The Mercy House

Many of you know Kristen from We Are THAT Family. God has gifted Kristen with the ability to write and the passion to help change the world. After her trip to Kenya with Compassion last March, Kristen came back with a heart forever changed. She and her family are embarking on an exciting adventure to minister to some of the young girls who live in Kenya. She can't do it alone, though. Please check out The Mercy House to learn more about Kristen's plan to minister to some of the people who need it the most and expect it the least.
While you're there, won't you please prayerfully consider how you might contribute, or pass on the word of this new ministry?

Take Note

Those of you who read my blog by going to my blog site (as opposed to a reader) may have noticed the "Make Merry" picture on the left sidebar. I am participating in Kingdom Twindom +1's Make Merry Gift Swap. If you aren't already a regular reader of Kingdom Twindom +1, I encourage you to go over and check it out. Especially if you like cute kids, funny stories, and Biblical teaching about marriage.

Blue & Brown Swap

I had so much fun from Blue Castle's Pink and Green swap that I just knew I had to do it again with her Blue & Brown swap! This time, my partner was Jena from Organized Everyday. Since she is a major crafter, I sent her some blue and brown fat quarters. I can't believe that I didn't think to take pictures! :( But, check out her blog and she will have pictures of the fabric there. I was really excited to be assigned to such a crafty person, because I love homemade presents. Check out what I got:
A handmade purse AND a matching wallet (that's why you see cash; I'm demonstrating that it's a wallet)! Isn't she amazing? Thank you so much again for my lovely gifts, Jena. And a big thanks to Sarah for hosting the swap! When's the next one?

One Lovely Blog

The rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are: accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I got this award from Kim over at Thoughts by Kim. She has had a lot going on in her life this past year or so. If you haven't checked her out, please go over and drop her a line of encouragement.

I'm afraid that I won't really be able to follow the "newly discovered" part of this award. I recently have trimmed down my list of blogs that I read and follow. I felt I was spending too much time reading blogs that I didn't comment on, and let's face it - if you're not going to comment, why read? Of course, if you follow me, I'll follow you and not delete you off the list! ;) The blogs that I am listing, then, you can be sure that they mean a lot to me. These ladies challenge and inspire me to do a better job of so many aspects of my life:

At a Hen's Pace
Betty Beguiles
Bits & Pieces from My Life
Blue Castle
Cheeky Pink Girl
Conversion Diary
Elizabeth Esther
Everyday Miracles
Frugal Upstate
God Will Provide
Kingdom Twindom
Life in the Parsonage
Stretch Mark Mama
Vita Familiae
Want What You Have

There are many more that I could nominate, but these particularly have been speaking to me. If you don't read these blogs already, check them out!

Guess What?

No, not that...
Today I'm the mommy interviewed over at Mama Notes. Be sure to check out my *fascinating* interview over there. While you're there, be sure to look around at some of her previous posts. She has a lot of great information for all mothers, but especially first-time moms!
Thanks for the interview, Samantha!

Updated Blog List

If you check over on the right sidebar, you will notice that I have updated my list of blogs that I read. While I may not agree with everything on all of these blogs, I feel that overall the blogs are enjoyable and/or informative. My apologies for not updating this list sooner! I read my blogs through Google Reader, so I tend to forget that I have a blog list up on my blog's page.

Pink & Green Swap

Sarah at Blue Castle and Melody at Three Boys and a Dog recently co-hosted a Pink & Green swap party. Each person was assigned a blog buddy to swap pink and green presents with, keeping the total cost of the presents under $15. I was assigned Melody, and I sent her these:

A notebook that I decorated;

Some boxes to transport cupcakes in, because she is into making cupcakes;

Some cards, a Bible bookmark, and other fun stuff.

I thought that I had done really well with how much I had assembled for $15 or less. That is, until I received her package. There were so many things in my box that I had to take 2 pictures:

Isn't that amazing? Thanks Sarah and Melody for hosting the swap, and thank you Melody for all of my new treasures! I love it all and I had a blast!

Uber Amazing Blog

Upstate Mom awarded this to me last weekend. Thank you!

Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who:

~ inspires you

~ makes you smile and laugh

~ or maybe gives amazing information

~ a great read

~ has an amazing design

~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!

The rules of this award are:

* Copy the badge and put the logo on your blog sidebar or post.

* Nominate 5 blogs that for you are Uber Amazing!

* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog.

* Share the love and link to this this post and to the person you received your award from.

* Come back and comment here so that your link could be added to the materialist of Awardees

I nominate : Blue Castle, Irish by Marriage, Moments for Mum, Nesting Place, Want What You Have

Keep up the good work, everyone! I look forward to reading your blogs every day!

Core Lies

Sarah Mae at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee is starting her series on this topic. If you are interested in following along, her first post in the series is here. I think that this is certainly something that we can all benefit from.

