Neat Giveaway at 5M4M

5 Minutes 4 Mom is giving away an HP Media Server. Check it out.

My Personal Life Revealed

OK, Here's the deal. Some of you know this and some of you don't, but I really would appreciate prayers over the next few months as I adjust to some major life changes... I am currently facing a divorce. Not of my choosing, but he is leaving nonetheless. We had a very unusual start to our marriage, and a foundation that was not strong enough to hold us together when the storms came rolling in. It completely shocked me because I never thought it would happen to me.

Please don't judge. There is nothing left in my power to do. I am trusting the Lord to carry me through however He sees fit... He will take care of me. I am in need prayer to deal with the changes and for emotional healing. I have a new job, my children now have to have childcare year-round, and now I sit a mere two-three weeks away from a part-time empty house and custody/visitation schedules.

I have no more words. I need to reach out and not be alone through this. Here's a useful link: 10 Things I Wish Christians Knew About a Divorced Woman. By linking to this site I am in no way condoning any other opinions on the site. The list of 10 things just resonates with me and I wanted to share it with you.

And Somebody Loves Me (twice removed!)

Promises tagged me for this meme. Thanks :)

Where is your cell phone? On the banister post at the bottom of the stairs, waiting to be taken up to my bedroom as my 3rd alarm clock! (I'm a deep sleeper, when I sleep!)
Where is your significant other? I plead the 5th!
Your hair color? brown
Your mother? She's in Pittsburgh and her grey hair is usually dyed blonde
Your father? He's in Pittsburgh and he doesn't have much hair on the top of his head, but his beard is salt-n-pepper
Your favorite thing? Snuggling with my kids
Your dream last night? I can't remember. I did have one... a half-normal, half-weird one that didn't feel like it was anything significant. I've had a few significant dreams in my life, as in, I wake up somewhat in awe, knowing that there's more than me to this dream. I feel like I don't have enough brain cells to remember important things, so I'm surely not wasting them on last night's dream!
Your dream/goal? To train my children up in a loving relationship with the Lord and for them to find their destiny in Him
The room you’re in? the living room, with my pretty Christmas tree
Your hobby? baking cheesecakes and cookies
Your fear? deceiving myself out of God's will. Losing my ability to know His deep love for me.
Where were you last night? Home
What you’re not? abandoned
One of your wish-list items? Sound of Music DVD
Where you grew up? NJ, OH, PA
The last thing you did? read blogs
What are you wearing? brown cowl-neck sweater, dress pants
Your TV? pretty new digital flat panel 32"? Our old TV went kaput last spring... the sound had gone away years ago, and then the picture went. No sound. No picture. No TV! So we got this new one, and it's lovely. Even though we only watch DVDs and videotapes on it. And occasionally a 1/2 hour PBS kids show.
Your pet? 2 elderly cats, the girl is showing age and a little sickly, the boy is vibrant and healthy
Your computer? acer laptop 2 yrs old and already very slow
Your mood? sad and tired
Missing someone? yes
Your car? Honda Odyssey
Something you’re not wearing? shoes
Favorite store? Ross
Your summer? I'm not sure how summer will be now that I'm working. I've really enjoyed lots of things in past summers, canoeing, blowing bubbles and coloring on the sidewalk with my boys, taking them to local parks and to amusement parks whenever I score free tickets. Usually involves a trip to see grandparents or cousins, sometimes the beach or camping.
Your favorite color? green
When is the last time you laughed? last night I giggled with Squiggly-Wiggly
Last time you cried? tonight... since I've started working I tend to be even-keel all week and then fall apart on the weekends. I guess necessity of performance dictates the emotional schedule!

If this is the fifth time you've read this meme from different blogs this week, then it's your turn to be tagged!

And the Cheesecake Winners Are...

Trish and Thrills, each with a score of 70%!!! Yes, I'll make each of you a cheesecake.

Thanks to the rest of you for playing along (even those of you who didn't comment). Maybe next time I'll draw a random winner, instead of making it an earned winning. I was surprised at how many of you thought my favorite color was purple! I do like purple a lot, but not as much as green :) And although I love to bake cheesecakes and both they and chocolate are among my favorites, nothing surpasses ice cream in my favorites list!

Trish and Thrills, start thinking about what flavor you'd like to request. I'm willing to try anything! Here are some cheesecakes I've made in the past:

