No pics just GIVEAWAYS!!!

Did you get excited that I'm doing a giveaway?

Sorry if I a disappoint...

BUT I am going to steer you in the right direction
and share with you two super cool giveaways!

I have selfish intentions

but at least I'm honest!
By sharing this first giveaway,

I get entered another time in the drawing!
(please pick me oh please!)

The first giveaway is from my new favorite blog!

"Pure & Lovely" was founded by an extraordinary

design team made up of college sweethearts!

This incredibly talented couple offers a long list

of design services, and have a great blog and etsy shop!

I LOVE THIS BLOG -

so go check out the giveaway and if you win...

please give it to me! Ha!

giveaway will end at 10:00 pm. CST, Wednesday September 8th

The next giveaway is from yours truly!
Yep, ME! Just not on my blog!
I have the honor of sponsoring Centsational Girl

and together we are giving away

two $75 shop credits to Noteworthy!

There are tons of new things on the website

and as Centsational Girls says,

more gorgeous selections than ever!

This giveaway ends Monday September 6, 2010 at 8 p.m. PST

so head on over and get your entries in!!!

Pray for Ella Website!

I have been meaning to post this for awhile because I think it's so cool! If you've been around for awhile, you know the story behind sweet Ella. If not, you can read her story here.

One of Sheli's sweet friends set up a blog to lift Ella and her family up by surprising them with a name gallery. It has been so cool to see where the pictures come from! The sky is the limit on creativity. I am AMAZED when I go on to Ella's caring bridge and read where all of the comments come from. This picture blog is so great because since Ella can't read, she can enjoy this by seeing all of the pictures with her name spelled out!

I know you all don't know her but her mom is one of my closest friends and I just encourage you to get your family together and take an "ella" picture. It's just one small gesture that can make a 2 year old very happy!

You can check out the blog here and it has instructions on how to submit your photo! Something fun to do this Labor Day weekend that will brighten up a 2 year old girl!!!!

What'll Ya Have?

One of my friends always says that when someone passes on,

that God floods you will all these memories of that person...

or in this case....

that wonderful place, we call the Varsity Jr.

Last Sunday night was the last night it was open

and even though it was the night before the first day of school,

we loaded up the fam to say our goodbyes

and get one last chili dog, rings and PC!

Yes, there are other Varsitys -

and even a new one opening in Dawsonville.

There is the original downtown which is special

one in Gwinnett and Kennesaw

and now even one in Alpharetta.

But nothing is like the Jr. to me.

and as I ate my last meal there, I was flooded with the memories.


As a small girl, I spent countless Sunday evenings here after church.

My dad would write the entire family's order down on a napkin

(the days before post its) in the car before he'd go in to order.

This was definitely one of his favorite restaurants.

In seventh grade when my dad passed away,

I remember the house being flooded with friends, family & casseroles

until Susan Gordy (the owner of the Varsity Jr.) showed up.

She had gone to highschool with my dad and along with her condolences,

brought boxes of chili dogs.

It made me happy to see the food that I loved so much.


In college, I remember having a horrible day and an

upcoming test that afternoon that I wasn't ready for.

I called my husband crying and venting and he said

"Why don't you go to your happy place and study?

There is a Varsity right around the corner in Kennesaw"

That was when I first learned of that location

but it made this girl feel better when the Varsity Jr. was too far.

My Grandmother lived less than a mile from the Varsity Jr.

Many times at our gatherings, a family member would run down the street

and pick up a few boxes of hot chili dogs.

You couldn't get to her house without passing this

historic landmark.

When we were bringing little man home from the hospital,

she was very sick and pretty much house bound.

We had an anxious 22 month waiting for us at home but

we weren't sure when she'd see this baby so we stopped

by the Varsity Jr., picked up some chili dogs and

dropped by her house to introduce her new great grandson to her.

While it's just a restaurant to many,

it has been a part of many precious memories in my life.

Special memories that included my childhood with my dad

and if he were alive today....I know he would've been right there with me

Saying our thanks and goodbyes to the Varsity Jr.

Back to School....FINALLY!

Today was Back to School day!

I think I'm the only parent that

doesn't think it's "bittersweet" -

It's all just SWEET to me!!!

Both boys started today

And after a 3 month + summer,

I think everyone was ready to get back!

These 1st day of school pics totally show

how opposite their personalities are!!!

Sweet Numero Uno turned 6

the day before he began Kindergarten!

I decided to pick my battles

and not fight over a collared shirt this morning!

He's always up for a photo op

with that sweet smile.

He even took a picture of me

at the bus stop with my coffee in hand!

(you can thank me later for omitting that one!)

Then there's Little Man

who I can't even get to be STILL

for a photo op!!!

He is so silly and has so much energy!

He picks out his own clothes

but doesn't want to put them on!

