I'm sure most of you already know this, but I'm a Texas girl, born and bred. The small town girl inside has never been in a snow storm (Ice storm yes... Gotta love Memphis). My husband tells me, quite often, that he wants to take me to Colorado. It's one of his favorite vacation memories with his family. So, ever since he mentioned this I've dreamt of going skiing. Can you believe this girl has never gone skiing, sledding, or snowboarding!?

To add to my dream of skiing, I discovered Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah. This resort has something for all levels. How exciting! I'd need the beginner class on the bunny slope. Teens can hang out at the terrain park or the adults can ski the Jupiter bowl. As a Momma, I would just enjoy seeing my kids getting on the lift for the very first time. Photo Op! Whoop! Family Mountain Tours make it easy for a group with varying ability levels to navigate the mountain together and they make it easy for you to print prior to going on your trip.

You can do more than ski and snow board at Park City. They also offer great off-mountain activities such as the Alpine coaster, one of only three in the U.S. It's a gravity propelled ride, twisting and turning through the mountains on a mile-long track. Families can enjoy the Gorgoza Park with lift-served tubing on seven different lanes or mini snowmobile rides around a designated track for kids ages 5 to 12 years old.

Let's talk eating! This sounds horrible, but I can do me some eating, especially on vacation! The historic town of Park City has over 100 restaurants and bars located just 35 miles from the Salt Lake City International airport. This makes getting to Park City very easy. I'm all about convenience when I have three children under the age of 6 in tow. The town also once served as the home of the winter Olympics and still has a fantastic bus system to make it easy to get from place to place.

When someone says Blog, I jump! Really! Hopefully in the near future we'll be planning this trip. I can then visit the new "The Adventure" blog where I'll find helpful insights from Moms who have visited Park City before on topics from packing, to eating, to planning the perfect family winter vacation. Hey! If you're getting the "skiing bug" you can enter the drawing for a Family Winter Vacation for four (two adults and two kids, 12 and under) to Park City, Utah, including 3-nights lodging, 4-days of lift tickets and ski/snowboard school for the kids.

Family fun and adventure at it's finest folks!

This post made possible by Mom Central

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Keeping healthy during the Winter months is quite the difficult feat. It's too cold to go outside and being indoors for extended periods of time brings on the cravings. I don't know about you, but my pantry constantly calls my name to eat, eat, and eat again. "Sara! Open my door! I've got fattening cookies!"

With this Health & Safety Expo, I wanted to educate you guys about really great products geared to keep you healthy during the Cold & Flu season, but in my research I found the need to talk about healthy eating as well. One of the biggest challenges to healthy eating is between-meal snacking. Popcorn, a whole grain food that's low in calories, is a great snack food that's economical and always fun to eat.

As a Mom it's hard to keep healthy snacks around when everyone is begging for cookies or chips. When I discovered Kernel Seasoning, my problems of junk-food urges were gone. My children loved to mix and match their popcorn with the variety of popcorn flavors we sampled such as: Kettle Corn, Nacho Cheddar, White Cheddar, Butter, Ranch, and Parmesan and Garlic.

Hands down, we discovered so many different ways to snack, but one particular flavor struck us as the best. We sprinkled our popcorn with the Kettle Corn flavor and added raisins, pretzels, and dried bananas. Six months ago we gave up on trail mix as a snack due to my toddler becoming allergic to nuts. This brought it all back and we were ecstatic about it!

Because popcorn is a good source of fiber it provides many health benefits and is often recommended by health and medical associations including The National Cancer Institute, The American Dietetic Association, and The American Dental Association. With economic times, it's very cost effective as well! One cup of plain popcorn costs only pennies.

No more naked popcorn for this family!

Buy It

You can purchase Kernel Seasoning's at their online store or local grocery store for only 3.99 for one bottle of seasoning.

Win It!

I love letting you guys try the products I review, so I've teamed up with Kernel Seasoning to offer one lucky reader a basket full of Kernel Seasoning products all wrapped up in a popcorn tub. All you have to do is head over to their site and come back here to tell me which seasoning your family would most like to try.

