I love FREE stuff!

Catchy title right?

Who doesn’t love FREE stuff???

Let me tell you about a website that gives away free stuff all the time and you don’t even have to buy anything before hand.  A website that truly cares about it’s members and it’s fans.  A website that loves giving away free stuff.

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook or you follow me on twitter (luvmyadopted) then you will know that I ABSOLUTELY love Shutterfly.  Shutterfly is a FREE website that is for your pictures.  

You can store an unlimited amount of pictures on it and they NEVER delete them.  Also, they over tons of cool stuff….such as picture books, prints for really low prices, mugs, and other stuff you can do with your pictures.  You can even create your own shutterfly website and put pictures on there to share with your friends and family.

 What’s even better is that you can set the privacy so that people have to become members of shutterfly and have to have an invitation to your shutterfly website to view or even download those pictures…and you have to approve the members!  Which is great for us…because there are certain people that I don’t want seeing my pictures of Little E on facebook.  Every time I put pictures on it updates my members of my site by email to let them know that there are new pictures on there.  What’s even better is that those members can print off the pictures of their choice or order them from Shutterfly themselves!

 I joined shutterfly a few years ago after finding it by accident and let me just tell you…I don’t think I will ever leave!  Not only do I love that I have unlimited storage and that they never delete my photos but they give away great free stuff…but you have to be watching your email very carefully!  Make sure you don’t have shutterfly messages going to your junk mail…cause you won’t want to miss this free stuff!

 In the few years that I have been a member I have gotten 7 free photo books and I have only paid for one.  The photo books are AMAZING!!  You need to check them out and the only thing you have to pay is the $6.99 for shipping which is easily doable when the photo book is valued at about $30!!  Another thing that is great is all the free prints I get.  In fact just this last week I had a free photo book and then a few days later 50 free prints and I only pay  $3.99 for shipping for those!!!!  

I know some of you are probably thinking…well I can go to Walmart and get them cheaper and faster because they don’t have to ship them to me.  DON’T DO IT!!!!!!  Go with Shutterfly!  Their pictures are way better than Walmart.  They are clearer and they print on better quality paper and  you can’t beat the price!  Shutterfly also has great prepaid prints which work out to be about 9 cents a print which is AWESOME!  Becoming a member of shutterfly is free AND you also get 50 free prints right off the bat!!  If you sign up let me know…I’d love to know what you think of it!!!

Laura  

Disclaimer:  In no way have I been paid by Shutterfly for my opinions expressed above.  These are my own honest opinions.  

My blessing for today:  The sun is shining and I had a few less kids today than normal…thus making it a more relaxing day than normal.

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Laughable Lines from the Little Ones – Sept 26, 2011

Yes…I know…I missed last week.  I really didn’t have any laughable lines.  Well, none that I remembered anyway.

 

But here is one for this week.

Little E was talking about how he did something and he obviously wanted my praise for it…so I said:

 

“Good job!!!  You are such a big boy!”

To which he smiled and then returned with this:

“And you’re such a big girl mommy!”

 

🙂

 

Thanks kid 🙂

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The first time my hubby gave Little E his bath…

Sometimes I have these random memories that just pop up in my head and I’ll just start giggling to myself.

Good thing the only people around me are children….or people will think I’m insane.  Well…..maybe the children think that.  🙂

Anyway….

I remember one of the first times that my hubby gave Little E his bath in our old house.  Little E probably wasn’t even a month old and we were using the small bath tub inside of the bigger bath tub.  Up until this moment I had been giving Little E his bath but I thought it was time for hubby to spend some quality time with the boy.  🙂

So…it was BATH TIME!

Hubby gets ready….

Little E is positioned in the little bathtub and the water is filled up.

Hubby gets down on his knees and feels like it’s just not comfortable for him because he’s a lot taller than I am and so he finds it difficult to get situated right to give the proper bath.  So he changes position a little and tries again.

Still not comfortable he takes out the small bathtub and turns it around so Little E is facing in the opposite direction.

Thinking this might be better…he tries again.

