Things Money Can’t Buy

Share this post and help spread the love! Things really do come into your life at just the right time.
http://www.exploremyancestry.com/things-money-cant-buy-2/

Something Out There Is Waiting To Be Known

Share this post and help spread the love! I love this saying.
http://www.exploremyancestry.com/something-out-there-is-waiting-to-be-known/

Labeling Your Family Tree Pictures For The Future

Share this post and help spread the love! Are you labeling your family tree pictures so that your great-grandchild will be able to know exactly who is in the picture?  Many times I see images posted to social media or on trees in various online family tree websites labeled as: Mom or Sis or Dad or even just an obscure number like dmg-3204.  None of the labels are helpful when trying to put together a history of a family.   Mom could be anyone, as well as Dad or Sis or Bro for that matter. Will Your GreatGrandchild Know Who Is In Your Family Tree Picture? It is actually very sad.  We all have them.  Those amazing family tree pictures that have sat in a shoebox for fifty years and we finally take the time to go through them only to find that they are unlabeled.  The family stories are lost.  Why was the picture taken?  Who are in the picture?  Where was it taken?  All of this information puts the picture in context and adds to the story. Help Future Generations Tell Their Fami
http://www.exploremyancestry.com/labeling-your-family-tree-pictures-for-the-future/

Toddler Approved!: Zoo Animal Peek-a-Boo Board

Toddler Approved!: Zoo Animal Peek-a-Boo Board 



I love this idea.  Our new grandbaby (now 16 months old) will absolutely love this.

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Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote

I love this quote!  So true!  What is your biggest desire?  How do you see it in the future (vision)?
My visions are always BIG and getting BIGGER!  They can include you and your dreams!
Find out how by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1xYG79E   Fly birdies, FLY! 



Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote

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Celebrating Barack Obama's Inauguration

There is an overwhelming sense of excitement, anticipation, relief and hope as President-Elect Barack H. Obama presents himself to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. An ocean of people have swarmed the inauguration site. People, although very cold, are smiling from ear to ear.

The more I have learned about this man, the more I marvel that he is certainly a man for our times. Born of both white and black parents, educated in Hawaii and Indonesia as a boy. Married to a black woman who descends from both American slaves and American slave owners. Educated at Harvard, related by blood to Kenya in Africa. Tall, lean, energetic, charismatic, articulate, visionary, humorous, loving, the list goes on. It occurs to me that indeed he could not exist as we know him if it had not also been for the last eight years of George W. Bush's abominable and despicable presidency. We would not be as "alert and awake" had it not been for the past eight years.

I look forward to working with President Obama's vision for a renewed commitment to integrity.

Lexie Leigh

Make a Smilebox photobook

Miracles Do Happen

We have a new family member. Miss Lexie Lee was born yesterday afternoon, July 22, to my cousin's daughter, Mallorie. We are all very excited that she has arrived. I'm told that she has soft brown, close-cropped curly hair and blue eyes and that she is quite alert. Good job Mallorie! You did it!

Some of you don't know why this is so amazing. In January of 2007, Mallorie was diagnosed with a Hodgkins type lymphoma the size of a large grapefruit that had taken up residence in her chest. Now, you have to understand that Mallorie is an itty bitty thing of 22 years. She stands about 5'1 and is small. So to have a large growth in her chest caused her lungs and heart to be pushed into her abdomen. After months of therapy that included radiation and chemotherapy the tumor had not decreased significantly in size. Doctors had advised Mallorie that with the amount of treatment she had endured it was unlikely that she could become pregnant. Surprise! Miracles do happen. Although Mallorie is still fighting this disease she has remarkably carried little Lexie to term and both Mallorie and baby are doing very well.

Cute as a button, Mallorie, has consistently maintained a positive outlook and that apparently has carried the day. So, welcome Lexie Lee and congratulations to Mom and Dad!

For more information about Lexie Lee or to order baby gear go to: http://www.MotheringGuide.com

Link

Jewelry on Ebay

I've been adding some jewelry to my ebay website. It is a process what with providing an interesting description, taking the picture, determining the shipping costs and formating the listing. Here are a couple of the items just listed:

