One Year Today

Newborn

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months (this morning)

Where has the last year gone?! I cannot believe my baby is 1! She is so precious and has such a strong little personality. We are enjoying each stage as it comes and getting to know this gift from the Lord. It's hard to believe she's already one and that she's only been here a year! What a difference a year can make. :) Thank you, Lord, for this little girl!

Pearl Girls

I am thrilled to join with the "blogging tour" promoting the book Pearl Girls. It is a fantastic book full of real stories from real women about what God has done in their lives through some of the hardest times of their lives. I will warn you, read this with a box of tissues handy! It's great for busy mom's because each short chapter is someone's story. I've read it at the doctor's office, at lunch at work, etc. There are so many stories that remind me of women I know. The cool thing is YOU can add your voice to this amazing book! Go to "Post a Pearl" and share about the grainy things in your life God has turned to pearls.

I love that 100% of the proceeds of this books goes towards 2 charities:

• WINGS (women in need growing stronger). The proceeds will help fund a Safe House in the Chicago suburbs. It costs $50 a night to provide safe shelter for a woman and her children. During this economy, WINGS is receiving even more phone calls for a safe place to stay. Already, the Pearl Girls have provided 60 nights with the advance royalties. www.wingsprogram.com

• Hands of Hope. The proceeds will help build wells in Uganda for school children. Can you imagine a child at school without a water fountain in the hallway where he or she can grab a quick sip of water in between classes on a hot day? These children have to drink from puddles and other water sources which carry diseases and parasites. It costs $12,000 to build a well in Uganda. Already, the Pearl Girls have provided funds to build ¼ of a well. www.handsofhopeonline.orgFirst and foremost Margaret would like you to highlight above all else that 100% of the book’s royalties go to Charity.

I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I have! You can check out more of the blogging tour at these sites:

November 17
Cassie at Cassie Graves

Susanne at Truly Captivating

November 19
Jill at Christian Work At Home Moms

Tammy at Grateful in GA

November 20

Sarah at Reborn Butterfly

Alaina at Dinker and Giggles

November 21

Maureen at Maureen Lang

November 23
Jennie at a Bookish Mom

Wendy at Wendi's Book Corner

Holly at 2 Kids and Tired book reviews

Camy at Camy's Loft

Kim at Window to My World

Renee at S.A.G.A.

Erin at Connected to Christ

Donna at Write by Faith

Tara at Tara's View on Books

Marietta at Mari's Morning Room

Mimi at Mimi's Pixie Corner

Deena at A Peek at My Bookshelf

Pamela at Aunt Pam's Closet

Elizabeth at Little Woman, Big Family

December 1
Urailak at Homeschool Blogger

Marta at Marta's Meanderings

Deborah at Comfort Joy

December 3
Deena at A Peek at My bookshelf

Stephanie at The Joy Centered Life

December 4
Kaylea at My Scrappy Life

Kristy at Southeast Country Wife

December 5
Melissa at Breath of Life

Jennifer at Rundpinne

December 8
Heather at Life As We Know It

Beth at Journey Bound

December 9
Lori at Laurel's Reflections

December 10
Brooke at Brooke Turner Photography

December 11
Kelly at Scrambled Dregs

December 12
Mandy at Becoming

December 14
Tammy at Three Different Directions

Melanie at Melanie Writes

December 15

Laura at Lighthouse Academy

December 16
Christi at Blah Blah Blah

December 17
Kelly Kiggins at Kelly Kiggens

December 18
Shanna at The Beauty of Surrender

December 19
Christy at Critty Joy

Jarrod at Jarrod Haggard

December 28
Lynn at Heading Home

December 29
Nora at Psalm 5:16

December 30
Alex at Alihsee Reads

Mindy at Ponderings of the heart

Debra at Debra Brand

Maura at Maura Prelich

Pattie at Fresh Brewed Writer

Jeanette At His Marvelous Work

Kristinia at Loving Heart Mommy

A Very Determined Girl

Nugget knows when she wants to lay down for her morning "rest." She very rarely sleeps. She drinks a bottle and plays for awhile then wants to get up. Well, this particular morning she crawled over to the stairs and started to call up them. She will often do that to see if her Daddy will answer her. After a couple minutes, she turned around to me and started to blow kisses at me. This is a normal sign for going to bed but I thought she might be blowing kisses at her daddy knowing he was up there. When I didn't pick up the hint, she started to lay down on the stairs. Well, Mommy finally got the hint and took her up to lay her down. Such a precious, determined girl!

What I've Been Up To

Turning these simple, yummy ingredients into tasty treats!











So yummy and pretty too! Check out the recipe at 101 Cookbooks. It was so simple and so delicious!

Funny Faces

Love these two faces!!!

Nostalgia

Isn't it funny what will strike a cord and remind you of a long lost memory/emotion? Take a simple bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup for instance. It brings up memories of Grandpa and Grandma's "Green House." It reminds me of popcorn made in their air/oil popper and bowls of vanilla ice cream with Hershey's syrup. It's a comforting memory of childhood and simpler times (simpler for me at least!). What sends you back?

Slowly

Slowly the fog is lifting. Slowly we're coming back from the cold/infections that have had us down for the last week+. Slowly we are recovering from basically going our separate ways for a month. We are reconnecting as a family. We are resting.

Oh, and did I mention, we are DROWNING in housework that I am behind on!

That's ok. I got a call from a friend who is taking a personal day today (we call them mental health days) to enjoy what may be the last nice day of the year. I think I am going to take advantage of her "mental health" day. We shall take the dogs, Nugget and ourselves and go hiking in the park. The house work has waited this long, it can wait a bit longer right?

While we're off to enjoy our return to health and the warm weather, enjoy these pics from Auggie (and Morgan's) dedication.

Nugget playing

Great Grandma, Nugget and Mom

Auggie and Grandpa

Dedication

The whole family plus godparents