Love your pet?

My mom over at Bring Your Own Cheese is having a hard time getting started back up with her art work. She needs a little inspiration, or more accurately, a BIG PUSH to get started again.

So, she is doing a giveaway of her artwork. Not these things, but a custom picture of some one's dearly loved pet.
It may be a sketch, or a water color or an oil painting. It all depends on how the pet strikes her artistic fancy.

Head over there before Saturday night and leave a comment on your favorite pet. She really does need a reason to pull our her paints and chalks and things.

BBB

I have officially filed a complaint with the BBB against Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC.
They call up to 4 times a day saying we are late. I make them read alllll the files, they see we are not late. They apologize, say it is their fault and they will clear it up in 3-5 days.
Soon we get a certified letter, that they charge us for, stating we are behind anywhere from 1-3 months. And charge us late fees for it.
We call them, they say we are current and they will clear it up. This person is THE person, he can get it done! Forgive me if you are about to prove yourself wrong, but you are.

At this point they are harassing me. And if it is not cleared up in 5 days, I will be calling our lawyer and charging them with harassment. Thankfully we have prepaid legal services. The thousands of people on the internet complaining about Ocwen have had horrid things happen to them, or had to hire a lawyer out of their own pocket.

I can't take the harassment and emotional turmoil this is causing me. Today, literally FIVE minutes after Donnie made a payment they called our house and said we were two months behind.
They have reported our mortgage 90 days late for at least 17 months. I don't know what they've done the last 2 months, so it could be worse.
Today I told them they are harassing me and I was going to sue them for it if it didn't get cleared up, and I got hung up on.

Bloggy Giveaways Update

I was almost done entering giveaways. I had the last few up in windows to go to. Then........
My computer shut off! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
My mom's dog is terrified of even the threat of rain. So she hides under my computer desk at my feet. And when she moves, she hits my power strips off button. I banished her from under the desk.
She is pouting now.

So, I'm all caught up at the moment. 980 giveaways. I'm entered in almost all I want to enter in. (I did NOT enter all of them, people) I'm waiting until a few more people enter a couple of them because I don't want to be in the beginning where people rarely get picked, hehe. I bet we actually see 1000 giveaways this time. That is a LOT of prizes. So you would think that there would be well over 1000 people entering, wouldn't you? I'm participating in both the giving and the entering, but I think several people only do the giving and most people ONLY do the entering.
One of the BIGGEST give aways is for 3 prizes,
$300 Gift Certificate to Amazon
$100 Gift Card to Williams Sonoma
$50 cash via Paypal
and they have 1206 entries!
Can you imagine their delight?! However, my odds of winning that one are not good.

A $50 gc to Target has 1391 entries!

I joined a new game that wins you money. You can help me play just by clicking this link and feeding my piggy bank! HERE Please go feed my pig. You don't need to register or click anything once you get there. However, you can sign up to get your own pig, too. And I'll go feed yours if you let me know you did it.

The Healing Choice

This is one of the two books I have ever had an internal struggle about reviewing on my blog. Both for personal reasons. This one needs publicity.

The Healing Choice by Brenda Stoeker and Susan Allen is a book about moving past the betrayal of your husband through pornography and infidelity.
I wasn't really thrilled with the comparison of Brenda's mother's death to cancer and a husband's sexual betrayal. I get what she was saying in a lot of the feelings and the anger with God, but I feel like they are so completely different. One is something that happens, it doesn't matter who you are, it can just randomly happen, and you can't stop it. The other is a choice someone chooses to inflict upon you. The betray is totally different. However, the denial, the pain, the guilt, the anger, the hatred, the mourning; those may be similar. The book is excellent, still.
Recovering from such a horrid betrayal in your marriage is not easy, and it is not fast. Even years after the healing things will come up to tear away your peace if you don't work hard all the time to live in forgiveness and healing. I think that eventually you do accept and find peace with losing someone to death.
Women need someone who has been there to help them through their pain, to help them see that God is still there and has a purpose for their lives. He hasn't betrayed them, even though He did allow this to happen. God prepared me in advance to deal with the blow I would take not once, but twice, in our marriage. He taught me that I am not so much more special than everyone else that I deserve a "perfect" husband, and that no matter what the sin, every one's sin brings the same price, no one's is worse in God's eye. Jesus had to die for my little white lie just as He did for my husband's pornography use.

