You may recall that ShaCarol shared her vision and passion with you in a previous guest post about raising money to go to Belize. Well, she did it! She's headed there in just a small matter of moments, and she'd like to share with you some more.



A LETTER OF THANKS

Dear Friends,

I hope you have been well this winter season. It’s been some interesting weather we’ve been having and to borrow a new term from a friend, our “snow-cation” is soon coming to an end.

I wanted to thank you again for your contribution toward my upcoming trip to Belize and give you a brief update on the details of my trip. I can’t believe I am really going! It hasn’t really hit me yet. I think it will officially hit me on March 8th, the night before I leave, as I’m checking through all of my luggage to make sure I have everything. If you weren’t aware, this is my first time leaving the country, so it’s a big deal for me!

I’ll be traveling with about 6 others, all affiliated with NC State University in some manner. The 6 of us have vastly different backgrounds which, to be honest, makes me nervous. However, I know it will make this trip all the more exciting and meaningful. I look forward to learning from each of them and from the people in the community of Cayo District, Belize.

I’ve recently found out some new information about what I’ll be doing while over in Cayo District, Belize. I’ll be working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing ranging from ages 3 to 13 and their families.


Based on the model of the organization I’ll be representing, 4 The World, I will be:
1) identifying the needs of these deaf children
2) assessing the potential of the deaf children and how they may best be served
3) collaborating with families and staff on strategies to best help these children.

Depending on time I may also be assisting a camp with staff for a larger group of students without hearing loss.

During our visit we will also find time to visit Mayan ruins and check out some of the local sites as well. Needless to say, I am excited about all of this and look forward to sharing my experiences with you upon my return.

As March quickly approaches, I ask that you continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers for safety as I travel and guidance as I interact with these children (deaf and hearing) and adults.

I can’t thank you enough for sharing in this experience with me. Regardless if you’ve supported me through donations, words of encouragement, or both, it means a lot that you took the time to help make a difference in my life and in the lives of others.


Lots of love,
ShaCarol

Who better to ask to guest post than my Mama? She writes over at Grace All Sufficient, sharing her wisdom and faith in many ways. Please make sure to visit her site.

Irene, her husband Mike, and their two grandkids-- Maile and Michael.

A twenty-something star-crossed beauty, decked out with a scarf around her neck and sweater UGGS over her jeans, craning her neck for a sighting of her fiance. A busy 2 year old boy, blowing frosty impressions on the glass as he watches the planes, holding a sign "Welcome Grandma and Grandpa!" Parents anxiously checking their watches, then the arrival board, wondering aloud if their college student remembered to pack enough clothes for the 5 week break between semester. Soldiers in uniform, burying their heads in the shoulders of wives and babies and parents as spontaneous applause erupts around them.

Airports. I love airports, especially around Christmas. There is an excitement, a buzz of emotions that can't help but catch me and wrap me up as I join the throng of humanity in advent of homecoming. I usually end up shedding a tear or two as I happily wait to hug family that I haven't been able to touch in months, except through the virtual world of Facetime.

We enter the season of waiting. Waiting for packages to arrive from UPS or the Postal Service. Waiting for Christmas music 24/7. Waiting for A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph and Frosty and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town to be available on Netflix or aired on TV. We prepare grocery lists and menus. We decorate the house and wrap presents, all in preparation for The Big Day. Christmas.

Advent. The dictionary defines advent as "the coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important." But for something important to come, we must wait first. Waiting isn't always easy, and sometimes we don't know what we are waiting for. You may be waiting for a toddler to reach a developmental milestone or a teenager to pick up their room or a prodigal to come home. You may be waiting on a friend to forgive you or a husband to notice you. Maybe you wait for the overwhelming torrent of grief to be replaced by just a heartstring pull and sweet memories.

Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus waited, in Luke 11:1-43. I used to think of the story of Lazarus as mostly an account of resurrection.Which it is. But it is also a story about waiting. I love this account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It teaches us so much about our own humanity. I love the disciples. We see their human side.

When Jesus told the disciples that he was going back to Bethany, they immediately started trying to talk him out of it. "But Rabbi, a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"

When Jesus tells them that Lazarus has fallen asleep, but He’s going back to wake him up, the disciples then think they'll give Jesus advice.

“Lord, if he sleeps, he’ll get better.”

Dear Thomas, who probably wasn’t the most naturally brave of them all says, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Can’t you just see Thomas? Squaring his shoulders, sitting up straight and, realist that he was, determining already in his mind that Jesus was going to die if he went to see Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

And Jesus doesn’t just wait a day or two after Lazarus died. No, he waits 4 days after Lazarus died. What was He doing? God, what are you doing? Do you hear me? Don't you understand the situation? Why do I have to do this? How long do I have to WAIT?

We have Jesus who seems to have taken his time and arrived too late. We have disciples who are trying to give the Son of God advice and talk him out of his plans. We have sisters, dear friends of Jesus, who are grieving.

What does God teach us about waiting?

1) Waiting teaches us that God understands us and grieves with us even though He already knows the outcome. Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead. Yet, when he came to Bethany and saw the sorrow of Mary and the others, he wept with them. God knows our frailty.

2) Waiting teaches us who is in control. It might seem sometimes like our circumstances are in control, or governments are in control, or any number of things (even our emotions!) but ultimately, the God of the Universe is the one in control. This is one of the foundations of my faith.I can trust a God who has an ultimate purpose for my life and that purpose is to conform me to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
What did Thomas do? He assumed the worst, didn’t he? He thought about the “What if?” and assumed that they would all die. How often do we get way ahead of God’s purposes and assume the worst? We need to wait expectantly for all of the amazing things God will do so that we can say, “God’s hand has surely done this!”

3) Waiting teaches us to go on with life. This is one of the hardest of life's lessons. Mary and Martha had to go on with life while they waited for Jesus to come. They had to go through the ritual of preparing their brother’s body and burying him. There was more to the grief than just that Jesus didn’t come “in time.” Jesus was a dear friend. They wanted to see him in person.

4) Waiting teaches us that God is purposeful in every thing He does, even when He seems to delay.
From the very beginning, Jesus stated His purpose: “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Luke 11:4

When Martha and Mary both say, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died,” I used to think they were reproaching Jesus for not coming. However, read what Martha says next : “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Luke 11:21, 22 What an acknowledgement of who Jesus was and is!
Where are you today? Are you waiting on circumstances to change? Be encouraged! God knows, he empathizes with you, and he has a plan. Just as His plan for our salvation through the advent of Emmanuel carried through time, even before it was time. He spoke hope into the darkness, the void, the nothingness.

He is WITH YOU. Emmanuel. God WITH US.

It is for God's glory that God's Son may be glorified through it! Luke 11:4

You last met Nikki in the summer of 2012 when she was about to get married. AND HERE SHE IS AGAIN! It's almost her one year anniversary and she has endured and shared so much over at her blog Mrs. Healthy Ever After. Make sure to hop over there and read things from tips to get your husband to eat healthy to comical stories that you can relate to.

How Juicing Got me to Like Celery
I never thought I’d be a juicing-type person. I mean, sure, my mom did hop on the bandwagon for a short stint when we were in high school to give us freshly made orange-apple juice each morning before school. But it was short-lived, mainly because orange prices had gone up and it became too expensive.

But here I am now, and I can’t get enough of my juicer.

It started innocently enough. I really just wanted to show my husband how important it was for him to eat more fruits and veggies, so I showed him the documentary “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” (one of my all time favorites I had seen before). The documentary follows Joe Cross on an epic juice fast as he cures himself of a rare disease and then helps someone else do the same.

When the credits rolled at the end, I turned to my husband with a smile basically ready to say, “And now this is why we’re having salad for dinner—“ but before I could, he said something shocking to me: “So when are we going to get a juicer?”

Juicers were too expensive for us, especially since we weren’t even sure we were going to like it yet. So, we bought a 30 year-old, hardly used, Jack Lalaine juicer off of the work classifieds.

After our first juice, it was love at first sip.

We started off with carrot apple—something I remembered liking as a kid when I visited my aunts house. But then we quickly went on to be more daring and started exploring the world of green juices. Who knew that green apples, kale, cucumbers, celery, spinach and lemons all comes together in a concoction that tastes very similar to Gatorade? It was fantastic!

We started juicing in the mornings for breakfast and maybe a snack in the afternoons. I never felt such a jolt of energy before when I finished one of the huge juices we’d get.

Finally I decided I really wanted to try a juice detox—not to lose weight, but to just see how I’d feel. Would it make me feel better like the documentary suggested? We decided only to do a short one, but in those three days, I felt like a new person. Sure, there was one day where I really didn’t feel that well (but hey, my body was DETOXING) and let’s be honest, my husband cheated the whole time, but the juice detox was eye opening.

Who knew that sweet potato, blueberries, pears and cinnamon tasted like apple pie? Since when did beets taste like the best thing in the world?

And yes, these were all very filling.

