Chocolate Fingerprints

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! We aren't going anywhere this year, partly because of an unreliable car, and partly because I might have to work on Black Friday. What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes? Here's what I'm making today.

Speaking of Black Friday...Are you going to brave the Black Friday madness to get some awesome deals? Did you know you can find the Black Friday ads for a bunch of different stores right here?

Not-So-Wordless: 4 Years Old!!

2009-11-25T06:47:00.001-08:00

Happy birthday to my little girl! Four years ago, on a Black Friday, this little dynamo made her appearance and my live had never been the same...and I wouldn't have it any other way!

My sweet little Bunnyface, here is a snapshot of you at this moment in time: You are so beautiful, sweet, and spunky. You love singing at the top of your voice, and your ability to remember words to songs amazes me constantly. You scream when you're excited, and you've just recently learned to write your own name. You are completely obsessed with princesses (though you disdain non-Disney princesses!) and all things pink, and you still don't like wearing clothes very much! ;) You hate having your hair and teeth brushed, and you adore mac & cheese, applesauce, and Kid vs. Kat on the Disney channel. You have become quite a wonderful little artist, and I'll find adorable drawings of people (namely princesses) and animals all over the house, I am saving many of these papers for you to look back fondly on.

You love baths, and aren't happy unless you get the tub for at least half an hour. You like to paint your own nails and put on your shoes by yourself. You like to roughhouse with your brother and Daddy, and play "girly" games like My Little Ponies and Princesses with Mommy.

Our family wouldn't be complete without you, and whenever I have a chance to ponder the miracle of your existence, I thank God for you, just as I did exactly four years ago on this day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TO MY LITTLE PRINCESS!

My Family's Favorite Holiday Activities

2009-11-24T04:38:00.000-08:00

Twittermoms and Nickelodeon want to know what holiday activities you do with your family. So, they've teamed up and created a Dora Christmas Carol Contest. It sounded like fun, so here's my list:

My 5 Favorite Holiday Activities to share with My Children

Putting up the Tree: We put our Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving, and it really transforms the house and gets us all in the holiday spirit. It's also fun for all of us to look through all of our ornaments we've accumulated over the years, like the "baby's first" ornaments and the ones my grandpa made for me before he died.
Making Christmas Cookies: I love to try a new special kind of cookie each year, along with some certain old favorites. And of course...we enjoy eating them as much as we enjoy making them!
School Christmas Concert: This tradition actually began last year when my son was in kindergarten, but I'm looking forward to being able to attend all of his school concerts through the years, and eventually my daughter's too.
Christmas Light Drive-By: This is one tradition from my childhood that I've kept going. I remember so many years when my mom and I would drive around town looking at all the Christmas light displays, from humble to fantastic, and reveling in them all. Each Christmas Eve, my family does that exact same thing, and it's probably my very favorite Christmas tradition!
Special Christmas Pictures: This is actually a tradition my mom started when my son was only four months old. She came to our apartment to take his very first Christmas picture. She brought a box wrapped like a Christmas present, which we placed him in for a very adorable picture! Each year, we include this special box in the photo, and it's amazing to see how he's grown through the years. We do the same thing with my daughter, but with a special Christmas bow. Her first Christmas pic was taken at only eight days old!!

Thanks to Twittermoms and Nickelodeon for this fun holiday contest! I can't wait to see what other moms like to do with their kids during the holidays! Part of the reason Nickelodeon is teaming up with Twittermoms is to generate awareness of the new Dora Christmas special, Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure. Dora specials are always fun, so I'm happy to help them out! See my fun Dora widget in my right-most sidebar, and don't forget to watch Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure on December 6th at 8 PM EST!

What are your favorite holiday activities to share with your kids?

Something New

2009-11-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

Like my new Christmas look? Thanks much to Template Mama for the new festive decor! You can get this template, too (for FREE) by clicking here.

Aloha Friday

2009-11-20T04:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Aloha Friday! I haven't blogged much lately, so I thought it would be great to participate this week. It's so much fun!! To learn more about Aloha Friday, and how you can participate, visit An Island Life.

My Question:

What photo-editing software do you use? Do you like it?

My Answer:

I use GIMP and I LOVE it! It's a free download that I discovered a while ago, and it's pretty easy to use. There are also tons of tutorials online and even brush packs that help you achieve certain effects. I've never used Photoshop, but I've heard that GIMP is the only free photo software that comes close. I made the above Aloha Friday button with GIMP. Feel free to use it if you like! :)

What I've Been Up To

2009-11-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that I haven't been around much lately? Here's what I've been up to:

Working at my new seasonal job at Bath & Body Works. I'm actually enjoying it a lot!
Battling a sinus infection. Ugh!
Crocheting like mad to finish a birthday present for my daughter. Here's what it is.
Trying to decide if I even have enough time to keep up a blog anymore.

