tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21479747582143126142024-03-13T21:28:21.953-05:00Snips Snails and PigtailsQueen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-50324946177969034762011-08-25T15:14:00.000-05:002011-08-25T15:14:11.842-05:00American Girl....Giveaway!If you or your daughter like<a href="http://www.americangirl.com/index.php"> American Girl</a> dolls and books as much as we do, you'll be interested to know of a giveaway over at.... <br />
<a href="http://thenotsoblog.com"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v664/bduplantis/embutton.png" border="0"></a><br />
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Click <a href="http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2011/08/american-girl-honors-new-orleans-cecile-and-marie-grace-giveaway/">here</a> to go directly to the giveaway.<br />
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Good luck!!!<br />
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Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324875308244194377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-61739645264686211892011-04-04T09:41:00.000-05:002011-04-04T09:41:20.135-05:00Long overdue update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Pm45RqJ6_g/TZnSXwnBhGI/AAAAAAAAAJo/Nq16bUbEbns/s1600/IMG_4679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Pm45RqJ6_g/TZnSXwnBhGI/AAAAAAAAAJo/Nq16bUbEbns/s320/IMG_4679.JPG" /></a></div><i><b>Princess 2011</b></i><br />
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Wow, it's been quite some time since I was here last! I just thought I'd check in with everyone. (Anyone still there?!) I recently got an update from a blogger I used to follow and it was so wonderful to hear how her family was doing. It occurred to me that I once had awesome followers too that might enjoy an update as well so here goes... <br />
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As I've posted before, I struggled with a direction to take my blog once the adoption was complete. I think I know what I need to do, but in order for me to do it I will need to post with a bit more security. Less pictures, more anonymity. In order to achieve that, I may need to start a whole new blog! I want to leave this blog as it is so those who are adopting can see our journey. So if I choose to move forward with this and you would like to follow, you will need to send me your email address so I can send you the link. Watch for more details on that soon. In the meantime, those updates...<br />
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Princess just turned 6 years old. Can you believe it!? She attends full day kindergarten and absolutely loves it. We try and keep her busy with extracurricular activities as she seems to do much better that way. At this time she attends dance (tap, ballet and jazz) and swim lessons twice a week. The boys are quite busy themselves and our oldest (who is 15 now) is giving us a run for our money. We joke that this is our "practice run" because when Princess is 15, it will be 10x worse! :-DQueen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324875308244194377noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-61103744730151912822009-11-02T13:03:00.005-06:002009-11-02T13:06:46.362-06:00Boogie Wipe winner!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Su8tUBwvNVI/AAAAAAAABCo/AVt3GoMhW24/s1600-h/boogie-wipes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Su8tUBwvNVI/AAAAAAAABCo/AVt3GoMhW24/s200/boogie-wipes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399584300334003538" border="0" /></a><br />The winner of my Boogie Wipe giveaway is....<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Su8tYr2lCrI/AAAAAAAABCw/y9MFMyV8Ih0/s1600-h/boogywipewinner.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 84px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Su8tYr2lCrI/AAAAAAAABCw/y9MFMyV8Ih0/s200/boogywipewinner.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399584380352268978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />#3.... Kym<br /><br />Congratulations!! I'll be contacting you soon.Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-2885484753848928442009-10-18T20:03:00.000-05:002009-10-18T20:03:31.587-05:00Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!Check out these AMAZING costumes. I'm just breathless they are so cute. You can even win one! Go here to enter:<br /><br /><a href="http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2009/10/queen-of-hearts-and-alice-in-wonderland.html">Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!</a>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-62544034849019717092009-10-06T12:14:00.014-05:002009-10-09T15:53:27.650-05:00Snot solution! (Giveaway)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Ss4wp8UqN3I/AAAAAAAABCg/qb_vtFFQ4Zw/s1600-h/boogie-wipes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Ss4wp8UqN3I/AAAAAAAABCg/qb_vtFFQ4Zw/s200/boogie-wipes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390299301134612338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:180%;">"Snot Your Average Wipe"<br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" >O</span>kay you know the drill, cold and flu season is officially here and the little noses start a'flowin! Even weeks after the virus passes, the ugly boogies seem to linger. If you've ever had to pin down a toddler or preschooler to wipe their nose you know it's no easy task and no wonder- after the 100th wipe of the day, it hurts!<br /><br />Well<span style="font-style: italic;"> sore, crusty, chapped</span> noses are now a thing of the past. Why? I ran across an awesome new product out on the market. They're called <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.boogiewipes.com/">Boogie Wipes</a>. What ingenious idea. It's one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" type of products. Hello!<br /><br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"></object><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.boogiewipes.com/">Boogie Wipes</a> are simply extra soft moist wipes <b style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><i><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">made with saline</span></i></b>. They come in great scents including Great Grape, Fresh Scent or Magic Menthol (for extra stuffy noses).<br /><br />Boogie Wipes:<br /><ul><li>Recommended by Pediatricians. </li><li>Made with Natural Saline to Dissolve Mucus<a href="http://http//www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/HEALTH/803050312/-1/HEALTH01" target="_blank"><br /></a></li><li>Hypoallergenic</li><li>Alcohol Free</li><li>Moisturize with Vitamin E, Aloe and Chamomile</li><li><span>Fun Scents Kids Love</span></li><li>Gentle Enough for All Ages</li><li>Phthalate & Paraben Free</li></ul>Boogie Wipes come in several packaging options too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SsuCHtYf-AI/AAAAAAAABCI/ytOQfnhO_x8/s1600-h/29fdee28e1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 103px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SsuCHtYf-AI/AAAAAAAABCI/ytOQfnhO_x8/s200/29fdee28e1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389544448031979522" border="0" /></a>There's the Large <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">30 count pack</span> for your home or car.