Fill Me In Friday

Today's Fill Me In Friday is about Weakness. Everyone has one or two. I have about a million. Chocolate, blogging, bad soap operas. The one that I have been struggling with for years is being too controlling. Ask my husband. It's something I have really tried to work on but can't seem to nip in the butt. Maybe I could find a good book and then I can be cured! It's hard being a controlling person when you have toddlers. I really want to change so that they can feel completely comfortable around me. Any one have any tips?

So, what is one of your weaknesses? It can be something so small and silly or something bigger. Here's what you do: Write a post on your blog and then come back to the Mr Linky form and leave the link to your blog so others can visit.

Free (5) 8x10 Collage Photos

Thanks to Sisterly Savings who posted about a great deal of free photos with free shipping and possibly another free 400 prints! More info here.

Exergen TemporalScanner

I have never been the kind of mom to take her sick child's temperature rectally. I just can't do it. I put up with enough gross stuff with kids, I don't need one more. Ever since Ki has been born I have used the ear thermometers to take the boy's temperatures. Every time I would get frustrated because it was never accurate. The reading would always be different. The nurse I would call late at night for medical advice would always tell me that I need to get another thermometer. Either the old fashioned kind ( which has mercury in it so I say no) or the kind they use in the doctor's office that glides across the forehead.

Well, now I finally have one so I don't have to hear that speech anymore and I can finally have peace of mind when I take my boy's temp. I am so happy to have been able to try out the Exergen Temporal Scanner. It uses advanced infrared technology to get the most accurate reading. The best thing about this is that you don't have to make your child more uncomfortable while they are sick by poking and prodding them.

When I used mine, I tested it out on the boys a few times to get the hang of it, and it was really easy to use! You can't have something complicated when it's late at night with a sick child. It only takes 2 seconds to get a reading. While I am glad I have this great product, I hope that I will not have to use it very often! But it is great piece of mind. If you would like to purchase the Exergen TemporalScanner, you can find it at Wal-mart, Walgreens, Costco, Babies R Us, Toys R Us and Sam's Club. It retails for about $50. For more info you can go to their site.

Book Giveaway Ending Soon!

Only 5 entries so you have a really great chance to win this one! Click here to enter.

Juicer Winner and Toy Clutter

Here are your random numbers:60
Timestamp: 2009-02-25 01:44:41 UTC

Congrats to Diana D! I sent you an email!

Yesterday I decided I was so sick of cleaning up toys. I was so done with all of the toy clutter. In the past I would tell the boys that we were going to pick out some toys to give away to boys and girls that didn't have any. This never seemed to really work before. Ki would always say " but Santa will bring them some." What can I say to that? Then they would get super clingy with toys that they never play with. Then I found the book Too Many Toys by David Shannon ( which I got from Children's Book of the Month Club and I highly recommend NEVER joining but that is another blog post). The book is about a boy has way too many toys and one day his mother has had it. She goes through negotiations with her son getting rid of several toys. So I have been reading it to them and I think it rubbed off on them because I gathered ALL of their toys in the center of the living room and we went through every toy. With each one I asked should we keep it or give it away? To my surprise they mostly said "Give it away". It was actually harder on me then them.

I started remembering when they first got a certain toy or how cute they were playing with it and it was hard for me to put it in the box. I found myself saying a couple of times " Are you sure you want to get rid of this?' and the boys would say " but boys and girls need to play with it!". I was so proud of them and was able to get rid of a lot of toy clutter. It felt so good, and I didn't have a battle this time!

PS: While I am typing this my husband is teaching my boys how to make farting noises with their armpits! I need a girl!

Skoy Cloth Review

In the last couple of years I have given up buying and using paper towels to be more green and save some moola. Instead we use wash rags but I have always wondered if I am really saving money since I have to wash my rags in the washing machine. Well, I still don't know but I did get to try a product that doesn't make me wonder.

