Here Burns My Candle Review and Giveaway!

Here Burns My Candle

by Liz Curtis Higgs

It’s been 4 years since Liz Curtis Higgs’s last novel, and she’s made good use of that time studying Scottish history and the Scriptures. And now she offers a retelling of the beloved Old Testament story of Ruth and Naomi set in 18th Century Scotland. Visit the Lowlands in

Here Burns My Candle.

*This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.*

Book:

Here Burns My Candle
Author:

Liz Curtis Higgs

Summary:
A mother who cannot face her future. A daughter who cannot escape her past. Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her. Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips. His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory’s many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her. One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown.

A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of eighteenth-century Scotland, Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

Author Bio:
LIZ CURTIS HIGGS is the author of twenty-seven books with three million copies in print, including: her best-selling historical novels, Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is the Rose, Christy Award-winner Whence Came a Prince, and Grace in Thine Eyes, a Christy Award finalist; My Heart’s in the Lowlands: Ten Days in Bonny Scotland, an armchair travel guide to Galloway; and her contemporary novels, Mixed Signals, a Rita Award finalist, and Bookends, a Christy Award finalist. Visit the author’s extensive website at http://www.lizcurtishiggs.com/.

MY TAKE:

This was a fantastic book. I recently read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, and it is now my all time favorite. The reason I mention that is because this book is almost as much of a page turner as Redeeming Love was. It has an excellent plot. One that keeps you guessing. It keeps you intrigued with the story...and you become very "close" to the characters. It is also VERY authentic. You can tell that Liz Curtis Higgs has done her homework on 1700 Scotland. If there is anything negative that I can say about it, it is just that....the Scottish verbage. It is SO authentic...which is GREAT....but it is also very hard for someone like myself, to follow that verbage. The only time that verbage is used is during conversations with the highlanders....but when they do speak "Scottish", I often find myself having to reread the lines a couple times to get the jist of what they are saying. That would be my only gripe...but even that isn't enough to me to say that it isn't a good book....because it was FANTASTIC! I would HIGHLY recommend this book to ANYBODY!!

GIVEAWAY:

Waterbrook Multnomah has graciously given me a copy of this book to giveaway to one lucky winner.

To enter:

YOU MUST become a follower of my blog and then post a comment telling me you are a follower.

Extra Entries:

-Subscribe to my blog and make a seperate post telling me you subscribe

-Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and comment with your link

The difference between a big girl and a little girl.

Driving down 144th and Dodge, I notice the nice big houses. They are HUGE....and if it weren't for the fact that they would have to be cleaned....I would LOVE to live in them! So here is the conversation:

Mom: MaKenna look at the big, beautiful houses!!

MaKenna: (not too thrilled) Ahuh...............MOM LOOK BIRDIES!!!!!

And there you have it....the mind of a 34 year old and the mind of a 5 year old.....

HE'S OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!!

Major!!! UGH!!!! WHAT A STINKER!!! WHAT A TURKEY!!!!!!!



We went to Target last night. Just him and I. The rest of them were at the ice rink skating...yes...you heard me right...SKATING...AGAIN!!!!! In their defense it was the end of the year party for the Squirts. Anyway...


So, I have Major in the cart....he is being fairly good. I am looking for Fiber for Cam....so I push the cart out of the middle of the aisle behind me while I kneel down to look at the Fiber. In the meantime, there is another mother and child that are in the aisle. I start hearing boxes flying off of the shelves onto the floor. I think to myself...."Gosh...what a brat...if that were my kid he would get a tongue lashing." Finally...they leave....but I keep hearing boxes flying off the shelves....what the...."MAJOR NO!!!!" I turn to see boxes littering the aisle and Major hucking them all over the place. Apparently I had him WAY to close to the shelves. UGH! That is just the beginning...it gets better.



So...after I clean up the floor we head out to look for chips for the boys' hockey party this weekend. I am in the chip aisle...it is fairly quiet....picture this:

