interesting that the most popular mulch material, pine bark, is not very
good. First, it won't stay in place - washes and blows away. What does stay breaks down into a mucky material that does help plant growth.

Nature doesn't allow bare soil and neither should we. For shrubs, trees and ground covers use at least 1" of compost and 3" of shredded native tree trimmings or shredded hardwood bark. Mulch vegetable gardens with 8" of partially completed compost or alfalfa hay. Mulch preserves moisture, eliminates weeds and keeps the soil surface cooler which benefits earthworms, microorganisms and plant roots.

Mosquito Control Recommendations

Mosquitoes can be controlled and it doesn't have to be dangerous. The effective and non-toxic site management program for mosquito control that I recommend is as follows:

1. Empty standing water where possible. Even small containers such as pot saucers, old tires, soda bottles and cans hold enough water for mosquito breeding.

2. Treat water that cannot be emptied with gambusia fish or (Bti - Bacillus thuringiensis ‘Israelensis’) products such as Bactimos Briquettes or Mosquito Dunks.

3. Homeowners can spray to kill adult mosquitoes with plant oil pesticides such as Bioganics and Eco-EXEMPT. Garlic sprays work well to repel the insects for up to 30 days. Even better, broadcast dry minced garlic to the site at 2 - 5 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. Dr. T’s Mosquito Repellent is another good dry product.

4. Use organic landscape management to encourage birds, bats, fish, dragonflies and other beneficial insects.

5. Use skin repellents that contain natural repellent herbs such as aloe vera, eucalyptus, tea tree oil, lavender, vanilla, citronella and other helpful herbs. The Center for Disease Control now recommends lemon eucalyptus. DEET products should not be used, especially on children – as is stated on the label.

Nature's Weed Controls

A tip for gardeners especially in the orchard is to grow fescue and rye. Grow one crop only and kill it back with the vinegar herbicide mix. These cool season grasses give off their own allelopathic “herbicides” without hurting the crops. Michigan State has worked with rotations of ryegrass and sorghum for weed control in the vegetable g garden. Vinegar herbicide again is used to kill it down before the vegetable planting. Rye helps greatly with early season ragweed and common lambsquarters.

Courtesy of The Dirt Doctor

Christian Quote of the Day

What is said in the passage [James 2:14 ff.] is like a two coupon train or bus ticket. One coupon says, "Not good if detached" and the other says, "Not good for passage". Works are not good for passage; but faith detached from works is not saving faith.

...Charles C. Ryrie

RECIPE of the Day - 7/17/2007





This is definitely the time of year to grill and this is a great recipe to use. It has the most wonderful pineapple flavor that is complemented by the brown sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire. This is sure to be a hit at your next barbeque.


Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

6 chicken breasts, boneless
2 cups pineapple juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 ounces soy sauce (regular or low sodium)
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all ingredients except chicken and stir. Poke about 5-8 sets of holes in each chicken breast. Put chicken in marinade, making sure it is covered in the mixture. Add more pineapple juice if necessary. Cover tightly, and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. Grill when desired

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/17/07








Adora Chocolate Calcium Supplement sample. Adora provides an opportunity to receive the much needed calcium that most women lack in their typical diet, as well as vitamins D and K. Vitamins D and K play an important role in the body's ability to absorb and utilize calcium. Adora has a unique formulation of these vitamins, along with 400 mg of elemental calcium and gourmet chocolate (that makes you forget you're taking a supplement). To get your free sample of this important and delicious supplement, click here!

Opti-Free Replenish sample. If you wear contacts, you use a lot of the disinfecting solutions (and they aren't exactly inexpensive). This is a multi-purpose disinfecting solution that is specially designed to recondition your silicone hydrogel and other soft contact lenses so that your eyes feel fresh and moist throughout the day. To get your free contact lens solution,
click here!

Colbie Caillat 3-song CD. I'll admit that I wasn't familiar with her music, but when you click on the link, you can see one of her music videos. She has a country/folksy sound and isn't half bad actually. To get a free 3-song CD,
click here!

Clarins One-To-One Facial. This is a printable gift certificate that entitles you to a complimentary One-To-One Facial Treatment at Clarins Skin Care Center. A free facial is definitely worth the trip. To get your gift certificate for a free facial,
click here!

Folger's Gourmet Selections Coffee sample. They have 3 to choose from: Morning Cafe, Lively Colombian and Vanilla Biscotti. To get a free sample of gourmet coffee from Folger's,
click here!

Backpack, Ruler/Calculator or Insulated Lunch Bag from Singulair. When you sign up for more information, they will send your choice of free gifts. Singulair is a great product for those with asthma; I know a couple of people who use it and it works quite well for them. If you or someone you know has asthma,
click here!

Gold's Gym 2 week free VIP Membership. This is a printable coupon/pass. You will have access to their Pilates and Spin classes, group exercise, and the latest cardio and strength training machines. This is a great deal, they have so much to offer and 2 weeks gives you time to start getting back in shape or just maintaining. To get your free pass,
click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass,
click here!

Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger,
click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain,
click here!

Carolee's Creations Scrapbooking Ideas book. This is a very popular pasttime now and there are so many innovative and creative things you can do with your pictures and memorabilia. To get your free idea book,
click here!

Kids Against Global Warming bumper sticker and pencils. Help to raise awareness of the global warming issue with these freebies when you become a member. To get your freebies and raise awareness for an important cause,
click here!

AOL free personalized e-mail address. They are the first free e-mail provider to let you create your entire personalized e-mail address from scratch - not just the part before the @. You can set it up for you, your friends, family or business. To get your free personalized e-mail and get the address you really want,
click here!

Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service,
click here!

Sam's Club 1-Day Pass. This is an opportunity to go shopping at Sam's and get some great deals. The pass is good for 1 day only and there is a 10% fee on your purchases for non-members (you still save quite a bit, even with the charge). They have just about everything you could want in 1 store. To get your free pass to Sam's,
click here!

3-D Papercraft projects to download for free. They have some very detailed beautiful papercrafts to make with your children - these are so cool. To get your free downloads and make some magnificent masterpieces,
click here!

TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer, click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons,
click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free,
click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies,
click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates, click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family,
click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal,
click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software,
click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game,
click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card,
click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal,
click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses,
click here!

Monday, July 16, 2007

Interesting Signs Found


These signs were really posted at different businesses or other locations.

At a car dealership: The best way to get back on your feet? Miss a car payment.

At A Laundry Shop: How about we refund your money, send you a new one at no charge, close the store and have the manager shot. Would that be satisfactory?

At a pizza shop: 7 days without pizza makes one weak.

At an optometrist's office: If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

At the electric company: We would be delighted if you send in your bill. However, if you don't, you will be.

Billboard on the side of the road: Keep your eyes on the road and stop reading these signs.

In a farmer’s field: The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but be aware that the bull charges.

In a health food shop window: Closed due to illness.

In a Maine restaurant: Open seven days a week and weekends.

In a New York restaurant: Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.

In a non-smoking area: If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.

In a Pennsylvania cemetery: Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.

In the front yard of a funeral home: Drive carefully. We’ll wait.

Maternity Clothes Shop: We are open on Labor Day.

On a desk in a reception room: We shoot every 3rd salesman, and the 2nd one just left.

On a fence: Salesmen welcome. Dog food is expensive.

On a maternity room door: Push. Push. Push.

On a plumber's truck: We repair what your husband fixed.

On a repair shop door: We can repair anything. (Please knock hard — bell out of order.)

On a restaurant: Try our fish just for the halibut.

Sherri's Helpful Hints





Outdoor Safety for your Children

Sun

Keep a baby under a year old out of the hot summer sun altogether, if you can. Dress him or her in lightweight, light-colored clothing and, always, a hat. If you're pushing your baby in a stroller, check often to be sure sun isn't shining directly on his or her face.

Don't use a sunscreen with an SPF of 4 or more on a baby under 6 months old. Tender skin may absorb the chemical involved and be unable to eliminate it.

Do use a sunscreen with a higher SPF on a child, but be aware that anything over 15 may simply be overkill. You may find the ones that come in stick form convenient to use. If in a spray container, spray it on your hands and then apply it to children's exposed skin. Avoid putting it on children's hands as they often end up in the mouth.

Use zinc oxide if you wish. It offers complete protection for delicate areas such as nose, cheeks and shoulders. And kids love it! It even comes in bright colors today.

Use protection on overcast days too. As much as 80 percent of the sun's radiation reaches the ground, even through clouds.

Be aware that while a T-shirt will afford some protection (usually SPF 5) for back and shoulders when dry, once wet, it will only intensify the sun's rays.

Watch your child for signs of heatstroke, if you're out for a long time in hot weather. Most common symptoms are irritability, drowsiness and headache. Get the child into the shade immediately and give cool liquids - water or fruit juice, but nothing with caffeine, because it can lead to dehydration.

Plants in the Wild

Stress the importance of never tasting anything growing in the woods, not leaves, not twigs, not berries, not mushrooms.

Learn what poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac look like and show your child samples or pictures of all three. Teach the old adage, "Leaflets three, let it be", regarding poison ivy and oak and show our child the familiar sumac shrub or tree, especially recognizable in late summer and fall because of its red leaves. Explain that just touching these plants can make the skin itch and the mouth burn.

Should your child develop a rash after contact with a poisonous plant, wash the area with soap and water, apply ice or a cool, wet towel and use calamine or a similar lotion to stop the itch.

Bites and Stings

Watch your child for signs of allergic reactions, especially to bee stings. These may include severe itching, nausea, and, more rarely, breathing difficulties and swelling of the throat and tongue. Cover the sting area with a cold, wet cloth to relieve pain, and get your child to an emergency room as quickly as possible. If you know your child is allergic to the stings of bees or other insects, get a medical ID tag for him or her and carry a sting kit.

Choose any commercial insect repellent you use carefully and follow instructions. Avoid the ingredient DEET (diethyltoluamide) or at least avoid repellents with more than 15% DEET because it sometimes causes toxic reactions in children when it is absorbed through the skin. Consider applying such a repellent to your child's clothing. Should your child have a reaction to a repellent, wash the skin with soap and water and call your poison control center or your doctor. Save the container so you'll know the ingredients.

Protect your child with light-colored clothing,long sleeves, long pants and a hat, when he or she will be exposed to mosquitoes or other stinging insects. Discourage the use of perfumes or sweet-smelling lotions by all who will be in your party, and be aware that human beings who are consuming apple juice and other such sweet foods are attractive to insects.

Ease the itch and pain of bites by applying plain white vinegar, alcohol, calamine or another appropriate lotion or cream. Or rub bites with a bar of wet soap or a bit of the liquid from an aloe plant leaf. Amazingly, a paste of meat tenderizer seems to work on some children as does a paste of baking soda.

From "A Parent's Guide to Child Safety"

Christian Quote of the Day



It is only by forgetting yourself that you can draw near to God.

...Henry Davi

RECIPE of the Day - 7/16/2007


This is one serious chocolate cookie. My husband and daughter love chocolate, so they really love these. Be sure to make a couple of batches because they disappear very quickly.


Death by Chocolate Cookies
Recipe by Daisy King

2 (12 ounce) packages semisweet baking chocolate, divided
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coarsely chop 8 squares of the chocolate; set aside.

Microwave remaining 8 squares of chocolate in large glass bowl on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in flour and baking powder. Mix in reserved chopped chocolate and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonsful onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen cookies

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/16/07








Pawdaddy's Gourmet Seasonings sample. Just click on the drop down menu and then click on free sample. This will be e-mailed to them and in the comments section, just put your mailing info. You will receive a confirmation e-mail stating that the sample will be sent to the address included in your e-mail. To get a great spice sample from Pawdaddy's Gourmet, click here!

Scotch Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber. Print out a coupon to get this phenomenal tool for free. It is the only one with built-in bleach and the added power of Scotch-Brite scrubbing fibers for a sparkling bowl. It's unique shaped head is designed to clean under the rim while a special pumice formula works to wipe out rust and hard water stains. When you're through cleaning, just toss the scrubber head - this is a no-mess, easy and very effective way to clean your toilet. To get your free scrubber,
click here!

Colgate Total Advanced Clean toothpaste sample. This is a great toothpaste that leaves your teeth feeling clean and smooth, plus it tastes really good as well. To get your free sample of toothpaste from Colgate,
click here!

Redwood Creek Vintage Prints. These are 18x24 limited-edition vintage prints, and there are 4 available. You can order just 1 or get all 4 for free. To get your Redwood Creek Vintage Prints,
click here!

Mary Kay Miracle Set samples. This is a premium collection of age-fighting products to give you the younger-looking skin you want. You'll see fewer lines and wrinkles, improved firmness and more even skin tone. You will get a single application each of: TimeWise 3-In-1 Cleanser, TimeWise Age-Fighting Moisturizer, TimeWise Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 25 and TimeWise Night Solution. To get your samples of age-fighting products from Mary Kay,
click here!

