CELEBRATION TIME...AND A GIVEAWAY!!!!!

It's officially been 1 year that I've been blogging and this is also my 200th post!!! Two big milestones in ONE post!!! Yahoo!!!!

Blogging has become a real love for me. Not only does it allow me to record those important day to day occurrences (looooove my blog book), but it also gives me a voice. So often I will think something, or feel a certain way about something, or want to share something and blogging has given me a way to share. I truly enjoy that...and I enjoy the feedback I get from you.

That said, I've decided to celebrate this special occasion with a giveaway! I've never done one before and I've been racking my brain as to what to giveaway. Homemade goodies? A little care package? A Target gift card?

Soooo....here is what I've decided. Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment before next Monday. In your comment include two things...

1. WHY you read my blog (do you know me personally? Did you just come across it? Are you a fellow mama that is enjoying this journey with me? Etc.)
2. What YOU would want if you should win the giveaway (homemade goodies, a little care package, or a Target gift card).

That is it....your wish will be my command!!! Should you win the giveaway I will send you whatever you requested. Have fun my friends and good luck!

Hugs,
Jamie

PS. I also want to wish a very Happy Birthday to my favorite little man...Jaden! As of last Monday he is officially TWO! A slide show to come soon!

A few more favorites...

I love Root candles. They are all soy so they don't give off that dirty soot and they smell up my entire house! For each season I have a specific scent that I enjoy burning. During the summer the scent Paradise is my absolute favorite. To me it smells like a yummy combination of pineapple, coconut, and suntan lotion!! Heaven!

Hello. My name is Jamie and I am addicted to black beans. Yes, it's true. I just read yesterday that black beans are one of the best foods you can eat...which is good since I seriously eat them every. single. day. And while we are talking about food addictions...I also am addicted to salsa. I also eat it every day. I make my own salsa and I literally will go through a blender full nearly once a week! I put salsa on everything!

I found this hand sanitizer at Target and love it. It's nearly all natural, alcohol free, and smells sooooo much better than the other brands of hand sanitizer! I am completely guilty of using this on more than just hands when my children have been places that creep me out...like public play areas. Gross. Can't get the sanitizer on them fast enough.

Last but not least...I love Sunbreeze. This oil is a product of Sunrider, which is a completely natural/healthy line of various kinds of products. All of their products are great, but this one I seem to use the most often (along with the laundry soap). The oil comes in it's pure form or as a balm. The balm I use when I have a sore throat or if I have a cold I rub it on my chest at night. When my allergies are bothering me NOTHING is better...I rub it all over my sinus area. It's also great for headaches. The pure (oil) form of this product I pour into Eva and Jaden's vaporizers when they have colds. I could go on and on about this one....LOVE IT.

These are a few of my favorite things...

So many things in life make me smile...as you can probably tell from my "simple joys" posts. Most of those posts revolve around things that are not tangible, such as the laughter of children or the feeling of driving with the windows down on a hot summer day. I thought I would do a few posts on some of my more...er...materialistic favorites. I know that I always love hearing about great products and I thought you may too...so sit back and have a cup of chai (love it!) as I share a few of my personal fav's...

Love me some Burt's Bees...pretty much anything Burt's Bees! I use a lot of the products on my little ones because they are so natural but I love these products for me too! One of my very favorite products is the Lip Shimmer. It has a tingly feeling and works like chapstick...with just a little bit of color.

This is my favorite facewash on the planet. This is the best part...my dermatologist recommends it and I've read about numerous celeb's that use it - and it cost $5.99!!! Yes, I use to spend loads on some fancy schmancy facial products but once I found this I've never gone back! Boy, those celebs must be smarter than they come across sometimes! Ha!

Oh where do I start on my ode to an Ugg?!! Yes, I know that for those of you that are very fashion savvy they went out of style about 5 years ago - but I will never ever give them up. Enough said.

