Daytrip to PA

We took the boys to PA today. First stop was the Train museum, then the train yard, then the train shop....you get the idea. It was a train day, lol. After all that we went to the farmers market and then to the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant to have dinner before we headed home. That is where my favorite part of the whole day happened. While we ate I watched an elderly Amish woman take several cell phone calls. HER CELL PHONE! My mother in law cant even figure out how to use a cell phone.....so seeing this woman gab like a teenage girl was AWESOME!

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year! I am really excited for 2010.....because I'm thinking it HAS to be better than 2009, right?!?

Prayer Request

My surgery is scheduled for 12:45 Wednesday. Please keep me in your prayers. I'm sure I wont be reading or writing blogs until after Christmas so I wanted to wish everyone a Wonderful Christmas!

Thanks!!

Free Snow....come and get it!

It snowed. Ok, that's actually an understatement. Saying it snowed would be like comparing a scratch to a severed limb. yeah. That's how much snow we got. 2 feet of snow. TWO FEET! And the drifts are higher than that.

Did I mention that I don't like snow? So I am hereby giving away tons and tons of fluffy white stuff. Come and get it while it lasts!!! I have plenty to go around.

Think about it....you can come get my snow and have a white Christmas! And it's FREE! Free people! Free.....just PLEASE come and get it out of my yard before I cry.

Linus says it best

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2: 8-14

Happy Tuesday

I love my family.

I'm not sure I say that enough.

I also love my friends.

New friends, old friends, bloggy friends and "elf-y" friends.

God Bless!

Need last minute Christmas gifts??

If anyone is looking for last minute Christmas gifts then head over to Dayspring by clicking on the link to the left
<-----------------

They are having a awesome sale right now and can still guarantee shipping before Christmas. Plus....you clicking on that link and buying stuff helps me and my family. And I appreciate any and all help we can get.

Happy Shopping!!

Boobie masher

I went and had my boobies squished and squashed today. And it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was the only time I have ever been thankful for flat boobies. The only real BAD part was how cold the machine was and the technicians hands were cold too. I have to go back for an ultrasound next week but that's working out good. An old friend from school works there and we scheduled my appointment so we could go out to lunch first. Yay!!

After my mammogram I headed to Walmart where I finished Christmas shopping. I had to shop for my parents and also for my mother in law. So now I am done.....OK, not really since we told the kids we will take them to shop for their brothers. We plan to give them each a few dollars to buy something to give to each other. And we need a gift for J's secret Santa gift swap at school.

Tomorrow morning we are going to see Santa. Hubby's employer does a great job with their Santa day. The kids sit on his lap, get presents (good stuff!!), eat cookies and do crafts. Awesome!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Good thing they are already flat

Im heading to my first ever mammogram this morning.

Details to follow.

My Christmas List

OK, I debated on whether or not I was going to post this. Things are super tight with Hubby's work being cut back to 3 days a week and then a temporary layoff. But then I thought...what the heck! I know the Santa in my house is not in a position to get these items, but there is no harm in listing them. Just for fun. Right??

So here it is....my Christmas list

1. A Boxer Puppy

2. A Sony eReader


3. Bissell Steam Mop

4. Perfect Brownie Pan

I happened to see 2 small adorable boys put this item in a shopping cart the other day......but I promise to act surprised on Christmas morning.



That's it. OK...I wouldn't mind a Maid either, but not sure one of those would even fit under the tree. So tell me what is on your Christmas list this year??

Do you Celebrate Harmonica??

I came down the stairs this morning to hear J telling R about how not everyone celebrates Christmas. And that the people without Christmas lights celebrate "Harmonica". People who celebrate "Harmonica" dont need Christmas lights because they use a big candle holder and they celebrate for 8 days straight.

How cute is that?!?

Disheartening

Recently I posted a blog that offended someone. This has really upset me because I never like to upset anyone and I also don't like confrontation. Yes, I am glad that this person spoke up to let me know that I upset them. But no matter how many times I try to explain what I meant, this person still thinks that what I wrote had different meanings and was offensive. So I am publicly apologizing. I am sorry that I offended you. But as much as I truly mean my apology, I still hold true to the fact that what I wrote was NOT what you think. It was what I said it was.

This is the first time that I have faced an issue like this. A situation where I wrote something that another person took in a completely different way. It really is disheartening. And will probably cause me to step back from posting as openly as I have in the past. How can I post as freely when I risk offending people, even when I think a post is harmless and cute. What I thought was my space to unload just isnt quite the same now.

An Amish Christmas - Review

I have mentioned before (several times) that I love Amish books. I jumped at the chance to read this book and I was NOT disappointed. An Amish Christmas actually has 3 novellas written by 3 authors, Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Barbara Cameron. Each story stands alone but the characters are all intertwined and the stories mesh together.
A Miracle for Miriam by Kathleen Fuller
It starts out with a story about Miriam, a young single Amish woman who has severe trust issues and very bad self confidence. All her "issues" stem from a bad experience with her childhood crush Seth. Seth was an over confident and often times arrogant schoolmate who broke Miriams heart and crushed her spirit. Years later Seth is in a horrible accident that leaves him scared and broken. While trying to make a fresh start he runs into Miriam and tried to set things right. He also starts falling for Miriam who does everything in her power to avoid falling for Seth again. She is afraid he will break her heart again. But Seth is persistent and wont give up that easy.
A Choice to Forgive by Beth Wiseman
The second story is about Miriam's sister Lydia. Lydia is a widow with 3 children and an old Beau who is asking for forgiveness. Her old beau Daniel just happens to be the brother of her late husband Elam. Lydia and Daniel were to be wed but that all changed one Christmas Eve when he disappeared. He left the Amish community and Lydia without an explanation. But now he is back to explain things and hopefully win the heart of his first and only love Lydia.
One Child by Barbara Cameron
Sarah and David are a young married couple. Last Christmas they lost their first child when Sarah miscarried. They believed they were dealing with the loss in the best way that they could. That is until some unexpected visitors knock on their door late Christmas Eve. The hours between when their family left on Christmas Eve and returned on Christmas morning brought healing in a very unusual way.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was heartwarming and inspiring. I'm sure I will read it again during the holidays next year.

For more info or to purchase this book, click HERE.

Thomas Nelson Publishers provided this book to me for review.

Frumpy

I am a Stay at home Mom. I rarely wear makeup and usually wear sweats. I am frumpy and comfortable. I have 3 sons, so I never get to have "girly" stuff to do with the kids. I dont paint my nails or do my hair. There have been some days when I actually forgot to brush my hair.

Most of the time I am completely happy with all of this. I love my life and wouldnt change it for anything. But once in awhile something comes along that makes me miss a life on the outside. You know, a job.....going out.....dressing up. All those things. Last night was one of those occasions. My neighbor had a jewelry party. Wow. I was completely out of my element. I did wear my best, non-stained up shirt and jeans and even did my best to make my hair presentable. As I sat and watched people try on all those pieces of jewelry I had a slight twinge of jealousy. Thoughts like "if I worked, I would have an outfit that would look great with that necklace" or "that ring is gorgeous...but would gouge out my kids eyeballs".....I dont dress up. I have no need for fancy pretty jewelry. Yes I do have a few pieces of jewelry that I save for special occasions. Weddings, etc. It was fun to watch them, oooh and aaaah over the jewelry too. And spend! Wow....they were spending big bucks on this stuff.

Maybe someday when the kids are grown I will go back to work and will have a reason for stuff like that. But for now I will trade all the jewelry in the word for hugs and kisses. Dont tell the other women, but I do believe Im getting the better end of the deal.

Books to make you smile.....

I recent had the opportunity to read and review 3 books from Multnomah Publishing. I loved all three and want to share them with you. The first two are childrens books, written by Lisa Tawn Bergen.

God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergen is a beautiful book about Little Cub, an adorable Polar bear who asks many questions (just like all kids). In this book she wants to know things like "Who invented Christmas?". The book follows along as things are explained to her in a way that was easy for even my 4 year old to understand. It has a great message and beautiful pictures.

God Gave us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergen is just as beautiful as God Gave us Christmas, and has the same cute polar bear Little Cub asking the questions. But this time Little Cub is upset with some playful otters. The story follows her as she learns that even when it is hard to love others, it is the right thing to do. Again, the pictures are beautiful and the message is easy to understand for little ones but also holds the attention of older kids. Both J and R loved both books and ask me to read them over and over.


The last book was Treasured (Knowing God by the Things He Keeps) by Leigh McLeroy. This book is a keeper! Ms. McLeroy did a wonderful job taking items related to stories in the Bible or in everyday life and weaving them into chapters filled with Gods grace and love. She talks of olive leaves, door frames stained in blood, a head of Barley and many other items... and each shines a light on God. On what God has done or has promised. This was a great book to read at the end of the day when I needed to relax. Plus it is a really cute hardback book. It would be an awesome gift book or stocking stuffer. I will be looking to read more books by Ms. McLeroy.

If you are interested in buying or finding more info on these books please click...
God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Love
Treasured


Happy Reading!

These books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Santa

I was reading a Dear Santa blog written by The Girl with Flour in her Hair and it made me think that I should share my childhood experiences with Santa. Ok, I didn't have THAT many experiences WITH Santa because I was terrified of him. I was also terrified of the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, etc.
Yeah...I was THAT kid.
Forget pictures with Santa....you couldn't get me NEAR Santa. No Way, No How. I didn't care that he brought presents. Any man (rabbit, fairy, etc) that came into our home while we were asleep was Scary and Creepy in my book. One time Santa came to our school and walked classroom to classroom. I panicked and hid under my desk. And every Christmas Eve (Easter Eve, etc) I spent sleeping in between my parents in their bed. HECK NO! I wasn't sleeping alone while that weirdo creeped into our house. If they made Childrens Xanaxs, I'm sure my parents would have put some in my chocolate milk just to keep me from flipping out.

Its ok if you want to call me a freak.

They ended up telling me the truth just to save me from my child sized panic attacks. I know now that it was disappointing to them. They wished for a few more magical years of Santa leaving presents under the tree.

As for me, it was one of the happiest days of my childhood. Yes it was!
I do have to admit that I am thrilled that my fear was NOT passed down to my boys. So far none of them has a fear of Santa. Whoops! I should have waited until after this years pictures with Santa to say that, right?!?

Want to know what Im getting for Christmas?!?!

More Surgery. Ugh. Remember a couple months ago I told you about the rogue stitch? And the doctor gave me a month to decide whether or not I wanted surgery to have it taken out. I had decided against surgery and to just deal with it for a few months until it dissolved on its own. WELL....I found another "stitch", but this one is in a worse spot AND had actually broke through. I went to see the surgeon yesterday who told me my options were 1)surgery or 2) for him to fix it in the office. I opted for #2....and the next few minutes were filled with speculums and scissors. Two things you should NEVER see at the same time. ANYWAY.....turns out (after several minutes of cutting) that this isn't a stitch after all. Nope, it is WAY worse. My mesh is fraying and coming through in several places. And needs to be surgically repaired....CRAP.

So today I wait for a phone call to tell me when I am having surgery. All I know is that it WILL be this month. And if that doesn't suck enough, I broke a tooth and have to go to the dentist this morning. Just shoot me now. Please.

OK, don't shoot me. But please pray for me and my husband. He is having a rough time coping with all of this. I cant tell if he is more upset about me needed another surgery and going through more pain or about our mounting medical bills. Either way, the poor man is stressed to near breaking.

Man oh Man!

My first baby boy is now a MAN. Yep. His birthday is today and he is turning 18. Boy do I feel old!

Love you C!!!! Happy Birthday!

