MiMyMa Retreat 2011 VLOG

Today is our last day together and depending on what time you are reading this we are either still sleeping, trying to get ourselves and 5 littles out the door, touring the Jelly Belly Factory or parting ways to travel home.

I have to say this was a FABULOUS 10 days of fun. It was everything thing I hoped it would be and more. I knew I loved MiMi and Myya before I met them in real life, but I was not expecting to feel like they were lifelong friends that I was "reuniting" with.

It was comfortable and fun from the jump. Not at all awkward or strange, everything and everyone just clicked!

I am sad that it is over. As I sit here waiting for the VLOGS to upload I am actually fighting back tears. I wish I was neighbors with these two wonderful women. I want to spend everyday with them. I love their children and I am looking forward to continuing to watch them grow. I cannot wait to be at their graduations and weddings...yep, I said it.

There is a lot of L-O-V-E....loooooove!!

We have tons of pictures to sort through and post, but for now here is a little vloggy goodness, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do...

And can I just say that I love the screen shots that YouTube chose for our videos, seriously sexy...we don't look like we are having any fun at all. OH and sorry about the color, my camera was doing wonky things...lame.

Wait, was that enough disclaimers? On with the vlogs...

PS Did you see The Monthly VLOG challenge for July? Is your VLOG ready to post on July 12?

We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A wk11

Before we get started did you see The Monthly VLOG Challenge for July? We moved the link up to the second Tuesday of the month July 12, so you have lots of time to get your's made.

Also...I really miss you guys. I am having an amazing time with MiMi and Myya and our MiMyMa retreat is coming to an end. Tomorrow we say goodbye until next Summer. I am looking forward to reading your blogs and catching up with y'all.

OK....Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A hosted by:

Impulsive Addict, Janette, Mamarazzi and Seriously Shawn

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This week's questions are from Impulsive Addict:

{1} What was the last thing you searched for online?{2} If we visit your home state, what is one MUST we should do before leaving?
{3} What do you think pharmaceutical companies should invent a pill for that isn't on the market yet?
{4} When was your first kiss? Was it good or bad?
{5} What is your guilty pleasure tv show that you can not miss?

Q4 is from Amber @ Ambersmusingcorner.blogspot.com & Nadine @ velvettush.blogspot.com
Q5 is from Vandy @ tttandme.blogspot.com

Here are my answers...

{1}What was the last thing you searched for online?

Myya and I were looking up tour times for the Jelly Belly Factory...we are going on Thursday.

{2} If we visit your home state, what is one MUST we should do before leaving?
Disneyland...IF you are in Southern California BUT since I really think we should divide the state, and I live in Northern Ca I would want to take you to either Monterey or San Francisco. AND if you have little kids most def Gilroy Gardens.

{3} What do you think pharmaceutical companies should invent a pill for that isn't on the market yet?
Something that guarantees that if you get pregnant you carry a baby full term and they are born perfectly healthy. Or a weight loss that REALLY works, but doesn't make me lose my dangerous curves.

{4} When was your first kiss? Was it good or bad?
Can't remember, so it must not have been that great. I have kissed a lot of toads before finding my prince and none of them were fantastic.

{5} What is your guilty pleasure tv show that you can not miss?

Big Brother...it is mindless and trashy and a MUST for every Summer.

If you find your link missing from the list, it is because you didn't follow the directions below. Go ahead and try again. I am NOT fixing links anymore, it is time consuming and silly...it is simple to follow directions...The End.

Links must lead to WWTK posts that contain the WWTK button. Posts should lead to Family Friendly blogs. Blogs containing explicit language and/or sexually explicit content should contain an "adult content warning", or risk being removed from the link list. Kthanks!

VLOG Challenge for July

I know everyone has been waiting on pins and needles for The Monthly VLOG Challenge for July.

We are using a question and a Show and Tell from fellow blogger MiMi @ Living in France

What is your most embarrassing moment?

So tell us...we want all of the embarrassing details. Let's all have a good laugh at each other's expense.

For the Show & Tell portion:

Share something you would be embarrassed by if someone found it in your house.

You know, that junk drawer or cabinet...we all have them. It's all totally innocent, or is it?

Thanks MiMi. You will be getting LOTS of Link Love in July!!

We would LOVE to give YOU some Link Love...so send us your ideas for The Monthly VLOG Challenge.

