13 Tips to Have a Happy Healthy Love Relationship

You fell in love for a reason. It is important to take steps to keep that “loving feeling”. When you first fell in love, you were most likely blinded to any of their flaws; and they were blinded to yours as well. Now that you have been together for some years those flaws have been exposed, yet you still love them. All is not lost, in fact the relationship can grow stronger as you work through some rough patches, given the right attitude and a willingness to make some compromises. Any relationship worth having is worth working for. Yes, a good loving relationship does take work, and not just from one individual. The following are some tips to maintaining a happy and healthy relationship.

1. Tell them you love them first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

2. Visualize yourself in a healthy, happy relationship.

3. Surprise – surprise them with thoughtful gifts or actions (for no other reason than you want to do something special for them). A surprise shouldn’t only be on those special days (anniversary, birthday, Valentine’s Day, etc.), but randomly to let them know you think they are special all the time.

4. Don’t take your partner for granted. Let them know that you appreciate what they do. Praise a great meal or if they fix the clogged sink, etc…

5. Make the bedroom inviting and romantic. Use candles and low lighting to help get in the mood, some romantic music playing in the background. The bedroom is the most important room in a healthy relationship; don’t make it the catch-all for the rest of the house (a cluttered bedroom leads to a cluttered relationship). Keep the room uncluttered and preferably keep the television and computer out of the bedroom.

6. Don’t insist on winning every argument, you don’t have to get the last word in, every time. Try to understand their point-of-view, by being a good listener. Say “You’re Right” on occasion.

7. Be happy – Be involved in things other than with your partner. You are responsible for your own fulfillment and happiness. This will relieve some of the pressure and stress from your partner. Being happy as an individual will improve your happiness as a couple.

8. Don’t let jealousy ruin your relationship. Jealousy will push your partner away; you should be secure in your relationship if it is founded on love and trust.

9. Give each other some alone time. That may mean taking the kids out for an outing and letting your partner have some time alone.

10. Schedule dates on a regular basis. Line up the baby-sitter, if you have children, on a regular basis, and make time for together time.

11. Write love notes to your partner and place them in unique places (bathroom mirror, pillow, car visor).

12. Hold hands in public. This is an easy one, that many couples fail to do.

13. Put their picture in your wallet and show people -- just like you would your children’s pictures.

Writing For Money

I recently began writing on a "How To" Website that allows members to write articles just about anything. I was a little skeptical at first but when I saw my first earnings of .04 cents I was hooked. Does that make me a professional writer now that I have earned money for my writing? My amateur writing status which consisted of writing papers for school and reports for work is a thing of the past. I have now earned almost $30.00 from writing articles about things I know best; my favorite recipes; and about being green (a long-time passion of mine that has finally become vogue).

I am going to be checking out some more freelance writing sites and will most likely be writing about them. I am also testing the waters as far as selling some of my photos.

How to Select the Perfect Pineapple

The perfectly ripe, juicy pineapple is one of my absolutely favorite snacks. However, for years I did not know how to pick the perfect pineapple and gave up and bought canned pineapple in its place. My husband was the one who taught me the trick to picking the perfect pineapple every time. First check the eyes of the pineapple and select one where the eyes are of equal size. Grab a spine from the top of the pineapple and pull with a quick firm tug. If the spine falls out easily, then the pineapple is ripe. Then give the pineapple a sniff and make sure it doesn't smell like alcohol. It is that easy.

How to make Vietnamese Iced Espresso Coffee

Have you ever had that wonderful coffee at a restaurant? Maybe you haven’t, let me tell you about it. This drink is an iced drink that has a hint of cocoa flavor (although there is no chocolate in it). It is cold creamy and smooth. I was not an iced coffee drinker until I tried this (I also don’t like my coffee sweet except for this drink). It is very easy to make.

1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk
Instant espresso
Ice

Place about a 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom of a coffee cup, and a cup of very hot espresso on top (I like mine strong,adjust to your liking). Stir until well mixed. Fill tall glass with ice, pour hot mix of espresso and sweetened condensed milk over ice and stir well. Drink and enjoy.
I buy generic sweetened condensed milk at Aldis for less than half the cost of name brand. This drink is several dollars at a restaurant and can be made for a fraction of the cost at home.

Mommy Short Leg Spiders

My four year old daughter drew a picture for me of a spider. She said "look mommy it's a spider, it's a mommy spider, it's a mommy-short-leg".

Happy Fathers Day

What Makes A Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad

Author is unknown

How to Save money on Gas

I've taken the time to write down a few of the gas savings methods I have been using for years now. These tips make more and more sense as the price of gas rises and there seems to be no end in sight.

1. Make sure that your car tires are properly inflated.

2. Follow posted speed limits.

3. Do not tailgate - tailgating requires for frequent braking which wastes precious momentum and your gas $$. (It's also illegal and really irritating for the car you're following)

4. When driving up a hill remove your foot from the gas just before cresting the hill and allowing your car to coast down the next hill.

5. Do not ride the brakes, if you are braking frequently you are driving too aggressively, remove your foot from the gas and allow the car to slow down when approaching stop lights. Try to keep moving until the light is green (this does not mean inching into the intersection), you use less gas when the momentum of the car isn't stopped completely.

6. Some gas stations give discounts on gas if you purchase cash cards, take advantage of these if it makes sense. Don't drive out of your way to do so.

These are just a few things you can do to improve your gas mileage. It does help if you have a fairly efficient vehicle as far as gas mileage goes. Fuel efficiency has always been one of the top factors I have used in purchasing a car.

How to Remove the Bitterness From Coffee

A simple tip to remove the bitterness from coffee is to add a couple dashes of cinnamon in a pot of coffee. Add it to the filter, or if you use a coffee press, add it to the bottom of the coffee press. We use a coffee press it makes excellent coffee.

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale

This is the time of the year when people like to clean out the closets, attics and garage. cleaning house is a perfect excuse to have a garage or yard sale to make some extra money. the following are just a few tips to having a successful garage sale.

1. Make sure you are allowed to have a sale where you live.

2. Determine a date, time, and what type of sale it is going to be (single family, multi-family or neighborhood sale).

3. Give yourself enough time to pull things together. Look through your items for things you no longer use or have not used in over a year.

4. Make sure all items are labeled with price and initials of the seller if there are more than one seller involved.

5. be sure to have an electric chord available to test electrical equipment like the blender or toaster you are trying to sell.

6. have clothesline (string between trees to display clothing), extra tables, tarps (to lay things on).

7. Display male oriented items near the street so that passerbys can see. Men tend to be drivers and are more likely to stop.

8. Be sure to have change ($80 should be enough)

9. Pricing is important about 25 - 30% of new price is a good starting point. If you are selling collectibles or antiques be sure you know the value of the item. Items such as adult clothing and book prices may need to start at a lower price. People go to garage sales for the bargains so expect people to haggle over the prices.

10. If you have children that want to be involved, a good idea would be to let them set up a snack stand with canned pop or water and packaged snacks. I would suggest against a homemade lemonade or cookies stand and cooked hotdogs could get you in trouble with the local health department.

11. If you have pets please make sure that they are put away. Do not let them run loose during the sale.

I made this short and sweet but would be very interested in anything you might like to add.

Time for Ribs on the Barbecue

It's that time of year again when you have your picnics, cookouts, and family reunions. Everyone enjoys a good barbecue. Here is a rib rub that you can make in advance and have ready when you are.