Little old lady walking towards Goldfish. She picks up a bag of Goldfish and Major pierces the quiet with, "NO!!! MY GOLDFISH!" It startles me...so you can imagine how startled poor little old lady is! She throws the bag of goldfish....goldfish all over the floor. I apologize profusely all the while my son is STILL yelling, "NO!!! MY GOLDFISH...MY GOLDFISH!" I jokingly tell her, "He is very possesive of his goldfish"....she doesn't see the humor. People are staring, Maj is still yelling.....SCREW THE CHIPS...I AM GETTING OUTTA HERE! I start heading down the aisle...Maj is still yelling even though I am threatening him....I start to hear little old lady yelling something behind me....I think...."SHE IS CHASING ME....just ignore her Tonya...get out of here!" I start thinking of the little old New York lady from Madagascar 2 with her purse....I get more nervous. Yes....I am clearly afraid of this little old lady...she is STILL yelling something at me....I ignore it, I block out her words, as I turn the corner...I can't. Why can't I? Oh my gosh....THAT'S why little old lady was yelling at me...as we had started walking away, Major who is very possesive about goldfish, grabs the end of her cart and we are dragging her cart behind us....little old lady is too slow to catch up with us...hence the yelling....I had her cart and her purse dragging behind me with my possessive little boy holding on for dear life. After apologizing over and over again...I got out of there. That was enough shopping for one night!

The Real Food Project

"Real Food Project" from Hellmann's®Spread the word for a chance to win great prizes!

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay and actress/mom Lori Loughlin have teamed up with Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise to unveil the Real Food Project on Hellmanns.com, a comprehensive online resource offering tips and ideas on how to create real meals made with Real Food. Because videos are great for multi-tasking moms, The Real Food Project features a series of entertaining how-to tutorials, hosted by Bobby Flay, to give us tools and techniques to prepare great-tasting, at-home meals for our families.

Just by visiting http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103221799937&s=58071&e=001NursN5I-dqQv2czYQlEXKxcjIKXqqzMCAtqxKDc-c60oQ3C3KCJg9yBj8I9iBftcEb8ci7N9v_f-ShefAiexHWqnDm6sx5-4Slzg4KXc5-SJUiG-DelyOQ==, you can access a wide range of recipes, including sandwiches, entrees and side dishes, all designed to please picky palates. There are even chances to win great prizes like a kitchen essentials bundle, Bobby Flay Grill It and Hellmann's® and Best Foods® products by playing the "Wheel of Real" instant win game and entering the Real Food Sweepstakes.

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Hellmann's® prize package in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place.

What are you waiting for? Head over to Hellmanns.com to stock up on tips and great tasting recipes.

Blockbuster Express Deal!!

How many times in your life has a DVD saved the day? From entertaining fidgety kids on long trips to curing the rainy day blues, I think we can all agree that renting a DVD can be a busy Mom's secret weapon. As a busy Mom, I know that there isn't always time to even rent a DVD. Taking the whole family down to your local movie rental store can end up being an hour long ordeal. By the time you get home you're too tired to even watch the movie and what seemed like a great idea ended up being quite a chore. Luckily, I've found the perfect solution! Moms, here is your newest secret weapon: BLOCKBUSTER Express™ kiosks. They make renting DVDs fast, easy, and affordable! You can rent DVDs online for only $1 per night at blockbusterexpress.com and you don't even need a membership to do it.

Through the rent online feature at blockbusterexpress.com, you can create a favorites list, browse available movies at your preferred kiosk, complete the rental of up to three movies at once online and then pick up the DVDs from the kiosk at your convenience. Now you can spend less time renting and more time enjoying your DVDs with your family. Start planning your next movie night tonight! BLOCKBUSTER Express offered a special Rent One Get One Free coupon code for you to use and share with all of your friends and family.

The coupon code is 555G13B.

When you rent a movie at the regular price using the code in the banner above*, you'll receive the first night's rental on the second movie FREE. This offer expires on 3/31 so make sure to take advantage of it soon and encourage your friends to do the same!

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to blockbusterexpress.com to check out their great new releases! From family friendly features like The Princess and The Frog and The Blind Side to date night picks like Twilight: New Moon and Did You Hear About the Morgans?, there's sure to be a title for even the pickiest movie watcher! For all of the latest news on BLOCKBUSTER Express you can follow them on Twitter and on Facebook.

*Code is valid thru 3/31/2010. When you rent a movie at the regular price, you'll receive the first night's rental on the second movie FREE. Extra night charges and taxes apply. Limit one per customer. May not be combined with any other offer. Rental terms and conditions apply. Not valid at Blockbuster store locations.

Papa's 65th birthday

Well....I have no pictures....you know why....but my sister took tons of pictures...I am just waiting for her to e-mail them to me...hint...hint Rhonda.......

So this post will have no pictures, but I will post pictures as soon as I get them....hint...hint Rhonda...... :-)

Sunday the 21st, was my dad's 65th birthday! He doesn't look a day over 45, and he acts like a 35 year old! We had a good weekend with him! Saturday Rhonda and I took him to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch....well...Rhonda took him....I just went along. It is only right for the oldest child to pay right?? :-) Anyway, it was a very good lunch....very filling with fantastic company! After good food and good conversation we went back to dad's house. We went through all of my mom's jewelry because we hadn't done that since she died. Then dad showed us a box of old pictures of mom's family. That was a lot of fun to see some of these pictures that dated back to the VERY early 1900's.

