Parkinson's Praise Punches

Throwing a few punches praising, of all things, PD, in this week's column!   Hummmmm... funny thing, right?  Here's the link:
 http://momsoffaith.com/2012/09/pd-praise/

Surviving Tropical Storm ISAAC

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/08/six-rs-to-storm-survival-for-tropical-storm-isaac/
We're in survival mode here at the Hott House.  Yes.  Even for a storm unlikely to affect us here in the hills.  Images like this on tv can send Levi into hysterics.  (Btw, this is Tropical Storm Isaac's actual path... no where near us!)

The Hott brothers get so anxious about the least little change in the weather!  Do your children react this way?  Or, are mine the only ones having tummy aches every time the sun disappears behind a cloud or a tree begins to bend in the breeze??????

Sharing "Six R's to Surviving Storms" with you all today in my column.  Please pass along and let me know if you have any children secrets to storm survival.  And, remember to pray for those in Isaac's path.
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/08/six-rs-to-storm-survival-for-tropical-storm-isaac/
love, a

Back-to-School Blues

No one seemed to be singing the blues at our house today!  It was, thankfully, a pretty smooth send-off.  How did it go for you?  The boys are sporting their new Nike sneakers.  Violet got up early to "wand" her hair.  Me?  Well, I'm watching anything but Adventure Time while doing laundry... "loads of fun"!  What about you?

Guess this mom is the only one with the Back-to-School Blues! See today's column "Hott Flashes" for more:
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/08/do-you-have-the-back-to-school-blues/

Love Thy Neighbor

Still having a hard time comprehending some recent happenings over here in the W. Va. hills!  Have you ever encountered anything like it?  Please see today's "Hott Flashes" on Moms of Faith here:
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/08/love-thy-neighbor/
And... please share my prayer concern.  Thank you, dear God, for your love and protection.  Please help me to be an example of your kindness by showing love, not matter what.  Amen.

“... ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  
– Matthew 22:37-39

Another Stranger in the Supermarket

Do you ever get to grocery shop alone or are your children always along for the fun?  See what happened to me in Food Lion the other day when I met a "stranger" in Aisle 4!

Link to today's column "Hott Flashes" on Moms of Faith is here:
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/07/strangers-in-the-supermarket/

Please link to your friends!  Thanks for listening to "my story"...
love, a

153 Say What?

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/07/153/

Find out what "153" means on this week's column Hott Flashes!  It could have been the number of lightening flashes from Friday's crazy storm; but it's not.  153 actually has nothing at all to do with the storm. LOL!
Praying you all are safe and find your blessing from "153,"  -- that "no matter where you are, trust God."

Especially in the middle of a major storm.
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/07/153/

I Am Optimus Mom!

Leader of the AutoHotts!  LOL.... That continues to crack me up!

For today's column on Hott Flashes, chick here:
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/06/i-am-optimus-mom-leader-of-the-autohotts/

Three, Two, One, Let It Rip! An Epic Beyblade Summer

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/06/when-the-nos-knows/
Randomly from the back of our hottmobile (aka Chevy Suburban Tank), our 7 and 8 year old boys will errupt in a song that I am certain can be heard across town, the Beyblade Metal Fusion Theme!  Often, they correct this not-so-cool "hott" mom whenever I attempt to chime in with the wrong words.  And, add another boy in the back (mostly Ben or Chago), and we have an "epic" chorus of Beyblade fans!  

Are you wondering "What's a Beyblade?"  Well, come on over!  We have them EVerywhere!  Some all the way from Japan!  Today's column on "Hott Flashes" shares just how obsessed our boys are with what is, essentially, a modern day spinning top.  Go figure.  http://momsoffaith.com/2012/06/when-the-nos-knows/

Ready for an epic battle?  Here is the Metal Masters theme song.  Now you can join in too.  (And in case you were wondering, Isaac wants me to add "Beyblade has it's own tv show!  New episodes are Saturday mornings!)

Beyblade Beyblade Let it rip.

Lets fight an epic battle.

face off and spin the metal.

no time for doubt now no place for backing down.

Beyblade Beyblade let it rip.

Beyblade Beyblade let it rip.

Spin out your bey now bring on the power.