As much as I love my Uggs there is nothing like a sexy heel to make ya feel like a woman! Seriously, I can have on a frumpy t-shirt and jeans...but if I throw on a pair of heels I feel like a whole new girl. It's like an instant makeover!!

Last but not least...when we built our home we put a full size window in our master bath that opens. Many people cautioned us against it...but it's one of my favorite things we did with our house. I love, love, love having it open in the morning while I am getting ready - the sun shining and the birds singing - it's an awesome way to start the day! I know this isn't a small item (like my other ones)...but it IS one of my favorite things!

Stay tuned...more to come soon!

Thanking God...

Jaden Praying

I believe in miracles. 110%. Our little boy is proof of that. One year ago this month we got the scare of our lives...and our prayers have never been more urgent or desperate. You can read about our scare by clicking here.

My faith has always told me that God is with us. I have always believed that my entire life. Our scare with Jaden made it that much more clear to me. I can honestly tell you that I felt God's presence in my life during those days. When I felt I couldn't breathe...I know He was carrying me. My faith in him kept me strong.

I have spent a lot of time in prayer lately...thanking God for so many things...but especially this month I am thanking Him for the miracle of our little boy. During my darkest hour God shined his brightest light.

"When we do what we can...God will do what we can't"

--Anonymous

Welcome Warmth...

In our neck of the woods it is warm today - a most welcome little break from the cold and rainy weather we have been having! The munchkins and I could not get outside soon enough and Eva was thrilled to find out I would let her wear shorts today! By lunch time we had gone on bike rides, walks, played in the dirt, played on the swing set and decided to enjoy our lunch in the warmth of the sun too (Eva insisted on wearing her bike helmet - love it). Let me tell you, this mama (and her little ones) love being outside which is good thing since this weekend is suppose to be even warmer!! Welcome Spring!

A Stampin' Good Time!

This is what happened to my tile floor when Jaden got ahold of my self-inking stamper. He not only stamped in this location but also left a trail all the way over to my kitchen sink! When I walked into the kitchen he quickly put the stamper back where he found it and immediately put his head down...little one knew he was doing something he shouldn't be. After a chat about not touching mommy's stamper I think (hope) a lesson was learned. I have to tell you that deep down I had to hold back a little giggle because he was having a BALL before I caught him!

Easter 2009

This post is for a few of you that wanted to see Eva and Jaden in their Easter outfits! They were too precious....but I'm a little bias!

Happy Easter

Just wanted to take this time to wish all of my readers a very Happy Easter. We love Easter in our house not only for the fun of coloring Easter Eggs and a visit from a very special bunny....but also for the true reason we celebrate this day. We have been talking to both Eva and Jaden a lot about the true meaning of Easter, as well as reading the Easter story to them in their bible. Jaden is still a little young to understand...but Eva is starting to grasp it. I love to hear Eva say, "we celebrate Easter because Jesus died on the cross...and on Easter he came back to life." Her simple explanation warms our hearts.

So on Sunday this family will be enjoying the goodies that the Easter Bunny left, as well as running around to find all of the Easter Eggs he hid before the dog finds them....and we will also be standing together in church celebrating the reason this blessed holiday is so special.

Have a beautiful Easter my friends.

Hugs,
Jamie

Cleaning Tip

One of my favorite cleaning tips was given to me a few years ago. It seems so simple, yet I never thought of it! Go figure...seems the most obvious things are the things I sometimes oversee! Ha! Anyway, a friend of mine told me to create cleaning rags from old towels. You simply cut the old towel up into as many rags as you need or want. This is such common sense, I know, but seriously...I use to go BUY cleaning cloths. The towels are great because they are 100% cotton and do not leave streaks on mirrors and glass. Just thought I would share! Happy Cleaning!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Birthdays are a very big deal in our family....a very big deal. Matt celebrated his special day yesterday and the little ones and I spent days getting ready for it! We had so much fun coming up with ways to let Daddy know how special he is to us...and how excited we are to celebrate his birthday!

