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hostess yumminess

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Hostess

Hostess® products have been a part of my life ever since i can remember.
i have a deep love for the Hostess CupCake®.
it will never change.
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when talby went to her first camp this summer i sent her a care package
and it had these New Frosted Devil's Food Donettes® and a card.
she was thrilled…said it was the best mail ever!
according to Hostess, Donettes are one of their most popular products. 
have you ever had them for breakfast?
we do on special occasions…vacation road trips, birthdays, or no-school days just to make it more fun!
kids think it's pretty awesome.

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one of these goodies is always in my cart when i grocery shop.
the Hostess Chocolate Creme Twinkies® are NEW!
my kids thought it was great, combining two of their favorite things…chocolate and Twinkies!
with five kids we go through lots of Hostess snacks every week.
LOTS.
how cute is that little cowboy Twinkie dude?

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having a special treat in the house is something i try to keep on hand all the time.
for rewards for good behavior like sharing or listening,
for saying "well done" on a test, 
for saying "cheer up"
or just because they are YUMMY.

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my personal favorite is the CupCake.
the swirl of white frosting makes me smile.

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school lunches at our house have a Hostess treat every time.
the type of snack cake varies, but there is always a sweet treat from Hostess in their lunch box.

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when my children come home from school they have reading time, homework time, piano practice
and some basketball time. 
somewhere in there my kids have a snack.
they love the days where they get a big glass of cold milk and a yummy Hostess CupCake.

we usually get a little messy when we eat them.

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you can't help but smile when you are eating one.
🙂
getting the whipped cream in the center is a treat in itself!
talby claims her favorite food in the world to be whipped cream so these goodies are the best!
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we eat our snack over homework or while we read books.
they always ask for more.
"just one more pleeeeeeeease!"

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it's cool to see my kids enjoying the exact same snack i did when i was a little girl.
there aren't a lot of things in life i can say that about.
they have iPods and DVRs and computers.
they use cell phones and text.
they have handheld video games, electronic books, 
light-up scooters and dvd players in the car with wireless headphones.

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but when i was seven years old…i ate that same Hostess CupCake after school, sitting by my sister, 
laughing at her silly stories and she laughed at mine.
just like my kids are doing today.
that is pretty sweet.

You can learn more about the new products on the Hostess Facebook page.

thanks to BlogHer and Hostess, I'm hosting a giveaway for a $100 Visa gift card!

to be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment sharing your favorite memory involving Hostess snack cakes

Rules: No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 2/29/12 – 3/31/12

Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!


Kimberly - My favorite memory is coming home from school and eating Twinkies with a glass of cold milk.

Ashley Tucker - I always loved the cupcakes as a kid!
ajoy1332 at yahoo dot com

Eugenie - My earliest fave memory is getting home and dunking chocolate Hostess Donettes in milk.

Mari - My favorite memory is getting a hostess snack as a treat when I visited my grandparents.
runningmatey at hotmail dot com

ewhatley - It started with hostess treats in my lunchbox for school and for the rest of my life, I’ve never been able to resist those little chocolate donuts. Thanks a lot, Mom!

Betty Curran - My dad and I always shared Hostess cupcakes. It was especially nice when I got old enough to also have coffee with mine 🙂

ACMommy3 - A favorite memory I have was going grocery shopping with my mom as a child and we’d always buy a package of hostess treats to enjoy on the way home! Simple but so fun! 🙂

Christina Tong - I tweeted about this Giveaway: https://twitter.com/#!/ctong2/status/185957762193309697
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

Christina Tong - I remember when I gave my children the Twinkies® after school they were so happy and we enjoyed the super soft cake that afternoon, this is my favorite memory of a Hostess® snack cake and it is nothing better than you see your loved ones feel so happy.
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

Anne K. - I was raised on Hostess snacks. We have an outlet store not far from where I grew up. There is nothing better than Hostess… except for discount Hostess! 😀

Sarah L - I remember always eating my Twinkie by first biting off each end and then eating the middle.
Thanks for the contest.

Diane - Ding Dongs! (not the doorbell kind) 🙂

Lee - My favorite memory of a Hostess® snack cake is the velvety sponge cake Twinkie and biting into the cream filling. Ummm.

Carmen - Grandpa would walk to the store a couple times a week when he lived with us and bring home Hostess snacks! We loved that!

ANGEL JACKLYN - I remember gambeling Twinkies in Elementary school. We traded them & stocked up on ’em for everything. It’s not one memory in particular that makes me laugh- it’s ALL of them lol =)
Good times!

Teresa Moore - I can remember the rare times my mom would buy ding dongs. We would get one if it was a special occasion!

Desi - My favorite memories are of grade school when I would pack hostess snacks and all my friends would say I had the best lunches and try to bribe me for my food. Takes me back to my childhood!

Shelley C - Can’t get enough HOSTESS!

Courtney M - I had a Hostess cupcake tower on my dessert table at my wedding…need I say more??

Jenn Guymon - I didn’t eat a lot of these growing up, but now that I have children of my own, we love to buy some for a special treat. The kids love the Cupcakes and DingDongs best.

Kris Bates - I remember as a kid, my mom would not let us kids have snack cakes unless it was a special occasion- which meant we coveted them. My dad would always buy Ding Dongs and hide them in the mini fridge in his tool room under the work bench. Whenever I would help him with whatever project he had to do [ from changing the breaks on the car to weeding the garden, and even building the brick walkway] he would sneak a snack cake to me as a reward. It was our little secret and moment we would share while bonding. Every time I see them at the store, I buy 2 boxes so I can share them with him. Makes me smile thinking about it. 😀

Kris Bates - I tweeted about this cause they are yummy treats!!!
https://twitter.com/#!/krisinterrupted

Maria Cantu - I like most Hostess snacks and I would get to choose a different one each week we’d go to the grocery store.

Jessica Wood - Cupcakes, yum!

Brenna - Best after school snack EVER! Yum!

rosemarie - love cupcakes pack them in kids lunches and i save mine for dessert

Gillian - I always used to get the Hostess fruit pies after school 🙂

Stevie - Hostess cupcakes…so remind me of my child hood!

Toni - It was a special day at the grocery store when we were allowed to buy ding dongs! We would then get home and divide them up between my sister and I. I would always eat mine so fast and she would save hers for weeks! Ding Dongs were a special buy at the grocery store!!!

angie lilly - mmmmm I love love love their Banana Walnut Mini Muffins! When I used to work, I would have a baggy of them with a cold OJ for breakfast nearly every morning. I miss that tradition, but not the working. LOL! Thanks for the chance to win!!!

Brenda - Love me some chocolate donuts! Yummy!

Analia - The hostess cupcakes are a favorite since we were little kids. We would down the block to the NY deli just to pick come up after school!

Kerry - I have always loved the donettes – especially in college. They were always a great study snack!

tara pittman - eating the cream filling from twinkies

Gina M Maddox - TWEET-https://twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/184049198721794048
gina.m.maddox (AT) gmail (DOT) com

Gina M Maddox - My mom used to pack them in my school lunches from time to time, and they always made me smile when I opened my lunch and spotted one. 🙂
Thanks for the chance to win!
gina.m.maddox (AT) gmail (DOT) com

linda brooks - I was a little girl and my dad bought me my first twinkie it was so good.

sy - A coworker brought in 7 pounds of twinkies for his 7 year work anniversary, I ate a lot of it and was very productive. Twinkies are awesome. Thanks for the giveaway.
songyueyu at gmail

Jammie - one of my favorite memories is with my cousin. He was a twinkie nut. sweepmorey at gmail dot com

Karina Lee - my mom always put a hostess cupcake in my lunch as a kid

Rita Alarcon - My family often went camping and our favorite breakfast for the road trip was Hostess Donettes with Chocolate Milk

rebecca morgan - got on twitter and it was 2:31 pm 20 mar 12 it was down this morning but it is working now i retweeted the site yummy

Melanie - My favorite as a kid was the chocolate cupcake – I would split it with my best friend at lunch!

rebecca morgan - twitter is down now i left a nice comment telling them how to reach you but the tweet feed back was out it is the 3:45 am on the 20 march 12

rebecca morgan - love anything from hostess, i loved it when i was little, field trips with the school i all ways had a cupcake 2 pack in my lunch bag those were the days i would run to Clark gas station and get 1 for my lunch the next day ,, by the way i tryed the new twinkies with chocolate filling good but i like the old white better but any snack is a good snack when it is wrapped with love i hope to win i could use the money to buy some ding dong and a snow ball thanks Hostess 4 the give away ,, p.s. cute kids

Melissa Johnson - I liked them all but as a child I would always pick the Pink Snowballs if given a choice. When I did, I never had to share, apparently they are the Lima Beans of the Snack treat world!

Leann Lindeman - My favorite as a child was the chocolate cupcake.. I didn’t get them often, so it was a real treat!

Claudia Davis - My favorite memory involving Hostess snack cakes is always having one , usually a twinkie, packed for lunch in my lunch box.

Erica Best - when i was little and my mom use to pack a hostess cupcake on friday as treat.
purple_lover_04 at msn dot com

Erika - I remember biting open the cupcakes to get to the filling inside!

Suzanne - Oh how I looooved Hostess cupcakes growing up and still am addicted!

Caitlynne - We had a crazy great aunt that would always bring a box of Twinkies to family functions for my sister and I (not twins). She would yell “Twinkies for the twinkies!” and then give us the box. My mom always tried to tell her that we were actually three years apart and not twins at all…but she wouldn’t have it. My sister and I were just excited for the treat.

meredith - i loooove ding dongs! I dont buy them usually b/c i dont want to ruin my diet – so they are only for special exceptions – like traveling

Btrflywmn - Hanging out with my little brother and eating Hostess cupcakes, playing and having fun together. My brother passed away many years ago, I cherish those memories.

Heather - Yellow Zingers- loved them then and now!

Tina M - I remember eating them with my brother after school

Courtney R. - When I was a little girl, I LOVED the Hostess Cupcakes because I thought it spelled my name on them (like a birthday cake). As a woman, I love them because, HELLO – they are delicious!!!

Tim - The twinkie I just had …

Kelly - How can one not love twinkies! Thanks!!

Elizabeth - Never met a ding dong I didn’t like 🙂

rosemarie - love hostess

jennibell - My favorite Hostess memory are Ding Dongs!! Remember the thin aluminum wrappers they used to come in? My sister and I would try to smooth the wrapper out without tearing it. Funny thing to remember, huh? I don’t like processed foods as a rule, but still can’t pass up a Ding Dong!

Diana Yarborough - Loved the cupcake, but cannot remember the last time I had one. Would be a good treat.

ashley - My favorite Hostess memory was going to the Hostess store with my aunt – a sugar junkie’s heaven!! Mmmmmm….thinking about it makes my mouth water. I have a problem.

Lisa - Coming from a family of four kids (in the 60’s)we always had homemade cookies (which is reguarded as a REAL treat nowadays!!)so when we got to buy TWINKIES,HO HO’S or SUZY Q’S it was a real treat!

Michele - We always had Hostess products in our house growing up, but my ultimate favorite are Ding Dongs. I would eat all of the chocolate off the outside first and then eat the cake and creamy center. Yum!

Lela Pohlmann - My great aunt Katie always had the Twinkies for us when we went to visit her. Loved it!

Melissa - Twinkies were my favorite as a kid. I think my grandma would let me eat two or three. That makes me want to hurl now. LOL

Heidi Tapley - Like many of the other posters, memories of childhood include mom’s delicious lunches, and what made them so delicious – the Ding Dongs or Hostess Cupcakes. Although I can enjoy their scrumptiousness on a daily basis like years ago, they are still a sweet treat full of yummy goodness and lovely memories.

Kathryn - LOVE Hostess!! I was never allowed to eat them as a child. Now, as a special treat during our family movie nights, I surprise the kids with a mix of different cakes and let them choose their favorites!!

erin j - I remember working really hard to eat all of the chocolate covering off the Hohos and then eating the cake in a single layer (slowly unraveling the swirl). It really made it last and was so fun.

Lisa G. - Hostess snacks were always a part of our ‘special’ packed lunches for field trips! Such fun memories!

mel - i remember sometimes getting twinkies in my lunchbox at school. yum! makes me want to run to the store and get some right now!

GB Jost - I have just a quick comment…Ding Dongs straight from the fridge (or freezer) during a hot summer day!
Need I say more?
Thanks!

Lelia - I have not had a Hostess cake in years!!!! Good memories of them in the lunchbox too though! =)

megan - my mom would only get us hostess products for special occasions like field trips and sleepovers…and the excitement over them was crazy. oh the little things in life!

Shiloh Walter - Love Hostess Cupcakes! Can never keep them in the house long enough with kids though.

secret mom thoughts - I loved eating Hostess cupcakes with my school lunch. It was the best part of lunch.

Andrea Siebert - mmm…anything chocolate is good…

Eileen Rosenberg - When I was young I lived with my aunt for a year. Every night after dinner she would pull out a massive hat box filled with different Hostess cakes. I was allowed one and it was one of the hardest decisions in my life at the time 🙂

Angie G - My mom used to pack the Hostess cupcakes in my lunch – yummy!

Nicole - I love the swiss cake rolls because we always had them in our lunch for school!

Katie Middlebrook - One of my husband’s best friends, old co-worker, and bachelor LOVES to take hostess cakes, cut them up, stick fun toothpicks in them and take them to every party he attends :).

Deeanna - When I was little my dad and I would go down to the corner store and buy hoho’s and to this day when I visit we have hoho’s in the morning just the two of us 🙂

Meredith - Ding Dongs are a personal favorite of mine. I need to get them for my kids as a special treat. My 8yr old would love to see that in his lunch box.

Kim Black - Ding Dongs are by far my favorite but who can resist any of their scrumptious treats!

Katelyn - The cupcakes are delicious!

Hannah O - i always get a hostess snack from the candy machine at work.. whenever i need a quick snack i always stand by the machine and wonder what I’m going to choose & what sounds good.. it ALWAYS ends up being something Hostess!

Leah - When we went camping as kids, my mom always packed those little donuts for breakfast for one of the mornings. I loved it!

Michelle - I remember always having the chocolate cupcakes for lunch during field trips.

Kathryn C. - Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/katbirdfl/status/179017671596183552
katbirdfl (at) gmail (dot) com

Kathryn C. - One of my favorite memories of Hostess Twinkies is when my baby brother snatched a whole box of them out of the grocery bag after my mom got home from shopping. He tore out to his room and ate every last one of them. I remember he was so sick that night and my mom found the box in his room and figured out why he was sick. We loved twinkies as children and I give them to my children. I still love them but don’t eat them as often. Thanks for the giveaway!
katbirdfl (at) gmail (dot) com

anna pry - i remember getting hostess snacks in my lunchbox as a kid
thepryfamily@gmail.com

steph - i remember getting a special twinkie surprise in my lunchbox!

Sunshyn V - My favorite memory of Hostess is how I used to messily eat their Cupcakes, one component at a time. So yummy. 🙂
chainmail (at)iwon dot com

janet trieschman - I used to have hostess snacks in my lunch at school. My mom always packed them for me. The new chocolate versions seem so tasty. I can’t wait to try them, I haven’t seen them in the stores yet. We have a Hostess store in our town, so that might be a place to look as well! Can’t wait.

tiffany - My favorite hostess cakes will forever be the twinkies.. funny how as a child i could eat a box of them and never gain an ounce. now, i gain 5 lbs watching my kids eat them, lol

Jamie - My mom always packed Twinkies in my lunchbox in 1st grade (long time ago!) 😉

Debra F - I remember if my brother and I got good report cards as kids, my mom would let us pick out a special treat at the supermarket, and I would always pick a box of Twinkies.

Angela F. - I just love that everytime I see them in the store I want them. I know I can’t have them all the time but when I do they are yummy. I love the cupcakes they are my favorite… wish I had one right now.

Erin - We always had Ding Dongs when I was a kid. Remember when they came in foil wrappers? I miss that. 🙂

Mary Sovinski - Hostess items were on sale at the grocery store when I was shopping w/my children. For a special treat we bought a box of HoHos and Twinkies for lunch treats. The kids are in heaven!

Dahbou - My favorite memory is from about five years ago when I first tasted a Hostess cupcake. I was shocked that I’d never had one before and thrilled that they were so delicious!

Jeannette from Plant City - we didn’t get them very often but Twinkies were my favorite, I haven’t had one in years but I am tempted to try one that has been deep fried at the Strawberry Festival this year 🙂

Jessica F - I remember the awesome feeling in elementary school when I could eat a Twinkie as a dessert!

Sheila P. - I’m confused. I had heard earlier this year that Twinkies were being discontinued. I cried for a week. Not really, but they were my favorite thing to find in my lunch box growing up – but it didn’t happen often.

sandra - twinkies in my lunch bag were a real treat

Jill H. - I remember my Mom froze Hostess Cupcakes to keep them fresh longer and I ate it straight out of the freezer and I’ve been eating them that way ever since! Love it!

Karen - Mmm, cupcakes!

Susan Smith - My Mom would always pack a Twinkie into my school lunch and the kids would try to get me to trade something from their lunch for it.

Terri Upton - Our favorite is the Powdered Donettes. We get them for special treats. The are funny to eat together because the white powder get everywhere and if you laugh while eating it really makes a mess. Great memories.

Tracey Byram - My mom used to pack 2 Ding Dongs in my school lunch every day. One for me and one for my best friend. I was never sure if my friend liked me or my Ding Dongs more.

HollyWilcox - My grandma always kept her bread box full of Hostess. My brother and I would spend our summers swimming there. We’d run into the house, stuff a donut in our mouth and jump in the pool. We didn’t want Grandma to catch us stealing her treats. But, every time we went back, the breadbox was full again. 🙂

Natalie J Vandenberghe - A favorite memory is seeing the joy on my son’s face when he gets to have a Hostess snack 😉
Thanks for the giveaway!

natalie@thesweetslife - i traded every day in 8th grade for my friend’s ho-hos! 🙂

Kristin Hayne - I love Hostess products… they are a staple in our house. A fun one. My favorite memory is sticking our fingers inside the twinkies and eating the creme filling first…. ickky and messy but oh so yummy….

Christie - It is a special treat or occasion when my kids get powdered donuts and they love them. Great time and memories.

Rebekah from Simply Rebekah - Clearly I need to win this because I don’t have any hostess memories! I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a Twinkie in my life. Help me out with that, will ya? 🙂

lynette - Ding Dongs were my favorite as a kid and I still love them!

Jessie C. - I remember me and my sisters were allowed to have as many Hostess cupcakes for birthdays.

Amanda Larkins - My mom would always buy some for me and my sister at the local “bread store”. I miss spending time with them. We live 5 hours away now….

Jenna - Using the foil from the Ding Dongs on my foil ball: HA!

jessica - I didn’t discover the joys of hostess treats until I got to college! Hah. Twinkies are the best when studying international relations 🙂

shara - we didn’t have much growing up as my mom was a single parent. so the BIG treat for us was when she’d bring home those hostess pies. the cherry pie was, to me, like little bites of heaven.

Ashley K - My husband just heard that they might discontinue twinkies and we have a 17 month old boy. My husband said that our boy can’t live a life without twinkies. He went to the store immediately and purchased so many twinkies that I might need a bigger pantry!

Lorilei - I loved loved loved the Hostess Cupcakes growing up. I remember peeling off the top frosting part and saving that for after I’d eaten the cupcake part. They are so yummy!

karen peachey - Yummo!! The cupcakes are our fave!

