So Shot Out

RIP Ryan Dunn

2011-06-21T11:59:00.005-04:00

While I was not in any way, shape or form a fan of the whole Jackass thing, I was saddened by the news of Ryan Dunn's passing.

While viewing the story on Yahoo, I was shocked to see the amount of responses from people putting this man down, calling him names, celebrating his death. These are people who apparently have no heart, no sympathy and no empathy much less any sense of tact or decorum. When is a violent, painful death ever a cause for celebration? When is a life cut short ever a cause to ridicule or hurt the family and friends of the deceased? Have they no shame? Since when did they become a the judge of anyone?

It really irritates me, as a Christian, that people calling themselves Christians would act in such a way. That is exactly why the world has such a horrible view of Christians in general and I would like to say that the ones acting in such a manner are absolutely NOT lovers of Jesus Christ. A true Christian does not act in such a self-righteous manner and does not celebrate the loss of one of God's sheep.

Do I agree with everything that this man has done in his life? NO. But, am I one to point fingers or throw stones? Absolutely not! What makes any sin of mine less than the sins of anyone else? I, too, have fallen short of the Glory Of God.

If I had met Ryan Dunn during his time on earth, would I have turned up my nose at him and refused to befriend him because of the way he led his life? Absolutely NOT! He was a child of God, regardless of whether he knew this or not, regardless of whether he had accepted the gift of salvation or not.

In the end, we are all just people. Nothing more, nothing less. We all have hopes, dreams, feelings and we all do the best that we know how. Ryan Dunn had many people who loved him dearly. He had family, friends, fans. And at this moment, their hearts are broken. The depths of their pain are unimaginable and they should be loved and comforted. They should never be taunted and tortured by mean, rude and insensitive comments posted on the Internet, in print, on tv or in person.

Let me ask you how you would feel if you lost someone you loved? Put the shoes on the other food, for God's sake! If you truly are a Christian, imagine it was your child or brother or husband who had yet to be saved. How would YOU feel?? Why would it be worse for you than it is for the loved ones of Ryan Dunn? Why are you not keeping everyone affected by this in your prayers, lifting them up and asking for God's peace, healing and enlightenment? How will you feel when you stand before the God you say you represent and are responsible for one of His sheep rejecting His free Gift of salvation because of YOUR actions and hurtful words? What do you think your reward for THAT will be? Think about it!

In closing, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to those who are hurting from the loss of this man and his passenger. I pray that you find comfort, peace and healing in this time of mourning. My heart goes out to every one of you and breaks for you as well. I pray that you feel the love and acceptance of the God who knows you better than anyone here on earth ever will and feels your pain as deeply as you do right now.

Giveaways I've Entered Today 6/16/11

2011-06-16T12:10:00.010-04:00

1) Brag Worthy Summer ~ Voda Swim Push Up Swimwear Review and Giveaway ($130 Value!) at The Bragging Mommy

2) Brag Worthy Summer ~ Learning Resources Big View Bug Jars and Early Science Explorers Set Review and Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

3.) Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Kids My Way! Toothbrushes and Toothpaste Review and Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

4.) Educational Games for Kids ~ The Land of Me Review and DVD ROM Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

5.) Brag Worthy Summer ~ PolarPillow Review and Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

6.) Brag Worthy Summer ~ Cars 2 Coming to Theaters June 24th ~ Prize Pack Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

7.) Money Scholar Educational Piggy Bank Review and $40 GC Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

8.) WallPops Wall Art Decals Review and Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

9.) Tollytots Rapunzel Doll & Tangled Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Review and Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

10.) Big Belly Banks Review and Giveaway at 3 Peas In A Pod

Sunday Stealing June 12th

2011-06-12T14:38:00.002-04:00

Saw this new to me link up called Sunday Stealing over at Tethered Mommy's Blog and thought I would join in on the fun!

1. Your ex's car is on the side of the road, on fire. What do you do?
Go to the nearest gas station, fill up a jug, drive back by and throw it with maniacal laughter right onto that sucker!

2. Your best friend tells you she is pregnant. What is your reaction?
Total happiness!

3. When is the last time you wanted to punch someone in the face?
Hmmm... every time I walk out my door and the idiot neighbors have something smart to say to me or my kids.

