Letters To Pets (July)

Dear Bella,

I realized something very sad this week that I may have been overlooking, and that is that you might be getting bullied a little bit around here.
For instance, you never actually get to catch the ball when we play fetch with your brothers Barley and Briot.
Oh, I Know you GET to the ball first every time. You are quick as whip you lil thing! I can't hardly believe that you are still so fast, even with the extra weight you put on these past few months cause I took you off diet food. You still GET there first, but you quickly get pushed out of the way by the two big fetch bullies that come and take the ball from you.
When we went to the park the other day, just the two of us, that's when I realized this sad thing was even happening.
I guess I never noticed before.

We were playing and you would run to go get the ball but then just leave it there. I was like Huh? that's weird. SO, I would try over and over to get you excited about actually getting the ball and your reaction would be the same every time.
Maybe I am over analyzing the situation. Maybe you don't really care to play fetch anyways,  but I think you might feel a bit bullied over all in this house. You being the smallest creature that has to contend for your spot here with all these other people and dogs, I just wonder if that might be why you seem grumpy sometimes. Someone is always telling you to move, or telling you not to beg, or get down from off the table(OH you thought I didn't see that? Well I did.)
I just want you to know that I am aware of this now, and I looking out for you my sweet Bella girl.

Sincerely (Stay off the table) and With Great Love,

Your 2 legged Person
Noël

Ok Fellow Animal lovers now it's your turn, Here is the 411 of this Link Up:
1. Write about your pet, to your pet, post pictures of your pets... this is basically just a link up to find other animal lovers out there. This link up is a monthly link up so you have a whole month to post your Letter to Your Pet or Pets. Gather pictures, and come back with a love note to your 4 legged friend. I am also allowing multiple link up with this so if you are a blog that writes only about pets, put in several of your favorite posts. I try to read and comment on all of them because I enjoy this link up so much. 


2. There are no rules, except the obvious which is that you should at least own a pet, and I would appreciate if you let me know if you are a new follower here so that I can follow you back. 



3. If you want to grab a cute lil picture and spread the word that would be so AWESOME! The code is over there on the right sidebar.

4. Please feel free to Invite other pet people to this Pet Lovin' party, because the link up is new I appreciate you spreading the word for me.









 

Flash Back Friday

Hello Friends- I asked Shontell, one the hosts of FBF to write the blurb(ha ha blurb... I just love that word) before the linkup this morning, So Sit Back, Get a Good cup of Something, And Enjoy...

"I am getting old. For real, sometimes I look at the lines around my eyes, the grey in my hair, and the creases around my smile and wonder, "What in the world did I ever do to cause all this bodily demise?" But then I look up and see my husband playing a card game with my kids, and my little girl coloring a picture to fill that one blank space on my fridge, and, well, Samuel, he is just always doing something weird- smelling his fingers, or lip synching to "Call Me, Maybe" while he watches himself in the reflection of our oven.

I realize my lines and creases are from laughing and memories and happiness. My grey is proof that I give and give some more in this honored position as wife and mamma. I wear them proudly. Just like my memories. 
Because our memories are fleeting. Because we have been at this blogging thing for years. Because remembering can be just so darn funny. We are linking up. Won't you join us?"

So Are You Ready Bloggity Bloggers? This is the dealio:

1. You have to have been blogging for at least a year.(Mandatory) 

2. Link up your old posts from at least a year ago. Don't link up your website, click on the actual title of your old post so that's what the other linkers will read(did you know you could do that?)So if you did know way to go Smarty Pants, but if you don't know how to do that you click on the title of your post that will give you the right http:// to copy and paste in the box that says LINK. 

3. You should follow your hosts(the first three link ups) they are funny, witty, and wise. You won't regret it. 


4. Ha ha Posts and hosts that ryhmes, oh no wait... back to business, um yeah get to know some oldies but goodies out there.

How you do that is to read and (commen)t on at least the person before and after you on this link up. 

5.Oh and grab a button to invite more to this nifty party. Have fun! That's mandatory also. 



