A Year Long Blog Hop - Come On Join The Fun!

I was lucky enough to run across this awesome opportunity last week - A Year Long Blog Hop... It's a Hop and it's a Community... I'm just starting out and I am really excited about this.... Come and join the fun!

Social Network Link Up Hop

Be sure to visit Free Hot Samples to grab your button for this link.

NO RULES! Link up Facebook, Twitter, GFC, RSS, Email/Newsletter, ANY type of social network you use. You can always list in your linky what type of followers you are looking for if you want to link up only once. Be sure to visit the blogs listed to follow by any social networking links they have available. Leave a comment to let bloggers know how you followed.

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You can follow me Here - Please leave a comment and I will be happy to visit you right back! Happy hopping..

Featured Guest Hostess - Blog Hop

I'm so excited to be the Featured Guest Hostess for This Great Friday blog hop. I have been a participant on this hop for a couple of months now and I have met some very awesome bloggers... Looking forward to meeting you too.

Now On To The Hop!

Thank you for joining the Friday Blog Hop hosted by myself (Nicole) at Mama to 4 Blessings and Melissa at Home Grown Families! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more blog friends!

It's very easy to join in on the fun!

Add your main blog (PLEASE DO NOT LINK UP GIVEAWAYS) link (we ask that you please follow the hostesses in the first 2 spots (Mama to 4 Blessings & Home Grown Families.) Then leave us a quick comment letting us know you are following.,

Then start blog hopping!

This is a great opportunity for you to visit other blogs on the link up and comment on their blogs! When people comment on your blog please let them know that you are part of Friday Blog Hop then return the favor and follow them back! Please feel free to grab our Friday Blog Hop button and add it to your blog and spread the word!

Please only enter your MAIN blog link and please G rated links ONLY - NO CURSING please. Home Grown Families and Mama to 4 Blessings are family friendly blogs.

This week's featured guest hostess is: I've Become My Mother

Please also follow this week's Featured Guest Hostess: I've Become My Mother. Each week a new featured blogger who will be chosen at random, but you must be participate in the weekly link up - that's how we will choose a new featured blogger every week! So please come back every week & link up because you could be our next featured guest blogger!

I Have To Say This....

I like many are devastated by the tragedy in Japan... It is so very hard to imagine the destruction.. the lives lost.. the numbers of people who are without a home.. a bed... Every time I see videos or pictures of the damage I am in a state of awe... thinking how is this much damage possible?? It's crazy and I know the pictures do not show the complete picture... I believe the enormity cannot be comprehended without seeing it up close and personal much like the damage from Katrina... We knew it was awful from watching TV and photos- but when talking with people who were actually there - they will all agree it was beyond words.. beyond video.. beyond pictures....

We can all agree that what happened in Japan is horrible.. It was... With that said - I have to say this.... I am getting stinking tired of people trying to make others feel guilty for enjoying their lives in the midst of all of this !!!! Yes, there is some awful things going on in this world... No doubt. There is so much suffering.. loss.. devastation... There will always be people dying... children starving... earthquakes... hurricanes.. destroying... We live in an imperfect world.. We just do... I find it sad that the most vocal guilt-mongers are the ones who whine and complain and do NOTHING to help others... But they are the ones who tear you down when you buy a new car after saving forever... or an IPad because you want one... They have no idea how you save or spend your money... They have no idea what kind of Steward you are.... They will paint others with their own paintbrush believing that others are like them.... It makes their own guilt not feel so ugly.. because they are too busy pointing that finger.... So sad, isn't it?

I believe this: We are to love.. We are to give... We should be faith stewards of the money that we have been blessed to earn... We are not to seek glory when giving and helping others... We serve because that is what we are suppose to do... We love because we are suppose to love... No where in the Bible does it say -" seek your own glory... make sure you get noticed... announce to the people all your good deeds and accomplishments... " The Bible does say this: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others.." Philippians 2:3-4

Thank you for reading my rant - I believe there is NOTHING wrong with enjoying your money.. There is NOTHING wrong with enjoying your time and being happy that today you are in a good place... There's Nothing wrong with that! Okay I'm done... :)

Today and Yesterday...

My Girls Today...



My Girls Yesterday...

Two Peas In A Pod....

And The Band Played On - Give Away

A Threat No One Dared Face
A Word No One Wanted To Speak
A Fight For Many, Fought by Few...