4. What is the last thing you spent money on?
Worms to go fishin' with.

5. Do you think you gained or lost weight this past month?
I lost! Check it out HERE!

6. Crunchy or Puffy Cheetos?
Oh, gosh. I'm on a diet. EITHER! No, NEITHER...

7. The first person on your friends list just called you a bitch. What do you do?
Nothin' - they probably meant it lovingly.

8. Congratulations! You just had a son. What’s his name?
A new son? Hmmmm... maybe Keifer or maybe Tristan.

9. Congratulations! You just had a daughter. What’s her name?
Jaida

10. What are you craving right now?
A Subway Italian Sub!

11. What was the last thing you cried about?
I'm pretty sure it was my shoulder giving me pain. LOTS of pain. (rotator cuff injury)

12. When you buy something and your change is 2 cents, do you keep it or tell the cashier to keep it?
Dude, I'm poor! I keep it!

13. What color is your tissue box?
No tissue box... we just use T.P.

14. Do you have a ceiling fan in your bedroom, and if so, is there dust on that fan?
Nope, not in the bedroom, but there is one in the LR and yeah.... thanks for making me look there, now I have to clean it.

15. What was the last voicemail you received about?
I think it was a wrong number.

16. Have you ever blocked someone on Facebook?
Absolutely! Everyone from The Man's family!

17. Scariest thing you’ve experienced in the last year?
Losing my job and being faced with the possibility of being homeless with my kids.

18. Do you wear a name tag at work?
Nope, 'cause I work from home.

19. What kind of car do you want?
Anything that works every time it needs to and is good on gas!

20. What do you order when you go to Burger King?
Well, before my diet, I would order a Whopper with cheese and extra mayo, fries and a Diet Coke.

Where Are All The Normal People?

2011-06-11T18:46:00.004-04:00

Tonight I have an extra kid spending the night. It is already loud and I want to lock myself in my room with a huge pair of headphones on. LOL Unfortunately, I would much rather have the kids at home than I would at other parents' houses. Isn't that sad? At least I know what they are up to here. The last time I let my 12 year old son spend the night with a friend I found out that a neighbor of theirs had given him a beer and dip. WTF?? One of the last times I let my now 15 y/o daughter out with her friends, she came home smelling of alcohol which was given to her by some 20-something year uncle of her friend. Why is it so hard to find to find normal, responsible people who have half-way normal children for my kids to play with?

Sometimes I feel like I am the only responsible adult around. I know I'm not. But, it feels that way sometimes. I certainly haven't met any since moving to my current area. The adults are insane, their kids are even worse - or maybe it's the other way around. Why isn't anyone just 'normal' anymore? Why do adults want to be as childish as their children? Why do they act like a bunch of unruly drunken sailors with the mouths to match? Why can't a normal family even spend time in their own yard without having to deal with crazy neighbors screaming insults and obscenities?

Sigh. I swear, the next time I move I am going on some type of undercover mission to stake out my prospective neighborhood. I will watch how the neighbors interact with each other, sit in at the schools, observe the inner workings of the neighborhood before I move there.

Friday Confessional 6-10-11

2011-06-10T09:35:00.004-04:00

I Confess.. I've been doing the 30 Day Shred and I think I've finally accepted the fact that I can modify what I need to no matter what Jillian Michaels says on the DVD. I'm a closet perfectionist and went into it trying to do everything perfect. However, at my fitness level and with my injuries, that is just not gonna happen. Today is Day 10 on level 1 and tomorrow I move on to level 2! I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking it out and continuing on with this challenge and I have many blogging and My Fitness Pal friends to thank for keeping me motivated and accountable.

I Confess.. that I totally love Swamp People ! I mean, seriously.. I want to hang out with these guys!

(I had a picture to put here, however, blogger is being a butt and won't let me!)

I Confess.. that I've been letting my kids stay up until the wee hours of the morning since they have been on summer vacation. Really, till like 3-4 o'clock in the morning. Then, I let them sleep until they wake up. Which usually isn't until 2pm. in the afternoon. It's kinda like they are still in school since it's quite all morning and half the afternoon. Does this make me a bad mama? Not in their eyes!

