The Sewing Mom

I just returned from what I call a “mini” vacation. I spent 5 days (including travel days) in Paducah at the National Quilt Show and visiting my sisters and mom. We had the trip planned for months, paid for our hotel and airfare in advance, and had to budget for meals and all of our fabric purchases. Let me tell you, even a “mini” vacation can be expensive, so, the thought of a FREE full size vacation is extremely appealing! Yes, you read correctly, a FREE vacation!

Kissimmee, Florida is having a vacation giveaway and the prizes include three (3) weekend getaways (3 days/2 nights) for two (2); and two (2) week long vacations for four (4). Besides winning a free trip, there are also free things to do while visiting Kissimmee, including car shows in Old Town, and the car show includes live entertainment. While in Kissimmee, why not visit the historic Courthouse, the oldest courthouse in continuous use in the State of Florida or visit the Kissimmee Sculpture Experience. Personally, I’d love to go bird watching at any one of these parks: Lake Lizzie Nature Preserve, the Osceola County Environmental Center, and in the Wildlife Management Areas of Bull Creek, Prairie Lakes, Three Lakes, and Triple N Ranch—all Great Florida Birding Trail sites. Birds that can be seen could be anything from Whooping Cranes to Bald Eagles, all beautiful and awe inspiring.

I’m definitely entering to win, and there is a drawing on or around 5/1/09 and 6/1/09 and you might want to enter the Kissimmee sweepstakes yourself.

As a member of Parent Reviewers, I was recently given the opportunity to read a very special book, The Mighty Queens of Freeville and this is my review of the book.

When I was first asked if I would read and then write a review of The Mighty Queens of Freeville, I was under the impression that it was a fictional novel. To my surprise, the book is not a novel, but the memoir of Amy Dickinson, the syndicated advice columnist and contributor to NPR. So, it was with a bit of trepidation that I opened up the cover of the book and began to read the experiences of Amy Dickinson, both as a child and as an adult woman.

Amy’s story as a child, growing up on a small farm, is one that many of us can relate to. Amy’s skill at writing makes it enjoyable to read and drew me in making me feel that I was right there, experiencing it right alongside Amy. Her childhood experiences in a small town in upstate New York built Amy’s character and shaped who she is as an adult and, more importantly, as a mother. You see, Amy is divorced and has been raising her daughter on her own, following in the footsteps of her own mother and aunts, something of a family tradition.

Amy shares her experiences as a child, adult, wife, single mother, daughter, niece, and friend, and does it in such a witty way that she draws the reader right into the stories she’s telling. Amy’s stories are touching, tearful, joyous and sometimes, downright humorous. I haven’t had so much fun reading a book in a very long time and I highly recommend anyone who enjoys reading, to pick up a copy of The Mighty Queens of Freeville for themselves.

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401322859
• ISBN-13: 978-1401322854

We moved into this house almost 2 years ago, it’s hard to believe it’s been that long all ready. When we moved, we decided to forgo getting a land line phone and we’ve never regretted it. We rely solely on our cell phones and that’s been saving us monthly telephone bills. The only downside I’ve found is that our house is wired for a security system, but since we don’t have a landline phone, we’ve never been able to utilize it.

Think about your home with all of its electronics, televisions, computers and appliances, not to mention your family’s safety. I can add all of my sewing machines and equipment to our list of valuables, not to mention my ever growing fabric stash. I’d be devastated to lose all of that to a burglary.

Recently I’ve been hearing more home security companies offering wireless security systems and I’m thinking about checking into it more. I feel fairly secure where we live, but we’ve had our van broken into and a few other minor incidents around here that make me think it couldn’t hurt to have our home security system activated.

Through ProtectAmerica.com I can get their Platinum package that includes 20 entry points, 2 talking control panels, an internal siren and a door chime, and battery back up among other things, all for around $35 a month. I don’t think that’s too much to pay for the feeling of security in my own home. Plus, if I call 877-470-2751 to order service, I will also receive 2 keychain remotes.

So, what do you think? Do you have home security?

I spent 5 days in Paducah, Kentucky attending the 2009 AQS Quilt Show.  This is the collection of fabrics, patterns and sewing notions I brought home with me.  It may not look like much, but it’s enough to keep me busy for the next year (or more!).

Over the past 4 or 5 months, I’ve had a number of issues with my current web host and it has not only been frustrating, but very disappointing as well. I pay for a service and for the customer support that should come along with that service, but I don’t feel I’ve received the quality I deserve in either of those areas with the company I’m using right now.

So, while making my decision as to what I’m going to do, I’m doing some webhosting research and I’m particularly interested in what other customers, especially bloggers, have to say about this issue. I know that I’m not the only one who has suffered at the hands of their web host, and I’d also like to hear positive experiences, something which I have not experienced lately. I’m not necessarily impressed by web hosting awards, but I am extremely interested in the experience, good and bad, that other bloggers have had.

A couple of months ago, I actually reached a level of frustration that made me seriously consider leaving the blogging world all together. I do however really enjoy blogging and I’ve “met” so many other bloggers with similar interests and great blogs. I would miss everyone and not having my blog would take away my ability to show-and-tell my creations!

So, I will continue to check out sites like webhostingrating.com to help me to make my decision, and, in the mean time, let me know your thoughts!