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SsuCTVhT4II/AAAAAAAABCQ/hW2KrUNx4_A/s1600-h/img-onTheRun-orange.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 171px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SsuCTVhT4II/AAAAAAAABCQ/hW2KrUNx4_A/s200/img-onTheRun-orange.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389544647784915074" border="0" /></a>Boxes of <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Boogies on the Run</span> (10 Individually Wrapped Wipes) perfect for Diaper Bags, Backpacks, Lunchboxes or Purses!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SsuCfCCSzRI/AAAAAAAABCY/DC7vZ8dLtz8/s1600-h/diaper-cake-products.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 110px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SsuCfCCSzRI/AAAAAAAABCY/DC7vZ8dLtz8/s200/diaper-cake-products.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389544848712977682" border="0" /></a>For gifts you can even purchase a <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Boogie Wipes Diaper Cake</span> which includes:<br />3-30 count packs<br />20 Individually Wrapped Wipes<br />50 Diapers<br />1 Plus Toy<br /><br />**<span style="font-style: italic;">Think baby showers!</span>**<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Guess what? I'm giving away a a Boogie Wipe Gift Pack to one of my readers! (Pack includes a Large 30 count pack, Boogies on the Run<span style="font-style: italic;"> and</span> some fantastic coupons)<br /><br />All you need to do to win is:<br />1. Visit <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.boogiewipes.com/">Boogie Wipes</a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> </span>and take a look around. Come back and comment on which type of wipe you'd buy if this was your first time trying out the product. <span style="font-size:85%;">(Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you win.)</span><br /><br />For 2 extra entries: <span style="font-size:85%;">(Leave separate comments for each entry and be sure to link back so I can verify)</span><br />*Tweet about this giveaway<br />*Blog about this giveaway<br /><br />Contest ends October 15th at 10am (CST) so hurry and enter today!<br /><h2><br /></h2><h2><br /></h2><!-- Text: [end] --> <div class="csc-textpic-clear"><!-- --></div> <!-- Image block: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:213/textpic [end] --> <b><span style="margin-left: -51px; margin-top: -57px; opacity: 1;" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble smarterwiki-popup-bubble-active"><span class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-body"><span class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-links smarterwiki-clearfix"><span class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-links-row smarterwiki-clearfix"><a target="_blank" title="Search Bing" href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=10%20Individually%20Wrapped%20Wipes%20for%20Backpacks%2C%20Lunchboxes%20or%20Purses%20" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link"><img src="http://www.bing.com/favicon.ico" alt="" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link-favicon" /></a><a target="_blank" title="Search Google" href="http://www.google.com/search?q=10%20Individually%20Wrapped%20Wipes%20for%20Backpacks%2C%20Lunchboxes%20or%20Purses%20" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link"><img src="http://www.google.com/favicon.ico" alt="" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link-favicon" /></a></span><span class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-links-row smarterwiki-clearfix"><a target="_blank" title="Search Wikipedia" href="http://smarterfox.com/wikisearch/search?q=10%20Individually%20Wrapped%20Wipes%20for%20Backpacks%2C%20Lunchboxes%20or%20Purses%20&locale=en-US" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link"><img src="http://static.smarterfox.com/media/wiki-favicon-sharpened.png" alt="" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link-favicon" /></a><a target="_blank" title="Search Twitter" href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=10%20Individually%20Wrapped%20Wipes%20for%20Backpacks%2C%20Lunchboxes%20or%20Purses%20" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link"><img src="http://twitter.com/favicon.ico" alt="" class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-link-favicon" /></a></span></span></span><span class="smarterwiki-popup-bubble-tip"></span></span></b> <!-- Text: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:108/text [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:38/textpic [begin] --> <!-- Image block: [begin] --> <div class="csc-textpic-imagewrap"><dl class="csc-textpic-image csc-textpic-firstcol csc-textpic-lastcol" style="width: 123px;"><dt><a href="http://www.boogiewipes.com/index.php?id=54"><br /></a></dt></dl></div> <!-- Text: [begin] --> <h3><br /></h3>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-63828929226755742822009-09-10T14:59:00.003-05:002009-09-10T15:04:56.876-05:00Our Adoption Montage is in the top 10!!!I entered Princess's Adoption video in a contest over at <a href="http://adoptionvoices.com/">Adoption Voices</a><br /><br />...Well guess what??? It's in the top 10!! <span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">YAY!!!</span></span><br /><br />So would you do me a favor? Stop by and vote for our video and help us get to the top 5.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">In order for your vote to count, you have to leave a comment</span>. I promise it won't take but a second.<br /><br />Click here to view our <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://adoptionvoices.com/video/finally-ours-journey-of">Adoption Montage</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-size:180%;" >THANK YOU IN ADVANCE</span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-2407579360505998402009-08-21T13:17:00.004-05:002009-08-21T13:32:02.033-05:00Winner of the $25 ecostore USA Gift Certificate is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/So7lQI-2vWI/AAAAAAAABCA/BvOCoz3VtS0/s1600-h/Ecostore-USA_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 94px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/So7lQI-2vWI/AAAAAAAABCA/BvOCoz3VtS0/s200/Ecostore-USA_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372483470951365986" border="0" /></a><br />Thanks to Random.org, we have our <a href="http://www.ecostoreusa.com/">ecostore USA</a> WINNER! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">WINNER of a $25 Gift Certificate!</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br /><br />There were only 15 entries and the Random Number Generator choose #4.<br /><img src="https://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" class="comment-icon blogger-comment" alt="Blogger" /><br /><br /><blockquote>#4 <span dir="ltr"><a href="profile/13165886769843325464" rel="nofollow" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">Steph</a></span> said...<p>I'd get the oxygen whitener and the sandalwood hair products, even though I don't have dandruff...I just love sandalwood. Ha!