How He Speaks

"I speak to you from the depths of your being.  Hear Me saying soothing words of Peace, assuring you of My Love.  Do not listen to voices of accusation, for they are not from Me.  I speak to you in love-tones, lifting you up.  My Spirit convicts cleanly, without crushing words of shame......Since I dwell in you, you are fully equipped to be holy."  from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Mr. Football

We are in the thick of football season here.  It started July 29th with practice five nights a week during the summer.  Big commitment for a big family.

Clayton is having a great time.  He's learned life lessons that are much bigger than football.  I'm very thankful for the life lessons that can be learned in sports.  

Goal-setting and continual hard work have been two big themes.  He's learned and applied them well.

(Side note:  it's been hot at nearly every game, even yesterday's and we're into October.  And all the games start about a half-hour before E's nap time.  And the boys have to be there over an hour before game time for warm-ups.  Makes for a long day.  She's been a great little trooper.  Snacks usually keep them happy.)

They're kinda cute, huh?  They had so much fun hugging and playing in this big field before one of the games.

Warm-ups.  Clay plays starting tight end on offense.  He's a sub at defensive end for the first team.

Little cheerleaders need posters made by big brothers. :)

Tall man.  He's the second tallest and third youngest.  (The story of his life.)

More cheerleaders....maybe a goofy one!

They're 5-2 so far.

Saturdays....fun and tiring.  I'll be happy and sad when it's over.  I'd at least like to break out a jacket for one of these games.

  

4

Today, we celebrated our darling big little girl.

She is so sweet.  Brings me unbelievable loads of joy.  I LOVE watching her dance all.over.the.house.

I love her face in this photo.  And I love how tiny she looks next to those big balloons.  Her four years have flown by.  Flown by.  I wish I could hit reply.

She was so thrilled when Elena and I showed up at school pick-up with her birthday balloons.  Precious.  Love how balloons can make a little one feel so special.  I'm thinking Jesus must pass out balloons in heaven.

A princess cupcake tower.  Not what I was planning this year, but it seems to have worked!

:)

Clayton is the best big brother ever.  I mean, ever.

She mostly got fall/winter clothes for her birthday, and she modeled every piece without any prompting.  

Hello Kitty raincoat from Grandma Hawkins.

Finally....the prize winner....a Princess scooter!  She's been wanting a scooter so badly the past few weeks.  Steals off with her brothers' every chance she gets.  Now, her own!

Gabriella, how I love you.  I loved celebrating you today.  You are uniquely dear to me and I deeply and fully treasure you.

Happy 4th birthday, sweetheart.

A New School Year

Walking to the bus stop with Dad.

My 2nd grader and my 5th grader.

Can't believe the school year has begun again!

I'm not sure I'm ready this year.  We had a great summer, busier than I anticipated however.  I loved the last couple weeks that were full of picnics at the football field in the evenings while Clay practiced, later bedtimes, and late mornings.  

We finished off our summer with a day at Water Country USA, a LONG Saturday at the football field for Clay's first game.  We enjoyed Sweet Frog for lunch on Labor Day, and a last swim in the pool.  A pretty great weekend.

OK, fall, ready or not, here we come!

Noonday Blog Train

Here's the full lineup of the Noonday blog train.  Jump on board for inspiring stories of life-change and a different giveaway each day!

Aug 28 Krista Box : www.thegirlwhosaidyes.blogspot.com Aug 29 Alicia Hale : www.raisingalittlehale.blogspot.com Aug 30 Stephanie Nunes : www.nunespartyofthree.blogspot.com Aug 31 Natalie Perry : www.perrysplate.com Sept 1 Laura Walton : www.runningwithapurpose.blogspot.com Sept 2 Amy Armstrong : www.lovingandlivinghisway.blogspot.com Sept 3 Cara Coleman : www.thefrontporchramblings.net Sept 4 Lilly Neubauer : www.pancakesandbeetjuice.com Sept 5 Cynthia Coppinger : www.cynthiacoppinger.blogspot.com Sept 6 Kristine Shafer : www.kristineshafer.com Sept 7 Desiree Thompson : www.hannahjamesblog.com Sept 8 Carmen Jonas : www.primroseandolive.tumblr.com Sept 9 Amanda Cobb : www.thecobbfamilyflys.blogspot.com Sept 10 Liz Sanchez : www.lizsanchez-insidemyhead.blogspot.com Sept 11 Kristan Roland : www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com Sept 12 Tesney Davis : www.oureyesopened.org Sept 13 Aimee Bell : www.raindropsonrosesblog.wordpress.com Sept 14 Annette Miller : http://mrsmiller2012.blogspot.com
Sept 15 Brandi Mendenhall : www.thefairtradefashionistas.wordpress.com Sept 16 Wynne Elder : theelderadventurers.com Sept 17 Jenna Beaugh : www.eatliverun.com Sept 18 McCall Aldridge : www.leemeandthegirls.blogspot.com Sept 19 Emily Hays : www.emilyhays.blogspot.com Sept 20 Lindsay Chambers : www.myvisionsofsugarplums.blogspot.com Sept 21 Elizabeth Bricknell : www.elizabethbricknell.blogspot.com Sept 22 Heather Keehn : www.teamkeehn.blogspot.com Sept 23 Katie Eller : www.cardiganway.com Sept 24 Candace McArthur : www.agirlwithredshoes.wordpress.com Sept 25 Jennifer Arnett : www.thestatewerein.com Sept 26 Emily Tilsen : www.lifeunfabled.blogspot.com Sept 27 Sara Mixon : www.mixonmania.blogspot.com Sept 28 Melonie Grover : www.veryeasilyinspired.com Sept 29 Carrie Glanzer : www.themotherspearls.com Sept 30 Debra Rice : www.turquoiseandlove.blogspot.com

And don't forget, I'm doing a giveaway here too!  Check out my previous post for details!

Fall Launch and a GIVEAWAY!!

I'm so excited that the Noonday Collection fall/winter line is here!!  To celebrate its arrival, I'm doing a GIVEAWAY!!

All I want you to do is check out my website (try not to drool) and comment below with your absolute favorite, must-have pieces!

You can win a $50 gift card to purchase whatever you love most!

Could it be this?

You won't believe the amazing, heart-warming feeling you will get when you share that your necklace was made my HIV+ women who now have a sense of dignity or a widow struggling to care for her babies.

Or that families in Guatemala are able to send their children to school because they can finally afford the school fees.

You guys, we are all connected.  Our artisans are not nameless, faceless people.  They share so many of the same dreams that you and I take for granted; a safe home, clean water, nutritious food, and quality education for their children.

You will look fashionable and create a pathway out of poverty for the 1,000 artisans that Noonday currently employs.  Their stories are truly stories of redemption.

Wear their story, share their story.
When you satisfy the needs of the oppressed, your night will become like the noonday.  Isaiah 58:10

*Contest ends September 15, 11:59 pm*

Thomas's Baptism

August 18, 2013

York River, Yorktown, Virginia

On Sharing the Faith

My father-in-law writes devotionals each weekday.  This is today's.  I feel exactly the same way.

“The Call to Christian Discipleship”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” (Romans 1:16, KJV).

This past Sunday evening, my wife and I had one of the most incredible experiences, when we got to watch our youngest grandson be baptized in the York river, in York, Virginia.  We have been blessed to see all of our grandchildren be baptized, after they have made a public profession of their faith, and personally accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. 

Sunday evening was special, because our grandson had attended Vacation Bible School at our church earlier in the summer, and had also made his profession of faith during Sunday school, the following Sunday.  It was great to see the confident smile on his face, and it was an equal blessing to see the huge smile on his big brother’s face as well.  You could tell he was as happy for his little brother as any one person could be. 

