GIVEAWAY: 7 by Jen Hatmaker

By jamieivey on February 3, 2012

This past summer we had some friends that were leaving to become missionaries somewhere around the world where no one has even heard the name of Jesus. We were so proud of them and supportive of them that when it came time to move we thought we would help them by taking their big screen tv off their hands. I mean how else should you support your missionaries these days, but by taking their stuff so they can go be Jesus to the world!  So, we bought their tv for just about nothing and moved our 22 inch tv into our bedroom and squeezed our new 52 inch tv into our living room.

I remember when they first brought it over and it looked gigantic in our living room. It sat on the same table where just minutes before a 22 inch tv at sat, that was practically a computer monitor, and now we have 52 inches of high-definition there. I gasped and thought to myself that this was ridiculous and we can never keep this. I felt people would think we were rich. I felt people would think we were prestigious. I felt people would think we were entitled. (Can anyone say, approval idol?!?)  I had never had a tv that big in my entire life and I am a 33-year-old woman.  I was embarrassed to show friends for what they might think of me.

 

Then the feelings left.  The tv became our norm and the tv in our bedroom seems abnormally small, even though we had never felt that the past 2 years.  Recently I had a moment while watching Chopped (which might be Aaron and I’s favorite thing to do at night) where I thought how the tv wasn’t a big deal anymore.  It didn’t make me feel entitled.  It was just normal.  It didn’t make me feel different, it just felt normal.  I would no longer be embarrassed showing my friends. It was just normal.

 

My normal had shifted.  8 months earlier I felt dirty for bringing such a huge tv into our home.  We don’t like to fill our lives with stuff, and yet this was displaying the opposite.  We don’t like to spend our money on excess, but yet this looked as if we did.  Now I don’t even give our tv a second thought.  I don’t cringe anymore when new people come over for fear of their judgement for us having such a huge tv in our living room.  I don’t even think about it.

Jen Hatmaker recently wrote a book called, 7, that is an experimental mutiny against excess.  For seven months her and her family go through a self-made experiment that changed their lives and if you allow it, can change your life as well.  While reading this book I found myself evaluating my life and my excess.  Just recently Aaron and I have had a lot of unexpected expenses come up, so we’ve just been re-doing our budget and trying to cut back in certain areas.  Sure enough right when we find out yet another kid needs some form of medical treatment I’m reminded of Jen’s fast from spending, where she spent a whole month only spending her money in seven places.  Can you even imagine?  I think I might have whipped out my check card in seven different places yesterday.

 

She listed these statistics in her book

Annual US spending on cosmetics:  $8 billion

Basic education for all global children:  $6 billion

 

Annual US and European spending on perfume:  $12 billion

Clean water for all global citizens:  $9 billion

 

Annual US & European spending on pet food:  $17 billion

Reproductive health for all women:  $12 billion

 

Y’all I read those and my heart just broke.  For my flippant spending is so against what God requires of me.  I have been challenged by her book in so many ways, and my spending is just one of them.  She does this fast of stripping away in excess in her life seven different ways; clothes, shopping, waste, food, possessions, media & stress.  I thought the stress chapter was gonna be silly and just talk about ways to decrease your stress and such, but let me tell you it was a slap straight from the scripture about praying and resting in God every single day.

 

I want you to read this book so badly.  I have read 3 of Jen’s other books and they are all wonderful, but this one hits a spot in your heart and soul that needs so badly to be hit.  God will use the Hatmaker’s experiment to move your heart and soul to live a life more focused on Jesus and his mission than on our own selfish desires and goals.  Read it and you will see!

 

I’m gonna give away one of these books to a very lucky reader of mine!  To enter this contest you can do any of the items listed below!  If you do more than one, be sure and leave a separate comment for each thing you do, so that you’ll get more entries. 

 

#1 – Find Jen on facebook and wish her a Happy Valentine’s day.  Y’all I know we’re about a 2 weeks away, but seriously who wouldn’t want a little extra love for 3 days in February!  — Leave me a comment telling me that you did this oh so very important task!

