Graduation Gift - Life on Record

This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Dolls123. Congratulations! My nephew is graduating from high school at the end of this month. This is not just a friend's son who I can buy a personalized pen for. This is my nephew! The gift has to be good!

So... how does a personalized CD with recorded messages from family and friends sound? Can I pull it off? Not by myself! That's where Life on Record comes in. This is a great service!

When you set up an account, they give you a toll-free phone number and an invitation number that you can give to all the relatives and friends you want. When they call in, their message is recorded... thoughts, stories, memories, greetings... whatever they want to say. And when they record the message, they have the opportunity to preview it and change it if they choose.

When all the messages have been recorded (by your deadline), you download the messages to iTunes and create a CD. It is so simple. And if you're not comfortable making your own CD, they can do that for you, too, as well as personalized CD labels. Now, I have a unique yet affordable gift for my nephew.

This would be a thoughtful birthday gift, an anniversary keepsake, wedding gift, or even a cool gift for a teacher at the end of the year. It's definitely one of a kind!

Life on Record has agreed to supply one of my readers with the $49.99 Events Package! Here's how to enter this giveaway.

1. Visit Life on Record and take a look around.

2. Leave a comment on this post telling me what you like best about Life on Record and what event you would use it for. The deadline for leaving comments on this post is 11:59 CST May 11, 2009. Please make sure I have a way to contact you via email.

3. If you follow my blog, leave an additional comment for another chance to win.

4. If you subscribe to my blog through a reader, leave another comment for still another chance.

5. Blog about this giveaway, and receive yet another entry. Leave a comment with your blog link.

Good luck!

This post was made possible by the friendly people at the Family Review Network.

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Thursday 13

Visit the home of the NEW Thursday 13!
Here's a tribute to Paul Simon.
13 ways to leave your lover.

1. Just cross that bridge, Midge.
2. Hop in the van, Ann.
2. Go take his camper, Amber.
3. Just walk out the door, Lenore.
4. Make sure to pack a suitcase, Stace.
5. Get in a plane and fly, Skye.
6. Walk out the back gate, Kate.
7. Take the kids with you, Lu Lu.
8. Set the stage, Paige.
9. Join a harem, Karen.
10. Do it if you dare, Claire.
11. Shoot yourself out of a cannon, Shannon.
12. Don't think about death, Beth.
13. Just get yourself free, Leigh.

tee hee! Just some silliness for today.

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Mother's Day Giveaway

You could win ten (yes, 10) fabulous prizes just in time for Mother's Day, for you, or for your mom! Check out this blog: Mom Made That!

Thursday 13

13 expenses I need to figure out how I'm going to pay on a single income with no child support.

1. a place to live, whether rent or mortgage
2. electricity
3. natural gas and water usage
4. phone
5. Internet (can't live without it!)
6. Cable or dish service
7. car
8. car insurance
9. gasoline
10. health insurance and monthly health costs
11. groceries
12. education expenses for the kids (supplies, music, etc.)
13. entertainment, clothing, or necesities.

What am I forgetting? Anyone know a part time job a mom with two kids and a full time job could get that would actually be worthwhile?

Visit Thursday-13 here!
And, no, I'm not moving out right now. But I've been considering it for almost a year, so I'm starting to realize it's inevitable, so I better make some plans. It's hard!

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heads or tails

Today's prompt for Heads or Tails (click for more participants), hosted by the very talented Barb, is "Once Upon a Time."

Once upon a time, I was a young girl who wanted nothing more than to get married and have children, lots of children. I'd marry a romantic man, my very own Prince Charming. He'd treat me like a princess, and we'd have a lovely home. I would be a teacher after my children started school. The whole family would be perfect. As a child, if I wasn't playing house, I was playing school. One of my favorite movies was Yours, Mine, and Ours (1968, the original with Lucille Ball) where they had about a dozen children. That's what I wanted. A dozen children! And a house with a laundry chute! How cool would that be? And being a list maker, I'd have schedules, charts, and lists everywhere to keep things organized.

Well... I don't have to tell you that life is not like the movies. My "once upon a time" didn't happen. I am blessed with twins, but I have made so many mistakes and decisions that didn't turn out to be in my best interest, and I have grown cynical. I know there is no "once upon a time." I know there is no "Prince Charming(for me, anyway)." I don't believe men are generally romantic, and I decided long ago that my twins were enough children for me, and I love them very much. I did become a teacher, and I question that decision as well. And I'm not sure if I believe true love exists since things in my current marriage continue to turn sour.

Once upon a time? There are no fairy tales in my real life.

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