Where is Santa?

  Creation Station: Where is Santa?:  Growing up I remember asking my mom so many questions about Santa.. Curious about the magical appearance that awaited Christmas night and ...

Beautiful tribute from the Dr. Phil show

The Dr. Phil show this morning had a beautiful tribute to the Sandy Hook victims; and i thought I would share it with you all, just in case you missed it...


(Copy of the poem being read, from Dr. Phils Facebook page; just in case the video freezes too much for you to hear it)

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

Thank you for sharing this in our comments @TrinaHidalgo.

... A Beautiful Tribute!

Wrap up with the memories

  My grandma turned 94 the end of last month (and with Christmas being here) and my mom wanted to do something special for her; so, she decided to have a memory blanket made.  We searched the internet and found many places that would allow a photo to be added, even a few, but nothing like what she had envisioned.  She wanted to add photo's of the whole family, both old and new and this meant adding photo's that were over 40 years old or older. After searching high and low (so it seemed), I found a place (walmart.com) that would allow me to add up to 30 photographs to grandmas blanket.

  My Grandma suffers from alzheimer's disease and she loves looking at the photos that we all have placed on the walls by her bed, but she doesn't do well holding them because she tends to tear or ball the pictures up.   Therefore, my mom felt that a memory blanket would be a perfect gift to allow her to wrap up with her memories, keeping her warm and having the photos where she could touch them as well; and I think that it was an awesome idea!

  I was worried that the picture quality of the old photographs would be poor; so, I edited them as much as I could with Adobe Photoshop before hand; and found the best pictures possible of the entire family.  Walmart.com allows you to make memory blankets and add up to 30 photo's so I had to make sure I had everyone, but included some that might allow a memory to resurface as well; one's like my grandma and grandpa together, her daddy, pictures of her with her kids when they were small, and even one with my grandpa holding their first child.  I was hoping that adding these pictures would be special and in some way help her recall her life before the disease took over!

  I got a 60x80 Collage Fleece Blanket for $49.95, which was a pretty good deal, in my opinion. The process was pretty quick (once I had everything I wanted to include), but it uses a shuffle feature instead of allowing me to place the pictures in the order I wanted.  This aggravated me somewhat, but looking back, I am glad it didn't let me do this because I would be still working on it. ((LOL))  Once I was finished adding everything, I shuffled the pictures until I found the best look to match what my mom was going for! When I finished the order, it said that it would arrive within 7-10 days right to her door, which shocked me a little.

  Tuesday morning the memory blanket.. and I have to say... I was PLEASED!!!!  It turned out SO good!  The older pictures look like they were taken recently, and the quality is great!  All of the pictures are at least a 5x7 size; and it is perfect; my mom was more than happy with the results and is already looking forward to making another one... I just wish my grandma was in the right mind-set to enjoy all the memories wrapped up into this blanket.

  So, if you are looking for a sweet and memorable gift for a loved one this Christmas or anytime in the future, consider getting them a memory blanket; so they can wrap up with their memories and enjoy them for a lifetime!

  Believe me... It will be worth the look on their face when they open it because it is a special gift that can last a lifetime!

Here it is...

Lights for A Cause 2012

    When the Bearden's daughter Autumn was born in 2002 they decided to decorate their home with 100s of lights to make it pretty for her homecoming, never realizing that it would become what it is today!  After getting so much traffic from people admiring the lights they turned it into a way to give back!


Autumn's Lights just kicked off their 10th Annual Lights Show this past weekend and had an outcome of an estimated 1,200 people; and my family was among the crowd!
 We have taken the kids twice before when we were in the area at Christmas; however, I did not realize the story behind the lights until this year.

Autumn's Lights is a 4 acre drive thru light-show that is pretty neat to see; and the kids love it!!

...  But Best of All you can donate to help a Local Family in need at Christmas (if you'd like to)!  The Light Show is Free to drive thru anytime the month of December after dark, but if you donate a few dollars, it is greatly appreciated!!

This year Autumn's Loving Hand (the family's non-profit organization) is giving donations received from the lights show to Lucas Moore, a 9 year old local boy, who was in a horrific car accident October 16th of this year! ()

So... If you are in the Tarboro, NC area anytime this month... Drive Thru, Enjoy the Light Show, and Help a Family have a great Christmas despite the tragedy or illness that they are facing this year.. Bring a BIG SMILE to their face and yours!!

Here's a sneak peak at what you have to look forward to... :)



Autumn's Light is on Hwy 33 in Tarboro, NC if you want to stop by, but If you don't live close to Tarboro, NC and you would like to learn more or Donate to help this AWESOME cause.. visit the website at http://www.autumnslovinghand.com/index.htm

.... Hope To See Ya There! 

Are we as smart as we used to be?

Every since I become a student with a technology interest, I've researched many ways that technology has made our lives easier and what it can do for us.

Our phones store our numbers and we just pick a contact and call. Do we remember numbers like we used to? I catch myself "blank" sometimes if I have to actually dial the number.. Do you?

On GMA the other morning I briefly caught a story where they discussed a study that had been done on the decrease of intelligence in humans due to technology. Which really made me think more about this feeling that I have been having.

Our cars give us directions, talking to us the whole way almost (lol).  However, is this a good thing because sometimes this technology just does not know all the possible shortcuts... Does anyone ever read a paper Map anymore?

If we took all of the technology out of our lives, how lost would we be?  Would we figure out just how smart we truly are or realize we aren't as smart as we used to be?