Rib Rub


1 Tbl Kosher salt
1 Tbl granulated sugar
1 Tbl dark brown sugar
1 Tbl chili powder
1 Tbl ground cumin
1 Tbl pepper
2 Tbl sweet paprika
1 Tbl powder garlic
1 Tbl dried grated lemon peel
1 Tbl onion powder

Measure all ingredients into a ziploc bag and mix well by shaking. Rub into spareribs 3 - 24 hours prior to grilling. Cook ribs on grill. You can add some of your favorite sauce just before you remove from the grill, or you can enjoy it as is.

How to make sourdough starter

Sourdough Starter uses the wild strains of yeast that is found in the air and already in the flour. If you see starter that uses yeast, it is not a true sourdough starter. Making sourdough starter is fairly easy to do but does require a bit of diligence.

First start with a clean wide mouth glass or plastic jar - mix 2 tablespoons of wheat flour with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of water (you might want to use bottled water to start your starter) and add to the jar. Place a lid over the jar loosely do not seal. Let sit for 24 hours.

Second mix another 2 tablespoons of wheat flour with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and add to the jar and mix. Do not worry about a few lumps, the lumps will be absorbed during the process.

Repeat a third day with wheat flour. After the third day you may use white flour - or continue with the wheat flour.

After 7 days you should have enough starter for a loaf of bread (I'll be writing about this later). Follow directions to make loaf of bread. Do not use all of the starter or you will have to start all over again. When making your own sourdough starter, it may be hit and miss, sometimes the strain of yeast that grows is not very tasty. This being said is part of the fun of trying to start your own sourdough starter.

You will also have the bragging rights when you succeed. Sourdough starter can be kept for years and decades with proper handling. I'll be writing about that later

Becca's Biscuits

The other day my 4 year old daughter was making her calves jump, she asked me

"Mom do you know how to do this?"

I answered "How?"

she said "I just squeeze my biscuits and my legs jump"

"What is a biscuit?" I asked

she said "you know, your butt"

Bumper Sticker

I saw a bumper sticker today, it was very simple, straight-forward and ooohhh so true. It said "Politicians prefer unarmed peasants". Well, it seems the politicians should be very happy with their lot currently. Soooo many things have happened in the last few years without, it appears" any outrage on the peoples parts. Just to list a few; Homeland security and all the little things that came with it, like TSA; Warrantless wire-taps; no-bid contracts; and unlimited access to internet records. All of this supposedly intended to protect the American people. We have had our rights trampled all over on the pretense of protecting us, and few people saw the warning signs, and in fact appeared to actually believe the line of ____ that was fed us by the administration.

People were afraid to question anything this administration said, or risk being labled unpatriotic. Finally people seem to be starting to question a lot of things that should have been questioned years ago, and should never have been allowed to occur. I guess, better late than never. To be considered unpatriotic just because you don't agree with the short-sighted and often damaging rants of the president is stupid (for lack of a better word). He stepped on so many toes and completely lacked any respect for any country that didn't cow-tow to his wishes. His famous quote "If you're not with us than you're against us", has damaged the United States relationship with a lot of countries that were considered allies. He has distanced us from true allies and it may take years or decades to mend the damage he has caused.

Becca's Quote of the day - October 13, 2007

My 4-year old daughter asked my husband "How many are you?" When my husband replied "41" my daughter than asked "How many more do you have?"

Taffy McFay

This is one of the last pictures that I took of Taffy. She was a very good dog who lived with my parents. Born in 1993, died September 24, 2007. Taffy enjoyed barking at falling leaves; and chasing small rodents that she did not know what to do with if she caught them. When she was a young puppy she ate the pearls off of the buttons on a favorite white sweater of mine - I realized she had done this when walking her and finding small white pearls in her poop. I once feared for her life when she nosed her way into my kitchen cupboard and ate a half a box of unsweetened dark brick chocolate, she immediately got sick on my light gray carpet (it took several months of daily shampooing to remove). I found her shaking and shivering next to the door when I came home from work that day.

She was a very good judge of character having peed on a lap of a not so nice neighbor in Colorado Springs.

She went to live with my parents in 1994, at which time she was adopted by them and became a very good companion to both of them. She was always excited about thunderstorms, and liked to announce the arrival of anyone who came to visit. She was preceeded in death by "Cat" her good friend a tabby cat.

We will miss you.

Oooooohhhh

This was Ben's favorite face for quite a while. He knew when he made this face that he would get everyone's attention.

McDonalds playground

I see you.

Clarion Autumn Leaf Festival - Auto Show

Whenever I get the chance, I like to practice my photography. This one was taken with my Canon PowerShot G1, during the Autumn Leaf Festival (ALF) in Clarion, Pennsylvania. I always enjoy the ALF Car Show held on the first Sunday of the festival. The Saturday following is the ALF Parade and homecoming game for Clarion University.

This year the "Autorama" is scheduled for Sunday, September 30. The cars line up all down the main street in Clarion. There are carnival rides near the courthouse and food concessions across the street from the courthouse. The following website gives a list of events throughout the weekend.

There is also an art contest, I have never entered anything in this contest, but my mother has.

There is a lot more information on the ALF, which can be found on this site, http://www.autumnleafclarionpa.com/

There is a list of events, dates and contact information. The ALF is really quite an amazing festival. Check it out.

Becca's Quotes of the Day - September 5, 2007

After telling my daughter how smart she was, she replied

"But daddy's not smart, he's a man; and Benny's not smart, he's a boy"

Playing in the Stock Market

Until the day we can afford to return to investing in stocks, I will practice my skills on a virtual stock market site

http://vse.marketwatch.com/Game/News.aspx

It allows you to join in different groups with different criteria, such as starting amount, stock trade price, minimum and maximum trade values, and a set period of time.

The time period is determined by the individual that set up the group. Each group has a short description of what the trading practices are to be. For instance one group may be for day trading, another for buy and hold, and yet another be for just penny stocks and so on.

I, for one, prefer the ones that allow you to choose the method of investing you feel most comfortable with. This has allowed me to

1. Try out a few investing strategies that I have.
2. Play several different scenarios to determine which works best.
3. Keep knowledgeable about the stock market, while I wait to become actively involved again.
4. See what other people are doing.

It also has shown me that if you start with a million dollars, you can make a heck of a lot of money in the stock market. Who ever said you don't need money to make money must be wearing blinders.

Becca's Quotes of the Day - September 4, 2007

Becca has the knack of stating the obvious, here are a couple of her quotes she made on the trip home her daycare.

"People come out of People's bellies, that's the story, Yep"

"I want to take the wheel's off my bike, and become a trainer"

"let's open the windows, so the bugs won't get trapped, there are a lot of insects in the world"

Amateur Photographer Want-a-be

As a want-a-be amateur photographer, one of my items on my to-do-list is to enter a photograph into some type of photography contest. It has been on my list for years, so why haven't I done anything about it. Is it that I don't have time,or that I don't think any of my photos are good enough to enter.

Well the time thing will never go away, I am a mother of three and a wife of one, and I currently work a full-time job. Is it that I have so many interests that I am always stuck in the which one will I do mode. Or is that my photos are just not good enough, then I'll never know until I try. This is me justifying why I should or should not enter a contest (I tend to over analyze many things). I have decided to enter a contest, now I need to find one to enter that in some way or another does not want $$$ to enter (that would be another reason for my procrastination, we don't currently have alot of money floating around for good photography equipment - I am using a Sony Cybershot DSC-W30). Don't get me wrong, this is a great little camera, it'll fit in the pocket of your shirt and is easy enough for my three year old daughter to use. I might have to write about that later.

Ah-hah that could be it, I may be on to something. Procrastination, I mean; I wonder if that is my affliction all these years I was blaming it on something else. Now that I have come up with a diagnosis I can work on fixing the problem. You know what they say about doctors making their own diagnosis. Anyway I am off to enter a contest, will write later on my success.

Aren't these pretty flowers