Children's Nativity Scene

With Christmas just around the corner, our house is completely decked out! Those are Billy's words, not mine! But we have everything up. It looks beautiful. :)



And the newest addition to our decorations, this cute Nativity Scene that my parents bought the kids. It's "Child Friendly." And just perfect. In fact, my parents read to the kids tonight. From their "Children's Bible." And all 3 of our kids held tight to a few pieces. I can see this set getting used plenty while they are growing up! Definitely an addition to our holiday traditions.

~Manders

Winners

I just had Lauren draw a winner for our giveaway. It was #246, my friend Anna Marie. And I felt a little guilty. So we drew again. And our winner is #248, Stephanie. Yay! And don't worry, I'm still giving Anna Marie the same prize. I just felt guilty since I know her!

And I guess I'm in the giving mood. You know, with Christmas just around the corner! So Stephanie, just send me an e-mail so I can get your prize out to you before Christmas. To everyone who entered, thanks! I promise I'll do another giveaway in the future.

~Manders

The Lovebirds

My little sister, Lizzy, joined the "Blog World." She has the cutest little blog! And I think everyone should go and take a look. Honestly, it's cute! She is blogging a lot about clothes. Fashion is definitely her passion. She works in a little boutique, in our hometown!

Oh, and my little sister is also a "Newlywed." I'm sure she'll have plenty of funny stories to tell. Go take a look and give her a little love. Or just a small welcome. Love you Lizzy! And I really do love your blog!

~Manders

Snowman

I might just have to try and make one of these cute Snowmen. Another great pattern from Free Crochet. I wish they would have made it available sooner. I would have loved to make this for our house. But as Billy just told me, I can make it and leave it up until Spring. I just might have to do that! :)

~Manders

She Dreams of Pink Christmas Trees

If you're looking for my giveaway, it's right here. Also stop by my friend Lola's giveaway and Mrs. S's giveaway.

Now on to today's blog post...

We're home. Be it for just a few days. But we are home! Hooray! And earlier when my kiddos were napping, I was doing a bit of online browsing. and trying to get some holiday shopping done. We're not going to talk about the fact that my kids don't have an presents yet. Or why we just bought a Christmas tree. No, we're not going to talk about it...

Billy was trying to get our Christmas tree into the stand and upright. It smelled so beautiful! I love fresh cut trees. And Miss Lauren sleepily walked into the family room. I was on the sofa. Like I said, trying to get some holiday stuff done. And I have to admit it, I was looking for some Christmas decoration inspiration. :)

Well, Lauren spotted this Christmas tree. I tried to post a picture, but I couldn't. So I posted the link. I do have to admit it, it's beautiful. And magical. But I don't think Billy would be too excited about a pink Christmas tree. I'm also positive that our fresh tree wouldn't glow in the same way either.

But Miss Lauren was so enchanted with the idea of a pink Christmas tree. And after a google search, I could see her little eyes twinkling. My little girl wanted a pink Christmas tree. This picture, it just took her over the top. I think the small size had her the most excited!



The next thing I knew, she was running across the room to her Daddy. Telling him all about the pink Christmas trees. And how she wanted one. Billy got this defeated look on his face. Probably because he had wrestled with our Christmas tree for over 2 hours. This HUGE tree that will probably take 2 days to decorate.

Before I knew it, the two of them were coming up with a "deal." Yes, Billy was on his laptop searching for pink Christmas trees. One thing to note, we live in a small town. Not too many big stores around. Beyond Target, Wal-Mart, and Hobby Lobby we don't have a big selection of Christmas decorations. But don't fret. They found one at Wal-Mart.

Billy got on the phone. And he managed to get one put on hold. Yes, we went to Wal-Mart. For the most precious 3 or 4 foot pink Christmas tree. Lauren picked out a few ornaments. Then we headed to Target. We found some really cute ornaments there too. Our last stop was at Hobby Lobby. For some pink twinkle lights. and a tree skirt.

By the time we got home, because we had to eat dinner before going shopping, we were all tired. Lauren and the twins fell asleep, in the car, on the drive home. And as we got the kids ready for bed, Lauren asked to have all her bags in her room. She nicely stacked everything. Billy managed to take out the lights and plug them in. As I type, my little princess is sleeping soundly. Her pink twinkle lights are wrapped around her princess vanity.

It really is the sweetest thing. We don't spoil our kids. Honestly we don't. But with all of this traveling, and our failure to actually decorate, and get ready for the holiday, we felt like Lauren deserved a little tree. It honestly didn't cost too much. I'm pretty sure that the tree was $15, the lights were $10 (we bought 5 strands), and all the ornaments were under $20.

But to see her so happy, that was worth it. And this is a treat that she can have for years! Lauren is one of those little girls, that just loves to decorate her room for all the holidays. And for Billy, I'm pretty sure that had Lauren really wanted a big pink Christmas tree, he would have figured it out. Probably spray painted our Christmas tree or something.

Those were our adventures. That all came after a morning filled with traveling. We're home. For a few days. But we're home. Tomorrow Lauren has her dance class. That will give me some time to go shopping. And I'm sure our afternoon and evening will be filled with decorating our house. I'm really excited!

