Arbonne {Giveaway}

I am very excited to be hosting this giveaway for y'all today! Paige is an Arbonne Independent Consultant and is giving away a Makeup Primer. For a few years in college, I was an Arbonne Independent Consultant and know first hand what an wonderful company Arbonne is. In Paige's words, here is what Arbonne means to her and what the company has to offer.

In hopes of providing an income to my family all while being home to enjoy the younger years that my children are in, I prayed for a company. A company that could change my life, and make me feel successful as well as one that shared products that are great and could truly speak for themselves. After many prayers and many nights of wondering if I was going in the right direction, a family friend contacted me saying that I had been on her heart lately. Wow. My why was quickly found as I sat listening to a presentation. This is my business, the one that is going to take my family places, and is spreading across our nation rapidly.

Arbonne is a 33 year old company that obtains a Swiss Heritage. We are skin care along with a health/wellness company that provides all natural products. We range from products of the ABC baby care line, FCS oily/combination skin care line, RE9 Anti-aging, Cosmetics, Daily Essentails in our health and wellness, Before Skin care as well as after, 30 Days to Fit kit, Clear Advantage Acne Line and so much more. Not only do the products speak for themselves but so does the Arbonne Opportunity. Some of my favorite products are the Clear Advantage Acne Face Wash and the Cosmetics Makeup Primer. The Primer is truly one of a kind and is what I will be giving to ONE of you lucky ladies!

Arbonne Cosmetics Makeup Primer: Helps deminish fine lines, keeps makeup on and helps blend in. Truly this primer makes your skin feel like silk and will last all day. Everyone that I have let sample my product has been astonished with how smooth your skin is after one simple application. Not to worry, you only need a very small amount to cover your face - this applies to all Arbonne products, as they smooth out very generously. {$38 value, plus taxes and shipping}

As an Independent Consultant with Arbonne you remarkably make 35%. Within no time your precentages increase with each management level that you hit. I have been with Arbonne for two months and have hit several goals along with recieving two gifts already. Incredible. This company is truly one that makes you feel apperciated for the hours that you put in. But just a reminder each hour that you and your team put in, all comes to you! This is network marketing ladies, and is the future! Over 82% of women that make over $100,000 a year are in Network Marketing! The time is right, the products and marketplace demand is right {of course everyone that you know has skin and hair, right? - Okay then, this is the time to make this happen!}

If you decide to only be a client with Arbonne then, there are ways to save too! It only costs $20 to become a preferred client and get 20% off of your orders. Also right now if you place a $250 order, you can get $125 worth of products for only $25 - What a great deal!

Please email me with any questions that you may have on products or the great opportunity that stands before you or visit my Facebook page!

Arbonne is in the UK and Austrilia, with it soon to be making it's way into other countries as well. 

To enter the giveaway, simply use the Rafflecopter below!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Emma :: 6 months old

Dear Emma James,

You are 6 months old baby girl! 1/2 way to 1...OH my word! You are such a joy and we are just crazy about you. You are really starting to develop such a fun and sweet personality. Like every month, this has just been a great month with you!

You are sitting up! You started sitting up on your own a few days after your turned 5 months old. This has changed the way you play and the way Hudson interacts with you! I love watching you two start to play together. You smile SO big when he is around. I can't wait to see y'all's relationship continue to grow. I also know the day of y'all fighting over toys is coming too. Not looking forward to that part!

Your favorite toy right now is the small Sophie teether. You like it so much more than the big one. You will go to town on that thing. I keep thinking you are so close to getting your first tooth but I can't even see anything under the surface yet. But I'm in NO hurry for those teeth to come through.

You are also no where close to crawling! By this point Hudson was scooting and getting up into crawling position and you are just content sitting or laying on your tummy. You do lots of rolling but I don't think you will be as mobile as quickly as your brother was. Again...I'm okay with that! You are SUCH a happy and content baby.

We still haven't started you on solids yet. Your doctor said we could wait a few more weeks and that's our plan right now. You are doing great with just nursing and don't seem interested in our food yet. But once we start on solids we are going the Baby Led Weaning approach. I'm excited to go this route with you and not have to mess with rice cereal or baby food. You are like me in so many ways so I'm sure as soon as we give you your first piece of food you will quickly become a food lover.

Your schedule changed for a few weeks this month and last week we went back to how it's been. So you're still taking 2 1/2 to 3 naps a day. Usually 2 good naps and 1 short nap. You are nursing every 3 hours at 7, 10, 1, 4, and 7. Those are all give or take 30 minutes. You are sleeping good at night. Sometimes you will wake up around 4:00 wanting your paci so I can just give it to you and pat your back and you will go back to sleep. I'll be glad when you can find the paci yourself and not need me for that part.

