This is where I share with you some things I have unearthed online.

Unearthed online… hrm…

Aaaaanywho.

• To inspire the heart (have tissue): Me and Mrs. P by Jenny at Cranberry Corner
• A note on parenting, filling cups and fulfilling dream: When My Cup Feels Empty by Me Rah Koh
• Goodness/Doing good: A Thanksgiving Dinner for Everyone by Jill at Scary Mommy
• Rating Christmas cards… this is for your funny bone. So much… : Switstle Cards for the Holidays by Swistle
• And for the Zombies. Run… Literally: Run for Your Lives via my friend Sheila. Um… who’s in? August  4. 2012. SEA-town y’all!!!

And a picture.

It’s Kevin again. That’s our routine. I’ll sit on the couch to tend to some work… and he waits. For attention.

Or a bone.

Or… maybe he wants to check his Facebook???

Oh that dog…

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Good Finds is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Everyday, we are forced to make decisions. From the moment we first open our eyes our deciders get to work…

For example the other evening I set 2 alarms for the next morning… just in case. It was my last decision of that day… When I heard the alarm the next morning I decided to get up at the first alarm so I could get work done before the kids got up…

Later that morning I decided to use my Aeropress instead of my Bialetti.

Sadly, I underestimated how much coffee I needed to grind. So a bit more effort had to be made to make things right. And when enough beans were ground and pressed… I decided to add frothed milk and caramel…

After coffee and getting the kids to school and tending to some work projects and “tidying” the kitchen… I decided my body needed to win over chores and work and I went to swim some laps…

You didn’t think I’d post a picture of me in a swimsuit, did you? Sillies. I did swim. 2,000 yards, in fact. I love swimming.

I think the guy in the Jeep who parked in a spot designated for fuel efficient vehicles was not a good decider…

I decided Mindy Gledhill is my new favorite musician. She has the creamiest, most sweet voice. My little Lucy LOVES her too. She doesn’t yet know the words to her songs, but she sings like she does.

Note to self: Don’t listen to Hourglass AND think about your son who is no longer a little guy… You may find yourself at a stop light between home and the pool… weeping… gasping for air… then checking your period tracker app to make sure those tears weren’t Aunt Flo making her emotional entrance.

She wasn’t. It was just the song. *grips chest*

You MUST listen. But don’t. Oh but do. But get tissue. Lots of tissue.

I have digressed.

No, my legs aren’t cold. I decided to wear blue tights.

It just felt like the right thing to do. Nothing special… nowhere to go but the usual haunts… But sometimes it’s just as easy to throw on a dress and tights as it is yoga pants and a tank top.

Decidedly.

I decided to eat 2 brownies tonight. It was in the best interest of all under my roof. And my daughter said I make the best brownies.

I decided she’s probably right.

What have you been deciding lately?

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The Art of Deciding is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Diaper drive!!!

Last year, I set-up at table at Central Market and along with my dear friend Lisa and my wonderful husband – we held a diaper drive to raise diapers for a local event – Operation Day of Hope…

And guess what?

I’M SETTING UP AGAIN!!!

September 17th & 24th

North Entrance of Central Market, Poulsbo

11-5

Operation Day of Hope is a community outreach event sponsored by Gateway Fellowship. I do not attend Gateway, but we share this great community and I love being able to help meet a need in this community I love.

Operation Day of Hope is a one-day event that provides free services to those in our community in need…

Haircuts, family photos, manicures, hot meals, legal.financial services, coats, canned goods, social service advice, dental education/screening, a mobile dental unit, job assistance info, a foot care clinic, emergency and disaster preparedness seminars and… DIAPERS.

Diapers are a need. Food stamps don’t provide diapers. Diapers are not inexpensive – even the inexpensive ones.

Last year we raised almost 950 from diaper donations and cash. The 950 diapers were handed-out in about an hour and a half last year. I am hoping that this year we will have enough diapers to last the day this time…

Please share with your network about this drive! Ask friends to swing by Central Market this Saturday or next to make even a small cash donation. I know diapers are expensive, but combining our resources can help up gather enough to meet the needs of each family that walks into the doors of Operation Day of Hope (Oct. 8th).

