Me. The Cows. And Haiti.

So I entered this essay contest that Stonyfield is holding for bloggers…

… Cuz I’m really interested in learning more about eating natural foods, finding out where our foods come from, passing the goodness along to my boys, and all.

… I’ve been even more inspired after watching this movie   and while growing our garden.

… Well, just so happens that I was chosen as a TOP TEN FINALIST!

If I’m voted into the Final 3, I’ll be invited to tour the farms and facilities of Stonyfield to learn more about the farmers dedicated to organic food production.

(Wish I could take these handsome little farmers along for the ride. Goodness, they’ve grown up since this picture!)

Here’s the real kicker…

If I make the Final 3 cut, I’ll receive $5,000 to give to Three Angels Children’s Relief in Haiti.  An organization that has impacted me personally, our church has supported, and my brother recently visited. In such a time of devastation and destruction in this country, $5,000 of American money can make a HUGE impact.  (They also have a great FB Page if you’d like to see more of how they are impacting through their medical clinic, school, and orphanage in Haiti.)

Voting is simple.  Like 30 seconds - Tops. (Your Name, Email, And Vote – Easy Cheesy!) And you can vote 1x a day with a valid email address up until May 25th.

So mosey on over HERE (www.stonyfield.com/barnstorming/) to vote, and I will be super grateful (and so will Three Angels Haiti)!

 Thanks in Advance, Sweet Friends!

 

 

Hope Blogs #WVinDR

Some of my dearest blogging friends are in the Dominican Republic right now with World Vision.  After watching a handful of Compassion Blogger trips and gleaning so much from their experiences, I’m excited to see World Vision taking the opportunity to reach the world through blogger’s hearts. The things that they are sharing from there are so captivating and so moving that I had to share a few with you…

This story of a mother named Maria’s love for Jesus and her hope for her four boys living in the slums of Santo Domingo touched my heart.
These questions are fresh on my mind this afternoon…
This glance into how World Vision is impacting a community helped me understand more.
These faces made me smile back at them….
These words caused me to pray….
This uniting of Jill with her sponsored child who she’s been supporting for 10 years brought tears to my eyes.

My brother’s recent trip to Haiti, the earthquake, and these blogger’s personal experiences, are giving me a greater love for this people group and for reaching the world for Christ.  How about you?
(I’ve closed the comments on this post so you can visit the links above and to consider how God might be leading you to respond.) 

This post is linked to Saturday Stumbles at It’s Come To This

How Will You Fight Childhood Hunger?

As one of the bloggers teaming up with ConAgra Foods to help end child hunger, we’ve been encouraging people across the nation to rally together to make an impact in our communities.  You can follow @conagrafoods on Twitter or ConAgra’s Facebook Page for the latest updates. So far, the efforts have been encouraging, but there’s still lots that we can do right where we live.

Think hunger isn’t an issue in your community?  Think again.  Hunger lives in every state, town, school, and most likely your very own neighborhood.

But here’s the good news, making a difference doesn’t require a grand production or a large sum of money.  It’s things you probably are already involved doing in your community: setting up a lemonade stand with the neighborhood kids, throwing a garage sale with the things you’re no longer using, or pitching in as a neighborhood/school/church to collect foods. You can register your rally at Child Hunger Ends Here and they will send you a rally kit that includes a banner, posters, coupons to share, and a rally guide.  Then, donate a portion of your earnings online, and your efforts will go back to your very own community. 

My sweet friend, Danielle from Extraordinary Mommy is one of the 14 bloggers in 14 different cities hosting neighborhood rallies for Child Hunger Ends Here. She’s hosting “Lemonade Stand Saturdays” to impact her local community in Missouri.  Another blogging friend, Andrea from Mommy Snacks, is offering a coupon workshop to help raise money. Others have participated in House Party events to raise awareness.

Several celebrities are also getting behind this campaign with a neighborhood rally held on Wisteria Lane. There’s also a Celebrity Auction being held to benefit Feeding America. 

So how will YOU get involved personally? 

I’m working out a few details of my own (coming soon), but I’d love to hear your own! 

~ How will you respond to the “1 in Every 4 Kids in America Struggle with Hunger” statistic?

