A Godly Homemaker

saving money

2009-07-12T13:51:00.013-05:00

as a keeper at home i concentrate on saving money rather than earning it. here are a few things i have done in the past or am doing now.

we no longer have a cvs in our town but when we did i managed to get quite adept at getting free or nearly free items there every week. my best shopping trip there came after a year of practice. i bought $103 worth of items for $3. i did the happy dance that day big time!! so did my husband lol

here's what i did to start with cvs. i bought a bottle of makeup for my dd's bday. it cost $9. however this product was marked "$9 ecbs" meaning i earned $9 worth of ecbs when i bought it. i then turned around and bought another bottle of $9 makeup and didn't need to pay anything! so i got 2 bottles for the price of 1. HOWEVER remember the bottles were marked "$9 ecbs" so i then earned another $9 in ecbs, (or store dollars) i used that $9 ecbs , added a $2 off coupon, and bought a pack of diapers for free!!! so i came home with a pack of diaps and 2 bottles of makeup all for $9.
i clip coupons. my greatest savings this way was $30 in one grocery trip. not as much as some bloggers but hubby liked it. i have discovered that if you take those $1 off coupons for kotex feminine pads to walmart that you can get a pack totally free. i have 63 packs in my bathroom now and i didn't pay one cent. no i am not joking about the amount of packs i have.

look carefully at your coupon. i discovered that olay puts out a $2 off coupon and shows a picture of their $6 bottle of shower gel. HOWEVER if you read the writing it says save $2 on ANY olay bath product. bars of olay soap count too. they are only $2.42 at walmart for 2 bars so i pay 42 cents for 2 bars of soap. rather than simply buying the product shown.

enter contests! i have , in the span of 19 months won 98 contests. yes i did!!! i only enter for what i need - except if it's late at nite and i have time to enter for jewlery too!-. i have won household cleaners,potholders, boxes of granola bars and containers of yogurt. i have won a tv! i have won cookie sheets, clothes for everyone in the family,books,dvds, toys,-always keep christmas and bdays in mind when entering. i won a mp3 player for my dd! i enter via blogs here on the web.

i send off for freebies. i have more lotion than i can ever use!!! samples of shampoo last 2 washings so there ya go!! 1 free sample and 2 kids get their hair washed for nothing!
pens are great freebies cuz we homeschool. i have several packs of post-its cuz the company gave them away as advertising. i use them for bible study.
there are tons of freebies out there but it does take some learning to not get the ones that give junk mail only! walmart.com never gives junk mail! (look under in stores now for the freebies) just about any product you can think of i have gotten free. tshirts, beauty and health products, baby items, toys , well really anything!!

by doing these things i save money. i don't earn it. when i save $30 on our food bill that enables us to put that $30 towards the electric bill. when i receive 2 rolls of toilet paper in the mail for free i can take that $1-2 and buy bananas instead. dh likes it when he announces he needs a toothbrush and i show him the drawer with over 80 of them - yes ladies, 80!!!- and tell him to pick a color. no spending required. :)

i believe this is putting the verse Pro 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
with my savings i am able to do more that brings in profit.

what ways do you save?

Mandatory Swine Flu Vaccinations This Fall?

2009-07-11T22:57:00.003-05:00

i am putting this paragraph here so you will take note and read further. it is actually further down in the article

A concerned citizen called the the Arkansas State Health Department for advice on what he could do to opt out of the vaccine only to be told that mandatory vaccines were constitutional and could be enforced at gunpoint by the government if necessary

Mandatory Swine Flu Vaccinations This Fall?

U.S. government puts states on notice, WHO prepares announcement on jabs

Mandatory Swine Flu Vaccinations This Fall? 100709top

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Friday, July 10, 2009

Swine flu fearmongering is increasing in its intensity the closer we get to fall, which is the timeframe earmarked for the production and potential mandatory distribution of vaccines which may not even properly fight the virus.

Despite the fact that swine flu has killed far fewer people globally than the common flu virus since it was first discovered in April, media scare stories about H1N1 “epidemics” are becoming more and more frequent.

A death toll in Britain of 14, every one of whom had underlying health problems to begin with, has prompted fearmongering headlines despite the fact that the 1999-2000 seasonal flu outbreak affected more people. Add to this the fact that doctors are treating swathes of ordinary flu sufferers as swine flu cases and the exaggerated paranoia is plain to see.

Reuters reports today that the World Health Organization will “issue guidance about the need for a H1N1 influenza jab” during a press conference later today or on Monday. Meanwhile, the U.S. government has put states on notice that swine flu vaccinations will begin in October.

“Swine flu may have faded from the headlines but it’s still sickening people here and abroad and is certain to worsen when influenza-friendly fall temperatures arrive. The federal government called together health and education officials from every state to check their preparations for the likely prospect of vaccinations and determine how they’ll handle flu-riddled schools,” reports USA Today.

Preparations are clearly being geared towards a mass rollout of the swine flu vaccine, in other words, a mandatory distribution. Time Magazine has been dutifully preparing Americans to accept this premise, reporting on April 28th that a mass vaccination program is being readied to combat swine flu while also urging Americans to “trust that the government is working for the greater good” and to not resist draconian measures. tami's note- see how the media is manipulating us and not reporting the truth?

The question is, what will happen to the millions of people around the world who will reject the notion that the government can order someone to stick a needle in your arm by force?

A concerned citizen called the the Arkansas State Health Department for advice on what he could do to opt out of the vaccine only to be told that mandatory vaccines were constitutional and could be enforced at gunpoint by the government if necessary.

One of his main concerns centered around the fact that the company chosen to mass produce the swine flu vaccine, Baxter International, were recently caught in a scandal after it emerged they had sent out vaccines contaminated with the H5N1 avian flu virus to 18 countries from their Austrian branch. It was only by providence that the contamination was found after the batch was first tested on ferrets in the Czech Republic, before being shipped out for injection into humans. The ferrets all died and the shocking discovery was made.

Some Czech newspapers speculated at the time that Baxter was embroiled in a conspiracy to provoke a pandemic from which it would reap billions in profits from producing the vaccine to counter a bird flu outbreak.

As we have previously covered, the last time the government ordered a mass vaccination drive in response to a swine flu outbreak, the program had to be stopped short after the shots caused over 500 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a severe paralyzing nerve disease. 30 people died as a direct result of the vaccinations.

As with every flu virus, the particular strain of swine flu currently circulating the globe will inevitably mutate and change, and indeed there is evidence to suggest that this is already taking place – so how on earth could vaccines be a fix all cure unless multiple vaccines produced on an annual basis were distributed?

Ahhhh….now we’re beginning to see the full picture.

Since the corporate media is owned by the same interests that control the pharmaceutical companies, who by the way will stand to profit in the billions and even trillions if a policy of mandatory vaccination is enforced, it is no wonder why the fearmongering is intensifying as we draw closer to the timeframe that officials promised us all along would mark the return of swine flu with a vengeance – along with the mass rollout of vaccines that some people will be less enthusiastic about than others.

taken from http://www.prisonplanet.com/mandatory-swine-flu-vaccinations-this-fall.html

win an ergo

2009-07-11T21:13:00.002-05:00

that's right- win and ergo here! this is a fantastic baby carrier and personally i am hoping i win it! tho if arlene wins it she will give it to her new grandbaby ~smile~

a contest at the mommy-files

2009-07-11T20:34:00.003-05:00

head over here and check out this giveaway! the mommy-files has a contest going on to win a baby onesie or a toddler t shirt of your choice! what a great thing to win and put away for christmas!!

more proverbs 31

2009-07-09T20:13:00.004-05:00

i hit the wrong button with the below post , i wasn't ready to publish it. now of course you can see what the subject is about lol

please- so many people write better than i do- read their views on the subject of women working outside the home. i truly believe that is is against God's will for women to work outside the home. i don't think it keeps you out of heaven but it isn't in God's plan for women to do man's job. man was told to work - toil- not women.

the post below was taken from biblical agrarianism
please see what the rest of their article states. please check out my right sidebar pics for other sites discussing the subject.

my family went from $100,000 a yr to $16,000 a yr and i never went outside the home to work. even if i had wanted to my husband wouldn't have wanted me too. i did what i could to save money, not earn it. if i saved $20 off the grocery bill then i had $20 more to put towards the power bill. etc etc

as far as women working outside the home if their husbands are disabled or they are widowed- search the scriptures- God made a way there too! the church is to take care of them! bet you don't see that happening a lot nowadays! check out gleaning the harvest on this subject.

anyway- please check the articles out that i mentioned, as i said they are much more articulate than i am.

did the proverbs 31 woman work outside the home?

2009-07-09T20:03:00.004-05:00

did the proverbs 31 woman work outside the home?
The Proverbs 31 woman is sometimes used to justify working out of the home. Yes, this woman was very industrious, but all she did was home based. Notice that she sold her products to the merchants. And it was the merchants who sold to the public.

Titus 2:4-5 “ . . . . that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
The word “keeper” is translated “stayer.” (meaning she stays at home)

The passage also says she is to obey her “own” husband. Working outside the home often involves working for a man, which will usurp obedience to her husband because of the demands the job places on her. Even working for another woman presents the same problem and is certainly not a way to justify an outside job.

busy in the kitchen and strong opinion

2009-07-09T15:32:00.011-05:00

well i was busy in the kitchen today. after i got our supper made- chicken and vegie soup- i made a cheesy cornbread to go with it. then i made 2 chocolate birthday cakes for the 2 birthdays we still have left to celebrate this week. then i stuck a loaf of banana bread in, preparing for breakfast tomorrow.
after that i got the beans started for tomorrow nights dinner of hamburger and bean soup.

this is a typical day in my home.

i had someone ask me recently how and why i did this. she questioned why i didn't buy canned beans but rather dried and boiled them up myself. why do you make tortillas when you can buy them? why no canned vegies or frozen ones in your soups? you see i boil up ears of corn and shave them down, throw fresh carrots in , throw freshly diced potatos in, boil beans ahead of time etc etc. when i say i cook from scratch i mean it! i bake cakes and breads from flour and other ingredients, not a mix or box. my crackers are rolled out on the table, not with the word ritz on them.

why? becuz i am a keeper at home. i am a gatekeeper. do you know what a gatekeeper is? someone who doesn't let the bad things in. in, this case, my family. i don't want chemicals that cause cancer in my children. i don't want preservatives that cause endocrine systems to screw up going into the mouths of my babies. nor my dh's mouth either!

i research ingredients and i know what's listed on the sides of the processed foods out there- that guarantee fast food but not good for you food.

does it take time to research this? yes! does it take time to cook from scratch? yes.BUT that is one of my jobs! i am a keeper at home. when someone tells me they don't have time to do this research or cook this way, it is always, without fail, someone who works outside the home and picks their child up at the daycare right before they fly home to unwashed laundry and unmopped floors, and throws a microwavable box of junk in to give their kids something to eat.

what , may i ask, kind of home is that?

i have the time to roll out the crackers and shave the corn and dice the potatos becuz i am home. standing guard over my family as described in scripture.

did you know that one of the jobs a bible time keeper at home had was to keep the coal fires burning? not a fire lit but coal fires smouldering at all times. they didn't have microwaves back then ya know! well how could they do that if they weren't home? did you know if your coalfire went out it brought shame to you as a keeper at home? well! i must say - there are a lot of coal fires that have burned out in today's world. what a shame and these women don't even know it!!

i ask you again- what kind of home are you giving your family?

recall notice

2009-07-09T09:27:00.000-05:00

Kolcraft Media Contact: (202) 289-2001

Kolcraft Recalls 1 Million Play Yards Due to Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation
with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following
consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately
unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Kolcraft, Carter's, Sesame Street, Jeep, Contours, Care Bear
and Eric Carle Play Yards

Units: About 1 million

Distributor: Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. of Chicago, Ill.

Hazard: The play yard's side rail can fail to latch properly and when a child
pushes against the rail it can unlatch unexpectedly, posing a fall hazard to
children.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 347 reports of sides of the play yard
collapsing unexpectedly, resulting in 21 injuries to young children, including
bumps, scrapes, bruises and one concussion.

Description: This recall involves the Kolcraft Travelin' Tot play yards, as well
as other similar play yards manufactured for Carter's, Sesame Street, Jeep,
Contours, Care Bare and Eric Carle, with model numbers listed below. Some of the
units have a bassinet and/or changing table. Some models have a mobile,
vibrating unit or a parent organizer. Model numbers are printed on a white
sticker on one of the feet of the play yard.

