here is a very shortened and abbreviated list of things you can do to help with your insomnia. i got these helpful hints from a facebook friend who in turn, got them from wakeup-world.com

1. Visualization – Simply closing your eyes for at least 20 minutes and imagining yourself relaxing will help you physically relax.

2. Cardio Exercises

3. Eliminating Things From Your Diet – Cut out the unhealthy foods, drinks, and drugs, and you will improve – but the improvement is not going to be overnight; it may take a few months, but it will be well worth it.

4. Stay away from drugs and alcohol

5. Avoid caffeine

6. Try Melatonin – This is arguably the best home remedy for insomnia. Melatonin is a naturally occurring compound supplement that can help you cure your insomnia. When your sleep cycle gets thrown off of its natural course, you become melatonin-deficient when it’s time to go to bed – this results in insomniac tendencies.  Try taking some melatonin supplements to see if they help you get more restful sleep.

7. Valerian Herb – This is a less common herbal solution for insomnia that people use to help them get sleep. Some people swear by taking this, while others don’t find it to be effective. The easiest way to find out whether it works is to give it a try for yourself.

8. Hot baths/showers

9. Warm milk

10. Read a Book Before Bedtime

11. Avoid the Computer

12. Turn Off Your Mobile Phone

13. Turn off the TV

14. Listen to Relaxing Music

it always seems as though JUST when you start getting extra cash in your pocket, that's when the gas prices start spiking and eliminating the extras we may be fortunate to have. i saw this and thought i'd share it. you are DEFINATELY NOT ALONE!

With rising gas prices putting strains on budgets across the country, a new survey from CouponCabin.com reveals that many U.S. adults plan to make major changes to alleviate the pressure. More than one-third said they may have to give something up to afford to drive a vehicle. When asked what they likely will do to better afford to drive a vehicle due to rising gas prices, they said:

• Dine out less often – 70%
• Spend less money on entertainment (going out to the movies, attractions, concerts, etc…) – 64%
• Postpone seasonal clothes shopping – 37%
• Cancel paid online or other subscriptions (Netflix, Hulu Plus, etc…) – 22%
• Cancel cable, satellite or other TV service – 15%
• Reduce cell phone usage – 12%
• Cancel internet service – 5%

i saw this in my morning prep service and thought i'd share it with you here on the blog....all i've gotta say is "God Bless Her"!!!

After Sigler’s successful delivery via Caesarean section Thursday, doctors told her she had given birth to a 13-pound baby boy. Toward the end of her pregnancy, Sigler said she had been in a great deal of pain. After Jayden joined the world, she suddenly understood why.

Dr. Jerald White said Jayden is the largest baby he’s delivered. Guinness World Records says Jayden falls short of the title, as the largest surviving birth clocked in at a whopping 22 pounds in 1955.

i found these statistics very interesting. they remind me that we're ALL in the same boat :-)

More than a third of Americans say they’re struggling to pay bills, with some resorting to urgent, same-day payments to stay current, according to a poll by Western Union. The survey also found 31% of people are waiting longer to pay bills, with 21% saying they are missing their due date payments. Nevertheless, 14% said they planned to reward themselves this year with vacations, electronics and dining out. Among the findings:

• 38% said paying bills is a struggle, but 60% said they manage to pay all their bills on time.

• 50% said they are more stressed about meeting their financial obligations and 22% said they have trouble managing their spending, have been turned down for credit or loans, and were being hounded by collection agencies.

• When it comes to bills that get put to the bottom of the stack, 17% said student loans top the list.

my question is...what about stay at home moms?...they didn't make the study????

Most Sleep-Deprived Workers In America

-Home health aides

-doctors

-lawyers

-and police officers

are among the most sleep deprived workers, according to a survey conducted by Sleepy’s mattress company. Those professions average only seven hours of sleep a night. According to the study, sleep-deprivation can affect someone’s ability to make split-second decisions, yet doctors and police officers often make life-altering decisions on a split second. Researchers say that most adults need somewhere between seven to nine hours of sleep per night to feel well-rested.

-Forest conservation workers

-hairstylists

-and sales representatives

were the most well-rested workers, according to the study.

OR

who would have thought that back in the 80's when cd's became famous, that they'd be obsolete soon. below is an article i found that i thought i'd share with you....

The end for compact discs is near, analysts say, but there is debate over just when the end will come. Some analysts of the music business have predicted the end of CD manufacturing by the end of 2012 as digital downloads continue to dominate world music sales. However, a report by Rolling Stone titled “Is the CD Era Finally Over?” gives CDs more time before the format could potentially be retired. Rolling Stone feels the CD won’t be done right away as music fans still want something physical they can hold and hang on to. But that’s no guarantee of the CD’s survival – vinyl records have been enjoying something of a comeback in recent years because users don’t want a format forced onto them.

so how do you feel...do you prefer downloads or cd's

 this is kind of a long read, but i thought it was cute...

***by the way, the dog above is of my golden retriever "Puddy"...he's NOT for sale ;-)***

 A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: 'Talking Dog For Sale 'He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the
backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a  nice looking Labrador retriever sitting there.
this is kind of a long read, but i thought it was cute, so...here it is ;-)

'You talk?' he asks.

'Yep,' the Lab replies...After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says 'So, what's your story? The Lab looks up and says, Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA. In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping.I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running...But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired. 

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.'Ten dollars,' the guy says.'Ten dollars? This dog is
amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?'            

'Because he's a liar . He's never been out of the yard'

i know it's a long read, but this DEFINATELY struck a cord with me....go figure ;-)

It seems Medicare’s bill for artificial feet has jumped by more than half, although foot and leg amputations due to diabetes continue to decline dramatically.

Medicare paid $94 million for artificial feet in 2010, according to research conducted for The Associated Press. That was nearly $35 million more than in 2005, even though Medicare covered almost 1,900 fewer such prostheses in 2010. It works out to a 58% cost increase over five years.

Artificial feet represent a tiny slice of the $550 billion Medicare spends on health care for 49 million older and disabled people. But the cost spike highlights basic questions about affordability, technology and appropriate care that confront lawmakers looking for a way out of Medicare’s financial troubles.

Program officials say they’re concerned. Industry experts say there’s nothing wrong and that patients are benefiting from new technology in artificial limbs used for wounded troops returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

It’s Mardi Gras 2012, and people around the world are celebrating the carnival season that comes before Lent. Here are some things to know about Mardi Gras history and in traditions:

• The phrase “Mardi Gras” means Fat Tuesday in French.

• Mardi Gras, also known as Carnival season, came to the U.S. from France, where it had been a tradition since the Middle Ages.

• According to most sources, Mardi Gras arrived in New Orleans by way of French explorer Pierre Le Moyne Sieur d’Iberville, who launched an expedition along the Mississippi River back in 1699.

• Throwing trinkets into the crowd at Mardi Gras has been a tradition since 1870, and Mardi Gras beads have long been a staple of that tradition.

• King cake, another New Orleans staple, has its own rituals and superstitions. There are actually two kinds of king cake: one in ring form, and one modeled after the “galette de roi” sold in French bakeries. King cakes usually comes stuffed with cream cheese, pecans or a variety of fruits, and are dusted with purple, green and gold sugar.

• In 1857, the Krewe of Comus was formed, and the term “krewe” was added to the Mardi Gras lingo. Comus started many of the traditions we know today, such as having themed parades with floats and holding after-parade balls.