If you haven’t signed up for the most awesome giveaways, then go now! Here and Here.

I feel like I haven’t posted pictures lately. And since there are a thousand things going on in my mind right now, I figure, what better way to ignore them all than to post pictures.
So, pictures you get!

Y’all, our Kroger finally started selling Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper’s. The entire time I was pregnant with Little Sister I so desperately wanted Dr. Peppers. Just loads of them. All the time. But since, ya know, caffeine is like baby crack, I only allowed myself to have a few a week. Such shame. I searched for CFDP, but my state didn’t carry them. I went as far as to almost have a few cases shipped to me. But, ya know, a $5.00 case shipped for $15.00 didn’t seem right mathematically.

Big Sister is watering the rose bush. See how it’s so big it can no longer stay up on it own? I’m going to have to prune that sucker. Actually, I should let J do it since I have black thumbs.

We like to play outside during Little Sister’s naps. We were just coloring with sidewalk chalk when you’ll never guess who came to visit!

Well, the Princess Sadie from next door of course. Ms. Sadie loves to dress up and it’s a pretty frequent thing when she comes out in a beautiful dress up outfit. We were honored to have her come play.

That night during bath time, Big & Little were being incredibly sweet to one another. Bath time is J’s thing. Since, ya know, I use that time to do unproductive things. So I really miss out on the sweetness of them playing in the tub. Look at them! How precious is that!

I love adore the way Little Sister looks at Big Sister. I pray that they will be close friends all of their lives. I think they will.

Big Sister feeding Little Sister bath water. Yummy.

April & Hannah’s diaper cake. Aren’t the incredibly talented? Yes, yes, they are. April made one for Little Sister’s baby shower and I kept the top layer for a little decoration. But now I have size 1 diapers I will never need.

I made the little ice cream flower pots from Pioneer Woman. They were yummy. But don’t, don’t expect to find fresh cut flowers anywhere the day after Mother’s Day. I cried, y’all. Real tears.

Tiffany had us play baby games. The last was where she had five diapers and melted five different candy bars in them. It was pretty disgusting. I love the look on Hannah’s face while she’s trying to figure out if it got on her hand. You can see the diaper mess in her right hand. Yuck yuck yuck. But a great diet trick, indeed.

Tonight is Game Night with friends. It’s at our house. So I should probably scrub a toilet or two or three. I would scrub more, but ya know, we don’t have anymore. I should also tidy up a bit. But with a total of six kids being in our home, I don’t think I’ll tidy up too much. Just clear off some tables for some Board Game fun! Pictures, I’m sure, will be posted.

Check back on Monday for Winners and answers to the questions. (Go ahead and ask if you haven’t already. It’s fun.)

And if you do… ask me a question, that is, then you will be entered in my SECOND GIVEAWAY this week. If you haven’t entered the first then go here now and follow the rules.

This second giveaway is from Joan at MoMo’s Retro Designs. Joan is a very talented seamstress who makes adorable, affordable chic aprons. Joan, being the sweet gal that she is, has offered up your choice of any of her Flirty Aprons. Your choice, people. What a wonderful housewarming gift, Bridal Shower, or heck, keep it for yourself. I love mine and you can see it hanging in my kitchen every day. Love it. See? It’s adorable. But that’s not me. Nope, that’s Joan’s daughter. Adorable, right?. Go now. Check out Momo’s Retro Designs.

So The Rules:

1. Go to Momo’s Retro Designs and tell me which is your favorite design.

2. Ask me a question. Anything you’ve been wanting to know. Anything. Just ask. I’m an open book.

3. Leave your comments on this post by 11pm on Sunday, May 18, 2008 to qualify for this giveaway.

Awesome Awesome. Be sure to check back again on Friday for my last giveaway for MommyFest.com.

Y’all. I’m itching for a change. Now that I feel pretty confident in this whole mother of two thing I signed up for, I feel like it’s time to take on a new adventure. I can’t get comfortable the way things are. I’m all about keeping things lively. No. I totally lied. I love things to be the same. I don’t like change. If a pastor has been my pastor since I was three, then please don’t feel like you are being “lead” to go to another church. If you’ve been my best friend since preschool, then don’t move to Colorado for college. I like things to be the same. I’ve lived in the same town since I was born. Well, except for a little break in my late teens when I moved out to Colorado for a minute and a half. But I came back. I’m a homebody. I could not leave my house for three days straight and sometimes it doesn’t bother me.

But here’s the deal. I feel like God is really talking to me. Not in a crazy “Drown your kids” kind of way, but in a very quiet, hinting around, talking to me in the shower because He knows that’s the only place that I stop all the thoughts whirling around for five minutes. And it’s just crazy, crazy I say, what He is asking of me.

It’s not of great importance, like moving to Africa and feeding starving children. He’s not asking me to become a missionary, or even to leave the comfort of my suburban lifestyle. He’s asking me (I think) to do something that I’ve never had much interest in doing.

And yes, for once in my life, I’m going to be elusive.

And so… I’m thinking and praying and trying to work it out myself. But the thing is - I don’t know what I’m doing. So, I’m doing what I do best - I’m leaving it in His hands. And I’m going to let Him be my tour guide on this journey.

_____________________________________________

Let’s talk about the change I’m not ready for. My best friend, Tiffany, is moving. She’s leaving. She’s had enough of this place and she’s just hitting the road. No. Not really. Her husband has been “called into the ministry” and will be going on staff at a church in Orlando. Orlando people. That’s a long way from where we live. A long way. And it breaks my heart because she’s just precious. Just precious. She’s a wonderful friend who has her heart in the right place daily. She can set me straight in a second, but she’s never uttered an unkind word (to me, anyways!). She’s adorable and her family is just an extension to mine. Before I had my gallbladder removed back in December, I wrote a note to J to tell him to let Tiffy take care of the girls while he was at work (he was going to pay you too!). See, I trust her that much. My girls have only been watched by a handful of people and Tiffy is one of them. She’s great. Awesome. Just the perfect friend. Did I mention that I just adore her?

I’m not ready for them to move. Just not. I’m going to miss seeing Big Sister & Skyler play. Y’all, they are bestfriends. They hold hands while walking in the mall. Skyler helps hoist Big Sister up in the play-sets at Chuck E. Cheeses and McDonalds. They just adore one another and it breaks my heart, absolutely brings tears to my eyes, thinking that they won’t have one another to play with. Look at them? They are adorable and we’ve already decided that they will marry one another and we’ll have awesome GameNights during the holidays. But don’t you know? They will be coming to my house more often for holidays and I’ll get Christmas and Tiffy will only get Thanksgiving. Why? Because I have the daughter. And the daughters always come home to their momma and daddy’s for Christmas.

Anyways. I’m just not ready. But I’m so excited that God has such a huge plan for them right now. Everything is just working out perfectly. God is moving and shaking and we can all see it. They are going to have so much fun living next to princesses and going to Disney all the time. And I’m excited because I was deprived as a child and have never ever been to Disney World or Disney Land. Isn’t that just a shame? An absolute shame.

So. I’m rambling. And rambling. Because that is what I do. I’m not good at beginnings or ends. But I guess it’s the middle that counts anyways. Right? Like Oreos. Sweet, sweet Oreos.

PS- How weird is it that as soon as I hit the “publish” button, Tiff calls to tell me that their house, you know, the one they put up 7 days ago, has sold. Sold, people. It’s all happening so fast.

Hello new reader!

I hope that you will make yourself comfortable and take a few minutes to get to know a little bit about me. First, my name is Jill. I also go by “mommy” and “wahhh”. I’m a 25 year old stay at home mom who loves her two precious daughters (aren’t they cute?). I’m a Christian who loves the Lord and just really wants to be in the center of His will. Which is some scary stuff. I am a child of His sweet Grace and I am thankful for it (because He knows I need it!). I’m married to an awesome guy, J, he’s an Electrical Engineer and he does some pretty cool things for the government. He’s a wonderful husband and a precious father. I usually write about what’s going on (which is a given) and I try to write every Monday about what God is doing in my life. How He’s working and what new things He’s teaching me. I am always learning how to be a better mother, wife and daughter. I don’t keep a super clean and tidy house. We live here and we play hard here. I love to cook, but I don’t like to clean the dishes. I love to play, but I don’t love to put the toys away. I love to take long, hot baths, but that rarely happens because I don’t love to scrub my tub. But I do, because that’s part of my job.

What else? I’m an open book. I’m shy as can be, but I don’t mind giving you all my dirty laundry. I think God has blessed me with the ability to be transparent so that other’s can learn about God’s most awesome gift, grace (well, second most awesome gift).

So, you want to win something? You do? Well, this week I am giving away THREE things. The first giveaway will be today. My sweet, sweet friend, April, is donating one of her beautiful rings from her Etsy Site Marlee Belle Designs.

The rules:
1. Check out Marlee Belle Designs and let me know what your favorite item is.
2. Come back here and leave that, along with your email address, in the comments.
3. I will be drawing (for all the giveaways) on Saturday, May 17, 2008. So the comments will be closed on Friday the 16th at 11pm.

Have a look around. To the left, you’ll see some recipes. I’m no Pioneer Woman, but I do love to cook some easy things for my family. Tonight, we’ll be having the Crescent Chicken. Yummy.

So, if you haven’t noticed, I love to have giveaways here. J doesn’t love it. But I do. Because I know how much I love winning giveaways.

I used Random.org to decide the winner for the $10.00 gift card to Starbucks.

Number Eight is…

Erin at The Vintage Pearl (whose stuff I absolutely LOVE). Congratulations Erin! Check out her Etsy site here and her blog here. She has super cute things! It’s great that she’s won, since she’s almost due with another little baby. She’ll need the extra caffeine, though her baby probably doesn’t:)

And here are some other neat things coming up:

Check back here on Monday for a list of things that are going to be up for grabs for the 5th Annual MommyFest Blog Party!

I am hosting a Door Prize at MommyFest 2008 and will be having THREE different giveaways during the week of the 12th.

You’ll just have to come back to see what they are. But I’ll tell you this - they are awesome awesome awesome!