If you are busy on the 17th or 24th – no worries! Gateway Fellowship will accept diapers during office hours as well… or drop me a comment/email to work something out.

AND/OR… If you or someone you know can use any of the provided services Operation Day of Hope is offering… Operation Day of Hope is being held at Gateway Fellowship in Poulsbo on October 8th… from 10 to 2.

Thanks friends.

Peace and Sparkles.

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Diaper Drive to Benefit Operation Day of Hope is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

*Updated 6.20.11: We have a winner! The win goes to comment #8… which belongs to Kerri – The Maven of Social Media! Congrats Kerri!

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Pronounced Mee-Mee Tales… MeMeTales is a reading tool for kids.

And it is *say it with me*… AWESOME.

It is available on the web, iPhone and iPod… and soon to be released on the iPad! MeMeTales is a place children can go to read books, and even print them off!

Our last day of school is just days. The closer we get to summer break, the more frantically I look for educational activities to have available for the kids while they are at home for break. Of course MeMeTales is not a tool to use only in the summer months, but… it is DEFINITELY a superb summer resource.

I am sharing MeMeTales with you from a parent’s perspective, but this program is also built as a space for authors to share their books, illustrators to share their art, and is an excellent resource for educators.

My Lucy (6) LOVES MeMeTales.  My iPhone is how she likes to get her reading on. She likes to scroll through book choices:

Lucy loves to choose her own book and choose whether to read it herself or have it read to her.

She loves the pictures, and the read-over voices are so expressive and fun to listen to!

When a child reads a book, they receive points… which work toward earning badges and even games!

I love MeMeTales. There are many book choices, some for purchase.. some free! And if one’s child gets inspired to write and illustrate their own book – they can do it on Memetales.

Parents. Educators. Aspiring authors… check out MeMeTales. It is excellent. I give it my highest recommendation.

How about a little MeMeTales giveaway? MeMeTales is giving a gift bag of 5 picture books to celebrate their launch and success. They want kids to read as much as they possibly can – while having as much fun as they possibly can!!!

You may receive (3) total entries by doing from the following:

1. Download the app - it’s free! Leave a comment telling me you did!
2. Become a fan/liker on Facebook – come back and tell me you became a fan in a separate comment!
3. Simply leave a comment telling me how you make reading fun for your kids!

This giveaway runs from 6.9.11 to midnight 6.17.11. Be sure to follow MeMeTales on Twitter!

Enjoy and happy summer reading!

*Disclosure: I was neither paid nor compensated to write this. Maya Bisineer is a good friend and brilliant woman with a passion for literacy. I am sharing this because I love this app, Lucy loves this app and I believe it is an excellent supplement to helping one’s children not only learn to read, but learn to love to read.*

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Summer Reading Must: MeMeTales is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

My girl.

Sweet.

Compassionate.

Maternal.

Kind.

My girl.

I honestly have no idea where 9 years have gone. Plopped right between your older brother and younger sister, you have carved yourself a solid place in our crazy family.

You have that laugh… the laugh everyone tells me is simply the best they have ever heard.

And there has been a shift… a shift in us.

Your warmth is hot. Your hunger for closeness is the delight of my heart. “I love you” pours from your lips and right now I cling and savor the fact that you want me around for everything.

No embarrassment. No wet blanket… you need me. You show it.

I savor these days of we.

Our giggles. Our long hugs. Our return to snuggle time.

Olivia, you are so complex. You are the one I have the hardest time figuring out.

You are cool. Compliant. Easy. Diplomatic. Sacrificial.

Passionate.

But I have to watch close.

Complex.

Delightful.

You inspire me to become. To reach. To listen.

I am a far greater person because of you, my daughter. I treasure you… I admire you.

I am so proud of you.

The way you care. Your heart…

You are capable and it doesn’t occur to you that you cannot.

You are brave.

And strong.

And so very tender-hearted.

I am honored to be your mom. I pray for me… to be the mom that nurtures your heart in the specific way your heart should be nurtured. I pray for our relationship… in this time of bounty… and in anticipation of the years we have yet to meet. I want it to be this way forever. This is a golden time… I treasure it. But even when rough patches hit… I will treasure you. Us. Know I love you always, no matter what.

