Welcome to Philanthropic Travel (a.k.a. Obscene Generosity) at www.buysavegive.com

Did I mention that I'm going to be on the radio tomorrow?

Yep, I'm driving to Murfreesboro bright and early tomorrow morning (8/28) to do an interview with Solid Gospel 105 for their Business Expo. You can listen in from 8:00 to 8:30 CST if you'd like. You don't even have to be local. Check out the interview HERE.

One of the aspects of my business that most excites me is the ability to give extravagantly toward non-profit and charitable organizations. I can also help friends with mission trip fundraisers. All the details are right HERE.

If you're going on a mission trip soon, contact me so we can work together to help raise money for your trip. If you know of a non-profit or charity that would benefit from being featured on my site, let me know and chances are, I'll add them. Then, if someone chooses your organization to receive a donation, 90% of the proceeds will be sent their way.

If you have any feedback for me about the site, I'm all ears. I really want it to be as clear, concise, and confusion-free as possible for the radio listeners tomorrow--and everyone else, of course. Thanks!

This post is one of the many found at Watercooler Wednesdays. Check it out!

Lori Todd
(615) 496-8079
loritodd@increasingfreedomnow.com
http://buysavegive.wordpress.com/

Lori in Nashville a.k.a. Her Royal Excitedness

Technology-Induced Need for Catharsis

Twice in the past week I've found myself in conversations relating to frustrating moments at the computer or with technology in general. I have to remind myself occasionally that my reaction should be registering a 1 or a 2 and I'm at a 10 (or higher!). I spoke with a friend this afternoon who is a professional videographer. He and I discussed the lack of physical catharsis in our work. We spend most of our frustrating moments working with technology, without a physical outlet for our pent-up emotions (I think of chopping wood, for example).

Interestingly enough, the word "catharsis" means: An experience of emotional release and purification, often inspired by or through art. In psychoanalysis, catharsis is the release of tension and anxiety that results from bringing repressed feelings and memories into consciousness.

"Often inspired by or through art." Not the result of hard, manual labor. Not the result of a 5-mile run. Not the result of 10 minutes with a punching bag.

So what happens, then, when we're too busy to stop for art? Too hurried to notice nature? Too caught up in our screens to listen to a song? Too wrapped up in work to stop for a puppet show or a tea party? Too tired to play pirates or princesses? Too fried to paint or sculpt or write?

When I press play on my CD player, I wish you could see the expressions on my baby girl's face. She absolutely LOVES music. As soon as she hears it, she lights up, she smiles, and she takes my hand along with her big brother's and begins to dance. We push the coffee table to the side of the living room and dance and dance and dance.

One of my favorite movie scenes comes from Life is Beautiful. In the midst of a dull, gray, cold concentration camp, the main character devises a way to broadcast classical music over the loudspeaker. Everyone stops. You can almost feel the intensity of their depravity in a single moment--yet, somehow, there is hope.

Every time I let myself stop and really take in Jenn Johnson's song "A Little Longer," I can't help but cry. That song leaves me completely undone (and, according to the definition of "catharsis," purified and cleansed). Jenn wrote "A Little Longer" after the birth of her baby girl. She transitioned from a lifestyle of writing songs with her husband, leading worship at Bethel Church in Redding, and traveling to help invite others into a sweet place of intimacy with the Father . . . to sleepless nights nursing a newborn, receiving gifts of spit-up and soiled diapers, staring at mountains of laundry with absolutely no energy left. From this place, she wrote "A Little Longer." Take a minute to listen--really listen. Drink it in. Close your eyes. Allow your spirit to connect with His. What if all He wants right now is one moment more?

What is worship? For me, one expression of worship happens when I corporately gather with other Believers and sing songs to our Great King. When I slow down, close my eyes, truly listen to the words, take in their meaning, offer them up to my Great God . . . I am often reduced to tears.

How brilliant of our Father to provide a way to release pent up emotions through the simple act of worship--an act that can happen no matter who we are, where we are, or what our circumstances. Slaves and prisoners who sing songs to each other--with each other--preserve their humanity with song, and hold onto hope. As a prisoner to my own fear, frustration, and unforgiveness, much healing has come simply from worshiping with reckless abandon.

