Mother-2-Mother Blog

Never Give Up - Even After 950 Times!

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

There are some people in life who I've met and wish I hadn't, and some people who I've never met, but wish that I could. I've never met the lady pictured, but I admire her. Why? Because she truly understands the saying Never Give Up. This south Korean lady, age 68, knows persistence, failure, perseverance, and now a sense of accomplishment.

She took her written exam for her driver's license 950 times. That's right, 950 times. I'm a strong woman and quite confident, but I truly don't think that I would have that kind of determination. This lady has taken her written test almost daily since 2005. She's determined to get her driver's license so she can become self-sufficient. She owns a vegetable selling-business.

For everyone who is struggling in any area of their life and is finding themselves on the Whoa Me Trip and thinking about giving up, please allow this lady to be an example for you. Never give up.

My Little Spider Man

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Ready To Trick or Treat

Worn Out Spider Man

Xavier choose a Spider Man costume for Halloween. My daughter initially choose an adorable little lion outfit, but he would have none of it. He claimed he was scared of the outfit, lol. In the top picture he was preparing to go out for a few treats. He was so excited. He remembered to say Trick or Treat and Thank You.

I may be a little biased, but isn't he the cutest Spider Man that you've ever seen.

Can You Take My Order Challenge

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Can you take my order please? It's an order Rapped by two teens at a McDonald's. Listen carefully, and test your Rap skills by translating the order. Leave your interpretation of the order on the post. We would love to see what you come up with.

Curel Lotion Give Away

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Fall and winter are harsh on my skin, so I have to step up my moisturizer in my body lotion. I turn to Curel in the fall and winter. I love their products, I've been using them for years. When my skin immediately drinks up my body lotion, it's a sign that my skin is extra dry. Curel has always provided the moisture that I needed. It's light and creamy and is easily worked into the skin. Within days, I notice a difference in the feel of my skin. It's smooth and the moisture is restored. I receive compliments on my skin and how healthy it looks. I spend as much time moisurizing my body as I do my face.

I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to review several of Curel products. I already knew the quality and I also knew that I wouldn't be disappointed. I wasn't. I tested the 13 ounce bottle of Lavender, Chamomile and Oatmeal body lotion. Love It! It has a light scent, not perfumy, and it's not greasy. I also like the fact that I can find Curel products at the local CVS or Walgreens at a reasonable price. I'm all for quality that doesn't break the bank.

I tested the foot cream as well. I am a high heel and boot wearing diva who's feet has paid a price as a result of my attempts to be stylish. I have regular pedicures, so I decided to use the The Curel foot lotion as a part of my daily foot care instead of the regular body lotion. It's recommended that the lotion be used at night. I applied it before bed, and it didn't take long before my feet felt silky smooth. I've started wearing socks since the weather has turned cooler, and there were no snags when I put them on. The lotion contains Shea Butter, Coconut Milk and Vitamin E. This was the first time I used the Curel Foot Lotion, but it won't be the last.

Curel would like our readers to experience their products too. We will be giving a set of Intense Moisture Lotion for extra dry skin and a tube of hand and cuticle cream (shown above) to one lucky reader. You could be a winner! Visit the Curel website and let us know what other product you would like to try. This give away will end December 1, 2009 at midnight. The give away is open to US Residents 18+.only.

Want extra entries:

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Quotable Sunday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:55:00 +0000

Today is Quotable Sunday thanks to Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni. We list our favorite quotes. Aumtumn is my favorite time of the year, so I'm listing Autumn quotes today. I hope you enjoy them.

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. the acoustics of this season is different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air." Eric Sloane

"Winter is an etching, spring is a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and Autumn a mosaic of them all." Stanley Horowitz

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus

"Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to spring." Anonymous

"October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter." Nova Blair

"Everyone must take the time to sit and watch the leaves turn." Elizabeth Lawrence

I hope you enjoyed my quotes. My favorite is the one by Stanley Horowitz. Leave us a comment telling us your favorite. If you're interested in participating in Quotable Sunday, head over to a Daily Dose of Toni and add your blog to the link. We'll stop by and visit you.

Keep Your Child Quiet or Take Another Flight

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:59:00 +0000

A mother and her 2 year old son were kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight from Amarillo, TX to San Jose, TX because her son was disruptive. According to a Southwest Airline representative, the child was so disruptive passengers were unable to hear pre-flight instructions. The child repeated over and over, "Go Plane Go" and "I Want Daddy".