No. Matter. What.

I pray your laugh will always topple people. Infect them. Affect them.

I pray your sensible and practical head prevails when hard decisions must be made. I envy your ability to shrug and let small things roll off. You teach me so much!

Olivia, I love you beyond measure. I adore you.

Plus, I have so much fun with you… So very much fun…

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That girl. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Wait.

It’s Thursday.

Oh well.

It’s Wednesday somewhere. Or it will be. Next week.

SHOES.

To be specific… FABULOUS SHOES.

I met a woman recently… who happened to be wearing a most fabulous pair of shoes.

This woman told me her shoe philosophy,

Start with the shoes and work your way up.

I love her.

Isn’t it amazing what fabulous shoes do to a girl? I wanted to be that woman’s best friend. I wanted to sit by that woman and make her laugh… I wanted her to like me. I wanted to chop off her legs and steal her shoes. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer…

Wait.

In defense of myself, in case you are judging me for my shoe-lust or blatant materialism… I am no Imelda Marcos, but mostly due to financial reasons… not because I am above or necessarily opposed to such things.

My signature shoe:

My grocery shopping shoes:

*kidding*

Shoes…

And don’t forget the boots…

Shoes…

• I have a shoe board that needs some development on Pinterest…
• I am cukoo for these Betsey Johnson Confetti heels…
• I own THESE, but I also walk like I’ve been hit by a truck after wearing them for about 17 minutes. *Sidebar… are sexy shoes sexy if while wearing they make one look like one is walking with one foot on the curb and the other off?
• And just now, I spent 20 minutes on Modcloth… looking at THEIR shoes. Like crack. For the eyes. And also the wallet.

I think crack addicts and shoe addicts have a lot in common… the whole “addiction” thing, and also both addictions can be pretty spendy.

You know what? If I hit rock bottom, I think it’d be better to get there because of shoes than because of crack… Besides, a shoe addict looks WAY cuter than a crack addict.

You’re nodding…

BECAUSE IT’S TRUE.

So tell me, if you hit rock bottom due to fashion, what would it be for you? Shoes? Scarves? Necklaces? Flower pins? ETSY???

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What to Wear Wednesday: Fabulous Shoes is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Let me go back a little. I have a friend named Meg.

I met Meg last November. In Chicago Atlanta (thanks Meg, oy… brain fart). At an intimate conference through BlogHer and Coca Cola.

We had a short period of time to get to know each other, but you know when you meet someone and there this *thing*. We had/have that.

And  do I ever adore Meg. I know I have shared about her before. Her blog inspires me. It is a source of peace and a good heart-laugh. Fresh air. Coffee for my heart. She takes lovely pictures (me likey pretty pictures). Her use of color inspires me to… I guess use more color too. But I am not just talking literally here… This world can be so dark… Her approach to writing and life is something in which I find blessing and hope. And I feel she has inspired lovely shoots to sprout from me.

So when Meg emailed the other day asking to help share a story… It was a no brainer. Of course. Absolutely.

There is a little boy with Down Syndrome named Sergey living in Eastern Europe. He has a family here that wants to bring him home. Time is of the essence. The following is taken from the blog of the family who is working to adopt Sergey,

We believe God is asking us to step out in faith to bring Sergey home, He has a plan so we are trusting in His provision. It’s heartbreaking that it has to cost so much because truth be told these children are living on borrowed time.  If these children are not adopted between the ages of 4 and 5 they will be sent to an adult mental institution where they will be tied to cribs to live out the remainder of their lives.  Which statistically 95% of these children will die in the very first year of being in these institutions mainly due to starvation, as well as trauma from the other adult patients and just plain loss of hope.

Sergey.

So. What can we do? Well, spread the word, donate – DREAM BIG!

• Visit the family’s blog, Loving Every Moment. Check out their story.
• Donate…
• Spread the word…
• Visit Reece’s Rainbow (International Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry) … maybe your family is about to grow???

This family is working hard to bring this little boy home. It’s expensive. Many people have contributed prizes toward people’s contributions in the Dream Big Fundraiser… like an iPad… among MANY other lovely items. I am blown away by the community that has come together to help this family earn the money needed to bring a little boy home.

If you are able to give, just consider it. And then do it

Thanks guys.

<3

There's this little guy named Sergey… is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

My Man.

I love you.

I love We.

MY blessing.

MY fullness.

Without YOU…

There would be no WE.

And that is not happy.

This is my wordy way of saying,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY…

I am glad you were born.

Like, a lot.

So are the kids.

You can see it in their sweet faces.

They got that look from you.

Not their mother.

Definitely YOU, Birthday Boy.

P.S. You will always be older than me.

Neener.

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Happy Birthday to He. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I’m talking about the/my Husband, a.k.a. – The Huz.

We have a pretty special relationship.

For example, if he asks, “Does this shirt make me look fat?” And I answer, “No, your fat neck makes you look fat…” We laaaaaaugh… He may or may not measure his neck. I have no idea. But I know we laugh.

We have come to expect such encouragement things from one another.

Like this recent convo:

Me: I think the barista made me a sugar-free white chocolate mocha instead of the real-thing. Ugh. Ick. Yuck. Gross. What a waste!

The Huz: Maybe she thought you needed it…

Stinker.

Recently, as we were fixin’ drift off into dreamland…

Huz: You’re hot.

Me: Shut up.

Huz: No seriously. If your picture were on that one website, Hot or Not, I would totally choose HOT.

Me: Awesome?

And recently, while I sat and took notes on my computer about ANOTHER something he said… he said, “My whole life is a reality show for you… You can take THAT to the Twitters.”

See? He knows me. And he still stays.

Desperate times, desperate measures??? Maybe… maybe not…

Uh-oh… here comes the smolder…

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Win a ticket to Bloggy Boot Camp Seattle! Contest closes tonight! You have to click here and head to my review site to find out details.

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Make Me Laugh Monday: My He is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

…than the grandest intention.

I love this quote. Probably because I am a grand-intender by nature. But when I fall short (or FAIL) of accomplishing what I intend… long story short… discouragement bamboozles me, and I do nothing.

Nada.

Not the big… and not the small.

Bamboozled.

That blesses no one. Not others. Not me… I believe giving and loving is not just a blessing to those who receive, but to those who give. My bondage to “grand intentions” has more than once robbed handfuls of blessings that could have been sprinkled or poured like mad.

That Oprah. She can be grand. And what a blessing her ability to be and do grand things has been! However, most of us, individually… cannot give like she can.

Enter Love Drop.

Love Drop is a community where we can combine our smallest deeds (or biggest), so we can together fulfill some grand intentions, yo! It really does take a village…

Love this.

Love. Love the Love Drop.

This month Love Drop is looking to raise $13,000 to help cover the costs of placing and training a highly skilled service dog with the family through the 4 Paws for Ability organization. Visit and read this It Starts With Us blog post for more information on this specific effort. So far, the Love Drop community has raised just over $5,100. We have (yes, I just wrote WE *I’m looking at US, dear friends*) until the end of February to meet this goal.

My friends, for the record… this is not some “cause” I landed upon in my internet stalkings perusings. I was blessed to have met this dynamic team of do-gooders, and it is with sincere heart I recommend getting involved with Love Drop… Be it just for this one need… Or next month’s need… or FOR INFINITY?!

Or… Do YOU know of a need? You can go here to find out more about nominating someone.

Of the people. By the people. FOR the people.

Wanna see a picture? I photo bombed a picture with a couple members of the Love Bomb/Drop A Love Bomb team… Lauren and J. Money, while at Blissdom… They were very nice to me.

Starstruck Me, Mat Kearney, Lauren Lankford, Michele Branch, J. Money, Jennie Sanford

Here I am stalking standing near Nate St. Pierre. He’s giving me his autograph.

I’m kidding.

He was probably just making a grocery list.

Orrrrrr, he could have been writing an S.O.S.?

I can be a little over-glitterybearing…

I digress…

But seriously, folks. Seriously. Check out Love Bomb.

{Photo cred: Angry Julie Monday… without her… there’d be almost no proof I went to Blissdom.}

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Love Drop: The Smallest Deed is Better… is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...