CMUThought Community Thought 100 day Challenge » Holidays

What does Dad want for Christmas

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:38:29 +0000

One of the special items that I have requested this fathers day is an espresso machine. I know that many of the popular brands will be going on discount this week and I have been dropping hints to my wife and kids that this is what Dad wants. I could see myself brewing up a double tall vanilla latte with a chocolate scone to eat.

After going paying for my morning espresso drink I got to thinking just how much I spend per month on a cup of coffee. At about an average of $4 for my triple white mocha, I figured that I spend at least $75 to $80 a month. The convenience is a big key in my decision when finding a local espresso stand. I have always thought of getting my own personal espresso maker for home to save money but where do you begin and what makes a good machine. It would be great to have the ability to make your own espresso on that Saturday morning without having to step out of your home. Maybe this is something that I will put down on my Christmas wish list and we will see what happens.

Time to order your holiday business cards

admin — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:27:41 +0000

This has been a roller coaster year for many businesses so being able to keep their loyal customers is a top priority for 2011. In most cases you want to thank your customer for their continued business and those who have recently purchased new products from you. When I was selling copiers I made it a tradition to send personalized business holiday cards to my customers that our company president and I signed. At the time I would have to find several different types of cards in order to make each thank you a little more personable. I would even included a picture of my family for some of our larger customers with whom I had a more in depth relationship with and had been with us for several years.
Now there are sites like BusinessHolidaycards.com where you can order customized holiday cards and save time and money. You can choose from their large gallery and even upload photos to include in your card. This would be a great way to show your customers that you appreciate their business and continue to develop and strengthen those relationships. The business world is very competitive and creating customer loyalty has a huge premium so sending out thank yous and customized holiday cards can help separate your from the competition.

Kids Easter baskets

admin — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:52:14 +0000

If you are looking for ideas on what to put in kids Easter baskets then think about a book that they can interact with. There is something really cool you can get for the kids. You can even try samples of songs or just look for that children’s book you have been searching for. I thought the best thing was the personalized songs that you could play with. I just had to select one of the many name choices they give you and then I could hear small samples of songs being sung by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Barney, the VeggieTales and so much more. It will really make your child feel like they are singing to them. This is one of the best ideas I have seen in a long time and this is sure to catch on fast.

Vacation in the Outer Banks

admin — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 02:13:40 +0000

Carolina Designs have a lot of different properties under their rental property umbrella. Many of these properties are perfect for a small or large group to choose for their lodging needs. In one of their hot spot areas, is the state of North Carolina. The Tar Heel State offers a lot of activities for those looking to find a new travel destination or a vacation spot; which the family has never been to before. Those traveling to NC can choose the beautiful Carolina mountain areas the state has to offer or go down to sea level and experience a vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.
While it may be a hidden treasure from most of the country, the residents who live in Duck year-round, wouldn’t want to live in other part of the world and why would they? You can find a great deal on a Outer Banks vacation rental right now to help plan your vacation. A booming economy from all the tourists they attract each year, keeps Duck financially going just like any of the bigger cities in North Carolina. However, after all the travelers and visitors leave, Duck once again becomes a quiet little town, for the citizens who call this home.

Improving your bedroom

admin — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:16:18 +0000

You can really find some nice pieces for the bedroom these days. It’s a long ways from the way Charles and Carolyn’s bedroom looked from the Little House of Prairie days. They could never imagine just how nice the contemporary bedroom furniture could be in 2011. I’m glad to have all the improvements like Luxury bed linens we have now compared to the way Walnut Grove was living long ago. I’m not sure I could have survived in those times and I never take for granted all the modern inventions that I get to take advantage of everyday. While our bedrooms might seem great now, I just wonder what they would be like a hundred years from now. Just imagine if you were trying to tell people back then; they could have a water bed if they wanted one. I’m happy for now for the bedrooms of today!

Finding your home theater system

admin — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:28:31 +0000

You can’t go shopping on Black Friday with the intent to buy any specific item. Please keep this in mind, because its the whole trick to everything. If you are searching for a home theatre system you can search online for early sale prices. You only go to these stores and you only buy the things that are super cheap or has a really low price in your opinion. If you will only focus on value on these Black Friday mornings and stay away from the big box stores, because the crowds and traffic will tie you up too much and waste some of those valuable shopping hours, you can walk away as the biggest winner on Black Friday.

Halloween costumes for infants

admin — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:56:21 +0000

We just has a new addition to our family with the birth of our niece. Now that Halloween is just around the courner we have been looking at infant halloween costumes so that she can go around with her cousins. My oldest wants to go as Hannah Monatana, my son wants to go as a fireman, and my youngest wants to be a princess. I remember growing up and being spiderman, a cowboy, or an army soldier. These days you still see some of the classics like superman and spiderman, but with the popularity of Harry Potter and High School musical I have seen some costumes that I am sure will be very popular this year. The end result at the end of the night is that the kids have a blast and get enough candy so that Mom and Dad can rummage through and pick out their favorites. Besides this is why we had kids, right?

Heading to the Outer Banks

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:25:45 +0000

My wife has been researching various vacation locations and we were impressed how low the airfare was becoming. This is quite different from a few months ago and now this opens up a lot more options for families that were staying closer to home because of the cost to travel. For this reason some friends of ours have been looking at Duck vacation rentals homes that are located just a few short hours from where they live. Carolina Designs is one of the main property managers in the Outer Banks that offer a large selection of multi-bedroom homes for rent. This is one example of home that can be rented on a weekly basis that consists of 6 bedroom and 4 plus baths. This would be perfect for your friends and family to gather for a week and just relax and get caught up. The plan is that we will all meet up at the Outer Banks and hang out with a few families that we have are close friends with and just relax and catch up on old times.

Time for halloween

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:28:50 +0000

I can’t believe that Halloween is only a month away and the stores have had candy and costumes out for over a month. There are ton of great new sexy costumes that are available where adults can dress like their favorite Twilight Star or movie actor. While scary costumes will always rule Halloween night some of the more current characters that are going to be popular this year are always interesting to see. I like attending a few Halloween parties just to see the creative ideas that people are going to come up with.

Get your snowboard now

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:01:26 +0000

Snowboards have become so popular in many area ski resorts that special snow parks have been developed for this type of sport. Snowboarding has grown in popularity thanks to the youth that are looking for a way to create their own identity and want to have their own style on the mountain. Pictured is the 2009 Burton X 156 Snowboard.
Burton snowboards is the leader in boards and snow wear accessories to customize the look and feel of your boarding experience. They have landed many of the young and upcoming snow boarders to tour their wears that many new and avid snow boarders look to them to find the latest trends. Online sites like buysnow.com carry many of the styles and boards for Burton so that you can create your unique gear outfit. This year Burton is teaming up with local resorts throughout the country to offer a free lift ticket and lesson with the purchase of one of their boards. This is a great way for newbies to get some great gear and then get the instructions that they will need to learn the sport and stay safe while shredding the mountain.