Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day: Stop and Remember





It's hard to imagine what it might be like if I were to lose a member of my family or a close friend in war. My fear the entire year my husband was in Afghanistan was that I'd see a black vehicle pull up to my mom's house and watch two soldiers get out. I think every military family fears that when going through deployment. My heart breaks for all of those who have lost someone in honor of our freedom. Seeing some of these touching photos say it all. No words needed. Please take this time, and every day of the year for that matter, to think about those overseas right now, those who were overseas in the past, and those going in the future. They need your thoughts and support!















Saturday, May 28, 2011

My 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 5



Day 5 – How important you think education is?

Of course education is important. Although I didn't finish college, that's not to say I don't think it's a big deal. When I was in high school I took it very serious. I did well in all my classes, and in my first few semesters of college before I got pregnant with my son, I did the same. But I feel more strongly about early childhood education. I think it sets children up for their future and that's why I've become so passionate about my childcare experience, and also why I dram about opening my own preschool some day. I try daily to continue teaching my son everything I can (although he is reluctant because he's at home and I'm his mom), but I've always talked to him like he was an adult and that's why he speaks like a 6 year old at the age of 3. That's why he is able to remember absolutely everything and can already draw stick figures. I'm quite proud.



It Works Body Applicator {Review}


You've all seen it.... the body applicators promising you will lose inches. They are all over the web. I'd seen them in many FaceBook promotions and on various blogs and such. I was curious and couldn't find much negative about these wraps. I decided I wanted to try them for myself. Andrea at Andrea's Amazing Wraps was kind enough to send me one to try. I couldn't wait to get it on. 



Let me start by saying I was really apprehensive and didn't know anything about these products. I was eager to learn more about how it works and what products are offered by It Works. The most popular seems to be the Body Slimming Applicators and the Defining Gel. Although they offer a variety of weight loss and skin care items such as stretch mark cream, hydrating toner, and many supplements.


What do you do?
It's simple. The applicators (which come in a few different sizes for different areas of the body) are cloth applicators already covered in a lotion and packaged individually. You simply clean the area you will be applying it to, and then place the applicator where you desire (tummy, back, neck, thighs, ect.). Smooth it out and apply either a tight fitting spandex garment or even saran wrap, to keep it in place. You may leave it on anywhere from 45 minutes to overnight. Regardless, once the applicator is removed and you rub in the remaining lotion, it will continue to work for the next 72 hours (which is when you will see your results). The lotion/applicator has a smell much like Vicks or Bengay. And that's it! Easy enough right?

How does it work?
The Ultimate Body Applicator is a non-woven cloth wrap that has been infused with a powerful, botanically-based formula to deliver maximum tightening, toning, and firming results when applied to the skin.
It continuously hydrates for firmer, smoother, more youthful-looking skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite and skin slackening. It also does a detox on your body. See results in 45 minutes.The results should last 2-6 months. You can use the applicator every 72 hours until desired results and it is recommended that you use the Defining Gel in between applicators to maintain. You can also use wraps to maintain results as well.

Wanna see my results???
I can't believe I am posting these for the world to see, but I have come to terms that I am not small and I'm okay with that. I did my measurements on the fattest part of my belly (the baby tire).


Starting Measurement around waist- 44 inches


72 hours after wrap measurement around waist- 42 inches!

That's 2 inches without doing ANYTHING!


My all around thoughts- Fabulous product! In fact, I like it so much that everyone I know is wanting to try them so I'm considering becoming a distributor! I want to try all of the other products too and keep documenting my results to share!

If you haven't done this yet and are ready to give it a whirl, head on over to Andrea's Amazing Wraps and order some! You can get the loyal customer price by promising to order 3 months in a row, then after that you are not obligated for anything else and will still get that great price!!!


*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I was sent a product to try and write about. All above opinions are completely my own!*



Friday, May 27, 2011

My 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4


Day 4: Your favorite picture of your best friend



My best friend.... I have a few. And it changes depending on the period in my life and who I've been closest too recently. Kristi, Lizzie, and Stephanie have been my closest friends for many years and are ALWAYS there for me, supportive, and dont judge my decisions. I love that about them. So I will share my favorite pictures of all 3 of them...


Kristi, Me, and Stephanie (3 years ago just before I met hubby)


Lizzie and I, when we did a fun Boudoir Valentine's Day photo shoot together for our husbands while hubby was deployed (we didn't actually take photos together except this one)


Thursday, May 26, 2011

Safe In the Arms of Love {Book Review}


When my daughter was born in November, I learned within the first 12 hours that she was not going to be as easy as my son was. She cried a lot, never slept well, and was all around unhappy. I quickly became depressed and distant from everyone, including my newborn. I look back now after being sent Safe In The Arms of Love, and wish I'd had this when I brought her home from the hospital. It very well may have given me the chance to bond with my baby and relax a bit. Now she is 6 months old and is still a difficult, fussy baby who never naps well and still doesn't sleep through the night. While I do have a bond with her, it's still hard to enjoy things like rocking her to sleep because she won't allow it. When I got Safe In The Arms of Love, I was ready to use the music while trying to put her to sleep and begin reading all the suggestions and techniques in the book given by it's amazing authors and creators.

This special book and CD give new parents (and not so new parents) the resource to use bonding music and the book to truly create that strong amazing bond with your child. The music itself is extremely soothing and touching, with lyrics meant to resonate within your heart. Not only is this a wonderful bonding soundtrack, it would be perfect for nap time in childcare settings (which is near and dear to my heart). The book is filled with meaningful lyrics, stories, and published works to give you peace and understanding during your bonding journey. Not only is this for us mothers and fathers but can be used for new grandparents as well.


About the authors: Lisa Rafel, founder of Resonant Sounds, LLC., is a "sound healing" educator and internationally recognized spiritual teacher, author, poet, and recording artist with numerous CD's. Gary Malkin is the composer of many award winning television and film projects for nearly thirty years. Licensed clinical psychologist David Sheppard Surrenda is currently the CEO of Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and has worked extensively with hospitals and national health systems to support innovations, solutions and new paradigmatic thinking.

