The ultimate job search plus a Giveaway

Go check out John Well not John exactly (his wife may not approve), but check out his blog and see if you can help him in his quest for a job.
In return for going over and checking in, you might just win a $25 Gift card if you stay a while and leave a comment.

Carnival bloggy giveaway

Want to see what other blogs are giving away ? check it out here

August Good Deed & 100 post Giveaway

I was having a tough time adding anything to this blog after posting the video below, everything seemed trite in comparison and then I saw Geri's post about her August Good Deed and it just made sense that I follow up with that.
This month she is sending care packages to a 16 y/o suffering with Hodgkins Lymphoma. Geri's goal is to have 15 people send a package, she needs 8 more to reach her goal... Will you be one of the eight ? If you don't have a blog just email Geri and she'll get back to you that way.

As an added incentive for you to help and in celebration of my 100th post(never thought I'd make it ;-) ) I'm doing a Giveaway, All you have to do is leave a comment telling me you have gone over and told Geri that you will participate in her Good Deed. If she's already reached her goal, I'm sure she'd be open to more, and I will add you 3 times to the draw. Leave me a comment here and get one entry into the draw, link this post over at your blog,post the link in your comment to me and you get a 2nd chance. I'll give you until the end of the week to participate, comments will be closed at midnight Saturday August 1st and my favorite 4 y/o will draw a name at random on Sunday August 2nd as soon as she's finished her Breakfast.
Want to know what the giveaway is ? You'll have the choice of a Makeup brush holder with brushes, that rolls up making it perfect to throw in your purse or suitcase while travelling, a crayon roll holder along with crayons for your favorite little artist (you get to choose boy or girl print)or a clothespin/ accessory bag. In your comment specify your preference.
Good luck and have fun ;-)

R.I.P Randy Pausch

This is one amazing man who has left behind him an incredible legacy. Pull up a chair, grab some tissues, sit for 10 mins and be ready to be forever changed.

If your kid is a lizard lover, you should read this

If you are the proud parent of a lizard loving kid here's a little information that I've learnt is good to have and thought I would pass along.

If said child goes to the fair and tries to win a cute little lizard, unless you feel like shelling out $10's of dollars later and making frequent trips to the pet store to buy live, yes you read right, LIVE crickets, you first need to direct the kid to the cotton candy stand, might not be good for their teeth but a good brushing with a fluoride toothpaste will soon put an end to that problem.
If you were not there at the time and said child comes home with the stinking thing then you are screwed... sorry.

Next thing to learn is that despite what you might think, 2 little bulging 'nuts' either side of the abdomen does not make it a male, in fact it makes it a pregnant female with 2 eggs inside her belly. You can tell where this is going... yes ?

V, went to the fair about a month ago and won a cute little Green Anole lizard, she made it a cute little habitat, she treats it like a kitty and brings it out to play most evenings, the thing is actually kind of cute and loves to have it's chin rubbed. So last night a friend of hers was over and he had the lizard on his shirt, now this is a big guy, visualize 6ft, 200lb, football player and he is terrified of this itty bitty little lizard, V is laughing her ass off because he is silently wigging out and all of a sudden this little green lizard starts to push eggs out of her abdomen onto his shirt, yes it was one of the funniest things we have ever witnessed in this house. D I thought was going to pass out, he was totally grossed out by the whole thing, V started freaking out because she had no idea what was exiting from her lizard, then with a delicate little plop the tiny egg released itself completely only to be followed by another one.
So now we wait 2 - 3 months to see if any babies hatch from these eggs.
Last year at this time V's cat gave birth to kittens in R's closet and now we have her lizard giving birth onto her friends clothing.
I don't even want to think what it could be next year.

