The Ultimate Blog Party 2010

Shamefully, I'm really late for the party.  However, I have good excuses.  Instead of taking the time to introduce myself (yes, I'm breaking the rules) I'm going to introduce my two wonderful children:  Cameron and Cassandra.

I will admit one thing . . .  I hate Mondays.  I have always hated Mondays.  Now I know why.

Last Monday, my daughter woke from a two-hour nap (we didn't sleep most of the night because she was complaining of stomach pain and she was throwing up) screaming and doubled over in pain.  She pointed to her right side of her abdomen and that got me worried enough that we went to the local hospital.  We spent 8 hours waiting to be seen and getting tests (CAT scan, x-rays, and ultrasound) done.  The doctor sad it could be appendicitis but she has a cyst.  We were then transferred to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh by ambulance.  After some time in the emergency room there, they admitted her because of the cyst.  The cyst was a dermoid cyst and they would need to operate the next day.  Dermoid cysts don't usually occur in girls as young as 8, like my daughter, but usually of women of child bearing age.  It turns out the cyst was partially "human" and it was determined that it was her sibling.  While removing the cyst from her right ovary the doctors discovered that there was no right ovary and that part of the fallopian tube was rotted & dead.  As they remove the cyst and part of the fallopian tube, a tumor was found.  What started as a laproscopic surgery has now moved to a surgery similar to a hysterectomy.  They didn't want to break the cyst or tumor while they were within my daughter so the tiny incision in her belly button has now moved to a 5 inch incision closer to the pubic area. 

Thanks by the grace of God, my daughter is healing nicely.

Today, my son woke up screaming and crying.  He said his foot hurt.  Yesterday while at a friend's Easter Egg Hunt (having it the week after Easter saves a LOT of money), my son had a major fit and ran head first into a tree.  Somehow is head is fine (go figure) but his foot got twisted when he fell from the blow to the head; hence, the broken foot.  We spent 3 hours at the hospital getting x-rays done and being fitted with partial cast & crutches.  Tomorrow we see an orthopedic specialist. 

I'm not getting out of bed next Monday.  Unless someone gives me chocolate.  :)

As you can see, I need a break from the every day shenanigans, from the shroud of being a single mother.  I am ready to party.

My Blogs

• 365 Days of Christmas -- http://365-days-of-christmas.blogspot.com/
• 365 Days of Memories -- http://365-days-of-memories.blogspot.com/
• 365 Days of Organization -- http://365-days-of-organization.blogspot.com/
• 365 Days of Photos -- http://365-days-of-photographs.blogspot.com/
• All Things Cherished -- http://allthingscherished.blogspot.com/

My Shared Blogs

• Cherished Memories is written with one of my best friends, Teresa -- http://cherishedmemories4u.blogspot.com/
• Cherished Treasures is written with my boyfriend, Alan -- http://cherished-treasures.blogspot.com/
• Free Music is written with my boyfriend, Alan -- http://alanfreemusic.blogspot.com/

Descriptions of Blogs

365 Days of Christmas
I want that special feeling to last all year long and that is the inspiration for this blog. I believe in Santa and the Christmas spirit. I love the excitement of decorating and the anticipation of waiting for Santa to arrive. I love the kinder hearts of people who are more generous and more forgiving during this time of year. I love the dazzle of the lights and the twinkle in the children's eyes. I love the merriment of parties and friendships. I love Christmas.

365 Days of Memories
365 Days of Memories is about cherishing our family and loved ones and getting those memories on paper. 365 Days of Memories is all about scrapbooking but also about wonderful friends. Scrapbooking is the focus but other paper crafts, journaling, and altered art will be shared as well.

365 Days of Organization
Get organized now! So much stuff, so little room. Stuff you need, such as food and toiletries. Stuff you collect, such as cookbooks and figurines. Stuff that seems to multiply overnight, such as bills and recyclables. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions to help you store your stuff. Check out the blog for ideas, concepts, and tips to get you organized. YOU can get organized now!

365 Days of Photos
Follow my life via photographs . . . the good, the bad, the ugly, the ordinary, and the extraordinary . . . photographs of little things and important things . . . photographs of people important to me, photographs of my life.

