boy are our faces pink...

as much as i "like" waiting for things to happen, i actually bore quite easy. while we vivus-dinosaurs wait around the royal british columbia museum for the convention my special talent agent peter bond has organized, i decided to put together my own event. especially since we're all just standing around victoria doing nothing at the moment.

over on ART Evolved they're just about to wrap up their pink dinosaurs for cancer research event, and i realized with great embarrassment that none of us vivus-dinosaurs have done anything for it!?!

so i called in every friend and favour i could!

i started off with lillian the albertosaur, as my idea was quite public and there was a chance some celebrity could result from it. this was enough to get her to agree. though i made sure to keep out the other dinosaur involvement. lillian has been quite volatile about being around other dinosaurs lately.

like i thought, apart from her sensitive snout (which i predicted given how my own nose is), lillian didn't mind my paint job.

norman a. centrosaur on the other hand was a lot more skeptical about my motives, not that he minded the paint job.

`

"are you sure about this?" he demanded multiple times throughout my covering him in paint.

`

"of course i am," i'd try to assure him.

`

"i know you think you're sure," norman would retort. "i just want to make sure this isn't one of those times you've convinced yourself of something, only to find out it was your brain making it up, leaving us in the lurch."

"why are you suddenly so sensitive?" i finally asked him, wondering what his sudden concern about our cause was. "back in the old days you were never this worried about me making a tiny brain mistake."

`

clearly he was embarrassed by whatever he was worried about, as he awkwardly recomposed himself before saying. "true, but normally you weren't making me change my colouring into something that might be seen as ridiculous by the outside world."

i guess norman did have a point there. normally a pink dinosaur would be cause of ridicule and amusement, but i had it on good authority pink was not just acceptable in october, but really the classy thing to do. norman relented after i explained it to him.

the best of my art subjects had to be dollie the stegosaur my new friend from the OH-lympics. unlike the other two she didn't need to told a reason, other than i needed her help. dollie and me had a lot in common, wanting to help others out seemed to be high up the list.

getting my three master pieces together on the front lawn of the royal british columbia museum, i had the vivus contribution to the pink dinosaur event together!

`

i think they look pretty sweet, don't you?

just after i'd taken the necessary photos, i was about to wrap up when norman mischievously said "one second, traumador. there is one thing missing from your pink dinosaurs."

`

"what's that?" i asked starting to turn around.

norman with mouth half full replied. "a pink tyrannosaurus rex," and with that he dumped the last of my pink paint all over me!!!

Mommies Angels Annual Christmas Gift Guide starts tomorrow

Can you believe its that time again? I cant! I got some awesome sponsors this year and some great reviews and giveaways for you. So come back tomorrow for the first giveaway of the amazing Christmas Guide Event!

Magna Blade Review & Giveaway ends Nov 19th

Are you stick of throwing away you razors after one time or even after a couple weeks? I know I am. I use my razor one or twice and it works wonderful then the next few time it works but not as good. Then it just stops working so I have to replace the blade or buy a new razor. Well now with Magnablade you can save money and waste by making your razor last longer up to 6 times longer!

Ok so I was skeptical at first because it sounds like some infomercial on at like 2am. Haha I mean you want it to work but really does it? So when I got the Magnablade I was excited to try it because I just bought a brand new razor with replaceable heads that are really expensive. So If this could make them last longer it would save me so much money. So I opened my razor and immediately stuck it into the Magnablade which to me looks like a big cap for the razor. It doesn't do anything noticeably so I thought hmm we will see. I have been using it for about 3 weeks now. I use my razor then immediately stick it back in the Magnablade. So far I have not had to change my razor head and it has stayed really sharp. I am surprised because normally I would have had to change my blade by now. So far I am convinced it really does work and help keep my blade sharp. Best part is if your not satisfied there is a money back guarantee.

This would make a awesome stocking stuffer for your spouse or family member that shaves. So head over and check it out you will be glad you did.

We are giving one lucky reader a Magnablade yay!

