Sponsor Spotlight - Charm Factory

I love to wear really unique items. I guess it's an attention thing. When I wear something, like jewelry, that has a very distinct look, people ask me about it. Since I'm just a tad shy (really I am) it gives us a starting point in a conversation. Charm Factory bracelets are like no other! Their European style beads are bold, bright, dainty, classic, unique, and beautiful - all at once. I chose the Cross Bracelet and could hardly wait for it to arrive. A few short days later, a sheepish postal worker delivered a damaged envelope to me....BOO USPS! Lucky for them, my bracelet was in perfect condition!

I love the bracelet chain....it's solid and sturdy, but dainty and feminine. It's also round so the beads move freely and comfortably. The beads on mine are blue and pink, slightly clear, and are like no other bead I've ever seen. It has a lobster claw closure which I prefer. The little silver cross sits in the center.

It came in a white gift box, securely fastened and protected. I love that the website allows you to create your own look or choose from finished bracelets. You can make it as unique as you want! I decided the real test was the wearing test during a day of daycare. I got my husband to hook me up for the day and see how I liked it.

It's the most comfortable bracelet I've ever worn. It did not get in my way, not even when changing diapers and wearing latex gloves. It didn't bother me when washing my hands 100 times a day. It didn't annoy me when typing on my laptop either. I really love my new bracelet. Charm Factory can make the bracelet in 7 1/2", 8" or 9" so you can choose the size best suited for you.

Follow Charm Factory on Facebook and Twitter!

My Caring Cross Review and Giveaway

For about a week, I've been keeping My Caring Cross right next to my laptop in the daycare room, where I can see it constantly (since I'm there all the time). It's helped me refocus on Jesus when I normally wouldn't have been. It sits on a daily devotion book I'm reading first thing every morning. It's within reach, solid in my hand, smooth to my touch, and comes from the Holy Land, where my Jesus was born.

My Caring Cross came from a single piece of olive wood, pruned from the trees around Bethlehem. Issa is a Christian, living just outside the city of Bethlehem, and his life's work is to carve crosses and religious items to support his wife and kids. This is a direct opportunity to help a Christian artisan! I love the way My Caring Cross fits in the palm of my hand.

$50 Friday Winner Announcement

Here is the winner of a quick $50 for 11-18-11. Congratulations!

Giving Thanks - Day 19

Today I am giving thanks to God for a husband who actually works on the ongoing Honey-Do list at our house. Thanks Johnny!

Fix the headliner on my P.O.S. car - CHECK

Dancing Deer Baking Company

Gift collections are so much fun to give and receive! Do you like cookies? Brownies? Blondies? Gingerbread? Shortbread? Peppermint? Yeah, don't we all! Dancing Deer Baking Company creates amazing collections full of fresh-baked goodies and delivers them for you. A perfect gift for grandparents, teachers, cousins, out of town friends, and your starving college student!

My Winter Warmer Gift Collection arrived quickly and packed in bubblewrap to keep my goodies in tip-top delicious shape! This adorable wooden box is a great keepsake and when the goodies are gone, I'll be re-using it in my scrapbook room to store larger embellishments. I am keeping this gorgeous ribbon too!

The treats inside the box were snuggled up under chocolate-brown crinkle paper (which will be going into my daycare kids' sensory table of course). I loved the tag of one of the desserts peeking up through the paper, just calling to be unearthed and opened.

So I dug in to find a pack of Peppermint Snowflake Shortbread Cookies, big buttery-soft Snickerdoodle Cookies, mouth-watering Chocolate Chunk Brownies, and gorgeous hand-decorated Red Mitten Cookies. Sounds like a party in a box! So I got out my party plates and opened it all up.

In no time at all, the three guys in the house descended upon my private dessert party and polished off as much as they could. There is easily enough here for a family of ten. Luckily I got a bite of each treat before everything disappeared.

Absolutely scrumptious, every last treat in this box. The goodies were as fresh as I'd make them myself that morning, but looked a whole lot better than I could have done! This is a perfect Christmas gift that costs under $35.00.

 Many of my friends are watching their budget this year, so gift collections are a wonderful way to give a bountiful gift to someone special. Dancing Deer Baking Company has several gourmet gift collections for less than $50. 

Dancing Deer Baking Company is also sponsoring my blog in the 12 Days of Gifts Galore giveaway and you will have a chance to win this collection, delivered right to your door! Be sure to come back on November 25 to enter to win!
FTC Disclosure: I was provided this gift collection at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Today's Best Deals

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Giving Thanks - Day 18

Today I am giving thanks to God for the internet. There are 7 billion people on Earth and the internet is one of the tools we can use to tell every last person about Jesus. Remember, He won't come back until everyone has had a chance to hear what Jesus did for them, and each must choose whether to follow Him. I am thankful that my blog gives me the chance to connect with family, make new friends, share good news, teach a bit, laugh a lot, and give as much as I can!

When Your Child's Friend Dies

This has been a difficult week in our household. Last weekend someone died. Someone important to my sons. One of their bosses at Dairy Queen was found dead in his home. He was a young man in his 20s. He obviously worked out and my sons said he preferred eating health food. Talk about a shock wave! My boys seem to be okay. Strong on the surface anyway. One of my boys has experienced death a couple of times; his grandmother, his sister. My other son has experienced the loss of a pet, but never a friend. I can see pain hovering below the surface. He's decided to leave that job. It's just too painful to be there where his boss, his trainer, his coach, his friend, used to be, but is no more. As a mom, it's so hard to watch children grieve, even when your child is 17 years old. I've assured him that it's okay to cry, that God made tears to help wash away some of the pain and begin to heal. I've assured him that I understand why he left his job and that I support his decision. I could tell he'd been struggling but he didn't really want to talk about it. As a mom, that's hard too, but I know it's important to allow my boys some room to grow in this experience on their own, knowing I'm there if they need to reach out to me. Yes, it's been a difficult week. Every day, hug your child like today is their last day on earth.

Win $50 Friday 11-18

Everyone loves cash! Here is a chance to win $50!  I have joined with an amazing group of bloggers to offer you a cash giveaway! There is only one catch, the giveaway is only OPEN TODAY!

Follow Frenzy November 18-20

Welcome to Follow Frenzy November!

hosted by Formula Mom and Tales from the Nursery!

Follow Frenzy brings you the chance to win cash or an Amazon gift card each month! This month you can win $150 paid via Paypal or Amazon! It's the winner's choice! Each entry is another chance to win, so check out the Rafflecopter form below and get clicking to visit all of the amazing blogs participating in this event! You will be able to enter until 11:59pm EST on Sunday, November 2oth. At the end of the event, the winner will be drawn and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to confirm their win or another winner will be drawn.
Please note that you only need to enter on one participating blog. All blogs are using the same Rafflcopter form!

Enter to Win $50,000

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American Politics Make You Mad?

Do American politics make you mad? Do you find yourself screaming at the television news? Do political commercials make you want to choke your local officials? Maybe you need a break! Perhaps it's time to schedule an escape across the northern border to Alberta, Canada! There are lots of Calgary Apartments available at great prices and you could leave American politics behind for a bit.

Heritage Park gives tourists a historical taste of the past in a fun, family theme park that chases away bad moods. Sante Spa, the first medical spa in Canada, will help soothe your frustrations and help you melt into a new sense of peace and tranquility. In the Glenbow Museum, you can get lost in the largest museum in Canada and discover interesting facts about everything under the Canada sun. Perhaps you need the outdoor adventures of hiking and fishing in Prince's Island Park. I'd love to spend a day on horseback, riding trails throughout Spruce Meadows. Where would you go if you wanted to sneak away for a while?

Giving Thanks - Day 17

Today I am thanking God for the children's naptime.

Nutrisystem Update End of Week One #NSNation

Today is my 7th day on Nutrisystem. I am thrilled to announce I have lost FOUR pounds my first week. I have also made some important discoveries. I have discovered that my eating habits have been very poor for a long time. Nutrisystem has helped me realize how often I wandered into the kitchen to snack on something out of the fridge or pantry. I am now eating at three specific meals, one specific snack, and one after-dinner dessert. Each time I glance at the clock to see if it's time to eat, was a time I probably used to wander into the kitchen for food. Thanks to Nutrisystem I am well on my way to breaking that habit. I'm told 21 days of consistent behavior can break a bad habit.

Another discovery of mine this past week is that ONE bite of birthday cookie is just as delicious as 18 bites of that birthday cookie. Self-control is a large part of being healthy. Nutrisystem allows me to be in control of what I eat, while they control how much I am supposed to eat, and if I stay focused on my goal, I am assured of weight loss. Drinking 8 glasses of water every day is part of the plan, which is something I've been guilty of neglecting in the past. With the help of my Nutrisystem water bottle (that holds 32 oz of water) it is my goal to drink two entire bottles per day. I enjoy my coffee in the morning, then fill up my water bottle. When that water bottle is empty, I can have another cup of coffee. Then I must fill it again and finish it before bedtime. My first day I could only drink 6 glasses total, but have reached the goal every other day this week. I'm also making a determined effort to move more.

