Project Procrastinators Party ~ The Before Pics

Melissa at The Inspired Room is having a big party - the Project Procrastinators Party! I thought it was so sweet of her to host a party that was obviously in my honor, but then I discovered that I am not the only procrastinator out there. Shocking! :)

Starting today you can link up your post with a before picture of the project you're going to work on (or leave info in comments on her post). In 2 weeks, we will post what we accomplished along with any after or progress pics. This is just the "kick in the pants" that I need to get a project done!

Choosing a project was difficult since I probably have hundreds - LOL. I already decorated for Spring and redecorated a room, so I finally decided to ask for an idea from the person who would be most pleased (other than me) by a completed project - my hubby. He said "paperwork" and I knew exactly what he was talking about. I agreed and asked for the OK to show the before pic (not his favorite thing) which he agreed to. He probably would have agreed to anything if it meant that I would finally do this project! Hmmm, thinking back, I should have worked some sort of Starbucks supply for the next 2 weeks into the deal...

The paperwork project is actually a large file cabinet in our garage that is...empty. The paperwork is in many boxes and bags both in the garage and some closets. The goal is to get the paperwork in an organized fashion and actually store it IN the file cabinet - a novel idea! Just so you know, I convinced hubby that I had to have this file cabinet over a year ago in order to house all the paperwork. We found it on Craigslist for an excellent deal - hubby was kind enough to buy and move the cabinet in order to make the paperwork project happen. Shame on me for letting it go so long!

Here is the cabinet - large, 3-drawer lateral file - yeah, that's it behind all the boxes of paperwork.

Yes, there is more paperwork and that is not even all of it, but I won't show you any more!



I have even had the necessary supplies for well over a year.

Are you as excited as I am to get this project done? We will actually be able to find papers that we need and emptying all the boxes and bags will free up some space in the house and garage. It will be like a weight off my shoulders. Yay for Melissa's party!!

I hope you'll come up with a project and join me in the Project Procrastinators Party! Check back in 2 weeks to see what I've done!

Have a blessed day and don't forget that tomorrow (Friday 5/1) is Dessert Friday! You can post about chocolate or any dessert. I will be talking about favorite dessert memories from when I was a kid. Feel free to do a post about your favorite dessert memories and link it up tomorrow!

Wordless Wednesday ~ More Snow

I think I've discussed my dislike of snow enough now. So I'll just show you...

This is Lisa.

This is snow.

This is Lisa in the snow...and she is not happy about it.

Those are snowflakes reflecting the light!

For more fun pics, stop by Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes For Mom!

By the way, I am now home - out of the snow and enjoying sunshine!

Don't forget to enter my DaySpring giveaway!

Tea For Two-sday ~ DaySpring Giveaway

**This giveaway is now closed.**

Happy Tea for Two-sday everybody!! Take a little break and have some tea with me. Well, actually I should be flying back home, so you'll have to have that cup on your own right now! :)

I'm so excited to have another pretty DaySpring tea item to show you! And this time, I thought I should share it with somebody, so I'll be giving it away to one of you - more details below.

This is a pretty tea-for-one set. I love these sets because they are the size of a small teapot and can be stored this way, but then open up into an even smaller teapot and a teacup. This one has scripture on it and some lovely flowers, just right for Spring. When you take it apart, the teapot has such a pretty color on the bottom and the cup is wide and shallow. DaySpring is smart to have made this tea set look delicate and feminine while being strong enough to be functional and practical. Wouldn't it be a pretty Mother's day gift?

Take a look at it..

Isn't it pretty? One of you wonderful readers will win this tea-for-one set! You're already winners actually, because DaySpring has given my readers a special discount of 20% off your entire order! Just use the code "SPRING09", but hurry - it's only good until Friday, May 1!

So, you want to know how you can make this tea set yours?? Just leave a comment and tell me whether or not you knew that DaySpring carried tea items. That's it! No extra entries for things like following me on Twitter, subscribing to my blog, or checking out DaySpring - though they are much appreciated!