This is an amazing baby shower gift and can be purchased at Amazon.com for around $20.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Out of this World 4th Birthday Celebration: Coming Soon!


What better way to celebrate my son's 4th birthday then to involve my awesome blog readers and giveaway great prizes???

I see TONS of birthday celebrates for the princesses in the family but what about those wild rambunctious crazy boys we all love so dearly? My goal is to highlight any and all things my son would enjoy on his birthday. Everything from party decor, games, toys, and clothes! I want to show all my loyal followers where you can find the perfect items for the boys in your life. 


SEEKING SPONSORS:
Of course fun events like these aren't possible without fabulous sponsors and donations. If interested, please email me! surveymom1470@yahoo.com

Out of this World 4th Birthday Celebration
What's in it for you???
It's great exposure and advertising for your company! You will get honest opinions for me, my son, and whoever else humanly possible that I can include. You will also get advertisement in button/banner form on my blog from now until October 1st! The traffic to your site (any and all sites you use) will be awesome because these will be used as entries for any item(s) you choose to sponsor for a giveaway! I have over 1000 FaceBook fans and over 900 Twitter followers. I will advertise the event and your specific posts all throughout the event. If you do have a website and are participating, you can choose to post my event button to send even more traffic my way as well. Its not required, but much appreciated!

How does it work?
It's simple really (especially if you're familiar with the blog product review world, but just incase you aren't I will explain). Bloggers such as myself devote our time and writing to do product reviews for things we believe our family will love and things we can share online, with out friends, and family. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and I ALWAYS share things I like with friends if it's something I've tried for myself. 

You can participate/sponsor by offering a giveaway item for the event. In return you get the above stated advertisement and a giveaway blog post during the event. If you also choose to provide a product for me to review in my home and keep, I will include my review in this post as well. My readers (and anyone else who wishes) can enter to win your item(s) by doing things like visiting your website and sharing something they like, following you on FaceBook, following you on Twitter, signing up for a newsletter, and whatever else you desire! I will then choose a winner via Random.org from all of the entry comments and email the winner for their information before sending it to you. It is then your responsibility to send the product to the winner!

These blog giveaway events are hugely popular and extremely fun for everyone. This will be my first one and I'm really excited. I've only had my blog since January and already have a huge following, which I plan to continue growing for as long as I can. I love doing this with my free time. I've always loved writing anyway! I will be promoting and talking about this from now until September.


Here is my plan:
My son's birthday is actually August 31st, and we are planning on his party being August 27th. He has already told me he wants an Outer Space party (which will be really fun). We are going to have a big fun party here at our house complete with water fun for the kids and traditional grilling out. We have never owned our own house so this is going to be so much fun for my son. I want to use all things sponsored during his party! I will have my photographer friend taking pictures of everything, and I will sit down the following week and work on writing all review/giveaway posts. I will then post the first one September 3rd, and will continue posting all of them each day until they are all done. The giveaways will probably run 3-4 weeks to give everyone plenty of time. I will notify you when your product is posted so you can of course read it and share it as you wish!

What I need from you if your interested:
Please email me the following info to surveymom1470@yahoo.com

Sponsor Name-
Prize Donation-
Prize Value-
Website URL-
FaceBook Page-
Twitter Page-
Etsy Page-
Other Webpage-
Are you willing to also send me a review product?-
Email Address-


Whew! This was longer than expected but I hope I covered everything!
To all of my fantastic readers- keep your eyes peeled! Posting my event button on your page will also get you extra entries to my giveaways from now on!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Jake's BBQ Sauce {Review}


BBQ Sauce is a staple in our house. I use it at least twice a week whether it's on chicken, as a steak marinade, or on something else I whip up for dinner. I just LOVE BBQ sauce! So when I came across Jake's BBQ Sauce, I really wanted to try it, because as much as I love them, I am pretty picky about my BBQ Sauce. I only have a select few that I actually really like. They just never taste as awesome at home as they do at BBQ joints.

I was lucky enough to try Jake's Original Mild BBQ Sauce, and their California Chipotle Dry Rub!

I couldn't wait to cook with it. Although Jake's website has TONS OF FREE RECIPES for you to try, I decided to whip up something of my own. I make chicken a lot, and I often like to do things like roll it in ranch then cover it with bread crumbs and bake (delicious!). But I decided I would roll my chicken in Jake's BBQ Sauce, then cover it in a mixture of crushed corn flakes cereal and some of Jake's California Chipotle Dry Rub, then baked it uncovered (to get some crisp) until done. Whew! It was SO good!!!!!!

My 30 Day Blog Challenge {Day 3}



Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.

New Coupons This Week (5/25)

Coupons.com put out some new coupons, as I've listed below. Head on over and get your printer ready!


Food & Beverage:

$1.00 OFF any 1 IHOP at Home frozen breakfast product
$1.00 OFF any 1 Hellmann's Mayonnaise (Redeem only at Shop-Rite)
$1.00 OFF one (1) 1.75 Qt of Blue Bunny Premium Ice Cream
$1.00 OFF 1 Lightlife Product
$1.00 OFF 1 one (1) 46 oz. variety of V8 V-Fusion + Tea beverage
$1.00 OFF TWO 8 oz. 6-packs or 46 oz. bottle varieties of V8 V-Fusion Juice
$1.00 OFF TWO V8® 100% vegetable juice 46 oz or larger varieties
$1.00 OFF 1 package of MorningStar Farms Breakfast Biscuits
$1.00 OFF 1 RED BARON Pizza Singles
$1.00 OFF 1 Reser's Sensational Sides item
$1.00 OFF 1 Magnum Ice Cream
$1.00 OFF 1 McCann's Irish Oatmeal product
$1.00 OFF 1 CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS product
$0.55 OFF 1 Bagel-fuls (4ct)
$0.50 OFF 1 Hanover Frozen Soft Pretzels
$0.50 OFF 1 One (1) 59oz. Trop50 Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade or any other flavor (excluding Orange)
$0.50 OFF 1 RelaxZen Product
$0.35 OFF 1 BOB EVANS REFRIGERATED SIDE DISH