Check it out at: http://stores.ebay.com/Junction-56

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San Diego Bonfires

I arrived at La Jolla Shores today at 10:00am. The parking lot was already full of "parking lot vultures" of which I soon became one. I found the perfect spot and unloaded my gear for the day. Carefully searching for "just the right fire pit" I wandered the sandy shore, my wheeled bag in tow. One smoldering pit seemed available and I approached the people nearby. Indeed they had been using it to keep warm in the foggy morning hours but no longer needed it. Success! I had secured a pit and set up my umbrella for my day-long vigil. You see, I was saving the fire pit for my daughter and her friends. They were all ticket-takers at the San Diego Fair and wanted to celebrate their "last day of the fair" with a bonfire at the beach. Now, doesn't that sound like fun? Of course! The only challenge was that they all had to work until 10:00pm and had no way of saving a fire pit. That's where I came in. I was delighted to do it for them and marked the pit in bright yellow duct tape "Saved For San Diego Fair Ticket Takers." The day was warm, sunny, relaxing and enjoyable. I read for hours, made acquaintance with my fellow beach bums, shared stories and sang some songs before the "gang" arrived. After teaching them how to make S'mores (the young Irish men had never heard of them, can you believe that?) I high-tailed it home for a much needed rest from the elements. The fair workers were very appreciative and enjoyed their bonfire until 1:00am. You just gotta love San Diego!

Family Gatherings and Remembrances

We have received many emails of condolences from long-time friends and family, thank you. We all have special memories of Anna.

Here is the obituary notice for Anna:

Anna Achtner Breite, 81, of Anaheim, passed away May 31, 2008. Born March 5, 1927 in New York, she was the third child of Joseph Achtner and Elsie Hajovsky.

Anna, or Anne as she was known by many, was married for over thirty years to Edward M. Breite who preceded her in death in 1983. They lived in East Meadow, New York until 1966 when they decided to get out of the snow and make the big move to Anaheim, CA.

Anna enjoyed many diverse activities. She began her longtime love of baseball as a New York Mets fan, and after moving to Anaheim became an avid Anaheim Angels fan serving as an usher at Anaheim Stadium. She served the Anaheim Union High School District for over 20 years in many capacities starting as a “currier” then becoming a school bus driver and eventually working in the accounting department. She was most fond of driving the bus full of band students or her special education students.

She was an active member of The Garden Grove Emblem Club #279, the Orange County Orchid Society, the Anaheim Circle of Friends, the Phoenix Club (where you would often see her kicking up her heels while tripping the light fantastic with her friend Kirby Gastellum), and the Anaheim Senior Citizens Club where she chaperoned on many of their Las Vegas excursions.

Not one to sit around, Anna was always making plans to visit a Northern California Jazz Festival, or to see a stage production or Broadway show. She loved dogs and missed her Scottish Terrier, Angus. Always amazed and fond of gadgets, Anna, would bring the "latest, greatest gizmo" home from the most recent county fair or home show. She enjoyed painting porcelain, collecting dolls, coins, stamps, Faberge eggs; listening to jazz and classic crooners like Mel Torme or Mario Lanza and watching James Garner movies. Anna loved raising indoor African Violets along with her orchids and successfully competed in local shows. She also created a full-sized aviary at home to house her finches, parakeets, cockatiels and doves.

Anna's feisty personality endeared her to everyone, gathering friends like a honeybee gathers nectar. A dear and loyal friend, she remembered special occasions, rejoiced in their joys and shared in their sorrows.

Anna is predeceased by her spouse, Edward M. Breite, September 1983; her sister, Ella Achtner Bosc, Oct 2004; her brother-in-law, Fred Breite; her sister-in-law, Francis Breite; and her nephew, Alan Achtner, November 2007.

She is survived by her son, Lawrence Breite and his wife, Laura, of San Diego, CA; her daughter, Valerie Joerger and her husband, John, of Portland, OR. Her seven grandchildren: Ethan Breite of San Diego; Whitney Breite of Seattle, WA; Cara Breite and Jenna Breite of San Diego, CA; Nicholas, Christopher and D.J. Joerger of Portland, OR. Her brother, Edward Achtner and his wife, Kathy, of Clarksburg, MD; nephew James (Sonny) Chase of Paysen, AZ; niece, Joyce Bosc of Maryland; Steven Achtner and his wife, Vivian, of New York; nephew, E.J. Achtner and his wife, Ilse, of Maryland and niece, Veronica Null and her husband, Craig, of Florida.

A viewing and Rosary was be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Pierce Bros. Mortuary, 2425 W. Lincoln, Anaheim, CA 92801.

A longtime member of St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church, 2050 W. Ball Rd., Anaheim, CA, Mass was held in her memory on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. A graveside ceremony followed at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, 2845 Santiago Canyon Rd., Orange, CA 92869.

Thanks goes to Coventry Court of Anaheim and to Admiral Hospice Care, Inc. who lovingly cared for Anna during the past few years and days.