But I should get going. I'm falling asleep. Don't forget to enter my giveaway, and Lola's, and Mrs. S's. I actually bought one of Mrs. S's scarves for myself. It's a pink scarf, all different colors of pink. It's really a beautiful scarf, and so soft. They're silk! So I'll be entering her giveaway to try and win another one too. :)

~Manders

Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day

Welcome to my blog new friends! And old friends, I bet you can guess what I'm going to be giving away today.



Yes, you guessed it. Yarn, crochet hooks, and even a crochet book. Because I desperately want someone to have as much fun, as I'm having crocheting. It's not tough at all. And it makes me think, that I should have tried this a long time ago!

But I want for someone to learn something new. And to have some fun. Oh, and I really like the color of this yarn. I think it would just make a perfect scarf. Or hat. It's super soft too!

All you have to do is leave me a comment, telling me about a great holiday craft for kids. I've got 3 kids. So I need all the help keeping them both entertained and creative! The giveaway will end on December 19th at midnight. If you haven't read my profile, I'm a makeup artist. So you can guarantee that I'm going to add in some makeup too! Good Luck! And Happy Holidays!

~Manders

Happy Birthday Cowboy!

I just can't believe it! My hubby is turning 32 today! We met right after he graduated with his Master's Degree. It's crazy how fast time flies by! And just how much our lives have changed.

But it's been an amazing few years. Busy. Filled with so much love! I know that I'm married to this big cowboy. Billy just towers over Lauren and I. The twins look so tiny when he's holding them. But my husband is filled with just so much love!

Lauren and I have been working on the most incredible gifts for her daddy. But we're letting him sleep in. He had a long night of work last night. That's our guy. He works so hard to provide for us. We are very, very lucky.

Billy, I love you with all of my heart. I hope you know that. I couldn't have asked for a better husband, or father for my children. You make this adventure we call life, you make it so exciting every day. I'm so honored to be your wifey!

Have the happiest of birthdays! We all love you more than words could ever say!

~Manders, Lauren, Abby, and Robbie

Praying Angel Ornaments

If I was better at crochet, I'd definitely make today's free pattern. These angels are just amazing! So I downloaded the pattern. One day, I'm going to make these beauties!

~Manders

Lately

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. We've had some crazy weeks lately. Thanksgiving seems like years ago. Instead of 2 weeks ago.

We've been working and traveling a lot. Both Billy and I have been working all these gigs. And still have some more gigs this week. The holidays are just around the corner. And I don't feel prepared at all. We've done some shopping for our kids. But not much. Mostly because they're on the trip with us. And we don't want them to see their gifts.

Mostly, I tihnk I'm just a little tired at the moment. So I'm going to enjoy today. Like I did Monday and Tuesday. Just spend time with my kids. Enjoy the little things like cuddles, hugs, kisses, and laughs. Those are the things that get me through the tough days.

~Manders

Learning

I've really been wanting to learn how to crochet. If you hadn't noticed. I've posted about more free crochet patterns than anything else on my blog. I know, that's bad. But I wanted to learn.



I asked Lola if she would teach me. She said no problem. And told me to buy some yarn and package of crochet hooks. So I did. The same day that I did that, Billy went out and bought me this crochet pack. I think I'm set now!

Since I'm Lola's MUA and hair dresser for every gig, I thought this could be a good thing. We tend to get a lot of downtime between say a meet and greet and the actual show. But we usually hangout in her dressing room. Perfect time for learning a new craft!

I started with a scarf. And it's going pretty well. Lauren has already asked me if I can make her baby doll a blanket. I hope I can do that. Because my daughter really does think I can do anything!

Stay tuned to my blog. I'm going to be hosting a giveaway soon. I'd like to share a little bit of the crafty bug with one of my readers. I think it would be a nice thing! Now I'm going to go work on my scarf.

~Manders

Gingerbread House

If I could just crochet. You know, really crochet. I'd make this. I think it would be fun to put in our house for the holidays. What do you think? Well, this is the free pattern of the day at Free Patterns. Hurry and download it! It just makes me so happy to look at. You know, I guess I'm dreaming of Christmas. :)

~Manders

Choo-Choo Train Afghan

There was one for the girls earlier this month, now here's one for my boy. A cute train blanket! I just love the daily free crochet patterns from Free Crochet. I was downloading the pattern, and Robbie was having his breakfast. All of a sudden, his little head came up, and he said, "Choo-choo." That means mommy needs to figure out how to make this one too! :)

~Manders

Precious Toys

Two of our favorite toys for the twins are fun, cuddly, and colorful! Both Abby and Robbie have 1 of each. It was the way my baby brother wanted it. Yes, it was!



This is the updated version of the "Gloworm." My favorite toy as a little girl. These are little seahorses. And my twins love them! Not only do they hold hands with each other when they sleep, but they hold their seahorses with their other hand. So cute! Robbie has the blue one. And Abby has the pinkish, purple one. :)



These little monkeys are great too! My brother sent one for Abby and one for Robbie. It made "tummy time" much more pleasant. And helped when the twins started crawling. What a great little toy!

Thank you Baby Brother! Your niece and nephew love their toys. Sorry that your big sis took so long to say Thank you. But we really have been having a lot of fun. I can't wait until you can come home for a visit. And you get to play with the twins.

