Small Business Giveaway

To enter the giveaway, please scroll down to the Rafflecopter portion. Enter to win all of the items or just the ones you prefer!  This giveaway will end on June 15th!  Winners will be notified via email. 

Also, please check out Good Natured Gourmet. I have a giveaway of a free bag of Good Natured Cookie Mix from another blog post. There is a separate Rafflecopter for that so click here to enter.

Giveaway Items:

Origami Owl Custom Jewelry 

Win a Mini Gold Crystal Origami Owl Locket. Comes with a gold ballstation chain and a Love charm and a puffy pink heart charm.  Origami Owl-Independent Designer, Elizabeth Hermesch.

 Hearts and Chances:

Offering this "Try Something New Today" print.  Winner will be emailed the print and can print it off as many times as you would like. 

 Beach Body Brunette:

Carolyn is an Independent Beachbody Coach and has provided the giveaway with Shakeology products.*Win 2 packets of Chocolate Shakeology & 1 packet of Greenberry Shakeology

Julie's Creation Station:

A pink cameo necklace has been provided for the giveaway. 

Melinda's Gift and Jewelry:

This Leather Wrapped Bohemian Bracelet is handmade with Red Mountain Jade hand stitched between a Greek brown leather cord. Melinda has added a Nickel Heart Shank button as the clasp. This bracelet can adjust to two wrist sizes. This bracelet is sized to fit a 7-7.5

 Breanna Eisler Photography

Winner will receive a free mini session (30) minute session no more than 3 people at one of the following locations Freestone Park, Layton Lakes, Desert Breeze Park or the Gilbert Riparian Institute.. You'll receive a photo disk of at least 45 images for $65 ...for additional individuals add 15$ per person.  (ONLY ENTER if you are an AZ resident & have read the above info)

It Works! Get your skinny back, by Kelsey

Kelsey is giving away 2 wraps from It Works! The way the wraps work is through the process of lipolysis which breaks up the fat molecules and pushes out the toxins. Until you put the fat and the toxins back in your cells your results will stay. Results can be permanent. Any skin and stretch mark changes are permanent. A full treatment is 4 wraps. Not everyone needs a full treatment and some need many treatments.

 Loving Loops and Ties

Win a free custom hat! Check out all the cute crocheted hats for inspiration.

Oh My Magnets

Enter to win a set of magnets and a pocket mirror.

 Ryderbug

Get 4 Daisy Flower Clips from Ryderbug.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Also wanted to mention the Pin Pal Exchange. "Get Busy Living" pairs up people to be Pin Pals and you send a Pinterest-Inspired gift to one another. For details click the link:   Pinterest Pal Exchange . Sign up by Saturday!

**Brand new series: Photo-A-Day Challenge  focuses on taking photographs each day to show what you are thankful for. Please join us!

Photo-A-Day Challenge: JUNE

~Family, Life, Love, Hope, Laughter~

There's a lot to be thankful for...

Join me as we journey through each day taking snapshots of what brings joy to our lives.  Focus on taking one photograph every day. It is great to look back and see that there is always something to be thankful for!

Every week, I would like us to link-up on my blog and share a weeks worth of photographs that captured what you love. Start snapping that camera tomorrow! 

If you share this challenge on your own blog, feel free to reference "Get Busy Living" so your friends can join in too!

*First link-up will be June 8th!

If you do not have a blog and would like to share your Photo-A-Day photos, you can do so on my Get Busy Living FB page.

"I love photography. I love inspiration. I love finding beauty in every day things." 

-Elizabeth Hermesch ("Get Busy Living" blogger)

JUNE Pin Pal Exchange {May Participants-Link Up!}

                                           

PIN PAL EXCHANGE

Whose ready to get crafty and creative? 

Whose ready to make some new friends?

Sign up by Saturday!!!
 

Oh my goodness! I was in the middle of coming up with ideas on how to get together with some girlfriends.  And I had the brilliant idea of a Pinterest Party.  But then came another, even more brilliant idea... a Pinterest Pal Exchange!
                                          
Every month, I pair up ladies all over the United States to be Pin Pals.  They write to their pal and get to know each other during the month. At the end of the month they mail a Pinterest-inspired gift.

I have come across some amazing women that live out of state through this. The best part is receiving encouragement from my pal, and getting a box of goodies that makes my day even more special. Plus, it is a great way to actually do the Pinterest crafts that we always say we are ONE DAY going to try!

Please review all rules and info HERE. Email me to sign up. Please provide your name, what state you live in, and if you have a blog please provide a link (if you don't blog, you can still sign up!). EHERMESCH@GMAIL.COM

May Participants: Link-Up your blog post about the Pin Pal Exchange below

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs! {Toddler Tuesday}

This week I focused on teaching my 2 year old about bugs.  He has become intrigued by them. My little man will also shout out, "EW! Dirty Bugs...Dirty!" It is the most hilarious thing to hear, and his scrunched up nose expression is priceless. 

To jump-start Bug Week, Joshua and I went to our nearby resource center that had a bug day for kids.  Joshua  loved finding plastic insects in the mound of spaghetti noodles. It was his first time using kid tweezers.  I highly recommend trying them out for your toddler because they help with fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination.  Little Man had a tough time understanding how to pick up the bugs with the tweezers...something I will continue to work with him on. 

There was also a playdoh table with insect cookie cutters. We tried to make butterflies, snails, and caterpillars out of playdoh.  Little Man spent 75% of the time playing at this table.  It was also his first time playing with playdoh (horrible mom here...but originally thought Playdoh was better for kids ages 3 and up...I was wrong. Even 2 year olds enjoy it!). 

As you've heard from other Toddler Tuesday posts, any time I can find something my son has a love for I try to encourage it.  He has gone through a music phase, alphabet phase, bubbles, and now really enjoys Playdoh. So I made a trip to the store and bought him some. We also have a home-educator that visits Joshua twice a month to make sure he's on the right track developmentally and ready for preschool.  She came over yesterday and we made playdoh. Again, bad mommy/teacher here because I have NEVER made playdoh in my life.  Oops. It is really easy to make and is more cost efficient.

One day, I scattered Joshua's plastic bugs around the house and had a Bug Hunt.  Joshua ran around collecting all the buggers and put them in the "bug house".  *On a side note: I hate these bugs!  Joshua leaves them all over the house, making me do a second-glance because they look so real.  I think I'll have to "free" these buggers someday soon... I also get a kick out of the fact that Joshua will come over and poke me with these critters to scare me.  Such a boy.

I completely forgot I had these felt bugs lying around. At the last minute yesterday, I snapped a photo and wanted to include this in the post.  Joshua had found these in a teaching box a few months back and I was thinking why in the world he would want them.  It's amazing how kids naturally gravitate towards something and play with it in their own way. I've seen my son stick these on the side of my bed since the felt sticks to the bed comforter. He has also lined them up on the floor and the couch. 

You can't go wrong with themed learning. As a former kindergarten teacher every day was focused on themes. Every day we did activities to promote the alphabet and numbers. The class also had a full week of an apple unit, space unit, farm unit, and all about dinosaurs.  It was a blast!  That is basically what I want to focus on here for Toddler Tuesdays for awhile--doing themed toddler units.  I will also focus on favorite children's books and come up with activities to go along with the book. So stay tuned!

My Life through Lyrics: Part 1

Have you ever listened to a song that takes you back to a certain time? Thinking about old-time lyrics that meant something to me in my past. So as I contemplate what songs that have "spoken" to me, I have come to the conclusion that I have to do a tribute completely to MxPx.  Their music got me through some tough years.

Seriously, still gotta love MxPx. My brother, Andy, first introduced the music to me when I was a kid. Those were good memories of having something in common with my brother. About 15 years ago, it was the first thing I found out that I had in common with Dale (my hubby).  My brother and Dale took me to my first-ever MxPx concert when I was a teen. The "Life in General" songs completely reflect how I felt during my school days. As I listen to their old stuff it brings back so many memories of sitting in my room and trying to figure out life.

Tomorrow's Another Day

"And time stands still when no one understands you
When you don't quite understand yourself
But just know this that God is faithful
Even if you don't have faith yourself"

My Mom Still Cleans My Room

"I'm getting older day by day
Ain't got time to get to everything
Hold on tight, enjoy the ride
Life is short, so live it wisely"

Doing Time

"You gotta stick together
with who you are and who you know
You gotta remember
Where you've been and where you wanna go"

Also, if you need some good pick-up lines, MxPx has some good ones in their lyrics.  Hubby tried to use these on me back in the day, but too bad I knew where they came from! HA!

For example:

"Can I call you sweetheart or even baby doll?
If I had your number, you'd be getting a phone call
Can I leave you a message on your machine?
Letting you know that you're the bomb
And you blew up on me" 

-From the song "Do your Feet Hurt?"

 

My Life Through Lyrics: To Be Continued....

A letter to you

Dear Readers,

When I got back into the blogging world, I didn’t realize the impact it would have on my life. Blogging has given me a new-found purpose—to go out of my comfort zone, to focus on more worthwhile things, and to reach out to others.

Waking up every morning to write has given me a positive start to each day. I am grateful to those that read my posts. Every single comment brightens up my day.  It is the weirdest thought to know that some strangers get a closer glimpse into my life than those who I call family or friends (those that don't read my blog).

There are times in my life when I deal with bouts of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. This has been my way to conquer the struggles of life and to overcome it with writing. I have said this before but writing has been very therapeutic. At times, when my brain and heart cannot wrap itself around something, writing has opened up my eyes more. It's like a window to the soul.




Thank you to those that encourage, have a kind word to say, those that ask me questions to make me dig deeper, and to those that are with me on this journey we call life.

Love,
Elizabeth

Memorial Day Tribute

I personally want to say Thank You to all the those who have fallen, those who have served, and for those that continue to fight for our freedom.  There are no words to truly express the gratitude I have in my heart.

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

Sweet Delight Photography

I am not the type of woman to call myself a “Military Wife”, I am not married to the military, I am married to a man who just happens to be in the military.  But, I must admit, being married to a man in the military does have its quirks…

I met my husband through a mutual friend; honestly, we met through Facebook!  He was currently deployed in Afghanistan, but my girlfriend insisted we would be “perfect for each other.”  Little did I know one “friend request” would change my life as I knew it.

A few weeks of e-mails and chatting went on, and then Will mentioned he would be going on a two week R&R in about three months.  I was bold, and asked if he wanted to meet while he was on his leave.  He liked the idea.   Months crept by, but the day we would finally meet came.  I walked out of the gate and there he was.  The rest, as they say…was history…

Three and a half years together, two years married, and a one year old baby girl named Anastyn, and here we are, stationed in Hawaii as one little happy family.

My husband is an aviation structural mechanic (AM) in the Navy.  Deployments are rough, of course I miss him, and sometimes worry, but I knew what his job entailed when we met, and I support him through it, just as he supports me.  To be here with him I left a really great job at a large medical facility and moved over 4,000 miles away from my family, but, I’ve gained so much.  He supports me in my pursuit of my Masters, and eventually, my R.N., and gives me the luxury of being able to stay home to raise our daughter.

When he’s gone we do our best to stay in touch through e-mails, phone calls and occasionally, Skype.   It’s not ideal, but we make it work!  Don’t pity me or any other spouse; we get what many do not get but once – that first kiss.  I get that first kiss every time he returns.  One of my favorite quotes:  “The worst part of life is waiting.  The best part of life is having something worth waiting for” – Jessica Brumley

Top 3 rules of being the wife of a man in the military:

1.      If you schedule it, he will go – on deployment. 
2.      When he leaves, it will break.  All of it.
3.      Do not go to the commissary on pay day – heck, avoid it that whole week if you can!

So far I have been lucky.  The only thing my husband has missed so far is 2 birthdays (mine), 1 Thanksgiving, 1 pre-baby Christmas, and 2 New Year’s.  He missed a few months of my pregnancy, but he was there for the birth of our daughter, her first Christmas, and this past Sunday, he was there for her first birthday.

Many spouses go months and years without seeing their husbands, some say good-bye to their husbands for the last time when they board that plane.  I stand by my husband and am proud of all of his accomplishments, and thankful for his service and for all the other men and women out there who serve, and have served, to keep us free.  I just hope that this Memorial Day everyone recognizes that it’s not just a day off work to BBQ and go to the beach, it’s a day to remember and give thanks to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and for us.

-Lindsay

When I was 18 years old, I left home for boot camp. Nothing can quite prepare you for Marine Corps boot camp. That right there is a little slice of hell on earth. But nothing prepares as well or as needed for deployment to war as effectively as Marine Corps training. My entire time I was in Iraq, whether it was flying by helicopter by night across the Al Anbar province, convoying across Fallujah at night, or encountering enemy fire in Ramadi, I never once feared for my life in Iraq. I didn't let the thought enter my mind.

But looking back, I am amazed at the things I experienced in war, and look in awe at what my brothers and sisters in the military do on a daily basis all across the world. It's a special breed that serves in our modern military, and I am proud to have been a part of it. Not a day goes by where I don't have a moment of gratefulness to be alive, and subsequently have a moment of pause and reflection for those who didn't make it back, regardless of what war it was. I pray for their souls and the families they left behind. 

This Memorial Day, every Memorial Day, should serve as a reminder to what we should really feel and experience every single day: awe, respect and gratefulness to those who paid the ultimate price. God bless.

Sgt. Daniel J Redding
USMC

The military was always something I thought other people did. I never thought I would be one day marrying a Marine. 

As a military wife, I learned things I never knew about myself. I learned you have to be ready for anything at all times, because you just never know what the next challenge will be. I surrounded myself with some great ladies and a church who banded together and helped each other. Cooking meals, babysitting when husbands would be gone for weeks, keeping up with uniforms, events on base to go to...it was an ongoing job for military families. Finding those that had been "in" for a while helped because they seemed to know what to do and the most efficient way to get it done.

The nine years my husband served in the Marine Corps brought some of the proudest moments of my life and some of the hardest. The day we found out we were expecting our first child, my husband was notified he was being deployed to Iraq. Needless to say, that situation was not planned to happen that way, but we were forced to adapt and overcome. Missing the birth of our first daughter, the nine months of him being away, adjusting to life after he got back- its all been a growth experience. There are times that were taken away from our family and given to the corps. My husband heard his daughter's first cry over my cell phone. Military wives seemed to know "it comes with the territory", and it was just another thing I'd need to adjust to. Recruiting duty for 3 years brought another set of new challenges that we met head on. 

About 10 months ago, we left the Marine Corps, but I am very thankful to everyone who serves and keeps making sacrifices for our country on a daily basis. 

-Stephanie