Rhonda and I both had to leave by 4 because we had commitments that night....but it was a very nice....quiet (ie no kids) day.

Sunday (dad's actual birthday) we went to church and then headed to the ice rink. Yup...you heard me right....the ice rink. We CHOSE to go to the ice rink and there was no hockey. Go figure. Anyway...it was family skate. Rhonda, Mike and their kids were there and Papa too! We all went skating...including Major. Major had a rough time at first, crying, and whining...but after awhile he started to enjoy himself and started doing really well for a 2 year old! Once my foot cramps went away I finally enjoyed myself too! :-) Papa had fun too...though yesterday he was saying that he felt the effects of ice skating! We determined that he had not been on ice skates since I was 9 years old!!! We used to go to Clackamas Mall in Portland, OR and go ice skating...they had an indoor ice skating rink. That was the last time he went! He said he skated a lot when he was a kid on the Blue River....but otherwise he hadn't skated since 1984! He did REALLY good! He did fall once though! :-) He was leaning over to pick something off of the ice and down he went. I know better than to do that....apparently he wasn't thinking! :-)

After the rink we went to dad's house and had spaghetti and bread sticks, then of course DESSERT!! Everything was delicious and we had a great day!!!! Happy 65th birthday dad!!!!!

MaKenna WAS sick after all!!!

So....remember the doctor office fiasco?? We were there for Cam and Jake...but I had him look at MaKenna and Major because of their coughs that wouldn't go away. Everything looked fine he said.

So that night....at 2 am....MaKenna woke up SCREAMING because her ear hurt and she had a fever. I knew ear infections could creep up on you very quickly...but really????? So, the next morning I asked her how she felt...she said fine. I thought, hmm...it must have just been a fluke. So we went to church for MOPS. About an hour after we got there, Kenna's teacher came out telling me that Kenna was very sad and said her ear hurt. Ugh....so I called my dad who came and picked her up. I called the doctor's office and they got me in for later in the afternoon. Yup....a nice big, fat ear infection! That's what I get for trying to work the system by having her looked at the day before and not paying for it. Yup...that's what I get!!!

BetterMe Coaching Tool

Start Here Blog Review and Giveaway

Start Here, Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are

By Alex and Brett Harris with Elisa Stanford

*This book was provided by Multnomah Press for reviewing purposes*

Summary:

You want to do hard things, but you dont know where to start. You are changing the world around you, but you are tired and burned out. You feel called to do the extraordinary for God, but you feel stuck in the ordinary.

Do Hard Things inspired thousands of young people around the world to make the most of the teen years. Now Alex and Brett Harris are back and ready to tackle the questions that Do Hard Things inspired: How do I get started? What do I do when I get discouraged? What's the best way to inspire others? Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life "rebelutionaries", Start Here is a powerfiul and practical guide to doing hard things, right where you are.

Are you ready to take the next step and blast past meiocrity for the glory of God? START HERE.

About the Authors:

Alex and Brett Harris are the coauthors of the best-selling book Do Hard Things, which they wrote when they were eighteen. Today, the twins speak regularly to audiences of thousands on The Rebelution Tour; maintain a large online community through their blog, TheRebelution.com; and have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and in the New York Times. Raised in Portland, Oregon, the brothers currently attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia.

My Take:

This is a very good instructional book....for TEENS. I suppose it would also be helpful for any age....but it is definitely geared toward teens. I enjoyed the stories that I read, and the brothers have great insights. I had my 11 year old (tween) read it. He was interested, but when I asked him what he though, he simply replied...it didn't apply to me right now much...maybe in a few years. So...definitely more for teens, then even tweens. It is most definitely a great starting point for anyone looking to further the Kingdom.

GIVEAWAY:
Would you like a copy for yourself, or maybe for your teen? I have one copy that Multnomah provided to me for a giveaway! One lucky reader will get to win this book! If you are interested you must first:

-Become a follower of my blog and comment that you are a follower and would like to enter this drawing.

Happy Spring Day!

Tonya

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!

TOP O' THE MORNIN' TO YA!!!

Okay...so it is no longer morning...but I have found myself happily saying that to everyone today!! The accent was REALLY sad...but it was fun to say!!!!!

Hope you all had a fantastic Saint Patty's Day!!

