They Hope You Won't Look In The Closet!

Remember being told you couldn't go out until your room was clean? Chores are a never ending battle in our homes and a subject of frequent conversation in our mom circles...



So great to have you stop by. We've missed hangin' with you.
Holly & Charisse

Why do people do that?

Hello bloggie friends! Yup, Summer kicked our blogging to the curb...but we have had a ton of fun! Found some time to vlog with our new video camera the other day. Guess what...the quality stinks. Not sure what we are doing wrong yet...so please forgive and laugh with us anyway.

Today's video will share some of our favorite stories that make us ask the question..."Why do people do that?"



Thank you whats around the next bend for the Sunshine Award. We just love it! Hugs and kisses right back at you:)


Love, Holly & Charisse

The Crown Of Life...or Funny things Charisse's Mom Says

Charisse's mom has a funny way of thanking her! We hope this makes you laugh...and think about the funny things your mom does.



Have a great day,
Holly & Charisse

Conversations Including...Is Your Dog Prejudice?

Today we are discussing dog etiquette, stupid cooking shows, and wondering if people should name their body parts. Yeah...probably pretty inappropriate!



We love you faithful followers!
Holly

Hangin' Out With Holly & Charisse...

Hang out with us as we discuss how our weight loss journey is going, introduce you to Sumo guy, say a tearful goodbye to the two followers that have abandoned us, and talk about bad hair days.



Just good old fashioned girlfriend time. Thanks for stopping by.
Holly & Charisse

Cooking With Holly & Charisse

No day is ordinary when we are together! So it is safe to say that this won't be your typical cooking video either. Filled with dozens of great tips and loads of laughter. And yes...as the queen of our castles we must dress the part!



Bon Appetit,
Holly & Charisse

American Idol - Bad Performances

American Idol had several teen guest appearances this season that we were very disappointed in. Charisse rants on Bieber, and I comment on Miley. If they were contestants would they even make it past the auditions?



Have a wonderful Memorial Day...and a terrific week!
Holly & Charisse

What Am I...Your Puppet?!

Do ventriloquists make you nervous? If so, you will thoroughly enjoy watching Charisse use me as her puppet. Enjoy!



Have a great day!
Holly & Charisse

Weightloss Challenge - Confessions

It's tough losing weight. Really painful! So many emotions. Here we candidly make our weight loss confessions.



Have a great day,
Holly & Charisse

What happens between takes...

Sometimes we don't know what to chat about, and that's when the REALLY DUMB STUFF gets taped. Hope you enjoy 2 minutes of silliness. Thanks for coming by.



Happy Thursday!
Holly & Charisse

The Weight Loss Challenge

The battle of the bulge can creep up on a person pretty quickly. Watch us as we challenge each other to a "who can lose 5 lbs first" friendly competition. Enjoy weight loss...Holly & Charisse style!



Thanks for coming by! Have a great day:)

She Has A Lot To Teach Me...

I'm walking into unknown territory...my little girl has grown up to be a preteen. I thought I would share my massive "fail" on Saturday which went something like this.

She was upset about not achieving a goal she set for herself.
She walked away from her friends and gave me the "I need to vent" look.
I walked with her and listened.

-Sounds good so far doesn't it!-

In her anger she started saying things that really were not true about her life.

-Inside I start to think, "I have to say something to stop the death spiral!"-

I tried to remind her of all of the great things that had happened to her lately.

-Silence-

I reminded her of her accomplishments she had achieved just that day.

-Silence...stink eye...turned and walked away from me.-

I called out for her to stop...that walking away was disrespectful.

-More stink eye...with arms folded. I'm losing her big time!-

I told her to try to put her anger aside for another hour until her last race. That she wouldn't want to jeopardize something she worked so hard for.

-Clenched teeth and an "ok mom" and she walked away.-

Communication between us has changed, she needs something different now that she is older. I had a little time alone waiting for her race, and I just prayed that God would show me what to do.

It had been quiet for awhile in the car as we drove home.

I finally broke the silence telling her that I felt like I had really handled things wrong earlier with her.

-She nodded-

I told her that in this new time of her life I need her to teach me how to support her.
I asked her what she needed from me in that difficult moment when she had been angry.

She said, "I just needed you to listen mom. I didn't want you to say anything."

