Freedom In Christ

I recently received a Tweet wherein someone called the idea of true freedom being found through Jesus ironic. I responded, asking why she thought that. Her response (in summary) was questioning how there's freedom in following a bunch of rules out of an ancient book - or something like that. Anyway, I've been pondering that for quite some time now. How do you explain the freedom found in Christ to someone who hasn't experienced that freedom? Better yet (or should I say worse?), how do you explain that to someone who clearly doesn't even believe and who considers the Bible merely ancient literature? I asked some of my friends over on FROGs how one goes about tackling this, and the responses I got where interesting. Some were that there are rules in all facets of life - just being part of society, there are rules to follow. One I got was a reminder that in the Bible it says that the Truth is foolishness to those who don't believe - or something like that. So, to me, that means we might have better luck explaining this freedom to the walls.

I think I have been pondering this subconsciously (incubation is one of my FAVORITE tricks the human brain has mastered) for a couple of weeks now. While I still don't have an idea how to explain or describe this amazing freedom, I did have a bit of a breakthrough regarding rules in general.

I know that the familial relationship mirrors that of the God/Man relationship. We have the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Ghost), which is represented by the marriage (God, Husband, Wife) - all three separate but the same. Then we have mankind (God's children, all created by Him) and Earthly children (a product of the marriage, created by Husband and Wife). The connection between the two doesn't stop there. Now that I am a parent, I can see that so much more clearly than ever before.

God gives us rules, just as we give our children rules. God does everything He can to train us, just as we do our very best to train our children to survive - hoping they do more than that, and THRIVE - in this world. This is not done to spoil our fun or to take advantage of us, just as we don't give our children rules to be mean or ruthless dictators. No. We give our children rules and teach our children the way we do because we love them and we want to protect them. THAT is why God gave us all those rules in that old book! These rules aren't to spoil our fun. They aren't to control us. They aren't to deprive us of living life to the fullest. Rather, they ARE in place to protect us. Because He is God, He knows what certain actions and choices can cause to happen. He knows all about cause and effect - and He knows how best to avoid the less-desirable effects by not committing certain causes. We, too, try to keep our children from experiencing the less-positive side of life by teaching them and giving them rules.

Once these rules are broken, oftentimes the effect cannot be stopped. While someone might be able to get away with something for a time, wrongdoing always comes to light - ALWAYS. It might take years, it might take decades, it might even take a lifetime, but it WILL come to light. Heck, sometimes some wrongs aren't discovered until after someone passes. I don't know why the discrepancy for who and what gets found out when, but I do know that everything becomes known. Everything. Often, the effects of such acts are punishment in and of themselves. So, while people might think God is punishing someone, chances are they're reaping the results of some past action. I think mistakes our kids make also sometimes are best punished by letting the consequences be what they are - to ignore the temptation to shelter them from the consequences of their actions. For me, it goes against everything inside me to let my child suffer even the slightest, but how will they learn if they never see what happens next?

Back to my original thought. Freedom in Christ. Knowing that God has these rules in place to protect me makes it a LOT easier for me to follow these rules. Just as I know better than my kids in many cases where experience is the best teacher, God knows better than I do in EVERYTHING. Perhaps I should be a model of obedience for my children to follow? Perhaps if I can show them that while I believe myself to be intelligent and a decent human being, I know God's knowledge and understanding surpass mine, then somehow I can use that to reach them. Maybe I can explain my obedience and choices to them in a way that they will understand, using this analogy. Clearly, this is something that will have to wait until they are older, as I doubt a preschooler and a toddler can grasp this concept. I'm not so sure my first-grader could, either. But, perhaps if I start to SHOW them what true obedience is now, it'll be an easier lesson to teach when they're older. Something tells me there's only one way to find out, and that is by doing.

How does all of this make me free in Christ? (Man, I'm good at tangents, aren't I?) Well, if I follow the code of conduct (for lack of a better term) He has given me, then I am free! I'm free from the consequences of poor choices. I am free from the wages of sin if I live a life following the example set by Him. I am free from everything that comes with not following His will: pain, suffering, loss - the list goes on and on. If I can figure out how to get my flesh in line with my heart and my spirit, I've got it made! I can live a truly free life! And if not, well, hey - at least I know I'll be COMPLETELY free in the afterlife!

Book Review: Nyphron Rising

Nyphron Rising by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another absolutely riveting installment in The Riyira Revelations series! We are now halfway through the entire series, and I cannot wait to see where it's going. Once again, Michael J. Sullivan did not disappoint. There was suspense, humor, action, treachery, and even a tiny bit of love thrown in.

I found that I was able to guess what was going to happen in a couple of instances. I suspect that it was not a problem with the story, rather a familiarity with Royce and Hadrian. This being the third book about these central characters, I feel like I "know" them and can guess what they're thinking. I think that is why I was able to figure out what they were going to do a couple of times. This speaks volumes of Sullivan's abilities as an author. To have characters that readers can learn so well is pretty impressive. They are well-rounded and very consistent from one installment to the next.

Getting back to Royce and Hadrian, I loved the exchange while they were imprisoned in Hintindar. I thought Hadrian's revelation regarding Royce was touching.

The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, and I do wonder what "the truth" is and whether Royce and/or Hadrian learn it in time. I will be waiting impatiently to get my hands on the next book in the series to see how this all plays out!

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Well, Now I Feel Loved

I checked my newest comments tonight to find that a friend has left me something on her blog. So, I immediately clicked on the link to find Michelle very kindly left me a blog award! :-) I'm so touched and thrilled - this is my first blog award of any kind. The fact that it's from another blogger (one I actually look up to, nonetheless) makes it that much more special! There's nothing better than being recognized by your peers.

Michelle kindly gave me the Humane Award, which is for kind bloggers. Thank you, Michelle!

It's my turn to pass it on, and I'm choosing some of my favorite bloggers who I consider true friends. Whether it's from support here, on Facebook, in real-life situations, or as a general rule, these bloggers are people I couldn't imagine my life without!

• Kelly ~ From helping me with the design for this blog and the design for my site to being a true friend, I just couldn't do it without her! Kelly defines a kindhearted person! Love you, Kelly!
• Sara ~ I've had the pleasure of meeting her in real life, too - and I suspect I'll see her more, now that her sister lives down the street! She's one of the kindest people I know.
• Heidi ~ I know, we hardly know each other. But, I love reading your blog. Not only that, but you've always been quick to help me when I have asked you questions regarding how to do something here on Blogger! Thank you!
• Lisa ~ You've always been so sweet to me. Back in the M-Z days, and now when you comment on my posts. Thank you!
• Chris ~ You're last, but definitely not least. I can't remember if your blog is open to the public or not, but I couldn't leave you off the list! You're one of my BFF, and always will be!
  

If you were tagged, download the image, post it in your blog, and share the love: nominate your Humane blogging buddies! Please don't forget to link back to the person who gave you the award!

I'm famous!

