5K Runs and Walks in Kansas City: Westport St. Patrick's Day Run March 11, 2017 #StPatsRun

YES! A race right up our lazy homeschooling Irish alley! My family of 7 has been looking for a race we can walk together and this one might be it ... with a start time of 10 a.m. instead of the usual butt crack of dawn like other races, you just might find us there!

Here's the deal: before I was the homeschooling writer mom of 5, I used to love to walk all the time as a stress reliever and to stay in shape. Walking is something you can do as a parent anytime, but now that my youngest is 7 and my oldest is 15 (and driving!), it's a lot easier for me to fit in time for my own fitness. Over the winter I walked some at the gym on the treadmill and track. Now I can walk the neighborhood or the field at the school by my house if my danged IT band is not making me cry. For now I walk in my OOFOS sandals because they are the most comfy thing I have ever worn and work perfectly for summertime. When it's cold I walk in my Brooks that I get at Elite Feet in Leawood. Mention my name and I get a $10 credit!

Here's the info on the upcoming Westport St. Patrick's Day Run.

What: 39th Annual Kansas City Track Club's Westport St. Patrick's Day Run

When: Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.

Where: 4050 Pennsylvania in empty restaurant space, Westport in Missouri (Irish Mecca)

Check the link (above after WHAT) for more info!

P.S. I get my info from the fabulous KC Running Company website.

On a personal note, here's my walking story for National Walking Day a couple of years ago with an update.

When you're all done, you'll be hungry! Grab a copy of my Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook and whip up a batch of happiness for dinner!

Get $5 When You Sign Up For #Swagbucks in December!

 

 We've reached the Holiday season, and if you haven't begun already, now's the time to start shopping for the Holidays! Since this time of year in particular is a good one for having some extra money, Swagbucks is offering a $5 bonus to people who sign up through me this month!

Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for all sorts of things you're probably already doing online, like shopping, discovering deals, taking surveys, watching videos, and more! Then you can turn your gift cards in to PayPal cash or gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, and more!

Here's how you get your bonus:

1. Sign up using this link.

2. Earn 300 SB total before January 1st. You'll get a $3 (300 SB) bonus for it!

3. When you do your holiday shopping, spend at least $25 through Swagbucks Shop* and you'll get another $2 (200 SB) bonus on top of the cashback you'll get from shopping.

That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned $366 in Swagbucks since I started. Sometimes I get gift cards and sometimes I get PayPal cash. It was nice to have this year for Christmas gifts ordered online!

*You must receive your shopping SB before February 1st.

What Really Goes Into Your Job Satisfaction?

Like almost everyone, you’ve probably had a number of jobs from your teens onward. Some were probably great, some might have been okay, and some might have been absolutely terrible! Many people find it a little confusing that as they’ve “moved up” in their career, they’ve become less satisfied with the work they’re doing. Here, I’ve written a post on the main factors affecting an employee’s job satisfaction.

Working Conditions

Image: Wikimedia

This is the most obvious and immediate factor that’s going to affect how you feel at your work. Because we spend the majority of our lives at work, the conditions we work in are going to have a pretty profound impact not only on our job satisfaction, but also our overall mood outside of work. Things like how spacious or cramped our working environments are, how adequate the lighting is, and how comfortable our workstations are, can all be big deciding factors in how happy we are in our jobs. The social atmosphere, and the overall lifestyle tied to our job title, can also have a huge impact on our moods as employees. If your boss isn’t providing you with the environment and productivity tools to create good working conditions, then it may be time to start job hunting again.

Opportunity

It’s been proven time and time again that employees get more satisfaction out of their jobs when they can see a clear path to rise through the ranks of the company, and eventually land in a position that interests them more, or simply has more benefits tied to it. Many companies take steps to actively encourage their workers to gain more advanced skills than they already have, and aim for higher positions. Others, however, simply let things carry on as they are. In these businesses, the upper management are typically too wrapped up in the next big marketing campaign, managing the company’s assets, and various other things to pay attention to their employees’ career progression. If there was some talk about advancement when you first sat down for your interview, but you’ve heard very little about it since then, then there are probably better jobs for you out there.

Workloads and stress Levels

Image: Pexels

Having to come into work every day and deal with workloads that are far too large, or deadlines that are near impossible to meet, can be a strain on someone’s job satisfaction for obvious reasons. Obviously, companies have targets to meet and orders to fulfill. However, a company is not a person! If someone is being pushed too hard by the demands of their job, then it’s inevitably going to take a toll on their mental and physical health. Furthermore, if the work is so demanding that the worker begins to miss deadlines or submit sub-standard work, it can create conflict with their managers and co-workers, piling on even more stress and causing them to become even more dissatisfied with their work. It may be a route to your dream job, but pushing your body and mind too far is rarely worth it in the long run.

Stopping Nosy Neighbors: Making Your Windows More Private

Some people are lucky enough to have homes that are set back from the street. They might have land around their property or a driveway, for example. However, many other people have houses that are much closer to the general public. People walk past every day and might be able to see into various homes. There are a couple of reasons you might want to prevent this happening to you. Firstly, you don't want people seeing your possessions. If someone can look in and see your expensive TV, it could be tempting for a criminal. Another issue is that you want privacy when you use those front rooms. You don't want people peeking in, even if they're not doing it on purpose. Fortunately, you have a number of options.

By Life of Pix

Net Curtains

Net curtains are a traditional option to create more privacy around your windows. They let in light while preventing people from seeing in at the same time. However, not everyone is enthused by the idea of using them. They can seem old-fashioned, especially if they're too frilly. If you want more modern net curtains, it is possible to find them. Choose something simple if you want them to look smart. You can also use curtains in sheer materials, which can look much more sophisticated. For example, you can hang a pair of lightweight white curtains.

Blinds

You can also put up blinds that will help to create privacy while still letting in sunlight. You have a few different options to achieve the effect you want. One choice available is fabric blinds that are semi-opaque. Buy them in a light color so that they let plenty of light into the room. Of course, you can also get Venetian blinds, which are adjustable. You can change the angle so that light can come in but people aren't able to look into your home. They can be made of a variety of materials, from wood and metal to fabric or plastic.

Frosted Glass

Another option is to put frosted glass window film onto your windows. This is an option you can choose if you're not looking for an adjustable way to make your home more private. You can simple apply the film, and your window will no longer be transparent. You can leave parts of the window clear if you want to be able to see outside still. It's easy to do if you use a product like frosted glass window film from SolarTex, Inc. As well as providing privacy and security, it also looks smart.

Smart Glass

Looking for an ultra modern way to make your home more private? If you're willing to upgrade your windows, you can use smart glass. You can change it from being transparent to tinted so that you can decide when to view the outside world. You don't have to have your windows permanently tinted to get the privacy you want. It's also a good choice for shower cubicles or even the walls of an en suite bathroom.

If you're worried about your home's privacy, it doesn't take much to correct it. The right window dressing could turn things around.

EXPIRED #GIVEAWAY The Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook

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