I asked her if she would let me know if she did need me to say something?
-She assured me that she would.-

Then I explained that when I am with a friend I know to listen and wait to see if they want advice or tenderness.
As a mom it feels different.
It feels like it is my job to help her see her situation clearly, to comfort her, to talk her through it.
Moms don't stand by and watch their kids experience pain and say nothing.
I asked her if she could understand why I responded the way that I did?
-She said that really made sense now that I explained it.-

It was a light bulb moment for both of us. There is so much about this budding teen that I am going to have to learn. Here's hoping that you can indeed teach old dogs new tricks. She sure has a lot to teach me!

Embarrassing Dating Moments!

Charisse and I are sharing some of our embarrassing and funny high school dating moments with you this week! Laugh more...it looks good on you!



Have a great day!
Holly & Charisse

Who Cheated On Whom?

Many of us have heard the sad news about Sandra Bullock's marriage. We have our own theory of what might have happened...



We love you blog friends. Thanks for coming by.

Tellin' Stories On Grandma!

Grandmas do the darndest things don't they? Here are a couple of funny stories we wanted to share with you today. Hope they make you giggle. Does it remind you of anything funny your grandma does?



Thanks for stopping by.

Feelin' All Ghetto!

It is never too late to reinvent yourself. Here is what happens when two forty year old women try on a new persona. What do you think? Should we stick with it?



Have a great day!

Wordless Vlog Wednesday

Hope you enjoy 40 seconds of stupidity!



Have a great day!

Hangin' With Celebs

Life in California means always meeting super famous people. Right?! Tune in to find out who our famous friends are. We know the anticipation is KILLING you!



Happy Monday...have a great week! We'd love to hear from you...leave a comment:)

Is It A Secret Or A Sin?

Happy Friday Everyone! Every human being can relate to this. One of those things that either happened to you as a child, or as a parent. Charisse shares the angst of this touching family moment, and then brings it full circle to include an Aloha Friday question for you to answer. Watch and find out what it is...



This week we are double dipping. We are linking up with Friday Follow at Midday Escapades which is a networking bloghop. They have about 800 participants each week. A great way to meet new blog friends.

We are also hangin' loose with Aloha Friday. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! This is hosted by Kailani at. Her Mister Linky draws about 100 blogs each week.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

70's TV...Reminisce With Us

Hello Friends...time to giggle again with us! We took a stroll down memory lane remembering our favorite 70's tv shows. Which of our favorites did you love? What shows would you add to our list? We thought of at least a dozen other goodies after we finished taping. Enjoy...



Don't forget to make our day by leaving a comment! Happy Tuesday!!

It's Time To Wash Your Bra When...

What happens when two 40 something year old women get tired and silly? Well...this is what happens! Hope it makes you laugh as hard as it made us laugh!!

Don't forget to leave a comment.
We love hearing from you.
Have a great weekend!

Joining "Friday Follow"

Humble Beginnings

Hey Y'all! Didn't grow up in the South...but that is just fun to say! Today's video is a look at our humble beginnings. Before I knew to look at the camera, to not sit so my thighs look 50 lbs heavier...yeah you get the idea. This is where it all started. Hope it puts a smile in your day.



Hopefully tomorrow Charisse and I will not only have time to answer the dozens of questions about puberty on video for our Youtube "Ask Mom Series", but also tape a few new segments for our blogging buddies. That's the goal...we'll see! Have a great day:)

Surfing For The Lowdown

A month ago several of our Youtube subscribers started sending us e-mails asking us to produce videos about growing up. It has been so surprising for us to have this young teen audience. Why on earth would they want to watch two 40-something women talk about life? In our highest viewed video we told "period" stories that has now logged over 3,000 views. Sure, that is nothing in the world of Youtube...but it is many thousands more than our other videos. It made us sit up and take notice.

Last week we filmed our first "Ask Mom Series" of 5 videos. We linked an e-mail account to it and asked girls to send in their questions. If you wonder why we were quiet on our blog last week...that is why! Getting that up and running and answering their questions by e-mail has taken some time.


Why are these girls turning to Youtube for this information? As young girls we talked to our girlfriends and moms. Embarrassment about "growing up" topics couldn't override our need to discuss, face to face with people, how to handle them. That isn't the case today. The natural tendency for teens to turn inward, share less, seek privacy, and start to think for themselves is then coupled with the internet that requires no intimacy. This makes it so much harder for us as parents to reach out to our kids. Our kids can get answers (ones we may or may not agree with) without ever asking us anything.

In our videos we answer the questions and encourage them to take that information and talk about it with a trusted adult. One girl said that she sent a text to her mom when she got her period because she just couldn't get the words out. Does that make your heart ache? It makes me want to step up the quality time I spend with my 12 year old. Since we started this project, my daughter and I have had a date every weekend. I'm just seeing more clearly how I need to be a bigger presence in her life.

