Archive for 7 Quick Takes Friday

Children’s book news, The Mom Initiative, courage and some great blogs

By Genny · Comments (6)
Thursday, March 29th, 2012

Happy Friday, everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve joined Jennifer in 7 Quick Takes; it seems like every week I intend on writing a post with quick updates and joining in, and the next thing I know it’s Thursday and I’m out of time. So I’m starting this post on Monday night to make sure I get it done (I’m sitting here with Mike on the couch and he’s watching MMA fights - a perfect time for me to get this written!).

I have some fun things I’ve been wanting to share with you…

1. I was so excited to get book contracts for two of my children’s book manuscripts a few weeks ago (Where’s the Mouse? and Birthdays Around the World.). The publisher I sold them to is in Korea (Tuntun English, Unibooks) and has been really neat to work with. The books probably won’t be out until 2013, but I’m really excited. I’ll keep you posted when they are in print; I’ll probably do a giveaway here for copies like I did last time.

2. For you moms, I wanted to tell you about a site I’ve recently become a contributor for. It’s called The Mom Initiative, founded by author/speaker Stephanie Shott,  and it’s an amazing place full of resources and support for moms. If you get a chance, check it out! I love the idea–and the heart–behind the site, and the mentor relationships it facilitates.

3. I’ve also recently joined the team over at Faith Village as a contributor. All I can say is what a cool concept. You have to stop over there and see what I mean!!

4. Something fun for anyone who is in California: the Courage to Be You golf tournament is coming up on May 4th and it’s going to be amazing! You don’t have to be a golfer to join in; there’s a dinner following the tournament that will be a blast. Find out more about this great cause, or register here!

5. Speaking of Courage to Be You, I’ve been spending more and more time helping out at this amazing organization, and my writing/blogging/email activity has changed a bit to adjust. If you’ve sent me emails with inquiries about MyCup2Yours, guest posts, or with a question, I want you to know I’m not ignoring you. I’ve seen them coming through and I’ll be doing my best to get back to you soon! Thanks for being so patient with me.

(Oh, and on a different but somewhat related note because it has to do with making your schedule easier, have any of you heard of the social media app called Buffer? I just learned about it through a colleague; evidently you can use it to set up and schedule tweets. I love the idea and I’m curious if any of you already use it and if you have any tips? I’m so not good at keeping up on twitter and I’m excited about an app that will help!)

6. On another blogging note, my friend Nicole over at The Pixel Boutique (who is the talented designer behind my blog) has some great new pre-made themes coming out at the end of this month! You can check them out here: http://www.thepixelboutique.com/premade-blog-themes. Her work is amazing!!!

7. And my friend Mary (we met when I was a Mentor Mom Coordinator at MOPS) recently launched her own blog, The Mommy Job. Here’s her description: “Are you a human napkin, a boo-boo kisser or a 24/7 special order cook? Motherhood can feel like that some days. Join me as we explore the roller coaster of motherhood with heartwarming honesty over at TheMommyJob.com. You’ll find helpful tips of being a better mom and uplifting stories from the daily trenches of motherhood “employment. Take a peek into my current article series: Sanity Savers For Busy Moms where I give tips on ways to make the every day less stressful and more enjoyable.”  Her blog is really cute and her posts are heartfelt and helpful. Be sure to over there and say hello!

Have a great weekend everyone! I look forward to seeing you back here for Mom-Monday! I have some fun news to share and a question for you that I really need your input on! 

Comments (6)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, books, C2BU, writing

Blogging, Courage, Tomatoes and Inspiration

By Genny · Comments (4)
Friday, September 30th, 2011

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m joining Jennifer in 7 Quick Takes today. After being “away” last week working on writing deadlines, I feel like there’s a lot to share…

1. Just an fyi about some upcoming changes around here. I’ve been looking into migrating my blog from Blogger to WordPress for a while now (I’m still having issues with comments on Blogger) and I finally decided that I’m going to make the move. I’m also going to have my writing/speaking website (GennyHeikka.com) combined with my blog here so I’ll have one home on the web, instead of two. Even though you’ll see a few changes in November, most of it will be behind the scenes. After everything is said and done, if you type in www.mycup2yours.com, it will simply forward to GennyHeikka.com, and you’ll still get updates if you’re a subscriber or a follower. I’m super excited about the upcoming changes!

