I Have A Blog Button!

Don't you love it?  My new blog button is the bomb, diggity, bomb and I have Emily over at http://www.blogaholicdesigns.com/ to thank.  She is an amazing designer and I loved working with her to find the perfect blog button for both of my blogs.  If you are looking for new designs then check her out.  You can check out my teacher blog button over at Faithful in First. Here is my pinksmyink button, be the first to grab it!








 

Something To Live By

If you have ever fell victim to another woman's mean spirit, I give you this promise:



You have been hurt by women. I could see the pain in your eyes… And I’ve never done this before but… I feel prompted to make you a promise of friendship.”
I promise I will never speak an unkind word to or about you. I will never be jealous of you. I will never compete with you. I will never abandon or betray you. I will love you. I will pray for you. I will do all I can to help you go far and wide in the Kingdom.
I will accept you as you are, always. I will be loyal to you. Before our loving God of grace, you have my words and my heart in friendship for this life and forever with Him.”


Embrace the spirit of forgiveness and allow new people into your life, there is a positive space just waiting to be filled.


First Club Outing

Jessica has just left for a night out dancing in a...... CLUB!!!!  Oh God, I am old, my stomach is in knots as I watch the clock tick away until she walks safely through that door.  Curfew was extended 1 hour and that means 1 more hour of mommy worry.


I am now very sure that I will never sleep again when she leaves for college in August!  Thank goodness Julianne is in her room and I can still run in there to check on her every second (I won't, but just knowing she is there makes me feel better).


I hate being the mother of an 18 year old......


Lord, keep her safe....

Saturday Smatterings

Today is day 3 of my stomach uneasiness, but I have gotten through it and life continues.  We registered for UCF orientation, which puts us one step closer to Jessica's departure.  Julianne and I will sit through the orientation thinking about how we will let go in August, my husband will be home because of work and he will be worried about us, and Jessica will be reveling in the excitement of college being one step closer......


This past Wednesday she received an award for being in the top 5% of her class and her boyfriend broke up with her.  Life at its best, happiness drowned in sorrow.  She will sit next to him on the bus to Grad Nite on Friday and I will be hurting for her.  He asked another girl to prom on Thursday, another tear fell from Jessica's eye.......  God is good though, ex-boyfriend who lives in NY as he attends Cornell called (they remain friends) and he will escort her happily to prom..... tears are dry for the moment.


This is the journey we are taking to college together, the happy, sad, tumultuous journey.  It is love that keeps us sane, it is time that keeps stealing the days from us, but it is faith, family, and friends that keep us steadfast on this journey.


My children are my joy, they are my pain, they are my smiles and my frowns.  My children are borrowed from God and I am blessed to bear witness to all that comes with motherhood.  Thank you Lord for this and so much more.


To God the Glory.....



A bowl full of lemons.: Silhouette GIVEAWAY!!!!

Silhouette Giveaway over at A Bowl Full of Lemons!!!!! I want this and I bet you do too!!! click below for your chance:


A bowl full of lemons.: Silhouette GIVEAWAY!!!!: "A SILHOUETTE GIVEAWAY!! I was sent a Silhouette Rhinestone Starter kit this month, to try out and giveaway along with a Silhouette SD Mac..."

Fruit in Season: He took my place...He took your place...


Click below, change your life:

Fruit in Season: He took my place...He took your place...

Friday Facts

Today, being Good Friday, I thought I would post a fact about fasting on Good Friday.  Many people around the world have some idea, but not all of the facts.  Here you are:


What are the Western Catholic Fast Guidelines for Good Friday?
Fasting means eating only one full meatless (no animal flesh) meal on this day. However, one may still eat a breakfast and even a lunch in addition to a full meal if the two additional small meals do not add up to a second full meal. Snacking is not allowed. Drinking coffee, tea, juices, etc, between meals is permitted on fast days. The requirements are slightly different for those of certain ages. Fasting is only required of those from ages 18-59, although parents are expected to teach their children the reasons behind their fasting, etc. Those with health conditions are excluded. Note that some Western Bishop Conferences, Eastern Catholic Rites, and Orthodox Christians have different fasting guidelines, so it is wise to check with your local parish about expectations. These are simply the minimum expectations. Additional forms of self-denial, within reason, can also be spiritually beneficial.




