{pssst...}

Yep, that's right well numero quatro for P320!

Amazing!  He never ceases to amaze me with his love!

So thankful!

My little one got in on the action and we do a good ole fashion drawing!

And the winner is....

Yay!  Congrats!  And thank you all so much for helping build a well!

{charity:water giveaway}

Well hello there lovelies!  I'm pretty amazed I have any followers with my ridiculous hit and miss blogging. Buuuuut, I sure am thankful for ya'll! Especially today, because I finally got over all my obstacles and pulled together a Charity:Water giveaway!!!

Charity:Water is more than a great organization, it's love in action.  Precious babies all over the world die daily for lack of clean drinking water and that is not okay.  I wish I could drop $500 for a well, but I can't. But, YOU can.  Because, when we put enough $10 donations together they eventually become $500 or even better $1,000.  For every $10 you help one person have clean water for ten years.  Hold the phone peeps....that was TEN YEARS! I know everyone has bills, and Christmas lists, and wants, and at least $10 to help a precious baby who drinks this:

have a chance at this:

Ten bucks.  And if that wasn't enough of an incentive, how about some handmade goodies. How about $150 worth of handmade goodies?!?! For every 10 smackeroos you donate you are eligible for one entry into my giveaway or any of the other Project320 giveaways...and there are some AWESOME ones.

A few of us thought we would up the ante. For the first 9 donations on my blog I will email you a Shutterfly code for a free 8X8 Photo Book!  That is one less present to buy folks.

How about if you donate $30?  Well, the beautiful Julie of Joy's Hope wants to bless you with TWO free and ADORABLE  8X10 prints! She also has a Days Until sign available for a $60 donation {which you can mail to me, just saying} and for $120 donation a ROY G BIV rainbow of beauty in her ever popular Pretty Messy Flower pins.

Sweet and stunning Heather of Cookie Mondays is offering one of her special Project 320 aqua scalloped bowtie or headband for each $40 donation, as well as donating $10 from every sell of one of these items to Charity:Water!

So along with entries into the fabulous giveaways, you have some pretty rad swag for yourself...make sure if you donate the amounts listed above that you visit Julie and Heather's posts to receive your goodies.  I will email codes as entries are made on THIS post and will be the first 9 only!

So what does $150 of handmade look like...

Red Knitted Cowl, Turquoise Ragamuffin Beauties Knots and Pearls Necklace, Yellow Infinity Scarf

Plum Rosette Headband, Mum Clip Trio, Yellow Mum Earrings, Hot Pink Rose Earrings, Hounds tooth Button Earrings, and Turquoise Rosette Earrings

Floral Fabric Bracelet and White Rose Ring

Brown and Pink Ipad Cover, Brown and Pink Writlet with lace and brown ruffle, Watermelon Pink Polka Dot Key Fob and Tissue Cozy Set

Classic Children's Book Spot Paper Banner

So what 'cha waiting for?  Donating is easy peasy. Go to the Project320 Charity:Water page and donate.  Then select the giveaway of your choice from the Project320 blog and comment once per $10 donation. Entries can be made to any giveaway, but you must comment on that giveaway to win.  You will also need to comment on Julie or Heather's post for the extra incentives.  And if you are feeling extra generous you can follow along on the Project 320 blog or Facebook page and blog, tweet, facebook, etc to your heart's content!

My giveaway will end Monday, December 19th at 12pm CST and the winner's loot will be promptly mailed out to hopefully reach you by Christmas!

Disclaimer: Shutterfly codes are for a  20 page 8X8 hard back photo book, does not include premium license photo books, leather or padded covers.. Code expires 12/31/2011 and does not cover the taxes, shipping or handling expense.

{Happy Sunday}

this.

{source}

 because, 

{source}

and tomorrow I will be doing this...

if that graphic didn't grab you, check out the line up!

my lovely friends, julie and jeannett who spoke of using your blog for good at blog sugar are ready to help you use your blog for good.  and so maybe you don't have a blog...join in anyway. i'm sure this week is sure to bless me more than bless others, but i'm ready for the stretch, ready to take fears and apprehensions and go be the church. yo!

{why hello there}

I am lame at this whole blog thing. I think I mentioned admitted before that I write posts in my head that never make it here. So here it goes...a little ramble to catch you up on my craziness.

