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Friday, December 31, 2010

Lets bring in 2011….

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YAY!! It is almost here. 10 more minutes to be exact before we start writing “2011”. As we send 2010 off, with a kick in the pants, I would like to share with you my resolutions/goals for 2011 with you.

  1. Lose 50 pounds. Yes, that is the stereotypical resolution but it is a must for me. I am down about 6 pounds now, but my heart needs a break. I think that will be the other piece for me to start feeling even better.
  2. Become an even more dedicated blogger. Unfortunately, after my best friend moved, I lost my blogging passion for awhile. However, I am out of my mourning period and I am ready to be back full time. Bring it blogging world. Show me what you have!
  3. Become a better wife. It is time for me to re-dedicate myself to the man that means the most to me in my life. I really have neglected him and I will no longer make him feel unloved. The truth is, I love my husband with every fiber of my being. Time to show it.
  4. Take my Girl Scout troop to a higher level. Re~focusing and concentrating on these girl’s best interest. Helping them find themselves and guide them in to being better young ladies. I LOVE MY TROOP! Troop 55 rocks!
  5. Form better friendships. I have a few friends that I really want to get to know better and form those lasting bonds with. I really need that in my life right now.

Have you given some thought in to what you would like to improve on in 2011? Lets do this together. I will let you know my progress on my resolutions. Together we can do it. Lets make 2011 the best year yet!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Happy Holidays….

 

Ok, so I am a day late and a dollar short. I have been really busy this last few months with my Girl Scout troop, sick kids and Christmas shopping.

I hope you all had a GREAT holiday. I know I definitely did. The biggest joy of my month was seeing my Girl Scout troop giving back to the community. We were very busy with visiting nursing homes, being in parades, and collecting food and toys for the less fortunate.

I hope you all are getting your 2011 goals/resolutions in order. I will be back tomorrow with mine…

Centrum Ultra Women’s Holiday Contest

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I, for one, love the Centrum line of vitamins and supplements. Some vitamins make me ill, but I find Centrum to be the easiest on the on the tummy. With that said, I was so stoked to hear that the makers of Centrum Ultra Women’s is hosting a holiday contest!!

Do you know “America’s Most Amazingly Energized Woman??”

They want you to nominate a woman that you know that puts her health first, despite all that life might throw in her way. We always seem to lose sight of ourselves with the kids, husbands, work and house. However, there is women out in this world, in our own backyards that do it all. If you know of this special woman, nominate her!!

Visit www.LoveFeelingHealthy.com to tell the world about your friend or family member. Submissions must be 300 words or less. Remember, to make her SHINE! When you visit LoveFeelingHealthy.com, you should also take advantage of the healthy living tips given by Molly Shannon.

A panel of judges will select 5 finalists that will be in the running for the prizes. The Grand Prize is a $3000 Xperience Days Gift Certificate. There are also 4 Runner up prizes of a $400 Xperience Days Gift Certificates.

Submissions will be accepted until January 3rd, 2011 (12pm EST). The public will be able to cast their votes from January 17-31 from the 5 finalists.

Sooooo lets get to nominating!!

I am a member of One2One Network and this post is part of a member project where I am eligible to win prizing.  I make no claims about Centrum as a product or it's effectiveness.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

‘Tis the Season for Giving!

 

Do you ever wonder what charity you would like to donate to? Or how to locate them? How about the safest avenue to make your donations? Well do not worry any more! I have great news! GiveBack.org is the best venue to donate to one charity or multiple charities throughout the year.

How it works:

You create a foundation (account) to manage your donations. It cost NOTHING to you or the charities and 100% of your donation goes to the charities. That is so amazing. You can find any charity registered with the IRS. I think the best thing about this is that it produces one receipt for you at the end of the year for your taxes! So convenient and really easy to use. When you sign up, it gives you $5 to your account.

There is also a store to shop in and a percentage of what you spend goes in to your foundation to donate. What is better than that? Get your Christmas shopping done and get a percentage of that to donate to those in need! AMAZING!