2. Also on a blogging note, I thought this post over at Facebook was good: The Five Worst Ways to Title a Blog Post. Worth the read! (I changed the title of this post because of it… not sure if my title is better now or not, lol!)

3. So much has been happening at Courage to Be You, the non-profit I volunteer for.

The Courage Concert a few weeks ago was amazing and the Awards Gala last Sunday night was incredible. Truly. I’ll be sharing more about C2BU in future posts, but in the meantime, take a minute to stop by our website and browse around. So many things are happening to help rescue and restore children out of trafficking and I’m honored to be part of this amazing organization. Lives are being changed, including the lives of volunteers. (I know mine has changed!) I can’t wait to tell you more about how I originally got involved and what’s happened since then… future posts to come!

4. Switching topics… Holy tomatoes! My sister-in-law gave us a huge box of tomatoes  on a recent visit and I couldn’t be happier. I made the biggest batch of pasta sauce I’ve ever made (I have four containers of it in the freezer) and it’s so good. There’s nothing like fresh, ripe, garden tomatoes!

Aren’t they gorgeous? And this is only a third of them!

5. Such a fun thing to share: remember when my daughter and I went to the pound to “look” at cats and ended up coming home with Charlie? Well, we went to the pound again a few weeks ago, but this time the cat was for my sister-in-law.  Meet Moe:


Isn’t he cute? (My daughter had so much fun helping to pick him out!)

6. Have you seen this video In God’s Heart I Am? It’s inspired by Holley Gerth’s beautiful book God’s Heart for You. Take a few minutes to watch the video (get out the Kleenex… it s powerful!), then head over to InGodsHeart.com and share your own word, or read more about Holley’s book at In(Courage). (Click here if the video isn’t showing below.) Inspiring!


[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnQvp8_41Uo]

  7. Last, a totally random tip: I found a free online file conversion site I wanted to share with you. It’s called Zamzar and it’s really cool. I needed to convert a PDF file and wasn’t able to do it on my computer, so I sent it to this free site and got it back, converted, in my email within a couple of hours. It was great! (I’m not getting any perks to tell you about this; I just thought this tool was great and wanted to tell you about it.)

Have a fun weekend, everyone! Don’t forget to stop by for Mom-Monday. I’ll be sharing a powerful mom-story from one of my friends, Shannon. It will tug at your heart and have you nodding your head in agreement at how hard it is to be a mom sometimes, but it will also inspire you and remind you that even though doing the right thing isn’t always easy, it’s still the right thing. See you soon!

Comments (4)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, C2BU, food/recipes, pets, writing

183-calorie burgers, good storytelling, and getting yourself out of the fast lane

By Genny · Comments (1)
Friday, July 15th, 2011

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m joining Jennifer in 7 Quick Takes again today…

1. Thanks to those of you who have been sending me your mom-stories! Keep them coming! I’ve loved reading them, and I’m keeping submissions open through August 8th. (I’ll email you if your story fits the book and if I’m interested in including it.)
2. I saw this in a newsletter I got in email this week: “Enjoy a 183-calorie burger at your next barbecue”… and I had to check it out. I don’t count calories, but I love barbecuing (not that I know how to grill; Mike does that part), and I love burgers, especially healthier ones. The burger recipe in the article has spinach, lemon, and garlic in it, and it actually sounds really good. I think I’m going to try making it, although I’ll probably use ciabatta bread for buns, instead of the whole wheat ones they recommend. :) 

3.Another thing that grabbed my attention (when I was reading the 183-calorie burger thing) was this farmer’s market recipe site. (No, I’m not getting anything for plugging these sites, I just love farmer’s markets and after browsing through the website, I wanted to share it with you.) There’s a recipe for a Greek salad that sounds really good! A perfect use for juicy, ripe tomatoes.

