Resurrecting Anthony- A True Story of Courage & Destination by Linda Cole & Tony Cole

I'm totally awestruck after reading Resurrecting Anthony-A True Story of Courage & Destination by Linda Cole & Tony Cole. As parents we can't imagine what it's like to have our child suffer or taken from us. We hear of it happening to others and it catches our breath away making us want to run home and be with our children to guard over them so nothing like that happens to them. Still it can happen to anyone and like anyone Linda and Tony Cole had tragedy strike their 12 year old son Anthony who had a heart attack on the playground at school and due to lack of oxygen suffered major brain damage during the 13 attempts to restart his heart.

The struggle to try to bring back some semblance of who their son was before this happened; to connect with him as a loving parent again knowing he may not even realize what has occurred or is happening around him, is something no parent should have to face. Yet these things happen all the time.

Reading Resurrecting Anthony, you will struggle along with Tony and Linda as they learn everything pertaining to their son's condition, medical treatments, how to care for him, how to stay connected as a family and keep an income coming into the home, plus trying not to ignore their other children's needs. Caring for a child with any disability takes great courage, strength, endurance, and determination. Linda and Tony Cole are such parents and God couldn't have chosen better parents for Tony.

Anthony’s incremental progress leads to a series of personal revelations for his father. Tony’s test is to understand his new Anthony, whose greatest gift now is the ability to live totally and completely in the moment, the riveting heart of this tender tale. “I realized I must let go of my first Anthony in order to accept and love this new and different one,” Tony says.

“This was not an easy story to tell,” writes Linda Cole. “We found the courage to tell it because we hope that those in crisis will learn how to cope, how to be open and accepting of offered help, and how to advocate for needed services. We hope to inspire people to summon the courage they need to persevere, to commit without reservation, to adapt. We hope that others might learn from our mistakes and gain from our progress. We wrote this book and created the “Personal Courage SeriesTM” as a vehicle for people who have experienced life changing crisis to share their stories, learning and hope.”

I'm not sure I would survive such a tragedy. I think I would collapse into nothingness if this happened to my child.  Linda's 10 Coping Strategies would certainly help.

Resurrecting Anthony is also a story of hope. Hope for parents who's children have suffered major brain injuries like Anthony and where to find information and resources that can help. Hope for the possibility that these children can come back even if just a tiny bit if not more to be a part of their loving family, as we watch Anthony do. Slowly, glimpses of Anthony emerge, a light in his eyes, a brief smile, and one day, his first words since his journey began – “yeah, baby!” – inspired by cheerleaders during a football game on TV. It will touch your heart like no other book I've read.

I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Resurrecting Anthony-A True Story of Courage & Destination by Linda Cole and Tony Cole. If only for the purpose of reminding yourself just how precious life is.

Tony and Linda Cole are the founders of Anthony Cole Training Group established in 1991 to help sales people and their organizations drive consistent and predictable results through a unique, multi-faceted approach custom tailored to each organization.

RESURRECTING ANTHONY:

A True Story of Courage & Destination

By Linda Cole and Tony Cole

Alexandra Publishing

January 2011

$14.95

ISBN: 978-0-9843226-0-2

Win It! Linda & Tony Cole along with Alexandra Publishing are generously giving one of my readers their own copy of Resurrecting Anthony-A True Story of Courage & Destination. Open to Us & Canadian residents. To Enter: (required) Just comment below telling me if you think you could survive this happening to your child, niece, nephew, grandchild.

Extra Entries:  You may do any or all of the following for extra entries; It’s Up To You.  Leave a separate comment for each that you do.

Follow Baba's Farm Life via GFC, Networked Blogs, Blog Frog (1 entry each method)

Subscribe via email or reader

Grab my button (2 entries)

Post about this giveaway on your blog / facebook with a link back here. Leave the link in your comment so I can see your post.(5 Entries) per method.

Digg, Stumble, Kirtsy this post.

Review Baba's Farm Life on Alexa (5 entries)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway.( you may tweet once per day) you may use the example below or just use the retweet button above.