Personal Care:

$5.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Simple Spa Wax Warmer Kit. Redeemable ONLY at Walmart
$4.00 OFF any 1 Alaway - Get up to 12 hours of allergy eye-itch relief!
$3.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Simple Spa Wax Warmer Kit
$3.00 OFF 1 Elizabeth Arden Select young women's fragrances at Walmart! Curve Crush For Women, fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS
$3.00 OFF 1 Elizabeth ArdenSelect women's fragrances at Walmart! White Diamonds Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Arden Red Door
$3.00 OFF 1 Elizabeth Arden Select men's fragrances at Walmart! Curve Crush For Men, Usher for Men
$3.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation Product Redeemable ONLY at CVS/Pharmacy
$2.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Product. Redeemable ONLY at Rite Aid
$2.00 OFF 1 L'Oreal Healthy Look Crème Gloss Hair Color
$2.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Hair Remover, Wax or Bleach Product. Redeemable ONLY at Walmart
$2.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Beauty Tool ($4.00 or more)
$2.00 OFF any 1 Sally Hansen Brush On In-Shower Product.
$2.00 OFF any 1 OFF! clip-on MOSQUITO REPELLENT starter
$1.00 OFF any 1 OFF! Botanicals product
$0.75 OFF any 1OFF! Personal Insect Repellent
$1.00 OFF any 1 Coppertone Suncare Product (excluding lip balm or trial size)
$2.00 OFF 1 ICAPS Product
$2.00 OFF 1 Renu fresh or Renu sensitive multi-purpose solution (8 oz or larger)
$1.00 OFF any 1 Listerine Mouthwash
$1.00 OFF any 1 LISTERINE WHITENING Rinse
$1.00 OFF 1 WILKINSON SWORD TWIN OR TRIPLE BLADE RAZOR AT WALMART
$1.00 OFF 1 Dr. Scholl's Corn, Callus, Bunion, Padding, Fungal Nail or Ingrown Toe Nail Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Nail Treatment Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Mitchum or Mitchum for Women product (Available at Walmart)
$1.00 OFF 1 Triple Paste
$1.00 OFF 1 New York Color Lip OR Nail Product ($1.72 or more)
$0.55 OFF 1 one 50ct Canister of Sani-Hands Sanitizing Wipes (Available at Walmart)


Pet Care:

$3.00 OFF any 1 Bio Spot® product for Dogs or Cats


Health Care:

$4.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin Allergy Product (24 count or larger)
$3.00 OFF 1 Flex-a-min product
$3.00 OFF 1 Miconazole 1 (Redeem at Walgreens)
$3.00 OFF 1 Osteo Bi-Flex Caplet, Softgel or Powder (Excluded Liquid)
$3.00 OFF 1 Senokot Tablets or Senokot-S Tablets
$3.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin-D Allergy Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Prevacid 24hr Product
$2.00 OFF 1 Slo-Niacin
$2.00 OFF any 1 NASALCROM allergy product
$1.50 OFF any 1 Bayer Advanced Aspirin product
$1.00 OFF 1 Ester-C The Better Vitamin C Product
$1.00 OFF 1 StaphAseptic tube, 1oz. or 2oz.
$1.00 OFF any 1 Little Tummys Yummy Fiber Gummies product
$1.00 OFF 1 Campho-Phenique Product
$1.00 OFF 1 NEO-SYNEPHRINE PRODUCT


Household:

$3.00 OFF 1 Glade PlugIns Scented Oil Lasting Impressions holder
$3.00 OFF 1 Windex Outdoor All-In-One Glass Cleaning Tool Starter Kit
$1.00 OFF FOUR (4) rolls or more of SCOTT Naturals Bath Tissue
$1.00 OFF SIX (6) or more rolls of SCOTT Naturals Paper Towels
$1.00 OFF 1 Spic and Span Product (Good only on Liquids, Sprays and Powders)
$0.50 OFF 1 or more tub or refill of SCOTT Naturals Flushable Moist Wipes


Home Entertainment:

$20.00 OFF HOME IMPROVEMENT: THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY COMPLETE COLLECTION on DVD


Toys and Games:

$5.00 OFF Tag Junior book pal

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

My 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 2



Day 2 — Your favorite movie 

Can you guess what my favorite movie might be?!? Well if you read yesterday's "Day 1" post you might be able to guess....



Okay so NO, it's not my favorite movie of all time. It's my favorite for the time being and we have watched it almost every day for the last week (my 3 year old son loves it too) . So I will tell a few of my other favorite movies from childhood until now (this is a very condensed list:

The Hangover
Pearl Harbor
Toy Story (all of them)
Shag
Requiem For A Dream
The Notebook (did you think I couldn't mention this one?)
Wedding Crashers
Superbad
Beauty and the Beast
Grease
To Grandmothers House We Go
Casper
No Strings Attached (NSYNC- this counts in my book) 

Monday, May 23, 2011

LoveMode.com {Review & Giveaway}




Summer is quickly approaching and with summer, comes a new wardrobe right? Well, maybe for some us that's a wish.... but guess what... the incredibly adorable and cheap juniors clothes at Lovemode.com can literally make that a reality for you. No, I'm not kidding. 