To Enter:
1. Go to Magnablade and tell me something you learned

Extra Entries:
1. Fan MagnaBlade on Facebook
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
12.Fav me on technoratti
13.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
14. Post this giveaway on any giveaway site, Online Sweepstakes, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (5 entry for each site)
15. Vote for me on Picket Fences
16. Follow MagnaBlade on Twitter


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


Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Susan K Jewelry review & Discount

With Christmas around the corner it's time to start think what do I want for the holidays lol. We are so busy shopping for everyone else and never for our selves. Then people ask what you want and your like I don't know or I don't care whatever. Well not this year Susan K jewelry has exactly what you want Jewelry! A woman's best friend right?

Susan K jewelry has exquisite handmade necklaces , rings, bracelets and even earrings. They are absolutely gorgeous! I got the Love you to the moon necklace because it represents me and my kids. I say this to my kids all the time. Susan even put my kids initials on a disc with it and it meant alot. They quality of the necklace is awesome. The chain is gorgeous and tough. My 2 year old loves looking at it and tugging on it and it hasn't broke so far so that is a very good thing. The silver disc with the words on it are perfect and clear and very well done. The best part is her prices are awesome. Definitely affordable.

I think personalized gifts are 100 times better then just plain store bought gifts. It gives it that special factor. So overall I was very pleased and impressed with this gorgeous necklace. So if you love jewelry and want something special that will wow you then head over to Susan K jewelry and check out all her awesome stuff. She is also giving my readers Free Shipping just put FREE SHIPPING MOMMIES ANGELS in the message box at the checkout.

"This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media . Thoughts are my own." I was provided with product in exchange for the review.

Winners

I got 4 lucky winners to annouced Yay!

The first winner is for the Kolcraft Stroller....
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

401

Timestamp: 2010-10-31 17:39:28 UTC

Mickey said... 401
Posted the giveaway on a linky #2
http://imnotyoureverydayaveragemom.blogspot.com/p/giveaways.html
mickeycoutts@yahoo.com

___________________________

The next winner is for the Pedia Care.....
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

32

Timestamp: 2010-10-31 17:40:25 UTC

darlanpaulsmamma said... 32
entered ziploc
melissa.barnes76@yahoo.com
___________________________

The Next Winner is for Perricone.......
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

96

Timestamp: 2010-10-31 17:41:44 UTC

Haven said... 96
 i follow you
__________________________

The last winner is for the Csn Stores................
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

602

Timestamp: 2010-10-31 17:43:38 UTC

wcc said... 2
 I would get the Certified International Holiday Magic 4 Piece Assorted Dinner Plate Set in Red. Thanks so much for chance! :)
whitechocolatecherries@gmail.com
___________________________

Congrats to my winners you have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim thanks and remember tomorrow start the Christmas gift Guide event so come back for some awesome giveaways!!

Happy Halloween

I know there are alot that celebrated yesterday but Today is the actually Holiday so Happy Halloween from my Family to yours be careful and enjoy your yummy treats!!!

Reformation Day

In the midst of all the Halloween festivities, I think it's important to remember that October 31 is a very important day in the history of the church. In the Protestant church, October 31 is called Reformation Day. It was on this day in 1517 that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the doors (see photo) of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. It was this single act that most people point to as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
Here's a little bit more about this amazing man of faith from Wikipedia:

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest and professor of theology who initiated the Protestant Reformation. Strongly disputing the claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money, he confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.

Luther taught that salvation is not earned by good deeds but received only as a free gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority of the pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with Luther's teachings are called Lutherans.
His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible. His hymns influenced the development of singing in churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry.

I hope you will join me in giving thanks for Martin Luther and his faith that helped to transform both the church and the world. For we who embrace Protestantism, in many ways he is our spiritual father. In fact it was upon hearing a reading of Martin Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans that John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, felt his heart "strangely warmed". For Wesley, this would be a turning point in his history and many point to this moment as catalyst for the Methodist church and Wesley's transformational ministry.
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Lasagna Clipart

Today's pasta clipart image is lasagna clipart. Authentic Italian lasagna is one of my favorite foods in the world. You may think that lasagna is extremely heavy and fattening, but the original Italian kind isn't like that. It's lighter and healthier than its American incarnations.

People with food websites or a website for an Italian restaurant might find this clipart useful.



The above pasta clipart was found at clker.com. Check them out for more related free clipart.

