**ANNOUNCING**

Beading Me is now open for business! I am so excited about the grand opening of my shop. Head on over and take a look...and tell your friends too! :)

And the Winner is...

Stamped With Grace!! I will be emailing you shortly to discuss your prize. Thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway. My Etsy shop will be open shortly, so check back for cute jewelry at great prices! Thanks again!

Pretty Pictures!

We had an awesome day today! First thing this morning we headed to Portrait Innovations to have pictures made of Alexa and Walker. This is where we had their 6 month pictures taken, and we were so impressed we decided to take them back. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day. I can't wait to have them all framed so we can put them next to the 6 month pictures and see how much they have changed!

You can't actually see my hands in the final picture! LOL!!

Official Giveaway

For my first giveaway I am offering one piece of custom jewelry. Due to my camera issues I do not have a picture to post today, but hopefully I will have examples to post soon. The winner will get to customize whatever piece they choose. You may choose between a necklace, bracelet, or a pair of earrings. I have lots of stones to choose from, and I am always adding to my collection.

In order to enter this contest you must leave a comment and tell me what type of jewelry you would like to see for sale. Please leave your name and a way to contact you. Comments without contact information will not be entered. I will randomly draw a winner on Sunday at 8pm Eastern, and announce by 10pm. US mailing addresses only.

Can't wait to see the ideas you all come up with...look for an Etsy shop opening soon!

shell necklace

black and silver drop earrings

black shell earrings

A new bracelet I made for myself tonight

GIVEAWAY

I am posting a giveaway tonight as part of the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival!! Check back for an update!

Super Sweet

Jodi has FINALLY opened an Etsy shop, so I wanted to give her a shout on here b/c of all the wonderful things she has made for Alexa in the past. This is the link to her shop. I will also place it in the sidebar of my blog so anytime you want to find it you can! Here are a few of my favorites she has done for Lex! Go check her out, she has some great things right now, and if you head on over to her blog she is doing 2 giveaways!!

This cute little bunny was on a onesie Alexa had last Easter...SUPER CUTE!

I always loved this cute little big, so bright and cheerful!

What new mom doesn't need an ABUNDANCE of burp clothes?

And finally, one of my FAVES! This was the cupcake applique that Alexa and Walker had on their matching bday outfits. Obviously his was blue and said Walker, but other than that they matched, and I just love it!

Camera questions...

Ok, so it's obvious I am in need of a camera. I have really been hopeful that mine would turn up, but it just hasn't. So, I'm wondering if any of you have camera recommendations for me. Let me know what you have, and why you like it. I want something small, and easy to use! I would love an SLR, but I'm not willing to spend that kind of money at this point in my life. Can't wait to hear what you guys have to say!

What's wrong?

Ok, something is seriously wrong when Jodi has almost twice as many posts for the month as I do. I think I've fallen off the blog wagon! :) Seriously though, if I don't find or buy a new camera soon I'm going to go crazy! Alexa is way too funny to be missing all of these moments. Oh well...it's almost Friday!

Orientation

What a wonderful day it was...LOL! Seriously though, I'm glad to have a good job, and to be a Regional employee again. I've heard all of this stuff before though, so it's a bit boring. Oh well! Only half a day tomorrow and then I'll start tomorrow afternoon at PBS.

Tonight after we got home I was on the phone with Jodi if you read her blog post from yesterday...specifically the first sentence, you'll know why I had to call her. Anyway, Alexa came running into the den and came up to me and I said "hey monkey" and she said "hey monkey" or something similar to that! LOL...it was so funny, even Jodi heard it! I love that little girl.

Mimi and Pop come back on Wednesday...I'm sure they will have lots of stories to tell. Alexa got her second postcard today...so beautiful! Well, have a good week!

WHAT??!!

