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!

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

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.

Wisest of Women

Do you ever have those moments when you're just trucking along in your daily grind of motherhood and the Holy Spirit heavily presses truth in your heart and mind? I had one of those moments yesterday. It happened while I was in the middle of the glorious task of loading/unloading the dishwasher. Sounds fun, right?!

I was listening to a podcast titled, "Is There a Hero in Your Husband?" from a past "Focus On the Family" radio broadcast. Dr. Juli Slattery was speaking on marriage and specifically hit on the subject of submission.

Here I should pause briefly to confess that the whole submission thing is tough for a girl like myself. Type-A personalities such as mine pretty much run in the opposite direction when this subject is approached. I'm a major control freak who enjoys being in charge. So why would God give me these desires and traits if I'm not supposed to be the boss? Does He think that women are too weak and incapable of leading? Isn't "submission" sorta like slavery??

Absolutely not. Quite the opposite actually.

And that's where one small verse from the Bible jumped out and gave me a swift kick in the rear:

The wisest of women builds her house,

but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Proverbs 14:1

Wow... Submission has nothing to do with the negative connotation that we so often hear it associated with. Submission is about P O W E R, not weakness.

Do you see in the verse above just how much power is in a woman's hands? From this verse, we can actually see that a woman may have more power in a marriage than a husband does. Submission is all about recognizing that we do have intense power... power that has potential to destroy our husband and our home.

In Ephesians 5:22, God directs us to submission so that He can teach us how to use that power for good and not destruction. He specifically calls to the wives and says, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." When we as women refuse to obey this command, taking matters into our own controlling hands, those very hands have potential to tear our house down.

The "wisest of women builds her house..." and she begins with submission.

Guess good things can come from doing dishes after all. ; )

Venus... Razor, not Planet.

Yes, that's right. My "V" post for the Blogging from A-Z challenge is about a razor. That means if you're reading this and you're a male, then feel free to hit the nifty "Next Blog" tab at the top of the page.

I'll start off by saying that this post is 100% self-inspired. I received no coupons, free products, discounts, or compensation of any type. Believe it or not, this blogger has found a little product she likes and feels the need to tell her blogosphere sisters all about it, expecting nothing in return.

Now I have to confess that throughout my shaving years, I have always used a disposable razor.  Not exactly sure why... guess I was just always looking at the price tags and they were always the cheapest.  A week ago, Publix had this particular razor on sale, plus I had two great coupons to stack on top.  So, I thought, "What the heck?  I'll try it."

Oh my gosh!  What a difference.  Seriously.  I will never go back to disposables.  The result is an incredibly smooth, close shave with zero irritation.  I've even heard of a few people using it without shaving cream because it's so quick and soft.  I haven't tried this out yet, but am definitely going to.  Shaving is my least favorite activity in the world (next to going to the dentist) so I'll try anything to make it as fast and painless as possible.

The Venus Embrace normally will cost you anywhere from $6.00-$8.00 (maybe a bit higher some places).  With my coupons and in-store special, I was able to grab it for 3 bucks.  If you can find a good deal on this razor, then pick it up.  You and your legs will thank me. 

Happy Shaving!  (If there is such a thing...)

Under the Weather

Just a quick update on us... my 1 year old came down with hand, foot, and mouth disease over the weekend. So, I've been dealing with one incredibly CRANKY little boy. If you've ever seen a child infected with this virus, it's a really pitiful sight. Fever for several days plus lots of painful blisters in their mouth, throat, lips, hands, feet, etc.

My daughter has been running a fever today, which I'm sure means she has contracted it, too. So, not much writing for me this week. Hopefully our crew will be back to normal soon.

Until then...

P.S. 21 of 26 letters done. Am I ever gonna make it through the challenge?! ; )

Time for a Declaration

And here it is:

From this day forward until the next 17 years or so,

MY HOUSE WILL BE MESSY.
 

• There will be dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs on the countertops, and grimey finger prints on the dining room table.
• Beds will not always get made, especially mine.
• You may find a pile or two of laundry laying around.  It may need to be washed or just folded and put away.
• Toothpaste will probably be splattered on the bathroom mirrors.  The toilet paper will probably need to replaced.  Just grab a roll out of the cabinet.
• All floors will need to be mopped, swept, vacuumed, polished, whatever one is supposed to do to filthy floors.
• I promise you there will be dust on something.
• Our business office is in the corner of our bedroom.  There's just no other space for it right now.  If the door to our bedroom is closed, it's a giant mess and not worth peeking in.
• When walking throughout our home, always look down, not forward.  There will probably be a small toy that you will trip over.