The biggest change for me was also the fact that I now don’t mind celery. That may seem petty to you—I hate celery, ever since I can remember. I hate it in soups. I hate it in salads. I HATE IT. When we started juicing celery, I’d have to hold my nose. Even the smell was gross to me. But after a while of juicing celery, I now no longer mind it. Juicing had literally changed my taste buds.

I also lost a shocking amount of weight in those three days, but I won’t disclose that here because that’s not the point. And juice fasting isn’t really about the weight loss (especially since you’ll always gain some back once you re-introduce solid foods to your diet). The point is to get healthy. The point is to rid yourself of the toxins your body (did you know your intestines and bowels can hold undigested meat for years? Yup. It’s a thing).

The point is to be good to your body so your body will be good to you.

While we don’t juice as often as we like (we’ve been travelling a lot this summer), we still do enjoy our juicer and look forward to one day owning a newer model.

But before I go, there’s some things to know about juicing.

1) It’s not the same as having a smoothie.
While you could have a smoothie fast in theory, its not the same. Juicing is absorbing nutrients without consuming fiber, so you get the nutrients quicker. Does that make one better than the other? No. Is fiber bad? Of course not. Should you eat a lot of fiber even while juicing? Duh. Some people like to start fights over juicing vs. smoothies and that’s just silly. Both are fantastic.
2) Juice detoxes need to be done correctly.
Juice detoxes or fasts should not be used as a fad diet, and when done incorrectly can be dangerous. You need follow a legitimate plan (Like Joe Cross’ at www.RebootwithJoe.com) and don’t try to do less than that. It’s important to keep your calories at normal levels (minimum 1200 for women and minimum 1600 for men).
3) You don’t have to waste the pulp.
Many people think juicing is too expensive, especially with how much pulp you get out of it to discard. DON’T DISCARD IT. You can make sweet breads, sandwich breads, or crackers! You can even add it to soup for some added veg AND you can compost it too. It’s AWESOME.
4) You don’t have to do a juice fast to enjoy your juicer or reap the benefits
Seriously, all you need is one juice a day to feel FANTASTIC. Start with breakfast and maybe add one for a snack either pre- or post-workout.

Juice on!

Read more about my healthy adventures at www.MrsHealthyEverAfter.com!

Last month we had sweet Sarah from What I Vegan sharing her thoughts on clean eating. This month Brittany from The Lily Field has agreed to be our Mom of the Month! Remember when we did that Target giveaway celebrating her blog's one year anniversary?

I absolutely love Brittany's space. She shares truth-filled stories about her life, her spirituality, recipes, and so much more! I'll stop gushing over her and let her talk food with you.


My name is Brittany from The Lily Field and I'm going to share something with you today that might
leave you clinging to your bag of Oreos and hiding behind rows of Hamburger Helper. But hear me out.
I'm just a girl who cries over sweet potatoes, but it's a good thing. Here's why...

I grew up in the Land of Plenty and somewhere along the way I was led to believe that those little
bags of gummy-shaped "fruit" snacks counted as a serving of fruit every day. You too?!
Processed, preserved, and packaged foods with an unnaturally long shelf-life never made me
lose any sleep. It's normal. Even practical. It's very futuristic-y and apparently we have arrived.
________________________________________
I am so thankful that Miss Emily asked me to share about my journey
with clean eating over here on her sweet space! I LOVE talking food. I hope you do too!
________________________________________

I grew up on a typical, American diet that consisted of lots of animal products,
snacks wrapped in plastic, and liquids laden with sugar. I remember opening our family fridge
as a little girl and seeing TONS of produce wilting and wasting away.
When Little Debbie was in the cupboard, the desire for a banana was absurd.

When I did eat fresh, you better believe those strawberries were dipped in sugar
and the carrot sticks in ranch. Pure, raw foods seemed bland and unappealing to me.
My brain wanted a "fix". I craved sugar. I needed dairy.
My body was dictating what I put in my mouth and it led to a serious problem.

Weight gain was a side note. There were bigger issues: anxiety, asthma, rashes, bloating, skin blemishes,
repeat urinary tract infections, debilitating headaches, heavy periods, yeast infections, mood swings,
and a weakened immune system that allowed me to get sick at the drop of a hat.
It's crazy - I've lost count of how many of you have shared with me that this is YOUR story too.

I made my rounds with doctors and specialists. I was told that most of this was normal; to be expected.
I was in my roaring 20's now - newly married, having babies, and wasn't ready for THIS. I couldn't do it.
I didn't want band-aids anymore. I didn't want the side effects of drugs and I didn't like not knowing what
the long-term damage would be. Plus I wanted to live a long, healthy life with my husband and children!
So I got off the bus and purged my system.



An elimination diet seemed like a good place to start.
Little did I know that this adventure would forever change the way I look at food.
3 months of cleansing my body with raw, organic fruits, veggies, and meats woke up me.
My issues - DISAPPEARED. I threw away all the notes for prescriptions and have never looked back.
It's like scales fell from eyes. St. Paul of nutrition right here. What I thought was "normal" all my life...
turned out to NOT be normal. You can follow-up on that story over on my blog.

Somewhere in the middle of that cleanse - in between the withdrawal symptoms - I found myself sitting
at my dining room table preparing to eat a baked sweet potato with sea salt. I had never had one before.
I thought all sweet potatoes came pre-accessorized with marshmallows and candied nuts.

I took a bite and cried. It was good. Now that my pallet was stabilized, I could actually appreciate
the natural sweetness of the potato that most people glamorize with additives! I told God that I felt like
I had been missing out on the GOOD foods that HE created for me... by buying into the American diet plan.



Everything in life seems BRIGHTER now. My eyes are not so sensitive to the sun - my skin is clearer -
my hair is longer - my waist is smaller - I feel better - my energy levels are off the charts -
I feel less anxious - less emotional in general - in short, I feel amazing.
That cleanse led me and my family into an entire new way point of view when it comes to food.

Fruits, veggies, whole grains, natural, free-range, grass-fed, hormone-free...
are words that I never thought would lovingly come out of my mouth! But I am seriously in love
with this "new normal" that we are now living and will never look back. I may still have a couple
Oreos on occasion - because I am a weak human being that can still be seduced
with chocolate cookies and the mysterious cream that comes in the middle!

But it's about a healthy LIFESTYLE with a few unhealthy SPLURGES along the way.
Not the other way around. Hope I didn't weird you out too much. Catch me over in the field
for more on family, food, and life in general! Would love some "feed"back. Ha. I'm funny. Not really.

And if I could recommend ONE resource for getting started with a cleaner diet...
check out my girl, Gwyneth Paltrow and her new book "It's All Good". The book is beautiful.
You are beautiful too! Here's to taking good care of the bodies God gave us!

And if you happen to cry over a sweet potato - don't worry.
I won't make fun of you. I understand.

This is the FIRST Wife of the Month for 2013. Somehow it slipped away from me for the past four months. How did I manage that? I loved doing this series last year. I loved getting to know other wives and mamas in the blogging world.

It seemed only fitting that I re-feature someone you met in 2012! (This also fits in for "Throw Back Thursday"!) Do you guys remember Sarah? She's pretty awesome. Her blog was just featured in Skirt! Charleston. For her post about that amazing bit, click here.

Lately I've been struggling with diet fads and all the craziness surrounding "clean eating". So I thought I'd ask some other bloggers to share their thoughts on the matters.

Who better than to share some thoughts on clean eating from someone who is all about it?

As you guys may know, I am not vegetarian/vegan. There are, however, definite health benefits if you decide to make the choice to go either which way.

I'll stop babbling now. Here's Sarah!

Photograph by Alice Keeney Photography.

Hey y’all! Sarah from What I Vegan here.

I’m excited Emily has asked me to guest post about clean eating today!
I think most everybody agrees that we want to give ourselves and our families healthy food that will nourish and sustain us.

But grocery stores out there are practically minefields of chemicals, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), MSG, bacteria, and hormones. These have known and (even scarier) unknown effects on our health.

Seriously, how’s a gal supposed to navigate that minefield and find a way to avoid giving herself and her kids all those terrifying ingredients?

By eating a clean diet full of plant-based, whole foods.

Hang on a sec; did your eyes just glaze over as you pictured bland, brown “health food”?

Snap back with me here, sister.

I’m not talking beans for dinner every night (though I DO love me some beans ‘n’ greens; check out a delectable recipe here). I’m talking about a whole WORLD full of amazing food possibilities opening up to you that are not only healthy, but downright delicious.

Eyebrows still raised? I would have been skeptical too. Before I went vegan, I was (self-proclaimed) Miss Cheese living off of pasta, pizza, and you guessed it, cheese. I wasn’t exactly a health nut.

And I’m still not one. But I do recognize that certain foods and their dangerous ingredients are best avoided, and it’s really not that hard to do.

Don’t believe me? Check out a few healthy, veggie-centered dishes I made at home (and trust me, I’m no chef):

Quinoa noodles with avocado pesto pasta and squash.

This is what I call “Everything in the Fridge Salad” – just throw together a salad, with whatever toppings you have on hand. Get creative!