"Win Resurrecting Anthony-A True Story of Courage & Destination by Linda Cole & Tony Cole,US  & Can @http://lnk.gd/dge  @Babasfarmlife"

Entries close Midnight MST February 21, 2011.   The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org and notified via email and posted here on Baba’s Farm Life on February 22, 2011.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be selected.  Good Luck!

Disclosure: I received a free product for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Super Bowl Commercial-Chevy & Facebook Join Hands

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Tropical Traditions Organic Hulled Barley Whole Grain Review & Giveaway!

Image via Wikipedia
We know that adding whole grains to our diet is more nutritious. Barley is a grain used primarily for making whiskey, beer, and malts, yet in some parts of the world it's use is for meal times. Yet only about 10% of barley is used for food around the world. Hulled barley is higher in dietary fiber because only the outer layer of it's shell is removed leaving the bran layer intact.

Tropical Traditions not only produces Hulled barley, but Organic Hulled Barley so you know your family is getting the most nutrition from it's grains and without the use of pesticides and chemicals. Providing a nutty flavor to soups, casseroles, or breads. When roasted and ground it's been used as a coffee substitute without the benefits of caffeine. Although I prefer the caffeine myself.

Tropical Traditions was kind enough to send me their Tropical Traditions Organic Hulled Barley to try in our family meals.  Although cooking time with hulled barley is longer than with the pearl barley you find on store shelves, pre-soaking 1 c barley in 3-4 cups water for several hours reduces cooking time.  You can then cook it in the same water you soaked it in.  For a nice pilaf side dish just add spices and herbs and butter to go with your meals.

Ground hulled barley is also great for making gluten free unleavened breads or add it to other baking flours for breads that you want to rise before baking.  We'll be grinding most of this into barley flour for daughter's diet suggested by her doctor to reduce the chance of diabetes problems.  You'll find barley flour on the ingredients list of most of the whole grain breads on the store shelves.  Don't forget Tropical Traditions also has an abundance of fabulous recipes that are free to use if you're looking for something new to prepare for your loved ones.

Win It!  Tropical Traditions is generously giving one of my readers their own 5lb Tropical Traditions Organic Hulled Barley to use in their nutritious family meals!  To Enter:(required)  Just take a look at the recipes and tell me one you would like to try, unless of course you already have a recipe you love, then tell me what that is for.  Be sure to include a valid email address or have it readily available  in your profile so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

Extra Entries:  You may do any or all of the following for extra entries, it's up to you.

Follow Babasfarmlife on twitter.

Follow Babasfarmlife blog via Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, Blog Frog(1 entry each method).

Follow Babasfarmlife on Facebook.

Subscribe to Babasfarmlife via email or feed.

Digg, Stumble, Kirtsy this post.(1 entries each)

Grab my button.

Post about this giveaway on your blog / facebook with a link back here. Leave the link in your comment so I can see your post.(5 Entries) per method.

Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter.

Join The Healthy Buyers Club and get news of all the sales. (2 entries) Top left of page.

Comment on any non giveaway post and come back and tell me where you commented.

Check out the free recipes at Tropical Traditions and tell me another one you would love to make.

Subscribe to Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter.

Review Baba's Farm Life on Alexa (5 entries)

Tweet about this giveaway - You may do this once per day.
"Win Tropical Traditions Organic Hulled Barley-The Healthy Choice @http://lnk.gd/dgb @Babasfarmlife @TropTraditions"

 Entries close Midnight MST February 26, 2011.  The winner will be randomly selected and notified via email and posted here on Baba's Farm Life on February 27, 2011.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be selected.  Good Luck!

I received no monetary compensation for this review.  I received product for review purposes but was under no obligation to give a positive review.  All opinions are those of Baba's Farm Life, others may have different opinions or results. 

List Your Giveaways Saturday Linky is Ready!

Each Saturday a new linky is posted here for you to highlight all your fabulous giveaways and browse some to enter. Feel free to list all your current giveaways any way you wish, with or without blog name. I only ask that you include an end date. Feel free to use the RT button above to let everyone know of your fabulous giveaway!

