chambanachik

Reminder

2012-01-26T23:17:00.001-06:00

Some days, I obsess over everything else.

I look at the college credits needed to earn my degree and I sigh. I check the bank account and worry. I browse the racks of clothes and shelves of things at the store and I'm convinced I am less without them. Sometimes, I look at everything and everyone else.

She reminds me that it's all so inconsequential.

There are only a few things in this life that will matter at the end. The hands I will hold as I slip away are among the most important.

Because, in my final hours, I will be thinking only of God. Of Millie. And of Sky.
And of how I lived my life to be a part of theirs.

Stopping

2012-01-25T21:34:00.000-06:00

"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm."

— Willa Cather

Sometimes, it hits me. The tension from the day rolls into a week or month, until I carry its weight in my muscles and feel its strain on my heart. Yesterday was that kind of day.

It's been a strange, out of kilter week here. I attended the funeral for my best friend's father. There is little worse than watching someone you care about in tears and knowing you can't fix it. Other people around me have been stressed or upset or angry. Millie has had a rough week- probably cutting another tooth. I don't know the reasoning behind all of what I had pent up, but I know that it was just there- sitting on my lungs, giving me that horrible fight-or-flight feeling; but there was no one to fight and nowhere to go.

I found myself standing in the shower, the stream rolling in curls from me and the water drenching my hair and getting caught in my lashes, and instead of being soothed and calmed, I felt like I couldn't breathe. My heart beat fast. I felt the adrenaline coursing through me and I hated it. I had to look in the mirror to steady myself, to remind myself everything was okay.

So I did something completely out of the ordinary. I grabbed the bottle of wine that had sat in the bottom of my fridge for the past two years, waiting for a special occasion that apparently had never arrived. I found a corkscrew, then poured it into the glass. And instead of multi-tasking with writing/blogging, Facebook, Twitter, TV, eating, and everything else I do at night, I just stopped.

I sat with my glass in hand, and watched a show- a girly show about weddings. I did nothing else but sip and ooh and ahh at dresses. And it felt so good. And tonight, I'm going to do the very same, only adding a DIY pedicure in the mix. I tell myself I stay at home with Millie and therefore I don't really need a day off, but the truth is, I do. Desperately. And it isn't even good for anyone if I don't take it. It definitely isn't good for my heart.

Sky remarked that I hadn't written a 'real' post in a while. Maybe I avoided writing it the past few days, because there were no words. Because I didn't have the energy or the motivation to say what I really wanted to say.

But the words are here now: rest. breathe. slow.

Stop.

The Best Potatoes in the Universe

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-06:00

I am the kind of girl who finds something she likes to eat, eats only that thing for a couple weeks straight, gets burned out, and moves on to the next craving. It's been that way as long as I can remember.

My current obsession is oven roasted potatoes. I found the original recipe here, and I've made these babies over and over during the meals when Sky is away at work. They are the easiest thing, too.

It's all about the texture on these. Just slice them super thin, and you'll get crispy edges that are out of this world good.

Best Potatoes in the Universe

2 large potatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil (I never even measure this or the seasoning anymore.)

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Slice the potatoes into slices- the big key to this recipe is to get them very thin so they will get crispy around the edges (about 1/4 inch). Put all potato slices, oil, seasoning, and salt into a Ziploc bag, and shake until the pieces are coated well. Line a baking sheet with foil (or I use a 8 x 8 pan-just be sure to not layer them too much) and put them in a single layer. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown. Top with Parmesan cheese (again, I just put enough on until it looks good- definitely don't use the whole 4 tbsp) and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Praying for Daphne

2012-01-23T20:23:00.000-06:00

Last week, Rachelle from Mr. Superman and Mrs. S. shared the story of one of her friends and a new baby named Daphne. Daphne was born with Trisomy 18. You probably remember me sharing a video about Trisomy 18 when I told you the story of my friend Rebecca, who had a son born with Trisomy 13. Both are conditions without much hope.

But sometimes, God does powerful things. And in Daphne's case, he is giving her a fighting spirit and her mother a sense of peace. I don't know this family at all, but Rachelle wrote an update today, and she asked that I help spread the word. This baby needs prayers, and God is always big enough to do what we ask.

So head over to Rachelle's post to grab the button above, spread the word, and most of all, pray for this sweet little girl.
Thank you.

Fifteen Dollars of Feisty

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-06:00

I'm not bold- not with my speech, not with my actions, but above all else, not with my clothes. My favorite colors to wear are black, white, grey, and occasionally brown. Yes- I'm one of those girls. I accept it and own it.

So animal print? I detest it. Bright colors, sparkles, big patterns? Almost never. And fur? Completely out of the question.

Until I happened upon the clearance racks at Target last week. I moseyed over to the 70% off section, threw nearly every winter coat my size in the cart, and Millie and I headed for the changing rooms.

While she checked herself out in the full length mirrors, I slipped on the first jacket, glancing at the price tag as I did. Only $15.00! It was a fitted black wool peacoat with cute pockets, gold buttons, and a belt.

And fur.

Just a bit around the collar, but I might as well have been wearing head to toe Target red for the jolt it gave me. I studied the girl in the mirror in front of me. I studied her from the side. I spent a couple minutes in that coat, just letting the feeling of boldness sink into my bones. Then, I tossed the it into the cart, and wheeled down the aisles with a bit of a cocky grin. Sometimes it's okay to be a rebel, and this rebellion is just my speed.

Sky isn't a fan, and I'll probably take the fur part off as the weather begins to warm. But it gets downright chilly here in Illinois. Every bit of that faux fur warmth is needed these days.

So, if only until the biting cold fades, I'll wear my coat, and feel the glow of glamour. Beige sweater underneath and no lipstick or high heels- but it's the little things. And though no one else will recognize the bravery I'll be quite literally wearing on my sleeve, I will know.

Maybe the secret is what makes it so delicious anyway.

Qs and As

2012-01-22T11:59:00.000-06:00

Ines from The Few, The Proud, The Wife tagged me in this Q and A. She must have known I'm a sucker for these things. I cannot wait to read the answers from the sweet ladies I tagged!

The Rules

1. You must post the rules (and link up who tagged you).
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag however many people you want
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

11 Facts About Me

1. I read Sense and Sensibility when I was 12 or 13 (voluntarily). I've always loved classics.

2. I played the piano at church for my youth group.

3. I owned a pogo stick as a kid, and was pretty dang awesome at it.

4. My biggest wishes right now are to take more college classes towards my associate, and to figure out my sewing machine.

5. My mom just sent me something called "Biscoff spread" and I may even like it better than Nutella (gasp!).

6. I get really cold when I have a migraine or when I'm sad.

7. If I had the money, I would pay someone just to sit and brush my hair. So relaxing!

8. I hate wearing shorts.

9. I've actually made dozens of recipes (and other things) from Pinterest. Love that site.

10. I wear glasses every moment I'm not wearing contacts- so every morning, every night, and sometimes all day when I'm lazy.

11. I'm probably taller than you.

Ines's Questions For me

1. Coke or Pepsi?

Pepsi! Coke is only for rum and Cokes.

2. Best book that you have read recently?

I'm currently reading a Jimmy Stewart biography. The book isn't going to win any awards for writing style, but I love finding out more about my favorite actor.

3. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Probably 10 or 12. It used to be out of control, but the last time we moved, I donated everything I didn't wear.

4. Whats your favorite wine?

I don't drink very often anymore, but I like sweeter white wines like Rieslings. No red wine for me!

5. Mac or Pc?

Oh goodness! If anyone follows me on Facebook or Twitter, they know by now that I am not an Apple fan. PC please!

6. Whats your favorite meal?

Hmm. It would probably include something Italian, like cheese lasagna, and it would definitely end with cherry pie.

7. Whats your favorite quote?

I am a quote nerd, so I have about 500 favorite quotes I've marked on GoodReads!

8. Dream vacation?

England. England. England.

9. Do you have an agenda? If so, is it on your phone or do you own an actual agenda?

I won an 2012 Erin Condren planner and use it all the time. I need to write things down and make lists!

10. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Definitely a night owl.

11. Favorite holiday?

Christmas.

My Questions for Tagged Friends

1. What is something you're known for?

2. What dessert would you make for me if I came for a visit?

3. If you could have any animal for a pet, what would you pick? (Example: I really liked the miniature giraffe in those commercials! ;) )

3. Where do you see yourself in 50 years?

4. What was the best day of your life so far?

5. What kind of things do you do every single day, without fail?

6. What subject do you know more about than most people?

7. What would be your perfect date night?

8. Where is your favorite place to be?

9. What is something valuable you've learned from your mom and/or dad?

10. What color do you like to wear the most?

11. What did you want to be when you grew up? (And are you there yet?)

Who I'm Tagging

-Kris at The New "Normal"

-Melissa Jaine

-Charla at Heart Like Mine

-Rachelle at The Adventures of Mr. Superman and Mrs. S.

-Gina at Contemplating Beauty

-Melissa at This Crazy Life

-Kaylee at Max & Kaylee

-Beka at Hold On, Love...

-Allie at My Marine and Me

-Katie at Like Sunshine After Rain

-Amanda at The B's

Smudges

2012-01-19T10:38:00.000-06:00

A perfectly formed hand print on the bottom of the tv screen. They're all over this house, on windowpanes, mirrors, and the tablecloth. Little Os are various places too, because she can't help but give her reflection a kiss. I can't say that I blame her. She leaves her impressions wherever she goes.

And I do what mothers are supposed to do; I wipe the surfaces down until they are shiny and new looking again, if only for a few minutes. Millie has a way of un-doing my doing pretty quickly.

These little prints and smudges are everywhere.

And gosh, I miss them already.

{The Daddy Doll gift certificate giveaway ends tomorrow! Enter here.}

The Second Time Around

2012-01-17T22:29:00.000-06:00

Our anniversary? In a word- happy.

My sweet friend Kim offered to watch Millie for us, and one of the honorary bloggy sisters I mentioned in a previous post was amazing enough to give us a gift card to have a night out. We wouldn't have had a date without them, so I can't thank them enough.

I painted my nails and dug a pair of heels out of the closet, and found some lip stain while Sky polished his shoes. We hadn't been on a real date in so long, I'd forgotten what it was like, but the second we shut the car doors, I was excited!

We decided to see an early movie, and then head to dinner. With the help from a friend who works at the theater (and who shall remain nameless), we were able to walk past the velvet ropes and watch our movie for free. (Thank you again!) We got to snuggle and eat gummy bears and Hot Tamales, and all was good.

The way we choose where to eat was simple- after Googling menus of various restaurants in town, and being unimpressed with their food, their prices, or both, we clicked on an Italian restaurant called Minneci's- a place my parents happened to go to on one of their first dates, no less. The website began playing our song (if we have one)- a Sinatra song that Sky always sings to me. And just like that, it was settled.

The food was quite probably the best Italian I have ever had, and Sky and I also had a glass of wine and split some tiramisu (my favorite!). Little twinkle lights hung from the ceiling, and the room was quiet and serene. They played lots of Sinatra and Michael Buble, too, and we both loved that. The man who rang up our check was friendly, and I mentioned that we were there for a special occasion. "Happy anniversary! Do you live here in town?" I nodded. "What year are you celebrating?" he asked Sky. "It's our second," Sky said. After the drive home through the night mist, he chuckled and said, "Maybe I should have said it's our first happy anniversary." I had to smile because it's true.

There was a intense thunderstorm that night (yes, in January), and I couldn't help but think how lucky we were to have each other near. Maybe the first anniversary wasn't happy- but this? This night made up for it.

And we've got decades more to celebrate.

{P.S. Thank you for all your comments on Sky's Post. I kept relaying them to him as they would come in. I think I could speak for most girls when I say that the best gift is a love letter, and his just blew me away.}

Sky's Post

2012-01-15T23:23:00.000-06:00

{I asked Sky to write a post for our anniversary today.

He procrastinated as long as he possibly could, but nonetheless, here it is.

Happy 2 years to us.}

When Erika asked me to guest-post on her blog I did not hesitate to say "yes". The hesitation came later. I realized that what I write for her will be read by all of you. Every night, it seems, I hear stories and see pictures of amazing people with poetic life stories and the type of generosity that is only seen in the movies. I hope I can live up to what has come to be expected from Chambanachik's blog.

I've typed and deleted the little black text on this page more that I thought would be necessary. I've started to type how we met, the struggle that we went through before we were even married a year, and how I could not believe that Erika is still willing to be my wife. I've decided that I will just make a list of thing I love about her.

Why I love Erika:

after reading a list of stuff she wanted for her future I wanted to complete all of them for her before we met in person
she has an amazing sense of humor
the only movies she has ever watched were made by people who are no longer alive
we like the same music. It's hard to find someone who likes Paul Simon
she is an amazing mother
she actually thinks she'll win when she wrestles with me
whenever she smiles it's like a light turning on in a dark room

Erika, I just want you to know that I will always love you and always fight for our marriage. You most certainly are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I never want to lose what we have.

Do You Remember?

2012-01-12T22:01:00.000-06:00

That was us- you and me.