Darn these gas prices

So if you read my brief post below you saw that today was a very fraught day, OMG, my kids were ready to kill each other and I was ready to kill them.
I've come to the conclusion that if the stinking gas prices weren't so high a lot of my angst today could have being avoided.
Like every other person in America right now I'm trying to conserve my gas and make as few trips out as possible, that means on the 2 days that I have to go out I'm going to try to do all of my running around in that time frame. Today that meant grocery shopping after swimming lessons. Reagan loves for her older sibs to go watch her swim and they comply each and every time, that meant me having to take all 3 of them grocery shopping with me. I'm telling ya, it's HORRIBLE !! V needs more m'up or shampoo and runs in one direction, B wants to go check out toys and Rea wants to be with one of them, me I just want the job done but not to have to scurry all over the store after checking out looking for them. That makes for one cranky Mom. So today they pretty much stayed with me, arguing, nit picking and throwing in needless groceries all the way round the store.
At the checkout they are all whining because they are hungry and thirsty and so want snacks and drinks, because I'm the mean Mom that after spending $150 on groceries won't go to the Golden Arches and fork out another $15. Finally after they all pick a small snack and a drink we get in the car and head home, finally at 3pm they are able to eat lunch, they are starving so a snack won't suffice, because of the late lunch, come dinner time they are no longer hungry but I have to cook dinner because DH has had a long work day. Dinner rolls around and only 1 kid wants to eat, 1hr after dinner the other 2 want something... AAAGGGHHHHH !!!!
So today nothing has gone how it should have and all because I had to take all 3 of them grocery shopping in order to save gas and not drop 2 of them back home after swimming lessons.
So Mr Gas tycoon, if you are reading, please take pity on the American Mom and lower those prices in the name of family harmony, we would truly appreciate it.

I love my kids

I love my kids, I love my kids, I love my kids.
If I say this often enough maybe the overwhelming feeling that I have right now to pack them all up and send them to the other sides of the earth will disappear.

You know there's a serious swimmer in the house

When you go into her room to check on her and find her fast asleep, not with her favorite teddy bear, but with her favorite swimsuit clenched tightly in her hand and the smallest glimmer of a smile on her face.

* No picture taken, didn't want the flash to wake her up.

New in the store

I just listed some kids cloth napkins and placemats over in the store.
Thought the timing was perfect with this post from Emma
Children are never too young to be taught proper etiquette and how to use good table linens.

Sometimes when you least expect it...

Life will send you a sign telling you not to quit.
I've being thinking about closing down my Etsy shop. For some reason I haven't made my niche there and I'm getting frustrated, not knowing what I'm doing wrong and how to turn things around.
Today as I was thinking and pondering over what to do I received an email from a fellow Etsian, telling me how much she liked my pillows and that she had added them to her 'Treasurey' I feel very honored that out of the thousands of artists there, I was one that she chose. Little did she know that just by doing that she turned my mind set around and I have decided that I will continue working at it until I finally succeed.

If you have a few minutes I would really appreciate it if would you go over to my store look around and come back and leave me some constructive criticism in my comments here.

It's a full moon

As pretty as a full moon is and despite how magnificent it looks in the sky on a night like tonight... clear, not a cloud to be seen and surrounded by twinkling stars, I am not a huge fan.
On a Full moon I get irritable and antsy, tired yet too anxious to rest. I know sleep is going to be hard to come by tonight, so I sit here wondering what to do with myself, my bed sounds tempting, yet I know once I get up there and snuggle down under the covers, my mind will start whirring a 100 miles a minute about who knows what, so I'll probably just sit and surf the web until I can surf no longer.
I have not always being affected by a Full moon and it sounds kind of spooky to me and probably to some of you too, to think that something such as a full moon should effect ones moods so much, but I guess if the moon can determine the tide of the ocean then it would make sense that it would make some changes in the human body seeings as we are made up of mostly water.
I've never suffered from PMS and so when I started noticing how out of the blue I could suddenly start feeling irritable, blah, sad, on edge, restless, etc, I started taking notes. I knew it wasn't PMS as it never came right before my period, yet it was happening every month and sure enough it was always on a Full Moon, guess you could say I have FMS.. Full Moon Syndrome. As long as I don't get too hairey (though I did have to shave tonight) and start howling at the moon, everyone around me should be safe.