I think another reason he wasn’t that comfortable was because there wasn’t much space in between the toilet and the sink.  I figured if I could do it then he could as well.  Perhaps I overlooked this.  🙂

I come to the bathroom door to see how things are going to find that hubby is now crawling in the bigger bathtub to get in a better position.

Yes…that’s right.  Little E is in the small bathtub that is in the big bathtub while hubby is also in the big bathtub (with his sneakers on might I add).  All this to wash my little boy who probably wasn’t as dirty as all this fuss required.  🙂

Finally…I come to the rescue..and say:  “It’s ok honey I can do it…and you can do it next time.”

Poor hubby.  He looked so lost, but I have to admit he has gotten better and he gives Little E his bath or shower every time he needs it now.

But, that picture will always remain in my head.  🙂

Laura

Blessing:  I’m so thankful and blessed by my husband who helps raise our little boy together with me.

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Wordless Wednesday – Sept 21, 2011

This…………

is what happens after a day of babysitting.  This is what happens when that day is spent with two babies crying because the other one is crying.   My dog passes out right in the middle of the dining room floor.  I feel like joining him.  🙂

 

PS:  Please don’t mind my floor.  It’s part of our renovations…it’s changing…and yes…it’s as disgusting as it looks 🙂

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Autumn Sensory Tub

I follow a lot of blogs on preschools and teaching children the many different things they need to learn.  I enjoy finding new crafts and great new and refreshing ways of teaching. By following these blogs I have found that a lot of them do a simple thing call sensory tubs.   At first I thought they were hard and so it took me forever to accept the challenge to do one.

However the other day I headed to our local Dollar Store and decided to set out on my mission of creating a sensory tub for Little E and the other little ones that knock on my door.

Let me tell you…I am glad I did!!!

Little E and I put it all together yesterday and then I let them all play with it and boy did they have fun!  They played with it for a good solid 45 minutes without much interruption.  And it’s soooooo simple.

Autumn Sensory Tub

I decided to do a Autumn sensory tub and this is what I found to put in it:

Fake leaves

Fake Pincones – although I’m sure you could put in real ones

Fake pumpkins and fake apples

Little berry seeds (be careful if you have tiny babies..you might not want to put these in).

And I just let them play with a little toy rake and shovel and they had a blast.

Little E playing with sensory tub.

**The other kids had just as much fun with it..I just didn’t take any pictures of them since I’m babysitting them and they aren’t mine 🙂 **

You could also put in some other things you might find around your yard such as acorns or maple leaf seeds.  Anything to do with Autumn.

This morning Little E and I had a chance to play with it again before the rest of the kids got here and he decided he was going to make a pattern out of them.  He thought of this all on his own and so I definitely encouraged it.  Yay for learning!  We did a pattern of:  apple, pumpkin, leaf . Apple, pumpkin leaf, etc.  He then added some other stuff to the pattern.

I’ll definitely be doing a sensory tub again.

For more ideas for sensory tubs check out this blog:

http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/search/label/Sensory%20Tubs

Have fun!  I’d love to hear about your sensory tubs and how your kids love it if you decide to make one!

Laura

Blessing:  My child was learning while having fun!

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Discouraged…but choosing joy!

Today was a discouraging day.

Really discouraging.

My hubby and I are church planters.  We just finished our first full year as a church plant and are heading into our second year.  As it is with any church, attendance tends to dwindle during the summer.  Consider the summer months and the fact that there was a run going on today and most people would have to walk a bit to church we weren’t expecting that many to come today..but we were still hoping for a few.

10:30 came and there was three of us.  You all may be saying well that’s good…that’s three more than nothing..but well….the three were: my hubby, myself and Little E.

So…we decided to worship God anyway.  We sang, we taught Little E a Bible Story and hubby and I watched a Rob Bell video and then discussed it.  We kept our head up and we continued on as usual..but let me tell you…it was kind of depressing.

We talked about how we can do things differently, different things we can try and some of our “mistakes” we have made…then packed up our stuff and headed on home.  Both still feeling very discouraged…but determined.  Determined to not let this get us down.  Determined to carry on.  Determined to not give up.

However, I’m ashamed to say it, I was still feeling pretty discouraged..pretty crappy.  So I went and had a nap.  Hubby and Little E went kayaking and we had a pretty relaxing  Sunday afternoon.

After supper we decided to head down to the boardwalk to go for a family walk.  Little E just wanted to go play on the playground so we headed on over and not a single soul was around.  Hubby and I played with Little E like we were little children again and we had a blast!  On the way back to the car there was a man with a guitar sitting on the boardwalk  playing a song.  Little E IMMEDIATELY went over and started dancing.   There was a whole bunch of older people sitting on the boardwalk listening to this man sing and thought Little E was just hilarious dancing.  He was having so much fun that we just sat back and let him do his thing.

Eventually when we got back to the car and were heading home we asked Little E what his favourite part of the day was…and without hesitation the first thing he said was “church” and then he said and the second thing was “dancing on the boardwalk”.

So here I was feeling pretty discouraged all day because there were only three of us at church this morning and Little E said it was the best part of his day.  Maybe it was because he got to sing with daddy.  Or maybe it was because both mommy and daddy taught him a Bible story, or just maybe it was because he had our undivided attention.  I don’t know, but whatever the reason was my little boy  had fun and it was the best part of his day.

After that I looked back on the day and focused on all the good things that happened throughout it instead of just looking at the negative aspect and I have to say: I had a pretty fantastic day too.  I got to spend time with Jesus in the morning, also dancing with my little boy, spent some good quality time with the hubs and just had a great time playing with my family tonight.

Remember how I talked about gitzengirl in my last post?  Well she has a saying that she “chooses joy”…in the midst of all the struggles that she has.  So, I have decided that for today..instead of being discouraged…I am going to choose joy.

Come to think of it..I guess that’s kind of what my blog is about anyway.  I try to find the blessings in every day….so in a way I guess I”m always finding joy.

What are your blessings today??  Or, how have you found joy?

Blessings:  Spending a great day with my family..and seeing life through the eyes of my child.

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You need to read this

The blog world is sad today.  Sad because a blogger is soon going to be heading home to be with Jesus.

If you have a chance within the next two days and haven’t already been connected with Gitzengirl’s blog then you NEED to go check it out.  You need to start at the beginning and just read.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.  Gitzengirl (who’s real  name is Sarah) suffers from a disease that has kept her in her house for the last three years…she hasn’t been able to leave.

My dear friend, Rebecca (who’s blog is here:http://iamrelevant.wordpress.com/ , turned me onto Sarah’s blog and I’ve seen so much Joy in the midst of what could have been bitterness for Sarah.  Please please please read it.

Here is her blog:

http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/

Read…and please pray for her, her family and her friends.

Thanks

Laura

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Sleeping in confined spaces.

The weekend before last we went on our first family vacation together!  Yes…we have gone on vacation before…but we have always stopped and visited family or friends and never really a night to ourselves.  Don’t get me wrong…we love seeing friends and family but it was due time for just the three of us to get away.

My hubby needed a break from life.  I needed a break from life and Little E just needed some daddy and mommy time all to himself.

So…we packed up the car with the tent, air mattress, cooler and dog and headed out after church for a Sunday and Monday vacation.

I was really looking forward to going on vacation with my boys until a few nights before when hubby and I were putting Little E to bed.  He wanted both of us to snuggle with him in his new bed and hubby says “sure!  That will give us practice for Sunday when we are in the tent”.

And then it hit me!  Like the V8 Commercial…a smack straight to my forehead.

I have to sleep with my child and hubby in the same bed in a small confined space.

~ Gulp ~

I’m not sure if you know this or not…but I don’t do good with people invading my personal space. Oh…I know…they are my family…but still this momma doesn’t do well unless she has about 6 or 7 hours of good sleep…and then two cups of coffee in the morning.

I also don’t sleep well with Little E.  He kicks…jabs…turns upside down, pokes..you name it..he does it.  I have tried sleeping with him before and it ends up with him sleeping and me laying wide awake..staring at the ceiling for two hours.  The same happens if hubby tries to cuddle with me.

Not. Good.

I NEED sleep.

