Mothers Day Poem: Without You!

This Mother's Day poem acknowledges the essential contributions a mother makes to her children's lives. It's a mom poem that she will treasure.

Mom, without you, there would be no me.
Your love, your attention, your guidance,
have made me who I am.
Without you, I would be lost,
wandering aimlessly,
without direction or purpose.
You showed me the way
to serve, to accomplish, to persevere.
Without you, there would be an empty space
I could never fill, no matter how I tried.
Instead, because of you,
I have joy, contentment, satisfaction & peace
Thank you, mom.
I have always loved you
and I always will.

By Joanna Fuchs Adopted From www.poemsource.com/mother-poems.html

Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day - Fun Things for Families to Do Together This Holiday.

Make Memorial Day a memorable one for you and your family with these great ideas. Teaching kids the meaning of Memorial Day is at the top of this list!

Memorial Day, held during the last Monday of May, is not merely an extra day off of school or work. This day is a day that recognizes and commemorates men and women who have given their lives to military services over the years. It has been celebrated since the Civil War and continues to be a day of reflection.

Many families may not understand the profound meaning of this day; however, if you have children, it is important that they know what Memorial Day stands for, and that you teach them appropriate ways to celebrate. Here are several ideas, and you might find one or all of them worth doing this holiday.

Have a Picnic or Party
Since this day often marks the start of summer, it is common for families to gather for meals, parties, and picnics. There are many other meaningful ways to celebrate, too.

Visit a Veteran’s Cemetery
If there is a veteran cemetery near you, take the family there and place small American flags or red, white and blue flowers on the graves of soldiers. This is a great way to remember the reason why we celebrate Memorial Day and recognize those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Fly the American Flag
It is traditional to fly the American flag at half mast until noon on Memorial Day. This is traditional and after noon, you can raise the flag at full mast.

Dress in Patriotic Colors
Take the time to dress in patriotic colors to remember our country and those who fought for us. Red, white, and blue are popular for Independence Day, but it is also appropriate for this day.

Help a Veteran
Help those in your community that are widows of veterans or who are disabled veterans. You can spend the day weeding their flower beds, taking them flowers, taking them a meal or honoring that person with a neighborhood barbecue.

Celebrate at School
Start a Memorial Day tradition at your child’s school. Plant flowers in the school gardens, put out small American flags or encourage the principal to lead the school in a moment of silence. You can also have children bring pictures of fallen soldiers in their own family and hang in the hallways.

Take a Field Trip
Take a field trip to a place where it is known to recognize fallen soldiers. This could be a monument, battle site, or other historic place. Take the time to learn about the importance of the place and teach your children the history.

Memorial Day is certainly a day to remember those who gave their lives for our country. Take the time to learn what you can do to remember these very special people. Adopted From http://kids-holiday-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/

Recipe Of The Month: O-C How Good This Coffee Cake Is!

We tried this Orange-Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake recently and really liked it! It would be a nice addition to your Mother’s Day Breakfast or Brunch menu!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes

• 1 yellow cake mix


• 3 large eggs


• 1/2 cup oil


• 1/3 cup orange juice


• 1 cup sour cream


• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a tube pan or Bundt pan with cooking spray.
3. Beat cake mix eggs, oil, orange juice and sour cream with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix chocolate chips, cinnamon and sugar together.
5. Spoon half of the chocolate chip mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
6. Pour half of the cake batter evenly over the chocolate chip mixture. Use a spatula, if necessary, to make sure the batter covers the chocolate chip mixture evenly.
7. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chip mixture evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, smoothing with a spatula to cover chips completely.
8. Bake 28 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (Be careful not to over bake it.)
9. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Invert and cool completely. Enjoy!

Reel Parnter Of The Month! Engelmann Irrigation & Landscaping

Several customers have been inquiring about the recent letter they received from the water company. The state of Indiana has a law that requires anyone that has a lawn irrigation system must have the backflow tested on in the spring. Enforcement of this law is filtering down to the water companies. Your water company has informed you to have this test preformed by a certified inspector.

Engelmann Irrigation & Landscaping has been certified & we are equipped to perform this test for you.

