Some Shameless Self Promotion

So I typically watch the Today Show every morning while I prepare to get off my butt to get ready for work. I love having a little morning before work. So yesterday I was watching and they had a lady on who was talking about how this time of year people feel a need to buy something new for themselves or their home. She was showing people how to be smart about it and still get something new. Anyway she had a whole table full of really cool stuff for under $25. I was pleasantly surprised to see she had some of these bowls that we carry here at KUDU. So I was inspired to do something similar. I had a little photo shoot at the store. All of these items shown are less than $30.
Great for gifts or summer entertaining. 

These were the bowls on the today show.

Hand-carved wooden and bone bowls

Spoon and bowl set. Great for serving all kinds of things

Cute as a set. Put something different in all of them, nuts, olives, candies etc. 

Africans use these small spoons to salt and pepper their food. Or they would be good to put sugar in your coffee. 

Mix it up with three different kinds of bowls 

We have spoons in all sizes made out of bone, horn and wood. **

This beautiful basket would be great for Q-tips, elastics, or to put utensils in at a BBQ to name a few. 

These horn bowls create an entirely different look but could be used for the same function. 

The horn provides lots of different color variations. No two are alike. 

Beautiful salad servers. These have been so popular as wedding gifts

This is an awesome set to put a new creative spin on entertaining. 

**Just so you all know none of our products are a result of illegal poaching. These materials come from animals that are already wounded or dying. The products have been fumigated as well before they left Africa. The African's use every part of an animal. Nothing is wasted. These animals are the only way for many African people to get food on their tables for their families. 

When you support KUDU you are helping us support the Africans through
FREE TRADE. 

The Hunger Games Trilogy!

is it called a trilogy? it is, right? 

anyway...i just finished these 3 books and i liked them. i get most of my recommendations from my mom and they are always good but usually on a serious subject and are very thought provoking. needless to say sometimes i just like a quick, easy, and entertaining read. these books were just that. i recommend them if you are looking to be taken into a different world for a few hours each afternoon. 

is it totally dorky if i want to join a book club? whenever i think of book clubs i picture relief society ladies sitting around with their fluffy purple hair talking about books and eating something gross and mushy...

however, when i finish a book i always call around to see if any of my friends have read it so i can talk about it. its kind of funny because whenever i do this i find that i have been pronouncing the main character's names all wrong. does this happen to anyone else? haha it's embarrassing. but i would still like to be in a book club dammit! how does one go about this? my best friends are not readers at all. my one friend has been on the first chapter of LA Candy by Lauren Conrad for a few years now. She cannot relate to my reading. we have totally different tastes. plus i like to finish my books. 

i am debating getting a bad wig and having it dyed purple...however i will never or could never eat that mushy food. HELP? 

Proud to be an American!

I know that this is kind of long but it is totally worth reading. Its not very often that you hear a story like this so I recommend that you take a minute out of your busy day and read this. I found it on facebook when I was invited by a friend to join the group. I'm sure you can find it, on facebook, by searching "red fridays" if you are interested in more information or joining the group. 

Will You give this to my Daddy?

As a Company, Southwest Airlines is going to support 'Red Fridays.'
Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed One of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As t......hey began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.
When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and Cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our Service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said 'hi...'

The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her...

The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.

When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second... Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it..

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.' He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.'

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.

As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority'. We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday - and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED.
The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is.....We need your support and your prayers.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example.

For Japan with love!

For Japan...I guess this is the best we bloggers can do. A day of silence. No posting tomorrow. That hardly seems like it will do anything but I guess the people in Japan can use all the thoughts and prayers they can get. Hopefully this post will remind all who see it to remember those poor people in your thoughts. I for one am sending all the positive energy I can muster their way. 

My heart goes out to all of those who have lost everything and are freezing and starving. The hardest part for me would be not having any clue where my family and loved ones were. I go crazy if I go a whole day without talking to all of my family. 

Please use this picture in your next post to help spread the word about the day of silence. Also you can check out this website if you are interested in donating or learning more about how to help.

Book Review!

i am always looking for new books to read. my mom is a book-aholic so she always has GREAT books for me to read. sometimes i would like to read books that people my age are reading too. i just finished the Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

with all the African stuff going on in my life, my mom has given me a list of books to read. they either take place in or are about some part of Africa. 

the Poisonwood Bible is about a family who goes to the Congo to spread the "word of God" they are baptists. the father is a evangelical minister. it is a tragic story about how a family and their beliefs fall apart while the Congo/Zaire is falling apart at the same time. this novel, based on history, gives an interesting outsider's perspective into the lives of the Congolese people. 

i would definitely read this book if you have any interest in historical novels. this one was great! 

Spring Fever!

lordy! when oh when is summer coming. it was very encouraging that we had a record heat day this week but it cancels itself out when it is busy melting the 12 inches of snow we got the night before. seriously...it's time my friends.

to cure my winter blues i have been looking for what i will wear when the weather gets better. here are a few gems from modcloth.

The title of this dress is Crane or Shine...LOVE IT!

 

I love these dresses. Too bad I feel too self-conscience in a short dress and I get soooo sick of leggings. So I probably will never wear any of these.  What? A girl can dream can't she?

A.D.D. again!

I know I should probably just leave my background blank. I wouldn't get sick of it and it would just be simple, but no can do people. I LOVE color and refuse to have a white background. I love how they look and wish I could do that but I just can't. SORRY! I found the most darling backgrounds here. They are so different and fresh. I have given my whole computer a facelift. Stupid and pointless I know but now I have the most adorable little antique kitchen appliances as icons. So cute!

I also downloaded some very cute wallpapers for my iPhone here. These are some of my favs.

Now if only I could figure out how to get some good ringtones. How does that work? Any ideas?