Its my Birthday!

Come have a piece of cake with me! Its my birthday!! And just like last year, all I want is comments. Lets see if I can top the number of comments(31) that I got last year....ok?

Caution....whining ahead

If you dont want to read a boo-hoo post then you should move along and come back another day. Because today I am whining. I don't feel well. I am coming down with a cold. I know, that isnt a big deal. Any mom can handle her everyday things while she has a cold. I used to be one of those moms who could too. But not now. Because I have fibromyalgia. And Fibro looks for any and all reasons to flare. My cold has fueled it into a big giant ugly flare. Stupid Fibro. Stupid, stupid Fibro. I feel like a truck ran over me. And maybe backed up to run over me again.

Did I mention that I hate fibromyalgia?


So my morning is being spent on the couch, taking pain meds and hoping I can move better this afternoon. Amy and I have tickets to see New Moon. And even if I have to crawl....I AM GOING!

If you would, could you please say a prayer for me today? Im needing some extras so I can function. And tomorrow is my birthday and NOBODY wants to feel crappy on their birthday, right?!?
Thanks!!

Fairytale Brownies

Yes, Fairytales DO come true. Especially if what you wish for is fudgy, chocolatey goodness. And we all know how much I LOVE fudgy, chocolatley goodness! I received a Christmas dozen so I was able to review all 12 flavors available at Fairytale Brownies, and yes I shared. A little. Here are the flavors (you can start drooling now)
Original
Caramel
Chocolate Chip
Espresso Nib
Cream Cheese
Mint Chocolate
Peanut Butter
Pecan
Walnut
White Chocolate
Toffee Crunch
Raspberry Swirl


My favorites were the Raspberry Swirl and the Cream Cheese. The Raspberry had an awesome sweet-tart flavor that was just like eating fresh Raspberries. It was SO good! The Cream Cheese brownie was great too.....and had just the right amount of Cream cheese topping that tasted like cheesecake mixed in a brownie. YUM! The other flavors were good...and I really liked how moist and fudgie (fudgey?) the brownies were. Just like how I bake them at home. But without the mixing and cleaning up afterwards. How awesome is that?! I also want to point out that the walnuts and pecans used on the nut brownies were big and plump, which made the brownies even better. I love nuts in brownies!
My oldest son C, went crazy over the espresso nib (which is covered in crushed espresso beans) brownie. I thought it was tasty, but he loved it. He also loves to eat those chocolate covered espresso beans, so I knew that would be a good one to share with him.


To be fair I want to list a few things that weren't my favorites....the tops of the Original and Chocolate chip were flaky. Not something I expected on a fudgy brownie. But this wasn't the first or last time I will get crumbs on my shirt. The other thing I wanted to mention was that the Mint Chocolate Brownie was too minty for me. Not that it was bad, just too much. But I know some people love it that way and it would be great for them.


For anyone not familiar with Fairytale Brownies, they are a mail-order company based in AZ. The company was started by childhood friends Eileen Spitalny and David Kravetz. They both had a love for chocolate and brownies and wanted to share that with the world. ALONG with making great brownies they also support KaBOOM! which is a non-profit organization dedicated to building playgrounds around the country. Their hope is to build playgrounds within walking distance of every child in the USA. There are several ways to help KaBOOM! to achieve this goal, and one way is to purchase brownies with special occasion bands (the donate .25 cents for each Thank You, Congratulations, Happy Birthday and Thinking of You Band). You can also opt to donate $1 to any purchase made on their website.

Now on to the BEST news....Fairytale Brownies is offering FREE SHIPPING on orders of $30 or more. Click HERE to visit their website and use the code MOMBLOG for the free shipping. I think everyone should consider giving brownies for Christmas this year! Who wouldn't love a big box of brownies....even Santa himself would love to have brownies and milk instead of cookies and milk this year!


Thank you to Fairytale Brownies (and Alyssa in the PR department) for sending me this wonderful box of brownies.

Thankful

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I also wanted to list some things I am thankful for....

-Jesus
-My family
-My home
-My friends, including all the wonderful blog friends that I have (I LOVE you guys!!)
-A mother in law who cooks every holiday
-Hubby still having a job, even if it is only 3 days a week right now
-My new church
-Chocolate
-things going well with my new Scentsy business
-plans to go see New Moon with Amy on Sunday
-Rain. Ok, I am not thankful for the rain but I AM thankful it is rain and not snow!
-Amy....yep, she falls into the thankful for friends category but she TOTALLY deserves her own thankful spot. She is one of the best friends I have ever had and has been here for me more times than I can count. I LOVE you Amy!!!
-Facebook. Because I am now back in touch with so many great friends from my years ago.
-the entire Blogging community. We all share and support each other and how great is that?!?
-Thanksgiving....my FAVORITE holiday.

Have a great day tomorrow and I hope you get tons of great shopping deals on Friday!

If I have to listen to this all morning....SO DO YOU!

Ugh.

A small Rant about Rudeness

I hope I don't offend anyone with this post. And if I do, I apologize BUT I need to vent about this. WHY don't people RSVP anymore? Today is J's birthday party. We were allowed 12 children, 2 of which are mine. There are 10 kids in his class and many more that he wanted to invite but couldn't. IF more people would have RSVP'ed (either way....yes or no) then we could have invited more kids. I wanted my neighbors children to come but because I have no clue how many kids are showing up today, I couldn't invite them. Grrrrrrrr

So anyway...that is my complain for this morning. We are heading out in a half hour to spend 2 hours bowling with the 6 and under crowd. Yes.....I am taking Advil with me.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend AND PLEASE! if your child comes home with an invitation, call and RSVP. Otherwise it is just rude.

Happy Birthday J !!!!

Grab a new Myspace 2.0 Layout

Six years ago today I was in serious labor and pushed out a beautiful 9 lb 10 oz baby boy. I can't believe it has been six years already. Times flys!

