Woot! Award! Woot!

Hey! Lookie what Mommy D's Kitchen gave ME?!!  I am stunned.  I recently started reading her blog(s) through her Paranormal side.  Ghosts, ghoulies, unexplained things just intrigue me.  Anyway, she's an awesome read, a great new friend, and a Twitter bud par excellence.  You simply must find her on the web, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

So here's the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself that others may not know.

3. Pay it forward. Pass this award along to 15 bloggers whom you have recently discovered.

Everyone likes to talk about themselves, so you must know this is the EASY part...

1. I love Ghost Hunters. I Netflix all the disks of the show that I can and watch them on SYFY Rewind.  That's how I found Mommy D.

2. I hate mopping the floor more than I hate scrubbing the toilet.  True story: If I perceive that Hubbers is mad at me, I will hie my hiney to the restroom and clean until it shines.  Nothing like a clean potty.

3. I am a book-a-holic.  If I could keep every book I ever read, I would.  When we moved last year, I had to get rid of BOXES of books.   Just too much to move, too heavy, too much space, and no where to put them in our new house.

4. It's been almost a year since we moved and I just hung up some family photos for the first time two weeks ago.  I guess I've been so busy with homeschooling, kids, new house, and our home biz that I just didn't make time.

5. Uh. Now what.

6. I love my blog, even though I have neglected it pretty badly since Baby D was born.  I used to get comments on every post.  Now, I'm lucky to get one comment a week.  It is sad, but such is the way of life.

7. Here's the big one.  I just found out 1 week ago that we are expecting a new baby.  Yup, a new "Files Baby" will be making an appearance in January 2011, if all goes well.  Right now I'm about 8 weeks along.  Remember how things went with our baby angel Michael.  Pray for me, for baby7, and His gracious peace, please.

Now the HARD part.  15 bloggers I recently discovered.  I guess since Mommy D just found me, I can't find her again, huh?  I'm kind of combining my fav new blogs with some of my fav new Twitter pals.  So, here it goes:

1. Neat-o-rama
2. Cake Wrecks
3. Proverbs Wife
4. Raising Olives
5. Raising Arrows
6. Jeff Yeager
7. Karen Katherine
8. Hurried Homemaker
9. Crochet Spot
10. The Pioneer Woman
11. Weird Al Yankovic
12. Toxel
13. Wild Mother Arts
14. Chris Brady
15. Orrin Woodward

Ok, so those last two are personal leadership mentors for Hubbers and I - not really new reads, but way worth the while.

Thanks again, Mommy D!

Irena Sendler

To find out more about this beautiful, courageous women, you can watch more of the related YouTube videos, or visit her Wikipedia site: Irena Sendler



This is a scheduled post, since I'm in the hospital having the baby! More live person blogging before you know it.

Bloggy Bling From My Bud, AZMom

Thank you Marla, for the awesome award!! You are such a good real life friend and an awesome blogger.


5 Bloggers I nominate:

T With Honey
Fried Okra
SFO Mom
Living on Adrenaline
Chicky Chicky Baby

You guys ALL rock. My twitter and Google reader seldom disappoint in providing me the bloggy love I crave. Except on the weekends when you're on hiatus or hanging with family or something important like that...

The Sweetest Gift

The first flower of spring. The first flower my kids bring to me to love. The way into this mom's heart.





image courtesy MorgueFile and Kevin Rosseel

Red Marbles

A story I recently heard:

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts... all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.

They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho .'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.


Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...
An unexpected phone call from an old friend...
Green stoplights on your way to work...
The fastest line at the grocery store...
A good sing-along song on the radio...
Your keys found right where you left them.


IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't forget about Team WhyMommy. 5 days till surgery...

Our Christmas Gifts

We are blessed with an abundance, but the best gifts are those that are from the heart. My girls spent their own money at a school gift fair to buy presents for each other and me/Hubbers. To know how much thought they put into the gifts and their willingness to show and share their love this way tells me that something is going right with my parenting.

Thank you, Jesus, for the love you foster in my girls' hearts.

But here's the very best gift of all:



Baby Bunting is healthy, squirmy, and within a few days on dates, praise be!! And it's just now past the time when I lost Michael.

Reflection blog

T with Honey awarded me the Reflection blogger award. In turn, I'm to award it to five other people. So here they are, in no particular order, along with a short reason why they deserve this blog bling.

SFO Mom - Barb is one of the highlights of my blogging day. Family, God, devotion and more are found here. I'm so glad I found her.

Her Bad Mother - She reminds me of the simpler time in my life - only one child and the awesome antics therein. Wonder Baby rocks and reminds me to find that special individuality in my own bunch.

Fried Okra - A reminder about the nicer things in life through the southern world view. Close to family, she reminds me to stay close to mine.

Something about Parenting - Mike takes wonderful photos of everything, is a photoshop master, and treasures his boys more than words say. He helps me remember to treasure mine.

