Thanksgiving was wonderful this year! Like always, I stuffed myself until I couldn't breathe, and then stuffed myself again. It is actually a trend that has been ongoing all weekend. I really need to make it stop. After the turkey was over though, I had to come home and pack. Do you know how hard it is to pack for a family of 6, even when you are just going for one night? I was exhausted. Anyway, I was packing for our fun filled Branson trip that was ahead of us. I myself and the kids were very excited, but as for my husband, well let's just say that he has never felt the love for Branson.
Friday morning arrived and we loaded the bus. Yes, I did say bus. My entire family was going; aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas and grandpas, and so on. Lucky for us, my father-in-law owns the charter buses, so we have them at hand when needed. We loaded up and off we went. For me, the ride to Branson gets longer every year. I don't know why that happens, but it's true.
Branson was as much fun as I expected, and guess what, my husband even enjoyed himself, especially after I dragged him onto the barn swing. After that there was no getting him off. The kids had fun too, even though the hoppy frogs won once again. One of these days my children will not be crying when they get off the frogs. I guess it was a step up from last year, they didn't have to stop the ride just to let us off...lol. As the night came upon us, the lights were as beautiful as ever. The parade was wonderful and we even saw Santa! It was a great day, but we had to get back to the hotel to rest. The next day would bring even more excitement.
The next day was a surprise to us all. My mother-in-law had a show lined up for us, but she wouldn't tell anyone which show it was. As we drove to the destination, everyone was on the edge of their seats awaiting the great surprise. Then, I saw one of the most beautiful buildings in Branson: The Sights and Sounds Theatre. I was so excited, we were going to see the Christmas Story. The show was amazing! I would tell anyone who has not been there, it is something that needs to be seen. I can't wait to go back to see the Noah show. After the show, we all decided to go to the Branson Landing. I finally started on a few Christmas presents, but need many many more. We made our way through the lights on The Sheppard of the Hills and back home we went.
I would have to say that our Branson trip was a success this year. There are always so many new surprises. I hope that everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!
Happy Holidays!!!!!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thanksgiving Air Travel Survival Guide
Check it out here
I found this at abc news. Since the holidays are upon us, I wanted to blog about just that, the holidays. What better thing to talk about then air travel tips, especially since most people go to see family for Thanksgiving. This article was all about tips to making your trip run much smoother.
The first tip was to round up all the necessities one week before departure. This makes perfect since. Like they stated in the article, you don't want to find out that the zipper on your suitcase is broken the night before you leave.
The next tip was for 48 hours before departure: make sure you and your loved ones have a phone. You don't want someone to be waiting for you at the airport, when your flight was delayed for an hour. I also liked the fact that they said to program the airline's number in your phone. You might just need to make that call.
Next was 24 hours before departure. This came with 5 steps. Step 1 is to print out your boarding pass. I didn't know this but, usually the first ones to print their boarding pass are the ones who get the best seats. Step 2 is to charge all electronics. Step 3 is to have food and entertainment ready. They gave the idea to pack your lunch, that way you don't have to spend a huge amount on the outrageous airline food. Step 4 is to pack and use a carry on. Step 5 is to print out maps of departure and connecting airports and study them. This will help to save you time when you get there.
Now for the night before departure. Make sure you lay out wear on plane clothes, boarding pass, reading material, etc. Also, make your transportation arrangements to get to the airport. Always leave early in case of delays. You want to be at the airport at least an hour before your flight leaves.
Finally, the departure day. You should be completely prepared if you followed the above steps. If there are delays, just sit back and enjoy. All of your work is done.
I hope that this helps anyone who is planning on traveling for Thanksgiving, or any holiday for that matter. I am not a big traveler. I have only been on a plane 3 times in my life. One of them included a joy ride, another for skydiving, so actually I have only been 1 time to actually travel, and I wish that I could have had these steps to follow. I was not ready for what was ahead of me. I think that this article layed them out pretty easy. If they are followed it should be smooth sailing from there. I think that the most interesting thing I learned from this article was that by printing off your boarding pass first, you got a better seat. That would have been nice to know.
Again, I hope this helps all of you travelers, and have a Happy Turkey Day!
I found this at abc news. Since the holidays are upon us, I wanted to blog about just that, the holidays. What better thing to talk about then air travel tips, especially since most people go to see family for Thanksgiving. This article was all about tips to making your trip run much smoother.
The first tip was to round up all the necessities one week before departure. This makes perfect since. Like they stated in the article, you don't want to find out that the zipper on your suitcase is broken the night before you leave.
The next tip was for 48 hours before departure: make sure you and your loved ones have a phone. You don't want someone to be waiting for you at the airport, when your flight was delayed for an hour. I also liked the fact that they said to program the airline's number in your phone. You might just need to make that call.