Right to the top yeah.

Were never giving up.

Here comes Here comes.

Metal Masters.

Lets go beyblade let it rip.

Metal Masters let it rip.

Beyblade Beyblade let it rip.

This is it get a grip.

Let it rip.

I must admit, my favorite part is when the boys explode in a fit of giggles

over the "Let it rip!" line.... you can only imagine what they are thinking!

From Sizzling Hott to a TYPD

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/06/from-sizzling-hott-summertime-to-a-typd/

A TYPD?  Yeah, I know.... keep reading, and please share this link with others just in case they, too, might be surprised to find they are also "connected"!

Here is the link to my "Hott Flashes" column.
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/06/from-sizzling-hott-summertime-to-a-typd/

God bless,
a

Fifty Shades of My Red Face

A trilogy?!  Really?  I stumbled on to the book Fifty Shades of Grey not much differently than Anastasia Steele stumbled in to Christian Grey's office to interview him the very first day.  Even with all the news and hype about the book, I was an unsuspecting reader just trying out the Kindle app on my new phone.  http://www.excusemecanitellyousomething.blogspot.com/2012/05/warning-dont-read-todays-column-fifty.html  Honestly! I guess that makes me a "vanilla" reader, right?  LOL!

Mostly a book nerd-housewife-46-year-old-"grey"-haired-mother-of-four, while reading the first "Fifty" book, I found a few things unbelievable.  1)  Would there really be a virgin college graduate?  and, 2)  Where did E. J. James find all those "toys" to list on the contract's hard limits?  Surely, such things do not exist. How could they?

Then, off I go to ask my unsuspecting husband.  "Dan, would you ever believe there is this thingy called a "such and such"?... There is no way THAT really exists.  I think James is making this stuff up.  Do you?"

Shortly thereafter, I was educated and come to find out,... there really are items "like that"!

Hummmm.... feeling a little uncomfortable with the content, I continued to read on.  After all, it was fun becoming involved in the love story within the drama.  Able to skip the more uncomfortable sections (of which there are many), I actually enjoyed watching Ana and Christian fall in love.

Which brings me to my column "Hott Flahses", I frankly became conflicted whether or not to share about reading "that" book Fifty Shades.  Ever the blabber-mouth, the more I discussed Fifty Shades among others, the more I discovered how many were "secretly" reading it; or, much to my surprise, already done!  How did I miss out on it all?  A columnist for a Christian website, Moms of Faith, would readers judge me too for even mentioning it?

Probably, but not any harsher than I was judging myself.  So, I went ahead and submitted the column and much to my surprise, it has received four times the views of any other column I have written.  Go Figure.  Although few commented, someone did ask me if I finished the book.  So, here and now, to just let it all out, is my answer:

Yes.  I finished Fifty Shades of Grey.  Not only that, I read all three!

Others asked me if I would recommend this book.  And to that, my answer is maybe.  Although the intimate scenes are beyond descriptive, they certainly aren't for everyone.  Able to bypass the parts that made me uncomfortable, I did manage to have my curiosity peaked which brings readers their own personal adventures.

In a nutshell, Fifty Shades gives a message that intimacy, which involves a release of control for both partners, has the ability to lead to authentic love in marriage relationships too.  Something all wives, and husbands, are seeking.  And don't we all want to feel treasured?  Which is exactly how Christian and Ana are in their marriage -- truly treasuring each other.  Gotta say, I like that, don't you?

Well, there's my two cents (or fifty!) on the subject!  Now, "excuse me, can I tell you something?", time to have Dan clarify a few more "terms" for me!

LOL!... Wink, wink,...  ;-)

"A man's greatest treasure is his wife -- she is a gift from the lord."  

Proverbs 18:22

Warning! Don't Read Today's Column "Fifty Shades of My Gray Hair"!

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/05/fifty-shades-of-my-gray-hair/



But just about everyone is reading this book!  Caity had to explain all the controversy to me over the weekend.  (Dan explains the terms... LOL!)  Maybe I should pay closer attention to the news.

Oh, go ahead.  Read today's column.  You've probably already read it too.

Have you?
http://momsoffaith.com/2012/05/fifty-shades-of-my-gray-hair/