#2 – Find DreamingBigDreams on facebook and become a fan!  — Leave me a comment telling me that you did this task!

#3 – Tell me what chapter you will look forward to the most if you win this book:

clothes – shopping – waste – food – possessions – media – stress

#4 – share this contest on fb or twitter!  If you can’t think of anything to say, try this … “I want to win @jenhatmaker new book #7 that @jamie_ivey is giving away!”  Then just add the link to this page and you are good to go!

Ready … Set … Go – GOOD LUCK!  Contest ends at noon on Sunday (CST).

CONGRATS to LINDSEY J.

Here are your random numbers:

82

Timestamp: 2012-02-07 16:25:34 UTC

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**If you think I’m saying my big tv is wrong, you’re missing my point here.  I do love watching Sister Wives on such a big screen.  ;)   My point is that we live in excess and we don’t even know it.  We can so easily replace our tv that works perfectly fine with one that is 20 inches bigger and after a few days we don’t feel weird about it anymore.  Life goes on.  We spend more.  We stress more.  We create more waste.

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Adoption can change a grandma’s heart.

By jamieivey on January 25, 2012

This is a picture of my Mimi with her son, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.  Looking at this picture brings a smile to my face because I see my grandmother surrounded by her offspring and 3 of them are black.  I’m guessing she would have never thought as a young woman growing up that she would have a son that would grow up and then he would have a daughter and she would grow up and adopt babies that were black.  Never in her wildest dreams!

I remember when I told her that we were adopting a child.  Her reaction was probably quite common for a woman of her age.  She was very concerned.  She told me that she knew a woman, whose daughter had adopted a baby that was black and that baby was addicted to drugs when he was born.  Of course she thought all babies that were adopted and were black would be born addicted to drugs.  She then went on to tell how bad that child was now and it was probably because he was adopted.  Y’all I’m serious she told me this whole story.  I just smiled through the phone and thanked her for her concern.  I mean what else can you say to your 75 year old grandma that probably has never met anyone that has adopted in her entire life and has no idea why I would ever want to do that.

Fast forward to Deacon’s birth and we get one of the funniest comments I’ve ever heard from my grandma.  My dad called her to tell her the exciting news that Deacon was born and she says to him on the phone … ya’ll I can’t make this up … get ready …. she asked my dad …. “is he still black?”.  Yes she asked that.  As if she was holding on hope that there was a big mix up and surely she wasn’t going to have a black great-grandchild.  I’m sure she prayed for months that God would not bring a black great-grandchild into her life!

Fast forward 6 years and my Mimi is in love with my children.  She loves them all so much and doesn’t seem to care if any of them have darker skin than her.  This Christmas she was at my house and I can’t explain to you how much she loved on my sweet baby girl Story.  They connected and Story wanted to sit by Mimi all the time and she even asked Mimi if she could come stay with her at her house for 5 weeks next summer!  When I talk to my Mimi on the phone she still talks about Story wanting to come stay with her.  It does my heart good to know that my Mimi went from not understanding adoption, and worried about a black baby to genuinely loving my babies who joined our family through adoption!

I hear stories all the time about people hesitant about adopting a child of a different race because of their grandparents and how they would view this child.  My heart breaks at hearing that.  I tell everyone the exact same thing …. this is YOUR kid and not theirs.  You must follow what God asks of YOU and not what your grandparents want of you.  You are accountable to God for YOUR actions and not for THEIRS.  I’m beyond grateful that my Mimi got to see my family grow in ways that she could have never imagined.  I believe that each generation has the ability to change the one in front of them, and that’s exactly what my kids are doing for their Mimi.  I’m betting that she thinks differently about adoption now!

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Transformers helps Amos feel connected.

By jamieivey on January 23, 2012

About half way through last semester Amos started wanting a new backpack and complaining about the one that he had.  I told him that he didn’t need a new backpack because his wasn’t even a year old and it was in perfect condition.  That’s what we do here at the Ivey house, we wear it/use it until it doesn’t work anymore.  Frugal people.  There are four children here.

