And the winner is....

Kirra L. Congratulations on winning the $50 gift card!

Did you miss me?

Sorry I disappeared without saying goodbye. The last few weeks have just been pretty hard for me to handle. My faith has been strained. My resolve to keep going has certainly been tested. I'm not out of the clearing yet so I'm not really up to talking about it--which makes me a horrible blogger I know.

I have been reading an amazing book lately though. I'm only halfway through and I wholeheartedly recommend it. It is:

Cleaning House: A Mom's Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement by Kay Wills Wyma

which has nothing to do with my issues right now but I have been implementing some of her ideas with my 5, 3, and 1 year old and it is kind of changing our life for the better.

I think anyone who has kids of any age in the home can benefit from reading this. 

New Boutique

I am now designing/selling at Aimee Asher Boutique. Woohoo. Just added these there today:

Soon I hope to be selling at a few more places. :)
Hope your week is going good.
xo,
Dedra

New Giveaway AND...

New $50 gift code giveaway on the right side of my blog.

AND...

NEW Super cool buying options in my etsy shop

Buy 3 Get 1 additional item FREE
Buy 4 Get 2 additional items FREE
Buy 5 Get 3 additional items FREE
Buy 10 Get 10 additional items FREE
Buy 20 Get 21 additional items FREE
FREE items must be of equal or lesser value. To get your free items, Copy and Paste ENTIRE TITLE of free product(s) (not link) in notes to seller to get your free item(s). Do NOT put free items in cart. 

AND

Paper Packs are on sale right now for 50% off!!!! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettifulDesigns

xo,
Dedra

Joy Moments

As part of my Happiness Project goal for February to "Be Positive" I'm going to start writing down a JOY moment each day. Every day I'm going to write down something that brought me joy during the day. Some days it may be something huge but for the most part it will be things like: giggles from the girls, eating something I really like for dinner, not having to wait in line, or the repair costing $30 not $130!

I think I will find more things during the day that bring me joy as I will have to find something to write down. Join me in recording your own Joy Moments and focusing on the positive.

xo,
Dedra

Prime Real Estate

Prime Real Estate Available...on my blog that is. Have you noticed how many followers I have and how many page hits I've gotten since July? It's pretty crazy how fast this blog has grown. I do have some pretty sweet ads available. Check out the info at the advertising tab at the top or click here: http://prettifuldesigns.blogspot.com/p/advertising.html

Be Positive February

My happiness goal for February is to be positive--to think positive, to act positive, and to always speak positive. To kick off the month I made a list of 28 things that make me happy and I'm going to try and do one every day. These won't MAKE me positive but I think spending a little time each day doing something for me will make me feel happier and when Momma is happy, everyone else will be too and it will be easier to think positively.

It took me a really long time to come up with my list. I'm great at coming up with lists for Christmas and birthday presents, preschool ideas, date ideas, holiday activities, menus, and endless other lists. Making one for things I like to do was so different. How often as a mom do I think about myself? Sometimes the best thing you can do for your children is learning to take care of yourself and showing them by example how to be happy.

Here's mine. Laugh all you want at what makes me happy. :)

1. Take a bath
2. Read for at least 15 minutes
3. Check out pinterest (I hardly ever get on anymore.)
4. Post pictures of the kids for Grandmas to see.
5. Make a holiday craft.
6. Go swimming or play basketball
7. Play the ukulele and sing
8. Sit and watch the birds
9. Play Rome Total War
10. Do a REAL yoga workout i.e. without children crawling under my downward dog
11. Declutter something
12. Scrapbook some pictures
13. Play golf (the card game)
14. Read lots of stories to the girls
15. Do a crossword puzzle
16. Watch HGTV
17. Design a room remodel
18. Draw/paint a picture
19. Bake something
20. Go to the library
21. Surprise the kids with something
22. Eat out
23. Text something nice to all my friends
24. Plan something super "romantical" for the hubby
25. Doodle
26. Shop or at least browse online
27. Take a nap
28. Go for a walk

Think of your own list and put it into action today. It is a great way to break up the winter boredom too. :)

Happy February!
xo,
Dedra