The quality and vulgarity of what is available online is horrible. This young audience is so vulnerable and hungry for information. How does this make you feel? Do you have any ideas to help us meet these needs in our videos? What would you want your child to know if they found our video series? We would love your input.

Go Ahead...Light Up!

In general...taking dieting advice from Charisse is probably not a great idea:) She is a very creative thinker however. Here we chat about lighting up in California. Hope it puts a giggle in your day.



Thanks for coming by. Leave a comment. Have a great day.

Open Your Eyes!

Today my heart was broken. You might expect this in some far off place, but right here in America, little girls are sold into slavery. How can this be possible? I like to pretend our world is safe, just, and kind...but in reality there is so much injustice that it makes me feel overwhelmed...physically sick to my stomach.

Our church continues this week in the series called
"The Ripple Effect."

A process of letting our hearts break for the things that break the heart of God. Then showing us how to reach out, love, and make a difference. I was unable to link to the short video we watched today, but found this one on Youtube. This video is difficult to watch...but the message and images SHOULD make every mother, father, and human being on this planet angry!



Today we were challenged to take action through a movement called "Not For Sale". In Cambodia this group is...
*Rescuing women and children from human trafficking.
*Providing them a safe-house with medical and emotional care.
*They are taught how to be seamstresses.
*A factory is being built to give them jobs.
*They get stock in this industry.
*They are taught how to save the money, and helped when it is time to buy their own home.
*The recording artists...Third Day...has just contracted them to make all of their clothing to sell in stores and concerts.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOO!
So as we sat in the pews we each pulled out our cell phones and sent the following text to donate $10 to help "Not For Sale" continue with their mission to end slavery. 30 seconds of your time reaches out to the hurting. Here are the steps.
*Get your phone and open up a new text window.
*In the "To" section type 90999
*In the "text" section type Respond
*A message will come right back to you. Type in response to this "YES".
*Another message will come back to you. You can select yes or no as a response.
*Your phone bill will show a $10 charge.

That's it! I will learn in church next week how much was collected, and I'll update our blog so you can see how you were a part of this movement to help others in need. If this is a topic you want to research more I would highly recommend going to the International Justice Mission site.

I opened my eyes today. It was painful...but I have a 12 year old daughter.
I couldn't listen and fail to respond to the plea of little girls everywhere begging us to make a change in our world.
How will you respond?

Staying Connected...

Remember holding that baby in your arms? There was no choice but to be connected. The needs were demanding...but simple.

The first moment I held my little Andy. So overwhelmed with emotion!

As a child grows, staying connected gets increasingly more difficult. Another child enters the picture. Work, household chores, school, church, sports, all encroach on that precious time together.

Connecting takes some thought. It is an expression of who you are individually and as a family. This topic is so close to my heart particularly now as I see my twelve year old slowly moving into her own world. She doesn't share everything with me anymore. I miss the little girl that talked 24 hours a day about every little thing she thought.

Hannah age 2.

I just try to be where she is. Hang out with her. I tell her about things I remember from being 12. Boys, friends, music, dancing, going to the roller rink. I try to say yes as often as I can...so my no's will mean something. I ask her opinion on things. She is dependable, inclusive, a fabulous student, a great athlete, and incredibly diverse in her interests. The other day I spent just a couple of minutes telling her, "It's normal for you to want your space, to have private thoughts and experiences. Just know that you are a super important part of my life. I always want to be an important part of yours too. Whenever you need me...I'll happily be there!"

My beautiful Hannah age 12.

First thing every morning I wake Ben and tell him that my day won't be great until I get his magic hug. Luckily he still enthusiastically gives it to me. His smile lights up my heart...something I often tell him too. Sometimes I tease him that if I was in 4th grade I would stare at him from across the room and think about how dreamy he is. I whisper in his ear how I love having an amazing helper. My "go to kid" when it comes to getting something done.

Little chubby baby sweetness. Ben at 5 months.

I tell them about their positive traits. Ben has a soft heart, loving, honest, a good friend, funny, a terrific athlete, and extremely generous.

Holding our chihuahua Nacho...Ben age 10.

Andy is 6 so he still needs tons of cuddles. Loving him means watching all of the amazing things that he does moment by moment. Connecting with him means understanding how creative he is and affirming that his love for color, texture, art, and beauty in the world...makes him just as much a boy as his sport loving brother. He still needs me to help him with things which also makes time with him more of a natural expression of my day.