~ Were you aware that childhood hunger was such a serious issue in America?

~ Have you or someone you’re close to experienced hunger as a child?

~ Have you heard of the “Clothes Off Our Back” organization? It’s another great way you can get involved.

*This post is a sponsored opportunity via ConAgra Foods. My enthusiasm and heart behind this initiative are my own.

Secrets. (Giveaway)

I have a secret. Part of it lives in this box.

I almost hugged my UPS man yesterday in my driveway. Instead I told him he was the man.  He smiled knowingly.

Another box or 2 or maybe more are soon to be shipped.

I love secrets.  Except when I’m the one who doesn’t know the secret. 

Whoops…

How about I SHARE a surprise with you?  Does that make it better? This is a secret worth sharing. And I promise I’ll share what’s in the box(es) soon!

Here’s the scoop: Walmart and P&G have listened to the voice of families who want more quality options in family television and created the television movie “Secrets of the Mountain”. I’m thrilled to hear that someone is willing to focus on family-oriented and high quality entertainment for TV, because you and I both know it’s a rare combination. 

I’ve only seen a trailer of the movie which debuts on Friday April 16th at 8/7c on NBC and I’m anxious to see more!

Here’s a short trailer of the movie and interview clips with some mom bloggers you may know:

So how about a family movie night Friday night? Who’s popping the popcorn? =)

In addition, I have a giveaway to pass along to you: A “Secrets of the Mountain” Bonus Pack that contains the full movie and soundtrack produced by Randy Jackson (Yo,Yo, Dawg!) with artists such as Jordin Sparks and Brooke White.  

You can enter by leaving me a comment answering the following question:

How do you get your family to spend quality time together?

**Just be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you’re chosen as the winner (blog address, email, twitter)!**

Disclosure – Walmart and P&G provided me with a preview of the movie along with some popcorn and promo materials. I opted to write this post with my own words and opinions and pass this opportunity along to you because I believe promoting quality family entertainment!

 

Ultimate Blog Party 2010

Get your party dress (or comfy PJs) on! Grab a cupcake! Turn up the tunes!

This week (April 9th-16th) I’m participating in the “Ultimate Blog Party” over at 5minutesformom.com. You’ve heard me talk about my twin blogger friends before, and this week they are throwing a huge PARTY for bloggers and their readers.  It’s a great way to connect with other bloggers, build friendships, encourage one another through comments, and there’s crazy awesome giveaways too!  Join us!

It’s also another opportunity for me to thank YOU as readers!  You have faithfully supported and loved on our family through this journey. This blog would be an empty space without you.   Thank you for being our family behind the computer screen for over 3 years!

 

photo by: Megelaine Images 

If you are just joining us from the UBP, HUGE VIRTUAL HUGS from me, QuatroMama! I’m tickled that you’ve stopped by and would love to have you along for the ride! 4tunate is a blog about the adventures, joys, challenges, and bloopers in raising our quadruplet boys, Henry, Isaac, Brooks, and Clark.  Blogging began as a way to efficiently communicate our prayer requests and doctor appointment updates during our extremely uncertain high-risk pregnancy and has “multiplied” into something so much more!

Here’s a little video to give you a little more “up close” introduction to the family!

Be sure to introduce yourself and your blog (if you have one) in the comment section of this post.  I’d love to see what you’re up to!  And if you would like to follow our adventures feel free to subscribe to our feed and/or follow me on twitter. There’s even a 4tunate Facebook Fan Page, if you are so inclined. =)

I’m also fighting for this amazing cause right now that I’d love for you to check out!

And for an added GIVEAWAY Bonus:

To add to the party fun, I want to introduce you to some of my blogging friends! There are nine of us who each have a word hidden in their post. These nine words make up a sentence. We will each link you up to the lady who has the next word in the sentence—but keep in mind that I might not have the first word in the sentence! Once you have the sentence, e-mail it to sisterchickies@gmail.com with "UBP10" in the subject line. Each person with the correct sentence will be in a drawing to win a $40 Target gift card! Winner will be announced on all of our blogs April 19 and the winner will be e-mailed. The winner has 48 hours to respond or we'll pick someone else.

