Latte Art!

Pa. officials hope gas prices won’t hurt summer travel

HARRISBURG — Tourism officials in Pennsylvania say they aren’t too worried — yet — about high gasoline prices prompting families to curtail travel this summer.

Robin Scaer, marketing director for the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau, says she doesn’t think many people have changed their habits. She says they may if gas tops $4 a gallon, but that hasn’t happened yet.

Pennsylvania tourism office spokesman Michael Chapaloney says that despite high gas prices, 2007 was a record year for tourism in the commonwealth. There were 26.9 million hotel rooms booked statewide last year, 820,000 more than in 2006.

But officials in some areas are taking steps anyway.

The Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lancaster County and local hotels are offering $25 gas cards to visitors who spend two nights. One-night guests will get $10 gas cards.

Shopping @ the Grove City Outlets!

I took Ally to the Grove City Outlets on Saturday after the conference. We all needed dresses for the wedding of Miss Danica Scott next Saturday! We stopped at the Gap and I picked up two casual skirts that I love!! It is so wonderful to be able to shop at ANY STORE and find things that look good on you! Ally bought a cardigan that she's been wanting for a while and also a pair of cute sandles. Next, we went to Rue 21 which is Lauren's favorite store! It's FUNKY, like her! We found her a perfect ensemble for her to wear to the wedding, which usually isn't easy..she's very picky about clothes, but we were sure she'd like this outfit!! (SHE DID!!)
Next we peeked into American Eagle, but nothing caught our eye. Off to Dress Barn, where I got a GORGEOUS outfit for the wedding! I was going to wear a dress, but this outfit was too cute to pass up. It's a turquoise blue and black silk top, and a pair of white capris! TOO CUTE!! SO I bought that, along with some jewelry to wear! (I wish I could post pics!.. I will next Saturday while I'm at the wedding!), and then Ally wanted to find something at the Black and White store..and she did!! She found a beautiful white dress to wear Saturday! We all got outfits that coordinate beautifully together! I can't wait to show you!!
So we had a fun afternoon together on Saturday! It was nice having the day off.

Women's expo @ the Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle

Saturday, I attended a conference called "A conference of women" For women, by women, about women. I have to tell you it was one of the best events I have ever attended. Before I go on, let me tell you this..Remember a month or so ago, I wrote to you that God was planning something in my life..I actually said, that God was moving, I felt Him? Have you ever felt that?
When you ask Jesus Christ to come live into your heart, He literally comes to live inside of your heart (soul) in the form of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, (Jesus living inside of you) is what convicts you of right and wrong..that guides you to the right path..what lets you know you are sinning. The closer you get to God, the more you talk to Him and form a deep relationship with Him, the more in tune you become with the Holy Spirit. (That's how it is for me anyways!) : ) So when God is doing something in my life..or I'm on the right path..or the wrong path..I can feel it is right..or wrong. So when God is guiding me, or I don't know how else to explain it..just moving..or doing something.. I can feel that too. I felt something new was coming a few months ago...The wind changed...My mourning for the church plant not working out (YET!!!!) was coming to an end..
So, the way God has worked in my life before, started happening again. I believe God put a vision in my heart and He started dong things to confirm this was the right direction for me to go, like sending people my way, opening doors and presenting opportunities, to confirm this new path I am on is the right one!
So... one of those opportunities came my way.
I usually work every Saturday. But I heard about this conference, and I felt that nudge from God that I should attend this. Unless, I write something down on my calendar, I usually forget about it..but this kept coming up over and over again. A woman in Volant had a free ticket for this event, so she sent an email asking if anyone wanted the ticket.. I did! : ) Karen Flynn was able to work for me on Saturday..so everything just worked out for me to be able to go.
I didn't even have anyone to go with, which could have been a deterent, but I truly felt like I was supposed to Go. (Again, I believe that's God in me!)
So at 9:15 am, I took Ally to play practice and I headed across the street to the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

The conference was downstairs. I went down the stairs and registered. Each woman got a tote bag filled with goodies which was wonderful! I entered the room filled with women! Right up front there was a large table filled with coffee's and juices and pastries. I grabbed a cup of coffee and went to look for a place to sit. Every table seemed to be filled! But right away a woman called out to me that there was an empty seat at her table, so I went and sat down. I did not know anybody at the table, but the women were very friendly and kind! As I got adjusted, I looked at the names of the women at my table, and recognized a few of their names. One woman was from the United Way, one was a mortgage broker, another was the head of the Career Link in New Castle, One was a financial advisor... I looked around and I saw many women I knew and many women leaders that I recognized. I began to feel buzzed!! Do you ever get so excited..you feel that buzzing inside of you? I buzzed!!

