Still Hanging Out

Well it looks like I will still be hanging out here for awhile. I have to wait for Social Spark to change my url before I can write sponsored posts where I moved my blog. I will have to continue to post them here until that happens. I think their customer service department must be bogged down with the holidays barely over and such.

So if you want to read my product reviews continue to stop by and I will post when I finally get completely moved. I also will put the redirect back on so it will go there automatically. Also will my followers please follow me at the new juliannah by design. I would really appreciate it. I also need the traffic as my stats really took a hit once I moved. Of course I knew that would happen, but it is still disappointing. That is my priority in the next few weeks. I am also trying to work on Tweeting more and receiving more income from that avenue. Please come follow me on twitter too. You can find me as @juliannahaz. I will be breaking 300 followers anytime. Follow me and I will follow you.

Well, I am off to Social Spark to pick up a new Opp. Thanks for bearing with me during this move. Overall it will be for the better and I am enjoying working on my new blog.

Tuna: Good for Moms-To-Be

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


I find it very interesting how much differing views concerning pregnancy are out there. When I had my kids, the last one born 25 years ago, I was not told to avoid seafood. Today, pregnant women are told not to eat seafood such as shark, mackerel, swordfish and tilefish because they can be high in mercury and that can be harmful to the developing baby.

One type of seafood that I love is tuna. I ate tuna when I was pregnant with my children. I still enjoy a tuna sandwich for lunch A scientific report published in Environmental Health Perspectives recently stated that locally obtained seafood has higher levels of mercury, but most of the seafood consumed in the United States is not from local areas.

Some women may actually be avoiding seafood when some like healthy tuna could be beneficial to a pregnant woman. Studies have shown that tuna can help prevent depression in pregnant women. The omega-3 fatty acids also assist in brain development of the child.

Women trying to conceive can also benefit because tuna contribute to increased fertility, increases HDL (good) cholesterol and provides nutrients like the already mention Omega-3 fatty acids plus vitamin D and selenium.

Therefore, women should of course talk to their Obstetrician about diet before and during pregnancy and follow the Doctor’s recommendations, but should not be afraid to limit every type of seafood.

This is my family's favorite Tuna Casserole

* 8 ounces elbow macaroni
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
* 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon salt or seasoned salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
* 1 can cream of mushroom soup
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* buttered soft bread crumbs


Cook macaroni in boiling water according to package directions until tender, drain and rinse.
Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven; add chopped onions and bell pepper and sauté over low heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until smooth and bubbly. Add milk and mushroom soup and stir over low heat until smooth and thickened. Add cooked drained macaroni, flaked tuna, peas, and about half of the cheese to sauce mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into 2-quart buttered casserole; top with remaining cheese then buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Tuna casserole serves 4 to 6.

Finding the Best Running Shoes.

Where do you buy shoes? Maybe at the mall or online better yet a discount shoe store? I really like the convenience of online shopping. I have found that you can see a bigger variety of the product you are looking for just by shopping online.


If you are a runner then Zappos.com is the place to go for running shoes. They have a huge variety and just about every brand you can think of. I found these Sketcher running shoes. I like the simplicity of the style. They will look great on the trail or with a pair of jeans if you so desire.


Another feature I like is free shipping! I also like the way they categorize the running shoes. You can look for the running shoes that fit your needs, like stability, motion control or trail running. There is also a section for track and field.


If you are in need of running shoe then check out Zappos.com.Oh, and while you are there check out the apparel, handbags, housewares and beauty section. Because all girls want more than just the perfect running shoes.

Sponsored Post

Wordless Wednesday - My Best Friend's Wedding

New Blog Post on Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

I have a new post on Life is Like a Box Of Chocolates:



5 Ways to Support the Troops During the Holidays

Please visit and tell me how you support the troops during the holidays.

How do You Survive Deployment?

I get this question quite a bit from co-workers, friends and family members. How do I do it? Well, I might say, "Very carefully." The truth is I do not always have a good time dealing with it. Even though my son is not in war zone, so to speak, I still worry and realize he is still a target. I find the not knowing aspect to be the hardest.

 

I cope by working on his Christmas care package, writing emails to him and updating his deployment website. I am so fortunate to be able to follow his deployment on FaceBook and Twitter. I also look at Marine, Naval and Unit websites quite regularly. I have said it before and I will say it again. Google is my friend.

 

Surviving deployment is made a little easier for me because I have many friends and family that understand when I get a little upset. Even though this is a non-combat deployment, there are other issues such as financial problems. I have to get his car registered this week and I have a feeling the experience will be less than pleasurable. Power of Attorney is not the end all to every situation that arises.

 

I also believe that we, the people back home can help ourselves survive by doing whatever we can, be that standing with the Patriot Guard, becoming a Soldiers' Angels or just shaking the hand of a vet and saying "Thank you." For some joining support groups or online communities such as Marineparents.com can help coping on a daily basis.

