Daniel X: Alien Hunter

I did a review on the first book The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson. I thought it was a fun book, and the story was like Men in Black for pre-teens-early teens. Very fun! 

Cody wasn't interested in it, but Hope-Anne was hooked, right along with me. 

So when the new book, Daniel X Alien Hunter came out in a graphic novel form I was excited to review it! I wasn't sure how Cody would respond this time, but I had hope. 

Luck would have it that this year Cody has mandatory reading time for homework. I forced him to read this book. Forced is a strong word, because the only force needed was to make him look at it. Then he sat down and read it cover to cover! 

Look at the amazing graphics! The illustrator is none other than Leopoldo Gout. What a great combination! James Patterson and Leopoldo Gout! 

Daniel X is an alien who hunts bad aliens. He has an amazing power to create with his imagination. In the first book he fought a bad buy by becoming so small that he could climb inside the guys ear, and then make himself big, which killed the alien. Daniel also can think about his friends and his parents (who are dead) and make them real. 

I am not going to spoil the graphic novel (comic book, hehe) but I have to tell you that if you have a reluctant boy reader, you need to order this! Cody loved the book. 

I asked him why he liked it so much when he wouldn't read the first book. Apparently, being able to see the pictures with it makes it readable. It definitely appeals to boys. Cody loved that Daniel could create things and do things with his imagination. Every boys dream power! (besides x-ray vision)

Daniel X Alien Hunter is a paperback book (much thicker than a comic book), and it is available at Amazon for only $9.99! I read on their website that it would be selling for almost $30, so I think you should grab that Amazon price! This book will be our gift of choice for any of Cody's friends who have birthdays this year. 

Can I get it all done today?

If today were Thursday, I'd being doing my list of 13 things I need to do today. It is not going to be a relaxing day for me. Until later. 

You see, Donnie and I are going away for the weekend. Not by ourselves, but without kids! Our church has an annual couples retreat with broom ball, snow tubing, wall climbing, and games. It is catered all weekend, so we don't have to do anything but have FUN! 

Now, if you know me at all, you know I fought this tooth and nail, even though I had a good time last year. I don't like to be outside. I don't like to do physically active sports or things that could hurt me or are outside. I don't like the snow or cold. I don't like being cold. I don't like being outside. 

This year one of my friends is going, so it may even end up being a bit better than last year. I wish all my girlfriends were going, but they aren't. Some excuses like just having a baby, or her husband is out of the state or can't afford it........ Lame-o! LOL Just kidding! 

Donnie loves going, so I am going along begrudgingly, and I know I will enjoy it. Even the snow tubing. 

I have no clean clothes. Trinity has no clean pants. My warmest winter coat is stained from dirt (probably from tubing last year), so I am trying again to scrub it up. But I am not wearing a better coat for playing in the snow. 

I need to:

1. Start laundry~ Check! 

2. Go to Walmart and buy socks, gloves, and disposable diapers for the baby sitter.

3. Pack for the kids for the sitter.

4. Pack for us, including bedding and towels.

5. Make sure there are enough groceries for the older kids. 

6. Get directions to the resort. 

7. Make arrangements for Hope-Anne to be able to get picked up from school after HER trip away with the school today. 

8. Keep from fighting with Donnie today.

9. Mail a package to Drew. (I should mail to my niece and to my brand new nephew, too)

Speaking of Drew......... He is doing amazing in ATC (Air Traffic Controller school), the class is divided into 5 blocks, and he just passed block two with a 96%. We knew his grades in high school were NOT his best. LOL 

But he is still having a rough time. 

It is weird. Drew is pretty much super likable. I don't know anyone who doesn't like him. He has friends in all "groups" in school. He is just FRIENDLY. 

But his roommate doesn't like him. Weird things, even after Drew apologizes he still holds a grudge and is just hateful. (Drew used his coffee pot to heat up water!) Drew would try to help him buy picking up his things if he left them out, because they do get in trouble for that, and the guy freaked at him and started cussing him out! Even after all that, the guy got a concussion and Drew woke up ever couple of hours through the night to wake him to be sure that he was OK. Drew tried.

The guy was going to be phasing up (I don't understand that, so don't ask) and would be moving to a new dorm yesterday. But Drew started getting pulled aside and told that his roommate was going to pee in his bed when he leaves. 

So, yesterday Drew walks into his room just after his roommate walks out to head for his bus. Hmm, the bed isn't the way Drew makes it. It is suspiciously the way his roommate makes it. Yep, big pee stain on the mattress cover. 

So, Drew went and got him yanked just before getting on the bus and now there is an investigation. No one that told Drew actually heard the guy say it, and there are many people who have heard the rumor, but no one that actually heard the guy say it. 

There is a glitch, though. The guy busted a few people the weekend before for underage drinking, so he has a few enemies. And they knew that the guy didn't like Drew. Anyone one could have started the rumor and then did it to get him in trouble. Drew knows it was him, he has spent months with the guy, he knows how that guy makes a bed. 

Drew has a new room with a new bed now, but has to deal with this investigation. 

It is frustrating because he has watched the guy bust people constantly, get hated, do stuff, get away with it, and even when he is caught, he somehow manages to get out of the punishment. He is not a well-liked guy. But he will probably get away with this. 

He needs to lose rank for awhile, or get sent back to the beginning of training. Donnie thinks he should get an Article 15, but I don't know about that, he can change and grow up sometime, and to have that on his record? He does need to be punished, though. Like making him sleep in that bed. That would be good. 

Pull my mama claws back in now. Drew is a big boy and can take care of this himself. 

I better get busy. I have lots to do and little time to get it done. 

Awwww, that is so sweet!

Donnie has been an amazing help to me the last 10 weeks he has been home from work. (yes! he's been laid off for TEN WEEKS!) I am able to get work done on the computer and he takes care of the kids while I go to work the one day a week that I work. 

We determined that we are now going to get the little two on a schedule. Sam is finally through his waking up screaming in the middle of the night phase, and Donnie no longer comes home so late at night that we need to let them stay up late to spend time with him. (or eat supper at 8pm)

Yesterday Donnie had some work to do in his job search so I was going to put Sam down for his nap. I attempted to let him watch TV all snuggled in his blankie, but that didn't work. (It never does) Nope, I had to go lay him down in bed. 

Donnie says:

He'll fight you for about 10 minutes, but then he'll stop crying and roll over and give in. 

Awwww! He's been home 10 weeks and he's already giving me advice on how to put Sam down for a nap! Isn't that just adorable! Rather than being annoyed, since I've been giving Sam naps for 2 years, I thought it was cute because he's been doing it and found a way to get Sam down without me. 

For the record, it doesn't take me 10 minutes to get Sam to stop crying and give in. He holds out longer with Donnie because he's a greenhorn nap-giver, he just might cave, you know. 

