Little Girl, Big Heart!

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First I have to say that God gave me Kirstyn to do everything from test me to challenge me.  She is just as girly as they come making her very opposite from me.  I actually decorated her room in Raggedy Ann and Andy so that it would be primary colors and not pinks *sigh*.  At least she still loves it!  She is also very artsy fartsy...  I blame my sister for those genetics.  I mean, I have a degree in Software Engineering and Math while David has an MBA in Finance.  Kirstyn wants to grow up and be a rock star or a famous dancer and maybe a painter (yes we have been praying for her future husband since before she was born!).

At church we have started something called Imagine 320.  Eph 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us."  Essentially, it is a ministry initiative as our response to God's challenge to "throw off everything that hinders us"... and for our church that is debt that needs to be paid off!  I was selfishly sitting there thinking, God you will have to do this, especially in our lives.  We can barely pay our bills right now and when you add in my doctor co-pays and the $300 a month that I have to spend on prescriptions I just start to get frustrated with how tied down I feel by my cancer diagnosis!

Sunday, the guest pastor Dr. John Bisagno preached a challenging sermon about what growing churches are doing...  At the end, he had all of the Middle School and High School students stand up, then he did something unexpected.... He pulled out a huge stack of $5 bills and started handing one to each student!  He then paraphrased the parable from Matthew 25 and challenged the kids to turn that $5 into as much as possible and bring it back to the church (also with the promise of a prize from him for the teen with the biggest return). 
Kirstyn's ears perked up! 
She looked at me and said, "How much is yarn?"  I told her around $2. 
She said, "Will you give me $5 to turn into more?". 
I said, "Sure.  What's your plan?"
"I can buy yarn, crochet MeMe a scarf (she's had 2 lessons), and then sell it to her for $20...cause even if it isn't that great she will love it and buy it.  Then I will have $23 to bring back to church."
I said, "Great idea baby, and you sure know your MeMe."
*I could see the wheels spinning*
"And actually, I could buy more yarn and make another scarf and sell it to DeeDee!"

This smart girl that actually may grow up to do amazing things in the business world!  Either way, she is sure to make an ETERNAL impact for her Jesus!

I've been really praying about this and trying to think of some way to help her turn $5 into more without her spending 10+ hours making crochet scarfs...  I got on Pintrest on a Mission while she was at school yesterday!  I found a way for her to make scarfs out of old tshirts, fast and easy, and so far for free so she still has her first $5! 

Watch out friends.... soon she will be selling them!!!  (And we would love to take old tshirts off your hands if you have them!)  She is so excited and thinks it is just funny that we are cutting up Daddy's old undershirts!

I love how big her heart is.  I love how she is willing to take on any challenge without worrying at all about all the things that could go wrong in the process.  I love how she challenges me to not be so analytical and more creative!  I am so thankful that God uses my kid to humble me in the privacy of our home!

Back in November when Kirstyn turned 8, after a few discussions she decided that instead of just having a Birthday Party and getting presents from her friends like always, she wanted to change things up a bit.  (We did tell her she would have to get rid of many existing toys before she would have room for more...  I've already mentioned how much her grandparents love her!)  Her change....  She asked her friends to bring donations for the Weekend Backpack Ministry at our church!  Look at the haul of food that she got to donate!  This ministry feeds 86 elementary age children in SW Arlington! These kids have been identified by the counselors as only eating free breakfast/lunch at school but not on weekends. So they take home a backpack of food on Fridays that they return on Monday's. There are 6 children at the elementary Kirstyn attends (we have no idea who)... Food/money is ALWAYS needed to keep this ministry going! I'm so glad that she is 'getting' the bigger picture!!!

We serve a Big God and sometimes He uses my little girl to remind me just how amazing He can be when we allow Him to work through us!

Faith of a Child

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I love how my kids get these crazy ideas and dreams in their heads and get so excited that they don't even notice all of the obstacles.  James has been watching and helping Kirstyn and I make some t-shirt scarfs for her to sell for the Imagine 320 project at church and he has been helping me around the house to earn money for his 320 Piggy Bank.  I've enjoyed all the extra help getting the clothes out of the dryer just by planting a dime or penny or two per load.   
Well, today on the way home, James saw a coke can on the side of the road.  He screamed at me to stop the car... he wanted to jump out and get it and ride the rest of the way home in the back of the 4Runner.  He starts telling me all about how when he was at Pappy's (my dad) house, he got to run down the dirt road picking up yucky cans, throwing them in the back of the truck, and then ride on the tailgate until they saw another one.  Then he tells me how when Pappy gets lots and lots of cans he sells them for money...  He needs to do that too for his Piggy Bank cause sissy is selling shirt scarfs! 

