The Sewing Mom

There is a contest going on over at After the Dust Settles and it’s a fun one! It’s an easy one too, leave a comment and you get an entry!

The prize? The cutest little whole melon ceramic piggy bank that you see pictured above. I mean, look at this face, how could you not want this?!

While you’re there, be sure to check out her other ceramic items.  She makes them all by hand and, if you’re looking for a gift, I’m sure you’ll find something super cute!

My husband recently experienced having invalid charges on his credit card, the one he always uses strictly for business travel. He discovered the problem when he attempted to buy airline tickets through an online travel service and his card was not accepted. Turns out, the bank the card is issued through had frozen his account due to suspicious charges, over $600 worth, that took place in eastern Europe. Since my husband had forgotten to update his phone number on the account after we relocated, the bank was unable to notify him. It’s all been straightened out now and he’s not being held responsible for those charges, but it’s very scary how easily someone can get an account number.

We’re lucky that it only got that far. There is always the very real  threat of identity theft.

Did you know that you can get a free copy of your credit report annually? It’s a great idea to monitor your credit and not wait until something bad happens. Don’t be fooled either by companies touting to give you a free credit report, but the only way you can get it is by signing up and paying for one of their services. I don’t know about you, but that’s not free to me. New York Times bestselling author, Bob Sullivan, wrote an article on this very topic warning consumers about freecreditreport.com. This company, owned by Experian, offers “free” credit reports, but makes you pay a monthly service fee for their identity theft protection in order to get them.

If I’m going to pay anyone for identity theft protection, it’s going to be lifelock, who not only promises a real solution, they guarantee it. So, don’t be confused by all those singing commercials using an actor to play the part of someone who’s identity was supposedly stolen. Make smart decisions and choices when it comes to protecting your identity.

Our fearless leader of Four Foods on Friday will be on vacation this weekend and so this week’s edition is slightly different. Either way, I’m glad she’s getting some time away and hope Valmg enjoys herself very much!

This weeks questions and my answers are as follows.

#1. If you could travel anywhere to have a meal, where would you want to go and what would you want to eat. I think I would love to go to California (I know, not too exotic). There are two things I truly miss about living in California, fresh fish and fresh fruit. I love fish, but it’s just difficult to find when it’s fresh and not over priced.

#2. When you go away do you make your own meals or eat out? I prefer to eat out. One of the reasons I enjoy going on vacation is to get away from my every day duties. I like not having to clean up after myself and that’s part of what makes a vacation good for me.

#3. While traveling if you have to stop for a meal do you go in or do you go through the drive thru and eat in the car? If we’re on the road, I go through the drive-thru. We might park and run in to order, but that’s only to give us a chance to stretch and go to the bathroom. I can’t completely relax until we get to our destination, so it’s hard for me to go sit down in a restaurant to eat.

#4. Share a recipe or food related tip for people making a long trip by car. Just like Valmg, I like to take a small cooler along with bottles of water and juice in it. One tip I learned on our last trip was to use the half full water bottles, the ones nobody claims, as water for the dog. Another tip, I try to get rid of the drive-thru, fast food trash at each stop. It makes it easier to keep the van clean during the road trip.