Vegan crab cakes with tangy rémoulade and sautéed spinach from Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Kitchen.

Twelve-grain bread with hummus, organic tomatoes, avocado, arugula, and salt and pepper. Easy, healthy, and delish!

Red and black chili with cashew sour cream.

Check out more pictures of what I eat on my blog’s Facebook page! You’ll be amazed at what all you can do with plant-based foods!

Now that you see how yummy it can be, I’m going to give you some easy tips on how to add more of these healthful plant-based foods to your family’s table.

•Eat more veggies! Pick a few to take the spotlight on your dinner plate. Be adventurous; buy a veggie you don’t recognize, and then look online for a recipe. A great site is VegWeb.com.

•Buy organic produce as much as possible. It’s a little pricier but your body will thank you for saying no to those pesticides! Can’t buy all organic? That’s ok; just avoid these dirty dozen.

•Check those ingredients. The less processed, the better. Try to buy items that have fewer than 5 or so ingredients and make sure you can pronounce them! Your body doesn’t want that azodicarbonamide (whatever that is)!

•Skip the meat, dairy, and eggs. They’re full of hormones, antibiotic resistant bacteria, cholesterol, and other nasty stuff. Switching to organic won’t help either. Not to mention, animals are treated in unspeakable ways to make these products. Best to skip out as often as possible (or altogether!). Start a Meatless Monday tradition and work on it from there!

•Look for the Non-GMO Project symbol. This guarantees that the food doesn’t contain harmful GMOs, which have never been suitably tested for long-term health impacts. To learn more about them, click here.


Want to learn more?

Watch the movie Forks Over Knives (it’s on Netflix!). It’s entertaining, informative, and could save your life!

Check out the book Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr, who I consider to be the queen of clean eating. Her follow up book, Crazy Sexy Kitchen, has amazing, clean recipes!

Can we eat 100% clean 100% of the time? Or course not. That’s not realistic. But we can try to eat healthfully the majority of the time for the sake of our bodies and our kids.

Try the tips above to take the first step!

To Healthy and Tasty Food!
Sarah

Hello everyone! Friday's Letters will resume next week. This week, head on over to Wifessionals. She's doing a fabulous series preparing for baby and taking in different views and sides on everything. This week she's doing sleep methods and I was lucky enough to get to share my views on co-sleeping! Go check it out!

Have a wonderful weekend. Go chase some bubbles!

Hey everyone! I'm so excited to be a part of an awesome giveaway hosted by quite the blog! Check it out below, and Happy Friday!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hello again, Newfangled Housewife Readers!

I'm Diana and I guest-posted on Emily's blog back in November to show you some budget-friendly nursery art. Today I am here to offer a giveaway from my etsy shop; but first, I want to share a fun Christmas idea I found recently around the web and on pinterest.

 

This Christmas Tree Bread is a fun and delicious recipe from Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke. I made it last week to take to Andrew's work Christmas party, and it was a big hit. I didn't use maraschino cherries on mine because they aren't my favorite, but the bread was excellent without them. Cute, tasty, and festive!

If you want some more great ideas, follow my Christmas board on pinterest.

Now on to something even more fun. I am very excited to give away a $10 credit to my etsy shop, Diana Meredith Designs! In my shop, you'll find beautiful and unique crocheted gifts, including - to-go cup and ceramic mug cozies,
baby hats and headbands,
coaster sets, and ladies' headbands.
You can use your credit on existing merchandise, or toward a custom order of your own design. Click on over and take a look.

Here's how to enter:

1. Be a follower of the Newfangled Housewife or like the Newfangled Housewife Facebook page
2. Like Diana Meredith Designs Facebook page

How to add your name to the pot a few more times:

1. Follow Newfangled_Wife on Twitter
2. Follow Diana Meredith Designs with bloglovin'!
3. Follow Diana on Pinterest
4. Follow Newfangled Wife on Pinterest

Leave a comment on the post letting us know what all you did. This giveaway is open until New Year's Eve. We'll start 2013 off by announcing the winner! Good luck!

Perhaps you have a holiday party or two to attend this season, Newfangled readers?

I love helping plan outfits, and Emily asked me to virtually lend a hand for an "in-between" holiday look. Something to help you make it from Thanksgiving to Christmas with ease.

So let's build a fab ensemble meant for sipping and mingling the night away, shall we? Just not too late! Michael has a bedtime to keep. ;)

ON MAMA

TOP // MODCLOTH
The tunic top is a staple now! This easy shape is perfect for pairing with a statement necklace (which I'll get to in a minute), and for not worrying about that extra lovin' all the holiday goodies can add to the midsection. I don't know about you, but I have a permanent "food baby" this time of year! Navy looks clean and chic, and I love it as an alternative to black.

