Whatcha Reading Wednesday

Hey, bookworms! This one's for you! Hosted by Busy Moms Who Love to Read, this is just a fun little thing to share a tidbit from what you're reading.

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you're currently reading and open it to a random page. Choose a random spot on the page (I close my eyes and point LOL), and select two full sentences. Make a post (or just leave a comment, if you'd prefer) with the two sentences you selected. Include the page number and title and author of the book. If, by some odd chance, your two sentences have the possibility of spoiling the story for someone (say, it happens to name the death of a character or reveals a surprise twist), make sure to include **Spoiler Alert** before you share the sentences – that way anyone who'd rather not have it spoiled can opt to skip it! ;-) Then link up on the MckLinky provided! :-)

Here's mine for the week:

"I shall pen a letter at once," she promised, her hands growing cold at the mere thought of it. "Might you arrive in Castleton by Michaelmas?" ~ Page 148 in Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

Tune-In Tuesday

This is rare. I'm at a loss. I'm drawing a blank. I have no idea what music to share with you! WOW! That didn't take long, did it? In my defense, it has been a CRAZY week – if you read this blog you know! So, let's see. What can I share with you ...

How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin ~ What a powerful, powerful song.

The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Well, since I'm drawing a blank right now, I think we'll just have one this week. Hopefully next week I'll have more to share! LOL

So, anyone wanna share their music with me? Please? I'm so lonely! ;-) (If you're curious about what I'm doing, read the first Tune-In Tuesday post HERE.)

Marketing Monday

Here's another fun thing I found while cruising through friends' blogs.



It's a quick, easy way to let people know about your blog, Web site, Esty shop, or whatever! It's hosted by Trendy Treehouse! So, if you wanna join, just head on over and add your link!

If you follow me, I will follow you back for sure! :-) I look forward to making new friends!

Getting to Know You

Another fun one that I just might try to do every week. Getting to Know You is hosted by MannLand5. Feel free to join in if you want! She has a MckLinky on her blog that you can use to share your post - or you can just leave me a comment. :-)

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1. What year did you graduate high school?

1995

2. What part of your body do you neglect the most?

Umm ... I dunno. Part of me wants to say my hair, because it has been WAY too long since my last trim. But, I'm horrible about skincare, so perhaps that's it.

3. Beach house or Lake house?

Beach

4. Mac or PC?

Mac

5. Did you wear braces?

Yep

6. If you could be one person for a day...living or deceased...who would you be?

 If you ask me who I'd like to talk to and/or meet, I could answer this somewhat easily. But, actually be? I dunno - never thought about it. This very moment, maybe I'd be one of my kids so I can see how they see me.

7. How many times have you moved in your life?

 Let's see. Not counting moving into and out of housing during college, eight.

8. Would you rather cook or clean?

Clean. I HATE cooking.

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Now it's your turn! Have fun! (Questions copied below for easier copy/paste.)

1. What year did you graduate high school?
2. What part of your body do you neglect the most?
3. Beach house or Lake house?
4. Mac or PC?
5. Did you wear braces?
6. If you could be one person for a day..living or deceased..who would you be?
7. How many times have you moved in your life?
8. Would you rather cook or clean?

Best Nail Polish EVER

I have been waiting eagerly for some new nail polish that I knew was in the works. It is a new line of environmentally friendly, non-toxic, water-based nail polish – in vibrant, GORGEOUS colors! The brand is Signature Nail Polish. When I saw that they were (finally) taking orders, I immediately placed my order. I found it very difficult to find favorite colors – there are so many AWESOME colors from which to choose! I ordered seven colors for starters – plus the top coat. Shipping was fast – I was quite impressed!

Today, my daughter and I finally got to try it out. Well, she did - I haven't painted my nails yet. I might later. Anyway, she wanted multi-colored nails, so we used five different colors on her fingernails and five on her toenails. Of the ones we tried, our favorites are:

• Sarah's Midnight Sky ~ GORGEOUS purple-blue-black iridescent color! It's pretty in the bottle, but even more so on my daughter's nails!
• Tracy's Sheer Lavender ~ Another VERY beautiful shade. It's a lighter purple-blue iridescent color that I plan to use frequently on my fingernails.
• Tina's Tropical Island ~ A very pretty green color. This one's going on my toes!

Aside from the BEAUTIFUL colors, I love that it's not stinky. It has a very slight nail-polish smell, but you only notice it if you bring the bottle by your nose. (Which I did, just to see how it smelled.) But, after we were finished, the room didn't smell like a nail salon! In fact, you wouldn't know we were getting manicures unless you saw us!

Another thing I love – easy cleanup. I dripped some of it on the tray we were using as our surface, and I wiped it off with my finger. I had the polish all over my thumb and one of my fingers. Once I was done with my daughter's nails, I rinsed my hands with warm water, and the polish came off my skin with little effort! I LOVE it!

So, if you love to paint your nails and you're wanting to try something new, I HIGHLY recommend Signature Nail Polish! The colors are beautiful. There is no stinky nail-polish smell. The polish is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and kid-friendly. And I'll say it again, BEAUTIFUL colors!

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The Lowdown

Company: Signature Nail Polish
Web site: http://signaturenailpolish.com/
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: I purchased for my own personal use. I loved it, and decided to share with my friends and readers! There was no compensation of any sort, and I was not influenced in any way.

Dear God: Please No More

At the end of it all, I found myself thinking "Please, Lord, let this be the end of it! I can't do this again!"

What is "it all"? Just the whole ordeal I hinted at in yesterday's post. Before I start, let me just say that I barely have the energy to think about it, let alone write it all out. So, if this is disjointed or otherwise confusing, please forgive me. I think, in the interest of my OWN sanity, I'm going to give you some background info, then the details, followed by me living up to this blog's name: rambling. I'm just going to post what's on my mind – whatever it might be. Should be fun! (Oh, and this is taking me HOURS to write the whole thing, because of how drained I am.)

Background: Natalie has had a rough winter. She's been sick a LOT – and some of it was pretty bad. From ear infection to pneumonia back to ear infection (times 5, I think) back to pneumonia – again. She has been on a few different meds, but more often than not over the past few months, she's been on Omnicef. It has done its job – the ear infections have gone away as expected. We've just had either more ear infections settle in or something else take their place.

