Today you'll find me

barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen.  Ok, only really 2 of those three! =P (I hate to be barefoot.) Today I'm trying to get most of my Christmas baking done.  So far the white chocolate covered pretzels are in the fridge to set and peppermint has been crushed for a few different projects including:

These peppermint marshmallow hot chocolate stirrers, except I don't have sticks OOPS!

Funny, I sent my husband to the store for candy canes, and he came home with a 2 lb candy CANE it was huge. Thankfully, I could just bang it on the table to get it into small enough pieces to put in the blender :). 

and I'm making a variation of these:

Which I'm hoping will turn out well.  

I'm also making some brownie trees, white chocolate gingerbread cookies, and some eggless cookie dough so that I can eat it! 

What are you baking up this Christmas season???

Oh and of course there will be some coconut creations ;). 

Cold Hands Warm Hearts

When I saw that Ilene and Sandy were hosting a Cold Hands Warm Hearts swap, I had to participate. I love gloves!  I'll let you in on a little secret.  In high school gym class, I'd wear gloves because it was so cold.  Yep, I was a nerd. 

I was so excited to be paired up with the beautiful Katie, of The Bright Life.  She's so awesome.  I love reading her blog.  She's inventive, creative, talented, and best of all, she's a believer!  I've been super encouraged by reading her new advent series.  You should totally check it out!

When I received my package I was so grateful!  Katie just picked things that fit my personality so well. I wish that I would have taken better pictures, but have been lacking the motivation/ability to take a lot lately (with hubby working).  These don't do justice for the beautiful gifts I've received.  

Sweet, sweet Katie, sent me that beautiful little card, explaining all of the gifts that she had sent.  (I wish I would have thought to do that). That little bundle of lace includes buttons that I can use to make more things for my shop.  So excited to use them! 

Oh, and the lace, that's the sweetest part to me.  It's left over from Katie's wedding gown that her mom MADE for her.  So precious!!!

She gave me those lovely brown gloves on the left (which I had to break out when the furnace was accidentally turned off in our apartment).  I LOVE the gloves and booties for our little one.  Katie also gave us those beautiful cards :). 

And also included were these beautiful prints of Scripture verses.  I absolutely love them.  I just haven't had a chance to get frames for them yet, but I will!!! I think I may need to hang them in my "craft room." 

If you like the prints that you see, be sure to check out more of Katie's design work in her shop!

Isn't Katie the best??? Thanks so much again Katie for being a great partner and thanks Sandy and Ilene for hosting!

Be Our Guest Part 2

Calling all readers, calling all readers, it's your chance to SHINE!

As I mentioned yesterday in my post, I'm hoping to be blogging through my due date, however, I would love to have some guest posts lined up for that time after the baby comes, when I will TRY to do a few posts but would much rather have you meet each other (as in other readers) than have you hear the ramblings of a zombie mom new mom. 

We'll be looking like this only 1 bajillion 10x worse. 

Now the question remains, what would you post about?

Good Question! 

There are a few ideas I have in mind, but am very open to suggestions. 

I would love posts on:

Faith

DIY projects

Mommy Tips

How you deal with the "Winter Blahs"

Photography tips

Make-up/Hair Tips

Winter Recipes

Would you be willing to partner with me?  I would hope to have the posts by January 10th.  I would just love to keep the blog up even while we adjust to a family of three. 

If you are interested in guest posting please email me at mrsawood08 at gmail dot com. 

Thanks everyone!!!

Be Our Guest

Hello Everyone!!! 

I hope that you are all doing well. I'm sorry to have been out of the loop for so long on blogging, but I think that I will be back enough to at least finish out this month.  I am hoping to still blog until baby is born (or almost born) but am just not sure exactly when that will be.  Supposedly in 44 more days but we'll see. 

Have you gotten into the Christmas Spirit yet?  Are you like me and have been playing Christmas music since November 1st the day after Thanksgiving?  I love Thanksgiving and truthfully, as much as I love Christmas, Thanksgiving is up there pretty high as well.  We'll say they're tied for my favorite.  

I'm hoping to make these for some gifts
via Pinterest

We live in a small apartment with no real room for a large tree, I tried that once and it just took up half the living room and now our couch is larger than it was back then.  So we just have a small three foot tree, but it suits us just fine.  I put it up about a week ago and just love sitting and looking at the pretty lights. :) 

Someday I will make these as well. So pretty!
via Pinterest

I also have 2 nativity sets displayed in our living room.  I love them both.  They are a great reminder that Jesus is the reason we celebrate!  I can't wait until next year and we can talk to our little one about Jesus and share about His birth using our nativity sets.  

More than all the decorations though, Christmas is about Christ and His Birth and why He had to come to Earth.  So if you've made it this far into my ramblings, GREAT and thank you!  

via Pinterest

What does Christmas mean to you??? 

I would love to have some guest posts this month on what Christmas means to you, some traditions you follow, and how you celebrate Christ through this season.  

If you are interested, PLEASE shoot me an email at mrsawood08 at gmail dot com.  I would love to hear from you. 

Blogger Fail

Hello Everyone!!!

I had every intention of doing a wonderful Thanksgiving post on all the things I was thankful for and take pictures while we were visiting my family.  Unfortunately that never happened.  I've been a bad blogger and been gone for almost a month. YIKES!

In that time, I've been trying to get the apartment ready for baby.  We are for the time being in a little one bedroom apartment, so making room for baby is going to be challenging but it'll be OK! :)  I can't wait to rearrange our bedroom so that we can set up baby's crib.  We got the crib at a yard sale and it's AWESOME and we got the bedding as well.  It's super cute.

Yay I found a picture of it.  Or, the closest thing I can find to it.  I'm pretty sure this is it though :) :).  YAY!

I also worked on sending out my Cold Hands, Warm Heart package.  I'll be writing a post about that soon!!! I need to get motivated to take pictures :/.  

I'm hoping to do maternity photos soon as well.  I can't believe we're 33 weeks and that means we only have 7 weeks to go. Can't wait to see our midwife on Wednesday and hear our baby's heartbeat again. 

Aaron has been working VERY hard so lately the pattern of my day has been:

Get up at 5:30 or 6 with him. Make breakfast, pack a lunch, get his tea or coffee ready.  

At 7 or 7:30 go back to sleep.

Sleep until I wake up. 

Do some things that need to be done: dishes, cleaning, checking the website so he can have more subbing.

Eat lunch.

More monotonous stuffs.

Start making dinner.

Eat Dinner with Aaron.

Send him off to work.

Do whatever until he gets home.

Chat and pray for about an hour.

Go to bed around midnight. 

Please be praying with us that Aaron gets a good paying Full Time job soon.  Preferably teaching, but we'll do whatever God wants. 

Speaking of monotonous stuff, I need to clean up from dinner!  Hope you've all been doing well. 

There is going to be an announcement tomorrow :). Stay tuned!

My first Award

Remember how I talked about Sarah of Yes, Teacher Crafts???

She's adorable and super sweet.  And she gave me an award! 

Rules of the award: To share seven things about yourself and award seven more bloggers this award. Be sure to let them know you awarded them so they can pass it on!


Here we go, seven random things:


1. I danced for 10 years of my life. My senior year of high school I danced 24 hours a week.  I also had to take tests for our ballet method we practiced. I'd get excellent in style, musicality, and theory; however, I'd barely pass the actual dancing part =P!

It don't mean thing if it ain't got that swing! Do wa do wa do wa do wah! etc!

2. I love coconut.  We had these for dinner last night, although, I didn't have bread crumbs so I used ritz crackers, and next time I would not use condensed milk.  They were slightly too sweet. 

3. I very much admire the Duggars.  You know, soon to be 20 Kids and Counting.  They have an amazing faith and are a great example of what a Christian family can look like. LOVE. (More on that later though)

4. I was not a Christian until February of my freshman year of college (Thanks to my friends Sally and Robin!) so almost 7 years.  I remember packing  my little Bible from VBS thinking, "I may need that." HA God is awesome! 

Photo: Kat Ritenour Photography

Robin is in the bottom left, and Sally is the only one in Plum :)

5. Growing up the only "vegetables" I ate were corn and potatoes.  Yes, I know now those don't count as vegetables.  I eat a lot more now, however, only if they are cooked. Veggies raw just are GROSS. Oh and so is lettuce.

6. I could survive on pierogies (and probably chicken fingers). 

7.  I worked in retail once for 3 months.  Least favorite job ever!  I wouldn't do that again (at least at the same store). 

And now, to pass it on to seven other lovely bloggers:

Karen at Celebrate Life

Caroline at Good Times Never Seem Sew Good

Erika at Rouge and Whimsy

Laura at Along for the Ride

Kelly at The Pretty Bee

Melanie at With Love from Lanie

Jana from Giggles, Glitz & Glam

Feel free to leave me some random comments about yourself too! I'm off to make some pierogies.