Well, sorta! Click on the image below to check it out:



Yeah, I know, it's not a huge thing. Yeah, I know, I submitted my own blog. Yeah, I know, it doesn't really mean much. But, still, I think this is one of the first non-occupational interviews I've ever had! :-) So, I'm gonna bask for a bit. Enjoy and have fun with it.

I just have one question: Does this count as my 15 minutes?

What's with the Guilt?

Mommy Guilt. If you're a mom, you know what I'm talking about. I just wanna know: What's up with that? I mean, why do we feel guilty for everything and nothing all at once? Why is it that being a mom seems to make one a guilt magnet?

Example: I have three kids and I worry about equal treatment - as much as is possible, as perfectly equal is not. Individuals can't be treated exactly the same simply because they aren't the same. That said, I still find myself feeling guilty over just about anything. The latest is pictures, of all things! When Abby was born, I was diligent about having pictures taken at regular intervals. I started at 6 weeks (figuring her hospital pics were good enough for newborn), then 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, and annually after that. When school started, we just started relying on those for her annual individual shots. For Grant, I was pretty good about sticking to that schedule. There might have been some slight variation - like 19 months instead of 18 months - but I still did a pretty good job. Poor sweet Natalie, however, is getting the short end of the annual-pictures stick! Long story short: I missed her 18-month pictures! My husband was gone to Fargo for 30 days when she hit that milestone, and I just never got around to it. And now, she's 21 months - three months from her 24-month pictures. I feel bad - and I am sure this will be a source of regret at times in the future. We do take pictures of her at home, but not nearly as much as we did Abby - or Grant. Poor kid is getting the classic third-born treatment!

Why do I feel so friggin' guilty about this? I mean, seriously! It's not like it's a life-or-death thing! And it's not like she hasn't gotten treatment the others missed out on! For one, we take lots of videos of her - something we didn't do with Abby very much at all, simply for lack of the requisite equipment. Same for Grant. Plus, I worked full time, so I missed a lot of what I've taken video of with Natalie. And then Grant got more ultrasounds (prior to birth) than the girls. Poor Abby didn't get any - our insurance wouldn't pay for it! Natalie got the standard mid-point ultrasound. Grant, however, got two in-depth sonograms. Poor Abby, when we showed her Natalie's pictures, asked about hers from when she was still "in Mommy's tummy." The disappointment on her face brought on major Mommy Guilt! I found myself wishing we'd gotten one - but that would've cost us $300 or more! We didn't really have that to spare.

All of this to illustrate the things over which I tend to struggle with feeling guilty over. There are many more that come and go, depending on what we're dealing with and how I'm feeling, but those are the major ones right now. It's annoying, to say the least. There are times I get down on myself because of this stuff, but then I remind myself that these aren't major issues. Overall, we do a good job (I think) with our kids. We love them; we take good care of them; and we do our very best to make sure we do right by them. Still, there's always something that brings on the guilt. Why is that?

How about you? Do you suffer from Mommy Guilt? If so, what brings it on for you? If not, how do you manage to keep it away?

And now we're back to love ...

Whatever I did seems to have worked! :-) The feed is working again. So, frustration - good-bye! :-) MUCH better! Thanks for "listening" to me complain about this! LOL

Oh, and in case you're wondering, DH got home later than expected - but before Abby went to bed. And he did finally call about an hour before he got home. It's better than nothing, right?

Good night, all, and God bless!

Technology and I have a love-hate relationship

I'm trying to curb my frustration right now, as it's about to boil over! And, yes, as the title hints, it's all related to technology. No, none of it is a big deal - at least not in the big picture. It's just frustrating the hell outta me, to say the least!

My current issue is this blog. I love it, but or some reason my feed isn't working right. I don't know enough about how feeds work to really troubleshoot it, but I've tried anyway. As some of you have seen, I posted a test post, tried messing with things, then deleted the test post. Then I discovered that my test post DID go through - at least through Twitterfeed - not sure about Networked Blogs on Facebook. The latter is what caused me to look into this in the first place. It hasn't pulled any posts by me in a long time. And I'm not sure why. I can't figure it out. I was messing with FeedBurner, which is what I use to share my blog - it allows people to subscribe via e-mail, which is what I'd wanted. I don't even know if that's working properly. Anyway, with all of my messing around with that, I got to where I couldn't figure out what I was doing - so I thought I'd get some support. Well, FeedBurner recently was acquired by Google ... I went through their annoying help menus, and finally found a "contact us" link. But, that didn't take me to a contact form - NO! That took me to the answer to some other question about FeedBurner. So, either their link's not properly coded, or they're just wanting to give their "customers" the most annoying runaround EVER! That pretty much is what led to me being EXTREMELY frustrated. And also what led to this post - hopefully this will feed as it's supposed to and the frustration will disappear - HOPEFULLY. I know better than to hold my breath, though! ;-)

This, of course is on the heels of other frustrations that are technology-related, the most recent of which anyone who's seen me on Facebook recently knows all about! Long story short: One of the apps, a game, was inaccessible to me for almost a full week. Given that I was stupid enough to pay for extra features on that game, I was quite ticked. If I pay for access to something, I had better damn well be given the royal treatment. It's now up and running - for now. It would've been MUCH less aggravating if this wasn't the second consecutive week this happened! Not to mention that the game would load, and I'd be greeted by a message saying my ACCOUNT was TEMPORARILY unavailable - and to check back in a COUPLE OF HOURS. I don't expect to wait DAYS for access when the error says HOURS.

There are other frustrations I could add to this, but I'm going to stop now. My wonderful (dripping sarcasm here - perhaps PMS is early?) husband is working a VERY long day. Which is fine, but he'd told me he's hoping to be back before the kids go to bed - that's in 30 minutes. No call, no text message, no nothing. That's not a good sign! More than anything, I'm irked about not having received any contact from him as of yet. If he's not going to make it, fine - just call and tell me. It's like being in limbo, which I HATE!

Book Review: The Cleaner

The Cleaner by Brett Battles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I chose to read this book after having recently read Shadow of Betrayal. While this was a very good book, it wasn't quite as good as Shadow of Betrayal, but I still liked it a LOT. Unlike Shadow of Betrayal, this one didn't have me hooked from the very beginning. I am not sure how far into it I was finally hooked, but I did read it pretty fast. I really liked finding out the full story behind past events mentioned in Shadow of Betrayal. I likely will reread Shadow of Betrayal again now that I know more.

That said, I still would recommend books by Brett Battles to anyone who is a fan of the TV show 24. While this one didn't feel as much like reading an episode of that show, it still was action-packed, fast-moving, and suspenseful. All in all, a very good - and memorable - book.

View all my reviews >>

Product Review: Front Loader Laundry Powder

Took me long enough to get to this review, huh? I've been very busy, and I wanted to give this item good use before writing about it. That said, this is another product from EcostoreUSA. The description on the Web site says:

Ecostore USA’s high performance Laundry Powder consists of simple mineral salts and plant-based ingredients, giving it the ability to attack even the most heavily soiled fabrics. Its fresh, natural lemon fragrance will not harm or irritate the skin. This is a safe and healthy alternative for you and our planet. (35.3 ounces)

I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. I haven't had a lot of good experience when trying new laundry products. But, I knew this was one that if I liked it would be worth it. And guess what! I liked it! (I use past tense, because I managed to use it all up! LOL) It did a great job cleaning the clothes, and I actually loved how it smelled. I tried several loads without fabric softener mostly to see how it smelled. And, guess what? I LOVED it - it smelled fresh and clean. And, the best part, I didn't feel the need to use fabric softener like I usually do. My clothes felt soft and smelled great. It worked well for the kids' clothes, too.

