Wordless Wednesday~ My Boys

Grocery Savings

I got all of this, both pictures, for $9.52!!!!

 

Here is how I did it at Albertsons~~

Transaction #1
Coffee-mate Creamer (2) $2.49/each
$1/1 printable (print it twice)
Albies Doublers
.49/each

Ore-Ida Steam 'n Mash Potatoes $3.99
$1/1 printable
Albies Doubler
$1.99

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese (2) $2.49
Albies in ad coupon for .88 (limit 2)

Subtotal~  $19.15
Coupons and Savings~ $14.42
Total~ $4.73

Transaction #2
Idahoan Flavored Mashed Potatoes 4-4.1 oz. $1.00
.40/1 printable
.60/each

Dole Pineapple $1.00
.50/1 printable
.50/each

C&H Brown Sugar $1.99
.35/1 SS insert
$1.64

Diamond Walnuts $2.19
$1/1 from SS-11/8
Albies Doubler
.19

Keebler Town House Crackers FlipSides Crackers $1.99
$1/2 printable
Albies Doubler
.99/each

Little Debbies Chocolate Cupcakes
FREE coupon (campaign over)


Albies Cottage Cheese $2.49


Kraft Natural Cheese (2) $1.88
$1/2 insert RP 11/15
Albies Doubler
.88/each


Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese (3) $2.49
Albies in ad coupon for .88 (limit 2)
$1/3 from 11/15 RP
$1.08/each


Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (2) $1.69
.50/2 SS insert
$1.44/each

Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls (2) $1.69
.40/2 SS insert
$1.49/each


Clementine Oranges $3.99

Beech-Nut Rice Cereal $1.69
FREE coupon (campaign over)


Beech-Nut Stage 1 Jar $.55
FREE coupon (campaign over)

Beech-Nut Stage 3 Jar $.79
FREE coupon (campaign over)

Subtotal~ $73.24
Albies Coupons~ $20.00 (catalinas from previous trips to use on the next purchase)
Other Coupons and Savings~ $48.45
Total~ $4.79








Thank you to Fabulously Frugal and The Bargain Jargon for the tips on these great deals!

Makeover

Last week, I was picked to participate in a little mini makeover at our MOPS group. Now, I do not normally post pics of myself because I am very self conscious and I have a low self-esteem. However, I have gotten a few requests from friends to see some pictures, so,, you get to take part in this rare occasion (please play nice.)

We went shopping and I got a new outfit. I was able to find some jeans that I am actually pretty happy with, a couple of cute tops and my very first pair of high heel boots. Then I had some time with my hair stylist and got some highlights put in and then she styled it. Overall, I felt pretty good about myself for the day and it gave me the small boost that I needed. So feel privileged as you view my before and after pics (try to look past the fat) seeing as this is a rare occasion. Thank you to everyone who helped make me feel beautiful!

After

"That" mom

So, imagine that you are going to have a fun play date with friends in the little mall playground area. Your first child is having one of his mediocre days. Your middle child is having a good day for once. Your third child has decided he is going to be a needy baby today.

You pack all the kids in the car after a rousing round of "we are not going if you don't listen to me and get your shoes on."

Of course, you have a doctor's appointment first and you have bribed the kids with the usual "we will not go to play if you are not good." And wouldn't your luck just have it that the doctor is running late?

You FINALLY get finished at the doctor's office. The kids were not great, but they did pretty well for spending extra, unnecessary time at the doctors. We packed back into the car and off we went to the mall for our rendezvous.

You get to the mall and the play area and your friend is not there yet (she is actually walking the mall but you don't know this until later.) The kids settle in to playing (noticing that the play area is of course packed full of kids) and you get the baby out of the stroller because 1) there are no strollers allowed in the play area and 2) the baby is having a needy day. You find a seat and settle in to keep an eye on the kids and watch for the friend.

You notice that your first child is getting a little rowdy (running way too fast) and there are quite a few toddlers and younger children running around. So you pull him over and have a little chat with him about being careful, blah, blah, blah. He says okay and goes back to playing, but your not sure if he really *got* what you said to him and you decide to keep a little sharper eye on him.

Apparently, he didn't hear you the first time because you notice him barreling over some toddlers, so you call him over and repeat the same above scenario and then settle back in with the baby and check around to see if your friend has arrived. Meanwhile, you notice the second child is playing great with a little friend that she found.

A few minutes goes by and you notice your lovely firstborn is again misbehaving and you call him over for another conference. You have the same discussion, but this time you add that if he cannot behave and obey, then you will be leaving.

 You would think, that from his reaction, that you had just informed him you were canceling Christmas. 

Yep. A meltdown. Fun times. And it was not even caused by you telling him you were going to leave. Only the possibility of leaving.

Now of course, everyone is starting to look at you like you are a horrible mother. You try to calm him down, with the infant in your arms still.

You come to the conclusion that this is one of those times that he will not be calmed down and no tactic is going to work. You tell him it is time to leave. Of course, this brings on only loader and angrier screams and cries; loud enough for the entire play area to be able to take notice over the sounds of the kids playing.

You quickly count to 10, trying to find the patience within yourself and you go and place the baby in the stroller (which is all the way across the play area) and he immediately starts to fuss because he is having a needy day. You then go back to your beautiful screaming, firstborn and guide him (because he is too big for you to pick him up anymore) over to the shoe section. You hand him his shoes to put on and give him the command through clenched teeth. Amidst his cries and screams, he proceeds to put his shoes on.

Of course, your middle child, for once is happily playing and not making a fuss, but you have to break the news to her that you have to leave. Great. I am sure she is going to be just fine with this.

Lovely, middle child proceeds to start to cry because she does not want to leave and is of course quite confused as to why she has to leave. You pick her up (she is still not quite too heavy for you to carry) and carry her over to the shoe area and hand her the shoes that took her 10 minutes to find this morning. Why would she not scream NO at you? You tell her to put them on or you will do it for her. NO! Being the independent child she is, once you reach for the shoes, she says she will do it herself (still crying of course.)

Once you see that middle child is really getting her shoes on, you go over to the stroller to make sure that the baby is okay and try to calm him down with a toy. Then you tell your oldest child (through clenched teeth of course) that he needs to stop throwing a fit. He doesn't.

You go back to the middle child and tell her it is time to go. She sits down and refuses to get up and walk. You bend down to her level and tell her (again through clenched teeth) that either she will get up and walk with you or you will carry her out (not quite sure how that is going to work while pushing a stroller.) Thank God for that independent streak, yet again, because she decides that she will get up and walk; although still crying. She follows.

You walk over to your precious firstborn and tell him he better get up (he had sat down on the floor next to the stroller to continue his crying and screaming) and follow you because it was time to go.

You start to push the stroller out of the play area. The baby is still crying, the middle girl is milking her cry fest, and the oldest still screaming and crying.

Yes, you are "that" mom of the day.

Don't forget to enter my giveaways! Check out the links on the top right of my blog.

Thursday Thanks Tank #12

Every week, I try to take at least a few moments to find the blessings in my life to be thankful for. It looks differently from week to week, but I always find something to be thankful for in the little moments of every day life.

• I am thankful for girls night out. I had the opportunity to go shopping the other night with a couple of ladies from MOPS and I had a great time. 
• I am thankful for my hair stylist! I just got a "mommy makeover" and she did an awesome job!
• Date nights! Jon and I went on a much needed date night and it was fabulous. 

I am thankful for a whole lot more, but I have to go and finish my date night with the hubby. 

Finding the light

Okay, so you may have noticed that I took a little hiatus for a few days. I had to do that in order to get my life back together and catch up a bit.

You see, for the previous 3 weeks, I was not myself. I was lost. Gone. Back into the depth of the pit of darkness.


Depression. 

It is something that is more common then we all think, yet it is one thing that no one talks about. One thing that we keep secret; that we keep to ourselves.

I have struggled with depression my entire life, but it was only within the last few years that I have recognized it and understood what was wrong. Coincidentally (be sure to read my quote from Beth Moore over to the left there,) I discovered it not long after I became a believer. I feel like God placed the right people and the right resources to pull me out of that pit. And believe me, they had to have a long rope to get down there.

I have been on my medication and doing wonderfully for about 2 years now.

Well, life sometimes happens. The entire family was sick, Jon was working out of town and then I had to wait for an appointment. 3 weeks went by with no medication.

I went backwards. I found the old me. I didn't even recognize her. I certainly didn't like her. She was angry, impatient, short tempered, but cried at the drop of a hat. She was not me.

Last week, I went to the doctor and got my prescription refilled. Within 2 days, I felt so much better. I felt calmer. I could cope. I had patience for my children and their squabbles. I could sleep again. I had my energy back. I felt like me.

But which is the real me?

Is it the me stuck down there deep in the dark pit?

Or~

Is it the me that focuses on reaching for the light ahead?

Family Keepsake Journals

I wanted to remind you about these fabulous Family Keepsake Journals. You can read my review here.

Between You and Me has put together this lovely video to show you all about their fabulous journals.





Don't forget to enter dollaroffjournal when you checkout to receive $1.00 off each journal you purchase.

Look what I recieved in the mail

 

 

Isn't it pretty?!?

If you are one of my regular readers, you know what coffee means to me. We have a very special relationship. It is definitely a love/love kind of relationship. Did you know that you can get one of these too? (okay, not one exactly like mine.) Yep. You can. And it is so easy!

But right now, Gevalia is offering a great special! All you do is purchase 2 boxes of their coffee or tea. Then you will receive, for FREE, a stainless steel 12 cup programmable coffee maker in your choice of black or white with paper filters included, FREE stainless steel coffee scoop, and FREE shipping. All of that for only $14.95!!!

Gevalia has over 40 different coffees and teas to chose from. You will be enrolled automatically into their program, but if you do not like the coffee or you wish to discontinue, all you have to do is call the number and cancel your membership. That's it! There is no obligation and no commitment. 

So, click here and head on over to Gevalia and sign up! Their coffee is delicious!

I'm back!

I had to take a hiatus for a few days and get my life back in order. I promise I will post more on that later.

But for now, I have business to take care of here.

First off, I am extending the dates on the giveaways because I haven't had the chance to promote them properly.

Second, I apologize for all of the posts that are likely to follow today. I have a lot of making up to do.

Finally, I am WAY behind in reading all the blogs. I am going to try and catch up as soon as I can.

Thursday Thanks Tank #11

Every week, I try to take at least a few moments to find the blessings in my life to be thankful for. It looks differently from week to week, but I always find something to be thankful for in the little moments of every day life.

1. I am thankful to go to church and live in a community that comes together in a time of crisis. 
2. I am thankful for my warm, down feather blanket that I use to snuggle up on the couch. 
3. I am thankful for great deals and coupons that help me spend less. 
4. I am thankful for a wonderful husband who loves me through all of my goods and my bads. He stays calm and steady in my often changing life. 
5. I am thankful that our house is finally free of the sickies....for now. *knock on wood*
6.  I am thankful for beautiful, crisp, sunny fall days. The kind of days you can go for a walk/bike ride without being too hot or too cold.
7. I am thankful for books. Books give me knowledge. Books give me an escape. Books twist and twirl you down a new path. I love books. 
8. I am thankful for my bunco group. We only get together once a month, and most of the ladies I have only just met through bunco, but it is a nice evening. 
9. I am thankful for great friends; giving friends; thoughtful friends. 
10. I am thankful for my planner/calendar. I would be lost without it. 
11. I am thankful for late nights. The house is quiet. I get to be my introverted self. I can hear my thoughts. I can do what I enjoy without screaming kids in my ear. 
12. I am thankful for blogging and all of the wonderful bloggy friends I have made. The blog world is such an awesome community of people that a lot of people do not understand unless they have experienced it. 

