I love BINGO!

I am a BINGO nut. I love to play BINGO at the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee.  Dawn and I visit the casino at least once a month to play BINGO.  We like to play the Breakfast or the Matinee - the prices are reasonable and the jackpot winnings are good.  The Breakfast or the Matinee cost us each $17 to play - takes about 3 hours to play all of the games. Perfect Mom and Daughter fun- we both really enjoy BINGO!!

Since I started playing BINGO regularly I am amazed at the advice I am receiving ....

• I love it when people that smoke two packs of cigarettes a day remind me that BINGO is gambling and  gambling is a waste of money. 
• Or the person that goes out to eat at least 2 times a week tells me that BINGO is a such a waste - I should save my money.
• How about the person that shops till they drop - warning me to not gamble away my life savings.
• Gotta love the crafter that buys every craft item she can get her hands on that - then tells me there is no reason I need to play Bingo once a week.
• Oh yeah I need to be reminded by a person with so much stuff they can not get a vehicle in their garage that I will never win at BINGO and that I am throwing my money down the drain.
• How about the person that watches TV 12 hours a day that tells me I waste my time playing BINGO.
• Finally the person that tells me I must be rich since I can play BINGO once a week!  WOW I never knew that spending $17 a week on BINGO made me a RICH person! If that is so - I would of been playing BINGO instead of working my you know what off for 30 years!

Yes, I have heard that BINGO leads to serious gambling problems. I will lose my house playing slots and my life savings will be gone before I know it playing the ponies. I honestly think if I spend less than $20 a visit - I will be fine! 

In all seriousness - I understand that many people do have a serious gambling problem and have destroyed their life as a result of gambling. I just think it is so funny to listen to people tell me that Bingo is dangerous when they themselves may have a problem with their favorite pastime!

By chance are you a BINGO player? 

ViVi Designs Boutique Giveaway ~ Ends 8/17 at midnight EST

Check out the neatest online shop I have found. ViVi Designs Boutique has so many fantastic items for your favorite Diva! Adult to baby items made to order especially for you.

Isabella is my favorite Diva - check out what she received! Isa is 10 and loves to wear headbands.  When the headband arrived she was so excited - she put it on - had her picture taken and then off she was to show her BBF!  Isa loves black - peace - love and happiness! This headband is perfect for her! 

The headband is high quality and the design is perfect with excellent workmanship.

I love accessories.  I wear a lot of black and white - I use accessories to totally make my outfits.  ViVi Designs Boutique makes some of the cutest accent pieces. Check out a few of my favorites! 

The dog jacket would be perfect for Princess my friends poodle - Mackenzie would love the Cheer Shirt  - she is so into Cheerleading! The duffel bag would be great on my shoulder for our next cruise and the headband would make a super cute baby gift.

One thing I really like is that they offer a gift wrapping service for gifts you are shipping to someone or for gifts you are taking to a party but would like to have it gift wrapped. I think this is a excellent service. So often I order something really nice then I have to go to the store to buy gift wrapping - pain! Most of my family lives out of town so I send lots of birthday and baby gifts to relatives all over the USA - to be able to send a gift that is wrapped pretty makes the gift even more special!

Make sure to check out all of the unique items ViVi Designs Boutique offers - they are all made to order.  They have a incredibly fast turnaround time for delivery!  That shows passion and dedication to providing excellent customer service.

Do you have someone in your life that would enjoy the headband?

ViVi Design Boutique 

would like to send one of my readers 

this headband for their Diva!

Perfect for Back to School!

Easy Rafflecopter Entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Barking Wednesday - Dog Food Recalls

Hi….I wanted to make sure to tell you upfront that  I have received no product or compensation to promote Dog Advisor. I do so because I LOVE DOGS!  Thanks for visiting.  

This Barking Wednesday I want to share a very important way for all dog owners to be notified about Dog Food Recalls.

Did you know that these Dog Food Brands have been recalled this year?