Just like EcostoreUSA's other products, this one is safer for our environment. This is plant- and mineral-based, and labeled as a "highly biodegradable product" on the package. And, in my opinion, the fact that I feel like I don't have to use fabric softener with this product makes it even BETTER, environmentally speaking! I am definitely planning to purchase more of this!

In summary: EcostoreUSA's Front Loader Laundry Powder is a quality product that's safe for the environment. My clothes are cleaned very well, and smell great - even without fabric softener, which I don't feel I MUST use when using this product. So, not only will I help our environment by using this, I'll also help my budget by buying less - if any - fabric softener! It's a win-win-win situation. (Three wins: environment, budget, clean and fresh clothes!) If you have a Meijer store near you, grab a box while you're there. If not, you can always get it through the company's Web site. And for all you Web shoppers, they are offering FREE shipping on ALL orders over $25. Add a fourth "win" to the list! ;-)

Book Review: Shadow of Betrayal

Shadow of Betrayal by Brett Battles

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another book I received through the FirstReads program here on Goodreads. I am very glad I did. I never would've read it or given Brett Battles any thought.

Shadow of Betrayal had me hooked from the very beginning. It starts with action and never lets up. I kept feeling like I'd been reading an episode of Fox's show 24. I'm a HUGE fan of the show, so there's no surprise I loved this book! I found myself wanting to read more and more - and I wanted to know how the different story lines were going to work together. I was not disappointed!

There were some things I found myself wishing had been explained, but then I found out that this is the THIRD book in a series. So, now I think I'll go back and read the previous two - hopefully the answers are in them! Despite my wanting to know more about a few things, this novel definitely stands fine on its own.

Brett Battles has a new fan. I will be getting my hands on the other books in this series as soon as I can - and I'm looking forward to the fourth book, which I know is in the works. (There's a blurb inside about the upcoming book.)

View all my reviews.

And just like that

It seems like just yesterday I was writing my post about Abby's fifth birthday. But, it wasn't - it was exactly one year ago today! How the heck is that even possible? My baby is SIX! SIX years old! Where have the years gone? I remember snuggling that precious newborn baby in my arms six years ago. How is it that I now have this not-so-little 6-year-old girl? Oddly, this isn't as emotional as last year was. Perhaps it's because kindergarten has passed and now she's heading to first grade. There's something about that kindergarten milestone that just gets a mother really deep.

It is late and I am tired. So, I'm going to wrap this up so I can get some sleep. I just didn't want today to go by without me saying something.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my precious, sweet, wonderful Abigail! I love you!

An Amazing Letter

I saw this posted on Vox by Ashbylane, who said I could repost here. This is very well said, and so right on the money.

A 53-year-old woman by the name of Janet Contreras wrote this letter. It's long, but worth reading!

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AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR NATION'S LEADERSHIP:

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when hewill rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

Friend Makin' Monday: I Love Summer

It's that time again! Time for FMM! :-) I missed last week, but I'm back today. And what a good time to get back into it. This week's task is to share 10 things you love about summer!

1. Warm weather.
2. Summer rain. I love the rain - especially in the summer. It's so refreshing and I love to get wet in it! LOL
3. Wearing tank tops.
4. Being able to go out of the house without a coat or jacket.
5. Going to the swimming pool.
6. Green - grass, leaves on trees, etc.
7. S'mores.
8. No snow.
9. Going for ice cream.
10. Wearing flip-flops.

So, how about you? What are your favorite things about summer? Please leave me a comment so I can check out your post, too! :-)

I'm Not Procrastinating - I Swear!

There are so many things I need to do - for myself - that just don't get done. It took me months to make a dentist appointment, and eye-doctor appointment, among other things. I'd been wanting to do it for months, but just didn't. And it wasn't for lack of wanting to. It's because sometimes I want to make an appointment and not have to bring the kids - especially for things like a lady's annual exam. The kids should not have to witness that! Yes, I could conceivably make an appointment for the eye doctor and most of my other appointments and take the kids. But, half the time, half of what I wanted to talk about gets forgotten because I have to keep the kids from destroying the room! There are a few appointments to which I refuse to take my children:

• The aforementioned pap. Need I say more?
• The chiropractor. It's kinda hard to keep them under control while someone's manipulating your spine!
• Hair appointments. There's no way to keep them occupied - especially not when I'm getting highlighting done. It's not fair to anyone.
• Massages and other spa-type things. How relaxing can it be with the kids around?

I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that come to mind. I take my kids to see my PCP, because there's no pap-like stuff going on. I take them to the dentist, as they actually are able to help occupy them. I took them to my allergist appointment, where there (thankfully) were age-appropriate toys. There are very few things I do - or places I go - that don't occur without the children. Ask any stay-at-home mom, and you'll likely hear something similar.

So, where is this coming from? Well, the biggest problem I have is scheduling. My husband's schedule is one that is not friendly to me. Any appointments I have to make more than a couple of weeks in advance almost always need to be rescheduled because of some conflict with his work. It's because of this .. uncertainty ... that I take months to actually make most appointments. When things finally get to where I can't put it off anymore, I schedule. Prime examples:

• I finally saw the eye doctor when I ran out of contact lenses.
• Tooth pain has led to my scheduling a dentist appointment.
• Needing a prescription refill led to my scheduling my annual.

That last - the dreaded annual - has been problematic. Because I waited too long to schedule, I had to wait two extra months for an appointment - which meant it was scheduled for April. But, my husband was gone for the month of April - because of work - so I had to reschedule. That meant another two months to wait. My appointment is within the next week or so, and suddenly my husband has a problem. How dare I schedule it for a Monday, when he has work stuff. Firstly, I told him back in April when it was scheduled for. Why didn't he say something then? I mean, really? I would've been annoyed, but much less so than I am now. Heck, now, I'm pissed. I will not bring these kids to my pap. No way in hell. He suggested I ask the neighbor to look after our kids - um, no. I don't want to do that to her. Her kid is going to summer school, so it's not like they'd have her to play with. I don't have much of a support system here, so I really have no one I can ask for help. This means I likely will have to wait another TWO months for my annual. At this point, I just want to get it over and done with!

Book Review: Body of Knowledge

Body of Knowledge by Bryce Anderson

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I purchased it directly from the author after not winning a Firstreads copy. The description on the back of the book made me curious. So, I decided to give it a try. It held my interest and was very thought-provoking. Toward the end, I found myself wanting to read faster so I could find out how it all ends. I do wonder why the author wrote it in the first-person using his own name as the main character. Is he trying to say he had met someone like JP once? I have no way of knowing, of course, but I definitely think it adds some intrigue.

