Yes, My Sister’s Jar has been filling up the pages of the internet for three long years now. Wow! And for ONE of my faithful readers, including anyone new who happens to find MJS today, I’m giving away a copy of each of my books: Laughing in the Midst of Mothering and Laughing in the Midst of Marriage. Both books are guaranteed to make you grin, if not/and/or loudly guffaw while holding your belly while tears stream from your eyes from the hilarity of the stories. Really. I’m not just saying it because I lived through them either.
Yes, you read that right… TWO FREE books! Wow! Generosity is seeping from my pores today. Here’s how it works. Leave a comment with your name in the comment section below. I painstakingly copy all the names onto paper, carefully cut them into strips, fold them so there’s no cheating, drop them into a light blue snowman bucket, and then….. drumroll please….. one of my darling children reaches in and picks out a name. I broadcast the winning name on this blog in the comment section, as well as the next blog. So you have to be okay with your name being broadcast. Well, you could use a fake name, and then simply notify me before I mail the books as to your truthful name. I privately email you for your mailing address, which is NOT broadcast for all the world to see. Free contest starts now and ends at Feb. 2, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. (Members of my family are not eligible, nor people from Guam or Madagascar…. just kidding….. not kidding about my family!)
Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for being faithful readers to this overworked homeschool mom/author. It does my heart good each night as I check the blog stats and drift off to sleep with happy thoughts that I just might have made someone smile today with these words I type. You guys ROCK!
Happy Three-Year Blog-a-versary!
And my sweet husband adds, “You can buy the books at www.cbd.com.” I’m not a saleswoman… I’m a mom!
Tags: anniversary, author, blog, blogaversary, contest, free, free book, free books, give away, homeschool, homeschooling, laugh til it hurts, laughing, marriage, mom, motherhood, mothering
My Sister's Jar 
February 1, 2011 at 10:42 pm |
Howdy, Linda! Didn’t know you had a blog or a second book. Great job! The covers are simply darling, and I trust the content is even better. How cool it would be to enjoy your hard-earned insight! Look forward to seeing who the lucky gal is…
February 3, 2011 at 9:34 am |
Thanks, Jennifer. I love the covers too. Of course I had nothing to do with them. :o) And I love your line “hard-earned insight”! So true!
February 1, 2011 at 10:45 pm |
Linda, I love your blog! I feel your pain and joys of marriage and motherhood. SO GLAD to have reconnected via facebook. I think YOU rock!!!
February 3, 2011 at 9:34 am |
If only for reconnecting with the Bensons…. facebook was worth it!
February 1, 2011 at 10:49 pm |
I’d love to be entered in the drawing! I have eight children so it is either laugh or cry all the time! lol
February 3, 2011 at 9:35 am |
Eight kids. You are my hero, Tracy. XOXO
February 1, 2011 at 10:55 pm |
Wow, didn’t know you had a blog. Thanks for putting the word out on the KONOS loop! Many blessings and congrats.
Cheryl in MA
February 1, 2011 at 11:51 pm |
I’d love to read your books – I’ve been meaning to buy them anyway! You have always made me laugh, so I would love to benefit from your experience while laughing at the same time!
February 3, 2011 at 9:36 am |
“Benefits amidst the Laughter” ~~ another good book title! :o)
February 2, 2011 at 4:15 am |
Please enter me in your drawing. I found your blog via the Konos group. I was even more excited when I saw adoption as one of your tags :). Adoption is near and dear to our hearts as well. I am looking forward to exploring your blog further.
February 2, 2011 at 7:44 am |
Hi Amy, Yes, we’ve finally adopted a 7-year-old Colobiana princess after a four year wait. We just got home 6 weeks ago. Some of the tales are here on the blog… with some pictures of course, because I’m a new mom! :o) Blessings, Linda
February 2, 2011 at 5:30 am |
I had totally forgotten that this “series” had begun!! Congratulations on your Blog-a-versary!!! If watching you & the crew was fun & exciting, reading these antics will be great!!! Praying God’s best for you all!!!
February 3, 2011 at 9:37 am |
I miss you! :o( Come home!
Somehow, somewhere… the story of trying on hot-sexy boots with you will find its way into a book.
February 2, 2011 at 5:43 am |
It’s been a long homeschooling winter in Minnesota this year. I would love a good book that actually might make me guffaw.
February 3, 2011 at 9:38 am |
And it’s only February! I feel your pain…. we lived in Northern Alberta for several years. Keep up the good work!
February 2, 2011 at 5:57 am |
I SO need a few laughs!!!
February 3, 2011 at 9:39 am |
Don’t we all! Don’t we all!
February 2, 2011 at 6:40 am |
It’s a contest. I love contests. :) Happy blog-versary.
February 2, 2011 at 6:58 am |
Actually Linda, just wanted to say hi but dont’ worry about putting me into the drawing, please. :)
February 3, 2011 at 9:41 am |
I miss you! We could be having play dates now!!!
February 2, 2011 at 7:06 am |
I just learned about your website from the konos sit. Looking forward to checking it out.
February 2, 2011 at 7:19 am |
Hi LInda, just stumbled across your blog (via your KONOS post!). I have had already had some fun reading some of your older posts!
Congrats on three years of blogging!
February 2, 2011 at 7:37 am |
Thanks for the opportunity, Linda. And thanks for posting the info on the Konos yahoo group.
February 3, 2011 at 9:45 am |
I lived for the posts on the Konos group ten years ago! It helped me so much! I’m glad you’re on there!
February 2, 2011 at 7:39 am |
YO QUIERO UN LIBRO! :) I love your blogs (both of them!). Thank you for sharing for three years your toughts and experiences.
February 3, 2011 at 9:46 am |
You’re welcome! Thanks for reading!
Love love love the Spanish!
February 2, 2011 at 7:49 am |
Linda, I pray for your family often, we have been so touched by your family. I was reading your blog a couple of weeks ago and just cried and cried over the pictures of your son after the “face of winter sports” life changing experience. My kids were all looking at me like “what is wrong with you?” I just felt all of those mom emotions to my core for my dear friend. We are so excited about Nora for I know how God placed her in the heart of your family years ahead of her arrival. I pray for you every time I see a post on the loop, and every time something crazy happens in my yard, with the animals, I remember all of your funny stories. Well, you know all too well how cold it can be when it is freezing in Texas. Our high was twenty for a couple of minutes yesterday, most of it in the teens. We are iced over with the same forcast for the rest of the week. When it is cold, I remember how selfless Rick was in helping us fix our car in that kind of weather. Thank you for writing these books, they have made me laugh and cry and read them out loud with my husband. Lord Bless your family today.
February 2, 2011 at 5:10 pm |
Thanks, Darby! You are such an awesome friend! I think of you every time I see the purple glass butterfly in my bathroom! Have a blessed day!
February 2, 2011 at 7:59 am |
Things you write always make me smile! Thanks! Love your blog!
February 3, 2011 at 9:47 am |
Thank you! Smiling is my favorite!
February 2, 2011 at 8:04 am |
yeah for a give-away! thx for sharing your heart – if i don’t win these books, i’ll just have to buy them! can i just buy them from you?!
February 2, 2011 at 12:48 pm |
Yes, I have stacks here…. and I give a discount it you pick up! :o)
February 2, 2011 at 8:19 am |
Hi from Mn.
February 3, 2011 at 9:47 am |
Hi Denise! I’m sorry I missed your birthday! I hope it was wonderful, like you!! Miss you! Hugs your sweet kids for me! XOXO
February 2, 2011 at 9:07 am |
Happy Blog-a-versary! I would love to be the winner, but if not, I”ll listen to your husband and visit cbd.com. Thank you for the opportunity!
February 2, 2011 at 9:19 am |
Linda, I got both books for my daughter and my daughter-in-law. But I read them before I sent them. You know that Mothers have to check out what their kids are reading.
I’m waiting for the book about Nora’s adoption. I so much enjoyed following it on FB.
February 3, 2011 at 9:49 am |
I used to think, “Who would care to read the story of our adoption?” But then I remember that the stories of other successful adoptions were what got me through the four year waiting period!
It is coming… but not real soon.
February 2, 2011 at 9:34 am |
Wow Linda…I didn’t know you have 2 books published already.
February 3, 2011 at 9:49 am |
Hi Peiwen! I hope all is well with your family!
February 2, 2011 at 9:54 am |
I love reading all about your adventures. And I love a good contest :)
February 3, 2011 at 9:50 am |
Adventure is out there! (and in here!)
February 2, 2011 at 9:57 am |
I’m posting because I know that laughter is so often the best medicine, especially for crazy endeavors like marriage and child rearing, and because I really like winning things.