I told him he couldn't ride around in the back without his car seat and seat belt in the city of Arlington, but that I could do a post on Facebook asking our Arlington friends to save their cans for a week or so.  Then, we could collect them from their houses and I would take him to the scrap metal place and he could make his money for his bank.

I'm so thankful to Jesus for trusting David and I with these kids.  So glad that they continue to dream BIG!  Now, I'm Imagining ALL of the BIG things Kirstyn and James will do that have an ETERNAL impact! 

Eph 3:20

"Normal" to Natalie...

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nor·mal
/ˈnɔrməl/ Show Spelled[nawr-muhl]adjective
1.  conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural. 2.  serving to establish a standard.

When Natalie originally started this blog, she named it Normal to Natalie so that the world could see what is "normal" to her on a daily basis - how our lives really are in regards to our kids, work, faith, etc.  This new journey we are on with Natalie has really made me think about what is "normal".  As Christians, we are called to be a part of this world, but different from the world.  As Romans 12:2 in the NIV Bible says, "Do not conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...".  We are to be transformed through God and by God, not be transformed by what the world tells us or wants from us.  Yet circumstances love to come about that make it hard to continue that constant transformation process.   And a lot of times the circumstances are far beyond our ability to overcome (in our case, cancer), and can make us question our faith, our love, our strength...ultimately our will to live.

So how ARE we doing?  As mentioned in previous posts, we get asked this question a lot.  And no fault of their own, I know they mean well, and hey...people just may not know what else to say.  And we don't mind talking to people about it.  But we just don't necessarily have an answer.  Our first response (well...at least MY first response) is usually "fine", or "good".  I just don't know what the person is wanting to truly know.  I mean, I honestly haven't slept good in 6 or 7 months.  I STILL wake up at night to check on my wife, sometimes even waking her up in the process because I am checking for pulse or breathe.  Most days, I feel like I am in a fog, which I can overcome this with copious amounts of caffeine and prayer, but how do I tell someone how I am?

As father and husband, I am to encourage and lift up my family in prayer on a daily basis, and trust me...I have.  Probably more than I have the previous 8 years I have been a father, and the previous 11 years I have been a husband.  But why now?  Why does it take a hard circumstance?  Why wasn't I acting this way, praying this way, before this new journey?  Why does it take hitting bottom for us to figure out a way out?  What are we afraid of?

I am reminded of what Colossians 3:2 says in the Message version of the Bible - "Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from His perspective."

Here are a couple of other Bible verses I have been reading lately:

Proverbs 4:23 - "Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts"Romans 12:1-2 - "...Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering.  Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.  Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.  Instead fix your attention on God.  You'll be changed from the inside out.  Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it.  Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

So normal to us is a little different now, and I really don't know how we are doing most days.

I mean normal compared to what? :-)

Well, I now know the definition of oligoastrocytoma, and as I mentioned before, I know that grey is the color of brain cancer. I still work at Sewell and am getting used to the long hours, even though it is hard most days.  And I am thankful for my family and my friends.

And normal for Natalie is now making sure the kids stay on a routine even though most day she doesn't feel like she wants to. She really is a hero in my book for all that she does when I am not around (which is a lot recently, it seems).

I am far from perfect, nor do I try to be. And unfortunately it did take this circumstance for me to try to be a better father and husband. But all I have is now, all WE have is now. I don't want to shuffle around, in a fog. So I will take this opportunity to look up.

Until the next blog post, please don't wait until you hit bottom to be a better person, a better husband, a better father.  Why not start today?  Look up...

-   David D.

My Chance to Share!

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Last Monday for the Arlington YMCA fundraising and Livestrong program kickoff luncheon, I was asked to share a little about my cancer story and how the Y has helped me.  I was honored to be asked to speak in front of many people that I have never even met.  Many of my friends have asked how it all went...  I actually felt very good about my talk and was more than overwhelmed when I received a standing ovation at the conclusion of my talk.  For those of you that were not there, I thought I could at least share the notes that I made for myself:

(I introduced myself as a group fitness instructor and told them if I got too nervous, I would calm down if I just made them all do pushups or squats...  we got started with a little laugh and I calmed down and was ready to share.)