So, why not six stars? Well, for one, while I really enjoyed it, it didn't exactly knock my socks off either. Plus, there were a LOT of editing errors that I just can't get past. The main - and most frustrating to me (a former editor) - was confusion of its/its'/it's. There were also some spots where I felt some rearranging of a few paragraphs would've made it flow better.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book that I am glad to have read. Anyone who wishes to read it can sign up here to win a FREE copy on goodreads!

View all my reviews.

Book Review: Something Blue

Something Blue by Emily Giffin

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good follow-up to Something Borrowed, but not quite as good. I would like to do 3.5 stars, but Goodreads still doesn't allow for it. So, I rounded down. Usually I round up, but I had given Something Borrowed 4 stars, and didn't feel it was right to give this book the same rating, as I felt it was not at the same level.

For one thing, it was way too predictable. For one, I knew with whom she was going to end up before even reading the book. I also knew she wasn't right in her "instinctive" feelings about her baby's gender. And there were other things I saw coming, too. I didn't get surprised by this book the way I'd gotten surprised by Something Borrowed.

Another thing is I wasn't a fan of Darcy. I hated her in Something Borrowed and wasn't too keen on "hearing" her side of the story. I knew it'd be skewed and totally infuriating. I found myself wanting to slap her. (I'm not fond of having main characters that are not likable.) Although, by the end of the story I was rooting for her.

I will say the birth scene was very touching. I was near tears as I read that part of the birth. Perhaps it reminded me of my own birth stories, or perhaps it's just a mother understanding what another mother feels/thinks. Whatever it is, I had happy tears welling up as I share that experience with Darcy.

Overall, I did like the book, but I'd actually have preferred a sequel that was about Rachel. I loved Rachel, and I'd love to see more from her.

View all my reviews.

Book Review: Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book through the firstreads program, and am so glad I did. It was an enjoyable read with a plot that kept me reading. After really getting into it, I found myself not wanting to stop because I wanted to see how it all turned out.

Emily Giffin's characters were people I found myself having great interest in - even minor characters, like Hillary. There were definitely individuals I preferred to others. I found myself siding with Rachel, despite my disgust at her behavior, and hating Darcy. Perhaps it's because I found myself identifying with Rachel.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It's a perfect light, summer read!

View all my reviews.

Book Review: Avempartha

Avempartha by Michael J. Sullivan

rating: 5 of 5 stars
After reading The Crown Conspiracy, I was excitedly waiting for the release of Avempartha. I am pleased to say that it did not disappoint. It was very good, and I found myself stealing away from a weekend visiting family to read more! I enjoyed the further development of some of the characters from the first book, as well as meeting many new characters.

I have to say, about Royce, I knew it! I suspected from about halfway through The Crown Conspiracy, and was glad to find out I was correct! If you wanna know what I'm talking about, read both books! ;-)

As for Hadrian, I have some theories about him after having read Avempartha. I am hoping I'll get confirmation one way or the other in the next book, which I believe is Nyphron Rising.

I am keeping this pretty vague to keep from spoiling this - or the previous book - for anyone who wants to read it. I HIGHLY recommend both books, and cannot wait until the next is released! I have to also say that Michael J. Sullivan is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! I cannot wait to see what else he has in store!

View all my reviews.

Friend Makin' Monday ~ Better Late than Never

I almost forgot this week! For those who aren't familiar, this is a fun thing created by Kasey over at All That Is Good. For the basic Friend Makin' Monday rules, read here.

This week's object: Copy and paste these questions to your blog and give them your own answers.

You wouldn't be caught dead where? In any reptile house anywhere. Ever.

Do you have any hidden talents? Not really.

What are two things you consider yourself to be very good at? I hate to admit this, but video games is the first thing that comes to mind. As for something else, I'm getting hung up on the word "very" here. There are plenty of things I'm just good at. But very good is another story.

What are two things you consider yourself to be very bad at? Cooking, lying.

Have you ever won a trophy? I don't think so, but I have MANY ribbons (with medals) from competitions with my violin and/or orchestra.

What is one thing not many people know about you? I played the violin from 4th through 9th grades. I quit because I developed tendinitis in my left wrist. I went from that to choir. Oh, and even lesser-known is that I played the clarinet for two years - 4th and 5th grades. I quit in the 6th grade because I wanted to be a crossing guard.

What is your earliest memory? I honestly don't remember a lot from my childhood. However, I do remember the layout of the apartment I lived in when I was 2 until I was 4.

What was your favorite musical group in jr. high? I'm thinking New Kids on the Block, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

What was something the worst roommate you ever had did? I was lucky - never really had a bad roommate.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A lawyer, like my great-grandfather.

What was your worst dating experience? Dating a pathological liar in high school.

If you were about to die what would your last meal be? Alaskan king crab legs. Not sure what else. And not entirely sure what dessert would be - too many choices! LOL

Who is the most important person in you life? My husband.

If your house was on fire, what 3 things would you grab on your way out? Assuming the people and pets were safe, I'd grab my laptop (assuming DH grabs his own), our wedding album, and our back-up external hard drive.

Now it's your turn! Don't forget to share your post! :-)

Book Review: The Einstein Syndrome

The Einstein Syndrome: Bright Children Who Talk Late by Thomas Sowell

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I recently read Late-Talking Children, also by Thomas Sowell, because of concerns I have regarding my own son. I could say much the same for this book as I had for that one. It's pretty much further discussion - with information from more study and more sources - of the same concept, except now it has a name: the Einstein Syndrome. I do not think it's necessary for someone to read both books as this one reiterates a lot of what is in Late-Talking Children. This is why I gave this book four stars, as it didn't offer much new information - just expanded on what was in the previous one. There's nothing wrong with that - I just wasn't blown away with this as I had been with the other. I suspect that if I'd read this one first, I would have given it five stars for the same reason I gave Late-Talking Children five stars. That said, this book did help strengthen my resolve to protect my son. I do NOT think anything is wrong with him. I think that he's just developing verbal skills on his own timetable - after honing many of his more advanced skills.

View all my reviews.

Book Review: Late-Talking Children

Late-Talking Children by Thomas Sowell

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a very good book. Very good. My 3.5-year-old son is currently undergoing tests and speech therapy for a perceived speech delay. He is most certainly an intelligent boy: can read short words, knows upper- and lowercase letters, recognizes numbers, has an amazing memory, etc. He also is social - plays with his sisters and cousins and familiar friends - while also reserved and shy. So, when the people at the school district mentioned a possible label of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), or PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder), I wasn't so sure. I had no peace - ZERO. But, I also saw why they would think that. Interestingly, our pediatrician has maintained that he believes NOTHING is wrong with my son - except perhaps a minor speech delay. He has encouraged us to get a second opinion, which we are in about 6 weeks. This book was discovered at a truly perfect time for me. I was in serious confusion and frustration and almost despair.