How do you find the time to do everything you do??

5 Years Ago

2009-11-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

Five years ago today, my world came crashing down around me. I went to visit my OB/Gyn for my second regularly scheduled appointment. Yes, the baby was a surprise, but my husband and I were still getting excited about adding to our family, and my son was already talking about his "baby brother." My first pregnancy was a breeze, with no complications whatsoever, so when the doctor couldn't find the baby's heartbeat that day, I tried not to worry too much.

After a bit of agonizing waiting, we were ushered into the ultrasound room, and my biggest fear was confirmed: There on the screen was a tiny 9-week-old fetus, with arms and legs and everything! I stared at the screen, willing the baby's heart to beat, but it wasn't going to happen. The doctor explained that at many as 1 in 4 women under 25 will have a miscarriage during the first trimester, usually due to chromosomal abnormalities. I was numb as he explained the procedure known as a D&C, and told me to check into the hospital that evening.

The rest of that day plays out in my head like snapshots: Calling my mother-in-law and hearing her squeal when she heard the word "baby," only to have to break the news that the baby was no longer alive; Sobbing in my sister's bathroom because it was the only place I could break down where my son wouldn't have to see me; Being folded into my mother's embrace as she assured my my grandpa was cradling my baby in Heaven that instant; Being wheeled into the operating room by a beautiful and sweet female nurse named Cody; Going home to find the cat had peed on my good coat.

For the next several weeks, I couldn't pass a pregnant woman or newborn on the street without bursting into tears. I would listen to Hold On by Sarah McLachlan on the way home from work, and even though it made me bawl like a baby, those tears were cleansing. (I still can't listen to that song without crying!!)

It's funny that it was the little things that got me through what was the roughest time of my life. Like my little boy offering hugs and kisses to make me feel better, just like I have always done for him. I am so grateful to this day to two wonderful women I worked with. One of them had a stillbirth at seven months (can you imagine?) and the other woman's story was almost exactly like mine. Even the nurse who was with me when I came out of anesthesia that awful day told me about her miscarriage. Others, including an aunt who miscarried twice, shared their stories with me as well, and it was this bond and sense of sisterhood that really carried me through. That, and the little girl who was born exactly one year and eight days later.

Another thing that helped me was to give the baby a name. Even though I have always believed the baby to be a boy, I chose the name Cody, partly because of the nurse who was so kind to me, and because it would work for a boy or girl.

I don't think I'll ever completely heal from the wounds I received that day five years ago, but I don't know if I would want to, because that would mean forgetting my second child, though I never really got to know him (or her). I'm still his (or her) mother, and I hope there really is a Heaven, so that some day I can see his (or her) beautiful face, wrap him (or her) in my arms, and do all the mothering I wasn't allowed to do the first time around!

Have you ever had a miscarriage or known a loved one who has?

U.S. Children in Need of Adoption!

2009-11-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

I so often participate in product review and giveaway campaigns, and while those are a blast and I'm truly thankful when asked to participate, I also love having the chance to participate in spreading awareness about truly worthy causes, like the one I'm bringing to you today.

Did you know that it's National Adoption Month? I didn't! Now that I know, though, I'm happy to be doing my small part in raising awareness of all the U.S. kids who are currently in need of forever homes.

The mission of AdoptUsKids is to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States. Funded by the Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families, the national photolisting website contains photos and information about children in foster care. A national adoption public service advertising recruitment campaign was launched in July 2004 in a partnership of the Children’s Bureau, the Ad Council, and AdoptUsKids, with the goal of raising awareness of the significant number of children in this country waiting to be adopted. New PSAs have been developed as an extension of this highly successful campaign. The latest series of ads in this award-winning campaign target the African American community, in keeping with the effort to diligently recruit from communities representative of the children in care. Thirty-one percent of the children in foster care waiting to be adopted are African American; African American children are overrepresented in the foster care population relative to their percentage in the U.S. general population. Because of this, African American children often wait longer to be adopted.

If you'd like to learn more about adoption, foster care, and how to spread the word about AdoptUsKids, click here. Search for adoptable children in your area by clicking here. It'll make you want to add twenty new rooms on to your home!

I'm also following AdoptUSKids (@perfectparent) on Twitter here, and I've fanned them on Facebook. Why don't you join me?

Join The Discussion
There will be a Twitter event at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10th (tomorrow!) to discuss the benefits of adoption, and provide information on adoption from foster care. Use the hashtag #adoptuskids to participate. I know I'm going to participate if I possibly can, and if my little girl doesn't go down for her nap soon enough, I'm definitely going to read through the discussion later on!

I'm happy to have taken part of this campaign at the request of Global Influence (formerly Momfluence).