So…we get there and we get set up and we do our little touristy thing in the neighbouring town and go out for supper.

We then head back to our site and have a great campfire.

Then the moment of truth comes….time to put Little E to bed.  Hubby goes in and lays down with him while I take the dog for a walk.  I come back and sit around the campfire waiting for hubby to come out.

I wait.

I wait.

I wait some more.

Then I hear…..

SNORING!

That’s right.  Hubby’s asleep!

I was so excited that hubby and I were going to get a chance to sit around a fire and relax and just talk to each other and spend some good quality time together…and then he falls asleep.

Now…don’t get me wrong.  I was a little annoyed…but at the same time I knew hubby really needed sleep.  He was getting burnt out and I knew the extra bit of R&R would be good for him.  So I grabbed the flashlight and my kindle and enjoyed some nature and a book all to myself.

About an hour or so later the snoring stopped and I hear hubby say “Is the fire almost out?”  I tell him that it’s still going pretty strong and then there is silence again for about five minutes.  Finally I ask him “So…are you going to come out and help me put it out or are you going to go back to sleep?”

Do you know what his reply was?

“It took forever to get Little E to sleep.  He just went to sleep now…I’m sorry..I’ll be right out!”

RIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGHHTTT.

Like that loud freight train snoring came from my three year old child.  🙂

We quickly put the fire out and then headed to bed.  I was tired and so was he.  He fell right asleep while, yup you guessed it, I lay awake listening to the drunkards at the next campsite singing to country music and laughing their heads off.

Finally I fell asleep only to be awoken by a kick in the stomach.  A jab in the chest and a poke in the eye with a foot.  I quickly turned little E around and set him back in the upright position.  I think I may have had to do this about four or five times during the night….thus not getting me my six hours of sleep.

OY…was I tired the next morning!  A tired and hot woman does not qualify for a good morning.

My poor boys…all the pain they had to endure until momma got her second cup of coffee!

But once I did…we enjoyed the rest of our vacation (all 15 minutes of it).

Lesson learned:  Next time…rent a cabin.  The boys can sleep in the tent and I’ll sleep inside 🙂

Laura

Blessing:  Had some good quality time with my boys.  It was a fun vacation except for momma’s crabbiness 🙂 

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Laughable Lines from the Little Ones – Sept 12, 2011

I actually had a different quote than this one but this one just happened and I thought it was too funny.

Amazing A and his brother Lucky L are here for the first time since Amazing A went to school for the first time…so we’ve had to rely on Little E for the laughable lines up until now.

The boys were talking about how much they weigh and Amazing A said he weighs 90 lbs and Lucky L weights 80 something lbs.

They were talking about this for a while, even asking me how much Little E and I weigh.  After a while I heard Lucky L ask his brother, Amazing A, if he wanted to switch bodies with him so that he would be chubbier than him.

Amazing A said…”well you would have to cut off my arms and legs first”.

Yup…pretty serious conversation going on here 🙂

The things they come up with!

Laura

 

 

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Book Review – Gabby God’s Little Angel by Sheila Walsh. Illustrated by Marina Fedotova

I was so excited to get my latest book review because it was a Children’s Book!  I love reading to Little E and he loves me reading to him so we were both excited to finally get a book that we can read together!

This story is about a guardian angel, Gabby,  in training who gets her very first assignment, to help another little girl named Sophie.  Gabby is a clumsy but fun guardian angel who likes to talk a lot and it seems like Sophie is the exact same way….a perfect match.

This is a cute story by author Sheila Walsh who is a well known Woman of Faith Speaker.  Sheila has also written many other children’s books as well DVD’s and curriculum.  The illustrations are beautifully done and overall it was a cute story.  I think this was a great book for children (especially girls) from the ages of six to eight.  It brought about a great spiritual message about how God loves every one of us and that he sends his angels to protect us.  Great for kids!

The only thing I would say negative about this book is that it is a bit wordy.  I found that it lost my attention quickly because some of the paragraphs were just too long when they didn’t need to be.  Little E also found the book a bit too long (but again he’s three years old)…but he loved the illustrations.

Overall, I give this book a three out of five lollipops.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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