Extra Entries

1.) Blog about this review/giveaway by linking back to this post.

2.) Follow me on Blogger or Twitter.

3.) Tweet, Digg, Stumble, or Kirtsy this post.

4.) Support my other blogging places: My Sippy Cup Runneth Over & Label Daddy Blog. Leave a comment at any of those blogs during the contest dates and you'll receive 3 extra entries.

Remember to leave EACH entry in separate comments in order for it to count

Contest starts today January 30th-February 9th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

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Baseball.

What can I say about this amazing sport? I was born and raised in Texas so baseball was just a way of life.

Your brother played.
Your cousins played.
Your neighbors played.
The cute guy in Math class played.
Your uncles and Dad coached.
Your Mom was the Team Mother.
You stayed at late practices with Dad, aka: Coach
You lived and breathed all that is baseball.


Of course, when I say you, I mean me. When I look back to my childhood I remember being annoyed that our life revolved around a sport. I hated that I had to be at the ballpark every week to cheer on my brother, not because I hated him or the game, but because I wanted to be a part of it... be a REAL part of it.


During Super Bowl XLII, Frosted Flakes will air a commercial called Plant a Seed. This initiative, Earn Your Stripes, is helping renovate about 50 Ballparks in communities around the country. We all know how important it is for our children to have a place they can have fun and stay healthy.

Let's face it, sports has evolved so much since I was a child. Some of these changes have been great, but during hard economic times, it's not. Sports programs are being cut, ball parks are being torn down, and sports is slowly sneaking down on the list of importance.

If you're planning on having a big crowd this Sunday, look out for the Super Bowl Commercial that plans to make a difference. Earn Your Stripes and open the conversation with all in the room. You can head to their website and nominate a field you feel needs to be renovated. That old ballpark you played at as a kid? Your child's soccer field? Help build America's playing field, Plant a Seed.

This post written courtesy of Mom Central

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I want to thank everyone for joining me on my Health & Safety Expo, thus far. As a Momma to three little ones, I had the opportunity to discover lots of wonderful products to keep my family healthy and safe. An added bonus, is I got to share those products with all of you guys! Don't go anywhere because we're not quite done!

Next on my list is a name we've all grown to love and trust, Emergen-C. Alacer Corp, the maker of Emergen-C products, brings us one of the most innovative way to get your children to "take their vitamin". Emergen-C® Kidz Complete Multi-Vitamin & Multi-Mineral Supplement is a fun, fizzy and delicious drink that kids will love. This complete multi-vitamin formula contains a whopping 24 essential nutrients, choline, which supports healthy brain function, and has 500mg of Vitamin C to help kids stay healthy year round. Even better is, it's made with no artificial flavors! You know us Moms cringe when we hear the words "artificial flavor" or "High Fructose Corn Syrup", right?

Alacer Corp. has gone over and beyond to create a product for kids designed by kids when they launched a national contest to have kids pick their favorite flavors, name them, and draw the picture for the new box. "Kids love to mix it up, watch it fizz and gulp it down so much that they chose and named their favorite flavors: Strawnanaberry Blast, Orange Pineapple Explosion and Cherry Yumberry," said Meghann Seidner, Emergen-C Brand Manager. "Moms feel great knowing each packet contains 250mg real fruit juice powders, and no artificial flavors!"

My children were ecstatic to try these awesome vitamin drinks! As bedtime came closer, we talked about how different they may be than the gummy vitamins they were used to. The really cool part is how much fun they had pouring it. I allowed them to pour the water AND the packet. It was no surprise that the fizziness made them giggle to the point where they forgot they were about to drink a, less than traditional, drink.

The result?

Well, my children are "gaggers". The texture of it takes some getting used to. My 6-year-old son immediately spit it back out and started to, you guessed it, gag. I thought to myself Oh No!! These are a bust! But my 5-year-old daughter proved me wrong because she absolutely LOVED it grabbing up every last drop in the glass. It's a matter of taste for kids. I've found my outgoing daughter WOULD be the one to embrace new flavors, but if you've got a squeamish child I'd say introduce it to them slowly.

All in all, as a family, we loved the fun we had at "vitamin time". We played make believe as we poured the packet in talking about how all the nutrients & vitamins were going swimming in our glass. The end result really wasn't bad at all and we plan to re-introduce it to my son again.

Buy It

To learn more about Emergen-C go to www.emergenc.com of if you'd like to make a purchase visit their online store here. The really cool part is you don't have to spend tons of cash because you can purchase a pack at a time for only .69! Not only that, you can sign up to receive some FREE samples too, so you can try before you buy.

Win It!

As I said before, I have enjoyed learning about products that keep MY family healthy, but now I want to keep YOUR family healthy by giving away 1 box of EACH flavor of Emergen-C for Kids! You'll receive Orange Pineapple Explosion, Strawnanberry Blast, and Cherry Yumberry.

All you have to do is visit the Emergen-C website and pick out the product you'd like to try the most BESIDES Emergen-C for kids. Come back here and tell me in the comment section. THAT'S IT!

Extra Entries

1.) Blog about this cool giveaway by linking back to this post

2.) Carry the Momma Findings banner on your sidebar.

3.) SUBSCRIBE! I love me some email subscribers! Really I do, if you sign up to receive email updates you'll receive 2 extra entries.

4.) Grab up an extra 3 entries by supporting my other blogs: My Sippy Cup Runneth Over and the Label Daddy blog. Leave a comment and come back here to tell me which post you commented on.

Contest starts today January 29th-Feb 6th Midnight Central time and open to US residents ONLY. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

**Remember to leave EACH entry in separate comments in order for it to count**

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It seems it's been about 6 months since Daddy dressed him. I Don't think those pants quite fit him.



For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes for Mom. Also, don't forget to check out how YOU can win a BlogHer '09 Sponsorship.

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During the cold winter months, I bet most of you don't think about sunscreen. Why would you? It's 7 degrees outside, we're bundled up from head to toe, and the sun is nowhere to be found, but OH CONTRARE!

According to Dr. Craig Austin, the risk of certain kinds of skin cancer, like squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas, accumulates steadily over a lifetime. Every time you’re exposed to the sun without protection—even in winter—you increase the likelihood of developing one of these cancers. Daily sun exposure will also accelerate the skin’s aging process. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause permanent damage to unprotected skin, penetrating through to the second layer and causing the collagen and elasticity to deteriorate.

Dr. Craig, is so passionate about healthy skin that he developed the AB Skincare line.

AB Skincare is the perfect way to keep every part of your body healthy and soft. I, personally, had the opportunity to try the AB baby on my children. It is chemical-free sunscreen with SPF 30 specially formulated for the sensitive skin of babies and children starting at six months old. With vitamins A, C, E and green tea extract, AB baby provides the highest level of broad-spectrum protection available.

Not only will it protect your baby's skin, but it also smells wonderful! Being a kid at heart, I just HAD to try it on MY skin and must admit that it rubbed on so smoothly. It wasn't thick and dull like most sunscreen lotions are. Within seconds, it had completely vanished into my skin leaving it soft and protected. It's our best defense when we're out at the playground or in the back yard. Remember, it's never too late to start protecting your families skin, even in the dead of winter.

Buy It

To learn more about AB Skincare products visit their website at: www.abskincare.com. You can purchase AB baby sunscreen for only 30.00.

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When it comes to my babies (even the older ones), I do my best to use products that nurture their skin, but also fit the budget. We battle a variety of skin conditions at this house such as constant diaper rash, eczema, and psoriasis. With so many products out there geared for conditions like these, it can be difficult deciding which ones to use.

Lansinoh has two products that we have fallen in love with.



As I stated before, we have battled diaper rash for the last 6 years with my children. Obviously, two of them have outgrown that, but my youngest still needs that extra care when one appears. Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment is both hypoallergenic AND fragrance-free to relieve even the worst case of diaper rash.

The ointment itself is a white cream, so you can tell where you are placing it on your baby, but it rubs in clear. I, especially liked it because there was no greasy mess to clean. It vanished in an instant! When they say Fragrance-Free they MEAN fragrance-free too! With most ointments I've used there is always they left over foul smell, lingering on my hands, my child, and in the air. Lansinoh ointment is definitely easy on the nose!



To use, in conjunction with the the diaper rash cream, are the Lansinoh Cleansing Cloths . These disposable wipes contain Lansinoh® Brand Lanolin to provide extra care and protection for dry, chaffing skin in the diaper area. Gentle formula for more frequent cleansing. Although we don't have a newborn anymore, these would be ideal for breastfed babies who are in need of more frequent changes. As a Momma to a toddler, I happen to like them because of how gentle they are on my son's skin.

I had a friend over, another Mom, who happened to be here when I received the wipes to review. As I opened the box she breathed in a deep breath and says, "You smell that? I miss that." The smell of baby wrapped that package and we shared what we missed so deeply about tiny babies.

I didn't mean to get so sappy on you, but Lansinoh is everything that comes to mind when you think of a baby: Soft & Gentle.

Buy It

You can purchase Lansinoh products at stores such as: Walgreens, Target, & Babies R Us. For a list of retailers click here.

Win It!

One lucky Momma Findings reader will win their own Lansinoh Diaper rash cream and cleansing cloths. Just leave me a comment telling me if you've used their products and what your experience was with them.

Extra Entries

1.) Blog about this giveaways by linking back to this post.

2.) Show me support at either the Label Daddy Blog or My Sippy Cup Runneth Over. Leave a comment and come back here to tell me which post you commented on.

3.) Digg, Tweet, or Stumble this post.

Contest starts tonight January 23-30th and open to US residents only. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

**Remember to leave EACH extra entry in separate comments to count**

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I, embarrassingly, told my husband, "Look at me! I gained 15lbs. in the last 4 months." No, I won't actually type my weight unless you want me to lie. Yeah, I'm 120. That's right 120.

No, seriously, I am nowhere near 120, but I think I know how to get me there. I'm a daily runner, but the I snack, till I can't snack any longer. I blame it on the kids. They are big snackers and I just join along and then sneak my OWN snacks when they are napping like: Cookies, Soda, and Chips.

It's a race I always thought I'd lose, but thanks to Mom Central, I had the opportunity to try some pretty healthy and yummy snacks.

Special K® Crackers are designed as a crunchy, savory afternoon snack option. Now you can enjoy the afternoon snack you want, without having to worry. They come in two great-tasting flavors, Multi-Grain and Italian Tomato & Herb, and have 90 calories and eight grams of whole grain per 17 crackers. The really cool part is they are also available in individual 90-calorie pouches for those chaotic afternoons when you're running out the door with the kids.

I've gotta say, I'm not a big fan of crackers. As I said before, I waste no time go straight for the junky stuff. However, after a run I'm chowing down on a gazillion bananas, but now I'm hooked on these crackers! The Multi-Grain were my favorite because they have a bit of a sweet/salty taste. My 6-year-old absolutely loved them as well and insisted that I, "put the grown-up crackers in his lunchbox."

Mmmmmmmmm, guilt-free snacking at it's finest.

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'Tis the season. The season for Boogies.

No, I'm not talkin' about your 'get down and boogie dance parties'.

I'm talking about those crusty little goobers that are probably stuck like glue under your children's noses right about now.

And maybe even your own nose.

What a pain they can be, literally. Wipe your nose with enough tissue and you'll be saying 'Ouch' for sure.

I think I can help you with the problem.

Let me introduce you to Boogie Wipes.

"Boogie Wipes are the latest innovation in a moist wipe product for busy moms, dads & kids. With added saline, they offer quick, gentle, effective relief of stuck on Boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold & allergies."

Ladies and Gentlemen, your regular, run of the mill baby wipe cannot accomplish the relief needed like Boogie Wipes can. They are gentle, they are convenient, but that's not all. They also come in individually wrapped 'On The Run' packages and smell fantastic! Available in Fresh Scent and Great Grape scents, you will actually please the recipient of the wipe.

Boogie Wipes are affordable at less that $4.00 per package and easy to find. Here are just a few of the retailers who carry this awesome product: Wal-Mart, Rite Aid, Kroger, Food Lion and many, many more.

Pick up your Boogie Wipes today...the little noses (and big ones) in your house will thank you!

Win It!

One wonderful Momma Findings reader will receive two packs of Boogie Wipes, one in Fresh Scent and one in Great Grape. All you have to do is leave a comment to enter!!

Extra Entries

1.) Blog about this cool contest by linking back to this post.
2.) Subscribe via email to Momma Findings
3.) Add my button to your blog sidebar.
4.) Follow me on Twitter and send out a Tweet about this contest.

Contest starts today January 21st-29th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for shipping purposes.

**Leave EACH entry in separate comments in order for it to count**


Written by contributing author Tina Golden who also blogs at Golden Goodness and designs blogs at For Goodness Sakes Designs.
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White dust makes us giddy






**My poor Zach was at school and wasn't home to play with us**

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I'm not a big TV watcher, my husband will be the first person to attest to that. When I have free Mom time, I'm usually writing, sleeping, cleaning, or running. Those are my interests and responsibilities and it leaves little time for TV, but EVERY once in awhile a series will grab my attention and I can't stop watching. Friends did that to me and now Fox's 24 is tugging at me pretty hard.

Thoughts of How will I have time to fit one more show in my already busy day? What if I start to love the character's only for them to cancel the show midway through? Seriously! When I watch a show I'm committed. Busy Moms, like me, don't kid around with TV watching time.

So, I'm already scheduling time out to CONTINUE watching TNT's new contemporary drama series Trust Me. Yes, I said CONTINUE because I got a sneak peek of the first two episodes and let me tell you... I LOVE IT!

We all remember the ever cute Eric McCormack from Will & Grace, right? Well, he stars alongside Tom Cavanagh from Ed as two best friends working as creative partners at a top-ranked Chicago Ad Agency.

Trust Me focuses on the two friends, whose strong creative partnership has served the firm of Rothman Greene & Mohr extremely well over the years. Mason is a workaholic, but also a family man married to Erin, the ever beautiful Sarah Clark from 24. Yes, she was part of the cast who made me fall in love with CTU and Jack Bauer. There are so many memorable characters starring in Trust Me who navigate the waters of the inter-office politics, personality conflicts, easily bruised egos, professional jealousies and unreasonable client demands.

We are completely hooked on this show now, not only because of the awesome cast of characters, but because I personally love advertising & marketing. Did you guys know that? Hence, why I review and promote such great companies. My favorite scene is a conversation that takes place in the office and in the background you can see WowWee's Tribot. My husband says, "HEY! There's ole' Tribot you reviewed!"

Trust Me premieres Monday, Jan. 26 at 9pm (Central Time). For all you sweet NC gals who read my blog that would be 10pm your time!


Not to be out shined by Trust Me is The Closer. Who DOESN'T like Kyra Sedgwick? She is just darling! This hit series returns with five new episodes that will unveil new crimes, new investigations, and more about the complex life of LAPD Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson.

September was the last episode of the season leaving everyone wondering the fate of Det. Sanchez who was shot and airlifted to a hospital in Brenda's arms. You'll see a slick lawyer come into play (Bill Burke) who defends a known sex offender found in the vicinity of a brutal rape and murder. Do you think Brenda has now met her match?

Don't forget the wedding plans for Brenda either! By the end of five episodes, we'll learn if her relationship with Fritz will last and if they actually make it down the aisle.

Tune In to The Closer Monday January 26th at 8pm (Central Time) right before Trust Me.

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One of my favorite days of the year is February 14th. I have always been full of silly love, but even more so once I married and had children. Some might think I'm crazy, but I usually go ALL out for the kids: Decorating their rooms, heart shaped place mats, heart pancakes, goody bags here and there, and lots of hugs and kisses. Zach will tell you that I get JUST as excited about picking Valentine's for them to take to their friends at school.

This year, I'm thrilled to send my son with one of the COOLEST Valentine ever!

Personalized Fruit Roll-Ups


If you're looking for a cool unique way to make your child's day, simply go to MyFruitRollUps.com to create you very own personal fruit roll up! I found it to be really easy. The Design Center takes you step-by-step through the design process- just choose a canvas, then add images and your personal message.

