birthday fun [giveaway]

UPDATE 9:40 PM 7/31/14:  There was only one entry available on the Rafflecopter giveaway earlier for some ODD reason--I have since added a few more entry options because I know not everyone has Twitter!  Good luck!

Do I have a treat for you today!!  To have a little BIRTHDAY fun on the blog--I wanted to give something away that I truly feel passionate about and want to share with my readers/friends!  Not just share as in tell about...but share as in GIVE ONE AWAY!!  Get excited!!!

You know I'm a huge fan of She Reads Truth and all that they God is doing thru them!  I've always "journaled" on my own through thru their studies in my own journals (TJ Maxx has the cutest and cheapest if you ask me) throughout each study.  

They recently introduced their own study packs for people who wanted more "structure"...But as cute and adorable as they were, I didn't want to change up what I had going on...and why try to fix something that isn't exactly broken?

Well...one day Allie told me she left me a surprise on my door step!!  It was the Sermon on the Mount study pack!  I was so excited and though it was such a sweet surprise!!  [She later told me...it was from her mom not her...ha!  So...thanks DeeDee!!]

Well...I hate to even admit it...but I LOVED the Study Pack and the way it was structured and allowed me to fill up those pages with my heart!!  The "She Prays" and "She Lives" sections really pushed me to think and write what was on my heart specifically for that day...in that area, which wasn't something I had normally done with my own journal.  

So...I have since fallen for them and TOTALLY understand why everyone wanted them in the first place!  Can I still do the study without the pack?  YES!  Can I always afford them?  NO!--Which is why I am wanting to give ONE HEBREWS STUDY PACK AWAY!!  Whether you have tried them before or not...somebody is gonna get one! ;)

The plan officially starts August 6th via their blog OR their new iPhone APP (but you can start ANY time after that...there are not dates written into the packs)!!  It comes with four postcards that you can choose to send to a friend or two or put in a cute picture frame, or hang on your wall.  It also comes with two business card sized memory verse cards to put in your dashboard of your car etc. etc.  FUN right?!

[all photos from She Reads Truth]

I hope you are as excited about this as I am!

Since the study starts so soon....I'm only keeping it open till Sunday, August 3rd at 11:59 PM.  You may enter a total of six times (some of them multiple days) using the Rafflecopter giveaway below!  Better get busy!! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

home from China

We finally got our KeeKee back from China!  I haven't seen all of her pictures yet...but these are the few that she sent up through VIBER while she was gone!  She had a wonderful time, but I think she has said that she doesn't have to go back! ;)

Her flight didn't come in until 10:30 PM, which turned into 11 PM...I kept this wild one up so he could see her after being gone for 9 days!

We snuck Poppy into the selfie! ;) 

Ryder took this one...and told Poppy to smile!!

The smile that was on that little guy's face when he finally saw his KeeKee coming down was priceless and so SO sweet! =) 

We were glad to finally have KK and KeeKee back!   

 One of the many treats that KeeKee came home with!!

I don't know if KeeKee got this more for me to use...of for me to use on my child!!  I'll go with the later! ;)

trip to freckle face farm

We made a couple trips out to Freckle Face Farm this past week!  I went to yoga with my aunt while R got to hang out with the boys...and then we brought Karleigh home with us for a few days!

 Ready to roll!!

R loves to help gather eggs! 

Baby chicks!!! 

 Farm fresh....literally!

I even snuck a few snuggles in!  These are rare these days...especially with so many fun cousins running around! 

Sadly the pigs won't let me too close to them... 

Watching a movie very intently...three of them were.  R just doesn't do movies, but he sure does try!!  (Kinda like his Mama!)

Thankful for these cousins!

Here is a FLASHBACK to the FFF two years ago!  

sixties--in july?

Today about the time I was sitting outside on the Chick patio talking with Allie....I wish wishing it was 66 degrees outside again like it was a week or so ago.  Arkansas weather is always crazy...especially in the winter, but I'll take advantage of it's craziness during the summer time too!  I think it just gets confused here and there--but it's a nice treat for us!

Ryder and I took advantage of the amazing weather with a walk/ride on the bike trail (by our new Chick I might add! ;))...it was good to break a sweat without it being KILLER hot out!

We even saw a beaver swimming through the creek!  Can you spot him?? 

Of course we had to walk over to Chick before getting in the car for some water and mints! ;)

It's days like these that I don't want to forget with my little man.  He won't always be little and willing to hang out with his mom.  So...until then, it's impromptu trips to the bike trail...even if that does mean a muddy bike being in your backseat for a few days because your trunk is too full and you keep forgetting to empty it! ;)  Keepin' it real folks! 

Happy Saturday!

mama's birthday wish list

If someone had an upcoming birthday, these are a few of the things she may or may not be wanting!  This is just a fun list of things I have been eyeing lately...and just won't buy for myself! ;)

[one] Against All Grain by Danielle Walker-I am no way PALEO or GLUTEN FREE, but I have found that my body responds really well when I watch the amount of gluten I feed it (I was recently tested for gluten intolerance to find out for sure and the test said I was not intolerant, but I some what disagree! ;))...and staying away from food found in the middle of the grocery store.  I've been eyeing this book since it came out, and Danielle is about to come out with a new one.  She shares her story of having an autoimmune disorder/disease and how eliminating gluten from her diet has completely healed her--as in she used to take hand-fulls  of pills a day, and have regular hospital stays every 6 months of so...and dealing with neither one since turning against grains!-which lead her to creating this cookbook!  The recipes in here look delicious and I am anxious to try them out!  

[two] Single Pearl Necklace-I saw this beaut on Pinterest...and usually when you see it there it's already sold out in the store, but this is actually still online and decently priced! {SCORE!}  I wear gold jewelry 100% of the time so this simple, dainty pearl necklace caught my eye as a good "everyday, classic piece" to add to my collection! 

[three] Capri Blue-Volcano candle in mercury glass-this is an oldie, and it seems like everybody and their Mama already has one!  ;)  I am usually one to steer away from "what everybody else has" but not this guy! =)  I've always loved the smell of this candle, just haven't ever had the guts to buy it for myself!  And....I really want to plant a succulent in that jar after I've used up the candle! 

[four] ACQUA di GIOIA perfume-this is not usually something I want or ask for...but I used it while I was visiting Abby and fell in love with it!!  AHH!!  I don't wear perfume everyday, but I definitely would with this yummy goodness!  Smell it next time your walking through the department store! {GOOD PICK, ABBY! =)}

What else am I missing on my birthday list?! 

Sadly, my birthday getting closer also means summer is drawing to an end, but don't let that get you down on the glorious Monday morning! =)

b*ham lovin'

A few weekends ago...I packed my bags and my car and set off for Alabama!  My friend Abby recently moved down there from Columbia...and I'm so thankful she is finally within driving distance!

This was the only open weekend for the both of us all summer...so I'm thankful we could make it work!

She showed me her new "office" Thursday night before hitting up Mug Shots for some din!

Abby was off to work on Friday morning and I stayed home with sweet Baylor and got some work done myself!  I seriously wish I could clone that dog...he is the only dog I would ever want/welcome into my home! ;)

Friday night we went to a neat shopping center for dinner at a burger boutique!  After grabbing some pops from Steele City Pops we went to a late night movie with all the little tweens of bham! ;)

Saturday-Abby wanted to take me on an adventure!  Well...it's a good thing I didn't care what we did that day because her "adventure" was not something I would normally do! ;) {Maybe I just love her!}

We drove about and hour away (through rough country Alabama) to "pick peaches".  Well...little did we know the peaches were done for...so blueberries it was!

I had never in my life seen a blueberry bush...

There were bushes out there that you could tell hadn't even been touched!  I couldn't get to those bundles fast enough to drop down into my bucket!

Abby taught me the secret of blueberries!  The bigger they were the sweet they were!  We may have eaten just as many as we picked that we took home! ;)

That night we made dinner and a homemade cobbler!  Oh my woooord!

Sunday I got to visit Abby's church and then I was back on the road to get home to my little guy!

Thank you Abby for opening your home to let me come stay with you and Baylor man!