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  • Thankful Thursday

    It’s officially one week until Thanksgiving aka Turkey Day!  Looking forward to having Moo serving as my helper again in the kitchen this year.  I’m so thankful that she loves to cook and has such a giving spirit.  She might be four but if anyone has tried cooking a big or special dinner alone, you really learn to appreciate help when it comes along next time.  Having an extra hand to stir, mix and pass me stuff from the frig is going to cut down on my prep and cooking time.
    I’m thankful for naps.  Yes, naps.  You never know how much you take getting a good night’s rest for granted until you don’t get one for a few days.  Last night JJ went to sleep for all of two hours and then decided it was time to wake up and party. I tried to get him back to sleep but that led to a meltdown that woke up Moo and the Mr.
    Since, the Mr had to get up early for work, I just sucked it up and stayed up with him until he clocked out this afternoon around noon.  Y’all I might have did a happy jig I was so excited to finally have a moment to catch up on my sleep.  Staying up for 24 hours might have been something I could do in high school and my college days, but sadly that’s a skill that has become rusty since having kids.
    I’m thankful to have a loving husband who’s going to splurge and get me a new laptop for Christmas!  It was suppose to be a surprise but with me being a writer/blogger/vlogger, he really wanted me to pick out the laptop so that it will have everything I need on it.  I love that man to pieces.  Honestly, we have our ups and downs like every other couple, but he never ceases to amaze me at times.We’re coming up on our 8 year engagement anniversary!
    Lastly, I’m thankful for all the doors that God has been opening up for me.  So many opportunities have been coming my way and I am beyond grateful.  I feel humbled and incredibly blessed!
    What are you giving thanks for this week?
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  • Customize The Holidays With Cardstore

    Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Cardstore.  I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
    While I’m not the most traditional person, there is one tradition that I grew up with that I’ve carried into my adulthood and hope to pass down to my children- sending out holiday cards!  After years of purchasing generic holiday cards from the store, I stumbled across Cardstore.com last year and was delighted that I was able to personalize our cards by customizing the greeting, signing our names and adding a family photo all from the comfort of my living room.  In addition to customization, customers also have the option of having the cards mailed to them to be addressed and sent out or Cardstore will handle all the hassle and mail the cards out for you!  

    From November 11th through Novemeber 20th, they have been offering customers $20 off orders of $50 or more.  And from November 21st to November 26th, Cardstore is giving customers 30% off all holiday card orders!  So, head on over to get starting on creating your perfect holiday card today:  http://po.st/PersonalizeYourCard

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  • 5 Reasons Why SI Kids Makes The Perfect Gift

    With Christmas fast approaching it’s time to get a start on your gift shopping if you haven’t started already.  Or maybe you have started but still need options for stocking stuffers.  Look no further.  Sports Illustrated Kids to the rescue!  Here are five reasons to give the gift of SI Kids.
    1-Kids Love Magazines:  I’ve tested this theory out.  I’ve packed books for Moo and JJ for trips to pediatrician’s office.  While the books might have distracted them in the car, but once we got the pediatrician’s they quickly ditched their story books for the glossy covers and pages of a magazine.  No amount of persuading could get them trade out their magazines for books.  As Moo explained it one day, “Magazines fun!
    2-Improved Reading Skills:  This goes hand in hand with number one.  Kids are more likely to improve their reading skills if they’re reading something that they love or enjoy!  As a former reading tutor and having worked in the school system, I can tell you that it is highly recommended that parents of reluctant readers give them magazines or newspapers to read.  Why?
    Well, if your child is having issues with reading, thrusting a book at them only makes them feel more intimated of reading.  Magazines have less educational appeal to kids.  And any experienced parent can tell you that the more fun you make things like learning or chores appear, the more on board your child will be with actually doing it.  So, why not give them a magazine that is designed for kids to learn with?
    3-It’s Unisex:  Whether you have a house full of boys, girls or a mixture of both, SI Kids is the right the gift for either sex.  SI Kids is filled with cool celebrity interviews and tips, games that will challenge their minds, stunning pictures, comics and more.
    4-It Keeps On Giving:  Unlike most Christmas gifts, once you open them that’s it.  With a subscription to SI Kids, your child gets a new magazine every month for 12 months.  That’s like 12 gifts!  And 12 is better than 1.
    5-It’s Convenient:  The best thing about SI Kids is that it’s convenient to order.  No leaving the house or braving insane crowds at the mall on Black Friday for this gift.  You order your child a subscription right from the comfort of your home.
    And to make ordering even more convenient, Sports Illustrated Kids is offering an exclusive deal for the holidays.  Right now when you order a one year subscription of SI Kids (print or tablet version) for $19.95, you can get set a gift of 12 more issues for only $5!!   You don’t want to miss out on this offer.   Check out www.sikids.com/gift to learn more about this exclusive deal.  Don’t forget to like SI Kids on Facebook too!

