Friday Favs, Exciting News {& a layout}

Whoo Hoo!! It's Friday!! I am feeling so VERY Happy right now!!:)

1) "Happiness is not in our circumstances, but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are." -Soren Kierkegaard

I couldn't agree more with this quote from Kierkegaard. I have found it in me. For the past 6 years I have tried with very little success to lose the 30 pounds I have slowly put on. From working out like a maniac [and not enjoying it much] to stressing over every little thing I put in my mouth...the weight wouldn't budge. I was convinced I was doomed.  But then, nearly 14 days ago I began HCG. It is a VERY strict diet, consisting of taking drops and eating only 500 calories. People this was hard and honestly wasn't working for me. I was constantly thinking about my next meal, grouchy {and rightfully so} AND I had little energy to do my daily tasks. Plus the scale wasn't moving like I thought it should. So last week I took the bull by the horns and decided to mix it up a bit. I took my old Weight Watchers point counter out, a notebook, calorie counter and began tracking every single thing I put in my mouth. I still take my drops, too. Guess what?!

I have lost NINE pounds!! And the best part? I'm not constantly starving and thinking about food and my clothes are fitting and I just feel HAPPY!!! When I eat well, I feel happy. Period.

2) Wanted to share a layout today...it's actually one of my favorites.

I was inspired to create this layout 2 years after my hysterectomy. I was the heaviest I had been in years, depressed and trying to figure out just where my life was headed...

The journaling was done in list fashion and it says...

"too fat tummy, teeth aren't white enough, hair isn't perfect, no style sense, housework never fully done, grouchy sometimes, I'm not perfect!" 9.13.08

then underneath it says "Do this for you! Love, Me"

I love butterflies...they represent so much don't they? This is a journaling note from Jenni Bowlin with a rub-on. I inked the edges to give it a more shabby look. Love how it turned out.

My title is my favorite part of the layout. The technique I used for the word EMBRACE is my favorite way to do titles [and ya' know i haven't done one this way in ages...must change that} I stamped EMBRACE with foam stamps and paint, let it dry then outlined each letter with a black pen. COOL!

Background paper is from "Webster's Pages". One of the prettiest, most versatile papers on the planet {in my opinion}

3) I have some pretty exciting news!! I visit this blog every new post...love it!! Homegrown Mom.

Last month she was having lots of give-aways...so of course I entered. I checked back a few weeks ago and was surprised to see I had WON!! It was AWESOME!! A COMPLETE blog makeover!! Whoo Hoo I was STOKED! Katie from Flibby Pie will be doing me the honor of making Words of Me Project all me. So excited!

So anyway, I was REALLY happy about that, right? I mean that is a HUGE prize in and of itself. Have you checked on how much it costs to renovate your blog? More than I can afford right now:) Anyhoo...

Yesterday I was checking my old e-mails {i am so bad about checking e-mails}and read one from Homegrown Mom....she was congratulating me on winning her contest, etc. As I read through it, however she was rattling off all these other things I had won. WHAT?! I won MORE?! ME!!!!

I immediately went back to her blog, checked out the prizes and realized I had won this whole big blog package!! Not only did I win the complete makeover but also the e-book "31 days to a Better blog" {fantastic, btw}, a $25 gift certificate to Amazon books {already know what I'm buying...check it out!}"The Artistic Mother" and this one from Elizabeth Kartchner...

{photo from Amazon}

Plus a book from this woman author and blogger..."Braveheart" and a pound of coffee from Jarbee coffee. {gonna give to my mom's friend...i don't drink coffee}

So yeah...I am waaaaay excited!!! I have been thanking Homegrown Mom over and over again for her generosity as well as all her sponsors and Katie from Flibby Pie who is creating my blog to perfection!!

All of this is coming at the perfect time. I am ready to kick it up on here. And my 100th post is coming up and I'm getting so many followers each week {which I appreciate so very much!!!}
Soooo, next week I'm gonna be announcing a HUGE WEEK of giveaways!!! Still hammering out the details so stay tuned:)

4) Beginning Monday I will be participating in Ali Edward's "Week in the Life" I LOVE this project {have done it before}. Read about it here.

5) Here is a few more photos of my life this past week. It is so good. I am blessed:) Here is Dave and the kids on his Birthday last Sunday...

Dave has lost 12 pounds now and Jacks remains at 20!! He is running daily and getting so STRONG!

Here's a photo I snapped a couple of days ago. Dave and I were in the house just watching our kids-get along. It was the BEST!

That's it for me today. I hope you have an incredible weekend filled with family, friends and anything else that makes you SMILE!!

"If this world affords true happiness, it is to be found in a home where love and confidence increase with the years, where the necessities of life come without severe strain, where luxuries enter only after their cost has been carefully considered."  -A. Edward Newton