1.) If you follow me on Facebook then, you already know that HomeGoods started following me on Instagram about a week ago. You know HomeGoods right? As in this...
Sadly, my Alaskan friends and family don't have a HomeGoods, but when you travel to the lower 48 trust me it's so worth a trip into this store. Just be warned that you may find way more than your suitcase can accomodate on the trip home! HomeGoods not only has amazing home decor, but they have it at incredible prices! Here are a few things I picked up the other day to change out my mantlescape.
Beautiful right? I can't wait to show you how I incorporated them into my simple summer mantle decor. You can connect with HomeGoods here on FB, on their website, or if you have an iPhone or android check them out on Instagram too. And don't forget to follow me too! Just search Courtney Taylor. Leave me your name and I'd be happy to follow you back!
2.) Many of you know that we are a homeschooling family. This was our first year and I am SO proud and happy to say that WE MADE IT! My sweet girl finished Kindergarten on Wednesday. I am so proud of how far she has come this year. She has learned to read, write in cursive, count past 100, she can add and subtract all the numbers to 10. And the biggest surprise, to me anyway, has been her newly found love of science! She absolutely loves to learn anything and everything about nature, biology and the world around her. She just soaks it up! I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to teach her this past year. I learned so much about her and her interests and how her little mind learns and processes things. It's been an amazing experience.
3.) There's this cake that's been in our family for years. My mom acquired the recipe from a family friend many years ago and has been making it for birthdays (mainly Steve's) and various occasions ever since. It's not just any cake. It's a carrot cake. And not just any carrot cake. It's "14 carat" cake! That's what its called because it's the best carrot cake out there! I made this cake for Easter this year and blogged about it here.
Shortly thereafter, I saw an advertisement for an Original Recipe Contest hosted by AAFES Exchange Facebook page. On the final day that entries were due, I entered this cake on a whim. I quite honestly didn't expect anything to happen from there, but to my surprise my cake made the first cut (haha, pun!) and then before I knew it, I had made it into the finals. After a couple of weeks of voting and 2 weeks of judges making/tasting the entries with the most votes, I was notified by email on Thursday that I WON! What?! Are you kidding me?! I won a Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixer, which is so great but honestly I was just excited to have won the contest!
4.) I told y'all above about HomeGoods following me on Instagram and Saturday I was once again surprised when Homes.com began following me! Holy what?! It is my dream and goal to turn this little blog of mine into something. I have a looooong way to go to even get anywhere near any of the "heavyweights" of the home DIY/ crafting blog community but with followers like HomeGoods and Homes.com as well as some of those "heavyweights" on other social media sites that link back to my blog, it's a pretty good start. I've started a Snickerdoodles and Taylor Tots Facebook page recently. It is still under construction and should be beautiful and functional this week, I would love to have you show your support and "like" my page. In addition, I desperately need now to bring in a blog designer to pretty things up around here, make it more functional to connect via other social media and help me find my theme. Stay tuned, because there will be a major overhaul in the near future!
5.) My good friend, Leigh Anne and I make it a regular Saturday morning date to go garage sale-ing together as often as each of our family schedules will allow. This weekend afforded us that opportunity while our husbands got together to take the kids to breakfast. Such great husbands! Now, y'all KNOW how much I love a great deal and this weekend I scored big time! Here is a picture of what I bought. I'll be sharing later in the week, how much I paid and what I did with it, so stay tuned!
6.) I know I said 5 things, but, I couldn't end this post (although, I'm sure you want me too! Ha!) without recognizing my incredible husband and the great Father that he is! I love this man more than words in the English language even exist to express! He is our little girl's prince and our son's best bud. He is their best example of what a man should be. He loves their Mama and is her best friend and we are SO blessed to call him Daddy and husband!
Charlie, we are so blessed and thankful for you! We love you SO much...for all tomorrows!!
Smiles,
Courtney
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