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Welcome to the Monday Mingling Blog Hop! Please take the time to introduce yourselves to our co-host! If you are new to this blog hop, please leave us a comment letting us know you are following and we would be happy to follow you back.Thank you for joining us this week, and don’t forget to link back to us by grabbing our button. Happy Mingling!


Southern Sunflowers and Coffee Beans


 








Rules:

1. Follow both of your hosts via Bloglovin’.
(first 2 links below)

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC or Bloglovin’
(next two links)

3. Link up your main blog URL, not a specific post.

4. Link back to us by grabbing our button.

5. Tweet, Facebook, and Pin this blog hop. The more you spread the word the more people will link up, and the more success you will have! 






6. Be sure to visit other blogs! Don’t just link up and wait for others to find you. 

Let’s get this party started!!…


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Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman
February 2012

Synopsis on Goodreads: When American journalist Pamela Druckerman has a baby in Paris, she doesn’t aspire to become a “French parent.” French parenting isn’t a known thing, like French fashion or French cheese. Even French parents themselves insist they aren’t doing anything special. 

Yet, the French children Druckerman knows sleep through the night at two or three months old while those of her American friends take a year or more. French kids eat well-rounded meals that are more likely to include braised leeks than chicken nuggets. And while her American friends spend their visits resolving spats between their kids, her French friends sip coffee while the kids play.

Motherhood itself is a whole different experience in France. There’s no role model, as there is in America, for the harried new mom with no life of her own. French mothers assume that even good parents aren’t at the constant service of their children and that there’s no need to feel guilty about this. They have an easy, calm authority with their kids that Druckerman can only envy.

Of course, French parenting wouldn’t be worth talking about if it produced robotic, joyless children. In fact, French kids are just as boisterous, curious, and creative as Americans. They’re just far better behaved and more in command of themselves. While some American toddlers are getting Mandarin tutors and preliteracy training, French kids are- by design-toddling around and discovering the world at their own pace.

With a notebook stashed in her diaper bag, Druckerman—a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal—sets out to learn the secrets to raising a society of good little sleepers, gourmet eaters, and reasonably relaxed parents. She discovers that French parents are extremely strict about some things and strikingly permissive about others. And she realizes that to be a different kind of parent, you don’t just need a different parenting philosophy. You need a very different view of what a child actually is.

While finding her own firm non, Druckerman discovers that children-including her own-are capable of feats she’d never imagined


My thoughts: I really enjoyed reading this book. It was written like a woman telling a story which I loved. I really enjoyed reading about Pam’s experiences in France and raising her children. I found it very interesting the differences in our culture versus theirs and I think we could learn many useful things from the French when it comes to raising our children. I especially found “the pause” very helpful with my little one. It is amazing the amount of times he will put himself back to sleep if I just wait a few minutes whether than running right to him, picking him up and really waking him up myself. There are several little tricks throughout this book that have been helpful to me. I gave it 4 stars. 

My Christmas miracle blessing, as you may have guessed, is my son, Hampton. Last December I had some tests done. Ryan and I had been trying to get pregnant for a few months with no luck and I wanted to make sure everything was okay. On Christmas Eve last year, I got a phone call from my doctor saying that it was not okay. I had not been ovulating. At all. Do you know how devastating it was? After all those months of trying and then to find out it was never going to happen. That something was wrong with my body. That it was me who was keeping us from getting pregnant. I felt like my body had failed me. I started thinking “what have I done to make this happen?” It was devastating.

I remember sitting on the bathroom floor crying that night and begging God for not only a baby but just a little bit of hope. I didn’t want to lose hope. I didn’t want to give up and probably never would. I begged him to give me a sign that things would be okay.

During Christmas I had a very hard time getting through the day and all the festivities. I’ll never forget when my FIL asked when we were going to have kids and I had to all but run to the bathroom to ball my eyes out. It was awful. Of course they didn’t know because we had not told anyone at that time. The thought of me never being able to have children plagued my mind. I have always wanted kids. I love them so much.

At the end of January, I took an ovulation test and got a smiley face! I had ovulated! There was all the hope and sign I needed. Thank you, Lord!

