A Ouija Board is Not a Game

Originally posted July 17, 2011

Updating this June 18, 2017 because the 9-year-old neighbor got a Ouija board for his birthday and thinks my 7-year-old is "scared" to use it but the truth is I told him not to touch it and I told him this story. I am going to need to let the parents know that I am not okay with my son ever "playing" with that "game" in our out of their home and it's not because I'm Catholic but because I had a weird experience once.

I’m trying to get used to not having a mouse on my new laptop. It’s weird only having a little patch of silver to move my finger around on. Sometimes I’ll be moving my finger one way on the pad and the arrow goes another way on the screen, and this reminds me of an experience with a Ouija Board I had once. 

My friend Ambre (who was like my sister, really) and I were probably around 12 and were hanging out in my bedroom. My parents and I had just moved in to the house recently, and had heard that a baby or kid or something had died there. It was a Cape Cod house with two large bedrooms upstairs (built in 1950, which was interesting since both my parents were born in 1950 and both are the oldest of four of the same sex of kids). 

My room had a wall put up to turn it into two rooms … something about twins were expected or lived there and one died. Anyway, one night Ambre and I were doing the Ouija Board … which made a comeback in the 80s. (update: I found out today, June 18, 2017, Ambre's birthday, that there were two girls who lived there and their twin baby sisters died at one day old ... newspapers.com).

We were asking the usual questions like what’s your name and how did you die? We’d done the Ouija Board before and it usually “worked” … which meant we weren’t sure if the other one was moving it or what. This time was different. 

This time I can’t remember exactly what happened (maybe I wrote it in my diary … I’ll have to dig around to find out), but the thing you put your hands on (lightly is the idea) was moving faster and faster to spell something and we couldn’t keep up and were accusing the other of moving it. 

We both got pissed because accusing the other of moving it and we both took our fingers off of the cursor-like thing. 

It started moving around by itself. It moved OFF THE BOARD and onto the dang hardwood floor and kept moving around. 

We freaked out. One of us picked it up and threw it back in the box and then put the board on top of it. I don’t think I’ve touched a Ouija Board since. I get chills just writing about it. 

Look, I’m all for good spirits and all that. I believe the dead can communicate with us. But doesn’t that mean that bad spirits are also around? I don’t know what we were dealing with that day, but it didn’t feel right. 

I saw a Ouija Board “game” in my aunt’s garage recently. The boys wanted to get it out. It still creeps me out and I said no.

Here's How You Can Make Moving Day a Doddle!

Moving house and starting a brand new chapter is so exciting- but the actual process of moving your belongings from A to B really isn’t! After months of realtor meetings, house viewings, sorting paperwork and packing, moving day is where everything comes together.

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Moving day is a big deal, and is more than likely going to be a stressful day. However, with the right planning and organization you can make it run as hassle free as possible. Property websites such as homes for sale by Joe Manausa Real Estate often have a blog section with helpful advice about moving, which is something you may not have thought of if you’re looking for tips. Here are some other things to bear in mind for a smooth moving day!

Hire a Moving Company

There’s no doubt that hiring a van and moving yourself will be cheaper, but you make so much work for yourself. You have to move your large kitchen appliances, beds and mattresses and other large pieces of furniture onto the van and then off again at the other side which can be incredibly exhausting. On top of that, you then have a million boxes to move and pack- getting in a professional moving company saves you so much hassle and energy. Be sure to choose a company who are insured, so your possessions are covered whatever happens.

Clean and Prepare The New Property

If you’re lucky, you will have received the keys a little in advance of moving day, and this will allow you to bring over a few things beforehand. Otherwise, this is something you could go over and do early on the day. You could stock up the bathrooms with tissue, soap and hand towels. You could put a bin in the kitchen, some tea towels, crockery and cutlery. A kettle and some biscuits for tea breaks will be much appreciated when your stuff starts being brought in. You could make sure there are light bulbs in each of the rooms and hang some curtains. Plus it gives you chance give the place a bit of a clean. It should have been left in a clean and tidy condition from the last tenants or owners, but you are always going to want to go over it yourself to make sure it’s up to standard. Cleaning around bathrooms and kitchens before you move in (or early on the day) means you can start using them right away as you need. Doing this means you have basic functions in the house without having to dig through boxes.

Have Children and Pets Looked After

With people coming and going, the front door left open and boxes being stacked everywhere, it’s not an ideal place for children and pets. To make sure they’re safe and not getting stressed it’s best to have them looked after while you get things set up. Not only is this better for them but it’s better for you too. Without having to keep an eye on them, you’re free to get on with the million jobs on your to- do list!

Home Depot FREE Monthly Kid Workshops

Aron and I used to attend these Home Depot free monthly kid workshops with our kids when they were little and had a blast! I am lately trying to challenge myself to do more things with Eva and Samuel that I used to do with the Bigs (Joel, Michael and Callie) when they were little. I have to remind myself that Eva and Sam are only 7 and 9 and still need fun things to do. Just because I have been there/done that doesn't mean they have. Yes, I'm 10 years older now and getting more tired, but when I see the smiles on their faces, I know that everything I do for them and with them is worth it!

This is an activity that was on our 2017 Summer Bucket List :-)

2007 when I was pregnant with Eva (10 years ago!). That's my dad trying to hammer my head.

Last year we just happened to be in Hays, Kansas when it was the first Saturday of the month in July and we went to Home Depot to make a Minion motorcycle. This month was a tic-tac-toe game and I can see something like that being kept for a long time.

