Musical Talents

My children's musical talents amaze me. Mostly because I can barely carry a tune. My daughter can play flute, piccolo, keyboard, and guitar. My stepson plays french horn and bass guitar. My son plays drums, guitar, and clarinet. Early this afternoon, I got to see my son perform. He spent a week at a music school, learning to play in a rock band. He played guitar and sang vocals. My husband (the proud daddy) stood in the back videotaping the entire concert, while I (the proud mommy) sat in the front row, taking dozens of photos for his scrapbook. It was so neat to watch him. Afterwards we took him out to lunch. I am so proud of him!

There's Going to be a Party Here Soon!

We're having a party when I reach 1000 Followers and all the gifts are for YOU! Come see what my generous sponsors have donated for the celebration!

Christmas in July

Be sure to check out the fabulous prizes you can win from my generous sponsors during the Christmas in July Giveaway Hop!

The End of Spring

This has been the hottest spring in the Austin area EVER. Summer is still two days away and we've already surpassed the average number of 100+ degree days for the year. Am I worried? Nope, I love summer time. If I preferred cold weather, I wouldn't live in Texas!

I'm Featured on the Super Mega 7 Weekend Blog Hop and Giveaway

Click the button above or HERE to hop around with us all weekend long!I am honored to be featured. Many thanks to Debbie.

Fridays are for Friend-Making!

  And I'm so proud to be FEATURED this week on this fabulous hop!!!

 

Father's Day Can Be a Sad Time

Many people feel a pang of sadness at Father's Day because our fathers are no longer here with us. I personally lost my own dad in 1989 and although time does heal, there are a few days each year that bring back the pain. I have lots of wonderful memories of my dad to keep him alive in my heart. Here are some things I do to keep my spirits up on Father's Day:

• I spoil my husband. This year, he's getting a year-long membership to the local gun club so he can go practice anytime he wants.
• I love on my step-dad and dad-in-law. I send them online gift cards so they can buy anything they desire. I also call and tell them I love them.
• I look through my scrapbooks from my childhood and remind myself of all the wonderful things my dad did for me, think about the many things he taught me, and find amusement in the fact that many things he did, I find my husband doing as well.

I wish you all a very blessed weekend!  ~Lisa

I am Sharing a Free Lunch with YOU

This giveaway is now closed.
Winner is comment #57. Lisa : msmith572@.....

This is a sharing contest! I'm going to share a free lunch with you, for sharing this giveaway with someone else! Share this message:  

Planet Weidknecht is giving away a Free Lunch at http://Weidknecht.blogspot.com

You can share the message on Facebook, on Twitter, or on your blog. After you share the message, come back here and leave the link in your comment where I can find the message. You must be a GFC Follower. Only one entry per person. On June 24, 2011, at midnight, I will close the contest, and select the winner via random.org. The winner will receive a $20 Chili's Gift Card, purchased by me.

The Orange Owl - Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed to entries. Thanks for your interest!

I absolutely love to try new bath and body products. Especially when my husband notices! He definitely noticed when I used my new soap from The Orange Owl. When I was offered a chance to review one of their soaps, I decided to be adventurous and I chose something totally exotic that I had never heard of before. I picked the Neembu Paani Bar Soap, which is a scent that combines Lemon, Cardamom, and Poppy Seeds.

I started to open the wrapping and could smell the sweet and zesty aroma right away. I was in for quite a surprise because this soap is like no other I have ever seen.

Honestly, it almost looks good enough to eat! I turned on the faucet and grabbed my new bar of soap. I lathered up good and thick, deeply inhaling the wonderful scent. I rinsed off my hands and absolutely loved the squeaky clean feeling the soap gave my hands. I dried them off and am happy to report it left my hands very soft (which my husband also noticed). I've been using the soap for about a week now and I really like it. The soap is 100% chemical free and packaged in "green" wrapping, as are most of their products. The Orange Owl products are even vegan-friendly. I can't wait to try the body butter! Many thanks to Akshata at The Orange Owl!

Here's the best part! YOU can win free products from The Orange Owl!

Mandatory entry: Visit The Orange Owl website, choose two bar soaps and one lip balm that you want to win, then come back here and tell me in a comment which ones you'd choose. Make sure you include contact information so I can tell you if you win!

Bonus entries: You may do any of these extra tasks for bonus entries after you complete the mandatory entry. Please leave a separate comment for each task you complete, as each counts as one bonus entry for you. Good luck!

• "Like" The Orange Owl on Facebook (1 entry)
• Follow The Orange Owl on Twitter (1 entry)
• Share this giveaway post and leave the URL where you shared (1 entry per share)
• Follow Planet Weidknecht via GFC, RSS, and email subscription (1 entry each)
• "Like" Planet Weidknecht on Facebook (1 entry)
  
• Vote for Planet Weidknecht on Picket Fence Blogs (1 entry each daily vote)
• Comment on any non-giveaway post on this blog (1 entry)

This giveaway will be open until midnight July 26, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org and contacted via email for shipping information, which will be provided to the sponsor.
Disclosure: I was provided one product free of charge for review purposes. Opinions are mine and are honest.

1000 Follower Giveaway Party

WE'RE ALMOST THERE!!!

Want to be a sponsor? Email me!

My Dog Won a Giveaway

I do believe this is the first time Buddy has ever won anything. He is so happy! Can you tell? Look what came in the mail from the All Things Dog Blog.

Buddy said, WOOF (I think that was THANKS). Or maybe he was barking at the mailman.

