tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35636737635337991812024-02-07T01:34:54.156-08:00Welcome To...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-57256887283088057722013-02-21T16:12:00.001-08:002013-02-21T16:12:02.326-08:00Belted Floral Dresses<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='width:600px;margin:0 auto'><div style='position:relative;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/belted_floral_dresses/set?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=73168461' target='_blank'><img force='1' border='0' height='324' title='Belted Floral Dresses' src='http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/BgCHFymkoDVqH6s6HTFE6g/cid/73168461/id/tEu1hPVsQbaAebcxzR9H-Q/size/c600x324.jpg' alt='Belted Floral Dresses' width='600'/></a></div></div><br/><div style='text-align:center'><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/belted_floral_dresses/set?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=73168461' target='_blank'>Belted Floral Dresses</a> by <a href='http://momswithmanyhats.polyvore.com/?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger' target='_blank'>momswithmanyhats</a> featuring a <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/sleeveless_dress/shop?query=sleeveless+dress' target='_blank'>sleeveless dress</a></small></div><div style='width:600px;margin:0 auto'><small><div style='padding-top:16px'><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76037040' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76037040.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76037040' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Marc by Marc Jacobs sleeveless dress</a><br/>stylebop.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76372376' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76372376.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76372376' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>SAVE THE QUEEN sleeveless dress</a><br/>yoox.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=74624678' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/74624678.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=74624678' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Rare London hi low dress</a><br/>asos.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=72904530' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/72904530.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=72904530' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>P A R O S H sleeveless dress</a><br/>$785 - farfetch.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76376768' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76376768.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76376768' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Love Moschino sleeveless dress</a><br/>yoox.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=65095839' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/65095839.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=65095839' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Hi low dress</a><br/>boohoo.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76883454' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76883454.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76883454' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Oro Pagoda sleeveless dress</a><br/>yoox.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=77195125' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/77195125.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=77195125' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Galliano sleeveless dress</a><br/>yoox.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=58043139' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/58043139.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=58043139' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Ted Baker colorful dress</a><br/>$150 - repertoirefashion.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76912878' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76912878.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76912878' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Miss Sixty sleeveless dress</a><br/>yoox.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76332287' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76332287.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76332287' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Colorful dress</a><br/>shopruche.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76277521' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/76277521.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=76277521' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Ted Baker print dress</a><br/>nordstrom.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=77105619' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/77105619.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=4644709&.svc=blogger&id=77105619' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Charlotte Russe low high dress</a><br/>charlotterusse.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p></div></small></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-23022414194375645462013-01-28T07:09:00.004-08:002013-01-28T07:13:08.723-08:00If it bothers you...get rid of it!<div style="text-align: center;">
I learned an important lesson this weekend. It was one of those "ah-ha!" moments where you think, "Why did it take me so long to figure this out?"</div>
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I was cleaning the little boy's room. We clean it every. single. day. And every single day I have do certain things that drive me batty. </div>
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1. Their dust ruffles on their beds are ALWAYS messed up. They get bunched up under the mattress, they get pulled to one side more than the other, they make it difficult for the boys to tuck their sheets when they make their beds. I hate messing with and fixing those dust ruffles! </div>
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2. They have a rug in their room, one of those rugs with roads and signs and buildings that they can drive their Hot Wheels all over. They love that thing. But it will NOT stay put! It is always pushed up against the wall or folded over or pushed under the bed. If my baby girl gets a hold of it, it can even end up in the hallway. I am forever fixing that thing!</div>
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3. The baby loves to go into the boys' room, open their lower drawers and pull out every single piece of clothing inside. Seriously...almost every day I have to fold and re-organize their drawers. Then she proceeds into the toy closet (with their help, I'm sure) and gets out every single toy in there...just to see the pieces all mingling together like a chaotic little toy party...ugh.</div>
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<em>Any other moms feel my pain here?</em></div>
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Now, I know kids will make messes. I actually revel in their creative play. But doing the same thing over and over and over...don't they say that's the definition of insanity? I get the same results every time...nothing stays in place or clean for very long and then it just has to be done again.</div>
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My "ah-ha" moment came when I was fixing the dust ruffles for the second time in one day. </div>
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Why do little boys need dust ruffles? It's not like they're made of steel to keep them from pushing toys under the bed? Can't I just take these things off?</div>
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Lightbulb moment!!!</div>
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Just because the stupid dust ruffles came with the bedding set, doesn't mean this mama has to mess them with every. single. day.</div>
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Bye-bye dust ruffles. Boy, that feels good! Their beds look so much better and they can make them by themselves because I don't have to hold the ruffle in place while they tuck their sheets.</div>
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By the way, I found solutions for the rug and the mess, too. My hubby brought his nail gun in and permanently stuck that rug into the floor. (Don't worry, the nails are in so snug, they won't hurt little feet...we made sure!) It's not going anywhere now! And we put baby proof door knob covers on the bedroom doors...now the baby can't get in unless we want her to.</div>
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<strong><em>Lesson learned:</em></strong> There is always a solution. If it doesn't work for you or causes you stress, don't continue to live with it! Get rid of it or figure out a solution to make it work!</div>
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I've decided to do this in every one of the rooms in my house; take stock of what is not working and find a solution. I just know that my days will be go so much smoother once I get my whole house "annoyance-free". And then I'll start to look in other areas of my life where I can apply this lesson...</div>
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Life is too short to spend so much time doing the same annoying things over and over. Fix it!</div>
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<em>So...what annoying thing will you find a solution for today?</em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-48533352345638270912013-01-17T21:36:00.000-08:002013-01-17T21:36:32.807-08:00My Perfect Day?<div style="text-align: center;">
When a new year begins, I start to go over my days with a little more thought, trying to figure out how I could best spend my time. What has worked over the last year? What needs to be changed? How can I live my life better? Take care of my kids and husband and home better? Can I squeeze in some time for me? Or maybe not spend so much time on the computer? </div>
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Yesterday, while soaking in a bubble bath during naptime, I decided to daydream a little about what my perfect day would be like. Here's what I came up with: </div>
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<strong><em>Keep in mind, this is the perfect "normal" day for me...my real "perfect" day would involve the beach, a Mocha Latte, and Matthew McConaughy! (hee hee)</em></strong></div>
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<strong>6:00 am</strong>: Wake up just before hubby, make coffee and breakfast, make his lunch, sit down with the Bible before he comes downstairs.</div>
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<strong>6:30</strong>: Drink coffee and visit with hubby while he eats his breakfast, see him off to work</div>
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<strong>6:50</strong>: Spend a little more time in the Bible and pray for the day</div>
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<strong>7:15</strong>: Put a loaf of banana bread in the oven</div>
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<strong>7:30</strong>: Make my bed, get dressed, brush my hair, put a little makeup on; kids wake up and make their beds, get dressed, and straighten their rooms</div>
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<strong>7:45</strong>: Check kids' chores, change/dress babies, morning Bible time with kids</div>
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<strong>8:15</strong>: Make scrambled eggs and fruit salad</div>
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<strong>8:30</strong>: Slice that delicious freshly baked banana bread and eat breakfast with the kids</div>
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<strong>9:00: </strong>Clean up breakfast and unload dishwasher from last night, re-load dishwasher, wipe down table and counters; kid's brush teeth, wash faces, and do their one special morning chore</div>
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<strong>9:30: </strong>My 7th grader has started his independent schoolwork; Guided educational activities with the little ones</div>