Robin - Could anything be better than a refrigerated DING DONG? I love that chocolate frosting cold. I put one on a pretty plate and eat it with a fork. It lasts waaaay longer folks.

Annie - the cupcakes were my favorite. Now by daughter LOVES the chocolate mini donuts every chance she gets for breakfast!

Stacy M. - I am a ding dong fan! But I hide them from the family, they are all mine. I know shame on me. I do on occasion buy some for everyone. 🙂

Tori - There is no greater comfort food, than food that has comforted you all your life!

Juli - We would get donettes sometimes and eat them on Sunday mornings while getting ready for church. Great memories.

s - many hostess memories but one sticks out above all others – my family and I traveled for my niece’s graduation and one night, my brothers, my nephew, and I hit a super Walmart and picked up a ton of snacks including Suzy Qs and other hostess treats – I went to my room to change and then to my brothers’ and nephew’s room to find out in that short time that they had consumed more than 2/3 of the stash!!
I’ve made a suzyq ice cream cake for one brother’s bday. And my kids and I have done ding dong ditches with, you guessed it, Ding Dongs, at one of my brother’s houses. Just gotta love hostess!

Carrie A - My favorite memory is of hostess donettes whenever we have out of town family. I always say I’m buying them for the littles that are visiting, but I’m secretly buying them ’cause I LOVE ’em!

Debbie B - here’s my second entry tweet:
https://twitter.com/#!/bellows22/status/176509477107941376

Debbie B - memories of my mother putting hostess cupcakes in my lunch for school!

melanie - Ding Dongs were the travel snack of choice when we did road trips growing up. YUM. I still choose them from time to time when I stop at a gas station.

Routhie - I used to take a bite out of my twinkie and pretend it tasted/smelled funny. I would ask on my older brothers to smell it and right when they got their noses close enough, I would push the twinkie onto their nose. It was worth it every time they fell for it.

Megan B - We actually don’t keep Hostess products at our house BECAUSE – my mom always has them and wants it to be a special “Mimi’s house” thing. 🙂 My son always gets a Ding Dong when he visits his Mimi and Big Papa. 🙂

Julie Wetzold Schellin - Long live Ding Dongs!! Thanks for the giveaway!

Rebecca - Never met a twinkie I didn’t like!

Kasey - I used to love Twinkies when I was little. Can’t bring myself to put any of that
junk in my body anymore!

Nicole F. - Pink snowballs make me think of spending time with my dad at his shop when I was a kid. He loved snowballs so of course I did too! 🙂

sara @ it's good to be queen - oh man now i really want a bag of donettes. love those things. my mom would buy those for a treat on the weekends growing up. i haven’t really bought hostess snacks for my kids…not really sure why. i guess trying to be healthy. i do buy the donettes every once in a while for fun. and a lot when i was preggers. i think this would be a fun after school snack for my boys…i’m gonna do it.

Andrea - Twinkies were my favorite growing up and now my girls love them too!

Lisa Foster - My great-aunt Louise always kept a stash of Twinkies in a big bowl on her kitchen counter for my uncle. Every time I would vist them as a child I would run to the kitchen and plead for just one package (which she always obliged)

LibraryGirl62 - We got to go to the Hostess factory for field trips. We each received a loaf of bread, a white paper cap and a HOSTESS CUPCAKE!!!
Best. Day. Ever!!!!

Rebecca - Comfort food! Yum!

Library Momma - My grandma always had twinkies when we were little, mom not so much!

Michelle From Australia - I know I am not eligible for the giveaway as I am not a US resident 🙁 BUT, do you know I haven’t ever tried any of the products you pictured??? And my ‘things to do when next in America’ list just got about half a dozen things longer…..

Andrea @ Big Creek Cottage - I was raised by the greatest single mom in the world. She was a teacher and clearly ( I know this now) did not make much money…..but I didn’t know it…. Our favorite “treat” each weekend was purchasing hostess cupcakes or ding dongs….Ding dongs were her favorites. Every time i have a ding dong (probably more than I should)……i remember us enjoying our treat together. My favorite is still the yummy cup cakes!

Janelle - cute post 🙂

Stacey - Oh those pink snowballs, I haven’t thought about those in years. I should lighten up and let my kiddos try some of these treats out…. : )

Kelly Massman - I remember eating yummy regular twinkies when I was young–it was a rare treat back then… thanks for a chance to win!
And, have a GREAT day!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

Cheryl - I remember that we didn’t get Hostess treats very often but sometimes my mom would get them and put them in our lunches. It was so special to open my lunch and find a cupcake inside.

Ronda - Cupcakes are my favorite as well. They were always in my lunchbox!:)

Alisa - this i a bit of a tease… we dont have hostess goodies here in NewZealand.. but man oh man I want to try now…

giving - yum! peeling the white swirly off the top of the cupcake and eating that first. then peeling the chocolate frosting off and eating it. then breaking the cupcake in half and licking the frosting out….takes me back to elementary school 🙂

Jessica B - I love pretty much anything Hostess, but my daughter and I LOVE the white donettes (or snow donuts as she calls them). They are usually a special treat, but now that I am pregnant again it seems like they are in the house more than they aren’t. 🙂

linda - we always had travel soccer tournaments for my brother…i always remember having hostess donuts for breakfast in the hotel rooms before we had to watch his games for the day–best part of the day! now my kids love the ho-ho’s, cupcakes and donettes!

Sarah - My favorite is the regular Twinkie! I used to love them dunked in milk like a cookie!!! YUM! I didn’t even know they had them with chocolate filling….may have to head to the grocery store! HA!

Cindy - My favorite memory w/Hostess brings me back to the farm. (I’m an Iowa girl!) 🙂 We’d walk rows and rows and acres and acres of soybeans in the summer pulling weeds for my dad. My mom would pack lunches for us if we’d be working far away or she’d bring us lunches if we were in fields close to home, but one thing was always sure~Hostess cupcakes to follow our lunchmeat sandwiches! I remember sitting in a pasture to eat lunch with my dad and sisters in the hot summer sun! At the time I despised it, now I look back and love the work-ethic it taught me.

Shelby A. - My mom would buy a package of Ding Dongs and hide them in the freezer. If we were having a bad day, she would take out a frozen Ding Dong and microwave it for a few seconds until it was warm and gooey. That always helped us feel better, (and still does!)

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Meg, thank you for this opportunity. I love Hostess! So yummy.

jen - my favorite memory of a hostess snack cake was when i actually got one!! my father owned restaurants, my mother is a caterer and i eventually had my own baking business so treats like that were just never around or thought of. but when we did breakdown and have them {usually at the pleading of my sister and me} they were wonderful!

Amy - Hostess treats are the best! I remember playing at a friend’s house one day and her mom took us out to get a special treat for being so good. I chose a Hostess cherry pie. I was pretty sure that I was the luckiest girl in the world! 🙂

Elizabeth Ann - Hostess CupCakes were always a special treat in my lunch box growing up. I remember trying to sneak them from the cupboard after school as well 🙂

Vicki - When I was growing up, we always knew that Grama B would have Hostess Ding Dongs in her freezer just waiting for our visit. We would wait a polite few minutes before we would put on our biggest puppy eyes and gather around Grama and ask for our treat. Pulling back the frozen foil and taking that first bite of icy cold chocolatey goodness with the still-creamy-when-frozen delicious center wrapped up in the perfect combination of waxiness and chocolatiness outerlayer… words cannot express… other than the words I just used. :o)
30 years later, when I was pregnant with my first child, the chocolate donettes were one of my most consistent cravings… obviously a comfort food for me from waaaaaay back. I still sneak them into my cart every now and then. But I think it may be time to free up some freezer space and return to my first love. YooHoo! DingDongs! Pack your bags, cuz I’m comin’ to gitcha!

Molly - I love how my daughters say Cruellers when they want me to buy a at the store 🙂

megan - I love when my preschooler comes home and says, “Thanks mom, I loved my lunch today!” (I know he means the extra special dessert/Hostess snack I packed). He is ALL ABOUT the dessert!!

Sandy - Ding Dongs were my favorite!!! Remember, Suzie Q’s, were they Hostess?? They were insanely good!!!

Betsy - Oh, my favorite memoryof anything Hostess is when we would camp on Cape Cod and find a couple bags of the Donettes in one of the big plastic tubs full of treats. Started when I was 8, and now my 8 year old daughter goes searching for them when we camp at the Cape now. Love it.

cw - I remember the stash of frozen ding dongs in our basement freezer. I loved eating them frozen!!

MeganM - Hostess Cupcakes were always a treat for my sister and me. We would peel off the frosting and save that for last! They are so yummy!

Peggy in TN - I grew up with a Hostess treat in my lunch sack every day too! My favorite part of the cupcake back then was lifting the frosting off and saving it for last. Happy times. Happy memories.

Jenn - The little chocolate donuts are awesome. I call them chocolate waxy donuts…so good. I haven’t had them in forever! Now onto the Ding Dongs, my Kryptonite. Yes, that’s right. I cannot have them in the house, sadly. I will eat the entire box in one sitting. Not good, but well good, but not good for me. I call them Dang Dongs, because they are so dang good. I know, cheesy. I’m anxious to see all that you will do with your new house. Exciting stuff!

Edie S. - Mmmm, I have great memories of those cupcakes as a kid! My mom very rarely bought snacks like that, but I still remember standing in the yard at a cousin’s house in the hot sun savoring a slightly melted Hostess cupcake with the white swirlies on top!!

Laine - I loved the cupcakes when I was a kid! (still do actually!) My mom only bought them on special occasions. And I always put them in the freezer before eating them, too…oh yeah, and peeled the icing off the top before eating it, lol. Here I am trying to lose my pregnancy weight and you’re making me hungry! =P

Kristy - Oh, how I love the donettes! I wish I didn’t. When I was little and my dad (who has a huge sweet tooth) needed a little treat he would take us to the store on the way home from school and let us pick a Hostess treat. Yum!

Julia F - I remember when I was a kid, eating the Hostess Cupcake in a particular order. Picking the white curly-q icing off, peeling the chocolate icing off in one piece, eating the whip cream center, then finally the cake. I’m putting these on my grocery list now…

Karie - Hostess snacks were a super special treat when I was a kid…my mom didn’t splurge on them often, so when she did, it was a BIG deal!

michelle@decorandthedog - I used to make fun of my for sticking her Hostess cupcakes in the freezer. Now I do the same thing!

Julianne Brimner - My mom never had store bought snacks in our house, only homemade cookies or pies. I loved her home baked goods, but when I went to my friend’s house she had twinkies…so yummy. And now that I know there are chocolate creme filled twinkies…oh my.

mary - For many years I taught second grade at an urban school. Every month we celebrated birthdays. Most months no one brought anything to celebrate so I would go around the corner to the hostess discount store and load up on treats. We would stick a candle in and a party was born. I love the chocolate rolls!

Amy Lynne - We we’re given a lot of sweets as kids, but during my long college days I would grab a pack of the orange cupcakes. Oh my word, such a good reward for tackling all my course assignments! My hubby recently brought me a pack and I had to giggle as the memories came rushing back!

Staci - When I was younger we would freeze twinkies when we took trips to the beach. They were GOOD! and refreshing. Thanks for sharing and making me hungry!!!

Melody - we always had a special hostess treat in our lunches growing up as well – the swirly cupcakes were my favorite – haven’t thought about them in ages…but I think a trip to the store is in order tomorrow to pick up a box. 🙂

Amy - I tweeted about this giveaway:
https://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it/status/175871101505765376
Amy [at] utry [dot] it

Amy - I remember I always enjoyed a Hostess Ho Hos after school with brothers. We would enjoy this yummy snack together, share (or fight over) toys and always have fun after school. I’m so glad to have this same memory shared with my brothers. That is my favorite Hostess snack cake memory!
Amy [at] utry [dot] it

Mary Beth Hunt - We keep our Twinkies in the freezer and I admit to eating them frozen a time or two……

yvette - twinkies remind me of middle school. they were sold in our snack bar and I think I ate one every day!

Kate W. - i wish they were not so delicious 🙂 so yummy!

Maria - We usually grab a few bags of the mini donuts when we go camping for our departure/end of camping morning breakfast…they are always welcomed and expected!

Amanda - The white powdered sugar donettes were a staple in my house growing up. Now I eat them a bit more “grown up” by dunking them in coffee. YUM!

Colleen - My friends and I in high school polishing off a box of twinkies and smearing the cream on their noses. It was so fun. And I love the Ding Dongs!

Wendy - A nice chocolate Hostess cupcake with white icing in the middle and a big tall cold glass of milk ….. yum!

Allison - Now I want a cupcake! 🙂

Laura Phelps - haven’t eaten a Hostess ANYTHING in a hundred years
ok
not a hundred
thats stupid
I am only 41
so……
I guess I was about 12 maybe, the last time I ate Hostess
Devil Dog…is that Hostess?
that’s what I ate
as for my kids now
I make all of their snacks from scratch
all homemade
organic
no sugar
vegan
just kidding
I feed them crap
ok
all for now
better go to bed
I am rambling…
and craving a devil a dog……

Thuy - I remember my parents packing these yummy cupcakes in my lunchbox and now I am doing the same for my kiddos! =)

Lisa - My husband has a love relationship with hostess cupcakes! Haha! There was something awhile back about hostess going bankrupt or something. Guess not! You are much more fun then I am! I stress about letting my kids have stuff like this for snacks. 🙂

Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft - Oh.my.gosh. The chocolate donettes are my fav!! My girls and Husband love them, too. Yum………………….

kribss - The cupcakes are my favorites too! Best memory, like so many others, was just getting them as a special treat since we didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up.

kendra - ahh, Hostess. My dad has delivered for them for years so we always had a cupboard packed with these goodies. I hated them. Now away from home for 13 years they aren’t so bad:) Try the ding dong warmed in the microwave for a few seconds……mmmmmm, that’s good stuff right there!

tara - My mom made the best lunches on the planet…all the other kids were jealous of my lunches. for real.
there was always a hostess treat in the box…I’m sure that’s what they were jealous of!

Gretchen - Hohos make me oh-so happy!!!
Ding dongs run a VERY close second.
Seeing your pictures suddenly gives me a CRAVING!!! 🙂

Tanya H - For my 25th birthday, we were moving 3 hours away and I was in preterm labor, lol. My mom came down last minute to drive me to our new home, so I could stay reclined in the front seat and “on bedrest”. When we stopped for a pitstop, she bought me HoHo’s and had our car-full sing happy birthday to me. It totally made me cry but was absolutely one of the highlights of that otherwise lousy day! 🙂

marci hurst - i remember sharing ho-ho’s at lunchtime with my best friend Mary–now my kids share them at school with their friends 🙂

Jen N. - I remember always, always peeling off the frosting layer of the Hostess Cupcakes and saving it for last. Delish!

Krissy - Hoho’s have ALWAYS been my favorite!! I still eat them the same way i did when i was little. I peel off the chocolate coating and eat it first. Then i “unroll” it and eat the layers one at a time. Then i eat the last roll with all the yummy goodness in the middle!! Mmm…might be time to buy some. :o)

Ashley Cook - They were always the treat in my lunch box. I have food allergies, and hostess powdered sugar doughnuts were one of the few things on my “Safe” list. 🙂

Naomi Williams - I am a BIG fan of the cupcakes! My mom used to give them to us on RARE occasions in our school lunches! We had a Hostess discount store in our town that sold the day old stuff…it was my favorite place to shop…every last item in that store was deliciously carb-filled and it smelled like those mini fried fruit pies! We got a lot of bread and more healthy items there, but I loved the Zingers (pink coconut ones!!!) and the other great treats we would get on occasion.
Once, when I was in first grade, that store held a coloring contest of Snoopy sitting on his dog house. My entry ended up having funny lines on the grass part b/c I colored it on the side of cardboard box b/c I was in such a hurry to turn it in. The judges called it creativity, and I WON! It is the ONLY time in my whole life I have ever won anything, and it was at the Hostess store! What memories!

beth - my grandma would keep the cupcakes and those chocolate covered whipped cream filled cupcakes in her freezer. so whenever we went there, I knew those were waiting for me. and they are so good cold! you’ve got my mouth all ready for one….may have to pop one (or more!) of those boxes in the car this shopping trip!

Lisa - LOVE Hostess cupcakes…my kids do too 🙂

Collette Ezzell - I have always been partial to Hostess Cupcakes the most but Twinkies hold a special place in my heart as well. After we left the box of twinkies out after making lunches, our cat Oogie somehow found his way up onto the kitchen countertop because we came home from work and on the family room floor was a twinkie wrapper with what looked like a deflated yellow balloon inside it. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the outside of a twinkie, with all the creme filling out of it, Oogie loved Twinkies too!

Nicole B. - My Dad always did the grocery shopping, and he has quite a sweet tooth. He would always get some kind of Hostess treat, but the Ding Dongs were his/our favorite – I think partly because we loved the name, too!

Sabrina - My mom would never buy these for me, but once in awhile she would surprise me with some Twinkies! Best day ever!

shannon - I remember going to my Grandmas and I swear she would collect every Hostess dessert there was and always send us home with boxes and boxes of them! They are so yummy 🙂

Nichole - Ding Dongs. So, my fiance went looking for them like crazy a while back and we couldn’t find them. Then he did, and I think I ate more than he did.
He went CRAZY when he found them. Absolutely insane.

Karey - Hostess cupcakes are my favorite too!!! Yummy!

Lynda M. - Ho Ho’s were my fav! Cream swirled into chocolate cake and then dipped in chocolate – oh my! I used to have one after school too – great memories 🙂

Kati - I used to eat them EVERYDAY in my lunch at school. SO good. One year I gave them up for lent….that was a long season without yummies!

Toni :O) - Oh man, I so had those treats in my lunches too…my fav? Suzy Q of course!!! Woot Woot! The BEST!!! Although now I have to say I love me a King Don but they are very, very rare as I’m trying to eat healthier! hah! Fun post…your kids are just so dang cute!

Jolene (Homespun Heritage) - Too many to choose a fave! ~YUMLY~

Chris Lawlor - Yum says it best!

ko. s - They weren’t allowed in our house! Tsk…tsk…I use to trade lunches in elementary school to get one of those snacks! Now I’m teaching my kids moderation and they love these yummy snacks! I love tossing a pack to them after school and watching their faces light up!

52scrap - I was addicted to Twinkies while pregnant with my third baby. Had to have them, all the time!!! 🙂 Maybe why I am still carrying baby weight, even after my baby is 5!

GretchenP - my dad would get the 2 pack of cupcakes, eat one and split the other for me and my brother.. omg the best!

Juli - I wasn’t allowed these when I was a child. But once a year, traveling from Kansas to California, we were told we could pick one Hostess treat out when we gassed up the car. Just one treat, the entire road trip long. I always picked the pink “snowball” one. Heaven!

lauren - my mom and i used to devour the boxes of the powdered donettes on weekend mornings when we were both home…me from school and her from work. she was [and still is!] a very early riser, so i would pad out to the kitchen to discover her sitting there reading and enjoying the donettes! to this day, i still eat them and remember those mornings spent with her with a smile! 🙂 *

Vonda - I love me some Hostess cupcakes. Having said that, they don’t seem to ROCK MY BODY. lol

Emily - I’ve never really thought about that, that I ate hostess snacks as a kid and now my kids are. Chocolaty, whip creamy goodness…

Lori Austin - Twinkies have always been my fav. My parents raised us on
extremely limited means while I was growing up so to buy a box
of Twinkies was a HUGE treat. Yum…now I really want a Twinkie. 😉

Tiffany - It was always a special treat to see mom throw one in the shopping cart, or discover them in the grocery bag as we were putting them away when we got home.

tiffany gardner - pregnancy and cupcakes….need I say more????

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it’s march!

are you ready to ROCK your body?  😀

say yes!

i went to our house in the country today and cleaned all day.
DEEP clean.
i loved it.
1. it was QUIET….so quiet
2. it feels good to clean something really well.
3. i like my new space and i love change and i love this sweet house
4. the kitchen is very Mad Men/betty draper and is almost identical to my grandmothers so i thought about her a lot today…thought about her moving into that kitchen for the first time long ago…it even sounds like her kitchen did the way the cabinets close and how they feel.

                     Kitchen

at 12:30 i put down my sponges and took off for a run.
because it's march 1st.
and boy did i try every which way to talk myself out of it.

but i did it.
and LOVED it….it was a perfect sunny day here and i ran on the country roads.
i walked 10 minutes and ran 50 minutes.

also in march i am watching what i eat much more closely.

here is my ROCK your BODY tip for the day…..

myfitnesspal.com 
i use that app on my phone and record everything i eat.
Mfp

it has a search button so anything you eat you can find it….it has everything!  
type in non fat sugar free peppermint latte….there it is!
type in fiesta salad Doc Greens….there it is!

you can track your calories and then my favorite part….record your exercise for the day and suddenly a bunch of calories disappear!  i LOVE doing that part.
it has place for you to weigh in if you want, join groups, read their blog, go to their facebook page.
App

MFP has no idea who i am, i just thought you'd like this app for your phone too!

so my challenge #1 to you for tomorrow…
download that app OR just login and become a member online.
i am not being obsessive about what i eat but when you write down everything….you really do eat less.

AND challenge #2 is to go exercise.
go walk for 30 mintues….or run….just get moving.
you will feel SO MUCH better than if you don't.

 

p.s.  i challenged myself to make it 100 miles in march.
        it will be very hard.
        and i will count walking too…sometimes i just can't run another step.
        100 miles in march.
        boom.

4 miles down and 96 to go.  :)

(sorry about the syrupy sugary post below….it was written before march 1…and tomorrow's too….you'll see)

are you joining me?
say hello in the comments is you are Rockin' out with me!! 

 

Annika - I use that app, too! It is awesome! And it’s shocking how many calories some food has that I I had thought fairly harmless a while ago! Like a tablespoon of olive oil!

Tami - I am so happy that you are settling in. It looks like a beautiful area. Blessings in your new home. Tami

Jenna - I am taking (hard) exercise classes 3 nights a week and starting to train for my first 5k in years in March: YIKES!

Jenn - alright you all inspired me… started P90x again last night… my shoulders are currently cursing this rock your bodyness! but my mind is happy 🙂

Tonya - ok…even though i’m a few days late, i’m doin’ it! just downloaded the app to my phone and am going to throw on my shoes and head out the door! thanks for the kick in the pants, meg!

shannon - Ok I’m in! I have been going to the gym off and on for 2 months…it’s about time there was some consistency….ok…so I’ll go with 40 miles in March!!!!! 😀 (holy cow did I really just write that for the public to see?)

catie - i LOVE MFP! it’s such a great app! and i love that you can scan the barcode to enter a food. so great! i also kicked march off with a great 5 mile run (long run day) and i’m training for a 10K in june.
so excited!

Jennifer Cooper - I love MFP. I used to do Weight Watchers online and paid $17.95/month. MFP is free and it has more foods. It’s the Wikipedia of food and exercise tracking. I find it motivating to keep track and earn extra calories through exercise.

Kameron - I’m in! I did 3.1 miles tonight! I was proud I only walked for ~5 minutes of it. My calves are killing me but I am in! I am running a half marathon in May so I can’t slack!

Seriously Sassy Mama - I started a 100 day challenge through my job. It has been five weeks now and I have lost 7 pounds. The inches are coming off, and I feel awesome! I love the My fitness pal app. You can also go online and use it, just in case you do not have a fancy phone. The database is awesome. I am on a quest to get to 125 before the summer. I am 132, and I will do it!

Angela B. - I am joining you for some March exercise madness! I downloaded the app and then got myself outside for some sledding with the kids. I couldn’t find Jillian Michaels workouts on there to add as exercise- I will be trying to do those 5 days a week. I did her ripped in 30 for 3 months last year and didn’t lose a pound. I think I ate all the calories I burned off. This app should help!

Alicia D - awesome! i am right there with you with the running and eating healthier! started running last summer which I haven’t done since i was literally 12. I hadn’t worked out in the past 4 years like AT ALL. now im training for the Philly Broad Street 10-miler! It’s all mind over matter. Good luck with your March goals! 🙂

Cindy - Yes! I am ready! So grateful for the inspiration. I need it! Also, thanks to you, I’m signed up the KC Color Run…a little reward for myself once I stick with this 😉 They sold out incredibly fast though!! Unfortunately two of my girlfriends didn’t get in. Bummer.

Lisa - Thank you for sharing that app!!! I need something like that. I started exercising 3 months ago. My body feels stronger, but I’ve only lost 4lbs. I need to crack down on the eating. I just LOVE food! haha 🙂

Maria - Love my fitness pal…I sync it with my Fitbit (pedometer) and love that both get me thinking about what I eat and how much I move!
Next up, couch to 5k…
I’m with you for 100 miles…hopefully will get some running in there somewhere!

Sandra Sosa - downloaded the app to my phone and i’m ready to rock march right along with ya!!! eat your heart out swimsuit season.. cause i’m comin’ for ya! LOL thanks for all the inspiration. love.. love.. love… your new country home too. that’s my dream.

Mindi - I just got an iPhone on Valentine’s Day and this was one of the first apps I downloaded… it really does help to record everything you eat I think. If I see how many calories it is I have to decide if it’s really worth it or not.
And I haven’t run in forever and I also downloaded the free Couch to 5k app and can’t wait to use it. Once I complete it I want to get the 10k one… I have goals, just need to accomplish them!
I love your blog, can’t wait to see what you do with the new home!!!

Annabelle - I use myfitnesspal already and really enjoy it – I had been using a different app before, but I’ve found I like this one better.
I’ll be joining you to rock March – signed up for http://www.thecolorrun.com in May (sounds right up your alley BTW, getting covered in rainbow dust on a run?!) and need to get my train on!! Don’t know if I’ll run 100 miles, but I definitely want to be active every day. Thanks for the motivation!

Kate - I’m in! My friend and I are doing Weight Watchers, and committed to no cheating, and exercise EVERY DAY in the month of March! Even if it is just some hand weights at home…it beats the couch. It is our March Madeness!!!!

Pensingers.blogspot.com - I love the idea of rocking it out for the whole month! I completed my first half marathn in January, but due to injury and then habit, have fallen away since then. And boy do I miss it! I’ll join you in this body rocking quest to push myself to get motivated and move my butt! I always feel so SO much better after. Thanks for this!

Shannon - This is a way better app than another one I tried and deleted. Thanks for the tip! My goal this year is to run a 5K by May. I know that’s simple for plenty of people, but going from zero to a 5K is kind of a big deal. The biggest problem I’m having is the weather. I don’t pay for a gym membership and some days I just can’t make myself get out in the wind and wet but I am making progress. I feel better and I am super proud of myself! I like your 100 miles in March goal!

shiela - your post got me running 5.12 miles this morning (treadmill at the gym). i needed it since i had been feeling sick & yucky lately. two days ago, i signed up for the full marathon in october (on my actual 40th b-day! super crazy, ey?) i liked looking at those super creative pancakes n all. however, those syrup just kinda eeeks me out. congrats on your new place-how exciting n everything. best & warm wishes!!!

Donna - Rock ‘n and roll’n in March! WooHoo!

Lisa - I’m with jen, but here I go! Don’t have a smartphone so I joined online, and I can already see that the fast-food breakfast that I treat myself with on Fridays is gonna have to stop. I’m not a runner, but I AM GOING TO START WALKING AT LEAST 4 DAYS A WEEK (do you hear that, Self?!) I’ve been needing this for a long time – thanks for the inspiration! ROCK ON!

Lori H - Meg, do you read Flower Patch Farmgirl’s blog? Her situation includes a Draper rental kitchen too! If you don’t already, check it out, I think you’d love it!

Tanya - I’m rockin’ with ya girl.
I’ll take challenge two.
I’m going to tailor mine to 60 miles in March cause that’s where I’m at.
I did 2 yesterday and ran for a large portion of that. That was a milestone for moi 😀
Yay!!
One this is FOR SURE ~ you do feel A LOT better when you’re rockin’ your body….hard to get started but always always worh it.

Cori - good luck with your running. I can’t wait to see blogs about your new place, I love your style.

Lindsey - Wow – Meg! I might be hard-pressed to WALK 50 minutes – great job RUNNING 50 minutes! Thanks for the pep-talk! I will get my exercise on!

Lori S - I have been using MFP for about 3 weeks now! Best ap ever! Because I log everything and other people can see what I’m eating every day, it really makes it easier to NOT have that danish, or NOT go through the drive-thru just because I’m in a hurry! So far I have lost 6.5 pounds. I also just started doing the Slim in 6 video work outs.

Jessica Jackson - I love MFP! I’ve been using it for about 2 months and have dropped 15 pounds! I’m just now starting 30 Day Shred so I’m hoping to knock off another 40lbs before I’m through. 🙂

Kimberly Dial - I will download MFP to my phone but … the 100 miles? I feel certain that will not happen … maybe 50 though!

becky@oursweetpeas - The house looks precious. I have a farm house fantasy. I love my house though so it may never be realized. 🙂
Anyways, I am committing to 60 miles this month. It is wimpy compared to yours but I am a walker and I am JUST starting to get back to regular exercise (now that my daughter is 19 months old and my twins are going to be starting kindergarten in the fall ;), yeah, I have NO excuses). Anyways this will still be an average of about 3 miles on ALL weekdays. I tend to over-commit so I am trying to not let myself. 🙂 This seems do-able.
Good luck with your goals and that gorgeous house, BOTH of them. 🙂

Kimberlee Jost - Go girl.
I am cheering you on.
And rocking my body for swimsuit season, too.
100 miles is not for me, but I am completely inspired.
Thank you. 🙂

Linda - on my way htis morning. Trying to be “faithful” to go 3x a week. Quite an adjustment in thinking but my weight and diabetes demands I do something. Such a backslider; I regained so much weight back. Think I will download; need all the help I can get! No running though. Gave that up when I left the army 28 years ago. hated it!! 🙂

Shauna - Rocking with you! Watching what is eaten and running! Im getting ready for a race in Newton tomorrow! Im pretty excited! Love Rock your Body March!

Anna - I’m a huge an of MFP! I’ve been tracking since right after Christmas and have lost 17 lbs just by watching the calories i’ve been eating. Of course, as my sweet hubby says “Just think what the number whould be if you were exercising daily!” – gotta love encouragement! So I’ll join you for Rock your Body March!

Michelle - I love MFP! I had a lot of success with it last year and then got lost in too many activities but I’m back on track again! Looks like you’ve got yourself a great house! Enjoy!
Michelle
http://www.thingsthatmatter-m.blogspot.com

Katie - Wow! 100 miles…I am training for a 1/2 marathon and figured out I will be running 88 miles in March – I am not sure how to get another 12 in…I love the idea though of setting a mileage goal…this will come in handy when I am not training for a race. Thanks for the idea!

jen - okay…yes yes yes i will do it. committed.
or will i be committed when this is over???
{eekkk…what have i gotten myself into???}

Jessie - I’m with you! Love that app! Instead of giving something up for lent I decided to get back in shape! I rejoined jazzercise on Tuesday and haven’t missed a day yet!

Rachel J - Count me in!

Harriet - YES! This is just the encouragement that I need. 🙂

Jamie Burdorf - I actually downloaded this app in January and I LOVE it! I’m down 19.6 pounds in just 46 days. It’s awesome. Good luck with your goals!

Amanda - I LOVE that app! I downloaded it a few months ago and used it for a while but then lost interest in seeing how much garbage I ate. But now I am back in the groove. I don’t run (I walk) but I love the idea of doing 100 miles in March. Don’t know if I can make that goal but it will be fun to try 🙂 Thanks so much for the inspiration!!!!

Michelle From Australia - I’m doing to sit in my desk chair here in Australia and feel guilty. Whilst you run your 100 miles. Or maybe. Just maybe you might be the one to coax me into my jogging shoes. Time will tell.
p.s. I love, love, love your kitchen in the ‘other’ house. But I’m sure you will have this one looking ‘Meg Beautiful’ very soon.
Sending prayers your way for good moving weather….

Jen@ADropintheBucket - Totally joining you! Already got my exercise in (I’m in Scotland and usually get up early in the am before husband goes off to work to get it done), and I am going to look the app. I am doing weight watchers, but maybe this can eventually replace it!

Karen - Wow. This is a great app! Thank you for sharing! I really need to get on this!! 😉

Courtney - I’m doing Weight Watchers but need a jolt to get back on track with that – so I’ll skip MFP but I will do better with tracking on WW.
I’m ready to rock my body with you! The 100 miles in march sounds crazy hard, but I’m going to try! I’ll also be counting time on my bike toward my miles because many days it’s too hard to get out and walk/run but I can manage to spend 30 minutes on my bike and get a few miles in that way!
Let’s do this thing!

Alisa - Im on MFP but am very bad at logging in and tracking. I think my goal needs to be track every bite and keep moving.
is there a way to make a closed group on MFP? We could have a group of whatever march rock your body ladies…. 🙂

Vanilla Bean Crafts - I’m doing HCG this month, but I downloaded it for when I’m done!! yay!!!
Ellie

sue - The kitchen is very different to your other one..Are you sure you really want to do this ?

courtney child - Hahaha…great minds MUST think alike!! I started rockin’ my body today too!! Went to the store yesterday, bought all kinds of yummy, healthy foods and started my journey on getting healthy and fit today too!! I also have the app you talked about in your post, and it is nice to be accountable for what you put in your mouth. Here’s wishing us luck and success!! By the way, I love your blog…I look forward to it each and everyday!!
Thanks, Courtney

Hannah - I’m getting married in June, so I’m definitely exercising and eating a lot healthier (and a lot less:) It’s always good to know I’m not alone!

Karen Gerstenberger - I am a walker, for the most part: 3 – 6 miles a day, depending on the day. I would like to work on toning what I have, but have had trouble getting motivated to change up the workout. Running hurts – I love the endorphins, but dont like the pain. I’m older than you are! 😉 I did download the app – that might help with motivation. Thank you for the invitation/challenge!

Leah - Why is it that we avoid exercise so much yet it feels so good when you’re done? I need to remember that feeling and exercise more.

keri - forever folding laundry - I’ve been trying to rock this body too here for the past couple of months.
I can’t believe I’m actually about to say this out loud,
but…I’m actually starting to enjoy running.
That shocks me!
I didn’t think it was possible.
So…I’m with you.
I’m running tomorrow. 9am. Boom.
Let’s do this.

Midwest Magnolia - Melissa Lewis - Oooh, thanks for the app tip. I will definitely be doing that. I am totally joining in on your rock the body challenge. I actually ordered some running shoes TODAY so that I can start working out, for real. Part of why I dread it is because I have awful shoes that hurt my feet. So now, I am actually looking forward to it. Thanks for the encouragement!

Laura Lee - I only run if I am being chased…. 🙂 But I am cheering you on! Amazing goal! And I am going to try my best to get back to my work out routine this month too. Seems like nothing but non stop sick kids here for two months! I am ready to feel healthy again!

Sheri - awesome idea – i’m going to rockin’ out too. 100 miles in march! it’s on!

lauren - I ran my first 3 1/2 miles post-baby today (she was born Christmas morning) but I’m going to step it up quickly since I’m running a half marathon in may & just registered for a half ironman (triathlon) in August! March 1st kicked it all off for me! yeah!

beth e. - rockin the body with you all the way from vancouver island british columbia. just did level 2 jillian michaels 30 day shred. shoulders burning. sipping some green tea and having a bit of plain greek yogurt with fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of granola. sending you good energy for tomorrow! p.s. love the new kitchen,very cute.

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IHOP syrup…at home!

when i was asked to review IHOP at HomeÆ Syrups i immediately said yes.
we are a breakfast loving family!

i make waffles and craig makes pancakes.
not on the same days, of course, but those are each of our specialties.
i very rarely attempt pancakes on my own, and i have never heard of craig making waffles.

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it's one of his favorite meals.
our entire married life he has made his mother's recipe for homemade pancakes.
he mixes it in a blender so only one dish gets dirty (besides the griddle).
and our kids have ALWAYS helped him with the mixing, pouring and flipping.
my youngest girls fight over the privilege of adding the ingredients!
they love to make breakfast with their dad.

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scott even jumped in to flip one.
he usually just shows up to eat the pancakes….hardly ever to flip one!

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and he can NEVER wait for the whole family to sit down together to eat.
he digs in.
and is finished before anyone else even comes to the table.

while craig makes the pancakes, i make the scrambled eggs and cut up some fruit.

this morning was lauren's birthday, so annie and i thought it would be fun to add sprinkles to the pancakes!
she shook like crazy until they were adequately sprinkle filled.

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whenever you cook with annie (or draw or play games or…anything)
she usually hugs and kisses you throughout the process.
it's just who she is.
it's her way of letting you know she is happy in that moment.
i love that.

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the birthday girl appeared.
seventeen years old…that is crazy.

i called everyone in for breakfast, and they were honestly so excited to try the new syrup.
IHOP at Home sent us Original, Lite, Sugar Free, Rooty Tooty Fresh N FruityÆ Strawberry, and Rooty Tooty Fresh N FruityÆ Blueberry!
what a treat to have so many choices.
the boys tried the fruit flavored syrups…LOVED them.
Annie chose Original.

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She was a happy camper.

we don't live near any IHOP restaurants.
the kids beg to go there when they see one…which we do when we are visiting grandma or on vacation.
but now we can pretend we are there by using their syrup AT HOME!
maybe i will get some spray whipped cream, and we'll make our own funny face pancakes!

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i used the Sugar Free flavor.
i like my syrup not quite as sweet as my kids like it to taste.
and it's nice to save those calories too.
sprinkles on my breakfast made me smile.

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at every meal at house…this is what waffle does.
meal times are his favorite times of the day.
i bet breakfast meals are his favorite.

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you can click over to www.IHOPatHome.com to find where to buy IHOP at Home†Syrup and visit IHOP at Home's Facebook page to get connected!

my family loved trying the syrups!

what does your family think of IHOP at Home Syrup?

answer that question to be entered for a chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card and an IHOP at Home Syrup gift pack!

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from March 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012.

Be sure to visit the IHOP at Home Syrup page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!†

Ashley Tucker - These sound great and we can’t wait to try them!!
ajoy1332 at yahoo dot com

Eugenie - We like the flavor of the IHOP Strawberry syrup the most.

Mari - We haven’t tried it but we’d probably like the original flavor.
runningmatey at hotmail dot com

Betty Curran - I haven’t seen them yet but I’d really love to try them with waffles.

ACMommy3 - Yum, these syrups sound great, we haven’t tried any yet, but my family is always excited about syrup with our homemade pancakes and waffles! Love the Sprinkles idea, how fun, we’ll have to try that. 🙂 I want to try the Lite one first. 🙂

Lee - We like the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity® Blueberry syrup. It has a strong taste of blueberries.

