Born on this Day

Exactly one week ago today, I turned the BIG 30. Oh my goodness, I can't believe I just wrote that! I used to think that 30 was old, but now that I've reached it, I see that it's just a number. Thirty is not old by any means, especially considering that I want to keep blowing candles til I'm 100. Thanks to my guys, I had a beautiful 30th birthday. It started with breakfast in bed prepared by my husband. I told you he's AMAZING! Then I was serenaded with a beautiful song. Nope... my husband wasn't doing the singing. It was Tim McGraw singing "Just to See You Smile" from inside my birthday card. And, like the song says, my husband does just about anything just to see me smile. And, that's what I did when I opened the card. Inside was a membership for The Spa. Now I can zumba til the cows come home, skinny cows of course. They also surprised me with a clock I have been wanting for quite sometime now. The day continued with a trip to the quaint Appalachian town of Blowing Rock. As we made our way up the mountain, we noticed a sign which read, HWY TO CLOSE THURSDAY 12:00PM-2:00PM.

OH NO! Here it was 11:45a.m. The only other way we could reach our destination was to take the long 2 hour way around. So, we put the pedal to the medal and to our surprise, we made it through. I'd like to think that Someone above was looking out for me and making sure I'd have a nice day. Filled with trendy boutiques, delicious restaurants, beautiful churches, and a playful little park; Blowing Rock is a charming place to visit. It was more than just nice. It was a beautiful day for a birthday!

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Most moms have an obsession of photographing their families that they rarely are ever seen coming out from behind the camera. That's why Carin @ Forever in Blue Jeans created a new challenge for all blogging mamas. It's called 52 Weeks. Every week moms will be stepping away from their cameras and sharing the spotlights with their loved ones. Looking through my photos, I discovered that it's so true. I'm missing in action in most of the shots. And really it doesn't bother me one bit. Well......maybe just a little. I would have to say that when I look at pictures of me growing up, my favorites aren't the ones of me alone. They're the ones that capture me with my family, especially my parents. So, I'm excepting the challenge.

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Introducing My Three Lucky B-Earth Day Winners

I know all of you have been wondering,

"Did I Win? Did I Win?"
And the answer is.....
YES!
(That is if my little assistant drew your name
and announces it down below :)

So, without further ado...DRUM ROLL PLEASE!


Winner #1

Winner #2

Winner #3

Thanks again to Everybody for participating in my B-Earth Day Giveaway.
You all are WINNERS in my eyes!

If you did hear your name, click on my E-mail button so I'll know where to send your
OH SO FABULOUS PRIZE!

Grosgrain: Picnic Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Picnic Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

If you know me, you know that I AM A GIRLY GIRL. And so, when my bloggy friend El mentioned a giveaway going on at Grosgrain Fabulous, I just had to enter! Kathleen is the lady behind this great giveaway and a lady sew talented too! The giveaway is this beautiful dress of a masterpiece she created. Hopefully, I'll be the lucky one enjoying a picnic in this pretty little dress.

Reflection

This week I Heart Faces is all about reflections.
Reflections in Water
Reflections in Mirrors
Reflections in Windows
AND IN MY CASE
A funny Reflection in the Bath

Shady Reflections

The I Heart Faces participants really got creative with this week's reflective theme. Reflections can be captured in the most interesting ways, when you think outside the box.

Lives Well Done!

I want to thank all of y'all for entering my B-Earth Day Giveaway and for living your lives well done! This giveaway was done in hopes that you all would take hold of your birthday and embrace it for the blessing it is. And, I'm happy to say that, for the most part, you all DO recognize the beauty of your special day and you're not taking it for granted. That's great news to my ears! B-Earth Day Mission #1 ACCOMPLISHED.

My other purpose for my B-Earth Day Giveaway was to hopefully inspire you to do more for our Planet Earth. The funny thing is that YOU ALL were more of an inspiration to me after it was all said and done. You all make a wonderful contribution to this world. There's so much more that I could be doing and I'm definitely gonna do my share from now on. Thanks to you all, I'm gonna try my best to make this world a better place for having me in it. B-Earth Day Mission #2 ACCOMPLISHED.