Who is being fooled here?

Last night I watched a bit of the show about the "pregnant man." 

I do not understand the fuss. You can't go into the record books as being the first man to be pregnant when you are really a woman. Taking testosterone and growing a beard, having your mammary glands removed, does not make you a man. She is still a woman with woman parts. An autopsy would show she is a woman. A physical exam would show she is a woman, she still has a vag**a and uterus. Testosterone does not make a person a man. 

Who is really being fooled here? I'm not fooled. She can turn back into a woman easily, stop taking testosterone. That's it. She could even get implants to replace what she had removed. The only people fooled that she is a man are herself and her wife. 

When she is dead and if for some reason someone came across her bones a hundred years from now, they would say she was female. Taking testosterone would not alter that find. 

Basically. Some woman who wants to be a man, is pretending to be a man, is pregnant. What is the big deal? 

Don't get me wrong, I do have empathy for her feelings of being a man in a woman's body, it isn't that. I just don't get the media attention. She is a SHE physically, how is that an amazing thing for her to turn up pregnant? It's not. She has the parts because she IS a woman, not a man. That is what I don't get. "Pregnant man" is not what is going on here. Will the media really jump on anything?

Never Say Diet ~ New Years Resolution GIVEAWAY!

Bloggy Giveaway Alert! Giveaway in this post! Check out the over 1100 other giveaways at the Bloggy Carnival.

Here we are heading toward the end of January, the month of resolutions. Many people make the decision to lose weight and get in shape this year. Is this the year? I am planning to make it my year! 

Diet is not an option for me. It doesn't work. Exercise stinks, but I am going to have to add it to my life because even though I am losing weight with Sensa, I am not going to get rid of the belly flab after 7 babies and 2 c-sections without some effort. 

So, here is a great find for everyone who would like to lose weight, exercise and eat right this year. Never Say Diet and the companion guide, Never Say Diet Personal Fitness Trainer.   

I absolutely loved Chantel Hobbs book Never Say Diet. It is inspiring and do-able. She says you have to make five decisions to break your bad habits for good. I also liked how she encouraged people to get into an exercise routine before you start working on the food. 

The Personal Trainer book is a 16 week journal and guide to changing your life. I love the scripture of the week, too. It is so nice to see things with a Christian perspective. Though it wasn't so intense that someone who does not believe in God would be turned off by it. 

In the journal you begin with your weight and measurements, and then you record your exercise and breakfasts for each day. After a few weeks you redo measurements again. 

The tips are great, things like drinking water is obvious, but making sure to eat protein for breakfast and to include enough fiber in the diet are less obvious. 

Summary: After years of failed diet attempts, Chantel Hobbs discovered the missing ingredient to permanent weight loss: to change your life, you first have to change the way you think.

She developed a balanced plan for exercise and nutrition and lost two hundred pounds. Now, through writing, speaking, and her work as a personal trainer, she inspires others to achieve far more than they thought possible.

In Never Say Diet, now available in trade paperback, Chantel provides everything readers need to lose weight for good, including: 

• Simple, step-by-step workout routines that fit into a normal weekday schedule
• A realistic approach to nutrition that helps people break their bondage to food
• Strategies for staying motivated when life takes unexpected turns
• Keys to dealing with discouragement by relying on God’s strength   
• The secret to moving beyond past failures and getting over old excuses 

Chantel helps readers make the five commitments that are necessary for changing their lives. Her high-energy, no-nonsense approach inspires readers to achieve results that last in body, mind, and spirit.

Personal Trainer: Her newest book, The Never Say Diet Personal Fitness Coach, now allows readers to have Chantelshow up each week to inspire, encourage, and energize them on the journey to a healthy life that centers on body, mind, and spirit.

This fitness guide helps readers set new weight-loss goals and create an exercise schedule that works in the midst of life’s constant demands. Readers will be inspired with Scripture, and they will welcome Chantel’s healthy eating plan with simple, energy-and-nutrition-packed recipes. Weekly checklists and personal evaluations direct readers in reaching their goals. Plus, Chantel’s personal and entertaining stories provide the motivation needed to get through even the most frustrating days.

With Never Say Diet and The Never Say Diet Personal Fitness Coach readers will establish new fitness habits that burn off excess weight, increase strength, and establish a new, healthy way of living.

You can buy Never Say Diet and Never Say Diet Personal Fitness Trainer at Amazon, and purchased together they are only $19.47!

But I am giving a set away to one lucky person for the price of a comment! Leave a comment about a weight loss or health tip, goal, whatever. But something related to weight loss and getting in shape, or it won't count. I will delete you. Because I am mean. Ask my kids. 

My husband is laid off and put me on a STRICT budget, so I have to restrict this to just people in the US, I am sorry international people. 

The giveaway ends January 30. I will give the winner 3 days to give me their address before I choose someone else. Please leave a way for me to contact you. Thanks!

Ninja Vs. Ninja

Out of the Box sent me a couple of games to try out with the kids. Ninja Versus Ninja is a strategy game for 2 players, age 8 and up.

Devon and Cody were the test subjects. A 16 year old against a 13 year old. Who would be able to get to the others dojo and back and win the game?
The idea is to get your ninja over to the other dojo, and you mark how many spaces into the dojo you get with the little guy on the side in the grey helmet (Grey Shadow Ninjas), and you have to get back out of the dojo within three moves. You can make one turn of direction during your move or go straight. The gray area in the middle is neutral. You also can take each other's ninjas out by landing directly on their space. But you have to get back to your dojo in THREE moves, so it is all very tricky!

Then there is the score keeper, the Ninja Master. Ohhh, Ahhhhh! I love him, I think he is just the cutest little dude! When you get back to your dojo you move the Ninja Master how ever many points you got into the other dojo. The first one to go 7 spaces wins the game. (do you see the ninja fight in the background of the Ninja Master? Love this shot!)
The dice are pretty awesome, too!

Cody won the first game so Devon insisted on a second game "now that we know how to play." Cody beat him again. One more game! Devon won, so that was the time to quit.

This is a fun game and I know that the kids are going to have many a snowed in day playing this game. Everyone in our house, except the little two, are able to play this game and we all enjoy it. This gets a big BRAVO from our house because it is something for everyone and anyone.

You can purchase Ninja versus Ninja at Out of the Box for $24.99. You can also look for retailers near you that carry Out of the Box games. In Minnesota, Games by James carries them.

Check out their other great games, as well!

Rock!, it is Rock, Paper, Scissors in card format, I think this would be a blast!

Party Pooper, A party game where you try to figure out who would best fit the card, sort of, lol.

Routines and the Healthy Child

Donnie and I have really let things slip around here with him not having to go to work. Not that we were terribly good about bedtimes before that because of Donnie's work schedule and Sam's sleep issues, but now they are bad. Sam is sleeping through the night most of the week, so it is time to get him on a good bedtime.




