Gratitude Drawing Winner...

Daniel reached his cute fingers into this little cup and pulled out the winner. And the winner is.... Bethie!! Bethie is from Colorado, and has a darling shop called Chic Junque and a fun blog. Bethie, I'll be e-mailing you today. :)

Because Daniel couldn't stop at just one (he's two, remember), I decided to draw two names this time. The second winner can choose from the two goodies that remain after Bethie has made her choice. What fun....and the second winner is....Katie Nash!! Katie lives right here in my very own town, and her Dad is my very own big brother - well, what do you know?:) I'll convo ya, Katie!

Thanks for playing, everyone!!
Later today (after I snap some photos) I'll post about the next give-away drawing. This is so much fun...check in again tomorrow so you can enter your name! :)

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Today I'm grateful for

Home

This is our front door today. I'm really grateful for our home - it's our dream home, really. We've been working on our home addition for about two years, and it's several months behind schedule- not finished yet, not sure when it will be. I'm taking advice from the "Attitudes of Gratitude" book and living in the "moment" and realizing all the things I have to be thankful for today, even through the predicament of ongoing construction and quickly approaching holidays. My new house will be so spacious! We'll (someday) have every type of room we want. What a blessing. I'm so thankful for this... :)

Look at the houses I've lived in during my adult (married) life...

I really liked all of them, by the way, because I love the "cottage" feel.

Flagstaff, Arizona - this was an old carriage house.

Jackson, Wyoming - I lived at the theater where I performed nightly and managed the theater box office during the day. I lived upstairs...

Bloom Cottage - I had three kids in this tiny house. We had fun flower gardens!

This (below) is a 1920's bungalow that we renovated. Before we painted, the house was this horrible chalky black color - just like a chalkboard. So, we enjoyed drawing on it for quite some time...until it was painted a cheerful "butter yellow".

And, here is my home now, this morning.

The outside is mostly finished - everything to the right of the white van is new.

It's exciting to have lots of space, but that's not what makes a home wonderful....

I'm really grateful for my home, but mostly for the love and people that fill it up!

HOME IS WHERE THERE IS ONE TO LOVE US
Home's not merely four square walls,
Though with pictures hung and gilded;
Home is where Affection calls-
Filled with shrines the Hearth had builded!
Home! Go watch the faithful dove,
Sailing 'neath the heaven above us.
Home is where there's one to love!
Home is where there's one to love us.

Home's not merely roof and room,

It needs something to endear it;

Home is where the heart can bloom,

Where there's some kind lip to cheer it!

What is home with none to meet,

None to welcome, none to greet us?

Home is sweet, and only sweet,

Where there's one we love to meet us!

-CHARLES SWAIN

ENJOY THIS DAY!