However, no one mentioned how they're spiritually making this world a more beautiful place. I was so surprised because I know for sure that you are a group of beautiful women inside and out. I see the love you all have for your families in your posts and I believe that this world is NOT ONLY a better place having y'all in it because you are taking care of the land. This world is also more beautiful because you are women of great influence to those around you, especially your children. Think of all those children in the world who are lost with no one around to guide them. If only there were more wonderful people around like you all. Think of how beautiful the world be then! B-Earth Day Mission #3 is obviously being ACCOMPLISHED!

I applaud you all for being so optimistic about your birthdays and for helping me make this world a better, more beautiful place, environmentally and spiritually. To show my appreciation, three of you will be receiving one of these ready to reuse bags from Kohl's that are neither plastic nor paper, but OH SO FABULOUS!

You still have until tomorrow, April 28th, to enter if you haven't already.

THANKS AGAIN!

THIS WORLD IS TRUELY BLESSED TO HAVE YOU ALL IN IT!

My B-Earth Day Giveaway

Two GREAT days are rapidly approaching and to celebrate, I'm sending some B-Earth Day love your way. What's all the commotion about?

Well, let me tell you.

Some of you may already know that I'm turning the BIG 3-0 in a few days, April 23rd to be exact, and I'm so excited! If you don't know why, you should click here. I'm not sure how I'll be celebrating but I DO know one thing for sure...I WILL BE CELEBRATING! And I won't have to do it alone. I'll have both my guys right here beside me to share my special day. That's all I really need to celebrate anyways. Maybe we'll go hang out at the beautiful nearby mountains for the day. Or, maybe we'll catch a good movie. No matter what our plans end up being, It's gonna be wonderful celebrating another year. To me, a birthday is not about the gifts wrapped in pretty papers or the bags stuffed full of tissue paper. It's a much GREATER gift that I look forward to and it's given to me by God. It's the gift of having another year with those whom I love.

What's the other occasion? Well, let me tell you. Tomorrow is Earth Day; and honestly, I haven't ever celebrated it before. But, since I've started my Scenic Sundays, I've come to realize that it's a day worth celebrating. The beauty of God's creation is always surrounding us and it's highly important for us to take the time to nurture and treasure it - today, tomorrow and always. Someone once said, "For the sake of our children, we need to leave this world better than how we entered it. So, let us all join together and leave a better, more beautiful world behind.

Now do you see what my cause for celebration is all about?

Are you still with me? I hope so, because now I'm getting to the really good part.
MY B-EARTH DAY GIVEAWAY!!


Here's what you gotta do:

Entry # 1: Let me know you're one of my Penless Pen Pals. And If you're not, join the club. I love meeting new bloggy friends.

Entry #2: In a separate comment, tell me what your birthday is. My goal is to have everyone embracing their special day; so, don't leave out the year. It's all part of the healing process for all of you who are anti-Birth Day people. Also in this comment tell me about a special past birthday memory you have or something you look forward to about an upcoming birthday.

Entry #3: In another separate comment, tell me how you are contributing or plan to contribute to our Planet Earth. It can be environmentally or spiritually. How has the world become a better place having you in it?

Entry #4: If you would like, post about my B-Earth Day Giveaway on your blog and help me spread the word.


Leave me the comments on this post ONLY. You've got one week (til April 28th) to enter, so don't hesitate. Let's celebrate!


THAT'S IT!
I hope I've left you inspired and I look forward to your responses.

Me, Myself, and I

This week I Heart Faces is all about the art of DIY photography also known as self-portraits. I felt a little silly trying to get a shot of me, myself and I, especially when my neighbors would walk by. Hopefully, they didn't notice me seating in our good o' black truck. And if they did, I can just imagine what they think of me now. You think they would believe me if I were to tell them that I'm not crazy and I'm not in love with myself? I just was just trying to think out side the box and have a little fun with my self-portrait.