(Disclaimer: Some of us are slower than others, but we will all have our posts up by noon EDT on Friday, April 9.)

So for your next clue, visit Jill from The Diaper Diaries!

Happy Partyin’!

(As for prizes, my top pick would be the Toshiba, anything after that would be gravy!)

Child Hunger Ends Here

My definition of “hunger” is so skewed. Seriously.  For me “hunger” is what I experience about 2 hours after a full meal.  I have no real concept of food depravity.

Unfortunately, the same is not true for nearly 17 million children in the UNITED STATES that are not getting enough food to live active, healthy lives. That’s correct – not third world countries, the U-S-A. One in four kids who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, right in our own back yards.

Perhaps its your son’s playmate down the street, maybe it’s the sandy blonde little toddler in your church nursery, or the little girl waiting in the chair next to you at the doctor’s office.  Odds are you are in regular contact with the hungry.

I’m embarrassed to admit that often my first instinct when faced with an issue so vast is to turn my head. After all, how could I make a difference in a devastated population? It’s honestly difficult for me to wrap my mind around that children in our own communities are suffering.

That’s why this spring, ConAgra Foods is encouraging people across the country to rally together to help end child hunger. I will be teaming up with ConAgra Foods and several other bloggers in the next few weeks to demonstrate some ways we can make an impact in our own communities.(Your probably familiar with ConAgra Food’s top brands like Healthy Choice, Chef Boyardee, Manwhich, Marie Callender’s, Orville Redenbacher’s, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, and Banquet.) I love when corporations reach out to their consumers and get them involved in their efforts!

In partnership with Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization,
ConAgra Foods is launching its Child Hunger Ends Here Neighborhood Rally
campaign. Activities such as bake sales, rummage sales, food drives, school carnivals,
neighborhood picnics or other existing community events can become a Child Hunger Ends Here Neighborhood Rally, simply by donating a portion or all of the proceeds from
the event to Feeding America, which has a network of more than 200 food banks
across the nation. Money raised and food collected locally and donated online will stay in that local community. (Love that!)

So what can you do right now to help fight child hunger in your home town?

~ Check out Child Hunger Ends Here and find the tools and resources to participate in a Neighborhood Rally. 

~ Spread the word. Share this post with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.

~ Tweet the following message: “Help the Child Hunger Ends Here campaign. Each RT Donates $1 towards #fightchildhunger in @quatromama ‘s name! http://bit.ly/aW2vdd”

~ Consider a small donation of towards this cause. (100 pennies could make a world of difference if we all work together.)

~ Share with us how YOU are confronting this issue?  How are you going to make a difference where you live?

_________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s quit turning our heads to this reality in America and together start making a difference in the lives of those struggling with hunger!

 

*This post is a sponsored opportunity via ConAgra Foods. My enthusiasm and heart behind this initiative are my own.

My Favorite Twins on The Interweb

 

We were blessed to meet Janice and Susan from 5 Minutes for Mom at BlogHer.  They spotted our stroller at the hotel and we became instant friends. They are the sweetest, most hard working, energetic, and welcoming duo. I really hope that someday my boys will share as strong of bond (in a brotherly sort of way) as they possess.

They recently completed a redesign of 5 Minutes for Mom and it looks fantastic!  Love the fresh, crisp look, Ladies!

Today I was pleasantly surprised to see a video interview of our family featured on their site. It’s a super cute clip of our boys from the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.  Can you tell the boys were having the time of their lives? (And that was only the beginning!)

Thanks again, Janice and Susan!  You are both an inspiration and an encouragement to our family!

Harry + Hallmark + Me = Bliss

In all of the Disney Magic I’ve failed to share this with you…. 

It’s the gorgeous lovely ladies of Hallmark and moi with HARRY CONNICK JR.!!!! minutes after he serenaded the ladies of Blissdom with a private concert. 

And now you know why they call it “Blissdom” instead of “Misery”. 

Actually Harry (Yes, we are on a first name basis…bwahhhhh!) was just icing on the cake.  Connecting and deepening my relationship with friends was the CAKE of the conference.

More on the cake in a near future post!

