P&G's Thank You Mom Reunion Campaign

As part of the One2One Network, I recently became aware of terrific program that's being sponsored by Proctor & Gamble, the Thank You Mom Reunions Campaign.

As a daughter who has lived away from my mother at several different times of my life, I know what it feels like to be homesick and miss your mother and not always have the time or money or opportunity to visit, or to bring her for a visit. My husband, also, has lived lterally thousands of miles away from his family for his entire adult life, and the visits have been much fewer and farther between than he would have liked.

For the Thank You Mom Reunions program, P&G is reuniting 150 moms with their children--15 per month for 10 months--who are unable to do so on their own. Whether the occasion is a milestone birthday or anniversary, graduation, or "just because", P&G is supplying each winner with $1000 travel voucher and a digital video camera to capture their reunion moment.

What does this have to do with us? Once the families apply and are accepted as a contestant, we can vote once a day for the families would win the prizes for that month!

To see more details about the program, see the Thank You Mom main page, or to see this month's contestants and cast your vote, see the Thank You Mom voting page.

By blogging about this, I'm eligible to win a gift card in the amount of $50 or $100 via random drawing by the One2One Network.

Until next time...

RUSH Day at the Bloggerette Sorority!

It's here!

RUSH day for members of the Bloggerette Sorority!

This group is the brain child of Karen of Some Days are Diamonds. She has a listing on her sidebar of all of the bloggers who are joining together to celebrate the blogging Sisterhood. If you're a blogger and would like to join, it's not too late. Follow the link from the badge on my left sidebar and see how to join--it's easy!

But for Rush Day, we Sisters had an assignment, to take this "Sisters" picture...

...and make something pretty with it, then put a picture on our blog of ourselves with our creation.

Now it just so happens that I'm in Georgia with my husband for the summer, but all of my crafting "pretties" are at home in Louisiana. So I have no ribbons, or flowers, or beads, or buttons or anything fun to play with. I racked my brain to think of something I could do that didn't involve buying out the craft section of JoAnn's, and decided to play around with my Home Publisher program on my computer, and...


...this is what I came up with for a final presentation.

And then came the hardest part---trying to take a picture of myself with my "Sisterhood" picture...

...so I stood in front of a mirror holding my creation and snapped...

..and snapped...

and made some adjustments, and snapped...


...and snapped...

...and snapped!

Then I got the bright idea to tape the picture to the mirror and take a picture of me taking a picture of the picture...

...Hmmm...

...all these settings on this camera must mean something...

..maybe this one...

...or maybe not!

At any rate, that's my Rush Day self-portrait--sort of!


And now more about me--I was born and raised in Louisiana, and lived there most of my adult life. Several years ago my husband (of 26 years now!) took a job that requires him to travel from project to project. At times I've been "home alone" holding down the home front, but I've been blessed to be able to join him at several of his sites, so in the last four years I've lived in Alaska, Colorado, and Georgia, with some brief (and sometimes not-so-brief) stints back at home. Georgia has been the longest project so far, and in the last two years I've traveled back and forth between here and home 11 times. I'm not super creative, but I do like to dabble in arts-and-crafts, decorating, cooking, couponing, and all kinds of other things. I have a food blog, Secrets of a Southern Kitchen--I'd love for you "sisters" to join me there, as well. 

Thanks to all of you Bloggerette Sisters who may drop by today--I hope to eventually get around to visiting each of you.

And to my regular readers--be sure to click over to Some Days Are Diamonds and visit some of the other Bloggerette Sisters--they're a creative bunch, and I can't wait to meet each of them!

Until next time...

More "New" Thrift Shop Finds

Last week as I was driving the traffic was heavy and I couldn't change lanes in time to make a turn, and ended up a couple of blocks off of my usual route. It's a road I've been on before lots of time, but not since I've been back in Columbus the last couple of weeks.

And I spotted--you guessed it, another new thrift mall! It's called Joey's Thrift Mall, on the corner of Wynton Road and 10th Avenue--on the corner where 11th Street makes that little "jig" and goes under the railroad tracks, then you come out of the "tunnel", make another little "jig", then suddenly 11th Street becomes Wynton Road. The thrift place is the large tan brick building that used to be a storage facility.

The intersection was too busy for me to turn across traffic right then, but I told my husband about it and we went back on Saturday to check it out.

We parked on the north side of the building, off of Wynton. That end of the building was apparently a self-storage facility. There were lots of booth, but it's not air conditioned in that part of the building. Just as I thought I was ready to run back out to the truck, I turned the corner--and into paradise---rooms and rooms of booths in the climate controlled area! Yay!

They have everything--from gently-used household goods to new items, to antiques, and everything in-between--including some pure junk, can I get a witness? Everything I looked at I kept thinking that I would need to haul it home to Louisiana in a couple of months, so I kept myself pretty much in check for the most part, but it definitely warrants another (slower) look-see.

This was my item of choice...


...a CamGear tripod, $5.00, adjustable in a multitude of ways. I was really excited about this find...

...until I got it home and discovered that my camera doesn't just slide into the slot on top like I thought it would. Drat. Oh, well, this will end up donated to the Valley Rescue Mission Thrift Store before I leave, unless I think of another use for it, or find someone who has a camera that this will fit.

Hubby found this gem--a Stanley stainless steel vacuum bottle, in excellent shape, $5.00...

...still with the original stopper and cup. These run $25.00-$40.00 for a new one, and I don't think they make this particular style anymore, with the full stainless exterior and no handle. He used to have one of the green ones with the handle--they are practically indestructible, but he did manage to destroy his after a few years of use--I think it got run over by a truck(!). I have a feeling that this vintage version will be around for a while, though.

What pretty and useful things have you found lately?

Until next time...

This post is linked to:

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

2nd Time Around at A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words

Nifty Thrifty at Coastal Charm

New Thrift Shop Finds

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She is like the merchant's ships, she bringeth her food (and other things!) from afar

Today was our first Saturday back in Columbus. The heat is horrendous this week--temperatures in the mid- to high-nineties and a heat index of at least 100 (trust me, it felt like 115 to me!) but we braved the oven-like temperatures and hit a couple of thrift stores.

The first place we stopped was new one for us--Southern Storage and Thrift Market on Armour Road, between Britt David Road and Airport Boulevard. We saw a couple of commercials for it and decided to give it a try.

I was a little apprehensive when we walked through the door and were directed to a side door into the big warehouse-like area--did I mention that it's been HOT here this week? But we bravely pressed on for the sake of whatever hidden treasures we might discover! And hidden treasures did we find! They had a couple dozen booths with a variety of items, from clothes and household goodies to furniture--and can you believe, a pretty decent selection of leather saddles near the back!

Never mind the saddles, though, this is what I found:

This beautiful china cake plate with matching server, still in it's original box, $6.00. The plate has a little gold sticker on the back marked "Andrea, by Sadek, made in Japan". (I looked this up on the internet, these sets retail for about $25.00) I have a set like this at home that's a different pattern that I use for special occasions. Isn't this one pretty?

The next thing I found was this copper-colored aluminum tumbler with lid for $3.00. Know what it is? A milk-shake shaker!

The bottom holds up to 2 cups of ingredients, then you put the top on and shake it. It reminds me of the aluminum pitcher and tumbler sets that I remember from the 60's--not sure if they were from the 50's or 60's, but I remember drinking from those cold, cold, aluminum tumblers. My grandma used to make home-made root-beer in one of those pitchers, that stuff would get ice-cold! I'm sure this is from the same time period.

There were a few other items that I looked at with interest, but by this time I thought was going to melt, so I headed toward the front to check-out in air-conditioned comfort--and bless their hearts, they had a table near the entrance where they were giving away FREE ice-cold bottles of water! What a life-saver!

The next place we ventured was an old favorite, the Valley Rescue Mission Thrift store on Second Street, just a block away from the original Valley Rescue Mission. They have a good turnover of items of all kinds, both new and used, so you never know what you may find, and it supports a good cause, as well. AND, it's air-conditioned. Yay!

Today I brought home this:

It's a tin-plated cast-iron tortilla press, still in it's original box, for $5.00. (I found this exact tortilla press online for $19.99--so this was a 75% savings over buying a new one--woot woot!) I've seriously been wanting to learn to make my own tortillas, but I'm not very good at rolling out pastry of any kind. This makes it easy to have really thin tortillas without using a rolling pin.

Just open it up, put your ball of dough between some wax paper or plastic wrap...

Close the top....

then crank the handle over and voila' ! Ready to toss into your skillet. I'll let you know how they turn out!

What thrifty treasures have you found this week?


Until next time...

This post is linked to:

Today's Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Vintage Thingie Thursday at Colorado Lady

Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville

Thankful Thursday--Just For the Joy of it!

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She is like the merchants' ships, she bringeth her food from afar
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness

This week I'm thankful for the family meal that we had together last night--just the thought of it brings me joy.

For one thing, it means we're all together as family, for now at least. With a husband who works not only away from home but also out-of-state, and a son who's a senior in college, it's not something we often get to enjoy these days.

Second of all, I'm thankful for the Lord's provision and the heritage He's given of parents who, while both are in their 70's, still enjoy working hard and giving generously to their children. Their hard work in their garden and raising a few hobby beef cows provided every single element on our plate except for one--round steak from their farm raised beef, purple hull peas, tomatoes, and cucumbers from their garden--even the ice-box pickles I'd made using cucumbers from their garden.

Thirdly, I'm thankful for the changes that are being made in my eating habits. I've been off of sugar for just over a month now. I'm staying away from most other junk foods. I ate my meal last night, and I actually had more vegetables on my plate than anything else. (That, for me, is a big deal--I'm generally not a veggie lover!) I'm losing slowly, but still losing. This week I'm down a pound, for a total loss of 25 pounds. I'm happy with that, especially with a travel day thrown in there. I made a 10-hour drive Monday, which used to mean practically non-stop snacking and munching, and although I did eat fast-food twice during the day, I chose as wisely as I could, and had no snacks in-between.

And last but not least, even dessert, which for me was fresh blackberries and wild cherries, picked by my husband from the area around his job site, makes me thankful for my husband. Glad to be back in the same city, under the same roof, eating dinner at the same table. He would like nothing better than to be at home all of the time, but he makes the sacrifice to work "away" in order to provide for his family.

This post is linked to:

Thankful Thursday at Grace Alone

Just for the Joy of It at Good, True, and Beautiful

What makes you thankful and joyful this week?

Until next time...

Thankful Thursday

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness

I have so much to be thankful for, even when I don't always take the time to think about and appreciate the blessings that I have. But this week, I'm especially thankful for:

• Losing three more pounds (finally!) for a total loss of 24 pounds. I lost the first 20 or so pretty quickly, so I think my body needed some time to adjust as I sort of yo-yo'd back and forth, up and down. I think I've finally headed back downward again this week. Even though I knew if I just kept at it and didn't quit, it would pay off eventually, it sure is encouraging to finally see the pay-off on the scale again.
• Leaving for Georgia in 4 days, where I'll get to actually live with my husband! Yay! We've spent a lot of time apart through the years due to job issues, so this is a big Yay!
• Having high-speed internet at my fingertips, without having to go some place special to have it--a case of "you never realize what you're have till it's gone."
• Knowing that my house at home will be well-looked after by my parents. They pick up my mail and keep a watchful eye so I don't have to worry while I'm gone.
• Being in an area with more competition and shopping venues available, so that I can reduce my grocery spending using my coupons and frugal shopping strategies. (Not impossible in my small hometown, but not easy, either.)
• Having our son with us for one more summer. He'll be graduating from college soon, so we're glad to have time with him while we can.
• Splenda--I know it sounds shallow, but since I'm off sugar for now, I'm so glad that there are more and more options available these days that taste good.

There are so many more things I could list--so many more important or "meaningful" things--but I'm also thankful that the Lord who blesses us is many big and important and meaningful things, also blesses us with the little ones, as well!

This post is linked to:

Thankful Thursday at Grace Alone

Just for the Joy of It at Good, True, and Beautiful

Until next time...

It's T.I.M.E., #2

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She looketh well to the ways of her household
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness

This week's T.I.M.E. post has been a while coming. The Lord has had me on a journey of discovery--mostly self-discovery.

It all started last Monday--last week's Making Your Home Sing post over at Mom's the Word was about being managers of our homes--treating it as though it were a job (which it is) and as though it were an important priority for us (which it should be). I encourage you to click over and read it in Nan's own words. I've been meditating about it all week--about the implications of being a manager, setting priorities, etc, in several areas, not the least of which is the running of my household.

I spent some time praying for the grandson of a family friend, a young man undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his brain. He came through the surgery with flying colors, but it certainly made me pause and say a prayer of thankfulness for the health of my own family, and to think about how fragile is this thing called life.

Then I got my hands on a couple of thought provoking books.

The first one was The Present : The Secret to Enjoying Your Work And Life, Now! by Spencer Johnson. The format of this book is deceptively simple; in story format it teaches principles to help us live fully engaged in the present, instead of in the past or future. The past is something to learn from, the future is something to imagine and to plan for, but the present is the place for us to live.

The second book was The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist by Craig Groeschel. This is one of those books that did not allow me to self-righteously look at the lives of other people that "talk the talk" but don't "walk the walk", it encouraged me to take a long, clear look at the woman in the mirror, something I'm sure we could all use more of.

Both of these books are worth a post of their own, so I don't want to go into too much detail right now, but they engaged my brain and my thoughts enough that I actually took out pen and paper and took notes, something I haven't done in a very long time.

So I've been meditating--"thinking on these things" as Philippians 4:8 encourages us to do--and I'm expecting some changes to take place, as I'm "transformed by the renewing of your (my) mind", Romans 12:2.

What have you done to renew your mind this week?

Until next time...

(Disclosure: If you click on the links above and purchase either of these books, I will receive a few cents commission)