Daylight Savings Time

Don't forget to put your clock 1 hour AHEAD tonight!

We will lose an hour of sleep, but gain another hour of sunlight.

Sleep well.

What Type of Weather Are You?

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerous People will stop and watch you when you appear Even though you're capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing

What Type of Weather Are You?

The Ultimate Blog Party - Win Some Goodies

You can win some goodies just by reading and commenting on other's blogs. Check out the details at http://www.5minutesformom.com/. You have one week to do this so get cyber-jumping. Don't forget to leave a comment while you are here. :)

The prize list is located here: http://www.happypandababy.com/blog/ultimate-blog-party-prize-page/.

To pick just three is very difficult since there are so many GREAT prizes being offered. Many do not apply to me since I am not in need of the baby, toddler, or new mother supplies, but they are great prizes nonetheless.

My top 3 choices would be #24, #45, or #123 (all custom blog designs) since I know nothing about html. Though, I did try for over three hours this morning to customize my blog by having three columns, instead of the usual two, to no avail.

My other choices would be (in no particular order):, #67, #8, #129, # 91, #25, #122, #124, #101, and #72.

Thankful Thursday (or Saturday)

Each day I try to focus on, the minimum, of 3 things to be thankful for. Each Thursday I post them here for you to read so that you be encouraged to do the same. In the daily life of dealing with special needs children, foster care, and so on, its every easy to forget to be thankful.

Today I am thankful for...

1. the warmth of my home as it snows outside.
2. the friendships I have.
3. Champ, for always loving me no matter how I look or smell or what mood I am in.

What are you thankful for today?

The Ultimate Blog Party - My Introduction

Let me introduce myself...

While visiting other blogs via the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom, I noticed that many are introducing themselves. I must of missed that part of the party instructions, and not one to not follow the rules I figured I'd better hussle back here to get my introduction done.

I'm Storm (my middle name) and I am a full-time stay-at-home single Mother. I also have to earn some money to support my family so I am also a Supervisor and Consultant for Usborne Books, Sales Consultant for Memory Works, Educational Advocate and Consultant, as well as the owner of two home businesses -- DawnLyn's Designs and Litz's Business Services.

I am a single mother to two wonderful children: Cameron, 9, is disabled (bipolar/ADHD/ODD/OCD/Sensory Integration Disorder/speech problems) and is very generous with his heart. He's such a handsome young man. Cassandra, 6, going-on-13, beautiful, smart, and sassy. Cassandra has severe asthma and chronic bronchitis, but proves that she is a fighter.

I quit working full-time out-of-the-house about 8 years ago so I could help my son get the services/therapies he needed to survive.

I am also a foster mother to one girl, Renee, 8, who is also disabled (still doing testing, evaluations to determine disability), shy, quiet, & sweet. Champ, my Chihuahua, is the newest member of the Litz family.

I have always enjoyed writing as a creative outlet and hope to publish a novel some day of the antics of my life. I don't think I am artistic but do feel I am creative; hence, my love of scrapbooking.

I am passionate about health and safety issues as they relate to my family, especially concerning mental health issues and protecting children's rights -- which is why I am an Educational Advocate and Consultant.

In my past life I was a special education teacher, a elementary education teacher, a community college teacher, a drug & alcohol rehabilitation counselor, a vocational counselor, a pregnancy counselor, a therapist, an administrative specialist in the Army, an intelligence specialist in the Army, a TSS (therapeutic service specialist), a BSC (behavioral specialist consultant), and much more.

I hope I didn't bore you with my introduction.

Thanks for stopping by.

The Epitomy of Love

One of the church members wrote his own version of the dramatic death and rise of Jesus taken from the Bible. This is Paster Jeff portraying Jesus on the cross.

Family Minute #5

What Do You Know?

Newsweek magazine has a feature called 5 Things You Didn’t Know About. Each issue spotlights little known facts of people in the news. The most recent issue I saw featured Miley Cyrus (you know, Hannah Montana) sharing some bits of trivia that included everything from, the best thing about being a movie star, to the number of animals she has.

So, what are 5 things your kids don’t know about you? What are 5 things you don’t know about them? What are 5 things you don’t know about your husband? You don’t have to be a movie star with lots of interesting life experiences to divulge; children love to hear about the past. Make it a family night “did-you-know" game.

Remember your family first.

The Ultimate Blog Party

Basically, The Ultimate Blog Party is a carnival for you to meet other mom bloggers, have fun, and win prizes, so get out and meet & greet.

Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom by clicking on the title of this post (above). There you will have all the details, links, and other information you need to party with me, the 5 Minutes for Mom ladies -- Janice and Susan, and all the other great mom bloggers out there.

See you around cyberspace!

Wordless Wednesday (or Friday) #2

Cassandra was so proud of doing her first scrapbook page. This is a photo of her holding up a photo of herself when she was a baby.

Recalled for Possible Health Risk

Limited Number of Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix Products Recalled for Possible Health Risk
Contact:
Jamie Stein, Quaker Oats
312-821-2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- March 4, 2008 – The Quaker Oats Co. announced the products in the recall are a small quantity of Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix: Original, Original Complete and Buttermilk Complete, which may have potential salmonella contamination. No other Aunt Jemima, frozen Aunt Jemima or Quaker products are affected.

The products, sold in 2 pound and 5 pound boxes with Best Before dates of FEB 08 09 H through FEB 16 09 H stamped on the top, contain the following UPC codes:

30000 43272: Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete, 5 lb.
30000 05040: Aunt Jemima Original, 2 lb.
30000 05070: Aunt Jemima Original Complete, 2 lb.
30000 05300: Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete, 2 lb.
Salmonella is a food borne illness that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with this issue to date. There is very low risk of illness when preparation directions on box are followed and product is not consumed raw or undercooked. Salmonella bacteria is killed at a temperature of 160° F.

If consumers have this product with the indicated UPC codes and Best Before dates, they should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-800-407-2247 or by logging onto www.auntjemima.com.

Quaker is in the process of recovering the product involved. Quaker knows specifically to which customer warehouses the product was shipped. Approximately 98% of the product is within Quaker's control. The 2% of product which is outside of Quaker's control was shipped to a limited number of retail and mass merchandiser stores (no direct distribution to West Coast). Of that small quantity, the vast majority likely has not been placed on store shelves. Product was shipped to 17 states including Texas, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Missouri, Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Ohio, New York, New Mexico, Kansas and Utah.

Family Minute #4

What are your child’s strengths and weaknesses?

Get out a piece of paper and write three things that you see as your child’s strengths. Next, jot down three of their most aggravating weak points. After you’ve done that, think about which list was easier to make? If you’re like most, it was their weaknesses. It’s much easier to list the negatives.

Your child would probably also find it easier to list the negative things about themselves. That’s why it’s so important for us parents to praise our kids for their unique personalities, and their unique abilities.

Remember your family first.

Make Me Laugh Monday - T-Shirt