BOO!
I love Halloween but we won't be doing anything this year. We just don't know anyone in the closest town so we don't want to take our little one to houses we don't know. BUT,........

In the spirit of the day, I thought I would offer $9 bucks to a random commenter who leaves a comment with the one thing they are scared of.

I am terrified of clowns!! I hate them. What are you scared of? Leave your comment and you might win a whoppin' $9 smackaroos. (available via paypal:)

It's time for the Four Food Meme again! I love this meme. Of course, being fatty, I love food! You haven't joined in the fun? What's the matta wit you?? Get over there:)

1. Do you like hot dogs, if so how do you eat yours? If not, why don’t you eat them?
YES! I learned how to make them from my mother. Tear off several sheets of foil. (big enough to wrap the hotdog) Boil your weiners and warm your chili up. Put your bun, weiner, chili, and slices of Velveeta cheese on top. Wrap them up loosely and put in the oven for just a few mintutes. HMMMM, GOOD!

2. What’s your favorite type of store bought cookie? (meaning mass produced, like Oreos.)
My absolute favorite are the Danish Wedding Cookies. Oh my gosh..I could eat the whole box if I wanted to:)

3. Is there a food where you live that is hard to get anywhere else?
Bueno green chilis. You get them in the freezer section and they come in a tub. I love them but they are hard to find around these parts.

4. Do you drink milk? Whole, 2%, no fat or other? Or, why don’t you drink milk?
Yes I do. Whole, because that is what we give our little guy. I really like chocolate milk but the kids automatically become hogs when it's in the house so I rarely get any.

I don't know about you, but I love American Idol. Maybe it's because I love to sing. NO, I can't sing, I just love to. Now, if you're a die hard fan, you can go to Idol Exclusive to see the latest news and chat with other idol fans. There are some really cool photos posted there. I had never seen some of the idols all made up and posing those ways. They turned out really sharp. They have forums and blogs to participate in, as well as, widgets to show your idol support and display various photos of all the idol contestants. The layout is vibrant, inviting, and cool! It is definitely an exciting, new social hot spot for idol fans to get together share their enthusiasm about the show.

LOL...That sounds bad but was not my intention. Ummm, maybe those were just my thoughts**blushing**. I've been blogging for 9mths now and thought it would be a good time to link to some of my entries from way back then.
Some of the ones listed below seemed to cause a bit of conflict with folks but they are my beliefs and I still stand by them.

• What's Wrong With Today's Kids
• Where's A Woman's Place and A Woman's Place Response
• Is Spanking OK?

My father-in-law sings and sometimes even writes songs. These are in Spanish but I did share one of my favorite Spanish songs that he sings all the time.

If you want to know how me and my husband met, you can read the story of us. It was back in my outlaw days:) If you got the balls to see some horses that don't then you might make it as a cowboy;) Cowboys see bears and rattlesnakes too!

If you've read any of my entries, you will remember two I wrote on keeping your man happy and keeping your woman happy. Why did I write these? I strongly believe that if a couple has a healthy and loving relationship with each other, then everything else will fall into place. In those posts, I mentioned a few things my husband has done that I would consider romantic.

• He brings me wild flowers from the side of the road. I love this. He got this from me mentioning how my father-in-law used to do this for his mom. It doesn't cost anything for the flowers except a little time to stop and do it.
• He wrote Happy Anniversary with lipstick on my mirror. SWEEEET! He did this before heading off to work because he knew he wouldn't be home til late. Yes, my lipstick was ruined but it was one of the sweetest things. Had he been there, he would have received a big ol' kiss from me.

Another really romantic thing to do, is to write a little love note that says something like I miss you or I love you and slip it into their pant pocket before they head off to work. I have done this, as well as, my sister-in-law. I think our husbands enjoy the little surprise more than they say.

My husband is not very affectionate in public but he does do one thing every so often that makes me want him. He holds my hand. I know, it doesn't sound all that romantic does it? But just him touching my hand like that makes me feel wanted. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll read this and do something special like take me out on a romantic date.

It's important to keep the fire lit between a husband and wife. All you need are a few romantic ideas and you'll be on your way.

I just wanted to mention to my new readers that I also blog at Blogging with Cents. I provide blogging tips, resources, and some secrets to earn money online. I do reviews and whatever else comes to mind:) If you haven't been to check it out, please do. I would love to gain some new readers over there too. If you visit here often and you haven't subscribed to my feed, then you should consider subscribing via reader or email.

Do you know anything about the stock market? Well, if you're like me, you are completely out of the loop when it comes to that kind of stuff. You also probably would like to know more about it though, right? I talked about this awhile back but I am mentioning it again.

There is help for us newbies. MyWallSt.net is a place where you can learn and play. They actually give you the opportunity to trade and invest with virtual money. You also have a chance to win some real money. I think this is an awesome idea. To be able to spend play money while learning how to trade is just very cool. It also is a social of site of sorts. There are many people you can chit chat with or ask questions to something you may not be familiar with. It's like a little community where you can even rate different stocks. Having a community like that can be beneficial in helping you understand and reach your financial goals and ventures. I know absolutely nothing about this sort of thing, so having friendly advice would be useful and appreciative.

