Liebster Blog Award!

So I'm pretty out of it when it comes to the blogging world. When I saw a comment from Cristin saying that she nominated me for a Liebster Award, I first thought, YAY! Then...WHAT?? So I googled it! It is basically an award for favorite up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers! So YAY!

First off, go check out Cristin at Blended With Love who nominated me! She has a very good blog!

The Rules:

Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

They must answer the questions that the nominator set for them plus create 11 questions for the others that they nominate.

Choose 11 people to nominate, link them in your post, and let them know you nominated them!

And you can't tag back!!

Here are my questions!

1. What made you start blogging?

Emma, of course! I started blogging to document "Life with Emma" ;)

 
2. Looking back from the beginning of your blogging days, do you think your blogging style has changed? Why?

I'd love to stay that my style has improved, but I don't know if its true! Ha! I do blog more consistently than I did. I try to do more than just post pictures with captions, but on long days...that's what you get, sorry!

 
3. What food do you absolutely hate? 

That's a hard one. I like to try all foods and different preparations, but I do occasionally come across things I don't like. I'm having a hard time picking one that I HATE, though. I don't like raw tomatoes usually, but I will eat them on a BLT. So I can't say I hate them. The only thing I can think of is "fishy" fish. I LOVE seafood, but if it tastes or smells fishy, I can't go there.

 
4. When was the last time you laughed so hard you peed your pants?

Way too often since I've given birth!

5.  Did you keep your New Year's resolution from 2012?

You mean all 26 of them? Hahaha! None of the Personal goals, ALL of my goals for Emma (YAY!), Some of the Household goals, None of the Time Management goals, Most of the Financial goals, One of the Misc. goals. I'll let y'all guess which is which! ;)

6. Describe your favorite Christmas ornament.

Any and all of them! I love Christmas decorations!

 
7. Which of your parents are you most alike?

Clinton would say I was stubborn like my daddy, but I don't agree. I think I'm most like my mom!

8. What's your favorite way to relax?

Soak in the tub and read!

9. What is your pet peeve?

Which one? I have entirely too many. Maybe I just don't like people! I'll just say the one that was brought up yesterday at Emma's party!! It really bothers me when the birthday girl (boy) is opening presents and all the other kids are on top of them and no one can see. Like makes me CRAY-CRAY! Thankfully none of the kids did that yesterday, despite my sister urging them to! Heifer.

10. What's your favorite TV show?

I DVR way too many show, but my absolute favorite is The Big Bang Theory! I can watch the reruns over and over and it never gets old!

11. If you could give one piece of advice about anything, what would it be?  

Meal plan. Don't question it, just do it!
 

Ok! Now I get to nominate so great blogs!! 

1. The Harris Life http://theharrislife.com/
2. The Bell Beat http://allibell17.blogspot.com/
3. The Sirois Family http://johannahsirois.blogspot.com/
4. Here comes the sun http://odell2003.blogspot.com/
5. Olive Gypsy http://olivegypsy.wordpress.com/
6. Everyday Atchleys http://everydayatchleys.blogspot.com/
7. Jenn's Journey http://ournewbaby09.blogspot.com/
8. Chillin' with the Hillen's http://thehillenfamily.blogspot.com/
9.  O! The Places We'll Go http://stephanieolmstead.blogspot.com/
10. The Enabler and Her Codependents http://theadventuresofmrsjay.blogspot.com/
11. The Smith Family http://amy-thesmithjourney.blogspot.com/

Here are your 11 questions! Get ready for random.

1. Look back 5 years ago. Is your life what you thought it would be? Why?
2. Which cartoon makes you want to go on a shooting spree?
3. What was your favorite vacation?
4. Where is your DREAM vacation spot?
5. Pumpkin or sweet potato? Dressing or stuffing?
6. Favorite subject in high school/ college?
7. What is your favorite app?
8. Which cartoon character would you like to meet in real life? What would you say to them?
9. If you could jump into a movie, which one would you pick?
10. Are you into college sports? Which team?
11. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Don't forget to notify the blogs you've nominated! Thanks Cristin, this was fun!

Emma's (1st) 4th Birthday Party!

Instead of one big blow out this year, we decided to have the family over for pizza and cake, then do an "they do all the work" tea party for Emma's friends. Well, today was Emma's first party (tea party is on Friday!!)

I had originally planned to not decorate, but decided I had to do a little. Since it was so last minute, I mainly had to scrounge around the house to come up with decor!

 When I ordered the invitation on Etsy, I got a print your own banner with it! Turned out really cute on the fireplace!

And here is the (early) Birthday Girl!

I got this ice cream idea from Pinterest and this pin, but the link doesn't take you to a the right blog. It was a big pain, and I ended up googling "cutting ice cream with cookie cutters" afterwards to see what all I did wrong! Probably should have done that first!

Waiting to blow out the candles!

I love this one! Looks like she is making a wish!

Ready to open presents!

Showing off her princess ring. A little too close! Ha!

The new dress, I just KNEW she'd go crazy for. Didn't.

All the new stuff...

rather play with the musical card.

It was a great time! Thanks to everybody who came! We love y'all!

Festival of Pumpkins & Trick or Treating

Yesterday, we went with Clinton's parents and Emma to the Festival of Pumpkins!

Making sand art with Mamou!

Fishing in the fountain!

Waiting for costume contest!

She didn't win the costume contest, and oh, the devastation. But she bounced back in time to go trick or treating!

Kinsley the witch and Emma Dorothy

Jimmy rocked as a werewolf!

Willie from Duck Dynasty made an appearance!

Emma and Libby the genie

With Mamou and Cawyer Monster!

Ready for the Halloween contest! (again!)

All lined up!

She didn't win again, and more devastation! But I think the candy made up for it!!

Big Bear Hunter

I have a thousand things to do. I have so much work to do for...work. Then we have a super busy weekend ahead ending with a family birthday party for Emma here on Sunday. So the house has to be presentable. BUT, I've found a Disney cruise forum, so I'm officially ruined. I've spent the last 2 hours looking at cruise food. So in order to drag myself away from that, I'm going to blog. THEN do everything else. Ha!

Last weekend while I was on my girls' trip, I missed the big Smith Family Reunion! But Emma and Clinton got to go!

My Memaw is one of 11 kids, so there are a lot of Smith's! We are spread far and wide, but the majority still live in Red River County! Every year, everyone gathers at Memaw's parent's place (Smith Place!) for a weekend long campout! It's a big deal with competitions, an auction, lots of food, visiting, hayrides, trick or treating, and a bear hunt! The bear hunt was brought to us from some cousins who originally did it with their parents! You hide teddy bears all in the woods, give the kids flashlights and send them hunting! Emma rode on a golf cart with cousins! Apparently, she really enjoyed it because she has talked about nothing else all week!

Look at those dirty faces!

She was in love with the bear she found. I was not. See, it had this pungent odor. A lot of the bears come from Goodwill. Anyway, the bear didn't make the cut. She was DEVASTATED. So of course, I had to let her have her own bear hunt to make it better.

I had planned to do it after dark, but she couldn't wait! So her daddy, let her have one early!

I made her wait until dark to do it again. She kept watching out the window, saying "I'm SOOO excited!" Ha!

You'd have thought we were really doing something, as much as she loved it!

In case you haven't noticed, I'm abandoning the 31 Day challenge. I'm a big FAILURE!

31 Days- Overcoming Shopping Bulimia

While I was away this weekend, I realized something about myself! I have shopping bulimia.

I'll explain that in just a minute. First, let me give some background on our budgeting methods. We use a cash budget. We pay bills first, then put back savings, then take out a set amount of cash for 1- groceries 2- "slush fund" (incidentals) 3- my allowance and 4- Clinton's allowance. We only use our debit cards to buy gas. It usually works really, really well. Whenever, we have extras we need to shop for, we save up for it! Like when we went school clothes shopping for Emma, I set aside money for weeks. The reason this method works so well, is because I NEVER go shopping anymore. Like clothing shopping. Because I have shopping bulimia.

Sunday, we stopped at Target on our way home. I just HAD to check out the little girl's clothes section. Then, I just HAD to buy everything!! I shopping binged. I'm serious!

Then, I realized, in the check out lane, mind you, that I had way overspent. And felt sick. Metaphorically, purged.

On the upside, Em looks fabulous in her new clothes!

Acting silly in one of the new outfits!

So how do stop doing this? How do I make it through a trip to target with my friends (because if Clinton was with me, he'd rein me in himself!), and not binge?

This post is linked to a blogging challenge on The Nesting Place at thenester.com! There are currently over 1,200 blogs participating, come join us!

 

Today is the 23rd day of the challenge. Go here to read from the beginning.

I'M BACK! 31 Days- Day 22

I am ridiculously happy right now. 

For one thing, I got back yesterday from an incredible Girls' Weekend in Hot Springs, AR, and I'm still feeling giddy over it! Here are some highlights... (Sorry for the poor quality!)

That's one big monkey!

GREAT pizza and beer at Rocky's! This was my "Jealous?" text to Clinton!

Lemon drops!

She ate the WHOLE lemon!

Yup! Right up in the middle of an Arkansas bar with Hog stuff everywhere! Made my mark!

Tiffany did, too!

Tiff and Me!

Misty and Cassidy!

Last week, I'd have SWORN that my hair wouldn't do this! Cassidy worked some magic on me!

Some fantastic Latin food at Rolando's!

AND the BEST cupcakes I've ever eaten! No lie!

Happy Birthday, Misty!!

It really was a fabulous time together! Already planning one for next year!

The second reason I'm happy is that it is OFFICIAL, we are going on a Disney Cruise in January!!! I say official because it is FINALLY paid for! This is a BIG vacay for us and we've been paying on it for months! I am sooooo excited! Ssh, don't tell Emma, though. She's supposed to ask Santa for it!!