Day 21: Three Day Catch Up and Contest Winner?!

Should I be offended? Not one person entered my contest. My heart is just a tad broken. However, I am going to over look it and assume everyone was on vacation and try this again! Are you interested in winning a brand-new pair of handmade earrings! Specially picked for you, by me at a local festival!? If you are...

Here are the rules this time:
1. Like Casseruola Dolce Della Vita on Facebook.
2. Share that you entered my contest on either Twitter or Facebook. (make sure to tell them @dolcedellavita) Make sure you give them a link so they can enter too!
3. Comment that you did all three! Be sure to include your email so I can let you know if you won!


The contest ends Sunday, June 30th. You get a week to get in to win these lovely dangle earrings!

Catching Up

Now, we have had a very eventful past three days! Wait to you see how much fun we had!

Fun in the Sun: Friday=Water

The schedule I created to help keep summer boredom away said that Friday's mean water play. We didn't have any plans to GO somewhere so we made our own water fun.

Although my oldest got a bit more sun than I would have liked (even with sunblock), he had a blast! When I made them go in for lunch, Benjamin was really disappointed.

Playland and Catch Up

We took advantage of the playland later that day to get together with a family friend. In the end, Benjamin just ended up pulling them into playing with him and very little adult conversation was allowed. Oh the joys and woes of having munchkins. 

Burger King has $0.50 ice-cream cones of cups all summer, so we got dessert for less than 4 bucks! Add that to play time, we got way more than our monies worth.

Moonlight Delight

My oldest son has suddenly taken a liking to the moon. So we took a few minutes when we got home to look at the moon. He also loved the fact that I let him sit on top of my car. He thought he was hott stuff. After our moon adventure we went on a search for lightening bugs. It was the first time he had ever seen one.

Saturday Surprise Party

On Saturday we went to a surprise party for my dad. Because we celebrated earlier in the week he was so clueless of the very special plans we had made for his 50th birthday. Benjamin and Henry especially like the balloons and watermelon that came with the party!

My mother made my dad a dirt cake because she said that he is now "older than dirt". I attempted to have Ben ask "what were the dinosaurs like?", be couldn't remember it long enough to ask. Grandpa was very surprised. We parked all the cars in a church parking lot and shuttled people over, so even when he arrived there was no evidence. We had plenty of fun, food, and music!

Sunday: A Day At the Park

Today we spent some time with our church family River Church at the park. We did service there and did a huge potluck/BBQ afterward. Benjamin and Henry played their heart out. Everyone ate their heart out. And we pray that others were reached by our hearts being "out".

After church and the events surrounding it, we went to a little event full of local businesses. It was really more of a networking event for my job with Growing Up in the Valley, but it was fun having the family along. Benjamin was very helpful and handed out my card to every booth. I had the chance to sign up for some prizes and get some contacts, so all was good. When we got home we were all wiped out from a day of outdoors and hot weather. (Nowhere we went today was air-conditioned.) At home we cooled down and relaxed until dinner. After dinner the usual bath-time, bed-time craziness ensued.

That leads me to where I am now. All my kids in bed, my husband at the movies and the bed to myself for a while. If I new my youngest Henry wasn't about to wake again in a half hour I might have just hit the sack and left you hanging yet another night. So, you have my sleepless child to thank for a fun post of pictures today!

I've actually missed writing. Its part of what keeps me sane, but then again, so does sleep.

I hope to see lots of entries in the giveaway above! Until tomorrow, I pray that you sleep better than I surely will!

Day Twenty-Four: Snowy Sunday

It was a lovely snowy day today! It makes it even better to know I wont have to go to  work tomorrow. Schools closed already around here, so I'm free! Even with the wintry weather, we did get to go to church. Another great message from my pastor at River Church. After church we had lunch with my parents and did a little shopping adventure at Marshalls. I found several great deals, but with my husband's help, I controlled myself. There were Coach sneaker is my huge size 11, and at sixty bucks they were a good deal... but not needed! I did however get my first pair of cigarette style pants. Its the closest thing to skinnys I have ever gotten. Anyway, on with the post!

My Outfit

Had it not been snowing I would have rocked some kind of heel. I didn't want to risk injury so I stuck to my flats once again.

From top: black dangle earrings, Argyle sweater, suede like studded skirt, flats

Due to cold weather I also opted for a suede like skirt and a warm sweater. I had hoped to dress Spring like by now. Still, I love the skirt. Back before the holidays last year I got it at Lane Bryant. The cute stone studs make it unique and more special than a normal pencil skirt. The sweater is from Old Navy. During the winter they usually have a great selection of sweaters. The earrings are also from Lane Bryant.

Close up of skirt

My Life List

I realize I'm cutting into the theme of this week by finishing this up today. I wasn't very good about keeping up with it over the last few days. I wanted to share a few things I think I want to add to my life list at the bottom of the site. First, I think I want to enter some kind of plus size pageant. I have entered a few traditional pageants, but they just see a fat girl and not who I am. Now that I'm older and married, those are no longer even an option. Second, I want to be able to take care of myself in a few untraditional ways like changing my own tires, oil, and wiper-blades. I think depending on a guy to do all that is silly (although I like when my husband takes care of things).  Third, I want to learn to work with wood. I'd like to complete at least one project in that area.  I also want to learn basic plumbing. Its just a fact of life that things will break! And last, but not least, I want to feel comfortable enough to wear a bikini. That is a huge jump for me, but as I get more comfortable with my curves it may come.

Looking Forward

This coming week we will be focusing on random acts of kindness again.  We will also be looking at my plans for Spring break. It should be a fun collection of things! Since I have no work, there will be no packed lunch included in the post tomorrow. Otherwise, I look forward to sharing more with you!