Yoga Update

It has been almost two months now, and I am still enjoying the Yoga exercises.


The flexibility has increased quite a bit.


And the ease of movement in doing everyday activities is an added benefit.


Many of the poses were just about impossible to attain, forget about holding them for any length of time in the beginning.


Some of them are still difficult to do, but I can see progress, and someday I hope to be able to do them.


It really does take concentration to keep one's balance at times, but I can feel the strength building in many areas - the ankles, knees, and arms.


I have been using one particular VHS tape that runs for almost 45 minutes.


And I just about have it down pat now so I can do it without the tape.


I will keep looking for another one that uses some different poses, but is beyond the beginner ones that I have now.


Yoga is definitely a positive choice for a healthy lifestyle.


I recommend it!

A Deal on Security

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Norton Small Business by Symantec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Running a business online is a rewarding experience.

Keeping up with the technology that gears your online business can sometimes be a headache though.

Learning how everything is put together for a computer system is hard enough, but when you start learning about the software and what it takes to keep it running, then it starts to get overwhelming.

And all of that on top of keeping the business running smoothly.

It's a big job holding it all together.

There is no time to have a virus infect your computer system.

But they do, all the time, especially if the computer doesn't have the correct protection.

Norton Small Business by Symantec is a software program that all business owners should have in their computer.

And as of this posting, you can get 30% off Norton Small Business Products now.

Having your computer down while you try to figure out how to fix it can be devastating to a business.

And not to mention that it could compromise your customer database and all their information.

We have always used the Norton Internet Security product, and will updating to the 2012 version as we do each year.

Check out how Norton can help you and your computer and leave a comment to let me know what works best for you.

Saving money while protecting your computer is a good thing!

A Different Black Friday

We received all the sale fliers in the newspaper and checked out the stores we were interested in online.


And we didn't find much of anything that we couldn't live without.


The crazy hours and mobs of people are just not to our liking, so not finding anything was a good thing for us.


My daughter found some excellent deals, and her and her husband docked many hours standing in lines and fighting the crowds.


We did do some Black Friday shopping though.


And I bet you can't guess where we went.


Why, the supermarket, of course.


And we found some really good deals ourselves.


Since the markets were closed yesterday, and for the most part were deserted today, they had many markdowns to move the food that had been sitting for almost two days now.


We got all-natural fresh turkeys for .29 cents a pound.


We had a roast beef for Thanksgiving, so one of those turkeys is going in the oven tomorrow night.


We froze another one, and if the freezer had had more room, it would have had a buddy in there with it.


They were a great deal, and the stores had practically nobody in them.


Who goes to the grocery store the day after Thanksgiving any way - we do!


The only thing I felt really bad about - that poor turkey's life was only worth $4.97.


At least it won't go to waste, and we are most thankful for it.

Activia Greek Yogurt

The Activia brand yogurt has always been my favorite.


I have tried several different brands and styles, but I always went back to the Activia.


I really enjoy the Greek style of yogurts too, and was a bit disappointed that my brand didn't make it.


Well, a couple of months ago, Activa started  making the Greek style, but the only place I could find it was the expensive supermarket at $1.50 a cup.


I was so happy to see the market that I love to shop at is now carrying it.


At $1 a cup, I can afford to buy it even if it is a bit more expensive than the regular Activia yogurt.


It is also 6 ounces, where the regular one is only 4 ounces.


I feel the Greek style fills me up more than the regular style does.


It sticks with me longer too - could be those extra 2 ounces.


But since Greek is a thicker yogurt, I tend to think it is the style that keeps me fuller longer.


Either way, it's a good deal for a breakfast, and it is so yummy!

Don't Forget the Mat

It gets used every day.

And since I started with the yoga, it has been used twice a day for the past month.

And I have used it for many years.

It still has many years left in it.

But not if I don't take care of it.

That would be my exercise mat.

It gets jumped on, sat upon, and most of all sweatted on.

Then, most of the time, it gets rolled right back up.

It becomes the perfect breeding ground for germs, and over time, it won't smell too good.

 

So it needs a good cleaning every now and then.

 

Mine gets stretched out in the bath tub, and soaked in a bleach solution.

 

Then it gets showered down and hung out on the clothesline.

 

The foam takes quite a while to dry.

 

After I finish using it each time, I let it sit on the floor, or drape it over a chair for a bit so it can dry out from the exercise routine.

 

These steps have kept it fresh and clean for many years.

 

Stand Up for Family

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Family Insurance for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

American Family Insurance has a new way of promoting their company.

And since it is a family oriented service, it only makes sense that they use families in their advertising.

And when you add stand up comedy to the mixture, you get a successful and very entertaining way of getting your message out to folks.

We all have instances in our childhood that are bad - they go along with the good ones, and they help to make us the people we are today.

AmFam is featuring several different comedians in their Stand Up For Family videos.

And they are really funny.

I watched the Old School Grandmother video by Mark Vierra, and it was cute.

From the several that I have watched, I found them to be quite entertaining, and something that we can all relate to.

A little something for everyone in the family to get a chuckle out of.

The importance of families can never be mentioned or stressed enough, and I like the way this company has put together their promotions of it.

As the economy becomes tighter, families are starting to come together more.

So, take a seat together and watch some of these videos - it's free and everyone will enjoy the stand up routines in these comedies.

The Best Roast Beef

Growing up, a roast beef cooked with potatoes, carrots, and onions in a pan in the oven was the only kind we had.

It was all right - the meat was always very well done and the flavors of the vegetables all tasted like the meat and they were coated with the cooked fat.

It was never my favorite, so I can count on one hand the beef roasts I have cooked in the last thirty years for my family.

I thought that was the only way the should be cooked.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I tried something very new - for me, that is.

I bought a roast on sale, and I wanted to do it really good and was willing to take a chance.

After rubbing it with an oil and herb mixture, I cooked it in a 475 degree oven for 15 minutes.

The oven was then turned down to 275 degrees..

Then I pulled out my trusty thermometer, and tested that meat after 30 minutes.

And I kept testing it until it reached 130 degrees internal temperature.

Since it still cooks once it is removed from the oven, I let it sit for about 10 minutes.

The internal temp rose to 140 degrees.

We sliced it up, and it was perfectly pink in the middle.

Not overcooked and all dry.

The juices were running, and that meat was so tasty!

I now know the secret - watch it and check the temp a lot.

Also, let the roast warm to room temp for about an hour before cooking it, and do not use any fluids in the cooking pan.

We all look forward to these roasts now, and it won't be long before I have cooked so many I loose count!