Please Give Us A Call At 317 889-0427

A History of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing"

The first running of the Indianapolis 500 was on May 30th, 1911. That race, known as the "International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race," was won by Ray Harroun, who was the only driver in the race without a riding mechanic. Harroun drove a Marmon Wasp to victory, which featured his new invention, a rear-view mirror.

While the first race was won by an American car, European cars made their way into Indy the following year, with Fiat and Peugeot developing cars to race from 1912 to 1919. American cars regained prominence for the next 40 years, with scattered appearances by Maserati and Ferrari. The 1960s and 1970s brought more Formula One technology and foreign-born drivers to the Speedway. 1978 saw most chassis and engines in the race of European technology, while the 1980s and 1990s saw an influx of foreign drivers.

The Indy 500 was first run on Sunday in 1974. Prior to that, the race was held on Memorial Day proper (May 30th), unless it fell on Sunday, in which case it was held on Monday, May 31st; this occurred from 1911 to 1970.

In 1971 and 1972, the race was scheduled for the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend (the Uniform Monday Holiday Act came into being in 1971). The 1973 race was scheduled for Memorial Day Monday.

Penske is the most victorious car owner at the Indy 500, with 14 wins. Three drivers have four wins a piece - A.J Foyt, Al Unser, Sr., and Rick Mears. Mears also has the most pole positions with six.

Some interesting notes about past and current participants in the 500:

Al Unser, Sr. and Al Unser, Jr. became the first father and son to compete against each other at Indy in 1983. Unser, Jr. became the first second-generation winner when he won the race 1992.
In 1984, Michael Andretti shared Rookie of the Year honors with Roberto Guerrero. This was the first time the son of a Rookie of the Year winner (Mario won in 1965) won the award. Michael's son Marco became the first third-generation driver to win the award in 2006.
In 1988, Bill Vukovich III became the first third-generation driver to qualify and race in the Indy 500.

The 2007 Indy 500 saw three women in the field for the first time (Milka Duno, Sarah Fisher, and Danica Patrick). Adopted from http://www.associatedcontent.com/

Signs That You Need a Vacation.

Your accumulated vacation hours let you retire 10 years early.

• You've begun to enjoy the elevator music.


• Tylenol stock takes a nasty drop every time you take a weekend off.


• The radiation from your monitor has burnt your shadow onto the wall


• Your wife has more and older children than you can account for.


• Wastebasket in your office is full of the ripped-off faces of people who came to you with a question or problem...


• You get on the down elevator on floor six, push the sixth floor button and become irritated that you are not going anywhere.


• Your kids call 911 and report a burglary when you come home at early one night (8pm). They didn't recognize you ...first time you have been home before their bedtime in months.


• You look at the clock...it shows 6:00...you can't remember if it's AM or PM.


• The little leprechaun, that only you can see, who keeps telling you to, Burn it, burn it all.


• You spend too much time in front of the microwave before noticing it's not your TV.


• You begin to explore the possibility of setting up an I.V. drip of espresso.


• What shall I do today? Pretend to work ...take a hostage ... pretend to work ...take a hostage ...


• Road rage in the supermarket resulting in broken bones from the canned yams.


• Whenever your boss asks how the project you've been working on 14 hours a day, 6 days a week, is coming along, you laugh uncontrollably for 3 minutes, then break into a medley of show tunes.


• A growing need to DO something about the guy in the next cube. You know, the one that makes all those annoying sounds and smells. Yeah, something...something permanent. Yeah...


• Spend day staring at the squirrels on the front lawn of the building. (There aren't any squirrels at your building. There's not even a lawn). Adopted from http://www.funmeme.com/ If you are not laughing, You Need A Vacation!
  

“Happen To Life” Tips!

“Life ‘happens to you’ when you ‘throw in the towel.’ You ‘happen to life’ when you ‘get up again’ after you’ve been ‘knocked down.’ Sure, you may have made mistakes; but nobody’s perfect.”

Solution: So let’s stay in the ring and not give up. Keep a great attitude and don’t look back. Blessings abound all around you. Before you close your eyes tonight think over your day. You will find blessings you didn’t know about.

