Take 5 Friday Quick Notes (4)

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Today, I received an email from Blogher and I must tell you…my heart skipped a beat. On October 21st in New York there will be a Writer’s Conference presented by Penguin Group USA.

And…Um…I want to go!

Last weekend, I spent two days at the Alaska Writers Guild Conference and I have been opening up to the idea of attending more writing conferences. Frugally speaking, it probably isn’t worth my flying to New York for a one day conference…however, I’m researching other conferences occurring on the East Coast  during that time. PLUS, I have family all over the East Coast.

You thinking what I’m thinking?

ROAD TRIP! (Well, once I get to the East Coast that is.)

I’ll keep you posted!

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A couple of days ago I received an email in regards to a website which sells hip/stylish modest clothing. Kosher Casual is your best choice to find quality clothes that are stylish, affordable and modest! From their website:

Kosher Casual takes modest clothing basics with a modern twist. The modest skirts are based on the current fashion styles with a reinterpretation with the modest clothing wearer in mind. Our skirts are all knee-length or long skirts. We offer modest shirts and layering tops in all the definitions – ¾ sleeve tops, long sleeve shirts, elbow length sleeves. We also have a great range of modest accessories to cover your cleavage or cover your elbows in both style and comfort.

I have been offered a chance to review an item of clothing.Take some time to go to their site to look and stay tuned for the item I choose to review!

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Week 4…and still no players! I still haven’t had the time to read all my favorite blogs and check out the new ones some of you have been so generous to send me. With that said, I’m not discouraged about not having players in this carnival. I actually like being able to come here on Fridays and give you five quick notes on anything I want. It’s not the most inspiring or creative of blog posts…but I enjoy writing them and based on some of your emails…you actually enjoy reading them.

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I’m attempting to get back to doing YOGA which is scary because I’m as flexible as a brick.

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Here are some fun websites and blogs for you to check out this weekend:

• Modernly Modest Blog
• Good Deal Divas
• Not Just a Housewife

Below is a linky list if you’d like to add a link to your own Take 5 Friday Quick Notes.

1. Make sure the link you submit is to the URL of your post and not your main blog URL.
   
2.  Include a link back here.

Take 5 Friday Quick Notes (3)

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Oh look!! It’s Friday again and this is the third installment of my carnival: TAKE 5 FRIDAY QUICK NOTES. No playing members of yet, but I will not be discouraged. I realize the lack of players are mostly due to my lack of commenting on other blogs and not participating in carnivals hosted by other bloggers. I’ve been a blogger for eight years, I know the drill. However, in my defense, reading blogs is a luxury of mine…and one in which I do not like to ‘skim’ or read in haste. Plus, I try to comment in a very considerate manner and sometimes have the same thoughts and feelings as expressed by other commenters which feels redundant when I comment. WHICH let me tell you as a blogger who gets giddy when I receive comments…it doesn’t matter!! Comment on my posts that grab your attention, make  you think, make you angry…happy, sad, etc!

Comment and let me know! 

I will make a goal to participate in carnivals that I find interesting and if you’ve noticed on my sidebar, I’ve already decided on one already. You’ll get the first post later today.

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This weekend, I will be attending the Alaska Writer’s Conference. I have actually never been and have only joined the guild a couple of months ago. I have to tell you…I’m a little nervous. I’ll be attending the conference solo. I am very excited as I booked time with two of the speakers concerning my own writing projects, but this also leaves me with a stomach of fluttering butterflies.

I also find myself nervous about my wardrobe. (As you do.) What does a person wear to these things? ::shrug:: When it doubt…go with sequins and feathered boas. Am I right?

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I found myself saying, “Limit your complaints and count your blessings” to four toddlers today. They did not appreciate the advice and promptly threw themselves down on the ground and screamed. Freaking Drama Queens, I tell you.

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I have found that homeschooling a sixth grader who has the get up and go as a snail to be the most difficult task I’ve ever encountered. The first week there was this sense of ambition and a passion for learning that I thought to myself, “This is going to be awesome! This kid and I make such a great team!”

Fast forward to the third week and he’s sneaking upstairs to nap under his bed when he’s supposed to be reading from his Science book. He’s also having intestinal problems because whenever it is time to do actual school work  he has the immediate and dire urge to use the bathroom which has him in the bathroom for a good hour.

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This weekend marks the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I have purposely avoided the television and reading the news in regards to the anniversary because of how sad it makes me. My youngest son was only three months old and I remember trying to grasp the extreme contradiction of watching individuals jump to their deaths at the same time as I was nursing my infant son. Same planet, two different realms, complex emotions. It was surreal.

I read earlier today that our God is outside of time and so I’ve been praying for not only the survivors of 9/11 but for the victims and peace during their last moments on Earth. It may sound silly…but I like to think that prayers…no matter when uttered…are still powerful.

 

Below is a linky list if you’d like to add a link to your own TAKE 5 FRIDAY QUICK NOTES

1. Make sure the link you submit is to the URL of your post and not your main blog URL.
2. Include a link back here.

 

Take 5 Friday Quick Notes (2)

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Better late than never, right? It’s after 10pm on Friday night and I’m just now able to blog. This has been a hectic week, but that seems to be the norm nowadays. The day starts for me at 4:45am and I’m not getting to bed till sometime after 11:30PM. I haven’t worked out in almost two weeks and I can feel myself becoming all sloshy and soft. Regardless of the fact that I’m not sure if sloshy is even a word, I am sure that it is the most descriptive word EVER to explain how I feel. Sloshy, that is.

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My daughter turned fifteen last Friday and we had a fantastic birthday party…although the entire day everything that could go wrong…did. Which if you’ve read enough of my blogs, you’ll know that’s pretty much the norm in my world.

I went with the theme of Hollywood and even had trophies and sunglasses for souvenirs. I had a blast with my friends Betty and Sara decorating the house for my daughter’s party. I couldn’t have done it without Betty, her husband Jarod and Sara. Betty did my daughter’s makeup and Sara took some wonderful photographs.

I had a small budget to work with but was able to borrow and buy a lot of cool stuff to turn our house into Party Central. All the kids seemed to have a really great time and I hope Kid #1 knows I’m pretty darn proud to be her Mom.

Especially during the hours of 10pm-5am when she’s asleep.

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I’m not hallucinating…I’ve actually accumulated a good deal of readers and subscribers for Mormonlly Speaking. I’m tickled about it so pardon my optimism with creating a blog carnival this early in the game. I know last week’s debut of Take 5 Friday looks pretty grim with no players…but it’ll catch on. I know it will. Carnivals are fun. So bloggers…especially those with fairly new blogs…let’s link up and share each other’s blogs with our readers.

How it works is you use the logo for my Take 5 Friday Quick Notes and write your own Take 5 Friday Quick Notes and encourage your readers to do the same. (Make sure you link it back to my url of this post.)  Then add your name and url to Mister Linky at the bottom of the post. Make sure it is the url to the actual entry of your Take 5 Friday and not the home page to your site.

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Have you heard of Meal Train? If you haven’t…you’ve been missing out! If you are involved in Compassionate Leadership, or part of a Meal Ministry this site is a must! The meal train is the act of organizing meal for a family or group during a life changing event and the website eliminates the confusion when dealing with a big group of volunteers.

From their website:

With mealTrain.com:

You eliminate confusion by creating a shared calendar and answering questions in advance like; What do they like? When are they available? What have the already had?

MealTrain.com includes:

• Real-time meal calendar
• Ability to customize dates, times, and meal preferences
• Invitations via e-mail and facebook
• Reminder emails
• Add booked dates to a personal calendar automatically

Ensure that everyone has the necessary information so they can focus on supporting friends with meals.

Oh yeah, did we say that it is Free!

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I have to give my friend Nichole a shout-out. Nichole and I met last year at a political fundraiser, but we had known of each other from the blogging world and mutual friends. She also read my book which of course, being that she was one of the tens of people to actually read it…she became a friend for life.

My family and I have changed our lifestyle dramatically in the last couple of years and opt to live frugally. I’m still very much a beginner in the art of couponing but I’m learning. I still try to catch the good deals around town and via the Internet.

Nichole really doesn’t need my plug…and she didn’t ask me to do this. However, I find myself depending on her site a lot and wanted to share it with my readers. (All six of you!) If you want to be in the know of great money saving deals and the best coupons… then Nichole’s site is a great resource. Here you go: Good Deal Divas.

And because she’d kill me if I didn’t mention her…Betty did Nichole’s website and also designed Mormonlly Speaking as well. (And this website too.) Betty and Nichole both rock…which is understandable considering I chose them as friends. (Yes, I’m humble and modest.)

And is it just me or are you as excited as I am about the three day weekend?