So fun you'll hurl! (And the Book Winner)

First things first......

VANESSA

you are my winner. Please let me know your address and I will get you the book- crisp and new and ready to read and apparently shake up a controversy or two. :-)

Okay...now for the fun stuff. Here is my past week...
Sending off a missionary (my ever awesome nephew)and getting plenty of ridiculous photos (this photo shoot ended with at least one girl wetting her pants, a common occurrence at my family parties).

Getting to wear my costume for the very first time for the parade ,
here with my mom, who spent more hours making this amazing costume for me than I can even count.

Riding the "Gravitron", along a few other crazy excuses for fun, at the carnival.
Yes, that is my son who has worked himself upside down as we spun, and my niece next to him not looking so hot.....

and her after the first ride happily jumping on the "Zipper" only to exit the ride, and run to the garbage for this..... now, I had another picture that got a little more of the gory details...but my son declared it too gross for the readers of this super classy blog.

BUT my husband says it is to cool to miss....so here you go.....
BARF ALERT
Funny....she kind of didn't want to ride any more rides after that......

Now we're off to fireworks tonight and I am hoping to sleep in tomorrow, because while I dearly love being busy, I also love my sleep, and it has been pretty sparse lately.

Giving away common sense for free.....

Here is my summer giveaway just in time to honor the pioneers...you know, because having common sense is kind of pioneering idea right about now.

I am half way done with my copy, it has a hundred pages or so of modern day common sense ideas, and the it has the original "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine. This is the only book I have watched my husband finish in one day...of course, he was fuming mad as he read it, but hey, a little fire in the belly never hurt anyone, right?

Not a partisan supportive book, more of a cry against government spending and "emergency" passing of bills that only hurt the American people by adding to our crippling debt. I think members of both side of the aisle would find this interesting, it is an easy read that will get you thinking.

So leave a comment for one entry, refer a friend to comment to add additional entries ( tell them to mention your blog/name, whatever, and give them one entry), and soon a brand new copy of this will be in the mail to one lucky winner.

Enter by July 24, Pioneer Day, and good luck!

Give said the little stream......

I must take pride in this quite accomplished charm made by my sister to celebrate her birthday with her blog give away.

And while I am well aware that sending you her way ruins my own chances, I just think it will make up for my blog slacking this summer. So go to Little White Attic for a peek at a great Jane Austen charm and maybe get inspired to follow something you love with loyalty and fervor while you are there.

We'll be in touch.

Party like a Patriot

My family is politically charged and often over heated. That's the way we like it. Sure, sometimes you may drive home from a family party in tears, but once the sting is gone it's all good. We do not all agree. I think that's okay.

My dad has always been the fired up man, and I can not remember the first time I saw him speak while waving his pointed finger passionately about-it is just the way he has always been. From Sunday School to family dinner, he knows what he believes and he fights for it.
Here is me and my papa at the Independence Day Tea Party. We snapped this as things were winding down, but it is a picture I cherish. I like to think I caught a little bit of his spunk....and I have been known to wave a finger on occasion.

One question for you all though....

How do you enjoy the Jonas Brothers LIVE with thousands of girls of all ages screaming at the top of their lungs?

My son obliged me by jumping up to dance around and sing for a few songs.....

My husband preferred to play a rousing game of Brick Breaker, hoping to break a record (he was there for the jets and the fire)
My sweet (but seat hogging) neighbor enjoyed the show in an entirely different way......



And now that the vay-cay leading to holiday weekend is all over, I have much catching up to do. Apparently this doesn't get much blogging done, but oh, it was so badly needed!