Boo New SocialSpark(possibly)

I'm not sure if this is a direct result of SocialSpark changing the way they do things but I haven't gotten any opps since the switch has started. I have had a couple of emails that tell me I qualify, but when I get to the site, it shows that I actually don't. that's pretty upsetting since I clicked the link immediately after receiving the email. What could have changed so much in 15 seconds that I no longer qualify?

I have had dry spells with SocialSpark before and I am hoping that the timing is nearly coincidental. I would love to continue to write blogs for advertisers. It's a nice way to make a little extra money from home and it helps me to share my experience with others who are thinking about joining up.

SocialSpark has been my best experience with getting paid to blog from home since I started. I have tried several different websites to write for and even other Izea programs, bit SocialSpark has always been the best.

SocialSpark gave me the most opportunities to make money. They gave he clearest instructions. Thy produced the most relevant opps for my audience, and it was fun too. Like I said, I hope that it's just a dry spell. If not, I will be very sad!

Selling on Craigslist

I have only used craigslist to sell one thing before and that was a car. We sold it quickly and we sold it for cash. Since then I haven't used it.

Until today. Today I found a winking potato chip on my plate next to my roast beef sandwich. I almost ate it, but its little face was so cute. You can see pictures of it at my
craigslist listing here. http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/for/1864516246.html

Skijoring Training

Well, I didn't get up early today by any means. The whole family slept in until about 9:30. I managed to slip away about 10:00 to take the dog out on his run.

The skijoring command training side of things did not go as well as expected. Chopper was responding very well to "Hike" when I was on foot with him. I think it was because of my explosion of energy when I would burst into a sprint. He responded fairly well to "Easy" when I was on foot because he wanted to stay near to me when I slowed down. Chopper is under the impression that the entire world's population is involved in a plot to end my life and so he never strays too far.

It appears, however, that when bikes are involved the entire world's everything is out to get him. The first car that we rode by made him nearly jump out of his skin. He almost killed me by refusing to run by an industrial sized air conditioner. The only sticking up for me that he did was when he tried to lunge at a young man on the sidewalk. Fortunately for all 3 of us, the guy was on the other side of the bike. Chopper lunged himself right into my front wheel. It must have hurt because he abandoned the idea completely. I was able to keep atop my bike and so everyone ended up okay. I suspect Chopper's snout is at less than 100% though.

Overall it was a pretty decent exercise. Chopper came back thirsty and tired, but he is never tired for long. I was glad to tale him out because it's going to be too hot for him to be outside today.

Exercise and Skijoring

Well, tomorrow I am going to wake up early and take the dog out for a bike ride to practice his skijoring commands. I hope that I am doing it right. For now we are just learning "Hike" and "Easy". I think it will be easier on the bike because he is more focused when he is running. Also, when I was trying to jog beside him, I would get tired before he did. I think the bike will change things.

I have taken Chopper out on bike rides before and he does really well. He hasn't come too close to killing me yet. Once he lunged at a guy who popped out from behind a corner and startled him, but a quick collar pop brought him back to attention and saved me from falling.

You might not know this, but I am not the most graceful person there is. In fact, I'm not very graceful at all. I very often trip over nothing, and also run into stationary objects. Any form of physical activity is going to be pretty risky for me. Riding a bike while holding on to a 95 lb high strung dog will eventually end in disaster and probably road rash.

I will be sure to bring my iPhone so that I can take pictures of it if an accident does happen. I'm sure you'd want to see it!

Spelunking at Mt. St. Helens

Guest post written by my buddy Keith Kramer

How many of us can say that we've stood within a mile of an active volcano ... and been in the continental United States while doing it? If you've been to Mt. St. Helens, you can say exactly that and I can affirm that it is a truly awesome sight!

Mt. St. Helens is an easy day trip from the Portland area, so I go there with my husband several times a year. We want to make a full day of it, so after setting our home alarm system, we take off in the car fairly early in the morning.

