Kisseo eCard Review & Giveaway

Do you enjoy giving and receiving cards? I know I do. Kisseo has a new program on facebook called Kisseo eCards. They have some really cute cards for just about every occasion you can think of. You can send them directly to your facebook friends or to an email address or both. They have a lot of free cards to pick from or to get even more choices you can become a premium member with a 1-year subscription.
I've sent several cards out to my friends and family, wishing them a Merry Christmas and just to say Hi. It's a great way to stay connected during such a busy time of year.

Giveaway:
Leave a comment below and you will be entered to win a 1-year subscription to Kisseo eCards for premium membership services(a $24 value).

I was provided a year subscription to Kisseo eCards in exchange for my review of their card program. All opinions expressed are my own. No other compensation was provided.  

Bad Dreams

Every time everything is going great in my mind something has to come up to taunt me. Dreams. I don't like having dreams where your greatest desires come true. To me that is a nightmare. Eventually you have to wake up and when you do reality sets in and you come crashing down.

His Touch

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how you can feel God's love through the embrace of a loved one or even the touch of a stranger. We need that sometimes when the hard times are too much to bare and our lives are filled with sadness. I know that God is there always. He knows the plans He has in store for me and my family and for my friends. I don't know that plan though and when I see people struggling it is so hard for me to understand all of the suffering. I've learned to put all my trust in God. I pray to Him, I ask of Him, I talk to Him, I listen to Him, I receive Him, I love Him. He is with me always and when my heart is breaking and sad, He always knows how to give me a little squeeze and let me know He is still here. 
I've been surrounded by heartache this year. I have a great group of friends. They are my girls, they are my Foxys. Five women. Each one of us has been suffering a great deal this year. One of us is fighting for her life. She has made courageous decisions and sacrifices that few could ever fully understand. She is our fighter and we are her army. We will stand behind her, beside her, and with her through every thing. She is our world. She WILL beat cancer. I don't care what doctors say, I know what God says, He is who I serve and who I trust. Another one of us has been fighting a numerous amount of illnesses off and on. She is in pain more times than not. We have fathers who are gone fighting for our country, fathers who have to work on the road to provide for our families. Financial troubles, emotional issues. Raising babies alone, young and old. There is so much heartache in our lives. I am sad for my friends. 
I don't know his plans for us but I do know great things will come of them. I know that He is there for us and He will show you if you pay attention. I was at the store the other day and it was a hard day emotionally. I was with Colton and he was walking down the toy isle showing me what he wanted. I told him he could get a puzzle(a cheap one). He didn't want that one, he wanted the bigger spiderman puzzle. I had to tell him no and that he could ask Santa for it. Trying to get his mind off of it I showed him a puzzle I liked and told him to tell daddy that mommy wanted it for Christmas. He looked at it and then grabbed the one he wanted and said, "Okay and you tell Daddy I want this one". It was beyond cute. There was an older gentleman and a woman about my age on the same isle. They kept laughing at the things Colt was saying and they passed us several times. When we were at the checkout and I was paying, the man came up beside me grabbed a hold of my shoulder and handed me a bag and said, "Santa wanted your boy to have this. Merry Christmas". Then he walked off. I almost started crying. He had bought the puzzle Colt wanted. It wasn't about the puzzle. It was the touch of a stranger. The touch of God. He showed me His kindness and His love through the giving of another. 
You may call them Secret Santa's but I call them blessings from God. He knew what I needed when I needed it, something so simple as the touch of a stranger. 

A Bad Nut?

Has someone ever made you question the characteristics that make you who you are? Things that you thought were positive great qualities and then with their insensitive harsh words they make you question every single thing you do from that point on. That has happened to me this year. It's stopped me and made me pull away from the great changes I feel I was making. It has stopped me from doing what I love to do, what makes me be me. It's amazing to me how people can sit behind a screen and type the most awful things to someone, not just someone but a loved one. Someone who is suppose to always have your back and be one of your top cheerleaders and instead they say hurtful words that they would never say in person. Words that change how a person thinks and feels, knocking them down instead of building them up.
One of my wishes for the new year is for people to think before they talk/type. Know that the words you use can greatly affect the ones you are saying them to and it isn't always a good thing. You should love people for who they are and not who you WANT them to be.

The family that laughs together......

Colt had his Christmas program at school last week. Before we headed out we took some uh..family pictures?!

Aww thats a nice one

Oh the boys are getting crazy

Fine, Momma will play too

He went and did his face that cracks us up every time!

Come on, one more nice one please

Haha! I'm gonna get you! 

Family Time!

That was fun. You probably are just waiting to hear about the Christmas program though huh? Oh alright here it is..

We got more video on the camcorder but I need to find my cord to upload them. He is the fourth one in from the left side(closest to the tree). He just stood there mostly. Oh and in case you don't catch it....there is a crotch grab at the very end of the video. :) I'd like to thank Dy-nan-a for pointing that out for me. Haha.

