I, like thousands of you out there, have been involved in traditional scrapbooking for several years.  Unfortunately, scrapbooking has become increasingly expensive, and this, combined with the time-consuming nature of the hobby, has deterred many from preserving their memories.  I recently ventured out into the relatively new realm of digital scrapbooking, and found this just as fulfilling - from both a creative and a financial standpoint.  The problem arose, however, when I needed to print out my completed pages, and I spent hours and hours researching the best printing options. 

 

Imagine my delight when I came across an online publishing company, who's goal it is to make preserving family stories simple, fun and rewarding.   Heritage Makers believe that their products, through the power of storybooking, can strengthen family, improve relationships, build children's self-esteem, and bind families together.  Having just published my first Heritage Makers Storybook, featuring our Fall Foliage Trip to North Carolina last year, I can personally attest that each of these is true!  My 6-year-old walked around with our storybook for days, taking it to school to show her teachers and her classmates that she was featured in a "real library book!"

 

Just one of the unique qualities about these storybooks is the simplicity with which you can create your project.  For the more creative, you have the ability to create each page from scratch, starting with a blank page and adding each photo and element to your page as you would in traditional scrapbooking.  For the creatively challenged, there are over 400 templates and 30,000 pieces of art available for your use, with more being added regularly.  After creating an account, you upload your photos onto the website, select your template, drag your photos onto each page of the template, type in the story about the picture, and you are ready to preview and publish your very own storybook.  Can't think of something to go with your picture - there is a gallery of quotes and phrases ready for you to select and drag onto your page - now how easy is that!

 

This company doesn't stop at just publishing storybooks.  Other products include cards and family folds, posters, prints, calendars and card games - all featuring you, your family or your even your classmates or sports team. 

 

If you are one of millions of Americans with photos stored in boxes in the back of the closet, Heritage Makers also offers a scanning service, allowing you to put all your photos onto your computer and a CD, where they can be shared with family and friends, and treasured for years to come.

 

I was so impressed with the Heritage Makers Company, that I have become an Independent Personal Publishing Consultant.  For more information, please contact me at www.CaptureLifetimeMemories.com or

  (770)712-9641 

 

Let me help you publish your story and preserve your memories forever...

 

 

 

 

Beach Days/Joe Johnson Benefit Double
Pageant

The Last Word

 

It's fireproof.
He's probably just hibernating.
What does this button do?
It's probably just a rash.
Are you sure the power is off?
The odds of that happening have to be a million to one!
Pull the pin and count to what?
Which wire was I supposed to cut?
I wonder where the mother bear is.
I've seen this done on TV.
These are the good kind of mushrooms.
I'll hold it and you light the fuse.
Let it down slowly.
It's strong enough for both of us.
This doesn't taste right.
I can make this light before it changes.
Nice doggie.
I can do that with my eyes closed.
I've done this before.
What duck?
Well, we've made it this far.
That's odd.
Don't be so superstitious.
Now watch this.
Everyone knows they're a bunch of nuts, no one will listen to them

Tired of the high gas prices and endless news coverage of the problem?  I found this article online and thought it added a neat new perspective to the problem.  Of course, we are still very fortunate - my husband leaves for South Africa in the next 10 days to lead a mission trip there.  The gas prices in South Africa are currently 10 Rands per liter, not per gallon!  Though the high gas prices are really hurting our wallets in the USA, there are countries out there who would love to be paying only $4 per gallon!

 

 

Angry kids protest gas prices after losing cable TV from Associated Press

We recently had an incredible interview with Christian Saslo, franchise owner and CEO of the Hall County branch of Senior Helpers.  This outstanding company has been around since 2001, and has over 170 locations spread over 35 states.  Christian's Hall County branch was opened in January, and provides in-home health care for seniors and the disabled.  From their central office located here in Gainesville, they provide specialized care all over north-east Georgia - all the way up to Rabun, White and Union Counties.

 

Christian comes from a background in healthcare.  He has worked for the Garden of Life, and has worked with all different types of doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists.  Christian's father has a doctorate of Nursing Science, so he and his family have been in and around health care for some time.  When Christian's father-in-law became ill, Christian found a need for in-home health care, and wanted to fulfill it.