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<strong>10:00: </strong>Morning nap for the babies; continue schooling</div>
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<strong>11:00: </strong>Snack time/short educational video; clean up morning school mess</div>
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<strong>11:30: </strong>Play time for little ones, free time for 7th grader, computer time for Mom</div>
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<strong>12:30: </strong>Change babies, prepare lunch, set table, dinner prep</div>
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<strong>1:00: </strong>Eat/clean up lunch</div>
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<strong>1:30: </strong>Read aloud (whatever book we are currently reading)</div>
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<strong>2:00: </strong>Naptime for kids; 7th grader works on family newsletter or art project; I delve into a creative project (knitting, sewing, organizing, scrapbooking, etc.)</div>
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<strong><em>And then this is where my daydream ended because the kids were literally trying to climb under the door to interrupt my quiet bubble bath...sigh...</em></strong><br />
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It's fun to think about what the "perfect" homeschool day would look like with 5 kids...but in reality, most days are "fly by the wind". And I don't think that's so bad most of the time...<br />
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I saw a quote on Facebook today that said this: "Being a mother means knowing that regardless of whatever else you did or didn't do, you gave the world something <em>beautiful</em>."<br />
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So, my dream for this new year is to relish the moment...to not worry about creating the perfect day, but to focus on creating perfect relationships with my husband, my kids and other special people in my life. <br />
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<em>So, what are your goals and dreams for 2013?</em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-4492885492502642782012-03-13T14:09:00.000-07:002013-01-17T21:52:21.342-08:00Looking For Fun St. Patrick's Day Ideas?<div align="center">
We are planning some fun St. Patrick's Day activities for this week. Here are some fun pages I've created over at Squidoo for St. Patrick's Day food and crafts!</div>
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<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/traditional-irish-breakfast" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">Traditional Irish Breakfast</span></strong></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/traditional-irish-breakfast" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbroUTwoJItMVn2wOBtmUg4YtkI8-PsJAo_UzrmNZ8M9AhQs2cMfiimW4JPau3wg0jp-93Qg5PKjFdiS5HLxkrJW_GPtKKKy3MTaiJjb5yFKJlQRjNqxoNjPBukMGUHkPp8KmYw4k69c/s1600/irish-breakfast.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image: <a href="http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?item=3779810&AID=93602376&PSTID=1&LTID=1&lang=1" target="_blank">Traditional Irish Breakfast</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/leprechaun-trap" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">How To Make a Leprechaun Trap</span></strong></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/leprechaun-trap" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1y7YopmVikIkrQrsXQybMU4ywA2moWIYlOZIbRKBOSj051KX8XcFj80Chz5WuGRcydg-sOWwuwkqDUw2nJ9K_m_UKfPoUiXAJ1egcBxVyJTk40fZ1fWdi1v75uyQyxeYkvDIkkIjmqL4/s1600/leprechaun-trap.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image: </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/crobj/3408798585/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Leprechaun</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/pot-of-gold-party" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>Throw a Pot of Gold Party!</strong></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/pot-of-gold-party" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreZZ2QrZavMCxnQItfW39XoIc5z4XlLFQ5nr-GGustou-QLcNpmO4cjcxQhrOXi5V3t6fxf5F36inQZD4egTL_hyYGLH1mr0Qngwp7DlsHQWIPkzo4BdyCdWM0_ZN673Efy0PGvuBl9A/s320/pot-of-gold-party.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image: </span><a href="http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?item=4891648&AID=93602376&PSTID=1&LTID=1&lang=1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pot of Gold</span></a></div>
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Happy St. Patrick's Day!</div>
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<strong><em><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Blessings!</span></em></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><strong><em>Brandi</em></strong></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-45177461351724455622012-01-31T10:55:00.000-08:002012-01-31T10:59:12.646-08:00January 31st is Backwards Day!<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>!yaD sdrawkcaB yppaH</em></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTSnecWwAFE00M6fSCGh6WzdOo2iULwl8k_QFc_6NMycugp50sBNnJIaYxynjFO0_axdXtuCa6lprOdHFZuE_LEkvW2pigRQv15ZDMrPkxFnsZuyJKUyT2LK6t2nUtROZzooT3xNhYcY/s1600/Backwards+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTSnecWwAFE00M6fSCGh6WzdOo2iULwl8k_QFc_6NMycugp50sBNnJIaYxynjFO0_axdXtuCa6lprOdHFZuE_LEkvW2pigRQv15ZDMrPkxFnsZuyJKUyT2LK6t2nUtROZzooT3xNhYcY/s320/Backwards+Day.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodncrazy/" target="_blank">GoodNCrazy</a></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">January 31st is <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/backwards-day" target="_blank">National Backwards Day</a>! Do you know what that means in a house full of kids? Chaotic fun!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Some of the things we are doing today:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1. We put our clothes on inside out (the tags are annoying if you put them on backwards!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2. When we made our beds, we put our pillows on the wrong end!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3. For breakfast, we had macaroni and cheese with tuna and green beans! (I have to admit, eating tuna at 9:00 am is NOT pleasant! And I still had to have my coffee...)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4. We learned to spell our names backwards...surprisingly easy for the kids...surprisingly NOT easy for me!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">5. We did backwards exercising! Backrolls, backward crab walk, walking backward through the house, backward stair climbing, jumping backwards, upside-down handstands, etc. FUN!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">6. We played backwards Chutes and Ladd</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">ers! We started at the finish, finished at the start, went up the chutes and down the ladders!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">7. We learned about palindromes! <em> (mom, dad, toot, peep, Hannah)</em> Google it for some really amazing palindrome phrases and sentences!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">9. For dinner we are making waffles, fruit salad, and oatmeal crisp! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">10. Tonight we will do our bedtime routine backwards...pray, read, brush teeth, wash faces, put on PJ's, lights out...not such a big deal for me, but "mixing it up" is very exciting for them!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><em>Are you celebrating </em></strong><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/backwards-day" target="_blank"><strong><em>Backwards Day</em></strong></a><strong><em> in your home today?</em></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXV9mAugQp5Q_FZAZIsgt4JL2GmdXBIa_qyNe2us6DHssJYuQlC5qe4ThiR3VTxQZM8UAVlmKr09KXZFiMUzxpvp4vslrfMiNZI2QpYQzTiuZ-cDpP0xvDezQofz9Twg3-cSyAnHammk/s1600/Backward+Clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXV9mAugQp5Q_FZAZIsgt4JL2GmdXBIa_qyNe2us6DHssJYuQlC5qe4ThiR3VTxQZM8UAVlmKr09KXZFiMUzxpvp4vslrfMiNZI2QpYQzTiuZ-cDpP0xvDezQofz9Twg3-cSyAnHammk/s320/Backward+Clock.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rberteig/" target="_blank">RBerteig</a></td></tr>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-60884208875778802072011-09-29T06:43:00.000-07:002011-09-29T06:43:28.094-07:00New Home, New Town, Fresh Start<div style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure I even mentioned on this blog that my husband was looking for a new job. The one he had was sort of a dead end without much chance for promotion. The one promotion possibility that he had fell through, so it was back to the drawing board and applications were submitted. Little did we know that things would change so fast! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He decided to apply to positions in several different areas, but one of those areas was very near our "home" in PA. We thought the chances of getting the one position he wanted the most would be slim to none, but God works in mysterious ways and he had a job interview one week after applying...in PA!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">To make a long story short, 4 weeks after his initial application, we were loading a moving truck and heading out of WV where we've lived the past 4 years to our home state of PA. Before that, we lived in UT, FL, and TX...so finally moving back to PA has been very exciting. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We haven't lived near family since we got married in 1998, but we now live 12 minutes from my sister and about 20 minutes from my brother...good stuff! Plus, our new home is right around the corner from CVS, Walgreen's, Rite Aid, McDonald's and a huge convenience store...and only 5 minutes from a huge, gorgeous grocery store, Lowe's, Kohl's, TJ Maxx, Target, Wal-Mart, and restaurants. We can even get pizza delivery!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know this sounds odd to some of you reading this right now, but for the past 7 years it has taken me an hour to get to a grocery store and Wal-Mart! If we wanted to go out to eat, there was a McDonald's about 30 minutes from us and a little gas station that sold pizza...if you could even legally classify it as pizza.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The homeschool group in our new town is 400+ families and chock-full of fun activities, sports, clubs and events for the kids. There's even a mom's group that meets once a month. A night out with other moms without the kids? Music to my ears! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Plus, as an added bonus, my dear sister said she would babysit the kids so hubby and I can have regular date nights. I'm not sure I know how to go on a date anymore...and I'm sure I'm going to have to go shopping so I have something other than hole-y yoga pants and t-shirts to wear. Now I have an excuse to get some nice clothes!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Things can change so quickly...it's really mind-blowing. I can't believe I'm sitting in our gorgeous new home this morning. It's full of boxes and we've eaten out every night since Friday, but we're here. There's so much space in this house that we don't know what to do with it. And although I am counting my blessings and thanking God every day for the wonderful things He has given us, there are also a few downsides to moving from a 1200 sq. ft. house to a 2700 sq. ft. house.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**We don't have enough furniture to fill this place!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**Sometimes I can't find the kids...there are too many places for them to go!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**With 3 bathrooms, sometimes I have to run up a flight of stairs to "help" my toddlers on the potty.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**I have 3 floors and more than double the space to clean...ugh...