Blog Trail Tuesday

My friend Melissa at Our Life as a Military Family is hosting a blog trail tuesday -- want to play along?

Have you ever clicked on a blog, only to be led to another blog, and then another, and another? Here’s your time to share some of those blogs with us! Share one or share many. Share one you’ve loved for a time or share one that’s new to you. Tell us why you like it. Help us spread the blog love!!

So this week I want to share a blog called Picket Fence Farm and Produce. This is a blog by our local CSA farmer.  (CSA being Community Supported Agriculture).  We are going to work on her farm this summer to pay for our CSA membership. I hope to learn a lot!  Before then, I've enjoyed reading about her farm on her blog.  I see she is getting into HONEY!  Yeah... I love honey.  Ü




Now it’s your turn! Use the banner above, if you’d like. Do a post on your blog about another blog. Be sure to link back to Blog Trail Tuesday blog! Then come back to Melissa's blog, and add your link to the McLinky. Be sure to add the link to the specific post – not your home page. Then be sure to check out everyone else’s links.  (If you can do all those things, you are a better person than I -- I messed it up last time... so here goes nothing).  LOL

Share a Blog!

OK my 27 followers... I'm blogging today.  Can you believe it?



AND -- it's a goodie.


I've got a friend Melissa who is hosting a blog challenge.  It's an easy one, anyone can play.  But it will be a goodie... you'll get great information from this challenge.

  

Here are the rules...

to click on a blog in your blogroll and choose a new blog to check out.  Then post about that blog. And after you post about the blog, come back here and share the link below.  Not your blog link, but the link to the post about the new blog you’ve discovered.

So - the blog I posted on her blogroll is Antique Mommy.   She is sometimes sweet, sometimes tart, but always real. She is an older mom with one kid.  The stories she tells.  I LOVE reading her blog.

So -- click on the links... follow the rules... play the game.

HAVE FUN!

Blog Recommendation

I have friends that like to READ blogs, but don't like to blog themselves. I understand that -- so I'm doing the readers a favor today. If you are a reader... you need to check this one out.

PrairieFrog Blog... one of my favorites. This week she posted some AWESOME pictures of treasures her children found.

If you read her blog -- don't forget to comment -- I know... bloggers love comments. °Ü°

Some List

I recently read a blog that was a list. She listed 25 things. Things I pray I never have to experience, because it is things in her life that are true to her because she lost her precious baby in a horrible accident.

I only know Rachel through the inter-net, but I pray for her like I pray for my in-real-life sisters in Christ in my church. Fervently, real, and lovingly.

I'm sharing her list with you so that you can glean from her. Learning from her instead of experiencing it yourself. Use her list as a tool to minister to others! That's what I'm going to do... and it helps me know how to pray for her in a more effective manner!

Another Referral

I know I just pointed you in the direction of someone else's blog the other day... but I found another one that just TELLS THE STORY in a way that I never could.

It's a very important story -- one that must be told.

Jennifer - over at her Conversion Diary blog -- writes about the comparisons between abortion and the Holocaust. Sound horrible? Don't believe it? Want to skip this link and go one and read about Christmas cookies, or favorite coffee drinks, or some strangers girls scout trip to a horse farm? Then... go right ahead, but don't tell me about it... OK?

I'm really stinking tired of Americans shrugging. If you don't know what I mean... then perhaps you should go read what she has to say about Abortion and Holocaust Comparions.

Pray 7 x 7

I recently put up this new button on my sidebar. Cute isn't it.



Actually -- there is a GREAT post behind it, if you will click on the button it will take you to Angela's Blog Bring the Rain.

It's a recent discovery. There is a long story that brought about that blog. If you have the time -- grab a cup o (fill in the blank) and read for a while. Oh -- grab those tissues too. There ya go. Now -- be ready to give thanks in all things. Because the Bible tells ya so.

Thanks for sharing your story Angela... and for spurring us on to PRAY!

BROKERS

Do you ever think you have a stressful job?

Do you ever feel stress while doing a job poorly?

Have you looked at your retirement fund lately?

What do you do while stressed?

