Queenies Little Kingdom

We wanted to take Gavin and Allison somewhere fun. So, when I heard the radio auction announce they had tickets for the Pacer’s games….I pounced! Even cooler was the fact that they had tickets to the Laker’s night. We don’t get out much! 🙂

Allison is a basketball player for South Decatur High School and so we were sure she would like a trip like this. Some girls….not so much. But for Allison, it was great! Which is way cool with us. We have been excitedly awaiting for Dec. 2 @7:00pm. All the way to Indy on a Tuesday night is not the most responsible parent thing to do. But hey, these are two 18 year old seniors….not 5th graders! They can handle missing a little shut-eye. By the looks on their happy faces….I think it was worth it.

The Pacer’s beat the Laker’s 119-118 in the very last second of the game. It was wild! We would love to go do this again. Next time, Don and I may actually join them. Thank you guys for being such good sports about the evening. It’s wonderful having kids who “get it”! Life is precious!

I say that like I have some fabulous good samaritan news to share. I don’t! But I have stumbled upon some of the greatest contests going on out in the blogosphere. I have to share them. You deserve to try to win just like me. So, for that….I’m being kind, randomly. You don’t even have to go out hunting for them, I’m posting here so you can just clink on the link and voila!

Be sure to follow that particular blogger’s rules to win. I think everyone could use a little shopping boost this time of year. Felice Navidad, friends!

Walmart’s Elevenmoms–You’ve got to go check these blogs out. Each of them should be hosting the $500 Walmart giftcard contest. You may have to look around a bit. Even though you can only win once….isn’t that enough? WOW!

To Think Is To Create–win baby! Who doesn’t need Christmas money? Go check her out!

Green Your Decor–again, you can register to win at this very savvy blog. Her green tips are fabulous! Leave her some of your green tips and you might be a winner.

Looking for a cute lunch bag–this blogger has the cutest giveaways. Perfect for work or school. These fancy lunch bags are all the rage. Go see! What a great blog!

Deal Seeking Mom–another giftcard for Walmart. This time it’s for $100.00! I’m telling ya….if you need to do some shopping! This is a great way to do it. With free money! Hurry though, this contest ends tonight at 11:59 (Dec 1).

Thrifty Jinxy–is a blog with lots of prizes to offer. I chose this handy dandy men’s razor. But you can look around and see if there’s something special with your name on it.

For the purse lover in you. Go check out this blog. She’s giving away a couple great items…but I’m really loving the Reclaiming Amy bag. Oooooo I’m just so excited!

Oh ya’ll! SITS blogger gals…..are kabooming with a giveaway starting in the morning (Dec 2). Do NOT miss it. Go…..you will have a chance to play every hour if you want to. I’m really sweet on Tarshay! So I could do some major shopping in that fine store with a $200.00 Target giftcard. Woohoo!

For little ole me….this is the motherload of prizes right here. I am DREAMING of winning this badboy!
Go…..see …….be amazed! Love this lady! Enough to kiss her if I win! Have I mentioned I wanted a Wii yet?

I’ve been seeing these fayncee shoes all over the place. But now…..BooMama is in on the giving and she’s blessing her reader’s with a chance to win a pair of Keen shoes. Yes, it’s a very nice prize. Oh yes it is!

This cool contest lasts for 12 days (Dec. 1-12). I tried and tried last year to win an ipod. Everyday, Focus on the Family will give away 3 ipods to some lucky winners.

Look, I can’t go everywhere….but these should keep you busy and even get you all excited that it’s Christmas time. Just think…..you could win something. Oh…by the way, there are so many blogs out there, my little prize list…isn’t even touching the surface.
So….go….have fun….dream big! I hope you win!

CONGRATULATIONS….Marilyn! I’m proud of you! Isn’t that exciting!?

Whew! The holiday’s can really wear you out! I’m pooped! I love having friends and family fill my home. This year, like many before it…we had guests come and share in the holiday festivities with us. Our home is always open. So if you’re in our area, stop on in. We’ll feed ya and hang out! 🙂

Tonight was my night to participate in the hospitality room for our high school cheerleaders and the away teams cheerleaders. Each home game, we (the mama’s) bring in food as a welcoming tool for the cheer squads. What a great weekend for me to be responsible for more cooking……I’ve had company and I’ve been a little distracted having fun! I am a pretty good multi-tasker! 🙂

What about you? Do you like playing host? I love it! I love everything about it. I love the cooking (good food always warms my heart). I love the visiting (I’m a party animal). I love the having fun (especially when I kick booty bowling on Wii). Making people happy (curse of a people-pleaser). I think God loves hospitality too. It’s important to Him that we make people feel welcome. What better way to make someone feel at ease…than to have them in your home and feed them? I can’t think of one, can you?

HOSPITALITY IS FRIENDSHIP IN ACTION.
Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

I feel thankful everyday. But today, we actually celebrate being thankful! We have guests from Tennessee (we can’t hold that against them) and we have finished our big feast of a meal. We have taken a fun group picture inside and outside…..brrr, it’s cold out there even though it’s only about 55 degrees. We haven’t had any dessert, we’re all way too full still. But I am suspiciously very sleepy. I can barely hold my eyes open. I feel it is necessary for me to go take a quick nap!

I am sad that our family lives so far away. We’ve been gone for many holiday’s but it’s never something you get completely used to. I miss them terribly when it’s family type holidays.
We will see them again soon…..I hope! That’s what I always tell myself when I feel bummed about it.

Oh, guess what? I won the motherload of prizes last night! I won the Epson Artisan 800 printer!!! Can you believe that? Me either! I’ve tried to win it on several giveaway blogs over the last few months…..but when I opened my email last night—–I SCREAMED! It’s incredible! Thank you to Blogging Basics 101 (which I happen to love this blog!!!) it’s so informative….these chicks are geniuses!

See, I am bubbling over with thanksgiving! I’m a blessed lady! Thank you God! How could I ask for more?

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Our family (The Galloway’s) and our sweet friends, The Nelson’s (2 sons are missing!!)
Thanks you guys for coming to see us. We love having you visit. You feel like family.

I really could use some intervention in my life. No, I’m not a druggie or an alcoholic. I’m a “stacker”! The worst part about being a stacker??? Is my family stacks too! Oh the humanity! We have stuff stacked all over the place. No room is off limits. We stack in our living room (mainly this would be Don and Sweetboy), we stack on our staircase (all with great intentions to haul the item up or down the stairs), we stack in our kitchen….could be the bar….could be the table–you pick, it’s stacked! We definitely stack in our bedrooms and the bathroom too. I HATE IT! Drives me crazy!

I need help, ya’ll! I go through the stuff we accumalate on a fairly regular basis….but still, we have too much junk and not enough room. I cringe when I see that show come on, “Clean House”. Those people would be overwhelmed if they came over to sweep us out. We aren’t dirty….just cluttered. Right now I have a storage tub to go fill up for under my bed. Here I sit, blogging instead! Shame on me! Somebody stop me!

I have guests coming tomorrow….and I have to work all day. My house needs a bit of work in order to not scare them away. I used to think having a house full of little kids was messy. Now I see having a house with ANY kids is messy. Oh well, I am grateful to have a house full of kids. Today, after school there were 7 teenagers here. I could hear them laughing and having a great time downstairs. I really love that. Right now, it’s just hubby and me. Everyone has split in different directions. But they’ll be back…..don’t you worry. Home is where the heart is….and the food and the money.

I’ll leave you with this question. WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU? Is it a perfect house? Perfect kids? Lots of money? Free time? Great job? Fancy car? Or is it simple things like…..time with God and family? I will have to choose God and family. My house will never be perfect, but it’s warm and comfortable. My kids, well, they will never be perfect but they are just right for me. Money, oh it just trickles through our hands anyway. Free time, that’s what Sunday afternoons are for. Jobs, cars….those are just things. They don’t define us. Think about what really matters to you–and go for it!

Psalm 16:5-6 “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I’ve found so many neat ideas for Christmas giving this year. No, not the “pass out the goodies” and spoil all those I love dearly kind. The real giving kind, the give from your heart to a needy cause kind. I thought tonight would be a great time to share a few. If you haven’t found something great to do as a family yet, you might consider one of these amazing ideas.

Sew Much Comfort — This is an amazing ministry. I’ve never even thought about what our troops do to get clothes on after being injured. Many of these folks have prosthetics or casts that clothing will not fit over. Custom made clothes……that’s just brilliant! WoW!

Holiday Mail for Heroes –This is another terrific idea out there to send Christmas love to our troops. It’s so easy to do, too. All you have to do is make out one or two extra Christmas cards when you are filling out your usual list this year. Be sure to follow the instructions. I think it’s exciting to bless like this.

Dear Army Family — This has to touch your heart. This sweet military wife knows what families are going through during this season. How hard would it be to send love and encouragement to the families left behind while their loved one is serving far away? Not hard at all, right? Then check this out. It could be so much fun! Surprise them…..

Soles 4 Souls — Oh my goodness! This is incredible! I am loving this fabulous idea. Recently, I bought my favorite son new tennis shoes (they cost around $80) and I cringed at the thought of paying that. He’s worth every penny….but thinking more clearly about it….that could have put 32 pairs of shoes on sweet little feet far far away from me. This is precious…..and so blasted easy! Hurry, there’s only 35 days left.

The Mother Letter Project — Somewhere out there is a mother that is going to be blown away by a gift her husband dreamed up….and you get to help make it come true! If you are a mother (and I’m betting you are if you’re reading my blog!) then you can share your wise knowledge and sweet words this Christmas to a very unsuspecting mom.

Impact For Life — One of my favorite bloggers, Suzie Eller (a fabulous Christian author) wants to bless this ministry at a discounted cost with some of her incredible books. This is a ministry to help mother’s who’ve been in trouble and are trying to parent their innocent children. Go read what Suzie has to say (Nov 15th) and then you can click on IFL’s blog too. What a priceless way to help change a child’s future forever.

I wish I could say that my family is immune to the “all about me” syndrome. Each year we spend way too much time making out wish lists for Christmas. Usually they’re filled with expensive items that really won’t mean very much in just a short period of time. This year seems a little different. No one has made out a list or asked for something dreamy to be waiting for them under the tree. Honestly, it’s just been one of those years. We’ve realized some valuable things…..like having a home is more important than living in our cars. Blame it on four long months of unemployment. Either way, we feel blessed! We recognize that all we have is from God and He has chosen to bless us immeasurably!
Let’s look outward this year instead of inward. I hope you are inspired to do something incredible as a family this year!

Acts 10:34b-35 “God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.”