 

After a few more complaints I finally asked him why he wanted a new backpack.  It was bothering me how much he was bringing it up.  I was thinking he was ungrateful or didn’t clearly understand that his backpack worked perfectly fine.  Cayden has had his backpack since before kindergarten and he’s in second grade.  Works fine, so we’re still using it.  That’s how I roll.

 

He told me he wanted a backpack with someone on it.  I was confused, so I asked more questions.    He told me all the kids had Spider Man, or Bumblebee, or Transformers ….. SOMEONE on their backpack and his was plain grey with NO ONE on it.

 

OH … he wanted what all his friends had.

 

So, then my speech changed from we have something that’s perfectly good, to the speech about not wanting what others had.  You know the one.  We need to be grateful for what we have … blah blah blah blah.  You’ve given it, you know you have.

 

Fast forward a few weeks, and he is still talking about it.  In fact some days he’s quite sad about it.  I stuck to my guns.  Your backpack works fine.  It’s new.  It’s in great shape.  Who cares what others have.  It doesn’t matter.

 

A few days before Christmas I was searching for the perfect gift for Amos and literally all I could think about was him talking about wanting SOMEONE on his backpack.  As much as I tried to tell him it didn’t matter if his was different, to him it did matter.

 

Being different REALLY matters to Amos.  We have seen this play out at other times in his life,  but more than any other kid in our family, it matters to him.  Amos wants to be accepted.  Amos wants to be “normal”.  He wants to be like everyone else.  I admit that I struggle with this sometimes too, but for Amos it’s more than just normal issues of wanting to be accepted.  He truly desires to be included.  Not to be left out or forgotten.  In his eyes his backpack set him apart from the other kids in his class.  He was the different one.

 

You see, I’m convinced that the four and a half years he lived as an orphan changed him.  There is a huge void in his heart and the longings to be wanted, accepted and a part of something are constantly nagging at him.  Even having a backpack that’s different is really hard for him.  Plain grey just doesn’t make him like the other kids.  In his sweet little six year old mind only Transformers can connect him to his friends.

 

Aaron and I can love him and accept him and nurture him all day long, and that hole is still there.  It’s big.  Some days it seems much bigger than other days.  I am 100% convinced that there is only one person that can truly fill this hole in Amos’ heart, and that is Jesus.  I am confident that Jesus can do it, and I’m praying heavily that he will do it sooner than later.  When Amos sees the love that his FATHER in heaven has for him, this hole can be filled.  When Amos sees the acceptance that we have from God and the family that we belong to with him, this hole can be filled.

 

Jesus loves Amos dearly and desires the best for him.  My prayer is that not only will Amos see this one day, but that Aaron and I will remember daily that our God designed Amos perfectly and put him in our family for a reason and that he has great big plans for our sweet boy.  God is way bigger than any hole in my sons heart.  He is way bigger than abandonment and feelings of not belonging.  We have a big, big, big God that will not leave us where we are.

 

So, as I was walking around looking for that perfect gift for Amos I ran across a backpack at Wal Mart that was $10 and will for sure fall apart in about 6 months, but it had Transformers on it and I just knew that Amos would freak if I got it for him.  On Christmas morning, this was the one gift I was looking forward to being opened.  I couldn’t wait for Amos to see his new backpack with Transformers on it.  I didn’t care one bit that his old backpack was in perfect condition, my son wanted Transformers to feel more accepted and so that’s what his momma and daddy got him!

 

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tis the season to be giving …. MAAMA CARDS

By jamieivey on January 20, 2012

***UPDATE*** When I originally posted this I wasn’t aware that you couldn’t leave a comment.  The problem has been fixed and so now I am reposting this contest!  Have fun & good luck!

the 13th giveaway of the month!!! MAAMA CARDS

My last giveaway for the month is for my friend Rachel’s new company that she just started.  Her organization MAAMA CARDS is amazing and does so much good in women’s lives through prenatal and postnatal care.  What a joy to be able to promote her cards and spread the word about how this organization is not only making some of the cutest cards I have ever seen, but they are helping women in need.

I’ll let Rachel tell you about them ……

Maama Cards grew out of the desire to support birth mothers in third world countries. While we in the process of adopting our son from Uganda, we had very little information on what kind of background he had come from. I remember just praying that he would feel my prayers of love reaching him, and that he could feel God’s comfort on him as we muddled through paperwork and government clearances. As our journey continued, my heart grew and grew for birth mothers. My heart broke for them as well, knowing that many of them placed their children up for adoption because of extreme poverty and lack of resources. After traveling to Sudan and talking with a pastor’s wife there about birthing conditions and learning that the women simply gave birth on the dirt floor of their home, I became even more convinced that God was putting these women on my heart.


Now that our son is home and in our family, Maama Cards is on its way. I chose greeting cards because for one thing there are no adoption cards out there! What’s up with that?? My first goal was to have a great adoption card, and thanks to Paige Jones and her wonderful artistic skills, we now have one. I also thought if women could buy a Maama Card in place of store-bought card for all of the baby showers and wedding showers ,etc.. that we go to, it would be a great way to honor birth moms and give back to them as well.

We give to the International Medical Corps, for both C-section kits and for pre-natal care of pregnant mothers. Their pre-natal care program will care for mothers through their birth and also provide vaccines for their baby. Our other care point is the Edna Adan Hospital in the horn of Africa, which is a maternity hospital doing some revolutionary care for women. One woman dies every minute due to a pregnancy related complication in the majority world. This is a definite health crisis.

The cards are designed by a combination of artists, all on a volunteer basis. Paige Jones of Parachute Paper has been awesome in drawing some of them, photo-shopping, and printing these, also in overall direction the of card making. Micaelan Davis of Micaelan Davis Photography has also contributed artwork. We have even had a sixth grader contribute some paintings because she wanted to help this cause.

If you want to hear a joke that doesn’t really make sense, play star wars ninjas on the trampoline, or be subjected to playing an endless game of Candyland, then come on over! We have Asher and Simon who are 4 months apart (7 and 6 respectively) and little tiny Adeline who is 3 and small, but can totally hang with her big brothers.

Rachel has graciously given me 3 sets of cards to giveaway to you guys!  I have a “thank you” set that includes 6 thank you cards and I have two sets of random cards that contain ten in each set!  My favorite card is the adoption card that I showed you above with the eggs.  The inside of that card says “Love makes a family.  Congratulations on your adoption.”

 

The first thing you HAVE to do to enter the contest.  The others you can do if you want!

1.  Head over to MAAMA CARDS and browse around.  Leave me a comment with your favorite card.

These next things you can do if you feel like getting an extra entry!  Remember to leave a new comment for each extra thing that you do!

2.  Buy a card!  Leave me a comment telling me what you bought and who it is for!

3.  Visit MAAMA CARDS on facebook, give them a like, and while you are there leave them a comment!

4.  Share this contest on fb, twitter, email, phone, snail mail …..however you can!

Good luck!  Contest ends at Noon (CST) on New Year’s Eve!, midnight (CST) on Sunday the 22nd.

***WINNERS*** Congrats to:

Here are your random numbers:

2	5	1

Timestamp: 2012-01-23 16:56:20 UTC

 

Since, my comment was #1 that’s not fair, so I drew one more number ….

Here are your random numbers:

9

Timestamp: 2012-01-23 16:57:32 UTC

 

Congrats to :  Noelle, Virginia & Kelly

 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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tis the season to be giving …. STUCK bible study kit by Jennie Allen

By jamieivey on December 23, 2011

Giveaway #11 is by a new friend of mine, Jennie Allen.

Her husband, Zac, is a pastor at the Austin Stone and she is an author and bible study writer.  I’m currently reading her book ANYTHING that comes out this Spring and I already highly recommend.  :)   I can’t remember exactly how I met Jennie, but I think it was through the adoption community here in Austin.  Although it’s funny because when I was in elementary school I lived in Brownwood, Texas, and so did her husband Zac, and I was BFF with Zac’s sister Ashley.  Did you follow that?

Jennie has a bible study called STUCK and from what I’ve heard and read it is a great bible study for women who are desiring to get out of the rut of being stuck in what we think is the truth of God.  Jennie has graciously given me a copy of the leaders kit, which is what I’m giving away today, and I can’t wait to go through this with women this Spring.

I’m giving away TWO kit’s, and each kit (worth $40) includes the following:  DVD, Conversations Cards, Study Guide and Leader’s Guide.  You will be completely prepared to lead a group of ladies in your home (along with lots of prayer!!!).  All they will need to do is purchase their own study guides and you can get those on Amazon for about $10.

 

 

TWO people will win!  I’ll ship these out after the first of the year and you can then either facilitate this study or give it to someone that you want to facilitate it!!!

To win this, I want it to be super easy.  As with all the giveaway’s, you don’t have to do all of these, you can do as much or as little as you want.  For each thing you do leave a separate comment so that you can have more chances at winning!

 

 

To win:

1.  Visit Jennie’s facebook page and wish her a Merry Christmas!

2.  Tell me the favorite group bible study you have ever done.

3.  Tell me why you want to win this!  Will you lead or have a friend lead?

4.  Give me your favorite breakfast casserole recipe, because I’m clearly still planning for our Christmas morning!!!

5.  Share this contest on facebook, twitter, myspace (who still has this?), email, or phone your friends!

Contest ends at NOON (CST) on Saturday, Christmas EVE – hurry and get your entry in!

CONGRATS to Susan and Kristen you won!!!

Here are your random numbers:

26	15

Timestamp: 2011-12-24 18:50:28 UTC

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Guest Post on FOLLOWING TO LEAD blog

By jamieivey on December 22, 2011

Sometimes I cannot even begin to understand why God continues to love me when I continue to disobey him and put things above him in my life. Time and time again he continues to reassure me that he is still my Father and will not leave me nor forsake me. When I question his love after all he has done for me, he doesn’t give up. He continues to love. He never tells me that I have hit my limit on freak out moments towards him. This concept of God’s never ending love has become even clearer to me in the past two years that our son, Amos, has been in our family.

 

This post is continued over at Kevin East’s blog FOLLOWING TO LEAD …. click HERE to read the rest.

 

*our first family picture the day Amos got home!

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tis the season to be giving …. TWENTY9FRECKLES giveaway!

By jamieivey on December 16, 2011

One of my favorite ways to support people in their adoption is through their various fundraisers that they may do to raise money and support for their journey.  We did many fundraisers back in the day and were blown away by the blessings of not only friends, but also complete strangers who blessed us along the way as well.

 

Rachel and her husband, Jesse, are currently in the process of adopting two children from Uganda and they have some of the cutest stuff my eyes have ever seen for sale on their blog, twenty9freckles, that you can buy and support their journey towards their baby.

For GIVEAWAY #8 Rachel is giving away a $20 gift card to her ETSY shop where she has some of the best baby items around.  If you were to win, you could maybe get something like this for your friend that has a rock n roll baby ….

or, how dang cute would this little cardigan be on your little man:

and this sweet little girl onesie … oh i could eat this up on a baby girl

 

What do you have to do to win this $20 gift card that you can spend on anything you want in her store … well I’m glad you asked.  Remember as always that you do not have to do all of these things, you can do as many or as little as you want.  Also remember to leave a separate comment for each entry .. that just ups your chances!

1.  Head on over to twenty9freckles facebook page and give them some love.  Like their page, leave them a MERRY CHRISTMAS comment, or better yet encourage them in their adoption wait if you’ve been there done that!  Love on them!

2.  Check out twenty9freckles ETSY page and leave me a comment telling me your FAVORITE onesie that she has made.  Which one do you love?!?!

3.  Follow twenty9freckles on twitter.

4.  Tweet and/or share on facebook.  Here’s a good tweet:  {I want to win a $20 gift card from @twenty9freckles on @jamie_ivey blog www.dreamingbigdreams.net} or make up your own!

Good Luck!  FOUR ways to get in on this gift card giveaway!  Contest ends at noon on Saturday!

CONGRATS to Marian!!!

Here are your random numbers:

12

Timestamp: 2011-12-18 15:59:37 UTC

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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tis the season to be giving … NOONDAY giveaway

By jamieivey on December 14, 2011

I can hardly believe that this is the SEVENTH giveaway I get to do this month.  I love emailing the winners and telling them CONGRATS YOU WON!!!  It is like I’m getting to be that person that facilitates an auction and I get to tell someone YOU WON!  So fun!

 

Today is a wonderful giveaway and if you win you will get to go shop and pick whatever you want from NOONDAY!  If you’ve been around my blog for a while you’ve heard me talk about NOONDAY and what an amazing organization they are.  Their motto is this:  when you satisfy the needs of the oppressed, your night will become like the noonday.  Amazing!

 

My new friend Krista wants you to experience NOONDAY as well!  She’s giving away a $50 gift card to one of my lucky readers!  Dang that is nice of her!!!  Here’s what Krista says about getting involved in such an amazing company:

I was introduced to Noonday Collection right after we had begun our adoption process. In fact, for our first adoption fundraiser, I hosted a Trunk Show. I immediately fell in love with the purpose of Noonday and their incredibly unique and “Anthropology- like” style. Over the course of our adoption God was growing my heart to do more to live out Psalms 82:3. I was looking for a way that I could make a difference in my day to day, stay at home mom life. When a job opportunity came up for me to work with Noonday I knew it would be a perfect fit. My connection with Noonday started with the beginning of our adoption process and a year later, while in country picking up our son, I was able to sit with our Ugandan artisans and see for myself, what a huge difference your purchases through Noonday are making. I was able to hold the sweet baby who was provided prenatle care, and sit in the home of a family and hear story after story of how God is using Noonday to create a pathway out of poverty for them. When I am at Trunk Shows selling their product I remember my new friends and I praise God for the opportunity to live out Psalms 82:3.

 

Look at her and her sweet new son!

With your $50 gift card you could get yourself a new patchwork clutch such as this one:

Or what if you got yourself this necklace which happens to be on my wish list right now!

Or several of these bracelets that I just can’t seem to handle how beautiful they are, and at $12 each you could get all four!

So for this giveaway here is what you can do to enter.  Remember as always you do not have to do all of these things.  You can do as much or as little as you want.  Each thing you do is one entry for you and at noon on Thursday I’ll pick one random winner.  For each thing you do please leave a separate comment. GOOD LUCK!!!

1.  Head on over to NOONDAY and look around.  You will find stuff you love!  Leave me a comment telling me what you would spend your $ on and if you would keep it or give it away and you get an entry!

2.  You see that little box over there <— that says “never want to miss a post?  have it delivered to your inbox!”  Yeah sign up.  :)   Leave me a comment telling me that you did and have an entry!

3. Head over to Krista’s facebook page and wish her a Merry Christmas!!!

4.  Tell your friends about this contest!  FB and/or Twitter.

FOUR chances to win!  Someone has to win, and it could be you!!!!  Good luck!

***UPDATE*** CONGRATS to Gretchen!!!

Here are your random numbers:

87

Timestamp: 2011-12-15 21:22:45 UTC

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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tis the season to be giving ….COATI PHOTOGRAPHY giveaway

By jamieivey on December 5, 2011

{Congrats to the winners of the AUSTIN STONE LIVE cd and the INTERRUPTED books by Jen Hatmaker.}

 

GIVEAWAY #3 OF THE SEASON …. I STINKING LOVE THIS!!!!

 

My friend Kim Ellis has taken some amazing pictures for our family (Look at all the pictures on the left <— of my kids.  Yeap she took those!).  Not only is she one of my favorite friends in the world, she is also married to the drummer in Aaron’s band and is an AH-MAZING photographer!  Having photographer friends is one of the best things in the world.  You have friends that just always have cameras on them and somehow you end up with great pictures of your kids.  :)   LOVE it!