A Kute Award

Debbie over at Stop Her She's Knitting gave me this award. Doesn't she have a great title for a blog? Here are the rules:

1. Copy the award to your site
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers
4. Link to those on your blog
5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

My nominees are:
1. Saige at The Saige Page - she doesn't post too often, but her projects are great!
2. Leah at 152 Insights into My Soul - this blogger doesn't post too often, either, but she is definitely creative with words!
3. Z at Rear Window Ethics - Z does amazing things in and around her house with thrift store finds (and I'm not the least bit biased because she's my best friend)!
4. Tara at Feels like Home - this is one busy lady, let me tell you! If you have toddlers, be sure to check out her weekly Grace's Kitchen feature.
5. The Nester at The Nesting Place - if you don't already read this blog, what are you waiting for?
6. Jennifer at The Miles Family Adventures - she has embarked on an ambitious project this year - take one photo and post about it every day.
7. Kristen at We are THAT Family -in addition to funny and/or thought-provoking posts each day, Kristen has a great DIY project each Saturday.
Congrats to each of these recipients. Be sure to check out their blogs!

Superior Scribbler

A big thank-you goes to Charlotte over at Cheeky Pink Girl who awarded me with this:

As with all awards, there are some rules and they are as follows:

* Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.

* Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom he/she has received the Award.

* Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains the award.

* Each Blogger who wins the Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List (scroll down). That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honor!

* Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

I hereby bestow the Superior Scribbler Award upon:

1) Steve at Undeception - yes, I know I just tagged him. But he puts a lot of research into every blog post.

2) Heather at Want What You Have

3) Jenni at One Thing

4) Lora Lynn at Vitafamiliae

5) Elizabeth at Three's a Crowd

An Award

Josh recently awarded me this. The requirements for this award are:
1) Write a post bragging about this award. You must give the name of the person who gave you this award. You must also link back to them, so that other people can verify that this person does, indeed, exist.
2) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have 7 friends. Show the 7 names and links below. Leave a comment on their blog informing them that they were awarded with “Honest Weblog.”
3) List at least ten honest things about yourself.

My 7 choices:
1) Jenn at Conversion Diary
2) Amy at Amy's Humble Musings
3) Kristen at Bits and Pieces from My Life
4) Wendi at Every Day Miracles
5) Sarah at Kingdom Twindom
6) Sarah at Life in the Parsonage
7) Charlotte at Cheeky Pink Girl
In addition to selecting blogs that are brilliant, I tried to give the award to people who had not received the award before. If you have already received this before, just disregard the requirements and give yourself a pat on the back.

Ten honest things…okay, here goes:
1) I write far more posts than I publish. New posts frequently get deleted.
2) I have a hard time being open, both on-line and face-to-face. On-line because the internet is forever and you never know who might read. Face-to-face because chances are, I already know you and I'll see you again after you know whatever it is. No one on either side of my family knows about this blog. I plan on keeping it that way. Just in case I ever do say anything.
3) DH and I have been "not trying, but not preventing" another baby for 18 months now. We still have 1 child. I am debating whether or not to try in earnest.
4) I am starting a diet (again). I am always nervous and filled with self-loathing when I diet. Does it make sense to anyone else out there that I feel safe fat?
5) I wish that I had a talent for writing. Some of the blogs that I read make me want to shut my little blog down.
6) I haven't spoken to my birth mother in 3.5 years. I don't plan on ever speaking to her again.
7) I am a terribly nosy person, which is partly why blogging appeals to me. I consider it ironic that I want to know so much about others but not the other way around.
8) I get really mad if I don't get my way, but I try not to let on that I'm mad.
9) I am afraid that BB will be embarrassed by me when he gets older.
10) I am afraid of being abandoned. I can't stand the thought that I might be excluded from something.
Whew! That was tough!

Update!

I've updated "My Daily Visits" list; be sure to check out the new additions! I don't always agree 100% with the different blogs I list, but I feel that overall the blog content is informative, well-written, entertaining - sometimes all three! For those of you who wonder why I don't post very often, I blame these other sites. I read everyone's new post, even if I don't always comment. So if you see your site on this list, know that you have at least one loyal reader!

Updated Daily Visits

I've recently added several note-worthy blogs to my daily blog visits. I hope you'll check these sites out and enjoy them as much as I do:
Amy's Humble Musings
At a Hen's Pace
Economical Eats
One Thing
Restoring the Years
Want What You Have
P.S. for my two loyal readers of BB's blog, I have moved his entries over to this site under the blog heading BB. I will be closing out his blog soon.

A Hodgepodge of Blog Sites

This is a fairly well updated list of the blogs that I read. Please don't blame me for any of the content found on any other blog.

152 Insights into my soul
"Writing" the Waves of Motherhood
Amy's Humble Musings
Antique Mommy
At A Hen's Pace
Because I Said So
Bits and Pieces from My Life
BooMama
Close to You
Conversion Diary
Every Day Miracles
Feels like Home
Frugal Upstate
God Will Provide
holding little hands
Jason and Kimberly
Kingdom Twindom
Life in the Parsonage
Madeline
Making Home
Minnesota Mom
Nesting Place
One Thing
Pensieve
Rear Window Ethics
Restoring the Years
Rocks in My Dryer
Stretch Mark Mama
Sunnyside Fun
The Domestic Diva
the gamer's wife
The Happy Homebody
The Miles Family Adventures
The Queen B
The Saige Page
Three's a Crowd
The Smoak House
Tipnut
Undeception
Want What You Have
We are THAT Family