How do you like the new layout? It is a design from AllieBrownslayouts.blogspot.com

I don't know much about computer stuff.

Took just shy of forever to figure out how to load a new design,

so it's probably here to stay. I'm glad I really like the way it turned out!

As you can see the computer is home from the doctor. Came home with some new medicine (new antivirus software)

and instructions (I have to actully update it and run a check every once in a while for viruses ! hee, hee)

The giveaway is over tomorrow night so enter now! And visit Angie's shop! Really cute designs there!

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GIVEAWAY EXTENDED...

My computer is going to the doctor....

It will be back  on Sunday evening...

This means you have 2 extra days to enter the giveaway!!!!!!

Visit Angie's shop and don't forget to enter the giveaway (scroll down 2 posts for details)!!!!

Scroll down to the next post to read about my featured seller and a fantastic giveaway!

Why is Lucas huddled up on the couch hiding you ask?????

Because yesterday I got "Frank" out

Yes, my children have named our vacuum cleaner "Frank"

and

yes, Lucas is scared of it.

Why?

Perhaps because he has encountered "Frank" too few times in his 2 years.

When you only encounter a loud machine on rare occasions, I guess it can be quite scarey.

Let's face it, I try to keep the house relatively clean and picked up, but it is difficult with 2 little ones around. Seems like I clean something only to find it dirty again within the hour. But I really want to do better.

SO.....

I decided to set my kitchen timer to go off every 3 hours throughout the day. When the alarm sounds, I will clean for 15 minutes. It can mean sweeping the floor, cleaning the bathrooms, etc ( regular household chores like washing the dishes and doing the laundry don't count). I'll let you know how it works in a few days.

You won't believe this timing, but the alarm just sounded!

Off to scrub a toilet!

By the way, if you don't know who Frank is, you probably don't have a little boy (or girl) in your house. You'll have to rent Disney's Cars...it's actually really cute!

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ANOTHER WONDERFUL SHOP!

Expecting?

Moving?

Graduating?

Wedding?

Celebrating?

Meet Angie of Bear River Photo Greetings~

Her creations are lovely!

You can purchase a design, send her your text and photos and she will customize it for you.

Print as many as your heart desires!

There are tons of designs and occasions in her shop.... Please check it out!

I asked her a few questions to help us get to know her better~

Tell us a little about you and your family~

I am a Christian work-at-home wife and mom. I met my husband on eHarmony in 2003 and we married in 2004. I am really blessed that God chose to give me such an amazing man! My husband and I have two boys--one who is 15 and is a special needs kid, due to being born with 1/2 a heart and having 5 strokes at age 2; and one who is 2 and is a precious little boy who came to use through foster care. We are in the final weeks of the adoption process; everything will be final on March 12. As a family, we really enjoy spending time together, and we especially enjoy taking the short trip to Monterey, CA. We like to go fishing and camping. As for me, I enjoy many things: Creating on the computer, singing, reading, baking, fishing, going on dates with my hubby, travel, scrapbooking, and more.

How long have you been selling on Etsy and what drew you to that market?

I have been selling on Etsy since November of 2006. I found out about Etsy from another crafting forum that I belonged to. I started out selling the jewelry that I made. Soon I realized that I could create banners and avatar for Etsy shops, and so I opened a "banner shop". Then, I wanted to do the photo greeting cards, so instead of cluttering up the banner shop, I opened Photo Greetings. I am always looking for ways to supplement my husband's income, and Etsy seemed like a natural fit for me.

I noticed your shop donates 10% of your profit to "Hands At Work Africa." Please tell us a little about that great organization~

We do donate 10% of our proceeds to "Hands at Work in Africa". Thank you so much for asking about this organization. I found out about it through our new church that we are now attending. Hands at Work in Africa is Christ-centered, community-based, committed to the poor and striving boldly to reach 100,000 orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa by 2010...one by one. There are so many orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa because of war and disease. So many children are considered "head of household", and are "parenting" their younger siblings...including sometimes walking for miles to get food for the family. This is a tragedy. It is so easy for us to remain "detached" from what is going on in Africa, because it's a bunch of "nameless faces". But because of the Gospel of Christ, there is no way that we as a family can NOT do something to help. We may not be able to travel there in the near future, but we know that God can take what we give and put it to good use, allowing it to reach those in need. Here in America, we may be considered "low income" the area where we live, but comparatively speaking, we are rich. God has given us all that we have, and we want to give back, to help others. If you would like to know more about Hands at Work in Africa, please visit their website at http://www.handsatwork.org/.

Thank you Angie for sharing with us and letting us get to know you!

Guess what, guys????

Yep, she has provided a giveaway!!!!!

ANY design in her shop!

Visit her shop and come back here leaving a comment on which design you like best and why. Be sure there is a way to contact you in your comment! I will draw a winner on Friday evening! Good luck! And thanks, Angie!

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Sales for little Cora's Memorial Playground are going strong with over $5,000.00 being donated so far and over 2 weeks left to go. Please click the Cora button on my sidebar to go straight to the Etsy listings that benefit the playground fund. Thank you for your help!

To learn about Cora's story click here or here.

Yesterday was so nice. I took Lucas out for a shopping trip to Old Town Spring. It is a part of town that is filled with antique and specialty shops and wonderful cafes/bakeries. (There are even "Barkeries" for our canine friends). I happened into one shop in particular that sold Beanpod candles. Guess I've been out of the candle loop, but I had not heard of the Beanpod candle before, but now I am hooked!

I purchased some of their soy beads ~ the vanilla and oatmeal cookie scents. These are wonderful soy "beads" that burn in a regular tart warmer. You only need about a tablespoon of "beads" and the scent lasts so long and is very strong. I am a huge tart fan and I burn them all the time, but these beads have won me over. The great thing about them is you can combine scents to create new scents. For instance you can combine the apple scent and some of the spices and have an apple pie scent. There are "recipes" available on the website. If I can find a good deal on these, there may be another giveaway soon! :)

By the way, I took Lucas to lunch at one of the little cafes in Old Town and he was such a little gentleman. I really enjoyed our day together. He waved at all the older women that passed by, then turned and informed me that he "likes to wave at girls."

Josh purchased Shrek in 3d to take to Mexico next month to show the little children there.

The boys enjoyed a preview a couple of nights ago!

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