I say all this to say, I'm letting it go.  Yes, I will do what I can, but I'm sick and tired of the unending cycle of cleaning house.  It's wearing me thin.

I'm letting go to smile at my family, not bark at them.  I want my children to look back and remember how much I loved them... not how much I cleaned.

So, if by chance or invitation you end up at our casa some time in the next decade or two, consider yourself forewarned.  Just do me a favor by printing this out and reading it a few times before you head over.

Shout Outs!

Over the past week, two of my "virtual friends" were very kind and gave Keeping Up Klapper recognition on their own blogs.  Both of these ladies blog-bozzled their way with me through the Blogging from A-Z challenge.  I definitely owe it to both of them to return the recognition and also to finish the challenge completely.  So, count this one as my "s" post. ; )

Tori over at This Journey Called Life so kindly recognized me with a Sunshine Award.  She is a dedicated blogger and a definite ray of sunshine in the blogosphere.  I met her via the A-Z challenge and am now a devoted follower.  What an encouraging writer Tori is!  Definitely head over and check out her blog. 

The Sunshine Award is an award to recognize blogs that bring a little sunshine to the blogosphere.  Here are the rules:

1. Nominate 12 bloggers.
2. Put the award logo onto your sidebar or within a post.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let the nominees know they’ve received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link the sidebar logo to the person from whom you’ve received this award.

Right off the bat I'm going to let you all know that I'm not going to follow the rules exactly.  (Rules are made to be broken, right?!)  Many of the bloggers I follow have already received this or a similar award.  I'm going to step out and recognize three writers who, like myself, are new to the blogging scene.

1.  The first person I'm nominating is Suzie at Nashpredfan's Blog.  Suzie began her blog back in January and really got rolling during the A-Z challenge.  Way to go, Suzie!  Keep it up!

2.  I'm also awarding Tammy at Being a Mom with the Sunshine Award.  She has a brand new blog that's very open and personal about her journey of motherhood.  Tammy writes really well and is a fabulous mother.

3.  The last person I'm nominating is Tasha at Delivering Miracles.  Not only is her blog new, she just began a new, exciting process of surrogacy.  She's using her blog to document her unforgettable journey of selflessly delivering miracles for others.

Secondly, I was tagged for "5 Times the Fun" by my sweet friend, Melody. This is a fun game where I get to answer 5 questions, 5 times.

Question 1 – Where were you five years ago? 

1.  Finishing up my last month as a teacher

2. Planning my wedding! ; )

3. Living in an apartment in Nashville

4. On the hunt for a place to live post-wedding

5.  Completely clueless as to what the next five years held, that's for sure.

Question 2 – Where would you like to be five years from now?

1. Helping my husband and our business to thrive

2. Homeschooling my children

3. Back to the weight I was 5 years ago

4. Still blogging

5. Maybe not in Spring Hill/Nashville, but we'll see.

Question 3 – What is (was) on your to do list today?

1. Keep on cleaning the house

2. Continue blogging for the A to Z challenge

3. Hang out with a friend and her little boy for pizza at the Target food court (classy!)

4. Send out some e-mails for BluEyEdea Media.

5. Reading and reviewing more books

Question 4 – What 5 snacks do you enjoy?

1. Chocolate, of course 

2. Tortilla chips and queso

3. Chocolate

4. Coffee and chocolate

5. Hmmm... something healthy like a banana chocolate.

Question 5 – What would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Pay off my house and make sure I have money to retire on… and maybe move.

2. Give 10% to my church.

3. Fully stock my children's college and wedding funds.

4. Buy and RV and travel to all of the places in the US I still haven't seen.  

5. Have fun anonymously helping people who need it!

Tagging 5 friends I’d love to know more about!

Kelly @ Kelly's Home

Yvonne @ Welcome to my World of Poetry

Ruby @ Blabbin' Grammy

Lee @ Tossing it Out

Stacey @ Morning by Morning

Remember Nashville

If you watched the news at all this weekend, you might possibly have seen footage of the bizarre weather that Middle Tennessee received over 48 hours.  It's angering to me how little coverage the national media has given this disaster.  Many have lost homes and several lost their lives.  This has been so surreal to see and experience.  Even though our home is on a hill and we are fine, others in our community and surrounding areas were not as fortunate.  Our rain gauge measured over 18 inches of rain by Sunday evening.  Unbelievable.