If you're anything like me, after having 2 children, it has become harder for me to find clothes that flatter my good parts while still being able to shop in the my favorite part of a store for trendy junior clothing. I refuse to shop in the ladies section (nothing against those that do). I'm just not ready for that yet. I absolutely love to shop, and always will. But being a stay at home mom and having a family of 4 on one income, shopping isn't something I get to do anymore. Not to mention it's not something I want to do with 2 kids in tow! But when I found Love Mode, I knew my worries were over. Finally! A juniors online clothing store that is super affordable and stylish. And by affordable, I mean top from as low as $10, with 100's of styles to choose from! They also have dresses, bottoms, accessories, oh and a great sale section too! You better believe I told hubby where I want to buy clothes from.

My 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

I've seen several of my favorite blogs doing this challenge and letting their readers know tid bits of useful and some useless information about themselves. Nonetheless, it's fun to read those small things about people. I like to feel like I sorta know the blog owners of the ones I follow so whole heartedly. So I figured I would do the same. I shall start today with the first one on the list...

Day 1 — Your favorite song
Day 2 — Your favorite movie
Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – How important you think education is?
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – Your current relationship, if single discuss how single life is.
Day 13 – Your views on drugs and alcohol
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your view on homosexuality.
Day 17 – How you hope your future will be like.
Day 18 – 5 things that irritate ME about opposite/same sex
Day 19 – Your reflection in the mirror
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – Who are you?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you want to go.
Day 27 – What kind of person attracts you?
Day 28 – In this past month, what have you learned?
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days

Friday, May 20, 2011

Sunday Coupon Preview (5/22)


Here is a preview from SundayCouponPreview.com

Unilever Coupon Insert (SmartSource and RedPlum)

Amdro any ant block 24oz, any/roach syringe w/2 refillable bait stations or kills ants stakes 8pk Save $2/1 (9/30)
Bengay any product Save $3/1 (7/31)
Breyer’s any blasts! 48oz Save $1/3 (6/19)
Brillo any 10ct or 18ct box of soap pads Save $0.55/1 (7/24)
Brillo Estracell any sponge products Save $1/2 (7/24)
Caress any tahitian renewal or cashmere luxury 12oz body wash or larger Save $0.75/1 (6/19)
Caress any daily silk, evenly gorgeous, velvet bliss, glowing touch, sheer twilight or scarlet blossom 12oz body wash or larger or 6pk bars or larger Save $0.75/1 (6/19)
Color Oops any box Save $1/1 (10/31)
Degree B1G1 FREE men or women premium anti-perspirant & deodorant or body mist up to Save $6 (6/19)
Degree any men or women anti-perspirant & deodorant Save $0.75/1 (6/19)
Domino any sugar products 2lbs or larger Save $0.75/2 (7/31)
Domino any 24oz organic or demerara sugar Save $0.40/1 (7/31)
Fancy Feast 3oz cans of elegant medleys, any variety Save $1/18 (8/22)
Folgers any product Save $0.25/1 (7/30)
Hellman’s any product 16.5oz or larger Save $0.25/1 (7/30)
Hungry Jack any pancake mixes or syrup products Save $1/1 (7/30)
Knorr any rice and pasta sides Save $0.50/2 (7/30)
Lipton any tea bags, to go or iced tea mix Save $0.40/1 (6/19)
Magnum any ice cream Save $1/1 (7/30)
Marcal any small steps product Save $1/1 (6/30)
Morton any bottle of Season-All seasoned salt 5oz and above Save $0.35/1 (7/15)
Morton any 3lb coarse kosher salt, 26oz all-purpose sea salt (natural or iodized), sea salt grinder or new pepper grinder Save $0.35/1(7/15)
Natrol any product Save $1/1 (7/3)
No Gray any box of 2 application Save $1/1 (10/31)
People Style Watch June issue of the magazine Save $1/1 (7/17)
Pringles super stack cans 180g or larger Save $1/3 (6/30)
Pringles any snack stacks or stix Save $0.50/1 (6/30)
Pringles any cans fat free 165g or larger Save $1/2 (6/30)
Q-tips any cotton swabs product Save $0.30/1 (6/19)
Ragu any pasta sauce Save $1.25/3 (6/19)
Sara Lee any 1lb or more of meat at the service deli OR 1 package of any pre-sliced meat located in the deli section Save $1/1 (6/30)
Sevin any product Save $2/1 (9/30)
Shedd’s Spread Country Crock Save $0.50/1 (6/19)
Smucker’s any jam, jelly, preserves or fruit spread products Save $1/2 (7/30)
Starbucks any pint of ice cream Save $1/1 (6/19)
Suave any professionals dry shampoo or styling products Save $0.50/2 (6/19)
Suave any professionals shampoo or conditioner products Save $0.50/2 (6/19)
Suave any men shampoo, conditioner or styling products Save $0.50/2 (6/19)
Suave B1G1 FREE body wash or lotion – excludes sizes under 4oz up to Save $3 (6/19)
Suave any deodorant product Save $0.50/1 (6/19)
Vaseline any product 3.1 oz or larger Save $1/1 (6/19)
Wishbone or Western any dressings Save $1.50/2 (6/19)

Monday, May 16, 2011

I Love My Daddy Giveaway Event


I wasn't planning on participating in the I Love My Daddy Fathers Day Event, but decided I really wanted to do more things like this with my blog and knew exactly what kind of sponsor/prize I wanted to have for my awesome readers (and future ones too). So I joined up over at Makobi Scribe with over 55 other blogs for this awesome fun event that will go on June 16-19. This wonderful event is also being cohosted by Little Yaya's and Jamie's Precious Peas. Thanks to all 3 of you ladies for organizing everything! These events are always so much fun. If you want to join, you have until June 2nd to do so, at any of the hosts pages, and add your blog to the linky!

My awesome sponsor will be FantasticWFabrics. I will be posting a review of a really special gift she is making for my husband, and the early/extra entries, the week before the event launches.... so be sure to check back here and come back June 16th to enter TONS of other awesome giveaways for a chance to win great prizes.

Meet Me On Monday




Welcome to the 45th edition of 
"Meet Me On Monday!"
 