All Things Cherished
I share my daily living and struggles as a single mother. I share a part of me and my family. I share my children, motherhood, being single in my 40s, Christianity, fibromyalgia & other health issues, advocacy, my passions, my hobbies, my love of reading, and my love of Christmas. I share what all is cherished in my life.

Cherished Memories
CHERISHED MEMORIES is about CHERISHing our family and loved ones and getting those MEMORIES on paper. CHERISHED MEMORIES is all about scrapbooking and paper crafting. CHERISHED MEMORIES is about loving family and wonderful friends. We also learn new and re-visit old techniques, share layouts, cards, and more.

Cherished Treasures
Our trash is your treasure! Come check out our online rummage sale. Jewelry, appliances, books, and so much more.

Free Music
Contemporary Christian Music by Alan Free.

There are a few other blogs too but I won't mention them here.

My Facebook profile can be found here.

Prizes will be announced throughout this week.  I apologize for not being better prepared.

The Ultimate Blog Party 2009 - Blog Hopping Review

I stayed up late so I could get my blogs (and their URLs) added to the list earlier this year. I wanted my blogs to be near the beginning of the list since last year I was listed way past 1,000. My girlfriend, Teresa, and I were IMing each other and having trouble accessing the 5 Minutes for Mom site at Midnight. Bummer! After waiting one hour for the post to show up at 5MFM, we both grew anxious and tired. Just as we gave up and said good-night the site was up and running.

I was lucky and my blogs were listed at:
35. All Things Cherished
75. 365 Days of Memories
88. 365 Days of Christmas
98. 365 Days of Organization

Whoo hoo! I was so excited to get all four blogs listed in the top 100, I couldn't sleep for hours. : )

My goal was to post at least at half of the blogs listed by midnight the first day of the Ultimate Blog Party. At midnight, the number was 808 blogs. I did not make my goal, but in two weeks time I seriously made a valiant effort but as you know life takes precedence. As of today, I have made it to 332 blogs out of 1,562 (the final number at midnight of the last day of the party) and posted at most of them. Sadly, there were many blogs with no party posts, some blogs that were businesses only, some blogs that had disappeared (due to lack of a proper ISP address), and some blogs with duplicate (and triplicate) entries. I did not count the blogs -- approx. 20 -- that I visited from links from other blogs.

One of the best things about this year's party was I won a prize. See my post titled All Things Cherished is Updated.

One of the other best things about this year's party was the many comments I received this year at all of my blogs: All Things Cherished received 140 comments. 365 Days of Memories received 52 comments. 365 Days of Christmas received 45 comments. 365 Days of Organization received 52 comments. Whoo hoo!

Blogs Worth Visiting Again (in alphabetical order):

4 Little Men & Girly Twins
http://4littlemen.blogspot.com/

Autism Interrupted
http://autisminterrupted.blogspot.com/

Brea's Mommy
http://breasmommy.blogspot.com/

Divine Chaos
http://www.mydivinechaos.com/

Farm Home Life
http://farmhomelife.blogspot.com/

Full Nest
http://ourfullnest.blogspot.com/

Her Media
http://her-media.com/

I Am a Money Magnet
http://jamieisamoneymagnet.blogspot.com/

Just Jingle
http://justjingle.blogspot.com/

Life On The Roof
http://lifeontheroof.blogspot.com/

Make Life Delicious
http://makelifedelicious.com/

Making Memories
http://angie-beem.blogspot.com/

Marta's Meanderings
http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com/

Modern Media Mom
http://www.modernmediamom.com/

Moms By Heart
http://www.momsbyheart.net/

Muddy Boots
http://muddybootsblog.blogspot.com/

My Creative Adventure
http://by-jen.blogspot.com/

My Sweet Babboo
http://unst.blogspot.com/

Ordinary is Amazing
http://www.alenesnodgrass.com/

Scoring Deals
http://www.scoringdeals.com/

She Wants to Be Organized Everyday
http://organizedeveryday.blogspot.com/

Something About Parenting
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/

Sunshine 4 Teachers
http://www.sunshine4teachers.blogspot.com/

The Attitude of My Heart
http://theattitudeofmyheart.blogspot.com/

The Italian Bella Diaries
http://theitalianbelladiaries.blogspot.com/

I have enjoyed your blogs and have grown to become a regular reader. I may not often post but I do enjoy your posts, blogs, and inspiration. Thanks. Please help yourself to the I Linky Love You award on my sidebar and add it to your blog. See you around the blogosphere.