 

 

This giveaway is something you are not going to want to pass up.  In fact if you have friends and/or family in Austin, even you are gonna want to try and win this for them!!!  If you live in Atlanta you should try and win, because Kim has family there so she has to visit eventually, right?!?!?  Or if you live in Van, TX (which I still have no clue were this place is, but I hear it’s close to Dallas) you might want to try too because she has family there too so she’ll have to go there eventually!!!

 

 

 

 

Here’s what you need to do to win:

1.  Like COATI PHOTOGRAPHY on facebook:  www.facebook.com/coatiphotography – while you are there leave her some love and tell her why you want to win!! — leave me a comment here telling me that you liked her on facebook.

 

2.  Follow Kim on Twitter.  twitter.com/kim_ellis —- comment and tell me you follow her.

 

3.  Tweet and/or facebook about this contest.  I’ll make it easy for you:  I wanna win a free photo session from @kim_ellis and you could win too.  Check out @jamie_ivey DREAMING BIG DREAMS blog:  www.dreamingbigdreams.net

 

 

THREE ways to win.  You don’t have to do all three.  You can just do one.  Or you could do two.  Whatever you want!!!  Remember enter a NEW comment for each thing you do.  If you put it all in one comment you lessen your chances of winning.  Oh how I want you to win this!!!!  You won’t regret this one bit!  It’s $300!!

 

Contest ends at noon on Tuesday.

 

Oh and remember if you don’t win, you still win!  Check out the discount code in the picture above that Kim is giving you.  Even if you don’t win, you can get 10% off!  I told you that Kim was nice!

 

 

**This has nothing to do with this contest, but while you are cruising around the web visit Kim’s personal blog about their journey to their baby through the foster system.  Oh I’m so excited for them!!

 

***WINNER:  Julie  ****

Here are your random numbers:

17

Timestamp: 2011-12-06 20:33:10 UTC

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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tis the season to be giving …. INTERRUPTED by Jen Hatmaker giveaway

By jamieivey on December 3, 2011

{big congrats to the winners of the AUSTIN STONE LIVE cd}

I have read 10 books this year and am working on number 11 as we speak.  Two books this year were monumental and made me evaluate and make changes in my heart.  I’m so excited to get to give you one of the books that I LOVED so much this year.  In fact I get to give THREE of you this book!!!

The book is called INTERRUPTED and it’s by Jen Hatmaker, who is a phenomenal author and also a pretty stinking cool person in real life.

*Photo by Amy Melsa Photography

I don’t quite remember where our paths first crossed, but since then I’ve known that this woman is amazing.  She loves all things UT, likes to hug, is momma to five kids, likes to eat good food, and her and her hubby, Brandon, just brought home their 2 kids from Ethiopia this summer.  For real, these people rock and I love every second we get to hang with them.

Jen has written 8 books and I’ve read two of them and they have both been awesome!  She has so graciously given me three books to give away to my readers.  This would make a perfect Christmas gift for your friends and family, or just for you!  Wrap it up for yourself and stick it under your tree!!!

If you are a blog reader, you need to know about Jen’s blog.  Not only does she produce some fabulous books, she also writes amazing blog entries that move your heart and soul as well.

Interrupted encourages believers to ask if their lives bring integrity to the gospel. Follow the faith journey that begins with one dangerous prayer, “Raise up in me a passion,” and concludes with a life of service to the last, the least, the forgotten, and the forsaken.  (from jenhatmaker.com)

 

I can’t wait to get this book into your hands!!!  Here’s what you need to do to win:

 

1.  Leave a comment with your favorite book you’ve read this year.

 

2.  Find Jen Hatmaker on FB – http://www.facebook.com/jen.hatmaker – & wish her Merry Christmas!  Leave me a comment and tell me you did that.  ;)

 

There you go … two ways to win.  If you do both you get two entries (leave a SEPARATE comment for each one), if you do one, you get one entry.  Your call.  Whatever floats your boat!

 

Contest ends at noon (CST) on Sunday, Dec 4.

 

On your mark, get set, go …….

 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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