Tried and True Board Games

Even with all the electronic devices available, nothing brings a family together more than sitting around the kitchen table playing board games. Not only are these my favorites to play with my teens, they are also the same favorites I loved growing up! Here are my family's classic favorites:



   
What board games do you remember from your childhood? Do you still play them?

Another Virtually Messy-Free Paint

As a childcare provider, I often have six to eight children painting at the same time. Brave? Yes. Smart? Well, I find smart ways to allow it. Do-A-Dot is awesome!!!! All my kids, ages 2-5 years, love Do-A-Dot. As soon as they see me printing out these awesome alphabet sheets from the curriculum I use from Confessions of a Homeschooler, they ask if we're going to "do a dot." Here is our letter project from this morning.

 

Meet New Friends by Blog Hopping

What is a blog hop?
A blog hop is a list created by many bloggers who enter their blog URLs into a list on someone's blog, all seeking new friends, readers, and fans. Each blogger who enters their URL commits to hop around to the other blogs, by visiting the other URLs, and if they like what they see, hopefully they will decide to follow the other blogs via email, RSS, GFC, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It's also very nice to leave comments on the blogs you visit, since all bloggers love comments!

Where can you find blog hops?
You can find them on the hosting blog (and often co-hosting blogs) and also in blog hop libraries (a collective list of blog hops).

Not a blogger?
That's okay! You can still use the blog hop list to find new and interesting blogs to read, follow, and comment!

Here's just a few of the Wednesday hops:

Is Coffee Really Good For You? - Food and Nutrition - Naturally Savvy

Is Coffee Really Good For You? - Food and Nutrition - Naturally Savvy

Good article!

Have you Hopped by my Library

If Only

If only I could be this excited about gravity...

WINNER - $25 Sears Gift Card

Congratulations to the winner of the $25 Sears Gift Card!

Comment 83 - AubreyLaine

Didn't win? Stay tuned! More prizes coming right up!

WINNER - Snorg Tees T-Shirt

Congratulations to our winner!

Comment 140 - katklaw777

WINNER - CardMeKelly

Congratulations to our winner!

Comment 14 - Gianna

Great Prize Alert

Visit my friend at Shining 2 Save and win a Eureka AirSpeed Pet Vacuum.

WINNERS - Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

The two winners of the Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce Giveaway are....

Comment 7 - mcapel4444@.....
and
Comment 58 - theyyyguy@.....

Vacation Mail Bonanza

I had quite a pile of mail to go through after my four day vacation to Florida!

Texas Longhorns shirt, coffee cup and puzzle.
Purchased with my $50 NCAA gift card win.

Free Bacardi t-shirt from Facebook promotion.

The Original Country Bob's Cookbook

Sandalwood Creme Perfume from blog win at Nicole's Random Things blog.

Best of all, there were NO bills in the mail!

The Versatile Blogger Award

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Fence Painting with Preschoolers

It was a typical humid Texas morning, the temperature reaching into the mid-nineties already. I knew these five kids would be complaining about the heat within ten minutes, so I gathered up a few supplies...five lid-covered paint jars, five paintbrushes, and some water. This is one of our favorite activities. They can paint the entire fence with water, make a big watery mess, let it dry and paint again. They spent 45 minutes doing this in the shade this morning. They exercised fine motor skills, holding the paintbrushes and balancing the cup in the other hand. They practiced large motor skills, stooping down, stretching up and making wide sweeping paint motions. They used their communication skills by discussing their paintings. They even used their listening skills by following my directions to stay in the shaded area to avoid sunburn.

Paws 4 Thor

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Three Giveaways Ending Tonight

Don't miss out on these super giveaways!
Three giveaways end at midnight tonight!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Each Click Provides Meals for Veterans

I visit this website every day. With one click, I can help fund meals for hungry and homeless veterans. It's the least I can do! I owe my freedom to them!

Win a Mint Automatic Floor Cleaner

GREAT PRIZE ALERT!
Visit my friend at Mom Spark and enter to win a Mint Automatic Floor Cleaner.
Several ways to enter to win. Hurry! Ends June 27.

Week 6 - Planet Weidknecht Sunday Hop - 6/12

Please follow the HOST and FEATURED BLOG STAR, link up your main blog page, and have fun hopping around meeting new folks!

Meet our FEATURED BLOG STAR this week:

Janice at Celebrating Family
http://celebrating-family.blogspot.com/
My blog is only 3 months old and is growing fast. I am very excited to be a new blogger. I am a wife of a soldier and mother of two. I love my job as a stay-at-home mom. I enjoy blogging, reading, writing, cooking, doing crafts with the kiddos, camping, hiking, teaching, and saving money.

If you would like your blog to be the randomly-selected FEATURED BLOG STAR for next Sunday's Blog Hop, please leave a comment! Feel free to share this post!

Florida Vacation Day Four

This is Little Blue, my mom's house in Florida. They have the best landscaping in the neighborhood! This morning we headed to church at mom's church, then to a breakfast buffet of American food at a Chinese restaurant. 

Back at her house, I took a walk around the neighborhood, mostly to assuage the guilt of everything I ate at breakfast. I took my camera along so I could take some nature photos. 

This moss hangs from many of the trees here in Florida and I think it gives the trees such a weepy look, almost like a willow tree.

I'm so happy I got to come to Florida to visit my mom. It's been about a year since I last saw her and we have had a great time together.

My flight is later this evening, so we'll spend the day relaxing and watching NASCAR.

I'll be cheering for someone mom loves to hate! Go Kyle!

P.S. I really miss my husband. I'll be home soon, Johnny. I love you!