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I’ve been overweight or obese my entire life until, after havinga daughter, I made up my mind to get healthy. I put on my facebook page that I was on a mission to be healthy throughBible Study, Clean Eating, and Exercise.My original "life" verse:
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to haveplenty.  I have learned the secret ofbeing content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whetherliving in plenty or in want.  I can doall this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
My Y Journey:
Jan 2011 – was recruited by Downtown Fort Worth YMCA tolaunch Body Pump first to the corporate offices and then to the members.  Took on only one class because I was teachingtwo per week at the time at Golds Gym and subbing Pump both at Golds and LOA.
Feb – Golds shut down very unexpectedly and I startedworking out more and more in both the Arlington and Fort Worth Y’s.  Mostly because I was looking for the beststep classes to learn to be a step instructor myself. 
March – passed AFAA certification planning to teach stepclasses in addition to Pump and not long after that I stopped teaching pump inFort Worth.  My kids just loved coming tothis Y for kid fit and the playground.
June 1 – at probably the most physically fit time in myentire life.  I took a step class here and hadmy kids not been so tired I would have driven over to LOA for a late pumpclass.  Instead we went home and all didour normal routine.  When I woke up onthe next Thursday morning I was in the Neuro ICU at Plaza medical center indowntown Fort Worth and my husband had been through hell.  I had had several seizures in my sleep, hehad performed CPR while waiting on the ambulances and I had been first taken byambulance to MCA and then transferred to Plaza. 
June 7 – the swelling in my brain had reduced enough thatthey were able to do brain surgery to try and remove as much of the mass theyhad discovered in my brain as possible. It was determined that I hadoligoastrocytoma (two kinds of brain cancer) and they were only able toremove about 30% of the cancer.
While in the hospital the Ditto PTA moms brought me a bigbag of everything – from restaurant gift cards, movie gift cards, bowling,scholarships to camp Thurman, and one that was huge…. A note saying that mykids were given scholarships to any of the Arlington Y summer day camps that they wanted toattend…
After seeing my oncologist in Dallas we determined that Iwould begin an intense 6 weeks of both chemo and radiation to try to slow theaggressiveness of my cancer.  I beganthat on July 18^th.  See, no one tells you that when you arediagnosed with cancer, you also need to win the lottery.  Pharmacy bills start to look more like carpayments and are then stacked on top of paying for weekly blood work, monthlyMRIs and oncologist visits, and on and on… At the end of July and August my kids attended 3 Y summer day camps atNO COST to us and loved every minute. It was something I would never have asked or applied for but it was sucha huge blessing because it allowed me to rest without those little worried eyesglued to my every move.  Since that 6weeks of treatment I have continued to do one week of monster chemo per monthand I come to the Y several times per week even when I don’t really feel up toit because it is normal for my kids and they love the kid fit program andplaying with the other kids.  I love that they get tired too and I cantrust knowing they are being taken care of.  I want to make sure that I am making memories with my kids and keeping myself as healthy as I can... spiritual, physical, and emotional health all work together!

"To die is poignantly bitter, but the ideaof having to die without having lived is unbearable." - Erich Fromm.  And at only 33 years old, this has never felt more true!My new life verse:
"Because she loves me," says theLord, "I will rescue her; I will protect her, for she acknowledges my name.She will call on me, and I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble, Iwill deliver her and honor her. With long life I will satisfy her and show hermy salvation." (Psalm 91:14-16 NIV)
We all need to keep in mind what Abraham Lincoln said, “In theend, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.” 
TheYMCA and the Livestrong program fit this quote better than anything else I’veever read:  said by the character ThomasHunter in Ted Dekker’s Circle Trilogy“Mostmen and women will yield to the strong currents sucking them into the seas ofruin.  Only the strongest in mind andspirit will swim against that current.”  Thank you Arlington YMCA for being a part of helping me have a strong mind, body, and spirit!

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Like I said, it was an honor to be asked to speak and I pray that the scriptures I shared touched someone and I know that so many people are watching and many are telling me that I inspire them.  That feels like a big responsibility, but guess what, we are ALL being watched by someone, especially our kids, so make your actions count for good and keep in mind that the people you are watching will make mistakes because none of us are perfect... encourage and push forward!  Thank you so much to those of you that take the time to encourage me, pray for me, and challenge me!

