Let's Fight Cancer

There are so many lives affected each year by cancer. Too many to count. The statistics don't include family members, friends, coworkers, or the random people we say hello to every day!


Its not really something I talk about, but my family has had many losses and hospital visits due to cancer. I truly believe cancer touches every one in one form or another.


No one is granted and exemption. Anyone could go to the doctor tomorrow and be faced with the very real possibility of cancer. Its heart breaking.


Especially now that I'm a mom, I want a cure found in my lifetime. I don't want to see my son face this horrible disease!


We need to all band together and help support the search for a cure!




Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the American Cancer Society

Letters to Santa

This time of year always makes me think of all the traditions my Mother held tight to every year. These traditions will always have a warm spot in my heart. We always colored an advent calendar; took food to charities; stood outside stores ringing bells; and woke to reindeer tracks and Santa’s muddy boot prints. However, I think what stands out to me the most would be our letters to Santa.

In case you haven’t noticed, my childhood was quite different from most. We have a strict, but very loving Mama who instilled in us many important values. Most of all, she taught us responsibility, manners, respect, gratitude, and thoughtfulness. Things were no different at Christmas time.

Every year, after the tree was put up; the old world Santas were placed around the house; and the Nativity scene placed on the sidebar, it was time to write our letters to Santa. We would sit at the dining room table with homemade hot cocoa and Christmas cookies. Mama would turn on Christmas music and bring out her box of stationary. Inside this box, was the prettiest Christmas paper ever! The best part, it was only used for our letters to Santa. She even had special pencils for us to use.

Now, my mama is a bit different from most when it comes to writing to Santa. There were rules involved. Not only did we have to use our best handwriting, but we also had to actually write a letter- no lists allowed! We were only allowed to ask for one thing. Most of all, we had to show appreciation. Our letters were to include a thank you for last years gifts; a thank you for being nice to so many kids; and what we accomplished that year. I didn’t understand why we did this, but now I am so thankful that my Mama did this. After we wrote our letters, we made Santa a gift- usually an ornament.

As I sit here writing this, I wonder what made her think to do this. Also, I wonder whatever happened to those years of gifts for Santa from three children with an amazing Mother. I have my suspicions that they were either given to family members, the sick and elderly at hospitals or nursing homes, women’s shelters, or even to random charities. I will ask her one day. These are traditions that I will definitely keep going with my own son!



At the following websites, you can find areas to let your children email letters to Santa, as well as receive a letter from Santa!

http://emailsanta.com/

http://emailsanta.com/email_santa.asp

http://www.aletter4santa.com/

http://www.northpole.com/

http://www.freelettersfromsantaclaus.com/free_printable_letters_from_santa.asp

enjoy these links!

Our Latest Adventure: Potty Training

So, our little prince is now a whopping 14 months!

Wow, how time flies!

He is walking amazingly well, and has been off the bottle for a while. 

He also tries to take his diaper off when he is wet....

So I came to a conclusion:

POTTY TRAINING

time is upon us!

Here is the plan:

we take him to potty A LOT!

His potty plays music, so that's an added bonus

the really great surprise that Nana got him: Hershey's kisses after he uses the potty!

Its been 6 days, and he is doing surprisingly well.

For the past 2 days, the only accidents have been at naptime and night time.

I'm quite impressed!

Seeing how much he is growing, I cannot believe how tiny and fragile he was.

It makes me think of a paper I was given by the doctor, while I was pregnant.

This is what it said:

A Newborn's Conversation With God

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?" God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven, I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy," God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. You will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again, the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?" God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweetest words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?" God said, "Your angel will defend you , even if it means risking its life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore." God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name!"

God said, "You will simply call her MOMMY."

This was the most amazing thing for a young lady who was so unsure of how successful of a Mother she would be to hear. I knew nothing about kids, but this helped me know that I would always figure it out.

Even if I couldn't, our angels would help us!

Testing Diet Food: Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections

As you all know, dieting is a problem for me.

This may be because I'm a new mom, because I am easily distracted, because I am lazy, or it could simply be because I love chocolate!

Who knows, but it doesn't really matter, because dieting is one thing I really am bad at!

Recently though, I was given the opportunity to test the new Weight Watchers: Smart Ones frozen Meals. These are called Satisfying Selections. The are larger than most diet entrees, even including larger pieces of meat! 

These meals come packages in a bag so that you can either cook them on the stove top or even steam them in the microwave. Pretty handy!

My favorite part: With the amazing taste, you wouldn't believe they have fewer than 400 calories!

If you are a Weight Waters Lady, that is between 8 and 10 points!

They even have 25 or more grams of protein, which is pretty handy for chasing around a toddler!