Bible Giveaway

How would you like to win a bible? How about an iPad 2?! Here's how you can enter to win. 

Go to the New Living Translation Facebook page here.

By visiting the giveaway entry page (located on the NLT Facebook page, the link is under the profile picture) and entering your name and e-mail address you'll be entered to win the following prizes:

• One random person each day will win a Life Application Study Bible Family Pack (Guys Life Application Study Bible hc, Girls Life Application Study Bible hc, Student's Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible Large Print hc).
• One Random person each week will win an Apple iPad 2!

Everyone that signs up gets a free download copy of the Life Application Bible Study – Book of Luke!

Good Luck!!! 

Stained

I don't want to get out of bed today. I want to stay under my covers and go to sleep.  I try to get up, I try to turn my mind and emotions off but it doesn't work. The tears keep falling staining my face. I feel so lost, sad, helpless. I'm confused. I don't understand. Why is this happening?

Numb

Have you ever cried so much that you become unbelievably exhausted. Your eyes hurt and you can barely keep them open. I'm in a state of numbness. I keep catching myself drift off into another world. I need unspoken prayers please.

*Edit* 'EX-' New Family Member

I realized that I failed to mention our newest family member. 

I'd like to introduce you to Shadow. 

We have had him for a couple of weeks now. We were on the search for a labradoodle because they are suppose to be easy on the shedding. Well after doing some research the cheapest we were able to find one was about $600. I had one set to pick up in a week but I went on to craigslist and found a listing for this cute fella for FREE. We fell in love right away even though he was bigger than we were going for. We wanted a big dog but was wanting a baby puppy not a 7 month old beast! We have come to realize he is anything but a labradoodle. He sheds like a maniac. Jay is allergic to him but I love him so he is staying! He is eating us out of our home, no literally he is eating everything in the house! He has eaten through our couch, the carpet, Coltons bed, Colts outside toys, my Christmas tree lights, R2D2, C3PO, the list goes on..! He has more chew toys than any dog we've ever own before and he still just wants to eat everything. I love him! He is the kindest, not so gentle, most lovable dog ever. When he is sitting down and I stand next to him and pet him he will wrap one front paw around me as if he is hugging me, so cute. He is about 7 months old and 65-70lbs. He is huge. He towers over Dexter(a jack russell) and loves playing with Colt and crawling through his tunnels. He is for sure a keeper no matter how often I threaten to put him up on craigslist! :) 

**Edit** Well I guess I spoke to soon. After some events this morning and talking with the husband it looks like we may have to find Shadow a new home. I'm torn. I know what is best for my family but my heart aches for him and not knowing how his life will be without us. Will it better or worse? Will he be happy? Will his new owners treat him as well as we would have? 

Curl your hair with a sock?

Have you heard of the new sock method to curl your hair overnight with no heat??? I came across this video yesterday and thought why not. So I tried it out last night..it worked! All you do is cut the toes off of a sock and then roll the sock up like a doughnut. Then you put your hair in a high ponytail(spray it with water to make slightly damp) and roll your hair in the sock starting from the tip down to the ponytail so you have a bun. In the morning you just unroll the sock and take your hair down and your finished. It was super easy and my hair turned out really curly. My hair isn't very long so I didn't think it would work but it did. I think this will become my go-to hairdo, especially those mornings where you have to get up super early or you aren't going to have much time to get ready. Watch this chicks video and let me know what you think. (For those that don't know me in person---This is NOT me in the video.) :)

Twister Mania - Review-

 We had a fun party the other day. We didn't have much of a turn out but boy did we have more fun than I ever imagined we would. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard.

Twist into FUN with Twister™ Mania

With Twister Mania you have to twist your body into the different shapes shown to you on the screen. You play with the Xbox 360 Kinect so it registers what you are doing and if you are hitting the shapes or not. There are several modes you can play and I promise there is no way you can play without laughing and shedding a few tears(of joy of course!). My absolute favorite was where we created a pose and everyone had to try to copy it. We had such a great time that my bestie decided right then and there that she would be getting an Xbox and Kinect so she could play with her four children. 

We will definitely be getting together to play Twister Mania again. We realized that not only were we having a great time we were also getting a good workout throughout it. We had a blast and I am so grateful that we had this awesome opportunity to try something new and different. 

I was invited to be a host of House Party sponsored by Twister Mania. I was provided a sample party pack (which included the game, coupons, balloons and twisty straws) to try in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was provided. All opinions noted are mine and mine alone.

Maybe someday....

I'll get over my heartaches.

Sadness has a hold of me lately. I know it shouldn't, I'm trying not to let it get a firm grip but its hard. I think it has to do with getting older and dreams not being fulfilled. I grew up having an idea of how my life would go, planning the things I wanted to do and wanted to happen and all by a certain time and now that age is here and things are still uncertain and I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I'm feeling lost, unappreciated, undesirable, broken.

