Show us what you Make/Sell ----- Black Friday Edition

I love to do this "show us what you make/sell" Days because so many of you have the greatest "small shops" and I think it's so great for us to support each other.

So if you have an etsy site or website - link up!!!

And if you are Black Friday/Christmas shopping - this is a great place to find unique gifts! or maybe something for yourself!!!! Support these other women like yourself!

Or bookmark this post and come back and shop when you need Birthday gifts, etc!

Smelly Cat Smelly Cat

I'm usually one of the last people to decorate for Christmas every year.  And I usually roll my eyes at all the people who decorate before Thanksgiving.  

But ........Thanksgiving is late this year and it's been bitter cold all week and I'm just ready! I am not skipping Thanksgiving - I am so excited for this week.  But I'm just super excited about the next month with my girls and I wanted to get a jump start.  (And I have to confess I've been listening to Christmas music.  But it just makes me so happy.  I mean how can you hear Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas" and not dance around.  My girls keep begging me to stop. ha!)

So my house is decorated.  And I can't resist Christmas pajamas so we got them out tonight. 

But who am I kidding - we will wear Christmas pajamas until it's not cold .......like March.  And if they still fit in October we will wear them then again.  

I had to run to Hobby Lobby today and I told the girls they could each get an ornament for the trees in  their rooms.  They each have a small tree.  

And this is what Harper picked.  I tried to talk her into a cute pink cupcake.  Or a princess castle. 

No she wanted THIS cat.  

I even tried to talk her into a "cuter" cat ornament. (if there is such a thing).

No she wanted the creepiest, ugliest cat ornament ever made. And she LOVES it.  She has been thrilled to death with it.  Bless her. 

{Hollis picked a cute pink castle which she INSISTED on carrying through the store herself and promptly broke it before we could even check out.  So it's hanging broken on her tree. }

I also wanted to share that my friend Angie Smith has a new book coming out.  Angie is one of my favorite people on earth but she is also one of the most amazing writers I've ever known.  And I'm not just saying that because I love her.  She truly has a gift.   This new book "Chasing God" is going to be something you will want to read.  And the exciting news is if you pre-order right now (before Dec 1st) - you will get a free copy of one of her last two books! Such a great deal if you don't have them. Check this out for the details:  http://angiesmithonline.com/2013/11/chasing-god/

Happy Thanksgiving/Happy Hanukkah/Merry Christmas!

Pushing Pause

I'm going to push pause on Testimony Tuesday.  Possibly until the first of 2014. And possibly forever.


This summer I really felt led to do something with this space.  I love to hear stories from real people of what God has done in their lives.  I started dreaming of sharing friends with you and their stories.  My hope was to encourage and inspire with just ordinary people who love an extraordinary God.

What I was not expecting............was a lot of push back and negative feedback.  I got SO many emails.  SO SO SO many emails and I read them and listened.  I realize that there are a million different backgrounds and beliefs who come together here and I know that I will never please everyone and criticism honestly has never bothered me.  But I started wondering if I was doing something that I wanted to do or something God wanted me to do.

Because my whole purpose was to encourage and to edify God.  And I want to do that effectively.  And I guess I'm not sure if I was.  So I just want to stop and really pray about it.  I'm not stopping this because of criticisms, I'm stopping because I just want to do what I'm called to do.

What I want to say is that a testimony is not just about when you meet God.  It's an ongoing story of what God is doing in your life.  And a testimony doesn't have to be dramatic or tragic to be effective. It can be a story of constant, simple faith.  And that's amazing.

I realize a lot of you are struggling.  You are struggling in life, you are struggling with your faith, you are just barely holding on.  And you want to hear that you are not alone.  You want to hear that others are struggling too and not just what appears to be a bunch of perfect Christians who have it all together.

What doesn't always come across - is that we are ALL broken people.  Sometimes that isn't always shared publicly.  But we all have our inner struggles.  Which is why we are all in need of a perfect God.

I've been asked many times if I would let people from other faiths share on here.  And this is my answer.  I believe the Bible. Period.  I believe with all my heart that it is written by God and is true.  So it wouldn't make sense to me at all to have people share on here who believe in contrast to that.  That doesn't make me narrow minded (even though I'm sure most of you are thinking that) - it just makes me faithful to what I believe.  I'm sure there are a lot of blogs out there who will share lots of different faiths or view points and if you search - you will find them.  This just isn't that place.  I want to share what I believe to be true.  And if you don't agree - you have every right.  But you also don't have to be angry with me for not sharing things I don't believe in.  I would imagine you wouldn't either in my shoes.

I'm closing comments on this post.  I just wanted to let you know where I am and what my heart is.  I don't need to hear whether people agree or disagree.  I just need to hear from one voice and that is God.  So I'm going to pray and listen.

Thanks for hanging with me either way.

Thanks

Rejoice always,  pray continually, GIVE THANKS in all circumstances!

1 Thess 5:16-18

I'm thankful for my faith and that I live in a country where I am free to believe and practice my faith and for the men and women who died so I can have that freedom.

I'm thankful Jesus died on the cross for ME! I'm thankful He loves me and gives me grace when I clearly don't deserve it. 

 I'm thankful for my two H's: Harper and Hollis.

Nothing has ever brought me more joy or laughter or love than those two little girls that I am lucky enough to raise.  I will be thankful until the day I die that God gave me those two blessings. 

 I'm thankful for my Acquaintances, my close friends and my BFF's.  

I'm SO thankful for my family - my parents, my brother and SIL and precious niece and my in-laws. And my extended family. 

I'm thankful for all the people God has put in my life who love me and who I adore. 

I don't take for granted how blessed I am.

I'm thankful for all the "necessities".  

I'm thankful for a warm home and a car to drive.  I'm thankful Scott has a good job. I'm thankful for plenty of food and clothes to wear.  

I'm thankful God gives to us so we can give to others. 

I feel very undeserving. 

I'm thankful for "Kelly's Korner".  ha ha ha ha ha ! {I couldn't help it}

I really am thankful for this outlet and for all the amazing people I have met through blogging - both face to face and just through words on the screen.  I have been blessed by knowing "you!"

I'm super thankful for Scott.  

God gave me a good match with him. 

I'm also EXTREMELY thankful for our health.  Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for one more day to live and be healthy.  I've learned in the last few years not to take that for granted.

I have SO much to be thankful for. 

What are you thankful for the most this season? 

An "Imperfect" morning and a NW AR home tour giveaway

We are having a COLD weekend and it's getting me in the holiday spirit! 

Yesterday we decided to have a little family day and we made plans to go out for breakfast and then venture somewhere we had never been (and had avoided) for almost five years. 

First we went to breakfast at Mimi's. 

Which I was thinking.......when you are reading blogs this is the part where you see pictures and think "Oh look at that perfect little family - isn't that darling ....they went out for breakfast.  What a sweet life".  And then I was thinking about the actual things that went on.  Harper was tired and in rare form and spent the entire breakfast whining and crying over every little thing like how much butter was on her pancake to what crayon she got to color with.  Hollis wouldn't sit still and was knocking things over left and right and at one point burst into tears and was sobbing so loud the whole place was looking at us.  The food wasn't good and we couldn't get anyone to take our order for almost 30 minutes.  

So not perfect.  But we were together so I was still thankful even in the craziness. 

We have tried to avoid Germ City Chuck E Cheese for the last 5 years but Scott all the sudden wanted to take the girls so we went.  We saw. We conquered.

We won't go back for about another 5 years. 

The girls loved it.  They are already asking to go back. 

At least we got two good naps out of them when they came home! 

We had a great church service today.  We helped with baptizing four 9th grade girls who are all best friends and were saved together.  It was so sweet seeing their friendship.  They were hugging each other before and after the baptisms.  I was thinking how much I pray for my girls to have such sweet friends as they grow.  

I'm thankful for these four best friends and love eating Sunday lunch together! 

And finally - if you live in or near Northwest Arkansas - I have something special for you!!!

Every year the Junior League puts on the Winter Dreams Tour of Homes.  This is a big fundraiser that benefits Domestic Violence in NWA.  

It is December 8th from 11 a.m - 5 p.m. and there are 8 homes (including these below) in Benton and Washington County.  I have been several times and it is SOOOOOOOOO fun to tour and see amazing decorations and gorgeous homes.  I got so many ideas on the tours before.  The Arkansas Philharmonic will even be playing at one home.  

