Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Album Review: Laws of Illusion by Sarah McLachlan

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Laws of Illusion"]



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I've been a Sarah McLachlan listener since college, so I was excited when I got the opportunity from One2One Network to review her first studio album of brand new material in 7 years, Laws of Illusion. The first half of the album is more hopeful-sounding than what I'm used to from Sarah, but it's just as enjoyable as her music has always been. This project is just another (long-awaited!) example of why every one of Sarah McLachlan’s studio and live albums has been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA over her two-decade career. Here are my off-the-cuff thoughts on each track.

Awakening - introduction a little long and "poppy" for my liking; Sarah's familiar lilt; gets into a nice cadence as it progresses, though

Illusions Of Bliss - love the drums in the first bar; a feel-good love song; ending is abrupt

Loving You Is Easy - nice bouncy tune with a tinge of Sarah's bluesy voice - a favorite so far; this is the first single of the album

Changes - getting more into Sarah's bluesy voice at the beginning and climbs effortlessly to the soprano lilt I love

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Forgiveness - the heartbreak song I love to hear Sarah sing

Rivers Of Love - fantastic bluesy song - another favorite

Love Come - flows well and you hear the wonderfully incorporated electric guitar that is a signature of Sarah's music; this is quintessential Sarah to me

Out Of Tune - another prime example of why I so enjoy Sarah's music and a great love song

Heartbreak - a little more pop-sounding, which will bode well for radio play, but not as good of a representation of Sarah

Don't Give Up On Us - another nice radio-play song, with a better representation of Sarah's style and sound

U Want Me 2 - another fantastic merging of lilt and electric guitar, and another favorite

Bring On The Wonder - a lullaby-esque, ethereal loveliness to end with

Bonus Track: Love Come - a splendid acoustic rendering of the song that showcases Sarah's ability to make you feel the heartbreak in the lyrics

Disclosure:

I received a complimentary cd as a thank-you for this review.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • happy father's day @marcand! #

  • and to my friends @cksample, @kilted_alex, and @it_scooter, and a happy first father's day to @percival #

  • and why the heck isn't my daddy on facebook so i can tell him happy father's day on there?! #fb #

  • @Kilted_Alex yeah, but when are you bringing your utilikilt to texas??? in reply to Kilted_Alex #

  • just sent a happy father's day text to my daddy :D #fb #

  • @Kilted_Alex you should totally bring the family - rhys and miles could play with the kids! in reply to Kilted_Alex #

  • why do bras for full-busted women have to look industrial??? #fb #

  • Letting @marcand sleep in for father's day #

  • @heymego woohoo! my size! pretty! yay! price - ouch! #thecostofboobs in reply to heymego #

  • @GermainLussier well, thank you for sharing! 0_o in reply to GermainLussier #

  • HUH-ZZAH!!! >> RT @jennybeanses This is @Melzer. Our Visa has been approved. @jennybeanses and I are getting married!! #

  • @Melzer why 9/11 instead of 10/31? in reply to Melzer #

  • beginning week 4 of taxiing tomorrow - heading to bed... #fb #

  • I'm at Michaels in Tyler, TX #

  • I'm at Hobby Lobby in Tyler, TX #

  • @Melzer ah - that makes sense; are you guys disappointed about not being able to do it on the originally planned date? in reply to Melzer #

  • Brandon just lost his first molar #

  • @Melzer that's cool - just glad you're gettin' married huh? in reply to Melzer #

  • Ugh! the pride, arrogance, untrustworthiness, & fightpicking surrounding me is getting really old - why can't ppl get over themselves? #fb #

  • Let's play Words With Friends on the iPhone! My username is '3stairs'. #

  • got aromatherapy oil samples i ordered from @etsy today - sooo happy! #

  • head = ow #

  • @Melzer what's up? in reply to Melzer #

  • @lauriepercival but what about the dog, too? i like the dog, too! in reply to lauriepercival #

  • eating chocolate sandwich cookies instead of having a cigarette... #fb #

  • @lauriepercival well, of course! i'm a cat person, too, but @wilw's dog can't help but be loved! in reply to lauriepercival #

  • dreading the trip to splash kingdom tomorrow - i have to wear a bathing suit *headdesk* #fb #

  • @IT_Scooter i'm hoping they'll let me - and capris, too! in reply to IT_Scooter #

  • @ShawneeH thanks! in reply to ShawneeH #

  • oh yeah, gotta go to bed... #fb #

  • Heading to the water park - God help us #fb #

  • @marcand got overheated so we came home - please pray for him - he feels horrible #fb #

  • Finished a real-live baby blanket from a real-live baby blanket pattern! #

  • i'm goin' in... to update my iphone #fb #

  • had to clean up my hard drive(s) before i update the iphone - still working on it but *almost* done #fb #

  • much moving of files = hard drives clean, iphone updated, apps folderized = happy mama = takin' my butt to bed! #fb #

  • Thinkgeek Coupon $25 Bucks! How cool is that?! (Very) Please RT! #

  • Look - i got my very own library card! #

  • wash my hair or treat myself and go to the salon and have somebody else wash hit for me tomorrow? #

  • @geovolt lol! in reply to geovolt #

  • who needs to watch soap operas? i have people living them out all around me!! O_o #fb #

  • ooh! @lauriepercival is sleeping with the VP!! :P >> RT @Percival I've accepted the position of VP of Online Marketing at @myspace #

  • thinking about watching a movie before i go to bed... #fb #

  • Waking up and the beginning of bickering are apparently simultaneous events for my children. #fb #

  • going on a tichel shopping spree at to take advantage of $1 shipping and a 10% off code (facebook) #fb #

  • sent more yarn goodies to @percivalspawn and Jackson today - expect them in 2-3 days =D cc: @lauriepercival @cksample #

  • nap time before craft time with @stampshacklady this evening! #

  • i did get up, and i did craft, and i even watched a movie; but now i'm going back to bed... #fb #

  • @GermainLussier i didn't know there *was* such a thing! #nom in reply to GermainLussier #

  • kids went to mom's yesterday and she's keeping them until tomorrow - bliss! think @marcand and i are going to go out to dinner #fb #

  • Date! — at Posado's Cafe #

  • Fajita bliss! #fb #

  • If you go to Posado's in Lindale, ask for Holly to be your server - she's fantastic!! #fb #

  • @mwsmedia fantastic word - i shall adopt it immediately! in reply to mwsmedia #

  • new profile pic since i got my hair colored tonight - the red is back! #

  • turning off the computer and considering sleep... #fb #

  • It's noon somewhere... #

  • @reflective now if only I could figure out delivery... ;) in reply to reflective #

  • Bethy's arms got sunburned today when they went swimming - please pray for her #fb #

  • ...and Sarah's shoulders got burned, too #fb #


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Sunday, June 20, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • @eardoc just replied to your e-mail - it's scheduled for wednesday :) in reply to eardoc #

  • If this doesn't break your heart, I'm not entirely sure you're human. #

  • up, to the store, and back home; plan on starting a baby blanket for a friend today #crochet #fb #

  • @sweatshirtblog it went through today - yay! in reply to sweatshirtblog #

  • y'know what would be Teh Awesome? to play Scrabble with @wilw *sigh* #

  • creating #fb #

  • Cupcake cupcake picks ;) made with @stampinup papers and round punch and @marthastewart cupcake punch #

  • stomach = growly; me eat PIE! #fb #

  • @marcand is that like peanut butter jelly time without the fat and sugar?? in reply to marcand #

  • more taxiing tomorrow, so i better go to bed... #fb #

  • cleaned the toy/trash abyss behind the couch; now to VBS #fb #

  • why i like max and ruby, too - well said! >> #

  • @SlimPerfect did you get my e-mail about a review? in reply to SlimPerfect #

  • Shopping with the girls - pray for me! — at Wal-Mart #

  • shopping at walmart with the girls fried my nerves; now i eat and nap, just you watch! (well, don't watch - that would be weird.) #fb #

