Giving, Receiving, & a Giveaway!

I love, love, LOVE giving gifts.  It's the most fun ever to see people smile.  I always look forward to being able to give people things, whether they're homemade or store bought.

I also really appreciate when people think of me during the Christmas season.  One of the companies we purchase from sent me this little number:

So fun, it made me laugh.  AND it's actually really warm, so thank you Bill at Bretmor.

With all of that out of the way, the next week is going to get really crazy with wrapping up Christmas shopping and making our rounds to family and friends, so I wanted to give you a little somethin', too:

I will be giving away a shirt to support my sister's journey to Brazil:

Another winner will get a Shine Shirt:

This one is my personal favorite, but there are others here for you to choose from.

And a 3rd winner will get the gift of warmth and caffiene;

a $25 giftcard to Starbucks!

Of course, you must be a Semi-Homemade Suzie follower via:

Blogger

Facebook

or

Google Friend Connect

And you've gotta be a follower of The Shine Project if you aren't already.

Leave a separate comment for each way you are following to get more entries and a better chance of winning one of the items!

Names will be drawn at random for each item and the giveaway will close December 28th extended to 1/4/12!

MIA.

Yeah.  Sorry about that.

To be honest, I haven't really cooked anything new in a while and got 4 whole days off from cooking at all thanks to Thanksgiving!  We ran around like NUTS all weekend and I came to work Monday more tired than I was before the break.  How does that happen?

I have also have a little BIG project in the works over here that will hopefully get my sister, Helen, to Brazil to spread the love of Christ.  You can catch me and my Scripture Scarves over at The Shine Project in December, but here is a little sneak peek:

Oh, and how 'bout those Skins?  I mean, next season is THE season (see this if you want to understand the mind of a Redskins fan).  And for your viewing pleasure, here are some scenes from the Cowgirls game:

FYI: 24 days, 14 hours, and 24 minutes until Christmas.  But who's counting?

And The Winner Is...

Sarah!

Congratulations, lady, you get a SHINE Necklace and a $25 Starbucks Giftcard.  My giveaway over at the Shine Project also went to a different reader named Sarah, what are the odds of that?

You don't find that cool?  I do.  Happy Holidays to the Sarahs!

Stay tuned for November's Giveaway and my super secret 12 Days of Christmas.

'Tis the Season.... GIVEAWAY CLOSED :)

...to drink Starbucks and G I V E.

Which brings me, folks, to my very first giveaway!



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Let's be honest.  Everyone loves Starbucks.  Even toddlers.  See:

So, what better way to make you love me than to give you a $25 Gift Card?  BOOM!

AND, I want to give away one of these super adorable Shine Necklaces:

Not only are they cute, but they are for a good cause.  Ashley over at The Shine Project has dedicated her life to giving to others.  She is a fresh breath of optimism and joy; I can't get enough of her!

The contest will be open until November 9th!

Rules for entering:
1.  You must be a Semi-Homemade Suzie follower on one of the following:
 Blogger, Facebook, Google, or Networked Blogs.
2. You also have to follow The Shine Project if you aren't already.
3.  Leave me a comment telling me you are following - if you are following in more than one way, leave a comment for each way you follow so you enter the contest for more chances to win!

Ready, set, GO!

Trust & Faith.

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Now, when I started on this blog journey, I promised myself I wouldn't get too personal; I swore that I wouldn't give too many details of my life because I believe in saving some details for a close few.  Prompted by The Shine Project, I am slightly breaking my promise to myself.

Danielle asked if we ever had our lives planned out a certain way.  Well, yes - and my plans and real life couldn't be more different.  I feel super blessed to be where I am; I have the most supportive family ever (sometimes a little too supportive), I have a man who loves me despite our disagreements and relationship faults, I have a home with a bed to lay in every night, and I have a perfectly healthy baby boy.

While I admit that I am - in some ways - living a pretty dreamy life, I had serious convictions about my life on a regular basis.  You know that song "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage?"  Well, my song is a little different.  Big Steven and I are not married and Little Steven was the most awesome little BIG 'surprise' of all time.  I make many jokes about not being married and frequently reference a wedding that has yet to happen or officially be planned (though I've had that bad boy in the works for like 15+ years.  Groom = minor details).

Like I said, I have convictions about the life I'm living.  I believe everyone's relationship with God is personal and my bond with Him has become incredibly strong since the day I found out I was pregnant.  There have been many tears shed out of fear of disappointing Him and many long talks with Him that ended in me pleading for direction.

Even when I started this blog, I wondered if I should talk about my faith and love for God in the same place I talk about my boyfriend and our son.  I prayed about it a lot and found that leaving either piece of the puzzle out would take away all sincerity that exists in my faith.

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The truth is, God's love surpasses any fathomable love in our minds.  In my circumstances right now, my relief is knowing I'm loved...like BIG TIME loved.  I never doubted that love, though I'd felt like I'd disappointed God among others in my life, and I didn't care about the societal traditional values; I mostly feared the responses from other Christians - the ones in my life and the ones who know me 'from a distance.'  While I've made a big effort not to judge anyone or their circumstances, I know judgement comes far too easily to many others.  When even they embraced me, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.  And those who don't embrace it only remind me of God's unfailing love.

Trust and faith are constant reminders to me that life is not about being perfect, but remembering that we're forgiven and loved by the One who matters most.  It's knowing God's guidance and will are so good; I don't have to worry.   It's knowing, though it's not visible now, that peace will come in my heart about this situation.  

For now, I pray.  A lot.

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Awkward & Awesome Thursday!

Awkward:

-The above picture.  My goal was showcase the SHINE necklace.  Even though my pic sucks, go purchase for a good cause.

- Nearly getting stranded without toilet paper at work - nearly.  I awkwardly held it in and got some and, thankfully, made it back before peeing on myself.

- Showing up late for work for the 3rd time this week.  I am just going to have to leave my house 30 min. earlier to ensure arrival on time.  Stupid NOVA traffic.

- Going to take a math test last night only to have to turn back around because I didn't have my ID.  AFTER paying for the meter!  You are welcome, person behind me.

Awesome:

- Having a boss that understands the atrocity of the traffic and never really cares that I'm late.

- The boots I'm wearing.  They're a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n roll.

- My best friend/cousin/future MOH was born on this day.  What a good day!

- Cardio for 30 minutes on top of the Shred on Tuesday and an HOUR yesterday!  Hellooooo, super calorie burn.

- Rachel won Big Brother.  She annoys me, but at some point she grew on me and I was rooting for her hard core.  Now I wanna go on the show and win half a mill.

- This sammie I told ya I was gonna make:

Not as aesthetically appealing thanks to the camera phone, but just as delish!

HAPPY ALMOST FRIDAY!

I Shine/Beauty Defined.

 this week, BEAUTIFUL means: - listening to the person you love and loving him more because he let you listen.- seeing NKOTBSB tonight.  unity of my fav boy bands of all time = perfection.- spending tonight with my beautiful Christina on her birthday screaming like school girls.- my son.  everything about him, but his bed head really makes me smile.- seeing how much Mrs. L and her mother in law love my son- cookies 'n cream ice cream- losing 2 lbs.  barely noticeable, but i feel H-O-T.-watching Big Steven sweat bananas mowing the huge lawn- God's timing.- Answered prayers.- Semi-homemade dinners around a dinner table with my boys. Beauty to me is the little stuff; the stuff we take forgranted until we realize not everyone has that stuff.  Beauty is finding opportunity in crap-a situations and reminding myself that today is what counts.  Beauty is losing a friendship in order to see that some friendships are never, ever gone.  Beauty is accepting everyone else just as they are, even if they believe differently than me because everyone needs some love.  Beauty is encouraging others because making them feel good makes me feel good. My life is BEAUTIFUL.