Band or Bypass: Is Lap Band Surgery Better?

I admit that whenever I hear news about a celebrity undergoing surgery to lose weight I raise an eyebrow. Like many people, my first thought is "why don't they just try to lose weight the normal way?" Right? I know you've thought it too. But obviously, there has to be more to their story or they wouldn't be considering such a drastic option.

Weight loss surgery is the last chance for millions of people. In the past, gastric bypass surgery was the only option for people that have failed to lose weight from diet, exercise, and medication and still remains the most often performed type of weight loss surgery. But now, lap band surgery has become a viable alternative to gastric bypass surgery, an alternative that looks very promising and appears to have a better outcome.

Two of the major differences between the gastric bypass and the laparoscopic band procedures are that lap band surgery is minimally invasive and reversible. That alone makes it worth looking into. Rather than cutting into the digestive system and re-sizing it, the lap band procedure places a band around the upper portion of the stomach to restrict the flow of food into the stomach which results in feeling fuller sooner and for a longer period of time.

Other benefits of the band over the bypass include fewer deaths from the procedure, fewer and less severe complications, weight loss is steady and sustained, and a significantly shorter healing time due to its less invasive approach. Even people who only seek to lose 20 pounds can undergo this procedure to lose weight.

Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? Having more choices for healthier living is always good. With a greater range of choices, though, comes the responsibility to be informed about them. If health and weight are serious issues in your life, lap band surgery is worth looking into. It doesn't cost anything to do your research and it could save you plenty.

It's how many days till Valentine's Day?

I'm trying to plan a romantic getaway for my hubby for Valentine's. Heaven knows we need it. In the meantime though and to de-stress my brain from all the romantic thinking and planning I haven't done since we were dating years ago, I've been browsing some online coupons and I thought it would be fun to make a little list of all the neat things I'm sure he'd like me to buy him and that he really does deserve. Call it window shopping. Call it therapy...

• an Apple iPhone
  
• an MP3 player that actually works
• a new pair of tennis shoes
• a really cool canvas print of New Orleans, his favorite place
• some new jeans to replace the Old Navy ones that got ripped
• a new Dell laptop so he could work on the go (but at least we could go somewhere)
  
• a gift card for a million dollars to Barnes and Noble
  

Most of those actually turn out to be things he needs, not just wants. It's amazing how much he sacrifices so the rest of us can have what we need and want. I really should do something special for this man. I'll update you when I figure it all out. If you have any ideas, comment me.

save a tree, read an e-book

My husband would choose to listen to a book any day over reading it (his ear can't hear the singing toddler around the corner). Great! That leaves space for all my books on the bookshelf and saves a few trees too.

So, last Father's Day I bought him an MP3 player (or whatever it's called), hoping that he would be able to download some books and music for those days he's shuttling kids around town or working out. When I began shopping around for audio books (no Romance Authors for us, just business books), I was shocked at what some places were charging. Call me naive, but I just assumed a digital audio book would be cheaper than a real book, but that's not always the case. Most of the places I see make you get a membership and then offer the download at a low low price. The problem with this is that I don't want to be locked into a membership with a place that doesn't always have what I'm looking for. I like to shop around. I'm going to show my husband BooksOnBoard.com and see if he can find anything. They don't charge for membership, you just download a book and you're done. Sounds like my kind of place.

My Top 5 Biggest Makeup Pet Peeves

First I'll say, I am make up challenged. I err on the side of caution though and instead of putting it on all wrong, I don't bother putting it on at all. I really admire those women who have the time and the talent to beautify their faces every day and if I were able to master the techniques to highlight my more pleasing features and camouflage the less desirable ones, believe me, I would do it more often. At least twice a week anyway. (Am I setting women back too many years by saying these things? Nah, to each her own right?) In any case, on my list of who I want to be, right next to working out more and dressing more flatteringly, I have included goals for wearing makeup more often. I always notice when women have nice makeup. I love the look, the sophistication, and the polish of a face made up in a natural, refreshing way. I especially like

1. nicely groomed eyebrows
2. long eyelashes
3. flattering lipcolor
4. smooth, glowing skin
5. well-defined eyes
   