I am so thrilled to see this book and the accompanying workbook! I am praying about starting a Healing group in our community with this set.

Summary: In the aftermath of discovering a husband’s battle with pornography or other forms of sexual infidelity, countless wives are left feeling humiliated, betrayed, angry, and desperate. Worse still is the sense of isolation created by the fear of revealing the truth even to trusted friends.
Authors Brenda Stoeker and Susan Allen understand all too well the pain inflicted by a spouse’s sexual duplicity, and in this empowering book and companion workbook they lead women out of the closet of shame and into the light of God’s healing. With biblical wisdom and compassion born of experience, they lovingly guide women in moving toward genuine spiritual and emotional restoration, even if their husbands never change.
Drawing on their own stories and those of other women, the authors provide step-by-step counsel in grabbing hold of intimacy with God and the community of women to find the needed support to move beyond devastation and into a restored wholeness. Through these powerful, practical resources, women will be equipped to find healing and to make wise choices for themselves, their children, and their marriage.

Author Bios:

Brenda Stoeker is a registered nurse, mother of four, and seasoned marriage teacher with life experience in rebuilding a broken marriage. She and her husband, Fred, are coauthors of Every Marriage Restored, which lays a foundation for the deeper personal needs addressed in The Healing Choice. Brenda and Fred live in Johnston, Iowa.

Susan Allen is a counselor and, with husband Clay, the cofounder of Avenue, a ministry centered on healing and restoration from sexual brokenness. The author of Avenue’s acclaimed curriculum for women’s small groups, she specializes in helping women create and maintain effective healing groups, both in churches and communities across the country. She and Clay live in Danville, CA.

If you would like a copy, leave a comment, you don't need to have a story or reason to have this book, just leave a comment. I will be giving away one copy of just the book to one US winner, or US military member with an APO/FPO.

I am more than willing to email with anyone who is going through this pain or has been through it. qtpies5 at msn.com. Giveaway ends August 3.

The Healing Choice is available for purchase HERE.

I Scream!

July is National Ice Cream Month and Moms in a Blog is having a massive giveaway! Since the prize is big, you have to blog it to win it. I'm playing! It IS ice cream.
The Pomegranate Chip by Haagen-Dazs does look amazingly delicious. And I would love to try it, and so would a few other people in my house, I'm sure.

And the Toasted Coconut and Sesame Brittle by Haagen-Dazs sounds really good and I would probably love it. I'm sure some other people would, too.
That would mean sharing.
It would.


I think the flavor I would want to order is Black Licorice. I'm probably the only one in the house who likes it! I get all the black jelly beans. The kids would leave this ice cream alone!
If I would win the giveaway I would definitely order one of these for me alone. I'm selfish like that.


I think I should win the ice cream because with 7 kids I get a lot of headaches. Ice cream is a cure for stress headaches. I know there is research to back that up somewhere. I deserve some sweet, delicious frozen dairy product to bring some relaxation to the end of my day, don't you think?

Wordless Wednesday #61

Why does my son look more like my brother than he does me? Or my husband?

Kids don't like "Ignore Your Family Week"

Samuel either doesn't like my ignoring the family to enter the massive amounts of blog giveaways (already at 601 at the end of Monday!), or he has wanted to visit the doctor something terrible.
On Saturday night Sam started screaming and ran to his daddy holding his nose. We finally figured out that he had something stuck up his nose. (we are smart like that, what with 6 kids having done it before him and all) Ugh! It looked like something pewter with my handy dandy otoscope. We tried to get him to blow his nose, nothing doing. We tried to get it with a tweezers, nope! I tried rubbing it out from the top of his nose down, uh-uh. At last, after sitting him up he just gave a bit of a blow and out came a little opaque bead. Just after we had decided to take him to the ER. So we were saved the trip.
About an hour later he tried to stick a bead in his EAR! Knucklehead.

