Happy BDay, Hubby

Happy Happy Birthday today to my awesome and amazing husband. He finally caught up with me!!

Karen Weido

Hampton Hogskin Holiday

This past Saturday we continued our journey on the Southwest Arkansas festival tour. Our destination: The Hampton Hogskin Holiday.

This was one festival I have heard about for several years, but have never visited. Last year Uncle Si was the main attraction, but this year was just a regular event.

My mom and Bug went with Ting and me for the day. We drove a little over an hour to reach the festival in this tiny Arkansas town.  This was definitely not the largest festival we will visit this year.

After struggling to find a parking spot and getting the stroller unloaded, we managed to visit the entire "craft" portion of this festival in under 15 minutes.  Our next stop was the quilt show where we did see some pretty things. My mom quilts and Ting has a growing interest in sewing, so they were in their element.

Next we visited the fair? Apparently the equivalent to our county fair comes to Hampton for the Hog Skin Holiday event. We walked around for a few short minutes and decided to get something to eat.  My mom and I had some great sandwiches that benefited the Single Parent Scholarship Fund. The kids had their standard festival corn dog.

As we were looking for a place to sit to eat, we noticed the pig races were about to start. Yes, you read that right.

I am at a pig race. I have no words.
— Karen W (@TingsMom) April 12, 2014

So we watched the pig races. We cheered on our assigned pig for each race. Our pig even won once.

And then we went home. On the way home we stopped by Home Depot, and also did a little Easter dress shopping for Ting.

We probably won't visit Hampton for their festival in the future, but... We Went, We Saw, We Experienced.




Karen Weido

The Story of Jesus

Two years old. It can be such a trying age. But it also such an impressionable age. Bug's communication is growing each day and I know that he is absorbing everything we say and do.

Because he is taking it all in, I want Bug to hear the story of Jesus. I want to teach him who Jesus is and how wonderful his life can be if he lets Jesus be a part of it.

I'm so thankful to be a blogger for Tommy Nelson and to be able to introduce Bug (and Ting) to such fun books that teach them about our wonderful God.

The Story of Jesus is no exception. Once again Thomas Nelson delivers a fun story in the perfect Bug-sized book

The Story of Jesus walks little ones through Jesus' life from his birth, to his death and resurrection.  It tells the story in simple rhyming pattern that makes it easy for little ones like Bug to pay attention.

"The put His body in a tomb and sealed it with a stone. On the third day, He rose again, and death was overthrown!"

The illustrations are perfect for grabbing the attention of toddlers, and the board book style ensures that this book is going to last many years.  And of course, the attached handle makes it easy for Bug to carry his book all over the place - which he does!

Of course you can purchase The Story of Jesus from the Thomas Nelson site, or your local Christian book store (just ask them to order it if they don't have it). And don't forget to follow Tommy Nelson on Twitter and Facebook to learn about all their great products.

Looking to try to score some Tommy Nelson products for yourself or your loved one?  Be sure to follow the Tommy Mommy's pinterest board. This amazing group of moms have giveaways going all the time.




Karen Weido

Let's Ride

Way back in the day the Southern Arkansas University football team had to travel by train to get to their away games. The nearest train station was about five miles away, so the team rode mules back and forth to the station. They became known as the Muleriders.

Hubby and I are proud to be SAU Mulerider grads. Ting also loves SAU. When she was younger I took her with me to my sorority meetings on campus (I was the advisor) and she thought she was going to college. These days we love going to football games. Each year we try to make all the Mulerider games, and we are looking forward to the rodeo in the fall.

One of Ting's favorite things about football games is going to see the Mulerider. The official mascot is the Mulerider - meaning the person that rides the mule, but the mule itself has become a staple of the SAU community and she is treated like royalty.  Her name is Molly.

I heard about a Little Mulerider class and knew Ting would love it. It was over a two week period and the kids got to hang out with Molly, learn about her, and even get to ride her.

The past two weeks Ting has been able to learn about Molly, spend time brushing her, and has ridden her all over the rodeo arena.

She even got to meet the newest Mulerider, and is looking forward to going to see her this fall during the football games.

I got to get up close with Molly as well.  While the kids were talking to some of the rodeo girls, I was standing and not paying attention to what was going on. I suddenly felt something on my shoulder. Molly had walked up behind me and put her head on me. I think she wanted a selfie!

I think Ting enjoyed her Little Mulerider class. A huge thanks to SAU for doing this for the kids.



Karen Weido

The Planner For Busy Moms

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I received a complimentary Mom Planner for my review. I fell in love with it immediately. This review is mine all mine.

I'm a pretty organized person. I like to have things scheduled, planned, and written on a calendar. I have to write things down to keep from forgetting them. I like to check off the days as they go by.

I have spent the past several years with a couple of calendars. One that sits on my desk to keep me in check of my daily schedule. One that sits in a drawer of my desk that outlines the ad schedule for my job. One in my bag that serves as as editorial calendar for this blog. Yet another on the refrigerator that serves as the family meal planer. And of course, one on my phone that I share with my hubby.

The result of all these calendars??? I'm always forgetting something because it's not on the calendar that I'm looking at!

Then Tools 4 Wisdom sent me the Mom Planner. Hallelujah!!

The Mom Planner takes all of my calendars, throws them into one spiral bound book, and then adds some extras that help get my life in order.

It's a daily calendar. Weekly page views detailed in hourly increments to make sure I make it to each and every meeting, appointment, and event.

It's a to-do list. It has space all around to write in those things that I can't seem to remember on my own.

It's a meal planner. It has space on each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

With a little tweaking, it also becomes an ad calendar and a blog calendar. All on the same pages.  Plus it has places each month, day, and annually to write goals. Personal goals, business goals, family goals. It also has a monthly view each month if you need an overview of what is coming.

The Mom Planner is keeping me in check. It's getting meals on the table and posts on the blog.  It's available on Amazon and it's affordable.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.



Karen Weido

Family Pictures

In case you haven't figured it out, Hubby didn't get to go on our Spring Break trip with us. He had just completed his first year at his job and didn't really have any vacation time to take yet. So it was just the kids and I.

The night before we left Ting asked if we could take some pictures with Daddy in case she forgot what he looked like while we were gone (Ting is a little dramatic at times).

We got out the camera and went to work and ended up with some decent family pics. Enjoy!

Karen Weido

Happy Birthday, Bug

I have no idea where the time is going. In some ways it seems like I was just at the hospital meeting this little fella. In other ways it feels like he has been a part of our lives forever.

Today Bug turns two years old! He is the most perfect little boy I could have ever wanted. I always imagined I would have boys but then I got a girl and couldn't see myself with a little boy until I actually got one. I love being a boy mom so much and can't wait to see the little man this guy grows up to become.

 He's too young to answer all the birthday questions, so here's my random list of what is going on.

• He weighs 29 lbs and is 35 inches tall (these are my home measurements, will confirm after he sees the doctor in a few weeks)

• He wears a size 24 month in clothes, but almost needs a 2T due to length of pants

• He wears a size 4 diaper during the day, but sleeps in a size 6 (because he likes to go and go and go at night!)

• He will eat almost anything we give him. However, he does NOT like peanut butter or eggs.

• This kid loves, loves, loves bath time

• He loves to play with cars, trucks, trains - anything that has wheels on it and can speed across the floor

• He also loves to be outdoors just running free

• He is a wild one and runs full speed, and top volume, all the time at home. But he also loves to cuddle and will just randomly climb up in my lap to cuddle.

• When he does something wrong and he knows he is about to be in trouble, he wraps his little arms around my leg and says "I love you Mama"

• And I love that he calls me Mama instead of Mommy. It is just too sweet.

• He sings "Jesus Love Me" all the time.

• He has started coloring with big sister and he loves it. He is so proud of himself when he colors something and can't wait to come show it to us.

• He wakes up happy and goes to bed happy. In the mornings he runs in Ting's room and starts yelling "Get up Sister"

Karen Weido