Disney Quest 2010: Cinderella’s Castle

I could stare at it all day….

The only thing that can beat the castle at dusk,

Is the castle during the nightly fireworks show. 

Magic.  Pure Magic. 

Disney Quest 2010: First Flight

What better ride to pick as your first ride at Magic Kingdom than Dumbo? What’s YOUR favorite ride in the Magic Kingdom?

What a RIDE this has been for our family! 

 

PS I promise my posts will get longer when we get home and back to “normal” routine. And I might even post something non-Disney but for now we are soakin’ up the magic just a little while longer!  Thanks for riding it out with us!

 

Disney Quest 2010: Dancing With The Duck

I don’t think I was as excited to see the characters as a kid as I was to see them through the eyes of my little boys this week.  It truly is magical to see their eyes dance with wonder as Donald and Mickey stroll into the room.  This has been an incredible couple days that I know I will never forget……even if they do.

Quatro Daddy

Disney Quest 2010: Aloha!

The boys learned a new word today… ALOHA! 

Today we arrived at the Walt Disney’s Polynesian Resort.  (We feel like royalty!) The boys took their first trip on the monorail (bridge in the background), ate Pineapple Dole Whip, and are now taking a much overdue N-A-P! Tonight we’ll be partying with Mickey at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. It all feels like a dream! 

We cannot thank Walt Disney World enough for hosting the Disney Social Media Mom’s Celebration – it’s going to be a “magical” experience for our family!

Aloha!

Instead of Blogging…

Instead of Blogging I am…

..Scrubbing toilets

…Getting a haircut

…Confirming reservations

…Organizing the linen closet

…Throwing out old makeup

…Wiping noses

…Loving on my newly turned 3 year olds

…Filling up sippy cups

…Taking deep breaths

…Administering meds

…Checking the weather forecast

…Putting broken dump trucks back together

…Needing to read my Bible

…Making lists

…Checking them twice

…Trying to carry on conversations with my husband with major background noise

AND

 

PACKING for two back to back trips.

Oy! 

However, I did some marathon blogging for the Boys’ Birthday, so feel free to check those out if you haven’t already:

A Miracle in Perspective: First Pictures

A Miracle in Perspective: Preemie Diaper

A Miracle in Perspective: Hospital Bracelet

A Miracle in Perspective: Vitals 

A Miracle in Perspective: First Bottle

 

What are YOU doing today instead of blogging?

It’s Going to Be a February Trifecta

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ONE

In ONE week my preemie quadruplets are turning THREE.  It sounds so grown up.  So non-baby.  Not even “toddler”. I’m in denial…

But every day they are proving how big they are with their independence, their imaginations, their conversations.  We’ve heard that “three” is the new “terrible twos”, but I’m convinced that it’s going to be a great year!  (Remind me of this positive attitude when I’m up to my elbows in potty training, m’kay?) 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TWO

Our beloved Colts are heading back to Miami for a SECOND appearance in the Super Bowl.  Their last Super Bowl win occurred the weekend our boys were born. 

They sported tiny preemie Colts caps and “baked” under the billiruban lights.  Sadly, I don’t remember much of the game at all.  I was still coming off “The Mag” and Brad was splitting his time between me and the NICU. Perhaps this year we’ll be able to concentrate a little more on the game.

 

 

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THREE

Also in February we’ll be spending THREE nights at a Walt Disney World Resort. We along with 100 or so other bloggers have been invited by Disney to visit at a highly highly discounted rate for the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration family event.  It all seems too good to be true, but I suppose that’s the magic of Disney!  I’m not sure we’ll ever have an opportunity to afford a family of 6 vacation to Walt Disney World, so we excitedly took them up on their offer.

If you have advice to offer about traveling with 4 “preschoolers” (I can hardly fathom it!)in a van for 800+ miles or tips on visiting Walt Disney World with little ones, we are all “EARS”! 

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Spillin’ It…

I dumped 1/2 a box of Cheerios all over the floor while I was trying to clean up breakfast, but I’ve got more to spill than that!

I’ll go into more detail about most of these items soon, but for now I’m just going to SPILL IT!