Thankfully, the rain has stopped;  but, rivers are still rising and devastation continues.  Many popular landmarks, such as the Opryland Hotel and historic Second Avenue, are all flooded with several feet of water.  Please remember the people of Nashville and its suburbs in your prayers today.  For so many, this will take a long time to clean up and process.

Here are several videos of footage from the weekend:











My husband took this video of streets surrounding our neighborhood:





Pictures of downtown Nashville as of noon today:

Footage of the well-known Opryland Hotel:




And lastly, the phrases from Chris Tomlin's song, "God of This City," are repeating in my head:

You're the God of this City

You're the King of these people

Greater things have yet to come

Greater things are still to be done in this City.

"Q"uite Surprised!

This past Wednesday night when I waved my official flag of defeat for the Blogging from A-Z Challenge, a few of my readers let me know that they were slightly bummed.  I was quite surprised that people were actually checking my "letters" everyday and-- believe it or not-- enjoying it somewhat.  Who knew?!

So, this post is to let those readers know that I will finish.  Of course I won't be able to complete the challenge by the deadline (which by the way is today).  But I will follow through and journey to the very end.  Just promise me that you'll keep reading all the way to Z!

Blogging for the past four months has been incredibly enjoyable.  Thanks for all the support!

P is for Priorities

With only two more days/letters left in the Blogging from A-Z April challenge, it's completely safe to say: I BLEW IT!

Getting life back in order after a vacation sure isn't easy. And that's where the heavy-duty prioritizing has had to come into play this week. Unfortunately, with all that I've had to do, blogging has been on the bottom of the list. So now I find myself at "P" when I should be seeing an "X" in my post.

Even though I won't make it through the challenge 100% successful, I've really enjoyed trying. I've met some wonderful people and now have several new favorites to add to my blogroll.

Thanks again to Lee at Tossing it Out for leading us on this blogging journey this month!

Only a Few More Steps

Many of you know that my 3-year-old and I travelled to Destin, Florida, last week with my husband's family.  I've always been a huge lover of both the beach and sun, but haven't had a chance to visit the ocean in 5 years.  It was such a nice vacation and a priceless opportunity to reconnect with my daughter, Addison, one-on-one.

Once I knew our trip had been finalized, I began telling her about where we were going and all the things we would get to see.  I tried my best to describe how much fun she would have playing in lots and lots of sand.  She had never seen an ocean or beach before, so I knew this would be an awesome sight for her.  The excitement and anticipation was almost more than she could stand!

The time finally came and Addison got to lay eyes on the beach for the very first time.   I sort of expected her to take off running ahead, but instead she prematurely got excited and quickly began shoveling sand into her bucket.  We were at the very edge of the sand line, with a huge beach and majestic ocean ahead of us.  She didn't understand that we hadn't fully arrived and that the best was yet to come.  When we finally coerced her to keep walking, she came to realize what we had been promising her.   Her already big blue eyes grew as large as ever as she saw the ocean for the first time. What a precious moment that was... Really wish her daddy could have been with us to see it.

As we enjoyed our time in the sunshine, I began to think about Addy's first impression of the beach. The Lord gently whispered to my heart about my own bouts of premature contentment.   I realized how often God brings us to note-worthy places and experiences along our life's journey... and how we all too quickly settle with the first glance.  We think that our first footprint in the sand is the last, neglecting to keep our heads up and eyes peeled on what the next few steps hold for us.

Taking it even a step further... I get very content in my life here on earth.  TOO content.  My eternal home in heaven is only a few proverbial steps away, but my mind gets stuck in the "sand" of earth.  I picture myself as my 3-year-old, quickly scooping meaningless treasures of earth into my perishable bucket.

It's so funny to me how the Lord gets our attention sometimes, especially in moments when we least expect it.   I hope I can remember this particular vacation for as long as possible.  Father, help my family and I to keep dreaming big and yearning for our home in heaven.   Help us to not ever miss the forest because of the trees... or miss the beautiful beach because of the sand.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him... 1 Corinthians 2:9

No Internet

Hi there, blogging world!