The Monthly VLOG for July challenge is due on Tuesday July 12.

The link will be open July 12 until Monday July 18 when we will announce the Challenge for August.

So get ready to get your Vlog ON!!

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Three things that need to be included in your Vlog post:
1.} The Monthly Vlog button
2.} A link to Mamarazzi and Shawn
3.} A link to MiMi @ Living in France

Taking Back Monday Giveaway: Patriotic Handkerchief Dress

Giveaway CLOSEDCongrats to winner Holly Ann
Last Week's Winner HERE<center><a href="http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g328/OurDandelionWishes/MondayGiveaway-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>

My dear friend and fellow blogger MiMi (love this girl) from Living in France has an Etsy shop:

Great name huh?

Well she is giving away one of her PATRIOTIC handkerchief dresses.

Just go to The Cursing Crafter's Etsy Shop take a look around and come back and tell me the items you fell in love with.

This is a MANDATORY entry (one comment)
You can also earn 5 EXTRA entries for doing EACH of the following...

PLEASE just leave ONE comment for EACH thing you do, I can do the math!

TWEET (5 ENTRIES) (one comment)
@HolleeAnnCFG Taking Back Monday, w/ weekly #Etsy giveaways. Visit Dandelion Wishes to enter http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com

POST (5 ENTRIES) (one comment)
on your blog LiNKiNG back to Dandelion Wishes...send your readers here to check in and let me know they voted so they can get entered for cool prizes too...come on, it's nice to share.

FACEBOOK (5 ENTRIES) (one comment)
status linking to Dandelion Wishes FAN page (you'll have to like me first :))

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You can also DOUBLE your chances to win by commenting on our Facebook page.

Giveaway open to US only.

Winner selected by random.org and will be announced on Monday July 4.

My Happy List

Well you know MiMyMa is in full swing and THAT is what is at the tippy top of my Happy List this week.

You also know this is my first time meeting MiMi and Myya face to face.

I gotta tell you, it is like having family here. HAPPY!! I love them and love the kids so much! Big Daddy and I were talking and we both agreed that having them here feels like we have always been in each other's lives. HAPPY!! He also loves that Myya bakes and made YUMMY banana bread. HAPPY!!!

Big Daddy is HAPPY that all the kids love him ... they all just flock to him, it is adorable.

I love that!

I wasn't worried that we would get along, I totally knew we would. I wasn't worried that the kids would hate it here, I knew the things we had planned would be fun. There were no real worries at all...but to have it be PERFECT just makes me feel REALLY HAPPY!!!

Coco is in heaven. She loves the kids but she is especially fond of Myya's youngest little girl Aliya.

Sooooo...what is on YOUR Happy List this week?

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Friday Confessional

I Confess...
Having MiMi and Myya here might just give me the abs I have been dreaming of. I don't know if I have ever laughed so hard so many times in a day. I swear the things that have us rolling with laughter and possibly peeing a little cannot really be put into words.
Seriously, have you been following the MiMyMa page on Facebook? Good stuff.
I Confess...
I am a little skeeeerd of their confessions this Friday...they have been laughing their butts off as they type away at this very moment.
I Confess...
Their children are adorable. Having kids in the house makes me soooo HAPPY! Yesterday morning I found myself alone with all 5 of them, taking breakfast orders, cooking and serving up the love, as Myya showered and MiMi slept in. I TOTALLY had it covered. It was awesome.
I Confess...
I adore ALL of the kids and don't really have a favorite buuuuut...I am falling in love with this little sweetie and I have a sneaky suspicion the feeling is mutual. I really super love that.


So sweet!
I Confess...
Speaking of sweet...check out this cookie that is the size of my face. I ate the whole thing, well I shared it with the littles but I confess...I didn't want to. It. Was. That. Good.


I Confess...
I do not want our TEN DAYS of FUN to end. It feels like I am reunited with lifelong friends. I love these girls and their darling children. I wish we were neighbors so we could play all the time.
I Confess...
My house has been a little messy, but it is the kind of messy where the LOVE shines through more than the mess. Does that make sense? No? Check this picture out for clarification...pure love.

I Confess...

I may keep those fingerprints on my slider for a while. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I Confess...

There are SO many stories to share, so many confessions to make...so little time.

Soooo....what are YOU confessing this week?

