WIN AN IPOD TOUCH OR NANO!!!

Go to Mama's Money Savers for a chance to win an IPod Touch or Nano!!! The link is below!! Good luck!!!!

http://mamasmoneysavers.com/2010/05/win-an-ipod-touch-nano-and-sidral-mundet-gifts-12-winners-ends-528.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mamasmoneysavers%2FSCtH+%28Mama%27s+Money+Savers%29#comment-49431

Dixie's Bridal Shower Pictures

Here are some of the pictures!! I had to throw Lydia in there...she looked so pretty in her little dress!! She was the youngest attendee!!!

Tini and Holly....BFF's!! :-)

HAD to take pictures of the food!! Especially my cake balls! They were DELICIOUS!!!! And they didn't look too bad either! They really weren't too hard to make, but they were SOOOO time consuming!!!

Here is more of the spread....

Deana was a doll and did the cake! Didn't she do a great job?!?!?!

Dixie and her bow bouquet!

The Creighton PT grad school girls!!! :-)

My little "sister" and I!

The blushing bride!

Holly and Dixie...

Both of my little "sister's"!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO DAD FOR LETTING US USE HIS HOUSE FOR THE SHOWER!!!!!

Another win!!!!

I won something else this week!! That is three in one week! Not too shabby!!!

CoolestMommy

Dixie's Bridal Shower

Well...today was the day!!! Dixie Lee Filleman's Bridal Shower!!! I have been planning a long time....and today was it!!!

Holly flew out to be with us also, which I was so grateful for! She handled the games and prizes! I did the food....some of the decorations, and Deana did the cake and punch! It was a brunch so we had lots of yummy food and snacks there!! Way to much for those of us who are TRYING to watch what they eat! But...it is a weekend...and it is for a good cause....so eat I must!!! :-)

We had a WONDERFUL time! It was REALLY a lot of fun! I felt a tad old though as most of the attenders were in college....well...grad school...but I still felt old! They were talking about their 5 year high school reunions! Uh...that was a few years back for me....okay....a lot!

I took lots of pictures...but I had to borrow dad's camera as usual...so I need to upload them...and I will put them on asap!!

I just want to thank Holly for doing such a great job...and I want to thank Deana for doing the cake and the punch and for clean up afterward...and Rhonda for cleaning up and helping me set up some...and to Emily for helping me clean up...and Tini for helping us with clean up and other fun little things in between!! You guys are THE BEST!!! I would be absolutely LOST without you all! Of course...you all know that and that is why you hang around me!!! :-)

Pictures to come!

WIN IT Life In Spite of Me book!!

Okay....so I am down a few brain cells lately! I have been planning and getting ready for my sister in laws bridal shower....my brain isn't where it is supposed to be. I realized that I DID NOT tell you HOW to win the book a couple posts ago!! SO SORRY!!!

SOOOOO....WIN IT!!!!

Go back to that particular post and comment.

MANDATORY ENTRY:
YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER OF NEBRASKA FILLEMAN'S TO ENTER

Extra entries: (1 each)
Subscribe to Nebraska Filleman's blog
Blog about this giveaway
Refer someone else to this post that also becomes a follower

I will do random.org pick on May 31st!!
GOOD LUCK!!!!

WINNER TWO TIMES OVER TODAY!! :-)

TWO things today that I won!!!! Make sure you click on the links below to see my name in lights and see what I won!! Maybe follow these blogs and subscribe to them to for your chance at winning other things as well!!!

http://www.shopwithmemama.com/blog/entry/646071/mothers-day-giveaway-hoover-linx-cordless-stick-vacuum


http://frugalplus.com/winners-of-love-finds-you-in-homestead-iowa/

Life, In Spite of Me book review and giveaway

Life, In Spite of Me
Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice

Written by Kristen Jane Anderson
As told to Tricia Goyer
Release Date: May 4, 2010

About This Book

She wanted

to die. God had other plans.

Why does my life have to be so painful?
What’s wrong with me?
It’s not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won’t hurt anymore.

Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.

One January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.

But Kristen's story doesn’t end there.

In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living.

Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.

Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most.

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

About the authors:

Kristen Jane Anderson has been featured on Oprah and is a popular speaker at colleges, women’s and youth events, churches, and suicide prevention outreaches. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute and the founder of Reaching You Ministries, Kristen seeks to help those who are hurting, hopeless, lost, suicidal and depressed.

Tricia Goyer is the author of three hundred articles for national periodicals, as well as fourteen novels and six nonfiction books, including Blue Like Play Dough.