Sharing the Linky Love

2009-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I missed Sharing the Linky Love last week! I've now decided that my Sundays are just too hectic for a major link roundup like this, so I'll be presenting Sharing the Linky Love on Mondays from now on.

Sharing the Linky Love is my way to give back to other bloggers, by linking to the great posts I find each week, and also to my readers, by sharing the links to some fun and wonderful stuff each week!

Speaking of that...you'll notice two new new categories this week. First is Blog of the Week. I'm hoping to find at least one fab blog to share with you each week, and I hope you enjoy the great one I'm sharing today!

Next is Homemade Holidays. In this category, I'm hoping to share at least one handmade gift idea with you each week. I adore handmade gifts, and if you have any blog posts that would fit in this category, be sure to email me at chocolatefingerprints(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll try to work your idea into a future roundup!

So, without further adieu, here it is (alphabetized by category):

Blog of the Week

Skip to My Lou is a wonderful blog written by Cindy, a super-creative mom of three with a Bachelor's degree in Art Education. If you like cooking or getting crafty (or both!), you've gotta bookmark this blog! Here are just a few of the truly awesome things contained in this creative, jam-packed blog:

The cutest scarecrow cookies ever!
A bunch of free downloads, including a Towel Headwrap Pattern, Digital Cupcake Wrappers, and the adorable Latte Do Today notes!
FIVE pages of Handmade Gift Ideas!!
There are also several cute and very inexpensive crafty patterns in the Skip To My Lou Shop.

Parenting

Want to know which H1N1 vaccines contain mercury? This post from the AFA Blog tells you exactly that: H1N1 Vaccines Approved: What's In It For You?

This video from CNN, featuring HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. Sanjay Gupta really helped me feel better about my decision to allow my son to get the H1N1 vaccine when it comes to his school.

More flu videos, this time geared toward children. Your kids will have fun watching Elmo talk about having a Flu Plan and how to stay healthy.

Cooking

My kids and I are soooo going to have to make these Oreo Cookie Turkeys for Thanksgiving (thanks Make and Takes!!)!

Here's an interesting article about creating a healthier Thanksgiving meal. I might try some of the suggestions!

Homemade Holidays

These chic scarves only take minutes to make and require absolutely no sewing, knitting or crocheting! I might make one...or several! Simple Scarves to Keep You Cozy This Fall (From Little Birdie Secrets via Make and Takes)

Sewing

I just checked out SouleMama's new book, Handmade Home, from my local library! LOVE IT!! I'm soooo going to have to buy that one! I'm already well on my way to making my first project from the book: Millie's Hotpads. Note: the ones shown on this link aren't mine, but show what the project looks like.

Sew Mama Sew has kicked off their 3rd Annual Handmade Holidays! Each day of November, there will be tutorials and gift ideas relating to a theme. So far, they've done Wear, Adorn, Sleep, Go Green, Read, Sit Back & Relax, Exercise, Deck the Halls, and Play. What will they come up with next? We'll have to wait and see...

Yarn Crafts

I've finally learned a fantastic way to weave in the ends of my crochet projects!! Thanks so much to Ravelry's Crochet Corner!

Check out the great selection of free dishcloth patterns from Tipnut: crochet and knitted.

Aloha Friday!

2009-11-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Aloha Friday! Aloha Friday is so much fun! To participate, you can start by answering my question below. Then, head over to An Island Life and visit as many of the other participants as you can. If you have a blog, you can even post your own simple question and link up at An Island Life!

My Question: Which cartoon character do you think you're most like?

My Answer: Marge Simpson. It's not even funny how much I can identify with her life! :)

Tiny Prints Has Got You Covered for the Holidays!

2009-11-05T04:07:00.000-08:00

I discovered Tiny Prints a while back when I worked with them for my friend's virtual baby shower. I received several sample baby announcements and was extremely impressed with the quality of the paper and designs that Tiny Prints has to offer, as well as their abundant selection. And of course...their selection isn't just centered around baby announcements. Name a special occasion and I'd be willing to wager that Tiny Prints has several customizable cards geared toward that special day.

Tiny Prints has been gearing up for this holiday season in a big way. Take a look at just a few of the excellent things this wonderful company has to offer this time of year:

Personal Shopper Service: Would you like to buy special photo cards and gifts from Tiny Prints but don't have the time to customize them yourself? Are you overwhelmed by their awesome selection? This service is for you! You send your photos to Tiny Prints and their personal shoppers select and customize a design just for you! You get to make the final decision after all the hard work is already done! The best part: this service is FREE if you take advantage of it before Nov. 15th!

Celebrity Holiday Cards for Charity: Not only are these cards just as stylish as any other Tiny Prints designs, a portion of the proceeds of the sale of these cards goes to a number of great charities! AND, they were created by celebrities! How cool is that?

Raised Print Thermography Cards: These cards are exquisitely sophisticated and fancy. Take a look!