I had Mops this morning, and I babysat my little Samantha....then the boys had their yearly checks today. What was with Jake at the Doc's office...I will never know. He was quite a verbal little man. Dr. Pat said, "...so that is why you want to make sure you always have helmets on when you ride your bike." Jake raises his hand. "Yes Jake." Jake says, "One time, my mom bought a house because it was on sale." WHAT? Where did you pull that one out of??? Yes...I...WE did buy a house...because it was FOR sale. Um...by why did you choose to say this during a talk about helmets?? Okay....Dr. Pat just laughed as usual. Dr. Pat is an awesome Dr. We love him to death!! He takes everything that kids say with a grain of salt! Anyway...once Dr. Pat realized that Jake goes "commando" almost all the time...and was commando today, he said, "Oh....you need to have a house for your boys Jake." Too funny! Then Jake told Dr. Pat...again...out of the blue...that dad cusses. WHAT???? I don't think so Jake. "Yes huh mom...he said the "C" word." The C word??? "You mean Crap?" DEEP BREATH IN. "MOM!!!!!" I explained that it wasn't really a BAD word pre se...we just didn't like to use it...it didn't sound nice. So, then in typical Dr. Pat fashion when he was feeling Jake's tummy he said, "No crap in there!" DEEP BREATH IN. "DR. PAT!" Too funny! We all got a good laugh out of that.

Cam's exam was uneventful. He is such a tween. I did find out why he is eating me out of house and home though. GROWTH SPURT TIME!!!!

Then there is Major. Who was NOT getting an exam...but had to do EVERYTHING that the brothers did after they did it. For example. When the boys bent over in front of Dr. Pat to see their backs, he also had to have Dr. Pat feel his back while bending over. He basically got an exam that we didn't pay for...he had to have his ears, eyes, nose, throat looked at, his heart and lungs listened too...you name it. Luckily...he is currently in good health...as are the big boys. Since he was getting it all done...MaKenna had to have a piece of the "pie"...so she got a 'free' exam too! Also healthy currently! Whew! When Dr. Pat was listening to Cam's heart we were all quiet....that was a rarity....and we heard someone pass a large amount of gas. Major giggled and goes, "I toot!" I said, "Major...did you toot?" He goes, "YIP!" We all had to laugh after that!

Oh....my life...never a dull moment!!

FREE, REALLY NICE CAMERA!!!!

Who would like a new camera...FREE????? A nice one yet to boot???? Click below!!!!

http://phototips.alexismiller.com/2010/03/nikon-d80-camera-giveaway.html

A couple Cam pictures

Cam is black 19. Some of the pictures are sideways because they were read only pictures and I couldn't rotate them. But these are from the tournament in Kansas City last weekend.

Yip and Nope

Major is such a hoot. His yes' are "YIP!" And his no's are "NOPE!" Very cute! He is talking a ton now! I forgot how much fun it is to try and decipher what a 2 year old is saying!!

(no...that is not Major in the picture....just sayin')

TOURNAMENT IS DONE!

HI ALL!!! THE TOURNAMENT IS OVER...AT LEAST FOR OUR BOYS!!! Jeff, MaKenna and Jake are still at the rink watching the championship game. Major, Cam, and Shawn and I came home to eat and rest! The whole time change thing gets me EVERY year! That's alright...I'll get back to normal by tomorrow! :-)

So they won their game today!!! YIPPEE!! But...they still ended the season in 5th place. Not too bad....at least it isn't last. There were 7 teams total. The other Gladiator team is playing for the Championship....so we are pretty proud of them! A lot of those boys are on Cam and Shawns Select Gladiator team. Jake and Cam both hustled incredibly well! I was so proud of them both!!!

So....they have ONE more Friendship game on Tuesday night....then hockey is DONE for the season!! DONE I SAY!!!!!!

Last tournament of the hockey season!

Today started the last hockey tournament for the season! The Select teams are done...they were done last weekend, but this tournament is for the House teams. The nice thing about THIS House team is that Cam and Jake play on the same team! YIPPEE!! My nephew Shawn plays on the team too! So...it makes it much easier on mom! :-) Unfortunately though, the House team isn't quite as good as the Select team...so they lost two games today, but they DID win one!! Cam got a goal in the one that they won....AND...they even scored a goal when they had two men in the penalty box! It was 3 on 5....and we STILL got a goal! :-) So proud of my boys! Go Gladiator 1 Team!! Tomorrow we play at 9:30 (Sunday)....that will be the deciding game to see if we get 5th or 6th place. I know...it doesn't sound good...but it is better than being at the VERY bottom...right??????

Well...off to bed I go! Don't forget, Daylight Saving's Time starts tomorrow!!! Set your clocks ahead an hour!!!!