My kids, who are 4 and 20 mos., stop to look at everything. They notice art and music where ever we go. They take in nature. They ask questions. They respond with raw emotion.

How cathartic.


This post is one of many featuring arts and culture: Watercooler Wednesday

Oracle Productions Auditions & Fall Show

I just got the following e-mail from Scott Crain of Oracle Productions and, of course, had to share!

I don't know if I'll be auditioning, but I'll definitely be attending if I don't audition!

Oracle Productions will be holding auditions for The Warp and the Weave, a play by Scott Crain, on Monday and Tuesday evening, August 25 & 26, from 7-9:30 PM at Lamplighters Theatre, located at 14119 Old Nashville Highway in Smyrna. Roles are available for 9 men and 6 women, ages 16 and up; auditions will consist of cold readings from the script.

Performance dates are October 23-26, 31, and November 1 & 2 at Lamplighters Theatre. For more information, call 364-5199 or e-mail the director at scott@oracleproductions.org.

Please note that we're in a new location; due to the increasing difficulty in booking weekends at the Shamblin, after much prayer and discussion, we've decided to move into a new (and somewhat larger) venue: the Lamplighter's Theatre in Smyrna. Auditions will be held in their blackbox space, but performances will be on their main stage. Here's a link if you need directions:

http://www.lamplighterstheatre.net/contactus.html

Please help spread the word---we need lots of talented folks---and we hope to see you all there!

Delicious Caribbean Food--At the Farmers Market!

Jamaicaway Restaurant and Catering, which is run by a delightful mother and son team, is my most recent "excellent food" find. Their food is SO flavorful that I just had to write a quick post about it. Here's another online review.

The kids and I stopped in for lunch one day last week. I ordered one plate with chicken and two sides (sweet potatoes with pineapple and rice with beans) that easily fed all three of us. Then, last night, Mr. Honey asked me to pick something up on my way home from having some dental work done (he wasn't feeling well--Tuesdays are usually our night to stay home and eat dinner made from our fresh, delicious CSA share delivered that afternoon, but I was coming home from the dentist and Mr. Honey was not only feeling puny, but also trying to finish up some work), so I stopped by Jamaicaway again.

For less than $20 I came home with curry chicken, jerk chicken, sweet potatoes, rice and beans, green beans, turnip greens, johnny cakes, and more (free) fried chicken than we could eat. The whole family ate dinner last night, the kids and I ate lunch this afternoon, and there are still some leftovers in the fridge.

The service was excellent. The owner took the time to walk me through the different options, and she gave me a ton of free fried chicken. Everything we ordered was different and flavorful. I loved it!

Since the Nashville Farmers' Market is undergoing major renovations, this restaurant appears to be a literal "hole in the wall," but a little time spent inside sampling the fare and mingling with the clientele will undoubtedly uncover a pleasant surprise.

Narnia in Crisp, Morning Air

Two things:

1) I LOVE THIS WEATHER! The morning air has been crisp, and Judah and I spent at least an hour on the porch yesterday morning reading the final book in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. We still have four or five more chapters to go . . .

2) I LOVE NARNIA! I told James last night that occasionally, I'll get glimpses of C.S. Lewis's theology and I find it really interesting. In the book we're reading now, I'm getting pictures of humanity, and C.S. Lewis is an excellent photographer. It's so easy to get lost in the stories, fall in love with the characters, and find myself in tears as I'm reading aloud.

If you haven't spent time outside in the mornings recently, and if you've never read Narnia, I just want to let you know that both of these things are making me really, really happy today!

Unabashed EXCITEMENT

Imagine me jumping up and down, doing a Happy Dance, and screaming, "I am so excited! I am so excited! I am so excited!"

I know, it's a stretch. But you've got a great imagination. You can do it.

OK, do you want to know what I'm so excited about???

Check this out!!!!!

http://ltodd.cruisetocash.com

We have all new websites! All new videos! A brand new Business Center! An upgraded Travel Center! New Concierge Cards! New testimonials! And . . .