After 9 days, I'm finally back to finish up the Blogging from A-Z challenge. My daughter and I arrived home at midnight from our FABULOUS Florida vacation. I was pleasantly forced to mostly "unplug" for the entire trip. There wasn't an internet connection close enough to our condo to be able to consistently keep up with my blog. So, I decided to embrace the time to relax both physically and mentally.

Our time at the beach was incredibly slow-paced and relaxed... completely opposite of what my life normally resembles. The sunshine was warm and the wind was cool. Just a perfect blend! Now the challenge begins to keep my new tan until summer time. : )

Well, I sure have a lot of catching up to do with the A-Z challenge. Here's hoping I'll be able to finish in a reasonable amount of time!

Much Needed Vacation

I totally dropped the ball on my "M" post yesterday. But I have a good excuse, I promise! When I began the Blogging from A-Z April challenge, my calendar was pretty much wide open for the entire month. Unexpectedly, I have the opportunity for my daughter and I to go on a week vacation to Destin, Florida, with my husband's family. He has a lot of work to do, so he and my son are staying home. The Klapper girls are heading to the beach and we're leaving today! I'm so excited! I'm not exactly sure what my internet situation will be down there. I plan to continue and finish the A-Z challenge, but maybe a few days later than expected. Hopefully, this much needed vacation will bring me back rested and rejuvenated, ready to hit the blogging ground running! Goodbye, Tennessee pollen... Hello, Florida sunshine!

Livin' la Vida Loca

"It may be a "krazy" life, but it's our life..."

Since Lee over at Tossing it Out mentioned my blog today, I thought I'd take the opportunity to let my readers know more about myself.  

Me and my husband, Alec

I began "Keeping Up Klapper" back at the very beginning of this year with the intentions of blogging about the life of our family, the Klappers.  Around the same time, we had just began our very own home-based business, so I also figured I would write about that journey, as well.  Three and a half months later, I'm still blogging about our family and business, along with quite a few book and product reviews thrown in for fun.  Even though one of the unwritten rules of successful blogging is to find a specific niche and stick to it, my posts for "Keeping Up Klapper" are a bit all over the place and I'm loving it.

The two monkeys who keep us so krazy... and so blessed.

Currently, I'm a stay-at-home/work-at-home mother of two precious children.  In my down time, I mostly enjoy reading and blogging these days.  I've recently taken on the high-intensity sport of "couponing" and am always on the hunt for a good bargain.  One of my highest ambitions is to be a godly wife, mother, and friend.  Every day for our family is a winding road with lots of bumps, hills, and valleys. But we manage to keep taking deep breaths and journeying on with the Lord as our Guide.

Thanks again, Lee, for including my blog in your A-Z challenge.  It has been and continues to be quite an undertaking for this busy mom, but I'm having a really fun time in the process.

K is for Kickin' Back!

Tonight, my friends, I'm gonna spare you all a long, jumbled blog post and spend some time with my feet propped up and my eyes glued on the TV.  It's been several weeks since I've just spent time relaxing, so that's what I'm going to do tonight.  Gonna get caught up on a few DVR episodes and then wait for my two favorites:

AND

It's going to be a great night!  So, hopefully my brain will be working well enough tomorrow to compose a decent "L" post.  Mr. Arlee Bird has told me he'll be mentioning my blog tomorrow so I need to think of something worth reading! ; )

Just can't decide...

Here's a confession about myself:

I have a really hard time making decisions.

I'm an incredibly detailed person.  Some people would consider this a blessing.  Yes, I think it is a blessing on occasion.  But the problem for me is, I get weighed down with details.  To the point where I spend way too much time flip-flopping decisions, outcomes, scenarios back and forth in my mind. It drives my husband crazy at times, because I can't ever seem to make a decision and stick with it.  I'm always worried about making the WRONG decision.

My example story happened this morning with a $20 gift card at Target Supercenter.  Let me start off by saying that unlike many women I know, I do NOT like Target.  (For many, many reasons.  But that's another post on another day.  Maybe it'll be my letter "T.")  So, the fact that I had to spend the twenty bucks at Target began my shopping trip on a negative path.

For someone like myself who has trouble making decisions, spending the gift card was SO DIFFICULT.  There were so many things that we needed but I just couldn't reconcile my thoughts around what was needed the most.  Yes, in the end, I picked up a few things with the gift card.  But the frustration that accompanied all of my decision-making haunted me for the rest of the day.