 

Our Gainesville branch of Senior Helpers is run by a very capable group of people : Christian Saslo is Franchise owner and CEO; his partner, Michael Boxerman is VP of Operations; Betty Gurganus is Client Services Manager; and Roxanne Smith is Case Manager and Community Relations Coordinator.

 

Services from Senior Helpers are available 24/7, though the office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Roxanne, Betty and Christian are always on call.  They can help someone from 4 hours a day up to 24 hours of care per day.  The also offer a 1 hour Peace-of-mind visit, designed to give families the piece of mind of knowing a care giver spends one hour with their loved one and reports back to them.

 

Payments for services are usually via private payments, though Senior Helpers has just been approved for a program to pay for Veteran's in-home health care.  They are one of the first companies to accept this payment.  It is called the Veteran's Aid and Attendance Program, and is designed to pay in-home care for Veteran's and their surviving spouses.

 

When asked " what is the most important thing you want people to know about your business?", Christian's response summed up all that Senior Helpers represents: "Everything!  Think about it.  98% of seniors don't want to go into nursing homes or assisted living facilities.  We allow them to stay in their own homes as long as possible, which helps to maintain dignity and independence.  We help to ease relationships between family members - by having a care-giver help with the activities of daily living.  This takes stress off of family care-givers, and allows them to focus on the relationship with their loved ones."

 

Christian Saslo's service to the Hall County community doesn't stop with Senior Helpers.  He is also the Youth Pastor at Congregation Beth Adonai.  For this Messianic Jewish congregation, Christian handles the teens from 13-19 years old.  He is also involved in the Hall County Chamber of Commerce, and writes for the Gainesville Times "Ask the Expert" for in home care and Senior care. (http://newmedia.gainesvilletimes.com/ask/)

 

We have very briefly introduced you to Senior Helpers.  Christian and his staff invite you to visit the Senior Helpers website (http://www.seniorhelpers.com/) for a more comprehensive look at the company and the wonderful services they provide. 

 

 

Senior Helpers

445 Bradford Street NW

Gainesville, GA 30501

(678)807-2220

 

 

 

 

 

Across the Pond, located on the Historic Gainesville Square, is a quaint store filled with an incredible assortment of goods and items you wouldn't expect to find in Northeast Georgia.  Purveyors of British goods, including food and antiques, Across the Pond is owned and operated by Mari Beth and Sonny Hartsock.  The Hartsock's have owned the store for 5 years, and were originally located in a smaller premises across the street in Mainstreet Market Street.

 

Mari Beth was originally an interior designer, and Sonny a pharmacist.  The Hartsock's  tell us that they became interested in this line of business as a result of frequent visits to their (Scottish) best friends in the United Kingdom.  They used to visit them a couple of times a year, and have been bringing antiques back from the U.K. for about 15 years.  Gradually adding food and stickers, the business expanded and grew on its own accord.  Mari Beth and Sonny have cut back on their visits due to the exchange rate, but still travel to the U.K once a year in order to find antiques and have them shipped back to their store.  The food is obtained from importers and wholesalers here in the States.

 

Selling their large range of antiques is what differentiates Across the Pond from other businessess providing British items and goods.  Most other stores of this kind, like the one located in Norcross, are limited to a selection of food and other small items.

                                         

Across the pond is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5:30pm.  They also offer an online ordering option, which is very popular.  Follow this link to browse the Across the Pond website and place your order today!  http://www.fromacrossthepond.com/

Across the Pond accepts all major credit cards, check and cash.

 

Coming from South Africa, which has a huge British influence, my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the website, and found many of our favorite food items available for purchase.  We will definitely be making a trip to Across the Pond in the very near future!

 

 

Across The Pond
115 Bradford St., SE
Gainesville, GA 30501
(770) 297-6446
Toll Free (888) 269-4326

sonny@fromacrossthepond.com or maribeth@fromacrossthepond.com

 

 

Why, Oh Why, Oh Why . . .

 

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you stupid idiot?"

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And the Number 1 - why . . .

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.