You are becoming quite the chatter box and it's so fun to listen to you talk and find your voice. I love making the sounds that you make and then hearing you make them back to me. I can't wait to have real conversations with you some day! 

You have started to enjoy tv! Your favorites are Mickey Mouse and Dora the Explorer. Unfortunately your brother gets to decide what you watch since he has more of an opinion but you are so laid back that you will watch and be happy with just about whatever is going on.

Emma James, this has been such a fun month with you. We love watching you grow, learn and develop. Your daddy and I are just smitten with you and so is your big brother. I seriously can't believe that you are 1/2 way to a year. This has gone by way too fast!

Love,

Mommy

::6 month stats::

weight: 15 pounds 7 ounces

height: 25 1/4 inches

eating: nursing every 3 hours at 7:00, 10:00, 1:00, 4:00, 7:00

clothes: 3-6 month, 6 month

diaper: size 2

Look how you've changed!

Hudson at 6 months and Emma at 6 months...

our family is growing again!

We are over the moon thrilled that my sister and her husband are pregnant! She is due in November (right around the time of Emma's due date). We are praising God for this precious miracle and continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy for Whit. Join us in praying for Baby McKinney!

let's bowl let's bowl...let's rock 'n roll!

...Grease 2 anyone??? :) 

A couple weeks my Tuesday night girls group decided to get our husbands involved and have a fun night. We met for dinner and then went bowling. We had the best time and I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard!

I love these girls so much. I prayed for so long for a group of friends when we moved here and God went above and beyond. I look forward to our time on Tuesday nights so much. God is constantly moving and working in mighty ways in the lives of these women! 

And with the husbands! We were missing a few girls and their husbands but we still had a wonderful time. 

April :: 10 on 10

10 pictures on the 10th day of the month! {Document a snapshot of your life & find beauty among the ordinary things in your day!}

Like the 10th of every month, Hudson had a monthly birthday. I can't believe that he will be 2 in 2 months. And I will be 30 in 2 months! I love this precious boy.

While I had the big camera out and both kids looked adorable I snapped a couple pictures of them together. Or I tried to. When I took these pictures it was about 78 degrees out around 10 am. By 1:00 it was in the 50s! Crazy Texas weather. 

My sweet, happy Emma James. I love her!

This morning we had a ton of errands to run. One of which was going by an antique consignment store to pick up a couple of checks I had from things I'd sold. I was brave and took both kids in with me. Hudson was perfect and even waved bye and blew kisses to the sweet ladies when we left. So I rewarded us with Starbucks treats. Hudson enjoyed his first Starbucks cake pop.

A friend of mine gave me this fedora that her boys don't wear. Hudson is obsessed with it! He wore it just about the whole time we were in the car (until he dropped it while I was driving and I couldn't get it) and then wore it once we got home while doing his puzzles. 

Emma has been so "off" lately. So today I worked hard to get her back on her schedule that she is happiest on. I turned on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and this girl was glued to the TV! She even giggled during some parts. Love those big eyes!

After naps we loaded up to go to Sonic happy hour. We do this 3-4 times a week and usually take a drink to John at church. During this trip, I forgot Emma's paci so she was mad and Hudson dumped his snack all over his lap. Not the best mom moment. 

Hudson has been hitting and pushing lately. I say lately, it happened during church a couple weeks ago and a few times since then. His punishment for pushing or hitting is timeout. Today he hit Oliver (the dog) and in an effort to be consistent with discipline, he got a timeout. We were in his room playing when it happened so I said, "Hudson, we don't hit Oliver. You need to go to timeout for 2 minutes." He got up, walked down the hallway and came and sat here. His timeout spot. I was somewhat proud but I also hate this part of parenting. 

While I was getting Hudson's dinner ready Emma was super fussy. She goes to bed at 7 but she starts getting really tired around 6. At 6:15 I had to hold her because nothing else was working. She immediately fell asleep on me. Like, eyes closed, head fell and was out cold. Poor baby! 

Our new Wednesday night tradition is probably a highlight of my week! Wednesdays are very long days for me. Since John is a music pastor, he has Wednesday night activities and doesn't get home until after 9:00. One of our favorite Mexican restaurants in our town has $1 taco Wednesdays so he picked up dinner on his way home. I loved not having to cook dinner after putting both kids to bed....after an already long and exhausting day! 

Happy 10th of the month everyone!