 No, I'm not kidding.

But I am also going to make a fruit smoothie to make it "healthier" =D. 

Laura's 2 year Blog anniversary (GIVEAWAY)

My friend Laura,

from Along for the Ride, is adorable, and fun, and supportive, and a great woman of God and super sweet. 
Anyway, she is having her 2 year blog anniversary GIVEAWAY DAY!

Did you see that $600 worth of prizes.  She has giveaways going on from 29 wonderful handmade shops!!!

You should totally stop by and check it out! Way fun!

(Oh and you might get a chance to win store credit ;).)

Apple Pie: Follower's Fest

Today I baked an apple pie for my wonderful husband.  He has been working very hard this week and for that I'm super thankful!  He has been substitute teaching (yesterday, today and is scheduled again tomorrow).  He had work last night at the dollar store, tonight he had tutoring and tomorrow he's being paid to set up lazer tag at a local university.  Yup, haven't seen him much this week but wanted to reward him with the pie.  So I did =D.   Cause he's the best!

Shall we get started??? 

A few things you should know: 

1. I love to bake

2. I'm by no means a perfect baker (I piece my crusts together, my pies are messy)

3. We have a very small apartment with NO counter space.  Literally there are just 2" sections on either side of the sink.  No joke, and the dish drain gets one and the other houses our water filtration system.  So as a result, I just use our table as my counter. :)  It's small but we love it anyway!

4. I'm super excited you stopped by today!

Ok, here we go.

One Yummy Apple Pie coming up!

Let them enjoy their bath while you get the crust ready! 

I don't have a stand mixer so I just mix it all by spoon/hand.

See no need to be perfect with your pie crust.  Guess what!!! Someone will eat it anyway! 

I know, cider vinegar, in a pie??? That's what I thought too, but it works! Trust me!

Just use your hands for this part!  It's ok to get dirty!

Take a step back, admire your work and then drool wait for your husband to get home so you can share it!

I hope that if you have never made a pie from scratch before this gives you the courage to do it!  What are some of you favorite fall recipes? 

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Today I am linking up with: 

Casey, Ilene, Danielle, and Jess 

for the October Followers Fest.

Want to learn more? Want to jump in on it? Click the button below!

If you stopped by from the follower's fest, please say hello!  I'd love to get to know you more!

I'm also linking up with Laura for

And with Amy here:

Overwhelmed by Love

This past weekend Aaron and I were out of town.  When we came home, I found this box on our stairs. 

Elizabeth O. ??? I think I know who that is, I better send an email just to make sure!  Yup, yes this sweet, precious gift came from the lovely and thoughtful Elizabeth over at The Young Retiree.

Anyway, I got out my scissors and had to open up the box.  Look at how nicely everything was packaged. 

Pretty tissue paper (It was wrapped nicer but I didn't take pictures last night as I opened the gift.)

Lovely little card!

Our first official baby gift. 

 

Look at this beautiful blanket. Elizabeth's grandmother is so sweet! She made this beautiful blanket for us! 

I can't wait to get baby home in January and wrap him/her up this lovely little blanket!

Thank you so much Elizabeth!!!

Elizabeth also just started up an Etsy shop.  Make sure you stop by!

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Then today I received two more packages.  That just doesn't happen around here.  After being super excited.  I remembered to not just rip open the packaging, but rather got out my camera so I could take some pictures. 

I received this cute little package from Amy of One Artsy Mama.

I received this BEAUTIFUL necklace as part of a giveaway!  Isn't it precious!  I love it because the pearl represents our little ones due date (and hopefully little one will be born in January not February). Please don't be late little one!  We can't wait to meet you!  

I am sitting here wearing just a t-shirt, but I had to put my necklace on.  I love it!

Thanks Amy!!! 

Oh and did I mention she made my blog button to the right over there??? So beautiful! I love it!

Be sure to stop by her shop as well!

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And then, there was the package from Sarah from Twillypop.  Oh MY Goodness.  I opened this gift and cried.  Who am I that God should bless me so much??? I haven't met Sarah apart from our twitter conversations and she sent me the most beautiful package today.  I was just overwhelmed by her generosity.  God is just so good!

Ok, before I start bubbling over again with thanksgiving, take a look at these beautiful gifts. 

Isn't this packaging just darling???

