My First Giveaway!

Well, I follow all these great blogs like Lynnette's "Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground" and Lauren's "Living By Faith" and Barbie's "My Freshly Brewed Life" and others that do these great giveaways all the time I though I would try to do something.


Now before you get too excited, I have no great sponsor for this giveaway-only me and well since I don't know anyone who might be interested in giving anything away that you might be interested in receiving I thought I might put some of my own things that I create on here for a giveaway and see if anyone might be interested.  Not that what I make and can giveaway is that special but I can guarantee it is made with love!  Doesn't that count for something. lol


So here goes:

1. The first item is a Hymn art piece: You pick the Hymn and the Colors you might want.

2. The second thing in a Snuggly with a Matching Bib.   Your choice of Name or Initials or Without.

3. Number three is a Necklace made to your choice-they are made out of washers-again they can even be made from a business card or stamped with a design or with your children or grandchildren's name, for a certain holiday, whatever-you name it and I will try and make it.

4. The last thing is a skirt-again the color scheme you would like with or without an initial on it. I just need to know a general size with a waist measurement and length.

Ok, so what do you have to do to enter the giveaway? 

• 1st entry - leave a comment about which one you would like to win or the order of which you would like to win
• 2nd entry - become a follower of this blog and let me know! (if you're already a follower leave a 2nd comment telling me so)
• 3rd entry - Tell someone else to come and follow my blog and make sure they tell me who sent them and you get 2 entries.
• 4th entry-Post this on your blog or facebook and let me know that you did and I will give you another entry.

• Ok, we will see how this goes.  Maybe I will get someone out there to log on and feel sorry for my giveaway and offer something else for my next one!

Happy Blogging!

Jill

Living By Faith-Lauren's blog give away.

Lauren over at "Living By Faith" is having a really great give away(below) you need to hop over to her blog-sign up and be ready to be inspired to pieces (she has a great blog)and get entered in this great give away! 

 

This website has the most beautiful jewelry! I have spent inordinate amounts of time drooling over each piece and trying to make my decision. So what am I giving away? You will die of excitement...

A $50 gift certificate to use on anything your heart desires!!!

 So, what do you have to do to enter the giveaway? It's so simple!

• 1st entry - leave a comment
• 2nd entry - become a follower of this blog and let me know! (if you're already a follower leave a 2nd comment telling me so!)
• 3rd entry - visit The Vintage Pearl and come back to tell me which piece is your favorite
• 4th entry - post about this giveaway on your blog, facebook, or twitter (or all 3) and let me know you did w/ a link to your post! : )

 This giveaway will end next at midnight Wednesday the 12th - so you have a whole week to enter and spread the word! I'll choose the winner by random generator the morning of the 13th and announce it then! : )


(ps - Happy Cinco De Mayo!) 

©2009 Living By Faith

Random Dozen

1. What was the last thing about which you procrastinated?

Stuff I am supposed to be doing for our end of the year Children's Choir programs at church-since I am the Children's Choir Coordinator! lol  
2. How long does it take you to fall asleep, and do you sleep through the night?


It takes me awhile unless I am on the couch and my hubby is rubbing my feet and then it doesn't take too long.  I never sleep through the night-I have had little ones-been pregnant or nursing the last 11 years and so that combination of those things has made me be a mom who never sleeps through the night anymore.
3. Which decade would you choose to exemplify your favorite fashion styles?

I think the old 30's black and white movie style era-those beautiful dress and high heeled shoes-not that I would dress that way daily but I think they look so pretty.

4. What is your personal best dish to feed a crowd?

I love Poppy Seed Chicken-it is easy and everyone usually likes it.  My whole family of 6 will all eat it.

5. Are you an impulse shopper? What was the last thing you bought on impulse?

I would have to say "Yes" to this I guess-depends on the day and my mood but-this is funny I think as I write it -I would have to say Canisters for my counter top to put beans and noodles and things like that.  Pretty exciting I know!

6. What is one wish you have for your own funeral?

Lots of beautiful music and not lots of tears.  Happy memories and lots of laughter-I love to laugh.

7. If it's true that joy is in found in the simple things in life, what does your joy look like today?

The fact that it is a new day-yesterday was a little bit of a bummer and so I am thankful for a new day and second chances.
8. What is your favorite type of bread?

Love bread-but my pumpkin bread I think.

9. What trait do you fear developing the most? (Laziness, greediness, grumpiness, etc.)

Grumpiness-I am over all a happy person but some days I let things get to me and it affects my whole attitude and I don't like it when that happens.

10. What trait would you like most to develop?

Better memory and more of a servant's  heart.
11. Which room in your house best reflects your personality? Why?

I think my front room-bright-sunny and comfortable place to hang out.  I like being in that room-it makes me happy.

12. How do you maintain balance in your life regarding, work, family, church, other organizations and activities, and blogging?


That is a good question-the last few days I have been so overwhelmed with it all I haven't felt like I am being able to balance it all and do it all well.  I am praying for God to show me what I need to do differently and what I need to let go of.  I am praying and trusting that He will open and close the doors that I need to change.

God's Paintbrush

The wild flowers this year in Texas are the prettiest they have been in the 4 years we have lived here.
Yesterday the kids had off from school and since Brandon, Analeigh and I have been stuck at home for about 2 weeks my friend Donna suggested we go on a trip to Fredericksburg, TX for the day.

