SERIOUS giveaway!

So, while surfing my many MANY blogs I love looking for inspiration for a few projects, I stumble upon a FANTASTIC giveaway for a new SILHOUETTE machine!  WOWZERS!

What is a Silhouette machine you ask?  

Well, surely some of you know what a Cricut machine is?  Right?  That fancy cutting machine that we all drooled over in the infomercials when we couldn't sleep at 2 a.m.  Yes, that one!  

*BOO*HISS*

 That nasty machine that you apparently had to buy new cartridges to use with it because the ones that were supplied with the machine, well....simply stunk!  Not a lot there.  And when you discovered that cartridges were anywhere from $25-$75 EACH!  It just plain stinks!  Gives highway robbery new meaning.

WELL.......  this new Silhouette Machine I'm hearing about is the same......only WAY better! ♥

It cuts and does all the fun sewing, craft and scrapbook projects you thought you were going to love about your new Cricut machine,

only it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg in the process!  You see, it hooks right up to your computer and you can download just the designs you want for as little as $0.15 each (yep, they're on sale right now...) or you can use the same fonts and images you already have installed in your computer!

YEAH, you read that right..... the fonts you ALREADY HAVE can be cut with this beautiful little machine.

Now, how do I know all of this you ask.....when I don't have one of my own?

Well, that leads me back to my blog addiction, I mean inspiration.  

The makers of the Silhouette have lost their minds!

They are giving some of these away!

And on Monday, they are having an insane sale if you don't win one!  CRAZY!  I can't wait to win one!  (hey, dream big right?!)

But if I'm not a lucky winner, you can bet I'll probably be adding to the budget this month, a new must-have necessity for our home.  Yes, I call it a necessity to justify splurging on myself from time to time.  I imagine all the cool things I can do as gifts and special surprises for others.  So, it's a service item.  It allows me to serve others more cost effectively.  yeah, that sounds great! ;) lol

Okay, so enough chatter..... check out this list of ladies who are hosting these giveaways:

1. HowDoesShe

2. Make It and Love It

3. Homemade by Jill

4. Infarrantly Creative

5. We Are That Family

6. Grosgrain Fabulous

7. Thrifty Decor Chick

8. The Idea Room

9. NoBiggie

10. Shanty2Chic

11. The Idea Room

12. Moms Review 4 You

13. Love Stitched
14. Decor Chick

15. Tater Tots -n- Jello

And when you're done surfing all those sites and getting your entries in, check out THIS LINK for the actual Silhouette site to take advantage of their incredible sale going on Monday and all week for Black Friday deals.  ♥ 

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday with the family.  I'll let you in on our festivities tomorrow.  But now.......  back to contest entries!  I'm not finished!  LOL  =)

P.S.  Who wants to buy a slightly used, in excellent condition Cricut machine?

*tHiNgS*

So, my bloggy friend Kim made a post about Oprah's recent show on 'favorite things'.  She said it so well, so rather than throw a bunch of mixed words in and get my mind to racing all over again, she's given permission to copy her post and share it.

Did you see what Oprah gave away this year in her annual "Favorite Things" show?

Me neither.

I'm sure it had something to do with chocolate, some kind of kitchen ware, wonderful bath salts and a scented candle. Maybe even all of those each month for a year. Or seven.

Who knows.

And honestly....who cares?

The TV was on for the first few minutes of the show...just long enough for my high school son watch a crowd of grown women scream and cry and have heart palipations because they are taking home some loot.

A lot of it.

While I don't have strong opinions of Oprah one way or the other, and I'm 110% sure she is not one of my readers, I don't blame her for the out of control reactions of the crowd. I blame "us".

My son commented, "Mom...wouldn't you be going crazy if you were given all that stuff?"

While I like a good bath salt as much as any other tired mom, I can honestly say I felt a bit sickened by the whole thing.

Enough to turn it off, actually.

It's just not my thing....and I pray will never be among my "favorite things."

Consider the Orphan. No, not Oprah...the Orphan.

What would rank as their top favorite things?

A Family.

Security.

Love.

Encouragment through life.

Food.

Safety.

A place of belonging.
Knowing their Mom and Dad love them.

Knowing their God loves them more.

HOPE.

That, my friends, would cause THIS grown woman to scream, cry, and have heart palipations.

And I would do it in front of millions of viewers.

So, while you're thinking of your favorite things, or what you will shop for over the next few weeks consider this:  what if you shopped while meeting a need?  While giving to a good cause.  There are tons of ways you can give someone a gift, still pamper yourself in the process too and help someone else at the same time.  Over the next few weeks I want to share some ways to do just that.

For Today..........

And right now they are buy one get one FREE!!!!!!!  Click HERE to check them out!  I think I may need a few! ;)  You can also go to www.livefashionable.com to learn about this project and the story behind the cause.

15 Already?

I can't believe my son is already 15!  Each year they grow past the 'teen' marker is another year you have to watch them become an adult and slowly, ever so slowly, learn to let go.  Which is totally bittersweet.  It's awesome to watch them venture into new things, stand up for themselves, be a friend/helper to others as they mature and seeing their faith grow stronger and stronger.

But at the same time....well, I want to hear him say, "I love you bigger mommy!"

Or watch him sneak out of his bed early in the morning to sit in the floor while watching Rugrats (yeah, that should date this old mom....), wearing his Blue's Clue's jammies, his red cowboy hat and eating powdered sugar donuts. :)

I want to hear the squeal one more time of his little voice when he got his first pet, a guinea pig at the ripe old age of 5.  (what was I thinking?!  lol  Oh yeah, he just wanted it!)  But now his voice is changing.  He's becoming a young man.  The occasional 'squeal' is still there, but it's much more unintentional now. ;)

How he used to lock me out of the car in the morning so he could stay home with mommy has turned into taking a test to get his driver's permit.  Oiy.

Teaching the daughter how to drive = trying, difficult at times, but never scarey.

Teaching the son how to drive = for some reason has me frightened, nervous, anxious and well, just all around hoping to avoid the inevitable.  Which shouldn't be my first thoughts, but it is.

For the longest time, he was the baby.  There is an 8 year gap between our last two children (which I would gladly fill with more babies when the good Lord sees fit to enlighten my hubby on what an awesome dad he would be to a few more [adopted] children).  So, I don't want to let him grow up so soon.  I sometimes don't give him enough credit for the accomplishments and abilities he has.

He reminded me today that Saturday is the barnwarming dance at school.  So, not only do I have a driver's test to deal with tomorrow, I have his first school dance to boot!  Can't he just go with his mother to the dance?

Can't he just let me drive him around a few more years?  Can't he just stay little forever?!  For some reason I want to rationalize that it's harder for mom's to see their little boys grow up and dad's have problems with their little girls.

I really STRONGLY dislike this picture of me, but isn't my son handsome?!  ;)

This son I was blessed with 15 years ago today is:

Brave.

Bold.

Funny.

Loving.

Honest.

Loyal.

An incredible BIG/little brother.

An amazing son.

A heritage from the Lord.

Children are a heritage from the LORD ~Psalm 127:3~

He makes me:

Proud.

Happy.

Smile.

Laugh.

Melt.

Happy Birthday baby boy!  ♥  Don't ever change who you are, for God has a plan for your life and I'm just happy and privileged to be a part of it.  Follow Him, remain faithful and He will reward you.  I love you!

Drawn From Water

Are you drawn from water?  If you are, feel free to shout it out!!!  :)

Today was my 'anniversary' •November 14, 1999• was the day I was 'drawn from water'.  Did I celebrate today?  No, not really.  But I remembered.  I got up and went to church with my family, looked around me and realized just how far I have come with my life over the last 12 years.  Understanding the transition from a baby Christian to a grown up.  And yet, I'm still growing.  Everyday.

Going from the baby who starts a new life with my Savior, yet still fails miserably to do His will.  Recognizing my shortcomings and learning to grow from them....

Maturing into a grown up who wants to walk in His light daily, living for my Savior and choosing to walk away from sin at all costs.  I didn't say I was sinless, but we learn that as we grow as Christians we turn from sin and recognize it much easier.  We despise it and it saddens us.  Yes, saddens.

I want others to feel the joy and have the hope that I have by living with my Savior.  By making him #1 in my life He cares for me, provides for me, loves me and blesses me beyond measure.  As our Sunday school lesson taught us this morning that we find hope and rejoice even in the bad times.  Even when things can seem to be at their worst, we still worship a living God who never will foresake us.  It's wonderful.  It's awe-inspiring, it's magical...... some days it's just indescribable!

So, today.... I celebrate my anniversary of being drawn from water.  12 years ago, on a warm and sunny November afternoon we left directly after church and went to the lake down the road.  Richard Key dunked me in the lake, washed away my sins, and started my life anew.  While family and friends looked on.  It was a beautiful day.  I loved every second of it.

And something I want to share with you all is "DRAWN FROM WATER".... literally.  An organization working in Africa that started all from one child being drawn from water.  But not in the sense I've been talking about.  Not in a raising up, washing sins away, beginning a new life type of way.  But in another life-saving way.