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Links must lead to Friday Confessional posts that contain the *NEW* Friday Confessional button. Posts should lead to Family Friendly blogs. Blogs containing explicit language and/or sexually explicit content should contain an "adult content warning", or risk being removed from the link list. Kthanks!

We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A wk10

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A hosted by:

Impulsive Addict, Janette, Mamarazzi and Seriously Shawn

<center><a href="http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g328/OurDandelionWishes/WWTKbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>This week's questions are from Seriously Shawn

{1} What is the best or worst pick up line you have ever been given?

{2} What is your most and least favorite day of the week?

{3} How many hours of sleep do you require each night?

{4} Is there a song that takes you back in time? What song is it & what's the memory attached?

{5} What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Here are my answers...

{1} What is the best or worst pick up line you have ever been given?

This is gonna sound stupid, but I can't think of a single line ever before Big Daddy. I just don't think about men and that stuff from my past. It is weird to me. However...when Big Daddy and I went to Disneyland the first time together, before we were married. He looked me up and down and said, "Damn girl, people are gonna think I must have money for a guy like me to land a woman like you." I don't know what it was but it made me giggle and I felt super sexy the rest of the day. And actually to this very day he makes me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.

{2} What is your most and least favorite day of the week?

Saturday...FAVORITE, because Big Daddy is off work on weekends.

Monday...LEAST FAVORITE, because Big Daddy goes back to work.

{3} How many hours of sleep do you require each night?

Wait, what is sleep again?

{4} Is there a song that takes you back in time? What song is it & what's the memory attached?

REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling"...this is gonna sound 7 shades of lame, but it is the song that made me realize I was suppose to marry Big Daddy. I was actually praying about accepting a marriage proposal from a man I fell hard and fast for in like a month of knowing him (a hunky firefighter will do that to a girl). Loud and clear I heard "Paul", not kidding. I looked up and said out loud, "Wait, we are friends remember?" THEN this song came on ♫ What started out as friendship has grown stro-ah-ah-ahn-ger-er-er...♫ and I KNEW he was the one. Like with every fiber of my being K-N-E-W. So one day we were hanging out (as friends) and I said, "So I guess I am suppose to marry you. His response, "What took you so long?" My dad was thrilled, he knew Paul was "the one" the first time he met him...my dad is rarely, if ever, wrong.

{5} What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Reality TV...if it is someone else's business I want to know it. I love me some Real Housewives of Anywhere (except Miami...snooze fest). My slight obsession with reality TV began with Cops, back in the 80's. THEN Real World on MTV and I was hooked. Bring on Toddler's and Tiaras, yep total time suck, I will never get those hours back...go ahead and judge me...it is MY guilty pleasure.

Having a BLAST here with MiMi and Myya and their kids...today we are at Micke Grove Zoo. Good times. Are you following the MiMyMa Retreat on Facebook?

Links must lead to WWTK posts that contain the WWTK button. Posts should lead to Family Friendly blogs. Blogs containing explicit language and/or sexually explicit content should contain an "adult content warning", or risk being removed from the link list. Kthanks!

Blogging?

I meant to do a quick post last night.

But I started visiting with MiMi and Myya and well, before we knew it...it was 2am.

So we talked about how we should go to bed for another half hour.

Then went to bed.

Everyone slept until 9am.

It. Was. Awesome.

The MiMyMa Summer Retreat is off to a FABULOUS start.

The girls and their ADORABLE children arrived around 5:30pm.

The kids wanted to get in the pool right away.

So Big Daddy helped unload suitcases and everyone changed and we swam until 8pm.

Had a yummy dinner (thanks Big Daddy) and then it was bedtime for the kids.

We had sooo much fun talking and laughing and talking and laughing...

It felt like lifelong friends from the jump. So Awesome.

Today we are just staying home, swimming, playing and letting the kids do their thing.

Tomorrow is the Zoo!

More later.

Taking Back Monday Giveaway

Giveaway Closed

Congrats to ~Shari

Last Week's Winner Here
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Want to win a GORGEOUS Headband PLUS a $25 gift certificate from Ruby Pearls?

Just go to Ruby Pearls on Etsy take a look around and come back and tell me the items you fell in love with.

That is a MANDATORY entry

You can also earn 5 EXTRA entries for doing EACH of the following...