The mother acknowledges that the child was yelling and she's sure it was annoying to the other passengers. She also stated that she didn't know the airline intended to remove her and her son from the plane until they reached the gate. Once they reached the gate the stewardess stated, "We just can't tolerate that for 2 hours." She tried to explain that the child would calm down once they took off, but the stewardess would have none of it. She responded, "We've heard that before." Mother and son were told to hit the road.

I respect the mother for acknowledging that her child was disruptive and probably annoying to other passengers, but the issue for Southwest was safety. They were concerned that the passengers missed the pre-flight instructions. Is this a good reason to remove a mother and her unruly child from a flight?

According to my significant other, who is a pilot, yes. He agrees with Southwest Airlines, safety is first and there is no exception. Regardless of age, if a passenger is disruptive they should be removed from the plane. He also stated that he is a father too, but as a pilot he would have returned to the gate as well and ordered her off the plane. Passengers must be given pre-flight instructions, they must be heard and understood. Flight attendants are there to assist with the safety of all passengers, and she did her job.

I travel frequently for business as well as personal travel, and believe me there's nothing worst than a screaming child on a flight. There are times when I have to review a briefing or prepare for a meeting before I reach my destination, and I find it impossible because of the noise. My company contracts with numerous airlines, and they are paying big bucks for these airlines to get employees to their destination. I'm sure if employees reported that a particular airline constantly allowed that type of disruption, they would pull their contract. When I'm traveling for personal reasons, I'm usually trying to regroup from the stress of my job. I like to read, nap or chat and I like to do it in peace.

I sympathize I'm a mother and a grandmother; however, I do find it annoying as hell when there is a crying, screaming child on board. I also understand that as a mother, there are times when you have to get from point A to B and you have to take your child with you. Unfortunately we don't have a magic wand that we can use to settle them down, but there comes a time when we need to be considerate of others. Airplanes are public transportation. People are paying big bucks to reach their destination, and they have a right to do it in peace. There's also the other side, the mother is a paying customer too. So where does the airline stand to loose the most money? Who will be the most likely passengers to file a complaint? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Mom and baby go!

My grandson is 2, and we don't take trips where we have to take a flight. I understand how annoying it can be when you have a toddler out of control. I don't like it therefore, I wouldn't subject others to it. We plan car trips so we can pull over when he becomes restless or needs to be changed. If it's an emergency, someone will stay behind to care for him. He is a toddler after all. As much as I believe the sun rises and sets in him, I do have to respect other people.

Most people bring snacks, drinks, games, toys etc. for their children when they are traveling by plane. This mother decided she wasn't going to feed her toddler until they were airborne, although she believed a meal would have calmed him down. Now, if your child is being disruptive among a flight full of people, wouldn't you do everything you could to calm him at that moment? Why wait until you're airborne? You could sit at the gate or on the runway for quite sometime depending on how many planes are ahead of you. She also stated that she doesn't worry about what other people think, she does what's best for her child. So it's best to let you child be disruptive, and you know the behavior is irritating to others? It seems this kind of thinking got her booted from the plane.

The airline did refund her money and gave her a $300 travel voucher. Hopefully, she will think about her fellow passengers next time and plan accordingly. Would you have been annoyed by this toddler? Do you think the airline should have removed her? What do you do to occupy your toddler when you're traveling? Please leave us a comment, we would love to hear your opinion on this incident.

Crockpot Steamers

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:37:00 +0000

Ingredients:

3 pounds 90% lean ground beef
2 bottles of Heinz Chili Sauce
brown sugar to taste
1 small can tomato sauce
1 cup water

Brown ground beef in skillet chopping beef until it's fine; pour into colander and rinse well with hot water. Combine ground beef in slow cooker with sauce, water, and brown sugar. Stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours stirring occassionally. Serve on a hot dog or hamburger bun with chips and sweet pickles. Great over hot dogs too.

Sister Love

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:47:00 +0000

I adore my sister. As I've gotten older, I have truly learned to appreciate her. Please allow me to introduce her, Teresa, shown on the right. This picture is of us when I was visiting her in Savannah, GA last month. I wish the photographer had told me that my purse straps were twisted, lol.

When we were growing up, we were vastly different. She was a tomboy. She refused to play with dolls or be a guest at my tea parties. She preferred to jump on a pogo stick, play baseball and beat up the boys in the neighborhood. She hated house cleaning, cooking and doing laundry. As a result, I decided to start a business. I charged her to do her household choirs. It paid off, as a teen I was never broke. Enterprising became a way of life for me, in addition I started charging my brothers to iron their shirts. In the 60's, ruffled shirts for men were in. They had no clue how to iron them, so they were happy to pay me.