When the power was out the local gas station was open, but using calculators to calculate the purchase.. I sat there as the young lady (a high school kid) struggled with calculating the taxes... I guess because the cash register had always performed this critical task for her.

Technology is awesome and a part of most of our daily duties, but have we begun to rely on it for so many things that we have forgotten how to do them ourselves?

    

Creation Station: Toys that inspire creativity

As you all know, I love to draw and be creative; and my youngest daughter has a slight spark for it as well.   Every year I try to find the most creative toys ...
Read more...:

Thanksgiving in the ER..

  I left work this morning on the way to get the kids from the hunting farm, where they hunted with my husband this morning (a little tradition he has started).  I had talked to him a few times after they had got out of the woods and he had asked what time I would be coming; however, I didn't know exactly and I was pretty busy trying to get everything accomplished.

  I was about 10 minutes away when my phone rang; and I knew it was my husband calling because of the ringtone.. I was aggravated already and so I kinda answered "WHAT.. I am almost there!!!" (I know that was kinda rude) and he said "I am glad because the kids Rolled the 4-wheeler and I think Kaitlyn's arm is broken!"  My heart dropped and my foot pressed the gas petal a little harder and I prayed that she was Okay the whole way there!

  Once I finally arrived at the farm I was sooo happy to see that they both were okay and it didn't appear to be broken, but she was in a lot of pain and it was bruised pretty bad.  However, she said her chest hurt when she breathed and so I went on to the ER just to make sure that she was alright.

   Thanksgiving in the ER wasn't as horrible as I imagined it would be; because honestly, I was dreading it the whole way!  They took us on back right after checking in (wow..lol) and checked her over (surprisingly, her arm didn't seem to be as non-movable as it was on the way), and they told me that they were going to do a few x-rays to assure nothing was going on.

   After the x-rays were looked over we found out that nothing was broken (Thank God), but the bruise should be expected to get bigger and darker; and probably not go away for a little while.  The cleaned her face and neck for the rub and scratched and sent us on our way.. almost 3 hours later.

    The Turkey didn't get in the oven to way later than planned and spending Thanksgiving in the ER was no ways what I imagined the day being; but I think this is one year that I am truly beyond Thankful for my kids and my husband!  I love them more than Life itself; and could not bare the thoughts of what it would be like without either of them!!

   The accident could have been a 1000 times worse than it was, we see it every day; but thanks to God it was pretty minor compared to the what if's!

  I hope that today you were able to see just how precious Life and family/Friends are to you (Hopefully, not with a scare as I did); and were able to express those feelings with the people that mean the most to you!

  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Black Friday Chaos

Tomorrow is one of the most chaotic days of the year... Black Friday!  I would rather be in-bed sick than fight all the traffic and crowded stores with people fighting over the last item left; but I know that there are so many people who Love It!!

However, for people who, like me, who hate all the Black Friday Chaos.. there is always other options, Online Shopping!

You don't even have to wait for Cyber Monday if you need outdoor play equipment, trampolines, or a new playhouse for your kids this year.. go to WillieGoat.com and get the best Black Friday sales!

Here are some of the best Black Friday sales you will find at WillyGoat.com ...

Wooden Swing Sets
Palisade Swing Set $1089.99 
Hillcrest Swing Set $900.00 
Sherwood Tower Swing Set $650
Sandy Cove Swing Set $580
And Gorilla Swing Sets All On Sale 10% off thru November 26th
Metal Swing Sets Sheffield Metal Swing Set $360

Peg Perego Ride Ons Magnum Tractor With Stake Side Trailer 12 Volt Vehicle $245
Polaris Ranger RZR (YES! WE HAVE THESE IN STOCK $1099.99)

Trampolines
16' Magic Cage $100.00 Off
Nursery Trampoline $79.99 

**This is a sponsored ad.. However, all opinions are my own.

Pack a Shoe Box for Operation Christmas Child

I was one of my favorite sites this morning (BlogFrog) and one of my friends (OneMommy) was talking about Operation Christmas Child; but I had never heard of it. So, I checked out the site; and thought I would help get the word out because I love the thought of making children happy at Christmas!

I also came across this video of Scotty McCreery packing his box for the Operation Christmas Child; and thought I would share it with you!


Have you packed your shoebox yet?

National Collection week starts tomorrow.. November 12, 2012 - November 19, 2012.

All you have to do is:

Get an empty Shoe Box

Decide if your buying for a Boy or Girl (or Both)

Fill the Shoebox with Gifts (Toys, Person items, School supplies, even a personal note if you wish)

Include $7 Donation (to help with Shipping and other project costs) or Use the Follow Your Box link on the website to Donate Online

and Drop it Off

*You can call 1-800-353-5949 for drop off locations in your area or for more information; or visit the website http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/

~ Pack a Shoe Box for Operation Christmas Child and Help make a child smile this Christmas!

Justice for Star..

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I could not believe this story when I seen it.. I just do not see how someone could be so disturbed. (This is all I can say about this for now)

However.. I have heard multiple conflicting updates about this story; so, I am not sure what the whole story is... so, I will try to stay caught up on it.

Although, rumor has it that there are other's involved; and the FBI has gotten involved. I will keep you up to date on it.

If you know anything for fact on this story.. Please Share!!

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Video Resource: WNCT 9; http://www2.wnct.com/news/2012/nov/08/7/edgecombe-county-woman-facing-felony-child-abuse-c-ar-2765828/

The deer that we caught on camera..

