God is speaking.

Sometimes it's best to just sit still and ask God to speak.

I've come to learn that when I ask God to speak, I hear Him say "I've been speaking" . You see, out of all of my worrying, all of my planning, all of my praying...He's been speaking. Sometimes he speaks when I see an older married couple holding hands-Thats when he saying "love your husband and cherish him more". Other times, He speaks when my five year old request to spend time with me, I take it that God is trying to tell me then, to pay attention and take more time with my children. But my favorite is when, my laptop abruptly shuts down, my kindle has no charge and my iPhone is frozen....HONEY, That is when God is yelling at me.

Now don't get me wrong, I love God, my husband, children and the convenience of my devices but they can't speak to me like God can. They can't pull on my convictions and convince me to believe that spending time with them will give me clarity, peace, security and everything else that my soul craves to have on a daily basis. They can't ease or comfort me or see completely pass my "know it all-I got myself together-I need a hug-but these dishes need to be clean-and i need to plan something" self. As a matter fact, no one, not even my husband or my parents can love me pass what I have done to them intentionally or unintentionally, LIKE GOD.

So I encourage you to listen. I read online a great quote that said "Don't let the noise of your world keep you from hearing the voice of the Lord."

God is speaking to you right now, good thing you're already sitting still.

L.A.

This post is dedicated to Elder Patton that passed away a few months ago in the wonderful state of Mississippi. A few weeks after I fully committed my life to Christ in 2005, he stopped me in the hallway and told me that God gave him a message for me. With conviction and love in his eyes he said "God want's you to Stop, Look, and Listen". Today, Elder Patton is in paradise and I am so glad that his love and his purpose was not in vain on earth. 

Atlanta Summer Reading Programs GREAT FOR BOYS, 2014 (Pin Now, Read Later)

It's finally here-Summer Vacation! The kids are home 24/7 and if you have boys like us your food is also gone and your energy is drained :) Needless to say you are looking for activities and outings that will keep your boys mentally stimulated while having fun. Well look no further, Georgia Public Libraries has two great summer reading programs that not only inspires your boys to read but also earns them a free ticket to a baseball or basketball game. Here is the info (from their sites) and the websites to add to your kids summer vacation schedules. Visit your local library today! 

What is on your kids schedule for the summer? 

L.A. 

The Atlanta Braves Summer Reading Group 

This summer, the Atlanta Braves, the Georgia Public Library Service and SUBWAY® Restaurants are encouraging students to continue learning throughout the summer months.

The 2014 Atlanta Braves summer reading program, Home Run Readers presented by SUBWAY® Restaurants is an educational outreach initiative that promotes literacy among youth.

Home Run Readers rewards students in grades K-12 throughout the state of Georgia with a FREE Braves ticket and SUBWAY® Restaurants Fresh Fit For Kids Meal for reading books and completing an online activity.

www.braves.com/reading

The Atlanta Hawks Check It Out Reading Challenge 

Students in grades K-12 who successfully read at least five books will receive:

• A Check it Out Reading Challenge bookmark (while supplies last)

• A free youth ticket with the purchase of at least 1 adult ticket to a 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks regular season game

www.checkitoutreading.com

The boys reading "Little Brother are..." by Beth Norling 

My Secret Garden: Evening and Morning Glory Flower plants (seeds)

This picture collage shows the progress of evening glories and morning glories. This floral vine will soon have it's gigantic floral buds because it leafs are reaching maximum size (as big a hand). The floral blooming season for this plant is mid summer. To get to this process there was a lot of work that need to be done. To start, the evening glory is a very hard seed that must experience a lot of pressure before being planted. I had to nick the seed (7 times with a nail clipper), sand it with course sandpaper, and then soak it for 48 hours. This is the way I break down the hardness of the seed so that when I sow it, it can receive the moisture and oxygen it needs to grow. As you can see, I start my plants indoor so that I can watch them carefully. I monitor their growth by measuring them and charting their height by day.

