Katy Abram

It ceases to amaze me how many times I am stopped by women who want to know how I get my hair to curl up so well.  In an effort to help my fellow curly haired friends who don't know how to get the perfect curl or bounce in their locks here is a step by step how to on how to achieve the loveliest locks.

As a curly haired girl you must, and I mean MUST, wash your hair every day.  Heaven forbid you attempt to copy our straight haired counterparts by waking up, running a comb through your hair and walking out the door.  This is an absolute no-no for curly hair ladies. Wash you must!

While in the shower you must shampoo and condition you hair...every single day.  My favorite is Wen. It is pricey but is a two in one solution and makes your hair soft like buttah.  I used to use Pantene shampoo and conditioner for curly hair.  It works well (but not as well as Wen.) If you can afford the expense go with Wen by Chaz Dean.

Before rinsing the conditioner out run a wide tooth comb through your hair. This is the only time you should ever comb or brush your hair.  Now typically most women will turn the shower off and wrap their hair in a towel. Refrain from doing this!  This is the most important step. You need to keep your hair product in the shower.  I use a curl creme which I run through my hair from roots to tips.  Before I exit the shower I blot my hair with a towel. Do not wrap your hair in a turbin!  It will destroy any chance for beautiful curls.

If you do not have a diffuser, now is the time to invest. Using a hairdryer without one will ruin your chance for any type of springy curl.  Lightly diffuse your hair holding the diffuser in place.  Don't swirl it around or it will cause frizz.

Allow it to air dry.  If it seems flat throughout the day just slide your fingers into the base of your hair at the roots and shake your hand a bit to provide lift at the roots. It always works like a charm!

I am convinced the establishment GOP was completely knocked off of their rockers last night when the man who dons the sweater vest won three states.  Can you say SWEEP?  The idea that Santorum is resonating with the Republican base is something that the establishment can't get their minds around.  McMittens is the annointed candidate and should be treated as such.  Now get in line little Republicans and do our bidding.  

But we aren't doing their bidding are we?  The grassroots of this party, many of which are Tea Party or freedom loving activists, no longer trust the machine.  When it comes to this new surge of support for Santorum it is clear why he cleaned the floor with McMittens and Newt last night:  Santorum speaks the language of conservatism fluidly and from the heart.

If you had the opportunity to listen to his speech last night you may have noticed as I did that he uses no teleprompter and speaks with the convinction of a conservative.  He eloquently said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't stand here to claim to be the alternative to Mitt Romney.  I stand here to be the conservative alternative to Barack Obama." 

He spent the majority of his time speaking about freedom and Obama's attempt to subvert Americans in their attempt to hold onto this God given right.  Nothing resonates more than the truth, and truth is what Santorum delivered last night.

I had travelled down to Florida in the fall for the CNN Tea Party Presidential Debate.  Something happened down there which I never could have imagined.  Below is the blog post which never made it off of my tablet.  I am posting it now even though it is dated.  This was the first step for me in becoming a Rick Santorum supporter...
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The guilt!
 
Last night as me and my crew exited the CNN Tea Party Presidential Debate, we were trailing behind my former Senator turned Presidential candidate Rick
Santorum.  My fellow mommy friend, Jennifer, said we needed to get our picture taken with him. No problem.  As we introduced ourselves, I wasn't sure if he would remember this stay are home mom who took down his fellow US Senator from Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter.
 
Well, I was painfully wrong. You see Santorum and I follow each other on Twitter.  And he pointed out to me as he recalled my name, "you don't tweet about me." Ouch! The guilt quickly settled in.  He was, in fact, correct. I have not.
 
So  why has this been?  I honestly have been pondering this since last evening. 
And now as I sit in the same plane as Rick Santorum, who happens to be sitting up in first class...no really, he is...I need to answer this question.
 
Whenever I'm asked who my current favorite candidate is, my response is as follows...
 
As long as we don't end up with Romney or Huntsman (after last nights debate add
Ron Paul and Perry to my list) we have won.  But what about Santorum? 
I agree with Rick (since I think I am on a first name basis with him we
will go informal here) 99% of the time. My two issues with Rick are tenuous
ones. Knowing my history with Senator Specter it has been difficult to support a candidate who chose Specter over conservative superhero Pat Toomey.  That is strike one. Strike two was his support of Medicare Part D. One  may ask why isn't that enough to support him?  99% agreement on the man's policies is a lot right?
 
As  my Pennsylvania state senator, Mike Folmer, says, "if you agree with me 50% of the time we've got something in common. If you agree with me 100% of the time you need your head checked."  This is coming from a staunch constitutional conservative state senator who happens to also be my dear friend.  Would Rick have voted the same for Medicare Part D or would he have supported Specter
again today? I don't know.  I'll have to ask when we get off of the  plane.
 
But  I realize that despite these two issues we have more that unites us then
divides.  The political environment of today is much different than that of a few years ago.  The power of conservatism has grown ten fold and our voices now carry
throughout the airwaves in opposition to government over reach.  With a candidate like Rick he would be on our side almost ALL of the time.  Now compare that to Romney or Perry.  So I have to ask myself again...can I support a man I can agree with 99% of the time?  
  