DRAWN FROM WATER began when one little girl was pulled from a river to save her life.  Her tribal custom deemed her 'evil'.....'unworthy'......   mingi.

"It Began with Bale" from Drawn From Water on Vimeo.

Mingi is a term defined as the state of being impure or "ritually polluted" in certain African tribes.  In some tribes, a person, often a child, who is considered mingi is killed by forced permanent separation from the tribe by being left alone in the jungle or by drowning in the river. Reasons for being declared impure include birth out of wedlock, the birth of twins, the eruption of teeth in the upper jaw before the lower jaw, and chipping a tooth in childhood. Those who are separated often shadow the tribe, but they eventually succumb to hunger or predators.

A little girl was pulled from the river to save her life as she was sent out to be drowned.  All because her top teeth came in before her bottom teeth.  Wow....  I can't even begin to remember, without pulling out the baby book, how my children's teeth came in.  We just marvel at how cute they are or grumble over the sleepless, drool-filled nights while they are teething.  We never give a second thought to how our children's teeth come in.  After all, they're baby teeth.  Eventually they will be lost, we'll tell our kids about a tooth fairy and slip quarters under their pillow at night as a reward for being so brave when that tooth fell (or got pulled) out.  :)

We can't begin to grab hold of the ideas and rituals of a tribe that will drowned a child, literally kill them, because of such a thing.  One of God's precious children.  A child of promise, of possibility.....oh the possibilities held within the mind of a child who is nurtured and loved.

This organization, DRAWN FROM WATER, that began with saving the life of one child has now grown into a thriving orphanage that houses, feeds and educates the children in their area.  Please, check out their website.  You can even sponsor children now to help.  You can look through their photos, their ages, their names, and discover when or why they were brought to the orphanage for care.  Just yesterday I saw another small baby whose parents, yes--a mother and father--brought their son to the orphanage because they did not want to see him put to death.  For the very same reason.  His top teeth emerged before his bottom teeth.  Imagine the joy of being a parent, showering a child with love, making them laugh and giggle and drool while playing or tickling........ only to be heartbroken and have to give him away to save his very life.  Wow..... just please check them out.

If nothing else.....PRAY for these children.  Pray for this tribe to see the light.  Pray for missionaries to be able to share the love of Jesus with them.  To show them that they are children of God, they are perfect.  They can have hope.  With Jesus.  Mingi is not in my vocabulary.

So glad to be drawn from water today.  ♥  Praising my Savior.

Clean Freak...

NOT!  That's right, a clean freak I am not!  But I love being frugal!  My friend Carla shared a link with me to make homemade laundry soap!  That's right!  LAUNDRY detergent!  It's quick, it's easy and OH SO AFFORDABLE!  That's the best part of all.

Considering we pay anywhere from $10-$15 per jug of Tide, it was a welcomed task of making 10 gallons of soap for the mere cost of less than $2.00!  Yep, you read that right....  and I don't know about you, but 10 gallons of laundry soap will last me quite some time.

What you'll need:

1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

• Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with 4 cups warm water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

• Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

We had lots of help in the kitchen.  And of course Gus always wants to be right in the middle of everything.  :)

My hubby with his Vanna White hands showing our finished product.  lol

And who in the world has anything big enough to cover a 5 gallon bucket?!  We just happened to have this bucket from watering the horses.  It's now a soap making bucket!

• Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)  This is how you end up with 10 gallons because you are watering it down yet again.  

Our finished product the next morning.

It's a good thing I tend to be a hoarder (and the kids never clean up the laundry room after themselves), because we had enough empty laundry soap jugs to fill (15 total!) to store all 10 gallons.  :)  We used a few fabric softener jugs but rinsed everything out before filling with the new soap.  Don't forget to shake it before each use!!!

• Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
• Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
• Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
• Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

My husband actually likes to help do things like this so he was the stirrer while I poured ingredients and 'supervised'.  ;)  lol  Move over Bill Nye the Science Guy!  

This would be a great project to do with the kids for a homeschool activity or 4H demonstration, etc.  VERY easy, but make sure you supervise.  You're still dealing with cleaning agents and don't want the kiddos to get anything in their eyes or ingest anything.  Because they might end up looking like my kid.....  

Okay, well, maybe it wasn't ingesting anything abnormal.  He's just a goofball!  :)  Time to put away the halloween costumes.  lol

Lots of fun and creative ideas coming in the next few days/weeks.  We're going to have lots of gift giving ideas and links to share.  I'm shopping with a cause and want to share fundraiser links, plus we're making homemade gifts.  Today we made bath salts!  Mmmmmm.....  Can't wait to share those!  Hope you all had a terrific weekend.