Making paper chains! We hung them from the door so he would have to walk through them when he got home from work!

We made Daddy's favorite chocolate chip cookies and surprised him at work with them! We arranged them in a basket, picked out some special balloons at the store to attach to the basket, and delivered them ourselves! So fun!! Eva went to each person in Daddy's office and offered them a cookie! Jaden was bursting with excitement and was yelling "Da Da" before we even got in the door!

Wrapping gifts! Eva wrapped the gift from her and Jaden allll by herself (it was a basketball....I absolutely loved how she wrapped it...made this mama smile from ear to ear!)

Decorating his special cake! Eva and Jaden did the decorating all by themselves and had a ball doing it! I loved watching their creativity!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! We hope your special day was as amazing as you are to us!! We love you!

Eva's Bedroom Makeover!

Took me awhile, but I'm finally posting pictures of Eva's room...the reveal!!! Ha!!! Actually, the whole process was pretty simple and Eva actually helped with with a LOT of it...including the painting! I just made sure when I taped off things I taped them off extra wide so she wouldn't paint where she wasn't suppose to. This was important to me because I wanted Eva to feel a sense of ownership with it...and she loves it!

This little corner is used for everything from reading to "serving" her food from her kitchen!
This kitchen set is one of our children's favorite toys...we play with it nearly every day!

This is Eva's Bible...and if you are looking for a children's Bible it is awesome! We read it daily and Eva often goes to bed "reading" it!

Just a few special pics of our special little girl!

Eva loves her "new" room and that is all we could have hoped for!! It won't be long before we start on Jaden's "big boy room"...can't believe it!

On a more personal note....Happy Happy Birthday to my awesome husband! Pictures to come soon!!

Another Secret Weapon...

In my endless quest to ensure my little ones are eating their veggies I ran across another secret weapon that I had to share...

For those of you that eat Morning Star foods, you already know that the foods are completely meat-free...mostly made out of veggies. Now, before you turn your nose up to veggie corn dogs you have to at LEAST give them a chance. They are seriously good eats! Eva and Jaden both absolutely LOVED them and have asked for them more than once since we last had them for dinner.

Speaking of veggies....who would have known this cute little fella' loooooooooves asparagus just like his mama does!!!

He ate a TON of it for dinner....and for those of you that love asparagus...you can imagine what his diaper smelled like the next day!! Stinky pee diaper...whew!!! I've always wondered why that yummy veggie does that to you?!!

Happy eating my friends!

April Fools!

Do you, your family, or your friends get into the whole April Fool's Day thing?!! I use to get into it a little bit when I was teaching because the students thought it was so fun...but if I'm being honest I have to tell you that I spend the whole beginning of my April Fool's Day on guard.

Let me explain.

Every year for the past 11 years...yes, ELEVEN years...my mom has tricked me. It started when I was in college and has continued through the years. I won't even tell you about the first April Fool's trick she got me with because I can't believe I fell for it....but I did....hook, line, and sinker. My only saving grace was that my college roommate Jami also fell for it so I didn't feel quite as bad.

Every year my husband warns me the day before April Fool's. He warns me that she is going to try to trick me. I plot in my head the kind of trick she may try to pull so I can be one up on her. Honestly, every year I wake up ready...just waiting to say, "Ha Ha!!! Didn't get me THIS year did you?!!!!" I'm ready to do my victory dance and laugh because for ONCE she didn't trick me!"

Ya well, it's been 11 years and I have yet to bust out those dance moves.

You have GOT to be thinking I am extremely gullible...seriously, every year for ELEVEN years???!!!!

I promise I am not. She is just that good with her tricks! She catches me when I am least expecting it. I seriously don't know what hit me until she starts laughing!

In case you are wondering, yes she got me this morning. I was still wiping the sleep out of my eyes when she called. I should have known better.

There is always next year....until then I'll be practicing my victory dance.