~Manders

Lace-up Baby Blanket and Chick

I'm sure that my daughters, would just love to play with this little goose. And who doesn't like the colors of this blanket? This is a crochet pattern to print off and add to my list. For the days when I can crochet something amazing! You can get the pattern today from Free Crochet.

~Manders

Smashbox Burlesque Set

I've had a few friends ask me about the holiday collections that are coming out. One that I would not pass up, would be the Smashbox "Burlesque Set."



Especially if you've never tried Smashbox Cosmetics. This is a GREAT buy! And you get a little of everything. I personally have this case. And I'm a fan. It's a great buy, and you get to play with so much makeup! I'd say, add it to your "Santa Wish List."

~Manders

Teen Mom

Can I admit something? I'm a Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant junkie. It's a little sad. But I really look forward to Tuesday nights. Just so I can watch these shows. sadly, I'm already missing Teen Mom...



I'm not sure why I like the show so much? I think it's because of Macy. She really does seem to have it together. I think that Amber could use some help. I honestly feel like she's just lacking confidence.

As far as Farrah and Catelynn, I've really grown to like them this season. You just got to see so much more about the real women that they are. I'm looking forward to next season.

I just feel like the girls are growing up. And they're taking responsibility for their actions. I really do hope that Amber can get better. She breaks my heart. I just want to give her a hug and tell her that one day, it will be better.

Until then, I'm going to watch 16 and Pregnant. I'm not as into that show. But you never know what these new girls are going to be like. I know, I need to stop watching these crazy shows. But at the end of the day, I need some mindless TV to keep me sane.

~Manders

Bunting Doll

What a great pattern! It's free from Free Crochet! Lauren was so excited when I showed her this crochet pattern. Now I just need to learn how to crochet. :) My little girl has already asked for a pink doll, a purple doll, and a "surprise" doll. It's a good thing Abby can't talk yet!

~Manders

My Date with Lauren

I have to admit it. I'm very lucky. Our family is very lucky. We have some amazing people that love us a lot! How much? Enough to travel with us! By that I mean that both my parents and my in-laws having been traveling with us.

We're on our 2nd week of work. I haven't worked full time since Billy and I got married. I've really only done Lola's gigs. Stuff with the BBs mostly. To be honest, the band is really been slowing down for the last few years. All the guys are getting married and starting families. To be completely honest, this was just a hobby for them.

But they are so good! And every year, there are a number of gigs that they have contracts for. Without trying. They just land these big shows. And we travel. It wasn't so bad before. When we just had Lauren. But add into the mix, our twins, and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to handle all of this.

Then my parents and my in-laws offered to come with us. My parents had such a fun time last week! Really spoiling my kids. And this week, they're sharing their grandkids with my in-laws. Allowing Billy and I to work. Is it still hard? Yes, very much so. Because I'm still breastfeeding the twins. The gigs are a little crazy and spread out. And most nights, we're working from 4pm-3am. It's a long night!

But we have an amazing support system. And to get the chance to be creative a couple of times a year, it's honestly a blessing! So we embrace it. And the kids love being with their grandparents!

But tonight, I had some time off. And I wanted to take Lauren out. We got all dressed up. I curled her hair. And she even asked for lipgloss. Which I was so happy to give her! We started off with manicure/pedicures. Let me tell you, my daughter was over the moon to have her little feet soaking, while her fingernails were being painted pink!

We went out to dinner. Thanks to our amazing bosses, we got to go to a very fancy restaurant. Lauren was so excited to have such a fancy dinner. With a big girl drink...a Shirley Temple. She just loved the cherry! We even split a molten chocolate cake with ice cream. Just thinking about it, makes me so happy!

And we wouldn't be girls if we didn't do some shopping. My little girl is finally starting to grow a bit. So we bought some fun new clothes. She modeled them for me when I took her to try them on. And we laughed so much.

It was such a blessing to spend so much time with Lauren. Since the twins were born, I've felt a little guilty. Because it used to be just me and Lauren. But she loves her brother and sister so much. I know that she is happy. I just need to remember to plan more of these evenings.

As we were driving back, she cuddled into me. And told me that she loves me to the moon and back! The whole way, she held tightly to my hand. And as I put Lauren to bed, she told me this was the bestest day ever! I feel the same way. Love you big girl!

~Mommy Manders

Cute Teddy Bear

I'm telling you, I'm collecting a nice bunch of crochet patterns. Mrs. S post them pretty frequently on her blog. And I've been checking Free Crochet pretty regularly. They have a free crochet pattern every day.

This little bear is cute. I know it's really different. But it reminds me of a bear that I had when I was little. Our neighbor made it for me. I'm sure my mom still has it at home. I thought this would be cute to try. Who knows, I might get good enough to make one for a future niece or nephew.

~Manders

Baby Seal

Mrs. S had this pattern posted today. It's so cute! I never thought of myself as a "crafter." But I really want to learn how to crochet. Every day that passes, each new pattern that I see, it just makes me want to crochet more. Look at this little seal! It's so cute!

~Manders

Hmm

I was very excited, when I read about a giveaway, on Lola's blog. I didn't think I'd win, but I figured I'd give it a try. You never know what will happen. Right? So I went to this certain blog, and read all the rules. I started to go through these steps, including "following" that blog and the sponsor's blog.

I did all of this because I was excited about the giveaway prizes. You had the chance of winning a $25 credit to Love Stitched. Just look at these pretty pieces.