Major's Family Night

So...if you have followed this blog for awhile, you will know that every Wednesday night is family night because the rest of the week we are frantically running kids to ice rinks! Wednesday night USED to be church night...but we really felt like God would understand if we took that night to spend time together as a family. So, we have started a system. Each Wednesday it is somebody else's turn to pick what we do. I used to just always plan family night....but I didn't think that was too fair...so we started with Jeff and worked our way down. This past Wednesday night was Major's turn. Obviously due to his age he needed help planning....so I took that job.

We had Mexican for dinner. I know....doesn't sound very Major like, but he really doesn't eat anything at all anyway...even hotdogs and Mac and Cheese....so I figured I could rule over dinner! I made some enchiladas, rice, tacos, and guacamole. YUM! Then after finishing homework with Jake, we played Ring around the Rosy several times....then it was Duck Duck Goose! Major enjoyed Duck Duck Goose SO much that he got a little bit wild and started coughing uncontrollably. I thought he was going to throw up on me....so that was the last of Duck Duck Goose for the night! Then we played a CALM version of Red Rover.....Daddy's team won. :-( We were going to play Little People's....but we had so much fun with the active games that it got too late. So finally we sat down and watched an episode of Dukes of Hazzard. I don't remember if I told the blog about that or not....but a good friend of mine has the whole series on DVD. She gave us Season one to watch when they were done. The kids love it so much! Nehemiah (my friends baby who is 9 days older than Major) and Major run around the house going, YEE HAW!!!! Nehemiah will say, "I Luke Duke, he Bo Duke". And then Major will answer..."No...I Boss Hogg!" It is very funny! So that is how we ended our evening with an episode of Dukes of Hazzard! We had a good night! Next week it is Jeff's turn...I wonder what he will have us doing........

Jake's pictures from Kansas City

Here are some pictures of Jake playing hockey from the Kansas City weekend. Like I mentioned before...I have no camera...none anymore. :-( So I am relying on my sister. These are pictures of Jake, the ones of Cam I still have to download off of Walgreens so I can share them with you. So here are Jake...and my niece Kayla's pictures! Jake is number 19 (Jeff's old high school hockey number) and Kayla is the only girl goalie...well the only girl at all...out there!

Jake is the one on his knees trying for the goal.

Jake is the one in the back not looking...as usual....

I don't see Jake in this picture with the trophy...but Kayla is the long haired blonde!

Jake in the line up with their individual trophy's...he is the one with glasses.

Jake on the far right...not looking at the camera...again....

Best buds and best cuz's.

Getting their medals at the Valentine's tournament.

This picture is actually from Valentine's Day too. When the kids were done playing, they gave the mom's pink roses! Very sweet! Especially since my man was galavanting around Colorado...okay...not galavanting...he was coaching hockey...but still!!!

Kids Closet Connections

Make sure you head on over to 72nd and Grover and the Holiday Inn there to the Kids Closet Connections sale! This is their first year in Omaha! They are in the Heartland Room of the Holiday Inn...it faces 72nd street. They have a lot of really nice things!! They are there all day today, and most of the day tomorrow....tomorrow (Saturday) is their 50% off day! Make sure you head over!!!

Recipe for a Good Start Contest

As Moms, we all have our own recipes for giving our kids the best possible childhood and a great start in life. Whether those ingredients include encouraging our kids to try their hardest or promoting their imagination and creativity, our hope is that our children will grow up to be happy and well-adjusted adults. Family time is an undoubtedly important part of that recipe, and making sure the family sits together at the dinner table at least once a week is a great, but challenging way to fit it in.

Ragú® offers moms hundreds of nutritious, convenient, delicious and affordable meal ideas- perfect for busy families on the go. From making sure the kids get their veggies (Ragú® red sauces contain more than a full serving of veggies in every half cup of sauce) to skip-a-step recipes like No Boiling Lasagna and No Frying Chicken Parmesan, Ragú® understands your hectic lifestyle and desire to feed your family quality meals at a great value.

Now, Ragú® is teaming up with actress and mom Molly Ringwald to promote the Recipe for a Good Start Contest asking moms to share their recipes for a good start for a chance to win a $5,000 college scholarship. By visiting www.recipeforagoodstart.com, you'll have a chance to submit your recipe for a good start in life and your original Ragú® recipe that has the family running to the dinner table! Three first prize winners will be awarded a family trip to New York City where they will compete in a nationally televised Ragú® Recipe Challenge for the chance to win the ultimate prize of a $5,000 college scholarship.

"Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Ragú® family package in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place."

The Midwest Hockey Tournament

What a CRAZY weekend we had!! We left Friday afternoon. We packed and pickup the boys from school at around 1pm. Off we went to Kansas City. As much as I dislike Kansas City, I must say...the weather was FANTASTIC! It has been awhile since I got to go outside with nothing but my t-shirt on...well...and pants too...but you know what I mean! NO COAT!! It was great!!

Friday night Cam (and Jeff) had a game. Jake had a pizza party with his team at their hotel. The Squirts and the Mites stayed in different hotels. My sister and her family stayed with the Mites and we stayed with the Squirts...since Jeff is the coach. So Jeff and Cam dropped us off at the Mites hotel for the pizza party. Jake, myself, MaKenna and Major hung out with the team, and Rhonda and Kayla and Brooke. The kids had a TON of fun....while Rhonda and I just had headaches!! :-) It was a lot of fun for the kids...just a tad chaotic. There were a LOT of kids and their parents crammed into a small room....therefore, lots of noise...lots of accidents...among other things. But I won't bore you with those details! After the game, (they WON) Cam and Jeff came back to the Mites hotel and picked us up. We were all ready to go. Major had developed a fever of 102.5....and Jake was complaining of a bad tummy ache (he often gets tummy aches when he eats sweets or "junk" in general at night.) Rhonda to the rescue though! She had Tylenol that we gave to Major before the party started and Ibuprofen that we gave him after the party...then she even had Pepto for Jake!! What a great big sister!! We headed back to the hotel and I went to the work out room, while Jeff took the kids to the pool. Yes...I have been working out 6 nights a week...I have been losing weight and doing very well with staying on task so I couldn't quit just because I was gone. Anyway, that night was tough because Major was up crying A LOT and Jeff's snoring was enough to wake our entire floor...AND...I had taken a Tylenol PM to drown out his snoring. Or course...I took it PRIOR to Major getting up and crying a majority of the night...so I was pretty miserable...and VERY groggy the next morning.

Saturday we got up, ate breakfast downstairs (gotta love free breakfast buffets!), and then we had to go to Walmart. Why? Well...on the way out of the house Friday night, Major handed Jeff his shoes and said, "Shoes daddy." Jeff said, "You don't need your shoes, you're just getting in the truck for a long drive." We stopped at St. Joe, MO and I said, "Jeff I am taking Major to the bathroom...where are his shoes." Jeff's eyes got really big...woops. So...we had to go to Walmart for shoes....and we got Pepto for Jake, and more Tylenol and Ibuprofen for Maj. We came home from Walmart and Major and I BOTH crashed for the next two hours. It was WONDERFUL! I usually HATE naps for me because I wake up feeling worse...but not this time! I woke up feeling very well rested! I felt great!

So, we woke up and headed to Cam's game. They lost this one...but it was a good game! As soon as that game was over we had to rush over to the other rink where Jake's team was playing. Yup...that's right...the Mites and the Squirts stayed in different hotels and played at different rinks. It was very confusing! Jeff was able to watch this game...and they WON! Jake's team had been undefeated the whole season!!! They would then go to the CHAMPIONSHIP game on Sunday!!! After the game we headed back to the hotel. Jeff went to get dinner from BK, Cam watched the kids in the hotel room, and I went to the exercise room. After exercising and eating, I took the kids to the pool, while Jeff went to a parent meeting. We had fun at the pool! We stayed until they kicked us out at closing time.

Sunday morning we got up, got packed, ate breakfast and headed to Jake's rink. Jeff was able to stay long enough to tie his skates for him, but then him, Cam, Mike and Shawn took off in Mike's van to Cam's rink. Rhonda and I, Major, MaKenna and Brooke stayed with Jake and Kayla for their game. This was the CHAMPIONSHIP game!!! We were SOOOO excited!! To make matters better, our team scored two goals all within the first 40 seconds of the game!!!! But....things changed after that. They were either ahead or tied with the opposing team the whole game...until the very end...when one of our players accidentely tipped the puck into our goal...giving their team the winning point. :-( Whose to say we would have won anyway....if it weren't for that goal, we would have had a shoot out...and maybe we wouldn't have won anyway...I don't know...but the kids were devastated. Nobody blamed that particular player, but they were all devastated to say the least. The locker room was full of a bunch of crying little boys...and one girl. I felt so bad for them. They went the WHOLE season undefeated. They got trophy's though for getting Runner Ups in the tournament for Mites!