I'm featured on the testimonials page!!! Woo Hoo!!!

I spent the last hour and a half talking to my husband about how excited I am.

I spent the hour before that looking at travel deals on the Internet with my dad. He spent $10,000 on a timeshare that allows him to receive discounts on his vacations. He pays a maintenance fee, and he's limited to resorts only--no condos or cruises--and there are only certain times of the year that he can take advantage of his investment. He has to keep track of points and schedules. He doesn't make a dime when he shares his inventory with friends and family. In fact, friends and family have to pay a fee to be able to use his service.

Now, compare that to what I've done. I spent $1,477 (and until this Thursday at midnight EST, the price is only $977) to become a private member of a lucrative travel business. My travel center offers condo stays around the world for less than $700 per week (most are in the $300 range--for the WEEK!). I get lowest prices guaranteed on my hotel stays. I get a free weekend at any Wyndham resort and a free Bahamas Cruise. I get unparalleled concierge service with access to my very own travel agent who customizes my travel for me and takes care of the most minute details.

And . . . I get paid every time I share my membership with someone who wants the same travel deals. I've already made back my initial investment and taken care of my monthly fees for the next year. Every cent from here forward is 100% profit. Goodbye debt! Hello, travel! We're planning to see the world this year!

Can I tell you how excited I am? I AM SO EXCITED!!!

I LOVE CRUISE TO CASH VACATIONS!!!

OK, I just had to share that. Whew. Now I can go to bed. :0)

~ Her Royal Excitedness

Eat Local. Eat Cheap.

Let me preface this post by saying that I LOVE promoting my favorite local restaurants, and my husband thinks that I'm decreasing his chances of getting the best online gift certificates in the morning by sharing this information. He looks at you as competition. I still can't help but share. :0)

If you like supporting local restaurants and saving money at the same time, click on http://eatlikealocal.com/ tomorrow starting around 7:00 a.m. to get discounted Original-to-Nashville restaurant gift certificates.

$20 gift certificates for $12

$25 gift certificates for $16

$50 gift certificates for $35

WARNING: the best gift certificates go FAST.

Then, go out and enjoy all of our favorite "original to Nashville" restaurants. It's how we eat out often without spending a fortune. We LOVE Nashville Originals!

Sign up to receive their quarterly e-mail at http://nashvilleoriginals.com/ and get e-mails like the one that follows delivered to your inbox:

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: Nashville Originals nashville@originalsgc.com

To: herroyalexcitedness@yahoo.com

Sent: Tuesday, August 5, 2008 10:57:06 AM

Subject: New Gift Certficates online Wednesday

New Nashville Originals discounted restaurant gift certificates will be available for purchase Wednesday, August 6th!!

Check us out Wednesday morning by visiting the following link: www.eatlikealocal.com/nashville

Certificates can be printed immediately after purchase. More detailed information is provided at the link.Thank you so much for your interest in The Nashville Originals and for your support of our community's independent restaurants. If you have any questions or need any assistance with gift certificate purchases, please call our gift certificate support line at (877) 870-DINE, or send us an email at support@eatlikelocal.com.

A Great Night and THANKS!

The Grand Opening Party for my new business was a HUGE success! Approximately 45 people were there enjoying the best Mediterranean food in Nashville while mingling around baklava and mango tea. Mmmmmm.

I want to publicly thank Kalamata's Restaurant for graciously hosting the party that went on and on and on and on . . .

Another HUGE thanks goes out to Cirvant (Terrance French, Tracye Dukes, Christina Pflueger, and Doug Pflueger) for providing some powerful, tear-jerking entertainment,

and my unending thanks to the following local authors, musicians, and artists who generously provided prizes and give-aways (these are all favorites of mine, too!):

Andy Reese for donating an autographed copy of his new book Freedom Tools,

Denise Roschelle Ridenhour for donating an autographed copy of her book Cottage Porch Stories,

Jennifer Martin for donating copies of her CD Near and Far,

Anthony and Mary Keith Skinner for donating copies of their CDs Forever and a Day and Crush,

Julie True for donating copies of her CD Healing Love,

Shon Hudspeth for donating two beautiful kaleidescope paintings,

Lydia Hejny for donating one of her fabulous Jazz paintings,

and Sheri Bertolini for donating two hours of free organizing from her business Sheri's Organized Life.

Finally, to everyone who attended, THANK YOU for spending your evening with us. We had a BLAST!

We got started a little later than expected, but the food and fellowship was so good, I don't think anyone minded much. Ken Shaw videotaped the presentation, and we all sat back to listen to Tod Bell, who (along with Mike Churchill) co-founded Cruise to Cash Vacations.

When Tod Bell started sharing about his journey with network marketing, I looked around the room. It was almost like introducing the Internet to a group of Amish people, expecting them to fully understand how to make it work for them after a 30-minute introduction.

Becoming a business owner and looking at the prospect of making tens of thousands of dollars a month working a few hours a day from home is so foreign when all you've known is working for tens of thousands of dollars a year working all day every day for someone else at a conventional job. Tod likens it to trying to drink from a fire hydrant.

Then, Tod told us about a man who works for an MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company. He has 100 people in his downline (people he has directly sponsored or people who are on his team). He makes $800 a month. That's a lot of work for less than $12,000 a year.

Tod told this man that with the same amount of work, he could have already made well over $100,000 by directly sponsoring the same number of people, and there is no telling how much he would have made in residual income since each member of his team would be passing up two members, half of their membership fees, and either $100, $200, or $300 with every subsequent sale.

Even if he only personally sponsored three people in one month and those three people sponsored three people the next month, and so on and so on for 12 months, he could have made 3.5 MILLION dollars in one year. Granted, that is a "perfect-world" scenario, and it often takes longer than one month to sponsor three people, but even if it took three years or five years . . . would it be worth it?

One of the main differences between MLM and Direct-Sales is that in MLM, it takes a long time to get established and you have to wait for a few dollars or cents to trickle up from your downline. In Direct Sales, you get paid first, and with Tod's company, you get paid BIG. You don't wait for the company to cut you a check; the people you sponsor pay you directly.

Big corporations spend millions of dollars in advertising to maintain and increase brand-recognition. On the other hand, companies that rely on network marketing invest their millions in their sales force. They know that the investment is worth it because they're not sending out a blanket message to millions of people who may or may not be paying attention. People still like to do business with other people. They like to buy from people they like and trust. That's why network marketing is so successful: it's me telling you about how great (fill-in-the-blank) is and you going out and trying it for yourself.

When's the last time someone recommended a movie that you saw? Or a restaurant that you visited? Or a new cleaner that you tried? That's network marketing. The difference, though, between that and what I'm doing is that when I share travel deals with my friends and family, I get to share in the profits.

When I book travel through Expedia, I get great rates, but Expedia doesn't pay me to use their services. However, with Cruise to Cash Vacations, I get great deals on travel AND I get paid. I have access to more hotels, condos, and cruises through Cruise to Cash Vacations than any other travel provider on Earth since we're backed by the largest private-label travel provider in the world. (For example, Expedia has 6,000 cruise itineraries to choose from; whereas, CTCV has access to over 13,000). We also have one million condos internationally that you can book online, but if you don't find what you're looking for, you can call a toll-free number and find out about another million that are available through contractual agreements.

If you've ever considered buying a time-share, you can now enjoy all the benefits of a time-share without sitting through a time-share presentation or shelling out thousands in time-share prices (not to mention the maintenance fees). And . . . instead of spending thousands on vacations, you can actually make thousands by taking vacations. It's a win-win all the way around.

For the next week, while all the new websites and training videos are being rolled out, CTCV is continuing to offer the introductory special: the $1,477 Voyageur membership for $977, which saves you $500 and gives you access to thousands of vacation options for pennies on the dollar, as well as three travel concierge cards that will enable you to travel and make money at the same time.

