5 Random Questions 16

I love answering random questions, and I love reading other people's answers to random questions. So I thought that would make a fun series. I will answer the 5 questions in my post and you can answer them in the comments. We can all get to know each other better, how much more fun can you get?

So here we go 5 Random Questions:

1. Do you want children? no, I'm good. Just kidding, yes, I have always wanted kids, and am thrilled with the two that God has given me, and am willing to care for any others he asks me to.

2. Do you want a church wedding? Yes, I had a church wedding.

3. Are you religious? I am a Christ follower. I don't consider it to be a religion, for me it is a relationship.

4. Do you like reality TV programs? I enjoy some of them, like I said last week I watch Bachelor and Bachelorette with Mr. Random.

5. Do you like TV talent shows? I used to watch American Idol with my family sometimes, but since I'm not huge into music I wouldn't put it on much.



I can't wait to read your answers!


Questions Source:

http://allysrandomage.blogspot.com/2007/06/101-random-questions.html

5 Random Questions 15

I love answering random questions, and I love reading other people's answers to random questions. So I thought that would make a fun series. I will answer the 5 questions in my post and you can answer them in the comments. We can all get to know each other better, how much more fun can you get?

So here we go 5 Random Questions:

1. What’s your favorite non-alcoholic drink? I used to love milk but I am trying to go paleo (which includes dairy free) so besides water (which I love) I like juice and tea, and hot chocolate, and smoothies. I have also tried a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri and that was really yummy. 

2. What’s your favorite TV program? I love the Gilmore Girls, I have watched all 7 seasons probaably somewhere between 15 and 20 times in the 5 years since Mr. Random and I got married (we bought them soon after we got married). I have recently found that I enjoy Switched at Birth. Mr Random and I watch the Bachelor and the Bachelorette (yes Mr Random watches with me and he loves it even more than I do sometimes). I also love Firefly, The 4400, and Smallville. Yes, most of these are older shows. We rarely hook up the TV and watch actual TV, most of the time we watch movies and TV shows on DVD.

3. What’s your favorite boy band? Honestly, I don't have one. I rarely listen to music (Christmas is the one time of year that I put on music instead of listening to a movie or podcast etc.) and I didn't listen to music as a kid/teen either so I can't even name many boy bands :).

4. What’s your favorite girl group? Same as last answer but insert girl group :)

5. What was your last dream about? Ok, this wasn't my last dream, because I can't remember my dream last night, although I do remember it was weird. By the way, side topic, I am the weirdest dreamer, seriously I have super crazy dreams. I once had a dream that my mom was dead  under my bed (in a totally non horror movie way, just a sad I would really miss my mom if she died way). Btw speaking of crazy dreams remind me to tell you about the first dream I had after I gave birth to Little Man 1 it was interesting and I wrote it down so I would remember. Anyways the night before last I remember 2 dreams. One was a nightmare where there was a pack of wolves coming at me and I was trying to protect my kids. The other was an interesting cool dream in which I had a really big kitchen. I mean huge. It was like the size of my current home (we have a tiny less than 1000 sq ft house, but that is huge for a kitchen!) It had like aisles of counters and different stations like a dish washing station, cooking stations etc. The fridge and freezer were each double the size of my current fridge. Like I said super crazy huge. It was a lot of fun to dream about :)


I can't wait to read your answers!


Questions Source:

http://allysrandomage.blogspot.com/2007/06/101-random-questions.html

Thank You God

On this week of thanksgiving God gave me the precious gift of true Thanksgiving.

At my bible study the other night the song Temporary Home was played. The last section of it talked about an old man in the hospital saying good bye to his loved ones. In that moment I was brought back to my grandfather’s deathbed a few years ago. Even though it was a while ago I was brought right back to that place of grief and loss.

At the end of the study another song was played. I don’t even remember what the song was. I didn’t really hear it. While I was sitting there listening to the song God gave me a beautiful picture.

My heart heavy with sadness, I could feel it a hard lump in my chest. When all of a sudden God reached down and touched my heart. It began to rise and lighten. It bloomed like a flower and I emerged from my grief. I flew up to heaven straight into God’s arms. As I hugged God I turned into a small child safe in my father’s arms. God hugged me close to him and told that everything would be ok, he would always be with me.

This season of life has been very overwhelming. I have been busy, overworked and under-able. I have been feeling constantly like I need a break, but don’t have much time for one. I have found ways to cope, taking a little time for myself here and there, trying to get things done so that I could mark them off my list, but it is not enough. I need God now, I can’t get through a single day without him. I can’t do anything without him. Tonight he reminded me of that, and lifted me out of my problems in a very special way and I am so thankful for it. I am thankful that he gave me the gift of peace, and thankful that he gave me the gift of thankfulness.

When this happened I knew that he had not given me this gift just for me but to share it with others too. I know that this season is busy for a lot of people, and many of you may be dealing with grief both fresh and resurfaced. So this picture is for you too. God is there for you always holding out his arms and holding you in his arms. Always there for you.

God Bless You

The Christmas Owl Book Blast and a $50 gift card giveaway! Sponsored (ish)

I was provided with an entry for the giveaway in return for posting this.

I am joining with several other wonderful bloggers to let you know about an awesome book and bring you a great giveaway. Enjoy!

About the Book 

Title: The Christmas Owl

Author: Angela Muse

Illustrator: Helen H. Wu

Publication Date: November, 2013

Publisher: Independent - 4eyesbooks

Number of pages: 36 Recommended age: 3+

Summary

A Barred owl becomes injured and must ask others for help. He promises to give back to those who have a generous heart and he is true to his word. Also check out Lil Glimmer, The Nutt Family: An Acorny Adventure, The Pig Princess, The Bee Bully, Eager Eaglets: Birds of Play, Cactus Charlie, Suzy Snowflake and Monsters Have Mommies by this author.

Book Trailer

 

Purchase

** You can download a copy of "The Christmas Owl" for only 99 cents from NOW through to November 14, 2013 on Amazon!! **

Amazon (Print) | Amazon (99 cent Kindle Book)

About the Author: Angela Muse

I was born in California to a military family. This meant that I was the "new kid" in school every couple of years. It was hard always trying to make new friends, but I discovered I had a knack for writing. I began writing poetry in high school and really enjoyed expressing myself by using pen and paper. After becoming a Mom in 2003, I continued my storytelling to my own children. In 2009 I wrote and published my first children's book aimed at toddlers. In 2012 I am set to release several more children's books. Check out what I'm working on by visiting my children's book blog. Writing is such a wonderful creative process and I look forward to sharing more of my stories with lots of new little readers!

Website | Facebook | Twitter

* $50 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)

Contest runs: November 12 to December 11, 11:59 pm, 2013

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Angela Muse and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Ultimate List of White Elephant Gifts for Women! #Sponsored

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mont Bleu for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Christmas is just around the corner. We put up our decorations this weekend. It is also Christmas shopping season. We buy presents all year when we find a good deal or the perfect present but there are always more presents to buy. One of those presents that I used to forget to pick up is white elephant gifts. So I put together a list of great white elephant present ideas to help us all put together a fun present. Putting several of these in a basket is also a great idea!

 

The Ultimate List of White Elephant Gifts for Women (works for young women too)

 

Body Pampering

Lotion

Bath Salts

Bubble Bath

Body Scrub

Body Spray

Loofah

Massager

Electric Spa Wrap

Neck and Shoulder Wrap

 

Face Pampering

Facial Mask

Makeup

Lip gloss

Refreshing Wipes

Compact Mirror

 

Hair Pampering

Hair Mask

Hair Clips

Stylish Bobby Pins

Headbands

Bun/ Braid tool

Head Massager

Bath Pillow

 

Hand or Foot Pampering

Nail Polish

Nail Polish Pens

Nail Glitter / Rhinestones

French Nail Kit

Nail Dotting Pen

Nail Stamps

Nail Stencils

Nail Buffer

Pumice Stone

Fuzzy Socks

Slippers

Foot Mask

Foot Spa

 

Kits

Pedicure kit

Manicure kit

Facial Kit

Homemade Spa Kit

Hot Chocolate kit

Coffee Gift Basket

Date Night Kit

Family Movie Night Kit

 

Food

Tea

Specialty Coffee

Hot Chocolate

Apple Cider

Wine

Sparkling Juice

Fancy Fruit

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Fancy Candy

Truffles

Foreign Candy

Fancy Cookies

Fancy Jams

Homemade Baked goods

Homemade Candy

Dried Fruit

Nuts

Larabars

Granola

Granola Bars

Mugs

Stemware (wine glasses, martini glasses, etc.)

