Joyful Mother

Important To My Family - Please Read!

I have decided to join forces with my sister Elizabeth for the upcoming Kidney Walk in April. Instead of walking myself I am going to try and help her reach her goal of $750 - there is a widget in the right column that shows her progress. Polycystic Kidney Disease is an inherited disease - my mom, who is on dialysis, has it and my cousin and I also have it. My aunt also had it as well as another cousin - they are no longer living.

I would like to encourage you to donate to this walk. I believe a lot of people don't donate because they believe their small donation wouldn't matter much. If this is you - please know that this is not true! Small donations are also very appreciated! A group that I am part of (W@H) occasionally has what we call Dollar Drives to help raise funds for web costs, etc. - where members are asked to donate a dollar. A lot of people giving "just" a dollar can make quite a difference - and those who can give more ($5, $10, or more) do - it's very effective.

So, if you can give a dollar or five or more - please do! Just click here or the widget in the right column. A click on that link will also give you more information about the walk, a picture of my mom and the progress we've made so far. The page is 100% secure and they take most major credit cards.

If you would like to donate by Paypal - click here:

Weight Loss Progress

I have too many blogs. I've created them for recipes, for crafts, for money-making - all sorts of things. For some reason, it makes me feel better to compartmentalize my life and if I blog about it, I think I have to compartmentalize my blogs too! Weird, I know. Anyway, I am working on bringing (most) of them together - just a little FYI - and am going to attempt to blog my weight loss efforts here. Posting my weight for all the world to see? Probably won't do that at first even though it is obvious to all that know me that I need to lose weight, but I will say that I have at least 60 pounds to lose.

From last November to the end of January I lost about 16 pounds on Weight Watchers (and have kept 10 of those off). It's a great program that obviously works but for a very long time I know what I am supposed to do - the McDougall Program. It gives great results and it is one of the healthiest diets out there - one that can be adopted for a lifetime. So, after I have lost those 60 pounds I will still be following the same program and I might just naturally go even lower than that - but will stay within my recommended weight range for my height. With the help of my hubby who has decided he wants to eat healthier too, I jumped back into eating this way again and today, five days later, I am down 3½ pounds. It works.

I sometimes feel embarrassed by the number of times that I have announced that I was going to eat right only to fail days, weeks or months later. I'm trying to get over that because truly, I think the only time I will consider myself a failure is when I completely give up. So - it's me again trying to walk in good health - all support is appreciated.

Laptops In Public - WFMW

Have you ever been in a public place with your laptop and realize you forgot to mute the sound at the same exact time you land on a particularly loud page? I came across a tip some time ago that works perfectly. Head over to your local dollar store and buy a pair of headphones. Get out the scissors and clip off everything but the jack part and plug it into your laptop. You now have a super cheap silencer. I know, I know, it's simple - but it works for me!!

Head over to Shannon's for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.

I would also like to invite you to read Important To My Family

Family Squeeze

You’re in the “Middle Ages”–sandwiched between the “greatest generation” and the “gimme” generations, busily juggling both with no relief in sight. Children are driving, and parents are not. Money is tight and so are your favorite jeans. And things that never ached before are beginning to give you trouble! For every baby boomer who wonders if it’s possible to navigate the Middle Ages with grace and style, Phil Callaway offers plenty of hope and a little hilarity, too. Because there’s nothing like a smile to make wrinkles less noticeable.

I started this book last week and am only a couple of chapters in but I really do love it. I usually prefer fiction but this book is well-written, interesting and funny! He is described as "Dave Barry with a message" and I agree that their writing styles are similar. I am really enjoying this book and recommend Family Squeeze to all of you!

Sleepless in Alabama

I had a bad sleep night last night. It was like a bad mover NYC dream (sleepless). I woke up around 2:30 and could not get back to sleep. I looked at the clock every few minutes, got up a couple of times, dozed some but then just got up at 7:30 when it was obvious that the boys were wide awake and were not going to be quiet - I don't think it would have made much difference if they had. I will probably have to take a nap sometime this afternoon. I just don't like our bed much at all anymore. I keep thinking of the wonderful bed we slept in at the Residence Inn the last time we were visiting in Topeka. It was an absolute dream; as a matter of fact, I always describe it as sleeping on a cloud. I want that bed!

Saturday Project

Tomorrow I plan on going through the boys closet and getting rid of clothes they can't wear anymore. I thought once they got through baby clothes that I wouldn't have to do that as often as I do now but apparently now. They are both growing like weeds but especially William. He is getting very tall! He is so funny - everyday, several times a day, he wants to "measure" and we both stand in front of the mirror and I use my hand to see how tall he is against me now. Every time he thinks he has grown more. Maybe he has! He has been having growing pains in his legs - Dicks says he had the same thing when he was a boy. I do think William is going to be every bit as tall as Dick is!

Question of the Day

How often do you use your iPod? Is it filled with songs from the 80's? Have you named it? I use my iPod fairly often but probably not everyday. I mostly listen to podcasts on my iPod but on my exercise bike I like to crank the tunes. I have a few songs from the 80's on my iPod but it is mostly filled with Christian music and no, I have not named my iPod - but there's an idea, LOL!

Are you wondering how many times I am going to share a link for drug treatment centers with you? I promise this is the last one - for this week at least.

Friday in Alabama

We have had wonderful sunshine all day long! Today was our last Friday school for the month. We took our class to the park to play for a good long while and then took them for a hike across half of the Tennessee River on the old Railroad Bridge. It was good to get out of the classroom and off our saddles and get outside! We've been home for a few minutes and the boys have been playing outside but I think they are tuckered out since they are now back inside taking a little rest! Tomorrow is our day to regroup, take care of things around the house and do a little relaxing.

I Bought A New Cookbook

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - I had heard a lot about it for a long time until I finally decided to buy one for myself. I just received it a couple of days ago so I haven't had a chance to actually use it yet. One recipe that I want to try first is called Chick Pea Cutlets - I frequent a lot of vegetarian blogs and this recipe is a popular one. Today I am making a vegetarian recipe from one of my McDougall cookbooks. It's called Confetti Rice Salad and it is very good and very healthy. I could eat it all just by myself!

To learn more about directbuy, check out this link. Directbuy is not an online store, it is a members only showroom that offers merchandise at manufacturer-direct prices (they charge membership dues).

The Next Level

I also have a copy of The Next Level to giveaway - please leave a comment to enter

Business degree in hand, Logan enters the immense Universal Systems building and is hired as an organizational analyst — a trouble-shooter. His job: evaluate the company’s five divisions, each on a separate level and each operating on startlingly unique principles. Which set of principles is successful? Why is most of the company’s profit generated by one tiny division? What is real profit, anyway? And who is the enigmatic executive that Logan ends up reporting to?

Logan engages in a life-changing pursuit for The Next Level–a fascinating parable that will help you answer some of life’s most perplexing and vital questions. Joining Logan in evaluating each level’s approach, you’ll be inspired to consider the big picture of your own life from an entirely different perspective — one that holds the key to life’s ultimate purpose. No matter where you are now, get ready to embark on your own passionate pursuit of The Next Level.

I also have a link to share with you guys this time for condo hotels. If you are looking to buy, sell or rent - check out this online portal first!

Rain, Rain!

What a soggy day! Lots of storms passed through last night and although the sun is shining now, there won't be any Titleist golf going on anytime soon. The boys can hardly stand being inside - we all have spring fever pretty badly. The rest of the week looks perfect though - tomorrow's high is 65 and then 70 on Saturday. It was almost summer when we moved in last year so we didn't get to see what goes on around here at Spring. I love discovering the new flowers! I'm planning on trying my hand at some gardening this year - starting out small and see what happens.

Vegetarian Meal Plans

I have mentioned several times how much I love e-mealz - now they are offering vegetarian meal plans and my world just got happier! Due to a number of reasons, I changed my diet to about 95% vegetarian and because of that, I wasn't using my e-mealz very often. As soon as I got the news, I switched over to their vegetarian plans. Their veggie plans are for vegetarians that include dairy in their diet

Check out their site for all of their various plans (low carb, points, low fat, regular, etc.) and sample meal plans. The cost for a 3 month subscription is only $15 which works out to be $1.25 a week - but if you enter a coupon code you can save even more. First time users can use the code "Dave" for a 20% discount. If you enter "veggie" you can save $2 on their vegetarian plans. If you take a look at their sample menus, you'll probably be sold just like I was! They offer grocery lists for Walmart, Publix, Kroger and "any store" and also include the prices for individual items. I'm still a big e-mealz fan!

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Experiencing The Resurrection

I have a copy of this book to give away - please leave a comment to enter.

What does the resurrection of Christ really mean for us? What does it reveal about the heart and mind of God? And what real differences can the miracle of the resurrection make in your life today?

Discover answers to those and other questions as you examine God’s Word with this companion study guide to the book Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry Blackaby and Melvin Blackaby.

Packed with practical notes, advice, and questions for reflection, this highly interactive guide—ideal for small group or individual use—shows you how to witness Christ’s resurrection in and through your life. Each chapter of the book is explored in a flexible one-week format with “life change objectives” that arise from applying the truth for each day to your life.

Author Bio: Dr. Henry Blackaby, president emeritus of Blackaby Ministries, is the author of more than a dozen books, including the best-selling classic Experiencing God. He has spent his life in ministry, serving as a music director and as a senior pastor for churches in California and Canada. Today he provides consultative leadership on prayer for revival and spiritual awakening on a global level. He and his wife make their home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Melvin Blackaby coauthored with his father, Henry Blackaby, the Gold Medallion winner Experiencing God Together. He travels extensively as a conference speaker. He and his wife and their three children live in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, where he serves as senior pastor of Bow Valley Baptist Church.

Friday Felicities

Friday Felicities was began by my friend Nattie - in her memory, I would like to keep it going and spread the word about Friday Felicities - things that make you happy. If you would like to participate, please make a list own your own blog and then come back here to sign Mr. Linky with the url of your list. Feel free to use the image above in your post. If you would like to visit Nattie's blog, where her dad reposts from her archives, click the Friday Felicities image.

1. rainy days and a good book
2. diet Sprite from Sonic - love their ice!
3. Spring weather
4. Daylight Savings Time (yes, seriously!)
5. meeting Michael
6. date night with the hubby

Happy Birthday Dick

Today my hubby is 53 years old. Does that seem old to you? Considering how hard it has been on me since turning 40, you would think I would think so, but I don't - which leads me to think that maybe - just maybe - you're only as old as you feel (or in his case as old as you look and act). I personally it is attitude about life - he really does try to see the best in people and when you have him as a friend, you have the best friend ever - ask me how I know!

Do you know what I love best about him? He loves me unconditionally - he truly does - and isn't that what we all want? Someone who will love us in spite of the worst things we dislike about ourselves? It's the best example of how our Father loves us that I know. I am blessed.

Prayer Request For My Mom

Please be in prayer for my mom. Her fistula (access for dialysis) became clogged over the weekend and she went to Nashville yesterday to have it cleaned out (Mom calls it roto-rootered). Anyway after that procedure, they sent her to St. Thomas to have dialysis because her EKG was not good and they hoped not having dialysis was the reason. When they went to St. Thomas, her newly unclogged fistula was clogged again.

Long story short, her fistula may have collapsed and they will have to have a new one in the other arm. They are doing an ultrasound today to determine if the first one can be repaired. If it is determined that she will need a new fistula, they will put a catheter in her neck for dialysis in the meantime. I think we will know today about all this. Looks like she could be there a few days. Pretty surprising when you’re expecting to have an outpatient procedure and expect to be home that afternoon. Good new is that her EKG is fine now.

A Very Newsy Post

I always look forward to the weekend and this past week was no exception. The week is usually filled with schooling and other activities while the hubby works hard painting for others so we enjoy the time we spend together on the weekend. I was especially excited about getting to meet Michael at dinner on Saturday night. Michael is Dick's son from a relationship he had several years before we met. He was adopted by a wonderful family and grew up in our area. Dick met him and his mom briefly over a year ago and they have kept in touch some by email. We had the best time Saturday looking at pictures and talking for almost three hours (I have a couple of great pictures on my flickr). He leaves for college in a couple of weeks and we are looking forward to more emails, letters and visits!

Sunday was my friend Kitty's birthday - her mom died just this past Thursday and after church we all had a meal together to honor the memory of her mom and celebrate Kitty's birthday. Kitty and I have been friends since I moved to Florence in 1990 - she lived across the street from me and we drank coffee together and hung out while I watched her throw pots. Kitty was the one who told me that she thought Dick and I would make a good couple. I can remember being surprised and telling her I had never even thought about the possibility. Shortly after that conversation he left town to paint in Russia for four months - you know the rest of the story!

We got a little snow this weekend. It was just enough to lightly cover the ground and make the boys happy. They played outside for awhile and by lunch time on Saturday it was mostly melted. Their big excitement that day was Wendi coming over to babysit - they barely glanced at us as we went out the door - which beats "please don't go" any day of the week.

