GoodNight by Matthew Smith

The Holidays are often a time to remember traditions, family and friends.

Often that includes those who have gone before us. I love this view of

saying "Goodnight till then."

Being one who has loved ones dear to me on the other side, I take comfort in

this song on loss, heaven and saying,"Goodnight till then" my friend!

May you find comfort and peace in knowing "we shall meet again."

God bless you this Sunday!

Goodnight by Matthew Smith

I journey forth rejoicing

From this dark vale of tears,
To heavenly joy and freedom,
From earthly bonds and fears;
Where Christ our Lord shall gather
All His redeemed again,
His kingdom to inherit.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

Why thus so sadly weeping,
Beloved ones of my heart?
The Lord is good and gracious,
Though now He bids us part.
Oft have we met in gladness.
And we shall meet again,
All sorrow left behind us.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

I go to see His glory,
Whom we have loved below:
I go, the blessed angels,
The holy saints to know.
Our lovely ones departed,
I go to find again,
And wait for you to join us.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

I hear the Saviour calling,
The joyful hour has come:
The angel guards are ready
To guide me to our home,
Where Christ our Lord shall gather
All His redeemed again,
His kingdom to inherit.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Prayer For Our Sons

We are thankful for you!  We get to do this with you!  And with deep respect 

and humble hearts we pray the following prayer for you... and us 

as we raise you for Him and for all eternity.

A Father Prayer by General Douglas MacArthur (May 1952)

Build me a son(s), O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough 
to face himself when he is afraid; 


one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.


Build me a son(s) whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son(s) who will know Thee ?and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.


Lead him I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.


Build me a son(s) whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.


And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.


Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper, have not lived in vain.


Warmly, Carolina Mama and Boulder Mountain Man :)

"Knockout Entrepreneur" by George Foreman and Sweepstakes

Honestly, I was a bit intrigued with a guy who names all of his sons after himself, same name! Meet George Foreman! As in George Foreman Grills - the lean, mean grilling machines!

As a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger, I got to read the "Knockout Entrepreneur" by George Foreman. George Foreman candidly shares his story of almost "turning down more than $100 million!"

Love his ethic of "Make It Good - Competence Matters too!" No doubt. That from a very successful entrepreneur.

"Along with character, you and your business must develop a consistent track record of competence - demonstrating your ability to get a job done, a product delivered on time or ahead of schedule, with no gaffes or defects."

"Again and again, I have heard people say two priceless words about the George Foreman Grill: 'It works!' It Works!"

Commitment and hard work bring him the success he has attained. In the book he has awesome Knockout Idea to Stimulate Your Success! at the end of each Chapter.

Love that he says we need to "Dress for Success" in our individual career areas. "Know what the standard is and dress a bit above it." A great reminder for a casual society. And he also says to stay hungry. Always looking for the next opportunity.

Overall, solid, tried and true success steps from a man who knows! In the end, he thanks "the Good Lord, for loving me and teaching me everything I know about being a Knockout Entrepreneur."

Great Read! Motivational and encouraging. I love a feel good book from someone successful who has a tried and true track record. How about you? What are you reading?

Just for fun: You enter the win the George Foreman Smart Kitchen Sweepstakes here!  Good luck!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

*I am a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger - opinion is my own.

Candy Land Classic - Black Friday Giveaway

Candy Land Peppermint Party Time!

Great fun and treats for all! Including Peppermint Hot Cocoa!

It's a Christmas Classic! Candy Land! I got to host a Candy Land Party focusing on Peppermint! One of my loves this time of year! The children loved the Peppermint Hot Cocoa! My 1 year old Nephew loved the action!

Our boys love Candy Land. We got to check out the new Holiday gift item for this year, the new Candy Land board was a real treat for the boys. So we had a little Peppermint Candy Land party with our friends.

Then we played the game over, and over and over again!

Now you Can Enter to Win the New Candy Land! This "Black Friday" Giveaway will run until Noon Monday, November 29th, 2010! We all could use a little extra time to get our "Black Friday" Deals so enter now and have fun! Happy Thanksgiving all!

Enter:

1) Leave a Comment about your Candy Land memories or why you want to win!