I will draw a random winner on Monday, May 4 and announce it on the next Tea for Two-sday post on May 5!

Have a beautiful Two-sday! :)

P.S. I'm linking this up to Time for Tea Tuesday at Tea and Thee. Go there to check out some more tea posts or link up your own!

Just Another Spring Day In Montana

I am still visiting in Montana, enjoying the Spring weather. Er, well, enjoying is the wrong word. I like sun. I like warmth. I thought those things were part of Spring.

Let's look at some Spring pics together...

What is this? Spring snowflakes gathering together on a barbecue cover, making plans.

Spring snowflakes surrounding me, laughing at the CA girl who is freezing.

Oh look! Some new Spring icycles* are hatching!

How lawns get watered in the Spring.

You know, I was in Montana during another Spring a few years ago. Trying to remember what it was like...


Oh yeah, it was snowing!


Are you enjoying Spring as much as I am?? :)

P.S. You will want to come by tomorrow! I will be featuring a pretty DaySpring tea item and giving it away!!

*Edited to add - Did you notice my misspelled word? It's actually "icicle" - hubby corrected me and I thought you should know. :)

I'm linking this up to Your Life, Your Blog at Real Life! Go check out the other posts linked up.

Would You Like Chocolate With That? ~ Chocolate Pic Updates

Well, Happy Chocolate Friday to you my friends! I have been working hard helping my Dad in Montana AND am now having to do it in 25 degrees with snow covering the ground. So I could use a little chocolate today! :)

I was going to cut and paste Kim's chocolate post and say that I came up with it weeks ago, but decided against it since she's going to link it up below. ;)

I have a couple of updated pics to go with my chocolate recipes. My darling dearest hubby actually made these treats and took pics of them while I am gone! And now that it is in writing, he can't deny that he helped with my blog! :) Isn't he great?

Here are the updated pics:

Cake Mix Chocolate Cookies

Double Delicious Cookie Bars

And, now that I have the chocolate recipes from 2008 all linked in one post, I linked it to this picture:

I put it on my sidebar in case you ever need easy access to any of the yummy chocolate recipes.

Thanks for joining me for chocolate today! Please link up your chocolate posts now - I could really use some extra chocolate today!! Get more info here and check out last week.

Warning: Zig-Zag Post Ahead

I am very busy helping my Dad move with not much time to blog, so no fabulous well-thought out posts here! How about we just jump all over the place with random thoughts?

- Saw a lady while out and about that made me decide to give you a fashion caution: lavender is in this season, but you may want to resist the temptation to add lavender twill pants to the outfit that already has a lavender suede jacket, lavender sparkly sandals, lavender jewelry, and lavender eyeshadow. That is just a suggestion of course - the final decision is yours! :)

- I do not like to be cold. I do not like to live in snow. The forecast here in MT while I'm here the next couple of days is rain and SNOW with a high of around 40 degrees. Feeling very thankful for my last-minute decision to bring a wool coat.

- My sister (you can read a little about her here) will be in the Special Olympics this week and I will actually get to go watch! I look forward to watching her compete in swimming and bowling!

- I have not had any time to shop and not sure that I will get any! It is a bummer as I planned to take advantage of this lovely state with no sales tax.

- I have been drinking way too many fancy coffee drinks in order to keep myself pumped up to continue moving stuff and cleaning. I will have a very hard time weaning myself when I get back home!

- I am very behind in reading blogs - I will try and stop by as I have time. I feel very bad when I don't have time to read and comment on my fabulous friends' blogs!

- My son was given 2 $5 Starbucks cards recently. He decided to give me one of them for my birthday - sweet, huh? I used it the other day - it had a balance of $1; it was the card he had already used. Accidental or on purpose? You be the judge!

