tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19130357775255938942024-01-29T00:59:05.743-06:00Mom's Fortress of SolitudeMom's Fortress of Solitudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635447021211979326noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1913035777525593894.post-45643908760273517312009-12-03T14:55:00.004-06:002009-12-03T15:05:56.305-06:00Turn the Tables on Telemarketers (Hilarious)<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J5z4Vs26-TI&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J5z4Vs26-TI&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><p><br /><p><br />Comedian and Prankster <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.tommabe.com/album.php">Tom Mabe</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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Click on the links to check out what our team of reviewers had to say about each of these gift ideas, and then take a moment to enter our fun giveaway and take a chance at winning some of these fabulous products.<br /><br /><em><strong>Featured Reviews</strong></em><br /><br /><em><strong></strong></em> <a href="http://www.momfluence.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/pouchee.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-276" style="margin: 10px; width: 120px; height: 120px;" title="pouchee" src="http://www.momfluence.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/pouchee.jpg" alt="pouchee" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://momsgreatescape.blogspot.com/2009/11/pouchee-review-perfect-holiday-gift-for.html">Pouchees</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >(Reviewed by yours truly)</span><br /><p></p> Busy moms need all the help they can get to stay organized and keep life as simple as possible. The Pouchee is the perfect solution to keeping all those little things together, putting everything you need, right at your fingertips.<br /><br /><br /><p></p> <a href="http://www.momfluence.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/duckhunter.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-277" style="margin: 10px; width: 120px; height: 120px;" title="duckhunter" src="http://www.momfluence.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/duckhunter.jpg" alt="duckhunter" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.theguiltyparent.com/2009/11/global-influence-gift-guide-review-duck-hunter-indoor-flying-duck-hunt-game/">Duck Hunter</a></span><br /><p></p> Duck Hunter turns the excitement of the hunt into an activity the whole family can enjoy. Launch the duck in the air and try to hunt it down with the toy shooter as it flies freely in the air. A fun choice for those who love outdoor sporting.<br /><br /><br /><p></p> <a href="http://www.momfluence.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/cardstore.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-278" style="margin: 10px;" title="cardstore" src="http://www.momfluence.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/cardstore-150x150.jpg" alt="cardstore" width="81" height="81" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://teachmama.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-for-us-friday-cardstorecom.html%20">CardStore cards</a></span> <p></p> -Personalized holiday cards are an important item on everyone's to-do list and often a hassle to create and print. Cardstore.com has everything from family photo cards to invitations for your big holiday party, simplifying your holiday season.<br /><br /><p></p> <em><strong>Great Holiday Gift Ideas</strong></em><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.highimpactmom.com/2009/11/things-remembered-global-influence-holiday-gift-guide-review/">Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry</a><br /><a href="http://supermomcentral.blogspot.com/2009/11/spread-little-magic-with-elfing-around.html">Just Elfin'Around</a><br /><a href="http://resourcefulmommy.blogspot.com/2009/11/holiday-recommendation-get-organized.html">Card Cubby</a><br /><a href="http://resourcefulmommy.blogspot.com/2009/11/holiday-recommendation-harumika-by.html">Harumika ByBandai</a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.momstakeonthings.com/?p=5656">HarumikaRunwayShowstopper</a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://myhomesweethomeonline.net/2009/11/16/harumika-style-your-imagination/">Harumika Style Starter</a><br /><a href="http://www.dealectiblemommies.com/2009/11/holiday-gift-guide-baby-alive-whoopsie.html">Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo</a><br /><a href="http://www.dealectiblemommies.com/2009/11/holiday-gift-guide-baby-alive-whoopsie.html"> </a><a href="http://roselemonade.blogspot.com/2009/11/strawberry-shortcake-berry-cafe-review.html">Strawberry Shortcake Playset</a><br /><a href="http://roselemonade.blogspot.com/2009/11/strawberry-shortcake-berry-cafe-review.html"> </a><a href="http://blog.al.com/saving-for-eight/2009/11/product_review_playskool_kota.html">Kota Monty Rex </a><br /><a href="http://www.mysillymonkeys.com/2009/11/nerf-wall-to-wall-basketball-review.html">Wall to Wall Basketball</a><br /><a href="http://sparksandbutterflies.com/butterviews/2009/11/05/nerf-pocket-vortex-product-review/">Nerf Pocket Vortex </a><br /><a href="http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-25215-Baltimore-Childrens-Toys-Examiner%7Ey2009m11d22-Christmas-gifts-for-toddlers--PlaySkool-Explore-NGrow-Busy-Ball-Popper-review">Busy Ball Popper </a><br /><a href="http://thesuburbanjungle.blogspot.com/2009/11/holiday-toy-review-tonka-chuck-truck.html">Talking Chuck Truck </a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.babygoodbuys.com/2009/11/baby-goodbuys-quick-review-leapfrog-my.html">Leapfrog My Pal Scout</a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.babygoodbuys.com/2009/11/baby-goodbuys-quick-review-leapfrog-my.html"> </a><a href="http://allthingsmamma.com/2009/11/bringing-books-to-life-with-leapfrog-tag-junior/">Leapfrog Tag Jr </a><br /><a href="http://www.fromcribstocarkeys.com/2009/11/leapfrog-scribble-and-write-review/">Leapfrog Scribble and Write </a><br /><a href="http://www.mommadanddaboyz.com/2009/11/animal-planet-polar-land-playset.html">Animal Planet Polar Land Playset </a><br /><a href="http://3kidsandus.com/2009/animal-planet-dinosaur-play-mat-review/">Animal Planet Dinosaur Playmat</a><br /><a href="http://3kidsandus.com/2009/animal-planet-dinosaur-play-mat-review/"> </a><a href="http://crazymomsjournal.com/2009/11/peel-away-those-emotional-layers">Onionhead Adult/Teen Feelings Pack </a><br /><a href="http://kennedyandzach.blogspot.com/2009/11/onionhead-feeling-pack-for-children.html%20">OnionHead Children's Feelings Pack</a><br /><a href="http://www.thecentsiblelife.com/2009/11/18/holiday-shopping-guide-onionhead-a-z-magnet-set-review/">Onionhead A-Z Feelings Magnet Set</a><br /><a href="http://www.thecentsiblelife.com/2009/11/18/holiday-shopping-guide-onionhead-a-z-magnet-set-review/"> </a><a href="http://lipsticktocrayons.com/2009/11/easiest-slideshow-i-ever-made.html">FotoboxPlus</a> <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/momrn/blog/2009/11/22/metimecom-t-shirts-and-more">MeTime Tees </a></span> <span style="line-height: 19px; white-space: normal;font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif;font-size:13px;" ><strong><em><br /><br /><br /><br />Fun Holiday Giveaway!</em></strong></span><br /><br /><br />For this holiday guide, we want to share the love with the blogosphere! Some of our generous sponsors have donated prizes to be given away to lucky readers! To enter to win one of the following fabulous prizes, simply fill out the form here: <strong><br /><br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/y8t92rw">http://tinyurl.com/y8t92rw</a></strong><br /><br /><strong>Prizes include:<br /><br /></strong><a href="http://www.thingsremembered.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentPageView?storeId=10001&catalogId=9951&linkContent=Couture&loc=1&int=couture_img&position=HPlifestyle">Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry</a><br /><a href="http://www.organizewithsandy.com/pouchee/">Pouchee</a><br /><a href="http://www.elfingaround.com/">Elfing Around</a><br /><a href="http://www.harumika.com/">Harumika</a><br /><a href="http://onionhead.com/">Onionhead Feelings Pack</a><br /><a href="http://www.hasbro.com/shop/details.cfm?guid=09EED59E-7513-1014-978F-CA8C25B51727&product_id=23630&src=endeca">Nerf Wall to Wall Basketball</a><br /><a href="http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsByBrand.htm?ID=24316&BR=801">Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo</a><br /><a href="http://metime.com/">MeTime T-shirt</a> <em><br /><br />Entries will close on December 6, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be contacted by email after the close of the contest. </em> <strong><br /><br />Global Influence Member Guides</strong><br /><br />Need more ideas for this holiday season? Check out the guides that some of our Global Influence members have put together on their own sites!<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://thriftyjinxy.blogspot.com/2009/11/thrifty-jinxys-holiday-gift-guide.html">Thrifty Jinxy</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://happyhealthyhip.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/happy-healthy-hip-holiday-gift-guide/">Happy Healthy Hip </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://andtwinsmake5.blogspot.com/2009/11/coming-soon-2009-holiday-gift-guide.html">And Twins Make Five </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://gseemoore.blogspot.com/2009/11/our-holiday-love-list-holiday-gift.html">Because Two People Fell In Love</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http:///">Mommy Musings </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://lipsticktocrayons.com/holiday-gift-guide">Lipstick to Crayons </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://reviews.bargainbriana.com/holiday-gift-guide-2009/">Bargain Briana </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.mommypr.com/?cat=1670">Mommy PR </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.shopwithmemama.com/home/holiday_gift_guide_2009">Shop With Me Mama</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.santaspicks2009.com/">Santa Picks</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://raveandreview.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009-holiday-gift-guide.html%20">Rave and Review</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://connected2christ.com/theblog/category/holiday-gift-guide/">Connected 2 Christ </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://3boysandadog.com/holiday-gift-guides-2009/">3 Boys and a Dog</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.theclassycloset.com/profiles/blogs/classy-closet-2009-holiday">The Classy Closet </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://contest-corner.blogspot.com/2009/11/holiday-gift-guide-2009.html">Contest Corner</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.blogger.com/-%20http://giftguide2009.lisareviews.com/">Lisa Reviews </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://agiveawayeveryday.blogspot.com/search/label/2009%20best%20christmas%20gifts%20guide">A Giveaway Every Day</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://hulahoopingmomholidayguide.blogspot.com/">HulaHoopinMom</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://blog.spalibrations.com/2009/11/spalibrations-spaliday-gift-guide.html">Spalibrations</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.highimpactmom.com/holiday-gift-guide/">High Impact Mom</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.fromcribstocarkeys.com/2009/11/2009-holiday-guide/">From Cribs to Car Keys,</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://giftguide2009.lisareviews.com/">Lisa Reviews</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">and </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.mommymusings.com/holidaygiftguide">Mommy Musings</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">.</span><br /><h6><em><span style="font-weight: normal;">All reviews listed in the Global Influence gift guide were product provided. Featured positions were purchased by sponsors. Member gift guides are not affiliated with Global Influence.</span></em></h6><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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</a></div>Mom's Fortress of Solitudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635447021211979326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1913035777525593894.post-66672616075093102252009-11-24T09:35:00.011-06:002009-11-24T10:30:08.875-06:00D (Dentist) Day: Toothache Pain and Root Canal Anxiety<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swv-JavyVqI/AAAAAAAAAeU/JIwqy4lGH50/s1600/scared2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 405px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swv-JavyVqI/AAAAAAAAAeU/JIwqy4lGH50/s400/scared2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407695215340443298" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Well, today's the day, and I'm so nervous about the whole root canal adventure! I go in at noon today to have this procedure done, but I'm literally having to fight the internal anxiety I'm feeling.<br /><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwwAgAdCoxI/AAAAAAAAAfE/FkMy_GpzxPk/s1600/toothache.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 330px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwwAgAdCoxI/AAAAAAAAAfE/FkMy_GpzxPk/s400/toothache.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407697802442744594" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">One of my molars cracked a while back, and about a month ago, it abscessed. My lower jaw </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">began hurting tremendously, as the swelling and infection took over.