The family requests that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association in lieu of flowers. For more information please contact Larry Breite at 858-213-9538 or 858-484-9538.

Late Night Call

Well, we finally got the late night call we were dreading. Just after 12:00am May 31, 2008, Coventry Court called to say that my mother-in-law, Anna Breite, had passed away a little over an hour sooner. She had been ill for some time so it was not a surprise but the final call is always difficult. What made it even stranger was that they requested that we come to Anaheim immediately so that her body could be released to the mortuary. My husband, Larry, questioned the necessity of coming in the middle of the night (especially since we had already given explicit instructions in this regard). But, up and dressed we got only to discover that indeed we would not need to make the two hour drive until morning.

We will be spending the next few days in funeral and burial preparation. I'll keep you posted.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

The Breite Family

DNA or Nurture...Ummmm

Whether we are crafted by our DNA or our environment has been a longstanding discussion among educators, sociologists, scientists and the like. Any parent will tell you that "they come how they come." We, as parents, are there to guide, train, educate, love and basically let them grow into the adult humans they are meant to be. How much we have to do with that still is a mystery. But, Edward O. Wilson, esteemed biologist suggests that much of our "behavior" is pre-designed into our DNA. How does he come to that conclusion? Well, of all things, through his study of ants and other species.

It is an interesting premise and not without merit. Of course, there are those who shy away from such a notion as they fear it will lead to genocide of the "undesirable" humans who exhibit particular behavioral traits. To be sure, caution must be taken in this regard. What I find most interesting about Edward Wilson's claims is his complete , all-incompassing view of the world and how humanity fits into it. Somehow he is able to see the minutia and the global implications all at the same time.

His particular understanding of eco-systems and what they can or cannot tolerate is, I believe, critical in our survival on this planet (oops, did I say "green"). His studies have helped scientists understand the "load bearing" capacity of our home and we are indeed to be concerned.

If you have a chance to listen to anything this remarkable scientist has to say, please make time to do it. He is a delightful, dynamic, life-loving, life-affirming, brilliant person. I hope you have a chance to view Lord of the Ants on KPBS (I know, what can I say, it was a long night).

Later,
Laura

OMG, Need Hosting or Domain Names...now is the time

MidPhase is having the most amazing sale now...don't delay another moment. Order now and save tons on your hosting and domain name acquisitions.


Order by clicking on the title above.

TTFN,
Laura

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Memorial Day and the Cold War

As a young girl in the late 50's and early 60's I had often heard the term "The Cold War." I never really understood what that meant. I never really understood what "war" meant. I knew that there was on overriding sense of dread and fear around but did not understand from whence it came. I was just a kid.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to watch a KPBS special (alright, I couldn't sleep but hey it was a good show anyway) about the Cold War and suddenly it all made sense. They interviewed several people who lived through the end of World War II and were present during the transition to the Cold War. A pilot, a Nazi work-camp survivor, and several others. What they described both shocked and amazed me. They shared how the allied forces moved into Germany and discovered various machines (specifically, remarkably designed rocket propelled aircraft and other high technology). They explained how those machines had been built using starving, decimated camp workers. And, how the race was on between Russia and particularly the United States to obtain those machines and their plans before the other could.

The pilot had the opportunity to fly one of the aircraft and reported that it was always a step ahead of him. He was amazed. Ultimately, that design was implemented in future aircraft and is still used today.

The camp worker was saddened, maddened and disgusted with the United States as it hailed the German scientists as "heroes" for developing these machines. The scientists had been able to avoid war crime prosecution for their abuse of Nazi prisoners because of their "contributions" to these technologies.

They saw the end of World War II transform into the Cold War, the race for control over these advanced technologies. As for myself, I clearly remember the sense of dread as the realities of living in a world of nuclear weapons and advanced killing machines weighed on our daily lives. At last I understood what had created this thing called "the Cold War" and in my little-girl mind wish the men of the time could have been wiser in their greed and ambition to conquer the technology.

This is Hilarious...Review of 2007

Try JibJab Sendables!

Home At Last with Be Biz

Just got back from a 10 day business trip to Vancouver, British Columbia by way of Seattle. I used so many different modes of transportation that it will feel odd to drive again: airplane, shuttle, train, skytrain, bus, taxi and walking! Wow!

