Summer Giveaway - Hope and Joy

Apparently, yesterday's title had a few people confused, so before I get going today I'd just like to clarify, No I'm not giving away the man who makes me happy.  He's mine, I don't know what I did to deserve him but God passed him this way and I'm not sharing!

And so, now that we have that clear I'll continue.  It's impossible to do a week of things that make me happy and leave out my two greatest joys.  Actually, if you're getting specific my Hope and my Joy - my Bethany and my Audrey.  They are so often the source of my laughter, the topic of my conversation and the pride in my eyes.  They do, in contrast also possess the ability to drive me to the brink of insanity, to a place I thought only my Mom lived, now, I know I sent her there.

Bethany is my big girl.  She's growing so quickly and she's truly becoming an awesome person.  Gone are the days of a baby, she's now this chattering (constantly) little bubble of entertainment.  She prides herself on being funny, loves to dance and sings songs that go something like this "I love my MOOOOOOOM, I love my DAAAAAAD, and I love AAUUUDREEEEEEEY, Oh ya!  HmmmHmmHmmmm"  or "Today, oh today, today, yes today"  this particular song has a scratch and plays this verse on repeat for as long as I can stand it.  At which time I then do my best to bite back a scream and say, "Bethany! Your song needs new words, fast!"

She's also this little bundle of compassion, if her sister cries she's right there to console her (unless she's caused the tears and then she's the first to put on a cute face and try to get out it).  If you tell her you have a sore (fill in the blank) she will ask you continually if it's better until you say it is.  She's sweet and Hope is such an apt middle name for her.  She'll ask for something, usually a Gummy Bear and the look on her face is so full of Hope that it makes me melt. She's also says some of the funniest things....

Bethany walks over, runs her hand down my shin and says,
Bethany: "Meow.  Now can I have a cat mommy?"
Mommy: "Um huh?  No, sorry kiddo."

Mommy: "Bethany why does Mommy exercise?"
Bethany: "To get Injury!"
Mommy: "You mean energy?"
Bethany: "Ya, and to be healthy for us."

She's a great kid and if you get the chance, you'd be lucky to know her.

Then there's my Rosebud.  She too is growing up so quickly, some days it feels as though I've blinked and a month has passed.  She's a walking little bundle of engery, both good and bad.  She's learning her temper and the torch of "Little Ms. Mini 'Tude" has been passed to her.  She's not angry or grumpy all of the time, but in the moments that she is, look out.  She's strong willed and strong natured and the phrase, "NNNNNNNNo!" is heard coming out often.  I keep hanging onto something my Mom told me, I was a strong willed kid, I had tantrums that rocked the neighbourhood and I'm sure I almost broke her sometimes.  But she said it was that strong will that saved me later in life, that made me able to stand up to peer pressure and to be who I've become.  And since I'm pretty down with who I've become I hope that I can teach AJ to temper her temper but allow her to be who she is without breaking her spirit, so she can grow into the strong woman God's intended her to be.

But that aside, she's just full of Joy.  Again I feel the name suits the sweetheart, her face is just full of light and joy.  She's truly the cutest little girl you'll ever meet.  She's a little shy, sometimes quiet but very quick.  She's also her big sister's shadow.  If Bethany does something Audrey's sure to follow suit, it's cute, it drives Beth nuts sometimes but it makes me mush.  They're so different and yet, so much the same.  There are times that I just have to giggle and others where I'm amazed.  Courtesy of our Bethany, Audrey's decided to potty train herself, she can be heard shouting down the hall, "PEEE! Mama! PEEEE" and ya know she pees most times, often if I'm on it right away she'll keep a pull up dry for hours and a few times now she's even pooped on the potty!  Wahoo!  I always know when she's going to poop because as soon as her cheeks hit the seat she demands that I "Go! Mama Go!"

Audrey is her Daddy's girl, in her eyes the whole world revolves around him and that's just fine.  The girls both love him but the relationship I see blooming between AJ and Corey is something neat.  You never know when there's more than one kidlet how each parent will  bond with the next baby and I'm so glad to know the our girls and their Daddy each have different and special relationships.

I could prattle on and on about our girls, but I think you get the drift.  When it comes to things that make me happy, these girls and this family take the cake.  I can't imagine life without them, I feel, on more than one occasion like I didn't breath before them and I couldn't breath without them.  They are, without a shadow of a doubt my greatest achievements.

And now, on to the contest.  Yup the giveaways still rolling, only a few more days to enter!  And to re-cap here's the paste and copy version of the rules...

Here's how it works, I'm going to post each day this week about something that makes me happy. Be warned some of my "happy thoughts" may be mushy enough to deserve pixie dust, other's might be lame but they're my happy things, and I love them! Your job is to comment each day, answering the question of the day. Each comment (1 per person, per day) from Monday to Saturday will count for 1 entry into the draw I will do on Sunday for a BIG SUMMER GIFT BASKET! I'll reveal a photo of the basket on Friday, but for now I'll just say it's full of great goodies for everyone.


Want more chances to win? Link to us on your blog, or on facebook, Telling your friends to drop your name in their comment and you'll get 1 more entry per friend! Contest closes 12:00pm Saturday July 24 2010, I will post the winner on Sunday July 25 2010, the winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize (which means let me know your mailing address etc) so I can get it in the mail before it's winter.

*Disclaimer, this contest and it's prizes are provided by Our Family Stone. Nobody gave me anything for free to run it, paid us for the space or is sending us to Europe for a month - but they should have.

Question of the day: Tell me your greatest Joy.  What gives you Hope or brings Joy to your day?