Giveaway WINNERS!

Ok, I am a little behind! Life has gotten crazy and I have so much to update about! More on that later. Here are the winners of my blogoversary giveaway:

Winner of the $20 Pampered Chef gift certificate:
Brandie at Livin for the Love

Winner of her choice of three Pampered Chef spices:
Jennifer at Jaxon and Brayden's World

Congratulations ladies! Please contact me ASAP so we can get your products ordered and on their way to you!

100th post and a GIVEAWAY!

Since I have reached my 100th post and my blogoversary is coming up I have decided to have TWO giveaways on my blog! My goal for the next year is to attract more readers to my blog and get more comments! I love reading everyone's comments but I never have more than 2 or 3 on a post. I also want to be more faithful to my blog...perhaps that will entice more readers :)

So, here you go!

$20 Pampered Chef gift certificate

OR

YOUR CHOICE of THREE Pampered Chef seasonings

I assume you're next question is, "How do I win?"

I'm glad you asked :)

1. Check out my website by clicking HERE

2. Browse our products

3. Come back here and leave a comment (because I LOVE them!) and let me know what you would choose if you are the winner!

Post about this giveaway on YOUR blog and leave another comment to let me know you did and your name will be entered TWICE!

Place an individual order on my website and your name will be entered THREE times!

Contact me to set up your web show and your name will be entered TEN times!

Raeleigh will choose TWO winners on July 31st, my official blogoversary!

GOOD LUCK!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Raeleigh!

My beautiful Raeleigh Jayde, today you are four years old! Where has the time gone? You have grown up so much this year! Four years ago I couldn't have imagined that life would be so great, but God truly blessed me when he chose me to be your mommy! I can't wait to see how much you accomplish this year!

All my love,
Mommy

Wordless Wednesday

4th of July pics!

We had a great weekend spending time with family and just enjoying life! Here are a few pictures from Saturday at my grandmother's house. We shot some fireworks later that night but Raeleigh was not the least bit interested in any of it!











This picture is really blurry but I just had to post it! Isn't he the sweetest?!

Great News from the Eye Doctor!

We LOVE Raeleigh's eye doctor! She is so patient with Raeleigh and never gets frustrated. In return, Raeleigh is usually very cooperative during her eye exams!

We had a great appointment today! Dr. Lewis examined Raeleigh's eyes while she was wearing her glasses and said everything looks awesome! She also said that she thinks Raeleigh's vision will most likely be corrected with the glasses and she will not need them forever! YAY!

Glad we have one appointment over with for the month! I hope all the others go this well!

Is it August yet?

July is a VERY busy month at our house. We always have yearly appointments to go to since Raeleigh's birthday is in July. This year we have added a number of additional specialists to clutter my already overflowing planner. I am already dreading all of it and it's only the 1st!

Tomorrow Raeleigh goes to the optometrist for a recheck of her vision since she has had her glasses. I can imagine it's not much better than it was since the only time she will wear her glasses is at school. I will say that her right eye is no longer crossing in and she's not bumping into walls anymore. That's always a good thing!

This weekend will of course contain lots of good food, family, and fireworks. It doesn't get much better than that! Then begin more appointments. Thursday we will head to Nashville to the Down Syndrome Clinic at Vanderbilt. I think this is the appointment I dread the most. We will be having bloodwork done (on a child who has no veins! UGH!), x-rays to rule out AAI (I am so nervous about this!), and talking with a nutritionist about helping Raeleigh before she turns into a chicken nugget!
*sigh* Please pray for us on this one!

The next week we will have 2 family birthday parties for Raeleigh because divorced parents stink and they feel the need to complicate everyone else's life when it should just be a fun day all about Raeleigh ! Okay, temper tantrum over.

Poor Raeleigh has to see an ENT on her birthday because that was the ONLY date they had. Hopefully we will be having tubes put in her ears before school starts.

I still have to schedule an appointment with Raeleigh's regular pediatrician for a well check, Rudy has a 6 month well check, I need to see my doctor, and Raeleigh needs to see a dentist. The director of school is supposed to call next week and let me know if I have a job (PLEASE God!). If I do I go to work July 29th! AHHH!

Seriously, I know people have bigger problems...but I get really stressed over having a packed schedule. If you got this far you rock!

learning to jump

Last week we went to the pool a few times since it's scorching hot finally warm enough. Raeleigh was unusally timid about the water and chose to sit on the step the entire time.



Rudy on the other hand enjoyed the water.



The next day Raeleigh was back to her old self and couldn't stay out of the water! I spent the majority of my time helping her do this:



We are trying to teach her to kick her feet. *sigh* Maybe by the end of summer. So she can forget and we will have to start all over next year!
Anyway, she is learning to jump thanks to the refreshing feeling of splashing into the pool!







Eventually her Momma will be brave enough to "catch" her when she hits the water instead of holding onto her through every step!

Vacation Pics - Day 3

On Tuesday, we drove into New Jersey and went to Adventure Aquarium. There were about a MILLION school kids there when we got there but eventually they cleared out. All their shirts said "Field Day" which is crazy to me because field days at our schools are spent outside on the football field having sack races, kick ball tournaments, etc.

Anyway, Raeleigh really liked the aquarium. The hippos were definitely her favorite! The ones we saw at the zoo last year were so boring but these swam right up and looked at us! After we left the aquarium we headed to Geno's for a cheesesteak. We had planned to go to the Liberty Bell but I almost had a nervous breakdown driving in downtown Philly. After getting lost 3 times I finally found the interstate and refused to go back into the city! We really didn't think Geno's was that great but it was an experience I guess. Okay, enough rambling...here are some pictures. Let's see if you notice what all the pictures of Raeleigh have in common...it's really becoming a pet peeve of mine!

Summertime! - Part 3

Sesame Place - Day 2

We had more fun on our second day! Raeleigh was in a better mood and stayed awake for the parade! It was raining at the beginning of the parade but we just huddled under a towel to stay dry! We came back for the night parade and it was SO much better! If you ever go to Sesame Place be sure to watch the 7:00 parade!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Wordless Wednesday

More pictures soon I promise!

I have TONS of pictures to share from vacation and I promise to get to that soon! Brandon and I have spent the last few days putting in job applications for him and taking my resume to all the elementary schools in our county. So far I have met with 2 of the 5 principals. I know all of them but I am trying to get my name/face out there! Our Superintendent called me yesterday and asked me to come to his office. He told me he only had 5 positions to fill for next year and over 50 applications! He is the one who suggested going to meet with all the principals since they will recommend who they want for the positions at their school. Please say a little prayer that I am one of those lucky 5! Also, please pray that Brandon finds a job soon...he has been laid off for 6 months!

Sesame Place - Day 1

Sesame Place is awesome! I didn't want to leave! Raeleigh loved meeting all the characters and the parade was definitely the best part! We have already decided to come back when Rudy is bigger. Here are some pictures from our first day. We had such a great time!

Vacation Pics - Day 1

We are here!! We arrived in Philly yesterday around 10:30am. We had a great flight. Raeleigh was WONDERFUL! I hope she is that great on the way home! Brandon got over one of his biggest fears and actually liked flying! YAY!

After getting settled yesterday we headed to Build a Bear to let Raeleigh stuff her Elmo we bought online. She had lots of fun (not as much as Brandon). We are so excited to finally be here! Today was our first day at Sesame Place...pictures from that soon!

4 month check-up

Today was Rudy's 4 month check-up. He weighs 15 lbs. 15.7 oz and is 25 inches long! Raeleigh was half his size at this age! We got permission to start cereal and baby food! Hooray! Maybe now Rudy will stay full for longer than 2 hours!

Summertime! - Part 2

Summertime! - Part 1

Catie Caterpillar

Last Tuesday Raeleigh made a caterpillar at school. We decided we would name her Catie Caterpillar. She came home with us on a styrofoam plate with a note that read:

Dear Parents,
We made caterpillars today. They are filled with potting soil and grass seed. If you will help your child water them daily the grass will grow through the panty hose. When the grass gets long enough you can even give them a haircut.

I meant to take a picture of Catie Caterpillar before she started growing grass but she is growing too darn fast!

This picture was taken on Saturday afternoon.


And this is what Catie looked like when we went outside this morning.


I think it's about time for that haircut!