One final note before you  link up .... "Fun fact for ya" Did you know that even though Natalie Rose is just a young whipper snapper she has been blogging since 2001, Shontell and I have been blogging since 2005.  A special prize goes out to the first person to link up and tell me how long you have been blogging, and tell me what movie the quote "Fun Fact For Ya" comes from??

Sunshine Award

Who Could use a little Sunshine this morning? Umm.. ME! Pick Me, Pick Me!  I know most of the country is sweltering with temps in the 100's right now, but sometimes it can get literally so grey and dark here in Seattle that I wonder if it isn't still night time when I first wake up. For real people. And I love the rain, but no one ever warns you of the GREY. We did get some sun yesterday and it was glorious!

Why am I talking with you about the weather you ask?

Well because on really grey days I want YOU to know beloved reader that you bring the Sun into my life. I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU. I know that's cheesy and that maybe this should be called the cheese ball award, but it's really true.
Since going public with my blog I have met so many wonderful, amazing souls that my life is so much brighter now from knowing.

One kind soul gave me a whole lotta sun last week in blog world. I'll tell ya why, but first let me introduce you to This sweet, amazing, beautiful, seriously inspiring LOVELY lady named Britt. She blogs here, BeeLittleQueen and if you haven't met her yet, head over there and tell her I sent you.

But wait... I wanna do a little of what I call BLAGGIN! It's blogging only bragging at the same time.
I want to BLAG a bit about my new friend Britt.

Her life is truly amazing, and to say that she is inspiring would be an understatement. Not only will she make you laugh, but she will create with you, find bargains for you, give you makeup tips and even actual make-up in her give-aways, she is family oriented, an animal lover AND she EVEN ... wait for it.... she EVEN has a TATTOO!! Shock and Awe I know!! That's my girl right there. Wearing the permanent ink like a champ! Do you know what else she wears a toe ring, that quotes my favorite bible verse and it is one of my TATTOOS. Faith, Hope, and Love, ... yep that's my girl. Really there is so so so much more that I could go on and on about. Truly she is a gem. And I am thankful, humbled and blessed to know her now because of blogger.

Okay I think I blagged her up pretty good, what do you think?


Last week she nominated me for a Blog Award. Did you know beloved readers that BLOGS have awards? Well, they do. There are awards for having so many readers, for having not so many readers, and then there is this award, The Sunshine Award.
 “Bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere”. 

Honestly, when she sent me the note about this nomination I felt like I had just won the Miss America pageant. Imagine me, teary eyed, waving my hands in front of my face and saying over and over Thank YOU, Thank YOU, Thank YOU! 

Bah ha ha!! Sorry that is just so funny. Um... so  NOPE I didn't do that, but all the same I feel very honored that she, that any of YOU would read what I write and be inspired by it. YOU all put the sun in my Seattle grey day! I know I already said that, but it needed to be said again.

Don't make me sing you are my sunshine. Don't make me do it.

I'm going off on a rabbit trail here... follow my lil bunny butt if you will..... 

So.... I kind of was a HUGE Regis and Kelly fan. Not so much a Kathy and Regis, or a Kelly stand-alone, but a Regis and Kelly fan fo surwa! That might seem random but if you were too then you remember their Relly Awards? Right? Okay that's what these blog awards kind of remind me of. 

Okay moving on....

And now that I have gone on and on Like A Silly Miss America contestant, let me follow the rules of this here award.

I have to answer these 10 questions. Yippee I LOVE questions!

And I have to nominate 10 other blogs for this award. 

Now that is gonna be the hard part because there are so many great blogs out there, but I will do my best to nominate only 10. 