Photo Collage Cards: I adore making my own photo collages on Picasa. Tiny Prints takes this step even further with these gorgeous cards!

Pop Up Holiday Cards: Who says pop ups are only for kids! These cards are so cool! Great for those who wish to display their holiday greetings!

Tri-fold Holiday Cards: These would also be great for displaying, and they're just as gorgeous as all other Tiny Prints creations!

Photo Books: These make a wonderful holiday gift for loved ones at home or living far away, and I think they're much nicer than other photo books I've looked at! I think I'll make one for my hubby's grandparents (shh...don't tell!).

Discount "Studio Basics" Holiday Cards: These cards are very budget-minded, but that doesn't mean that they aren't beautiful in their own right!

Customer Favorite Christmas Cards: A great selection of classic and contemporary Christmas cards. I'm sure you'll find at least one you love on this page!

Last, but certainly not least...

Tiny Prints is hosting a Talent Search Photo Contest! The top prize is worth $1,000 and a photo shoot in California! Read more about this contest here.

This post was written as part of an advertising campaign in association with Tiny Prints, which I entered into because I LOVE Tiny Prints so much. Every view I've expressed here is my own, and in the hopes that I can assist readers to find some truly awesome holiday greetings! I could gush about these products for days...

10 Ways to Get Yourself Out of a Funk

2009-10-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

I'm currently in the process of trying to find a part-time seasonal job, with not much luck so far. I just got a letter from Shopko saying they don't want me. And it's not like I didn't figure that out when they didn't call me back, but it's just so much more depressing to see it in black and white with an official letterhead. So...in an attempt to cheer myself up and convince myself I'm not a loser just because I can't even find a part-time job (!), Here's a list of ways to get yourself out of that crappy mood you might find yourself in, if you're feeling like I am today.

Paint the face of a child you love, or even paint your own face. Why the heck not?
Make hubby watch the kids as soon as he gets home, so you can take a long hot bath. Bubbles are essential on a day like today!
Go to the store with the express purpose of enjoying yourself. Don't buy a thing, but do smell all the candles and try on sunglasses and silly hats!
Tickle a three year old. That laughter is infectious!
Make sound effects for everything you do.
Write an email, or better yet, a letter to a loved one, telling them exactly how much they mean to you.
Talk to your best friend on the phone.
Sing at the top of your voice, opera-style vibrato optional.
Paint your toenails a really bright color.
Spend a whole half hour (or longer) doing one of your favorite childhood activities (riding a bike, coloring, basketball...whatever your heart desires!).

How do you get yourself out of a funk?

Sharing the Linky Love: Halloween Edition

2009-10-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Halloween edition of Sharing the Linky Love. I started this weekly feature as a way to give back to other bloggers by linking to the great posts and tutorials I find on the Web each week. It's also my way of sharing all the fun stuff I find with you, my readers. This week, I'm just putting one master list of cool Halloween links, instead of breaking them up into categories like I usually do. So, here goes...

I'm the room mother for my son's class this year, and I thought it would be fun to dress up a tad for the Halloween party. I didn't want to do anything over the top, but I still wanted to be creative and fun. Oh, and I've got a budget of about five bucks! After scouring the 'Net, I think I've found my costume! It's DIY Medusa hair from the Martha Stewart (who else, right?) website. Fun!
Also from the Martha site, I found these fun nature-related costumes that are really unique. If your child is a nature lover and likes to be one-of-a-kind, he or she might really like these costume ideas! Plus, they'd be really cheap: 6 Hair-Raising Costumes
I tried really hard to talk my son or husband into letting me make this Lego Minifig mask for them. No dice. It's awesome, though. If you have a Lego lover at home who is need of a costume, definitely show him or her this post. Thanks Xenomachina!
I don't know if there's time, but I'd love to make these Trashbag Tarantula or Witch Crash decorations for my yard!
You can learn how to make homemade window clings (not just for Halloween)from Scribbit! Thanks to Michelle's sister for the idea!
I am so going to make these Best Ever Popcorn Balls with my kids sometime SOON!
These Bat Cupcakes look adorable and delicous!
So do these Spider Cupcakes!
Considering allowing your child to trick-or-treat without parental supervision? You might want to read this article first.
Are you carving pumpkins this year? (I'm not!) If you are, these tips from a professional pumpkin carver might interest you.

Aloha Friday

2009-10-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

Another Aloha Friday! If you haven't heard of Aloha Friday, it's a fun and easy way to make new bloggy friends. Pop on over to An Island Life to learn more...as soon as you've finished answering my question! :)

My Question:

Do you, or have you ever died your hair? How many gray hairs would it take before you started dying your hair?