The best discovery about Nutrisystem is that the food is absolutely delicious. I have yet to find a single food that I don't love. I can hardly believe this food is helping me lose weight! In the past week, I've enjoyed chili, pancakes, pizza, pasta, ice cream, sloppy joes, and even macaroni and cheese. I add the elements here and there of fruits, vegetables, and proteins, and I have yet to be left hungry. I carry my meal planner book into the kitchen when I'm ready to prepare, using their checklist to make sure I get what the program allows, no more, no less. After my meal, I plug it into the online tracker program because there are kinds of neat online graphs to help me see my progress. I've also made a good friend in the online community who has the same goals as myself! Thank you Nutrisystem. Skinny jeans, here I come!
FTC Disclosure: In exchange for blogging my progress, I am receiving Nutrisystem products and services at no charge.

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog.

Some Inspiration to begin your Day

The positive thinker see the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

-Robert Schuller

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:15

Black Friday $200 Cash Giveaway

Welcome to our Black Friday Cash Giveaway! Are you short on cash for your Black Friday shopping? If so just enter our giveaway for a chance to win some cash! CLICK HERE!

Wedne$day Wealth - Giveaway Linky

Enter your giveaways here and enter a few!

I won TWO giveaways yesterday!

You can win too!

Transform Your Special Occasion with Promgirl.net

I am trying really hard to remember when the last time was that I wore a really glamorous dress. I guess it's rather sad that I cannot even remember. It may have been 10 years ago when I got married. Promgirl.net is an online superstore of beautiful dresses, formal gowns, and cocktail dresses. As I was choosing a dress, my mind wandered back to some of the "memorable" events that required me to dress up...prom, a pageant, holiday parties. I've always loved dressing up!

I chose the Clarisse dress in gold (it also comes in turquiose) from the Prom dresses department of Promgirl.net. It arrived ready to wear and fit me true to size (even though I'm no longer a size 7 like I was for my high school prom). It is so pretty, with glittery sequins across the bust-line and a satiny sash around the waist. I'm impressed at the attention to details too.

The skirt is layer upon layer of a beautiful sparkly tulle with a soft satin inner slip. The edges of the skirt layers are curled in a gently-tossed fashion, giving it a slightly spunky poofiness. It zips up the back and the zipper is covered by a darling satin bow that snaps over it. Cocktail dresses have never been so comfortable!

My husband was having quite the time taking photos of me in my new dress, whistling and winking at me. I felt very glamorous and flirty in it. I am convinced that the selection of Formal dresses at Promgirl.net is varied enough that anyone can find the perfect dress for any fancy occasion! Ten thousand dresses in stock, can you imagine?

I'm actually hoping for a special event to pop up soon so I can wear my new dress. Maybe a Christmas party? Or New Year's Eve celebration? For now, I'm just excited to have a princess dress hanging in my closet! Where would you wear a fancy dress if you had one?

Be sure and check the Promgirl.net website and Facebook page because they have tons of dresses on sale and often sponsor giveaways. You could win the dress that transforms YOUR special occasion!
FTC Disclosure: I received this dress at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Third Annual Tiny Prints Talent Search Contest

Got a cute baby photo? How about a cute kid photo? Are you the cutest couple? Maybe you are even the cutest family? Or are you and a beloved pet the cutest pair of all? Enter your cute photo in the Third Annual Tiny Prints Talent Search Contest to be eligible for a grand prize of $1000, plus a $500 Tiny Prints gift certificate (think Christmas gifts!)

Send in your photo in one of these categories:

• Cutest Baby (Age 0-24 months)
• Cutest Kid (Age 25 months-10 years)
• Cutest Family
• Cutest Couple
• Cutest Pet and Owner

You can enter the Tiny Prints Talent Search Contest via Facebook or on their website. For Official Rules, click here. Be sure to follow Tiny Prints on Twitter too for special promotion announcements.

Only Four More Days to Sign Up

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Bloggers - Sign up to participate in this awesome blog hop event! 

Click on the Money Mania Button to join.

When you sign up, please tell her Planet Weidknecht referred you.

Giving Thanks - Day 16

Today I am giving thanks to God for a job that allows me to spend my days in my own home, be here when my own children get home from school, and pays me to play all day. When I was a young child, I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. When my daughter Heather was born, I had so much joy watching her grow and learn, that I chose to teach preschoolers. I love these children like they are my own. My job is very hard, but very rewarding. Thank you God for meaningful work!

$50 Friday Coming This Week

Everyone loves cash, right? How would you like a chance to win $50 EVERY FRIDAY? Well, I am very excited that I have joined with an amazing group of bloggers to offer you a WEEKLY cash giveaway! Cool, yes? 

Well, there is only one catch, the giveaway begins THIS FRIDAY (November 18th) and is ONLY opened from 12:01 am  and will close at 12:01am on Saturday, so it is only OPENED ONE DAY!

A Bit of Inspiration

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off  your goal."

Henry Ford

What's your goal?

Give Thanks Wooden Caddy - DaySpring - Review

Since the beginning of November, I've been doing a daily entry called Giving Thanks, in which I'm doing just that. So I was really excited to get to review this beautiful Give Thanks Wooden Caddy from DaySpring. This is my first time ever dealing with this company and I was really impressed with the quick shipping. I opened up the box to a nicely packed bundle of bubble wrap and butcher paper. It was obviously packed with care.

I pulled it out, unwrapped the packaging, and was so excited to find the entire wooden caddy totally assembled. It is so beautiful and well-crafted. The mango wood is thick and sturdy, so I won't ever have to worry about wearing this out. The handles are carved into the wood, so no concerns about broken handles. It really adds a rustic, homey touch to my kitchen.

I can think of so many ways I could use this in my home decor! The DaySpring catalog suggested silverware for the caddy, or even office supplies. I can see it in the master bath holding hair brushes and makeup brushes. I can also see it in the living room holding our assortment of remote controls.

For now, I've decided it's perfect counter-top storage for my set of four new olive oils. They fit perfectly inside each of the four sections and looks amazing, doesn't it? Sort of like a tiny wine case! The Give Thanks Wooden Caddy measures 6 1/2" square, 5 5/8"H. Each caddy is handmade and is uniquely finished. The scripture plate on the front reads: Give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love. Psalm 107:8 NIV

It would certainly make a beautiful Christmas gift for someone! I'm very pleased with DaySpring and their Give Thanks Wooden Caddy. Their online store has so many beautiful inspirational gifts to choose from that I am sure you can find something for everyone on your Holiday Gift List.
FTC Disclosure: I received this product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

My Newest Scrapbook Page

Wish you could make fast and easy scrapbook pages like this? You can!

Win the software that makes me look like a scrapbook genius!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Birthday Photo Fun

By the time we got all four of us together to celebrate Johnathan's and Ryan's 17th birthdays, it was 11:45p.m. Monday night. I wanted Happy Birthday Men written on it, but the bakery at the grocery store was closed for remodeling. It's the cookie that matters anyway!

James 5:18

The parched land in Texas cried out for refreshing rains...

and our mighty God said "YES, YES, YES!"

Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. James 5:18

Get Your Black Friday Info Here

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Giving Thanks - Day 15

On this day I am giving thanks to God for the abundance of food He has provided my family. There have been times in my life where food was very scarce, but never have I starved. He provides all my needs. Lord help me to remember those who are starving, both here in America and around the world, for they are all your beloved children. Help me remember to eat only "my portion" and no more than that, so that your goodness can be distributed to all.

Touch n Foam - Review

I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was to get this "honey-do" kit in a box! By doing a review, I could get my husband to complete a few more tasks on the "honey, please do this" list. Of course I enlisted his help with my most recent review. These Touch n Foam products will help get any home ready for the winter!

I thought I'd help my husband out by assembling the top part of the cans. After all, it's just two simple pieces, the straw and the squirt cap. Silly me, I put them on upside down, which proved to my husband that I better not attempt these jobs on my own...teehee.

We, well Johnny, started with the Home Seal Minimum Expanding Sealant. It took just a minute to seal up the edge of the fireplace on the corner of the house where it's settled a bit. It was, according to him, a quick and easy product to use.

I think it looks quite nice. By sealing it up, we'll save on energy costs and protect our home! Honey-do job one completed, yay! Since he didn't use the entire can, he wanted to be able to re-use it, so he headed to the garage. He used his compressor to blow out the goo from the straw (just a bit too close to his truck), then read that acetate is a good cleaner for this product.

Job number two required the Max Fill Maximum Expanding Sealant. This spigot has been an unsightly mess since we bought the house. We've tried a couple ways to fix it, but this time Touch n Foam solved our problem.

Johnny filled the hole with Max Fill and screwed a new plate over the hole. Five minutes to another completed task! Just for good measure, he added a bit more Max Fill once the plate was installed to make sure it was tightly sealed. We are so ready for winter!

As I am standing there photo-journaling his amazing handyman skills, I noticed a perfect spot to use the third product in my "contented wife" box...the No Warp Window and Door Sealant. How exciting to get three things crossed off the list in ONE day!

So after cleaning out the second straw (you must do this immediately if you intend to reuse it), he filled the window crack in less than a minute. This window required a fill on both sides, but luckily it was the only one leaking air that we found. Bring on winter! Well, don't hurry it.

I'm happy to announce that Touch n Foam is sponsoring my blog for the Winner Wonderland Giveaway Hop (Nov 26 to Dec 4) and I get to give one lucky reader one each of these three products to take care of your own honey-do list! Get a jump-start on your entries by following Touch n Foam on Facebook and Twitter.

While you're waiting on Winner Wonderland to start, you can check out my other giveaways here.
FTC Disclosure: I received these products at no charge, in exchange for my honest review.