Anne K. - Oh my gosh! Even though I’m posting at 9pm, I have the worst taste for pancakes now!!!!
We haven’t tried IHOP at home yet, but would love to!

ewhatley - We all love IHOP and waffles and pancakes so this syrup will definitely be on our table.

kay swederski - My family loves it. Saturday mornings we eat together and have french toast and the syrup is great!

Desi - Looks delish to me though we have never tried it or even heard of it! Now I want some pancakes 🙂

Shelley C - YUMMMM IHOP!

Jenn Guymon - I didn’t know they made IHOP syrup for the home! Definitely going to have to find some. We love IHOP!!!

Amber Fussell - Would love to try IHOP’s at Home syrup. We love breakfast for dinner!

Carmen - We haven’t tried IHOP syrup yet. Sprinkle pancakes sound like fun – maybe I’d need the sugar-free syrup to counter balance 🙂

Jill L - My kids are excited to be adding this to our Saturday morning breakfasts!!
chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

Jessica Wood - Ihop rules!

Sarah L - Haven’t tried them yet, but the blueberry would be my favorite.
Thanks for the contest.

Brenna - I love IHOP. Can’t wait to try these syrups! Yum.

Cori Westphal - I think it’s a great idea for anyone who doesn’t have an IHop close to them!
coriwestphal at msn dot com

Merissa - Sounds like a great way to bring IHOP home for those lazy mornings…yummy!

Gillian - Love Walmart’s prices, and Ihop’s EVERYTHING 🙂

Carrie K - this sounds delicious…i would love to try it!!

angie lilly - oooo I love it! The closest IHOP to me is over an hour away and I have never been to it or any IHOP but have always wanted to try them! This would allow me to do just that! SO cool! Thanks for sharing!

Analia - We love pancakes with syrup too! IHOP brings lots of memories back from my childhood…pancakes with the family on Saturday mornings!

Kerry - We haven’t been able to try it yet, but it looks fabulous!

Karina Lee - we’ve never tried it, but we love ihop

linda brooks - My family loves pancakes and would love to try IHOP at Home Syrup.

Gina M Maddox - tweet-https://twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/183687175366377473
gina.m.maddox (AT) gmail (DOT) com

Gina M Maddox - We would love to try this, sounds delicious! Thanks for the chance to win!
gina.m.maddox (AT) gmail (DOT) com

Jammie - We are just learning about the ihop in home syrup. Our local walmart carries it so I am going to have to get some the next time I am out. sweepmorey at gmail dot com

sy - I’ll try this because I love the syrups at ihop restaurants. Thanks for the review and giveaway.
songyueyu at gmail

Melanie - I haven’t tried it yet but I am excited to! It sounds delicious.

Jessica F - We haven’t tried it yet but we love the syrup at the restaurant!

Jennifer C - The IHOP at Home Syrup sounds great. My daughter and I must eat gluten-free, so we can’t enjoy pancakes at IHOP anymore. I’m going to contact the manufacturer and see if the new syrups are gluten-free. Maybe we can have homemade gluten-free pancakes with IHOP syrup!

Debbie B - i haven’t found this yet in my area but I do love IHOP syrup in the restaurant
debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

Mary - My mom who is 95 loves their syrup
marybug2 @ yahoo. com

Kathryn C. - Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/katbirdfl/status/181412785417232385
katbirdfl (at) gmail (dot) com

Kathryn C. - We have not tried the IHOP at home syrup, as a matter of fact I didn’t even know they made it for home and it was in the store. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
katbirdfl (at) gmail (dot) com

Erica Best - I have never tried IHOP syrup
purple_lover_04 at msn dot com

Bev Edge - I know my family would love these syrups! We’ll have to get some for our favorite pancakes for dinner!

whitney f - We have not tried the IHop at home syrups!!! But we love IHop, so we should try some soon!!!

Kari - My family LOVES IHOP! We go there often. It’s usually our 1st choice when we decide to go out to eat. My sister and I always order the same thing, every time we go. She gets Blueberry pancakes with Strawberry topping, and puts Blueberry Syrup on it. I get the Belgian Waffle with strawberry topping and use the boysenberry syrup. DELICIOUS! Now my mouth is watering, and I think I know what I’m having for dinner!

Maria Cantu - I haven’t tried this yet but would like to try the strawberry one.
MCantu1019 at aol dot com

Leann Lindeman - We haven’t tried them, but all sound good!

Elena - I love IHOP! I haven’t tried the syrup at home yet
elena150980 at yahoo dot com

Stephanie - we love iHop! we go there at least 4 times a month

courtney b - i have never tried it but i would love too! looks yummy! and i love ihop!

mami2jcn - I haven’t tried it yet but my kids would really enjoy it!

Tina M - I haven’t tried the IHOP at Home Syrup, would love to give it a try

Caitlynne - We haven’t tried the ihop at home syrup but we loooove the restaurant and we have pancake night every month on the 8th so this would be fun to try!

Janis - Love IHOP, Especially with the Grands!! Can’t wait to try the syrups.

Janelle - I didn’t know IHOP made syrups to take home! IHOP is my favorite breakfast place so I’m sure their syrup’s are delicious! 🙂

Karla - Daddy’s breakfasts are the best at our house. YUM!!

margo black - I would love to have some of that syrup in my house!!

Tim - I think it looks fantastic.

Elizabeth - Yum!!! Love Ihop pancakes 🙂 My belly likes them even more 🙂

jennibell - My family would *love* to have IHOP syrup at home!! Will have to get some. . .but then they will complain that my pancakes don’t taste as good as IHOP (and I would have to agree). . .will they have a pancake mix next?!?
BTW, ever since I read a post of yours about Craig making pancakes in a blender I have never done anything but — just made them this morning in fact. It is the most ingenious way to make them!!

Diana Yarborough - They would love it. We have the same old syrup normally. It would be good to change it up.

Michele - Assuming this is the same syrup that they serve in their restaurants; it’s delicious!

meredith - i think my family would love it – ihop is a vacation treat!!!

Heidi Tapley - We haven’t tried the Home IHop syrup, but if it is anything like what they have in the restaurant, it will surely be a family favorite.

Kathryn - Teddy bear pancakes with fruity syrup–does it get any better than that?!

Paula Caldwell - We have not tried the ihop syrup yet, but it is now on my shopping list to get next time I am at Walmart. Thanks!

Lisa G. - Haven’t tried them yet, but I’m meeting a friend there for brunch tomorrow! Love me some iHop! 😉

Natalie J Vandenberghe - We didn’t know about IHOP at Home Syrup until this past weekend. I can’t wait to buy it because I think my family will love the delicious flavors that we can enjoy at home.
Wish I had been at your house for breakfast 😉
Thanks for the giveaway!

mel - i do like the syrups at the restaurant so i’m sure it would be great to have them at home. the blueberry is my fave!

danielle - It rocks because there’s no place like home!

megan - i love pancakes. my favorite kind is chocolate chip banana! yummy!

Shiloh Walter - Love IHOP!

secret mom thoughts - My family would love to have IHOP syrup at home. It is almost the best part of IHOP.

Andrea Siebert - yay-love pancakes!

Eileen Rosenberg - I like the idea of the sugar free syrup however my mom used to always make a blueberry sauce/syrup when she made pancakes so I bet the blueberry one would bring back memories 🙂

Angie G - Will definitely try IHOP syrups – we love pancakes at our house!

Nicole - I’ve never had it but you make it look yummy!!

Amanda Sakovitz - We love IHOP but we haven’t tried their at home syrups yet but will definitely buy it next time at the supermarket

Deeanna - Yummy in our tummies 😉

Meredith - I would love to try it, sounds yummy. I also want to add jimmies (sprinkles) to my pancakes, kids would love it.

Kim Black - I’ve never seen the IHop at home syrup but you can bet your bottoms i’ll be going to get some!!

Hannah O - I’ve never seen IHOP syrup sold in the stores out by me in Southeastern Ohio..? Where can you get it? I’ll definitely need to try some! and I agree with other comments – we need the recipe for those cakes : )

Kat - I didn’t know they made at Home Syrup! We’ll definitely have to try it out because we LOVE IHOP! We also frequently make pancakes and waffles 🙂
mamakat@writeme.com

Leah - I love pancakes and would love to try all of those flavors!

Michelle - I think that IHOP having an at home product rocks and will motivate me to make pancakes.

anna pry - never tried it yet but my kids would love the different flavors for sure
thepryfamily@gmail.com

steph - we havent tried them but they look tasty!

Heather - Breakfast is our favorite family meal too. Every Saturday I make a huge breakfast for us to share. Looks like pancakes and IHOP syrup are on the menu soon!

Debra F - I know my kids would love the strawberry syrup…..they often spread the strawberry jelly on their pancakes, so this would be perfect for them.

Christina Tong - I tweeted about this giveaway:
https://twitter.com/#!/ctong2/status/178400246752215041
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

Christina Tong - My family loves IHOP. My husband loves pancake and we love to cook our breakfast at home. I am so happy to know there is IHOP at Home Syrup with fruity flavor, we must try the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity® Blueberry syrup and the Strawberry syrup too.
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

Sunshyn V - We love their restaurant syrups so we’re looking forward to trying the at Home versions. The berry flavors sound particularly wonderful.
chainmail (at)iwon dot com

sandra - it sounds tasty

Jill H. - I didn’t know about iHop Home Syrup until now, but I’m super excited about it! I love iHop’s blueberry syrup so I can’t wait to buy some at the store! I’m sure we will love it!

Dee - We haven’t yet tried this pack but as happy patrons of IHOP we know they’ll be delicious and can’t wait to give that blueberry one a taste test! 🙂

Erika - My favorite meal is breakfast (for dinner!), so this sounds really yummy!

Jachel - I lOve flavored syrups from IHOP, they are amazing, if only they’d also make the butter pecan.

Susan Smith - We haven’t tried the IHOP Syrup at Home but I love all of the different flavors of syrup.

Karen - I loved going to IHOP when I was a kid. I especially loved the blueberry syrup. It’s always been my fave.

Katy - YUM!! We are a breakfast family as well!
My husband is drooling over the fruit syrups!!

Jeannette from Plant City - I haven’t tried these yet but they sound yummy!! I would probably like all of them and I’m sure my kids would as well. 🙂

Robin M. - Haven’t tried it yet… but I need to!

Christie - I didn’t know ihop had at home syrup…but would love to try it and so would me hungry kids.

marci h - Never tried it yet but WOW it sure does look good 🙂
marci h
tristatecruisers at yahoo dot com

Jessie C. - My family loves IHOP, their pancakes are the best! We haven’t tried IHOP at Home Syrups yet, but would definitely love to.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com

Carrie A - Our family recently tried the SF IHOP @ home syrup and my diabetic husband who generally rejects all things SF gave it rave reviews! He said he liked it better than the full sugar AJ syrup, yeah!

Amy - Pancakes with sprinkles make me smile! I would love to try IHOP syrup at home, especially the strawberry one. Yum! Might have to add sprinkles to my shopping list as well!

Dahbou - Unfortunately, there is no IHOP near us, either, so we always stop at one when we’re on the road. IHOP at Home Syrup sounds like the perfect product for delicious family breakfasts in between our occasional restaurant visits.

Kelly Massman - We haven’t tried it yet but it sounds yummy! Will look for it the next time we are shopping! thanks for a chance to win!
And, have a GREAT day!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

Maureen - Love your blog Meg, but it makes me sad to see so much sponsored stuff….totally get the money making aspect of blogging, but I really love your posts that do not include a major brand name……I am not a blogger, but notice so many of the blogs that I love to read are turning into this….is this just how it naturally goes?

Kasey - I didn’t even know it existed! But I love IHOP, so I bet it’s good.

Molly - I had no idea you could buy the syrup!! Yummy!!

cw - I have never tried it, but I think we would like it. We haven’t been to an IHOP in years, but I remember them well from when I was a child and love their pancakes and syrup.

Laine - Wow, I never knew that they sold their syrup!! I LOVE pancakes, I seriously could eat them everyday. Cannot wait to try this!!

Sharon Rooney - Tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/jerseygirl137/status/175948988552458241
jerseygirl137(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sharon Rooney - Wow, your pancakes look wonderful. YUM!
I didn’t know they made IHOP at home. My family just loves IHOP, I will have to put this on my shopping list.
jerseygirl137(at)yahoo(dot)com

ellen - We havent tried it but it sure looks good- your pics made me hungry, and we love IHop!

Kytah00 - WE’RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THESE NEW SYRUPS & CAN’T WAIT TO STOP BY THE STORE & PICK SOME UP!
kytah00@yahoo.com

Amy - I tweeted about this giveaway:
https://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it/status/175864612393197570
Amy [at] utry [dot] it

Amy - My family loves IHOP and we love to cook at home too. The IHOP at Home Syrup is perfect when we wanted to stay in and cook together instead of dining out.
Amy [at] utry [dot] it

yvette arevalos - my family loves pancakes! please send me some to try!

tara - one of our family traditions is having breakfast every single sunday night….having some ihop syrup would be an amazing addition to our french toast casserole or waffles or pancakes!!!

Laura in LA - Very neat! I don’t know of any other kind of strawberry & blueberry syrups & now you can have it at home.

Julie - My family (and me!) would go nuts for their syrups at home. My husband makes the pancakes in our family too. 🙂

Naomi Williams - I have just perfected a pancake recipe (took almost 11 years of marriage) that would be fantastic with some new syrup choices. We live in a tiny town and there are no IHOPS within 100 miles of us!
The few times I have been to an IHOP, I was in love with their syrups! I do love syrup. I will try 5 different flavors on the same pancake, pouring just a little bit at a time! I would LOVE to win a sample pack of syrups to try on my newly perfect pancakes.

Lynda M. - I make pancakes almost every Saturday morning – my daughter loves them. I will have to try to find the ihop syrups since my daughter loves ihop too, but we hardly ever go there. Happy Birthday to Lauren 🙂

GretchenP - all those different flavors sound fantastic! i’m sure we’d love it! thank you for the giveaway!! 🙂

Tian Hapsari - Tweet about this giveaway:
https://twitter.com/#!/tiankinasih/status/175753768443449344

Tian Hapsari - I never try ihop syrup, but I would love to give it a try since my family really love pancake. thank you for hosting this giveaway.

Linda - Have you ever shared your pancake recipe or is it a family secret?

Peggy in TN - I love fruit flavored syrup and will definitely try either of those.

Katelyn - I LOVE IHOP, so this would be great to have at home, instead of going out to the restaurant.

Whitney - I am not usually a pancake fan. BUT I love IHop’s. I usually get chocolate chip… but I think the reason I like them so much is because I always put strawberry and blueberry syrup on them when I am there. I tried Smucker’s Strawberry, but it wasn’t the same. So excited when I saw this!

Heather S. - Where’s the recipe for Craig’s mom’s pancakes? 🙂 Looks yummy!

Mary Beth Hunt - Now I want some pancakes. And I’m a “soaked-in-syrup” girl! Happy Birthday to the 17 year old!

Ashley Cook - twitter.com/#!/ashleyjnc/status/175694839277568001

Kelli - We love IHOP- everyone in the family loves a different syrup. Me- sugarfree Hubby-orginial Kid -fruit . Thanks for the chance!

Ashley Cook - I’ve always wanted to try the fruit syrups and haven’t. They look yummy! I rarely ever get a chance to go to IHOP, but this might inspire a trip 😉 Not good for my five pounds lost this week, Shame on you Meg haha.

Maine Mummy - Fantastic idea! Love IHOP!

meaghan - ooooh…original all the way!!!

Lelia - We have never been to an I-hop, so we’d love to try the syrup!! =D

Andrea - My kids love trying all the flavors of syrup when we eat at IHOP, so I know they would love it at home!

Ashley K - Looks delicious. My husband would love the fruit flavored and I’m sure my 17 month old would love the original. 🙂

Ashley - Yum! I can have gluten free pancakes with ihop syrup! I love strawberry and the boys love original.

Amanda Larkins - Those sound delicious! I will have to give them a try!!

Jenn - We are big pancake people. We actually have a couple of IHOPs in our town and I love eating out for breakfast. Unfortunately, we don’t get to as often as I would like. So we make pancakes every weekend. All the flavors and options sound great! I now know where to get them too!

Wendy - Ooooh yum! Love the IHOP syrup!

Stacey - Yummy!

Linda B - I hadn’t seen these yet. I would love to try them!

Lorilei - Can’t wait to try it!

AJ - We are a pancake/waffle family too! I do most of the cooking but my husband excels at breakfasts!

Krissy - My boyfriend and I LOVE ihop!!! He’d love the berry ones, and i like original.
I love Annie!! She’s too cute and super sweet! <3

nora - We would love it I’m sure! Especially the blueberry syrup. Friday dinner in our house is “French Toast Friday!” yum.
aw, the photo of waffle made me miss our doggie who we lost in november. he was such a good helper at cleaning the floors under the babies. 🙂

Kate - We love IHOP! We just got a brand new one in our town that is open 24 hours a day! Pancakes all night long, yeeha! I would love to try their syrup at home.

Alice H - My kids would love that! I make all kinds of fun pancakes. One time I made Smores pancakes. Yum! Thanks for the giveaway.

Janelle - Well my family thinks nothing about IHOP at home syrup but we would like too! They LOVE IHOP pancakes…who doesn’t!?

beth - I’ve never tried (or even heard of it til now!) but I LOVE syrupy sweet pancakes. Yum! I think I may be making blueberry pancakes tomorrow now…..

Jen - my family loves breakfast too-chocolate chip pancakes every Sunday

Kati - I think it is a great idea! I would love to try out the flavors. We love having breakfast for dinner! 🙂

Lori H - I haven’t tried it, but it sounds worth a shot!

tara pollard pakosta - just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your beautiful LaureN! 17, wow! she sure is a beautiful girl!!! tell her to make an appearance into the camera more OFTEN!
tara

karenth - I think the at home syrup is a great idea! I usually wimp out on trying flavored syrups, but the at home pack might push me over the edge!!

Kate W. - we recently moved to a town without IHOP, boo-hoo 🙁 Can’t wait to try these and try to replicate it at home!

tiffany gardner - one word. AWESOME.

Erica - My kids love IHOP. (I love that kids eat free at dinner time.) My favorite syrup is butter pecan. It’s too bad you didn’t get that kind, because it’s heaven.

giving - YUMMMMMY! Can’t wait to try them!!!

K - this is FANTASTIC for when we cannot get to IHOP!! 🙂

Jolene (Homespun Heritage) - We eat breakfast for dinner usually 1 or 2 times a week…My husband is the pancake king and my 8 yr old son, Jakob, is the waffle guy. He does ALL the waffles in our house…he’s just great at it!
We’d love to try the IHOP syrups!

Wendy - i didn’t even realize IHOP made this syrup! i will have to try it. yummy. i love ihop.

Nicole F. - We haven’t tried IHOP syrups yet, but we would love to! Love me some pancakes and waffles!

colleen from alabama - We have an IHOP within 5 miles of our house – dangerous(in a good way!) However, nothing beats eating pancakes and waffles in your pjs! I know we would all be licking our lips with that yummy syrup!

Andrea - We love pancakes and would love to try their syrup at home!

Jennifer - IHOP syrups at home…yes please!

Heather M. - How fun! My family LOVES pancakes and these would be so fun to try. Thanks for the fun giveaway!

Tiffany - I would love to try the Rooty Tootie Fruity syrup! We have 5 in our family that all love different flavors. Thanks!