    My husband loves to hunt; so, I got him a couple trail cameras for our Anniversary and he has been so excited to see the deer that are lurking by his stand.  However, non of them have been old or big enough to shoot... I love that he don't kill everything he sees!

Camera #1: Doe

He put the first camera out on 10/31/12 and the second on 11/6/12 and has already captured over 200 pictures.

I am not a hunter, but I love seeing the pictures of these beautiful creatures.

The Doe in the picture on the left is from camera 1, we have a lot of pictures of her and a few other's feeding and just hanging around.

Camera #2: 4 pointer

We have to change Camera #2's date and time; but it caught 142 pics in 2 days.. And the Buck on the left was one of the deer that was captured the most.

He's only a 4 pointer; so, he has plenty of time to grow and mature!  Isn't he gorgeous?

Camera 2 also caught a nice 8 pointer, but I'll wait to get a better picture of him before I share!




Nature is such a beautiful thing; I love looking at the deer and admiring how amazingly beautiful they are!

Need a Wooden Swing Set or Playhouse?

Every Kid loves a swing set, slide, andor tree house... I know mine do!

My husband built our kids a tree house out back and the kids LOVE IT!

So, if you are looking to purchase a traditional swing set or a miniature (play) house; check out WillyGoat.com because they have some nice play equipment for kids for decent prices (see same day shipping).

Playhouses are an awesome gift for birthdays or Christmas!
My best friend bought her kids a wood swing set, similar to the top picture in the ad here; and she says it was the best present she ever got.

So, if you are thinking about buying a swing set, play/doll house, trampoline, or any other outdoor gear for your kids or facility... check out Willy Goat, they have a ton of cool products!











**This is a sponsored ad, but all opinions are my own!

Life's weekly inspiration...

This week I thought I would share a song with you all that I love.. "A Beautiful Day" by Indie Arie.  If you are a faithful Good Morning America (GMA) viewer, you will recognize it!

The lyrics say it all!  Just these three short sentences below make you want to have a beautiful day.. a happy day!

"Let's make this a Wonderful..

 Let's make this a Powerful

  Let's make this A Beautiful Day"

I first heard this song on the radio, but did not know the artist so I couldn't find it.  Then one morning I was watching GMA and Indie Arie was on, singing it!  Come to find out Robin Roberts worked with her on it when she was diagnosed with cancer a few years back; it's been awhile (I'm not sure of all the details, sorry).

I feel in love with this song and whenever I would wake up in a bad mood or feeling like I was gonna have a crappy day...

I would turn on this song and fell better in some way or another..   It's hard to describe really!

Anyways.. lol.  I hope you listen to it this week and have A Beautiful Day!!  :)

Listen and read the Lyrics of A Beautiful Day on this YouTube Video..

---

We Bought A Zoo...

After the death of his wife, a father decides to go house hunting in search of a new beginning for his family. However, when he finds the perfect house it comes with a huge surprise.. a Zoo!  With the challenges of his emotions over his loss and the struggles of learning how to run a Zoo, Benjamin gives it his all to make Life better and the Zoo a success!

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I watched "We Bought A Zoo" last night for the 4th time; and I would definitely suggest that if you haven't seen it yet, make it a point to! It is a great movie for the whole family; and based on a true story, which makes it even better (in my opinion).

I think it is inspiring to watch true stories where people overcome the worst obstacles in Life; like the "Happier ever After" in the end... well being happy again at the least.

What are you thankful for?

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What have you made with your Cricut Expression?

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Life's weekly Quote: Courage

Makes you realize how precious Life truly is..

     As I sat there reading, with tears pouring down my face, I felt two little arms hug me and the sweet voice of my daughter telling me she loved me.  I tried not to turn around, so I squeezed her arms and told her I loved her too; because I didn't want her to see me crying and have to explain why...

    When I first came home from work today I was rushing and I knew exactly what I needed to get done before the kids got home from school, but the Katie Show was on TV; and it caught my attention.   As I was putting down my stuff I was listening and decided to sit down to watch the story about a little boy (3) named Ronan, who was the cutest little boy with the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen (as you can see by the picture below); and it broke my heart into a million little pieces...

   Ronan was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer in August 2010.  His mom started a blog called Rockstar Ronan (http://rockstarronan.com/) I assume to have a way to get her feelings out about the things she was going through; and ended up posted daily about the journey she (and her family) was going through as she fought to find the a way to keep him alive.

   The Katie Show briefly told Ronan's story and talked about the foundation that was started in his name, by his mom, in order to help find a cure and treatment for children with Cancer and to help other families that were going through this horrific ordeal.  Her goal is to build a treatment center for kids!

   After the show I went to the website planning to learn a little bit more about the foundation and what this type of cancer was, but instead I found myself reading the blog for hours!

   I began reading in August 2010, with the first blog post which was when they found out that Ronan had cancer and were starting to deal with everything; and I continued to read until well after May 2011 when Ronan passed.  The ups and downs in the disease were awful; one day things were looking up and the next there was another hurdle to jump over.  With every post, I could hear the love and joy of a mother, the pain and frustrations, and the fear and helplessness, it was heartbreaking.

    As a mother, I can not imagine how she made it through that time in her life; but you can hear just how in the blog because she did not hold anything back.  Listening to her today on the Katie show I can see that she will get there though,she is determined to help other children and their families to fight this horrible disease!