                                                                        QUESTIONS

1. Favorite color? Well I am a Christmas child and so believe it don't, my favorite colors have always been Red and Green. My mom and dad even came dressed in Red and Green to my Graduation ceremony. How cute is that! 
2. Favorite animal?  Not very unusual I LOVE DOGS! Even though one bit me in the face when I was a teenager  right by my left eye(23 stitches later) I still love them. I would have had to wear a patch like a pirate, if he had come any closer.
3. Favorite number? Hmmm... now see I don't really have a favorite number, I really don't Natalie!
4. Favorite drink? Well that would switch between Coffee and Wine depending on what time of the day it is. 
5. Facebook or Twitter?   Well now that is just not cool. Can I say neither. BLOGSPOT all the way baby!! I wish the whole world would switch to Blogspot. Bloggers Unite!!
6.  Good book or good movie?        BOOK totally dude(ha ha I just said dude) sorry for shouting but this is a big-un for me. If I know a book is going to be made into a movie I have to read the book first before watching the move. Does anyone else agree with me here? Otherwise it's just someone else's imagination. I much prefer my own. At least when it comes to casting the main characters. 
7. My passion: I am passionate about Three things, To know Christ more fully, To serve Him more humbly, and To truly, deeply, faithfully, Love the People He has blessed me with in this life. I will spend my whole life on this alone. 
8. Giving or getting presents? Giving. I don't really feel like I have the best reaction when getting presents. Refer to Miss America joke above. I am SO not that girl! I don't want to over react so I tend to under react I think.  I Dunno.
9. Favorite day? The obvious would be The day I became MoNoSco,  my wedding day, and My children's birth- days. 
10. Favorite flower? The Sunflower. I found out a long time ago, actually it was one of my first blogs here in 2005 that an actual real Sunflower will follow the sun through out the course of a day. It made me love it all the more. 

BLOG NOMINATIONS

HOLY CRUMB BUCKETS there are a lot of Blogs out there but here are the top 10 that inspire me, not just in the blog world, but IN THE REAL WORLD, YO!

*please note being nominated obligates you to nothing but receiving the compliment that you inspire me, only join in this # if you feel so obliged. i feel it necessary to say that because this was ALOT of work!! And I love you. And I am not easily offended if you don't reciprocate. 

Sista Jen @Jens World Of Daily Musing

Shontell@ Nonsense At It's Finest

Natalie Rose@Rose She Goes

Jeni @Linnea's Quill

Jessica@Mothering With Creativity

Louie@ScoeyD

Sarah@Fontenot Four

Christina@Tico and Tina

Hannah@ Happy Days

Alyx@ Every Day Is A New Adventure

Also, I wanted to mention, in case you haven't had an overload of ME today,  that I wrote a lil blurb(there's that funny word again) for the blog:Sista 2 Sista. These are the amazing women from my Tuesday Bible Study.  You can find me under MY STORY if you want to read about my all time favorite story :)

Love/Hate

Love - that the Fab 4 are out for summer. WOOT WOOT!!

Hate- that it doesn't really feel like summer weather wise.
Come on WA let's get with the program already!! I know, I know wait til after the 4th of July.

Love- that one of my bestie friends Miss Marie is coming to visit in a few days.

Hate -that she doesn't get to stay longer, but I am going to enjoy every second and document them
well(wink wink)

Love -the new book I'm reading Inside Of A Dog , all about my 4 leggeds. Seriously those of you that are 4 legged owners out there, this is such a great book.

Hate- that I didn't know some of this stuff sooner. Really would have helped me out to understand the why behind the bad behaviors of my 4 leggeds.

Love- having girly girls that Love to play dress up, and have an impromptu photo shoot at any given moment.
Hate- that said girly girls are really becoming more and more womanly women every minute of everyday.

Love- the yummy Apple Pie that I made because of Sarah's link up with FBF last friday.

Hate- that she wasn't there to eat it with me :)

Love- that I can now get started on that Summer reading list which contains these titles;

Bread Alone, by Judith Ryan Hendricks

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

Out Live Your Life, by Max Lucado (love me some Lucado)

The Power of A Praying Wife, by Stormie Omartian(this is actually a re-read reminder, which means I'll be reading my highlights ;)

Hate- that my book club  and bible study are on break so I have no one to share what I'm learning with. 

Well, except maybe you beloved reader. That's your forewarning that there might be some book reviews ahead. 

 NOW IT'S YOUR TURN- ARE YOU READY to LINK UP? HERE'S The 411:

1. There are no rules to this link up, cause those are meant to be broken. But if you are so inclined to follow me because of this link up,  WELL first of all ... ahhh THANK YOU,  and second would you please let me know in that lil comment section down there so that I can follow back.