One of our favorite places to go in the Mt. St. Helens area is Ape Cave. The cave is a giant lava tube and traveling its length does not require any crawling - you can walk upright the whole way! Ape Cave is a great place to go on a hot summer day because the temperature in the lava tube is always cool enough that you need a jacket, just don't forget that you'll need a flashlight, too.

When we're done spelunking, we drive closer to the mountain to get a better view, maybe choose an easy hike that takes us to a sparkling clear lake or take time out to see a Visitor's Center. It's a fun way to spend a day outdoors!

Growing Pains

Self improvement hurts. After taking the dog out twice for skijoring training, and jogging along side of him, my whole body aches. My legs are hurting, my back, my arms for some reason. One thing if definitely for sure, I am not cut out for this.

Oh, and another thing - all of that temptation dodging that I did last night was for naught. As I am typing this I am eating white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies from Subway. I couldn't resist them, it's cookie Tuesday. All of the cookies are only .25 a piece. For some reason in my mind that means that their calories are discounted too.

The worst part was that I didn't even stop to contemplate the cookie purchase. I said, "Oh hey, it's cookie Tuesday! Hook it up!" I took the cookies and then I ate them. I didn't even think about my new resolution to eat healthier until I was half way through the 3rd cookie!

The only thing that I can do is to just press forward. Continue the rest of the day trying to make healthy choices, and be sure to take the dog out on a run or bike ride tonight. That might cancel out the cookie order, but that really isn't the point. The point is that I want to get into the habit of eating healthier, not the habit of finding ways to make up for my mistakes.

Like I said, the only thing I can do is just keep with the plan from here on out. So wish me luck, because I have a feeling it is going to get really difficult.

Not Quite a Habit

I'm having a bit of an issue at the moment. I am having a sweet tooth attack! I know that I have resolved to eat healthier, but it's so hard! I suppose that it hasn't exactly become a habit yet. Perhaps this overwhelming craving is my body detoxing from my bad diet.

I've decided to busy my hands with blogging. After all, can't cram my face with unhealthy things if I am typing. I tried to eat something healthy instead, but I found that I was left very unsatisfied and still wanting more. I knew that if I didn't find something to do, I would end up eating and eating for the rest of the night.

Here's to breaking bad habits and creating new routines!

Smart Enough to Teach My Kid

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ashworth College. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have mentioned several times my desire to go back to school I very often find myself feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied with my education. I have only completed some college courses. I did enjoy college quite a bit, but I quit in order to work a second job and make more money since I was already out on my own. Then, my life happened. I got a dog, bought a house, got married, had a baby, lost a house... etc, etc. In all of these ups and downs in my life, school just kept getting pushed further and further to the side.

Even when I was still pregnant I was wishing I could advance my education. I almost signed up for fall classes, but finals week fell right on my due date, so I forgot about that idea. After he was born, I was too busy being a mom.

Now that I have been a mom for 2 and 1/2 years I have learned something. I am never going to have more time. I am only going to have less and less time. If I want to go back to school, I am going to have to find a way to work it in with my existing schedule. I can't wait for a time in my life when I will have more time available because it just isn't going to happen. If I wait, then I will be waiting forever. As I said in my last post - there is no time like the present!

Even when I was a full time student I had a full time job. Not every class was available when I was and I had to work around my schedule at work. One way that helped me to do this was by taking distance learning classes. Most distance learning classes were done online, but others were done on public access television. With the TV classes, you have to tune in at a certain time and watch a lecture or other type of video. If you missed a class, you had to check out the VHS tape from the college library. I missed them all. The day before the finals, I was in the library from open til close trying to watch all of the videos.

The online classes were much more manageable. We needed to log on in the beginning of the week to get our assignments and again at the end of the week to submit them. Class participation was encouraged in several ways. We had 2 or 3 required chat sessions where we used a chatroom type program. We also had message boards that were organized by topic or assignment. The message boards were great because even the most timid classmates would participate. If I ever went back to school, its apparent to me that I would be looking to get my Online degree.

