Jokester...

Allikaye ran into the living room...
saying...
"Look, mom! DIAPERHEAD!"
I ran to get the camera...
and capture this funny girl!
Let it be known...
Matt and I have not been "diaperheads" before...
this joke was ALL Allikaye!
HA!

Light the Star!

Christmas is right around the corner!

When you see the star on top of our Castle Rock
shine-shine-shining...
you can almost hears those jinglin' bells!
We had a great time at the 73rd annual Star lighting!
There were carolers (many of whom were my student - or former students)...
Christmas lights, Christmas music, hayrides, all things Christmas!

After all the street partying - and the sun goes down -
the whole town of Castle Rock-ians start singing some more carols...
and then the count down begins...
ta-da!
The star is lit!
Christmas is almost here!
Woohoo!"May this star of Castle Rock
Shine forth for peace on earth."

It's not over yet!
Here come the fireworks!
Yep...Christmas green and red fireworks!

So, happy star lighting...
all you blog readers!

Now it is time to give you a little suggestion
on what to order next time you are at your favorite coffee spot.
It is sososo good!
Happy Thanksgiving week!

Hope Now

I am in love with this song by Addison Road!

The lyrics and the words can speak to us
in so many different situations our lives bring us.
"I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
all my life"
As Christians we have such a beautiful HOPE...
no matter what the world may bring...
we have been set free from the worldly struggles...
our Faith sets us free.

Just like the song says...
"how quickly I forget I'm yours."
That is SO my prayer right now...
all the stresses that come with everyday life...
I pray that I don't quickly forget who my Father is!

I hope you enjoy this song and video as much as I have!
You can sing along as the video plays...
that's what I do...
even though I have to sing quietly right now...
because Allikaye is napping!

Here are the lyrics...

If everything comes down to love
Then just what I am afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I’m Yours

I’m not my own
I’ve been carried by You
All my life

CHORUS
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I’ll be okay and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

I’m not my own
I’ve been carried by You
All my life

CHORUS
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
You’ve become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

AMEN!

Have a SET FREE kinda day!

Now She Knows Her ABC's...

The day has arrived...
this beautiful...
tutu wearin'...
22 month old...
knows her ABC's!!

As I have said before...
actually filming Miss Thing is a little bit of a challenge...
so I am showing 2 videos...
You can see some of the "toddler ADHD"...
but it's the best I could get!
She is singing along with Mr. Leap.

Besides the ABC's...
I made a tassel!!
My mama is a little obsessed with these beauties...
so I thought...why not give it a try?!
I am now presenting...
my first tassel...

I went with some Christmas-y colors...
I can't wait to make more!

I am so ready for this Christmas season to hit full force!
Love it!
It also snowed here today...
took me an hour to get to work...
which is only about 5 miles away...
a little icy!
Bring it on...winter!

We Have a Winner..and a Birthday...and some Randoms...

So since I have written my

Blogiversary Giveaway Post...
and I am awaiting announcing the winner to you...
coming at the end of this post...

I thought I would first share
some random things we have been up to...
Here ya go...

First...we ventured to the Target Halloween Clearance Section!
Check out this hooded red beauty...

This costume was a huge success...
as you can see.
Chalk it up to dress-up time...

Second...
I bought - for very cheap - some old drawer faces...
painted them...
and used some of the words I got from
Uppercase Living...
my awesome cousin's site...
Ya like? I do!

Third...
we woke up with some CRAZY
bedhead...
Fourth...
Miss Allikaye is almost 22 months...
and this is her prefered form of eating her eggs in the morning...
Yep...that's a phone book...
What a BIG girl!!
And now...
this amazing man...
my hubby...
turned 29!
Ah! Almost 30!
We are getting up there!
We went to Rodizio Grill...
we had been there before...
for Matt's 19th birthday!
Woah...TEN years ago!!

This place is a man's place!
They come around with meat, and slice it for ya...
right there...

This cheery man happens to be holding...
chicken hearts...
with a lovely lime wedge.
Matt did try this...
me? no.

My most awesome parents gave Matt...
Denver Nuggets tix...
I had him open them at the restaurant...
Awesome seats! So much fun cheering and yellin!
Happy Birthday, my best friend!!
AND NOW!!!
Drumroll please...
Here is the oh-so-technical-mug...
that holds numbers 1-44.

I had the birthday boy choose from this cup...
(I got him this shirt for his birthday...
it says "The Second Amendment"...
and it has a man with arms like a bear...
do ya get it?
Look it up if you don't)
Okay...back to the drawing of the winner...

The winner....
of a set of blocks...
made by ME...Allikaye's Mama...
IS....
number 24!
Dee!! Congratualtions!!
(email me what blocks you would like...
allikayesmama (at) gmail (dot) com)

Remember...if you didn't win...
please consider buying some blocks...
birthdays, Christmas, baby showers...
and you can completely personalize them!!!

One more thing...
I LOVED all of the comments!
Thank you so much for the love!!

Giveaway Time, for My Blogiversary!

It has been a little over one year since I began bloggin'.

I never imagined that this little blog,
that was designed to show my friends and family
all the fun adventures of RAISING ALLIKAYE,
would introduce me to so much!
I have bloggy friends...
the ones that always comment...
the ones that we share pictures and stories about our lives...
the friends that make me laugh...
the friends that make me inspired...
the friends that make me think...
the friends that cure my daily boredom!
I love my bloggy friends!
And boy do I ever love my real-life friends and fam too!!

***********************

Here are my 6 favorite posts over the past year...
I Hope You Dance
Arise My Love
"The Lauren" Braid
Cantaloupe and Burritos
Allikaye's Animal Noises
Memories of Deutschland

***********************

To celebrate this little blog milestone...
I thought...let's do a giveaway!
I always love me a good blog giveaway!
All you have to so is comment...
how easy is that!

I am giving away...
what else...
but some blocks!

Look at my ETSY shop...
and the winner gets to choose some blocks!
You can choose some of the pre-made blocks...
or give me a theme to work with...
for some personalized blocks!
You can look at some of my "sold" items...
for ideas of what others have ordered...
it is up to YOU....who ever the winner is!
I will choose the winner sometime this weekend!

Remember to comment!

Any one can win - even if you don't have a blog!
Just make sure I know where to contact you -
or just check back this weekend to see who the winner is!
And if you don't win...
You can still buy some blocks from me...wink wink!

Love to you all!