Life as an introvert

Do you need a little more alone time then most? Find out what fuels your introspective personality--and why you may have an advantage over everyone else. 

These were the opening sentences in an article I recently read about introverts in Body & Soul magazine. It definitely piqued my interest. I am an introvert. I have always been an introvert. But I have not always embraced it and I have not always been proud of it.

Being an introvert is often looked down upon. Introverts are not always seen in a favorable light. They are often labeled as shy, withdrawn, antisocial, etc. Introverts tend to not stand out as much as the extroverts.


Are you and undercover introvert?
The article says that if you say "That's me!" or have strong tendencies towards these characteristics, then you are probably an introvert.
You...

• feel perfectly comfortable with periods of silence in a conversation; idle chatter irritates you.
• feel more lonely in a crowd then at home by yourself. 
• become overwhelmed by too much information at once.
• prefer to think first and talk later rather then blurt out ideas just to keep a dialogue flowing.
•  rarely feel bored when you have a few hours alone.
• often feel drained or exhausted after a big party or social event. 
• get grouchy without "me" time. 
• have a rich and active inner life-so much so that external stimulation can overwhelm you. 
• often feel secretly thrilled when plans get canceled and you have the evening to yourself.    
  

I have answered yes to just about all of these. Being an introvert is not easy. Our culture loves extroverts. Our country is built on extroverts who are out there and in always in front of us. Our culture thrives on extroverts. Being an introvert often gets you labeled as "weird" and everyone immediately becomes concerned because there are times you just like to withdraw.

But God didn't make me an extrovert. He made me an introvert. And because He made me, I know that being an introvert is not a negative thing. God creates beautiful things.

Being an introvert has its positives. The article states "When they heed their need for solitude, introverts tap into their greatest strength. Naturally reflective and sensitive, they have qualities that manifest in vast contributions to the world....being avid readers and attuned to the realm of conceptual thought, it's no wonder that many of the best writers are introverts....the ability to replenish their own energy means that introverts develop valuable resources for coping with stress early on....they know how to pace themselves and manage major life changes more easily."

There are many times that I would much rather stay home, curled up in front of the fireplace with a good book and a cup of coffee then head out and be with other people. And those that are extroverts just do not *get* that and how it refreshes an introvert; or that it is okay. I feel refreshed, not bored, when I get to have time to just "be."

Jon is very much an extrovert. He is shy, but he is an extrovert. He is a people person and he loves to just sit and make small talk with people. He thrives on it. That is not me. When we first got married, it was quite a struggle to find a balance for both of us. We had to find a compromise and create an environment in our marriage where we could each thrive. It is a give and take. Sometimes I have to go out and do things that I don't want to or I am not comfortable with because Jon needs to have his soul fed. Sometimes Jon has to bite the bullet and just snuggle up with me on the sofa and do nothing.

While neither of us really *gets* why the other one functions this way or gets refreshed this way, we have learned to respect it, to understand it, to embrace it and to love the other one for their different way of looking at life.

God creates us all differently. Different does not mean wrong. Different does not mean bad. Different is just different. Embrace differences. Love others who are different then us. Accept those that are different from the "normal." They are what keeps life interesting.

Skin MD Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway

 A few weeks ago I received a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion from Skin MD Natural as well as a couple of samples of Skin MD Natural Lotion SPF15. I have been anxious to do this review, but I wanted to give the product a long enough time period to give it a proper review. I wanted to see if it would work over the long term.

The first thing that I wanted to know about was why it was called a "shielding lotion." Here is what Dr Lisa Benest, a board certified dermatologist had to say~

"A shielding lotion is a lotion that provides a natural barrier on top of the skin to protect it from outside chemicals and irritants. In addition it also acts to keep the moisture and the oils in the skin, so that the skin can heal itself."

Problem With Traditional Moisturizers

"Regular moisturizers are designed to add moisture onto the skin. However it does nothing to repair the barrier so it's an endless cycle of constant moisture application onto the skin without healing and curing the dry skin. Many traditional moisturizers restore the moisture to the skin on a temporary basis, but after continued use actually send a message back to the skin saying it doesn't need any further moisture to be produced by the skin, and so we can end up with the opposite condition where the skin is less hydrated than prior to using the moisturizers. With the shielding lotion, first off it's a thin layer, so it does not clog the pores, it allows skin to breathe and it is what we call non-comedogenic – it won't promote acne. But in addition, it also protects the skin while allowing it to breathe."
"Shielding lotions not only protect the skin's barrier but they restore the moisture to the skin and allow the skin to continue to moisturize itself, so that your skin does not become addicted on the moisturizer and ultimately cures the dry skin."

I was interested and certainly intrigued. Then I saw this on the sidebar of their website~

• No animal products or testing
• Dermatology tested
• Fragrance and colorant free
• Hypoallergenic
• Paraben free
• Non-comedogenic

I then went in search of the ingredients list.

All the ingredients are listed in order of dominance.

Deionized water (Aqua)
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Vera)
Cyclopentasiloxane
Dimethicone
Methyl Gluceth-20
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
Arnica Montana Flower Extract (Arnica)
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract (Comfrey)
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract (Chamomile)
Achillea Millefolium Extract (Yarrow)
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
1,2 Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Butylene Glycol
Aminomethyl Propanol
Phenoxyethanol 

After the listing of the ingredients, each one is then listed individually with a full discription of it.

Because I suffer from eczema, I was definitely interested in giving this product a try. I wanted to see how their product compared to everything else I have tried. I have had pretty severe eczema in the past. Nothing has ever seemed to work. Ever. And it used to be pretty hard to find things that I could use; things that were fragrance free. It was hard to find things that would relieve the itch without being packed full of steroids or other junk. And when a company is willing to post their clinical trials on their website, the product must be pretty good and worth giving a shot.

So once I received my trial bottle in the mail, I immediately read the directions so that I could get started using this product. It was actually perfect timing, because Fall was starting to set in, heaters were starting to come on, and my skin was starting to get very dry and itchy and I already had a few cracks on my hands.

So I read the instructions and it said that you are supposed to put it on every 2-8  hours  until your moisture level improves and then continue just once every 12-24 hours. I applied every 2 hours for an entire day and then every 12 hours after that.

My hands are so improved. I cannot believe the difference this lotion has made. I like that the lotion soaks in very quickly and it does not have a greasy feeling at all. After just a few applications, I could feel the difference in the skin on my hands. After a day, one of the cracks on my hand had already started to close up and heal. I have been using it a couple of weeks now and I put it on when I get up in the morning and then before I go to bed at night. I can definitely see and feel the difference in my skin from previous years. It did not seem to help the itching too much, but by healing the skin, it decreased the itching.

I would highly recommend this product to anyone that has severe dry skin, eczema or psoriasis.

Thanks to Skin MD Natural, one lucky AYTG reader is going to win their own bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion! 

To enter the giveaway, go over to Skin MD Natural and tell me about one product that I have not already mentioned that you would be interested in trying ~or~ a tidbit of information from the website that you find interesting. This entry is mandatory and if not completed, then all other entries will be deleted.

Additional entries~ Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

~Become a Google follower ~or~ already be a follower.
~Add my button to your blog and leave a link where it can be found (worth 2 extra entries)
~Add me to your Technorati favorites
~Rate my blog over on BlogCatalog
~Blog about the giveaway, making sure to link back to me (worth 2 extra entries)
~Click over onto Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory and give me a rating.
~Subscribe to my RSS feed


Entries will be accepted until November 29th at 10pm PST and then a winner will be chosen using random.org.

*Disclaimer* I did receive a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion in order to do the review. No other compensation was given. 

Weekend Wisdom & Worship

It is amazing the things that God can do in our lives. It is incredible to me, that no matter how far off track we get, God always brings us back around to Him. He may do it through bible study, He might do it through our children, He may do it through other people in our lives or He might do it through worship.

Between illnesses in our house and my husband working a lot of hours, our house has been in total chaos. All three kids and Jon were sick for 2.5 weeks. Then Jon had to do a job that required him to be gone for 2 complete days and 1 night (thank God they finished the job sooner then they thought because he was supposed to be gone for 2 nights.) Anyway, because of these things, I immediately just went into survival mode. All I wanted to do was survive and get through the days and everything else certainly went to the wayside.

We missed a couple of Sundays at church and a couple of weeks of Awana. We were not doing devotionals and we were not doing their Awana work. I too, had not been doing my bible study. I knew that we needed to get back to it, but I just didn't have the energy for it.

A couple of days ago, I read my friend Stephanie's blog post on something very similar. I realized that I could not wait for the kids to finish being sick or for Jon to not be working such long hours. I could not wait for me to feel rested and energized. I could not wait for that perfect moment. It was me. I needed to make the change. I need to just sit down and do it. I need to quit making excuses. I need to show the kids how to get rid of the chaos that had permeated our lives. And the change is so simple. Take rest with God and let Him take care of it. All I need to do is sit with Him, be in His word, be in His presence and let His love spill out onto my family as well.

This morning was tough to get to church. Jon was again going to be missing so that he could go work. It was my responsibility to get myself and all 3 children to church. I did not want to. It was cold. It was rainy. I was tired. It was dreary. The kids were cranky from staying up late the night before. But as always, God convicted me. He nudged me (okay, He was probably really shoving me.) I thought of Stephanie and she inspired me. If she could make the change, then so could I. I am so thankful that I made the choice to attend church today.

During the first worship song, I prayed. I gave it to God. I asked Him to forgive my disobedience the last few weeks. I asked Him to show me how to get back to my journey with Him; to become ever faithful again. I asked Him to help me bring the Holy Spirit back to the forefront of my families life; to make Him the important one. I lifted my family up to Him and placed us at His feet in order for Him to show us how to do His will.

Here is the next worship song that the worship team sang~

Here is our King
Here is our Love
Here is our God who's come to bring us back to him
He is the One,
He is Jesus

This version was performed by the David Crowder Band. 

Amazing isn't it? How the Lord hears our cries for help. How our Father forgives us. How the Creator always manages to bring us back to Him, no matter how far we have gone from Him. How much He loves us.

God is so awesome!

To participate in Worship and Praise Sunday, go visit Brittany over at Sweet Nothings.

Gro Baby Bio Soaker Review & Giveaway

You may remember when I introduced a new product from The Natural Baby Co. called the Gro Baby Cloth Diapering System?  You can go here to read my product introduction and review all of the details.

I recently received the Gro Baby Bio Soaker Intro Package from The Natural Baby Co. to try out for myself.  The package included 1 Gro Baby Shell in vanilla color and 50 Bio Soakers.

Here are a few pictures of the diaper cover and insert~

Product try #1~

 

I tried these on a couple of different occasions so that I could give you an accurate review using a variety of situations. The first go around, I tried the shell on the smallest snaps and it turned out to not be a big enough fit. Along with that and the fact that I didn't get the Velcro fastened tight enough, Nolan leaked pee all the way through to his clothes. He also pooped and it leaked out of both sides and onto his clothes. I could not remember if I had pulled the diaper elastic all the way out or not to know if that was the cause or if it was just the Bio Soaker itself. So, I decided to give it another try and not give up on these quite yet.

Product try #2~

Try number 2, I put the shell on the middle set of snaps and that seemed to fit a lot better. I was able to get a tighter fit around the waist by making sure that I overlapped the Velcro fasteners. I also pulled the elastic of the insert out around the legs all the way. There was no leakage of pee this time so we were able to use a couple more inserts.There was a small bit of leakage of poop, but not a total blowout. I was definitely a lot more happy with it this time.