Skoy cloths are a great alternative to using paper towels. Did you know that around 2.5 million tons of paper towels are put in landfills annually? One Skoy cloth outlasts 15 rolls of paper! Skoy clothes are bio-degradable and durable. It holds 15x it's own weight and you can wash it in your washing machine, dry it in your dryer or wash it in your dishwasher. That is what I have been doing when I wash my dishes. It is convenient and I don't have to worry about wasting money! I am really glad I got to try these. You can purchase Skoy clothes online here.

Lost Followers

I think I am having techinical problems- I lost 35 followers in 1 hour! Either that or 35 people all decided that they don't like my blog anymore at the exact same time! If you got kicked off please re-follow me. Thanks!

See Kai Run Winner

Congrats to Thao who won the shoes and just had twin boys!
Here are your random numbers:17
Timestamp: 2009-02-23 14:53:54 UTC

The only question is- which boy gets the shoes? :)

Also stay tuned this week for some more great reviews and giveaways!

Giveaways ending soon!

The See Kai Run giveaway ends tonight and the juicer ends tomorrow! If you haven't entered yet be sure to do so. Thanks!

Me4Kidz Review

I am sad to say that up until recently I did not have a first aid kit. Now before anyone starts thinking that I must be a bad parent ( I know I'm so dramatic) I have to say that I have one in our car in our 72 hour kit. I also have a big box stored up high in a pantry that I throw all my medicine and band aids, etc in. I hate that box! It is so disorganized and will always stay that way.

So when I had the chance to review Me4Kidz I was so happy. Me4Kidz stands for Medical Emergencies for Kidz and is a family owned company. Their mission statement is "To provide quality, user-friendly first aid products that are durable, comprehensive and encourage heightened awareness of the most common injuries."Clean it, Fix it & Back to Play"™.

When I received my Medibag 4 Kids I was so excited to have all the things I need in case of an emergency stored neatly in a child friendly box. The kit had things in it that I have never seen in a regular first aid kit. Like surgical gloves (which I had to pry from Ki's hands- he loves gloves), kid friendly tweezers, and stickers. I feel like I have my very own Mary Poppin's bag because it stores everything! I also like that the plastic to make the kit is 100% recyclable and lead-free. Also their products are made in the USA which is always a bonus.

Me4Kidz also has convenient diaper bag first aid kits, and even a kit for your pet! I love that I have a peace of mind to have everything I need in one place that is organized for me so I don't have to spend forever hunting down items. I also like that the kit comes with a card for a free refill kit! So if you would like to get more prepared for an emergency then head over to Me4kidz and check out all they offer.

Fill Me In Friday

Ok, if you see what time this was posted at, you will see that I am up very late, or early depending on how you look at it. Cody has gone back to the railroad and I am not used to his funky hours yet. I will be paying for it tomorrow! I just have a hard time sleeping when he's away.

Anyways, I have started something new . I have been wanting to do this for awhile now but was worried that I might forget to post this every week. But I'm going to give it a shot. I wanted a way to get to know my followers better (and anyone who happens to stop by) and have a way to share tips with each other so I chose to do one day a week where I pick a topic that you can write a post about on your blog and share the link on here. That way you get some linky love too! I know I am finally catching up with my fellow bloggers. Anyways, I couldn't wait to start so I just picked Fridays and made the title work with it. Not a super cute title but it will work.

So, today's topic is What is your morning routine? It may sound boring to some but I always wonder what other women do. Maybe I can become inspired reading what your routine is in the morning or maybe it will be therapeutic for me to know that I'm not the only one who stays in workout pants all day without actually working out!

So if you are still reading this, here is my morning routine:

• wake up around 7am sometimes earlier sometimes later and I only because I have too
• turn on shows for the boys and give them a "snack" which is really breakfast but that's what they call it
• Start blogging!
• feel guilty for blogging when I could be working out
• stop blogging around 8:30 is- I'm really lying because I don't want you to think I let my boys watch tv all day- cause I don't just in the morning
• turn off tv and at somepoint maybe eat something, wash my face, brush my teeth
• for the next few hours wander around the house staightening up, getting snacks and breaking up fights

so that's my morning everyday of the week! pretty fabulous! so let me know what your routine is and make sure you post it in Mr. Linky!