On the other hand, there are those occasional times when I notice some major faux pas and wish I could find a tactful enough way to say something, anything. You know who I'm talking about. Those poor ladies who are the perpetrators of my top five most hated makeup no-nos:

1. overplucked eyebrows
2. spider eyes
3. overlined lips
4. the face-mask look (i.e., underblended foundation)
5. rough, leathery skin
   

How many times have I watched TLC's Nick Arrojo transform dull, ordinary faces into lively, cheerful ones? How many times have I wised I could snap a pic with my camera phone (if I had one) and send it in to What Not to Wear's Emergency Episode. I shouldn't be talking though. I've had my share of make up lessons, courtesy of many friends' home make up parties, only to find myself completely confused later when the nice lady has gone home.

This is why I'm glad for the internet and the online sites that offer make up tips, because they give you a chance to practice without the pressure of someone staring you in the face and you have the ability to reference the information when you need it. I think that's where I'll start, with the tips at makeuptip.com. When I'm brave enough, maybe I'll post a pic of myself after I've practiced alot.

Beautiful Bras and Bikinis for Big Bosoms

My bra squeaks. That was my hubby's observation the other day. I don't know if it just started doing that or if it's been that way all along. I know I didn't really notice it until he said something, and now that's all ever hear. Every time I reach for something, squeak. Ugh, annoying. So I think it's time for a new bra. Besides the squeaking, part of the underwire is starting to come out and the stuffing is showing.

Bra shopping is not my favorite shopping. Let's just say that after years of going to department stores that never carry my size (I'm a D), I'm a little jaded. Specialty shops around town are hard to come by and I usually have to drive way out of my way to find one. And man, are those things ugly! They're so orthopedic. Then forget trying to find a swimsuit that fits both my ample top and my narrower bottom.

I am so happy to find BiggerBras.com where mamas of large endowment can find bras and full busted swimwear to accommodate all they have to offer while maintaining a chic sense of style. These aren't your mama's minimizers! Not only do they carry one of the widest selections of sizes, they also have sexy undies, trimmers and shapers, camis, bikinis of all styles, one-pieces, nursing bras, bridal lingerie, and sports bras.

So, I think I'll be able to solve my squeaking problem tonight. I like the smoothness and simplicity of t-shirt bras and they have one in chocolate with a 4 1/2 star customer rating. And now that I know they have such cute swimsuits, I don't have to dread our summertime pool days that will be here before you know it. They sell tops and bottoms separately so you get a perfect fit.

With coupon code "poipu" you can get 20% off your order till January 20th. There are tons of items on sale right now and they also have free shipping for orders over $75. That is a definite plus considering how pricey quality bras can be. (If you've ever tried to squeeze your voluptuous-ness into a Tarjay bra, then you know what I'm talking about.) You get what you pay for.

Are YOU Fabulous? Do you long to be?

I like to think I am, but if you look at me, that's probably not the first thing you think of. Perhaps, instead, you'd think... conscientious, reserved, or down-to-earth. And you'd be correct. I am all of those things and proud of it. But do you ever long to step outside yourself for a while and be someone else? I do. I've felt that way off and on throughout my life, and more often since the birth of my daughter.

Maybe that's why I'm a Kimora Lee Simmons fan (re: my post from yesterday), because she is so very fabulous. I look at her and my inner vixen screams to be released from its ordinary cell. For half an hour I watch her show and am convinced I can be like her with just a bit of effort. Ok, maybe a little more effort than that. I married an entrepreneur. Check. Together we had a beautiful daughter we adore. Check. I'm a partner in the business. Check. I'm a gorgeous amazon of a woman. Um, no check.

Well, she does have a great clothing line that reeks with promise for a sub-urban mama like myself. I think if I get a pair of baby phat boots like these, my inner vixen would explode with joy at having finally been set free. And my husband would likely scream as well. We can't talk about that on this blog though.

How many other moms are out there, wanting with all their hearts to be fabulous too? I know I'm not alone. (And think of all the dads, wishing for the same thing.) I know my happiness is not tied to any material thing, but I do know the power of clothing and its ability to transform you, if only for a short time.