We had the opportunity to check out the design process and review, first hand, the finished product. Straight from UPS we received our box, which we intend to save for the school Valentine's Party. In all honesty, I was a bit disappointed as the picture was really small and didn't show a clear image. As the negative thoughts went through my head, my opinion changed when I let my son see it. He was ecstatic at the thought that his name and pictures were on it. His exact words were, "Mom! I'm going to have the COOLEST Valentine's cards EVER!"

Hey! I'm okay with a little blur on the picture if it gets my child THAT excited! My Fruit Roll-Ups fruit-flavored snacks are great party favors. Use them to put your personal touch on special occasions in your family.

Buy It

To learn more or to make a purchase go to www.myfruitrollups.com. Each carton of My Fruit Roll-Ups holds 30 rolls and costs $29.99, plus shipping and tax, where applicable. That's not all use code freeshipping to receive, you guessed it, free shipping on your order.

Win It!

One lucky Momma Findings reader will receive their very own carton of My Fruit Roll-Ups. All you have to do is check out the Party Ideas at their website then come back here and tell me which occasion you'd use these favors for.

Extra Entries

1.) Blog about this cool contest by linking back to this post.
2.) Subscribe via email to Momma Findings
3.) Add my button to your blog sidebar.
4.) Follow me on Twitter and send out a Tweet about this contest.

Contest starts today January 20th-28th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for shipping purposes.

**Leave EACH entry in separate comments in order for it to count**




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Yesterday, I got really emotional and serious about the Inauguration of President Obama. My toddler, however, doesn't hide his feelings very well when asked what he thinks of the new President.



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Tomorrow marks a significant day in history. The country’s first ever African-American President will be sworn into office.

It's Time for Change.

As I write this, I have to say, I didn't vote for Barack Obama. I don't share a lot of his views. In fact, I was saddened of the news that he won, my heart felt anxious for the state of our Nation, and for once, an unexplained fear came over me. My husband will be the first to tell you my thoughts and feelings towards the President-Elect since both him and I, differ dramatically, but I am also a Wife, a Mom, a Daughter, and a Gentle Soul who needs to see change in our Country.

It's Time for Change.

I recently discovered the infamous Georgetown Store Window, Lululemon Athletica, that paints the picture of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and President-Elect Obama.

Rosa sat so Martin could walk.

Martin walked so Obama could run.

Obama ran so our children can fly.



What strikes you when you read it? Some found it "disturbing", while others, like myself, may find it inspirational. I absolutely loved the Ad and feel a sense of Progress, Unity, and, if you hadn't guessed it yet, Change.

We make up a Pluralistic Society:

We are a Christian Nation, A Jewish Nation, A Muslim Nation, and an Atheist Nation.

We represent White, Black, Hispanic/Latin, Middle Eastern, and Asian Cultures.

We are Rich, Middle Class, and Poor.

We are Gay & Straight.

We are High School Drop Outs, High School Graduates, and College Degree Holders.

We are Mechanics, Physicians, Teachers, Business Men, Writers, and Police Men.


All in All, We are Americans and it's time for change. The change I speak of is a change in your heart and inside your head. There isn't much anyone can do about WHO is the President of the United States right now. He's chosen. If you want to believe it or not, I believe he was chosen by God for a people who have torn each other apart because of Religious differences.

I've said it before and I say it again. I am a Christian. I believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins and we are saved by His Grace. There is NOTHING that anyone can say to change my mind. I have my views about Abortion, Separation of Church & State, Gay Marriage, and Social Security, but I will venture to guess.... You do to. They might be the same. They might be different, but it doesn't make you any less American than me.

We need change. We need to change our thoughts to become unified together. Since we can't change who sits as President, we can definitely show support to our leader, encourage him, and most importantly, Pray for Him. He holds the most important job in America and he's earned it.

Change.

It's Time.

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It seems my toddler really wants me to grow in patience. He's teaching me this lesson every day and it makes me want to scream, "I GOT IT RUDY! I NEED TO BE MORE PATIENT! You don't have to remind me on a daily basis!"

