I'm a winner!!!

I stopped playing fair about a year ago.

Before you leave in a huff, let me explain. It's not that I cheat. I just stopped playing to win.

At least when it comes to shower doorprize games.

You see, I have this unnatural knack, a talent, if you will, to win those silly baby and bridal shower games women play. Name the nursery rhyme? Nailed it. Remember all the items in the diaper bag? Recalled every one. Unscramble the wedding related words? Undone in one minute flat - or something like that.

It got to be ridiculous! I won at every single shower I attended- even ones given in my honor! I was racking up the candles and body lotions and chotskies like nobody's business. Something had to be done- bringing home another thoughtful (but clutter-contributing) doorprize gift to nestle next to the last still unused doorprize gift just had to stop.

So, I just stopped playing to win. I mean, I'd still play, and still win, but just wouldn't tell the hostess, so I didn't receive the prize. Well, most of the time at least. I did claim the handbag filled with Lindt chocolates from my friend's bridal shower last year. Because, that doorprize was one that I could use!

Recently, my winning streak has transferred to online drawings and giveaways! And, this is a winning streak I would love to continue, as I'm entering giveaways for things I would love to have, but wouldn't purchase myself, mostly because they aren't in our family of five, living on one income, budget.

First I won some new fluff for my girls from theclothdiaperwhisperer.com. I love this blog! It has great giveaways, TONS of informative articles, and certainly earned its place as a finalist in BlogLuxe's "The Blog You've Learned the Most From" contest. I started using twitter just so I could enter the twitter contests on this blog! And, I won that very Friday!

Then I won some great table toppers from the cute like me giveaways blog. They also have a store full of adorable hairthings and make believe food! I'm going to keep a few of the table toppers in our diaper bag so that whenever an impromptu picnic takes place I'll know my little darlings will be eating off a sanitary surface! (Even if we're eating fast food the most nutritious lunch I make at home at the park!)

Finally, I won an awesome Crayola pack from my new favorite Christian homeshooling site, Raising Olives. My husband said I sounded so excited about winning, "you'd think someone offered to pay off our mortgage." (If you'd like to, or there's a contest for that, let me know, okay?) I was just so excited about all the incredible projects and activities I would be able to do with our older girls! I'm a new reader at Raising Olives, but I find her posts on why they have a large family and why they homeschool ring so resonantly within me- she's put in words the thoughts and convictions that have been bouncing around in my brain lately! It's amazing how God is in the details- even in cyberspace!

My Story in Photos: The Summer Edition

Summer has been mostly cold, wet, and rainy this year, keeping us away from our favorite place on Earth... CAMP! I tease my husband that the main reason I agreed to live up here in the frozen tundra was the promise of camp every summer! We have always enjoyed our time there, although it used to be more relaxing before all our blessings arrived! We wouldn't trade the blessed time our children have gotten to spend with their great grandparents at camp for anything, though! (Especially since we do get to sneak in the ocassional nap ourselves when Gram and Grandpa are around to help out!)

Every 4th of July we enjoy a lobster feed. This year we had the delightful addition of a kids' picnic table... as well as the not so delightful sweaters and long pants. Yes, sweaters and long pants on the 4th of July. Welcome to life in Maine, folks!



Giggling on the dock... perhaps Grace is retelling her misadventure... "I saw a toy duck in the water and wanted to rescue it! So, I stepped off the dock, right in the water! Boy, did Daddy come running quick! But, I turned around, grabbed hold of the dock, and put one foot up, then the other foot up, and got back up all by myself! That duck was still in the water, though."



The sandbox has been a huge hit this year! Especially since the weather does not make us want to spend all day cooling off in the lake!


Dipping our toes in and making lots of splashes is always fun, no matter what the weather is like!


Great Grandpa takes the new sailboat out for the inaugural sail. Aaahhhh! Life on the lake is lovely!


I pray they will always be...


You can also head over to I ♥ Faces to check out everyone else's summers. You know, like where they've had more than 5 days of sun...