I Confess.. that I had a very bad moment this week when The Man's parents showed up at my door unannounced and unexpected. I have serious issues with his mom. His whole family, to be exact. They love to contribute to anything that he should not do, make excuses for him, lie for him, encourage him and every time he has done something horrible in our relationship it has been while he was doing something with his family. I have already blocked them all from my facebook account and made it clear to them just to leave me alone. So, when the parents showed up at my door, I let them in (which I thought was pretty nice of me considering) and then went to my room and shut the door till they left. I thought that by moving to a different state they would at least be less meddling, however over the last year they have found at least four occasions to totally interfere and cause trouble. Even driving here to pick The Man up for a supposed 2 day visit that led to over a week of him being gone with no word, no nothing and lies from every one of his family members as to where he could possibly be. Anyway, I don't really feel bad about it. They have done it to themselves. I can't stand sneaks, liars and back-stabbers.

I Confess.. that I may have to take a nap today. I'm so tired! But, I hate the thought of sleeping the day away when it's so nice and quiet and I should be doing something else!

Giveaways I've Entered Today 6/9/11

2011-06-09T10:40:00.001-04:00

I was really excited to see that Knack For Nutrition was doing a giveaway for a Polar HRM ! You can bet I entered that one today!

Giveaways I've Entered Today 6/6/11

2011-06-06T09:09:00.001-04:00

Giveaway – Supreme 90 Day 10 DVD Set – 3 Winners – Ends 6/12/11

Rasputin Featuring My Boys

2011-06-05T00:09:00.002-04:00

We recently purchased Just Dance 2 and my two youngest boys have been taking it over. Here is their latest performance of Rasputin. Please forgive my youngest for chanting "Spank That Monkey, Spank That Monkey" during one of the dance moves!

And despite Chaddy complaining that he was 'made' to do this by his sister, notice how quickly he jumps right up to do it !

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T11:13:00.005-04:00

So Shot Out Memorial Day Fun

2011-05-30T09:18:00.011-04:00

We have a secret. We found this awesome place to fish, swim and hike that is well off the beaten path and is nice and secluded. We spent all day there yesterday and had so much fun. Didn't catch anything but some sunnies, but we spent most of our time hiking through the water anyway.

DS5 looking at minnows

DS8 splashing around

DDs 14 & 20 having fun ------------------ 4 out of 5 kids

Redneck Georgia Mud Bath Pics

How did YOU spend your Memorial Day ??

This post is linked up with:

Friday Confessional Blog Hop May 27, 2011

2011-05-27T13:33:00.004-04:00

Haven't linked up to Friday Confessional for a while, so I'm sure I can find tons of things to confess....

Let's see...

I confess... that I am 50% glad that school is done for the summer and 50% freaking out because I have no idea how I'm going to keep these kids from fighting and being miserable all summer! Also freaking out 'cause The Man works three 12 hour overnight shifts and needs to sleep during the day and the kids raise hell all day from the time they get up until I have threatened their life enough times that they start to believe me, which is a lot. I have to get to 'that' point where I look like:

I confess... that I wish The Man worked more 12 hour overnight shifts and slept more, too! Because, really, he is as bad as the kids with needing me to keep him entertained at all times. Holy freaking Cow! Give me a break already!

I confess... that if I have to hear about The Man having to work all night One More Time, I am going to cut my damned ears off! No duh! I KNOW that you work all night. So what? I did it for YEARS while raising four kids on my own!!! Did I get a medal or anything? NO!

I confess... that if I hear about how The Man feels he should have a bunch of money out of his paycheck for bullshit purchases instead of paying bills I ... well, I don't know what I will do! To me, bills come first, even if it takes every single last dime of your paycheck. That's just life. You work to pay bills. If there is anything left, fine. If there isn't or if there is another bill coming up that you cannot pay with just one paycheck, you put it away and use it to pay the bill when it comes due. You do not deserve a 'treat' every week just because you have a job. Grow the heck up already!

I confess... that I was totally touched and almost bawled in front of my son's entire third grade class when my boy was so happy that I made it to his play and awards ceremony. He kept introducing me by saying : "This is my mom, isn't she cute?" rofl. He was just so proud that I was there. It was bitter-sweet in a way because I have missed so much of all of the kids' school functions.

I confess... that I had to choose WHICH child I would see at their awards ceremony because they scheduled them at the exact same time! Which made me very angry. I had to miss my 12 y/o son's ceremony. But, I left The Man there while I went to DS8's. Still.. didn't seem fair to have to choose.

