Venus Trapped in Mars Sports and Lifestyle Blog Dallas

13 August 2015

The Definition of Phenomenal


As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, this summer I will be serving as one of Lean Cuisine's Phenomenal Ambassadors sharing stories of great food and phenomenal women. In my first post for Lean Cuisine's Feed Your Phenomenal™ campaign, the 696 times I've weighed myself, I talked about their incredible message that encourages women to weigh themselves on accomplishments rather than some number on a scale.  

Today I'm going to Feed Your PhenomenalTM by recognizing a woman in my life whose effort, compassion, undying love and strength sometimes goes unnoticed or unthanked. Today I'm sharing the story of a woman I think is phenomenal: my grandmother, Nan. 

Nan is one of those women who makes something look and seem so effortless, natural even, that you don't stop and think how mind boggling difficult it actually was. In 1955, Nan was pregnant with her 4th child when her husband decided not to come home. He was a welder who traveled for projects, and I guess one trip he decided he didn't want to deal with it anymore and never showed. Nan, who I will again mention was pregnant with her 4th child at the time, was forced to work and somehow raise 4 children on her own with absolutely no help. 


Nan was forced to move her family from their cute little brick house in a good neighborhood, to the actual projects. My mom has told me many times that when she was a kid she never knew they were poor. They lived in the projects where the charities referred to my mom and her siblings as underprivileged kids, and yet they had no clue that they were poor. Nan did that, on her own. How a woman manages to raise 4 children, all totally unaware they were "underprivileged",  all on her own in 1955 absolutely blows my mind. Not to mention she had only recently moved to the US from Canada, and didn't have a single family member to help. 

Can you imagine the stress you'd feel every single day as a mother with that kind of responsibility? It was 1955, it wasn't like today where job opportunities for women pay well and are abundant. Heck, I stressed about paying for General's vet bills and I have a great job. How silly does that seem when you think about what my Grandmother did day in and day out for her family.  Thinking about Nan and the sacrifices she must have made every single day really gives a new perspective on what's important in life. 

Nan will turn 90 years old in October and just returned from a trip she took with my Mom and my Uncle Lynn to visit her birthplace, Newfoundland, Canada. Nan is a diehard, and I mean never misses a single pitch, Atlanta Braves fan. Here she is on her iPhone streaming the Braves game in the car....


She plays Fantasy Football with us (I lost to her both times I faced her this season), loves TJ Maxx, and has her own apartment just down the street from my Mom. Funny enough, she even loves Lean Cuisine's meals as much as I do -- if that's possible?!?

If Nan doesn't define phenomenal, I don't know who does. She is my hero. 

 
Visit the Phenomenal Effect website and help spread the Phenomenal Effect by recognizing the phenomenal women in your life and encouraging them to do the same. You could win prizes for yourself and everyone that you recognize.

Sweepstakes time! Leave a comment and let us know who are some of the phenomenal women in your life. Each comment will automatically be entered to win a $100 Visa Gift card, thanks to SheKnows!  Also, be sure to visit Lean Cuisine on Facebook and Twitter

Entry Instructions:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here. 

This sweepstakes runs from 8/13/15 – 9/30/15. 

Be sure to visit the Lean Cuisine brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!



 
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109 comments :

  1. She sounds like an amazing woman!

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  2. Very well written! Your Nan sounds awesome! What a brave and strong woman she must be.

    http://dogmomchic.blogspot.com/

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  3. i had no idea she went through so much. she is truly incredible. and i can tell that spirit rubbed off on you!

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  4. Wow what an amazing woman, she is an inspiration!

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  5. Your Nan is a-mazing! I really miss my aunt who passed away suddenly two years ago. She raised race and show horses in Tennessee and when my uncle passed away, took over their minting business and grew it tremendously while being a single mother. I've always admired her gusto. Cheers to the wonderful women in our lives!

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  6. i love lean cuisine, my mother is phenomenal! she raised 2 kids on her own, while working full time at a stressful job. thanks for making me stop and appreciate her today.
    b

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  7. https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/631966665647988736
    onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com

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  8. Wow, your Nan sounds like an incredible lady!!

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  9. I’d like to recognize my mother because she is a phenomenal woman on so many levels. She volunteers to run with young girls, instilling confidence in them and getting them healthier. She also survived stage 3 colon cancer, ran 2 marathons and raised 2 kids as a single parent on a teacher's salary. She has stuck by my side even during the darkest parts of my life. She is so selfless and caring and deserves to be recognized. yarbr012@gmail.com

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  10. my mom and mother in law

    dlatany at gmail dot com

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  11. https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/632345082209935361 yarbr012@gmail.com

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  12. https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/632345305883672576

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  13. What an amazing lady! But she must be to have raised a great daughter who raised a great daughter!

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  14. Some of the phenomenal women in my life are my sister who spent her whole career helping children with disabilities.and my boss who juggles many things at one time but always has a smile on her face.

