GIVEAWAY TIME!

ENTRIES ACCEPTED NOW THROUGH MARCH 4TH

Alright, it's time for another giveaway! This giveaway is for a very cute hairbow set from Sweet Baby Tutus.

The winner will receive one pink stretchy crochet headband with a matching pink flower clip and two boutique style hairbows in the color(s) of your choice. All hairbows are attached to a covered alligator clip. 

These are great for little girls of all ages! The flower is a 4" daisy and the boutique style bows are approximately 3".

 The winner can pick from pink, black, lavender, yellow and pink with chocolate polka dots.

HOW TO ENTER

Very simple! Leave a comment under this post. You may earn additional entries by becoming a Facebook Fan and a follower of this blog. For each entry leave an additional comment. Ex: "I became a FB fan too!" I will check to make sure the additional entries are valid. This gives you a total of three chances to win!! The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

The last day for entries will be Friday, March 4th (midnite EST). The winner will be announced Monday March 7th using Random.org. The hairbows will be shipped via USPS within 5 business days of contacting the winner. If I have not heard from the winner within 48 hours of contacting them I will select another winner.

Feel free to tweet, post on FB or blog about this contest!

This Mommy Needs a Break!

I've reached that point.

Every mom has it. It's the day your husband walks in the door and you head out without much of an explanation, just "I need a break!" You drive around, head to a local retail store to walk around aimlessly, maybe a book store to grab a cup of coffee. Not really caring how your husband is doing without you, just that you don't have to deal with bath time, story time, pajama struggles and sibling fighting for that night.



This is my "I've had it!" face



I have started thinking of how long it's been since I've been away from my kids for longer than nap time. I think it was a few weeks ago for a church dinner. Then I started to think about the last time I went out alone. Running to the post office or market doesn't count. Just a mommy only shopping venture, Hmmmm, it's been months. Yes, months!



For some reason this weekend has been tough with the kids. Not listening, fighting, walking out in the middle of church to discipline my son who was talking loudly and not being a "good listener." Then laying down to catch a short nap only to have my son wake up from a very short nap and tap my every five minutes for something, even after I turned on his favorite movie and told him mommy needed a nap too. That didn't happen.

This week I go back to work. It will be for two days a week. I've been worried about how I will handle leaving my daughter who is with me ALL the time (my son attends preschool three days a week). I think this trying weekend has been God's way of preparing me and showing me this job will be a good change. Maybe I will get some of my sanity back.

Not everyone is made to be a SAHM. I've enjoyed the time home with my kids but have known it wasn't a permanent gig for me. I think becoming a part-time working mom will be good for me. Hopefully it will help me find patience again.

I Hate Shopping but... I LOVE Deals!

Okay, I don't actually hate shopping. I just hate it when I don't have the money to buy what I want. Since we're on a tight budget at the moment, I currently hate shopping.

However, I LOVE the end of season sales and today I found some awesome buys at GAP and Macy's.  I must first say that my hubby and I went shopping last weekend and got some pretty great deals too on clothes for my daughter and I found a cute dress.

I headed to the mall today because I received an email from GAP about an extra 40% off their sale items. I purchased $189.50 worth of clothing for $30.50!

Here is what I got:

Gray Cord jacket - originally 59.50 - sale 11.99

Vintage Flare jeans in dark wash - originally $69.50 - sale 12.59

black top with tie and keyhole opening in back - originally 29.50 - sale 2.98

gray tank with beads - originally 29.50 - sale 2.98

I was so excited about the jeans!  I am tall so finding jeans that actually fit is tough. GAP jeans have always fit me well but at $70.00 a pop they are not usually in this SAHM's budget.  Also, I do not buy clothes just because they are cheap! I tried them on, made sure they fit and flattered me. So what if a top is $2.00 and you never wear it! That's two bucks you wasted! The fit of the black shirt was so cute and looked great with the jeans! Yay!

Next I headed over to Macy's. This is where my husband and I found some great deals last weekend so I went to see what was left.  They had an extra 50% some of their sale racks.  This is what I purchased:

3 piece Clavin Klein outfit with vest, shirt and pants sz 2T - originally 66.00 - sale 7.48

two Quicksilver t-shirts - originally 16.00 each - sale 2.48 each

sweater vest - originally 17.99 - sale 2.48

cardigan - originally 19.99 - sale 2.48

All together I purchased around $135.00 worth of clothes at Macy's for 17.40!