2. It doesn't have to be a whole blog about LOVE/HATES it could be either, neither, tomato, tomoto,potato, pototo, or... just link up... have fun and get to know your fellow bloggers LOVE/HATES.

3. If you want to grab the LOVE/HATE button so others know what you are doing grab the code and paste it whereva! I'm not gonna check. Don't have time for that. But I do have to tell you that when I come to your page and see my little button on there that I worked so hard on, well it makes me like you a whole lot more. Also your friends might appreciate knowing where this fun party is so invite them.

4. Have fun, get to know people that's what a link up is for :) Try to at least comment on one other bloggers link up that you don't know. 

Letter To The Lover of My Soul

Lover Of My Soul

Remember when I said I wouldn't forget. 

I forgot.

Remember when I said I will never do that.

I did.

Remember when I said you will always come first.

I am, Most days.

Remember when I said I know.

I don't.

Remember when I said please heal me.

You did.

Remember when I said please give me.

You gave.

Remember when I said show me.

You have. 

Remember when I said I am sorry.

You Forgave.

I love YOU.

Dinner Bell, Dinner Bell Ring

Good Morning beloved reader. I hope you all had a wonderful, restful weekend. I am happy to report that I successfully unplugged yesterday, and it felt fantastic. I didn't post a single picture, answer a single tweet, peek to see who had emailed, (wink, wink Kelly), or even get on the computer at all.
I did however have this lighting bolt, came out of no where, thought for a blog, and so I wrote it down to bring up with you this happy Monday morning. Hope you all have a good cup of coffee, and let's get started.

Can we talk about our front doors for a moment? A strange topic I know, but just stick with me here.

I once had a real estate agent tell me that "the doorway to a home is a very important selling point because it tells the buyer whether or not the rest of the home has been cared for." By looking around I could clearly see what she was getting at.
We were standing outside our second home that we wanted to sell and I believe she was sadly disappointed with our presentation. There were leaves that had collected in the bottom right corner since November, it was now April. There were cobwebs in the upper left  corner of the deck, and a broken ceramic stone thing that my kids had made me. I was pregnant with our fourth child, and barely surviving the other 3. I think my look must have said it all to her because she quickly said, "Moving On."

Even though at the time I was in no mood to hear this agents helpful words of advice, they have always kind of stuck with me. There is something about the doorway to a persons home. Have you ever gone over to a complete strangers home and taken in all the clues that are outside that door?  Before you even really know them, you feel you kind of know them. Do you know what I mean?

There are certain things that I think door signs tell about a person.
A sign that says, "Shoes Off Please" means they a "good, responsible" carpet people. I am not a good carpet person which is why I no longer have much carpet in my home. I just can't keep it clean, so I prefer hard wood floors.
A sign that says, "Welcome One and All" means these people love people, and probably are even friends with their postman.
A sign that says, "Happy Everything" and has all the holiday signs below it means that persons life is so full, so busy, they don't have time to change door signs. So get with the program already people!!

Do you see what I'm saying?

In addition to door signs there are other clues outside a persons home that can really fill it all in for the random onlooker. Toys all over the lawn means kid friendly home. Potted flowers means, well that you have time to put some flowers in a pot and brighten the world. Little animal trinkets here and there means of course this person loves animals. Bird feeders means we have a bird watcher on our hands, an observer of life if you will.

Well I wonder what it means if you have a dinner bell and you don't live on a farm? Before you answer that I think that it's only fair that you should know; I have a new dinner bell.
Well, I have had it since winter but it hasn't really been put into use until the last few weeks of nice weather have provided just such a scenario. When I look at this dinner bell I think back to that agents words and I think if she could only see me now. Decking it up. Sweeping off my front porch. Getting rid of the cobwebs. She would be so proud.

Also, when I look at my dinner bell it brings me great joy, because I have always wanted to have a dinner bell. I'm not exactly sure why? I just think it's from all those days of watching Little House on the Prairie.
It kind of makes me laugh when I ring it and my kids come running.
Make No mistake, they are indeed being herded. Like Cattle. 4 Kids. Eh, I guess it works.
It is also used to get my three dogs attention if I see them wandering a bit too far down our driveway, I just ring that dinner bell.
And then of course I don't have a door bell so if you ever come over feel free to use it and get my attention. I need to be herded from time to time too.