- I am out of randomness now. Add your own here! :)

Have a blessed Thursday friends!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Miners

My Dad and my son "mining" for gemstones - taking their job very seriously!

Find some great pics at Wordless Wednesday hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom.

Tea For Two-sday ~ DaySpring Does Tea Prettily

Happy Tea For Two-sday to all of you! Hope you are having a wonderful week so far.

Recently, DaySpring was kind enough to send me some tea things to review. They are so pretty! I will be talking about them over the next few Tuesdays.

The first is this very pretty teapot and teacup. The white color and the delicate writing give them a fresh and feminine look. What an inspiring way to start your day - tea in a pot and cup with scripture.

The best part is that they are not only pretty, but functional too. They are sturdy and the cup is even microwave and dishwasher safe. Sounds like they know what moms need! Also, they are available for purchase separately.

You can enjoy some pretty tea things from DaySpring too and get 20% off your entire purchase by using the code "SPRING09" (Good through May 1)!

Be sure to come back next Tea For Twosday - I'll have something pretty from DaySpring AND I'll be giving it away!!

I'm linking this up at Time For Tea hosted by Tea and Thee - go enjoy some more tea posts!

P.S. Stop by and see me over at Keeping The Kingdom First! My guest post is about chocolate, of course! :)

I Stayed Awake 38 Hours - Can You Beat That?

I had other things that I could have posted for today, but I thought I should give you an update on my airport adventure. I did finally get out of there with only a slight delay on the flight out (more than 12 hours after arriving at the airport). Technically I arrived at that airport around 11:30pm Friday night and finally left at 12:25pm on Saturday! Quite interesting checking out the night life at the airport. Actually, most people found spots near chairs or in hallways and just laid down and went to sleep! I just couldn't do that so I stayed awake all night and consumed a lot of caffeine during the day.

When my Dad picked me up, we went and had something to eat. *Sidenote here - every time, and I mean EVERY time I come to Montana I am caught off guard in the public bathrooms and it happened in this restaurant; I.wanted.to.scream. Read all about it so you can be prepared!* Anyway, I then had more caffeine and helped Dad with a few things. It then occurred to me that I should stay awake a little longer or else I would wake up during the night all caught up on sleep. By the time I finally went to bed, I figured that I had been awake for 38 hours! Wow!

I am much better now. I had LOTS of sleep and not too busy of a day. Dad took me to lunch - we wanted a place where we could have some soup with sandwiches. Found a place and our service was NOT good! Here's an exchange from that restaurant:

"Hostess" seats us.
Dad: What's your soup today?
Hostess: I have NO idea! You'll have to ask your waitress.
Hostess gets us drinks.
15-20 minutes later, Waitress shows up.
Dad orders sandwich.
Dad: I'll have that with a cup of soup.
Waitress says nothing.
Dad: What's your soup today?
Waitress: No soup.
Dad: No soup?
Waitress: No soup or mashed potatoes.
Dad: But it says right here on the menu that you can have it with a cup of soup!
Waitress: No soup or mashed potatoes on Sundays.
Pause.
Waitress: Do you want potato salad?

Because it's harder to make soup and mashed potatoes than potato salad? Because there's a city ordinance against serving soup and mashed potatoes on Sunday? Do you have any theories? And I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that their restroom probably had the same issue as the other, but I didn't check. I'm sure the adventures will continue!

And I do want to know - what's the longest you have stayed awake?

Have a blessed Monday!

I'm linking this up to Your Life, Your Blog at Real Life! Enjoy some posts people are linking up from the previous week.

A Blogworthy Adventure

My life is usually pretty uneventful which is why I have to come up with other things to blog about. But not this time! I am having an adventure - how exciting!

I am currently stuck, oh so stuck in an airport. My plane tried to fly here once and turned back (bad weather, bad!). Thought I would just go on Saturday instead, but no - they kept us on the plane for a while trying to decide what to do. Yes, it's so enjoyable to continue sitting on the cramped plane while you're waiting. Finally they decided to try it again! And we made it here, but much too late to catch any connections. And they still didn't give us any free snacks the second time around!