Living Strong?

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I have been reading Lance Armstrong's book "It's Not About the Bike".  The book is only 232 pages but it feels more like I'm working through this book rather than just reading.  I can relate so much to so many of the things that he says.  In one of his very first paragraphs he says In bike racing... "you don't fly up a hill.  You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else.  Cancer is like that, too.  Good, strong people get cancer, and they do all the right things to beat it, and they still die.  That is the essential truth that you learn.  People die.  And after you learn it, all other matters seem irrelevant.  They just seem small."

People keep telling me that they can't believe that I keep going to the gym and working out so hard.  See, I feel like I just HAVE to.  I WANT to.  I am now learning how to articulate that...

No one said anything like that to me when I was extremely obese...  then, it was "great job... keep up the hard work"... as if then it was the best for me to work out because it would help me to loose weight (it was and I needed the pushes to keep trying).  Never mind the difficulties involved when trying to exercise in a room full of 'fit' people believing that I would never look like them, be able to endure like that, be that coordinated.  I lacked the self confidence to even believe that I was capable of being better than I was in that moment.  Somehow, with lots of encouragement (and blogging), I found that self confidence.  I moved from the back of the group fitness room to the front.  I introduced myself to the instructors so that they would know my name and hopefully push me to my limits even on days when I was just in the building to use the childcare!  I got stronger, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I dealt with fears.  I found the same girl at the gym that was smart and strong enough to excel in math and science in High School, College, and in the world of Government Defense Contracting.  I pushed myself.  I let others push me.  I found limits that I didn't know existed and pushed right past them.  I got certified to teach Body Pump and found a confidence and alter ego that was capable of pushing myself to the max while encouraging and challenging others to do the same!  I didn't stop there... I got AFAA certified so that I could teach other group fitness classes!  I was taking step classes all over Arlington and Fort Worth trying to find my favorites so that I could figure out what my specific style of step would look like and how I would challenge others! 

But that's about the time that I experienced a seizure followed by brain surgery and a cancer diagnosis.  Something Lance Armstrong describes as racing down a hill on a bike feeling accomplished for climbing that mountain, only to be smashed into a ditch by a 4x4 pickup truck!  A moment when you are grateful to be alive but just plain pissed off by such a sudden and major derailment in your training. 

But then what do you do?  You get on the bike, go home, nurse the wounds, and restart your training with new limits to push through or allow to heal.  He says even when he got so sick it was a struggle just to go on a short 30 min ride, he did anyway, because he could...  because when he was riding he felt alive and it was a perfect reminder to keep fighting and pushing.  That made so much sense to me!  Going to the gym for a class was on my schedule and a part of my life just like brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and cooking dinner.  Not always something I wanted to do, but always something that I needed to do. 

I can remember the day last summer that my doctor said it was okay for me to return to 'routine' activities and I asked her about going to the gym.  She said, sure, you can go and ride a bike or walk on the treadmill.  I made a face and said I wanted to do a Body Pump class!  (I'm pretty sure David was holding his head on by rubbing his temples, he knew what was coming, he knows how stubborn I am.)  She said she had never heard of that...  so I pulled out my iPhone and showed her a video. She showed it to her nurse and physician assistant and they all three said, "YOU did this before?  Wow.  Ouch."  I proudly said, I taught that before and want to again!  They then realized I was strong and willing to fight this disease with all that I could muster if they would just let me LIVE in the meantime.  As soon as I was able to convince my doctor, David, and my mom that I would survive the experience...  I drug myself out of the bed and into some gym clothes and talked someone into driving me to a pump class!

