CSN Giveaway Winner!!!

So....lame-o Miss Mimi kinda forgot about the whole giveaway thing....you know, with my mother-in-law recovering from breast cancer surgery and all (can I pull that card?  I WAS taking care of her, you know!!)

Anywho....I didn't completely forget, I'm just a day late!  So HERE'S the winner of the CSN Giveaway!!!!

All your names in a bowl...mixed up several times!

Mama, I'd REALLY rather watch cartoons than choose a name!

Just one?  Alright...I guess that's okay.

Congratulations to VINTAGE DUTCH GIRL for winning the $35 gift certificate to CSNstores!!! 

I will contact you shortly with the details of your winning.

VDG actually did my last giveaway so how fitting that she would win this one =) 

Thank you to everyone who entered and a HUGE thank you to CSN for sponsoring this giveaway!!!

Surgery Update

First of all, please let me say THANK YOU, from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of love and prayer from all of you!  We have been overwhelmed {in a good way} with all your sweet comments and feel so loved during this difficult time. 

Surprisingly, it hasn't been that big of a challenge to entertain our Lil Monkey today.  We took along many of his new Christmas presents {more on that later} that he opened last night so he has had a BLAST playing with all those!  Plus, his presence has been a welcome distraction from our anxiety.  All your prayers have been felt as we have been filled with peace during our wait.

We just got word that mom got out of surgery at 2:40pm {about 6 hours} and that things went well.  The doctor said that she's doing great!  Dad just went in to see her for the first time and said she looks great and they are just trying to keep the pain down.  She is limited to one visitor at a time for the moment.  We look forward to seeing her!

Please continue to pray as this journey has just begun!  But thankfully, she is not fighting this alone - we are all in it together!!!

"In the multitude of my anxieties within me,Your comforts delight my soul."

Psalm 94:19

Need Prayer RIGHT NOW!!!

I haven't shared this on here before, so here I go...

This October, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.  (Yes, during breast cancer awareness month - thank you annual mammograms!!)  When she was diagnosed, the doctor's called it the "best possible breast cancer diagnosis" and a "no brainer".  So although we were worried, we felt confident that a simple lumpectomy would fix this.  Her surgery (about two weeks ago) went excellent and was totally predictable.  Until her biopsies came back and showed more cancer - two types, in her lymph nodes and tissues.  After such a "wonderful" diagnosis, this felt like a punch to the gut.  Yet, we are determined to remain optimistic. 

RIGHT NOW my mother-in-law is in surgery for a double masectomy.  Would you please join us in lifting her up to our Heavenly Father - the father of love, the father of healing, the father of peace!   Pray for the doctor's hands as they do the surgery, that they are able to get all the cancer, for a quick recovery, and for all of us that we remain optimistic (and patient as we are entertaining a two-year-old in the hospital).

She entered surgery feeling God's "peace that transcends all understanding".  Praise God for that!  The rest of us our left a little anxious, but comforted that our God loves each of us even more than we love her! 

This will be about a 6 hour surgery, and things are going well so far.  I will update you when she is out and how she is doing.

Want some Mommy Mulah??? GIVEAWAY!!!!

What would you do with $35 of "Mommy Mulah" right now???

*This Giveaway Is Now Closed*

Take a moment and think about it...  Would you snazz up your kitchen with some counter height stools to make for some conversational holiday baking?  {MAN those are pretty!}

Would you step up that decor one notch with this fabulous jar and fill it with ornaments or candy for that special occasion?  {I could just SEE that sparkle!}

Would you add a punch of color to that beige couch with this red "Joy" pillow for the remainder of the holiday season???

Or would you use it towards a long-awaited purchase like this GORGEOUS Amy Butler area rug???

Well guess what...

It's CHRISTMAS WEEK!!!!  {In case you hadn't noticed...}Woohoo!!!! 
{Specifically today is the R Family Christmas and we are LOVING it!}

I always find it humorous that we look forward to this week all year and then its over in a flash!  {In my case, I've been looking forward to this specific week for 16 months...but it looks like my wish won't come true in the exact way that I pictured.  'Tis okay!}

As moms {and husbands, grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, daughters...ect} we spend a lot of time during the holiday season picking out the perfect gift to put a smile on our beloved's face.  We often {as we should} forget about our own wants/needs as we fill those stockings and wrap those presents.  It can be hard work {as joyous as it is} to get all those Christmas preparations in order.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just want to reward myself {and I'm not talking about scraping the extra cookie dough off the mixer bowl as the cookies are baking}!  But however good of a deal, it's hard to justify spending money on yourself knowing that Christmas is just around the corner, isn't it?!?

Right now, stop worrying about the bank account.  Stop worrying about your to-do lists.  Take a break from cookie-decorating or blog stalking {that's me =P} or ribbon curling and take a moment to do something for YOU!

Today... {this week} I am offering you the opportunity to win some much-needed {or maybe just wanted} "Mommy Mulah"!  CSN has graciously offered to give one of my readers a $35 GIFT CERTIFICATE to CSNstores.com!!!  CSN works with 200+ stores to create a one-stop shopping experience!  They are helpful, reliable, and just plain awesome in my eyes! 

To enter to win a $35 gift certificate from CSNstores, simply become a follower of my blog and come back here and leave a comment that you are =)  Yes, it's that simple!

For a bonus entry go to CSNstores.com and let me know you YOU would spend $35!

Must enter by Monday, December 27th at 11:59PM!!!  =)  I will draw the name of the lucky winner on December 28th.  Good luck!!!

Lil' Sneak

Did he sneak a treat???

We'll never know...

Random{ness}

I feel like I need to post.  But I don't know if it's for my sake or for yours.  I don't really feel like I have a lot to say!  I wish I could say things have been quiet in our house, but that is not the case. 

Crazy work schedules, bustling holiday shopping, toddler temper tantrums, itunes over-worked from all the holday tunes (=P), playdates, piles of laundry, construction, concerned phone calls, doctors visits, and big life changes....oh MAN that list could go on and on and on!

But instead of a complicated series of posts to catch y'all up, this post is going to consist of highlighted blurbs!  Here we go!!!

Cousin Playdates:

The only quesadilla Monkey has eaten in months...don't get it!

My adorable niece in her ruffly, puffy vest!  {love}

Love how silly sisters {in law} are =)

THE {always glamorous} Ms. Amanda from Vintage Dutch Girl

Niece's Birthday:

Cake made by friend's fundraising for their adoption!  Check them out at Cakelicious!!

The birthday girl herself: Miss Maleah!!!!

{read her adoption journey HERE}

Our niece has got my Hubs wrapped around her little finger! ;)

But who can resist dimples...I mean, seriously?!? =)

Great-Grandma's Visit:

Givin' Grams some love {and boy, does she love it}!

Below Freezing Temps:

Wondering why we're so cold...

Christmas Cheer:

Yes, I know I have a bit of a "JLo Booty" =P

Monkey needs a tree too!

{and a diaper change, perhaps??}

Discovering the choo-choo train

Forgot to show you his tree before...but this is my favorite picture! =)

Who doesn't want to snuggle with a monster truck?!?

Who doesn't want to snuggle in this handsome man's arms??

{He fell asleep during the sing-off after one of those "no nap" days}

They play hard!

...and they play silly!!!

Monkey always loves his cars =)

But Christmas music makes us ALL smile =)

So...that about catches you up!  On the superficial stuff at least....