Anne - Fun pictures! We love pancake night at our house, but to be honest, we’re food snobs when it comes to syrup and go for the real deal made locally. Real maple syrup is so much tastier than Mrs. Butterworth’s, Log Cabin or IHOP syrup. You can keep the synthetic rainbow of flavors, IHOP! 🙂

Jen - We like IHOP, one of our twins more than anyone else in our family. More than anyone else in town. That kid can put away the pancakes, so their syrup would totally make his day. And, that would make my day 🙂

amy - my kids love IHOP!! ihop at home syrup would make “breakfast for dinner” a weekly occurence.

ginny - we’d love to try all those syrup flavors! and i hope you share the pancake recipe too please. i’ve only ever made bisquick pancakes.

Beth Ann - Love em’! We do breakfast for dinner once a week, complete with syrup choices, fruit topping bar and of course whip cream! It is my kids favorite meal and I love it in that any leftovers can be kept in the fridge to warmed up in the toaster subsequent mornings for breakfast!

Wendy - We haven’t tried their syrup, but we’re looking forward to trying it soon! We love IHOP!

Elizabeth Tadigiri - I love IHOP pancakes and also never miss to try ALL of the syrups when I go there.

Wendy W - I’m so jealous that you’ve had the opportunity to try the other flavors as all I’ve been able to find is the original. I love it and so does my two year old who seems to dislike everything. Yum!

Rachel Matilda - This is awesome…now I can enjoy the strawberry syrup at home which is my FAVE main reason why I used to visit Ihop!

Shar - My G-kids will love these syrups. Can’t wait to try. My birthday is March 1 too! So, Happy B-day, L!!

Edie S. - I haven’t eaten at IHOP in years! There was one in my college town, and my boyfriend (now husband) and I ate there every weekend he came to visit. I know our kids would love the fruity syrups!

Kirsten J - Sounds yummy – I love the idea of an IHOP treat at home. I remember loving the strawberry when I was a kid 🙂

Julie - Haven’t tried them yet but they look yummy and we love IHOP!!!

Angela B. - We have never tried IHOP syrups. Sounds good! Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter!

Kendra - Haven’t tried them, but would like to!

Julie, momto7 - Cool giveaway! We love breakfast too, and IHOP syrups are so yum!

Christy - I haven’t actually tried the IHOP at home syrup, but I’m sure I would love it. We love IHOP. They have the BEST pancakes!

Regina - We are a breakfast-lovin’ family too! Didn’t know IHOP was marketing in the grocery isle now, but am looking forward to trying it all!

Rachel J - What I really want to know is if Annie’s pj’s come in my size???? SO adorable!

Donna - We haven’t tried the at home syrups yet, but we go to IHOP quite a bit. Breakfast is a good meal at any time of the day! My youngest is amazed that IHOP is open 24 hours a day…he thiinks that is so cool!

Elizabeth - Oh I love their pancakes and like you I prefer plain ol’ syrup no flavors 🙂

rosemarie - I love IHOP they have the best crepes ..I always get them when we go there. I am going to try the strawberry ..

Laura Phelps - is this syrup part of the rock your body plan???
personally, I am not a syrup girl.
but my kids would eat it.
in a bowl.
with a spoon.
like Elf :-)..”I love sugar!!!”

Lisa - Annie is just a doll!

Sarah b - I’d love to try it!! We are cracker barrel junkies, but we’d love trying some new fun syrups. My daughter would adore the strawberry!! 🙂

Michelle From Australia - Another American thing we miss out on 🙁 We visit IHOP a lot each time we are fortunate enough to be in the USA 🙂

amy - I think IHOP at home would add some happy Americana to a very German kitchen! 🙂 I’ll have to have my mom send me some. 🙂 …..and P.S. – so very jealous of your country house!

Jen N. - I haven’t tried the syrups yet, but we LOVE IHOP.

shara - pancakes are my little boy’s FAVORITE meal, so i think this syrup would be well-received in our home!
sharabachman at gmail dot com

Leah - Looks delicious. And happy bday to Lauren!

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - I can’t wait to try the syrup… I know my kids would love it!

shannon - How fun do all those flavors sound! I haven’t tried them yet but I will be looking for them the next time I’m at the store. My girls love pancakes for breakfast!

Amy N - We haven’t tried them yet, but the strawberry syrup looks good!

Jessica - It looks really yummy! I’d love to try it sometime. Your family is adorable, as always!

Tina I - Your 17 year old is beautiful! So nice to see a photo of her. Also loved the pic of your little one where you caught the steam coming up off the pancake. You have a beautiful family!

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hi…..it’s wednesday.

 

**************************************************************************

moving on from that ad for Chlorox….

so…you know how you miss your window of telling someone something if you wait too long?

like if they have spinach in their teeth and you don't say anything for the whole meal and you say something as you get in your car to leave?  

or you find out you are pregnant and don't tell your friends and then you dont see them again until you are obviously showing and it's weird like "umm…hey….i forgot to tell you i'm pregnant"  "When are you due?" "um….next month."  (i have had that happen)

there is a window to share big news before things become awkward.

i missed that window.

so….in the spirit of all this awkwardness….

we are moving.

this weekend.

i know. i know.

craig and i have been talking about it for a year.
our kids are in school in another town (except lauren who is finishing her high school here)
and we have wanted to be in that town all year for lots of reasons…especially for the kids!

we looked at houses, we looked at building, we talked about every option and then

we found a house to rent.

it is the perfect solution until we know what we really want long term.  

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it is two minutes from school.  TWO!!   (which is nice considering we overslept today and missed the bus!)

it's adorable….it really is.
and it's in the country!
with a barn!
with a basketball goal….it's so HOOSIERS.

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we have been moving carloads there for over a week.
we move officially this weekend.

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BUT we are also keeping our current house too.
we will still come here for when our family visits.
when our friends come for a week and we can all stay in one place.
for holidays.
for craft weekends.
for special family nights.
and i will be able to come here and sew and sew and sew.
keeping this house opens up ALL kinds of new and FUN possibilities! 

i am still processing all of it emotionally.
it's a little bit crazy to do but it's also a little bit awesome.

we are confident in this decision.
four of the five kids are happy and pumped up about it.
we are excited about a big change.

we are looking forward to see what GOD brings before us in this adventure.

there are so many wonderful memories to be made here.
i can't wait.
bring on the country.

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so…..what do you think?

 

Suzanne - My family made the big move to the country 5 years ago, the best decision we ever made!
Best wishes to a wonderful adventure…keep us posted!

Monofoil - That house is a dream! It’s a very beautiful place. You’re very lucky to have two houses, for sure. Enjoy!

Karen - I moved from the city to the country at the age of 21. I missed some things at first, but the quiet intelligence, humility and wisdom that country folks possess never ceases to impress me, as you get to know them! If there were even a major disaster of some kind (God forbid) I’d hitch my wagon to them just for survival! There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but for basic wisdom on the ways of the world, they can’t be beat. I think it’s completely wonderful that you have made a move “for your kids” as you wrote, and I hope God blesses your efforts. You will do fine out in the country, providing you realize the country should change you, not the other way around. 🙂 Otherwise you’re doing it wrong. 😉

Lisa Currie-Gurney - OH MY GOOOOODNESS!!!!! I HAVE BEEN BUSY, HAVEN’T HAD A MOMENT TO READ YOUR BLOG UNTIL THIS MORNING. I WOKE UP, THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I WILL GET MY COFFEE, SIT DOWN, AND GET CAUGHT UP ON MEG BEFORE I DO ANYTHING ELSE. YOU’VE MOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MEG HOW EXCITING!!! CHANGE. SO NECESSARY TO EMBRACE, (HUG THE LIFE OUT OF), WHEN WE LOVE AND WANT TO SERVE GOD. HE IS A GOD OF CHANGE, AND YOUR FAMILY IS DOING JUST THAT. SO COOL. WHAT BLESSINGS, CHALLENGES, ADVENTURES, ARE COMING YOUR WAY. WHO KNOWS WHAT GOD HAS FOR EACH OF YOU, AND FOR ALL OF YOU AS A WHOLE!!! I KNOW YOU HAVE TO BE IN HIS WILL TO BE “GIVING UP” THAT AMAZING HOUSE, HAS TO BE A GOD THING. (I know your still “keeping it” for now) WHAT A WITNESS TO US ALL MEG… YOU AND YOUR SWEET FAMILY. PLEASE, THANK THEM FOR ME. FOR REMINDING ME THAT CHANGE IS GOOD. CHANGE IS GOD. CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURES. I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR GROWN CHILDREN ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THEIR GROWING UP YEARS OUT AT OUR “FARM”. YOUR DOING A GOOD THING. GOD BLESS YOU FRIEND! <3

Randi-Dukes and Duchesses - How exciting! My husband and I were just saying that our dream house would have a barn with a basketball court … I can’t believe you got it!! Wishing you much happiness in your new home.

Ashley - I absolutely adore hearing about people chasing their dreams. So so happy for you!

Mary - Is it weird that a piece of me mourned the fact that your family is moving? I don’t even know you or your family, but I’ve followed this blog for so long. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your house and it’s just so family friendly. I’ve picked my jaw up off the floor and I’m SUPER stoked for you and your family. Yeah…I know, I know…my reaction was bizarre-o. 🙂 Happy Moving Weekend!

Wendy - Hmmm … how did you convince your children to change schools & move?

Jenn - YES! FISTPUMP!
The country is amazing.
I live in a house with a barn (with hoop!) and a shop and fields and woods that my kids will grow up playing in… and it is wonderful. Your family will be SO blessed by this move!
And you know what, if you decide it’s just not for you after a year or so… then you still have a great place to move back to, so no worries there! I am excited that you are excited. Hope this weekend is non-stressful and full of fun as you fill the new home with life.

Kelly - I thought you already were in the country being 30 minutes from Tarjay. 🙂 Just kidding!
This is awesome! Absolutely awesome! I am so happy for you! Thank You God for just wildly fun blessings and please work in the lives of the Duerksen’s in this new adventure as You have planned. Amen.
When I saw photos of craft weekend and the twin beds in the READ room I thought to myself “now why would she want to mess with that perfectly perfect room even one iota” but if you’re moving anyway it makes a lot more sense (not that it needs to make sense to me, you can of course do whatever you want!)
Happy moving! I am so happy for you!
Oh and that barn equals awesome, awesome! Kelly

DanaD@BoysMyJoys - What a wonderful, wonderful opportunity for you and your family! I’m begging to move to the country, but we just haven’t found the right spot yet. I can’t wait to see a house tour, and to see how your cheerful decorating will impact your new space!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

Sandy - WOW! I had no idea! Of course not…how would I?! 🙂 The biggest thing to me is you (all) are happy and the 2nd biggest thing is that you are keeping your “old” house! You’ve done so much work to it and it’s SO gorgeous! I can’t imagine you not living there, but I know your next place will be even more amazing. Aside from crafts, family visits, etc maybe you’ll consider renting it out to those of us that would LOVE to vacation in it?! 🙂

Michelle - I’m so confused! I hope you’ll give us a little more of a fill in as you get settled into the new house. Lots of luck Meg.

Jenn - WOW!!! Totally not where I thought you were going with that! I am so blown away. Love your example – and so true. I have had house envy ever since I started following your blog, so I am feeling sad to not be able to check out all the cool details in the background of your pics – even though it is exciting to think about you making a mark on a new house, with new inspiration – even though it’s a rental, you seem like a person who would nest anyhow. Your family is beautiful. Love the old house. Hope the transition is super great for all of you, even the 1 hold out…

Jessie - Is it bad that I felt utterly disappointed when I thought I had missed out on a chance to buy your house?! I got over it when I read that you were keeping it though, lol 🙂 Do I smell a B&B in your future? If so, where do I make a reservation?! Best of luck wih the move, and I can’t wait to see what you do with your new digs!

crystal beutler - Super excited for your new adventure!!!!!!!! Good luck with all the moving. My least favorite thing ever. Lucky you have lots of hands to help.
Can’t wait to see it all fixed up. Wish you lived near me because I’m having a garage sale and you could probably use some of my stuff for your old house!!

any jupin - i am in love with that barn!

Lilian - Wow. Must be nice to afford 2 houses. Sure am jealous.

Whitney - Whoa. At first I wanted to check the calendar to make sure I didn’t miss March and this was an April Fool’s joke. Nope, it’s still March 1st. Then I thought, “Why on earth would she want to move from her amazing house?? Hmmm… maybe instead of moving home to Maine in 2 months I can rent her house?” It’s going to be so different to see you in a different location… I feel as if I have been to your house, when clearly I haven’t. Hope your move is easy, stress free (ha, like moving is ever either one)… and can’t wait to see what adventures the new house holds. (I feel less sad knowing I will still get to see your other house still- crazy that I feel sad when I have never met you!) Enjoy!

Melissa l - Okay, you have to tell us more about your move. More on why, more pics, everything. Best of luck and can’t wait to find out more!

amanda - Oh, exciting! Hoping your transition is a smooth one (and that your one of five comes around soon 😉

Janelle - Dude – if you ever sell your house, you should put in on eBay, I can’t imagine what we would all bid for it!

elma - Oh the best of luck in moving!! Can’t wait to see pictures!!!!

Melissa - Wow!!! I hope your family is super happy in your new place. My husband and I have been AGONIZING over the decision to move to a bigger house to fit 4 (maybe 5?) kids in. BUT, I have put so much TLC into my current house that I’m heartbroken even thinking about leaving my orange dining room and teal-painted kitchen cupboards. Thanks for your post!

Kristin Hayne - I think it is AWESOME…. change is good….more convenient for your family and look at that AWESOME property!! SOOOO YOU!!! Glad to hear you are keeping your old home. That would be the best of both worlds for me. It is a win win situation. Good luck in your new adventure…. can’t wait to see what yuo do with the new residence…. and glad to hear you are content with the decision… THAT to me is the hardest part… finding the peace with sucha big change!! YEAH! Good luck!

angie - First, I love how excited the commenters are for Waffle! Lol! Your readers are awesome.
I too was sad and shocked to hear that you are moving from that grand house. I am so glad you are keeping it 🙂 I can’t wait to see what life has in store for you and your family! Country life is so appealing to me. Enjoy!!

Jacci - ha ha ha… these comments have been so funny to read! i’ve read ALL of them. I’m thinking, Megan, if you posted another post of absolutely nothing just so all your readers could talk back and forth about your move, we’d all come comment! We’re shocked. And cracking up at you springing it on us. And excited. And confused. And feeling silly for caring so much, but if ever there were a post to show us all just how much we CARE about you, your family, your house, your blog – this is IT! I already commented, but I came back just to say that **I am praying for yor family as you move this weekend** – for hearts, and attitudes, and details. All that good stuff. Praying.

Vonda - Wow!!! I had to read it a couple of times! I love, love, love your house-but I know you will make this one a beautiful cozy home too! I grew up on 5 acres in the country with a big barn-sooo many wonderful memories! I’m very glad that you are keeping your other house too tho!!!

Deb Meyers - i think? awesome~!!! Country life and a basketball goal…yay for you!!!!

Ashlyn@Pinecone - We moved this summer to Upstate NY and still have our house near Seattle – so that is just a pain in the butt since it is all the way across the country…. But, what your doing is going to be just plain great! I am dying over the pendant lights in that barn – are they gorg or what!
Good luck with everything this weekend!! xo Ashlyn

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - I want to live in the country! This will be fun following your journey. Praying all 5 kids will be happy with the move.

Lisa - GREEN! That’s me. WITH ENVY! This is so WONDERFUL!! Congratulations on the new house – it looks amazing – I can hardly wait to see pictures of the inside and of the land you’re on. I’m so happy for you that you are keeping the “city” house – it is such a great house, esp. with the newly renovated bathroom :). Don’t we all wish that we had a space/house for a creative energies to reside and expand and develop? I hope this all works out for you and your family. BTW, I missed that “window” with my pregnancy, too – no one but my family knew I was pregnant until I was in a car wreck and had my baby 10 weeks early and was put on the prayer chain at church. (No, I didn’t look pregnant, even at 29 weeks)Oops. Best wishes for a smooth and “uneventful” move this weekend!

Sarah - Wow, I almost flipped out when I started reading it!!! So happy you get to keep your old house too…it’s too beautiful to leave!!! Love the country too! Enjoy the blessings!!!

Michelle - Wow.
What else can I say.
Okay, congratulations, would be really good and so would
good job at keeping a secret and good job at multi-tasking.
I remember when I first started to read your blog so long ago and was surprised to find that you lived “in town”, because for some reason I pictured your family in this awesome country setting. Now you are there, sort of. Renting is different in a way. However, I’m sure that God has a lot in store for your family and that whatever you do, wherever you go, He will lead the way. Can’t wait to see where this leads.
Enjoy the wonderful bonfires, nights looking at the stars, and if you can, plant a big patch of sunflowers since you are in the country.

Cari - Wow! I’ve been a faithful follower for awhile now, but got out of the habit of commenting because we just moved ourselves — from Arkansas to South Carolina. Moving is exhausting! I hope you find time to rest & savor the moments. What a blessing to be able to keep your home for special occasions! Happy moving!!

gigi - I think I am confused but, “okay.” I’ll follow you. 😉

D. Jean - Wow! What a great idea. Can’t wait to hear more.

Wendy - Wow! Being an ex-military family, we have a bit of experience in “moving”. We moved every 2 years his entire career. We’ve been at this house for almost 5 years now, it seems like forever! Our youngest are already asking when we’ll move again. I’m sorry for your child that’s not happy about it (I have teenagers myself and let me tell you… they were *not* happy about our last move). They’ll get over it, they’ll make new friends… it’s ok. You’re doing the right thing. Good luck with the move (I loved the purging moving always forced me to do) and I can’t wait for pictures of the new house made into your home! 🙂

Seriously Sassy Mama - Hoosier is awesome! A country home! I almost cried when you said you were moving. I was fixing to move to Kansas and buy your home!

Michelle - It looks awesome! Congratulations!

Jenn - You’ll love the country. Your kids will too:) Can’t wait to see what you do with the new house. It’s got a lot of potential! Prayers for you during this busy-crazy time.

Sara - This will be a great thing! So excited for you!

Cheryl E. - WHAT?!?!?!?!? Wow, now there’s a shocker! 🙂
Congratulations!!!! I guess I figured with all that blood, sweat and tears in decorating your “other” home, you would have never moved. Are you able to decorate the rental in the country?
I think it’s a great move for you and your family and I look forward to your new adventures! Happy packing! 🙂

christine karp - i had to stop and think…
is it April 1 today?
is this an april fool’s joke?
i’m still stunned
it’s really amazing!
blessings on your new path!
and good for you in going for it!
i hope it brings much happiness to you and your wonderful family!

Pip - Amazing! Looks likes the perfect place for your lovely family 🙂 love the barn!!

Katherine @ Grass Stains - I’m shocked, but excited about all that this move has in store for you! Sounds like you guys are really (well, almost all of you) excited, and I can’t wait to hear story after story after story about it. I never get bored of hearing your anecdotes, even about the mundane pieces of everyday life. (I have four kids, so it’s all fun to read for me!)

Heidi hentze - Wow Megan,
I was shocked! Good for you, many blessings. It’s hard work to move but worth it. Look forward to seeing your touch of magic applied to your new digs! Love that barn!

Annie Lanka - Yay Meg!!! I hope you guys love living in the country as much as we do! Good luck!!

Karen Gerstenberger - WOW! I am shocked, but happy for you…and thankful that you don’t have to leave the house which I have come to associate with you, the memories of your remodeling and your photojournals of it, all the ways you have put your stamp upon it. I am glad that you will be able to return there for gatherings of family and friends, and most of all, that you & Craig feel peaceful and happy about it.
Carpe diem! God is good. May all of you (even the one who isn’t 100% in favor) find blessing and joy in your new home.

