NeatReceipt Scanalizer

Is your life full of organized piles of clutter? Then 5 Minutes for Mom has found the tool for you! Here is a quote from Jennifer Donovan, a feature columnist for 5MinutesforMom: "The NeatReceipt Scanalizer is really limitless in its potential uses. It was first designed for business purposes, but they have expanded it to include many personal applications as well. The unique thing about this portable personal scanner is the software which stores, sorts and analyzes the data that you provide as you scan in your items. You can scan your child’s artwork and date it by month or year and store it forever! You can scan recipes or articles from magazines and then sort them and search for them by title or categories that you have assigned."

I know I would love to use mine to scan old photos and many other priceless documents. This scanner is awesome!! If you are interested in winning won, go to 5MinutesforMom and find out how you can win one. There are 10 up for grabs!!

Let's Talk About ME!

Throwback Thursday

Sorry for the bad picture quality. This is a picture of my brothers and sister and I with some friends. I believe this was 1982 and I think it was in Toledo, Ohio. We were taking a picture because we were moving in a few days. In the back is three guys and me (the one on my right was a guy named Jeff - I had a slight crush) and in front - my sister, another little guy, my baby brother (lovin' the hulk) and my brother, using little brother as an arm rest! This is my first Throwback Thursday and I love it! Hopefully I will have better clarity on future pics. Don't you just love that this one is a polaroid?

Visit Pinks and Blues for more Throwback Thursday!

Our 4th

Our holiday was a little ho-hum this year. We are used to going to my mom's to celebrate because it is her birthday. This year we slept in and then we loaded up in the van and drove to Schlotzsky's for lunch. As we drove up, my husband and I were discussing whether we would be the only patrons at this little deli. When we walked in we were surprised to see three other families were ahead of us. So then our adventure began. We started counting the number of families that came in while we were eating. Exciting isn't it! I bet you are sitting on the edge of your seat!! By the time we left, we were 1 of 11 who chose to celebrate the 4th of July at Schlotzsky's.

After lunch we ran a few errands and then headed home. Our game plan included taking naps and then getting ready for church after dinner (we grilled at home). That was a bust! My daughter was so excited to go to church for "the America Birthday party" that she could not find the strength to sleep. Neither could my son, but for different reasons - he just wanted to be up because HC was! I was taking a nap in my room while my husband watched a little sports center in his recliner. He chose the wrong nap spot! My kids kept getting up and down and my husband chose to let them stay awake. I awoke to banging and much noise thinking all was well in my home. My daughter was so hyper and excited she was talking a million miles a minute. It was funny. My husband filled me in on the activities and then I realized church was out!! The kids hadn't slept all day and they woke up at 6:30 am. No way we would leave our house!! :)

I was disappointed because they were having a little party at church. Complete with the jumpers, hotdogs and fireworks. I was looking forward to seeing how the kids reacted to the big bang and the colorful lights in the air. I guess we will see them next year!! We did buy a cake, since HC knew it was my mom's birthday she HAD to have cake. So we cut the cake and sang Happy Birthday to America and that was that! They went to bed and we settled in for the night!

It wasn't a bad day, no disappointments. At least we have a roof over our heads and a comfy home. Many others do not have this luxury! Thank you again to the soldiers sleeping in the sand while I decided whether or not I wanted to take the kids out to church in their tired state.

Happy Independence Day America!

We must never forget who gets the credit for the freedoms we have, of which we should be eternally grateful. I am personally thankful to God for this country and to the soldiers who have paved the way for America! As Martina McBride sings.... "Let Freedom Ring!"

I watched the flag pass by one day,

It fluttered in the breeze.

A young Marine saluted it,

And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform

So young, so tall, so proud,

With hair cut square and eyes alert

He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him

Had fallen through the years.

How many died on foreign soil

How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?

How many died at sea

How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?

No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,

When everything was still,

I listened to the bugler play

And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times

That Taps had meant "Amen,"

When a flag had draped a coffin.

Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,

Of the mothers and the wives,

Of fathers, sons and husbands

With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard

At the bottom of the sea

Of unmarked graves in Arlington.

No, freedom isn't free.

Enjoy Your Freedom and God Bless Our Troops

Please stop for a moment and Say a prayer for our servicemen. Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Prayer is the very best one.

I did not write this poem, I received it via email and thought it was worth sharing!!

It's Independence Day

I love Martina McBride and here is her singing Independence Day!! I love her!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYENO6r5vVo

I do not know how to do the you tube thing. :) I will try and figure it out though for next time!
If anyone can tell me how to use YouTube better - I'm listening!! How can I add the actual video box to my post???

Happy 4th to you all and "Let freedom ring"!

Wordless Wednesday

Enjoying the outdoors before the heat of summer! Find more Wordless Wednesday here and here.

Wednesday Hero

On this Fourth Of July, a day in which we celebrate the birth of this great nation, we must also remember the brave men and women who made this day possible. To everyone who has and are currently serving in the United States Military I say Thank You. What you do, day in and day out, are what make this country great and me proud to live here. The sacrifices you've made for people whom you will never meet face to face will never be forgotten.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

I will teach them!

I have been attending a small group at our church that discusses Homeschooling. I have always had this in the back of my mind but I've had NO idea how to get started. Well, lately it is a topic I could not get away from. Even friends of mine, friends I know AND bloggers, began mentioning they home school. I was thrilled to attend this small group and find out more. I walked in knowing I had this coming year scheduled. I was looking at this for 'in the future'. Boy was I wrong. They had several moms come and share their homeschooling story, sharing victories and defeats. I was crying the WHOLE TIME!! I then couldn't stop thinking on this and I think this is where God is leading our family. I have gone from the 'No, I am just not able' phase to utter excitement and anticipation of trying this out. It has really changed my perspective on many things in our life. I realized I had a false imagination of how homeschooling would or should be.

This weekend I went to a curriculum fair for Homeschoolers. I met the leader of our small group and she took me on a tour of the place. She definitely is called to assist the new mom in this endeavor! I know, if I had been alone, I would have seen ALL the tables, ALL the vendors and turned to walk out while feeling overwhelmed. It is a lot to take in and it is very intimidating - this is the future of my kids! I don't want to mess this up!! I don't want to choose the wrong thing or leave anything out! So she really helped me. Thanks to her assistance I feel thrilled, excited and I feel I am informed and ready to make decisions.

Well, while we were at the curriculum fair I found these little Scholastic books. They discuss fighting, tantrums, being lazy or bossy, etc. We do not have the lazy issue - I just wanted to do a little prevent defense. haha When I walked in the door my kids were glad I was home. I then began reading the tantrum and fighting books to them. They LOVED them. My son could see the anger in the pictures and asked questions about why the kids were mean and my daughter could understand the concepts. She is trying to count to 10 when she is angry and not shout at her brother. I am amazed.

After the home school fair and the few classes I've attended I feel empowered. Yesterday my husband was working on his recliner and the kids were under feet with 100's of questions. He began to get frustrated with their 'help'. I told him, this is what homeschooling is. Teaching them in all the little things that pop up. I was afraid he would say 'I'm not homeschooling today' but he actually went with it and the kids learned a few things in the process. So far the demands are small but we are enjoying the change in our mindset towards educating our kids. I am excited and scared about actually going through with this endeavor!! But I know I am not alone and I have a great team to lean on as I step through this unexpected door!!

One last thing - my friend kept telling me about this book The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. She and many other moms claim that it is the Homeschooling Bible. I am really enjoying this book!! It has a lot of helpful information on choosing curriculum from birth to graduating high school. I found, through seeing the curriculum at the fair, that we will use the Classical Method to teach our kids. I cannot wait to get started!! I love approaching this new endeavor with information and a team to lean on. I feel like I am truly equipped thanks to them!