How can you save money on road trips when gas prices skyrocket?

The price of gas seemed to be going to achieve escape velocity and go into orbit recently... For those of you not into NASA jargon, that's gas at more than $5 a gallon. Even now, when the upward pressure seems to have eased, it can still be a shock to the credit card every time you fill up the tank. Which does force us to wonder whether we should abandon the idea of a driving vacation. Just think back to the time when we were young, we could jump in the car and drive off on a whim. It only cost a few dollars to drive several thousand miles. Now it can cost one-hundred dollars to fill up one tank. That's a big change but one we have to keep in perspective. In the 1990s, a gallon of regular gas would cost you $1.36. Today you would expect to pay about $4.30. In 1990, the average worker earned about $20,000. In 2012, the same worker would be earning about $40,000. So although gas price has gone up three-fold, average incomes have doubled. It's still more expensive to put gas in your tank, but not quite as bad, particularly when you consider modern vehicles are far more fuel efficient than they were twenty years ago. So where does this get us?

If you are going on a road trip, you should look carefully at the make and model of the vehicle you propose to rent. Ask for vehicles with good storage space for all the additional "stuff" you need to carry, but with the best mileage you can find. Instead of renting an SUV that goes through a tank of gas like it's not having to pay the bills, you could take less "stuff" and rent a hybrid. For those of you who have never driven a hybrid, this can be an educational introduction. Within minutes you learn how difficult it is not to watch the real-time mileage reports. That really encourages the driver to learn how to make driving the most economical activity in the world. Then there's how you buy the gas. Look around the credit card offers for the best cash-back for fuel. In this, be alert. Some only show the headline percentage in big print but double the reward for use in buying gas and groceries. If you shop wisely, you can usually find cash-back offers of 5% so, if you were looking at gas prices of about $4.30 per gallon, the actual cost comes down to $4.03.

Talk to a number of car rental companies to find the most fuel-efficient vehicles available. Plus, while looking around for the best cash-back offers, also look for credit card providers offering the best insurance deals on rental vehicles. Beacuse the car rental companies are usually trying to sell you their own insurance... So pay by the credit card you've picked and refuse their insurance offers.

Viagra Can Be Used To Treat Different Conditions such as Crohn's Disease

Viagra is a very popular drug. It has been on the market since 1998, and since then millions of men around the world have used it to treat erectile dysfunction. It has become a widely used reference in popular culture, and even if you have no experience with erectile dysfunction, you likely know what Viagra is. Although its main purpose is the treatment of erectile dysfunction, there are other uses. Most recently, it has been proposed as a treatment for Crohn's disease.
Viagra falls under the class of drugs known as PDE5 inhibitors. After taking Viagra, the muscles in the base of your penis relax, allowing for increased blood flow. There are many similar drugs out there, but Viagra has the widest reputation since it has been around the longest.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that creates ulcers in your large and small intestines. It occurs when your immune system attacks your body tissues. It has recently been discovered that Viagra can help with this weak immune system response.
Recently, a new cause for the inflammation found in Crohn's disease has been discovered. Injecting Escherichia Coli under the skin tested the inflammatory response to bacteria. Local inflammatory and blood flow changes were measured, and it was found that Crohn's patients had a lower blood flow, which produced fewer quantities of neutrophils and inflammatory mediators. This issue of low blood flow can be treated with Sildenafil Citrate, the main ingredient in Viagra.
Viagra treats erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis. It has also been used to treat heart conditions, such as an enlarged heart, using similar mechanisms. It was actually first used for this purpose, and was discovered as an erectile dysfunction treatment on accident. This increased blood flow can help your immune system by increasing its responsiveness. Viagra has also been looked at as a treatment for women with diabetes, and even increasing brain function. Viagra seems to be a very special drug, and it will be exciting to see what disorders it can help with in the future.
If you have any of the above conditions, ask your doctor about using Viagra as a treatment. If other medications don't fit with your lifestyle, this one might be a suitable treatment. As with any drug, Viagra has its risks and side effects. Therefore you should never use Viagra without a prescription and doctor's supervision. Some of the most common side effects include stuffy nose, memory problems, redness or warmth in your chest, neck, or face, headache, back pain, or upset stomach. More serious side effects include ringing in your ears, sudden vision or hearing loss, shortness of breath, erection lasting 4 or more hours, irregular heartbeat, feeling light-headed, fainting, chest pain, or swelling in your ankles, feet, or hands. Contact your doctor for any side effects, and seek emergency medical attention if you experience serious side effects. An erection lasting 4 or more hours can cause permanent damage so it is important to seek help.

The Smell of Warm Pumpkin Bread

Hope you are having a beautiful fall! I thought I would share a few pictures of what I have been up to today... baking pumpkin bread!

The house smells heavenly of pumpkin and spice.

It tastes even better set up Vintage style....

I set it on top my very old footed cutting/butcher block along with an Old English bread knife for slicing.

Of course, we like to add a little butter (looking delicious in a antique English wooden "Butter" dish)...

TV Holiday Segment

The holidays are here upon us! I'm feeling WAY behind this year, but as I've gotten older and added a a few more children, activities, and blissful chaos, I've come to realize it's really just about 'being in the moment'.  Making memories.  That's what the holidays are about, right?  This year, inspiration for my table scape came from that motto.  'Slow Down'.  'Stick close to home'.  Create a warm and inviting wonderland that's simple, yet memorable.

Christmas Party Day

Oh wow!! We went off to Christmas break with a whole lotta fun!! Today was our last day at school and we were super duper busy!

Here is a cute little ornament/window hanger we made. I printed a Christmas light bulb template on transparency paper ( you know the clear paper). Then, I wrote the kids' names and the year on them.  The kids used colorful permanent markers to color the light bulb! We finished them off with the glittery chenille sticks as hangers. They look just like stained glass when you hang them in the window!