Church Orientation Class

I attended the second and last orientation class at my new church home. It was again a great experience. I felt inspired and very excited as I heard more about the church's ministries and future dreams. I feel like I am coming to the church at a really exciting time. There is change in the air and under the leadership of the pastors, I think that the church is poised to make an even larger impact in Cincinnati and in the world.
Today we talked about the expectations of church membership. We also learned more about the church's specific ministries in Cincinnati and around the world. All of the activities and opportunities for service and witness make my head spin. It seems as if God is up to some wonderful things as they move forward into the future.
I also got a chance to talk with one of the associate pastors who shared some about her ministry and plans that she has to help the congregation members care for one another. She told about a life-changing prayer ministry that is helping to transform the church and people's hearts. Her story really touched my heart.
After the orientation, three of us stayed around for a tour of the building and grounds. I must say, it is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen. It's a Gothic revival design built in the 1920's. There are some really amazing stories connected with the church. What I most love about it, is the church building is not treated like a museum piece but it is used nearly every day of the week. As ministry has changed, the congregation has not been afraid to make changes to their building in order to adapt to new ways of reaching people for Christ. We also learned on the tour that just last year, the congregation was able to get the building on the National Register of Historic Places. It's truly a wonderful building that is a useful tool for helping people to grow in their faith. I really love worshipping there.
I am very excited about the opportunities that I will have for ministry in this new church home. It's a great place to be and I look forward to meeting more people and sharing my gifts with this community of faith.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

50 years of love!

50 years of love! That's FIVE DECADES, people! Can you imagine...?
Really imagine?!

Last night was my sweethearts parents 50th anniversary party. It was so nice. It was calm, elegant, special. There were moments during the 16 minute video he made for them that I got teary. I was there the night he filmed them answering questions like, "where did you meet? What was your song? Who was in the wedding party? Name eachothers favorite movie. Milestones? Advice?" But to see it cut together with music and PICTURES! Oh, the pictures.

I have been with my sweetheart for five years. The longest either of us have been with anyone. It's gone by so fast to me. Is that how they feel at 50 years? It's crazy to look at the photos and see them through five decades, changing with the times and changing with age. What does that feel like? To age together? To be completely different people now, at least to the outside.

It must feel like a disguise. That's how I imagine I will feel. It's me, it's still me in there...and if anyone only knew. The life I had, everything that had ever happened to me to make me me. I imagine it will be freeing. Still wanting to look good and take care of yourself, but not in the same way or the same "pressures" as now. You're relieved of that. What's it like to look at the face of your sweetheart and remember what it was like when you first met? When you were only in your first five years together? And what it was like to be young...and wasn't he so handsome and wasn't she so beautiful...? Will he still find me beautiful? Maybe more so.

What does it feel like for all that time to pass? To know the majority of your life together and your life in general is done? Is it peaceful? Is it stressful? Not wanting it to end? Scared of how little time, really, is left? Do you make peace? Feel contented your life was what it was, good and bad? It ends someday. It hit me in a different way last night. This all ends. Not in a sad or scary way. Kinda beautiful. Kinda cool.

Made me think what a magical time our 'earth time' must be. And how cool it is that if you're really lucky, you find your person to partner up with for it all...

* * * * * * *

Myself, mama & papa


Loves


A handsome son & papa!


<3 <3 <3

The Paper Mama's Photo Challenge- Halloween

Weekend Plans

I am ready for the weekend. I have the second and last orientation class at my church tomorrow morning. I am very excited about learning more about the church and its mission and ministry. I am also looking forward to better discerning how I might share my gifts with this congregation and the greater community.
I need to do my weekly chores on Saturday afternoon and evening. It's all the exciting stuff: doing laundry, washing dishes, cleaning the bathroom. Later in the day I hope to be able to relax and watch some Netflix movies. I may try to sneak in a nap sometime during the day.
Sunday I plan to worship at my church. I am looking forward to this time. It always helps to recharge my spiritual batteries. Sunday afternoon I'm headed over to my friend Karen's house for scary movies and dinner. Watching movies is of course a favorite activity of mine and watching movies with friends is even better.
I am really looking forward to this weekend. I know God has some wonderful blessings awaiting me and I hope that I am able to recognize them and appreciate them.