My doctor is a close friend of my family’s. She is a precious woman. She prayed for me daily during those devastating months. She prescribed me clomid and my 2nd month taking it, I got pregnant!

February 21st I saw two pink lines! I cried and cried and I couldn’t wait to tell Ryan so I called him at work and balled/screamed it into the phone. He was in a meeting and had to make a quick exit. He came home for lunch and we danced around all giddy and I cried for probably 2 days straight.

Because I was on clomid I had a greater risk of miscarrying so I immediately began praying fervently. I begged God not to take this miracle from me. I told him I didn’t know if I could handle it but that I definitely didn’t want to have to handle it after everything we had already been through emotionally and physically.

I had to have my blood taken the next day and everything was confirmed. I had to have blood taken every week for the first 4 weeks and then had our first ultrasound. My baby was perfectly healthy! We told our family when I was 12 weeks along.

He blessed us with our sweet angel on October 24th, 2013. My life has changed forever and God’s timing was perfect. I told Ryan that maybe God wasn’t ready for us to have a baby until then. I am holding my baby extra close this holiday season. We are so blessed and God is so GOOD!

Merry Christmas, to all my readers! I have been so blessed by you for the last year and a half and I’m sure I will continue to be.

What are you thankful for this holiday season?



1. What do you love the most about Christmas time?

-I love the music, the Starbucks holiday drinks, the parties, the lights, I mean pretty much everything about the season! Some of my favorite childhood memories are Christmases with my family. I’m especially excited to celebrate with Hamp this year!

2. Do you celebrate the holiday in style or is BAH-HUMBUG for you?

-I definitely celebrate in style! I start watching Christmas movies the day after Thanksgiving (sometimes before) and listen to Christmas music non-stop. I also drink Peppermint Mochas like they won’t be there next month…because they won’t. I love to decorate our house! I normally spend a whole weekend around Thanksgiving decorating and cleaning to get ready for Christmas. It makes it more fun when there are decorations and lights every where.

3. Are you leaving anything out for Santa Claus this year so he remembers to leave your presents?


-I always ALWAYS leave Milk and Cookies. Although I was told last year that Santa would rather have sweet tea…

4. What is the one gift you are most looking forward to giving? {It can be to your kids, another family member, etc- Remember to be discreet if they read your blog!} 


-I’m so excited to give my brother his gift. I can’t say what it is because he sometimes reads my blog.

5.What is our all-time favorite Christmas movie?

-Christmas Vacation. Hands down. I also love A Christmas Story and Elf!

6. What is your all-time favorite Christmas song?


Where are you Christmas” by Faith Hill on The Grinch

7. If given the opportunity would you participate in an “ugly sweater” party and what sweater would you wear? Peruse one on the internet or even in your own closet and show us.

YES! My family always hosts a “Tacky Christmas” party. Not really ugly sweater, but there are always some pretty awful (aka awesome) sweaters that show up. I don’t own one so I normally improvise. This year was a bit of a fail because everyone said I looked cute instead of tacky…I tried. :/

8. Have you started any Christmas traditions this year that you plan on carrying forward?


-Not this year. We do have a tradition we will continue this year with Hampton. We read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve before bed.


9. It’s Christmas morning… What does it look like outside where you live?.
-Who knows. This weekend we had 80 degree weather and today it was freezing. You never know with this crazy Alabama weather.
10. You just found yourself standing under the mistletoe… Who comes up to give you a kiss first?
-I hope my husband!…or Matthew McConaughey.
Thanks for tagging me, Sarah! I probably won’t tag anyone since it’s so late. It was a fun one! Merry Christmas, y’all!

Welcome to the Monday Mingling Blog Hop! Please take the time to introduce yourselves to our co-host! If you are new to this blog hop, please leave us a comment letting us know you are following and we would be happy to follow you back.Thank you for joining us this week, and don’t forget to link back to us by grabbing our button. Happy Mingling!


Southern Sunflowers and Coffee Beans


 








Rules:

1. Follow both of your hosts via Bloglovin’.
(first 2 links below)

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC or Bloglovin’
(next two links)

3. Link up your main blog URL, not a specific post.

4. Link back to us by grabbing our button.

5. Tweet, Facebook, and Pin this blog hop. The more you spread the word the more people will link up, and the more success you will have! 






6. Be sure to visit other blogs! Don’t just link up and wait for others to find you. 

Let’s get this party started!!…


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Sunday night, we invited our small group from church for a Christmas party where we ate awesome food (a mousse cake from heaven), played dirty Santa, and enjoyed great company. This year we had a lot to be thankful for including three new babies, and a new marriage. It has been a big year for our group members. We are blessed.

Pink Heels Pink Truck
1. If you could write a book, what would it be about?

-I would write a novel based on my life. Yeah, I’m kidding about that…I honestly have no clue. I have quite the imagination but I kind of write about really random things as they come to my mind so there is no telling once I started writing, where I would end up.

2. If you had to read one book or trilogy for the rest of your life, what would it be?

-Can I choose Harry Potter? If not, Hunger Games or anything by Nora Roberts or Kate Morton.

3. Who is your current favorite book character and why?

-Maggie from Born in Fire by Nora Roberts. I just finished reading it a few days ago but I loved the fire in her (hence the name of the book). She is very spunky and doesn’t care what others think about her. She says what she feels. I loved it.

4. Is there a book your read every year during the holiday season? If so, what is it and why?

-Other than ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, I don’t read anything every year. I do love to read a couple of Christmas novels, though. 


5. Do you have any books on your Christmas list? Name a few.

-I am ready my first and probably only Christmas novel for the year. It’s the sequel to Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe called Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan. It is good so far but I am only one chapter in so I can’t really tell you much yet. It does include some pretty awesome recipes just like the first book did. If you’d like, you can read my review of the first book here

6. What is a book you read and loved that you didn’t expect to?


Wuthering Heights. I tried to read it many years ago but couldn’t make it past the first chapter. I was determined to read some more classics last year and so I read it and ended up really enjoying it. 


What are you reading?

 

Welcome to the Monday Mingling Blog Hop! Please take the time to introduce yourselves to our co-host! If you are new to this blog hop, please leave us a comment letting us know you are following and we would be happy to follow you back.Thank you for joining us this week, and don’t forget to link back to us by grabbing our button. Happy Mingling!


Southern Sunflowers and Coffee Beans


 



Megan  @ Make It Count Blog


Make It Count



Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin’ | Facebook 

My blog originally started as a way to keep my family and friends updated on my life as I got married and moved away. Slowly, it has evolved into something more. I write about a variety of topics, but they’re all a reflection of things I love: books, crafts, adoption, my faith, etc. My blog is called Make It Count becasue I want to take life as it comes at me and be sure each day counts.








Rules:

1. Follow both of your hosts via Bloglovin’.
(first 2 links below)

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC or Bloglovin’
(next two links)

3. Link up your main blog URL, not a specific post.

4. Link back to us by grabbing our button.

5. Tweet, Facebook, and Pin this blog hop. The more you spread the word the more people will link up, and the more success you will have! 






6. Be sure to visit other blogs! Don’t just link up and wait for others to find you. 

Let’s get this party started!!…


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I hate change. There. I said it. Change makes me anxious. I am the type of person who loves lists and lives by a schedule. When that schedule is interrupted, it throws me off my game. Although the interruptions are daily and way too often for my liking.

Via

With that being said, our family is undergoing a pretty big change. Not only do we have a new baby and are still trying to get him on a schedule and adjust to life with him, Ryan also just accepted a new job! It is a huge answered prayer and blessing. He is excited about it and I am excited for him.

Here is the thing…I have worked from home for almost three years now. I love what I do and I am so thankful for my job because it allows me to be home with Hampton. Ryan’s new job will also require him to work from home. That’s right. 2 grown-ups working from the same home with a new baby. It is going to get pretty interesting, folks. Let’s just pray we don’t drive each other crazy!

I am excited about this new change, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried about how it will all work out. God is in control and he knows what he is doing. I trust in his plan wholeheartedly, so I know this is going to work out. But don’t be surprised if we start a reality show soon…

How is God working in your life? Are you going through any big changes?