We look back on those days and laugh. She's visiting this week, and last night she reminded me that I was a tattle tail when we were growing up. When we first started school, we weren't allowed to wear pants. My mother's religion forbid it. When we reached Junior High, my sister managed to get someone to purchase jeans for her. She would carry them to school, and change her cloths when we got there. I told on her, yes I did. If she was going to wear pants, I was going to wear them too. She was furious. Eventually my mother changed her outlook and we were allowed to wear pants.

We have become "two peas in a pod" as my mother says. Exchanging recipes, shopping, chatting on Facebook, and discussing our own family problems. It has become a way of life for us. I'm so grateful to have her as a sister, we love each other unconditionally and that is priceless.

When I'm down or stressed, I read a plague that she gave me years ago. It says, "Sister- I see God's beauty in you. I thank God for you always". It always makes me feel better. Isn't that beautiful? I know that I don't tell her often enough, but I thank God for her too.

Wordless Wednesday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:57:00 +0000

This pumpkin was carved at a local wine festival.

First Day of Nursery School

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:28:00 +0000

We decided to enroll Xavier in Nursery School. This is a picture of my little sweetie on his first day, isn't he adorable. He's wearing new gear that he received for his birthday, new jeans, a Cars tee and carrying his new backpack from grandma and granddaddy.

Over the pass few months, we found that he wasn't keen on the idea of sharing with other children. His idea of playing with other children is to take everything they pick up and claim it, Mine Mine. I have Mine Mine etched into my brain. He just turned 2 and he is an only child, so we thought Nursery School would benefit him.

When we were making a decision as to whether we should place him in school, I weighed the pros and cons. I honestly couldn't find any cons, but I found plenty of benefits:

He will learn to follow a routine.
He will learn to play with other children.
He will have an established nap/rest period.
He will learn the meaning of sharing.
He will have additional support with Potty Training.
He will see that other children don't have a "Nip Nip", aka pacifier and may want to get rid of it.
He will understand the concept of homework. He has an assignment every evening to ensure he learns his shapes, colors, numbers, the alphabet etc.
He will have experiences from field trips.
He will have great social skills and make new friends.

The first few days he cried when he was left, but he has quickly adapted and now waves good bye. He loves his new backpack, and picks out a few of his favorite cars to take each morning. He had made new friends, and looks forward to a new adventure each morning.

Have you had problems with your child not wanting to share? How did you resolve the problem? Please leave us a comment.

Do You Where White After Labor Day?

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Do you wear white after Labor Day? I do, but 90% of our readers stated that they did not wear white after Labor Day. Fashion etiquette used to say that white after Labor Day was taboo. Fashion designers say that summer whites should be packed away, but winter white is acceptable.

I'm not into fashion as I once was, but I do pack my summer white capri, shorts and dresses away and bring out the winter white. Summer white fabric is too thin to wear in the winter here. I live in West Virginia, it gets cold. I do love creams, beiges, off-white in the winter, it looks so fresh. According to glamour, we shouldn't put away our white denim! Suze Yalof Schwartz, executive fashion editor at Glamour says, "Nothing is more chic than white jeans in the wintertime with a chunky cozy sweater or a blazer and leather boots." I love blazers and leather boots. I have a closet full of them. I don't own a pair of white demin jeans, but I'll be purchasing a pair this year. Put on you winter white ladies. It's in.

Wordless Wednesday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:09:00 +0000

My Little Sweetie at his 1st Pumpkin Patch last year.

He thought they were balls, lol.

Crockpot Pork Chops & Potatoes

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:03:00 +0000

PORK CHOPS AND SCALLOPED POTATOES

4 extra thick pork chops
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
4 - 5 large russet potatoes, can use more if needed
1 can cream of asparagus soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces Velveeta, cut into chunks

Melt butter in a large skillet. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously on both sides of chops. Brown chops on both sides. While chops are browning, wash the potatoes and slice into 1/4 inch. Whisk together the soup, sour cream and milk.

Spray crock pot with PAM. Layer potatoes slices, soup sauce and cheese chunks 2 or 3 times. Lay pork chops on top. Cook on low 4 - 5 hours. I serve with a garden salad & hot rolls. Delicious!

