And the winner is . . .

#21 - Dee-Dee!(This is my attempt at pasting how I used random.org . . .)


True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 21 Powered by RANDOM.ORG


Thanks for leaving all your comments everyone . . . who knows . . . I might be doing more giveaways in the future of Usborne books! Or, you could just go to my website and order your own if you can't wait to win one of my giveaways. ;)

I might as well tell y'all, too! - A Super Give-away!!

Soooo . . . if you have been reading my blog for a while, or know me in real life, then you already know that I LOVE books. More specifically children's books. More specifically Usborne children's books. I have referenced them here and here and here in previous blog posts. My sister actually started selling them a year ago, has supplemented their family income nicely and has lots of fun in the process. After a year of convincing me that I should join her (since I introduced them to her in the first place), I finally succumbed and am now an Independent Educational Consultant for Usborne Books and More!
One of my friends the other day asked me why I haven't told all my blogging buddies about my Usborne adventure yet, to which I replied, "hmmm. . . I don't know!" And then lo and behold, as I checked Pioneer Woman's site tonight, it was as if manna was coming down from heaven telling me to announce my new Usborne quest. Because, if Pioneer Woman loves something, then of course the whole world should, too. And, bless your little heart, if you are reading this and don't read Pioneer Woman, the goddess of blogging, then, well, bless your heart.

If you want to read what Pioneer Woman has to say about Usborne books and her endorsement, click HERE!!
So, what are Usborne books? They are incredible children's books ranging from birth to high school (or beyond . . . I love them all!)
What can I offer you?

I can do in home shows for you and all your friends.

I can host baby showers for mothers to be where all their friends buy books they have picked out and then get FREE books on top of that!

I can host Book Fairs for preschools, daycares, and schools.

You can also always order these books from my website, www.laurabethsusborne.com I have added a permanent link on my right sidebar).

If you want to host your own e-show on my site and earn FREE books, then I can do that for you, too! (Like for all my friends who live far, far away!)

And right now, only during my beginning incentive period, I can offer hostesses DOUBLE FREE books! (So if you have an average show, you could walk away with a ton of free books!)

And, because I love these books so much and I love y'all too, I am giving away this book!! (It's currently the #2 best seller) Just leave me a comment and I will draw a winner Sunday night!
It sure would be nice if you can pass the word around - to your parents (think Christmas and birthday gifts), your co-workers, and all your family and friends or link me!! :)

Check the books out - they are incredible!

www.LauraBethsUsborne.com

Be sure to leave a comment to win There's a Mouse About the House!

She's such a big helper . . .

Carolina has had a bit of a runny nose lately, so she decided she would help me out and wipe her own nose for me . . . (she can actually blow! Lawton couldn't blow until at least two and a half!)

Then, she decided she would help set the table for me . . .

and then she even helped me sort my recycling!! I'm SO lucky to have such a big helper! (and all in a matter of ten minutes! Where was I??? Probably dealing with a high maintenance brother!)

Who, me?? I'm innocent!!

The Bump-It

Okay, which came first?? The Bump-It, or the Princess 'Dos that needed a Bump-It?? I know this is a very deep, complex question on which you will ponder the rest of the day . . .

My parents got these for Carolina while we were in Disney World. WHO KNEW that she would love them the way that she does!! She will take them one by one and hand them to anyone handy for us to line them up, or she will line them up and "count" them.

And this sweet doll? Well, she is now the #1 word coming out of Sister's mouth these days. Meet "Lel-la! Lel-la! Lel-la!" (Cinderella for those two men out there who read this and don't know your princesses . . .)

In the grocery store the other day we saw princesses on cereal, fruit snacks, plates, etc. and she would shout, "Lel-la! Lel-la! Lel-la!" (Those food marketers are smart . . . but I didn't give in!) We also went to our Downtown Library and saw a puppet show of Cinderella (which is incredible for you locals who haven't gone yet) and she was shouting "lel-le-lel-la!! lel-le-lel-la!" :)

Oh yeah, and she discovered jewelry this week, too. Do you think she might become a girly-girl? ;)

The Summer Is Winding Down . . .

We've been busy with a bit of this and a bit of that as our summer is winding down. . . a bit sad, but nice to be getting into a routine as well!

A few weeks ago, we went CAMPING with my parents, Buddy and Sissy, (my "second" parents), and Marie and Jeremy. Somehow, I don't have pictures with everyone (probably because we looked like we were camping, ahem) and just have pictures of the kids!

We caught a baseball game the other night. Ummm, I really don't know what happened because I was too busy making sure Sister didn't fall in the folding chairs as she went up and down, up and down, up and down and made friends with all nearby fans, even crawling up into one ladies lap. She's a friendly one . . .

We've been trying to squeeze in as many pool days at the Y as possible. . .

Then I've tried to AVOID HITTING DEER in the middle of the day (this has happened twice in the past two weeks!) Once, I was going slow in the middle of a residential neighborhood and then today on a very busy road while I was going at least 50 mph a 10 point buck bolted out in front of me . . .
Seeing wild animals were very welcome though on a DAY TO THE ZOO!

And the true mark that the end of summer is near? School starts! We had a crazy week trying to help Chad get ready for his first day at school and then Lawton had his "Snoopy Day" last week when he got to "snoop" around in his new classroom!!
Ummm. . . Can you tell he might be slightly excited to be starting school and meeting his new teacher, Miss Anna?!! It's going to be a great year, I can already tell! :)
And here he is today, his real first day of school. He was so excited he picked out his outfit and laid it out, even down to his shoes, yesterday early afternoon. ha! Next year he will be heading off to kindergarten. Sniff!

So long summer . . .

Mmm! Mmm! Good!

No one but me will probably enjoy this video. . . but it makes me smile.

And check out her teeth . . . the question is not IF, but WHEN will she get braces!? ha!

I love my baby girl!!

The last of Disney . . .

I never really finished a true documentation of Disney, but I figured no one really cared. ha! I have already made a Snapfish book of the entire trip, so if anyone really wants to see it - you can! :) (I don't really expect anyone to come knocking down my door. . .) I did have to include a few more on the blog because they just make me laugh. As you can see below, Carolina absolutely loved the character meals and seeing the characters!

Here we are at Chef Mickey's the morning we left. I chuckle every time I look at these pictures because she could hardly stop eating her breakfast to see everyone! She loves to eat even though she's a little thing!

She absolutely loved Pooh and friends at the Crystal Palace. I can still hear her squeal and laugh and picture her kicking those little legs in her high chair when the next friend would come around. So much fun!

And here she is watching the SpectroMagic Parade in Magic Kingdom and squealing at some of the characters!

This one makes me laugh because Belle grabbed a hold of Chad's arm. Can you tell the level of uncomfortableness (if that's a word) that he is feeling?! She totally invaded his personal space. ha! (and Carolina was super concerned about drawing in the autograph book instead of seeing Belle!)

Hello, my name is Laura Beth, and I am an . . .

Ice-Cream-aholic.

There. I said it. I just can't help myself.

Although I would love to indulge in ice cream every single night, I try to hold back. Now that Chad has broken his no-desserts-at-all-streak after FOUR AND A HALF years, ice cream has been around the house a little bit more than it used to be. Mercy.

Have I ever told you that I love ice cream?

This summer, since the above mentioned streak has been broken, we have periodically tried out a few new ice cream flavors. . . but I would love to hear your suggestions about must try flavors. . . not that I really should because I have to fit into a certain size dress on October 17 for by brother-in-law's wedding. . . help me.

Temptation is a terrible thing.

My all time favorite ice cream which I have not been able to replace . . . drum roll, please . . .

Haagen Dazs chocolate peanut butter ice cream!!

My first experience with this ice cream was in Times Square in 1999. Oh my. It was love at first lick. This is not always easy to find, nor do I indulge often. The richness and smoothness of the ice cream and the big chunks of peanut butter - wowsa!