And the Band Played On is a movie that I had watched several years ago.. It's a movie about the beginning origins of the HIV and AIDS virus... The movie is full of incredible actors - Alan Alda, Phil Collins, Richard Gere, Angelica Huston, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, and many many more.... I bought this movie recently "used" from Amazon.... I wanted my kids to know how far our society has come... I wanted my kids to understand how tragic this disease is... How scary it could be... And I wanted them to know that millions of people... innocent people... babies... and maybe someone they know or will know is infected with this horrible disease... I wanted my kids to learn compassion... understanding... and I believe this movie is an excellent learning tool to understand the human factor of AIDS.. It puts a face to it...

I was in college when HIV/AIDS hit the airways... No one really knew what it was.. What caused it... A fear started to surface... Because no one knew how it was transferred -The people inflicted with this disease were shunned... Kicked out of school, refused medical help, fired from their jobs, and the list goes on... A real panic took place.. I remember watching one news show where an inventor made a revolving toilet seat cover in hopes of protecting people from the virus... Every night on the news there was one story or another about some one with AIDS being refused their basic rights... It was an awful and scary time....

When it was discovered that the virus was transferred by blood and sex - that brought a huge wave a fear.. especially in the unmarried crowd.. People like me... In college.. Newly sexually active.. Our only concern was not to get pregnant... Now we feared for our lives.. In 1986 - I went to a HIV testing clinic... I remember talking to a counselor... Having my blood drawn... Getting a number to hold onto.. Going back the following week giving my number back... Talking to a counselor again.. And receiving my results... Negative.. It was a fearful time...

The video at the bottom is a video from the movie (Elton John) - it's a tear jerker

I am giving away my "Used" copy of And The Band Played On... In hopes that you will share it with others.... To Win this copy -


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My Name Is Kelly And I Am A Control Freak!

My name is Kelly and I am a complete Control Freak.... There I said it!!!! Those who know me well will no doubt be nodding their heads in agreement.... But I do have to say that last night - God gave me a little kick... He wanted me to cool my jets.. Get over myself... My "controllingness" my new word and I like it was getting out of control and He wanted me to "look in the mirror"....

Yesterday was a bad day on the home school front... Because this on-line schooling is still new to my kid me the pacing (things that need to be completed by X day) was off.. My kid was having a hard time understanding an algebra equation - (there was no way I could help her...) She met with the teacher - understood it - did not take notes - then proceeded to forget how to solve the problem... Several hours were spent on her math and then she needed to complete several other quizzes/tests/assignments that are all due by today.... Poor thing she was frustrated... I was frustrated.. My control problem raised its very ugly head... SHE NEEDED TO CATCH UP... Instead of allowing her to go at her pace.. Instead of trusting her to try it on her own.. I got in the middle of it and pushed... I did not give her the chance to rise to the occasion herself.. Because of my control freak nature... I contributed to her levels of stress... and that is something that is NOT acceptable.... I need to back down... I need to stop... NOW!

While I was in the bathroom (come on - we all read while we wee) - There was book in the magazine rack called "What Does The Bible Say About...." I opened it - not looking for anything specific... I had a little time to.. well you know.. And the page I opened to said this: "Do you give others (relatives, friends, and co-workers) not only the responsibility but the needed authority to get the job done - even if it means seeing it done their way instead of yours?" This peaked my interest and I knew my answer to this question was undoubtedly "NO".. The book went on to tell me that Jesus had more reasons to avoid delegating - yet He sent out 70 workers with full appointment to preach and heal on His behalf.... In doing so, Jesus affirmed the often heard but less often practiced concept of people and their development as the most important task of a manager/mother/parent... Of course, He gave the 70 workers detailed instructions before He sent them off... But a study of His discipleship methods shows that He was just as concerned with their growth as He was that the task be accomplished a certain way... When the 70 workers returned - they returned "with joy" excited by their experiences.. They would never be the same....

I realized in that moment in the bathroom - that I was making her education.. her decisions.. her grades.. her tasks.. her everything.. I made them about me... I was making it personal.. I was trying to control her to be "perfect".... and God knows I am so far from perfect.... so why would I put that kind of pressure on my kid.... Okay - God.. I hear you....

Follow Me Back Tuesday

FOLLOW ME BACK TUESDAY BLOG HOP JANUARY 11, 2011

How it Works

• Follow all 3 Hosts & Guest Host's - Spots 1-5 leave a comment w/ a link to your blog so we can follow you back ( only leave a comment that you follow if you actually follow )

• Snag our button & make a F.M.B.T. post.
• After you post use that link to add your blog to the hop along with your blog name

( NO BLOG HOPs & GIVEAWAYS PLEASE ) These entries will be deleted.