A couple more items in the store

Trying my hardest to replenish the store and maybe take it in a new direction, who knows.
Here are a couple more double oven mitts and another peg / clothespin bag

Who has Potty Mouth now ?

A conversation overheard this morning.

Reagan: Muuuuum, Ben said a naughty wooord

Ben: No I didn't

Reagan: Yes, you did

Me: What did he say ?

Reagan: He told me to "Shut Up"

Ben: No, I didn't Reagan

Reagan: (Under her breath) Liar.

Me: REAGAN !!!!

Can you tell she is the youngest of 3 who takes in everything the other 2 and their friends say, whether good or bad ?

2 conundrums

If you can figure either one out please let me know.

1) A man is on a golf course, he's at the Tee Box, hits that little white ball several hundred yards in the air, over the tree line, around a bend and it lands in 3 inches of grass, the man then gets into his golf cart and drives to the very spot where that little white ball has landed, he is able to do this approximately 18 times in about 4 hours, yet when at home and is asked to go get the milk jug from the refrigerator he will go to said refrigerator, stand there with the door wide open and look inside like a deer looking into headlights, eventually closing the door and shaking his head swearing, "We must be out of milk, there's none left" Yet sitting right there on the top shelf is a big 2 gallon jug staring straight at him.
How is he able to find that little white ball that has gone on quite a journey, yet he can't see a huge jug of stationary milk sat right in front of him ?

2) A man stands at the edge of a putting green, he has a little white ball right in front of him, 50 yards ahead of that is a little itty bitty hole just a tad larger than the golf ball, the man will get down on his hands and knees, stand up walk around a bit, get back down on his hands and knees and look at that hole one more time, take his putter, with a smooth swing of his arm he hits that little white ball and it travels along the putting green, not stopping until it drops into that itty bitty hole.
Now at home, the man has to use the bathroom, he goes into the bathroom, lifts up the toilet seat and situates himself in front of a hole that is about 12 inches round, he retrieves his penis from his underwear and attempts to urinate into said hole, MISSING, hitting the back of the toilet, which then splashes around the rim, at the very end when there are just a few little sprinkles left he will shake, and for some reason those droplets fall onto the floor in front of the toilet.
How in God's name can he aim that itty bitty ball into an itty bitty hole 50 yards away but for the life of him can't aim and get a narrow stream of urine into a HUGE gaping hole ?

Anyone able to solve these riddles ? I'm stumped.

A store update

It's being a while since I made something new for the shop so I decided this week would be the week to update it with something new and different.
I've added 2 Peg bags and 2 Double mitt, oven mitts (they are so much easier to use than a regular oven mitt, less bulky and protect your arms and clothing far better)

My friend needs a job

Can you help ? If you can't help him personally maybe you'd be so kind as to link his blog in your blog. The person that ends up hiring him will be one lucky employee.

Living with nature

And not sure whether I like it or not. When we found this house I was so happy because we now live out of town yet close enough to drive in every day if need be.Despite living in a neighborhood we have 2 acres of land and on one side of us it is all pasture and woodland that's in a conservation area,so will never be built on. We feel like we live out in the country. The critters think that way too, we get a lot of wild life around here and generally I like it, BUT just now while coming back in from taking some pics I almost stepped on a snake, OMG, I couldn't stop shaking and actually thought at one point I was going to throw up. Rabbits, deer and wild turkey are one thing, snakes whether the good kind or the bad kind are something else.