Last week when we saw the oncologist, I asked her how many more monthly rounds of chemo I would need to do.  I don't know why, but as we are approaching the one year mark I guess I expected some kind of change in my treatment regiment.  I was wrong.  I was caught off guard.  She said, "well this is round 6 of probably 18-24 rounds of chemo."  Wow.  I have to keep taking this stuff for another year... at least.  I was (and still am) devastated.  Here I am getting stronger in so many ways but I still have so much fighting ahead of me.  I hate "chemo week" each month.  I hate waking up for 6 days straight feeling like I have a terrible hangover... like my head is pounding as if I didn't sleep, thirsty, and nauseous.  Yet worse because the only fun I had the night before was swallowing some nasty smelling pills, having to sit up straight for an hour so that it would go down and hopefully not burn my digestive tract, and then falling asleep by 9 sometimes in a puddle of tears only to wake up knowing I have more mornings just like that one to look forward to tomorrow.  On off weeks, I have to get lots of blood work done.  Then every other month I have an MRI... sometimes a simple one that is only 30 minutes long, but other times a 2 hour MRI.  I have one of the long ones coming up on March 20.  I hate having to be so still in a tiny noisy tube for 2 long hours, but I do like that it gives my oncologist so much detailed information about this cancer that we are on a mission to kill... to remove from my body... all the while trying to keep my body strong enough to keep fighting.

At the gym, my new favorite game to play is "excuses".  I started this with my new friend Virginia.  She was about to give up.  She made some comment about her age or her knee (I honestly don't remember)... I just remember that I said, "oh, if you want to compare excuses... I'd love to play!"  She laughed and took me on.  I won!  I showed her my brain surgery scar and told her I was currently going through chemo.  She took a drink of her water and we pushed each other through the rest of that kickboxing class!  Not two weeks later in a pump class, Virginia was behind me again and another woman was beside her.  She was groaning and made a comment about being too old to finish this class, it's just too hard for a woman her age she told me... and commented that I was still young.  I told her that I love to compare excuses, did she want to play?  Virginia laughed and said, "say NO, she will win and you will be challenged..."  The other lady played anyway and lost in our game of excuse comparison.  She finished that Pump class and pushed herself right past some limits she was putting on herself.  Now they both get near me when they can... we push each other.  I don't want to be treated like I'm sick but I'm still careful!  I always make sure there is someone in the room that knows where my seizure meds are located in my bag along with where my phone is and how to contact David if needed.
I just really struggle with the extra challenges that this disease puts on the people around me.  It has added a tremendous financial burden to our budget and specifically to David. When I have "sick" days, it makes Kirstyn ask and worry that I might die during the night. When I spend an entire day at the doctor for MRIs and reports, it makes James ask if I'm going to have to go away and stay at the hospital.   In many ways, we have all had to grow up a little sooner than expected.  Our faith and love is growing stronger.  We are trying to be much more careful with our words.  I still have moments of short temper, quick words, and deep depression...  Writing helps me think it through and your responses challenge and encourage me.

I made up my mind a while ago that I was going to fight this as hard as I could while continuing to live the best I know how.  I get frustrated, I get depressed, I deal with paralyzing fear, I seek the face of Jesus, and I ask for prayer and encouragement.  I want my kids to continue to learn from me.  I want to keep challenging myself.  I want to keep learning.  See, with or without cancer, I'm still the same stubborn me! 

But I'm slowly and humbly realizing that I really am an example of LIVING STRONG.  So do me a favor, put aside what ever excuse you are currently using and try to do something that you know will be rewarding but difficult... just make sure the end result will be worth it and focus on that, because the journey there may be much more challenging than you expected!

“What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.” - Aristotle

Daily Lemon: Musical Gifs

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Hello, and welcome to Animal Idol! Today, we've got some crazy (albeit cute) animal contestants waiting to show their singing skills!(cute)
First up we have the Bunny Bros. singing possibly the weirdest song ever to come on the radio :

RED SOLO CUP!I LIFT YOU UP!Lets have a PARTY!PROCEED TO PART-EEEEH!!!!!
All right, boys, that's enough. Seriously. STOP.
Next,  we have the Kitteh DJ's, hopefully singing something slightly more sane :

Toniiiiiiight! DJ's got us fallin' in love agaaaaaiiiiiin!!!!!So dance! dance! like it's the last! last! night of your life! life!Gon' get you right!
Ok, thanks for getting all the bad images out of my head, guys. Really appreciate it.
Here's Party Rock Puppy, with "Sexy and I Know It"

Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggleYEAH!
And last but not least, we have the Flying Turtle.

Starships were meant to FLYYYYYYYYY!!!! Hands up, we touch the skyyyyyyy!!!!

Now, let's hear from our judges.
 Randy           Paula         Simon
Randy: I like the dawg.Paula: Love it ALL! Is it possible to die of cute?Simon: That was so awful, my head is spinning.
Who won? Leave an answer in the comments below.Bye and Happy Wiggling!

Daily Lemon: Earth Day

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In honor of Earth Day, I found some pictures of endangered animals. Hopefully their cuteness will inspire you to not kill them. Thank you.
This is a chinchilla. Isn't he cute? Sadly, cutting down trees in their home rain forests and capturing them to use as pets has made them critically endangered.
 
These are some ocelots. OMG, they're even cuter than that chinchilla. However, back in the 70's, people killed most of them for their fur. Today, only about 75 ocelots remain alive, and they're all too closely related to mate and have healthy offspring. In other words, it's only a matter of time before they go extinct.


(crying eyes out)
NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!! (sniff)
This, as you may guess, is an elephant. So many elephants are poached, tortured, and forced to perform in circuses, it makes me kind of depressed just thinking about it. 

And, of course, polar bears. When I'm grown up and this is gone:. . . i will be very sad.
BE NICE TO THE EARTH PPL!!!!!!!MAYBE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!!!!

Daily Lemon: Facebook

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Obsessive texting girl: OMG LOL :):) xDDDDDDDD 2dayz post iz abt facebook lol! :PTranslation: Omigod hahahaha today's post is about Facebook. Silly face.
 Grandpa: Kids these days. What'd you say? Somethin' 'bout a face book? I'll show you a face book!

OTG: Watev. OMGZ u should of seen wat jenna posted!!!!! LOL! Translation: Whatever. Oh my Growling Zebra, you should have seen what Jenna posted! Lots of Leopards!
OTG: LOL tht bunny iz like my grandpa xPTranslation: Lunar Oriental Llamas. That bunny is like my grandpa. Silly face.
OTG: lol i posted this on my grandpas status xPTranslation: Licorice on Lamps. I posted this on my grandpa's status. Silly face. 

 Grandpa: AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGH!!!!!!!
OTG:Translation: YESSSSS! Silly face.
OTG:Do I really need to translate?
Grandpa: Stupid kids.
THE END!!!!

Daily Lemon: Cake Wrecks

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One of my favorite web sites (and also my inspiration) is Cake Wrecks. It's basically a bunch of failed "professional" "cakes" with misspellings, creepy decorations, or look like poop, just to name a few. There are cakes that say, " I lave you" instead of "I love you", cakes that portray Santa Claus as a kid-eating stalker, cakes with poo flowers, etc. You name it, CW has it. The funniest part is that the decorators aren't kidding. Yep, that's right, these insane people actually think that plastic evil clown heads in a cake look good.Yep, they're crazy. but you should check out Cake Wrecks, the link is **not** below. Stupid iPod won't let me make links.

Daily Lemon: That's Silly

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Ah, babies. They're so cute, right!? I mean, who could resist a cute widdle face like this????

Sorry, wrong picture.
(shuffling through pictures)
Ah, yes. Here it is. 
        Nope, still wrong one. 
Maybe this is it!!!!

No?
Fine, I give up. Maybe they're not so cute.
Especially when they start playing with inflatable sex toys.

Or practicing their kung fu on you.

Or . . . you get the idea.

 (old person impression) Stupid kids.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

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Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

Tweet this!

Dollar General Everyday Heroes May Giveaway

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Dollar General's Everyday Heroes program is a wonderful way to recognize that there are ordinary people all around us who can make a difference. They launched the program in February 2012, and have been honoring people from all walks of life, from firefighters to veterans to teachers to caregivers.  For May, what better group of people to honor than Moms, the ultimate unsung Every Day Hero?  I don't think anyone can argue that moms do extraordinary things every day for their families and communities. 

There is no better example of an Every Day Hero than Georgia mom Mary Gail Emery, Dollar General's Every Day Hero for May.  Emery is a single mom of two, holding a full-time job and part-time work.  She coaches her daughter's basketball team, serves as a volunteer coach for other AAU and YMCA basketball teams, and provides rides to other kids who would be unable to participate in sports programs otherwise.  That's what I call a hero!

Here are the other ways Dollar General is celebrating moms:
Throughout the month of May, in recognition of moms who do extraordinary things every day for their families and communities, Dollar General® is teaming up with Procter & Gamble® to honor moms – the true Every Day Heroes who have made sacrifices for their families and their communities. To celebrate moms, Dollar General is inviting customers to upload videos describing why their moms are “Every Day Heroes.” Videos can be submitted and viewed at www.dollargeneral.com/everydayheroes.



Win a Mom's Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a Dollar General prize pack containing a variety of mom essentials:

• Tide® Pods
• Febreze® Auto Air Freshener
• Always® Radiant
• Tampax® Radiant
• Secret® Coco Butter Clear Gel
• Old Spice® Champion Deodorant
• Dollar General chip clip.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me why your mom is an everyday hero.   This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1)  Upload a video about your mom to Dollar General's website at www.dollargeneral.com/everydayheroes (1 entry)

2)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

4) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

5) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry).

6) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

7) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Dollar General Moms giveaway! http://bit.ly/Lk5LEg

8) Write this on the Dollar General Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a beauty prize package for Moms from Dollar General on Bonggamom Finds! http://bit.ly/Lk5LEg

9) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Win a Moms Prize Pack fr @DollarGeneral & @ProcterGamble! Enter by 5/31 at http://bit.ly/Lk5LEg #giveaway

10) Enter any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 31, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on June 1 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.



Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Thanks to Procter & Gamble for providing the prize pack for this giveaway, as well as a second prize pack for me.  Promo information (in italics) was provided by Blue Chip Communications. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
 
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Eden Fantasys Gift Card Giveaway

To contact us Click HERE

These days, they say forty is the new thirty, and I couldn't be more relieved!  I'm turning forty next week, so it's good to know that I don't have to start living in muumuus and cardigans.  In fact, I'm more determined than ever to stay fit and healthy, celebrate life like it's a party, and dress for it!

That's where EdenFantasys comes in -- they're a great place to find flirty and fun clubwear like little black dresses, ruffle tops and more.  I recently purchased a jeweled drape top from EdenFantasys to wear to a blog dinner, and I couldn't be happier with it.

The shimmery grey fabric drapes so nicely and flatters practically any shape.  The back of the dress is blinged out with a rope of shiny stones.  I like that it has little cap sleeves, so it kind of hides the flab on my arms!

I wore the top with a black belt, black leggins and shiny wedge heels.  It's actually a dress, not a tunic top, so you can do away with the leggings if you're confident enough to wear it, but that was the one concession I made to old age.  I'm too old for micro-miniskirts --  but not too old for a cute top! It's the perfect top for going out, no matter what your age!


Win a $50 EdenFantasys gift card
Would you like to party the night away in a top like mine?  Or treat yourself to any of EdenFantasys' luscious body products, sexy lingerie or fun adult products?  EdenFantasys is helping me celebrate my birthday with a giveaway!  One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a $50 gift certificate to EdenFantasies!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which EdenFantasys product you would buy if you win the $50 EdenFantasys giftcard.  This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).


1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Repin any of my pins on Pinterest (1 entry for each repin).

5) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry).

6) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

7) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Eden Fantasys giveaway! http://bit.ly/J5TsF0

8) Write this on the EdenFantasys Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a $50 EdenFantasys gift card!  Giveaway ends June 3, enter on Bonggamom Finds: http://bit.ly/J5TsF0

9) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Win a $50 Eden Fantasys gift card!  Enter by 6/3 at http://bit.ly/J5TsF0

10) Enter any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on June 3, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on June 4 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.



Disclosure: I will be receiving an EdenFantasys gift card as a thank-you for writing this post.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
 
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Fiber One Chewy bars review and giveaway

To contact us Click HERE

Looking for a snack that combines the taste kids’ love with the nutrients they need? Be one of the first to try new Fiber One® Chewy bars, the perfect wholesome snack that the whole family will enjoy! Available in Chocolate and Strawberry PB&J varieties, these chewy bars are perfect for in-the-house, on-the-go, and everywhere in between. Complete with a peanut butter or chocolate bottom and yummy drizzle in every bite, kids won’t be able to resist the taste and parents won’t be able to resist the nutrition of this enjoyable snack.

Fiber One Chewy bars contain 20% of the Daily Value of fiber and 10% of the Daily Value of calcium
These 100 or 110 calorie bars contain no high fructose corn syrup, and only 7 or 8 grams of sugar.

We received samples of new Fiber One Chewy Bars (along with some other goodies that you could win for yourself,  see giveaway below) and the kids really love them!  Both flavors -- Chocolate and Strawberry PB&J  -- are great.  I don't tend to like PBJ-flavored bars because either the peanut flavor is too strong, or the jelly is too sweet, but this one had a great balance.  Naturally, the fiber is a huge plus!


Win a Fiber One Chewy Bars gift pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a gift pack from Fiber One, which includes:

• (1) Box of Fiber One Chewy Chocolate Bars
• (1) Box of the Fiber One Chewy Strawberry PB&J Bars
• Drawstring Sack Pack
• Water Bottle
• Flexi Flyer
• Soccer Ball
• Sidewalk Chalk

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which Fiber One Chewy bar you are most looking forward to trying.   This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).


1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Repin any of my pins on Pinterest (1 entry for each repin).

5) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry).

6) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

7) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Fiber One Chewy Bars giveaway! http://bit.ly/MsjAQm

8) Write this on the Fiber One Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a Fiber One Chew bars prize pack!  Giveaway ends June 4, enter on Bonggamom Finds: http://bit.ly/MsjAQm

9) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Win a Fiber One Chewy bars prize pack!  Enter by 6/4 at  http://bit.ly/MsjAQm #giveaway #MyBlogSpark

10) Enter any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on June 4, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on June 5 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information (in italics), and additional sample have all been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
 
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Bonggamom's 40th birthday giveaway

To contact us Click HERE

Today is a very special day.... my 40th birthday!  I'm not into big birthday celebrations (the last time I had a birthday party was 17 years ago), but this is a milestone birthday, so some kind of festivity seemed to be in order.   I thought about a special birthday trip, but jetting away to Vegas or Mexico with a group of girlfriends just isn't my style.  Actually, the truth is, that kind of trip is out of my budget, especially since we're going to the UK this summer and to the Philippines over winter break.  But I really want to take the kids to Disneyland once school lets out, so that's going to be my big birthday trip, and I couldn't be more excited.  What better way to celebrate turning forty than by visiting the land of eternal youth?

But I couldn't let my birthday pass without some kind of giveaway on this blog, because I'm so grateful to the support I've received from all of you great Bonggamom Finds readers.  I'm far too busy and challenged to worry about approaching middle age and all that stuff, and this blog is a huge, huge part of that!  It has given me purpose in life, and I couldn't have done it without you!  I wish I could send each and every one of you a birthday goody bag, but I can't, so to celebrate my 40th birthday, I'm giving away a $40 (of course it had to be $40!) Amazon gift card.  Thank you for helping me grow Bonggamom Finds to where it is today!




Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you celebrated your last birthday.   This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).


1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Repin any of my pins on Pinterest (1 entry for each repin).

5) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry).

6) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

7) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered your birthday giveaway! http://bit.ly/Jw99vf

8) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
@bonggafinds is celebrating her 40th birthday with a $40 Amazon gift card giveaway!  Enter by 6/12 at http://bit.ly/Jw99vf #giveaway

9) Enter any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on June 12, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on June 13 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance.  For additional giveaway rules, click here.
 

Disclosure: I purchased the giveaway prize myself.  All views and opinions expressed here are my own.

 
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Orb Factory Review & Giveaway

To contact us Click HERE
Hailee is all about projects, when I came across the Orb Factory I knew she would love to do one of the many projects the carry! There are tons of projects to choose from and are well priced, they even have Fancy Nancy & Veggie Tales items.

She has tons of jewelry and just got more for her birthday, she has no place to put it in. I typed in jewelry in the search and adorable jewelry boxes came up. I really thought she would the Happily Ever After Jewelry Box and I was right.

The Happily Ever After Jewelry Box is a great way to keep kids busy while making their box beautiful and something she can be proud of. It is a great way to get kids to follow directions as well. The box includes 750+ sticky foam & jewels, a jewelry box & a Fairy Tale Story.


At the end of the story the is a grid that shows numbers that match up with jewel or foam pieces and the jewelry box includes numbers to add the jewels & foam pieces on. Its very easy to follow, Hailee is 6 and had so much fun following the directions to make it beautiful. Her favorite was the jewels.

The little drawers hold lots of jewelry with plenty of room still in it. We used one of the drawers for earrings, one for bracelets & one for necklaces!
The Happily Ever After Jewelry Box is priced at $19.99, it holds a lot of jewelry so its well worth the price.

If your looking for a fun project for boys or girls check out The Orb Factory! Everything is mess free!!



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The items featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.