Real Women Scrap with Tasra Dawson

Celebrating Independence...Remembering a Veteran

Words fail me when I think of the loss of my Uncle Rusty. 

Last night as we sat listening to patriotic music and watched the fireworks exploding in the sky, I thought of his service in the Vietnam war. I thought of the service of so many other soldiers who served and still serve our country so that we can be free...to live, to love, to enjoy our freedom. 

So often we forget or just don't recognize the value of their sacrifice, the way that war can change a person and the long-term effects on their life, family, and health. Clearly we don't do everything right in America or as Americans, but the fact that we can turn it around, stick together and make a change is a tribute to what makes us different. 

This Fourth of July I'm committed to remembering and celebrating the life of my Uncle Rusty who passed away last month. This video from our celebration in the park last night is dedicated to him...

Friday Freebies: Campus Chronicles for College Kids

Chicken Soup for the Soul books have become staples in many homes across the world. They are quick and easy reads and are always filled with inspiring stories that motivate and encourage their readers.

I've had the opportunity to review many of these books and today I've got one for college age students. Particularly great for just graduated seniors about to embark on their college journey: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Campus Chronicles. The stories in this edition of Chicken Soup will give students a birds-eye view of college and what the experience can be like. 

For me, entering a 4-year college was such a challenge. More so than entering junior high or high school. It was completely new territory and I didn't have a clue what to expect. 

A book like this would have been so helpful in providing a glimpse of what I could expect. This book includes stories on Overcoming Fear, Love and Dating, Trying New Things, Good Friends...and Not, Campus Antics, Difficulties and Obstacles, Lessons Learned, Professors and Mentors, Family Bonds, and Personal Growth. You can find Chicken Soup books almost anywhere books are sold. 

Thanks to Chicken Soup for the Soul, I've got two copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Campus Chroniclesto give away to lucky readers. Here's how... 

WIN IT! 

Leave a comment below with your favorite Chicken Soup for the Soul book. 

EXTRA ENTRIES! 

- Subscribe to my blog (or tell me you already subscribe) - 1 entry 

- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the contest - 1 entry 

- Blog about the giveaway - 3 entries 

- Tell me why you want to win this giveaway - 1 entry 

Please leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win the giveaway. Winners must respond within 48 hours of email notification or another winner will be chosen. Open to US residents. Good luck and have fun!

An Old Tradition Gets a New Spin

A few weeks ago our church had a baptism service on Sunday. Our daughter decided that she was ready to be baptized and I was there to capture the moment with my camera. 

Not only did I take her pictures, but everyone else's as well. Baptism is often a once-in-a-lifetime event so I wanted to be able to give that memory to each person...even if they didn't have a camera of their own.

Then, I put all the best images together in a video that was played the following week. What an incredible response. Not your typical slideshow of images...in fact, the last few images set to music are the most powerful! Let me know what you think!

Monday Musings of a Busy Mom

So my inbox has been constantly hammered with new deals, special promotions, good ideas...it's a good thing. The only question is what do I do with all the deals? Today I decided I'd share some of the fun finds with you! Happy hunting!

ALICE: Your new best friend... An incredible new site, Alice.com, is here to save us all. Think of it as Netflix, but for consumer packaged goods - things like toilet paper, toothpaste, dish detergent.

SUMMER WEBSITE CONTEST: Camy Tang, author and blogger is giving away 14 boxes of Christian books! The rules and prizes are on her site. 

BlogHer Conference: Johnson & Johnson is doing a sweepstakes to give 20 bloggers the funding to attend the BlogHer conference. Just visit BlogHer and go to the “Sponsored Content” or “BlogHer Conferences” sections and you’ll be able to sign up to win $1200 in cash! Contest open until July 7th. Check out the official rules.

80's Flashback in Song and Dance

What was it about the 80's that made it so memorable? The bright colors, the rainbow leg warmers, the blue eyeshadow? There are too many "bad" style choices to even mention. But, they make for an interesting and colorful dance performance... as we found out a few weeks ago.

I mentioned earlier that our daughter was taking hip hop from Mr. B at her dance school. Yes, he really goes by Mr. B. Seems appropriate for a hip hop teacher. So they had their big recital a couple weeks ago and I caught some great images of all the performers onstage. Downsides of the recital...no AC in the auditorium. We were so hot...can't imagine what it was like for the girls dancing.

If you could learn any style of dance, what would it be? I've been wanting to learn Argentine tango for a while. And I'd love to find an adult hip hop dance team or class. Just because I'm not 13 anymore, doesn't mean I don't still want to get down on the dance floor. Anyone know a good dance studio for adults in ATL?

Win a FREE copy of "Dance Me, Daddy"

My kids gave their daddy the perfect book for Father's Day. It's called, "Dance Me, Daddy." It's a new book written by Cindy Morgan and illustrated by Philomena O’Neill. 

Being the dancing family that we are, this book was just the right fit for their gift to Daddy this year. I had my daughter write a short review about why she loved this book:

Dance Me, Daddy is a wonderful children’s book. It starts out at the beginning of a young girl’s life and explores the unwavering relationship of love that she and her father share. Since the beginning of toddler years to the wedding day the little girl enjoys her father spinning and twirling her in the symbolic act of the closeness between them. 

This book is a wonderful read for people aged 3-103 because it reminds adults of the love they can share with their kids and kids can understand the sweet simplicity of the story. Beautiful watercolor pictures accompany the story. Philomena O’Neil did a fantastic job capturing the same joy and simplicity in the images. 

Besides the book itself, you also receive a bonus CD with the song “King of the World” by Point of Grace. It's wonderful song in itself that mirrors the message of the book. 

A wonderful story, wonderful pictures, and a wonderful song- what more do you want?

There you have it. As my daughter said, "What more do you want?" If you're looking for a way to recognize a father, check out this book. 

Win a FREE COPY

Think this book would be perfect for the man in your life? Leave a comment here letting me know why they are the greatest dad and I'll choose one lucky winner to receive a free copy of this book.

You can get an extra entry by twittering about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and come back and leave an extra comment below.

And the winners are...

Winner of the The Noticer by Andy Andrews is...

Queue_t...Mom to 4 great kids, wife to one outstanding husband, worker bee and love to play and make fun crafty things. A girl at heart. lifelong learner. a sense of humor. Stories of life with one girl and 3 boys - I couldn't make this stuff up.

Winner of Battlefield of the Mind DVD by Joyce Meyer is...

Mrs. Deb (Debbie Anthony)...full of love, blessings, good food and gratitude.

Winner of The Note DVD is... 

Samme Rae (Samantha)

Congrats to all the winners! Send me your addy so I can mail the prizes to you. More giveaways coming next week!

What I Learned From Teens...

I read this great list from Tricia Goyer in her newsletter this week and thought I'd share it with you. What would you add?

10. When you don't feel like cooking you can order pizza and make everyone happy. 

9. The words "Great job, son!" still makes my son's face glow like they did when I gave him praise for no pee-pee in underwear when he was two. 

 
8. The fabric cutting and button sewing skills I taught my daughter when she was five come in handy when she is seventeen and wants to turn old jeans into shorts with bling. 

 
7. YouTube can entertain three teen boys for hours, and Charlie the Unicorn needs to be banned forever from the Internet. 

 
6. Cooking class can happen at 10:30 p.m. when my daughter gets a hankering for egg pancakes. (Recipe: Melt 2 Tbs butter in cake pan at 400 degrees. In blender mix 1 1/2 c. flour, 1 1/2 cup milk, and 5 eggs. Pour mixture into hot pan with butter. Cook for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Add syrup. Enjoy.) 

 
5. A 19-year-old who loved Legos as a kid does a stellar job at building a DECK on the back of the house under this Grandpa's direction. 

 
4. Teens aren't too thrilled when their friends find out THEIR good news on MOM'S Facebook page before they get to share. 

 
3. You can talk two teens into doing an impromptu video spot very easy ... by just asking. (see above!) 

 
2. A teen who is seeking God in prayer and reading the Bible daily GLOWS. (And helps with the dishes too.) 

  

And the #1 thing I learned about teens this week. 

 
1. Exchange students are amazing. Exchange students who return home can break a host mom's heart. I miss you, Andrea!

Filming Teen Identity Portraits Promo Video

Had a super busy week prepping for a major photo shoot with six gorgeous teen girls! We had SO much fun in studio and on location. I can't wait to post new pics from the shoot. Lots of laughter, candy, and great outfits. The bright colored skittles were flowing!

We also filmed a promo video for Teen Identity Portraits at the same time. We're including interviews with the girls about life as a teen, pressures they face, and body image. If you thought growing up was hard, you can't imagine what teens are facing today. We also interviewed yours truly about why I started the company and my inspiration.

Thought I'd share some fun publicity pics we shot during the filming. Let me know what you think!

Inspired by "So You Think You Can Dance"

Every season when "So You Think You Can Dance" starts, I share with you my excitement about this show. This year is no different and actually it's even a little better...for two reasons.

1. They are having 2 seasons this year! Summer and Fall 2009. And you can watch online!

2. My daughter has been taking hip hop lessons and has a performance coming up. We're going to film and photograph it with the Canon 5D Mark II. Can't wait to see the results!

I convinced her dance teacher to let me come in and grab some quick shots of the class in action. Enjoy and be inspired to get out there and shake your groove thing!