Well, today he got the trip to the ER. Right in the middle of my first day of entering giveaways. He set me back 3 hours, so I am only at 250!
Sam started screaming and holding his throat, sticking his hand in his mouth and acting all dramatic. Surly he had swallowed something huge or nasty tasting. We could not get him to drink anything, even his beloved crack soda. I was pretty worried! Drew did the upside down back pounding and he did seem to get a bit better, but he was still obviously uncomfortable. So I decided I better take him in to make sure whatever it was, that it was passable.
Once I got there we discovered he had a fever over 101. Hmmm. The doctor felt he probably has a stomach bug or strep. But I insisted on the x-rays just to be sure, I have to pay the co-pay anyway, might was well get some peace of mind along with it.
Nothing.
Apparently nausea turns Sam into a little drama queen. Just like his daddy.

(Donnie would lay on the couch with his arm over his eyes and moan all day over loosing a tooth!)

Bloggy Giveaways

The Random Number generator picked number 4, Lisa said...
Ahhh, the Swizzlers the rose one would be nice to try, I just used a Lush bath bomb last night....
I am so glad she won! She is such a faithful commentor on my blog!

It is that time again! The Bloggy Carnival is back! Or, as I like to call it, "Ignore your family week." This is the week that we enter 800+ giveaways and give up cleaning and cooking, and please, dear children, make PB&J, leave mommy alone.
I am participating again this season and will be giving away a little piece of relaxation and pampering. Something pure, handmade, natural and luxurious. Delightful, even!

Fraiche makes lovely bath products because "bath is more than just a daily chore; it’s a place to escape from the worries and cares of the day."

They sought out to make luxurious bath products that are all natural and hand made. They have done a fantastic job!

Fraiche makes an enormous selection of bath Swizzles (bombs) and hand made soaps. A scent for every one's taste, truly.

I really enjoyed the Lavender Fields Swizzle. When I dropped it in my hot bath water it was like a small volcano of fizz bubbling up from the bottom. It was quite amazing to watch! The goat's milk in the Swizzle left my skin soft as can be, and the lavender scent lingered on my skin.

Just look at their gorgeous soaps! This one is their Rose soap. I love the special touch of roses all along the top. All of their soaps are unique and gorgeous and delicious smelling.

With thanks to Fraiche, I am giving away a Bare Naked hand made soap.

Strip off the day’s impurities with one of the most cleansing elements found in
nature. With Bare Naked, you can bring the beneficial properties of Australian
Red Reef clay to your bath. Containing elevated amounts of iron and essential
minerals to help renew and soften the skin, this cucumber-melon scented soap
leaves you glowing. Both moisturizing and purifying, Bare Naked is the perfect
adversary for your skin’s battle with harsh contaminants.

1. To enter the giveaway you need to head over to Fraiche (click on the button) and find the scent of soap or Swizzle you would love to try.

2. Then come back here and leave the comment on this post with a way to contact you if you win.

This is open to US and Canada and of course my military friends with APO/FPOs!

In addition, if I reach 400 entries I will add a second winner, and the first winner can choose between the soap and a Swizzle in Soothe Me or Hibiscus, the second winner gets the what the winner did not choose.

Giveaway ends Friday, 5pm CT.

Family Reunion news.

As usual, the family reunion was delightful. A refreshing visit with the kindest, most loving family ever. I really do enjoy my husband's family reunions more than mine. No craziness or drama or LOUD, just nice visiting and love. But I do enjoy my family, too. This top picture would be at the gas station before leaving town. That is Donnie getting into his car after putting plastic over the pump to show it is out of commission. You know, after he drove off with the handle still in the gas tank....... LOL
He went in with the handle and said that he had screwed up and the clerk, who sees him all the time when he brings him mother in for her morning coffee said "Ohhhh, I'm telling your MOM!!!" So, that is how we started our trip. But we made it there without incident after that.

There was much eating, as usual. And there may have been some rather full bellies......

And then there was the traditional begging the bachelor uncle to buy ice cream from the ice cream truck for all the kids.

Of course there was the cute baby smiles!

And the toddler fun times 2! The boys are 6 weeks apart and are going to be great trouble buddies in a few years!

I was taking pics of them playing in the stroller together, smiling so cute together. That kid in the front there, he was a pointin' away. I thought he was pointing at me. But he was really warning me.

"Hey, Aunt Lisa, look behind you at my daddy!"

And then I may or may not have been seen taking the last Rice Krispy Bar.