Sounds crazy, right?  Well, I used to think it was just an ordinary thing.  Until I truly realized how much of my thinking was enslaved to decision making... how I was always afraid of what might happen if I made the wrong choice.  Then a year ago I found out the issue.

This is actually a common tendency of people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  Now, I don't mean to the degree of constantly washing my hands or locking/unlocking doors or any other type of compulsive behavior.  My issues are all stuck inside the gears of my brain.  The "Obsessive" part of OCD.  And I fall into the category of "Doubters and Sinners."  A person in this category is always "afraid that if everything isn't perfect or done just right something terrible will happen or they will be punished."

So how do I deal with it?  First of all, I've found that sleep is a major player in my symptoms.  When I don't get enough, I have an incredibly difficult time making decisions or getting out of my thoughts (if that makes sense).  At the end of the day, if I realize I've had an anxiety-ridden day over decisions, ninety-nine percent of the time I can blame it on inadequate sleep.

Exercise also helps tremendously.  It pumps up those seratonin levels and other big-scientific-named things that the brain needs to feel good.

Prescription antidepressants, such as Prozac, do a great deal to help ease the symptoms.  I've been extremely inconsistent with these since I can rarely get past the side effects that many of them cause.

Lastly, the three therapies I mentioned above are essential, yet NOTHING can take the place of spending time with the Great Physician.  He is the Prince of Peace, at whose feet I can lay all of my burdens, worries, decisions, and cares.

 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7

Now that I know the root of my decision-making issues, it's much easier now for me to deal with them.  I'm thankful that my personal level of OCD is extremely mild compared to other stories I've heard or read about.  I'm also glad that I've been made aware of the issue and can now watch for early symptoms in my children, as well.

If you have thoughts, advice, recommendations, or just a comment about this topic, I'd love to read them!

See you tomorrow for letter "K."

iLove the iPad

A week ago I wrote about a belated birthday gift that I was anxiously awaiting.  Well, on the morning of April 3rd, it arrived.  My husband had ordered an iPad for me! 

This thing is SO cool!  I’ve had it for a week now and have yet to figure out all it can do.  Since my husband has been out of town, my time on it has been very limited.  I mean, how can I argue with my 3 year old daughter when she says, “Mommy, put the iPad down”?!

My first impressions are:

*The battery life is freaking amazing.

*This little tablet will seriously do just about everything a laptop will do.

*It was a much cheaper purchase for us than laying down at least a grand for an additional Apple laptop.

*The iPad is exactly what I need to perform my responsibilities for our business.

*As far as fun stuff goes, I am having a blast with the applications.  I know I will find many more that I enjoy, but right now the Netflix app is my favorite.  If you are a Netflix subscriber, you can watch movies and tv shows instantly on your iPad.  Most of the newly designed iPad apps are in HD, which make them visually top-notch.

My only complaints are:

*It doesn't support Adobe Flash.  This is a big downer at this point for us, mainly because our company's website was built via Flash.  But we knew this fact before we made the purchase, so we will manage without it.

*There's a bug on the Blogger website that's not allowing me to type my posts directly into Blogger.  Up to this point, I've been typing them in a separate application then copying and pasting into Blogger. SURELY they will fix this soon!!! (HINT HINT)

A few reviews worth glancing over if you're in the market for an Apple iPad:

Laptop Killer? Pretty Close!

Verdict is in on Apple iPad: It's a Winner

The iPad Launch: Can Steve Jobs Do It Again?

My husband gets two thumbs up plus a big hug and kiss when he gets home for a great birthday gift!  ; )

I did not receive any compensation for this post.

H is for Heart

Meet Carter...

This is one incredibly special little boy.

You see, when Carter was born almost 6 years ago, he was born with only half of a heart, or what's technically known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

For six years he has been such a strong fighter.  His sweet family of 6 has been on quite a journey, if you can imagine.  And just yesterday, he was given a NEW heart via transplant.

People all over this country are praying for little Carter's earthly healing.  Would you please join us?

If you'd like to read more about Carter and his story, visit his CaringBridge website here.

Growing Weary

In my very first post of the Blogging from A-Z April challenge, I wrote about the fact that my husband was going away on a business trip for 10 days.  Well, we have made it past the halfway mark and are now 3 1/2 days away from his return.  All I can say is, I AM SO READY!

I'm drained.  It's hard to even type a sensible blog post at this point.  So, I'm still going to do my best to stay with this blog challenge.  But today's entry is going to be extra short.

Until tomorrow, my friends!