A peek of things to come

I can't help but get excited about what I found out in my garden tonight, it beat 2 nights ago when I found that something had eaten every single one of my strawberries, I know it wasn't the deer, they can't get in my garden unless they straddle the fence and I haven't seen any indication of them doing that. If my humongous Marigolds are doing their job, then it shouldn't be the rabbits, but some little critter went in and ate every bite leaving just the stalks.
Anyway I digress, here's what I did find, cherry tomatoes by the bushel load
Basil almost as tall as me... who knew Basil could get this big ?
Jalapenos, ready to give some serious zing to something,
Strawberries, just a few and hopefully I'll get to them before the 'Critter' does this time

For a first year serious vege grower I'm pretty stoked as to how things are growing and am getting ready to plant some more seeds for a Fall crop. My Mum and Grandad would be proud ;-)

6 Random things about me

I was tagged by Lisa to share 6 random things about me, so here they are.

1) I am terrified of frogs.

2) I was once turned in by my neighbors at the apartment complex where we once lived for playing my music way too loud during the middle of the day.

3) My feet grew 1/2 a size larger with each pregnancy

4) One thing I want to do before I die is to Bungy jump in New Zealand

5) My favorite desert is chocolate mousse cake with a white chocolate/ raspberry puree

6) Whilst on vacation in Tunisia a camel market owner offered up his whole market to buy me for his son.

So there you have it.

Now the rules state that I have to tag 6 other people, soooo, I'm tagging Emily, Trish,Tarin,<Kris,Stephenie and Marly
Have fun girls ;-)

Here are the rules :
- Link to the person who tagged you.
- Post the rules on your blog.
- Write six random things about yourself.
- Tag six people at the end of your post.
- Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
- Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Do you have what it takes ?

The next time you wonder "Can I really do this ?" Or flat out say "There's no way I could do that" after being asked to try something that may take you out of your comfort zone, think about what you saw here.
This man was asked by his son if he would run a marathon with him and the father did, after several of these the son asked his father if he would compete in The Iron Man with him and again the father told him yes. The Iron Man is a Triathlon that consists of a 2.4 mile ocean swim, 112 mile bike ride and a Marathon run (26.2 miles)
The love, strength and courage that this father shows is awe inspiring. Let him be an inspiration to you.


Thankyou Kenny for leading the way to this video.

Embroidery fun

I've being looking for some fun embroidery patterns and today I found the perfect patterns and had to buy them, it was love at first sight, check them out here. How fun are they ? I have tons of projects floating around in my brain and can't wait to put my embroidery hoops and needles to good use. I may just have to go back to the site and purchase a few more, I've a feeling it might get a little addicting.

SNIFF

My sewing machine has decided to go on the blink and of course it has chosen to do this now that I have some custom orders in. It will only sew a straight stitch but not a zig zag and I NEED the zig zag for the satin stitch. I'm so frustrated and kind of sad, I use my machine every day, it's like a trusty friend and now it's letting me down, so not cool.
I guess it's off to the repair shop, of course not until Monday... AAAGGGHHH !!! I guess in the meantime I'll make some things for the store to tide me over and hopefully pay for the repair, so watch this spot for a shop update very soon ;-)

Another thing to add to your beach bag

Vinegar and gauze pads.

We had a wonderful day at the beach yesterday, the weather was perfect, no humidity, a slight breeze, and the ponies were out in full force, which thrilled Reagan.
The other things out in full force were the jelly fish, I saw several on the shoreline and didn't think too much about it but Victoria got stung big time and ended up getting quite sick from them. The first sting I didn't take much notice of and thought maybe she was over reacting a little, but a while later she came out of the water looking like she could kill, sure enough she was covered in stings on her elbows, knees, hands and ankles. She had to have swam into a smack of them because nobody else out there with her got stung.
She went and seeked help at the first aid station and they gave her a gauze pad soaked in vinegar, this deactivates the venom, sea water is the next best thing. Contrary to popular myth, urine does not help and can in fact make the sting worse, cold clear water and ice will activate the venom, so that is a big no no.
So next time you go to the beach be sure to take vinegar and gauze, Benadryl wouldn't be a bad thing either.