My Answer:

I don't. For a year or two in high school, I experimented, but now I don't like the idea putting all those chemicals in direct contact with my skin. And the smell! I have, however, found a few gray hairs. I'm guessing I've had about 10 in all over the last five years. If I start to get a lot more, I might change my mind about dying. I don't want to be all gray at 30 or something. (Call me vain if you must!)

Introducing...

2009-10-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

I've started a second blog!
For a while now, I've been considering this. I wanted a place where I could do nothing but share my creations, talk about the fun sewing, crafting, knitting, and crocheting projects I've found online, and even share some of my own tutorials. I don't like posting here more than once a day. I feel like it clutters things up too much. Plus, I wanted a blog with a very simple layout where I could post bigger pics than I can here. So....definitely you should come visit me at Create Me Happy every now and then!

I came by the name after my first ten or so names were already taken. Now that I've snagged the name, I kind of like it. It's kind of a play on words. Since creating things makes me happy...Create Me Happy!

Bed Bouquet Giveaway

2009-10-21T04:19:00.001-07:00

When I first heard about Bed Bouquet, I was intrigued. An air freshener that you stick underneath your fitted sheet to make your bed smell good? I thought it would be fun to try, but there are so many variables when testing out a new product. I wondered if it would stick to the mattress well enough so that it wouldn't float around and end up under the bed. I also wondered if it would bother me when I was trying to sleep at night, being under the sheet and all. And, I wondered if I would like the smell. I love candles and lightly scented perfumes, but I don't have a great association when it comes to air fresheners. When I think of an air freshener, I think of cloying fragrances like heavy florals or synthetic baby powder smell. I knew that if Bed Bouquet was anything like this, I wouldn't want it in my bed...

Well, I'm happy to say that all my wondering was for naught. I needn't have worried about Bed Bouquet one little bit! It stays in place marvelously, and has never once bothered me when I'm sleeping. And the smell...that's the best part! I adore the Citrus scented Bed Bouquet that I'm using on my bed now. I was going to test both scents I received thoroughly before writing this review, but I just can't let go of the citrus yet. It's actually gotten more fragrant with time, instead of fading. Last night, I noticed that my Bed Bouquet, after two weeks of using it, smells stronger than ever. I can't believe it! I'm sure it will last at least the 30 days the package recommends, and probably longer.

Bed Bouquet was formulated so that it wouldn't stain sheets, and since it sits directly below your fitted sheet, you get maximum scent without having any oils or fragrances actually touch your skin.

Bed Bouquet also has a great ebook that they give for free with each purchase. It covers everything from getting rid of bed bugs, to bedroom decorating, to getting rid of urine smells and stains on your mattress. I found it very informative!

I received this product from Bed Bouquet, as part of a blog review campaign in association with Family Review Network. Bed Bouquet will also be providing the giveaway prizes.

TRY IT! For a very limited time (until October 23, to be specific), you can try Bed Bouquet for free! All you pay is $4.97 shipping & handling. It's worth it in my opinion.

WIN IT! Two lucky winners will each win a sample pack of Bed Bouquet, which includes two single use packages. To enter this giveaway, just head over to Bed Bouquet and take a look around. Then come back here and let me know which two scents you'd choose if you won.

EXTRA ENTRIES: To obtain additional entries for this giveaway, do one or more of the following, then come back here and leave me a separate comment for each extra entry method.

Follow me on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway (counts as one entry). To make it easier for you, you can just copy and paste this message: Bed Bouquet giveaway from Chocolate Fingerprints: http://bit.ly/181wUi
Blog about this giveaway.
Click on the button at the very bottom of my post labled "Share" to share this post on Technorati, Stumble, Facebook, etc. Then, come back here and let me know where to find it!

This giveaway ends on Wednesday, November 4th at 11:59 p.m. CST. U.S. entries only, sorry!

Halloween Carols by Kristen Lawrence Giveaway

2009-10-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to lilyk!
I LOVE Halloween. Always have, so I was delighted when I was offered a chance to review a couple of cds from The Halloween Carols by Kristen Lawrence. I'm a little ashamed to admit that what this music isn't at all what I expected it to be...it's way better!

Kristen Lawrence is a classically trained organist who has always loved Halloween. She noticed that while there are rightfully thousands of songs devoted to Christmas, there wasn't much more than hokey soundtracks and "The Monster Mash" to serve for themes for her own favorite holiday. So, she set to work on researching Halloween/All Souls Day customs and history in various places worldwide, and writing new music for this beloved holiday. Her goal is for these songs to be lasting and well-loved, like Christmas carols. To date, she has written over 60 songs, and they're being released on cds, in batches of 13.

I found it extremely interesting that Lawrence wrote every Halloween Carol so that it can be sung in rounds (you know...like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"). For me, this adds a whole new and extremely fun dimension to the songs, and I know my children and I will have hours of fun singing the songs this way, once we get to know them a little better.