Take a look at this photo collage ... an entire blog dedicated to BROKERS with their HANDS ON THEIR FACES. I'm sure these photos are taken out of context... we'll never know -- but it's an interesting peek behind the scenes.

Whether you drink beer or not... you need to read this post.

My friend Stacy, has a blog, on which she posted a GREAT post about beer and taxes the other day. I felt I MUST send you her way -- she creates a great word picture.

Even if you are a teetotaler... head on over.
Remember who is buying the drinks when you vote on Tuesday

Followers

Did you know you can list your followers?

I found out I HAD followers -- before I knew about the gadget. Pretty cool. What fun...

I think I'll go follow some of you.

New Blog

Well -- I've gone and dun it...

I'm started YET ANOTHER blog!!

I'm going to do this to hold myself accountable.

I love to blog.

I hate to write myself notes about what I've done for school that day, or trying to remember -- just what DID I do all day, when my dh asks me that infamous question, or keeping any symblance of MEMORIES of my children's education.

So -- here it is... my attempt at killing several birds with one stone.

Johnston Academy

Catchy Title... huh?

I know -- the creativety was just oozing out of my pores this morning.

I've got a start on it.

I'm supposed to update it weekly.

Yeah -- I've got a family blog I'm supposed to update monthly... that I forget about... so I'm praying you'll BUG ME if I forget.

Oh hey... I've got a google calendar -- I just might schedule this. Hmmm...

New Blog

I found a new favorite blog.
(OK -- she's my sister... I have to say that!)

BONDORAMAFAM

Yeah -- say that 10 times fast...

betcha can't
betcha can't

While you are trying -- go check it out!

I'm putting it on my google reader!

If I know Jeremy and Becky -- it would be a MUST READ for you too...
they CRACK me UP!!

Detergent

That is such a catchy title... some days I amaze myself.

Well -- my friend Bekah, over at The Beginning Farmer's Wife wrote a great post about clothing detergent -- and how much one uses.

She took photos -- so it really made an impact on this visual learner.

Check it out!

Baking Bread with Bekah

My friend Bekah came over this week.

YEAH!!

I love friends... especially ones who will come over.

We baked bread together.

What a blessing she is -- I love to read her blog, The Beginning Farmer's Wife, it's very inspiring. She and her husband want to live out in the boonies some day... and they are practicing right now so they will get it right when it happens in real life. Well -- sorta. He blogs too... and gets paid for it. Lucky! (Yeah... I know... luck has nothing to do with it. He's a smart guy, and his blog is a good read.)

I like her personality, if she doesn't know something, well -- who cares, let's just learn about it.

So -- she started making bread... only I can do it better. LOL No really... I can. Only because I had a friend teach me how, that's why. So I said, "Come on over!! I have no idea what you are doing wrong, but you can watch me." I betcha 10 bucks she's figured it out already -- she's that sort of a gal. Could be her pan size, could be needing to add some gluten, or dough enhancer, or she doesn't SLAM it, or that she uses a different sort of wheat. Who knows... I'm not an expert... but she will be some day. Just because she can!

I can't wait to read about her success on her blog.
°Ü°

Win An Oreck Vacuum?

I have found 3 blogs this week that are having contest to GIVE AWAY an Oreck Vacuum.

That is some giveaway.

I first saw it a BooMama's blog. You have to leave a comment. She's got over 1500 comments already. The odds are not so great that you'll win over there -- but you never know. She uses the random number picker to pick her winner... seems fair. So -- maybe if you start praying now -- you might win.

Then there is another giveaway for the same product at the bloggy giveaways.com blog. You have to tell what your favorite feature is on this product in a comment. So -- it's a tad bit more work... only 883 comments. Like that's even hard... But she says she'll have a drawing... too bad on a blog you can crumple up your paper a little so she'll draw yours out of the bag.

Last but not least is the give away at the boing boing blog. What sort of weird name is that? Who knows. Their contest is weird too -- you have to tell about your suckiest gadget experience. Well -- that's stupid. Firefox says there is no such word as suckiest. See... I knew it was stupid. But I played along -- because I love free things. Wouldn't you know... they have the least amount of comments of all -- only 22... but they are going to PICK their FAVORITE story... it's very subjective. So -- my chances there are probably even worse then at the first 2 sites.

So -- who's gonna play? Do you like Orecks? I guess if I don't like it -- I could always re-gift it. LOL

ETA: I googled Oreck Giveaway and I found another one. Sheknows.com is having a contest to give away 2 Orecks. Wowza...

If you are going to buy from Vision Forum...

... I'd LOVE it if you clicked to them through my banner on the side of my blog, or the one in this post.



It's official... I'm now an affiliate. What does that mean, actually, you ask?

I have no idea. I'm just following along with the Bettendorfs -- what ever they do I want to do -- because I want to be just like Katie -- including her shoe size.

OK -- that's just a joke. I have no idea what shoe size she wears. Now her skirt size... I'm seen photos -- and I wouldn't mind wearing her skirt size.

ACTUALLY -- I did find out about this affiliation through the Bettendorfs. (They just had a baby b.t.w. Jodi - I didn't win the guessing... sigh... Oh well!!) If some one chooses to buy something from Vision Forum -- through my button on my blog -- I'll get a commission. Simple as that. So -- if no one else uses the button -- I probably will for Birthdays and Christmas. Instant discount. I like discounts. Almost as much as I like free. °Ü°

So -- happy shopping!

Another Giveaway

I have met many new friends on this blog-o-sphere... Tiany is celebrating her 2nd Year Bloggy Annivesary by having a Blogoversary Celebration. I didn't even know that was a word... learn something new every day.

She is having a give away, with a catch. ;) But it's a fun catch -- so I'm game.

• Share a few of your favorite things!

Oh... some of my favorite things. I love Karen Kingsbury novels lately. I'm reading one right now that is making me show REAL emotion (OK -- I cried). I could tell it was coming -- so I went and hid in the bathroom to read the next chapter... yep -- I cried. But no one saw me, so I'm going to deny it. My friend Beth tried to warn me... and I'm not even done with the book yet. Ever After... it's one of my favorite things, right now. But I just got 3 new books of Karen's, from my dad and mom for Christmas... so that may change soon. LOL

Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough that you can buy by the bucket full from COSTCO is a favorite too. They were giving out sample cookies on one of our last visits -- I said, "Are you just passing that stuff out raw? Because that's how we eat it at our house." I have to keep that stuff in the freezer.. or it would be gone in a week.

• Link back to the Blogoversary Party so that others may join the fun.

Click on the Bloggy Anniversary Cake to get to her give away! Free Things... it's a good thing.

• Leave the actual URL to your post on Mister Linky so that we can visit you too!

Done.

• I will randomly pick a winner for the Pamper Package on JANUARY 8TH!

Oh... January 8th will be here before you know it... you should go check her give away out... it is Chock FULL of her favorite things and she's giving them away. Sort of like Oprah, only better!
°Ü°

When Will Jodi Be Born?

Now -- this is the most difficult GIVEAWAY I've ever entered. But I've learned how to link a banner now. COOL! So maybe it was worth it. By posting this banner -- that is linked to the Team Bettendorf Blog -- I now have 1 guess.

The dorky thing is -- my guess may be wrong, and I won't even win anyway.

BUT -- you know me... I love most things that are free. Well -- except for lice... that's free -- or dog poo -- or some advice, which is most times free. I guess I should say... I love Free Vision Forum Stuff. LOL

OK so -- go take a guess. Jodi will be born soon. Can you guess when?

P.W. on YouTube

Did you see it??

Here is REE on TV.




Funny thing is -- I read her blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, so much, that I felt like I was watching a friend on TV. WEIRD huh?

She had a nice voice -- great burper too. LOL

Ahhh ha ha ha ha haaa!

FUNNY FUNNY video... My kids wanted to watch it over and over again. Thanks for sharing Corin.

New Blogs?

Are you looking for some new blogs to start out the new year with?

May I suggest ?

I put in the topic "parenting" and I found several that I frequent already -- in the top 20 no less -- but a few new ones that I hadn't heard of yet.

I noticed that it tracks the number of visitors per day. In the hundreds... Wowza... I've got a ways to go. HA HA!

Let me know if you find any good ones. I love reading blogs.