Are You A Single Parent Who Is Looking For Love? Scared?

by Lee on February 12, 2012

dating rules for parents, single parents dating

I know a lot of single parents. I actually know more single parents than I do married parents because divorce rates are so high and having children before marriage is more socially acceptable. As Valentine’s Day approaches I think it’s time to mention that single parents dating is a fact of life but they have to be extra careful who they choose since it isn’t just about them. This leaves them looking for the right place to look for the perfect date.

It’s hard to find free online dating or a dating website you can join for free. Sure, the big names do offer a lot of perks and I know many people who have had successful relationships and even gotten married after using them. But not everyone has that type of extra income lying around to play with when they aren’t quite sure what they are getting into. JustSingleParents.com helps single parents find one another and you can join for free.

If you decide to become a full member you’ll be able to search for people by county and video chat. I think the ability to video chat with someone before you meet them is a really good way to get a feel them out. I can’t imagine how awkward it would be to spend an entire dinner with a bore. Or even worse spending dinner with someone who speaks in the third person like on that one episode of Seinfeld. Actually just thinking about Seinfeld makes me think of terrible dates. Not that he was a parent, but still I wonder how a dating website with video chat could have changed things for him?

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Heart-y And Healthy Valentine’s Day Orange Glazed Pork Recipe!

by Lee on February 11, 2012

We’re at week 3 of the Publix and Pork Be Inspired campaign and this week I got creative. I was supposed to cook a bone in pork loin over a coal grille but I do not have one so I changed things up a bit. I decided to just use the oven instead and I’m glad to say it turned out delicious. This recipe took very few ingredients and even better, very little prep time.

ingredients, orange glazed pork

Orange Glazed Pork Ingredients

I decided this time I’d be brave and invite my family over for dinner. Just like last week I’m happy to report everyone was thrilled with the flavors of this orange dish. What I liked was it wasn’t overwhelming. It’s not like Orange Chicken at a Chinese restaurant. It was much more subtle with almost more of an aroma. The one way I went wrong was by basting too early and the sugars burned. You can see the results on the picture above. It didn’t make a big difference though and we still ate it with no complaint!

bone in pork loin roast, pork loin roast, what does a bone in pork loin look like

Bone In Pork Loin Roast In Oven

This week Publix has Bone In Pork Loin Roast on sale so be sure to head over there and buy some not only for tonight’s dinner, but some for freezing as well! This would make a great meal on Valentine’s Day if you don’t have the opportunity to get out of the house.

orange glaze, orange juice from conecentrate, honey, a1 sauce, glaze on stove top

Orange Glaze On Stove Top

Below I’ll post the recipe from the Pork Be Inspired website and add the way I “free styled” as well!

TIME


Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

6 pound bone-in pork loin roast (We used 3.5 lb pork loin roast but left all other ingredients the same for more kick)
1 tablespoon dry mustard
salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 orange (optional), sliced

DIRECTIONS

Rub dry mustard into roast and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Make a drip pan of aluminum foil about 1 1/2 inches deep and extending about 3 inches on each side of roast; place under roast. Place on grill about 6 inches above low coals. Close hood of grill. Cook for 1 1/4 hours.
Combine orange juice concentrate, honey and steak sauce in a small saucepan. Heat until bubbly, and brush on roast. Grill an additional 20 minutes basting often with sauce.  (About 15 minutes per pound total time grilling) When internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. remove roast from heat; let rest 10 minutes.
Garnish with orange slices, if desired. Serves 12
We simply placed the Bone In Pork Loin Roast into a oven safe dish and cooked at 450 degrees for just under 2 hours. Near the last 20 minutes you should begin adding the glaze. We were sure to poke some holes in the meat so the glaze could sit inside.
3.5lbs served 4 adults and 2 kids with leftovers

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JCPenney Fair And Square Everyday Pricing! Fair To Whom?

by Lee on February 10, 2012

jcpenney fair and square pricing, jcpenney new pricing, jcpenney and up pricing, jcpenney prices

Special Thanks To Media.Cleveland.Com

Before you all think this is a post about JCPenney and Ellen Degeneres think again, it has nothing to do with that situation. Instead it has to do with JCPenney’s new sale and signage. I do however want to preface this by saying that Penney’s owns my heart. I buy everything there and will continue to do so. I fit into their St. John’s Bay clothing line as if it were made just for me, which is saying something since I’m built tricky. Every Birthday, Christmas and even Anniversary I get gift cards to JCPenney to buy all of my favorite things. By no means is this meant as a  bash to the company. It is simply some constructive criticism I think they need to hear.

My friend Tracie from FromTracie and I went shopping this past weekend for my new work clothes. Oh yeah, I’m going back to work, more on that later. Anyway so we go shopping and the first store we hit is JCPenney. Right off the bat I noticed the new “Fair and Square Every Day Pricing” instead of coupons. It’s fine, the prices are most definitely fair and there are still sales throughout the store. But what really stood out was the signage. On nearly every single rack there was a sign that would read “and Up”.

What does “And Up” mean you might ask? It means that they were advertising that the prices on that rack were a certain amount and higher. “$40 and Up”, “$29 and Up”, “$15 and Up”, you get the picture. Let me be clear on one thing, “and Up” is never a good advertising campaign. Never in any situation does “and Up” draw me in. It simply says everything on that wrack is more expensive than I was lead to believe or probably want to spend.