Home Ownership Class

Tonight we had a home ownership class session for our Habitat Partner Families. We talk about the responsibilities of being a home owner, being a good neighbor, home owners insurance, and budgeting for emergencies. It was a pretty good class.
What I like most is spending time with our Partner Families. They are amazing people. They work, raise kids, some attend school, and on top of all of this they have to complete 500 sweat equity hours helping to build their homes and other Partner Families' homes. I don't know if I could do what they do. I think I am much too slothful. I don't know if I would be as motivated.
So, whenever I get to spend time with our Partner Families, I get inspired to excel at what I do. I want to support them and encourage them. I want to give my very best to them and to the mission and ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity. I want them to have the all the tools they need to be successful home owners. I want them to be able to pay it forward each month by making the mortgage payments so that future Partner Families will also be able to realize their dream of home ownership.
I continue to thank God for the opportunity to serve the poor in this way. I wake up every morning excited about what I do and whom I serve. Of course, there are challenges. Nothing goes smoothly all the time. However, I feel like those are the things that they pay me to do because most of my job I would do for free. It gives me that much joy.
I hope you will join me in praying for our Partner Families as they move through the Habitat Partnership process. They have a lot on their plates. They are going in a hundred different directions. They have much to accomplish. I know that they are often very stressed with all that they have to do. On top of all of this, they continue to struggle from day to day with the challenges of being poor.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Say it with conviction!

You know how you always hear that confidence is the most attractive quality? Or that anyone can be attractive if they have confidence? I think I am learning what that means.

If someone says something with conviction, completely and honestly owning their worlds, then that's that. They don't waver, you don't doubt them. This goes for anyone and everyone.

Lately I've been in a phase of questioning everything. Everyone else, their words, their beliefs, their perception of life, relationships, events, the way they see things, their reality.

If this quote is true, and I whole heartedly believe it to be:
"Nothing exists but atoms & empty space. Everything else is opinion."

Then how do we ever know what's real? You hear someone tell you a truth, with great conviction (confidence) but this is only THEIR perception. What if everything we've believed, been taught by someone with that ability, that confidence, is wrong? It's their reality, but is it ours? Is it mine?

Just because someone passionately believes one thing doesn't mean you need too. Maybe it's not your reality.

But how do you successfully and calmly live in your reality and not feel argumentative and disgruntled all the time?

This, folks, is what goes through my mind through the day at the strangest of times.

I'm in the wrong profession. I should have been a student of psychology & science! :)

Its that time of year again (holidays) which means weight gain

So I have been struggling a lot lately. I just cant seem to get off the last 15 to 20 pounds in my stomach and thighs. I absolutely hate it beyond words. I have tried diets (cabbage soup diet, calorie intake diet, etc), exercise (low impact with my awful spine), pills , herbs and just cant get it off. OK ya I could stick with the exercise more I know I was doing it like everyday for 45 minutes a day for about a month and I don't really eat more than 1500 calories a day if I am lucky. I mean I might splurge from time to time for a candy or cookie or whatever but it isn't a daily bases. I have alot of medical issues that also doesn't help as well. But this time a year is hard for me because I like to dress up and look nice for the holidays and with my gut I don't. Now I am not severely over weight and most people look at me and say whatever you don't need to lose weight but I do. I am almost 130 and only 5ft 2in. All my life I was around 110. After my first child I was instantly back to 110 then my second I got back to 115 then it took 2 years to get back to 112. Then my 3rd child again instantly back to 112 then it went down hill after that. My 4th child I gain like 40lbs and after i got down to 125 after about 2 years I got down to 119ish lol. Then came along my last baby I only gain like 17lbs and so I was instantly back to 121. Then since then it has went up and down between 124 to 130.  So giving any day its between there. I am turning 30 this year and I am not having any more kids so I would love to be back to at least 115. It has really changed my moods and my self esteem. I hate my stomach that is the only part I wish was gone and tight. I went shirt shopping and really tried on like 50 shirt to buy like 3 I hated the way they fitted around my gut. 

I am trying but just need help I guess. I don't have the money to join any classes unless they are dirt cheap. I cant afford a gym. I do have a Wii and Wii fit and am thinking about getting a dance game and a fitness game but there are so many out there I don't want to spend $50 bucks and be a sucky game or fitness thing. So what have you guys found to help? Anything? What games do you use or like? Do you have a fitness video you use? What cheap equipment do you like and recommend like balls , bands, etc.? Any herbs or medicines over the counter you use and love? Any tips will be appreciated and I know I am not the only one fighting this battle so we would all like to know you succeeds and fails. I have had alot of fails!

