Cooking has not been one of the best things I’ve done in my life. My children and husband can vouch for that fact and claim it to be true. A few years ago I was watching the cooking channel because my twin girls and their boyfriends were coming for Thanksgiving dinner. The challenge was on so I found Paula Deen on the Food Network and followed all her tips making the complete Thanksgiving meal that was posted on her website: PaulaDeen.com The meal was a huge hit down to the sweet potato balls stuffed with marshmallows!

 
My girls were wondering at first who made the food and when I confessed I was learning how to cook by watching Paula Deen my daughter Laura said “Oh great, we move out of the house and you learn how to cook mom!”

 
This was my first introduction to Paula Deen because of searching for food to cook and since I was letting my hair grow to it’s natural color, I guess I became inspired by Ms Deen.

 
One day while standing in the check-out line at the grocery store, I saw her photo with that sparkling smile! Her teeth were so beautiful! What a lovely woman she is. My heart’s desire then become to SMILE like Paula Deen.

 
Sharing this news with my hairdresser, she suggested I contact a local dentist that was highly recommend and was quite well known in our community by everyone but me. I had never heard of her or this “Smile Design Studio” found in Ocala but I called the number and made an appointment for the very next day.

 
I am well known as the “Jump in” kind of gal, wasting no time I was so excited to head to the office where my dream may come true and I will receive the smile like Paula Deen! I felt like I was taking that first step to the smile of success!

 
The ladies in the office were very friendly and did say that could pass as a “Young” Paula Deen and they couldn’t believe my hair was naturally gray at my “young” age! I guess they didn’t realize I was 50 years old at that point. After I had the grand tour of the spa like dentist office, the questions began of “How much money do you have and How much money can you afford to spend?” My mind was in a daze as I wanted to get prices and hear of a plan for my teeth not how much money was in my pocket?

 
I said, “I want a smile like Paula Deen!” Then the truth came out. It coincidentally seems the dentist personally knows the same dentist that actually DID Paula Deens smile and she confessed that her smile cost $75,000.00! I was like WHAT? She also revealed that Paula Deen’s original teeth were in worse condition than mine, so my fee should be under $45,000.00.

 
Now, I’m sure you can feel my dilemma because I want to smile like Paula Deen BUT I can’t see taking out a second mortgage on my home.
$4000.00 a tooth and other fees to boot, *sigh* I can only smile in my dreams like Paula Deen!

Enjoy a trial of sending two FREE greeting cards from my personal dashboard.

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Make someones day SNAIL MAIL , OLD SCHOOL Greeting cards style:

Hosting a monthly blog challenge is part of the fun as a member of VirtualOnlineLearning.com.  We hold two challenges a month. Mid month is a mini challenge and is held on the 15th of every month.  Requirement on this day is for three blog posts. Each person that adds three posts in one day will receive added exposure in addition to group support.

The 30th of every month is our big challenge. 5 blog posts in one day is the goal during this time. 6th post can be a bonus if desired.

The PERK to participate in these challenges is the members tweet, like and comment plus google LOVES you when you feed your blog this many posts in one day!

Not all our members participate each month. We all get busy and skip a month but the best part is you can schedule those posts in advance. We do ask you use the blogging challenge banners and help promote the others. We all use the hashtag on twitter: #volm

Thanks and if you’re not a member yet, hope you will consider to join us at: VirtualOnlineLearning.com

This site along with my other sites are all under construction. PowerSellingMom.com is scheduled to be completed in the next week or so, This website is second on the list so, stay tuned for a NEW LOOK coming soon!

Last weekend Jimmy and I were spending quality time learning how to use our new Droids. We were using the Navigation settings in addition to the Zillow App which helps you find a house for sale.  Traveling the coast in Florida along A1A we wanted to take a look at homes in Palm Coast. Jimmy said “Palm Coast” to his phone and it started to guide us in the right direction. We grew fond of the voice commands telling us where to turn while following along on the screen.