</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Congratulations to Steph!</span> </span> </span><br /></p><br />Join ecostoreusa on:<br /><a href="http://twitter.com/ecostoreusa">Twitter</a> or<br /><a href="http://www.facebook.dj/ecostoreusa">Facebook</a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Plus, if you're interested in more info. please sign up for their <a href="http://blog.ecostoreusa.com/">No Nasty Chemicals newsletter </a></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:180%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">I</span> </span>have several more exciting contests coming up in the next few weeks so keep your eyes out!Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-42287030591423452122009-08-01T06:58:00.001-05:002009-08-05T10:50:31.871-05:00ecostore USA Giveaway!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SnPS7CJg8CI/AAAAAAAABBw/33pdoocH4uY/s1600-h/Ecostore-USA_01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364863492759285794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 94px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SnPS7CJg8CI/AAAAAAAABBw/33pdoocH4uY/s200/Ecostore-USA_01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I recently had the pleasure of testing out product for <a href="http://www.ecostoreusa.com/">ecostore USA</a><br /><br /><br />All of their products are made from plant- and mineral-based ingredients. They are completely free of toxic chemicals. Everything they carry is environmentally safe which helps to reduce our carbon footprint! They have something for everyone including Baby Care, Bath and Body, Household...even Specialty Pet Care products.<br /><br />My favorite product so far is the <span style="COLOR: rgb(102,51,102);font-size:130%;" >Baby Aromatherapy Body Wash</span>. One look at the back of the bottle and I felt proud to be bathing Princess with it. There are NO dyes, NO perfumes, NO parabens, NO toxic petrochemicals, NO sulfates etc etc. I admit I was a bit anxious opening the package thinking with all that healthy stuff, it must not smell very good. Ohhhh my goodness was I wrong. The smell of this stuff is heavenly!!! It's got a crisp, clean spa-like smell. Even Princess commented on how yummy the scent was.<br /><br />Another favorite is the <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,102,0);font-size:130%;" >Naturally Antibacterial Spray Cleaner</span>. Many cleaners have synthetic chemicals that are known to be harmful to health and can cause skin irritation or eczema. Not this stuff though. There are NO nasty chemicals in this cleaner. In fact, check out some of the ingredients... zest of citrus peel, palm and coconut based surfactants. I feel safe spraying down my kitchen table and counter tops with it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ecostoreusa.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364863636530040082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 139px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SnPTDZvIjRI/AAAAAAAABB4/b_missAV_Ks/s200/US_Group.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">ecostore USA wants to give my readers a $25 Gift Certificate!</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> </span><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">All you have to do is stop by their website <a href="http://www.ecostoreusa.com/">HERE</a></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">and check out everything they have to offer. Come back and leave me a comment specifying which 2 things you might buy if you win.<br /><br />Earn up to 4 extra entries:<br />*Tweet(1) or blog(1) about this giveaway.<br />*Follow them on twitter(1) and/or facebook.(1)<br />(Please leave separate comments for each entry and make sure I have a way to contact you!)<br /><br />twitter.com/ecostoreusa<br /></div></div>www.facebook.dj/ecostoreusa<br /><br />*All entries will be verified.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Contest will run through Aug 17th* at 10pm (Central time)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Finally, if you're interested in more info, please sign up for ecostore's <a href="http://blog.ecostoreusa.com/">No Nasty Chemicals newsletter </a></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">**Notice.. due to an error in the links, this contest has been extended!**</span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-79753760695971071002009-07-23T13:55:00.004-05:002009-07-23T14:24:55.081-05:00It's hard to swallow<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" >W</span>hat I've been up to lately...<br /><br />Troubleshooting my son's shunt. For those of you that don't read his Caringbridge updates (link found to the right in drop down menu) we've been noticing a lot of symptoms that were worrisome. After a series of xrays was taken, the verdict is: It's probably broken! We've been working out the details with his <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Neurosurgeon in Chicago</span></span>. For now, we continue to manage his symptoms and will fly to Chicago soon for them to assess the situation and possibly do a shunt repair.<br /><br />Attending the <a href="http://www.asap.org/">ASAP</a> Conference in Wisconsin. Yep that's right. I got away from my 4 children (5 if you could the hubby lol) and spent a few days knee deep in medical information regarding my son's condition. My brain litteraly hurt each and every day. There was just sooooooo much to take in. While I enjoyed getting away, and I learned a lot, it wasn't without drawbacks. By Saturday night I was at a major low. Listening as some of the Country's top Neurosurgeons spoke of the debilitating condition my 11 yr old suffers. <blockquote style="font-style: italic;"> Hearing that only 4-5% of patients come to develop Pseudotumor Cerebri (as my son did...such odds!!) was hard to swallow.</blockquote> I listened as they told us that the long term outlook for these kids is not yet known, but that Spinal Cord Function seems to deteriorate sooner and Spinal Cord Fatigue set's in. These words could someday be my son's reality. Especially as I looked around at many of the Adult Patients attending the conference. Many with fused spinal cords, wheelchairs, walkers and service dogs. That provided WAAAYYY to much reality for me for awhile. At that point, I was ready to come home!! I missed my kids and wanted to be with my family.<br /><br />I arrived home late Monday night and had to get up bright and early Tuesday as my 9 yr old was having his tonsils and adenoids out. Earlier this summer he had a sleep study done to evaluate his crazy sleep terrors in which he get's up and runs around like a MAD MAN. He had circles under his eyes and would fall asleep frequently throughout the day. He was clearly not getting enough sleep. Results of the sleep study came back to show he was suffering from <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >Sleep Apnea and Hypoxia</span>. While he doesn't snore or have large tonsils, it was decided they must come out! Hopefully that resolves the Apnea. I fear something else is causing the Apnea, but I refuse to go into details until I have to. Anyway, the surgery went well and he's resting quite uncomfortable on the couch at the moment. Keep your fingers crossed that this solves the sleep issue.