The best way to get kids happy with bedtime is to have a routine. It is so healthy for children to know what is expected and what comes next. But even with that, there are still things that kids will fight parents on. Like the dreaded nightly teeth brushing. I can't even tell you how many of my kids I had to sit on and pry their mouths open to scrub their teeth with them screaming.


There has to be an easier way!





There is, and I wish I would have had this great set of books way back with my first child almost 20 years ago.





These books and animals from Haydenburri Lane tell stories about healthy habits and routines. Each book covers a different thing, like getting dressed and bathing and brushing teeth. And each habit has an animal friend associated with it.


I got this great Carry Me Everywhere Suitcase set that retails for $29.95. It is so amazing! If Donnie were not laid off right now I would buy the entire book and stuffed animal set. Just the one book and 5 finger puppets in this set have triggered happy times with getting off to bed.



The five puppets and habits are:
Bubbles the Hippo ~ bathtime
P.J. the Bear ~ getting dressed
Chomper the Crocodile ~ brushing teeth
Paige the Elephant ~ storytime
Rory the Tiger ~ being brave

You can check out a little about each character and see a little about each book, I love the Chomper song.

Trinity and Sam play with the finger puppets almost every day. And because of the book in the kit, they know what each animal stands for. We snuggle up together periodically and read the book and play with the puppets while snuggled in the blanket that comes with it. The blanket is soft on one side, silky on the other, and has a handy pocket for the puppets.


You can see the kids love to play with them.

Sam loves the blanket, he claimed it and freaks if Trinity tries to use it.

Look how cute this puppet is! It fits perfectly on Sam's finger, and has elastic inside to make sure it stays put, but it also fits my much bigger finger. These are the highest quality finger puppets I have ever seen. And the quality rivals many larger puppets I have ever seen. I was captured by the details in each one of them.

Thanks to Chomper, the crocodile, Sam and Trinity want to "tickle their teeth" over and over every day. I love it! That has got to be my favorite part, and theirs as well.

Thank you, Haydenburri Lane for making such a high quality, helpful product!

How Bible Study REALLY Goes For Me

This has nothing to do with the She said/He Heard game I like to play, so keep your minds out of the gutter, peeps. 

Because I was sick this weekend I was able to spend a lot of time laying on the couch catching up on my Esther Bible study. Hours and hours of study time. 

Sam somehow found a little stub of a pencil (at least one of my kids purposely sharpens pencils down to stubs for comfort, ugh) somewhere and since I was writing in my workbook, he thought he should join me. Just in the margins, like I was doing. 

But I wasn't happy about it.

Sam! Don't write in my book! 

He waits............. then writes in my book when I look at my Bible.

Sam! Stop writing in my book!

He waits........... then when I write in it, he helps me write in it.

Sam! Stop it! (and I thunk him on the hand with my pen)

Sam says "Fine!"

Then he writes in my book. 

Sam! Don't write in my book! (another thunk)

"Fine!" He waits a bit....... then does it again.

So, I swatted his hand with my book. (not hard)

"All Right!" And he walks away stomping his little feet.

He can't tell me he is hungry, or needs a diaper change, but he knows "Fine" and "All right" and uses them correctly with the right tone. 

Do you think we have teenagers? 

Wow!

There are some amazing giveaways going on! Some require some work, but are worth it. 

A $50 Victoria Secret gift card is being offered at A Family Completed! You can go look there, she has only family friendly pics on there. I would love to win this because as I lose weight, I hope to be needing new undergarments SOON. 

Or how about a $50 Amazon gift card from Robyns Online World? Or if you are really ambitious, she is also giving away a $100 Amazon gift card! 

There is another, easier, $100 Amazon gift card giveaway at Miss Musing. 

Go check out the Bloggy Carnival, there are at least 2 strollers, a $1500 baby shower package, and many, many gift cards to places like Starbucks. 

Just a little note about my amazing day, so far..

This is a great day for me! 

1. I am not sick anymore! Woohoo! 

2. My scale finally hit the 15lbs down mark! 

3. I got to, and will again tonight, talk on the Home Shopping Network about how amazing Sensa is.

4. It is Ignore Your Family Week! mega giveaways!

Earlier today Trinity stuffed clay in the Wii. It wouldn't work. Soooo mad! Donnie had to dig it all out. He was just like that as a kid. He, and his brother, would destroy everything. They took things apart, broke things, destroyed things left and right. 

As he was digging the clay out and hoping to get the Wii to work again he said "Now I know why my mom drug us by the hair to my dad after we broke the antique picture window." 

I said "I'm sorry, but this destructiveness in the kids comes from you. I'll take all the blame on the smart mouth, but this one is yours."

He nodded.

Then he said "You know, you get it back when you have kids. One day she is going to have kids and get it back. I only pray I live long enough to see it."

LOL! 

The Wii is working again. Thanks to all the years of having to fix all the stuff he broke as a kid.

It's HERE!

I don't know HOW I keep messing up and not knowing what week it starts, but I thought it started next Monday! Man, I would have been WAY behind! 

Go on, it is officially Ignore Your Family week! 

I have extended my 3 giveaways and I will be adding another soon.

Today is the day, people!

Sensa is making it's debut on the Home Shopping Network! It will be available for the lowest price it has ever been. The whole 6 month kit with the DVD and all the information on how to use it and what it is selling for $234.95, which is under $40 a month for weight loss! If you just want to start out with the shakers you can purchase the first two months, which is enough to see your appetite change and the weight start to come off, for $58.95. You can find the times and stations it is available in your area on HSN.com in the channel finder on the bottom browser. I will be calling in at the 12pm and 9pm shows Central time. 

If you are thinking about trying this, now is the time to buy. You will not regret it. Today I hit the 15lb mark! I am down to 186lbs from 201lbs!

I am going to call in and talk with Dayna Devon, Co-host on Extra TV, about my success with the Sensa program. 

I really did not believe what I was told. They told me that I just shake this on my food and eat what I want, without exercise, and I will lose about 30lbs in 6 months. Safely. 

After research on the ingredients I found it to be safe so I agreed. After all, people are going to see me before and after Sensa on my blog, so it will either not work, and people will know it, or it will work and I will be 30lbs lighter with no effort on my part! 

How it works:

1. Sprinkle product on your food. The food aromas travel through the nose and tongue to nerve receptors.

2.  the receptors send signals to the olfactory bulb and the taste center of the brain.

3. This signals the satiety center in the hypothalmus.

4. The hypothalmus sends signals to the pituitary gland, which releases hormones to suppress hunger and appetite!

Sensa has nothing to do with stimulating your metabolism or blocking fat, it just tells your body to stop eating through increased sense of smell. No side effects other than a thinning waistline. I eat what I want, when I am hungry. Sensa gave me self-control over eating binges. I am not only not hungry, I feel so full that food is not desirable and I can't eat it. That has cut out my mindless snacking! 