However, the biggest blessing came when just before the baptism, our grandson’s Sunday school teacher let everyone know that he and his big brother had shared with their Sunday school classmates what it took to become a Christian, and that one of the other boys in their class accepted Christ that day.  The other boy was also baptized Sunday evening! 

A seven-, and ten-year old boy led another young boy to Christ- -how amazing is our Lord!  When was the last time you shared your faith with a friend who was not a Christian?  Who knows what God has in store for you and the other person!

 “Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,” (Matthew 19:14, TNIV).

Mukisa Necklace

Layers of storm hued blues form a color blocked necklace fit for your neck! Versatile and fun!

Handmade by African Style, a group that Noonday Collection helped launch in Uganda.

84" long. Composed of handcrafted paper beads and brass beads. Handle with care. 

Original Price $46

Now $32

Glitch

Hey Noonday Shoppers,

For some reason, when you scroll through my sample sale posts, it won't show the last four items.  Please click the item you are interested in on the Blog Archive at the right.
Also, if you're viewing my blog on your mobile device, click "View Web Version" or you won't be able to access the Blog Archive and therefore, won't see all the items.

Frustrating.  Sorry for the trouble.

Threaded Garden Cuff

Eye-catching thread in bright spring tones embellish this uniquely shaped golden cuff.

Handmade by a fair trade artisan group in India that creates avenues of employment for the economically disadvantaged.

3.25"L. Composed of: Brass, Thread. 

Regular Price $34

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $27.20

HOSTESS PRICE $24.48

NOW $17

Olivia Bracelet

Funky African market fabric wrapped around a wooden bangle.

Handmade by African Style, a group that Noonday Collection helped launch in Uganda.

2.75" Diameter. Composed of: African Market Fabric over Wood. 

Regular Price $20

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $9.99

HOSTESS PRICE $9.99

NOW $9.00

Escalera Block Bracelet

Individually carved steps of tagua in a bold color blocked pattern.

This piece is handcrafted of sustainable seeds by artisans in Ecuador. It takes 3 months for the seed to become a bead. The artisans have been able to rise out of poverty and now employ other community members with the same vision!

1.25" wide adjustable. Composed of tagua seeds. Handle with care.

Regular Price $36

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $24.00

HOSTESS PRICE $21.60

NOW $20

Poetic Macrame Necklace

A necklace for your inner artist--upcycled artillery beads strung from cherry red macramé.

This piece is handmade in Ethiopia using recycled nickel, copper, and bronze melted down from previous war weapons. Most of the artisans who created the pieces are HIV positive and receive healthcare and literacy training in addition to job training.

24"L. Composed of: Thread, Upcycled Metal and Artillery.

Regular Price $52

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $41.60

HOSTESS PRICE $37.44

NOW $34

Floating Triangles Necklace

A bold statement that will be sure to have you wearing and sharing our story.

This piece is handmade in Ethiopia using recycled nickel, copper, and bronze melted down from previous war weapons. Most of the artisans who created the pieces are HIV positive and receive healthcare and literacy training in addition to job training.

33" long. Composed of upcycled metal and artillery. Metal will antique with wear and time. Handle with care. 

Regular Price $62.00

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $49.60

HOSTESS PRICE $44.64

NOW $40.00

Fiesta Cups, Red & White, Set of 2

Fill these handpainted cups with flowers, your favorite drink, pencils, or candy. They coordinate perfectly with our tea towel collection. Cups come in a set of 2.

Hand painted by an artisan group in Kashmir, a traditionally oppressed area in India. The producers are paid a decent wage for their work, working conditions are safe and a good standard and no children are exploited.

4.75" in height. Composed of handpainted on food safe and cat 65 certified and stainless steel. Handle with care. 