<br /><br />*SIGH* So that's why I've been on the quiet side here on the blog.<br /> I promise, I will update again soon...Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-25397901542785813782009-07-02T10:28:00.003-05:002009-07-02T10:56:17.223-05:00A trip to NY with "It's a Blu World"How would you like to win a trip to <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >Lolapalloza</span> in Chicago?<br />Or be in <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >New York on New Years Eve</span>?<br />Maybe even win a trip to the <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >Winter X Games in Aspen</span>!<br /><br />You could. In fact, you could win one of FIVE Blu prizes. Check is out at <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=41002&url=http%3A%2F%2Fitsabluworld.com" rel="nofollow">BluFrog</a><br /><br />I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win the trip to NY. I've always watched on TV, the clock strike 12 as the<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" > ginormous</span> ball begins to drop. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SkzXp_GVqoI/AAAAAAAABBo/-EVPzpZMoTk/s1600-h/happy-blu-year_logo.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 191px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SkzXp_GVqoI/AAAAAAAABBo/-EVPzpZMoTk/s200/happy-blu-year_logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353891173349304962" border="0" /></a>Plus, included in the trip are the following:<br /><ul class="contest_list"><li>Round Trip Air Fare for 2 from Major Gateway Airport</li><li>Ground Transport to and from the Hotel</li><li>Luxurious Hotel for 3 nights</li><li>Helicopter Ride for 2 over New York</li></ul>Seriously...a HELICOPTER RIDE over New York! Um, yeah I could handle that. It would be the perfect getaway trip for hubby and I. I could just see us now, relaxing in our luxurious hotel, sipping Champagne pretending we don't have 4 rambunctious children awaiting us at home. Children! What children??? Hahahaha Living it up for 4 days and 3 nights just the two of us. While there we could see a Broadway show, something that's been towards the top of my "to do" list for quite some time. We'd also be sure and stop by ground zero, and see where the World Trade Center used to stand. Of course, I'd have to try me some New York style Pizza. I'm a pretty big fan of Chicago Style so we'll see which one I like better.<br /><br />Mmmmmm, doesn't that all sound awesome?!<br /><br />Are you on twitter? <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Tweet to win!</span><br />Be sure to include #bluworld and http://bit.ly/UiiJy in your tweet.<br /><br /><map name="map2966"><area href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=41002&url=http%3A%2F%2Fitsabluworld.com" shape="rect" coords="0,0,206,45" rel="nofollow"><area href="http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" shape="rect" coords="207,0,225,45" rel="nofollow"></map><img alt="Post?slot_id=41002&url=http%3a%2f%2fsocialspark" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=41002&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsocialspark.com%2Fimages%2Fdisclosure_badges%2Fdisclosure_badge_green.png" style="border: 0pt none ;" usemap="#map2966" border="0" />Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-40907001550473037582009-07-01T06:12:00.002-05:002009-07-01T10:17:21.608-05:00*UPDATE* Thumb Sucking is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Skg2aVmmFRI/AAAAAAAABBY/g15vLvpZOZg/s1600-h/07848.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Skg2aVmmFRI/AAAAAAAABBY/g15vLvpZOZg/s200/07848.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352587983233357074" border="0" /></a><br />...a thing of the past?<br /><br />It's about time for an update on the thumb sucking <span style="font-style: italic;">issue</span>.<br /><br />For a little while, the <a href="http://snipssnailsandpigtails.blogspot.com/search/label/Thumb%20Sucking">Thumb*Guard</a> worked like magic. Princess let it be and as long as the guard was on, she wouldn't suck on her thumb. <br /><br />After about 2 weeks she decided she didn't care about the Guard and we'd catch her holding onto her blanket tag with her thumb placed loosely in her mouth. The guard prevents the child from forming a suction around the thumb, but that didn't keep her from mouthing the sucking motion. We decided at that time the beloved blanket was standing in the way of breaking this habit and it was time to:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A.</span> Get rid of the blankies!<br /><br />~or~<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">B.</span> Cut the tags off!<br /><br />It wasn't a hard decision because I was traumatized as a child when my mom got rid of my blanket before I was ready. So.... off to the kitchen I went one morning and snipped the tags off when she wasn't looking. Of course,<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" > she was horrified</span> when she discovered the tags on her blankies were gone!! I played dumb and she quickly recovered (within minutes) and I haven't heard a peep since.<br /><br />It's been about 2 weeks since I cut off the tags and I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">almost</span> ready to declare the thumb sucking habit a thing of the past!!<br /><br />I'm sure you're wondering... <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">ALMOST?</span> So I'll explain, <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">every once and awhile</span></span> we'll go in the middle of the night and find that she has her thumb in her mouth (again, there's no suction, it's just kind of sitting in there and her tongue will be moving as if she were sucking on it) which tells us subconsciously she still has a bit of the habit left. We will press on and continue to use the Guard at night, if we need to. As far as daytime is concerned, she's been without the Thumb*Guard for 4 days now and hasn't even tried to suck on her thumb. Not even once.<br /><br />Whooohoo! I highly recommend the little plastic apparatus for thumb and finger suckers (did I mention they have a Finger*Guard too didn't I?) everywhere! <br /><br />I give it <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);">4 Stars</span></span> (...and NO I'm not being paid to say that. This is an independent product review and I am in no way being compensated. Just sayin'. ) <br /><br />The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because the clear plastic has stained from regular everyday use over the last 5 weeks. I haven't found anything to get it to clear again. It's kind of a turn off because it <span style="font-style: italic;">appears</span> dirty no matter how clean it actually is. <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >I guess that may be kind of a silly reason to take away a star, but I'm kind of snob like that though. ;-) </span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-56306180409707622642009-06-30T06:17:00.000-05:002009-06-30T09:35:50.729-05:00Bring him home!Get your tissues ready and listen to this beautiful song by One Republic.