The music for the cds I received was played on the organ (of course). No hokey soundtrack noises or synthesizer here! This is serious, well-written music. That said, the organ and the way the music was composed have a very haunting quality that's perfect for Halloween. And it's not scary, so I feel that these songs will be a great fit for all lovers of Halloween, no matter what their age is.

I really do hope that Kristen Lawrence's Halloween Carols catch on. Sometimes it's a risk to do something new, and traditions are hard to form. But wouldn't it be cool if these carols stood the test of time and were still sung a hundred years from now?

If you love Halloween you should run right over to the Halloween Carols website and take a listen to the sample tracks they have there. If you love the music, there are links to buy the cds right there on the site.

This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Halloween Carols, who provided the CD for review & giveaway.

WIN IT! Would you like to own your very own copy of a Halloween Carols cd by Kristen Lawrence? Here's your chance! One lucky winner will receive just that! To enter this giveaway, tell me one of your best Halloween memories.

EXTRA ENTRIES: To obtain additional entries for this giveaway, do one or more of the following, then come back here and leave me a separate comment for each additional entry method.

Blog about this giveaway.
Follow Halloween Carols and A Broom with a View on Twitter (counts as one entry)
Fan Kristen Lawrence on Facebook

This is going to be a quick giveaway, so that the winner will be able to enjoy Halloween Carols before Halloween is over! Ends Thursday, October 22nd at 11:59 p.m. CST. U.S. mailing addresses only, sorry!

Sharing the Linky Love

2009-10-18T13:52:00.001-07:00

I'm posting a teensy bit later this Sunday than usual because my family went to the pumpkin patch today! More on that later, but for now, I've got some great links for you!

Blogging

How would you feel if you found out that someone was using pictures of your kids, pulled from your blog, in an adoption scam? That's exactly what happened to Jenni Brennan. Read her story here.

Cooking

I'm a pumpkin nut. If I could exist on nothing but pumpkin pie, bread, muffins, you name it, I would! Here's my absolute favorite pumpkin bread recipe: Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

What's your favorite kind of cookie? Mine's peanut butter! Yummy! Here's my fave peanut butter cookie recipe. It's perfect and never failed me yet: JIF Irresistable Peanut Butter Cookies (Oh, and...sorry JIF and Crisco, but it works just as well with other P.B. brands, and butter is a great sub for the Crisco!)

Crafting

I'm thinking about redoing my daughter's plain wooden dresser for her birthday. I love this dresser redo from Moneywise Moms. Of course, I'd make it all sparkly and princessy for my ultimate girly girl!

I discovered the above post on Mod Podge Rocks. You should totally check this site out. Way too much cool stuff for me to explain it all here!

Now it could be that I'm waaaay behind the times, but I've just recently discovered Ravelry, and am having so much fun browsing the site and getting ideas for knitting and crocheting projects! If you're a knitter or crocheter, you've gotta check out this online community! My fave part is getting to see people's finished projects and reviews of the millions of free online patterns that you can find on the 'Net! And if you're already on Ravelry, I'd love to have you friend me!

Parenting

How far would you go to get your own reality t.v. show. Would you pretend your child was in serious danger when he or she really wasn't? That's what allegedly happened in the Balloon Boy case. I'm speechless.

I just learned that October 15th was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. It's been almost five years since my miscarriage and I've finally accepted that it's a wound that will never fully heal. Maybe I'll share my story next month, on the anniversary. I haven't decided.

Sewing

If you haven't discovered Make It and Love It yet, you've got to visit this blog immediately! Ashley is a DIY superstar! She posts tons of tutorials that are all absolutely fabulous! Check out her left sidebar, toward the bottom. That long list that says "Projects"? That's what I'm talkin' about! And these aren't all sewing, there are some very fine craft projects as well.

Conversations with My Former Self

2009-10-17T04:11:00.000-07:00

I turned 27 yesterday, and it was a great birthday, filled with family, food, and warm fuzzies. I love the place my life is in right now. I feel like I'm finally starting to grow into myself, and I wouldn't change who I am at this moment in time for anything.

Do you ever wish you could have a conversation with the person you were 10 years ago, give her (or him) some advice to make the voyage of her (or his) life smoother and happier sailing? That's the kind of mood I'm in today, so without further adieu, here are ten things I would tell the me of ten years ago:

Don't rush around looking for something (or someone) to complete you and make you happy. Instead, take a long, good look in the mirror. You have to truly love the person you see there before you can be truly happy and give love in return.
You hate your body NOW? I've got news for you, sister! Just wait until after your body had gone through nine months of pregnancy twice! Enjoy not having to wear a bra and the absence of stretch marks while it lasts!
Get some sleep while you're still young. You don't have to stay up until midnight just because all the other crazy teenagers are.
Oh. My. God! Don't drive so fast, and for heaven's sake, wear your seatbelt!
You don't have to know everything. Life is sometimes better (and more interesting) if you don't.
Spending time with your parents and grandparents isn't dorky! You'd better do it now, while you still can. Someday the former will live two hours away from you, and the latter will no longer be around. You're going to miss them!
When teenage girls are nasty, it's because they have some underlying insecurity. Remember that, and don't let it get to you.
I'm sorry to tell you this, but the world does NOT revolve around you!
Skipping lunch won't make you lose weight. Trust me.
I know you won't believe me when I say this but...You. Are. Perfect. Just the way you are.