All of the items from Macy's were for my son and daughter. I bought the next size up for my daughter so she could wear them next fall. I purchased the short sleeved shirts for my son for the spring and summer.

So, there you have it! A very successful day shopping for me :)

Change is Coming

Quality Time

The time has come. I must go back to work.

I'm happy. I'm sad. I'm nervous. I'm excited.

When my husband went back to grad school for ministry in 2005 we knew it meant having financial hardships for a few years and eventually moving away from our families. All I asked was that I could be a SAHM for a while when he was finally called to his own church. 

Well, we moved here in 2009 and I became a SAHM to my then three year old son and six-month-old daughter. I didn't think I could make it after the first month. I was ready to pull my hair out! But, we finally got into a routine and I loved it. I missed a lot of the adult things, like lunch hours and conversation. I also realized what a gift staying home was for me.

After having my son in 2006 I returned to work full-time after twelve weeks of maternity leave. It was hard leaving him but I had no choice. I had to work.  When our daughter was born in 2009 we had already moved once. I had a new job and could only stay out for eight weeks and then had to return to work. Again, I had to work.

Then my husband was called to VA. He kept his promise and I got to stay home. I realized what I missed while I worked when my son was little. I don't regret it but I am sad that someone else got to see everything I missed.  More than once I've sat back and wondered, 'How in the world did I get all this done when I worked?'  I've learned what an incredible person it takes to work and be a wife and mother and take care of a home while making sure your kid doesn't turn into a serial killer. What's more amazing are the millions of moms and dads who do it every day!

So, in a few weeks I will return to work, this time only part-time. A few days a week. It will help me ease back into the real world. For some reason I think leaving my kids this time will be even harder then when they were infants.  They have become my side kicks, my partners in crime.

I am excited about entering the adult world again! Having conversations that involve subjects other than Buzz Lightyear and trains is a huge plus! I think I'm really going to enjoy my job.

Most of me can't wait to get started. The part of my heart that is with my kids is dragging a little though.

I'm in the Spotlight!

I'm the Spotlight blog for Traveling Thursdays!! Read below to participate and possibly be next week's spotlight!

 

Welcome to the Traveling Through Thursday Blog Hop 2/3/11 hosted by Living on Love and Cents, Mom On Dealz, Our Kids Mom , and Belly Charms (The Blog).

The Spotlight this week is Jamie from Makin' It Work. Here are a few things she wanted to share with us all. She is 5 on this week's linky. Be sure to stop by and tell her hello!

I started blogging about two years ago as a way to keep our family updated on our kids after we moved away. I started my second blog "Makin' It Work" about three months ago after I became a SAHM and started my own business.

When I'm not blogging I'm playing with my kids (they are 1 and 4) or making tutus for my shop on Etsy.com Sweet Baby Tutus. I also love to be outside when the weather cooperates and reading.

I love to blog! It's so much fun seeing the comments people leave and it's also very therapeutic. I have met some really great people and found really interesting stories.

Thanks so much for including me as a spotlight!

Would you like to be a spotlight? All you have to do is follow these steps. Also visit Sweet Baby Tutus/ Makin It Work on Twitter and Facebook.
1) Follow the first 4 pages in the linky. These are our hosts. Be sure to comment so that we can follow back!
2) Please only link up your the network we are visiting for the week!--GOOGLE
3) Spread the word about this hop with a post, grab the button, etc.!For more followers- Grab the linky code and post this on your blog for your followers!

Happy Traveling! Be SURE to leave a comment so that we can return the follow.

get the InLinkz code

(mostly) WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

MOVIE NIGHT

My Purse Has Become A Casualty

For some reason over the last few months I have come to despise carrying a purse. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE bags! My collection has dwindled since I became a SAHM but I still love to look, dream and grab the occasional deal.

My daughter is 21 months I am making lots of trips to the Post Office, Wal-Mart, fabric stores and craft stores thanks to my Etsy shop. My very cute Jessica Simpson bag I bought at a steal after Christmas is more of a burden than a wonderful fashion statement. I can't tell you how many not so nice words have been uttered under my breath as I dig for my keys or lip balm in the black hole of my purse.

So, today I bit the bullet and ordered a very cute handmade mini wallet keychain from a fellow Etsy seller. Think back to your college years and the not - so - mini keychain wallet you carried your precious student ID in and you will get the picture.

