this is HUGE

I mean, GINORMOUS. 


You really have no idea.  Do you remember the Sweet Harper Holidays giveaway?  That was huge. This is, well, off the charts I suppose.

Sweet Harper introduced me to Giddy Up and Grow. Super cute headbands and trinkets. I luff.

Giddy Up and Grow introduced me to Laura Winslow Photography. Aside from having absolutely stunning photographs, LWP has a stellar giveaway for the next week.

Are you ready for this? You may want to go grab an extra pair of pants because you are going to pee your current pair from the excitement. Seriously.

LWP has a giveaway. A giveaway for 61 shops. $2,600 worth of certificates and free goodies. FOR ONE WINNER.  And some of it? Props for photography. Just what a budding photographer might need if she were to, um... try to start something on the side hoping it would turn into something in the front??? Maybe???

So, head on over to Laura Winslow Photography and hit it up. Lots of ways to enter. Lots of goodies to be won.

Don't say I don't watch out for you, m'kay?

Yet another blog about a giveaway

Are ya'll getting tired of this yet??

Here's the thing. There is a chance that by YOU reading this, you could win something awesome. So, really, I'm helping you out.

Have you ever been at someones house and they have these really cool almost painting like image on their walls?  Sometimes they are phrases, or quotes, or silhouette-like images?

I always want those, because I think it is one step closer to making me "current" and "trendy," but can never find anything I like (in other words, anything the hubs would let me put on our walls).  But, how awesome would it be for me to make it?

disclaimer: I always want to make things. I have good intentions. However, I seem to be lacking on the follow through. Hence, the numerous half-knitted blankets and scarves, almost finished Christmas wreaths, and several hair bow projects in the works.


Check this out: Decorchick! has an awesome giveaway going on right now!  Plus, she's offering a pretty fantastic discount code if you HAVE TO HAVE one of these.

It's a silhouette machine. And it makes things like this:



and, this:



::Swoon:: I really want. Not because it will make me cool, but because with it, I can make cool things. And then, when people come over to my house and say "Wow, that's cool! Where did you get it?" I can go all Proverbs 31 on 'em and tell them I  MADE it.  With blood, sweat and tears.

Because when I make things, even with a handy machine, it always comes to blood, sweat and tears. But, I promise I won't get any of that on anything I make for you.  Maybe that's why I have so many unfinished projects.  Hmm.

Anywho, head on over to Decor Chick and check out this giveaway! There are also tons of other cool crafty ideas for the really brave.

There you go. One more giveaway to help you out.  I'm in a giving mood!

Ok. I promised I'd share.

So, how's it goin'?


Are you ready for Turkey Day, and the craziness that will follow on Friday?  I love Black Friday. LOVE it.  Last year, I scored my Nikon D3000 plus a telephoto lens for a great price. And I didn't even have to wait in line at 4 in the morning.


So, here's the thing. Because I love you all, and feel I should share the holiday goodness, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. You ready for this? There are a ton of really cool things that will be given away that day.  What does that mean? That means you can sit at your computer, sip your pumpkin spice latte, wear your fuzzy socks, skip the makeup and STILL get some awesome goodies.


So, here's a list for you to check out. I may or may not have entered them all.


Sweet Harper is celebrating the gift of homemade this year. Blankets, pillowcase dresses, all kinds of super cool things.  And, the best part? She's doing one giveaway/feature a day until next week!  That's so many giveaways, certainly you're bound to win something! Let me add, I'm a big fan of Sweet Harper. Not only is her kiddo super cute, but I won some halloween hair clippies a while back, and LOVE them. They stay perfectly secure in Ansley's fine baby hair.


Modern Bird Studios is something I've always coveted and lusted after.  Check this out!



Is that not BEAUTIFUL?!?  And, of course, they could do people pictures.  I am seriously hoping to win one of these gift cards for Modern Bird Studios. I've got a picture picked out, and know exactly where it will be displayed. Right above the fireplace. Beautiful, no?

Anywho, Modern Bird is hosting two giveaways. Two $250 giftcards!  I am pee-my-pants excited about that.