27 Isn't Old...Is It?

2009-10-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday, and even though I hate the fact that I'm nearly 30, I still can't suppress the quiet excitement that birthdays always make me feel.

I'm 27. Holy freaking cow! How did that happen. It seems like a minute ago I was in high school, wearing way too much makeup, staying up way too late and agonizing about "what I want to be when I grow up." Now I'm a wife and mother of two and I can rarely keep my eyes open after 9 p.m. And...the most rewarding career I will ever have happened quite miraculously and by accident:

Aloha Friday: Regional Restaurants

2009-10-16T02:39:00.001-07:00

It's Aloha Friday again! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is a day to take things easy and look forward to the coming weekend. Kailani from An Island Life has brought Aloha Friday to the blogosphere, and you can participate too! All you have to do is answer my question below, then visit An Island Life to visit other participating blogs and answer their questions. If you have a blog, you can even post your own simple question and link up on today's Aloha Friday post.

My Question

What is one regional restaurant that's very big where you live, but that no one from other regions ever seems to know about? If you're not from Nebraska, chances are I've never heard of it!

My Answer

Runza! This is a fast food restaurant that actually started in Nebraska, and is HUGE here. I'd say every town with more than about 5,000 people here probably has a Runza, or is within half an hour of one. There's really no way for me to describe a Runza sandwich if you have never had one. I myself LOVE Runza, but never get to go, because it's a little pricier than the biggie chain fast foods (which we rarely go to anyway), and hubby hates Runza. But today...for my BIRTHDAY...my mom's taking me to Runza! A small thing to be excited about, but there you have it!

Yay For Dining Room Tables!

2009-10-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

I've been promising family and friends that I'd publish some shots of the new house, so here's the first glimpse...We recently got a new dining room table to go in our very new dining room. I love it so much!

I love that there's a big ol' bench, but also chairs, so you have a choice.

I thought it was cute how my daughter snuck her way into all the pics I took of the table! She was really mad when she saw the last picture didn't feature her!

This one is the neat detailing on the chair backs:

Souplantation / Sweet Tomatoes Giveaway (eat out for free!)

2009-10-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

I've never had the privilege of going to a Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation restaurant, but after reading what other members of Family Review Network have had to say about these restaurants, I wish I had one in my hometown (or even home STATE)! And even though it might make me a teensy bit jealous that I can't go with you, I'm excited to be sharing a great giveaway with you today, featuring Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants! Read below to learn how you can win, and also to find out about two great promotions these restaurants are running.

Right now, Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants are gearing up for two really cool events!

Garden Fresh restaurants include Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation restaurants. There are 112 restaurants in 15 states, all of which offer an all-you-care-to-eat fixed-price dining experience where you can count on fresh, high-quality ingredients and foods that are made from scratch on a daily basis.

On October 1, Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants announced the crEATe Recipe Contest (http://www.souplantation.com/create/) . Throughout the month of October, guests can submit their recipes for mouth-watering combinations made entirely from Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes menu items through the Web site, Facebook page, or by e-mail. Ten finalists will be chosen in November and all guests will be invited to vote for their favorite finalist in December. The winning recipe and chef will be announced in January and will win a year’s worth of free passes and the chance to be featured in an upcoming ad.

Here are the create contest rules: The contest is open to restaurant guests in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas Utah and Washington. Guests must submit their recipe and a photo of themselves alongside the completed dish by October 31. The recipe must contain at least 2 to 5 Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes menu items only and will be judged based on menu and visual appeal, ingredient list, and creativity. Recipes and photos can be submitted online at www.souplantation.com/create, on the Facebook page, or by email to create@gardenfreshcorp.com

AND, Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants are also announcing the Pajama-Rama event on Sunday, October 18^th in celebration of National Pajama Month! Children are invited to roll out of bed and head straight to a restaurant location for the 3^rd Annual Pajama-Rama and have a free breakfast from 9am to noon with the purchase of an adult meal. Breakfast items include Belgian waffles, French toast, egg scramble foccacia, cinnamon chip biscuits, potatoes O’Brien, make-your-own breakfast burritos and much more!

For more information on any of the above promotions, please visit www.souplantation.com, www.sweettomatoes.com, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Souplantation and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/souplantation

Doesn't that sound like fun? It makes me wish all the more that I had one of these restaurants near me! I wonder what it would take to get a Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes in Nebraska...