Book Reviews and a Giveaway

I had the wonderful opportunity to review two great books thanks to the generous Miriam Parker from Hatchette Book Group. The first book I read was Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas.
It is about a pregnant women who finds out her husband has been having an emotional affair for about a year. She makes her husband leave the house and go to therapy while she tries to figure out how she feels. I liked that the author is a family and marriage therapist and how she put a twist on the affair but not making it a physical one. I have always thought that even an emotional affair still counts as cheating, it was interesting to see the other characters in the book who didn't think that it's that bad. Some people really believe that which was something I had never thought of before. While I'm not sure how much I cared for the character ( she was a little frustrating at times) I overall really enjoyed the book. Oh, and it had a few too many F-bombs than I would have liked ( all of them is too many). I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to escape for a little while. This book has something for everyone in it from the disapproving mother in law to the dysfunctional family members, to the wavering best friend.

The next book is called Houston, We Have a Problema by Gwendolyn Zepeda. I really enjoyed this book. It's about a 26 year old woman, Jessica, who is trying to find her way while relying on her psychic to tell her what to do. She has relationship problems, family problems and career problems. Even though I couldn't find anyway that I relate to Jessica, I loved reading about how she tries to figure it all out. I liked how there were all sorts of possibilities for Jessica and how uncertain she was. Because that's life! Reading the book sort of reminded me of when I was single and hoping to make my way in this world.

If you would like to win Houston, We Have A Problema, then please leave me a comment telling me what your favorite book is. If you don't have one then what genre is your favorite? Giveaway ends Feb. 26th 2009 11:59 pm. And don't forget to enter my other giveaways if you haven't already!

For extra entries please leave a separate comment for each of the following:

• If you follow my blog
• If you post about this on your blog and leave me the link
• If you tweet about this and leave me the link

Sunday Baker

I found a new cooking blog that I am in love with, Sunday Baker. Tanya is the blog owner and she put a new post on today that touched my heart. Today would have been her son's fourteenth birthday. Her son passed away- I'm not sure when or how but she wrote a beautiful post in his memory. She asks if anyone reading could light a candle in his honor so that he is still remembered. I will be lighting one and spending some quality time with my boys today. So if you would like, read her post and leave her a comment with your support. I know if it were me I would want it.

A Trip to the Nursing Home

I had a mission. To start teaching my boys service. First mission- take them to the nursing home and hand out flowers. Now I'm not posting this to brag about how great and giving our family is. Cause we're not. But I am going to brag about how cute Ki and Jackson were giving old people flowers!

On the way there Ki said "We're going to give flowers to the old people cause they are sick." I said well, we don't want to call them old.... and Ki said " But daddy does!" What can I say to that? Anyways we went and the boys handed out daisies and melted those elderly hearts! They were very grateful but I think it was because of how stinkin cute my boys are. Ki and Jackson were thrilled because they got cookies and some glittery hearts. Mission accomplished!

Valentines Day

Ok, I know this is late but I have been studying for tests and surviving off of Nerds so I'm finally going to share what we did for Valentines. Cody and the boys did a candy scavenger hunt around the house for me. It was just fun to see the boys get so excited. They told me where everything was! Then I was surprised by a knock at the door with roses. Yes, so sweet. Then we went over to our friends house where we let the kids run around and play. The boys got to dress up as princesses and make the yummiest sugar cookies. My friend Jessica made a WONDERFUL meal and we attempted to watch Madagascar 2 but the kids weren't feeling it. But us adults thought it was pretty funny! It was a nice day!

So I know you all have probably posted about your Valentine's Day already but I would love to know what you did- or didn't do. I will try to post more personal posts instead of just reviews and giveaways. It's just been hectic with school- and it's so hard to write personal stuff because who knows how many people I put to sleep! Have a great day!

Mabel's Labels Review

A little while ago you may have seen my post about wanting to go to BlogHer and how Mabel's Labels was sponsoring the trip to one lucky blogger. Well I didn't win, but I did get to try out their cool labels! I didn't even realize how much I would need them until I actually got them and used them. Now I don't know how I made it without them!

Mabel's Labels was started and is run by 4 moms who know what it is like to lose a child's belonging. They created labels that are not only pleasing to the eye but are convenient, washable and help you stay organized. There are several different types of labels to choose from. For awhile I had gone back and forth about getting a label maker but didn't see how I would get a lot of use out of it. That's what is so neat about Mabel's Labels. You just get your set and you're done! I got to try the Sticky Labels that have my boys names on them with cute little icons. For awhile I was using garage sale stickers on their sippy cups so I could tell who's was whose ( I know pretty sad!) The boys were so excited to have their own sticker with their name and I was thrilled that I could wash them in the dishwasher without them falling off!

I also got to try the Bin labels, Canister Labels, and the Spice Labels. Mabel's Labels also have some great labels if your child has an allergy, or a 411 label when you take your child to a crowded place like the mall. It has your contact info printed on it in case your child is lost ( I really want to get some of those!)

I am really thankful I got to try these out and I am already starting my spring cleaning since the labels have motivated me.

Lexen Healthy Juicer Review and Giveaway

Juicing is a great way to get nutrients in your diet everyday. Vegetable juice as well as wheatgrass juice is becoming more popular these days as people are becoming more concerned with their health. For my 21st birthday instead of going out and getting drunk, my friend and I went and took a wheatgrass shot ( I know we are so wild!). Man did it give me energy! Ever since then I was hoping to be consistent on doing it. Well with the help of Lexen I can. Lexen's Manual Wheatgrass Juicer has the affordability and the portability to make it easier to do your juicing.

What I love about the juicer is that you can juice vegetables and fruit as well. The parts can be washed in the dishwasher and are very lightweight. I enjoyed using mine with some oranges and apples ( I just started growing some wheatgrass) and it turned out great. My boys liked sampling the juice and helped me turn the handle! I can't wait to try my wheatgrass when it is ready!

Lexen is generously giving one lucky reader a Healthy Wheatgrass Juicer! Please go to their site and leave me a comment of another product that Lexen carries that interests you. They have lots!

For extra entries please leave me a separate comment for each of the following:

• If you follow my blog
• If you tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link
• If you post about this on your blog and leave me the link

Giveaway ends Feb. 23rd 11:59 pm.

See Kai Run Spring Collection Giveaway

If you didn't see my review and giveaway for See Kai Run shoes before than you missed out! These shoes are so great! I love the new Spring 2009 Collection. Fresh styles with great colors have made me eager for spring to get here. The boys got to try the Ocean shoes pictured above ( their feet are almost the same size so they can share) and wear them all over the house. I can't wait until the snow melts so they can wear them with some shorts. I love that they will be able to wear them with casual clothes and to church. See Kai Run shoes are a great way to dress up an outfit or wear it with anything! I wish I had a girl to get the See Kai Run shoes for. The girl styles are oh so cute!

If you would like to win a pair of See Kai Run shoes of your choice from the Spring 09 Collection then please go to their site and comment letting me know which style is your favorite.

For additional entries please leave a separate comment for each of the following:

• If you follow my blog


• If you tweet about this and leave me the link


• If you post about this on your blog and leave me the link

Giveaway ends on Feb. 22 2009 at 11:59 pm

The winner for the Better Life giveaway is cdziuba ! Please email me your shipping info- thanks!

y

This is to announce a kick-off party going on at Kidz. It is a great blog that supports parents of special needs children. It is such a great blog where Tara truly is helping people. She has a spotlight on a child every week and it's amazing reading their stories. She also does cool stuff throughout the week to uplift and inspire her readers. Although I don't have a special needs child, it is still a place I like to go to see others. I hope you check her great blog out and participate in the party. There are some great prizes!

Bumbleride Stroller Review

OH MY WORD! I have found my life support. Who knew that a stroller could do so much for a woman? Isn't it beautiful? It is a Indie Bumbleride Stroller in Seagrass and it is fabulous. I was fortunate enough to be able to sample this stroller and I will never go back to the generic brand I have been using.

First of all I have been using a really bad double stroller for the past two years. When I first purchased it I was so excited that I had gotten such a great deal on it online. My boys and I have had a lot of memories with it but the saying is true " you get what you pay for." It finally was just so awful that when the first snow came this winter, I left it outside. I was done with it!

The Indie is so amazing. First of all it is very chic and modern. The style and the design of the stroller are not only functional but pretty too! It even has great features like a cup holder, plenty of storage and sits higher up than what I am used to so you don't have to brake your back strapping your little one in. The handle bar is even adjustable.

The front wheel is adjustable so that you can have it straight for "brisk walks" or adjust it to go all over the place. I love how smoothly the Indie rides as well. I accidentally ran over some toy blocks in my house with it, and I didn't even notice.

The storage is nice and roomy which is important to me because when I go shopping my boys are always handing me things to hold. It's is a perfect fit for all your shopping bags if you go to the mall or a very large diaper bag.

The boys are really into being independent and walking on their own when we go out but Jackson was so excited to ride in the Indie. He did have to keep reaffirming to me that he is a big boy even though he was riding in a stroller. When I have another baby this stroller will be used all the time. The great thing is that there are infant car seats that are compatible with Bumbleride strollers and you can even purchase car seat covers to match your stroller! How perfect is that?

Bumbleride doesn't just have strollers. They have toddler seats, bassinets and this cute and convenient carrier called Carrycot. I really will need one of these when I have the next one. I have never been so impressed with a stroller and now know that for items like this, I need to spend more to get the results I need and to feel safe using it on my child. So what are you waiting for? Go check out Bumbleride!

Oatmeal Muffin Recipe

I made the most yummiest muffins at Keeper of the Cheerios. I love to make healthy stuff for my boys but is rare when I will eat it too! I ate more than they did. The only thing I did different was substitute honey for the sugar and applesauce for the oil. If you haven't been to Keeper of the Cheerios you have to check her out. She has lots of cool stuff!

A Little Lesson for Me

When I wake up in the morning I am CRABBY! I know it's hard to believe but it's true. Well this morning I sort of was not nice to Cody as he left for work. I thought that I would be getting a phone call from him on his lunch break apologizing to me for being a stinker. Instead I get a phone call 2 hours later from his work asking if he plans on coming in today. I inform them that he left over 2 hours ago. I start to panic. We have a cell phone but it is just one of those prepaid ones for emergencies. Of course it was out of minutes. I turn the tv off and the boys and I say a prayer.

I called my mom and she told me to call the highway patrol to see if they heard anything, Why didn't I think of that? So I called and they called me back saying they didn't see him. Panic started to go away. All I could think about was me being crabby to him. What if he was in an accident and those were our last words?

A little while later Cody called from work saying he had gotten stuck along with thirty other cars but made it out ok. I told him I was sorry for being a stinker. I was the one apologizing this time.

Then he called back again to ask if I had called the dogs on him. I guess the highway patrol called his work making sure he got there. He can never say that I don't love him. Now I know I can always hunt him down!
Does anyone else have a story where they have been humbled?

Giveaway at Not Entirely British

Just wanted to let you know that there is a great giveaway for the book Soft Spoken Parenting by Dr. Wally Goddard at the blog Not Entirely British. I really want to win since my soft spoken parenting has turned to yelling lately-so if you don't enter I totally understand!

TinySoles Review and Discount

I have just received the best service from TinySoles. They are an online shoe boutique for infants and children. I got to sample the Jackson shoe from See Kai Run (fabulous!). Of course the shoes were perfect for MY little Jackson, but so was the service. I felt like I was part of a chic, upscale boutique. Not only did my shoes arrive right away, but they were packaged in a super cute way. Pretty blue tissue paper and an adorable sucker of a little foot (tiny sole) was the perfect way to win my heart.

TinySoles was created by three mothers who were unable to find quality shoes for the children as well as exceptional customer service. TinySoles personally tests the shoes that they sell on their children so you know they have to be only the best. Best yet there is free shipping on all orders over $2o! Tinysoles is offering a great discount to my readers. Use coupon code soles10 and receive 10% off any order of $30 or more! So before you buy your child's next pair of shoes head on over to TinySoles!

Better Life Review and Giveaway

I don't know why I have been on such a cleaning kick lately. It's not like you can even tell if you were to drop by my house unexpectedly but I do think I'm cleaning more due to cabin fever. It doesn't help when I get to try great cleaning products like the ones pictured above. They are from a company called Better Life. And you know what? They totally rock! They are so green it's not even funny. Here is what their site says:

"The Soylent Green reference aside, people are our most valuable resource. Why would anybody make a product that isn’t safe for us? Better Life blends highly specialized surfactants made from sugar, starch, and amino acids — all safe stuff. You’ll never see sulfates, ethoxylates, fragrances, dyes, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as glycol ethers and alcohols in our products. VOCs vaporize, entering the air we breathe. They’re triggers for respiratory problems, nausea, headaches, and skin irritation, and contribute to many more ailments."

Why can't every company think like that? Better Life even donates a percentage of the profits to non- profit organizations! I am so in love with the products they sent me. I got to try out Whatever! All purpose cleaner, I Can See Clearly, Wow! glass cleaner, Even the Kitchen Sink, and 2am Miracle ( a great nursery cleaner). I love each and every one of these cleaners but my favorite is the glass cleaner.

I haven't bought a window cleaner in FOREVER! I can't handle the fumes and when I try to make my own, let's just be honest, I'm too lazy. So when I used I Can See Clearly, Wow ( I love the names) I went to town on my windows and mirrors. I felt like Mary Poppins! There are no streaks and no fumes. I am so amazed! Even my mother in law said wow and she can be hard to impress.

So guess what? The great guys at Better Life are giving one lucky winner the same set of products that I won! I know! So head on over to their site and tell me what product you would like to try. Please include your email address if it isn't in your profile.

For extra entries please leave a separate comment for each of the following:

• you follow my blog
• you tweet about this and leave me the link
• you post about this on your blog and leave me the link

Giveaway ends Feb. 14th 2009 11:59 pm.

Winners

I really enjoyed reading your tips on how to make your cooking healthier- lots of applesauce being used! Congrats to Liane66 who won the Southhaven Mixes and Kaycee who won the Seventh Generation set! And a big thank you to all the bloggers who entered the Bowlicious Bowtique giveaway! The winner is Dev. As always I used Random.org to pick my winners so it's nice and fair.

Love Challenge

I joined a Love Challenge that is to help strengthen marriages. I think all marriages can use a little strengthening, even if yours is rock solid! It's a 7 day challenge and for day 1 it says to write a thank you card ( I think love letter sounds more romantic) listing 10 things you admire or appreciate about your spouse. I thought I would surprise my sweetheart, Cody, and share his on my blog- that's not too personal right? If you have a the Valentine's Day bug and want to join in you can sign up here. If you aren't married or dating someone I think it might still be fun to pick someone that you love- a friend, parent neighbor and modify the challenge for them. If you end up joining in on the love fun and blog about it then let me know- I would love to see what you end up doing!