You should totally get a group of friends and do the tour! 

You can get tickets here:

http://www.juniorleaguenwa.org/?nd=winter_dreams

BUT WAIT!!!!!!

I'm giving away two tickets!!!!!!!!!

So if you live close enough to come - just leave me a comment and let me know you would like to win and I will draw two winners on Wednesday morning!

Five on Friday

For some reason I planned a skip day for SUYL this week.  I probably thought this week was Thanksgiving.  oops.  Next Friday will be a special Black Friday edition of "Show us what you make or sell".  It will be a good chance for you to holiday shop from small business women!

So today I'm linking up with Five on Friday!

1.  When Harper was two I cried a LOT because she was SO difficult and I honestly didn't think I would survive.  I felt like such a failure as a mom.  Discipline was so hard and the terrible two's nearly did me in.
BUT "almost five" is an age that I feel God gives as a reward for surviving the terrible two's.  The Fantastic Four/Five's are just so precious.   She is SO kind and obedient and caring towards others.  And she "yes ma'am's" me to death.  And now I'm starting to hyperventilate at the thought of her going to school next year.

2.  And then there is Exhibit B.

Thank goodness I have hope that one day she will be four because she is about to do me in right now. She will argue with me about anything.  If I say the sky is blue - she will say it's green until she is blue in the face.  If I say her sunglasses are upside down, she will fight with me about it for hours.  Even if she wants to wear them at night in Wal-Mart.  God teaches us patience in many ways.  One of the biggest ways is through our children.

3.  I have discovered the most delicious ice cream that has ever been created in the history of the earth.  I bought this on a whim the other night.  I don't know that I have ever bought Haagan-Dazs before.  We usually only buy Bluebell.  But I got crazy and tried this and it is the best ice cream I have ever had.  In fact - I discovered today that Scott ate the rest of it and it almost caused a divorce.  You would have thought he had just given away our first born child the way I reacted.

Get some.  You will thank me.

4.  I'm so excited about taking the girls to see "Frozen".  I rarely make it to the movies anymore but my girls have finally reached the age that they both do great in the movies so it's so much fun to take them!!! I think this movie looks so cute!


5.  I'm just excited about Christmas this year in general.  Everything with the girls right now is so fun and exciting.  The last couple of years have been hard.  But we are at a point where we can go and do and everything is so BIG and Magical to them right now.  I can hardly wait for all the fun we will have over the next 5-6 weeks! I'm so thankful for these moments and I don't take them for granted.

Thanksgiving and Advent

Today Harper's preschool had a special Thanksgiving lunch.  

They did a little program for us.  Harper has been practicing her Bible Verse and song all week. 

They each had an Indian name.  I know it looks like hers is "smiling butt" but it was "Smiling Butterfly".  Which was a perfect name for her. 

 This is Harper's best buddy Brandon.  They are together nearly every day at either school or church and have been since birth.  If you ask her - she will tell you that Brandon is her boyfriend and she is going to marry him.  

We will see. 

Hollis wore this little turkey shirt/dress today.  I thought she looked so cute.

I know it's kind of much to have holiday themed clothes but I just love them and know that I only have about 5-6 years of this so I'm milking it.  AND I get as much wear out of them as we can. 

 I think this dress wins the prize.  They have worn it for 5 years in a row now.  

I have never done any kind of Advent calendar but I thought it would be really fun for the girls if we did this together this year.  It would be a good way to really teach them the Reason for the Season.

Jessi from Naptime Diaries has this calendar.  It comes as 25 small papers on thick card stock and I LOVE each and every picture.  They are so meaningful.

I'm not sure exactly how we will display but I kind of like this idea - just stringing them somewhere.  I'm working on an idea.  She is selling these through Friday and you can get them in time for the advent season! If you are looking for a way to bring meaning to the holidays - this might be a  great way!

Little Turkeys

Just a few little random glimpses into the last few days at our house. 

My little turkeys this past Sunday.  They are getting so big. I was looking back at a few pictures taken this year in the same spot and they are both INCHES taller.  Life is getting easier as they grow but part of it makes me so sad.

Today at speech they did a little Kindergarten readiness check list on Harper and she seems to be ready for school! And I'm sure in 9 more months she will be even more ready. 

But I don't know if I will be! 

