“Sweeping” Is No Longer What Your Crazy Grandmother Does

BOOK REVIEW:  Sweepstakes MILLIONAIRE:
How to Win a Life of Luxury through Sweepstakes

“Sweeping” is no longer what that crazy grandmother down the street does. With the advent of online sweepstakes, the participants of this lucrative “hobby” have averaged out much younger in the last 10 years.

Point in fact, this Oma started her hobby as a sweeper in 2008 at the age of 53*. As my participation in the hobby grew, Oma has noticed that a lot of her sweeps friends and acquaintances are forty years of age or younger! It is Oma’s personal belief that the emergence of Mommy Blogs** has propagated this trend.

This weekend Oma had the opportunity to read a paperback book entitled “Sweepstakes Millionaire” by Johnathan Wyka-Warzecha.

Opa and Oma pose in front of Buckingham Palace
Enjoying Their Free Vacation (August 2009).

Oma considers herself an accomplished “sweeper.” I have won many trips, including a vacation to England. My biggest win was from Sears. They outfitted Oma’s kitchen with Energy Saving Appliances: a refrigerator, double oven, cook top AND dishwasher! (ARV $10,000).

If you do not know what ARV stands for, you need to purchase this book. It closes with a handy “Glossary of Terms” (ARV = Approximate Retail Value).

Although not a newcomer to Sweepstakes, Oma found this fun paperback book chocked full of useful information. It is the perfect gift for a Sweepstakes Newbie or that Sweepstakes Expert. The book was easy to read and organized so that the reader can easily locate the section most pertinent to the task they were attempting.

My favorite part of the book was the interesting testimonials from actual sweepstakes winners. Oma wished that there were more such stories and that the accounts contained more details to motivate people to this exciting and rewarding hobby. A few photos would have really enhanced the testimonial experience as well.

Another must read chapter if you wish to experience the thrill of winning a sweepstakes is Chapter 3 – How to increase your chances of winning sweepstakes. It offered priceless advice which covered Online Sweepstakes, Video Sweepstakes, Instant Win Sweepstakes, Mail-In Sweepstakes, In-Store Sweepstakes, and Computer Game Contests. Who would have thought that there were so many different types of sweepstakes and that each had its own strategy.

If you have ever thought of investing your time to enter and win sweepstakes, Oma urges you to read this book. It will provide you with the information needed to start winning quickly. It took Oma years to gather this insight!

You can find this book by clicking here.

*Click here to read about the win that started Oma on her sweepstaking career.

**Mommy Blog: Family-and-homemaking blogs are weblogs which feature commentary and discussions especially about home, family, and parenting. Appellations in media reports of "mom blog," "dad blog," "parenting blog" and "family blog" refer to blogs of this type.

As a blogger, my integrity is one of the most valuable things Oma owns. Therefore, reviews will contain both positive and negative aspects as is appropriate. To put it in a simpler manner, this review is meant to help my readers (editorial) more than to help a brand (advertising).

However, it should be noted that Oma was given a copy of Sweepstakes MILLIONAIRE: How to Win a Life of Luxury through Sweepstakes to read and review.

Enough To Clog The Pipes

What a mess!!!! Still kinda cute tho!!

The diaper says there is enough to clog the pipes. (Really funny when you remember that this sweet baby's father is a plumber). And at 2:50 am this morning, this is the diaper Daddy grabs. Thanks Auntie Sierra!!

Reef was full of poo and right when Daddy was finished cleaning up, Baby Reef  he went again !!!! 

411 On Baby PooP

A newborn can have as many as eight to ten bowel movements a day, but as long as he is having at least one, he's probably all right.

One day without a bowel movement is usually no cause for concern. As long as your baby is feeding well and wetting his diaper five or six times a day, then he's most likely getting enough to eat. If he starts to become uncomfortable or has a persistently swollen abdomen, then he may need some help with pooping, and you should speak to your pediatrician about how to facilitate this.

In the early days, a newborn's bowel movements are thick and dark green in color. This is due to a substance called meconium that has been building up in his intestines during pregnancy. As the baby starts to feed and have bowel movements, he will finish expelling the meconium and his stools will start to turn yellowish. It is not uncommon for an infant's bowel movements to vary in color from day to day. The color of the stools can depend on a variety of things, including what a breastfeeding mom is eating, how hydrated the baby is, and the type and frequency of formula the infant is being fed, if applicable.

Source

Happy Oma and Opa Day!

Opa gets Reef to smile!

Yesterday, Baby Reef came home from the hospital. His first day at home went well. Of course, why wouldn’t it; Mom and Dad are prepared and very patient.

Today is Grandparent’s Day. Oma has never paid much attention to this “holiday” before. However, Reef has changed that.

The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife from West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.

“A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" by Singer/Songwriter Johnny Prill
is the official song of National Grandparents Day.

Happy Oma and Opa Day!

Which path will these tiny feetstamp upon?

Three Generations of Smiths - Dad Zack and Opa frame Baby Reef’s Feet

Future skateboarder or plumber or racecar driver like his uncle Moses? A combination of all three?