<br /><br />The pain was incredibly intolerable, mind-nu</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">mbing . . . just awful! I have birthed four childr</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">en, including twins, and child birth is a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">cake walk</span> compared to this pain!<br /><br />I went to see my dentist </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">a few weeks ago, and was placed on antibiotics at that time. He also gave me T</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">ylenol III for the pain, which did nothing but make me dizzy yet still in pain.<br /><br />The area </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">continued to swell, and became even more excruciating after being on the antibiotics for five days. So, I ended up going to the ER.<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I was already suffering tremendously, with tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. The ER doc walked into the room with a 15 gauge needle, and said, "We need to lance that abscess!"<br /><br />"WHAT? You're going to stab my mouth with that yarn darning needle?!?"<br /><br />"Yes, Ma'am"<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">"Where</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">'s the novacaine?"<br /><br />"The infection is too severe, Ma'am, and the novacaine won't help. It will hurt <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> bad at first, then you will</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> feel so much better as the infection drains out."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stupid me! </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><br /><br />I opened my mouth and squeezed the armrests on the chair as tightly as I could.<br /><br />"Here we go! Be as still as you can!"<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I think </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I scared the kid in the next room when I let out the most painful scream! He kept pushing the needle in, and I swear it hit my jawbone. I couldn't take it anymore!<br /><br />I pushed his arm back and jumped up out of the chair! I was surprise to discover his family jewels were not harmed in the process.<br /><br />I was tre</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">mbling as the pain overtook my body, and was crying like a baby! It was awful!<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">They sent me home with stronger antibiotics and Vicodin for the pain.<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Two days later, I was scheduled to go back to my dentist for the root canal. However, I had to cancel because I had picked up some virus at the ER, and couldn't keep anything down. Go figure, right?<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The more powerful antibiotics ended up wiping out about 80% of the infection, </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">the swelling went way down, and the pain is very minimal, now.<br /><br />However, knowing that I'll be in the dentist chair again in a little under two hours, has my anxiety level at its peak.<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The dentist had said I needed a root canal and a crown. I had asked him if he would settle for a lifetime supply of novacaine and a tiara, but it was a no go.<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">My husband keeps reassuring me that all I'll feel is a pinch when they inject the novacaine, but I'm still scared I'll feel the pain.<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I know . . . I know . . . I'm a baby! But, I just can't help the anxiety I'm feeling.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwwJTq5tsII/AAAAAAAAAfc/_jyz5S8qhlM/s1600/DentalPhobia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 343px; height: 277px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwwJTq5tsII/AAAAAAAAAfc/_jyz5S8qhlM/s400/DentalPhobia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407707486103646338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swv-onY7fdI/AAAAAAAAAe0/lMy7yEIBJ7Q/s1600/cartoon-dentist.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 338px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swv-onY7fdI/AAAAAAAAAe0/lMy7yEIBJ7Q/s400/cartoon-dentist.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407695751310179794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">"This won't hurt a bit!"</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><br /></span></div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwwIrbnkhoI/AAAAAAAAAfU/Eo7o93piUl8/s1600/scared_woman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 204px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwwIrbnkhoI/AAAAAAAAAfU/Eo7o93piUl8/s400/scared_woman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407706794806249090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-size:180%;">"Yah, right! I'm still scared!"</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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Raise your hand if you've ever found yourself face-deep in a dark purse, searching for your glasses, chapstick, or any other elusive essential?<br /><br />How about all those times that your cell phone rings, and you miss the call because it was buried under all that internal purse clutter? Not to mention those personal safety concerns, such as trying to find your car keys in a dimly lit parking lot on the way out to your car from an evening shopping spree at the mall?<br /><br />We are all guilty of a disorganized purse at one time or another. Admittedly, more often than not, I would have to dump my entire purse just to find one small item. Not anymore, though!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >Pouchee to the Rescue!</span><br /><br /></span></div><br />I was given the opportunity to review the fabulous, 'makes life so much easier' <a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://pouchee.com/">Pouchee</a>, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the transformation! I was able to fit all of my daily essentials into the pouchee! <br /><br />Finding the necessary items is, now, phenomenally easy! I can finally switch purses in a flash, without the worry of leaving anything behind, or not being able to locate the essentials in a purse with an unfamiliar compartment layout.<br /><br />If I had known about this when my twins were babies, life would have been so much easier. This is a perfect gift for new mothers! There's no need to carry more than your baby and a diaper bag with the Pouchee! Just toss it in the diaper bag and go. Everything you need will be neatly maintained and easily accessible.<br /><br /><br />This is the perfect holiday gift for all the women in your life -- stay-at-home moms (aka domestic engineers), career women, teachers, college students, campers, hikers, diva daughters, sisters, grandmothers, and even that nosy neighbor! Hey, it's the season of giving, right?<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwrhayPk9mI/AAAAAAAAAdE/da_pWNPa0gs/s1600/Rasp.SorbOB.03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 241px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwrhayPk9mI/AAAAAAAAAdE/da_pWNPa0gs/s400/Rasp.SorbOB.03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407382152891659874" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Features</span></span><br /><br /><ul><li>Handy Rings for ease of changing purses and bags.</li><li>Outside pockets for pens, sunglasses, mobile phone, credit cards, keys etc.</li><li>Inside pockets for lipsticks or small flashlights</li><li>Inside Zippered pockets for change or personal items.</li><li>Inside dividers to keep everything organized.</li></ul><br /><br /><br /><div class="col"> </div> <div class="col"> <h3 style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swrjd3T2kSI/AAAAAAAAAdc/WFKFvV9qRNk/s1600/Redsideview.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swrjd3T2kSI/AAAAAAAAAdc/WFKFvV9qRNk/s400/Redsideview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407384404814631202" border="0" /></a></h3> <h3 style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></h3><h3 style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Dimensions</span></h3> <p>Width: 7.5”<br />Height: 5.25”<br />Depth: 3.5”</p> </div> <div class="col last"> <h2 class="money"><br /></h2> </div> <br /><h3 style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7-c28KhI/AAAAAAAAAdk/0glwh-EMQMI/s1600/DSC_9356.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 202px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7-c28KhI/AAAAAAAAAdk/0glwh-EMQMI/s400/DSC_9356.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407411352928791058" border="0" /></a></h3><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><br />Roomy Interior</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7-rUakdI/AAAAAAAAAds/I-EPyzkQrqM/s1600/denim+cotton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 245px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7-rUakdI/AAAAAAAAAds/I-EPyzkQrqM/s400/denim+cotton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407411356810514898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Logo Front</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><h3 style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7_J0VoRI/AAAAAAAAAeE/1uFJ3QCu80E/s1600/orange.back.01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 230px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7_J0VoRI/AAAAAAAAAeE/1uFJ3QCu80E/s400/orange.back.01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407411364997472530" border="0" /></a></h3><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Pocketed Back</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span><h3 style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7_PrL-FI/AAAAAAAAAd8/7rJRyyfuv8E/s1600/DSC_9266.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 202px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Swr7_PrL-FI/AAAAAAAAAd8/7rJRyyfuv8E/s400/DSC_9266.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407411366569703506" border="0" /></a></h3><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Check out this <span style="font-style: italic;">fine</span> craftsmanship!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Check out <a href="http://www.organizewithsandy.com/pouchee/"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >Organize with Sandy</span></a> for a large selection of colors in both cotton and leatherette materials! <br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" /></a><br /></div><br />* Features and Dimensions text, as well as photo credits go to <a href="www.pouchee.com"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Pouchee.com</span></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Review brought to you by:<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwrjGTNay_I/AAAAAAAAAdU/yfXxFRpdzns/s1600/25.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 105px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SwrjGTNay_I/AAAAAAAAAdU/yfXxFRpdzns/s400/25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407383999986977778" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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I still cry every time I read it, and always will.<br /><br />Now, as a mother of four boys with special needs, and having lost my step-son to suicide not too long ago, these words just really hit home.<br /><br />I figured I'd share these thoughts in the hopes of helping someone else with a special needs child.<br /><br /><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">WELCOME TO HOLLAND</span></b><br /></span> <span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >by Emily Perl Kingsley</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> <span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome To Holland".</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >"Holland?!?" you say, "What do you mean "Holland"??? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy"</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >So you must go and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned".</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things...about Holland.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >© 1987, by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission of the author.</span></p><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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Only 2 Hours left! #BeatCancer Raises funds for Cancer Research!<div align="center">Utilizing Social Media for Good!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/StnT2dLtapI/AAAAAAAAAb8/VB7RafnBWGk/s1600-h/logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393574961253018258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 56px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/StnT2dLtapI/AAAAAAAAAb8/VB7RafnBWGk/s400/logo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a class="beatcancerbadge" href="http://beatcancereverywhere.com/">I'm helping to raise funds to<br /><em>#beatcancer</em>, by blogging, tweeting<br />and posting Facebook status<br />updates.<br /><br /><em>Click here to join me!</em></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>I'm quoting directly from the site to save precious time, and get the word out faster.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Get a </strong></span><a href="http://beatcancereverywhere.com/badge.html"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>badge for your blog here</strong></span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>.