The varieties include: 

Sesame Chicken

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

Ziti with Meatballs and Cheese

Chicken with Broccoli and Cheese

Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

That's actually a decent range for a new line!

I went with Sesame Chicken (because I have an unhealthy love of it) and Chicken with Broccoli and Cheese (because I am a picky eater and I don't like Alfredo or Teriyaki- I know, I'm a strange, strange lady)

I was actually really impressed with the taste of these meals. 

Another reason that I'm not a good dieter is this: 

I see diet food and I run away.... 

Once again, this is because I am a picky eater.

I do, however, see myself picking these up when I pick up frozen dinners for the family!

These are definitely meals you should not run away from screaming!

They are definitely at least worth giving them a try!

I am now willing to even give the Alfredo and Teriyaki a try...

If I don't like it, I'll just give it to the Knight, he won't know that its diet!

Disclosure: This post is part of a SocialMoms product evaluation, for which I’ve been selected. I’ve been compensated for my time with 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Heinz.

I've been slack

WHAT A WEEK!

I had a slap in the face this week.

I've always hated weighing, but i did it.

I was slapped in the face with a 20 pound weight gain since the prince was born.

I haven't weighed this much in quite a while, 

and I had taken great pride in keeping my weight level, even if it were still too much.

I now have to lose a whopping 100 pounds.

This irritated me so much that its time for extreme measures.

I look forward to McRibs all year long, so that's what I had for lunch today...

but that was my last!

NO MORE MCRIBS OR OTHER JUNK!

So far, here's the plan:

1. One cup of coffee in the morning with splenda.
2. One cup of coffee in the afternoon with splenda.
3. Water the rest of the day.
4. Ankle weights go on when I finish my morning coffee and come off when I put the monster to bed.
5. Walk with the monster everyday.
6. Find an exercise program I can enjoy doing, so that I will stick with it.
7. Figure the amount of calories to limit myself to everyday, along with fat and sugar intake.
8. Find a diet tracker to use on my computer. Place the icon where I will see it when I turn it on.
9. NO MORE CHOCOLATE
10. Thats the plan for now.

This is something I have to do, so I cannot lose track or give up.

I will keep my blog updated on my progress.

Geek Meets Fall, Part 2

Here is the picture I promised

of my absolute first pumpkin!

Its Darth Vader... Can you tell?

Get this template and more here... directions too!

Geek Meets Fall

Here I am with the HUBS... carving my very first pumpkin!

I even created my own set of 19 stencils. 

You can see my pumpkin soon, I promise!

Go to Nighlon  [my geeky/ graphics/ blog tips blog]

and grab the stencils and read the directions.

I had so much fun doing this.

I hope you enjoy my stencils.

Let me know how they turn out.

FALL LOVE

FALL: Noun; 1. Also known as Autumn;  2.  The season between Summer and Winter; 3. The months of September, October, and November; 4. Back to school,  Halloween, and Thanksgiving; 5. The best time of Year.

This is not the actual definition of Fall, but It is how I would describe it!

So many wonderful things in life happen in the fall. My husbands birthday, my little prince's birthday, HALLOWEeN, Thanksgiving, apples, PUMPKINS, the leaves change, trips to cherokee. The list just goes on!

Family seems to become more important to everyone, people get nicer (then winter comes, and the world is bitter again).

One of the true treasures of fall is being able to be outside in the crisp autumn air and enjoy everything. Just the other day, The LP and I were walking around picking red leaves for his Nana!

Sitting on the pourch enjoying a nice hot cup of coffee is pure joy!

My Favorite Fall Activities:

Picking colorful leaves and inventing crafts for them

Decorating for Halloween

Bonfires

Trips to Cherokee

Trick-or-Treating

Watching Horror Movies

Watching Christmas Movies

Enjoying Family

Baking

Making Pumpkin Butter

THANKSGIVING DINNER

This year is special-- I'm carving a pumpkin for the first time EVER


What do you do to embrace all the wonder of FALL?

KID CUISINE: Don't Feed These to Your Kid!

About a week ago, we all had grilled lemon pepper chicken for dinner. 

I wasn't sure if the little prince could eat it, so I got him one of these: 

HUGE MISTAKE!

I heat the meal, and think: This will be something fun!

NOT!

He would not eat it!

Wouldn't touch it!

I break apart the chicken nuggets, and they were nothing but breading!

I was so annoyed!

Needless to say, he ate the lemon pepper chicken,

AND LOVED IT!

I WILL NEVER BUY THE LITTLE MONSTER THESE AGAIN!

The really bad part- I ate these as a kid...

and they were nothing like this one!

I'm A Love Bug

I've recently become a love bug! These labels are amazing! Mine are hot pink, and they stand out really well. I'm still playing around with different ways to use them, but I will keep you guys updated!