This necklace immediately caught my eye!

And this headband. I really like it. Not too childish. But something I'd add to an easy updo. To just add a bit of elegance and whimsy.

Because I was working, I was doing this in steps. I "followed" both blogs, looked in the shop for my favorite items, and I was getting ready to blog about the giveaway. I had a few minutes before Lola made the switch from the LBs to the BBs. You know, when I have to work.

As I was going to go write a post, I noticed something in my "Reading List." The giveaway winner was already posted. Some 3 hours before the giveaway was over. I re-read the giveaway post. No, it said that you had until 11:59pm EST. It was only after 9pm EST.

I was a little sad. Because I wanted a chance to enter. But I wasn't going to waste my time. Obviously, the blog owner had decided to end this giveaway early. I was most sadden by the fact ,that she was still accepting "entries" in the form of comments. I know this, because she had to OK the comments.

I don't hold this lovely shop at fault. Honestly, they have some beautiful items. I'm already putting together a list of things that I'm going to purchase. This was a giveaway that was being done on another blog. What do you think of the situation? I know it's a giveaway. And it's something, that someone else, is doing for hundreds of blog readers. But what happened to a fair playing field?

I'm just wondering about the integrity of this blog, that I had been reading for a few months. I'm no longer following it. Because I just don't know if the blog author is credible. Not just because of this one post. But I went through other posts. For pretty much all of the giveaways, done on that blog, the "Giveaway Winner Post" is a "scheduled post." Not sure what that has to say about this person. Being that all of these posts where written and "scheduled" while the giveaways were still open.

Hmm, I don't know what to think. But again, I don't blame the shop. The shop owner had nothing to do with the way the giveaway was being run. Like all the previous sponsors. I guess it just makes me question some of the blogs that I read.

~Manders

Baby Animals

Another really cute crochet pattern. I know. I actually need to learn how to crochet. But until then, I downloaded this cute pattern. To save for later. Both this little bunny and this little bear are in this pattern. Way too cute! And I'm pretty sure that my kids would enjoy playing with these little cuties. :)

~Manders

Cuteness!

Here is another cute pattern that Mrs. S blogged about. Isn't this cute? This definitely makes me want to crochet. If we get some free time on Sunday or Monday, I'm going to go buy some supplies. With every cute pattern, it just makes me want to crochet more and more.

I think Lauren would also enjoy these veggies. You know, to play with. In her playhouse. I hope crocheting isn't too difficult. Because I'm really feeling inspired. I just want a fun hobby!

~Manders

I Need You

What a beautiful song! You would think that it makes me think of my husband. Really, it makes me think of Lola and her man. She's so in love with him. And he is equally in love with her! They've been singing this song together. And this week in particular, they've been holding tight to each other. So much has been going on.

Like I said, this song just reminds me of the 2 of them. It's so special for them. And I'm glad that they've found each other. Love is so very important. It makes everyone's life so complete.

No matter how amazing your life is, when you're missing that person and that love, your life isn't complete. Your life can be so amazing and beautiful, but that missing piece of the puzzle, you can definitely feel it! I'm glad Lola has her man's love to fall back on.

~Manders

Adorable

Mrs. S blogged about this cute little set today! How have I not already learned how to crochet? Probably because Lola is always making us some amazing things. All of my kiddos have the cutest and most precious little items. I just wish that I could make them too. I should probably start with buying some supplies.

~Manders

Prayers

I just finished reading Lola's blog post. And it absolutely made me cry! I just can't imagine what her friend is going through. Or what Lola is going through. Being so excited about your baby, and then fighting for your life. I just ask that everyone keep Hills and Baby C in your prayers. They need for all of us to pray for their health and well being.

~Manders

All A-Bordeaux the Sled

This is just a picture I found through Google. But I bought this nail polish last year. It's from OPI's 2009 Holiday Collection. And it's beautiful! I just LOVE the deep color. Especially now for Fall.

I this nail polish last night, while I was looking for another nail polish. Immediately, I knew that this was going to be my favorite color for Fall. I painted my nails last night. And I'm really in LOVE with this color.

Everything about it just screams Fall. And it only took 2 coats to make a beautiful and opaque color. Goodness, I just can't stop staring at my nails. If you can still find it, I would recommend buying All A-Bordeaux the Sled.

~Manders

*FTC: All items have been purchased by me. All my opinions are honest, and I'm not being paid to review these products.

Packing

Yes, I'm packing. For a family of 5. And I don't know what to do. I feel very overwhelmed! How many suitcases is proper for 2 adults and 3 kids? I'm not sure. But I've already got 3 suitcases and 2 bags. I still haven't packed for Billy and I.

Um, that means all the clothes he needs for the shows. And all my makeup and hair stuff for Lola. Plus our regular clothes and toiletries. I feel like we're going to show up and all of our friends are going to look at us like we've lost it! But what do I do? We've got lots of needs.

Usually when we travel, Billy and I each have a bag of just work stuff. That's 2 bags of work gear! And I think I'm finally realizing that our twins need more luggage then the rest of the family. I just hope I get all the packing done on time. I think I have 5 days to finish.

I just hope I don't forget anything! I mean we need rails for the beds. You know, for our kids. And their toys. All sorts of clothes, diapers, etc. You know how that is. But when is too much, really too much? Did I mention that I need to take my breast pump too?

~Manders

Peonies

Do you see how gorgeous these flowers are? They are peonies. Beautiful! My mother-in-law, she has some beautiful peonies. All different colors. And she inspired me to try to grow some.

In the Spring, I planted some of these beautiful flowers. Not the plants. I bought bulbs. For 4 or 5 different colors. I planted them outside. Near our patio. And I hoped that they'd grow into gorgeous bushes. Because I wanted to cut off some of these blooms. I wanted to be able to put them around our home.

But like my lilies, my peonies didn't grow. They didn't come out. Not a crack out of the ground. What is going on? Maybe I should have just bought the plants. But they're so expensive! I'm not a gardener. But I'm also not a failure. I'm going to try again next Spring.

~Manders

Halloween Costumes

It's October 1st. Halloween is at the end of this month. And somehow, we've managed to get our kids' Halloween costumes! Can you believe that? I think it's nuts! But we somehow managed that. I'm so happy! And our kids are going to looks so cute!



Robbie is going to be a cow! Yes, a cow! Billy and I decided to dress up the twins as farm animals. And Billy picked out Robbie's costume. I think it's too adorable! And Robbie just looked too cute when we tried it on him. :)



When I seen this pink bunny, I knew that Abby was going to be a bunny. I just died when I saw this costume! And Abby looks adorable. She really like looking at herself in the mirror. We left her in the costume for about an hour. Because she was so mesmerized with the mirror! :)



And our big girl Lauren, she picked out Alice. From Alice in Wonderland. Mostly because Lola bought her the story book for her birthday. Since, Lauren has been mesmerized by the story! I know she is going to look so cute!!!

What do you think? I think my kids are going to look too cute! And unlike many years in the past, we're going to be home for Halloween. So I'm pretty excited! I think the kids will enjoy trick or treating. And my parents are pretty excited about spending the evening with us!

~Manders

Booties

I've been thinking a lot about booties late. Not the kind that my twins were wearing a few months ago. No. Booties like in this picture.

I read a post on Lola's blog recently. And it just made me smile. There are so many different styles of booties. Sandals, peep toed, and just little boot type. But I need to schedule in an hour or so of shopping time. That means Billy is going to be on "Daddy Duty." He really does enjoy hanging out with our kids.

And honestly, I couldn't imagine trying to shop for shoes with my 3 kids. They're not bad. But twins and a 3 year old...ya, I need some time away. I really like #4 on this picture. And I've seen some other styles that I like. I just need to go shopping!

~Manders

Cute Crochet

Lola's mom posted about this little pattern today. It's adorable! And it makes me smile. I just wish that I knew how to crochet. I really want to learn. And I'm going to ask Lola to show me, during the gigs in October. I'd love to make little things like this. Just to decorate our house.

~Manders

New Guest Room Bedding

I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond today. I was looking for some new curtains for the playroom. But when I seen this bedding, I melted. The bed in our guest room is dark wood, sleigh bed. And this set, it just looks so amazing with the bed!

I bought it. I didn't think twice about my husband. I probably should have. But I'll admit it, I didn't! We hadn't planned on re-doing the guest room. It was not on our list. And I probably should have talked it over with Billy. But when Billy got home, he loved it. I dodged a bullet this time.

I really feel like this is a nice neutral set. Not to feminine. But definitely not too masculine. Perfect for our guest bedroom! It's crazy how impulsive I was today. I'm never like that. But I've been feeling this need to make our house really inviting and special. I want our kids to feel comfy in all of our rooms.

And I want our guests to feel welcome when they come over. I just feel like this is much more comfy. We had a icy blue bedding set on the bed before. But this, it just warms up the room. There are a few more things that I'd like to change. But I think I'm going to take my time with that. :)

~Manders

Carbon Mess

I really wanted to love this mascara. I heard and read such good things about it. I bought 2 tubes. One for me to try. And one to try on Lola for the gigs.

My first impressions of this product were really good. I was excited. The brush is a good shape. Allowing you to get into the corner lashes. I like the way it's tapered. The brush is also a nice shape to prevent clumping. I initially purchased the waterproof formula. It's the formula I use for all mascaras.

The color was a deep and highly pigmented black. Much darker than most drugstore mascaras. The formula was also nice. Not watery or runny. But also not thick and clumpy. It applied easily. Didn't leave my lashes clumpy or weighed down. Things were looking good. My lashes had length, volume, and a deep black color.

But as the day wore on, I noticed the transfer of the product. Roughly 2 hours after I applied the mascara, I had raccoon eyes. I hadn't cried, had water splashed on me, or even gone outside. But the mascara was definitely running. I cleaned up my under eye area, and waited to see what would happen.

All day, every time I looked in the mirror, I had mascara transfer. Quite a bit of it. I don't have oily skin. And I've never experienced this before. I was honestly shocked at the mess on my face.

By dinner time, I couldn't take it anymore, I removed the mascara from my lashes. It came off very easily with a baby wipe. And this is the waterproof formula! For the following month, I let the product "dry." I thought that a drier product might result in a better product. But I got the same result when I tried to wear Carbon Black again.

I also tried this product on Lola. During a photo shoot. Again, it applied magically. This mascara has a way of making your eyelashes look amazing. Now Lola does have oily skin, and eyelids. So this was going to be a real test.

