Smells Heavenly

A few weeks ago my two BFFs from Dallas came to visit. To say we had a great time is a HUGE understatement! They brought me the most wonderful hostess gifts! One of the girls brought me a Niven Morgan candle. It is truly heavenly! She sells them at Preston Road Pharmacy, the best pharmacy in Dallas, Texas! You can also find these candles at Neiman's and other fine stores. My favorite scent is the gold! It makes your entire home smell heavenly! Niven Morgan is an interesting man who travels the world to capture exotic essences. His inspirations are drawn from his extensive travels and happy childhood memories on the family farm in Louisiana. You will love everything about this candle from its gorgeous packaging to its beautiful scent! They're expensive, but sometimes you have to pay more to receive more.

Can't You Just See Me Now?

Look at this adorable LILLY BIKE! How much fun would I have cruising the streets of Tampa on this beauty?!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Our sweet son turned to me after school yesterday and asked a good question. "Mama, were all parents that are alive now born in the 1900s?"
I had to think about it for a minute. Then I realized that he was right. "Yes, son, you are right. All parents who are alive today were born in the 1900s."
Then, I wanted to bow my head and cry. We are OLD!

Tuesday's Tip

At Mama Henley's house, we love going to Disney. We have annual passes and Orlando is a whopping 73 miles away. We can go to the park for the day and sleep in our own beds! It is wonderful! As you can imagine, we are becoming real pros! One way that Disney sort of tricks you is with their kids' meals. When you visit a restaurant, it lists a child's meal with appetizer, entree, sides, and dessert. Most children under age 9 cannot eat all of that food. The cost is $8.59 and up per child, which really adds up when you have 5 children like Mama Henley does.
Well, guess what?! Even in special restaurants, they usually offer some "children's standard meals" such as chicken nuggets and fries, pasta with sauce, or a hamburger. These meals are around $5 and come with fries. Depending on the restaurant, drinks may not be included, but your little one needs lots of water to stay hydrated anyway. This allows you to feed your child more affordably when you want to splurge on better food for Mama and Daddy.
Of course Mama Henley always packs a huge bag full of snacks too, so often our children do not need a meal because they have been eating pb&j sandwiches, cheese sticks, frozen gogurts, fruit, pretzels, chips, apples, etc.. This is another way we save money at meal time. Our 4 year old eats so little that when I do order her a meal it is often wasted. So, I have resorted to feeding her from my bag of tricks.
Let us know if you'll be at Disney as we would LOVE to see you there!

How to REALLY Have a Life of Optimal Experience

This afternoon I spent a nice bit of time in the waiting room of our pediatric dentist's office while each of our five children had their teeth cleaned. Actually, the office is so proficient that I did not have time to some of the things I brought to entertain myself! :) Thankfully I did get to flip through some magazines and analyze the other parents in the waiting room. I kid. However, I did notice that this really cute mama was reading an interesting book. I paid attention to what she was reading because she was very concerned about one of her boys who was in pain from some sort of illness and she had 3 stair step boys and I think I heard she has 2 daughters. She seemed like a great mama and a neat lady.
Anyway, the book she was reading was called, "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly. I came home and researched the book on Amazon to find out what in the world it is discussing. She had her highlighter out and was really reading the book in depth. I am sure it's a great book. Dr. Csikszentmihaly is a leading psychologist and I am sure he is a very smart man. Now I'm going to step on some of your toes. It greatly saddened me that this book is where this beautiful woman was looking to find a life of optimal experience. It literally broke my heart. She is never going to find what she is looking for in that book.
You will most likely disagree with me and some of you will write hateful things on my blog, but I can't help but share the REAL truth with you. There is only one way, ONE way, to have a life of 'optimal experience' or whatever else you may want to call it. There is one book that holds all of the answers. That book is the Bible and it teaches the truth. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me." If you are reading "Flow" or another book like it, I invite you to read the Bible and see what you learn. It's what keeps me going every single day!!! :)

Billy Ray Cyrus

Dh told me about an interview he heard with Billy Ray Cyrus. Billy Ray says his biggest regret in life is letting Miley star in "Hannah Montana". She has turned into a different girl than she was when she began and has lost her innocence (my words not his) and his marriage is in tatters as well. It's very sad to hear that. I am sure he thought he was making a wonderful decision at the time, but it was a decision that has cost them almost everything. What are your thoughts on the matter? Unfortunately the life of actors and actresses and singers is often one that is fast paced and leads to destruction. Is there a child actor/actress or performer who has truly stayed on the straight and narrow path?

Dear Loved One,

I had no idea I was so popular until I just read over my spam folder!! Honey, DH and I are going on a trip because there were at least 25 different people with huge sums of money on their hands that have chosen little ole ME! I am so excited!!! All I have to do to get the money is give them every bit of my personal information and then they will deposit huge sums in my bank account! So, if Mama Henley is seen in the Caymans, you'll know why! (wink wink)