• My Signature Chocolate Cheesecake with graham cracker crust. Optional topping, such as dark chocolate layer or a fruit topping, such as rasperries in syrup.
• Peppermint Cheesecake: Peppermint flavored cheesecake with a red swirl to look like a peppermint candy. Topped with crushed peppermint candy. Oreo Crust.
• Pumpkin Cheesecake: Pumpkin-flavored cheesecake-made with real pumpkin. Topped with a layer of baked cream, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cinnamon-graham crust, ginger-snap crust or pecan-shortbread crust. Optional bourbon-infused.
• Key-Lime Cheesecake: Lime-flavored cheesecake with graham cracker crust. Frosted with whipped cream cheese frosting and garnished with lime slices.
• Dark Chocolate Cheesecake: Chocolate graham crust (or Oreo crust). Optional toppings (see signature chocolate for ideas).
• Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake: signature chocolate cheesecake with a layer of caramel and pecans between the cheesecake and the crust, topped with chocolate-covered toasted pecans and drizzled with caramel. Extra caramel sauce provided on the side.
• Black Forest Cheesecake: dark chocolate cheesecake with chocolate graham crust, a layer of sweet dark cherry/Kirsch cheesecake between chocolate cheesecake and crust, frosted with a whipped cream cheese frosting and topped with sweet dark cherries in Kirsch syrup
• Cappucino Cheesecake: coffee-flavored cheesecake-optional added Kalhua-with oreo crust, frosted with mocha flavored whipped cream cheese frosting and topped with dark chocolate shavings and chocolate-covered espresso beans. Chocolate graham or Oreo crust.
• Orange Chocolate Cheesecake: orange-flavored cheesecake swirled with dark chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate graham crust, garnished with orange slices
• Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake: raspberry-flavored cheesecake swirled with dark chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate graham crust, garnished with fresh raspberries-if available, or a raspberries in syrup made from frozen raspberries.
• Apple Caramel Cheesecake: apple flavored cheesecake-made with real applesauce, with a bottom layer of caramel and chopped apples, topped with apple-caramel glazed sliced apples. Extra caramel sauce provided on the side. Cinnamon-graham crust or oatmeal-walnut crust
• Pear-Raspberry Cheesecake: Pear-flavored cheesecake-made with real pears, with a bottom layer of raspberry-flavored cheesecake. Topped with a pear-raspberry compote. Cinnamon-graham crust or walnut-shortbread crust. Optional walnuts in the compote.
• Vanilla Cheesecake with graham crust and your choice of fruit compote topping
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake: Peanut butter cheesecake with mini-chocolate chips. Frosted with chocolate, topped with peanuts. Chocolate graham or Oreo crust.

Mix and match the above for a custom cheesecake or request something new... I love to create new ones. Choose a pick-up date between Dec 12-22, or optionally delay your gift until a specific future event date of your choice in the New Year. Enjoy!

I can't roll out a whole lot of cheesecakes this season, but if anyone else wants one in the future, I do make them by request for the cost of ingredients plus taking care of childcare while I bake :)

(Just a note of caution: So far, I've only made and experimented with dessert cheesecakes. I don't mind trying, but I haven't yet ever made a savory cheesecake-such as hot-pepper, or salmon-cheddar, or any other non-dessert flavor).

An Easy Way to Win A Cheesecake!

I've been crazily busy with my life lately, but I just took a moment to create this quiz:

How well do you know Hands-Free?

It's really just trivia, but as I've pulled info from various parts of my life, I don't expect you all to get 100% or anything! Give it a try and let me know how you did. One thing about me... I love to bake... it's relaxing and fun. If you get the highest score, you win a custom cheescake of your choice to add to your Christmas festivities. You must report your score back here in the comments before the end of November!

How Well Do You Know Hands-Free Heart?
1) Hands-Free is adjusting to which of the following life changes?
going back to school
going back to work
prepping the house for sale
all of the above



Found the quiz from the blogs Livin Life and Beautiful Grace. I've never offered a bloggy giveaway prize, so why not now?

Disclaimer: If you're long distance, I can mail you a cheesecake, but I cannot guarantee it's condition upon arrival. It should be fine to eat (because of cool weather), but it may not look very pretty.

A New Phase

I haven't been blogging much because I'm entering a new phase in my life. I'm no longer a stay-at-home-mom, and many things in my life are rapidly changing. This week I re-entered my pre-mom career, and for one more month I'm still finishing up my semester of acting classes. I wish I had more time or felt the freedom to pour out more details here on my blog.

Please keep me in your prayers as I navigate my life over the next several months. More changes are coming my way, and with them I have less me-time. I'm an extrovert and really need the time to talk with and/or get together with friends. I'm already feeling the effects of a week of isolation... not from people in general, but there's a difference between being with new acquaintances and strangers, and from having contact with friends with whom I can be myself.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY OCTOBER 13
Outside My Window... it is dark.
I am thinking... that I should have gone to bed by now
I am thankful for... a little boy who really wants me to chaperone his field trip
From the kitchen... came PB&J sandwiches packed in Disn*y/Pix@r Cars insulated lunch bags :)
I am wearing... pajamas (green of course!)
I am creating... a meal plan for this week
I am going... to M*ms in Acti*n tomorrow morning
I am reading... my cousin's old blog that he hasn't posted to in about a year
I am hoping... that I will someday learn to go to bed at a decent hour
I am hearing... clickety-clack and rumbling of yet another train
Around the house... are five baskets of clean folded laundry, waiting to be put away.
One of my favorite things... hearing my children giggle when I give them lots of kisses

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
M*ms in Acti*n; Squiggly-Wiggly's Kindergarten Field Trip to a dairy barn and a children's museum; Acting classes; Going to college homecoming to meet up with my BFF from college whom I haven't seen in almost 12 years.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Both my boys on Squiggly-Wiggly's school float in their hometown farm show parade. There were several rows behind Squiggly-Wiggly all facing the music teacher (in white) who directed them in motions as they sang worship songs for an hour and a half (all of which was past my kids' bedtime!)