Next was 24 hours before departure. This came with 5 steps. Step 1 is to print out your boarding pass. I didn't know this but, usually the first ones to print their boarding pass are the ones who get the best seats. Step 2 is to charge all electronics. Step 3 is to have food and entertainment ready. They gave the idea to pack your lunch, that way you don't have to spend a huge amount on the outrageous airline food. Step 4 is to pack and use a carry on. Step 5 is to print out maps of departure and connecting airports and study them. This will help to save you time when you get there.
Now for the night before departure. Make sure you lay out wear on plane clothes, boarding pass, reading material, etc. Also, make your transportation arrangements to get to the airport. Always leave early in case of delays. You want to be at the airport at least an hour before your flight leaves.
Finally, the departure day. You should be completely prepared if you followed the above steps. If there are delays, just sit back and enjoy. All of your work is done.
I hope that this helps anyone who is planning on traveling for Thanksgiving, or any holiday for that matter. I am not a big traveler. I have only been on a plane 3 times in my life. One of them included a joy ride, another for skydiving, so actually I have only been 1 time to actually travel, and I wish that I could have had these steps to follow. I was not ready for what was ahead of me. I think that this article layed them out pretty easy. If they are followed it should be smooth sailing from there. I think that the most interesting thing I learned from this article was that by printing off your boarding pass first, you got a better seat. That would have been nice to know.
Again, I hope this helps all of you travelers, and have a Happy Turkey Day!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Gift Cards
Check it out here
I found this article at fox news.
Christmas time is just around the corner, and everyone is getting ready for the season of giving. The stores have even started a little earlier this year, but that is a whole other story. What we want to know is what kind of gifts will be given? There are the food baskets, the slippers and pajamas, new technical devices, and so on. One of my favorite gifts to give, and to receive, is the gift card. You know that it is a win win situation, or is it?
According to this article, The Federal Reserve is coming up with a new set of rules that will protect gift card users. My question was, for what reason does a gift card user need protected? Then it hit me, that little fine print that says you only have a certain amount of time to use your card before it expires or loses its value. Sure enough, as I read on, this is exactly what the Federal Reserve is trying to protect against. So, starting August 22, 2010, one of the rules that is being proposed is the card will keep its value for up to 5 years. Like stated in the article, this will help those who want to save up for a big purchase item. It sounds like a good idea to me. Also, fees that are usually in the fine print will not become active until 1 year after the card has been inactive. These rules will apply to all types of stores; big and small names.
Since the gift card is one of my favorite gifts, I thought that this was a marvelous idea. There have been times when I would like to save a card to use at a more convenient time, but couldn't because it would have expired. I also think that it helps relieve some of the stress on the person who is buying the gift card. It eases their mind, knowing that the person they are giving it to will be able to get something that they actually want or need. Since these rules do not become active until next year, this holiday season will not gain the benefits, but there is not too much more time to wait. I know I am looking forward to the exciting new change!
I found this article at fox news.
Christmas time is just around the corner, and everyone is getting ready for the season of giving. The stores have even started a little earlier this year, but that is a whole other story. What we want to know is what kind of gifts will be given? There are the food baskets, the slippers and pajamas, new technical devices, and so on. One of my favorite gifts to give, and to receive, is the gift card. You know that it is a win win situation, or is it?
According to this article, The Federal Reserve is coming up with a new set of rules that will protect gift card users. My question was, for what reason does a gift card user need protected? Then it hit me, that little fine print that says you only have a certain amount of time to use your card before it expires or loses its value. Sure enough, as I read on, this is exactly what the Federal Reserve is trying to protect against. So, starting August 22, 2010, one of the rules that is being proposed is the card will keep its value for up to 5 years. Like stated in the article, this will help those who want to save up for a big purchase item. It sounds like a good idea to me. Also, fees that are usually in the fine print will not become active until 1 year after the card has been inactive. These rules will apply to all types of stores; big and small names.
Since the gift card is one of my favorite gifts, I thought that this was a marvelous idea. There have been times when I would like to save a card to use at a more convenient time, but couldn't because it would have expired. I also think that it helps relieve some of the stress on the person who is buying the gift card. It eases their mind, knowing that the person they are giving it to will be able to get something that they actually want or need. Since these rules do not become active until next year, this holiday season will not gain the benefits, but there is not too much more time to wait. I know I am looking forward to the exciting new change!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Smart Traffic Lights
I found this at fox news.
Have you ever wondered why it seems like every traffic light in the world turns red just as you approach it? I know I feel like I constantly sit at red lights. Well, according to this article, it is because the U.S. hasn't caught up with the times. It states that we are about 40 years behind on the traffic light. That is very outdated. In that case, is there anything we can do to fix it?
I had no idea that we were this far behind, let alone that there were smart traffic lights. I was ready to find out what these smart lights consisted of, and how much more effective they could be.
New technology has developed, such as start-stop systems, which shut off the engine when sitting in still traffic, and hybrid systems that increase fuel efficiency. These are only a few things that have been done, but what can be done with the traffic lights? BMW's Traffic Technology and Traffic Management group say that even some of the smart traffic lights have one or two loop detectors that can average speeds, number of cars, etc. In the U.S., there is almost nothing like that. This group of people have set up testing sights using green waves. This is a minimum of four signals in sequence that can eb synchronized for better traffic flow. In doing this, they were actually able to double a cars fuel efficiency from 22 mpg to 42 mpg. That would help tremendously for the way that most of the traffic is traveled these days.
I think that it is time for us to step up the improvement of our traffic light system, and according to the BMW traffic management, so do they. They have met with U.S. Dot officials and urged them to make changes. They have also offered to give them insight on their green waves studies. I think that this is a great idea. We have got to start coming up with more ways to help save on the fuel efficiency. I also believe that this could help with traffic congestion. If they can come up with a way that I don't have to sit at a red light when I don't have to, more power to them.
Have you ever wondered why it seems like every traffic light in the world turns red just as you approach it? I know I feel like I constantly sit at red lights. Well, according to this article, it is because the U.S. hasn't caught up with the times. It states that we are about 40 years behind on the traffic light. That is very outdated. In that case, is there anything we can do to fix it?
I had no idea that we were this far behind, let alone that there were smart traffic lights. I was ready to find out what these smart lights consisted of, and how much more effective they could be.
New technology has developed, such as start-stop systems, which shut off the engine when sitting in still traffic, and hybrid systems that increase fuel efficiency. These are only a few things that have been done, but what can be done with the traffic lights? BMW's Traffic Technology and Traffic Management group say that even some of the smart traffic lights have one or two loop detectors that can average speeds, number of cars, etc. In the U.S., there is almost nothing like that. This group of people have set up testing sights using green waves. This is a minimum of four signals in sequence that can eb synchronized for better traffic flow. In doing this, they were actually able to double a cars fuel efficiency from 22 mpg to 42 mpg. That would help tremendously for the way that most of the traffic is traveled these days.
I think that it is time for us to step up the improvement of our traffic light system, and according to the BMW traffic management, so do they. They have met with U.S. Dot officials and urged them to make changes. They have also offered to give them insight on their green waves studies. I think that this is a great idea. We have got to start coming up with more ways to help save on the fuel efficiency. I also believe that this could help with traffic congestion. If they can come up with a way that I don't have to sit at a red light when I don't have to, more power to them.
I am still here
No, I haven't fallen off the face of earth, I just got a little behind in my blogs. So, on that note, let's get started again!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Elderly Man Fights Attacker With Soda
Check it out here
I found this at abc news. This story is a little different than usual, but I found it interesting. Pat Gillespie is 77 years old. He came home from the grocery store one afternoon and started to empty his trunk, when an assaulter came and pointed a gun to him. The assaulter told him to empty his pockets, but Pat refused. Instead, he tried to attack his assaulter with a 2 liter Pepsi bottle. He hit him a few times before he was shot in the groin. After being shot, he hit the man one more time, and the robber ran off. Then Pat went inside and finally called his neighbor.
My initial reaction was that this man is insane for trying to fight off someone that had a gun, with only a 2 liter bottle. He stated in the clip that it was just instinct. He didn't want someone taking what belonged to him. He also stated that he would have kept going if he would not have tripped. This makes me wonder what a person's body goes through in cases like this. I initially think that I would have given this man whatever he wanted to try and save my life, but not in Pat's case. He said instinct led him to attack, even though the assaulter held a gun on him. So, does instinct and adrenaline take over? I find this very interesting. I was happy to see that Pat turned out just fine, other than a limp that he obtained from the gun shot, but what about next time. Will the next victim be so lucky? I guess my question is, what would you do in a situation like this? Give in or fight back....?
I found this at abc news. This story is a little different than usual, but I found it interesting. Pat Gillespie is 77 years old. He came home from the grocery store one afternoon and started to empty his trunk, when an assaulter came and pointed a gun to him. The assaulter told him to empty his pockets, but Pat refused. Instead, he tried to attack his assaulter with a 2 liter Pepsi bottle. He hit him a few times before he was shot in the groin. After being shot, he hit the man one more time, and the robber ran off. Then Pat went inside and finally called his neighbor.
My initial reaction was that this man is insane for trying to fight off someone that had a gun, with only a 2 liter bottle. He stated in the clip that it was just instinct. He didn't want someone taking what belonged to him. He also stated that he would have kept going if he would not have tripped. This makes me wonder what a person's body goes through in cases like this. I initially think that I would have given this man whatever he wanted to try and save my life, but not in Pat's case. He said instinct led him to attack, even though the assaulter held a gun on him. So, does instinct and adrenaline take over? I find this very interesting. I was happy to see that Pat turned out just fine, other than a limp that he obtained from the gun shot, but what about next time. Will the next victim be so lucky? I guess my question is, what would you do in a situation like this? Give in or fight back....?
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