Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems for My car....

         There is nothing scarier to me than driving on the freeway next to a big 16 wheeler rig.  It could even be a 14 wheeler and I still would be nervous. I would always ask my husband to speed up and pass the truck.  I didn't want him to slow down as that could possibly put us in harm’s way.   My husband laughed at me and thought that I was paranoid until I explained that my fear came from seeing all the tire pieces that lined the shoulder of the freeways.   Those pieces just didn't appear out of nowhere.  The pieces of tire had to have gotten there by the tires exploding while driving on the freeway.  The tires ranged anywhere from small tires to great big tires.  How would you like to be driving along with the family and hear a big “kaboom” and then experience something slamming into our vehicle I asked my husband.  It took a few minutes for that scenario to register in his mind.  “Oh that could be a bad thing” he said.   Ya think!    Just knowing that this could happen at any time always made me nervous when driving next to a “Big Rig”.  

                I have seen tires blow out of normal vehicles also.  This is just as frightening if the debris from the blow tire comes flying towards our car.  Not only were there signs along the shoulder of the freeway but many times there were the pieces of tires still lying on the lanes of the freeway.  For those times I was really grateful that we had left a little later and missed being beside a vehicle when the tire blew.  It was then I asked my husband “what were the chances that we could be just a car that would experience a “blown “tire?  We are driving an older car and I guess we don’t have all the new things they are putting on for safety now and my husband proceeded to tell me how we were still able to get some great safety equipment put on our vehicle. 
                One of the major things he put on was a tire pressure monitoring systems on the cars so we could tell exactly what the tire pressures were.   Too low a tire pressure can cause the tires to be unsafe to travel on.  They are sometimes the thing that will cause a tire to blow.   So with him explaining that I am feeling better about the road trips we take and with the knowledge that we may never be the cause of an accident or debris on the side of the road.  Also if a cars tires are not inflated to the vehicles manufacture’s specification it can cause the engine to work harder causing unnecessary consumption of fuel.  We all know how much fuel costs and keeping that down is a great advantage.

Tires are such an important part of our cars.  Driving on good tires not only means safety for us but for others on the road. Under inflated tires are road hazards.  I you drive an older vehicle and what to know exactly what pressure on each tire is then you should definitely check this system out at http://www.tirepressuremonitor.com/

Phoenix Retirement Planning Advisors Advice to ME...

          When I was a little girl I never had to worry about where the money came from that was used in buying me new shoes or dresses or even an ice cream cone.  As I got older and had always loved children it was easy for me to transition to babysitting other people’s children to earn money for ice cream cones.  When the amount of money earned from babysitting was not enough to buy the brand of clothing I wanted it became imperative to get a “real job”.  Oh having lot of money was so fun.   I was truly in heaven.  All the money I wanted without having to ask for it.  Then it was on to college, a degree and into the real world… of working for the rest of my life.   Now with so many years of hard diligent work behind me I can look back and give some good advice to those just starting out.  

                It doesn't take very long for the years to just sneak past you.  Many of us think that we have all the time in the world.  At least that is what I thought, and then all of a sudden it is time to think about retiring.  After all my kids were in school I decided to go back to work.  I wanted a job that was flexible enough to allow me to get off for the times when my children had programs, sport meets or whatever they had going.  The job I got was perfect for this.  It had all the flexibility I wanted.  Not once did I ever think about other aspects of having a job.   Then that business pulled out and it was time to look for another job as I had gotten used to having my own money to spend.  The next job offered insurance and a 401 plan.  Wow, I hadn't even thought about something like that.  Money in the bank to spare, what a novel idea that was.   All of a sudden the years to retirement were edged ever closer.   As my co-workers were beginning to retire and talk about all the things they would be doing in their “Golden Years” it made me stop and wonder just how my ‘Golden Years’ would be played out.   As I now realized I hadn't been saving for retirement very long and didn't really have much money saved in the bank.  I started asking around about how to make my “nest egg” grow faster.    A good friend told me about Phoenix Retirement Planning Advisors.  Immediately I got in touch with them for some investment strategy. 

                I didn't know even where to start but with the help of these advisors they customized a plan for me with some expert financial advice as to how I am going to be able to enjoy my retirement years.  One piece of “advice” I would give to anyone entering the work force now is to start saving from that first paycheck.  I know you may think you know it all but believe me time goes way too fast.  It is never too early to being planning for your retirement.  If you don’t know where to start you should check out the advisors at http://www.swretire.com/personal-finance

Cute Dog Clothes for Sawyer

              The other day I was walking in the mall when I passed a woman with what looked like a big purse over her shoulder.  Now this is nothing new or amazing to see people shopping and especially women shopping sporting a larger than normal bag on their shoulder.  This one however had a “head”.   I don’t mean that the purse actually had a “head” but there was a cute tiny head poking out the end of the purse.  I was walking behind and to the side of this woman so I had a pretty good view of what exactly this was.   We entered the same store.   I usually don’t talk to strangers, as my mother taught me while in my youth but this small creature she had in her purse intrigued me.   I therefore struck up a conversation with her about what she was carrying in her purse.