Sisterly Love

Everyone knows that this blog is mainly about my relationship with my daughters and how this journey with my oldest as she finishes high school and leaves to college is slowly killing me.......  This is what she wrote to her sister today on her Facebook wall, the tears are flowing and I am pretty much finished for the night.....


"I love you so much. You are my best friend, literally. I want you to do everything I couldn't in the remaining years of high school. Learn from my mistakes and heartbreaks. I know you are going to shine in all you do, and I'll be here-maybe not physically, but i will be here- to guide you through it all. ♥"



Magical Mondays

I so needed some magic this Monday, even it was the smallest turn of a magic wand.....  Finding magic in the everyday is easy, you just have to look with your heart sometimes.  


Julianne (my 16 year old) has become the beautiful dancer that she is today because of the sheer joy she feels each time her ballet shoed feet glide across any floor, any where.  She is the dancer her sister is, but just that much more.  They both bring magic to my eyes every time they plie........


Magic today was getting that text from Julianne that says:  I made Junior Co-captain of the dance team!!!!!  Sheer magic......  



5 Dinners, 1 Hour, 2 sliced Thumbs....

I DID IT!  I followed the sample menu and I actually came in a little over an hour, but not bad for the first time.


The only glitch, I used my brand new knives from Cutco and I now have 2 sliced thumbs with lots of band-aids.......


You should definitely click below and start your journey to easier dinners today!








Couponing Craziness

Last night I decided that I would take my couponing to the next level and start my own coupon binder under the recommendation from www.thekrazycouponlady.com.  I was doubly excited when I started reading through blog posts and I saw that A Bowl full of Lemons started a coupon binder of her very own!!!!!  So I don't have any pictures to post, but I am joining her link-up in hopes of getting some great ideas from other couponing crazies around blogland.  Click below to link up now:










Friday Facts



Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms  like fried bacon.

A bowl full of lemons.: Twist of Dazzle giveaway...

Run, don't walk, over to A Bowl Full of Lemons and enter to win a beautiful cross or other handmade product from Twist of Dazzle. What a great way to celebrate Easter and our Risen Lord......


A bowl full of lemons.: Twist of Dazzle giveaway...: "'A sweet giveaway' Today I'm hosting a giveaway for Twist of Dazzle! Camie has created a custom wooden cross for my daughters strawberry ro..."

Therapeutic Thursdays

Today's therapy was found while blog hopping.  I found this wonderful blog filled with peace and joy in its posts, so I am sharing this blog with you:


http://www.aholyexperience.com/


I hope you enjoy reading what is there and sharing it with the people you love.



Woe is Me Wednesdays

This week has been a mixture of happy, sad, mad, happy, happy, sad, sad, sad, and worried.  So much can open in the span of a few days that it boggles my mind.  Why oh why do bad things happen to good people, why?  I don't have the answer now, I really never had the answer to this question when my little girls use to ask me this very question on their bad days.  Did I give them the right answer at the right time?  I guess I did, because we made it through those bad days only to face more bad days down the road.
I hope this week ends on a happy note or at least a note that I can tuck away for reading some other time.  I know God has our backs and these small bad valleys in our mountains will end, but for now prayer is all I've got.  It is really all anyone has.......




Bad Things Come In Threes.......

I didn't post yesterday because I was so upset that I hid under my new comfy down comforter at 8:00 pm and just went to sleep.  Here is my dilemma for this week:


My car started making this awful noise about 2 weeks ago (sounds good, I guess) and I continued driving away.  On the way home from work yesterday I decided to tell my husband and he wasn't too thrilled, but oh well.  He decided that it sounded like the transmission and lectured me about why I can't wait and yadda yadda yadda.  I wasn't too happy when we hung up.  No more than 5 minutes later I get a phone call from my daughter who is hysterically crying (first thought, car accident), who tells me that her car has stalled in the turning lane and she doesn't know what to do. I happen to be driving towards her at this very moment (thank you Lord).  She gets her car started and we leave it in the Publix shopping center and go home.


Her car is in the shop as I write this, but it isn't a big deal, it will be perfect tomorrow.  My car, however, is another story.  The cost of a new transmission.....wait for it....... $4000!!!!!!  Yes, you read this correctly (do you see why I am depressed?).  You see, I have a Saturn (free and clear) and since they no longer are made, parts are very rare.  We cannot afford the $4000 and we definitely cannot afford a car payment (a whole different dilemma).  So, tomorrow is D-Day (Diagnostics will give us the final word).  Please pray for something easy, like spark plugs....... and that the third thing will be a broken fingernail.


Btw, my hubby isn't mad at me anymore (he really never was, but I tend to over exaggerate.


UCF Dance Auditions and Unanswered Prayers

This weekend I took Jessica to the UCF dance team auditions, she of course said she would be ok, no matter what.  This, I must tell you, is a mother's worst nightmare.  I hate auditions because the outcome might not be what you want to hear and this is why I try to show my strong mommy side, but deep inside, I die a little each time.


Friday went well, she enjoyed the clinic and learned a lot.  Small world, my Goddaughter's best friend was there, Jessica recognized her from FB, so they stuck together, meeting for the very first time!  That was blessing number one.


Saturday, the first phone call came in at 12:00 noon, she made the first cut, blessing number two. She also informed me that she found a dorm mate!  This was huge, definitely, blessing number three!


Saturday, second phone call 5:15 pm, didn't make the cut, come pick me up....... This too was a blessing, as we would later realize, unanswered prayers and all......


So, the real reason God sent us on this journey was to help Jessica realize that she loves dance, no matter where or how she gets to show it off to the world and she has now made a new friend and will be rooming with her come August.  They are a match made in (dare I say it, heaven).


So in the words of Garth Brooks:


Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers 






Away For the Weekend

We are off to Orlando for the weekend.  Jessica will be auditioning for the dance team at UCF (another college venture that makes me both happy and sad.....).  I pray this weekend goes well and that she just enjoys the journey that she is beginning.  I will be back Sunday night to let everyone know how it went!


Keep your dancing feet crossed!



Another Day, Another Migraine

I don't know how much more I can take, I lost another 2 nights this week due to migraines.  I really don't know how I get through the workday, but I do.  My poor kiddies have become accustomed to working with the lights off and speaking in whispers when they know my head is pounding something awful.  They are so wonderful during my migraines, I have trained them well :).  As soon as I get through the door at home, I have to take my pills and go to bed until the next morning.  I pray that the intensity will decrease as time goes on, but for now, I will try to suffer silently (except for my rants here) because I don't know what else to do.


Thanks for listening, again.....



Giveaway over at Lil'Luna

Click the button below to enter this fab giveaway for $100!!

lil luna button




Rice Krispies™ Making Memories Giveaway - $100!!

As mentioned last week, I will be participating in the
Rice Krispies™ Making Memories Challenge.

With this challenge, we get to give away $100!!

That's right - a $100 visa gift card for one LUCKY READER!

So, how can YOU win?

There are several ways to enter.

1. Like my Facebook Page HERE.
{Already do? Just remind me!}
-1 entry-

2. Like Kellogg's Rice Krispies on Facebook HERE.
-1 entry-

3. Follow me on Twitter {LilLunaKristyn}
-1 entry-

4. Follow my Blog.
{Already do? Just remind me!}
-1 entry-

5. Twitter, Facebook or Blog about this Giveaway.
-1 entry-

**Please leave a separate comment for each entry along with your
email address.**

Each person on my team will also be giving away $100,
so be sure to check out their blogs for more ways to win.
{Ashley - Cute as a Fox}
{Jacqui - Aly & Ash}
{Wendy - Around My Family Table}

Giveaway ends at 9 PM on April 10th.






Magical Mondays

Today's magical moment started when I woke up and my husband greeted me with my first anniversary present, 15 Cadbury Creme Eggs!!!!  I couldn't start the first day of our 24 year marriage with a better breakfast, lol.  Then when I got home from work, it was a teacher planning day today, there was a bag from Jared's on the dining room table.  I pretended I didn't see it, haha.  He gave me 2 Pandora charms to add to my bracelet, now it is completely full, hooray.  He wants a TV, so we will go shopping soon for that soon.  Here is a picture of my 2 new charms (borrowed from the Pandora site):


Silver charm, Murano glassSilver charm, Murano glass




Today was truly magical!


Friday Facts

The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times!