Before 9:00am today he had rummaged through my husbands wallet, played in a toilet Abby forgot to flush, squeezed out ALL the toothpaste of a new container into the carpet, and climbed up to the top shelf of the pantry to grab a bag of Cheetos in which he threw all over the house. Yeah, there is nothing like walking into the kitchen to hear the crunch of Puffy Cheetos underneath my slippers.

So... Patience Huh?

God wants me to learn the art of being patient?

Really?

You sure you don't have the wrong girl, Lord? I mean, I think I've been pretty patient for the last few years. I've been taking all the bumps and bruises quite nicely, but a Tasmanian Devil for a child? Really?

When Rudy somehow climbed onto the counter for refreshing sip of water out of the faucet I grabbed him up to tell him how unacceptable that was. He's a kicker. Imagine me holding, as tight as I can, a child kicking, screaming, scratching, and elbowing me. It WAS A SIGHT to see! I held him and I'm thinking All he wants to do is run away. Get away from the one trying to protect him. He doesn't know that I know whats best for him. I love him and all I want is for him to understand the danger that lurks around him. Let me hold you Rudy.

I finally let him go and as he ran away he tripped over a toy hitting his head on the hardwood floor. He came back crying and as I held him once again he held me back. Tight. He wrapped his arms around me and it felt like he'd never let go. I comforted him for what seemed like hours and he let me wipe his tears, sing him songs (YEAH YEAH.. I can't sing, but he liked it), and rock him till he fell fast asleep.

Rudy is the definition of resistance.... until he's covered in pain.

Of course, my Momma brain is thinking every which way and I feel like him sometimes. I picture myself trying my hardest to run away from the truth, thrashing my arms, and avoiding eye contact with God. I scream, "Let me GO!" As I did with Rudy, sometimes He does and I come running back in pain apologizing in shame and feeling comfort that His arms are still open, willing to brush my hair back with His hands, kiss my forehead and whisper His sweet truths into my ears once again.

Patience Sara. It IS a virtue.

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We are BIG Nintendo DS fans at this house. It's no secret that we like to spend our time browsing the video game section at Target. So, we were really excited to discover a new game scheduled to premiere in stores on January 20th.

Big Bang Mini


From the SouthPeak Games Website:

This fast-paced shoot 'em up puts a new spin on classic arcade style gameplay allowing you to blast down hordes of imaginative enemies with explosive fireworks launched at the flick of your wrist. Maneuver your ship through the enemy fire and falling debris as you collect stars from vanquished foes to advance towards big boss battles. A number of special powers will be made available as you move from one exotic locale to the next where one wrong move or one missed shot could be your last.

-Main game mode offers up 9 fantastic worlds with 9 levels each ending with intense boss battles and bonus challenges

-Post your top scores on the worldwide leaderboard using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

-5 game modes including Arcade, Challenge, Relax, Mission and Versus play

-Exceptional art, sound, and gameplay design keeps the game fresh as you advance

Make sure and mark your calender, as this will be a great addition to your Nintendo DS game collection.

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I remember the day when my husband gave me his "old" cell phone. It was actually very exciting because he usually sports the "latest and greatest" and I was still hanging tight with my Samsung Flip Phone. Aren't I the Techy Momma?!

Well, this particular phone had the QWERTY keyboard, email functions, and all the coolest features I could imagine! As a Stay at Home Mom I always thought I just needed the ability to text and call. If I had that, I was gooood, but for some reason when this phone was placed in my hands I felt organized, complete, and full of function.

Windows Mobile smartphones take it a step further and makes it easier than ever to stay connected and organized while on the go, allowing us to access computer functionality anywhere and make the most out of a few minutes of downtime. Great for those lunches at Chick-Fil-A when you're sitting twiddling your thumbs while the kids play.

Because Windows Mobile smartphones run on the same Windows system as PC computers, your computer and phone applications synch together easily. Of note, more than 77% of people who take pictures with their phones never download them onto their computers. I know I'm guilty! I think of all those memories I have trapped on my phone! With Windows Mobile, you have the ability to easily e-mail photos from your phone to your PC or post them directly to the Web.