WIN IT! Would you like to win a free meal for two from a Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation restauraunt near you? Well, today might be your lucky day! THREE (count 'em) lucky winners will each win two complimentary dining passes for any Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation! Yay! To enter this giveaway, just leave me a comment, stating what your favorite thing about Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes is. If you haven't ever visited one of these restaurants, tell me why you'd like to.

NOTE: If you don't know if there's a Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation near you, just check this site. And please...if you don't have one of these restaurants near you, or know someone who does, don't enter this contest! Let's leave these great prizes for someone who will use them! Thanks!

EXTRA ENTRIES: To obtain additional entries for this giveaway, do one or more of the following, then leave me a separate comment for each additional entry method.

Blog about this giveaway.
Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this giveaway. (This counts as one entry.)
Become a fan of Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes on Facebook.
Follow Souplantation on Twitter.

This contest ends on Thursday, October 29 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

This giveaway is part of a blog campaign from Family Review Network, and the prizes will be provided by the sponsor.

Michael Buble: Crazy Love...What Could Be Better?

2009-10-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

What could be better than a sexy man who also has an amazing singing voice? ...I'll let you know if I think of something!

I first discovered Michael Bublé when I heard his song Home. His voice (and talent) is like no other. If you have never listened to a song by Michael Bublé , crawl out from that rock you've been living under (only kidding) and check him out!

Crazy Love is exactly what you'd expect from a Michael Bublé album: Bublé's take on 11 classic songs, plus two brand-new songs. His sultry voice enthralls me and just plain makes me happy. I could listen to this album over and over again, and I have! My husband, who has never been known to mince words, thinks it's strange that Crazy Love has so many "covers" on it, but I'm of a different mind. I think Michael Bublé does a wonderful job of really making each song his own, and he's done a great job at celebrating older songs and bringing them back to the mainstream.

The title track, Crazy Love, is okay, but it's definitely not my favorite song of the album. My favorite is called Haven't Met You Yet. This is one of the originals songs, and it was co-written by Bublé. The sweet lyrics, paired with Bublés amazing voice, almost make me melt when I hear this song! I'm happy to be able to share it here with you:

Bottom Line: If you like Michael Bublé, you're sure to love Crazy Love, and if you haven't discovered the joy of Michael Bublé's music, take a listen to the video above. If you love the song, I'm willing to bet you'd love this new album!

You can buy Crazy Love right here, and if you love Michael Bublé, be sure to fan him on Facebook!

Note: I received this album for free, as part of a blog review campaign for One2One Network. I have not received any monetary compensation, though I will be entered into a drawing to receive a gift card by posting this review. I love this album so much, though, that I would have bought it if I hadn't received it first!

Tackle it Tuesday: A Little Bathroom Color

2009-10-13T04:08:00.002-07:00

I love our new house so much, but I hated the bathroom tiles. They were originally Pepto-Bismol pink, but the previous owners had sponge painted black and gray on top of that, so they were this weird combination of black, pink, and grey. Not attractive in the least! I wish I'd gotten a picture to show you before I painted over them in white, but take my word: it wasn't pretty! Anyway, we would've liked to take all the tile down and put up new, but that plan didn't fit into our budget, and since the tiles were already painted, we just slapped some white paint onto them so they'd be presentable before we moved. Here's what it looked like:

Okay, but pretty boring in my opinion. I wanted to paint all the drywall above the tiles a pretty aqua color, and my husband wanted to leave everything white. So...we compromised:

I think it looks really nice, and now I realize that painting the whole upper half of the wall that color could've been overkill. As it is, I'm happy with the way it turned out! Now I just need to find some fabric that has that color and make a cute curtain for the window, maybe get some towels with that color...

Chocolate Fingerprints

Happy Turkey Day!

Not-So-Wordless: 4 Years Old!!

My Family's Favorite Holiday Activities

Something New

Aloha Friday

What I've Been Up To

5 Years Ago

U.S. Children in Need of Adoption!

Sharing the Linky Love

Aloha Friday!

Tiny Prints Has Got You Covered for the Holidays!

10 Ways to Get Yourself Out of a Funk

Sharing the Linky Love: Halloween Edition

Aloha Friday

Introducing...

Bed Bouquet *Giveaway*

Halloween Carols by Kristen Lawrence *Giveaway*

Sharing the Linky Love

Conversations with My Former Self

27 Isn't Old...Is It?

Aloha Friday: Regional Restaurants

Yay For Dining Room Tables!

Souplantation / Sweet Tomatoes Giveaway (eat out for free!)

Michael Buble: Crazy Love...What Could Be Better?

Tackle it Tuesday: A Little Bathroom Color

Bed Bouquet Giveaway

Halloween Carols by Kristen Lawrence Giveaway