 Within the same week of planting them in their pods they reached a height of 7 inches and leaf width of 3cm. Soon after, they were planted in the large planter below. These plants, like most plants experienced transplant shock. Transplant  shock in plants is almost unavoidable. Let’s face it, plants were not designed to be moved from place to place and when we do it, we have to be even more aware of them. They were planted in a potting mix (by Sta-Green) with a slow release fertilizer. I do not recommend this mix for this plant because it can do well without the fertilizer. In my case, this is the only potting mix I buy because of the other plant seeds I purchase throughout the year. The growth was shocked after planting and the leaves experienced browning. However the stems were getting strong. So regardless of what it looked like, the stems were showing signs that the roots were transitioning into their new home very well. Therefore I cut all the dead leaves off to send energy back to the roots.

By cutting the shoked areas off,  this it gave the plant the energy it needed to grow faster and healthier. During this journey there has been signs of rust (a fungal disease) and intruding insects but my best friend (she has one growing morning glory vine in the planter also)  took care of it right away by simply pruning back the infection before it spread.

 This summer I anticipate the flowers to take over the tomato cage and be a stunning arrangement of colors and fragrance in the middle of our driveway,  blooming in the night (evening glory) and in the morning (morning glory). Stay tuned for more progress pictures.

Pinterest Party : Ideas, Decor Ideas and FREE PARTY PRINTABLES (Pin now)

Here's the scoop.... I have some cool ladies in my Kingdom Marriage small group. We laugh, we talk, we encourage and we PIN! In fact, We pin a lot! We are infatuated with the online goal boarding company Pinterest. The only problem is we pin so much we don't find time to pull away from our screen to make the things we pin. (insert superhero instrumental here) PINTEREST PARTY TO THE RESCUE! In one short convo me and the ladies pick out a date, a location, a craft and i whipped up a invite (even through we didn't need one, but I'm a party perfectionist, so oh well) to email them. Voila! The party was in the works.

So of course I ran to Pinterest and searched "Pinterest Party" decor and ideas. To my surprise, there were tons of ideas! So I just chose a couple of cool looking inexpensive ideas to recreate. In addition i searched for FREE PINTEREST PARTY PRINTABLES and shockingly there were none....that were free. So of course, my years of graphic designing kicked in and I opened my laptop and got on Adobe Illustrator and created my own. Yes, I have them for you, FOR FREE! *in my Oprah voice* "YOU GET A FREE PRINTABLE! YOU GET ONE! AND YOU GET ONE TOO!" lol.

Check out the pics from our first Pinterest Party! (Scroll Down for FREE PRINTEREST PARTY PRINTABLES)

Our craft was body scrubs and bath soaks (I made lots of mini ones to give to my girlfriends for mother day and to give to my oldest sons teacher before summer vacation)

 The punch was delicious! I got the recipe from fellow pinner and blogger, Julie, from Table of Two blog. Click Here for the recipe link. I didn't use alcohol, I used Raspberry Ginger ale as a substitute.

Spring Cleaning: When you don't feel like it

The weather has changed and spring has finally sprung! Hooray!  Along with the rain, pollen and flower blossoms, I can't seem to ignore the spring cleaning task. I know what lies ahead; sorting clothes, donation bins, and mass organizing. (*long sigh* I need a clone)   Oddly I have accomplished (yep Its April and I am close to finishing) one item on that list - Organization!

I usually tackle my large organizing task first but this year I chose to start with the "smaller" task; Our coat closet and the medicine cabinet. Our medicine cabinet was a mess and very cluttered.  Plus, usually when we have look for a particular medicine we find it empty or expired. Don't you hate that? Not to forget the front coat closet.   I know I'm not the only one that uses a coat closet to store everything but coats :). In our coat closet was board games, an inflatable chair, basket balls, a DVD player, Jeans ( they were mine lol) and some other items that I hadn't seen in a couple of years. A deep cleaning was definitely necessary and I needed to do something quick because Spring is the season of light jackets, hats and umbrellas. So like any lazy OCD mommy I made a plan and took a short trip to my nearby Dollar Tree . There I found a white coated rack with five hooks on it, a set of four baskets and some labels.

I started with the coat closet. I am too embarrassed to show you my "before " picture. Trust me, it was bad. But here's my "after picture. As you can see I placed two racks on the door; one at the top for umbrellas and one at the bottom so the kiddies can hang their jackets. This closet cleaning took me only 10 minutes.

