Surprise, SURPRISE - An exciting announcement, plus giveaways galore!

So, a few posts back, I mentioned that there have been some exciting, yet unexpected things happening in our home life recently that have kept me pretty preoccupied (mentally, emotionally, and physically). I didn't want to share too much of the details on the blog at the time, because things were still pretty new and uncertain. I think at this point, though, it's safe to give you all a clue - and you know what they say: A picture is worth a thousand words. ;)

Well, I am sure you have guessed by now what our exciting news is - and if the ultrasound was not a dead giveaway, then let me just tell you all that yes - baby #4 is officially on his/her way, and is expected to arrive April 23, 2014. It is still a little crazy for me to try and wrap my mind around the reality of the situation - my husband and I will be the parents of FOUR children. Yowza! Hehe. We are all very excited about this unexpected new adventure in our lives, and we look forward to sharing the experience (and all the LOVELY details. hehe) with you in the months to come. 

Now, onto the giveaways: The Purple Lady's half birthday bash is still going on strong (she really knows how to party) and there is still plenty of time to get in on all of the fun stuff that she is giving away this week. The giveaways are as follows:

Day 5: Two dozen of the best pumpkin cookies ever from The Luckiest - This giveaway is only open to residents of the Las Vegas metropolitan area. 

Day 4: Custom order of one dozen gourmet cupcakes from Silver Spoon Catering - This giveaway is only open to residents of the Northern Utah area.

Day 3: Amethyst Healing Crystal

Day 2: Cragbridge Hall, Book 1: The Inventor's Secret, by Chad Morris

Day 1: Blackmoore, by Julianne Donaldson

P.S. Yes, you read that correctly. The Luckiest (yours truly) is proudly sponsoring today's (Day 5) giveaway on All Things Purple, and the cookies I am offering are an absolute treat. They come from my mother-in-law's famous, sought-after recipe, and are a definite fall favorite of the whole family's.

Anyway, I hope that you all are taking advantage of the giveaways on The Purple Lady's blog this week. I know I have been having a blast and look forward to seeing the results in a few days. Don't miss out on the fun. :)

Board Games and Giveaways

Gems of Reflection: #35

When I was a kid, I LOVED board games. Some of my favorites when I was really small were Hi Ho Cherry Oh, Hungry Hungry Hippo, Chutes and Ladders, and Candy Land. When I started getting a little older, I remember playing some other board games with my family like Zobmondo and Tabu. I think my all-time favorite board game, would have to be Sorry, though.

As an adult, there were a few games that I discovered that I totally fell in love with. Scene It, for example. That game is SO much fun. We have a few different versions of the game now, Scene-it Disney, Scene-It Twilight, and my personal favorite, Scene-It Harry Potter, The Complete Journey (which includes clips and trivia from all 8 movies). If you ever want to see a serious battle going down in our house, suggest that we play that game, and you will even see the crazy (and I mean, CRAZY) competitor come out in my husband. Haha. It is seriously so much fun though. I would definitely recommend that game for a family game night, or family home evening. It makes for some seriously hilarious entertainment.

Another fun game that I discovered as an adult is Apples to Apples. I play this game with M every once in a while (the babies still aren't old enough), and it is also loads of fun. It's a fun game of comparisons that really keeps you on your toes and keeps things light and fun.

Aside from the typical board games, one of my favorite games to play with family is Charades. We still play this game at family get-togethers with our kids, and they have a blast - especially when it is their turn to act out the clues, trying to get the rest of us to guess the answer. Some of the things they come up with (especially my five-year-old niece, who insists she is big enough to have a turn) are absolutely hilarious. It does leave you wondering though, "How on earth were we ever suppose to guess THAT?" Haha. It is fun to see their minds at work, though, and the kids all have a blast. To me, that is what is important.

Anyway, speaking of fun and games, I just wanted to give you guys a quick reminder about The Purple Lady's half-birthday bash that is taking place over at All Things Purple this week. Below is a list of all the current giveaways. There are still a few days left to enter each giveaway, but don't hesitate. Each giveaway has its own deadline, and they will be ending soon. Hop on over there and get in on the shenanigans. You can thank me later. ;)

Custom order of one dozen gourmet cupcakes from Silver Spoon Catering: This giveaway is only open to residents of the Northern Utah area.

Amethyst Healing Crystal

Cragbridge Hall, Book 1: The Inventor's Secret, by Chad Morris

Blackmoore, by Julianne Donaldson

Memories of Christmas

Gems of Reflection: #34

So, it seems like Christmas has been a major theme here on the blog lately, thanks to our random, little Gems posts. And I know it's only September, but I don't mind. Christmas was always one of my favorite holidays as a child, and it continues to be a truly magical time of year for me. Growing up, there was always so much excitement to look forward to, and I welcomed the season with open arms.  