I've got to read you the first page of the brochure they passed out, that had the intenerary of the day's events on it. It said:
Welcome to our first Lawrence County Women's Conference!
Talent, resources and opportunities abound in our community and allow for women from all walks of life to choose a brighter future. Today we want to bring to your attention the diversity of support and knowledge awaiting you to grow personally and professionally through networking and learning from other women in your community. Please look around you and know that these are your peers. As any one of us rises, we all by some degree are elevated. Therefore, let us suport and enc`ourage one another as we learn and grow today. Thank you for taking time for yourself, and for being part of Lawrence County history.
I LOVED THAT!!
They began the conference with opening remarks (which I missed because I was 15 minutes late) then Joanne Mcbride of the Lawrence County Tourist Promotion Agency spoke about the up and coming opportunities in Lawrence County with the race track and casino coming to Mahoningtown.
Then Linda Nitch spoke about the race track and casino and talked more indepth about all the jobs and business opportunities this will provide!! *perk*
Next, there were mini-conferences that you got to attend. Some examples were, "money basics" "holistic living" "Negotiation skills" "Dressing Trendy" etc..

Instead of going to one of the conferences, I started walking around to the little booths and talking to some of the women in charge of the booths. There are so many opportunites available to women that want to open their own business!! I never knew!! So..to make this massive post come to an end.. I networked, and I met so many wonderful women business leaders, and learned so much information..I did not want the day to end!! I could have stayed and talked to people forever!! I learned so much information, and this conference really took me MUCH farther down the road to where I want to go, then I was before I attended it!<

I am so grateful and thankful for these women who put on this conference and for all of the women that I met and networked with and who gave me such great help and information for my future! If you are still reading this post..hehe..and get the chance GO to this conference next year! It was wonderful!!

pssst.

Good morning! It's Saturday morning..really early morning, and I'm getting ready to go to the women's business expo @ the Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle. I can't wait to see what opportunities I discover there! So many exciting things are happening ... God has his hand upon them all! Afterwards, my friend Kim and I are taking the girls shopping @ the Grove City outlets. It's such a beautiful day, I want to spend some time outdoors enjoying the gorgeous sunshine! Go outside today..and just sit for a few minutes in the sun. Let the rays splash all over you..feel it's warmth. Just sit and be still and enjoy. Love you all! Have a great day today! Susan

Boing Boing

www.boinboing.net


This is the most popular blog in the world!! Check it out!

Brenda and I and a few girlfriends are doing a Beth Moore Study called living beyond yourself. This is my first Beth Moore study and I'm already LOVING her!! She is so witty and sweet and has such an incredible heart for God. She shines and I love people like that! They inspire me! So anyways..she said this one line, in her talk last night that I'm going to steal from her. She said, "My life is an exclamation point." THAT IS SOOOO ME!!! My life is an exclamation point! It really is! I feel that excitement 99 percent of the time..as soon as I wake up in the morning..it's there!! When I go to bed at night..my thoughts are like this !!!!!!

I use tons of exclamation points when I write..because it's how I feel! She said, "I"m a 46 year old cheerleader." lol I feel that way too! Oh... so cool! My life is an exclamation point! LOVE IT!

This Dude blogged the entire Bible!

bibleblog

Check it out! This ROCKS!!!!

OUR WORLD IS AWESOME

I love the creator of this world! What do you love?

David Cook

*swoon*

Wanna be a millionaire? Here's how!

The One-Year $1 Million Challenge

The One-Year $1 Million Challenge

At a certain age, if you:


Max out your 401(k) contributions for one year,
Max out your IRA for that same year, and
Merely meet the market's historical 10% annual returns

... you'll wind up a millionaire by the time you hit retirement.

More from The Motley Fool:

• Why You Must Invest Now

• The One Gotta-Have Retirement Investment

• How to Make Money in a Flat Market

That age? Twenty-six. In 41 years of compounding at 10% annually, $20,500 ($15,500 in a 401(k) and $5,000 in an IRA) will turn into $1 million. And you'll never have to contribute another dime. Of course, inflation between now and then means that $1 million won't buy nearly as much four decades in the future as it does today. Still, it's a remarkable feat of compounding.

In fact, that's how you win the $1 million one-year challenge: You make time your biggest ally in amassing phenomenal sums of wealth.

You See the Absurdity Here, Right?

In order for most 26-year-olds to save $20,500 in a single year, they'd either need to find a fabulously high-paying job or a rent-free room in their parents' basement. Either way, they'd probably be living on a strict diet of ramen noodles.

It's a stretch goal for people just starting out in life, to say the least.

But here's some good news for those of us who long ago celebrated a 26th birthday: The power of compounding doesn't care whether you invest it all at once, or only save a bit at a time.

It's most important to simply sock away as much as you can, as quickly as you can, and let it compound for as long as possible.

If You're Past 26 ...

While time is the ally of the young investor, we more mature folks haven't been entirely left out to dry. In fact, even if you're around 50 and haven't yet saved a dime for your retirement, it's still possible for you to retire with $1 million at the reasonable age of 67.

This table shows how much more effort it takes to become a millionaire when you wait longer to start saving:

Starting Age First Year's Contribution Grows to ... Consecutive Contribution Years to Reach $1 Million
26 $1,020,596 1
32 $576,100 2
36 $393,484 3
39 $295,630 4
41 $244,323 5
42 $222,111 6
44 $183,563 7
45 $166,876 8
47 $137,914 9
48 $125,376 10
49 $113,978 11
50 $133,943 12
51 $121,767 15
52 $110,697 DNF*
These calculations assume you max out your contributions every year -- including catch-ups for ages 50 and up. Does not include any employer contributions. *DNF: Does not finish with $1 million or more by age 67.