<br /><br />I have been deeply touched by this story ever since I first saw debut on Dateline several months ago.<br /><br />I've tried keeping up to date with the case since then and it seems to just keep getting knocked down by the Brazilian Government. I can't even imagine what this Father must be going through. We need to spread the word. Tell everyone you know. Copy this video and share it with your friends and family.<br /><br /><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/06HyXo1UnqY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/06HyXo1UnqY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="364" width="445"></embed></object><br /><br />To read more about the story of David Goldman and the fight for his son visit <a href="http://bringseanhome.org/home.html">Bring Sean Home</a>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-5196362537097957572009-06-29T10:04:00.004-05:002009-06-29T10:19:45.082-05:00Bella Bracelet Designs<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I know, I know you're shocked because I've posted twice in one day right?<br /><br />Well, I wanted to share that beautiful picture I got of Princess this weekend but I also want to tell you about something else going on...<br /><br />We're trying to raise money to be able to attend<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.discovercamp.org/">Discover Camp</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, a camp for Neurosurgery patients at the University of Chicago. Our son Nicholas is a patient there. If you'd like to read more about Nicholas, please visit his </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicsmith">Caringbridge</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> page.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">For a limited time I have slashed prices on my website:</span><a href="http://bellabracelets.webs.com/"><br /><br /></a><a href="http://bellabracelets.webs.com/"><img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/tnajk/bellabracelets/tinylogo3.jpg" /></a> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://bellabracelets.webs.com/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >Bella Bracelet Designs</span></a></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />All Bracelet's are now $5 </span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >(or less*)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">*Cat's Eye Special- </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3 for $10</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> (Not good on Swarovski Crystal Bracelets)</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span>Please share this special with your friends and family. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >These make great gifts!</span></span><br /><br />My Bracelets are excellent quality and last WAY longer than any store bought child jewelry. I started making them when Princess was just a baby. I had become frustrated when the cheap bracelet I purchased for her at Clai*res broke apart within hours. I knew there was a better solution and so I set off to make high quality, yet affordable bracelets for kids. You gotta trust me, these are TOUGH! As a toddler, she couldn't get them off no matter how much tugging she did. She gets so many compliments by people whenever she wears her Bella Bracelets.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So, take advantage of this fabulous sale now. Also, don't forget about upcoming Birthday or Christmas. <span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><br />Thank you!!!!</span><br /></span><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-33500890000896505952009-06-29T06:58:00.001-05:002009-06-29T10:16:24.775-05:00Best Shot Monday!<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Even though you're a handful...</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" >You are my Sunshine</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SkgvLLhegJI/AAAAAAAABBQ/XSJ8axAk-n0/s1600-h/smjuneAaa.jpg"> <img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SkgvLLhegJI/AAAAAAAABBQ/XSJ8axAk-n0/s400/smjuneAaa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352580026248102034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-45639140023141084072009-06-26T15:37:00.007-05:002009-06-26T20:46:37.813-05:00The Unit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SkV46f-13WI/AAAAAAAABAg/RhMOIMxauVQ/s1600-h/TheUnitCover.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 129px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SkV46f-13WI/AAAAAAAABAg/RhMOIMxauVQ/s200/TheUnitCover.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351816678612524386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I was contacted and asked to review a brand new book by Ninni Holmqvist. Unfortunately, I just didn't have time to read it and passed it off to a friend of mine. I have posted her wonderful review below...</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >The Unit </span>by Ninni Holmqvist<br /><br /><br />Holmqvist’s novel which takes place in the near future is <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >beautifully written</span>; sometimes the language is almost painfully descriptive. At times; reading this novel is more like watching a movie, with ever single action described in extensive detail. The main character, Dorrit is a woman who has just turned 50 years old and is now deemed as a “dispensable,” in her society; someone who is no longer needed in the community as a whole being. <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-size:130%;" >Women over 50 and men over 60 are required to move into the unit, where they are to participate in experiments of all different sorts</span>, with their lives ending by making their “final donation,” which means donating vital organs to those who are “needed,” out in the community. The majority of needed people are parents, who are wanted to be kept alive to raise their children. The novel spans over two years, and at the beginning, other types of needed (or protected) people worked in professions such as in the government, are teachers or doctors and didn’t necessarily need to have children. Nevertheless at the end of the novel, even those involved in those professions are no longer protected from having to make the ultimate sacrifice. Women and men, who do not produce children in the outside community, are seen as outcasts. Even though this novel takes place in Sweden, there seems to also be a stigma against people who do not have families in our own country. People with children and people without are considered worlds apart.<br /><br />I find it interesting that the word community is relegated to more of a negative thing, even though everyone in the unit, ends up making the ultimate sacrifice to the community. There are negative and reciprocal feelings that the “dispensable” and the “needed” have for each other. I also found it interesting that people with children are rarely referred to as husband and wife. They are referred to as “partners,” who do not have to necessarily be married or even be of opposite genders. Another issue that disturbed me is that <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);font-size:130%;" >the leap does not seem to be a very large one between our current assisted living centers or nursing homes for the elderly to places like the unit.