{craftaholics anonymous} handmade gift exchange

Have you heard about the {Craftaholics Anonymous} handmade gift exchange?

You sign up, get assigned an exchange partner & then you swap homemade goodies. 

Doesn't that sound fun? 

I've signed up!  Can't wait! :)

Hurry though, sign up is taking place now and ends on June 6. 

Click here for all the details.

Thanks for hosting, Linda!

take a look {Bathroom Rules}

Any one else have "bathroom issues"?

{You know towels on the floor, toothpaste everywhere,

dirty clothes on the ground and the always fun "Who didn't flush?  Ewww!}

Since my kiddos are getting older & most of them can read now.

I thought I'd try this out....maybe it will help out some in the bathroom.

My 10 year old daughter said she didn't like the flush rule.

{It was kind of embarrassing!}

I told her if they would start flushing I'd take that rule off. :)

I'm not holding my breath on that one! ;)

I guess there's always hope! :)

Come back tomorrow

for my brand new linky party!

 Linking Up HereSurvey Junkie

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Fun to Craft

Mommas Kinda Crafty

The Creative Crate

awards {and a winner!}

The winner of the personalized sippy cup giveaway was comment #1:

Our Crazy Bunch who said... I am a follower. And love this idea.

 {Winner chosen by random.org}

***************************************

A couple of weeks ago I was honored

to receive The Versatile Blogger award from

Amber at From the Hearts Of...

Thank you so much, Amber!

{Sorry it's taken me a little while to get it posted!}

And then last week Stephanie from Always Just a Mom

awarded me The Stylish Blogger Award.

{Me stylish??...my kids would think that's so funny!}

Thank you so much, Stephanie!

Rules for both awards are very similar:

1. Thank & link back to the person who gave it to you.

2. Share seven things about yourself.

3. Award 15 (10) newly discovered blogs you love.

So I've decided to combine them into this one post. Since this is a brand new blog & I have lots of new followers I guess this would be a good time to introduce myself to all of you. :)

So here it goes 7 things about myself:

1.  I've been married for almost 17 years to my college sweetheart, Clay.  He's made me a happy girl.  He's my best friend, & I love him so much! {Isn't he handsome?}

2.  I've got 5 awesome & wonderful kiddos who I love, love, love, love & love. :)  There is nothing that brings me more joy {& sleepless nights} than being their mom. 

3. I'm the oldest of 7 children.  My sisters and brother are my best friends.  I love them all so much. I've got a pretty good mom & dad, too. ;) I love my family! {My brother is not in this picture...he didn't want to pose like us girls.} :)

4. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

5. I attended 4 different colleges {I know a little crazy.}  I finally graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a degree in Criminal Justice & Political Science.  I'm a stay at home mom so I don't use my degree too often but it does come in handy on election night! ;){Yes, my kids better know what the 3 branches of government are!}

   Election Day2008

6.  I love chocolate!  Don't let me anywhere near a bag of hershey kisses...I will eat them all! :){Not kidding!}

picture from google images
7.  Obviously, since I do have my own craft blog...I do love to get creative & crafty.  I love making things for my home, family & friends....it's so much fun!

{Centerpiece I helped make for my sister Abby's wedding.}

15 {new to me} blogs I would like to 

award The Versatile Blogger & The Stylish Blogger Award are:

A Law Student's Journey

Capital B

Polkadot Whimsy

Girl in Air

The Creative Crate

Sweetly Made Just for You

Mama Clucks

Sweet Peas & Bumblebees

The How-To Mommy

Always Just a Mom

Neko Knits

Measured by the Heart

Kitty Cats & Airplanes

Eye Spy DIY

A Litte of This, A Little of That

Sugar Bee Crafts

{Go check them out!}

 

Coming on Wednesday.

a brand new link party!

{I'm so excited!}
Don't forget to check back!

happy {monday}

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

Hope you sharing it with family & friends,

and taking time to remember all those

that have fought so bravely for our country.

Wanted to share this post by one of my

awesome blogging friends, Sky from Capital B.

She also has these free printable quotes from Elder Bednar.

{Check out her blog.... she's awesome!}

I plan on announcing the sippy cup giveaway winner this evening.

{Wanted to give some extra time to enter since it's

a holiday weekend & GFC was acting silly all weekend!}

You can still enter here.

fab friday {teacher appreciation gift}

Need an easy & cute idea for a teacher gift?

Then try this {fabulous} pencil holder!

This one is personalized with our school colors, name & mascot!

{Just think of all the different colors & styles you could do it in to match YOUR school!}

Best of all it was super easy,

and didn't cost me a thing.

{Just used what we already had around the house!}

Love how it turned out,

& hoping my kiddos {fabulous} teachers like it, too! :)

Here's how I made it:

1. Cut a two x four into 7 inch blocks.

2. Had the hubby drill some pencil sized holes along the top!

{Try to make sure they are all the same depth, so your pencils will be even.}

3. Painted the blocks black.

{I love this brand of paint!  It's the best!}

4. Applied my vinyl lettering.

Then the overlay.

5. Tied a bow around the top.

6. Stuck in my pencils.

 {How easy is that?}

All done!

Linking Up Here:

book club {and a Ginger Snaps giveaway, too}

Book Club has started over on Measured by the Heart.

So, if you have read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

go leave a comment about the book & you'll be entered into a giveaway

 for one item of your choice from my etsy shop, Ginger Snaps.

{Hurry, you have until May 31st to join in on the discussion!}

picture from Amazon.com

take a look {rock patio}

Recently we added a {rock patio} to our back yard.

I say we but my handy hubby, Clay, did most of the work. ;)

{I added my opinion here & there.}
Hey...that's important. :)

Here's how "we" did it! 

We have a deck on the back of our house

& we had this little area of yard underneath

the living room windows that just needed something. 

We thought about extending the deck out,

but instead we decided to put in a rock patio.
{Best of all we got these rocks for free
from some property we own!}
We have lots of rocks where we live.

Step One: Clay {my cute hubby} clearing out some of the grass. It was hard work!

 Step 2: Clay tilling it up...to make the grass a little easier to remove. :)

Step 3: All the grass is gone...Clay leveled it a little bit.

Step 4: A layer of plastic is laid down to prevent weeds later on.

Step 5: The first rock is laid....now "we" have many more to go. :)

Step 6:  Clay spent hours arranging and rearranging the rocks

to get them to all fit together just right.


Step 7: The next step was to put a special sand in between the rocks.

{I say special because it was expensive!}

The kids have been warned NOT to dig in the sand! :)

Step 8: Clay then made a new set of steps leading down to the new patio.
{I told you he was handy!}

 The new steps are all done!

Step 9:  We added new sod along the edge of the new patio.

Step 10: Enjoy! 
{We're loving our new outdoor space.}

Cookout, anyone? :)

Linking Up Here: