Swagbucks: 60 Bonus Points for New Users

Yep, it's Swagbucks time again. Today only, they are giving new users 60 extra Swagbucks. Man, wish I could get in on that! But, like every Friday, today is Mega Swagbucks Day. So, do some searching because that means you'll usually earn bigger Swagbucks. As always, you cash in your Swagbucks for great prizes. You all know my favorite, Amazon gift cards. So, in honor of all my Amazon gift cards I've earned, I thought I'd leave you with a picture of my son on Christmas morning enjoying one of the presents I got for free thanks to Swagbucks and Amazon gift cards.

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Putting the Pedal to the Metal

Let's not forget about me. While Hannah was getting over her bike anxiety, I was putting the pedal to the metal. That's right folks, I pedaled. Finally. Well, at least for a bit. But it's progress. And I'm proud of my progress. I'm hoping that with a little fine tuning, I'll be able to keep up with Hannah on the roads. It shouldn't be too hard since she's always riding the brakes.

Bike Anxiety

Uneasiness...Am I ready to take on this challenge again?
More uneasiness

Jubulation! Brakes!

Ready to take on the road!

Kate forgot to mention the biggest news from Birmingham. My new bike. Grandma and Papa got me this baby for Christmas. Though I've been jubilant about the bike, I've also struggled with fear, fear that has kept me from true bike fulfillment. My fear: speed. The root: a past mishap that I blame solely on Mommy's poor judgement. Was I ready to go at bullet-like speed down our sloped sidewalk? NO. Should Mommy have informed me on how to brake? YES. Would it have spared me from my wreck that shortly occured after reaching bullet like speed? YES. Would I be more trusting with this bike? YES. But that's the past. I must move on. And move on I finally did. With brake knowledge that Mommy readily informed me of, I finally felt free from my fear. I was now in control of my bike's speed. I could now stop before feeling myself moving at lightening force speed. And all it took was a little bit better judgement from Mommy.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

The following day the pace didn't slow down. Mommy hosted a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party for Hannah's and Grant's friends. Just when I thought the chaos had ended, I awoke from my sound slumber to find about 10 (yes I'm good at counting) preschoolers and a few olders, racing around my house. Apparently, I have a new friend who's little like me too. Lincoln came but he and I slept, ate, and burped. We didn't have time to converse in all the hecticness. Maybe next year Lincoln. As for all those other jubulant kids, they listened to the story of Jesus' birth, made star ornaments, sang Happy Birthday, and ate cupcakes. Thankfully, Mommy ate a cupcake too so I could enjoy it several hours later. Thanks for thinking of me Mom!

Are You Kidding Me?

It's my first Christmas. They say "it's the most wonderful time of the year." Does my face reflect that? Our Christmas festivities started about a week ago. All I can say is I am plumb worn out. It started with a 3 hour car trip to Birmingham a week and a half ago. We arrived. I was starving. Grant, well, he was poopy...all over (and had been for an hour of the trip...it seemed Mommy wanted to push through to get there and Grant was okay with that. We all regretted that decision the last 20 minutes when we thought we smelled a chicken coop. It was Grant). So when we arrived the poopy took precedence over the starving nature of my belly. While I wailed to be fed, Mommy wiped Grant from top to bottom (no pun intended). Then, I ate. I was happy. For a bit. It took me awhile to fall asleep that night. Okay, a LONG while. It's a new place. The next day, well, it was chaotic. 6 kids 5 years and under in one space anticipating Christmas presents...well that can be chaotic. Again, look at my face. By 2:00 4 out of the 6 kids were screaming. . .3 of those 4 were the Harmans. Allie remained quite quiet due to a sickness that had overcome her. Kyle was the last man standing. You can only imagine that when Mommy tried to put me down that night I was so overcome with exhaustion and over stimulation that I put up another good fight to go to sleep. We returned home the next day, all utterly exhausted but thankful to spend time with family. Apparently I took home some good loot. I guess I'll enjoy it all in a few months. Stay tuned for more of our Christmas festivities.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to All!

Love, The Harmans

"Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen..." Luke 2:20

Next Up...

The next item up to model is this dashing Christmas onesie. Dare I even call it a onesie? A onesie implies simplicity, childishness, boredom. No, this onesie exceeds such descriptions. Simple? No. It's adorned with this ravishing tutu while also enticing the eye with its shimmery snowflake. The red color moves beyond the childlike pastel colors of yellow, green, pink, and blue. It dares to make a bold statement. It says, look at me. And looking at me you are. Caught ya. And, I dare not forget to mention the pop of color on my toes. Those red bows say sophistication. Any fashionista knows that that which adorns the feet can make or break the outfit. I'd like to say, my outfit is MADE. Yes, this onesie supercedes its name. I'd like to call it a trendsetter. And I'd like to give Grandmama all the credit for picking such a fashion forward piece. How can I ever repay you?