4. On a totally different note, I ran across a great article over at ProBlogger this week: What Drama Musicals can Teach Us About Great Blog Writing. It makes some really good points, not only for blogging, but for storytelling in general.

5. Also along the lines of writing, my friend Gina Conroy recently launched her own writing critique service! I’m so excited for her, and her summer special looks great! She offers one page critiques, contest and conference critiques, and her rates are extremely affordable. Make sure to stop by her site and check it out!

6. If you’re like me and you always have a million things on your plate at any given time, I highly recommend reading this great reminder over at 5MinutesforFaith (written by my friend Barbie):  Life in the Fast Lane. I’m sure it was no accident that I happened to read the post at the end of a  particularly life-in-the-fast-lane-ish day. I sooo needed the reminder that everything does not have to be done now. :)

7. More inspiring reads–from the beautiful women at (in)courage–for your weekend:

I am a nobody and I’m proud of it

What finding yourself truly means

16 Ways to find personal rest

Have a great weekend, everyone! Do you have any fun plans? We have another swim meet. :)

I’ll see you back here for Mom-Monday!

Comments (1)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, food/recipes, Mom-Mondays, tips, writing

Endings and beginnings (and blogging tips too)

By Genny · Comments (3)
Friday, July 8th, 2011

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m joining Jennifer in 7 Quick Takes today…

1. For those of you in the US, I hope you had a great 4th of July! We went to our local parade then had a celebration in our neighborhood, complete with a blow-up water slide for the kids and speakers and a microphone for a talent show. It was such a fun time with family and friends and we feel so lucky to have such great neighbors!

Bailey at the parade.

Just a few of the fireworks! (We have quite a show in our court each year. This year, we probably had about 100 people gathered together watching.)



Me with just some of our awesome neighbors!

 2. Endings and beginnings: After almost two years of being the Managing Editor of 5MinutesforFaith, I’ve passed the baton to my friend and fellow writer, Barbie. Not only is Barbie a beautiful writer, she is also incredibly organized and online savvy. (She’s already doing some exciting things over at the site!) While I will really miss leading the team of amazing, beautiful women over there, I’m super excited to be sticking around and starting back up as one of the regular writers there. If you haven’t been over to the site in a while, be sure to stop by and check it out. You’ll be inspired and encouraged!

3. On a completely different note, if you’re a mom with 50-100 pounds to lose, there’s an open casting call in Long Beach, CA on July 16th. The producers of The Biggest Loser and Extreme Home Makeover are casting for a new daytime ABC show (called The Revolution) and they are looking for deserving moms who want to make a change in their lives. See more here: http://bit.ly/l3haSP (I’m not getting paid to mention this; I was contacted by the producers and just think this is a great opportunity for moms. In fact, after I emailed one of my neighbors about this opportunity, she emailed it to a friend and her friend submitted an audition application! I’m so excited for her and I can’t wait to see what happens!)

4. Some tips for anyone on twitter, I came across this excellent article on maximizing use of twitter. I wanted to share it with you because it’s a great read!

5. And for you bloggers: if you are new to the world of blogging, I came across this great article: 9 Tips for New Bloggers. It has some some good advice worth checking out!

6. My son (10) is wanting to start guitar lessons. (I’m really excited; I think he’ll love it!) There’s a group lesson through our city parks and rec department that I’m thinking would be a good place to start… Have any of your kids taken guitar lessons? Do any of you have tips for beginners or recommendations about lessons that I should be thinking about? Thanks for any advice!

7. Last, make sure to stop by for Mom-Monday next week! I am finishing up revisions to my parenting book and am looking for quotes/stories from other moms to include in it. I’ll explain more about it on Monday.