                  If you have ever encountered a person with their animal, whether it be big or small you soon learn how precious these animals are to them.  This woman was no different.  She then proceeded to explain everything I could possible every want to know about her “Katie” and then some.   She had brought Katie inside to shop because it was summer and she didn't want to leave her out in the hot car. My question, to myself, was if she was going shopping why she didn't just leave Katie at home.  But like all animal lovers this cute little dog wasn't just a dog,  it was her life.   She then proceeded to take Katie out of the “purse” to show me the cute dog clothes that Katie was wearing.  And cute they were.   I had seen fancy collars and bows tied on the top of dogs ears after they had been groomed before but I don’t think I was prepared to see a full blown outfit on a dog.

                Katie, I had to admit looked adorable.  Where in the world would you get such a tiny outfit to fit this small of a dog?  As a little girl I used to, as I am sure all little girls do, to “dress up” the family dog.   I just used the doll clothes I had for my big baby doll.  I thought our dog was really cute but that it seems was nothing compared to what Katie had on.  Katie also had on a beautiful collar with all the “bling” that she would ever want.  I guess dogs want “bling”.   Then before I knew what was happening she pulled out a photo album from the side pocket of the purse and proceeded to show me all the “photo shoots” that she had done of Katie in her various outfits.  It was like asking a grandma about her grandchildren. 

                There really were some cute dog outfits.   Katie it seemed had more clothes than I did.  And they were way cuter too.  This woman told me she had obtained these clothes from http://www.doggiefashiontrends.com/clothing.  So when my daughter got her precious Sawyer I went to this site and got Sawyer  the cutest raincoat ever.  I don’t think I will be like this woman in the mall but I do think that Sawyer will be seeing cuter clothes and accessories than my family dog ever saw.      

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a Celebrity Dress of my own.....

From the time I was a little girl I couldn't get enough magazines showing all the beautiful dresses that the famous celebrities wore.   I had an older sister and so whenever there was a formal dance at her high school from the time she stepped out of the shower until the time her date would come by and pick her up I would be right behind her.  I think she really like having me there and didn't think I was a pest.  She would always answer questions and I am sure there were many about what type of material was in her dress to just how she felt wearing such a beautiful dress.  I remember once when the formal dress she wore had a big skirt that when she twirled around it looked just like a beautiful merry-go-round with all the beautiful painted horses.

 Then came the time she got married and I know money was tight and so for me to be in the wedding party my mother had to cut down one of her formal dresses to be made into a dress for me.  Now some might think this would not be a fair thing or even something that I would be happy about but it was like a dream come true for me to have one a dress made just like the ones I had seen my sister wear.  As I grew I still could not obtain too many magazines with pictures of the beautiful people in their beautiful clothing.  As I approached the time when I would be needing formal wear the people who were wearing these Celebrity Dresses became the ones I now would associate with great movie roles.  These people and their clothing took on a different meaning than just having beautiful clothes.   Their personalities and the way they presented themselves completed the overall look.  A formal dress could have all the qualities of a top designer’s idea but if the wearer was rude or out of sync with the people the dress would not have the drawing power of one worn by a nice truly kind celebrity would have for me.

 As senior prom approached I spent hours and hours going through all the magazines to find the perfect formal gown.  There were long dresses, short dresses, strapless dresses and even some dresses with sleeves.  Dresses that have sleeves now days are a novelty.  But my hard work paid off as I found the perfect dresses that are until I checked out the price tag.  So now my searching took me in a different direction.  A direction of finding my “perfect” dress at a price I could afford.  Once again my hard work at research produced a site that had the dress that looked just like the one in the magazine.  It was beautiful and I was in heaven.

 When it arrived it could not have fit more perfect than if it had been made just for me.  Let my hard work and diligence be a benefit to you and check out dresses at http://www.fiestaformals.com/all-dresses/by-length/evening-gowns.html.  There will only be one problem…the problem of choosing just one!   

Mom & Dad & Arizona Retirement Communities

From the time of our birth until we leave our childhood home most of us are taken care of and looked after by our parents.   When I grew up my mother was there when I left for school in the morning and there when I returned home from school.  Clean clothes were always in my drawers each morning as I would try to decide  what to wear.   Meals were always prepared and on the table when it was time to eat.  Being a child I never really wondered how all these things go done or just how much work it was to make sure everything was in order.   Luckily I had a mother that taught me how to work as I always had chores to do around the house.    

                Not until I left my childhood home and started a family of my own did I realize just how much work my mother did in keeping a clean house and meals prepared for the family.    As my own little family grew I found that I was visiting my parents less and less.   I tried to go as much as I could but that wasn't always easy.   It seemed each time I visited I would notice that my parents would be sitting in their living room just watching television.  A lot of their friends had either passed away or had moved away to be with their children.

                When dad stopped working in his garden I knew that I needed to look at their living situation more carefully.  As my home was not large having them come live with me was not an option.  They were by no means ready to be put out to pasture (as my grandmother used to say)  but they were ready for something more, something different in their lives.  The house was getting to be too big for my mother to take care of and things were starting to be neglected both inside and outside of their home.