 

Gift Cards

Amazon Gift Card

Target Gift Card

Restaurant Gift Card

Spa Gift Card

Starbucks Gift Card

Really Any Gift Card :)

 

 

Misc.

Jewelry

Purse

Craft Supplies

Book

Music

Essential Oils

Plants

Flowers

Homemade scarf

Fluffy towels

Cute Hat

Christmas Ornament

Picture Frames

 

 

 

 

What are your favorite White Elephant Gifts?

 

 

Sponsor

This list is brought to you by Mont Bleu. Mont Bleu sells hand decorated compact mirrors. They decorate them in Europe and use SWAROVSKI® ELEMENTS crystals in their designs. The hand work and the SWAROVSKI® ELEMENTS crystals make these compact mirrors beautiful and special. But don’t take my word for it, look at these beautiful pictures!

You can find out more about Mont Bleu on our E-shop, Our Facebook, Our Google Plus, Our Twitter and find some inspiration on Our Pinterest. Use this code SCM13 to get a 30% discount in our e-shop on all compact mirrors.

5 Random Questions 14

I love answering random questions, and I love reading other people's answers to random questions. So I thought that would make a fun series. I will answer the 5 questions in my post and you can answer them in the comments. We can all get to know each other better, how much more fun can you get?

So here we go 5 Random Questions:


1. What’s the furthest you've ever been on holiday? I went to Taiwan on a mission trip in High School

2. What was your favorite holiday? My favorite holiday is Christmas

3. Where would your dream holiday be? Fun, family, food, and love

4. Can you tap dance? no

5. What’s your favorite zoo animal? hmm, is it bad that I can't think of one? I enjoy seeing them all. I do enjoy penguins but I'm not sure it qualifies as a favorite



I can't wait to read your answers!


Questions Source:

http://allysrandomage.blogspot.com/2007/06/101-random-questions.html

Super Fun, Cute, and Easy Pregnancy Costume

This year I am not pregnant on Halloween. But when I was pregnant with Little Man 1 I was nearing the end of my pregnancy and pretty large. Even though we didn't have any specific plans for Halloween that year I knew that I still wanted to dress up. After all how many opportunities do you have to do a pregnant Halloween costume?

I did a lot of googling and compiled a file of my favorite pregnant Halloween costumes (sorry I can't share them with you, they are not my pictures so I don't have any right to share them but you can google them yourself). My favorite ideas were: dress as a farmer with a pumpkin belly, bun in the oven & chef, speed bump, cat with fish in belly, watermelon belly, basketball belly, snoopy and charlie brown, deviled egg, and of course the one I picked - 8 ball from pool.

I picked this one because it was easy and I didn't need to buy anything or put in a lot of work to make it cute. All I did was wear black ants and shirt and draw an 8 on a piece of white paper. I cut out the paper in a circle and taped it to my belly. That is all, super easy! And I love how it turned out!

What do you think? Were you ever pregnant on Halloween? Did you wear a special costume?

5 Random Questions 13

I love answering random questions, and I love reading other people's answers to random questions. So I thought that would make a fun series. I will answer the 5 questions in my post and you can answer them in the comments. We can all get to know each other better, how much more fun can you get?

So here we go 5 Random Questions:

1. Are you a good actor? I'm ok, I have acted in a few skits like for church and such, but nothing big.

2. Are you a good writer? I think that I'm pretty good at short stuff, like blog posts and children's books. I do not have the patience to focus on one story long enough to write a book, I know because I have tried.