In the evenings we have dinner together at the table. We always ask each other about the day. Often we cuddle on the couch and watch something everyone likes. That's when the holding hands, snuggling under blankets, and laughter fills the house.


At bedtime each child gets tucked in with their own special prayer. My arms surround them as I whisper in their ear. It is part of our private time. They tell me if there is something specific they have concerns about. I pray with them so that they can hear my hearts desire to raise them with Godly wisdom. To be the mom each of them needs. And some expression of how thankful I am that God gave me this job to do. The finale is the lotion I put on their arms and pillow. Sometimes lavender, sometimes vanilla...often it is what I wore during the day. A little bit of mom that stays with them as they fall asleep.

Sometimes we take them alone out on a date. There have been father & daughter dances. Mom and son walks. But, it's the day to day that I think holds the most impact. Finding one of them walking through the house and stealing them away to our bedroom where my husband and I lay on the bed and tell them all of the amazing qualities they have, and why we love them so.


My hope is that the seeds of love that have been planted in each of them grows into a beautiful garden that they will one day share with their spouses and children. There is so much that I get wrong everyday...writing this helps me put life in perspective and remember why this is such a treasured time to embrace.

So, maybe this could be a "comment discussion" about the meaningful ways you show love in your family. I'm always looking for new ideas. Please share...

Welcome Friday Follow Participants!

Going To McDonalds - Outtakes from "Lunch On The Go"

Our "Lunch On The Go" video got a great response. Here, we put together the outtakes we liked but couldn't use the first time around. Hope it makes you laugh today.



Leave a comment. Tell a friend about our blog. Have a great day!
Holly & Charisse

Stop, Look, Listen, Respond

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world."
Anonymous quote

Once while entering a local juice bar with my son...a homeless man said he was hungry and asked me for one of the items on the menu. Happily I ordered what he requested...and together my son and I delivered the smoothie. As I reached out to shake his hand, I asked him what his name was. He looked at me and said, "Robert." My son asked him several questions and thoughtfully he answered them. As we turned to go he said, "Thank you for asking me my name...no one ever does that."

"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything but I can do something. I won't let what I can't do stop me from doing what I can."
quote by Edward Everett Hale

I have to force myself to Stop, Look, Listen, and Respond. I see laundry, dirty dishes, unmade beds, groceries to buy, errands to run. Things that are undone and need to be made right again every day. Bigger more complicated life issues like injustice, hunger, and poverty feels beyond my reach. My joy in helping Robert was that he had a specific request, a simple need I could act on immediately. It wouldn't change his lot in life but maybe the act of kindness would fill his belly and give him an ounce of hope that the world still contained some compassion. As it so often happens...it changed me probably far more than it helped him.


I don't have to look very hard to see people in my path that long for a loving touch, a kind word, a helping hand. What I've learned is that responding to the need is always far more fulfilling than continuing on with my scheduled list. A year from now I won't remember the soccer practice that was missed, but forever I'll have the memory of listening to the mom that was feeling so overwhelmed with life, and asking her if I could pray. Hopefully, the few times I do get it right, my kids will learn from my actions to value people more than the other distractions of life.

"Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God."
Bob Pierce

Here are a few ideas of things you can do today to make a difference.
*Look for people in your path today that need encouragement.
*Talk to your kids about seeing the needs of others.
*Take a few minutes to think about what breaks your heart and Google search to learn more.
*For $6 you can purchase a bed net online to protect families against malaria. 1 million people die of this disease each year. Learn more
*Visit a nursing home.
*Instead of looking away...say hello to the homeless.
*If you love hospitality, offer to cook a meal for someone in need.
*Set up a lemonade stand with the kids and donate the money to a worthy organization.
*Think about how you are gifted and use them.

*The church I attend, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, is doing a series called "The Ripple Effect". Opening our eyes to the pain of the world and responding to those needs. Our pastor is John Ortberg who is a nationally known author and speaker. If interested, click here...The Ripple Effect...to see the first talk in the series. It might just start something stirring in your heart.

Lunch On The Go For Busy Moms

Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch is our hostess for Tablescape Thursday.
Friday Follow is hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades.

Charisse and I are totally new to this...but we gave it our unique Life Laugh Latte spin. We actually created and edited this vlog today. So hot off of the press you'll burn yourself. This is some of our best work. It's worth the extra time to watch it...I promise you! So sit back and learn a thing or two from the minivan masters. Enjoy!

Just Breathe...

Stop for a moment and take a deep breath!

