Do Your Kids Like to Color?

Enter the This Little Prayer of Mine coloring contest and you could win over 10 WaterBrook Multnomah children’s books, a value of over $100!  Three winners will receive books that deal with topics like:

• Having a good attitude when Mom says “no”
• How special each child is to God
• Sharing God’s love
• The power of kindness and the strength of mercy
• And more!

Fill in the contact form, and download the coloring sheet.  Then have your child (between the ages of 3 and 10) color it, and mail it to WaterBrook Multnomah.  Entries must be postmarked by March 30, 2010.

Heads or Tails – a Past Theme

The theme/prompt for THIS week, March 9, is:

EDGE - "Any Past Theme"
Make any kind of post using any form of the word "Rumor"

 

I briefly thought about choosing all the themes I’ve missed so far this year, and then I came to my senses.  Instead I just chose one -  "List 3" from February 2 - Make any kind of post listing 3 things from any category you choose.  The other missed themes will just have to wait.  Or I could just cheat and list them here, since there are 3!

• February 9 – HEADS - “Chain”
• February 16 – HEADS or TAILS - “Light or Dark”
• March 2 – HEADS - “Cup”

There – I’ve listed 3!

Seriously, that wasn’t my list.  Here’s the list I would’ve posted on February 2, if I had actually made up my mind before Tuesday night, when it was too late.  Yes, I know someone told me it’s never too late for Heads or Tails, but I figure if I don’t get it done by sometime on Tuesday, then it’s too late.  Anyway, without further ado:

3 books Cory and I just had to buy at Barnes & Noble, because they were $2 each, and because they were just so nerdy:

1. Battle Cries: The most stirring speeches from history’s greatest warriors, activists, and revolutionaries by James Inglis
2. The Compleat Cast of Characters in Literature (Sparknotes)
3. Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters

(links are to Amazon, because I couldn’t find the first one on the Barnes & Noble website)  I don’t know how much we’ll use these books, but we just couldn’t pass them up!  Now, if we’d only found books on eczema or politics, we could have easily passed those up.

Heads or Tails is a fun weekly meme created and hosted by Barb (aka Skittles) – feel free to join in!

The Quest for the Black Jeans

Cory really likes black jeans - not a dark black, more like a very faded black.  He had a pair that he completely wore out.  First there were rips in the legs, which we sewed up so he could continue wearing them, but then they ripped out by the back pockets.  First he just got some cool boxers to wear under them, when the rip wasn't too big, but then they just ripped so badly there was no wearing them - decently, anyway.  Since then we've found him another couple pairs, but they've either ripped out by the back pockets again or had some other problem.  Either that boy has bad luck with black jeans or he's just extra hard on them because he wears them all the time.

Anyway, we went on a quest for new black jeans on Sunday, along with getting our hair cut and going to Sam's for a bunch of stuff.  We had 20% off at Kohl's, so we started off looking there - but no black jeans.  He did find one pair on the clearance rack, but they were too short.  So we went to the mall and looked at JCPenney and Sears, but no luck there, either.   They did have some black jeans at Penney's but either he didn't like them or they didn't fit right.  He tried on a size larger than he usually wears, and it looked like he was going to need to start taking weight loss supplements or start an exercise program - and here I thought men's jeans came in consistent sizes.

We were beginning to think Cory would have to give up on those black jeans, and he was getting very frustrated.  So we stopped and had dinner at Olive Garden (yum!), and Cory and I walked over to Kmart while we were waiting for our table.  No black jeans there, either.  Then, after dinner we decided to try one more store - the Target we had driven by earlier, but not stopped in.  There, he found a pair he really liked, but they were $35, and a pair he liked, though not as well - but they were only $16.  He settled for the $16 ones, which fit really nice and look good.  Even better?  There was no sign, but they were on sale for $11.88!

Now, if we'd only looked at Target the first time we went by, we could've saved ourselves a lot of time and frustration.

Camera Critters (#100)

 
Wow!  This is the 100th weekend of Camera Critters!  That’s a lot of critter pics.  Makes you tired just thinking of it, doesn’t it?

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

Anything Worth Doing

Sometimes, the reason I'm good at things is the same reason I'm not so good.  I'm good at making web pages work and dealing with all the little details.  I'm good at putting together a wall calendar for the school district, again with all those little details.  I'm good at typing up the minutes for the Library Board meetings.  I'm good at all those things because I'm a perfectionist, and I'm willing to work at it until all those little details are right.

Then again, I'm not so good at those same things - because I'm a perfectionist.  Why?  Because it takes me so long to do things, because I can't publish or share, because I'm not finished until it's perfect.  Whether it's a book review, a murad review, or even a facebook status update, it has to be perfect.  Even after I post, I read it and edit, or delete and start over.  Imagine my life before computers - one messed up word, and the entire sheet of paper ended up in the trash can! 

Also, because all of this takes time, I put off doing things - until I have the time to do them right.  Some things would never get done if I didn't have deadlines, or friends who push me to just do it.  My friend Peggy is a good example of this.  We work on a Feast of Tabernacles website together.  She doesn't have the knowledge or the patience for all those details.  What she does is throw together the web pages with all the information, and then she uploads them to the server.   Then she knows I'll have to take care of all the details, because I won't be able to stand them until I tweak them all so that they're right.

And now, I've got some tweaking to do...

Book Review: Dancing with My Father

Dancing with My Father
by Sally Clarkson

The reality of living in a broken, fallen world can leave women feeling overcome by fear, guilt, and weariness. Many develop “sawdust souls,” numb to any sense of joy.

In this warm and wise book, author Sally Clarkson invites readers to take God’s hand and let Him lead them into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose. With the voice of a trusted mentor, she reveals how, by getting in tune with the rhythm of God’s presence, women can nurture an inner attitude of anticipation and celebration even in the stressful seasons of life.

Through rich biblical insights woven with real-life stories, women will be inspired to recapture a spirit of joy as they follow God’s lead on the dance floor of life.

Beginning by painting a picture of a young girl all dressed up and dancing with her father, and evoking the joy that young girl felt, Sally Clarkson goes on to show how our Heavenly Father wants to lead us in the dance of life.  He wants us to feel and experience that joy on a daily basis, regardless of our circumstances.

Through personal example and scripture references, Sally leads the reader through her own search for joy.  Then, at the end of each chapter, she includes questions to get us thinking and to help us find the joy God wants for us in our own lives - Finding Your Rhythm in God's Joy.

I haven't quite finished the book, and it's not a book you can rush through but one to savor and internalize, one that asks you to exam your relationship with God and invites you to let go of your expectations and look to God for the joy He wants you to experience.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Dancing with My Father is available now.  I did not request an extra copy to give away, but here are a few blogs I've found that are offering giveaways, if you'd like to try and win a copy:

• Mommy Daily Vent
• Pausing to consider... 
• The Corner Book Blog 

 If you're interested in finding more, just use Google Blogsearch to search 'Dancing with my Father giveaway' and you'll find several more.   Also, you can read author Sally Clarkson's blog at www.itakejoy.com.

Looking at the Sky on Friday - 48

I’m so glad there’s a meme like Looking at the Sky on Friday, because it means all the time I spend looking at the sky, and taking pictures of it, has a purpose! Click the badge for more info.

My mornings have been getting brighter and brighter.  I get up every morning at 5:45 and go for a 2 mile walk, and all winter long I’m walking in the dark.  Hey, I’d rather walk in the dark than rely on fat burners, so I do it, but I really appreciate it when the days start getting longer.  I get to enjoy the sunrise instead of a dark, star-filled sky.

Unfortunately, Daylight Saving Time is scheduled to start next weekend, which means my mornings are going to be a little darker again, at least for a while.  I enjoy the stars, too, but I’m really ready for some light.

If you enjoy skies as much as I do, be sure to check out Looking at the Sky on Friday.

Less Time and More Expenses

So we're sending our son to college next year. For all you who have little kids - start saving now.  I know that's easier said than done, because we had good intentions of saving for our kids' college educations, but finding that extra money is never easy.  Now we just have to make it work.  I keep telling him that he better fill out every single scholarship application he can get his hands on, so hopefully something will come through - if he'd ever get his butt in gear and do it.  (I hope you're reading this, Cory.  I <3 you!)

Also, besides Cory needing to find a job to help pay for his own education, Jeffrey is saying I will need to find one, too - one that pays more than blogging, I suppose.  I'm not so sure what I want to do or what I'm even qualified to do after being able to stay home and take care of the family and the house for so many years.  Not that I'm not capable, but where to start?

I'm also catching myself thinking about all the things I do on a regular basis and wondering how I'm going to have time to do any of that stuff ever again.  Yep, I'm already making a list of all the things that won't get done or that I won't be able to do any more - baking, reading, ironing Jeffrey's shirts, and shaving my legs are only part of that list!  And what about walking?  And if I can't walk will I gain weight and have to buy new clothes?

That brings me to another issue - Balancing Work and Family on a Budget. Because I'm home, I have time to cut out coupons and send in rebates, and fix meals without relying on ready-made foods.  If I'm not home, how will I have time to do those things?  Luckily the boy won't be living at home, so maybe the grocery budget will be able to stay the same, but there are bound to be other expenses that we don't have now.  Thankfully we won't need to pay for daycare, which even with SitterCity coupons, can still be expensive.  That was part of the reason I didn't go back to work while the kids were little - after paying for gas to get there and daycare for the kids, I really wouldn't have been making any money.  And then the kids got older and needed someone to drive them here and drive them there, and there was always plenty to do, and I'm just not one of those 'have to get out of the house' kind of people, so I was happy staying home and taking care of the things that need done.

Hopefully there will be less to be done with no kids at home.  I'm sure it will all work out.  Other people do it.  I will need to find a way to track any extra expenses, so I'll be able to figure out if I actually end up making any money.  That is, if I can find any extra time for that.

Book Review: Mother-Daughter Duet

Mother-Daughter Duet
Getting to the Relationship You Want With Your Adult Daughter
By Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum

A Harmonious Relationship is Possible!

When your daughter was born, you had a thousand hopes and dreams for her…including that one day you’d be best friends.

But as life unfolds, even the best intentions go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. Thankfully, a harmonious relationship with your daughter is possible.

Written by a mother and daughter who have successfully navigated the minefield from distance and tension to acceptance and friendship, this book helps moms open wide the door of communication so that daughter want to walk through it. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on proven principles, each chapter offers timeless wisdom as well as a daughter’s perspective. Often these principles apply to daughters-in-law as well.

After reading Mother-Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller & Ali Plum, I know this is a book I'm going to need to read again and refer to often.  It's a book written by a mother and daughter for mothers and daughters, designed to help you get to the relationship you want with your adult daughter.

Since I have a 19-year-old daughter who is just now entering into adulthood, this book couldn't have come at a better time.  Through the book Cheri and Ali take us through their own relationship, sharing the hard times and how they worked through them to develop a relationship they can both truly enjoy.  They also share stories from other mothers and daughters with all different kinds of relationships.  The common thread seems to be that, no matter the circumstances, the mother-daughter relationship is one of the most complicated relationships, if not the most complicated.  It can also be the most rewarding.

I found it encouraging to read Ali's contributions of the daughter's point of view.  No matter how bad things seem, or how much your daughter seems to be pushing you away, she really does want to have a relationship with you.  There are lots of times when I really need to believe that!  On the other hand, she is really trying to separate from her mother and become her own person, and she needs to know that her mother will be OK.

If mom doesn't let go, a daughter can't come back on her own free will to choose connection.

The hard part is finding the balance, letting go; accepting your daughter for who she is, even if she hasn't got it all figured out yet; only helping when she ASKS for your help - there are a lot of helpful tips in this book, through all stages of life.  We are just entering this stage of our lives and, after reading this book  I am encouraged to believe that having a harmonious relationship with my daughter is possible, and this book gives me some of the tools I need to make that happen. 

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Mother-Daughter Duet is available now.  I did not request an extra copy to give away, but here are a few blogs I've found that are offering giveaways, if you'd like to try and win a copy:

• Frugal Plus
• Ramblings & More 
• Canadian LadyBug Reviews (Canadians Only)
• A Path of Joy

Those are just a few.  If you're interested in more, just use Google Blogsearch and search 'Mother-Daughter Duet giveaway' and you'll find more.

I Should Set Some Priorities or Make a List

I've been missing in action the last few days - no blog posts, barely any tweets or facebook status updates (if you follow those).  I'm not even sure exactly why.  I mentioned on twitter that 'Apparently, without the Olympics, I have nothing to say.' - so maybe that's it?

No, it's more that I've had meetings to get ready for - Band Boosters on Monday and Library Board on Tuesday evening.  And there's this book I'm trying to finish because I'm supposed to post a review and a link this week - so look for that tomorrow.  And then today I decided to dust and vacuum the house, instead of finishing the book or writing a post.  Sad when house cleaning is more important than reading or blogging - or is that the way it's supposed to be?

Whatever the reason and however much housework is always waiting to be done, I really do have some posts I need to get done this week - and some that should have been done long ago.  It's all about priorities, I suppose, and sometimes I have a hard time getting those straight.

Speaking of priorities, here's one for all of you - go enter my brother's giveaway.  He's giving away a 20-oz jar of 100% natural, homemade maple syrup!  Sounds yummy, doesn't it?  And while you're there, take a little time to look around his blog and learn about the homesteading experience in South Central Kentucky, a place where home security systems and a lot of other things most of us think we want or need aren't really necessary.

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