When Life Gives You Books... and Earrings?

OH HAPPY DAY!!! 

It is hump day, and you know what that means?! We are halfway through the work week, people! This week has just dragged, and it feels like the last thing I want to do is go to work. I wonder if that feeling is because of these lovely things: 

Books. Oh, how I love them. I have to tell you guys a secret - my blogging has been lame lately because I've had my nose constantly stuck in a book. But... when life gives you books, you read them. Right? 

Just this year, I've read Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (the sequel to Delirium), The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear, The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory (for blogger book club... have you read it yet?), and Motor Mouth and Metro Girl (both by Janet Evanovich). I'm reading Uglies by Scott Westerfeld right now, and it's good. Like, really good.

Anyway. I made it a goal to read 100 books this year, and by golly, I am determined to reach that insane number! So... while I'm off reading and being a little nerdy-faced bookworm, I have a very special treat for you - awesome earrings. And when life gives you the chance to win earrings, you keep on reading. Right? Right. They are available for YOU to win from an awesome blogger.... who you will meet right.....  

now. 

Hey Every Day is a new Adventure readers! I'm Eryka, the writer behind the blog ABCDE and the owner of the little shop Made with Love, & that handsome guy up there is my hubby hubs! I love pretty things, blogging, date nights with hottie of a husband, and good hair days. I blog about my life as a wifey as well as share things I love. I started my shop a few months ago as a fun hobby. I love making pretty things, so I thought, why not share them with everyone?!

You are in for a treat! I am giving one of you lucky readers a pair of earrings from my shop Made with Love. So awesome right? 

That's it! Good luck and thanks for letting stop on over Alyx!!!
xoxo

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Oh, Life is just "Peach"-y.

Have you entered the Birthday Giveaways??? 

How far along are you? 13 weeks

How big is Baby? Almost 3 inches long and almost 1 oz. The size of a peach! 

Weight Gain? A pound and a half

 Gender? We don't know yet, but you can vote!

Maternity Clothes? Nope - my normal clothes are snug, but they still fit. 

Stretch Marks? Nope!

Sleep? I'm sleeping a little better, but still wake up to pee occasionally. 

Symptoms? Still the mood swings, occasional migraines, and pain in my lower back.  

Movement? None that I can feel, but I know the little rascal is probably kicking away. 

Food Cravings? SUGAR. Seriously - candy has been my downfall.  

Labor Signs? None. 

Belly Button in or out? In. 

What I miss? Energy. 

What I am looking forward to? Having a belly! 

Best moment of the week? My best friend came and surprised me on my birthday, and Mike was able to keep it a secret and make it a surprise!! One of my other best friends brought over eight boxes of children's books for us to go through for baby. I feel so blesse

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And now, because it's Friday, it's time for my favorite things! 

But... I'm doing things a little differently this week. Instead of telling you about my favorite things, I want to give you my favorite things, all wrapped up in a nice little package and sent to you in the mail.

You have to win, though - I can't send this stuff to everyone.
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Older, but not Wiser. The Guy on my TV is Smoking Pot... I Think.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY... to me!! 

I'm another year older, but not really any wiser. I like to get presents, but I also like to give presents.

You know who else likes to give presents? Some of my amazingly kind blogger friends!! And I've got a few awesome giveaways for you all to enter.

There will be three winners. You must complete all mandatory entries to win a giveaway. The Made with Love giveaway is open only to those with a US mailing address.

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PSST.... You may want to come back tomorrow, because I may or may not be giving something away myself! :)

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday!!! 

This week went by pretty slowly, but of course the weekend flew by. Don't you hate how that goes? Anyway, it's Sunday, and you all know what that means - time for confessions! Grab a button and link on up!
  <center> <a href="http://itsalyx.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6701442513_4c7153a301.jpg" width="200" height="200" /></a></center> 1. I'm a horrible secret keeper. It's really hard for me to keep secrets, especially if they're happy ones. I always want to shout them from the rooftops. So... if you have a happy secret, don't trust me with it unless you want at least my husband to know. I have to tell at least one person the good stuff!

2. I didn't have any time to read this week, and that makes me super sad! Lately I've had this pattern - one week I'll read like, five books, and then the next week I don't have any time to even read one! It's kind of ridiculous.

3. I just saw a preview for "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," and I am considering wasting my life away by watching it. Yeah... how sad is that? I don't really have much more to say on this note.

via

4. I did 7 loads of laundry yesterday. This is a confession because I had 7 loads of laundry to do - that's like, 3 weeks worth. Yeah, I'm awesome.

5. I got the First book in the Game of Thrones series for my Kindle. I'm so stoked to read it. I just have to find a little bit of time to do it.

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Speaking of books!! We are going to start our book club in October with a young adult fiction novel. We are taking suggestions from you all for the next week. Once we have suggestions, we will narrow it down to three books and hold a vote in the last week of September. Leave suggestions in the form below!

Also - have you entered this giveaway yet?? $50 of free money, yo!
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So.... link up your confessions!! 

Favorite Things Friday

FINALLY. HALLELUJAH! 

It's Friday, beaches. Hahaha, sorry guys. You aren't sandy beaches. I love you all. I'm just a little bit too excited for Friday. It's pathetic, really.

Anyway. Moving on like Donkey Kong. Or something like that. Time for my favorite things this week.

1. Food Day. Yep, part of the reason I sound like I'm on crack right now is because I'm wildly anticipating the smorgasbord at work. It's food day, and I'm ready. Be jealous that you don't get any of the crock pot spinach and artichoke dip that I'm making.

not the recipe I'm using.

2. This commercial. Am I the only one that thinks it's the best thing ever? Because it is.
3. My new shoes! I'd been wanting these shoes for a while, but couldn't justify spending the money. Then I went to Target, and what do you know?! They were on clearance for $7.50! And that's how you win the game of life.

4. My cat's new bed. I woke up this morning, walked into the bathroom, turned on the light, and was greeted by a kitty in the sink. He's found a place to call home.

5. Free money. Too bad I can't win it. But you can - $50 straight to your Paypal account, courtesy of this beautiful lady.

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And... a special shout out to my little brother - today is his 19th birthday!!! 
Happy Birthday, Ryan! We love you!! 

PS - All you ladies in UT, he's tall, dark and handsome! HA!

The Best Game Ever. No, Really. Friends. Canadians. Designs. Blogiversary.

You guys. 

After yesterday's down-in-the-pooper venting/pity party post (thanks for listening/loving/not judging/advising, btw), I feel like I should share something amazing with all of you.

1. We sort of have friends. Woo! I see this going places.

2. I discovered the BEST game in the entire world. You probably won't believe me, but I'm serious. The name of the game? Funny Bones. It's a game that hopped straight out of the fifties, and it provides more giggles and fun than Twister ever could.

via

So the idea of the game is this - you have a partner, and you have to do what the card says. For example, if the card says "head bone connected to the elbow bone," you and your partner have to connect a head and elbow, holding the card in place between the two body parts. 

You see how many cards you can hold in various positions before you drop one, and then you add up your points. 

Mike and I were pretty much champs. I wish I had photo evidence, but I do not. Maybe next time. 

3. I have some pretty cool ladies giving away some pretty awesome stuff. Have you entered this giveaway yet? No? Well, you should. See, I made it easy for you.  

Amanda // Rosie

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4. I finished another blog design. This one was for the fabulous Noël. 

5. Canadians are cat lovers and procrastinators. And they really like hockey, maple syrup, and ice fishing. Maybe. I actually have a real-life Canadian for you to meet. She's pretty cool. I mean, just look at that hat!! 

My name is Emily. I am Canadian.  I blog at Hope Squared.  I blog about stuff.  I like cats, fonts, and poutine.  I am an aspiring sewist, wannabe photographer, and a self taught 'I will make your blog look pretty' designer. I dream big - but also procrastinate.  I blog about my really awesome life, my rare travels, and sometimes about blog design.  If you're into Hodge Podges - then this is the blog for you. 

blog. twitter. facebook. bloglovin.

6. It's my one year blogiversary today!! I'll share some of my most viewed/favorite posts from the past year throughout the week. And I have something to tell you all:

WIWW. Crazy Cat Lady. Shoes. Vlogs. Other Stuff.

Linking up here.

shirt: walmart (3 for $7 - mens section, refashioned to fit snugly) sweater&belt: c/o sugarlips apparel (purchase here) pants: walmart shoes: ebay

You guys. I think I'm a real blogger now - I got this sweater from Sugarlips Apparel, and I am soo in love with it - it's lightweight and incredibly comfortable, plus it came with this adorable belt. It just doesn't get any better than that. If you're looking for a new store to spend all of your hard-earned money, well, then... go here. 