Me, Myself and Christian

As I mentioned, I Heart Faces wants all it's participants to fly solo this week. This was especially hard to do with my energetic two year old. Mason wasn't too keen on posing for a picture with me. Luckily, my nephew was more than happy to fill in for him. Christian was able to join Mason and I on a trip to the library for a Dr. Suess party. He is the spitting image of my sister. As I look at this picture, I'm reminded of her. I'm so glad they were able to come along. We had a great time.

Godly Little Creatures

Sometimes we are so busy with everyday life that we forget to appreciate the beauty that God has placed before us. Scenic Sundays are about stopping and smelling the roses. And while you're smelling those roses, take a picture so that others can share in your appreciation for the beauty of His creation. So pretty please come join us for Scenic Sundays. Maybe we'll see things in a different light.

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Today's scenery comes from a dolphin tour we took a few years ago while on our trip to Tybee Island, GA. No one was sure if we would see the Godly little creatures; but sure enough, two friendly companions eventually emerged from the deep blue sea. I was also able to capture the sneaky little seagulls snacking away at the shrimpers' loot.

Isn't it AMAZING, the beauty God created!
It comes in all shapes, all sizes, & species too.
It's evident from up above and evident in the deep blue.

(You're welcomed to join in any day.)

Hot Pockets Anyone?

My nephew, Stefan, is always up for a good laugh. So when we went to my sister's for Easter, he thought that we'd all get a good laugh watching some of his Tivo'd collections, one of which was of Jim Gaffigan, a very FUNNY comedian. I had never heard of him before, but I promise he's got to know me, because he started making fun of me. It must have been me he was making fun of, because apparently NO ONE ELSE eats Hot Pockets. And not ONLY do I eat Hot Pockets, I also enjoy eating a good Lean Pocket. I was laughing so hard, that tears were coming down my face. Stefan said he had never seen me laugh so hard. To tell you the truth, I don't think I have EVER laughed that hard. So, watch the video and have a good laugh on me. And if you want to laugh some more, visit Kim at Homesteaders Heart for more Friday Funnies.

8 THINGS

A few days ago I was tagged by one of my Penless Pen Pals named JennyKate to reveal 8 things about me. I really enjoy reading her blog. You should pay her a visit, if you haven't already.

Here's how to do this 8 THINGS thing:

• Mention the person that tagged you.
• Complete the lists of 8's.
• Tag 8 of your wonderful bloggy friends.
• Go tell them you tagged them!

8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO
(in order of occurrence)

1. Ditching the pullups! (Don't know exactly when that will be. SOON I HOPE!)
   
2. Going to zumba tomorrow (My friend, Carol, is doing her first solo class)
3. Going to the park on Sunday for a little friend's birthday party
4. Going to the library on Tuesday for some fun with The Little Gym
5. April 23, my 30th birthday. After all, another year is another blessing.
6. Going to my nieces First Communion on May 2
   
7. Going to the Catawba Science Center on May 23 for Mason's 3rd birthday party
8. Celebrating 8 years of married bliss with my wonderful husband on June 2

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY

1. Blogged
2. Had fun with Mason, Christian and Eli at a Dr. Suess party at the library
3. Chased Mason, Christian and Eli in the library
4. I think I lost my marbles in the library
   
5. Cooked dinner for my guys
6. Heard Mason pitch a fit in timeout
7. Blogged a little more
8. Watched some of my 8 favorite shows

8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO

1. Grow money on trees
2. Sing like Carrie Underwood
3. Ice skate (well skate. PERIOD)
4. Clean house and ENJOY IT!
5. Go anywhere in the world at a moments notice
6. Sew (I've got a sewing machine, but I don't know how to use it)
7. Have my daddy's skinny gene. (He could eat a COW and still be as skinny as a rail)
8. Knock some sense into people! (ONLY when they reach the point of hopelessness)

8 SHOWS I WATCH

1. Y&R
2. American Idol
3. Friday Night Lights
4. The Biggest Loser
5. Lost
6. How I Met Your Mother
7. Rules of Engagement
8. The Big Bang Theory

8 BLOGGERS TAGGED

1. Tamela @ A Brunette Making It One Day at a Time
2. My blog twin Sheila @ Pieces of Me
3. Kim @ Homesteaders Heart
4. El @ Through My Own Lens
5. Kristin @ Diapers, Dress Up and Other Holy Things
6. Wilma @ Little Toes & Cheerios
7. Tabitha @ Fresh Mommy
8. Ginger @ Enchanting Cottage

HOPE YOU GIRLS ENJOY BEING TAGGED. I SURE DID!
THANKS to JENNYKATE

Easter With My Guys

Another Easter photo? Yep....that's right! I couldn't bare myself to leave this one out of the spotlight. And to think it was almost nonexistent. Mason wasn't too interested in posing for the camera, but you wouldn't be able to tell from the sweet little smile on his face.