******PLEASE just leave ONE comment for EACH thing you do, I can do the math!******

TWEET (5 ENTRIES) one comment
@HolleeAnnCFG Taking Back Monday, w/ weekly #Etsy giveaways. Visit Dandelion Wishes to enter http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com

POST (5 ENTRIES) one comment
on your blog LiNKiNG back to Dandelion Wishes...send your readers here to check in and let me know they voted so they can get entered for cool prizes too...come on, it's nice to share.

FACEBOOK (5 ENTRIES) one comment
status linking to Dandelion Wishes FAN page (you'll have to like me first :))

You can also DOUBLE your chances to win by commenting on our Facebook page.

Giveaway open to US and Canada only.

Winner selected by random.org and will be announced on Monday June 27.

I don't usually reply to comments on giveaways, but if you have a question ask & I'll answer.

My Happy List

I forgot to post this and the linky last night. Sorry about that. I got hit by a car on Thursday night. I will post more on that later. I am OK (HAPPY!) but the pain is making me a little slow and yesterday wore me out. I was in bed at 10pm...which if you know me, is REALLY early.

On to the Happy List...

As promised here are the pictures of my *new* sofa. HAPPY!!!

It was FREE!! HAPPY!!

I got a lot of questions about how I got a free sofa. My friend stages model homes for a living. She is changing out her warehouse and moving to a smaller one, so she was getting rid of a lot of her furniture. She sold most of it for wholesale and said I could come take a look and if I wanted I could buy something or pick from the FREE section. I told myself I would never get another sectional, but this one is 6 separate pieces and it is perfect for us.

There is one more piece that was buried in the warehouse still wrapped and we will get it once she can get to it. LOL

It's deep and comfy and fits perfectly!

Today I am hoping to have some pictures/art work moved around since the new sofa wraps the whole front room and those 3 little pictures just don't cut it on that big WHITE wall.

I really wanted to paint eventually but it looks like we will only be here until next Spring HAPPY!

My brother Mark's boys are here, Garrett 12, Zachary 10, Brock 7. HAPPY!!! We have been having sooooo much fun!

I found this when I walked into the room yesterday.


After taking this video the boys spent a good part of the day making more videos...oh the hilarity. HAPPY!!

You should have seen Coco she was in heaven as the *star* of each "movie". It is amazing how entertained 3 boys are with a flip cam and free reign.

This was a Facebook post yesterday: HAPPY!!!

Brock 7rs old: "Aunt (my name) I love coming to your house it smells like clean clothes, like when they get out of the dryer but better and you make the best pancakes, and you have a nice pool, and you have room with toys for us even though there are no little kids that live here. I really appreciate that." I am so in love with my nephews.

He has been telling me that my car, my house and me all smell like clothes from the dryer since he was really little. I think he associates that scent with me. HAPPY! I associate clean laundry with my Mima, because she use to take her laundry to a little laundry mat in the home park she lived in and we would spend hours there playing cards waiting for laundry...HAPPY memory.

I hope Brock thinks of me EVERY time he smells clean laundry for the rest of his life.

MiMyMa Summer Retreat MMXI (2011) HAPPY!!!...MiMi and Myya and their kids will be here MONDAY!!!! I can hardly believe the day is finally almost here!! HAPPY!! You can see our itinerary HERE! And if you want to follow our adventure on Facebook you can do that too.

So...what's on YOUR Happy List this week?

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Friday Confessional

I Confess...

When we switched cell phones around this week it was a lot of fun looking through pictures and videos we each had on our phones.

When I saw this pic on Big Daddy's phone I was wondering that the big deal was about a tree and why he would take a picture of it and keep it on his phone.

Then I saw the next picture and realized that it was a big deal because my nephew Steven was IN THAT TREE.

I Confess...

I love how Big Daddy just lets the boys be boys, come what may. He is a really cool uncle.

Here is one Big Daddy took of me at Target. I was "trying on" bags, looking for the perfect one for Summer.

I asked him to take a quick picture so I could see how it looked on me.


I Confess...

I chose the HUGE bag because it make me look smaller. True story.

And yes, I do have nice legs, so I wear LEGGINGS. Thankyouverymuch.

I Confess...

I wasn't going to share the picture because I have zero makeup on, the trip to Target was spontaneous and I forgot to check my face before leaving the house on this RAINY June day.

But I decided to share anyway, cuz the bag is adorable and I think it illustrates my point on how a huge bag can make even a curvy girl appear thinner.

I Confess...

I was SHOCKED to find this picture on Big Daddy's cell phone.