Over the Top -Part 1-

I can't even begin to describe the wonderful experience I had at the Women of Faith Over the Top Conference! I want to start by thanking Women of Faith and BookSneeze for providing me with two tickets to the event. I took my bestie Cassie and on Friday morning we headed to OKC for an overnight getaway. It was so much fun. We heard from so many great speakers and the worship team was amazing. We had a great view right across from the stage. We laughed, we cried, and we hugged and learned more about ourselves and our relationship with God.
I took a lot of notes and I'd like to share some of them with you. The first speaker we heard from was Patsy Clairmont. Wow what a character!! She was hilarious! She was very quirky and her facial expressions cracked me up. I loved all of the ladies(& the gent of course) but she was by far my favorite! Here are just a tad bit of things she spoke on.
-It's not enough to be memorized, it has to be internalized.-
I loved this. I hadn't ever thought of it this way before but its so true. What good does it do just to learn something by memorizing it or knowing the word of God. You need to internalize it. If you internalize it, you live by it. You need to feel it inside so that you express all that greatness of God on the outside. Change is good.
-When you're faithful in little things, I'll give you more. And when you're faithful in more, I'll give you much.-
You have to be faithful in the little and big things. He will give you everything you need and more, you just have to trust in that, trust in Him. Let Him be your best friend and companion. He will never leave you.
-He wants you to have the lasting heart change that God's comfort will give you.-
-God has designed us with a will that is stronger than emotion. Make decisions based off of what we know, not what we feel. God never intended emotions to think for us.-
Proverbs 15:1 'A kind answer soothes angry feelings, but harsh words stir them up.'
-Be grace filled towards each other.-
-God isn't looking for perfection, just measurable progress.-

I'll share some more notes with you on the next post. I had so much fun and look forward to hopefully going again next year.

I received two free tickets to the Women of Faith 'Over the Top' Conference from Women of Faith and Book Sneeze in exchange for a blog post stating my honest opinion about my experience. No other compensation was provided. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Right About Now

The Next Step....

I'm not the greatest when it comes to change or new experiences. If I don't know exactly what to expect then more than likely I won't be doing it. I realized last night at church that I don't only do that in daily activities but I've done that with my walk with God. There is so much I'd like to do to grow with Him and the church but because I haven't been down this road before, I stop myself short. I've been keeping myself from great things. I look forward to jumping in with both feet from now on and not letting my anxiety or fears get the best of me. I'm excited for the amazing things God is doing in my life and all that He has in store for me!

On the Road--- Tomorrow morning the bestie and I are headed to OKC for the Women of Faith 'Over the Top' conference. We are so excited. Thank you to Women of Faith and BookSneeze for providing me with this awesome opportunity!

100 Devotions, 100 Bible Songs -Review-

100 Devotions, 100 Bible Songs
Created by Stephen Elkins
Illustrated by Tim O'Conner

About the book:

Kids can read, sing, and learn while they spend time with God!
In 100 Devotions, 100 Bible Songs children can read a devotion, sing a beloved song, and say a prayer all while learning and spending time with God. Perfect for before school, bedtime, or anytime, these short devotions will be fun for kids and help parents grow their children’s faith.
With bright illustrations, great music, and powerful messages, kids will have fun while they learn to walk with God and apply the message of the Bible to their everyday lives.
My thoughts:
What a great book!!! I don't think I can possibly express how much I love this book. I wanted to review this book because I had been on the lookout for something I could use to teach my three year old son more about God. We have both been learning so much from this book. We read about God, we look and talk about the beautiful illustrations and then we listen to the song that goes with each devotion. To finish it off we read the bible verse and say our daily prayer that is provided. This is a wonderful book! 


I received this book free from BookSneeze.com as part of their book review blogger program in exchange for an honest review whether it be negative or positive. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Shake Rattle & Roll

I experienced my first earthquake last night......in Oklahoma! It was wild!

Today is going to be a great day. We just got done eating breakfast and now we are lounging. I'm looking up breeders for the new dog I'm planning on getting. ::Grinning ear to ear::  They are expensive though so it may be a while before we get one.  Jay mentioned going golfing so we may venture out in to the world this afternoon. I have plenty of stuff to do around the house if we end up staying home so I'm good either way. My sister is having surgery on Tuesday so please keep her in your prayers. Have a great Sunday!

What can you do to help?

Want to help make a difference? Anything you are able to donate, even if it's just a one dollar will help.

Changes

Things are changing in my neck of the woods. I've been living in a bubble - my safe zone. I stop myself from doing things because I'm not certain of the outcome. My husband thinks I'm having a breakdown. I promise this isn't my midlife crisis but I am turning THIRTY in twenty days! There are things I have always wanted to do but never do them because of my fears of the unknown. I live a safe life. Why not do what will make me happy? You never know if you're going to like something unless you try it. I'm not just talking about big things but little things. Things most if not all of you have done before....like coloring your hair. Yeah yesterday I would of told you I had NEVER dyed my hair before but today I can officially say I DID IT! I have wanted bangs for forever but have been too afraid of what I'd look like. The day before last I had my hair cut and got bangs for the first time in fifteen years! I haven't always been like this. I used to be a little crazy and carefree... I don't know what happened but I do know that times are changing and I'm changing with them.