In particular, the newest touch screen Windows phone, the Samsung Omnia, conveniently combines the features of a smartphone and a digital camera into one slim, compact device. From Moms Night Out to the trip to the Zoo you no longer have to juggle multiple digital devices to capture holiday merriment. Only Windows Mobile lets you shoot pics, crop, post to your blog, and send images to loved ones directly on your smartphone.

I'm REALLY lovin' the Samsung Omnia at the reasonable cost of $199. The professional auto-focus camera features panorama capture, cropping capabilities and smile/face recognition. In fact, a National Geographic photographer took the 5.0 megapixel Omnia on photo shoots to Easter Island and Peru and found that his photographs rivaled those taken with a professional camera. For more information on the Omnia, please visit www.windowsmobile.com.

Hey Stay At Home Moms! We are worth it!

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Yup.
This is my husband.
This is his co-worker.
These are my children's scooters.



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Momma Findings is trying to keep all my readers Healthy & Safe this Winter. I do, however, have one question for you. Do you give your children vitamins? Do you, yourself, take them? Life gets hectic and after the carpool, PTA, church, playgroups, homework, and household chores it's difficult to make sure our children are receiving the nutrition they need.

With no artificial colors or preservatives, Lil' Critters Gummy Bear Vitamins makes it easy! There is a variety of vitamins to choose from, such as:

-Gummy Vites Multi-Vitamin for your everyday needs
-Calcium Gummy Bears for strong bones
-Fruit & Veggie Gummy Bears for that picky eater
-Immune C Gummy Bears to build your immune system
-Omega 3 Gummy Fish for brain boosting


Parents can feel at ease knowing Lil' Critters Vitamins are keeping their children healthy. I had the opportunity to try the Multi-Vitamin and the Immune C vitamins. My children were ecstatic that a vitamin could taste so good! It's really funny because my 6 year old son says, "Mom! They don't taste like chalk!" Don't ask me how he knows what chalk tastes like, but he was pleasantly surprised that his vitamin didn't have to be washed down with a drink of water.

If you haven't gotten into the routine of giving your children vitamins, it's something important to think about. It's a great way to keep them healthy, but it also provides a routine. We take our vitamins at night and it has created a peaceful bedtime routine: Bath, Bedtime story, Vitamin, and nightly prayers.

As a mom to three children under the age of 6, I'm always concerned my children aren't getting the nutrition they need and I'm grateful that Lil' Critters is here to help.

You can learn more about these vitamins by checking out their website: www.gummybearvitamins.com. In the Parents Corner you can learn more on how vitamins keep you healthy, see the different types of Lil' Critter vitamins, and even check out cool nutritional and safety tips. It's not all for parents either! Grab your kids and let them join the Kids Club where you'll find games, puzzles, and cool Critter Facts.

Buy It

Lil' Critter Gummy Bear Vitamins are sold at grocery, club, mass merchant, and drug stores nation wide or you can click here for a location near you.

Win It!

I'm excited about all the different products out there to keep our families healthy and happy this winter, so I've teamed up with Northwest Natural Products, the maker of Lil' Critter Vitamins, to give away one basket of Adult and Children Vitamins to one lucky Momma Findings reader. All you have to do is head over to the Lil' Critters Website. Then come back here and tell me which type of vitamins you'd most like to try with your children.

Extra Entries

1.) 4 Extra entries if you blog about this giveaway by linking back to this post and Lil' Critter Vitamins.

2.) Become an email subscriber by entering your address in the form right over there on my right sidebar. You'll get all the cool updates and reviews straight to your inbox.

3.) Spread the word by sending out a Tweet, Stumbling, or Digging this post. Or you can add my Health & Safety Button to your blog.

4.) Last, but not least, I give extra entries for loyal readers of my blogs. You'll see all the blogs I contribute to, over there on the left. Leave a comment at the many places I write and come back here and tell me what post you commented on. If you've done this with another contest it is invalid. You must comment on another post to gain a new entry to this contest. Please don't say, "This is my Contest entry." Please read my writing and comment accordingly.

Contest starts today January 14th-22nd Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

Remember to leave each entry in separate comments.

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