(image from celluloidheroreviews.com) No wonder his parents gave in to his request. Look at that face! Too bad my kid has a cute face, too.

“I want a Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle. Oooooooh!”

Now, instead of a round-faced spectacled young boy, picture a curly-haired, green-eyed young girl saying:

“I want a Cinderella dress that lights up with a Cinderella ring and a Cinderella salon. Oooooooh!”

With Ralphie-like enthusiasm, my preschooler knows what she wants for Christmas. Over and over and over again, when asked by aunts, grandparents and friends, this has been her response. It wasn’t always this answer, though. First, it was “sparkly pink light-up shoes.” So, we got her some. They’re waiting anxiously in my closet, ready to be opened Christmas morning. But will she have an enthusiastic response? Or …

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(image from ugo.com)

In less than an hour, there will be a Powerball drawing for 500 million dollars. Just typing that out feels ridiculous, a bit like Dr. Evil with a pinky to my lip. I have to admit there’s a part of me that gets caught up in the excitement. A big enough part that I actually went and bought a ticket. One single ticket. I invested $2 in our state’s economy, and I’m sure to lose that investment. But what if I didn’t. What if I won? Even a small portion? What would I do with that much money? Realistically? Here’s what I would do:

1. Have a panic attack.
2. Scream.
3. Have another panic attack.
4. Call an attorney.
5. Hire a bodyguard.
6. Buy an armored car.
8. Send large, anonymous …

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He’s got this, too.

(image from careermomentum.com)

Job searching. Let me just say this process is no fun. Scanning online ads, reaching out to friends and family for leads, spending hours on one cover letter, and I feel like this search has become a part-time job in and of itself. And while I’ve only been at it for a couple of weeks now, I’m worried. Worried that the money will run out before the job comes in. Worried that potential employers will see the small gap on my resume (when I chose to stay home with my girls), and think I must not be cut out for full-time work. Worried that I’m walking into the unknown and might make the wrong decision. Worry. Worry. Worry.

And all this while, I’ve lost sight of Him. I’m somehow built this bubble around …

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Brooke loves to drive it off the tee! Before playing, she always puts on “sunscreen and stretches. During the round she drinks plenty of water and has a healthy snack, like an apple. When she’s not on the golf course, Brooke enjoys volunteering at the local animal shelter and hiking.”

My recent post about my daughter’s decision to NOT ask for Monster High dolls for Christmas sparked an online conversation with the makers of Go! Go! Sports Girls–a line of dolls developed to deliver a fun and educational way to promote self-appreciation and the benefits of daily exercise, healthy eating and sleeping habits, self-esteem and overall healthy life-skills for girls ages 3-12. Because of my interest and advocacy for healthy media images for girls, the Dream Big …

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I wouldn’t trade my post-baby body for my skinnier self. My girls are completely worth it. The hair was pretty cool though…

Flat stomach. Sleek thighs. Tight tush. Whether you’re a size 18 or size 2, you’ve probably looked in the mirror and desired to see these attributes. As women, we’re taught from an early age that beauty is defined by how you look in a pair of blue jeans, and that an extra squish should be taped down, bound up or just plain sucked out. We toss around phrases like “real women have curves” and “big is beautiful” but most of us don’t feel this way. We subconsciously suck in our post-baby pooch when someone else enters the room, and we thank the Lord for Spanx. We crave the feeling of being “thin,” all …

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…I went on a date with a young man. One I’d met while we both worked at Sheplers, after I’d asked him to “clean my boots.” (Read the full story here.) He was charming, and funny, and handsome, and I fell head over western heel. Yesterday, that same young man had his attention on another girl at Sheplers. At 41 inches tall and 38 pounds, she consumes his whole heart. As he helped her buy her first pair of “real” boots, I couldn’t help but stare in wonder. Never in my wildest dreams did I see this in my future when I was 18 and flirting with a cute coworker. Never did I imagine that we’d be back here together, our little family of four. He stole my heart, and now she’s stolen …

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