And here begins our tale: Thursday night was AWFUL. But, she was still on the Omnicef, so we didn't even consider anything wrong with her ears. In fact, I remember thinking that it must be viral because she was on the meds. But, I also remember wondering if she was having trouble with her lungs. The issues she was having reminded me of when she had pneumonia. I brought her in to see the doctor that morning. He looked her over and said it was "impossible" that she had strep because of the meds she was on. He ordered a blood test and let me know that, while in the normal range, her white blood cell count was high. Apparently it was indicative of bacteria somewhere. He said to bring her back on Saturday (he was in, praise God) if we had another rough night on Friday.

Friday night was AWFUL, too. So, back to the doctor we went Saturday morning. He took another blood test, but her fingers were ice cold and it was very hard for the nurse to get a sample. We were sent to the lab, where they took blood from her arm. Back at home, she finally was napping when the doctor called. He said her WBC was up from 16,000 to 18,000. He wanted to make sure there wasn't bacteria hiding in her blood, bladder, or lungs, so we were sent to the hospital (the peds department, not emergency or anything) for some tests.

This was the worst part. The worst thing I've ever been through. The time I almost broke down and wept with my child. Almost. But, I didn't, because I felt like I needed to be strong for her.

The hospital was OK. First the chest X-ray, which she didn't like but she cooperated OK. Next, was the urine collection – via catheter. Poor baby, this was the part I was almost crying through. My poor sweet baby clearly didn't like it – and I can't say I blame her. She cried and cried and screamed in a way I'd never heard before.

But it didn't stop there.

Next (as in almost immediately) they went ahead and gave her the shots of antibiotics – yes, two. This was immediately followed by another blood draw. Again, I almost broke down. This was when I found myself thinking "Please, Lord, let this be the end of it!"

We were sent back to our temporary room (to make sure she didn't react to the meds), where she was hysterical. VERY hysterical. She was screaming and crying like I hope to never hear again! She wanted to go home – REALLY wanted to go home. NOTHING would calm her – NOTHING!

I finally decided to take her for a walk in the hallway, hoping to distract her. Praise God, that worked! They have an ocean-themed mural with fish (and bubbles, which she pointed out), whales, etc. That caught her attention, calmed her, and helped restore her to the usual happy, easy-going, cooperative Natalie I'm used to!

The doctor was on the phone while I was in the hallway, so they just had me talk to him there. Basically, the urine culture was negative, but the chest X-ray resembled what he'd expect from a VIRAL infection – not bacterial. With the blood work, he was still concerned that there was some bacteria somewhere, so he set up an appointment for us to see another doctor in the practice this morning. I was told to take Natalie home, treat the symptoms, and let the other doctor know how things are in the morning.

Trying not to think about my worst fears – what else (and far more serious) could cause the white blood cell count to be up – we headed home. On the way, I again found myself thinking, praying, BEGGING, "Please, Lord, let this be the end of it! I can't do this again!"

It really is OVER: Last night was possibly the worst one yet. And she had another fever. We went to the doctor at the appointed time. They took her temp, which was close to normal. They also took more blood, which she HATED. (I can't say I blame her, of course!) But, the test went in our favor. Her WBC was DOWN, PRAISE GOD!

The doctor said he is confident in calling it a viral infection, and that we should just treat the symptoms and report back to our usual doctor tomorrow. Apparently, at the beginning of a viral infection it's common for the WBC to spike before returning to normal. Makes sense to me – the body's initial immune response before knowing exactly how it needs to respond.

Words cannot express just how relieved I was – I still am! I had allowed myself to consider my fears – to research what I was worried the doctors were thinking. I refuse to name it, but I'm guessing you might be able to figure it out. (Hint: It begins with the letter L.) I refuse to name it, not because of fear, but because I refuse to give it any sort of hold in my family at all. It is NOT welcome here, so I think just ignoring it is the way to go. (Please, if you do figure it out, don't post it in the comments. I truly don't want it here on my blog.)

God is so good. I praise Him and thank Him for watching over us – over my baby girl. I feel so much lighter – and have since leaving the doctor's office. Now I just pray this sweet angel of mine STAYS HEALTHY!

Week in Review & Looking Ahead

INTRODUCTION <<< Well, isn't that embarrassing? Today has been the day from hell, and I'm blaming it on that! I hope you all had a better week than I did!

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Looking back, here are the highlights (and lowlights, I suppose) of my week.

• Sunday: I posted my first Getting to Know You post. Personally, it was unusually calm. I finally got all caught up on balancing our checkbooks, savings account registers, etc. Note to self: NEVER put it off for several months EVER again!
• Monday: It was a fun Friend Makin' Monday. :-) Off the blog, it was a busy day. The main thing was I had PT in the morning. Laura, my physical therapist, worked me hard - and left me sore all week!
• Tuesday: Week 2 of Tune-In Tuesday. I had one participant. Just ONE! But, it's more than the ZERO I had the previous week! ;-) I'm trying to see the bright side here. I'm also considering trying to find a way to post just the songs, rather than the videos. More to come on that ... On a personal note, Grant had an event at his school in the evening. Ronald McDonald came and did a horrible program about anti-bullying. Grant seemed to like it, so that should be enough, right?
• Wednesday: I announced the winner of my latest giveaway. Congrats, Denise! Personally, I took my younger kids to Monkey Joe's - which they LOVED! (Grant had the day off.) We went straight from there to pick up Abby, when I decided sitting in front of her school for half the afternoon would be fun. Translation: I drained the Odyssey's battery letting Grant and Natalie watch a DVD with the engine turned off! Fortunately, the hubby was available to help – praise God!
• Thursday: Real life and my blog crashed when I posted a rare tidbit about life with my kids. Seems my oldest has taken up lying as her newest skill to hone. You can read all about it – and give me advice you might have - HERE. Aside from that, we had conferences, which went well – both kids are doing great in school.
• Friday: I again chose to opt out of Friday Follow, but did a Five Question Friday post. Those are a LOT of fun, so I'll likely keep it up! :-) Personally, I ended up canceling my physical therapy appointment because Natalie was sick. Quite sick. Took her to the doctor instead of me going to PT. Otherwise, it was a nice day.
• Saturday: No post other than this one – and this one almost didn't get done. Natalie is really sick. In order to keep this post from getting too long, I'll post about it separately. I did finish the book I'm editing - the first read of it.
  