In reading this book, some of the children described sound almost exactly like my son. It's uncanny, and probably not just a mere coincidence. Especially when looking at the family trends. We have pilots, scientists, musicians, engineers, etc. in our family - as many of the children in this study. Again, I don't think it's just a coincidence. And, really, I've often wondered whether there's truly something wrong or if his being so smart also means he operates a bit differently. Not incorrectly - just not the same as most children. This book reminded me of my initial thoughts, and gave me some hope. In the absence of some serious confirmation, I will not allow anyone to put any autism-related labels on him. I don't think they fit. I am much, much more confident in my son and his abilities than I was before. I'm reminded of what he is, and not what he isn't. Although, ironically, I am shows what he is AND what he isn't at the same time.

We will go through with our planned evaluation, but keep an open mind. Up next for me to read is the follow-up book, The Einstein Syndrome, after which I am going to schedule a meeting with our pediatrician to discuss these with him. Anyway, I am grateful for this book and look forward to reading the next. It has been an invaluable resource!

View all my reviews.

Book Review: Gold of Kings

Gold of Kings: A Novel by Davis Bunn

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I didn't expect to hate it, but I didn't think I'd enjoy it like I did.

I really liked the protagonists - Harry, Storm, and Emma. Although, Emma was my least favorite of the three. Something about her just wasn't quite right. And I found the relationship between Harry and Emma a bit hard to swallow. Something about it just didn't seem right to me. But, I'm able to overlook that. The story itself was well-written and very engaging. I especially liked that there were some occurrences I didn't see coming. It's great when a book surprises me and I can't necessarily see what's coming.

Gold of Kings was an engaging, fun, and suspenseful story. I had fun reading it, and will be looking for more books by Davis Bunn.

View all my reviews.

Friend Makin' Monday

It's that time again! While I've fallen behind on almost all other aspects of my goals with my blog, I have managed to remember Friend Makin' Monday! That's just how much I enjoy it, I guess! LOL Kasey over at All That Is Good made the theme for this the five senses. List five things for each of the five senses - for you love, and one you don't. So, here are mine:

Sight
Love:
1. My husband. He's a hottie, if I don't say so myself! ;-) (The fact that we haven't seen each other since April 2 probably has nothing to do with this being the first thing to come to mind! LOL)
2. Beautiful sunsets.
3. My kids' smiling faces.
4. Purple. In case you couldn't tell, it's my favorite color!
Don't:
1. Snakes. I'm pretty sure it's a bona fide phobia. I can't even handle things that resemble snakes or could (out of the corner of my eye, perhaps) be mistaken for one! Example: I wouldn't let my husband purchase a green or black garden hose!

Smell
Love:
1. Lilacs. They are by far my favorite flower, because of their beautiful scent.
2. My husband. I just love his scent.
3. Rain in the spring - especially right before the rain starts to fall.
4. Baking bread.
Don't:
1. Vomit. I'll take the nastiest stinky diapers any day. Just don't make me handle vomit - I'll just add to it!

Touch
Love:
1. Zeus, my gray cat. His fur is the softest fur I've ever felt on a REAL cat.
2. My husband's freshly shaved face.
3. Hugs from my kids.
4. Massage. LOVE it!
Don't:
1. Raw meat.

Taste
Like:
1. Chocolate and peanut butter. Especially Hershey's or Nestle Crunch dipped in Jif!
2. White cake batter.
3. Sharp cheddar cheese. I have no idea why, but I LOVE it. Can't get enough!
4. Alaskan king crab legs. I don't get them very often at all, but I SAVOR them when I do!
Don't:
1. There are so many, many things I don't like. I'm picky - and it sucks. Top of the list: tomatoes - they make me gag!

Sound
Like:
1. Thunder.
2. My children's laughter.
3. Music. I like a wide, wide range. From classical to Christian rock and everything in between. Current favorites include Skillet, Jars of Clay, Swan Lake, and Evanescence. I'm also a HUGE fan of movie soundtracks, such as Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, and other such theatrical scores!
4. Cats purring.
Don't:
1. My kids crying or whining.

This list was actually hard for me to come up with. It required me to actually THINK about this, rather than just noting it when I come across it! LOL But, it's fun! So, please, share yours! I can't wait to see what your list is! :-)

The End is Near

No, I'm not getting cryptic or preachy! LOL I'm just excited. We're in the home stretch - the last week of DH's time away! Saturday cannot come soon enough, let me tell you! I'm exhausted. Worn out to the bone - of course, Natalie not sleeping well last night doesn't help any. I am so ready for someone else to entertain the kids. So ready for some help around the house. And, most importantly, so ready to have HIM home again! Lord, make this week FLY by, PLEASE! Of course, I'd like to get the house cleaned up - a LOT before his return - and the kids are grumbling about that. Did I expect anything different? No, not really! LOL

I'm hoping that once he's back, I'll be able to get back into the blog-improvement challenge, of which I'd spoken before. I'm also hoping to get some much-needed rest. But, he'll be tired, too. So, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. C'mon Saturday! Get here FAST!

My Review of PREMIUM - PREMIX

SKECHERS

Remake your look with the sporty SKECHERS Premium-Premix sneaker. Smooth leather upper in a slip on casual sneaker style, with stitching and logo detail, stretch front panel. Cushioned insole, traction outsole, 1 1/2 inch heel.

PREMIUM - PREMIX

Comfy and durable

ham1299 Illinois 4/25/2009

 

4 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels true to width

Pros: Stylish, Attractive Design, Great Cushioning, Comfortable

Best Uses: Casual Wear

Describe Yourself: Comfort Driven

View On Shoes: Shoes are for Wearing

I love these shoes. they're comfortable and quick to put on. I wear these whenever I need something other than slip-ons or sandals.

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Friend Makin' Monday

Andrea over at My Chihuahua Bites! is hosting FMM this week, and she chose a GOOD topic!

Who are your top 5 celebrity crushes? I am so glad I didn't miss this week! LMAO Here's my list, in no particular order.

1. Johnny Depp ~ Need I say more?


2. James Marsden ~ The role I discovered him in is Prince Edward in Enchanted. He is quite yummy!


3. Matt Damon ~ Especially in the Jason Bourne movies! YUMMY!


4. Sawyer ~ It's sad. I don't know the actor's name. Josh Holloway? Is that it? Or something like that? Poor guy'll probably never be known - at least not by the ladies - as anything other than Sawyer! LOL But, hey, is that really such a bad thing?


5. Aragorn ~ I know the dude who plays him is Viggo Mortensen. The role of Aragorn is the only one in which I find him HOT. But, I'll take it. Each of those movies in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is quite long - more time to enjoy some eye candy! ;-)

Those are mine - at least for now. Only the first three are pretty consistently on my list. The last two are interchangeable with other actors. But, this is my list this time! LOL

So, what about you? Who are your top 5 celebrity crushes? I showed you mine - now it's your turn to show me yours! ;-) (Don't forget to post a link so I know to come check it out!)

Book Review: Inkdeath

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this final book in the Inkheart trilogy. I felt the conclusion was satisfactory. There were some twists and turns I hadn't expected, and I felt sufficient closure was given to each character of importance. I loved how Meggie's fate was hinted at. I also thought the further development of Mo, Resa, and even Fenoglio was a lot of fun to watch.