I have lost most cravings for food. Cravings are so rare now that I don't mind indulging them, because I know I am not going to eat that entire bag of M&Ms. 

I am only half way through the program and weight loss, but I am going to tell you that Sensa changed my life. I am so happy to not be run by food. It has become just fuel to me, and has no emotional hold on me any more. I don't turn to food out of boredom or sadness or frustration. If I want it, I eat it, no guilt. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat it, no guilt. No deprivation. 

If you missed this post in time to get the deal on HSN, you can buy Sensa HERE and get a 15% discount and free shipping with the code ROCKETXL. This is THE least expensive way to get it. The entire 6 month starter kit, no shipping, costs $199.75. $33 a month is well worth it!

Disclaimer:

I am trying Sensa for free to review, I do not make any money from you purchasing the product or for saying I have had a weight loss. Everything that I say has happened to me is true and not paid for. 

Suprising new information for married couples!

For decades women have been advised about looking attractive to their spouse at all times. Make the effort to do your hair and put on make-up. A good wife will be ready to please her husband, and will make the effort to look good for him.
I'm possibly just too lazy for that, but I don't bother following that advice. It isn't that I don't want to be attractive to my spouse, but I have 7 kids! I got out of bed today, what more do you want? Who doesn't have those days?

By weird stroke of luck, I happen to be reviewing a book about Christian wives and great sex in marriage. It is a great book, btw, but it follows a lot of what we've been fed all these years. Be willing to have sex when your partner wants to, and be sensual and creative about it! Love the book, but not the point of this post.

So, a couple of days ago Donnie told me he was listening to talk radio on his way to an interview and heard an interview about a Jewish book on sex. It said that women shouldn't try to be sexy or attractive to their spouses all the time. Don't always wear make-up and perfume. That way your husband will feel really special when you DO dress up for him and sex. He won't get bored with your looks. If all he ever feels are smooth legs, how is he going to appreciate it?

What do you know, I've been doing it right all this time!

Is He a Pleaser?

Or am I very difficult?

On Thursday night at the swim meet it got very, very hot in the pool area. Donnie was looking very uncomfortable so I suggested he take a break and go buy us some soda. 

About 10 minutes later he comes back carrying four bottles of soda. There are only two of us. So I raise my eyebrows in question at him and he says "Loooong story." He's grinning though.

When he finally did tell me, I knew I had to share it. At the end you can answer my question. 

He said he walked on by the soda machines to support the school store. At the store he ordered his Diet Mt. Dew and a Diet Coke for me, since they didn't have my favorite, Dt. Dr. Pepper. The gal took his $3 and then handed him two sodas. He turned to leave and saw that she had given him a Coke Zero. He turns around, which I know was brave of him, because he would have just drunk it if it had been a mistake on his soda. 

"Excuse me, but I ordered a Diet Coke." 

"Oh, well, I checked the ingredients and they are practically the same." 

"Well, I don't know, my wife is pretty particular about her soda." (an understatement, to be sure)

The Diet Coke was out, the silver label he had seen was for Barq's root beer. So she said

"Good luck with that."

Great. Now he had to go back to me and bring me a soda that I wouldn't drink, and would probably insist he return since it wasn't what he ordered. 

But then he spied the soda machines! 

So he sets his bottles on top of the machine and digs out some cash and buys me a Diet Coke. That will at least get me to drink it. 

As he bends over to retrieve the Diet Coke he sees the button for the Diet Dr. Pepper. 

Yes, he really does! LOL

So, he thinks he better get me the one I REALLY like. 

Normally, I would have brought that first soda back and demanded the money back. But him dragging 3 bottles of soda to me was so comical that I just sat there and laughed. 

OK, so, is he a pleaser or am I that difficult? 

This might help you decide: I was telling my friends this story last night and part way into the story they guessed that I would make him take it back or take it back myself. 

What is wrong with me?

Last night as I drove home from work in the -30 windchill I could not get my car to warm up. It is a 45 minute drive, so you would think I would be toast long before I got home. I had my long sleeved sock monkey shirt on, two coats, winter boots with fake fur in them, a thick hoodie that I laid over my legs to keep them warm, and suede gloves. If I had the air blowing on my fingers so they would stop stinging, my legs would start stinging from the cold. 

I finally decided to go for cold everywhere instead of slightly less than warm on my fingers and freezing on my toes. 

By the time I got home and took off my boots I couldn't really feel my little toe. I went to Donnie and told him I thought maybe I got frostbite. He started to warm my toes up, as they started to tingle and feel numb and weird. But they weren't THAT cold. It wasn't the cold that was causing it. 

OK, then. 

About 20 minutes later it happened in my opposite hand! And it went all the way up to my shoulder. It felt heavy. 

Off to Karaoke we went, and I started feeling stiff in my neck and achy up my spine. 

I shrugged it off, because what was I going to do?

I had fun at Karaoke. Talking with most of my friends (a couple couldn't come because of illness) and laughing and planning. We even sang! The three of us who don't sing. It was kind of telling when we were the only ones NOT clapped for. It's a CHURCH people! You are supposed to be nice!

I sat on the couch all snuggly with Anna and Jody. I just love them so much! After awhile they started to look at me weird and raised their eyebrows at each other. 

"What?"

"Um, you are rather touchy-feely tonight." 

"Oh, am I making you guys uncomfortable?"

"No, that's fine, we'd expect that of Sarah, but it's YOU." 

So, true. I am not the huggy, snuggly one at all. That is really weird. Way out of character for me. 

Soon after, though, I started getting SICK. My legs got really weak and shaky, and I was worried I'd throw up. I think I had a slight fever, too. I am much less queasy and shaky, but my neck is still stiff and my arm is still heavy and achy. 

But, at least I shared my germs with my best girls! Aren't you supposed to pay it forward? My friend Padma shared it with me. That is why she wasn't at Karaoke. 

Parent Appreciation Night

It was that time of year where the boys give us flowers for bringing them to swim practice and picking them up in the middle of the night after swim meets. 

Apparently my name sounds an awful lot like "Tanya" to the coach, but I don't care, I can live with that, lol. My neighbor of 3+ years still calls me Kris every time he sees me. I don't bother correcting him now and it is kind of funny. 

Here is a pic of me and my swimmer dudes. 

Something strange was going on when we arrived at the meet. Devon was sitting on the floor with some guys very intently doing something on Devon's back. Two years ago we saw Devon picking zits on another swimmer's back, so we thought that was what was going on. 

I am a Creationist, but I tell you, these boys make me wonder about the monkey theory with all their grooming of each other. 

But we soon found out that it was much more embarrassing than having the guys pick his zits. 

Devon, and Devon alone, swam the whole meet like this: 

Makes a mother proud.

Freak Out Time!

I just put on a pair of size 14 pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I didn't even have to suck my gut in to do it! 

Sensa is the reason. I just cannot believe that I have lost 14lbs by sprinkling something on my food. Imagine if I actually TRIED to lose weight in addition to the sprinkling? Like worked out or drank water? 

You can get a 15% discount with the code ROCKETXL if you want to try it to. (I do not get anything from you buying this product)

But, if you wait just a bit, Sensa is going to be on the Home Shopping Network this weekend/early next week. I am going to be calling in and sharing my story. I was told that they will be offering the lowest price ever for Sensa that day. 

I will blog more about the times and days that this is taking place. 

Children

Do you know that feeling you get when you look at a new baby? Especially your own new baby. I get all mushy inside, filled with love and wonder. 

Is there a more beautiful creation than a child? Their soft, smooth skin begs to be stroked. Their sweet baby smell begs to be sniffed. Their little fingers and toes bring amazement and wonder to my heart. Watching them grow and learn and squeal in joy is so much fun, even on the worst of days. 

And then they turn 2. 

God made them so cute so you don't hurt them. It is an ingenious design, if you ask me. Because having a 2 year old in the house is worse than a teenager. In some ways, at least, lol. Two year olds destroy in the act of learning and being curious. 

My walls will never be clean or drawing free until I no longer have little ones in the house. I gave up on painting over their drawings. They just draw again anyway. Curtains? Are you kidding me? Why haven't they invented more sturdy curtain rods than thin aluminum ones? Hello! They bend when the kids hang off of the curtains! Bend them back and they break. 

We have been sweeping up food for days on end now. Someone, ahem, keeps leaving the chain off  the pantry. Today, the dog food was coated nicely with Shake'N Bake. 

Yep, they are made so cute to protect their lives. 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Hmm, what happened while I was gone?

This is now how we live with a 2 year old in the house.

For my new readers, this is a necessity. Sam LOVES to eat frozen blood worms and brine shrimp (for our fish) and can easily get in the freezer himself.

Let's play a little game that I like to call...

She Said, He Heard

What she said:
We should get up at six and do our Bible study.

What he heard:
We should get up, have sex and do our Bible study.

Ask and you shall receive.

I've been really searching for answers lately. I don't know all the answers that I am seeking, but God surely does let you know that He hears and He tells you what you need to know when you need to know it. 

I am planning a healing/survivor event for the women in our church, and part of that means that I need to be in that place as much as possible. I have resolved issues, which I struggle with being able to share, and I have an unresolved issue that I want to resolve (but it isn't totally in my hand to take care of). 

I have sought out prayer and sounding boards off of my friends. I have shared some of my thoughts and concerns on my blog (love you guys!), and I even had a random stranger make an impact on me. The solution was still out of reach, though. Keep praying. 

Last week I started going to a Beth Moore Bible study on Esther. While there, I just had a thought that it would be so good to be in a group with the person I have unresolved issues with. What better way to get through something than having to share personal things with and pray for each other? Not where I WANT to be, but I think it would be good. 

During the week, the ladies prayed over the women's names and randomly picked who goes in what group. Guess who I am in a group with? I don't think she was thrilled, but she did say that it would be good for us to reconnect because we don't see each other much, but she stopped short of saying that she was so glad I am in her group like she said with EVERY other woman today, lol. Really, did not bother me, because I know it would be a lie. She is trying to make the best of a situation she probably prayed wouldn't happen. (we don't not get along, there is just a very strong tension from 2 years ago, but we do try to be Christian sisters to each other)

Ah, I'm thinking God is going to work on the healing thing here! I am excited to see how it is played out. 

As I sat in the study watching the video, God spoke to me. And so clearly that even my friend Padma heard it. It wasn't just me. 

Maybe this won't make sense to other people without the whole video, but it really impacted me. 

Beth said "You can't amputate your history from your destiny." and she also talked about Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you and expected end." Other versions say "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The word for future in the original text is translated as past, behind, future, after. So basically she said "Your past and future share the same root." (root word, and Jesus) You can't have your future without your past. And you can't not look back at where God drug your sorry butt out of, or you will lose how amazing your redemption is. 

I believe that God is leading me to finally say my testimony. It is a part of who I am, and I am not ashamed of that. I do worry about the fall out on my family, and especially my husband, but I don't think I should worry about that. Even if we lost everything, if it helped one family, wouldn't it be worth it? 

Of course, I am being dramatic, because it shouldn't be a big deal. But we are dealing with humans, and I have seen and heard about people being destroyed by the church people when they should have been rejoiced with. I know that there are people who are going to be judgemental about things that ended 5 years ago. It shouldn't matter to me, and personally, mostly it doesn't. I guess we will find out!

However, all of this is making me ill. I am starting to have major anxiety. I don't want to leave my house. I don't want to go to church at all. I want to leave our church at the very least, and possibly never go back. Why? Nothing, absolutely nothing, has happened to make me feel this way. It is a spiritual attack for sure. So, I get up and go as much as I can. But believe me, I will stay home for the slightest sniffle, lol. 

So, there you have it. Me being dark, and not a comedian. 

Keep moisture where it belongs!

This is the quarterly "Ignore Your Family Week" and it snuck up on me AGAIN! 
In June I reviewed Skin MD shielding lotion. It is a great product that moisturizes your skin by shielding it from harmful irritants getting in and your natural moisture from getting out. So your skin re-learns to moisturize itself. I love how it protects from harsh detergents and chemicals. I have seen great reviews on how well it works on serious skin issues, like eczema and psoriasis.
I was really excited to see that they have actually improved on it, though I didn't know that was possible.
One of the hardest things on our skin is the sun. Now Skin MD Natural comes with an SPF 15 formula. So now our skin can not only retain it's own natural moisture, but also keep safe from the aging and cancerous affects of the sun's rays.

I have to say that I think this is the best type of moisturizer to use for your face. It doesn't add anything to cause acne, it uses your own moisture. Now with the added SPF protection, it really tops my list.

Thanks to Family Review Network and Skin MD, I am going to give away a bottle of Skin MD with Spf 15!

Just leave me a comment telling me why you would like to try the shielding lotion or a skin problem you have, or anything related, and you are entered.
It would be great if you would visit our sponsors and check out more of what the lotion is about, too.
The giveaway ends January 30.

Isn't this just too cute?

This is my new little nephew.

Awww!

Makes me yearn for a little one around here again.

Medications, confusions, reactions?

As we get older, I am finding more and more prescription bottles in my cabinet. I didn't used to worry about it, but now there are meds that have to be taken daily and every other prescription needs to be bounced off of that one. How do you keep track of your whole family and their meds and allergies and what reacts with what? 

Somehow, it still happens that people don't know that taking an antibiotic will render the birth control pill useless. Why are doctors not telling patients that? I bet the women don't even think to mention they are on the pill. 

Drugs.com is the place to go for in-depth information on any medication you are taking. I am so happy to have learned that they have taken their information one step further and launched Mednotes to keep track of your whole family and the medications they take. It is so detailed! You register with age, sex, and the meds you use right down to the dosage size, and then when you add a med or are thinking of adding a medication, you can type it in and see if there are any adverse reactions. You want to trust your doctor, but in the end, you are going to have to take the initiative to be sure that things are safe. 

I tested things out and found that my allergy meds are not recommended for use while nursing. And Donnie's meds and mine do not mix, not that we do mix them, I was just checking them out. 

I think their new site is a brilliant way to help people take charge of their healthcare, and the health of their whole family! You can now know the dangerous side-effects that many doctors don't even mention. Plus, it is FREE! 

Could the world stop spinning for a little bit? Please?

I have been so incredibly busy this week. I don't think I had one day with nothing. Well, maybe Thursday, but I think I did do something, just can't remember. Oh, my friend came over.
The last couple of days have been filled to the top over-flowing with busy-ness. I walk in the door and then back out the door. In the door, back out the door.
It is all good stuff, but I am used to several days a week I don't even bother getting dressed.

I spoke at a multi-church women's event today. It didn't seem like it was going to be a big deal, but I was a bit disappointed. I was asked to just represent our church and let the other churches know what is going on in our women's ministry. Not a problem. I don't mind speaking in front of people and I am passionate about what we are doing and planning to do. But I had NO idea that the other speakers were preparing speeches. Some of them even were PREACHING, lol. Most of them didn't even say what was going on in their ministry, just gave talks. Good talks, but I have no idea what they're doing in their church.

I am very excited about an event that we are planning for the end of March. I really want to make a path for women to open up and to be able to help others and to allow others to help them so they can be healed from their hurts and sorrows. It is going to be tricky because, amazingly, sharing deep struggles in a church can actually cause you great hurt. I am amazed at the mean and judgemental things that people have gone through after going to their church body for help and support in their sins. Sometimes it isn't even about your own sins, but hurt someone has caused you, and someone lambastes you, ostracizes you, condemns you, chases you out of the church, or your ministry. I am really praying that we can change that so that people in our church are safe to share their struggles without fear of condemnation.

I also feel really weird about something. I have a hurt in my life that I have always known that God was going to turn into a ministry. I believe that God has a perfect timing for all things, and I am willing to wait. But I am actually being hushed about it. I am not sure what to think of it. I know that the silence is actually for my protection, or maybe my family, but I am not sure that it is what God wants. I have been struggling with this for a long time now. Basically, the opportunity to share has not produced itself so strongly that I was sure about it, so I have not fought to bring it up.
But I have been feeling very different lately. Then tonight I meet a guy who has not only helped me clarify things, but also greatly confused things for me. He's been through some tough times, and was in Teen Challenge. He was so adamant about the Truth being the way to freedom and that even if the whole world condemns, but one person is saved, it is worth it. I know this. I feel this. I believe this with my whole heart. So, I wonder why I have been silent. Is it really waiting for God's timing, or am I so comfortable with my situation that I don't want to disturb things?
I know that my friends my friends. There isn't a doubt in my mind that my friends would back me and fight tooth and nail for me. They are deep friends. I know that my elders and pastor are supportive of us. So, why would I be allowing myself to be kept quiet? Why wouldn't I be screaming God's goodness, mercy, love and healing from the rooftops? Why go through the pits of hell if not to be able to help someone else through it? Right?

Pray for me, please. I feel that I am going to be sharing my story in the near future and I have no idea what kind of effect it is going to have on the church, our family, and our lives. Maybe I am worried over nothing!

(for clarity sake, I am talking about the past that we are set free from, and it happened before we were in a ministry position.)

New RockBand Song?

Trinity has become a RockBand fanatic. Seriously, that girl sits and sings for hours and hours all day if we let her.

 And sometimes we do.

 It keeps her out of trouble. 

Don't judge me. 

One night I was letting her sing her heart out and I sat on the couch checking email on an ancient laptop that is missing 1/4 of the keys. Eye of the Tiger starts up and Trinity and I are both silently bouncing the beat a little. Bobbing our heads and tapping our feet a little.

While still in the intro part with only music playing, Trinity decides to sing a little before the song starts. I hear her sing

"Eye of the Tiiiiiig ger." That is "Eye of the Tigger" not tiger. Yes, Winnie the Pooh has now influenced rock music. 

Uh-Oh

The other night as we were sitting down to supper I noticed that my candles in my center piece had been messed with. Someone had peeled off a birch-bark paper off the outside of two of them. 

I asked "Who peeled the birch bark off my candles?"

Sam said "Uh-oh!" then his eyes darted all over the dining room and he quickly said "Kaytlin!" 

She wasn't home, so I guess he decided she would make a great scape goat. She wants to give him away now. 

Cozi Gets Me Organized

Organization is not my strong suit. I used to be able to remember all appointments for my family for months on end without a calendar, even with 5 kids. But somewhere about age 29, my brain cells turned into fat cells and I no longer can remember something, even if I remembered it that morning. I can't even remember what I came into a room to get some days, lol.

But with 6 kids at home, I have to remember things. I forgot to pick Cody up from school the other day, so he walked home and had icicles hanging off his eyelashes! Mom guilt, big time.

Thanks to Mom Central I found a way to keep me organized! I am in the beginning stages of putting everything into a new site called Cozi. I can enter meetings, lists, etc into the website either online or on my phone. (I have internet on my phone) If you don't have internet, you can do it online and have reminders texted to you or your husband and kids to remind them of important meetings or events.

The calendar is color coded by family member to make it easy to know who has what without bogging down the entry with words. Each family member can go online and put in their activities so that I know why they aren't home today. (I do NOT remember what they say to me quite often) Then I can set up reminders to text me what they are doing or where I need to be. Soooo handy!

I am not good about writing a grocery list, so I am not sure how this is going to work for me, but I can put in what we run out of on a list and then access it on my phone when I go to the store. Or I can have several lists with ingredients to favorite recipes so I don't forget something. You can cross the item off the list without erasing the list so you can keep using it.



The mobile phone portion, which is in Beta, works with iphones and Windows Smart Phones. Other phones can use the text feature. Anyone who signs up and tries Cozi by February 4th, 2009, will be entered to win a two-day home organization makeover with professional organizer, and incoming NAPO President (National Association of Professional Organizers), Laura Leist. In Laura's two-day visit, she will makeover either the kitchen or home office in one lucky winners' home; a service with a retail value of $5,000.


Cozi is a very versatile tool for busy families. The features include: calendar, customizable lists, reminders and messages, mobile phone access, a family journal, photo collage screen saver, and Cozi syncs up with Outlook.

Today was a wonderful day!

I got to run off with one of my bff's to see another bff and her brand new baby! He is just adorable. My friend Sassyfrazz had her sweet new baby boy last night.

I also got a nice happy moment on the scale. I am now down 13lbs! I honestly don't know how Sensa is working. I sprinkle my food, when I remember, and I just can't eat as much. I can't do it. Some days I do eat a lot, but most days I can't even finish what would be a normal size plate of food for me. The sweet cravings are gone. I have had ONE major sweet craving in the 3 months I have been using Sensa.
Sensa has no flavor, it doesn't make the food taste better or smell better. I just get full faster. I am blown away. I really thought I was going to try this out and prove it wrong, but with the hope that it actually would work because I would love to lose weight without trying. Who wouldn't?

I did check out the ingredients closely when I was investigating whether or not I would give it a try when I was asked to review it. I do not use birth control and I wanted to be sure that I could safely use it if I did end up pregnant during the review period. What I found was that the ingredients are all found in foods I normally eat, pregnant or not, so they will not harm a baby, in my opinion. I would even continue if I were pregnant.

I am also happy to report that my one pair of jeans are going in the trash. I can barely keep them up without a belt. My other pants are now fitting me without having to suck in my gut to zip them up, and I can BREATHE while wearing them.

I am using Sensa for free, but I am not being paid to tell you about what is happening with me. If I don't lose weight, I wouldn't want to keep using it, so I would have no reason to say it was working if it wasn't. But I do want to keep using it. I am almost halfway to the 30lb goal, and just over halfway through the time it is supposed to take. I am very, very optimistic about getting to the 30lb mark!

If you would like to try Sensa, you can get a 15 % discount and free shipping with the code ROCKETXL HERE.

Here are my before and after face shots. I can see my face slimming now. The pic of me in the red shirt is before.

Strange results

I am very surprised to have won the Most Naked Legitimate Male Sport poll 8 to 5. Who knew you all would side with me instead of with the obvious choice of sumo wrestlers?
Well, many of you (8 of you, OK 7, I voted too) are loyal to the core, and I appreciate you. The other 5 of you can go find some other blogger to back. Just kidding! LOL

Swimming? Really? I did not expect to win that one. Since I was wrong and all. But since I did win. I'm going to run with it and rub it in Donnie's nose.

Have I told you all that I love you, my loyal readers?

I do!

Wordless Wednesday~ Huh?

Minus the rips in the shirt, this dude looks just like Devon. We all crack up every time we see him on the screen! 

Freshside Grille

I recently received some gift cards for Long John Silvers so I could try the new Freshside Grille menu. We don't have one in town, but we do have one about 1/2 hour away, right where we love to do our fun shopping! Of course we have to go eat after shopping, right? That is where we eat after doing our school shopping. 

While I love Long John Silver's food, I really need to make better choices now that I am determined to eat healthier and lose weight. Plus, I really should encourage the kids to eat better, too. Fish is  good brain food, and good for the heart, eyes and immune system. 

Donnie and I ordered from their new Freshside Grille menu today. He ordered the Tilapia and I ordered the Shrimp Scampi. We ended up switching plates. The shrimp was good, but I wanted the Tilapia, but he had already ordered it and I wanted to test out a couple of menu items. 

The food came on rice, with a bread stick and a side of veggies AND a corn on the cob. Whew! That is a LOT of food. I could not eat it all. The rice was great, perfectly moist and seasoned slightly so it wasn't bland, but not so much that I could say what they did. The vegetables were coated in some sort of sauce. Maybe a thick buttery-herb type thing? I wasn't fond of it. The carrots were good, but the green beans were a bit soggy. Breadstick, yum!  The Tilapia was tasty. The garlic and herb seasoning was perfect and had a lemony flavor.  Best of all? The fish only has 110 calories! The whole meal is about 800 calories and 22.5 grams of fat. Much better than fried menu choices. 

I would order this again. 
The Shrimp Scampi was similar, same sides. The shrimp was fantastic, though. I bit into it and it just exploded in my mouth. In a good way, lol. Juicy shrimp is a treat. 

I can't avoid eating out with 6 kids. I have so much running to do, sometimes I just have to do it. I applaud Long John Silvers for making low fat, non-fried options to eat. It is nice to know that companies are listening and want to give us something we can eat when we are out and about. 

Look-A-Likes?

Here are the side-by-side pics requested by Kailani after reading about my comment from some random stranger saying I look like Sarah Palin.

Ok, so maybe I can see it in Kaytlin. A little. Maybe if I shaped my eyebrows instead of letting them go for the unibrow look...... I don't know.  

Donnie says he can see it. Our youth pastor said he can see it. 

Music Learning

Contrary to my personal preferences, I live in a musical house. Not just because I have 3 teenagers living here. My family seems to love music! (that would exclude me, I am NOT a music lover)

Donnie loves music and introduces the kids to various kinds from in the womb. He would hook up headphones to my belly and let the baby enjoy the sounds. (I was not so fond of this when he would play rock music and they would start dancing)

That has paid off as our children (except Cody) have come to love music. In fact, Kaytlin plays electric guitar for our worship team and sings and Hope-Anne plays the Clarinet. Trinity is looking like she will be a singer.

One of the best ways to encourage music learning is through play. Little First Act Discovery toys has a new line of stuffed animals that plays music and teaches things such as pitch, harmony and rhythm.

We have Xander Xylophone. Isn't he cute?! 

Samuel adores him, too. 
You can play along with your child as early as 6 months. You can press the tummy to play notes or the hands and feet to play songs. There are scales and counting and clapping beats to learn. For little ones he even says "That's my foot." and you can then touch their foot and teach them. 

We love Xander, but there are 3 other animals available, two play piano and one plays the guitar. 

Learning music is important, and the earlier you start, the better for the child. 

How do you incorporate music into your child's life? Do you start young? Are you purposeful about it or is it just a part of your life?

Should I run for office?

Yesterday my friends Jody and Jeannie and I kidnapped our friend Anna for her birthday and took her to a local restaurant that gives free birthday meals. 

It was a great time with wonderful food and great conversations with friends. 

But part-way into the meal a lady came over to our table and looked right at me and said "You look just like Sarah Palin." 

Um, OK. Thanks. 

I don't agree, but Kaytlin gets that a lot, too. 

Who Knew?

Kaytlin came running up the stairs yesterday yelling "You're planning to buy Fruit Roll-ups with my FACE on them?"

"Yes, for your graduation open house."

"That's so not OK!"

"Why? I think it is pretty cool."

"Because people will be EATING my FACE!" 