</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="color:#3333ff;">#BeatCancer is a social media experiment and movement created by<br />Everywhere, a social media communications and content company based in Atlanta,<br />Georgia. The idea was spawned by Managing Partner, Tamara Knechtel. "We were<br />headed to BlogWorld in Las Vegas with a few of our clients, including Jermaine<br />Dupri. We knew we'd be in a hotbed of major bloggers and twitterers and Don<br />Lemon and I were talking about how the power of social media should be used for<br />more than just marketing products. If Ashton Kutcher could get a million<br />followers, couldn't we take on a social cause through social media? My business<br />partners who've watched as I've struggled with cancer suggested we try to beat<br />cancer through social media. Thus #BeatCancer was born." Knechtel immediately<br />reached out to Rick Calvert, organizer of BlogWorld, and Guinness World Records<br />to see if they could compete to set a record for the distribution of the largest<br />mass message through social media. Both agreed and in no time, others joined in<br />the movement providing sponsorship support.<br /><br />In a 24-hour period of time starting Friday, October 16th at 9 am (PDT)<br />and lasting until Saturday, October 17th at 9am (PDT) people all over the<br />internet stratosphere will be asked to send tweets and Facebook status updates<br />and to blog using #BeatCancer in their posts. Ebay/Paypal and MillerCoors<br />Brewing Company will donate a penny ($0.01)* for every Twitter message, Facebook<br />update or blog post that includes the phrase #BeatCancer. All money will be<br />donated to non-profit cancer organizations including SU2C (Stand Up to Cancer),<br />Alex's Lemonade, Bright Pink, and Spirit Jump. All of the non-profits are 501<br />(c)(3) organizations and accredited by The American Cancer Society. A listing of<br />all organizations and a live stream of postings can be found at </span><a href="http://www.beatcancereverywhere.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://www.beatcancereverywhere.com/</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;">.<br /><br />"The team at BlogWorld is proud to be part of this record-setting<br />social media event," said Rick Calvert, CEO of BlogWorld/New Media Expo </span><a href="http://www.blogworldexpo.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://www.blogworldexpo.com/</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;">. "We're<br />especially excited that we can be the launch point for bringing people together<br />to help fight cancer."<br />In addition to the corporate sponsors (eBay/Paypal and<br />MillerCoors Brewing Company), Radian6 is donating its services for best in class<br />tracking and monitoring. Slash7, a web design firm, donated time to build the </span><a href="http://www.beatcancereverywhere.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://www.beatcancereverywhere.com/</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;"><br />site which will showcase real time tweets and data. Sevans Strategy, a<br />public relations and new media firm, donated media outreach and partnership<br />services.<br /><br />*up to a designated amount.<br /><br />For more information about #BeatCancer<br /><br />For more information about the #BeatCancer Story, please<br />contact:<br />Tamara Knechtel</span><a href="mailto:tamara@Beeverywhere.tv"><span style="color:#3333ff;">tamara@Beeverywhere.tv</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;">404-862-8240<br />(phone)<br /></span><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393572791235180450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 125px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/StnR4JPI96I/AAAAAAAAAb0/fK8hqhnGFKI/s400/125.gif" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" /></a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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The gift pack includes one insulated lunch tote, one large shaker/tumbler with lid, one divided plate with lid, a set of sturdy utensils, and a coupon for a free Fiber One 50 Calorie Pack.<br /><br />The entire set is perfect for a healthy "on-the-go" lunch.<br /><br /><ul><li>The insulated lunch tote has ample room for lunch, as well as snacks.<br /></li><li>There is a separate zippered portion at the bottom of the bag that I use to hold my yogurt snacks, along with an ice pack. </li><li>The covered tumbler is wonderful for salads. Just stuff with your fixings, add dressing and shake until the salad is perfectly tossed. This fits into the upper portion of the lunch tote.</li><li>The divided plate is great for keeping foods separated, too.<br /></li></ul><br />I'm very excited to announce that My Blog Spark is allowing THREE of my readers to win the <span style="font-style: italic;">same</span> gift pack by entering this giveaway (details below)!<br /><br />They are also extending a money-saving coupon to all of my readers. <a href="http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qjajfad79246792&bt=wg&o=57803&ci=1&c=GM&p=dP8MG4w9">Click here for your $1.00 off coupon</a>!<br /><br />Let's face it! We all need more fiber in our diets. Not only is fiber important for optimum digestive health, it is also thought to be significant in lowering cholesterol, as well as maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.<br /><br />For those of us watching our weight or striving to lose weight, fiber plays a <span style="font-style: italic;">huge </span>role in controlling hunger by keeping our appetites at bay. Forget appetite suppressants! Just eat more fiber!<br /><br />Just one Fiber One 50 Calorie Yogurt provides a whopping 5 grams of fiber. The recommended daily allowance is 25 grams. Eat one as a snack between meals, and I guarantee your appetite will be tremendously reduced when it is time to sit down at the dinner table.<br /><br />The texture is smooth, and the flavor is just phenomenal! My personal favorites are the strawberry and key lime pie flavors. It's just the 'pick-me-up' I need in between meals, not to mention a highly-tasteful, guilt-free snack. Snacking on healthy foods between meals also speeds up your metabolism, promoting healthy weight loss.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check out these guilt-free facts:</span></span></span><br /></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">0 grams of Fat</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">50 calories </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5 grams of fiber</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Excellent source of vitamins A & D</span></span></li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:'times new roman';" class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Available Flavors:</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strawberry</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Peach</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Vanilla</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Key Lime Pie</span></span></li></ul></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SsThiBzVmAI/AAAAAAAAAbk/01k37mXw4PI/s1600-h/low-carb_2072_3620851.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 130px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SsThiBzVmAI/AAAAAAAAAbk/01k37mXw4PI/s400/low-carb_2072_3620851.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387679028957517826" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br />The infamous <a href="http://www.hungrygirl.com/">Hungry Girl</a>, Lisa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Lillen</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, has given Fiber One 50 Calories Packs her seal of app</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">roval</span>. Check out her video below.<br /><br /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5MnUBDGq7-g&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5MnUBDGq7-g&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">To enter the giveaway:</span><br /></div><br /><ul><li>Answer any <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">one </span>of these questions by leaving a comment below:</li></ul><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>What is your guilty snacking pleasure?</li><li>How do you manage your weight?</li><li>Which of the flavors, listed above, would you like to try?<br /></li></ol>This entry is mandatory. No other entries will be counted unless this is completed.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Extra Entries:</span><br /><ul><li>Follow me on <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.twitter.com/naturesencore">twitter </a>and tweet this giveaway as many times as you'd like (one entry per tweet), and leave the link in the comments section. If you'd like, you can just cut and paste this:<br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">@<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">naturesencore</span> Fiber One yogurt Healthy & Fit Weight Management gift bag #Giveaway! Enter Here: http://tinyurl.com/Fiber1</div><ul><li>Fan me on <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/AngelaRenaeMcCoy?ref=profile"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">facebook</span></a> and write about this giveaway on your wall (one entry)<br /></li><li>Subscribe via email or reader, confirm your subscription, and leave a comment with the email address you subscribed under (one entry).<br /></li><li>Add to any other social media site, and leave a link in the comments section (one entry per link).</li><li>Blog about this giveaway, linking to this post (worth 5 entries).<br /></li></ul><br /><br />Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm, on October 31st. Winners will be selected randomly via random.org.<br /><br /><br />Good luck!<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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In these tough economic times, it's just not feasible to drive from place-to-place, looking for that perfect deal, so I do a great deal of my shopping online.<br /><br />Most of you know that I am a research nut when it comes to finding bargains, and how I love to share these finds with my readers. I was recently approached to write a review for <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.freshdeals.com"><span style="color:#ff0000;">freshdeals.com</span></a></span><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">,</span> and I am just thrilled that they have given me this opportunity to spread the word. </span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><a href="http://freshdeals.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Fresh Deals</span></a><span style="color:#006600;">, although fairly new, is a wonderful resource for those of us who like to find the latest and greatest deals on products we use on a day-to-day basis! I have ventured other comparative shopping sites, but Fresh Deals is, bar none, far superior! </span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">Why?</span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">Not only does Fresh Deals find up-to-the-minute pricing on a plethora of products from major retailers, it goes a step beyond, setting itself apart from similar sites with an innovative </span><a href="http://www.freshdeals.com/qa.html"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Questions and Answers</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> Forum.<br /><br />Every product listed on the website has a link to post a question you may have about a particular product. Fresh Deal's experts or other users within the community can provide the answer. If you have experience with a particular product, and you would like to share your expertise, you can do so in this forum, as well. </span><a href="http://www.freshdeals.com/qa.html"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Fresh Deal's Q&A forum </span></a><span style="color:#006600;">is fully interactive, and offers a more personalized means of making a fully-educated purchase.<br /><br />Click on the "deals" tab on the upper right side of the homepage, and you will be lead to the<br /></span><a href="http://www.freshdeals.com/deals.html"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Freshest Deals</span></a><span style="color:#006600;">, along with promotional codes and special offers to save even more on a variety of other retail websites.<br /><br />Sign in with your facebook account, or browse the site anonymously. When you find a deal that's just too good to keep to yourself, simply click on the "share this page" link in the upper right-hand corner to email, tweet, or post your money-</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SsOpY5Zw48I/AAAAAAAAAbE/fhh_k7ApkBU/s1600-h/top_logo.png"><span style="color:#006600;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387335824456082370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 68px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SsOpY5Zw48I/AAAAAAAAAbE/fhh_k7ApkBU/s400/top_logo.png" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#006600;">saving find to facebook.<br /><br />If you know exactly what you're wanting to compare, simply type it in the search box. If you would rather browse by category, check out the wide variety of </span><a href="http://www.freshdeals.com/cat/more.html"><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">categories</span> </span></a><span style="color:#006600;">sure to tickle your shopping fancy.<br /><br />I will definitely be utilizing </span><a href="http://www.freshdeals.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">FreshDeals.com</span></span><span style="color:#ff0000;"> </span></a><span style="color:#006600;">for my upcoming holiday shopping ritual. I encourage you to check out the Fresh Deals website for yourself, and see how effortless it is to locate the freshest deals.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" /></a><br /><br /><em>This review was sponsored by freshdeals.com. Although I was compensated to compile this review, these are, as always, my personal, honest opinions. I had agreed to write this review because this service would be beneficial to my readers, as well as myself.</em></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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She was more or less his mother and, as I had said before, they were very close.<br /><br />After some time went by, and after several conversations over the phone, Eric had decided he wanted to come live with us in Maine.