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Most moms have an obsession of photographing their families that they rarely are ever seen coming out from behind the camera. That's why Carin @ Forever in Blue Jeans created a new challenge for all blogging mamas. It's called 52 Weeks. Every week moms will be stepping away from their cameras and sharing the spotlights with their loved ones. Looking through my photos, I discovered that it's so true. I'm missing in action in most of the shots. And really it doesn't bother me one bit. Well......maybe just a little. I would have to say that when I look at pictures of me growing up, my favorites aren't the ones of me alone. They're the ones that capture me with my family, especially my parents. So, I'm excepting the challenge.

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Easter Fast Forward

In my last post, I shared a picture of Mason's first Easter in 2007. It seems like ages ago when I took that photo. Back then, he was a just a little cotton-tail wobbling down the bunny trail and too little for any egg-cellent hunting.

Fast forward 2 years later and that little cotton-tail has sprung into a little energizer bunny... NOW RACING DOWN THE BUNNY TRAIL. So much change in so little time. This year, our Easter celebration began the night before with eggs simply to dye for. I found some dye-filled Q-tips perfect for making silly little eggs. Mason named each one of our creations. The little girl egg was named Destiny after his cousin. The blue one had somewhat of an identity crisis. At first, it was Tia Annette. Although I thought it was perfect, somehow that name just didn't fit. So, he renamed it to plain o' Monster. And last but certainly not least, was the little yellow boy egg named after no one other than the ever so popular Christian. Of course, he couldn't
leave out his Ki Ki.

The following morning, we woke up to a beautiful Easter day. When all the sudden, we hear the doorbell ring. "Who could it be?" we thought. Mason raced to the door to find a special delivery from the Easter Bunny. It was a busy day for the Bunny; so, unfortunately, we didn't get to catch a glimpse of him.

After digging into some yummy treats, we put on our best duds and headed on over to church to celebrate the true meaning of Easter. I was so happy to have both my guys with me. My husband, Bradley, sat with us through one and a half hours of Spanish mass. Isn't he the greatest! The festivities continued at my sister Josette's house.

We LAUGHED! We ATE! Then we went on a thrill of a hunt! Cameras were flashing here and there trying to get a shot of the little peeps running wild. No time to stop for flashing cameras. The hunt was on!

Mason was able to hunt down 17 eggs, one of which had a special pink slip good for one yummy chocolate bunny.

Next on our list of things to do was a good o' fashion game of croquet. It brought back memories of my sisters and I when we were girlys. It was getting late and so we had to say goodbye, but I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate Easter. It was a beautiful day all around!

Easter Rewind

It's Easter week at I Heart Faces. I decided to rewind to Mason's first Easter in 2007. The church was all decked out with the most beautiful flowers all around, making a perfect back drop for an Easter photo with his favorite little buddy, Christian.

Jesus Loves Me

I asked God
"How much do You love me?"
"This much"
He replied.
Then He stretched
out His arms
and for me, He died.


Wishing you a blessed Easter Sunday!
Miti

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Sometimes we are so busy with everyday life that we forget to appreciate the beauty that God has placed before us. Scenic Sundays are about stopping and smelling the roses. And while you're smelling those roses, take a picture so that others can share in your appreciation for the beauty of His creation. So pretty please come join us for Scenic Sundays. Maybe we'll see things in a different light.

(You're welcomed to join in any day.)
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Matchy Matchy

For this edition of 52 Weeks, there was no need for me to snap a picture at arms length. I was lucky enough to have the help of my sister, Annette. This past Sunday, we stopped in for a quick visit, when we realized that the three of us were dressed in matching clothing. This was one of those rare occasions in which I DID NOT get to choose what Mason wore. And I certainly DID NOT dress my grownup husband. So, I promise you it wasn't planned. Sometimes it just happens that way with the people around me. Of course, I couldn't miss out on this great photo opportunity. Good thing I take my camera with me everywhere I go.

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Most moms have an obsession of photographing their families that they rarely are ever seen coming out from behind the camera. That's why Carin @ Forever in Blue Jeans created a new challenge for all blogging mamas. It's called 52 Weeks. Every week moms will be stepping away from their cameras and sharing the spotlights with their loved ones. Looking through my photos, I discovered that it's so true. I'm missing in action in most of the shots. And really it doesn't bother me one bit. Well......maybe just a little. I would have to say that when I look at pictures of me growing up, my favorites aren't the ones of me alone. They're the ones that capture me with my family, especially my parents. So, I'm excepting the challenge.
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My Friend & I

It's the start of a brand new week at I Heart Faces, and I've got the perfect picture for this week's theme - My Friend & I. To the right, is my little guy Mason; and to the left is his little buddy Christian. Christian is so much more than Mason's cousin. He is his playmate, his sidekick; and, at times, his partner in crime. He is Mason's best friend. My hope for them is that they continue to remain close and look out for each other, as only a true wing man would do.

God's Crayons by Georgie M. Kusak

God's Crayons
A young man almost three,
Sat upon his mothers knee,
With crayons in his hand,
His masterpiece he planned.

Brilliant crayons he did love,
And never grew tired of,
Colors so amazingly bright,
Like a glowing prism light!

The evening sunset phasing,
Like a red-hot flame blazing,
Radiant colors so enhanced,
His eager little eyes danced.

With excitement so delirious,
In a soft voice so serious,
Said mother-mother look,
Her hand in his, he took.

Never dropping his gaze,
Like a mesmerizing daze,
Staring at the splendid hue,

God-has crayons too.

by Georgie M. Kusak

One winter evening, as night began to fall, God took out his crayons and began to draw.
Isn't HE Amazing!

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Sometimes we are so busy with everyday life that we forget to appreciate the beauty that God has placed before us. Scenic Sundays are about stopping and smelling the roses. And while you're smelling those roses, take a picture so that others can share in your appreciation for the beauty of His creation. So pretty please come join us for Scenic Sundays. Maybe we'll see things in a different light.

(You're welcomed to join in any day.)
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Nuts about Nutcrackers

I made a new bloggy friend today. Her name is Kim from Homesteaders Heart. If you haven't had the privilege of meeting her, you should. She's a real hoot! I found her via one of my penless pen pals named Mimi. And she's hosting a Show & Tell carnival for everybody to join in. This Saturday's Show & Tell is all about your favorite collections. My prized collection is nutcrackers and I'm absolutely nuts about them. Of course, I only show them off during Christmas; but, a couple of months ago, I recieved one of a treasure. It was given to me by my father-in-law after returning home from a European getaway. Hand carved by the hands of a TRUE craftsman, this nutty little guy is truely priceless.

Poop...There it is

The other night, we were just sitting at home taking it easy, when we heard the sound of little grunts coming from the corner. We knew exactly what was going on. That was the sound of Mason getting ready to make a 'deposit' (if you know what I mean) and it was about to go into the wrong account. So his Daddy grabbed him and rushed him to the potty and I followed right after with some good reading material in tow. As I was finishing the 3rd and final book, I began to hear the sound of those little grunts again. The poor little guy was pushing so hard that one of those grunts was followed with a little squirt. It was a 2 for 1 deal and it was aimed right at me! I was so excited that I didn't even flinch. We were so proud! It was Mason's first time "pinching it off" where it belongs. He's a BIG boy now.

Today’s photo was submitted by Carol from Black Salt Photography, who wanted to see just how the contributors of I Heart Faces (and all of you!) could fix-up this photo of her beautiful little girl. Of course, Picnik was my weapon of choice. Here's what it can do for your photos.