A few weeks ago I caught myself a cold and it kinda threw me into a tailspin.  I feel good more days than bad, but that reminder that my immune system is a bit of a crap shoot, well it uh sucks frankly.  I'm a bit of a whiny baby when I don't feel good, to my hubs anyway, so he is quick to remind me that I need to do a better job taking care of myself.  Like taking those vitamins that keep me feeling amazing...when I take them.  Or that exercise that will help make that reality of swinging on the porch swing at eighty a reality...when I do it.

Which leads me to this.  I'm fat.  Not big boned or I haven't lost the baby weight, just good ole fat.  I am not a fan.  Unfortunately, I have zero will power to make it a priority to shed this excess baggage that reminds me of my inability to complete anything.  I start and stop most every new idea, fad, etc that seems right in the moment.  But, those moments are fleeting and I want to figure this out for good.  So I started reading Made To Crave, by Lysa TerKeurst after being encouraged by my sweet friend Erin.  And wouldn't you know it a local friend, Stephanie had the video and offered to go through it with me.  I'm gleaning a lot and  pray God captures my heart for more of Him and less of this crap I keep putting in my body.  I also started working out to a Wii Zumba game.  Whoa nelly, I am getting my Cumbia on.  I may not be sporting a bikini anytime soon, but one day I'm gonna run trails with my hubby and like it. {Don't tell him that goal, because he may just pester me to death about it.}

I had my first show for my shop a few weeks ago.  Whoever said we are our own worst critic was so right.  I did okay.  I made some money, but it wasn't quite what I had in mind.  I had a hard time comparing what my family gave up for me being a crazy lady the weeks prior, all the work my Hubs put into my booth display, the late nights, etc to the outcome itself.  So, I've wrestled a bit.  I love my little shop to pour out my creative giftings that God has placed on me, but I'd be lying if I didn't covet a little success. I'm not sure I would ever want this to become a job, but I'm really having to dig deep to find balance.  I have another show coming up next weekend, so I'll let you know if time and experience heals a bruised ego.

Homeschool is losing a little bit of luster in our home.  I feel like I'm almost being blasphemous with that statement.  I love it, as in the idea of it and the ability to be home, but it is hard.  Hard to draw the line between Mommy and teacher, work and play, being a scatterbrain and being the sole person responsible {Randy helps, but you know what I mean} for my children's education.  The truth is they both struggle in a few areas of learning, one more than the other and most days I feel terribly guilty that keeping them home will prove to be more of a detriment to their education.  In the end, I know that this is my calling in life.  I truly feel led to educate my children in the home.  What I do now is dig deep, say no when I need to, set boundaries, and pray.  Any pointers?

Church.  Oh that is a whooper of a topic for us.  We left our last church after almost six years there...two years ago.  God called us home to have church, be the church, do church.  And we obeyed.  I personally mourned, for awhile...like a long while.  It was crazy hard.  No wounds to make us leave, just the good ole Holy Spirit saying do it.  The last two years have been lonely.  Leaving somewhere that feels like home to not knowing the first thing about what a home church looked like for us was a paradigm shift. A lot has come from leaving.  Mostly growth, but along with it growing pains. Pains that exposed some wounds we didn't realize were there and pains from judgment from others and from ourselves. BUT, we serve a God who wrote the book on redemption and we recently joined a home church group that we can't get knit into fast enough.  We love it.  The kids love it.  We are experiencing community again in a fresh new way.  In a way that is breathing new life into us and we are so very happy.

I'm sure I'm leaving gobs and gobs out.  Some I'm sure you are thankful for, and the rest well if I don't start somewhere I won't start.  Do you have something you have put down that brings your life joy? I encourage you to start again, and let the joy breath new life.

{Happy Sunday}

{source}

Thank you for hanging with me, climbing out of a fog of sickness this past week. Excited about God's faithfulness to love me in unique ways, He is love and may his love pour out onto you abundantly.

{Life Made Lovely}

I spend most of my days at home...homeschooling, homemaking, because I tend to be a bit of a home body.  I love my life, I love that my husband's hard work and God's blessing allows me to work in the home.

But...ya'll i can get a tad stir crazy.  As such, I may or may not stalk my mailbox until the mailmen delivers.  Our mailman must be on vacation because all last week homeboy dropped the mail off around dinner time and we usually get it at lunch.  Normally {yeah right} I wouldn't mind, but I was expecting some goodies instead of the boring bill and junk promo promising me a million smackers in exchange for buying Cat magazines. {I kid, I kid. Cats are cool.  For you.}

When my pal, Jess raved about Mat Kearney and getting to meet him {yo!} I started listening to his music and homeboy is kinda amazing!  I however, rarely buy a CD, so when One2One Network offered his CD, Young Love to review I was all over that like white on rice {be jealous of my wittiness}!