 

Which path will these tiny feet stamp upon?  Reef’s voyage began yesterday – his world will be filled with love and comfort; safe in the knowledge that his path is lined by the persons, who like trees, will stand tall to willingly shade his way.

Reef With Opa

Opa meets his grandson, Reef for the first time. Everyone is well - thanks for all the well wishes and positive thoughts!

Welcome Baby Reef

Reef Indy Smith was born today at 9:11 a.m. PST. He weighed 9 lbs. 7 oz.

Oma received the phone call at about ten p.m. on 09/05/2013. Mommy’s water broke and Reef’s parents were on their way to the hospital. Oma got dressed and drank a mug of Bombay Chai Tea and then also headed out to the hospital in Fallbrook, CA.

We were joined by Grandma & Grandpa Syniski and Auntie Heather. To quote Reef’s Grandmother, “Attention! Attention! Today was a very happy day for me! My family welcomed into our family my second grandchild and first grandson...Reef Indy Smith!! Mom and Dad...Amanda and Zack did a wonderful job of bringing this beautiful boy into our lives,( with no small help from Amanda's sister Heather), and I couldn't be more proud of all of them. He is soooo handsome and he will be much loved by all of us! Congrats to Amanda and Zack!!!! Love you all!”

Welcome Baby Reef – You are loved and you will be blessed!



Oma gets to hold Baby Reef for the first time

Reef's Mommy and Daddy did a wonderful job bringing baby Reef into the world in a calm and loving environment.

88-Year-Old Grandmother Celebrates Her Birthday Driving a Racecar

Frances Anderson, left, jokes with her grandson Jim Boucher
before her on-track adventure. (ANDREA MORALES / Monitor staff)

On September 1, 2013 spectators in the infield of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway may have noticed a peculiar occurrence involving car No. 8 as it sped past the pit area along the eastern straightaway: a petite, wrinkled left hand performing a parade wave out of the driver’s side window.

Frances Anderson, who lives in Belmont and turns 88 years old today, seemed less enthralled with accelerating than with checking off one of the last items on an extensive bucket list, which has included trips to 45 states and more than 20 countries. There was the rafting vacation in Canada, the twin-engine flight over Alaskan glaciers, the Blarney Stone she kissed in Ireland, and the hilltop fortress she hiked to in Israel.

“This is just another thing,” she said yesterday, shrugging. Anderson has 11 grandchildren, and two on the way.

The plan, conceived by Anderson and organized with help from her five children, was this: eight laps around the track alone in a professional stock car, ideally topping out around 88 miles per hour, to commemorate her impending special occasion.

Anderson, who has two artificial hips and a pacemaker, had arrived at the infield about 11 a.m., and was still waiting for a vehicle by quarter to one. She wore a jumpsuit and sat in a folding chair in the pit area, an entourage of a dozen family members and close friends standing around her.

“I’m a little nervous,” she admitted. An employee had mentioned earlier two minor crashes that had occurred on the track in the morning.

Jon Haney, a driving instructor who had coached Anderson – when to accelerate, when to brake, how to maneuver on the track – said he wasn’t too worried.

“I’m more concerned with these young guys who play X-Box and come out thinking they know what they’re doing,” he said.

Haney said Anderson was the oldest woman to race the track.

Just before 1 p.m., her car arrived at the pit stop. It was red and blue and had the name “Budweiser” emblazoned on the side. A young man with cut-off sleeves and a Chevy emblem tattooed on his arm helped Anderson into the vehicle. He fastened several straps across her body, and she glanced over at her support group.

“You know where my papers are,” she said, joking.

The ride itself was perhaps less exciting than her family had expected.

“I think she’s actually slowing down,” her son Fred Anderson said as she passed the pit area for the fourth or so time. A handful of other cars on the high side of the track whizzed past her.

Afterward, when Anderson emerged from her car, a crowd of mostly strangers waiting to drive themselves or witness others do so gave her an ovation. She hoisted a detachable steering wheel into the air and beamed. Then she found her old folding chair and unzipped the top of her jumpsuit. Her cheeks were flush and someone handed her a bottled water.

“I didn’t chicken out, did I?” she said, looking at a few friends.

“No, you didn’t,” they replied.

Source

 

Side Note:

December 3, 2011 – NASCAR Race Mom (Oma) participated in the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPE) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

To report that NASCAR Race Mom was anxious would be an understatement. I was downright scared. However, I was the oldest of the group and wanted to represent my generation well! I was determined not to chicken out as well. 

The Richard Petty Staff informed us that our No. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal racecars were capable of driving about 170 miles per hour. However, we would be limited to the 130-135 range. I remained petrified while I struggled through the window to get into the racecar; then a strange kind of calm settled over me. 

Lap after lap, the Richard Petty Experience became more and more fun and exciting. Before I knew it we were pulling into the pits. I was not the fastest on the track, but to my surprise, NASCAR Race Mom was not the slowest either! 

The experience really supplied me with an altered and more cognizant perspective as to what a real racer faces in each race. I cannot imagine the difficulty of doing what I did with forty-two other drivers trying to pass you. 

Oma would recommend the Richard Petty Driving experience to all NASCAR fans! It was the funniest off-season activity I had and I would love to tackle the challenge again. I bet I could go even faster!