What I’d rather see is “$60 and Under”, “$25 and Under”, “$15 and Under”. That will draw me in because now I’m on the lookout. I’ve caught the scent of a deal and I am rooting and searching and won’t rest till I’ve found that promise of “Under”. This is the perfect advertising campaign to draw me in and get me to spend money. I don’t care how high a price you put on that signage as long as the words “and Under” shows up, because that is all it takes to get my blood pumping and put me on the hunt.

So like I said, just a bit of constructive criticism for Penney’s to take under consideration from one of their biggest fans and supporters. And if you are ever looking for some Social Media training, keep me in mind. Don’t worry, I’d charge you $500 and under for the initial meeting! ;)

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Have You Thought About Visiting Mammoth Mountain?

by Lee on February 8, 2012

I’m sure many of you have engaged in ski resort lodging vacations in the chilly winter months. Unfortunately I have not had this experience but it is one I hear about a lot from my best friend Meredith who lives in Colorado. She’s been all over Colorado and even has a ski pass at more than one resort. However she hasn’t been to Mammoth Mountain in California!

Mammoth Mountain offers not only winter activities but summer activities as well. I’ll be the first to admit when someone says I should take a trip to a ski resort in the summer I think to myself, “Really, how boring, what would I do the entire time if there isn’t any snow?”

But there are actually a lot of things to do such as golf and mountain biking and even triathalons. I could easily see how this would appeal to those that don’t have the chance to get away during the colder months. People who enjoy being in the outdoors and being active will really get a lot out of this location during the summer. See some descriptions from the MammothMountain.com website below!

Triathalon–The benefits of training at a high altitude are becoming increasingly popular. Build an excellent foundation for your high school or college cross country season by training at the top.  High in the beautiful Eastern Sierra, train among Olympic medal winners and National Champions, at altitudes that range from 7,900 to 10,000 feet.  Let Mammoth be the backdrop of your classroom while you train in endurance, plyometrics, strength, flexibility, and racing tactics.  The amazing terrain in Mammoth Lakes will leave you inspired and yearning for more at the end of your training session.

Golf–At 8,000 feet above sea level, Sierra Star Golf Course is the highest golf course in California, allowing you to add yards to your drive. And with snow-capped peaks in every direction, winding mountain streams, lush wildflowers, fairways lined with Jeffrey pines and the occasional family of deer – you won’t find a more stunning golf course anywhere.  This venue is perfect for wedding parties and family reunions.  Invite your wedding party to enjoy a round of golf at the most pristine course the Eastern Sierras has to offer.  Our Sales Team is here to schedule everything from tee times to mid-day barbeques for you and your entourage.

Mountain Biking–Before there was snowboarding or freeskiing, there was mountain biking where adrenaline fiends doubled down in the dirt. Lung searing climbs and Mach 10 descents are still alive and well and features like step ups, wallrides, drops and more have been added to the mix. Check out off-road pedaling this summer because sending it down the mountain is awesome no matter what you’re riding.

Be sure to check out Mammoth Mountain to book your summer vacation early!

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Mr. Chewy.com Web Site Review AND Giveaway!

February 8, 2012

One of the best things about visiting my Gram at the retirement village is that I get to meet some of the most interesting people. On my last visit I was having dinner with a large crowd and the subject came up about a woman in the building and her beloved service dog, Maxine. Maxine [...]

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Power Rangers Samurai DS AND Wii Games Review!

February 7, 2012

Go, Go Samurai! fever has hit America with the newest addition to the phenomenal branding of Power Rangers with >Power Rangers Samurai. This action packed new chapter is featured on Nickelodeon every Saturday morning and also has a great array of action figures, dress up play as well as an exciting line of video games available on [...]

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Healthy Eating With Pork! Pork Chops With Sofrito Recipe!

February 4, 2012

It’s week two of my Pork Be Inspired Healthy Eating Tour. Last week didn’t go quite the way I was hoping so this week I was sure to choose a much easier pork recipe. Pork Chops with Sofrito was easy and delicious and definitely a new staple around our house. It has a lot of [...]

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TopDentists.com Wants To Know Who Makes You Smile?

February 4, 2012

Enter the TopDentists.com Who Makes You Smile? Contest for a chance to win a trip to NYC, Professional Teeth Whitening Session, Photo-Shoot, and $1000 Spending Money! Just enter a picture of who makes you smile and tell us why! Teeth whitening has become one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because of its immediate [...]

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Bijoux Exotique Jewelry At BeJewelry.net!

February 2, 2012

Recently I’ve taken on a girly side which I’ve really never had before. I find myself drooling over shoes, handbags and jewelry. Since I don’t get to shop out of the house very often I frequent many online jewelry websites like BeJewelry.net. This way I’m sure to be the belle of the ball with my [...]

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What In The World Is A Djubi? It’s A Unique Outdoor Toy!

February 1, 2012

Hook. Launch. Catch. It’s that simple but incredibly fun. That is what the Djubi Facebook Page says about the fun new outdoor toy for families! While on our recent vacation to Callaway Gardens our family played with the Djubi more than once. It consists of a plastic frame containing a loose net and a ball [...]

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