So many things need to be done, but your worth is not measured by this.
You are valuable because you live and breathe.
God created each precious detail of who you are...and He delights in you.
So, in this moment rest in the knowledge that you are loved...and alive for a special purpose.

Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by its breathtaking moments.
quote by Michael Vance

They listen, care, call, pray, cry, laugh, celebrate...treasured friends.

We must discover the joy of each other, the joy of challenge, the joy of growth.
quote by Mitsugi Saotome

Family...they give and take love, forgiveness, time,
a listening ear, encouragement, and they are a reflection of your inner beauty.

Give thanks for the moments you laughed until you peed your pants.

Moments to be creative, silly, and fun.

Life is a blessing. Take a moment to be grateful.

Private Moments...Celebrating The Spirit Of Aloha

Charisse and I really embraced the spirit of Hawaii on our vacation. Here we celebrate tradition, nature, and sea creatures in our own special way.



In case you would like to sing along with Charisse, here are the lyrics.
Little Crab by Charisse
"Little crab did you lose your mommy? With your pretty bobble eyeballs. Little crab where's your daddy. I love you. Now you're not so itchy anymore...little crab."

We hope you didn't miss out on the first two installments of our Aloha series. If you did, go check out Wordless Wednesday...From A Remote Location & MIA...Aloha

Wordless Wednesday...From A Remote Location

Lots of blogs have "Wordless Wednesday". Not easy to create a wordless vlog...but here we go.



You won't want to miss our MIA...Aloha vlog from yesterday. More fun to come!
Hope it put a little hop, skip, and a jump into your day! Love, Holly & Charisse

MIA...ALOHA!

Wondering where we have been? Saddle up...because we are taking you with us on our big adventure.



Leave a comment...tell a friend! Peace out...Holly & Charisse

Love is...

So complex. Nothing touches the human heart more than the notion of perfect love, and really I believe it is one of our greatest life quests. Isn't that why every movie has it as a central plot, and every book I read tries to define it. Most of us grow up looking for it first in our parents and siblings and then through friendship, intimacy, defining our faith, and then with our own children. The cycle goes on and on. Some of the most recent examples of love I've enjoyed reading about in books.

In The Wednesday Sisters friendship is the expression of love that nurtured a belief in self. Leaning on each other, taking turns being strong, stepping in to fill the gaps where family should have been responsible.


In The Help I read about love through justice. Doing what is right to help people on this Earth with no voice. It often puts us outside our comfort zone. It might require us to turn away from beliefs passed down to us by our culture or our families. We might find that a precious few share our convictions, or are willing to do anything about the injustice they perceive.


Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet reminded me of the connection that many cultures share requiring obedience as the ultimate symbol of love. In this story obedience was taken to the extreme and was incredibly oppressive. I think most people cringe at the notion of obedience. We turn from it the moment we are born. Human beings want to wander through life at their own whim, making their own decisions, without any consequences. We want love without sacrifice. At the root of obedience is trust. That's a hard thing for a lot of people to do. To me, without obedience the world becomes shades of gray with no real right and wrong. It devalues life experience, the wisdom of those that have traveled the road before us, and leads to a life where we become our own god. Obedience isn't limiting, it is loving and unselfish and wise.


Snowflower And The Secret Fan painted a picture of "Mother love". Life is hard, and so they loved their daughters by teaching them to endure through hardship. Although I couldn't disagree more with this being their only way to express love. It struck me, as I read the book, that I often error on the side of gentleness and compassion. I also want to be the mother that isn't afraid to let my children experience some of the hard edges of life, and be consistent with enforcing responsibility and duty even when it is difficult for both of us. It also painted a beautiful and often painful picture of love through loyalty, even when undeserved.


Love is certainly a rich topic. I wonder what thoughts about love this post brings up for you?

Have a wonderful day...Holly

Bits of Love

You know we love clips! Little bits of love from the cutting room floor. Here we talk about childhood, obnoxious cell phones ringing, Animal House, and house security. Good times people...good times!



Show us the love...leave a comment. Have an awesome day!

Dear God...

The devastation is so great...unimaginable suffering. Many people have died and many are trapped. Families have been destroyed, children are alone. The elderly and sick sit uncared for in the streets, nowhere to go. The poverty is immense and there is no end to this in sight.

Open doors and clear all obstacles so that many people can respond to the tugging of their heart to reach out to the people of Haiti. Help our nation to see examples of generosity that far surpass what we have been capable of in the past. Touch the souls of the desperate and give them peace and a hope to cling to. Remind us to pray, to act, and to remember.

