Hurricane Isaac Devistation

This was posted on my friend's facebook page. She is from Helena, MS which is a small town that hardly anyone knows was torn apart by Hurricane Isaac. After Katrina, the news media focuses mostly on New Orleans, not mentioning the other areas of the Gulf Coast that are affected by Hurricanes and Tropical Storms. The weather channel will tell you that all is well in New Orleans, but it doesn't mean that there aren't people out there who desperately need help.

Written by Debbie Waltman ...

I still can't believe the utter devastation due to flooding in our local community. I'm not sure most people who were not affected by the flooding even know how truly devastated the Helena, and surrounding areas was impacted. Yesterday the Red Cross came to Helena and served hot meals to people who haven't had hot meals since the storm. After serving over 100 meals, they ran out of food. The loc al ministry called Sisters also served hot meals when the Red Cross ran out. The sisters served over 500 hot meals! 500! And sat with these people and heart their heart breaking stories of how they can't cook because they've lost all appliances and are living out of Ice chests. Their homes are virtually uninhabitable. Many have lost everything. Most refuse to leave, some sleeping outdoors because they don't want to be looted. Children are being BOATED in to catch their school buses.

Here are some ways you can help your hurting neighbors:

• Get your church together to cook a hot meal one day.
• Donations of furniture, appliances (refrigerators, stoves, microwaves and other household items are needed.)
• Volunteer to do laundry for victims and pick up and return.
• Organize an after spot for kids to come hang out to do homework and get a snack. ( remember, what they're going home to. Can you imagine doing home work in that? And some have no air conditioning!)
• Some people are requesting camping tents and air mattresses because they won't leave but can't sleep indoors.
• Cleaning supplies are in big demand as are workers to help with clean up.
• Groceries that need no refrigeration. (one woman wept when she got a bag with Vienna sausages because she could feed her baby). Hand powered can openers. Paper goods. Water and other drinks.

If you can help with any of these needs, you may drop items off at the Helena community center to the sisters group. If you want to do more, talk to sisters about how specifically you want to help. Inbox Tiki Simmons or contact Darlene Whittington or BJ Broome — with BJ Broome and Darlene Whittington. (Also on facebook, but links were not given)

**PLEASE SHARE SO OTHERS CAN HELP TOO**

My Decorating Style

So apparently no one can figure out my decorating style, not even me. I just took a couple of tests online that were supposed to reveal to me the name of my decorating style. So far the results are ....

• French Country
  • Which I really don't care for
• Traditional
  • I can see this
• Modern Contemporary
  • Well, I suppose, but just a little. I wouldn't say I would want it to be my main theme.

So I guess I will just have to keep looking. Maybe it would be better to find inspirational pictures... but that is what I was looking for and having trouble finding when I started taking these quizzes. I was trying to find a way to narrow down my search results. Well, I guess it's just back to the old drawing board for me.

Africa Hot

I don't know how hot it is in Africa right now, but I am way too hot to look it up. It's been triple digits for 3 days in a row... or has it been 4? My sanity fails me.

Alright Eastcoasters, Mid-USers, Southerners, New Englanders, and Rest-of-America-ers... I know you have been having a heat wave for like 3 months. I feel bad for you, I have since the start of it... But I am simply not used to this.

No matter how hot it gets this week you won't hear me saying that I miss the rain! I do not miss the rain. I'm happy it's Summer. I have been waiting for this Summer since the first rain drop fell in November. I am enjoying it thoroughly and I can guarantee that I have made the most out of every sunny minute of it, but DANG it if isn't HOT outside!

Topping off the reasons to feel sorry for myself is the fact that the air conditioner is broken at work and we can't get anyone to come fix it because no one wants to take on a commercial account. Seems silly to me, but maybe they are just too much work. I don't know a lot about the HVAC world... I know nothing about the HVAC world, actually.

Things are supposed to cool down a little this weekend and we are going to relax at Timothy Lake with the family. Ah, the old watering hole... except it's not old to me because I've never been there, but I was trying to tie it in with the Africa thing...

Disney Flight Booked!

There are tiny little bubbles of joy bursting their happy juice all over the inside of my heart right now because I just booked the flight to Disneyland! In a few hours I will be booking the hotel and the park passes! I am SO EXCITED!

It feels like a magical rainbow colored unicorn is dancing in my brain. I am so happy that his is really happening. I am taking my son to Disneyland for his 5th birthday! Just like I promised him on the day he was born. He will turn 5 years old to the second while we are sitting in Medieval Times. This is going to be the best Vacation ever!

If you're wondering about all of my research and frugality, yes it was there and has been for the last 5 years. I booked a flight with Delta which was not only nonstop, but super cheap. I used Orbitz.com, but I didn't see much of a price difference from website to website. I checked Orbitz, Travelocity, Cheap-O air, and the Delta website. I ended up going with Orbitz because I like their mobile app. It has saved me several times in the past when gates have been changed last minute by sending me text message alerts.

The travel plans were booked using Small World Vacations as I have mentioned in other posts about Disney.

College Football Tickets

It's only been about a year since I started following college football. College sports never really interested me before, but as my knowledge for the NFL grew and I became more aware of the intricacies of the pro sport, I was more interested in up and coming young talent.

One thing about College Football is that the players and the fans are so passionate and that makes it more fun, I think. You never see a kicker doing as much in the NFL as you do in College football. The young men playing are spry and quick, there is a lot of fast action. I'm learning to appreciate that more, but I still love the hard hits of the NFL as well.

You may also be starting to follow College sports or College football as well and wondering where you can get tickets to watch your favorite teams play. You can check out central florida golden knights football tickets, unlv rebels football tickets,ucla bruins football tickets.

Me? Well I'm a New Orleans Saints fan, so naturally I would prefer to see LSU play... Hey, it's not selling out because my pro team isn't going to win a thing this year! Still, gotta love 'em though... WHO DAT!

Make Money Fast on your Smart Phone

It's no secret that I use my blog to make a little cash on the side. I get paid for some of the blogs I write; it's true. To try to keep a little integrity on my blog, I always mention if the post is sponsored or not. This one is not.

For the past few months I have been using an iPhone app to make a little cash. I was first attracted to it because it is made by one of the companies that already pays me for blogging. This app is called WeReward.

I have made $78.00 so far on WeReward and I'd make a lot more if I remembered to use it. All you do is take a picture of which business you are at. Today I went to Starbucks and snapped a shot of my coffee. I made 50 cents. Later, I went to McDonald's for lunch. A quick picture of my fries were worth another 50 cents. After work I went with my sister to the grocery store and took a picture of her with her purchase. Another 50 cents. That evening my dad took us all out for dinner and I checked in at the restaurant for 10 cents.

what I like about WeReward is that you don't have to spend money to make money. Like as the restaurant all I had to do was check in, and it's like that with a lot of places. You just check in and you earn money. The business gets the free advertising on your Facebook or Twitter and you get money. Not gift cards - real money. They deposit it into your Paypal account.

I suggest that if you have a smart phone you check out WeReward.

Disney Discounts

I have searched the internet for months looking for the best deals on Disney Vacations. I have tried piecing them together myself and I have tried doing the all-inclusive trips offered by several online travel agencies. I have looked through airlines and discount programs hunting for the best deal. I have found it.

Seriously, save yourself the trouble and go to MouseSavers.com. There you will find countless tips. Not only can this site help you save money on your Disney Vacation, but it will also help you get the most out of it.

The fist time I went to Disneyland I totally skipped the DisneyVillage... not because I didn't want to go, but because I didn't even know it existed! I was so upset when I learned about it after I got home! Now I've read all about it on MouseSavers and I am really excited to go!

Most recently on MouseSavers.com I found a link to Small World Vacations which specializes in vacation packages to Disneyland. I filled out some information online and a few days later I was emailed by a travel agent who got me a seriously screamin' deal on hotel and Disneyland passes. All I have to do is find my own air fair, but that's easy since I live pretty close to California.

Use my habit of over researching to your benefit and use MouseSavers.com.