I Confess...

At first I was confused. Then I realized it was ME!!

Well not all of me, just my BOOBS!

I know by the position of my hair that I am not looking at Big Daddy, I am looking to my right.

He totally snapped a picture of my boobies when I wasn't paying attention.

I Confess...

I asked him why he took a picture.

He smiled and said, "You have great boobs!"

I Confess...

I really liked his answer.

I like that my husband thinks I am hot and that he wants to carry a picture of my hotness with him.

I Confess...

I cannot believe I just shared that, ON. MY. BLOG.

Speaking of my "girls"

I Confess...

Yesterday I had spent the morning working in my pajamas and at noon decided to shower and get dressed.

I jumped in the car to run a quick errand and as I got to the end of the driveway realized I had forgotten my shirt.

Yep, Forgot. My. Shirt.

Classy.

So...what are YOU confessing this week?

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Grab a *new* button. Confess in a post. Link THAT post up.

Links must lead to Friday Confessional posts that contain the *NEW* Friday Confessional button. Posts should lead to Family Friendly blogs. Blogs containing explicit language and/or sexually explicit content should contain an "adult content warning", or risk being removed from the link list. Kthanks!

This is a crazy busy work week for me as I try to squeeze 3 weeks of work into one. I won't be blog hopping much, but will do my best to reply to your comments. Thanks for understanding. PRETTY Please vote on my poll on the sidebar.

Randomness...

{Random #1} My nephews, my brother Mark's boys {Garrett 12, Zachary 10 and Brock 7} are here and it finally feels like Summer has officially begun. There is something about a house full of kids, towels on the line and Goldfish wrappers strewn about that just makes me HAPPY!

I really love my nieces and nephews and I take my role as the favorite Auntie very seriously. I sometimes think my siblings think we are nuts for wanting the kids around so much, but life is better and brighter when these kids that I love so much are around.

The boys will be here until sometime on Monday. My brother Mark and his wife Melinda are running an overnight Ragnar relay race with Melinda's siblings.

{Random #2} MiMi, her 2 boys and Myya, her 3 girls will arrive sometime on Monday for our MiMyMa Summer Retreat. I can hardly believe it is FINALLY almost here. We have been planning this get together for months!! FOUR sleeps until TEN WHOLE DAYS of FUN!!

I am not going to be visiting blogs during the time they are here. I WILL try to post about what we are doing and may even do a couple of VLOGS with them. You can follow all of the MiMyMa Retreat goodness on the Facebook Club page MiMi made for us.

We have grand plans to post as we party, but I am not making any promises. We might be too busy having fun!

{Random #3}I have had a few people ask about my annual Red, White and Blue Swap. I just can't do it this year. I really wanted to, but I really don't think I can handle the stress of a swap until August. I will post details in July for a Summer Swap or a Back to School Swap or a Favorite Color Swap...I will put a poll up soon and we will get our SWAP ON!! I promise!!

{Random #4} I got my hair did. It is a lot shorter than I wanted, but that always seems to happen to me. Maybe I need to start bringing a ruler with me, because every time I ask for 2 inches off the length they take 4-5 inches. Weird. Actually, it is worse than weird. It is HORRIBLE. Why can't I get a decent haircut and color? I swear the Central Valley is the armpit of California. I need to move. I haven't had a good haircut in like 6 years, that ain't right. AND the girl "styled" it for me....Look, I am not kidding. It. Is. Bad.

It looks a little better now that I have washed and styled it myself, but it is WAY shorter than I wanted and she gave me a heavy side bang, that I am not use to. The jury is still out on the color, cuz in the sun it's a little too red for me, I like a nice chocolate brown

{Random #5} I knocked all of the cobwebs on the outside of my house 3 days ago. They are all back. I haven't seen a single spider. Not one. I do have a lot of flies...do they poop webs? I think I need to call Terminex.

{Random# 6} This is sort of a PSA...You know how I host and co-host all these super fun link parties? Well I get super irritated when people leave me, "I linked up" or "thanks for hosting" or "great questions, I am all linked up"...ummm, yea and what about MY post? I am not one of THOSE BIG celeb bloggers that never responds to comments so they are fine with the generic ones. Hurts my feelings, just a little bit. Ya know? *cue music and shooting star* ♫The more you know.♫

Please tell me I am not the only one who remembers those, The More You Know Public Service Announcements. ahem..moving on...

{Random #7} So I am trying to decide how I want to go about my Summer and still be a blogger. I will likely not be blog jogging and commenting, like at all. So I am wondering, should I just turn my comments off? There will be days when I will have time to reply to comments but like I said the blog jogging is probably not gonna happen. I am wondering what your thoughts are on this. I have added a poll to my sidebar. Be honest.

I still plan on hosting my link parties We Want to Know, Happy List, Friday Confessional AND The Monthly VLOG. I will also still have my Taking Back Monday Giveaways. I probably will only post on those days tho. We will see what the Summer brings. Blogging 101 is still up in the air, depends on how many people want to guest host.

But yeah, PLEASE vote on my poll...it will help me figure it all out. Kthanks.

We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A wk9

Before we get started...have you posted your VLOG yet? The Monthly VLOG link is still open, join us. Your readers will LOVE seeing you live!

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A hosted by:

Impulsive Addict, Janette, Mamarazzi and Seriously Shawn

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This week's questions are from ME, yep, your's truly...Mamarazzi. Here is what I want to know...

{1} You have been asked to give a 10 minute speech to teenage girls. What is it about?

{2} Do you have a pet? Tell us about them. No pets? Why?

{3} What is the biggest inconvenience about the place you’re currently living?

{4} What do you think is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

{5} What are the THREE "nevers" of your life? (things you would never do or have never done)

Q2 is brought to us by McKenzie

Q4 is brought to us by DateGirl

Here are MY answers, please read and comment...and I will come by and leave a little love on your blog too! Don't just link and run, it hurts my feelings.

{1} You have been asked to give a 10 minute speech to teenage girls. What is it about?

I would talk to them about the importance of Self Worth. I saw this on Facebook a few weeks ago and it really resonated with me:

"If you're not being treated with the love and respect you deserve, check your "PRICE TAG." Perhaps you have marked yourself down. It's YOU who tell people what you're worth by what you accept. Get off the "CLEARANCE RACK" and get behind the glass case where they keep the "VALUABLES." Bottom line...."VALUE" yourself more."

I wasted precious time in my life with boys and then men who didn't treat me the way I deserved to be treated. I realized when I was TWENTY SEVEN that I was allowing it and was attracting those men(basically wasting my good baby making years with losers, none of which I wanted to share a child with). So, I changed my price tag...now I have a man who loves me the way I am suppose to be loved. The way I deserve to be loved.
{2} Do you have a pet? Tell us about them. No pets? Why?Well Coco is more a part of the family than a "pet", but she is the BEST and sweetest furbaby I have ever had. My life is blessed and our family dynamic is enriched by her fun, loving personality.
{3} What is the biggest inconvenience about the place you’re currently living?I haven't been successful making new friends here. I feel like I am living on an island. I would love to take this house and put it closer to family in a town with normal people. This is the strangest part of California I have ever lived in. Sometimes it is worse than an island, it feels like another planet. So I guess my answer is, it is inconvenient living where I am far from family and surrounded by weirdos, and I don't mean the fun kind of weirdos.

{4} What do you think is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Marrying Big Daddy. I am glad he was patient while I broke up with him early in our "courtship" to date around and taste all the flavors before I decided Mexican Chocolate was my favorite (LOL). I am also glad that when I asked him to marry me he said yes. He is the BEST husband I have ever had and he loves me juuuust right!

{5} What are the THREE "nevers" of your life? (things you would never do or have never done)1. McDonalds...never ever ever ever! The smell triggers my gag reflex, always has. Seriously, people tell me I am missing out. I am pretty sure everyone who tells me that is crazy!2. Never own or be in the presence of a Pit-bull...I know there are people who have them who say it is all about how they are raised. I was at a BBQ at a former co-workers house who had a pit bull and said that same thing, until the pit pull ran from it's shady spot across the yard to take down his 2 yr old. After witnessing that, no one can convince me they are misunderstood dogs. There is something primal about their instincts and they scare me.3. Never given birth... now unlike my previous answers this is something I would loooove to to. It is my one wish that I make on every birthday, falling star, coin in the fountain and dandelion wish. I am pretty sure that if it never happens my life will feel somewhat unfulfilled. I feel like I have everything else, ever happiness and comfort, including a beautiful 15 yr old daughter who I sometimes forget I didn't give birth to and whom I love VERY much. Giving birth to a child of my own would just be the icing on an already delicious cake.