Fall Kitchen Cake Give Away

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:08:00 +0000

As you all know, fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors and the cool weather is great for sleeping and snuggling with your love ones. I love the pumpkin patches, hayrides, apple cider and scare crows. I love creating, and I love creating Kitchen Towel Cakes. I usually make these for house warming gifts, but I've expanded my collection to include Fall and Christmas Towel Cakes as well. I'm feeling generous, so I'm giving one away to my readers.

The cake will include a fall themed kitchen towel and 5 - 10 other kitchen items. (Towels may not be exactly as shown, but it will be similiar). You can be the winner! Here's how: Leave me a comment on what you like about fall and why you would like to win this towel cake. I will select a randomly select a winner from the comments.

Want extra entries? Do one or all of the following:

Place this give away on your blog: Mother-2-Mother is having a fall Kitchen Towel Cake give away. Ends November 10!
Grab our Mother-2-Mother button and place it on your sidebar
Follow Us (left sidebar)
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Follow Us On Twitter and tweet about this give away (3 extra entries)
Blog About our Birthday Party Bash (5 extra entries see our left sidebar)
Vote For Us On Top Baby Blogs (left sidebar)
Comment on one of other following posts: (5 extra entries):

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/wheres-my-go-go-boots.html

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/slang-of-60s.html

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-grandsons-b-day-gift.html

Give away is open to US Residents only and ends November 10 at mid-night. Good Luck!

Wordless Wednesday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:18:00 +0000

I can do it myself Mama!

My Grandson's B-Day Gift

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:29:00 +0000

I purchased this adorable table and chair set for my grandson's birthday. He's into cars and learning to color, finger paint etc., so I thought this would be the perfect gift for him. I found it on a site earlier, but when I went back to purchase it was sold out. I decided to try Walmart, they had it for $40.00 less, free shipping from Site-To-Store, and you could have the chairs personalized. I jumped on it. Unfortunately, we live 5 hours away so we were unable to put it together before we arrived for his party. I'll post a picture once my son-in-law puts it together.

I love the primary colors, and feel sure that he will get lots of use out of it. Most Matchbox and Hot Wheel cars fit the track, so we're starting a collection for him. I've found that Big Lots carries the Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars for $1.00 each. Since he is only 2, I won't feel bad if he loses one or two or three, lol. Once he gets older and can truly appreciate them, we'll invest a little more in the collection.

If you know any place that sells the Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars for a reasonable price, please leave me a comment. If you don't know where to purchase the cars, leave me a comment anyway. I would love to hear your opinion on this fabulicious find.

Fall - My Favorite Time of Year

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:39:00 +0000

Fall is my favorite time of year. I live in the country, so I'm surrounded by brilliant colors in the mountains and front yards. Apple orchards are in abundance here too, so I'm looking forward to homemade apple butter, apple crisp, and apple cider. If you have a quick and easy recipe for apple crisp, please leave me a link.

I discovered a Wine Festival last year that was absolutely wonderful. Normally when I go to wine festivals it's adults only and we have a designated driver, but this particular festival is perfect for the family. The Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon & Wine Festival has vendors galore, pumpkin carvings, games, face painting, hot air balloons, carnival rides, puppet shows, and dancing. My nephew had a ball. I'll be taking him again this year and one of his friends. I love hanging out with him. He's adventurous and he keeps me young. At least young at heart.

The trees have barely started to changed here. The festival is October 16 - 18. I was hoping the trees would be at their peak, but it doesn't look like I'm going to get my wish. I love taking pictures of the fall foliage. The boys will have fun regardless of the trees and the color of their leaves. That's what's truly important, but I did want to get a few good shots for my scrapbook. Here's a picture of my nephew climbing the rock wall last year at the festival.

He also had fun with the pumpkin carvings (shown below). There were pumpkins everywhere. Not only where the pumpkins in abundance, they were huge. The artists were fascinating.

I had just as much fun as the kids. I'm always down for a good Italian Sausage, funnel cake and some uplifting music. This festival is on a 400 acre farm, which is absolutely beautiful. They launch air hot balloons and have pastures of horses grazing. Music plays throughout the day. Last year it was too windy to launch the hot air balloons, hopefully the weather will cooperate this year. In spite of the wind, it was a beautiful day to spread a blanket on the ground, watch the children play, horses graze, and allow the music to lift your spirits.

