Monday, March 8, 2010

A Special Birthday Giveaway!

I am now thirty. Thirty. Wow. I have to say, I am having a hard time letting go of my twenties. I absolutely loved, loved, loved my twenties. In my twenties I studied abroad, graduated from college, got engaged, got married and had three kids. It was good. It seems a little scary to look at the next 10 years and not know the adventures that are waiting for me. Just a little scary.

So, I say goodbye to my twenties. And I enjoy today. I am appreciating all of the small things in my life that make me happy.

Sprinkles make me happy. They foretell of afternoons filled up with cupcake baking with the monsters.
My glass bottle collection makes me happy. My little collection is just waiting for a few daffodils from the backyard.
It makes me happy to have a whole new collection. I am going to buy all of my African violets tomorrow and will be planting my planters with a little sunshine.

Sidewalk chalk makes me happy along with Maddux's stick figures. Warm weather brings happy afternoons playing hopscotch, drawing pictures of our family and playing tic-tac-toe.

New springy sandals definitely make me happy. I have been stalking these online forever and finally bought them. Breuklyn wants to know when she can borrow them.

Technology makes me happy. Where would I be without the ability to listen to the theme song from my Prom (I Will Remember You, by Sarah McLachlan) or the latest Dave Matthews Band song at any given moment? Also, the Sanford & Son Theme song that plays whenever Brad calls my cellphone makes me laugh so hard that I often miss his call. The fact that he doesn't know that it's his ring tone makes it even more entertaining.

And I love putting together little prize packs and giving them away! Would you like win a set of socks, nail file, lip gloss and scrapbook embellishments? I have three prize packs to give away. You have until 11:59 CST, Thursday, March 11th to leave me a comment. I will announce the winners on Friday. I would love to hear about your favorite thing right now. A favorite song? A favorite moment? A new recipe? I want to hear about it!

I am going to enjoy the last few moments of my special day, I hope that your day was just as special.

64 comments:

deanne34 said...

Happy Birthday! I just celebrated mine on the 4th (It was the 9th anniversary of my 30th).

My favorite birthday moment was being woke up by my four year old and asking if he could give me my birthday gift he made with his grandma!

A new favorite thing is a hand made aqua (another favorite) and brown owl a friend gave me. He sits on my scrap table.

And I am starting to think copic markers are a favorite.

Oh and banana cake with raspberry filling!

Again Happy Birthday

Blooberry56 said...

favorite thing, huh...hmm! sleeping children! i love the peace and quiet, plus the time to create!!!

AND happy happy birthdayyyy!!!

Pink Heather said...

Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday dear Estee.
Happy Birthday to you.

I hope you're spoiled rotten :)

My favourite thing right now is our new PVR. I love being able to tape our shows so we can watch together when we're all home. Popcorn with lots of butter and a snuggly blanket to curl up in while we watch. That was more than one thing. Life is good!

Linnea S said...

Welcome to a new chapter! :)
I'm enjoying my 40's - will be 47 on April 1. Today, my favorite thing was sitting outside in short sleeves in the sun! :)

Jenny McGee said...

Well Happy Birthday to you. The blog hop was fun. Thank for a chance to win yet,another prize.

Brianna said...

Happy Birthday! I am loving that spring is on it's way! Bring on the flowers and the sun!

Unknown said...

My favorite thing right now is spring. I love warmer weather. I love seeing blossoms on the trees. I love green. Green is soooo nice. (Desert-dweller here, so we don't get a lot of that color.)

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Happy Birthday!!! I'm really loving the song "Dear Friend" by Staci Orrico these days. It's not a new one but it's very good.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

serena said...

my favorite thing right now is being in my forties. You talked about not wanting to let go of your twenties. Don't worry about it - so far each decade just keeps getting better and better!
Happy Birthday!

Erika said...

Happy Birthday! My hubby is also saying goodbye to his 20's on Friday. Unfortunately we can't enjoy it together since he's deployed.

Right now a favorite of mine is bedtime with my daughter - she can be so much fun and so endearing when it's time for her to go to bed. it's adorable how she's already trying to push for more stories or other things to keep her awake longer...she's only 2!

Anyway...Happy birthday!

Jenn said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I will be the big 30 on the 20th, so we are in the same boat. hehe

Right now I am loving all things by Amanda Visell
here is a link in case you don't know her work :)

http://www.amandavisell.com/

~Tonya said...

Happy 30th Birthday Dear Estee!

You share your Birthday, with my husband, whom is 39 today. We did get to Celebrate a bit, but not much. He worked until 6 am this morning (knew he was getting sick) and woke up feeling terrible late afternoon :(

I am glad that you had a Great day, by the sound of it.

I too love most technology. The music in the hands that you love, is some of the best! I love all different kinds, so having it all on one little hand held instrument, is awesome!

Another favorite of mine is my kiddies! We have 3 children...All the little moments, in between the big ones. Ahhhh, so many things. I loved all of your pictures...kid scibbles - chalk = ♥

Love the little pictures that my kiddies use to draw with lil twig hair and then eyes, how they change throughout the years....

To be a kid again. You sound like you had the Perfect twenties, now you can move on into your 30's and have even more amazing stories to share.

Happy Birthday again. I hope all of your Birthday Wishes came True Estee.

Cheers,
~Tonya

Shelley said...

One of my favorite things right now is my Cricut. I use it on a daily basis!

Victoria S. said...

HAPPY HAPPY Birthday to you! my fave things are chocolate, cheesecake, sleeping late, cool weather, anytime someone else pay$, winning contests, garage sale finds. HAPPY BIRTHDAY and to many, many more!

Nurul Afzan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nurul Afzan said...

Happy Birthday..I'm blogwalking...

Everytime my birthday come, i will say tq to my father and mother..and this year, i couldn't say tq to my mom anymore..she is no longer here..She passed away 1 year ago..You know what, everytime the moment come, i feel very weird to say tq...that's some kind of shy+ego in me to say tq to my father and my mother... Just a friendly reminder, say tq to ur father and mother if they are still alive and do celebrate the your birthday with ur father and mother..

tiarastantrums said...

my NEW favorite thing right now is this lipgloss that my friend sent me - Chanel! I would never buy it for myself- but I may have to now!!

LianeZ said...

Hope your B-day was great, mine was last Thursday (4th), wish it was just 30 but no mine was 49 - fast approaching the half century mark. Anyway, you have teenagers to look forward to in you next 10 years and if my sisters 3 are any indication enjoy every last second you have before hand. Sisters 3 are girl boy girl too! Who knew boy in the teen years are worst than any 10 women I know with PSM! That boy may not make it to his 20th before one of his 2 aunts or his mother takes him out. Thankfully my 2 girls, while whiney and demanding are very easy to live with. You see the 4 year old (Lucy) is a German Shorthair mix dog and the 2 year old (Lily) is a Domestic Shorthair cat with tuxedo markings (black with white shirt (tummy)) - LianeZ

Melanie said...

Happy Happy Birthday!! It is so fun to look through your favorite things. You brought a smile to my face--and I needed one today. Thanks!

My favorite moments right now are when my 16-month-old DS wraps his arms around my neck really tight. He just starting doing this last week after I returned from a week-long trip to FL. I love feeling his love for me :);

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday to you. And your 30s will be even better! My favorite thing right now? Cuddles from the children, lazy afternoons, evenings out with dh.

ivy said...

fun! happy birthday to you! mine is coming up on the 28th!

right now, pomegranate oolong tea from hartley & sons make me happy!!

Christine said...

Happy Birthday!!!!!!! I just turned 30 in January.

My new favorite thing is being a stay at home mom (albeit very unexpected - layoffs). It makes everyday full of simple things that I just adore :)

Ann Cicilie said...

My favourite thing right now is a chocolate with a berry and yoghurt filling - yum yum yum!

Oh, and of course the fact that the snow is actually melting, and the spring feeling that fills my heart!

Patrizzia said...

My favorite song right now is: Dave Matthews Band - Shake Me Like A Monkey. I can't get enough of it. I'm not sure if the baby likes it or not because he constantly kicks the whole time it is on. <3

Pam and Presley said...

Very cute! The stripped socks scream my daughter!! My favorite thing is crafting with my 8 yr old daughter Presley! We are doing a card class together and it is so much fun watching her do the cuttlebug, thread beads, stamp and color images. She thinks she has to do the cards exactly like the examples and counts all the beads and puts them in the same order! I keep telling her to do it her way put your own spin on it!!

Thanks for sharing
Pam
pamandrandy@gmail.com

Create With Joy said...

Dear Estee,

First things first - Happy Birthday To You! This is such a special time in your life - I wish you many wonderful things!

Your candy is SO cute! I just LOVE those pink socks! I have added it to my sidebar for my readers to share!

Hmmm, fave things... Right now I am really enjoying the simple things - time spent with my family, friends, and fur angels - time blogging - time creating - time connecting and meeting new people!

I am now following your blog - I've really enjoyed reading it the past few days - I hope you'll visit me at Create With Joy and consider joining my family of Kindred Spirits as well!

Hugs
Ramona :-)
http://create-with-joy.blogspot.com

Courtney said...

I am right behind you...my 30th is in July!

Yeay for another giveaway! Ok, favorite thing right now HAS to be the WEATHER!!! It's been in the upper 40's/low 50's in Michigan the past few days (and SUNNY!)! Everyone's been outside...it's great! :-)

Nikki said...

Happy Birthday!

My favorite thing right now is running. Its my alone time and I get to drift off and daydream; the weather has been nice enough to get outside; and I'm feeling so accomplished when I'm done!

Scrappycath said...

Happy Birthday Estee!

My favorite thing is hearing the laughter of my children!

Michelle said...

So very happy to hear you had a wonderful birthday!!! You deserve it!!! Your 30's will be great too!!! I am looking at 42 the end of May!! :0 Lots of things that make me happy right now... Ben's laughter - it is so very contagious, quiet time with Brit, the weather warming up and my scrappy stuff are a few.. So, does Brad read your blog?? If so, your secret about his ring tone is out!!! LOL

April said...

My favorite thing right now is the recipe I made last night. EVERYONE in the home loved it. It was boned chicken, assorted peppers, celery, onion, garlic, and Pasta sauce. YUMMM Having left overs for dinner tonight while I am at work.

Another thing is I am so IN LOVE with Shimmerz at this point in time.

betsy (pharmgirl) said...

Happy Birthday! You are just a baby! Don't put me in the drawing - I'm way too old for that stuff!

Kelly Massman said...

Happy Birthday!! You seem young to me (I am almost 45.) My favorite thing is scrapbook paper!!!! Anyway--thanks for the chance at the giveaways!

Christy Carlson said...

Happy Birthday! Wow...I hope my twenties are as exciting as yours. I'm only 23 and so far I've done the graduating from college thing but hoping that much will come in my future.

My favorite song right now is by Lady Antebellum ... something like..."you gotta know, when you got a good thing baby" (don't know the actual title of it)

My other favorite thing is the fact that we are getting a puppy this spring! :D soooo happy and excited!

Have a great first day of being 30!

Ashleigh said...

Happy Birthday! It sounds like you had a great day!

My favorite moments lately have been during bedtime. We co-sleep w/our 3 month old and she always has a spurt of playfulness right before we all go to sleep. She coos and gurgles and laughs herself to sleep and we all go to sleep w/huge grins on our face!

Cindy deRosier said...

Birthdays are one of my favorite things! (Mine is Friday.)

Jenny said...

Happy birthday again, Girlie. what makes me happy? Getting to tell my brood they don't have to wear their big coats ALL week. Is that Spring out there?!?

Brittney said...

Happy Birthday.

I'm lovin' cashew pork tenderloin. I just made this recipe for the first time, and would love to eat it daily. Yummy!!

Stacy said...

First of all Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful celebration! BTW-I love how you have your prinkles displayed. It is so very cheerful!!
My favorite thing right now seeing the sun shine. It's been so cold and snowy that I was really starting to get bummed out. We have had sunshine the past few days and it has done wonders for my soul!!

just me and z said...

YAH!!! The 8th was my birthday too!!! We share a birfday! :) I just turned 28, so I have a couple years to go until I hit the 30 mark.

I took, had a lot of "milestones" in my 20s. I went to college, got married, moved to Germany, continued my education, went through a deployment, then unfortunately a divorce, returned to the states, got pregnant, had a baby and graduated college the next month! I have struggled with being a single mom, but I have prevailed--and recently purchased a brand new car (2008 Nitro, which I paid for in cash), and just bought a house last year for me and my daughter. So we have had a lot of struggles, triumphs, happy times, and sad times, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world!

My favorite thing is my family. They have been there for me through thick and thin, and stood by me through it all. Even when they wanted to strangle me for making poor decisions, they didn't. They stood by my side and hugged me. They have helped me so much with my daughter, whether it be picking her up from daycare or taking her to doctor's appointments. They have helped me so much, and I could NEVER repay them for what they have done for me.

As far as "material" things, let's see. Right now I am in love with--rainboots, flowers(really big ones), birds, flourishes, sparkly things, jewelry, skinny jeans, pretty sandals, cupcakes, chandeliers, playing with my 3 1/2 year old and watching her learn, listening to the funny and hilarious things that come out of her mouth, playing with my dog, big hugs, walks in the rain, curly hair, headbands and hairbows, long necklaces, pretty bracelets, ugg boots, the new dear lizzy line, being crafty, scrapbooking, and just loving life!! i'm sure I could go on and on...

I hope you have a super, duper, fantabulous year, and that all of your hopes and dreams come true and you are blessed with many, many more birthdays!

Lots of Love,
Lindsay

P.S. My mom's birthday is today.... march is a great month for birthdays!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! I hope you have an amazing day. I just discovered your blog and now have it in my "favourites". My favourites at the moment include iced venti black teas,
owls, charm bracelets and marshmallow peeps! :)

annette

Vanessa Johnson said...

Happy Birthday!!!! Right now my favorite favorite scrappy thing is Thickers. I discovered that my local Michaels now has them, and I'm in trouble!

Heather Landry said...

Happy Birthday Estee! It sounds like it was an awesome one! I LOVE those shoes. Seriously! Ummm my favorites...

A favorite song?
Just Dance by Lady Gaga (Actually we love everything by Lady Gaga over here. She's weird, but I think she's awesome!)

A favorite moment?
When my newly three year old little boy runs up and gives me "Momma Kisses" with his lips all pursed up like he's been eating lemons.

A new recipe? I'm all about the Pioneer Woman blog lately. I keep using her recipes. My favorite right now is her mashed potatoes.

alyssa said...

Happy birthday to you!! Hope you had a great day. For me, 30s are sooo much better than I ever imagined and hope yours are off to a great start!

My favorite thing of late? Chicken pot pie in a cast iron skillet (in the latest issue of County Living but can't find it on their website). And lip gloss. Nothing says spring is coming like shiny pink lip gloss. :)

Nitasha said...

Happy Birthday! Yes, I held onto my twenties like it was my last breath, but I just turned 32 last month and I'm OK with it!
My favorite things right now are my hobbies (scrapbooking and photography) and although I don't watch much tv I'm addicted to watching Spartacus on Sunday nights.
Well, here's to you and all that you love- have a beautifully blessed birthday!

Sara Zenger said...

Sounds like your birthday was a good one! Those sandles are so cute! Enjoy them!

Some of my favorite things right now are:

Good Earth's Sweet & Spicy Tea - it tastes like redhots melted in a cup!

Love listening to Lady Gaga - great music to listen to while cleaning the house, keeps me moving.

Playing Uno with my 6 yr old son - he just learned to play.

I have been addicted to smoothies for breakfast.

Thanks for the chance to win some fun prizes. Enjoy your week.

