Slurping Life

Free Prints Giveaway

The Snapfish giveaway is posted and open through midnight Monday, May 12.  Simply leave a comment on the giveaway post to enter.  There are ten cards for free prints up for grabs.

This is a sticky post.  Please scroll down for more.  Thanks for reading.

More Fun Than Ants In Your Pants

My boys have a knack for finding fun most every moment of the day...often at my expense or frustration.  This time I was not harmed.  By the way, imagine gut-aching boy laughter with the last photo.

Gather a stash of water balloons...

Fill the balloons with water and stockpile them in a bucket...

Stuff a water balloon down your brother's pants then whack it with your hand until it bursts...

Repeat, repeat, repeat...among three brothers.

There's more fun at Stacy's Theme Thursday.

Are you having any fun at your place?

    

Snapfish Giveaway In Celebration of Mother's Day

In celebration of Mother's Day Snapfish.com -the number one online photo service- has given me 10 gift cards each redeemable for 50 free prints of your favorite photos.  Yeah, I know.  We love free...we love photos...and we love Snapfish.com.  Do you feel a giveaway coming?

Snapfish.com by hp offers free online storage and sharing; high quality mail order prints; and personalized gifts, cards, photo books and more.  If you are looking for a last minute gift from the heart, Snapfish also offers unique, personalized Mother's Day gifts such as:

•  Sterling Silver Jewelry:  Put a smile on Mom'€™s face by combining two of her favorite things  - €“family photos and jewelry! Snapfish offers customizable sterling silver jewelry which is perfect for making Mom feel appreciated on her special day. Snapfish users can easily and affordably turn family photos into wearable art by personalizing a sterling silver bracelet or necklace with photos that will warm her heart for less than $40 (a great project dad and child can do together).  Additionally, the custom jewelry comes beautifully packaged in a presentation gift box.

• Photo Books:  What better way to make Mom feel special than to create a photo book full of favorite snapshots capturing your family's€™s memorable moments? Snapfish offers a full line of photo books in a range of sizes, covers and designs to celebrate Mom. Photo book prices range from $4.99 to $49.99. These professionally-bound books let you tell your stories by using your personal photos to illustrate all the special memories made with Mom. Snapfish'€™s latest additions to its line of photo books include Signature Photo Books - 12 x 12-inches starting at $49.99, and Storybooks with personalized dust jackets -€“ 8 x 8-inches starting at $24.99.

About those 50 free prints card...you know I would never keep all those cards for myself.  For your chance to win one of the 10 cards for 50 free prints from Snapfish, simply leave a comment on this post by midnight Monday, May 12.  In commenting be sure that you input your email address so that I can contact you should you win.  That's it.  Ten winners will be chosen via random.org and announced here on Tuesday, May 13.

Ten winners!  What'cha waiting for...talk to me for your chance to win.  Then pop over to Snapfish.com and register so that you will be all set to order your 50 free prints if you win.

Getting By With A Little Help From My Friend

 

Visit friends and photos of Wordless Wednesday.

A Road Map To Some Place Else

"There is nothing we like to see so much as the gleam of pleasure in a person's eye when he feels that we have sympathized with him, understood him.  At these moments something fine and spiritual passes between two friends. These are the moments worth living." -- Don Marquis

The book arrived and I read it in less than twenty-four hours and that was on a busy weekend of attending Paralympic events.  The past week has been dotted with moments of my trying to decide what to write...other than "read this now if you are a mom".  Sure, it is a book written by a mom of a special  needs child, but her words resonate with all moms.  Words of reality...words of frustration...words of love...read them.

I keep thinking perhaps it is because of time spent in NICU with our oldest son...or the special needs diagnoses times three of our younger sons which my husband and I have faced and that exhaust us...but no.  It is simply Jennifer's honest words about the moments of fear and uncertainty of motherhood. 

The plan was I would ramble about the similarities of our experiences...our fears...our what-ifs...our unspoken hopes.  The only thing I find to say is if there exists a writer able to more fluidly weave words...I've never read her work.

If you are a mom, read Road Map To Holland.  If you are a mom of a special needs child...or perhaps like me, of several special needs children...read Road Map To Holland. 

Thank you, Jennifer, for sympathizing with and understanding me.  You have indeed shared your spirit, and that is a beautiful gift.

