Pay it Forward

I saw this on someone's blog and thought is was a cool idea.

Here's how it works...

Leave a comment on this post and I will select random recipients to get a gift from me. Most likely it will be hand stamped or maybe a delicious treat. BUT before you can leave your comment you have to pledge yourself to "pay it forward" on your blog or whatever random selection you want to choose.

Have fun!

Who doesn't like FREE?

Okay, first of all, I'm happy to announce the my niece Marley is home from the hospital and all is well. They linked the apnea to the UTI and told them anytime she gets any infection, she needs to be brought in and monitored for the apnea. Fun times ahead! SO GLAD she is doing better! Reason to celebrate!

Also celebrating, is Close To My Heart...25 years of great products! And the great thing is, you get the gift! With every $25 stamp purchase, you get an ADORABLE stamp set FREE. Looks like this:



Super cute, no? So, visit my website to order (and checkout all the items on sale), or contact me with your order.



Happy Celebrating!

Marley Mae

My niece, Marley, has been hospitalized since Saturday when she was feverish and cyanotic (just her lips were blue--does that word still apply?) Anyhoo the docs at Mammoth Hospital discovered she had sleep apnea and a UTI. The apnea would cause her resp. rate to tank at any given time as low as 8 breaths per min. (wikipedia says optimum resp. rate for an infant is 20-40 bpm)

They put her on antibiotics for the UTI and kept monitoring her breathing until they could get her transfered to a Children's Hospital with a specialist is apnea.

So finally, yesterday, after MUCH anticipation, they got transfered to Children's Hosp. in Orange Co. and were running some tests last night, including a sleep study and and ECHO. I'm anxiously waiting to hear any news...

Blessing in disguise??

Not sure if it's a great blessing or what...

Almost everytime I have time "off" (i.e. relaxation time, when I am not IN CHARGE of something, but there simply to relax and enjoy myself) I get sick. A cold, usually. And here it is, like clockwork. The first day of our 4 day weekend...and I am NOT Claritin clear. If the past is any indication, my nose will be redder than Rudolph's by the time Monday rolls around. And I will not be looking forward to getting back in the swing of things when school starts again on Tuesday. Especially since I've had no break! UGH!

The blessing part being that I'm NOT sick when I'm needed (getting kids off to school, and taking care of everything else). Better me than the kids I s'pose. Of course, they probably gave it to me. Those germy little hands at school...eeew!

Biggest Loser

So it's a new year which means I set ANOTHER goal to lose weight...

well, I must say that this year WILL be different because:

1. I got a Wii Fit for Christmas and I'm so competitive I get up every morning to try and beat my own score.

2. My SIL joined a BBL (Biggest Blogging Loser) group and she is NOT leaving me in the fatty zone--so I joined it too...

3. I want to win MONEY from the BBL group

4. I want Wade to take me to Hawaii

And don't even THINK of looking at my BL blog... TMI people, TMI ;) I will update you when I win though =)

You may wonder how I can focus on weightloss when I am into all this baking. That is my trick...I really don't crave it at ALL when I see it so often. It really doesn't even tempt me. Okay sometimes it does, but hardly ever. So I keep making it to keep me from wanting it. And give it to all my skinny friends to even out the playing field ;)

Set your DVR!

I am SO excited! The show I was raving so much about--"Lost in Austen" is coming to a TV near you this weekend! They will be showing the first 2 episodes on the 11th on Ovation TV--channel 274 on DirectTV. So check your schedule and don't miss it! It is so cute!

Christmas Tag

Apparently, I am not a good blogger friend...I was tagged like almost 2 weeks ago and just realized it. (I hate tag, I'm "it" FOREVER!)

But, since there are a ton of things I should be doing instead of blogging, I take a moment to entertain you all with my wit and humor ;)

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper--
2.Real tree or artificial? Real. Though the idea of having the lights already on the tree is very appealing to me.
3.When do you put up the tree? After Libby's b-day (dec. 6) we always try to make it a separate event...though for all our effort, I don't think it makes a difference to her.
4.When do you take the tree down? Depends on how crispy it is. Usually Jan 2nd-ish. Funny thing, last year, I took the tree down while the kids were asleep and had it on the curb for recycling, when then kids woke up they followed the pine needles for clues to see where the tree had gone off to.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hard to say...oh, I remember...New Kids on the Block concert tickets wrapped in box after box after box, using EVERY extra scrap of wrapping paper.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Wade
8. Easiest person to buy for? Libby
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. Got it free with purchase at RC Willey a few years ago.
10.Mail or email Christmas cards? I always intend to mail them and just never get around to it...so, email;)
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Now that I'm an adult I can see the necessity for a box o' socks, but as a kid, it wasn't all the great. Neither was the maraca when everyone else got guitars.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? While you were Sleeping
13.When do you start shopping for Christmas? Black Friday
14.Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only white elephant ones
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas Crack...you'll see what I
16. Lights on the tree? Yes, I prefer white lights, but wade put the colored ones on this year before I could give instructions
17. Favorite Christmas song? Candlelight Carol, Not that far from Bethelehem, and Where are you Christmas?
18 .Travel at Christmas or stay home? We have been home that last couple years.
19.Can you name all Santa's reindeer? Dasher and dancer, prancer, and vixen, comet, Cupid, Donner, but do you, DO YOU know BLITZEN? He's a boogie woogie reindeer and he boogies all day!
20. Angel on the tree top or Star? Star
21.Open presents Christmas Eve or morning? MIL makes jammies every year that we open Christmas Eve.
22.Most annoying thing about this time of year? Guilt of not getting my Christmas Cards done.
23. Favorite ornament? I don't think I have one
24. Favorite Christmas dinner? Growing up it was like Thanksgiving 2.0, so we have changed ours to be ham, funeral potatoes, green beans, rolls, mmmmm, I'm hungry.
25. Favorite Christmas drink ? Apple Cider or diluted egg nog.
26.What do you want for Christmas this year? new shoes or Jane Austen Books
27.What don't you want for Christmas this year? ugh, I would really HATE to get a new car....that would be SO annoying!
28. What is something you have never done that you want to do for Christmas? Play hand bells with fam on christmas eve. Or go Christmas caroling--never gone with the kids.
29.Who is the most likely to respond to this? Don't know
30.Who is least likely to respond? someone who doesn't read my blog??