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As for the coming week:

• Sunday: No blog post planned. Given how things were today, I don't plan much of anything. I do have to speed-read through a book for a blog tour – to be posted by Friday. Personally, we take Natalie back to the doctor in the morning. Our pediatrician has the day off (the NERVE!), so we'll be seeing someone else. But, he's the head of the practice, and I know he's good, so I'm not worried. 
• Monday: I plan to participate in Friend Makin' Monday. Off-blog, I'm supposed to have more physical therapy in the morning. Abby has Girl Scouts in the afternoon, and I just remembered the last bit of money for cookies is due then! (Ahh, a personal benefit for this weekly post!)
• Tuesday: Time for more Tune-In Tuesday! :-) Personally, the calendar is blank, so that makes me happy, but I'm sure it'll change.
• Wednesday: I plan to participate in Whatcha Reading Wednesday! I am REALLY excited about this one! (Yes, I truly AM a book nerd! LMAO) No plans off-blog.
• Thursday: No plans - on blog or off. Although, I'm hoping to reschedule Friday's PT appointment for Thursday so I can have a sitter.
• Friday: Five Question Friday, of course! I also will have posted about this week's blog tour book - PLUS a GIVEAWAY! :-) Hopefully, though, it'll be up earlier in the week! Otherwise, just physical therapy, but you know that I'm hoping it's NOT happening on Friday!
• Saturday: Just the week review/preview post, blogwise. No plans otherwise - YET. Lord knows that'll change! ;-)

I'm kinda - no REALLY - hoping for a low-key week! Natalie being so sick has been ROUGH! Please, Lord, give us some REST!

Testing a Music Feature

As you know I recently began a new meme called Tune-In Tuesday. I had been using YouTube to share songs, but didn't like having the videos – they make the page just too big. So, I've been looking for a way to share JUST a song. And I think I found it. It's called Grooveshark, and it allows me to create widgets featuring single songs. So, I made one with Monster (which was featured this week). Let's see if this works:

Five Question Friday

I'm back for more! :-) This is a fun meme for me. Once again, Friday Follow isn't happening. As before, I refuse to post someone else's sponsor's button on my blog. Frankly, while Friday Follow was fun, I think that's very presumptuous. I mean, really. The nerve! I'm all for getting a sponsor for it, but I draw the line at making posting the sponsor's button as part of the rules. So, from now on (unless the sponsorship thing changes, which I doubt), it's Five Question Friday only. :-)

Sorry for the mini-vent. Now that it's out of my system, on with the show – er, I mean post! ;-)

1. Have you ever had a celeb sighting?

Yep. When my husband and I were in college (at the University of Illinois), we once walked right past Roger Ebert on campus! We didn't realize it was him until we'd walked past, but it still was cool!

2. What temperature do you keep your house?
Depends. During the winter, 73 during the day and 71 at night. Summertime it's different, and I honestly can't remember offhand! LOL (It's programmed into our thermostat, but I obviously haven't run it in several months!)

3. Do you notice dust at other peoples homes?
I can't say that I do - I don't remember ever doing so.

4. What's the worst job you ever had?
Working at Fashion Bug.

5. What is your most sentimental possession?
Anything that belonged to my grandmother. I have a little container of potpourri that smells like I remember her smelling. That's probably it. When I come across it, I'll open it up and take a sniff. She's been gone for 20+ years now, so I'm VERY grateful that I can still smell it!

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Rules for 5QF: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then link up (grab the code too, if you'd like!!). Also link back to Mama M.

No blog? That's alright!! Just answer the questions in the comments of anyone's blog along the way...this is a fun, easy way to get to know your fellow bloggers!

Questions for Friday, 3/19/10 (repeated for easier copying):
1. Have you ever had a celeb sighting?
2. What temperature do you keep your house?
3. Do you notice dust at other peoples homes?
4. What's the worst job you ever had?
5. What is your most sentimental possession?



       

Liar, Liar ~ Now What?

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days, it was a day of good reports, it was a day of bad revelations, it was a day of pride, it was a day of disappointment ...

And I'm done trying to mimic Charles Dickens! LOL (For the confused, that tidbit above is loosely in the style of the first paragraph – the longest run-on sentence I've ever seen – of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. EXCELLENT book. I read it my freshman year in high school and really enjoyed it. But I digress.

So, now I have a decision to make: Do I discuss the positive first, or end on the positive? Hmm...

Today was parent-teacher conferences throughout our school district. In the morning, I had Grant's (preschool) conference. He is doing VERY well, and progressing quite nicely in areas we wanted to work on. He's becoming much more social, and most of my fears have been laid to rest. YAY, Grant! :-)

Abby's school does student-led conferences. It's something I hadn't heard of prior to her kindergarten roundup night two years ago, but it works quite well. She basically runs the conference – shows me her work, progress, etc. We work together to make goals she can strive for, too. The teachers (she has a different teacher for reading/writing and everything else) are both there and answer any questions we might have. It goes pretty well. Overall, Abby is doing GREAT in first grade. We're very proud of her – at least on the academic side.

I'll explain the not-so-proud parts in a moment.

I feel background is necessary, especially knowing that I haven't really said much on this blog about anything concerning this particular subject. This year has been slightly more difficult than last year was, behaviorally speaking. She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to talk. A lot. Nonstop. ESPECIALLY when she gets tired. This has led to her having some behavior issues at school – not listening and distracting others being the main issues. Because of this, we have been offering her incentives for good behavior. When she has a week of GOOD behavior (meaning no warnings), she gets to do something extra-fun on the weekend: see a movie (Alice in Wonderland last weekend) in the theater, spend some extra time with her best friend, stuff like that. Daily incentives include the privilege of playing games on Facebook, PBS Kids, or the Wii; watching TV between dinner and bed (not constantly, of course, just one show); sometimes even staying up a little later than usual. Those incentives seemed to have been working ...

Side note: Sometimes she brings a lunch to school, and other times she buys a lunch. When she brings, it's almost always a sandwich with some side items. She often doesn't have time to finish her entire lunch (some of it is her fault – for talking too much), but I tell her she needs to eat at least part of her sandwich. Whenever she brings a lunch, I ask her if she ate it. Last night was no different. While at dinner, I asked her if she ate her lunch. She said not all of it, but most of it. I asked about her sandwich. She looked me in the eye and said, " I ate about five bites." I said, "OK, good," and left it at that.