Hill’s Recalls Specific Lots of Science Diet Dog Food (6/3/2014)

 Pet Center Dog Treats Recall (5/28/2014) 

Bravo! Dog and Cat Food Recall (5/14/2014)

 Pro-Pet Dog Food Recall(2/6/2014)

Dog Food Advisor is a perfect way to get dog food recall info 

sent to your email address
It is FREE!!!!

Click Here to Sign Up 

Like Dog Food Advisor on Facebook

Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze Frosting

At the Farmer's Market I picked up some fresh blueberries. One of our favorite treats is Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze.  This dense bread is a perfect addition to a fresh cup of coffee and a beautiful sun rise.
Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze

2 Eggs - beaten

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons of melted Butter

3 Cups Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

4 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Cup Fresh Blueberries

Mix together eggs & sugar - add milk and melted butter

Sift together all dry ingredients - then gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture

Carefully fold in fresh blueberries

Grease loaf pan - bake 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes - use a toothpick to test doneness

Lemon Glaze 

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 lemon, zest finely grated

Mix the lemon juice with the confectioners' until dissolved in a microwave-safe bowl. 

Whisk in the butter and lemon zest. 

Microwave the glaze for 30 seconds - whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the bread. 

Let it set a minute before serving.

The Penguins of Madagasar is coming!

THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR

Discover the secrets of the most entertaining and mysterious birds in the global espionage game: Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private now must join forces with the chic spy organization, the North Wind, led by Agent Classified voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch to stop the villainous Dr. Octavius Brine, voiced by John Malkovich, from taking over the world.

THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR hits theaters everywhere on November 26, 2014!

Facebook

We love the Madagascar Penguins!

DO YOU?

YEFON: The Red Necklace by Sahndra Fon Dufe giveaway ends 8/3

A powerful, emotional tale of ambition and courage by Cameroonian-born Sahndra Fon Dufe, the Common Wealth of Nations recognized author of 'Dear momma'. (2004)

Yefon: The RedNecklace (YRN) is the first book of the YEFON trilogy series. It will have you wrapped up with emotions you didn’t know you had!

Young tribal girl, Yefon Labam, knows she’s different.

During the 1950's, in her Central African village, women are uneducated and are expected to either work on a farm or be one of many wives, but Yefon dares for more—she wants to learn how to read, even if looking at a book could mean her death.  Although everyone thinks she’s an abomination, including her mother and sisters, her father knows she’s destined for greater things.

Fated for Love by Melissa Foster ~ Giveaway ends 8/7

NEWLY RELEASED........
Book #8 The Bradens, Love in Bloom Series #16

FATED FOR LOVE is the second of six hot, wealthy, and wickedly naughty Braden cousins, and the newest additions to the BRADEN series by New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster.

Librarian Callie Barnes has visions of reading and relaxing—and maybe having a few too many drinks—on her girls’ weekend away. Her hopes are crushed when her friends pull into a dude ranch instead of a spa, and she refuses to stay longer than one night. That is…until she realizes the ranch is owned by sinfully sexy, and dangerously rugged, Wes Braden—the subject of her late-night fantasies.

Fearless rancher Wes Braden thinks he’s the luckiest guy on the planet when the sweet, sexy librarian from his hometown shows up at his ranch. Their connection is white-hot, making it impossible for either to ignore their carnal desires. Wes is more than willing to convert sweet Callie from chick lit to a world of erotic romance, but Callie ties sex to love, and Wes avoids commitment like the plague.

Barking Wednesday - What Foods NOT to Feed your Dog!

This week on Barking Wednesday I wanted to share a list I found on the internet. While browsing the internet I came across a list of food NOT to feed your dog.  Check it out!  Many of the items I was aware of but I had no idea that Avocados were bad and could cause vomiting and diarrhea.

For more pet information check out Pet Education - it is a great website to help answer questions you have about your dog.

