Do You Like FREE?

I don't know how you feel about it, but I LOVE free!

Remember when I told you about the Cruise Chics Retreat in this post? I'll bet you got excited, then thought, 'I can't spend money like that on myself AND not take my family'  Well, guess what? Now you can!

I've been given the opportunity to offer my readers two HUGE perks when you register for The Cruise Chics Women's Retreat by August 15, 2012:

1. The chance to win your cruise at 1/2 price.  How can you NOT go on a 5 night blessed Christian women's cruise for only $289???  Your chances of winning are looking good and $289 for any cruise is an amazing deal, but even more amazing for this one.

2. EVERYONE who registers for the cruise with the code below by 8/15 will receive FREE pre-paid gratuities!! That saves you a lot of money!

Follow this link to the Cruise Chics website for more information.  You can register here.  When registering, write code SV13 on your registration form to receive your prepaid gratuities FREE and be entered to win your cruise at 1/2 off!  This can be you in April!

*Check back tomorrow for a special guest post by Michelle, THE Cruise Chic, herself!*

Have you been over to Meagan's Fairly Fabulous blog for the Birthday Extravaganza Giveaway yet?  

So far she's posted TWELVE giveaways!  Yes, I said TWELVE!!  Craziness, I tell you.

I entered each and every one of them and I hope you're entering, too.  There are so many great things offered and I'd hate for you to miss out on any of them. So, go on over and check it out.  Enter and see what you might win. Want to get really crazy? Tell Meagan that you found her through my blog in one of your comments. : )

It's Almost Thursday!

That's right ... Wednesday comes right before Thursday and Thursday brings with it

Are you excited about the Birthday Party Giveaway Extravaganza that Meagan is having over at Fairly Fabulous?  I am SO excited.  Welcome to all of the new folks joining us today in an effort to be ahead of the game when the giveaways start tomorrow.  I'm happy to have you here at The Answers Are Simple!  

If you haven't gotten over to her page yet, Meagan announced today that there are going to be 19 Fairly Fabulous giveaways over the next week.  Holy cow ~ 19!!  Get on over there now so you can find out how to prepared when the giveaways start tomorrow!

A Quiet Evening

I'm not blogging tonight because I'm choosing not to blog.  My mind is swirling with many thoughts and I think this is an instance when silence is better than words.  Until these thoughts are sorted out.... good night.

True Friends

So, tonight's post was supposed to be entitled 'Facedumped' and was to chronicle the lessons I learned during my Lenten sacrifice of Facebook, however...

I have learned a very important lesson regarding friendship over the last few days that especially touched me tonight.  I decided to forgo the Facebook post until tomorrow and go with my friendship lesson tonight.  I hope it touches you in some way like it did me.

True friends...

...are there for you when you need them - whether you know it or not.
...know that sometimes you just need Mexican...even if it is just a reason to drink a pitcher {or two} of frozen margaritas.
...know how to listen, even when you can't talk.
...celebrate your badges - and have their own.
...send the text they know you need - even if you don't answer it.
...celebrate you for who you are right now, not who they want you to be.
...give you a bloggy award - because you're funny, but also just because.
...notice when you're missing.
...call when they get your cryptic email - even if they're busy.
...keep on you because they know you have 'star potential,' could be 'red hot,' or are a 'shining star' in the making - you just need to see it.
...smile with you when you're happy and cry with you when you're sad.
...understand that sometimes you have to 'buck up.'
...keep calling - even when you don't return their phone calls.
...understand that a relationship is reciprocal and cyclical.  It's not all about you and it's not all about them.
...are comfortable saying, 'I don't know what you're going through, but I'm here for you.  No matter what.'  Because that really does make a difference...
...totally understand that your kid just doesn't eat, or just has dry skin, or just doesn't sleep, or just can't run fast because that's the way they were made...and that's okay.

Thank you, true friends... for being there, for loving me, and for making me love myself.  I can't always be there for myself, so thank you for doing it for me.  I love each of you.