Sadly, I can't wait for my purchase to arrive at my door and be freed of my purse for most of my daily errands. I will still use my purses. They make me very happy! But only when I know I'm not carrying a 21 month old on one arm and holding the hand of a very active four year old with the other.

Have you given up something that seemed so simple but made your life a lot easier after it was gone?

Valentine's Day Ideas

Doesn't he deserve a good V-Day? :)

I need suggestions. Are you a Super Romantic? I would love some ideas for Valentine's Day!

I have a confession. I am a girl and I DO NOT LIKE TO SHOP! I am also NOT a romantic.

As Valentine's Day approaches I am reminded of how unromantic I am. I just don't think in terms of candlelight dinners, surprise getaways or super thoughtful (took me a lot of time) gifts. I think the best I've done so far was the wedding gift I gave my husband. It was a small scrapbook of special notes and pictures from when we were dating and our engagement.  Since then, I think I have failed miserably.

My husband, on the other hand, LOVES to shop and is great a buying gifts! He has great taste and loves to plan little getaways for the two of us every now and then. He tries to help me out by pointing out things he likes (even making lists) or mentioning places he would like to go. I very rarely remember and most of the time I can't find the gifts he has hinted at (usually random Jesus books. We call all his religious paraphernalia Jesus books).

Sometimes I feel guilty for lacking the romance gene, but it is me. Some people are just better at things than others. I have high hopes every year for Valentine's Day and his birthday but I never seem to get it done.
Maybe this year will be different.

Are you missing the romance gene too?

Our National Lampoon Christmas Vacation

Yes, this is my husband's favorite Christmas movie (mine is A Christmas Story). This year we lived our very own version of the iconic movie. Unfortunately, it was real life and we didn't make the money the actors did in the original.



Not good when it happens to you!



It started innocently enough. We traveled four hours from the mountains of VA to visit our families in NC on Christmas Day. When we left we knew there was a chance for snow in NC (which very rarely gets more than a dusting) so we loaded up the kid's snow attire.  About two hours into our trip I look at my husband and ask, "Did you pack the kids coats?" Yep, heading to NC for one of the coldest weekends so far and we left their coats sitting in the foyer. We had their snow boots, hats and gloves, but no coats. So, we formulated a plan for borrowing coats once we arrived and continued on with our trip. Crisis averted.

We arrive in NC and celebrate Christmas with my in-laws Saturday night. We had a great time watching the kids tear into their presents and eating great food! Fast forward to about 5:00 a.m. We are all asleep and hear a big "THUD" around this time. I think my husband put one of our kids in the bed with him (we had to sleep in separate room with the kids) and they fell out of the bed. When I got up to check I noticed his grandmother in the kitchen so I assumed she had made the noise and went back to bed. We all wake up a few hours later. My husband comes into the bedroom and says, "A huge tree branch fell on my car!"

During the night it had started snowing and the "THUD" we heard at 5 a.m. was the branch falling on our car due to the weight of the snow! It caused LOTS of damage but fortunately it was still safe to drive, no towing required. To put this into a little perspective, we've had this car for less than a year and my husband takes very good care of it. So, to say he was a little upset is an understatement. Let's just say my assurances of, "that's why we have insurance," did not help.

We were also supposed to travel into town to celebrate Christmas with my mom and sister and have dinner. But, thanks to the snow, we couldn't get out and missed an awesome dinner at my moms.

That evening I started feeling a little nauseated. Yep, you guessed it. Around 11 that night I was hit with a wonderful stomach bug that kept me up all night throwing up. I finally, stopped around 5 the next morning and got a little sleep.  About an hour after waking up, the power at the house we were staying in goes out. Thankfully, the roads were better so we packed up (in our PJs) and headed to my mom's for hot showers and gifts. I felt rotten the entire day so I did not get to enjoy the leftovers from the night before.

Needless to say, we were ready to go home early. On our way home we stopped to get gas only to find out that we couldn't get the door to the gas knob open thanks to a nice dent from the tree branch. We went to the local dealership and they had pity on us and fixed it quickly to we could fill up and get home.

We finally made it home and it never felt so good!

We will not travel again for a looooong time!