Sunday night Steven Curtis Chapman was in concert at our church.  There wasn't childcare so Laurie and I went and our husbands kept the kids.  Laurie and I have seen SCC several times but it's been since about 1997 since we saw him last.

SCC is one of the most kind, genuine, faithful Christian men I know of.  I love how he not only has had a steadfast faith even in the face of such deep tragedy of losing one of his children but he is such a great advocate for orphans. 

And Scott and I had "My redeemer is faithful and true" by SCC sung at our wedding.  Which I feel like could basically sum up my life in a song. 

Today was a luncheon for the ending of our fall women's Bible studies.  It was so fun and at the end I brought the girls into the chapel to help me clean up.  Instead they wound up playing the piano and calling out requests to my friend Timesia to sing for them.

I had shared about my friend Timesia earlier this year and y'all helped me raise money for an experimental, life saving marrow transplant for her.  I wanted to tell you she had it done and she is doing remarkable.  It's still touch and go and she has a road in front of her but I'm eternally grateful for your support and prayers for her!

Sunday after dinner I told the girls they could have ONE piece of leftover Halloween candy.  Then I went to my room to get ready for the concert and Scott found Hollis in the pantry with her bathroom stool trying to get more candy.  He filmed her and it cracks me up.
{I promise I'm not a hoarder - my pantry is just a disaster right now.  If anyone wants to come help me get it organized - I will buy you lunch!}

I have a new feature in "Celebrate Arkansas" magazine this month.  It's all about instilling gratitude in your children.  You can find the link HERE.  (Page 78)

Testimony Tuesday - Meet Cari

Today's testimony comes from Cari Trotter.  I met Cari through my friend Maegan (the crazy one who stood in line with me to meet the Pioneer Woman.)  Maegan is our youth minister's wife and every year puts on a retreat for the high school girls in our church called "String of Pearls".  I help "loosely" with this every year and it's so great.  Cari grew up with Maegan and has been the speaker for the retreat for the last few years.  Cari is a GIFTED speaker and has a huge heart for the Lord.  If your women's group or youth group ever need a speaker - she would be a great one!  She's just a kind, down to earth, beautiful inside and out girl who I'm thankful to know!

I feel so blessed to be found a part of the Testimonial Tuesday ladies of Kelly’s blog.  What a gift she is to the blogging community, and on a greater scale the believing community….such a gifted connector of friends and faith.  I jumped {would have tackled her had she not been 5 hours away} at the chance to join you sweet readers here today.

My name is Cari Trotter.  I am a football coach’s wife, aka “My Coach Man” and the momma to three sharp arrows: Cade Everett, Ainsley Belle, and Shelby Kate.  I’m proud to be born and bred Oklahoma strong.  I am blessed to be a part of a beautiful family of faith and a legacy of Christ Followers.  

There are a million different ways God’s heart called out to me when I was young and when I was 8 I decided to make Him Lord of my life.  That decision shaped the entire landscape of my life.  After high school I went on to pursue a degree of Apparel Design and Merchandising at Oklahoma State University.  I soaked in the glow of college life and adored every minute on campus.  My semesters were filled with sorority fun and memories, and my summers were spent working on the leadership staff at Kanakuk, a Christian athletic camp outside Branson.  Those years God began to forge in me a heart to proclaim His Truth and using my passion to encourage and equip through God’s Word.  College was the place I fell in love with great Bible teachers like Beth Moore, Brennan Manning, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Spurgeon.  Those years struck a match down in my soul.  They also launched my learning into a lifestyle of loving others to Jesus.  

Just as college was ending I met and fell in love with “My Coach Man”.  It started with a boy driving by me in a dock truck at Kamp to a marriage proposal aboard a Southwest flight and celebrating 11 years of marriage on Saturday of this week!  It begs another post sometime for all the juicy love story details, but I think we have every bit of a “Notebook” kind of love. He still makes me laugh and he still tells me he loves my blue eyes.   It is real and some days are hard, but because of that we love each other more every day.  It is a lifetime role to be a coach’s wife, as Toby pursues a career of influence in college football.  It’s a calling, lifestyle, and culture, and we do it together.  We do it as a tribe.  The Trotter tribe rolls hard!

