A Great Loss

I have sat staring at the computer screen for a while, trying to pick the right words. Not sure there are any... So let's try this.

Imagine you are happily married to a wonderful husband and mother to two beautiful girls. Now you and your husband are anxiously waiting for your first son to be born. Filled with excitement, love and joy...


Now the day comes when the anticipation is over. Just as you thought your heart was filled with love for your daughters, your son is born. You now know your family could not be more complete.


Your two innocent little girls learn how to love fully and cherish their baby brother. They witness the great miracles of life while stepping into the role of BIG sister with their arms wide open, knowing no limits on love and life.


Imagine the warmth you feel inside while holding your precious baby. Seeing him smile, hearing him giggle and not even understanding how somebody so small and so young can make you feel so wonderful.



Now imagine not quite seven months after the birth of your baby boy, he is pulled into heaven after an accidental death.

Can you imagine it? No, neither can I.

Now imagine grieving while caring for your daughters, helping them understand where their brother went when in reality you don't understand yourself. Trying to stay positive and supportive yet your heart is breaking at the same time. Do you think that is enough to deal with? What if you didn't have funeral expense money saved? You never expected to suffer a loss so great... Now during the roughest time in your life you have a funeral expense hanging over your head to figure out how to pay. Trying to build up the strength and the courage to ask for help would seem overwhelming.

Vanessa Huebner is an old friend of mine. We went to school together. Her family has suffered a great loss and I can't imagine. Thinking of her during this time has made me feel guilty for even getting upset over what seems such simple things in life. I think we all at some point take for granted what we have {our children by our sides}. Vanessa and her husband asked for donations to the Keaton Huebner Memorial Fund in lieu of flowers for the funeral. It just wasn't enough. Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo location by mentioning Keaton Huebner. I am asking publicly for any help. $1, $10, $100 any amount would be helpful. A paypal donation button is below for you to send money straight to the Huebner Family online if you are not near a Wells Fargo. Want to help but just don't have any extra money? Blog or tweet about this post and help me find donations. Helping erase this family's debt would be the biggest blessing right now.

Keaton's Obituary can be found here at Fort Worth Star Telegram to read more about him and his family. Also while you are there don't forget to sign the guest book because as you all know the Huebner family can use all the kind, supportive words and prayers they can get.

Thank you in advance!
Blessings to you...

Tuesday Toot

It sure has been a long time since I wrote a Tuesday Toot! I even had to go back and look to see when the last one was written and it was on October 28, '08!
So for those of you who don't know what a Tuesday Toot is, it is where you toot your own horn. Most parents spend their time bragging about their children's accomplishments and forget to take a moment to acknowledge what THEY have done, themselves. With the new plan of blogging daily I hope to continue with the Tuesday Toot weekly b/c I think it is healthy to be proud of yourself!

For this week's tootin' I am just proud of myself for surviving the holidays! That is not only surviving the kids home from school every day for over TWO weeks but I also survived my family coming in town and staying at my house. Oh and did I mention they brought their dogs, who stayed indoors? Now don't get me wrong, I am not dog bashing or even family bashing. I love my family and they love their dogs. I knew their dogs were coming before hand and they did ask my permission. Their dogs are potty trained to go on pet pads they lay out on the floor within certain rooms of their house. The dogs will also go in the yard if they happen to be outdoors but will only use the pads if they are in the house {not go to the door}. Of course let me clear this up, the dogs will do this at their house. At my house... well that's a different story. The dogs felt the need to piss on 'bless' {yes, that's the word we'll go with} my carpet in every room about three times a day. The first 'blessing' took place within five minutes of entering my home after getting out of their crates in the car and stretching their legs while 'blessing' my lawn. Do dogs really pee two times within five minutes? So the first night I thought, it's okay, it's a new home and they must not realize where their pads are and maybe they just want to mark their territory once. Ha, ha, did I say once? I wish! After about 4 days I was ready to pull my hair out. If you have read any of my past posts you probably know I am very open to admit I already stress easy. But thinking of walking around on my carpet barefoot that a dog is 'blessing' all over, drove me nuts! The first day I actually tried shampooing the spots right away. After that we just cleaned it up by hand and waited the week out. Now the carpets have all been shampooed with pet odor control shampoo and my house is back to normal. I also am proud of myself for not getting upset once in front of my family. Nope, I walked away and worked really hard to just enjoy my time with my family. Although as sad as it might sound, from now on I would have to say no if I was asked again. Is that wrong?

