The Ladybug Lounge

When it just doesn't go as planned !

We had big and exciting plans for today ! We were going with some friends to tour The Denver Mint. You have to make reservations weeks in advance !! Guess who feels like they got hit with a Mack truck ? I started feeling crummy yesterday and since last night it's developed into "The nighttime, coughing, achy, sniffling, stuffy head, fever, so I can't sleep and take medicine just to feel like a human again." kind of sick. 

The bright side is that our friend's mother was going to watch her youngest and her mom is sick too. No, I'm not excited her mom is sick! I'm glad that we both needed to reschedule and have decided on another date in April. 

Now, I need to go refill my bottomless Theraflu mug and climb back into bed. Send me some healthy get well vibes ! 

I love Paris = Parisian Love by Google

This commercial ran during the superbowl this year. I didn't watch the superbowl so this commercial is new to me. I love it. How clever are the people who come up with some of these commercials ?! Enjoy ! 

Blog Awards

I received a few blog awards this last week that I'm proud to announce ! 

 

Your Blog is sooooooo Kewl award was given to me by Aleksandra's Corner ! She writes a book blog. Make sure to check her out. 

I've decided to pass this blog along to 

Julie the Army Wife

Just Thinkin

Live Laugh Latte

Loving my Childrens Gifts

My second award is from  The Pirates Bounty. Head over to Chris's book blog ! 

Tias Comfy Place

One Crafty Mommy

My Life in High Heels

And the final award for this week was given to me from CMash Loves to Read. Thanks !  
 

Really? I'm a Mom

Dollycas

Aubut Family

The Artsy Mom

The Days I'll Remember

The New Starbucks Rewards Program Card or the answer to my dreams ?

For someone who's favorite thing in the whole world (me) this is an answer to my caffeine filled dreams ! Starbucks is my version of crack; it's expensive and addicting. I live for the Pumpkin Spice latte that comes out every fall. 

All you need to do is register your giftcard online with Starbucks to join the program. 

There are great benefits for joining including a free specialty drink on your birthday and free wifi for 2 hours a day. 

 

After 30 drinks you will attain the Starbucks Gold status ! Not only will you get a pretty gold card (so everyone will know you've spent an obscene amount of money on caffeine) but the gold status gets you personalized offers and coupons. You will also receive a free drink every 15 drink purchases. 

How to Survive a Hostage Situation

No one ever really wants to think about being put into a hostage situation such as this. Sometimes random knowledge is the best to have. Better to be safe than sorry. 

 

Courtesy of Newsweek
 

Follow Friday #1

This is my first week participating in Follow Friday here at The Ladybug Lounge ! I'm excited to participate. I love learning about new blogs ! 

Friday Follow is a  celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! 

Here's how YOU can join the celebration:

--Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. 

--Follow as many blogs as you'd like. 

--Comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow. 

--Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

Handbook for Life

 

This is all such wonderful advise I thought I would share ! 

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. (Love this one)
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12 Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away
like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

The State of the Internet

I found this very interesting information at the Focus. It gives information on how people use the internet. I love useless facts like these. Enjoy ! 

 

Your Digital Newstand 1cast.com

1cast.com is your 1 stop shop for all things new related. It’s easily searchable, and you can set-up your own newsfeed on any topic that will be automatically updated and accessible.

To use 1Cast on your desktop computer you simply go to their website 1Cast.com. You’ll find your news presented with a variety of current world news story thumbnails. Once you click on the thumbnail, you will get to watch your news clip. The best part ? It's legal and free ! 

 

Love is ..... Contest Entry

You can vote for our photo by following this link .  

 

I'm a new follower of the Island Life blog and have been participating in their Aloha Fridays. They are hosting a Photo contest. The theme for the month of February is Love is.....

This is my contest entry....

Love is ....... just being there with her and realizing nothing else matters in that moment.  

Photo taken at DisneyWorld overlooking The Grand Floridian Hotel and Spa
 


=

Following my Blogging Path

  

It has been over 2 years since I've started this blog. It's gone through some pretty dramatic changes since I first started it off as more of a "mobile blog" 2 years ago. I started blogging back then to share experiences and memories with friends and family. 