Monday morning was a bit of a let-down after such a great weekend which isn't unusual. A trip to the mailbox brightened my day though! :) I hope you all have a great week!

William and Jonathan

Spring Is In The Air

No seriously, it is! I know there's a light blanket of snow outside but it's March in Alabama, folks - how much snow do you think we are going to get? When Dick and I were dating I asked him what he wanted for his birthday (March 12) and he said "snow!" I was thinking "yeah, right" on the inside but I said you got it - never once expecting we'd actually get some. Boy was I wrong - this was 1993, the year we had "the snowstorm of the century"! I had gone with him to Atlanta to meet his Mom in Atlanta and we got snowed in! That was fun!!

We haven't been in this house a full year yet so I am still finding seasonal things that previous owners had planted. I have some ideas what I would like to plant also. Someday we are going to enclose the porch that was supposed to be a carport but never quite made it and make it a combination laundry area and playroom! I'd like to see some exterior shutters on our house but other than that, it looks pretty good. It could use some landscaping also.

Friday Felicities

This is not a post about home insurance quotes but instead a list of my Friday Felicities. Do you know what Friday Felicities are? It is a meme that was started by dear friend Nattie about things that make you happy. All of us have blessings in our lives to share and these are mine.

1. a bedtime foot routine = soft feet!
2. good styling products = curly hair!
3. a new exercise bike
4. my sweet boys
5. a loving husband

Blog Tours

I have been participating in blog tours for several months now. A blog tour is mainly for the purpose of creating a buzz about a particular book and bloggers have the opportunity to participate by receiving a copy of the book in exchange for a review of the book. I love getting books in the mail and I especially love finding new authors that I had not previously known about.

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is one group that I review books with every month. I like their system as they send out an email every week to remind you what book is being reviewed. Another publisher I review with also sends a reminder email but one does not - and then there is sometimes a random publisher that invites me to review and their system is not as structured. Structured or not, (HDMI) if they take the time to send me a book, I want to be sure I get a review up for them.

I've started using Google Calendar to keep up with everything. Every time I get a tour invite I check for the tour date and put it in my Google Calendar and set it up to send me a reminder email the day the tour begins. If an invite does not have a specific date, I enter the book title into the calendar 4-6 weeks from the day I get the invite. It works for me as long as I remember to put it in my calendar! As you can imagine, it would work with just about anything that you need to be reminded of.

Thursday This and That

This week is crawling by - maybe because I'm without a car.  Last night we made plans to go to dinner and were quite excited about it until my husband called on his way home from work to remind me we couldn't go because of the car!  We both had totally forgotten!  My hubby took one son to the gas station to get cold drinks for dinner and then the other son with him to get Pizza (only 2 seats in his van) and that made them both happy - I guess it doesn't take much!

The body shop was suppose to tow the truck yesterday and the day before - I guess they are busy, hope they come today!  My hubby got up early so he could run get us some groceries at Walmart.  I was planning on spaghetti for tonight.  Jonathan was climbing on the counters looking in the cabinets and pulled out the vermicelli and spilled it all over the floor.  Sigh.  LOL (kinda).

Tomorrow is Friday school - yes, I have lined up a ride!!  :)

Works For Me Wednesday: Backwards Edition

This edition of WFMW is backwards - which means instead of me giving you a tip that works for me, I can ask you a question to see if you have a tip for me.

Here's my problem - and I've probably asked about it before in one way or another:  My boys have a playroom but it is most commonly known as the "Drawing Room" (a den-like room where William has his "drawing desk".  It is not a big room but it has lots of light - and doors leading out to a big deck. I can't keep this room clean!  I have about 3 large rubbermaid containers in there for toys and they overflow. There is a wall unit that we call their "cubbies" that holds lots and lots of paper and coloring books and other misc - mostly pictures William has drawn or is in the process of drawing.

Do I just need to step up the discipline and demand every 5 minutes that they pick the room up or do I chill a little? I'm not a perfectionist (which would be obvious to you) but constant mess wears on me. Any ideas?

Running Scared: Fear, Worry & The God of Rest

Running Scared by Edward T. Welch

“Don’t be afraid.” “Don’t worry.” They can be said so casually. I have said them to my wife when we have been on airplanes together and her palms were sweating before takeoff. My words, of course, were meaningless. They veered off into self-starving platitudes because I didn’t really want to hear about her fears. Already engrossed in the flight magazine’s crossword puzzle, I didn’t want to be bothered. But God’s words are nothing like my own.