NECKLACES & BRACELET // http://www.etsy.com/shop/mintlilly
These agate necklaces make a statement, simply. A sweet icy blue bracelet brings something unexpected and earthy.

LEGGINGS // OLD NAVY
On to the bottoms ... At just $10 a pop, you can't afford to not have these babies in your closet. I think they make this look breezy, as opposed to structured, which is easy to fall into with a basic black trouser. Because I know that Emily and hubby Clark like to keep it casual, I say let the top be dressy, and allow total comfort on bottom! And yes, I'm asking you to trust me on pairing navy and black. When done correctly, it works. I promise!

FLATS // SOLE SOCIETY
If you'll be standing around while you chat, it's best to select a shoe that adds both glamour and comfort. I'm not a huge fan of boots at holiday parties, myself, but I think these embellished flats are just right.

FOR MICHAEL

SWEATER // OLD NAVY
Keep Baby Boy cute and cozy, in colors to complement Mama. I also love that this sweater is heavyweight cotton. I never put my babe in a fabric I wouldn't wear myself. (Wool? No, thank you!)

CORDUROYS // SHAUN WHITE FOR TARGET
I always like an alternative to denim or cargoes for little boys; I think these on-trend, fine wale corduroys are just the ticket.

BOOTS // TARGET
I love these boots so much that I wish they made them in my size, and I definitely want to snag a pair for my daughter Maile, even though they're made for boys. These beauties feature faux fur lining, and a thick, textured rubber sole. They look like Dr. Martens or Red Wings, without the hefty price tag.

BEAR // MEILINGER ZITA
Emily told me that Michael hasn't gotten attached to a "lovey" yet, and I thought this bear was so cute, I had to include him. Zita makes beautiful one-of-a-kind handmade rag dolls and bears, all from natural fabrics and felts.

Happy Holidays!


ANNNNND...

Congratulations to Kasey Conn, winner of the Simply Modern Designs giveaway! Contact Sara through her Facebook page to receive your fabulous prize.

Congratulations to Donna Earl, winner of the Team Fearless: Relay For Life giveaway. You donated a wonderful $10 towards an amazing cause, and it definitely helped you win the great giveaway! Serena will be contacting you to get your information!

This giveaway is a bit special. First off, it's from my best friend from kindergarten. Yes, you read that correctly. Regardless of how many times I have moved over my lifetime, she and I have stayed in touch. Over the past couple of years we have grown to be amazingly close again, thanks to some fabulous visits.

(Summer 2012)

I'll let Serena handle the rest. It is, after all, her giveaway.


Hi, my name is Serena. I'm the captain of Team Fearless; a Relay for Life team with the Allegan County Lakeshore Relay for Life. For those of you who don't know what Relay for Life is, it's a 24 hour walk-a-thon put on by The American Cancer Society that raises money for cancer research and brings awareness to the disease. I want to say a big THANK YOU to The Newfangled Housewife for allowing Team Fearless to participate in her Christmas giveaway! We're really excited to give away some goodies and raise awareness of a great cause!

I first got involved with Relay for Life in 2009 because of my boyfriend at the time. This is the first time the Allegan County Lakeshore had their own Relay, and his family had started a team because both he and his aunt were cancer survivors. The event was really important to my boyfriend's mother but less so to my boyfriend; he was only two when he was diagnosed with cancer so luckily he didn't remember much of the experience. Because of that though, it was always difficult for him to talk about it and explain the scars on his chest and back from having a kidney removed; a nasty reminder that he in fact had cancer as a child. I went along to the event to be a supportive girlfriend, but I had no idea how much I would be changed by the experience!

Things did not begin to really "hit" me until the night time when they turned the stadium lights around the high school track off letting the darkness surround us. This was the start of the luminaria. One by one people lit candles that were placed in bags that lined the track. What is so special about a candle in a bag, you ask? Every one of the bags bore the name of an individual who fought or were fighting cancer.

There were enough bags sitting side by side to line the entire track.

We walked in silence to honor those who had their name on a bag. When I saw my boyfriend’s bag I was completely overcome with emotion; suddenly I understood why this event meant so much to his mother and family. Next to his bag was a grandmother’s name with angel wings; she had lost her fight with cancer. My boyfriend was blessed, he was a survivor, but countless others weren't so lucky. He made fun of me for getting so emotional over something he barely remembered, but I could not imagine my life without having known him. He was so much a part of me at that point, and I knew that not everyone got to be lucky like I had been; too many others had been taken far too soon.