Fast forward to this morning, when I finally unpack her lunch bag (usually I do it right after school – not sure why I didn't yesterday) to find her sandwich UNTOUCHED! It was a Smucker's Uncrustable sandwich, and the package was still SEALED! She had a half day today, so I wasn't able to say anything to her until around lunch time. When I picked her up, I asked her about her lunch from yesterday – specifically inquiring about the sandwich. Her response: "I ate about five bites. Wait, no, actually, I ate about half of it." I couldn't help but smile to myself (not sure why, but I know she didn't see) while shaking my head. When we got home, I asked her to explain what I found in her lunch bag. It was then that she admitted to lying. I had to leave soon for Grant's conference, so my husband got to deal with the issue, but I think it's better that way. For some reason, she takes important chats more seriously when they come from him.

I must admit that I have wondered several times today how many other times she's lied about the sandwich, but threw it out instead of bringing it home. I did ask her about it this evening, and it sounds like it wasn't the first time she's lied about it.

And now back to the other part of this.

We walked to her school for her conference, and on the way there she confessed something to me. When I picked her up this morning, she said that she had a great day today. But, apparently, that was not entirely honest. She got a warning today. Meaning that she deliberately lied to me about her conduct at school. :-(

It gets worse.

We have thought for a few weeks now that she was responding quite favorably to our incentives. We were pleasantly surprised – and WRONG! :-( She has been lying about her conduct (and warnings) at school since late February! :-( She has been getting rewarded when she really didn't deserve them. In fact, she has had at least one warning on at least one day per week for the past several weeks – not counting last week (when she missed two days because of her tooth extraction). As I mentioned above, she got a warning today. Yesterday, she had TWO. By itself, not SUPER bad, but still bad. Coupled with the fact that she told us ZERO warnings for the day, SUPER BAD! I did discuss this with her teacher, who said she and the afternoon teacher would pay closer attention to Abby's planner – which is where she notes how the day went.

I am at a complete loss! How in the world did this happen? And, more importantly, now what? Firstly, how do we respond to this? Secondly, how do we trust her now? And, most importantly, how do we prevent this from happening in the future?

If you have any advice, please feel free to share. Again, I am at a complete loss! << shaking head >>

Winner Announcement

It is time to announce the winner of my latest giveaway. With the help of random.org, here is the result:

Here are your random numbers:

1 

Timestamp: 2010-03-18 00:32:36 UTC

So, the winner is DENISE! :-) CONGRATULATIONS! You have won a copy of Mother-Daughter Duet and Dancing With My Father!

After submitting this post, the winner will be sent an e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours, or I will choose a new winner.

THANK YOU everyone who entered! Stay tuned for more giveaways - I have another book up for grabs next week.

Tune-In Tuesday

It's time for Week 2 of Tune-In Tuesday. I don't think anyone participated last week, but that's OK. I love music. It's my goal to share my favorite music with you. I'm hoping to come up with a graphic for this, but can't decide if it's worth it if no one participates ...

Anyway, to refresh everyone's memory, my point is to just share some songs that either are my current favorites or have really hit home as of late. I'm attempting to limit myself to two songs per week, but you can feel free to share as many as you want. To read more about why I decided to do this, check out last week's post HERE. Here are my choices for this week:

1. The Words I Would Say by Sidewalk Prophets ~ I have heard this on the radio a few times recently, and thought it was so good. When I attended Winter Jam on Friday, they were there - so I bought the CD. AWESOME song! Anyone who is struggling should hear this! I don't know if this is the official video or something someone created to go with clips from the movie Fireproof. Either way, it's an excellent song!

Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the LORD and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,

Be strong in the LORD and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the LORD and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say

2. Monster by Skillet ~ I told you last week that I LOVE Skillet! ;-) This song is special to me. Not because I can relate to it (although there are times I can), but because my kids love it. They ask for it all the time. There's a (what I consider cheesy) effect toward the end of the song that cracks my kids up. The car (where the CD currently resides, and has for months) fills with the musical laughter of my kids, and that makes this song that much better! I also wanna add that this song makes me think of some characters I've become acquainted with recently: Dexter, from the Showtime series of the same name, and Edward Cullen from the Twilight series. Anyway, here's the song:

The secret side of me, I never let you see
I keep it caged but I can't control it
So stay away from me, the beast is ugly
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it

It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls
It comes awake and I can't control it
Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

My secret side I keep hid under lock and key
I keep it caged but I can't control it
'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp
There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart
No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream
Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I've gotta lose control, he something radical
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

So, what music has touched you recently?

Friend Makin' Monday

This one looked like fun, so here I go! For those who aren't familiar, Amber hosts this every week. Join on in, it's lots of fun! :-)

I am.... still adjusting to daylight savings.

I think.... a lot. About everything.

I should.... exercise more - a LOT more - and get back into counting calories.

I dream.... vividly almost every night.

I want.... to find a freelance editing job that would allow me to work as much or as little as I want. I want a freelance editing (or not freelance - that would work, too) job that is editing novels.

I know.... that I need to get back to going to church. But, where? That is the question.

I don't like.... PMS. I hate how it makes me so friggin' irritable!

I smell.... nothing right now, which is a good thing with two kids in diapers! ;-)

I hear.... Natalie talking to herself about something. Not sure what, as she's still mostly difficult to understand. The one word I keep hearing is "car" - not sure why.

I fear.... too much.

I usually.... try to stick to a pretty predictable routine, as that's how I function best.

I search.... using Google only. Haven't even tried Bing. I'm just too loyal to Google! LOL

I miss.... my family. I hate being far away from them. :-(

I always.... kick myself for taking on too much.

I regret.... allowing myself to get so deeply into debt during college - and not working seriously to pay it off ASAP.

I wonder.... if I'll ever get to where I feel like myself again - the me I was before PPD and getting fat.

I crave.... time all alone in my own home. I'd like to just read in the comfort of my own home, watch whatever I want whenever it strikes my fancy, sleep in my own bed as long as I feel like I need to, not have company when I pee in my own toilet.

I remember.... the layout of the apartment I lived in when I was 2, as well as many other things that surprise me.

I need.... Jesus.

I forget.... what it's like to feel well-rested.

I feel.... physically exhausted and emotionally conflicted.

I can.... do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I can't.... seem to find the motivation I need to get myself exercising more. Nor can I find the perfect type of exercise for me.

I am happy.... when I am with my family, while playing with my children, while reading a good book.

I lose.... peace when I'm not following God's plan.

I sing.... along to every song I know the words to - I LOVE to sing!

I listen.... mostly to Christian music. I'd say at least 90% of what I listen to is Christian. As you likely know already, SKILLET is my FAVORITE. But I also love Tenth Avenue North, Amy Grant, Third Day, Switchfoot - to name a few ...

I shop.... too much.

I eat.... too much junk.

I love.... God, Jesus, my family (husband, kids, extended family), music, reading, animals.

Getting to Know You

Another fun question-and-answer thing I wanted to try. It's hosted by MannLand5. Feel free to join in if you want! She has a MckLinky on her blog that you can use to share your post - or you can just leave me a comment. :-)

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1. What's your favorite Easter candy?

Chocolate bunnies. I prefer the hollow ones, because they're easier to break up. LOL But, it's gotta be good chocolate (nothing cheap) - Hershey's, Lindt, Dove, etc.

2. Who do you think is cleaner..men or women?

I wanna say women, but I don't know. I can't BELIEVE the mess I've seen in women's bathrooms sometimes!

3. Which do you prefer..wordy blog posts or ones with pictures?

I like a healthy mixture of both. If it's REALLY good, I like the wordy ones. But I often don't want to take a lot of time to read it all, so pictures are good, too. After all, pictures are worth 1,000 words, right? ;-)

4. Were you popular in high school?

Nope.

5. What's your bra size?

I believe the bras I wear right now are 38DD, but don't quote me on that. In my efforts to lose weight, I've noticed I might be losing some of that - I sure hope so!

6. How many states have you lived in?

Two: Illinois and Iowa

7. What's one blog you read every day?

There are so many blogs I read, I'm not sure there's any specific one that I read EVERY day.

8. Peanut butter or Nutella?

Peanut butter - preferably with chocolate! :-)

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Your turn! The questions are repeated below for easier copying and pasting!

1. What's your favorite Easter candy?
2. Who do you think is cleaner..men or women?
3. Which do you prefer..wordy blog posts or ones with pictures?
4. Were you popular in highschool?
5. What's your bra size?
6. How many states have you lived in?
7. What's one blog you read every day?
8. Peanut butter or Nutella?

Book Review: Pretend All Your Life

Pretend All Your Life by Joseph L. Mackin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I'm not too fond of this book. I received an ARC through a giveaway on Goodreads. It sounded interesting, but didn't live up to my expectations. It took the book quite awhile to become interesting, and ended unfinished. I hate stories that leave a ton of questions unanswered, and that's what this one does. I felt it took too long to get started on the actual story, and the story was over when it really was getting good.

View all my reviews >>

Week in Review & Looking Ahead

Another review/preview post. I might try to do this regularly. For one, it's nice to go back and rethink the week. Actually, I write it up during the course of the week, so it's nice to review what I felt was important each day. Anyway, it's also nice to look ahead into the week. I like having some idea of what is scheduled to come - keeps things in perspective. And, by sharing what posts I'm planning for the week, it keeps me accountable. Maybe by doing this I'll keep from neglecting this blog! ;-)

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Without further ado, here's the Week in Review:

• Sunday: I posted my first Week in Review/Looking Ahead. It was nice to look back on the week and take a peek at what is coming. On a personal note, I had another visit to the Emergency Room. This time it was for Natalie. She was supposed to be taking a nap, but apparently decided she'd rather not. DH and I heard a LOUD crash from her room, followed by crying. I get there first to find her standing on the floor next to her crib. We turn on the light to see blood trickling down her face. She'd apparently hit her head on the small table near her crib on her way down! So, to the ER we went. Like her brother, Natalie was able to avoid stitches, as they were able to glue it. It wasn't exactly how I'd envisioned spending my Sunday! I sure hope we don't have another ER trip anytime soon. Never would be good! ;-)
• Monday: I opted not to participate in Friend Makin' Monday this week. It was all about the Oscars, which I really didn't care at all about. So, I saved myself the time. On a personal note, my physical therapy went well, and Abby's tooth extraction did, too. 
• Tuesday: I decided to start a new meme: Tune-In Tuesday. I LOVE music, and that's what it's all about. Check it out, and participate in it next week! If it takes off (or at least someone participates), I'll make/get (can't decide which) a button for it! On a personal note, the Tooth Fairy forgot to visit my poor sweet daughter! She was promised an extra-special prize, and instead was heartbroken! Poor thing!
• Wednesday: I posted a quick reminder about my book giveaway. There's still time to enter - don't miss out! On a personal note, it was a GREAT day. We were able to pay off our Odyssey, and no longer have any car payments! Woohoo! God is good! Oh, and Abby headed back to school - and she clearly was happy to be back.
• Thursday: Quiet blog day, but not at home. Natalie was diagnosed with yet another ear infection. So now we're talking tubes. *sigh* I had my second physical therapy appointment, which went well.  
• Friday: I opted to avoid posting Friday Follow, but did post Five Question Friday. Personally, I had an ultrasound of my knee done. Hopefully I'll hear from the doctor next week. It was officially the last day of the third quarter for the kids - YIKES! Time to start thinking about plans for summer! I ended the day by attending Winter Jam, which featured Tenth Avenue North, Newsboys, Third Day, and many more. VERY good concert. 
• Saturday: Just this! ;-) Personally, Abby had a gymnastics class this morning - LOVED it! I think she might want to do more at some point. There's only one more week, and she's disappointed that it's ending so soon. She was rewarded for good behavior at school by me taking her out for lunch, then to see Alice in Wonderland. VERY good movie - beautiful colors, and very well done. It wasn't dark, which I know many feared. Abby loved it, too.

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And now for a preview of the week:

• Sunday: No blog-related plans, although I might finally clean up the layout a bit. Personally, no plans - just hoping to recover from Daylight Savings!
• Monday: Friend Makin' Monday, assuming I like the topic. ;-) Personally, more physical therapy for me.
• Tuesday: Week 2 of my new meme, Tune-In Tuesday. I don't think anyone participated last week - PLEASE, someone, participate this week! LOL I already know what I will be posting. If I get some people to join in, I'll make a nifty graphic for it. I just don't want to waste my time if it's not gonna catch on. Personally, just an event at Grant's school.
• Wednesday: The BOOK GIVEAWAY ends (at 1 a.m., so register no later than TUESDAY)! Don't miss your chance to enter! Personally, it's the first of three days off for Grant. I'm thinking that maybe this week we'll go to Monkey Joe's this week.
• Thursday: No plan blogwise. Personally, Abby has a half day, Grant has no school, and I have parent-teacher conferences for both kids.
• Friday: Friday Follow - if they aren't saying we need to post their sponsor's button! ;-) Plus Five Question Friday - too much fun to miss! Personally, physical therapy in the morning. All three kids home - Monkey Joe's?
• Saturday: Week in Review & Looking Ahead blog post. Personally, Abby has gymnastics and I gotta pay bills.

And there you have it. The week looks to be a little less crazy than this last one, but having the kids home so much might make it end up crazier! LOL We'll see.

Have a blessed week - and Happy St. Patrick's Day (on Wednesday)!

Five Question Friday

I've decided I really like this meme, and will try to do it regularly. I have opted not to do Friday Follow this week, because they're asking everyone to post their SPONSOR'S button this week, and I refuse to do that. I'm not posting someone else's sponsor's button on my blog - not makin' money for YOU. Nuh-uh! So, without further ado, I'll get into Five Question Friday.

1. How much time do you spend on the computer a day?

I plead the Fifth. Seriously. It's way too much, given that I make ZERO dollars during the time I spend online!

2. Will you pay for your children's college or raise them to pay for their own way?

A little bit of both. We have money put aside for each, but once that's gone, they are expected to take care of the rest. My husband and I truly believe that they will appreciate their education more if they take an active part in making it happen.

3. Have you ever been in a car accident?

Yep. Many times. At least once as a child, and two or three as an adult (driving).

4. What is your favorite book?

Hahahahahaha! This question is IMPOSSIBLE for me to answer. I LOVE to read. I am an avid reader. I couldn't possibly pick ONE favorite! That said, I am ADDICTED to the Riyria Revelations series by Michael J. Sullivan. Michael is an EXCELLENT storyteller, and these are well-crafted stories. It is a series of six, three of which have been published. The fourth, The Emerald Storm, is expected next month. As I said, I LOVE this series - LOVE it! In fact, I love it so much I've agreed to help (as a favor - not a paid gig) with copy editing, starting with Nyphron Rising (the third book in the series) and continuing through the rest of the series - if they'll have me! 

5. Do you make your bed everyday?

Define "making the bed" - seriously. I don't tuck in all the edges and make it look pristine, but I also don't leave it a mess. The sheets and blankets are straightened out and pulled up to the pillows. It's neat, but not pristine.

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Rules for 5QF: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then link up (grab the code too, if you'd like!!). Also link back to Mama M.

No blog? That's alright!! Just answer the questions in the comments of anyone's blog along the way...this is a fun, easy way to get to know your fellow bloggers!

Questions for Friday, 3/12 (repeated for easier copying):
1. How much time do you spend on the computer a day?
2. Will you pay for your children's college or raise them to pay for their own way?
3. Have you ever been in a car accident?
4. What is your favorite book?
5. Do you make your bed everyday?

Quick Reminder

About a week ago, I posted another book giveaway! One week from today, it ends. So, I thought I'd remind you all about it! Up for grabs is Dancing with My Father and Mother-Daughter Duet. You can sign up for either one or both - just specify on your entry. So far, there aren't very many entries - I'm hoping it's because of lack of interest in these books, rather that lack of interest in me. (I'm pathetically insecure, aren't I?) Whatever the excuse, please support me! ENTER HERE!

Sneak peek: Coming in a couple of weeks is a giveaway of Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs and a giveaway of An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick.

Tune-In Tuesday

I have always said that music is my passion, my life. When asked the question "What would you do if you could do any job OTHER THAN your current one?" I always say "Something in the music industry. Maybe producing or music engineering, etc." I LOVE music. I love to sing, I love to dance. I LOVE music. Either early this morning or late last night I decided to attempt a meme of my own: Tune-In Tuesday. I'm going to share TWO of my current favorite songs, songs that have recently inspired me, or songs that I just think everyone ought to hear at least once! While I'd love to be able to just add the songs to my account, I have decided to locate the songs on YouTube. If I can find the video that goes with, I will share that. If not, I will find a suitable alternative.

That said, here are my Tune-In Tuesday (Week #1) picks:

1. Rebirthing by Skillet ~ I LOVE Skillet. They are my FAVORITE. I discovered them while in college about 11 years ago, and have been a big fan ever since. So, you'll likely see LOTS of them in here! ;-) This is probably my favorite song of theirs EVER.

I lie here paralytic
Inside this soul
Screaming for you till my throat is numb
I wanna break out
I need a way out
I don’t believe that it’s gotta be this way
The worst is the waiting
In this womb I’m suffocating

Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen
I take you in
I’ve died
Rebirthing now
I wanna live for love wanna live for you and me
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow
Rebirthing now
I Wanna live my life wanna give you everything
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

I lie here lifeless
In this cocoon
Shedding my skin cause
I’m ready to
I wanna break out
I found a way out
I don’t believe that it’s gotta be this way
The worst is the waiting
In this womb I’m suffocating

Bridge:
Tell me when I’m gonna live again
Tell me when I’m gonna breathe you in
Tell me when I’m gonna feel inside
Tell me when I’m gonna feel alive

Tell me when I’m gonna live again
Tell me when this fear will end
Tell me when I’m gonna feel inside
Tell me when I’ll feel alive

2. Hero by Skillet ~ I told ya, I LOVE Skillet. My kids do, too - they ask specifically for Skillet! This is one that all of us listen to a LOT lately.

I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losing my faith today
(Falling off the edge today)

I am just a man
Not superhuman
(I'm not superhuman)
Someone save me from the hate

It's just another war
Just another family torn
(Falling from my faith today)
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live

Chorus:
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero
(Save me now)
I need a hero to save my life
A hero'll save me
(Just in time)

I gotta fight today
To live another day
Speaking my mind today
(My voice will be heard today)

I've gotta make a stand
But I am just a man
(I'm not superhuman)
My voice will be heard today

It's just another war
Just another family torn
(My voice will be heard today)
It's just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

Bridge:
Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive

We're in the fight of our lives
(And we're not ready to die)

Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I've got a hero
(I've got a hero)

Living in me

I'm gonna fight for what's right
Today I'm speaking my mind

And if it kills me tonight
(I will be ready to die)

A hero's not afraid to give his life
A hero's gonna save me just in time

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What has inspired you as of late? Share in comments or with your own blog post. Just make sure to leave a comment with a link to your post so I can come check it out! :-) I'd LOVE to see everyone's Tune-In Tuesday choices! Not only is it fun, but I look forward to discovering new music!

Worst. Parents. Ever.

There are few things worse than waking up to your child crying. One of those things is when you realize it's your fault...

My poor sweet Abigail had a VERY disappointing morning. The Tooth Fairy forgot to come! Ordinarily, this would be disappointing for any child, but this was especially bad. This was the tooth she had extracted yesterday. The one we told her the Tooth Fairy would leave EXTRA for because the dentist took it out. The one that caused her much discomfort and made it hard for her to eat because she has to be careful. The one that is GIGANTIC because the root is still fully in tact. THE TOOTH!

I awoke to the sound of her crying and entering my room. Tears were flowing as she announced, "She didn't come!" Immediately, I had words run through my head that I'll not share here. Then came the thoughts I can share. HOW could we FORGET? After all the poor thing had been through, HOW did we not remember? Now what? How do we explain this one away? What does the Tooth Fairy need to do to restore my daughter's faith in her?

I feel absolutely horrible about this. Horrible! :-( I let her down. How could I?

Monday Madness

Today has truly been one of those crazy days. I finally have some peace - Natalie's napping - and hope it stays somewhat peaceful. The morning just wore me out!

After dropping Grant off at school, Abby and I headed to my physical therapy appointment. It went pretty well. After a lengthy assessment, she gave me some exercises to try. I go back on Thursday. The appointment lasted quite long, and we barely got out on time to make it to Abby's appointment! We immediately headed to the dentist. Abby did very well with her tooth extraction. She didn't like the Novocaine shot - which I cannot blame her for! I HATE those! She did quite well, though - and seems to be just fine now. Upon inspecting the tooth (which he let her bring home for the Tooth Fairy), we can see a groove in the root of the tooth, where the permanent tooth was stuck! That tooth definitely needed to get out! Now we're just praying for quick healing!

While the morning felt crazy, the afternoon really wasn't too bad. We spent some time at the library, where I was able to sign Natalie up for some toddler story time in April. :-) Kids are in bed. I have a headache. :-( I might be going to bed early, too.

Tomorrow: I MUST pay bills. Should've done that today.

Week in Review and Looking Ahead

I have been unusually active over the past week or so, and decided to go back and share my thoughts on the week - and what I have coming this/next week. (Why am I doing this on a SUNDAY? Because I didn't think of this yesterday - and I'll explain why in a bit.)

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So, the week in review follows.

• Sunday: Nothing special comes to mind, but it was a LONG week, so maybe that's why! 
• Monday: I started by participating in the Thaw Blogsplash. It was fun to be part of that! On a more personal note, I finished Monday by spending several hours at the Emergency Room with my 4-year-old son. He split his forehead open on the coffee table (we think, as we were in the kitchen and didn't see it happen). Fortunately, it was a small, clean cut and they were able to glue it - as opposed to him getting stitches.
• Tuesday: I took part in a FUN Friend Makin' Monday. With the drama from the night before, I figured it was understandable for me to need to post a day late. Plus, better late than never, right? More personal, I had an appointment with my PCP to discuss the Prilosec I take for GERD. It went well, and - BEST PART - she was very impressed by my weight loss! WOOHOO! She even congratulated me. :-)
• Wednesday: Umm .... I didn't post anything. And, honestly, can't say I remember much about the day. But, a laid-back, not-so-crazy day was needed, that is FOR SURE!
• Thursday: I posted as part of a Blog Tour. Included in that is a GIVEAWAY of TWO free books. Entrants can specify which they want - or even enter for both. Click HERE to check it out! 
• Friday: A double-post day. I started with Friday Follow and finished with a very fun Five Question Friday. Personally, not much to report. It was my youngest sister's birthday, but she lives too far away to do anything with her. I sent her a text and posted to her on Facebook.
• Saturday: No posts. Sorry to disappoint! ;-) But, personally it was VERY busy. Abby and I spent four hours at her Girl Scout troop's cookie booth. The girls sold 118 boxes, and they all behaved rather well. Abby and I went with her BFF (and her BFF's mom) to Carlos O'Kelly for a late lunch. At the end, I was SICK! I'll spare you the details, but let's just say I'm glad I won't see most of those people ever again! LOL I came home and slept. I was WIPED OUT! I'm guessing now you can see why I didn't post this yesterday! ;-)

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And now for the week ahead. (Again, this is something I'm hoping to do on Saturdays, so today will be mentioned even though it's almost over.)

• Sunday: Nothing planned. 
• Monday: BUSY day! We start the day with me having a physical therapy appointment. I have an issue with one of my knees - something discussed at the aforementioned appointment on Tuesday - so we're trying PT to see if it helps things improve. After that poor Abby is having a tooth pulled! It's a baby tooth. Her dentist says it's blocking the permanent tooth from coming up, so it's coming out. I told her the Tooth Fairy gives EXTRA for teeth that the dentist pulls out, but she's still nervous! Prayers for her would be appreciated! The plan is to keep her home from school, as I don't think she'll be up to it. She's supposed to have a Girl Scouts meeting tomorrow, but I expect her to stay home. We'll see, though - if she's doing OK and wants to go, I'll take her. Hopefully I can remember to check out Friend Makin' Monday!
• Tuesday: No plans come to mind. Just the usual - school, the hubby working, etc. Perhaps I'll post Friend Makin' Monday if I forget on Monday - again!
• Wednesday: Again, no plans that I can think of - and my Google calendar is blank, so it must be true - right? I sure hope so!
• Thursday: The hubby gets paid, so that's always nice. Otherwise, nada - I hope. Note to self: get better about updating that Google calendar!
• Friday: I have an ultrasound in the morning. It's for the aforementioned (twice now) knee. Aside from that, I'm planning to participate in Friday Follow and Five Question Friday.

OK, so the week's not as bad as I was thinking it was going to be. Well, at least not so far as planned events go. Once we make it through our BUSY Monday, it shouldn't be too bad. Hopefully. I am hoping to get a book read that I'm going to be editing, but so far our printer won't cooperate! Looks like we'll be buying a new printer in the next couple of days. (UPDATE: DH just told me that he ordered a new printer! Problem sorta solved. I'm still running behind so far as getting my book read! Oh, well. It'll work out. No sense stressing over it.)

Have a blessed week, everyone!

Five Question Friday

It's Five Question Friday time again! (Another one two weeks in a row? Wow. How is this happening?)

1. What's your guilty pleasure?

Hmm...that's a bit of a loaded question. Are we talking food? Activites? Something else? I'm gonna think on this one - and hopefully remember to come back to it so I can really answer it!