<br /><br />I was very excited that he was, again, going to be with us. I knew that he was extremely depressed with his Nana's passing, too. However, I was not prepared for his dramatically altered perception on life, as the result of her death.<br /><br />He was still the same boy I knew in Texas. He still had his personality. He still looked the same. I could see in his eyes, though, that he would never be the same again.<br /><br />We still talked openly about his feelings, but something in him was missing. He was an extremely confused, angry, grief-stricken shell of the boy I once knew.<br /><br />His Nana defined his existence, and now she was gone. She took a very big piece of his heart with her, and (little did I know) he would never learn to cope with her loss. He would never understand why God would let this happen to such a wonderful woman. He would never make peace with her death and move forward to his own life. He did try, and try very hard to move on. But, it wasn't enough.<br /><br />We still had our front porch conversations; we still had that bond. I swear, I did the best I could to carry him through this overwhelming trial in life.<br /><br />"Nana would want you to remember all the good times you two had shared."<br />"She would want you to go on to make something out of yourself. She'd want you to be successful."<br />"She would want you to share your love for her with your own children, and never let her memory slip away. She lives on in you!"<br /><br />My words just seems to pass right through him, though. He was not, and would never be, the same. I did the best I could do to help him voice his feelings; to help him, once again, find his way. What do you say, though, to a child whose world has just crumbled right before their eyes?<br /><br />It just wasn't enough.<br /><br />After a while, he had decided that he missed his brothers and sisters back home. He flew back to Texas, and still called every once-in-a-while to talk. And we did. We talked for hours, just as before. It was always the same, though.<br /><br />"I miss her so much! I don't understand why God would let such a callous thing happen to her! I just don't understand it . . . not at all!"<br /><br />Eric had been in Texas for a year at this point. The calls became fewer and fewer. After speaking with his other relatives, I learned that he had turned to drugs to (somehow) relieve his pain.<br /><br />He and Tabby were living with their mother in Houston. At one point, his behavior became too overwhelming for all of them. He had attempted suicide on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">occasion</span>, which ultimately landed him in a psychiatric facility for months.<br /><br />When he was released, we all breathed a much needed sigh of relief. Finally, he had received the help he needed all this time. Finally, he was better!<br /><br />He seemed so chipper in our conversations, he named his feelings, and told me he was better able to cope with all of his emotions. I was so incredibly happy for him! I had my Eric back!<br /><br />Another year went by. It was an exceptionally difficult year for us, though. My [then] 11-year-old son, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Koby's</span> kidney disease had progressed, and he was [then] in End Stage Renal Failure.<br /><br /><a href="http://momsgreatescape.blogspot.com/search/label/cystinosis"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Koby's</span> story is here.</a><br /><br />The year was filled with specialists appointments, and a myriad of labs to monitor his kidneys' function. He was in and out of the hospital so much, I swear we lived there.<br /><br />During this same year, Alex and Kaleb had been going through their own testing. Alex was diagnosed with moderate autism, and Kaleb was diagnosed with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">APD</span> (Auditory Processing Disorder).<br /><br />I had also lost my grandmother to cancer, my uncle to a heart attack, and my father was diagnosed with cancer.<br /><br />Robert was working 18-hour days, leaving me to deal with every aspect of it all. With that said, I was simply too overwhelmed to devote hours of time to Eric over the phone. He knew, however, that life was very busy for us. He seemed to understand, and we talked as often as possible.<br /><br />In the midst of all these crises, my husband was up for orders again. So, I began research the potential locales to determine which would be the optimal duty station--the one that could care for all our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">children's </span>needs.<br /><br />We moved from Brunswick, Maine to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Chicagoland</span> in June of 2006. We had thought that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Koby</span> would be seeing a specialist in Chicago. After arriving, though, we learned that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Tricare</span> was only contracted with Children's Hospital of Wisconsin . . . seventy-five miles away.<br /><br />We were up there at least three times per week, as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Koby's</span> failure progressed rapidly. We had to work quickly to find a match for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Koby</span>. I was tested, and was a match by blood type, but still had to be tested to determine the level of commonalities concerning the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">histocompatability</span> ratio.<br /><br />My brother volunteered to be tested as a potential live donor, as well. He knew I wouldn't be able to care for all the kids, if I were to be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Koby's</span> donor. So, he stepped up.<br /><br />He was a match on all levels! Joel moved in with us, just before Thanksgiving of 2006. We continued our trips to Children's of Wisconsin to complete all the other steps involved.<br /><br />The surgery was scheduled for the 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">th</span> of December. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Koby's</span> kidneys were functioning at only 19% just one week prior to the transplant.<br /><br />I talked to Eric just before we left for Wisconsin to fill him in on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Koby's</span> situation, and check in with him. We talked about Nana, and how Christmas would never be the same without her. Eric and I cried over the phone to each other that day. He assured me that he would be alright, and told me that he would pray for a successful surgery and strength for us all to get through it all.<br /><br />The surgery was a success! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Koby</span> finally had a new lease on life. His life would be improving exponentially since he had received his new kidney.<br /><br />The next few months would be spent up in Wisconsin four days per week for follow-up care. I called Eric on Christmas day to let him know the good news.<br /><br />I kept him updated on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Koby's</span> progress. We spoke in January. We spoke in February. Anytime he had called, no matter what was going on, I had made certain that I spoke with him.<br /><br />One morning, just as we were leaving for another trip to Wisconsin, the phone rang. We were running very late, though. So, I let the call go to voicemail.<br /><br />After returning home that evening, I learned that it was Eric. His message said, 'Hey Girl! I just called to talk. I know you're busy, though. Give me a call when you get the chance.'<br /><br />He didn't sound too happy. I returned his call that evening, but it went to voice mail.<br /><br />I called again the next morning . . . still voice mail.<br /><br />For the next couple of days, I kept calling. But, he did not answer.<br /><br />In the evening, on March 6, 2007, we received a phone call from Texas. Eric had been missing for days, and they were looking for him. They had talked to some of his friends who informed them that Eric was severely depressed, and told him that he was going to kill himself.<br /><br />The phone rang again.<br /><br />There was a body in the park. Eric's step-father was there. The police, however, would not let him through to the scene.<br /><br />My heart had sunk!<br /><br />I just knew he was gone!<br /><br />I just knew it was Eric!<br /><br />For the next hour, I was begging the heavens to spare <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">our</span> family of this misery.<br /><br />"God, please don't let it be him!"<br /><br />"PLEASE, GOD! PLEASE! Don't let it be him!"<br /><br /><a href="http://momsgreatescape.blogspot.com/2009/09/in-memory-of-my-son-and-then-we-knew.html"><strong>Continued here . . .</strong></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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I still cannot believe that you are gone from this Earth; that I'll never see you again. </div><br />I will never understand why you couldn't stay; why you decided that you would be better off <em>dead</em>.<br /><p><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></p><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: Taylor Walker, one of Eric's </span><span style="font-size:78%;">friends. She gifted </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;">herself this tatoo in </span><span style="font-size:78%;">honor of him.</span> </p><br />Are you?<br /><p><br /><br /></p><p>Are you better, now?<br /><br /><br /></p><p>Are you hurting?<br /><br /><br /></p><p>Is the pain gone?<br /><br /><br /></p><p>Are you at peace?<br /><br /><br /></p><p>Your untimely death has me questioning my faith immensely. Suicide is an unforgivable sin! I don't want to believe anymore! I don't want to believe that my God could sentence an already troubled child to burn for an eternity in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">fiery</span> pits of Hell! It's just not fathomable, and I'm refuse to believe . . . not that part, at least.<br /><br />September will always be the most difficult month for me. I've been in tears since it started. I cried the first day, the first week; the second day, the second week. Hell, I've been an emotional wreck all month long! The second I get a moment to myself; a moment to think, a river of tears floods my face.<br /><br /><br />On the seventeenth, I just lost it all! It would have been your twenty-second birthday; your junior year of college. It could have been the year you found your first true love; the year you had an incredible job offer; the year you started your own family. I could have been a grandmother! All these thoughts race through my mind when I think of what might have been.<br /><br />I was able to see your dad off to work, and get the boys off to school. I was able to be strong for their sake. But afterward, I just couldn't stop these uncontrollable fits of overwhelming emotions.<br /><br />I wanted to go outside, and scream at the top of my lungs,<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">"WHY?!? Why did you do this?!?"</span></strong><br /><br /><br />Instead, though, I just came inside, buried my face in my pillow and muffled the horrific shrills of pain and anguish.<br /><br />I want to talk to your dad, but you know how he is . . . how he masks his emotions and just rather not deal with it at all. God! I wish he would realize that I'm hurting, too! I'm in pain, too! We all are! Instead, though, I have to be strong . . . for him and for your brothers. I have to redirect my emotions throughout the days for those few times I have alone. Only then, can I express my feelings.<br /><br />I can't talk to anyone around here. No one around here understands what it's like to lose a child or how it feels to know that their child decided it was time to take his own life.<br /><br />I talk to my mom all the time, but she has so much going on in her life right now that I just don't want to burden her with my sorrows. She will, soon, have to deal with her own sorrows; she will have her own loss with which to cope.<br /><br />DAMN YOU, DEATH! LEAVE US THE FUCK ALONE!<br /><br />So, here I am . . . writing, as I have always done to cope with every negative life's encounter. I write it all out in all its glory . . . no holds barred. It's my way of screaming at the heavens. It's my way of venting; my way of unpacking all that emotional baggage I must carry until I'm empty inside. This way, I can begin filling in the blank space with the encouraging aspects of this so-called life. Let's see if I can put that infamous positive spin on it, now. I have to purge these emotions long before they get the better of me.<br /><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">I met him just before his thirteenth birthday, and we bonded instantly. My (future) mother-in-law told me that he thought the world of me. He had told her that "she's too cool to be a<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SrZhiycc-CI/AAAAAAAAAaE/ux2kgwLG_RY/s1600-h/250979325_l.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383597654852565026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 272px; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SrZhiycc-CI/AAAAAAAAAaE/ux2kgwLG_RY/s400/250979325_l.jpg" border="0" /></a> mom." It was at this point that I felt blessed to inherit him as my son.<br /><br />His father and I married in August 2001. We each had children from previous marriages, and, now, we were having twins together.<br /><br />From the moment I had met Eric, and his sister, Tabitha, I had felt an overwhelming motherly connection. It was like I had raised them from birth; like we've known each other all our lives. I have always considered them to be my own children, and I love them dearly!<br /><br />Eric and I shared this incredible bond. He knew he could come to me if anything was weighing heavily on his shoulders--something that happens a great deal in the teenage years--, or simply to discuss his views on life. He was definitely more intellectually mature than his thirteen years.