Yes. I. Can.
 
It  is simply because Rick Santorum is a conservative through and through. Two poor decisions does not a man make over years of policy making.  So I
can forgive knowing that if we agree on everything I certainly do need my head
checked.  So when Rick becomes President and I am appointed the official White House Twitter Czarina (as he promised last night) I will most certainly remind him when he attempts to stray the remaining 1% of the time.  Otherwise, there may need to be another Arlen Specter moment from this stay at home mom.  I can handle that.  I hope you can too.
 
Now who can hook me up with a Santorum for President bumper sticker?

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Updated:
So that was step one.  The story then continued when I walked off of that plane.  Rick was sitting up front and I all the way in the back.  Before takeoff I had tweeted a couple of times to see if he was in fact paying attention to his twitter feed.  Well, low and behold, Rick was waiting for me as I exited the plane.  "You tweeted about me," he chuckled.  Yes. I. Did.  And he was in fact paying attention.  But why did he wait for me?  It was flattering, but as we walked through the terminal I quickly realized he wanted my support.

"Why can't you support me?" he asked.  I stopped in the middle of the terminal foot traffic and laid it out to him.  "It's easy.  I don't agree with your vote to expand Medicare Part D and of course your endorsement of Arlen Specter when we had an amazing conservative in Pat Toomey," I exclaimed. 

You may have already heard the answers to these questions as I did.  Had we not had Arlen we would not have had Justice Alito.  And as to Medicare Part D he was trying to make it a better bill knowing it was going to pass. 

It has been a few months since that encounter.  A few candidates have fallen by the wayside.  Four now remain.  I can say with full certainty that I endorse Rick Santorum for President.  He has my blessing (and now some of my money too).  He is the first Presidential candidate whom I have donated money to, the first who's bumper sticker will reside on my rear window and the first candidate who I have obtained signatures for to get him on the Pennsyvlania ballot.  Rick has my support and I hope he has yours too.

Yes, I actually do have a conservative domestic diva side.  Today I tweeted out that I was making a batch of homemade laundry detergent, which during my last calculation saved my family about $500 per year. I'm sure now with the increased cost of everything I buy in the grocery store I'm sure this savings amount has increased.

You asked for it!  Here is the recipe a friend gave me.  Our clothes are softer, smell wonderfully and no one has any skin reactions (which in my family is typical with some detergents).

Ingredients:
    1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap
    1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Sode (yellow box)
    1/2 cup Borax Powder (white box)
    32 cups warm water
    2 cap fulls of Tide or your favorite liquid laundry detergent

First use a cheese grater (smallest grate on the grater) to grate the Fels Naptha Soap into a fine powder.  Heat 6 cups water in a saucepan (do not boil).  Add the Fels Naptha Soap and stir until the soap is melted.

Add washing soda and Borax to the sauce pan.  Stir until dissolved.

Put 26 cups of warm water in a bucket (I use a 5 gallon bucket I bought at the hardware store.)  Add the soap mixture and stir.  Add 2 caps of liquid laundry detergent.  Stir.  Then transfer to old laundry containers for storage and use.

Note:  I typically will double the recipe and will use a funnel to pour the laundry detergent into containers.  I store it in a few large plastic ice cream containers (they stack on top of eachother) or in old laudry detergent containers.  Once I empty my laundry container I refill it with what I have in the ice cream containers for easy dispensing.

While watching Senator Santorum's speech after the Iowa Caucus the other evening an amazing event occured:  the creation of McMittens.

Yes, it sounds like a cute little furry animal but alas...it is nothing of the sorts.  Why was it so very important for Senator John McCain to get his mug on television to formally endorse Governor Mitt Romney?  Why John, why? 

My instant reaction was this was a undoubtedly a shot across the bow by the establishment.  In my humble opinion, Mittens is the establishment choice.  They had no idea and were most likely dumbfounded by the rapid ascent of Rick Santorum in the Iowa Caucus.  What is better than attempting to steal the moment of sunshine Santorum was basking in during his speech?

So henceforth now we have the newest addition to the list of wonder twins like Bennifer and Brangelina: McMittens.  How ironic it is that a man who lost to Obama is now endorsing a man who lost to McCain?  I think we've finally hit the bottom of the barrel.  It can't get much worse than this.

***note to my fellow voters.  As much as this pains me, I am in this mindset when it comes down to whomever our GOP nominee will be.  ABO: Anybody But Obama.  So no worries if we end up with McMittens he will have my support, but boy will it hurt.

Knowing some of my Twitter friends have brand new crock pots they received for Christmas I would be remiss to not post my absolute favorite crock pot recipe.  I know this strays from my typical political rant, but diversity is good.

1 Chuck roast
1 packet of Onion soup seasoning (I typically use Lipton)
1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup
1-2 cans green beans
peeled new potatoes (as many as desired)

Place chuck roast, can of mushroom soup and packet of onion soup seasoning in a crock pot. Mix together.  Put crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
About an hour before dinnertime put the green beans and potatoes in the crock pot.

