Monday, December 22, 2008

Anticipation

Have you ever received bad news that you wanted to blog about yet putting the words in writing for some reason made it seem more real than you would like? I know it may seem silly but for a little over a week now I have been really struggling with this. Many of you, especially my followers are twitter, knew Gab went in for her big test on the 11th of December and have been waiting for me to post the results. I have briefly posted tweets about what happened and even took the time to upload the video from that day and put together a vlog... just not post it. I have such a hard time putting myself out there, so to say. Writing my feelings on such a sensitive subject makes me feel somewhat vulnerable and I DON'T like to feel vulnerable ;) To better explain myself, I guess I am one of those people who would rather hold it in than feel as if I am throwing a self pity party, no matter what the circumstance is. I am sure this is all my own perspective on the situation and probably the real truth behind my subconscious is that I just don't want to type out the results or talk about it with many people b/c DANG IT, I DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT! Putting it all out there is allowing myself to admit it is real. I remember last year when Gab went into the hospital to have brain surgery I created an awesome site for her. I sent it out to everyone who was in contact with us including family, friends, co-workers and they each sent it on to someone else. There were so many people commenting and reading her story it was great. We received plenty of comments sending along prayers and people saying they were touched by reading Gab's progress and seeing all the photos I would post. Shortly after she started having problems in the hospital I quit updating. I was going through so much that writing about it at that time was not something I could do. It was depressing enough to watch my daughter go through all of it but to put it into words was even more difficult. I look back now and wish I would have continued with her site. Many people throughout the past year have asked how things went and what happened. Family and friends miss seeing all the photos... So now even though it has been over a week, I am determined to pull my head out of the sand, try to fight the depression, have a little faith and publish this post!

I also won an awesome FLIP video camera from Katja, in one of her blog giveaways, to whom I owe a vlog post. So here you go with my very first vlog!


{Without further adieu}
Gabby's video update.



For those of you with a million questions... I know the video was vague for someone who hasn't known us for a year or doesn't know the whole story behind Gab's surgery. I will do my best to sum it up. Gab had a stroke during utero and therefore was born with Cerebral Palsy. At nine months old she started having seizures. With the help of steroid shots, seizure medication and lots of therapy we had been able to keep her healthy and active until she was about 4. Her seizures at this point became monthly, weekly and then daily. Since she had brain damage caused by the stroke her epilepsy was only going to get worse. The Neurosurgeon informed me we had to do surgery to remove the abnormal brain tissue in order to stop the seizures, the convulsions were lasting 20 minutes each time and she could no longer even go to school. The surgeon believed if we did not remove the left side of the brain (which was the damaged part) then eventually her right side (good side) would suffer stress and start having seizures as well. Once he approached me about surgery it was scheduled within two weeks. Since we did not know if she would walk or talk after surgery the Make-a-Wish foundation sent us to Disney World for the first week before surgery. She was a little over 5 1/2 years old when she had the first brain surgery. The whole process did not go as the doctor wished and she developed infections in the blood stream which kept us in the hospital for over four months straight. The end result was the removal of the left side of her brain. We were not able to have an EEG to see the results of surgery until December 11th of this year, one year after her final surgery. They had to allow the brain a year to heal to show an accurate EEG test without the stress in the brain waves from surgery. She has continued seizure medication everyday since surgery. During this recent test we hoped for the best results, a completely clear EEG so we could stop meds. Unfortunately what the doctor was trying to avoid from happening, happened. The seizure activity has now moved to the right side of the brain. There is nothing left for the doctors to do except continue her on medication. Since she is now only 6 years old and already tried many medications we can only hope for the best. She only has half a brain left and really can't afford for the seizures to cause much more damage. Within the past month I have seen at least two episodes of seizure activity which really scares me. This test meant a lot to us and the end results were supposed to make us feel like everything we have been through was worth it. It was supposed to be a sign that things were getting better and hopefully one day soon I could work outside of the home again and stop all the crazy appointments that we have weekly. Apparently that is not in the cards for me at this time. I am trying to keep up my spirits and hope that my working from home will perk up to become more successful soon. Did you hear about Tom Cruise's daughter Suri and her Ladybug Shoes on Oprah? Well reading the post on Katja's blog has really given me hope that something BIG can happen to a work from home mother who blogs.

Happy Holidays!


Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Confession ~ Seal Album Giveaway


{Confession}
In 1994 I was 12 years old and
jammed to Seal's hit song at the time,
Kiss From a Rose.
Yes, I owned that baby on cassette tape!
Probably where I recorded it
off the radio thinking I was so cool.


When I was told Seal's new album was being released November 11th I was excited to hear it.



{Confession}
I have been overly stressed lately.
I haven't had the chance to write blog
posts lately or even read my favorites.
I recently wrote an updated post to try and
catch everyone up. I am on overload.


Once I received Seal's Soul album, the kids and I played it in the living room stereo. We danced, sang and smiled. Since then we have listened to it while driving and singing along. After dropping the kids off at school, I listen to it alone and relax. A Change is Gonna Come is very soothing. Taking a moment to be stress-free has not happened around here lately. ~Thank you Seal!

My title says a giveaway... so here it is! I have the opportunity to giveaway a copy of Seal's new album on CD. How exciting? In perfect time for the holidays too, when you need to relax the most!

But wait... that's not all!
(always wanted to say that, so infomercial)

I also get to giveaway (something I don't even own myself) mini-retro iPod speakers thanks to Delight.com!

How cool are these?! They will make a perfect stocking stuffer for my daughter.

Think of Delight.com as a unique boutique that stocks the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Delight features eco-friendly tote bags, gadgets for guys, kitchen gear that is smart and saves time, travel essentials, one-of-a-kind baby gifts, stocking stuffers for holiday gift shopping and unique jewelry and décor accessories with most under $50.

Also a great way to get the inside scoop
on newsletter only deals and tips sign up here.


{Confession}
Even though I want to believe I can do
it all, I can't. My load has to be lightened.
Therefore, for me, A Change is Gonna Come.

Now for ways to enter contest...!

1 entry} post a comment here telling me what it is you do for your down time (read, listen to music, watch TV?)

1 entry} tweet or blog about this giveaway and help promote Seal's new album release then re-comment here with a link to your post

1 entry} follow my blog to be the first to hear all the upcoming giveaways and re-comment letting me know you did

Contest ends Monday, December 8th and the winner will be randomly picked using random.org

Special thanks goes out to Arianne over at To Think is To Create and One2One Network along with Delight.com for making this great giveaway happen!

To enter more gift fest giveaways check this out.

Random Sequence Generator
Here is your sequence:

2
7
17
15
8
3
12
13
18
14
1
4
10
5
16
9
11
6
Timestamp: 2008-12-12 15:10:23 UTC

WINNER is Katy Wheaton! Katy posted the second comment which as you see in my random.org results the 2 comment was picked! CONGRATS Katy!
Since Katy never responded I went down the list, the second winner had no contact info listed and no blogger profile so I went on to the third where I found our winner!
Congrats to SHANNAN POWELL!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Holiday Shopping Guide Giveaway


In celebration of Cyber Monday and the Holiday Gift Guide Virtual Party going on I am hosting a giveaway on my blog.

I am excited to giveaway a copy of the new book The Problem With Women is Men by Charles Orlando.

I can't wait to get my own personal copy of this book to read. I just love the title in itself and know it will be a great read!

This book would be a wonderful gift for any woman on your holiday gift lists along with all the curious men wanting to know what it's all about.


Don't want to wait to win a free copy? Get yours on Amazon today!





Contest starts right away and ends on Sunday, December 7, 2008. In plenty of time to receive the book for Christmas giving.
Entry details:

1 entry} Leave a comment telling me who you would like the book for (yourself or gift).

1 entry} tweet about this giveaway along with link to blog post and come back to leave second comment with link to your tweet

1 entry} blog about giveaway or link within blog post to this original blog post and come back to comment with link to your post

Don't forget to follow my blog to stay tuned for up coming giveaways and reviews!

Random.org will be used to determine the winner Monday morning!

Good luck readers and Happy Holidays!

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRANDI! Random.org pulled the number Brandi's tweet stood for making her the winner of the Problem with Women is Men.

For more gift fest giveaways enter here.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Holiday Shopping Guide Part 1

This is the first post for the beginning of my Holiday Shopping Guide. In this post I have included a few recommended shopping sites along with descriptions of what kinds of products they offer. Happy Holidays Everyone!