Potato Salad Day!

I hate potato salad. I do. However, there will be a huge selection so I can avoid it like the plague and not suffer a bit.
We are going to Donnie's family reunion. I love going to his reunions! I've been going since I was 15. Last week of July. Every Year. We missed a lot of years living in Germany and Virginia. But we don't miss a year now that we live in Minnesota. I have even gone without Donnie.
My current header of the kids was taken at last years reunion. I wanted to repeat that to watch them grow, but two of the kids are not coming with us this year.
Kaytlin says I didn't tell her so she can get the time off. But I did. And I have proof. Drew and I told her and Drew even told her that if she went up to work that day that it was still in time to get the day off. But she didn't go. And now I'm to blame?
Devon went off to stay with a friend he met that lives in Stillwater to go to Lumberjack Days. Of course, he arranged a ride there, but not home. I wanted to go get him yesterday, but he says he can stay another week, lol. We'll have to go get him tonight, or Donnie can get him after work tomorrow.
So, bummer, I won't get my shot. And next year, Drew won't be with us. He'll be a grown up in a military job that is still unknown to him.

However, I will be listening for a bloggable gem like I got last year. Potato Salad Committee! Remember? Oh, yes, Donnie's aunt is on the potato salad committee! That just tickled my funny bone!

As much as I have loved Donnie's family all these years, I now look at the reunion in a whole new bloggable light. And taking pictures is certainly expected! There won't be any exciting ones, I assure you, because most of the people are elderly, we are one of the young couples, lol. But there could be a rowdy fight or two over who sits on a chair. But it won't be the kind of fight you are thinking, it will go down like this:

Oh, did you want this chair?
Oh, no, no, you should take the chair.
No, sit, sit, you take the chair.
No, I don't need to sit, you sit down.
I couldn't sit there, I'll sit over there.
No, I'll just stand and eat. You sit there.

And then I'll go sit in the chair! Believe me, I HAVE heard this fight before, lol. Who can out-nice each other, lol. I'm not like that, so I'll take the chair. Or the last rice krispy bar. Whatever.

Potty training

Whaaa!!! I don't wanna pee in the potty! I want down! Whaaaaa!!!

Oh, hey, a booger. That's weird. Kinda cool, though.

Yeah! I got to throw toilet paper in the water! No more booger!

I still don't wanna go pee in the potty! You can't make me! I have perfect bladder control, you know! I will wait until you take me off and then I will go pee on the floor somewhere. I will.

Friday Night

Whew! I got ALL of my errands done! I even managed to throw in cleaning the living room and going to Karaoke!
I took Trinity with me to run the errands so we could buy a present for the birthday party. I was getting pretty hungry, and I figured I should feed Trinity lunch before I send her to the party at 3. So we stopped at McDonald's, just the two of us.
Mom, that guy looks like Grandpa.
What color is that on the window?
Why is it raining?
Do you like french fries?
Can I have some of your soda?
You know I eat ice.

And on and on and on and on and on it went.

Trinity, what is your mouth for?
For talking, mom!
What else?
For eating.
OK, why don't you try more eating and less talking.
(teehee)
Can you open my Polly Pocket?
OK, after you eat more of your burger.
(ahhh, blessed silence!)

Out in the car it starts again.

Mom, look at what my Polly Pocket can do.
I can't look, Trinity, I have to drive.
Mom, look at that car! What is that over there? Why is the sky blue? etc, etc, etc.

Trinity, why do you ask so many questions?
Because.
Because why?
Because.
Because why?
Mom.
Am I annoying you?
Yes.
Really? Is it annoying when I ask you a million questions?
Yes!
Why?
Because.
Because why?
Mom, you can't talk, you need to drive.

Finally!!!!!

Friday

Today is FINALLY the big day! Two weeks ago Trinity received a birthday party invitation and it has been a countdown ever since. Every morning "Is it two days yet?" I told her it was two WEEKS, not two days, but she always asked that. Well, today is the day! And she doesn't seem nearly as excited as the last 13 days.

However, sitting on the couch this morning after eating her yogurt she says to me "Mommy, your my very good helper." as she holds out her empty yogurt container to dispose of it for her.