Links must lead to WWTK posts that contain the WWTK button. Posts should lead to Family Friendly blogs. Blogs containing explicit language and/or sexually explicit content should contain an "adult content warning", or risk being removed from the link list. Kthanks!

This is a crazy busy work week for me as I try to squeeze 3 weeks of work into one. I won't be blog hopping much, but will do my best to reply to your comments. Thanks for understanding.

Blogging 101 Tip 6

Today's Blogging 101 Tip is brought to you by my dear friend MiMi @ Living In France. She is going to talk to you about growing your following and comment reciprocation.

Hi Everybody!!

I wanted to tell you all a good way (if sneaky) to grow your followers.

When I first started blogging, I just wrote and rambled and didn't care. Then one day I got a comment from someone who wasn't related to me. I almost fell out of my chair. (btw, I still remember, it was viv. whom I still heart.)

What I did was to immediately go back to her blog and tell her how much I appreciated her comment.

I'm thinking this tip has to do with two things. How to grow your blog and comment reciprocation .

In the beginning, after my first outside comment, I started looking around at other blogs. Because guess what? You aren't the only blogger in the world. Shocking. I know! I think certain bloggers get big enough that they tend to forget that and forget that their blog was built through friendships.

My blog grew, I think, by "accidental" fishing. I would go to a blog, comment on a post or two and they followed me back to my blog. If I was lucky, they would follow.

Bam. I just caught one. (that sounds really bad, huh?)

I didn't do it on purpose! But that's how my blog grew.

Sometimes you'll get featured or someone will link you in their post and people will follow from that. Linky parties are also great for new followers.

But the best way to grow your blog is through your relationships with other bloggers. Friendships. You do this through your e-mail. Because, for the love of everything holy, you have linked your e-mail by now...right?! Please. Please say you have.

If you haven't linked it yet, you miss out on getting to know fabulous people and making wonderful friendships. Trust me. I love some of these blogger friends more than I love my own teeth.

Whatever you do, do not become that blogger. You know the one. The one that doesn't ever reply to comments, at the very least.

I read this "big" blog for about a month. I commented faithfully. This is what I got: **crickets.**

It told me that she wanted to say what she wanted to say but didn't care what anyone else thought. That may be harsh, but whatever. I try my very hardest to reply to all comments that are on my blog. I also try to come back and recpiprocate. I'm not the best at reciprocation, but I will reply to your comment and let you know that I hear what you are telling me.

It's just common courtesy. It's like someone says hi and you ignore them. Not cool, people!

And that's my tip. Don't be not cool!

Hope this helps you all, especially newer bloggers!

Thanks MiMi, I know that comment reciprocation is tough sometimes, but an email reply is something that at the very least we should all be doing as bloggers...ya know, to be cool.

Oh and MiMi...see you in SIX sleeps for TEN DAYS of FUN!!

This is a crazy busy work week for me as I try to squeeze 3 weeks of work into one. So I will not be blog hopping much, I just wanted you to know in case you decide not to leave a comment. Thanks for understanding.

Taking Back Monday Giveaway: Etsy Gift Certificate

Giveaway ClosedCongrats to Ricki Jill Treleaven
Last weeks WINNER here<center><a href="http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g328/OurDandelionWishes/MondayGiveaway-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>

Want to win a $25 gift certificate from Ash At Home?

Just go to Ash At Home on Etsy take a look around and come back and tell me the items you fell in love with.

That is a MANDATORY entry

You can also earn 5 EXTRA entries for doing EACH of the following...

******PLEASE just leave ONE comment for EACH thing you do, I can do the math!******

TWEET (5 ENTRIES) one comment
@HolleeAnnCFG Taking Back Monday, w/ weekly #Etsy giveaways. Visit Dandelion Wishes to enter http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com

POST (5 ENTRIES) one comment
on your blog LiNKiNG back to Dandelion Wishes...send your readers here to check in and let me know they voted so they can get entered for cool prizes too...come on, it's nice to share.

FACEBOOK (5 ENTRIES) one comment
status linking to Dandelion Wishes FAN page (you'll have to like me first :))

You can also DOUBLE your chances to win by commenting on our Facebook page.

Giveaway open to US and Canada only.

Winner selected by random.org and will be announced on Monday June 20.

I don't usually reply to comments on giveaways, but if you have a question ask & I'll answer.