" Sweet Sadie Marie "

Jumping around....

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:03:00 +0000

If I Could Live Anywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:13:00 +0000

Piggies & Paws:

http://piggiesandpaws.com

Clay Aiken paid my mortgage

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000

Many moons ago, Chris and I lived in St. Louis. He went to Seminary and

I was a school teacher. Bills were often tight... but those were fun days. We lived in the city and thrived on the freedom that comes before children.

One summer, while at a garage sale, I purchased 100 WWJD bracelets for $5. My thought... we're going into ministry. We will use them at some point.

That year, Clay Aiken was on American Idol. He wore a black WWJD bracelet and it was all the rage. Those 100 bracelets I owned.... ALL BLACK.

Ebay became a close friend of mine... 100 bracelets sold like hot cakes.

Thanks to Clay Aiken and a $5 investment, my mortgage was paid.

Share a story... I'd love to hear it.

Bertolli Challenge: Make a Weeknight Meal Special

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:59:00 +0000

I love a challenge! Especially when it's centered around food! Bertolli issued the challenge to create a special weeknight meal... spending no more than an hour prepping, cooking, and decorating.

We found Bertolli Meal Soups in the freezer section at Ingles. There were a few Meal Soups to choose from... but we were in the mood for the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken. We set the table with our best and warmed a loaf of Italian Bread in the oven.

The soup couldn't have been easier to prepare... it took just a matter of minutes! It really would be perfect for any night of the week.... either planned or as a last minute treat. Each Meal Soup contains 2 servings and the Tomato Florentine was 11 Weight Watcher's points per serving. It was so delicious and definitely worth every single point! Sadie, my five year old, licked her bowl clean!

It won't be long until we try the other rich flavors! I hope you will too.

Follow Bertolli & learn more about Bertolli Meal Soups:
Facebook: facebook.com/Bertolli
Twitter: twitter.com/Bertolli
Website: villabertolli.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While all my opinions are my own, I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge.

Parenting Advice ?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:49:00 +0000

For the love of video....

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:25:00 +0000

I love making videos. Not only do they capture awesome moments, but they are a great addition to my work in Social Media.

Recently, I bought a camera ( Sony Bloggie). The picture and sound quality are amazing. Plus it has a live streaming option. Cool, right?

Loving my new toy.

What's new in your world?

Love Notes

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:21:00 +0000

I find notes everywhere. Sometimes, I write back. My favorites include her kissing me.

Sometimes, just to be funny, Chris sends notes back that look like this. They make Caris laugh!

Tide COLDWATER

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:21:00 +0000

I started washing our laundry in cold water shortly after I got married. I'd like to take the credit... but really it was my husband's idea. For 10 years we have been washing laundry in cold. Recently, I was thrilled to learn that Tide made a liquid laundry detergent just for us .... Tide Coldwater!

Here is what is so amazing about this laundry detergent:

*It is formulated to get clothes clean when they are washed in cold water.

*By washing in cold, you conserve energy and save money on your utilities.

Washing in cold water WILL get your clothes clean! And it will save you money!

Tide Coldwater will help.... What's not to love?

Do YOU wash in cold water? Take the Tide COLDWATER Challenge with me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoy the campaigns I work on with She Speaks! For this blog post I received Tide Coldwater and a gift card from SheSpeaks/Tide.

Our visit to the Titanic Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:20:00 +0000

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am thrilled to be a Titanic Mom Blogger. All opinions are our own.

No money has exchanged hands however, we were gifted with day passes to

the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge.

5 Things YOU Should Know About My Scale

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:08:00 +0000

1) It once said a much smaller number.

2) Because our minds deceive us, I still think I look like I did when that number was smaller. In fact, inside my thoughts, I am *thin*.

3) My scale daily reminds me that I am not *thin*. It stares me straight in the face and lets me know there is an issue. And I have faced this battle for years. And I hate it.