Live the life you've been given!

Sleepless Thoughts

I went on a girls getaway a few weeks ago. I was looking through my ipod earlier and found something I wrote in the middle of the night. Enjoy. 


It's twenty til five in the morning. I'm sitting on the back patio of dry gulch USA. The fire is crackling, the fountain flowing and the coyotes are howling. Those are the only sounds I hear. I think I'm the only one awake. We went to bed at 330. I laid there for forever but couldn't sleep with the symphony of snores going on. I seriously think there was a conversation going on amongst the snores. So here I am. There was no point in laying there anymore. Even on the off chance that I did fall asleep, I would of only gotten an hour tops. So I'm up in hopes of getting some beautiful shots of the sunrise and if I can some shots of the horses. 
There was a reason I couldn't sleep. God sent a wonderful woman to talk with me. She shared stories of her life and spoke with me about the word. God works in mysterious ways sometimes. What an amazing God we have! 

He wants....

Have you ever had one of those moments where your heart melts and your heart breaks in the same instant? Where as soon as you are filled with joy you have a realization and then the sadness hits making all the joy disappear. For the past couple of weeks Colt has been telling me he wants a baby. One day its a brother the next day its a sister. Either way he wants a sibling. He wants what I don't have to give and I'm not even able to promise him that he'll get one soon. It makes my heart sad.

Life Application Study Bible Devotional -Review-

I've found what I've been searching for and its called:
Life Application Study Bible Devotional - Daily Wisdom from the Life of JESUS
Produced by Tyndale
Produced by Livingstone

They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Psalm 1:2

About:
Readers of the Life Application Study Bible—the #1 bestselling study Bible—will welcome the arrival of the new Life Application Study Bible Devotional. Let the life of Jesus sink into your mind and heart with 312 readings from the gospels—one for each weekday and one for the weekend. In the Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from Jesus, each week focuses on a different event in Jesus’ life—drawing out daily wisdom from his parables, teachings, conversations, miracles, and interactions with people. You’ll learn important biblical principles, become inspired to put God’s Word into practical action, and be forever changed by a year spent going deeper with your Savior.

My thoughts:
I love reading my bible. I love searching for the perfect verse for different occasions. Something was missing though.  I wanted to have daily reading time. I craved learning more about God. I would read my bible but I didn't understand it all and didn't really know where to start and where to end. With the Life Application Study Bible Devotional I am able to fix my morning coffee and sit down and go to my week and day and read. I have my bible next to me and I'm able to go through and focus on one part at a time. I love the 'Getting Personal' sections that are provided on each day. It has really helped me to tune in more to God and myself. I write the questions and answers down in my notebook and when I'm having a hard day it always helps to go back through and read them.



I received one copy of Life Application Study Bible Devotional  from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their blogger review program in exchange for my honest review of the book, whether it be negative or positive. No other compensation was provided. 

Married Mom, Solo Parent -Review-

Married Mom, Solo Parent: Finding God's Strength to Face the Challenge
By Carla Anne Coroy

About the book:

For married women who feel like single parents.

Bookstore shelves are full of parenting resources for moms who are newly divorced or widowed. But where do moms turn if they feel like a single parent--but they’re not? Whether he is away on business, deployed in the military, or obsessing over a computer game, dad may not be available for a variety of reasons. Moms who parent in this situation still need help and don’t necessarily relate to the advice given in divorce recovery or single parenting resources.

Married Mom, Solo Parent is a common-sense, down-to-earth look at the struggles wives and mothers face when their husband is not actively involved in family life. Writing from her own experience as a married single mom, Carla Anne Coroy will help wives and mothers sort through their questions, such as: Can I do this alone? How do I raise kids to honor their father? How do I give my children a healthy perspective of marriage if they never see one in action? With practical suggestions, anecdotes, and biblical teaching, this book will encourage moms to see their position as a high calling, to find healing for their worries and frustrations, and to tap into God’s strength for help in facing the daily challenge of being a married mom, solo parent.

About Carla:

Carla Anne Coroy runs the Married Single Mom blog at www.carlaannecoroy.blogspot.com. She speaks regularly and serves as a staff writer for an online Christian women’s magazine Mentoring Moments for Christian Women. Carla Anne lives in Canada with her husband and four home schooled children. For more information, visit www.carlaanne.com.

