Kim's 100th Post Giveaway!!

Kim is celebrating her 100th POST!! So stop on over at http://simple-needs.blogspot.com/2008/10/100th-post-giveaway.html and take a look at all her goodies! I know they would all look wonderful here in my home! ESPECIALLY that Saltbox kettle :) What a loot!! Take a look!

Char's Giveaway!!

Char over at http://charsethman.blogspot.com/ is having a wonderful giveaway in honor of her daughters 21st Birthday!! Can you guess what this is????

It is a toaster cover!! Isn't that the cutest thing!!! I know it would love perfect in my kitchen!

Here it is Thursday!

Sorry I haven't been posting so much! Truth of the matter I have been so busy these last couple of weeks! Going nonstop..... It seems to always be something! I spent the entire day today cleaning! Do you ever go on a spree and just NEED to do it! That is how I felt when I woke up! I dusted, cleaned the walls, did the floors, cleaned to ceiling fans, the fridge, washed all of the downstairs curtains!! Seriously you name it I did it!!! It feels so good to sit in a nice cleaning smelling house!! Hopefully it will stay that way for a few days!!

The weather her in Texas is finally kinda Autumn-ish!!! It is suppose to get into the low 30's overnight although it will warm back up to the 60's in the afternoon! I love opening the windows during the day and just letting the breeze flow through the house!

I have been working on some much needed prim projects around here.... I have learned to antique stuff..... Definantly my favorite hobby these days! I finished a shelf that I bought at a garage sale and some wood stuff I found at the Goodwill! now only to get my camera to cooperate so I can share pics! My next project is to master tea/coffee staining stuff :) I also am hoping to grunge some candles this weekend!!! Im having Jason print me some patterns that Leslie shared in her Stitchery how to post; and Im gonna attempt to stitch a few this weekend :)

Devin has an early doctor's appt with his new doctor who will manage his ADHD. Im a very nervous for some reason..... Although I know this is a GREAT change for him none the less..... I still worry! Isn't that what Momma's are suppose to do! Depending on timing I may suprise him and take him to the movies!!! I definantly know that WE (him and I) need to spend more one on one time together and going to the movies is definantly a treat for us! Saturday he has an early game so we will all be off to that bright and early!

Not much else on the homefront!! I cooked some yummy beef stew this evening (my grandpa's receipe) made Jason some cornbread and a buttered pecan cake~ two of his favorite things! Im definantly getting more into this homemaker stuff! I definantly want to be a Proverbs wife and mother!

Proverbs 31: 10-31
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Im off to put the leftovers away! Hope you are each having a blessed evening!

Pumpkin Pecan Braid

INGREDIENTS

Coffee Cake
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped pecans

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and egg yolk. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; firmly press edges and perforations to seal. Press to form 13x7-inch rectangle. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet. Press to form 13x7-inch rectangle. Spread filling in 3 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough rectangle to within 1 inch of ends.
3. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle just to edge of filling. Fold strips at an angle across filling, overlapping ends and alternating from side to side. Beat egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over dough.
4. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on serving platter.
5. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm coffee cake. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pecans

I believe!!

A dear friend sent me this a while back and thought I would share it~

A birth certificate shows that we were born; a death certificate shows that we died; pictures show that we lived! Have a seat . Relax. And read this slowly.

I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe - That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe - That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe - That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe - That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe - That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe - That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe - That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I believe - That we are responsible for what we do, nomatter how we feel.

I believe - That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe - That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe - That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe - That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe - That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe - That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe - That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe - That no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe - That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe - Two people can look at the exact samething and see something totally different.

I believe - That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe - That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I believe - That credentials on the wall do not makeyou a decent human being.

I believe - That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I believe - The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

I believe - Every action you take is a seed you sow, and every seed you sow is a harvest you'll reap.

Nicole's Birthday Celebration Giveaway!

Today is Nicole's birthday over at http://backinthedaystore.blogspot.com/ to celebrate she is having a giveaway! So hop on over and celebrate with us!!

Here is a look at her goodies!

Farmchick's Giveaway!

Thought I would share another wonderful giveaway with you my friends!!



Hop on over to http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-giveaway.html and get entered in the giveaway!





Here is a peak at her items:

An 8 oz. SOY CANDLE
A BAG OF SOY TARTS
PUMPKIN POT STAKE

My 3 Little Guys!

Well, I have shared my amazing husband so I thought I would now share with you my little guys! Our oldest is Michael Devin who we call Devin.... He was named after his Daddy actually! They both share Michael as their first name and both go by their middle names.... He is our brown hair/brown eyed beauty! He is all of 8 years old!! He is in the 3rd grade this year and is doing wonderful!!! Towards the end of school last year we decided to go on and proceed with having him tested for ADHD. We had already tried the homeopathic medicine's and they just weren't cutting it any longer and I was to the point that I wanted an actual definant answer as to if he did have ADHD or what was going on. Needless to say he is now medically diagnosed with it now. It at times is very heart wrenching for me..... We all want our children to group and be perfect and not have anything at all wrong and sadly for us that is not the case. It is in fact a daily struggle with us and him. He tries so very hard to do his best and wants to be his best at everything! His grades are wonderful and thankfully this year at school so far his behavior is as well.

When not at school you can find Devin soaking up everything he can about baseball. It is his passion. In fact he knows more about it than any of us in our house!!! He loves to also go to church and sing in the kids choir.

When Devin was about 2 years old we decided that we would love to have more kids. Well, we definantly learned that our plans don't always go with the Lords plans...... we struggle with fertility issues and when Devin was five....

We added our Mason Levi to our family!!! I was definantly excited that Devin was getting a baby brother! How perfect I thought it would be for him!!! Mason was born in April of 2005; Now he is a very active 3 year old! We are currently working on potty training! With Devin he was the poster child... crawling at 6 months, walking at 10 months, off the bottle at 12 months, potty trained at 2 years! I mean just perfect!! Not our Mason............ He is however doing great with going to the potty so far! I was just hoping it was a little earlier than now! He also is our animal lover!! Another one of the reason's it was so hard to get rid of the kittens! He was constantly carrying one of them around!! He also loves to "help" clean! Im hoping this will carry on when he is older!! And who doesn't love a blonde haired blue eyed boy! I think he will also be following in big brothers foot steps soon to the baseball field!

Suprisingly and I do mean a VERY BIG suprise!!! When Mason was 4 months old we found out that we were expecting once again. I was in fact on birth control so you can just imagine the suprise! I was sooooo not ready for another baby yet!!! and then in December 2005 we found out we would be having a THIRD boy........ I was so upset..... I knew that this would be our last baby and I sooo wanted that girl to dress in pink and wear those super huge bows. Well, that didn't happen but I did get.......

Matthew Avery!!! My sweet little red head!! However, the disappointment didn't last long when he was born in April 2006!!! This little guy is amazing! He so completed us!!! Looking back I can't imagine not having him! He rounds the boys out so much; they each are their own of course but, he is just the most gentle of them. He can be very timid at times but, doesn't really meet a stranger he won't say hi to! He loves to follow both of his big brothers around and doesn't leave their side; even when they want him to! He also would be perfectly content sitting in Momma's lap all day long if we could! So as you can see Im a very blessed Momma!!! Here is some of my favorite pics of my boys!

Dani's Giveaway!!

Dani over at Olde Homesteasd Peddler is having a giveaway to celebrate her beginning to blogging! She is having a 1st and 2nd Place Prize!! So hop on over and read her rules and get signed up at: http://oldehomesteadpeddler.blogspot.com/

First Place Prize!!

Second Place Prize!!

One of those days!!!

Ever have one of those days that just seem that something sad is going on all day long..... Well, that would be how my day was today!