Have a great weekend, everyone! What are your plans? My daughter has a swim meet and I’m so glad that the temperature will only be about 90 here in California! (It has been 103 and 104 the last couple of days!)

Comments (3)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, holidays, writing

Vacation!, some writing and blogging tips, and a big thank you…

By Genny · Comments (4)
Friday, June 10th, 2011

I’ve got a bunch of miscellaneous updates and things to share, so I’m joining Jennifer in 7 Quick Takes today…

1. I am soooo excited! Mike and I leave for Hawaii in a few days and I can’t wait. I plan on totally unplugging, but I’ve got some favorite posts from the archives scheduled to go up next week, so if you’re new here, I hope you enjoy them! I’ll look forward to sharing about our trip and posting photos when we get back.

2. The weather has finally improved and it’s starting to feel like summer! (It sounds like from all of your comments the last couple of days, everyone’s been getting some pretty strange weather lately.) Today was around 90 degrees and beautiful. We are loving it!!!

3. For you writers, Nathan Bransford had a post recently about How to Craft Mystery in a Novel, and another post about remembering that Rejection Is Not Personal. (Something every writer needs to keep in mind!)

4. And for you bloggers: if you’re looking to learn more about maximizing your blog and improving your content or increasing traffic, be sure to visit The SITS Girls, where they’re working through ProBloger Darren Rowse’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog eBook. Great tips and resources.

5. If you’re local to the Sacramento area, join my friend and fellow children’s author, Anne Bowler, at the Roseville Library on Monday the 13th for a storytelling event. And be sure to bring the kids; it sounds like it will be a lot of fun.

6. Another thing if you’re local: have you heard of Sacramento Bee’s Sacramento Connect? It’s a network for local blogs and community news, and it is awesome. (I’m not getting any perks to say that… I’ve just been part of this network for a while now and I think it’s a great resource for local information!) Check it out!

7. Last, I want to take a minute and say thank you for stopping by and reading. I was looking at some of my older posts recently and realized I started MyCup2Yours almost three years ago (minus the seven-month break I took to work on one of my manuscripts and then ended up with the arm and knee injury!). This place here, and all of you, have become such an important a part of my life. I love your comments and emails, and the way you’ve reached out to me and others here. It’s been fun getting to know many of you, and I smile each time I see your name come through my email from a comment. I apologize I haven’t been very good about replying to comments lately; it has been a struggle to find the time, but please know I read and appreciate each and every one!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! As a reminder, I’ll be taking a break from Mom-Monday next week because I’ll be sitting on a beach enjoying the ocean with Mike and no kids!!!! (Can you tell I’m excited?! It’s our first kid-less full week away in twelve years! I know I’ll miss the kids like crazy, but I’m looking forward to the time alone!). I’ll be back here on 6/20 to continue with my two-part series on being a more grateful mom and helping our kids to be more grateful too! Aloha!

Hugs to all of you!

Comments (4)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, fun, writing

Going green, photography, some great posts and an article you don’t want to miss…

By Genny · Comments (3)
Friday, December 17th, 2010

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you had a great week. Mine’s been a little crazy with holiday parties, getting ready for Christmas, and my daughter coming down with pneumonia, poor thing.

I’m joining Jennifer in 7 Quick Takes today… it seems like I’ve been saving up a list of things I want to share with you:

1. First, the photoverse giveaway winner: Congratulations to Melissa at FrugalCreativity, commenter #27! (Melissa, I know you’ll love what Robin makes you. Her photography is beautiful.)

2. Speaking of photography, I’ve been playing with my camera lately and have taken a couple of shots that I thought came out sort of interesting (though they don’t compare to Robin’s):

It has taken a year–or at least it seems like it!–for this one orange to grow. The kids planted the orange tree with my father-in-law several years ago and while it’s beautiful, for some reason it’s only produced a total of three oranges. So of course I had to get a picture of this one! I took the photo on a rainy day and I like the way the water shows on the orange.
A close up of a leaf in our pool. I like how the pebble tech in the background is blurred.