My thoughts:

The title may read 'Married Mom, Solo Parent' but I feel this book is for every woman: single, married, kids, no kids. I took alot from this book, in fact there are few pages that aren't marked with my highlighter. I learned not only how to deal with my situation at hand but how to talk to God, how to be a better parent, friend, wife, sister, daughter, etc.  In reading this book I realized things about myself, things that I was doing or thinking that were hindering my relationship that I never even thought would be an issue. I'm excited to see the changes that will soon take place in me, in my home. This is a fabulous book. I've already promised my bestie she could borrow it and I know it will benefit her greatly as well. 


Philippians 4:8
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 



Where to buy:
Amazon

Join the Party!
Carla will be hosting a MomChat about all things mom and wife related. There will also be a fun contest with lots of prizes!

;

I received one copy of Married Mom, Solo Parent from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their blogger review program in exchange for my honest review of the book, whether it be negative or positive. No other compensation was provided. 

They come in pairs...

The good and the bad. You can't have one without the other. 

The good: Colton loves school. He is enjoying it so much that we decided to move him from half days to full days. He loves his teachers and all of his classmates. He is learning more - this boy has to be a genius! He can read off quite a few of the names on his classmate list. He is improving with his speech, saying more full sentences and pronouncing things correctly. He calls his aunt - Cassie now instead of Assie. :)

And then comes the Bad: He gets in trouble almost every day. He was doing good for awhile but as soon as I switched him to full days he started landing on 'red' again. It's so frustrating sometimes. I feel bad for his teachers because they are so great with him and I know he is a handful at times. I don't want him to be 'THAT' kid in class. You know the one I'm talking about-- the one the teachers say a silent thankful prayer when he misses a day. I know eventually he'll get it but man I don't think that time can get here fast enough. The beginning of this week he got sent to see the director which is the same as the Principal. So my three year old( he'll be four in two months) has already been sent to talk to the principal and be hasn't even started kindergarten yet! Lord help me!!! 

Oreo Brownies

Oh my goodness! I made brownies this afternoon, but not just regular brownies - I topped them with crushed oreos before I put them in the oven....Oh Yeah Baby! However, I do not recommend making them if you are home alone (I think I gained 10lbs in the last hour!). I just crushed up about 4 or 5 oreos and sprinkled them on. Try to leave some chunky pieces though. Yummy!!!

Bummed

I'm in a funk today. I know that God has healed me and that I will receive my second child but I'm still sad about the here and now. I took a another test today. I try to avoid them like the plague but I needed to know. It was negative of course. I've been in a crabby mood ever since. I need a cute stuffed animal to cheer me up. Someone get my husband the memo stat!

Catching Up

Gabby, God's Little Angel Giveaway Winners

You both rock my world so I couldn't possibly choose just one of you! Love you girls! 

FyrFlyz -Review & Giveaway-

Do your kids(or your husband. Ha!) like to play with lights? Mine does. He is fascinated with lights right now, so we were excited when we received a couple of FyrFlyz in the mail to try out. We had a lot of fun trying to make the different shapes. My husband was the best at it. Shhh...I snapped a shot of him playing with it but don't tell him!

It's not the greatest of quality, obviously, but you get the drift. We had so much fun trying these out and I think that they would make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift. I know my nephew and nieces would love it.

How to win:
Want to win a FyrFlyz for the awesome kiddo in your life? You have a chance right now, all you have to do is leave a comment and you'll be entered. Giveaway will run now until October 3rd, 11:59pm. Winner will be contacted via email (please be sure to leave your email or have it available in your profile) and have 48 hours to respond. Good Luck!

Want to run out and buy one now? FyrFlyz are available at most major retailers such as Toys R Us, Amazon.com, and CVS. If you would like to look up a local retailer near you, you can find the information here.

I received two FyrFlyz from Momselect and FyrFlyz as part of their blogger review program in exchange for my honest review of the product, whether it be negative or positive. No other compensation was provided. 

Colette's Testimony

I have something very special that I would like to share. My best friend Colette wrote up her testimony and she asked me to share it with my readers. I hope by reading her story you will be filled with inspiration and hope. 

Hello, my name is Colette.

To start out, I was born with cystic fibrosis.  This is a fatal disease that today has an average lifespan of 37 years.  I am 29 years old and I am so blessed to have lived this long and hope for another 29 years!  When my mom was pregnant with me, the dr’s told her to abort me because they knew I’d be just like my sister, Jennifer.  She too, has cystic fibrosis and was extremely sick at the time.  The dr’s also told my parents they didn’t think we’d live past the age of 21.  Now my sister is 30!  You can’t always trust the dr’s because there is only ONE TRUE physician.  So God has been here taking care of my sister & I, letting us live as long as we have.  Another miracle he has blessed me with is my beautiful daughter.  Cystic fibrosis affects the reproductive system and we prayed and prayed and prayed for a healthy baby and we got one!!  I am so overwhelmed by His love, that He would give such an unhealthy person her wish of a healthy baby!!!  I’m AMAZED!