• Follow the blogs you like & Follow Back who follows you ( Remember to leave a comment so you can be followed back )
• And most importantly - Have Fun and Come back and see us every Tuesday !!

Hosted By:
Survey Junkie, Little Yaya's & Boobies,BabiesAndABlog

& This Week's Guest Host's Are...
Crystal from My Life As Mom And Wife
&
Kimberly from A Day In The Life of an Air Force Wife & Mommy of 2

I Have Fallen In Love...... With My IPAD!

My husband had asked me what I wanted for Christmas... I told him I wanted a Kindle.. I love to read and thought that a Kindle would be perfect for me... Well... my Sunday school teacher bought himself an IPAD and he made the mistake of showing it to me one morning.... From that moment on - I knew the IPAD and I were destined to be together...

This is what I do....

There's are free IPAD applications for the Kindle AND the Nook.... I can use the gift cards from Amazon and Barnes and Noble that I received for Christmas and buy books for my IPAD.. There is also "Ebooks" that I can get through ITUNES.. What's really cool is that there are over 25,000 books that are completely free... including my NKJV Bible...

My husband and I love games - we have been playing Scrabble, Battleship, and Trivia Pursuit.. I can also play games through Facebook and other on-line ways - Yes, all of this through the IPAD... My girls have gotten me addicted to Doodle Jump... (don't ask) My sister who lives over 3000 miles away has an IPAD too and we plan to play Scrabble soon....

Last night I was playing Doodle Jump and my husband asked me find an quote about multi-tasking or plate spinning for a lecture he was to give the next day... I touched my Google search engine (on the IPAD) and found some great quotes AND a new blog to read... I discovered I can read and comment on my favorite blogs through What???? My IPAD!!!!

My husband was watching his sports last night.... Supposedly there was some big football game... So I went into my office to "multi-task" myself... I was reading Facebook, reading blogs, AND on my IPAD I was watching Season 2 Bones... Yes, you guessed it - I can streamline Netflix through my IPAD... I'm telling you I'M IN LOVE....

Friday Follow - My Hair Is In A Ponytail"

Welcome to the SPECIAL edition of Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! Please sure to visit each of our hostesses and join them every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

"My Hair Is In Ponytail!

My sister Debbie likes to tell the story of when I was a teenager and I was giving her a lecture about how I would NEVER leave the house without make up perfect... the hair done.. and the clothes on just right.... Personally, I have no recollection of this memory... but now that I am the parent to a teenage girl - I tend to believe her memory is most likely accurate....

Today - Dusty (the husband) wanted to surprise the girls by taking them to Boomers (an arcade and mini golf course) after their tennis class... The girls jumped into the car and he said "I have a surprise for you".. My twelve (12) year was excited about the adventure... The almost fourteen (14) year old just scowled.... They arrive at their destination - the twelve (12) year - is shouting praises of excitement to dear old dad... the fourteen (14) year is shouting and moaning in protest..... "My hair is in a ponytail - I hate ponytails!"... "I'm wearing this old tennis shirt - I hate this tennis shirt".... "I'm not wearing any makeup!!!" "I can't go in there - there might be cute boys!!"

So Dusty gave her a choice - you can stay in the car or you can come in with us and have fun.. She decided to go in and her moaning and complaining and "I can't believe you made me come here - there are cute boys here..." It got so bad - that Dusty told her to go wait by the front door - it wasn't fair to her sister to be so mean..... The youngest and Dusty had a great old time - hoping that the oldest would just loosen up... but unfortunately - it never happened...

By the time they were ready to go.... (30 minutes later) - the oldest was in tears.... They came home and I immediately saw something was wrong.... and she screeched - Dad made me go to Boomers dressed like this!!!!! (I'm trying not to laugh - how many kids complain about going to an arcade?) and she looked beautiful.....

Oh the Drama... God, please grant me patience during this teenage years......

Funny Face - Blog Hop Tuesday

I had bought a clown makeup kit at a Halloween sale and I had a willing face - this is my youngest Kara. She's four years old here - time just flies - she is going into the 6th grade in a couple of weeks and is eleven years old.

Every time I see this picture - I just have to laugh. Kara has continued to bring laughter into our lives and blesses us each and every day.

Link up for some blog hop fun..