Something's in the air- News & GiVEAWAY!

11.12.12- 

GiVEAWAy is no closed- thanks to all who entered! 

It's just about time for the H&H Holiday Show. 
Mark your calenders, call up your friends & start making your list because this show only comes around once a year.  

-Tuesday Nov. 20th from 6-8 p.m.
&
Wednesday Nov. 21st 10-NooN- 

-Love my scrabble tile holders & letter collection- 

I love this time of year.  The opportunity to look back on blessings & expressing gratitude for so many wonderful things.  One thing I'm grateful for is all of you out there.  I appreciate your friendship, encouragement & support of my blog.  It's always a joy to run into someone, make a new friend, hear from those of you who read the blog.
I love getting comments from you all.  

{Keep them coming! ;)} 

I recently came across this quote in a magazine & it sums up exactly how I'm feeling this month. 

"Feeling gratitude & not expressing it is like wrapping a present & not giving it" 

                                                           -William Arthur Ward 

So lucky for you I'm wrapping up something fabulous {that I love} & going to GiVE it to a lucky blog reader.  You know that I adore Bath & Body works & I fell in love with this new scent as I came down the escalator, at the mall, & starting walking towards the store. 

{no joke, I could smell it that far away- it was that good}  

When I walked into the store 
{after picking up my big blue shopping bag of coarse} 
& was greeted by a worker I immediately asked her, "What is that fabulous smell?"  She walked me over to this..... 

-Chestnut & Clove- divine!- 

Oh, my gosh it really smells wonderful!  The perfect scent to have out for the Holidays ahead.  Just a subtle not to strong over powering scent- just right! I loved it so much I bought 2  3 wick candles, 1 for me & 1 for a lucky YOU out there. 
{$20.00 value} 

-All you have to do is leave a comment on any post from now until next Monday the 19th.  You can also answer a BoNuS question each day over on the Hollyhocks-Honeybees FaceBook page for another entry- 

{Check them out they will be fun thought provoking ?'s}

I'll announce the winner on Tuesday the 20th.  I'll either hand deliver it if the winner lives close by or package it up & send it to an out of state friend to enjoy for the entire Holiday season.  

Love & appreciate all of you out there, whether you are near or far. So grateful to have so many blog friends. 

{M}

A taste of Democracy

11.6.12- 

  Wanted to share with you the results from our election dinner.  I was fun to give the kids just a "taste" of voting.  

-All the ballots, voted & accounted for- 

All the votes were counted up & the winning meal was:

Spaghetti 

Salad & Fruit for our side dish {there was a tie}

Sprite

& Homemade Oreos 

{Happy kids & voters!}  

-The Q & Mc kids!- 

Thanks McConkies for having us over to eat dinner, conversation & your friendship.

{truly grateful for wonderful neighbors!} 

Calling it a day- 

{M}  

The Polls are OpEN!

11.6.12- 

  Happy Election Day to all my American friends.  

The polls opened bright & early in our home today to cast votes for our Democracy Dinner 2012. 

{All the results will be announced at 6 tonight}

-The official Dinner Ballot. There was a last minute write-in by 2 voters for Gingersnaps to get on the ticket. So funny!- 

Miss Mace was 1st in the voting booth this morning

{has to get on the bus by 7:00}

-Thanks for voting Mace!- 

 Then there was a bit of a wait in line to vote 

{a couple of anxious voters- this morning!} 

-The price you pay for your voice to be heard, a little bit of a wait- 

-She didn't mind though- 

-Decisions, decisions!- 

 Votes cast 

Stickers on

Some cute happy voters! 

Love to see their excitement & getting a little taste of the voting privilege we have in this amazing country.  Excited to see what WiNS tonight for our dinner & for the Presidency of the United States.  Go VOTE!! 

{I'm headed to the polls right after the gym this morning} 

Be back later to share the winning menu!

{M} 

Dinner... the candidates are

11. 5.12- 

  Good morning everyone!  

I'm feeling very blessed & grateful that I live in the United States of America with the freedoms we enjoy & for the privilege I have to vote tomorrow for our next President.  Such an exciting time for our country every 4 years to participate in national elections.  I'm excited to vote & ready to support who ever wins as our President of the United States for the next 4 years. 

{Voting is the 1st thing on my to-do list tomorrow} 

I wanted to share a fun thing that we have done with our neighbors on election day to help our children get involved a little in the whole election process.  My next door neighbor, Nicole, & I exchange dinners during the week.  She makes dinner on Tuesdays & I do Thursdays. 

{I think my favorite day of the week might just be Tuesdays ;)} 

In 2008 we thought it would be fun to have the kids "nominate" what they would like to have for dinner.  They each got to suggest a main dish, side dish, drink & dessert. 

{Between us we have 7 kids}

We typed up all the "nominations"  on a "ballot" & members of both families got a turn to vote for their favorites on election day morning.  Nicole & I tallied the votes & then divided up what to make or get for dinner.  That night we all got to see what won as we sat down for dinner.  We not only discussed our own little dinner election but the National one as well.  
{I can't remember exactly what dishes won out in 2008 but it was a wonderful dinner & great experience for everyone} 

Here's a sneak peek at the preparations for our dinner elections for 2012. 

-These are just a few of the nominations for the dinner ticket, still waiting on a few to get in before we print up the official ballots-  

Here is what's awaiting the voters tomorrow. Of coarse there has to be stickers for each voter to wear proudly on their shirts after they have turned in their ballot. 

-Made these using some labels & tags I had from October Afternoon, added some glitter star stickers & wa-lah, there you have it!- 

  & newly sharpened pencils {looking very festive & official} for each one of them to cast their votes.  There will also be an official voting station set up in the house tomorrow too. 

-Pencils dressed up with washi tape flags- 

It's a wonderful way to get the children involved & talking about the electoral process & seeing it in action. 

Be back tomorrow to tell you what won our dinner election for 2012 & show you a few other details of the voting process.  

{M} 

New Feature!

11.2.12- 

  Can you spot anything NeW on my blog today?  

{Look high & LoW} 

I'm super excited about it.  I hope you will like & explore a little bit with it too.  You might even discover some older posts you never knew about before. I might even go back & read a few myself ;) 

I learned how to do it over on KeyLime digital designs.  It is SUPER easy to do & takes almost no time at all.  Thanks for sharing the how-to {all the way from Hawaii} Kendra.  

I love techno-smart friends don't you?  

{M}

What's up Jack?

11.1.12- 

  Happy November!  

{Welcome month of gratitude, thankfulness, joy & family} 

I celebrated the new month by hitting some stores & doing some shopping. I have to say I had a great time!  

{which isn't always the case}

I'm not a big shopper but I love when shopping turns into a delightful day.  Trust me, if I HAVE to go find something specific I never do & I never enjoy the day.  But today I found myself meandering down the post- Halloween clearance aisles in Target & Micheals & found some fun stuff for next year.  I then headed over to the mall intending just to go to Bath & Body & found myself in Bohme & came across the cutest shirt on the clearance rack.  

{Yippee}

-God save the Queen! I would really like to travel to London one day & the English countryside- 

I have been intrigued by the whole Great Britain, Union Jack, flag thing for awhile now in clothing, home decor & just about everything but have never owned anything stripey of my own.  Saw this shirt & fell in love with the color & the lace that forms the Union Jack.  

{Now to go research why the England's flag is actually called that- lesson for the day!} 

Oh, don't worry I still found my way into one of my favorite places ever- Bath & Body & walked out with some great smelling stuff as usual.  I discovered a new fabulous scent- Chestnut & Clove.  Great Fall- Holiday scent! 

Ok, off to pack up all the Halloween decor & get out Thanksgiving stuff oh... & turn over the wooden sign & welcome in November. 

{M}