I've escaped for 29 years

Before I get started, check out Lindsay @ Trail By Sapphire She has a great blog and you are missing out if you don't go see for yourself!

Hi there!  I’m Lindsay, and I’m thelady behind Trial By Sapphire.  At Trial By Sapphire, I document things that I find beautiful, fall in love with, learn about, laughat, and am infinitely thankful for.  Itsounds like a lot of everything… and it is! My sister got almost all of my mom’s domestic goddess gene, but thatdoesn’t stop me from trying new things. I just call it “experi-crafting”.  Other than readingblogs, I like yoga, Pilates, Skype, tea, singing, musical theatre, servicework, and learning about veg/veganism and green living.  I would love for you to visit sometime!

OK, now on to what I have escaped for the last 29 years. I have always felt completely lucky that one of these has never made its way to me. While I knew one day I would be called, I hoped it would be one day when I was older, retired, and honestly looked forward to doing this. But now?! No way. I neither feel honored, called, or even obligated to to adhere to what this little card is telling me I should.

What is it I'm talking about?

Well, just last Friday I was feeling on cloud 9. You see I had just realized that Spring Break was upon us and for the last 7 years I loved this time and dreaded it all at the same time. It meant a break from work for a week, but also meant upcoming high-stakes testing. So for the first time in 7 years I had no stress of work on me. No highly anticipated break with the dread of it being over in 7 days. I was on Cloud 9!

Then I walked out to the mailbox, opened it to find many goodies awaiting me, and began to go through all the junk that comes. While filing the junk to the back of the pile I came across this. I quickly started to put it in the back of the pile with the junk (I mean a bright yellow postcard had to be junk) when I saw this in bright red at the top.

That's right I've been called to Jury Duty only 3 short weeks after having my baby. Well, of course my cloud 9 I was floating on quickly became fog as I floated back down to Earth.

So what shall I do? Well I marked the box that stated I was the sole care taker of a child under 12. Ben is too young to send to daycare and my MIL will be working at the family business the day I have been summonsed. I put a stamp on it (yes I had to provide the stamp for a piece of mail I was required to to return) and mailed it right back to them.

Cloud 9 restored!

Hope you have a Terrific Tuesday!

Our 1st Year

1 year ago I said "I Do" to my best friend.

Little did I know how great it was going to be. I thought I loved him so much then, but every day there is something about Greg I appreciate more and fall even more in love with. I prayed and told God exactly what I wanted for my life and in a husband. The list was quite detailed and I'm sure that is why I was 28 before Greg walked into my life. We have been together every day since we met 21 months ago.

Here are 21 things I adore about my husband.

1. He is hard working. He stays until the job is done and never puts off until tomorrow what can be done today.

2. People love him. He has a gift with helping others and reading them. He is very in tune with others feelings and emotions.

3. He is so handsome!

4. He loves my dogs as much I do! Continues to insist they love hangers.

5. He kisses me every day, on his own. I know by those kisses that he thought about me all day.

6. We both have the same sense of humor. (Yes, that is 2 donkeys fighting over a piece of carpet.)

7. He also understands my need of taking goofy pictures and poses for them.

8. He is a great sport and takes practical jokes so well.

9. He laughs when I laugh! (This was when I forgot his wedding ring and we had to stop and send someone to go get it.)

10. He allows me to hold my fish close to the camera so they appear bigger than they are.

11. He embraces my need for self portraits.

12. He always puts my needs first.

13. He understands my Love Language is Quality Time, not gifts or words.

14. He is the spiritual leader of our home.

15. He is always working to make our lives easier and better.

16. He is understanding of my OCD and my sometimes neurotic thinking.

17. He hold me every night as we fall asleep.

18. He doesn't get upset at my inability to watch movies. (even though it is one of his favorite things to do.)

19. He gave me this precious gift.

20. He is an amazing father that is just as in love with this little person we made as I am.

21. And...while no one is perfect in this world, he is perfect for me. The best part of my home is truly who I share it with.

The road to Greg wasn't easy, but I would walk it all over again to be his wife!

Sponsor Spotlight

Meet some more of my March Sponsors.

Aubrey @ The Kinch Life

1. I am married. To the most amazing man out there, Andrew. We promised our forever to each other October 1, 2010 and have enjoyed all the choas of our life together so far.

2. I am a Christian. God is beautiful and he is good, always.

3. I have a 6 year old step-son, Drake. He is the biggest blessing and I love him more then words can explain.

4. I am a daddy's girl; we danced to I Loved Her First at my wedding and we both cried a lot; the ugly sobbing though so no pictures will ever be seen. ;)

5. I am addicted to EOS [looks like an egg] chapstick.

6. I have multiple tattoos and am no where near finished getting them. Most have flowers and bible verses.

7. I sang the National Anthem for a basketball game in middle school, once. Was too scared to ever do it again.

8. I used to love school. Now, I hate it. I went for Elementary Education and stopped when I started planning our wedding. Will I go back?? Eventually but probably for Nursing.

9. Baking is my passion. I operate {Little Cakes} for fun.

10. I work as a full-time nanny for a beautiful toddler, Elle. It makes me want my own, soon.

11. I am obsessed with Target. I am there 4...5 times a week. Literally.

12. I am notorious for sending Christmas Cards out the day after Thanksgiving. I get a lot of crap for it but I am just wayyyyy prepared. ;)

13. I suck at math.

14. It's my dream to have a southern accent where I can say "bless your heart" and it would be accepted. Plus I love country music.

15. I "suffer" [that's what people call it but it isn't that extreme] from migraines.

16. I am a chronic organizer.

17. I ran into a wall chasing my brother when I was 5. I now have a sexy Harry Potter-like scar.

18. Elf is my favorite movie.

19. Top 5 words that describe me are: loud, bubbly [my husband says warm], loyal, passionate & a people pleaser.

20. I have a Husky/Samoyed dog, Brutus. He's huge and goofy and I love him SO much.

Crystal @ A Time 4 Everything

Hi, I'm Crystal! A 30, soon to be something, technical support manager, jewelry consultant with Premier Designs, aerobics instructor, and recently, blogger. I live in small town VA, with my two cats and my boyfriend. I like to laugh, love and just enjoy this blessing we have called life. I haven't been blogging that long but in the short amount of time that I have; I'm thoroughly enjoying it! I'm having fun writing about fashion, of course jewelry (hehe), nails, cooking, crafting, my babies (the cats), and anything cool and interesting that comes along the way. Click on over and see for yourself!



High Five Friday & A Book Review



Happy Friday! It is rainy and cold here today (and the next 2 days), but I'm not complaining! Days like this fill our lakes and provide a fun summer for us!!

Here are my top 5 this week!

1. Ben gained 8 ounces in the last 10 days! WOO HOO! He is now at birth weight and eating well.

2. Look at the picture I got the other day! I just love these little feet!

3. Look at the difference 2 weeks can make. It is hard to believe that the picture on the left was just 2 hours before Ben was born. I'm down 20 pounds.

4. Finally got around to trying my extra Birchbox. I was chosen to test these products and they came the day before Ben was born. I've been using them and will review them on Thursday.

5. Hasn't happened yet, but the excitement is still on my top 5. Greg and I will celebrate our 1st anniversary on Monday. So the in-laws are keeping Ben on Saturday night (the WHOLE night) so we can celebrate! I can't believe it has already been a year!

6. Sorry I need to add one more! I'm totally excited about this book swap. If you are a reader, go check it out. Today is the last day to sign up. Click HERE for details and to sign up.

Linking with Lauren @ From My Grey Desk

Now for a little book review.

I read this book in college and I absolutely loved it. I promise you will too. It is a little deep, but such an awesome read!

Deftly written and emotionally powerful, Drowning Ruth is a stunning portrait of the ties that bind sisters together and the forces that tear them apart, of the dangers of keeping secrets and the explosive repercussions when they are exposed. A mesmerizing and achingly beautiful debut.
Winter, 1919. Amanda Starkey spends her days nursing soldiers wounded in the Great War. Finding herself suddenly overwhelmed, she flees Milwaukee and retreats to her family's farm on Nagawaukee Lake, seeking comfort with her younger sister, Mathilda, and three-year-old niece, Ruth. But very soon, Amanda comes to see that her old home is no refuge--she has carried her troubles with her. On one terrible night almost a year later, Amanda loses nearly everything that is dearest to her when her sister mysteriously disappears and is later found drowned beneath the ice that covers the lake. When Mathilda's husband comes home from the war, wounded and troubled himself, he finds that Amanda has taken charge of Ruth and the farm, assuming her responsibility with a frightening intensity. Wry and guarded, Amanda tells the story of her family in careful doses, as anxious to hide from herself as from us the secrets of her own past and of that night.
Ruth, haunted by her own memory of that fateful night, grows up under the watchful eye of her prickly and possessive aunt and gradually becomes aware of the odd events of her childhood. As she tells her own story with increasing clarity, she reveals the mounting toll that her aunt's secrets exact from her family and everyone around her, until the heartrending truth is uncovered.
Guiding us through the lives of the Starkey women, Christina Schwarz's first novel shows her compassion and a unique understanding of the American landscape and the people who live on it.

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Linking with Heather at Blonde...Undercover Blonde



Kony 2012

Sorry, no product review this week! There is something a little more pressing I MUST post about today.

Hold old were 26 years ago?

Were you even born?

What were you scared of?

The dark?

Monsters under the bed?

Peas for dinner?

Do you have parents?

Siblings?

Children?

Do you ever waste 30 minutes day?

I was 3. Scared of monsters under my bed. I have wonderful parents, 2 sisters, and I now have an amazing son. Yes, I waste 30 minutes everyday doing something I enjoy.

Do you believe you were put on this Earth for a reason?

Are you making a difference?

What will you be remembered for?

What is your LEGACY?

How are you making things better in the world?

Take 30 minutes you would waste and watch this video!

I believe God puts people in our lives for a reason. Some to make our lives better and some to make us better people. I believe everything, positive and negative, serves a purpose in our lives. And I believe we are here to serve a purpose in others' lives.

What purpose will you serve?

How will you make a difference?

Go HERE for a way to help!

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