MY TAKE:

Wow....this book was an incredible book. It really hit close to home. No....I have never attempted suicide, nor have I ever thought of it...but the struggles that she went through before, during and after her attempt, can be relatable to just about anyone. Her struggles and how she conquered those struggles are all laid out in this book in a brilliant way. She reminds us how important our personal relationship with the Lord truly is. Last night I even discussed this book with my husband. At one point in the book she had decided to wean off of her anti depressants. My husband is currently doing that, therefore we could relate with the struggle of weanning off of meds like that. It is amazing to me when people go through personal struggles in life, it seems that God will always put others in your path that are also going through those same personal struggles letting you know that you are not alone in this. What a relief it is to know that we serve such a loving God.

This was a wonderful book and it was a quick read. Wonderfully told. I believe that this book would be great for anyone in any stage of life.

11 year old girls.....

So...what is with girls now adays?? When I was 11 years old...I wasn't near as gutsy! Last weekend we had three girls that came to our house. When I looked out the window....one was standing on the sidewalk, one was sitting in our tree swing and the other was ringing the door bell OUT OF CONTROL!

Cam had answered it...I didn't know what transpired. Later, Cam, Jake, and Jeff went to Lacrosse practice. Again...the doorbell...the three girls....I went to the door. No...he is not here.

Next day....same thing...this time, Cam was at a friends house. I made sure NOT to mention WHICH friends house he was at.

I asked Cam the next day (he stayed the night at his friends)...what is going on with these girls?? Apparently the one that keeps ringing the doorbell uncontrollably wants him to "go out with her." He didn't want to be mean so he simply said he would think about it. Which prompted her to come over all weekend long for his answer.

Really???? Did you do this when you were 11???? Crazy!!

So Monday rolled around and he told her no. She actually said to him, "I am going to wrip you from limb to limb until you say yes!" Yeah....like that is going to entice him....

Then, he MENTIONED to his friend that she was a little hefty for him. It is true....she is a hefty girl, but CAM!!! He NEVER should have said that! Number one...it is cruel...number two...that is how little girls become bulemic's and anorexics....and nubmer three...things like that ALWAYS have a way of coming back and biting you in the butt!!!

Well....it did bite him in the butt. Her friends found out he said that, and he had 5 11 year old girls beating him up after school! He didn't get beat up....but they sure tried!

No...he shouldn't have said that...but she also shouldn't have said she would wrip him limb from limb!!

My goodness!! Is THIS what I have to look forward to???????

Huggies MomInspired Grant Program!

Huggies MomInspired Grant Program
Join Us in Spreading the Word to Innovative Moms!

Throughout the years, I've (Mom Select) met hundreds of moms with great ideas, small companies and innovative products. However these smart women lack the money to take their businesses to the next level. They either finance their ideas with credit cards or build their businesses with family loans. It became my goal to find a company who might appreciate the innovative thinking of moms and be willing to offer these moms funding for their businesses. The good news is, I found the company in Kimberly-Clark's Huggies Brand.

For those of you who haven't heard about this fantastic initiative, I am so excited to announce Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program. This program allows inventive moms to submit original, innovative and viable new business and product ideas designed to help make life easier for parents so that they can better enjoy everyday moments with their little ones. Until June 11th, you can visit www.HuggiesMomInspired.com to apply.

This program is open to moms who have an idea or already have a product/business and need additional funding to take it to the next level. Please note that the business or idea does not have to be one that fits within the Kimberly-Clark portfolio of products.This is all about helping moms nurture their business ideas and help them grow.

I know there are moms out there who have companies that need financial help.

By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a $250 American Express gift card from MomSelect. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Playtex Bra Makeover! Win a free bra from Playtex!!!

Playtex Bra Makeover
Win a free bra from Playtex!


Do slipping straps, riding up backs, or not enough support have you ready to write a Dear John letter to your old bras? Apply for a Bra Makeover from Playtex! Seven out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra, which can result in an ill fit for the rest of their outfit, back and shoulder pain, as well as bruising and digging.

We know that busy moms don't always have time to update their bras or even check to make sure they are wearing the correct size. That's why we wanted to let you know about this contest from Playtex! Playtex recently launched www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com, a site where women can go to apply for a bra makeover or nominate a friend. If chosen, the winner will be flown to New York to receive a Bra Makeover with style expert Alison Deyette. Deyette is a fashion and trend lifestyle expert who has been featured on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker and TLC's Ten Years Younger, as well as in print publications including Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, and O Magazine. Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. The last day to apply is Friday, May 21st, 2010.

The 10 winners selected for a Bra Makeover will also star in their very own webisode wherein a makeover candidate will receive a fitting with Deyette and walk away with the perfect Playtex products. A new webisode will premier on www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com every two weeks.