Oh did I mention there was a very cute little matchbook notebook in there as well?  What a beautiful surprise.

I opened up the package and saw these beautiful necklaces.  (In my excitement, I forgot to take a picture of how nicely she had them packaged). 

There was this gorgeous peach colored necklace.  I think I might wear this to my baby shower!

Then there was this lovely Sky Blue necklace.  So beautiful.  The photo doesn't do justice to this beauty!

And then there's this one! Swoon!  Can not wait to wear this lovely pink and navy necklace. 

Sarah, Thank you so very much.  What a huge blessing to me. 

Please visit Sarah's Shop!

Thank you ladies so very much!  What a blessing you were to me today! I can not thank you enough!

Praise God for His love for us!

Wonderful Bloggy Friends and Giveaway

So I know I've mentioned her on this blog before, but I just adore Karen of Celebrate Life With Us.  She has such a wonderful heart for the orphan and is just oh sweet!  She has a wonderful little girl and today they are heading to Atlanta to meet up with Papa.

Well up on her blog today is a giveaway.  She very generously offered me the opportunity to do a giveaway on her blog!  I'm so thankful for that!  Why don't you stop by her blog, enter the giveaway and read more about how she and her hubby brought their sweet little girl home???

She also runs this adorable little shop too with lots of fun products with wonderful colors! 

Why I've been absent lately

There are three main reasons I have been absent lately from this blog.  

1.  As you well know, I am pregnant and unfortunately morning sickness isn't quite accurate.  For me it had been almost 24/7 sickness.  When at home I'd live on the couch for a while.  

Well, I'm glad to say that we are 16 weeks pregnant now and I am feeling sooooo much better!

 Although it's small, there is definitely the beginnings of a baby bump there.  I've realized that this pregnancy I've lost weight (probably from the morning sickness) and all the weight I've gained has to have been related to the baby.  I'm the same weight I was when I got pregnant.  Hoping that will change as I can now start to eat more (hopefully).  Who knows, maybe one day I'll want Italian food again (gosh I hope so).

2. We've been spending a lot of time with friends lately.  While Aaron and I are waiting to find employment we have our summers free.  Also, our friends, Andrew and Sky, have moved just a few blocks from us.  Our friend, Brandon's car broke down and has been spending the nights here because it's closer to work for him.  We don't mind at all. We love spending time with our friends. 

 For his birthday, I got Aaron Settlers of Catan.  Best.purchase.EVER.  We have played a lot.  Not kidding, probably at least 6 times a week (we play multiple games per night).

 Andrew and Sky very graciously host us in their home!

 Robber, Robber, go away, come again, NEVER!  No one likes the robber.  He stops your production and allows the person who placed him there to steal one of your cards.  Boo to the robber!

Did I mention we live just a few blocks from the beach??? We have gone to Presque Isle on Lake Erie a few times this summer also with Sky and Andrew and our friend Brandon.  It has been so much fun to be out in the sun and to get some great exercise for baby.  The picture above was taken on the day we had 4-5' waves.  It was the most intense swim I've ever had at Lake Erie. 

3. Uncooperative weather and schedules. 

I've made a lot of new products lately, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to take many pictures of the new products.  We've had very weird weather as of late, super hot and bright and sunny but then days where it just is super cloudy, threatening to rain.  I've also been wanting to take pictures of people wearing the products I make to hopefully help promote them better, but we just haven't been able to coordinate our schedules yet.  Hopefully sometime this week everything will work out. 

Those are the main reasons why I've been absent from blogging.  How do you deal with a lack of blogging?  Do you ever get in a rut where you just don't feel like blogging?  What motivates you to blog?

Worst Blogger, EVER

I'm so sorry, I've been such a terrible blogger.  I've allowed my morning sickness, lack of being home, and complete engulfment with Settler's of Catan to prevent me from blogging the way that I should.  Well I plan to fix that hopefully today.  I will be posting some photos of events over the last few weeks.  I'll keep going as long as I still have computer access.  I will hopefully have multiple posts throughout the week for you.  :)

Will you forgive me for being so neglectful???

I hope so!

Thankful Thursday

Hey everyone!  It's Thursday again!  Time to share what makes you thankful!

1. God's mercies which are new every morning.  I was feeling really down last night when I messed up a lot.  But it's a new day and God's mercies are new every morning and I'm so thankful for that.