It was a wonderful trip overall just not what I had planned.  The total trip was 3 hours each way on the way up close to Mason, TX for about 20 miles or more we saw the most beautiful wildflowers.  It looked like God had taken a paint brush and painted the sides of the highway with multiple colors of the rainbow.  It was just beautiful and so I had to stop the car and get the kids out and take a few photos.  Glad I did that because after we arrived Analeigh got a belly ache and we ended up only getting to stay for 1 1/2 hours and turning around to drive home another 3 hours with her crying for half that trip.  I was so stressed by the time we got home my shoulders hurt, my head hurt, my stomach hurt (happens whenever I am stressed out) and I felt terrible that the kids and my friend Donna basically rode 6 hours in the car for nothing more than flower photos and pumpernickel bread! lol

                                                                      

                                       

Me and My Friend Donna (such a blessing)

Oh well, the best laid plans of man-I hate dislike it strongly when I have this great plan and it doesn't go near as well I planned it would-I was sad and bummed at how the day had gone.  It carried over into today I think because all day I have had one of those days where nothing really has gone wrong-but everything seems wrong-where I want to go back to bed and start the day over a different way.  Where I feel like I have done nothing right, where I second guess everything I am currently doing, like with schooling our kids or not, with quitting my job or not. From not being the mom and wife I thought I would be, the friend or employee I thought or want to be, to being a more obedient child of God-the list just seemed to go on all day and I ended up in tears while driving to Wal-mart for some odds and ends.
Crazy-I know.  Just how I am wired I guess.  Anyways I am home now-not crying for the moment and decided I would share some of my photos.

Hoping and praying tomorrow is a better day-just pray for clarity for me-I am debating being able to keep working and home schooling Alyssa next year and having Analeigh home and yet needing the money-lots of things I feel like are up in the air and my heart is heavy over it all tonight.  I am trying to rest and be quiet and let God speak to me (not easy if you know me-my mouth and mind are always going) I want to know with out a doubt I am doing and seeking God's will for my life-and the lives of my family.

On this pathway-
Jill

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Today is my sweet hubby's birthday!  I am planning on running to the store to buy all the things I need to make the following birthday menu:

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We are excited that today it our daddy's and my sweetheart's Happy Day (Analeigh, our 2 yr old calls it that. )  I hope you have a wonderful Happy Day-you are the other half of my heart-I am so blessed that 16 years ago that God brought you into my life and 15 years ago He made me your wife.

Thank you for being such a wonderful daddy and super husband.  We are truly blessed.  I pray that today is filled with extra special blessings just for you!

Love you with all my heart Michael Jones!

PS.  On another note-Brandon is healing slowly-this week seems like about 6 weeks-but Praise God he is healing and the last few days he has been walking on his crutches more and not really need pain meds but at bed time.  YEAH!  God is so good-thanks again for all your prayers.  Love you all-thank you for lifting my family up in prayer when we really needed it-I had a (not like me at all) super natural (for a lack of a better word) calmness the whole time he was in surgery for 5 hours-I knew it was because we were being prayed for by so many people.  That was a wonderful feeling to have!

I am off to get ready to run to the store for a day full of baking.

Have a Happy Day(even if it isn't your birthday!)

Sweet Friends-Yummy Cookies-Sweet Boy

I got my sweet Brandon up today-I got him up in the wheel chair for awhile this afternoon.  A step up from laying around all day.   He is in a lot of pain-which makes my heart very sad-his pain ball that was numbing his hip is now all gone so after some pain medicine tonight Mike and I are going to try and take off the tape-tubes-ball and dressing over the stitches-I must admit I am a little scared about doing this-not fun-and I am sure there will be screaming and crying from his part-crying from mine.

I don't do well with one of my kiddos hurting.  I actually thought about going back to school to be a nurse because I love people and would like making them feel better-but there is a part of me that doesn't think I could do it-my heart gets so heavy for hurting people- especially when it is people I love-it makes me sad and depressed when they are sad and hurting.  My poor baby boy is really hurting and I didn't think it would be quite so painful and when he cries and says I am hurting him (not what I want to hear when I am trying to help him) it breaks my heart into pieces. I am afraid if he keeps not moving it is only going to get worse and become more sore-he doesn't get that-but I can't just pull his leg down to the floor and make him stand-so there isn't much I can do-I am growing weary and worried.   Just prayed a long time today about it-trying to give it all over to God-He has gotten us this far already and I know He will bring us all the way through it-just a little harder than I thought it was going to be.   This is also the busiest time of year for me with my job at the church as the Children's Choir Coordinator and our programs are coming up in 3 weeks and I have so much to do for them and I am going no where because my Bran is home flat on his back.  Ok, enough venting!  I am done.

On a brighter note-my choir teachers for the Kindergarten class-Mrs Beth and Mr Greg Young and Tracy Patterson and Christy Adkins (Brandon is in their choir) sent him a yummy cookie basket and it was so sweet.  It did add a little bit of sunshine-and sugar (smile) to our kind of gloomy day.

Thanks to my wonderful choir teachers!  Thank you for loving my little boy every Wednesday night.  He loves you all.

On this Pathway -

Jill

My Rose Bushes

When I got home tonight from Fort Worth the weather was just beautiful-about 78 and a little windy (always is here in West Texas) and the sun was out.  So nice-it has been rainy and cool for about 5 days off and on so it was so nice and see and feel the sun.  When I pulled up to our driveway on the side of the house I could see my rose bushes blooming all sorts of beautiful roses so I went to trim off the dead blooms and feed the bushes a little with some rose food and take some photos to share-they are just so pretty right now.
Just wanted to share a little of the beauty I saw in my flowers today with you-I love spring time.

A happy ending to a day full of blessing already.

Take Time to Smell the Flowers

Jill