Mommy's Moment: A Kid in a Candy Shop

I'm like a kid in a candy shop. Except, it's not candy I'm salivating over. Nope. Not even close. It's a laminator. I requested one as a Christmas gift. Thankfully, Mom heard loudly and clearly (notice I did not type loud and clear because heard is a verb and verbs are described by ADVERBS). And so, tonight, the past hour I've been laminating and cutting. Cutting is another of my very favorite things to do. Call me a nerd. A big nerd. What have I been laminating? Thanks for asking. Awesomely cute (adverbs modify adjectives too) caterpillar activities for Hannah and Grant. You see, starting next month it's back to "school time." What better way to motivate me than to see all the cute ideas on Confessions of a Homeschooler AND to have the laminator to, you know, laminate them. When I was young I LOVED to play school. I played it all the time. Tonight, I felt like I was playing school. Well, preparing to play school I guess. After laminating I cut the pieces out and bagged the different activities. I love to just look at the baggies of laminated pieces. Seriously. And, if you're in the market for a laminator (I know you want one), then check out the one pictured above. It's my new one. On sale. $19.99, regularly $80. It works awesomeLY and has great reviews. Head on over to Amazon. It's a Scotch laminator. Just imagine all the possibilities. (Sorry about the font...can't figure out how to change it back to the predetermined color).

What's New Around Our House

Lately, our evenings have spiced up a bit. Daddy has introduced us to "movies" on the computer. My favorite is still "The Swagger Wagon," which I request quite frequently. However, Daddy likes to show me other funny videos. I'm hooked. And, while I'm hooked on the funny videos, Hannah is quite hooked on Mario Kart for the Wii. We don't go to bed at night until we've played the Wii. I'll have to admit, Hannah is a rising star on Mario Kart. Why, just the other day she finished fourth. As for me, I've yet to figure out how to keep my cart from going around in circles. And, apparently you have to watch the screen to play. I thought I could just hold the wheel, meander around the house, and the game would go on. Nope. Also, we've come to learn that the same rules that apply to Mario Kart DO NOT apply to real life driving. For example, you can't just bump the person in front of you on the real road. I tell Mommy all the time to GO! when she slows down behind a car. And Hannah encourages Mommy to pass every car we come in close contact to. Apparently, it doesn't work that way. We could get pulled over. Bummer. And while Hannah and I are enjoying our new found hobbies, Kate sits so nicely and enjoys the scenery. Here she is marveling at Hannah's superior Mario Kart skills. She's impressed. So, that's what's new around our house these days. There's never a dull moment.

And yes, I do have women's sunglasses on my head. And yes, that is a STACK of women's sunglasses beside me. Mommy got 9 pair for $9.99 total. Why? I have no idea. But I like to play with them.

Swagbucks: 60 Bonus Points

If you're one of the few who have yet to sign up for Swagbucks, today is your day! Click on the button below and once you sign up, you'll get 60 bonus Swagbucks. This is awesome! Then, just use their search engine to earn more swagbucks every few searches. Trade them in for great gift cards. My favorite? Amazon gift cards. They've come in handy this Christmas season as I've snagged some great deals with them.

Mommy's Moment: These are a Few of My Favorite Things

As sister Maria so melodically put it, "these are a few of my favorite things!" As a new mom of three, I have been at the mercy of a few convenient items that make my life a bit easier. Lately, I've found myself thinking, wow, I am thankful for this! So, in no particular order, here are the things that make my life easier...drum roll please....

1) My new reusuable straw cup (creatively named by me): makes my caffeine fix even that much more enjoyable. And, it does help encourage my water consumption each day.

2) Sleep Sacs (for Kate but I would totally be game for wearing one if they made them in my size): Why, might you ask, do I LOVE these? Two reasons: it keeps Kate extra warm during these cold nights, they have a zipper...NOT BUTTONS thus making those late night changings a cinch...no fumbling around trying to line up those annoying snap pjs and stuffing those tiny feet in the bottom of the pjs. I could go on and on about those darn snappy pjs. Honestly, they make me want to cuss, especially at 3 am.

3) The Swivel Sweeper: My kitchen floor is my biggest embarrassment. You could eat a meal sometimes off of it because my lovely children (we'll blame it on them) love to make messes. But, with the flip of a switch this baby consumes that meal. Who needs a broom and dust pan? Best of all, Hannah and Grant can use it and clean the floors for ME! Unfortunately, the fervor that used to overcome them when I offered to let them use it has slowly waned. In fact, last time I asked in an enthusiastic tone, I didn't get a taker. Bummer.