So, stuck in the airport at midnight. Just a few hours until I leave right? Well, no, that would be more like over 12 hours! That's the first flight out to where I'm going! At least it's a decent size airport and very brightly lit in the main terminal. And hey, there are restaurants open! Oh, I mean restaurant - Burger King. Fast food has been eaten and a large soda consumed, thank you.

I played on my laptop until the battery died earlier and read a couple of magazines. Then I wandered around looking for outlets that weren't too isolated. Finally found one with no chair nearby so I'm hanging out on the floor for a while (as are many other stranded travelers). BUT, I must look important sitting on the floor with my laptop 'cause I've already been asked for assistance by other travelers - LOL. Laptop usage while sitting in uncomfortable positions must have a certain air of authority.

I guess this is my chance to catch up on all the blog posts in my reader and/or work on some future blog posts. And I may or may not wander around again when my behind goes numb. I am in view of a coffee place that is closed. I will know exactly when it opens and I will be an eager customer!! Did I mention that I am too paranoid to go to sleep in a public place like this? I just know somebody would steal my stuff or videotape me snoring.

Hey, I only have 9 hours left now! Look at the time just fly...

Have a wonderful Saturday! I know I will make it to my destination (my Dad's place) eventually. Then I will need to sleep! Then again, I wonder if Dad might steal my stuff or videotape me snoring. Hmmm...

Is your weekend as exciting as mine??

Would You Like Chocolate With That? ~ No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

It's finally Friday again! Let's celebrate with some chocolate! :)

I am getting ready to fly out-of-state, but would really like you to link up your chocolate posts so I can read them while I wait in airports!

I have a yummy cheesecake for you today and you don't even have to bake it! It's easy and can be whipped up for company quickly. It's very rich so you better keep the pieces small - I won't be coming by to check on you, but you should trust me on that. :)

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
1 8-oz. pkg + 1 3-oz. pkg (11 oz. total) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 9-in. graham cracker crust (I prefer the Oreo crust with this)

Beat softened cream cheese, sugar and butter until smooth. Fold in mini chocolate chips and whipped topping. Spoon into graham cracker crust. Cover and chill until firm.

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That is some EZ rich chocolate yumminess - I know all of you can manage this one! Let me know if you try it or if you've had it.

Now you link up something chocolate. Please? The more people that link up, the more it turns into a party, and you know I like parties!! :)

I'm also linking this up at Your Life, Your Blog over at Real Life!

The Post That Says I Don't Have Time to Post

The title says it all so no need for me to say anything, right? :)

I'm going on a trip out-of-state tomorrow, was just planned a couple of days ago. I'm going to Montana to help my Dad with moving and setting up in a new place. Yay for airline miles and free tickets!

I have about a zillion things to do first and somewhat less than a zillion hours to get it all done. I am taking the laptop with me - Woo Hoo! That means I'll look like somebody important when I'm sitting in the airports - LOL! And I'll test out the Starbucks in every airport for you too. Hmmm, and now I'm wondering - can you get really good chocolate in airports? What kind of blogger would I be if I didn't try to find out for you??

Speaking of chocolate, being back in Montana means I'll get to go to my favorite candy store again! And speaking of chocolate again, I will still have Chocolate Friday tomorrow since I already know what I'm doing for that. Please get some chocolate posts ready to link up tomorrow so I'll have something fun to look at while I'm waiting in airports!! Look here if you have any questions about what to link up.

Gotta go - See you tomorrow with chocolate!

Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Guest Posting

Happy WFMW everybody!

Guest posting is something that is working for me. I have written guest posts for other blogs and I have had guest posters on my blog. There are benefits to both and it can be a lot of fun!