So, Rhonda and I rushed to get to the other rink. We made it to that rink when Cam and Shawn were in their 3 period. On the drive over we were told it was 5-1....not in our favor. By the time we got there it was 5-4 I believe....well...it was a lot closer. Cam had pulled his groin in the game on Saturday and had a bit of a limp....I wasn't sure he would play well...but he really turned it on!! In fact only a few short minutes after getting there I saw him go down and get a goal that tied up the game!!! He also had an assist in that game...but I am not sure that I saw that one. Anyway....they ended up losing...but they came back from behind....and they only lost by one point I believe! They did great!! They got 4th in the tournament for Squirts! No trophy's. The boys were pretty upset...but they had a great season as well!!

Then...it was time to head home. We were home by 6:30 pm. It was a quick trip....and it was fun....but it was a little crazy! Hockey Select is now done for the season. We have two more weeks of Hockey House teams. In fact, this weekend we have a house tournament here in Omaha. Cam and Jake play on the same house team...which Jeff is coaching. They have games on Saturday at 9:45, 12:15 and 6:15 if anyone is interested! They have games Sunday too...but I won't know those times until we see what they do on Saturday.

I don't have any pictures....because as you know...my camera is lost in the snow somewhere....so I have been taking still pictures with my video camera....guess what? It decided to break while we were there. As soon as my sister posts her pictures, I will post some here for you. Bummer huh? Jeff says absolutely no more camera's for me! So...I have been entering the Sears $1,000 giveaway daily! WISH ME LUCK!!!!!!!! :-)

FairyTale Land

MaKenna: Daddy is FairyTale Land real?

Daddy: No honey...it is not real.

MaKenna: Yes it is!

Daddy: Um...that is why it is called FairyTale land...it's a FairyTale....

MaKenna: Nope!

99 Ways to Entertain your family for free!!

I just realized I have TOTALLY forgotten to post on this in a very long time!!! Sorry! So....before I go and do my Denise Austin exercise....I thought I would post a couple real quick!!! Here you go!

INDOORS:
Show Time

Playact Bible Stories, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and adventure stories. The best choices are whatever the kids have recently read themselves or listened to and enjoyed. Improvise a stage...grab a few simple items...practic the scenes...but the point is just to have fun, no perfection. You could even invite an audience!!!

JUST IMAGINE:
Establishing a Read Aloud Routine

A regular read aloud time can become one of the most cherished experiences of childhood. During read aloud time, some children are content to sit and listen, but many aren't. So here are some ground rules.

-While listening, you can pursue other things...drawing, playing with a toy quietly, as long as it's quiet and not distracting.
-Only the reader speaks...save questions and comments for afterwards.

Test a few different books to see what your family enjoys most.
Then enjoy the book together!!!!

Hockey this weekend!

Again...hockey this weekend! This time we are in Kansas City! Yippee! *note sarcasm*. I am sorry...I love hockey...I love my boys....but I HATE Kansas City! I just HATE going there! Sorry Kansas Cityans....I am just NOT a fan of your town. Yes....there are good points to it...but....just not a fan. Please forgive me. This is the trip of the year that I dread. I don't mind Des Moines....I don't mind Lincoln...I even don't mind Sioux City....but Kansas City? Ugh. So...off we go tomorrow afternoon. We have to take the boys out of school around noonish. We will spend the weekend in Kansas City...because I love hockey...and I love my boys.....

See you Sunday...with lots of pictures!!!

I do have a couple questions though...I NEED YOUR INPUT...PLEASE ANSWER:

*If there were a Christian Hockey Team in Omaha....would you be:

A. More likely to enroll your kids

B. Less likely to enroll your kids

C. Doesn't really make a difference

-This Christian Hockey Team would be no different then the regular teams except that prayer and speaking about God would be okay. No Wednesday night practices...no Sunday morning practices or games...and maybe even a little devotional while on the ice from time to time.

*If you are NOT a follower of this blog yet...is it because:

A. Woops! I'll do that right now

B. What does that mean?

C. I don't WANT to follow your blog!

-PLEASE become a follower! You will have more opportunity to win awesome prizes! The more followers I have, the bigger and better giveaways I will get to do!

That's it! Have a great weekend!!!!!!!

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

(Jeff's grandma is currently battling this cancer.)

Colorectal cancer, like many other cancers, is extremely important to catch early, before it spreads. Watch for common warning signs such as changes in bowel habits, bleeding from the rectum, and blood in the stool that appears bright red or black. Starting at age 40, men and women should get a yearly fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or Fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Men and women should get a colonoscopy every 5-10 years starting at age 50. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about getting screened more frequently. For a complete list of recommended cancer screenings, click here. If you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, the four most common types of treatment options are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies (for a detailed listing of your personal treatment options, click here to visit the National Foundation for Cancer Research's Free Online Treatment Decision Tools).