The One-Day Way by Chantel Hobbs - Book Review

2011-05-26T18:55:00.004-04:00

The One-Day Way: Today Is All the Time You Need to Lose All the Weight You Want

Chantel Hobbs, wife, mother, motivational speaker and personal trainer is the author of the latest book I have read to review, The One-Day Way. I was very excited to receive this book as I, myself, have recently begun a journey to health and fitness.

If fad diets and complicated weight-loss strategies have left you feeling as if you will never be able to lose weight and get fit, The One-Day Way is a must read. Forget about expensive exercise equipment, restrictive diets that only allow certain types of foods while severely restricting others. Leave all your past diet failures behind and learn The One-Day Way.

In The One-Day Way, Chantel Hobbs teaches you to change your mind-set from concentrating on and being overwhelmed by huge, seemingly unattainable goals to focusing on one day at a time. By doing this, you will find that your journey to becoming a healthier and happier person is much, much easier.

Over the last week, I have practiced learning The One-Day Way in my own fitness journey. By focusing on only one day at a time, not worrying about yesterday and viewing tomorrow as another beginning, I have found that sticking to my diet and exercise regimen has become much easier and more fulfilling. Instead of having weeks, months or years of future goals hanging over my head, I concentrate only on the 24 hour period I am in and strive to become healthier today than I was yesterday.

In The One-Day Way, Chantel provides you with tools to help you such as example meal plans that are easily prepared by anyone, 31 strength training exercises which can be done at home (with photos), cardio suggestions, success stories and more.

By changing your thinking you can change your life. I've lost two pounds in my first week following The One-Day Way and have had much less stress and anxiety concerning diet and exercise. I highly recommend The One-Day Way to anyone who is struggling to become a healthier, happier person in a more positive, productive way.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

A Big Help For Your Little One's Independence

2011-05-22T08:27:00.006-04:00

I recently ran across this awesome little invention over at Dandy Giveaway. It's called KidSwitch and if you have a little one who is constantly needing help turning on the lights you are sure to appreciate the value of this product!

It is simple to install, needing only about 5 minutes of your time and will enable your child to move from room to room turning on and off the lights as they go!

One of my favorite features is the fact that it glows in the dark! No more having to leave the light on in the bathroom all night running up an already hefty electric bill! With KidSwitch, little ones can easily see and operate the light switch themselves!

Is your child scared of the dark? They can simply reach in and turn on the light before entering a room.

Want to learn more about the benefits of installing KidSwitch in your home? Take a peek at the video below:

To get your own KidSwitch, visit their website by clicking Here !

New Look

2011-05-21T14:34:00.002-04:00

Well, I decided that my blog needed a new look and I've been working all day on this. My poor dog, Sniff was starting to get a little nippy at me for putting his embarrassing mug shot up there for the world to see, lol. (But, I left him in one of the buttons!)

Whatcha think of the new design?

Call The Cops? Why Bother?

2011-05-20T11:41:00.003-04:00

I have had several instances in my life in which I needed the aid of the police or sheriff deputies or whatever they were called in whatever state I was in at the time. And EVERY time, they have utterly failed to perform any type of justice.

Let me give you some examples from the past:

Age 19, going through a divorce, being constantly harassed by my soon to be ex-husband. The police show up at my door and though I was the one needing help, since my ex had called too, from another state and because he was an ex-marine turned prison guard, they bought HIS story of my abusing and not feeding my child. I invited them in, showed them my child, my home and my overflowing refrigerator and cupboards and they STILL had the nerve to tell me (and I quote) "If you bring your problems into OUR town, Lady, WE are gonna solve them for you. You'd better watch yourself." And left.

A few years later: An abusive relationship. I called the police three times and they did nothing about the abuse. I was forced to leave my home because the man always told them I instigated the fights and put MY hands on HIM. I couldn't take anything with me but some clothes and my children. Everything in the house was mine, stuff I had since I was a child up to and including everything I had worked for as an adult. I got a restraining order against the abuser and was supposed to be able to go pick up my things in the company of the police. I tried to get them to go with me several times, but they were 'too busy'. I ended up getting a call at work from the abuser saying "Hear that sound? That's the bonfire I'm having with your stuff!" I went the next morning and sure enough, he had taken everything out of the house, everything I and my children owned, even my father's ashes and burned it in a huge bonfire in the yard. I went to the police in tears... they said "There is nothing we can do."