In other news... I have compiled a list of Three Ways to Know You are a Crazy Cat Lady [it would be 5 but I'm running late on time]: 

1. You put your cat on a leash and take him for walks. I think this is self-explanatory.

2. You talk to your cat. I'm talkin' full-on conversations. Like the one I had with Zeuss this morning, when I ranted to him about how difficult finding a balance is. He understands - all that napping, stalking, and eating is hard work, you know.

3. You take family photos with your cat, and put them on your christmas cards. Make sure he is appropriately clothed, though. 

ANYWAY, it's now time for the What's on Your Feet? vlog linkup. Watch. Enjoy. Make fun of me. Watch others. Enjoy them. Make fun of them. And then go link up your own vlog!

And FINALLY.... I have a giveaway for you all... mostly because you are amazing. And cool. And all that other stuff. Here's what you can win - enter in the Rafflecopter form below, one winner takes all this time (YES! IT'S OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!).

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Blah. Blah. Blah.

Blah. 


That's kind of how I'm feeling. If you want to read a non-blah post, you can find one of my guest posts here. You can also find my BBN post on Bad Words in Blogging over here. You may wanna keep this window open and read to the end, though... just sayin. :)

I'm giving away a custom business card design here.

Now that I'm working full time, I don't really have time to answer every single comment that you guys leave and visit all of your blogs.

Basically, I'm choosing to only respond to important comments, but still make the effort to come visit your blogs, because, let's face it - reading your blogs is a heck of a lot more enjoyable than answering emails. So... if I don't reply to every comment you leave, please know that I still appreciate them, and I lurve you all.

In other news, thanks for all of the well-wishes yesterday! Let me tell ya - orientation was sooo exciting. I mean, those 80s videos just really got me excited. How could this hair not give you the warm and fuzzies?

via

On a serious note, I'm pretty sure I'll really enjoy my job. And that's the last you'll hear about that, unless I have stupid funny stories (which I'm sure I will, so scratch that last statement.

In other news, I'm planning on doing my little home tour vlog on Thursday. Wooo!! It's finally at a point where I feel that it's presentable enough.

If your name is Amanda C., you won this giveaway. Contact me to claim your prize, yo!!
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And... finally, I have a little end of the month treat for you guys!

I know it's almost time for school to start, and a lot of people are either students or teachers. What better way to celebrate going back than with a $25 gift card to Starbucks and a gift basket to Bath and Body works? I mean, I'm not a student or a teacher, and I'd love to have both. But alas, I cannot have them. You're in luck, though, because Libby is giving away both of the aforementioned things, and you can enter!

Use rafflecopter to enter below!!
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No Favorites. I'm a Big Ball of Stress, Ready to Explode.

Dude. 

I'm pretty sure I'm too stressed to even begin to think about my favorite things from this week. If I had to pick, though, being unpacked would be one.

Grandma curtains would not.

Clogged gutters would not.

My awesome homemade curtains would. At least the one window that I finished.

My grandma lamps that I spray-painted brass would.

My zombie eyes would not.

My pimple-face would not.

The amount of money that we've spent would not.

Mike's built-in shelves would.

Being reunited with my iMac would.

My throw pillows would. The "love" one is from here.

My unmade bed and messy room would not.

And that's all I've got. 


[Hahaha, that rhymed.]

I'll do a home tour vlog... next week. 

And... here's a little TGIF treat for you all! Brooke, Jennifer, and Shelby have all graciously donated some prizes for you guys to win! There will be three winners of this giveaway - Each prize has a mandatory entry (follow the blog with GFC), and entries will be verified. Jennifer's giveaway is only open to those with a U.S. address. The other two are international. Good luck! 

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PS: This giveaway for ad space is still going on, and entries are low, so you've got good chances! 

It's Okay. Bad Blogger. Other Stuff You Just Might Want to Click.

Hi guys!! 


So, I'm still running a little (okay, a lot) low on sleep, and am very behind on emails, but our house is finally almost a home. I promise pictures tomorrow. I'd show you some today, but the windows are all covered by grandma curtains (why can't I get away from those??), so I'm spending the day sewing.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to link up for It's Okay Thursday.

It's okay...

... That I forgot to take "before" pictures of our house.

... That I am a walking zombie.

... That I'm a little nervous to start the new job.

... That I still can't navigate my way around an American grocery store. Germany, I miss you.

... That I probably smell like fish food because I forgot to shower. Don't worry, I'll shower before I go out in public. Maybe. No, I will.

And... it's okay that I'm leaving you all with a giveaway. Shane is giving away a medium ad space for August and a $15 credit to her etsy shop. Note: both mandatory entries must be completed in order to win. Giveaway is open to US residents only and will close on Monday evening.

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WIWW. Blogger Heaven. Bucket Lists.

Linking up here.

shirt: goodwill pants: alloy sandals: target bracelets: cents of style (giveaway prize from Dearest Lou) earrings: f21 watch: fossil

Happy Hump Day!! 

Have you ever wondered why they call it that? I mean, I don't know about you, but a day named for humping seems a little silly. Maybe I just need to get my mind out of the gutter. I'm sure that's not what they meant when those geniuses came up with the nickname "Hump Day."

Anyway. Nice tangent, don't you think? I'm going to try to avoid tangents for the remainder of this post. I'm not making any promises, though. Speaking of tangents... best pickup line ever: I wish I was your derivative so that I could lie tangent to your curves. That's how Mike got me. Except not really.

So... where was I? Right - bucket lists. I don't really have one, but I decided to link up to the vlog thingy anyway. Just because I thought I could think of one on the fly. Not so sure I was right.


Finally. I hear that Anthropologie is like, a blogger heaven... am I right? I've never set foot in one of those stores, but after browsing a little, I kinda wish I could enter the giveaway I'm about to surprise you all with.

Sue has so generously offered to award one of you loverly people not one, but two amazing prizes. First, we have a $25 gift card to Anthropologie (aka Blogger Heaven). Second, we have a large ad space (200x300) on her blog! Enter to win using the rafflecopter widget below(Note: You must complete both mandatory entries, or you cannot win).

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An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away... or Something Like That.

Hi guys! 


I think you all should know that I frickin' love apples. Especially when they're dipped in JIF. It's been a while since I've talked about my JIF PB obsession, hasn't it? Well, consider it talked about.

Anyway... I have a special surprise for you guys today! I don't know if you know this, but I also love apples in the form of clothing. Not like an apple costume, but as in Shabby Apple - the clothing company. If you've heard of them, I'm sure you won't need to ask me why I love their clothes so much, but if you want to know... just look at this picture!

1//2//3//4//5//6

So what's the surprise, you ask? Okay, okay, I'll tell you. One of you lucky people is going to win a $50 gift card to Shabby Apple! Almost all of those things I posted up there is less than $50, and there's a lot more in the store, or you can choose to put the $50 toward something a little more expensive. 

Until then, you can use the code everydayisanewadventure10off to get 10% off any order! Click the picture below to get shopping, and enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter form below! Note: This giveaway is only open to those who have a US shipping address. 


Good luck, you crazies!

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WIWW. Sewing Can't be THAT Hard. Thanks Again.

Linking up here.

shirt: F21 bag: Vintage Coach (FREE from mi madre) shoes: Target belt: Primark watch: Fossil skirt: I MADE IT!

YO!!!!


So. A few things:

1. You are TOTALLY allowed to make fun of me for pictures 2, 3, & 4. Mike made me be all "modely" and they made the skirt look good so they went up. Laugh it up, folks.
2. YES! I made the skirt! And I realize that it looks like material that belongs on the curtains in a child's room, but that's not the point. The point is this: SEWING ISN'T THAT HARD! This skirt literally took me an hour. Is it perfect or professional? Not really, but I don't care, because it's comfy and I like it.
3. I am 6'6" in these shoes. We measured.
4. Said shoes are surprisingly comfy. Seriously. And easy to walk in.
5. Yes, I am standing in a dumpster. The things I do for the blog.
6. Last week I hit 500 followers. You saw the first giveaway here (you can still enter). I want to continue to thank you all by offering you a second giveaway. The rules are the same as last time.

blog//bloglovin//pinterest

blog//twitter//facebook//bloglovin  

blog//facebook//bloglovin//twitter

blog//twitter//pinterest

twitter//facebook//blog//shop

(US only)
Facebook// bloglovin// google+ 

blog//bloglovin//facebook//pinterest 

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