February 3, 2011 at 9:50 am |
I’m convinced that God created laughter as a coping mechanism for mothers and wives!
February 2, 2011 at 10:34 am |
Very cool! Happy Blogaversary! I love reading your blog! God Bless you and your family!
February 3, 2011 at 9:51 am |
Whoooo HOoooo! You won! Congrats! I enjoy reading about your little girls as well.
February 2, 2011 at 10:37 am |
I sure could use a laugh about now! Although it might hurt… got gall bladder trouble, 9 kids and surgery scheduled soon. The books sound and look awesome!
February 3, 2011 at 9:52 am |
Your comment won the runner-up prize for the woman who most needs to laugh even if her name wasn’t drawn. Please send me your mailing address! God’s best for your surgery!
February 2, 2011 at 11:33 am |
Thank you for posting this on the KONOS yahoo group! I always love reading your responses to people’s questions and look forward to browsing through your blog! A book to make me chuckle in the midst of being snowed in with four little boys would be AWESOME!!! :)
February 3, 2011 at 9:53 am |
There’s going to be a special place in heaven for a mother with four boys! Keep fighting the good fight!
February 2, 2011 at 4:58 pm |
Linda,
Es fabuloso that you’re having Nora teach the kids espanol! I’m another Konos mum , who thinks that it would be easy to homeschool if I didn’t have any teens, baby, nor real estate agents (selling the house for our landlady) causing all sorts of unscheduled interruptions! I’d love to laugh at something besides the ridiculosity of my life at the moment.
February 3, 2011 at 9:54 am |
THAT is how these books were born. I started keeping track of the ridiculousness of it all! Hang in there….. the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train!
February 2, 2011 at 5:32 pm |
Thanks for the contest! I love fun books! I also read another comment reguarding adoption so I can’t wait to read more of your blog! I your post on Konos by the way.
February 3, 2011 at 9:55 am |
Yes, Michelle, we have officially been adoptive parents for 2 1/2 months now. It’s the BEST thing going! I love my little Colombian princess!
February 2, 2011 at 5:52 pm |
I have meant to buy your books and just never got around to it! And I didn’t know you had a blog! Looking forward to catching up with the blog! :)
February 3, 2011 at 9:56 am |
Pace yourself…. and wear Depends. :o)
February 2, 2011 at 5:53 pm |
Wow! How do you have time to homeschool, blog, write books, and find humor in it all?
February 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm |
We don’t have TV and my children do all the cleaning! :o) I’m going to go into housework shock when the kids finally leave home!
February 2, 2011 at 6:10 pm |
Hey Linda!!! HAPPY BLOG-A-VERSARY!!! I don’t get here as often as I would like but you never fail to entertain me, when I do. I LOVED the 1st book and I’m sorry to say, I have not gotten the 2nd one yet. My Bad!!! But I will, whether I win here or not. Tell Rick thanks for the http://www.cbc.com info. Love Ya!!! Lisa
February 3, 2011 at 9:57 am |
www. cbD.com. Thanks Lisa. We really need to get together and get caught up on each others’ lives!
February 2, 2011 at 6:32 pm |
Congratulations on your anniversary. You have been entertaining us for much longer though. I hope you keep it up for a long time!
February 3, 2011 at 9:57 am |
I miss you, Barb! Laughing is my life calling…. :o)
February 2, 2011 at 6:58 pm |
Linda,
I hope we have a chance to meet someday! I desire to become more like you! I would love to use my talking skills and humor to encourage others someday! We are like sisters, at least we have the same Father!
February 3, 2011 at 9:58 am |
I would love to meet you too! Keep me posted on your adoption!
February 2, 2011 at 7:47 pm |
Linda,
Greetings from the frozen North!! And congrats on your blogaverary! I’d love to receive one of your books – you’re a funny lady.
February 3, 2011 at 9:59 am |
Hi SUE! I miss you and pray you are well and warm!
February 28, 2011 at 1:42 pm |
Hi Linda: I am so glad to have “discovered” your blog. We have received our referral, finally going on 4 years now, for our own little Colombian princess! She is 4 y.o. We have not been as informed as your blog suggests you were with the process. I have had no info. as to timelines after referral, etc. We are waiting for our medical/background info. If everything is a “go” I would love to pick your brain re. travel, what to bring, etc. Loved your blogs, what an amazing & humorous writer you are! Thanks very! Laurel