Soon, we were in the town of “Palm Coast Florida” and the navigator kept giving us commands. I told Jimmy he could shut it off now since we found the town but it kept giving us directions. We decided it would be fun to follow along where it was telling us to go. Soon it spoke “”You’ve arrived at your destination.”  I was driving and pulled in front of the house, looking for a For Sale sign but there was not any. We both wondered WHY were were there when Jimmy turned to me, he was white as a ghost and he said “wt is this?” I leaned over to see the sign above the garage read: JESUS.

We both were seriously wondering WHY we were there. I parked our vehicle and walked in front with my camera to take this photo:

What do you think it means?

Do you think we should have knocked on the door?

View Larger Map of Palm Coast Florida

Our house is officially on the market now! Details can be seen –> HOUSE FOR SALE

More videos will be posted soon!

Funny how things work out because the Beanie Babie craze helped me to put a down payment on a house ten years ago and now I can’t sell my house or the left over bag of beans!

I have 4 Rubbermaid tubs loaded with bags of beans from 1996 and at one time they were worth no less then $30.00 each! I can remember selling several on eBay for $1,200.00 for just one! At the time, being a new business person I thought I would stash some for my children and they too would be able to buy cars or help with college! This was the first lesson I learned about being an eBay seller; “When the markets HOT, sell it all!”

Unfortunalty we were not ready to move when the housing market was “hot” because once the kids moved out, my grandmother moved in and we treasured every moment that she lived with us but now that she’s passed on we are ready to sell our house and Monday we sign the papers to put it on the market officially! The realetor already warned us that chances are slim for a house sale but , one never knows!

I started packing up items to prepare the house to hit the market and a sat to look at the tubs of beans realizing how this has come into a full circle with beanies and houses! What a crazy world we live in!

Meanwhile, I will write now and then on the progress of selling a house but as far as the beanies go, I am afraid I have no choice but to add them to the box lot of garage sale items. So, if anyone is in the mood for a garage sale, contact me because I have STUFF to sell but would rather just take a few bucks and let someone else have the joy of selling the items one by one! A flea market person would have a field day with all this but we have rooms to paint and work to be done! Not sure where to start right now but had to share my thoughts on those bags of beans that helped buy my house and now what a challenge it is to sell either one!

June 24, 2010 was the day I made the commitment to join Curves and get my act together about my health and weight-loss. You can read the original post later if you like at: I am Fat!  Meanwhile, I am happy to share my progress report:

Drum roll please (((smiles))

My total weight loss since last month: 2.5 pounds
My total inch loss: 3.5″
I have two major influence’s to thank:

My personal friend. Neighbor: aka Exercise Coach: Donna
and
My personal friend Chef: Cheryl

It is so nice to have friends on your side that truly care about you and want to help! Ms Donna was the one that dragged my butt out the door, away from my computer and “forced” me to start walking! Which then resulted into my desire to wanting MORE then just walking!

Cheryl my dear “Virtual Assistant” friend sends me menus and grocery lists each week. This makes my life easier and helps me to stay on track!

I love them both dearly for the support!
Visit their blogs at:
Grandma Donna Blogs
Magies Place Cookbook Blog

I will continue with walking twice a week and curves 3 times a week!

Eating better and educating myself about good foods has played a big part of all this as well!

eBay Class

I had a sign made to display where I will be teaching my eBay classes! My idea was that it would be a way to promote my classes while they are in session so that others my want to take a class later! They can visit my website and/or call my cell phone and leave a message during my class!

I thought it would be worth a try!

I left room on the sign so that I could add my own words.

This will be posted in my yard tomorrow
CLICK to view my eBay Classes

The 30 day blog challenge has paid off! When I started this challenge I did not have a google page rank and now after checking I am showing #2 page rank with google! Even the Alexa rank has gone up as well reading : 601,306! This is very good!

Thanks to those that took advantage of the $3.00 advertising I have on this blog too! 90 days for 3 bucks is a great deal and I will continue to promote this blog! I already have new goals set on my calendar and will do my best to post away!  I may not blog every day for the next 30 days like I did last month but I will do my best! Life is good!

Wishing everyone tons of blogging success!