Happy Birthday J

You make Mommy so happy!

He Loves Me.....

Most men give their significant others Roses. My Hubby has always given me Rose bushes.


This means that instead of enjoying a vase of Roses for a week or so...

I get to see the Rose bushes bloom and bloom and bloom....

Each time (several times a year!!) it reminds me of how much he loves me, and of all the great holidays and special moments we have had in the past

Even though we have had colder weather lately, my beautiful Roses are still blooming

And how can you go outside, see these and still be grumpy??

I love you Hubby!!!

Weekend updates and a WINNER

This weekend was a busy one. Saturday we went shopping at Walmart and Aldi and then I had to pick up my Scenty Basket. This was my first order and I was hoping for a big one! I was pleasantly surprised and happy at the amount that my first Hostess was able to sell. Today I went to Sunday School and Church, then dropped the boys off at the Farm. I spent the afternoon at Amy's doing my first House party. She had wine, cheese and crackers and invited her closest friends. We had a blast! Thanks again Amy for hosting and for letting me "practice" on your friends.

Tonight I went to Random.org and chose a winner for the White Picket Fences.......#10 Ginny said...
HI, I'd love a chance at winning. Thanks!
November 12, 2009 4:11 PM

Congrats Ginny!

The upcoming week is a busy one for me. I have things to do just about everyday.On top of that I am not feeling well. I have that nagging feeling like I am coming down with a cold and I have a stomach ache. PLUS J is turning 6 on Wednesday and his party is next Saturday. Wish me luck on getting it all done!

White Picket Fences- Review and Giveaway

White Picket Fences

By Susan Meissner

Summary: Amanda Janvier’s idyllic home seems the perfect place for her niece Tally to stay while her vagabond brother is in Europe, but the white picket fence life Amanda wants to provide is a mere illusion. Amanda’s husband Neil refuses to admit their teenage son Chase, is haunted by the horrific fire he survived when he was four, and their marriage is crumbling while each looks the other way. Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away. Readers of emotional dramas that are willing to explore the lies that families tell each other for protection and comfort will love White Picket Fences. The novel is ideal for those who appreciate exploring questions like: what type of honesty do children need from their parents, or how can one move beyond a past that isn’t acknowledged or understood? Is there hope and forgiveness for the tragedies of our past and a way to abundant grace?

Ok, so let me just say that this wasn't my favorite book. It isn't that is wasn't good, but I just had issues with how the author finished up the book. She took her time to build the characters and the story line. She intertwined them in great ways. I'm not going to give away anything from the ending, but I will say that it felt like the ending was rushed. That being said, I did like the rest of the book. The main characters are Tally and Chase, who are cousins who are thrown together due to unusual circumstances. They come from completely different backgrounds, and are practically strangers. Tally comes to live with Chase and his family when her Father disappears in Europe. Chase is dealing with memories of a house fire from years ago and Tally helps him through when he feels like his family can't or won't. At the same time, his parents are drifting apart because of the refusal to deal with issues surrounding the fire. There are secrets all around in this family and they are all destructive. It isn't until they all start to let go of the secrets that they find what they are looking for. I do recommend this book, just don't be surprised at the rushed ending.

I have one copy available to give away. Please leave a comment if you want to enter to win. I will be using Random.org to pick a winner on Sunday.

If you would like to learn more about this book or to purchase the book, go HERE.

Thank you Waterbrook Press for both copies of White Picket Fences. If you are a blogger who loves to read, click HERE.

Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veteran's Day to all who served our Country. THANK YOU!

And Happy Veterans Day to my Favorite Veteran of All
My Poppop

Random stuff

Hello and Happy Tuesday.

It is Tuesday, right? yeah, I think so. J went back to school today after a 5 1/2 day break. It was nice because Hubby was off too and we spent the weekend "camping" in the back yard.

I started writing out my Christmas list but it only took a second because it only has the names of my 3 boys on it. Money is tight and is about to get MUCH tighter. Hubby's work did some big cutbacks last month and they are about to do more. They are shutting down the entire week of Thanksgiving, cutting back to 3 days a week for the month of December AND December 18th will be the last day of work this year. WHAT?!? I am praying Hubby will be eligible for temporary unemployment benefits for the remainder of December.

That being said, I am thankful that Hubby still has a job. So many of the workers were laid off last month. I pray for all of them.

Amy and I are counting down the days until New Moon premiers. I'm not so sure we will be going the first weekend.....but we are going to TRY!

I put the boys to bed an hour early tonight. Don't judge. J woke up and started arguing with me right away. He argued over everything right up until the bus came and started as soon as he got off the bus this afternoon. Sounds like a tired 5 year old to me! Off to bed!!

I need to dye my roots. Soon. I HATE dyeing my hair. Sitting alone in the bathroom.....UGH. Stupid Roots!

Back on the subject of Christmas.....as long as J and R don't change their minds between now and when we see Santa then we should be OK. I added up what is on our little list and it came to $140....that is $70 a kid. Not too bad, right? I think we can manage that without needing to sell a kidney or anything.


One last thing I want to share.....

The Lord will protect you from all dangers, he will guard your life.
The Lord will guard you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:7-8

MOPS and Operation Christmas Child

My MOPS group is donating boxes to Operation Christmas Child. It is a program run by Samaritans Purse that sends Shoebox filled with goodies to kids around the world. We get to choose a boy or girl and a specific age range. That way you know what would be the best things to put in the box. I am taking my boys shopping on day this week to fill our box with toys, socks, toiletries, etc. I am hoping that it passes a message on to them that even when things are tight you still need to give to others.

Please visit the Operation Christmas Child site and consider donating to this great cause. There are many drop off locations or you can donate online.

Thanks!!

I think childbirth was easier....

