My book blurb (soon to be in bookstores everywhere)!!

Congrats to Kersten Campbell author of Confessions of a Completely In*Sane Mother ... Her book was recently released and will hit bookstore shelves in March! When you grab your copy of this very funny book make sure you check out the back cover! :)

I wrote the blurb that is on there ... :)
Cheers to books, blurbs and kids who sell rocks door-to-door!!

PS - Kersten is featured on my Author Beginnings blog - jump over and read her author blogVIEW!! http://authorbeginnings.blogspot.com/

Enjoy ...!

Authentic Style (you've got it!!)

(He's got Style ... So do YOU!)

Have you ever stopped to think about the things that make you authentically YOU? If not, give it a try ... Today grab a napkin, sheet of paper, grocery receipt (whatever is handy) and jot down the stuff that makes you YOU.

Here's a few from my list -
(Authenticity)
I love to send stuff to people in the mail - love it!
I'm always looking for a way to add pizazz to my house
(fix the mailbox, add a pillow, hang some cards)

I really enjoy going to Pier 1 (that store inspires me) ... And when I find something way in the back I just can't live without (on clearance) - I do a little dance and song right in the store!

I love sappy love movies and books - I weep like no other!

I am a big fan of Twitter

I try to do at least 5 happy things everyday :) - one of them is to SMILE ...
(at strangers)

My list goes on :)

Cheers to you and your authentic style ...

Happy Wednesday!!

Up next: Authentically YOU Awards ...
Stay Tuned!!

A Valentine for the Homeless ...

My kids are convinced that the homeless guy we see walking on the streets each day lives in the park behind our house. (This particular park has a row of trees that would provide the perfect shelter for the hobo).

Tonight, they asked if we could all run down to the park and play for a bit. So off we went to the park with the ‘forest’ full of giving trees.

Once we arrived at the park … my daughter (who is 6) said: “Be careful Mom the hobo lives down here and we don’t know if he’s home!”

It was freezing and getting dark – I walked down to the trees to round everyone up for the walk home. My son Kaleb shouted:“Mom, come see what we built!”

There in the little forest in the park behind our house, was a house (made out of an old tree and some boards they found) for the homeless stranger. My kids informed me that he would now have a nice place to spend Valentine’s Eve.

Happy Valentines Day! ... And homeless guy if you do happen to stop at the park tonight for a place to sleep - feel free to use the little house built by my kids!! :)

Thanks Kade, Kaleb, Colby and Lauren for reminding me that Love makes the world go round ...

A Life that Inspired Mine ...

Photo: On the left - Travis Lichfield (my big brother)
He inspired me from 1973 (year I was born) until he died in 1988

There are people in our lives we never forget.
We never want to ...
And that's a good thing!

Special thanks to Elaine Williams for featuring a letter I wrote to Travis as part of her blog Tour: Virtual Blog Tour of Sites Related to Loss, Grief and Bereavement ... Writing this letter was so therapeutic for me. Yup the tears fell freely!

My hope is that if you have ever lost someone you love - you'll stop for a moment and remember him or her and the tracks they left on your heart (feel free to write them a letter) - it feels so good!

And (maybe just maybe) this letter will cause you to stop and thank the Lord above for another day to live, love, laugh and LEARN!!

My letter to Travis - http://www.littlemomentsthatmatter.com/travis.html

PS: I love you.

The Valentine Aardvark ...

Do you know about the Valentine Aardvark? ...

Here's a quote from him:
"All we need is love and ants!"

For those of you who don't know about him here's the inside scoop -
PS: This is something fun for the entire family!

All you do is make a Valentine pouch (think back to grade school days)
Each family member makes one ... then lay the pouches out on Valentine's Eve and the Valentine Aardvark comes and fills them with treats and suprises (similar to Santa Clause).
So the parental participation is pretty important!

We did this last year as a family and had so much fun with it!

Learn more at www.valentineaardvark.com
(Great family site with games, free eCards and you can even order t-shirts)

If you decide to make the pouches - take pictures and post them up on your blog
then leave a comment on the Valentine Aardvark blog so they can know you joined in the fun!

Happy Aardvarking!
:)

The Fish Bowl Winner is ....

{The names ... The anticipation ...}

... The winner! O. Joy (Get ready to Wiggle)
Visit her blog at: http://ajoyfulday.blogspot.com/
Hopefully you'll love her site as much as I do - It's inspiring and full of beautiful photos ...
***********

Special thanks to all of you for stopping by - I plan on doing a giveaway each month so keep coming back for more exciting stuff.

:)
Happy Friday - I'm off to plan a birthday party for my brother!! He likes pumpkin pie better than cake so I'm up to my elbows in pie and balloons ...

Cheers to birthday parties, blogging friends and the little moments we share together!

February Giveaway - Wiggle Like a Fish CD!!

Do you need something fun to give to that "little" Valentine on your list?! If so, simply leave your name and your email (in the comments section below) and I will be drawing ONE lucky winner from the Wiggle fish bowl! You have until the stroke of midnight on Wednesday (2/04/09) to enter.

A little info about the CD -
This album contains 11 original positive, catchy songs for families and kids all written and performed by The Singing Superman ... AKA Tory Christensen!
(He's also my husband) - Lucky me! :)

http://www.wigglelikeafish.com/
Feel free to visit the Wiggle Like a Fish website

"Wiggle Like a Fish makes the room get up and dance without the hype or frenzy.
Great warm energy and delightful lyrics ..."
~ Ann Bergman Publisher and Founder Seattle's Child Magazine

PS: The winner will be notified by Friday (2/6/09)

Thanks for stopping by --- :)!
Get ready to Wiggle