The hot ar balloons launch twice a day, 7:00 am and 5:00 pm. Guess who won't be there at 7:00 am! If you're an early riser and/or live in the Shenandoah Valley area, save the date. You'll receive lots of hugs and kisses from the kiddies. Leave us a comment and tell us about your family's favorite fall activities.

Little Tikes Give Away

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to our Oldies But Goodies Party. Please enjoy the music and hors· d'oeuvres. There's plenty of non-alcoholic punch and birthday cake. If you prefer something a little stronger the bar is around the corner. We have a great give away, so be sure to enter before you leave. Our bash will continue through October. In addition to the give away below, we will be giving Curiel Lotion, nipple cream, a hat and headband for your little princess, a fall themed kitchen cake, your choice of a boy or girl diaper cake and more.

I was thrilled when All Children's Furniture contacted us about a give away. We knew our readers would love it, and would also want to purchase an item from this site in the future. All Children's Furniture sells everything from kid's chairs to toys. I adore the Jungle Table and Chair Set, it's perfect for any playroom. You must browse their chair selection.

They also have an assortment of toys. I love one stop shopping. With a full time job, a mother, grandmother, and on-line business owner, I just don't have the

time to run from store to store these days. I found many items on the site that I love, and I will be purchasing from All Children's Furniture for my grandson. One item that I have my eye on is the Little Tikes Tricycle. It's so cute. I'm picturing him riding this down the driveway. I knew my long driveway would come in handy one day, lol.

I also found a Little Tikes Picnic Table (shown above) that would be perfect when he's visiting. This little table would beneficial for eating, coloring, finger painting and any other activity that can be performed while sitting. He's at that age where he loves to roll cars and he's trying to feed himself, so I would get alot of use out this table. An umbrella is also available if you would like to purchase separately.

You can be the winner of the Little Tikes Tricycle or Picnic Table, you choose. Here's how, visit the site and browse the Kid's Chairs section. Leave us a comment on what catches your eye. In the same comment let us known which of the two items, Little Tikes Tricycle or Picnic Table, you would like to win. We will select a winner from the posts. Item will be shipped directly from the sponsor. Failure to follow these steps will result in disqualification.

Want extra entries? Do one or all of the following:

Grab our Party Button and place it on your sidebar
Place this give away on your blog: Mother-2-Mother is having a great toy giveaway sponsored by AllChildrensFurniture.com, who carries everything from kids chairs to toys. Give away ends November 1!
Grab our Mother-2-Mother button and place it on your sidebar
Follow Us (left sidebar)
Subscribe To Our Blog (left sidebar)
Follow Us On Twitter and tweet this give away (3 extra entries)
Blog About our Party (5 extra entries)
Vote For Us On Top Baby Blogs (left sidebar)
Comment on one of other following posts: (5 extra entries):

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/wheres-my-go-go-boots.html

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/slang-of-60s.html

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-happened-year-you-were-born.html

This give away will end November 5 at midnight. It is open to US Residents only. Good luck!

Cola Chicken

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Cola Chicken

4 to 6 chicken breast halves
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cola, regular or diet, or Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Arrange chicken breast halves in crockpot. Combine ketchup, cola, onion, and green pepper; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. Serve chicken with rice or potatoes. Serves 4 to 6.

Do You Have Family Meals?

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:11:00 +0000

Do you eat as a family? Research has shown that there are benefits to eating together as a family. I believe it. When I was raising my daughter, I made it a point to prepare a meal and we sit at the table as a family. Sometimes it would breakfast, but the majority of the time it was dinner. I used it as an opportunity to discuss the events of the day, and to exchange other pertinent information. I remember my daughter having a guest one week-end. We decided to order pizza. When the pizza arrived, her guest opened the box to have a slice. I explained to her friend that we didn't eat out of the box, I set the table and we shared the meal.

It was a beautiful day, so I decided to make use of the deck for the meal. The young lady seemed shocked and at a lost when I set out dinner plates, glasses, forks, knifes and napkins. I had prepared a salad and ice tea to go along with the pizza, so I placed the salad and pitcher of tea on the table as well. She explained that they didn't eat that way in her home. Everyone eat when and what they wanted, and I could find her mother with a beer in her hand any time of the day or night. Once we sat at the dinner and I started the dinner conversation, she became at ease and joined in. I realized how differently things were done in her home, and family dinners were truly a benefit. Family dinners allowed me to:

Be a role model and set an example for my daughter
Find out what was happening in my daughter's school
Find out what was happening with her friends
Discuss upcoming school activities
Discuss what was happening with other family members
Make plans for the week-end
Let my daughter know what was happening with me and what plans I had for the upcoming week.