Think about them. God never says anything just to get you off his back. The sheer number of times he speaks to your fears says that he cares much more than you know. He is not so busy that he attends only to macro-level concerns. Instead, he is close and speaks to the details of your troubles.

Do your troubles seem trivial, at least when compared to the dangers other people face? He knows you and has compassion. He does not compare your worries to those of others, decide which ones get priority, and then give everyone a number based on need. The way he repeats himself suggests that he understands how intractable fears and anxieties can be. He knows that a simple word will not banish our fears. He knows that our worries aren’t patiently waiting for permission to leave.

Search Scripture and find that our fears are not trivial to God. “Do not be afraid” are not the words of a flesh-and-blood friend, a mere human like yourself. They are not the hollow words of a fellow passenger on a sinking ship, who has no experience in shipwrecks, can’t swim, and has not plan. These words are more like those of the captain who says, “Don’t be afraid. I know what to do.” When the right person speaks these words you might be comforted. Remember, “Do not be afraid” are the words of the One who can match speech with action. He is the sovereign King who really is in control. The efficacy of the words is directly related to the authority, power, and love of the One speaking them.

Car Woes

At my age, my dream car of choice would probably be some sort of mini-van or SUV. But the kid in my still thinks it would be cool to have a shiny red sports car - preferably with Corvette wheels! I could think of many reasons why that would not be particularly practical but honestly, does anyone buy a Corvette for practical reasons? There's a lady at our church who is in her mid to late 70's who owns a Corvette! She is single without children and is having a great life - why not buy a shiny red car if that is what you want?

For me, just the fact that it is a tiny car would make it very impractical for me. I am 5'9" and I could fit in it okay but my hubby? Not so easily since he is 6'5". If my boys were not at least that tall someday, I would be very surprised.

Today my car is being towed to the repair shop and hopefully they will be able to figure out what is wrong with it. It can go weeks without any problems and then it starts sputtering and jerking, making you think that at any moment it is going to stop on the side of the road. A lot of the time when that happens I can let up off the gas and then ease back down and it will be okay but now that is not working.

So, I am kind of car less right now. I am guessing, unless they get if fixed by Thursday, that I won't have a ride to Friday school - which means I will have to ask for a ride. I can do that, but I won't like it that much!!

Good Morning

Yesterday we didn't have school until after lunch and I am now convinced that it is not the best time for my boys. I think they were just tired and no where near as alert as they are in the morning. One of th advantages of homeschooling is that you can customize it to fit your lifestyle but in our case, it fits best in the morning! William is already doing some math while watching Clifford this morning. I showed him a different technique last night, in passing really, and he's been trying it out. We are going to start our lessons at 8 this morning and I think we'll be doing some math! Is fractional ownership some sort of math concept?

Beloved Castaway

Adventure on the high seas! I really enjoyed this book and recommend it highly!

Isabelle Gayarre, fleeing a life of servitude, refuses to be owned by anyone, yet soon finds her heart in danger of being possessed by the godless Captain Josiah Carter. Can Isabelle trust him to help her escape without losing her heart? Josiah Carter, running from demons of his own, is stirred by the presence of the beautiful woman seeking refuge on his ship. Realizing that a runaway slave can never be his, legally or otherwise, a storm begins to brew within. Will their love ever reach a safe haven, or is it doomed to wreck upon the jagged reefs of the Fairweather Keys?

Catching Up

Last Thursday I was typing on my laptop and noticed my battery power was going down while it was plugged in. I didn't know what was happening at first but after connecting with Gateway in a chat, we figured out it was the ac adapter. They told me they would send me a new one in about 3-5 business days but it arrived today after only one full business day - I was very happy to see the UPS truck pull into my driveway this morning!

I spent some time over the weekend going over our homeschooling goals and doing a little planning for the second half of the school year.  William and I are doing art appreciation this quarter and he seems to like it. I've added more math to Jonathan's lessons since he is liking numbers and addition so much right now. Cheri is probably having an exciting time in a hotel in Vegas this week!

Our car is on the fritz again and now I'm not sure how much longer we'll be able to use it. Dick had trouble with it driving home from a job estimate yesterday and doesn't feel comfortable with me driving it.  I stay home quite a bit so it isn't cramping my style too much but it's going to be hard when I really need or want to go somewhere and can't. We're praying for a solution.