Lisa - Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to say, I was shocked to read this, I LOVE your house so much and all the time and love you have put into it, it’s hard to think of you and your family NOT living there….BUT, I know that change can be good and I’m sure you will make your new home, wherever that winds up being, a beautiful place too…and we’ll get to watch you do it!

Jenny B. - I just did the whole so-shocked-I-had-to-grab-hold-of-something-for-fear-I-might-faint thing. Whoa! I’m so excited and a little scared (becuase it seems so sudden to me even though I realize it’s so not for you so you shouldn’t be scared) at the same time! Can’t wait to see more of the new place! And how awesome that you get to keep the old one! Wow. That’s all I have to say.

Beth - Welcome!
You will have great weather for a move in March. 🙂

Dee - A house in the country sounds wonderful. And I know you will make it awesome! I drove my kids to and from school for *years* and I can’t tell you the anxiety I felt about making sure they arrived and were picked up on time, ugh. They take the bus now, a lot less stressful.

Julie - I just hope there are a lot of pictures involved once you move in!

Aby - Holy mackrel!! You know how to spring a surprise girl!! This weekend?!? Really?? Seriously???? I can’t keep a secret for more than say…2 days! Okay…1 day….but I digress!! WOW!! You’re good! I am SO happy you’re keeping your fab house!! How wonderful! I’m happy for your new adventure. I’m happy you’re happy. I know you’ve prayed about it and have been lead to your decision. Enough said!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

catie - WOW! Congrats! That’s so awesome!! We just moved from Wichita to the Halstead area (in the country) and we are LOVING it!
And that barn is fab.u.lous!

Jen Allred - I think it’s just so stinkin’ awesome! I will pray for no wind this weekend and lots of peace as your family transitions to country living!

Erin - Congrats! Being a kansas girl myself I love the idea of a city house and a country house. And lucky for us, in Kansas we have areas where it is actually affordable to have both. I think you just got my wheels spinning. Good luck to you!

Suzy - Meg,
That is such great news. And like a few others before me, I have to say I felt like my best friend just told me she was moving TODAY! If you EVER decide to sell your gorgeous house, please, shoot me an email…I would truly move to Kansas (from Chicago) to live there…with my family, of course!
Have fun decorating and getting settled in! I can’t wait to see pictures! I love that basketball barn!
Suzy

Lacy Peters-Brauner - when i first read the post i gsped. I love that house. It isnt mine i know, but id like to think one day id have something very very similar. I didnt realize until reading further and to stop judging, you were keeping the house!!!!!!!!!! I cant wait to see what you do with your new home:] secretly, i wish you wouldnt move, but like you said..new memories to be made:]

Michelle From Australia - OH WOW! I look forward to seeing you made the new house into your home. Even if it is a rental, I’m sure it will be all the more beautiful for being the D family home. I’ll pray that God will send you strength, patience and good weather for moving.

Mindy Harris - aw, megan, the house is so cute and it sounds like you have made a really wise choice for your family!
i would love to live out in the country..we are in the heart of wichita (not in a scuzzy area) and it’s right up to a main thoroughfair and we hear TONS of ambulences, sirens, traffic…i am a noise sensitive person (wish i wasn’t) so the country sounds so appealing!
good luck with the rest of the moving process.
so excited for you!

Tina I - Wow! What an exciting adventure! We recently moved across the country because of my husband’s job and decided to rent until we could figure out exactly what we wanted to buy. I feel like a rental takes a big weight off your shoulders. A home you can enjoy without being stressed:-) My 12 year old is the one (of 5, like yours) who isn’t excited about the move or the new location. While part of me feels for her and how hard it is, the other part of me wants to say, “Buck up. You’ll survive. Do you know that people in this world have REAL problems!?!” Without betraying your daughter’s trust, would love to hear how you handle the upset kid vs. mom/dad know what is best for our family….

Jody - Whoopee!! Country living with all that space AND 2 minutes from school?? How perfect is that?! I love the looks of your rental (the barn!!!!) and Waffle will be able to RUN & chase squirrels all he wants. How exciting!
Enjoy the adventure & embrace the unknown!!

Tanya - Country = dreamy, simple, perfection.
I’m happy for you 🙂

jessica kiehn - You didn’t move just to be closer to school, right? Like, that’s nite the ONLY reason right? How are you going to live in both houses?! I am confused! I say sell the other one and make your new cool country space awesome like you do so well!
How fun for your family. I love the new spot:)

Belinda - The Lattimore Acre - Goodluck with the move. Hope all runs smoothly. We also made to move to the country. Room to breath. Room for the kids to ride motorbikes, have chickens and listen to the birds. Enjoy xo

Lindsay - Wow!!! I can’t believe that! I am so glad you are keeping your other house because it is so dreamy. But who wouldn’t want to live in the country?! I am so happy for y’all!

mollie's mom - How exciting and what a great new place. Loved the old place but I live in Atlanta so all that space is amazing to me and I must be honest – I have barn envy!!!!!
I think you all will do great things with “whatever” comes your way 🙂
Looking forward to some great posts on this new and exciting adventure…
marcie

Dana @ Bungalow'56 - Love new adventures. And best of all, we get to share it with you. Damn I like blogging!
Dana

Sarah - Can you reveal a little bit about what you didn’t like about the schools near you?

Jenna@CallHerHappy - But you just redid your bathroom! 🙂
Many blessings to you on your move. How exciting!
Jenna
callherhappy.com

angela - WOW!!!!!!!! How in the world have you done all those craft weekends and pack boxes and move all at the same time?! SUPERWOMAN! So glad L is getting to finish school where she is now. Cannot wait to see the inside…love it! 71 Toes is moving too!

sharron - oh my goodness you GET to decorate two houses!!! how exciting!!! i am gonna love following your new journey!!
blessings!

Vicki - I’m a little bit jealous. But y’know, we live 5 blocks from my son’s school in a city and it is AWESOME! I’m all about living within proximity. It creates immediate community, saves gas and it’s just danged convenient. Plus, my parents live in the country, so we get the best of both worlds.
Best of luck to you guys on this new HOME! yay!

Gail - Cool! If you need someone to stay in your city house occasionally, I would be happy to come up from Wichita and do that. Just saying..

Yby5 - Holy Cow…is this a a joke?? I’m so surprised…wow, you’re really, really good at keeping a secret 🙂 Very happy for you though and know that no matter where you land you can make it home. you have a knack for bringing your family to life in your space…awesome for you guys and can’t wait to see more of the house. Good luck moving this wknd…have boxes of Krispy Kreme on hand and coffee 🙂

tara pollard pakosta - wow! the country? that’s awesome! I LOVE IT!!!!
tara

ginny - ditto, all of the above. 🙂

Amy - I read this twice too! A shock to all your blog fans it seems, it’s funny how we all feel like we know you 🙂
How exciting and I’m sooo pleased for you getting to keep your current house too.
It’s such a beautiful and unusual character filled home, it seems to mirror the fun of your family 🙂
The move to the country sounds perfect (I think Waffle talked you into it!) and you’ll make another gorgeous home there!
Wishing you all every happiness there and looking forward to reading all about it.
More AWESOME times ahead!
xxx

Ali - Okay that is really cool news! You are all so amazing! 🙂 Neat that you get to try out this option!
Please give us more details! This is exciting!
~ Ali

karen - why is everyone saying they can’t wait what you do with the rental? Are you aloud to renovate it?
I say build! A custom home would be ideal…and i bet your’s would be just awesome.

Rachel B. - YAY! How exciting for you all! I’ve always wanted to live in the country 🙂

Shannon - Wow–very exciting news and I am happy for you! Congrats!

Tina Jacobsen - What the What!! I think it’s totally cool that when you are confident about something you go for it!! Life is to short to sit on the sidelines!! Dream and Dream Big!!
Tina

Andrea - Ok I’m sorta in shock, but extremely relieved your keeping the City house. I can’t wait to see what you do with this new house.

jennie - wow! i can’t wait to see what you do with your rental house. i pretty much love everything about your current house, and have it all pinned for my own “someday” house. my fingers will be crossed for you this weekend. and the 1/5 of your children who still aren’t sure about this whole thing.

Janine - Good luck! You have to do what is best for your family. I hope it all works out. At least you will still have your big house to come back to if you change your mind.

Jennie - What do I think?? I think I moved this past weekend, and I will be saying lots of prayers for you and your family this weekend. 🙂 I hope it all goes wonderfully, and I’m super excited for you and your family. Also can’t wait to journey with you as you decorate this new home!! Congratulations!

Maria - Wow. That is some seriously big news! So happy to hear you are still keeping the other house though…I might cry a little if you left it completely. Ok, maybe not. Or just a little.
We are thinking of moving in the coming years, but would probably keep our house as a rental (It will take a lot for me to leave my kitchen sink and faucet though…I may have to buy duplicates…)
Anyway, congratulations on your new adventure in the country…and on sleeping in a bit more on those rushed school mornings!

Gina f. - Looks awesome but more importantly it sounds like the right big picture decision for your family

Kirsten P - My immediate thought when I read you were moving was….but you just renovated your bathroom and you absolutely love it! I was so sad for you.
But I kept reading and you said you’re still keeping the old house and will be back often for family events, craft weekend and sewing, etc. And you’re much close to school. Okay I wasn’t so sad anymore.
I’m looking to seeing spring photos of the rental house.

Krissy - Congratulations!! Totally feel your pain on moving, but so happy for you! And i LOVE the country. :))) I grew up between Derby and Wichita, so not really country, but country enough to know its amazing!! Cant wait to see more pics of the new house! You will still be in Kansas though, right? There’s no place like home!!! haha sorry corny joke….

Gretchen - Wow!!! We’re walking the same path right now! We’ve been in our “process” since July and I’m just now blogging about it. Yeah, I think I waited a little too long. 😉
Thrilled for this next adventure for the duerksen family!

sara @ it's good to be queen - whoa. all that i want to know is, how the heck do you do everything???? craft weekends and packing and redoing a bathroom? holy moly. and oh sigh…to live in the country. that is awesomesauce.
so excited to read and follow along with your journeys. blessings to you all!!

Sarah - Like lots of others have said, I had to reread this to make sure I didn’t miss something.
Then I felt a little sad. Like I have any say. HA.
I love your other house so much. It’s kinda my dream home… that craft room you have is like a little secret hideaway and I wish for one of those.
But the rental is awesome. I love country and land and a BARN! I see some great photo opportunities in your future. Look forward to hearing/seeing more about this.

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - Im a total dork but I found myself (asking myself) whats the date today? Is this an April fool’s joke? Im stunned,literally. I love your current house so much(I think b/c its alot like my own which I just adore). But I have to admit, it’ll be fun to see what you do in the rental. And Im sure Waffle will love the room to run(maybe it’ll take his mind off of hamster stalking?):)

Kerry - Woooaahhh!! I went back and read it 3 times to make sure I read it right! Wowza’s – I just know your new country home will be every bit as awesome as your home now. Enjoy the adventure! xxx

Tiffany - I hate moving. But not if I got to keep two houses, BONUS!!! I wish my 2nd house were on a beach though, aaaaaaaaaaaaah…. The intro was great. Will you start blogging with a country drawl? ha ha, I crack myself up.

tina - We live in the country and wouldn’t have it any other way!!!! Good luck!!!

Erika - The country rocks. Can’t wait to see pictures of the new place!

Kelly - Wow!! Awesome news! I was always the last to know things growing up because they claimed I was the first to go tell!! Good luck at your new place. Loving the indoor basketball barn!

Meredith - I can’t help but imagine how excited Waffle is going to be with all that space to roam. Space is good for everyone’s soul and being close to school simply changes everything about how you start your day doesn’t it? Congrats to you and Craig for making big, brave decisions.
Wish I could send you a big tray of cinnamon rolls to welcome you to your new home. Meredy xo

This Farm Family's Life - Wow! Congratulation and best of luck!

nicole @ deliajude - awesomeness. i think I have a small pang of envy but that is only because I live in the uber overpriced SF bay area and could not fathom 2 houses! God has a great adventure for you and your family.

jodi @ back40life - we live on 9 acres out in the country and absolutely LOVE it! there’s just nothing like it…last night we had a bonfire/campfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows…absolutely love it!
enjoy, enjoy!!

Laura Lee - I have never met you in reality and my first emotion when I read that was MAJOR sadness about you not being in your awesome house!!! so weird. And then big relief to hear it will still be yours. lol. I can’t imagine a cooler house than yours. Good luck this weekend! excited to see more 🙂

ingrid - I’m laughing…..cuz even tho I don’t KNOW you, I feel like I KNOW you. And it seems like something you would do. Waffle is going to love it there!

Southern Gal - Wow! You definitely know how to keep a secret. I think I’ll call you next time I’ve got a big secret I need to tell, but need to keep to myself a while! That’s fabulous. I love the barn. And being able to keep both houses is a sweet bonus. Congratulations.

sandee prince - First 71toes announces she is moving yesterday. And then you?!!!! Makes me wanna move too! lol
Kidding on that last one. We just moved into our new house and LOOOOOOOVE.
Congrats on the new house. I really like that barn 🙂 Can’t wait to see all your new transformations!

sue - What !!!. You can’t leave that house. You don’t have to tell us the real reason Why, but i am in shock. I think I can guess though !

Cindy - I LOVE IT!! So excited for you! At first, I was wondering how you were ever going to walk away from that gorgeous house you’re in now…so glad that you don’t have to! Can’t wait to see the beauty you bring to the new one 😉

katey - What are you going to name your old house that is sure to become your “bed and breakfast craft retreat house” new business venture? 🙂 God has big plans for you Meg Duerksen!!!

Ali - WOW WOW WOW!!!!! Congrats!! This sounds like the BEST of both worlds to me!!!!! SOOOOOOOOOO awesome!!

Michelle - Very, very INTERESTING. All I can say is, keep those blog posts coming!

Andrea @ Big Creek Cottage - Wow….I am in shock……or something….I was ready to miss your house (I love your house and I have never been there…how silly is that?)….but your new house sounds great…..so what is not to love. I can’t wait to see it and what you do with it…..Congratulations! Hurry and post some more pictures! (when are you having a barn party????)

elisa - I thought for sure it was going to be kid #6
But moving?? You just want to be like me 🙂
Haha. Can’t wait to follow you on this adventure!!!

Meredith Salmon - That is great news!!! I have to admit I was thinking “how could they leave the other house?”, but you are keeping it. Your house is my dream house and until I read on I was in complete shock. Congrats and you will love it! God bless!!!

amber - Exciting!!! I cannot wait to see you decorate the new place!

Victoria - Wow. What cool news. That barn is awesome and I can’t wait to see what you do with the house.

Juli - What!? What a surprise! The house looks awesome and I love the country. The kids will love it. I’ll be praying for your 1 out of 5 who is not excited about it.

Sunny Haynes - What a wonderful adventure for you and your family! Best of luck in your move this weekend! I know I hate moving but it is always exciting to unpack and start new!

pam - I tried to leave a comment on the jewelry post…but I missed the window! ha! 🙂
I’m so glad you posted pictures of the new place. It’s so lovely! Straight out of a book…or movie. 🙂
Miss you. The move will be so awesome.

Ashley - Whoa! Thank goodness you are keeping your house! I literally said out loud reading the post….”WHAT? You don’t LEAVE THAT HOUSE!!!!! Certainly she won’t sell it!!!???” then I kept reading and chilled out! hhaa. I was also for a moment playing over in my head how I could convince my hubby to pack up and move cross country, Just because the most perfect house in the world is on going to be on the market! hahha. Glad you are keeping your house! and glad for your new adventure! Looking forward to seeing what you do with the new rental to “Meg it up!”:)

Sophie - Wow! congrats! I really wasn’t expecting news like that from the introduction!
It seems like a really charming place and somewhere you will all be happy… I’m going to miss seeing your old house on your blog so much though!

jacqui anderson - OMG! at first i had to go re-read it and check who’s blog I was on!!!! then i was super worried about craft weekend!!! and then i was excited for you 🙂

Dani - WOW! I grew up in the country of Mississippi. Actually, I think the entire state is country… Your kids will love it. There will be so many new adventures for them. I will be sad to not see that beautiful house of yours, but look forward to seeing what you will do with this one!

Rachel J - Whoa! When reading this post I felt like my bff next door was moving far away! Even though we live nowhere near each other in real life. And I’m glad you are keeping your house, it’s too awesome to give up. But no doubt you and Craig and GOD have worked it all out 🙂
Good luck with the move!

Barbara - I’m so happy for you and your family, Meg!! Wishing you lots of happiness and great memories in your new home. May all who enter its doors be blessed!
Barbara

Terrie G - Ok girl…almost had to restart my heart! That is until I read you were keeping the old house!!
So, now…I’m jealous…You don’t just have a craft room…you have a craft HOUSE!! Wonder if my hubba will go for that…hmmmm?!
I’m so excited for you and your family! Some of our best family times were living in the country on the family farm stead for 17 years! My hubba made an awesome basketball goal that was adjustable from like 3 feet to the top of the shed. (yes, we had a shed, not a barn)
And…I love Green Works products! Use them all the time! 🙂

tara - enjoy the adventure!
waffle will be in some sort of layer of dog heaven. 🙂

Susan - Okay! So it appears that we are all in shock! I think it will be awesome and so happy you are keeping your beautiful home! Happy moving!

Samantha Bayer - Awesome! Got to love farms….they give kids so many good memories!

Jackie Barnum - Wow! I never would have guessed that! LOL I was going to say I would love to buy your old house. But gosh darn it you’re keeping it. I don’t blame you. It is my dream house. I don’t think I could talk my hubbby into moving all the way to Kansas anyway. 🙁 Your new house looks just as beautiful!

Tere - I’m in shock.
I’m still processing.
I LOVE your house.
But I LOVE the country.
I’m excited….
Can’t wait to see the changes.
xoxo Tere

Linda - BLogland is a funny thing. You have hundreds of people who follow you. And somehow we feel like we know you!. My first thoughts like many were oh my that house!! Maybe I can convince my husband to relocate to Kansas and buy it! How fortunate you are to be able to keep that beautiful home and still move your family to an area you think will be be better for them. You are truly blessed. What a great opportunity for you and your family. The house you are renting is already cute but I know we will all love it when it has your touches to it. Best of luck moving can be such a stressful thing. And I hope the one child who is upset may soon have their spirits lifted. Again good luck!

Kimberly Dial - Oh my goodness! You must have the most peaceful spirit about you to be able to host 2 CW’s, take care of the hubs & 5 children, blog & move all within such a short period of time. I understand how your oldest girlie feels. My family moved clear across the country the summer before my senior year. It can be very hard but an adventure all the same (be patient with her momma – she can’t help herself 😉

Emily - Waffle will be so happy!

Joy - This is so exciting, and I think that I love that you told us just now instead of talking about it a while. I think I may be a little too spoiled with our society’s “I want it now” concept. Yay for moving! This will be so fun to see how you make this house your home too!

Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft - Oh my gosh.. I can’t believe you are moving! Your house is so gorgeousssss. Well, if you ever do decide to sell, I bet your house would sell in .2 seconds to one of your blog readers. 😉
My thoughts are, whenever you live, I know you will make it beautiful. And you have made a LOT of memories in your “old” house, but you will surely make a lot in the new house, too. 🙂 A new chapter in the life of the Duerksen’s.. How fun!
Best wishes in your new chapter, Meg. 🙂
PS- You made sure that there is a Sonic by the rental house, right?? 😉

Laura Phelps - I think the best is yet to come…..:-)

Heidi Jo the Artist - Super duper excited for you guys!!! Your kids are going to have so much fun! I grew up on a farm and love the country life and crave to be back there for so many reasons. Not sure where we will end up, but we don’t plan to stay in our house forever either. We are in a questionable place too–to build or buy. I love old houses, but land is so dang expensive and I would want more than just a couple acres (love gardening and animals-which both need some space), so we’ve considered building on my parents’ land, but that can be expensive too. Looking forward to more photos of the place!

tiffany gardner - BLESSINGS to you my fav blog girl on this new adventure. I always used to run from change but I now try to look at it as…wow…God has something new planned for me! You will be in my prayers as you become a country girl! p.s. my kids and I read little house on the prairie books and watch the shows and I secretly want to be a country girl too! xo!

bread and jam - Well, I guess I better call that realtor and tell them I’m not moving down the street from you after all.
Ok, now this is really awkward.

Anessa - Can I move in and take care of your house? I love your house! I am sure you will make the new one just as wonderful. What a surprise to throw at us! Well congrats and can’t wait to see pics.

Brooke in WI - Oh my goodness! I was a little worried at first that you would completely leave that beautiful home. Someday I will get to live in the country again.

Heather S. - Shock. Utter shock. So glad you are keeping your rockin’ old house. It is the complete opposite of mine. Old vs. New, White vs. Colored walls everywhere, multi-level vs. ranch, etc. I love looking at your photos because the space just seems FRESH! I’m excited to see what you do in the new place. Country living. Very cool. Also – my first thought: Why the heck did Meg do all that work on the bathroom just to leave it? But isn’t that typical? Make the house just how you want and then leave it. I’m glad you’ll at least be keeping the house!

Sarah Wolfe - Excited for you and your family. And completely jealous of that barn 🙂

Kerstie Pederson - I think it’s awesome! I think it’s big, bold, and brave! I have been reading your blog for over a year, your home is so much a part of it. So, my jaw did hit the floor!!! BUT, I did have sigh of relief knowing your NOT selling…. pheeew. How fun this will be for your family.
Best of luck…… God is awesome like this….. opportunity! 😉

Tracy Fisher - I love it! It’s fun to do random, out of the ordinary things with just your family. Congrats to you. p.s. my kids would love that barn.
tracy

Lori Bowring Michaud - Wow! How exciting (and terrifying for you)! I hope all those “possibilities” work out for you!

Lori Tacchino - So fun to see where you are moving-it’s just darling! Cant wait to see a tour and how you “doll it up”.

Janelle - So I just logged off, walked around the house, and I just have to tell someone “can you believe Meg is moving.” But I have no one to tell because the kids are at preschool and they have no idea who you are. 🙂
So I’m posting another comment to all your readers to say “CAN YOU BELIEVE MEG IS MOVING!?”

Christine - I had to read this 3x. I was like “what?!?!” I’m sure this is a good choice for your family. I hate packing and moving stuff, so I feel for you. I hope your new adventure is all you hope it to be.
I think I want to see the inside of this house so soon!

Jennifer@beautyinbloom - I think its awesome! Yay for getting to keep your old house! Love the barn too! Hope your move is smooth and easy!

Toni :O) - I too was like oh man, I LOVE their house and then I was like, wow…that’s huge and then I was like, wow again, TWO houses…whoa!!! God bless ya, I don’t know HOW you do those craft weekends and move and run your house (or houses I guess!) and take care of that huge family AND cook?!!! What???!!!! You truly are SUPER WOMAN! I’m excited for everyone, the country house looks fab! I’m sure you’ve made your neighbor Amy sad…sniff, sniff…although now she has an awesome country home to visit you in. Best wishes in making your new home a lovely, snuggly, cozy place of comfort! God bless! :O)

Janelle - WOW. That was my first thought. WOW. My second thought was can I buy her house and move us all to Kansas? Then I read further and saw you were keeping it 😉 I’m a Chicago suburb girl…we’ve always pondered the thought of moving towards the country but I am still addicted to little things like Target. Can’t wait to read about your new house.
BTW thank you so much for your blog. It is the first one…and only one of two…that I have ever read. I know I will probably never meet you but I love hearing about your family/life/activities and it’s fun having you as a pretend friend 🙂

Ashley B. - I love how a lot of us commenters seem to be of the same mind, “How dare you move without consulting us???” as if we’re active members of your life 🙂
As you led up to it, I was thinking “Omg she’s pregnant,”
then, “No wait, Craig can’t have kids anymore since that ‘procedure,'”
then, “Omg what is she about to tell us???”
to, “They CAN’T MOVE!!! What about the pretty and totally renovated, bad-ass house?!?!?”
So, I’m glad to hear you’re keeping the old house. Although, like the rest of the readers, I will need some time to adjust 🙂 I’m glad the majority of the kids are happy about it (and I have a sneaking suspicion of which one isn’t…as I too, ended up moving as a teenager, and wasn’t too nice to my parents as a result). I’ve moved constantly, my entire life (7 times in the last 2 years alone), so I don’t feel like one move should be grounds for catasrophic reactions. Still. It will definitely take some time for this to sink in for me.
Congrats! 🙂

Jennifer S. - This post is like an episode of Parenthood…MORE! I want more. I’m just nosey, though, haha.
It seems perfect! Hope you have an easy move.

Holly - oh wow.. that is awesome…..I think,lol. Congrats!

lynette - Exciting news, can’t wait to see what you do with the new house. I love the idea of being in the country! Glad you are not getting rid of your old house, it is so beautiful! Have a good move this weekend, praying it all goes quickly!

Jennifer - My first thought was “Oh my goodness–you’re leaving that incredible house!” I was glad to see you are keeping it, and I can see how that would be great for your craft weekends, etc. When I saw the other house, I understood the appeal. I love the country! And a barn with a basketball goal? Priceless.

Lori Austin - Wow – you are brave. I don’t handle change well. The house, barn and land look awesome! I agree with the last post – how have you had the energy for all of this???!!!!

Kim - That is big news! Being close to school is a wonderful thing. My kids walk to school – it makes life so much simpler. I hope you enjoy your new adventure. I’m looking forward to seeing what God does!

sarah - I cant imagine how you have done all of that AND had two craft weekends! So fun!

christy - WOW! The hime looks adorable & the space, WOW! What a great place for the kids. Sounds exciting & fun. Glad to hear you are not leaving the other house fully.

jen smith - well i’m a little sad that you are leaving your uber fabulous old house. i seriously am so envious of it. that being said we long for the country too. we long for room to move and breathe and play so i totally get where you’re coming from. cheers to your new home!

Robin - OK, moving is an exciting change, and you’re sure to get loads of comments about it all. Of course, we wonder about all the details, which are none of our business. but it especially makes me want your checkbook if you can afford to keep one house and rent another. best of luck though!

Amanda - WOW! Big big news! At first I was thinking, ‘I have to tell my boyfriend!” and then I realized he would have absolutely no idea what I was talking about. But, WOW!

Kelly - I think I’m completely jealous of the country and barn thing. AND you get to keep your awesome house?!? Very cool!

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - OHHH!! Awesome! Have a wonderful, wonderful time! 🙂 I’m so happy for you!

Lindsey - In the country, with a barn…very cool! Change is good sometimes!

Naomi - I was hoping you were onto something with the pregnancy thing… haha!
You must be WonderWoman to have hosted those Craft Weekends while packing to move house. I am in awe of you!
My parents moved my family from a big town to the middle of the country when I was 18. I was ‘that’ grumpy teenager that resisted everything all the way, but I am still alive and the move did not kill me! Hope your one resistant kid comes around 🙂 xx

jennifer - Yay! I’m SO excited for you! I love, love, love moving. Not the packing part, but the new, the change, the excitement. I’m very happy for you and I know first hand the blessing of moving closer to the kids school. We did it a little over a year ago and I was amazed at what a relief it was. Can’t wait to see all that God has for you in the new place He’s brought you to.

Angel/TaDa!Creations - Wow, I am in total shock! Picking my jaw up off the floor. I could never leave that house!!! But when you said you were keeping it, I settled back down again. How exciting for your family and this new chapter. Praying God’s many blessings on you and your family in this new home. Love the barn and the country.

Molly - Wow!! That is exciting news!!! Not gonna lie I am excited to see how you transform this new house into your home!!!

asnipofgoodness - first I was like WHAT???? then I was like HUHHHH?? then I was all something about moving?????? hahaha that was kinda awkward, especially cuz we don’t even know each other really, and I’m all indignant like “she can’t just move”, and “what about her cute house” and “she didn’t even tell me!!” haha, I LOVE the new digs though, so you go girl, more power to you!

jackie - Wow! Love the barn, and how awesome to have two places. Can’t wait to hear all about it, and living in the country, GREAT!

Jacci - What do I think?
I think…
I think, you’re going to get a MILLION comments on this!
I think, I kind of freaked at first. I even got up from the computer and muttered something about how you must be joking.
I think, then I got pretty excited for you.
And I can’t wait to see what FUN you all get yourselves into in the country 🙂
I think, I want to see how you decorate a rental 😉
I think, it’s awesome you’re keeping the other house… for now. It gives us all time to adjust. ha ha.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rita - I love this new rental. How much fun this will be. Seems like most people are in transition I am myself. I hope over time you sell the house you own. Someone will want it and you won’t want two homes to upkeep. But that might not be your plan. 🙂 I’m trying to do garage sale, Ebay, sort and use plastic bins to make my life smaller. I’m happy for you. I believe this will be a great move.

stephany - FUN! Can’t wait to see what your future holds…
Congratulations and good luck with the big move!

beth e. - Pick my jaw up from the floor! all i could think was, OH MY, how could she leave the doodled bathroom behind??!!! and your craft room, and, etc…..SO GLAD to hear you get to keep your home, therefore i can hold on to the dream of someday visiting for a craft weekend : ) sending you good energy for a smooth move this weekend!

Kristin - love! i wish we could find something like that – enjoy the country life. 🙂

Brooke - HOW EXCITING!!!!! Your house would be an awesome Bed and Breakfast FYI! I’m excited for your family and the journey out to the country. Kansas Country is so beautiful and quiet! We just moved out to Bel Aire from the College Hill area in Wichita and I feel like i’m out in the country…we can smell cows…so that counts right? 🙂 I love the quiet. it’s so peaceful!

Jennifer - I was about to be crushed…crazy, huh? I don’t really know you. 🙂 I was like, why are you moving from that awesome house!? Still want to know why, but of course its really none of my business. I’m curious as to why 4 of your kids go to school in another town, but again, none of my business. At least your are keeping your awesome house…whew crisis adverted. Can’ wait to see the inside of the new place. Happy moving!

Anna - The house looks great! It will be so fun to watch you transform it into a home! Congratulations and good luck with the move.

Mandy - Wow! Crazy! Not at all what I was expecting. I love the new house….and the old one – so glad you are keeping it! Good luck on the move! Can’t wait to see what design savvy things you do to the new house to make it home!
http://dailydoseoframblings.blogspot.com

Julianne Brimner - Love it and can’t wait to see what you will do with your country home. Also do you need me to move and be the caretaker of your city home. I promise to bake for you when you come back to visit….okay I guess it would be a commute from southern Indiana, but I love that house.

Tricia - What a surprise!
I hope that your move goes well and that you are all very happy in your new home!

Megan - My husband and I have moved 7 times in the last 6 years, so anytime I hear about anyone moving I automatically feel sorry for them, even in the best circumstances. Moving is hard and stressful… but I truly believe it can be a WONDERFUL thing as long as you remind yourself to keep looking forward, not backwards, and really reach out to make new friends. Although if you’re still going to have your old house maybe your new place isn’t too far away that you’d be experiencing new friends, new people, new everything.
GOOD LUCK… I love the house and I can’t wait to see what you do with it. And how fun to have TWO spaces to decorate and make yours.

A Facebook User - WOW what a suprise. How exciting. Good luck with the move. Can’t wait to see what you do with this house. It’s so stinking cute from the outside. My boys would love that basketball goal inside the barn. Awesome.

Megan - Sounds like the best of both worlds, being able to have a country home and a city home! Enjoy the opportunity and have fun with it!

Barbara Smith Wilke - congrats! when I was in highschool, my family moved into a 22 acre property of woods… on a river! it was so awesome and my friends and I made so many memories I’ll never forget. good luck moving this weekend! 🙂

Anna Marie - I had to re-read some of that.
At first I was like…
“Wow, I am surprised they want to move out of that awesome house.”
And then I was like…
“I want to buy that house.”
Then I was like…”Oh, how awesome, what a neat idea!”
Haha…
I can’t wait to see what your future holds. And I am so jealous of the country and barn! Yay for you, Meg!!!

Amanda Jo - How exciting!!! I cannot wait to see what you do with the place and how your family settles in!!

Courtney - Wow! That’s crazy! It sounds wonderful to be out in the country like that. So happy that you are keeping your beautiful house though! And what a bonus to be able to decorate another space!

kim - I LOVE the barn and Hoosiers (bet I’ve seen it 100 times for the real) I think it will be a great adventure and am so excited for you..from afar..not like some crazy blog stalker…I’ll be going now.

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a favorite of mine…

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i love hearing my children practice piano.
they whine and complain.
they say "WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE PIANO?!"
and at times….throw themselves on the floor dramatically and kick their legs up and down. 

but when they can play and when they do play….

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i love to listen.

it's like background music for the family.

the soundtrack of life in our home.

and they do love to play once they have figured out the notes.

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she sticks out her tongue quite often when she concentrates.

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she gets silly too….

we got this piano for FREE from the classifieds when we lived in illinois.
in the newspaper…before craigslist existed!
the woman giving it away was going to miss it and she said "it has a sweet sound" several times.
it's been well loved for a long time.

(and i think it needs some white paint on it sooner or later.
i can't believe it's still wood color after all these years!)

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all the kids have taken lessons at some point in their little lives.
right now it's only talby and annie playing.
i wish they all played.
but i am just not that mom.
it takes so much dedication from THE MOM to have all your kids play and keep at it.
so we are down to two kiddos in lessons immediately after school on mondays.

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one awesome thing about their lessons is they are at a college in the music department.
so when we walk in every week there is music everywhere.
trumpets practicing scales….cellos, violins and yesterday a full choir was singing!
i love that extra something the music dept. brings to our mondays. 

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photo bomber.
and there is that tongue again!

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waffle always has to be right at our feet.
literally.

well since i showed a home video yesterday….
why not one more today?!
it makes the pictures come to life right? 

pretty quickly waffle begins barking and continues throughout the entire song.
i am sure it was at something very important like a leaf falling or a person walking by two blocks away…. 

i hope that one day at least ONE of our kids wants to play an instrument for fun.
but it has to be their choice and it's either in you or it's not.
and it's not in me.
at all.
but i sure do love to listen to them play.

what about you?
do you play?
do your kids? 

 

 

Aimee - I hated piano lessons…and practicing. But I loved being in band, as bad as I was at it.
My older son wanted no part of any of it. I “strongly encouraged” him to try band, telling him he could quit after one semester if he hated it. (Then I promptly signed him up for private lessons, so he’d be ahead of the class.) He loves it. He kicks butt. He is a trumpet player in the honor band. He is a musician…something I could never really claim.
Son #2 asked for piano lessons and is plugging away at it…but he’ll do band, too. Our kids just aren’t into sports. I’ll never be a soccer mom; I’ll be a band booster. 🙂

Ashley - Hysterical! I played for a while. I can still sight read and peck, but I moved onto singing. There is always some kind of music or made up songs in my house. Frank Sinatra got my eldest calm, and Michael Franti’s “Say Hey” and Sugarland help the youngest. It’s cute.

Cassandra - As soon as the video started I had to smile, because I took lessons for a year & Ode to Joy is “the” song I can still play, haha! Keep it up Annie!!

deb - I JUST started taking lessons at 58!!!! I wish my parents would have made me when I was younger…its HARD to learn now but I will perservere!! I love your blog….I visit all the time and I saw you at Sugar Rush!!! LOVE that doggie!!!! good luck in the new home!!!

Heidi Jo the Artist - I never learned how to play the piano, always wanted to, we had an organ and I self-taught myself some. Also, learned how to play the flute when I was in band in middle school, I’m rusty though. Rarely play.
We don’t have our kids play piano. I would love to get a piano someday, for me to play around on. We have a lot of music instruments they like to fiddle with though. I’m not that mom either. I’m really not that mom, you are more that mom than me with all the sports your kids are in+piano too. My kids enjoy other things. I enjoy not running around in circles. And I’m fine with whatever they want to do as long as they are happy.
I really love how this whole post was in b&w. 🙂

Lisa - I took piano and violin lessons from age 10 all through high school – disliked practicing, but continued playing violin through college. After college, I even bought my own violin (always played school instruments). Sadly, it sits unplayed beneath my bed now. And I don’t have a piano, though I’m saving money to buy one. My 11 year old has taken up the trombone this year – he’s pretty good and I hope he continues to play. I think he might be interested in playing around on the piano, too, once we get one. I love music and miss playing, and am trying to pass on that love of music to my son.

Lori Austin - Always wanted to learn – never did.
Hubby took lessons for 6 years growing up. From what I hear he was good.
My almost 7 year old just started lessons last month. She is liking it but doesn’t want to practice much either. Love the sound filling our house too. 🙂

Ani G W - I play the piano and have since I was five. I took lessons until I was seventeen. I have been without a piano in my house over a decade until this past month…and it has been heaven to have one in the house again. I hated playing for about a year (when I was around 7 or 8 years old), but I had made a contract with my parents to play for five years and if I wanted to at 10 years old, I could give it up. Needless to say, I didn’t. They did the contract because they actually bought my piano and didn’t want to spend all of that money if I was just going to give it up after a few months. I plan on giving my kids lessons at some point and all of my kids will be in band (at least through middle school). My hubby plays trombone and was really good (he played in the U. S. Navy band for several years)…so at least one of our kids should have some kind of musical talent…I’m hoping so anyway!

Jen Sully - I wish I played so I am making my kids play! 😉 Right now my daughter is taking lessons and it is a struggle to get her to practice but I know it will be worth it in the end! She really wants to play the guitar…I told her she can learn that once she can play the piano. LOL! I want my son to play, as well. He will begin lessons in a year or so.

nicoleigh - I took piano lessons for 8 years, and stopped when I went to high school. I never enjoyed the lessons. But now, I sure wish I would have done more! I absolutely love playing the piano, but wish I was much better at it.
I think that by exposing your kids to all types of music/instruments allows them to see what they could potentially be like. And what a great influence it can have on them. 🙂

Lindsey@ Piecefully Home - my in-laws gave us a piano. it’s older and and ugly brown color, but it plays beautifully…and it was free 🙂 it was the best gift ever. while i took lessons as a child and love to sit down to play for fun, my oldest son who is 11 and is a natural at the piano. i love that he can hear music and just sit down and pick out the melody and then before i know it he’s added in all these beautiful chords. i love that he sits down and composes his own music that sounds great. thanks to that gift, my son is creating the soundtrack of our daily life.

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - I want to learn to play piano. It’s on my “To Do” list. I’m either going to learn or just buy myself one of those gorgeous player pianos they sell at Costco sometimes. Have you ever seen those? They are super cool. P.S. I think you should paint your piano turquoise or even red. Now that would be fun! Loved your photos of your little sweetheart and her photo bomber.