Being able to go online and check out stocks right then is also handy. Papers only come out once a day. Who has time to wait for tomorrow's paper on today's stocks, right? If there is a perfect opportunity to invest, you need to be able to jump right on it. Everything is available via Internet these days so why not trading in the stock market!

You really should give the Rookie challenge a go. It's easy to register and you gain knowledge about something that could potentially make you richer and it will be fun to see how good you'll be at picking the right stocks. Give it a try! And remember, there are people there to help you if you just ask.

I had originally planned to do a 301 redirect here to my own host but since I have PR, things have changed. Instead, I have decided to stay on blogspot until PR doesn't exist or my PR is up on the new domain, whichever comes first.


Also, the theme/template will be changed here. I have received many compliments on my little place here but it's time for a change. Keep your eyes peeled for the new look. Coming soon to a screen near you;)

I would like to salute my sister-n-law Marni. She is awesome. Why?

• She took me kiddos so I could have a weekend to ALL by myself!


• She talks to her nephew through the webcam because she loves him.


• She is freakin' hilarious! Nobody can make me laugh like her.


• She's fun and full of energy & I aspire to that.


• She'll do anything for ya:)


• She makes some awesome beef jerky!!! HINT, HINT

These are just a few but, overall, she really is a great gal. Here's to ya Marnita!!

To join in the Tuesday Toast, just click on the glasses;)

Yahooooooo! Since I have a pagerank now, my opportunities have increased in both quantity and payout! OH YEAH BABY:) So far I have made $46 bucks, fixin' to be $72 in less than 2 hours. PRETTY DARN GOOD!! Just think, if I make that in a couple of hours with a PR3, imagine what a PR4 & up make...dang! Don't know what I'm talking about you say?? PAYPERPOST is
their name and paying you to blog is their game. Okay so I'm a little excited but wouldn't you be??!! No, this isn't a sponsored post, I just wanted other moms to make money at home like me:) If you want to go through me though, you can click on my PPP ad in the sidebar. I get $15 bucks for everyone who signs up and completes their first opp.

As a stay at home mom, I'm always researching for opportunities to be a work at home mom. What can be better than making money at home in your pj's?? Not only that, but I can still have my little guy around while I'm earning money in my pj's.

If you are looking for a unique opportunity, then I suggest you check out Courtney Raymond Consultants.

Courtney Raymond Consultants is the #1 national recruiting firm for Merrill Lynch. We specialize in the placement of retail financial services professionals, including middle market and international brokers.

What does that mean? It means if you have good phone skills, you could work from the comfort of your own home. How great would it be to be a part of
one of the largest financial companies. There are no start up fees, no experience required, free training and leads, and a chance to work a flexible
schedule by setting your own hours.

I have loved being home to raise my kids but making money while doing it, would be icing on the cake. There are many scams out there but this one is not one of them. Merrill Lynch has an excellent reputation and I think that speaks for alot. I am definitely going to be checking this opportunity out. I believe my mom might be interested in something like this as well. She has quite a bit of experience on the phone and has worked with customer relations the past few years. She should qualify for an awesome opportunity!

Well, the PR update has finally been happy and while many are dissappointed, I am happy. Here at "A Cowboy's Wife", PR went from a 0 to a 2 or 3 (not sure just yet) and at my Blogging with Cents, it went from a 0 to a PR4 and that blog is under 2mths old!! Woohoo. Not too shabby. The hard part will be maintaining the current PR or increasing it. What was your experience with the PR update? Did yours drop like many others or did you go up like me?

Years ago, I had some computer software that could give you a virtual makeover. The only problem with some software is that it get's outdated. If you get an online virtual makeover, you know that it will all be current and hip. I recommend http://www.makeoversolutions.com/. Not only can you get a makeover, you can also find some really great tips on makeup, hair, and what's hot with the celebs.

The one thing I would change about myself for fun, would be my hairstyle. I have always had long brown curly hair. I get so sick of sometimes. I thought I'd give the virtual makeover a shot and boy was I amused. It's super easy to do uploading my photo was a cinch. Now because I didn't want to take a new picture, I just went and cut the hair off of a recent picture I took and uploaded it. You pretty much place some circles where your eyes are and put some darts where the corners of your mouth and eyes are and that's it. After that, you can choose from celebrity hairstyles or just regular ones. They also give you some wonderful choices for lip, nail, and hair color. You can add accessories or even make your teeth whiter!! After making all your changes, you will see your final results. I have to say, this was too much fun! I had a blast and was cracking myself up putting all the different hairstyles on me. I finally decided on a hairstyle that would be completely opposite of what mine is. Drumroll please....................

I will be writing only 1 post today and it will be to remember my grandma. She would have been 70 years old today. I put a slide show together of a few of my favorite photos of her. They are when she was young and all in black & white except for 1. The slide show will be under the music of the Statler Brothers, her most favorite group. This is not meant to be sad, it is to remember the good times:)
Speaking of....

Me and her used to take these drives from Sweetwater to Stanton to have Thanksgiving with her parents. At the time, it was so embarrassing, but she would honk at the cars going by and wave like she knew them. She was just being silly. What's funny, is I do the same thing with my kids today--just to embarrass them:) She was always doing something silly like that and I think that's were my goofiness came from.

She also made a killer Chocolate Sheet Cake! The recipe is below. I wasn't going to share it but I think she would be proud. Enjoy the recipe and I do hope you view the show. I love old pictures and I miss her:)

CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE

Cake Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1 c. water
• 4 TBLS cocoa
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Icing Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 4 TBLS cocoa
• 6 TBLS milk
• 1 box confectioners sugar

Melt butter, shortening, water, and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Mix sugar & flour in bowl. Add the first mixture you boiled to dry ingredients. Then add buttermilk, eggs, soda, cinnamon, vanilla. Mix well. Bake for 22-25 minutes in a 350' oven.

Icing--During the last 5 minutes of baking, melt butter, cocoa, and milk. Bring to a boil. Add confectioners sugar making sure to get rid of all the lumps. Pour over hot cake......hmmmmmm, good!

A long time ago, there was a photographer that came out and took pictures for his new book. Well, we got to see that book today and it's awesome! My husband is all through the book..COOL:) I have 2 8x10's of a couple of photos he took and gave to my husband. They are sharp.
The book is not quite available yet but I'm posting it here so you can see it and for friends or family WHO MIGHT WANT TO ORDER IT:)..LOL.
El Vaquero Real: The Original American Cowboy by John Dyer

Repeat, repeat, and repeat some more. I feel like I'm saying thing same things over and over again! Blah:(

1. No, I said no! (to my kids)
2. Because I said so. (to my kids)
3. Have you talked to anyone today? (to my husband)
4. Brush your dang hair. (to my 11yr old)
5. Have a good day at school. (to my kids)
6. Get off the phone. (to my 14yr old)
7. Get off the computer. (to my 14yr old)
8. How was school? (to my kids)
9. What do you want for supper? (to my husband)
10. Laaaaaame! (to my kids:)
11. Chore time. (to my kids)
12. You're a big boy! (to my 1yr old)
13. I love you!!! (to all my guys;)

I should have wrote this yesterday but I needed time to think about and cool off a bit. I’m sure many of you are loyal readers of cow just as I am, so when I opened up my reader to see a certain C word in the title, I was shocked but mostly dissappointed. I made a point to comment on the word…here’s what I said:

I'm feeling much better today. Geez, I've had so much trouble with my sinuses these days!

We are finally gonna get some beef. We have been out for some time but my husband took our beef in yesterday to the Long X Ranch to be killed. I think he said they killed and hung 3 or 4 yesterday. Now they hang for about a week and then get cut up for us to eat:)...aren't you glad I don't have pictures of that!

New Four Foods on Friday Meme to participate in. This would be great if you have a food blog. I happen to be working on one for the future;)

1. How do you like your eggs cooked? Any special ingredients?
I prefer my eggs boiled with salt and paprika. Boring I know, but they sure are good.

2. What’s your favorite cold sandwich, made on two pieces of bread?
I love a good turkey sandwhich. I put 2 pieces of turkey with a slice of swiss cheese inbetween. It's layered with lettuce, tomato, black olives, and dijon.

3. What is your favorite pie?
I LOVE buttermilk pie! It is sooooooooo goood!

4. Name one food you refuse to eat and why.
I absolutely refuse to eat is fat! I hate when steak has pieces of fat on it. I cannot stand the texture and it makes me gag:(

5. What’s the name of your favorite restaurant, and is it small or part of a chain?
My favorite restaurant has to be Logan's Roadhouse. They have steaks, seafood, and some dang good biscuits. Throwing peanut shells on the floor is fun for the kids too! Big Chain.

After dealing with a miserable day of allergies, I'm finally feeling somewhat better. Obviously, this is my reason for the lack of posts today. I still feel sleepy from taking allergy medicine but I wanted to make sure I participated in Leigh's Tuesday Post! In Leigh's words...

What do you think of this painting???

Thanks Marn

Blogweluv is asking 10 questions to bloggers. I think these were some really good questions and have already submitted my answers. I thought I would post them here on my blog too. Here we go..

Describe your blog in five sentences or less.

My blog reflects my personality. Readers will see that my family takes priority and the pictures I post show the kind of life we live. I'm not afraid to state my strong opinions and my posts reflect that. I earn pocket change on the side and pass along money making methods that work for me. Mostly, my blog is about having fun, and is a place where I can be me.

Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.

Keeping Your Man Happy

Wow! This was tough. I chose this post because I believe if the relationship between a husband and wife is healthy, then together they will make a happy home.

What sets you apart from other bloggers?