My boyfriend’s luminary bag 2009

"Celebrate Remember Fight Back" is the motto for Relay for Life.

After my first Relay I knew that I had to fight back. At first for my boyfriend, who later became my ex boyfriend, and then ultimately for myself. Cancer doesn't discriminate. It affects every race, every gender, and every age. In some way, shape, or form every single one of us have been touched by cancer and that's why it is so important raise money and awareness to find a cure for this awful disease.

Being the crafty girls that we are, Team Fearless has come up with a wonderful Christmas giveaway package for The Newfangled Housewife readers! This includes three glass ornaments and 10 magnets, all hand decorated in honor of our cause.


To enter, we ask that you donate $1 to Team Fearless via our team page on the American Cancer Society web page here.

While it may seem minimal, every dollar raised helps a grandmother spend another Christmas with her family, or a little boy experience Santa Claus for the very first time. Together we can fight back and find a cure! Not only will our world be filled with more birthdays, but Christmases too!


Leave a comment letting us know that you donated. If you do not have a google account, please visit the Newfangled Housewife Facebook Page, like it, and leave a comment on the wall. A list of those who donate will be kept and then we will use random.org to select a winner. Your name will be entered for every $1 you donate. So, the more you donate, the more chances you have at winning! Thank you so much for stopping by and giving to an amazing cause. This giveaway will go until midnight of the 18th, and a winner will be announced later that day. Check back in then!

Don't forget to check out the other awesome giveaway from Simply Modern Designs going on now as well!

Congratulations Rachel Z., winner of the Atkinson Drive giveaway! You have received a free item [worth up to $10] from Sam's amazing etsy shop. Please contact her through her Facebook page so she can give you the information for your fabulous prize! For the rest of you, don't forget to use the HOUSEWIFECHRISTMAS code to get 10% off your purchase in Sam's shop through December 17th.

ANNNNND....

Congratulations Serena M., winner of the free pair of earrings from Exquisite Crafts! Please send April a direct message through her Facebook page to let her know what earrings you desire! For the rest of you, don't forget to use the code HOLIDAY12 for a 12% discount good through December 31st!

Now, for the NEXT giveaway.

Yeah, you read that right.

This one comes from Sara at Simply Modern Designs. Sarah is giving the lucky winner a $5 credit to her etsy shop! Sarah has a variety of things from adorable Christmas cards....


to birth announcements...

to wedding save-the-dates and invitations...


to SO MUCH MORE! Check it all out on her Etsy shop.

Sara started her shop after getting engaged and going into do-it-yourself bride mode. She majored in graphic design but didn't return to her passion until she and the love of her life started planning their happily ever after. Not only does Sara make the printables she offers in her shop, but she'll take custom orders, too!

Here's what you have to do....

1. Be a follower of The Newfangled Housewife's blog
2. Like Sara's Facebook page

That's it! If you'd like some extras, you can:

1. Follow Sara on twitter
2. Follow Newfangled Housewife on twitter
3. Like The Newfangled Housewife's Facebook page
4. Tweet about the giveaway (@Newfangled_Wife and @ModernDesignx)
5. Facebook about the giveaway


This giveaway only goes until midnight of the 15th, so MAKE SURE YOU DON'T WASTE ANY TIME!

Leave a comment with all you've done! Good luck!

That's right. We have TWO giveaways going on AT THE SAME TIME. I know... don't be overwhelmed by the awesomeness. I'm going to make things easy on you.

This wonderful giveaway comes from the creator of Exquisite Crafts, April. April started crafting when she was very young, letting her grandmother show her the way. She learned to knit four years ago and hasn't stopped yet! But April doesn't just knit. Ooooooh, no. She makes some positively adorable earrings!





Might I mention her Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games obsessions [amongst other things]?





Why show you all these adorable things? Because you can win something, of course! April is giving away one pair of earrings to a lucky winner! Here's what you have to do.

1. Be a follower of The Newfangled Housewife.
2. Like Exquisite Crafts on Facebook.

That's it! If you want to add your name to the pot a couple more times, you can also:

1. Like The Newfangled Housewife on Facebook.
2. Follow The Newfangled Housewife on Twitter.
3. Follow Exquisite Crafts on Twitter.
4. Tweet about this giveaway (make sure to tweet @Newfangled_Wife and @exquisitecrafts)

Make sure to leave a comment on this post or the Exquisite Crafts Facebook page to let us know what you've done!