Current Giveaways on Baba's Farm Life:

CSN Stores $50 GC 2/14 

Tropical Traditions Organic Hulled Barley 2/26 

Resurrecting Anthony by Linda Cole & Tony Cole 2/21

Ollie Olio Elephant Couture $20 GC 2/23.

Please leave a comment after linking. Thank You!

Gummy Lump Melissa & Doug Princess Castle Furniture Set Review

Of course with a play house like the Melissa & Doug Folding Princess Castle, you have to have furniture to go with it.  Luckily Melissa & Doug have made available at Gummy Lump the Princess Castle Furniture Set.  Made of all wood, this cute little set fits perfectly with the Folding Princess Castle.  The set includes two thrones on a raised platform, a vanity, a wooden tub, stool, table and two benches, kitchen cooking area, a bed, and a treasure chest for the king to store his treasure in.  Normally $29.99 for the set you can find it at Gummy Lump on sale for $23.99.

The girls absolutely love playing with the wooden castle furniture set.  Even baby River was able to play with the wooden furniture set, but first we set aside the top of the treasure chest because it just seemed a bit too small.  Just being cautious.  All the other pieces were fine.  And it is recommend for ages 3 and up.  But River was so excited to be down playing with the girls and the Folding Princess Castle.  All three of the girls are having such fun playing with these wonderful toys from Melissa & Doug.

They are all quality constructed and will last for years of play time.  I highly recommend all the Melissa & Doug toys!  You won't be disappointed.

Wear Your Red! American Heart Association

This National Wear Red Day, join the American Heart Association’s mission to ensure we never have to deny research that could save a woman’s life. Help raise the funds needed for lifesaving educational programs and the development of new treatments to fight heart disease. On Friday, February 4, Make It Your Mission To Save Lives.
Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, taking the life of 1 in 3 women each year. This means women you know — mothers, sisters, friends — are dying at the rate of one per minute. In fact, in the time it takes to read this, another woman will die from heart disease. It simply does not have to be that way. At the American Heart Association, we work every day to fund research and fight this killer so that more women can be saved. But we need your help.
Make A Difference

1. Wear Red and tell everyone why
2. Change your Facebook and/or Twitter Profile to Red or add a hear image. Be creative!
3. Create your own fundraising page from the Wear Red Day site (Click where it says “Start Here”)
4. Attend an event near you
5. Shop for Red Items from the American Heart Association
6. See your doctor or call 911 if you have any symptoms of heart disease or heart attack – shortness of breath, chest discomfort, pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
7. Make a decision to eat healthy foods, exercise and reduce stress
8. Spread the word online and in real life!

This information was provided by the American Heart Association. I believe it’s important to share news that can raise money for research for health related groups and information to help prevent disease in women.

GMC Super Bowl Party Photo Challenge! Dallas Exclusive

You know what this Sunday is, right? It’s SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! And that means party time.

Well speaking of parties, do you know anyone in the Dallas, TX area? Because you could help them win access to the most exclusive Super Bowl parties ever. And believe me, we’re talking EXCLUSIVE!

Here’s the deal to get them in.

All they have to do is take photos of any GMC vehicle in Dallas and tweet that pic with the hash tag #GMCVIP. Simple as that. Take some pics, tweet and use the hash tag #GMCVIP. Oh and if you know a blogger in the Dallas area be sure to tell them about this as well so they can take part and inform their readers.

Check out the exclusive party details here

Aloha Friday

Welcome to another Aloha Friday where we join Kailani over at An Island Life. In Hawaii they like to take things easy in anticipation of the upcoming weekend. I think it's a great idea, so I'll do as Kailani suggests and just ask one simple question that doesn't require a lengthy response.

My Question for you today is:

What will your next big purchase be and how soon do you plan on making it?

Gummy Lump Melissa & Doug Royal Family Wooden Doll Set Review

A great addition to the Melissa & Doug Folding Princess Castle is the Royal Family Wooden Doll Set which includes a King, Queen, Prince, Princess and two horses!  Everything you need for imaginative Story time play for your Prince or Princess.  Recommended for ages  3 and up.