You can even make back your initial investment when two people you have introduced to the business become members. You can work from home and make an executive-level income. You can actually get paid to see the world. It's an absolutely glorious scenario for those of us who need flexibility and who love to travel.

Once you get your head around all the possibilities, you'll be as excited as I am! If you want to know more, we can get together, e-mail, or talk on the phone. I recently upgraded my cell phone plan so I now have unlimited minutes to talk about the unlimited travel destinations and unlimited income potential that comes with Cruise to Cash Vacations. I can't wait to start marketing the travel concierge cards as fundraisers for charity organizations and non-profits . . . .

Hooray for LIMITLESSNESS!

The Nashville Team is Rockin' it OUT!

So much change is in the air . . . and we're right in the thick of it! I remembered this morning that I have always felt as though my 30th and my 33rd years would be highly significant. Not only did I give birth to the most amazing children on the planet during each of those years, but I am also now in business again at 33, absolutely LOVING it, and thanking God for His promises!

I just HAD to share part of this e-mail with you. Every paid Cruise to Cash Vacations member received the following e-mail this morning. Thousands of people all over the globe are hearing about the awesome Nashville CTCV Team, and I'm part of it! SO exciting!!!

On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 9:21 PM, No-Reply CTC Admin wrote:

We had one more open BYOB (Build Your Own Business) Call last night designed for info regarding the new products and websites. It was a very good call and we heard from Bill even more exclusive deals that demonstrate the high class and quality that you get by being a member of Cruise to Cash Vacations.

Check out this 50-minute call: http://www.byoaudio.com/play/WfM7kqC4

**The $500 off Voyageur special is coming ending very soon!** Don’t hesitate to
utilize this special price to grow your business!

TESTIMONIAL:

In Nashville, two members [DAVE DURHAM AND LORI TODD!!!] held a house-party about CTCV. They invited a number of guests and 14 non-CTCV members showed up. After the meeting and when the dust settled, within 48 hours there were 6 sales directly resulting from that one meeting with 14 non-members there! And two more coming shortly.

This group is holding a 2nd meeting at a restaurant Thursday night
and 40 people are expected! [THIS IS TONIGHT AT KALAMATA'S--JOIN US AT 8 PM IF YOU CAN!] They are also forming a cohesive team that works together to
train, do live meetings, form marketing co-ops and more!

One of the things that will be powerful about the Business Center is the Member’s Forum where things like this and many other ideas can be shared. We will be
preparing a kit on “How to Grow a CTCV Dynasty with Live Meetings.” Very
powerful stuff!


MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW TO JOIN US FOR THE GRAND BAHAMAS FULL SAIL GETAWAY!

The full info about the CTCV Full Sail Info is available.
Go register right away!
Make sure YOU ARE THERE!
Go now to: http://cruisetocash.com/getawaybahamas.php

Fun with Finger Paints

This is what happens when a 4-year-old boy discovers unopened finger paints in the art closet on a hot, summer day, spreads out a cardboard box on the porch, turns on the hose, and invites his baby sister to get in on the action. The result?

A "slip-board." And hosed-down kiddos. What Summer Fun!

New and Exciting Information!

I have LOTS to communicate this time, so here's a quick topical summary:

• SURGERY UPDATE
• GRAND OPENING LOCATION
• BAHAMAS GETAWAY--ALL INCLUSIVE!
• INTRODUCTORY SPECIAL
• MEET THE CREW CALL TONIGHT

SURGERY UPDATE
You may have already heard that I spent the weekend in Vanderbilt's emergency care suffering from a large kidney stone that was removed yesterday morning after it was zapped with a laser. My new motto is "Stay Hydrated!" That was the most painful experience I've ever had in my life. Worse than endometriosis, broken bones, and two natural childbirth experiences. I wouldn't ever want anyone to go through what I went through this weekend, so remember to "STAY HYDRATED!"

I'm taking it easy at home, trying to catch up on e-mail, and getting ready for a big week ahead.
This Thursday is the Grand Opening Celebration of my new travel business!

GRAND OPENING
We have an awesome location: Kalamata's Mediterranean Restaurant in Green Hills (in the same shopping center with Starbucks, Smoothie King, Fed-Ex Kinkos, Pier 1, Diamond Jewelers, Oreck, Sprint, Elan, Jenny Craig, and Bank of Nashville) just past the Woodmont/Hillsboro Rd. intersection at Crestmoor and Hillsboro Rd. (across from Krystal's).

We're going to get there around 7 PM for dinner (we love the fish special!) and the party will start at 8 PM with desserts, coffee, tea, live entertainment, prizes, and fabulous giveaways. You won't go home empty-handed!

Tod Bell, the co-founder of Cruise to Cash Vacations will be speaking. Join us if you can. We're going to have a blast!

BAHAMAS GETAWAY--ALL INCLUSIVE!
Join me and my family as we venture to the spectacular Grand Bahamas Island from September 25-28 on an all-inclusive getaway.

Arrive on the Island to be welcomed at the beautiful Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort to enjoy 3 full nights and 4 days on the 1,200 feet of white sands and endless crystal clear waters. As the only all-inclusive resort on the island, surrounded by tropical forests and parklands, Fortuna Beach is like having your own private paradise. Enjoy memorable snorkeling in one of the world's largest reef systems just off shore.

The Viva Wyndham Resort, is not just "another resort"--"All-Inclusive" means that meals at our three restaurants, cocktails, wine and beverages, snacks and much more are included in your package. So are numerous water sports, lessons, shows and activities, including the Kid's Club and the new Viva Circus, with thrilling acrobatic performances, stunts and interactive trapeze lessons. Optional scuba diving, natural-park and city-marketplace excursions, jet ski rental, golf, cruising and fishing are just a few of the many possibilities that round out a Fortuna Beach vacation.

The Total price for this Amazing 4 Day "ALL INCLUSIVE EVENT" is ONLY . . .
Event Package 1 (single person) - $550.00
Event Package 2 (2 adults in one room) - $785.00
Event Package 3 (Family of 4) - $995.00 (children 16 and under)

EARLY REGISTRATION (Ends August 31st at midnight EST):

Price Includes
» Accommodations
» Full breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
» Unlimited beverages, cocktails and wine
» Welcome cocktail upon check-in
» Daily activities and fitness programs
» Unlimited non-motorized sports with complimentary lessons
» Enrollment in the Viva Kids Club
» Live nightly entertainment
» Nightly turn-down service
» All taxes, surcharges, gratuities
» Entrance to ALL Product and Marketing Training Events
» And ... much, much more.

Click HERE for all the details about the Kids' Retreat, Delicous Dining, Activities and Entertainment, the Circus, and more! You won't want to miss this fabulous weekend! Join us by registering today!

INTRODUCTORY SPECIAL
The introductory special will be drawing to a close in just a few more days. You have until midnight, Thursday, July 31, to become a Voyageur Member at $977 and enjoy a $500 discount. What comes with your membership? Take a look!

***Exclusive membership to travel deals and concierge service that are second-to-none. Book condos for a week and spend $700 instead of $2,300! Take cruises for pennies on the dollar. Travel on business and stay in hotels knowing you're getting the lowest prices available, guaranteed. You will be blown away both by the money you'll save on all your travel and by the VIP treatment you'll receive as a member!

***Access to unlimited vacation certificates for personal use or to give away as promotional offers or gifts (give away vacations to your family, friends, employees, colleagues, customers, wait staff in hotels and restaurants, or anyone who could use a vacation). Recipients can activate the certificates for a small fee of $5 to $55. Once the voucher is received, travel can be booked within one to two years, depending on the certificate. The recipient is only responsible for paying the room tax or port fees on hotels, condos, and cruises. If you haven't received a certificate from me, let me know so I can send you one!

***A $70 hotel card which includes a free weekend getaway at any Wyndham Resort in the Continental U.S.

***A $150 cruise card which includes a free cruise as well as a pre- and post-hotel stay.

***An $1,800 condo card which provides $1,800 worth of discounts on condos as well as a $350 cash-back rebate.

***Access to all three Travel Concierge Cards at wholesale prices. Buy them for yourself, buy them as gifts, or sell them for profit. For example, as a Voyageur Member, you can buy a $6,000 condo card for $800 and pay $0 for your next week-long condo stay. Use the card yourself or give it away--where else can you buy a $6,000 gift for $800?