Buds on our pear tree on a wet day. I was trying to capture the contrast of the branches and the gray sky. I’m learning…

Even though I got my camera a year ago, I have yet to figure out all the (millions of) settings and I’ve mostly been using it on Auto. I’m determined to get better at photography this year (maybe that will be my first 2011 resolution…).

3. For you bloggers, some great posts: one about creating quality content by Jennifer James Online, and another about creating a following by Nathan Bransford. Good reads!

4. An article that will move you: A Life Beyond Reason written by Professor Chris Gabbard, in which he shares how his disabled son August has impacted him and his views on the value of human life. A very powerful piece (hat tip to Jennifer for sharing it in one of her posts).

5. I’m excited about all that we have going on over at 5MinutesforFaith. From a new look (that I can’t take credit for) to adding a few new writers to the team, things are hopping. Holley Gerth wrote a guest post at our site this week about moms that was wonderful (Little Things, Big Love – Why You’re Making a Difference More Than You Know). If you haven’t stopped by lately, be sure you do. And be sure to subscribe to updates while you’re there so you don’t miss anything!

6. Speaking of the 5Minutes team… one of our sister sites, 5MinutesforGoingGreen, had a great post not too long ago about the dangers of Polyvinyl Chloride Plastic (known as PVC). Click on over and check it out. It’s important information.

7. And, last, another green note: There’s a company called Green Light Apparel  that is doing some pretty cool things to positively impact people and the planet. (I’m not getting compensated to mention them; I just  heard about them and I like what they’re doing, so I wanted to share.) The company makes clothes for events like fun-runs, walk-a-thons, or corporate groups and donates 10% of each sale to one of their humanitarian Partners For Change charities to help underprivileged children. They use natural, renewable fibers produced in a sustainable way and they donate a percentage of their sales to environmental causes. Sounds like a win/win/win to me. If you ever need t-shirts for an event or if you work for a company that orders shirts for large groups or anything like that, visit Green Light’s website and check them out.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Do you have any fun plans?

I’ll see you back here on Mom-Monday.  :)

Comments (3)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, books, encouragement, giveaway, inspiration, photography

Thanksgiving bracelets, the best ice cream shop ever, and other updates…

By Genny · Comments (7)
Friday, November 12th, 2010

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you had a great week. Today, I’m joining Jennifer in Seven Quick Takes Friday…

1. Can you believe Thanksgiving is right around the corner? Where does the time go? I came across this article over at Hearts at Home and wanted to pass it on to you. It has some great ideas about how to involve your kids in getting ready for the holiday.

2. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I’ve been wearing this lately:

It’s a “thankful bracelet” that I got from church last weekend (really just a piece of string tied in a knot). Our pastor challenged everyone to try not to complain about anything this whole month. Instead, we’re wearing  the bracelets and, when we feel like complaining, we’re supposed to look at it on our wrist and think of something we’re thankful for.

That might sound simple or corny, but I’m telling you, it works. I’ve been doing a lot less grumbling and a lot more thanking this week. (I think I need to keep my bracelet on longer than just this month… :)

3. A note for writers:  if you don’t already visit the Guide to Literary Agents website, I highly recommend it. It’s packed with great information, like today’s post by Agent Mollie Glick titled 7 Things Agents Want to See in a Query and 9 Things They Don’t.

4. Have you ever heard of Firesheep? Until the other day, I hadn’t. If you work on your laptop in coffee shops or public locations like I do, you should know about it. Click over to read this post and learn about this new Internet security threat.

5.  I hope you’re not getting sick of my vacation photos… I was going through them to make a photo book and saw a few more I thought I’d share. (Can you tell I didn’t want the trip to end?)  :)

My daughter’s graceful landing at the bottom of the hotel pool water slide.
One of the fish we saw when we went tide pooling. (I almost thought it was a small shark at first.)