*By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a free bra from Playtex. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
Real women have real bra problems, Playtex wants you to kiss those bra problems goodbye. Check out www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com for more information.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY ONE AND ONLY!!!

13 years ago today, May 17th, I tied the knot with my soul mate...my best friend...my one and only. May 17th, 1997 was the FIRST happiest day of my life. What an incredible man I married. I had no doubt then that I wanted to marry him, and if I had to do it all over again, I would.

In 13 years we have had many ups and downs. We've moved 4 times, to 3 different states, we've had 4 children, we've suffered miscarriage, we've buried grandparents and a parent, we've struggled personally, mentally, physicially and financially. But we have made it and though times were tough, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. God taught us so much through all of the troubles that we have seen. It is easy to forget that He is simply molding us into the people He wants us to be. He never said life would be easy....but He is watching how we react to the turbulence.


We need to remember that this is just our temporary home....and I am so glad that He chose for Jeff and I to live out our days on this earth together during our temporary visit. He knew that through our differences we would learn so much and we would complement eachother during any tough times we have had, are having and will have.

Happy 13th Anniversary to my love.

One eskimO CD Review

*One eskimO is a critically-acclaimed English band fronted by singer-songwriter Kristian Leontiou and includes musicians Pete Rinaldi (guitar), Jamie Sefton (bass, horns) and Adam Falkner (drums).

*They currently have the #1 adult alternative song called 'Kandi' which you may have already heard since it's the most played song on all adult rock radio 4 weeks and counting.

*Billboard Magazine calls One eskimO's self-titled debut album "...catchy, ambient pop." and Los Angeles Times Magazine hails the song "Kandi" “a beautiful, aspirational track.” The album is available in stores now.

*The album release comes in tandem with a full length animated film. “Hometime”, one of the tracks that an animated short was first done with proved to be quite a sensation. It received numerous honors at film festivals around the world, as well as a 2008 British Animation Award.

*Band is on tour May/June/July supporting Michael Franti and in addition to festivals and headlining shows.

My Take

Hhmmm...I have been thinking about this for a day or so. I really enjoyed the CD...especially the song Kandi, which had Candi Staton at backup on the "he called me baby, all night long", part. It is a very urban sounding song....and all of their songs sound kinda...sexy...but especially Kandi.

I wasn't expecting what I heard though...I gotta be honest. Until it was time to review this CD, I had never even heard of One eskimO. I believed it was a rock CD. I don't know if I just assumed that or if I were told that...but I had it in my head that it was a rock CD...possibly alternative. Well...it is alternative in the fact that it is not your run of the mill music. It is more beautiful...pop. The lyrics aren't always inspirational, but the music...almost flows...as if it were inspirational. Does that make sense to any of you? I didn't like it at first...the first song caught me off guard with a horn of some sort being played...it sounded like a trumpet. But...as I kept listening to the CD, something happened...it kinda lured me in if you will. It is very mellow....and very catchy.

Unfortunately I do not have a copy to giveaway, but I do hope that you have read this review and will listen to some of their music yourself....but...DO listen to more than one song. It took me at least two or three songs to "catch" me.

Tour Dates


May 14 Miami, FL Fillmore
May 15 Jacksonville, FL Free Bird Live
May 18 Orlando, FL House of Blues
May 19 Tampa, FL The Ritz Ybor
May 22 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
May 24 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
May 25 Charleston, SC The Music Farm
Jun 01 Toronto, ON The Guvernment
Jun 03 New York, NY The Beach at Governor’s Island
Jun 04 Boston, MA House of Blues
Jun 05 Essex Junction, VT Camplain Valley Expo
Jun 06 Hunter, NY Mountain Jam Festival
Jun 08 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Thtr
Jun 09 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room
Jun 12 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
Jun 13 Kansas City, MO Crossroads
Aug 14 Denver, CO Mile High Festival


LINKS



One eskimO Website: http://bit.ly/bCAfYE
“Kandi” Video: http://bit.ly/9CkEsg
Tour Dates: http://bit.ly/bQa94y
Band’s Facebook: http://bit.ly/906Gp3
You Tube Channel: http://bit.ly/bgZM8P
Deluxe Edition on iTunes: http://bit.ly/agXgTj
Free Download of “Astronauts” via Twitter: http://bit.ly/97B94S

National Women's Health Week

National Women’s Health Week, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, kicked off on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2010 and lasts until May 15, 2010.

This year, get your friends and family involved by encouraging one another to take the steps necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some ways to celebrate include:

Exercising for at least one hour and 15 minutes (running, biking, or even dancing!)
Making sure to get enough sleep and manage stress well
Eating a nutritious diet
Visiting a healthcare professional for a check-up
Avoiding risky behaviors such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt

National Women’s Health Week includes National Women’s Check-Up Day and an eight-week online physical activity program. Maintaining a healthy day-to-day lifestyle is a basic tool in regards to cancer prevention and has a significant impact on long-term health. To help give you some ideas, click here for 5 Simple Steps to Reach (and Maintain) a Healthy Weight.

Major's Boys Town Research Day

So Major was selected to be part of a study at Boys Town Research Hospital awhile back. He was to be part of the control group. It is an ongoing, 3 year study pertaining to hearing loss. He is one of the participants that can hear....though it is selective hearing. :-)

The first time we went it was supposed to take 3 hours. I didn't ask if there was compensation, and they didn't say....but I was going because I felt that research was important to health of others...though I was hoping that there would be SOME compensation considering I was dragging the kids around all over Omaha. But...I was willing to accept if there were not. Turns out...there is comensation....$15 an hour. I can handle that....PLUS we are helping research.

Anyway...Major did fairly well. They took the first hour or so to get to know him so that he would open up to them and not be scared. Major doesn't scare too easily though....he just runs over anyone who gets in his way. Then...through playing they asked him questions using toys. Then they started bribing him with toys. If you say this...then I will give you this...etc. He did really good for the first couple hours. He even had the actual hearing test done...with the beeps...and he did great. But after two hours...he started to melt down a bit. We started bribing with snacks at that point....but he was jut done....

So, they paid me for two hours and set up an appointment for the following week to get that last hour in.

They did get a kick out of him though. They said he is full of character. My response? You have NO idea how much character he is full of! They enjoyed how he says Cracker. They would say, "Say cracker Major...and you can have it."

"Crapper!"

They thought that was pretty cute. The boys think that is funny and try to get him to say it all the time! Naughty boys!

They also enjoyed his pronounciation of his name. They said,
"Say Major."

"MATOR"

So funny! He used to call him self Bubba because I have always called him Bubba Gump (don't ask), but now he is calling himself Mator! So, now I have been calling him Tomater! He doesn't like that though! :-(

So...the second week we went...he was just getting over being sick...kids aren't very cooperative when they are coming off of an illness. He did not want to work with them at all. He was very disobedient. They would tell him to throw the ball at them and he would toss it the other direction just in spite of them. He was naughty. But...somehow they managed to get everything they needed. It did take longer than the hour though, so I got compensated a little bit more.

Now he will be seen every year on his birthday for the next three years. If you are local and you would like your child to participate, let me know...I can hook you up with them. I know they are looking for more kids!!!

Mother's Day at the cemetary

After Kindergarten RoundUp yesterday, we ate lunch and then went and picked up dad. We headed to Milford to where mom is buried. We put some flowers out and this MOM teddy bear with a MOM plaque. It was SOOO windy out....so we didn't stay long....it was a VERY chilly May day! It was nice to see "mom" again though...boy....I sure do miss her.....

The trip to the Zoo....and birds and bees...ugh...

So...Cam is SOOO thrilled to be volunteering at the zoo this year!!! Even though it is quite a drive for me to and from....it is worth it to see his excitement! A couple weeks ago, I took him for his shift. This was only a day after I had the embarressing night at Neihardt where they talked to us parents about the birds and the bees that they planned to discuss with our children. No...not detail...just what will happen to their individual bodies.

Anyway....so on the way to the zoo...we have about 20 minutes and Cam says, "So...what did they tell you at school last night?"

Gulp.....

"uuhhhh....well....they told us that you guys will be started a health unit in school in a couple weeks."

"Why did they need to tell you that mom?"

Gulp....

"uuuhhhh....well....they will be discussing the different things that happen to your body as you grow up." (good save Tonya......)

"Like what mom?"

Gulp.....really?? Come on...throw me a bone here.....okay...you can do it...

"Well....like how your hormones change and cause things to be different."

Let me just say...a few days before this, he came home and said that one of his friends' sisters was on her "period time", and he didn't know what that meant....but she was mean....so I used that as an example.

"You know how you said that girl was on her "period time"....well there comes a time in a woman's life when....."

I went through it very carefully....delicately....and not in too much detail...he says,

"YOU MEAN YOU BLEED??? DO YOU NEED A BANDAID!??"

"Kinda....I guess you could call it a bandaid...."

So...with the "period" thing behind me...I moved on....

"Guys don't bleed, but you have other hormonal changes."

"Like what?"

UGH.....

"Well...like erections."

"What's an urection?"

"No Erection....are you sure you don't want to talk to your dad about this????"

"Just tell me!"

Ugh......here goes nothing...

So...I explained it to the best of my ability and told him to follow up with dad because he knows more concerning that topic than I do.

He did mention that he thought those erections simply meant he had to go to the bathroom.....ahh....the innocence....to only keep then that innocent!!!!

So....we made it through THAT talk.....hopefully it will be awhile before I have to go into the OTHER talk......I think that was enough for awhile.......

Kindergarten RoundUp!

Friday was MaKenna's Kindergarten RoundUp. For those of you who don't know what that is....it is a day when the "to be" Kindergartners go and visit the school for a couple hours and do what real Kindergartners do. It is like an orientation. MaKenna was SO excited! She woke up before dawn and kept asking when we were going. Then...at breakfast...she said her tummy was starting to hurt. So she wasn't sure if she wanted to eat. She was SOOOO excited though! Cam also had his orientation at the Middle School that day....so he was also very excited! So...I had two kids on Friday who kept asking, "Do we go yet?" It was rather amusing....and a bit annoying! Anyway...I got Cam and Jake off to school...then it was time for MaKenna. Here is her before school picture!

It was very windy....so here is a picture of us walking up to school....I had Samantha that day as well.

Once we got inside she started to hide behind me! I was so surprised because she had been SOOOO excited and now suddenly she was scared to death! But...she walked off with her teacher just fine!

Then Samantha and Major and I went for a quick trip to the park!

After her roundup morning she was just talking, talking and talking! She had a ton of fun! She is very excited to go back in August!

He is out of control...part 2!!!!

Okay...so its been a few weeks.....I am finally getting around to blogging on this! I really didn't want to relive it!

So....picture this...it is Sunday...time for church. Jeffy doesn't feel well...so I take all four kids with me to church. I send everyone off to Sunday School and I go find my dad and sister and sit with them during service. Everything is going swimmingly now. Whew.

Church is over...it is time for MY Sunday school....but the big boys don't want to go to their Sunday School again, so papa offers to take them home. Okay...not a big deal. So...I lose two kids. The other two are still down in their Sunday School rooms. So...I head off to my Sunday school...things are still going...swimmingly.

Sunday School is over....I head down to pick up the Majormeister. First problem....nursery door opens...he runs out and away from me. Not a big deal...I know he can't get anywhere....but it is just hard on me who is in heels and carrying a coffee cup, bible, purse, diaper bag and Sunday School papers. I grab him...not a problem....just a little out of breath. I go across the hall to get MaKenna. I have to let go of Majormeisters hand to help MaKenna with her shoes since I am still holding all things listed above.

Majormeister runs around the room...again...not a big deal....I just have to corner him and grab him. A bit out of breath....but I manage. I walk out holding all above things....as well as Major's hand and MaKenna's hand....holding both of their hands with one of my hands....I know...I am talented...but show me a mother who CAN'T do that! :-)

Oopss...MaKenna has to go potty before we leave and she can't wait until we get home. We go in the bathroom...it is a chilly day, so they have jackets on. I had to let go of Major's hand to help her take her jacket off. Off he runs...into the handicap stall where he proceeds to throw his jacket into the toilet. Yes...THROW his jacket into the toilet. I run in there grab the jacket it flings toilet water all over me, I try to grab Majormeister who thinking he is funny, crawls under the stall and through several stalls in an attempt to get away from me...not a big deal other than it is disgusting to be on the bathroom floor...oh...and did I mention that some of these stalls he crawled into were occupied?? He decided to stay in one of those occupied stalls in order to stay away from me. I was horrified....through the door I was apologizing to the poor lady stuck in there with him. She comes out and he runs. I grab him. Yes...got him...but I am NOT putting his jacket back on him. MaKenna finishes....I go out and ask someone else to help her with her jacket so I don't have to let go of Majormeister.

We get out to the truck...this has taken us some time....so the parking lot is just about empty....I HAVE to dig through my purse to find the keys. I squeeze Majormeister between my legs so he can't get lose as I grab the keys. Apparently I need to work on those thigh workouts because he got loose and RAN into the parking lot street!! I ran after him, yelling that he was going to get his hynee beat and that I had had enough (at this point, I didn't care who heard me). He falls and hits his head on the concrete and starts to bawl. I scoop him up and throw him in the car seat. All the while Kenna is being such a nice quiet little dolly! He starts to get smart with me, and yelling at me to let him out....I crank up the radio and start to cry myself!

I pull into the garage...Jeff meets me...I tell him to take care of Majormeister, I was done!

Later Jeff said we should have named him Wyatt Thomas Filleman so that he would have the perfect and fitting initials of WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!

I thought this was so cute....so I wrote down the questions, and I plan on quizzing my kids on mother's day...I will try to remember to post their answers!!!

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Answers given by 2nd grade school children:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2.. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1.. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them..
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter.. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Radical Book Review

RADICAL

About This Book:

IS JESUS WORTH THIS TO YOU?

It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily...BUT WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO LIVES LIKE THAT? DO YOU?

In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment --a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

Responses to Radical

“In his compelling new book, Radical, David Platt delivers a powerful picture of the church in America today that, on key points, stands in sharp contrast to what the Bible shows us about the person and purpose of Jesus Christ. David challenges Christians to wake up, trade in false values rooted in the American dream, and embrace the notion that each of us is blessed by God for a global purpose—to make Christ’s glory known to all the nations! This is a must-read for every believer!”—Wess Stafford, president and CEO, Compassion Intl.

“We have moved into a generation of young leaders who have a passion to surrender the American dream if necessary in order to embrace fully, compassionately, and wholeheartedly a bigger dream—the Great Commission. I have never been challenged by an author more than I have by David Platt. Read Radical, be blessed, and be changed.”—Johnny Hunt, president, Southern Baptist Convention, and pastor, First Baptist Church of Woodstock

“Radical will cause you to bounce on a spectrum between two words: ouch and amen. Tough truths do that. They challenge us to examine our lives and then choose the lasting over the temporary. Read Radical if you’re ready to live differently.”—Gregg Matte, senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Houston

“David Platt’s book will leave anyone who sincerely engages with his challenge dissatisfied—and faced with a decision: What will authentic faith look like in my life? This book has the potential to revitalize churches today to practice a radical, biblical lifestyle that can transform society and reach a lost world.”—Jerry Rankin, president, International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention

“The church of the Lord Jesus has been seduced by a skilled seductress: the American dream. David Platt exposes this enemy of authentic Christianity and provides a way of escape through a radical faith that leads to a radical obedience. I am not the same after reading it. I trust that will also be true for you.”—Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

“It is almost impossible to keep the idols of our own culture from influencing us, whether we want it to happen or not. This is certainly true when it comes to the so-called American dream. We need our eyes opened! We need to be called out! In this challenging and thoughtful book, David Platt shows us the way to live for Someone and something bigger.”—Darrin Patrick, founding pastor, The Journey, St. Louis

“Sometimes people will commend a book by saying, ‘You won’t want to put it down.’ I can’t say that about this book. You’ll want to put it down, many times. If you’re like me, as you read David Platt’s Radical, you’ll find yourself uncomfortably targeted by the Holy Spirit. You’ll see just how acclimated you are to the American dream. But you’ll find here another Way, one you know to be true, because you’ve heard it before in the words of the Lord Jesus, perhaps most forcefully in the simple call ‘Follow me.’”—Russell D. Moore, dean, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Through solid examination of the Scriptures and compelling testimonies from believers enduring persecution, my friend David Platt pulls back the curtain on subtle dangers weakening the church in our Western culture. Radical is the urgent call we need to care more about the spiritually lost and physically impoverished people of the world.”—Ed Stetzer, president, LifeWay Research

MY TAKE:

Unfortunately there was a problem with delivery of this book. I didn't receive it until today...and it was to be reviewed by today....so I have nothing to tell you about it. I do plan on reading it though in the coming days, and I will repost and tell you about it! If I forget though...make sure that you remind me to!!!! It looks like a fantastic book, and I am really looking forward to reading it!!!

Why Revenge is Bad...

This is an article from The Hub...a Song of Solomon newsletter that I get. It was too funny to pass up....I am a VERY visual person....so this cracked me up!!

Why Revenge is a Bad Idea
I heard a priceless story about revenge one time. A woman asked her husband one morning to zip up the back of her dress. He began to play around with the zipper in a flirtatious way—zipping it up and down, up and down—and in the process, the zipper broke. She had just had the dress dry-cleaned and was late for a meeting, and there she stood with a “broken” dress. She was furious.

About 5:30 that evening, she returned home, still angry over her husband’s behavior that morning. She found her husband working on his car, lying underneath the car from his waist up, the lower part of his body sticking out and temptingly accessible. He didn’t seem to hear her as she approached, so she reached down and grabbed the zipper on the front of his jeans and began to zip it up and down just as he had done with her dress that morning. Then she walked into the house.

To her astonishment, her husband was standing in the kitchen. She said, “What are you doing in here?” He said, “What do you mean? It’s our kitchen.”
She said, “You were under the car just two seconds ago.”
“No,” he said, “I haven’t been under the car at all.”
“Well, who is out there in our garage working under your car?”
“It’s the next-door neighbor,” he said. “The muffler was coming off and he volunteered to fix it, so I told him I’d really appreciate his help and I came in here to fix a glass of tea for him when he’s finished.”

His wife went pale as a white sheet. She admitted to her husband what she had done, and they both hurried out to apologize to the man. They found the guy lying totally still. He didn’t respond to their calls, so they pulled him out from under the car by his legs. When he came to, they discovered that he had done what any man would have done if someone suddenly grabbed the zipper to his pants. He sat straight up, and bam, he hit his head on the underside of the car with such force that he knocked himself out!

All acts of revenge need to be left to God. Strange and terrible things can happen when you take retaliation and vengeance into your hands, and none of them are good.

My Question For You: Do you ever want to exact revenge on your spouse for their actions? Has it ever gotten you into trouble?

My Challenge For You: Don’t let revenge even cross your mind when it comes to your spouse.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!!

If you are subscribing to my blog...this is a day late...but I promise I am posting this post on CINCO DE MAYO!!!

I hope you all have a GREAT day....even though the people in Mexico don't celebrate....at least we can!!! :-)

We enjoy any holiday just so we can party!! It IS a legit holiday....the Mexicans just don't celebrate it. I asked one of my friends from Mexico...she said it was a holiday made in America to sell Mexican stuff...food...beer...etc....so....basically another St. Patricks day! Another reason to party and drink!! :-)

Happy Cinco De Mayo anyway!! And...yes...I DID eat at a Mexican restaurant today with my good friend/faux mom Kim today!!! Thanks Kim for lunch...and for giving me motherly talks!!!

Finally some more pictures I got from dad's camera!!

Okay...so I STILL have no camera!! But...I have entered A LOT of contests to win one because we really just can't spare the money right now for a new one...so keep your fingers crossed!!! Dad has been gracious enough to let me borrow his...and Deana has let me borrow hers a time or two...so here are some pictures I just got off of dad's computer!!!

Major loves to build with Papa....

And then he loves to destroy.....

Even papa likes to play dress up.....

CHEESE.....

On Wednesdays I babysit Samantha! She is the same age as Major....a couple months older....they have a blast together. This particular day we went to visit papa...she LOVED Nana's elephant!

Major thought it was his turn...so here he is trying to get her off of it....he was not successful....

Never a dull moment for our family....

This is the bar owned by my sister and brother in law in Flagstaff. Never a dull moment for our family it seems.

http://azdailysun.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_ac6bd1b7-eaf2-5488-8d94-6cb5d3fbab11.html

Please remember to keep Jeff's Grandma Holbrook in prayers also as she is having surgery (hopefully) tomorrow for her colorectal cancer. She is hospitalized now as she had some heart arrythmia's they were checking into prior to surgery. Here is her carepage if you are interested.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dessaholbrook

Droppin' his drawers....

Major is being potty trained. He does REALLY well here at home...and actually pretty good when we aren't at home. It seems when he has "big boy" pants on he hardly ever has accidents...of course, I haven't tested those outside of the house though. But...when we put pull ups on him...it is like he thinks, "Oh...well...I guess I can go in my pants again!" I am trying to kill that habit...but it is hard. There is constant reminding, "Do you have to go potty Major?", and when he does go in his pull up, it is funny...he spreads his legs out like it is going to run down his legs or something! Anyway...so we are at JCPenny. I am in need of new capris. I am a size smaller now...and my old capris still work...just not as well...so it is time. We had JUST been to the bathroom....and now we were on the OTHER side of the store in the dressing room trying on capris. Suddenly Major says, "Potty 'gin, potty 'gin, potty 'gin!!!" I say, "Honey...you JUST went...you're fine...you can hold it." "Potty 'gin, potty 'gin, potty 'gin!!!" I choose to ignore him....he gets louder... "POTTY 'GIN, POTTY 'GIN, POTTY 'GIN!!!!!!" I turn around and see him drop his drawers and in the ready position in the middle of the fitting room! "NO!" I yell!! I yank up his pants which are dripping a bit...I tear off my capris that I am trying on, throw on my capris, grab the kids and RUN to the bathroom.....whew....we made it to the bathroom...but not before the small dropplings that were shed in the fitting room! Oh well...I have four kids, and I still haven't learned apparently! :-)

Notice the shirt...."Major Trouble".....YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!! :-) Gotta love him.....

Universal Truths

These were just too true and too funny not to pass on!!!!

UNIVERSAL TRUTHS
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be toimmediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argumentwhen you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to napwhen I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5.I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they toldyou how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind oftired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a momentat work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive forthe rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes afterBlue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Wordand it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper thatI swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means Iwill never wash this - ever.
15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello?Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times andgoes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone andrun away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good andthen not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so Iknow not to answer when they call.
18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any givenFriday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.
20. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto"routing option.
21. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I wasyounger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when Ifirst saw it.
22. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
23. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line betweenboredom and hunger.
25. How many times is it appropriate to say"What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hearor understand a word they said?
26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line ofcars team up to prevent an ass from cutting in at the front. Stay strong,brothers and sisters!
27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pantsnever get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber &dumber every year?
29. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you'resure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
30. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian Ihate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hatecyclists.
31. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive timesand still not know what time it is.
32. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail onthe Donkey - but I'd bet my behind everyone can find and push the snooze buttonfrom 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

What Disney Mom am I????

Which Disney Mom Are You?

Your Inner Disney Mom Is Perdita from 101 Dalmatians

Whether you are mom to one, 15 or 99, there is more than enough room in your heart for all. You are always around to listen, to offer advice and to give plenty of hugs and kisses. You are an incredibly loyal friend and partner, and can always sense when there's trouble (you've been known to start a Twilight Bark or two). Your kids sometimes might call you a "worrier," but you are just trying your best to protect them against the world's evils — or DeVilles, as the case may be.

The Changing Room...Mother's Journal

Earlier this month, I introduced you to Cristina Carlino and her campaign for She Colors My Day - the now worldwide movement which embarks upon a global journey to create for a cure.

Inspired by a mother's infinite love, this ever widening circle of caring will benefit Susan G. Komen for a Cure ® and The Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund. Thank you for your support! To continue giving back to women everywhere, Cristina has published her first interactive journal, "The Changing Room: A Mother's Journal of Gratitude to Her Little Girl." This interactive journal by Cristina Carlino and YOU captures all those astonishing parenting moments before they fade into the swirl of everyday life. Throughout the book, Cristina shares her personal story and asks questions that inspire you to remember those first precious years of motherhood.

This journal is a special place for your memories, drawings and letters. One day it will become a priceless keepsake for your daughter. (For more on The Changing Room, click onto this video link: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103359387392&s=58071&e=001MEV_a7tarQymjxOfRwPKRjPL_5YMKS8T1LKgNfVc-ZJIlYsAOKyGmbH1-16mLq6gq-IyZbVQy2KOjbciAmWoNsGhJyw9IJaLPzTWoFIkrYKZFC58-CP1tYp2qQjfhcJFn3PhFAIoVoS4IW2vJv6Iu3fqfjF3quH54MtDlrzKK-Y=)

Cristina's friend, actress Mariska Hargitay is in love with the book, and she and Cristina have joined forces for her Joyful Heart Foundation, benefiting survivors of rape, incest and abuse. The neat thing is 100% of the net proceeds for The Changing Room will go to Joyful Heart.
Mariska says this about the book: "This beautiful and rare journal is an expression of the exquisite and tender delight Cristina takes in motherhood. As if by magic, the journal opens doors into the most precious terrain where the miracles of childhood transform into memories large and small. What a gift to be led to this place of wonder, joy and gratitude. And we are so pleased that 100% of the net proceeds from this book are being donated to the Joyful Heart Foundation. Thank you, Cristina!"

To celebrate the season of mothers and the release of The Changing Room, Cristina is hosting a WISHES FOR MY LITTLE GIRL PHOTO CONTEST on her Facebook fan page (http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103359387392&s=58071&e=001MEV_a7tarQwETGN-vYu8Ga4WoqDRjL3gslvCdFVl1YH8NOmj710zVIC1drCl2c-FJAzW_L4MmNuRzoMwyXPwGYJ_lYBJj1KL2x2-zlKfqR6Ku9BZm34V0ZJVKoQCusL81rXrK_w-Ju8=). Five winners will receive a free copy of The Changing Room. To enter Cristina's Wish and Photo Contest, Wishes for My Little Girl, click onto Cristina's Facebook Fan Page, and post your favorite photo of the little girl in your life -- it can be your daughter, a niece, a neighbor, the daughter of a friend. All our little girls need our wishes. Tell us of a big wish you have for this little wondrous person.

Winners will be determined by the number of "Likes" they receive from other Cristina Carlino Fans, so invite your friends to Cristina's fan page and vote! Hurry! Contest ends on Monday, May 10th.

Cristina is asking for our help to get the word out about this fantastic contest and book.

Camera Giveaway

Here is an opportunity to win a great camera! Go to this website and check it out!!!!!

http://reviews.abittersweetexistence.com/?p=1691