Please visit GiveBack.org and sign up today. I promise you will NOT regret it!

I would like to thank one2one network for the opportunity to blog for this wonderful program!

TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL: A Review

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This book combines a spiritual faith at Christmastime with opposite personalities searching for love when they least expect it. Cora Crowder wanders in to this small bookstore looking for the perfect gift when her life changes. Simon Derrick also wanders in to this same bookstore at the same time and this is the beginning of an odd but magical journey that they will take together. These mysterious tickets to a Christmas ball will bring these two together when you might think it is impossible.

My review:

I absolutely and unequivocally LOVE this book. I have never heard of the author, Donita K. Paul, but I am now a fan. She delicately brings in faith and religion into romance. She writes an intriguing story about running away from your problems and family and how quickly they can sneak up on you. I, myself, have a step brother with a disability and I love how she portrays such a beautiful relationship between siblings when one suffers from a disability. It made me believe that you may seek love from the most unusual of places when you least expect it. It has tons of mystery surrounding a little street. You will love it as much as I do!

About the author:

Donita K. Paul is a retired school teacher turned author. She has penned many novellas, short stories along with 9 novels. She wrote the best selling series, DragonKeeper chronicles. She has won several awards. She lives in Colorado Springs, Co. On her time away from writing, she likes cooking, beading, stamping and knitting. She also enjoys her time with her grandsons.

You can purchase this lovely holiday story from any major book retailer!

I would like to thank Waterbrook Multnomah for providing this book to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

A “Community” Christmas: A Review

Community Cast

“Community” is this great sitcom on NBC. I know I am sure you all are huge fans. I am late on the Community boat. However I got to preview the Christmas special a head of time and I am HOOKED!

“Community” stars some all stars such as Joel McHale (The Soup), Chevy Chase and Donald Glover (30 Rock), just to name a few. The whole premise of the show is about this whole group of “misfits” that attend this community college.

A few things came to mind as I was watching this episode. California Raisins Claymation and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory meets Rudolph and the Land of Misfit Toys! It was TERRIFIC! The basic idea behind the story was trying to find your own meaning of Christmas.

Abed goes in to his own Christmas dreamland with his friends. They travel a long in his mind looking for the North Pole. They learn things about Christmas and about each other and at the end it really does have a heart felt moment where everyone realizes it is ok to have your own meaning of the holiday.

I HIGHLY recommend you tune in tomorrow night, December 9th at 8/7c to your local NBC station with me to watch this Christmas show. I would love to hear your thoughts after you view it!

 

I would like to thank Sony Picture Television and One2One Network for the opportunity for this early preview. All opinions are 100% my own.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Lose-A-Palooza

 

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Calling all social media users!! Take part in Lose-A-Palooza on September 14th.

What is Lose-A-Palooza you ask?! It is a HUGE social media explosion about Lose For Good, a campaign to benefit Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger. Weight Watchers will donate 1 dollar for every mention, acknowledgement or action related to Lose For Good, up to $60,000. And remember, this is for Tuesday, September 14th only!! Amazing, right??  It is time to use your blog, Facebook and Twitter for good.

Please take part in this one day event for a great cause!! Just by mentioning Lose for Good, you raise money for such important causes. Lets help end hunger on our own soil!!

Check out these websites for more information:

Lose-A-Palooza or  Lose For Good.

If you tweet about this event on 9/14 use hashtag #LoseForGood. You will definitely see me tweeting about this. Don’t forget to follow me @carasleik

 

Thanks to One2One Network for event info and a chance to win a gift card!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Back To School 2010

 

Julianna started 1st grade today. I can not believe how time has flown since she was born. She is so smart and beautiful and fun to be around. My first born is amazingly loving and caring towards others. She started today off with that same awesome attitude and looked so grown!

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My little chubba, my Matthew is now a Pre-Kindergartener. Now, this is hard for me to wrap my head around. When he was born, he almost didn’t make it because an extremely serious blood infection. Now look at him, a thriving, amazing mommy’s boy!! I love him more than words.

100_3687 Here is to an amazing school year for all the little kids out there! Lets learn and grow together!!

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Where have I disappeared to??

 

I am so sorry to have disappeared!! I am here, alive and well and EXTREMELY busy. I have taken a new position with Girl Scouts, volunteering at my daughter’s school, School Advisory committee, back to school and dealing with all the emotional ends of my best friend and her pending move to Maine. I will slowly get back in to it though. Sorry for the disappearance :)

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I am WIRED4LIFE! Are you??

 

I know, you are all probably thinking what is WIRED4LIFE. It is this amazing group of women who all have pacemakers or ICD’s implanted to help with their heart arrhythmia's or heart conditions. These little devices keep our heart on the straight and narrow, in some cases keeps us alive. When you are faced with such problems, it can be very scary. That was the case with me. I became “wired” on April 13, 2009. My heart will not beat without my pacemaker. I am pacemaker dependant. That alone makes me very scared. It is very hard for my family and friends to sympathize with me because without one, its very hard to know how someone really feels with one. That is why I was so incredibly blessed to find this amazing support group for women who are “wired”.

I want to introduce you to Dawn Huberty, founder of WIRED4LIFE. She has become someone extremely important in my life. She introduced this whole world of new friends and supporters that DO know exactly how I feel.  This is a sisterhood with a bond that can never be broken, we are all wired for life.

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Dawn was lives in River Falls, WI with her husband Jim.  They own a auto repair shop in Maplewood, Minnesota. Dawn enjoys thrifting and chatting with her wired sisters.

I asked Dawn a few questions about her health conditions and how Wired4Life came to be. I want to share her answers as she wrote them. She has such an interesting story…

2. When did you realize you had heart problems. When was your PM implanted?

I was born with a heart defect, suffering my entire life with an undiagnosed heart condition.  I had lived with repeated fainting spells from infancy until the age of 26, when I was experiencing them up to ten times a day!!  I had to stop driving, and I basically quit living for fear of fainting in public.  On October 15, 1991 I lost consciousness after a fainting spell and was hospitalized.  Two days later after extensive testing I had my first pacemaker implant.  I was relieved to finally have an accurate diagnosis after 26 years

3. How hard was it for you to adjust? Mentally and physically.

It was not hard for me to adjust, mentally or physically, I was young and quite active, not worrying about tomorrow, just living for today.  One month after my surgery, my dad and I flew to Amsterdam to visit my brother who was stationed in the Air Force there, we spent nine wonderful days touring Germany and Holland.  I spent the next 13 years living like any other healthy person, not really thinking much about my pacemaker!

4. What made you decide to start Wired4Life?

In 2003, about a year before my 2nd implant I was having concerns about the surgery, recovery time; my ... how 13 years had changed me!! I was now a worry-wart, not as carefree as my younger self!  Not only did I have questions, but I had also been dealing with other health issues, not knowing they were heart issues too!

I had two TIA's (mini-strokes), I couldn't imagine they had anything to do w/ my heart, afterall, the pacemaker was supposed to solve those problems, but I was worried as the doctors said I could possibly stroke out with severe symptoms if we didn't resolve this.  Turns out I had a hole in my heart (PFO); and one year after my pacemaker implant, a septal occluder (a patch to close the hole) was implanted.  In two years I had two heart surgeries.  Certainly they weren't as serious as open-heart surgery, but they each had risks and it made the worrier in me come out even stronger!

After discussing some personal questions with my pacemaker nurse (how can my bra strap stop irritating my scar, what sort of things do I have to stay away from), she suggested I start a local support group for women with pacemakers - because we had different issues than men, and like myself, most women were born worriers!!!

I started WIRED4LIFE as a local group in St. Paul, but couldn't get a regular number of women to attend; so decided in late 2004 to stretch our outreach to the world, and it ended up MUCH MORE successful, even women who aren't internet savvy (some of our older members) can receive the newsletter via email or snail-mail, we talk on the phone instead of the computer!  I try to always be available one way or the other to the members!

5.  Who, if anyone, has been your biggest inspiration throughout this journey?

My mother passed away in 1978, and my dad in 1993, just two years after my implant.  Both of my parents in their own heavenly way have guided and inspired me down this 'wired' road.  However, my earth-angel and biggest supporter has always been my husband, Jim.  He is just one of those men that is who he says he is; very real, caring and extremely supportive of every part of me, from my health issues to what I want to do with my time; and my time the past six years has been spent growing WIRED4LIFE.

6.  Can you tell me about the daily operations of Wired4Life? 

It's never daily unfortunately, because I have always worked full-time either in my own career or working with Jim at the shop.  The time I find for WIRED is when I can squeeze it in; early in the morning, late at night, in-between fun times during the weekend and there is always a big crunch time for me at the end of the month, to finish the newsletter!  When I have time, I'm working on the monthly newsletter, tweaking/adding content to our webpage as well as our Facebook FAN page!  I keep track of dues; send expiration notices, reminders, update my spreadsheet, send packets of information out, write grants, promote the group through internet advertising, and dream/write about our 2011-2nd annual conference!

7.  What is your goal for Wired4Life short and long term?

Short term is to keep stretching our wired arms out into the communities of this world, to educate women about living life with a pacemaker, as well as knowing that emotional support is just a phone call or email away!

Long term -- oh my, the list is long!  I'd like to educate emergency room doctors as to the symptoms that women have; so different than men in regards to heart pain/symptoms.  I would love to get ALL of the device companies on board and possibly under our umbrella in a way that would support the women of the world.  Medtronic and Boston Scientific have been amazing, providing mentoring at every corner, but there are lots more device manufacturers that need to get familiar with WIRED4LIFE and lastly, of course I'd like every device/pacemaker clinic, heart hospital and cardiologist across the globe to know who WIRED4LIFE is!!!

See what I mean…Dawn is an angel! I really want every one of my readers to know how much this group has helped me. When I am feeling sick or depressed or even happy I have a wired sister ready to share words of care and uplifting me to a better place. They know how I am feeling because they go through it too!

WIRED4LIFE has an angels program. You can donate $20 to WIRED4LIFE and pay for the membership of someone who is unable to pay that needs the support like I do. Someone was an angel to me and I am soooo very thankful! If you would like to donate, please contact Dawn at dawnhuberty@wired4life.net.

I would like to share the mission statement of WIRED4LIFE. It sums up what this group is all about.

We are women, from every nationality, living in every part of the world, practicing every different aspect of spirituality and healing.

The one thing that connects us together is that we are ‘wired.’

Our group:  WIRED4LIFE is an international, online pacemaker support group for women.

We provide not only information and education, but also friendship and camaraderie.

Not every woman with heart disease will need a pacemaker; but if she does – our group is meant to provide support and understanding.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Happy 4th of July

 

It was definitely a rainy and dreary July 4th. Despite the rain, we had so much fun with our friends, 3 Crazy Monkeys. We had a fun cookout with Teriyaki Chicken Wings, sausages, hamburgers, salads and chips.

We made the kids firecracker hats. It was a lot of fun and they turned out real cute. The kids played outside in between rain showers and the adults cooked and played games.

We were able to go see Joe Diffie in a free concert in the park while we waited for the fireworks to start. Seeing him in concert was a highlight of my day! As we were waiting for the fireworks, Mother Nature decided to play a practical joke and open up the skies. So trying to get back to the car was very interesting and we got SOAKED. It was fun tho, it was just part of our adventure. Needless to say, our 4th was firework-less! I hope you all had a happy and festive 4th!

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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Hasbro Game Night with House Party Inc

 

Trivial Pursuit: Bet You Know It is a new game by Hasbro. I really have never been a great fan of Trivial Pursuit because, well, the questions are ridiculous. However, I had a chance to do a house party with this new game and we had a BLAST!!

The banter back and forth was playful and fun as we bet chips, guessing if the player would know the answer or not. It gives the game a whole new dimension. We had a lot of laughs and smiles. I shared the game with 3 Crazy Monkeys and her family.

You can get Trivial Pursuit: Bet You Know It at any retailer where games are sold. Gather your friends and have a Hasbro Game Night at your house!

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House Party, Inc. gave me the materials for this house party. All opinions are my own.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

The winner is…..

 

#14! The Bertones said:

 

I tweeted about your giveaway!
http://twitter.com/the3kidsandme/status/16738836605
the3kidsandme@yahoo.com

 

Congrats on winning your $10 Racetrac gift card! Make sure you fill up that refillable cup until September!!

Thanks again to MomSelect for giving me the opportunity to do this giveaway!!

Friday, July 2, 2010

YAY for summer fun!

 

I loved taking the kids to the Aquatic Center after story time on Wednesday. We had so much fun. I got to spend quality time with my favorite friends and the kids played in the water for 3 1/2 hours. So awesome!!

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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Lets dive in to summer reading…


Reading is one of those things that I love to do. Luckily, my kids love it too. We are participating in our local library’s reading program as well as her school’s.

Here is a FEW of the books that we will be diving in to!!

  1. The Pony Crazed Princess series by Diana Kimpton
  2. Twenty six Princesses by Dave Horowitz
  3. What a Trip! by Arthur Yorinks
  4. Sort it out by Barbara Mariconda
  5. Cottonball Colin by Jeanne Willis
  6. Bats at the Library by Brian Lies
  7. The Donut Chef by Bob Staake
  8. Dr. Meow’s Big Emergency by Sam Lloyd
  9. Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex
  10. Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman
  11. No Hugs til Saturday by Julie Downing
  12. Princess Baby by Karen Katz
  13. Sally and the Purple Socks by Lisze Bechtold
  14. Twelve Terrible Things by Marty Kelley
  15. What does Mrs. Claus Do? by Kae Wharton

What are you and your kids reading this summer? Remember parents~~ COMPREHENSION is key! If your child can not remember what you read, they are not getting much out of reading! Happy Reading!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Outlast Long Lasting Hand Sanitizer

 

Germs run rampid. Everywhere you go you can not escape them. You see most moms carrying around a bottle of their favorite hand sanitizer. But did you know, most hand sanitizer products only last for about 2 minutes? Some germs can live on surfaces for up to 2 hours. So how protected are we?

I was very fortunate to review a new hand sanitizer product. Outlast Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer works for up to 6 hours!! It is also is alcohol-based which means it kills up to 99% of germs instantly. A lot of hospitals and surgeons use it in the most sterile conditions!

I found Outlast to have a very strong alcohol smell at first. It disappears within seconds though. It left my hands very smooth and not oily, which I love. With lasting for up to 6 hours, a small bottle goes a long way.

You can purchase Outlast Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer by calling 1-800-716-2420 or by visiting their website at www.outlastgerms.com/moms.

I would like to thank MomSelect for this opportunity to review this product. All opinions are my own and honest.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Music Camp!!

 

This year, the kids were able to participate in Music Arts Camp that was put on by a local church. It was a 3 hour week long venture. And not only did the kids LOVE it, so did the mommies. We had 15 hours that week of kidless silence. That is so precious, especially in the summer. We also had the opportunity to share our experience with one of my daughter’s friends from school. It is definitely something we will make a summer ritual.

Julianna had Dance, Piano, Bells and Puppetry. She said her favorite was dance. She learned a lot from all of them though.

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Matthew was in the pre-K class. They did a little bit of everything and had snack and made a daily craft. Hands down, his stories were all about the drums! On parent day, I was able to go to drums with him and he was in his element. He looked so happy and thought he was a pro. I loved seeing him so happy!

