Write a post for every letter of the alphabet... CHECK!

Even though I may be the very last one crossing the finish line, I finally finished the Blogging from A-Z Challenge! HOORAY!!!

Here's a recap of all my entries from A to Z:

• Away with Agendas
• Belated Birthday Gift
• Coffee, how I love thee!
• Doing What a Toddler Does Best...
• "Everyone Communicates, Few Connect" by John C. Maxwell
• Fifteen Things in Fifteen Months
• Growing Weary
• H is for Heart
• iLove the iPad
• Just Can't Decide...
• K is for Kickin' Back!
• Livin' La Vida Loca
• Much Needed Vacation
• No Internet
• Only a Few More Steps
• P is for Priorities
• "Q"uite Surprised!
• Remember Nashville
• Shout Outs!
• Time for a Declaration
• Under the Weather
• Venus... Razor, Not Planet.
• Wisest of Women
• Se"X" and the City 2- soundtrack review and giveaway
• You asked for it, You got it!
• Z is for ZUMBA!!! 

Even though the deadline was two months ago, I'm still quite glad that I completed the challenge.  A big thanks to those of you who cheered me on to the very end!

Z is for ZUMBA!!!

Back in April when I began the Blogging from A-Z challenge, there were several letters that I knew would be harder than others.  "Z" was definitely one of the few I was apprehensive about.  But here I am, finally at the end, and the letter "Z" was EASY!  That's because I've recently become a big fan of:

Have you heard of it?  Better yet, have you TRIED IT??  It's so much fun.  Yep, for once in my life I can say without reservation that this particular exercise is F-U-N.  Some friends and I have been going to a local class 1-2 times a week for almost a month now and are pretty much hooked.  Here are a few reasons why I see myself sticking with this:

1-  The atmosphere of Zumba is upbeat, energetic, and enjoyable, with lots of women (AND a few men) of all ages, sizes, and fitness abilities. 

2-  The music and routines are widely varied, so there's certainly no boredom at all.  Some of the styles of dance used include: Merengue, salsa, mambo, and hip hop, just to name a few...

3-  Lots and lots of calories are burned!  Of course, each participant individually burns different amounts according to their body type and exertion; but, it has been estimated that a typical one-hour class of Zumba can burn anywhere from 500 to 1000 calories.  WOW!

4-  "Time flies when you're having fun!"  Even though the class is one hour long, not once have I caught myself watching the clock, longing for it to be finished.  Quite the opposite.  Each time I've been amazed at how fast the hour races by. 

The very first week I was a teeny-tiny bit intimidated by a few of the class members who were sporting official Zumba gear.  I confess that I mentally accused them of being a little "over-zealous" and "hard core."  Now that I've attended the class for a few weeks, I bet you can only guess who has been stalking the Zumba website, tempted to buy a tank or two?!?! : P

If you're looking for a new hobby or a way to spice up your workout routine, Zumba is the class to join.  I HIGHLY recommend it!

"Frame-It Friday"

An afternoon with Nana and 'Ampaw always includes 

some fun in the tree swing.

Ready... Set...

GO!!!

You asked for it, you got it!

A few of my consistent readers have asked for an update on us, so here I am, finally getting around to that request.  (Plus, I'm still trying to wrap up the Blogging from A-Z challenge, so I'm taking all the cheap shots I can find. Only one more letter to go!)

We're spending at least a small part of most days at the swimming pool.  The past two summers involved daddy working many long hours with his former job, so we didn't get to spend as much time enjoying the pool.  Now with self-employment, we're able to schedule our hours each day so that we can still enjoy swimming if the weather allows.

And speaking of self-employment, we are almost half way through our first year with BluEyEdea Media.  That's SO crazy because (as cliche as it sounds) it literally seems like just a few weeks ago that we took the plunge to begin our own business.  I remember being so nervous but so incredibly excited.  As far as that goes, I'm still so nervous and incredibly excited.  : P  But we're trucking along and our lights are still on hopes are still high!

Finally, as you've probably noticed, my blog posts have been few and far between for the month of June.  I've sat down to write quite a few but the majority didn't receive the "publish post" approval.  Hopefully, I'll be able to crank out my posts a bit more frequently in the next few weeks.  I'm still thankful for all of you, my faithful readers and subscribers, who continue to check up on us and read my "krazy" ramblings.

Hope the second day of an-already-too-hot-summer is treating you well!
Many blessings,
Carmen

"Frame-It Friday"

One of our favorite times of the day... BATH TIME!

Se"X" and the City 2- soundtrack review and giveaway

Even though the Blogging from A-Z April Challenge is long over, I am still committed to finishing all the way to Z.  And wouldn't you know the letter that has had me stumped for a few weeks would be "X"?!  Geez, such a hard one.

Just in time, I received an invitation from One2One Network to review the soundtrack for Sex and the City 2.  Yeah,  I know it doesn't begin with an X... but hey- I've been stuck way too long figuring out what my X post would entail.  So, I'm running with it!