<br /></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">We discussed everything from religion to politics; philosophy to science; psychology to physical attributes of human nature.<br /><br />We had similar personalities--a humorous approach to the adversities in life, an extroverted disposition, and an inert need to help people find their way.<br /><br />We would sit on the front porch for hours on end, watching Tabitha, Brandon and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Koby</span> playing in the front yard. He shared a great deal of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">his self</span> with me during our front porch conversations.<br /><br />At times, he would just pour out his heart to me, seeking some sort of validation; some kind of guidance. I, too, let him in on some of my most personal trials in life in an effort to ensure him of my trustworthiness. I wanted to utilize these negative experiences as a basis for a positive perspective; to teach him that everyone has trials they must endure; to teach him to that good <em>can</em> come from the bad and that we are strengthened by our challenges in life.<br /><br />I have always had an open relationship with all of my children. I reiterated to them, time and time again, that they could come to me with anything, without fear of judgement or criticism. As a parent, I have always felt that the more we talk to our children, and share our views with them, the more they will be able to deal with all that life throws their way.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Throughout the entire <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pregnancy</span> with the twins, Eric would help me out in any way he could. I remember one Mother's day when he had woken up early, and had Tabby, Brandon and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Koby</span> assist with preparing a surprise 'Breakfast in Bed' consisting of pancakes, eggs, and fruit cocktail. It was the best breakfast I had ever had . . . egg shells and all!</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">My mother-in-law lived about a half a mile away from us. Every day, after school, Eric and Tabitha would venture over to her farmhouse to help her feed the goats and chickens. They were extremely close to her, and she taught them a great deal of life's lessons. </span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">She and I were close, as well. I absolutely adored her! Being a city girl, myself, I had never experienced life on a farm. She taught me how to grow a garden and how to can foods. She shared her Italian heritage with me--the traditions; the recipes; the love of family gatherings. </span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">She was a extremely talented lady . . . a true artist! She ran a very successful online business, showcasing her creations as an artisan of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">lamp worked</span> glass and lovingly hand-made jewelry. I will never forget our time together, as she taught me how to use the torch to meld simple sticks of colored glass into prismatic, intricate beauty. </span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#3333ff;">Six weeks after the twins were born, my husband re-enlisted with the Navy. I was alone with all six of the kids. My mother-in-law (the kids called her Nana) helped out when she could. She was so busy, though, with her own obligations, so it wasn't often.<br /><br />He was in Louisiana for two months, 'squaring' away all the details. Here we all were, stuck out in BFE, five miles out on a dirt road, twenty miles away from the nearest po-dunk town, and 50 miles away from the nearst hospital.<br /><br />Oh, the fun! [*Note the sarcastic tone there] I swear I felt like Laura Ingles, stepping back to yesteryear. The country life was definitely not the way this urban socialite liked to 'kick it'. At least we had running water, though. Thank God!<br /><br />Eric rode with me to drop his dad off at the Houston airport. Going from the bowels of Hick Hell to Houston was quite a treat for us. We couldn't believe we were actually driving on paved roads!<br /><br />Oh yah . . . that poor car! The fender wells were caked with clumps of dirt from traveling up and down that long dirt road on rainy days, and the entire car was just covered in the dust kicked up while traveling that same road on those hot, dry days.<br /><br />The paint was Candy Apple Red, but one could not tell due to all the heavy road dust covering it all, like it had just returned from a Desert Storm mission.<br /><br />We were running late, so didn't have a chance to wash the car upon entering the city. The windshield wipers did their job, and cleared the space they covered. We took an old rag from the trunk, and wiped down the back glass and side windows, and off we went.<br /><br />We dropped Robert off at the airport, and stopped at the first convenience store on the way back. I had to pee so badly.<br /><br />As Eric and I stepped out of the car, we were met with this loud, boisterous voice from the 'hood'.<br /><br />"Ay! Ay! Yo! Over here! I'm talkin' to you!"<br /><br />Eric and I looked at each other, then looked at the woman with the megaphone for a voice.<br /><br />She walked up to the car, stroked her fingers through the dust, and gave us this perplexed look.<br /><br />"What is this?!? Oh mi Lord! I just can't bulieve my own ices!"<br /><br />Eric and I look at each other again, after watching this woman closely examine our vehicle.<br /><br />She then turned her eyes from the dirt on her fingers she had lifted from our car. She made an awful face of disgust, and then wiped the dust off on her pants, looked up at us with that same perplexed/disgusted face, and said,<br /><br />"Hey!! You nevah warsh yo cah or sometin'?!?"<br /><br />Eric replied, without skipping a beat. Of course we do! But only on the second Tuesday of every week.<br /><br />To which she replied, "Ah! Ah! Alyight! Alyright! I feel ya!" Then she walked away.<br /><br />As soon as we entered the store, we immediately burst out into laughter. Of course, the hysteria continued all the way home.<br /><br />"I wonder if she even realized that there is not a second Tuesday in any week," I had asked.<br /><br />"Judging from the satisfaction of her response, I don't think she did," Eric had replied.<br /><br />From that point, forward, this woman's expression was a common joke he and I shared. It fit in with so many situations, if you were to substitute a couple of words. For example, one of the younger kids would fight me at bath time, and he would say, "What?!? You nevah warsh yo butt or sometin'?" I will never forget that day, and will always remember how much fun we had with our little 'inside' joke.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SraScbAC8FI/AAAAAAAAAaM/H_CoVn-Z1gM/s1600-h/1.JPG"></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SraTMUhUe6I/AAAAAAAAAaU/uFJrdV1IOuo/s1600-h/1.JPG"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383652244444183458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 336px; HEIGHT: 326px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SraTMUhUe6I/AAAAAAAAAaU/uFJrdV1IOuo/s400/1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;">The kids and I made the best of it all. Eric helped immensely with the twins. They had colic so badly, and were just screaming constantly. If it weren't for Eric, I literally would have gone insane!<br /><br />This is one of my favorite pictures of him. It was taken one evening, a school night, after the other children were in bed. Eric was the oldest, so he could stay up later than Brandon, Koby, and Tabby.<br /><br />I was in my bedroom, struggling to feed the twins and get them down for the night to no avail.<br /><br />He knocked on my door, and asked if he could help. I had both Kaleb and Alex in my arms, one over each shoulder, trying to get them to burp. He took Kaleb from me, sat down in his dad's office chair, and began talking to him in a calm tone of voice. It was hilarious! It didn't matter what he said, just as long as it was in a soothing manner. Kaleb immediately focused on his every word.<br /><br /><br />"Daddy ran off, Kaleb. He left us high and dry in this crappy house, with nothing to do!"<br /><br />Kaleb was incredibly fascinated with the words coming from Eric's mouth.<br /><br /><br />He continued, "Daddy is probably in his room in New Orleans, on the computer conquering Rome, or saving some galactic empire from its total demise. He's in his own little Dork Orb, Kaleb . . . playing a computer game, and thoroughly enriching his quality of life."<br /><br /><br />From this point on, the five-foot perimeter around my husband's desk was deemed, 'The Dork Orb.' I still use terminology. When the hubby's home from work, he immediately goes to his computer and plays whatever the game of the month may be. If he's in a bad mood, I simply tell warn the kids to "back away from the Dork Orb." lol<br /><br /><br />Needless to say, Kaleb was bored to tears and fell fast asleep. I will never, EVER forget this moment in time. We laughed about it for years to come.<br /><br />Robert had finally received his orders. We were moving to Brunswick, Maine . . . quite a change for this Texas girl. He flew home and we had one whole day before the packers came to box everything up.<br /><br />My mother-in-law had offered to keep Eric and Tabitha in Texas. We left the decision up to them, and they chose to stay. They had other family in Houston, and wanted to stay behind so they could continue to see their other brothers and sisters on a regular basis.<br /><br />It was so very difficult to say good-bye to them. We had grown so very close during the time we had spent together.<br /><br />After settling in our new home in Brunswick, we were able to keep in touch with them on a daily basis. Eric had called all the time, just to shoot the breeze. It was our daily front porch conversations all over again. Only this time, we were 2,600 mile apart.<br /><br />I received a call from my father-in-law one evening while Robert was working late. He was extremely upset, and could barely get a word out. He had choked down the emotions just enough to tell me that my mother-in-law was in a very serious car wreck, and she had died on the way to the hospital. We spent the next moments just crying to each other over the phone.<br /><br />I had called Robert's command, informed his C.O. of the situation, and told him that Robert needed to come home<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"> immediately</span>. There was no way I would tell him of this tragedy over the phone.<br /><br />I was choking down my own emotions when he had arrived. All I remember saying was,<br /><br />"Your ma- ma- <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">mom</span> <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">was</span> was in an acc- i- dent."<br /><br />"Baby . . . she . . . she da- die- <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">died</span>!"<br /><br />"Call your dah- dad. I can't say any ma- more."<br /><br />"I'm so sah soh <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">sorry, Baby</span>!"<br /><br />. . . to be continued<br /><br /><br />Robert had flown to Texas for the funeral. I stayed behind with the boys. I wanted to go, but we simply could not afford the last-minute airfare for six people.<br /><br />He stayed there for a while to spend time with Eric and Tabitha. Now that their Nana was gone, they had to decide whether they wanted to live with their mom in Houston, or come home with us in Maine.<br /><br />Again, they stayed in Texas. However, they knew that they were more than welcome to come live with us at any time.<br /><br /></span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div align="left"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong><a href="http://momsgreatescape.blogspot.com/2009/09/in-memory-of-my-son-updated-again.html">Continued Here</a></strong></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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</a></div>Mom's Fortress of Solitudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635447021211979326noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1913035777525593894.post-42997710727680256842009-09-15T08:53:00.024-05:002009-09-23T15:04:32.722-05:00Marketing & Blogger Relations 101: Let's set the record straightOne simply cannot turn around these days without hearing the bad publicity aimed at mommy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bloggers</span> (Oh, how I despise that terminology, now). It's in the newspaper and on national news sites, such as this article from <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=7301845&page=1">ABC News</a>, as well as local and national television news stations.<br /><br />I've always heard that "no news is good news" when it comes to major news stations and papers, which is one reason why I rarely watch televised news or read the local paper. <br /><br />All one ever hears on newscasts is how someone was brutally murdered, how crooked politicians can be, celebrity scandals, or any other negative, rubber-necking type of report to which the majority of our nation flocks.<br /><br />"Did you hear about so-and-so?"<br /><br />Well, frankly, I could care less. I have enough to worry about without sticking my nose in the latest Jon and Kate venture.<br /><br />I do, however, stay informed by visiting top rated news sites, and clicking on that which interests me each morning. <br /><br />When I read this article on the ABC news website, as well as so many others like it (hello, Time Magazine . . . you know who you are), I was PUH <em>issedd</em>! <br /><br />Who gives a fly rats ass if we, "mommy bloggers," get a little something in return for advertising for a company in which we believe, or hosting a giveaway for an interesting, user-friendly item? Who cares if we want to review a product we find useful in our own family, and want to share it with other mothers who know they can trust our opinion? As long as we let them know we received some form of payment, or a free product in exchange for doing the review, then what is the harm?