3. Have you ever been bungee jumping? No, and have no desire to, I am very scared of heights

4. Have you ever been canoeing/kayaking? I have been canoeing not kayaking

5. What types of holidays do you prefer? I love any holiday I can sspend with family and relax. Presents are just a side bonus (although I do love the whole present giving and receiving, gifts is one of my love languages. I actually love giving presents as much if not more so than getting them. Unfortunately most of my family does not understand and doesn't realize that when I am giving them a present I am saying that I love them so that takes some of the fun out of it, especially the older we all get)




I can't wait to read your answers!


Questions Source:

http://allysrandomage.blogspot.com/2007/06/101-random-questions.html

5 Random Questions 12

I love answering random questions, and I love reading other people's answers to random questions. So I thought that would make a fun series. I will answer the 5 questions in my post and you can answer them in the comments. We can all get to know each other better, how much more fun can you get?

So here we go 5 Random Questions:


1. Are you a good swimmer? I am ok, not super strong but I can get from point a to point b

2. Are you a good skier? I have never been skiing

3. Are you a good musician? No, it is one of the few creative pursuits that I simply can't get into

4. Are you a good comedian? Not really, I am occasionally funny, but not all the time like they seem to be.

5. Are you a good cleaner? No, when I do get around to cleaning it is done well, but I am too willing to let it pile up (and ok with big piles) before I put in the cleaning time.




I can't wait to read your answers!


Questions Source:

http://allysrandomage.blogspot.com/2007/06/101-random-questions.html

Guest Post: Benefits of Piano Lessons for Children

Hey all! I had my baby 6 weeks ago! He was born on August 17 at 8 lb 12 oz and 21 in long. Anyways that is why I haven't been on here at all in the last several weeks. 

Phillip was kind enough to write a post for you guys to help me out so I could have a little maternity time. So here it is, take it away Phillip!

Hi I'm Phillip Lenhart and I have a website where I give people tips and information on how to play the piano, how to read notes and how to learn to play piano by ear. Its important to always learn the basics before anything else. You can learn that here: http://pianosexpert.com

Benefits of Piano Lessons for Children 

Research shows that being musically inclined at a young age can improve how the brain process, giving way to better listening and understanding skills. According to the Foundation of Universal Music Literacy Research Materials, there are many beneficial attributes a child can reap when he spent his early years playing a musical instrument. It raises his IQ at the same time, helps him overcome some learning disabilities such as autism. Some benefits of piano lessons for children:


A child learns to handle stress and pressure with poise and grace.

One of the benefits of being a pianist at such an early age is they are more capable of handling pressures in life. They participate in various musical performances such as recitals. Because of that, they need to deal with overcoming their stage fright and anxieties. It is a known fact that in order to avoid those uncanny situations, a student spends ample time mastering his piece and practicing it over and over again just to be able to perform at his best.

It helps in the development of peripheral and cognitive skills.

Increased eye-hand coordination is one of the benefits of piano lessons for children. It is known that every child who can play the piano have this skill. Unlike other instruments, piano requires both hands to work independently. One had can move in a fast pace, while the other in a slower rate. This helps in a child's dexterity and develops his thought process. It also helps them to concentrate and remain focused. In order to interpret a note or rhythm, one needs to heed much attention to it so that he can translate those notes into hand movements on the keyboard.

Piano Lessons boost ones morale.

It gives them the idea that they can achieve anything. Especially if they'll do their best, focus on the task until the time they accomplish it. There is no guarantee that a child can learn his piece in a very timely manner. There will be moments that it will even seem impossible. They need to have numerous practice attempts to fluidly deliver their musical piece. It is inevitable that a child will get discouraged. Thus, if he overcomes that, there's always the possibility he'll succeed, be good at something. By the time he showcases his talents and realize that hours spent practicing the piece had been appreciated by the audience, he'll gain his confidence and self-esteem. Piano recitals are one of the best ways to boost a child's confidence and not become discouraged or frustrated.

It helps them express their imaginative side and embrace their uniqueness.

Every pianist expresses himself in his own unique way of performing, making him different from other performers. By doing so, he becomes recognized and stands out among the rest. They work under the close scrutiny of their mentors and judgmental eyes from the audiences. They need to get used to those and just embrace what they are, after all, music is a way of expressing what you are as a person and it is an outlet for your creativity.