 

Deployment is hard any way you look at. 

So, how do you survive deployment?

New blog post on Life is Like a Box of Chocolates - Do you Know About #MilitaryMon? Read to find out.

The Targets

As parents, we all worry about out children. Worry is something that starts long before our children are born. Then we realize the worry will never end. As parents of military members, we share another fear. Fear, we dread hearing the words, “Mom, Dad. I will be deploying on….” Those words pull on our heart even more because we know they will intentionally be in harm’s way.

What we try not to fear is when they are stateside on a base or post is their safety. The murder of 12 soldiers and 1 police officer on Fort Hood came as such a shock. Were they not supposed to be safe?

When my son deployed this fall on a naval ship I knew in my mind that all would probably be well. However, to be honest watching that ship sink smaller into the horizon left me with a pit in my stomach. I wanted to jump in the ocean and bring him back. I think about him every night before I go to sleep. I wonder where he is. I wonder if he will be safe while in port. No, I am sure I do not have the same fear as a mother of a service member in Afghanistan or Iraq, but fear is still fear.

When my son came home from boot camp, he told me that he is not allowed to travel in uniform. Why? Because he is a target. A target? My Son?

Last week we found out just how much of a target our children are. It is shameful, but real. It is why I lay awake at night.

A Christmas Tree for my Son

I am preparing LCpl Honda's Christmas care package. Since he will not be here for the holidays I wanted to bring a little holiday spirit to him. I have been agonizing over what to send to him. He just keeps telling me he does not need anything. I know he is not deprived of anything since he is deployed on a Navy ship, but still I want to send him something!

Today I stopped at Walgreens and I this tree. I love it! The clerk loved it! Especially when she found out it was going to a deployed service member. Now my care package think tank is in full gear. Watch LCpl Honda, Christmas is coming!

Decorating Woes

My furniture is probably over ten years old. So I have been thinking about either replacing it or maybe covering it. It has a southwestern theme which is fine but I am kind of tired of it. I am striving for a simple decorating solution for my house. Although keeping Corvette from sitting out toy cars and machine gun shells from LCpl Honda is a challenge in itself.

I want to have a mix of Southwestern décor with a touch of modern motif. So of course, I resort to internet searches and I found a site that offers many options for my decorating dilemma. The Furniture Store has solutions for every room of the house. I really liked the selection of living room furniture.

I checked out the dinette sets because when we moved to our new house I bought a set that just does not work in our house. I want to sell it and get something that will work better in the space we have.

There is even a section for pets. I have been looking for a new affordable dog bed for Lucie for awhile now. I love my puppy but I am not willing to take out a loan for a dog bed. I found a large, plush dog bed for about $44.00. Not bad.

I am sure I will find what I am looking for. It just takes some time, but I will persevere in my quest to have my perfectly decorated home!

Applebees Salute to our Military and Veterans

Veteran’s Day is November 11 and if you are active duty military or a Vet then you will get to eat free at Applebee's. I have to aplaud Applebee's for honor our service members in this way.

We can all spread the word to the service members we know. Just go the Applebee's send an invitation page and fill in the service member’s info and they will be sent an personalized invitation. If you have a facebook or twitter account you can spread the word to lots of people

It is that easy. You will be doing a great thing along with Applebee's and our heroes get a a big thank you in the way of a free meal.

 

Healthful Halloween

It is almost Halloween and I am sure everyone is gearing up for the big night. I remember when my kids were little and they would go out and collect more candy then they needed in a year. They would come home and after inspecting the loot my next move would be to try and get control of the candy intake. I am sure most moms can relate to this. I could not just let them haul the candy bag off to their bedrooms. Oh no. This would surely result in stomach aches, candy wrapper trash everywhere but the worst would be the sugar high. All parents have experienced the horror of kids on sugar. So, needless to say I would fight to the end to gain control of the candy bag. This way I could limit the amount of candy they could eat at any given time. This would avoid the sugar high and all that comes along with eating too much sugar. For example, kids bouncing off the walls, kids screaming uncontrollably and the worst, kids that will not go to sleep.

I have given this much thought over the years and after giving out raisin packs, carrot sticks and other dried fruit, much to the dismay of trick or treaters, I decided to look into something healthful but a bit more appetizing. So I found a website that not only appeals to the little ghost and goblins, but meet my requirements for a healthful treat. I found Trick or Treat Me blog and they offer Hershey’s and Organic Valley Chocolate Milk in shelf-stable cartons. Most kids love chocolate milk! The chocolate milk comes in recyclable cartons and the Trick or Treat me offers some great information about milk and how it aids in recovery after exercise.

So this year I will be handing out these chocolate milk boxes along with a little bit of candy in hopes that I will not only make the kids happy but contribute to their overall health. I wish I had known about Hershey's and Organic Valley's Chocolate Milk in recyclable cartons before.

