FTM: Telling Stories Tuesdays: No One Tells Mama To Wait! {Featured}

I am a featured guest at FTM today {well technically Tuesday} in her new series, FTM: Telling Stories Tuesdays! . Make sure you stop on by and check it out! 

Shop Online

Do you shop online regularly? Do you shop online for buying presents, especially this time of year? I do a little shopping online and just came across this new site (well new to me) called Ebates. It's a website that you can shop online. Not only can you do your regular shopping but it compares sites for you to help you get the best deals! AND...the best bonus...you get a percent of cash back with each purchase! They have thousands of different stores!

Example of cash back: Kohl's is 4.0% cash back, Barnes & Noble is 8.0% cash back. 

They also have a section for coupons for different websites.

Anyways, here is a link that you can use to sign up Ebates sign up! Start shopping today!


*I was not paid for this post. I do received referral credits if anyone signs up. 

nomorerack: FREE STUFF

Do you like getting FREE stuff? I think I heard a few people say yes...

Well then I should tell you about this new deal site I came across called nomorerack.

nomorerack has 8 deals that launch every AFTERNOON at 12 EST. Here is an example:

(The cost of these two sets is only $9.00)

This is called a Charity item. When someone buys this item some type of Charity donation is made. For example,  With every purchase of this special charity item, nomorerack™ and Family Giving Tree give a gift to a child in need. Sweet huh!?! 

Now...there is even more to this great site. I mean you save 65%-90% off the price but you get even more...because remember I did mention free. 

When you refer friends to this site you get points. The more points you earn the BIGGER your FREE item! 

*Note: your friends do NOT need to purchase, just sign up! 

Here are some of the referral gifts...

So what are you waiting for?!? Get on over to nomorerack, sign up, start shopping and start referring!! 

My 27th Year

In honor of my 27th Year (yes that's right, I turned 27 on Thanksgiving day...Happy Thanksgiving Birthday to me) I am going to write a post for you all to bear witness to. It's going to be a post about what I want to accomplish in my 27th year. Some days I look back on my 26 years and wonder where they went. I wonder if I did everything God called me to do. I wonder if I could have done more for my family, friends, customers, students, friends, etc. Well my 27th year I want to be a good one. I want it to be one I look back on a year from now and think...yep I did everything I could to make it a great year...I did everything I could to use my God given talents and abilities to help others, better myself, and and better my family.
So...here are my goals for the next year (in NO certain order)...

1. Create the prayer journal I keep talking about creating! And pray through it daily. (Like this one I found on Pinterest.com)

Source: ashleyannphotography.com via Daphne on Pinterest

2. Lose 27 pounds (yes 27 because I am now 27)

3. Build my Mary Kay customer base by 50 new faces.

4. Actually finish things on our home to do list (ex: remove bar, tile, refinish railing, re-roof house, etc)

5. PAY OFF DEBT!! I would love to have it completely paid off in a year...but it will still be a few.

6. Grow my hair back out!

Source: google.com via Daphne on Pinterest

7. Complete a Christian Book Study (I start too many and don't finish). I am looking for suggestions!!

8. Teach Elijah a few more signs! (He knows eat, more, all done)

9. Take a Vacation! I have been away from Elijah only ONE night since he was born...I NEED a vacation!

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Daphne on Pinterest

10. Write more letters, cards, thank you's. I love hand written letters (Thank you Grandma Hope) and need to remember to do this more often for others.

11. Do more freezer meals/cooking in general. I am not the best cook or even like doing it but I do LIKE having food in the freezers and like having the accomplished feeling when I do make a good meal.

12. Make more homemade items. Things on my list: homemade bath soap (found some for sensitive skin for E), homemade hand soap, homemade lotion, etc.

13. Exercise More!!

14. Run another 5k! Remember when I did my first one!?! Ha ha! Read about it here, here and here! Why would I do another one? I have NO idea! Well because hopefully it will force me to train!

There are probably plenty of other things I can and should add to my list...but for now that will do. As I actually accomplish them I will keep you all updated!

Personalized Gift Idea

Do you need a great gift for Christmas, birthday or another special occasion? Look no further! 


I use to nanny for a family in college (yep way back in the day) and the mom is an author. She started her own business called I See Me! It's a company that specializes in personalized Children's books! These books are great AND Hollywood stars are purchasing them as gifts!! Seriously! Brooke Shields, Courteney Cox-Arquette and Jessica Alba purchase these books as children's gifts!


When I first started as their nanny she just had a couple books, which I sometimes got to get a sneak peek of or give my opinion on, now she has over 14 books along with many gift sets!! 

{iseeme.com}

So, why am I telling you?? Because on Groupon today you can pay just $15 to get $30 to spend on the website toward anything!! That is such a great deal! I can't wait to order E his book for Christmas! Trying to decide which one to buy will be the hard part! 

{iseeme.com}

Anyways, I had to share the deal with you! So here it is...


$15 for $30 Toward a Personalized Children's Book from I See Me!  Purchase the deal  here!!

{iseeme.com}

*This post is completely my own opinion and is not a paid post. I just had to share!

Much to come...

Hi friends! I have not abandoned you...I have much to come for my blog...

Until then...may you find warmth in this cold weather (well at least here in MN)! We are heading to Story Time!

But wait...I will give you a quick sneak peek of some upcoming things...

1. MORE "birthday month" giveaways
2. My adventure in night time CLOTH diapers
3. Some more homemade recipes
4. My 27th year post

See you are already on edge with excitement! :) See you soon...

WINNER

The winner of the First "Birthday Month" Giveaway is Elizabeth Anderson who "liked Life's A Project on Facebook! Bert gets her choice of frame from PerfectlyFramed! Congrats to Bert...and thanks to all who entered!

• ×1One frame of your choice!

+8entries so far

OVERcontest is over!

AND THE WINNER IS...

Entry #4Bert Anderson

results powered by Random.org

contest powered by Rafflecopter.

• 8Amanda TraftonTweet About the Giveaway3 days ago
• 7Amanda TraftonLeave a Blog Post Comment3 days ago
• 6Amanda Trafton"Like" Perfectlyframed on Facebook3 days ago
• 5Jenny Schmoyer"Like" Perfectlyframed on Facebook3 days ago
• 4Bert Anderson"Like" Lifes-A-Project on Facebook3 days ago
• 3Bert Anderson"Like" Perfectlyframed on Facebook3 days ago
• 2Bert AndersonLeave a Blog Post Comment3 days ago
• 1Bert AndersonBe a GFC follower of Life's A Project!3 days ago

FIRST "Birthday Month" Giveaway...PerfectlyFramed!

I am very excited to announce that my first Birthday Month giveaway is from PerfectlyFramed! My dear friend, Tanya, from my MOPS group started her own home business called PerfectlyFramed. They are hand painted and embellished photo frames. Perfect for one of a kind gifts or that special spot in your home.

Tanya is a mama to two handsome boys! She is on our leadership team for MOPS as the Event Hospitality Coordinator! Fancy title, huh!? 

She is very creative...

Tanya does some great work with her frames! She has a frame for every occasion! If you don't see something you need she can custom make one! 

PerfectlyFramed can be found on Etsy!  

Isn't this adorable!?! I can just imagine a picture of E and his buddies in there!!

Alright...so now on to the giveaway! PerfectlyFramed is giving one lucky Life's A Project reader a FREE frame of THEIR choice!! That's right, if you win, you get to pick a frame out! 

Here is how you enter, thanks to Rafflecopter: 

Birthday Month Giveaways

This month is my birthday month! So...in honor of that, I thought I would have a couple giveaways...stay tuned tomorrow for the first one!! It will be picture perfect! *hint, hint*

MOPS Monday

Today was our MOPS Monday! We have two MOPS meetings a month. E and I enjoy going to meetings. E gets to play with his buddies in the nursery! Today was Toy and Book Exchange. We came home with a few new books! E is VERY into his books right now...he even sits, flipping threw all the pages, and "talks" like he is reading the books!

How was your Monday?

Guest Post at Cloth Diaper Geek!

Yesterday I had the honor of being a guest poster at Cloth Diaper Geek Blog on Homemade Laundry Detergent!



Be sure to stop on over and show your love!

{via}

Freezer Meal: Chicken Corn Chowder

I LOVE having freezer meals in our freezer! It's make my life easier! I also feel like I can give my family a healthy meal without all the work that day. So may times I will feel rushed from work, church, etc and not feel like cooking a meal...which some times leads to crappy meals or fast food...neither a good choice. I have decided to be more diligent about keeping at least 8 meals in our freezer a month! It also helps that I am in a freezer group where we make meals and swap them monthly!

I made soup this last swap! I love hearty soup on a cold fall day! This recipe I got from my friend Bert, at FTM.

{Picture courtesy of tasteofhome.com}

Chicken Corn Chowder

14.5 oz. can of chicken broth or make the same amount with bouillon

1 C chopped onion

1/8 t pepper

12 oz can evaporated skim milk

1/4 C flour

12 oz can whole kernel corn - drained

 1 C diced cooked chicken (I use canned sometimes)

 

In a medium saucepan combine broth, onion, and pepper.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until the onion is tender.

In small bowl, stir together flour and milk. Stir this into the broth mixture with whisk. Cook and stir until thickened.  Stir in corn and chicken.

Heat through. If desired, garnish with parley flakes.

Enjoy!

New Design...

Well it's now official...my new blog design is here! Isn't it lovely!?!? (*Que the "oh's" and "ah's")

My beautiful, preggo, long distance friend (she lives in CA), Emily, designed my blog for me! She is amazing! Remember when she designed E's birthday party invites? She also designed his thank you cards and birth announcements (which I still need to get a post about)! Anyways, she has been working away to get it all perfect for me and I must say she nailed it! 

Photo taken by: Shawn Kennedy of ShawnK Photography

So browse around...check things out...leave some comment love! 

A few tabs are under construction and will be up soon! 

Thanks for stopping by!! 

Sneak Peek of Katelyn

Here is a quick sneak peek of the beautiful senior, Katelyn, that I was able to photograph last weekend.

Happy 50th Birthday MOM!!

Today is my mom's 50th birthday!! 

My mom is amazing! She is an inspiration in SO many ways. She is a strong Christian woman with a strong work ethic, love for family, and desire to help others! 

Pumpkin Patch 2011

Leighton (my brother) and my mom

Mom and Elliana (my niece)

Mom and her finds at the pumpkin patch.

Leighton, Peanut and Mom

This year my mom decided to do a "triathlon" for her 50th. She made up her version of it since she hates swimming! She fasted for 50 hours, rode her bike 50 miles and ran 5 miles. Yeah...she did all that after having a hip replaced a few years ago. She is amazing!! (Not to forget that she also rides her bike thousands of miles each summer)!

Mom and Peanut shortly after he was born!

Mom and Peanut...they ALWAYS match!

Mom and Elliana

Not only is my mom a GREAT mom but she is a wonderful Grandma! She drives just over 2 hours so many times to see her grand-babies! 

Mom, thank you for being such an inspiration to everyone around you. Thank you for installing in us the wonderful morals that your parents taught you. Thank you for taking us to church and teaching us about God. Thank you for giving and giving of your time, money, love, and strength. Thank you for loving your grandchildren like only a Grandma could! 

Happy 50th Birthday! We love you! 

Guest Blogging...

Today I am having a FIRST, my first guest blog post! Why not stop on by Newlyweds on a Budget, and check it out, you won't be disappointed with Kari's blog! You won't want to miss my Decorating on a Dollar post!!

100 Miles

I hate running. Yep, that's right, I do! Remember when I decided to run my first (and thus far ONLY) 5k? I didn't enjoy it, I didn't love it, and I wasn't addicted to it! I completed it because I had support from my two best friends. But I am 99.9% sure I could not run more than that 5k.

{Hannah and Pamela, her sponsored child}

Hannah, a family friend, and one of my sister's best friends is running 100 miles starting tonight! Yep, that's right...100 miles! Is Hannah crazy, maybe a little, but does she have a good reason...YES!! Hannah and three others (You can read their bios here) are running 100 miles to get 100 sponsors for children in Africa! So far 104 children have been sponsored!

They are starting the race tonight and timing it so that they finish their last 26.2 miles in the Chicago Marathon!

{Hannah and Pamela, her sponsored child}

What they are doing is so amazing! Check out the article that CBS did on them here.

Good luck to Hannah and the other three Team World Vision runners!

Hannah, good luck tonight and tomorrow as you run your 100 miles, 100 miles that are not for yourself, but for those in need! You truly have a heart for God and those in need! Thank you for being strong and using your gift that God has given you! Praying for you, Daphne

Sneak Peek of Kya

I can't believe I forgot to put a sneak peek of Kya up! So...here is Kya, who is our friend's little girl...and Elijah's potential future girlfriend!

Sick

Via

Sunday "it" hit, and I say "it" because I really have no idea what it was. All I know is that it hit Josh first and then took me down with it. We are thinking it was just food poisoning because E never got anything, thank you God!! But I have also heard that a bug (not the flu) is going around as well. Well whatever it was it drained the energy out of me and fast. Thankfully Josh was feeling some better by the time it hit me and took care of E for about 15 hours so I could rest, sleep and well...to put it "nicely" dispose of anything I had eaten earlier. Josh went back to work today and I am back...just need to drink some major water!!

Now that I am finally feeling better I have some projects I am working on today! I can't wait to share them with you. Oh and I am working on my FIRST guest blog post!! Stay tuned for details!

Fall Harvest Orchard

This past weekend Josh, E, my sister Kelsey, brother-in-law Mark, and Elliana all went to the Fall Harvest Orchard. It was our first time and I was so excited! It was a bit of a drive but thankfully E took a little nap and was ready to go once we got there. 

We enjoyed the animals, apples and adventures! 

Have you been to an Orchard yet this fall?