We have a brand new day. What we do with it depends on our attitude. Embrace life with gusto. Happen to life. I’ve discovered six important concepts to help get a good start each day for ways to “happen to life.” They are:

1. AGE IS NOT A FACTOR. Be thankful for whatever age you are. Run with it. Many times the youth think they are too young to be useful or they are worried about peer pressure. It takes real strength of character to do the right thing in spite of the crowd. Conversely there are elder ones who put themselves down with self-destroying words, “I’m not what I used to be.” I hear many times, “Those were the good old days.” Well, I disagree; today is the “good now day.” The younger generation profits immeasurably by the wisdom and experience of the older populace.

2. DON’T BE ASHAMED OF YOUR IMPERFECTIONS. A cracked and broken pot allows light to shine through. Be a vessel for light to shine. Blessings given are blessings returned.

3. DEVOTE YOURSELF TO HELPING OTHERS. Volunteering brings happiness to others and to you. Many community activities need volunteers and before you know it your work has made you happy.

4. FORGET THE PAST AND LIVE IN THE PRESENT. The “past” is just that. It’s over. Today is here “right now.”

5. KEEP A RIGHT ATTITUDE. No one likes to be around a “Scrooge.” So encourage yourself to happen to life. Be alive. Life is “delicious.”

6. SMILE AND PUT ON A HAPPY FACE. Say a “Thank You” today to a person you see. Find something to be thankful for. It will make you happy!

Ask Mike Your Mortgage Questions: Can you afford that new house?

Before you start searching for your dream home, you first need to determine a price range you can afford. According to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), depending on the consumer's current debt ratio, most people can typically afford to pay 31 percent of their gross monthly income for mortgage payments. For example, if you earn $50,000 annually, then your monthly income is about $4,167. Thirty-one percent of that is $1,292.

There are several online tools to calculate a monthly mortgage you can afford using factors such as your current monthly expenses, down payment and the interest rate. You can also work with a lender to get pre-qualified for a loan. This estimate will help you gauge how much money you may be able to borrow and the monthly mortgage payments.

However, the amount you are able to afford for a home loan should not be your only consideration for determining your price range. With homeownership come other housing expenses.

Utilities - The most obvious of additional housing expenses are utilities-gas, electricity and water. But don't forget about telephone, trash collection, and cable or satellite bills.

Taxes - As a property owner, you are responsible for property taxes. The rate will vary from city to city. To get a general idea on how much the tax bill will be for a property, ask the seller for a copy of the previous year's tax assessment. Your real estate professional can help you refine these figures.

Association Dues - Another cost you may incur is homeowner association (HOA) dues. Most condominiums and some (residential developments/subdivisions/neighborhoods) have HOAs, which are legal entities, created to maintain common areas and enforce deed restrictions. As a property owner, you are required to pay the established monthly or annual homeowner association dues. Be sure you factor this cost into your budget.

Maintenance - You also need to consider the upkeep of your home. You should budget for seasonal maintenance such as lawn care, pest inspections and carpet cleaning, as well as unexpected repairs. The amount you budget will depend on the age of the home, as older homes tend to require more repairs such as installing a new roof, painting and replacing older appliances.

Insurance - Depending on the type of coverage and your area, the costs for homeowners insurance each year can be anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. And, if you live in an area that has high risks for flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc., you may need supplemental insurance.

Remodeling/Upgrades - Unless the home you purchase is picture perfect, you'll more than likely be adding your personal touch. Therefore, you need add to your housing budget the costs for remodeling and upgrades. According to "Remodeling Magazine's" 2007 Cost vs. Value Report, the national average for a midrange minor kitchen remodel is $21,185; a bathroom remodel averages $15,789.

Even minor cosmetic fix-ups such as light fixtures, window treatments, carpeting and decorative cabinet knobs can begin to add up. By determining all the costs associated with homeownership, you can go into your home search with a reasonable price range that will allow you to stay within your budget. Adopted from http://activerain.com/blogsview/

A Yard Sale Checklist: Ten Tips for Garage Sale Prep

Our annual neighborhood garage sale was held this past weekend. During last year’s sale

I offered ten garage sale tips:

• A group sale is better then selling alone. More stuff draws more traffic.
  Be prepared. Be ready to go the night before so that you don’t have to rush around in the morning.