Research has shown that having family meals also prevent:

Youth drug/substance abuse
Girls who have five or more meals a week with their families are one-third less likely to develop unhealthy eating habits
Developing a disconnect with parents

I believe in the importance of family meals. My daughter grew up eating healthier meals and being focused on the importance of family, school, and setting goals. Do you plan family meals? Leave us a comment and let us know how your family has benefited from family meals.

We're Having A Party - You're Invited

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:51:00 +0000

You're invited to our Birthday Bash! We will be giving away great prizes weekly from September 16 - October 16. Prizes include a 2-Tier Diaper Cake, Little Tikes Picnic Table, Fall Themed Kitchen Cake, Christmas Themed Towel Cake, Mia Bella Candles, an adorable headband and hat set by Simply FaBOWlous Boutique and more.

Be sure to Save The Dates. You won't want to miss out on these great give aways. If you have a blog, we would appreciate you posting our button, left sidebar, on your blog.

Before you leave, be sure to enter the give aways we have listed below.

You Call This An Elmo Cake?

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Normally I'm an upbeat person and can let most things roll off my back. When it comes to my grandson, MaMa will draw the line. This picture is of my precious Xavier who turned two yesterday. We hosted his party at the Jumping Monkey in Virginia Beach, VA on Saturday. The establishment was responsible for creating his birthday cake. We requested that the bottom be made of cupcakes; the surface (icing) was suppose to cover the cupcakes and contain a picture of Elmo. This is a picture of the cake that they served. Is this the most pathetic Elmo cake that you have seen? It's damn sure the most pathetic one that I have seen.

To say that I was livid would be an understatement. The icing was 2 inches thick, we had to search for Elmo on the surface of the cake, and get this it had a fish bowl and some character that we have no clue to this day who it is. Hello, the fish bowl is connected to Dr. Seuss not Sesame Street. This is coming from an establishment who caters to children. Kinda scary isn't it?

Look at the picture, my sweet Xavier doesn't care. He just wants to lick the icing on the cupcakes. Isn't it funny, how children can have fun anytime, anywhere and it's the adults that act a fool when things aren't perfect. Even so, I refused to pay for this poor excuse for a cake. I look back on it and I can laugh now, but believe me I wasn't laughing Saturday when they brought it out and set it before him. My response was truly WTH? I could have made a better looking cake, and I've never baked a cake in my life.

My grandson will be visiting this week-end, so I will be having a small cake made at one of the local bakeries. I just can't stand the thought of that pathetic cake being in my scrapbook for his second birthday. I'll be sending a picture to the Jumping Monkey, so they can see what a real Elmo cake looks like. I'll be sure to post a picture of the cake we serve this week-end.

Can you relate to my despair? Leave us a comment and let us know about a major disappointment at your child's birthday party. Haven't had one, leave a comment on what you think about the cake presented at my grandson's party, and if you would have been disappointed.

Wordless Wednesday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Sand Sculpture

Sunset

I attended a festival in Virginia Beach, VA this past week-end. Here's a few pictures.

Wordless Wednesday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:42:00 +0000

Martin Luther King Jr.'s childhood home

My sister and I taking a rest on MLK's door steps.

Quotable Sunday

rhonda@gigglesnsugarkisses.com (rmgales) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:01:00 +0000

Today is Quotable Sunday thanks to Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni. We list our favorite quotes on Quotable Sunday and visit the blogs of all those who are participating. As a result of Kayne West's rude behavior at the Video Music Awards (VMA), I decided to focus on Forgiveness Quotes today.

Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast. ~Marlene Dietrich

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting. ~William Arthur Ward

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. ~Paul Boese

Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. ~Isaac Friedmann

Forgive all who have offended you, not for them, but for yourself. ~Harriet Nelson

There's no point in burying a hatchet if you're going to put up a marker on the site. ~Sydney Harris

Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much. ~Oscar Wilde

We must all ask for forgiveness at some point in our life. Lets hope that Kanye West sees that there is a time and place for everything, and understands that freedom of speech shouldn't be at the expensive of others.

I hope you enjoyed my quotes this week. I have two favorites this week, the first and the last quotes. Leave us a comment and let us know your favorite quote. Feel free to leave your take on Kenye West and his behavior at the VMA too.

If you want to join us, please visit Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni and leave your link. We will stop by and read your quotes. Have a Blessed Sunday!