Hudson {22 months}

climbing communicating 36 inches holding hands and walking timeouts Dora 31 pounds big boy highchair balls baking playing at the park pretend play

{words}

nigh nigh, Mama, Dada, ba (ball), ba ba (basketball), all dah (all done), doh (dog), diada (diaper), momey (monkey), namen (amen - after we say prayers...the sweetest thing ever!), bot (boat), ma (milk and more), cheese, buh buh (bye bye), dat (that), dow (down), booh (book), yeah (yes), Emmma (Emma), dis (this while pointing at what he wants), shuh (shoe), truh (truck or train), no, Ya Ya Ya Ya (Yo Gabba Gabba), Ma (Mickey Mouse), gow (cow), bra (zebra), shooose (shoes), ock (sock), this, bur (bird), nake (snake), kai (sky), moo (cow sound), baa (sheep sound), neigh (horse sound), duh (duck), bock (block), Bob (Bob the Builder), arr arr (ruff ruff - in a high pitched voice), olfish (goldfish), nack (snack), ooo ooo truh (choo choo train), tar (star), bork (fork), poon (spoon), bot (bottle), shhhh (with his finger on his mouth), tat (cat), chair, housh (house), ocks (socks), sssss (snake sound), ooo ooo ooo (monkey sound), heeeeey (hey sic 'em bears...he also does this with his arm up and when we ask him what sound a bear makes) [NEW WORDS] open, Bobo (Dumbo), gar (car), ou-si (outside), mil (milk), puhl (puzzle), chu (church), stah (star), uh (up), down, done, ha (hat), bath, tee (tree), gas (grass), pass (Emma's paci)

There are so many that I'm forgetting. He's starting to string 2 words together (he's done this 3 or 4 times...not super consistent yet) and he also says the anatomically correct word for his boy body part but I'm not going to type that. 

fence painting: {almost} wordless wednesday

Easiest and cheapest entertainment ever. 

baking with my boy

This weekend I made coconut cupcakes and Hudson helped me make the coconut cream cheese frosting. It was such a sweet moment that I will never forget. I've tried including him in cooking or baking before and he's never been interested until this time. I'm sure the sugar had something to do with it. :)

I adore these pictures even though I don't have any makeup on and you can see my sun damaged skin. I love them.

After the sugar rush he needed some special cuddles and a back scratch from daddy.

Easter Weekend 2013

We had a great Easter weekend. John and Hudson started the weekend off by mowing the lawn. I love that I got to see this sweet embrace.

Pretty soon after "they" finished the yard, Pop Pop and Grandma showed up for the weekend. We went and picked up lunch and then had a picnic at the park. 

Really, everyone else had a picnic. Hudson wanted no part of eating...he wanted to play. So I followed him around feeding him his lunch while he played. New rule...eat before you go to the park.

I adore this series of pictures. Emma and Hudson are starting to interact with each other more and more every day. She lights up when she sees him!

A little wagon ride in the backyard before we went to dinner on Saturday night. 

This was the best picture I got of Hudson and Emma together on Easter Sunday. Trying to photograph a 21 month old and a 5 month old is not easy. I am thrilled with this picture. They are both semi-smiling and it isn't blurry. An Easter miracle.

And of course, a picture of Emma James and her huge smile. And huge bow. She ended up wearing the one in the picture above. 

After church we went over to some friends' house for lunch. They have the coolest play house and Hudson had the best time with it.

Sweet Emma did amazingly well! She napped for the first part of lunch and was awake and happy the rest of the time. 

The bluebonnets are were starting to bloom out there and in about a month their land will be covered in gorgeous wildflowers. I can't wait to see it then!

Our family of 4 on Easter. It's so crazy to think that this was my first year since 2010 to not be pregnant on Easter. 2011 I was pregnant with Hudson, and in 2012 we had Hudson and I was pregnant with Emma. I am happy to not be pregnant this year. I love this picture though, not because it's perfect, but because it is our life right now. Wild, busy, and loving every second.

A little Easter sic 'em.

Gosh, I love these boys.

Hudson LOVED chasing this little baby goat around.

Later that afternoon, Emma was so happy. Hudson got to take a short nap about 3 hours later than normal. I love when we get some time alone with just her. 

She adores her daddy. 

Sweet love fell asleep in her bumbo. It was a full and exhausting day for everyone. 

Being in ministry, Sundays are often rushed and full. We saved Easter baskets for Monday morning. John took Monday off so he was able to see Hudson enjoy his Easter goodies. He leaves so early on Sundays that it would have been too hard to do them that morning. 

He wasn't sure what to think about the confetti eggs. Well, he really didn't like them at all at first. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebrating our risen Savior.