Gold's Gym 2 week free VIP Membership. This is a printable coupon/pass. You will have access to their Pilates and Spin classes, group exercise, and the latest cardio and strength training machines. This is a great deal, they have so much to offer and 2 weeks gives you time to start getting back in shape or just maintaining. To get your free pass,
click here!

Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger,
click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain,
click here!

Greeting Cards from The Gallery Collection. These are really beautiful and you can request up to 6 samples. They have all-occasion or holiday cards and they have so many to choose from. To get your free greeting cards in the styles you want,
click here!

Physics posters free from APS. They have a few styles available and you don't have to be a teacher to get them. If you happen to be a middle school teacher, you can get a free physics kit as well as the posters. To get your free physics posters,
click here!

Bible CD from Project End Time. This CD has 24 interactive studies, concordance, quick verse bible search software, Greek and Hebrew dictionary and amazing bible facts. You have to scroll down the page and there is a bar that you click on to order it. This is a great tool to have; to get your free Bible CD,
click here!

Sam's Club 1-Day Pass. This is an opportunity to go shopping at Sam's and get some great deals. The pass is good for 1 day only and there is a 10% fee on your purchases for non-members (you still save quite a bit, even with the charge). They have just about everything you could want in 1 store. To get your free pass to Sam's,
click here!

3-D Papercraft projects to download for free. They have some very detailed beautiful papercrafts to make with your children - these are so cool. To get your free downloads and make some magnificent masterpieces,
click here!

AOL free personalized e-mail address. They are the first free e-mail provider to let you create your entire personalized e-mail address from scratch - not just the part before the @. You can set it up for you, your friends, family or business. To get your free personalized e-mail and get the address you really want,
click here!

Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service,
click here!

TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer,
click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass,
click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons,
click here!


Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon, click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free,
click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies,
click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates,
click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family, click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal,
click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software,
click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game,
click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card,
click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal,
click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses,
click here!

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Gerber Baby Food Recalls

Organic Rice and Organic Oatmeal Cereals

Gerber Products Co. recalled all packages of its organic rice and organic oatmeal cereals Friday because of potential clumping of the baby food, which can pose a choking hazard. Gerber said it has received complaints of choking but no reports of injury.

The company said a "limited quantity" of the cereals could contain lumps that do not dissolve in water or milk. The cereals were distributed nationwide and to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

Gerber spokesman David Mortazavi said the company was recalling 306,760 packages of organic rice cereal and 167,724 packages of organic oatmeal cereal.

All codes of the two products, sold in 8-ounce boxes, are being recalled. The organic rice cereal UPC code is 15000 12504 and the organic oatmeal cereal UPC code is 15000 12502.

The baby food should be not be eaten, and customers can call the Gerber parents resource center at 800-443-7237 or 231-928-3000 to return the product and receive a full refund.

For more information on this story,
click here!


**************************


Banana Yogurt Dessert Recall in Southern California

Tiny amounts of the poison ricin have been detected in two jars of baby food that had been tampered with before being sold by a Southern California supermarket. Authorities said the contaminant was ground-up castor beans, from which ricin is derived, not the purified form of the toxin, which is far deadlier. Two babies who ate some of the food were not harmed.

The ground-up beans were found in jars of Gerber Banana Yogurt Dessert bought from a Ralphs supermarket in Irvine, which is south of Los Angeles in Orange County, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Irvine Police Department.

Gerber said it would immediately remove all of the banana yogurt product from Southern California stores. It had already been removed from the one supermarket in Irvine.

For more info on this story,
click here!

Sherri's Helpful Hints





Baby Proofing the Bathroom

Bath Safety

The bathroom is full of dangers for your baby. Here are some tips to help make it a safer place:

Keep the toilet lid down, or better yet, get a guard that actually locks it. It's important to prevent it from becoming a place for water play (and a dangerous opportunity for drowning). Children are often fascinated by the action of the swirling water.

Get a soft spout cover for the bathtub. It will not only save your baby from bumps and bruises, but will also help to avoid the possibility of hot water burns from a very hot spout. As an extra safety measure, face your child away from the faucet as you bathe him or her.

Place soft, inflated tub knob covers over cold and hot handles to prevent chldren from turning on tub water, especially the hot water which might scald them.

Test the bath water on the inside of your wrist before putting your baby into the tub. Better yet, invest in a bath thermometer. When you've filled the tub, turn off the hot water before the cold, so the latter will flow through the faucet if your child does manage to to touch it.