Today we took the boys to Build-a-Bear to use their gift cards. YES! I know, I know...we shouldn't have made them wait this long to use gift cards that they got for Christmas last year, but we did. Get over it! LOL

Anyhow, this was our first time to BAB and I was just as excited as the boys were. J picked out a Camouflage Bear that he named "BestFriend" and R picked out a Puppy and named him "Scruffy". Next they stuffed the bears. Those poor, poor bears. Have you ever watched them stuff the bears? Seriously, that looks painful! I know that they aren't real but what if.....ugh. I immediately thought that pushing a child out seemed way less painful that if someone was shoving my body on that tube and forcing fluff into my extremities.
Does that make me a disturbed person? LOL
Here is a picture of their masterpieces!


After we left BAB we walked past Godiva Chocolate and I made Hubby detour through the store AND I asked for free samples. ASK and you shall recieve. Each of us got a Black Raspberry/White Chocolate Truffle. YUM!
I Heart you Godiva Worker!!!

As you can tell, we had a great time and then followed it up with NAPS. I wish everyday could be just like today!!

Ladybug, Ladybug....Fly away home

(this is NOT a picture from my house)


Our house is overrun with Ladybugs. Sure, they are cute but come on! One or two would be ok but we have HUNDREDS. And last night we slept in our camper in the back yard and it was full of Ladybugs too! Did you know that Ladybugs put off a stinky smell if you scare them (or smoosh them)? Maybe it is Ladybug pee? I don't know....but I AM tired of Ladybugs.



Go Home Ladybugs!!!




On another note.....Hubby took the boys to Walmart yesterday and came home with these kits to make Pumpkin faces. The are just like using parts from a Mr. Potato Head. Just pick your parts and push them in....and they are so Cute!!

Leaving Carolina -Book Review

Everyone has a past. I do. You do. And so does Piper Wick. Unfortunately all the work that Piper has done to forget her past is about to come undone. Piper grew up Piper Pickwick in the small southern town of Pickwick, North Carolina. Her family was both influential and unscrupulous. Little Piper, and her mother, were both hurt by the family over and over until they finally picked up and left town. Years later, when Piper is grown and has altered her identity to become Piper Wick, is when the story starts. She is living in LA and has become a high profile PR agent who handles all the sticky situations that famous people get themselves into. Piper is great at smoothing things over and saving the image of her clients. When she receives a call from her Great Uncle Obadiah's lawyer that her PR skills are needed back in Pickwick, she decides that it might be in her best interest to go home again. Her Great Uncle has grown tired of all the misdeeds that the family has done, and wants to make things right again......including making restitution to all the victims who suffered from the Pickwicks actions. The family, of course, wants Uncle Obadiah to hush up and pass the money down to them. Pipers plan is to fly in and fly out, sweeping the Pickwick problems under the family rug, especially since her uncle plans to make restitution for a stunt that she herself is guilty of doing. One of the best story lines is between Piper and Axel, her uncle's Godson and gardener. Axel has a very big influence on Uncle Obadiah's faith and why he plans to make things right with the town of Pickwick. During Piper's long visit home, Axel causes her to examine her own life a little deeper than she is used to doing. An uncomfortable situation leads to a friendship and attraction which stand in way of the original plan to get in and get out quickly.

Pipers visit home includes many lessons on forgiveness, honesty, and doing what is right. And don't forget a little romance thrown in for good measure.

I have to say that this has to be one of the best books I have read this year. Every chapter left me wanting more. I was THRILLED to see an extra chapter at the end of the book from an upcoming book about Piper's cousin. YAY! I can't wait to read more about the Pickwick Family.

If you would like to buy a copy of Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh click HERE.

This book was provided to me by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. If you are a blogger interested in reviewing books, click HERE.

Ft. Hood

I am offering my prayers and condolences to the families and friends of the victims of todays senseless shooting at Ft. Hood, TX.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted

Matthew 5:4

Dropping by....

Hellooooooooooooooooooo!
This past week has been crazy. Not crazy bad, not crazy good....just plain crazy. My To-do list is bottomless and my head is spinning. But I THINK I see a light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully will be back to reading, commenting and writing blogs by next week. I do have a book review to post by Friday but other than that, I will probably be MIA.

Okie Dokie....I need to get back to that bottomless To-Do list......

See you soon!

Rapelli Game Review

I was lucky to get an opportunity to try and review a new game called Rapelli (Available at Timberdoodle). When I received the game the first thing I noticed was how nicely made it was, and how it was made entirely of natural products. Most toys nowadays are made of plastic and are flimsy, but not this game. It is made almost entirely of Bamboo wood. It is sturdy and also looks great. To play the game we had to build the bamboo stalk, then push the caterpillars into the holes on the bamboo stalk.

We took turns rolling the dice (which are also made of wood) to find out what color caterpillar to move and how many "sections" to move them out or in. The first player to collect all of his colored caterpillars out of the bamboo wins the game.

I really loved that this game reinforces learning colors, direction and counting. My 4 year old son was so happy when he played this game, mostly because it was on his level, and he could figure it all out by himself. When my 5 (almost 6) year old son came home from school he played the game too and also loved it. Even though it is meant for the younger crowd, he still had a great time. I played several games with the boys and they even played a game without me. Which makes it an even better game, since it allows them to play without constant help.

This game is available at Timberdoodle for the current price of $21.50.....click HERE for more information.

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by Timberdoodle for this review.

Doctors visit update

I went to my Rheumatologist today. I spent about 5 minutes praying in the van before I went in, I prayed for strength to say what needed to be said and for God to make Dr. W actually listen to me. Guess what?! God is Good! I went in and it was WAY less stressful than the last few visits. We chit-chatted about kids, Halloween, dogs, children's TV shows.....oh...and me. He said he can tell I'm hurting. My blood work shows it too, apparently my numbers are up that show inflammation. So we talked about some options and decided on the following changes. My methotrexate is being increased. I told him that I feel better on it than I do when I am off of it, but I still don't feel good. He agreed. And he is still hopeful that it WILL do great things for me. Next, we discussed Savella, which is the new Fibromyalgia drug. I seriously can't tell that I am even on it.....so I am coming off of it and going to try Cymbalta next. A few more things were discussed and changed (can't throw all my dirty laundry out here) and then I got a cortisone shot in both hips. YAY. No, I am not a glutton for punishment and NO I don't like needles. But these shots help the pain in my hips A LOT. Totally worth the big, giant needles that they use. (Sorry Amy, that was for you! LOL)

So that's my good news for today. I go back in 3 months. Lets hope the increase in meds and the change in other meds will help.