All Things Cherished is Updated

Have you noticed? I got a blog overhaul.

I was extremely excited and surprised to hear from Pamela and the 5 Minutes for Mom team during the Ultimate Blog Party. I won prize INTL 28, a Sassy Frass blog design.

I got a new custom header with matching background, revamped columns, a button you can grab, five buttons for my sidebar, and a signature button. Whoo hoo!

Melanie from Sassy Chic Designs was pleasant, patient, and professional.

I'm so excited about the new look of the blog. What do you think? Please be kind, though.

Since Melanie did such a super job on my blog I wanted to introduce her to you, my readers.

Melanie, a wife, mother, and employee. She enjoys blogging, photography, scrapbooking, sewing, cooking, and, of course, sassing blogs. Melanie had so much fun learning how to make her blog unique to reflect her distinctive personality that she now will help you do the same; hence Sassy Chic Designs. Melanie says,"Your blog is your home online and you have your house decorated, right?, so let's get your blog decorated."

The Ultimate Blog Party - Winners

All the numbers have been tabulated (thanks to Random Number Generator), answers were reviewed for qualifying party go-ers, and finally winners chosen.

Many party go-ers did not read the introductions thoroughly and so were, unfortunately, removed from the final qualifying round. At each blog, I asked a specific question and kindly requested a specific answer. If the question was overlooked or not answered, the individual was sadly eliminated. Luckily, many party go-ers did read the introductions, so the winners are...

At All Things Cherished, Aunt Rene (#20) of Aunt Rene won Pillow Talk by iMom.

At 365 Days of Christmas, Blp3 (#28) of Let's Talk Politics won The Heart and Home of Christmas by Karla Dornacher.

At 365 Day of Memories, Jenny (#52, non-blogger) won the four pack of handmade cards made by me.

At 365 Days of Organization, Forest Green (#51) of Katrina Relocators won a planner.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Thanks to so many for all the compliments about me and my blogs this past week. I have been truly touched by your kindness.

The Ultimate Blog Party - I Want to Win

The Ultimate Blog Party is about meeting mom bloggers and having fun. It's also about winning prizes. The prizes I would love to win are (in no particular order):

• #19 -- $50 Target Gift Certificate
• #21 -- $50 Target Gift Certificate
• #41 -- Photo Tile Necklace
• #103 -- Surprise Box
• #23 INTL -- Blog Makeover
• #28 INTL -- Blog Design
• #35 INTL -- Blog Design

Wish me luck!

The Ultimate Blog Party - Let's Party

Welcome to All Things Cherished!

My Brief Introduction

I am: a single mother, a foster mother, a college graduate, a Master's of Education candidate, a feminist, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a heterosexual, a lover and owner of Chihuahuas, a lover and previous owner of Cocker Spaniels, eclectic, sassy, unique, allergic to milk, an Internet addict, a Christian, a friend, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, a counselor, a teacher, a kid at heart, an adult, a woman, a female, a sexual assault survivor, someone working to prevent sexual assault, a chocoholic, a book lover, a scrapbook artist, a photographer, German, Welsh, American, 5'1", a blog junkie, a Christmas fanatic, an advocate for children, supporter of education, a crime show watcher, a hopeful writer . . . I am ME.

My Long Introduction

I'm Storm (my middle name) and I am a single Mother. I also have to earn some money to support my family so I am 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 three wonderful children: (1.) Cameron, my son, 10 going on 11 in four weeks, is disabled (bipolar/ADHD/ODD/OCD/Sensory Integration Disorder/speech problems) and is very generous with his heart and very loyal to his family and friends. He's such a handsome young man. (2.) Cassandra, my daughter, 7, going-on-15, is gifted, beautiful, smart, and sassy. Cassandra has severe asthma and chronic bronchitis, and is learning French. (3.) Renee, 9, is my foster daughter, who is also disabled (FAE, borderline Mild Retardation; Adjustment Disorder; still doing testing & evaluations to determine disability), is shy, quiet, and sweet.