2) Follow Carolina Mama on FB;

3) Follow Carolina Mama on Twitter;

4) Tweet this link! :)

5) Share on your Facebook!

*This Peppermint Candy Land Party, Games and Prizes was sponsored by Candy Land and MyBlogSpark. The enthusiasm is all my own. We love it!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Martha Stewart Chocolate Pecan Pie Our Thanksgiving Favorite

In the South, I grew up with wonderful homemade Pecan Pies that my Mother and Grandmother used to make. Then they taught my sisters and me. So we love them. When Boulder Mountain Man and I got married, we realized that we loved Chocolate too much to leave it out of Thanksgiving.

Enter Martha Stewart's Chocolate Pecan Pie! :) Yes! It has been a tradition since.

We've made this beloved Southern dessert even more tempting by adding dark chocolate. The pie filling puffs up during baking but settles as it cools.

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients

Serves 10

• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 recipe Basic Pie Crust, rolled and fit into a 9-inch pie plate
• 1 cup pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes (or melt chocolate in microwave). Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together (do not whisk) eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stirring constantly, gradually add melted chocolate. Pour filling into prepared crust; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pecans in one even layer over filling.
3. Bake just until set (filling should jiggle slightly when pie plate is tapped), 50 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.

This recipe is published as part of the "Tasty Tuesday" . Check it out for more amazing recipes to help you through your Thanksgiving and Christmas baking and entertaining!

What is your favorite Thanksgiving Pie?! :)

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Rayovac Moms Rock the Holidays Paper Jamz OnLine Sweepstakes Win $1,000

One of my favorite things about Holiday time is the amazing new products!  Not to sound shallow or anything like that lol.  Really, it is fun to check out the new great things.  And every one is talking about Paper Jamz! I have to say I am so excited about Paper Jamz for our Tigers! :) 

Just because Rayovac and Paper Jamz know that Moms Rock the Holidays!  

Rayovac helps Moms rock the holidays and power the gifts under the tree.  Guess what?!  They want to celebrate you!  Rayovac is making sure that you have opportunities to win Holiday prizes!  After all, Rayovac batteries make ideal stocking stuffers and Rayovac is the Official Battery of Paper Jamz.

Today, for this Holiday Season, Rayovac has launched the Mom Rocks The Holidays Online Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes officially kicks off now, today Monday, November 22nd and runs through Monday, December 5th.  


I'm pleased to share this fun contest information with you great readers and friends. Entering is easy, just two simple steps:

1. Contestants must “Like” Rayovac on Facebook: Facebook.com/Rayovac
2. Log on to Rayovac.com, complete the entry form and at their option, tellRayovac in 120 words or less how they (or their mom) rocks the holidays
   

Three (3) Lucky winners will win $1,000 cash from Rayovac. 

Twenty (20) First Place Prize winners will receive a Rayovac Jam kit including a Paper Jamz guitar, drum, amp and guitar strap as well as 2 packs of Rayovac Alkaline AAA 24 packs (prize package valued at $90). 

Go ahead and Enter the Rayovac Mom Rocks the Holidays on-line sweepstakes to win cash and prizes!

Official Sweepstakes Rules at Rayovac.com.

"Like" Rayovac on Facebook and get more promotions :
For more information on the sweepstakes and Rayovac brands and products visit and “like” Rayovac at Facebook.com/Rayovac or www.rayovac.com/Promotions.aspx

Just for me, please let me know in comments if you are a Paper Jamz fanatic!  And are you as crazy about Rayovac, the official Battery of Walt Disney World and Paper Jamz, as I am!? :)

Warmly, Carolina Mama 

*This is written as part of a Campaign I am working on as a Rayovac Power Blogger 

The 4 Things Meme - What Fun!

Remember these! The little memes that you do with your bloggy friends! I have been so caught up in the family, work of brands, companies, Holidays clients and friends, I have not done one of these in forever. All good things, basically, all work no play (not quite). So let's play!

It was refreshing and funny! Thanks Mama Mommy Mom for the invite!

Here is the full scoop!

4 Things in my Handbag:

1. Burt's Bees Lip Balm

2. Moleskin Calendar :)

3. Crystal Lite Mix In - Green Tea

4. Bare Essentials

4 Things In/On my Desk:

1. Macbook

2. iPhone

3. picture of the Tigers and BoulderMountainMan :) my family

4. Banker's Lamp

4 Favorite Things in my Bedroom:

1. My honey :)

2. Love Seat

3. bed, pillows, candles, etc.

4. my Journal, Bible and Study, "The Excellent Wife"

4 Things I Always Wanted To Do (or just started):

1. Take my family to my favorite spots in Paris

2. Take Art Lessons (recently got a start)

3. Professional Photography

4. Write my first book (have it published)

4 Things I Enjoy Very Much At the Moment:

1. Family, family and friends

2. playing in the leaves with the boys

3. Fall Recipes, cooking and baking

4. a jog on a crisp, clear day

*Bonus: all things social media including photography

4 Songs I Can’t Get Outta My Head:

1. "Safe" Phil Wickham

2. "Voice of Truth" Casting Crowns

3. "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" Steven Curtis Chapman

4. "Grace Like Rain" Todd Agnew

*Bonus: "Beautiful Day" U2 and "O, Holy Night" Travis Cottrell

4 Things You Don’t Know About Me:

1. Every time I attend the Symphony, Orchestra, Musicals, I cry it's so beautiful.

2. My parents met and were married about ten miles from my house. :)

3. Cheerleader, Basketball, Year Book, Home Coming Court H.S. - That's Me.

4. First job I ever had was working in my Daddy's Law Office

*Play the flute and piano

The persons I think will take a moment from their busy Holiday Schedules to do this:

1) One Moms World

2) Bella Mella

3) Motherhood and Me

4) Looking Toward My Destiny

Look forward to your answers and fun!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Enjoy Good Health, Happiness and Family

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you."

3 John 1:2

Warmly,Carolina Mama

Shutterfly's 2010 Holiday Cards

"It's Holiday time!"

Christmas is here!  And one of our most consistent traditions is sending out Christmas Cards!  My family did it, my husband's family did it and we have done it since day one! :)  I look forward to it each year.

And I have to tell you every year.... where do I go... Shutterfly!  Shutterfly has the most awesome customer service!  That is so important for those of you who have not navigated the "cards online world."

To me, Shutterfly is the most simple program to upload and design on your own.  It is completely user friendly.  That works for me! :)  Just saying.

Check out these great cards from their site and you will find everything from tags for your gifts, to personalized mugs and things and of course, the most amazing Christmas and Holiday cards for all families.  (Can you tell we love Christmas at our house!?)



Here are some of my favorite items:

photo Christmas cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery    

      

calendar to http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars  

address labels to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/address-labels

personalized mugs to http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mugs

What are your favorite Holiday cards?  And if you design your cards online, where do you purchase them?   How do you like the Shutterfly cards here?  I adore!

*This post is part of the Shutterfly’s 2010 Holiday Card promotion and the fact that I love Shutterfly and have used them long before blogging began speaks for itself. 

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Fit Friday Baked Cinnamon Apples

This is my new favorite snack for fit Friday because it is basically just apples! 1 point! Here are the steps below - Slice apples and arrange in a sprayed baking dish; spray with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and equal mix; bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Enjoy!!

Family Taco Night Giveaway by El Paso

Family Taco Night is a favorite here! It is so cute my boys say that one of their favorite meals that I make is Tacos! :) So cute!

Recently, Old El Paso indulged us in a Family Taco Night! It was so fun and tasty!

You can enhance your Family Taco night a fun evening with these activities from the world's Best Family Taco Night Game!! Find it and more here: El Tacodor.

Get your Old El Taco Coupon here: Just print and enjoy this $.60 off any 2 Old El Paso products

Old El Paso spices up meal planning with popular products that include dinner kits, taco shells, seasonings and a complete line of Mexican meal components. Old El Paso has all the spices, bean, refried beans, taco kits, rice dishes and more for you and your family to enjoy.

PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

1) Old El Paso Taco Seasoning

1)Cactus Chip & Dip Serving Dish

3) Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes

A $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings

ENTER TO WIN:

1) Leave a Comment below with your favorite dish on Taco Night;

2) Tweet this Giveaway;

3) "Like" Facebook Page: CarolinaMama and Old El Paso

Leave a comment for each step you complete and Good Luck!