Amen

The Ouiji Board & Dreams

Welcome to Life Laugh Latte! So great to have you hang out with us. Grab your favorite hot beverage and tune in for a dose of fun.



Reading your awesome comments is like a triple shot latte in an IV...that's right folks...it's like a piece of heaven! Have a great day. Holly

Is It Wrong?

Howdy Y'all! We aren't from Texas...but that is just good fun to say. So, a few weeks back we went to see The Blind Side at the movies. LOVED IT! I'll attach that discussion here as well in case you missed it. Today's vlog brings you a funny sequel. Leave it to Charisse to twist a beautiful story into something WRONG! It's part of why I love her though. Enjoy:)



Here is the "Movie Club" vlog we did for The Blind Side.



Hope you are having a terrific weekend! Leave a comment...or we might cry...no one needs to see that!

Bound...

Remember The Hungry Caterpillar? He ate and ate until he was chubby. He spun the cocoon. Then, after a time he became the butterfly. Do you ever feel that way when you are reading a book? As I ingest each morsel of Snow Flower And The Secret Fan I'm getting plump with images of Chinese culture from so long ago. I now find myself tucked in the cocoon and needing to digest what I've experienced in each delicious chapter to find out how it applies to my life. Every book I read changes me a little. That's all a part of the wonderful metamorphosis.

So, today I'm looking at the most disturbing aspect of the book which was the foot binding done to each little girl between the ages of four and six. I'm trying to imagine the reality and pain of life lived on 3" feet. This was considered beautiful, erotic, a symbol of obedience. It showed the family you married into that you could endure hardship with grace. Binding was tradition, sometimes a way out of poverty for you and your family. Mothers put their daughters at risk of infection and sometimes death while whispering to them that this was meant to be, and one day they would be grateful.


It's hard to imagine isn't it? Watching your child suffer at your own hand knowing that they would be a servant for life if they chose not to do it. Having once endured the pain yourself, you know exactly what you are inflicting. I spent time online looking at these bound feet...trying to make sense out of a lifetime of physical suffering. I'm attaching a link that gives a tasteful description of the history. Worth a look if you have a strong stomach. (Article/photographs)

My initial reaction is to judge the culture for making these choices. I sit with that thought awhile and see a huge red flag signaling me to find the bigger question to ask myself. Where in my life am I bound? Like it or not we all wear bindings. It may not be on our feet, but we tie them on in some area of our lives and it cripples us. Is it striving for perfection? Is it beauty? Is it success? Is it the idea that our children or our spouse need to be a certain way? Could it be your thought life...constantly criticizing yourself? Maybe it is intimacy or fear of failure or a childhood experience that has shaped your thinking in a negative way?


In my life I seem to go through cycles of bondage. A couple of months a year it is about my appearance. I'll work out more, eat less, and strive for that lower size. Eventually that feels shallow, and I'll turn that energy to something else like blogging, parenting, volunteering or homemaking. No matter what it is...it always starts innocently enough and then gets exaggerated into something bigger than it ever should have been. Before I know it the ropes are tight, I'm struggling, and it's time to get perspective again and break free.

I wonder where you go when you have a bondage to be broken and healed? For me I run desperately to my faith. When I'm there reading scripture, praying honestly from my heart, listening to music that builds me up in the knowledge of who God is and how much He loves me...I'm able to finally let go. I feel the bindings loosening, falling away, and God speaking to me in whispers that quiet my mind.

Important stuff to think about. This is a remarkable book about Chinese culture, family, love, friendship, duty and obedience. It will make you cringe, cry, laugh, think, and feel so very thankful for the freedom and opportunities we now enjoy as women!

I'd love to hear the thoughts you had while reading this post. Or,
if you have already read this book what you loved about it.

You can purchase the book in the right column of our blog in our Amazon store.

Have a wonderful day!

Disneyland & Dexatrim...

Can you figure out the link between Disneyland and Dexatrim? It will make you laugh, touch your heart, and make you question if indeed it is a good thing to have more than what we need.



Thanks for coming by...and please don't leave without saying hello!

I Want...

*My mouth to be filled with gentle, thoughtful, encouraging words*

*Authentic moments of connection with the people I love*

*Eyes to see, and a willing heart to respond to the needs in our community*

*To be inspired by great books while enjoying a warm blanket and a latte*

*My children to know how deeply they are loved*

*A sense of accomplishment, and a well defined purpose*

*A new adventure*

*To feel content with what I have...and Thankful*

What do you want?