Dinosaur Burp Cloth Winner!

Here's the winner of the Dinosaur Burp Cloths!



Congrats, Lauren!
Hope you love using these with your precious little one that's on his way!  Just email me (michelezakeri at gmail dot com) your address and I will drop them in the mail!

Michele

Dinosaur Burp Cloth Giveaway

Today I'm giving away a set of 3 dinosaur burp cloths. Each handmade burp cloth is made with a cotton dinosaur fabric and backed in a super-soft minky dot fabric. These would make the perfect gift for someone having a little boy! Or you could keep them to use for your sweet little one.

You can enter to win by:
-Placing your first name and your state in the comment section below
-If you have any questions please email me at michelezakeri (@) gmail (dot) com.
-You can enter to win through December 18th at 12am EST.

Zippered Bag Winner!

Here's the winner of the Zippered bag!  Thanks for everyone who entered to win!  This was SO much FUN!



Rachael M, email me - michelezakeri @ gmail (dot) com - your address and I'll drop your bag in the mail!  Hope you love it:)

I'll be giving away something for a sweet baby boy tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Michele

Large Zippered Bag Giveaway!

I'm so excited about this giveaway that I might enter myself to win!  I followed this tutorial to make these cute little zippered bags.  Now, these are hand-made, each have their own little imperfections.  They are ALL supposed to be lined with iron-on vinyl, but in the sewing process, some iron-on vinyl might have lost the good fight...leaving a fabric-only lining!  Either way, I think these little bags are just perfect for keeping in your car or purse, taking on a short weekend trip, you name it!

I'm only giving away ONE bag this time.  So pick which one is your favorite and enter to win!

 If you decide to not use this as a bag, it can always double as a hat too!

You can enter to win by:
-Placing your first name, your state AND what number bag you'd like to win in the comment section below
-If you have any questions please email me at michelezakeri (@) gmail (dot) com.
-You can enter to win through December 13th at 12am EST.

Chevron Camera Strap Cover Winners!

Walker drew FOUR winners for the Chevron Camera Strap Cover!



Amanda
Jill
Jamie
Jennifer

If you will each email me your address I'll drop your prize in the mail this week!
Thanks for participating!
This has been so much fun!
If you didn't win and would like to buy a cover just let me know. I normally sell these for $25. Free shipping.

Chevron Camera Strap Cover Giveaway

If you don't just love the plain black strap that's on your camera, then you might like a pretty Chevron Camera Strap that I'm giving away!

This cover should fit over any dSLR camera strap just perfectly, and would make a great gift to yourself or someone you trying to impress;)

You can enter to win by:
-Placing your first name and the state where you live in the comment section below
-If you have any questions please email me at michelezakeri (@) gmail (dot) com.
-You can enter to win through December 9th at 12am EST.

Felt Scarf Winners..

That's right! You're all winners!

Natalie, Nicole, and Deana. What a fun giveaway, huh?

Email me your address and I'll mail you your scarf!

If you have a dSLR camera, stay tuned because you'll LOVE tomorrow's giveaway!

Until then, I'm going to hang out with my mom and aunts! We've got LOTS of baking to do!

A Felt Scarf Giveaway!

I've never done a giveaway before, but my friend Lyndsey has been giving away lots of fun things on her blog, so I thought I would join the fun!  Most of these will be handmade items that I made from an online tutorial or something.

The first giveaway will be a felt scarf.  I have been following Edie's blog for a while.  She does a series each year called 12 Days of Handmade Christmas.  This felt scarf was a featured tutorial and I thought it was so fun and easy.

So let the giving begin!  Here's the scarf, and 2 interchangeable flowers to go along with it!

You can enter to win by:

• Placing your first name and the state where you live in the comment section below
• If you have any questions please email me at michelezakeri (@) gmail (dot) com.
• You can enter to win through December 5th at 12am EST.

So leave your comment and hopefully you will have better luck than me - I usually don't win anything!

a MUCH Brighter Day!

I mean that literally, in every sense of the word brighter!  Yesterday was not so bright.  In a lot of ways.  It was cold and dreary here, Walker gave me fits all day, I spent a good part of the afternoon in tears, thinking of jobs I could apply for, schools I could send Walker to, calculating ways I could just get away!  If you've never been there, then don't judge me, just let me vent!

At the end of the day I was exhausted, done, finished.  The kids ate pb&j for dinner, and were bathed and in bed as early as I could manage.  I plopped down on the bed, so discouraged, thinking "I just can't do this anymore".  Enter a full night of rest, and a little morning devotion--"cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:7.  

ALL of my anxieties.  The ones that don't have any eternal value, the ones that are temporary, the ones that brought me to tears, all of them.  I have read that verse over and over.  Even memorized it with Walker 3 weeks ago.  But today I read it and applied it.  Was today perfect?  No way!  Was today brighter?  Yes!  I just needed a reminder from Him that He is my constant, my hope, my joy.  These little people are out to "cut me down wis swords" and "poke me in da eye". But He is faithful every day!  

So all that to say, today has been much brighter!  We ran a few errands, met some friends for lunch and even got a little play time outside.  No tears or fits today...but I know, the day ain't over, right?

If you follow me on instagram, some of these pics aren't new.

Have you seen the picture of the lady with her boobs tucked into her pants?  It could have started at an early age;) 

Walker playing outside

driving (parked in driveway)

and picking his nose  

 Marlee had been carrying this tightly sealed jar of Vicks Vapor Rub around all day long.  If Vicks wants to send us some free products, we will gladly accept!

 If I'm not the only one that has these days, I hope that 1 Peter 5:7 is a great reminder and encouragement to you, that you're not alone, He is there, always and forever.  Hand your anxieties over and give Him the Glory.  He does care for you!

Photo Shoot - Family of 13!

I had the awesome opportunity to have a little photo shoot with this family - of 13!  3 College friends - married 3 brothers and now have 7 kids!  I was nervous - as this was my first family photo shoot, but when it was all said and done, I had a BLAST!  These guys were all so wonderful to work with and the time really flew by.  Since I consider all of them friends - they have to still like me even if they don't like the pictures--right?

 

Getting all the kids together was so much fun.  One of the moms brought these little chalkboards to mark the order that all the cousins were born.  What a fun idea!

  

Hope you enjoyed looking at all these sweet faces as much as I did:) 

thanksgiving and the perfect family photos

As tradition, we gathered for a family reunion in Monticello, GA.  Don't know where that is?  Me either.  Aaron and I were up ALL night with sick, coughing kids, so it was a miracle that we even made it this year.  Thankfully everyone was kind enough to wait on us for the big feast.  There are no food pictures here.  I can only imagine that we have all seen as much turkey as we can stand - until next year!

fake smile, so very fake

 "uncle beeul" decided to sit in the smallest chair on the porch.  Then he was stuck - literally.

 Marlee swiped my necklace.  Kept her content.  I'm ok with that!

 Walker and his mountain man daddy.

 Yaddi and Papa Ayan (Alan)

 Walker LOVED watching everyone play cornhole.  He was great at picking up all the beanbags that didn't land on the platform.  You can see his excitement!

 I loved looking at everyones family pictures from Thanksgiving.  You are all MUCH more photogenic that we are.  I mean - no matter what we do, we just can't get a "normal" family photo.  I guess we just aren't normal - and crazy is whatcha get!

 This little bundle is the newest family addition.  He's just 3 weeks new.  I held him, smelled his sweet baby smell, loved on him - then GLADLY gave him back to his mama!

Thankful for Thanksgiving, some extra time with family, lots of great food and most of all, just the opportunity to celebrate it another year!

Side note - Marlee's hat and hair bows are from Birdie & Peanut.  She is having a 50% off sale this month.  Check it out!

Our 7th Anniversary Celebrated in Hiawassee, GA

Aaron and I celebrated our 7th Anniversary in Hiawassee, GA.  To be totally honest, it wasn't our first choice, we searched and searched for cruises online, but decided to "live within our means" and travel more wisely!  GREAT DECISION!!  

We found a deal on Groupon Getaways, booked the weekend and were on our way.  We stayed at The Ridges Resort and Marina on Chatuge Lake.  We were welcomed with warm cookies, a roaring fire and a souvenir blanket.  Our deal included 2 dining credits and s'mores by the outdoor fire each night. 

Our friends, Josh and Donna live in Hiawassee so we decided to make them part of our weekend too!  We rarely see each other so it was a real treat to spend time with their family.  They have 2 little girls, beautiful and full of life!

Friday we hit the road and stopped at nearly every thrift shop and antique store from Hiawassee to Blairsville.  I came away with some awesome finds though!  A hand-made quilt top for $7 (photo prop), some chacos for $1(sibling love) and this little cabinet for $40 (kid craft/school storage).  Ignore my face - again, I'm a dork.   

Saturday we headed to Brasstown Bald for a hike and some more Bennett time:)  I asked Aaron to say a prayer for me that I wouldn't die on the way up.  Oddly enough, I made it to the top, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined.  The views at the top are seriously breathtaking.  Fortunately, Josh knows every valley and mountain peak as far as the eye could see...so we had a true tour guide!

We were truly blessed to enjoy a few days away.  Just to be able to talk, reconnect, laugh, relax and enjoy each others company for a few days was awesome.  We ate some wonderful food, got to spend time with wonderful friends and really took in every minute that we were gone!  No one got sick so that's a win in my book!  November is one of my most favorite months of the year because it's the month that I married Aaron, and each year, it's the month that we get to celebrate this marriage we have been given!