So, where are those giveaways?  One is at Harper's Happenings. And the other? The Heir to Blair.

If that's not enough to tickle your fancy, I don't know what is! And, some entries are as simple as saying "Hey, I want that." You can get additional entries for tweeting, and blogging, and whatnot.

So, seriously. Check 'em out.  It's really simple.

I'm not embarrassed

Here's the thing. One great aspect of being a mommy blogger is that you are surrounded by other mommy bloggers who are far more experienced than you.

And, you know what experienced mommy bloggers do? Giveaways.  You know what inexperienced mommy bloggers do? Enter those giveaways.

This isn't the first time I've entered a giveaway, or the first time I blogged about one.  But, dude, you get an extra entry!  And, when it comes to free stuff, why not take a few minutes to type up a little announcement about the giveaway (though, now that I think about it, is one extra entry worth all of you that may hop over and get your own 8 entries...hmm...)

Anywho, have you ever seen those super chic mommas that have a stroller that turns heads?  Not simply a travel system, but the kind where they can simply push a button and the whole things unfolds like one of those self-inflating rafts?

Yeah. This is for one of those!



Look at this, in all of it's beauty! It's a Phil and Ted Explorer! Though the pic is shown as a double, it doesn't have to be!  And, it comes with an infant carrier adapter, so it's a travel system!  Is it not SO.STINKIN'.COOL?

I love my current umbrella stroller, but the sun shade isn't big enough to protect my little kiddo's baby skin. And this one? Look at that shade!

Listen. All the cool kids are doing it. You know you want to. So, hop over to cupcakeMAG for Littles and check it out. Enter if you must. And, hey, if you don't have a kiddo, maybe one day you will, or maybe you are a reader of this blog and you are deeply connected to a little girl named Ansley and you think she needs this.  Just sayin'.

Check back for some other awesome giveaways (not by me, but by another read. I'm going to tell you about them and I won't even get an extra entry.  Yeah, I share.)

Just another Manic Monday

That's today.  Not McFatty. Because, honestly, it wasn't a week for working out, or eating good.  Because a dear little friend came for her monthly visit, and I decided I didn't care two hoots about working out last week. So, I didn't. And I'm totally ok with that. Because, sometimes, it just isn't a hill worth dying on.

We do have a competition going on here in our office though. We're walking. Across the state. Well, not literally across the state, but counting our steps. I'm no where close to finishing, but I'm in third, so I can live with that.

But, it's a new week, and, it's time to get back to the grind stone, which, I plan to do.

I'm a winner!

Check it out, ya'll!  I won a super cute set of hair clips from my favorite hair clippy maker, Sweet Harper! 

I love her blog. It's full of great advice on being mommy to two kiddos, and she frequently offers some giveaways of her adorable hair clippies.

So, I only found out about the win yesterday, and as soon as they get here, I'll be sure to post some pics of the kiddo with the bits of cuteness in her hair!

Oh, and I started a Twitter. Why, you ask? Not because I'm really that much of an AW that I think everyone should know what I'm doing EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY, but, honestly, because Blair is offering a sweet giveaway and you had to follow on Twitter.

I love free stuff.  I will also add, I am in no way being compensated by mentioning either of these giveaways. But, I promise. Both blogs are totally worth the read, even if free stuff isn't involved!

A lesson on faith, and the church. At least, my thoughts on the subjects

My faith is very important to me. At times, it seems that it got pushed to the back burner because I knew where I stood, and I was surrounded by people that knew that as well.

I made some dumb mistakes. SO DUMB. But, I am thankful for what they helped me to learn regarding my faith.

Every day, I'm touched by the miraculous work of the Lord. When I get to see a little baby's heartbeat on the screen, and get to rejoice with those who choose life, I am reminded of the huge God I serve.

But every once in awhile, I get so frustrated. I used to think I was getting frustrated with God, but, recently, I think I realized what the true root of it is. It's the church, and, subsequently, followers of Christ.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A POST TO GOSSIP, SPREAD LIES, AND TEAR APART THE CHURCH. IT ALSO ISN'T REALLY A POST ABOUT MOMMYHOOD, THOUGH, HONESTLY, I THINK MANY OF THESE REALIZATIONS WERE BROUGHT ABOUT BY BECOMING A MOTHER, AND FINALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT REALLY MEANT FOR GOD TO SACRIFICE HIS ONLY SON ON MY BEHALF. IT'S A BIT OF A SOAP BOX, SO CONTINUE READING AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I grew up in a small, Southern Baptist church. Being the granddaughter of a preacher, and a daughter of parents who taught that faith was important even if it wasn't lived out all the time, it only made sense for me to accept what I was given.

And, I grew at that church. From Sunday School, to Children's Church, to even meeting my first crush, I loved that church. I can remember "walking to the alter," and being led through the Roman's Road by a lady that had really bad breath. Isn't that such a great conversion experience?

So, I accepted it. And I was dunked the next Sunday. And I sat and shivered with my wet hair and a smile through the rest of the service. Cause my Grandpa was proud.

Looking back on it now, I think I developed a very legalistic view of religion, and more importantly, faith. Don't get me wrong, I still believe there is only one way to enjoy eternal fellowship with the Lord, but I feel as though I was instructed to believe that the only way was to follow the rules set forth by the Southern Baptist Convention.

I'm not hating on baptists. Trust me, I'm not. They have their flaws just like every donomination. And there are some things from my time in that church that I treasure. Like singing old hymns. And understanding my brokenness. But, every church has it's problems. And that, more importantly, is what this is about. It's about man getting in the way of God's work. It's about the church being seen as something that sparkles and is just surface level.

I can remember seeing the piano player from church out in town, and seeing him smoking. Not because he was on fire, but because he had a cigarette that was. And, even today, so many years later, I can remember the judgments that flooded my mind.

That was 4th grade. We stopped attending that church about a year later. Fast forward to high school, when I started attending a youth group with a bunch of my friends. CHANGED.MY.LIFE.

I think I'll stop here for the time being, and turn this into a bit of a series. I have a feeling it can go on for a while, and in order for me to articulate my thoughts, it's best if I break it up.

So, to be continued...

Go away and leave me alone!

So, you know that game where you click the squares and use the numbers to help find the mines? It's called minesweeper, cleverly enough.

Anywho, if you aren't sure how to play, you end up just clicking squares watching that little smiley face at the top hold his breath as what is hiding behind the square is revealed. "3? Ok, that means this square is bordered by 3 mines."

The game isn't really hard. But, it is addictive. I mean, EXTREMELY addictive.

So, here it is, 10:30 p.m., and after a long day with a whiny baby (which, unfortunately, seems to be the norm as of late), I'm sitting here blogging about minesweeper. Because I can't stop. At.All.

I'm tired, my teeth are fuzzy, the house is a mess, laundry needs to be done, and I'm still dressed for a wedding that was 4 hours ago.

But I've just got to play one more game. Just one more, then I'll go to bed.

Shameless

So, since I've started blogging myself, I've started following other mommy blogs. Some make me pee my pants cause I'm laughing so hard (thankyouverymuch Blair. I've purchased dozens of new undies, especially after reading about the wet seat cushion).

Other blogs have brought tears, and an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my little one. And, some blogs have connected me with old friends.

But, some blogs offer free stuff. And this, my friends, is what it is all about.

So, over on Adventures of Baby Kaitlyn, it is the giveaway I have been waiting for. Those cute little knitted (or crocheted) baby hats with the flowers. To.die.for.

I see other babies with these hats on, and wish I had the devotion to make one myself. Sure, I can knit. But I should probably finish the 5 different scarfs I have started first. Or, maybe that baby blanket. Or maybe that blanket I started for my mom. Three years ago.

But why make one yourself when you can enter different giveaways, and hopefully get one yourself, all while being lazy and just writing about it. Score.

So, head on over to Adventures of Baby Kaitlyn (Adventures of Baby Kaitlyn) and enter for yourself. Just don't blog about it. Cause that won't get you any extra entries. Not even three.