Items to avoid	Reasons to avoid
Alcoholic beverages	Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.
Avocado	The leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources	Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Cat food	Generally too high in protein and fats.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine	Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous systems.
Citrus oil extracts	Can cause vomiting.
Fat trimmings	Can cause pancreatitis.
Fish (raw, canned or cooked)	If fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.
Grapes, raisins and currants	Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract.
Hops	Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.
Human vitamin supplements containing iron	Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Macadamia nuts	Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.
Marijuana	Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.
Milk and other dairy products	Some adult dogs and cats may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.
Moldy or spoiled food, garbage	Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
Mushrooms	Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)	Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.
Persimmons	Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
Pits from peaches and plums	Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.
Raw eggs	Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
Raw meat	May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.*
Rhubarb leaves	Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.
Salt	If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyteimbalances.
String	Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."
Sugary foods	Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.
Table scraps (in large amounts)	Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.
Tobacco	Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Yeast dough	Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
Xylitol (artificial sweetener)	Can cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can result in vomiting, weakness and collapse. In high doses can cause liver failure.

Maybe ??

As I was walking to my Jeep in the Lowe's parking lot- I could not believe my eyes!  

Check out how this person parked.   Seriously - maybe they should not be driving!

The van was so far out into the driving area that people could not drive down the row.  

Have you ever found a parked car in a 

parking lot that made you think - maybe they 

should not have 

driven themselves?

Thank You

As part of my health insurance - I have a Wellness Coach. We have spoken two times. She is very easy to talk to and with the information she has given me to read I have been doing some soul searching.   




This past week she told me the strangest thing that after thinking about it - SHE IS RIGHT.

As many of you know I have worked in healthcare for over 30 years. I have always been drawn to healthcare and really can not think of any other field I would of been able to spend 30+ years in.  In fact I still remember being in 2nd grade telling the class that someday I wanted to be a nurse.  I remember making a huge paper nurse drawing. 

Sure health care has it's ups and downs. The last 20 years of my real job I spent in management - just a tad stressful during all of the financial changes going on in the field. I retired in 2010 and then in 2013 decided to go back to health care very part time in the admissions department at our local hospital. I wanted to be the first friendly face people see when they arrive at the hospital.  I have always felt that being friendly and caring can make a huge difference in a persons hospital experience.

I love my part-time job -I work in the main admission department and also in the ER Department.  I am the first contact person in the ER and the person you see when you enter the hospital.  I tell everyone I have a DREAM job.  I get to help people and make a difference in a very small way. I work with a group of ladies that also want to make a difference in a positive way. It is truly a DREAM JOB! 

This past week I was telling my coach about my job and my blogs. How I enjoy them so.  She says - that is because you like to help people.  I was taken off guard.  It has been said that people that thrive in healthcare enjoy helping people - so I totally understand why she said that about my job. But my blogs?  She then explains to me  that I write about things that help people live a healthier life, ways to do things, and reviews to help people know about a product before they purchase. Those are all ways to help people. That is why I enjoy blogging so much - I am helping my readers.

I was like - We'll I'll be Darm - she was right. 

I want to 

THANK every Blogger for helping make my 

world just a little better.  

Bloggers share information that does make a difference!  

When I think about it..it is amazing what I learn each day from bloggers.  I read fantastic post about all kinds of things..I share what I learn from blogs and use blog post as reference tools!

Thank you for sharing your blog with me!

Teen Safe Giveaway ~ WIN a $50 Visa Gift Card ~ Ends August 4th, 2014

Teen Safe will send one lucky winner 

a $50 Visa Card! 

TeenSafe is a sophisticated program that allows you to monitor your child's cell phone activity. It is very easy to set up, and the information you are monitoring is only displayed on your personal TeenSafe web page.

The entire process takes less than 5 minutes.

The TeenSafe App will NOT show up on your child's phone dashboard.

Teen Safe is designed to protect your most valuable treasure.


Giveaway starts Monday - August 21st at 12:01am EST 

and 

Ends on August 4th at 11:59pm EST

Entry-Form

DeDa Studios & Green and Glassie are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

GIVEAWAY ENDS 8/4 Monday night

Prize $50 Visa Gift Card US & CA - giftcode will be emailed to the winner

How to Freeze Green Beans

One of the things I love about summer is gardening and freezing veggies and fruit. I have a small garden - perfect for us.  We love to freeze veggies and fruits when they are in season and eat them in the winter when it is below zero!  