They even offer coupons toward the purchase price, so everybody wins. Check it out because after Halloween is over the chocolate milk is still a great afternoon snack or a before bedtime treat.

The Booklet

I received a booklet in the mail the other day. It was from Miss Foundation an advocacy group that not only works to educate people on stillborn, infant and childhood death, they also provide a place for bereaved parents and grandparents to come together, share and get help with the grieving process.

I contacted the group not long after Lolly Pop Kid went to heaven in an attempt to cope with my own grief and to try to help Cinderella in any way I could. At the time, they sent me a packet filled with information about the subject. The booklet had lots of information and it listed so many names of Angel children. I never realized how many children die each year and how many other people were out there with the same feelings I had.

A couple days ago another issue of the booklet arrived in the mail. I did not pick it up and look at it until yesterday. As I was looking through it, I came upon a section titled recent losses. There I saw it. Lolly’s name printed with several other children. I have to admit it was like a stab in the gut. Not that I think I am over this, because I never will be, but I have managed to find a new “normal” way of living. I know that I still think about him everyday. I just do not feel sucker-punched as much as in the beginning.

I also read that October 15 was National Infant and Child Death Awareness and Prevention Day. I was unaware of this. I wish I would have know because I would have worked to get the word out to help other parents and family members that find themselves in this sad group.

We cannot bring Lolly back but at least we know there is help out there and it is comforting to know that our Lolly is not forgotten. Certainly not by us and not by people who did not even know him.

Love you and miss you big boy!

 

Wordless Wednesday - Halloween Cuties

Heatwave or Snowstorm?

I know I have talked about the weather here in the Desert Southwest a time or two. Last week we were still hovering around the ninety’s. Nothing new for October since we only have two seasons here. Ungodly hot and normal hot. Ninety degree temperatures in October are not unusual.

Normally it cools down a little around Halloween just in time for parents to start looking for jackets so the little ghost and goblins will be warm for a night of treats. I remember my kids would want to pick a costume like a fairy princess or some other outfit that I knew they would end up getting cold by wearing.

So I turned on the news last night and wouldn't you know it. The weather person says there is a cold front coming. Now we are not talking any cold front. Oh no. We are talking near freezing temperatures by Wednesday morning with a high somewhere in the fifties and a possibility of mountain snow. The high temperature for today is supposed to be 86 degrees. I am wondering does this happen anywhere else in the country? Then on Halloween the temperature should be back up to seventy degrees.

So, today is shorts tomorrow may be heavy sweaters and back to shorts by the weekend.

Ahh, so is life in the Desert Southwest.

Planting Our Fall Garden

After a scorching summer, our garden has finally rebounded and we were able to harvest a few peppers, one lone cucumber, and a giant radish. Corvette and I have concluded that planting early spring and late fall is probably our best bet for having a more productive garden.


I decided to do a little research to see what vegetables do the best in the fall months. I came up with a list for fall planting. Snap peas and snow peas, broccoli, cabbage, collards, carrots, parships, beets, onions, lettuce, mesclun, spinach, turnips & chard to name a few. Now some of these need to be planted no later than August in order to get a good harvest. However, since I live in the Desert Southwest we do not get many hard freezes and I am hoping that if we do get cooler temperatures I can just cover the garden. Just as this summer was a learning experience with the garden, winter will be too.

I hope that by next year I will have a real good idea what to plant during warm weather and cooler weather. Now if I can just get Corvette to stop picking the vegetables before they are mature I might actually have eatable veggies! Seriously, we had green leaf lettuce that even though it was taking a bit of a beating from the heat he thought if he picked it early he would save it. Wrong. I tasted it and it had a horrible sour taste. Please Vette baby, let the garden grow!

Finding the Perfect Website Host

Recently I thought about taking this blog and hosting it on my own site. Since I wanted to do reviews, I found out that I could not do them on my wordpress site since it is against their policies and doing them could result in my blog being deleted. The thought of all that work and effort being lost was not very appealing to me. That is one reason why I moved all of the content here to Blogger.


I did a lot research on the internet about web hosting sites. I found Web Hosting Geeks. They reviewed the top ten web hosting sites. Web Hosting Geeks ranks each site from one to ten. They included features, bonus features, prices and user reviews.

There is also web hosting awards for Best Budget Web Hosting, Best Blog Web Hosting, and Best Email Web Hosting and so on. You can visit Web Hosting Geeks and read the awards for yourself.

I found Web Hosting Geeks very helpful in my search for a web host. It was easier to compare features, prices and I always like to read actual user reviews on any product I plan to purchase.

If you are in need of web hosting you should check out Web Hosting Geeks. They have done all the footwork for you making it easy to find the right web host for your blog or website.

I've moved!

I decided to move my blog to a different site. Please visit me here.