One thing that I noticed when I took online classes is that they were normally more expensive than regular classes. This budgeting has been a big snag in my desire to go back to school. Then I learned about Ashworth College. They do distance learning that is flexible with working parents in mind. When you're a parent, every little penny counts, and you want to spend as wisely as you can. Research shows Ashworth tuition is 50% less than the average accredited online school. That is fantastic news for a working mom. There is also a zero-interest financing with a monthly payment plan. Monthly payments can run as low as a couple of large pizzas. That is very doable! Oh, and did I mention that the tuition INCLUDES your books and materials? Now that just makes sense! Unlike other programs, you are guaranteed to graduate without student loan debt. I have never heard of a guarantee like that in all of my life!

Maybe going back to school with be the icing on top of my self improvement cake!

Self Improvement Plan 2

The strangest urge came over me today... I had the urge to run. Of course the urge ended as soon as the jogging began, but I kept going anyway.

It all started when the dog was being hyperactive at my mom's house. I took him out to the field behind my mom's to play some fetch. While we were out there I got to thinking, the dog is getting plenty of exercise and I could be too. I keep meaning to take the dog out jogging so that I can teach him skijoring commands. You know what they say, there's no time like the present!

I called Chopper next to me, asked him if he was ready, and gave him his first command: "Hike!" I didn't have to tell him twice! We took off running! I immediately regretted it. I gave him his second command: "Eeeeeeasy!" Chopper reluctantly slowed down. He trotted while I slowly jogged and the strange urge came over me again. "Hike!" We were off again!

We continued that way for only about a quarter of a mile, maybe just a little more. I'm not very... er... active, so we couldn't go far.

I've decided that this is going to be the second step in my self improvement process. I am going to take the dog out no less than 3 times a week to practice skijoring commands. I would like it to be 4 times a week, but this whole self improvement process is about baby steps and making habits. I'm starting small. 3 times a week for 10-20 minutes we jog. Keeping the time short is beneficial for the dog because technically for him it's a training session. It's good for me because I don't have a distance requirement, but have to be out for a certain amount of time. As I get better we will go further faster.

Classically New or Newly Classic?

I normally don't argue with boxes at the grocery store. I know that a lot of people don't like the term "New and Improved". I completely understand the concept though that something has been improved, and as a result, it's new.

What I don't understand is Hamburger Helper Classic Patty Melt - New.

Noticable Difference

A short update in my self improvement plan:

Things are going very well. I am finding it easier and easier to say no to sweets and foods higher in calories. I think once you get them out of your system, you start to break the cravings. I have read on different sites around the web that many people suggest sugar or food addictions. I definitely can relate! Although I wasn't very impressed with any of the scientific findings in support of sugar addiction, I do think that I have some sort of problem with being addicted to foods.

When I first started turning down unhealthy foods in favor of healthier alternatives, it was really hard for me. I would get emotionally choked up at the thought of not being able to eat what I wanted. Now it's getting much better, and I suspect that it will get even more natural to me as time goes on. I just have to break the cycle.

I have also been working out here and there for the last 2 weeks. It hasn't been anything consistent and I'm not even close to making it a habit. I think that working out 5 times a week will be the next habit that I try to build. I'm going to save that one for next week though because I suspect it will be very difficult to follow through.

AdShouts Helps Me Work From Home

Work at Home - www.adshouts.com

Everyone knows that I am always looking for ways to make money from home, more specifically from blogging at home. And of course, I always share when I find something good! At AdShouts, you pick your own price - how much you want to be paid. You also choose Ads that are relevent to you. They pay you straight through paypal , much like the izea website. Follow this link to see a quick how-to video and decide if it's right for you.

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Get Paid To Work From Home

Everyone knows that I want to work from home. I blog about it all the time, and I even use this blog to try to make a little money here and there. Every time I learn about a new work from home opportunity, I like to share it with my readers. If you want to work from home and stay home with the kids, or just be your own boss, then you can check out this link.