My daughter found the smallest hermit crab ever.

The best little ice cream shop in Ko’ Olina called Two Scoops. You can’t tell from the photo, but it’s darling inside… with china tea sets on the tables, a sweet mural on the wall, and all kinds of cute decorations.
Mike and I our last night in Ko’ Olina…

6. If you’re thinking about year-end giving or looking for a good cause to help with, please take a minute to visit Courage to be You, Inc. (C2BU).  

 

This is the organization I volunteer for that I told you about recently. C2BU is doing amazing things to help rescue and restore children from trafficking. You can get involved and help too by visiting the website and clicking on Donate or Opportunities.  
 

7. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I’m going to a Women of Faith conference and I can’t wait. If you’ve been reading here a while, you know it was at a WOF conference years ago that I was inspired to pursue my dream of being a writer. I can’t wait to see what this weekend holds!  
 
I’ll see you all back here on Mom-Monday!
Comments (7)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, C2BU, faith, writing

Shop a little, read a little, watch a little…

By Genny · Comments (6)
Friday, September 10th, 2010

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you had a great week.

I’ve got a bunch of miscellaneous things I wanted to share, so I’m joining Jennifer in Seven Quick Takes today…

1. I was glad when Melanie from Whimsical Creations stopped by and left a comment so I could discover her Etsy shop and all the darling things she makes. The cooler weather here in CA is giving me fall fever, so I loved her set of miniature pumpkins–too cute! Make sure you stop by and check out her stuff. You’ll be glad you did.

2. You can find more fun shopping over at the DaySpring (in)courage shop. This isn’t an ad; I just love their stuff… it’s inspirational, heartfelt and beautiful. When I wrote a post for (in)courage a while ago, I was lucky enough to get to pick out some goodies from their shop and I got the cutest note cards. Head on over there and take a peek. Then stop by Holley’s blog while you are at it and say hi. She’s one of DaySpring’s writers, a co-founder of (in)courage, and a gal full of wisdom and insight. I subscribe to her blog and love it.

3. On a different note, if you’ve been frustrated by closed doors in your life lately–maybe a lost job, financial difficulties, or something else–my friend Barbie over at 5MinutesforFaith wrote a beautiful, honest post about the closed doors in her life lately and what’s gotten her through it. Such an inspirational read!

4. If you’re a blogger, you know the time commitment that can be involved. Darren at ProBlogger recently posted some really good tips written by Georgina Laidlaw (titled Avoid Blogger Burnout). Five great tips worth reading for sure. :)

5. I was deleting some videos off my phone the other day when I came across this one from when we first got Bailey. Did I tell you Charlie was the one who taught her to sit still? (I’m kidding, but it looks like that’s what he’s trying to teach her here!):

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

6. Speaking of videos, my friend Angie (SevenClownCircus) posted this one earlier in the week and I thought was fascinating. This will change your mind if you think social networking might be a passing fad…

7. And to end things on a happy note (because coffee is always a happy thing), I was at a meeting the other day and went to grab a sandwich in the cafe inside the building when I saw this towel on one of their shelves…

Love it!

Have a great weekend everyone! Do you have any fun plans? :)

Comments (6)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, fun, inspiration, pets, writing

Good inspiring more good, Courage to be You, and other miscellaneous updates…

By Genny · Comments (9)
Friday, July 30th, 2010

Happy 7 Quick Takes Friday! It seems like I have a bunch of miscellaneous updates to share, so here we go…

1. First, do you remember the story I told you about my friend Carole’s daughter and what happened in the bridal shop in Las Vegas? If you think that was a tear-jerker, wait until you hear what’s happened since I shared the story. I hope to tell you about it next week (I’m waiting for photos to go with my post). It’s one of those awesome examples of how doing good inspires others to do more good and it will touch your heart for sure. Stay tuned!

