and the winner is...

Using a random count generator that I googled yesterday, based on the #'s 1-5 which is the amount of people who both commented and subscribed...lol (Great big base to choose from huh?)

I got #2 as a winner - and #2 = Allie from "THIS YELLOW HOUSE" :)

So congratulations Allie - I'll be sending you off an email asking for your information shortly to send you off your little prize!

Thanks so much to everyone who played along - it was neat to read your comments and suggestions  - here are the results from our little survey!

Out of the (5) new subscribers:

3 of you found my website very interesting
2 of you found my website moderately interesting

3 of you found my website very appealing
2 of you found my website moderately appealing

Content requests were in this order:
Tips & Tuts 100%
Projects 60%
Pictures 40%
Lifestyle 40%
Recipes 40%
Painting, Scrap booking, Faith, and links to other blogs were lowest at 20%

only 25% of you were likely to share your comments on the blog, 75% of you were only moderately likely - so since I got 100% for the freebie, I would say "them's good odds!"

25% of you said it was extremely easy to find what you were looking for on my blog
25% of you said it was very easy to find what what you were looking for on my blog
50% of you said it was moderately easy to find what you were looking for on my blog

50% of you were very likely to suggest my blog to others
50 % of you were moderately likely to suggest my blog to others

25% of you were extremely satisfied with my blog, and it's content
75% of you were moderately satisfied with my blog, and it's content

So there ya have it :) The survey will remain open for now, so that I can continue to collect valuable feedback about the course, and direction of the blog - as well as make sure it's relevant to my readers.

So excited to see Allie and feature her this coming weekend sometime! :)

New lunch thingie ma bobber

This is the week most Yankee kids go back to school. Yeap, makes for a nice long, hot summer where most parents are frantic to figure out what to do with their kiddos. Thankfully for me, we are now past that stage, and it's not my problem anymore!

BUT, what is my problem, is how to make a decent lunch that I am willing to take to work with me, and actually eat, instead of opting for take out instead.

 And, T has been starting to take his lunch to work too, and our Saudi boy will probably need to pack HIS lunch as well, soooo while perusing the Lunch bag aisle, I found this little do-diddy. A lunch BLOX. By Rubbermaid.

*disclaimer* I am not endorsed, I am not sponsored, and I am not paid to write reviews on anything. But if you know how to let that happen, let me know! Cause I AM NOT one to turn down money just to tell you'all what I think!

Magic mike who?

I stumbled across this on Facebook the other day, and it really really struck a cord with me. I posted it on FB, but I suppose because of the long read, and the 'time' it takes to actually read a blog like this, it wasn't overly well received. Or perhaps I'm judging wrong based on the # of likes I received? Who knows. Anyway I thought it was well worth posting again.

So if you have some time, and some interest in "Magic Mike" from a Christian Gal's perspective - take a wander over to Mrs. Gore's Blog and check it out :)

Feel free to come on back here and discuss when you're done!

Love - Me

The circle maker

So my first I-book download, I chose a book we are reading corporately at church.

I have to Admit I'm having trouble putting the book down! It's pretty incredible reading and I'm loving every minute of it.

Most of it reiterates what I've been taught for years about our personal responsibility to our prayer life and how we have a responsibility to camp on our prayers and make the power to see the through happen.

It's such a good book! I highly recommend you download it today:$

What do I know of Holy?

A couple of phone calls ago, my mom and I were having a discussion, and she posed this statement.

Many are believers, but only a few are disciples.

Wow. Isn't that the truth? So many people walk thru life behaving as though they have no redemption, no Risen Savior, nothing paid for them at the cross, except some mediocre sense of 'My sin'... but they don't live it with passion or understanding. They know they will get into heaven, some by the very seat of their pants... but no real vision for their life as God sees it. Oh they pray for the poor, send money here and if we're lucky, we might get them to a third world country, or heck even down to the "City" to help once in a while...

But where is their life mission? Where is their purpose? What is their calling? Do they know? Do they care to know? Or are they going through the motions, never compelled to leave their comfort zones and move further into the life of a disciple?

I am in love with this song right now. It compels me to go deeper into my life with God. Compels me to  find out His purpose and plan for my life. My thoughts are not my own. My path to take is His for the Choosing. I Must follow it with all of my energy. My very life is in HIS hands. I don't ever want to take that for granted. This song, basically says, what do we know about ANYTHING bigger than ourselves? The answer... lies in our own hearts.



Love
Kisha

hardly a crutch

The Christian life is a disciplined life. This is neither easy or simple to constantly go against the grain of society, to constantly be rubbed in the wrong direction, to constantly have to put down yourself, and still be full of Joy. To follow Christ is NO Crutch - it is a cross to bare. However, the payoff is an eternity of freedom. My flesh WILL do what my spirit tells it to do. It will NEVER be the other way around.

Preparing for new seasons...

Welp, the deck is just about all cleaned up for Winter. Have to admit, it looks awefully bare, and exposed out there. I got used to all my pretty things forming a bit of privacy from the rest of the world... but... isn't that how it always is? We try to block out what we don't want to see, but eventually in order to prepare for new seasons, we must take down the walls...

sing off...

just sittin here... hangin out with my kiddo, watchin "Sing off" which is sooo much fun this season! I especially loved the all girl group whcih was formed from girls from different groups from different seasons. WOW now that is something to contend with :)

In the mean time... I had my first date in about 10 years last night. Another Wow. Waiting on God's timing sure can pay off. What a gentleman he was! My friend and I drove to a church we love to visit in Fredonia, and he drove (2) hrs to meet us there. Poor guy got a ticket for a dead tail light on his way out there, which delayed him another 25 minutes....but we did get to spend about 30 minutes or so in the service, and then we went to Timmy Ho's for tea, hot cocoa, and conversation.

Can I admit here, I was way more nervous than I thought I would be? All I could do is pray I didn't sound like an idiot. I have no idea what we talked about, and I can't remember anything I said. I was given 11 yellow roses. He said it was supposed to be 12...but we got gyped. That's ok. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've gotten roses? I think we're off to a good start! LOL  
We might even see each other this weekend again. Exciting!

ok on to other news.

There are jams for sale - see the link on the side if you're interested in anything but email me first. Apricot is gone, and cherry is a limited supply.

And it's scarf season! So pre-orders are appreciated, but if you would like any for Christmas presents lemme know! :)

That's all folks!

Netflix, you should be ashamed of yourself!

So frustrated! In the great big scheme of life, this is probably one of those things I'm going to have to just "get over"... but the reality is that I'm so upset! Did you ever call somewhere and get an endless circle of "gee we're really sorry but we are NOT going to do anything about it"?
Well that's where I am. In the haste to get out of town for my grandmother's funeral, and knowing that I had to get the video we rented back to Netflix (in light of their raising their prices and us switching to online streaming only), I accidently put the wrong DVD into the sleeve and sent it back to Netflix. My son, who had rented another movie from a local video store, realized it AFTER the mail had been picked up, and the DVD was already on it's way to Netflix.
I called Netflix immediately (i.e. Wed night) where "Brad" assured me it would be NO problem at all, and that Netflix would do EVERYTHING they could to ensure that I got the DVD back so that we could return it to the video store. He was marking my account with a note, and it would be resolved no problem. Watch my email within the next couple of days, and he was sure they would mail it back to me.

Well I got busy with family and being out of town for the funeral, and made a mental note that I needed to call Netflix again, because I had gotten a 'confirmation of receipt' email- but no email that they had that wrong DVD and would be mailing it back to me.

Soooo today? I call netflix on my drive home. What should have been a 10 minute, yes ma'am thank you we're mailing you back your DVD turned into an endless cycle of "Gee, we're really sorry you made that mistake, but there is absolutely nothing we can do for you". Too bad, so sad.

No assistance, no one will go grab the dvd off the shelf and send it back, no courtesy credit because they are keeping a movie that belongs to someone else... NOTHING.
I'm sorry... was I clear? Literally NOTHING! To be honest, I'm completely shocked and utterly horrified. I've been raving over this company for 4 years - the length I've been a customer and personally know about 6 friends who signed up because of how "wonderful" I've said they are.

And if THIS isn't the icing on the cake... they actually emailed me a customer satisfaction survey, AND said they were sorry I cancelled, and would love to have me back some day!

NETFLIX! SEND ME MY DVD AND I WILL HAPPILY REINSTATE MY MEMBERSHIP!

Now... Netflix - shame on you! I'm heartbroken! A company that uncocnerned about the well being of it's customers will NOT be on top forever... take heed! What goes up - must come down... it's the law of Gravity.

A very sad, sad customer who will now be heading to Redbox for her movie needs!

Apple Picking!

Two saturdays ago I joined friends out at Baker Farms to do some apple picking! YUM. Lisa and Riley Jo came to which is great - since Zoey and Riley are the best of friends. Here's some super cute pics of the little ladies at work! :) Kisha

Checkin out the local Produce :)


Zoey hangin out in the bounce house while we wait for all of our friends to come :)

We've got our baskets, we're ready to go!


First picking! This is hard work, getting those apples off the trees!

I did it! :)

Twilight, or not to Twilight - that is the question!

I am not a fan of these books. I have serious concerns over the acceptance of them, and I believe, no matter who wrote them and no matter who endorses them, that they do not uphold Godly values and principles. They may be loosely based on moral standards, they may have very "good" themes (i.e. waiting for sex until married) but there are way too many other issues needing to be addressed here.

1.) It's creepy that a 90yr old man/vampire is into a 17yr old girl. On any other level that would be weird and quite frankly - against the law. Because the guy is hot, and a vampire, somehow makes this ok? Not in my book.

2.) The way Bella is so deeply involved and wrapped up in him is unhealthy. She goes against everything she knows, including common sense, and begs him to be her all in all. She becomes completely, totally engulfed by him. To the point that she cannot stand the days he doesn't come to school. She's quite Bi-polar if you ask me. Consumed by a man? IS that REALLY the image we want to give our children?

3.) Define good. Somehow, we've allowed a masterful writer, someone who is talented with words and stories to define "good". I don't care WHAT kind of 'devout' mormon the author is, because the BIBLE says Good is this:

Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Since when is entertaining the same thing as good?

I say if you want to find your daughters truly Godly, truly moral, Truly good love stories, go back to the Bible. Find Rebeccah and Jacob in the old testament. Find Esther and King Xerxes, rent One night with the King, what about Rachel and Boaz? Or The Nativity story - Joseph and Mary. Lets not forget the Romantic notion of Joseph, not wanting his young fiance to be stoned to death for her being pregnant before the wedding ceremony! THAT is romance and love!

THESE and many others, are love stories condoned by God. How much more romantic can you get than the very stories that God himself ordained, created and then wrote about in the Holy Book?

Why are these stories not good enough? Is God not enough of a literary genious to satisfy our wandering minds and itching eyes? I daresay that if people spent half the amount of time in their word reading what God's love stories have to say to us, as they do the Twilight series, they might remember what God defines as good, instead of what entertainment calls good.