Knocked Up

Just found out another friend is knocked up.
She makes the EIGHT to either get preg/have a baby THIS YEAR.
How does this keep happening?! I mean, I know HOW...but HOW?!
How is everyone growing up and making such adult decisions?
That's a lot of preggos at once!
I still feel like I'm a baby!

I think the pic above is based on my life.

On Writing

The text for my creative writing course is Stephen King's book On Writing. I have read some of King's novels and have seen many movies based on his writings. I like the way he writes. I think that he is able to communicate something about life and about those things we fear in some powerful ways. On Writing so far is interesting. King reveals stories from his life and how important writing was to him from a very young age. He also talks pretty honestly about his family and shines the light a bit onto their dysfunction. However, King also shares some very wonderful moments in which his family expressed both respect and love for one another.
I don't know how all of the first section of this book is going to help me or inspire me in my own writing. I'm only sixty pages into the book. It's a pretty easy read, though. I am hoping that I can take away something from it that will help me to improve my skills as a writer. After all, there's got to be something that an author who has sold millions of books can teach others. I look forward to learning that lesson.
Thankfully the power was back on at the Habitat office today. Actually, today wasn't too bad. I felt like I accomplished some things. It was also really cool to have my friend Karen working in the office today. She's with us this week while our receptionist recovers from surgery. I'm grateful for her willingness to help us out in this way.
I am looking forward to tomorrow evening and another class for our Habitat Partner Families. This is the second class in a series of classes on home ownership. Last week's class went well and I'm sure that this week will go well also. They had some homework to do. So, we will see how that went for them. It's always great to spend time with the Partner Families and answer their questions and offer them support during their Habitat Partnership process.
I hope you are having a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Stocking up for the flu/cold season what's in your arsenol

Well today we had our first snow of the season. We went from like 70's and 80's down to 40's in a matter of a week. This means my kids are likely to get sick from the drastic temperature drop. With cold and flu season starting it's time to check my cold and sick stockpile to get me through those hard days and nights. I don't know whats in yours but mine consist of the following.

My must haves for the flu and cold season:
1. Tylenol (kids & adult)
2. Ibuprofen (adults)
3. Can soups (chicken noodle, tomato, etc)
4. Sinus medicine ( sudefed, benedryll, etc.)
5. Cough medicine ( Mucinex kids & adults)
6. Pedialyte
7. Gatorade
8. Ice Packs
9. Heat pad
10. Nausea medicine ( Cola syrup for kids)
11. Diarrhea medicine
12. Eucalyptus & Peppermint oils
13. Vaporizer & humidifier
14. Lots of movies & coloring books
15. Throw up bucket
16. Lots of clean blankets
17. Lysol
18. Tea
19. Saltine Crackers
20. Popsicles
21. Thermometer
22. Doctors phone numbers

I know that sounds like alot but I like to be prepared haha. My kids are the hard ones because when they are sick they are tough to get to take any medicines or eat or drink anything good for them. So I try to get all the medicines in fast melts or tongue strips. I also now found out Pedialyte comes in single size juice boxes. That's awesome that will make things alot easier for them as well as me. Plus nothing is better then Pedialyte for dehydration and diarrhea. Anything in kid friendly packaging is a friend to me especially when they are sick and miserable. I know of the things on my list are things you wouldn't think of until you need it but it is really helpful to have everything ready and prepared and know where everything is. My youngest has already started the whole sick thing this year early. She has been sick for over 3 weeks with sinus infection, ear infection, Bronchitis, and a stomach flu. She has not been eating well or drinking much so my must have sickness  stockpile has been handy. We used just about everything on that list in the last 3 weeks. Actually because of her I need to restock the Tylenol, soup, Popsicles, my oils and Pedialyte juice boxes because those are the only ones she will drink. Remember to also consult your doctor before giving any medicines to yourself or you children just to make sure its ok and safe. Always better safe then sorry!