A few months after I had my daughter, right around Nov. 2011 I noticed the joints in my thumbs were hurting & I had no idea why.  Then I remember it was Christmas time and I noticed my elbows were swollen.  More joints were hurting by this time, a lot of my fingers were swollen and in pain, my knees, my hips, my wrists were the worst!  It hurt to write & to pick up anything, especially my own baby.  I had to get creative on how I picked her up.  I’d roll her onto my arm and lift her that way.  It hurt to hold my cell phone up to my ear, or to turn on the ignition in my car and to turn the gas cap.  You are supposed to let it click three times, and it took all I had to have it click just once.  I even had to walk downstairs sideways – which is how my grandmother has to walk downstairs, and I was 28 at the time!!  I had horrible fatigue and some days I would get fevers.  On those days I could barely get out of bed.  I had no appetite and I was losing weight.  I found that the only thing that gave me relief was a steroid pack that has medicine for just a few days.  I basically begged my family doctor twice to give me a prescription for it because I needed some relief, even if it was just for a few days- I was desperate.  During all of this I got pneumonia in Feb. 2011 and my liver count went crazy and was instructed to stop my Crohn’s medicine.  I was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2008.  I had already had a feeling for a while that I really didn’t need to take my Crohn’s medicine anymore.  Something just made me feel I really didn’t have a need for it anymore.  You are supposed to take the medicine like 3 or 4 times a day and I had reduced my dosage to once a day because, again, I just didn’t feel I needed it.  I was too scared to come off of it completely because of the amount of pain I went through back in 2008.  When the dr’s told me to stop my medicine, just for now, until my liver gets better, I was comfortable in getting off of it.  So I was doing a lot of lab work, over and over again and my arthritis dr could not figure out what was wrong with me.  After a few months he finally tells me I have poly-arthritis; which means I have arthritis in multiple joints.  But he couldn’t explain why I had all of the other symptoms.  He recommended some type of medicine and said it was a strong medicine.  I didn’t want to take anything like that because I already put a lot of medicine in my body.  I cried a lot and didn’t know what to do.  I felt like no one wanted to fix me and I felt that no dr wanted to “own” me and dedicate themselves to me and make me better.  I didn’t want to live like this for the rest of my life.  I would dream into the future with my baby girl and I didn’t want her to be affected because I couldn’t be active with her.  I want to be well enough to chase her around the back yard and be involved in her extracurricular activities.  I prayed a lot.  By this time it was time to see my pulmonologist for my follow up from the pneumonia.  My mom started going with me to my dr appts since she was so upset that I hadn’t had any progress.  We tell my pulmonologist what is going on and he puts me on steroids just for now.  I knew it would give me some relief so I happily accepted the medicine, but I knew it was just a temporary fix.  It still wasn’t the “answer.”  I take my meds and I am feeling GREAT!! I have energy!  I can go to the store!  I can have a life!! Before it took all I had to go to work all week and then on the weekends I’d stay home with the baby and sleep and rest as much as I could.  I had no life.  I could finally straighten out my arm!! Which I hadn’t been able to do for weeks!  It was close to the end of my medicine and I accidentally missed a dose.  The very next day I felt my thumbs started hurting again…It was just a reminder that it wasn’t gone, it was just being masked.  I follow up with my pulmonologist again; he wants to reduce my dosage.  So I finish out my current dosage and I get busy and I don’t fill my new prescription.  Weeks go by and finally I think to myself…Wait a minute!! I am off the steroids! I forgot to refill my prescription and I HAVE NO PAIN!!  I feel GREAT and I’m not on any medicine and haven’t been for a few weeks!! WOW!   I am amazed that I can still straighten out my arm!  I haven’t had any fevers or fatigue!  IT’S GONE!  I can jump up and down, move my fingers, etc.  I am speechless!  There’s only ONE explanation!  That is that God has healed that part of me!  And I still continue to be off my Crohn’s medicine with no symptoms of Crohns!  I am back to my normal self again, just all of a sudden!  No warning!  I owe it all to Jesus.  He listened.  He was there with my pain every moment and took it away!  I believe in God.  I believe He works miracles.  I believe He has healed me of my Crohn’s and arthritis.  There’s only one more left!  Me and my sister!   The reason I want to share my story is to remind you all that miracles DO happen.  Jesus is here listening, don’t give up.  Seek Him and trust in Him.  I want to help others keep their hopes up.  If anyone is feeling like they are grasping onto that last bit of hope, hold on tight and pray and continue to pray.  Thank you for listening to my story.

Gabby, God's Little Angel -Review-

About the book:

This first book in a delightful new series offers a comforting message for young readers-God loves you very much and is always watching over you!

What little girl wouldn't love her very own guardian angel? Parents and children alike will be won over by this humorous tale of Gabby, a guardian angel in training who has much to learn about taking care of God's little ones. Her new assignment is to protect a young girl named Sophie, but Gabby soon realizes that watching after Sophie is a bigger challenge than she had expected! After a close call while riding her pony, Sophie learns what the Bible says about guardian angels: "He will put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go" (Psalm 91:11 ICB).