It started out okay! Thankfully it is Friday!!! For those of you that don't know my grandfather had a massive heart attack July 31st. He was airlifted to Houston which is 5 hours from us. It is the only hospital in Texas who would perform the surgery that he needed done. He was in the CVICU for about a month and seemed to be getting some better and was moved to the CCU unit which is actually an improvement for him. He had a permanent pacemaker put in last week and seemed all was heading in the right direction until this week. Wednesday he started talking out of his head and actting crazy so at that point they thought he had either been over medicated or had a stroke so he is now back in CVICU and critical once again. Im just so sad..... Growing up he wasn't a big part of our life. Due to retarded conflicts with my mom. Now we are all old enough to decide for ourselves and we have went and spent a couple of holidays with him these last 3 years. Im just so heartbroken that my boys may not get to know him and will miss out on that like I did. I was so glad that we made it down to see him the Friday night that he was first taken down there. We were the first to arrive there and I was back with him and he told me how much he loved me and how we had always been on his mind and in his heart. The next day is when he had another heart attack and was placed on the ventilator. We had to leave the following day so I still haven't saw him since then. I did talk to him on his birthday which was Sept 24th but, I knew then he wasn't the same..... I asked him what he was doing and he told me, "I just got done jumping through some ditches!" Obviously the medication he was on was giving him some problems. He did know who I was though and told me he loved me. That Im truly thankful for! I would love to make it back down there this weekend but, we just can't afford it. Between gas, lodging and eatting we spent almost 250 dollars the last trip!

Also, our Momma cat had kittens back in July and we got rid of them today and her. We kept one kitten only because Devin was heartbroken over them leaving. I just couldn't take care of them any longer.... 4 cats plus my 3 boys, my nephew and the little girl I keep during the day was just becoming to overwhelming. Having to clean the litter ever single day, sweeping the laundry room twice a day cause they destroy the food bowl and litter pan, keep Matthew out of the cat food and then they started climbing the counters and knocking my breakables off the top of my cabinets........

Sorry for rambling Im just exhausted, and sad all rolled up in one! If you stuck with me this long THANKS! Hopefully tomorrow I will find time to share my boys with ya!

Etsy Shop Sale!

Well, I have decided I need to get my stacking boxes out of the way so starting today through Sunday everything in my etsy shop will be 50% off. I have a link to it in my sidebar and if you have any questions please send me a message!!!

*** price reflected on etsy is the sale price *** I will change them back Monday.

How I became a Wiggins.....

Well, I said in my last blog I was gonna try to share about my family this week.... So Im gonna start off with my sweet husband Jason.....

We met each other when I was 15 and he was 17 at our church on July 3rd 1994. He was and still is an extremely shy kinda guy. He was at the water fountain getting a drink and my sister told me "He likes you." He turned the brightest red you could ever imagine. We laugh at each other because we both still remember what the other one was wearing that Sunday night...... Every since that following weekend we have been together. We waited a few years and got married when I was only 18. It's funny looking back everyone thought we were nuts to get married so young. Now we both understand what they were talking about however, we are still happy with what we chose to do.

He is an amazing man..... I could go on and on about him I think. He is the most giving, caring man. He is a wonderful provider for our family. He loves me unconditionally and I know without a doubt the minute I need him he is ALWAYS there. He makes me proud to be his wife and his companion. Our boys adore him and it makes my heart full watching him play with them. Music is also a big part of his life. He can sing like you wouldn't believe! He plays the drums at church. It is such a wonderful feeling watching someone you love do something they love to do! I also love him for his love for Christ. He has sacrificed so much for me to be able to stay home with our boys and for that alone I will forever adore him. He is also a Plumbing Designer for an Engineering Firm here..... I laugh at him when we walk into a place and he starts noticing all of the ends and outs of the building and if he "thinks" it was done properly. He is my heart and my soul! I thank God everyday for bringing him into my life.

Awesome 100th Post Giveaway!!

Tammy over at http://countrygirlathome.blogspot.com/ is celebrating her 100th post with a wonderful giveaway!!! Some wonderful prim items that both her and her husband have made!! So stop on over and take a look and celebrate with her!

Books I managed to read this week!

Most of you who actually "know" me know that Im a HUGE book fan!!! We made it over to Mardel's last week on Saturday during our date day.... My sister took the boys with her for the ENTIRE day!! We also went to the movies and saw Fireproof!!! MUST watch movie!!
ANYWAY~ I managed to get 3 books and have already finished them!!! I love reading books that are in series!!!

I started out with Sunset by Karen Kingsbury which is actually book #4 in the Sunrise Series....

Sunset is about the power of family love, and the healing miracle of redemption. As John Baxter makes plans to marry Elaine, one of the Baxters enters into the most trying season of all. During a time of renewed love and hope for the future, the Baxters try to come together to establish the sacred ground of marriage and to chart a course for the future. Memories of times gone by meet with the changes of today in a story that proves only the support of faith and family can take a person into the sunset years of life.

I so love all of her books and am definantly sad the this series is ended!!

Followed that up with The Longing by Beverly Lewis which is Book #3 in The Courtship of Nellie Fisher Series.....

Although she still thinks of Caleb Yoder, Nellie Mae Fisher has broken up with her beau, choosing instead to follow the ways of the New Order. Yet her yearning for a husband remains, and new possibilities beckon, taking her heart by surprise.
A tragic accident binds Caleb once more to the father who so opposed his affection for Nellie ... and to the farm that will no longer be his. As he longs for freedom, Caleb soon discovers he cannot forget the only girl he's ever loved.

I really have taken a liking to the Amish stories!!! I love learning of all of the simple ways that they live.

I finished A Promise to Remember by Kathryn Cushman last night. I had never heard of her and then last week when I saw it at Mardel's and it was only $2.49 I figured it was worth a read.... and it definantly was! It was a little slow at the beginning but, I ended up not being able to put it down!

Andie Phelps is the envy of Santa Barbara. A devoted mother with a loving son and a successful husband, her greatest joy comes from reaching out to others.
Melanie Johnston is the envy of no one. A single mom who works long hours to pay the bills, and her greatest joys relate to her teen daughter and son.
Then the accident that changes everything. When opposite worlds collide, the impact reaches far beyond these mothers’ personal losses.
Two wounded women…Two families seeking hope…A community torn apart… How far will they go to fulfill A Promise to Remember?

So what are you currently reading????

Busy, Busy Busy.... Yet again :)

I find myself reminding me that it has been a week since I have blogged. I log on and read all of my favorite blogs daily but, just haven't had even a moment to sit and blog deeply. This week was yet another busy one.... I didn't manage to get much crafts done but, I did get some doillies (sp?) grunged up a bit! I love how they turned out and they found a place to go today in fact! I started watching a little girl who is 5 months old a few weeks ago and having 3 kids under 3 a few days a week keeps me hopping!!!

I got the boys up after we got big brother off to school yesterday and we headed to the donut shop and garage selling! I only found a shelf just like I have been wanting for $5.00 it has some flowers painted on the top of it so my project this week will be to sand it down; I also found some old wooden candle holders at the Goodwill for 75 cents a few weeks ago and plan on sanding and painting them as well! Im hoping I can distress them right :) It will be my first attempt at it! So if you have any pointers shoot away with them!

Devin's ball team lost their game today but, goodness are they coming along!! Jason is really enjoying it and it is bringing out a whole new side of him. For those of you who don't know him.... He is really a sweet easy going sometimes shy kinda guy. Having to interact and talk with the boys and their parents has done wonders...... Im sooo very proud of him! He is an amazing Daddy! Although baseball is just as consuming for us in the fall as it seems to be in the spring! Jason also started softball this past week so another night filled of BALL!!!! The boys like going and it gets me out of the house...... and the BEST part it is FREE entertainment :)

The Youth Drama Team is performing tomorrow night at church Im sooo proud of these guys tonight at practice you could tell they had really been working on their lines! Im so excited to see them show off all of the hard work they have done these past few weeks!

So that has been my week in a nutshell..... Next week Im going to try to post more and tell you about the special guys in my life! I haven't shared much about them and Im hoping to get my boxes loaded onto etsy when I get a chance so I can get rid of them :)

Hope you each are having a BLESSED weekend!