Farewell 2007!

What a year! I began my journey with an online business, including this blog plus two more, my husband was in the hospital 5 times, I went back to work, and I have learned lots! This year has been full of successes, failures, and all learning experiences! I have not meet many of the goals I set back in the beginning of the year, but we cannot determine what God will give us. I am thankful for all I learned in business, in health, and as a mom. I know that 2008 will be a year of more experiences in all areas of my life and I thank God for them in advanced. Happy New Year! Pray that God will teach you some new things this coming year.
Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

NORAD Tracks Santa

Complete with updated radar imagery of Rudolph's nose and YouTube video, track Santa all day and through tomorrow. Merry Christmas!


Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Reusable Grocery Bags

My friend and Smart Mom Kim posted a few weeks ago about reusable shopping bags. It encouraged me to do some investigating. I search online and found Baggu bags. I received them last week and love them! I got 6 bags in my choice of colors. They fold up nicely in the provided pouch and can fit right into my purse. I have used them at the grocery store and at KMart for purchases. They are supper big and very durable. I had two six packs of root beer in one and carried it without a problem. They are too cool. I will take a pic soon, but you can see them on the website. And they are around $6 a bag. To save on average 16 throw away plastic bags a week, it is worth it... plus, the won't rip and spread your groceries all over the place!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Cancer Free

A wonderful post for my 200th post! My husband's PET scan came back cancer free! He is done with chemo and hospital visits! He will go back for a scan in 2 months and regularly after that to make sure all is clear. Praise God!

And 200 posts later, I am still here. Hope you will be here at 300.

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Clean House Challenge!

Nothing encourages me more to get the house clean that company coming for a visit. I have a Christmas Eve party coming soon and need this house spic and span. I have mentioned many times on my lack of desire to clean the house. I am not a neat freak. We are a cluttered household with a need for a deep cleaning every once in a while. So my challenge to myself is my one room a day challenge. If I get through my house one room at a time in one week, I am good to go for the upcoming party, without the stress of having to clean all in one day. I am fortunate, my husband helps too. So take up this challenge for your holiday company- clean the house this week! Keep us posted on how it is going!
Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Thankful Tuesday's

A day late, but I am participating with Betsy and her Thankful Tuesday post.
I am thankful because yesterday was my husband's PET scan. He has a final treatment left on his chemo series and then we should be done! His blood work has come back favorably so far, so we are hopeful that he is cancer free! We know God is good! I am thankful for the progress and thankful for my husband's strength and bravery.
Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Read Seasonal Books for Christmas

There are many special books to read with your children during the Christmas season. Make sure you find one that is appropriate for your family. You can also include the Christmas story straight from the Bible in Luke. Otherwise, here are some Christmas classics recommended by my friend Amber.
Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

A Marriage Breakup

I know a dear couple that are friends that have decided to divorce. I am so startled by the decision, yet I know I do not know all the circumstances involved. Having come from a divorced family, I know how hard things can be. Having not been a divorced mom, I cannot imagine what is in store for my friend. It has to be an extremely hard job and dealing with your other spouse. While I believe that marriage is a union through God and very little should break that union, I also know sometimes there are things that cannot be fixed. Believe it or not, divorce rates have gone down over the past few years! But, marriage rates have gone down too!
Please pray for this family that the decision is made with prayer and great consideration.

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

No Internet... not really!

I have been off the computer for days thinking that my internet service provider cancalled my service for their lack of customer service. It turns out, I forgot to plug the phone line!
Mommy brain completely!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

International Bacculaureate Program... Any Testimonials?