 100_3632100_3633Friday, was parent day. They started us out in the sanctuary. They sang very motivating and inspirational songs that the kids were learning all week. I loved seeing the kids get in to the music and know the words so well. I just want to thank Ms. Carrie and FPC Haines City for such a great program! See you next year =)

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Saturday Summer fun!!

 

100_3595If there is one thing that I dislike the most, it is staying home with nothing to do on a nice summer day. So with that in mind, I decided to go over to my best friends house and we packed a picnic lunch and took our kids to Lake Toho in Kissimmee. It has a great covered playground were we had lunch and the kids played. They also have a little lighthouse at the end of a dock in the Lake. Fun was definately had by all. Here are some pics of the day!

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Monday, June 14, 2010

Kindergarten Graduation 6~9~10

 

Wow, I am a day late and a dollar short posting this…LOL.  Anywho, my daughter is now a first grader. She had her graduation ceremony on Wednesday June 9, 2010. She got awards for top Kindergarten reader and top Kindergartener overall out of 150 kids. So I am so proud of her. She did us so proud!!! We love you Julie and here are a few pictures of the day….

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Need to beat the heat? Giveaway!!

 

Its crazy hot here in Florida! You have to be careful not to get dehydrated. So thanks to MomSelect and Racetrack I know I won’t. I love my Racetrack refillable cup on sale for $6.99.

For the summer, you get to refill your mug for FREE! That’s right!! I said FREE!!!!!

 

MomSelect is allowing me to give a gift card to Racetrack for your own refillable mug and some snacks to go with it. To win your $10 gift card you need to post comments to this post in the following ways:

    • MANDATORY… What is your favorite Racetrack snack?
    • Follow my blog
    • Follow my tweets @carasleik
    • Blog about my giveaway and leave me the info.
    • Tweet about my giveaway.

Thanks to MomSelect and Racetrack for the product and giveaway!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs party!

What an interesting time!!! An acquaintance of mine invited us to this movie themed party this past Thursday. It was a beautiful sunny day so we set off for her house at 9 am with the 5 pounds of spaghetti I cooked. The food being served was all oversized as it was in the movie.

First, the kids watched the movie. They were all pretty good and quiet for the most part. This was a great time for the adults to catch up and get together all the oversized food.

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Then, it was time to EAT!!!! Very fun and unconventional way of course. On the menu for the kids were spaghetti and meatballs, chicken nuggets, a candy forest, oversized bread, and huge cupcakes. All of which they ate with their hands with no utensils or plates. Sooo fun to see the expressions on their faces when we told them to get messy!!

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After we got them all cleaned up in the outdoor shower, it was time to spend the rest of our afternoon in the pool. The kids loved it as it was the first swim of the summer. We had a friend with us and she had a blast too!!

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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Hamptons Hotels Chain of Friends Sweepstakes

Who won’t love a whole hotel to themselves and their friends for a whole weekend?? Well that is the Grand Prize for the Hamptons Hotels Chain of Friends Sweepstakes. There are also 100 prizes for a weekend stay for you and 3 of your friends. Man o man my girls and I could really have some fun with that. No boys for 2 days…I call that heaven :)

So not miss out on this opportunity!! Visit Chain of Friends sweepstakes to in on this opportunity.

**I would like to thank MomSelect for this information and the chance to win a Be My Guest certificate.

Welcome June!!

I sure have waited for your arrival! June marks the end of school for my daughter and the start of a fun summer. I have quite a few plans for my family.

  • Summer school  Mommy-style!
  • Girl Scout activities
  • Attempting to landscape the front of our house
  • Free bowling and movies with our favorite family
  • Walks and bike rides
  • A trip to the beach or see a minor league baseball game
  • Kindergarten Graduation!!!!

What are your plans for June? Lets have some fun together!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

walk like you have somehwere to go~ a book review

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This is one amazing book written by Lucille O’Neal.  I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It is amazing how you can face adversity right from the start and come out on top!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Ms. O’Neal walks us through her life with such detail. She was born to Odessa Chambliss and Sirlester O’Neal in the early 1950’s, living in Dublin, Georgia. At the age of 3 her parents divorced and her father moved her family minus her mother to New Jersey where he was born and raised. That is where her paternal grandparents took over the child-rearing. I will not give anymore of the book away, except I will tell you that getting pregnant so young really made this wonderful lady who she is today.

You can purchase this book at any retailer where books are sold. I would STRONGLY recommend this book to anyone. It is truly an inspirational read. I truly look up to this lady also known as Shaq’s mother!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Who likes Like Wear??

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LikeWear is a great company that specializes in fun children’s clothing. They make custom clothing with anything that your kids are in to. My daughter just loves these shorts with push pops on them. The quality of the clothes are really great too. They stand up in the laundry. Visit www.likewear.com to check them out!

It is the summer…time for head lice prevention

 

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When I attended the 2010 SmartMoms Solutions Roadshow in Tampa I was dealing with the nasty nasty head lice issue with my 6 year old. She kept getting it from school and I could not get the school to do anything so she would not get it back.

Maria Bailey and ZippityDoos were the answer that I was looking for. Maria told us about this new head lice prevention line of childrens hair products. From Shampoo and conditioner to de-tangler and shield spray. I love knowing that there is a product out there that will prevent that nasty head lice bug from invading my daughters hair.

It is such a great product. It has tea tree oil and citronella in it. The smell is pretty strong for my daughter but she loves using it. If you need to prevent lice you need to try ZippityDoos….it is so worth it!!! Visit zippitydoos.com and I promise you will not be sorry!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Blog name change

When I set out in this blogging journey, I had no idea what creative name I wanted to stamp my thoughts with. So I generically named it Cara’s Life. It is about my life but that is not catchy. I wanted a name that people could associate with me. So my blog will now be called “A Caring Heart”. Why did I decide on that?

Simple answer. I have some serious heart problems. I want to bring awareness to women and heart disease. It will be very important to me to spread the news of women with the same struggles and share my very personal triumphs and failures.

I would really like for you to give A Caring Heart a chance. If you would like me to touch on a subject close to your heart please email me at carasleik@gmail.com

Baseball is over

100_3425 My little man has finished his first baseball season. He played mini-T this time and he loved it. Here he is with his coach after getting his trophy. He finally got the nerve to catch the ball towards the end of the season. Nothing is cuter than watching a bunch of 4 year olds running and tackling a little ball.

Closing ceremonies was nice. They all lined up with their teams and the whole team got called up to get their trophies. Here are some pics of the night…

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Friday, May 14, 2010

Calling all moms….

When we are sitting at home dealing with our kids in everyday life we always look around for things to help make life simple. Wouldn’t it be great to come up with an idea that could help other moms out there too? Do you know a mom that has a great product that she wants to get off the ground? Let me tell you of this great program that help moms like us get our products off the ground!

The Huggies Mom-Inspired Grant program is awarding up to $15,000 in seed money and business resources to help further product development. You can submit an application and a judging panel will follow special criteria and choose winners. Winners are chosen quarterly. If you do not get picked this quarter, you can keep submitting the applications. There is a lot of grant money out there so do not be shy! Your ideas might help us all one day!

So do not delay…visit www.huggiesmominspired.com to see rules and read all about this amazing program! Join the Huggies Mom-inspired Grant Program Facebook page to stay up to date on the latest news and updates!

Lets start making a difference! You only have 27 days more to submit an application for this quarter!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Pillsbury Crescents Get together

I had an opportunity to host a My Get-together party with Pillsbury Crescent rolls.  It is a great way to cook outside the box with normal day to day foods or rolls in this case. For our little get together, we made Pillsbury Crescent pizza and apple pies. I wanted to base this get together around kids since we all are moms and need to please our picky kids!

I had my 2 little sous chefs in the kitchen to help prepare the meal! It was a HUGE success! I also received a recipe book that will help me continue to cook out of the box and help me surprise my family.

I want to give a BIG thanks to  Pssst…General Mills for providing me with the host kit for this event!

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Sunday, May 9, 2010

Attention all Tampa, FL area moms…

There is a Tampa Smartmoms Solutions Roadshow coming up on May 13th from 10am-12noon. It is at the Ramada Tampa Westshore Inn & Conference Center, on 1200 North Westshore Blvd, Tampa.

This is going to be a free two-hour event showcasing products and brands designed with mom’s in mind. Anything from green cleaning solutions to wellness solutions for your family. There will be opportunities to take part in some interactive demonstrations as well as to touch and feel the products. Which wouldn’t be complete without a chance to win some prizes.

As well as hearing from some products across the country, they are looking to hear from us local moms as well. Then of course some time for our favorite thing networking and socializing!

I will be there, and hope to see some of you there too!

If you are interested in attending, you can RSVP to Melaine Yerman atmyerman@bsmmedia.com. Act fast as it is just around the corner!

Happy Mother’s Day!

This is dedicated to all the wonderful mothers out there! I am surrounded with truly wonderful women that have touched my life in one way or another.

My mom, Melissa, is my right arm. We have been through it all together. She always is there to show me the error of my ways and expressing her unconditional love to me. She is an amazing grandmother to all of her grandchildren. She is unselfish and giving. She is loving and she is caring. She is my mother and I love her!

Happy Mother’s Day Mommy~ I love you!!!!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Sisters!

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There is something very special about that girl whose name is Krystal. Yes, she can be a pain in my butt, however, I would not change it for the world. She used to beat me up and thinks it was funny. She was there for me at my wedding. She keeps me in line when I am being stupid and she makes me laugh when I am sad. She is the best aunt that my children have and she loves with her whole heart and is there for her family unconditionally. She is an amazing mother and I look up to her. She always puts the feelings of others first. She is my little sister and I love her. Thank you for being an extraordinary sister to me for the 27 years that I have known you. You deserve a little recognition for all that you have become! I am so proud to be your big sister!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Kindergarten Science Project

The friday before spring break, Julie brought home a project assignment with her spring break homework packet. Let me remind you that she is in Kindergarten. I thought for sure it was given to her in error and it was not meant for her to do. She had to make a model of a animal habitat with a report. I talked to her teacher after spring break, and for sure, it was an assignment for her.

We did our research on the Cottontail Rabbit on the internet and formulated a plan. We made a 3-D habitat and we took pictures of real rabbits outside our house. It was a lot of fun for the both of us and it really gave us an opportunity to bond! Here are a few pictures of the finished project…

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Friday, April 23, 2010

My little helper

mattcleaningI love this crazy little boy! He did not want to eat his lunch until he cleaned up the mess that Noelle made while she was eating. He is such a big helper and this mommy will be lost when he goes to school in August. I love you my little Chubba!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

…Noelle…

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The lesson for today is… do not take anyone or anything for granted.  We have a chow chow puppy who is now 2 years old and her name is Noelle. She is very special and wonderful dog. This past weekend, Noelle fell very ill. She stopped eating and was vomiting several times a day. She also had blood in her stools and vomit. We had to come to grips that she might not make a recovery. With 2 small kids, that is a very hard concept to address. The kids and I prayed for her recovery and sat and just spent time with her. My husband and I thought we may have to put her down so we wanted the kids to spend time with her and say their good byes.

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Luckily, after lots of prayers and love, we had a second opinion from another vet with a lot of experience. Noelle was diagnosed with a severe ulcer and pancreatitis. She is on 6 medications and special diet of bland chicken and rice and gatorade. We have faith that she will make a full recovery now!

Someone lost another tooth

100_3214 My little princess lost another tooth! Getting this one out was a chore, to say the least. We were trying to pull it out for 2 weeks. Finally my hubby and I decided just to bite the bullet and yank. She did not like that too much but we had no choice since it was sitting in there at almost a 90 degree angle!

She was excited about the tooth fairy’s visit tho, she wanted me to take a pic of her putting the tooth under her pillow. My gosh time does fly…

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