I was very impressed by the quality of these wooden dolls.  They are so well constructed that I don't think anything will come apart.  I carefully looked them over with Mom and Dad and they are really well made.  Though I wouldn't recommend them for babies.  Just being overly cautious.

Moyra and Amelie love playing with this tiny royal family in their Folding Princess Castle.  Both of the horses will fit into the stable/dungeon area of the castle, and the family pieces will fit into the rooms of the castle too.  It was the perfect addition to the Folding Princess Castle birthday present for Amelie.

Regularly $19.99 you can find this on Gummy Lump on sale for $15.99.  A real bargain for this Royal Family set!  Your little ones will love playing with this Royal Family Wooden Doll Set.  Keep up to day with Melissa & Doug toys and Gummy Lump on the Gummy Lump Blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

I received no monetary compensation for this review and all opinions are my own.  This is not a sponsored post.  Others experience may be different.

Getting Ready For The Game? Do It With Gorton's and Win!

Join in the Pre-Game Festivities this week at Gorton's for a chance to win A Year's Supply of Seafood!

Fishify your Football Favorites!
Gorton's is celebrating both the Super Bowl and the new USDA recommendation to eat seafood twice a week by giving away a year of Twice-A-Week-Gorton's Seafood package! That's 104 FREE Gorton's Products ~ a $624 Value! Enter below by uploading a photo of your Game Day Seafood dish for a chance to win!

Check out and enter the Gorton's Seafood Bowl and find some great seafood recipes to serve here at Gorton's.

Just Cool News!

Winner! Chalkboard Tee From Class Attire

Congratulations Go To.....

Melissa M! Winner has been notified via email. Confirmed.

Wordless Wednesday-With Linky

Fridge Magnet Madness going on here and it's all important. Hehe .  Let me see your Wordless Wednesday Post by linking up below.

Gummy Lump Melissa & Doug Folding Princess Castle Review

I was so highly impressed with this toy that Mommy & Daddy got Amelie for her birthday that I just had to tell you about it. Melissa & Doug makers of wonderful wooden toys for children and available at Gummy Lump have available among all their long list of toys this wonderful Folding Princess Castle. The girls have been playing with this steadily for days on end now and it's become their favorite toy! Even baby River has had her turn at playing with it because it's all wood and can't hurt her. She was so excited to get down on the floor with the girls and play with some of the pieces.

Regally decorated for the most discerning princess in your home. This play house castle features hand-painted accents; two removable turrets; balconies; flying buttress; flag and a working drawbridge! Castle opens fully for hours of engaging play! Of course we removed the flag for Baby River's sake, but every other part is safe.

Made entirely of wood this Folding Princess Castle will last for years of playtime for the girls. Unlike some plastic one's we've already seen broken parts to around our house. This Folding Princess Castle won't be coming apart in pieces so it's money well spent. And with 3 little girls in the house it will see a lot of play.

There is one part of the castle we're not sure what it is yet. Bottom center is what I call a stable for horse, but some seem to think it might be the dungeon. Of course you could play with it as being either one, it's up to you. The barred door opens so you could put horses or prisoners inside and close it up. Pretty cute.

The drawbridge will lower or raise with a turn of a knob that the girls can do very easily by themselves. A fabulous addition to any castle! The great thing about the Folding Princess Castle is that it will fold up to a square so you can put it away until next play time.  The girls love all the little rooms and turrets to play with and I can just imagine the stories they make up in their minds as they play.

Complete and ready for story time to come alive and sparking their imaginations. I highly recommend this Melissa & Doug Folding Princess Castle for your little ones to play with. I give it a full 5 Stars!  Normally $99.99, you can pick this up at Gummy Lump on sale at $79.99 with Free Shipping! Of course you can stay up to date with Gummy Lump on the Gummy Lump Blog, on Facebook, and Twitter @GummyLump.

Stay tuned and I'll tell you about the accessories to go with the Folding Princess Castle!

I received no monetary compensation for this review and all opinions are my own.  This is not a sponsored post.  Others experience may be different.