So with the cold and flu season starting whats in your sick stockpile arsenal? What do you need to stock up on? Did my list help you with yours? Well I hope so and if you need Pedialyte you can get a coupon for $1.50 off  HERE and remember they have a 18 month shelf life so they last a long time. Walgreens has it on sale for $4.99 right now plus the $1.50 coupon  makes it $3.49 that is a awesome deal!
I was compensated for my time by Collective Bias. All views and opinions are mine.

Halloween Best Dressed Photo Contest

Halloween Best Dressed Photo Contest

If you think your child’s costume is the cutest on the block, here’s
your chance to prove it. Post a picture of your kid in his or her
outfit to enter for a chance to win $1,000 Gilt Credit. Visit the
“contests” tab on the Gilt Children Facebook page or click on the
following link to enter to win: http://on.fb.me/GiltHalloween

How the Contest Works
Between October 22 and November 8, upload a photo of your kid in his
or her costume to the Gilt Children page by clicking on the Enter link
above. The 10 most popular entries—as voted on by Gilt Children fans
until November 19—will become finalists.

Fans can encourage their friends to vote for their the following ways:
1. Invite friends to participate in the contest:
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/68665/invites/new?ogn=facebook

2. Post your vote to your Facebook wall my selecting “share on my
wall” when you vote for your favorite photo.

3. Let your friends know that you can vote for each entry once per
day -- so submit your entry early and vote often!

A panel of Gilt Groupe judges will then select five winners based on
the overall quality of the photo and the costume, announcing the
results by November 26 on the Gilt Children page and Twitter account.
Each of the winners will receive a $1000 credit for use on Gilt.com.

I have been compensated post through a Mom Bloggers Club member program but I posted it for your entertainment and knowledge not because I was compensated!

Shout Fall Play Product Review

Being a big family of 8 staying indoors is like a punishment for us. We love to be outdoors. We love nature. We love being active outside. We do dance, soccer, walks, fishing, drives and hikes. We love picnics at the park, Nature walks, scenic drives and feeding the ducks. We are outside doing things as a family at least twice a week if not more. Fall is a great time to spend outdoors with the changing colors and weather. The kids love playing in the leaves and splashing in the puddles and making mud pies. One things is Fall can be a messy time of year for kids clothing with all the mud and grass stains. but I don't worry because Shout has us covered!

Shout knows play is so much more than fun and games. Studies show that unstructured play helps kids build fundamental skills like problem solving, coping, and conflict resolution. In other words: play is how kids become happy, healthy adults. Fall has arrived with crisp, cool air and new reasons to go out and play. So, let your kids take that rewarding jump into a pile of leaves. Take at trip to the park and watch their imaginations run free. The one thing you won’t do is worry about their clothes; play should get messy and Shout can help.

We got some awesome Shout products like Shout triple action spray, the shout  scrub, and the shout color catcher sheets along with an outdoor activity card set titled 52 Nature Activities from Shout to review. This cool deck of cards describes 52 games, activities and art projects for children to do in nature. From educational to just plain fun, these cards are a convenient size to carry in a backpack, your purse, the diaper bag, or where ever. These activities are perfect for some ideas of what to do on school breaks, weekends, after school, with their friends, or just by themselves. My kids love these cards. They cant wait to more of them. Honestly if I let them they would do all of them in one day ha ha. I let them pick one to two each day we have extra time to do and they have a blast. Simple things like leave crayon rubbings, nature hunts and more. So if you are looking for some great fun and learning toys for your child I suggest that you check these out! Also, be sure to check out Shout's Facebook page for information on this great program!

The shout stain remover and scrub have been awesome for getting the grass stain and mud stains out of my kids cloths with out alot of fuss. So now they can play outdoors more and get messier without me having to worry about getting ruined clothing. That is important but not as important as play and I want my kids to be a kid, play hard, and use their imaginations as well as learn as much as their little brains can learn. So head over check out the 52 Nature activity cards and all of Shouts awesome products!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday To my oldest who turned 12 on Saturday! We love you and glad you had a awesome Party Megan Rose Marie! Now stop growing up LOL!!!!