***Rewards points on all travel, which translates into hundreds of dollars toward your next vacation: Get Paid to Travel!

***and SO MUCH MORE!

If you haven't signed up as a FREE MEMBER, now is the time. Take a look at the back office. Check out what Cruise to Cash Vacations has to offer. We have a full-disclosure policy. If you don't like what you see, simply unsubscribe. It's that simple!

DAILY MEET THE CREW CALLS
We have daily "Meet the Crew" conference calls going on throughout the week. I host the Tuesday night call at 8 PM EST (7 pm Nashville time) and I present on Wednesday nights at 11 PM EST (10 pm Central).

1-605-475-6910 Access Code is 190241#

Our call schedule is as follows:
Monday-Thursday-- 1PM EST, 8PM EST, and 11PM EST.
Friday--1PM EST only
Saturday-- 11AM EST only
Sunday-- 8PM EST and 11PM EST

If you'd like to hear Tod Bell, the co-founder of Cruise to Cash Vacations present the business on a pre-recorded call that you can access 24/7, call 1-618-355-1490.

Whew, that's a lot of information!

Hope to see you on the conference calls, on Thursday at my Grand Opening Celebration, and in September on the Grand Bahamas Island!

"Why did Mommy have a ROCK in her back?'

Night before last, I woke up in excrutiating pain at 3:30 AM--pain FAR worse than childbirth, endometriosis, or broken bones.

After an all-night stay in the emergency ward of Vanderbilt hospital, I had a kidney stone surgically removed by ureteroscopy.

I'm back at home on the mend, but I won't be able to pick the kids up for 2-3 days. I'm still pretty sore, but that's nothing compared to what I went through with the stone lodged in my ureter.

Prevent kidney stones! Stay hydrated!

Helen Keller, the reader.

During a recent trip to the downtown Main library, I picked up Helen Keller's autobiography The Story of My Life. I happened to land on a page describing her love of books. She writes:

"I have thus far sketched the events of my life, but I have not shown how much I have depended on books not only for pleasure and for the wisdom they bring to all who read, but also for that knowledge which comes to others through their eyes and their ears. Indeed, books have meant so much more in my education than
in that of others, that I shall go back to the time when I began to read.

"I read my first connected story in May, 1887, when I was seven years
old, and from that day to this I have devoured everything in the shape of a
printed page that has come within the reach of my hungry finger tips . . .

"At first I had only a few books in raised print . . . but I read them
over and over, until the words were so worn and pressed I could scarcely make
them out" (copyright 1954, p. 90-93; originally published 1905).

Helen Keller dates the beginning of her "true interest in books" to the first time her teacher, Miss Sullivan, read to her the book "Little Lord Fauntleroy." She remembers the experience with such vivid clarity that I simply must share it here:

"I recall distinctly the time and place when we read the first chapters of the fascinating child's story. It was a warm afternoon in August. We were sitting
together in a hammock which swung from two solemn pines at a short distance from
the house. . . . As we hastened through the long grass toward the hammock, the
grasshoppers swarmed about us and fastend themselves on our clothes, and I
remember that my teacher insisted upon picking them all off before we sat down,
which seemed to me an unnecessary waste of time. . . . The warm sun shone on the
pine trees and drew out all their fragrance. The air was balmy, with a tang of
the sea in it. Before we began the story Miss Sullivan explained to me the things that she knew I should not understand, and as we read on she explained the unfamiliar words. At first there were many words I did not know, and the reading was constantly interrupted; but as soon as I thoroughly comprehended the situation, I became too eagerly absorbed in the story to notice mere words, and I am afraid I litened impatiently to the explanations that Miss Sullivan felt to be necessary. When her fingers were to tired to spell another word, I had for the first time a keen sense of my deprivations. I took the book in my hands and tried to feel the letters with an intensity of longing that I can never forget" (p.92).

Later in the book, we hear from the editor, John Albert Macy, who has studied Miss Keller's letters and as well as the reports and letters of her teacher, Miss Sullivan. With regard to Keller's unusual command of the English language, Macy writes:

"No innate genius can invent fine language. The stuff of which good style is made must be given to the mind from without and given skilfully. A child of the muses cannot write fine English unless fine English has been its nourishment. In this, as in all other things, Miss Sullivan has been the wise teacher. If she had not had taste and an enthusiasm for good English, Helen Keller might have been brought up on the 'Juvenile Literature,' which belittles the language under pretense of being simply phrased for children; as if a child's book could not, like 'Treasure Island' or 'Robinson Crusoe' or the 'Jungle Book,' be in good style" p.336.

I couldn't agree more, which is why I often seek out books that were published before 1960 to read to my children. It is also why I eagerly flip through Honey for a Child's Heart for excellent book recommendations. This week we have the treasured Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall and Summertime from Porgy and Bess by Gershwin, Heyward/Wimmer. Lovely books. Rich, beautiful, transcending reads. Books to read over and over and over again.

Who needs toys when you have an imagination?

Judah is nearly always dressed up as something. Usually, he has a towel or bandana on his head and a sword in his hand. Prepare to hear an, "Arrrrgh, Matey! Where's the buried treasure? Are you ready to sail the high seas?" in his best pirate-growl. This behavior is not restricted to our home. No, it happens at restaurants, too. And parks. And grocery stores. And farmers' markets.

Yesterday at Kalamata's, a man asked me if this was just a phase. I responded, "I hope not. I hope he continues with imaginary play for the rest of his life. I hope I'm raising another James M. Barrie, the Peter Pan playwright." It's easy to forget how to pretend. Our kids remind us, though, that it's like riding a bike. You never, ever lose your ability to make swords from rolled up paper, eye-patches from rubber bands and old scraps of leather, and treasure boxes from anything that will hold a simple object.

More and more, I'm convinced that kids--especially boys--don't need conventional toys. Nearly all of the (plastic) gifts Judah received for his 4th birthday on March 1 are now broken and tossed in the trash. It's only July. At the same time, he rarely plays with anything more than his blocks and his "dress-up stuff." He loves to dress Miriam up, too, and swordfight as you can see from the picture. Give the kid a couple rocks, some sticks, and some dirt and he'll be deliriously happy for hours.

Miriam, on the other hand, loves to hold hands and dance. Put on some danceable music (our favorite right now is "R U Ready" from Godfrey Birtill & Band's Very God), and she gets Judah on one side and me on the other and instantly gets us all dancing. She's all of two feet tall, but she can move!

She has also taken to carrying around a little purse (thank you, Nana Pajama Pants!) and a little doll (thank you, Auntie Bec!) as she makes her way around the house and to the car, just like Mommy.

People often ask me about the kids and their imaginations, their verbal skills, and their temperaments (when they're not mid-meltdown, of course). I tell them that my secret is very little screen time (less than one movie a week for Judah and no screen time at all for Miriam until she's at least two) and LOTS of excellent books (check out Honey for a Child's Heart for recommendations).

We read book after book after book after book--all day. My favorite part of the day happens when Miriam goes down for an afternoon nap and Judah and I read the next couple chapters of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

We cuddle up in my bed and read for at least an hour. We're approximately one-fourth of the way through the final book in the series. As excited as I am about finishing, I'm also sad that it's about to end. Those books are treasures. The real treasure, though, is the sweet time I'm getting with my growing young man while he's still small enough to sit in my lap and "cozy up."

This post is part of the Water-Cooler Wednesday blog carnival at Ethos.

Update on Caroline and Whitney

Here is the latest on the girls:

Whitney broke her back. If she stays immobilized her spine is lined up perfectly and she is not paralyzed. She will be fine as long as the body cast can keep her lined up that way. Caroline suffered a clean break in her upper arm. She will be fine as far as they can tell but, she is in a tremendous amount of pain. Pray Pray Pray.