About Sheila: 

Sheila Walsh is the creator of the award-winning Gigi, God's Little Princess® brand which has sold over 1.5 million units. Sheila is a Bible teacher, speaker, singer, and best-selling author with more than 4 million books sold. As a featured speaker with Women of Faith®, Sheila has reached more than 3.5 million women by artistically combining honesty, vulnerability, and humor with God's Word.

Author of the best-selling memoir Honestly and the Gold Medallion nominee for The Heartache No One Sees, Sheila's most recent release The Shelter of God's Promises has also been turned into a DVD curriculum and in-depth Bible study. Sheila's first series for girls, The Gigi, God's Little Princess book and video series, won the National Retailer's Choice Award twice and is the most popular Christian brand for young girls in the United States.

Sheila co-hosted The 700 Club and her own show Heart to Heart with Sheila Walsh. She is currently completing her Master's in Theology. www.sheilawalsh.com

My Opinion:

This is such a beautiful book, both the story and the illustrations. The lesson was great, even my three year old SON got it. He does not sit still for long and he sat in my lap and paid attention through the entire book. He was fascinated with the pictures and would point out things as I read them. I have a certain little girl in mind who will be receiving this book from us, I can't wait to share it with her. 

Want to win a copy for yourself:

Sheila Walsh is excited to announce her new series for little girls and she is celebrating Gabby’s arrival with a fun KINDLE Giveaway and an Angel FB party on October 4th!

Meet Gabby for yourself here. Help Sheila introduce Gabby - be sure to check out her video trailer promotion here!

In Gabby, God’s Little Angel, Gigi fans will fall in love with Gabby and learn about God’s love and provision and a little about His invisible creation, the angels.

Read what people are saying here.


http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13426636

Enter today - Sheila and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have put together an “Angel” prize package worth over $150.00!

One lucky winner will receive:

• A brand new KINDLE with Wi-Fi
• Gabby, God’s Little Angel 

But wait! There’s more …

On October 4th join Sheila at her Author Page on FB for the Gabby, God’s Little Angel Party! She will announce the winner of the KINDLE, host a chat and give away a ton of fun products from the Gigi and Gabby line! RSVP today and then be sure to stop by on October 4th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MST, 7 PM CST, & 8 PM EST).

Want another chance to win:

The very awesome people over at Litfuse were kind enough to send me an extra copy for one of my readers to win. It's very easy, just leave me a comment! Tell me what your favorite children's book was when you were a kid or just tell me your favorite dessert!  I'll pick a winner using random.org on Monday, October 3rd. No entries after 10/02/11  11:59pm . Duplicate entries will not count. 

I received two copies of Gabby, God's Little Angel from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their blogger review program in exchange for my honest review of the book, whether it be negative or positive. No other compensation was provided. 

Superpoints Invite

Have you been wanting to join in on the superpoints fun but haven't been invited yet? Well now you are. Here is a code for you to sign up with. If it says it has already been used let me know and I can create a new invite for you. With super points you gain points when you and your friends earn them through the lucky button or by doing surveys and watching short videos. The more people you get the faster you rake up points and win prizes. I'm aiming for some of the electronics. They also have giftcards.

http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/p3d9lo

She is doing GREAT!!!

I realize that I never updated on how Amy is doing. She is FANTASTIC!! It is amazing. She is such an inspiration. Cassie and I were able to go visit with her again last Thursday and it was very peaceful and calming to my heart to see how well she was doing. She is healing beautifully and getting around on her own. She has been moved to the rehab floor and has been doing three hours of physical therapy each day. She should be coming home this week which I know she is anxious to get back to her husband and children. It will be so nice to be able to just stop by and visit with her anytime. Help her out with anything that she needs. I'm so ready to have our friend back home where she belongs.
Here is the teddy bear that Cassie and I made Amy on our last trip to visit her. Let me just tell you, I get a bit carsick on road trips.......so I really don't recommend sewing while riding down the road. This teddy was worth it though. (Oh, we didn't make the teddy, just altered him.)

Farm Rich Winners

Congrats to Cassie and Courtney. 

Check your email on instructions to claim your coupons for a free Farm Rich product. 

A piece of my heart is missing...

I feel like I can't breathe. I got home just a bit ago. I started getting things put away and then I sat down and it was quiet and I lost it. I feel like I just left her there. I know she is fine but she is there and we are here and it doesn't feel right, and it hurts and I cant breathe.

I hate feeling helpless. When there isn't anything you can do to help the ones you love, it hurts. A feeling of disbelief is wavering in the air this morning. We've known this was coming but being in the hospital has made things really set in. I wish we could just sweep our dear friend up and take her away. Heal her with sandy beaches, crashing waves and little umbrellas in too sweet fruity drinks. Cabana boys with ripped abs and way too tight speedos. Girly giggles and inside jokes.
I wish I could give her all things that warm the heart. The right words to calm and ease her mind. I wish strength and courage could be available in a pill form for these extra hard times.
I know that God is all we need and more. He provides us with our strength and courage. Love and healing.