I love his rustic, soulful voice paired with catchy melodies. One of my favorite things about this album is he leaves you wanting more, you can't help but love every song because it is lyrically and musically married perfectly.  I pretty much keep it my purse to transfer in and out of the car so the hubs doesn't take off with it to work.  Sad, but seriously that good. Here's my favorite track:

One of the things I love about blogging is the community to support handmade business'.  I love finding a new treasure I've been searching for or a shop I have never heard of.  Both are true of Life At The Table.  Kris Hansen has a really adorable blog where she shares her heart and life.  She is truly talented and has some amazing pieces {and prices} in her shop.  I was so excited to stumble across her shop because I have been pinning away trying to find a quality reusable set of sandwich bags in cute fabrics.  Life At The Table, definitely fit the bill.  I was SO happy when her handmade happiness made it's way to Texas by way of Oregon!  I can't recommend her enough...and her reusable lunch totes and bags are ADORABLE!

Along with that fun mail, came some other fun!

Awesome straws and packaging from Urban Scarlet.

Lots of twine goodness from Pick Your Plum.

All of my new marketing materials printed up from Vistaprint with my AWESOME new logo created by the lovely Heather of Life Made Lovely Designs.  She is a rockstar!

Pretty, pretty lace from Cottage Green...can't wait to get crafting with it!

I also participated in the Handmade Gift Exchange with Craftaholic's Anonymous...oh a few months ago.  Just now getting the photos uploaded to share.

This is what I sent to my partner, Emily.  Mostly goodies from my shop and some earrings I made especially for her.

And she made me the most perfect pillow!  I love it!

I really encourage you to participate in Linda's exchange...it's always a ton of fun!

Linking Up with:

{Happy Birthday Caleb!}

Twelve years ago you made a frightened nineteen year old a Mommy.  You made me want to fiercely protect you while molding you into a young man ready to tackle the world.

You made your Daddy and I work harder at loving each other and Jesus.  Our love for you made us face every hurdle with courage. 

Bubba I love how you love with your whole heart and are sensitive, just like Daddy!  I love that you wait for me to get dressed every day just so you can say I look pretty (no matter what I'm wearing or look like!).

I love that you have talked about serving your country as a soldier since you were a little boy.  And when you aren't mesmerized with that you would be content to spread the gospel and remind me we need to every chance you can get.

I love that you are inquisitive and ask more questions than humanly possible.  I love that you are ALL boy.  I love that you are silly and make me laugh every day.

I love that you are confident and protective. I love that you are creative and passionate.

Most of all my sweet boy, I love that you are mine!

{source}

You Are My Sunshine, will always be our song.  I will never forget those tender moments we shared when I rocked and sang, you cooed and gripped my finger, and we said goodnight with our signature kiss of my lips to the sweet little bridge of your nose.

And because you love Jesus and a mean beat, here is one of your favorite tunes and one of your favorite toys:

Happy Birthday Caleb Wayne, Daddy, Mommy and Sissy love you so!

{we Encourage:Motherhood}

{linking up with Jaime @ Call Me Blessed}

Motherhood is a gift.  I truly love being a Momma and couldn't ask for a better job.  However,
"...from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." {Luke 12:48} So a  lot of days motherhood is just plain hard. Days that feel like they can swallow you whole.  On those days I try my best to press into the Father's word, maybe a girlfriend's shoulder, and sometimes beautiful bits of wisdom pour out of the hearts of the inspiring Mothers I journey with in this blogging community.  Here are some words that have been speaking to me lately.  I hope these womens hearts encourage your Momma heart!  If you have written a post you would like to share, know of an inspiring post, a book that helped you triumph in this area or a scripture that keeps your focus grounded in Him I would LOVE to hear it.

This post  from Grace Laced is rich in truth.

Emerging Motherhood's, Practices of Motherhood

 

Ann's poetic words challenge me always.

My friend, Kat's journey to motherhood is powerful!  One of my favorite posts is here, but really her blog is pretty amazing, devoted to being the Mother God has called each of us to be.

Danielle, this girl is amazing, her heart is simply beautiful. She wrote this post, and it resonated with me to the core.