I'm Back!

It's been about 2 1/2 years since I posted anything on this site. So much has changed in that time. One child has moved out and works full time. The other is still in college. I guess I will have to start updating this regularly again.

So for today, I will just leave this here....

Broken Wrist

Well, maybe the third cast will be the charm. Angela broke her wrist about a month ago reffing soccer. A 4 yr old wearing cleats kicked her in the wrist.

 The first cast was Luke blue with dark blue sparkles. Though it was long cast, the cast person didn't put in the thumb spike. I thought it was suppose to have the spike, but I figured the person knew what to do. Unfortunately, Ang was having all kinds of pain and problems with her wrist still. When she got back from Minnesota, she was waking up at 3 am in pain. Not good. I made a call and got her back in.

 Cast #2 was pink with multicolored sparkles. I was right! She did need the thumb spike to hold things in place and restrict movement. The thumb is a little high so it was a little uncomfortable. She was also told to not do anything for a bit. That meant she missed her last dance competition, though we did go and watch. Just as things were getting back to normal, she fell Sunday. It was an accident but Ang fell on the arm and also hit her head on the ground pretty hard. That's not what she needed. We had to go back to the orthopedic to make sure she didn't knock things out of place.

The wrist is starting to heal, hopefully....but this new cast she'll have on for graduation. It's Batman yellow of coarse. A friend already put Hufflepuff on it, and is putting the Batman signal on the other side tomorrow. Angela probably has a minor concussion too. That means no activity for a couple of weeks. Just as she was getting back to dance too. GRR. I'm hoping her headaches go away soon. 

New Year, New Troubles

Yes, I'm a terrible blogger. So much has happened the last few months. Today I would like to wish the Kell-Pope-Lassiter NJROTC Drill, Academic, and Athletic teams good luck at Regionals tomorrow. The kids have worked hard all year, and I hope they do well. It would be great if they made Nationals.

First College Acceptance Letter

My daughter received her first college acceptance letter in the mail 2 weeks ago. I think I was more excited than she was. Today WKU sent her information about joining their marching band. 

I don't know if this is where Ang will decide to attend, as she's waiting for another acceptance. The school sent her the scholarship information for a theater scholarship, which arrived today. She'll be getting everything together for it...

Ang is also waiting for one more grade to be put in the computer....her A P Physics.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! I can't believe it's already the end of October. Not only is it Halloween, but senior night at the high school. Unfortunately, my daughter is still not feeling too well....and she has a drill meet on Saturday. She's getting picked up before 3 am...eww. I'd like to go.....but it's Halloween. Someone has to be around to pass out candy, and Hubby is going deer hunting.

My daughter was dressed up last weekend for work, as was I. I tried to make her look younger with the ponytails, but it just didn't work.

Terrible Blogger

Yes, I realize I'm a terrible blogger. Life just keeps getting in my way. I will try to be better, but things are so busy here. Once we get over one catastrophe, another one seems to happen.

Review: Crest BE Vanilla Mint Spark Toothpaste

As a BzzAgent, I was given a small tube of Crest BE Vanilla Mint Spark Toothpaste to try and review. According to the Crest website, "Think you know vanilla? Think again. Whipped together with mint, it's an inspiration to behold. So refreshing and fantastically flavorful. Toothbrushes, it's safe to say you've found your muse."

The Crest BE Vanilla Mint Spark toothpaste is the one in the pink....it's BE Inspired....and it actually tastes good. I wasn't sure about the vanilla part, but surprisingly, the combination works. I can taste the vanilla, but it's not overpowering. The mint makes it seem like it's really a toothpaste, and gives my mouth a clean, refreshing feeling. It's a toothpaste I would continue to use, though out of the three flavors, it falls right in the middle.

Will Try Harder

I do need to try harder to become a better blogger. Nothing is really going on of interest though. School is winding down, as is dance. Stepping Out Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) will be moving to a new location. That's exciting news, as it will add a studio and double the space.