Champ, a Chihuahua, 1, is living with friends at the moment. Baby, a Chihuahua, approximately 2, is a stray and the newest member of the Litz family.

More About Me

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 and Christmas decorating.

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.

To learn more about my love of scrapbooking, go to 365 Days of Memories.
To learn more about my love of Christmas, go to 365 Days of Christmas.
To learn more about getting organized, go to 365 Days of Organization.

The Party

Welcome to my cherished life.

When I host a party, at home or online, I serve . . . pizza rolls with several types of sauces, various flavors of chips with dill dip, chocolate chip cookies, cocktail meatballs & wieners, and tortilla chips with taco dip.

Here are some of my favorite recipes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter or margarine
1/2 c shortening
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1 12-oz. package (2 c) chocolate chips -- I usually add more than this.

Stir together flour, soda, and salt. In a mixer bowl, beat butter and shortening on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop from a teaspoon 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375* oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and let cool. Makes about 60.

Cocktail Meatballs

1 lb ground beef/chuck
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 c finely chopped onions
1/4 c milk
1 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg
1/4 c shortening

Sauce
1 10-oz. ketchup
1 10-oz. grape jelly

Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, parsley, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and egg. Shape into 1” balls. Cook meatballs in shortening in 12” skillet until brown. Remove and drain excess fat. Heat 1-10 oz bottle ketchup and 1-10 oz jar grape jelly in skillet, stir constantly till jelly is melted. Add meatballs and stir until coated. At this point you can put into a crockpot on low. Simmer 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 5 dozen.

Giveaways

I have prizes to share each of the blogs (listed above).

Here, at All Things Cherished, the prize is an awesome journal you share with your child. Pillow Talk is a creative way to communicate with your child. Got a secret to share, some admiration to express, or a word of thanks for a job well done? Why not put it in writing? On the pages of Pillow Talk, you'll find 100 relationship building questions for you and your child to answer. In today's world of virtual communication, give your kids the real deal. Something tangible they can see and touch and look at again and again, whenever they want to feel connected with you. The journal is an awesome way to bond with your child(ren) and I am so happy to be able to give one to a lucky winner.

If you are interested in Pillow Talk, please a comment as to why you are interested in receiving this prize.

At 365 Days of Memories, the prize is a four-pack of handmade cards. I love scrapbooking and paper-crafting. Recently, I have gotten some very nice compliments on my cards. I am excited to give one lucky winner a pack of four cards for various occasions and holidays.

At 365 Days of Christmas, the prize is a lovely, hardcover book titled The Heart & Home of Christmas by Karla Dornacher. Artist Karla Dornacher celebrates the Christmas season with her first holiday title. Page after cozy page features her signature artwork with its warm and home-style feel, along with her gentle words of inspiration. I love this book and am so excited to be able to share it with one lucky winner.

At 365 Days of Organization, the prize is a high-quality, full-color planner. You have a choice of one planner from primary age through high-school aged children or adults. The dates are from July 2009 through June 2010 so, of course, they are current calendars. There are quotes and other misc. information included. I am happy to be able to share two planners with two lucky winners.

Thanks for stopping by.

The Ultimate Blog Party 2009 - Are You Coming?

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 to get all the details, links, and other information you need to party with me, Janice and Susan from 5 Minutes for Mom, and all the other great mom bloggers out there.

See you around the blogosphere.

The Ultimate Blog Party 2009

The Ultimate Blog Party 2009

March 20th -27th

It is THE mom blogging event of the year. You don't want to miss it. If you want to grow your network, meet new friends, or promote your site, get ready for the Ultimate Blog Party 2009.

THE Destination for Virtual Partying!

It has become a tradition in the “momosphere.” It is the perfect event to build your network and have some serious blogging fun, all without stepping away from your life machine… err, computer.

The blogging life is about relationships — meaningful friendships that grow out of sharing who we are and getting to know one another. And like real life friendships, online friends need a place to meet and mingle. Some of my best online friends I met at our past Ultimate Blog Parties.

During the week of March 20-27th, the blogosphere will be partying carnival style, jumping through our Mr. Linky list of participating bloggers.

I will be there and I hope you will be there too.

