Wordless Wednesday

Winners!

Winners of the Paper Coterie gift codes are:
Maria T
Emily R
Carrie P
Angie D
TV's Take
Tricia
Frugal in Ohio
Andrea
Sarah
Amy

Care Packages

I've been getting a care package ready to mail to a college student, and it made me question how often you and I send any type of care packages or letters to others. A friend of mine would faithfully send a missionary family overseas some pumpkin pie ingredients around Thanksgiving; another would send Starbucks coffee! In this technological age or even just with the busyness of our day, how often do we set time aside to write a letter or send a package just to let someone know that we're thinking of them?

Photo Credit: Image: posterize / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky

Here's a list a few low entry giveaways (less than 100 entries) which end in the next 2 weeks. And link up contests in the blogsphere that have less than 100 entries, ending in the next 2 weeks!

Wordless Wednesday - A Smart Shopper

Parents as Teachers

I've had a few friends who are parents recently mention everyday teaching opportunities. One involved respecting a funeral procession by pulling their car to the side of the road while the procession drove by; in today's fast-paced society, many commuters continue regular driving habits regardless of showing respect for the passing of a member of the community. Another actually involved teaching another child respect, as that child's parents were unobservant to catch their child's behavior; the child threw an object which hit my friend, and since the child's father did not even notice, my friend told the father that if he didn't discipline his child, my friend would!

As you probably do, I try to find those teachable moments for my child, to train her to be a respectful child, who will grow up to a teen and then an adult. But how do you deal with others who are not as attentive to their parenting role?


Photo Credit: Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wordless Wednesday - Busy Bee

Continually Remembering

I think it would be great to see this all year long!

Have We Forgotten?

Earlier this summer, some friends I made 10 years ago came back into the country for a visit, and I recollected on the past 10 years. Again, I'm thinking back 10 years ago, to the specific day -- September 11, 2001.

I had only been teaching at this high school for a few weeks, and even before the school day started, I was an emotional mess. A mentor teacher walked me down and suggested to the principal that I be sent home; I sobbed, insisting that I could pull it together and teach that day. But my principal (who's always had a big heart) sent me home. Since my roommate was at work, I decided to take a run around the neighborhood and ended up running to the church. My pastor was rather concerned about whether I was able to let my parents (who live out-of-the-country) know that everything was ok, and I was so confused. But after watching the little tv in his office display the horror of a commercial airplane used as a weapon, I hurried home in disbelief that evil met our innocent ones on our doorstep.

Even today, it really hurts to think about any of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. I know this is not a perfect world, but to look evil in the face is extremely uncomfortable. And as time goes on, we lose the personalization and some of the severity of the experience. As a teacher, I had a small writing series focused on 9-11, and towards my last few years of teaching, I had students say they could barely remember what even happened. I was shocked -- something that was of great impact to me was becoming just a historical event, as they were disconnected from it, much like Carl Sandburg's "Grass."

Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work -

I am the grass; I cover all.

And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:

What place is this?
Where are we now?

I am the grass.
Let me work.

It is important to remember and to tell those who have trouble remembering. We should strive to never be those ignorant passengers and impart those who come after us with the stories truly worth remembering, that they will be stronger men and women because of it.

We have a Winner!

Congrats to SondraMama for winning the Tropical Traditions Laundry Detergent Giveaway!

Currently Tropical Traditions has BOGO Coconut Oil . You can also receive a FREE copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil, from the Referral program! Choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter User ID: 6608836 on you first online order, and the book will be automatically added to your order. If you need assistance, contact Customer Service.

Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky

Here's a list a few low entry giveaways (less than 100 entries) which end in the next 2 weeks. And link up contests in the blogsphere that have less than 100 entries, ending in the next 2 weeks!

$40 Paper Coterie w/ free shipping 9/18

Wordless Wednesday - Good-bye Summer!

Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky

Here's a list a few low entry giveaways (less than 100 entries) which end in the next 2 weeks. And link up contests in the blogsphere that have less than 100 entries, ending in the next 2 weeks! Happy Winning and Happy Friday! And thank you for the special visits as a featured hostess! =)

$40 Paper Coterie w/ free shipping 9/18
Tropical Traditions Laundry Detergent 9/4

20% Off and Cash Back on Hanna Andersson!

I've heard moms rave about Hanna Andersson, especially the organic training unders.


For the next ten days, through ShopAtHome, you can get 20% off as well as the 3% cash back! You can check it out here!

Paper Coterie $40 GC with free shipping Giveaway!

Last month, Paper Coterie offered free $40 gift codes for the month of August with their "Begin Anywhere" campaign. They're extremely generous and want you to see all they have to offer, from personalized growth charts to recipe cards.

I love this photo book, and though it'll take a bit of time to really personalize it, the finished product will educational as we learn our alphabet but also be fun to look at for years to come. I really appreciate the versatility in picking what each letter represents; I can easily use uploaded pictures or mix and match with the stock photos available. The book is also printed on premium 50% recycled fiber paper.

WIN IT!!
Paper Coterie is offering 10 readers a $40 gift code with free shipping! To enter, Like Discovering the Me in Mommy on Facebook comment about which product you'll be making!

Contest ends at 10pm EST on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011 when I will draw a winners at random. PLEASE leave your email address in your entry. I will notify the winner, and s/he will have 36 hours to respond!


****This is not a paid post. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Paper Coterie who supplied the products for the review and giveaway!****