The kids were also being extra 'special' this week. I guess they are bored being home for so long and must be ready to get back to school! Noah felt the need to turn his room upside down at least three times a day and Gab was defiant. T just got in the routine of staying up late and sleeping most the day and enjoying how lazy life can be for an 11yo on break. I will give her credit for helping me after I felt like I was 'pulling teeth' to get her moving, LOL. :)

But... I survived! Toot - Toot

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade

I am so excited that I was recently blessed with this blog award thanks to Erin over at From Son Up To Son Down.


The purpose of this award is to give it to someone who is showing gratitude or good attitude "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade." This award fits perfect with the current situation going on with my daughter, Gab. After our recent news we are trying to just 'make lemonade'.

Now the rules say you must link back to the person who awarded you and add the award logo to your blog. Then you must pass on the lemonade award to ten people who express gratitude or good attitude within their life and/or blog.

Ten Recipients Below {in no particular order}
1. Brandy at Writings of a WAHM, she is a mother of three little ones ages 6 and under, including two in diapers. While the economy hurts everyone right now, Brandy still manages to stay positive, work hard from home and find time to blog at not only one blog but TWO including one that is designed to help others: Ask Brandy.

2. Jyl at Mommy Gossip, takes time to raise her own family while being positive and encouraging to others through #GNO via twitter. Even though she is super busy with MomItForward she still takes time out for others and trust me I know. Outside of twitter and blogger, Jyl has personally been supportive while I was having a hard time with my daughter's results. She took time to show she cared!

3. Claire at Single Mom Meltdown is a disabled mother, working hard to not only care for herself but her darling daughter as well. Did I mention she is SINGLE? It's a tough enough road being a single parent but working hard from home to make ends meet is even more difficult. She blogs and is trying to just 'make lemonade'.

4. Dannie at The Brunette Blog is a Jill of all trades. Here is just some of the things she does. While working a full time job, raising a family and networking online while starting her own non-profit company she remains positive and helpful to others. She has even reached out her hand to me and my family as a way of being a support system to us!

5. Janine at Twofer The Price of One is a mother of 5yo twins, need I say more?! I am impressed by the fact her twins can read, write and draw very cute pictures and just the fact she raised two babies at the same time!

6. Mrs. 4444 at Half-Past Kissin' Time has a great attitude all around! Even though she was raised in a home with an alcoholic father and recently suffered a great loss she still takes the time out to award her blogger friends with virtual gifts including well wishes for health to MY family!
{Last time I blessed Mrs. 4444 with an award she forced me to do a Stupid Human Trick, which I believe is worth passing on a second!}
7. Katja at Skimbaco Lifestyle is a very positive woman! This post pretty much sums up her 2008 with the loss of her baby, the loss of her family pet, becoming a Walmart 11Mom, moving to a new state and yet continuing to blog and run a business. No matter the lemons she was dealt she continued to make lemonade!

8. Julie at Cool Mom Guide is a very positive and inspirational person. Her story about losing 60 pounds using the Wii Fit and now created the Wii Fit Mommies to help encourage other moms to stay fit while using their Wii! I think that is enough good attitude to deserve an award.

9. Misty from The Johnson Family is a wonderful wife and mother. I think she is probably the most involved mother with her daughter's school PTA and blogs about life. She is a stay-at-home mother and a good one at that. I believe she demonstrates gratitude on her blog and in life!

10. Teri, Johnathon's mother blogs his updates on his Care Page daily {sometimes more than once a day} about his progress dealing with cancer at the age of 3. The doctor's found a tumor on Johnathon's brain the same week he turned 3 years old. While Teri watches her son go through chemo and all the downfalls from it she stays strong and positive. I only wish there was more I could give besides prayers and this award! No matter what lemons her family has been dealt she manages to make lemonade and even try to help others through Johnathon's Rainbow Road Project. What a wonderful woman!

Now Erin with From Son Up to Son Down also tagged me as part of this award to list 16 random things about myself. Since it took so long to write this post I think I will save the 16 facts for a later date! But check back often b/c I do plan to write them soon and you won't want to miss that!

Merry Christmas To Me!

I know what you are thinking... Merry Christmas To Me..., Christmas is over! Well although that may be true this was a post I wasn't going to let slide by. In October last year I joined a group of bloggers in becoming a Secret Santa. Georgie from Decisionally Challenged put together a great Christmas exchange and kept all the names secret from each other. Our deadline was to send out our Secret Santa gifts by December 10th and once we received our items from our Secret Santa we were to blog about it. Hence this post. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't just receive my gift. No, the late post is all on me! I could try and blame it on my recent move into a house, or my motherly duties or heck even the fact I had family come in town over the holidays and stay with me... but the truth is there is no excuse for me to wait this long.

So without further adieu






As you see my Secret Santa wrapped my wonderful gifts in a Snowman box, which I LOVE snowmen. I also can't believe everything I got! I just love all my goodies... The cute little Christmas/Santa magnets were a lot of fun for the kids to play with on the fridge and perfect to hold Christmas cards up, the photo frame is just adorable with all the buttons {it is holding our family Christmas picture on my desk}, I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the D initial ornament and to top it off with some fabulous Christmas towels. But wait... that's not all {not shown in photo} she also sent me a $5 Starbucks GC! I was surely blessed by my Secret Santa.

Georgie has since revealed the names of our Secret Santas so I am thanking mine publicly and apologizing for my post being so late. Thank you Jill from Charming & Delightful, I just love all my wonderful gifts! I am also excited to be introduced to another blog that I had not yet found online. It is always great to meet new bloggers and I look forward to reading more of Jill's posts.

I hope this post was better late, than never. Blogging more is important to me this year, so here's to a New Year and New Me!

{Going to SHINE in 2009}

Wii Fit Mommies Twitter Party

So as you know from reading my New Year's Resolutions and my Fitness Friday post I have joined the Wii Fit Mommies! I am so excited about this. To add to the excitement I get to inform you {all my readers} of a great twitter party going on. Online twitter parties are literally the best! Twitter {to say the least} has become very addicting and anyone who has used it will back me up on this. So if you haven't created yourself a twitter account then hop right to it and be ready for the par-tay!

Now you are probably wondering "why should I join this party?" well let me tell you! Not only will there be fun chatting going on with hundreds of other tweeples but prizes are going to be given away. That's right, I said FREE prizes. Plus what other great way to kick off the new year then to join a fun, motivating twitter party. {New Year, New You}

There is also another announcement that I can't forget to mention. Wii Fit Mommies have created a partnership with NewBaby.com for mommies to vlog their progress for the world to see. NewBaby.com has also donated a FLIP video camera to be given away as the grand prize during the Wii Fit Mommies twitter party.

Now to read more about the party details click here.

Twitter Party Date: Saturday, January 3, 2008
Twitter Party Time: 7-9PM CST
Twitter Hashtag to be used during party: #wiimoms


Enter to win all the prizes:

Wii Fit Mommies Grand Prize: FLIP video camera

Cool Mom Guide {Julie} is giving away a sunglasses and sun hat combo from Baby Banz

The Good Enough Witch {Cynthia} is giving away a Wii Fit Workout Kit

The Coupon Coup {Jenn} is giving away a Wii Travel Bag

Real Life Blog {Sarah} is giving away a $20 Amazon GC to purchase a Wii accessory

Remember if you have any questions regarding joining a twitter party, what hashtags are or even more info on Wii Fit Mommies, you can find great help here.

I can't wait to join everyone at the Wii Fit Mommies twitter party and hopefully those who have not yet joined The Wii Fit Mommies challenge will soon! Don't forget to follow me on twitter so we can chat during the party @MommaDJane.

{I'm gonna SHINE in 2009}

Fitness Friday

Day 1 of my New Year Challenge as being a Wii Fit Mommy!I created a vlog for you to see my process of starting all over. I first received my Wii Fit in July and have LOVED it. I used it a lot in the beginning and then with my recent move, holidays and busy life I got side-tracked. When Wii Fit Mommies was created I loved the idea of New Year, New You. Plus it is a great forum to interact with other moms who have the same goals {to become fit}. I especially like it because this is my way of holding myself accountable to stay on track with exercising. What better way to exercise than with a fun Wii Fit and support system of other blogging mommies?! So now I have started fresh, from scratch and even created my whole Mii again. You will see in the video my process of weighing in, balance test and Wii Fit Age!



To be honest I don't believe I am less than 100 pounds. I know I am short and little but need to shape up and exercise more. I have a petite frame but would love to thin out the middle. Have never completely felt confident since my c-section with my son who is now two. I would love this year to become healthier and firmer.
Here's to a New Year and New Me! {Planning to SHINE in 2009}

New Year Resolutions '09

It is 2009 already? Wow time sure has gone by fast.
First I want to say Happy New Year to all my readers!

My New Year's Resolutions:

1. Save money! My first step towards saving money is becoming a little more GREEN and saving electricity. I already started converting all my light bulbs over to the GE energy saver bulbs... What's next? I took the pledge, did you?

2. To add to saving money and to create more quality family time, I want to cook at home more! So I took the challenge, will you?



3. I also have joined the Wii Fit Mommies to set goals and push myself to become more fit. I don't have a goal for a specific amount of weight loss just to exercise more and become more healthy. I own a Wii Fit system and plan to use it on a regular bases and blog about it on Fitness Fridays so check back to see my progress. Will even create vlogs for you to see!




4. To add to becoming more healthy I have decided to try and cut out caffeine. I love drinking tea and Dr Pepper so my goal is to cut back as much as possible and basically eliminate it altogether. I drink decaf-tea at home and have stopped buying DP for the house. My real challenge will be in public, I guess I'll have to drink Sprite or more water. Drinking more water is my challenge but I am determined! To keep energy while working out and in my daily routine I already drink XS energy drinks which I purchase the caffeine free ones and LOVE 'em! Same price as Red Bull but so much better for you... Plus they come in several flavors.

5. I want to take better care of myself. I get so busy with the kids, the house and life in general that I don't do much just for myself. I plan to schedule more "me" time and along with becoming healthy I want to take care of my outer self as well. More relaxing baths and more time spent taking care of my skin. I plan to schedule doing a facial on myself once a month. I already own all the products and use my facial cleanser, toner and moisturize each morning in the shower but forget to do it again at night. I want to start taking more time working on myself! Using a pore cleanser mask is not only good for your skin but it is refreshing as well. Maybe blogging about it will hold myself more accountable and marking it on a calendar will remind me to DO it!

6. Another 'goal' is to blog more often. I love blogging and it is something I truly do for myself. I have a tendency to neglect my blog when I get busy with life. I joined the NaBloPoMo for the month of January and plan to blog once a day. I am not used to blogging that much so this will help motivate me and get me in the groove of blogging more. After January if I don't continue blogging daily I want to at least blog several times a week.


View my page on NaBloPoMo


7. Be more happy! I know that I have a lot of stress in my life and in general I stress pretty easily {okay I stress a LOT}. I have found myself raising my voice with the kids more than I should and staying more negative about everything lately. For 2009 I want to turn the tables on that and become more positive. Stop yelling at the kids, try to relax more and realize that no matter how rough things get I should be happy that we are ALIVE!

8. For my final resolution... I want to become more successful! I am not setting a dollar amount that I want to make this year but rather just feeling more successful and knowing I gave it my all. I want to do more with my blog and I feel a strong pull towards networking online and helping others. I want to SHINE in 2009!

Happy New Years Everyone!
Don't forget to Shine in 2009...