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**Higher bills because there is more to heat and cool...and did I mention that the house I left in WV had free gas?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">What I've found is that a bigger house doesn't solve all the "problems". It might fix some of them, but more are created.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've also learned that no matter where you are, as long as your family is there, you can make it work and be happy. We were just as happy crammed into our 1200 sq. ft. house as we are here. Sure, things might be more convenient and we have more places to spread out and store our stuff, but happiness doesn't come from a big, fancy house. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Happiness ultimately comes from taking each day as it comes and enjoying this adventure called LIFE. Changes happen around every corner and I'm determined to embrace them and remember that life is not going to happen "someday" when all we get all our ducks in a row...it's happening right now, every second of every day!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Blessings!</span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color: #38761d;">Brandi</span></em></strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-79285632605057543082011-09-28T09:01:00.000-07:002011-09-28T10:18:59.281-07:00Squidoo Lenses by Me<div style="text-align: center;">I would say that I haven't been blogging much because we just made a giant move to another state (new, home, new job, new homeschool laws to figure out...). More about that in another post...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But, to be perfectly honest, the main reason I've been absent is my recent discovery (and subsequent obsession) with <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/mamabush">Squidoo</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQiUO-JvkFdrWYgX164f8iymDQALjU6ZLn3QXyZISTRU5dkWrGCzCCtf92osgBnVZfyBdbdempyl2rBiyj4TzMKUEw97jrXmalnPw58V4OcrepDZzZU3viQxlNG8DkO6yWnfkDa5rLro/s1600/computer-squid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQiUO-JvkFdrWYgX164f8iymDQALjU6ZLn3QXyZISTRU5dkWrGCzCCtf92osgBnVZfyBdbdempyl2rBiyj4TzMKUEw97jrXmalnPw58V4OcrepDZzZU3viQxlNG8DkO6yWnfkDa5rLro/s1600/computer-squid.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Graphic courtesy of <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Greekgeek">Greekgeek</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you know about <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/mamabush">Squidoo</a>? It's kind of like blogging, but you create a single page on a topic and you can continue to build it over time. You can also create several detailed pages about a broader topic and link them together.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's fun and totally addicting! Check out some of my lenses if you have time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/mamabush">My Lensmaster Page</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/healthy-homemade-granola-bars">Healthy Homemade Granola Bars</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/totally-free-recipe-books">Totally Free Recipe Books</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/bigfoot-halloween-costumes">Bigfoot Halloween Costumes</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/best-baby-costumes">Best Baby Costumes</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/stroller-costumes">Stroller Costumes for Halloween</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/bigfoot-for-kids">Bigfoot For Kids</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lilla-rose-videos">Lilla Rose Videos</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/planning-for-the-holidays">Christmas Countdown Planner</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/10-funniest-songs-for-kids">10 Funniest Songs For Kids</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lullaby-lyrics">Lullaby Lyrics</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/patriotic-lenses">Patriotic Lenses on Squidoo</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/footwear-for-babies">Cutest Baby Shoes</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>If you love blogging, give <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/mamabush">Squidoo</a> a try! It's a great way to promote your blog, your business, and to create backlinks to improve your Google ranking.</strong><br />
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<strong>ENJOY!</strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-53661331461928108912011-09-14T08:12:00.000-07:002011-09-19T20:42:03.428-07:00Book Review: 100 Days To Christmas<div style="text-align: center;">Do you get overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done for the holidays? I do! I start to think about the multitude of things that I feel like I need to do in order for my family to have the best Christmas I can give them, like decorating inside and out, finding the perfect tree, buying and wrapping gifts, attending activities and events, and planning perfect holiday meals. Then there are the things we do for other people, like sending out Christmas cards (including taking the dreaded family Christmas picture), baking bread and cookies for gifts, visiting, and donating to charities.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">All of these things are good things and they can be so much fun, but when you look at it all at one time, it looks like a mountain that needs to be climbed. Impossible!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">How does a person even function under all of this pressure? I think I found the answer…or rather, it found me!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1384849"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6GHK0ctOPgvtjPzfqJWRT7gLn8jL2OjKee2Pm368YwNjjOuthAPqyMUSmWhpJbhWGmLYj1Z9RqcFyqYaO3WocUjDG2NbEizVVF3JowqRQLfzEZYWrLogB40X4VoZbCcZhqmj1U_Rx3Q/s1600/100-Days-of-Christmas.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Recently, I had the privilege of receiving an advanced copy of a wonderful holiday planning guide called <a href="http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1384849">100 Days To Christmas</a> by Jennifer Tankersley. This ebook takes you by the hand and leads you day-by-day, step-by-step through the 100 days that lead up to Christmas, starting on September 16th. It even covers the other holidays that fall within those 100 days, to include Halloween and Thanksgiving. Along the way, you create a holiday planning binder that keeps your preparations handy and organized. I’ve tried to make a binder like this before, but I’m so excited to have step-by-step instructions for how to do it this year!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For example, here is the challenge for November 1st:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“Today’s Countdown to Christmas Challenge is to start looking through your recipes to locate favorites and keep them together in a convenient spot. If you have a copier at home, copy several of your favorite holiday recipes onto a few pages, then add these to your holiday planner under a new tabbed divider called Thanksgiving. Then, replace your recipes back to their original location for safe-keeping.”</strong></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1384849"><img border="0" height="41" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcsnwChEP45VqI6vye_AHP2yCKVTYmDERspp0qFSgFFiBagZyMk-W-ffI6OCqhK8TwSurI5EnXc26rGfqKapUkZULX5QuZ6KuXhoCk_uqmgGhG_62NANuH-J99J1HTQ2JWWtevIAs9Vc/s320/horizontal-banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have to say that one of my favorite things about this book is that it encourages a balanced life while you are planning for the holidays. By tackling one thing at a time, one day at a time, you won’t have to spend a disproportionate amount of time on your holiday preparations. The book also challenges you on certain days to do something other than holiday planning, such as implementing a game night with your family over the long winter months.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you get behind, don’t worry! Saturdays are designated as a “catch-up” day for the challenges you weren’t able to complete the week before. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As a bonus, the book is also full of helpful links to some of Jennifer’s lists from her website, ListPlanIt.com. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ready to start planning for your holidays? Click <a href="http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1384849">HERE</a> to download this book for just $4.99. It is worth every penny!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jennifer Tankersley, the author of <u>100 Days of Christmas</u>, is also the founder and owner of ListPlanIt.com. Are you a listmaker? You will LOVE this website!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1384849"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUnk27oSEHTfufIsYzpTV8K7s4Dt8gm3r0-TjjwI5IST7iks0NUQebCzK7lkB8RqZdSFZVOhEzGVIr6b5yDAyEUEnriplX7MBBHfVX3PxGMceNYcXZbol7JBXHVwYNM6ebSP5gXaicdE/s1600/listplanit-christmas.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Are you ready to start <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/planning-for-the-holidays">planning for the holidays</a>? </div><div style="text-align: center;">Blessings!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brandi</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. There are affiliate links in this post. :)</span></em></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-88827374460578675502011-08-13T15:17:00.000-07:002011-08-13T23:00:02.702-07:00A Rich Man<div style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1882082781"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." </strong></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>-- Unknown </strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnDwx2Kt3PEi_OVFWAHeUU2G4RjDQk_P8npBUR6clpzHPUBjYwbjq6JYBBJWWpgfQYfegn1eX-ndXjpOLXkfEdhhnlVRi1WWQWR6-hv6vfl8PmdTtiPFSEGhwwGuLWb-G02s3NBGDRBo/s1600/DSCF3542+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnDwx2Kt3PEi_OVFWAHeUU2G4RjDQk_P8npBUR6clpzHPUBjYwbjq6JYBBJWWpgfQYfegn1eX-ndXjpOLXkfEdhhnlVRi1WWQWR6-hv6vfl8PmdTtiPFSEGhwwGuLWb-G02s3NBGDRBo/s400/DSCF3542+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Blessings!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><em>Brandi</em></span></strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-3150246104335163662011-08-04T20:48:00.000-07:002011-08-04T20:48:27.098-07:00Lilla Rose Giveaway!<div align="center"><strong><em>Thanks to Kara over at </em></strong><a href="http://www.mineforthemaking.com/"><strong><em>Mine For The Making</em></strong></a><strong><em> for hosting a <a href="http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/2011/08/lilla-rose-giveaway.html">Lilla Rose giveaway</a> this week! </em></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz222/baileytouchton/client%20blogs/mine%20for%20the%20making/button.png" /></center></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Two lucky readers will receive a ticket for a FREE Flexi-clip of their choice (up to $15)!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/2011/08/lilla-rose-giveaway.html">Head over there</a> now to get your entries!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1LeKNKVrtNFlZGQO-2kDBQMdqAhQw6BQlcNdJIQvgolApRTutksuPozNoQCdRyeqvWq3Y6t4moJFgjEZLUBDEneUy6br-K679aNRLD1tNzP-j6PRIhp2Xo-YZZY8LTYtAmhKCu5EuIE/s1600/LillaRose++200X75+%2528200x75%2529.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blessings!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Brandi</span></strong></em></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-62636228041166513432011-08-03T11:39:00.000-07:002011-08-04T13:29:12.257-07:00Hypocritical Parenting<div align="center">Last night, I was standing at my back door with plate in hand, finishing off the last of my dinner while watching the younger boys play in the kiddie pool. My daughter walked up to me with a corn muffin in her hand and I said, "We don't walk around with food in our hands. If you are eating, you belong at the table!" </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">"But, Mom...YOU'RE not eating at the table!"</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><em>Yes, she was right...I was being a hypocrite.</em></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Have you ever yelled at your kids, "It's not nice to yell at each other!"</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Or have you ever swatted your child's behind and said, "We don't hit!"</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Do you get onto your kids about not making their beds while your own bed is undone?</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Do you preach about eating healthy food so their bodies can be strong while sneaking a carton of ice cream after they go to bed? <em>(Guilty!)</em></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Hmmm...hypocritical, right?</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So, as parents, how do we not fall into the "Do as I say, not as I do" routine? </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I decided to look and see what the Bible has to say about hypocrisy. There are many verses that address this, but the passage that stuck out to me, in regards to how we behave with our own children, is Matthew 7:4-5:</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><em><strong>"How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." (NIV)</strong></em></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I know this passage and I've always tried to apply it to my life...outside of my home. But have I been diligent in making sure I apply it inside my home, with my husband and my children? Sadly, I would have to say that the answer is a definite "no".<br />