Earlier this summer we were heading somewhere and saw on a billboard advertising for Purity's special flavor - Choco Loco. Chocolate ice cream with chunks of peanut butter, chocolate covered peanuts and pretzels, and caramel, too if I'm not mistaken. Ummm. . . of course we stopped and got some on the way home because it looked THAT GOOD. It was good, but there wasn't enough crunch for me to buy it again.

I have decided that I like a mixture of textures in ice cream - super smooth ice cream, with some chunks of something (peanut butter, cookie dough, brownie, etc.) and then a crunch (some sort of nut) makes it super good!

Ben & Jerry's Good Bye Yellow Brickle Road was super good during our "taste tests", and I love some Chocolate Fudge Brownie, too. Chad has liked some Half Baked this summer. . .

Ice cream evokes many fond memories, too. In high school, my friend's dad owned a pharmacy with a "soda shop" in it. Those were the days. . . Anyways, on the occasion that I would get to go and get ice cream, I always chose either Butter Pecan or Mint Chocolate Chip. (There was no chocolate-peanut butter option.) After some orthodontist appointments when it was just me and my mom, we would stop at Baskin Robbins for a special treat to "ease the pain" of just having my braces tightened. I'm sure she was just easing the pain of having to pay for my braces. ha! :)

So, after explaining to the world why my posterior looks the way it does, (ha!) I want to know what ice cream flavors you flip over. Please don't let me think I'm the only one who loves ice cream the way I have drooled over in the writing of this post. (How sad am I to sit and do this on a Friday night?) If you're too timid to actually leave a comment, then you can go over to the sidebar and vote in the handy dandy poll.

Oh, and I promise, I don't really eat this much ice cream. The "taste tests" have occurred over months. Promise. (and I didn't even inhale some ice cream tonight! :)

***Updated***

I can't believe how I forgot to add my love for homemade ice cream! I have vivid memories of my grandfather and dad taking turns hand cranking ice cream for birthday parties. And, lucky for me, I married into a family that LOVES homemade ice cream, even receiving a White Mountain ice cream maker (the big daddy) for a wedding present!

Oh, and my favorite frozen treat at Sonic? Peanut Butter Fudge milkshake!! (of course!)

My favorite Dairy Queen treat? Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard - not one of the most common . . .

Okay, and one last memory of ice cream . . . when I worked at Camp Shiloh for two summers, on a rare occasions the staff would go to a local gas station, Stewart's (as in the root beer) about ten minutes away on our nights off. Four or five of us would buy a half gallon of ice cream (much cheaper than a hand dipped cone) and sit down with spoons and demolish the entire thing in minutes! Those were the days! (Annalee, do you remember this? :)

I thought this day would never come . . .

When I told Chad this afternoon that I thought this day would never come, he thought I was referencing the fact that our children were playing happily together, or maybe that I had lost all the weight that I want (which I haven't), or any other lofty goal. But no. After spending the day at the pool and having pool hair, I went to put on my ball cap and gasped in the mirror at what I saw. . .
Did you see it? Look really close. . . those are ringlets. Now, for those of you who don't really know me or haven't known me all my life, this is no big deal. But, if you have watched me grow up, then you know I used to have STICK STRAIGHT HAIR. The kind of hair that curly headed people envy. That straight. Straight as in when I had a pony tail the wispies weren't cute at all.

After Lawton was born, I developed one huge wave in the back of my hair that you could see if my hair air dried. After Carolina was born last year, my hair got wavier, and this summer even more so. Well, only wavy in the back section . . . it is still straight on the sides. Pretty, huh?

My pregnancies have left me many "gifts", and this is one of them I suppose. Last week in a kickboxing class at the Y, we had to do jumping jacks while it was our partner's turn on the bag. I almost couldn't do the jacks. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you haven't had children. Don't ask.

But the greatest gifts from my pregnancies? Well, this is one of them. And she has a little ringlet in the back - with stick straight hair on the sides - just like her momma. :)