Ok, I have to tell you something funny that happened to me yesterday. Background info...I was wearing an orange shirt and my orange crocodile slingbacks...yes I have ORANGE shoes. Doesn't everybody?? LOL! Anyway, I went to Wal-mart after my class to pick up a few things I needed. It was on my way to pick up Alexa, and it's so much easier to do things like that when you are alone. I used to run into Wal-mart or the grocery store for any little thing I needed...all of that changed when I had Alexa. There is no such thing as a quick trip any longer! I digress...I was walking out of Wal-mart and this guy is walking towards me. Mind you, we have not even made eye contact and he says "orange is my favorite color now!" I just kind of laughed and walked on...but seriously who says something like that? I mean how did he even come up with it? I think more than anything I was totally in shock and didn't even know what to say. Just wanted to share that with you guys...maybe it gave you a good laugh on this wonderful Friday! :)

I hope you all have a great day today...it's my last day in the Business Office and Monday I head to orientation!!! I can't wait! Yesterday my group had a "lunch meeting" where we all ate and they gave me a card and gift certificate for a pedicure. How sweet is that? Oh, and Christina baked me a cake. They are all super sad that I'm leaving...or so they tell me :)

And even better...we are having a fundraiser for March of Dimes today so we got to wear blue jeans...can't beat that! Have a great weekend!

God Speaks...

In so many ways to me, and this is one of those times where I am listening as closely as I possibly can! Go here and read this. It's stuff like this that keeps me going...and I know God is using it to speak to me! He knows exactly what I need to hear!

I am giving up the fight!

As many of you know Anthony and I broke up after Thanksgiving last year, and since then I have struggled tremendously with being single. Why? Mainly because it was seemingly unfamiliar territory! It had been such a long time since I had been single I really wasn't sure how to handle it. I have gone through many emotions dealing with it, and I have come to a conclusion. I am ok with it.

I am no longer "looking" for someone...I am merely seeking God. I began praying last week that God would take this burden off of my heart, because I have really struggled with it. I finally feel a peace about it, and that's why I am comfortable sharing it here. Does this mean I am satisfied being single? Or that I don't want to get married? NO! I am satisfied being in God's will, and until He leads the right man to me then I will remain single.

No more blind dates, or anything else. From here on out I am a single Christian mother who is focused on God and Alexa. I was clearly focusing on the wrong things before (um, being single) so now that I am focused on God I am excited to see what He has in store for my life!!

I am attending a membership class at NewSpring this Saturday, and I am really excited about that too. It is way out of my comfort zone because I don't like doing things alone, but I know this is where God wants me to be! So, if I cross your mind say a little prayer for me, that God will continue to show me His amazing grace on a daily basis so I will no longer be burdened with being single, and instead grow in Him! I know He has an amazing plan for my life, and I can't wait to see what it is! :)

I am not going to settle!

Alexa won!

I was so excited today to find out that I was one of the winners for the March giveaway Funky Finds was hosting. As a result Alexa is getting 2 new t-shirts, and some new hair clips (that she won't keep in LOL) and Walker is getting a new t-shirt as well. Just want to say thanks to Jessica for hosting such a great giveaway, and to the vendors who participated in the giveaway!

This is what Alexa won...2 custom made t-shirts from 4 Little Fish. They have the cutest little shirts, and I can't wait to order the custom shirts for Alexa and Walker. They will be so cute with them...maybe Jodi can embroider their names below whatever design we pick!!

Then she got 2 barettes from b.delicious...a pig and a hippo. I really like the owl...suddenly I have a thing for owls...not sure why. Anyway, these are really cute too, but I seriously doubt she will keep them in her hair any better than she does the ones I have for her now!

The third item is a shirt from Harrilu...I haven't completely decided, but I think I'm getting her the no more monkeys jumping on the bed shirt because she LOVES that book! I bet we have read it a thousand times, and she is so cute when she shakes her little finger. LOL!

Check out these sites and the others who participated in the Funky Finds March giveaway...they all had some really cute stuff! :) Thanks again Jess, I can't wait to get the goodies for Alexa!