The third time I put these on Nolan, I actually used only the outer shell over my own regular prefold cloth diapers. I wanted to see how the performance of the outer shell would hold up on its own since I have not used their products before. I was actually quite impressed with the shell. The mesh on the interior of the shell helped to keep the wetness from seeping out to the outside of the shell and pulled it away from Nolan's skin.

I think the Gro Baby Bio Soakers are great for outings and using on a temporary basis. I think they are great for a 1 or 2 time use for a babysitter for for putting on your baby while running errands. I don't think that I would personally use them on a long term basis. I did, however, really like the performance of the outer shell and I would definitely highly recommend those. I really liked the idea that the shell is adjustable with their snap system so that you can use them long term as your baby grows.

You can find the Gro Baby Shell on The Natural Baby Co. website for $24.95. They have some really cute colors and recently added prints.
The Bio Soaker Pads are $19.99 for a box of 50.
You can get the entire Gro Baby Bio Soaker Intro Package for $34.95. It includes 1 shell in the vanilla color and 50 Bio Soaker pads.

However, one lucky AYTG reader has the opportunity to win the Gro Baby Bio Soaker Intro Package from The Natural Baby Co.

To enter the giveaway, go over to The Natural Baby Co. and tell me about one product that I have not already mentioned that you would be interested in trying. This entry is mandatory and if not completed, then all other entries will be deleted.

Additional entries~ Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

~Become a Google follower ~or~ already be a follower.
~Add my button to your blog and leave a link where it can be found (worth 2 extra entries)
~Add me to your Technorati favorites
~Rate my blog over on BlogCatalog
~Blog about the giveaway, making sure to link back to me (worth 2 extra entries)
~Click over onto Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory and give me a rating.
~Subscribe to my RSS feed




Entries will be accepted until November 22nd at 10pm PST and then a winner will be chosen using random.org.

*Disclaimer* I did receive the Gro Baby Bio Soaker Intro Package from The Natural Baby Co. in order to do the review. No other compensation was given.

Thursday Thanks Tank #10

Every week, I try to take at least a few moments to find the blessings in my life to be thankful for. It looks differently from week to week, but I always find something to be thankful for in the little moments of every day life.

• I am so, so very thankful that I have a husband that does not have to travel for his job. My husband was gone from Tuesday morning until Thursday evening for a job, which is a very, very rare occasion. I developed an even deeper appreciation for military moms and how they cope with their husbands begin gone for long periods of time. 
• I am even more thankful that Jon was able to come home sooner then he was supposed to. 
• I am thankful for a God who loves me; for a God who accepts me for who I am. It says in the bible that being a believer will often get you labeled as "different" or "odd." This is something I have been struggling with lately and it is sometimes hard to keep my focus on Him when there is constant negativity being thrown in your path. But He somehow always brings the focus back to Him and reminds me that it is not what others think, but what He thinks. And He loves me unconditionally. For that, I am ever thankful. 
• I am thankful that everyone in my house finally seems to be getting well. It has been a long 3 weeks. 
• I am thankful for coffee and swet tea. Without them, I don't think that I could have made it through the last 3 weeks. 
• I am thankful for all of the great blogs out there. I have found some that inspire me, some that make me laugh, some that help me escape, and some that challenge me and help me grow. 
• I am thankful for friends.
• I am thankful for forgiveness and understanding. 

Changes

I have almost achieved my blog face lift and molded it to how I want it to appear.

The major change that you need to note is that the website URL has changed and you can now find me at www.areyouthere-god.com so be sure to update your stats.


I have changed the background and made a few other minor changes and rearrangements.

It is amazing how my blog has changed and flowed from that very first post. I look back and read that post and I realize how lame it really was. I have gotten a little more comfortable with the blogging world and the kind of information I put out there to share. I am still trying to find my blogging personality and decide where I want my blog to go. I have so many things that I want to do with it and to share with my readers. I have never claimed to be a professional writer. I just hope to share my life experiences and maybe someone will be able to relate and find them helpful. I appreciate everyone who takes the time out of their busy day to read my blog.

I hope you enjoy the new changes, although I am sure they will not stay that way forever.

Blog Award

Last week, I was blessed with another lovely blog award. Thank you to Debby for thinking of me! If you have a minute, go take a gander at her blog. She writes some great stuff.  Also, if you have a second, say a little pray for Debby and her family. They are going through some tough times right now.

 I am supposed to forward this on to 7 more friends, but this is what I came up with. I know I cheated.

 First up is Jane Anne over at Gravity of Motion. She is honest, she is real, she is sincere, but most of all, she strives to glorify God daily. She makes me dig deep and she inspires me. Be sure to go check her out.

Next up is Jen over at What Really Matters. We were virtual friends before becoming bloggy friends. I love her transparent posts and the way she shares life, good and bad.

My last two picks are Coach Dayne over at Coach Your Mind and Billy Coffey over at What I Learned Today. Both are fabulous Christian bloggers that bring a lot to the table. I do not read very many men's blogs, but these two definitely have a lot to offer. I have no idea if blog awards are their "thang" at all, but I wanted to honor them for inspiring me and hopefully drive more readers in their direction. They deserve it.

Now following with not following the rules, here are 10 6 things you never wanted to know about me~

1. I love Mexican food with a passion. I could eat it every day, all 3 meals and never get sick of it.
2. My daily guilty pleasure is watching General Hospital. I grew up watching it. I have watched it pretty much my whole life. I can remember babysitting my brother and sister and making sure that their nap time was from at least 2-3 so that I could watch it in peace. 
3.  I love dolphins. I think they are one of the most beautiful creatures that God created and they are intelligent to boot. My life long dream has been to be able to swim with dolphins. Good thing I am still kicking. 
4. I dislike a lot of foods that most people consider fabulous. Salmon, steak, and watermelon are just a couple of examples.
5. I don't really know how to ride a bike. I fell off my bike (with training wheels) when  I was about 5 and I never got back on again until I was about 18. I had no car when I went to college so I thought it would be brilliant to try and learn so I could have a way to get round. Yeah.....that did not work out so well.
6. I played the violin all the way from 5th grade through my senior year of high school. I still dabble here and there with it, but after I graduated, I pretty much put it away. 
   

Tasty Tuesday~ Slow Cooker Cranberry Roast

I made this recipe last night in the Crock Pot. I am trying to use up some older things from the freezer and pantry and this combined them all. I found the recipe at allrecipes.com which is a site that I absolutely adore. You can search by keywords, ingredients you have on hand or a specific recipe. They are also rated by reviews from other members.



Slow Cooker Cranberry Roast

Ingredients

• 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast
• 1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Place onion soup mix in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place roast in the slow cooker, and top with cranberry sauce.
2. Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low.
3. Remove roast, and set aside. Set slow cooker to High. Whisk together butter and flour, and slowly mix into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker to create a thick gravy. Serve with the roast. 

I served this with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Everyone loved it. Even my picky eater didn't mind it too much and ate some of it. It was incredible how delicious it was for so few ingredients. I am certain I will be making it again.

Be sure to head over to Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and link up with their Tasty Tuesday carnival.

Halloween Fun

I found that we were not really much into Halloween this year. I think a lot of it is because our house has been sick the two weeks leading up to it. We didn't even get a chance to carve our pumpkins!
But, we pulled up our bootstraps (as my great-grandma said) and got the kids all decked out to go Trick or Treating.

Dakota decided she was going to be Tinkerbell for the second year in a row. She was also very excited that she got to wear real makeup.

Jayden, after changing his mind about 10 times, finally decided on a dinosaur, as long as it was a T-rex.

Nolan didn't get a choice and he was a peapod.

She wanted me to take a picture of her makeup.

The scary face.

Apparently, he likes to eat peas.

It took about a million shots to get one of all 3 of them that looked this good.

Some other random trick or treating pictures~