I have guest posted a few times and really enjoy it. I get to write for a different audience than my own blog and sometimes I get to talk about a subject that I don't always address on my own blog. It's fun to use my own voice, but fit my content to the style and subject matter of the blog owner. If done well, new people will stop by my blog - bringing not just more traffic, but the possibility of new friendships! And if I promote the guest post on my own blog, then I help bring new traffic to the hosting blogger.

I recently had a week of guest posters on my blog. I enjoyed the mental break - it was so nice to put up great content written by somebody else. The guest posters had some fresh new material for my blog and brought some new readers along with them. My readers got a taste of some of my favorite bloggers and had new places to go visit!

How do you find guest post opportunities? Bloggers will often ask for guest posters when they are going to be gone or just need a break. Sometimes you may be asked specifically; other times a general request is given on another blog. If it's a friend or a blog you read, you should definitely offer to do a guest post. You can also offer to do a guest post for a blog by giving them an idea that you have and why you would like to guest post. They might take you up on it!

How do you find guest posters? Ask your friends and favorite bloggers if they are willing and have the time to do one for you. You can also put a request on your blog and/or other places like Twitter. You might be surprised by who responds!

There is some etiquette to follow when guest posting. Problogger has a very helpful article about how to be a good guest blogger.

Have you written some guest posts for blogs? Have you had guest posts written for your blog? What are your thoughts?

Stop by Works-For-Me-Wednesday at We Are THAT Family to see what's working for everybody else!

Tea For Two-sday ~ Just Sittin' and Sippin'

Still recovering from the big Blogaversary bash here. Had a busy day, but now I'm just relaxing with some yummy chocolate tea from a friend! I hope you have a little time to sit and enjoy a cup of tea today.

During the next few Tea For Two-sdays, I'll be featuring tea items from DaySpring! They sent me some lovely items to review and I can't wait to share them with you. There may even be a couple of giveaways!

Right now, DaySpring is offering my readers 20% off your entire purchase!! Just use the code "SPRING09". That offer is good until May 1.

It Was My Best Blogaversary Ever

Well it was my only Blogaversary, but I still say it was the best - LOL! Wow - it was a blast! I hope you enjoyed all the partying with me! :)

Did you like the giveaways? I have the last 3 winners for you!

The winner of the Decorative File Folders from Misty Kristy Designs is...

Muthering Heights

Congrats Jessie!!

The winner of the Charm Necklace from RJ Charms is...

Lori Ann

Congrats Lori Ann!!

The winner of the Homemade Biscotti from me is...

Mary Snyder

Congrats Mary!!

That was really a lot of fun giving away all of those prizes! And don't forget to take advantage of the offer at RJ Charms for free shipping on any order over $10 (code is "chocolate")!

Thank you all so much for coming by during the party and leaving such wonderful comments!

Here's a little "vlog" to say thanks! You can try this link if you're not able to see the video. If you sign up at www.newbaby.com to load up your videos (public or private), come see me - over there I'm Lisablogschocolate.

Thanks again! Have a blessed day and I'll "see" you later! :)

I'm Not Embarrassed To Say That I'm 39 Today

It's the last day of the big Blogaversary Party (still time to enter giveaways)! I included today so that it would be like I was having a birthday party at the same time - Woo Hoo!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She's HOW old?? *Gasp* Yup, I'm 39. And not ashamed to say it! But when people ask me how old I am, I will be saying "almost 40" because it's true - I'm on the downhill slope to 40 now. Really, it's just a few hundred blog posts away. :)

Also, I figure that nobody will believe me when I say 39. No, not because of my youthful beauty - snicker - but because people who are 40+ often don't like to admit their age, so the next logical fake age to use is 39. So when I say 39, they'll nod knowingly and say,"Yeah, me too sister!" And then I'll say,"No, I'm really 39!" and they'll say, "uh huh.sure."

There are some things to look forward to when turning 40. I had some friends recently decide that after turning 40, instead of celebrating a "birthday week" (like we currently do), it becomes a "birthday month"! So why wouldn't I look forward to THAT? And when I turn 40, I can do a post that I have in mind - 40 things I like about turning 40. 39 things I like about turning 39 just doesn't have the same ring to it. Oh, and I'll be considered mature.

Reminder - I am only 39 and thus I do not have the memory problems of a 40 year-old. I might forget all about this post when I turn 40 next year.

How old are YOU??!

Weekend Blogaversary Prize Winners and Still More Prizes to be Won

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and a beautiful and blessed Resurrection Day!

I hope you are all having fun during my Blogaversary! I know I am! Since we don't usually do much for my birthday in real life, I am celebrating it vicariously through my Blogaversary - LOL!

I have some more prize winners to tell you about, but remember there are still prizes left. The party is not over yet!

The twitter-only prize of Harry & David Mint Creme Maltballs was drawn this weekend and the winner is...

@WayMoreHomemade!

Congrats to Donna!

Saturday's winner gets the 1/2 pound of Chocolate Raspberry Coffee from Javateas and the winner is...

heresmycuplord

Congrats Ginger!

Sunday's winner gets the Chocolate Apron from An Occasional Chocolate and the winner is...

The Real Me!

Congrats to Kim (who has been trying to win a giveaway on my blog for sooooo long - LOL)!

Yay for the winners! There are still 3 more prizes!! The deadline is tonight, then I will draw the last 3 winners and announce them tomorrow.

Remaining prizes are:

~ Cute set of decorative file folders from Misty Kristy Designs
~ Your choice of under $10 charm necklace from RJ Charms (and don't forget that she is offering you free shipping on any purchase over $10 if you use the code "chocolate"!)
~ Homemade biscotti (dried cranberry or double chocolate walnut) from me

See? Still great prizes left! More fun to be had! Probably even another post from me today!

Have a fabulous Monday!

He is Risen

Matthew 28:1-10

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "All hail." And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

10 Then said Jesus unto them, "Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me."

~ Verses from King James Bible


Have a blessed Resurrection Day!

9 Benefits of Blogging for a Year

In honor of blogging for a year and celebrating with my Blogaversary Party, I wanted to share the ways that blogging has benefited me. If you're a blogger, you may have experienced some of the same benefits. If you're not a blogger, you may feel encouraged to start!

The benefits (in no particular order):

#1. Sense of Community - I was not prepared for the huge community I would join when I started blogging. I consider myself a mom blogger and have found so many other moms that give me support, encouragement, information, laughs, tears, and prayers. It is a blessing to have that sense of community online. I am definitely not alone in the blogosphere!

#2. Improved Writing Skills - When I started, I was just interested in getting my thoughts written in a way that made sense. Now I carefully consider everything including title, grammar, spelling, tone, and whether the article will interest my readers. As I improve, I feel more confident in my writing abilities.

#3. Improved Photography Skills - When I was asked to share photos for my recipes, I had a difficult time. It would take me 15-20 shots and some editing to get a decent food photo. Now it takes 1-2 shots and usually no editing. My photos aren't magazine-worthy pictures, just good enough to make you drool a little!

#4. Access to Resources - When I needed information before I began blogging, I would "google" everything. Now I find that I can get much more relevant, useful information from bloggers. I often find that other bloggers have already asked and answered my questions.

#5. Time with the Lord - Because of blogging, I was exposed to many women who strongly encouraged others to spend time alone with the Lord every day. This was an area where I was falling short. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm doing much better and am so thankful and encouraged!

#6. Circle of Friends - I have made some very good friends through blogging. These aren't just casual online friends; these are friends that could show up at my door and we would hug, have a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy some chocolate together! I never know what new friends I might find!

#7. Product Review Opportunities- There are opportunities for bloggers to get sample items and review them on their blogs. This usually requires that your blog has reached a certain level of growth. Sometimes you need to sign up with a marketing company for these opportunities and sometimes you are just approached. I love being surprised with a package!

#8. New Writing Opportunities - I have had writing opportunities surface through blogging and the increase in exposure. I have been able to guest-post for other bloggers. I am currently a contributor on another site and have considered some writing jobs that I have seen. I enjoy sharing my writing with new people.

#9. Increased Computer Knowledge - I started out not knowing what HTML stood for, but now I understand it better. I have learned to work with HTML code a bit. I can also edit and upload photos and videos to my blog, which is new knowledge for me. I gain new knowledge monthly, which helps me to improve my blog.

There are several other benefits to blogging, such as maintaining a record of events for your family, keeping track of recipes and resources, encouraging others through your writing, and many more. I look forward to finding new ones as I continue blogging!

I would love to hear from you - what benefits have you experienced from blogging?

~ This post is being linked to Your Life, Your Blog at Real Life. Go and link up a post!

Another Prize Winner!

I've drawn a winner for a second prize: the DaySpring journal. The winner is...

Charlotte

Congrats Charlotte!!

Now even if you didn't win anything from DaySpring, you can still get a discount of 20% off of your entire purchase there!! They have so many lovely things! Just use the code "SPRING09".

There are still plenty of prizes left, so be sure to enter! I will give one prize away for Saturday and one for Sunday, but will announce both on Monday. The giveaways will end on Monday night 4/13 with the remaining prizes drawn at that time.

Hope you are enjoying all the Blogaversary fun!

Would You Like Chocolate With That? ~ A Year of Chocolate Fridays

I have been doing Chocolate Fridays from my first week of blogging. I knew I had to have a chocolate day. I started by just sharing recipes. Eventually I started including Mr. Linky so the rest of you could share chocolate posts. And, several months ago I had a request for photos of the chocolate, so I have done my best to provide yummy pics for you. Now I do a Dessert Friday the first Friday of every month to give those non-chocolate desserts a chance.

I thought I would categorize the chocolate recipes for you with links so you can find them all.

Beverages

Carolans Iced Cream-A-Cino
Chococarmacino
Fireside Coffee Mix
Vanilla Hot Chocolate Mix

Breads

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread

Cakes

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Chocolate Malt Ice-Cream Cake
Chocolate Toffee Cream Cake
Kahlua Cake
Mexican Chocolate Sheet Cake
S'Mores Cake

Cookies & Bars

Cake Mix Chocolate Cookies
Marble Bars
Christmas Mocha Balls
Double Delicious Cookie Bars
Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
Rich Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Toffee Cookies
Microwave Brownies
YuMMy Bars
Chocolate-Coconut Cookies
Sand Art Brownies

Desserts

Chocolate Soup
Chocolate Almond Pie
Cookies & Cream Dessert
Frozen Chocolate Mousse
Cookie Salad

Other

Chocolate Oatmeal
Chocolate Pecans

Hope you enjoy these chocolatey recipes! Thanks for sharing Chocolate Fridays with me this past year!

And now is your opportunity to link up your own chocolate post (old or new) with Mr. Linky below. You can find more info here. Please do bring some chocolate to the Party!

1 Year Blogaversary Party

**This giveaway is now closed.**

It's finally officially my Blogaversary!!! Woo Hoo!!! Welcome! Let the party begin!

What a yummy button (created just for me by Sarah at Real Life)! Doesn't that cake look delicious? Go ahead, get a big slice. You know I won't start without dessert!
And you better have some ice cream with it.

Don't worry if your mouth is full of frosting and ice cream right now - I'll do all the talking. :)

I am so excited to be here celebrating 1 year of blogging! In the blogosphere, that does seem to be an accomplishment. I do feel like I have come a long way since I started and have learned so much.

It was over a year ago when I was searching for a recipe online (it actually was the Cake-in-a-Cup recipe Sarah!) and found the blog Real Life. I loved reading Sarah's testimony. I felt we had a lot in common and that she was able to share her struggles and be encouraging at the same time. I was so glad that the Lord led me to her! I read her blog daily for a while and then really felt a pull to start blogging myself, whether anybody read it or not. I looked up resources and tips on Real Life for starting a blog. I headed over to Blogger and went for it!

Sarah was sweet enough to encourage me, comment on my blog, and answer my questions. Thanks Sarah! If you enjoy my blog, I would love for you to stop over at Real Life and thank her for inspiring me!

When I started my blog, I had already decided to post Monday thru Friday and knew some of the subjects I wanted to talk about. In the first week of blogging I wanted to know if anybody was out there, posted my first Chocolate Friday, talked about my son's ER visit, had my first Tea for Two-sday, and showed our silly Basset hound Buster.

My posts have ranged from silly ones like blogger confessions, or a newspaper clipping, to TMI posts like ugly aging and toilet seat covers, to serious posts about my mom, my son, my Step-mom and my sister. I have posted about tea rooms and teacup tales. I posted about chocolate on Fridays, often with recipes like Frozen Chocolate Mousse or Christmas Mocha Balls.

You can find out more about me by looking at 100 things, my article for The Sampler, and my Ultimate Blog Party post.

Thank you to all of my readers - those who comment and those who don't! Some of you have even become very special friends! It has been a blessing to watch the growth of this little chocolatey blog. I hope you'll join me in the journey through another year of blogging!

I know, I know - getting long here!

OK, OK - you don't have to yell - you want to know about the prizes!! LOL!

First, take a look at the Prize Preview from yesterday. It explains the prizes in detail and shows pics of all! Then stop drooling. I'll list them again for you and then I'll tell you how this will work.

#1 - Chocolate apron from An Occasional Chocolate *Won by Kim!
#2 - File folder set from Misty Kristy Designs *Won by Muthering Heights!
#3 - 1/2 pound whole bean Chocolate Raspberry Coffee from Javateas *Won by Ginger!
#4 - Charm necklace (under $10) from RJ Charms *Won by Lori Ann!
#5 - Sassy & Sophisticated Christian Journal from DaySpring *Won by Charlotte!
#6 - Starbucks Caffe Mocha Truffles from me *Won by Jen T!
#7 - Homemade Biscotti from me *Won by Mary Snyder!
**#8 - Harry & David Mondo Mint Creme Maltballs from me** *Won by @WayMoreHomemade!

Prizes will be awarded to random commenters from Thursday thru Monday 4/13. A first winner will be announced Friday morning, with daily winners after that. Final winners will be announced on Tuesday 4/14. Your comment entries count toward all prizes except **#8, which is a Twitter prize. **You must be on Twitter following me @stop4chocolate in order to receive entry instructions for prize #8!

Winners will be announced here and notified by e-mail so please make sure I have contact info for you in your comments. Winners who don't respond in 4 days will forfeit their prize and new winners will be drawn.

How to enter: Comment on this post!
How to get extra entries:
- Put my Blogaversary button on your blog or facebook
- Promote the party with a blog post, a tweet on twitter, a facebook message, e-mail, etc.
- Suscribe to my blog through a feed reader or e-mail (or tell me if you already do)
- Comment on each post now through Monday

For each extra thing you do, please leave a separate comment as your extra entry.

It's getting late as I'm writing so hopefully I haven't confused you!

~ Blogaversary Party Favors ~

* Free Shipping on any purchase over $10 at RJ Charms; use code "Chocolate"

* 20% discount on entire purchase at DaySpring; use code "SPRING09"

* I have modified your computer keyboard for you (You're welcome):

* And a chocolate bar just for you!

I hope you enjoyed the party! Thanks for coming. Bring back some friends - the more the merrier!

And come back tomorrow for a look back at the year of Chocolate Fridays and your chance to link up your own chocolate posts!