Now Entering Momville has linked up with my mom and my dueling Thursday Thirteens, lol. I guess she thought it was funny and is encouraging people to take sides! But she is on my mom's side.

Rosey Little Things is hosting a blog swap where she will match people up with bloggers to give us new people to visit and new people to visit us. A great way to find new readers and to boost stats just a little bit.

I have tons to do today. My hubby needs his meds, and I keep forgetting to pick them up. My mom and I need banking done, by me. My dd needs to buy a present and to get ready for the sleepover. And my brother needs me to pay for and pick up decoys he bought from someone in our town. But, since I am very good helper, I guess I can do that for my brother! And hubby, and mother, and daughter. Wow, I am a very good helper today! Anyone else need me?

Aloha Friday #3

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.
Here is what Kailani says about it:

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to
the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.
Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a
lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question
on your blog and leave your link at An
Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way
to make new bloggy friends!

I went to a couple of movies this month already and I was horrified to see they are now showing commercials before the previews! Horrified! Hello, the ticket price is already moved up to $7.50, and you add commercials? Do you SEE the price we pay for candy? And Popcorn? Hello! I will watch commercials without complaint if the prices drop. I think it is time for me to start complaining to our theater's management. Oh, and the people who know me know that I will do it, lol.

Here is my question:

Should movie theaters show commercials? I mean commercials for things like spaghetti sauce and Gatorade?

Thursday Thirteen Mom edition

Thirteen Things that point to my mom's senilityMy mom (over 50) moved in with us several months ago to get on her feet financially. I don't think she should ever move out, and here is why: 1. Mom couldn't find her phone anywhere, and she was starting to freak out at me because I had used her phone last. I told her I clipped the phone to her purse strap. Could not find it. She tore the purse apart, searched the car, her room, the computer desk. Finally I called the phone and found it clipped to her purse strap. Yes, the purse she had emptied looking for it. 2. I got a call from my mom's cell phone one day, but there was a man on the other end, not my mom. She had left her entire purse, and cell phone, at the grocery store. Thank goodness she was with my mother in law so I could call and have her go back for it. 3. Mom called me from work one afternoon to have me call her cell that she had lost, once again. A man answered the phone. She had lost it at the grocery store. That same night I got a call from Pamida. They had found mom's cell phone in the parking lot. 4. One day mom was really freaking out, she could NOT find her phone. (what's new, right?) She tore the place apart looking for it, and was just near spazzing. So I called it while she looked for it in her room. She had used it for a book mark the night before and put it on her book shelf. 5. Mom and I were visiting in her room and she wanted to show me something, so she went to her closet to get it. The closet is pretty big, it even has a window, but it isn't THAT big. I asked her "When did your curtain rod fall down?" She said "It didn't!" Then she looked and it had fallen, and she should have seen it when she walked straight toward it walking in, or when standing next to it digging in the dresser. 6. Even after living with us for 2 months, my mom couldn't find her way around my house. She would head toward the bathroom when she wanted the dining room, and head to the dining room when she wanted the bathroom or stairs. She always got lost. She's stopped telling us now, but I don't know if she has it figured out or not. We were going to put up signs for her birthday, but decided to be nice. 7. We are afraid if she moves out that she will actually start on her plan to make a sequel to "27 Dresses" and make it 27 Wedding Dresses, always a Bride and Never a Bridesmaid. (she's been married 4 times, she is already on her way, we are going to start calling her a serial bride, lol, and she finds this funny, too, it's a joke) 8. She lost her phone, again, and it was right next to her on the desk. This has happened so many times that I could do an entire TT on it alone, but it would get too repetitive, right? 9. In order to show the need to move her in the first place, we could ask her how many times she forgot her dog at work for the night and had to go back and get her. 10. Her driving is getting to the point that her dog won't get in the car with her. But if your head broke the windshield from slamming on the brakes, would you want to ride with that driver again? 11. Mom has breakfast at a cafe every morning with my mother in law. They both lived in the same area for many, many years and know a lot of the same people. In fact, they both owned the same house, at different times, of course. (that would mean that in our growing up years, both my husband and I spent time growing up in the same house at different times.) Well, they talk and talk and talk every day, and they never run out of things to say. Because they don't remember things so their repeat stories are always new. 12. If she moved out, who would laugh at her comfort her when she comes home crying about seeing road kill after work? 13. And if she didn't live here, I think the dog would get sick of being the only one to scare all the time. You can go check out my mom's rebuttal to these 13 true things on her blog, Bring Your Own Cheese.

Another successful kidnapping

Tuesday was Sarah's birthday. Of course we couldn't do something ON her birthday, she has a standing date with old college friends. Usually we (Jeannie, Jody, Sarah and I, and now including my mom) do weekend kidnappings, at least it seems that way. Maybe I am wrong. But we went for the middle of the week and even got her husband involved. Sarah doesn't like not being ready to leave, so her husband had to find a way to get her ready to go without giving it away. So he told us we made him sin, twice, by lying to his wife.
He did a good job. This year.
In order to shake things up a bit we planned a movie instead of dinner. We took her to Mama Mia. I don't think any of us had high expectations of the movie. Sure, we expected a few laughs, but we didn't expect to laugh constantly! It is a great movie! There are some, ahem, shocking, parts, but it was over all funny and wonderful. Go see it! Really! I have hunted a bit and can't find a pic I want to share: Pierce Brosnan's outfit in the very ending piece. Oh my word, he almost lost his place as my number 2 Hollywood hottie!
(I could go off onto a big rant here about how the movie theater is actually showing COMMERCIALS now. Real commercials! Like spagetting sauce commercials! I don't get a discount for watching them, I paid my ticket, I don't want to watch commercials!)

After the quick run to the bathroom and then begging some random stranger to take our pics, with 3 cameras, we then went to our usual birthday haunt, Applebees. For half price appetizers, of course. Lets just say we got carried away a bit.

Yes, that would be a sampler plate, spinach-artichoke dip, quasadillas, hot wings, nachos, and onion rings. For 5 people. Don't worry, we had doggie bags to bring home.

Happy birthday, Sarah!!!

What do you think about movie theaters starting to show commercials before the movie previews?

Wordless Wednesday #60

Trinity and her Nana Star doll. Trying to be cute or keep from being blinded by the sun?

ROFLOL!!

I was trying to explain Twitter to my husband today and he said something hysterical! Something so wrong I can't even put it on my blog. (not only because he forbid me, and he said he will be checking, but becuase it is just bad, lol) He said it accidentally, but I about fell over laughing at him, lol.

Have you ever had to restrain from putting something hysterical on your blog for fear of death?

Oh, yes, my girly friends, I will be telling it at the next Ladies Night Out!

I interupt this blog for an important announcement!

Baby Cheapskate is giving away 12 BumGenius diapers!!!! You know I want to win those!I love my 1.o and my 2.o dipes, but I have yet to try the 3.os. Oh, how I want to win this giveaway! Ends August 6.

My dear friends, I know you all think it is gross. Or you just can't bring yourself to deal with them. But you know my love of cloth diapers. And I hope you love me. So, if you would enter just for me, I'd love you forever!

Some more photos

Some people may wonder why I would want to hire someone who costs quite a bit more than Walmart or Sears to take our family pictures. But when you see the pictures you will understand. But another reason to be thrilled is that one day I will get to say "Laura Clawson took our pictures before she became famous!" And that, my friends, is cool. I think she will be famous one day. Globe trotting for National Geographic or some other great magazine.

Kaytlin's pictures turned out amazing. Just completely and utterly amazing.

This next picture made Donnie tear up. I love the freckles on her nose, lol. They usually are not visible, but she was actually quite sunburned from being outdoors for 4 days at Sonshine. Her nose is even blistered, but it doesn't show.

I think this is one of my favorite pictures. Kaytlin Ivy out in the Ivy. The greens just complement her perfectly. Her eyes look blue, but usually they are not. She has hazel eyes, and usually they are green when she is wearing green.

This is more typical of her. T-shirt, flip-flops and guitar.

I don't know how I am going to handle this year. She is a senior. She will be spending one last year here at home then off to college! Our first daughter to be out of our safety net. Boys are different, I assure you. Letting go of our daughter? Not going to be easy, even though she is amazingly responsible, mature (far more mature than I am, I would say), and grounded in the Lord.

I don't know, maybe I am biased, but I think I have the most gorgeous daughter ever. I just do.