  Hearing a mother pour out her thoughts and feelings in those moments, like that... as she was watching her child suffer and there was nothing she could do .. made me stop and think about just how important it is to show the people in your life how much you love them.. Each and Every day!

   Visit Rockstar Roman  (http://rockstarronan.com/), read his mother's blog, and support a cause to help find a cure for Children with Cancer... Because NO family should ever have to encounter what this one did!

 **Help Ronan's name will live on! :}




 

It was the most annoying thing EVER!

      What is that annoying sound.. I thought as I turned around to see if there was a problem with the television channel!?

 All I heard was cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.eeeeeeeeeeee.eeeese.   It was the most annoying sound I had ever heard, but it got my attention and I am glad it did!  ....  Read more at the Creation Station!

Life's Inspirational Quote of the Week...

A friend shared this inspiration quote graphic with me on Facebook; and I thought that I would share it with my Life friends!  I hope that when you read this it will inspire you to follow your dreams, no matter what age you may be; because it is never too late to go after what you want in Life!

.....Hope you all have a wonderful and inspirational week! 

Make your Website stand out from all the rest!

Creation Station: Does your Website stand out from all the rest?

When someone visits your website, what makes it Unique?? See how you can engage your visitors and guide them in ways that will make your site different than all the others! ..Read More!

Make Logo's FREE at Logo Garden

Logo Garden has a lot to choose from if you need to make a logo! I have been just playing around with it a little bit since I came across it yesterday; and made this logo...

There are so many icons to choose from and the best part is it's FREE.  You even get the option to buy matching business cards at a great price!  

So, if you are looking to make a Logo for your business, website, or whatever.. check out LogoGarden.  

I am sure that you can create a great Logo that will capture the look and feel you need to fit your business!

What is your Pet going as for Halloween?

I came across the cutest costume (at Halloween Pet Costume | Halloween Pet Fun) for a dachshund (you know the wenner dogs).. a Hot Dog! ((lol))  And you can even get it with ketchup or mustard.

I did not see any costumes for Miley (our Rottweiler) or other bigger dogs, but I didn't really search much.  I don't think Miley would like to dress up for Halloween ((lol)).  There are some really cool costumes for your pets available this year though.

Are you dressing your pet up for Halloween?  If so, What is your Pet going as?

Unheard Cries For Help

Yesterday a young girl, Amanda Todd, committed suicide after being targeted and bullied by some guy she met online; and by kids in school because of the cruelty he inflicted.

My heart breaks for her family and friends; and it infuriates me to no end!!  Bullying has to stop; I mean, how many young and beautiful kids are going to have to commit suicide for it to stop.

I think that laws need to be stricter, internet bullying has to be punished, and kids (teenagers especially) have to learn that their horrible words not only hurt, but kill!

Please, keep this family in your prayers....





According to what I have read and seen on supporting Facebook pages and other sites; Amanda uploaded this video in September 2012. I just wish that someone, that could have helped, would have seen these unheard cries for help; and done something before it was too late!

~R.I.P Amanda Todd

Personalized Yearbooks are Custom for Each Student and No Cost to Your School

    I was looking at some digital scrapbooking stuff tonight and came across something that I thought was pretty cool... Custom Yearbooks!! I watched the video on everything worked and I thought that it was an awesome idea...

    O.kay....
Do you have your High School Yearbook?  (Ah.. Yeah)  Do you ever look at it? (lol, not for years)

    Most of us aren't in our High School Yearbooks, but once or twice... Do they really tell the story of YOUR High School years or are they about all the popular kids or sports.  Custom Yearbooks with TreeRing are customized to each student.. their story!  So, in 20 years when they pull the High School Yearbook out.. it will retell their story of the year school!

     I think that Yearbooks that can tell a personal story will be more memorable than the traditional ones; however, this is just my personal opinion. 


                            Check out TreeRing at the link below & let me know what you think!?!?
TreeRing Yearbooks, Personalized Yearbooks are Custom for Each Student and No Cost to Your School

Creation Station: Creativity used to Empower Cancer Patients

 Kayaking for Cancer ( http://www.kayakingforcancer.com/ ) has found a creative way to empower kids and adults who have been diagnosed with cancer...

Read more @ Creation Station: Creativity used to Empower Cancer Patients:

Creation Station: 3D Stimulation ..

I was checking out some virtual technology; and found something awesome .. 3D Stimulation; so, I thought I would share it with you all.    Read more at Creation Station: 3D Stimulation ..

Setting and Tracking Your Goals

A friend asked me to do a Potty Training chart for her daughter; so, I have been looking around for idea's on what kind of accomplishments the charts would have and so on.  I came across the  Disney Princess Potty Training Chart | Potty Training Concepts chart and many others that can be printed for Free right from home.     They have Dora, The Cars, Basic Charts, and other character charts as well.

~If you are looking for a great potty training chart or concepts; check it out, the site is 100% focused on this topic.

Charts are a great way for kids to track their goals and accomplishments; and adults too.  Personally, I love Goal For It (www.goalforit.com) because I can track personal goals, the kids goals (with rewards), create and track lists, and even set household goals.  All of which I am able to print or track online; and I can set personal goals that I can decide to keep private or share.

Setting and Tracking your goals can help you accomplish things; and help kids work hard to accomplish their as well.  So, I hope that this can help you or a friend reach your goals!

Just Believe!

