Todays Mama Giveaway

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
A massage
Pioneer Woman's cookbook
Dutch Oven
Lush bath items
Philosophy Gingerbread Man scrub

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
A scrapbook made by my mom

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
A quilt

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
My cabbage patch doll

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
Playmobil toys

6. What is your favorite holiday food?
Christmas cookies

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
PJ Pants for my boys

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
White Christmas

9. Favorite holiday song?
Ave Maria

10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Watching Christmas movies

1. All laundry from our trip is clean and put away
2. Floors have been washed and vacuumed
3. I helped the boys make construction paper jack-o-lanterns today. Bill just "loves it."

Small Successes

1. Exercised everyday this week.
2. Read books with the boys, checked out new ones at the library and returned the old
3. Made spaghetti pie for dinner and everyone loved it.

Daniel X returns

I was excited when Mother-Talk gave me the opportunity to read and review James Patterson's latest book in the Daniel X series, Watch The Skies. The first book had caught my interest and the second didn't disappoint.

Watch the Skies finds Daniel on the trail of another alien bad guy, Number 5. His loyal, self created, friends and family are back to lend him support. Once again we see Daniel use his powers to create all sorts of inventions that aid him in his quest. Any kid that likes imagining how things work or what they could make with random parts will enjoy this part of the book.

A new character finds her way into Daniel's life. It is fun to see him try to have a normal life with a normal girl while battling bad guys from outer space who took over her town.

Once again James Patterson comes through with a book sure to capture the interest of boys & girls.

Struggling

I watch the bird seemingly stuck midair. Flapping its wings trying to get somewhere, anywhere. But the wind is too strong and holds the bird suspended in air. Try as it might the bird can't make its wings propel it forward. Finally, probably exhausted, the bird stops flapping, just for a second. It drops out of the current and into a new one. This one lets the bird's wings propel it forward. A new path is created.

I feel stuck, like that bird. I know there is another path somewhere, but I do not want it. I want the one I see ahead of me. The one I always thought I'd go on. Unfortunately, it seems like the wind is too strong and won't let me go on that path. I can't stop trying though. Near exhaustion, but not quite at it.

When do I give up?

How do I give up?