Fourth Of July Fun Facts.

I was talking to younger niece the other day and I asked her what she is doing for the 4th of July. She told me she is going to a party and then going to watch fireworks. Then I decided to dig a little more and I asked her if she knew why the 4th of July was so important. She got quiet and then said “it’s Independence Day.” But then went on to explain which was pretty impressive. This gave me a fun party decorating idea. I looked up fun 4th of July facts (listed below); I will print them out and then paste them onto stars and flags. And then put the quotes around the party area for everyone to read.

• 309.6 million is estimated population for this 4th of July
• The value of fireworks imported from China in 2009, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($217 million)
• 31 places nationwide with “liberty” in their name
• Thirty places have “eagle” in their name
• Eleven places have “independence” in their name.
• There is one place named “patriot”

What other creative party decorating ideas do you have?

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Take the Sting out of Bee Stings

Summer is here and so are the bees. I have a phobia of bugs, so anytime one comes near me I am running in the other direction. I have always been told that when bees come around it is best to stay still which is nearly impossible for me. I was doing my daily reading and found this great article on remedies for bee stings oh Shine. Below are the tips that I found most useful:

• Apple Cider Vinegar - Put some vinegar on a cotton ball and rub it on where the sting is located. This will keep the area from turning red and swelling.
• Aspirin - Create a paste using water and crushed up aspirin and then apply it to the sting to keep it from itching.
• Sugar - Wet your finger and then dip it in sugar and rub it on the sting.
• Onion - Cut a piece and rub it on the sting. This is supposed to help with the swelling.

What other remedies do you have to help with bee stings?

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Facebook No-No’s

Facebook has become so popular and continues to get new user everyday. I know my parents are talking about getting on it now as well. My dad said he has some friends he needs to network with, which just sounds silly to me because they are my parents. I recently helped one of my friends set up her Facebook. She had no clue regarding privacy rules and what she should put up. I sent her this helpful article I found on Yahoo! about Facebook. For all of you new Facebook users below are 5 things you should never put on Facebook:

1. You full birth date and where you were born.
2. When you are going out of town.
3. Home address.
4. Risky behaviors. For example, “I wish I could stop smoking like a chimney.” Insurance agencies are looking at things like this now.
5. Bad things about your job, co-workers etc . . .

I hope these help you like they have helped my friend. What other Facebook safety tips do you have?

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Cheap Cleaners That Work

I am always looking for ways to save money. I found this very interesting article on cheap cleaners. I was surprised because I already had all of these products in my house; I just used them for other things. Below are the 4 items that work as cleaners too:

• Baking Soda - This is great for scrubbing getting stains and marks out. You can also use it to help kill smells that are coming from the sink.
• Lemons - It can help get dirt and grease out of clothing. You just need to mix it with some vinegar and sea salt.
• Hydrogen Peroxide - Removed stains from colored clothing without making it lighter.
• Distilled White Vinegar - Great for removing hard water stains and grease.

I love cleaning and trying new things, so I can’t wait to use these new little tricks around the house.

What other cheap cleaner tips do you have?

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Resident Breakfast

Don’t forget about our Resident Breakfast this Saturday!

Please join us at the Stongate Villas Clubhouse this Saturday from 9a.m. to 12p.m. for our “famous” Resident Breakfast. You will not want to miss out on the delicious food and great mingling.

Please see the leasing office for any questions.

We look forward to seeing you!!!

Thank you and have a great week.

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AT&T: No More Unlimited Data

I thought all of you AT&T customers or future AT&T customers would like to know that they are changing their data plans and are not going to offer unlimited data anymore for their smartphones. This starts on Monday June7th.

Since I am an AT&T customer, I currently pay $30 for my data plan and I DO NOT have to change my plan if I don’t want to. The 2 new options are $25 for 2GB of Data or $15 fro 200MB. If you go over on the 2GB plan, they will charge you an additional $10 for an additional 1 GB and if you go over on the 200MB, they will charge you $15 for an additional 200MB.

Once I heard about this news, I went into my account to see how I am going to proceed. I am a pretty heavy data user, so I will probably change to the $25 plan and save the extra $5. I think that it’s great that AT&T is offering these options, but I don’t think it’s wise that they are getting rid of their unlimited data plan. They are also making this change for iPad as well.

What are your thoughts on this change?

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Being H-A-P-P-Y is your choice.

“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”
Dale Carnegie

In every moment, we have a decision to be happy or unhappy. We can look at the positive or dwell on the negative; it all takes up the same amount of energy. We all get in bad moods sometimes and it’s hard to pull out of it. Below is list of things I like to do when I am feeling unhappy:

• Write a gratitude list
• Call a friend
• Help another person
• Meditate
• Workout

What do you do to make yourself happy?

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Having Trouble Finding A Job

Have you been on job search for a while? I know I was and got very sick and tired of it. I was talking to my recruiter and we went over my expectations, resumes, and interviews to help figure out where I was going wrong.

I found out that my expectations were a little too high; I was communicating more about me and not what I can bring to the company, and taking things too personally.

Below are a few of the questions she asked me which were very helpful to finding out where I was going wrong:

• What are your expectations? Are they too high?
• Are you only using a few resources?
• Are you demonstrating long term potential?
• Are you making the same interview mistakes over and over?
• Are you putting your job search on hold every time you get an interview?

I hope these help you like they helped me.

Do you have any other questions people should consider?

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Living Large on a Small Budget

Even though I have been living on my own for 3.5 years now, my parents have always helped me out a little bit financially. This year I have taken it all on myself. I am getting no extra help from them, which means I am having to learn to budget.

I found this very useful article on Yahoo! about learning to live large on a small budget. The tips they talk about are pretty generic, but I think when you actually break them down and implement them they will work. Below are the top 3 suggestions I found most useful:

1. Get budget help from a frugal person. They not only know how to save bits in pieces, but how to actually spend and save better.
2. Find 2 small ways to cut down on your expenses each month. For me this means cutting out one pedicure and a few Starbucks.
3. Find ways to maximize your income. For me this means, babysitting on the weekends or doing free lance work.

What other money saving tips do you have?

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Get a Self-Image Makeover

I think it’s always good every few month to give yourself a self-esteem booster and remind yourself that you are perfect just the way you are. I was talking to a friend about how so many young girls that I work with have self-image issues. We were talking about ways to makeover their self-images, so they can be more confident and proud of themseleves.

Below are some tips that I think everyone can use to makeover their self image once in while:

• Find an old photo. A photo where you remember being worried free and really enjoying the moment. Keep this photo where you can see it and remind yourself of that feeling.
• Write down things you are great at doing.
• Once you know what you are great at, find ways to share it with others.
• Write down your best qualities and then the ones you want as well.
• Compliment others. This will help you feel better inside as well.

I know some of these sound cheesy, but they do work. And don’t worry no one else will see it but you. It’s a great way to boost yourself when you are down.

What are some other suggestions you have?

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