<br />
Did you realize that if you followed all of the rules that you have set forth for your children, parenting would make you an infinitely better person? I believe that God has a plan for parents, beyond raising Godly children. I believe He has given us children in order to change us...to challenge us to become more Godly!<br />
<br />
Make a point today to take a second look at the rules you have in your home.<br />
<br />
Are you following all of the rules? Or are you being a hypocritical parent? <em>(I need to work on this!)</em><br />
<br />
Are your rules reasonable, or are you expecting too much from your children? If you can't follow the rule, is it reasonable to expect them to? <br />
<br />
Do you have so many rules that your children can't enjoy their home? If so, which ones could you stand to get rid of? Let's learn to not expect perfection from our children. No one is perfect outside of Christ, least of all me!<br />
<br />
<em>Lord, please help me to see the areas in my life where I am being a hypocrite, whether with my children or my husband or outside of my home. Change me, Lord, into the person that you created me to be. Make me a good role model for my children in everything I do. Help me to lead with actions instead of mere words. Amen.</em><br />
<br />
Blessings!<br />
<strong><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Brandi</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/category/women-living-well-wednesdays/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq297/courtneylivingwell/LivingWell.png" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff162/annvoskamp/subalbumone/walkwithhimwednesdays2-1.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-6871534989922934462011-08-01T21:05:00.000-07:002011-08-01T21:05:01.562-07:00Shouting Out<div align="center">Here are a few of my favorite things that are happening online this week!</div><div align="center"><br />
<a href="http://thebettermom.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.thebettermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Better-Mom-Button-125.png" /></a></div><br />
<div></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/">The Better Mom</a> is a brand new blog that just launched today by an awesome mom of 4 named <a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/welcome/meet-ruth/">Ruth</a>. Head over to check out the long list of <a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/welcome/meet-the-contributors/">amazing contributors</a> and enter the launch week giveaways! Today's giveaway: <a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/2011/08/welcome-giveaways/">Ruth's Favorite Things</a>!</div><br />
<center><a border="0" href="http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz222/baileytouchton/client%20blogs/mine%20for%20the%20making/featured-button.png" width="172" /></a></center><br />
<div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Today on <a href="http://www.mineforthemaking.com/">Mine For The Making</a>, Kara featured me in her <a href="http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/2011/08/sponsor-spotlight-brandi-lilla-rose.html">Sponsor Spotlight</a>! Head over and check it out! And keep your eye out for a <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">Lilla Rose</a> giveaway on <a href="http://www.mineforthemaking.com/">Kara's blog</a> this week!<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_263117349"></span><a href="http://www.hslibrarybuilder.com/"><img border="0" height="56" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdn9Y7nCGpijmNotyfCJliC1lnTeQLteI1hIbvHzWoeL65MLxzIURWxEjqkGH7CqLi4sPTANNlcZSkI-iP-4c6bCUbHqfj7XXqzjWnaiR_1CuXM-idSKeajkWw_gKKN5jfb4rBM_mkA4/s400/home_school_library_builder.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /><span id="goog_263117350"></span></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hslibrarybuilder.com/">Homeschool Library Builder</a> is my favorite stop for stocking up my homeschool shelves! The site owners are so sweet and always include a personal note on my invoice...I love that! Their bin sale, going on right now, is a must-see. I always raid the $1 and $2 bins and come away with some real treasures! If you link to them from your website, you receive 75 book points (worth $3) in your account. If you head over, would you kindly put my name (Brandi Bush) in the referral section so I can get some points toward my book purchase? Thanks!<br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
<center><a href="http://www.keylimedigitaldesigns.com/"><img src="http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/kelimedesign/keylime125.jpg" /></a></center><center> </center>I am a new sponsor over at <a href="http://www.keylimedigitaldesigns.com/">Key Lime Digital Designs</a>. Kendra has some great tips for blogging and does <a href="http://www.keylimedigitaldesigns.com/portfolio/">gorgeous custom blog design</a>. Check out her <a href="http://www.keylimedigitaldesigns.com/shop/blog-in-a-box/">Blog in a Box</a> ~ cute idea! Kendra will be doing a complete overhaul on my blog in the very near future.<br />
<br />
</div><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.babble.com/the-new-home-ec/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxVeJWnbmfOBzubvu1-eZhxVneEtWxcIuBeElArNqTZMg7i-UaXJ74dh0GCVQfkgrPABg-dTeiK-BBO14sku-gagkuxrYfJYCbzvGMeOMu0Q5IKD-Ec7qIoeHqFFrgCbOP31puzpAra8/s1600/the-new-home-ec.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div align="center"><a href="http://blogs.babble.com/the-new-home-ec/">The New Home Ec</a> is another blog that just launched today on <a href="http://www.babble.com/">Babble</a> that I am really looking forward to! One of the contributors is my favorite blogger, Ashley over at <a href="http://www.lilblueboo.com/">LilBlueBoo</a>. Her <a href="http://shop.lilblueboo.com/products">clothing designs</a> are so adorable and <a href="http://shop.lilblueboo.com/category/pdf-sewing-patterns">her patterns</a> are easy to follow...great for a beginning sewer like me! <a href="http://www.lilblueboo.com/2009/07/sundress-showcase.html">Click here</a> to see a dress I made from one of her tutorials (my daughter is the one in pink and green!).</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Have fun browsing!<br />
<br />
Blessings!<br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><em><strong>Brandi</strong></em></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-29734098627877487852011-07-28T08:04:00.000-07:002011-07-29T17:19:32.324-07:00Summer Kids Pics<div align="center">I can't believe July is almost over! Where has the summer gone? In just a month, we will be starting our new school year. I thought I'd post a few pictures of the fun we've been having...before it ends way too quickly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Lots of snuggles and love...</em></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoT-rCY6dFxfd-p9wiXMPYqspWXCupKangoodZ1EeF8BusrXsqngLB8sdgyYRHR2zGAIbTUSxNhI6TgoPvQ3CQCsOxYMfCqUzb3-xwINm4jr8dlHs9RLwoRIAFxevZCdipeVV_lHUm8Q/s320/DSCF4207+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NdEP5pxemk9RrVe6Z8wJeAR0WzqtkFaG6sMPPHbCfTQecDoRPwBx20ztc0wJDFJEQ6qNPtvx-RbUP8u6gxdh1srTFVgyYFogP7GLaf41_OVc8La0FFHXYZYNYN37O2xlUwtMTbHRkb4/s1600/DSCF4219+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NdEP5pxemk9RrVe6Z8wJeAR0WzqtkFaG6sMPPHbCfTQecDoRPwBx20ztc0wJDFJEQ6qNPtvx-RbUP8u6gxdh1srTFVgyYFogP7GLaf41_OVc8La0FFHXYZYNYN37O2xlUwtMTbHRkb4/s320/DSCF4219+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Taking time to stop and smell the...tiger lillies!</em></span></strong></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDasikW0pgGF2Zxa47hV69RuMJmV7qbsijc-6pZm2fk15qZmxV_Wk7fzGtTGJN2nrEetxTpu9KVMNVR9Zzft7MfTH1tsKDgMCJ69cTXWkQKgwACKxMFBPyIMF5PTBEEHj2hS9i-3s-NWk/s1600/DSCF4216+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDasikW0pgGF2Zxa47hV69RuMJmV7qbsijc-6pZm2fk15qZmxV_Wk7fzGtTGJN2nrEetxTpu9KVMNVR9Zzft7MfTH1tsKDgMCJ69cTXWkQKgwACKxMFBPyIMF5PTBEEHj2hS9i-3s-NWk/s320/DSCF4216+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Acting like monkeys in the trees...</em></strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NdzSltkFTdFNjRzgcZgJIUNpYxGkxjWHRR4uQUFOwil7urwq9m7imyB_RP-nq41G2l7CmVZsAXntFRe0F5wpwgwONz_YSlYQVQDLbCokyFf-cPCwzdUXTkxvTaBfwLYchYOwrf9lY1s/s1600/DSCF4003+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NdzSltkFTdFNjRzgcZgJIUNpYxGkxjWHRR4uQUFOwil7urwq9m7imyB_RP-nq41G2l7CmVZsAXntFRe0F5wpwgwONz_YSlYQVQDLbCokyFf-cPCwzdUXTkxvTaBfwLYchYOwrf9lY1s/s320/DSCF4003+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Napping in the fresh air...</span></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx4GJfaA3IdeLJ0hkTbhRvWX-9qzw3oxH88TPrqzDG0Kt9-4MUdt5F-aa1uv8GHM1Gz_g3GUFbsh5ydsCnyNUjWk_YOCe7yqCfKf4B-4OKPdyKSpJpvOUEvUpfGjvVccE0jGt9uXfqHE/s1600/DSCF4103+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx4GJfaA3IdeLJ0hkTbhRvWX-9qzw3oxH88TPrqzDG0Kt9-4MUdt5F-aa1uv8GHM1Gz_g3GUFbsh5ydsCnyNUjWk_YOCe7yqCfKf4B-4OKPdyKSpJpvOUEvUpfGjvVccE0jGt9uXfqHE/s320/DSCF4103+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and napping in the air conditioner!</span></em></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkHMRCLtcw4Y4f8pnlwj0Uhp74CF59YjnH-pqrtIL4GhjcyBwp88n3p3Gp8Zn2ekqSt0gSD68FSrWkMrkX0dFH0QIiMylIr8Hvc9bmm2zg1yUCFCbLDkROI7n2rGFMJChpL78JZSQDzY/s1600/DSCF4090+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkHMRCLtcw4Y4f8pnlwj0Uhp74CF59YjnH-pqrtIL4GhjcyBwp88n3p3Gp8Zn2ekqSt0gSD68FSrWkMrkX0dFH0QIiMylIr8Hvc9bmm2zg1yUCFCbLDkROI7n2rGFMJChpL78JZSQDzY/s320/DSCF4090+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Working in the garden...</em></strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCrlV-qNB-4pJxDxGEBpFllSpAukoxVF6eEwZvv6sbdmCLmPfS98sIz9Pof2YoNuoUq4nRC80h4QyS0mCY-KZM9p-D1_1LJyzgPr7g6Y5dc3Dkr5f-YC0Tps3WbdEKhUdKVLXIej34qc/s1600/DSCF4179+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCrlV-qNB-4pJxDxGEBpFllSpAukoxVF6eEwZvv6sbdmCLmPfS98sIz9Pof2YoNuoUq4nRC80h4QyS0mCY-KZM9p-D1_1LJyzgPr7g6Y5dc3Dkr5f-YC0Tps3WbdEKhUdKVLXIej34qc/s320/DSCF4179+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and playing in the rain!</span></em></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjj3oxQDRoaQe7vvQdj7xuJdLb0mQ2bKU23ywEVOsfMBHD3ZGxfTrS5kUcDi80dNNLFBNvZoAQ2Cwfd8M_HvQBekLnbl60es-pMxFMWN0c0qi_oKq_FySeK5Sdd3KoA3Hg5-iB2RmHC8/s1600/DSCF4173+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjj3oxQDRoaQe7vvQdj7xuJdLb0mQ2bKU23ywEVOsfMBHD3ZGxfTrS5kUcDi80dNNLFBNvZoAQ2Cwfd8M_HvQBekLnbl60es-pMxFMWN0c0qi_oKq_FySeK5Sdd3KoA3Hg5-iB2RmHC8/s320/DSCF4173+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunny day fun...</span></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhnEOV7C86_glPtGrOrmWJvwkVY4y_EGNPJJ1w_T63RsxcnrS6LG1Uk3f2Q3Qqf6l9xJnpMPRQdnOnJasjlWUlyuYOBXKGJ7wM6dr5WAy2wFqbP2wIoLtSQToaEzXHuasjw5hNgqbOJ8/s1600/DSCF4133+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhnEOV7C86_glPtGrOrmWJvwkVY4y_EGNPJJ1w_T63RsxcnrS6LG1Uk3f2Q3Qqf6l9xJnpMPRQdnOnJasjlWUlyuYOBXKGJ7wM6dr5WAy2wFqbP2wIoLtSQToaEzXHuasjw5hNgqbOJ8/s320/DSCF4133+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxgqffrKwrPytS_b6Hdu8DZSi7L-Cx8tvGOxjc4VV5hBm7bY4ZNO894X4QLTrGCGG4TYBw_rPHUUAZtpOPxH_lCSHYijuNhgHRVm_HchxLeYhzGpR7CAsTCgYvrZkAJO01UY_0Z14Ka8/s1600/DSCF4130+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxgqffrKwrPytS_b6Hdu8DZSi7L-Cx8tvGOxjc4VV5hBm7bY4ZNO894X4QLTrGCGG4TYBw_rPHUUAZtpOPxH_lCSHYijuNhgHRVm_HchxLeYhzGpR7CAsTCgYvrZkAJO01UY_0Z14Ka8/s320/DSCF4130+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and rainy day fun!</span></strong></em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-VNmjeo5bGTy1b_HWNtrYsuKgSTfIvY1kAONRkIDaJ0hhV3KSVx5oi7Kj8bsVl9RU6gv0nJFnIeu6p1dOBizNBPkFb_EH9Tv8xEAXyvL3LWrt8DnPeydKWYnG1tfYiiZLv-PDIXp25U/s1600/DSCF4107+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-VNmjeo5bGTy1b_HWNtrYsuKgSTfIvY1kAONRkIDaJ0hhV3KSVx5oi7Kj8bsVl9RU6gv0nJFnIeu6p1dOBizNBPkFb_EH9Tv8xEAXyvL3LWrt8DnPeydKWYnG1tfYiiZLv-PDIXp25U/s320/DSCF4107+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHevWJyD01qrtXnYLnZIsHzU7h5Nxt8UmsKJU7IxtlAGfGQ_fZPGYyLTpZTcOLBvFmy4bSbaN8la8IsS1Ckskt17SKZQspwr8Yx6UMiKyb4D2xgW7fGAz4H-tqTep4M0tb_AmjYS3VFQ/s1600/DSCF4112+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHevWJyD01qrtXnYLnZIsHzU7h5Nxt8UmsKJU7IxtlAGfGQ_fZPGYyLTpZTcOLBvFmy4bSbaN8la8IsS1Ckskt17SKZQspwr8Yx6UMiKyb4D2xgW7fGAz4H-tqTep4M0tb_AmjYS3VFQ/s320/DSCF4112+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqtKavVMsiNJ9qKnQ6CHi2PNRlXs2YubkCIluz7CFG8bvyveREVFIM-60PRuYRrNhc8c1-2u1MEH641Nne5TUkfsIFiWHjq0b54LRYGqjd_6lJvgiXl17sDw-YuvO6soBDhjSlGR42iI/s1600/DSCF4113+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqtKavVMsiNJ9qKnQ6CHi2PNRlXs2YubkCIluz7CFG8bvyveREVFIM-60PRuYRrNhc8c1-2u1MEH641Nne5TUkfsIFiWHjq0b54LRYGqjd_6lJvgiXl17sDw-YuvO6soBDhjSlGR42iI/s320/DSCF4113+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoying the simple blessings that summer brings...</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></em></strong><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TWulQ_XAHJGo-J5UtyQFTmYEdoEKGDoOJLFVDxX6JMCXdzUOTSHtO04lrAmM_-KgNamw9KmiCm7jWYApekw1GuXkZgaKIGU8ihWP2HBqEYC4WXPULqkvJbziQRHzpE7HciClhDzZRKM/s1600/DSCF4051+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TWulQ_XAHJGo-J5UtyQFTmYEdoEKGDoOJLFVDxX6JMCXdzUOTSHtO04lrAmM_-KgNamw9KmiCm7jWYApekw1GuXkZgaKIGU8ihWP2HBqEYC4WXPULqkvJbziQRHzpE7HciClhDzZRKM/s320/DSCF4051+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpxNg4bnI_83bvPca4m_fKnSrmo6D7UH9Hp5birJCLga4FdbN6Mg7AOAGZVyEHXe-lhHUN6fDR0D9itjLj60gGLSBmPiyRx1NIOyaIjwd7hwFoSJaBjgEv2U4iidU4WuzBtISgKpAlEk/s1600/DSCF3944+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpxNg4bnI_83bvPca4m_fKnSrmo6D7UH9Hp5birJCLga4FdbN6Mg7AOAGZVyEHXe-lhHUN6fDR0D9itjLj60gGLSBmPiyRx1NIOyaIjwd7hwFoSJaBjgEv2U4iidU4WuzBtISgKpAlEk/s320/DSCF3944+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Blessings!</div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Brandi</span></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMFjwt2tlM5vow9OfROrVPCawP2WqdeNCr9QZ58l-KM9mqw-_JDcEwXSm4zfw14etpaROXx-jjreuIEn2lquVW8haf35Yx_mzHIr45j1HruP8ggOatk91pYkTbG6cdKmJZ4H-0t2tZIY/s1600/DSCF4054+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMFjwt2tlM5vow9OfROrVPCawP2WqdeNCr9QZ58l-KM9mqw-_JDcEwXSm4zfw14etpaROXx-jjreuIEn2lquVW8haf35Yx_mzHIr45j1HruP8ggOatk91pYkTbG6cdKmJZ4H-0t2tZIY/s320/DSCF4054+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_azt0hooBnQtPX0vko1RKeeHWIONh1a84IlsyR51D0W_6W8TnogmnAir9dTSIMl2JuWUIDM3R3kqhHSK1e3hyphenhyphen-lrxAehM0ea8608I270LkUe8ZMbpgG8iEJSAuT1dpU8sR9jfpjBOlIE/s1600/DSCF4030+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_azt0hooBnQtPX0vko1RKeeHWIONh1a84IlsyR51D0W_6W8TnogmnAir9dTSIMl2JuWUIDM3R3kqhHSK1e3hyphenhyphen-lrxAehM0ea8608I270LkUe8ZMbpgG8iEJSAuT1dpU8sR9jfpjBOlIE/s320/DSCF4030+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://www.keylimedigitaldesigns.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/kelimedesign/link.jpg" alt="key lime" border="0"/></a><br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-21249028432049793162011-07-23T21:18:00.000-07:002011-07-23T21:21:37.325-07:00CNN Hero: "Mother Robin"<div align="center"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/10/cnnheroes.lim.midwife/index.html">Did you see this week's CNN Hero?</a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">"Mother Robin" is a midwife in Indonesia, providing prenatal and postpartum care to some of the most impoverished women in the world. A lot of these women would be unable to receive care if not for this midwife and her team. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Did you know that in some hospitals in Indonesia a woman cannot take her baby home until her hospital bill is paid? Sometimes, they wait outside for hours and hours until they can get in to feed or diaper their own baby. This is heartbreaking!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">It is an inspiring story of how one woman is making a difference...in a big way! If you get a chance, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/10/cnnheroes.lim.midwife/index.html">head over and read it!</a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Blessings!</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Brandi</em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-75065534556217513242011-07-22T08:58:00.000-07:002013-01-17T21:04:57.981-08:00Free Recipe Booklets<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are a ton of free cookbooks I found while browsing the web for recipes. I absolutely love getting the print editions in the mail, but I also found some really great downloadable ones. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<em>NOTE: Because this list changes often, I decided to create a page on Squidoo where I could update daily. Please visit today's updated page at <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/totally-free-recipe-books" target="_blank">Totally Free Recipe Books</a>. You'll also find current free Kindle ecookbooks there.</em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #990000;"><u><strong>Print:</strong></u></span></em></div>
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<a href="http://www.kitchenbasics.net/display.cfm?p=32&pp=10">Kitchen Basics: Healthy Cooking With Stock</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.australian-lamb.com/cookbook">Australian Lamb: A World of Flavor</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jiffymix.com/bookorder.php">JIFFY Mix: Hospitality in a "JIFFY"</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sunmaid.com/fruitsunshine/intro.html">Sun-Maid: Fruit and Sunshine</a> (also PDF)</div>
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<a href="http://www.sunmaid.com/newtraditions/intro.html">Sun-Maid: The New Taste of Tradition</a> (also PDF)<br />
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<a href="http://www.sunmaid.com/gooseberryfallrecipeweb/intro.html">Gooseberry Patch: Fall Favorites</a> (also PDF)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.smuckers.com/promotions/free_peanut_butter_recipe_booklet.htm">Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter Recipes</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.smuckers.com/promotions/free_smuckers_recipe_booklet.htm">Smucker's Classic Cookie Recipes</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.farmersmarketfoods.com/contact_us/">Farmer's Market Collection</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.crohnsonline.com/Register.aspx">Crohn's Cookbook</a></div>
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<em><strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">PDF Downloads:</span></u></strong></em></div>
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<a href="http://www.furmanos.com/recipebook.asp">Furmano's</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sunmaid.com/freebooklet/intro.html">Sun Maid: Recipes for Healthier Eating</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.sunmaid.com/gooseberrypatch/intro.html">Gooseberry Patch: Family Favorite Recipes</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.eaglebrand.com/recipes/">Eagle Brand</a> (scroll to bottom of page)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://newhope360.com/recipes/delicious-living-s-25th-anniversary-cookbook">Delicious Living</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.greatcheese.com/lasagna/sorrento.php">Sorrento's: For The Love Of Lasagna</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lbveg.com/freebook.php">Low-Budget Vegetarian</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/recipes/kidskitchen.aspx">Wisconsin Cheese: Kitchen Kids</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bicks.ca/">Bick's: Unleash the Flavor</a><br />
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</div>
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Blessings!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Brandi</em></strong></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-40051417116693318932011-07-22T02:59:00.000-07:002011-07-22T02:59:19.434-07:00Free Shipping ~ Support Tiggy's House!<div align="center">A few days ago, I wrote <a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2011/07/help-build-tiggys-house.html">this post</a> about how I'm using my <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">Lilla Rose</a> business to help build <a href="http://www.tiggyshouse.com/">Tiggy's House</a>. The orders have been coming in and I'm excited to say that I'll have a check to send to Dana at the end of the month. But I'm hoping to make that check bigger than it is!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">A full 30% of your purchase price is going directly to build Tiggy's House. I'm also offering a certificate for a free Flexi-clip on any orders of $50 or more from <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">my website</a>. Plus, the deal for you just got better! <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><em>For 2 days only, Lilla Rose is offering FREE SHIPPING on any order of $20 or more!</em></span> <br />
<br />
They only offer this occasionally, so take advantage! This free shipping offer is for today and tomorrow only...July 22nd and 23rd.<br />
<br />
</div><div align="center">Here's a quick video about the Flexi-clip and how to choose the right size:</div><div align="center"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ywrpa4G1YYw" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
</div><div align="center">Flexi-clips are really great. They are easy to use and they stay in place. And they're gorgeous! I slept in my half-up last night and woke up to a perfect "do"!<br />
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Blessings!<br />
<strong><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Brandi</span></em></strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-84165490205801112882011-07-21T14:16:00.000-07:002011-07-27T10:53:24.810-07:00My Compost Garden<div align="center">After having my daughter in April, I knew I wouldn't get a good start on my garden this year. I eventually recovered from the birth enough to get some green beans, watermelons, cantaloupe, and pumpkins planted, but had resigned myself to no tomatoes because I hadn't started them early in the spring.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaD_bxZ9bCK6Kt0FNWJ06obVSrc7B15PJhsFMKUME9JUALrwMHzNsn6USe-LSk1nBn4vPhFWcxWpxkwDVs1g7jaK1fyZo25TT6u_BaUubEmDF28yi43T6Opzvv4BFZAH6c_YDJpRGOMdE/s1600/DSCF4182+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaD_bxZ9bCK6Kt0FNWJ06obVSrc7B15PJhsFMKUME9JUALrwMHzNsn6USe-LSk1nBn4vPhFWcxWpxkwDVs1g7jaK1fyZo25TT6u_BaUubEmDF28yi43T6Opzvv4BFZAH6c_YDJpRGOMdE/s320/DSCF4182+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPE_2K4nmyDHGdlzb8s8dshihGNSR6u2jt5m358By1apG25pdtrZLznSNguE2p0u8I47K4uxazy4e8Nsh3EBPq_SansFWVnrOayBYFcQblWambOqQJvbBdNF5w3w7GUmcbeeXHRT-qt2U/s1600/DSCF4183+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPE_2K4nmyDHGdlzb8s8dshihGNSR6u2jt5m358By1apG25pdtrZLznSNguE2p0u8I47K4uxazy4e8Nsh3EBPq_SansFWVnrOayBYFcQblWambOqQJvbBdNF5w3w7GUmcbeeXHRT-qt2U/s320/DSCF4183+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div></div><div align="center">One day, we were showing our house to potential buyers when the woman said, "Look! You have tomatoes growing in your compost!"</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefH7StgPzw1WMmyW4iMfH4M9EC59MTualoJ4-rhdw0iFJNtuqysRv-ISCuh8_pDb7_h3ME3xiOHK5wL4eg_8xpmz_Xqd3HKblyKDTetrNlmcEWxmAiRXOo7zg8vx92HM14X2huQCvk-k/s1600/DSCF4185+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefH7StgPzw1WMmyW4iMfH4M9EC59MTualoJ4-rhdw0iFJNtuqysRv-ISCuh8_pDb7_h3ME3xiOHK5wL4eg_8xpmz_Xqd3HKblyKDTetrNlmcEWxmAiRXOo7zg8vx92HM14X2huQCvk-k/s320/DSCF4185+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHnMLX9vxNETvqEY7L5w1-O-CmRB4nSWuoHLH13Ek6RL4pn468kFQ_M2BDTTFuw3Zgoh6S5prbd2KfQpspj0orO01ll7r7pWPzC6BOzWxIkEzF9OZN1x5BWtMlesNsVvCinvvkKOK1Kc/s1600/DSCF4188+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHnMLX9vxNETvqEY7L5w1-O-CmRB4nSWuoHLH13Ek6RL4pn468kFQ_M2BDTTFuw3Zgoh6S5prbd2KfQpspj0orO01ll7r7pWPzC6BOzWxIkEzF9OZN1x5BWtMlesNsVvCinvvkKOK1Kc/s320/DSCF4188+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Sure enough, there amongst the scraps of food and broken eggshells, there were two perfect tomato plants thriving in the compost muck. Upon further investigation, we also found a couple of ultra-healthy cantaloupe plants, already flowering, and a gorgeous hot pink lily! Now, I know we've thrown tomato and cantaloupe seeds in the compost, but where that lily came from, I'll never know!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTCkRUz2XEAuAepUzZ-emqKM2cKe6H5smUzucnNLumIUerrjEC930oaBsOMHFRmaGyXrdb5tk_8wgAqynTawR9OMEHq8O9Qr5L2UmezYDY3bR-wTjo66peZWB_2dzoXOw9871TP1i81U/s1600/DSCF4189+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTCkRUz2XEAuAepUzZ-emqKM2cKe6H5smUzucnNLumIUerrjEC930oaBsOMHFRmaGyXrdb5tk_8wgAqynTawR9OMEHq8O9Qr5L2UmezYDY3bR-wTjo66peZWB_2dzoXOw9871TP1i81U/s320/DSCF4189+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="298" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWKCUEiHHQMHFArCMk0rf8-o_xRhUBMLiaMQGjhcuVdhs8lWY2De-Wz-sPRMnLWH9DVBYbtGbG64ApaxHGfJD-Oijjr6yq3ISqUtJ4pSYadE5NHLtd90CUmr0TROlDP-2JFCTb8Dhr_U/s1600/DSCF4186+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWKCUEiHHQMHFArCMk0rf8-o_xRhUBMLiaMQGjhcuVdhs8lWY2De-Wz-sPRMnLWH9DVBYbtGbG64ApaxHGfJD-Oijjr6yq3ISqUtJ4pSYadE5NHLtd90CUmr0TROlDP-2JFCTb8Dhr_U/s320/DSCF4186+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="298" /></a></div></div><div align="center">My husband staked up the tomato plants and they are now getting gorgeous fruit on them. One of them has perfect bite-sized morsels and the other is yielding big tomatoes for slicing. I am so excited and feel so blessed that the Lord gave me these plants when He knew I wouldn't be able to grow them myself!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GsRi0PkGdBOEhcTnkDplkK6-esT_RPHyVsiTZxQcKRgrjZRGCle71l4p7l8hLb5zQsEFR6rAE_pNsPzCg29AeXrG2G0VHJ-W4Mfop0jBfs1G0LarwUQByU4sunvEHhCneIZLbyLT_bY/s1600/DSCF4187+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GsRi0PkGdBOEhcTnkDplkK6-esT_RPHyVsiTZxQcKRgrjZRGCle71l4p7l8hLb5zQsEFR6rAE_pNsPzCg29AeXrG2G0VHJ-W4Mfop0jBfs1G0LarwUQByU4sunvEHhCneIZLbyLT_bY/s320/DSCF4187+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div></div><div align="center"><br />
I am linking up to the <a href="http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/07/framed-ferns-garden-link-party/">Garden Link Party</a> over at <a href="http://www.centsationalgirl.com/">Centsational Girl</a> <em>and </em><a href="http://www.smockityfrocks.com/2011/07/we-love-watermelon.html">Frugal Gardening 101 Link-Up</a> sponsored by <a href="http://www.smockityfrocks.com/">Smockity Frocks</a> and <a href="http://amysfinerthings.com/">Amy's Finer Things</a>.<br />
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Blessings!</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><em><strong>Brandi</strong></em></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-47712987729203200272011-07-20T15:12:00.000-07:002011-07-20T15:12:45.351-07:00Free Homeschool Resources<div align="center">I've been browsing the web this past week, searching for curriculum for our homeschool, and I came across a ton of great free resources for homeschoolers that I wanted to share with any homeschooling readers I might have. I tried to make it easy to browse through by breaking it down by subject. Hope you find something that you like!<br />
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<em>**There are no affiliate links in this post**</em></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">ALL SUBJECTS</span></u></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/"><strong>Sheppard Software</strong></a> <span style="color: black;">~ Tons of fun games for preschool to 8th grade in all major subjects.</span><br />
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<strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">MATH</span></u></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><a href="http://www.numbernut.com/">NumberNut</a></strong> <span style="color: black;">~ Love this site! Explanations of math concepts and fun activities. Elementary to advanced. Scroll down the homepage for a tour of the website.</span><br />
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<strong><u><a href="http://www.mathvids.com/">MathVids</a></u></strong> <span style="color: black;">~ Excellent instructional videos, especially for more difficult high school subjects. I watched a couple of these and they are easy to understand and don't take any time to load.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">LANGUAGE ARTS</span></u></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.splashesfromtheriver.com/spelling/index.htm"><strong>Basic Cozy Spelling Course</strong></a><strong> </strong></span><span style="color: black;"><strong>~ </strong>Complete 30-lesson spelling course for Grades 6 thru 8. I'll be doing one lesson per week with my 6th grader this year.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
<a href="http://www.schoolhousetech.com/WordSearch/Default.aspx"><strong>Wordsearch Maker</strong></a> <span style="color: black;">~ Free downloadable software for creating your own word searches. Makes very professional looking puzzle sheets and is easy to use. Use it with your spelling words from the Basic Cozy Spelling Course listed above!</span></div><div align="center"><br />
<strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">SCIENCE</span></u></strong><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.animalearn.org/sciencebank.php">The Science Bank</a> ~<span style="color: black;"> </span></strong><span style="color: black;">We will definitely be using this website this year! Borrow science resources for free (just pay return shipping), including videos, charts, books, software, models, and even simulated dissection kits. Something for all grades.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.columbuszoo.org/meet_our_animals/mammals/default.aspx"><strong>Columbus Zoo</strong></a> <span style="color: black;">~ I love Jack Hanna! This is a link to Jungle Jack's Animal Guide. Very fun interactive world map, great for all ages to explore!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.si.edu/"><strong>Smithsonian</strong></a> <span style="color: black;">~ Speaks for itself...tons of really amazing stuff here. I plan on letting my kids explore this site before we take them to D.C. this year to visit the museums!</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">SOCIAL STUDIES</span></u></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.abookintime.com/"><strong>A Book In Time</strong></a><strong> <span style="color: black;">~ </span></strong></span><span style="color: black;">History resources and crafts. I especially love the extensive reading lists on this site. All ages.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.americanheritage.org/k-12_lessons.html">American Heritage</a> <span style="color: black;">~ Free history curriculum for K-12. Download from their website or order a free lesson plan CD. Donations are accepted.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
<strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">ART</span></u></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/smartkids/home.html">smARTkids</a></span> <span style="color: black;">~</span></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> An interactive website that makes art appreciation fun. Very fun website to explore...my kids love this one!</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">MUSIC</span></u></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.sfskids.org/templates/home.asp?pageid=1"><strong>SFSKids</strong></a><strong> (San Francisco Symphony) <span style="color: black;">~ </span></strong></span><span style="color: black;">Educational and fun! Graphics are eye-catching...try out The Music Lab! All ages.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">PRESCHOOL</span></u></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
<a href="http://letteroftheweek.com/"><strong>LetterOfTheWeek</strong></a><strong> </strong>~<span style="color: black;"> Totally free complete preschool curriculums, progressing from "Preparatory Curriculum" to "Letter of the Week" to "Sound of the Week" to "Story of the Week"! 4 years of free curriculum! Also offers free curriculum guides for higher grades, although I can't speak to this personally, as I've never used them.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
<strong><u><span style="color: #990000;">OTHER</span></u></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://cybersmartcurriculum.org/"><strong>CyberSmart!</strong></a> </span><span style="color: black;">~ Awesome free computer curriculum! I will definitely be using this one throughout the year. Click on the links to the left to access lessons by grade level or topic. K thru 12.</span><br />
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I would love to hear from you if you use any of these free resources. Tell me what you think!<br />
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Blessings!<br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Brandi</em></strong></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-91315692416760744882011-07-19T11:40:00.000-07:002011-07-19T11:42:48.039-07:00And speaking of homebirth...<div align="center">Did you see <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43807114/ns/today-today_health/t/c-section-rates-hit-all-time-high-study-finds/"><span style="color: #990000;">this article</span></a>, fresh off the presses, about the increase in C-sections in the U.S.?</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Devastating statistics...</div><div align="center"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-56422668712442084192011-07-19T11:01:00.000-07:002011-07-19T11:43:21.201-07:00Carter's Homebirth: Part 2<div align="center"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #990000;">You can read the first part of Carter's Homebirth </span><a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2011/07/carters-home-birth-part-1.html"><span style="color: #274e13;">HERE</span></a><span style="color: #990000;">.</span></span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">It was midnight...</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I was timing these contractions at 10 minutes apart and I knew for sure that they were real. I had been having false contractions for weeks, but as soon as these started, I immediately remembered what real contractions felt like. Isn't it funny how quickly you forget? It had only been 20 months earlier that I had been in labor with Jack!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">At 12:30, I decided to call my midwife. I have a history of fast labors and she was over an hour away, so I figured I better give her a heads-up. It was a good thing I called because while I was talking to her, my contractions immediately jumped from 10 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart! Needless to say, she left immediately and I was glad she already had her bags packed!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I have to admit, at this point I was a little worried that she and her assistant were not going to make it in time. They were traveling together, so if one didn't make it, neither did the other! At this point, I woke my husband and he woke my mother-in-law, which in turn woke our 3-year old daughter, Addy. Suddenly, there was bustling activity all through the cabin as we prepared the bed and the table full of supplies. We put out a basket of snacks that I had prepared ahead of time in case of a long labor.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I walked around the house. It felt amazing to be able to walk during labor! In my previous hospital births, I was told to stay in bed because my water had broke. How torturous to have to lay still during contractions!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I went into my "zone". A couple of hours went by and I barely even noticed when the midwife and her helper arrived. They busied themselves with preparations and took my blood pressure a couple of times, but other than that, they left me alone to "do my thing". It was comforting to know they were there if I needed them, and also liberating to not be hooked up to an IV and monitoring machines.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">A little after 4:00 a.m., I decided to get into the birthing tub. This thing had been blown up in our dining area for a couple of days and I remember thinking..."Finally! I get to finally get into this thing!". </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">All I can say is WOW! If you have never experienced labor in the water, you should consider it for your next birth. It was amazing! I'm not going to say that the contractions became less intense, but they somehow became easier for me to handle. The water was so soothing and I could sit on my knees and lean against the side of the tub, releasing some of the pain from my back. Especially at the end of the labor, the contractions were easier...they never came right on top of each other like they had in the past, so I felt like I had time to catch my breath in between.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">My daughter got in the birth tub with me. She thought she was in a swimming pool and had a grand time splashing around and floating around me. Luckily, I was feeling pretty calm and was able to handle it for most of the time, but about 15 minutes before the birth, I had to have her get out.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">At this point, my mother-in-law woke my 9-year old son so he could be present during the birth. He was in the hospital room when Jack was born, so he really wanted to be a part of this birth as well. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">My labor progressed pretty quickly from there. I was only in the tub for about an hour when I suddenly felt the pressure of the baby. He came out on his own, no pushing on my part at all. My water never broke until he was on his way out. He was delivered into the water, but no one else knew because it was kind of dark in the house. As soon as I caught my breath, I told my midwife that he was in the water. My husband reached in and lifted him out. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">He was so gorgeous! His head was perfectly round and his color was perfect. He didn't even really cry except to get his lungs cleared out. I sat in the birth tub and snuggled him for about 10 minutes, but our drafty cabin was pretty cold that night, so we had to get him closer to the woodstove. He was handed over to my mother-in-law while my husband helped me to the shower.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I felt amazing and I couldn't believe that I was standing in the shower just 15 minutes after giving birth! Then, I went to my bed and the baby nursed for awhile and then slept soundly. My husband also napped and my mother-in-law and the kids went back to bed. Even the midwives took turns closing their eyes for a rest.<br />
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I was the only one who couldn't sleep. I was so high on adrenaline. All I could do was stare at this precious new baby...I couldn't believe he was finally here! It is so sweet to hold a newborn and to know that he fits with you, wholly and completely. To know that the Lord created me to be his mama...it's a feeling I don't even have words for.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Later that morning, my husband prepared an egg breakfast for everyone. It was so wonderful to be sitting at my own dining room table, with my family, holding the new baby in my own home just hours after delivery. I felt so blessed to be "on the other side" of labor and to be holding a healthy, 8 lb. baby boy in my arms.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">He was born on December 8th, 2009...our only winter baby. We named him <a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2009/12/our-newest-blessing.html">Carter Ellett</a>. Ellett is my late grandfather's first name, although he always went by the name "Andy". I want all of my boys to be the kind of man that my grandfather was, so we thought it fitting to give one of them his name.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Today, Carter is a busy toddler, learning to climb and run and keep up with his older brothers and sister.</div><div align="center"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40svGk9eqGUG-XrB1xsM4-nN1anFJ_RP6IaUVbW6rob71XfNkr80_JMVXfXw_84eIWq9nalSz9TNK6n7I1-aisfo0ZWF1sEPGMoXo1rY8KhDbh2LAxHI7-uefeVfSzMuLA2Uwmw4lH_E/s1600/DSCF3943+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40svGk9eqGUG-XrB1xsM4-nN1anFJ_RP6IaUVbW6rob71XfNkr80_JMVXfXw_84eIWq9nalSz9TNK6n7I1-aisfo0ZWF1sEPGMoXo1rY8KhDbh2LAxHI7-uefeVfSzMuLA2Uwmw4lH_E/s320/DSCF3943+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">We have since added another precious child to our family, so Carter is a big brother. Her homebirth story is still to come.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Blessings!</div><div align="center"><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><strong>Brandi</strong></span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-66274199179333622782011-07-13T20:48:00.000-07:002011-07-13T20:59:01.116-07:00Help Build Tiggy's House<div style="text-align: center;">I have recently become a consultant for <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">Lilla Rose</a>, a company that specializes in beautiful, quality hair jewelry. I originally signed up just for the discount on their products. However, I've decided to use my online store for a very worthy cause. For the next 6 months, I will be donating my commissions to the building of <a href="http://www.tiggyshouse.com/">Tiggy's House</a>, a home for needy children in poverty-stricken Nepal, through <a href="http://www.tinyhandsinternational.org/">Tiny Hands International</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tiggyshouse.com/"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2lPN9b6puZhQlRgpNCQgdclIFIV_iKpYvbvBytpYcroQPIVyfJVQS-rSjUN6DErIxwxKGJO5a1ZZd5fvHOF8Ud8W6L6R-6dcrsjyojGbkkLsKNF66ZiuZDEoaiu7qUpY790mcbPiizQ/s1600/tiggy2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you read my blog, you know I am a mom of 5 children and it breaks my heart to think that there are children in this world who do not receive the love and care that my children have. When I read about <a href="http://www.tiggyshouse.com/">Tiggy’s House</a>, I just knew I had to get involved. Please visit the website to read more about Dana's mission to build this home in the memory of her child, Mattias, who had more love in his short life than many children will receive in their lifetime.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br><br />
To make a purchase in support of Tiggy's House, please go directly to <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity</a> or click on the Lilla Rose button in this post or on the sidebar. Make sure you are at my personal website, Sweet Simplicity, so Tiggy’s House will receive the commission.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkUKx1cfOZwLKEEwOzYeKgUNnt8Dl8xiO3dlw6WNn21hlkIzgg0oDPvKWnWKg7UL-4l3KxL59CkOsS8UrID6Ikb1Rs_BubkHH4cktaqqtMxbQlS6HzduZSBsZxSVV9Idf6f6Z5mL6gNI/s1600/LillaRosesidebaradb.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Please be sure to watch the video(s) at the bottom of the <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">online store page</a> if you are going to order Flexi-clips so you know what sizes to order and see how they work. They are really amazing and they work in ALL hair types…even very fine or very thick hair. Our products are very high quality and carry a one-year guarantee. We also have beautiful beaded headbands, sticks, bobbies, and our newest product, You-Pins. Personally, I think if you are a woman and you have hair, you NEED to have a Flexi-clip! And get one for your daughters and grand-daughters, as well…they are so lovely and they will receive many compliments. If you have questions, please contact me through the website or at my blog: <a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/">http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/</a>. You can also email me directly at momswithmanyhats@hotmail.com. Please reference Tiggy’s House in the subject line of all correspondence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #990000;">**As an added bonus, until August 31st, anyone who spends $50 or more (before shipping) will receive a certificate for a FREE hair clip. You will receive the certificate, and directions for how to redeem it, in the mail separate from your order, directly from me. This is my gift to you for helping build Tiggy’s House!**</span></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">30% of all purchases made between the dates of July 14, 2011 and January 15, 2012 will be donated. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I feel so honored to have a way to help in the building of Tiggy’s House. Thank you for your purchases that will make this possible!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Also, if you are a blogger and you would like to help out, please feel free to place my button on your blog, linking it to <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity">http://www.lillarose.biz/sweetsimplicity</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blessings!</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><em><strong>Brandi</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-65019066582952371792011-07-12T10:58:00.000-07:002011-07-22T16:04:28.666-07:00Carter's Homebirth: Part 1<div align="center"><em>A year and a half ago, I promised to write <a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2009/12/our-newest-blessing.html">Carter's</a> birth story...it feels like just yesterday...</em><br />
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We were living in a cabin on a ridge in West Virginia, heated only by a central woodstove and one mile from the paved road. It was the first week of December 2009, it was cold, and we were headed into the most difficult winter that part of the country had seen in quite a few years.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW74hUndbSP4v1F0yKyemLD_6MqakNHLcePULN4xZ-gATGgel2ikwGtR7VE9HLNKQ1Ir_WdUCRlezmOdm7XYfrPNuD_Cab2CV9FqjjqAyWnMQVrTITjNZiUf3rFJvGCleY7Fgnq8a5awQ/s1600/DSCF3145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW74hUndbSP4v1F0yKyemLD_6MqakNHLcePULN4xZ-gATGgel2ikwGtR7VE9HLNKQ1Ir_WdUCRlezmOdm7XYfrPNuD_Cab2CV9FqjjqAyWnMQVrTITjNZiUf3rFJvGCleY7Fgnq8a5awQ/s320/DSCF3145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I was also 40 weeks pregnant and praying for the safe arrival of our newest little one. He would be our fourth child and our third son. So far, the snow had held out and our road was still passable.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I have a history of fast labors and the nearest hospital was an hour away. The small rural hospital where I gave birth to Jack a year and a half earlier had since closed its maternity ward. Driving to the city in the middle of labor in December was just not an option.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Finding a midwife out in these rural parts would prove to be impossible. Unfortunately, there are many areas in West Virginia that do not have access to good maternity care...either through a medical system or through midwifes and doulas. Luckily, we found a midwife in the city that was willing to travel more than an hour to get to us. She was wonderful and I liked her right away. I knew we were making the right choice.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">As the due date approached, I prepared mentally by watching videos of home births and scouring the internet for every story I could find. Although alone out on the ridge, I felt very connected to these other women who had experienced incredible births and I drew much-needed strength from their stories. I looked forward to my monthly and weekly visits with my midwife. She doubled as my therapist as I poured out my fears and my excitement on her each time.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">My mother-in-law arrived a week before my due date. We busied ourselves with cleaning the house, entertaining the other 3 children, and preparing freezer meals for after the birth. It was a fun time, but I remember feeling like a watched clock. Every night we would go to bed and I just felt like the whole house was holding their breath, waiting for me to go into labor.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Finally, one night while we were up late watching TV, I felt the first contractions. I had been feeling false labor for at least a week and a half, so I didn't say anything to my husband and mother-in-law. I thought for sure these were real, but I wanted to be certain. We went to bed and my husband fell straight to sleep while I laid there with my eyes wide open, watching the clock and timing the waves that were now coming at a steady pace. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">It was midnight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div align="center"><em>(to be continued...)</em><br />
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<em><a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2011/07/carters-home-birth-part-2.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Click HERE for Part 2!</span></a></em></div><div align="center"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-43995329378912105062011-07-11T12:07:00.000-07:002011-07-11T12:07:56.005-07:00Coming Home<div style="text-align: center;">It's been way too long, but I am returning to this blog. I considered starting a new one, and even typed away somewhere else for a few months, but decided that I'm more comfortable coming back "home". I am so excited to be back in writing mode.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I had a beautiful home birth (actually, it turned into a hotel birth...long story coming soon!) in April, adding a baby girl to our family. I will have to update my sidebar soon with new pictures of the kids. I can't believe how they have grown since I left!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am looking forward to catching up on all the blogs I used to read and re-connecting with old friends. I hope you haven't all given up on me!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's so nice to be "home"!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blessings!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Brandi</span></em></strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-38644213538997550292010-09-01T11:04:00.000-07:002010-09-01T11:04:24.817-07:00Overdue Picture Post<div align="center">Funny how "tomorrow" can turn into "2 weeks from now" in a heartbeat! One thing you must know about me is that I am <em>always</em> late...with everything...seriously. Ask anyone who knows me. If I tell you 6:00, you automatically think 6:30. If I tell you I will definitely get your birthday card out on time this year, count on it <em>at least</em> a week later...if at all! And, when my due date is May 20th, that baby's gonna stick around until at least the 22nd.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">An unappealing trait, I know...</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">So, <a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2010/08/so-much-to-say.html">when I posted</a> that I would have an update "tomorrow", what I really meant was I would have an update when my crazy life slows down a bit, which is <em>never</em>, so the fact that you are reading this right now is a miracle of the greatest proportions.</div><br />
Here is the long-awaited (by whom, I don't know) update...if anyone still pops by here from time to time:<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><strong>The J.O.B.</strong></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I won't bore you with details, but hubby was blessed with a steady, reliable job...and not only that, but he was able to start the very same week that his temporary position ended. What a blessing! </div><br />
<div align="center">When I wrote <a href="http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2009/08/changes-in-works.html">this post</a> over a year ago about the changes that were coming in our life, I didn't realize how the Lord was working everything together.</div><br />
<div align="center"><strong>The New House</strong></div><br />
<div align="center">The only bad part about the new job was that hubby had to drive 90 minutes both ways. And we weren't getting any bites on our house. After a few months of driving, which lasted over the very looooong, horrendous winter, he was DONE! Mentally, I mean. We decided that he couldn't do another winter like that on the road, so we started looking at homes in the town where his job is.</div><br />
<div align="center">Let me tell you, it's a small college town and there is not much of a housing market. Over the next couple months, we looked at close to 30 homes, even branching out to towns within 45 minutes. Some of the homes would have worked, but we didn't feel like they were "the one". We even put an offer in on one home, but during our inspection, we discovered it was full of mildew and mold...we were sick for a week after the walkthrough. Not the house for us! </div><br />
<div align="center">Finally, after 6 long months of searching, we found out that one of hubby's co-workers was being transferred. His property sounded like what we were looking for, so we scheduled a showing before it ever hit the market. We knew it was right as soon as we drove down the lane and we had an accepted offer before we had even arrived back home that evening.</div><br />
<div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"></span></div>We moved in on July 1st. We still don't have a contract on our other house.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Kids</strong><div align="center"><br />
<div align="center">The kids love it here at the new house. They have a tire swing that they play on every day...<br />
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<br />
</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510866322897114130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNThgbUonuSZPKZv-beZfxmoUkk-qAZYUfxs6POERc-vLXAVleEW9joXdxgBR3TLd90MHZTDKt64ZA6q7_llJNLYQnbOVMrV_5sgVCVNeERXY8-0ZjLOWyozb9fdAI_PkYwTDl6OhBHI/s320/2010_0807MISC0096.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><br />
...and a hill that they take turns riding Jack's big wheel down and "crashing" into the garden below.</div><br />
<div align="center"></div><div style="text-align: center;">They have toys galore, but never cease to amaze me with what they decide to spend their time doing. The newest craze is chess...</div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510866356308926722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFnNx0a6tc45fQUhG2onnMee32D-MgcnQxgABxM8Q1_rFPo2AvzjyV9ZidUwcZW4nYQJbRTWPB5x58f5munjtU4sZPrbvTnxohYPbAbUCAEWSe_Y6IQAUy4oqrWzDiu4r6wxdNqtc-ds/s320/2010_0807MISC0077.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" />Benjamin taught Addy and this morning, Addy was teaching Jack. I can't tell you how cute it is to hear a 4-year old say to a 2-year old: "Yeh, that's right! You got my pawn! Good job!"</div><br />
<div align="center"></div><div style="text-align: center;">School started last week and we have been busy with all that entails. Last week the kids made a water lens. It was a big hit... </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZLGuCxLwHCQV5bgVxXUx6x9wtcfd32blzEVL3TKC8VFIKVcw_htkrEhf7bw140JePnv02mIChzIUovMzgptVFVZvS1Er5SsWRGZSHQRy1C2JtAil-O9nwbhGASXiPLW5N_BL-TLNdxo/s1600/2010_0807MISC0125.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510866340851362226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZLGuCxLwHCQV5bgVxXUx6x9wtcfd32blzEVL3TKC8VFIKVcw_htkrEhf7bw140JePnv02mIChzIUovMzgptVFVZvS1Er5SsWRGZSHQRy1C2JtAil-O9nwbhGASXiPLW5N_BL-TLNdxo/s320/2010_0807MISC0125.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a> Carter is almost 9 months old...unbelievable. He's a joy and the older kids dote on him like crazy.</div><br />
<div align="center"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll post some new pictures of him next time.</div><div align="center">We recently found out that we are expecting #5 in April 2011. I will admit, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, but overjoyed at the thought of having another little one to love.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZLGuCxLwHCQV5bgVxXUx6x9wtcfd32blzEVL3TKC8VFIKVcw_htkrEhf7bw140JePnv02mIChzIUovMzgptVFVZvS1Er5SsWRGZSHQRy1C2JtAil-O9nwbhGASXiPLW5N_BL-TLNdxo/s1600/2010_0807MISC0125.JPG"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Critters</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our new place came with a few new critters. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We inherited 4 cats, but we didn't realize one of them was pregnant. 2 weeks after moving in, she had 6 kittens. 2 weeks later, she stopped feeding them, but since they're outside cats, we didn't find out until it was too late. So, we still have just 4 cats.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We also inherited 19 chickens, one of which was laying on a nest which hatched out 4 chicks. Then, we decided that watching chicks was really fun, so we put another broody hen on a nest and she hatched out 2. Then, one of the hens we brought with us decided to lay on a nest and she had 7! So, we now have more than 30 chickens.</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NEqO7QHPNFRJiZUhP0OQFrFBkRZtfkDhnKQ089sf_lp29b_37uwH6_fh7C-bZvhF6O7bwAYYnf61CJn1ieuNiTYJJR1RYtw9TptuUaDFr7hTXbdMbP5Mnq6icUicP-NAakegpCFS2_c/s1600/2010_0807MISC0119.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510866338014121586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NEqO7QHPNFRJiZUhP0OQFrFBkRZtfkDhnKQ089sf_lp29b_37uwH6_fh7C-bZvhF6O7bwAYYnf61CJn1ieuNiTYJJR1RYtw9TptuUaDFr7hTXbdMbP5Mnq6icUicP-NAakegpCFS2_c/s320/2010_0807MISC0119.JPG" style="display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div><div align="center">And then, of course, there's the dog. She is a sweetie, but she can't hold her bladder, so she has also been relegated to the outside.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Blessings!</em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color: #38761d;">Brandi</span></em></strong></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563673763533799181.post-30682435747104364182010-08-16T20:51:00.002-07:002010-08-16T20:57:34.070-07:00So much to say...<div align="center">...and so little time to say it!<br /><br />Wow, a lot has happened since my last blog.<br /><br />1) Hubby got a great new job!<br /><br />2) We've moved!<br /><br />3) And...Blessing #5 is due in April 2011!<br /><br />Details tomorrow...<br /><br /><em><strong>Blessings!</strong></em><br /><em><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#666600;">Brandi</span></strong></em></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14151132823439155925noreply@blogger.com2