A Healthy Snack

I am so terrible in the grocery store. I found myself starving on my 15 minute break at work and I walked over to Safeway to grab a healthy snack. The only problem was that I couldn't think of one. It took me about 7 minutes to remember that yogurt existed. The biggest problem with yogurt is that I had to walk past the ice cream!

everything was going fine until I saw them. Little single serving cups on Ben and Jerry's ice cream. And there was even a little cup of Cherry Garcia, my favorite! I ended up getting one. What could it hurt? 220 calories, that's what!

The good: single serving sized container means no overeating.

The bad: for 220 calories I could have had a whole meal.

The ugly: I think all 220 calories went straight to my butt.

I Could Have Saved Money on Formula

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

A while back I wrote a blog for PMB products about baby formula. I am writing again to share what my savings would be if I would have used Parent's Choice baby formula instead of the Similac. As I wrote before, it was never my intention to use formula at all. I was ill prepared when it came to supplementing Caleb, and I used Similac because that is what he preferred when he was in the hospital and I also just happened to have a free sample at home.

There were some brands and types of formula that hurt his tummy. I used Enfamil once for him and it make him throw up for hours. After that, I always stuck with the Similac. My advice to anyone who is expecting a baby is to do your research. Look into which formulas have the best ingredients and be prepared to acquire them, even if you plan on nursing.

That being said, I have checked out the PMB Savings Calculator and found that over the course of a year I could have saved over $500 in formula costs. That's 2 car payments and I could really use those right now! I could have also put that toward Caleb's 5th birthday fund.

On the day Caleb was born, we invited everyone to his 5th birthday party in Disneyland. I haven't saved up enough for it, and he is already turning 3 in December! I am really going to need to step up my savings! If he wouldn't have had such expensive taste as a baby, I would be $500 closer!

Something new to the PMB website is that Formula Finder. You just click a few boxes and you get a recommendation of which formula to try. I ended up with the organic formula as a result. I don't think that Similac had an organic option when Caleb was on the formula. If they did, I never saw it at Costco where I shopped.

Lately I have been thinking about whether or not I would like to have another baby. I cant quite decide, but one thing is for sure... if I do, I will be better prepared - or so I will think. At least I will have a better idea of what I am in for. I will be able to at least take my own advice! (But I probably won't.)

Despicable Me

I feel the need, the need - for self improvement. Okay that isn't a very catchy tag line, but it's true. I keep setting these loft goals for self improvement, but I put too much on my plate and always end in epic failure. My newest plan is as follows...

I am going to have a focus item. Probably once a week or every other week, I am going to set up a goal to focus on. They say that it takes 3 weeks to make a habit. If I focus on something every day for a week, I will be 30% to making it an effortless habit. If it is something that will be harder to accomplish, like breaking an already habitual action, then I will give myself longer.

Item number one for my self improvement mission is to eat healthier. I know that a lot of people start here. It is the #1 New Year's resolution. It's also the most failed New Year's resolution. I know that the New Year is pretty far off, but I don't think that I need an event or calendar date to resolve to be better.

The reason that I have chosen my diet as my first attempt at self improvement is because it is effecting so many parts of my life. I feel tired all the time, I feel cranky very often, and my skin is looking worn and tired. I think I am 1 more piece of red meat away from getting bags under my eyes.

Originally, I thought of doing something drastic. I was going to go vegetarian again. I have since decided that baby steps are going to be best for me to actually reach my goals. I have a hard time sticking with things, it's not a fear of commitment; it's more of a fear of change. I think if I make habits then that will just be my new way of doing things and eventually they will become natural to me.

So now, I will make at least one healthy choice each day. I will no longer stuff beignets into my mouth one after the other. Today for lunch, I had a ham sandwich and a carrot. See how that works? Well wish me luck, because I still have the rest of the week to go!

HBO's True Blood is the best supernatural show on television

Guest post written by Tracy Leads

I began reading, the Sookie Stackhouse novels when Dead to the World was just being released. I was teaching the book club advisor at a local college when a students introduced me to them and I have been hooked ever since.

However, when HBO announced that they were inviting Alan Ball to take Charlaine Harris' characters and make them into a television show I was very hesitant. These were my favorite books that I read and I was fearful that Mr. Ball would destroy the Sookie universe that I came to know. Who would play these characters that I pictured in my mind? How would he change the story for television?

But, I sat down with my friends, turned my satelite tv to HBO, and began to watch with trepidation. From the beginning, the theme song was mesmerizing, Sookie was exactly who I thought she would be and oh my Bill and Eric were so delicious.

But, that was just the icing on the cake. The actors had great chemistry, they appeared to really make the characters, and Alan Ball's writing was wonderful even though he has made them his.

True Blood became just what it was supposed to be, a television show full of mystery, sex, hot supernatural beings and a story line that just draws you into the mysterious world of Sookie Stackhouse.

True Blood!

I don't know If I have mentioned this before, but I totally love True Blood! I have watched other shows on TV and other shows on HBO, but this one stands out the most. I would even go so far as to say that this show is the only reason I keep my HBO subscription.

Now that I think about it, this is the very reason that I even pay my cable bill. When one season ends, I watch the entire series on demand until it starts again. The only danger with watching them on demand is that I can't stop! I have stayed up til the wee hours of the morning watching True Blood on many occasions.

I love the show so much that I want to start reading the books. The only reason I have been holding off is because someone told me that one book is equal to one whole season and I don't want to get ahead of the show. Usually I don't feel that way about crossing media like that. I have read the first Twilight book, I plan on reading the rest - not really in a hurry, but I'm not very interested in the movies. That might all change when I start actually watching them.

I couldn't love True Blood anymore. The writing is fantastic. Every episode leaves me exclaiming, "What the heck?!?!" and longing for more. The catch phrase between season 2 and 3 was "waiting sucks", and I feel that way every week from Sunday to Sunday!

NASCAR

This was written by guest blogger Randy Evans

This time of year just like any other, I really enjoy watching NASCAR on my satellite tv deals. I've been a huge NASCAR fan ever since I can remember. Back in the day, my favorite driver was Dale Earnhardt. It was fun watching him bump someone just to let them know he was there, and it was fun to watch him finally win the Daytona 500. That was a great year.


Dale Earnhardt was the man who wasn't afraid of breaking the rules but he was also in favor of them. Doesn't make much sense unless you know the game I know. Dale could intimidate anyone on the track and off as well. Ever since Dale Earnhardt died, my love for the race hasn't changed. Just my driver.

Now a days, my favorite driver would have to be Tony Stewart. I like Dale Earnhardt Jr. as well, but as far as driving ability, Tony knows his stuff. Tony is not afraid of taking chances like a lot of the other drivers. Drive down below the yellow line, bump someone while you are drafting, Tony will do what he can to win.

NASCAR racing is a lot more fun to watch when you are actually at the track. Just smelling the rubber in the air and hearing the sounds of all those engines live, what fun.

We're having a heat wave!

I know that I have been complaining forever that Summer wasn't coming quick enough. We had rain all through may and most of June. I think that last month there was only one week of nice weather and the other 3 were rainy. It was enough to drive anyone crazy! Summer is finally here, it got here fast, and it got here HOT.

The weather has only just turned nice. The first week of July was sunny, a couple of rainy days here and there, but it's to be expected in the PNW. Now all of a sudden the sun wants to take some kind of revenge on us for doubting it. Tomorrow it is going to be a sweltering 99 degrees! It's some kind of battle of the weather right now. We can't have a happy medium.

It was pretty close to 100 degrees today, but I didn't even notice. When I walked outside, it was so nice to finally feel the sun on my skin that I didn't care so much about the heat. Now that the sun is down and I am trying to get comfortable in my house, it's a different story. I don't want to come off as hard to please, but it would be nice if we could have just a pleasantly warm day instead of dreary rain and then scorching heat.

FriendGiftr Kills White Elephants

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of FriendGiftr. All opinions are 100% mine.

Don't get me wrong, I love my friends. I love my family. I want them to know that I love them, but I just don't have time to deal with the stress of trying to find gifts for them for birthdays and all of these holidays that seem to spring up out of no where.

I think that there is some kind of gift giving holiday or event at least once a month or maybe more. Even months when there are no typical gift giving holiday, I still have to deal with birthdays and anniversaries. Okay, I don't mean "deal with" really, but let's be honest, they are a source of stress.

I'm always having to ask myself, what do you get for the person who has everything? The person who buys everything for them self before you can even get to the store? The person who is so picky that they never like what you pick out? The person who is so obscure that you have no idea where to even find something they would enjoy?

You've heard me say it before and I will say it again, giftcards. That's right. I usually get iTunes gift cards for people because most people like music. The problem with the iTunes card is that it's only good at one place... iTunes online. Sometimes my husband wants to download a CD, but sometimes he wants to own the album. Other times, your music collection might be complete. I have always thought that sooner or later, a new album will come out and you can use the gift card then. It's true, but it's nice to be able to use your gift cards right away. I'm also a fan of instant gratification.

I have found the perfect solution... FriendGiftr. With FriendGiftr, I can get someone an iTunes gift card which they can redeem like normal, OR they can exchange it for a different gift card of the same amount to a different place! That means that my mom can take her iTunes gift card from Mother's Day, and exchange it from one from a home improvement store and use it to help landscape her backyard. Either that, or go on a shopping spree at Kohl's! I really with that I would have used this for Mother's Day and Father's Day. I am pretty sure that I know what my mom would have used the gift card for, but my dad is a mystery.

My dad is the perfect candidate for FriendGiftr. I have no idea what the guy wants or needs. I can get him a gift card to where ever and he can just exchange it for a gift card to whatever mysterious thing he is into lately.

Goodbye stress of trying to pick gifts for people and hello to everybody getting what they really want!

Sunburn

Normally, the term Sunburn makes me think of being generally uncomfortable. I have been sunburned before, never really terribly, but it was pretty miserable. I can only imagine how awful it is for some of my friends who have really been burnt to a crisp.

Recently, I have found a whole new meaning for the word. The Widmer Brother Brewing Company has a Summer brew called Sunburn. I usually don't care for beer much, and I don't know much about it either. I can't really speak to how it's different than other beers. The only thing I can say about it is that its fantastic!

There is something sweet about it. Something very Summery. There is something that reminds me of sitting in a rocking chair on a porch on a warm Summer evening. There is something that tastes like a quiet night spent with close friends around a bon fire. I might not know a lot about beer, but I do know a lot about having a good time. This beer is going to be a main ingredient, right along side good friends and good music.

Those Who Can't Do, Teach

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ever feel dissatisfied with your life? I do. Sometimes I think about going back to school. I feel like that would help me to feel more fulfilled. What kind of career would I have if I went back to school? I think I would like to be a nutritionist. I just find it very interesting, and I think that I would enjoy doing it.

Sometimes I don't know if I even really want a new career. I just really like to learn. It doesn't matter so much what the subject is, I find new things interesting in general. Some of my favorite subjects are history, math, English and art. Hmmmm... that is pretty much all of them.

I don't have the time to go back to school right now, but that doesn't have to hold you back anymore. Right now the USC Rossier School of Education’s offers current educators and aspiring teachers a Master of Arts in Teaching degree the convenience and flexibility of studying online. I have taken some online classes before and I found them so convenient. You can do your homework any time of day. You can arrange your class times around your own schedule. Most assignments have to be timestamped and are due by certain times of the day or night.