Play Yard; Model Numbers; Additional Information:

Kolcraft Travelin' Tot, Kolcraft Travelin' Tot LTD, Kolcraft Travelin' Tot
2-in-1, Kolcraft Travelin' Tot 3-in-1, Kolcraft Travelin' Tot 4-in-1; 18709-BH,
18709T-BH, 18709T-DV, 18709-NF, 18709T-NF, 18710-BE, 18711T-BD, 18711T-BE,
18713T-LB, 18714T-WD, 18714-WD, 18724T-SQ, 18725-CG, 18725T-FF, 18730T-BZ,
18730T-HJ,18731- DV, 18731T-BZ, 18733-CU, 18733T-CU, 18734T-DV, 18744-BL,
18751T-BZ, 18751T-CU,18751-DV,18751T-DV, 18910-MQ, 18910T-EB,
18910T-LN,18920D-OW,18920-OW, 18925-GS, 18925-LA, 18931-EZ, 18931T-DV,
18931T-PV, 18933T-CU, 18934-SW, 18934-DV, 18935T-UT, 18935-CH, 18942-EC,
18945T-CT, 18945T-ER, 18946-AR, 18950-GV, 18950T-GV, 18951T-DV, 18951T-GS,
18951T-MO,18960-KK, 18960T-PP, 18961-AR, 18961T-AR, 18961-CT, 18961T-CT,
18961-PP, 18961T-GF, 18961T-RV, 18962-AX, 18962T-FZ, 18962-OQ, 18962T-ZT,
KP001-BND, KP013-BPA, KP013-HGF, KP013-JFR, KP013-NRB, KP013-PPL, KP014-JGY,
KP015-BPA, KP015-JFR, KP016-OW, KP027-JGX; "Kolcraft" and "Travelin' Tot" are
printed on either the fabric on the top rail or on the lower side of the play
yards.

Carter's Lennon Travelin' Tot, EMU Carter's Travelin' Tot, Carter's Travelin'
Tot; 18740-UE, 18740T-UE, 18736T-LJ, 18737-LJ, 18737T-LJ, 18726-KA, 18726T-HM;
"Carter's" and "Travelin' Tot" are printed on the top rail.

"Sesame Beginnings" 2-in-1 Play Yard by Kolcraft, Sesame Travelin' Tot VT;
22361-VT, SP001-SBK, SP004-SBK; "Sesame Beginnings" and "Travel Play Yard
Kolcraft" are printed on the top rail or along the fabric draft guard on the
lower side of the play yards.

Jeep Sahara, Jeep Sahara SE Play Yard, Jeep Sahara Limited Play Yard, Jeep
Sahara XT Play Yard, Jeep Sahara Limited SE Play Yard, Jeep Sahara Limited XT
Play Yard; 55200-JC, 55220-JC, 55225-JC, 55225T-JC, 55235-JC, 55237-JQ,
55237T-JQ, 55237-XC, 55237-XV, 55237T-XB, 55770-XA, 55770-XI, 55772-XE,
55773-XY, JP002-XSP; "Jeep" and "Sahara" are printed on the fabric on the top
rail of the play yards.

Contours 2-in-1 Travel Playyard, Contours 3-in-1 Play Yard, Contours Deluxe
Playyard, Contours Travel Play Yard; 18604-OC; ZP001-MON, ZP001-MYS, ZP003-MAL,
ZP004-MAL; "Kolcraft" and "Contours" are printed along the draft guard on the
lower side of the play yards.

Care Bear Play Yard; 18960-KK

Eric Carle Play Yard with Activity Gym; 18763-EK, 18763T-EK

Sold at: Babies R Us, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Target and other stores nationwide
and Internet retailers from January 2000 through January 2009 for between $50
and $160.

Manufactured in: China, Spain, and Italy

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the play yard and contact
Kolcraft for a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Kolcraft toll-free at
(866) 594-4208 anytime or visit the firm's Web site at www.kolcraft.com

Note: Some of the models of the play yards involved in this recall were recalled
in September 2007 due to a strangulation hazard posed by the changing table,
which resulted in the death of a 10-month child.

To see a video of this product (not on CPSC's web site) go to
http://www.bigshouldersfriends.com/kolcraft/V1-WM.htm

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled
products and the individual play yard information in a table, please go to
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09265.html

Amanda's having a contest!

2009-07-08T09:09:00.001-05:00

yep Amanda at daily planet is hosting a giveaway for chicbuds! go pick out the color ya like and comment. tweet and share it and get more entries. stay there long enuf to read her posts and sign up for her newsletter too- it's great!

we will pay $500 a year to garden!

2009-07-05T16:32:00.001-05:00

HR 2749 will require $500 annually for a home garden.

Posted June 18th, 2009 by sentinel

The bill is unusual, too, because slow as it was to appear. The little bugger of bill has made up for it since. It got a number on June 10, went to committee on June 17, passed instantly, and is headed for a vote on the floor of the House. copied from here

HR 2749 would impose an annual registration fee of $500 on any “facility” that holds, processes, or manufactures food. [isn't this every home in the US, every garden?] Although “farms” are exempt, the agency has defined “farm” narrowly. [What is the definition?] And people making foods such as lacto-fermented vegetables, cheeses, or breads would be required to register and pay the fee, which could drive beginning and small producers out of business during difficult economic times. [Yes. There are laws against this corporate-size-destroys-the-little-guy policy, aren't there? Are home bread or cheese or lacto-fermented vegetable makers who make for their own families included in this?]

* HR 2749 would empower FDA to regulate how crops are raised and harvested. It puts the federal government right on the farm, dictating to our farmers. [This astounding control opens the door to CODEX. WTO "good farming practices" will include the elimination of organic farming by eliminating manure, mandating GMO animal feed, imposing animal drugs, and ordering applications of petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers, thus, will be locked not only into the industrialization of once normal and organic farms but into the forced purchase of industry's products. They will be slaves on the land, doing the work they are ordered to do - against their own best wisdom - and paying out to industry against their will.

There will be no way to be frugal, to grow one’s own grain to feed the animals, to raise healthy animals without GMO grains or drugs, to work with nature at all. Grassfed cattle and poultry and hogs will be finished. So, it’s obvious where control will take us. And weren’t these the “rumors on the internet” that were dismissed but are clearly the case?]

* HR 2749 would give FDA the power to order a quarantine of a geographic area, including “prohibiting or restricting the movement of food or of any vehicle being used or that has been used to transport or hold such food within the geographic area.” [This - "that has been used to transport or hold such food" - would mean all cars that have ever brought groceries home so this means ALL TRANSPORTATION can be shut down under this. This is using food as a cover for martial law.] Under this provision, farmers markets and local food sources could be shut down, even if they are not the source of the contamination. The agency can halt all movement of all food in a geographic area. [This is also a means of total control over the population under the cover of food, and at any time.]

http://www.infowars.com/h...
taken from here

another post

2009-07-04T23:56:00.005-05:00

found another great article on headcovering.

today we went into town to do birthday shopping. my one dd and 2 of my ds were all born in the same week. my other dd wasn't born til november but try giving 3 of the 4 littles presents and not the last one! so we celebrate her bday as well. then of course i had drew in august so we will celebrate his bday as well next week.
ya know why- grandma and grandpa are coming to visit! so we will have a big party for everyone! :) we only see them once a year so this is big for us!

legos and lincoln logs, stuffed puppies and dolls plus an an assortment of matchbox cars were purchased and will be enjoyed by all :)

we had the typical fireworks for the holiday, tho i had to stay home for the baby's sake. it all started at his bedtime and i nurse him in bed so.... but i enjoyed the time alone.

not much else to say. just busy getting ready to make yogurt for the first time, gonna make some bread, and planning my next book order from amazon with all my swagbucks! not sure what i'll choose this time. when i do decide i'll let ya know :)

blessings!

dropping a line

2009-07-03T18:40:00.010-05:00

2 recalls to make note of:

1. Simplicity Drop Side Cribs Recalled by Retailers Due to Risk of Death from
Suffocation

2. Aqua-Leisure Industries Recalls Inflatable Baby Floats Due to Drowning Hazard

man i'm tired! 7 kids will do that to you! ~smile~

today hannah and i made hamburger buns for supper. we had sloppy joes.
next week i'll have to do some baking alone tho cuz my parents are coming to stay for a week and since 3 children celebrate their bdays in july - all the same week actually!- and one in august we are having a big party for everyone :) so i will be busy baking cakes. i have some princess doll decorations from a wedding decor to put on top of the girls' cakes and a ninja turtle figure for jamison's but i need to get something for parker's. i will leave andrew's cake for his actual bday which is in august becuz it'll be his first and i want it to be speacial. too bad my folks won't be here for that.

becuz i am frugal i buy gifts all year for everyone so now i am digging thru the gift box and pulling things out. i have 3 gifts for each girl and 1 for parker, and 1 for andrew. so i will get 3 for everyone. 2 more for park and 3 for jamison. andrew will be fine with his one. :) he;ll get more in august. (gives me time to hit the sales lol)

i have been busy trying to revive my garden. with the over 100 degree heat it makes it hard to keep it going. ESPECIALLY since my water faucet broke and i have no way of using the hose!!!!!!!! i moved everything closer to the porch so i can take jars of water out to use on them but it's not a fun job :(

guess what! i won another giveaway. a personalized onesie here's the link if ya wanna see.

my dd sarah won a dress for my youngest dd today! we are doing well aren't we?! that's number 90 something for my wins and number 7 for her. i really believe God blesses me in this way becuz i am entering to win things i truly need and can't afford otherwise. (tho i did win that pearl bracelet mmmmmm)

have you checked out the dollar area in target? i bought multiplication,addition ,american landmarks and u.s presidents flashcards last weekend. ya never know what you'll find.

win win win

2009-07-02T09:33:00.003-05:00

win a Glitterful Felt Stories Giveaway! frugal mommy has another fantastic giveaway going on. join her newsletter and get them delivered to your own mailbox daily. :)

i added to...read for clarifcation

2009-07-01T20:25:00.004-05:00

Instead of calling this to Cap and Trade- We can really call it the Tax On Electricity Bill.

how cap and trade affects our utility bill

Pay Higher Utility Bill For Your Home. Obama: "When I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, you know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I'm capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers." (Sen. Barack Obama, Interview with San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board, 1/17/08)

Pay Higher Gas Prices For Your Car. "NACS is concerned that certain provisions in pending legislation (such as the allocation of allowances) may result in dramatically higher costs for motor fuels, which will significantly distress our customers...The leading proposals in the House and Senate will have a massive impact on virtually every aspect of the American economy. To ensure that consumers and small business owners do not bear an unreasonable economic burden, it i s essential that Congress reconsider the direction in which it is currently heading." (Letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking Member Joe Barton, National Association of Convenience Stores, 6/23/09)

Pay Higher Ticket Prices For Your Business Trip. "For an airline, higher fuel prices would negatively impact ticket prices, reduce service to both small and large communities and severely hamper the economic development associated with commercial aviation (i.e., travel and leisure businesses, aircraft manufacturing, airport-related jobs, etc.). Moreover, higher fuel prices associated with a cap-and-trade system would siphon away the very capital we need to continue the investments in technology..." ("Statement of James C. May President and CEO Air Transport Association of AMerica, Inc.," Air Transport Association , 6/9/09)

Pay Higher Prices For Your Medicine And Clothing. "Any substantial cost increases imposed directly or indirectly on trucks by H.R. 2454 will curtail the delivery of vital consumer goods across the nation such as food, medicine, and clothing. Constraining the country's freight delivery system would change our way of life for the worse by significantly increasing the cost of everything we buy." (Statement of G. Tommy Hodges, on behalf of the American Trucking Associations, Inc. (ATA), Before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, 6/9/09)

Pay Higher Prices For Your Groceries. "[T]he reality is that this bill will have huge adverse effects on agriculture because of increases in energy prices and agriculture is energy intensive that in turn will have impacts on consumer food prices." (American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman, "Climate Bill Should Not Ignore Agriculture," American Farm Bureau, 6/11/09)

taken from here

How does this information pertain to real estate agents?

If you live in the lower energy pricing states you are going to be seeing huge increases in household energy bills. If you live in states that are coal powered or oil powered you will see the largest increases ever in your energy bills because those energy sources are going to be punished with taxation.

* How is that going to effect home prices?

* How is that going to effect movement in and out of your state?

* How is that going to effect your real estate office utility bills and who is going to pay for this?

The House is at it again. This was a 1,300 page bill and again as with so many large bills was not read by most of those that voted yes or no. What is it that they don't get? The American people expect our leaders to read what they vote on.

So what else is tucked away neatly into this bill that perhaps no one knows the full implications of yet?

How about the Federal imposition and takeover of building codes? Your local planning and building offices will not be qualified for any Federal funding of any kind unless they adopt what the FEDS say is the new energy efficient building standards. This will create higher prices in building new homes which is then passed on the homebuyers and then you as a real estate agent are also effected because less buyers will be able to afford to buy a new home built . Not to mention having to wait for the Feds to come and inspect the builders and the homes.