4) CheapToday.com: This is a new one. I signed up with BzzAgent where you try products and give your opinion about them. Sometimes I love the products, other times, not so much. BUT, this site I LOVE. Everyone knows how I love deals. Well, this site lets you pick your favorite stores and they customize your daily emails to highlight the deals at your favorite store. So, yesterday I got an email that had the wagon with the alphabet blocks (old school toy) for $4.99 at JCPenney. I ordered two, shipped it to the store and only paid $10. So, with a click of the mouse I bought a gift for Kate's first birthday and one for another gift. I would have paid $40 full price. Point is, I am seeing deals at stores I like without having to do the work. Check it out here.

So, these are a few of my favorite things...what are some of your favorite things?

Sweatsuit

I'm lovin' the hooded sweatsuits. This one comes compliments of our great neighbors. Ain't it somethin? And for perspective, that's my big sister Hannah in a similar sweatsuit...at about 2 months...the same age as me now!

Coins

Coins. Our "toy" of choice. In fact, when asked by Mrs. Joy, our favorite CVS cashier, what I wanted for Christmas, I said "coins." She was a bit bewildered. I don't know why. The possibilities are endless when it comes to coins. One possibility, however, that is NOT an option...eating coins. I know that now after swallowing two. Mommy says she thinks I'll be a banker or an accountant when I get older. If that means I get to play with coins all day, sign me up!

The Many Faces of Two Sisters

This is our "keep your eyes closed and maybe Mommy won't see us" face...I'll admit, I peeked.
This is our "look in the far off distance as if we are pondering the mysteries of life" face.

This is our "nobody look at the camera while still appearing to have a jolly time" face.

This is our "super silly" face.

This is our "endearing" face.

Mommy's Moment: A Tale of a Coke and Its Cup

I love Coke. I really do. I know it's not good for you. But it's my one splurge. John thinks it's sad I have to limit myself to one Coke a day. I like to think of it as wise. I like Coke in a can, Coke in a bottle, Coke in a cup. But there's one way to drink Coke that tops all others: in a cup, with a straw and lots of ice, in other words...a fountain Coke. Nothing beats it. A Coke from McDonald's is like heaven. I have one sitting in front of me as I type. The cup says, "Enjoy." I say, "Oh yes I will." But, going to McDonald's to get that special Coke in that special cup isn't realistic. It'd get too pricey and now, being a mother of three, it's too much work to load up all three kids. And, not to mention it would be difficult to justify ME getting something in the drive thru without getting THEM something. Well, today, today my friends, I found a wonderful solution. It first hit me in the line at Hobby Lobby. You know, on all those displays that just tempt you to buy something as you wait in that long line? Well, there sat a reusable cup with a lid (that resembles the snap on lids at fast food restaurants). I picked it up. Checked the price. Looked at it. Thought about it. Pictured me drinking lots of Coke from it. And then sat it back on the display. I couldn't do it. And anyways, it was missing a straw. I didn't want to have to keep buying straws. But it lingered in my mind all the way to Publix, our next stop. So, we were on the cereal isle, the same isle that has the kids cups and other kitchen accessories. I looked, peeking to see if they might have a similar cup, you know, just to check the price (right?). Lo and Behold, there was the cup you see pictured above. Calling my name. AND, it had a straw. A reusable, washable, durable straw. It was a little more expensive. I chalked it up to it having a straw. Hey, I'm saving money in the long run, right, by not buying more straws? What did I do? I grabbed it. I put it in my cart. This is not usually how I roll. Rarely do I make impulsive buys, especially on something like that. I could say I was doing it to be more eco-friendly but really I'm not saving any cups out there from being thrown out. I usually drink my Cokes at home in a glass anyways. But, there it sat, all the way to the check out line and all the way through the conveyer belt. All the way to the grocery bag. And now, all the way to my house, onto the counter, ready to be used. Am I pumped? You bet. Drinking out of that baby will be like drinking a Coke from McDonald's. . .over, and over, and over again.

Thanks Aunt Dani and Uncle Daniel and Cuz's!