It seems strange, but my involvement in our counties investigation of the International Baccalaureate Program actually has an effect on my preschooler. Our county is a smaller rural county and has began a pre-investigation of the dipolma program. Also available through IB is a elemntary and middle years program. That means, if my school board gets the diploma program, either my son may benefit in the years to come, or it expands to the younger years and he benefits sooner. I am looking for people that have had experience with the IB program and would be willing to share their experiences. If you have a story, please share!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Cancer Celebrations

My husband will complete his last full week of chemo treatment today! Yeah! He will have two short treatments over the next two weeks and then a PET scan. So far, the blood work looks good. This is a cause for celebration! We are almost at the end of the tunnel. He has felt good, but has a severe smelling issue and an aversion to the hospital food he could once tolerate. Someone has had to bring him meals for lunch and dinner each night! We are praying for good health in the coming week since he would like to return to work after 5 weeks away. We know that this is all part of God's plan and we will make it to the end.

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

How do single moms do it!

For the third week in three months, I am a single mom. My husband is in the hospital for the third and last time for his chemo treatments. I am on my own... and I am already tired!
I don't know how single moms or moms with husbands that are not around (service men, police men, night shift workers, etc.) do it! I have so much more respect for moms that do it all. I only do this part for a week (although he can't do much when he gets home) and I cannot manage getting to work on time most days. You have my respect!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Fun, New, Photo Based Product

Photo gifts are very popular during the holidays. If you are looking for a unique photo gift to give, you should check out FotoBed.com. Not only can you make a Photo Blanket or pillow case, you can also make a duvet, throw pillow, or shower curtain with your favorite photo. The site is easy to navigate and 100% custom. You can even include custom text. And this is the only site to create custom shower curtains with a photo.

Think of this as a great gift for new parents, your children, or grandparents. It is an interesting way to give a great photo gift.

And best of all, they are offering free shipping! Who can give this wonderful gift to this holiday season?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Get a little laugh after the holiday stress from this YouTube Video- it is stop motion- the talent!



Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Black Friday Online Shopping Deals

If you are doing more shopping online this year, I have some deals for you for Black Friday. Some of these are deals for the holidays so check all of them even if you missed Black Friday!

Black Friday Product Deals from Overstock.com! Valid 11.22.07 to 11.25.07

Thanksgiving Weekend Sale - get an extra 20% off clearance items at BareNecessities.com. 5 days only! Sale ends 11.26.07.



eToys: FREE Shipping when you Spend $99+ on Qualifying Orders (see details, ends 11.26)




Netflix - Only $4.99 a month. No Late Fees. Try it for Free!













Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

The Biggest Loser Thanksgiving Tips

I am a big fan of The Biggest Loser. This season seems to be a kinder, more encouraging group, except for one, Amy, that was finally voted off. Last night on the show, they had tips on Thanksgiving. One was that it takes 3 hours of walking to burn the calories from one serving of mashed potatoes and gravy! Also, pecan pie, my favorite, is 500 calories a slice! WOW! That encouraged me to rethink how I will eat tomorrow. I am still hanging on to 6-8 pounds that I have gained since the beginning of our medical problems. No excuses, but that is truly when it started. I never thought I was an emotional eater, but I now think I am! Thanksgiving has some of my favorite foods, except the turkey which is my least favorite. But I can see how you can eat a ton of calories and never even notice!
Here are The Biggest Loser Holiday Dieting Tips for you to check out. There are some great tips to keep going over the holidays- so at the end, I still have 6-8 pounds to lose!


Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Buy Nothing Day!

I am a lover of Black Friday. I love the excitement of people rushing out to buy the greatest deal ever. Last year, as people were swarming into Target to fight of the three electronic items that were available, I got in the shortest line ever... Starbucks. No one wanted coffee, they wanted the deal.

So now, in opposition to Black Friday, there is Buy Nothing Day. On November 23, people are to ban together to buy nothing. There are even some cute ideas, like cut up your credit card protest and buy nothing samples. The purpose is to stop shopping and go green. It is for people to "escape from the marketing mind games and frantic consumerism that have come to characterize modern life."

But do they go shopping on Saturday?

The other interesting thing is this coincides with the biggest shopping day in the US- Black Friday- but takes place in the UK and Canada... they don't celebrate our Thanksgiving- so is it Black Friday in other countries too? Actually, the North American date is November 23. Internationally, the date is November 24.