I have to say Thank you to God......he answered some serious prayers for me today.

OK, I'm off to watch Glenn Beck on my DVR. I highly recommend everyone else do the same. Because some VERY scary stuff is going on in our Country and we all need to know about it.

Goodnight!

Take Your Best Shot - Book Review

Buy		Read

I spent last night reading a new book. It is written by a teenager, for teenagers but it also has plenty of insight and inspiration for adults. The title is "Take your Best Shot" and it was written by Austin Gutwein along with Todd Hillard. The way that this young man uses his own life, experiences, and his faith to touch others is amazing. After watching a short program about African Orphans, he was led to help raise money. He took his love of Basketball and used it to raise that money. First to help a few orphans, then he recruited more and more people until eventually they were able to build a school in Africa. The program he created is called Hoops of Hope and each year on World AIDS day, Austin along with thousands of other participants shoot hoops after receiving pledges for donations. The need for teamwork is stressed and Austin constantly reinforces that he is just a "regular" kid who could only have achieved this success with a great team of helpers and most importantly with God. God put a burden on his heart, and God supplied everything he needed to accomplish great things. I think that anyone reading this book will be touched and will HAVE to think about how they can help others. Whether they help at home or across the world, it doesn't matter.

I do believe that many teens today think more about themselves and less about helping others. Hopefully with books like this one, more and more teens will realize that they CAN and Should get out there and help in every way possible. Adults, me included, tend to think that teens aren't able to do big things and we don't give them the opportunities they need. But Austin tells them to go ahead and do it anyway. Don't listen to the negative, be positive and do positive things. I think Austin was blessed with an awesome gift. No, I think he was blessed with several gifts. He has a strong faith, strong will, he is a great "cheer-leader" because he encourages everyone and makes them feel like they can accomplish great things.

Is there a teen in your life? This book would make a great Birthday or Christmas present. To preview or buy this book.....click HERE.

I want to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers for providing me with this book to review. They have a great program for bloggers who love to read. If you are interested, click HERE.

Weekend update

I had a nice big blog to post. It was all about our camping trip this weekend and how much fun we had. There were going to be pictures of Amish buggies, Trains, and the Chocolate factory. But Hubby hasnt loaded the pictures yet and I tried and failed miserably. So I will just list a quick recap sans pictures.



We arrived Friday, in the rain. Setting up camp in the cold rain is no fun. Saturday was rainy too. This was bad and good. Bad because we couldnt go to the Corn Maze but good because we went to the Wilbur Chocolate Factory Museum instead. (WIN!!) They give samples and sell all the yummy chocolate you could ever want. Sunday we went to the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum and spent the day looking at real trains and playing with toy trains. Monday we did some shopping, went to lunch and headed home.



It was a great weekend. I seriously wish we could live in PA.



In other news.....I signed up to be a Scentsy consultant. Im very nervous about this because I am NOT the sales type and I am not pushy. But money is tight so I figured I would at least try. Anyone want to order some Scentsy products....please let me know.

Thursdays Nonsense

I wanted to spill the overload from my brain. Right now I have so much going on in there that I can not get anything accomplished. So maybe, just maybe if I dump the useless crap here, then I can move along with my day.
Thanks for tagging along on my little nonsense journey.....

-why does my laundry multiply when I am not looking? How can I be "almost caught up" and then have a mountain bigger than a small car staring back at me?

-Can you feed frozen waffles to you kid more than once a day? Does having Blueberry Waffles make them more "healthy"?

-Who gave my son the idea to "blow his nose" into NOTHING?!? Yeah, you read that right.....he just blew it.....and out it came, EVERYWHERE. ( Remember....I can handle anything EXCEPT Snot and loose teeth)

-How did I manage to NOT wreck the car when he did this? Thank you Jesus!

-Why is it that my family manages to always be the one in a million who's packages are lost by the post office? Seriously, this is twice in 3 months. What is going on over there??

-Has anyone started Christmas shopping yet? I am usually well on my way and I haven't even made a list yet. This alone can keep me up at night.

-C came for a visit last night. He doesn't do that very often now. No matter how much I beg or cry. Grumble, grumble.....teenagers and their busy lives. Ugh. (Love you C !!!)

-I have NO chocolate in the house. This is dangerous for everyone.

See, I told you it was all nonsense. But still....these thoughts were flying around in my head along with the real important stuff. Hopefully now I can get back to getting some things crossed off my To-do list. Hopefully!

Update....and making lemonade

I talked myself into fighting with the doctor today. I loaded the boys up in the van, drove 40 minutes and had a serious talk with myself, along with some prayers throw in too. I built up some fake courage and held my head high as I walked in the office. Only to be told that the doctor wasn't there. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? Then the receptionist told me that they "tried to contact me". Oh really? When? Get this! Back in September. NICE!

Anyway, I got a new appointment made for the 29th. Then I took the boys to the playground until Hubby finished work at 6. He was meeting us for dinner at a local restaurant. The boys were great. Dinner was great. So see, I took lemons and made lemonade.


P.S. Dear Cashier lady at the restaurant,
When someone mentions that they used to work there years ago. Asking them WHEN is OK. But then telling them "WOW....that WAS a LONG time ago" is NOT OK.

Maybe I should print this and take it with me

I have an appointment to see my Rheumatologist this afternoon. I don't want to go. Besides the normal "nobody likes going to the doctors" feeling, this is more. This is the dread of knowing that my doctor isn't always sympathetic to my situation. I don't even NEED sympathy. But EMPATHY would be awesome. Believe me. Trust me. Don't doubt what I tell you. Just because YOU think this "miracle" drug should be working miracles in my body.....does NOT mean it is. Yes, it is helping. But there are many degrees to helping. And your "miracle" treatment isn't very miraculous.
So I am dreading this visit. Because at the last visit he insisted that all I needed was more time on the treatment. Well, I gave it time. I swallow your little toxic pills. I do everything you tell me to do. But I am not where you said I would be.....Amazingly better. Nope. Not there.

So please, please listen to me. Listen to what Hubby told you. Let me go back on my old treatment. It worked better. In less time.

Sorry about whining....I just needed to vent a little....and try to work up the courage to NOT just give in and go "Uh huh" at whatever he says. Because I do revert back to a helpless 10 year old child around authority figures.

Winner!!!

Today is the day for me to pick a winner of the Sounds of Sleigh Bells Book. I went to Random.org and they gave me Number 1.
Amy said...
I love to read! I will read almost any genre. The Amish books are so good and easy to read! I hope I win!

So congrats Amy! You are going to LOVE this book!! Head over to Amy's blog and tell her Congrats!

Right or Wrong??

My husband says I am closed minded. I disagree. I believe I can HAVE my beliefs and opinions, hear and see his point of view and still keep my own beliefs and opinions. What do you think?

Apparently if I do not change my mind when he offers his opinion, then I am closed minded. This seriously boggles my mind.

Help?!?

I wish I taught Kindergarten

I think Kindergarten teachers are some of the luckiest professionals in the world. They get to spend the day with fun, happy little kids. Then right when things are starting to fall apart, when the kids are losing interest for the day and they are getting tired, they send them home. Home, where it is supposed to be a peaceful place for our families. I will be the first to admit that when my wonderful, funny little man gets home from Kindergarten he is no longer a wonderful or funny little man. He is an over-tired, temper-tantrum throwing force to be reckoned with. By Thursday and Friday he is over the top tired and I seriously lack the words to explain him to you. Yes, he is still my wonderful, funny little man on the inside but that is buried under days of fatigue and it is hard to reach down in there to pull him out.
I'm not sure where I was going with this, but I think I was just trying to (nicely) tell you J is being bratty. He wont nap, wont fall asleep early and wont sleep any later than 7am. At this point the best I can hope for is for him to pass out from exhaustion, right?

Hey....guess what?! I won a Tupperware giveaway over at Marine Corp Nomads. Thanks DevilDogWife. Head over to her blog and show her some comment love <3

The Sound of Sleigh Bells Book Review- GIVEAWAY

I love the Amish.
I love their food. I love their values. I love their farms, and I love their stories. OK, technically the Amish books I read aren't written BY Amish but lets ignore that fact, alright?
I recently got a copy of The Sound of Sleigh Bells from Multnomah Publishing. I read it in one night. I needed to put it down and go to bed but I couldn't. I just HAD to keep reading and see how the story ended. It is one of those stories that give you warm fuzzies and make you wish you could experience their life. Well, I take that back because the main character of this story is in a very dark place. Her fiancé died over a year ago and she is still in mourning. Everyone around her tries desperately and unsuccessfully to bring her out of that darkness, but she has build up walls that prevent anyone from touching her heart again. She plunges herself into her work and plasters a smile on her face. It isn't until she finds a piece of carved wood that fascinates her, that she and her loved ones realize she isn't a “lost cause”.
After seeing Beth so drawn to this carving, her aunt Lizzy concocts a plan to break through the shell around Beth’s heart. I wont tell you any more because I don’t want to ruin it. It is really a great story, and I recommend it anyone who loves Amish stories or any type of love story. You wont be disappointed. Plus the book is so easy to read. It just flows and you get so engrossed that you’re halfway through before you realize it.

And I do NOT regret staying up to read the whole book. It was worth the extra yawns this morning.

If you are interested in reading this book, go HERE. If you are interested in WINNING a copy please leave me a comment. Any comment will do, but I would love it if you told me whether or not you read Amish books regularly or let me know what type of books you do normally read. I will be picking a winner on Sunday, October 18th.

Good luck!!

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Award, update and more

Today was a busy day for us. We took J for his chicken pox vaccine. Ouch. He handled it VERY well, thank God. Then we stopped at the farm and had lunch with my MIL. This afternoon I went to my doctors appointment with the surgeon. I'm having a stitch issue. This offending stitch is in a BAD PLACE. Real bad. And this stitch is poking out, but it is under the skin. Does that even make sense? I hope so. Anyway, after the doc checked me out he said it is a Delayed Dissolving Suture and that I have a 90% chance it will dissolve on its own in 5-6 months.

Did I mention it hurts? Not a horrible hurt, but a catch you in the wrong way kind of hurt. Quick, sharp pokes in a BAD PLACE.

My options are A) wait it out. See if it dissolves on its own or B) outpatient surgery so he can remove the stitch quickly. I have already had 2 surgeries this year (3 if you count my colonoscopy) and I am not sure I am wanting another one. Yes, it would be a super quick, in and out thing. For most people. I am not most people. I have Sjogrens and Fibromyalgia and I am still fighting the effects of the last surgery.

Hubby said it is up to me, my choice. I said I would like to wait it out. I at least want to give it a month and decide by my next visit with the surgeon.

If you had a sharp suture poking you in a a BAD PLACE would you wait or have them take it out?



On to better things......

My friend Mimi from Screaming Mimi gave me a new award. A very, very pretty one too! Thanks Mimi.....love you!!!

This award states:
Neno's Award - Rules & Regulations:


1.As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.


2.To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.


3.Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.


4.Don't forget to mention the person who gives you the award.


5.Answer the awards question by writing the reason why you love blogging.


6.Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.


7.Don't forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.

My reasons for blogging have changed since I started. At first I just wanted to try something new. To have a place where I could keep a record of my family life. Now my blog friends ARE family. I have found some awesome friends, learned alot and grown as a person. Blogging helps me to feel like a part of something, which is great when you are home all day everyday. It feels good to feel like you belong somewhere. I love blogging. I love sharing my thoughts, good or bad and knowing I have support.

Blogging has turned into a very important part of my life<3

I am picking a few bloggers who I KNOW love to blog.....

Amy at Amy's Awesome Nest

Alice at Alice in Wonderland

Susan at Warm Chocolate Milk

The last thing I want to share today is a scripture that touched me today....

If you come back to me and trust me, you will be saved. If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong. Isaiah 30:15

Resistance

This post might seem a little vague, only because I am not planning to name names or go into specifics. But I am hoping you will still understand my point.

I, after years of doing nothing for myself, am now spending between 3 and 5 hours a week doing what I want to do. There! I said it. See, aren't you all judging me? Saying how horrible it is for me to take a WHOLE 3 to 5 hours (a week) to MYSELF?!? How dare I!!! Right?

No? Really? You don't think that is the worst thing you ever heard? You don't judge me (except Kristina P) or think I am horrible? Wow. I'm shocked. Because if you knew the crap I am dealing with now you would think that I took up a hobby of skinning cats or worse.

I don't know why. No, I take that back. I KNOW why and I know what the problem is, the problem is that I have slowly given up every part of me. It didn't seem like much because it was a little bit here and a little bit there. Eventually over time, all of Me was gone....and no one noticed but me. So now that I want a little bit of that part of me back, I am the bad guy. Or at least certain people would have you believe that.

Want to know a secret? I'm not falling for it this time. Nope. I am older, wiser and have my priorities set. And I am not giving in......you can't make me.

So there!!

Take the pledge....

Take the "Keep Your Mind on the Wheel" Pledge

Our Pledge

Driving while distracted can be more dangerous than driving drunk.
As moms, we want safer roads.
We know the time has come for us all to recognize the risks of distracted driving, to be more responsible and to mind the wheel.

Here is what we pledge:

We pledge to model safe behavior when we drive.
We pledge to set firm house rules on texting and phoning while driving.
We pledge to help spread the word on the dangers of distracted driving.

Here is what we ask for:

We ask for the dangers of distracted driving to be included in drivers’ education classes.
We ask for innovations in technology to help solve the problem.
We ask for laws to make it illegal to text and drive.
We ask for enforcement of existing distracted driving laws and consequences when the laws are broken.
By working together we will make everyone safer.

I took the pledge and Im asking that you will too....to keep all of our famlies safe.

Please go HERE and take the pledge.

Alphabet game Meme

I stole this from M-Cat at That's what she said





Alphabet Tag


A: Addiction: Chocolate or Internet, lately they are running a close race.


B: Breakfast: Decaf and raisin bran cereal


C: Chocolate or Chips: Chocolate.....duh!


D: Dessert or Appetizers: Dessert


E: Essential Items: books, Bible, cellphone


F: Favorite Color: Purple


G: Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms: Bears


H: Hometown: *****, NJ


I: Indulgence: Books


J: January or July: JULY....camping season!!


K: Kids: 3....all boys.


L: Life isn't complete without: Jesus


M: Most exciting memory: I dont remember, lmao


N: Number of Brothers and Sisters: 1 brother....and we aren't close.


O: Oranges or Apples: Oranges, but I only like them cut up


P: Phobias or Fears: Losing a family member or friend


Q: Quote: Our God is an Awesome God!


R: Reading: Just got my copy of "Arguing with Idiots" by Glenn Beck today


S: Summer or Spring: Spring


T: Tag 6 people: Nope.....not tagging anyone. Take it if you want it.


U: Unknown Fact About Me: I have abnormally short toes. Hubby calls them Barney Rubble feet.


V: Vacation I want to go on: I would love to go on a cruise to Alaska. Or a road trip across the entire USA.


W: Walking or Running: Walking


X: X-Ray or Ultrasound: X-Ray....ultrasounds use that COLD gooey jell, YUCK!


Y: Your favorite food: Mexican, Seafood or CHOCOLATE


Z: Zoo or Bowling: Zoo, I suck at Bowling....in fact when I was a girl scout I got a trophy for being the WORST bowler. Yep. That was a proud moment.



Grab it if you want it.....and if anyone sees my Hubby tell him to bring home some Chocolate. Please.

Happy 1 to Me!!!

Today is my One year Blogoversary. This time last year I didn't even know if I would finish blogging for one week, let alone a whole year and 300+ posts. Now I have over 80 followers. Wow! All my life I could barely get one or two people to listen to me and now 80 people read my foolishness. And I love each and every one of you....seriously. You are now part of my extended family, and I share more with you than I do with most REAL family members.



I was trying to decide what to do for my big day. Confetti....No, too messy. Food.....sure, but in the end I would be the one eating all of it. Gifts and Prizes.....I wish I could, but I am broke. (so broke that I cannot join in the Secret Santa over at Georgies......boo hoo) So that leaves me with Posts. My old posts to be exact. I am going to list a few of my favorites, and you can skip them or read them, maybe even for the first time. Let me know what you think, and if you think I have progressed in the past year.



Boardwalk Fighting



Brotherly Love



I'm Still a Girl



My Lifeguard



Sleepwalking



Abbott and Costello



Poppop



I cried last night



He must like fat girls



I Lose



TMI



Health Class 101



Good Friday



T-Ball



He likes older women



I know, I know...that is a long list. But these are old posts that I really enjoy. Hopefully you will enjoy one or two also.

Look! Just in time for my Blogoversary! My buddy Alice in Wonderland gave me a new Award.....and I do believe this is one of the most beautiful ones that I have received. Thanks Alice!!! You Rock!


And thanks again for stopping by and celebrating my Big Day!