This shout out goes to my family in Kentucky. They have great taste. I'm loving my super cool polka dotted outfit. Even Mommy is envious. I'm not sure Mommy if they make the polar bear fleece outfit in your size. And unfortunately Hannah's theory of "when you get smaller you can wear her clothes" doesn't work. But, I'm sure enjoying this outfit on these cold days as of late. I especially enjoy the hood. Mommy has been trying to put hats on me that suck to my head. Not a fan. In fact, I needed to make this preference LOUD AND CLEAR so the last time Mommy got the notion to stick a hat on my head I SCREAMED. And, if you know me a bit, I'm not much of a screamer. Mommy got the message. However, this hood, well, it works just fine without sucking all circulation out of my head (at least that's what I pictured was going on everytime she attempted to put such a contraption on my head and if I plan to go to Harvard for my bachelors and masters degrees and possibly my doctorate and whatever other fancy degree you can get I can't have this working against me at such a young age). Check out my wink...that's to you Aunt Dani, Uncle Daniel, Wyatt, Anabelle, and John Mark (who, by the way has the same birthday as me!). Thank you, not only for the cute outfit but for giving Mommy a better option when it comes to protecting my head. I won't forget this kind gesture. Love, Kate.

Mommy's Moment: Christmas Card Time

It's that time. Christmas Card Time. Each year we take a family photo to put onto a Christmas card. I love having a picture of the family. I don't love having my picture taken. I am not a photogenic person. BUT, the fun part is matching our picture to the RIGHT card. I've used Shutterfly to create the perfect card. They have so many cute cards to choose from. I don't feel boxed in when trying to choose the card that says, "yes, this is the Harmans." They have such a variety. Any person can find one to match their personality and style. My favorite cards to look at are the flat stationary cards like the one pictured above. I like that you get to see more of the picture. And thankfully, we have a more "professional" picture this year thanks to John's talented brother, Tim, who is a professional photographer. So I want to show off the picture. Therefore, I will most likely use the card above this year to display our growing family.

Also, I use Shutterfly for other photo projects. Recently I used this photo card for Kate's birth announcement. It turned out really cute. I've also used them for birthday thank yous, like the ones found here. And while I was bebopping around on their site, I found this cute birthday idea. What kid doesn't like to read about themselves in a book? So, all this to say, Shutterfly has lots of fun options when it comes to not only creating the perfect Christmas card but also to finding creative gifts and ways to say, "thank you."

Speaking of thank yous, Shutterfly is giving 50 free Christmas cards away to anyone who will blog about their awesome site. So, thank you Shutterfly for offering this opportunity to share about your company while also giving such a great gift!

To anyone reading this, I hope you can find something perfect for your celebrations on Shutterfly! It's pretty easy to do so!

Gazing

I like to gaze at Kate. She draws me in. Hannah thinks she likes her the best. I beg to differ. I mean, come on, she can't take her eyes off of me. She thinks I'm wise. She knows I'll protect her. She's hoping that if she stares at me long enough, my coolness will rub off on her.

Smiles

I smile. I do. It just seems that Mommy can't ever get a clear picture of me smiling. So, she gave in. These blurry pictures will have to do. . .that is until she can get a nice clear shot. Clear. Another piece of these pictures that we're waiting to clear up is my skin. Yes, it seems I have cradle cap/baby acne/eczema. . .or so the doctor says. Well, he just lumped all those skin conditions into one at my last visit a couple of weeks ago. Sheesh. Hopefully I'm not a victim of ALL of those conditions. We think it's eczema. My cheeks are dry and oh so scratchy. I rub my face of Mommy's shirt all the time. Thankfully, that Aveeno stuff has provided some relief. Good thing I'm young and have plenty of time to bounce back from this. At least I'm not sixteen and trying to date. That could be rough...or so I hear. And thankfully my family accepts me just as I am...scratchy, dry, red, irritated skin and all.

Oh, and by the way, I am laughing at my oh so funny and cleverly humorous mom...

I love fall. Perhaps because I love leaves or "leaf-is" as my sister Hannah calls them. I'm not sure, but from what I can tell, she's not saying it right. At least, not like how Mommy says it. Oh well, who am I to say anything? I'm only 2 and 1/2 and still call myself "Gant." But whether you call them leaves or leaf-is it doesn't change the fact that they ARE SO FUN. Who knew? I would have stopped playing in my play kitchen a long time ago (oops, I mean, um, playing with my monster trucks and toy guns) in order to go live it up in the leaves. There are so many possibilities with leaves. You can rake them. You can shovel them (that's my favorite). You can throw them in the air...or at your sister. You can JUMP in them (another favorite), you can crunch them between your fingers, you can make a picture display out of them (NOT one of my favorites, I opted out early on this activity and left the leaf arranging to the girls), you can feed them to the ants according to Hannah (again, not so sure about this one either), you can make leaf hats out of them (I give all credit to Hannah for my lovely leaf hat...please contact her, not me, if interested in one for yourself) or IF YOU'RE A PICTURE HAPPY MOM you can take lots and lots of pictures of your kids playing in them. However, if you so choose to do this, realize that we aren't going to stop very long so you can get a clear shot because LEAVES ARE TOO MUCH FUN to sit still with. I'm just sayin.