Giveaways, Giveaways, Giveaways!!!!

Monogram Chick is debuting her newest mug pattern, the Aqua Polka Preppy travel mug and is having a fabulous giveaway for one so head on over to enter and be sure to please tell her you heard it from me cuz if you win, I win!! Yippee!!!!

Who doesn't love a cute monogrammed tote bag? A girl can never have too many so head on over to Monogrammed Teacher who is hosting a giveaway for her 1ooth post. Click on ENTER for a chance to win this cute tote bag by Monogrammed Chick.

So many of you out there in "blogland" have little girls so I just had to pass this great giveaway on to all of you. Audrey at Lil Booger Bows is having a giveaway for TEN FREE HAIR BOWS!!! Head on over to her blog to enter and please tell her I sent you.

Hello 2009!!!

I have to say I'm not sad that 2008 is over and 2009 is here. Looking back, 2008 was personally and professionally a rough year to endure and I'm glad it's over. I'm looking forward to 2009.

My husband is in the mortgage business (or what's left of it anyway). We've had good years and bad years in this business, but nothing like this before. Thank goodness when the good years were here, he was smart enough to save knowing that there are always some tough ones to get through. Never, ever did I think we would be in this tough of a market though.

I'm finally realizing that it's going to be a long while before things turn around in this economy so I've been making some cut backs.

Over the last few years (2006 and 2007), we were in search of our perfect "forever" home. I think there was a reason we never found the "one" and are still living in this house. I think we were spared in finding the one so we wouldn't have the big mortgage, the big property tax bill and all the living expenses that go with a large home. I can't imagine what our life would be like today with all the added pressures of all those expenses.

So over the past few years, I haven't splurged on things for this house thinking that we would be moving. I feel we need to change things a little around here and freshen things up, to get back on track of making this house a home again and not just a place where we live. (The hard part will be to do it on a much smaller budget. YIKES!!!) I need to begin in creating a beautiful environment again, a place of calm and comfort for my family. Even though nobody ever wants a child to feel the stress of life's struggles, I know this has become noticeable to the kiddies. They are hearing "no" a lot more than their used to when it comes to buying things.

So here's to turning the page of the calendar to a new year. One that I'm wishing will be filled with hope, happiness, prosperity, love and calmer times ahead for not just my family, but for everyone. Happy 2009!!!

Beautiful Winter Day

It is a beautiful, snowy, wintery day here so I went to grab my camera to snap a few photos and found that the battery was dead. So instead of sharing photos that were taken today, here's a few that were taken during the holidays. This one is of a planter on my front steps.

This little deer is still sitting on my foyer table. He's one of my favorite Christmas decorations and I just hate to put him away. I still haven't got all the Christmas decorations packed up yet. That's my big project today.

I did take down the Christmas wreath and put this "wintery" one up with a chocolate ribbon.

Game Day!!!

Big game day!! The Huskers are on t.v. in the Gator Bowl (living in Illinois, we don't get to see our team play a lot). So on the couch is where I'll be this afternoon, rooting for the BIG RED!!!