Praises of a Wife and Mommy

My son is showing a huge interest in fast cars!   When Nana was in town last week we went to Cordova Speedway and my son became passionate about cars while there.   He did not want to sit and only watch cars he kept saying, "I want to ride" "ride in a blue car mom!"  We did find a nice gentelmen who allowed my kids to sit in his blue car.   My son was still not satisfied with only sitting in the car, he really wanted to go and go fast like the races!      Yes, he made several faces like that... Excitement!  Fun! Enjoyment!  My little 3 year old has been asking to go back already too!  Here is my hubby, son, and nephew at the races!   Even the face of my three year old little boy is one of satisfaction!     Thanks Nana for an awesome visit and taking us to our first drag race.   Now that I know it is so close I imagine a certain three year old will convince us to go again... and again!!...

Sometimes you need to enjoy what you have in your own town and support local business.  I really enjoyed our ice cream tour date at Big Dave and Holly's .   The hubby and I shared a Peanut Butter Shake and it was amazing!   The kids had cones and we also had some extra family and friends with us for this adventure!  I am missing one person from the group... Nana sorry I must not have gotten a picture of you as I was stuffing my face with yummy shake.   As you can see everyone enjoyed their treat.   I enjoyed meeting the owner, Holly.   I have been living here for one year, so it is time to get to know all these wonderful neighbors!    This small and adorable ma an pa shop is right along the main road and has a river view.  There is minimal seating inside but do offer seating outside to enjoy the view.   Holly also spoiled us and gave us a free sample of peanut butter, banana, and brownie ice cream ...

The internet is full of advice for moms, and it’s become a place of community and encouragement for moms who hope to raise their children to be confident, independent individuals. Raising a child or children as a single mother can come with its own unique set of challenges, and while most mommy blogs will be helpful, some of them will lack understanding of the dynamics single mom’s face on a day-to-day basis. Here are a few great places go to in order to find good advice from single moms, or organizations that are invested in helping and encouraging single moms. Blogs for Single Parents Blogs for single moms  do exist, but you may need to dig a little deeper to find them. Many of them also offer financial advice for securing grants and loans. Blogs can offer great community when you find a good one. Users often post comments and respond to one another, and some blogs even have built in chat rooms where users can interact with one another and the blog owner. It’s great to kn...

Happy 8 years to the man God set aside for me!  He is a leader in this family, a wonderful partner in life, a great father, and a patient caring lover.  I am so excited for the many years to come.  I love getting older with you ANTHONY!  XOXOXOXO

Thank you Easy Banners for creating this wonderful sign for Riverside church!   It is perfect!  My husband designed the banner and it took 2 seconds to upload the design on Easy Banners and have it ordered.   The shipping was very fast as well and it was very simple to attach to the fence with the pre-made holes in the corners. Thanks Easybanners.com for sending me this banner to conduct an honest review.   I was not paid for this review and all opinions are mine.    Getting this sign was a blessing for my church family!   It is a beautiful sign and great quality.   Our little city gets busy and this sign is now visible for all to see when they walk by.   We can even easily take the sign down and use it in a parade if we want.  :)   WIN WIN!   The signs at easybanners.com are very affordable!  Stop wasting all your budget on a banner and get yours today from Easy Banners!  

Get walking America!  There have been several studies conducted over the last few years and America we are taking much fewer steps than other countries!  Stop being lazy and get up and get going!   GET MOVING!  I had the opportunity to review the Ozeri Pedometer in exchange for an honest review.   I was not paid for this review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am on pedometer number 2.  The first one was not working properly and the company was very helpful and sent me a new one right away.  Great customer service!   Once the second one got here I was able to get it set up according to my weight and stride.   I was a bit frustrated with setting the date but then I got it all correct.  The pedometer comes with a lanyard and I will admit getting it attached to the pedometer was challenging so I made my husband do it and he had not trouble.    I am going to start wearing the the pedometer daily and m...

One of the items on the summer bucket list is going on a weekly ice cream/frozen yogurt trip.   The first stop was Jujube a do it yourself frozen yogurt place.   I personally get overwhelmed with all the choices and usually struggle with knowing what toppings I should pair.   NOT THIS TIME!   I made a great choice with peanut butter yogurt, Reese's Pieces, and almond slivers.   It was awesome!  :)    The kids creations... well, lets just say CANDY RUSH!  Both kids got watermelon sherbet and then added gummy worms, and sprinkles, and some other candy pieces.   Gag me... it was sugar overload and taste bud crazy. Jujube is .45 cents per ounce so you are in control of your own price for your dessert.  The inside of the shop was very bright and fun for the family!  I loved the bright green color and some of the seating was very fun and different!  The topping tables were all clean and organized...