You and me, making promises in a crowded room with old wooden floors that creaked underneath your glossy black uniform shoes and my borrowed ivory heels. You and me, nervously slipping bands onto each other's fingers. You and me, watching Saturday, the 16th of January get closer and closer on the calendar, and practicing the wedding kiss on the days before. You and me, listening to your brother, who married us, telling a story about a garden, and how marriage must be taken care of and tended in the same way. You and me, eating dinner that night at our favorite Italian place, knowing no one else in the restaurant was aware we had just become bride and groom. You and me, talking on opposite sides of the bathroom door that morning, because I didn't dare let you see me in my white dress and birdcage veil until I walked in to become your wife. You and me, excited when the guests had all gone home and it was the two of us standing in the pink rose petals scattered for us earlier that day. You and me, as our heads lay on our pillows and you called me your wife.

You and me, the couple that shattered and fell apart, but came together again,
and have this second anniversary as a shiny medal to prove that we can do anything. You and me, making plans to celebrate this Monday as the day, 2 years ago, we began something bigger than ourselves.

I never knew that I could love someone the way that I love you.

White Dress by Ben Rector

Angels Among Us

2012-01-11T20:39:00.000-06:00

It was Monday. The doorbell rang, and I opened it to see our mailman pushing two large boxes towards the doorway. "Be careful," he said, "That bottom one is heavy!"

I opened them while Millie stood nearby. I pulled out one little girl's outfit after another after another. Millie excitedly pointed to them, saying, "Flower!", and lit up even more once she saw the shoes. Also inside, a gorgeous handmade dress made just for her, and a card for our second wedding anniversary next week.

Another box came to my house the week before. Inside was a huge stack of cloth diapers- only gently worn and missing a few buttons here and there, but perfect nonetheless. They're easier to use than the diapers she had been wearing, and we're not afraid for her to wear them while we're out running errands or when she takes naps during the day. They're wonderful!

Two bloggers-both whom you likely read, if you're reading my blog- sent these to me. Two girls who have never come over to my house, never met Millie, and have likely never been to Chambana, did something for my family that only family usually does. I honestly feel like I've gained a couple honorary sisters. It is such a humbling, incredible blessing. How do you express to someone how much you appreciate their generosity and sweetness?

There's a verse in the Bible reminding us to be kind to strangers, because we may unknowingly be in the presence of angels.

Sometimes, though, I think we already know.

To Kris and Bonnie, from Millie, Sky, and myself- thank you.

Daddy Doll Gift Certificate Giveaway

2012-01-10T15:47:00.001-06:00

Remember the post I wrote about our awesome Daddy Doll? I wrote it to spread the word about how awesome they are, and how much Millie loves her doll. But after Jennifer from Daddy Dolls read the post, she was sweet enough to give me a gift certificate! How cool is that?

Here's where you come in- because Millie already has her doll, I decided to ask Jennifer if I could do a giveaway instead, and she graciously said yes. For this specific giveaway, I ask that only military families enter- I want to make someone's deployment or training a little easier. Whether you have kids or not doesn't matter (because honestly, I know some spouses would want one for themselves!). Millie gives her stamp of approval to how cuddly they are.

The winner of this giveaway will get a $20 gift certificate to DaddyDolls.Com to use however you choose! (P.S. They are having a sale on a couple types of dolls!)

Please leave me one comment per entry. You must be a follower of Chambanachik to enter.

Ways to Enter:

* Like Daddy Dolls on Facebook = 1 entry

* Blog about the giveaway (make sure to include the link) = 2 entries

* Post this giveaway on Facebook = 2 entries per day

* Tweet the following = 1 entry per day

"Win a Daddy Doll from @chambanachik- great for #military families & deployments! http://tinyurl.com/7rg96hz "

The giveaway ends Friday, January 20, at 9pm cst.

The Milspouse Quiz

2012-01-10T00:01:00.002-06:00

I saw this on several milspouse blogs, and finally decided to snag it from Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life!

The Milspouse Quiz

1. How did you and your spouse meet? He and my brother were in the same unit in the National Guard, and were roommates in Afghanistan. You can read the less abbreviated version here, but we actually didn't meet until he was deployed.

2. How old were you when you two met? I had just turned 24. Sky was almost 27.

3. How long have you been together? We'll be married two years in January- we only dated 9 months before getting married.

4. Where are you and your spouse originally from? I was born and raised here in Chambana. Sky's dad was in the Army, so he lived various places, but has lived in Illinois since he was 10 (a couple hours south of here).

5. How did you feel about him joining the military? The first time, of course, it was not my decision at all. It never occurred to me to even date someone in the military, but I doubt anyone thinks of their husband/boyfriend's profession more than the actual person. We obviously talked together about him re-enlisting in the Reserves.

6. Where did your spouse go to Basic Training? He went to Fort Benning (just as my brother did a few months later). Infantry! He doesn't have to go back to Basic for the Reserves since he's already been.

7. Has your spouse ever been deployed? Yes, to Afghanistan.

8. Ever been to his promotion ceremony? Not yet, but I already made him promise that I'll get to pin him when/if he does! I think it'd be a big honor.

9. How long have you been a military wife? Basically as long as I've been his wife- 2 years!

10. Did you marry him before or after he joined? Yes! He joined the Army National Guard before we were married. He just recently joined the Army Reserves.

11. How did your husband propose? The first time, we already were engaged and our wedding was a few weeks away. He got down on one knee on the side of the road where we first saw each other. The second time was on my birthday.

12. Where did you get married? In our tiny upstairs apartment in an "old, drafty house". It was a cold, January day.

13. How old were you two when you got married? I was 25, and he was 27.

14. Did he wear his uniform on his wedding day? Most definitely. It's better than any suit or tuxedo!

15. Where are you and your spouse currently stationed? Being Reserve, he's not stationed anywhere.

16. Do you live on base? Nope!

17. How long were you married when you had to go through your first separation? As a married couple, we've only been separated for a few weeks at a time due to training or being called to state active duty. We met while Sky was on leave from Afghanistan, so the first five months of dating were spent apart.

18. What is your favorite base so far? I've only been to Fort Benning (Georgia) to see my brother's turning blue ceremony and graduation, and to Scott Air Force Base (Missouri) for ID cards/DEERs enrollment, so I couldn't really say! If we were somehow magically active duty and Air Force, I'd want to hear to the AFBs in England! Sigh.

19. Do you think your spouse looks good in his uniform? Of course. Any guy improves his looks in a uniform, and Sky happens to be handsome already.

20. Do you think military life is more advanced than civilian life? I don't really understand the question. Advanced? No...different than the mainstream? Absolutely.

21. Do you like the benefits you receive as a military dependent? As a Reserve (or National Guard) dependent, my benefits are much different (i.e., less) than active duty spouses, so that's a tough question. When Sky deploys, we will briefly have the same benefits as active, but otherwise, I suppose the 10% military discount from Payless was nice!

22. Do you have a lot of military wife friends? In real life? None, because we don't live on or near a base. But online? Of course! I would say the majority of my blogger friends are military spouses, and I think that's amazing.

23. What is the hardest part of the military life? Because we're not active duty, I think we often have it much easier than a lot of military families- we don't have to move, deploy as often (most of the time), etc. The hardest parts for us personally have been 1- the disconnect between our particular life and the lives of our friends who may not understand, and 2- the paycheck issues when switching from military duty to civilian jobs- people in real life don't usually realize that the delay in military pay + no pay while not at work in the civilian world = bill collectors calling. That's difficult and frustrating.

24. Do you own military wife stuff? Not really- Millie has a few ACU patterned toys (her TroopPaws dog and her Daddy Doll), but that's about it.

25. Do you support your spouse as a member of the military? Definitely. I'm very proud of him, and I know he's doing things I'm not strong enough to do.

IF YOU’RE A MILITARY SPOUSE-TAG YOU’RE IT!

The Annoyed Army Wife Visits Chambana

2012-01-08T23:49:00.001-06:00

The day started with the alarm ringing on my phone. I shut it off groggily, and then remembered- today's the day I'm meeting The Annoyed Army Wife! I bit my nails and thought about what to wear. It felt vaguely like a first date.

It got worse when I opened my closet doors. I found myself thinking, "What would chambanachik wear?" "Oh Lord," I said out loud to myself. After rolling my eyes at myself, I pulled out a sweater and got ready for the day.

I heard a knock at the door, and there she was! It was funny seeing someone who had been a picture and words on a screen turn into someone in 'real life'. My dad had picked Millie up earlier, so A.A.W. and I decided to head out for lunch.

We picked a great Mexican place in town that she used to frequent- she just happened to live here for a couple years during school, in case you didn't know! We walked in and saw a long table full of soldiers. It seemed fitting.

After that, we headed downtown to a place called the Walnut Street Tea Company- a tiny shop full of hundreds of teas, chocolates, and coffee. Because she's lived here, she knew a lot of the fun spots to visit, so I didn't even have to play tour guide. Walnut Street just so happens to be one of my favorite shops in the world.

We wandered around the area, snapping a few pictures, and then walked through campus and the quad. A couple older ladies tried desperately to convert us to something, but they were relived to hear we both believed in God. We ended the walk at the Alma Mater, where I get a couple more photos.

After we got back to the apartment, A.A.W. was able to meet Millie and and play for a few minutes. I think Millie was grateful to have another person reading to her!

As I told her, I don't really leave the house to do anything other than grocery shop anymore. It was so nice to hang out with someone my own age! There isn't a lot of introduction to be done, because, as bloggers, we tend to know more about each other than many of our 'real life' friends. Plus, it's The Annoyed Army Wife- it doesn't get better than that!

(P.S. Read her post about the day here.)

At the Mexican restaurant!

Shopping for tea

I won't share all the photos from the day, but isn't she sickeningly photogenic?

In downtown Champaign

On the U of I Quad

The Alma Mater

Millie's pretty excited!

A quick story

Bad Dreams

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

"Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere."

— Margaret Wise Brown (Goodnight Moon)

She usually falls asleep every night without protest. There's a kiss for her, a kiss for her stuffed monkey, blankets tucked in, and the door clicks closed to a darkened room. But every so often, Millie has a bad dream.

It's a different cry than one for a tummy ache or a desire to be out of bed and playing. It's more urgent. I turn the doorknob and find her sitting up in a corner of her crib, blankets askew. She reaches up for me without even being able to make out my form, as if she feels my presence there.

With the filmy light filtering in from the kitchen, I scoop up her long body still caught in a half-sob, and lean back onto the rocking chair. She melts onto my neck and chest and sighs sorrowfully until her breathes are calm again. She doesn't move a muscle.

I look around the dim, grainy room. Stuffed animals and dolls recline in a basket against the wall, their faces always cheerful. Books are neatly lined on the bookshelf. The alarm clock gives off a hazy red glow in one corner. Pictures of her hang on the wall, reminding me she isn't a newborn anymore.

And sometimes, I close my eyes and match my breathing to the rise and fall of her own. All I can do in breathe in how lucky I am.

If it's all a dream, what a good dream it is.

I Need a Stylist

2012-01-05T00:01:00.008-06:00

Once upon a time, I was young, single, and spent money at salons to be a blonde.
Apparently, I liked taking Myspace-y photos of myself, too.
To be honest, I really, really liked this color on me, but it's definitely not a DIY thing.

After a while, I started dying my hair at home. The red tints in my hair began to show through.

Then I dyed my hair a weird shade of brown in an attempt to get back to my natural color. It wasn't a good look- can you say washed out? (Also, forgive the pregnancy pudge there.)

And finally, this is what I look like right now. I actually dye my hair an ash blonde shade,
but there is so much golden-red in my hair, it comes out like this. I'm wanting a change.
I'd like a cut eventually, but a box of $3 color every several weeks is much cheaper to maintain.

I decided to get on a few websites and play around with their colors.
These are a few I came up with- so I need your help.
Sky doesn't give much input in this area.
(Okay, to be fair, I told him twins of me walked up to him, one with brown hair and one with blonde,
and he was forced to date one. His response was, "Which one of them likes England?" Sigh.)
Also, some people can pull off red or platinum, but I am definitely not one of those people so those are off limits.

Which numbers do you think would be the most flattering on a pale girl like me? I need girl advice!

1. Ahhhh! This was a joke. I look like a weird version of Christina Aguilera.

9- Red. Ick.

Responding to Comments

2012-01-04T22:15:00.000-06:00

I've gotten a few emails in the past asking how I respond to people who comment on my blog. I don't like the thought of comments floating out there in the universe- I want to thank people for taking the time to read what I write, and to have a dialogue with them instead of a one-sided conversation.
It's very easy to do:

1. Click on your "settings" tab.
2. Once there, find the "comments" tab.
3. Scroll down to the very last section that reads "Comment Email Notification."
4. Enter the email address you want your comments sent to, and click "save settings".

You're done! It's simple to do once you know how. All the comments on your blog will now be sent straight to your email. Click reply, and write that commenter back to know you appreciate them. (This obviously works if they have their reply to email set up- while you're in your settings, go ahead and make sure yours is set up, please!)

I hope this helps start a few new conversations in blogland!

2

2012-01-03T22:16:00.000-06:00

We were desperate. We knew well enough that every fight could be our last. I sighed the same words over and over until even I tired of them- I don't think I can do this anymore. I don't think I can. I can't, I can't.

But soon, in a handful of days, it will be two years since the vows- even the ones bent or broken and soldered back together again. Because sometimes the biggest vow is keeping them after they've been broken. To take what was thrown out, and plant it, sitting on the cold ground beside it, waiting for rain and hoping something good will grow.

It will be two years with a different last name. Two years of seeing the absolute best and worst of each other. Two years of holding on, if only by a couple thin fingers that seemed to be slipping out of grasp. Only in Hollywood is a two year marriage seen as a triumph, as a victory. And to those who don't know our story, the day will pass by without any thought to the two young kids from Illinois who are still together in spite of themselves. But we beat the odds- of people who have been though what we've been though, of military couples whose soldiers have seen war, and of the general population who only makes it to the finish line half of the time.

Our hearts remember, though- every twist and turn and detour is written on them- our own little history books we'll always carry. And while it means that certain things may always be haunting reminders, it also means we understand where our scars came from. I wonder how much we would appreciate had life been easier.

Two years. There's a balance that we have found and are still finding every day. I heat up bigger portions for dinner than he has room for and he eats them anyway. And he makes me watch every deleted scene and making-of parts of every DVD we watch. I explain the plot of a book to him, and he explains the science of something to me. He reminds me to slow my pace a little and enjoy the moment. I'm a mother and he's a father to our sweet daughter. Something that was wrapped in pain has become something of beauty.

I don't know that I ever will be able to look back on it all and understand. How it all happened, how we came back together in the end, or how long the process took and still takes. But maybe, when I am much older, and watching Millie's own children play on the floor beside her, I can tell her. I could tell her what she'll surely already know by then- that life is unpredictable, sometimes fickle, and still beautiful. And that we almost didn't have the family she knew. But that something was rooted in our hearts stronger than reason, and that God watched over us. That we were blessed.

And though many marriages stay broken, we took 'the road less traveled by.

And that has made all the difference.'

(photo my own)

Snow Day

2012-01-02T22:18:00.000-06:00

Thank you for your comments on my last post. To be honest, I was this close to turning the comments off on that post- I don't want to make anyone feel like they need to pat me on the back. I'm glad I didn't, though- your words were sweet and encouraging. I think I'm in the middle of a melancholy spot right now; maybe it's winter, or maybe it's just life. Either way, you helped me smile.

Another smile-worthy thing? Amelia Bedelia, of course.

We finally had our first snow of the season the other day (and the second one today), so I bundled Millie up in her snowsuit and took her outside for her first stroll in the snow. She didn't last too long because it's hard work trudging along in those little pink boots, but we had fun while it lasted.

{waiting}

{it's cold!}

{falling down in a snowsuit requires lots of work to get back up!}

The Girl Who Hoped

2012-01-01T11:59:00.000-06:00

This is the kind of post that left me hovering over the publish button for a long time before clicking it. Forgive me ahead of time.

I watched the ball drop last night, and my heart sank with it. I saw the lights and glitter burst and then fade out, and reflected over the last year. I found myself in tears. They weren't the nostalgic, happy tears I wanted to cry, either. These tears were sad and even a little bitter. I thought about the dreams I had for myself- the ones I have had for a long time, but grew stronger over 2011- and how I hadn't come close enough to taste them or even feel them brush against my hand. Instead of becoming more of who I want to be, I feel like I've been pushed in the opposite direction.

It wasn't for a lack of desire. It seems like so many successful people preach that we need only want something badly enough, and we can get it, or that hard work alone will make us successful. They leave out the part about luck, I think. The things I want (and not things, as in something I could buy, but goals) I have wanted so deeply, so fiercely. I have worked towards them in every single way I know how, and still have ended up without at the end of the year. My college degree is one of those things, but I haven't been able to take a single class since the summer of 2009. I hate it, and I hate even more that there seems to be no way around it. I know a few other bloggers who have wanted something just as badly (and some, I know, even more), and were empty handed on New Year's, too.

Here's the truth of it- I'm scared to hope. It hasn't gotten me very far in the past. I see everyone's optimism for 2012, and I truly envy it, but sometimes I look in the mirror and think, "You're 27, and you've only gotten this far in life? What have you actually done?" That girl looks the same as the 26 year old, the 25 year old, etc. I search for ways she's grown, but come up empty.

Crying over a silly blog post isn't the way I had hoped to spend New Year's Day, and I apologize if I sound ungrateful. I know I am blessed. In some ways, I wish I could switch off that ache in me that wants to grow and run farther, but it doesn't work that way- or if it does, I still wouldn't do it.

I don't want to be the girl with potential, the girl with hope. I want to be the girl that did it, instead of the girl who dreamed it. I want to be the girl who doesn't cry when the ball drops at the end of 2012.

New

2011-12-30T21:40:00.002-06:00

source

"And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been"

— Rainer Maria Rilke

A lot of bloggers have been compiling their top posts from 2011- a sort of highlight reel for the past year. I wasn't able to do that.

2011 wasn't my favorite year. There was plenty of good, sure- but there was a lot of struggle. And though climbing the mountain is beautiful in and of itself, I'd rather keep focusing on getting to the peak and seeing the view from there. I've finally come to realize that there are no guarantees in this life. So I will make my resolutions, but make them quietly and gently, knowing they may bend and that's okay. As long as my family is together and our house is warm, it really doesn't matter if five pounds are lost or fifty books are read this year.

Some people say 2012 will be the end of the world as we know it.

But I'm hoping it's just the beginning.

Happy New Year.

Her Diary

2011-12-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

“your handwriting. the way you walk. which china pattern you choose. it's all giving you away.

everything you do shows your hand. everything is a self portrait. everything is a diary.”

― Chuck Palahniuk

This is my bedside table. On it, there are stacks of paperback books- some I thumb through as a reference, like What to Expect the Second Year, while others, like the Jimmy Stewart biography, are patiently waiting to be read. My glasses rest there at night, next to my lamp and a couple candles. There is a box of Kleenax, a few bottles of lotion, and a glittery body mist I thought a necessity a long time ago.

And Millie's diary.

She doesn't know just yet that she has a diary, but there it sits. Given to me by a dear friend a few months before Millie's birth, it's a journal spanning five years, with about 5 blank lines to fill in every day. And it is full of insignificance, mostly. Words are no doubt misspelled. The first six months chronicle many sleepless nights. There are days where my frustrations as a new mother are evident.

But there are bits of entries- of those few, thin lines- that are love letters to my daughter.

Some things are silly, but beg not to be forgotten.

Some are so small, I'm not sure even she will read through them someday.

There are pages with little stars signaling an important first. They are scrawled in more slanted, messy handwriting, telling of my excitement as I wrote. I hope she won't mind.

I have the short list of things I would carry from a house ablaze. My camera, because pictures are memories. Our social security cards, because they're needed. And Millie's diary. Because history is so important- especially her own.

And I tell myself, of course, that is little book is for her. Someday, she can leaf through the pages and read all about her daily life, her triumphs, and the food that made her nose wrinkle up. After all, the best childhood stories are the ones you're in. But sometimes at night, after I've written that day's entry, I turn back a month. Then another. And I find myself reading my daughter's story, and reliving those memories with perfect clarity.

My biggest hope for her is to know, every single day, how immensely significant she is.

Our Day

2011-12-28T00:01:00.005-06:00

Christmas Eve:

Millie had a tummy ache on Christmas Eve and couldn't sleep (and no, she hasn't learn the art of faking it yet), so we let her get up for a little bit and open her first present.

It was a story about a duck and a goose, and it begged to be read before she went back to bed.

Christmas morning:

Elated that we encouraged her to rip up paper.

A pint-sized chair for a half pint.

I wrap things cleverly...like in towels. Sky thought he was getting a blanket.

Millie spent most of Christmas morning wearing the glasses from her Mr. Potato Head. "Hasses!" she exclaimed. I'm not sure if her fascination with them was because I wear glasses every night, but she adored them.

Christmas afternoon:

We don't really go anywhere that requires dressing up. But she had to get fancy for Christmas!

Art by Millie.

Our Christmas cards. My dad would point to each one he didn't recognize and ask, "Blogger?" Many of you are on that wall!

It was very merry.

The Dessert Menu

2011-12-27T00:01:00.008-06:00

We had a lot to eat on Christmas. I know everyone says that, but I've never baked so much in all my life. After some Googling and Pinterest, I decided all these deserts must be made. I should have remembered to keep a full pot of coffee hot while I made them...

Here is the rundown:

*Pistachio cranberry cookies (Good and easy, although I think they'd be better with homemade sugar cookie dough.)

*Nutmeg sugar cookies with eggnog icing (Good but rich.)

*Orange gingerbread cookies with rum icing (Delicious. These were my favorite to eat- but the dough was so unbelievably impossible to work with that I felt like setting the bowl in the street and running over it with the car. Needless to say, I won't be making them again.)

*Grasshopper fudge cake (I really liked this. I'll be making it regularly, I think.)

*Nutella puppy chow (I skipped adding the hazelnuts)

*Peppermint ice popcorn (I kind of liked this twist on regular peppermint ice.)

*Dipped s'mores (Self explanatory.)

*Original Chex mix (In the oven, not the microwave- it's the only way to go.)

*Christmas wreathes (I ended up running out of steam before I could make them.)

I found a label template and made up little cards to display. It was more to make sure people knew what was what than it was to be cute, but I liked the look of them.

And here they are in action:

Did I mention it was a lot of food? This doesn't even include actual nutrition and substance- it's just the dessert section. We gave plates and bags to anyone who volunteered to take them, sent some with Sky to work, and even took a plate over to our crazy neighbor. I'm not exactly sure why I felt like making it all was such a great idea.

Oh, and next time? You're all invited over- at least to take a plate home with you!

Unwrappable

2011-12-25T22:41:00.001-06:00

It must have been twenty something posts-probably more- on Facebook and Twitter about the presents people received on Christmas. There was more excitement and exclamation points used as the dollar amounts of the presents increased. For all their age and years of hearing the Christmas story, so many of them resorted to listening their pricey gifts one by one, as if that meant they were loved more. And somewhere along the way, they forgot that it isn't a competition.

But they weren't watching my daughter become just a little less baby and a little more girl as she dressed up in a plaid dress, tights, and patent leather Mary Janes. Maybe they didn't understand.

Because that was my Christmas. That, and feeling the tears well up too many times to count because my family was together- Sky kept repeating it as if to remind me. It was him making me stay up until midnight so he could kiss me and be the first one to tell me, "Merry Christmas." It was my dad putting a huge pot of chili and a crockpot full of hot cider on the floorboards of his car to bring them to my house. Explaining to Millie that Santa Claus had eaten cookies even though she doesn't understand it yet. Sky helping clean the house after I'd spent the past three days in the kitchen baking. Dressing Millie in pajamas with candy canes on Christmas Eve, and getting her gussied up on Christmas afternoon even though I was wearing jeans. Calling my mom and little brother who live on the west coast, and coaxing Millie to tell them hi. Watching "A Muppet Christmas Carol" with my family like we always did when I was a kid. Getting a box (with a warning not to open until Christmas) from the sweetest faraway friend. Standing in the kitchen so long every part of me hurt, and tasting the icing before tasting the cookies. My aunt and uncle driving an hour to be here, and my brother driving an hour and a half from another way. Editing pictures of my daughter waving wrapping paper and bows wildly around. Reading her a board book of the Christmas story until she's old enough to hear it from Luke. Wrapping plates of cookies in tin foil for anyone who offered to take a few home. Getting up early to spend a little time together as a family before Sky headed to work.

It means not telling you what I unwrapped on Christmas.
Because it doesn't matter.
Because these things- the un-wrappable things- these are Christmas.

And I hope that yours was as merry as mine.

Let Your Heart Be Light

2011-12-23T01:01:00.001-06:00

This was first posted at A Little Pink in a World of Camo for the Milspouse Holiday Blog Swap. Several ladies who participated in it have re-posted their writings on their own blogs, so for those of you who may have missed it, I'm doing the same. Have a merry Christmas!

Her eyes shine brighter than any lights on the Christmas tree. She draws in a big breath and points at the red and green decorations in wonder. She's "no more than two" like Cindy Lou Who- 17 months to be exact- but Millie takes in the glory of the holidays with more excitement and joy than anyone I've seen.

Everyone has heard it preached that we should see things through the eyes of a child. And it always seems a little trite, a little stale, a little recycled to me. Once my daughter came into the world, I realized what a beautiful concept it really is. My favorite Christmas song, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", has the line ,"Let your heart be light." Millie's found the secret to a light heart, I think.

When I was young, I remember the scent of Christmas cookies would fill the house. I remember helping my mom stir the batter, and decorating them with icing that stained my fingers. I remember pulling out ornaments from dusty boxes that smelled like our attic, and turning them over to see what year I had made them. We helped each other string the big, multicolored lights around the tree, and Dad would lift one of us up to put the angel at the top. We'd sneak a candy cane here and there, and deny it if we were caught. We would shake presents for any clues of what they might be. We would spend hours in snow forts and come inside to homemade hot chocolate.

And just like my parents must have had, our family has bills that we worrying about paying. We have the stress of getting everything done before the holidays. We are tired after a long day at work or household chores. A recipe doesn't come out right. A present hoped for won't be bought. A snowfall interferes with plans. Something goes wrong, and the hopes of the holidays make it seem even more upsetting than usual.

But Millie doesn't see any of this, just as I didn't see it when I was little. She sees the beauty of the paper chain hung high and snowflakes taped to her window. She's oblivious to the number of presents under the tree, or what brand they are, or how much they cost. She hopes for a taste of sugar cookies. She is thrilled with the Christmas lights everywhere we go. She's content with the family she has around her. She sees only good things.

There's a line from famous story “A Christmas Carol” by Dickens that reads,“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year.” And maybe it isn't possible to do that, although my heart would like to think so. But we all have this one day each year that has a chance to be magical if we let it. The stress and worries can wait.

Let this day be a day of joy.

Merry & Bright

2011-12-22T04:00:00.001-06:00

(Somehow, this outfit [and this outfit alone, I might add] fit her both last Christmas and this Christmas. We have decided she'll being wearing it in every holiday photo for the rest of her life.)

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Hug A Hero Daddy Dolls

2011-12-21T11:47:00.000-06:00

Sky didn't shrink to the size of a large doll. Our Daddy Doll just arrived!

I recently won one from Mrs P at A Little Pink in a World of Camo (yes, where I was just guest posted during the blog swap!). Even though Sky won't be at school as many months as we originally thought, I added it up, and I realized he'll still be gone with the Army Reserve for a total of 3+ months over the next year. School, AT, drill weekends, etc. add up fast.

I don't write non-solicited reviews, but after Millie dropped her toys and exclaimed, "Daddy!" when she saw me unwrap it, I had to tell you how great Daddy Dolls are. Maybe my non-milspouse friends wouldn't understand (which is why I decided not to put these pictures on Facebook), but I think it's awesome, and apparently Millie does too. She even ditched her trusty stuffed monkey to snuggle with the doll at nap time. That's serious stuff.

You can find them here (and this is their Facebook page). We just snapped a picture (I finally cornered Sky before his drill this month), uploaded it, chose the fabric for the reverse side (I picked ACU because it matched, but there are several to pick from), and we got it very quickly.

And one little girl is very happy.

Bubbles

2011-12-19T23:18:00.000-06:00

There's a wonderful, singular joy in bathtime- specifically, in the bubbles.
Or, as Millie refers to them, "baubies!"

They're good for beard-making, tossing into the air, and swiping across noses. It never fails to get sweeping, unabashed giggles.

I pour in the pink, bubblegum scented liquid, and know how much it will excite her. I always forget her smiles give me an even bigger reward.

I love the way she can take the smallest of things and make them so big.

A Different View

2011-12-18T22:19:00.000-06:00

(photo: The County Star)

This. This is what I had been waiting for all week.

Remember how Millie went to visit Santa Claus at the library, and the reporter for the small, county paper had asked for her name and age? I was anticipating it for days, proud that my baby had already been published. An early child star. It was going to be nothing less than brilliant.

But this (above) was the picture. And it's not a bad one- Santa's face is in full view, and the children's books look nice behind him. Only a split second later, though, Millie reached up and gingerly touched his beard. I was standing a few feet to the right of the reporter, and got the shot you saw in my earlier post:

A nano-second and inches of difference, but this picture captured it so much more for me. And maybe no one else would notice. Both are pictures of a chubby-cheeked girl in a pink dress, sitting on Santa Claus' lap. She's wearing the same headband, and he has the same coat.

But motherhood means noticing. The small gestures she makes. The words I know she's saying though they aren't intelligible to the outside world yet. The cry in the middle of the night meant for my ears. The expressions on her face and what they each mean. After all, we all saw the same thing that night in the library.

I just had the best view.

The Reserve Situation

2011-12-16T00:01:00.024-06:00

I will never accept defeat. I will never quit.

-Soldier's Creed

We had hoped for the best with this new Army Reserve situation. Turns out, "the best" wasn't exactly in the cards...(If you're new to the blog, you can read the last few posts in {history} to catch up.)

After sitting down with Sky and filling out even more paperwork, he was told he'll have to do the much shorter Reserve school. In fact, it will only be 8 weeks long. Even worse, it will be broken up into 2 week increments, and spread out through months- this means we'll have to worry about the lag from civilian to military paychecks the way we did during the flooding last spring- only this time, we'll have to worry four times over. His first school won't even start until the summertime (and the following dates, through months of the fall), which means the promotion that had been discussed won't happen for at least a year, because he can't get promoted until he's MOS qualified- he was infantry in the National Guard, but the Reserves don't have infantry.

The huge, mean kicker in the whole thing? We just found out the Guard is making Sky pay back the remainder of his enlistment bonus (paid to him years ago, of course)- thousands of dollars that will be taken out of his drill pay, AT pay, school pay, and quite probably, our income tax refunds (and they're probably doing the same to most of his unit, whom they also decided to let go). The whole thing has me wondering why I placed any hope in the military- it's pretty laughable, really. Bad luck has taken on a whole new meaning.

It means a lot of things for us. Obviously, no longer school means no bigger paycheck. That means our debts will stick around (and like I mentioned, we now have a substantial new one), and it means big decisions on everything from paying for my root canal, to having a second baby, to just about everything, really. Of course, the bright side of it is that Sky will only be gone for short amounts of time- we've done 2 weeks apart several times in the past. And then again, there's a deployment ahead that he hopes to volunteer for because the money isn't coming from the school. I keep going back and forth on pros and cons, and it's a bit dizzying.

For now, things will be mostly the same as they have been. Sky will drill once a month and work his civilian job. I will be home with Millie, mothering and doing the household chores. I'll heat up his lunches every day and we'll peek in the dim room of our sweet, sleeping girl every night. We'll continue to live carefully, frugally, and hope that if 2012 isn't our year, maybe 2013 or 2014 will be. Time has a way of making sense backwards, and maybe this will down the road, or maybe it never will at all. Wherever we're destined to go in this roller-coaster life, I know we'll get there.

Eventually, we'll get there.

Christmas Cookie Recipe & Linkup

2011-12-15T00:01:00.013-06:00

Deanna from Everything and Nothing From Essex has come to be a great blogging friend. When she wrote me and asked if I would like to co-host her first linkup- a virtual Christmas cookie exchange- I didn't have to think twice. It's cookies, for goodness sake! (Not to mention she'd just generally awesome.)

My absolute favorite would have to be the old standby- the Betty Crocker sugar cookie recipe. It's the recipe I use every Christmas, just like my mom did for all our Christmases. (I even used them for Millie's sock monkey cookies for her birthday party!) I have already made them several times this year, and have a plate of them in my kitchen right now. (They'll be gone soon.)

But recently, I discovered a new recipe that will probably be added to our family Christmas traditions. I found them the way I've found most of my recipes of late: through the wonder of Pinterest. I love all things lemon, so I had to give these a try. After their debut at our house, I can tell you that they received rave reviews!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

(makes 2-3 dozen)

Ingredients:

½ cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoons baking powder

⅛ teaspoons baking soda

1-½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again very briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte (not melty or shiny). Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

I would recommend doubling this recipe, because they go fast!

Now head on over to Everything and Nothing From Essex, and link up your own Christmas cookie recipes! (And follow her while you're there- she's pretty great at writing posts that can make me laugh and cry.)

And on two notes of business...my blog swap post at A Little Pink in a World of Camo is now up!
Be a dear and leave me some comment love?
Also, there are seven days of Christmas Giveaways still open, so if you haven't entered them yet, don't wait!

Christmas Giveaway Day 17: Japanese Gifts from 'Hello. Also, I Love You.'

2011-12-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

(If you're here for the Milspouse Holiday Blog Swap, it's the post below this one- thanks for stopping by, and be sure to subscribe and enter the Christmas Giveaways while you're here!)

Today's giveaway- the last day of the Christmas Giveaway series!-comes from a sweet blogger who just got married days ago (congratulations!). Sue blogs at "Hello. Also, I Love You." Sue wrote me a very kind email after reading my blog, and I've been following her ever since.

I'll let her introduce herself to you:

Hi everyone, I'm Sue! I'm a very newly married Air Force wife. My husband and I are stationed in Japan & we love it here. The people are friendly, the scenery is gorgeous and the food is absolutely delicious. I love to blog because I love to write and this is my outlet for everything. I love learning new things & I constantly take classes to expand my knowledge. I don't know Japanese yet but I'm working on it! I love to read, I'm slightly addicted to Pinterest and I secretly love to game with my husband. For now we're just living every day, taking the good with the bad & remembering that love is what it's really all about.

Since I love it here in Japan I thought I'd share a little piece of that with Erika's readers for Christmas. My giveaway is for a Japanese tea set, a Kokeshi doll and a traditional Japanese hair flower. These are my favorite things that I've found while living here in Japan so I want to pass their joy on to you!

I love this giveaway, because it's not things you can find at a local store! For all those girls who love something unique or full of culture, this is such a special giveaway. The winner receives all three items pictured: the beautiful tea set, Japanese hair flower, and the very cute Kokeshi doll!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:
* Follow Sue's blog, Hello. Also, I Love You. = 1 entry

* Add Sue's blog button to your site. = 1 entry

* Leave a comment telling me your favorite place you've visited = 1 entry

* Leave a comment telling me a place you want to visit = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

And on a personal note, I want to thank all of you for participating in the giveaways!
Today is the last giveaway I'm posting in the Christmas series,
(so make sure you've entered the rest of them as well)
and it's been so much fun for me to announce to winners
and see everyone's excitement.
I hope you've found some new bloggers and businesses
to love that you might not have found otherwise.
They are all awesome in my book.

So thank you for joining in,
and a huge thank you to all my fantastic sponsors,
and maybe, just maybe, we can do this all again next Christmas!

MilSpouse Holiday Blog Swap: Be Careful What You Ask For by Witty Little Secret

2011-12-13T23:09:00.005-06:00

26 of us bloggers and 2 organizations are swapping blogs today, thanks to Riding the Roller Coaster! She was the mastermind behind a milspouse blog swap last Valentine's Day, and this time, I'm very lucky to participate. (And if you are a new visitor to chambanachik- welcome! I currently have the last 8 days of my big Christmas Giveaways series up, so make sure to subscribe and enter them while you're here.)

If you're looking for the post I've written, head on over to A Little Pink in a World of Camo. It is such a huge honor for me to be writing over at Mrs. P's- I had writer's block forever because I was so nervous! Between her DStripped magazine work and Lori of Witty Little Secret getting published in Reader's Digest, I had my work cut out for me.

Yes, that's right- Lori (above) just got published, and I'm thrilled for her! She also recently welcomed her husband back from deployment. She's a very talented writer, and it's a privilege to have her posting here today!

__________________________________________________________________________________

I loathe the annual requirement that befalls me each December 20: Christmas Gifts. That’s right, I’m not a Christmas Eve procrastinator, not quite, but pretty darn close. What I’ve come to accept is that it’s just not a talent I possess. Oh sure, if you’re six year old or if you think trinkets from the dollar store are the shazizzle, or if you really like basic chocolate chip cookies, then I’m probably your girl. But otherwise, I pretty much suck at gift-picking. I vehemently decry the commercialism of the American Christmas ritual mostly because I hate to shop for that perfect gift so very much. It all just stresses me out.

Point of fact, I was driving along peacefully this week singing radio carols when the Santa on the sidewalk twirling the UPS Store sign gave me a procrastination heart-attack. Not because his shiny white nylon beard was still the same shape as the neoprene packaging from whence it came, and not because my eight year-old was in the back seat eyeing him suspiciously after having been perched on the ledge of disbelief last year. And not even because he had blood-shot eyes and music device ear buds that were apparently delivering R&B Holiday tunes that allowed him to sync his twirling sign to the rap-tastic beat.

No, it was merely the content of his sign that induced panic. He paused for a radio station identification notification, and was momentarily still enough for me to read it:

IT’S NOT TOO LATE! YOU CAN STILL SHIP IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS AT THE UPS STORE!

The fact that I had not, up until that very moment, even contemplated that there might be an impending delivery deadline made me go into yuletide myocardial infarctions. I started thinking about gift lists, malls, grocery bills, navigating Toys ‘R’ Us at 7pm, and the blackmail that is Amazon’s free shipping racket. My head was spinning into oblivion. It was capped off with a stroke destined to put me into a holiday coma when my sweet daughter asked, “Mom, is that the real Santa?” Gah! I hoped Santa wasn’t watching as I pushed the pedal to the floor and replied, “Whoopsie! Didn’t see it. Sorry. Don’t know what yer talkin’ about.”

After dinner I calmed down and I sat down with a blank piece of paper, and I dutifully started scratching out names. I stared at the list with no idea what to write next to each family member. My Santa-doubting daughter sat down next to me and declared she would now be making her list for Santa. She looked at me sideways as she wrote, evaluating whether or not I was overly interested in her list. I stared at my own blank list instead and ignored her out of misery rather than parental strategy. In disgust, I finally tossed my pen down. I had eleven family members on my list and at the moment they were all getting cumin. Yes, the spice. I noticed that my daughter wasn’t faring much better. She had just one thing on her list, and it was numbered: “#1. iPod.”

“Um, are you stuck on what else to ask Santa for this year, honey?”

“Nope.”

“Well … it’s not a very long list. You just have one thing there.”

“Yep. Just an iPod. That’s all I want.”

“Oh baby, Santa’s not getting you an iPod. You’re only eight.”

“Well that’s what I thought at first. But then I decided if I only put one thing on the list, there wouldn’t be anything else to get me. So that’s all I want. Just an iPod.”

Now I was depressed and in awe, all at once. It was horrifying and exhilarating. In a trump move to beat all holiday trump moves, she was actually extorting Santa. She was extorting me! She was successfully diverting her Christmas wish list right around the extravaganza that is the Dollar Store on Christmas Eve. I had to come up with the right answer, and fast. It rolled off my tongue eerily:

“Honey, I know what you mean about wanting that one thing so badly that you can’t think of anything else. But if you do that, you’ll have to be willing to wait until the time is right. If you really want it, it will be worth it, but you might not get it when you want it. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

And darn it, that’s where Christmas came crashing down on me. You know that moment where something comes out of your mouth and you realize that what you’ve been thinking, what you’ve been obsessed with for the past week, just came flying out of your own mouth in the form of some sage advice to someone else? In my case, it’s usually something I need to hear myself say. In my case, I usually don’t like it. In my case, it’s usually said to my children who are all too ready and available at a moment’s notice to parrot the sage advice right back at me. Well yeah, this was that moment.

You see, last year about this time my husband was half way around the world in desert camouflage, avoiding a discussion with me about what it was like to have recently been under rocket fire for the first time. At this time last year I was sitting on the toilet, the only quiet place in my house, crying when nobody was looking and telling myself it was because I was allergic to guinea pigs. At this time last year I was standing in the Christmas Even candlelight service listening to my five year-old’s miniature voice singing carols, and wondering what it was like to pretend that sand was snow and cafeteria curry was a Christmas bird.

Well a few weeks ago my husband came home, and I have to say, it has been rough at times. We aren’t synced into each other’s routines, yet. Into each other’s spaces. We aren’t operating as a team. It feels … well it just feels foreign. Strange. Like we’ve been apart for fifteen months or something. And it’s frustrating, people. It’s frustrating that homecoming isn’t the magic pill that you swallow that makes the deployment go away. It’s frustrating that all of your friends think it’s the end of the mobilization when really it’s just the start of the next phase of readjustment. It doesn’t feel as good as you want it to. It just doesn’t feel like anything you expect.

And I’ve been focused on that. I’ve been focused on trying to cram my husband back into a hole where he doesn’t really fit any more, a hole that we kinda filled-in while he was gone. I looked down at my list and envisioned my own name there, with just one thing on my list: to have everything back to normal again. And I heard my own voice ringing in the air:

And I smiled.

My daughter hugged me, and she said there were probably other things that would make her happy this year, even though she really still wanted an iPod. And I told her that I probably had lots of things that would make me happy this year, too. I envisioned writing myself a list of all the things in my life that made me happy, and the girl in my arms was one of the things at the very top. I hugged her tight.

She suddenly squirmed out of my arms and reached for her list, satisfaction and delight twinkling in her blue eyes. She kissed me on the forehead and walked away, as if she was the parent, and I smiled as I looked down to see what she had written. And there it was, right after the iPod:

#2. A Parrot.

Christmas Giveaway Day 16: Snowflake Candle from The Candle Shop

2011-12-13T06:00:00.005-06:00

Today's giveaway comes from Taylor at Our Military Home, a blogger who is also a vendor at The Candle Shop! I personally own the Amish Friendship Bread candle, and it smells like heaven- I think I get hungry ever time I light it! It comes in a cute Mason jar, and I can definitely recommend it. But what I really like about All Fired Up candles is that they made to order by military spouses. Love that!

Taylor is giving the the winner of this giveaway the Snowflake Candle (above) from The Candle Shop! She describes it as "scented in a blend of peppermint and vanilla for a fresh holiday scent". Mmm! I really enjoy candles all year around, but how perfect is this for the holidays?

Here's a little bit about Our Military Home and All Fired Up Candles:

Our Military Home is a proud licensed vendor of All Fired Up Candles. What sets All Fired Up Candles apart? They are made with 100% natural soot free soy wax. They burn clean with no soot or carbon build-up and last 30% longer than their Paraffin candle counter-parts (16 oz: 80-105 hours and 12 oz.:65-85 hours). These candles also sport wicks that are 100% cotton and self-trimming. Finally, our candles are HAND POURED to order by fellow Milspouse employees. It's easy to purchase your candles online at The Candle Shop. You can also call me (Taylor) to place orders at (480)-261-6211 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (480)-261-6211 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or via email at ourmilitaryhome@gmail.com. Oh, and shipping is always a flat rate of $5!

The Candle Shop offers several great choices for the holidays, including Mulled Cider, Snow Flake, and Home Sweet Home, but our most popular candle is the Amish Friendship Bread, a blend of french vanilla, clove and cinnamon on a warm creamy background.

Get your home aglow for the holidays!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:
* Tell me your favorite holiday memory. = 1 entry

* Follow Taylor's blog, Our Military Home through Networked Blogs or GFC = 1 entry

* Like Our Military Home on Facebook AND share this giveaway on Facebook. = 1 entry

* Follow Our Military Home on Twitter AND Tweet about the giveaway = 1 entry per day

"I just entered to win a gift card
to #TheCandleShop @OurMilitaryHome @chambanachick (with the link)

* Add her blog button to your site (located here) = 3 entries

(And just for fun, you can follow Taylor on Pinterest here.)

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Millie Visits Santa Claus

2011-12-12T16:00:00.000-06:00

We don't go to the big library in Chambana. Instead, we head down the road to the small town library I visited when I was Millie's age. Last week, Santa Claus paid them a visit. So we kept Millie up a little past her bedtime, dressed her up in a sweater dress and Mary Janes, and drove over railroad tracks through the tiny ghost town.

It was a long wait to see him, and the place was buzzing with more energy than I'd ever seen. The town's police chief stood in line ahead of us, and Sky chatted with him for a few minutes. The line snaked around several bookshelves, but we reached the big Christmas tree at last. Santa Claus was sitting in a wooden rocking chair. We adjusted Millie's headband, and she visited for a minute or two.

She wasn't crying, but she wasn't smiling, either. She seemed to be trying to figure out the whole situation. She glanced at the Christmas tree. She looked at Sky, as if unsure about everything.

And then she reached up and touched Santa's beard, checking to see if it was real, I suppose. The entire library echoed with "Aww!". A reporter for the county newspaper rushed up to us afterwards, asking if it was okay to put Millie in the paper.

She was so sleepy by the time we drove home, and fell asleep right away.

But I bet there were visions of sugarplums dancing in her dreams that night.

Christmas Giveaway Day 15: Canvas from Coffee Drips Art

2011-12-12T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today's giveaway comes from a blogger I consider a dear friend. If you've been around here long, you know that I think Beka from Hold On, Love... is the bee's knees. She always blogs with joy and hope, and she sometimes shows off some of her gorgeous artwork. I actually have two of her paintings in my home, and they make me smile every time I see them. Paintings seem to be flying out of her Etsy shop, and it isn't any wonder.

Here's a little bit about Beka and Coffee Drips Art:

i paint quotes amongst other things; but i also do custom quotes.
feel free to contact me.
:)
my favorite medium so far is acrylic paint.
sturdy canvases.
quiet atmosphere.
i hope you enjoy checking out what i have posted!

Today, straight from Beka, one of you will be winning the canvas above! (And yes- I'm super jealous.) The canvas is 12" x 12" x 1 1/4", and was custom made to include in this giveaway. This would be so sweet to hang in your home or gift to someone special! Personally, I'd have to keep it to myself. Honestly, could you blame me?

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:
* Follow Beka's blog, "Hold On, Love..." = 1 entry
* Tell me your favorite item from the Coffee Drips Art shop = 1 entry

* Follow Beka on Twitter = 1 entry

* Favorite her shop = 1 entry

* Tweet about the giveaway, tagging @beka_holdonlove and @chambanachik = 1 entry per day

* Like the Hold On, Love... Facebook page = 1 entry

* Add her blog button to your site = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Christmas Giveaway Day 14: Win a Shabby Apple Dress

2011-12-11T06:00:00.001-06:00

I happen to be a big fan of Shabby Apple dresses. I'm betting most of you are, too. On the off chance you haven't been swooning over their site already, just take a glance at their Tinsel Town collection- darling! And their 1943 collection? I want them all!

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite dresses- the Frida K. It's one of those saucy little numbers that manages to find a balance between ladylike and va-va-voom. I love the kind of 1940s vibe it gives, and I think it's a dress that would compliment lots of shapes and sizes. The black and white palate couldn't be more flattering!

The best part is the cuffs on the sleeves and the tied bow at the neck- all you need is a clutch and heels, and you're ready to go! If you can't wait to own this dress or any other gorgeous Shabby Apple dress or accessory, you can use the coupon code "chambanachik10off " (expires 30 days from today). Between their dresses, adorable baby clothes, and cute accessories, there are plenty of great ideas for Christmas gifts this year.

And if you'd also like a chance to win this beauty, you're in luck! The winner of this giveaway will score a Frida K. dress, courtesy of Shabby Apple.

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.
As with the rest of the giveaways, I was not compensated for this post.

How to Enter:

* Tell me which Shabby Apple dress you'd most love to wear for the holidays. = 1 entry

* Like Shabby Apple on Facebook. = 1 entry
* Follow Shabby Apple on Twitter. = 1 entry

* Post one of my blog buttons (top four on this page) on your site = 1 entry

* Blog or Facebook about this giveaway. = 3 entries

* Tweet about this giveaway with a link, tagging @chambanachik and @ShabbyApple. = 1 entry per day

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Open to U.S. residents only.

This is Only a Drill

2011-12-10T13:15:00.000-06:00

It's not a homecoming...

...but it's still a sight for sore eyes.

I never thought I'd say this, but drill weekends are exciting!

Christmas Giveaways Day 13: Prints from Melissa Jaine (3 Winners!)

2011-12-10T06:00:00.024-06:00

Today, Melissa Jaine is back for another giveaway! In addition to her Military Girl Interview Series the Patriot Portraits you saw earlier, she has some fun instant download art, and part of the proceeds go to a cause near and dear to my heart.

Here is how Melissa describes The Twenty5 Project:

$1 instant art : affordable art design downloads that you print yourself however and wherever (and on whatever!) you like. 25 cents from every dollar is donated to a charity that supports the troops and their families. You can read more about it here and in the FAQ.

Watch:

You get art. Military charities get dough. There's nothing to not love about it!

Plus, how fun are those? (I totally want that milk + cookies sign for my kitchen!)

Today, Melissa is kindly giving three winners their favorite print from her shop!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:

* Follow Melissa Jaine on Twitter. = 1 entry

* Tweet about the giveaway once daily, tagging @MelissaJaine and @Chambanachik. = 1 entry per day

* Follow Melissa's blog. = 1 entry

* Like the Twenty5 Facebook Page. = 1 entry

* Tell Melissa what design is your favorite on the Facebook page.

* Add the Twenty5 Project button to your blog/website. (Find on the right sidebar of her blog.)

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.
Open internationally.

Christmas Giveaway Day 12: Handmade Stocking from Heavenly Roost Farm

2011-12-09T06:00:00.005-06:00

Today's giveaway is brought to you by...my mama!

My mother is one amazing lady, and she cooks, bakes, and sews like nobody's business. She's finally opened up shop on Etsy at Heavenly Roost Farm, and I'm very excited that other people can experience her homemade goodies, too. When she stayed with me during the week after Millie was born, I think I ate her apricot jam for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- it was that delicious.

Here is a little bit about the woman behind Heavenly Roost Farm:

I'm just an old-fashioned farmer and housewife at heart. As the world seems to move faster and faster, I treasure more and more the old things and especially handmade things that took a lot of precious time to create. Giving time to someone is a big part of loving, so handmade items seem to represent love to me. In my farmhouse, I love to sew, quilt, cook, can and preserve, craft wines and beers, crochet, bake, garden, help my husband manage our little vineyard, fruit trees and berries, raise turkeys, chickens and ducks, play a little unskilled piano, read, home school my great 16-year-old son, chase the dogs, applaud my husband's softball team, volunteer, and occasionally clean. I am never bored! I opened the Etsy shop at the urging of my wonderful daughter, Erika, who has some of that "old-fashioned" blood in her veins, too.

For today's giveaway, Heavenly Roost Farm shop is giving one winner the beautiful handmade stocking above! The description reads: I love old linens and antique or vintage quilts! They are so homey and sweet. I found pieces of a very old quilt, and though I'm not sure why the quilt was cut apart, I couldn't bear to see it destroyed or sent to a landfill. The original hand-quilted quilt was probably made by a woman who used scraps of feedbags and clothing to create a utility quilt for warmth, rather than artistic beauty. However, I think it's still beautiful and full of history. To protect the aged cloth, I stitched on some nearly transparent tulle, which doesn't take away even a smidgen from the original quilt, to create this rustic stocking to adorn a mantle or any area of your house. This unlined stocking measures about 15-1/2 inches in length, including the hanger. The reverse side is also from the same quilt, so it can be turned to face either direction. The original quilter would surely be proud to know her quilt is loved in a new home.

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:

* Check out the shop, and tell me which item is your favorite. = 1 entry
* Add Heavenly Roost Farm to your Etsy favorites. = 1 entry
* Add Heavenly Roost Farm to your Etsy circle. = 1 entry
* Tweet about this giveaway with the link, tagging @chambanachik. = 1 entry per day

* Blog or Facebook about this giveaway (one entry each). Make sure to leave me the link. = 1 entry each

* Bonus entry! Buy something from the shop, and you'll earn FIVE entries in the giveaway.

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Christmas Giveaway Day 11: Photographs from Max & Kaylee

2011-12-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today's giveaway comes to you from Kaylee of Max & Kaylee! Kaylee is one of the bloggers I wish lived down the street from me- she's such a sweetheart, has the most adorable family in blogland, and her photography makes me wish I had her talent! She's definitely a favorite read.

Here's a little bit about the blog:

Max & Kaylee is a blog written by Kaylee: current SAHM, proud Marine wife, and Basset Hound owner. I love Jesus, coffee, DIY projects, cooking/baking, taking pictures, being outside, laughing, and the sunshine. I write about our life and the adventures we encounter along the way.

Kaylee will be giving one winner 3 high-quality prints of the photos in this post, either in 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10- whichever you choose! The photos can also be matted, per the winner's request. Custom and unique- now you just have to decide if you'd like them for yourself or want to make them a great Christmas gift to someone special!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to enter:

* Follow Kaylee's blog, Max & Kaylee. = 1 entry
* Follow Max & Kaylee on Twitter. = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

The Rescue

2011-12-07T21:14:00.000-06:00

I was driving along a country road on a gray winter's day. The wind was biting, and I felt the old pick up start to drift towards the side of the road and into the cornfield harvested months before. I began pulling at the steering wheel harder and harder, throwing the weight of my body into the turns, but no matter what I did, the truck accelerated and veered closer to the vast fields, farmhouses, and tractors. I felt my mouth form into a scream, but it sound so muffled, and I knew no one could hear me.

And then, I felt warm arms wrap around me. Sky whispered, "Are you okay?" I said yes before realizing I was in a pitch black bedroom underneath soft sheets, and not reeling towards doom. I let out a breath and tried to focus on the shape of the ceiling fan as my heartbeat slowed. Sky was next to me. I was safe.

It's the kind of rescue I didn't think possible a year ago. In some ways it seems like more than a year, and in other ways, less, but last Christmas Sky and I were several states away from each other, and the Army wasn't to blame. We held tiny fragments of our year-old marriage in our hands. I don't think either of us really thought we would be able to put them back together into anything, let alone anything strong or of beauty. Yet, here we are a year later, making up for last Christmas by starting new traditions we couldn't share together before. It's our first Christmas sitting in the glow of a Christmas tree, and we smiled as we realized it.

Things are hard. It's what Courtney from Vintch called "the hamburger years", and sometimes, it's closer to rice and beans. Unceremoniously, we received some news from the Army this week that will likely dash all the hope we had of becoming financially stable. Instead, it seems all Sky's money earned will be going towards a debt he didn't know he had. And while the initial moments including calling my mother in tears, we are learning to accept it. After work that night, Sky and I sat in the quiet living room and talked about the possibilities, the strategies, and the ways we could make it work. We seem to have these talks so often, and it's wearying to both of us. I can't pretend it's easy.

Through it all, though- through so much more than I ever dreamed of when I said "I do"- we are here. Some days are happy, and some days we have to fight against the next thing in our paths in this unpredictable, hard knock life. There are plenty of mornings that my first waking thoughts are worries over the day before, but I have to keep reminding myself that we have food, we have shelter and warmth, and most of all, we have each other. Not in the cheesy way that wraps up a movie neatly, but in the way that we almost didn't have each other. But we do. And Millie has two parents, both of whom would do anything in the world for her. Sky still has his wife, and I still have my husband. We've fought for it, and we've earned it.

And when we have nothing else, we can grasp each other's hands and know that we are the richest.

DIY: {'Tis the Season for} Christmas Crafts

2011-12-07T15:15:00.001-06:00

We made salt dough handprint ornaments. I had the paint, glitter, and ribbon already, so they were free and something I had wanted to do for a while. The plain dough I'd seen looked a little drab to me, so we mixed in some silver glitter to give them a little sparkle. I really like how they turned out!

Salt dough ornaments
1 cup salt
4 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cups water
(glitter is optional-we sprinkled it in after kneading)

Combine all three ingredients, and knead for about 15 minutes. Roll out dough onto a protected countertop (we used aluminum foil after it quickly ate through wax paper). Use cookie cutters or drinking glasses to cut shapes from dough. If making handprints, it is easier to make the handprint and then cut the circle, we found. Carefully peel up the shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Poke a hole to string ribbon through later (a straw works well), and prick small holes (using toothpick or fork) to prevent air bubbles. Bake in 300 degree oven for at least 20 minutes or until slightly golden and firm- the time will depend on the thickness of the dough. Move to a foil covered countertop to cool. If decorating, acrylic paint works the best. Use a protective sealant after painting.

I also attempted to make a pine cone garland (but didn't do as well as Kaylee!). Sky, Millie, and I took a little walk, and I gathered a few pine cones, then let them soak in the sink with a little Dawn for 20 minutes or so. After they dried, I sprayed on some sealer I had used for the salt dough ornaments. I wrapped a small piece of twine around them and triple-knotted them onto a bigger piece of twine. Because we don't have a beautiful fireplace to string them across, I decided to hang them underneath the It's a Wonderful Life sign in our living room. (And yes- that sign stays up all year!)

Our house feels a bit more festive now, and it was all things we already had on hand or could find for free. An easy way to get in the mood for Christmas a little more!

(P.S. Don't forget to enter today's Christmas giveaway [for your family or someone you know!])

Christmas Giveaway Day 10: Custom Handmade Dress from The New "Normal"

2011-12-07T06:00:00.003-06:00

Today's giveaway comes from a sweet blogger who quickly became a friend-Kris from The New "Normal". Kris stayed so strong, raising her cute kiddos (that's her daughter, above, as her model!) while her husband was away on deployment. She blogged through it all, and I was so amazed by her perseverance and grace. Somehow, she's managed to find time to sponsor a giveaway, too! I want to congratulate her again for getting her husband home safely and just in time for Christmas!

Here is a little bit about Kris and her fashion designing:

There's just something about having a little girl that makes you want to dress them up in the cutest and funnest clothing. But these days, those unique, boutique style clothes are just way out of the budget. After splurging on one of these boutique pieces, a knot dress and ruffle pants, I took a closer look at them and thought that between my mom and me, we could sew my daughter a whole wardrobe full of these outfits. After a few missed attempts to get it right, we finally found a few patterns that worked and began sewing all sorts of unique tops, dresses, and pants for my daughter. My mom is the master seamstress of our operation, while I choose the fabrics, patterns and styles. We are having a lot of fun with it and I'm hoping to open an Etsy shop at some point, but up until know my daughter has been the only one to wear one of these outfits! I'm excited for someone else to receive one and let us know what they think!

"The winner of this giveaway will receive a knot dress in the same fabric and style as the one in the photo. The fabric is a light-weight corduroy, perfect for fall and winter! It can be worn with a shirt underneath for warmth or without a shirt in warmer weather. The dress will be custom made to the size needed, up to a size 8 (girls). For larger sizes, the fabric may vary depending on how much we have of this design. The winner will be contacted after the giveaway is over to get measurements and size. We will then custom make the dress to the size needed, allowing us a few days to sew and ship it. Please keep in mind, this is a handmade item and we are still in the learning stages! While we think our dresses look pretty perfect, they are not store bought and each is unique in it's own way! (The giveaway is for the dress only- pants are not included.)"

Can you say adorable? Whether this is for a toddler (I'm totally picturing it on Millie) or older girl, I think it would be so darling! I absolutely love handmade clothes for kids, but lack the skills myself, so I'm completely won over.

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:

* Become a follower of The New "Normal" blog through Google Friend Connect = 1 entry
* Become a follower of The New "Normal" through Networked Blogs = 1 entry

* Like The New "Normal" on Facebook = 1 entry

* Blog or post about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page = 1 entry per day

* Add The New "Normal" button to your page (located on the sidebar of her blog) = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.
Open to US and APO addresses.

Christmas Giveaway Day 9: Patriot Portraits from Melissa Jaine

2011-12-06T06:00:00.002-06:00

Today's giveaway is from a lady on the other side of the world, but she's become a lovely friend, and recently, my newest sponsor. Melissa Jaine lives in Australia, but I heard of her all the way in America when she began her awesome Military Girls Interview Series. (I was lucky enough to be the first girl interviewed!) She's now added a new project to her many talents and interests: Patriot Portraits.

She took a not-so-great photo of me and turned it into the artwork you see. How cool is that? You may have noticed the first photo has been my profile picture in Blogger- I think it's perfect! They look fresh, new, and totally unique. You just send her a photo or two of yourself (she also does pet portraits- see below), and she transforms it into art!

Melissa is giving the winner of this giveaway one “kit & caboodle” package worth $70! You'll receive an 8”x10” digital print, iPhone & iPad wallpaper, and a fine art print on Arches watercolour paper, signed by Melissa and sent through the snail mail.

Here's a little bit about Melissa and the Patriot Portraits:

I love Flags and Faces and I'm thrilled to have found a way to bring them together. Patriot Portraits put you (or your loved one, human or animal!) in the picture. A great way to show off your love of country with a unique piece of artwork created just for you.

Here's a great chance to win $70 worth of custom artwork from a wonderful artist! I know you'll be as happy with your portrait as I was with mine.

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:

* Follow Melissa Jaine on Twitter. = 1 entry

* Tweet about the giveaway once daily, tagging @MelissaJaine and @Chambanachik. = 1 entry per day

* Follow Melissa's blog. = 1 entry

* Favourite Melissa's Patriot Portrait Etsy shop. = 1 entry

(She spells it that way being from Australia- I love it!)

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.
Open internationally.

Christmas Giveaway Day 8: Clutch & Earring Set from The Few, The Proud, The Wife

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today's giveaway comes to you from a talented blogger who will be opening up her own Etsy shop very soon (be sure to stay tuned to her blog for more information on that!). Ines from The Few, The Proud, The Wife has been making all her Facebook and blogger friends drool over her gorgeous sewing creations- pretty bags and clutches, comfy pillows, and sweet earrings. I'm so thrilled to learn she may be opening a shop soon, because there's too much cuteness for her to keep it all to herself!

Here's a little bit about Ines:

Hello everyone, so excited to be doing this giveaway for Erika!

A little bit about me, if you haven't read my blog yet. I'm a Marine wife, originally from Spain. I met my husband while he was on MSG duty in Austria in 2007 and three years later we got married. I love to travel, sew, cook, bake and, at time, be a lazy-couch potato. I blog about anything and everything. We have a Miniature Schnauzer, and yes, I blog about her too!

I haven't opened an etsy shop but I am currently taking custom orders. If all goes well, I may be opening one at the start of 2011. Stay tuned...

Ines has crafted this sweet and sassy clutch bag and earring set for the lucky winner of the giveaway! It's a racy leopard print bag with a pretty flower to give it a pop of color, and it comes with matching orange stud earrings. The clutch and earrings are made out of a blend of cotton/polyester. The clutch measures approximately 5.5" by 9", and the earrings are 3/4" diameter.

Wouldn't this be fun for a girls night out or date night?

Please include your email address in your comment if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to enter:

* Follow The Few, The Proud, The Wife blog. = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Please be aware that this particular giveaway item will not be shipped until after Christmas
(soon after the new year).

The Christmas Quiz

2011-12-04T20:51:00.000-06:00

'Tis the season for Christmas quizzes!
(shamelessly stolen from Jane.)

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot chocolate, please. Egg Nog for one sip once a year only, just enough to remember I don't really like it.

Colored lights on tree/house or white?

For the most part, colored lights. I always hated white lights as a kid. I think they're gorgeous and elegant now, but there's just something more fun about colored lights- definitely for the tree.

Do you hang mistletoe?

No, but I would love to make it a tradition for us.

When do you put your decorations up?
Tradition in my family was always the day after Thanksgiving, and so it is with me.

What is your favorite holiday dish?
For Thanksgiving, the canned, jello-y cranberry sauce is a must. My mom makes wonderful homemade rolls. Sometimes we would have hot spiced cider, too.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
We still talk about it every Christmas- my parents, my little brother, and I went to a Christmas Eve service at church with a few aunts and uncles. When we got home, the tree was lit up and dozens of presents were underneath, and there had been nothing there when we left. I never noticed anyone leave the church, and to this day, I have no idea how they pulled it off. No one will tell me, either!

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

Probably the very next Christmas after the one above, I crept downstairs in the dark. I saw my parents sitting in the living room, wrapping and putting presents underneath the tree. Sigh.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
I remember sometimes convincing my parents to let us open one, but I don't really believe in it now.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

Traditionally, it involved driving out to a tree farm in the country, picking one taller than me, watching my dad saw at it and see it tumble down. We'd bring it home and decorate it with the big, colored bulbs that people don't use much anymore (they're my favorite), handmade ornaments through the years and ones that my parents had when they were little. We'd finish it with handfuls of tinsel that usually weren't spread out very well, and top it with an angel. The closer I can get to recreating this every year, the happier I am!

Snow! Love it or dread it?

To look at, love love love it. To play in, the same. To drive in, not so much, although I'm fairly pro at it considering I'm a Midwestern girl.

Do you remember your favorite gift?

I don't know that I have had one especially memorable, although getting contacts one year from my parents meant freedom from the ugly glasses frames I had, and that was pretty exciting for a 14 year old.

What is your favorite holiday dessert?

The sugar cookies (Betty Crocker recipe) and the wreathes (like rice crispies, but made with cornflakes and dyed green) that I make every year, per tradition.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Definitely the two desserts above! I'm a girl who is all wrapped up in traditions, so holidays are sentimental for me, and I find myself wanting to recreate everything from my childhood, especially now that Millie is here.

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?
Uh, YUM. Peppermint and all the other flavors. Delish.

Favorite Christmas movie?
It's a Wonderful Life. Favorite movie ever, not just for Christmas.

Saddest Christmas song?
I can't really think of one, although, for the record, "Christmas Shoes" is one of my least favorite songs ever.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
My favorite non-church-carol is Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It's beautiful, and I tear up often when I hear it. My favorite more traditional song is probably Hark the Harold Angel Sing, because I always picture little Janey in It's a Wonderful Life practicing it on her piano.

Christmas Giveaway Day 7: Festive Wreathes from Also Known As... The Wife

2011-12-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today's giveaway is something special that Jennifer from Also Known As...The Wife whipped up! She made this festive green and red Christmas wreath (above) and the fun, stripey snowflake wreath (below), and the fun part? The winner of this giveaway will receive both! I've become a bit obsessed with wreathes as of late (thank you, Pinterest!), so I have to admit I'm drooling over these!

These wreathes would be perfect for a front door or over a fireplace during the winter. Cozy and chic!

Here is a little bit about Jennifer:

I’m Jenn or "the wife" (and now the mother). I’m fluent in sarcasm which you should remember when reading the majority of my posts. When I’m not working (at home!) and not parenting, I love to cook and play photographer and blog. I’m also a military wife, which has allowed me to meet some amazing people and have some great and empowering experiences. I write about my life experiences and anything that may make the leap from brain to keyboard. The idea for the blog name came up after my sisters-in-law constantly referring to me as “my brother’s wife” and for some reason it still goes on today.

You have the chance to add these handmade wreathes to your holiday decor this year, courtesy of Jennifer!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:

-Like Also Known As...the Wife on Facebook = 1 entry
-Follow Jennifer on Twitter @SgtMsWife = 1 entry
-Follow Erika on Twitter @Chambanachik = 1 entry
-Like Chambanachik on Facebook = 1 entry
-Tweet about the giveaway and; leave the URL to that tweet:
"Just entered a Christmas giveaway hosted by @chambanachik & sponsored by @SgtMsWife! insert blog post url here" = 1 entry per day

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Christmas Giveaway Day 6: Gift Certificate from The Young Retiree, Stamped

2011-12-03T06:00:00.002-06:00

Today's giveaway is a $10.00 gift certificate from The Young Retiree, and her new place on Etsy, The Young Retiree, Stamped! I love the cards above for their vintage look and uniqueness. When I buy boxed cards, I always wonder if someone else will be sending me the same thing. People will be thrilled to get something handmade and special this year! She carries notecards, gifttags, gift card holders, and more.

Here's a little bit about Elizabeth and her crafty shop :

I am a housewife who recently opened my very own Etsy shop! My tagline for it is "Send someone some handstamped love!" and I could not believe in something more. Handwritten notes do not need to be a dying art form! I am coming out of my housewife "retirement" to create beautiful, hand stamped notes for you to send sunshine to others in your life! In my shop you will not only find note cards but gift tags and other goodies as well! I am always improving my art, and while still a new shop, I am adding things constantly!

If you'd like some homespun charm in your Christmas this year, I highly recommend checking out The Young Retiree, Stamped. Of course, you also have the chance to win a $10.00 gift certificate to her store right here!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:

*Follow The Young Retiree on Twitter @TheYoungRetiree = 1 entry

* Follow the blog via Facebook = 1 entry

*Favorite the shop on Etsy = 1 entry

*Tweet about the giveaway (once daily).

(Please tag @TheYoungRetiree and @chambanachik in your tweets.) = 1 entry per day

*Like the shop's Facebook page = 1 entry

*Tell me your favorite item from her shop = 1 entry

*Add the shop button to your site (on her blog's sidebar) = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.
Open to US and APO/FPO addresses.

The Latest

2011-12-02T16:00:00.002-06:00

Sky filled out the paperwork for the Army Reserve. They have him his new unit patches. He has a few appointments for medical clearance, and they've ordered him new uniforms. He received the schedule for drill weekends. Now, we wait.

He signed up for a January AIT school, and if that isn't open, a February school. These are the active Army schools that are several months long and are held in Georgia. If he doesn't get in to either of those, he'll have to do the much shorter, several week Reserve course here instead. And as odd as it may sound, we are both hoping for the January or February longer schools. It would put our family in such a better place financially, and though it would not be fun for him to be gone that long, he'd be in the states and not in a war zone. Please pray that there will be an opening in the longer AIT!

I'll see him in uniform very soon, and may even go with him to December's short drill, because it's more of a Christmas open house for the families.

I just wanted to give everyone an update, and to thank you for all your prayers and well wishes on this new journey!

Christmas Giveaway Day 5: Erin Condren Gift Certificate

2011-12-02T06:00:00.016-06:00

Today's giveaway is very exciting- a $25.00 gift certificate to Erin Condren! You've probably heard all the buzz about Erin Condren Life Planners- people are raving about them. But what I didn't know is that Erin Condren carries so many other fun things: gift wrap and labels, photos on canvas, customizable trays, and even some items for the boys in your life!

I happened to win a life planner (thanks Moore to Love!) and I adore it! I love that it's customized with my name, and that it comes with a zippered pocket and stickers inside to coordinate even more. This planner has places and spaces for everything.

If you would like to win a $25 gift certificate to use for your own planner, labels, or anything else from Erin Condren, today is your lucky day!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.

Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:
* Like Erin Condren on Facebook. = 1 entry
* Like chambanachik on Facebook. = 1 entry
* Follow Erin Condren Design on Twitter. = 1 entry
*Tweet with a link to this giveaway, tagging @Erin Condren and @chambanachik. = 1 entry per day
* Sign up for the Erin Condren newsletter (left tab on page). = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

*As with the rest of these giveaways, I was not compensated for this post in any way.

Christmas Giveaway Day 4: Bravo Tango Tees

2011-12-01T06:00:00.008-06:00

You've probably seen them around Facebook and other blogs lately, especially if you're a military significant other. They're a new sponsor of mine, and you've seen me blog about them before, too. Bravo Tango Tees is hands down my favorite source for military support tees, but all of their shirts have great designs and are made for comfort! In fact, I can't stress enough how comfortable their shirts are-not to mention cute! Friends of mine have said they could live in these tees, and I completely agree.

Today, Bravo Tango Tees is generously giving one lucky winner their Red Friday tee (above)! This tee is a super soft cotton shirt that can be ordered in XS-3XL, and comes in V neck or crew neck styles. It's a great shirt to wear in support of the troops on Red Fridays or any day of the week!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

Mandatory entry:

* Sign up for the Bravo Tango Tees mailing list. = 1 entry

Extra entries:

* Like Bravo Tango Tees on Facebook. = 1 entry

* Follow Bravo Tango Tees on Twitter. =1 entry
* Display the Christmas Giveaways button on your blog's sidebar (find it here) = 1 entry

While you're on their site, make sure you check out the new Bravo Tango prints!
Side note: when you click on their buttons on this post or my sidebar,
and then make a purchase on their site,
I receive a portion of the sales-
I just made my first sale this week,
so thank you!

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

Christmas Giveaway Day 3: Holly Robertson Fine Art Print

2011-11-30T06:00:00.002-06:00

Today's giveaway comes from Holly of Holly Robertson Fine Art. Holly is a very talented lady, and I can honestly say I love every photo in her shop! She definitely has a good eye for seeing the beauty in everything. She recently sent me the photo below after I revamped her blog a bit, and it's lovely.

Here's a little bit about Holly:

{ Hello my name is Holly, and I am the owner/photographer for Holly Robertson Photography. I also have this little slice of internet here at Holly's Fine Art on storeenvy. Photography has been a passion of mine about as long as I can remember. So after high school I went to Spokane Falls Comm. College for an A.A.S. in Photography. I'm lucky that my hobby is also my dream career! I specialize in fine art landscapes, black and white, as well as a personalized, professional portraiture style. I am also the wife of a former Marine, and we currently reside in Joliet, IL. I love everything green, texture, the smell of old books and my two furbabies. }

Right now, Holly has a special going on-you can use the code CHAMBANACHIK11 for 40% off. What an awesome discount! It is good through December 31, but be sure to order by December 10 if you'd like your order in time for Christmas.

And of course, Holly is giving the lucky winner of today's giveaway one of these fabulous prints (my favorites), or any of the 8 x 10 photos in her store (no special print papers)! Wouldn't you love to have one of these hanging in your home?

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:
* Tell me your favorite photo in Holly's shop. = 1 entry

* Follow the Holly Robertson Photography blog. = 1 entry
* Like the Holly Robertson Photography Facebook page. = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

The Spark

2011-11-30T00:29:00.000-06:00

(modeling her winter clothes)

I never thought about the little things. I assumed they came without ceremony, and that no one actually noticed or witnessed them. And maybe some of them do flutter away like that- but not this one.

The house was quiet- oddly quiet. Sky was at work, and Millie hadn't followed me from room to room like she usually does. My calls for her were left unanswered. I went to the doorway of her bedroom and tilted my head inside. She had pulled all of her blankets through the bars of the crib into a pile on the floor, and was laying across them, tucking her favorite one under her arm. She smiled when she noticed I was standing there.

I sat down and leaned against her dresser, and she hopped towards me. She put a yellow knitted afghan over my legs, and said, "Shh." in a comforting, soft tone. And I closed my eyes obediently and thought to myself, there it is. There is the spark. In that swift but piercing moment, Millie found her imagination.

When I would rub a hand over my belly and imagine her, I imagined big things- her first words, her first steps. I even thought about her first time in the snow. I never considered the little parts of it all, like teaching her to use a spoon, or the first time she would know what was coming in a story before I read it. Or her imagination blooming in front of me.

And I think some of the greatest gifts have been those I didn't know I was getting.

Christmas Giveaway Day 2: InspiriBody Soaps

2011-11-29T06:00:00.005-06:00

Today's giveaway comes to you InspiriBody. This lady makes the most gorgeous soaps, lotions, scrubs, and other fun bath goodies! I think her A Walk Through the Leaves soap is almost too pretty to use, and her Sherlock's Pipe soap is right up my literary nerd alley! They remind me of the Lush shop I visited in Chicago, but at a much better price! I think someone should get me the Vanilla Frosting Sugar Scrub and Raspberry Lip Balm for Christmas...

Here's a little bit about Julie and the InspiriBody Etsy shop:

I have always looked for a creative outlet. During early 2011, while I had some free time, I started to experiment with make simple bath and body products like bath bombs and bath salts. I wanted to try more and soon it was lotions and soaps. I finally found that creative outlet with something I love. I love to take a little time now and then to pamper. Now we have a full line including scrubs and lip balm. We continue to experiment and when we're happy with a product, add it to our line. Most products have been inspired by life, which is where the name comes from. I am truly passionate about finding and making beautiful products that make you feel beautiful. And because I am a military spouse, 5% of my proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project.

So...how would you like to win the two beautiful bars of soap above? They would make a perfect present, but it would be so hard to not keep them for yourself! The first is a hot cocoa soap that smells just like hot chocolate, especially since it is colored with cocoa powder, and features mini 'marshmallows' (made of soap) on top. The second bar is a Candy Cane soap scented with peppermint essential oil. Both are very festive, sound scrumptious, and would make for some lovely baths!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

Mandatory entry:

* Follow It's a Dog Tag Wife Life blog. = 1 entry

Extra entries:

* Like the InspiriBody Facebook page. = 1 entry

* Tweet about the giveaway, making sure to tag @InspiriBody in your tweet. = 1 entry per day

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.
The giveaway is open to everyone, including APO/FPOs.

Christmas Giveaway Day 1: Vintch

2011-11-28T06:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the first day of my 16 day long Christmas Giveaways! I hope you'll keep coming back for the next 2+ weeks for chances to win all sorts of fun surprises.

Today's giveaway is a special one, because the item you could win is especially unique! Vintch is a charming shop full to the brim with affordable vintage clothing. You can't help but adore it's owner, Courtney, after reading her blog (definitely in my top blog favorites!). There's just a certain, old soul quality in her that I love.

Here's a little bit about Courtney and her lovely shop:

vintch is the etsy shop run by courtney, who also has a blog by the same name. the shop is full of florals, day dresses, work attire, and even children clothing. items are fairly priced, durable and are super lovely, all with a special vintage flair. all items are fairly priced and in excellent condition.

Courtney is generously giving one winner a $25.00 credit to her shop, so they will be able to choose! I don't know how they'll be able to, of course, although this beautiful skirt is probably my current favorite. (And I can see Millie in this dress a few years from now-sigh.) I'm a girl who loves to shop, and there's something fabulous about wearing something no one else has. Here's your chance!

Leave one comment for each entry. Please include your email address if it's not stored in Blogger.
Remember, to enter any of the Christmas giveaways, you must be a follower of this blog.

How to Enter:
Simply tell me what you would choose if you won the giveaway. = 1 entry

The giveaway will end 1 week from today,

and the winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter, and the giveaway page.

The Christmas Tree

2011-11-28T00:16:00.001-06:00

I have a Christmas tree this year. I didn't think I would have one.

The last few years, we haven't been able to afford a real Christmas tree and didn't already have an artificial one stuffed in an attic somewhere. And as the holidays began to creep closer, I was trying to resign myself to not having one again this year, all the while realizing that it was first on my wish list. Sky and I would roam the aisles of them at Target, pat each other around the waist, and say "Next year. Next year."

Meg's sister in Peoria gave me the Christmas tree. Here's the thing: I don't actually know Meg or her sister or Peoria.

Meg works for the newspaper in town, the one I dreamed of writing for one day. When I read her blog post for the paper that called for pumpkin recipes, I sent in one for my mom's pumpkin bread. We followed each other on Twitter, as fellow Chambana girls, and recently became Facebook friends. And when I called on my Facebook friends to help me think of a place to get an inexpensive Christmas tree, Meg commented and asked if I would like one her sister wasn't keeping. I said I would.

So on Thanksgiving night, while most families sat in front of their TVs too stuffed to move, I made a homemade pizza and waited for my Christmas tree to arrive. She stopped in and officially met me, complemented Millie on her walking skills, and was out the door as quick as Santa Claus. And the day after Thanksgiving, as is tradition since I was little, I put up the Christmas tree- the one I thought I wouldn't have.

Christmas is supposed to be about many things that always seem to be forgotten, but one of the biggest is giving. Not getting, not making lists of all the things you want or think you can't live without, but Salvation Army bell ringer type of giving. The selfless kind. The kind that won't get rewarded, or is done unseen, or seems small to most people. The kind that might even be anonymous. The kind that sacrifices. The kind that expects nothing. And in all the Black Friday, buy-kids-$500-gifts, materialistic craziness in this world, I had all but given up hope that giving, true giving, exists.

But, as I snuggle under fleece blankets and feel the glow from the tiny, white lights of the tree, I am reminded that it does exist.

It's alive and well...at least here in Chambana.

Chambanachik's Christmas Giveaways

2011-11-26T00:01:00.003-06:00

Monday, November 28
marks the beginning of my huge Christmas giveaway series.

I'll be hosting 16 days of gifts!
There will be a new giveaway posted every morning,
including Saturdays and Sundays.

If contests aren't your thing, don't worry-

throughout the giveaways, I'll still be blogging occasionally as the mood strikes.

But if giveaways are your thing, you'll be on cloud 9.

There will be handmade items.

There will be fun things from my sponsors.

There will be Etsy findings, one of a kind gifts, and gift certificates.

My goal in this was to promote some of my favorite bloggers and their budding talents,

and also, of course, to have fun.

I believe you shouldn't have to have a shop to promote your blog,

and you shouldn't have to have a blog to promote your shop.

This is a way to give some exposure to some awesome shops and some amazing ladies.
And they are sponsoring these next several days
just to bring all of you a little Christmas cheer.

I have a slight obsession with wrapping gifts-
so much so that I get just as excited about giving them as I do getting them.
I won't reveal all the fun things coming your way, because you can't open presents early!
I just wanted to say that this project has been a lot of work,
but I've gotten so much joy out of it,
I feel like I'm tearing open the wrapping paper too.

So grab the button below,

stay tuned to the Christmas Giveaways tab for the full list
of giveaways and winners,

and may your days be

merry & bright

*I was not compensated for any of these giveaways. It's something fun I wanted to do for YOU!

Happy Thanksgiving to You

2011-11-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

To each and every one of my sweet blogging friends-

a very Happy Thanksgiving from Sky, Millie, and me.

May your tomorrow be full of family big or small,

your heart full of thankfulness,

and your plate full of turkey.

Eat your big meals with

gratitude and happiness...

and then come back here Monday for 16 days of Christmas giveaways!

You'll be glad you did.

The Progression

2011-11-21T23:44:00.000-06:00

She's still a baby. That's what I tell myself. Two years ago this week, I found out that she would be mine. I remember it like yesterday, just like I remember the day she finally arrived. And here she is, nearly one and a half years old.

She still sleeps in her crib, clutching a stuffed monkey in one arm and a soft blanket in the other. She pushes my cheek with her hand when she needs my attention directed somewhere. She gleefully teeters from one room to the next now, squealing with delight, falling down, and begging for my arm to pull her up. She grasps my fingers and begins to walk again.

But in that moment where her hand leaves mine, I feel it.

Soon, her steps will steady and fall into a run. The words of the stories I read her will get longer until she doesn't needs my lap to sit in, or my chest to lean against as she points to the pages. Her own words will form more clearly and sweetly until we are speaking the very same language. She will stop calling me "Mimi" and trade it for "Mama", and one day she will even realize I have a name apart from "Mom". Scribbles and swirls will turn into the letters of her name in her own handwriting. The help she needs to tie her shoes and brush her hair will fade into memories I read about in my journal. Someday, she'll blush when I tell those stories.

I will be so proud of her, proud of every single accomplishment that no one else sees or understands. She'll be breathtaking and brilliant. The years will be good to her. She will learn things I will never know and accomplish more than I ever can. And the growing up she does will shower me with the beauty and heartbreak every mother knows.

She is more mine and less mine every second.

DIY: Infinity Scarf from a T-Shirt

2011-11-20T23:50:00.001-06:00

When scarves became the big thing in style, I immediately jumped on the bandwagon. I love everything cozy and wintery- give me gloves and sweaters over cut-offs and bikinis any day. This craft transformed my summery item into something perfect for cold weather. After searching for something other than those stringy t-shirt scarves, I found one that looked comfy and cute.

What I liked most about this was the time- I could be walking out the door, decide I'd like a scarf to go with my outfit that day, and make one in about 30 seconds. Easy. Oh, and hello no sewing!

Plus, you need exactly two items- a t-shirt (XL or larger- mine was XXL) that has at least a little stretch to it, and a pair of scissors. The old t-shirt I used was a cotton/polyester/rayon blend, and I think it's perfect. Old t-shirts are generally more worn and comfortable, but you could use a clearance rack one from anywhere, too.

If you're a local, you might recognize this. :)

All you need to do was lay the shirt out and cut a straight line across it, going right under the arms. This is what you'll have leftover when you're done:

The final step is to simply stretch the fabric as much as you like, and loop it around your neck once or twice.

I decided to use a bit more of the leftover fabric, and cut out the neck to make a headband. Just measure it to the desired length and tie a knot. Done!

I love scarves, I love gray, and I know I'll be wearing this everywhere. It's great when you have something new in your closet to wear- but even better when it's free!

P.S. Thanks to Shannon for featuring this on her blog today!

Walk On

2011-11-19T00:09:00.000-06:00

Two weeks ago, Millie's doctor said she was concerned that Millie was 15 months and not walking. (Remember this video I posted? It ended up being the extent of her tries.) She told us that a therapist would be coming over to evaluate her for developmental delays. While I felt like Millie could walk if she wanted to, I was still a little worried.

This week, Amelia's therapist came over so I could fill out paperwork for her. She laughed at the way she bounced around everywhere, and told us she'd call later to schedule the actual evaluation.

And today, she called us. But we had to cancel before she even scheduled anything- because this happened:

Apologies to my Facebook friends who have already see this. At 15 and 1/2 months, she just decided it was time, and I'm a proud mama!

Bump In the Night

2011-11-18T19:44:00.000-06:00

A couple nights ago, I thought I had met my death. I'm pretty sure my life flashed before my eyes.

The house was still, but for the clock ticking in the kitchen. The lights were out and the door was locked. I floated in that soft place between waking and dreams, tangled up in a pile of blankets. Sky snored gently beside me.

Suddenly, two hands reached out towards me, shoving and clawing at me. I screamed, fell off the bed, and screamed again. (Apologies to the neighbor upstairs.) I looked around the room, trying to wake myself enough to figure out what had just happened. Sky peered down from the bed and asked, "Are you okay?" "NO!" I shouted, feeling hurt and crawling back under the covers. "You pushed me off the bed!" He patted me on the head and said, "You didn't have to scream."

The next morning, I woke up simultaneously laughing and glaring at my attacker. He said he didn't remember a single thing- and the boy is a really weird sleeper, so I believed him. But as he laughed as I recounted the story, all I could think was that I'd never feel 100% safe falling sleep next to my husband again. You never know when a scary sneak attack will occur.

Have you had a near death experience like mine?

Guestness

2011-11-18T15:09:00.000-06:00

A migraine has taken me away from blogworld today,at least here.
But go check out my guest post at a fellow Chamabana blogger's site-Sweets and Shutterclicks.I'm writing about something delicious I made this week!
And don't forget-today is the last day to enterthe Card Gnome giveawayfor $50 of greeting cards!I'll announce a winner tonight.

These Are My Favorites

2011-11-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

I love them.

But I think I love them the most together.

DIY: (My Take on) Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, The Annoyed Army Wife read my homemade Febreze and homemade laundry soap posts, and asked if I had found any recipes for dishwasher detergent. I sent her the few I saw around Pinterest, and told her to let me know how they turned out. She ended up going to the store that night and whipping up a batch! You probably read her post here.

I decided, rather than be one of those friends who dishes out advice but never follows it, I should give it a try, too.

The recipe is simple, and all of the ingredients can be found at Target or Walmart.
*1 cup Borax (find in the laundry aisle)
*1 cup washing soda (also in the laundry aisle)
*1/2 cup Kosher salt (baking)
*1/2 cup Lemishine (find in the dishwasher detergent section)

Pour into a container (I used this 1 gallon pitcher with a handle and pour spout.), shake to mix, and store in a cool, dry place. It's also helpful to add either a little rice or some spare silica packets (what I used) if you have them. This helps to keep it from clumping up. If it does clump, just shake!

I will note that I doubled the recipe above and still only made this much:

It's so simple to make that you don't have to worry about mixing more up later. If you'd like to make to make more than that, just increase the measurements . You're only using about 1 tablespoon per load, however, so this should last quite a while.

The other recommendation I have is to use the Lemishine to clean your dishwasher before using. We live in an apartment, so there is no telling how many people used the dishwasher before us or how often it was cleaned. I just ran a cycle through as directed on the Lemishine bottle.

So there you have it! It cleans just as well (the Annoyed Army wife thought it did an even better job, actually), and it's cheaper than even the store brand dishwasher detergent.

I'm sure some of you probably think I'm a bit over the top with this- and really, I would have agreed with you just a few years ago. I've decided that, even if it sounds silly, I am saving a lot of money with all these DIYs- it adds up over a year's time. It's money that we need for other things, but even if we didn't, it's money that we could spend on something other than boring stuff like cleaning supplies, and that makes me happy.

Millie's Room

2011-11-14T00:01:00.000-06:00

Lately, lots of bloggers have been giving virtual house tours. While I like the idea, we don't really live in a a blog-worthy house, but in a smaller apartment. Most of the place isn't very exciting, and has an overdose of the color green in my opinion. (Sky and I now jokingly bring up buying more green things, and then moan in agony.)

But when Millie told me she'd like to do a post showing her favorite room in the house, I had to oblige. It's my favorite room, too. Kind of quirky, mismatched, and nothing fancy, but it breaths of her and that makes me love it.

Her dresser- my old dresser, painted blue by a 12 year old me.

Framed photos, Amelia Bedeila books, etc.

Changing table/shoe wardrobe

She sneaks in to play with her shoes quite often.

Our glider rocker. Bought at a garage sale for next to nothing,
I polished it up and Sky recovered it in this clearance rack fabric.

Friends

Her crib.

The monkey she snuggles with at bedtime.

More framed photos, and part of the banner from her birthday.

A growth chart. I'm glad she recognizes Elmo more from this than from watching TV.

Laundry hamper, inherited vanity, and shelves.

The A above her crib. She points at it almost every morning.

Her memo boards. I ripped this from a magazine and pinned it up for her to remember.

A gift from my mom

One of many places her books are kept. I liked the way it matched the rocker.

That's all Millie has for you today!

And now, it's time for bed.

Bravo Tango Tees Sale

2011-11-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share this with all you milies-

Bravo Tango Tees is having a big Veteran's Day sale through Sunday.

Use the code VETS in the checkout, and you'll save 20%. Happy shopping!
(Don't forget to enter the Card Gnome giveaway, too!)