A sneak peek..........

Here are a few of the pictures we got back. We went for casual because the kids hate it when I make the dress up. So I didn't make them dress up. Just no holes, lol.

Oh, this is so funny!

Snap!

This past weekend Drew, Kaytlin and Devon went to Sonshine Fest in Wilmar, MN. Without me. Or Donnie. Just them and friends. Wow! That was a tough thing to do for us parents. (we are a couple hours away, but my dad is close to Wilmar, and we did know some adult friends who were there, so if they did need anything someone was there.)
Technically, Drew is an adult now, and so were most of his friends, but when do we actually start thinking of our kids as adults? I am not there yet, but I am trying.

At Sonshine the kids learned a new game in addition to the many, many, many amazing concerts that they were able to go to. It is called Snap. I'm not sure I get the reason it is fun, but the kids thought it was "Amazing!" and "Awesome!"

The kids link together using inner tubes between them and the run around trying to make someone bump into a trashcan.

I guess that is it. If they let go of the tubes or touch the can they lose. Doesn't sound too exciting to me, though. They had a wild time playing it and Devon even injured himself, which is a mark of a game well-played if you are a guy.

Drew's friends took our teasing of Devon to a whole new level, too. We tease Devon about Hannah Montana because we've caught him watching it alone several times. Even watching our one DVD of her by himself. Well, his friends bought him a Hannah Montana sticker and one of them even bought him a Hannah Montana pillow. Which he slept on because he is a great sport. Or he really does have a crush on her.

Have you ever had to let go of your mommy-ness and let your teens do things that you felt apprehensive about?
I worry about things out of my control, anyway, and hounded them for weeks before hand about never being alone, always having a buddy, etc.

Great giveaway!

One of these days someone is going to contact me to review the Flip video camera, I just know it.

But in the meantime I just have to enter giveaways for them!

A Daycare Life is giving one away, so go enter to win one.

Ends August 1.

Some pics I took today

Family pictures

Today we had family pictures. It was a bit rough, but we did it. I didn't go to church because Samuel has diarrhea and can't be in the nursery, plus I didn't know if we will end up with the same sickies as Trinity after the whole drinking out of the puke bucket incident.
Well, he hasn't gotten "sick" but he sure wasn't pleasant during the pictures. I am sure that he isn't smiling in any of them, but at least he wasn't crying in all of them, just the last few, lol.
Usually we go to Walmart for our pictures, but since we are doing senior pics for Kaytlin with the same fantastic girl that took Drew's I decided to get our family pics taken with her before Drew moves away.
I am so glad we did, too, because her poses are fun and funky and delightful! One of them caused me to nearly kill myself, but other than that it went without injury. Walking in heels on rocks in the railroad tracks is not a good idea, btw.
Taking a grumpy toddler to pictures is also a bad idea. But the session took place an hour and a half later than planned, so he was tired.
I took some pictures with my camera today, too. When I get to use my computer again I'll post them. (sometimes having all 7 kids home during the day is not so great, lol, it makes me have to share)

The Dark Knight

Last night Donnie and I went to see The Dark Knight (the newest Batman movie for those of you who live in a cave). What is up with all the comic book movies that are coming out? Wow! I have to see all of them because I married a comic book geek, otherwise I probably wouldn't have seen any of them.
The Dark Knight is a good movie. However, I liked Iron Man better. Batman movies are always really dark. This was one of the darkest, I think.
Heath Ledger was amazing as the Joker. Wow! He gave sick and twisted new meaning. I predict he will win a ton of awards, even though he is now dead. He would have won them even if he lived, I don't think it will just be because people feel the need to honor his death.
The guy who played Batman wasn't great, though. I guess he played the part well, but he wasn't fantastic or anything.
It was violent, but I can't remember any swearing.
Do I sound like I am excited about it? No? Well, I'm not, but it really is a good movie. Great story line, great length, great acting in the Joker, and some fun twists.

Game Stop

GameStop is one of our boys' favorite places to shop. All three of our teen boys and their daddy. OK, so I love it, too! But I love it because I am a tightwad and will take a price break anywhere I can get it! I think we've been shopping there for about 10 years or so, before it was even renamed GameStop.

