A Perfect Smile

A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. ~Author Unknown

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I love this kid, and I love his smile. He doesn't like it so much because he is misssing some teeth due to a congenital defect. He lost his baby teeth and there just weren't any adult teeth to fill the gaps. Therefore, the teeth he does have are w i d e l y spaced. This makes his bite funny and his smile, well that picture above is what I usually get in a snapshot.

We have consulted with an orthodontist about braces, and even though now would be the ideal time to move his teeth, we just cannot find the $4000-$5000 it would cost. It kinda breaks my heart.

When I heard that invisalign was doing a giveaway promotion, I whispered a little prayer, "Please, God?" The difference between me wanting to give something to my child and God wanting to give something to His? He owns it all, anyways. So, I am doing my part and posting about my wish for a perfect smile.

If you want to check it out, click here.

WANT. want. WANT

One of these:

Go see for yourself.

Or, look here.

Or, maybe, here.

You Decide

Since we built our kitchen I have wanted these exact stools for my island. I told my sister, Kris, the second hand diva, and she kept her eyes open until she found them on Craig's List for the price I told her I wanted to pay. Don't they look fabulous here? Thanks, Kris.

My only problem is that they always look like this- and worse because of all the junk and gunk that gets dropped down there by my kids. It's driving me crazy to see this every time I come into my kitchen. The other problem about this particular mess is that this is the main walkway through the kitchen.

Option 2 would be to go back to the bench that my husband built while we waited for the right stools to come along. The problem with this set up is that all that junk and gunk is harder to clean because the bench is so large, and you have to move the whole thing to clean under it.

So, help me out here. What would you do if this were your dilemma?

Hiding The Pop Tarts

I’m going to be honest with you; When I went to the store today, I bought Pop-Tarts. It happens about twice a year. I throw all caution to the wind and I put a box of sugar and preservative laden, frosted, toasted goodness in my cart. And I hope that the kids don’t see them when I stash them in an appropriately high cabinet. One that isn’t for food. Where they would NEVER think to look.. When they go to bed I sneak a shiny foil wrapped no-no out and into the toaster. I hope they cannot smell the forbidden treasure as it is toasting. And then I sit down and enjoy that sinfully good morsel all. by. myself.
Tell me you’ve never done this. Go ahead, tell me.
Maybe it isn’t Pop-Tarts, but I am sure you have a secret, guilty pleasure all of your own.

“So, why,” you may ask, “are you telling me this?”
Because I am sure you can relate!

Resolutions

I gave up on New Year’s Resolutions a long time ago.
Nothing ever seemed quite right.
Too hard.
Too easy.
Too perfect.
Too ridiculous.
I decided I didn’t want to try to come up with a “perfect” plan just because it was a new day, a new month, a new year– besides, in two weeks I would break my resolution and feel lousy
anyway.
That’s the thing about me. I don’t want to fail, so I don’t want to try. I want to control the
outcome of my life. I want to be master and commander of my universe. It tends to get in the way of a little thing called FAITH.
Looking back on my life so far, the times that have brought me the greatest joy and have been the most fulfilling, though, have been the times that I have listened to God say, “Go.” and I went. Not the times when I asked where– not the times I asked why– not the times I asked for how long.
The times that I have gone simply because the Lord led me have been the most rewarding
because God accomplished great things in me and through me.
It’s a new Year. Listen. Go. Do.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Merry Christmas

CSN Stores- This Time, For YOU

Remember the clock I showed you in my last post? The one I got for free doing a web review? Well, CSN is at it again. CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be a chic handbag, corner tv stands or even cute cookware!
This time I am offering you a chance to win a $45 dollar coupon code from CSN. (This cannot be applied to international fees.)
Leave me a comment with link or an address showing me what you would get from any CSN store, and I will choose a random winner on Thursday, December 23rd.
I can't wait to see what you would pick!

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Very scientifically, without telling her why, I had my daughter pick a number. She picked 2. Kathi, that is you! Congratulations, you have won the $45 "gift certificate" to CSN stores. Happy shopping.