  • Mambo #lessmachofilms #

  • can't get the smell of paint off of my hand from doing a handprint a vbs *blech* #ew #fb #

  • @SlimPerfect doing ok - looking forward to hearing from you! in reply to SlimPerfect #

  • copying 300+ pictures from my phone and then going to bed so i can turn around and get up and drive to lindale #fb #

  • taxi time #fb #

  • and now for more driving... #fb #

  • and now to wind yarn in preparation for vbs... #fb #

  • two in bed, one to go; please pray for sarah - she's running 102 fever and i'm not sure why #fb #

  • @IT_Scooter yep - gave her some and she's in bed with an icepack on her head in reply to IT_Scooter #

  • Awesomesauce!! >> The Slide #

  • achy - grreeaatt... #fb #

  • missing having someone in love with me... #fb #

  • #crochet morning #fb #

  • Now Bethy is feeling bad - please pray #fb #

  • home from vbs and changed - to the store in a bit, but first a visit with uncle Randy - he was here when i got home! #fb #

  • My heart hurts. I keep wishing I'd wake up and realize this has been a very realistic, very bad nightmare. #fb #

  • I'd forgotten how incredibly hilarious Whose Line is It Anyway is!! #

  • ibuprofen and bed - my life is sooo exciting, inn't it??? #fb #

  • absolutely disgusted by LA rioters - that's the best way you can find to celebrate? really? get a grip! #fb #

  • review in the works today #fb #

  • WHOOSH! scorched the fabric on the apron i was making for the swap hosted by @ShawneeH *headdesk* now what?? #fb #

  • The apron swap add-ins: cherry potholder, cherry pin, cupcake cupcake picks, and ME-stye monogrammed magnets #

  • What was going to be a shabby chic apron with flowers styled after ME's fried-egg flowers #

  • The #fail that is my scorched flower *le sigh* #

  • blogginess: #fb #

  • The apron save #

  • Apron pocket #

  • more blogginess: #


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Friday, June 18, 2010

VBS Friday Fill-in

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1. In the morning, I'm asleep at 6:58; in the evening I wish I was asleep at 6:58.

2. It was the reason, of course, that I was so stupidly giddy - he told me he was in love with me. But that was many years ago.

3. Deny who I am to please other people is something I no longer feel the need to do.

4. I have another errand to run, then yet another.

5. So you don't know where your spine is...just go find it.

6. What were once vices are vices still, but worse because now you're old enough to know better.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the last night of VBS, tomorrow my plans include a nap and Sunday, I want to sleep while everyone else cleans the house (a girl can dream, can't she?)!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • dadgumit - i hate headaches! #fb #

  • going bathing suit shopping with the girls after i drop Meme off at work #fb #

  • got tees & capris instead of bathing suits because we couldn't find any that didn't look like they belonged on a streetwalker #fb #

  • today totally freakin' sucks! #fb #

  • i will nap and it WILL get better! *crosses fingers and toes* #fb #

  • please pray for Jason - mentally disabled cousin; he's in the hospital and i'm hacked at his caretakers; details: #

  • update: Jason is now responsive and recognizes his parents, but still ventilated; they think he will be okay #

  • time for shower and bed - have to take Meme to the bank before work, then i'm getting a massage #fb #

  • taxi - check; massage - check; pedicure - check; nap - NOW! #fb #

  • Half-price Tuesdays FTW!! — at Sonic #

  • Another Jason update. He is off the ventalator and breathing all on his own now. Probably be getting out of the hospital tomorrow! #

  • neato: How to Send Your Face to Space #

  • hey, did you enter yet? #

  • @lauriepercival music for @percivalspawn! ThinkGeek :: RITMO - Prenatal Musical System #

  • @thinkgeek is usually hilarious, but this one was accidental, i think #

  • totally loving the songs #pandora is picking out for me #

  • The absolutely-keeping-for-myself, i-ain't-sharing bath and body goodies from this month's @samplerboxes #

  • being a smartass with my facebook profile pic #

  • @jennybeanses i think you just like it when @melzer wakes you up... ;) in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @jennybeanses i can't think of one... in reply to jennybeanses #

  • hello, my name is crystal, and i'll be your taxi driver today... #fb #

  • lists go bye-bye... #

  • love my husband; hate his stupid decisions #fb #

  • @wisekaren that is one cleverly funny kid! in reply to wisekaren #

  • sick of being silent and refuse to keep my opinion of stupidity and pride hidden #fb #

  • kids gone to friends for the rest of the week; i nap.... NOW #fb #

  • want to run away... #fb #

  • i need to #crochet #fb #

  • leaving a bit early so I can take my time to be safe driving Meme to work in the rain #fb #

  • Meme delivered to work safely #fb #

  • ...and i'm back home safely #fb #

  • totally awesome diaper wrap! cc: @lauriepercival #

  • ...and we're off again... #fb #

  • ...and home again... #fb #

  • please pray for @marcand - he's got an extra-heavy workload today and non-cooperative technology :( #

  • i see yarn and a nap in my future, though not at the same time - that could get a little tangly #crochet #fb #

  • Successfully analyzed and recreated the snood my late grandmother made for me (the white one is hers) #fb #

  • @mamastephf thank you! i'm so proud to have been able to figure it out :D in reply to mamastephf #

  • heard this earlier today; now it's stuck in my head... #fb ? #

  • @marcand treated me to East Texas Burger Company steak for dinner - yummo!! #fb #

  • ...and @marcand is a neanderthal #fb #

  • This is what the world's best chocolate meringue pie looks like *in my fridge* - my Meme is AWESOME! #fb #

  • @jennybeanses ack! is @squeenager ok now? talk to us @squeenager - talk to uuuuussss! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @loudmouthman oh, *HUH-ZZAH* Alyssa! that is fantastic - so proud of you! :D in reply to loudmouthman #

  • @jennybeanses i read it - scary - but y'know one of fav parts? @melzer was there holding her hand - you gotcha a good 'un!! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • me - - > bed #fb #

  • feel like i've been all over creation #fb #

  • <3 PIE!!! <3 #

  • i need a pneumatic tube for my mail... #fb #

  • i can haz nap? -_- #fb #

  • @mwsmedia did it have cheese or peanut butter? in reply to mwsmedia #

  • @cksample his onesie is funny! in reply to cksample #

  • this is just Awesomesauce: #

  • @sweatshirtblog having trouble validating my nomination - the form is telling me the e-mail seems invalid - any suggestions? #

  • time to write a review... #fb #


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MOPS Book Review: Momology by Shelly Radic

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This is my fourth year as a MOPS mom. I wish I had known about MOPS 10 years ago when I was pregnant with Brandon. Over the last several years, I've been intrigued by the themes and how they manage to combine the "down here-ness" of mothering with the "up there-ness" of God. Sometimes it just seems that mothering is so far removed from Heaven that it's Hell.

And sometimes it is.

That's where MOPS comes in - the support, both from my local group and the resources I receive as a member, have been instrumental in keeping my sanity as a mom.

This year's theme is "Momology - the Art and Science of Mothering." There's a doozy, huh? But really, when you think about it - it is an art and a science. There's an art in the creative solutions that moms come up with on a daily basis, and a science in the approach of applying those creative solutions to see what will work with your family. I may be a creative person, but let's face it: sometimes we're just too worn out and overwhelmed by mothering to come up with solutions anymore.

Momology, A Mom's Guide to Shaping Great Kids by Shelly Radic just might be your mothering textbook with solutions from other "Momologists" that have been where you are. You'll find personal anecdotes from other MOPS moms describing their mothering experiments, as well as their masterpieces and flops. Plus, there's a wealth of information from experts to give you confidence and understanding as you put on your lab coat (or smock, if you're messy like me). Whether you're a right-brained mom or a left-brained mom, you'll find something in this book for you.

This year's MOPS theme book is a book to study. You could even use this book for a book group or small group study. The book is put together wonderfully for moms that don't have a lot of time. Each chapter is broken down into sections that you can read through fairly quickly. But don't let that fool you - these sections are cuts of meat, not spoons of applesauce! The questions at the end of each section will have you really thinking about your mothering and the hows and whys behind it.  Now, don't let that frighten you. Trust me, if you can handle labor, you can handle this book, and you'll be a better mom for it!

And that's what MOPS - and mothering - is all about: making a better world.

Momology is available June 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Many thanks to MOPS and Revell for providing a complimentary copy of the book to facilitate my reveiw!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • left eye hurts - it's trying to form a sty - annoying as all get out #fb #

  • @jennybeanses thanks for the tip! @marcand says it doesn't look any better after I did it :( I'll probably do it again later in reply to jennybeanses #

  • Telling some friends I love them on facebook just because... #fb #

  • Let's play Words With Friends on the iPhone! My username is '3stairs'. #

  • off to finish making a marble bag for brandon #fb #

  • Brandon's marble bag - that basketweave effect at the top is a "built-in" drawstring #crochet #

  • Closer view of the "built-in" drawstring on Brandon's marble bag - #crochet #

  • well, crap - listening to @jennybeanses, @melzer, @acadia, and @marcand on podcaturday just resurges my urges to podcast... #

  • it's amazing what people choose to believe... #fb #

  • and for my next trick, i shall go to bed... #fb #

  • @Acadia @jennybeanses i was a dj in college and always wanted a morning show - you people are just cruel... in reply to Acadia #

  • Awesomeness >> RT @Percival iPad + Velcro = ? #

  • @jennybeanses cruel because you podcast *and* say whatever you want! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • ...and now i #crochet .. #fb #

  • thank you heroes #memorialday #fb #

  • Celebrities Hair Behaving Badly #

  • first order of the day: order the Bodaciously Bigger Box from @SamplerBoxes - i got one this month - yay! #

  • second order of the day: take Sarah to basketball camp, then Meme to work; where's my tea??? #

  • Dropping Sarah off for basketball camp — at Mineola Elementary #

  • morning taxi run completed; enjoying the quiet since @marcand and bethy are still asleep and brandon is at my mom's #fb #

  • I'm at Wal-Mart in Mineola, TX #

  • Mint mocha washcloth #

  • @IT_Scooter not with the family - i went by myself this time :D in reply to IT_Scooter #

  • @KCWComm so sorry to hear of your loss :( in reply to KCWComm #

  • @mamastephf i'll ask my mom for hers tomorrow - she makes awesome pickles and pickle relish! in reply to mamastephf #

  • @IT_Scooter So. Much. Easier. :D in reply to IT_Scooter #

  • Memorial Day Movie Debuts That Could Grow On You #

  • want to take a shower and go to bed, but i have to wait for the littlest holdout - argh! #fb #

  • Shower Dear - I'm coming.... eventually... #fb #

  • Awesomeness: #etsy #fb #

  • dare i dream it? i think she's gone to sleep! now for a shower - here's hoping! #fb #

  • @cksample Happy birthday, CK's mom! in reply to cksample #

  • @marcand boing boing is reporting 20 meters in reply to marcand #

  • today is the craziest day yet - driving all over the place and going pretty much nonstop until 3 or later; i hope i hold out! #fb #

  • Stop 1 - basketball camp; now taxi to Lindale — at Mineola Elementary #

  • Drink stop after dropping Meme off at work; now for a backroad drive and music — at Sonic #

  • note to self: get sweet peach tea at mineola sonic - this stuff from lindale is nasty *blech* #fb #

  • @antiup Happy birthday! (from a friend of @cksample) #

  • Creme de menthe washcloth #

  • done with dr's appt for brandon; now a quick lunch before headstart application for bethy then library summer kick-off party #fb #

  • @LionBrandYarn how sad that the civic ARTS coordinator doesn't get ART... *sigh* in reply to LionBrandYarn #

  • @loudmouthman #thisismysky from the swing in my yard #

  • i am So Stinking Tired... #fb #

  • worship committee, praise practice, store, BED! #willtodayeverend #fb #

  • covering everything i know & then some >> RT @wisekaren What would the BP oil spill look like where you live? #

  • taking my headache to bed and hoping it doesn't wake up... #fb #

  • headache woke up with me, but it's not as bad today; also, today is not so crazy as yesterday #fb #

  • Crazy hair day at basketball camp #

  • @jennybeanses hehe! we had "big bang days" when i was in middle school where the band kids would see how could get their hair the highest in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @mamastephf got the pickle recipes from my mom - will try to get them to you today #

  • @mamastephf no - that sounds cool, tho ;) in reply to mamastephf #

  • @mamastephf got it! you ain't kiddin' sister! i try to hibernate in summer, too! in reply to mamastephf #

  • @lauriepercival organic nursing covers for a steal at today - thought you might be interested #

  • @jennybeanses you are such a tease - i'm still waaaaiiiittttttiiiinnnngggg! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • really rue that Rue has passed... :( #fb #

  • @GermainLussier what happened? in reply to GermainLussier #

  • Little Boy Blue newborn beanie #

  • @MineolaTXLib Bethy is sad that there wasn't a picture of Chessie in reply to MineolaTXLib #

  • @NuttysPB oh my, i think i *need* that! i sense a drive to grand saline coming... in reply to NuttysPB #

  • i just love it when people say "I'm not trying to be a dick" - so that means being a dick comes naturally? cc: @cksample #

  • @LionBrandYarn got my yarn today; still haven't decided on a project; i think i'm just gonna stitch a bit to just enjoy it, lol! in reply to LionBrandYarn #

  • @cksample LOL! i haven't heard that one before! in reply to cksample #

  • ugh, had to clean my desk - it was driving me crazy; it's still a disaster, but the spot right in front of me is clean #relief #fb #

  • started w/ pandora while writing my goddess post, but decided to listen to bellydance instead cuz it makes me feel all goddess-like #fb #

  • new at @3stairs I’m a Goddess #giveaway #

  • @SheilaWalsh I saw this and immediately thought of Christian! 120 New Silly Shaped Rubber Bands #

  • ?? #

  • @IT_Scooter thanks for the info! in reply to IT_Scooter #

  • Crap! I didn't realize the time! *headdesk* #fb #

  • just spent way too long enjoying a blog dedicated to crappy ampersands; life is good... & i'm a total geek, i know #

  • Famous Hats and Hat-Wearers #

  • hey, did you know there's a giveaway going on? #

  • Have you heard about Deal Moon, amazing deals and coupons for ladies #

  • want a nap something fierce... #fb #

  • ooh, look - @squeenager has returned! ;P #

  • @mamastephf i haven't forgotten you, dear - i'm just running severely behind :( #

  • @895kvne this Irish girl uses shamrocks! in reply to 895kvne #

  • Headache, you naughty thing! Go back where you came from! #fb #

  • @jennybeanses just read your comment at 3stairs.com - thank you so much - you're a dear! #


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Friday, June 4, 2010

Get Dad to the Doc!

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National Men’s Health Week is June 14-20. That's right - the week before Father's Day. This Father’s Day give the men you love the best gift of all - the gift of a healthy future. Did you know that new research has found that men are 31 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year?  In fact, men report making fewer routine health care appointments compared with women (56.5 percent vs. 73.8 percent).

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council are launching a new movement on behalf of their national public service advertising campaign designed to encourage middle-age men to learn which preventive medical tests they need to get and when to get them.

Help your Dad (and the other men in your life that you love) live longer. Here's how:



  • Encourage him to visit ahrq.gov/healthymen - he'll find ton of information including:

    • recommended ages for preventive medical tests

    • a health care quiz designed to test knowledge of preventive health care

    • tips for talking with doctors

    • a glossary of consumer health terms

    • links to online resources to find more medical information






If your dad is anything like my dad, it'll take some serious work to get him to listen. Start now!

I'm a Goddess {Closed}

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Ok, so not really, unless I'm a Willendorf Venus, but a goddess is a goddess, right? Sadly, the idea of goddess-like beauty, by and large, is that of a slender woman.

Slender, I ain't.

We've all dieted. We've all failed. We've all felt "fat." But what's fat? Yeah, yeah, yeah, there are scientific charts and all that, but culturally, what is fat? In America, fat seems to be a body fat ratio over 15% (healthy ratios are between 21-31%, by the way). In Polynesian and other tropical cultures, that's considered sickly.

Even history has blurred the lines of the definition. Look at the art of Titian and classical/baroque artists and compare it to today's models. Even Botticelli's Venus - the epitome of beauty - would be considered "fat" by the standards of today's western culture. Dare she have the rounded belly of a human with a uterus? Ladies, did it ever occur to you that a flat stomach is well nigh impossible for us because we have additional organs there that men don't have? We have an amazing uterus that can cradle and sustain life, yet we want to hide its existence.

It's all very aggravating and disgusting to me - not because I am a "large woman" (I held the same views when I was very thin), but because it impedes women's confidence. And - believe it or not - her sensuality.

Okay, okay, I'll get off my soapbox now...

Thankfully, I've begun to see a trend arising in which women are encouraged not to diet, but to eat intelligently. Among those intelligent eating decisions is increasing protein intake. What if you don't want to eat more meat, though? What if you've had all the beans you can stand?

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Yoplait to the rescue! Their new Yoplait Greek yogurt line has 12-14 grams of protein, depending on which of the four flavors you're enjoying. That's on average twice the amount of protein in other leading-brand yogurts. I got the chance to review the noms from Yoplait and MyBlogSpark recently.

Opa!

Yoplait Greek has four flavors currently available: plain, strawberry, blueberry, and honey vanilla. I received two coupons for free Yoplait Greek yogurt to try for my review, so I chose strawberry and honey vanilla. Before I could try them, my daughter Sarah decided to eat the strawberry. I asked her what she thought and she said, "It was really good!" I ate the honey vanilla before she could get her little hands on it, then went to the store to get some strawberry for myself.

If you like the sharpness of traditional Greek cuisine, you'll love these yogurts. I'm a mellow flavor girl myself, so I wasn't overly fond of the flavor. My husband who likes food that "bites back" liked both the strawberry and the honey vanilla flavors I shared with him. Okay, he finished them off.

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I also got a box of  "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" goodies from Yoplait and MyBlogSpark in appreciation of my review. Tell me what woman doesn't like a little pampering? Heck, seven-year-old Sarah has carried off my massager, and I have no doubt she's used both the nail brush and the scrubbing sponge in the shower. I'm tellin' ya, though - that scrubbing sponge? Well, to borrow from the Greeks again:

Opa!

You want it, don't you? I know you do. That's okay, because I can hook you up. Yoplait and MyBlogSpark also gave me the opportunity to give one of you a "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" prize pack including two VIP coupons* for your own Yoplait Greek yogurt and pampering goodies you see in the picture.

You totally love me now, don't you?

*Mandatory Entry*: Tell us what kind of goddess you are. Are you more like Hestia, the Greek goddess of hearth and home, or Aphrodite? Are you a warrior Athena or an agricultural Demeter?

Extra Entries:


  • Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to the tweet. This can be done once each day. Neato trick: just click that link and it will open a new window with the status filled in for you - all you have to do is click update!
    visit @3stairs to win a pampering prize from Yoplait and MyBlogSpark! http://bit.ly/aJuDf6



  • Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know your Twitter user name.

  • Subscribe to 3Stairs and leave a comment letting me know if you subscribed with RSS or via e-mail.




  • By RSS:

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  • Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your post.

  • Add a 3Stairs button to your blog and leave a comment with a link to your blog so we can visit!

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I'll let Random.org choose a winner on June 21, so get your entries in by 11:59 pm on Sunday, June 20!



Disclosure:


I received two coupons for a free cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt and a pampering prize pack as a thank-you for this review and hosting this giveaway. I did not receive any other compensation for this giveaway.


*This coupon offer for a free cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee.
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