  When you look into the mirror, what do you see...  Do you like the person looking back at you?  Do you believe that they can accomplish anything?

  So many of us walk through Life, scared to challenge ourselves; in fear of failure. If you answered no to the questions I asked or if you realized as you read them that this is you... Get out of your own way!  Don't be scared to strive for what you want or believe in; because You CAN do anything that you set your mind to in Life!

   Life is short and dreams are important.. So, the next time you you look in the mirror, Tell that person staring back that they can accomplish ANYTHING in Life and Believe it!

Life is different for the teenager today!

On a court television show;  a teenager appeared because she started a website and made flyer's to get back at the girl who "stole her boyfriend"...

The website was named after the young girl; and the flyer's had a picture of the girl and said she had an STD and to get tested if someone had been in contact with her!

I can not believe that teenagers could be so mean... and all over a boy!

I was happy to see that the judge made this viscous teen pay for all of the psychiatrist bills and so on; and said that she would be referring the case over to the DA's office!!  ... "You go Judge!"

I remember my teenage years; and I remember how mean other one's could be.  However, it seems to be 10x worse than I remember, and technology allows things to go further than it was able to when I was that age.

I made stupid choices and did things that could have had a totally opposite outcome; as I am sure we all have.

However, the bullying has to be gotten under control.. in my opinion.  But.. I think the judge made a great discussion  and took a stand on it because the things this teenager did were extreme and uncalled for!


(Join the conversation in the community http://livinginglife.blogspot.com/p/community.html#/1508028/forum/171323/life-is-different-for-todays-teenager.html at and share how life is different for today's teen vs. when you were a teenager)

Do's and Don't of finding a babysitter??

   Our 15th Wedding Anniversary is approaching in 2 weeks; and I am excited to get a night out with my husband.. Finally!  It seems like forever since we had a night out, just us; because it is hard to get a sitter or it may be that I just don't like asking other people that have busy lives to watch my kids.  I don't know which one; probably a little of both, but I know it has been a while since we got to go out and I am excited.

  Both of our parents have medical issues that prevent us from imposing on them unless need-be; however, they never say no when we ask. We try not to ask unless it is an anniversary or special occasion, and this is one of them!! :)

  I have never really left my kids with anyone that wasn't family or a very close friend because I was a stay-at-home mom and when we did go out we went together; other than on the special occasions in which our parents or close friends volunteered.

  However, sometimes it would be nice to get out once a month again, like we used to when our parents heath was better; because date night ain't as fun when you are staying home. (lol)

 But.. what are the do's and don't when it comes to finding a sitter?  I know a few of the top ones would be the following..

They must be ..

• Good with kids (references to back that up)
• Trustworthy
• Respectful
• Good student
• No criminal background
• My kids like them
• and so many more!

  So, I would like to hear what you think.. you can comment here or join the conversation in the community discussion on  Who do you leave your kids with when you need a night out?  If, your babysitter is not family; How did you find the babysitter you use?

 ...  I want to hear all the do's and don't of finding a babysitter!!!

What's new on the Creation Station: Learn to build a game

My goal is to learn to build a game...

I am currently in a Bach program in Web Design; and hopefully once I finish all of these "no point" (so it seems) classes, I will get to d...

One of our babies died...

12 years ago I received a call on my daughters birthday from a good friend of mine and she wasn't wishing a happy birthday.

She said...

"Omg, they just brought a baby into the ER that is blue, his mom forgot him in the car when she went into work!"

My very first thoughts, having a 2 year old at the time, was "yeah right".. I did not not even think there could be a possibility of that happening!  I mean.. how do you forget your child?!

We talked for only a short minute because we were off to celebrate my daughter's birthday; and have a party.  However, during this short conversation we discussed our thoughts and opinions; and nether of us thought that something this bad could realistically happen.

A few short hours later I received another phone call from a co-worker which I worked with at a daycare center.  I assumed she had heard about the baby and was calling to tell me about it all... but I was so wrong!

... Sobbing and barely able to get her words out, she said; " One of our babies died!" and I was speechless!!

It is amazing how my thought process changed so quickly after knowing who this mother was personally; and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that she would have never hurt the baby intentionally!!  (However, as a mother I did still wonder how this could be possible.)

I learned that day that we all have gut instincts when it comes to any tragedy, and we have opinions based on those beliefs/thought as well; but they are so different when we know the people involved and have a personal connection.

The media tore her apart, and she barely made it through..and finally having to move to another state to move on with her life because of the people who could not stop judging.

Which tickets would you rather have?

I have looking for something fun and entertaining to do; because it has been so long since I have had a night out.  I found Coldplay tickets, WWE tickets, and Jason Aldean tickets at Tickets America.  Jason Aldean would be my 1st pick of the three though; then, maybe Coldplay... I'm not a WWE fan, but I am sure that some of you may be!!  If you are, make sure to check and see if they will be in your area because I seen a few sales for WWE Raw and Smackdown as well!!

Which of the 3 would you rather have???

1. Coldplay
2. WWE
3. Jason Aldean 

A Week of Chaos

This has been truly been a week of chaos! School started on Monday for the girls and for me on Tuesday; and I have realized that it is time to get a good schedule started and enforced once again!