Dear Cody,

Thank you for putting up with my quirks. I know my nagging can drive you crazy! Thank you for being such a great dad. I admire how playing with the boys comes so easily to you and I love how you guys are best buddies. I love how you still see the good in me and always encourage me to see my potential, even when I can't see it. I find comfort in knowing that I can come to you with a problem and you help me to see another perspective that I couldn't before. I can always count on you to help me out. I love how when I get us into a pickle ( which is hardly ever) you keep your mouth shut and help me out ( stuck car in the snow, clogged toilet). I love that you have been so patient with my cooking since we got married and haven't given up on me! I love that you have such a great sense of humor even when I'm mad at you. I'm thankful for all the times you go to the Flyin J late at night when I'm having a sugar craving and know just what to get me. I love how much you love our boys. Even though you spoil them too much I couldn't ask for a better dad. I like that even though we are so completely different from each other, we can find balance somehow, and it's usually because you compromise. I'm so thankful that you find me attractive when I look my worst. Even when my hair is a mess and I'm in sweats all day with no makeup! I'm thankful that you have the spirit guiding you and that you are able to use it to protect our family. I'm grateful for how you don't want to settle with where you are in your job and keep moving forward! I'm thankful for all the times you let me watch my chic flicks. Thank you sweetheart for loving me through everything and for being such a good guy. Thank you for supporting me and for never giving up on me. I love you more than you know.

Love,

Giveaways ending soon!

Don't forget to check out the giveaways on the side bar. You only have a couple more days to enter!

Send a Braille Message

There is this great blog called Let Me Count the Ways. She has all these really great Valentine ideas for you to use on your sweetheart. She even has a recipe for easy peasy Sees Fudge! I used her idea of sending a message in Braille with the website Braille Bug and then your sweetheart has to decode it. You can send something really sweet or saucy here!

Mabels Labels Blogher '09 Contest

I am attempting something big here. Well, big for me. I have this confidence problem when it comes to trying new things. Rather, things that I want so badly but think " Why should I try?" Well, I want something really badly right now. I want to go to the BlogHer's Annual Conference. At first I was thinking " I can't afford it." Then I was thinking " Why would I go when so many successful, professional bloggers will be there?" Then while in contact with a sweet woman named Caitlin ( no I'm not trying to score brownie points- unless it's working) about a product review ( coming soon! ) with Mabel's Labels Inc., she mentioned a contest that they are offering to sponsor the trip to the BlogHer '09! To enter you have to post about the following question:

What have been the rewards and benefits of participating in the blogging community? Well this is my blog and I have the right to get corny if necessary, so here I go! I started this blog to share pics and stories of the fam to all my friends and family who are so far away from us. Then I saw how incredibly huge the blogging world is. Suddenly a whole new world of recipes, jokes, music, mom tips, money saving ideas, decorating, the list goes on, was opened to me. The thing that has really impacted me since I began my blog is the outpouring of love that other women have for people they have never net before. I have been touched by the kindness of others through kind words, gifts, and a few good laughs! More importantly, the amount of support that women give to others who are struggling.

The NieNie Dialogues are a perfect example of how people work together to share their love and support. There has also been support for the loss of a child, a loved one, supporting each other through these tough economical times. The blogging community is about sharing. Whether it's about your day, about your personal struggles, or something uplifting, the message is always to share. What a positive impact in a world that some days just seems depressing. Why watch the news when you can blog? It is a lot less scary here. I am so thankful (cue the corny soap opera music) for the outlet that blogging has been for me. I moved to ND over a year ago and I know that if I didn't have blogging, I would go insane! I am also so thankful for the great products that I have been able to try and share with all of my readers! How great to it has been to tell a winner of a giveaway- You Won! I am thankful for the chance to enter this contest and good luck to anyone else who is entering!

This is Supposed to Change Your Expression

Over at Kidz they are having Talk to Me Tuesday. You are supposed to share something uplifting. Well I am sharing a video that always makes my boys laugh. It is childish and immature and possibly gross, ok it is gross. But if it makes you laugh then I have done my job. Enjoy!