I don’t know how many of you know, but I started a little “Cake” thing! I don’t know if I would call it a business yet, but considering I sold 12 cakes for Easter, it may just be. I already have 2 orders for Wedding Cakes (if I think I can do them) and a fabulous birthday cake for this next weekend. I’m loving it, and finally decided that when my cakes went out for Easter I would have some business cards to go with them. I headed over to VistaPrint.com and got 250 cards for free. Not only was their selection awesome, they had a card with a darling cake on it. Well, I couldn’t just stop with the cards. I ordered matching sticky notes to take orders on, magnetic business cards and even ordered address labels cheap. That’s just how VistaPrint is. You can save a bundle as well, just use this great coupon code “Blogaddress75″ (minus the quotation marks) and you will get 75% off when you check out!

So not only did I save a ton of money, all of my items match. And there is just something really professional about that! If you are starting a little business, already have one, or if you are just looking for a great place to get quality business products, this is definitely a shopping site. I have used them a couple of times, first with the cake cards and more recently I ordered business cards with just my blog addresses on them, you know, something to get the word out. Whatever the reason, check them out! I even have the cute little VistaPrint button in the sidebar. Truly a company I stand behind!

The Chef had to be in downtown Chicago this morning by 8 am. His Food Handlers ’stuff’ is up for renewal, and he has to take a three day class in order to take the test. If he could, he would skip the first two days and show up for the last class and take the test. He would still pass with a perfect score. That’s how it is when you’ve worked in the food business for over 20 years–you just know your stuff!

Instead of driving with rush hour this morning (a day after neck surgery) he thought it would be easier to ride the train. It’s just up the street from our house, and very convenient. So at 6:30 this morning I had to get my sorry behind out of bed to drive him to the train station. He didn’t want to pay for daily parking (it was $1.00) and he wasn’t sure there would be enough parking that early in the morning (there was). So next Wednesday, I’m hoping he’ll splurge with the $1 and let me sleep!!!

If you could enter to win a contest for a $20,000 home makeover, what room would you choose in your house? Here’s mine!

We moved into our house 7 months ago today! I’m amazed at just how fast it’s gone. We did the walk through on Thursday morning and the ‘lady of the house’ was here. I found that a little odd and it stopped us from really stepping back and looking at somethings. They hadn’t totally finished moving out of the family room. They still had a desk, a book shelf and a rug in front of the fireplace. Friday after the closing I headed “home” to really just relax and enjoy a brand new, empty house. It was awesome! Until I reached the family room. Where the desk and the book shelf had been…planks of wood covering bare floor that was not carpeted. And the rug in front of the fireplace was still there. I started walking toward it realizing just what it was hiding. As I lifted it up you could see chunks of carpet had been cut due to the burning embers that had landed on it. This was why the lady was there…this was why that particular room hadn’t been emptied yet. Yes, it was our fault for at least not looking under the rug, but the furniture over the lack of carpet…that was premeditated!

*Their stuff…not ours!

If I could make over any room in the house it would be this one. The walls are mint green and the carpet is a strange green color with a faint smell of cat urine. I’ve never owned a cat, yet the stench of “Ghost Cat” will forever be embedded in my family room. This and this alone is why this room is in constant need of an air freshener. Plus, I like adding fresh scents that tickle my nose–but honestly, this one isn’t just for the “foo foo” factor!! We moved out of a house that had a dog that destroyed the carpet. There was no cover for that smell and I was embarrassed to bring anyone over.

Dirty dishes, carpet, dirty clothes…all leave un-pleasing scents wandering through a home. I have a stash of air fresheners, mostly Vanilla but some Berries and in the kids room there is Lavender. At TriScents.com you can find the official rules for the makeover contest as well as a money saving coupon that is easy to download and print at home.

If you have a room in your home that you dread going into, like me and my family room. Take a moment and let us know just what is up with your house. You never know, you may just turn an eyesore into your favorite room in your house!

I just added a new page up in the navigation bar. It’s called Gourmet Food Links, and in it you will find some of my favorite sites. The first one up is BlueStem Winery.

I first ran across this blog using the Entrecard, and I have to tell you, it’s one of my favorites. Honestly, I advertise over there at least once a week between my two blogs. At BlueStem Winery, you can find fine BlueStem label wines plus wine making supplies and home brew supplies plus both WinExpert and Cellar Craft wine kits.

I will continue to add to this page as I run across other great sites like this one!

My mom has suffered from poor health for many years. She’s been to many doctors, nutritionists and health professionals. She’s found the very most help from the nutritionists. They completely revamped her vitamin and mineral intake. Most of the time she would take pills. Calcium/Magnesium pills, all of her vitamins, everything in pill form. The problem is pills, especially minerals, are hard for the body to digest in the short amount of time it takes for the pill to travel through the digestive system. So much of the nutrients are lost. Her last nutritionist put her on sublingual (underneath the tongue) vitamins, most importantly B12. B12 is a wonder vitamin really. It helps with so many systems in the body, but especially the brain. Memory, focus and the slowing of dementia are the most notable. So to be able to get this necessary vitamin in a sublingual form is perfect, but not always easy to find. Never fear…you can Get Trivita Sublingual B12 Here! Click on the link and be like the millions before you who have purchased over 10 million boxes. I know I would like to get myself some. It’s hard being a mom of 4 and a wife of a work-a-holic when you don’t always feel your best.

Did you know that there have been some years when the biggest pranks were put on by fast food restaurants themselves??

In 1996 Taco Bell announced that it had purchased the Liberty Bell from the federal government and was renaming it the “Taco Liberty Bell”. Citizens around the country were outraged that the government would sell such a treasured item and actually complained to the National Historic Park in Philadelphia, the home of the Liberty Bell. When asked about the sale the White House Press secretary answered that the Lincoln Monument had been sold as well, and would now be called the “Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial”. A few hours later, Taco Bell announced that it was in fact, a hoax. But a darn good one! And with the naming rights being sold on everything from sports arena’s to air fields–why not National Treasures!!

A few years later in 1998, Burger King took out an entire 1 page ad announcing that it was coming out with a left handed Whopper. You know how hard it is for all of those “South Paws” to enjoy the normal ‘righty’ Whopper! The would now disperse the toppings so that they would no longer bunch up on the right side of the bun. You guessed it…HOOK, LINE & SINKER! Thousands requested the new hamburger-while others made sure the regular right handed option was still available!

Hope you all had a fun and festive April Fools Day!!