Create a Family To Do List from Fairy Tales

This family activity was so creative I just had to share. This is something family and friends alike will enjoy and it is for all ages. All it takes is a spark of initiative and creativity. Start by brainstorming use a large poster or a dry erase board and think together about all the best fairy tales you've read, movies you've watched along the way, and other magical moments you may have had in life and wonder at what it would have been like to have done some of the things that you loved about those magical moments. VOILA, you will almost instantly have ideas flowing for your to-do list. 

Why create a to do list from fairy tales you may ask. Well, I'd reply that why not. The world needs a little bit more magic in it and this will be sure to add a magic moment to your afternoon. Then, be sure to Facebook your ideas just because it's fun to share.

Here is our most recent To Do List created on a whim by me, my daughters, and my best friend/ sister in the whole world. Based on my personal experience this is a MUST DO activity. My kids loved it so much and it was nice to see the smiles spread. A special thank you to my sister Courtney for coming up with the idea.

 

CLUE 2013 FREE Manor Beach Score Sheets for Print

Like many Walmart shoppers I was thrilled to find the Classic CLUE game recently at Walmart on sale for only $8.00, only to be disappointed upon my return home that there weren't score sheet cards in the box. This meant there was no way for my family to keep track of our guesses during the game. This is exactly what happens when Walmart goes for the cheapest product, but not a quality product, the pieces are missing or broken, or the product just plain sucks. Betting on the fact that the score sheet pad probably wasn't included in any of the $8.00 boxes at Walmart I got creative and improvised.

1st, I surfed the net on .ebay, Amazon, and google to try and find the pre-printed pads on sale. Afterall, we all eventually run out of score cards anyway right so it seemed only natural there would be pre-printed score card pads available just like a pre-printed post it, but the answer to this question is NO. They do not sell re-fill score pads anywhere. So, this meant I would have to create it myself.

Let me tell you now that typing and formatting a front to back score sheet wasn't an easy task. There is a lot of information to fit onto a small amount of space and the tables have to be formatted just right. Also, each CLUE game is unique in itself. There are various versions of the board with different rooms, different weapons; even the characters look different on different versions. On the 2013 manor - beach version there are two boards in one, so this meant I would have to create 2 score cards in one. Each side came with different rooms or places that the murder could have taken place. One of the cool things about creating my own score card template for CLUE was that I could make the score cards a little larger for older players like myself to be able to see the options a little better.

I've done all the hard work pre-formatting and getting it just right for you. All you have to do is print the front/ flip the paper and print the back. Depending on your print settings there may be a little extra white space at the bottom of one side but it lines up quit nicely. I printed several of these at home and made my own little pre-printed notebook at home for guests to play from. I'm sure you can have Kinkos or another printing service print it for you to if preferred. I used resume paper because it is a bit of a higher quality and feels good to hold in hand.

 So here is what you've been waiting for right...the template. I hope all Fellow Clue Lovers everywhere ENJOY! A link to the .pdf is here, just print/ cut/ and use.

Good Meds vs. the Bad Ones

What doctors don't tell you is that in truth medication may act as a wonder drug for you while it destroys the physical and mental well being of someone else. This is because people tolerate drugs differently. We are truly unique individuals. I've had this very experience with my physician. It isn't her fault because she did all of the appropriate blood testing to determine that my physical makeup was off balance and that I needed something to help control this. In fact, as she put it for the last 20 years since hitting puberty I've actually stayed on PMS according to my blood work. This entire time, I've blamed myself for uncontrollable mood swings, sadness, and body swelling when in fact it was all in the physical makeup of my DNA. Yes, my DNA. All that I had to do was look around me. My mother and her entire side of the family experienced similar feelings of sadness and anxiety. Many of them experienced the same kind of mood swings. These behavioral symptoms have been passed down from generation to generation.

What I also didn't realize was that just because Celexa might work for my mother, didn't mean that it would work for me. I had also tried Prozac/ Zoloft with no success, but what Celexa did was drive me into deeper sadness/ madness and paralyze my ability to function in a normal society. Not only was I unable to function, but my panic attacks increased with sweats and labored breathing. My fears and paranoia set in. I actually believed it was again, my fault that this was happening to me, not because of the medicine but because I was too lazy or scared to get out of bed. I felt like a drag on society, like I wasn't able to produce anything worthwhile, like I didn't have a place in the world and wasn't needed or wanted. Nothing seemed bright anymore, not even the little things and special moments that occur in day to day life. Then, upon returning to the doctors I was placed on Abilify.

I'm generally the type of person who likes to know what I'm doing to my body and mind. I like to know what it is that is going into my body. So, before taking the first 2mg. dosage prescribed by my doctor I did some research only to find that at least 1/2 of the peer reviews out of 600 online 1st hand experiences were negative regarding Abilify. Many people complained of the symptoms that I had experienced the same feelings of complete sadness/ madness I had while on Celexa. They complained of extreme weight gain, bloating, anger, and numerous other negative things.

This made me even more nervous to take the medicine that had been prescribed to me, but then I realized the other 1/2 of the reviews said great things about this medicine, that it could be a life changer for the better. I was willing to take the risk to be able to face life and the day again. I was tired of living in a dark place that seemed to have claimed me for most of my existence. I was tired of feeling like I couldn't be around people because it was a genuine problem that I even existed. So, I tried the medicine. One of the great things I've found with Abilify is that even on the smallest dosage you can begin to see improvement and being on the smallest dosage may be exactly what you need to make life livable again. I've been on the 2mg dosage compared to Celexa's 20+ dosages and suddenly I'm a morning person again. I not only get up, but am actively pursuing my dreams again because of this medication which turned out (so far) to be my wonder drug. Abilify may not have worked for many of the other patients who took the time to place a review, but it did work for me. This is why I had to write this blog to deliver hope to those who are suffering from depression and anxiety or OCD and other mood disorders. There is something out there that can help you, you just have to work with your doctor and seek it out. It's also important to be able to recognize when your symptoms are worsening on a medication and to visit your doctor regularly while trying these new medications, because your doctor may be able to help you recognize when things aren't working and get you on something that will.

In just a short amount of time Abilify has given me hope again. It has helped me to function normally in society. I no longer live in fear that I'm unwanted and that my existence is meaningless, or that I'm worthless. These thoughts had been plaguing me to the very point that I was defeating myself, completely unable to continue fighting for my dreams or for my life. I had given up. I was in a dark place, but things are looking up for me now. So, please if you don't feel right. If you are possibly going through some of these same thoughts or feelings see your doctor and work with them to get the medication right. It may not be Abilify for you, it may be Celexa or Seroquil, or something else. It could even be that you are already on too many medications and need to decrease dosage or eliminate a few medicines downsizing to just one. Whatever the case there is hope. Get help. I probably wouldn't be able to write this article if it weren't for the help I've received. I probably wouldn't even be here.

Stay Away from Bed Bugs, This is How

Stay Out of Hotels that have Bed Bugs

Many hotels are not what they seem. Shockingly even some of the most exclusive and high priced hotels are not the place to be. I recently took a trip to Nashville and almost every nice hotel had been reported for bed bugs ranging from Hilton to Grand Ole Opry Hotel.  I recently discovered www.raveable.com and you should too. This site includes a bed bug/ no bed bug symbol immediately placed to the right of any hotel with bed bug reports in the last 12 months and you can view it from your phone. I don't know about you, but it's worth checking up on this stuff to me. I don't want bed bugs.

Do your part to keep these parasites from taking over. Stay out of hotels that have been reported for bed bugs.

On another note. I stayed at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in downtown Nashville, March 2013. Although it didn't seem to have any bed bug problems and was clean it wasn't a good bang for the buck ($286 nt.) it's being renovated right now and staff/ managers were hateful and rude. I highly recommend staying away from it at least until renovations are done if you want to make your stay anywhere near worthwhile.

Alex Hope an ingenious advertising ploy

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/crashing-the-market-friday-march-9th/3xd2dj69

http://www.fastgrowthentrepreneurs.co.uk/

This is a very interesting advertising ploy. This 23 year old financial trader was promoting an executive entrepreneurs club that launched this March. By spending what the normal person would consider big money ($320K) at a local bar he peaked the interest of the media spreading his name across the world for free. When you run a search on him, you find that he is the sponsor behind the exclusive club that launched this month. $320k is nothing compared to the millions the club will bring in from new financially independent members and the money he spent may even be tax deductible if it was part of his sponsorship to the club.

Unbelievable. Can't believe I didn't think of this one.

Never Say Never to Reality TV

After recently condemning Reality TV prior to this seasons new episodes of American Idol and Dancing with the Stars and blatantly bashing them for their lack of unique and entertaining episodes have lately found myself wondering what's next. I hardly expected passing up the gym to sit in front of the TV on weeknights to catch the latest episode of the Spring 2011 season with the occasional vote for James Durbin and Kirstie Alley thrown into the mix, but this season has proven to be more than promising with the vocals of rock stars and the ever large personalities of Kirstie and Ralph, no pun intended to her weight.

Loving the Tiger Blood in Charlie Sheen

I recently watched Sheen's live interview and his webcast and believe it to all be a marketing ploy on his behalf to promote his new tour, which quickly booked at $75 on the low end for a ticket across the nation. The question still being asked by many is what is in store next for Sheen, and after following him on his new Twitter account have to say that with the new intern he hires for promotional savvy we are sure to see something interesting. I for one am interested in his "winning" attitude and will stay glued to the tube for some time as long as I can follow more than his latest tweet.