Myself and my ministry are still in the process of becoming all of that which God desires.  Both started a million miles ago in the writing space of an eleven year old girls’ journal spilled over her white comforter on top of her four poster bed.   It was there I began articulating and responding to the Lord.  This passion for finding full freedom in Christ and learning to love His Word was hammered and nailed in quiet places of the heart.  I was woven together when no one was watching and no one cared in secret places, behind closed doors.

My passion to reach others with the love of Jesus has come about in a sequence of compounded experiences not unlike Jon Grogan’s retelling of his days in “Marlie and Me:”  

Went to college.  Loved it.  Met a boy.  Got married.  Became a college coach’s wife.  Learned a lot. Chatted over coffee with friends.  Ran a marathon.  Invited hurting women into my home.  Had my first arrow, Cade.  Hosted Bible study in my neighborhood.   Learned to love harder.  Learned to give bigger.  Experienced real pain.  Overcame.  Experienced real joy.   Had my second arrow Ainsley.    Started a family blog.   Began speaking at community events.  Wrote a book.  Had my third arrow Shelby.   Started speaking at regional events.   Sponsored a boy from Haiti.  Flew to Haiti to meet him.  Sponsored two other babies from Haiti and Dominican.  Probably going to meet them.  Praying a lot.  Speaking alot.  Writing a lot.    Loving even harder.  Believing even bigger.  Praying a lot God grows my influence day upon day.  Praying for you.  Praying God works through me to encourage you some day.  Praying God does a work in your life.  Praying you overcome.  

I live a very real life, with real problems and real needs.  Finding a Real Savior is paramount.  Negotiating the faith to belief that Jesus is miraculously at work in my life means everything to Kingdom purposes.  I do so hope that you will connect with me and with the ministry online at www.caritrotter.com – life and faith are better done together!  I am always praying for new communities, new states, new churches, to experience and encourage to live beautifully brave lives of faith.

Love and Blessings be yours!

*I will be recording a live Bible study at the Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  It will be a FREE event for anyone that registers online, but spots are limited.  You can still register at www.caritrotter.com  

Black Friday Giveaway

So I have an exciting give away today! 

Who could use some extra money to shop with for the holidays??? 

Well - it might be your lucky day! Some blog friends and I are doing something fun! 

Kelly Stamps, Four Fit Sisters, Shay at Mix and Match Mama, Megan at Honey We're Home, Mel at The Larson Lingo,Alison at Get Your Pretty On, Me at Pinterest Told Me To, Cassi at Hi Sugarplum, Ashley at Fancy Ashley, and Erin at Blue Eyed Bride



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Me and PW

One of the first blogs I read a million years ago is probably the same one most of you have been reading for as long.....The Pioneer Woman.  My mom is the one who sent me to her......."hey - have you ever read the Pioneer woman?"  

A few months after I had Harper, a couple of my friends went and stayed at her lodge (Sophie and Melanie) and I met up with them afterwards and Ree had sent me a pan of her cinnamon rolls (now I'm almost wishing I would have put them in a glass case and froze them forever. ha!) and some cute little Mary Jane socks for Harper.  I will never forget that and how sweet that was. 

 So I found out she was doing a book signing in my area today and asked my friend Maegan to go with me.  Maegan is even a bigger fan that I am.  We were so excited!  We had never done anything like this so we didn't know what to expect.  I figured it would be fun and we would be home by like noon.  

Not so much.

Four hours later we finally met Ree.  

Poor Maegan is pregnant but she's a trooper.  Eventually we just sat down right in the panty aisle. 

But we had so much fun talking while we waited. 

And this group of Arkansas Bloggers were behind us and we had so much fun hanging out with them.   I knew them but had never spent a lot of time with them before! We are totally bonded now. 

But it was so worth it.  

Ree is SO kind and gracious.  I know it must be exhausting to be "on" and sign books for 4 hours straight but she was so friendly and sweet.  And just down to earth.  

And I nearly died when she knew who I was and even asked about my girls.  I reminded her of the socks and cinnamon rolls and how amazing that was for her to do.  

And the Marlboro Man was even there but I didn't get my picture made with him.  Maegan did. She even called her husband and had Ree say hi to him.  

This is basically how I felt about the whole day.  

I can't wait to try out all the recipes in her new cookbook!!!!