Honey, if you're reading this, I promise if you let me get these fabulous baby phat boots, though spendy, they will be worth each and every penny benjamin.

(Feel free to check the urban dictionary located in my sidebar for pertinent reference information.)

My Eyeglasses: A self-reflection

I wear glasses. I have worn glasses since I was in third grade but the ones I wore weren't at all cool. I remember when wearing glasses was not a choice I had, when it was forced upon me against my will because I was too young for contact lenses (or maybe they hadn't been invented yet, way back in the day).

I had those famous Sally Jesse Rafael style eyeglasses, big and round and red. I don't remember if they had the hipster style for kids back then. Surely if they had, my mother would have allowed me to wear them right? No, they didn't make them yet. How else could she knowingly and willingly make her beloved daughter look like a dork all those years.

Now I wear glasses of my own choosing, like these Jai Kudo Womens Eyeglasses , of the hipster intellectual variety. And I actually think I look better with them than without. They add a little bit of flavor to my otherwise plain, unmade face on those days (most days) I don't feel like getting dolled up. For those days I do get it together, they add a little extra pizazz that my husband seems to appreciate and that make me more noticeable in a sea of faces.

Suffice it to say that I've come full circle. I've moved from being the brunt of my classmates' jokes because of my thick specs, to hating their intrusive, inconvenient presence during my teen years, to now, when I appreciate their novelty and their contribution to my personal style and character. Ah, self-acceptance has its benefits, doesn't it?

This is a sponsored post. But the ideas are solely mine.

What do blog marketing, Kimora Lee Simmons, Fergie, and custom blog design have in common?

What do blog marketing, Kimora Lee Simmons, Fergie, and custom blog design all have in common?

Give up yet? You should, because it makes no sense to me either. What they all have in common is me. Not in the cool 6 Degrees of Separation kind of way where I could say I met Kimora and Fergie thanks to all my blog marketing tactics. There's nothing cool about it.

They are my top 4 search terms for about the last 3 days. That basically means that I've been spending embarrassing amounts of time Googling, Facebooking, Myspacing, and any other kind of search-ing I could do to find those four specific topics. I admit that I really, really enjoy Kimora's show, Life in the Fab Lane. I love to see how a mother entreprenuer, fashion icon, and business mogul does her thing. And, Fergie, I've loved her since her days on Kids Inc. I even have her Wild Orchid CD. So, I decided I'd look them up and see what's out there. Maybe if I add them on Myspace, become a fan on Facebook, and show some love every now and then, maybe, just maybe they'll add or comment back. It happened to Ren, so why not me?

You're wondering where blog marketing and blog design come in aren't you? To tell the truth, I'm a chronic multi-tasker so while one search loads on one page, I'm searching for something else on another page. And I do work. Alot, and lately too much. (Besides this blog, I also started one for my husband's company and that is taking up all my time and all my sleep too.) I like to work and play at the same time so about half of my eight open tabs are for goofing off and the other half are work-related.

Anyway, after I finally exhausted every search engine I knew about, I thought I was done. Until I found Spock. When I do a Fergie search, I can see who's linked up with her over on Myspace and view tags related to her. But cooler than that, I can actually upload pics (if I had any), vote on which pics I like, find other people who like her music, and edit details about her wiki-style. You can look up other stuff on Spock too, friends, family, long-lost exes, by keying in their email addresses or by letting Spock take a peek inside your email contact lists. Neat huh? I thought so. Now I'm going to try a few more creative searches. As if I need another thing to keep me busy.

My Letter Writing Project for the Year

One thing I have vowed to do this year is write more letters. Frankly, I am a bit tired of email, and overwhelmed by it. But I am inextricably tied to it as well. I log in and refresh way too many times a day, as if expecting the winning numbers to the lottery to appear in the next message.

But writing in all its forms is something I enjoy and long to make a daily activity. I have to, and I need to. Blogging and emailing are what I do, but there is something still so superficial about it all. So I am going to start writing letters and sending what I am calling "blessing cards" to those friends I don't see enough, and those acquaintances I'd like to become friends. I've even vowed to begin writing my dear mother in law every month. She is such a sweet lady and she loves getting letters about what's going on down here.