Blogging  is a funny thing...we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read  and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, "who is  this person!?"  I know them...but yet I don't know them!  I want  to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great  way for all of us to "meet" each other!

Every Sunday Never Growing Old will post five get to know you  questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we  can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!

Java will add a linky so we can follow who participates and get to know them  better!!  Be sure to link the POST and not just your whole blog!!

Questions:
1.  Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?
2.  What is your favorite color Rose?
3.  Do you remove your shoes when you walk into your home?
4.  What is your favorite season?
5.  Approximately how many hours a day do you spend blogging?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1- I like both to be honest. But crunchy just gives it a little extra flare!

2-I love ANY flower, so all colors are fine by me


 3- Nope. My shoes go in my closet and I know if I take them off when I come in the house, they will remain next to the door (which hubby does with EVERY pair and drives me absolutely nuts)



 4- As much as I LOVE Christmas and all it brings, I really love Spring weather!


  5- The amount of hours I blog per day varies. Some days its 0, some days its several more. I admit, I don't blog every day.... thats because I have a million things going on and my kids certainly wouldn't allow it.



FREE Gifts for Dad from Vistaprint!


Right now at Vistaprint you can get great gifts for Dad (or anyone for that matter) and all you pay is shipping!

CLICK HERE to go check them out!

Lots of new coupons!

Here are some NEW printable coupons from Coupons.com!




Food & Beverage:

FREE JELL-O Flag Mold (with $2.50 P&H) Get yours by mail while quantities last!
$2.00 OFF 1 Celebration Foods Ice Cream Cake or Dessert (incl. Carvel, OREO, M&M'S, SNICKERS)
$1.00 OFF 1 Delimex Frozen Mexican Snacks
$1.00 OFF any ONE (1) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! product
$1.00 OFF Two (2) 5 oz or Larger Bags of Boulder Canyon Potato Chips
$1.00 OFF 2 packages of any OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh or One Pound Shaved Lunchmeats
$1.00 OFF 2 packages of any OSCAR MAYER Hot Dogs
$1.00 OFF 1 package of any OSCAR MAYER Sandwich Combos
$1.00 OFF 1 OSCAR MAYER LUNCHABLES with Fruit, no drink
$1.00 OFF 1 Magnum Ice Cream
$1.00 OFF 1 Smart Chicken Product. Redeem at The Fresh Grocer.
$1.00 OFF 1 McCann's Irish Oatmeal product
$0.75 OFF 2 packages of ATHENOS Greek Yogurt
$0.55 OFF 1 Bagel-fuls (4ct)
$0.55 OFF 1 HORMEL Fully Cooked Bacon
$0.35 OFF 1 BOB EVANS SAUSAGE LINKS OR PATTIES
$0.35 OFF 1 BOB EVANS REFRIGERATED SIDE DISH
$1.50 OFF 1 multipack or canister of BOOST Nutritional Drink or Powder
$1.00 OFF 1 HALF GALLON OF SILK
$1.00 OFF 12 oz. bag of Seattle's Best Coffee (REDEEM AT SAFEWAY)
$1.00 OFF 1 SO DELICIOUS COCONUT MILK BEVERAGE (64oz. or 32oz. )
$0.55 OFF 1 Pint Of International Delight Coffee Creamer
$0.50 OFF 1 package of any Tetley Tea
$0.50 OFF One (1) 59oz. Trop50 Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade or any other flavor (excluding Orange )
$0.50 OFF 1 RelaxZen Product



Personal Care:

$5.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Simple Spa Wax Warmer Kit. Redeemable ONLY at Walmart
$3.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Simple Spa Wax Warmer Kit
$3.00 OFF 1 Elizabeth Arden Select young women's fragrances at Walmart! Curve Crush For Women, fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS
$3.00 OFF 1 Elizabeth ArdenSelect women's fragrances at Walmart! White Diamonds Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Arden Red Door
$3.00 OFF 1 Elizabeth Arden Select men's fragrances at Walmart! Curve Crush For Men, Usher for Men
$3.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation Product Redeemable ONLY at CVS/Pharmacy
$2.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Product. Redeemable ONLY at Rite Aid
$2.00 OFF 1 L'Oreal Healthy Look Crème Gloss Hair Color
$2.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Hair Remover, Wax or Bleach Product. Redeemable ONLY at Walmart
$2.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Beauty Tool ($4.00 or more)
$2.00 OFF 1 ICAPS Product
$2.00 OFF 1 AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion (7.9 oz/225 g bottle)
$2.00 OFF 1 Renu fresh or Renu sensitive multi-purpose solution (8 oz or larger)
$1.00 OFF 1 WILKINSON SWORD TWIN OR TRIPLE BLADE RAZOR AT WALMART
$1.00 OFF 1 Dr. Scholl's Corn, Callus, Bunion, Padding, Fungal Nail or Ingrown Toe Nail Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Compound W product
$1.00 OFF 1 CeraVe product
$1.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Nail Treatment Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Mitchum or Mitchum for Women product (Available at Walmart) $1.00 OFF 1 Triple Paste
$1.00 OFF 1 New York Color Lip OR Nail Product ($1.72 or more)
$0.75 OFF 1 Efferdent Denture Cleanser or Effergrip Denture Adhesive product


Pet Care:

$3.00 OFF 1 Adams Flea & Tick Product (excluding collars)


Health Care:

$4.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin Allergy Product (24 count or larger)
$3.00 OFF 1 Flex-a-min product
$3.00 OFF 1 Miconazole 1 (Redeem at Walgreens)
$3.00 OFF 1 Osteo Bi-Flex Caplet, Softgel or Powder (Excluded Liquid)
$3.00 OFF 1 Senokot Tablets or Senokot-S Tablets
$3.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin-D Allergy Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Prevacid 24hr Product
$2.00 OFF 1 Slo-Niacin
$2.00 OFF any 1 NASALCROM allergy product
$1.00 OFF 1 Ester-C The Better Vitamin C Product
$1.00 OFF 1 PediaCare product $1.00 OFF 1 Phillips' Laxative Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Campho-Phenique Product
$1.00 OFF 1 NEO-SYNEPHRINE PRODUCT


Household:
$4.00 OFF 1 Glade Automatic Spray starter kit

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Couponing Workshop by Southern Savers


I was SO excited to learn that Jenny from Southern Savers was going to be in our town yesterday doing a couponing workshop. In my opinion, she IS the best blogger to follow for anyone who lives in the southeast. She does all the work for me on coupon match-ups, and lets me know when new coupons are available online at Coupons.com. I quickly signed up with a few ladies I know to go learn everything we could. It was only $10 and we learned EVERYTHING I could imagine in about 3 hours time. We got these great little workbooks she put together as well, with tons of info. It was awesome. She made us laugh but also made us understand that there is no need to buy 1 years worth of something at one time and clear shelves. She really put things in a better perspective for me. I highly recommend you go see if there are any WORKSHOPS coming up in your area. If you don't live in the Southeast part of the US, find a popular coupon blogger in your state and email them to ask if they know about any couponing workshops. You NEED TO GO!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Jody's Gourmet Popcorn {Review & Discount Code}


Who knew there were so many possibilities with popcorn? I remember when I was a kid having chocolate covered popcorn and thought it was the best thing ever. I also remember being given those dang Christmas popcorn tin's that I never ended up eating because the popcorn just wasn't good to me. When I came across Jody's Gourmet Popcorn, located in Virginia Beach, I was super excited to try it, being as I'm a snacker and my son loves popcorn (especially in his cute little popcorn bucket). We received some samples in the mail just a few days ago (large samples to my surprise): Funfetti, Recipe 53 Caramel Corn, and Chunky Choco Toffee Drizzle. When the boxed arrived my son saw the small Jody's logo sticker on the box and says to me "Oh mom! This says "Here is your popcorn!". I could not get the box opened fast enough! I also couldn't keep him still enough to get any picture of him!

Wholesale Halloween Costumes: One stop shop! {Review}



Who doesn't love dressing up for Halloween? It's the one time of year everyone can get away with looking crazy, sexy, or just plain scary without being laughed at! For the last several years I've wanted to dress up and go to a Halloween party with my family (and make hubby match me) but last year I was pregnant, and the year before that hubby was deployed. So this year will be our first chance to dress up together and go somewhere. I was extremely excited about choosing a Halloween costume from Wholesale Halloween Costumes! They have SO many choices, and the prices are absolutely unbeatable! You can find anything. The women's costume selection was huge and it was not an easy choice but I finally decided on the Women's Disco Dee Lite Costume (partly because hubby informed me once before that he wanted to do a 70's thing so he would wear an afro). There were several retro costumes for women!

MixBook: The Perfect Gift (Review & Discount Code)




I couldn't have been more excited about being given the opportunity to create my own Mixbook! I've always wanted to make a photo book but never did. I truly think they are special gifts that will last a life time. The possibilities are endless (that is no joke). You are not limited on the number of pictures you can use which was so awesome. You can use however many photos you can fit into the number of pages in the book you choose! I used 68 photos spread out onto 25 pages! Can you believe that? I could've definitely fit more if I wanted to. You can choose if you want hardcover or softcover (mine is hardcover) as well.


How does it work? Easy! Just follow these steps....


Monday, May 9, 2011

Mother of Pearl Series: Day 8

Welcome to Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Each Life is Unique by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. II Peter 1.3 (NIV)

Moms, God wants you to know that He has given you everything you need for life --- your unique life. He does not plan to give you what you might need to live the life of your best friend, or your neighbor, or even your favorite mother-model. No, God has called you to the life that He planned. I suspect that for most of us, it didn’t turn out to be the life we thought it might be… so long ago when we were young and dreaming of ‘growing up.’

On Mother’s Day I often recall my own dreams to one day be a mother. I grew up playing with dolls and looking to my own Mama as a model for that particular role in life. However, by the time I reached my thirties I was still not a mother! God did, however, have a plan. It just wasn’t what I imagined.

My own unique life would find me becoming a mother through the adoption of my first three children who were ages 9, 7 and 4; and then much later giving birth to our fourth child. Of course I was shocked when God revealed this to me, but I was ecstatic as well. It’s as though I could hear Him saying, “Well, you’re not getting any younger so I’m just going to just give you a jump start with three at one time!”

A huge blessing! A huge adjustment! A joy and a struggle. Change is often like that, isn’t it? We finally get what we want then we have to deal with it. May I just offer a bit of advice if you just got a great answer to prayer, but perhaps not in the way or form you imagined? Just receive it. Embrace it. And be willing to move forward into a new paradigm for your life. So what if you’re not like all the other mothers you know? So what if you’re not like your own mother? So what if your family unit is different? I guarantee God has a plan.

Not only did he want me to embrace my own story, but He called me as a mother to do perhaps one of the most important tasks of all --- to nurture my children to live their own unique lives. Not for me to try and squeeze them into what I hoped and dreamed they would be. Not for me to try and live my life through them. But to recognize how God made them, gifted them, and called them to their own special place.

All of my 4 kids are different from one another. Let’s take sports, for instance: I have one child who wins gold medals in international tennis competition, one who is a born equestrian, another who competes nationally in obstacle course shooting matches, and yet another who manages to dance onstage in 3 inch heels, do cartwheels and splits while singing at the same time. Now, honestly, I do none of these things. And yet they do.

I don’t remember placing my order with God for these things.  But I do remember when that tennis player turned 9 years old and I enrolled him in Special Olympics for the first time and how it changed his life… and ours. I remember getting a counselor job at an exclusive summer camp so that my daughter could take English riding classes. I remember being a Cub Scout leader (even though I knew nothing about boys) so that son could one day become an Eagle scout and pursue his love of the great outdoors. And yes, I remember enrolling my preschooler in dance lessons. Later when all the little girls were scared to go on stage for the recital, she exclaimed that she had endured a whole year of lessons just so she could go on stage.

Don’t compare yourself to someone else. And don’t live vicariously through your favorite reality show star. Live your own story. And Moms, raise your kids to embrace the unique life God has for them.
Remember, He has given us everything we need for life!

Lucinda Secrest McDowell, a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, is the author of 10 books including “Role of a Lifetime,” “Amazed by Grace,” “Spa for the Soul” and the new Bible Study “Fit and Healthy Summer.” She is an international conference speaker and enjoys being a Pearl Girl from “Sunnyside” – her home in a New England village. Visit Cindy at www.EncouragingWords.net

Mother of Pearl Series: Day 7

Welcome to Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

What is a Grandmother? by Suzanne Woods Fisher

“A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”
 Amish proverb

I arrived late in the night in Rhode Island, anxious to meet my two-day-old grandson, Blake, after a full day of flying. My daughter and son-in-law had just returned home from the hospital and felt like they had been in a train wreck. There was stuff everywhere.  Already, the needs of this little eight-pound bundle of joy were enormous: an all-terrain stroller, plenty of diapers, onesies, spit-up rags, an assortment of pacifiers to try out until he found the ideal one.

And he was perfect.

I know, I know. “Every mother crow thinks her own little crow is the blackest.” But this little dark eyed, dark haired boy really was perfect.

I spent the next seven days (and nights) getting to know this little guy. His schedule (he had none), his hunger cries (very similar to his every other cry). His pirate look--one eye open, one eye squeezed shut, as if he was still surprised by all that had taken place to him in a week’s time.

I felt surprised, too. How could my baby possibly have had a baby? How could I be a grandmother? I had just turned fifty-one. Shockingly young! How could a kid like me give up playing tennis three times a week to settle into knitting and crocheting and Friday night bingo? And shouldn’t I alter my appearance to fit this new label? Give up my jeans? Switch over to below knee-length calico dresses, thick black socks, practical shoes, gray hair pinned in a topknot. Think…Aunt Bee on Mayberry R.F.D.

As soon as people knew my daughter was expecting, I was bombarded with advice from my well meaning friends—even those who weren’t yet grandparents. “The best way to avoid getting on the nerves of your daughter and son-in-law is to not say anything. Ever.” Or “You’d better pick your nickname or you’ll be stuck with something hideous, like MooMoo Cow.” 

What should I be called? Granny? No…reminded me of The Beverly Hillbillies. Grandma? No…sounded like The Waltons. Grammy? No…it was already taken by the in-laws.

But no one really explained what it meant to be a grandmother. I didn’t know myself, not until I held baby Blake in my arms. In that moment, I realized that he was one of mine. He belongs to me. He will be on my mind and in my prayers, every day, for the rest of my life. There’s a bond between us that can’t be broken. He has altered my life forevermore.

I had become a grandmother. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Mother of Pearl Series: Day 6

Welcome to Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

When Mother's Day is Difficult by Holley Gerth

I have a confession (anyone surprised?). I have mixed feelings about Mother’s Day.

On one hand, I love celebrating all the women who have made a difference in my life (thanks, Mom!).

On the other hand, a long journey of infertility has left my heart with some tender places.

On May 8th, we’ll celebrate Mother’s Day once again. For many, it’s a time of appreciation and joy. For others, it can be one of the most difficult days of the year. This is often true for women facing infertility, families who have recently experienced the loss of a mother, and many other painful situations.

At one point in my life it seemed as if I couldn’t take another step. In addition to infertility, I was facing several other losses. I felt as if I were in a dark cave. But then I sensed the Lord gently and lovingly speak to my heart, “You may be in a cave, but you still have a choice. You can sit in despair or you can diamond-mine your difficulties.” I decided I was not leaving that time in my life empty-handed. I was taking every hidden blessing I could find. Of course, I still had difficult days. But choosing hope made a difference.

As a reminder, I now wear two rings. The one on the fourth finger of my left hand represents my commitment to my husband. The one on the fourth finger of my right hand is a simple silver band inscribed with the word “hope” and it represents the commitment I have made to God and myself to hold onto hope no matter what happens.

The story of an inspiring woman named Terrie also reminds me to hold onto hope. She endured the loss of four pregnancies and waited seventeen years before adopting a little girl. She told me, “I think one of the most important parts of this journey is learning to trust God. I don’t mean the flippant kind of trust. It’s easy for people to say, ‘You just need to trust God.’ It’s much harder when you’re in the middle of all this pain. But he is trustworthy. Through it all, God has given us an amazing story. I wouldn’t have chosen this road, but he has been with us. I can look back and truly say every step was worth it.”

I don’t know how my journey will end and you probably don’t know how yours will either. I also don’t know how many of you will be silently grieving your losses as we sit in church together on May 8th. But I do know that God sees each one of us. He knows how many hairs are on our heads and how many cares our in our hearts. Whatever you’re going through this Mother’s Day, you’re not facing it alone. As King David, a man who experienced many losses in his life, expressed in Psalm 34:18 NIV, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” May God surround you with love, fill you with hope, and give you strength for each moment—especially this Mother’s Day.

Excerpted from When Mother’s Day is Difficult.

Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer for DaySpring, a cofounder of the popular web site (in)courage, and licensed counselor. Holley loves chocolate, coffee, Jesus and connecting with the hearts of women through words. Her next book, a devotional titled God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman (Harvest House) will release this July. You can find Holley online through her blog Heart to Heart with Holley.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Mother of Pearl Series: Day 5

Welcome to Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

A Mother's Day Wish by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Heads up: Margaret McSweeney deserves a medal, or at least a commendation for giving everyone a much deserved Mother’s Day rest. Okay, y’all can be seated. I’m glad you agree, but you’re supposed to be taking a load off, remember? Oh, and full disclosure—Margaret didn’t know I was going to say that so I hope she leaves it in, and no, I didn’t do it just because I’m ridiculously nostalgic about the theme of her community, although I am. As the Belle of All Things Southern, one who is southern to the bone, I have a thing about pearls.

When I was a teenager, add-a-pearl necklaces were all the rage. They may not be as wildly popular anymore as they were back in the day but I still say they’ll always be a classic concept: a gift of a single pearl on a dainty chain given with the intentions of adding other pearls on important holidays and special occasions. Today, I see add-a-pearls as a beautiful reminder of the accumulated wisdom we learn from our mamas.  Oh, sure, we snicker as young girls because not all of their advice strikes us as useful and some of it seems positively fossilized, but hopefully, over time and with the Father’s blessing, we gain enough perspective to see that these mama-isms—the important values and the silly little lagniappe— are all increasing in value with the years.  By the way, that’s my Mother’s Day wish for each of you, that we’d each take the time and the responsibility to thread these precious heirlooms into treasures worthy of bequeathing to the next generation. Mother’s Day...

May I be honest? I’m looking ahead to the annual celebration with somewhat mixed emotions. I’m not feeling very Mother of the Year. Instead of cooking dinner for my most deserving mama and enjoying her company, instead of reveling in the love of my husband, kids, and grands, (known as the Baby Czars of All Things Southern), I’ll be on the road, touring with my latest book “Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy.” I’ve got Mama’s gift bought, wrapped, and ready to be delivered by my beloved hubby, and my grown kids understand that I didn’t choose the release date, but the facts remain:  I won’t be there. (Shameless plugs time, anyone? My daughter blogs at Kitchen Belleicious and is raising funds to build an orphanage in Rwanda at Shelter a Child http://www.shelterachild.com/ and my daughter-in-law celebrates the daily details of getting to know the Holy One at Providence, http://providence-carey.blogspot.com). I won’t get to enjoy Mama tickling the ivory from the piano bench of Melbourne Baptist Church and I won’t be overdosing on baby sugah. Sigh.

But, then, I mentioned mixed emotions earlier, didn’t I? Well, before some sweet soul cues the violin music, perhaps I should lighten up and come clean on what Mr. Harvey would call “the rest of the story.”  It so happens that while the 8th of May will find me miles from home, it’ll also find me in Savannah, Georgia where I’ve secured myself a little reservation at that famous establishment belonging to Mrs. Paula Deen, the Queen of Southern Cooking. Indeed, y’all, I’ll be suffering for Jesus at The Lady and Sons. I know. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

Regardless of where you spend it, I wish you each a Happy Mother’s Day. I’d love to think that everyone reading my words had a mother like mine, a woman of faith who taught me from childhood of the Risen Savior who saves souls and anchors lives. But, dear reader, if that’s not your past, I hope you know it can be your future. I pray you’ll be the one that begins such a legacy, and that you’ll be moved to start building that heritage today.

I’d love to see y’all on the road somewhere. Watch for me, and I’ll watch for you. I’ll be the one with an empty glass of sweet tea looking, always looking, for a refill.

Hugs,
Shellie

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, known as the Belle of All Things Southern is a radio host, columnist, author, speaker and founder of the All Things Southern online community, www.allthingssouthern.com. She loves meeting, greeting, laughing and learning with the whole wide world or as many who wander her way. Shellie once dreamed of writing great important things that changed the world, only once she started writing the world grinned and christened her a humorist. Shellie saw this as a problem at first, until she discovered that the laughter softens hearts, builds relationships, and invites her into people’s hurting hearts where she can share her own, which is exactly where she wanted to be all along. Look for Shellie’s latest book, Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy wherever fine books are sold.

Mother of Pearl Series: Day 4

Welcome to Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Adoption, a Mother's Greatest Gift by Tricia Goyer

I held the small baby in my arms, wrapped up in a receiving blanket to keep her warm from the chill of the delivery room, and a voice spoke to me. "Congratulations, Mom."

The congratulations came from an unlikely source--the grandmother of this child, the mother of the sweet birth mother who chose adoption for her baby girl.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. Thankfulness filled my heart--to God who'd answered my prayers and to the birth mom who'd chosen our family for her daughter. I also ached that my joy would be another's heartache. Working with teen moms for ten years, I was often an advocate for the young mother. I knew that while the weeks and months ahead would be a time of celebration for our family, they would be ones of heartache and grieving for this woman.

Adoption is a wonder and the beauty, and the sacrifice of it is never so clear as on Mother's Day. My new daughter is one-years-old now and she huge is a part of my heart. Her life is a gift to my days and her smile can make even the most dreary afternoon bright. I can honestly say there is no difference in the love I feel between her and my three other children. If anything the love feels even more special because she was an unexpected gift. John and I learned about her life just 2 ½ months prior to her being born. The years of prayers to expand our family were answered quickly and beautifully.

The sacrifice of adoption makes my heart ache, for I know on this Mother's Day another woman will be thinking about my daughter—her daughter. As I rejoice, I'll be crying tears for her. I'll also be sending up prayers that God will wrap His arms around her in a special way.

This Mother's Day I cannot help to think about Christ's sacrifice to make our adoption into God's family possible. Maybe it's because just a few weeks ago we were celebrating Easter, but I'm reminded anew that my gain required His loss, His pain. The greatest love, it seems, is not shown with flowers, chocolate or a diamond bracelet. The greatest love is shown when, because of your love for another, your desires and comfort are laid down for the greater good of someone else.

As Ephesians 1:3 says, “How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son” (The Message).

Perhaps you know an adoptive mother. Take time this Mother's Day to let her know that the beauty of her gift is not missed by you. Also, take time to thank God for adopting you into His forever family, thanking Jesus Christ for His sacrifice. I wouldn't be the mother I am without this Gift of Love.

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Beside Still Waters, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. www.triciagoyer.com