Do you have some thoughts about your doorway? A favorite piece to welcome friends? A certain color that you have always dreamed of having on your front door. Do you think it's true what that agent said?

And now I give you a happy lil diddy from They Might Be Giants.
Happy Monday Friends <3



 

We Have A Winner!!

We have a winner to our Summer Giveaway:

You can find her over at My Beauty Boxes.


Congratulations Jacinta!


"Now you and a lucky member of our studio audience can win something as well... pick a number between one and... "  Ha  ha ha, I just wanted to pretend I was Kelly Ripa for a minute :)


But to all those who entered, and so wanted to win, you really can try to win Jacinta's box of Miss Beauty Nail Bling over at  My Beauty Boxes.


 Jacinta is doing her own giveaway right now with some other amazing women, so be sure to wander over and check that out because it's a big un!! I put my name in the pot. 
  
I would like to thank all my sponsors again with one more shout out, you really are the best, and I am so happy to have teamed up with each and every one of you.

Words

I have been inspired by this girl Natalie Rose, in more ways than one. But the current post she has written titled "Why I Write" has inspired me this morning to write this.

I sit here on my bed, with My Maccy. It's Saturday morning. Bon Iver's  station is playing on Pandora, My Fab 4 are watching cartoons and probably eating way too many donuts, My Giant is at work, the rains have stopped for now, and I feel like writing.

No link ups.

No giveaways.

Just me.

Have I ever told you my beloved readers that I love to write? (Hello Captain Obvious) I don't love it because your reading. I have written proof of countless post that no one will ever read. So no, I don't love it because you might comment on what I say. Although I truly do treasure every comment, every writer does, but that's not why I write. I don't love it because I think it will bring me fame and fortune someday. Although the fortune would be nice, I already feel famous in my own little spot on planet earth. I don't write because I feel this is the only way I can express myself, but I do feel it's one my best forms of communication. I write because I like words.

Words are prophetic.

Words are love documented.

I write because it's my therapy. I write because I feel I have something to say. I write because everyday I feel the moments slipping away, and somehow if I get it out there in writing it stays with me a little bit longer.  The moments stay. Time stands still in words.  I love to play with words. I like to create with words. I like to paint with words. I like to imagine with words.

Words are my muse.

Words are glorious.

I am also challenged on a regular basis to write better. After reading an amazing novel I put the book down and think to myself, that was a powerful experience. I think that was just glorious, being transported to the world of Words just now. Everyone and everything can be buzzing in such a rushed movement all around me, and I get consumed in the world of words. I suppose this doesn't make much sense to those who don't have this appreciation of reading and words. I feel sorry for them. Truly those who have not discovered the gift that is words, I feel they are missing out on a whole other planet. The Planet Words.

Words are powerful.

Words are encouraging.

There has also been so many times in my life that I can honestly feel the pen, or in this case my fingers taking on a life of their own. I used to think it odd when I would hear of authors being almost possessed by something that caused this story to come out of them, until it happened to me. Then my eyes were opened and I realized that I too have the capacity to write an entire novel, okay well maybe not a novel, but certainly a children's story, and not even remember how it happened. Granted this doesn't happen very often, but it does happen.

Words are playful.

Words are poignant.

When I open an empty post page and I have an idea of something I want to write about, my heart starts to beat a little bit faster. When I hear the happy buzz of tappity tap tap that means my fingers are creating right before my eyes it makes me feel purposeful. It makes me want more, and more, of that tappity tap tap sound.  It makes me want to just keep on tapping. Keep on writing. Keep on creating. Keep on documenting. Keep on recording the moments as they pass by. 

Words are amazing.

Words are good.

When I sit down with my favorite plain black Bic pen and I have a blank piece of paper and there is no one around, I could write for all eternity of the greatness that is words. When I read words that were written thousands of years ago and they still apply to my life today it causes an emotion to rise in my heart that is without measure. 

I write because I love it.

It is what makes my heart sing.
It has turned into much more than a hobby for me.
It has become a passion in this life.

It just started raining again, and I probably should go do the dishes and stop pretending that I'm getting paid to do this.

Flashback Friday

                     This August marks my blogs 7th year Blog-ver-sary! 


For 7 years people I have been putting out my thoughts for all the world to read. That's a lot of thoughts and  a lot of reading. 
For the first 6 years it was primarily a private blog that I used as my therapy spot while babies and toddlers were running a muck. Well they weren't really running, more like crawling a muck... but that doesn't really work now does it?
Moving on...
At the beginning of this year though I decided to go public so to speak with my blog, and become a PW wanna-be... minus the cooking... and the cows... and the burping... and the beagles... and the fancy pants camera. How do you think I am doing so far? Thee hee hee. 


To celebrate my blogs anniversary I am going to have a HUGE giveaway, and I do mean HUGE because I like to give. I'm a giver. So are my sponsors. Yay! for Awesome sponsors who like to give stuff away!


But that's not until August and I just couldn't wait that long(I'm slightly impatient)to launch this weekly Friday link up. Because well, it's SO AWESOME! I really like the word AWESOME. But, I also like the wonderful blogging community that has been there with me through it all, and so I give YOU... bloggity bloggers... FLASH BACK FRIDAY! Trust me this link up is a gift. To the writers as well as the readers. Do you want to know why?
Because the writers don't have to write anything new, and the readers get to read some stuff they might not have known about the writers because it was written in like 2005 or something.
What do ya think? Is it awesome or what?

But wait it gets better.I would like to Introduce you to, My Girls, My Dearly Beloved(Insert Prince Song), My Sistas from another Mista, Some Besties that are also bloggers who you need to be aware of. Your life will be forever changed from reading what these ladies write. 
I have taken the liberty of naming us(because that's what silly girls do) the: 

3

Cups

Of
Awesome.  
                      


They are your Hostess's With The Mostess's


Shontell-aka Queenie,Show-n-Tell,Shontelly, who you can find over at Nonsense At It's Finest. 
Here's a lil *blurb(don't you love the word blurb? say it. blurb. fun right?)
written in her own words;

"Shontell is a wife to The Man, who happens to be a very handsome fire fighter. Her children currently number five, but her original plan was ten. Crazy, but true. Maybe one day. In her fake spare time she works as a kindergarten teacher, keeps up in the blogosphere, and is currently working on a book to encourage moms to parent with purpose and leave out all the willy nilly. In her actual spare time, she tries to squeeze in a green vegetable and a shower. She cannot always get to both."


Natalie Rose- aka Cha,Cha,Cha girl, My Christmas Elf, who you can mosey on over to at Rose She Goes. And here's a tiny (*that fun word again)from her. 

"Hello! I am Natalie Rose, a housewife just trying to take what I can out of life and keep it as my own. I have been writing since I was a wee little one and started putting my thoughts out for all to see on the worldwide web about 12 years ago. I have two amazing children who have taught me more about love than I ever thought I'd get to know. I love being creative and I love to make people laugh with my perfect Colombian blend of sarcasm, antics, and inappropriateness."


So Are You Ready Bloggity Bloggers? This is the dealio:


1. You have to have been blogging for at least a year.


2. Link up your old posts from at least a year ago. Don't link up your website, click on the actual title of your old post so that's what the other linkers will read(did you know you could do that?)So if you did know way to go Smarty Pants, but if you don't know how to do that you click on the title of your post that will give you the right http:// to copy and paste in the box that says LINK. 
3. You should follow your hosts they are funny, you won't regret it.
4. Ha ha Posts and hosts that ryhmes, oh no wait... back to business, um yeah get to know some oldies but goodies out there.
How you do that is read and comment on at least the people before and after you on this link up. 

5.Oh and grab a button to invite more to this nifty party. Have fun! That's mandatory. 



One final note before I leave you... A special prize goes out to the first person to link up and tell me how many times did you see the word AWESOME in this post.

And NO, 3 cups of Awesome you can't play. WOOT WOOT!!

Schools OUT! Woot Woot ! (Giveaway)

Schools out for my Fab 4 which means. . . .