2. What is your favorite TV series?

I'm sorry, but this question implies that I have ONE favorite! So NOT the case! LOL My absolute FAVORITE shows (meaning ones I MAKE SURE to watch by making them a priority of sorts, as opposed to the shows I really like but never get around to actually watching them) are:

• Dexter ~ I cannot believe I'm saying that! PLEASE don't tell my hubby! I thought it was abhorrent when he started watching it (thanks to NetFlix) and openly showed my disgust. I have since been sucked in, and he's - graciously, I'm sure - rewatching the first two seasons so I can see them all, too! He knows I'm enjoying it - just don't tell him how much!
  
• 24 ~ Love, love, LOVE this show!
• Lost

There are plenty more that I REALLY like (Private Practice, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, The Forgotten), but have fallen so far behind that I think I've decided to let them go - at least for now. Perhaps with the help of NetFlix I can get caught up again sometime!

3. Can you speak any foreign languages?

Not really. I can speak a tiny bit of Spanish, but I'm nowhere near fluent - and likely couldn't carry on a conversation beyond "hello, how are you, my name is Heather" and the like!

4. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

I honestly don't know. I used to have a LOT of shoes, but having babies made it so some of those shoes no longer are wearable by me. I got rid of a TON of pairs that no longer fit - but just bought some new shoes last weekend. I'd say a dozen or so - but likely to get more as I rediscover my love for shoes!

5. What's your favorite kind of M&M's...peanut, almond, straight up regular, etc.?

Peanut, hands down!

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Rules: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then link up! If you'd like, grab the code for the blog hop...but you don't have to! Link back to Mama M., so people know where to go for the next go around!

Questions for Friday, March 5th (repeated for easier copying):

1. What's your guilty pleasure?

2. What is your favorite TV series?

3. Can you speak any foreign languages?

4. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

5. What's your favorite kind of M&M's...peanut, almond, straight up regular, etc.?

Friday Follow

It's a miracle - two weeks in a row! Maybe I can be more consistent. I must admit, ever since deciding to stop editing content for eHow.com, I've found I've enjoyed blogging much more. It's no longer a chore, but something I can do at my own pace without pressure to be doing something else! That said, it's time to get down to business.

Welcome to the eighth Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! You are invited to join in every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here’s how YOU can join the celebration:

• Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below – Only need to on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
• Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots
• Follow as many blogs as you’d like
• Comment on the blogs telling them you’re from Friday Follow
• Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow

The Blog Hop is the same at each of our three hosts blogs so you do not have to add your blog at each site. Just one – but you can follow each host blog. Follow a few or follow them all.
This list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. This list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

GIVEAWAY: Dancing With My Father & Mother-Daughter Duet

Today I'm posting for another blog tour. This one features two books that I just don't think I can get finished by tomorrow! I'm a little over halfway through one, and just don't see the time to read the second - at least not by the end of tomorrow! ;-) So, here's the info about the books. I'll post my thoughts on them, and later - eventually - a review.

I have one copy of EACH book to give away to two lucky readers. Details on how to win are below!

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Description:  The reality of living in a broken, fallen world can leave women feeling overcome by fear, guilt, and weariness. Many develop “sawdust souls,” numb to any sense of joy.

In this warm and wise book, author Sally Clarkson invites readers to take God’s hand and let Him lead them into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose. With the voice of a trusted mentor, she reveals how, by getting in tune with the rhythm of God’s presence, women can nurture an inner attitude of anticipation and celebration even in the stressful seasons of life.

Through rich biblical insights woven with real-life stories, women will be inspired to recapture a spirit of joy as they follow God’s lead on the dance floor of life.

Author Bio: Sally Clarkson is a popular speaker, known across the nation and internationally for her work with women. She is the author of several books, including The Mission of Motherhood, The Ministry of Motherhood, and Seasons of a Mother’s Heart. She has worked in various ministries, including Campus Crusade for Christ. With her husband, Clay, she is cofounder of Whole Heart Ministries, which encourages and equips Christian parents. The Clarksons, parents of four, live near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

My thoughts: This book is making me think about a lot of things in ways I'd never done before - or at least not in a long time. While it's about joy, it's also made me think about my role in my family - my job as a wife and a mother. It's made me realize that I need to embrace these roles in a way I haven't yet, and really give these people in my life everything I have. The following quote, in particular, really touched me:

Parents face the test of whether to pursue our own rights and interests or give up personal time and priorities in order to invest in training our children and learning what it means to be a servant leader.

This quote jumped out at me. I need to be better about giving up my own personal interests and personal time for the benefit of my children. Yes, the needs to be some balance, but I need to be less self-centered and more focused on my kids. God has given me these wonderful blessings, and I need to focus on them. That means less time pursuing my own interests and more just caring for them, loving on them, being a good mother to them.

The style of the writing in this book is very conversational and very easy to read. Overall, I am enjoying her stories and learning a lot about my relationship with God.

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

Get your own copy: Order your copy of Dancing with My Father HERE.

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Description: When a daughter is born, her mother has a thousand hopes and dreams for her, especially that they will be best friends one day.

Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. But a harmonious relationship is possible.

Award-winning author Cheri Fuller and her daughter, Ali Plum, have been there and have discovered the keys to a healthy relationship. In Mother-Daughter Duet they share their story—each from her own perspective—in which they have experienced distance and tension, growth and challenge, and, ultimately, acceptance and harmony. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on several basic principles (letting go; listening; respect; setting boundaries; and more), Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms repair the breach so that daughters want to draw close.

The mother-daughter dynamic is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But mothers and daughters can achieve mutual respect and learn to celebrate their differences when they learn the two-part harmony of the mother-daughter duet.

Author Bios: Cheri Fuller is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women’s conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs.

Ali Plum is Cheri’s daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet marks her debut into book publishing.

My thoughts: Don't really have any yet, as I have yet to even open this book. BUT, I do look forward to reading it. As the mother of two daughters, I hope to gain a lot of insight into how best to foster a healthy relationship with my girls. Once I've read it, I'll let you know if it delivers! ;-)

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

Get your own: You can purchase your own copy of this book HERE.

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And now for the EXTRA FUN part! Sign up to get a FREE copy of either book. Contest ends at 1 a.m. CENTRAL on March 17. To enter, just give me your information using the MckLinky form below. Make sure to specify what you're entering for (Dancing, Duet, or both)! Remember, only I have access to your e-mail address, so don't be shy! Finally, contest is open only to U.S. residents. No P.O. boxes.