Thats it.  It is really that simple. My 9 and 6 year olds love it and thats a win for any mom.  Simple and good.  Enjoy my fellow Tweeps and moms!

Look at the items listed below. After viewing the list would you vote for the person who has supported these items:

-Believes "FDR is such a dominating figure because he got things done." And is "the greatest President of the 20th century."
-Supported the individual mandate
-Favors ethanol subsidies
-Once supported fairness doctrine
-Supported tarp & bailouts
-Supports more federal intervention on education
-Opposed Paul Ryan's budget plan
-Voted for the Department of Education
-Supports big government solution for climate change.
-Believes SEIU's Andy Stern is a visionary leader
-The liberal establishment Time Magazine names this candidate their
“Man of the Year”

Who is this candidate?  If this were a Democrat would you vote for him?  As a Tea Party activist my answer is a resounding NO!!!!!

When I tell you who this is do you back peddle and say well you don't understand!  He is a great debater!  Indeed, I am sure you have it figured out by now.  And it looks like you've been Newtered.

The debate about whether we should vote for Newt Gingrich for President has been a very difficult one for many of us.  Most everyone I speak to says they would like nothing better than to see Newt debate Obama, but they do not necessarily see anything beyond that once he would get into office. 

It wasn't clear in my mind until last night while watching Glenn Beck.  Glenn has clearly upset a lot of people lately with his recent thoughts on Newt Gingrich and pointing out that if the Tea Party supports Gingrich they have clearly forgotten what they have been fighting against for the past three years among other things.

I've been watching the backlash from the right, which the leftists are most definitely salivating over.  Leftists could have never imagined such cannibalism in their wildest dreams.  Nonetheless, after much angst and soul searching I know I cannot in any way, shape or form vote for Newt Gingrich.  It all comes down to principles for me.  

I have fought too hard and for too long to push the button for Newt.  It goes against everything fiber of my being and every issue I have fought for and against since 2009.  Do you really think Newt would be able to defend himself during a debate?  I really do not think he can.  How do you defend the indefensible? Would it not be in our best interest to have a candidate who doesn't have to explain away every vote, every comment and every flip flop in their life?  Think about it. You may not agree with me.  That's fine.  I just know I cannot hand the wheel over to progressive light who will continue us down the same tracks we're travelling right now but at a slower pace.

Cut the guy some slack.

Imagine yourself running for President of the United States.  Much of your time would be spent listening to the speeches of your opponents, attending rubber chicken dinners and practicing for your next debate.  Your life would no longer be your own as you are beholden to the schedule your handlers lay out for you.

In a moment, which some are calling an embarrassing, former Senator Rick Santorum is caught watching a football game on his iPad during yet another rubber chicken dinner.  In the video you can hear Newt Gingrich in the background addressing the crowd.

Some call this embarrassing, I call this being human.  Kudos to Rick for attempting to hold onto some normalcy.  I just hope he was watching the Penn State game.

You can watch the scandalous moment here http://bcove.me/c2vu4ks5

Utter chills.

About an hour ago as I was brushing my teeth with Fox & Friends on in the background, country music star Clay Walker was singing the praises of Rick Perry.  Apparently they have been friends for 15 years and now Presidential hopeful, Rick Perry, has asked Walker to use a song off his album for the campaign. 

OK, that sounds great. Until you listen further into the interview.  Walker admits was a fan of Obama's and "thought he had a lot of great ideas when he was elected...I think he had good intentions, but I don't think the change has happened."

Then the next thing out of his mouth is, "I think Rick Perry is the guy who can fulfill those good intentions and that change."

If that is the case count me out on the Perry campaign.

While cleaning out my minivan today I heard words which made me do the happy dance in my garage.  The 11th Circuit ruled that the individual mandate of Obamacare, also known as the bane of my existence, was unconstitutional.  They didn't go as far as Judge Vinson with ruling against the entire notion of this abomination of law but nonetheless it was a win for those of us who have worked tirelessly over the pass two years to stop this invasion into our lives.

During the summer of 2009 I asked Senator Specter, "what are you going to do to return this country back to what our Founders created according to the Constitution?"  This ruling gets to the heart of this question: limited government.  So this government is forcing us to buy health insurance.  My question is this...what else will they force us to do? 

Heaven forbid my child becomes overweight (and thankfully they are not) will the government send them to fat camp against my wishes? 

Since they have shown a disdain for all machinery that guzzles gasoline, will we be forced to trade in our ten mile per gallon 1997 Suburban for a Smart Car?  I'd just love to see how my husband would put his shovel, pick axe, tool boxes and the like in there, let alone tow a 4,000 pound trailer.  But don't worry friends, it's for the environment.  Your business will be fine without the tools necessary to complete your work.

Nonetheless, I will continue my happy dance.  This is yet another huge win for liberty and huge win for the Tea party.  And yes, indeed, this is me saying to Obama and his ilk...

If you won't return this government to governing by the Constitution, we the people will!