Say it Forward #4

Say it Forward is a weekly carnival hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom that gives bloggers a chance to recognize their loyal commenters.

This week, I want to say thanks to Melanie for leaving me encouraging and frequent comments. It's so nice to know that someone out there cares. And I want you to know I appreciate you!

Melanie, who is from Australia, is a stay-at-home mom to adorable Lillee. She enjoys scrapbooking (like me, but she's way better), stamping, card-making, travel, and photography. Her blogs include Through Our Eyes, Tutorial Blog, and 101 in 1001 Days. Please go visit her and give her some comment love!

This badge is for you, Melanie! Thanks for making me smile.

Visit other Say it Forward participants at 5 Minutes for Mom!

And don't forget to enter to win a coupon for a free box of Clorox Wipes in the Decor Canister.

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Brace Face

Brace Face

Tinsel Teeth

Marcia Brady Metal Mouth

Remember all that?

My twins, age 12, who will always be my babies, got braces on Tuesday. They are far less obtrusive than the braces I remember from my youth - not that I had braces. I wasn't so fortunate. Oh, no! My older sister had them, but I guess they ran out of money before they got to me because all I had was a crummy retainer which didn't help. It's something I look back on with a bit of regret, not having braces in my youth.

I would get them now, if only I could afford them, and if only my teeth hadn't become so thin and weak. I'm glad I'm able to give my kids an attractive, healthy smile. Braces are also far more common now than they were when I was a teenager, and the kids are getting them at younger ages.

Oh, they complain about the pain right now, but that will fade. Most of their friends have them, so they are not alone like poor Marcia (except for that one boy). I think their braces look great!

Don't forget to enter to win a coupon for a free box of Clorox Wipes in the New Decor Container.

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Clorox Wipes Decor Canister

Winners: 8 25 23 6 11 20
Timestamp: 2009-04-15 22:22:33 UTC

I will be contacting you via email. Thanks!

I like a clean house. I get frustrated when my house is not clean, which is often, since we have six people here, a dog, and a cat. And germs? Ugh! I don't want to think about what could be lurking in that sink.

Good thing there are Clorox Wipes! They kill 99.9% of all germs! And now they come in some cute, new, decorative canisters, so I can leave them on the counter where they're handy. Aren't they pretty? (see image above)

The canister contains a thicker, pre-moistened wipe that is better for cleaning and leaves a streak-free shine on surfaces. There are 8 different designer canisters to choose from.

I'm giving away SIX coupons worth $5.49 each toward the purchase of Clorox Wipes in the decor canister. That's the suggested retail price, so they should be FREE for six lucky winners (one each)! All you need to do is leave a comment on this post by 11:59 PM on April 13, 2009. Make sure I have a way to reach you via email.

Post this contest on your blog and receive FIVE extra entries! You could win twice! Leave the link to your blog post in the comments.

This post was written for Family Review Network and Clorox Wipes Decor Canister.

Comments are now closed for this post. Winners to be announced later today.

Heads or Tails

Three things - that's the topic for Heads or Tails today.

Three things that are weighing heavily on my mind right now.

1. Will the oldest step-daughter move out soon since she can't seem to carry a full-time course load in JUNIOR college and do well - flunks a class or two every semester. Dad just keeps giving her chance after chance. She only works about 2 days a week, and she pays for nothing, and my husband doesn't understand how come that bothers me.

It doesn't help that she comes and goes at all hours, has two boys that come over regularly (not at the same time, but she's playing them), smokes Hookah (in the backyard), skips classes, and doesn't contribute either financially or in any other way to the household. Her attitude puts a pall on the house, and she is a bad role model for her sister and my 12 year old twins. If I want to leave because of her, does that make me a bad person in your eyes as it does in his?

2. What can I do besides teaching? I am so burned out. I love teaching, but the discipline and behavior issues, along with an unsupportive administration and numerous federal and state laws, make my job extremely difficult. My hands are tied as far as what I can and can't do, so I must put up with insubordination. We play nurse, counselor, psychologist, and parent to these kids. I love them, but I have no energy anymore. The more we do, the more they ask us to do. What can one do with an English degree other than teach?

3. Do I need to move closer to where my mom lives to be with her? She is undergoing chemo for lung cancer and is doing well so far, but you never know. She's only an hour away, and she has a great church and great friends, but she lives alone, and I worry.

I have a lot weighing heavily on my mind right now. You might want to go visit some other HoTs for something more cheery!

Thursday 13

Since I call myself Forgetfulone, over the years, I figured out ways to help me remember things. I actually have a pretty good memory. I just tend to forget what I had in mind when I opened the refrigerator door or whether or not I shampooed my hair when I first got in the shower. What works, and what doesn't?

What works:

1. If I have to remember a large chunk of information, I write it down and rewrite it, and maybe even write it again. Rewriting my notes is how I made it through college biology.

2. Mnemonic devices. For example My Dear Aunt Sally (for MDAS - order of operations, multiply, divide, add, subtract.)

3. Sending an email to myself.

4. Leaving a voice mail for myself.

5. I'm a list maker, and I use them.

6. Using a planner or calendar, especially my yahoo calendar that send me reminders of upcoming events via email.

7. If I have to remember a speech or presentation, I learn it in small pieces rather than trying to memorize it all at once.

8. Outlines help me remember critical information. I'm a left-brained, structured person, so this method works for me.

9.And having other people in the house to remind me of things helps, too!

What doesn't work for me:

10. The number/rhyme method. Basically, this is listing numbers and something that rhymes with each number that will help you remember an item on a list.

11. The alphabet method. This is listing the things you have to remember in alphabetical order as the name suggests.

12. Drawing a mind map or concept map. I'm much too literal, left-brained, and structured to make any sense of these.

13. Relying on my memory not to fail me!

But I still don't see how this is going to help me figure out what I'm looking for when I walk into a room and inevitably can't remember!

Check out other Thursday 13 posts here.

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