WAIT! Don't leave yet.

April has another treat for you :). Use the coupon code HOLIDAY12 for 12% off your order in her Etsy Shop! This offer is good through December, so make sure you take advantage!

Happy shopping and good luck with the giveaway! The winner will be announced December 10th along with the Atkinson Drive giveaway winner!

Hello ladies [and possibly gents]!

You may remember that Sam from Atkinson Drive started off December with a Wife of the Month post. You may ALSO recall that she's doing a giveaway for Newfangled Housewife readers!

Well, since this was my first time with rafflecopter I may have made a few glitches. Not to worry! Here is a brand-spankin' new one. If you already entered, I am really sorry for the inconvenience. If you didn't, you're one lucky-duck because you now have longer to do so!

A Christmas Giveaway

Since I have the honor of being December's Wife of the Month, I am going to start the month off right with a giveaway! Don't we all love free stuff? Especially during the holiday season when our wallets seem to get smaller & smaller! Today, I am giving one lucky winner a FREE item {worth up to $10} from my Etsy shop. This is GREAT for those of you who have yet to get your Christmas cards!!! ;-)

I am also offering ALL Newfangled Housewife readers 10% off in my shop through December 17th. Just use the coupon code HOUSEWIFECHRISTMAS at checkout to redeem your discount.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner of the giveaway will be announced December 10th. You have until the night of the ninth to enter, so don't waste any time! Not to give too much away... but the winner of THIS giveaway will be announced on a post featuring... wait for it... ANOTHER GIVEAWAY! 'Tis the Season and I thought it would only make it that much more amazing if you were spoiled. Just because I'm so grateful for you!

And a special thanks to Sam for agreeing to join in the Christmas spirit! Don't forget to check out her Etsy shop as well as her blog!

Kicking off our "25 Days of Christmas" is Sam, from Atkinson Drive! I was so excited when she asked to be December's Wife of the Month. Love her site and her shop. Make sure to check it out!

Oh, and did I mention the giveaway? Better keep reading to see what I mean!

Hello! My name is Sam & I blog over at Atkinson Drive. I am thrilled that Emily has allowed me to share with you this holiday season!

I suppose I should tell you a little bit about myself so we can get acquainted. As I said, I am the creative force behind the Atkinson Drive blog. My wonderful husband and I have been married for just over four years {we got married when I was 19} and have an adorable little guy who's almost three. The husband is the technical director at a large church in the Indianapolis area, and I am fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom / housewife. I am obsessed with everything craft/DIY and spend most of my time {when I'm not playing with little man} doing projects, painting, and designing. To learn more about me, click here.

Now to get down to business! We all know how crazy the Christmas season can be, especially when it comes to fitting in all the cooking and baking for friends & family. This recipe has been in my family for who knows how long, and what a lifesaver it has been! What's that? You want to know why it's so great? Well...because there is no baking required...that's right...NO baking!

Here's What You'll Need:

2 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Cocoa
1/2 C. Milk
1/2 C. Butter
1/2 C. Peanut Butter
2 C. Oats

Combine sugar and cocoa in a saucepan. Stir in milk and add butter. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook for approximately two minutes. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter. Add oats and vanilla and mix well. Cook over low heat for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Drop by tablespoon-fulls onto a wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator until set. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Everyone I know who has ever eaten these cookies LOVES them. They're just enough sweet, nutty, and chewy to suit any taste! Wrap a few in red or green cellophane, tie with a curly ribbon, add a gift tag, and you have the perfect treat for teachers, neighbors, doctors, the mail-person, etc.

A Christmas Giveaway

Since I have the honor of being December's Wife of the Month, I am going to start the month off right with a giveaway! Don't we all love free stuff? Especially during the holiday season when our wallets seem to get smaller & smaller! Today, I am giving one lucky winner a FREE item {worth up to $10} from my Etsy shop. This is GREAT for those of you who have yet to get your Christmas cards!!! ;-)

I am also offering ALL Newfangled Housewife readers 10% off in my shop through December 17th. Just use the coupon code HOUSEWIFECHRISTMAS at checkout to redeem your discount.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner of the giveaway will be announced December 10th. You have until the night of the ninth to enter, so don't waste any time! Not to give too much away... but the winner of THIS giveaway will be announced on a post featuring... wait for it... ANOTHER GIVEAWAY! 'Tis the Season and I thought it would only make it that much more amazing if you were spoiled. Just because I'm so grateful for you!

And a special thanks to Sam for agreeing to join in the Christmas spirit! Don't forget to check out her Etsy shop as well as her blog!