I am armed with an unusual assortment of supplies to undertake my task. I've got some Cavallini rubber stamps to decorate my cards and some old magazine pages I've recycled into envelopes. Now I just need to buy some card stock paper in ivory, butter, or parchment to use for the blessing cards. I have some return address labels that I got free in the mail, but I really should go ahead and have some custom address labels printed, maybe even with photos of the kids on them. At VistaPrint you can design your own address labels with their templates or upload your own design and you get over 100 of them for less than $10. My mother in law would be all over those. Maybe I'll even have hubby design some for her for her birthday in February. For me, this is a fun way to satisfy my goals for being thoughtful and creative all in one. The next challenge is to actually sit down and get it done. When I do, I'll post an update about it all here.

Toddler Mom's Quick Hair Fix

I'm really not one to fuss too much over my own hair. Frankly, it's just that easy to style and manage every day. But along comes my little girl with hair that simply must get "done" and I have no idea if it's possible to keep it looking "nice" all the time. I'm not talking about making her look like a pageant beauty every second of the day (well, she is quite beautiful) but I do prefer a done look to an unkept one. I know she's a kid, but can we keep the bad hair days to a minimum?

I'm thinking about one day a couple weeks ago when my beauty decided to "do" her hair herself. (Actually, she's done this a few times.) This is something she loves, and I know that, but for some reason, I hadn't locked the bathroom door that day to keep her from "doing" it. Down the stairs she comes proud as can be about what she had just accomplished. It wasn't lotion this time, or diaper cream. It was some sort of skin therapy ointment sample that had come in the mail, probably before she was even born, and long since forgotten. Her hair was quite fragrant and very, um, greasy. And of course, we were expected to be somewhere within a few minutes time.

That's one moment I wish I'd had some of this spray powder shampoo I just found. I don't know what's in it, but they say you can spray it on and brush it out, getting rid of whatever was making your style do a don't. Yeah, in the ideal world we all get a shower before running out of the door, but who do you know that lives in the ideal world? It's a dry shampoo that's supposed to refresh your hair without having to use water, leaving it clean, shiny, and without residue. Hmm, water conservationists take note. And it comes in shades color matched for all hair shades too.

Now, I don't know if this stuff is ok for kids, but I know if I had a bottle for every time Z. poured dirt in her hair, rubbed playdough into it, or gave herself a spaghetti sauce treatment, I'd get fewer of the your-kid-is-soooo-dirty-and-mine-is-perfect looks I've seen on other parents' faces. I gotta give this stuff a test run.

Book Club: Second Sight

For so long, I chalked it up to another one of my mother's old-fashioned ideas. Women's intuition. She always "knew" when something was wrong with one of us, or when she should call that old friend or distant relative. And over the years I've learned for myself that my intuition is an important part of me that I should not ignore. Whenever I have, I have regretted it.

I strongly believe in the power of a woman in this world. This blog is even dedicated to that. Women possess an unbelievable amount of influence in the universe. I wish I had known that more fully as a girl. One day I will teach other girls about their powers too. Everyone has an inner spirit that speaks to them. A God-given gift, we can choose to enhance it or ignore it. When you learn to tune out the noise of life and tune into your spirit, your ears become familiar with it's voice. Ignoring your "little voice" will result in deaf ears that may only hear when it's too late.

Dr. Judith Orloff has a new book out right now that I'm curious about. Second Sight discusses how to recognize intuitive experiences in everyday life, use them to make better decisions, and use meditation and prayer to tune your ear. The book also helps us understand our "energy vampires" and how to best preserve our energy for what really matters. Sounds interesting. I don't know how much it crosses over into the "mystic" but I'm willing to find out. If you are too, Buy Judith Orloffs book, Second Sight, and let me know what you think of it.

the fundraising saga continues

Starting a non-profit organization has always been on my lifelong to do list. Two years ago when I founded Houston Baby Wearers, I did not realize that I was taking the baby steps to finally realize that goal. Although I feel reasonably competent in many areas, fundraising is not one of them. I posted on that a while back. Apparently, alot of people feel the same way I do about traditional fundraising mechanisms. Hitting up my coworkers (if I had any) to buy cheaply made junk they don't need and may never use is not in my blood. I just can't do it. I am not able to sell something I would never buy myself.

To date our group account is basically zero and we have a few bills coming that need to be paid. That's why when I found ShoutBack.com, I signed up right away. One really cool feature is their Auctions listing. It allows members of your ShoutBack group to put items up for auction to benefit your group. For example, I have a some sling still in stock that I am trying to liquidate. So, for the sake of my beloved group, I am putting a couple slings and some other stuff up for auction and the proceeds will benefit Houston Baby Wearers. The other really neat thing is you can use ShoutBack.com to shop. Hello!!! That is so right up my ally. Like I said, I signed up right away and it was so easy and so free. ShoutBack is a great way for groups like mine as well as the local La Leche League, my Attachment Parenting Group, and the list goes on! It's about time the fundraising world caught up with the ubergeeks and made online shopping something to be proud of. Way to go!

I've got free piano lessons and a plan

So, now that my very dear friend and neighbor Ren has finally inherited her mother's piano and had it delivered a couple weeks ago, I have to figure out a way to get my fingers on those delicious ivories on a regular basis. You see, ever since I was a child, I've dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. (For those of you who are paying really close attention, yes, that would make this Dream No. 327.) I began lessons at the little Baptist school down the street when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and fell in love instantly. But I've been unable to keep my skills honed throughout the years.

Looks like now's my chance! (Insert sinister laugh here.)

The way I figure it, she'll be needing a babysitter a few times a week for yoga and for various other Mommy missions and that's when I'll make my move. I'll have to be careful because I haven't visited in a while and she may get suspicious. "Why Tori! You walked all the way down the street just to see me?" Better make some double chocolate vegan carob brownies and use that as my excuse. That and Zoë needed a play date. I'll sign up for some free Piano lessons & piano chords from this cool site I found and show them to her. We'll get into some playful duets, dance, and she'll sing a Justin Timberlake song while I play the accompaniment. Thanks to those free Piano lessons & piano chords I will be able to play JT by ear in no time. It will be delightful. And Ren will never be the wiser because she, of all people, does not read this blog.

A perfect plan!

The Elements of Supplies: Wholesale Bath & Body Supplies

As you may remember, I pledged to buy handmade this holiday season. For me, that pledge extends to purchases made throughout the year as well. This year I intend to go a step further to make my own gifts and goodies to pass out to friends and family and even to donate to charity. I'm interested in just about every craft there is, from quilting and knitting to candle making and baking, and it's my hope to get to try my hand at lots of different things and find a few things that I can really get into.

One craft I've only briefly considered is soap making. I love the idea of making your own soap and have used handmade soaps before. They are super luscious to use, smell amazing, and are so much better for your skin than over the counter soaps full of who knows what. But where do you start? I mean, if you want to make a batch to give as gifts, where do you get all the tins, tubs, and containers? Nothing is more frustrating that being excited to try something new but not knowing where to begin.

Fortunately, Elements Bath and Body has the answer. They are a family-owned and operated company that offers a wide variety of wholesale bath and body supplies, recipes, accessories, and bath and body packaging. They offer all you need to make and package your own homemade soaps, lip balms, body lotion, and bath salts. I'm already considering getting some of their chamomile, rose petals, or flax seeds to make neck and shoulder pillows! Or maybe I'll use their Rose-Milk Tub Tea recipe to make some fabulous baby shower gifts! Elements' cute muslin bags would be perfect! The possibilities are endless really. You should check them out too. Then come back and tell us all about what you're making!

Birthing an Online Business?

The busiest shopping season of the year is over and online retailers are raking it on. And why not? Online shopping is the fastest and easiest way I, and millions of others, have found to comparison shop, buy, and save. I love to shop online and will very rarely step foot into a brick and mortar retail store. I love online shopping so much that I even opened my own online store. Punkin Pockets began as an online boutique specializing in stylish baby slings, clothing, and natural toys. After being in business for a little over a year though, I realized that I didn't really enjoy being on that end of the retail market.

I have since moved on to the blog format you see here and am loving the change. I can offer my friends a comprehensive directory of all the same sites I love and buy from the most, while contributing a little to my family's income, being home to raise my daughter, and being free to assist my husband in building his graphic design business. Along the way, I have made friends with a lot of very successful women with their own retail stores and admire their tenacity and business acumen a great deal. The business world still excites me and I have since encouraged many other mothers I know to get their own business started as well.

One of the easiest ways to take the plunge is to open an online store. The internet has become a common tool used by mothers who work outside the home to earn extra money so they can leave the workforce. And many moms who are already home with their children have found that an online business has enabled them to remain at home. The basics of getting started include deciding what you want to sell, getting a domain name and host, and finding good ecommerce software.

Once you've decided on a business name and a domain name, check to be sure they are available. An online search and a visit to your county courthouse can take care of that. And after you've figured out what you're interested in selling, take a look around at the different shopping cart software available. One of the things that most frustrated me was the shopping cart software I had to use. It was severely limited but came with my host's package and I couldn't afford to upgrade or change it. One company, Ashop Commerce, offers a FREE 10-day trial of their web-based shopping cart service. In addition to its ecommerce software, they also offer domain name registration, logo design, search engine submission and optimization, plus a whole lot of other stuff. If you're willing to invest some time and money into your business (and why wouldn't you) Ashop Commerce is worth checking out. They even have live sales & support, a video demonstration, and a test drive feature that is fun to try.

Remember though, you might be entering a whole new world you know nothing about and it can be quite intimidating. Like entering motherhood for the first time, you never really know what you are getting yourself into, but once you take the leap of faith, you can't imagine your life any other way.

Online Dating Worked for Me!

And we have been married for just over 5 years! When hubby and I first connected online, horror stories were everywhere in the news and online dating was virtually free. The site we used no longer exists, but tons of others have taken its place. Even at that time, I was no stranger to the computer dating world, had used a variety of mediocre online matchmaking services as well as some that are more popular today like Yahoo Personals, and had gone on a few unimpressive dates. By the time my husband sent me that first message, I knew just by the length of his message that something was different this time. Not only were his spelling and grammar correct, but he also strung together several coherent sentences that gave me a glimpse into his life and personality. The rest is history!

Today, there are many more choices for online dating and it can be hard to know who to use. Most quality services are no longer free, so you want to be sure you're investing your money with a reputable company, and investing your time in a service that cares about the same things you do. One site claims to be able to help you do just that by comparing the most popular online dating and matchmaking services for you. No matter what service you use, the quality of the match you make is ultimately up to you, just as in offline dating.

Anyone else out there married to their computer love? Leave a comment with your story!

Tips for Healthy Holiday Feasting

The office Holiday party. Your inlaws' Christmas Eve dinner. Your best friend's kid's Kwanzaa celebration. The New Year's Eve Bash downtown. What do all these gatherings have in common? Yes, food. Yummy-looking food everywhere, the health of which you have no control over. Never fear, there are ways to ensure you don't break your New Year's resolution before it's begun.

Here are some tips to help you eat sensibly while enjoying all the festive fare before you. CAUTION: Failure to follow at least 1 of these guidelines may result in the need for a good colon cleanser later to relieve your guilt and your gut:

• eat before you party, you'll be less tempted to gorge yourself on all the goodies
  
• bring your own healthy dish so you can pig out on something
• sit next to the health nut in the group for some more positive peer pressure
  
• don't deny yourself, just fill up on the healthier victuals first, then sample the more sinful offerings
• get smaller portions
• eat slowly
• don't talk while you eat (for more reasons than one)
  
• pop a mint between plates of food to curb your appetite for more
• if you feel awkward without something in your hand, grab a handful of dried fruit and nuts
  
• opt for water or wine instead of beer or liquor
  
• use smaller plates and taller, skinnier glasses
• when offered more food, ask if you can take it to go
• don't give excuses if asked about your eating/dieting habits, they'll only leave loopholes for Aunt Sally to give you that extra serving of pecan pie she made
  
• squeeze in an extra workout or physical activity before the event
  

Or, you could just stay home. But then you may be so depressed and bored that you are compelled to clean out your fridge -- with your mouth. Studies show Americans gain 3-5 pounds during this festive season so you better be on guard. Make a plan and stick to it. Those extra pounds will show up wielding a fork and knife and you don't want to be too unprepared to defend yourself.

This is a sponsored post.

Real Women Deserve Fashion Too!

Ok, so I'm a little late in covering this topic, but did anyone see Project Runway last week? It was on again last night (what's up with the reruns anyway?) so that's what brought it to my mind again. It was the one where they got regular women as models (how dare they?!) who had lost ALOT of weight. The challenge was to reuse the ladies outfits from when they were overweight to make a new design but they got a couple bucks to spend to get extra supplies.

Did you see the look on the designers' faces when those ladies walked out on the catwalk? Hilarious. I think it's cool Christian won even though he was the main one griping and complaining about working with "regular" women. Hello! We need hip clothes too! His model was the most "model-esque" though. Chris' design was worse than bad and he should have been kicked off instead of Steven, or with Steven. The other design I liked was the one made by the too-often-self-professed "only Straight Guy on the show" Kevin. Makes you want to go scoop up a pair of leggings for yourself doesn't it? Hmm, maybe I should give that a second thought. Tim Gunn thinks my leggings days are over, and he just might be right. Instead, I'll be looking for Christian's outfit to hit the stores. It's so Audrey that I can't resist picturing myself in it. Which design could you see yourself wearing?


This is a sponsored post.

For the Entrepreneur in you

As the wife of an entrepreneur, I've recently been bitten by the same bug my husband's had for years, even before I knew him. Everywhere I look, I see an opportunity to do something creative and new with something old or forgotten. And I know a lot of work at home moms (WAHMs); One who does incredible photography, another who sews beautiful nursing covers, a mom who makes cloth diapers and other baby accessories, and another I inspired to sell baby carriers. Sometimes though, I am at a loss for original ideas. As I've mentioned many times, I lack creative ability. But one thing I am amazing at is taking something already established and managing it and making it better. That's why the idea of starting a franchise appeals to me so.

Franchises are a great way to dive into the world of business ownership. With less risk than starting your own business from scratch and with a business model already shown to be successful, franchises are a popular choice for those with entrepreneurship on their minds. I've read a few books on franchising and have come across a handful of franchise ideas that hubby and I are sitting on until we raise enough capital.

If you are interested in starting a franchise, I suggest you do your research to find out just what opportunities are available. One site, RedHotFranchises.com, makes it easy to browse and search for franchise opportunities by industry and request information directly from that business. There are hundreds out there and I'm certain you will find something that interests you... See, I've just found two more already!


This is a sponsored post.

Blogging for bucks

I posted awhile back about deciding to blog for money and I'm constantly looking into the options for someone like me who's just starting out, and other bloggers' opinions. There are whole discussion groups out there dedicated to helping bloggers learn the ins and outs of blog advertising. I found out about Smorty.com in a post by windyridge on Blog Catalog and immediately signed up. Smorty is a service connecting advertisers with bloggers. Advertisers can pay bloggers to write opinion posts with links back to the advertisers site.

There are three things I like about Smorty right from the start. I like that my admin page shows all the opportunities available to me right when I log in so I don't have to wade through all the others or go to a new page to find them. Second, instead of having to wait 30-60 days for payment, Smorty pays weekly for approved posts which is WAY cool. Finally, I (and you too if you sign up and are approved) can reserve an opportunity for 3 days, so I have a lot of time to work on my article before posting it for approval.

At first I had mixed feelings about getting paid to blog but that's a conflict I've had about working for pay for a long time anyway. I'm a real non-profit kinda gal at heart. But I've since overcome that conflict and am enjoying finding opportunities that help me diversify my blog content. And I am even signing up my husband's and my other business so bloggers can get paid to blog about us. If you want to get paid for blogging, head over to Smorty to see if their service is right for you.