"It's just ink."

"With my FACE." 

Apparently it is creepy to have people eat your face.

OK, no face on them. 

And maybe you should stop reading my blog.

Healthy snacking

As many of you know, I am working at losing weight. I am able to eat whatever I want on my diet, as I am learning smaller portions, but I also want to learn to make better choices. I don't want to give up snacking. In fact, eating a few snacks in addition to your meals is a good idea for weight loss. 

I got the opportunity to try Kellogg's Special K Crackers this week. I was very excited to try them. I knew they would taste good because I love Kellogg's products. So, when I bit into the first one I was more than surprised to find that it tasted very "health food" like. 

I stopped eating and then tried again later. 

Then I decided they weren't that bad and in fact, were quite good after I had tasted a few. I ate a couple of handfuls. The Italian Tomato & Herb are very good. The flavors are not overwhelming or coating the cracker, but they do taste wonderful. I liked not having to wipe the coating off my hands like I do with many flavored crackers. 

My two handfuls only packed on 90 calories. You can find the carb and fat ratio and other nutritional information on the Special K Crackers website. 

I really do like these crackers and will buy them when I see them on our store shelves. 

They also come in Multi-Grain flavor, plus they are both available in 90 calorie pouches for handy snacks on the go. (or for self-control, hehe)

Thank you to Kellogg's Special K Crackers and Mom Central for this review product. 

Personalized Fruit Roll-Ups~ Review and Giveaway!

Last year I won several boxes of personalize Fruit Roll-Ups in the Bloggy giveaways, and I was thrilled! I ordered boxes to the kids and from the kids for Valentine's day. 

It is so easy to do. You go the My Fruit Roll-Ups and make an account. Then you make your design in their design factory. They have several great pictures to choose from, and you can write your own message, too. I am very excited to see that you can now add your own photograph! 

I have no self-control when it comes to Fruit Roll-ups, so I am not ordering until close to Kaytlin's graduation open house, but I plan to get them made with her face on them and designs like this one. I know it will be a hit. 

Ordering was so easy. The package came pretty quickly, I wasn't even expecting them when they arrived. I was very impressed with the shipping speed. 

Taste great. Look great. Lots of fun. Easy. Fast shipping. 

Perfect!

Would you like to try? 

I will give you a box just for a little old comment. 

You know what is coming up, right? Valentine's Day, of course. I am going to give you the same chance I had to win. (and I won 3 times) 

Leave a comment with your best or worst Valentine experience. The one that touches me the most, or makes me just laugh until I cry, wins the box. 

Go check out  My Fruit Roll-Ups and see what design you will make if you win. It is fun, I promise!

Giveaway closes on January 30. 

Go check out all the other amazing giveaways this week! 

Prescribe the Nation

Here in Minnesota during the cold winter months, the air gets dry. It strips the moisture right out of your body. Hands, feet, arms, face, all your skin get dry. It can get especially bad if you are an outdoorsy person. (not me) 

I am a lotion fanatic. I always have lotion around my house. I can't stand it when my hands or feet get dry skin. I would say that I stay pretty well moisturized. But Kaytlin has a lot of trouble with her skin being dry. Normal lotions do not work for her. She has to have much more expensive and quality lotions. 

Right now we are in the process of trying Vaseline's new Clinical Therapy lotion. When I applied it I was able to notice an immediate and lasting feeling of moisture. My hands felt great. It lasted through to the next afternoon. I was surprised that I did not need to continue to apply lotion in order to not feel all dry and scratchy. 

I would not say that the lotion made my skin feel like silk, like some lotions do, but I would say that I felt good and it lasted a really long time. There was no greasy residue, either. I think it works great for difficult skin problems. Like for Kaytlin. She doesn't have a diagnosed skin condition, but she does have issues with dryness and redness. She was able to use Vaseline Clinical Therapy without a skin reaction and with good results after only 1 use. She hasn't used it long enough to know how well it will do long term. Most lotions take time to fix the damage done to her skin through work. 

From Vaseline's Prescribe the Nation:

Vaseline's newest product, Clinical Therapy is a prescription-strength lotion that is available without a prescription.

It started in Kodiak; one of Alaska's many small towns, with a population of 6,000. Due to the location, Kodiak endures an extremely icy climate leaving many of its residents with dull, dry and cracking skin. This very reason is why Vaseline thought the demographic would be perfect to demonstrate the effectiveness of Clinical Therapy Lotion.

Vaseline turned to Petal Ruch, a voice coach and 50-year-old mother of four, who tried the product and felt it really worked, to start a word-of-mouth campaign for new Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion.  If she liked it, she could then freely "prescribe" it to anyone else she thought needed it.  Through word-of-mouth, her experience spread to more than 600 townspeople—including 39 cousins, a Russian music group, a knife maker, police detective, owners of fishing vessels, and many others-- whom also discovered that Clinical Therapy works.

View her story here: m80im.com/newsroom/2008/11/11/vaselineclinicaltherapy/

Clinical Therapy Lotion provides 60% more moisture than a prescription lotion, and is available without a prescription.. The best part is that it's not greasy, watered down or too thick and is available lightly fragranced and unfragranced making Clinical Therapy great for the entire family.

If Clinical Therapy is a product you are interested in trying that's great because Vaseline encourages you to use it, share it and "prescribe" it to others. This is an effort to prescribe a healthy skin regimen to people in your community.

Please help us spread the word by posting these beautiful stories on your blog.  There is a story in this campaign that everyone can relate to. I hope you find one.  Here is the link to the Vaseline YouTube page: youtube.com/VaselineTherapy77.

Would you like to try it out? I have several bottles to give away, thanks to our amazingly generous sponsor! However, I can't mail out all 5 bottles while my husband is still out of work. I will be giving them away to people in the community, which is the spirit of Prescribe the Nation. 

I do want to share with my readers, too. So, I will give up some snacks and send out two bottles, 1 each to two different winners. 

Rules:

1. Leave a comment about one of these things:

a. There are 5 videos from users, do you relate to any of these?

b. Visit Prescribe the Nation and check out what people are saying about it. You can also enter to win a trip for 4 to Alaska, or Spafinder gift certificates, one for you, one to prescribe. And the first 45,000, yes forty-five THOUSAND, people who enter will get two bottles of lotion! 

2. For an extra entry, you can tweet about it and leave a comment with your twitter name. 

3. Another extra entry for blogging and linking to this post. Leave a separate comment. 

4. If you go vote for Devon at the bedhead site, I will give you another entry, plus if you comment on the post about it, you will be entered to win something from my etsy store, double score!

The giveaway is for the US only, I hope you understand, I don't want to spend too much money on shipping right now until my husband is working again. 

Giveaway ends January 30, 2009. 

Don't forget to go enter the hundreds of other giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival!