I have never been "bumped up" or made an earlier flight. I have never been given a warning or let out of a ticket. I have never won a drawing or prize. I just don't have that kind of luck. That's my mom and my sister...things always work out for them. And it seems like a lot of my friends are lucky too. Freebies, discounts and getting the last of something always seems to happen to someone else.
At least that is how I have looked at things for a long time. But the other day, after our exciting snow followed by the quick melt, a huge icicle fell from my roof and barely missed me. How lucky! Somehow it took the shattering of ice crystals on the glorious sunny day for me to shake myself out of my glass half-empty blues. I have never been in a car accident, I have healthy children, close friends and family. I have a roof over my head and always have and none of us have ever missed a meal.
I have always known how many great things I have in my life but somehow I got lost in the little details. The things that may sometimes make life easier but not necessarily better.
Kate S.
Family fun - while writing this I decided on a craft I wanted to share with my kids to explore how lucky/blessed we are. For the month of March and as we celebrate the Lenten season in our home I am going to put a "pot" out that we will fill with gold coins (gold pieces of paper) that we will write why we are lucky. I'll have us do this as we sit down for dinner. I can't wait to hear the conversations that come out of this endeavor!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
It's been a looong time
since my last blog, mainly b/c we redesigned the entire Richmondmom.com site, so have been focusing my efforts there. Thanks so all faithful followers for hanging on!
It's March, and we're about to run the Monument 10K: 16 amazing ladies on the Richmondmom.com and Stroller Strides team. We've been through snow (lots of it), ice, rain, sleet, and a cooooool, slow, reluctant spring as we've trained together, slowly becoming runners (many of us for the first time ever)and this Saturday, we run together towards the finish line along wiht 31,000 of our friends. Special thanks to Rachel Pustilnik of Richmond Stroller Strides, our fearless trainer and leader who has encouraged us and cheered us on for the last 10 weeks.
Like the little enging that could, we repeat: "I think I can, I think I can. . . "
Good luck ladies! Can't wait to see you at the finish line.
It's March, and we're about to run the Monument 10K: 16 amazing ladies on the Richmondmom.com and Stroller Strides team. We've been through snow (lots of it), ice, rain, sleet, and a cooooool, slow, reluctant spring as we've trained together, slowly becoming runners (many of us for the first time ever)and this Saturday, we run together towards the finish line along wiht 31,000 of our friends. Special thanks to Rachel Pustilnik of Richmond Stroller Strides, our fearless trainer and leader who has encouraged us and cheered us on for the last 10 weeks.
Like the little enging that could, we repeat: "I think I can, I think I can. . . "
Good luck ladies! Can't wait to see you at the finish line.
Friday, January 16, 2009
It's "Get Organized" Month: Win a Garage Makeover! DEADLINE 1/16/09!
January is National Get Organized Month - LoftStormers and Closet Tailors http://www.closettailors.com/ are choosing one deserving family to receive a complete 2-day Garage makeover...a winner will be chosen in two weeks. Click here: http://naporichmond.wufoo.com/forms/go-month-submission-form/
The actual makeover will take place the last week in January. Anyone in the Richmond or surrounding areas is eligible to enter. The more we get the word out about the contest, the more entries we will receive - the deadline for entering is Friday, January 16.
Rick Cobb, owner of Closet Tailors and I are doing this in conjuction with January being National Get Organized Month http://www.napo.net/. We'll have before and after photos and of course a thrilled and happy deserving family! Up to $1500 in cabinetry and shelving will be donated by Closet Tailors and LoftStormers is donating the 2 day organizing time and clean-out along with our truck to haul away unwanted items.
The actual makeover will take place the last week in January. Anyone in the Richmond or surrounding areas is eligible to enter. The more we get the word out about the contest, the more entries we will receive - the deadline for entering is Friday, January 16.
Rick Cobb, owner of Closet Tailors and I are doing this in conjuction with January being National Get Organized Month http://www.napo.net/. We'll have before and after photos and of course a thrilled and happy deserving family! Up to $1500 in cabinetry and shelving will be donated by Closet Tailors and LoftStormers is donating the 2 day organizing time and clean-out along with our truck to haul away unwanted items.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
How Cool is This?
Put Your Brainpower to the Test in Mindbender
at the
Science Museum of Virginia
RICHMOND — Find hidden clues. Collect secret passwords. Solve puzzles. Unravel brainteasers. Join with others to take on quirky challenges. With your clues and passwords find out if you have what it takes to unlock the final puzzle to become a member of the Mindbender Society in the visiting exhibit Mindbender at the Science Museum of Virginia, Saturday, Jan. 31-Monday, Sept. 7.
“Check your preconceived notions at the door,” says Science Museum Director and CEO Richard Conti. “Not everything is as it seems in Mindbender.”
Stop by the TV screen at the entrance to the exhibit to meet a character named Mr. E. He provides the 4-1-1 on exhibit puzzles and challenges — and tells you how to collect the information you need to unlock the vault to the Mindbender Society. Pick up a clue card so you can keep track of the information you collect.
Keep an eye out for brainteasers that contain clues. You need to solve these puzzles in order to unlock the vaults in four of the areas. Along the way you visit the parlor, library, kitchen, map room, disco room, dining room, and rec room. Information in each of the four vaults helps you unlock the Mindbender Society vault at the other end.
Just what kinds of things have been devised to give your brain a workout? At Tricky Triangles 16 sticks form eight triangles. Your job is to remove four sticks and leave four equal-sized triangles. At Every Line Adds to 15 the name is a major hint. You insert the numbers 1-9 into straight lines so that the total of each line is 15. Feeding Frenzy is a group activity. Team up with other visitors. Your job is to fill food trays on a conveyer belt with food. How many trays can you fill?
At Amazing Maze you and your friends work together to tilt a table in different directors to drop a ball into the appropriate holes. Spelling Fever could also be called Disco Hopscotch Fever. Push a button to generate a question on a screen. When it’s your turn, you have to hop on the correct letters to spell out your answer. Flying Machine features a mechanical flying machine you and your friends move to hit flashing targets.
Once you’ve completed the challenges enter at least three passwords you’ve found into the final vault in the Wall of Fame. If you’re successful, take your picture for the wall and print out a copy along with your Mindbender Society certificate to take home.
Mindbender is produced and toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon. © 2008. Mindbender is sponsored by Thinkfinity.org supported by the Verizon Foundation.
Mindbender is included with exhibit admission. Tickets are $9 for youth ages 4-12, seniors 60+ and active military and $10 for adults 13-59. Tickets to see Mindbender, visit Science Museum exhibits and see a film in the Ethyl IMAX®DOME are $14 for youth ages 4-12 and seniors 60+ and $15 for adults 13-59. Children 3 and under are free. Science Museum exhibits are open Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The museum is also open on school holiday Mondays, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
at the
Science Museum of Virginia
RICHMOND — Find hidden clues. Collect secret passwords. Solve puzzles. Unravel brainteasers. Join with others to take on quirky challenges. With your clues and passwords find out if you have what it takes to unlock the final puzzle to become a member of the Mindbender Society in the visiting exhibit Mindbender at the Science Museum of Virginia, Saturday, Jan. 31-Monday, Sept. 7.
“Check your preconceived notions at the door,” says Science Museum Director and CEO Richard Conti. “Not everything is as it seems in Mindbender.”
Stop by the TV screen at the entrance to the exhibit to meet a character named Mr. E. He provides the 4-1-1 on exhibit puzzles and challenges — and tells you how to collect the information you need to unlock the vault to the Mindbender Society. Pick up a clue card so you can keep track of the information you collect.
Keep an eye out for brainteasers that contain clues. You need to solve these puzzles in order to unlock the vaults in four of the areas. Along the way you visit the parlor, library, kitchen, map room, disco room, dining room, and rec room. Information in each of the four vaults helps you unlock the Mindbender Society vault at the other end.
Just what kinds of things have been devised to give your brain a workout? At Tricky Triangles 16 sticks form eight triangles. Your job is to remove four sticks and leave four equal-sized triangles. At Every Line Adds to 15 the name is a major hint. You insert the numbers 1-9 into straight lines so that the total of each line is 15. Feeding Frenzy is a group activity. Team up with other visitors. Your job is to fill food trays on a conveyer belt with food. How many trays can you fill?
At Amazing Maze you and your friends work together to tilt a table in different directors to drop a ball into the appropriate holes. Spelling Fever could also be called Disco Hopscotch Fever. Push a button to generate a question on a screen. When it’s your turn, you have to hop on the correct letters to spell out your answer. Flying Machine features a mechanical flying machine you and your friends move to hit flashing targets.
Once you’ve completed the challenges enter at least three passwords you’ve found into the final vault in the Wall of Fame. If you’re successful, take your picture for the wall and print out a copy along with your Mindbender Society certificate to take home.
Mindbender is produced and toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon. © 2008. Mindbender is sponsored by Thinkfinity.org supported by the Verizon Foundation.
Mindbender is included with exhibit admission. Tickets are $9 for youth ages 4-12, seniors 60+ and active military and $10 for adults 13-59. Tickets to see Mindbender, visit Science Museum exhibits and see a film in the Ethyl IMAX®DOME are $14 for youth ages 4-12 and seniors 60+ and $15 for adults 13-59. Children 3 and under are free. Science Museum exhibits are open Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The museum is also open on school holiday Mondays, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Whitney Garner wins December's survey!
Whitney Garner was randomly selected as our $25 Gift Certificate Winner to Monograms for All Occasions!
Whitney and many others submitted her answer to: What's the best gift you've ever given or received? Here are some of the fun responses:
"I wrote my husband a poem years ago when we were dating. Little did I know he still carries it with him in his wallet. He made a copy and framed it and put pictures of our kids on the top and bottom of the poem. He wrote me a loving note about how special the poem still is to him, how much he loves me, said look how blessed our lives are in reference to our special kiddies. It is the most special thing he has ever given me!"
"Hands down, the BEST gift was a healthy baby Emma and even healthier (and BIGGER) baby Joseph... who are now 6 and 4.5, respectively!"
"Thanks Kate for an awesome website for Mommies!! The greatest gift I have ever received would have to be my husband! He is my best friend and has provided me with the best two babies any Mom could ever want. He is my anchor and I don't think I could live without him! I have several friends AND family members that have gone through horrible relationships, divorce, and even domestic violence so everyday I count my blessings and he is first on my list!"
"I'm sure I should put the birth of my children or world peace, but I'm going to be completely honest...for my 30th birthday (I was pregnant with my 2nd child), my husband surprised me with a trip to New York to see a Broadway Play, eat a wonderful dinner and go and see Katie Couric's last day on the Today Show (I was a big fan). Then he threw in a trip to the diamond district and surprised me with trading in my old diamond for a bright and shiny new one! I felt like a princess that weekend!"
"I got marred at 20 and my husband Wayne and I had a little son during that first year. Roger was born several months early and having complications he died. I soon got pregnant again, but too soon and I miscarried. March 1975 I got pregnant again and you can only imagine I was so very nervous. God was there with us and our son, Scott was born December 18th 1975. Thirty-three years ago today. Scott is my most precious gift and I brought him home on my twenty-second birthday. "
"I am a collector of holiday snow globes and one year my middle child-Jack made a snow globe in his pre-k class. It was the most amazing gift and was so cleaver....the inside of the globe had a tiny picture of him cut out like an ornament & was hanging on a white painted twig. I cried Xmas morning! I love it!"
"I have been blessed with so many gift in life, but the greatest by far is my daughter. No material gift has ever matched the joy she has given me."
"The best gift I've ever received would have to be ... A violin ... my (then) boyfriend, now husband, totally surprised me by fulfilling a childhood dream of mine of learning to play the violin. He chose a beautiful hand-crafted violin that far exceeded my expectations! He even arranged for lessons and everything! His unexpected gift left me speechless and knowing without a doubt that he was the one!"
"We have had a tragic loss, our daughter Annabelle died on May 4th, 2005. I then had trouble getting pregnant for about a year and went through all kinds of fertility. After five months of failed IUI's, we took a break from it all. We conceived on our own and found out about the pregnancy on sweet Annabelle's birthday (10-13)! Brady (now 18 mos.) was my gift from her, I am sure of it! Often I thank her for sending him to me, I can tell she hand picked him just for us!Love, Meredyth Bryant"
"The best gift I ever received was a bigger home! We moved from a little 1500 sq.ft. house in an iffy neighborhood in south FL to a beautiful 2600 sq. ft. home on over an acre in the woods in western Chesterfield county. The change in myself and my family is priceless! It was all possible because my husband knew how much I wanted to leave FL. so he went to his boss and asked for a transfer because he wanted to make me happy. I love that man!"
"For Mother's day one year my youngest daughter Rachel saved all her candy she got for her "being good all week" gift on Fridays. (she was in 3rd grade, she is now 12) the thing is, she has heard me say for year and year how much i love red skittles, so my bag I received that year was her saving of about 5 weeks worth of candy, ALL RED, red skittles, red m&m's, red gum, all red candy in a lil bag with a red bow. It was the best gift I ever got."
"The greatest gift I ever received was the Christmas of 2005. I had just left my very abusive ex husband and me and my kids had to leave almost everything behind. So, I know Christmas would be very tight because all the months leading till XMAS I missed alot of work running back and forth to court trying to keep us safe from him and getting full custody of my kid. Well by the time Christmas rolled around i was having a hard enough time putting groceries in the house let alone even think about . . .(end of message not received)"
"The greatest GIFTS I ever received are my 2 precious daughters from China. You see, in order for me to become a Mom, 2 other Moms had to make the ultimate sacrifice: give their baby daughters to the great unknown; allowing them a chance at a better life. Those gifts enabled me to receive the greatest gift of all: the gift of motherhood. I think of them & thank them every day for this incredible gift of life and for allowing me to experience what they can never know: these 2 beautiful daughters!"
"My 8 year daughter gave me a blanket she made herself. That was the best gift ever.
The best gift I have received was twofold today. 1st, my brother e-mailed me to tell me his cancer has NOT returned and 2nd, my son, injured at work tells me his bad days are getting much less in number and his good days are getting to be more. Life is good.
The greatest gift I even got was a cedar chest that my husband bought (and surprised me with) to hold all of my memories. Inside the chest was a Mork and Mindy game that he managed to find on e-bay. We played that silly game on the very first night we met. It was a gift of memories past and memories yet to be had."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