Keep the water temperature for your house set at about 120 degrees F - hot enough to clean clothes and dishes, yet not scalding. If you have no control over the water heater, check your hardware store for anti-scald aerators. Or, retrofit a valve with a special temperature-sensitive spring called an actuator to stop the flow of scalding water.

Put non-skid appliques on the bottom of the tub to prevent slips, or use a rubber mat.

Never leave water in the tub when it's not in use. A toddler can fall in and drown in as little as 2 to 3 inches of water.

Consider using a three-legged bathtub ring seat to help keep your child secure during a bath. You might also think about using a shampoo visor if a fearful child fights hair washing vigorously.

Do not, under any circumstances, leave a child under 5 years old unattended in the tub. If you can't stand to let a phone ring, unplug it or use the answering machine. If you must leave the room for any reason, wrap your child in a towel and take him or her with you.

Medicines and Prescriptions

Medicines are usually best kept under lock and key and/or in a room other than the bathroom. Keep out of sight as well as out of reach.

Get a special locking medicine chest or use a childproof lock on your existing cabinet. Open it only to get something out and lock it again before you leave the room.

Be sure all medicines are in child-resistant containers (and that they're kept tightly closed).

Don't save old prescription medicines, and above all, don't use them for your children. Flush them down the toilet. Illnesses that may seem identical don't always require the same treatment and outdated prescriptions can do more harm than good.

Don't save prescription containers - when the medicine is gone or outdated, dispose of the bottle or box.

Overdosing on children's vitamins rates among the top phone calls received by Poison Control centers. These colorful tablets can be dangerous in large doses, especially those which are iron fortified.

Don't give over-the-counter antihistamines to children under the age of two without your doctor's approval. Babies susceptible to sleep apnea are particularly vulnerable to the sedatives in many antihistamines.

Don't take any chances giving medicine in the dark.

Don't tell your child a certain medicine is "good" or "tastes like candy". It's better to have your child squirm a little than for your child to want to have more of the "good tasting" medicine.

If your child does manage to swallow or eat any medicine, get whatever you can OUT of the mouth and call your Poison Control center or 911 immediately. Have the bottle in your hand so you can tell them what was ingested. They will also want to know your child's weight and age. Keep syrup of ipecac on hand, but NEVER use it to induce vomiting unless you are advised to do so. This is especially important if a substance swallowed is in the caustic category.

This information comes from the book "A Parent's Guide to Child Safety"

Christian Quote of the Day


I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

...C. S. Lewis

RECIPE of the Day - 7/15/2007



We used to make Kolaches at our bakery daily and they sold out every time. These are especially popular in the area we live in. You can also make sausage and cheese kolaches, but wrap the dough around them completely; these are really delicious.






Creamy Czech Kolaches

2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1/4 cup plus 1 or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter, for topping
1 recipe Peach, Prune or Poppy Seed Filling

In a small bowl, combine the yeast with lukewarm water. Set the bowl aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks, milk and salt, combining well. Stir in the dissolved yeast and flour, and mix until the ingredients are thoroughly blended into a soft dough. Cover the dough with a towel, and set the dough aside to rise to about double in size, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours. While the dough rises, choose and prepare one of the three fillings.

Grease a baking sheet. Pinch off pieces of dough about 1 1/2 times the size of a golf ball, flatten the balls slightly, and transfer them to the baking sheet. Place the balls at least 1 inch apart, and brush them liberally with the melted butter. Set them aside to double in size again, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

With your thumb, gently indent the top of the dough. Make the holes especially deep if you plan to use the poppy seed or peach filling. Spoon in a couple teaspoons of filling and, with the poppy seed or peach versions, coax the dough over the filling. Let the Kolaches rest again for 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake the Kolaches for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, immediately brush the Kolaches with more butter (don't skimp on the butter), and sprinkle them with the remaining sugar. Transfer them to a rack, and let them cool. The Kolaches should be tender, somewhat like a light buttery Danish. They are best eaten the day they are made.

Peach Filling:
2 cups small-curd cottage cheese, drained in a sieve or cheesecloth for 30 to 45 minutes
1/2 cup peach butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Squeeze any accumulated liquid from the cheese. Mix with the remaining ingredients in a bowl.

Prune Filling:
1 pound dried prunes
1 teaspoon vanilla juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Put prunes into a saucepan and cover them with water. Add vanilla extract, and simmer until the prunes have softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and pit the prunes, and chop them in a food processor with the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Or chop the prunes by hand and then add the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.

Poppy Seed Filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups poppy seeds
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon almond extract

Stir together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside.

Grind poppy seeds in a blender with about half the milk. Place the poppy seed mixture and the remaining milk in a large, heavy saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and stir in the reserved sugar and cornstarch mixture and the almond extract. Simmer, stirring often, until very thick, a matter of a few minutes.

Make the center depressions carefully so the bread doesn't go flat. Enclose cheese-based fillings totally with dough. Stiffer fillings, like the prune filling, can peek out the top.

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/15/07








Silver Ankle Bracelet from PetStyle. This is a silver anklet with a dangly paw print shape; even if you have registered with them before, you can still get this gift for updating your pet's profile. To get this silver anklet and let everyone know you love your pet(s), click here!

Finger Flashlight from Viking Bob's. They send you the finger flashlight as a gift for requesting samples of their Finishing Touch Overlay. Just send an e-mail with your shipping info (put SP005 in the subject line) and get the samples and flashlight. To get get your samples and gift,
click here!

Kirkland Diaper sample from Costco. You do not need a member number for this freebie. I have heard some great things about Kirkland Diapers, but have never tried them. To get your free diaper sample for your little one (they have all sizes),
click here!

Address Labels from CFF. They have 2 styles to choose from: Roses (three colors of roses with different color backgrounds) and America (bald eagle with flag, statue of liberty and the American flag). These are free, but they do give you the opportunity to make a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation when you receive the labels; it is a very worthwhile cause. To get your free address labels in your choice of theme,
click here!

Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger,
click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain,
click here!

Free crosses from Free Crosses.com. They have wooden and plastic crosses for adults and children. They give these away to share the message of Jesus Christ. This is also a site to post prayer requests and a lot more. To get your free cross(es),
click here!

Gold's Gym 2 week free VIP Membership. This is a printable coupon/pass. You will have access to their Pilates and Spin classes, group exercise, and the latest cardio and strength training machines. This is a great deal, they have so much to offer and 2 weeks gives you time to start getting back in shape or just maintaining. To get your free pass,
click here!

Sam's Club 1-Day Pass. This is an opportunity to go shopping at Sam's and get some great deals. The pass is good for 1 day only and there is a 10% fee on your purchases for non-members (you still save quite a bit, even with the charge). They have just about everything you could want in 1 store. To get your free pass to Sam's, click here!

3-D Papercraft projects to download for free. They have some very detailed beautiful papercrafts to make with your children - these are so cool. To get your free downloads and make some magnificent masterpieces, click here!

AOL free personalized e-mail address. They are the first free e-mail provider to let you create your entire personalized e-mail address from scratch - not just the part before the @. You can set it up for you, your friends, family or business. To get your free personalized e-mail and get the address you really want,
click here!

Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service, click here!

TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer,
click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass,
click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons,
click here!

Reebok Outlet coupon. Save 40% off your entire purchase for their Friends & Family Event from 7-11 to 7-15. You can redeem your coupon at Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Stores. To get your 40% savings off Reebok, click here!

Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon,
click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free, click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies,
click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates,
click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family,
click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal,
click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software,
click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game,
click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card,
click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal,
click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses,
click here!

Saturday, July 14, 2007


Yesterday was a lost day for me, basically. I went to the doctor for a consultation about surgery (which will be on Tuesday) and ended up having to undergo 5 hours of pre-op tests: blood work, chest x-ray, etc. Needless to say, I didn't post anything yesterday at all and after Tuesday, it may be 2-3 weeks. They want to do the surgery laparoscopically (which would be less recovery time, less pain and done on an outpatient basis) rather than "open me up" which will be weeks of recovery time, a lot of pain and a hospital stay of a week or so.

I will be posting until Tuesday (pain permitting) and from there, I really don't know how long it will be. I appreciate your faithfulness in sending me your comments, recipes and tips, and checking in with Faithfully every day to see what's posted. I will try and get things up and running as soon as possible.

God Bless You and Yours,

Sherri

A Cat's Guide to Human Beings

Why Do We Need Humans?

So you've decided to get yourself a human being. In doing so, you've joined the millions of other cats who have acquired these strange and often frustrating creatures. There will be any number of times, during the course of your association with humans, when you will wonder why you have bothered to grace them with your presence.

What's so great about humans, anyway? Why not just hang around with other cats? Our greatest philosophers have struggled with this question for centuries, but the answer is actually rather simple:

THEY HAVE OPPOSABLE THUMBS.

Which makes them the perfect tools for such tasks as opening doors, getting the lids off of cat food cans, changing television stations and other activities that we, despite our other obvious advantages, find difficult to do ourselves. True, chimps, orangutans and lemurs also have opposable thumbs, but they are nowhere as easy to train.

How And When to Get Your Human's Attention

Humans often erroneously assume that there are other, more important activities than taking care of your immediate needs, such as conducting business, spending time with their families or even sleeping.

Though this is dreadfully inconvenient, you can make this work to your advantage by pestering your human at the moment it is the busiest. It is usually so flustered that it will do whatever you want it to do, just to get you out of its hair. Not coincidentally, human teenagers follow this same practice.

Here are some tried and true methods of getting your human to do what you want:

Sitting on paper: An oldie but a goodie. If a human has paper in front of it, chances are good it's something they assume is more important than you. They will often offer you a snack to lure you away. Establish your supremacy over this wood pulp product at every opportunity. This practice also works well with computer keyboards, remote controls, car keys and small children.

Waking your human at odd hours: A cat's golden time is between 3:30 and 4:30 in the morning. If you paw at your human's sleeping face during this time, you have a better than even chance that it will get up and, in an incoherent haze, do exactly what you want. You may actually have to scratch deep sleepers to get their attention remember to vary the scratch site to keep the human from getting suspicious.

Punishing Your Human Being

Sometimes, despite your best training efforts, your human will stubbornly resist bending to your whim. In these extreme circumstances, you may have to punish your human. Obvious punishments, such as scratching furniture or eating household plants, are likely to backfire--the unsophisticated humans are likely to misinterpret the activities and then try to discipline YOU. Instead, we offer these subtle but nonetheless effective alternatives:

Use the cat box during an important formal dinner.

Stare impassively at your human while it is attempting a romantic interlude.

Stand over an important piece of electronic equipment and feign a hairball attack.

After your human has watched a particularly disturbing horror film, stand by the hall closet and then slowly back away, hissing and yowling.

While your human is sleeping, lie on its face.

How Long Should You Keep Your Human?

You are only obligated to your human for one of your lives. The other eight are up to you. We recommend mixing and matching, though in the end, most humans (at least the ones that are worth living with) are pretty much the same. But what do you expect? They're humans, after all. Opposable thumbs will only take you so far.

Sherri's Helpful Hints





Children's Gardening

How to Grow Herbs

From seeds: Clean your containers and fill them two-thirds full with commercial potting soil. Soak the soil. Let it drain overnight, then level it. Sprinkle the seeds on top with water and cover them with fine sand or a sprinkle of soil. Cover the container with plastic, and put it in a warm, dark spot. Remove the plastic as soon as you see the first sprouts. When the leaves develop, place the seedlings near a window, but not in direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist, but never soggy.

From cuttings: If you are unable to plant the cuttings immediately, put them in water. When time permits, fill a pot with a drainage layer and then fill it about halfway with soil. Carefully spread out the roots and cover them gently with more soil, packing firmly. Soak the soil

How to Grow Citrus Fruit Plants (Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, Kumquat)

These same directions will work for kiwi, squash or melon seeds, olive pits, litchi nuts, whole Jerusalem artichokes and unsulphured date pits.

Plant seeds as soon as you remove them from the fruit. DO NOT LET THEM DRY OUT. Plant about 1/2 inch down in soil. Water well, then cover with plastic and place in bright light in a warm (75-80 degree F spot).

In three to four weeks, the weed will germinate and glossy, fragrant plants will begin to develop. Leave plastic on until plants are a few inches high. Allow soil to dry somewhat between watering. Mist leaves occasionally, especially in hot, dry air. They thrive in cool, sunny spots. The plants should be repotted every year until they are in 8- to 10-inch diameter containers.

NOTE: If you are growing kumquats, keep the soil evenly moist.

How to Grow an Avocado Plant

Remove the pit covering from the avocado. This is a little difficult to do, but if you slip the tip of a paring knife under the thin side just right, it makes it a little easier. Use toothpicks to suspend the avocado pit, flat side down, over a glass. Add water until the base of the pit is immersed. Keep it in a warm, dimly lit spot. The pit will crack eventually, and a root will emerge, followed by a stem shooting upward.