• I’ve been asked to speak at the State House on January 28th on behalf of the March of Dimes. (YIKES… I mean Yippee!)

• Brad has not found full-time employment, but he’s launched his own business, 4tunate Design.  Although it’s not yet a full-time salary, we’re hopeful that it can be a short-term or possibly a long-term solution for employment. (Crossing My Fingers and Toes)

• Our NICU Survival Kits are really coming together.  In fact there’s plans in the works for a local stuffing party in February!!!!!  (Location, Date, and Name yet to be determined. Email me NICUKits(at)4tunate(dot)net or leave a comment with your ideas and if you’re interested in attending!)

• I’m teaming up with St. Vincent Health to attend the upcoming BlissDom Conference, which is a weekend of learning and inspiration for bloggers, social media influencers and PR representatives. We are leaving the boys in trustworthy, informed, and willing hands (see video!) Brad is coming along for the ride in hopes to make valuable connections to grow his business. (Thank you St. Vincent Health for this incredible opportunity!)

• I picked a winner for the Pioneer Woman Cooks* giveaway!  Robin Carney, check your email!  =)  (You are going to LOVE it!)

• Speaking of cookbooks, my friend Erin. from $5 Dollar Dinners will be doing a book signing of her brand new book The $5 Dollar Dinner Mom Cookbook* tonight at the Carmel Barnes and Noble from 7-9pm.  (If you’re a local, cancel your plans and come say hello!)

• The Boys Birthday is just over 2 weeks away!  I am almost a mother of 4 THREE YEAR OLDS!  (Keep those prayers a comin’!)

• Lastly, remember that canceled trip to Disney for my 30th birthday after Brad lost his job? Well let’s just say that I think I might need to purchase 4 of these instead…

 

     (Are you “All EARS” Now?)

More Details To Be Shared SOON!  

 

* Affiliate Link via Amazon.com

A Packed Like Sardines Kind of Week

It’s been a packed week!  As packed as sardines or as quadruplets in a closet.  (One of their favorite spots in the house…thanks for the picture, Kara!) And while I had hoped to get a “Q&As from the QuadParents” vlog posted, it’s going to be postponed until the weekend. We received some really interesting questions that we look forward to answering a little bit at a time. 

I’ve been blown away by your response to my little questionnaire. It’s honestly been one of the most encouraging and uplifting experiences.  It’s been so fun to read your responses and learn a little more about your family and circumstances in the process. We are TRULY TRULY blessed by the way your care for our family, and continue to share this incredible adventure of LIFE with us!  I’ll pick a winner for the Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook next week, so feel free to enter if you haven’t already. 

There are several other giveaways coming down the pike.  So be on the lookout…fun things in store for 2010!

Some of you asked questions about the ads that we host on our blog.  They each generate a little revenue (per 1,000 views) just by you visiting our blog.  Click based ads require you to click on them in order for us to gain revenue, but the ads we host do their own thing, so don’t feel obligated to click. =) 

Another good question that I received in a comment this morning was in response to a tweet.  Yesterday I wrote that Brad agreed to ordering pizza for dinner the day we reach 1500 subscribers. (I’m always willing to bargain my way out of cooking dinner!) Currently we are around 1475ish. The commenter alerted me that many of you might not know what subscribing is or how to do it… Subscribing is a way to read this feed (or the newest post) by reading it in a feed reader such as Google Reader.  It updates to tell you when I’ve posted something new.  The important part is that you still click over to 4tunate.net and pay us a visit now and then too!  (K, Promise? I’m talking to you, Feed Subscribers!)

You can subscribe by clicking on this button (also found on the right sidebar).

Or you can Subscribe to 4tunate by Email (just click the link) and have our feed delivered straight to your inbox. 

The Nester describes feeds much more coherently in this post.  So read more about it there and she’ll make it much more clearer than mud.  (She’s super tidy like that!)

That’s all I got to “pack” into this post. 

This Crazy Little Thing Called Blog…

When we decided to create a blog about our high-risk “triplet turned quadruplet” pregnancy, we had no idea that “strangers” would be reading.  We had no intentions of generating revenue through ads to help pay for groceries.  We had little to no knowledge of how to upload videos, how to track visitors, or how to design a blog header….we just wanted to better communicate and request prayer from our family and close friends.