• Plan your sale layout with customers in mind. Use marketing tricks to make your customers more likely to purchase your stuff!


• Price things carefully.


• Label things well.


• Be friendly. Greet people as they arrive — chat if they’re chatty.


• Do not bad-mouth your items.


• Be willing to bargain, but be less flexible at the start.


• Keep a ledger. Jot down a description of each item and how much you sold it for.


• Do not use a cash box. Keep your money on you at all times.
  

Here are ten new tips, with a focus on prepping for the day of the sale:

• Be clear on the purpose of your sale. Are you selling things to make money or to get rid of them? This question affects everything you do, from how you price things to how willing you are be to negotiate. Surprisingly, you can often make more money (and get rid of more junk) by pricing things low. (If your goal is to get top dollar, you should really be selling on eBay or Craigslist.)


• Advertise. Stick an ad in the newspaper. Put up a notice on Craigslist. Post simple, effective signs around the neighborhood. It’s best to use big bold text like “HUGE SALE” with an arrow pointing the right direction. Make sure your sign is readable. (The Yard Sale Queen has a great page highlighting the difference between good and bad yard sale signs. I think the one I’ve posted here is just about perfect. I could write an entire article on proper garage sale signage — I feel strongly about it. )


• Get cash. Get a roll of quarters, a stack of twenty-five $1 bills, and a few $5 bills. Do this two days before the sale, so that if you forget, you can still get the change on the day before.


• Prepare your staging area. People will be more inclined to stop if you set up shop in your yard or driveway. Some people are reluctant to enter a dark and dreary garage. Make your sale inviting and easy to browse. You can lure customers by placing highly-desirable items near the road.


• Go over ground rules. Make sure that everybody working the sale is in agreement. Be clear on your bargaining policy. (You don’t want your wife to be angry when you sell her rabbit-shaped jewelry box for $2 when she wanted at least $5 for it.) Make sure that everyone understands the importance of never parting from the money. Agree that nobody will bad-mouth the merchandise.


• Think like a customer. As soon as you’ve opened and fielded the initial flood of shoppers, walk through your sale as if you were there to buy something. How does it feel? Are things clearly marked? Is it easy to move around? Are your books on the ground in boxes? Or are they placed neatly on shelves or tables? Would you pay $10 for that porcelain cat?


• Display items to their advantage. This weekend, Kris noticed that a couple of nice lawn chairs weren’t selling. They were folded up and leaning against the wall of the garage, so she unfolded them and set them on the lawn. They sold within ten minutes. In the past, I’ve had trouble selling books. This year I carried a pair of bookshelves out to the garage. It took more work, but I sold over $100 of books, books that to me were simply junk. (Powell’s had refused to buy them back on multiple occasions.)


• Play background music. I find it a little uncomfortable to visit a garage sale (or to host one) when there’s complete silence in the yard or driveway. But don’t play offensive music either — play something appropriate for your audience. For the past couple years, I’ve made a point of playing The Essential Johnny Cash over and over and over again. Sure, I’m sick of it by the end of the weekend, but the customers love it.


• Promote expensive items. Big-ticket items can be tough to sell, but you can do it with a little extra effort. For example, I have a digital camera I wanted to sell. I gathered all the bits and pieces and placed them together on a table along with a printout of the Amazon page for the camera. If I’d thought to do this on Thursday or Friday, the camera might have sold. I didn’t get it out til Saturday morning, though, so I’m still stuck with it!


• Make it easy for shoppers to test electronic items. If you’re selling electrical items, make sure you have an extension cord handy so that people can test them. No smart person is going to just take your word that your television “works great”. They’re going to want to see it in operation. Also, have some batteries on hand so that a prospective buyer can test that old Nintendo Gameboy for himself.


• Running a yard sale is not rocket science. But if you put a little effort into creating an environment where it is pleasant to browse and easy to find junk treasures, you’ll make a lot more money. Adopted from http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog