Once Upon The Internet by Marla Taviano

Please go here to read about and download

Marla's newest book.

Best of luck in her newest e-book!

So many wonderful stories

about Marla and her precious family,

meeting and staying with people (strangers)

all over the country, by meeting them via the internet.

We are so thankful this sweet family came to Texas

and were able to stop to stay with us (twice:))!

52 zoos in 52 weeks...and they said it couldn't be done!

With HIM all things are possible!!! -Philippians 4:13

"To God Be The Glory"

And to read Marla's great daily blog posts, please go here.

Blessings today and every day,

Kaye

Matthew 21:22

SUYL - What We Make

As part of Kelly's Show Us Your Life Friday's,
below are some newer items that have yet to be added
to the website.

Thanks Kelly for allowing us to show our work!

The picture above shows a donor wall engraved a
few years ago.

Above are wood frames engraved for a teams'
coaches this 2011 season.

A new wedding tile made for a bride and groom recently,
as part of their wedding registry at a gift shop nearby.

An engraved wedding gift was drop-shipped
to a couple several weeks ago and they
subsequently ordered a tile
for their new home showing
their street number.

And one of my closest friends recently welcomed
a new grandson, Kaden.
I shipped the above tile to her home and now the argument
is who does this gift belong to;
the parents, or the grandparents:)

Thanks again Kelly for allowing us to show
our work links on your SUYL Series.

Have a blessed weekend,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

Save a Diaper, bless a Mom!

Please help me...help Marla!!!! I don't think the links 'copied', so please visit her site where you can click away! Thanks in advance for helping our sweet friend. Blessings always, Kaye

Please go to Marla Taviano. The post below was written by Marla yesterday, May 4, 2009.

Errrrrrnt! Errrrrrrnt! Errrrrrnt! We interrupt our regularly scheduled Zoo Programming to bring you this Not-Really-Urgent-(But-Sort-Of) Message.

I need your help.

My book, Changing Your World One Diaper at a Time, is in trouble. It’s just not selling very quickly, and I’d really hate for it to face early retirement (like Blushing Bride did). I’ve gone ’round and ’round before on the blog about how it makes me squirm to promote my books and all that jazz. But, bottom (ha!) line, if people don’t buy my books, the publisher stops printing them. And besides that being a big bummer for me personally and professionally, I think it’s a good example of poor stewardship. I know God wants me to give this my all. So, I’m going to.

Here’s how you can help, if you’re so inclined:

1. You can click on this link and buy the book (through my Amazon store, not from me–I’m out of books at the moment) for a special mom for Mother’s Day. Now, I can’t promise that she’ll get the book in time for Sunday, so here’s what I’ll do. If you buy the book, e-mail me and let me know. Give me the name and address of the gal you bought it for, and as a thank you to you, I’ll send her a special Mother’s Day card that should get there in time. (How about we make the deadline Wednesday at noon?)

2. If you bought a copy of the book for someone awhile back and think a Mother’s Day card would make them smile, you can e-mail me too. I’m just going to ask you to donate $1 through paypal to cover costs, and I’ll tell you how to do that when you e-mail me.

3. If you’ve read the book and liked it, would you give a one-sentence reason why others might like it too? :)

4. If you have a blog and would like to review the book, my publisher will send you a free copy in exchange for your review. E-mail me with your name, address, blog address.

5. I have lots of postcards advertising the book. If you’d like some to pass out at your church or moms’ group, let me know!

6. And most libraries and bookstores will stock books on patron’s/customers’ recommendations, if you’re up for that.

Thanks, friends! You’re the best! And would you do me one last favor? Would you pray this week with me for our dear friends who long to be moms and for those who have lost little ones? I’ve got a few that are super close to my heart, and I’m crying out to God on their behalf extra this week.

Blessings!

Memories of Taviano's Visit #2

We were thrilled the Taviano's decided
to come back to Mt. Pleasant!
So.......we had to add 'back' to the
welcome sign!

Segway Lessons 101, with Maddie's help of course!

Gabe on 2 wheels! You Go Gabe!

Mary Katherine with The Taviano's before they left
for Memphis....

....and the sign left by them upstairs in the room they stayed in!
Very sweet of them to say good-bye this way. :( sniff-sniff

We look forward to reading more stories from their trip and
seeing some of the 3,000+ photos they took.
WOW, that is a lot of pictures.

Please visit here, here & here to read more
about their 2009 Spring Break trip
and also about the zoos
they've visited in the past several months
and more currently,
the zoos they've visited during the past 2 weeks.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visits with them while on their
way to zoos in South Texas and their visit coming back
through here on their way to visit the Memphis Zoo.

As I said in the first post I wrote about their stay here with us,
"We'll never be the same", p.e.r.i.o.d.

They are such a wonderful, uplifting,
beautiful, positive, Jesus loving family!
If they are on your family's route for their next zoo trip,
I promise you would be very blessed to meet them and
to host them in your home.

We miss you and love you and
appreciate your prayers more than you know,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

"Lord, what a joy and security it is
that we may, that we must, pray together."
-Corrie ten Boom-Each New Day-April 24

And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying,
"This is the way, walk in it," when you turn
to the right or when you turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21

Guess who's coming....back!

Yes! They'll be back tonight!

So I took this out of one of Marla's books....

And engraved some of these for her!

Couldn't think of anything more appropriate for
a wonderful author.

From reading both Marla and Gabe's blogs the past few days,
I think they've enjoyed this trip to Texas and they found out
Texas is a BIG STATE!

Praying for safe travels throughout the remainder of their journey.
I hope to post more stories and pictures from their stay here later!

Blessings always,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord,
"My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust."
Psalm 91:1-2

Loyal Friends

The tiles shown were shipped today to Fayetteville, Arkansas. These are ordered each year by a sweet friend I worked with many years ago while he coached at Louisiana-Lafayette then The University of Arkansas, and is now a high school coach in the Fayetteville area. These are personalized with names and numbers and will be given to his Senior athletes during their Spring Athletic Banquet.

When he placed his order he told me the parents have really enjoyed their daughters' receiving these in years past, so he wanted to keep the tradition going.

Whatever the sport, it is 'all about going home', isn't it?

I had the great opportunity to work with many fine college softball coaches years ago, who I continue to stay in touch with even though we don't see one another quite as often as we once did. They are always close at heart and have been incredible loving and loyal friends through many good years and some rough & tough years.

I miss them all and hope to see one of these dear friends later this week! Needless to say I am VERY excited to have the opportunity to travel to watch her team play. And hopefully amongst all of the coaching she'll be required to do we'll have some catch-up "FRIEND" moments while we're there!

As the 2009 season winds down I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you the very best of luck for the remainder of the season and please know I miss working with all of you very much!
Thanks for being wonderful, loyal and loving friends,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

...encourage one another....
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Zoo #53 Along The Taviano Way

Welcoming The Precious Taviano Family

We were blessed beyond measure to host the
Taviano Family on Thursday night.

There are so many stories to tell and I spoke
in detail with Marla while she was here
that I simply 'cannot write',
but I sincerely want to tell everyone
a little about this wonderful family
of 'blog friends' we met here at our home.

Since they left here yesterday morning I've felt numb,
since I knew I couldn't 'write this story' I wanted
to tell so very badly.
Prayerfully I can start here and as I
can, I'll try to add more 'chapters'.....

First of all, we'll never be the same, period.

Secondly, they are the first 'blog' friends we've met.

Thirdly, we'll never forget this experience.

This family is a wonderful example of what God
is doing in the lives
of those who are willing to
simply ask Him.

They have prayed more than we can imagine for Him to provide
a way to make these trips to 52 Zoos in 52 Weeks in order for
Marla to write the book she envisioned writing several months ago.

God is answering each and every prayer along the way.
For starters He has provided restored health for Marla,
He has provided the finances needed for their travels,
He has provided homes for them to stay in along the way,
He has provided nourishment, new life-long friendships,
strength along the way, and
He is opening doors for His glory at each mile-marker
along the Taviano's way....

A gift engraved for their family.

Almost the 'whole' zoo!
Minus the doves, the horse, the geese, the swan & I.

When they were getting out of their van,
the first sounds they heard were gunshots..
(only in Texas:)...
Gabe was quick to ask,
'is someone already shooting at us?'

Hopefully he was able to breathe a sigh of relief
when I told him some of the guys were preparing for
a "Relay for Life" Skeet Shoot that was to be held here
today. We've been rained out but the organizers hope
to reschedule the shoot for a great cause in a few weeks.

The sweet ladies sorting through laundry.
I have bragged since they left to
everyone I've spoken to about
their precious daughters.
They are so beautiful, and they are
very respectful, thoughtful and loving,
a gift within itself
and a testimony to their parents for raising these
precious little ones.

As you can see from the photo,
each of them knew her own "job" while doing laundry.
I am convinced they are 'helpers' at home!
What a blessing....

They were so cute (and a little worried) when they saw
the signs in our home saying,
"$5.00 charge for whining" & a sign that reads "No whining".
One of them eventually asked me, "but what if we get hurt?"
I explained to them if they are hurt & are crying that is OK,
but it has been a long-term rule, (ask any of the grand kids),
"No Whining at KK's"!
Needless to say,
the Taviano girls didn't have to leave $5.00!:)

And let's not forget Nina may have met her
future husband while she was here!
Trent was shy about the situation, but I think there may be
something in the works:)
Please go here and here to read more about this chapter
of the story.....

Packing up and ready to go to The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler.
Notice the stickers; they are notes the girls write to one
another while on the road. They also had two strips of tape
in the roof of the van, with the states they are traveling to
written on the tape. One of the girls cut a drawing of a van
out of paper, and is was attached using velcro on Texas!
How ingenious!