I had never been to Vancouver before. It is a beautiful city. Vancouver proper was active with dark-suited business people hustling and bustling all over the city. There I was in my travel clothes dragging my 75 pounds of luggage around the city. I was meeting with The Internet Marketing Center which is based in Vancouver so decided to stop by. I have been using their material and software for years and thought it time to meet in person. They have a fantastic new product called Be Biz. If you have ever wanted to start up an online business you can't go wrong with this option. It walks you through the entire process step by step and you end up with your own online website promoting your product or idea. Check it out!

After meeting with Peter Banicevic of The Internet Marketing Center I once again found myself walking the streets of Vancouver looking for a bus to the airport (more on that later.) By this time I was feeling the need for something to eat. One restaurant owner took very good care of me. Shout out to Goodfellas on Pender Street who served up a seat, water, and then the most delicious spaghetti I have ever had. Thick sauce, rich in onions and herbs and a delightfully crisp oversized cracker (I'm sure it has a name) that was the perfect complement.

I'll share more as I unravel my brain, wash my travel clothes and get back to the business of internet marketing and home living.

TTFN, (ta ta for now, to those of you who don't know that phrase)
Laura

I'm Lovin' It

I'm loving this new blog format that Blogger has in place. If you are not already using it, give it a try. Go to http://draft.blogger.com for more information.

I'm going to be "all over the board" for awhile while I figure out exactly what this particular blog will become. Stay tuned for greatness.

Laura

Journey to Completion

It occurs to me that I am at a crossroads. I am done with a chapter of my life and I stand beside my adult children in a new and wonderful way. On the other hand, I am faced with what will be the remainder of my life, be it long or short, and I find that I have a mountain of things to complete.

Basically, I am completing ME. That's right, me. And in that process I am making decisions, small and large, that lead me toward that completion. I am scared. However, if I am to complete the ME that started out on this journey 54 years ago, I must be brave. Brave beyond my ability at times. Brave beyond my ability right now.

I breathe in deeply and release that vital force into the universe. I know, that sounds very metaphysical...oooooooo. But, how else do you explain the larger than myself feeling that comes over me during these times of great thought? I sit now with my eyes closed pecking away at the keyboard trying to get in touch with my next steps. A sense of well-being comes over me, a calmness. Breathe again. Yes, it is calmness. I sense that my forehead is tense. I scrunch my face, perhaps I just need lotion. LOL. No, it's tension. I wiggle my brows, up down, up down. Any difference? no, Adjust my glasses on my nose. Ah, it wasn't my forehead, my head is hanging forward; it feels like it's a foot in front of my body and my shoulders are tight. There it goes, crackle, crackle, dizziness as I rotate my neck. Calm again.

Anyway, enough of that, back to completion. Joe Stumpf of By Referral Only talks about "incompletions" and how it is important to get them out of the way and finished so that you can move on to the important stuff. I can see the wisdom of that . The incompletions in my life are always in the back of my mind, calling out, begging for attention, scrambling my good intentions, jumbling my brain. The guy on Oprah and Friends who talks about ending "clutter" also explains that clutter can come from those little times of incompletion. When I don't complete a task as simple as the dishes because I get distracted with something else. It seems that completing things, anything, is high on my list to moving forward in my life. I'm thinking of making a list of all of those incompletions or actions that I leave incomplete that cause more chaos. Then the Nike slogan, Just Do It, comes to mind. That's right, Just Do It, because it is very easy for my mind to think ad nauseam about doing something but never get it done. Enough! Just Do It! Seems like sound advice.

I still sit with my eyes closed. It is like when I just become aware of the morning and my mind is free and active. I am always very lucid and clear at that point. Everything makes sense. I lie in bed enjoying my orderliness and creativeness. But alas, the moment I open my eyes and start to move my body, blood coursing through my veins the thoughts dissipate and I cannot grab them again as clearly as they presented themselves during my "pre-awake" time.

I am a very visual person. Maybe that is why the minute I open my eyes the world invades and disrupts my thoughts. Anyway, I ramble. Back to the Journey to Completion.

What will it take to complete my life journey. What do I need to learn? How will I go about it? I have been focusing on the aspect of incompletion as it relates to business. I have stopped many projects at critical times. There is a major block about this and I am exploring what that block could be and trying to move through it. Note that I am "trying." You know, it's like the same old story of picking up a pencil. You can "try" to pick up the pencil or you can just do it, pick it up. Just Do It!

Embarrassment comes to mind, like I won't be able to do something that I should know how to do. That I will be inadequate at the task and need more help than anyone will be able to give me. I will be "too needy." Where have I heard that before? Of course, mom and dad. Too needy, when you have three other children to care for. Too needy, when your own cup is not full. Too needy, when they don't have the resources to answer your questions. Too needy, when you need help doing something. Too needy.

Of course, it is not all of their fault, but it is a starting place for why I have that recording programmed in my head. That little hardwire that comes up when it is least wanted or needed. Time to rewire the circuits and get on with it.

I'll come back to this later as I feel it will be an ongoing commitment to learning and understanding the steps to my completion.

Naked Travel

Sorry guys, I just have to rant a tad!

Traveling naked sounds like it might be in the wind. The airlines are now charging for more than one checked bag (at $25 a pop!) So, that means one checked bag and one carry on bag. Oh, and don't forget the purse (what do the guys do or those people with the itty bitty traveling dogs?) Taking all that combined and we don't have much room for clothing. Besides that, we are asked to remove shoes, belts, watches, jewelry, and anything else that might set off the security alarms as we are all herded through security checkpoints. I think the bluefly.com commercials may have it right. Naked is how to travel.

So, my clothes are going to have to be very thin, flat, easy to wear, coordinated and
re-wearable. Maybe disposable clothing is the ticket. Um, paper clothing that washes off when you get in the shower (better stay out of the rain.) No laundry, their easy to pack, who cares if you stain it; sounds like a possible idea to me.

And, as long as I am ranting, why can't we have some chairs to sit on so we can reassemble ourselves? In some cases, a dressing room would be appropriate. Buy hey, if we all travel naked we won't even need those!


Well, thanks for letting me rant a little.

Until next time.

Keep on Keeping On,
Laura

Great New Free Web Tool

Wow! Jonathan Leger has done it again! You simply have to
see this new f.r.e.e. Web Tool that cuts your search engine
time in half.

Here's the info directly from the "horse's mouth" (so to speak.)
Please check it out, then tell Jonathan what you think. Would
love your comments also...go to www.breitesd.blogspot.com to comment.

It's a multi-document summarizer. What that means is that it
creates a (remarkably readable) summary of the top search results
returned for any query you give it.

This saves you a HUGE amount of time, because instead of having
to read 10, 20 or 30 full pages, you need only read the summary.
Its algorithm extracts the important information and cuts the
fluff out.

Take a look at a few examples to really see the power of this new
tool to save you time when researching just about any subject:


Article Marketing
http://gistweb.com/web.php?action=search&source=google&q=article+marketing&sumsize=2

Canon PowerShot A520
http://gistweb.com/web.php?action=search&source=google&q=Canon+PowerShot+A520&sumsize=2

SEO Elite
http://gistweb.com/web.php?action=search&source=google&q=SEO+elite&sumsize=2

Leopard Geckos
http://gistweb.com/web.php?action=search&source=google&q=leopard+geckos&sumsize=1


This powerful new tool also lets you select how long you want the
summary to be (Short, Medium or Long). Need a brief overview of a
subject? Use short. More detail required? Medium. As much
detail as possible? Select Long.

Why not give it a try right now and see what you think? Here's the
link:

http://gistweb.com/web.php

After giving it a try, please let me know what you think in a
comment on the blog:

http://gistweb.com/blog/?p=8

To Your Life,

Laura Breite

Link

Just Starting Out...No Problem

I think the hardest part of starting any internet business is deciding what kind of business you want to get involved with. There are millions of options. The questions you must ask yourself are these:

What am I interested in?
What am I passionate about?
What do I enjoy?

The answers to these questions will point you in the right direction.

I spent two weeks doing this specific exercise (actually I've done it several times over the past couple of years.) Anyway, after the two weeks here is my partial list:

Postage Stamps
Stamp Collecting
Women's and Girl's Basketball
Internet Marketing
Creative Writing
Genealogy
Camping
Arts and Crafts
Personal Motivation and Development
Geriatric Care
Passages: life changes as children leave and elders demise
Color and Design
Scrapbooking

As you can see, it is very diverse and covers many subjects I currently am
dealing with. We'll discuss what I did with this list after you have some time to create your own.

So, take the next 48 hours to think about the questions. Keep paper and pencil handy and write down everything that comes to mind. Don't censor yourself, this is a brain dump exercise. Get it all out, you might surprise yourself.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Talk to you tomorrow,

Laura

Job Crusher Amazing Opening

Wow! As some of you know, I have been a member of the Job Crusher community for awhile now. It has been one of the best decisions I have made in my online career. Job Crusher offers a unique opportunity to spy on the pros while they tackle niche markets. There are detailed training programs, a vital community forum and fabulous products.

Now, what is truly amazing is that over the next two weeks they are opening their doors for new members at just $1.00!!!!!

So don't delay, head on over and get your membership today. Amazing things are happening at Job Crusher and I don't want you to miss out.

Here's my affiliate link: http://www.myonlineshoppingcart.com/app/?af=761431

Sign up today and you can have your own affiliate link to promote this one time opportunity.

To Your Success,

Laura Breite

Scrapbooking

Hey you scrapbookers out there, and I know there are some of you. My husband, Larry and I have been scrapbooking for 30 years. Yes, that's right, remember those "magnetic photo albums?" I don't know why they called them magnetc because they were actually just some sticky paper. Paper by the way that will ruin your pictures so get them out of those books as soon as you can! More on that later.

If you are looking for a way to turn your passion for scrapbooking into some money here is the perfect guide for you:

Click Here!

Link

Top Product Opens Its Doors Tomorrow

Hey,

There’s something new and hot off the press that’s stirring up quite a
bit of excitement in the internet marketing community. It’s called Job
Crusher and is equipping people like you (of any skill level in
internet marketing) with the real “nitty gritty” of what you need to
fire your boss and reclaim your own personal independence.

Now you may think you’ve heard this before but let me reveal to you
what makes Job Crusher different. Here are just some of the tremendous
benefits I found inside Job Crusher

You get to look over the shoulders of the Job Crusher staff as they
move into various niches on the internet, plant their flags, and
generate job crushing revenues from each over-looked niche.

This allows you to copy their every action in your own niches so
you can ensure your own profitability.

Plus, you get to follow the step-by-step Blue Print to get yourself
to $4,000 per month in far less time than you may have thought possible…
so you can quit your job and claim back your personal independence.

There’s just so much more including forums, networking, copywriting tips,
tons of technical know-how revealed, and the list goes on.

Now, hands on coaching like this usually will cost several hundred,
if not thousands of dollars (believe me, I know).

But the founders of Job Crusher wanted to make this program affordable.
So right now you can get locked in at a huge discount.

Go here to check out the details and the latest offer.


http://www.myonlineshoppingcart.com/app/?af=761431


I’d hurry though, this won’t
last…

http://www.myonlineshoppingcart.com/app/?af=761431

Get in on the ground floor today.

Happy Marketing,

Laura

Link

Spinning on the "Net"

Perhaps you too have been "spinning on the Net." If you have been looking to create an internet business then it is very likely that you have had that "spinning" sensation.

I began my internet journey in 1998 when the internet was very new. I was so excited and totally convinced that this was the wave of the future. I knew I just had to be a part of it. I diligently looked for internet opportunities, devoured everything I could about website building, learned about writing copy, discovered how to use autoresponders, the list goes on. I signed up for every new and "better" program that came out. Attended seminars put on by the current "gurus" of the internet. Of course, they were just learning too.

What I discovered was that I was very good at developing creative marketing ideas that were well beyond the technology. I had my clients thinking about how great it would be to personalize the internet experience for their customers long before they were convinced that they needed a website. It was crazy!!

I continued my struggle to internet business success but the models were always changing. In addition, I suffered from "girl/woman interruptous" meaning that although my mind and heart wanted to go down this path, my family situation was wrapped up in raising four rambunctious children and that seemed to be all I could handle at the time.

Now it's 2008. My children are leading their own lives. My mind and time are my own. And, amazingly, the internet technology has become what I envisioned ten years ago. I find that I am still dazzled by what the internet has to offer. Yes, I still "spin" sometimes with all of the different "opportunities" out there. The difference is that I have discovered ways to stay focused on the goal and little-by-little am re-discovering my passion for the "Net."

During the next few weeks I will be sharing with you what has worked and what is possible for you on the "Net." So, stay tuned.

Time Flies: No Kidding!

It's April, 2008, I'm 54 (until August) and spinning and swimming, so to speak. I continue to study and learn about internet businesses and marketing. Sometimes I go in circles and sometimes I'm laser-focused. I don't think it's age, I think it's how I am; I just hadn't taken the time while I was raising our family to realize it. Recognizing this, I am in a watershed year. As Nike says it: "Just Do It!" And that's my plan. So watch out blogosphere; you will be hearing about my journey in the coming months. Enjoy the ride!

Jenna Gets Into It with Poway Player

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Up to Speed

Oh my gosh, I hadn't realized how much time had passed since I last updated this blog. No apolgies. Just on a whirlwind ride since November 9th. I'll try to bring you all "up to speed" in chunks so as not to overwhelm you.