I am not going shopping this Friday, but I may shop. The Buy Nothing Day is a great idea, but I want to get the kiddos gifts and the deals are good.

I will consider it.
Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Do You Know You Are Out of Shape?

Yesterday evening, I decided to tackle the job of cleaning out a line of shrubs that have been overrun with a crazy vine. I was clipping and pulling and was so proud of my work. I have more to do today and I realize how sore my legs and shoulders are! I am not a good exerciser, although I was doing yoga 3 times a week until I got this cold/cough. I have been sick for 3 weeks and not keeping up with my yoga. It was the little bit that I did. Then I found out my good cholesterol was low- probably because I do not exercise.

How come when we know it is good for us, we still do not do it? I am making an early resolution to get moving (like Oprah's old slogan) and get fit. Not buff and hot, I will settle for losing 10 pounds and being able to garden!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Challenge Winner For Two Moms in A Blog

Two Moms in a Blog our hosting a 14 challenge month for a Kodak Easy Share All In One Printer.

I hosted Challenge #4.

The four entries included: Life on The Road, Cathy's Bloggin, Mommy Mandy, and Mary.
Each entry will receive one ticket for the grand prize drawing for the printer.

And my chosen winner is.....Tiffany for her creative interpretation of the categories- plus her little one, her "something sweet," is too cute!

Tiffany will win a gourmet bar of soap from Tina at Club Candles. Thanks for playing!


Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Holiday Giving Idea: Give a Book

If you are thinking of a special gift for a child in your life, a great idea is to give a book. All children need books! As children get older, they can appreciate stories that include tales from around the world, like Animal Tales. Some of the stories included in this anthology are Grandmother Spider, Native American; The Rabbit in the Moon, Indian; The Dragon and the Cockerel,Chinese; The Greedy Frog, Aboriginal; The Musicians of Bremen, German; Never Trust a Pelican, Thai; The Monkey's Heart, Kenyan; Sedna and King Gull, Inuit; and Magic in the Rainforest, Brazilian. As you can see from this selection, children can learn about the different types of tales from around the world. You can also choose to purchase this book with the CD that reads the stories with colorful language and sound. This type of book is also great as a read aloud for younger readers, but a great option for older independent readers too.

To purchase this book and see other great collections of stories, visit my Barefoot Books website.




Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Playing With Our Friends

Last weekend we went with friends to a festival at our local state park. The girls got to play on the playground together for the first time in a long time. It was a beautiful fall day in Florida... in the 70's! This time of year and Spring are may favorite. The weather is perfect! It is a great thing to live here, even if you have to suffer the 95 degree days for a few months. This weather lasts a lot longer!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

CityPass for NYC- A Great Holiday Gift!

If you are going to New York City or know someone that is going to NYC, the CityPass will be an invaluable holiday gift this year.

New York CityPass is an all-for-one pass that gets you into all the great attractions in NYC. Each booklet has a ticket to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the new Greek and Roman galleries, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Guggenheim Museum and the American Museum of Natural History. Plus, a trip to the top of the Empire State Building Observatory and tour of the Manhattan skyline from the water aboard a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise, along with a map, public transportation information and insider tips on the best time to visit each attraction.

It is sold at 50% off the combined admission prices for all of those attractions. And you will save time because you get to skip the main ticket lines. It is $65 for adults and $49 for children (ages 12-17).

The CityPass is also valid from December 15 until March 15, giving you three months to use all 6 tickets.

I remember looking at the CityPass on my first trip to NYC. I was going to a conference, so I was not sure what time I would have to go to the main attractions. I ended up not purchasing it and wish I had. After standing in line for tickets at the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History, I wish I had pre-purchased my pass. People that had the CityPass were walking right up to the entrance! It would have definitely been easier to have purchased it early.

If NYC is in your future or the future of a loved one, get the CityPass as a great surprise this holiday.