The school board changed the times that the kids have to be at school with 10-20 minute difference in the take in/let out times this year for the 3 schools. However, this puts my 3rd grader having to be in class at 8:15am and my Freshman doesn't have to be at school till 8:30am (she is loving that) and she also gets out 20 minutes later as well; and this has caused an issue with my work schedule. I am rushing home now to get my youngest daughter off the bus because my oldest gets home later. It is a workable schedule because it gives me just enough time to get home(I'm pulling in at the same time as the bus); but it has caused some chaos this week.

The bus has not come at the same time not once this whole week.. but this morning was her earliest @ 6:32am... Glad we were ready! I am not a morning person at all.. so this is extremely early in my book. My daughter is not a morning person either, so it is a challenge some mornings. I try my best not to start the day off wrong by fussing or getting aggravated because I do not want her to have a bad day at school.. this however, can be a challenge some mornings.

I think that time to accomplish everything has been the biggest issue; because my youngest daughter still needs me to help on most of homework and now my oldest daughter is taking harder classes and she needs that too; leaving little time to get my school work done; and believe me there has been a lot of that due this week too. (lol)

I think that getting a schedule (again) will help us all, especially once they get back into the school routine!! I DID get a chance to get their new school chore charts printed and ready to start; the chores are different in the school year vs. the summer time ones because they have more time on their hands... and they make more of a mess being home all day too (lol)!

Well, I am so glad that this week of chaos is almost over.. and with a 3 day weekend to look forward to as well. This will give us all time to re-cooperate and get ready for next week! (lol)

I hope you all had a great week ; and that it was not a week of chaos for you.. but if it was, just remember tomorrow is a new day!! So, SMILE!! :)

A New Me: Trying to Find my way back...: Lately I have been LAZY.. TIRED.. and just feeling wore-out; to be quite honest. I remember feeling this way before I lost the weight; and...

How I think Facebook could help!

One of my favorite movies is Amber's Story; not because it is a true story about a child (Amber)is kidnapped and killed, but because her mom made sure that something GOOD can from it!

Amber Alerts are sent out across this Country every day for missing children; and it has helped save many!!

Facebook started allowing users to opt in to be an organ donor, right from them. Making it easy for users to become a donor & helping to save many lives as well. After all, a lot of people visit Facebook everyday, why not market something that makes a difference in this world to help make a difference! This got me thinking...

I think that Facebook could help the Amber Alert system in so many ways! They could have a space for the alerts.. When a child is missing it stays on that child, highlighting the area and details, and allowing members to share and maybe add information straight from there. They could even have it as a notification that is sent out to all their users on their phones and in their messages.

Children go missing every day and we have to do everything within our power to try to get them back safely; and I think this is one of the many ways that Facebook could help!!

My most embarrassing moment

One of the most embarrassing moments of my life happened not long after my husband and I moved into our own place.

We were young, only 18/19 years old, with no kids and enjoying having the time of our lives.

One afternoon we were enjoying each other's company as grown-ups in love would... I'll leave it at that (lol). Sitting around watching television in our birthday suits when he swears that someone is at the house.

I had not heard anything!! I figured that he was trying to trick me, like he loved to do; and I swore he was just kidding with me.

"Seriously", he said.. "There is someone here!"

Well, I did not believe him... so, I got up.. buck-naked.. walked over to the door, and slung it open! Saying to him... "See! There is no-one here!"

BUT.. THERE WAS!! OMGosh... It was MY MOM!! (LMAO)

I was so embarrassed that I immediately slammed the door in her face! Once I was dressed and went back to the door, I did not want to open it back up (lol) because I was mortified!

The first words out of her mouth when I opened the door back up was, "Tell him I heard him running to the back of the house" (lol).

If I would have even thought for a second that there was someone there, I would not have opened that door; especially, if I would have known that it was my mom (I guess better than my dad, lol). I know she wished I had not opened it either because she was embarrassed too, but no ways as much as I was!! I truly believe that this was the most embarrassing moment in my life... However, today it does get a good laugh!

No Words Will Help...

   Yesterday, I attended a funeral/wake for a baby... Funeral's are difficult, no matter what age the person may be, but a baby or a child who hasn't truly experienced life yet is really hard to bare.

    A family member was pregnant and everything was going great; and there had not been any problems the whole pregnancy. However, out of the blue she starts bleeding; worried out of her mind she went to the ER to see what was going on and they told her the baby had died.  This was the worse thing that ever happened in her life she believed, but giving birth and holding this beautiful newborn was 1000 times worse.

   Trying to express your sympathy at a time like this is hard in itself, but knowing no words will help is far worse.  You just want to do anything you can to take the pain away, but you can't.. it's so hard when nothing that you do can or will help.  I guess just being there if they need you and listening when they need an ear, is the best things we can do!

   The funeral was a memorial event, focusing on family and togetherness.  I am glad that they decided to do something like this because I believe that it will help them move forward.  Although, I know it will take time and faith to help them along the way.

     The ceremony was followed by releasing Balloon to Heaven, for River.   It was so sweet and the kids (which would have been the siblings of River) really enjoyed and embraced the thought of doing something special in the memory of him.

     I think this was the sweetest thing ever; and it amazed me how the balloons stayed together all the way up and almost seemed to form pictures as they did.  

In Loving Memory of River Grey

Have you got your tickets yet?