Well, Larry survived the hurricanes and being at home for a time. That can be just as tricky as surviving a hurricane at times with three hormonal females in the house. He's still working in Ft Lauderdale and will probably continue to do so until June 2006.

November was filled with band tournaments in Chula Vista, Vista, Chino, and Arcadia. The marching sundevils were truly amazing (as always). If you haven't had a chance to actually see a band fieldshow you really must try to get to a good show some time. Once I figure out how to upload a DVD I'll do that and then you can watch it on the internet.

November 23rd marked the first Mt Carmel Girl's Basketball game of the 2005-06 season. They were invited to participate in the San Diego Tip-Off Classic against Montgomery. The game ended in a loss but it did get us started for the season.

We had a quiet Thanksgiving with Larry's Mom, Anne, who has had a very rough time this year and is now cared for at Coventry Court in Anaheim.

December was marked with two to three basketball games per week and band rehearsals for the Rose Parade and BandFest Competitions. The weather almost did us in throughout the Rose Parade experience. We were more than soaked but the band played on (drenched and waterlogged). They also played and marched down Disneyland's Main Street on New Year's Eve. Cara and I traveled between Rose Parade events in Pasadena and San Marcos, CA for the Excalibur Basketball Tournament of which they placed second after having placed first in the Above the Rim Tournament in La Jolla earlier in the month.

I'll tell you more about the basketball season in a second post.

January was filled with practice, games, and schoolwork.
February followed suit as did March.
April saw us starting up club basketball, Mt Carmel Lacrosse, Junior Papers, rain, college visits, trips to Vegas with band and basketball.

What will May bring...we'll see.

Larry Evacuated From Florida

Many of you know that Larry has been working a job in Ft. Lauderdale. Well, as a result of the most
recent hurricane, he was evacuated and spent the last two weeks working out of our home in San Diego.
(A wonderful place to be.) He is back in Ft. Lauderdale as of Sunday and reports that electricity is still
out, debris is everywhere and the main part of the hurricane whipped through his area full force. He is
able to get some work and his client is getting back to normal. It turned out to be a good thing that he
was evacuated in a timely manner.

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Cara's Design Selected

Cara's design was selected out of a group of 5 submission to be this year's logo and shirt design for the 29th Mt. Carmel Band Tournament. Shirts and pins are available. Please email me if you are interested in ordering one. Congratulations Cara!

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A Letter To My Granddaughters from Grandma Greiner

Letter to Granddaughter's (Jenna and Cara) Girl Scout Troop dated Jan 31, 2000:

Dear Girl Scout Troop #8234,

I am so pleased that Jenna & Cara gave me this opportunity to tell you girls about my life. I hope what I have to say will show you how times have changed.

On October 15th, 1932 (can you figure out how old I am, using your math skillss?) in Covina, California, I entered this world with a slap on my little bottom, crying just like all of you did. I was very lucky to have a loving Mother and Dad. In fact, my mother, Jenna & Cara's Great Grandmother, is now 91 years old and lives in Carlsbad, with my sister, Linda. Linda is my little sister and I have an older brother who lives in Connecticut.

When I was a little girl, I remember playing dolls, which I had a lot of, with my girl friends, who lived in my neightborhood. We would play for hours, dressing, feeding, and taking care of our "babies". I had a playhouse out in the back yard, which doubled as a club house as I got older. We would spend many hours skating and bicycling around the neighborhood. We didn't have a swimming pool in our yard, so we went to the public plunge, (that was the word used for a public pool) in the city park.

Mandy, you asked if we had television, the answer is no, (not until I was in High School) se we played lots of games, like Monopoly, jacks, cards, Chinese checkers, etc. and we listened to the radio a lot. We had a badminton court in our backyard, which we used quite often. It also doubled as a basketball and volleyball court. My first name is Barbara, but I like yours better. I am married to a great man named Hank. I have 4 children, Laura, Nancy, Danny & Diana, who are all married. I also have two step-daughters, Peg & Diane, who too are married. We now have 10 grandchildren with two new babies arriving in the near future.

Caitlin, your question was, did we have drive thrus? Well, we had drive-ins. You parked your car and a car-hop, some on skates, would take your order and bring it to you, and you would eat in your car. This was great for parents with young children. We didn't have Disneyl.andk, but we did have roller coasters. At the Los Angeles County Fair, the Santa Monica Pier and the Long Beach Pike. Our family used to go to the Pike quite often during the summer. We were able to ride the roller coaster, ferris wheel (a double), tilt-a-whirl, bumper cars, merry-go-round and many more rides.