The older you get, the clearer the picture becomes: You cannot retire a millionaire from one year's savings. You'll need to be disciplined and consistent about saving, taxes, and investing.

You Can Still Get There

If you can save the cash and have the time to let compounding work, you can reach these returns. Every number in this article assumes you simply match the stock market's 10% historical annualized returns. There's no guarantee of that happening, of course. But if history is a worthy guide for the future, an easy way to match those returns is with an S&P 500-tracking index mutual fund.

The Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX), Fidelity Spartan 500 (FSMKX), or SPDRs (SPY) exchange-traded fund are three vehicles that have low costs and broad diversification.

Use Everything You've Got

Of course, the toughest part of this plan is coming up with the $20,500 per year ($26,500 if you're 50 or older) it takes to max out both your 401(k) and an IRA. It's quite a sacrifice, but fortunately, you don't have to make it on your own. Depending on your specific circumstances and the plans you have available, you'll get some combination of:


Tax-deductible contributions,
Tax-deferred (or potentially tax-free) growth, and/or
Employer-matching funds

... to significantly soften the blow to your pocketbook.

It was a sunny 70 degree day.. I felt GOOD!

Bill Clinton in New Castle

I went and saw Bill Clinton today! He shook my hand! I was really really close to the action and it was VERY exciting! No..I'm still not voting for Hilary!!
Here are some pics!



This was the line to get into the gymnasium
These were some secret service agents










This was a secret service agent that stood right next to me. I asked him if he followed Clinton around everywhere he goes..and he said, "no ma'am" It was fascinating to watch him..the whole time he watched people..his eyes scanned the crowd constantly!

Bill Clinton in New Castle

Bill Clinton will be here @ New Castle High School tommorow @4:30 pm campaigning for Hillary. I want to go, just so I can take a picture and blog it! Sometimes you feel like a newspaper reporter, when you are a blogger. You see things with a blogging perspective! Anyone want to come with me send me an email, or give me a ring! Sue

Sony Foam City

A cool commercial!

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Discipline

This is what I have begun to focus on! Discipline..Determining my goals was my first step. This is the second.

What's new with me? Well..let me tell you!

If I could sum up what's been going on in my life in just one word it would be "searching." I have been searching, trying to find where I belong, what I want to do in life, what will make me happy..etc. I think this must be a very common thing to happen to a woman who is in her 40's. Is it a mid-life crises?? I don't know. I think it's a shift..You see, my whole entire life, all I wanted to be was a wife and a mother. I didn't have a career I was passionate about..all I wanted was to take care of my husband and children. I LOVE being a mom! It is no doubt one of the roles that God has designed for me. My life has evolved around God first and making my husband and children have the best lives possible!
Then there comes a time..when your children grow up, and they don't need you as much anymore..and you don't have to spend as much time caring for them. THis hasn't been a sad thing whatsoever for me..I'm excited for this new period in my life..but woah...I am starting to think about myself now. and to be honest, it's WEIRD! I never, really ever cared about having nice things, or nice clothes..all my money was always spent on my children. But as I said before..something has shifted. I've lost weight and I am starting to care a little bit more about my appearance. I want to look nice and attractive. But there's so much more than that. I want to succeed in life. I want to be able to conquer something..I want to be able to build something of my own and make it successful! I want to do something GREAT! As I've said many times before in this blog, I really do want to change the world. If I could do anything ..if I could live out my dream, I would plant a contemporary non-denominational church here in New Castle, and make the name of JESUS..FAMOUS!! I would help make the name of Jesus famous on all the earth! I've been trying for two years to make this happen..and I know God can make it happen tommorow if it's His will and believe me I have faith and trust in God..but because it isn't happening, I've got to figure out what else I can do! So that's where I'm at.. "searching." TOmmorow I'm meeting with a woman business owner, named Anne Bruening. We are having lunch together at my restaurant and you don't know how excited I am to talk to her! This Saturday, I am going to a woman's expo at the Scottish Rite Cathedral..and then next Tuesday, I'm meeting with Karen Miller, who is on the board at the Tourist Promotion Agency, plus has her own tour business. I love talking and learning from other people!
So where are you right now? Are you on a journey, like me? Are you happy? Are you satisfied? What can you do to bring more happiness into your life? It's up to you..you know that right? You make the choice whether or not to be happy...you can be in a miserable environment and have some really crappy things happen to you, but still be happy..maybe happy is not the right word, because really happiness is a temporary emotion...it's JOY, I'm talking about. You can have JOY in your heart, regardless of your situation. So do you? Are you filled with joy? You can be.

Monday's Recipe... Baked Potato Soup!

We're having hotdogs and Potato Soup tonight for dinner! Here's the recipe for Baked Potato soup that is incredibly delicious! Enjoy : )
INGREDIENTS
3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.