Lo and Behold Here We Are…3 Years Into This Crazy Little Thing Called Blog.

And we have much to show for it: precious friendships, a written collection of memories, a way to give back through our NICU Survival Kits, and countless comments of encouragement along the way.

Blogging has certainly been a blessing to us, and I hope we can continue to be a blessing to others. 

The blogging gurus of #savvyblogging are encouraging bloggers to have a plan of action for the New Year. Here’s what I have for my blogging goals for 2010 so far…

(Hang tight, I want YOUR input too!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Striking a healthy balance between blogging and other responsibilities

~ Grow our giving through our NICU Survival Kits project to support families experiencing the uncertainties of the NICU

~ Growing our blog in readership in order to connect to others and to financially contribute to our family during this season of unemployment

~ Gaining boldness in communicating my faith and sharing God’s incredible mercy and grace in our lives

~ Continuing to build relationships and partnerships between products and companies that have genuinely made our lives better, and passing along the benefits to you 

~ Connecting to you the reader better through vlogging, responding to comments, visiting your blogs, conversations on twitter, and listening to your input

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now it’s YOUR turn!  I’ve created a little questionnaire to help collect your valuable suggestions, ideas, and feedback. 

Need an incentive? 

How about your very own copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks?  I received one for Christmas from my mother-in-law and it’s sooooooooooo incredible.  Every page is filled with scrumptious goodness.  It’s the most amazing collection of recipes I’ve ever laid my eyes on! (You can check it out over on my Amazon Affiliate, if you can’t wait until this giveaway is over!)

Just fill out this quick form and enter your name and email address for an opportunity to win a copy! 

Hope you are all having a great start to a New Year and thanks for continuing to be a blessing in our lives all year long!  

The Nester Christmas Tour Of Homes

Today I’m on tour with The Nester Christmas Tour of Homes and showing you a few pictures from our humble abode a la Christmas.  You won’t find these splashed on the cover of Southern Living Magazine, but nevertheless it’s our “Home for the Holidays”.

Speaking of “Home”, How cute is this advent house?  It’s new to us this year (a last year Target clearance find), and it’s been interesting to see what treasure we can fit 4 of in each door. It’s been something the boys look forward to doing each day, “Mama, wanna do the house!”

 

Stockings are my absolute favorite things to pull out of the Christmas boxes.  This year the boys know who’s is who’s and can point to and name each others.   Not sure what I’m going to put in them yet…any ideas that won’t cost a fortune x4?

Our new 9 ft. tree!  (Yet another 75% off Target end of the year steal!) Squeeeee!  I LOVE it.  I couldn’t picture how it would look inside our house, but it’s perfect.  Of course like any other tree it looks even better in the dark.  Don’t you love how a Christmas tree lights a room at night? I think all it needs is a little package love for the tree skirt. =)  Guess I should get on that, huh?  Maybe I should finish my little bit of shopping first! =)

I scored these little frames a year or two ago at Michael’s for $3 a piece.  Are you catching a theme here?  Usually I have candles hanging from this rack, but I replaced them with these little wooden signs for the season.

The boys got one Christmas gift a tad early, once I found this Little People Christmas Story Nativity* over 1/2 off, (thanks to a tip from Keeping the Kingdom First).  I really wanted a nativity scene for the boys that would remind them early on of the true meaning of Christmas. It’s so sweet to watch them play with the characters and sing “Away in the Manger” while they play.  (*Affiliate Link)

 

These are a few of my favorite Christmas decor items in our home.  I’d love to hear about your own styles and favorite trimmings. If you’d like to show the lovely interweb some of your festive Christmas decor, head over to The Nester and add your link.  (And leave me a comment so I know who’s to be sure to click on…there will be hundreds of participants in this yearly tour of blogs.)

****For those of you visiting from The Nester, please feel welcome to join us on our adventures in raising quadruplets.  We’d love for you to make yourself at HOME with us!

Keep on Decking Your Halls (and Trees and Mantles, and Doors, and Rooftops, And You Get the POINT)! =)