Redneck Mommy - Yes, she swears a lot and talks about s-e-x, but she's working through a lot of stuff and helps me to make light of mine. Plus her entries read like stories and you just can't back away from that.

Here's the rules:

The reason for the title of this award is because this award should make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy… of knowing them and being blessed by them.

This award is for the best-of-the-best so consider who you pick, carefully. This award should not be given to just anyone. If you’re going to do the award don’t just write a few words and slap it on your blog. Write real thoughts about these bloggers and what they’ve been to you, and if the bloggers you pick have already been given the award, don’t be afraid to give to them again. They deserve it as many times as it’s given.

Rules of participating:

1. Copy this post.
2. Replace [my bloggers with yours] & Reflect on five bloggers and write a least a paragraph about each one.
3. Make sure you link this post so others can read it and the rules.
4. Go leave your chosen bloggers a comment and let them know they’ve been given the award.
5. Put the award icon on your site

In the Spirit of WFMW

Yesterday, Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer hosted a backwards Works for Me Wednesday where I state a subject and you tell ME what works.

In that spirit, here's a quick game that is all the rage now, and an ego booster, too.

The Game is on!!! And you're it!!

Describe ME in one word.... just one single word. Put it in my comments.

Then post this message and see how many strange & interesting things they say about you.

You comment for me, post and I'll tell you YOUR one word.

She Likes Me! REALLY!!

Guess what... Aimee thinks I ROCK! (giggle) Yep, I'm so tickled the whole world is pink!! (giggle) Now I get to choose who I think rocks! (giggle) Cool...


Unfortunately, all the ones I want to choose have already been rockin' for a while. Who do I choose to nominate that hasn't already got one? Maybe I just choose who I want and reaffirm the rock-ness of that blogger? Do I gotta read around and choose someone NEW?!

You'd think that with something like 43 feeds on my Google Reader that I'd be able to find someone easily, but it's H-A-R-D. Here's my pick:

Maria at Tater Tots and Ladybug Love - she takes the most excellent photos and shares them with me, the photo-ally challenged. She's a wonderful Catholic Homeschooling mom and she is who I want to be when I grow up. I mostly get what her blog name means, but even if I don't, I still like her.

Dawn at Because I Said So - she's the lady of eBay Pokemon fame, but her blog is a hoot, too. I most especially love the picture of chocolate love at the top of her page. It's precious and priceless and I'm glad it's not me! I'm a new reader, but here to stay!

New Mom (who hasn't posted her name) at The New Girl makes me relive and enjoy a newborn without actually have to have given birth. Seriously, you fergit how bad it is when not in the trenches. New Mom is so on top of letting you live vicariously through her [pain] joy and colic-y small girl with the most adorable smile anywhere.

Jeez, that's 3 and it's taken me an HOUR to get this far. Not counting the butter carmel pecan ice cream break for me and Hubbers. Our treat away from kids...

How about my favorite organized queen of blogs, Laura at Organizing Junkie? Inspiring, her site - it's more than just Menu Plan Monday! I visit there and then leave all fired up to organize my own home. And I actually do it. Sometimes.

This last one is a reaffirmation for a good bloggy friend. Bridget, this one is for you. She's the magnificent host of And Miles to Go... You've had a very busy and not the best summer, girlfriend, and I'm right there with you. You so totally rock, woman. Visit Bridget for great recipes, pictures, adorable children, friendship and that great bloggy love we all seem to share.

Now all you nominees, go forth and spread the Rockin'-ness!

My Best Work!

I think I do my best blogging at night. In bed. You know, that lucid time right before you fall asleep? Yep, that's my best time. I'm funny, witty, insightful, and all around great!

Just last night I was thinking...

Well, I don't actually remember. I need some kind of direct to brain digital download thingy a la The Matrix. Seriously, other than the jolt that looks painful when they "plug in" and the whole living in a goo-pod as a food source for machines, it looks like a good deal. THINK of the profit margin, not to mention the perks of being able to just think my next blog post into being.

So, this post is a bit of an update on my mundane life. I'm a home business entrepreneur - a sewing GODDESS, if you will... You can see my online biz at WAHMom.com. But this isn't about a plug for my work - I've actually been busy WORKING on my own behalf.

Have you ever heard of the best soy candle company in the world? Based right here in SE Idaho? It's called Simpli Nature. I've been in the workroom when they're pouring some luscious scents, and it's divine! Anyway, I'm sewing for the lovely owner of the place and it's keeping me busy and away from my blog.

You're heartbroken, I'm sure...

But I have been using this time away to think about important stuff. T with Honey awarded me the Reflective Blogger award and I'm charged with finding 5 (only 5?!) worthy bloggers to pass the award along. It seems that the people I think of have already gotten this Major Award! May be that I just end up awarding it again to some of ya'll.




So while I'm busy working, I'm also thinking. Watch this space for more blogblurts!

(See, I made that up while blogging at bedtime! What a great new word. I expect it to catch on, oh so soon...)