Regular Price $25

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $20

HOSTESS PRICE $18

NOW $12.50

Wola Noni Bowls, Set of 3

These innovative range of bowls come in a set of three and are perfect for your desk, window sill, side table, and more. Each bowl takes up to 4 hours to make by hand. They are created out of recycled magazines by a craft project in South Africa that focuses on the needs of HIV+ women and their children. Their services aim to ease the burden of HIV by enabling people living with the virus to respond positively and attain the skills to develop their own coping strategies. Small bowl approx 4-1/4" in diameter; medium bowl approx. 5" in diameter; large bowl approx. 6-3/4" in diameter.

For decorative purposes only. Not for food use – could contaminate food.

To clean, wipe with dry cloth. Not dishwasher safe.

Regular Price $38

SAMPLE SALE PRICE $30.40

HOSTESS PRICE $27.36

NOW $19

Sample Sale RULES

Welcome to my Noonday Collection online summer sample sale!  Many of these items are top sellers and I love them dearly, but because each item is handmade, we only have a limited quantity and these items have sold out or will soon.  I have about 10 items, set to be published at 8:00 pm EST on Thursday, August 1st.  (Hostesses will be able to purchase 24 hours earlier.)

Here's how it will work:

• Each item will be posted separately.
• Each item will be tagged as "necklace", "bracelet", etc.  If you are looking for a specific item, please click on the appropriate tag on the right.
• All items are from my samples, so they are sold in "as is" condition.  I will note if there are any known defects.  I will not accept returns on sample sale items.  All sales are final.  (Since I'm a new Ambassador, all of my items are in "like new" condition.  A few have never been worn or handled.)
• If you want to purchase an item, please leave a comment with your e-mail address.  If you want multiple items, leave a comment on each item.
• FIRST COMMENT "WINS"!
• If you see an item that you want, but it has an e-mail address in the comments, go ahead and leave a comment with your e-mail address as that will serve as a "waiting list" if the first person doesn't make their payment in the allotted time.
• After commenting, I will e-mail you an invoice via paypal.  You can pay for the item via paypal or credit/debit card through paypal.
• You MUST pay for the item within 24 hours of receiving the invoice or I will re-post the item for sale.
• I will leave all items up until payment has been received.  I will remove the item once payment has been received.
• If you need your item shipped, I will add $4.00 to your invoice to cover shipping costs.
• E-mail me at carrie.hawkins2013@gmail.com if you have any questions or specific directions for me.

Thanks so much!

www.carriehawkins.noondaycollection.com

First Day of Summer

Friday was our first full day of summer vacation.  We had a pretty good day.  Got kind of a late start....which is a lovely way to start summer break, I do believe.  After a scattered breakfast, we walked to the park and spent a good hour plus there.  The weather was amazing.  Had a fairly awful storm the night before, but the aftermath was crisp, dry air with temps in the mid 70's.  It's funny to observe the kids.  Clayton took his basketball and played most of the time, breaking twice to swing.  Thomas swung almost the whole time we were there.  And the girls ran back and forth from the swings to the playground, but definitely spent more time running up the stairs and venturing down the slides.  I squeezed a little workout in while we were there.  No pictures.  The dog decided to knock my phone off the breakfast bar this week while I was taking Gaby to the bathroom and now my camera won't work.  I have no idea what would have been so intriguing about a phone to a dog....or even how he knew it was up there.  I guess it smelled like bacon.

Water Water Everywhere!

Friday night at the pool!  So fun!  We took dinner: sandwiches, watermelon, and chips, and swam, swam, swam.  Great fun and an awesome perk of living in our neighborhood.

This kid is a fish!  He's kinda hard to supervise in the pool because you can hardly ever find him underwater!

Big bro and littlest sis.  Love how much fun they have together.

This girl LOVED her pink "babing" suit and the pool even had pink noodles.  She coulda died and gone to heaven.

New flip flops.  Same cute toes. :)

The very next day, they enjoyed the water again.  Sprinkler fun!

Seriously, she is too cute.

 All the water play really got me excited that summer is here.