He is so excited about 4 day 4's

and thinks his teacher is "pretty"

We talked about making new friends

& on the way to school I taught him the Girl Scout song:

"Make new friends, but keep the old,

One is silver and the other gold!"

He thought that was HYSTERICAL!

Now I get to spend some QT with this sweet thang!

Our big boy!

Today my oldest "Numero Uno" turned SIX!

Where has the time gone?

I remember that day like it was yesterday

I knew I was having contractions

but wasn't due for another 3 weeks!

My husband was refinishing our guest bath

that he had totally gutted while I was out of town!

We taped a piece of paper to the wall in the hallway.

I let him know every time I had a contraction

and he stopped his construction project to write down the time.

I love that I still have that piece of paper.

I love that you can gradually see the contractions

getting closer and closer and how I had to literally brace myself

against that same wall as we walked to get in the car.


The nurses kept telling me not to get my hopes up,

that NO one goes early with their first babies.

I knew they weren't right...I knew this baby was coming soon!

they thought I was crazy.

Sweet Numero Uno arrived at 8:11 PM and I was sure

nothing ever that perfect had been born before!

He was teeny tiny....6lbs. 4ozs. which concerned me on

where the other 50 pounds were accounted for!

I felt so natural as a mother instantly....

like it was WHY I was put on this earth.

I never second guessed myself - was so confident

and couldn't WAIT to go in his room in the middle of the night.


There is something so special about your first born.

He is the one that first gave me this role as mother.

He is the first life we created out of such LOVE.

I gained a whole deeper kind of love for my husband when this child came.

Now he's six years old! HOW?

He's independant and mostly indecisive,

He values my opinion but doesn't like collared shirts

He'll play with anything but is obsessed with Star Wars.

Those who know me, know that I'm pretty simple

when it comes to birthday parties (or anything really!)

but last night we blew it out! Crazy ridiculous - boys running everywhere!

They had a blast and I enjoyed a glass of wine when they left!

I even got into the spirit and dressed up as Princess Leia

She must have had A LOT of hair to do those buns!

Those that also know me, know that I don't do dress up!

That just shows what I would do for this sweet kid!


Happy 6th Birthday "L Dog"!

Vacation

Relaxing isn't the word I would use for our annual vacation

fun? yes.... Relaxing? no.

Maybe that's because we have the kids

and is there really a true "vacation" with 3 kids 5 and under?

We lost this one on the first day.....

In a nutshell -

He had come out of the ocean with his cousins and I thought he was still standing next to me but I looked up and noticed he was gone along with the boogie board. We all started looking out in the ocean and everywhere and the beach was PACKED! I ran up to the lifeguard stand and asked him if he could help me....long story short, sirens, rescue trucks, a helicopter about to go up above the ocean....it was horrible. Robby was in the room with baby girl napping so I called just to check if he had gone up there and not told anyone....robby seriously almost had a heart attack. He had been out in the water with the boys that morning and said later that when I called, he knew he was gone if he was in the water because it was so rough.

Anyway, numero uno had turned around to go back in the water but said he realized everyone had come out so when he turned around to come back, he couldn't find us...there were so many tents up and he just got confused. It was HORRIBLE.

Needless to say, I drank 4 strong margaritas in an hour and cried the rest of the night, then passed out on the sofa while crying in front of my entire family. Numero Uno was so sweet and worried about me and rightfully so! I was worried about myself!!!! I did not think I was going to get over it.....I was so thankful to see him in his bed that night.

The week did get better from there but I don't think it could've gotten any worse.

I eventually decided to let the kids go back in the ocean

but ONLY if me or daddy were in the water with them!

The kids "work" hard on the beach

and then we take great naps in the afternoon

We enjoy great dinners and good company

and even went crabbing a few nights!

I love being with my family and enjoy

watching my kids LOVE being with their cousins!

I'm looking forward to one more beach trip this year....

WITH THE GIRLS!!!!!

now that one will be relaxing!

FOUR!!!

He is FOUR years old!!!!!

ON July 4th!!!!

I know I say that alot but what a cool birthday?

We had a rocky beginning

Very colicky baby

who cried from midnight until 8 am

around 4-6 weeks old...

I didn't think I would survive!

With no sleep and a 22 month old

that I needed to take care of..

but as a mother, you do what you have to do

and you get through it.

Now those days seem like a blur

and a lifetime ago!

I never knew that cranky baby

would turn out to be so darn sweet!

He has his own sense of "style"

As you can tell in the picture above.

I actually had bought this birthday outfit probably 2 years ago

Size 4T on major sale but when his birthday arrived this year,

the outfit just wasn't him at all!

He didn't care....he wanted to wear it.

So he added his own little twist with his camo rain boots!

He completely loves his family.

He is a wonderful big brother

and CAN BE a wonderful little brother!

He has the most thankful and grateful heart

He never meets a stranger

and is the most secure and confident 4 year old I've ever met!