GameStop is the place to go to get some money out of your used games that you no longer play and to get discounts on used games that you want to buy. It is a really easy place to sell your used games and equipment. GameStop offers a trade-in program that lets you bring in the old games and get credit towards new titles or systems. You can also buy new games and systems and attachments for them.

With the heat of summer upon us playing outside gets difficult and finding something entertaining for the kids to do indoors is a challenge. They get bored of the same game after a few weeks, so trading is a great idea for those summer time dollar stretchers.

Cody is our game freak. He'd rather play computer and video games than just about anything, sports, friends, dinner. He doesn't get to play as much as that, but he does play a lot! So for Cody's birthday and even Christmas, much of our family gives him GameStop gift cards. Those are his favorite presents!

Our local GameStop has several game systems set up for customers to try things out. I appreciated trying out the Wii, which so far I am not very good at playing. So I am not sure I want one now. We were able to try out the newest Guitar Hero, too, and that is one of our favorite family games. I think it is because it is one I can play and beat my husband at, and that never happens! But I can't beat the kids. Except at I Love Rock and Roll. They hate that song. I love that song.

I have a gift card coming in the mail for GameStop, it hasn't arrived and we are all bummed. But I'm keeping my eye open for it because a $30 gc is enough to get Cody to rub my feet with lotion for an hour a day for at least a week, hehe. Oh, yeah, I am not above that.

Love As A Way Of Life~ A book review

The winner is KYgirl. I have no contact info, so if I don't hear a response in 5 days, I will pick a new winner. Thank you all for entering and sharing your stories!

Love As A Way of Life by Gary Chapman is a wonderful book. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Love Languages books, but it is hard to implement those love languages when loving is not the way you live your life.

That isn't saying that I don't love, it just isn't the way I do everything. Such as going to the store, I don't think about how I can show love to other patrons or the clerks. Yes, being polite, but loving them? Something as simple as someone saying something nice to me has made a huge impact in my day, so shouldn't I be going for that with everyone I meet? Making eye contact with people and smiling? Saying hello and wishing people a good day? Thanking the clerk for ringing up my order?

I think one of the main things that impacted me in this book was a part about helping others. Sometimes it is hard to accept help from someone else. It puts you in a position of humility. (not to be confused with humiliation) Chapman says "Accepting the help of others is one of the best and most difficult ways of fostering loving relationships." And I completely agree! It brought back a memory of a friend from long ago who explained to me that denying someone the gift of helping me was denying them a blessing from God. It feels good to help someone, and it feels bad to be turned down when you offer to help someone. God blesses people when they serve others, sometimes with good feelings, sometimes with more then feelings. Would I want to deny someone the gift of God to save face? To look like I have no failures or have no needs? Sometimes you genuinely don't need the help, but accepting it when you do need it, or it would really help, will bless you and them. I once accepted the help of someone I didn't know well to clean my house when I was in horrid morning sickness. We are still as close as sisters 12 years later! What a blessing that act was for both of us.

Summary: For decades Dr. Gary Chapman’s best-selling books have shown readers how to speak the “love language” of those they care about. Now he digs even deeper to uncover the foundations of what it means to cultivate a lifestyle of love and how doing so leads to satisfaction and success in every area of life.
Drawing fresh insights from timeless biblical principles, Chapman presents poignant stories of real people who have discovered the joys of living out the seven characteristics of authentic love: kindness, patience, forgiveness, humility, courtesy, generosity, and honesty. Enhanced with eye-opening self tests, practical ideas for building daily habits of love, and inspiring examples of love’s power to change lives, this book guides readers in putting love to work in all of their interpersonal relationships.
Convinced that in a world of constant conflict people desperately need authentic love, Chapman paints a compelling vision of how life can be richer and relationships more satisfying for anyone who practices Love As a Way of Life.

You can purchase a copy on Amazon here.

Or, you can enter to win a copy by leaving a comment on when you have been blessed through help from someone or by helping someone else.
Leave a way to contact you if I can't find you through your profile. I will announce the winner through Prizey Fetch. But you need at least a unique nickname or I can't pick your comment.
Giveaway ends July 31.
You can also triple your chances to win by entering to win a copy at DaisyCrazy and Sassyfrazz.