! FabricStash~GIVEAWAY !

Okay, so there is an AH~MAZING GIVEAWAY that I have been trying and trying {and trying . . . } to enter for {what feels like}a week now. Unfortunatley tonight is THE LAST NIGHT & I finally got the darn site to work for me! Oh Well, I may even win anyhow right!?!

I absolutely ADORE the partners of this particular giveaway. 

Whimsy Couture happens to be one of my favorite pattern writers. I do have MOST of her collection in MY collection. She is SUPER Helpful & SUPER Sweet. I have even had the pleasure of testing for her a handful of times {more on that later ~ I promise!}.

I found StitchStashDiva this past Summer while shopping for 'SUPERHERO' fabrics. I {along with a Friend} was planning to surprise Robot with a custom hospital gown to wear during his HeartSurgery {again ~ more on that later . . . I promise!}. SSD was the place for me ~ I found what I liked and they even created a custom bundle pack with EXACTLY what I needed {even though their etsy store listed some items as 'out of stock'!}. 

Anyhoo . . . go check out BOTH WC & SSD NOW. Totally worth your time, I promise. ♥

~SkirtWeekIsComing~!~SkirtWeekIsComing~

~ !~It'sAlmostTime~! ~

{{Quick~ Click me to find out what this KrAzY Lady is 'talking' about!}}

WC Giveaway

Interview & Giveaway ~ Anne Kelle Fabrics

Weddings VS Marriage {Or 'Letting Go of Bitterness'!}

I decided to stay up late tonight, to hopefully get a bit of progress made on Ruffles' Halloween Costume {I did}. I found a short series on Netflix called 'Say Yes to the Dress:Randy Says'...usually 'SYTTD' leaves me feeling quite envious over the 'lack' in my Wedding Season {yes, even after almost 10 years}. Tonight however, I am Grateful. Grateful for a Husband that LOVES Me Endlessly & Spoils Me {as much as he can}. Grateful for another reminder that God STILL answers Prayer {mine yesterday was to erase lingering bitterness I carry in my heart...}. Grateful that in less than Three { !3! } Weeks, I will get to celebrate 10 Years of Marriage to the Most Wonderful Man that 'I Never Knew I Always Wanted'...even if we don't get to leave our little town to do it~I LOVE MTB TREMENDOUSLY. And I am GRATEFUL. ♥

I have come to grips with the reality that the 'family support' just wasn't there. I had no guidance on registration, planning, The Dress...anything. Okay~No Biggie. So I plan to BE THERE for Our Girl. I've watched other Mama's and 'studied' the Wedding Seasons of local Brides in recent years. 'Oh! That's how it's supposed to be done~Gotcha!'  Okay, that may sound bitter or sarcastic in your mind, but Seriously~I understand the 'why'~Even though I have two Mothers that Love me, neither of them got a Wedding at all. {In fact, we're still trying to convince our Daddy that he needs to 'Marry Mom RIGHT' one of these days.} So technically, they had no guidance to offer...

I have come to accept the fact that we had EXTREMELY limited funds to finance a Wedding. In fact, we I managed to 'DIY' the entire day for about $3000. That included my dress. {Side Note~Not only was that BEFORE Pinterest, but I didn't even know how to use the internet back then!} Yes, we both had full time jobs. Yes, we were given a few pre wedding gifts to use accordingly...but I had a Future MIL that was very ill and spent much time in hospital...40 mins away. And in the six {eight?} weeks leading up to the Wedding, she did not leave hospital due to a series of massive strokes that created much damage. We felt our time was much better spent with her. Sharing meals, sharing conversation, watching television, watching her sleep, keeping track of her care & well being. Driving 40 minutes one way {twice a day, 4-6 days a week} plus eating dinner can REALLY add up. So...there went our ''Last Minute Details'...'Fresh Floral Arrangements'...'Reception Refreshments'...'Honeymoon Funds'. ~And I wouldn't have it any other way. D knew that she was Loved. She knew that she was Cherished. And THAT is worth more than any Vera Wang Dress, Gorgeous Choreographed Ceremony, Rocking Reception & Fancy Honeymoon. Hands Down. Any Day. 

Still having a little trouble with the pictures though! { !-LOL-! } The. Pictures... Seriously...???...I just have no words to describe the 'awfulness' of that debacle! I say this jokingly now, but it actually took many years for M & I to get over recover from that experience. We met with {and paid most of the package price to} our photographer before we were actually engaged. M proposed in February {so romantic~but another story!} and it took until the end of August for the photographer to actually keep a date {aka NOT stand us up!} and do our engagement session. We were rushed. In our work clothes...and covered in mosquitoes. In our pictures there are literally mosquitoes feasting on us! Our package covered the Rehearsa & Dinner {he didn't show up}, PreWedding Prep {nada}, the Wedding {got that}, and Reception {got a few traditional 'corny' shots}. We celebrated our 1st Anniversary before we ever saw the proofs from the Wedding Day.  It took over three and a half years { !-3.5-! } to get our Wedding Album. We just took it out of the box {to display} this Summer. We really don't like to look at it~is that Sad? But our Kiddos love it. Bless Them.

But, as I stated before: Tonight I am Grateful. SO Very Grateful. And Yes~I would do it all again to marry M. ♥

My Dearest Little Loves

Sept 27, 2012  {12:05am}

Today was NOT A 'Great Day'. I was working on Sisters' 1st room {painting the closet} & ran out of paint about a minute too soon~literally. I couldn't get Brother to CON. CEN. TRATE. on his SchoolWork & even had to give spankin's at one point. Y'all were just all over me. All. Day. Made me understand why your Oma would 'change her name' all the time when I was growing up!  I needed some ALONE time. Some MOMMY time. A BREAK. And a Creative Outlet was in order...

I had EVERY intention of making bows tonight. We have vacation in 3 weeks...we are going to Disney World & have PROMISED you two a visit to Mickey's Halloween Party. Problem is~we have NO $$$ to buy tickets!!! I have an order to get out that will earn us almost enough for one ticket...and it needs to get finished so I can get paid! Not to mention I still have two little 'Cave People' costumes to begin...on top of every day life, schoolwork, chores, meals, errands, drs appts, a party in 2 wks and ongoing work in & on Sisters' room...

Instead of making bows {i.e. $$$}... I snuggled up on the sofa watching 'Dirty Jobs' & am now in the bed with the BOTH of you wrapped around my {Completely. Numb.} left arm...

I. Love. You. ♥

New Uses for Old Things

I used to read Real Simple Magazine.  I LOVED IT.  Our 1st Thanksgiving Dinner was a feast of gourmet deliciousness straight from the pages of the 2003 Fall Issue.  

One of my FAVORITE features was the 'New Uses for Old Things'.  GENIOUS IDEAS!  I only had two small problems with RSM.  

#1~ As magazines go it is Expensive.  

#2~ I could NEVER remember to actually DO any of the wonderful tips & ideas that I so enjoyed reading...

I came across this 

on Pinterest this afternoon & thought 'What A Great Idea!' As I ALWAYS try to do, I followed the pin to it's original site {to make sure it wasn't bogus, SPAM or phishy} and came to RSM... Should have known.   ♥

Chicken Tonight...???

Have you ever just thrown a bunch of stuff in the crock pot & hope it turns out okay?  I did that last night...

Frozen Chicken Breasts & Thighs, Chicken Broth, Cream of Chicken, Diced Tomatoes plus Cannellini Beans & Spices.  Today I added Chopped Frozen Collard Greens & Diced Onion and more spices {because crock pot meals WILL lose flavor over time...}.  

The smells are drool worthy...  ♥