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  • Bible 365: Week 46

    My challenge for this week is to start and end my days in a positive state of mind. (See this post).  So, what better way to kick off this post than with some good news?!  We are no longer the house of germs!  Moo and JJ are feeling much better.  And I didn’t get sick this time around either.  
    More good news is that the apartment owner came out and had our bedroom window installed finally!  It might have taken almost two months, but it’s done.  The kids were so happy to see the boards being took down and I’m glad to have the eye removed.  Now on to my Week 46 recap.
    Paul is back it again in Week 46 writing letters to the churches.  Reading his letters has me wondering if any of the other disciples wrote letters to churches they had visited?  And if so, who did those letters say?  What key points or personal testimonies did they share?  I definitely believe that there are some lost books of the Bible out there that we could further give us insight into the life the Jesus and how we need to live as Christians.  Until those books are found and authenticated, here are some of the key points that stood out to me in Week 46.
    Some of us struggle with people pleasers.  I once had the problem and know first hand that it can be very stressful and borderline torturing.  “For do I now persuade man or God?  Or do I seek to please men?  For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
    We can’t always have it both ways.  When it comes to who to please, God should always trump everyone.  It is through pleasing God that will please those around us.  Now not everyone will recognize that, especially if they haven’t found Christ yet.  However, we please God by loving our neighbors as ourselves.  That is one of His greatest commandments.  And I don’t know a person on this earth that wouldn’t pleased to be loved.
    “But from those who seemed to be something-whatever they, were it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man-for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me” (Galatians 2:6). I once went to a church where the pastor thought he was better than his congregation.  He even went so far as to claim that none of us would ever be blessed unless he said because he felt like God had given him that power.  Needless, to say I left that church.
    We are all equal in God’s eyes.  (Also reference Galatians 3:28).  As stated in the scripture above, none of us are more special the rest and none of us has any kind of special favoritism.  So, don’t get caught up in titles or positions.  A lot of people allow themselves to be led astray because the person leading them is pastor or has a high position in the church.  Always double check the Bible for yourself and listen to what God is telling you!
    Ever wondered what WON’T get you into Heaven?  Adultery, sex before marriage (fornication), uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, jealousy, drunkenness and more are all listed as practices that will not inherit you the kingdom of God in Galatians 5:19-23. It’s a little easier to stay on the straight and narrow if you know the actions and things that you need to avoid.  Knowing what displeases and pleases God certainly helps me in my quest to be a better person inside and out.
    A lot of people wonder how I can still focus on giving back and uplifting others when I’m going through a difficult season right now in my life.  My answer is Galatians 6:9-10: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

    It might not be my season now, but I know that better days are coming soon.  So, I’m not going to sit around feeling sorry for myself.  I am still blessed.  I can still be a blessing to others.  And as long as God continues to give me the opportunity to give to others, I will keep doing it.
    Because we are living in difficult times, it’s so important to make sure that every day we, “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;…” (Ephesians 6:14-17). 
    We’re always telling each other to get thicker skin in order to survive in this world, but the truth is what we really need to be getting is the armor of God.  Everyday, we should put those things on and walk out of our homes with heads held high knowing that we guarded by the Most High!
    What piece of God’ armor do you never leave home without?
    Week 47 Reading

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  • My Weekly Ambition

    This week I’m linking up with Marika over at Ambitious Curls for My Weekly Ambition.  With so much on my plate lately, it can get pretty easy to give in to procrastination and just get discouraged and overwhelmed.  So, I figured that joining in with her on highlighting a positive quote, goal, habit  and challenge each week will help me to stay focused and keep me encouraged.  If you want to join in just click on the button above to link up!
    To exercise for 30 minutes everyday.  While I’ve gotten back track with watching my consumption of sweets and sugary drinks, I still 5 pounds that I need to drop.  Those pounds have decided to take a rest in my stomach area and that ain’t cute. At. All.  I worked so hard last year to drop my pregnancy weight and get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes.  Now it’s time to continue my efforts so that I can stay in these clothes.
    To write for one hour everyday.  Thankfully, both kids woke up feeling better today. Noses were still running this morning, but their coughs are gone and the runny nose went away by lunch time.  Trip to the pediatrician avoided.  However, I’m behind on my novel.  JJ is very clingy and moody when he’s sick.  Plus, since I’m not nursing him anymore, he hasn’t been as easy to console when he’s in one of his moods or upset.
    And usually I devote the hour after they go to sleep to writing, but as you guys know from previous posts, they haven’t really been sleeping because of their colds.  So, right now it’s after 9 PM and JJ has already gone to sleep.  Fingers crossed, Moo will be joining him in Dream Land soon.
    To start and end each day on a positive note.  Life is always throwing me a curve ball.  And dealing with everything just puts me in a negative mind space sometimes.  However, I know that I’m too blessed to be letting these negative thoughts consume me.  I definitely don’t want to go to bed with a negative mind set because it affects my moods in the morning.
    So, my plan is the focus on the positives of each day before I close my eyes at night and to wake up mediate on my quote above.
    What’s one challenge that you want to overcome this upcoming week?
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  • Getting Crafty With It Part 2

    I put together this arts & crafts bucket list back in July before things got all crazy.  However, despite the craziness, we have been able to mark a few things off our list.  Check out my progress below.
    1-Sharpie Mugs: Moo and I both made mugs for Halloween. Check them out here.
    2-Hearts Paint Chip Wall Art: Still have to round up the supplies for this one, but we should be able to knock it out in an hour or two.
    3-Beaded T-shirt Necklace: We’ll probably spend this to have a Christmas theme and mark it off the list next month. 
    4-Hand Rolled Puffy Beads Bracelets: Can’t wait to get started on this one.  It’s another simple craft.  If you’re doing it with toddlers, just roll their beads larger and make sure they eat any of the dough.
    5-DIY Melted Beads Accessories : Post coming soon on this one.  We did ours a little bit different, but Moo had a blast!  Sadly, JJ had to sit this one our because he wanted to eat the beads. Definitely recommend this craft for kids 4 or older with adult supervision.

    Source: Pinterest

    6-Scrap Fabrics Tutu:  I’m hoping to get a start on this in the next week or so.  Moo’s birthday will be here in two weeks!

    7-Hand Imprints With Homemade Playdough: I still have to mount these onto some of kind backing and get them framed.  And I have to do JJ’s.  Moo and I had fun making ours a few months ago though.  Check out the post on how we made it here.

    8-Finger Painting: Moo has fingered panted several times.  However, in the move her paintings got wet.  So, we’ll be doing some Christmas theme finger painting next month.

    9-Decorative Flower Pots

    Source: Pinterst

    10-Wooden Strips Mat

    11-Crochet American Flag Throw: This project is on hold too.  I’m working on a Christmas blanket instead.

    12-Chunky Baby Blanket

    13-Crocheted Cell Phone Case: Haven’t decided on what colors I want to use.  And I’m thinking about going with a different pattern.

    Source: Pinterest

    14-Multicolored Poncho: I think that I’m going in a different direction in terms of the actual style, but I could probably mark this off the list before the New Year. We’ll see.

    15-Crocheted Bolero: Ok, so I started on Moo’s but then ran out of the specialty yarn I was using for it.  I haven’t been able to find the yarn in the stores.  I’m in the process seeing if I can find yarn to match one or two of the colors in the specialty yarn to finish it up.  At any rate, this project probably won’t be completed until after the new year.

    Did you make an arts & crafts bucket list?  How’s your progress coming along?
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  • 5 On Friday

    Since, the kiddies are both still sick and I don’t want to spread their germs around, we’ll be hanging out around the house all weekend.  No worries though, I’m sure there’s plenty to do to keep us occupied.  Here’s my 5 for the week.

    {~ONE~}

    Reading is always a great escape from reality and boredom.  I’ll  be catching up on my reading since the Mr will be here to help out.   Krissy, from Musings of Me, recently took the plunge and published her first book eBook on Amazon!  It’s titled One Of A Kind. I purchased my copy the day it came out and let me tell you it’s a good read!  She says there’s a part two coming and I can’t wait.  By the way, she and Christina, from Being Mrs Jones, designed the cover art!
    And if you’re in the mood for a little nonfiction, check out This Is How We Do It: A Survival Guide For Busy Moms.   And don’t forget to leave a review and let us know you liked it when your done!  I shared my story about how I dealt with my postpartum depression.

    {~TWO~}
    It pays to enter giveaways!  I’m thoroughly enjoying my new Kindle Fire.  Thanks again to Mama’s Gone City and Plum Organics.  The kids got some goodies too.  I filmed a video to go on YouTube, but I can’t seem to get it to download so that I can edit it. Ugh…technology problems.
    {~THREE~}


    I have an awesome giveaway going on right now here on YUMMommy.  It has under a 100 entries so far, so your chances of winning are pretty good.  Check out the prizes below and be sure to enter here.
     

    {~FOUR~}

    I caught up with two of my college besties today on the phone.  One is celebrating her 28th birthday!  And the other is going through a lot right now.  She learned that her mom, who recently battled breast cancer for the 4th time, now has cancer in her spine and lungs.  Although, she’s loss movement and feeling in one of her arms, the doctors say they caught the cancer in time and can treat it with pills.
    Please keep her, her mom and their family in prayer!  She’s been through so much prior this already.  I just feel like life keeps dealing her things she doesn’t deserve at all.  She’s a single mom and one of the sweetest and kindest people I know.  I’m praying that God sends them a miracle and a year without anymore bad news.

    {~FIVE~}

    I’ve been pinning crochet projects on Pinterest like a crazy person.  Since, I have baby fever, most of what I’ve been pinning has been cute little baby dresses like the one below.
    Pinterest
    I’ve been thinking about making some cute little bibs and listing them on Moo’s Closet.
    Pinterest
    And how cute is this little blankie?!  After the granny stitch is my favorite to do.  It’s very versatile and looks great when color blocking.
    Pinterest
    Be sure to subscribe my Moo’s Closet blog to stay up to date on the projects I’m working on. I’ve given it a face lift and will be back to blogging and talking more about the crafts I do with Moo and the things clothes I’ve been working on for her closet of course.

    NaBloPoMo November 2013

    Don’t forget you can catch me on these other hot spots

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  • Thankful Thursday

    Woohoo!  One day closer to the weekend.  I do plan on sleeping in all weekend because I am exhausted.  No luck with containing the cold germs.  Moo went from having a runny nose to a full on cold.  I’m talking bad cough and everything.  I feel like I literally got zero sleep last night.  And then JJ’s asthma started acting up earlier this week and I had to put on the nebulizer for a breathing treatment.
    I’m so thankful the Mr will be off this weekend.  It’s going to be nice to have some help with the kids and passing out cold medicine.  I was thinking about taking them to see Santa this weekend, but that’s out of the question.  I don’t want Santa or anyone else’s child catching what my kids have.  So, we’ll be staying in.
    I’m also thankful that we finally got an H&M!!!  I feel in with that store on my trips to NY.  I didn’t get to visit the H&M when I was in Atlanta last year. 🙁  But no, I can go whenever I want! It opened today and I was originally going to attend the grand opening but again the kids are sick and I forgot the Mr had to work today.
    We could be having a White Christmas this year!  We got snow on Tuesday.  It didn’t stick though (on our end at least).  But it was there’s a little town between here and my hometown that got snow and it stuck pretty good.  They actually had snow still on the ground yesterday morning.  So, with rain and temperatures getting into the snow range, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be making snowmen after opening gifts on Christmas morning!
    I’m thankful that my neighbors have been keeping their dog out of my yard.  And that’s partly due to the fact that the roommate with the dog has moved out.  I’m also thankful that they came over and cleaned up all the poop that was in our yard!  No more having to play hop scotch to get to the car or the trashcans.
    Lastly, I’m thankful that we are one weekend closer to Thanksgiving!  And don’t forget to check out my giveaway post from yesterday here.

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  • Rejuvenating With Rejuvenator

    Disclosure: I received a product to facilitate my review.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
    Having sensitive skin, it was ingrained in me at an early age the importance of taking care of my skin.  After all our skin is our largest organ.  It’s estimated that by the time we reach adulthood, the average adult is carrying around 8 pounds of skin.  Besides making sure everything on the inside of our bodies stays…well..on the inside, our skin serves as a protective covering blocking out a lot of harmful germs.  And in order for our skin to work at its greatest potential, it’s imperative that we take the best care of it.
    One of the best ways to keep our skin in its best condition is through bathing.  This is why I agreed to test out the Rejuvenator Shower Head ($99 value).  I had already suggested to the Mr that we get an handheld.  So, this was perfect timing.
    About
    The Rejuvenator is the perfect combination of spa therapy and skin science with its sleek design and Microbubble Technology.  It creates ironically charged microbubbles that go deep into the skin, attract dirt and oil and then pushes it from our pores to wash away in the water stream.  Pretty cool right?!  It’s the perfect way to exfoliate your entire body daily without having to use harsh chemicals or scrubbers.  Even better is that since the Rejuvenator pushes all of the dirt and oil from our bodies, you don’t necessarily need soap or shampoo.
    The Rejuvenator also recently won Gold in the 28th Annual Innovation and New Product Exposition Trade Show (INPEX) for the domestic bath accessories category!  Check out more here.
    What I Liked
    The Rejuvenator is that it’s simple to install.  No complex directions to translate or figure out.  You pretty much unscrew your current shower head, attach the connector, and then you screw on the hose, the Rejuvenator shower head and your old shower head.  It also comes with some plumbing tape to make sure you get a nice tight fit when you screw the parts together.  
    I loved the fact that it’s two shower heads in one.  You can use as a stationary shower head and adjust it to the angle that works best for your height.  Or you could detach it and use it as a handheld to help rinse those hard to reach places.  I use both.  I like to shower without a shower cap so that my hair can suck up the steam.  And being able to detach the Rejuvenator and use it as a handheld allows me to rinse off my back and neck without getting my hair actually wet.
    And that brings to the next thing I like about the Rejuvenator.  It’s actually great for washing hair.  No more water spraying in my eyes because using it as a handheld, I can control where the water follows.  Also, because naturally cleanses and pulls dirt and oil away from the skin, it’s great for those of us with natural hair.  Since going natural, I’ve cut back on the amount products I use on my hair.  I’ve really noticed a difference in the softness of my hair and my scalp is a lot less itchy and flaky.  
    Same for my skin.  It’s softer and looks healthier.  My pores look better and I’m noticing that I don’t have to reapply my lotion as often as I was before.  Overall, the entire family loves the Rejuvenator.   The kids, especially love that they can shower too now without water spraying in their faces.  And showering them off definitely has cut bath time in half.  I can lather them up and then rinse them off.
    Lastly, what I like about the Rejuvenator is that it uses less water than regular shower heads.  Y’all know about all about saving my coins and doing things that are good for the environment!
    If you’re interested in checking out more about the Rejuvenator visit their website here.  Maybe, you’d like to treat yourself a nice gift for Christmas or you can put it on your wishlist for Santa (aka the Mr.).  No problem, you purchase the Rejuvenator from Amazon here.  The best part is that it qualifies for FREE shipping!
    Now, for one you lucky YUMMommy readers, you won’t have to worry about this on your Christmas wishlist because the people over at RejuvenatorProducts.com were nice enough to send me an extra Rejuvenator Shower Head to giveaway!!  Wait, it gets better.  I decided to sweeten the pot by adding some spa/bath extras that I purchased with my own money.
     This giveaway is open to YUMMommy readers 18 years or older living in the US.  Please make sure to the Rafflecopter widget below to record your entries!  Also, make sure all emails are valid.

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  • Thanksgiving Menu 2013

    What’s the most important part of Thanksgiving?  Besides spending time with family, friends and reflecting on all that we have to be thankful for.  The FOOD! Duh!  You see, food and I have a special bond.  I strive to cook healthy meals for my family throughout the year, but Thanksgiving is the one time of the year that I throw that out the window.
    Another thing about Thanksgiving dinner that I’ve come to realize is that it’s pretty much gluten-free!  And with two kids with food allergies.  Luckily, for Moo and JJ aren’t a big fan of dressing or gravy which both have gluten in them.  Anyways, here’s what will be on our Thanksgiving menu this year.

    Source
    Almost Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu
    -Turkey (We use Jennie-O because its gluten-free!)
    -Collard Greens w/ Ham Bits 
    -Mashed Potatoes
    -Brown Gravy (We’re trying a gluten-free version this year)
    -Green Bean Casserole (Moo gets a dairy free version)
    -Macaroni and Cheese w/ Bacon (Me & the Mr only)
    -Yam Patties 
    -Biscuits (gluten-free)
    -Dressing (The Mr is the only one who eats this)
    -Pumpkin Pie (Using gluten-free crust)
    -Homemade Fruit Punch (I’ll post the recipe later)
    What’s on your Thanksgiving menu this year?
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