<br /><br /><br /><br />We, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bloggers</span>, who just happen to be moms, are all about making connections, establishing those life-long friendships with someone we've never met in person, and bonding over a multitude of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">commonalities</span>. Honesty, integrity, raw emotions and humor equals loyal readership. This is our intention, plain and simple.<br /><br /><br /><br />We are the groups of ladies who intimately gather for coffee some mornings; we are those who chat while our children play together; the ones who make familial decisions; the one's who do the majority of 'for the home' purchases; the ones who discuss <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">innovative</span> products with our neighbor on the other side of the fence.<br /><br />We are the ones who pour our hearts and souls into our blogs in an effort to offer to and receive support from a plethora of moms (and dads) who can relate . . . sponsored or not. Our readers know they can depend on our honesty, regardless.<br /><br />Any ethical blogger who participates in product/service reviews does so in a transparent voice, and with the understanding that they have agreed to take part because they like that particular product and/or service, have a good relationship with the products PR committee, and/or support the companies family-centered values, community involvement efforts, or environmentally-friendly stance.<br /><br />An ethical blogger should always have a disclosure policy evident in plain (above the fold) view for advertisers and readers alike to read. Mine is located amongst the cluster of red buttons, just below the site's logo. You can also read it <a href="http://momsgreatescape.blogspot.com/2009/04/disclosure-policy.html">here</a>.<br /><br />An ethical blogger will not submit a negative review. Instead, they will forward any constructive criticism they may have of your product or service. They may provide suggestions as to how your product/service might be improved upon, as well as agree to review said product/service once it has been revised.<br /><br />I have worked with quite a few PR representatives that have gone the extra mile to ensure the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">bloggers</span> they approach are happy with their efforts. I commend the companies who are fully aware that <em>we are</em> their consumer base; <em>we are</em> their 'Word-of-Mouth' campaign; <em>we are</em> their honest, accurate and marketable testers. The respect I have received from these companies is, bar none, the absolute best representative of the product within.<br /><br />An ethical blogger will only agree to review a product and/or service that has a marked potential for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">benefiting</span> their families, as well as their readers' families. That said, I will provide an example of poor blogger relations:<br /><br />If a person does not own a swimming pool, do not offer them the opportunity to review a swimming pool cover.<br /><br />I had watched a local news broadcast a couple of months back, interviewing a blogger who did, in fact, review a swimming pool cover, and did not own a swimming pool. Seriously, people? That is highly unethical!<br /><br />I'm not understanding the big deal concerning mom bloggers, here. If they have proven their honesty and integrity time and time again, then what is the issue at hand?<br /><br />Do you not pay your actors who endorse your products? Is JLC just special, Activia? Well, of course she is! She is famous for her acting abilities, but is she held liable for the products she endorses should they not perform? Um . . . that would be a 'no'.<br /><br />When four out of five dentist recommend chewing Trident, are they held liable for their recommendation? 'No' again.<br /><br />When consumers are rallied in a local mall to participate in the latest and greatest energy drink, can they be sued by the FTC because they provided their opinion?<br /><br />How about when I was paid a whole $5.00 to participate in consumer research for Proctor & Gamble products, noting which product package stood out to me the most, or which brand of fabric softener I preferred? Is the FTC going to show up at my door and whack me over the head repeatedly until I recant my statement? Again, that would be a big FAT 'NO'!<br /><br />So, why all the hype with so called 'Mommy Bloggers'?<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Dos and Don'ts of Blogger Relations:</span></strong><br /><br />PR reps and 'Blogger Relations Specialists', this is for you. Read it thoroughly, and mull it over a while. Put yourself in our shoes, and see if you don't feel the same (leave the shoes behind, though. In this economy, we can't afford another pair).<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Do:</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><ul><br /><li>Take the time to <strong>read our blogs</strong>, and familiarize yourself with our families, our lifestyle, the ages of our children, and (most importantly) our names. I swear if I get one more email addressed to 'Dear Mommy Blogger', I'm going postal!</li></ul><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Make yourself available to us, should we have any questions. </li></ul><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Assign only <em>one </em>contact person to your selected group of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">bloggers</span>. This cuts down on annoying duplicate emails from the same company, and ensures our questions will be answered effectively, as well as in a timely manner.</li></ul><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Allow us enough time to thoroughly evaluate your product, research your company, and compile an insightful review. I do understand and will cooperate with you if I am given enough time to investigate and compose a review. However, if you email me on Monday and expect a thorough account on Wednesday (the day I receive the product in the mail), well, you're just playing with fire.<br /></li></ul><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Provide us with professional photos of your product, logo, etc. to use in our review. </li></ul><p></p><ul><li>Do send us products that would equate to the monetary amount you would have spent if you were to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">actually</span> pay standard freelance writing/editing fees. As a freelance writer/editor, myself, I have taken the liberty of posting my rates on my blog.</li></ul><p><br /></p><ul><li>If I agree to do a review on a product my family would use, and then you send me a one-ounce bottle of the hand creme, well . . . let's just say you'll get that amount in return.<br /><br /></li><br /><li>Do treat us with the same respect you have for your co-workers; your boss; your friends. </li></ul><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Consider offering a choice a products to review. When given a choice, your reviewer will select the item most appropriate for their families, resulting in a more thorough account of said product.</li></ul><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><ul><li>Take the time to read our reviews and follow-up with a simple 'thank you'. We are more likely to work with you in the future, if you do so.<br /><br /></li></ul><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Don't:</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Send out a mass email, and simply put our names in the blank. </li><br /><li>Pitch me with your press release that was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">initially</span> intended for a newsroom. Personalized letters are a must! If you care anything about your product and the company you represent, you will take the time to research your potential reviewers, and connect with the ones who best represent a qualified user of said product.</li><br /><li>Delude yourself into the ever-so-popular notion that, we, mom <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">bloggers</span> are ignorant butt-wiping morons. Most of us left our careers to stay at home with our children to ensure they will be outstanding citizens one day--citizens who will be wiping our butts one day. We've seen the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">village</span> and we don't want them raising our child! Then, again, some of us are still working outside the home, and some of us are working from the home. In either of the three scenarios, we all deserve the utmost respect, nonetheless.</li><br /><li>Expect something for nothing. In all matters of simplicity, it just 'ain't gonna' happen. We, moms, have the most difficult, time-consuming jobs in the world, <em>minus </em>the<em> </em>monetary compensation. Our time is exceptionally valuable to us, as most of us barely get any amount of it to ourselves. You are being compensated to solicit us for our services. Isn't only fair that we receive some form of recoupment for our time, as well?</li><br /><li>If it's advertising you want, it's advertising you'll get . . . but only if you pay for it. Please refer to my <a href="http://momsgreatescape.blogspot.com/2008/07/advertisment-and-freelance-writing.html">advertising rates here</a>. You will see that they are very reasonable, in comparison to most marketing venues. If your business can afford <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">multi</span>-million dollar advertising campaigns, blasting 30-seconds spots of "GAWD! You so need this product!", you can shell out a few dollars to support those who actually use it. </li></ul><p></p><ul><li>Don't email daily for a status report. I always email my reps with a direct link, once I have posted the review.</li></ul><p></p><ul><li>If I am given two weeks to evaluate and review your product, don't send me daily emails asking if it is posted yet. I do understand deadlines, and will do my best to 'get the job done', at the very least, a few days in advance to avoid crunch time. However, if you tell me <em>when</em> you want it one more time, I'm going to tell you <em>where</em> to put it!</li></ul><p></p><p>Jennifer at <a href="http://www.eightymphmom.com/">Eighty MPH Mom</a> added this 'Don't':</p><ul><li>"Don't agree to send a product for review and then don't send it or follow up again...you should at least email and say that you can no longer do it. I'm sure you would expect the same courtesy from the blogger"</li></ul><p>Michaele at <a href="http://www.mamamichie.com/">Mama Michie's Musings</a> also added a 'Don't':</p><ul><li>"If you tell us we can have a giveaway with the review, then please make sure you send the winner their prize in a timely manner (i.e. within 2 weeks). Don't wait 4 or 5 weeks before sending out the package."</li></ul><p>If anyone has anything else they would like to add, please feel free to do so in the comment section. I will, then, cut and paste it into the body of the post and credit the addition to you.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" /></a> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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</a></div>Mom's Fortress of Solitudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635447021211979326noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1913035777525593894.post-72627016351164423792009-09-12T14:21:00.008-05:002009-09-14T12:02:14.193-05:00"Whatcha got in there?"I went back to college when the twins were just two years old. Each morning, I would drop them off at daycare, and be on my way to class.<br /><br />Ms. Cassie was a wonderful teacher! Every afternoon, she would fill the parents in on the events of the day.<br /><br />I knew the twins were comical, and I knew Kaleb was one to speak his mind without any forethought. So, with this knowledge, I never knew what to expect as I stepped into their class each evening.<br /><br />It was finals week for me. I was taking eighteen hours during a condensed summer session in an effort to graduate early. For the weeks prior to the final exams, my thoughts were completely wrapped up in pharmocological terminology, algebriac equations, sociological quandaries, empirical investigations, dimensional analysis and the principles of qualitative and quantitative science--SENSORY OVERLOAD!<br /><br />On this particular evening, the exams were finally over, and I felt pretty darn good about them. I walked into the daycare with an overwhelming sense of relief, knowing that I could finally breath easy, relax, and just enjoy being with my children.<br /><br />Upon entering the classroom, though, all that just went out the window.<br /><br />"You will never believe what Kaleb did today, Mrs. McCoy," Ms. Cassie said with a shocked expression on her face.<br /><br />All the while, I'm thinking, 'Oh good Lord! What has this child done, now?'<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Sqv6i0m7HmI/AAAAAAAAAZk/6OnOH9BG5dw/s1600-h/pregnant-mom-with-toddler.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380669655968587362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Sqv6i0m7HmI/AAAAAAAAAZk/6OnOH9BG5dw/s400/pregnant-mom-with-toddler.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />In reaction to my facial expression of concern, she continued, "Don't worry . . . it's not a big deal. In fact, looking back on it all, I think it's hilarious!"<br /><br />Ms. Cassie was expecting her first child, and Kaleb had already expressed a few pondering thoughts to her concerning the size of her belly.<br /><br />On this particular occassion, though, he had decided to fully investigate the mysteries of a pregnant woman.<br /><br />"They were all playing at the sand and water table. I tried to sit on one of their chairs, but my belly is getting too big to do that. So I pulled up a staff chair, leaned back and stretched my feet out" she explained.<br /><br />"This is when Kaleb climbed up on what's left of my lap, and just stared at my belly for the longest time."<br /><br />"Whatcha got in there, Ms. Cassie?"<br /><br />"I could tell he was very fascinated with the size of my belly, and figured I'd just let him know in the simplests terms possible."<br /><br />"Kaleb, I have a little baby in there! You will get to see her after she is born. Do you want to feel her moving? She's kicking right now."<br /><br />Kaleb pressed his little hand to her abdomen, and felt the tiny kick. His eyes grew wider and wider. His eyes were fixated on her stomach, waiting for the next thump from within.<br /><br />He began sliding down her outstretched legs, so he adjusted his position on her lap to stay close to the action.<br /><br />His eyes met hers. "You got a baby in there, Ms. Cassie?"<br /><br />"I sure do, Kaleb," she replied.<br /><br />He glanced back down at her abdomen, and was in the process of looking her in the eyes, once again, but stopped halfway in between the baby and her face. Then, he quickly turned his eyes back to her belly . . .<br /><br />To the boobs . . .<br />to the belly . . .<br />quick glance to the boobs . . .<br /><br />"I could tell he had more questions. He was silent, though. He just stared and stared, shifting his eyes up every once in a while, but only for a brief second or two."<br /><br />Quick! Eyes on the belly!<br />Now, boobs!<br />Belly again.<br /><br /><br />Finally, his curiousity had won! As his eyes slowly journied to meet hers, he removed his hands from her belly, quickly cupped what he could of her breasts, and began squeezing several times.<br /><br />"Whatcha got in there, Ms. Cassie? You got a baby in those bumps, too?"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/Sqv6Z9_bQoI/AAAAAAAAAZc/jFEUSh6cIww/s1600-h/pregnant-mom-with-toddler.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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</a></div>Mom's Fortress of Solitudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635447021211979326noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1913035777525593894.post-5330701835778475132009-09-11T22:39:00.008-05:002009-09-11T23:03:46.156-05:00Powerful words all parents must readI am thoroughly fascincated with the works of Kahlil Gibran. If you have not yet read <em>The Prophet, </em>I would strongly encourage you to do so.<br /><br><br />These words really speak to my heart, so I thought I would share the love.<br /><br /><br><br /><em></em><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#993399;">On Children</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#993399;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#993399;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#993399;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#993399;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">by</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">Kahlil Gibran</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><br /><br><br /><br><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">And he said: </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">Your children are not your children. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">They come through you but not from you, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">You may give them your love but not your thoughts. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">For they have their own thoughts. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">You may house their bodies but not their souls, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;">For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br /><div align="left">What a beautiful message! I must have read this passage at least one-hundred times, yet the words still leave me breathless.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><br /><br /><p align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" /></a></p><div align="center"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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You always find a way to make me feel as if it's not enough!<br /><br />I'm done!<br />You can go away, now!<br />I never want to see you again!<br /><br />My sincerest apologies to those parents with perfect children. Your child can do no wrong! You're right! It's my fault (or my kid's fault) that your child insists on hitting him, terrorizing him, threatening him, and making him too scared to go outside the safety of his own home.<br /><br />He thought he would be safe, playing at the park; in the front yard; in his own backyard.<br /><br />But . . . NO!<br /><br />Your perfect child, little-by-little, piece-by-piece over the last year and a half, robbed him of his own sense belonging too many times to count!<br /><br />They tried over and over again to be nice to him, only to be met with malicious remarks, dirty looks, and/or simply, "I HATE YOU!" right in front of me . . . the parent.<br /><br />I've tried talking to him. I've tried reasoning with him. I've asked him time and time again, "What is it that they have done to you to make you treat them this way?"<br /><br />"Nothing . . . I just don't like them!" he would reply.<br /><br />"They share their toys with you every morning, as you wait for the bus in my garage in the midst of these Chicago winters. They've tried several times to be nice to you, and show you their bug collections or their newest Lego creations. You just turn your nose up at them and say, 'SO! You're an idiot and I don't want to talk to you!' What have they ever done to make you act this way toward them?"<br /><br />"They're stupid! That's all! They're just stupid, and I HATE THEM!" he replied.<br /><br />Now, they're done!<br />They're scared to death of him!<br />Are you happy, now?!?<br />What a nice set of parenting skills you have there!<br /><br /><br />It's my fault that you cannot take your child to counseling to somehow undue all this anger he has toward the children in the neighborhood; the children at school. My child is NOT the only one he has hurt with his hateful ways. You know this! You've read the notes from school. You've conversed with other parents around us, regarding his lack of self-control.<br /><br />After I approached you, he said, "Yah . . . I'm not allowed to play with THOSE kids!" Is this your way of resolving his hateful demeanor? Is this your punishment for him? I don't get it! If my kids were to maliciously attack another child, they would (at the very least) be grounded for an entire month. I would also bring my child to that child's home and make them apologize for their wrong doing.<br /><br />But, this is all we get? My sons get attacked and emotionally scarred, and your solution is to turn it all around in his eyes, and make it seem as those my kids are the ones who cannot control their fists?<br /><br />It's my fault that you cannot extend a kind gesture and have your child apologize for physically attacking my sons numerous times. It's my fault that you don't even have the common decency to tell me you're sorry on his behalf; to even exhibit the slightest sense of concern that my child was hurt at the hands of your own . . . simply because your child wants to be a bully to all those who are young enough for him to push around.<br /><br />I told him to fight back! I told him to defend himself just long enough to get away. Why? Because your child wouldn't LET him go. He wouldn't let him 'tell' on him. He told him that, if he tells, he's just going to do it again next time he sees him!<br /><br />How, you ask? Well, we'll just let this fist full of hair that was ripped out of his head tell you the story.<br /><br />Oh, you still don't get it? It's not that clear? How about I let his brand new ripped shirt or the marks on his stomach, back and neck be the judge? What about the bloody lip; the black eye? Should I go on?<br /><br />Hmmmmm . . . that's not working either?<br /><br />Confused, are we?<br /><br />Ok, so how about this. You come stay the night at my house. You'll have to sleep on the floor, though, because the twins now refuse to sleep in their room. They're to scared "'E' will break in and kill them!" So, they're sleeping on the family room couch, now . . . right next to our room.<br /><br />When they wake up in the middle of the night, screaming in sheer fright,<br /><br />"GET OFF ME, 'E'! LET ME GO! I didn't do anything to you! Why are you always so mean to me?!? What did I ever do to you?"<br /><br />Just about every night, now, their minds are replaying these awful events over and over again. EACH and EVERY TIME THEY CLOSE THEIR EYES! How about you come over here and deal with this HELL your child is putting them through? How about you endure these sleepless nights?<br /><br />Now, are you still wondering why they're angry with him? Are you still wondering why they have nothing nice to say to him? Are you still clueless as to why I monitor all of them so closely at the bus stop when you are nowhere to be found? Lean over a little closer and I'll clarify:<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">YOU'RE CHILD IS A MENACE TO SOCIETY! HE NEEDS PROFESSIONAL HELP!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">OF COURSE THEY'RE ANGRY! OF COURSE THEY'RE GOING TO USE THEIR WORDS TO RELEASE THAT ANGER! DO YOU GET IT, NOW?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?</span></strong><br /><br />Yes, reality is a bitch! If your child were the one being physically hurt, you would feel this same way. Don't deny it!<br /><br /><br />Well . . . good luck with that! I'll be watching for him to show up on America's Most Wanted within the next 10 years or so, if that.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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height: 192px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/twinboysmom2002/KmartBacktoSchoolFashionsBoy.jpg" alt="Kmart,coupons,savings,back to school" border="0" /></a><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v76/twinboysmom2002/?action=view&current=KmartBacktoSchoolFashionsBoy.jpg" target="_blank"><span><span><span>Check out Kmart's BT</span></span></span></a><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v76/twinboysmom2002/?action=view&current=KmartBacktoSchoolFashionsBoy.jpg" target="_blank"><span><span><span>S </span></span></span></a><span><span><span><a href="http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/dap_10151_10101_DAP_BTS+Schoolebrity#/Wowdrobe">WOWdrobe !</a></span></span></span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v76/twinboysmom2002/?action=view&current=KmartBacktoSchoolFashionsGirl.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 128px; height: 193px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/twinboysmom2002/KmartBacktoSchoolFashionsGirl.jpg" alt="Kmart,coupons,savings,back to school" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moms and Dads check out these STELLAR savings!</span><br /><h1 class="custom-color"> </h1><span style="font-size:100%;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Check your Sunday paper or click on these links for HUGE money-saving </span></span><a href="http://print.coupons.com/Couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14544&zid=jj40&nid=10">Coupons GALORE!</a> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Be sure to visit every day for awesome </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/dap_10151_10101_DAP_Salestastic+Offers">Salestastic Offers!</a><br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>Week of Aug. 9 – 15:</strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> Free Woodcase pencils with $15 purchase of school supplies.</span><br /><br /><strong>Week of Aug. 16 – 22:</strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> Free Kleenex with $15 purchase of school supplies.</span><br /><br /><strong>Week of Aug. 23 – 29:</strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> Free Sharpie with $15 purchase of school supplies.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" >Enter your child in the </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/dap_10151_10101_DAP_BTS+Schoolebrity#/Welcome">Be A Schoolebrity</a> Sweepstakes for a shot at the grand prize:</span><ul><span style="font-size:100%;"><li>a visit at their school from a Nickelodeon® celebrity</li><li>the ultimate shopping spree</li><li>and a trip for 4 to LA for the true star treatment and a tour of Nick on Sunset studios</li></span></ul></div><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Information taken from the website:<br /></span><h1 class="custom-color"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></h1> </div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" id="headline"><h2 class="custom-color"><span style="font-size:100%;">Enter for a chance for your child to win a visit at your school from a Nickelodeon® celebrity and the ultimate shopping spree in Kmart's "Be A Schoolebrity" Sweepstakes!</span></h2> </div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" > Enter your child for a chance to win in the “Be A Schoolebrity” sweepstakes! One Grand Prize Winner will receive a visit at their school from a Nickelodeon® celebrity and the ultimate shopping spree PLUS a trip for 4 to LA for the true star treatment and a tour of Nick on Sunset studios!<br /><br />Sweepstakes starts 12:01:00 AM (ET) on 7/26/09 and ends 11:59:59 PM (ET) on 9/7/09. No purchase necessary. For Official Rules and prize details, visit a participating Kmart store or <a href="http://www.kmart.com/schoolebrity/rules.htm" target="_blank">www.kmart.com/schoolebrity/rules.htm</a>.<br /><br />Be sure to pick up an entry form at any Kmart store and mail it in, or go to <a href="http://www.kmart.com/schoolebrity" target="_blank">www.kmart.com/schoolebrity</a> to enter today!<br /><br /><strong>SAVE ON EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR BACK TO SCHOOL WITH KMART!</strong><br />Get ready to rock this school year with online and in-store offers, and weekly freebies at Kmart!<br /><br />Every week a different item will be FREE with purchase of $15 in school supplies. See the Kmart weekly ad or <a href="http://kmart.com/" target="_blank">kmart.com</a> every Sunday for details.<br /><br /><strong>Week of July 26 – Aug. 1:</strong> Free color pencils with $15 purchase of school supplies.<br /><br /><strong>Week of Aug. 1 – 8:</strong> Free 70-page theme book with $15 purchase of school supplies.<br /><br /><strong>Week of Aug. 9 – 15:</strong> Free Woodcase pencils with $15 purchase of school supplies.<br /><br /><strong>Week of Aug. 16 – 22:</strong> Free Kleenex with $15 purchase of school supplies.<br /><br /><strong>Week of Aug. 23 – 29:</strong> Free Sharpie with $15 purchase of school supplies. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><strong>LAYAWAY</strong><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" >Kmart offers you the easy way to pay for Back to School. Use Kmart Layaway now to purchase all your Back to School needs and pick them up in time for the start of the school year. Go to kmart.com and click on the layaway link for details.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><strong>TEACHERS</strong><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" >Kmart knows that teachers spend an average of $300 of their own money on school supplies to stock up their classrooms. That’s why we’re helping teachers out this Back To School season with special offers on school supplies, Back to School wardrobe offers, and free downloadable classroom curricula. Kmart is providing teachers with tools to help teach their kids now about healthy spending habits. Teachers can access these offers and FREE downloadables at </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.kmart.com/teachers" target="_blank">www.kmart.com/teachers</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" >.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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Win a FREE Emerson Karaoke Machine!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SoGtZ4NRTXI/AAAAAAAAAYU/Nss_o4MhWUQ/s1600-h/karaoke.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SoGtZ4NRTXI/AAAAAAAAAYU/Nss_o4MhWUQ/s320/karaoke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368762890898722162" border="0" /></a>Kid and Family Karaoke Contest<br /><br />The fine people of <a href="www.loudkaraoke.com">LoudKaraoke</a> are hosting an awesome giveaway for this RAWKIN' Emerson Karaoke Machine or a $100 credit to <a href="http://www.loudkaraoke.com">www.loudkaraoke.com</a>!<br /><br />What a fun way to begin the school year, and occupy all those cold, wintery days indoors!<br /><br />To Enter:<br /><br /><ul><li>Gather the kids and record video your best karaoke song. Be creative and have fun with it, now!<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Step 2: Upload your video to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" rel="nofollow" target="new">YouTube</a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: center;"><li>Step 3: Submit your link <a href="http://www.loudkaraoke.com/contest.asp">here</a> where you will also find full contest rules.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Product Specifications:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >GQ755 CDG Karaoke System iPod Compatible with 100 Songs</span><br /> <span style="font-size:100%;">Manufacturer: Emerson<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;">Label: PLEMQ755<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;">Product Code: PLEMQ755<br /></span> <p> <br />Includes 100 Songs<br /></p><ul><li>Top load CD+Graphics Player</li><li>5.5" B/W Monitor</li><li>Audio/Video output</li><li>2 Digit LED CD+G track indicator</li><li>2 Microphone inputs</li><li>Individual volume control</li><li>Master volume control</li><li>Echo control</li><li>AVC (Auto Voice Control)</li><li>Music/Voice balance control</li><li>120V AC power</li><li>13.125"L x 12.125"W x 19.625"H</li></ul> Disc 9147<br /><div style="padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: top;"><li>His Eye Is On The Sparrow </li><li>Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair </li><li>Oh When The Saints Go Marching In </li><li>Yankee Doodle </li><li>Wedding Song (There Is Love) </li><li>In The Garden </li><li>He's Got The Whole World In His Hand </li><li>Let Me Call You Sweetheart </li><li>She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain </li><li>Moonlight Bay </li><li>MacNamara's Band </li><li>Clementine </li><li>Go Tell It On The Mountain </li><li>America The Beautiful </li><li>If You're Happy And You Know It </li><li>For He's A Jolly Good Fellow </li><li>Git Along Little Dogies </li><li>Old Time Religion </li><li>I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen </li><li>Take Me Out To The Ball Game </li><li>Rock-A-My Soul </li><li>In The Good Old Summertime </li><li>Swing Low Sweet Chariot </li><li>Hokey Pokey, The </li><li>900 Miles<br />Disc 9148<br /></li><li>Abide With Me </li><li>All Things Bright And Beautiful </li><li>Auld Lang Syne </li><li>Danny Boy </li><li>School Days </li><li>Bill Bailey, Won't You Come Home </li><li>How Great Thou Art </li><li>Marine's Hymn </li><li>Battle Hymn Of The Republic </li><li>Crawdad Song </li><li>Tura Lura Lura </li><li>The House Of The Rising Sun </li><li>My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean </li><li>Old MacDonald Had A Farm </li><li>Bicycle Built For Two </li><li>Jimmy Crack Corn </li><li>Dixie </li><li>Swanee River </li><li>We Gather Together </li><li>La Bamba </li><li>Whispering Hope </li><li>Down By The Riverside </li><li>Michael Row The Boat Ashore </li><li>My Wild Irish Rose </li><li>Rock Island Line <br />Disc 9149<br /></li><li>Yellow Rose Of Texas </li><li>When Irish Eyes Are Smiling </li><li>Sweet By And By </li><li>For Me And My Gal </li><li>Home On The Range </li><li>Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs. Murphy's Chowder </li><li>Caissons Go Rolling Along </li><li>Angels We Have Heard On High </li><li>Blue Bells Of Scotland </li><li>Deck The Halls </li><li>First Noel, The </li><li>God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen </li><li>Hail Hail The Gang's All Here </li><li>One More River To Cross </li><li>Onward Christian Soldiers </li><li>Sailing Sailing </li><li>Peg O' My Heart </li><li>Sloop John B </li><li>Dry Bones </li><li>America (My Country Tis Of Thee) </li><li>I've Been Working On The Railroad </li><li>Harrigan </li><li>Midnight Special, The </li><li>Rock Of Ages </li><li>When Johnny Comes Marching Home<br />Disc 9150<br /></li><li>You're A Grand Old Flag </li><li>All ThroughThe Night </li><li>Amazing Grace </li><li>Rockin' Robin </li><li>When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder </li><li>Camptown Races </li><li>Wabash Cannonball, The </li><li>On Top Of Old Smokey </li><li>Frankie And Johnny </li><li>Angels From The Realms Of Glory </li><li>Away In A Manger </li><li>Blessed Assurance </li><li>Bluebird </li><li>Bringing In The Sheaves </li><li>Hark! The Herald Angels Sing </li><li>It Came Upon A Midnight Clear </li><li>Jingle Bells </li><li>Joy To The World </li><li>Oh Come All Ye Faithful </li><li>Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem </li><li>Silent Night </li><li>Star Spangled Banner, The </li><li>The Twelve Days Of Christmas </li><li>Waltzing Matilda </li><li>We Wish You A Merry Christmas </li></div><br />Disclosure: I am in no way affiliated with Loud Karaoke, and have not received monetary compensation or free products for posting this contest on my blog. <br /><br />This is just one of those times where I have located a wonderful opportunity and wanted to share it with my readers. Feel free to tweet, stumble, digg, kirsty or technorati this until your hearts content, if you feel so inclined. :o) Post it on your Facebook wall, too. <br /><br />Let's show Loud Karaoke how quickly 'Word of Mom' advertising really works! <br /><br />On your mark . . . Get set . . . GO! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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</a></div>Mom's Fortress of Solitudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635447021211979326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1913035777525593894.post-52467020791385868552009-08-11T09:40:00.002-05:002009-08-11T09:50:52.684-05:00Wanchai Ferry "Stay at Home" Giveaway and Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SoGDMVvMG6I/AAAAAAAAAX8/G2oDCJXVkkU/s1600-h/wanchai.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 206px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SoGDMVvMG6I/AAAAAAAAAX8/G2oDCJXVkkU/s320/wanchai.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368716478819081122" border="0" /></a><br />My Blog Spark and Wanchai Ferry recently gave us the opportunity to sample Wanchai Ferry's <span style="font-style: italic;">Orange Chicken Dinner for two</span>. My husband and I made it last night, and absolutely loved it!<br /><br />The meal was very easy to prepare, and was even better than our favorite place for Take-out Chinese food and less than half the cost! As a bonus, each and every one of Wanchai Ferry's frozen entrees have no added MSG!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SntCTEbl2yI/AAAAAAAAAWk/Xn7sL-hSXHg/s1600-h/3462JAC_20579_HPGrCh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SntCTEbl2yI/AAAAAAAAAWk/Xn7sL-hSXHg/s320/3462JAC_20579_HPGrCh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366956276316494626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Entree Flavors include:<br /><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >Orange Chicken<br />Shrimp Lo Mein<br />Spicy Garlic Chicken<br />Sweet & Sour Chicken<br />Sweet & Spicy Shrimp<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />One lucky reader will win Wanchai Ferry's "Stay-At-Home" prize pack:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SoGDkSFnj1I/AAAAAAAAAYE/Ixp27WLxDOE/s1600-h/Wanchai-Full2-Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 136px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qDph1PSd14M/SoGDkSFnj1I/AAAAAAAAAYE/Ixp27WLxDOE/s320/Wanchai-Full2-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368716890156273490" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >Two coupons for a FREE Wanchai Ferry Frozen Dinner for two<br />and an<br />Asian inspired meal set</span>:<br /><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >two woodenrice bowls<br />two sets of silver chopsticks<br />two bamboo placemats</span><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />You can also download a $1.50 off coupon at <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT41"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.wanchaiferry.com/">www.wanchaiferry.com</a></span>!<br /><br />Check out these easy ways to amplify your Wanchai Ferry frozen entrée <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT42"><a href="http://www.wanchaiferry.com/MealTips.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.wanchaiferry.com/MealTips.aspx</a></span>.</span><br /><br />To Enter the Giveaway:<br /><br />Comment below which Wanchai Ferry <span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >frozen entrée </span>you would love to try.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For additional entries, complete any one or all of the following, leaving a comment for each thing you do:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For extra entries, feel free to do one or all of the following, posting a comment for each one you complete. Be sure to leave a contact email so I can get in touch with you, if you should be one of the two winners:<br /><br /><ul><li>Follow me on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/naturesencore">Here I am</a></li></ul><ul><li>Tweet this giveaway, and post the link in your comment. Tweet as many times as you like, but please make sure there are at least two hours between tweets. Click on the Twitter Icon at the bottom of the post to tweet this giveaway, OR you can cut and paste any one or both of the following: </li></ul></span><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Pls RT: Wanchai Ferry Chinese Food #Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/WanchaiGA<br /><br />Pls RT: Wanchai Ferry "Stay at Home" #Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/WanchaiGA<br /></div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br />Pls RT: Wanchai Ferry Do it Yourself Chinese Food #Giveaway </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">http://tinyurl.com/WanchaiGA</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><ul><li>Fan me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/AngelaRenaeMcCoy?ref=mf">Facebook</a></li></ul><ul><li>Post about the giveaway on Facebook (you can click on the facebook icon at the bottom of the post, too).</li></ul><ul><li>Fav my blog on technorati</li></ul><ul><li>Fav this giveaway on technorati</li></ul><ul><li>Stumble it</li></ul><ul><li>Digg it</li></ul><ul><li>Kirsty this</li></ul><ul><li>Email 5 friends about this giveaway and CC me @ naturesencore at comcast dot net (Worth 5 entries)</li></ul><ul><li>Blog about this giveaway (Worth 5 entries), and leave the link in a comment<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Follow through networked blogs widget on the right-hand side</li></ul><ul><li>Follow through Friend connect on the right-hand side</li></ul><ul><li>Subscribe to email and comment with the email with which you subscribed<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Grab my button or add a text link to your blog roll and comment with the link to your blog roll<br /></li></ul><br /><br />WHEW! How's that for options?<br /><br />This giveaway ends at midnight August 30, 2009. I will be selecting the the winner using a random number generator.<br /><br />Good luck!</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/213/DF101CF6AB679B617F892985B22699A9.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1678141771&v=info&viewas=1678141771#/home.php?ref=home">
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