Isiah 40:31
But those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.

Jeremiah 30:17
For I will restore health unto you, and I will heal you of your wounds, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 33:6
Then someday, I will heal this place and my people as well, and let them enjoy unending peace.

Checking In

Okay so we just got her checked into the hospital. The surgery will be at 8am and should last about two hours. She seems to be in good spirits this morning. Nervous and a little ill to the stomach but that's to be expected. It's suffocating sitting in the registration room. I don't know what to think, what to feel. Is it okay to let the tears fall or should I keep them hidden until in my private moments. A jumble of emotions yet numb to all feelings.

Farewell Leg Party

Jessie, Me, Amy, Cassie (Not pictured is our yummy delicious milk chocolate DY -she had to bail early from fussy baby syndrome). 

 Last night was the party. It went great. I'm fixing to head to OKC with part of the group to stay overnight. The surgery will be first thing tomorrow morning. Will try to update as the night goes on. Prayers needed!

Amputation

I've had something weighing heavy on my heart lately. I'm not really sure how to handle it. I'm sad, confused and heartbroken. My friend has been battling cancer and the time has now come where the doctor said its 'life or limb'. She is choosing life, so with that being said, on Monday she is having her leg amputated. She has remained positive and strong through every thing and continues to keep her humor. Tomorrow night we will be having a farewell party for her leg. Yeah you read that right...a farewell party for a Leg. Why not send it off the right way! We will be having a potluck party with delicious food, drinks, laughter and many many tears I'm sure. She wants to play pin the leg on Amy(think pin the tail on the donkey children's game) and she is also bringing a bunch of different permanent markers for everyone to decorate her leg. It will be a time to come together and show our support for our dear friend. We would appreciate any prayers you can send our way. Thanks.

Farm Rich Review & Giveaway (2 winners)

I was recently given the opportunity to try and review a Farm Rich product. If you aren't familiar with Farm Rich, you can find their quick snacks and appetizers in your local grocers frozen section. I had a hard time deciding which product I wanted to try, there were many things to choose from.

• cheese sticks
• mozzarella bites
• philly cheese steaks
• pizza slices
• stuffed pretzel bites
• mozzarella sticks
• quesadillas
• and many many more. 

 My husband and I finally decided on the mozzarella sticks. They are made with 100% real mozzarella cheese and authentic marinara sauce, which is baked together for a traditional cheese stick that you don't have to dip. They are a good source of calcium and protein, and have zero trans fat. As with many Farm Rich products, the mozzarella sticks are quick and easy to make, you can bake them in the oven or just pop them in the microwave.

How did we like them?
Well to be completely honest, we didn't care for them. I think it was the marinara sauce being baked in with the cheese stick that I just didn't care for. They weren't bad, just not something I really liked. I wouldn't buy the mozzarella sticks again but I would like to get something else to try out. I was really wanting to try the stuffed pretzel bites but my husband isn't big on pretzels. I've had other Farm Rich products before in the past and really enjoyed them so I will for sure try them again sometime.

Giveaway
Want to try a Farm Rich product for yourself and see what your taste buds think? Farm Rich would like to give away two coupon vouchers for a free product of your choice. There will be TWO winners. It is super easy to enter. All you have to do is be a GFC follower and leave a comment below. Double entries will not count. Please be sure to leave your email address or have it on your profile so I can contact you if you win. You will have 48 hours to respond to claim your prize.
Giveaway is extended to Friday 9/16/11

I received a coupon voucher for a free product from Farm Rich in exchange for my honest opinion, whether that be positive or negative. They also are sponsoring the giveaway mentioned above. No other compensation was provided. 

-Review- Young Love by Mat Kearney

Have you heard of Mat Kearney??? I had no clue who he was or what his music was about but I saw that he has been featured on many hit shows that I watch (Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, The Hills, etc), so I wanted to check the album out. AMAZING! I put it in as soon as I received it and I honestly haven't listened to anything else since. I really enjoy the rhythm of the music. I have been listening to the album on my computer, ipod, in the car, in the kitchen when I'm cooking, just all the time. I am constantly catching myself dancing around and singing along. Even my three year old gets up and starts dancing when 'Hey Mama' comes on. I don't know that I have a "favorite favorite" track because every time  I listen I favor a different song. They are all great. I guess if I absolutely had to choose one it'd be 'Sooner or Later', but I would also add 'Ships in the Night' because who can really just pick one song! :)

Young Love is Mat Kearney's third album. It released in stores last month so go check it out and let me know what you think. To learn more about the wonderful Mr. Mat Kearney please visit his website, facebook, itunes, and this awesome widget.

I received an album copy of  Young Love by Mat Kearney by One2One Network in exchange for my honest opinion, whether that be negative or positive. All opinions expressed are my own. No other compensation was provided.