   Enrique Iglesis and Jennifer Lopez are in Concert tonight!! I just seen tickets for it listed at Ticket America, staples center tickets, and they will be there tommorrow night too!  I wish I lived in Los Angeles, CA because I would like to go.  I checked around to see if they were coming to my area, but they aren't! :(    Ticket America does have us airways center tickets too; the Phoenix Mercury vs. San Antonia Silver Stars (WOMEN)'s game will be there on Aug. 19 @ 3pm!!  However, I think the best find for me on was at the power balance pavilion formerly arco arena tickets because Carrie Underwood will be there on October 13, 2012!!  The Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Circus will also be at the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, CA 9/6 thru 9/9.  I know my kids would love that, wouldn't your's?

Which concert/event would you rather attend??

Overwhelmed

   I decided to take a break after my current class because I have been overwhelmed with the school load on top of family life and work.  Sometimes we just need a break to take a breathe in life.  I know that is what I am in need of.

   Taking a breather will allow my brain to rest (lol) and let me get a head-start on the first few chapters of my next class before being swamped with those and homework the first week of class.  I am hoping that this will help me from being overwhelmed with it all and maybe it will be a litlle easier to keep up.

   I am hoping to get a schedule in place, like I used when I first started classes.  Having a schedule really helped me accomplish everything I need to in the week; and it prevented me from feeling overwhelmed everyday because everything seemed to get done when it was supposed to.

  So, my goal is to start working on a schedule that will allow me to get everything done on time without getting stressed out and feeling overwhelmed!!

  Wish me luck... lol

Trying to stay happy on my dad's birthday

I spent the day with my mom today, remembering my dad on his birthday!  He died 5 years ago and it is still so very hard for her.  Personally, I try to remember the good times and knowing he is in no more pain; however, she just wishes he was here (as do I).  I wish she could smile on his birthdays and not be so sad.. but I do not know what to do to change that for her!  

I could not imagine loosing my husband after so many years together; and now she is alone and confined to the house due to her health.  I know she sits and dwells on the loss and negative things in life; and I wish more than anything that she had a companion to enjoy her life with or a hobby that could make her smile the way she used to.  I know I hate how she handles it, but I wonder would I be the same if I were in her shoes.

It is hard to spend the day trying to keep yourself from being sad and just remembering the good times on this day (his birthday) with her being so down.  It is especially hard on Valentine's day when you want to be happy and think of love, or even the kids wanting to share their Valentine's with her; because she doesn't think of it as the holiday it is anymore (I don't either as much anymore); because they buried him that day!!   

Don't get me wrong... I understand completely why she feels like she does, I only wish I could help in some way!  It's hard seeing someone you love in such a depressed state; and that doesn't allow me to be happy in the memories instead of dwelling on the lose!

My hopes are that she will one day be able to remember the happy times and the life the share without the sadness overwhelming her thoughts!  

Define a Champion?

  When we think of what a Champion is, we often look at the competitors in sports; like all the gold, bronze, and silver winners in the on-going Olympics!

  If you would have asked me yesterday how I would define a champion, I would have answered pretty much the same as the first sentence in this blog...   However, I have been looking at that a bit different today because of a quote I read earlier!

  I had to go pick up some supplies for my mom this afternoon and on the white board in the hall, there was a quote that said... "A Champion is Someone Who Never Gives Up on their Dreams!" (unknown author)

  I love short, powerful quotes that make you think about life differently!!
               
Quotes that ....

• Inspire us to be a better person
• Encourage us to chase our dreams
• or that simply make us remember a special moment/person and SMILE!

What are the quotes that you love?  Share them and help brighten someone else's day!! :)

A Child's Dream

Every Sunday morning, there is a small newspaper in my driveway and normally I just chunk it in the trash. I do this because it always seems to be a bunch of crime and stuff I'd rather start my day off with. That and I do enough reading for school (lol).

However, about two weeks ago I decided to take a look. This is a small community paper, so it listed special events and other things going on. I found it interesting, so I read it again this week; and the listing was still there!

The first week I had read a listing for volunteers to help with the Make a Wish Foundation. The volunteer would be responsible for meeting with the families to determine the wish, explaining the process, and helping make the wish as creative as possible if the family is chosen!

"WoW... that would be an awarding, heart-filled, but hard job!: I said to my husband. I only wished I had the time to dedicate to something so remarkable.. but wondered if I could handle working with children whom I know are about to die.

So, this week it was in the paper once again; and I thought about this job every since. Making a dying child's dream come true; a few hours to forget about their worries and be a kid, and just have fun! How remarkable would that be!

At the moment I don't have the time required to meet and plan a day that a child will treasure, but I hope in the future I get a chance to!

**If anyone reading this does have the time and heart to volunteer, contact your local Make a Wish Foundation help make dreams come true!!

Assuming you can do it is not always a good idea!

I have always loved to draw; and if I took the time figuring out how to accomplish a task related to drawing, I could usually pull it off somewhat okay! However, as I have been told before... "Assuming you can do it is not always a good idea! (lol)

A few weeks ago I was asked to Paint Faces for a community function for a small town. My first response was that I was unable to do this because I have never painted faces, except on Halloween. Then, I was asked if I could draw? I told the man in charge that I could draw(after, my husband and BFF had expressed that I was modest and could draw well), but I had never tried any face painting before. His response was that I should be fine if I could draw and that the kids really wouldn't care as long as I could do simple things like hearts, balls, balloons, and so on.... So, I agreed!

I knew how hard it is for me to paint with a brush vs. a pencil, pen, or marker; therefore, I searched for face painting pens, pencils, or something that I could use to avoid using a brush. I found a listed that the local Walmart carried these products and decided that was what I would purchase to fulfill my face painting duties.... Should have thought on it a little longer (lol). I decided to stop at a local hobby shop first because I was in a hurry and figured they may have a larger selection to choose from; and they did. I grabbed a few sets of what actually was more like a paint crayon and a pack of face paint that came with a brush.