To encourage branching, cut the stem halfway down when it's from 7 to 8 inches high, cutting directly above the spot where a tiny leaf is forming. The stem will branch at this spot. Put the plant in bright sunlight. As branches grow, periodically pinch off the growing tips to promote fullness.

Avocado plants can be started and grown in soil or water. Keep the soil evenly moist. Leaves will brown if the soil dries out.

How to Grow a Sweet Potato Plant

Use toothpicks to suspend the sweet potato over a clear glass of water with the tip down, having enough water in the glass to cover the bottom of the sweet potato. Keep it in a warm, sunny spot. Soon vines with morning-glory-shaped leaves will appear and climb anywhere you train them. Keep the water level constant (covering just the bottom of the tuber). Change the water occasionally and DO NOT plant in soil. When the individual slips put out four to five leaves, you can snap the new plants off the mother potato.

Christian Quote of the Day


Nothing shall be lost that is done for God or in obedience to Him.

...John Owen

RECIPE of the Day - 7/14/2007



These are really great apple muffins with a subtle apple flavor. If you like a more intense apple flavor, use 1 C. of buttermilk and 1 1/4 C. unsweetened apple juice, this gives you a really delicious muffin that children prefer.






Apple Muffins

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 cups flour
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peeled McIntosh apples, sliced in 1/2-inch pieces (2 to 3 medium)
Additional brown sugar to top muffins

With rubber spatula, cream butter and sugars by hand until fluffy. Add eggs and cream; beat until fluffy. Blend in buttermilk.

Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix until all lumps have dissolved; do not overmix. Add apples. (Batter will be thicker than typical muffin batter.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat muffin cups measuring 3 inches across top and 2 inches across bottom (jumbo size) with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling to top. Top each muffin with brown sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done.

Makes 12 muffins.

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/14/07








John Frieda's Frizz-Ease sample from Wal-Mart. There are 2 to choose from: Thermal Protection Serum that wraps each hair strand with a protective sealant, creating a barrier against damage and color-fading, plus, it helps stop frizz before it starts; Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme that works instantly to restore silky-softness and natural shine to your hair. It contains sunscreen and targeted moisturizers and helps minimize any damage or dryness that may be caused by those scorching summer rays. To get your free sample of Frizz-Ease, click here!

MD Formulations skincare sample. The form is at the right side of the page and they have wonderful products such as facial cleansers, body lotions and a lot of other great products as well. To get your free sample,
click here!

UniFiber sample. This is a unique natural fiber supplement made from highly refined plant cellulose (like the fiber of grains, fruits and vegetables). UniFiber also has less side effects, is good for restricted diets, requires no extra fluids to prevent choking and is versatile and easy to take. To get your free fiber sample,
click here!

MyoMed pain reliever sample. This is an all-natural pain relief formula used by medical professionals, athletes and sports trainers. It is an all-natural formula that is safe to use, has proven essential oils, works fast, is non habit-forming and you need no prescription. To get your free sample of pain relief that works for arthritis, fibromyalgia, age-related problems, etc.,
click here!

Bija Tea sample from Flora Health. These are "healing teas" that are blended from tea leaves, herbs and spices carefully harvested from around the world. To get your free healing tea sample,
click here!

Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger,
click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain,
click here!

3-D Papercraft projects to download for free. They have some very detailed beautiful papercrafts to make with your children - these are so cool. To get your free downloads and make some magnificent masterpieces,
click here!

Sheba Premium Cuts cat food sample. This is one that our cat loves so much - it even smells good (for cat food), most of it smells like week-old fish. To get this premium sample for your special cat,
click here!

Miles Kimball catalog. This is a free catalog that has so many neat things like: kitchen gadgets, household helpers, lawn and garden, decorations and gifts for all occasions (plus a lot more). To get a great catalog for free,
click here!

AOL free personalized e-mail address. They are the first free e-mail provider to let you create your entire personalized e-mail address from scratch - not just the part before the @. You can set it up for you, your friends, family or business. To get your free personalized e-mail and get the address you really want, click here!

Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service, click here!

TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer,
click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass, click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons,
click here!

Reebok Outlet coupon. Save 40% off your entire purchase for their Friends & Family Event from 7-11 to 7-15. You can redeem your coupon at Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Stores. To get your 40% savings off Reebok,
click here!

Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon,
click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free,
click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies,
click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates, click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family,
click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal,
click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software,
click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game, click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card,
click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal, click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses,
click here!