"No more teachers, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks!"  I'm pretty sure my Fab 4 didn't get any dirty looks, but they sure are glad to be putting down those books for a few months. And
I am glad to have them back home again with me as well. Yep, I miss my kiddos when they are gone. I'm not of the cloth of mom's who can't wait til their kids are back in school.  I will admit to you though, that the house is much easier to clean when they are at school, but cleaning does not hold the top spot on my list of priorities when I think of summer time. (Keeping it real right now... it doesn't hold the top spot any ole'  time)

Even though Summer is not my favorite Season,  I do love every moment, every memory that is made in the summer months. I have said it before, and I will say it again, that summer time is MY time to re-group with the Fab 4. To remind them of who they are in this world and to pour in as many life lessons as one summer is capable of having.

This year it seems like it has taken forever for the school year to end, but really that's only because of the Snowapocalypse Days we had to make up.  Well, and everyone else on planet earth(I'm being a tad bit dramatic) is already out(unless you come from the planet UK I was told by Livvy this morning).

 But, my Fab 4 finished well this year.  We had two graduation ceremonies and several field trips, carnivals, party days, tons of crafting, baking and creating to pick out THE perfect teacher gift.

 Needless to say I was drinking a lot of iced coffee, and well I am ready for some sleeping in.
 Can I get a witness?

To celebrate this event(the event of sleeping in) I would like to introduce you to some lovely sponsors who have offered up some pretty amazing gifts for you  to enjoy in these summer months.

This is also the first time I am using a Rafflecopter giveaway instead of just randomly picking a winner so I am excited to see how this all works out.

And now without further ado let me introduce you to your prizes and some of my awesome sponsors.

First a pretty headband that is reversible and super cute. Made by my super awesome sponsor Colleen.

Honestly when Colleen put this in the pot for the giveaway I was bummed I couldn't enter myself.
Her work is top notch. I own one these beauties, and let me tell you it my favorite headband. It fits so comfortably and is so cute. I get tons of compliments when I wear it and you will too!

Here's the link where you can find more of Colleen's awesome creations; BCharmer. Please stop by and tell her I sent you.

B.  this AMAZING Momma Jessica who also used to babysit my Fab 4 when she was Emma's age and who is a close friend, should be blog famous already,  is putting in an awesome roll-up flannel board for your kiddos enjoyment this summer. I can think of million ways this would come in handy to keep those toddlers entertained, but the one that comes to mind for summer would be traveling on Road trips. Pack this fun toy for your kiddos with a few flannel props and watch the stories emerge.

Btw Flannel boards were one my preschool students most favorite free time choices. If I left the pieces out for them to make up their own stories they would flock to it like Beans on Rice!! Or something like that.

You can find more of her awesome creative fun things here; EllieGandZoeHawk

3rd,  Lovely Livvy  is contributing this delightful ring to Summer Fun. Doesn't it just make you want to own a bike with a basket that looks like that.  Wouldn't  you ride that bike everywhere? Where would you go with that bike this summer? Where will you go with this ring if it's on your pretty little finger this summer?

"Oh The Places WE will GO little ring!"

4,E and F-  ALL  of these pretties from my sweet girl Stephanie over at 

 Wonder Guess Try or at the Redmond Farmers Market every Saturday.

That piece in the top left corner is an original art piece that her brother painted and she made it into jewelry. Isn't that just so, so, so cool! And that button I think would be super cute on a headband or maybe a crocheted piece. The orange bird bobby pin just screams Summer Fun to me.

Oh the possibilities!

7th and H-The wine coasters pictured up at the top are also in this Summer giveaway. I picked those up from another local crafter here. And this beautiful Thank YOU card from yours truly. Have I told you that Sunflowers are my favorite flower?

I would like to say to every one of my Sponsors a HUGE thank you for making this Summer Giveaway so great. Your time, energy, and devotion that you put into each piece that you make is truly appreciated as are YOU! 

Happy SUMMER Ya'all!

(Don't know why I ended with a 

Southern Accent

But there you have it.)

NOW don't forget to enter to win. 

And please let me know if you have any problems with this rafflecopter thingy ma jiggy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway