Welcome to the 2010 Ultimate Blog Party and My Very First Blog Contest

Welcome to all who are arriving for the Ultimate Blog Party! Old friends and new--you are all welcome!
This is my first time participating, and I think it's going to be good.  For those who are new, let me introduce myself (if you are an old friend, skip down to see how to participate in the UBP and also My Very First Blog Contest):

I am a SAHM, wife and Homeschooler, though my teaching days are completed, as my "children" are now 24 and 20, though still single and living with my wonderful husband and me at home.  My passion is to help and encourage young women, wives and moms to fulfill their God-given role, and I love to write, so this blog is my way of doing it all.  
Specific themes that I have written on which you might enjoy (click on the links) are my

• Hospitality Series: check out "The Ghastly Guest"  and "The Goldens"
• Love and Marriage (Mondays) Series: just completed two fabulous Courtship Stories! (Grab my button on the sidebar to let people know)
• Timely Tips on Tuesdays (Everything helpful for you as a mom to littlees)

 So, check them out!
I also really enjoy meeting new people, so please let me know you were here, so I can get to know you! I hope you enjoy the UBP, visit some wonderful blogs, enter my contest, and stop back here often, so you don't miss a thing, as I will be announcing prizes daily!

To participate in the UBP, go to 5 Minutes for Mom, (bloggers and non-bloggers can participate and win prizes), follow the instructions, link up, and enter to win one of the many wonderful prizes listed on the prize list! (I donated a $25 E-gift certificate for Amazon.com to the list!) During the week I will be visiting blogs, looking at prizes, and listing my top picks, if I am to win, below.

My Very First Blog Contest:
Faith's Firm Foundation is 1 year old and I just welcomed my 100th Follower, so, besides participating in the Ultimate Blog Party, I am simultaneously hosting my very first Blog Contest to celebrate!  I am still working on possible donations of prizes and deciding on the best ones to give, but suffice it to say there will be prizes that you would enjoy winning!  There will be at least one prize per day for the 10 day contest!
Among the prizes you could win will be:

• "The Excellent Wife", by Martha Peace
• Bath and Body Works products
• To Train up a Child and
• No Greater Joy, Volumes 1-3, by the Pearls
• Pick Your Level Weight Loss Pilates, Workout DVD with Ellen Barrett
• "Wrestling Prayer", by Eric and Leslie Ludy
• and at least one Gift Card for Amazon.com
• and More!
• New Prize added Friday: "The Five Love Languages", by Gary Chapman
• New Prizes for Monday and Tuesday: Giorgio Eau de Toilette (.13 Fl.Oz.), Giorgio Body Moisturizer (1.6 Fl.Oz.)
• New Prize for Wednesday: Kitchen Gift Set: magnetic notepad and 12 matching recipe cards with hand-tied ribbon, with Deut. 16:15 imprinted on it
• New Prize added Thursday: Beauticontrol's Detoxifying Body Facial (Thank you to my wonderful consultant, Sandra Mosey, for this prize donation! You can order Beauticontrol's fabulous products on her site, linked above)

I will try to announce a new prize each day, but will hold the drawing for all prizes after the contest closes. (I will announce the winners, but please be patient with me, because it is my first contest, and depending on the number of entrants, it may take me a little while to enter all the email addresses.)
Here are the Entry Rules for My Very First Blog Contest: (Leave a separate comment on this post for each thing that you do)

• The contest officially begins at 8:00 AM (CST) Friday, April 9, 2010 and ends at 11:59 PM (CST) on Sunday,  April 18, 2010.
• Winners will be selected randomly through Random.org
• Contest is open to all persons 18 years and older, living in the U.S. and Canada.

1. (required) Leave a comment on this post, including your email address, for the random drawing and so that I can notify you if you win. (You may contact me through my contact information at the top of the page, if you prefer not to leave your email address in your comments.)
2. Post about this contest on your blog with a link back to this post for an additional 2 entries.
3. Share on Facebook or Twitter for an additional entry.
4. Follow (or comment that you already are a Follower) for an additional 3 entries.

So please take a look around, read some of my past posts, and Enter My Very First Blog Contest (please help me make it a great success)!  I hope to meet many of you, so please leave your blog url, if you have one, so I can come and visit you, too!
Have a wonderful time at the Ultimate Blog Party!

There are many wonderful prizes to win, but here is my list, should I be so blessed as to win!
Well, of course I would *love, love, love* to win the
Grand Prize of a Toshiba Laptop

Then, I would like the
$100 eCertificate to Restaurant.com from Amy at Earnest Parenting
A $50 Amazon GC from Robyn at Our Homeschool Home

Then, I would like any of the Gift Cards/certificates to Amazon, WalMart or Target.
And, the Hilton Garden Inn stay.