Let's Do the Time Warp Again

I just finished watching Glee tonight. I loved it! It was a  Rocky Horror Picture Show themed show. I loved the issues is raised and hearing the cast sing the songs from the movie. It was so great how the episode unfolded and came out in the end. I never thought I would find myself agreeing with Sue Sylvester but her news commentary made a lot of sense to me. This was another great episode on a great show.
As I heard the music, I thought about the first time that I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the theater with some friends in high school. It was a midnight showing. My friends were regulars and knew all the lines. I had no clue what was going on but I remember how fun it was. We threw toast. We sprayed water. We threw hot dogs. We danced down in front of the screen. It was one of the most unusual movies I've ever attended. There was something truly freeing about it. It was fun to laugh and experience this silly movie with friends.
I'm grateful to the writers of Glee for this episode. What wonderful memories it brought back for me. Fun, friends, and Dr. Frank-N-Furter - what could be better than that?
On a more serious note, we had a big storm move through the area today. The tornado sirens went off several times and I guess some tornadoes were spotted somewhere in the area. The rain seemed to be coming down horizontally. The power to our office building went out at work. We have no windows in my part of the office and it was very dark. I hung around for a few hours hoping that it would come back on because I have a ton of stuff to do. However, it never did and I ended up leaving early. Tomorrow and the rest of the week are going to be very busy for me. I guess I better head to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Bounce Dryer Bar review

We are a family of 8 so Laundry is a chore that must be done but very very hated lol. I have to buy so many products to do laundry as well and so much waste. Laundry soap, stain removers, fabric softener, static sheets, and etc. Well now I can eliminate time doing laundry and lots of waste because Bounce Dryer Bar eliminates fabric softener and static dryer sheets. so it does save me time, waste and money.

If you haven't heard of Bounce Dryer Bar it a thing that looks like a bar of soap that you stick to the inside of your dryer. It last for around 2 months and it freshens, softens, and keeps the static away with no sheets to throw away everyday. Best part is you can buy replacements when its gone instead of the whole entire set! It is so easy to use just wipe a spot in your dryer to make sure its clean then peel the paper part off and stick to the dryer and done. Then when its time to replace you just press the tab on the holder and slide out the empty one and slide in the new one. I love it! It leaves my clothes smelling so good I don't even need perfume on ha ha. They are soft and look awesome.

Overall I am very impressed with Bounce Dryer Bar! They definitely earn a new customer. These are sold at stores everywhere like Walmart, Kmart, Smiths, and etc. So head out and check them out they are awesome!!

I miss being an asshole.

Last night in the midst of Zumba, the words "I miss being an asshole" literally went through my head. You know how as people "grow up" (I hate saying get OLDER) they tell you "I would never want to be young again, I would much rather know what I know now"? I kept waiting for the day that would happen. That I would know what that meant, and start saying it too. You know what? That day still hasn't come. I don't think it's gonna.

In fact, I quite think the opposite. IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

When I was in high school I led a big gaggle of beautiful girls. We thought we were the shiiiiiiiit. I thought the world revolved around me. I thought I was the most beautiful and talented girl to walk the earth and I had an unshakeable confidence. I literally thought I ruled the world. I knew nothing, and I was a complete asshole. I was spoiled and selfish, but young so I forgive myself. A little. :)

*Now before you freak out, remember this was a whole life time ago. Before I moved to NYC and learned to be humble. Learned that I was one of many fish in the sea. Now I don't even like to talk about myself or what I do when I meet someone for fear I'll sound like an asshole. I'm working on my happy medium.

As you "grow up" you're supposed to let go of caring about what may or may not be considered superficial or trivial things. You are supposed to gain even more confidence.

My first year out of high school I volunteered at the YWCA for a college class, I helped take care of little babies. Most of the ladies helping were older. Probably late 60's early 70's. One of them told me, and I'll never forget this, that she and women her age are supposed to be in their Golden Years but that's not true. Everything hurts, things that took a minute now take ten, etc. And even back then I knew that this must be true.

Who doesn't want to be forever young?

As I grow up I find myself becoming more sensitive. More cautious. I think you realize that everything is precious. You stop taking things for granted. You can have a heart break. You can lose a friend. You can get hurt. You are only human. You're not untouchable. You find your sweetheart and you care about someone besides yourself. I'm still confident but in a different way. I am aware feelings get hurt. I now know all to well that everyone is someones loved one. I am aware that youth is not forever and want to do it all and suck it all up until I no longer can...and then maybe *gulp* I'll even begin to fathom/consider what it would be like to be somebody's mom.

Anyway, last night at zumba there was a gaggle of young girls probably high school seniors, right up front and center loudly laughing and joking and busting a move and having the time of their lives and being terribly annoying and I thought to myself, "wow...that was me!" And that's when it hit me. "I miss being an asshole." Not that I actually and truly want to be now. I just miss the time before I was an "adult" (which, I guess I am - I still don't feel it) when I lived in a complete state of carefree. It was just me, just my girls, and we ruled the world.

You know what I mean...?

On the other hand...today was the first time I've ever gone to a dentist appointment all by myself. It had been waaaayyy to long since I'd last been and it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd remembered. Not even a little. I'm feeling quite proud of myself at the moment. So maybe it pays to grow up...a little.

Deena Marie xo

Tasty Tuesday

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

(My Grandma's Recipe)

and no you dont taste Zucchini

just moist yummy chocolate cake!

Ingrediants:
1/2 C. butter

1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. oil
2 1/2 C. Flour
3 eggs
4 Tbs. cocoa
1 3/4 C sugar
2 C. grated zucchini
1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
3/4 C. chocolate chips
1 Tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. walnuts
1 Tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. brown sugar
Directions:
mix, pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan -
sprinkle on top chocolate chips, walnuts and brown sugar.
Bake 350 for 40-45 minutes.

First Night of Writing Class

I just got home from my first night at my creative writing class. I LOVED IT!!!! It was so amazing to meet others who like me need the discipline of a class like this to help them move forward in their writing. As I wrote earlier, I was a bit anxious about the class. I was worried about sharing my writing with others. However, once I was in the class and we begin sharing what we had written in class in our small discussion groups, it was truly an amazing time of grace for me. I got to hear other people's stories. I got to share my thoughts and ideas.
I am so thankful that I signed up for this course. It is something that I have thought about for a long time. Now just felt like the right time to take the leap of faith and do this. It just all feels right to me. The instructor is great. My classmates are wonderful. God has truly blessed me for such a time as this.
Tonight we did five brief writing exercises in class. I didn't think I could do it but I did it. The first one we were supposed to write three pages of whatever came to our minds. The next three were five minute writing exercises in which we were given a brief phrase to start us off. For example, the first one was "They had nothing to say to each other . . ." The last exercise was to write a six sentence paragraph and not use the same word twice. This was by far the most difficult one for me. I don't know if I was tired and ready to go home or I had writer's block. Maybe it was a little of both. What I ended up writing surprised me. I received good feedback from my discussion group about it.
If it's okay with you, I'd like to share that six sentence paragraph with you. So, here it goes . . .

Writing helps me to feel alive. Each time I do it new understandings about myself and the world are revealed. It's my legacy. There is power in words that stands eternal. Messages passed down to future generations. They remind others Kevin was here.

I hope to be able to share more of my writing assignments with you in the future. However, right now, I'm headed off to bed. It's been a long day.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

I Heart Faces- Pink Photo Contest

Here is my example of Pink

This is a picture I took of my friends newborn little girl she is sooo adorable!

Clinere Ear cleaners review

My son and youngest get so much wax build up in their ears and cotton swab doesn't get it all out plus I feel like I am just pushing the  wax farther into their ears. Well Clinere Ear Cleaners have helped us with that.

Clinere Ear Cleaners are a flexible rubber like swab and scoop in one. It flexes and bends. It is so soft to touch and I know it will not hurt my kids ears as bad as the cotton swabs I used to use. One side is like a cotton swab it scraps gently and exfoliates the ear to help clean it. the other side it a soft flexible spoon like scoop. This is great to scoop us those big pieces of wax out. These are also awesome ear scratcher ha ha. I get those inner ear itches you cant get to well these carefully and safely get to it and itches it perfectly. I love that.

Overall I am greatly please with how Clinere Ear Cleaners worked and they are definitely something I will buy again. You can get the at Walmart, Kmart, Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, H-E-B, and Shopkos everywhere for around $5.99 for a 10 pack. Pretty good deal. So head out and try them you will be glad you did!

October 25-29 is Red Ribbon Week