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.

Home Musings and A Recap

Hmmm....gosh....where to start.  My blogging has only gotten worse.  Personally, I blame Facebook.  I can't do both.  Just can't seem to swing it.  So...I either blog, which some people enjoy or I FB, which some other people enjoy.  Forget both.  And I totally love and hate FB at the exact same time.  It is a great way to keep up with people, but somehow it does seem to get addictive.  I hate even the thought of being addicted to anything.  I think my aim then, my personal goal, is to blog more and FB less, but neither exclusively.

I've missed blogging two of my kids' birthdays this spring.  The birthday blog used to be sacred.  Gotta make that up, but to me, it feels insignificant, having missed the day.  Sorry Clay and Elena.  I think I'm gonna still do your posts, but they'll be way late.  Sorry babes.

So we've lived here nine months tomorrow.  Ronnie and I have talked this week about how it still doesn't feel like home.  I'm not sure of the reasons.  I can guess, but who knows?  Seven years in one place is a long time, especially when you grew to love it.  So then to start over?  Hard.  And maybe doomed to failure?  I know it's been nice to see family more often living here.  And my parents are moving next week and turning 70 this summer....big transitions....nice to be close by for the big moments.  But the day-to-day grind still feels like that....a grind.  We like our house, but it hasn't taken on a "homey" feel for us.  (Probably has something to do with the not user-friendly landlords we have.)  Ronnie thinks no place may feel like home again until we've lived there longer than we lived in Vegas.  I kinda hope not since I don't see us staying in one place that long again (until retirement).  I'm sorta just thinking that God does amazing work in the desert.  Where it's hot and dry and you're thirsty....He shows up in powerful ways.  We experienced huge spiritual growth in our lives while there.  Maybe that's why the lush climate of Tidewater VA just can't compare.  (We also had three babies there, amazing, supportive friends [non-military for the first time], a church we deeply loved, and ministries we were invested in.)

But....I also think it takes a considerable amount of time to even sort of like a place.  I mean, I hated....excuse me....HATED.....Vegas the first year we lived there.  I don't hate it here.  It just doesn't feel like home and I've called VA home since I was 8 years old.  So maybe, for me, nine months just isn't long enough.  Only time will tell.  I confess, I'm curious how things will look in the rear view.

In another news....the boys have been exhausting to parent for the last couple weeks....for different reasons. Gaby is very particular and always walking on the verge of drama.  Is it really possible that a two year-old is the most stable child being in the house??  Yes, it's possible.

The puppy was neutered yesterday and I started a serious three month plan to drop the extra pounds I've been carrying for far too long.  Oh, and 10 days of school left.

I think you're all caught up now.  :)

Change and Prep

I'm making some much needed changes to this space.  (Nevermind that my header photo is still quite outdated....sigh.  It's a fave and I have so few photos of all of us....even all of them.)  I'm also preparing to come back.  I miss this space.  I miss documenting life here to look back on one day.  I'm determined to figure out how to manage it all, so I can spend some time here.

See you soon!

My New Role

Dear Family and Friends,

I am so excited to announce my partnership as an Ambassador with Noonday Collection!  Noonday offers a line of distinctive, handmade jewelry, accessories, and home goods that provide a pathway out of poverty for men and women around the world.  

Noonday's mission aligns perfectly with my heart.  While feeling certain about my role as a stay-at-home mom, I desperately wanted to get involved in the cause to alleviate global poverty and the orphan crisis.  I feel that God has called me to this role.  (Trust me when I say that "business owner" is not a title I ever thought I'd wear!)  I'm chasing after Him and excited to see where He leads.  I'd love to have you join me!

Save the date!  My first trunk show is scheduled for Tuesday, April 30th, from 10:00 am-12:00 pm and from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm.  It will be a casual, open-house style gathering at my home.  Come check out the goods, learn the transformative stories behind each piece, and order (just in time for Mother's Day!)  Bring a friend or two!  Everyone is welcome!  

If you're ready for more, reply to this e-mail to schedule your own trunk show!  You can style your friends while making a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable populations....plus, you get free fun stuff!  Or if you (or someone you know) are in the process of adopting, Noonday Collection will give you 10% in cash towards your adoption.

Check out my website (www.carriehawkins.noondaycollection.com) to read Noonday's full story and my bio.  You won't believe how beautiful the story is or how gorgeous the pieces are!  Host a show or purchase with love to become part of the Noonday story too!  

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Blessings,

Carrie

"When you satisfy the needs of the oppressed, your night will become like the noonday."  Isaiah 58:10

A Definition, A Favorite, and Growing Big

This girl.

Earlier this week, we were looking at a Curious George book together.  One particular page was about jobs.  There was a dancer.  Of course, she would know what the job was of this lady dressed in a tutu and all.  I asked, "Gaby, what does she do?  What's her job?"  

Her answer, "She's tutuing!"

Love.

And she's loving counting everything these days.  Today it was pretend fruits and vegetables from pretend gardens all over our house.  (Fun!)  She says eleventeen.  I love it and I just don't want to correct it.

She makes my life so fun.

She's growing up so much.  We've made a lot of big changes in her little world over the past month or so.  She's sleeping in a big girl bed....and it's kinda pink....and she kinda loves it!  She was ready about the time we were moving and when we tried to transition Clay when we moved from Italy to Vegas, it turned into an eight-month nightmarish transition.  She's been sleeping in a toddler bed (not a crib) since we moved, but now, the real deal.  Love seeing her snuggled up in that big bed every afternoon and night.

And we successfully stopped her thumb-sucking habit that she began when she was three-months old.  Her teeth were kinda jacked up from it.  The dentist recommended this gadget called a thumb guard.  We ordered it.  Used it everyday (nap and nighttime) for just under 30 days.  It appears, she's kicked this habit.     Only the first night was hard.  She did so well.  Very thankful (if maybe a little sad....she's just always sucked her thumb.)

Finally, and most importantly, she's fully potty-trained!!  Hoo-ray!!!  She's been bladder trained for almost a year, but we couldn't get #2 down.  She's suffered from chronic constipation issues since she was tiny, and getting her to poop (at all)  at times has been difficult.  I really thought we might not ever get there....to the promised land....poop in the potty.  After (almost) 40 years of wandering, we did it! :)