Today I picked a bunch of green beans so that I could freeze for soup this winter.   My hubby makes the best tasting Veggie Soup!

Step by Step instructions on how to freeze green beans:

Wash the beans

Cut off the the tips

Cut into bite size - I like to cut diagonal 

Place in boiling water for about 4 minutes

(I use my pasta boiler)

The heating and cooling process is called blanching

While beans are cooking get your bowl of ice water ready

I also take this time to write on my bags

Drain Beans

Pour beans in a bowl of ice water and let the beans cool off

When cool drain the beans

Place beans in dated bags - make sure there is not a lot of air in the bags - seal and freeze.

I got 3 quarts of beans out of today's picking.  If you don't have a garden you can purchase bulk beans at many farmer's markets and local farmers.  Great way to have healthy organic veggies all year round ~ at very cheap prices! 

Tailgating.....

Gotta Wonder!!!   WHY do some drivers feel the need to follow so close behind a car?  

TAILGATING

My trip to work is all country roads - 55 miles an hour speed zone for about 85% of my trip.  Yesterday morning at 5am I see two vehicles coming towards me.  One large pickup truck and right behind it a very small compact car. The car is so small I think it could fit in the bed of the truck. The compact car was driving so close to the pickup truck that I thought the truck might be towing the car.  Nope the car was tailgating.  Now mind you there were no other cars on the road.   I started to think to myself...what in heaven's name is that small car thinking? 

Do tailgaters think:

• if they drive so close the vehicle in front of them will go faster - WRONG the majority slow down
• that they are intimating the other driver - WRONG
• that they are RIGHT? - WRONG

Gotta Wonder if the vehicle in front of them stops fast - who will they blame when they run into the back end of the vehicle?

Will they blame the driver of the vehicle in front...they should not have stopped so fast or will they blame themselves?  I am betting they will blame the driver.  Anyone that feels the need to drive that close to another vehicle surely would never blame themselves!

What do you do when someone is 

tailgating you?

These pics are not mine....I can not drive and take pics...so I found these perfect examples on the internet.

Whole Latte Love by Rachelle Ayala ~~ Giveaway ends 8/3

Investment banking intern Carina Chen doesn’t need any distractions—especially the sexy, guitar-playing barista she rooms with for the summer.

Free spirit Dylan Jewell appreciates the delightful universe of women who vie for his attention. His goal in life is to do good, make happy coffee, and help the homeless.

When Carina moves in, she insists on rules of conduct to quell her instant attraction to Dylan. But when her boss asks her to turn Dylan into a businessman, she can’t think of a reason not to take advantage of his hospitality.

Their chemistry is white hot, but Dylan refuses to play Carina’s game, unable to understand how he can fall in love with a woman who puts profits in front of people. When Carina realizes Dylan isn’t budging, she risks all to gain a single night with him. Will her gambit backfire or will Dylan discover Carina’s true heart before she runs away with his?

Barking Wednesday ~ Go Dog - Tough For Fun

Hi….I wanted to make sure to tell you upfront that the products mentioned in this post have been received for free for evaluation purposes.  With that being said rest assure that I only give honest opinions. The opinions are my own and always will be.  Thanks for visiting.  

Welcome to Barking Wednesday!  Each Wednesday I post a interesting topic just for dog owners.  Items I have found useful and tips to improve your dog's quality of life.

This Wednesday it is all about Quaker Pet Group.   Quaker Pet Group is dedicated  to all channels of the pet industry. They are committed to delivering the very best in brands, products, and services to retailers worldwide. By focusing on personalized customer care, high quality standards and product diversity within our brands, they hope to make Quaker Pet Group an invaluable resource to independent retailers.

One of my friends that is not a dog owner  laughs when I pick up Kingers plush toys. She tells me how silly I am...little does she know that plush chew toys are important to the well being of a dog. Check out this very good article about the Importance of Plush Toys.  

Here is King's newest toy ~ Go Dog Green Claim Shellfish! Oh my it is a cutie! The Shellfish is about 13 inches wide by 8 inches tall.    It is a bright green with pink inside and two goofy eyes!  Goofy eyes that are saying.."Hey You!"