</span> One issue that bothered me about this book is that Holmqvist never seems to state whether the need for vital organs has increased dramatically due to a rise in cancer or other factors, or if it is just a natural progression. There is a huge movement in the U.S., for people to donate their organs if they die. In this state, you can check a box on your drivers’ license that states you are a donor. My father thinks that everyone should have to donate their organs that die. He sees it as a waste when people do not. So in reality, how far are we away from places like units?<br /><br />Dorrit is a writer who never has constant work and she was poor. In the unit, she never has to worry about buying food, clothes or any other necessities. She has access to state of the art exercise machines, gyms, classes, a swimming pool, a sauna as well as wonderful dining and entertainment. However, <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >there is this constant underlying feeling of panic</span>. People never know when their friends might disappear; they never know what negative effects they could have from the medical experiments in which they are forced to take part. The generations within the unit are very short. Living over 3 years in the unit is something of an anomaly. Within these walls with no windows but a domed ceiling that lets the “dispensable” look at the night sky, Dorrit finds friends that she never had out in the community and she also falls in love. <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >The twists that happen at the end of the book are interesting but the decisions she makes because of what happens to her are remarkable.</span> I recommend this book to people who enjoy fiction that may be closer to the truth, to those who enjoy friendship, love, but are willing to deal with disturbing issues that are raised within the pages.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">--Review by Heather Cory</span><br /><br /><br />Amazon<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Unit-Ninni-Holmqvist/dp/1590513134/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243206307&sr=8-1<br /><br />Barnes & Noble<br /><br />http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Unit/Ninni-Holmqvist/e/9781590513132/?itm=1Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-32099703955315803272009-06-25T20:25:00.003-05:002009-06-25T21:09:59.298-05:00...and afterwards the world came crashing down!Princess really enjoyed the show (mentioned in previous post) but after a long day her world came crashing down. THIS is what we had the pleasure of listening to on the way home....<br /><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_view_player?p=8ffd00a2dd75af7b4420db" quality="high" scale="noscale" width="312" height="310" wmode="transparent" name="FLVPlayer" salign="LT" flashvars="&p=8ffd00a2dd75af7b4420db&skin_id=801&host=http://www.onetruemedia.com" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><div style="margin:0px;font:12px/13px verdana,arial,sans-serif;line-height:20px;padding-bottom:15px;width:312px;text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_player_link?p=8ffd00a2dd75af7b4420db&skin_id=801&source=emplay" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_player_link_image/8ffd00a2dd75af7b4420db/801.gif" style="border:0px;" width="312" /></a><br/><a href="http://www.onetruemedia.com/landing?&utm_source=emplay&utm_medium=txt2" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;">Photo and video editing at <span style="text-decoration:underline;">www.OneTrueMedia.com</span></a></div></div>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-9123619491331096162009-06-24T20:54:00.004-05:002009-06-24T22:01:37.295-05:00Thomas & Friends boogy down<p> Everyone knows who Thomas is! Thanks to <a href="http://www.momselect.com/">Mom Select</a>, Princess and I got the chance to go see him live on stage!<br /></p><p> </p><blockquote>"The all-new 90-minute musical adventure Thomas & Friends™ Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town is packed with audience singalongs, high-energy dancing and thrilling adventures.<br /><br />When Thomas makes a big mistake, all the engines on the Island of Sodor must work together to prepare for the exciting event under the Big Top as Thomas proves he's a really useful engine once again. Along the way, Percy, James, Gordon, and of course Thomas, join with Sir Topham Hatt™ and the townspeople from the Island of Sodor to welcome a colorful cast of circus performers in an engaging story that demonstrates the importance of friendship and cooperation."<br /></blockquote><br /><p></p><p>I must admit, I was a bit nervous to take Princess to a show like this. She barely sits through movies, and a recent trip to our local Theater to see Beauty and the Beast proved to be disastrous. In the end, I had absolutely NO problems. She loved every minute of it. The show was great and managed to keep the kids attention very well. (It does help that staying quiet is not a prerequisite, and dancing, clapping, singing along are encouraged!) I managed to take some adorable video. Sorry the quality is not real great on my cell phone camera but I digress...</p><div><embed src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_view_player?p=8fe20504967b147560d7cf" quality="high" scale="noscale" wmode="transparent" name="FLVPlayer" salign="LT" flashvars="&p=8fe20504967b147560d7cf&skin_id=801&host=http://www.onetruemedia.com" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="312" height="310"></embed><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 15px; width: 312px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_player_link?p=8fe20504967b147560d7cf&skin_id=801&source=emplay" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_player_link_image/8fe20504967b147560d7cf/801.gif" style="border: 0px none ;" width="312" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.onetruemedia.com/landing?&utm_source=emplay&utm_medium=txt1" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none;">Make an on-line slide show at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">www.OneTrueMedia.com</span></a></div></div><p>If you're interested in taking your child to a show, I highly recommend this one!<br /></p> <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><a href="http://ticketsus.at/riotz?CTY=37&DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/Thomas-and-Friends-tickets/artist/1092693?list_view=1" target="_blank" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/ThomasLive/TicketMaster.com');"><div class="mosimage" style="" align="center"><div class="mosimage_caption" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Thomas & Friends™ Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town</div></div></a></span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-71807310668067407702009-06-21T16:50:00.006-05:002009-06-21T16:55:27.832-05:00Has Adoption touched your life?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Sj6rlwRj21I/AAAAAAAABAI/T9azDnwib4Q/s1600-h/adoption_voices_MRK.