I think living the ranch life sets me apart a bit. Considering I'm only 31, I have ol' fashion views on the way family life should be lived. People seem to be interested in the way cowboys live, the scenery & animals, and the honesty that I display. I don't exaggerate or lie. That alone, sets me apart from MANY other bloggers, unfortunately.

When and how did you first discover blogging?

Oh gosh, I'm kinda embarrassed to admit this. I wanted some extra money and bought one of those "How to Make Money Blogging" ebooks on Ebay back in February. I learned real quick that it wasn't easy to make money fast but I did take away info such as, setting up a blog and picking a niche. So really, the ebook had a big helping hand in getting me where I am today.

What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?

Over exaggerated hype. This is geared towards money making, gossip, etc. I really hate when money hungry bloggers try to hype up a product, that they know, ain't worth a damn. I hate when people make gossip even worse--like gossip alone ain't enough. I just wish people were honest and not so quick to be judgmental.

Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.

Popular Posts. This gives newcomers a chance to see why I even have readers in the first place. These posts are popular, usually, 'cause they reflect my personality and/or benefit others.

If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog,who would it be and why?

I would choose my Papaw. I would love to have had him tell people what is was like to ride on an Emperor's horse, maybe share a war story, and share his opinions on what keeps a marriage together (besides having a beautiful and funny woman at his side).

How has blogging made you a better person?

A couple of things come to mind. Participating in memes and commenting have increased my social skills. Having adult conversations, on an array of topics, has increased my vocabulary. A particular meme has even helped me overcome a terrible phobia I had;)
The learning factor is the other. The amount of knowledge I have gained is unreal. When you're just a cowboy's wife, you don't hear about politics so much or html at all. I have learned better writing skills, how to redesign templates, and so much more. This is has given me a new-found confidence that I can do anything.

What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?

Be honest.
Blog about what you know.
Be yourself.
Don't know something?..ask questions and learn.

Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?

My Single Mom Life

Kat is VERY honest and VERY blunt. She seems hardcore for the most part but when you read her thoughts on family and friends, you really see her soft side. She doesn't try to sell you bullshit--she's who she is and that's that. (pardon my language)

It's been a little bit since I've participated in the Self Portrait Sunday. I really hate seeing myself and went through a spell where I didn't like any that I took so I just didn't post. I decided to be brave again this week. In fact, I am posting not just 1 picture, but 2 pictures! I hate the pictures but what the hay. If I didn't have such fat cheeks I would be much more inclined to do this:)

We just received our car insurance bill and we were pleased to see a discount for having a no claims policy...SWEET! What I would really love is to have it to where we get money back for having the no claims policy.

Living on a ranch, we don't pay for home insurance . The ranch pays for all that so we would be protected if something were to happen. I think this kind of insurance is not bought as often as it should be because most people think to themselves "nothing won't happen to my house".

I do think if you LOVE your pets as much as my mom does, you should invest in some pet insurance. My mom's dogs have this and in the long run, has been worthwhile. They have had to take the dogs to the vet for a number of different reasons including allergies, rashes, and cysts or knots on one the dog's tail.

Got insurance?

Well, mi familia leaves today and I will be all by myself. I love them so much that it will be kinda hard to be apart from ALL of them but I really need this "me" time. I plan to go get a perm and shop today so that tomorrow, I can veg out all day:)

There are many memes out there but few dedicated to saluting the good things in your life. Leigh and Skeet are toasting to some good news and would love for you to be apart of it.

Can YOU figure out the music in the background of this video? I couldn't, but if you do, please let me know!

Blog about your Blog is having a contest sponsored by Bidvertiser. Just subscribe to their feed (which I've done) and blog about it!

I'm a little busy right now so I'll have to link up to more people later. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Do you remember when I talked about completing offers in order to get my $500 American Express Gift Card?? Well, a new offer is available from another trusted company that I deal with. It's a $1000 Visa Gift Card. You have to complete more offers with this one but I just did it for under $50 bucks. I bought the know-how a long time ago and it has been well worth the money I spent to learn. You see these offers everywhere but finding a reputable company is the hardest thing to do. When I did my first one for $500, I was so worried that I had spent that money for nothing. I was SOOOOO excited when it all worked out and I had all that extra moolah to do spend.

Where do you think all those people get those gift cards that are sold on ebay for $100, $500, etc?

1. Thirteen is the 6th smallest prime number.
2. 13 goes into 999,999 exactly 76,923 times.
3. The number of participants at the Last Supper.
4. Thirteen is regarded as an unlucky number in many cultures.
5. In Tarot decks, the 13th card of the Major Arcana is Death.
6. The number of steps, according to Egyptian lore, between life and death.
7. In Jewish tradition a boy becomes bar mitzvah at age 13, when a ceremony is held and the boy reads from the Torah for the first time.
8. The original flag had thirteen stars, one for each state.
9. The number of loaves in a "baker's dozen".
10. Princess Diana died when her car hit the thirteenth pillar of a tunnel in Paris, on August 31, 1997.
11. Chromosome 13 is the largest human acrocentric chromosome.
12. The number of guns in a gun salute to U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps Major Generals, and Navy and Coast Guard Rear Admirals Upper Half.
13. You may remember the disaster that befell NASA’s space shuttle, Apollo 13. Did you know that Apollo 13 left our planet on the 13th hour? An explosion in the fuel cells of the service module severely crippled the spacecraft. The number 13 may have brought good luck for the 3 Astronauts who returned safety to earth on Friday 17 April 1970.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I bought groceries yesterday and spent a whopping $408.54! This lasts the whole month with only buying milk and fresh produce throughout the rest of the month. Of course, we get out beef free so that is not included in the bill.