My favorite is Tacos! :)

Giveaway is for all US residents ages 18 and older and ends at 12 p.m. EST on Tuessday, November 23, 2010. Only one entry per person allowed. Valid Email addresses required to win.

Warmly, Carolina Mama

*This Family Taco Night and Giveaway was sponsored by Old El Paso and MyBlogSpark. Opinions are all my own. Love it!

Wine and Design North Carolina

As a young girl, I loved art. Always at Christmas time I had art pencils and sketch pads and paints on my wish list. I wanted to be like my dear Auntie a real life painter. We even looked a lot alike and we both played basketball well. In fact, she taught me her famous hook shot! And it did win us a game, a play off championship - in the final minute!

I always intended to take Art lessons and yet I was always taking something else, tennis, swimming, piano, ballet, etc. Art stayed on the list. Even when we lived in Virginia, I nearly took the art lessons from my Auntie. Life got busy and it didn't happen.

You can imagine my delight... and dream come true... when I recently got to take those lessons!

Carolina Mama

It was an awesome opportunity to take art classes at Raleigh's Wine and Design. If they can teach me, they can teach anyone! Really! And it was so fun!

Basically, Wine and Design is just that except you know me, I took in my Starbucks and life was good. Then I met the sweetest Owners, Harriet and Emmy! They are awesome Momprenuers!

"We want people to come in, relax, leave all of their worries at home, and at the end of the night, be proud of something they did! We’re excited about bringing WINE AND DESIGN to Raleigh and look forward to helping you uncork your creativity.” – Emmy and Harriet

Here is the entrance to Wine and Design NC!

Here is amazing and talented Emmy who worked with us that evening along with the instructing Artist.

Here is our Happy Class Post Lesson! :) And check out the gorgeous UNC Old Wells! And you do see the stately NC State Bell Tower. It was a Carolina Night!

Here is a close up of the night and my meeting Jackie a Wine and Design regular.

Follow the Conversation on the Wine and Design Facebook Page.

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Butterball Turkey Giveaway

Thanksgiving is here!  This week I have FREE Turkeys for two awesome readers!  This is a great offer from Butterball.   

Butterball a North Carolina Company has offered $15 Coupons for Turkeys.  You may purchase a $15 Fresh or Frozen Butterball Turkey.  And gives you all the cooking support  you need - like remember to thaw your turkey!  Take ample time!  Here's a video to help:

Check out: 

Butterball
Turkey Talk-Line^®

Send us a message
Call: 1-800-BUTTERBALL
Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
CST (Central Standard Time)

Butterball On the Go

I am all about the Mobile Apps for Holiday cooking advice from Butterball^® and it is now available no matter where you are — at home, on the road, in the grocery store, or at the stove.

The Mobile Site

Simply log on to your mobile Web browser and enter www.butterball.comto get the helpful turkey tips and cooking information you need. The streamlined turkey tips and recipes are formatted for viewing on your mobile phone.

Just Click to Access:

• Tips & How-Tos
  • Information on how to roast and stuff a turkey, how to select wine to accompany dinner and more!
• Calculators & Conversions
  • Determine how much turkey to buy, how long you need to thaw the turkey, and more.
• Delicious Recipes
  • Recipes for all kinds of turkey, from whole turkeys to deli-sliced turkey — good at any meal!

Simply log on to your mobile browser* and enter www.butterball.com.

Enter the Turkey Giveaway: 

Leave a comment about your favorite Thanksgiving Memory, Blooper and/or the First Thanksgiving Turkey you made! :)  This should be fun! 

Giveaway closes on Friday, November 19th @ 12 Noon EST.  Winners will be chosen with Random.org and Coupons will be mailed immediately so you can purchase your Turkey in time for Thanksgiving.  


My Thanksgiving Memories are very similar.  We do what Southerners call Tradition and the rest of the world thinks is repetition.  We carry out the same traditions each year!  And we love it!  My mother's favorite recipes that are divine!  My Daddy's Thanksgiving "Punch" of Sprite and Orange Juice. :)  And my Mother always made "shoes" for the Turkey!  yes, Too fun and we continue this each year!  So we are the ones with a Turkey with Shoes!  What about you!?

Warmly, Carolina Mama