How the meaning of Christmas has changed

My husband has a beautiful voice and would sing "Joseph's Song" each Christmas. The Christmas I was pregnant with Alex was the last Christmas he sang it. He got choked up that year because he could relate to Joseph's love for the son he raised. He didn't think he could ever make it through the whole song again. Read the lyrics and you will understand why.

Son of our love...

Chorus 1
How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be
Lord I know He's not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The son of my loveChorus 2
Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God
Lord for all my life I've been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king, How can I raise a king
He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be

- Michael Card

I started thinking about how the meaning of Christmas has changed for me over the years. As a young child it's all about the gifts and the anticipation of what Santa will bring.  For me, it was also what my Aunt Dixie would get us. She didn't have children of her own so she always spoiled my sister, me and my cousin at Christmas.  She always gave us the best stuff! Of course, baby Jesus' birthday was also thrown in there.

As I entered my 'tweens and teenage years I understood more of the special birth of Jesus and the true meaning of the Holiday but gifts were still a huge part of the celebration.  In my early twenties, the meaning was still the same and the Holiday became a little bit of a hassle because now I was an adult and couldn't just add my name to my mom's on the family gifts.  I actually had to go out and figure out what to get everyone.

Then I got married and we had our son. Personally, I have tried to put myself in Mary 's shoes. How unreal to know that you were pregnant with the son of God. How would you even begin to tell your soon-to-be husband? How scared she must have been! Today being pregnant without being married isn't such a big deal, but she could have been dragged into the streets and stoned to death! Then her realization later on that he would have to die to fulfill God's plan. I get choked up thinking about it! God had to have been with both of them for such a miraculous thing to occur.

On the flip side, our kids are in the presents stage! They are so excited! It is great to see the joy in their eyes and their innocence. My son always wants to put money in the kettles, "To help the kids who don't get presents."  It is fun to see them so excited and grateful. My son is very good about saying "thank you!" over and over again. We are still throwing in a little bit of Jesus here and there but I am realistic of what will stick at their ages.

A few days ago my son asked, "Mom, what do you want for Christmas?" My answer, "For you and your sister to be happy." It wasn't the dutiful mommy answer. It really is what I want for Christmas. To see the surprised, happy looks on Alex and Brooklyn's faces on Christmas morning will be more than enough for me. Seeing their little happy faces all year long also does the trick too!

How has the meaning Christmas changed over the years for you?

Tag Along

So I am a proud tag along! What is a tag along? It is someone who tagged along to church with a friend, relative or caring neighbor. Gowing up, my parents didn't attend church regularly. We went off and on when I was small but never on a regular basis. My parents didn't grow up going to church so they were trying their best to instill some sort of religion and the importance of church to my sister and me.

When I was about 9 years old my best friend Daina and her mother invited me to go to church. They were trying to find one they liked and looking back her mother probably thought bringing me along would make it easier for her daughter. It's always easier when you a have a friend! Well, they liked the church and kept going and kept inviting me along. I eventually became involved in Sunday School, and Sunday and Wednesday night activities. I often came with Daina but my parents also dropped me off and picked me up whenever I wanted to go.

I found a second family at this church (some actually turned out to be distant aunts and uncles) they took me in and showed interest in my life outside of church. I enjoyed being in plays, attending camp and hanging out with the great friends I made there.

I became a Christian at 12 and continued on the path of trying to live my life the way God wanted me to. I faced the same issues as everyone through high school but church, my family and my friends helped keep me on the right path.  When my Dad died suddenly when I was 19 it was my pastor, his wife and the members there that helped organize and conduct the service. They visited and called to make sure my family was okay.

Once in college I stopped attending church regularly. I was away from home and wanted to have fun.

I found my way back shortly after college. Married a man who was a former cop turned minister and now help raise our family while we serve our church.

Some people think it's too much trouble to ask the little girl next door or a child's friend if she wants to go to Vacation Bible School, a church social gathering or just to Sunday School. I am an example of what that simple act can do. I serve my church with my husband and am raising two children to know God's love so they will not need to be a tag along. I don't think Daina or her mom realize the impact of their act. We lost contact years ago. Maybe one day I can pass it forward.

At our son's dedication

Purple and VT

I love making custom tutus! Some of my custom requests have become permanent fixtures in my shop because I loved they way the turned out so much! Here are a couple of my latest. A Virginia Tech Hokie tutu and a purple and lavender tutu.

Love them!!
Visit Sweet Baby Tutus @Etsy