The classes were interactive, which was unexpected in distance learning. Since you correspond mostly through email, you get a lot of one on one attention from your instructor. Message boards, forums, and chat rooms allow for class discussions and getting to know your classmates. Best of all, you can learn from USC professors, without having to travel!

You can view the program information here. Pay close attention because, yes, that DOES say that you can complete this course in as little as 12 months. You get full USC student status and benefits, participation in commencement ceremonies and free lifetime Alumni Association memberships. You will earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from a school with a 100-year history of educating teachers to be agents of change. And probably coolest of all, you get to be a Trojan!

My Sister the Baker

My sister is gluten intolerant. It's too bad for her, but it isn't so bad for me. My sister is a fantastic baker. She makes all manner of things from cakes to scones, cinnamon rolls and homemade bread. She seems to be using her baking as a way to cope with her dietary restrictions.

Most recently she has been making cranberry scones with a lemon glaze. I am trying to convince her to make cherry and macadamia nut scones, but she hasn't yet. I actually have a whole list of ingredients that I would like her include in her scones. Cherry is just my Summertime suggestion.

I have just emailed her a recipe for beignets. Caleb and I are snuggling in bed watching the Princess and the Frog. I just love the part where Charlotte orders 500 "man catching beignets" from Tiana. More than that, I love beignets, but I can't even remember the last time that I had one. I hope that she decides to make them... They aren't baked though, I hope that doesn't sway her decision. A beignet, like most other foods that are fantastic, is fried.

Cindy, if you're reading this, make some beignets. Even if you already have, go ahead and make them again! YUM!

Mission Tortillas

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mission Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

Shawn's dad makes homemade tortillas from scratch. I still haven't even tried his recipe, and most people in the family are they same way. They leave the tortilla making up to him because he is the best at it. Many times, as we are spending time together as a family, one of the grandkids will ask Grandpa to make tortillas and everyone is quick to second the motion. Just tonight, Shawn's parents brought over a fresh batch for us.

As much as we love grandpa's tortillas, they aren't always available. Shawn can eat through a whole batch in about 2 and a half days. The other down side to having fresh, homemade tortillas so often is that your taste buds get spoiled! It's hard to find a store bought tort that Shawn can even tolerate.

The only brand that he can enjoy is Mission Tortillas. They taste very fresh, and although they are thinner than his dad's tortillas, they are just as tasty. They come in several different sizes so you can use them in lots of different recipes.

My favorite thing to make with my torts is breakfast burritos! I usually make them with scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon. Shawn likes to have them with peanut butter, and Caleb likes the same thing. He also likes them with melted cheese. Shawn's mom eats them with butter. You can eat them any which way you want them because they are a very inexpensive ingredient. Whether it's burritos, soft tacos, wraps, or low carb alternative, they are always delicious.

So, everyone has their favorite way to eat their tort. Mission Tortillas is having a contest called Mission Menus Challenge. Chef Sara Moulton is encouraging people to submit budget friendly recipes to www.MissionMenusChallenge.com. You could get the chance to compete in a cook off. At the cook off, you will be competing to win a $10,000 dream kitchen makeover as well as a host of weekly prizes.

The grand prize winner will win round-trip airfare and hotel for two to the Mission Menus Challenge Cook-off at the Hard Rock Café in LA.

All recipes must:
• Must include Mission Flour Tortillas
• Be original
• Feed a family of five for $10 or less

And... Rain

The amount of rain we have been having this summer. This has been our rainiest year since 1944, or so they tell me.

And then...

The last few days have been glorious. The weekend was wonderful. I sat in the sun, Caleb ran through the sprinkler and played in the pool. We ate Popsicles outside on the porch. We worked on the yard and BBQed.

And now...

Today it rained. Just a couple of days before the holiday weekend and it starts raining. I think it drove everyone crazy. On my way home from work, I saw people lighting fireworks in the rain.

I think we are all just trying to hold on to our sanity while we pray for summer.