4) The truth behind the scale is this..... weight has more to do with internal issues than actual eating issues. People eat to celebrate, to hide pain, and to bury the past. Food can serve as a best friend, a crutch, a temporary band aid, and your worst enemy. When really, it's just fuel for your body.

5) When I step on the scale, I remind her that I am a work in progress. I WANT to be healthy. I WANT to be a role model. I WANT to wear cute clothes. I WANT to win this battle.

Christmas Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:59:00 +0000

The girls have been out of school almost two weeks. We have had many adventures.

Here are the highlights:

1) Sadie is learning how to get dressed all by herself. It's a blessing ..and a process. If you happen to stop by and she's half naked, this is probably why.

2) We had a great Christmas.... the girls loved the play kitchen (purchased this summer at a yard sale) and their other gifts.

3) December 26th ... Caris realizes she has 2 loose teeth side by side. The next day, they both fall out. ** This first visit from the tooth fairy ended up being costly.

4) Sadie turns 5. Boy, did we celebrate! The "Jumpy thing" at the mall and then Chuck E Cheese. She has an obsession with green race cars and flowers...so, they appeared on her cake. She was thrilled.

Happy New Year!

The Drive Home

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:55:00 +0000

Today I ran some errands. The market and the gas station. I turned into the driveway, and put the car in park.

I drove 2.4 miles. 2.4 miles.... and I didn't remember any of it. I didn't wave at a single person, took no mental notes, and was purely on autopilot.

It all made me think ... how often do I live life this way? I think too often... but my desire is to live purposefully.

I want to live life on purpose.

I want to notice the details... dance for no reason... and remember it all. Not just here ~ in this space. I want the corners of my mind (where the cobwebs dwell) to be bursting with colorful memories and moments of life.

The Tale of a Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:50:00 +0000

The day she left..... we cried in our lasagna.

Lexi

I loved her from day one. So did the girls.

She grew on my husband.

Even he cried.

Lexi was wild. She was all puppy. She was also a biter.

We had to say goodbye.

It still stinks.

It's been a month. A long month..... and just last week, in the midst of Christmas carols and busyness... we were gifted with Tazz (a post soon to come). My girls love him... he's sweet.

Are you a dog lover?

{p.s. You know I love you. I included a picture sporting a double chin and tears.}

Wine.... it's the best gift to give!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:34:00 +0000

I love The California Wine Club! I know, I've posted about it before. But really, who doesn't love the gift of wine?

With Christmas right around the corner, wine is the gift that fits all sizes and personalities! Plus, with a 3 month or year long membership, it is the gift that keeps on giving!

I am excited to use this wine to toast our Christmas celebrations! And I hope the same for you!

The California Wine Club would like to gift you with a discount...so you can gift that special someone! A 10% discount will be given on every gift order you place. Just enter this promo code: sweetsadie.

******************************************************You can keep up to date with all things wine by following The California
Wine Club on Twitter @cawineclub or @boringwineguy. They can also be found on Face
Book (The California Wine Club and The Boring Wine Guy)

The California Wine Company
has gifted me with 3 months of amazing wine (Premier Club gift membership).
There was no monetary compensation for this review. My thoughts and opinions are
strictly my own.

Thank you.

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:31:00 +0000

Thanks for your love.

Thanks for trusting me with the details... knowing I will pray.

Thanks for loving me through the mess.

Thanks.

What's Wrong With ME?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:40:00 +0000

November was a hard month.

I'm going to give it to you straight.

The devil worked over time on me.

A combination of events and lies from the devil held me captive.

I started questioning everything....

What am I doing? Is it all worth it? What's wrong with me? Will I make it through all of this? Should I wash my hands of it all and start over? What if ..... What if.... What if.

Have you found yourself there?

I threw myself into prayer. I got busy helping where I could ... and reading about God's love for me. I stopped comparing my life to a life I've felt robbed of. I started looking lies in the face and defending the truth.

HARD stuff. Right?

I include it here... in my space... because YOU are part of my story. We do life TOGETHER.

If you are in a tough place.... I want to pray you through it. I want to love you through it.

Email me (sweetsadiemarie@hotmail.com) or comment below.

I'll hold your hand... and remind you of God's grace.

Black Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:59:00 +0000

Caris has never been a sleeper. In fact, when she was a baby, she often held "crying parties" at 3 am. It was definitely a party... and Chris and I were crying too.

We have never really planned to shop on "Black Friday". My plan has always been to be in my cozy, warm bed... dreaming of Christmas trees and the birth of the season.

Caris' sleeping schedule has invited the early hours of Black Friday into my life..and I have taken advantage of them!

Her first Black Friday, she sounded out the alarm at 3 am.

Knowing this was a wake up call, Chris and I dressed in the dark.

We bundled up and got into the car. I was so tired I could have propped my eyelids open with toothpicks.

Chris was in the market for a hydraulic jack. I was in the market for sleep.

Caris was in the market for motion.... and as long as we kept moving she was happy.

Sears opened at 6. We bought the jack. We laughed at ourselves and at the fact that we were in desperate need of sleep. We toasted the morning (and our new hydraulic jack) with breakfast at Ihop. That cold morning will forever be etched in my memory and looking back, it makes me smile.

I still shop on Black Friday. However, I do most of it from my computer. Looking for this year's online ads? Go here.... Black Friday ads . You won't be disappointed.

Do YOU shop on Black Friday? What's the best purchase you've made?

________________________________________________

This post is sponsored by the coupon and deals experts at www.BlackFriday2011.com. Visit their site to browse the latest Black Friday Ads and find the best holiday savings at top stores, including Walmart, Lowes, and Target Black Friday 2011 deals.

Holiday Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:30:00 +0000

My favorite Christmas tradition is cutting down our Christmas tree.

As a family, we bundle up and pile into the car.

We listen to Christmas music and chat about the kind of tree we'd like to get.

We search high and low... and usually Caris finds "our tree".

Chris cuts it down, ties it to the car, and we head home to decorate.

Holiday Memories. I LOVE THEM.

It is so important to preserve these memories in photos and videos.

YesVideo is a company after my own heart. YesVideo can help transfer your old media (VHS tapes, slides, 8MM video, photos, etc) and even new media (digital, SD cards, etc) to DVDs or HD quality to Blu-Ray.

VHS tapes start to fade over time.
YesVideo is the answer! You can take your old VHS tapes and pop them in the mail to YesVideo. YesVideo can begin the transfer and then you have the ability to edit the video(s) online and order DVDs later. Isn't that amazing? So cool.

There is no better way to preserve your holiday memories and ensure that future generations will get to share in the memories too!

YesVideo would make the perfect Christmas gift for your parents and grandparents! In fact, YesVideo is gifting you with a coupon code TRANSFER15 so you can save 15% off your entire order. Only good for online orders at direct.yesvideo.com.

YesVideo is hosting a giveaway for a chance to win a $100 transfer service coupon. The contest ends soon (November 22nd) but is very easy to enter. Simply share your favorite fall photo in their Fall Photo Contest hosted on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

YesVideo will use random.org to select a winner.

YesVideo can be found on Twitter @YesVideo and FB - http://facebook.com/yesvideo

___________________________________________________________

Holiday Memories (and preserving them) are important to me. This review was a natural fit. While my opinion is my own, YesVideo provided compensation for my time.

Wine ....

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:24:00 +0000

And the winner is ..... Sarahbell!

I *WISH* I could give wine away to all of you!

Look for my last wine giveaway in a few weeks....

_______________________________

*Sarahbell... send me an email with your contact information.

I am Thankful

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:32:00 +0000

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, there is a lot of talk surrounding "thankfulness". I think it's mighty awesome to reflect on the goodness of God and everything He's given us.

I have often made my thankful lists...and chuckled to myself that they look different than lists I often hear. My list includes (but isn't limited to):

Thank God for NOT giving me all the things I've thought I wanted ....

because you knew better.

Thank you for humbling experiences that show me I'm not in control.

Thank you for children who are nothing like me....