2. This guy!  I love him, I'm thankful for him everyday. I'm thankful that he puts up with me and that he is so willing to serve our new neighbor.  We haven't been home much to actually spend any time getting to know her yet, but hopefully this weekend since the gas prices have sky rocketed in our area I hope not to drive at all this weekend except to church. 

3. God prevented an accident last night.  I was at a stop sign, looked both ways didn't see anything, went to pull out and then saw a car right in front of me.  Woah SCARY!!!!  The car didn't have their headlights on, it was like 8:45 pm, super dark and rainy.  I'm not very good at driving under those conditions anyway but when someone doesn't have their headlights on and the car is a dark color, it makes it nearly impossible to see them.  Thank you God for your protection!

4. Veggie Tales. . .I love them, the kids I watch love them.  God definitely uses these wonderful videos in their lives.  M always asks to watch Bob and Larry.  We also now have a Veggie Tales worship cd which is awesome, we put in on when we're coloring, painting, playing, a lot of times.  It's fantastic!


5. God providing for us financially this week.  Things went awry but, thankfully He provided for us super well!

6. Good friends!  I spent some time with my friend Melanie on Tuesday and I love it :).  What a blessing that is to me!  Love being able to have "girl time." 

7.  Seeing my mother-in-love and sister-in-love.  I also got to see and snuggle with the puppies!  I love me some doggies!  I miss having some of my own. 

8. It's mom Mom's birthday this Saturday!  I love her she is a very good mommy so thankful for her! 

9.  For youth group to be back to normal tonight! YAY!

Those are just some of the things I'm thankful for this week.
What are some of the things you are thankful for this week?

Please Pray

God has been opening my eyes and heart to the wonderful life of adoption.  Children are meant to be in families. God is all about the family.  That is why He set it up EVEN before the fall of man.  It was the first and only covenant before the fall!  (Marriage that is).  As a result, I've been reading a lot more on families attempting to adopt.  Please Please Please visit this blog and pray for this family.  They are trying to bring home their son.  Please join us in prayer and fasting on Wednesday.  I will be fasting Wednesday for lunch.  My heart is breaking for this family that is right now separated.  Please help them be together soon!

Heartbreaking

I've spent the last hour and a half or so having my heart broken over and over again.   I have been following Carrington's Courage ever since a friend shared it with me.  She is an adorable little girl who is fighting for her life right now.  I wish I could support more than just through prayer but unfortunately it's just not possible right now. Recently, Sarah who operates the blog, has posted Carrington's Challenge.  Well I looked at the website she had posted.  These children weren't as "lucky" as Carrington.  Reading this post started the tears flowing.  Then I started clicking on the other links.  Andrew, just stood out to me.  Such a sweet boy.  How can people abandon these children??? And while Tara, I'm sure, no longer looks like the little girl listed here, I'm sure she's just as sweet as she is described.  And little Jimmy, who doesn't want to kiss his face?

Is your heart breaking yet?  How about going and reading more stories here and here.  Alright enough of the posting for tonight.  It's time for me to go pray for these kids.  I do hope you take up Carrington's Challenge.  Please start praying for these children.  More than anything they need our prayers.

Melanie, thanks for introducing me to Carrington.

Karen, thanks for giving me an opportunity to love some of the children in the orphanage you will be going to.

Sarah, thanks for updates on Carrington.


Isaiah 1:18 Seek justice, 
   encourage the oppressed.^[a] 
Defend the cause of the fatherless, 
   plead the case of the widow.

Zechariah 7:9 

This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’

Pay it Forward 2011

I’m participating in Handmade Pay It Forward 2011!

Here’s how it works. The first 5 people to comment on this post will receive something handmade by me. Now before you start scrolling down like crazy, by choosing to be one of my 5 payees you are also committing to Pay It Forward yourself via your blog, twitter or facebook.  The things must be handmade by YOU.  :) :) :) How fun is this??? I'm excited :)

I found out about this from someone I recently started following: http://revivingremnants.com

Her name is Piper.  She's awesome.  She's got some really great things in her shop and I appreciate that she's trying to make a difference.  :)  It also gave me a chance to kick start making more handmade things, something I enjoy.  The deadline for sending your handmade things is the end of 2011.  For myself I hope to have them sent to you by August 1, 2011.  If I hold out too long I'll forget.  I will try to make everything something that you will like/appreciate/be able to use (Hint: give me some ideas of things you like).  They probably won't be quilts this year, but maybe next year ;) 

Love,

Amanda