I'm exhausted today and trying to clean up a bit and wash clothes. You see, I will be ALL BY MYSELF this weekend!!! Woohooo. My 2 youngest are going to go stay with their Aunt and my other 2 will be going to the Tom Butler Memorial Bronc Ridin' this weekend. Oh my, what am I going to do???!!!

Anyways, I was just curious on what your monthly grocery bill is. I would love to know if mine is normal or not. I left the grocery store with 3 baskets. Try fitting that and Wal-mart household stuff in an Oldsmobile Alero with a carseat;) We have a big truck but the gas is too costly to fill it up so I just took my car. Back to washing clothes:(

P.S. I will post the Name that Tune later today;)

Okay, maybe not designer where you're from but they would be considered that here where I live. I ran across a site called Pink Cake Box and talk about some amazing cakes. I really enjoyed browsing the children's cakes....hmmmm, good. I could just imagine a little girls eyes light up when they would see a cake that looks like this one! Definately a cake fit for a Princess:)

As my little guy grows up, I make sure reading is a part of our everyday life. He absolutely loves book and I love that! I found this article by Mary VanClay and thought it provided some really good tips.

It's never too early to steer your child toward books. But for toddlers, the goal is not to make sure they can read the classics before they're out of preschool. "The phrase to remember is 'developmentally appropriate,'" says Roni Leiderman, associate dean of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "Parents often come to me wanting to push academics too much, too fast, too soon. In fact, children learn best through play. Make reading a joyous event for them."

There are many developmentally appropriate — and fun — ways to help your little one learn to love books and stories. And, surprisingly, not all of them involve sitting down with an actual book.

Use books to bond
"It's not about reading the words," says Leiderman. "At this age it's about learning to love the interaction with Mom, Dad, or a caretaker." When your child sits in your lap as you read aloud, she doesn't just enjoy books, she also enjoys the security of your undivided attention.

Set up a ritual
A regular reading time establishes a calming routine young children love — that's why the bedtime story is a time-honored tradition. But don't forget that many other daily events also provide good reading opportunities. Once in a while try establishing a new ritual with a breakfast story, a bathtub story, a just-home-from-daycare story. Some toddlers (and older children) who are heavy sleepers are much better able to face the day when their parents "read them awake" rather than hustle them out of bed.

Choose appropriate books
Toddlers love board books, bathtub books, and pop-up books — any type they can hold easily and manipulate themselves. They love stories accompanied by bright, clear, realistic pictures. And of course they love rhymes. That's not to say your 2-year-old won't appreciate the stories her big brother chooses — who knows, Rocks and Minerals may end up being her favorite book. Just make sure she has access to simpler books as well.

Repeat, repeat, repeat
Stifle your yawns if you've read The Very Hungry Caterpillar every night for the past month and your child still asks to hear it again. Repetition is a hallmark of the toddler years. "The reason children love to read the same stories over and over and over again is that they're so thirsty to learn," says Leiderman. You'll soon find that your toddler has memorized her favorite passages and is eager to supply key phrases herself — both signs of increasing reading readiness.

Ham it up
Lose your inhibitions when you read to your child. Growl like the Papa Bear in Goldilocks, squeak like Piglet in Winnie-the-Pooh. Kids love drama as much as adults do — in fact, your youngster may love to pretend to be the scary wolf in The Three Little Pigs. Encourage her, even if it slows the story's progress. She'll get more out of the story if she's participating actively.

Follow her interests
Choose books about her favorite activities — visiting the zoo, swimming, playing ball. Back up your kids' favorite videos and TV shows with books about the characters. You may be mystified by the appeal of Teletubbies, but if your child loves the cheery little creatures, she'll love the books about their exploits as well. Follow her lead, but do experiment with a wide variety of books before you decide you know exactly what your child will like. Your little girl who loves dress-up and dolls may, to your surprise, also be the one who asks to hear Godzilla Likes to Roar or Monster Bugs over and over.

Go to the library
Even babies like library story-hours, and they're wonderful adventures for toddlers. Your child may well discover a new favorite when it's presented by a beguiling librarian with a soothing voice and perhaps some pictures or puppets to illustrate the action. And, of course, libraries let parents — and kids — try out countless stories without spending a bundle.

Push play
Many wonderful books exist on cassette or CD. Your toddler may not be interested in them because what she really likes about books is the interaction with you, says pediatrician Laura Jana, a national trainer for Reach Out and Read. But if your toddler does happen to like them, great. She may want to sit with the picture book while she listens to the recording, or you may want to put it on while the two of you do other things. You could also record yourself — or another relative or friend — reading stories. Just remember, says Jana, that recorded stories can't take the place of sitting down together.

Don't make books a reward
Don't tell your child she can listen to a story if she finishes her dinner. When reading is associated with systems of reward and punishment, it isn't a positive experience. Instead, pick times to read that feel natural, such as when you want your toddler to quiet down before her nap.

Dealing with the wigglers
Some wiggly youngsters just won't sit still through all of Blueberries for Sal. What to do? "Sit down and leaf through something short for just 30 seconds, and then say, 'Wow, we read this whole book!' Then let them go," says Leiderman. The next day you can try a little longer session. "Some children will always be more interested in motor activities than in reading," she says. "Respect that, and don't make reading a negative experience." If your toddler is the physically active type, she may respond best to the non-book-related activities described below.

Make storytelling a part of life
"Promoting reading readiness is more than reading a traditional book," says Leiderman. While you're at the dinner table or in the car, tell stories — standards like "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" anecdotes from your own childhood, or stories that feature your child as a central character. Make books of your child's drawings or favorite photos, and tell stories about them — or ask her to be the narrator.

Point out words everywhere
Wherever you go, you can show your child that words are an important part of everyday life. Even the youngest toddlers quickly learn, for example, that traffic signs say STOP. Alphabet refrigerator magnets are staples in many homes. Other families label objects around the house, such as the shelves that house BLOCKS, DOLLS, and other toys. If your child is in daycare or preschool, slip a daily note into her lunchbox. Even if she can't yet read CAT, seeing the word printed on a piece of paper, along with a drawing or sticker of a cute kitten, will be a high point in her day and help excite her interest in reading. If this seems too ambitious, try drawing a heart or smiley face with a simple "I love you," which will help get your toddler excited about the meaning behind words.

Talk
Children from families who converse at the dinner table have larger vocabularies, according to researchers at Harvard University. Talk with your toddler, and don't be afraid to use complex words and phrases. Encourage her questions and explanations. Toddlers are curious and wonder endlessly about the world, so don't be shy about trying to explore her interests with her.

Demonstrate your own love of books
Your child wants to imitate you. If she sees books all around the house and knows that you like to settle down with one whenever you have a moment to yourself, she'll learn that books are essential to daily life. Modeling your own love of reading is more powerful than making your child sit through a rigid story time.

Books for you
Numerous books have been written for parents who want to nourish a love of reading. Try Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook, E.D. Hirsch's Books to Build On, Elizabeth Wilson's Books Children Love, and Bernice Cullinan's Read to Me: Raising Kids Who Love to Read.

If there's any time you should be using coupons, it's right now. With Christmas around the corner, we need to be saving where we can. Overstock coupons are really popular right now. I love them. I bought my king size memory foam from there a fraction of the cost because I had an Overstock discount code. Talk about a HUGE savings!! I'm telling you, they have those codes for a reason--For you to use them.

One of the main reasons I blog is to bring in some extra income. I have worked really hard over the past several months and feel like things need to move forward.

SOME THINGS I'VE GAINED:

• Friendships--I never expected to meet so many wonderful people. I appreciate the generosity & the encouragement that has been bestowed upon me. Unfortunately, people today are lacking in these fields so I am very grateful.
• Money--My monthly income has increased a great deal and on a cowboy's wages, that's huge.
• Knowledge--WOW! I have come a long ways in this area. I went from not even knowing what a blog was to learning html and setting up a new, successful blog. There are just too many to thank for this. I owe so many people for taking the time to help me understand things. All I can say is "full circle" ;) I'm a firm believer of what comes around goes around.
• Self Confidence--I was very doubtful at first about blogging and then blogging for money. I now see that I CAN do it and feel like I can accomplish much more.

I will be moving this blog to its own domain soon and I hope that everyone will follow me when I do. It's a big step but a step I think is necessary to make. I really do like blogger. It is extremely user friendly for newbies but I have surpassed that newbie phase. There is so much more you can gain with your own domain. Having an awesome theme doesn't hurt either. When I do move it over, it will have a new blog makeover. I would love to win a makeover contest that Johncow is having but will dish out some dough if I must.

I don't know if I'm deserving of all this or not but I truly am grateful for all the wonderful things that have happened in my own little blogosphere.

Having 4 miscarriages myself and sharing the experience with my sister-in-law during her miscarriages, I am proud to be a part of the Wave of Light on October 15th. This is Pregnancy and Infant Remembrance Day. You only need to light one candle but I will be lighting 4 in memory of my losses. If you have had a loss or know someone who has, I hope you participate as well. Thank you Lisa for sharing the info:)

I realize I just had one but it's Friday and this is when it's normally done. I hope everyone has had a great week.

I thought I'd start this off by telling you 5 things I'm grateful for.(inspired by fickle food).