I had a friend who needed to be picked up from the train station and as scary as it might be to drive in Chicago, I DID IT!!!  I may have ran two red lights... but hey I only ran two red lights!  ;)   I did not get stuck in traffic and I got a great parking spot and was early so I had time to take a walk and see the Bean and fountains.   It was awesome and encouraging because now I know I can do another day trip to Chicago!  :)

OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!  So I did have sunscreen on... I really did!  I just somehow missed a huge section on my upper thigh.  :(   So I was in some major pain mainly on one leg.    I hate searching the sunscreen trying to find the safest and most effective protection.   Most of the bottles I have a hard time knowing what is really in them.   On the same day my upper leg got burned I can proudly say my face did NOT.   I used Smartshield's Rehydrating Face C ream with SPF45.   I only applied it one time and was at the beach for almost 4 hours.   Thank-you Smartshield for sending me a free sample in exchange for an honest review.   All opinions are 100% mine and I was not paid for this review.   About SmartShield's: SmartShield's Rehydrating Face Cream w/SPF 45 is a luxury face cream with a unique formula for sports enthusiasts and professionals, its moisturizing formula gives protection to your skin with a SPF 45 lo...

I am so proud of myself for planning a great adventure for our family to surprise my awesome hubby on Father's Day.  I asked around and found a great state park not very far from our house.   We went to Maquoketa Caves in Iowa.   It was spectacular and I can't wait to go again- next time we are going all out and buying head lights to go deeper into some of the caves!  Here is the happy family out hiking and exploring!   I was very proud of my kids for being brave and doing a lot of walking.   This is looking out from inside the huge opening of one of the caves.   It was so peaceful! This picture is one of the views as we were walking down to get to one of the bigger caves.   This boulder was huge and just balancing on this small section of rock.   It was very neat! I just enjoyed the green in this picture and looking up!   They are becoming best friends!   Following da...

I am so thrilled to bring you this giveaway!  I personally have not seen this movie yet but my kids have.  I am hoping to watch it with them soon for a lazy summer day when it is rainy.   The giveaway is at the bottom make sure to download the fun app!   About the movie: The LEGO® Movie, the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure, directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller is an original 3D computer animated story that follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared. Chris Pratt (Moneyball) stars as the voice of Emmet. Will Ferrell (The Campaign) stars as the voice of his primary adversary, President Business, an erudite, anal-retentive CEO who has a hard...

The sun is out and the beach is on the agenda but where are all the summer sandals?   It’s a good thing I enjoy shopping online and finding adorable summer time sandals for the whole family. Are you a flip flop fan?  A leather sandal fan?  Or how about a hiking sandal fan? What ever type of sandal is your choice for summer Reef Sandals look mighty comfortable and adorable. Here are a few selections I found perfect for my family.   First for myself I found these Reef Mayan Sunlight Sandals.   They caught my attention because of the neat braid in the front.   I also see cushion in the heel area so without even trying them on I am eager to purchase them.      Here is a little bit more about these sandals: DESCRIPTION Reef Prima Costas Genuine leather T-strap features tie dye textiles from India Padded leather deck with arch and heel support Durable rubber outsole with jute inlay My daughte...

  How many of you would drink a ice filled glass of lemonade on hot summer days? Or did your parents give you sugar Kool Aid or even worse soda?   Sorry- not trying to judge anyone here just being real about the sugar intake of kids these days.   Thank-you Santa Cruz for sending me the Mango Lemonade and Lemonade to conduct an honest review and to give two winners of the giveaway contest 2 bottles of this tasty lemonade.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are 100% mine.   Santa Cruz also makes a few other flavors of lemonade including: Lemonade, Cherry Lemonade, Peach Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, and Mango Lemonade.    As  mentioned above I have tasted the original Lemonade and the Mango Lemonade.   I enjoyed the Mango Lemonade the most but both were sweet and quenched my thirst.   The two bottles did disappear very fast.   My husband is partly to blame since he used the Mango Lemonade in his morning smoo...

This morning my son left me with proud feelings and even high hopes for his future.    He was playing with his lego's and just building and enjoying them but then he kept saying, "I building a church."   It was precious and made my heart happy. I can't help but wonder if a church planter is in his future!  :)  This mom is hoping to continue to find his giftings and coach him through his destiny!   He was made on purpose, for a purpose, and with a purpose!  :) Love you Tman!  

Thanks Happy Home Fairy for this free printable you can get the free printable there.   I have been asking my students to play outside more and more so sending them home on the last day of school with a Frisbee seemed like a great way to encourage outside play.    It is very cute since it say's, "This year flew by."   The year did go quickly with many ups and some downs.   I also let my son give three to his friends at daycare. :)   

Chips, they are one of those snack foods that I crave every once in awhile.   Give me something salty to crunch or give me something to dip in in salsa!  Here’s a little background information on Beanitos: ·           There are 6 flavors of Beanitos chips and 2 BRAND NEW flavors of Beanitos Puffs  http://beanitos.com/#products ·           Beanitos Puffs are the FIRST EVER bean puff on the market o      White Cheddar & Hot Chili Lime - Up to 5g protein and 4g fiber per serving ·           Beanitos, the Original Bean Chips o      6 g Protein & 9 g Fiber per 1.5 oz single-serve bag ·           Non-GMO, Gluten-free, Low Glycemic ·           Tastes Amazing! My Review: Many of you k...

If you are looking for a fun place to take the kids I highly recommend the John Deere Pavillion in Moline Illinois.  There is so much learning about farming and growing food but there is so much to play on at the same time.  There is a gift shop to find neat gifts to take home but my kids enjoyed climbing all the different tractors.  

A couple weeks ago we went and explored one of the cities a little bit more.   I love finding the character all over the city.