How about the new Federal Energy (Nazis) Inspectors who will come and rate your home before you can sell your home. So before you can list a home for sale, the seller will have to wait for the Federal inspectors to come out. DMV lines anyone? Once that inspector comes out, he or she will give the home an energy rating. If the home does not meet the guidelines the seller will be required to do the work necessary to bring the home up to energy standards before they can sell the home! Can we say money? Does that mean that there will be homeowners who will become prisoners in their homes because they can not afford to make the energy repairs that the feds require? Is that an invasion of your privacy as well as an attack on your property rights? tami's note- the codes for every home in every state will be the same one that california has now. earhquake proof)

Hmmm, how is that going to effect short sales where the seller has no money to make the repairs and adjustments?

* How is that going to effect your ability to get listings in a timely manner?

* How is that going to effect your seller who is about to lose their home in a foreclosure?

* How is that going to effect the seller who has to relocate for their job?

* How is that going to effect the estates with heirs having to do these repairs and such when there won't be any money until the estate is sold?

I wonder if our House of Representatives and our Congress men and women EVER thought to actually ask us in the field working this business day in and day out how these bills will effect the housing market?

Of course, the US will be living Cap and Tax while the real perpetrators of dirty air like China and India get off scott free. There will be an unfair advantage in pricing products and manufacturing to the point that if a US company even stands a chance of staying in the manufacturing business will have no choice but to move their company oversees which in turn will cause a massive layoff of people increasing the already high unemployment problem we are facing in our country.

* How will the unemployment effect your real estate business?

* How will the unemployment effect the REOs and massive foreclosures in your community?

* How will the unemployment effect home values as you get more and more vacant properties in your area?

If you are an agent in America's farmland you will begin to see farms no longer being able to produce a profit. Farms use a lot of energy. Energy use will be punished. This is why nearly every politician from a farm land state no matter what party they are affiliated with voted no to this bill. Their districts will suffer terribly. As this happens we will be buying more and more produce from other countries with far less health standards than our own. I don't trust foods, especially produce from China or other countries except Europe. But we don't import our veggies from Europe!

* How is this going to effect your real esate business if you live and work in a farm land state?

When it comes down to the nitty and the gritty about this bill you must remember that GE is the biggest supporter of this bill. They stand to make billions of dollars from the passage of this bill. The politicians voting yes on this bill, many of them are getting paid to vote yes. And Al Gore will become the very first GREEN billionaire. It is just too bad that he is not a real capitalist. He could not become a billionaire playing fair and square. Instead, he has an unfair advantage, legislation to make him filthy rich. Not exactly the free market way. It is all about the money.

taken from here

creating a sensesational home

2009-07-01T14:26:00.006-05:00

this picture is from kelly paul's dining room. kelly if you see this please leave your blog name with me - it escapes me at the moment. i am sorry for not including your name before but i had this pic in my files and when i saw it today i thought it was just another google pic i had saved. please come back and announce your blog loud and proud!

yes i know it's spelled wrong! but that's the key to it all- senses. the book of the same name by terry willits is a goldmine of information.

rather then to tell you how much i love this book i will simply pass along a few of terry's ideas and let you judge for yourself.

for a sweet treat, slip a scented rosemary, lemon, or rose sachet in your pillowcase or sham.

lay an almost empty bottle of perfume in your lingerie drawer where the evaporating perfume can permeate the items.

add a dab of essential oil to the dresser back or drawers to add a quick touch of fragrance as it is absorbed by the wood.

use cedar shoetrees for fresh smelling shoes. cedar hangers can be used too.

find a pretty birdfeeder or birdhouse and place it near any window you view often. as birds discover this you will have a show to watch.

discover wind chimes.

how does your doorbell sound? it is the first sound guests hear when they visit their home so don't overlook its potential for making a friendly first impression.

a beautiful brass knocker can also make a nice statement as it taps on your door.

checking the ringer on your phone, this can be either jarring or pleasant sounding, depending on the model you get.

always answer your phone with warmth and enthusiam. this is your line to the outside world (tami's note - this is especially for all of us stay at home moms whose mission field is in the home. this may be our only link to others that day.)

try listening to christian music or teaching tapes while you are cooking, ironing, or working in one room. these minister to your family as well as you.

to prevent heavy appliances like the washer, dryer, or fridge from transferring noisy vibrations to the floor place rubber pads under each corner and allow two inches between the wall and the appliance.

keep a decorative dispenser filled with hand lotion by the kitchen sink and apply it frequently. also use one for your dishwashing liquid (tami's note - just because something is necessary doesn't mean it has to be ugly.)

that's all i'll write today, maybe i'll pass some more along another time but why not check out the book for yourself and get even more great tips!

just something to watch

2009-07-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

i'll be back later with another entry :)

learn HOW cap and trade passed

2009-06-30T20:42:00.000-05:00

apron goddess strikes again! hurry!