Roxanne, yes, I played Red Rover, Red Rover, I dare you to come over. I really hadn't thought about that game for a long time. I do like to plant flowers, but I can onlyl plant a few as they have to be planted in pots, as I have no yard. I live in a townhouse with only a patio, but we are happy here.

Carly, sorry to disappoint you, but I wasn't around for the 1900 millenium. Yes, the cars were a little different, mainly they didn't have air conditioning, and most of them had a stick shift, which changes the gears. Some of them had radios, but no CD or cassette player. I can't remember what the price was for a pair of shoes, but I'm sure it was less than $10.00. As for clothes, fashion is always changing, they say if you keep your clothes long enough, they will come back into style. You might like to know that we had to wear dresses every day to school. No jeans, shorts, slacks, etc. l unless it was a special day like "Play Day," when we were allowed to wear different things. The only thing I can think of that I have now, that I had as a kid is a silver identification medallion that I had to wear around my neck, during World War II. Oh, I do have my bronzed baby shoes.

Alexandra, you wanted to know what we have now that we didn't have when I was little. Well, no TV, dishwashers, electric can openers, micro-wave ovens, freezers, CD's, audio cassettes, VCR's, computers, electric blankets, plus a lot more that would fill this page. I'm so happy to hear that you are learning to play the violin, music is one of the basics everyone should try and learn. I took piano lessons for five years, so my afternoons were always filled with at least one hour of practicing, before I could do anything else. I am happy that my folds gave me this wonderful opportunity. When I was growing up we had a little terrier, her name was "Dutchess." She was really a sweet dog. When I was raising my family we had a dog named "Prince," a few cats, and some goldfish. My favorite foods are cheeseburgers, french fries, steak, fried chicken and chocolate cake. I know these aren't the greatest fro my body, but they are OK in moderation.

Alex, you asked if I was ever a Girl Scout. Yes, I was a Girl Scout until I was in 9th grade. Every summer, I was able to go to Girl Scout Camp at Camp Arbolado in the San Bernardino Mountains. Boy, that was fun, riding horseback, swimming, sitting around the campfire, singing and all the other good things you get to do. In fact, I was a Girl Scout Leader for Jenna & Cara's mother when she was in Scouts. When I was 13 I was able to join Job's Daughters, which is affiliated with the Masons and Eastern Star, it is another organization for young girls.. I was Honored Queen when I was a senior in high school. This organization really helped enrich my life. Besides the ritual teachings we went on many day trips, like to Chinatown, in Los Angeles; seeing a radio show while broadcasting, ice skating, and taking a boat to Catalina Island for the day. One of my hobbies was collecting stamps, my brother got me started in collecting. I also collected Story Book Dolls and miniature glass dogs.

When I was four years old my parents gave me tap dancing and ballet lessons, that too was fun. In the eighth grade a group of parents got together and formed a ballroom dancing class for eight boys and eight girls. That is where I really learned to dance with boys.

We didn't have "middle school" like you have now. Wwe had K-6, elementary school. 7th & 8th was Jr. High. 9th-12th grade was high school. In Jr. High, we learned how to cook and to sew. I liked both of those classes. I still like to cook but I don't do much sewing anymore. I did sew a lot when I was raising my four children. I used to make a lot of costumes for them, as well as clothing. In high school, I took baton and tennis lessons. I was also a flag twirler in high school.

Sundays were usually spent going to Sunday school and church, then going to visit one of my grandmothers. One of my grandmothers lived in Pasadena, so on New Years, I was lucky that I got to go and spend the night with her and walk down to Colorado Blvd, a block away, and watch the Rose Parade. This was always a thrill.

Working was one of the pastimes that I endured during the time that I was married and raising a family. I worked as a waitress, bank teller and accounts payable supervisor for a large company. I am also a cancer survivor, I had breast cancer in 1993. So far everything is looking good and I'm doing great. I was able to retire Christmas Eve 1993. Since that time I have been playing golf three to four times a week. This is something that I really enjoy. I am on the Women's Golf Association Board and keep busy with my duties there. My husband and I like to take weekend golfing trips and spend our vacations golfing in other parts of the U.S., like Alabama, South Carolina and any place they will let us play. Luckily, at this time I have good health and go to the gym three times a week to keep in shape.

Girls, I hope I haven't rattled on too long, but I was so pleased that all of you wrote your own letters to me, that I hope I have answered all your questions to your satisfaction.

I have had a good life and wish each and every one of you a wonderful, healthy and happy future.

Barbara Greiner
Cara and Jenna's grandmother