Sunday Song "This one's for the GIRLS" by Martina McBride

This post is for the girls.

This past week has been full of girl power. Between enlightening conversations with many of my faves, I also had the privilege to hear Martha Stewart speak and see one of my great friends, Lyndsey, star in as Sandy in the play Grease (her second play ever, p.s.). I feel very fortunate to have TONS of great gals that help me through each day and show me what true girl power is.

I absolutely adore being married and couldn't ask for a better mate...but there is just something about dishing with a gf that just simply isn't the same with a male! (Jason, you know at the end of the day you have my heart!)

Hence, this week's song choice - "This one's for the girls" by Martina McBride. With the lyrics of that song dancing in my mind, here's my tribute to my life's leading ladies...

Thank you to all my girlfriends and all my amazing female family members. From my friends who I've grown-up with...to my college friends who always encourage me and share life's events with me. To all my other friends, whom I know from work, volunteering, church, through Jason, and several other places - thank you for enriching my life with your friendship.

Thank you to all four of my grandmas (including J's grandmas). You've all given me great words of advice and have given me the greatest blessings of all: my moms...I only wish I was able to see you all more. (Grandma N. below never wears a frown)

Thank you to my mother-in-law for raising such a wonderful man. Thank you also for opening your home and your family to me...and for making me feel so welcome in your family.

Thank you to my mom, who is my best friend. Thanks for being so strong and teaching me to be the same way. For laughing and talking with me about every insignificant detail of my life...and for giving me a perspective I generally don't think about. And of course, thanks for loving me with your HUGE heart.

To all the ladies in my life: THANKS for everything!

Suze Orman: The Financial Oprah of TV

Suze Orman has quickly risen to a new breed of sexy: financial feminity.

As the host of The Suze Orman show on CNBC, Suze works her money magic to provide people of all different backgrounds with tough love in the form of financial advice.

And she rocks at it. So much so that she nabbed #73 on Time magazine's "TIME 100" this year.

So, how does one rise to such inspiration and fame? Here's Suze's story, according to Wiki:

Orman was born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois to Russian-Jewish immigrants Ann and Morry Orman. Orman came from a working class background and has said that she did not "grow up with money." She was an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, from which she holds a B.A. in social work.

In 1973, she and some friends moved to Berkeley, California, and she lived, for three months in a van on Hearst Ave. She became a waitress at the Buttercup Bakery. In 1980, a longtime customer gave Orman a loan of $50,000 to help her fulfill her dream of opening her own restaurant. Orman invested the money at Merrill Lynch, but four months later was broke again, after she was swindled by her stockbroker.

Knowing that she couldn't make the money back by waitressing, and having started learning more about finances and investing, Orman returned to Merrill Lynch and entered their training program to become an account executive. After she completed the training, she was hired by the firm and remained there until 1983 when she left to take a position as vice president of investments at Prudential Bache Securities. In 1987, Orman resigned and opened her own financial planning firm, the Suze Orman Financial Group, in Emeryville, California. She acted as director of the firm until 1997, when she stepped down as her writing career took off with the publication of her second book (there's eight total now).

What a neat story...I mean, she lived in a van for three month's for goodness sake!

My shoe is off to you, Ms. Orman! After all, you make it possible for me to not be the old lady who lives in a shoe. Literally. (thnx to CB)

I hate math. I hate numbers. If it wasn't for my accountant husband, I'd probably call my mom, crying and worrying about what "saving for the future" really entails.

But with Suze behind me, I feel hope. She speaks to me. And she gets me geeked about financial planning, mortgages (30-yr. fixed!) and car loans (never lease if possible!). Her show features a segment called "Can I Afford It?" which often reminds me: NO, I cannot afford a vacation to the Greek isles or an iPhone. I need to invest my money and not simply save it in an account where it will grow at a ridiculously low interest rate.

Tune into The Suze Orman Show weeknights at 8 p.m. EST to hear Suze's invaluable financial advice for yourself.

Whateverlife, I'm just going to be a millionaire at 17

I'm totally inspired by Michigan resident Ashley Qualls, the creator of www.whateverlife.com.

Her site, full of design templates and accesories for teen girls' MySpace pages raked in approx $800K last year. The girl writes HTML code from memory. She lives in Southgate, Mich. and she was just honored with Crain's Detroit Business' 20 in their 20s award. Except she's not in her 20's... She's only 17!!!

She can't vote, she can't smoke. Heck, she can't even rent porn (legally). Yet, she created the Web-based company on her family computer with no money. And she's not planning on stopping there. The rising star is also going to be using her eye for design to brand clothes and hopes to open a retail store in the Southland Mall in Southgate.

As rockin' mag Fast Company put it in their great feature on her...she's LOL all the way to the bank.

And all I have to say is YOU GO GIRL!