Sure enough, the product began running. This was an early morning shoot, outside. Meaning that it was cold. But the mascara transfer was horrible! You would have thought Lola was in a swimming pool. Or crying. After an hour, I removed it and went back to our reliable mascara.

But I wasn't done with this product. I gave Lola the tube, that I'd used at the photo shoot. I figured she could play around with it, and tell me what happened. After trying it out for a few weeks, she really hated it. She tried everything. Including layering it with another waterproof mascara. Nothing helped! I also went out and bought the regular formula. You know what, it was worse. I had horrible transfer.

I'm not sure if it was just Lola and I that had this problem. But it was horrible! The mascara seemed to melt off of our eyelashes and down our faces. This is a product that I would not recommend. Which saddens my heart. Because L'Oreal happens to be one of my favorite drugstore brands.

~Manders

*FTC: All items have been purchased by me. All my opinions are honest, and I'm not being paid to review these products.

My Lilies

Do you see these beautiful flowers? They're Oriental Lilies. And I planted at least 3 dozen of them, in the Spring. Before the twins were born. Do you see how beautiful they are?

Well, it's now September. And I haven't seen a single one of these flowers. Not one! Not even a tiny stem! I watered. All my other bulbs have turned into gorgeous flowers. Including other lilies. But these gorgeous creatures, they have just refused to crack through our soil. It makes me incredibly sad.

I'm going to chalk this up to a gardening failure. What else can I say? There wasn't anything else that I could do. My flowers just didn't want to grow. I'm going to try them again next year. Not as many. But I'm definitely going to try again.

~Manders

I Am a Child of God

"But to all who have received him-those who believe in his name-he has given the right to become God’s children." John 1:12

I've always been tough on myself. I am the oldest girl in my family. 2nd oldest in my family. And after my brother past away, I felt like I needed to take care of everyone.

The last 9 months have been tough. I can't lie. I've been trying to be "Super Mommy" and "Super Wife." Slowly, I've been losing myself.

It might have something to do with my need for perfection, in my life and in my home. No I'm not that mom! I'm actually the "Fun House" for play dates. I like to let the kids play with play doh, finger paints, etc. But I like for our house to be clean. At night, I want to go to bed knowing that everything is in it's place. That our clothes were washed, dried, and put away. That our kids' toys have made it to their toy boxes. That sort of thing. Oh, and that all the dishes are washed and put away!

But I never estimated what a set of twins would really do to my life. I love these 2 little babies like nobody's business. I LOVE my 3 kiddos with all of my heart. But life has been crazy!

It started with my 6th month of pregnancy. When life started to get really tough. Traveling was beyond hard! Work exhausted me. And Billy noticed. So he asked his Dad if he could do more of the busy work stuff. Not so much of the traveling. The stuff that allowed him to be home. And I didn't do any jobs until after the babies were born.

Even our daily schedules changed. Since Billy and I first got together, I would get up at 4:30am with him! Every morning. He would shower, and I would make his breakfast. For anyone who is married to a cowboy, this is pretty normal. Sometimes we were up at 3am! I'd eat too. He'd go to work. I'd shower. I'd check my email, do online stuff, and then take a 2-3 hour nap. Then my day was back on track.

Month 6 of my pregnancy, Billy started making his own breakfast. Letting me sleep. He was starting to understand how difficult it was going to be with twins. And I have to say this, he's been wonderful! He would take the girls to their Dance classes on my days. And I have to admit it here, there were plenty of nights when I fell asleep before Lauren did.

After the twins were born, Billy remained at home. I know after the first of the year, that will change again. But it's been a blessing thus far! He has only left out of town for big gigs. Oh, and that hunting trip that I made him go on. He needed a break too!

But it's tough. I'm "on call" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I breastfed Lauren. But that was nowhere near this. Breastfeeding twins. I feel like at all moments in the day, I have a child or pump attached to me. But I want to do this for them. It's the one thing that I can do right now, that will improve their health over their lifetimes.

And there's Lauren. I always feel so bad. Like I don't get enough time with her. She is in her dance classes Mon-Fri, 8am-noon. And at least 1 Saturday a month, she performs. I feel like we don't have as much time to spend together. And I guess what really stresses me out is, in 1 year, she will be in pre-school!

The other night, I just broke down. I had just put the babies down. Billy had read to Lauren. And she had fallen asleep before I got to tell her goodnight. I went downstairs, and I realized I had left wet laundry in the washer. The dryer also had a load of wet and very stinky clothes. And the sink was overflowing with dinner dishes.

Literally, I sat on our stairs and cried. Billy was outside with the dogs. Letting them do their business before bringing them in for the night. And he saw me. He had no clue what was going on. I just sat there crying.

Like his usual self, he came in to see what was wrong. He didn't ask me anything. Just scooped me up in his strong arms and let me cry. And when I was done crying, I spilled the beans. It was tough to admit that I can't handle it all. But it was also such a HUGE relief!

Today in church, the priest told us a story about a woman. And he read the scripture, John 1:12. It just hit me. I'm a child of God!

It doesn't matter if our home is spotless. Or if I had to dry and rewash 2 loads of laundry. Or that my husband washed the dishes. And the next morning I had to rewash them. He tried his best! Heck, it doesn't matter if by dinnertime, my hair is in a messy bun, I've got baby cereal on my shirt, the twins are in onesies, Lauren has one 2 different socks on, oh and I might have burnt part of dinner.

Because my kids are happy. And healthy. They're clean and well fed. Our home is clean. Not spotless, but clean. I love my husband, and he loves me. We have an amazing family. And great friends.

So I might not get to have breakfast with Billy every morning. I can't leave my babies for more than 2 hours at a time. And that's pushing it! I schedule time with Lauren, when her siblings are napping. I don't wear makeup most days. My hair is in a permanent messy bun. And I can't remember the last time I went out to lunch with my friends.

I LOVE my life! It's not perfect. But that's not the way life is supposed to go. The constants that I have, are my friends and family. I owe a lot to Lola. Who doesn't mind listening to me cry, my kids screaming, and my never-ending list of worries. She's here for me. Even if we live so far from one another.

That's what God has given me. Amazing friends. And loving family. That's what life is about. I get to snuggle with my babies. I feed them and watch them grew healthy and happy. I get to hug my daughter. And play dress up and dance around the house to "Princess music." I get to make love to my hubby. Maybe not as often as I'd like. Not going to lie here, some nights, I fall asleep with my kiddos. Before they are asleep! And I get to chat with Lola. About the problems in my life, about her amazing love story, and silly things...like makeup.

I'm a child of God. And I'm proud. He has given me struggles. But he's also blessed my life so much! I don't need to be so hard on myself. Because I was not created to be perfect. But to serve the Lord. To grow healthy and beautiful children. To love my husband. And to do great things in the Lord's name.

~Manders

PS I wouldn't mind a little "Couple Time" with my hubby. I'm just saying...you know, we just had an anniversary! :)

Our 5th Anniversary

Dear Billy,

I can't believe it's been 5 years! Where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday I was meeting you for the first time. Don't let me forget to buy Lola an amazing gift too! She's the one that introduced me to you. And completely changed my life forever!

5 years ago, I thought I was in love with you. I thought it wasn't possible to love anyone more than I loved you, at that very moment, when we said "I do." But I was wrong. Every day that passes, I love you more and more. Isn't that so crazy how that happens? But it has. And every night, I can't wait to get into bed with you. To feel your strong arms around me.

Then there are the 3 little miracles that we made together. Just looking at them, I know that there is a God. He is the one that made it possible to have such amazing children. Part of me, and part of you! We are so lucky!

You are the beginning and end of my world. My day never starts off right without a kiss from you. And nothing feels more complete, than making love to you before bed. I'm a very lucky woman. To have a man like you to love. And who loves me.

The last 5 years, they're just the beginning to our story. We still have a lifetime to live together. We Mr. T, go together like peanut butter and jelly! I LOVE YOU more than any words can ever say. And I can't wait to grow old with you. My Love, Happy Anniversary!

~Manders

Lisa Makes Me Smile

I really enjoy watching Lisa's videos. She has such a soothing voice. And she is someone who really loves to take care of herself.

In a lot of ways, I'm like that too. I think half of being a good mother and wife, is being able to take some time out for yourself. You need to be happy and healthy before you can take care of screaming babies and hungry husbands. :)

Another thing I enjoy about Lisa, is that she is genuine. Not many of the big "gurus" on YouTube are that way. But Lisa is honest and sincere. I really do love that about her! Also, she has some wonderful ideas about makeup. It's making my shopping list a little lengthy. But there are some great recommendations. :)

~Manders

Free Cookbook

Lola blogged about this offer not long ago. It was for a free recipe book from Gooseberry Patch. I couldn't resist. And I sent for one. I also sent for one for my mom, my mother-in-law, my sister, and my sister-in-law. I hope that they've gotten theirs. :)

I got my recipe book last Thursday. It's so cute! And it has some really good recipes too. Not just for desserts or crockpot meals. Nope, it's a variety of recipes. All made with raisins. Honestly, they all sound yummy. And I've already marked some of the recipes to try.

I really can't wait for Fall to come. These are going to be some tasty recipes. Billy was even excited as I was reading some of the recipes to him. It was nearly midnight, and I was tempted to go make the Crunch Oats and Fruit Cups. They really do sound good!

~Manders

Quints by Surprise

This might just be my new favorite show. Yes! Ethan and Casey are such sweethearts! They have a 6 year old daughter, Eliot. And 20 month old quints! They are just too adorable. And this family is so loving and enjoyable to watch. If you want to watch, their show comes out on TLC. It's a wonderful show!

~Manders

Drugstore Makeup Guru

I have found a new YouTube guru, that I really enjoy watching. Marnie is really sweet. And I think really enjoy watching her videos. It's nice to see someone who doesn't have to have all the expensive makeup. She just enjoys makeup. And prefers drugstore stuff. It's a nice change of pace. A breath of fresh air. Love it!

If you are interested in drugstore products, Marnie is a great person to watch. And she is super sweet. I feel like she could be a great friend. You know, if we were neighbors or something. So I definitely would suggest that you watch Marnie's videos.

~Manders

Lola

I recently bought Orly's Lola nail polish. I LOVE this color! It's such a fun pink color. I'm not sure what has taken me so long to wear it. But I painted my nails last night. And I just can't stop looking at them. What a fun color! And this formula of the nail polish is also very nice. 2 coats later, I'm in LOVE with Lola!

~Manders

*FTC: All items have been purchased by me. All my opinions are honest, and I'm not being paid to review these products.

So Fun

As a MUA and makeup loves in general, I really enjoy fresh new makeup ideas. Fun things. Not necessarily your "every day" makeup. And I really enjoy this look by Sara.

To be honest, I really enjoy Sara's videos. I think she is a natural talent when it comes to makeup. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of myself. That might be why I enjoy her videos so much. But she is a lot of fun to watch. I really like her style.

~Manders

Oh Forever 21!

Forever 21, I love your clothes! I really do. But sometimes, you're just behind the ball. Like with your maternity line. Oh, I wish it would have come out a year ago!

But your kids clothes, I just LOVE them! You just need to have smaller sizes! My stylish princess wants to shop with me in your store. But your smallest size is a girls 6. A BIG disappointment to my 3 year old daughter. Because look at these dresses...

This pretty blue play dress. With pockets!

Who doesn't love a white dress with fun details?

And this dress...why don't they have it in my size? I LOVE the colors! And how summery it feels. :)

So cute and ladylike!

Honestly, the details on this dress are adorable!

Yes, I know. I shouldn't want my little girl to grow fast. Well faster than she is. But I have to agree with Lauren, these are adorable dresses. Let's not talk about the entire line. Because everything is perfect for Lauren! I just wish they carried her size...3T.

~Manders

This Heat!

This heat is driving me nuts! I know that we live in the desert. But at some point, even we have to say it, the heat needs to go away. I'm tired of triple digit weather. I'm sure my kids, especially Lauren would LOVE to play outside. I know that I would enjoy a nice afternoon outside.

But with this heat, it would be irresponsible to drag my kids out when it's over 100 degrees outside. We have a swimming pool. But I can't even imagine dragging my kids out there. It's just too hot. So we stay inside between 10am and at least 6pm. It's horrible!

Especially in this little town. There's not a whole lot of things we can do inside. I've been really good keeping our kids entertained. But I'd really like to enjoy our backyard. I would LOVE to let Lauren play in her playhouse.

So summer heat, do you think you can go away? I mean, at least cool down to 90 degrees. I think we can handle that. Because these triple digits, I can't handle those. Neither can my kids. And as much as we love our air conditioned home, we'd LOVE to explore outside!

~Manders

Up on the Ridge

I've had this song stuck in my head for weeks! It's not that the radio is always playing it. Because I don't hear it much on the radio. But my husband, he's been playing it for weeks, maybe even months!

I really like it. But it's been stuck in my head! I've even dreamt about it. Is that crazy? I really like the musical break in the song. My husband was explaining it all to me. But I just like the way it sounds.

So what do you do when you have a song stuck in your head? I'm thinking, maybe I can join the BBs. I can be their back up singer or something. Well, if I could sing...

~Manders

Urban Rain Giveaway

Urban Rain is giveaway a $25 gift certificate to their Etsy shop. Head over to My Cakies and enter the giveaway. You have a few more hours. So hurry. Because you know you want one of the beautiful rings from this shop!

~Manders

16 Years

Today marks the 16th anniversary, of my brother Robert's passing. The pain is still there. Not as raw, but still there. There are still days that I wake up and I want to talk to him. Days that I wish we could sit and talk about life. Talk about raising a family. I know he would probably have 8 kids by now! He'd tease me because I'm trying to raise my 3 precious kiddos, but feeling very overwhelmed by it. Or laugh that I made a career out of my love for makeup. And married a "Real Cowboy."

Last year, I really felt close to Robert. While I was pregnant. I don't know why. But I really did. I spent lots of time watching old videos of our family. From when we were all kids. I looked through all of my parents' old pictures. Just feeling the need to remember my brother.

I kept telling Billy that one of our babies was a boy. I just knew it. And when we found out that we were having a boy and a girl, I knew I had to name my son after Robert. Billy completely agreed.

It's funny, as Robbie is getting bigger, he just reminds me so much of my brother. Even when I put him and Abby down for a nap, he grabs her hand. Just like Robert would grab mine, when we would walk home from school. I hope that Abby and Robbie are just as close as Robert and I
were. That Robbie will always love and take care of his sisters, yes both of them. :)

I know, I must sound crazy. But my brother and I were super close. He was my hero. My big brother. The guy that looked out for me. Protected me from all of the bad things in life. You can read my post from last year. It sheds a little bit of light on this tough subject. The day we lost Robert, it changed my life. Forever.

But there was something very healing about having the twins. Almost like a piece of my brother is living through my son. My mom gets so emotional with Robbie. I catch her every once in a while, just lost in her thoughts. Usually when Robbie and Abby are napping. The tears are slowly trickling down her cheeks. Or when Robbie is laughing and playing. I have a feeling, that Robbie reminds her of Robert.

We'll never forget my brother. That's just impossible. He was such a huge and important part of our lives. But in some small way, I'm positive that Robert is now living with us. Bringing us a sense of comfort. Helping us to celebrate his life, and move forward with our lives.

We love you Robert! I promise that I'll never forget you. How could I? You taught me how to tie my shoes, count, and bait a hook to go fishing. Brother, I miss you. Rest in peace.

~Manders