Children who teach me everyday to be thankful for who I am...

And to celebrate myself as much as I celebrate them.

Thank you for a life that is often hard... it brings me to my knees.

Thank you for ALL of this.

_______________________________

*My giveaway ends tomorrow night! Be sure to enter below!

Everything is better with a glass of wine!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:13:00 +0000

Life has been a little crazy lately. Busy, messy, fun ... busy. It was such a surprise to hear the doorbell ring and find that my wine had arrived! I love The California Wine Club!

One of the things I love so much about this wine club is that it takes the guess-work out of buying wine. In the past, I'd stand in the wine aisle never knowing what to buy. Problem solved!

Along with the bottles of wine, every month a newsletter arrives. It describes the California winery featured and is full of information about the wines that have been sent. It describes the rich tastes of each wine, foods they would best be paired with, and so much more information!

I can't wait for next month's shipment! It will be just in time for Christmas celebrations!

The California Wine Club has a gift for you ~ A special 10% discount on every gift order you place. Just enter this promo code: sweetsadie.

They are also giving you a chance to win a one-month subscription to The California Wine Club.

Leave me a message below telling me your favorite meal to enjoy wine with! You have until 11:59 am on November 19th to enter.

******************************************************

You can keep up to date with all things wine by following The California
Wine Club on Twitter @cawineclub or @boringwineguy. They can also be found on Face
Book (The California Wine Club and The Boring Wine Guy)

The California Wine Company
has gifted me with 3 months of amazing wine (Premier Club gift membership).
There was no monetary compensation for this review. My thoughts and opinions are
strictly my own.

Good Business Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Looking to buy a business? Here is my advice....

1) Sleep on it. Don't make any rash decisions.

2) Consult a friend, a stranger, a wise soul. Get fresh eyes to look at the deal...listen to what they say.

3) You are prepared to buy... but are you prepared to work? Look at all angles. BE READY.

4) If you build it...and they come ... are you ready? What if you work hard...and it pays off...and you end up working through the night to make this happen. Do you have a plan?

5) Get all the documents and have a professional look them over twice. You will be glad you did.

How are you investing in YOU?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:37:00 +0000

I always love to hear about the jobs people have had. It's a glimpse into their soul. If you asked me, here's what I would share with you....

I love being with people. LOVE it. My jobs have reflected that... even earlier on. My first job was in a restaurant ... I liked to waitress the most. In college, I babysat and worked retail. I became a teacher... and in seasons I've worked for a clown production company, a hard ware store, and as a crafter. I'm a secretary, a blogger, and most importantly a mom.

My job choices have reflected my desire to learn and grow as a person.

As I write this, I am at a crossroads. I have a desire to learn something new and start fresh.

Not abandon my day job... but add a skill to my pocket of gifts.

I am about to invest in ME. This story is just beginning.

But I want to know more about your story. How are you investing in YOU?

Picaboo!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:37:00 +0000

November.

It's here. Before you know it, Christmas will be here too. December always sneaks up on me and my Christmas cards are always late (if they get mailed at all).

NOT this year. All thanks to....

Picaboo!

I LOVE their 2011 Holiday Collection. How can you pick just one design? They are all so fantastic! Below you will find 3 of my favorites. I think the Modern Stripes might our family card for 2011!

Not only do I get to share this Holiday Collection with you... but Picaboo has a present for you! If you buy 25 cards, you get 25 free!

Yes, you read that right.

And.... If you buy 50, you get 50 free.

So, that's 100 cards for the price of 50!

All you have to do is use my code: GREAT-MC

{AND you have to use it by 12/1/11 at 11:59 pt.}

Go order your custom cards now! You'll thank me... and Picaboo too!

__________________________________________________

I love cards from Picaboo , so working with them was a natural fit. My opinion belongs to me, but I have been compensated (monetarily and with Christmas cards) for this post.

Sweet

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:28:00 +0000

We had a fantastic Halloween....full of cotton candy (pink & purple)!

My favorite Halloween candy? A Butterfinger.

What's your favorite?