The night before I had planned to practice on my girls to get a idea of how I would like it, but ended up practicing on my husband (who was a good sport)because my girls decided to spend the night with grandma. However, I quickly figured out that I had assumed I could draw on faces as good as I could on paper. Boy was I wrong!

I started to freak a little and almost cancelled, but I knew they were counting on me to add fun to the day. However, I wondered if I was going to have tons of kids looking crazy in the process (LOL). My husband assured me that it really won't that bad after the 4th or 5th picture, so I prayed that it would work out good.

When I got to the event, I was very nervous and did not have any idea what was in store for me; but I figured it wouldn't be as hard as I was making myself believe it would be.

I got set up, slowly (lol), hoping that my girls would hurry and be my first victims, but they were running late. Once I had everything unpacked.. and before I could even take a deep breath, a little boy asked if I was painting faces! I told him yes and asked what he wanted... and he said, "I want a TIGER!" I though oh my.. what have I gotten myself into (lol). However, I explained that I wasn't quite ready to do a tiger yet, but I told him a few things I could. He decided on a batman symbol and was on his way... and not a bad one after all, if I have to say so myself.

However, about 2 seconds later I had a line of kids and I was silently freaking out (lol)! I have never been someone who likes someone watching them draw or good at being rushed. These are not things I took into account when I was asked either.

Being rushed, kids bumping you when you are working, sweaty faces that don't work well with the paint, and paint crayons that start to melt when they are hot.. all of these things don't go with painting faces; and I learned that this weekend! I also learned that painting is not my thing by far; and not something I want to do again.

It was Fun.. and the kids didn't look crazy. I mean, there were a few that I would have liked to do again, but with them rubbing and sweating it didn't take long to mess up a perfect one. Overall, I did okay for the first attempt (so I was told, but beg to differ somewhat), but I should have taken more things into account before just assuming!

So, take it from me; Assuming you can do it is not always a good idea! I wish I would have researched the products that would be best for the environment and practiced with a variety or products before actually choosing (lol)!

A Long Night

Last night started of great; and turned into a disaster somewhat! I started cooking dinner (spaghetti)a little later than normal (about 7) because we were having a thunderstorm. However, only a minute or two into it, when the hamburger has just started to cook good, the power goes out! Grr. After about 5 minutes my husband decides to call a friend who lives right up the street and at our surprise they still have electricity. So, we walked outside to notice that the whole neighborhood still has their except us and our next-door neighbor. What in the world? She said she had contacted the power company and that they were on the way.. well, I hoped they would hurry where I didn't have to throw my food out, but that didn't happen (lol)! Turns out that the transformer went out and they had to leave and return later to fix it. Therefore, we dicided just to run into town and grab a burger from Hardeez. Finally, about 10:30 the power was restored, Thank God! I was so happy that they got it on when they did because I was about to have to go somewhere with internet to do my school; because of all nights I had a 3 page paper due, that I had not started! But, everything got finished thankfully, but loosing power sure makes you appreciate it so much more when it is restored. I can deal with a few hours, but when it is a few days (which happened about 2 weekends ago) it starts to get rough (lol).

The Same Name

When we buy a car, often we can't think of no one else we know that drives one that looks like this one... then when we buy it, we see them everywhere (so it seems).

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, my husband and I discussed names and we wanted one that was different. After months we chose her name and tried to spell it differently too. However, her first year of kindergarten.. we realized it wasn't too rare. (lol) There were 2 kids in her class and another 20 at least in the same grade. One little girl even had the same middle name; however, none of them are spelled the same, because we spelled her's Alexus, non that I seen anyways.

I have gone the majority of my life not knowing, but one person who spelled their name (Ginny) the same as mine... most people have an 'e' oe use a 'j'; and never having the same middle name with it (lol). However, today I was in the Community reading my friends blogs and forum posts and there it was.. the first time ever... someone else with the same first and middle name; and spelled the same as well; Ginny Marie! Wow, that is so weird! I tried to send her a message just to tell her how odd this was for me and see if she had experienced the same feeling, but I was unable to make contact. However, during the process I enjoyed reading her blog (check it out, http://www.lemondroppie.com/) Anyways, How many people do you know with the same name as you? I guess that now I can say I have seen one.

What makes my Life complete!

I may not have everything that I want in Life, but I do have everything I need... I have a family that I love more than anything and I've got the greatest friends that any girl could ask for! These are the things that I treasure the most because they are the true value in one's life (in my opinion).

Surrounding yourself with people that you love; and who love and encourage you to be the best you can be are just a few of the simple joys and motivators in one's life, one's that make you strive to be the best person you can be and more!

Many people think that the material things are what fulfill their lives, buying the expensive cars or top dollar jewelry trying to create a happiness that they desire. However, these things can not comfort them when they have experienced a loss, hold them to show they care, or listen.

Money doesn't buy happiness, love is the only key that unlocks that door. My hopes are that everyone has the experience of living life to the fullest by laughing, loving, and being loved: Living Life to fullest and being happy with what they have in the people who stand with them through the Journey of Life!

There are many things that I may want before I die, but I have everything I need! The things that make my Life complete are loving and supporting those who are important to me and enjoying all the love and support I receive back!