2. Speaking of inspiring stories, if you’ve come across any encouraging links or good reads lately, or if you’ve written something you think might inspire others, email me. I’d love to know about it and possibly share it in a “Feel Good Friday” post. (I’ll link to you in the post, of course.)

3. And even more on being inspired: Remember how I told you about the article I wrote on Jenny Williamson and her international, non-profit organization Courage to be You, Inc (C2BU)?

After writing the article, I felt compelled to get involved and somehow help with C2BU’s Courage Houses–homes for children rescued out of trafficking.

I’ve since joined Jenny’s amazing volunteer staff and we recently published a newsletter about all the things that are happening through C2BU here in the U.S. as well as in Africa and India to make a difference in the lives of children. (SO much more to come about this in the future–my heart is on fire for this–but for now, peek at C2BU’s website and catch the fire along with me!) 

4. On a completely different note: I don’t have a garden anymore (I totally lack the green thumb gene), but I do have a couple of basil plants that I am loving…

We’ve had pesto, lasagna, and fresh basil salads lately… so delicious. (What about you? What are you growing in your garden–or if you’re like me, in your pots on the back patio?)

5. I heard something on my favorite radio station yesterday that really got me thinking: Mandy, one of the morning DJs said, “Are you one of those people who tries to go above and beyond in everything you do, or are you one of those people who is fine getting by with doing the minimum?” It was a great reminder to look at everything in my day—little and big—and shoot for excellence. Thanks, Mandy!

6. The weather in California! Wow. High 80′s is my kind of end-of-summer-weather, especially because we’ve been spending so much time outside at swim meets and soccer tournaments with the kids. It’s been gorgeous! How’s the weather where you’re at? 

7. Last, am I the only person in the world who just heard about Charlie Bit My Finger? Apparently, it’s one of the most-watched YouTube videos ever. I’m glad I finally caught up and watched it because it is too cute! Have you seen it? If not, take a minute:

Have a great weekend everyone! See you back here for Mom-Monday!

Comments (9)
Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, blogging, C2BU, food/recipes, fun, inspiration, kids, marraige

Mom-stories, a new look to check out, cooking blogs, and other miscellaneous updates…

By Genny · Comments (14)
Friday, June 18th, 2010

1. Happy Weekend, everyone! I wanted to start off by saying sorry for being so slow to respond to comments lately. I’ve been really busy with a couple of writing projects, and with the kids home from school, we’ve been out of the house a lot. I want you to know that I do read and appreciate every comment, and I always love hearing from you!

2. Just a quick update about those gorgeous blue eggs in our front yard:

It has been so fun watching these little guys hatch!

3. Another animal note (and I promise this will be the last dog photo for a while): we went to a family get-together at my sister’s house this past weekend and took Bailey with us. She loves to stick her head out the window when we drive and she looks hilarious when she does it, so I had to take a picture:

(kinda looks like a little crazy dog, don’t you think? lol)

4.  I’m so excited about our new look over at 5MinutesforFaith! I absolutely love how bright and refreshing it is. Stop by and check it out. Subsribe to our feed or follow us on twitter while you’re at it!

5.  Do you have a mom-story you want to share or do you know a mom you’d like to see featured here on Mom-Mondays? Email me and let me know! It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or fancy; I’m just looking for moms (and their stories) I can post about here on Mondays. :)

6. Remember my neighbor Sam and the burger recipe he gave us (the healthy-but-the-kids-won’t-know-it one)?

I’ve been telling him for a while that he needs to create a cooking blog, and he finally did! He’s in the process of putting recipes up, so I’ll let you know when it’s ready so you can click over there and get some great ideas!

7. I hope you all have a great weekend! Are you doing anything fun for Father’s Day? We’re looking forward to swimming… It’s supposed to be hot this weekend in CA!

See you back here on Monday! :)

For more 7 Quick Takes, be sure and stop by Jennifer’s Conversion Diary.

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Categories : 7 Quick Takes Friday, nature
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