I will be representing all four of my blogs -- All Things Cherished at http://allthingscherished.blogspot.com/, 365 Days of Christmas at http://365-days-of-christmas.blogspot.com/, 365 Days of Memories at http://365-days-of-memories.blogspot.com/, and 365 Days of Organization at http://365-days-of-organization.blogspot.com/ -- and each blog will have a prize giveaway too.

See you at the party.

The Ultimate Blog Party - Blog Hopping Review

One of the things that 5 Minutes for Mom asked of the participants of The Ultimate Blog Party was to take the time to review some of the favorite or new blogs visited during the party.

My goal was to post at each blog at least once. I made a valiant effort. As of today I have made it to 828 blogs out of 1,498 (the final number at midnight of the last day of the party) and posted at most of them. Unfortunately, there were quite a few blogs with no party posts, some blogs that were businesses only, some blogs that had disappeared (due to lack of a proper ISP address), and some blogs with duplicate (and triplicate) entries.

I did not count the blogs -- approx. 30 -- that I visited from links from other blogs.

Blogs Worth Visiting Again (in alphabetical order)

A Daily Dose of Debbie
http://adailydoseofdebbie.blogspot.com/

Alexander's Heart
http://alexandersheart.blogspot.com/

Charmed Life
http://charmedlife.wordpress.com/

Extravagant Grace
http://www.extravagantgrace.net/

Girlfriendology
http://girlfriendology.blogspot.com/

Girlfriendology Too
http://girlfriendologytoo.blogspot.com/

Heart of Wisdom
http://heartofwisdom.com/blog/

Just a Mom
http://sevenwithoneextra.blogspot.com/

Max's Mom
http://maxsmom06.com/

Mom Musings
http://mom-musings.blogspot.com/

My Friend Amy
http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/

My Life as Annie
http://mylifeasannie.com/

Refuge for a Single Mom
http://www.refuge-for-a-single-mom.com/blog/

Scrapping Servant
http://scrappingservant.com/

Self Talk Soul Talk
http://www.selftalksoultalk.com/

The Love List
http://www.thelovelist.net/

The Mommy Project
http://themommyproject.blogspot.com/

The Scrap Princess
http://thescrapprincess.blogspot.com/

To Love, Honor, and Vacuum
http://tolovehonorandvacuum.blogspot.com/

Weary Parent
http://www.wearyparent.com/

Ladies, I enjoy your blogs and have grown to become a regular reader. I may not often post but I too enjoy your posts, blogs, and inspiration. Thanks.

Please help yourself to the I Linky Love You award on my sidebar and add it to your blog. See you around the blogosphere.

Happy blogging!

The Ultimate Blog Party - Still Blog Hopping

Still hopping from blog to blog... my goal is to post at each blog at least once. Happy blogging!

As of today I have made it to 527 blogs out of 1,498 (the final number at midnight of the last day of the party [a few have joined the party after the last day]) and posted at most of them.

Unfortunately, there were quite a few blogs with no party posts, some blogs that were businesses only, some blogs that had disappeared (due to lack of a proper ISP address), and some blogs with duplicate (and triplicate) entries.

I did not count the blogs -- approx. 20 -- that I visited from links from other blogs.

I will be posting an update soon on some of my new favorite blogs and blogs worth visiting again.

The Ultimate Blog After Party - Blog Round Up

One of the things that 5 Minutes for Mom asked of the participants of The Ultimate Blog Party was to take the time to review some of the favorite or new blogs visited during the party.

After visiting over 350 blogs (and still blog hopping) -- 373 to be exact -- here is my ROUND UP OF FAVORITE BLOGS (in no particular order):

Extravagant Grace
http://www.extravagantgrace.net/
This lady is down-to-Earth, compassionate, loves God, and is full of grace. This is a beautiful blog, literally, figuratively, and with a gracious, beautiful author. In her own words, "Extravagant Grace is about the business spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ while reaching women of all ages with God's message of extravagant grace, love, hope, forgiveness, and transformation."

Self Talk, Soul Talk
http://www.selftalksoultalk.com/
This blog is based on the awesome book that Jennifer Rothschild wrote. This is a place for those who have read the book to get more insight. Its a comforting place to wander through; so uplifting. The blog focuses on showing you that God should cultivate your soul, heart, and mind so you can be positive when you talk to yourself. No negativity here!