Still haven't sent out your holiday cards? Here are a few great sites to look over. Amy Adele has the cutest stationary and cards you can find. I also love the fact that they are eco-friendly!
25% OFF Personalized Christmas Cards from Amy Adele
Although Clinique is not a store that sales holiday cards they do have a wonderful offer going on right now which includes FREE holiday cards from Big Brothers Big Sisters. I have done quite a bit of volunteer work with this wonderful organization and love to promote any company that helps them out! So why not purchase a Christmas gift and receive your holiday cards for FREE?!
Clinique Online
Vista Print is a great company that I use for a lot of my business printing needs. They offer many of their items either FREE or at a very large discount. Always worth checking out their deals.
VistaPrint USA Inc.
Shutterfly is a great site to create online photo sites to share your memories throughout the year which is great for the holiday season. You can also create your holiday gift cards with a personal touch of a family photo.
Shutterfly.comShutterfly.com


Here are a few web stores that offer gifts for anyone on your list.

I absolutely LOVE the Personal Creations site! You can literally shop for everyone hard to buy for on your list. A personalized gift is priceless. I am personally purchasing our Christmas ornaments for this year through this store!
Personal Creations Holiday 2008
I had to throw in the Label Daddy store. This store is great during the holidays. Purchasing labels for all your new items, especially for the children is almost a necessity. Not only their coats they take to school but all the toys the might travel with over the holiday breaks. Label Daddy is also a great way to help keep yourself organized so this year don't forget to label the Christmas decor before putting it back in the attic.
LabelDaddy.com ... Label the things you love !!
Napster is perfect for the music lover in your life. For the teen you might not know what to get a subscription to Napster would do the trick.
Napster, LLC
Vans is a great store for children, teens and adults. They don't only have shoes but boots and clothing as well.
Vans,a Division of VF Outdoor, Inc. - Official Online Shop
Sirius Satellite Radio is not only for music lovers but sports and new addicts as well. Anyone with or without a vehicle would love to have a XM-on-Sirius Radio this holiday season.
Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.
Who doesn't love Flowers? When I don't know what to send my grandmother or out of town Aunt for the holidays, flowers always do the trick! What about for co-workers or other non-personal relationships? I believe plants, wine and gift baskets are all great gift giving items to say Happy Holidays.
ProFlowers logo banner 125x125Free Shipping on All products-including gift basketsFlowerStore.com
iTunes is a great place to purchase gift cards, download music or even movies and television series. Most everyone nowadays has an iPod or some sort of MP3 player. This is another great site for gifts.
Apple iTunes
The Buckle store is another well known store for not only their clothing but accessories as well. Great for anyone on your list.
Buckle.com

This concludes Part 1 of my Holiday Shopping Guide. Within the next couple of posts you will hear all about the giveaway taking place on my blog along with Part 2 of the Shopping Guide which will include shopping sites for Women, Men and of course Children!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

I am Thankful...



I am Thankful that we are home for the holidays. I don't just mean home in the town of Benbrook, TX where we live. I mean for the fact that we are spending the holidays in the comfort of our home outside of the hospital.

Last year we spent every holiday in the hospital while Gab undergone brain surgery. We didn't even celebrate Thanksgiving and because of her short term memory loss she didn't truly remember what Thanksgiving was. It is so nice this year to be able to celebrate the holidays with our family and be thankful everyone is healthy.

There are many more reason I am thankful this year and many more family members and friends I am thankful to have in my life. Being thankful to not be living in a hospital is just the number one change this year from last.


Gab November 13, 2007 before first surgery




Gab after first surgery (a little swollen)






Gab after second surgery




Gab while in rehab at hospital (first time standing alone)




Gab now, a year later! A beautiful survivor of brain resection surgery removing left side of brain, lots of rehab, therapy weekly and relearning all about life!




My two other blessings in life.





I would say I have plenty to be thankful for!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Change...

Where to start...
First I want to say I am sorry I have not posted in a while. So much has gone on the past couple of weeks.

Update.

1. We moved into a house and left the apartment in the past. Hopefully it will stay there. I painted the kids' rooms and will post photos soon. First time painting, so beware. I have completely relocated but have not completely unpacked. Working on it... and almost done.

2. I decided to change my major in college. Yes, I am completely shocked too. Especially since I am scheduled to graduate next year. I have been torn and confused on my outlook and really feel a pull towards a different focus. Accounting will still be part of my experiences and I am sure Business will play a large factor in my major. However I have new plans now. Announcement coming soon!

3. We have been sick! Very sick. First Gabby came home with a high fever a day after receiving the flu vaccine. She had no other symptoms except the high fever, which to me is scary enough considering her epilepsy. After two days of non-stop fever she was fine. Until the next week when she got the stomach virus that lasted 24 hours and of course, passed on to me. I thankfully did not catch it as bad as she did. Now for the past four days I have been fighting a sinus infection. Finally started antibiotics yesterday and starting to get a little better. You can at least understand me now when I talk.

4. Although I was sick I managed to get out and do some shopping on Black Friday. I could not resist considering the deals I was after. I really need to watch every penny this holiday season so I had to get the items on my wish list while they were on sale. I will post the great deals soon!

5. Over the past few weeks another big thing happened. One of our suppliers for Unique Diva Boutique went out of business. Unfortunately that is happening to a lot of small companies right now with the economy the way it is. That leaves us with only a few items left from Mineral Girlz and our web store has been updated. So if you would like any mineral makeup or makeup tools (as in brushes) you better hurry over to Unique Diva Boutique to check out what is left. We have marked the items on sale as well. They will make great stocking stuffers.

6. I also received the new album out by Seal and the review is coming next on my blog. And what's better with a review other than a GIVEAWAY?! So watch for it soon!

Now there are other announcements coming soon along with a Holiday Shopping Guide. Can't do it all in one post, now can I?

Sorry for being out of touch but I promise that will change soon!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Tiny Prints Holiday Card Contest

I am so excited to announce yet another giveaway! This round is going to be a lot of fun. In the Tiny Prints Holiday Card Contest I am going to send you on a little scavenger hunt. Yes, you read that correctly I am going to make you work for this prize. Don't panic yet, I won't make you work too hard.

So what is the prize you ask?


Winner receives:
50 holiday photo cards,
72 address labels and
60 stamps with the matching card design!
O.M.G. I know, don't fall out of your chair!

If you are anything like me then 50 greeting cards for the holidays is more than enough to send out to friends and family. I am amazed that I get to offer this great deal to one lucky reader. Wish I could hand it out to more than one of you.

Now for the fun part! Go to Tiny Prints Holiday Photo Cards and let the scavenger hunt begin! You all know that I am giving you a free excuse to browse the internet to look at fabulous holiday cards just in time for this wonderful season! On your scavenger hunt find the photo card with "slushy to chic" in the description. Once you have succeeded in your quest you must click the "ask a friend" option to share the card with me to my email address: djanep05 (@) sbcglobal.net. There is still another catch, the fun part! You can not just find the card and email me as proof, you must also create a fun greeting for the card. Once you find the card and create the greeting then email it to me and click save to favorites. Then come back to this post and leave a comment including your witty, catchy, impressive greeting. Do not give away the title of the holiday card otherwise you will inform your competitors where to go. The person with the most creative greeting will win! I know all my wonderful readers are smart so go get your creative juices flowing and win some beautiful photo cards for Christmas.

Break Down:
Click Here
Find photo card with "slushy to chic" in description
Click Ask a Friend
Type creative greeting
Enter my email for proof djanep05 (@) sbcglobal.net
Click Save to Favorites *must complete this step for prize
Come back to this post and leave comment with your creative greeting
Best greeting wins prize!

Everyone needs holiday cards and why not get yours for FREE? The bonus of having your family photo on the card is priceless.
BTW I have to list the Terms and Conditions:
*only people who have not won a Tiny Prints Contest within the past 90 days are eligible
*contestants can only win once but may enter as many times as they wish
*winner responsible for full purchase price of any items that fall outside of contest winnings
*contest ends Friday, November 7th
*contestants relinquish greeting text ownership and allow Tiny Prints to use their entries for promotional use

Have Fun and Good Luck

CONTEST WINNER: AMY IN TEXAS


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Halloween Blog Party

Here is my last entry into the Halloween Blog Party being thrown by Amy at Living Locurto...

I recently purchased Photoshop Elements and decided to try it out on a Halloween photo from last year of my girlies dressed in their poodle skirts.








I also found this video on You Tube that I thought might get everyone in the trick or treating mood for tomorrow.





Happy Halloween everyone and be safe tomorrow!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Klean Kanteen Product Review

Going Green or just Going Safe? Then I have the product for you. Recently I was contacted by Kay Green from My Precious Kid and asked if I wanted to try out their new product, the Klean Kanteen, for my son. Of course I jumped on the opportunity! I love trying out new things, especially when they are FREE. Kay not only sent me one for Noah but she sent me an extra one to giveaway to one lucky reader. Yep, you read that right, I get to give one away. Cool, huh?

I tried/kept the blue one for Noah.




To give you the run down on the Klean Kanteen and why it is so great... First it is made from 100% recyclable, high-quality, food-grade stainless steel so it doesn’t need a special lining like some other metal bottles. It’s completely BPA-free and won’t leach chemicals, toxins, or funky flavors into your little one's drink. The Klean Kanteen is safer than plastic sippy cups. To read more from the experts click here.

Although I am not an expert, I am a mother of three whose two year old son personally tried out the Klean Kanteen. This is my personal opinion, I love it! With Noah being two I love the fact it doesn't look so baby like. It is also a perfect size for him. The width was just right for him to hold onto without having those huge handles sticking out the side. This also benefited me with the ease of being able to slip it into my purse. I am the worst at not carrying a diaper bag everywhere and instead just sticking a few items down in my own purse, so the smaller the better! However, the Klean Kanteen would also fit perfect in a side pocket of a diaper bag or backpack. Even though it is slim it still holds plenty of drink at 12 ounces. Another great thing about it is the fact it keeps the drink inside nice and cold for a long time. In plastic sippy cups I hate for Noah to carry around milk. It will spoil so fast because it gets warm quick. In the Klean Kanteen this wasn't the case. I am very eager to try it with warm beverages too, like hot cocoa during the upcoming holidays. One plus for me is the Klean Kanteen is dishwasher safe! Can't beat that. It actually comes clean in the dishwasher too since the opening is so large the soap and water can fully get inside it and clean. My Precious Kid also has Klean Kanteens in the sports bottle size for older children. My 11 year old wants one so bad. She envied her baby brother when he got his. She loves the look of it. She wants a pink one and now that they allow them to carry water bottles to school, I will just have to get her one.

So now that you have heard all about the product, I know you are dying to have one. Let the contest begin! First are the rules. I know, I know, rules, rules... But every contest has to have them.

1. First go to Kay Green's website at My Precious Kid and find one item that you would love to have besides the Klean Kanteen and come back to leave your pick in a comment. (one entry)
2. To earn extra entries follow me on twitter @MommaDJane to stay informed of all giveaways and also follow @MyPreciousKid to hear all about her upcoming products, you must leave comment with proof of following (two entries for new followers)
3. Post a tweet about this giveaway linking to this blog post to share in the excitement, leave a comment including link to tweet (one entry for each tweet)
4. Post on your blog talking about this giveaway with a link to this post and earn yet another entry

That is a total of five possible entries to win a silver Klean Kanteen.



Good Luck Readers!

BONUS
Kay Green didn't want to leave anyone out so she is being so kind to also offer this 10% discount code. If you want to shop now for anything on her site or in case you are not the lucky winner you will have a chance to purchase your own product at a 10% discount. Just use coupon code # 112081208 and this coupon is valid until December 31, 2008 so have fun Christmas shopping! There are tons of items I want from the site, including a medical ID bracelet for my six year old.


Want to see more giveaways? Visit the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival. There are literally over 1000 more! Join them all for FREE!

WINNER ANNOUNCED USING RANDOM.ORG ON NOVEMBER 2ND @ 10:26 PM.
Michelle found over at Life with Three is the lucky winner of the Klean Kanteen! Congrats Michelle!

Tuesday Toot




It's Tuesday Toot time again and since I haven't participated in the toot'n for a couple of weeks I thought I would get back to it.

Saturday evening I setup a booth at my daughters' Fall Festival at their elementary school. I brought some of my inventory from my store to sale including some Creationz By Me products for kids to do themselves at my table. It was a fun activity for them and they really enjoyed it. The body lotion was the most popular and the girls loved to mix their own colors and scents into their lotion. Such a success. If you haven't seen this then check out my online store right away. Unique Diva Boutique So I sold $75 worth of children's hair bows, a $38 purse and six Creationz By Me. I was so excited about this. Although the booth cost me $25 to setup my main goal was to advertise my store by handing out coupons, which I did. Therefore, I expected to donate $25 to the girls' school and benefit by advertising to all the mothers my business. Imagine how excited I was to sale quite a bit of inventory and make some money! YAY!
Toot ~ Toot
Here are a few updated photos of the store!













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