My Little Ones at Halloween!

This is a little delayed, but I wanted to include a picture of my sweet ones from Halloween. The little batman started out as a knight, but due to wardrobe malfunction (the helmet would not stay on), we bought the batman the night before. The little butterfly was suppose to be a lady bug and refused to wear her costume. So she got the butterfly wings. Never what we plan... but they had fun!

Challenge #4 - Wednesday Photo Game

I am posting a challenge for Two Moms In A Blog November challenge. Those great women are offering 11 more challenges during the month to earn tickets to win a FREE Kodak Easy Share All-In-One Printer. Check and book mark their site for more information on the upcoming challenges!

Thanks for playing!

Challenge #4 - Wednesday Photo Game

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Our Wednesday Challenges for November will be some type of fun photo game. For our first game, we'll do a photo scavenger hunt. To earn this ticket, you will need to find 10 items: one for each of the ten descriptions listed below. This leaves lots of room for creativity and it will be fun to see what everyone comes up with:)

Scavenger Hunt List
- something cold
- something hot
- something soft
- something hard
- something heavy
- something light
- something dark
- something bright
- something crafty
- something tasty
- something sweet
- something cool

How to Participate
In order to participate, you need to collect the ten items above and take a photo of all ten. Then, post the photo on your blog or email it to twomomsinablog@hotmail.com. Once you have submitted your photo, leave a comment on this post so we know you participated. Your photo must be posted/emailed by midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 13 in order to enter.

THE PRIZES
As with all our challenges, by completing this challenge, you will earn another ticket into the draw at the end of the month for a Kodak Easy Share All-In-One Printer. One participant in THIS challenge will also receive a gourmet bar of soap from Mia Bella donated by Tina at Club Candles. Thanks Tina!

For more open challenges to earn more tickets for our grand prize, check out our contest page.

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Thankful Tuesday's

My friend Betsy has started a series called Thankful Tuesday's on the 4fabmoms blog. What a wonderful idea to be mindful of those things we are thankful for each and every day.

Today, I would like to make a special thankful post for my husband. My husband has been going through chemotherapy for the past 6 weeks. It is not constant therapy, but is taking a toll. Along with illness each time from our preschoolers, he has not felt as well as he would like. He has been home for the past week and even though he is tired, he has been trying to keep things up around the house and help with the kids. I am thankful for the time he has at home to rest, for the things he accomplishes even though he does not feel well, and for the love he has for his family.

We know this is a short time in the span of life. We are thankful for our faith that God will get us through each and every day. We are thankful for the testimony He has given us to demonstrate our faith.

Thanks Betsy for the reminder!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

The Best Cleaning Steamer! Sanitize Without Chemicals!

Make this a Christmas gift to yourself! I bought the Shark Euro Steamer today and I cannot believe how clean my grout is! I bought this at a local hardware store because I heard how great steam cleaning is to sanitize your house without chemicals. I started just cleaning the tile. Then I noticed how the grout was coming cleaner, just going over it with the cleaner cloth. So I got down and got dirty! I scrubbed my grout with the metal scrubber brush and it turned back to the original color! Wow! I was quit warm, and gave myself a facial, but it was worth it! The 47 oz. of water kept going to clean the entire floor and to clean the majority of the kitchen grout. Now I am off again. I just could not pass up telling you about this. Buy yours today!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt

Pillsbury Bake Off $1 Million

I was just watching a repeat of last year's Pillsbury Bake Off. The winner, Anna, has her own cookie blog, Cookie Madness. She posts almost daily cookie recipes with pictures. What a find!

The next bake off has the 100 finalist. All of the recipes are available on Yahoo food.

And while I was motivated by the show to think of my own recipe, I will have to wait until 2009 to enter and 2010 to be one of the finalist for the million dollar prize- start thinking of your winning recipe and join me!

Click here to support breast cancer research by purchasing an original Breast Cancer No Excuses T-Shirt