Many of my friends and family ( and older followers) have noticed that this year you've seen very little of my personal life posted on the blog.  I've even gotten a couple of snide comments here and there about trying to make this more of a "professional" blog and I've given my family the backseat.  This has been a purposeful decision on my part.  I'm not as comfortable as I once was detailing our daily personal lives and I'm making decisions that feel right for me. Does that mean you won't ever see pictures of my beautiful children ? No ! You'll get to see plenty of them !  You just won't see what we have for breakfast, lunch and dinner !! I'm still feeling out what feels most comfortable to me. 

I've realized blogging has become more of an outlet for myself and insomnia is more interesting in front of the keyboard. I'm not a focused blogger. There are blogs dedicated to politics, technology, music, and entertainment. I guess I enjoy too many things to concentrate on just one. 

I also love reading others blogs, no matter what I write or enjoy; others can always write or do it better ! It inspires me !

 I love the freedom to sit down and just write. When you start a blog post sometimes you have no idea where you might be headed with it. This blog has become part of my walk through life. Like the saying in my header, there is no predetermined path here. 

This month you are reading about books and movies. Next month you may be reading about gardening. I'm just enjoying blogging and what makes me happy at this moment. 

So, sit back, read and continue to wonder "what in the world is wrong with her" ? 

I will continue to blog about who knows what and enjoy the path I'm on at the moment. 

 

 

 

 

  
 
 

Ellen Tests "The Hawaiian Chair" from Infomercial

Ellen makes me laugh so hard ! This is hysterical !! 

"If You Can Sit, You Can Get Fit, The Hawaii Chair"

The Facts about Bottled Water

Oh Crap - was that today ? Noah's Ark cartoon

 

  

Synchronize watching Youtube with your friends online !

Have you ever sat on the phone or online with friends and tried to watch a youtube video together ? Trying to synchronize when to push play and never watching it exactly together ? Well, for those of you that like to watch youtube with friends then there is a website for you !! 

Try the website Synchtube . It is like an online chatroom of sorts. You create the room, invite friends and everyone watches the video together ! Problems solved ! 

 

Amazing Internet Statistics

These internet statistics are AMAZING !! I love information presented like this ! 

Created by Online Education

Fun videogame statistics

I have two "gamers" in my house.  I think we might own every game console that has been put out in the last 10 years or so.  My husband and son have to be ripped away from their games most of the time. Do you have a "gamer" too ? Enjoy the graph ! 

 

Infographic provided courtesy by Online Schools 
 

Namepedia the Wikipedia for Names.

Today I decided to share a fun website called Namepedia . It could be useful for people researching their history, names or even choosing a baby name. They didn't have my last name but loved looking around at all the fun things they had regarding my first name. 

I loved the format and how you can see the origins of your name. This is the graph generated for Lori 

This is taken directly off the Namepedia website with more information. 

What is NamepediA?

1. NamepediA is the world's largest information platform and community about personal names. Data is collected about names of all languages and cultures, in all scripts, with a focus on the latin alphabet. 

How does NamepediA work?
Firstly, anonymous visitors as well as members can suggest changes. Other users of the site with the same linguistical or cultural background can then vote about these change requests. Unlike votes in democratic systems where every citizen has an equal voice, NamepediA members with a higher rank also have a higher vote. As in a network of people the credibility (rank) raises or declines based on declarations made.
Secondly, a team of programmers and linguists is working on the website and software as well as the name data. 

Michale Buble's Haven't Met You Yet Official Video

His voice makes my heart swoon.  He'll be in Denver in March and I can't wait ! I have been waiting to see his literally for years. 

The New Toy Story 3 Trailer

Our family is so excited for this movie to come out this year. Austin was a huge Buzz Lightyear fan. I think he watched Toy Story 2 times a day there for awhile. Here is the extended trailer for the new movie. Enjoy !!