Sarah Bucek said...

I just celebrated that milestone birthday last year...right now my favorite thing is dvr...couldn't live without it...tv does not run my life anymore which is good because I think my kids do!!

Jean said...

Happy Birthday!I had so much fun at the crawl. Thank you for a chance to win.

jean
mjmarmo@comcast.net

Andrea Amu said...

Cute giveaway! And Happy Birthday!! 30 is Great... I'd love to be 30 again! :) Enjoy!

Kathy K said...

Happy Birthday!!!

a few of my favorite things lately...my new iMac, blogging & finding inspirational scrapping/stamping blog....totally addicting!

Nancy L. said...

Happy Birthday! I also turned 30 (in Nov) and it just felt wierd! But now i just feel great!!

Kat C. said...

Happy birthday!

Im 27 and Im strating to wrry about the big 3-0...reading this makes me think though, that 30 is not as bad as i once thought it was :)

Oh.My fave birthday thing was when i discovered makeup. Im such a latebloomer LOL

katch05 at gmail dot com

Nikki Love said...

Happy B'Day to you!!!! I recently turned 40 and 30 was so much better ;) My favorite things right now are Prima yummies, blog hops and crops, a clean closet (finally), red tullips that caught my eye in the Home Depot the other day, Easter shoes, bonnets, and dresses in all the windows of the stores, feeling better (I've had the flu all weeek), and random kisses for no reason from my kiddos and from dh ;)

Scrapmomof4 said...

Happy Birthday-I just turned 40 something on Monday. 30's are awesome!

Lisa A said...

My favorite thing right now is Diet Snapple Peach Tea. I love this stuff. I also love all these blogs that I discovered on the blog crawl. A whole new world of inspiration is open to me.

Claude said...

Happy birthday!!
My favorite thing right now? My shoes any one of them. I've had enough of my winter boots, it's nice to wear shoes!

Susan said...

Estee, Happy Birthday!!! Juts think of thirty as just another number. My kids always made me feel young and never the number I actually turned, which we will keep under wraps...LOL...I will be 45 on May 29th and I am lovin life these days.

My new fav thing these days is a new website www.hip2save.com I am addicted to saving money for my family especially since my hubby has been unemployed since last August.If you want to save money on tons of food and TOYS for the holidays head over there and Collin (the girl who runs the site) is killer at finding great deals everywhere.

One other fav thing right now is Fudge Jumbles, they are the best tasting fudgey, oatmeal cookie-ish bar and they are fabulous.

I hope you have/had a wonderful birthday and may the thirties be as great as your twenties.

shopgirlaudi said...

Hope you had a super awesome birthday!!! Left you birthday wishes on FB that day;) LOVE the pics especially the one with the kids behind the cake:) My favorite song right now is Everything Falls by a group called Fee. My favorite birthday memory is the one year my dh threw me a birthday party and bought me my FAVE cake; black forest:)

Unknown said...

Hope u had an awesome birthday.. Your bday cake looks yummy... and the photos are awesome....

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to you! I hope you have a great week long celebration. My favorite things at the moment are sunshine, calls during the day from my DH just to say hi and finding fun new blogs to follow. :) Have a great one. Melinda

Beverly said...

Happy Birthday again! That cake looks delicious! Right now my favorite thing is tattered angels glimmer mist. I'm spraying everything in sight!

Ukka said...

Happy Birthday!!!
I love a cherry, especially cherry desserts (pies, cakes, cocktails).
I love, when all of us family we sit down on a floor to play board games (a lotto, a dominoe).
I adore to stiching, to sew for a doll of my daughter, singing thus to it cheerful songs. I am pleased, when it likes my work)))
I hope I can take part in this giveaway?
Greetings from Russia,
Ukka

Unknown said...

Pink and turquoise makes me happy and my niece is giving birth right at this moment to her first daughter .

Sissi said...

Happy birthday!
I love cats!!
I posted on my blog, here:
http://blogcandychepassione.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-candy-di-one-ginormous-adventure.html

I'm a new follower.
Hugs from Italy