I am keeping this extremely general, as I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. I didn't find this as awesome as the other two, but perhaps that's in part because I wasn't able to read it without distraction. It's really difficult to get fully captivated by a book when you're not able to shut out the world around you.

View all my reviews.

It's Hump Day Again ...

Well, for me it is! As of now, DH has 15 days until his return. We're smack-dab in the middle of his deployment. Going away last week was the best thing I could've done. It really helped the time fly by. With appointments and soccer practices and school, this week flew by, too. Two weeks from tomorrow, he'll be home. I cannot wait!

I will admit it - this (so far, at least) - seems to be a bit easier than the past times were. Perhaps it's because the kids are older - or because I've had more practice. I dunno. But, it's not a matter of creating a new routine, only of falling into an established alternate routine. I used to be in awe of military wives, who do this regularly. I still am - but now I'm more grateful that I'm NOT a military wife. At least my husband never has to go if he doesn't choose to. As a civilian, he can turn down deployments at any point - heck, he could even leave mid-deployment if he ever needed to. And, at least I know he's safe. He's never going into harm's way. I am grateful for that, too. And, yes, that alone leaves me in awe of military wives, as does the fact that my husband's deployment is much shorter than a typical military deployment.

Anyway, I just wanted to celebrate - it's all downhill from here, right? ;-) These next two weeks cannot pass quickly enough. Although, I do think they will fly by. We have a soccer game - complete with team photos - tomorrow, plus her practices on Mondays and Wednesdays and more games for the next few Saturdays. We have Abby's carnival at school on Friday. Grant has another appointment with the speech therapist. And so on. We'll keep busy, and that's good. It's how I have found it's best to pass the time until DH's return. Once he is back, I wanna just slow down - for a long time!

Well, thanks for bearing with me as I mark what is an important day for me. Now I just pray my adrenaline rush lasts another 15 days - or so!

Scrollin' Scrollin' Scrollin'

Keep those badges scrollin'
Scroll on!

OK, enough silliness! LOL Thanks to Heidi from Sacred and Profane, I found a way to keep my badges from making my page longer than the Mississippi River. Over on the right, I have a new little widget that scrolls my badges in a smaller area than displaying them all statically. Heidi kindly pointed me to Dinkypops, where Brooke was kind enough to post the code for anyone who is interested in saving some space on their page. So, if you fit into that category, just check out the post on how to scroll your buttons!

Do you like lists?

Lists can be useful, for so many reasons. And I'm not just talking about the to-do lists. Or the honey-do lists, either! ;-) I know when I'm trying to decide on something, there are time when others' rankings of whatever it is - let's say what new TV show to watch - help me make my choice. Or, sometimes, it's just fun to see what others think of various things. Yes, I know, I'm writing somewhat vaguely. Sorry. I'm not trying to confuse, bore, or annoy anyone. I want to share The Mother of All Lists with you. There are more than 600 lists on just about any topic! (I am honored to say that my list of Top 10 Kids' Shows has made it onto this list.) Anyway, even if you don't need a list right now for anything, take a look. Bookmark this list, as there'll be a day when you do need it!

Love is a verb: My Three Happy Moments For Today

Over on Love is a verb, Divine Mrs D has a great take on life. In her recent post, Love is a verb: My Three Happy Moments For Today, she finds some things to be happy about. Lord knows that's something I need to work on myself. So, here are my three happy things for today.

1. Today was our first day home since last Wednesday, and we all really enjoyed it. I think every one of us - even the dog - was happy to be home again.
2. Thanks to the cold, wet weather, soccer practice for Abby was canceled today. That made for a more relaxed evening. What's not to love about that?
3. Abby very sweetly informed me that she likes how I look when I wear my glasses, and that she thinks I look beautiful when I wear my hair down. Sweet girl!

I shared mine, so now it's your turn. What are your happy moments today?

Would this freak YOU out?

Let's just say that since we returned home yesterday, there has been a short series of odd events on the premises.

While pulling into my garage last night, I noticed that our trash can and recycling bin have moved. No, not moved, rather pivoted - turned roughly 45 degrees clockwise so that they are angled kinda diagonal to the garage. Odd. I put them back, as that's not how we keep them. I figured it was a freak odd occurrence. Either maybe they got blown around while we were gone and someone put them back. Or maybe some freak wind gust(s) caused it. I dunno.

Apparently I was wrong. The kids and I get home after a Target run about an hour and a half ago, and the cans have been turned again. I'm thinking that it's definitely not a fluke. And I should probably note that no one else's cans have been turned. Who the heck would be doing this? Should I be worried? If my husband was here, I wouldn't be worried - just annoyed. But, he's not - and won't be until early May. I guess that puts me on high alert. Anyway, is the old man from across the alley a suspect? Again, it's only our cans. No one else's. What gives? I'll be honest and say I'm slightly creeped out by this.

Tomorrow is garbage day. Tonight I put out the can for pick-up (no recycling this week). I decided to leave the pivoted cans because of that, but when I put it back tomorrow afternoon, I'll put it back the way we usually keep them. What if it happens again?

One week down ...

... three left to go. And I'm EXHAUSTED! But, I think - I hope - the hardest week is coming to an end. Spring break. Thanks to the hospitality of my parents, we were able to really have a nice week. We came to see them Wednesday afternoon, and will leave tomorrow after lunch. The time here has been great - time to hang out, stay out of each others' hair, time to be with family. The kids have thoroughly enjoyed getting to play with their cousins every day, and I have enjoyed getting to see my sister and my parents. (The only thing missing is my other sister, who lives on the East Coast.) Today we dyed Easter eggs with the kids. This was the first time any of my kids got to do it. Abby and Grant both really loved it. We had some leftover color tablets, which I will bring home and use in a couple of weeks. An easy thing to do to have more fun with the kiddos. Tomorrow we have our Easter celebration with family, including an egg hunt, then we head home after lunch. I have mixed feelings about that. It'll be so nice to be in my own home - not to be living out of a suitcase anymore. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed, and get the kids back into their usual routine. But, I'm going to miss my family - and being home again. I also don't necessarily look forward to having to deal with the dog again. *sigh*

I do have to say that I think I'm much more homesick than I'd thought. In the past there have been things about coming home that I haven't liked - mainly the congestion. Too many people everywhere - too many cars on the roads. But, none of that bothered me this week. None of it. I just kept thinking how good it is to be home! And it really is. It breaks my heart to know that the chances of coming back permanently are slim to none. I truly think I'd be happier here. I'd be able to get back with most of my friends. Go to places I miss. And, best of all, see my family more often than a few times per year. *sigh* I just need to think about what it is that we have going well for us there that we likely wouldn't have here.

Things to like about where we live:

• I get to be a SAHM.
• We own a house. I don't think we'd be able to do that here - especially not without me working.
• We have EXCELLENT caregivers for our children and ourselves. Our pediatrician, for one, is someone I'd hate to have to try to replace. And, God forbid, if he ever chose to move on, we at least have a wonderful practice from which to choose a replacement. But, I banish such thoughts, as I really don't wanna see that happen. My doctors, our dentists, eye doctor. Everyone. They are all quality professionals who have good bedside manner, too. That bedside manner is what I'd miss. I know there are quality professionals here, too, but I never had such awesome bedside manner here.
• Lighter traffic.
• Many things that can't be found easily here usually aren't so hard to get where we live.
• The river.
• Cost of living is significantly lower.
• Our kids were born where we live.
• Car insurance is considerably cheaper - as is homeowner's insurance, I'm sure.
• We can live a slower, more relaxed lifestyle - and there's definitely something to be said for that.

Well, I'm feeling a ton better! :-) What a great idea that was! ;-)

As I mentioned before, my wonderful husband gets home three weeks from today. Believe me, I am counting down. I started counting down before he left! LOL I'm hoping that once we get back into our usual routine, I'll not be so tired and we'll be able to make it without much stress. And I'm rambling. Sorry. I'm exhausted beyond belief.

Top 10 Kids' Shows

As I sit here, Abby is watching one of her favorite kids' shows. And that served as inspiration. I thought I'd share with you what shows my kids watch that I don't mind having on the TV. These are in no particular order.

1. Martha Speaks ~ This PBS Kids show is great. I have no idea how long it's been on air, but we discovered it in the fall. Abby immediately took a liking to it. While the concept is kinda goofy, it's very educational. I have noticed a significant increase in her vocabulary since we've started watching this show. Plus, it's hilarious. There are times they put little witty comments in there that my husband and I both find ourselves laughing at. It's a great, educational, and witty show!
2. Word Girl ~ Another PBS Kids show that we just love. Like Martha Speaks, it is funny, educational, and another great show. This, too, helps Abby's vocabulary. In fact, when I hear her use a big word, I often ask her where she learned that word - and nine times out of 10, she'll say one of the two shows. Pretty cool, if you ask me! While I don't find it quite as amusing as Martha Speaks, it still cracks me up on occasion.
3. Little Bear ~ This one's a Noggin fave in our house. The kids love it. I like it, too. I'm not sure why - it's definitely not the most educational show. But, it is cute.
   
4. Jack's Big Music Show ~ Another Noggin fave here, JBMS is a music-centered show. The kids love it - the puppets are attention grabbers, and the music is a hit. My kids are especially fond of Laurie Berkner. I like this because it actually teaches them about music and even exposes them to different genres of music. As a music fan, I find that a HUGE plus!
5. Little Einsteins ~ Another music-centered show, Disney's Little Einsteins is another big hit in my house. My favorite thing about this one is they use classical music. I don't always like the lyrics they add - and sometimes I wish the kids were better singers - but the exposure to classical music makes me very happy. Plus, they teach kids all sorts of musical terms.
6. Sid the Science Kid ~ While this one tends to be annoying at times, I appreciate the fact that this new PBS show goes beyond the typical teaching of the alphabet and numbers to teach youngsters science. I have been very impressed by the stuff it covers - from irreversible change to caring for your teeth to why some people need glasses. It's pretty neat - and my son just loves this show.
7. Word World ~ I love this PBS show because not only does it teach letters and words, but it teaches phonics, too. It helps children learn to sound out words - my 3-year-old son can read three- and four-letter words and I'm sure it's partially thanks to this show.
8. Curious George ~ Yes, this is another PBS show. (We do not have cable/satellite TV.) It's based on the popular series of books, and it's a highly entertaining show. It was one of the first shows we discovered after we canceled our DirecTV service almost two years ago. It's quite funny at times, and it still finds a way to teach kids subtle lessons. We like it, though, purely for its entertainment value!
9. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ~ Another Disney hit, MMC is a favorite in our house. Grant, especially, loves it. It teaches everything from counting and shapes to colors and numbers. The kids find it highly entertaining, and that's always good.
   
10. Super WHY! ~ I don't know why, but PBS is big on reading. And that's a good thing - I am NOT complaining! This is a cute show that takes common - and not-so-common - fairy tales and childhood stories and uses them to help kids learn some reading skills and letter recognition. Sometimes I get annoyed by the retelling of some of the fairy tales, but that's just the purist literature lover in me! ;-) This show is another one that's helping my kids learn to love reading. I'm not gonna complain.
    

So, there you have it. My 10 favorite shows for young kids. All of these are guaranteed hits in my house.

Now it's your turn. Please share a list of your favorite kids' shows, and post a comment with a link to your post so I can come see! :-)

My Elevator Pitch

As I have mentioned a few times in the past, I'm participating in a 31-day challenge to improve my blog. Yesterday's challenge was about creating an elevator pitch for your blog. (If you wanna know exactly what that is, read all about it here.) Long story short, it's a tagline, basically. It's supposed to make someone want to read it. I don't think mine is all that catchy - "Just sharing whatever's on my mind" doesn't scream READ ME! But, that's ok. Because, really, that's all I plan/intend to do here. I don't have a higher purpose for this blog. I'm not trying to change the world, leave my mark on the world, or anything else. I started this blog with the intention of having a place where I could let myself out. Say what I want, how I want, when I want. Allow my verbal diarrhea (nice picture, huh? LOL) to have its way. Yes, the blog is evolving a bit - I now also post book reviews, product reviews, and community "events" (such as Friend Makin' Mondays) - but I don't want it to be pegged. I don't want it to be something I feel I have to do. I enjoy this, and I'd like to keep it that way. So, while it's not very engaging, my elevator pitch will have to remain "Just sharing whatever's on my mind" - at least for now. A longer version could be, "Just sharing whatever's on my mind. From rantings and ravings about life in general to book and product reviews, if it's on my mind, this is where it'll be." Not very catchy or creative, but then neither am I! ;-)

Stay tuned for more posts related to the 31 days to a better blog. In fact, I'm hoping to complete today's task soon.

I lied

Well, not really. I didn't lie, persay. I just was wrong! LOL I thought I was done with my blog, but I was not happy with my header at all! So, I've been up way too late trying to make one I like. This one is much better, but I'm still not sure if this is IT. I've been staring at it for way too long to be able to determine that! LOL In fact, I've spent so much time on this, that I failed to do my first day of the 31 days to a better blog. And, of course, we're leaving Wednesday to go out of town for Easter weekend. So, maybe I'll be a week behind. Or maybe, by some miracle, I'll find time tomorrow to do it. We'll see. But, I WILL do this challenge!

Friend Makin' Monday

This week's mission on All That is Good is to post 10 things that really get you fuzzed up - as in mad. So, here I go! (I used to be an editor, and I have a degree in English, so a few of these are related to that.)

1. Not using its and it's correctly. Possessive is its. If you wanna say it is, you need that apostrophe! It's that simple, folks!
2. Improper use of there, their, and they're. The first, there, is the place, as in "Go over there." The second, their, is possessive, as in "That is their new car." The easiest one to remember is the third. They + are = They're
   
3. People not using turn signals when driving.
   
4. Overuse of shorthand (or whatever it's called) when typing somewhere. I will admit, I use it sometimes - DH for my husband, GMTA for great minds think alike, etc. But, I do not do the numbers-and-words combos.I h8 when I have 2 stop and dcy4 what someone's saying - especially when it's directed at me. If you're writing to me on Facebook or whatever, please be so kind as to spell everything out.
   
5. My wonderful husband seems to fear the consequences of putting his dirty clothes inside the hamper, rather than on top of it.
   
6. Along the same lines, after showering, my wonderful husband tends to leave his wet towel in our bedroom - haphazardly tossed on top of my clothes or my side of the bed.
   
7. Misuse of the apostrophe ('). Do NOT use it to denote plurals. Apostrophes are used for POSSESSIVES or contractions (i.e. turning cannot into can't).
   
8. Speaking of cannot - it's one word.
9. When people show blatant favoritism for one branch of the family tree.
   
10. People who abuse the system - any system, but especially any sort of help. Like, yes, Welfare. While there are a good many of people out there who need it and who are honestly trying to better themselves, there are way too many freeloaders. You are entitled to the pursuit of happiness - that means you can do what you need to make yourself happy. Stop expecting others to do that for you. And off the soapbox I go ...
    

And there you go. Lists like these are hard for me - take forever to write. But, I'm always happy to have done it. Let me know if you participate in this, too, so I can come read your list!

It pleases me to announce ...

... that my blog redesign is finished! :-) I am so excited. I've been working for several days with my friend Kelly on this design. Many of you know it took me some thought and help to decide on a header. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! I removed some elements from my blog, because they increased load time, or they were just plain annoying. I considered removing the playlist, but I have that there for my own enjoyment more than anything. So, it stays - but it does not autoplay. So, that means if you want to hear it, you'll have to start it. Otherwise, no more music. I know how annoying it can be if you aren't wanting to hear it - or if you're listening to something else - when someone's music starts without your consent. So, now you have control.

This is Day 1 of the 31-day blog-improvement challenge. I haven't even read the e-mail yet, but I cannot wait to get started. I wanted my new design live before I did anything with that, though. Anyway, I am thrilled to pieces over this. Thanks for your patience - and your help, if you weighed in on the header!

Pardon My Dust

This blog is currently under construction.

The kids and I haven't been feeling well, so I went to bed early last night. I didn't get my blog updated as I'd hoped before going to bed. I am now working on it. But, of course, this means regular interruptions. So, I'll consider it a victory if I get it done today! I will, of course, post an update when it's finished. Thanks for understanding!

Last time, I promise!

I promise this is the last time I need help with the new header. I made one more post and posted one more poll. Please be so kind as to take this new poll to help me decide!

Go here!

Let's try this again!

Here's another look at my new blog style, with a fourth contender for the header!

Click here!

I need your help!

As I previously mentioned, I am working on a new template for this blog. I am almost finished. The only problem at this point is that I cannot decide on a header. So, I am offering a sneak preview of my new blog so you all can help me choose! On that blog is the new template with three versions of my blog-to-be. Please be so kind as to vote for your favorite! Poll closes at 7:35 p.m. CENTRAL tomorrow (April 5), so please vote now!

Click here!

What a Day

I think I've used this title before! LOL But, man, has it been one heck of a day. For starters, my husband left today for a 30-day civilian deployment. He works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and has "volunteered" to go to Fargo, North Dakota, to help because of the flooding up there. "Volunteered" is a tricky word. It means he elected to go - not that he's a volunteer. He's getting paid - and there's lots of extra money, which is why he goes. I "let" him go, because I know these deployments are extremely helpful in allowing me to SAH with the kiddos. Anyway, he originally was supposed to take off around 11:30 this morning. But, there was an administrative mix-up (that's putting it nicely), and he had to go on a later flight. He took off around 2:30 instead. So, there was madness and craziness with that.

I took Abby to get a haircut at 10:30. I take her to a place for kids called Cookie Cutters.We love this place, and our stylist. They are totally focused on kids. They even have a slide inside for kids who are waiting! It's great. Well, usually, anyway. I had to take all three kids because of DH's issues with the travel orders. He had to go into the office to straighten it all out. When we got there, all three kids started playing on the slide. It's kinda high, but all three have been on it before, so I kinda let my guard down a little. While getting Abby situated for her haircut, Natalie must've fallen off the stairs to the slide. The very top is a few feet off the ground. I don't think she fell off the top - I think it was lower down. But, she fell nonetheless. I didn't see it, and felt horrible about that. She had a red mark on her forehead. I got her a sucker to help settle her down, and she snuggled with me and ate her sucker. She tried to run around with it, but I wouldn't let her, of course.

When we got home, she still had her sucker. I put her in her booster seat at the table so she wouldn't try to take off with the sucker. After about 10 minutes, she starts screaming. I gave her some water, she calmed down. I start making lunch, and she starts screaming again. I figured she was hungry, so I went ahead and fed the kids. She took a couple of bites of her food, and then cried and cried. It was really not like her, so I talked to DH and we decided that I needed to call the pediatrician just to be safe. I put her down for a nap first, as she was nearly falling asleep in my arms.

After leaving a message, I started to put Grant down for his nap. During that, DH came in with Natalie in his arms. He said I need to take her to the ER. He spoke with our pediatrician, who gave him a list of things to look for. After they hung up, Natalie started vomiting - and that was one of the red flags. So, we called the ped's office again, and they said just to go to the ER. So, to the ER we went.

At the ER we talked to a few people - triage nurse, other nurse, physician's assistant, doctor, etc. During our talk with the PA, Natalie threw up again - this time all over me, of course. So, they gave her some Zofran to stop the vomiting and some Tylenol with Codene to help make her feel better and make her drowsy for the CT scan. She did very well for that, and really all three kids did wonderfully the whole time. Finally, we got the results - everything is perfect! PHEW! What a relief!

The PA said that sometimes if the brain gets jostled enough all of those symptoms show up even though there's no major damage or anything. She also said that it's possible that Natalie had a very mild concussion that doesn't show anything on the scan. Natalie is fine, can eat and play however she wants, and we have nothing to be worried about. She does have a prescription for the Zofran, so I gave her some before bed. I'm praying she sleeps well tonight - that all of us do!

We spent a total of about 3 hours at the ER. Thankfully, I was able to find a vending machine so I could give my hungry babies a snack, and they had the TV tuned to PBS Kids.

During this time, DH headed off to Fargo. It sucks - we didn't really get to say good-bye. None of us really did! :-( He was very worried - and concerned that maybe he should have stayed home. I told him that he did the right thing. I called him when we got home. (I will say that this made me wish I still had a cell phone. So, I might be rethinking this no-cell thing soon!)

So Excited!

I know, I know. I've been quiet lately. But, I have good reason. I've been working on a custom template created by ME (with the help of one of my BFF, Kelly) for this blog! I am so excited about it. The color scheme is so me. Actually, any of you familiar with FROGs should instantly recognize the colors! I love those colors so much I decided to use them here, too. I have a practice blog on which I'm tweaking my template. Once it's done, I'll bring it here. I cannot wait! :-)