Next I tackled the medicine closet (I was on an organizing high lol). Please do not ask me why an ice tray is in my medicine cabinet before pic *smh* 

All in all, cleaning those missed spots made me feel very accomplished.  I hope this inspires you to clean and organized the cluttered areas in your home. The next small projects for me to do are the junk drawer in the kitchen, pots and pans cabinets, and the food pantry. 

Dollar tree finds:

 (2) sets of four baskets 

(2) white coated rack with hooks

_________________________

$4.00 + tax

L.A. Bonds

2014 Tax Day Freebies, Discounts and Special Buys

Finding and sorting all of your receipts to prepare your taxes can get really tiring and stressful. Now that they are done and filed, relax and enjoy a couple of freebies today on Uncle Sam.

- Arby’s

For the fourth year in a row, customers can get a free snack-sized order of curly fries today only by visiting coupon.arbys.com/taxday for a coupon.

- Boston Market

Today only, get two Boston Market Tax Meal Chicken Deals for $10.40, no coupon needed. Guests receive two individual meals, each including a half rotisserie chicken with a choice of two home style sides and freshly baked cornbread.

- Bruegger’s Bagels

A coupon for a $10.40 Big Bagel Bundle (that’s a baker’s dozen of bagels and two tubs of cream cheese) is yours for liking the bakery chain on Facebook. The offer is valid through today.

- California Tortilla

Walk into any California Tortilla, make a purchase and say “Taxes Shmaxes” to score free chips and queso.

- Cheesecake Factory

Tweet your Tax Day woes@cheesecakefactory using the hashtag #CakeMe and you may end up with a complimentary gift card.

- ESquared Hospitality

Get half off alcoholic beverages — including cocktails, beer, wines — at BLT Prime and BLT Steak restaurant and bar locations in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Waikiki, Hawaii; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina and Miami, Florida. New York City’s GO Burger Bar & Grill, Casa Nonna and Juni and Chicago’s The Florentine all boast the same discount.

- Great American Cookie

Sweet deal! Come into any participating store, get a free regular chocolate chip cookie.

- Hard Rock Cafe

Today only, guests will have the opportunity to select their favorite song and perform it onstage at their local Hard Rock Cafe. Guests who perform a complete song in front of the entire restaurant will receive a free dinner entrée from the restaurant’s newly launched menu.

Diners at the New York City location will have a chance to enjoy a one-song performance from Bret Michaels to benefit hunger charityWhyHunger.

- McCormick & Schmick’s

Locations across the country are offering anextended happy hour with a menu including “bar bites” starting at $2.99.

- Orange Leaf Yogurt

Fill up your cup with yogurt and toppings today and pay only $4.15. Claim the “releaf” offer on Facebook and show the cashier your confirmation e-mail.

- Pizza Hut

As an ode to the 1099 tax form, pizza fans can order a large pizza and one of three sides for just $10.99, online-only on April 15. Customers must enter the promo code TAXDAY to get the deal.

- Schlotzsky’s

Visit a participating location and get a free small“The Original” sandwich with purchase of chips and a 32-ounce drink.

- Sonic

The drive-in chain is offering an all-day happy hour today with a “Tax Cut” — half price drinks and slushes at participating locations.

- Sonny’s BBQ

Enjoy half-priced platters of the chain’s Sweet & Smokey or Dry-Rubbed Ribs with two sides and bread today only at participating stores.

- White Castle

Visit the White Castle website to receive a “Prep For Tax Day” coupon for a 15% discount good through midnight tonight.

If I missed anything let me know in the comments. Share the Free-wealth! Where are you headed today? 

"Oh The Places You'll Go" Spring Break 2014

For most families across the U.S. , Spring break usually comes like a mighty rushing wind determined to blow the food out of your cupboards and the energy out of your body. Well at least thats how I feel EVERY SCHOOL BREAK with my boys. I love them, but gosh can they eat and run, lol. This year, however, I had a plan. A plan so detailed, so organized that "professional mommy" almost slipped out of my mouth when asked my name. What did I plan? A packed week of fun and tours around Metro Atlanta (North Atlanta) for my kids, my best friends kids and a couple of Mommys that I know. 