Same person, same time period. I had the order of protection on this guy and happened to drive down the same street that he was on unknowingly. I didn't stop. Just kept going and got out of there. He immediately called the police and told them that I was violating the order of protection. They came and threatened to arrest ME.

Several years later after a brief relationship with someone that I ended quickly after realizing he had a huge dose of insanity, he started stalking me, slashing my tires, smashing windows, breaking into my house (he actually stole all my underwear!), harassing phone calls, threats, etc. I called the police several times. He actually tried to stab me with a sharpened stick and when the police came, they just asked him to leave with no other action taken.

Those are just a few of the times from the past.

Now let's talk about recently. I have insane neighbors. I'm talking Looney-Tunes. These women and their children are complete trouble makers, alcoholics, thieves and get away with everything. Since I do not get into all that and refuse to participate in their craziness they have made it their goal in life to constantly harass me and my children. My children can't even go outside in the yard without being called filthy names, having the other women's children come down and push them around, shoot them with BB guns, destroy their toys, etc. They have their children come into my yard and rip out the flowers in my flower bed. Their children hit, push and bully my children at school and on the bus. MY children have come home with marks on them from being hit with one of the child's cast. And nothing gets done about it.

Twice in the last month the police have been called. Insane neighbor #1 was harassing my 14 year old daughter and calling her every filthy name in the book and threatening her with bodily harm. When the police came, they just said to stay away from her. Which we do anyway. DD14 was only walking to a friend's house on the road in front of Insane neighbor #1's house. The cop said he knew it was the neighbor being an ass and to call if we had any more problems.

So, yesterday, Insane Neighbor #2 starts with DD14, calling her filthy names, coming onto MY property reeking of alcohol and trying to push her way into my house to go after DD14. I forced her to leave my property and called the police. She, of course, denied doing anything wrong and blamed it all on my DD. So, the police tell me (get this) that my only choices were to do nothing or they would arrest Insane Neighbor #2 AND my DD!!!!!

Excuse me but W. T. F. ?????????????????

What the hell do we even have these cops for? They have never ONCE helped in ANY situation in which there was justice to be served or people in my family to protect. I am a very quiet person and do not bother anyone. My kids are practically house-bound because of people like that and even at school nothing is ever done to the bullies who abuse them. When I had finally had enough of my DD14 getting pushed around at school and told her to 'take care of it' if someone put their hands on her, she was labeled as the troublemaker and is now looked down on by all but a few of her teachers and is constantly singled out to get in trouble.

I am not saying that my children are perfect, but they do not go around instigating fights, calling people nasty names or bullying anyone. All they want to do is be able to go to school in peace, play outside and not be harassed and verbally or physically abused.

If I were to do or say the things that these people say and do to my children, I am SURE I would be sitting my ass in jail right now.

I don't have the money to move and if I did, I would be breaking my lease and lose my deposit. I'm just at the end of my rope here and can hardly stand the thought of my children being trapped in the house all summer long because of these people who get away with doing whatever they want with no recriminations.

*sigh*

Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to

2011-05-19T09:15:00.008-04:00

Wow, the things I could write this post about... There are just so many! It's hard to pick just one, so I will make a list....

I hope I never have to:

Jump off a bridge because everyone else is doing it.. I would probably do it myself if the water was deep enough and I could easily swim to shore or a boat.. but I definitely don't want to do it just because someone else is.
Be a participant in any of the Man Vs. Food challenges. I seriously have no idea why that man doesn't weigh 800 pounds!
Swim through the ocean with an open wound. THAT would be horrible.
Ride a giant porcupine cross country.
Fold my belly into a giant pair of lips and say "Hi, I'm Tina The Talking Tummy!" for my children's amusement. (Ok, so I have already done this.. but I hope I never have to do it again!)
Shave an ape. Or a tiger or even an angry squirrel. Unless they were tranquilized. But, even then.. I don't think I would want to do it.
Kiss a Komodo Dragon: (Need I say more?)
Become an exotic dancer because I can't find any other job. I would fail miserably at it and I'm sure the videos would end up on YouTube.
Put a dollar in a jar every time I say a curse word. I don't think I have enough jars (or dollars) in order to fulfill that obligation.
Watch a dirty movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Danny DeVito. That would be just wrong and should be considered some kind of torture treatment. Not that I don't love their other movies... just sayin'.