                That is where I found some great Arizona Retirement Communities.   The cold weather had begun to affect my mother’s facial injuries that she had received years before and it was apparent that the pain was increasing.  Thus the warm weather of Arizona was the answer.    It was time for a new adventure in their lives.  A time to be able to meet new people.  A time in their life to not have to worry about taking care of a house or a yard.

Retirement was supposed to be a time in one’s life where they should be enjoying all the things they loved to do.  It was time to enjoy the activities that interested them or a time to discover new and exciting challenges.   So I took my parents to visit.  This was an affordable solution for helping my parent s find peace and relaxation as well as many challenging activities for them to be involved in.

Upon one visit they commented to me why I hadn't found them this place earlier.  Never did I ever think I would hear that statement coming from my father.  If you find yourself in this situation you should defiantly check out this retirement community at http://glencroft.com/ and give your parents an active community and housing they deserve without all the stress and worries of them living on their own.

Her First Christening Gown

There is so much excitement when a baby is born.  Before a child comes the new parents plan out just what the child will need.   If this is their first child then the things they will be looking for will include things like a crib, a dresser, a rocker and lots and lots of diapers.   The day comes when everything is moved out of the extra room so it can be painted.   Now days the trend is to find out what the gender of the baby is.  The color of paint will probably be in either pink for a girl or blue for a boy.  When a theme is chosen for the baby’s room decorations will include things at go along with that theme.   Friends and relatives will be invited to a shower for the baby and if the gender is known  the gifts for the baby will be according to that gender.  It seems everyone wants to give the cutest and latest trend of clothing styles to the forthcoming baby.  

Sometimes you will see relatives going in together to get a gift card that can be used to purchase a stroller or swing for the baby.  I once went to a baby shower where the new mother had gotten a gift card and she expressed how grateful she was for it as she was going to apply it to getting the $800 dollar stroller she had seen online.  $800 I about passed out.  That was about $700 more than I had paid to get everything I needed for my first baby.  

I have to tell you I am a grandmother. So some of the things they younger generation is doing to prepare for a baby are totally foreign to my nature.  I also like to see new babies in cute comfortable clothing.  When the time came for me to be getting my first grandchild I wanted to continue the tradition my mother had with my children.  This tradition was to be the one to find and purchase the Christening Gowns.   It was so exciting to see all the styles of gowns available.  When I was having children it seemed like there was not very many gowns to choose from.  As it turned out my mother ended up making some of the gowns.  I myself have chosen to buy the blessing outfit as I have seen some blessing gowns that are truly amazing.  I thought the stroller was an extravagant price…I had no idea just how extensive prices for Christening Gowns could be.    My daughter and I got online to check out what was available.  We found a place that had some beautiful dresses.  They also had all the accessories that would be needed to complete the blessing outfit.  The price for these beautiful gowns was something that was truly within my budget.               

If you are a grandmother like me and want to start a great tradition of being the one to give the Christening Outfit you will want to check out this site: www.dressedinwhite.com/index.php/infants/girls.html.   I also have to say that on the blessing day my granddaughter was happy and comfortable and looked so beautiful in the gown.

Finding help with San Luis Obispo Insurance

               When I was a teenager there were very few things I would worry about.   Oh I had the typical things like school, dating, being popular, getting dates and being able to drive.    Something’s I didn't have to worry about were things like house insurance or health insurance.   I did however have to worry about car insurance.   As our family was not one of the rich families in our town I had to help pay the car insurance.  Being a teenager the very fact of being a “new” driver could have caused our family’s car insurance to go up.  My dad was smart enough to find a great insurance company at San Luis Obispo Insurance.    I soon realized that I would have to be working harder at keeping my grades up so we could get the discount on car insurance they offered to teens with good grades.   I was just ok in school so I really had to set my mind to coming home and getting right on my homework.   Also to pay for the insurance I had to have a job.

  Now I live in a really small community and so the opportunities for a teenager to have a job were not very good.  I had a friend that’s family owned the local pizza parlor.  It was her friendship to me that I got a job there.  I was able to make enough to pay for my insurance and have some left over to spend on teenage activities.    I thought I was so grown up being able to pay for things.  Little did I know how much more responsibility I would have for money issues in the coming years.

                When I got married I realized that the small portion of car insurance I had been paying for was just a tiny bit of obligations that adults have.   I am very grateful to my parents for teaching me the learning process of responsibility.   Now I have a house and two cars to get insure.   My sweet husband did not want to work for someone else all the rest of his life and so he started his own vinyl letting company. 

                Add that to the other obligations of running a household and it at times can get overwhelming.   I found myself returning to ask my parents questions because taught me to be responsible and had some good ways of doing things. One thing I needed to know was how you keep track of all the things that need to be paid for each month.  My dad told me that insurance for things was one of the most important things to do as you never know when some disaster may come into your life.  To have good insurance with a company that can bundle all your coverage’s together is an easy thing to do.  I just had to follow his suggestion and go with the company at  http://www.petersongranthamslo.com/.

This is one of the things that is making my life less stressful knowing that I have good coverage for my home, my car, and a great health policy with my husband’s business.