To start, I received a Party Pack from my favorite Party company on the internet, Houseparty.com. I agreed to host a Veggie Tales Party on Saturday to promote their newest DVD "Veggies In Space: The Fennel Frontier" . I allowed the kids (my son and his best friend) to invite their friends, decorate with the supplies HouseParty sent and "be in charge" of the activities. Their guest enjoyed the movie premiere while munching on Veggie refreshments and 100% apple juice. In addition, everyone received a Veggie Tales rubber bracelet and a Veggie Tales Character face cut out. The parents also received a $3.00 off coupon to purchase the Dvd at a nearby retailer.  The party went very smoothly and lasted about an hour and forty five minutes. The best thing of all was the EPIC bedtime that night....NO TEARS, NO WHINING, and NO REQUEST FOR WATER....I WON! (mommy dance) 

Check out these pics from the party..

Visit Houseparty.com to host epic parties while promoting some of your favorite brands. (Ha! Sounds like a commercial line) ...its FREE to join and they send your FREE stuff (Happy Birthday & Merry Christmas)

Then on Monday..

We had the privilege to tour the Gwinnett Fire Station No.4. The Firefighters at this station were so welcoming and friendly to our kids which made this tour so special. The tour began with a Fire and Emergency Safety video that the kids were quizzed on immediately following. They passed of course because they are kid geniuses and received a fire station coloring book and a gold foil fire fighter sticker badge. The rest of the tour included a walk through of all  emergency and fire trucks, watching a firefighter get into uniform, and we viewed the firefighters bunkers. The kids thought their bunkers were "super cool" because they spotted board games. All around, the tour was not only fun but very educational.  Fire safety is very important to know and remember. Is your family prepared? 

Check out these pics from the tour..... Special thanks to Capt. Ogletree, Lt. Smith and the entire staff of Fire Station no.4 for making this day trip memorable. 

   

Then on Tuesday...

WE WENT TO WHOLE FOODS! Side note: There are plenty of things to do with your kids that don't require money or lots of money...This tour along with the Fire Station tour was completely free. All I had to do was ask if we can tour and make the appointment. I was so thankful that it was that simple..No more excuses! BACK TO WHOLE FOOD! We (parents included) had a blast at Whole Foods. Our tour guide, Ms. Betsy, was the most kindest and patient women I had ever seen. She took our kids to explore every section in the store plus an incased honey bee hive. The kids favorite part was when they got to touch a frozen fish. It was pretty cool. Then after sanitizing, the pizza baker made us a fresh large cheese pizza. WE DEVOURED IT! It was so good! Then to top it off, as we toured the bakery section, Ms Betsy let our children choose a cookie to eat and gelato to sample....The raspberry lemonade gelato is heavenly. PLUS, the kids received a cute tote at the end of the tour with coloring pages, coupons, blueberry fruit strips, organic apple sauce, and organic oatmeal animal crackers. 

Check out the pics from this tour.... Special thanks to the Marketing Team Leader, Andrea Dyson for making our day trip incredible! 

  

On Wednesday and Thursday...

I planned family time.  So on Wednesday we went to the park and made it a "Bike, Kite and Picnic" day and on Thursday we played games. The kids really enjoyed themselves and the time we spent laughing while enjoying the weather was priceless. I love my kids. ...especially when there smiling. 

Check out the pics from Wednesday and Thursday...Special thanks to my kids awesome God mommy, Candice for sticking it out with us in her turquoise pants.

  

About Friday...

Our Spring Break ended at the glorious California Pizza Kitchen! For only $10 per kid our children were able to go on a "Behind the kitchen" tour. IT WAS AMAZING! Not only did the kids tour the entire store (including the walk in fridge) but they also got to make there own pizza, own drinks and were given the option to choose a dessert. Yea, it was a pretty epic tour!! Special thanks to Brittany and our tour guide for being so patient with our energetic group. 

Check out the pics from our tour.....

I am looking forward to discovering more free tours in our town and enjoy them with my family. What free tours are in your city? I encourage you to explore your town with loved ones and discover the amazing things you can learn with your children outside of the classroom and away from the screen.

"Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,

don't worry.  Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.

OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!"

-Dr. Suess