1. I am grateful for our family's health. I know exactly how quickly something can overtake a person and then leave you wondering "what just happened".


2. I am grateful for our situation. I dislike our current location, however, I am thankful that my husband has such a good job and that we are all getting to do things that we WANT to do.


3. I am thankful for my internet and cherry vanilla Dr.Pepper. I know it's cheezy but I just don't think I could live without either of them:)


4. I am thankful for kind people (like Misty) who have gone out of their way to help a friend in need. Thank you Misty.


5. Finally, I am thankful to all my friends and family who put up with me. I realize that some fellow bloggers think I seem so nice but I'm really not.

Zhu was recently asked a question that revolves around rasicm. Read her response because it's a great one.

Read why comment moderation bugs the hell out of VK. I dislike it as well.

I found some great recipes while blog surfing. Everything from Pretzels to Butternut Squash Soup. Hmmmm, good.

My son's Nintendo DS is at $110 and my husbands spurs are at $210 I think. If you interested check my ebay items.

And finally, a picture of my little man with his cap until he gets his first cowboy hat:)......

I couldn't think of anything this week so I thought I would show you 13 blogs that I read on a daily basis. I read much more than that but I am only choosing 13:)

1. Betshopboy.net
2. Blogging Fingers
3. Bloggrrl
4. Cash Quests
5. I Think Therefore I Blog
6. Eternal Flux
7. John Cow
8. My Single Mom Life
9. Googlelady
10. Correr Es Mi Destino
11. Breath of Life Photography
12. Adesblog
13. Canadian Thoughts in Texas

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I blog for a few paid to blog companies and have recently decided to join BloggerwaveI heard about it from several other fellow bloggers and decided I would give it a try. They are looking for bloggers right now and this will make an excellent way to earn money online. It can definately give you some pocket change. If you are having a hard time getting accepted by some of the other p2b programs, then you should give this one a try. If you do, let me know how you like it and if your earnings are worthwhile.

We have a winner! Jade from Sweet Catastrophe guessed the correct answer. It was Uncle Kracker--Follow Me. Thanks Jade for playing. You are now entered into the monthly drawing for $10 bucks!

Awwww, were you too slow or just didn't know the answer? Pobre Cito. Don't worry, check out next Wednesday for another Name that Tune contest:)

I've seen grandfather clocks around and have always wanted one. I remember visiting my granddad's house one time and seeing this beautiful clock. I have know idea what kind it was, I just know it was gorgeous. That's one of the problems I would have if I were to buy one, knowing which clock to buy. I did do a little browsing and found this Howard Miller clock that I really liked. It has a little more of a modern look to it but still holds the traditional look as well. Speaking of tradition, I think that is something that we lack these days and something as simple as a clock could bring that back. If I had one, I would place it in the corner of my living room, next to the cowboy leggings on my wall. What a nice mixture that would be! I do think it would look much nicer than the atomic clock we have hanging up on the wall right now. I also think traditional looking items give the a house a homey feeling. It would be neat to go back to my granddad's house and see what kind of clock he had. That may even encourage a conversation on how he acquired it. Who knows, there could be some cool story behind that clock.

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!

All you have to do is Name that Tune. I have provided a very small snippet of a song and you have to post a comment with your guess. You need to name the Title and Artist of the song. The FIRST one who answers correctly wins. Please..only 1 guess per comment but guess as many times as you like:) You have until Thursday 11:00pm cst. to guess. No hints will be given, unless I'm feeling generous;)

What do you win? Some link love of course. Although, my blog is still a big fat (PR) O right now, I'm hoping it will go up with the next update. Nevertheless, traffic is traffic right? You will also get put into a monthly drawing of $10.00 payable via PayPal. In other words, there are 4 Wednesdays in October (actually 5 but I missed one) so you have at least a 1 in 4 chance of winning the $10.You can read more about it and get an idea of how it works by checking out the first Name that Tune Contest I held.
Name that tune............

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I'm not sure why but many cowboys get offered jobs in Australia. The pay is good but it is such a long ways over there and can you imagine how much flights to Australia would cost. My husband was offered a job over there before I meant him. I think his brother was too but not for sure. Surely if you booked far enough in advance you could get a cheap flight though. I would love to travel anywhere really. The farthest place I've been is South Carolina and Florida and that's when I was just a doe. I bet there will be holiday offers with Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner. We will be staying here for the holidays, as usual. Are you traveling for the holidays and, if so, where to and how?

I have got to come up with some kind of time management because now that my little guy is 1, he is a handful and all over the place! I would love to hear from other parents who blog on how you manage your time.

Let's start with the Name that Tune Contest winner for September. I only did 3 contests because I was sick for the last one so the two that won those contests were Teresa and Jason. Teresa had 2 entries and Jason had 1. Well, it was a big surprise when Jason's name was drawn (the odds were against him) and is now the lucky winner of $10!! Give me a shout man to claim your winnings:)

I also was lucky enough to win the $50 contest held over at Halloween Blog!! THANK YOU AND WOOHOO! Thanks so much Anton and I'm sorry for the delayed thank you;)
I also won Aaron Wall's SEO Book from Problogger!! YEAH! This is a book I had been wanting but couldn't afford. I'm telling you right now, if you're a serious blogger then you know how important SEO is. This book is awesome. It's even though it's on the "pricey" side...it's well worth every single penny!

My friend Cman is having some insane adverstising specials!!! You must check it out. His blog is a predicted to be a PR 5 so those prices are too cheap. You also still have time to guess his favorite chef in his latest contest.

I want to give a shout-out to some of my fellow bloggers for commenting and just because I like them:)
Charla --Always comments and is super nice!!
Leigh --Another commentor who rocks! She has a new site too so check it out.
Jo --Jo is great! She, too, always comments and is one of my favorite gals.
Jason ---An awesome guy who helped me with coding on my other site and always answers questions I have. Thank you sooooo much. I tried to pay him for some of those things he did but he wouldn't accept it. I call that a gentlemen:)
Zhu --She's just a really wonderful person! She writes some awesome posts too.

ContestBlogger is trying to make into Technorati's Top 5000. Maybe this link will get you there Phil:) I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.

I guess that's it for now. There WILL be a Name that Tune contest tomorrow;)

My husband kept himself pretty busy this weekend. Aside from browsing pictures my brother-in-law sent and deleting very important & non-important files, he also made some spurs to put on ebay. I thought they turned out very nice. They are his 14th pair. They have a card suit on the outside of the spur and the lucky 7 & 11 dice on the inside. He's gettin' better and better at it. Hopefully, this winter, he'll get some time to study under a long-time spurmaker and pick up some tricks of the trade.

The holidays are around the corner and my husband isn't the easiest to shop for. While there are many "cowboy" type gifts for him that I could get, I would like to try something a little different. Maybe I could get him something for his truck! He likes everything he gets but what he will actually use, is a different story. Have you gals thought about what you're going to be giving your guys this Christmas? It will be here before you know it. Share your ideas 'cause I may have to steal one of them:)

I saw this video and thought I would share.

With the holidays around the corner, we all need to find ways to save a few bucks here and there. If you're like me, you do tons of shopping via internet and ALWAYS use online coupons. That little coupon box is there asking for a code, so find one! One item I will be purchasing this year are the long sleeve snap shirts using Blair coupons. My oldest actually prefers these kinds of shirts to Cinch. He's old fashion just likes his father. I will also be checking out some of the Cabelas deals. They have tons of manly things that my cowboy will enjoy and you have to have a coupon for them because their prices are a little more pricey. I remember one year, a friend of mine, bought this cute little cowboy bedspread at BrylaneHome. She paid full price. Why? Because she didn't look for any online coupons!! I bought the same bedspread and paid $15 less. It only takes a couple of minutes to find a code to use. There's no reason to go into debt because of the holiday season. You just need to be a savvy shopper.

Yeah, I know the title is lame. We have been extremely sick with a stomach virus. It started on Saturday with my 1 yr. old, got me next, then my 11 yr. old, my 14 yr. old, and has now taken down my macho man husband. I haven't eaten in about 2 days. My littlest has eaten hardly anything at all since Sunday. To top it off, I know have a sinus infection. So, basically, I've been trying to keep myself from puking while cleaning up everyone else's puke and washing several loads of vomit infested sheets, clothes, and towels every 30 minutes. When it rains it pours 'round here. Headed to bed. Normal blogging will resume when I'm not feeling like a piece of crap!

Every year a flood of bats migrate to and from Mexico. They should already be heading back to Mexico for the Winter but we have a few that refuse to leave. The inside of our barn is made of wood with nice wide cracks in-between. This is the perfect hangout for our little friends. It was really hard to get pictures of them but I managed to take 2 fairly decent photos. The first one shows several bats and the second one is a close up. I had to flip the picture on its side so you could see them better. One of our favorite things to do is turn on our security light, and watch them fly around at night eating bugs. It's really kinda neat. Anyhoo, enjoy the pics. I mean really, who couldn't love a face like that?

When the new Argus is unleashed, along with it will come a new domain name instead of payperpost.com. We have been asked by Ted Murhpy, CEO, of PPP to give our opinions on the current domain name possibilities. You, too, can give your opinion by voting in my poll. If you can think of one better, please enter it in the "other" spot.

Well, I was going to go to Sweetwater for a ranch rodeo this weekend but my boys did NOT want to miss school. Can you believe that? So we stayed home and cleaned. I bet they wished they had gone;) I made a HUGE cleaning list. I basically made an outline and listed every single thing that needed to be done in each room. The boys took that list and picked which ones they wanted to do. I told them if they fought over the chores that I would add more. We all pitched in and got it ALL done. It was hard considering my littlest guy was throwing up all day Saturday and crabby all Sunday. He got some shots on Friday so I think that's what made him ill. Anyways, there is nothing like a clean house is there!! It felt so good to do whatever I wanted without the guilt of a messy house hovering over me.