The infamous four ladies of NYC- Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha- have done it again and brought to us Sex and the City 2.  Ever since the movie released on May 25th, I've heard so many mixed reviews.  Many of my friends have totally loved this sequel, but just as many have written it off completely.  I haven't made it out to see for myself just yet, but I've pretty much decided just to wait until it arrives in my Netflix queue months down the road.  Especially since hearing the soundtrack...

The one simple word that repeats in my mind as I think of the movie's soundtrack is weird.  I expected it to be fun, upbeat, and wild, much like the show itself, but I was terribly let down.  I understand that I possibly would've appreciated the context of a few of the songs had I seen the movie first, but then that would still leave way too many others that I just didn't care for.  The perfect example being Liza Minnelli's rendition of Beyonce's hit, "Single Ladies."  Blah.  It was just awful to me.

Anywhoooooo, here's the complete list of the tracks on the soundtrack:

1. Alicia Keys “Rapture”
2. Dido “Everything to Lose”
3. Cee Lo “Language of Love”
4. Erykah Badu “Window Seat”
5. Natacha Atlas “Kidda”
6. Michael McGregor “Euphrates Dream”
7. Liza Minnelli “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
8. Ricki-Lee “Can’t Touch It”
9. Alicia Keys “Emire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down”
10. Jennifer Hudson and Leona Lewis “Love Is Your Color”
11. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim  Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon “I Am Woman”
12. Sex and the City Men’s Choir “If Ever I Would Leave You”
13. Sex and the City Men’s Choir “Sunrise, Sunset”
14. Sex and the City Men’s Choir “Till There Was You”
15.  Shayna Steele, Jordan Ballard, Kamilah Marshall “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”
16.  Liza Minnelli with Billy Stritch “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”
17.  Cyndi Lauper “True Colors”
18.  Aaron Zigman “Divas and Dunes”

Now I know that some of you out there are now tiffed at me for knocking the movie's music. ; )  So, if you're one who has seen the movie and loved it, then I'm going to redeem myself a bit by giving away my copy of the SATC 2 soundtrack.  Interested?  Then just follow the simple guidelines below to enter the contest:

Simply leave me a comment after reading this post and include your name and email where you can be reached. Comments will close on June 20, 2010 at 11:59 PM CST. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

*Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest. Be sure to leave a comment below with a link to your "tweet."

*Subscribe to my feed via email or reader. Leave a comment letting me know that you've become a follower of "Keeping Up Klapper."

*Announce the "Keeping Up Klapper" giveaway on your Facebook page. Leave me a comment with a link to your announcement.

*Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways. And as always, be sure to leave a comment with the link to your post.


This cd was provided to me at no cost by One2One Network in order to facilitate my review. I was not required to provide a positive review, only an honest one. The viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

"Frame-It Friday"

June is here and it's HOT in Tennessee.  So that means it's time for lots of summer afternoons at the pool.  Here are a few shots of our first pool day of the season:

The Glory of Man

Lately, I've noticed the Lord teaching me through smaller chunks or phrases out of His Word, instead of through the broader truths that I normally try and cling to.  He has been bringing to life bits and pieces that I would normally blaze right over.

On Sunday morning, during our church's worship gathering, this time was no different.  As we were digging through the difficult topic of gender roles in 1 Corinthians 11, the Holy Spirit threw six words at my heart from the following verse:

For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of god, 

but woman is the glory of man.  

1 Corinthians 11:7

Through the latter chunk of that verse, God chose to do some work on my heart's attitude towards my role as a wife... towards my role of being "the glory of man."  

I later consulted the incredible wisdom of dictionary.com for a clearer meaning of "glory" and here's what I received:

Glory... something that is a source of honor, fame, or admiration; a distinguished ornament or an object of pride...

After reading that interpretation of "glory," I had to confront myself and ask... Am I striving daily to be an object of healthy pride for my husband?  Am I being a source of honor, fame, or admiration for him?  What are areas that I can focus on and improve?  Thus far, God has revealed three ways:

1.  Through my physical appearance.  As a stay-at-home-mom, this can be a tough one.  To make matters more difficult, my husband now works from home and sees me every day.  He sees the me with no make-up, shabby clothes for housework, and extra pregnancy weight around the middle.  Let's face it... men are visual.  No matter how we may try and argue ourselves out of this truth, it's still a fact.  Yes, there's a time and place for comfort and relaxation through what we wear; but, I confess it has become a lazy habit of mine. 

2.  Through my words.  This means not only using my words to encourage him "to his face,"  but also "behind his back."  To speak kindly of him to others instead of taking the opportunity to vent.  A frustrated "oh my gosh, let me tell you about the mess my husband made in the bathroom the other morning" isn't the way to be his "glory."  It can silently create a rift instead of a bond if it becomes my daily topic of conversation.

3.  Through my mind.  As a wife, I have to BELIEVE that I am the glory of man... specifically, the glory of my husband.  If I can't allow that truth to fully sink in my mind, then my actions, appearance, and words will never match up.

You know, our society doesn't really support the Biblical truth of woman being the glory of man.  It actually teaches quite the opposite.  Father, help us as women to walk in Your ways, and in the roles You've designed for us.  Because at the heart of the matter, all the glory belongs to You, anyway.