Footbo Review and Giveaway

My nephew Kyle is a soccer (football) king. He has helped to lead his High School team to the finals for the last three years, and hopes to go to college on a soccer scholarship when he graduates next year. His family pretty much lives and breathes the game. I had introduced him to the Footbo.com site over the Christmas Holidays....and was actually tickled that I could lead him to a website he had not known existed. This is a pretty cool site for any of you that are fans of soccer.

One of Kyle's favorite parts of the site was that they had a whole section devoted to amateur clubs of the game.
He spent a good part of the afternoon reading stats and in general seeing how his high school team stacked up against those he read about. Amateur teams can create their own personal team page, with a team photo, logo, other photos/videos, and team history. Team pages give players the ability to let the Footbo community get to know their team and keep track of the latest events.

He also really liked that they have sections of the site devoted to certain teams complete with fan clubs and message boards. His favorite team is Manchester United and he enjoyed reading the messages written by their fans.

It was really nice for me to be able to share the Footbo.com site with someone that I knew adored the game of soccer, and if you are a fan you can also follow the Footbo network through Twitter:www.twitter.com/footbo and join fans on Facebook.

The wonderful people at Footbo.com are allowing me to host a giveaway that is sure to thrill all you soccer fans. I have one soccer ball shaped USB reader.
This Giveaway is to US residents only and will close on January 29th at midnight CST.

To enter this giveaway please visit the Footbo.com site and leave me a comment on what useful soccer information you found there.
Enter a second time by becoming a follower of my blog and leaving me a second comment letting me know that you did.
Enter a third time by stumbling this post and leaving a comment with your stumble ID
Enter a fourth time by twittering this post and leave me a comment with your twitter ID
Enter a fifth time by blogging about this giveaway and leave me a comment with the URL to that post.

I would like to specially thank the Family Review Network for this awesome bonding experience with my nephew through this site.

This Giveaway is being held in conjunction with the Bloggy Carnival 2009 so don't miss all the great giveaways this week only!

Argh! Isn't he Cute!

You know I always talk about my girls, and just mention John Mark in passing for the most part (well-except for his birdbrain post recently). He truly is the most wonderful guy. John Mark and I have been married for 14 years in April, and he is awesome. He is one of those people who is a friend for life. He doesn't hesitate to drop whatever he is doing and go all out for a friend who needs him.

He has driven with a friend 800 miles just so he wouldn't be alone going to his grandfather's funeral. A few weeks ago he changed his flight schedule so that he would have several hours to layover in a city where a friend of his was depressed and needed some one to talk to and give him a hug. John Mark is the guy you can call at three in the morning and he will do whatever it takes to solve your problem.

It is why he is still friends with people he went to Kindergarten with, and he was best man or groomsman in going on at least 12 weddings (he has two this year). I just adore that bout him , that he is as loyal as they come. I just wanted to share a bit about my sweetheart and why it is so easy to love such a devoted guy. Of course it helps that he is such a hunk to!!!! (I always did love those big preppy golfer types)

The real "Beef" Auction

Well this evening Rebecca and her best friend "C" both begged me to take them to the rodeo arena where the local stock show was happening. They both told me how much they wanted to go see all their friends who were showing their animals(rabbits, goats, steers, pigs, and chickens). My first clue that there was more to their scheme should have been the fact they were getting all beautified up and doing their makeup and hair. I mean who need makeup to impress a goat?

They both got all dolled up with boots and jeans and of course as soon as we got there they proceeded to ditch me at the door where they ran squealing up to a half dozen other 10-12 yr olds who all greeted them with squealing, hugging, whispering and pointing. Thus began the real reason for our being at the stock show....all the boys were there.

So along with the livestock being paraded and auctioned in the center of the arena....the girls paraded up and down the aisles and chatted and giggled about various guys. Then one particular boy (who I was informed was "really hot") went into the auction ring with his steer....and I overhear Rebecca say to her two friends..."I wish he was being auctioned off....cuz I would definitely bid"

Okay, I know I have a boy crazy child, but that is not what I want to hear come out of the mouth of my ten year old. She might as well be wearing a hard hat and learn to whistle and make catcalls.

I am contemplating a nunnery....do you have to be Catholic to enroll your child into the sisterhood?

The Day my Darling became a Birdbrain

This morning I was doing laundry and I noticed that buzzards kept swooping across the back yard. Now technically I live in city limits but on the edge, so we are surrounded by pasture on three sides. I assumed that something had died in the back pasture. A little while later I glance out the window and they are congregating in my back yard and all along the back fence. That just completely creeps me out....makes me want to check that there is no hooded guy with a scythe behind me.

Well I called John Mark at his office downtown....and in typical male fashion says Cool! I'll be right there. He is home five minutes later and getting out the BB gun (Okay, how old are you?). He succeeds in getting a few shots off and the flock disappears. I then tell him to go find out what had died in the yard that attracted the dang things in the first place.

He starts laughing and tells me it was the chicken he couldn't get to grill properly last night.....he had just thrown the whole thing over the fence, and then poured the BBQ sop in the yard. I just turned to him completely stunned!

"You Did What?!!!!!??????"

"Well the pit never got hot enough to grill that whole chicken so I threw it over the fence."

I know his mother raised him better than that....in fact she would be completely mortified! Apparently my husband has decided (without consulting me) to become a full-fledged redneck. I reminded my complete idiot sweetheart that we in fact do own a trashcan and disposal....and that in no uncertain terms were buzzards ever to visit my yard again because of him.

Today's Post brought to you by the letter "F"

Well I want to thank Keri at It Flickers Dimly For this really fun letter meme. I have to admit to being intrigued when I saw it on her site, and I thought I can do this just throw a letter at me (except please not X, Q, or Z). Imagine my relief when I got the letter "F". now I have to list ten things starting with the letter "f" that just appear in my head....very scary I know.

1. Fruit Smoothie: this is what I am eating for lunch right now because I go for my root canal next Wednesday morning....and I honestly can't chew a thing on one side of my mouth.
2. Ferrante Family; This is my sister who is my best friend in the whole world....she just completely gets me warts and all, and her husband and daughter are so much fun to be around. I can't wait for the 2nd Ferrante girl to make her appearance next month.
3. Futbo: a future review campaign coming up, that I have used my high school nephew as a consultant on....because he is king of all things soccer.
4. Facial: I could really use a spa day...they used to come around a little more often, but now that they are under my budget...not so much. I love pampering luxuries but I hate spending my own money on them.
5. Frugal: I just love a bargain. I can't help it....I search them out and savor them with every fiber of my being. Especially when it is something name brand that I can get a better deal on.
6. Fit: i need to get back in shape....that may seem odd since I work at a gym three nights a week, but teaching kids to do cartwheels does not make you fit. Although I love a good trampoline workout.
7. Flips: I am proud to say at age 36 I still love to do flips. I can do my back handspring on the trampoline still, and I love to do back flips into the foam pit. I even showed my mother last week when she came up to visit, and she was amazed.
8. Ferraro Rochere: I am a huge fan of anything that has chocolate and hazelnut....I am expecting a few of these in the mail sometime soon, and I am anxiously awaiting their arrival (yes I know it conflicts with being fit)
9. Flip flops: They are so cute and cheap plus go with everything.....except me. I have never learned how to properly walk in flip flops, and end up making a racket while they "flop" a lot and I struggle to keep them on my feet.
10. Facebook: I just don't get it....but apparently everyone in my family is on it. If you want to find me and know how I am doing visit my blog....I don't need no stinkin facebook


Well that was fun! Are you feeling challenged? If you want to do your own letter meme leave me a comment and tell me you want to play. I will contact you with your letter you have to work with.

I Have a Gratitude Attitude

I want to thank my fabulous readers who are like ongoing therapy for me. I mean really who needs counseling? Just start a blog. You can spill all your thoughts and have lots of people help you and affirm what you are doing. Yesterday, for example, I really wasn't quite sure what to do about Regan's limited fine motor skills and her acne, but you guys came through with lots of brilliant ideas. It even prompted me to look up what kind of pills could be found as acne treatment, and I am buying toothpaste next time I go to the store. I had used that trick myself in college and it works like a dream. I remember somebody telling me because real toothpaste was made with diatoms(?) or something like that and they dry pimples up quickly. Anyway y'all completely rock and I am sending out warm fuzzies your way(can you feel them yet).

When Pimples Rear their Ugly Heads

Poor Regan not only has she shifted into near full-on puberty...but it is beginning to show on her face. She has enough going against her at the moment with struggling at school, struggling in her new walker, struggling to adapt to a changing body, and now a changing face. Now John Mark and I both have oily skin so we knew both our girls would be blessed with pores large enough to keep your spare change in....but for Regan it is even harder.

I gave her some facial scrub to help when she is taking a bath....but it got up her nose and in her hair. It was not something her fine motor skills could completely master. As she is blowing chunks of Apricot Scrub out of her nose she asks me "You want me to do this every night, Mom"?

Then of course she has no idea of how to pop a zit when it gets a white head on it...so John Mark is pinching her face and she is screaming at us. I assure her we are only helping, and keeping your skin healthy is an important part of keeping your body healthy....then I resorted to the age old wives tale that was handed down to me....the good thing about having oily skin is that you are less likely to wrinkle as much later on....In your 40's you are going to be completely rockin it!

I wonder if her occupational therapist would take me seriously if I added zit popping to her list of IEP goals?