Before they can leave, Marla has a 'book signing'!
Thanks so much Marla for the
autographed books for us girls.

And their off.........:( sniff-sniff....
to their next destination...then on to Houston,
then to Sea World in San Antonio,
then to Memphis, then return
to their home..(hopefully I haven't left any city out)?

If your family is on their 'route', it is my sincere prayer
that you have been or will be as blessed
by this sweet Jesus loving
family as we have been.....

Praying for safe travels and fun zoo experiences
throughout the remainder of their trip.
And I want to thank them in advance
for their continued prayers for our family.

Note to Gabe: Jack is standing behind his word
that the flat tire was because of
a nail in the tire while they were in Oklahoma!
He said no way could something
like that happen in Texas:)!

Blessings along this continuing journey...
With His "Tapestry Weaving" Love,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

"To the Lord I cry aloud,
and He answers me from His Holy hill.
I lie down and sleep; I wake again,
because the Lord sustains me."
Psalm 3:4-5 NIV

P. S. I am humbled and grateful for being introduced to the
word 'blog' by Mary Katherine a couple of years ago.
When she first said the word 'blog', I asked, "what is a blog?"
Later her husband suggested I 'needed'
a blog and I am very thankful.
There are countless testimonies that have come from
"The Blog World" and I will be forever grateful for
what this has done and is doing in my life,
and in the lives of so many others.

About Wellspring & Associates

Introducing my friend Valerie's business Wellspring & Associates.

Please go here to visit her website. She has two other sites listed in my favorites:

1. Perk Place
2. Gotta Buy

Hopefully soon she'll enter the 'blog' world!
Best of luck Valerie with these various endeavors and blessings to you always,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

And now a synopsis of what Valerie wants to help you with:

Everything we do is designed with one thing in mind...Building Your Business.


Wellspring means a "Fountain of Creativity." We are dedicated to providing our clients with creative, results oriented marketing communications ideas and solutions. Programs that help build strong brands, traffic and sales. Bottom-line...business results.

Founded in 1992, Wellspring & Associates is a marketing communications agency, based on a 'virtual staffing' business model. We build and lead teams of top industry freelance professionals, specifically chosen to meet your marketing communications needs.

This new approach to marketing communications resources benefits you, because you pay only for the talent you need, when you need it. Without exorbitant overhead fees.

The bottom line is exceptional advertising, marketing, and technology talent working on your business.

Corporate

Advertising Agency

Business Owner

Domestic

Global

Because of our unique staffing model, there is no bureaucracy to deal with, which makes for fast turn around. And, you will receive the counsel and work that is most appropriate for your situation, versus the traditional "retro-fitting" of your needs into someone else's services.

Wellspring can provide you with totally integrated communications services -- from strategic marketing communications planning and brand development to advertising, direct and internet marketing, promotions and events, database management and collateral development. Whatever your communications needs are, we can help you.

Sweet & Spicey

A sweet friend of mine, and one of my favorite 'shop owner' customers Gaylene, who owns "Sweet & Spicey" in Hobbs, New Mexico, called last week to place an order.

While visiting with her I asked how businesses were doing in her part of the country. She responded by saying things seemed slow for all businesses but she tried to encourage her customers when they were in her store. She said, "In fact I need a tile particularly for my store". I told her alright and asked what exactly she wanted to display there. The tile above was the saying she wanted, hoping this would give all of her customers a sense of security, even in these tough economic times.

If you're ever in her area, please go by and say 'hi'! Gaylene is an exceptionally wonderful lady who I have grown to love since we've known each other.

Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later...
It is a wonderful thing to be alive!
If a person lives to be very old,
let him rejoice in every day of life,
but let him also remember that eternity is far longer
and that everything
down here is futile in comparison.
Ecclesiastes 11:1,7-8 TLB

Nascar is still alive?

After hearing so much negative news about the economy I made a terrible assumption.

I thought SURELY I wouldn't have to feel the walls in the house move this Spring while Jack watched Nascar Races on TV.

Earlier today I realized after 'feeling' it, Nascar is alive and well.

All of which reminded me that a good friend recently emailed this picture to us and I wondered if anybody recognizes anyone in this 'very' dated picture!

Guess his love for racing will never wane!

Have a great weekend,
Kaye

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer;
thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
Isaiah 58:9 KJV

Intoducing Our New Animal ____________

This beautiful pure white dove was given to us today by Rhonda and I will be shopping tomorrow for a larger birdcage for he/she.

He/she hasn't been named yet but I'm leaning towards "Peace" right now.

This is a very meaningful and significant gift and we are very thankful. We've never had any type bird for a pet and never dreamed of having one so beautiful and graceful.

In the Lord I put my trust;
How can you say to my soul,
"Flee as a bird to your mountain."?
Psalm 11:1 NKJV