World Vision Beaded Artisan Necklace Review and Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

This year I have been looking at charities that give to kids in need as a place to find holiday gifts. I can get a wonderful present and have the proceeds going to a program that helps people in need. With my new job I am finding myself in need of new jewelry and accessories and the ones I found at World Vision were great. They are colorful and handmade by people who are benefiting from the purchase.You can find many more items from the World Vision catalog such as toys and household gifts for the holidays.

A little background info on World Vision:

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

World Vision serves close to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries around the world. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

For my review I was sent the Artisan Beaded Necklace. The necklace is beautifully colorful and adds a great touch of color to a plain shirt. I have worn this several times to work and have been asked where I purchased it. Its nice to share the story on how World Vision helps people in need and they make products they can sell.  This glass-bead necklace is handmade in Thailand and can be worn several different ways — even as a multi-strand bracelet.

The World Vision store has many beautiful jewelry pieces you can buy for yourself or give as a gift. You can even make donations that will go directly to help families in need here in the USA.

You can shop the World Vision Gift Catalog Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/worldvisiongiftcatalog?fref=ts  and World Vision’s Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/worldvisionusa/.


Enter to win a World Vision Beaded Artisan Necklace:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Nov. 21,  2012 and ends on Dec. 12, 2012 at 12:00 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

I am Thankful for...

I am Thankful for this hand print my 2 year old made at his Co-Op Preschool today. I am grateful that we are able to send him to this wonderful preschool. I will post about our school soon. If it fits into your lifestyle, Co-op's are the way to go!

I am Thankful for my family, they make me who I am. My husband and children are my life and I am theirs. Not only am I Thankful for my husband and children but my Mom, Dad, sisters, brothers, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nephew, and great friends. They all make up my circle of people.

I am Thankful for my home and a roof over my head. The weather has been so rainy and so cold. I am grateful to be in a nice warm home.

I am Thankful for new friends. I met a Mom through JJ's Kindergarten class and it turns out they live in our neighborhood, down the street to be exact. We had a play date today at my house with our little ones and it went great. Here's to new friendships!

I am Thankful for flavored coffee. I love all of the Holiday coffee flavors that come out this time of year. I am actually enjoying a Pumpkin Spice latte as I type this. YUM!

I am Thankful for Thanksgiving. Can't wait to spend the day enjoying family, friends, and food!

There are many things to be Thankful for but wanted to keep the list short. There are things to do to prepare for tomorrow. I must clean the house, cook some food and get some rest for Turkey Day tomorrow!!!

I am Thankful for this blog and all of our readers! Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You!!

~ Sam

Black Friday is coming....

                                                

Today is Tuesday, that means 3 days until Black Friday is here.

I have to admit I have never done a "Black Friday" shopping trip. I always felt like it wasn't worth it to me. If I had to choose saving a little bit of money or sleep, I pick sleep for sure! I do have three small children I have to tend to all day and NEED my sleep for that :)

I have also hear all of these horror stories of being pushed, yelled at or worse trampled trying to get into a store for the "must have item" of the year. Really people it is just a Furby!

It really just didn't seem like saving a little bit of money was ever worth it. But I also see that smaller stores are starting to have the same great sales as the chain stores and maybe those are worth heading out to at the crack of dawn....or maybe not?!

What about you? Do you shop the Black Friday deals? Is it as crazy as they say? Should I even bother?

Weekend Wrap Up

JJ and I at his 6th Birthday Party this weekend!!

We celebrated JJ and his 6th birthday over the weekend. I cannot believe that my oldest is now 6 years old!! We took the birthday boy and his friends swimming, it was a blast and we survived!
 
What a whirlwind our lives have been.

I'm sure everyone is feeling the same way these days. 

Now on to the week of Thanksgiving...

I am going to breath and remember that the pressure I am putting on myself for Thanksgiving is silly really.

Thanksgiving is a time to relax and enjoy family and friends. It is a combined effort between all who are attending and it always comes together beautifully in the end.

Again, I am going to breath and remember that the pressure I am putting on myself for Thanksgiving is silly really.

Here's to a week of Thankfulness!!!!

~ Sam

Guess Who is Turning 3!

I have to admit I have been dragging my feet on my little guy's bday party. Part of me just does not want him to be 3. Silly I know but he is still my baby and 3 seems so big boy. He talks so much now, has an opinion on everything, is super helpful (got lucky on that, he will pick up toys, even likes to help with the laundry and goes to get stuff) he is funny, sweet and a wild child. He is so full of energy and busy I am shocked he can go all day at that level. He has my big blue eyes, his dad's sense of humor and some quirks about him that I know he gets from other members of our family. I must say he does not like to be woken up and can be a beast if you dont let him wake up on his own (this makes me think of Sam LOL when we were kids she did not like to be woken up) a few times I have looked at my son and I see my Mom's (Patricia) face, I have taken a few pics that capture it and I love that. I love how our kids are a blend of all the people on both side of their family before them. They really are another branch on the family tree.

With my son turning 3, my nephew turning 6 (oh my time flies!) and my niece (Miss Ashley!) turning 1 in a month it has suddenly occurred to me that our kids are the next generation. Yes they are still our babies but they will be the men and women of the future and that is just awesome! I do my best each day to be the greatest Mom I can be and I know some days are rough and others glorious but everyone has days like that. I am blessed each day I wake up and get to be my little boy's Mom. We call him LW it makes me laugh since it reminds me of DW from the Arthur books. Do you know which character I am talking about?

I look forward to his birthday and knowing he is the reason I get to be a Mom and the reason I wake up each day with a smile.