2009-06-30T15:48:00.002-05:00

one more apron contest! it ends tonite so rush over to one of my favs- apron goddess - and sign up!

apron goddess is at it again

2009-06-30T15:42:00.002-05:00

apron goddess is at it again, with another fantastic apron giveaway. go quick and enter then if you win you can send it to me :) :) :)

a tent giveaway!!!! i'm dancing!!

2009-06-30T15:35:00.002-05:00

we love to camp so winning this giveaway would be fantastic!!!! yep you can a tent!!!!! mom- enter and give to me!

apron giveaway

2009-06-30T15:26:00.001-05:00

fine linen - a great blog by the way- is having a apron giveaway! check it out!!!!

a few tidbits

2009-06-30T10:50:00.006-05:00

a simple but nice idea- place 3 small glass vases on a mirrored try. put bright colored flowers in the vases and have a simple but beautiful decoration.

a free ebook on living with less money- filled with tips :)

you know i must say that as much as i like hgtv sometimes i get very aggravated by the people on it. the other day i watched a show called house hunters (keep in mind i don't have television so i was watching it online so the episode may have been old).
i watched two episodes. in the first one the couple lived in a 5000 square foot home. it was shortly after the birth of their second child, they were looking for a new home that was bigger then what they had because they now had two boys and boys get very big very fast (their own words) and we will need more space. 5000 square feet for two adults and two babies isn't enough?! i have nine people in a 1700 square foot home. how dare they!
in the second episode, this couple was looking for a bigger home. they had three children. their complaint was none of the kitchens were big enough. the wife said "i don't cook but i need a big kitchen because i have children." they "settled" for a kitchen that was only 1700 square feet. may i remind you - that is the size of my whole house, kitchen included.
it does not bother me that these people are rich. honestly, it doesn't. what bothers me is the fact that some people can't figure out a way to live with what they consider less and some of us consider extremely blessed.

are you extremely blessed? do you even have a kitchen, dungeon like as mine must be according to those standards above. lol do you have a fridge full of food? soup cans in the cabinet? did you eat out any time in the last year? anywhere? then you did better than the children in mexico who live and eat in a dump. yes they eat the food they find in a dump. i read the story in a paper somewhere. wonder how big a kitchen they would need?

are you children poor put upon babies who have to share a room with each ? how dare you call yourselves loving parents!!! don't you know , the only way to continue growing up to become any sort of an adult means having total privacy from everyone and never having to share or compromise. now keep in mind , i would love to give each of my kids- all 7 of them- their own bedroom but i can't (only 1700 sq foot ya know!) and thus they learn to draw lines down the middle of the room and divvy up shelves and secretly hide favorite toys with each other. poor babies. yet they also have someone to giggle with in the dark (or fight with depending on the day) and someone to plot with on what time to get mom out of bed. who would they discuss those evil plans with if they didn't share a room?

how is summer schooling going? we school all year round so we can take days off when i want to :) we are reading a bio of gladys alyward, doing lots of science and keeping up with math and grammar. leave a comment telling me what you are doing,or if you took the summer off :)

can you believe this?

2009-06-29T15:29:00.001-05:00

can you believe this? it tells you all you need to know with regards to what they really think of our country.

win green toys!

2009-06-29T09:20:00.003-05:00

a green toys giveaway!!! this company- green toys - has toys that contain no lead, no phthlates, and no bpa. so safe toys do exist! and Misadventures in Baby Raising is giving us a chance to win some! so hurry over and enter!

just 2 of this morning's wonderful news!

2009-06-27T06:02:00.002-05:00

Obama himself says this! we are in so much trouble as it is folks - this country will be socalist in a short while. pay attention sisters- satan is doing the happy dance!! and we must stop it!

Obama: "Cap & Trade Will Cause Electricity Rates To Skyrocket"

microchips approved for placing in our bodies (under the guise of helping us if we are ill , yea, right and skyrocketing power bills.