Movie Trailer Tuesday - Little Dorrit

This is what I've been enjoying over the past few weeks. It was shown as a 5-part series on PBS's Masterpiece Classic. You can rent it on Netflix or purchase it here on Amazon. It's based on the Charles Dickens novel, Little Dorrit.

16x20 High Gloss Poster Print - Winner

Thanks to DigitalRoom.com for sponsoring a giveaway and offering one of my lucky readers a free 16x20 high gloss photo poster print.

The winning comment was selected at random....and goes to comment #2

Jennifer said...
I posted a blog about your giveaway here:http://mom2twnsn2000.blogspot.com/2009/04/love-it.html
April 22, 2009 9:39 PM

Thank you to those that entered. If you didn't win, you can still check out DigitalRoom.com. They not only offer high quality poster printing, but many other printing and marketing services as well.

Mother's Day Giveaway going on at 5 Minutes for Mom

The wonderful folks over at 5 Minutes for Mom are helping us all celebrate motherhood by hosting a "Mother's Day Giveaway." Be sure to visit them daily for a chance to win. There are some really fabulous prizes up for grabs, such as:

*An HP Mini 1000 PC
*Purses from Coach and Elliot Lucca
*A Kodak Wireless Digital Frame
*A Kodak Digital Camera
*A Blu-Ray player and Blu-Ray Pride and Prejudice gift pack
*Jewelry from Things Remembered
*Crock-Pot® Smart-Pot® Slow Cooker
and more…

Click here for all the details. Good luck!

Aloha Friday - Enter My Giveaway

My Aloha Friday question is simply this:

Have you entered my giveaway?

If not, then please click here and do so right now! You can win a 16x20 photo poster print, made from one of your own digital photos. This would be a fantastic Mother's Day gift (for a loved one or for yourself). Contest ends tonight, so hurry and enter.


For more Aloha Friday, visit An Island Life.

Wordless Wednesday - Face Down Recovery

If you've been reading my blog, you know that my oldest son had to have surgery last week for a detatched and torn retina. For his recovery, he has to remain in a face-down position, pretty much 24-7, for fourteen days. Here he is in the special medical chair that we rented. (The headphones he's wearing are for his XBox-Live; he's sitting in the chair playing video games in this pic. And, he can only see out of one eye right now.)

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Go here to enter my photo poster print giveaway, sponsored by DigitalRoom.com

Comfort Food

Comfort Food. Food = comfort.

Whether it's in celebration or in times of difficulty and stress - food is almost always involved. For holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, we have great feasts of food. Wedding receptions, birthday parties, and graduation get-togethers - there is food. When there is an illness or funeral, people bring food as a way of offering support to those who are involved; a way of providing comfort. It's true. Food does = comfort. This past week, my son had a major injury which required a major surgery. He's now going through a truly difficulty recovery process. And, throughout this time, people have offered food. One neighbor sent over a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Another brought us a pan of homemade lasagna and brownies. Another, a get-well card containing various restaurant gift cards. My sister put together a huge box of sweet and salty snacks and treats for my son. And, these simple gestures have brought us comfort. They've reminded us that people are thinking of us. Tonight, they allowed us a little time of rest, instead of having to stand in the kitchen preparing dinner. We definitely appreciate it. The next time I hear of a friend or neighbor who may be going through a difficult time, I will most surely offer them some "comfort food" as well.

Face Down Recovery Update

You really cannot imagine how difficult this face down recovery is for my son. Not only is he experiencing discomfort with his eye, but, every part of his body is aching from being in this continual face down position (even his teeth and jaws are hurting). It just so happened that one of the ad-sense ads on my blog led me to start searching the internet for some equipment which would help us through this recovery process. I did find one company that will rent the equipment and I'm giving them a call today. Hopefully, this will work out and help my son to be a little more comfortable. It's only going into the third day post op and he's already stir crazy. I'm really worried about him becoming depressed. To give you an idea, check out this link and take a look at the equipment available to use in this type of recovery. My husband and I are taking turns staying awake to watch him through the night, to make sure he maintains the correct position. I was up until 4:30 this morning, and then got about 2.5 hours of sleep before getting up again. Keeping up with all the prescribed eye drops has turned into a full time job as well. He takes a total of five different eye drops, a couple four times a day, the others two times a day. It's going to be exhausting for all of us. Thanks again for all the well wishes!

Another Update

We are home after the surgery today. The doctor felt like it went very well and he said it is his expectation that my son will return to his normal vision. That was great news! Still, there is a posibility he may need to wear a contact in the injured eye. We will have to wait about six months to know for sure. My son is feeling pretty miserable - a lot of discomfort from the actual procedure, and really uncomfortable because he has to keep his head down. The doctor insisted that it's extremely critical in his recovery that he keeps his head down for 10-14 days (he said once an hour, he can raise his head and stretch, but otherwise, it's head down at all times). You can imagine how hard this is for anyone, let alone a 15 yr. old boy. I know he's going to have a hard time with this and start to feel grumpy and depressed. We're back at the dr. first thing in the morning for a post-op check and to remove the eye bandage. This is frustrating - I wish they would have just let him stay overnight at the hospital, but, I guess insurance doesn't cover that. Seems like you are pushed out the hospital door practically as soon as you get there. Also, he will be missing a few weeks of school. I'm anxious to meet with his counselor to find out how that will all work out. Anyway, I'm sure it will be a difficult night. Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. It means a lot to me!

Update

We just got back from the eye dr. I'm afraid the news was not good. He does have a huge tear in his retina and it's starting to detach. He has to have surgery in the morning (a major procedure, as described by the physician). The doctor informed us that without the surgery, there is a 100% chance he would lose sight in that eye. That was so scary to hear. With the surgery, there is a 90% chance he will save his vision and be fine, although he may have to start wearing a contact in that eye at some point. We won't know for about six months post-op if he is totally out of the woods. This was really difficult for my son to hear. He took it really hard and as soon as we walked out of the exam room he lost it. Honestly, I wanted to burst into tears, but I was trying to keep it together and remain calm for him. The surgery is outpatient and immediately after the surgery (for 5-7 days) he has to keep his head down (forward, as if you were laying your head down on a desk) at all times (except when he eats and goes to the restroom). It's going to be a difficult time, I'm sure. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Feast of Love

Before I get to today's movie trailer, I would like to ask for your prayers and positive thoughts for my oldest son (15). He had an accident yesterday which caused an eye injury. After spending most of the night in the emergency room, they know there is a big scratch over three sections of his eye and that there is blood in his eye. We are going to a retinal specialist today for further evaluation. He is not allowed to eat or drink anything in case there is a tear or detachment with his retina and he would have to have surgery. As for how the accident happened, it was something very stupid and irresponsible - he and his friend (who lives across the street, we are friends of the family) were shooting paintball guns at a tree in the backyard. His friend, thinking that his gun was empty, started goofing off and shot it at my son's face. It hit him right smack-dab in the eyeball. I know it was unintentional but I am upset that he would be acting so carelessly with a paintball gun and that they did not have on their protective eye wear. It just shows how fast something can happen and I think they have learned a valuable lesson about responsibility. Please keep us in your thoughts that it is only a scratch and nothing more serious. I will keep you posted....


Now, on to the movie trailer. This is one of the first movies I rented from Netflix. It follows a group of people in Oregon and their experiences with love and loss. It's a sad one, make sure you have some kleenex handy. For you Twilight fans, you will be happy to see "Charlie" (Billy Burke) in this film, looking mighty fine, I should add. Oh, and it's definitely an "R" rated, grown-up movie.

Happy Easter!

Easter Reflections by Helen Steiner Rice

With OUR EYES we see
The beauty of Easter
as the earth awakens once more...

With OUR EARS we hear
The birds sing sweetly
to tell us Spring again is here...

With OUR HANDS we pick
the golden daffodils
and the fragrant hyacinths...

But only with OUR HEARTS
can we feel the MIRACLE of GOD'S LOVE
which redeems all men...

And only with OUR SOUL
can we make our 'pilgrimage to God'
and inherit His Easter Gift of ETERNAL LIFE.

Aloha Friday - Emergency Preparedness

It's Aloha Friday...where I post a quick and easy question for you to answer.

Spring is here. In our neck of the woods, that means it's the time of year when we can experience a lot of storms. Whenever there's a severe thunderstorm warning or tornado warning, we grab our flashlights and blankets, and head to the basement. I really need to have some kind of emergency supply kit, but, I have never got around to putting that together for us. I've always said this is something I need to do, but, then never seem to actually follow through and do it. My question is:

Do you have any kind of emergency supply kit put together in your house?

Do you feel like you would be prepared for some type of natural disaster or other such emergency?

I'm afraid to say, that we would probably not be ready for any major disaster. Here's a very useful website that offers all kinds of helpful information regarding emergency preparedness. Some of the topics this site covers include: help with family emergency plans, supply kit checklists, online planning tools, tips for pet owners and older Americans, and more. Check it out.

And, for more Aloha Friday, visit Kailani at An Island Life.

Giveaway

Jennifer at Eighty MPH Mom is giving away a $15 Starbucks gift card to one lucky reader. Head over to her blog for all the details. While you are there, check out the rest of her site - she does lots of great product reviews and giveaways. Good luck!

Wedding Pictures

3 Boys One Mommy is having a wedding meme. She has invited her readers to make a post sharing their wedding pictures and a little about their special day. If you would like to participate, click here for the rules and here to add your post to her Mr. Linky. She's even giving away a Sephora gift card to one lucky participant. So, c'mon, play along!

*Sorry my pictures are hard to see, click on them if you want a better look*

In July, we will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. We were married in a baptist church at 2:00 in the afternoon. Our wedding party consisted of: a maid of honor and best man, four bridesmaids and groomsmen, a flower girl, and a ring bearer. The ladies all wore dark plum dresses and all had big hair (hey, that was really fashionable at the time, we looked hot). We had a harpist that played our wedding music and also a friend of the family who sang prior to the start of the wedding and during the candle lighting portion of the ceremony. For the life of me, I cannot remember what he sang. Shame! I will have to go and dig out the wedding video and figure that out. It was a gorgeous sunny day and everything went smoothly. One thing that stands out in my mind....while we were at the church getting ready, some of the guys made a quick run to McDonalds because they were all hungry. I can remember them bringing a sack of cheeseburgers and fries to the girl's dressing room. I can still remember the smell of all that fast food wafting throughout that part of the church. I was afraid that I would smell like onions when I walked down the aisle. Our reception was at an American Legion post where my husband's grandfather was a member. Food was served buffet style and we did all the traditional stuff - first dance (song was 'When a Man Loves a Woman' by Percy Sledge), cutting the cake and feeding each other the first bites (where did that weird tradition come from, anyway?), throwing the garter and tossing the bouquet....we had a great time! At one point, I did get perturbed at our quack of a DJ. I had already informed her we did not want any of those cheesy wedding dances, like the duck dance or the dollar dance. But, she decided to override our wishes and made an announcement for my husband and I to come to the dance floor. When we did, she started that damn duck dance. I'm sorry, but, I hate the duck dance. After the reception, we went to downtown Louisville to spend the night in a hotel on the river. The next day, we went to my parent's house to open wedding gifts - that was fun! Then, Monday, it was back to normal. We didn't get to take a real honeymoon trip. My husband was just finishing up at the fire academy and his graduation was on Monday, and then he reported to work that same week. So, we could not leave town. Come to think of it, I'm still waiting on a honeymoon, LOL! Someday....

I'm Not Ready for the Retirement Home Just Yet....

I think I'm starting to develop a little bit of a complex. I keep getting weird emails. One, inviting me to join AARP (American Assoc. for Retired People). Another from some kind of "Senior Dating Site" inviting me to meet other single seniors. Is someone trying to tell me something? I'm only 39 and I'm married.

Movie Trailer Tuesday - The Children of Huang Shi

If you've been to my blog before, you know I'm a huge movie-lover. I'm almost embarrassed to say, but, there are over 350 movies on my Netflix queue. Here's what's up next on my list:

Meme - IPod Shuffle

Jenni over at Jiggety Jigg issued a fun little challenge today. After posting a random meme (her answers are hilarious, by the way) that she found doing a google search, she invited her readers to do the same. I decided to play along and promptly typed "meme" in the little google search box. You'd think this would be easy, but it wasn't. I actually went through 23 pages of search results before I found anything interesting (interesting to me, anyway). Then, I actually cheated just a lil bit and did a new search for "music-related memes". The random meme that I chose is called IPod Shuffle and I found it here, at this nice lady's blog (whom I know from her other blog, but, totally stumbled upon this at random, how funny is that?). The rules alone for this meme are enough to crack you up - seriously, read on, and just try not to roll on the floor with laughter.

Rules for The iPod Shuffle Meme

Using the shuffle feature on your iPod (or other MP3 player), write down the first 5 or 10 songs that play.

Justify, defend or explain why those songs are on your iPod.

Tag someone else to complete the meme.

Include these rules--and the phrase "The iPod Shuffle Meme was created by Jenners at Life with A Little One and More -- the greatest blog on the Planet Earth and perhaps the Universe" when you post your meme answers. ***Failure to follow these rules exactly will result in loss of Internet privileges for a month, small warts, and a plague of frogs in your immediate area.

If you don't have an iPod or similar device: Randomly pick some CDs from your collection and then have a CD player pick a song via random play.

If you don't CDs but have cassette tapes: Randomly pick some tapes from your collection and then just randomly pick a song from the tape. (But really, you should at least have CDs by this point.)

If you don't have an iPod, CDs or cassette tapes but have vinyl records: If this is the case, I'm really amazed you've found your way onto the Internet at all so, by all means, feel free to pick some random albums and some tracks from those albums.

If you don't have an iPod, CDs, cassette tapes or vinyl records, my guess is you might have 8-track tapes: No one wants to know what you have on your 8-track tapes so you should not participate in this meme. In fact, if your only source of music is 8-track tapes, perhaps you should get off the Internet now and watch some movies on your Betamax. You'll feel better. The world is probably moving too fast for you, and you should take a rest.


Kari's iPod Shuffle Meme:

Song 1 - Heart of Glass by Blondie - This is from my Blondie's Greatest Hits CD. When we were growing up, Blondie seemed so cool and sophisticated. My friend and I loved to sing along to this song.

Song 2 - Private Eyes by Hall & Oates - This is from my Hall & Oates Greatest Hits CD (are we seeing a pattern here?). I can't help it, I'm a child of the 80's and I still love to listen to Hall & Oates (my kids can even sing along to alot of their songs).

Song 3 - Nobody Told Me by Puddle of Mudd - This is for the inner rocker-chick in me, LOL! Seriously, this is an awesome band (but, one that I can't really listen to around the kids because of the language in the songs). The lead singer is H-O-T, too (in that scrappy, long-hair, screamin'voice kinda way).

Song 4 - Californication by The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Probably my very favorite band of all. Ever. The lyrics in their songs are amazing.

Song 5 - Chain Gang by Sam Cook Cooke - Much different than the previous songs, but, I really do like oldies. Sam Cooke has such a beautiful voice.

If you would like to play along, do your own "meme" google search and post your random choice on your blog (kindly link back to Jenni at Jiggety Jigg and/or myself). Or, if you would like to do the iPod shuffle meme, you can do that, too. Comment below to let me know when you post so that I can come and check it out.

Monday Morning Amusements

It's Monday morning. Spring break has come to an end and the kids are all back in school. Hubby's vacation is over and he's back at work. How about a little humor to help get things back on track and off to a good start....


Ain't this the truth!





I can't help it, I crack up every time I see this -




A little redneck shopping anyone?

And, check out these links for a big laugh!

Great Thinkers of Our Time

Nine Words Women Use

Letting him spread his wings....just a little bit

My oldest son is 15, soon to be 16. Several of his friends are starting to get their driver's permits. Today, one of his close friends got his driver's license. He's the first boy in the group to get it. He just drove over for a little visit - and asked my son if he wanted to ride into town to McDonalds (which is less than 10 minutes away). We've known this boy for years, he's a good kid. So, we agreed to let our son go. But, I have to tell you, I'm sitting here on pins and needles waiting for them to get back. I tend to be very overprotective. It's just so scary, this whole letting him spread his wings thing.

Spring Break Break-Down

We are into day 5 of the kids' spring break. The kids are fighting like cats and dogs.

I may not survive!