Next month is a bug house and I fully plan to take any kids who want to go. Joel already has plans, but he probably doesn't need a bug house anyway :-)

Here are some pictures from our summer bucket list 2017 escapade. They not only get a project to build but also an apron they should bring back each month and then a new pin each month for the project they create!

Eva is on the end in purple. Eva, you were in my belly in the picture at the top of this post and little Sam, you were not even around yet! Look how Callie and Michael have grown! And Joel is gone for practically a month working at a camp and is almost 16!!!!

Sam says Michael is the best helper ever and he always wants Michael to come along

I was Eva's designated helper. Two ladies with a touch of ADD makes for some funny instruction-reading and building!

My precious children, 80% of them anyway

July 1, 2017 you can build a bug house!

Swagbucks Sweet Treat Team Challenge

To help make your June a little sweeter, Swagbucks is holding a fun team challenge to help you earn free gift cards! For those of you who don't know what Swagbucks is, it's a website where you can earn cash back on everyday tasks you do online like shopping, answering surveys, discovering deals, and watching videos. You can even earn for searching the web! 

If you've never tried Swagbucks before because you didn't know where to begin, their Team Challenges are a great way to learn the ropes! Their latest, the "Swag Wars" Team Challenge, begins Monday, June 12th at 8am PT.
Here's how you can join the challenge and the site:  

1. Click here to join the challenge and be assigned to a team.

2. Starting June 12th at 8am PDT, in addition to earning SB you'll contribute points to your teams total as you complete different activities on Swagbucks.

3. Check back on the page often to see the scores and what you've contribute so far.   

All members who participate and contribute at least 400 points to their team’s total will receive a SB bonus in the form of a SB Swag Up Rebate on their next gift card! 

Not only that, but if you earn 300 SB before July 1st, you'll get a 300 SB bonus (as long as you've signed up under me)!

Members of the 1st place team will receive a 60 SB Swag Up Rebate, members of the 2nd place team will receive a 40 SB Swag Up Rebate, members of the 3rd place team will receive a 20 SB Swag Up Rebate, and members of the 4th place team will receive a 10 SB Swag Up Rebate, Your SB Swag Up Rebate will be made available on Friday, June 16th and will expire on Friday, June 30th at 11:59 pm PT.

Shocking Ways To Drop Those Pounds

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When you think about ways to lose weight, you probably immediately think about your diet. How can I get all my minerals and vitamins, cutting out the sugar and fat, you say? Well, it might shock you to learn that some research suggests that diet isn’t the most important underlying factor when it comes to weight loss. Genetics certainly play their part here. For instance, your body might natural maintain water. If this is the case, you might be larger than other people, but you will still be a healthy weight with a positive BMI. Though, that won’t come as much comfort if you can’t happily look at yourself in the mirror.

And what of metabolism? Some people have slower metabolisms that make it more difficult for them to drop those pounds. You could be eating the same diet as someone, and while they have lost stones in weeks, you’re struggling to drop even a few pounds. So while dieting can play its part with a weight loss plan as can exercise, it doesn’t give you the full picture.

That’s why you might want to consider some of the unique and more successful ways that you can drop those pounds. These aren’t based on what you eat at all, but rather ways that you can radically change your body. There are a few options here.

Shocking, Isn’t It?

You might have heard of the technology that can be used to tone your muscles, making them stronger and more distinguished. To do this, you can use technology that sends electric shocks through your muscles, causing them to tense, essentially exercising them for you. This puts pressure on your body, but rather than focusing on every aspect of you, it pinpoints the strain. This can allow you to lose weight in key areas like the buttocks, the torso, and the hips. While the technology has often been disputed by key researchers, there is no denying the results.

People who use this technique are often incredibly happy with the results, as their bodies are leaner and meaner after a short period of time. That’s right, this doesn’t take months or even weeks. You can see changes in just days. Are there any adverse effects? Well put it this way, the tech has been approved for market so you can expect any side effects to be minimal. And, it might just be a price you’re willing to pay for those rock hard abs.

Ice, Ice, Baby

Of course, if you want the best way to lose weight, you need to look at the latest science. In this case, we're thinking about freeze therapy. You can freeze the fat right off your body, and it’s not quite as insane as it sounds. First, it’s important to realize that it’s not like putting your body in a freezer or anything so drastic. This is a highly targeted procedure. The fat cells in your body are pinpointed and frozen using injection methods. Once the fat cells are frozen, they die and waste away, so you get thinner from the inside out.

The problem with this treatment is that you won’t see the effects straight away. It can take a few months before you notice any changes but rest assured, your body will be getting healthier every time you use the treatment. Though there is another issue, and that’s the cost. This treatment doesn’t come cheap, and you could be looking at spending anything up to a few thousand.

Sup It Up

A cheap and cheerful alternative would be diet supplements. You can buy diet supplements online, and they work wonders, ensuring that you lose pounds over a period of weeks. The weight loss pills Walmart offers are medically approved, and most are made up of natural ingredients. That means they are almost completely organic. Research shows that if you do use these bills, it’s best to get the natural brands. So how do they work? Well, they burn fat by activating enzymes in your body. They can be a great way to ensure that you are ready for bathing suit season when you’re running out of time to get an exercise routine going.

Stretching Things

Or finally, a lot of people find it difficult to lose weight because they are constantly hungry. If that sounds familiar to you, you should think about controlling your hunger. It’s possible to do this with a gastric band. A gastric band cuts off an area of your stomach, shrinking it. This means even eating a little will make you feel full. Eventually, that will pay off with actual weight gain being the final result.

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