Go Dog Toys are sturdy toys made with Chew Guard Technology™. Chew Guard Technology™ is a manufacturing process that adds a tough durable liner to each toy. With reinforced seams and the durable liner the toys can withstand the rigors of a dog's play. Kingers is a 100 pound Lab and he can shake the heck out of a toy!  There are times when I am amazed at the force he has!  Having a plush toy that can take the treatment King gives it is a plus for us.  I hate buying him a toy and within 5 minutes I have a room full of toy parts!  That never happens with Go Dog Toys. They are made to withstand the rough play that a large dog can give a toy.

King is so funny when he gets a new toy...he will not look at me and stays far away from me.  NO way is he giving up his new toy!  It is HIS!!!  I was chasing him around the deck trying to get a pic!  I have new neighbors ..... don't you know they are thinking that old lady is crazy!  She is talking to that dog and trying to take his picture. Telling that big dog to stop running and look at the camera!

This pic says it all.....

Snoozing with his Go Dog!

 Click Here to check out Quaker Pet Group Products.  You can also click on the WHERE TO BUY  tab on their website to find a store near you that carries the Quaker Pet Group products.

Like Quaker Pet Group Facebook Page 

If you are interested in buying quality pet products that are made to last and improve the quality of your pets life..then give Quaker Pet Group products a try!  

You will not be sorry!

The Revenant Wyrd Saga Book 4 by Travis Simmons ~~ Giveaway ends 7/27

NEWLY RELEASED .....
A Guardian of Shadows (The Revenant Wyrd Saga #4) 

The thrilling sequel to The Well of Wyrding. In the enchanted lands of the Great Realms, Angelica, Jovian, and Joya are searching for their kidnapped sister, Amber. Their quest has led them through many dangers and many excitements, but nothing has prepared them for what’s about to come.

The wyr are alive, the Two who were never supposed to exist. They are destined to control the wyrd and fate of all mankind. Their very existence is destroying the world tree, on whose roots the fate of man is etched, and causing the Well of Wyrding, which sustains the world tree, to dissolve. Now Angelica and Jovian are hunted by the Norns, those three sisters of fate who guard the world tree and live at its roots, observing and preserving fate, who believe Angelica and Jovian are the wyr.

Barking Wednesday ~ Dog Poop Scoop and Spade

Hi….I wanted to make sure to tell you upfront that  I have received no product or compensation to promote this product. I do so because it works and I want to share a honest review with other dog owners.  Thanks for visiting.  

This week for Barking Wednesday I wanted to talk about Pooper Scoopers!  Yep... a tool needed to do the worst job at our house!  Kingers is a 100 pound Black Lab and he is quite the pooper. 

Over the years I have used a shovel - the clamping type of poop picker upper  - numerous brands of scoopers.  All were okay.  

This spring at our local True Value I purchased the Flexrake Scoop and Spade - it is a handy poop scoop. Works much better than all of the others I have had over the years. 

The scoop and spade have 4' Alumilite handles and the scoop pan and spade are made of non-rusting aluminum. Pan is made of Durable Non-Rusting Aluminum. They are lightweight and easy to use.  

I purchased a small scoop...it is plenty big enough to collect Kingers poop.  I like the fact that it will not rust...cuz I keep our scoop outside - along the backside of the garage. I really do not want to keep it inside anywhere!

MIlwaukee Zoo Family Adventure

This past weekend we took our summer trip to the Milwaukee Zoo. The weather was perfect!!  In March, at the kids school Pancake Breakfast I won a silent auction for 4 tickets, parking and train ride at the Milwaukee Zoo.  North Shore Bank had donated the Milwaukee Zoo Package along with a really nice rolling cooler. Since we go to the zoo every year - ~ I thought getting the tickets from the auction would be a WIN WIN!  We get zoo tickets and the money goes to the school.    Thanks to companies like North Shore Bank - the Kansasville School raises about $13,000 at their annual Pancake Breakfast Event.