For starters, we would go shopping every year (usually a few weeks before Christmas) for a beautiful, deliciously fragrant, REAL Christmas tree from one of the nearby lots. We'd bring it home and decorate it with lights, garland, and an array of ornaments and homemade decorations. We'd blast Christmas music and sing along as our family bonded over hot chocolate or egg nog, and memories of Christmases past.

Also, my great aunt, Helen, has thrown her annual Christmas party (since before I can remember) on the Saturday before Christmas at her house, where everyone comes together for a potluck and enjoys good company and great food. Some things we always anticipated with pleasure were her chicken soup and homemade biscuits. They were a staple at these parties, and we looked forward to indulging in these yummy, little delights from the turn of every season until the day the party arrived. We would always fill our bowls with her delicious mashed potatoes, and then would cover them with chicken soup. Oh man, it is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Her chicken soup is the best, and it's something I look forward to still.

As a tradition, she has also made dozens of shepherds cakes every year, which she wraps individually and gives to each family as a special gift from her. The kitchen counters were always covered in mountains of decadent desserts too: succulent pies, cakes, fudge, divinity, my mom's pumpkin rolls (another Christmas staple of my childhood), you name it. It was one of those events where one liked to pretend that calories didn't count for the day, for sure. Haha. But yes, some of my favorite Christmas memories are of Christmas parties at Aunt Helen's house. Good times.

Christmas around our house was always exciting too. During the holiday season, we'd often visit opportunity village. It was always so much fun walking through the magical forest, looking at all of the Christmas lights, while sipping on some yummy hot chocolate. Then, on Christmas Eve, we would make sugar cookies with frosting to leave for Santa. Afterward, we would drive around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, and would often return home to watch Christmas movies and drink egg nog. 

When Christmas morning arrived, we'd wake in anticipation at like 2:00 a.m. to see what Santa had brought us. My parents finally set a rule that we were not allowed to wake them up on Christmas morning until 6:00 a.m., so that they wouldn't be too drained throughout the day. It didn't hinder us from continuing to wake up so early every year though. We just started utilizing that time to sort gifts and start shaking presents from our pile, trying with wide eyes and energetic smiles to guess what was inside.

To this day, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, and I hope to pass that magic on to my children as they grow and experience the wonderment of the holiday season.

Anyway, In the spirit of our "Christmas in September" theme, I just wanted to remind you all about the awesome giveaways happening over at All Things Purple this week in celebration of her third annual half-birthday. Today, she has a giveaway for an amethyst healing crystal. There is also still plenty of time to get in on the Blackmoore giveaway, and the giveaway for Cragbridge Hall, The Inventor's Secret. Good luck to all, but do not delay. You won't want to miss out on these awesome giveaways. :) 

Reflections on Retirement, plus Book Giveaways

Gems of Reflection: #33

As of right now, I am a stay-at-home mom and a writer. I can't imagine that I will ever retire from either of those "jobs", but I do have dreams of grandeur that one day, I will be an accomplished writer of children's books and young adult fiction.

Let's say (for the sake of clinging onto the hope that my dreams will be accomplished in due course), that one day I become an established, successful writer. I can't imagine that I will ever stop writing - even when I am older and have grandchildren. But after a long and fruitful career as a writer (hey, I've got to dream big, right? hehe), I can imagine that I would reach a point where I'll be ready to slow down and simply enjoy the many pleasures of life: traveling the world, spending time with family, etc.

I am sure that my husband will be ready to retire too someday (maybe not from his music though. That is as ingrained in his blood as much as writing is ingrained in mine), and when he is, one thing I definitely want to do with him is serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Serving a mission with my husband in retirement has been a deep-seeded desire of mine since before I even met him. Now that I know him, and our relationship has grown in depth and commitment, I feel this desire even more so. We have accomplished a lot of things together, and serving the Lord as a couple would only be the icing on the cake.

I expect too, that my husband and I (and our family) will have done some significant traveling before we reach the age of retirement, but I hope to continue to travel in that stage of our lives as long as our health permits.

Anyway, speaking of being a fabulously talented writer, The Purple Lady is continuing with her Third Annual Half-Birthday Bash today, and has another book review and giveaway for Cragbridge Hall, Book 1: The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris. She describes this book as being highly innovative and entertaining for readers of all ages (10 and up), so head on over to All Things Purple and check it out.

Also, don't forget about the book giveaway for Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson, which started yesterday. There is still plenty of time to get in on that giveaway as well, and I can not even begin to express my excitement for this book sufficiently. You will not want to miss out on this one. ;)

Christmas in September!

Gems of Reflection

So, I know that I got behind on my Gems posts (again) by a several weeks, so I apologize for my silence here on the blog. Things have been crazy around here getting kids ready to go back to school, and there have been some other exciting/crazy/unexpected things happening that I am not quite ready to disclose on the blog just yet. No worries though, I am going to try to get caught up on the posts this week - and hopefully, there will be some good news to share in the near future.

Anyway, onto the Gems post: I don't really remember visiting the downtown area of Las Vegas much as a kid during the holiday season, but I know that if there's one thing that Vegas does big, it's the holidays. The shopping malls were always decked with the most extravagant of Christmas decorations; garland and ornaments on every rail and every banister, a large Christmas tree at the center of it all for everyone to enjoy, not to mention the beautiful display of Santa's workshop, where children would line up with anticipation to get their picture taken with him.

The Las Vegas Strip was always decorated as a wonderland of Christmas beauty as well. The trees, which line the streets of Las Vegas Boulevard, were lit up with lights and garland, and every hotel/casino showered the air with the magical sounds of Christmas music.

Now, I know that it is only September, and that Christmas is still a few months away, but it is like Christmas this week, for The Purple Lady is celebrating her third annual half-birthday over at All Things Purple, and she is hosting some awesome giveaways all week long. Today, she has a book review and giveaway for Blackmoore, the new regency romance novel by Julianne Donaldson. I am so excited about this book, and I know you will be too, so head on over and check it out.

Happy Friday. :)

It's just not a new school year without bus drama.

I don't know what it is with the bus system here in Clark County, or maybe it's just this side of town, but today is only the second day of the new school year, and we already had another encounter with the oh-so-reliable (hope you can sense my sarcasm there) bus system.

So, L (my three-year-old son) started preschool with the school district yesterday, and he is so excited about his new teacher, his new friends, his new classroom - but most of all, he is excited about the five-minute bus ride that he gets to take to the school. Maybe he sees it as a little adventure, a way for him to exhibit a sense of independence. 

Because the pre-school program is considered special ed (he qualified on account of his speech delay), they bus him to and from school, even though the school is only five blocks away. It's pretty neat too, because they come right to house to pick him up, they strap him into his little car seat, and then they hand-deliver him to his teacher at the school, who comes to the bus every morning to retrieve him. His pick-up time from the house in the morning is 8:51 a.m., so we've been going out front to wait for the bus at 8:45 a.m. to ensure we are ready when the bus arrives. 

This morning, we went out at the usual time and waited, and waited...and waited. But the bus never showed up. We waited around until about 9:10 a.m. (thinking maybe there was a delay because it's still the first week of school), and then tried calling the transportation line. I tried calling them several times, in fact, but the line just continued to ring busy. I finally called the school to alert them of the situation, and they informed me that they too had been trying (unsuccessfully) to get through to transportation. The office attendant asked if I could drive him to school, but I told her that I didn't have a car (Z took it to work today), but that I could walk him - it would just take me a half hour or so. 

So yeah...I got the awesome privilege of walking my three-year-old (and the baby, who is 15 months old) to school in 100 degree weather, and he was 45 minutes late. Yay. Not to say that I didn't need the exercise, but it would sure be nice to get through an entire school year without any bus-related drama. 

When we finally did get to the school, I popped into the front office to notify the staff that we were there, and the administrator who I had spoken to earlier informed me that she had finally gotten ahold of transportation, and that she was told the bus had, in fact, stopped by the house, but that we weren't there. What a load of garbage. I have half a mind to make a call into the supervisor tomorrow. 

Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on Pinterest

Related links:

Middle School Mayhem: The day my heart stood still!

Tales of a 6th-grade drama queen.

Through the joy and the sorrow...

Gems of Reflection: Week 31

There are many things in this life that bring me joy. The gospel, for example - it brings me such joy to know that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me, that he loves me, and wants to bless me and bring me happiness. I am so grateful for the Atonement, and for the knowledge I possess that we can return to our Heavenly Father again through the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

My absolute greatest joy; however, is my family - and to know that I am sealed to them for time and all eternity. My life is centered around my husband and my children - they are my reason for living - and to know that we, as a family, can be together forever, is the greatest gift that I can ever imagine. To see their smiling faces, and to know they are healthy and happy - growing and thriving - makes me as happy as I can be.

Now, as all things must have their opposite - my greatest sorrow is to see the ones I love suffering; whether it be as a direct result of choices they have made, or because circumstances in their lives are causing them to experience trial and hardship, it is so painful to watch them experience these trying times. I try to be a positive influence by reminding those in my life that we are children of our Heavenly Father, that he loves us and wants us to succeed and be happy - but sometimes, they have to figure their own way out of the darkness, and I often feel helpless as I am forced to sit back and watch those I love struggle to find the will to fight through the trials of their faith. 

These experiences have a way of strengthening my own testimony; though, for I see how the Lord plays such a significant role in guiding us through our trials. I am grateful for the gospel in my own life, and for the Atonement. With the help of our Savior, we can do hard things. 

related links:

I Can Do Hard Things

A Hope of Heaven's Light

52 Gems of Reflection