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 64px; height: 64px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Sj6rlwRj21I/AAAAAAAABAI/T9azDnwib4Q/s320/adoption_voices_MRK.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349902072464792402" border="0" /></a><br />Check out this AWESOME new website....<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:180%;" ><a href="http://adoptionvoices.com/">Adoption Voices</a></span><br /><br />It's an Adoption Social Network!<br /><br />Absolutely filled to the brim with support and excellent information.<br /><br />If Adoption has touched your lives in any way, you'll find something there for you.Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-74570150413976921722009-06-13T09:54:00.005-05:002009-06-13T10:14:06.593-05:00LTDchix we have a WINNER!!Happy Saturday!<br /><br />I know most of you are checking in to find out our winner of the <a href="http://www.ltdchix.com/">LTDchix</a> Giveaway. We had a total of 48 entries. (One person accidentally posted her entries under the wrong post. I'm understanding like that so I counted her entries as #47 and #48)<br /><br />Sooo thanks to <a href="http://www.random.org/">Random.org</a> we have our winner!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SjPBMzU7KTI/AAAAAAAAA_8/QaWGWdZVaDA/s1600-h/LDTwinner.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 196px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SjPBMzU7KTI/AAAAAAAAA_8/QaWGWdZVaDA/s200/LDTwinner.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346829608299473202" border="0" /></a>#40 (Anonymous) said...<br /><br /> I'm all for the shopping mom!<br /> ceimusic@aol.com<br /><br /> 6/12/09 10:13 AM<br /><br />If that's you, please get back to me with your name, address and phone number and we'll get you your awesome LTDchix shirt right away.<br /><br />Thanks goes to all of you for entering and helping support a fabulous company. <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;">**For all of you that didn't win, LTDchix is have a special promotion this weekend. Enter Promo Code: </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >beach</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;"> when checking out for 10% off!!**</span></span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-18804162112454184172009-06-05T11:12:00.008-05:002009-06-05T12:28:26.364-05:00Are you living the dream? **GIVEAWAY**<span style="font-family:arial;">I'm happy to announce I have a new giveaway for all my favorite moms out there!</span><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I recently found out about a company...</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><a href="http://www.ltdchix.com/"><img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/tnajk/Icons/2ltdchix-logo85h.gif" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />It was</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> started by a couple <span class="218444016-05062009">of </span>moms just like us who are balancing full time jobs (w<span class="218444016-05062009">h</span>ether at work or home) all while holding down the home front<span class="218444016-05062009">, </span>day-in and day-out. They came up with a</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> line of adorable illustrations that show a mom laughing at the less glamorous aspects of running a household. </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SilPZE5JMfI/AAAAAAAAA_M/0GnIrA_hdm0/s1600-h/cooking200x200_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SilPZE5JMfI/AAAAAAAAA_M/0GnIrA_hdm0/s400/cooking200x200_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343889725080547826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;">You'll find the mom (shown to the left) on all of their apparel. She's cooking, cleaning, doing laundry etc. Completely overwhelmed, and yet smiling her way through daily life. She truly is "Living The Dream" which is the slogan written beneath each illustration.<br /><br />It's a great product, you're sure to get a chuckle from everyone. I absolutely L-O-V-E my "Laundry" LTDchix shirt. </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> These shirts would make excellent gifts for your friends! </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;">If you<span class="218444016-05062009"> are</span> interested in winning your very own <a href="http://www.ltdchix.com/">LTDchix </a><span class="218444016-05062009">shirt,</span> stop by their website and take a look around. Leave me a comment about which design is your <span class="218444016-05062009">absolute </span>favorite</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SilUefnjg9I/AAAAAAAAA_0/mvR6TvT2oEE/s1600-h/laundrymom200x200.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/SilUefnjg9I/AAAAAAAAA_0/mvR6TvT2oEE/s200/laundrymom200x200.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343895315712017362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><span style="font-family:arial;">!</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial Black;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">***For additional entries you can blog about this giveaway or tweet about it. Be sure and leave a separate comment for each entry. Also, don't forget to provide a link to your blog or twitter entry, all will be verified.***<br /><br />This contest will end at 10pm (Central time) June 12th. Good luck!<br /><br />Oh and if you'd like, check out their <a href="http://blog.ltdchix.com/">blog</a> to read some of their funny tales!<br /></span></span></div> <div> </div> <div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:'Monotype Corsiva';font-size:16;color:purple;" ><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-79904381066418408822009-06-03T16:57:00.000-05:002009-06-03T16:58:22.307-05:00Are you afraid of your own shadow?This sweet thing is...<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XtpoOdcYCYU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XtpoOdcYCYU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-84710708437416835932009-05-28T07:44:00.003-05:002009-05-28T07:53:51.034-05:00Pink is for little Girls...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Sh6Ihz_7RRI/AAAAAAAAA_E/spw0EfTvARY/s1600-h/smballetcostume.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/Sh6Ihz_7RRI/AAAAAAAAA_E/spw0EfTvARY/s400/smballetcostume.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340856322583381266" border="0" /></a>You probably saw her blue Tap costume in a previous post <a href="http://snipssnailsandpigtails.blogspot.com/2009/05/bribery-curlers-and-costumes.html">here</a>. <br /><br />This is Princess's <span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ballet</span></span> Costume. Her very first Recital is this Saturday and I'm SOOO excited!Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-46517787008133278512009-05-26T07:36:00.004-05:002009-05-26T08:06:29.653-05:00Going down in an ElevatorSo this weekend a group of girlfriends and I took a trip. We left all of our children and our husbands behind and drove down to Dallas for shopping and relaxation.<br /><br />We had a grand time! I don't even want to think about how much money I spent shopping, but I did find some great deals and came back with goodies for everyone. <br /><br />The Hotel was awesome. We stayed at <a href="http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/hotel/DALFSES-Embassy-Suites-Dallas-Frisco-Hotel-Convention-Center-Spa-Texas/index.do">The Embassy Suites Convention Center and Spa</a>, in Frisco, Tx. <br /><br />On Sunday, a few of us hopped on one of the elevators on our way down to the car. I immediately realized <a href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net">MckMama</a> was completely and totally right. (I'm sure many of you read her blog, but if not you gotta check it out!) Anyway, I'll explain...not long ago she posted <a href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net/2009/04/riding-in-cars-with-boys-elevators-with.html">this post</a> about the unwritten rule of elevators. Go read it, I'll wait.<br /><br />....<br /><br />Funny eh?<br /><br />Okay, now I'm standing in this elevator with approximately 8 other people. We're surrounded with complete and total silence. No one makes eye contact, all eyes are on the floor, the ceiling or otherwise. It really is a strange feeling when you've been made aware of what's happening. I just couldn't stand it any longer and it just came out... I announced loudly right there in that there elevator that we were all observing the unwritten rules of elevators quite nicely. I pointed out the uncomfortable silence and lack of eye contact and... and you know what? The uncomfortable feeling left instantly and everyone began to chuckle and laugh. Imagine that. Laughter! In an Elevator!!! AND it was followed by eye contact and chit chat. Just try and think back to the last time you remember that happening when you rode in an elevator- I dare you.<br /><br />Ahhhh, so it was a great beginning to a great day. I encourage all of you to try it next time you find yourself stuck in a silent uncomfortably quiet elevator. If we all did it, elevators around the World would change. Hmmm, okay so maybe that's stretching it a bit. It couldn't hurt though right?<br /><br />:-D<br /><br />Happy Monday!Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-84999180267983542762009-05-18T23:31:00.000-05:002009-05-18T23:31:01.459-05:00SERIOUSLY cool technology!It's been a little while since I talked about<a href="http://www.kajeet.com/4u/index.html"> kajeet</a>. (You can read my previous posts <a href="http://snipssnailsandpigtails.blogspot.com/search/label/kajeet">here</a> ) I just had to share how awesome this little piece of equipment was.<br /><br />For those of you that don't know, kajeet is a unique cell phone service just for kids and teens.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" >A</span>nyway, I was online in our kajeet account transferring money from my wallet to my son's. While there, I decided to play around with the <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-size:180%;" >GPS.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">That sucker is SO COOL!!!!!! </span></span><br /><br />Check this out. Here is the "Birdseye" view of my sons phone being located on the kajeet GPS.<br /><br />Guys, <span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">THAT is my HOUSE</span>!!! Look how accurate this thing is. (Click it to make it bigger)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShHWpei4WUI/AAAAAAAAA-8/AAxz17YxK-0/s1600-h/screen-shot-of-GPS.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShHWpei4WUI/AAAAAAAAA-8/AAxz17YxK-0/s400/screen-shot-of-GPS.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337283041473091906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />....And we kind of live out in the middle of no where.<br /><br />Our neighborhood is new and Mapquest doesnt even know we're here- yet the kajeet GPS managed to find it!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);font-size:130%;" >Just imagine</span> if your kid left his phone somewhere like a playdate or at the mall etc. You could totally log into your account and find it. I mean seriously.<br /><br />If you're think about getting your kid a cell phone, i HIGHLY recommend kajeet.<br /><br />All my readers get 15% off the listed price of the phones.<br /><br />See the button over there in my sidebar----------><br /><br />Or just mention <span style="font-weight: bold;">Promo Code: 1115<br /><br /><br /></span>Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147974758214312614.post-82004760132410824742009-05-18T10:36:00.007-05:002009-05-18T12:07:09.104-05:00Bribery, Curlers and CostumesI know, you're asking what do all of these things have in common??<br /><br />Well, Saturday was Picture day for Princess's Dance Class. The 3 & 4yr old classes only take pictures in a single outfit and they chose to wear their tap costume.<br /><br />Friday night I decided to try to make her hair curly for the pictures. I bathed her and she sat very patiently while I put all those little suckers in. She was so good and I must admit, it was adorable to see her running around in curlers...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShGBdlcNGbI/AAAAAAAAA-k/9Ft_VyWE5WQ/s1600-h/curlers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShGBdlcNGbI/AAAAAAAAA-k/9Ft_VyWE5WQ/s320/curlers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337189378677348786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Well.... in the end, the curlers didn't work out so hot. Her hair was a disaster!! I obviously need to practice a little (or a lot) before using them again.<br /><br />Saturday morning we got up early to prepare. I decided on this hairstyle over at <a href="http://3girlshair.blogspot.com/2009/04/dance-do-2-curly-piggies.html">3 Girls Hair</a>. It took WAY longer than I thought it would and we ended up running very late. Mine didn't turn out as well as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hers</span> did. I couldn't get the ends to curl up very well no matter what I did to them!? Overall I thought it looked good though.<br /><br />So at this point, you're thinking, where does bribery come in?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShGC2qsKQNI/AAAAAAAAA-s/7h_-Fxw77Sc/s1600-h/dancecostume2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShGC2qsKQNI/AAAAAAAAA-s/7h_-Fxw77Sc/s320/dancecostume2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337190909094805714" border="0" /></a>Well THIS is where Princess was emotionally on Saturday morning. NOT in the mood for pictures. Not even a little. I just knew it was going to be a disaster.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />BUT....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's amazing what a little bribery will do because this is her afterwords...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShGC26eP8PI/AAAAAAAAA-0/5pI5B5FL8DM/s1600-h/dancecostume1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O4aXL2yWXaw/ShGC26eP8PI/AAAAAAAAA-0/5pI5B5FL8DM/s320/dancecostume1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337190913331425522" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Her recital is in 2 weeks and I just can't wait!! I'm also anxious to see their Ballet costume. We pick it up later this afternoon.Queen of the Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00453358102605274248noreply@blogger.com2