Congrats to all the SOPAC dancers on their wonderful competition results from the Savannah competition this past weekend.

Book Review: MaryLu Tyndall's Elusive Hope (Book 2 of the Escape to Paradise Series)

I know I wrote a review for MaryLu Tyndall’s Elusive Hope, the second book in her Escape to Paradise Series.  Since I can’t seem to find it (though I found part of it), I’m going write another review.

From the back of the book:

In a colony named New Hope, while their friends are seeking a Southern utopia. . . .

Hayden is seeking revenge. Relentlessly.

After years of all but selling his soul to track down his scoundrel of a father, Hayden Gale discovers his search must continue in South America, where his father is reported to be helping colonize Brazil. Hayden has nothing more to lose, certainly not a good reputation, and vows to keep pursuing--at any cost--the vile man who he believes killed his mother.

 Magnolia is seeking a way out. Desperately.

She’s in the jungles of Brazil against her will, but what choice does Magnolia Scott have? Her father insisted on uprooting their family to escape the uncertainty of Southern life after the Civil War. But how will she survive without all she holds dear—wealthy suitors, beautiful clothes, summer balls, and slaves waiting on her every whim? She vows to find a way to get back home—and attaches herself to handsome Hayden Gale.

 As they journey toward Rio de Janeiro, they both seek to use the other for their own purposes. Deceptively. Falling in love was never part of their plans. . . .

Even though this is the second book in the series, it can be read without reading the first book. Yes, the characters are introduced in the first book, but there is enough information that Elusive Hope can be read as a stand-alone book (though I don’t think this will be true for book 3). I do recommend that you read the first book, Forsaken Dreams, to get the whole story.

As the colony of New Hope is being established in the jungles of Brazil, things are not what they seem. There is a darkness present that will test everyone’s faith.  Some of the colonists are having haunting visions. This subplot of Elusive Hope will probably be concluded in book 3 – Abandoned Memories – due out in June 2014.

The main plot of Elusive Hope centers around Hayden Gale, a scoundrel of his own making, who is seeking revenge on the father that left him and his mother penniless. The other main character is spoiled rich girl Magnolia Scott, who not only has a drinking problem, but a fiancé back in the states that she desperately wants to return to and marry. As Hayden and Magnolia make their way through the jungle, I just had to laugh. The adventures and situations the two of them find themselves in cracked me up. Hayden lets go of his hate as Magnolia realizes that inner beauty is much better than outer beauty….and the two of them get close. I won’t spoil it.

I don’t want to give away too many details, but MaryLu does a great job describing the jungle and the hardships Hayden and Magnolia go through. It left me wanting them to stay in the jungle and never arrive at their destinations. Magnolia changed the most, going from a spoiled, rich brat that I wanted to slap, to a woman that is no longer under her daddy’s thumb and can stand soundly on her own two feet.

Bravo MaryLu for creating a world in 1866 that I wish I could visit! I also wouldn’t mind challenging Magnolia for the handsome Hayden (yes, I realize I’m married…it’s called a book fantasy). I anxiously await the next installment of the Escape to Paradise Series.

Dance Season is Beginning...

Last night was pseudo-dress rehearsal for our 2014 dance competition season. Not all the costumes are in yet, so the kids danced in all black. I really wish at least 1 person in every dance was wearing a costume, so we'd get a better idea what the dances actually looked like from on stage. I predict that Angela's hip hop costume will have a couple changes.....and I certainly hope her jazz costume changes..




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I still want to know how Angela can look so good after dancing all evening....and she had her hair up in a bun most of the time too.

One Sock, Two Sock

I am attempting to match socks, as I washed most of the dirty socks Angela finally put in the laundry room. You would NOT believe how many different socks we have at our house....and odd socks at that. I have no clue why anyone would pay good money to buy a bundle of odd socks (and I've seen them sold at a few different stores now). Those of you with children, and even those of you without kids, probably all know the book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. It's one of Dr. Seuss's most famous, after Green Eggs and Ham and  The Cat in the Hat. Here is my homage to both socks and Dr. Seuss....(through the first 17 pages of his book). One Sock Two Socks.... One Sock  Two Socks   Red Sock Blue Sock   Black Sock   Blue Sock  Old Sock   New Sock   This one has little stars This one has a train car (okay, so it's an engine, give me some creative leaway) Say, what a lot socks there are!    Yes, some are red, Some are Pooh,    Some are old,  And some are Tigger too.   Â Some are a fad Some make you glad  Ang's socks are very, very rad.    Why are they a fad, glad, and rad? I do not know, Just don't show her dad.  Some are thin And some are fat. The fat one is a big brown cat. From there to here From here to there Angela's socks are everywhere. Here are some Just for fun And some when She has to run  Oh my! Oh me! Oh my! Oh me! What a lot of socks I see.   Some are two socks And some are four Some are six socks Though there may be more. Where do they come from? Ang's room I say I don't think some have ever Seen the light of day.   I see Ang come I see Ang go Why her socks don't match I will never know.  Her socks knee high Her socks real low Not one pair is like another Don't ask me why I am just her mother.

Dance Season Begins....

We have less than 7 weeks until the first dance competition. Our kids are working and and getting ready....and costumes are slowly coming in. I can't post costumes or anything until after the first competition is over.

Ang is ready.....I guess.

Book Review: Tender Mercies by Vicki Watson

Tender Mercies is the fourth book in Vicki Watson's Sonrise Stable series.This is a wonderful Christian series of books about the lives of Rosie and Carrie and their love of horses. These chapter books are great for both boys and girls ages 6-8, and one thing that makes them a little different from other books is the girls are homeschooled. I can't think of another series of books that have homeschooled children as their main characters.  These are not 'girl' books either, and they will appeal to any child that likes (or loves) horses.

From the book: When Rosie, Carrie, and Grandma are asked to help out at Last Chance Corral, a horse and foal rescue, Rosie is shocked when she experiences firsthand how cruel some people can be to animals. During the week at Last Chance, the girls learn that the God who knows when a sparrow falls to the ground works through the kindness of others to provide for the animals He created. For the foals, and the girls, Last Chance Corral is a life-changing experience.

This is the best book in the series so far! Rosie and Carrie get a glimpse at how cruel people can be and also a snippet of the behind the scenes of the horse racing world. Animal cruelty is a difficult subject for both children and adults, but Vicki Watson tackles it well. Tender Mercies is a good one to bridge the communication between parent and child on this subject. It's nice that Carrie and Rosie get to see the baby horses rescued and help acclimate them to a new life. I wanted to be right there bottle feeding a foal too.

The Last Chance Corral (http://lastchancecorral.org/foal-rescue/available-foals) is a true horse rescue in South Athens, Ohio. It is well worth checking out the website as you read the book.


http://www.sonrisestable.com/ is Vicki Watson's website. Take a look around to find more information on her Sonrise Stable Series and also for more information about horses. Her love of horses really shows through this series.

I was given a free copy of Tender Mercies to review as part of the review crew of Christian Women's Affliliate (CWA). The views and opinions are all my own, and  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. 

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is having a very happy 2014. We've been plagued with sickness at my house, so not much has been happening the last week or so. I am starting to feel like a pharmacy though. I have book reviews I need to finish and post....

Also, Angela turned 17 a couple days ago. Where did the time go? She was such a tiny little thing in this photo.

Now, she's a junior in high school.....

 

Happy Birthday Baby~

3 Days Until Christmas....

I can't believe we only have 3 days until Christmas. It just doesn't seem like Christmas here this year, as the weather is too warm and rainy. The kids are out of school for the next few weeks, which is actually sorta' nice. We have A LOT to do here at my house....

Clothed in Thunder -- Book Review

 Clothed in Thunder by Vicki Watson is the third book in her Sonrise Stable series. It's a wonderful Christian series of books about the lives of Rosie and Carrie and their love of horses. These chapter books are great for both boys and girls ages 6-8, and one thing that makes them a little different from other books is the girls are homeschooled. I can't think of another series of books that have homeschooled children as their main characters.


 
 
 
 
 

From the back of the book: After sitting through a 4-H demonstration on the evolution of the horse, Rosie and Carrie are determined to present the arguments for creation at the club’s next meeting. The demonstration proves harder to put together than they imagined as everyone offers the girls their opinions. The lessons Rosie learns about creation extend into her life in surprising ways as she faces her old adversary, Billy King, who cheated her out of her first trophy with her pony, Scamper.



Even though the main focus of the book is on creation and how God created the horse, an important subplot is forgiveness. Billy King, Rosie's adversary from book one, comes to work on the farm. With more background information, readers now see Billy in a different light, and Rosie has to look at her feelings and see if she can forgive him for past mistakes. It looks like Billy may become a reoccurring character as the Sonrise Series continues. I hope so, as I've come to understand and like him. I can see Billy becoming someone Rosie and Carrie start looking up to and asking for help later on.



http://www.sonrisestable.com/ is Vicki Watson's website. Take a look around to find more information on her Sonrise Stable Series and also for more information about horses. Her love of horses really shows through this series.

I was given a free copy of Clothed in Thunder to review as part of the review crew of Christian Women's Affliliate (CWA). The views and opinions are all my own, and  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

Review: LUSTER NOW! Instant Whitening Toothpaste

Through BzzAgent, I was given a chance to try LUSTER NOW! Instant Whitening Toothpaste. I was also given samples to pass out to friends and family. Everyone I talked to said the same thing about their first reaction to the toothpaste.....it's BLUE!

According to the LUSTER NOW! description: Luster NOW! is infused with Bluverite®, a unique formula that makes teeth appear instantly whiter with just one brushing, with results that last for hours. Luster NOW! is enamel safe, ideal for daily use, and provides intense stain removal with regular use. For an instantly brighter smile for every day or a night on the town, use Luster NOW!. Luster NOW! is conveniently packaged in three portable tubes, so you can keep one by the sink, in your purse or at your desk to ensure you have a bright, white smile wherever you go. It's perfect before a night out on the town, a first date or a party. In a time where everyone is used to instant gratification, Luster NOW! provides the fast fix for a white smile that lasts for hours. Directions for use: Brush teeth thoroughly with Luster NOW! following meals or twice daily. If excessive blue appears on teeth or gums, simply swish with water to reveal your whiter smile.

Honestly, I really couldn't see that much of a difference in my teeth, even after a week or so. I asked my kids, and they couldn't really see a difference either. They *may* be a shade whiter but it's not THAT much whiter.

The toothpaste itself tastes like a mint toothpaste and foams up very well. It feels like there may be some peroxide in it. The only thing that really throws me is the LUSTER NOW! toothpaste is very, very BLUE. I have a hard time with that...nothing should be that blue. I have to say that my teeth do feel very clean after I brush with the LUSTER NOW!

The cost of the LUSTER NOW! is what concerns me. I don't know if  I would spend the $14 for the toothpaste. That's the cost I found on Amazon for the 3  1.5 oz tubes. The 4 oz tube I saw for as cheap as $8, which is still more than I usually pay for toothpaste.

The German Students are Here!!!

It's been a busy week, as the 18 German students and 2 teachers flew in to Atlanta just over a week ago. We've been taking them around Georgia and letting them see the sights. The first place we took Stella and Karina was to Waffle House for lunch.

 

Then it was over to play paintball with a group of the students. I think the 11 of them had a great time. I know it was a lot of fun for me to watch, though I would have loved to have played also.

Stella and Angela

The whole Crew

 



 



I've been trying to post photos on facebook for the kids, but it's slow going with my computer. I'll try to get more photos and activities up here also. I want everyone to see what we are doing. Boy, I didn't realize just how short my daughter was until I looked at the group shot.