Girlfriendology
http://girlfriendology.blogspot.com/ and http://girlfriendologytoo.blogspot.com/
Celebrate the special relationship yo have with your girlfriends. Be inspired and get some creative mojo. In their own words, "These sites focus on the inspiration, appreciation and celebration of girlfriends. It takes the creative side of girlfriends by offering crafty ideas for making and giving girlfriend gifts and greetings."

The Love List
http://love-list.blogspot.com/
"The Love List is a running list of daily discoveries in design, food, fashion, and living."

Some other blogs that I will be visiting again (in no particular order):

Scrapping Servant at http://scrappingservant.com
Charmed Life at http://charmedlife.wordpress.com
Just a Mom at http://sevenwithoneextra.blogspot.com/
A Daily Dose of Debbie at http://adailydoseofdebbie.blogspot.com/
Heart of Wisdom at http://heartofwisdom.com/blog/
Weary Parent at http://www.wearyparent.com/
The Mommy Project at http://themommyproject.blogspot.com/

The Ultimate Blog Party - I Want to Win

As part of the Ultimate Blog Party, I came across this blog (#1113). If I post this entry on my blog I have a better chance to win. How could I refuse?!

Check out the blog at http://love-list.blogspot.com/

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.

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 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!

The Ultimate Blog Party - Don't Forget

Are You Coming to The Ultimate Blog Party 2008?

During the week of March 7-14, 2008, the blogosphere will be party hopping - jumping through the Mr. Linky list of participating bloggers, meeting new friends, and partying blogger-style at The Ultimate Blog Party 2008 at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Last year’s Ultimate Blog Party was a blast with almost 1,000 participating bloggers, so make sure you don’t miss out on this one. It is a fantastic opportunity to introduce your blog to a bunch of new people and to find new blogs that you will want to read regularly.

The Ultimate Blog Party features tons of prizes. The prize list is constantly growing. For more about prize eligibility read on and visit 5 Minutes for Mom's prize page.

So how do you party with us?

This is how it works for bloggers who want to participate in The Ultimate Blog Party 2008 and be eligible to enter the prize draw:

Invite your friends

Sorry boys… this party is for women bloggers only. All women bloggers are invited regardless of parental status, religious affiliations, etc. This party is about having fun with friends and meeting new people.

Host a party at your place

The Utimate Blog Party 2008 is all about meeting people and getting your blog noticed, so throw a party that showcases your blog and your style. Add some pictures, music, video, slide show, decoration, include recipes, stories, make your guests laugh -- whatever you want. Be creative and have fun!

And, of course, make sure you introduce yourself.

Sign the Mr. Linky at 5 Minutes for Mom

After you have your post ready and published, come on over to the central Ultimate Blog Party Post at 5 Minutes for Mom and add your link to the Mr. Linky.

It will be a week long bash from Friday, March 7, 2008 to Friday, March 14, 2008. The prizes will be announced on Monday, March 17th.

The Mr. Linky will go live at Friday March 7th, 12:01 am Eastern Time and participating bloggers who have their party post up can add their link any time during the week of the party. (The Linky will stay permanently in the post, so you can come back later and catch up on any blogs you may have missed.) Obviously linking earlier in the week will result in more people visiting your party, but you do not need to have your link in the Mr. Linky until March 14 at 12pm Eastern to be eligible for the draw.

Only party guests (bloggers who signed the Linky and invited guests via a post and Invitation Button OR non-bloggers who have attended and commented on at least 20 participating party posts) will be eligible to win prizes. The prizes will be drawn from the comments at the main 5 Minutes for Mom Ultimate Blog Party 2008 party post, so make sure you leave a comment. All prizes will be awarded by a random draw.

If you have any questions, just contact Janice or Susan at 5 Minutes for Mom.

We can’t wait – see you soon!

http://www.5minutesformom.com

The Ultimate Blog Party 2008 - Are You Coming?

Thanks to the courtesy of my friend, Jennifer, I discovered the blog in time for the Ultimate Blog Party 2007. Janice and Susan are the sweetest, dedicated mothers and bloggers.

Join the fun and join us for a blog party. More details about the party at 5 Minutes for Mom and the prize giveawy for All Things Cherished will be posted later.