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  15. my mom. she is awesome~
    tina19820115@gmail.com

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  16. https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/634885506061496320
    tina19820115@gmail.com

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  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. thanks for sharing your wonderful story. :) The phenomenal women in my life is my mother in law. she shows me love and generosity. she's the person I go to for advises. :) definitely love her wisdom.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

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  19. tweeted:
    https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/635945856114421760

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

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  20. My mom who taught me love is more important than just about anything else.
    onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com

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  21. My Mother is the most selfless person I know, she had dedicated her life to helping others.
    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

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  22. tweeted https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/637353003062853632
    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

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  23. My mother who taught me to broaden my horizons is the best.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

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  24. tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/637457641753567232

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  25. Our family dentist was a phenomenal woman. She bravely fought breast cancer and continued to treat patients. Unfortunately she lost her battle a few years ago. We think of her everyday.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  26. tweet--https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/637595571855982593

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  27. My mom is a phenomenal woman. She is a cancer survivor and always stays optimistic and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

    kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

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  28. tweet
    https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/637635466213330944

    kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

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  29. Some of the phenomenal women in my life are my sisters. I have three sisters and we all spend time together every week and help support each other and help each other through those hard times. Two of my sister’s are cancer survivors and such an inspiration to me and they volunteer and help others!

    jewelwood55(at)gmail(dot)com

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  30. tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/637638968717152256

    jewelwood55(at)gmail(dot)com

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  31. My two sisters and my GF for sure

    groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com

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  32. My mom is a phenomenal woman. She is smart and strong

    elena150980 at yahoo dot com

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  33. https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/637750498875957248

    elena150980 at yahoo dot com

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  34. My mother in law is an amazing woman, and we love watching old movies together.

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  35. My Mother is a phenomenal woman in my life who has always set a great example for me to follow. She’s a big part of me and I hope that I make her proud.

    prettyinhotpink6 at gmail dot com

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  36. Tweet: https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/638031387124203521

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  37. My mother is a phenomenal woman. She did a great job raising my brother and I.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

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  38. tweet--https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/640315228480229376

    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

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  39. My mom is one of the most phenomenal women in my life. She’s a pastor and so giving!
    maddiembrubaker {at} gmail [dot] com

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  40. tweet: https://twitter.com/suburbsanity/status/640600900105601025

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  41. My mother was the most phenomenal woman I've been fortunate enough to know. She was the most engaged and loving mother and grandmother I could ever imagine.

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  42. The most amazing person in my life is my 96 year old Aunt. She was in WWII as a head nurse and later became a professor at a college teaching nursing. She’s so smart and I really admire her. Thanks so much. rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

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  43. Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/640663743916056576
    Thanks so much.
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

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  44. Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/640706664169996288
    maddiembrubaker {at} gmail [dot] com

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  45. A few of the phenomenal women in my life are my sister, my mother and both of my grandmothers!

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  46. My Mother is the most fabulous woman in my life. She had put up with me my whole life (!) and that is quite an accomplishment. She's always been there for me!
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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  47. My Mom is the most phenomenal woman not only did she raise the four of us but she also took it the mentally handicapped as well! I love her

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  48. I tweeted
    https://twitter.com/my4boysand1/status/641649423752282112

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  49. My mom has always led by example. Visiting widows, taking those less fortunate to the grocery store and doctor's appointments, sewing for little girls just so they can have one special dress, and the list goes on. She's always given her life to her 5 children and to others selflessly. As children, we would sometimes resent her involvement in the lives of others (she never neglected us in any way) but now we all cherish the example she exhibited. To this day, people remember my mom's love and kindness.
    sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com

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  50. My mother is one of the most phenomenal women in my life. I can always trust her to give sound advice and to listen to me.
    aleksnearing gmail com

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  51. I'd have to say my mom, who worked full-time so we could have a comfortable life and my dad could still working at his low-paying but very meaningful job. I know she sacrificed a lot!

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  52. Tweeted: https://twitter.com/sazzyfrazzy/status/643869948100648960
    sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com

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  53. My mom and my grandmothers always were. Even though my grandmothers have passed, they were still phenomenal women!
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

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  54. tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/645240478246551552
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

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  55. my mom and my mother in law

    debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

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  56. i posted a tweet here:

    https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/645341320005816321

    debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

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  57. Very well written !
    My Mom is one of the most phenomenal women in my life ♥
    My email is redaurelie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  58. My tweet https://twitter.com/AurelieRed/status/645575466653515776
    My email is redaurelie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  59. My mom and Miss Betty are the phenomenal women in my life. I enjoy every conversation I have with them and they make me laugh like crazy. I love them dearly!

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  60. https://twitter.com/myfolly/status/647260478830477312

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  61. My partner's granny amazed me. She died this year at the age of 104! She battled cancer twice and, when she died, she took only one pill for her thyroid. Stunning!
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

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  62. I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/647427067106213888
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

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  63. my mom and mother in law are both amazing woman who are so giving and are there when i need them.

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  64. I would say my sister: She is a hard-working single mom of two who has done a fantastic job of raising her two children. A great role model.

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  65. tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/647737134929965056

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  66. I have many friends who are each phenomenal in their own ways.

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  67. Tweet
    https://twitter.com/clc408/status/647818624858722305

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  68. There are many phenomenal women in my life. My neighbor is a phenomenal woman. She has been working at the local soup kitchen for the past 30 years and is 93 years old. She loves to see the people that come in smile, open up, and laugh when they have barely anything. Her daughter in law is a phenomenal woman too. She goes to pray for people that want prayer or that just need someone to talk to. My mom, sisters, aunts, and cousins are all phenomenal women for one reason or another.

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  69. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  70. Tweeted https://twitter.com/aqualina56/status/648000959675789312

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  71. I have a friend who is an incredible mom to 2 kids she gave birth to, 2 kids she took in from family members AND works in legal aid helping other families make it in life. She is phenomenal.

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  72. tweeted
    https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/648219780067913728

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  73. My mother is one of the most phenomenal women in my life. I can always trust her to be there for me and to give sound advice and to listen to me.

    s2s2 at cox dot net

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  74. https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/648239201662578688

    s2s2 at cox dot net

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  75. My mom and my future sister in law.

    wlbellows at gmail dot com

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  76. I sent out a tweet: https://twitter.com/electricstar/status/648245863165235200

    wlbellows at gmail dot com

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  77. My sister-in-law who is a breast cancer survivor.
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

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  78. My mom was the most phenomenal woman in my life. The stars grew a little dimmer and my life a lot emptier when she passed away.

    eswright18 at gmail dot com

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  79. tweeted
    https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/648322253214486528


    eswright18 at gmail dot com

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  80. My sister Peggy is phenomenal: she helped raise me and my two siblings, and now has three beautiful, intelligent children of her own. She's amazing.

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  81. tweeted : https://twitter.com/tinawoo21/status/648422723375382528

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  82. My friend Karen and her mom are remarkable, phenomenal women that I just love to pieces. They are two of the most caring, loving women alive.
    dmarie824 at aol dot com

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  83. tweeted - https://twitter.com/dmarie824/status/648541030954893312

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  84. My mom is the most phenomenal woman in my life.

    kport207 at gmail dot com

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  85. My mom is my most phenomenal influence! truckredford(at)Gmail(Dot)com

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  86. https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/648651175483437056 truckredford(at)Gmail(Dot)com

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  87. My mom is phenomenal.
    POKERGRL8 at gmail.com

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  88. https://twitter.com/aes529/status/648798694867902464
    POKERGRL8 at gmail.com

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  89. My mom is a phenomenal women in my life.

    rounder9834 @yahoo.com

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  90. tweeted
    https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/648948357881311232

    rounder9834 @yahoo.com

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  91. My mom is a phenomenal woman in my life. She homeschooled my brother and I all through our school years, and I couldn't be more proud of the work she's accomplished over the years.
    pixelberrypie at yahoo dot com

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  92. Tweeted! https://twitter.com/pixel_berry_pie/status/649030318775660544

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  93. Your grandmother sounds like a wonderful person. I hope someone thinks of me in the same way someday. My daughter is the most phenomenal person I know. She has an abundance of enthusiasm for life and shares it with everyone around her.

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  94. Tweet - https://twitter.com/willitara/status/649131966118268928

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  95. My mom is very loving, caring and kind. She is phenomenal!
    iamdadtastic@gmail.com

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  96. tweeted https://twitter.com/iamdadtastic/status/649192746775777280
    iamdadtastic@gmail.com

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  97. My mother and my grandmother (maternal)

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  98. tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/649243116390760450

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  99. https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/649313979148431361

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  100. my #SweepstakesEntry tweet:

    https://twitter.com/thrincor/status/649320348379385856

    KC
    kacor7@hotmail.com

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  101. my #SweepstakesEntry -comment

    definitely my mother and her sister (my aunt) are phenomenal women in my life. My brothers and I lost our father to cancer over 25 years ago and my mother has gone to work and I’m so proud of her, she has paid off her house, purchased her car with cash and has saved money. She and her sister remain close despite often not agreeing on things (politics, etc ) Lol its nice to see their close relationship and I’m glad they talk everyday and live close to each other. I miss them both

    KC
    kacor7@hotmail.com

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  102. My friend Sherrie has many health problems but she is always upbeat and makes me smile.
    Thanks for the contest.

    slehan at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  103. https://twitter.com/slehan/status/649351203072020480

    slehan at juno dot com

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  104. My mom and mother in law are the most phenomenal women in my life. They are strong women who taught me faith and to depend on God.
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  105. https://twitter.com/disneyfan40/status/649372763904458752
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete

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