Birthday Blessings

I come from a long line of week long birthday celebrations. Every year when I was a kid, we had a family lunch with my grandparents, a nice dinner with my mom and dad and a friend party to celebrate another year of life. It was simple, but it was magical.

Now I have children.

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and other social medias have made kid birthdays a mom competition. I ask this - is it about us, or about the kids? When we check ourselves and our motives, and then ask ourselves if the birthday celebration will really be any more meaningful to our babies if we stay up til 2 am working on a banner on our Die Cutting machine, the answer is probably no. Do they care if you have a themed party? Probably not. Their joy comes in the celebration and the attention.

How do we tone it down and still feel like we are doing something special for our kids? Here is an awesome product that I have the pleasure of reviewing for you today and even choosing one lucky winner to receive one for free!

Birthday Blessing is a way to spend special time focusing on your child the week of their birthday. A beautiful, hand crafted, wooden birthday cake sets the stage for a week long celebration. This beautiful cake is to be displayed in a prominent location in your house the week of your child's birthday - a symbol to others that something special is going on!

Here's the awesome part - Birthday Blessing created this beautiful notebook to help you intentionally celebrate your child. Each day the week before your child's birthday, the Birthday Blessing journal guides you through a devotion with your child about how special they are. There is a space to write about them each year, too!

I love the idea of keeping this for my girls and presenting them with it when they are older!  What a great acknowledgement of how special they are to you.

How would YOU like to win a Birthday Blessings set for your little one?

It's so simple!  Check out the Rafflecopter below to enter!  I hope you win ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why Every Mama Needs A Best Friend

Today, my best friend turns a year older (29, right Macy?).  In honor of her, I would like to spend a few minutes and give you a list of 5 reasons every Mama needs a Best Friend.

But first, back story:

I was 5 years old and walked into my Kindergarten class.  Mrs. Dunnam was my teacher and I was excited to be there.  Sitting at my table was a boy named Jonathan.  As it turns out, Jonathan was a twin and his twin is my BFF, Macy.  I didn't even know yet that she would be my BFF because I hadn't even met her yet!

Through the years, we have had fun and laughter, tears and sorrow, but we have gone through it all together.  We were pregnant together, we have been through terrible losses together, and through it all, no matter how long it has been since we have seen each other, we can pick up the phone and just BE.  I am so incredibly grateful to God for allowing this woman to be a part of my life.

Here are my top 5 reasons why having a Best Friend Forever is the GREATEST:

1.  You have someone to call when your baby's poop looks funny, and they will not think you are disgusting or creepy.  Mama's understand things that other women, or even your husband, can not.  When you are a Mama, it is SO important to have a close knit group of ladies to share those weird Mama things with.  Who else can you tell about your cycle, about your sex life, about your parents, etc without judgement?  Everyone needs someone to talk to!

2.  When those horrible moments in life happen (the death of your aunt, your father collapses in the kitchen, your dad has a stroke and passes away - all those things that make you loose your breath and want to run away and pretend you don't exist in this life), your BFF will be there.  Just typing this makes me want to cry.  Life is SO hard.  Everyone needs someone to call when those life shattering, world changing, defining moments happen.  I am so glad I have you, Macy.

3.  When the amazing moments in life happen, you have someone to share that with, too.  Macy and I have been there for each other during weddings, pregnancies and child births and so many other little joyous occasions along the way.  So great to be able to call someone to tell them about those funny little things that no one else cares about, and the big stuff, too!

4.  You have an encourager.  Someone who prays for you, who builds you up when you are running low, who fills your emotional cup.  AND you have someone who tells you where the best iced coffee in town is :)

5.  You have someone that knows your history.  You don't have to explain who people are or why you act the way you do around your family.  They know!  And more than likely, they are invited to those crazy family events, too!

I could really go on and on - I am truly a lucky girl.  I am blessed with several women who I deem worthy of the title of BFF (Rebecca, Nancy, etc), but Macy was the first.

So, this year on your birthday, Macy, I hope you know how loved you are, how special you are, and how thankful I am to have you!