A teaser for Christmas selections...

Twice as Nice Boutique...the business that hasn't quite gotten off of the ground, would like to give you a sneak peek preview of 2 of the items we will offer for our Christmas selections. Along with many other Christmas-themed items, may we present:

A cute Christmas pillow (monogrammed on corduroy).

An adorable t-shirt with applique and ribbon embellishments.

More items to come! (I know, you just can't wait.)

Unprompted...

Tonight, while I was finishing fixing dinner for the "adults" and JMonster and his cousin A were sitting at the breakfast bar eating, JMonster almost made me cry. It didn't take much...just a few words.

"Mommy? You are the bestest Mommy."

Unprompted. (tear rolls down cheek...)

Maybe I should have caught that on video to replay to him when he's 16.

Missional Monday

EVERYONE has something they don't need just sitting around their house. If you're me, you have bunches you don't need (but can't bear to part with!) and keep repeating the mantra of, "I need to take that to Goodwill".

I finally did it. I took it all to Goodwill. Okay, not all of it. Just most. Or some. All right, I took a bit but will definitely take more soon!

Goodwill® inspires hope and self-confidence, helping people from all backgrounds and walks of life to feel successful, valuable and dignified.

We help people earn a living, improve their lives, and strengthen their families and their communities.

Our network of 166 independent, community-based Goodwills in the United States and Canada offers customized job training, employment placement and other services to people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges.

In 2008, Goodwill helped 1.5 million people train for careers in industries such as banking, IT and health care, to name a few — and get the supporting services they needed to be successful, such as English language training, additional education, or access to transportation and child care.

Every 42 seconds of every business day, someone gets a good job, with help from Goodwill.

More than 172,000 people obtained meaningful employment in 2008 through their participation in Goodwill programs. These people went on to earn $2.3 billion in salaries and wages, and contributed to their communities as productive, tax-paying citizens.

Goodwills meet the diverse needs of people, including youth, seniors, veterans, immigrants, and people with disabilities, criminal backgrounds and other specialized needs.

Goodwill has earned the trust and support of 64 million donors in the United States and Canada.

Local Goodwills are flexible and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training, employment placement services and other community programs by selling donated clothes and household items at Goodwill retail stores and online.

Goodwills also generate revenue by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food service preparation document imaging and shredding and more.

Read more about Goodwill’s mission, vision and history.

On the occasion of our 100th anniversary in 2002, we committed to providing services to 20 million people by the year 2020. Read more about Goodwill’s 21st Century Initiative.

So go checkout your local Goodwill. And GIVE! It'll make you feel better. It did me.


Please take some time and check out this wonderful organization on their website! See if their mission can help you match your passion with your purpose.

100,000 and Counting!

My (very dirty needs a good washing and detailing) car just reached 100,000 miles. A HUGE accomplishment if I do say so myself. It happened on the way home from dropping off JMonster and Flower at school.

The Rev was getting in his car when we pulled in the driveway. When I told him my fun "news" he said, "Mine did, too! Last night on the drive back from Atlanta. It flipped on the back roads of Louisiana...kinda freaked me out."

So now we have two vehicles with over 100,000 miles on them. Both paid off. Hopefully they'll keep us getting where we need to go for another 100,000 miles or so each!

Food allergies and Compromises

Yesterday was the pre-opening of the new Emergency "Department" Hospital in town. It is a stand-alone emergency room and my brother-in-law will be one of the directors there.

We picked up JMonster and his cousin S (to be known from now on as Flower at her request!) from school, headed to pick up E & A from school, and then to see the new ED. Unfortunately, we forgot snacks.

Fortunately, when we walked in the door at the new hospital there was a table with cookies and waters all set up as if they just KNEW 4 kiddos were going to be visiting.

They were kind enough to let us view the nutrition labels of the cookie packages to see if they were "safe"...you know, peanut and tree nut free.

THEY WERE NOT. "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, and all known allergens to humans as well as all animals." (Okay, it didn't REALLY say all that. It just seemed like it!)

My sister said, "Oh come on. It's not as if it has it for sure. And you ARE in an emergency room if anything happens."

SO JMonster ate possibly tainted cookies. I held my breath.

And everyone was okay!

It did make me think, if they serve this type of thing and if doctors and nurses eat peanut butter sandwiches and crackers and such for lunch, dinner, snacks...what if someone comes in with the worst kind of allergy? One that they can't even be in the same room as the allergen? Then what? They go to the hospital for stitches or a broken bone and end up with anaphylactic shock? I guess they'd already be in the right place to be treated, wouldn't they?

Just for laughs!

(Thanks to BLaugh for allowing me to post these!)

Rights

I am curious. What do YOU think are our basic rights as humans, and more specifically, as Americans?

Please keep the discussion focused and civil.