Giveaways I've Entered Today 5/17/11

2011-05-17T13:45:00.001-04:00

1.) The Bragging Mommy - Scare Me Nots Review & Giveaway

Things That Are Really Ticking Me Off Right Now

2011-05-14T13:29:00.002-04:00

This has been a very stressful week, to say the least. And since my blog is my venting ground, I thought I would share it with you lucky folks!

Here are some things that are really ticking me off right now:

1.) My DD14. She is currently in a very rebellious stage which has included (this week only)

lying to her friends' moms about me kicking her out of the house over buying her a box of tampons.
putting some boy on the phone when I demanded to speak to an adult at the house she was at.
disappearing with said boy for three hours and making me and the boy's step-mother go on a wild goose chase to find them.
doing things with her boyfriend (which is not the boy mentioned above) that disappoint me and make me question her every move.
disappearing from midnight last night till after 1:30 a.m. and my not knowing where the hell she was, making me frantic with worry.. especially when I found her pajamas outside on the swing set.
not expecting me to keep her house-bound and without her phone for the whole rest of her teenage life.
stealing my cigarettes (and everyone else's) every time we take our eyes off them for one millisecond.

2.) Then, there is my diet and exercise... I have worked out for at least 30 minutes on five of the last 7 days, logged my nutritional intake and stayed way within or below my calories. And I don't think I have lost one pound. My official way in day is tomorrow.

3.) The neighbors won the Spring Cleaning contest that my landlord put on because WE weed-eated the boundary that separated our properties. They got a week of free rent. And her children keep ripping apart the flower bed that I put around my mailbox.

4.) The Man questioning what I am doing while he is at work and freaking out thinking I am 'talking to people online or by text' when HE is the one who had an affair with someone he worked with at his last job.

5.) The Man whining about how he works all night and doesn't get any sleep and has to pay bills when I worked my whole life (many years on night shift) and have paid all the bills since we have been together up till now.

6.) James Durbin getting voted off of American Idol. Now I don't ever want to watch it again.

I'm sure that there is more that I can add to my list, but I think this is enough for now, don't you? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Giveaways I've Entered Today 5/14/11

2011-05-14T11:48:00.005-04:00

Been a few days since I entered any giveaways on my buddies' blogs, so I thought I would take some time and do that today :)

So far today I have entered:

1.) Inside-Out Healing by Richard Moss – 2 Winners – Ends 5/29/11 at Sweeps 4 Bloggers
2.) 31 Things to Raise a Child’s Self-esteem – Ends 5/16/11 at Sweeps 4 Bloggers
3.) $450 Original Painting by Carmen Guedez – Ends 5/28/11 at Sweeps 4 Bloggers
4.) Pouchee Purse Organizer Review and Giveaway at The Bragging Mommy

Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.

2011-05-12T11:26:00.000-04:00

I had to think about this one for a few. There are so many things that I hope to do in my lifetime, like. oh... spending a year hanging out with Bert The Conqueror, or maybe swimming with the dolphins or even possibly whitewater rafting...

But, I thought I would choose something a little bit different. Something a little more meaningful and 'deep'.

In all honesty, I think that the one most important thing I would like to do with my life is to make a difference in someone else's life. By nature, I am a helper and an encourager. I like to see other people succeed and be happy. Not for any credit of my own, but because I sincerely love to see others enjoying their lives in a healthy, productive and meaningful way.

At times I feel as if I have nothing to give to other people and that makes me very sad. But, at others, I know that what I have to give is not always material and that a listening ear, a thoughtful gesture, a kind word, a 'You can do it!" is more important than anything I could financially bestow on someone else.

I have a plethora of experiences from which I have to draw from and though I may not have enjoyed journeying through those periods in my life, they have given me many resources from which to glean wisdom on what to do or not to do in any given situation. That enables me to help others who are going through similar situations.

If I could, I would be the one building houses for people in need, I would be the one making anonymous donations to helpful charities and causes, but at this point I can't. And although it would be totally awesome to be able to travel the world participating in disaster clean-ups and other activities of the sort, I also know that there are plenty of opportunities close to home in which I can give encouragement and love to people who are just trying to get by in their every day life and just need a little support.

However, if Bert The Conqueror does call and ask me to hang out with him for a year... I'm totally going to take him up on it!

Redneck Turtle Wrangling

2011-05-08T10:00:00.019-04:00

Since moving to Georgia, we have had some interesting times in our attempts to catch a fish... any fish.. Never in my life have I had so much trouble catching something. But, here.. the fish just don't like us!

Last week, The Man, DD14 and I went fishing at the River:

In order to get to said fishing spot, we had to brave the wild and wooly woodlands.

Which involved climbing over and under logs, branches and thorns!

And gave me lots of up close and personal interactions with bugs of all kinds..

(I think this is a locust, but I'm not positive)

Needless to say, I sprayed myself with about a half-gallon of Deep Woods Off before even stepping foot in those woods. I am deathly afraid of ticks. And, I didn't get one! Whoohoo!

We were following a path that we had never taken before and it led us WAY back in the woods. Finally we got to a clearing in which we found The Guy With One Eye's Secret Hideout !

This is his bed, his cooler and we also found his stick pole and lots of beer cans and food wrappers. (scary!)

Anyway, we figured he was out terrorizing little girls for the day, so we set up shop and began fishing. One hour passed ... nothing. Two hours passed and we saw a giant Gar in the water. I didn't get a picture, but here is what they look like:

Well, that encouraged us to stay for hour #3. :^/

Finally The Man got a BITE! Whoohoo! But, it was no fish. Nope, it was a turtle....

Now how do we get the stupid thing up on the bank when we are on a ledge three feet above the water? We climb all over the bank, trying not to fall in... Climb down to where we can barely reach the water and pray the line doesn't break. But, we still can't get the turtle up on the bank.. so, we look around and find something that we can fish her out with.....

Yup, that works! Notice I stayed out of the way and let the true Rednecks handle this part..

The turtle is safely enclosed in the chair, rofl.

Needless to say, this was the only thing we caught that day besides a couple of teeny tiny bluegills that we threw back.

Today is another day that a fishing trip is planned. Wonder what lays in wait for us today?

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T09:54:00.003-04:00

Well, here it is... another Mother's Day. To be honest, it's really just another day around here. Not that I mind. The kids who are young (12, 8 & 5) can't be expected to go all out and the ones that are older (20 & 14) don't have the excitement about it that they would for something like say... their birthday, rofl.

I don't mind, though. I love them. I'm proud to be their mom. It's all good.

As for my mom, well... I posted a 'Happy Mother's Day' Graphic on her Facebook wall and replied to her 'Happy Mother's Day' Facebook message with my own "Back Atcha".

The Man wants to go fishing today as it's the only day he will have to do it this week. So, I guess that's what we will be doing later. Last time we went, it turned out to be an adventure in Redneck Turtle Wrangling. Wonder what this day will provide for photo opportunities? lol

Giveaways I've Entered Today 5/7/11

2011-05-07T21:14:00.004-04:00

Today I didn't enter nearly as many giveaways as I did yesterday. I'm really only getting to it this evening, so here they are:

At Two Of A Kind Working On A Full House I entered:

1.) Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead + Breville Juicer Giveaway (5/9)
2.) Travel With Pillow Pets - Review + Giveaway (5/9)

Six Word Saturday 5/7/11

2011-05-07T11:37:00.002-04:00

"Dude, I'm Whooped! Need More Coffee!"

Giveaways I've Entered Today

2011-05-06T16:50:00.011-04:00

Today was a big computer day for me, lol. I spent a lot of time entering giveaways, blog hopping, etc.

Here are some of the giveaways I've entered today:

At Little Yaya's I entered:

1) Pambra's Originals~Product of your Choice~3 Winners {5.7}
2) Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring Review & Giveaway (US & Canada)
3) I Love My Mommy Giveaway Event (US & Canada)

At Makobi Scribe I entered:

4) I Love My Mommy Giveaway

At The Beginning Of Crafting I entered:

5) Make Your Mark Review & Giveaway

At Just Married With Coupons I entered:

6) I Love My Mommy Giveaway

At Night Owls Perch I entered:

7) I Love My Mommy Giveaway

At Busy As A Beazer I entered"

8) Win a $60 Gift Certificate to my shop in the Mother’s Day Blog Hop Giveaway!

At Sweeps4Boggers I entered:

9) Giveaway – $199 Kelly Moore Bag – Ends 5/17/11

10) Giveaway – PromGirl $179 Cocktail Dress – Ends 5/6/11