Note...If you are the parent of a child with Down Syndrome, the book's appendix offers a plethora of resources, additional reading titles and a glossary of terminology.

Pictures And More For Parker

Got a dollar? 

Please take a few moments and read about Pictures for Parker at The Original Cracker Jack Site.  Here's the idea:

Let Izabel draw/color a picture in your name for a $1.00 donation to Parker's Medical Fund. I myself know that sometimes even a dollar is hard to come by, but maybe you have some loose change sitting around that you could use. Izabel's pictures will be well worth your pennies, nickels and dimes. What we will be doing is creating a unique masterpiece in your name and then bind them together to make a colorful book to send to Parker for him to look at. Each page will be an Izzy original and will contain a picture of you (if you'd like) and your web address.

A $1.00 donation (Cash/Check/Money Orders) will get you a wonderfully created masterpiece designed in your name and all proceeds will be sent to Parker. This fundraiser will go through Wednesday, May 14th, 2008.

If you do not know Parker, then please take a few moments to meet him.  He has yet another surgery scheduled this month which will require a long, intense recovery.  And as he recovers, his parents will be struggling with the burden of one more humongous hospital bill and doctors' fees stacked on top of existing ones not being paid by their insurance company.

Also, Bunny Rose Cottage is having a Mother's Day sale at her Etsy Shop to benefit Parker.

And do not forget this chance to love on Parker over at Big Blueberry Eyes.

Above all...please pray for Parker.  I love this kid.  He is itching to be healthy enough to drive his mom insane.  Let's help his family get him there.

 

Afraid To Write The Words

Afraid to write the words.  Once you write the words they are real.  Other people may read them.  Then you have to own them.  Then you are known by the words.

The sobs come and leave slowly and come again until I fall asleep.  I miss the comfort of my bed, but it seems wrong to take this noisy sorrow there.  So sleep comes on the sofa...alone, where no one will be disturbed.  Wake, muddle through the day, repeat.

It has been years in the making.  The realization that my words have not agreed with my heart.  In reality my heart has been in mourning for years.  It was only a few days ago that my mind, my body and my heart - together - awakened to the truth.  Mourn...

...then move forward.

I love my children.  I pray for them...for me...for us...that their limitations strengthen them...that they not be limited by my limitations.

We move forward...just like always...

...with hope

...with love...

...with tears...

...with laughter...

...and did I mention...

...love?

We're good...thanks for asking.

When Harry Met Sally At Our House

It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. 

After the mating ritual on this very spot Sally single-handedly single-beakedly built their home.

She gave birth to their children and awaits their emergence into the world.

While Harry watches, pacing fluttering to and fro, ever the protector.

And each morning they greet our family with cheerful songs.

Thank you, Harry and Sally, for choosing to make your home with us.  For bringing chirping, a reminder of instinctive love and renewal to our hearts.  We needed that here...in our home...where the days have been a bit trying for weeks.

We can hardly wait to see the babies.

Screaming In The Storm

Michelle has chosen me as one of the first recipients of her Singing In The Rain award.

One, I am surprised. 

Two, I am honored. 

Three, I am glad she cannot hear daily life in my house.  It is way more like screaming in the storm rather than singing in the rain. 

Michelle, thank you for honoring me.

With admiration and love, I pass the Singing In The Rain award to Tammy.  If she isn't THE epitome  of singing in the rain...well, I just quit.  Take a few moments to browse her blog, and please, say a prayer.

This Busy Mom Wins

After ignoring two comments that were not eligible and inputting information at random.org, the winner of the giveaway for a copy of The Busy Mom's Devotional is Stacey of Not For Profit, But For Joy.

Congratulations, Stacey!  And thanks to all who read and commented.

Finding Courage Through Sharing And Sometimes Cheating

Today I am cheating.  I cheat lots of days, but please don't tell my boys...it would totally blow the umph of most of my lectures.

My friend Michelle of In The Life Of A Child begins her monthly blog carnival today...Finding Courage Through Sharing...and I had to participate.  But I also had to cheat.  See, my Bipolar/ADHD son (one of three special needs sons...one of four total sons) is rocking our world.  So please consider this my introduction in a nutshell, just for now.  I promise to do better later.

I'll meet you over at In The Life Of A Child for the links to the first participants...heaven knows I need a hunk of courage and inspiration right now...or the chocolate stash, nor the wine, will last through the hour.