Of these four treatment options, the National Foundation for Cancer Research is most focused on improving the last one - targeted therapies - because these hold the most promise for the future of colorectal cancer treatment. Targeted therapies block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules that promote cancer growth. These specific molecules are called "molecular targets."

NFCR Scientist Wei Zhang, Ph.D., at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, has recently discovered what may be a brand new molecular target for colorectal cancer. Dr. Zhang collected tumor samples from colorectal patients and analyzed them. He found an unusually high amount of a protein called NGAL in cancer cells as compared to normal cells. With further analysis, Dr. Zhang found that NGAL plays an important role in changing the cancer cells to become more inviasive - or spread to nearby tissues. If that is the case, then NGAL would be a new molecular target that can then lead to the development of a new drug to stop cancer cells from becoming cells that may spread or metastasize from their primary site. This is a significant breakthrough because colorectal cancer, like most cancers, is at its deadliest once it has spread. Dr. Zhang's research on NGAL may soon determine if it may become a new biomarker for colon cancer metastasis, and a therapeutic target for treatment of colorectal cancer. To learn more, click here.

If there is anyone deserving of a pick-me-up, it's certainly Moms! With our demanding schedules and sometimes sleepless nights, it's no wonder that some Moms set their coffee makers to automatic brew.

If you're one of the many Moms who rely on a caffeine boost to jumpstart your day, you might be familiar with an organization that consistently delivers quality java- 100% Colombian Coffee. 100% Colombian Coffee is found in numerous brands of coffee because demanding consumers the world over are aware of the importance of its origin.

So next time you are shopping for coffee, look for the 100% Colombian Coffee logo - your guarantee to the "richest coffee in the world." Coffee drinker or not, you definitely don't want to miss out on the 100% Colombian Coffee "See What's Behind the Best" sweepstakes. By visiting http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103120758419&s=58071&e=001HStelsJCEbYvJ--EWodzGC_nB0xB0X1ZTaSugkAZSHbJBvbH9rMMKqxbDETlMJCiMGfvn_LKMBbG22kVBm8pEpV9dpRHdLX5TER0tjL5R_1hNrs_F6jw7Da3JMRlq-Jo, you'll have the opportunity to learn about the philosophy behind 100% Colombian Coffee and enter to win great prizes. The grand prize is $10,000!

WHO WOULD'NT WANT TO ENTER?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!

Ugh....

I'll just leave it at that.....

If there is one chore that Moms are familiar with, it's laundry. For many of us, it's a daily occurrence that gives new meaning to the phrase "spin cycle!" That's why it's not surprising that laundry rooms are among the most frequented areas of the house for Mom....unfortunately, they tend to also be some of the most uninspired rooms in the home when it comes to design.

Luckily, Wisk® Laundry Detergent understands and wants to help! If your laundry room is plain and boring or a downright dungeon, you just might be in desperate need of a laundry room makeover. Wisk® Laundry Detergent is teaming up with TV's Designing Spaces to pimp-out one laundry room in dire need of a face-lift as part of the Wisk® Pimp My Laundry Room video contest.

Just enter a short video from March 1 to March 29, 2010 at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103114851479&s=58071&e=001hkegFcS3wXtApHl4gQT9a41OiG-EC4ePG53U6e2ZDUwYJ2YfGQDCLXPVz7qI8omerPES4tB1Bo3GcDWRe_oZcIKlbqmLCeVE_VkmJpy2uhoVP9SZ9aKSPg== explaining why you deserve a laundry room makeover and Wisk® could be on your doorstep with their partners-in-design, Whirlpool's DreamLaundry® Solutions team led by Bill Thomas and Emily Johnston, owner of the interior design firm EJ Interiors and founder of Materials Girls Blog.

Together, they'll take your laundry room from drab to fab in no time thanks to a laundry room makeover complete with a new Whirlpool® High Efficiency (HE) washer/dryer set and a year's worth of Wisk® HE Laundry Detergent. Even better, she'll get to star in her very own episode of Designing Spaces! The top Finalists will be featured on LaundryHE.com from April 12 - 19 and the Grand Prize Winner will be chosen by popular ballot so be sure to get your friends and family online and voting! Even better, a vote is an automatic entry to a sweepstakes for a year's supply of Wisk HE Laundry Detergent. Wisk knows that Moms share advice and tips almost as often as they do laundry! Check out this video!

*I am partnering with BSM Media for this Wisk contest with product giveaway*