Michelle - I have a big old beautiful piano in my living room that I would LOVE to play again! I took lessons when I was little, have since gotten the piano (that desperately needs to be tuned) and would like to take lessons agin now that I’m an adult. Maybe someday, when I have more time. It will wait. My daughter has also shown some interest so maybe together her and I will learn.
I love your blog! Thanks for all of the wonderful things you share!

Tanya - I sure as heck don’t play.
I took lessons as a kid from a lady who’s house always smelled like fish-sticks and she’d whip out a nail clipper and cut your nails if she heard your nails click on the keys. KILL~JOY :S
My kiddos don’t play yet…they’re 3 and 4…but they’re trying really hard to figure out how to whistle 😉

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - I played when I was younger and Julia plays now. I know exactly what you mean about having the music in the background. I LOVE hearing Julia play!

lelu - We have a piano that was given to us as well. I play and I have seven piano students. My three oldest children also play. So the evening hours in our house are FULL of music. And I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Danielle - Oh I loved watching that video. I remember throwing fits when my mom made me practice, but as with most things, I am grateful today that she made me stick with it. Watching your daughters fingers lifting so high in concentration on the notes brought back so many memories of struggling to remember where my own fingers should go.

Katie Mathieson - Your first paragraph…
I thought you were describing me…
about 15 years ago…
Wow, the memories.
And now I WISH I could still play.

Jenny B. - So funny that she wanted you to take a picture of her with her DS! 😉 We have a piano. It is in desperate need of a tuning. My husband plays. I used to play when I was young. I want my boys to take lessons, but we haven’t thought about starting yet (oldest is 7). So, we’ll see… maybe next year. 🙂

Jeanetta D. - RIght at this moment of reading this blog post I sit listening to my youngest play on the piano that was mine and an aunt’s before me. He too would rather play around on the piano than practice the songs he is supposed to be practicing (right now I am to the threatening point). We too take lessons right after school at the college and I know what you mean by being surrounded by the music when you walk in the building. Last week we strolled by the orchestra and while setting out side of the practice room I hear a bass violin lesson. I feel very cultured.

tara - my oldest took guitar lessons but has put it down for now.
i agree with you….it has to be their choice. 🙁 I’m gonna strongly suggest that he pick up the $400 guitar soon and begin practicing again, though. $400…seriously, he needs to be PLAYING it. :)))
my favorite part of this post was that she wanted you to video her playing her DS after she finished playing the piano. way to be balanced and make me feel normal. :))

Kim - Ha! I just played the Ode to Joy duet with my 7 year old this morning out of that very same book! All my kids take lessons. My oldest son is 12, and has been taking for 7 years. He is a natural and enjoys it most of the time. Our rule for him is, “no piano, no basketball”. Currently he is working on a duet he is playing with the center on his basketball team! They are quiet a site pounding out their parts on the piano together! My daughter is 10 and has been taking for 5 years, she loves to play. fast. If it were a race, she would win. Our youngest son must be on the same pace as Talby, he loves Ode to Joy!

katey - In our school system in 6th grade they have to take choral or band. My boys chose band and now in high school are still at it and love it. One plays tuba and the other tenor saxophone. I love hearing them practice (now, not so much at first). LOVE them being part of it. Thanks for sharing Annie and Waffle.

Alicia - I took piano lessons for a year when I first started high school, then quit because my teacher was pretty hard core- if I wanted her to teach me, then I had to do competitions and recitals and all that. I just wanted to learn for FUN!
So I quit, and I remember my mum coming back from parent teacher interviews and commenting that my music teacher said he stopped taking lessons at this age too, but then started back up again a bit later, and he wouldn’t be surprised if I picked it back up again in adulthood.
Back then I was like “yeah right”, I mean every day we had music class at school and I just whinged and complained that playing simple chords on the guitar made my fingers hurt!
(How I wish I took more advantage of the music curriculum at my high school!!!)
Anyway… fast forward to the year I turned 20. I was volunteering at my old school whilst working on my teaching degree, and I saw in the newsletter that they were advertising for people wanting to take cello or double bass lessons. I wasn’t interested in either of those, but I had started to really like the idea of playing the violin, so I went to my old music teacher’s office, asked him about it, got a violin from the school, found a tutor, and the rest is history!
I now play in the school’s string ensemble (even though school was a loooong time ago for me haha!) and we’re even performing at a wedding in June! I LOVE the violin! And I wish I had kept up with my piano lessons because piano is to music as ballet is to dancing – it gives you the foundation!

amber - I’m bugging you 2 days in a row:}…
She reminds me so much of my little (26 year old) sister. She had the same “style” & did everything a little extra…loud, hard, fast…so funny. She’s adorable. And I can’t believe how big she seems. Sorry…it’s just so crazy. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, & yes, I play the piano. I can still play in my books from when I was a kid! lol Does that even count??? Probably not really. But, my kids love it, so that makes it count!

Heather S. - I adore music and have NO talent for it. My 9.5 year old daughter has been playing since her 8th birthday. I love listening to her. We all enjoy music and going to the symphony is one of our greatest pleasures! LOVE!

Krissy - I took piano up until high school, and then quit to concentrate on my saxophone lessons. I hated practicing and hating playing the piano but I miss playing both now that I’m in the Navy, and wish i still played!! I loved her “now take a picture of me playing my ds” it totally cracked me up. I also very much enjoyed waffle’s accompaniment to her piano playing. :o)

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - ALthough Ive always wanted to play(& took a class in college, getting an A) Ive never been able to pick it up easily. Flute, on the other hand, was a breeze for me, and Ive played since 4th grade. Still do weekly in church in our orchestra.
My oldest(8) has been taking violin for 3 years now and its the best. Shes had some amazing teachers along the way but you’re right…its just as hard on the momma. Its dedication to make them practice and get them to the lessons. Im hoping my youngest(6) will want to play piano someday(Ive always wanted one in the house but Eric tells me we dont need one…no one plays!). Whatever!

Kristi Rediske - I took piano many many years ago-but of course quite and I wish now I wouldn’t have. I can play a little but not very good. My daughter took and quit later, her teachers kept leaving so we gave up-now she wishes she could play-my son always asks-why didn’t I make him take piano or guitar! Do not let your kids quit-they will regret it – they will thank you later! It will be hard on you for years though-but I think you can make it. I love the pictures and video-thanks for posting this.

Renee - i teach piano out of my home & i love that you wrote this! when i was little, we were forced to play through 8th grade. i couldn’t bring myself to tell my sweet teacher that i wanted to quit so i stuck with it through high school, barely ever practicing. my mom said that if i kept going, she’d keep playing. i ended up majoring in music ed, teaching public school music and now i teach piano lessons for fun on the side 🙂 ya never know which kid might end up loving it in the future!

Gerri - My daughter plays the violin. She’s 27 now, but she still loves to play. Listening to Annie play Ode to Joy made me smile inside because when Sarah was learning to play the violin I used to make her play Ode to Joy over, and over, and over..she would get so mad at me. But I loved it so much and I LOVED hearing her play…still do 🙂

tina - I wish I could play an instrument. I tried the violin in second grade and the teacher thought it was best if I stopped. I don’t know what she was talking about I played the best version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on that thing. So now my 11 year old daughter plays the french horn. Of course she would pick the hardest brass instument to play,lol!! The middle school band teacher told her she’s the best french horn player he’s ever had…. just imagine how good she would be if she would practice like I asked here to!! LOL 🙂

Jody - Keep playin’ Annie!! great job & great concentration!! 🙂 Love it. A dream of mine is to snag a freebie piano off of Craigslist one of these days for our boys – we love to “Rock out” in our house w guitars & drums but Id love a piano!!
Thanks for sharing your love of music!!

Lisa - My daughter is on exactly the same song in the same book! How funny. I agree…it’s sometimes such a fight to get her going but I love it when she’s playing and so does she!

Sarah - I used to play the piano. I was good, too, but when we moved to the U.S. from Canada I didn’t like my new teacher very much (she was a clean freak and made me wash my hands before and after playing her piano…kind of made me feel like she thought I was really dirty or something?) and so I gave it up – oh the regret! Dear Duerksen children, do not give up! It takes practice, but it is SO much easier when you’re little, and you learn so much more when you’re young! I wish I hadn’t stopped, and one day when our house isn’t so titchy, I’ll be getting myself a piano so I can hopefully play again! I hope my little baby girl grows up learning an instrument, but it’ll have to be her choice (although I might make my opinion known…). x

Dana@Strawberrytart! - I have always wanted to play. I took lessons briefly when I was 9, but my mom let me drop out right before the recital – I was very shy and couldn’t handle it.

Jill - My Favorite part of that video was more listening to it while I scrolled up at looked at the pics again. Having the video in the background truly did bring the pics to life! LOVED IT!
I have my mothers old piano, got it when she received my Grandmothers piano after she passed. Mine just sits in my house annoying my husband because literally – it just sits there. 5yrs ago my now 10yr old son took piano lessons for a year. He now plays the French Horn. Since those piano lessons ended tho, no on has played it. I’ve got 3 younger girls and at least one of them would like to try it but other then that it just sits there. It is my dream that some day someone will play it and bring calm to this crazy home. LOL
Shoot, maybe I should be the one to take the lessons – hey – there’s a thought!
I guess for now it will continue to sit there and be the occasional entertainment for my 3yr old as she walks by and tests the keys from time to time.
LOVED hearing Annie on yours! Thank you for sharing!

Southern Gal - My daughter plays piano, my older son plays drums, guitar and piano, and the youngest is studying violin right now. There might be piano in his near future. I would love to play piano, but alas I don’t play anything except a little guitar, very little.

Alice H - My daughter Emilee (almost 13) has played the flute for the last 2 years. I love hearing her play (and practice too!). She can read music and she has played songs by Adele, Taylor Swift, etc on her flute! She is a smartie! She also can play an acoustic guitar.
I would love for my older son Zack (11) to play something…besides football! Haha!
And my 2 year old boy LOVES music. LOVES it. He has all sorts of musical instruments (guitars, drums, that Melissa & Doug box set, a recorder, etc) that he plays with ALL the time.

Lori H - Both my kids took lessons for a while. My reasoning was “what if one of the kids is a musical prodigy? We’ll never know unless they try.” Well, no prodigies in this family! 🙂 I had them take lessons for as long as they showed interest, about 2 years. Growing up, my parents made me take lessons for 7 years! No interest after maybe the first year, and at the end, I still had to count from middle C to read music (haha). Recitals were pure torture. I hear that learning music is good for the math part of your brain. So it’s good for anyone!

Jennifer - I wish my kids played an instrument. I have wanted to get my oldest into piano lessons but there really isn’t much of an opportunity for her to do so. My only option is something like $25 a week and that just seems high. Maybe someday….
I sure would love them to be musicians though.
Have a great day!

Alicia @ La Famille - my oldest boy plays, but when we recently moved our piano wouldn’t fit on the truck 🙁 he’s going to be totally out of practice, but it’s in storage in south dakota and we’ll get all the rest of our stuff one of these days! i want my other two to start soon!

Whitney - ahhh, I love the ending! Too funny! I want to learn so bad! It’s on my bucket list!!!

Kristin - love this post! my granny taught piano so i began taking when i was 3. i know my mom battled me on many occasions about practicing, and eventually i started taking from a teacher in our small town. i kept taking all through high school and i am so glad! when my gran downsized about 4 years ago, i was blessed to get one of her pianos. it’s now in our small home, and takes up good “space” – but i love having it! i am now 34 and i waited a long time to live in a home with a piano again. my favorite thing – playing Christmas carols and kid songs. my 3 year old son just started fiddle class last october and i it’s something he sticks with – but like you mentioned, it’s no good if it’s forced. oh, and there’s my husband… he bought himself a pawn shop guitar in college and taught himself to play. he says it was because it helped attract girls. 🙂 i guess it worked on me!

lisa - Such special pictures. I grew up playing (14 years of lessons) and my parents gave me the piano I used growing up when our first daughter was born. They said, “Every child should have a piano in their home.” She is now four so we haven’t started lessons, but I do hope all three of our girls play. We are building a house right now and were just talking about where to put the piano in our new home and my husband suggested the basement, to free up space in the living room. But I told him it had to be in the main room so I could listen to the girls practice. This post proves my point. 🙂

Leah - I really want to get my daughter started on piano lessons. We have a keyboard and she has really taken to it. I think she’s actually trying to make music too. One day, I will get a nice piano for the house. I love musical instruments. Only wish I could play one myself.

Kimberly Dial - I love that your two little girls are taking piano. Annie’s playing was magnificient! Good job! I take lessons too … I quit when I was in the 7th grade & have always regretted it so here I am at 50 doing it again. I’m with you, I can only imagine a walk thru the Music Dept. is a wonderful thing to hear.

Erin @ The Speckled Palate - I was a violin player as a kid, and today, I am really happy that my parents got me into it. (At first, my sister and I wanted to play because our cousins did, but soon, whining won out. However, I stuck with it and my sister dropped, and then, I loved it again.)
And our dog used to HOWL when we were playing. 😉 Makes Waffle’s barks seem cute, no?

Terrie - Loved both your videos the past two days!!
My kids both took piano lessons…then one moved onto flute, the other trumpet.
He actually played with the KSU Marching Band…I was so proud!!
I’ve always wanted to take piano lessons…my mom wouldn’t let me.
Maybe someday….

Janine - Don’t force them to play if they really hate it. They will run in the opposite direction. I wouldn’t even look at the piano after being forced to play it. It was only after it sat there for years that I went back to it on my own. My husband was also forced to take lessons for a year as a kid and I think he still glares at it as he walks by! Also, I am going to say this in the kindest way possible. DON’T YOU DARE PAINT THAT PIANO!! My heart hurts to think of a lovely aged wooden piano with ugly white paint all over it. An old wooden piano with scratches and dings has character, but the white paint will ruin the charm and just make it look cheap and junky and like it was a free piano.

Kiki Dee - I have been playing the piano since I was 7, and after a 12 year hiatus recently began taking lessons again at 29! I figured I am thisclose to getting my Royal Conservatory of Music degree (only 1 more year to go!), I might as well go for it! I quit lessons when I was in high school (because there were just SO many cooler things I could have been doing with my time, right?) and have regretted it ever since. My daughter is now taking lessons too, and I told her that is the ONE thing that I will not let her quit (if she ever asks to quit, which thankfully, she has not… yet). Yes, I am THAT Mom. Ha. Luckily for me, she really enjoys it. I love to listen to her practice… it’s so wonderful to hear a beautiful song being played and it’s sweet notes resonating through the house! I love it!

Laura D - I took piano lessons for 10 years and I’m so thankful my parents stayed on me about practicing. I also cheered in middle and high school and so many times I asked my parents if I could quit piano lessons to spend more time cheering/taking gymnastics. My mom always told me, “You won’t be able to cheer when you’re 80, but you’ll sure be able to play the piano.” That phrase has always stuck with me and I’m so thankful for sticking with playing the piano.

Mindy W - Dear Annie,
Wow! What enthusiasm you play Ode to Joy with! How exciting that you’ve practiced and gotten yourself this far! Can you think back to when you couldn’t play that piece? When you couldn’t even read the notes on the page?!!! You’re really learning how to play the piano! Be sure to do everything your teacher tells you to do- things like always starting with the right fingers and sitting up nice and tall and lots of other things. Why? Because even though they don’t seem like they are a lot of fun right now, they will help you look and sound even more beautiful than you already do!!! Keep up the hard work!!
P.S. I also like Waffle barking and howling to your music. Did you know Beethoven would go on long walks almost everyday? I’m sure he had lots of dogs barking while he listened to the music forming inside his head.
Sincerely,
A mom, piano teacher, and a kid who also used to hate practicing but I kept practicing and practicing and now I’m so glad I never quit!

Kathryn Goertzen - My “kid” was one those choir members you heard singing on Monday!
Friday and Saturday night @ 7:30 p.m. “The Tender Land”

Marianne - I wasn’t always a terribly willing participant in my own piano career… the rule in our house was that we had to take lessons until grade 8 and then could stop if we wanted to. I didn’t stop. 🙂 Now I teach piano though I wish I played more for my own enjoyment.

Heidi Durant - growing up, I always wanted to play the piano. All of my cousins played, but being a military family, we moved a lot, and one of the heaviest things to move is a piano, so we never had one. Last year, a friend of mine inherited a baby grand (life must be rough) I had mentioned to her, that I have always wanted to learn to play. My husband and I celebrated our ten year anniversary in Vegas and when we came home, a piano was in our living room. She gave us her old one! It is beautiful, and I cherish it. My 7-year old daughter, Emmah, and I started taking lessons. I love to plunk out the music just as much as she does. Piano lessons was on my bucket list, and at age 30, I am happy to say, I can cross that off. I love it. It is good to know, that even in my older years, I can still learn a new skill and develop a talent that was hiding!!! Happy Tuesday!

Sarah Wolfe - Love seeing your piano and being able to picture where it is in your house 🙂 We make our boys take piano. Not sure what we’ll do in the future. They don’t always like the practicing, but I think they assume everyone has to do it. I tell them girls love boys who play. Sometimes that helps 🙂

Ellen - “Now take a picture of my playing the DS.” LOVE it!!
Each of my 3 kids have taken various lessons but 2 didn’t stick with it too long. I’m not great at making them practice. My oldest took cornet when she was little… kind of loved it, kind of torture for us all. Then she got trumpetlessons from a laid back, patient jazz musician and still wasn’t much of a practicer, but really started to love it. Now she’s in college to be a music teacher/euphonium player, gets to hang out in the music department every day, practices all the time, and LOVES LOVES LOVES it. The background music when she’s home is sooo awesome.
I think the neighbors might even miss it now that she’s away at school 🙂

Jennifer - I played the piano as did my husband. Neither of my kids want to. My 6th grader just started violin this year and I had ZERO faith in her ability to remain interested. She’s going out for CHAMBER next year (a huge honor if she gets in) and is very good. My little one (soon to be 10) has become obsessed with the recorder. And I laughed at you talking about filling the house with music, because sometimes I have to squelch the need to snap her instrument in half when she gets frustrated and blows it as loud as she can. I’ve told her that if she doesn’t choose an instrument in middle school, she will have to take piano lessons for at least two years. I think that is fair and I won’t feel bad!

Laura Phelps - remember when we tried to get Sean to teach Luke how to play your piano so we could sit outside and drink our margaritas???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I played the piano.
maybe Sean can teach me?

Dana @ Bungalow'56 - Such a change to see all your pictures in black and white. It was beautiful. We only have youngest in piano. And It is tough I tell you. Real tough. Lots of tears, but yet she wants to continue. I have to blame the great teacher we have. She doesn’t want to quite because she can’t imagine not going to her every week, yet she hates practicing. I’m not that mom either.
Dana

Krista - OMG hysterical– I am guessing you don’t have to fight w/ her to get her to play with the DS! Love the piano playing, love that she clapped for herself, her face showing such relief to be done! We have a piano, no one takes lessons YET…. hoping they will want to learn to play some day…. I cannot read music but can play by ear. I can still hear my clarinet instructor calling me stupid because I couldn’t read the music– but that was in the 70’s, when teachers were allowed to talk that way to their students!!

Jen Brandt - What sweet pictures! Thank you, Meg. No, I don’t play and neither do my children. My grandma wanted me to play SO badly (I know she still wants me to learn), but I just never wanted to. I would encourage my children to play, but neither has shown an interest. I hope that they each take up playing a musical instrument. Note to self: be more encouraging of this. Talk about music more. I hope you’re having a great Tuesday!

bread and jam - My son played the trumpet for 5 years – his choice. I’m still sad he decided to quit – I loved hearing him practice too. One really neat thing that happened was that the elderly lady that lives next door told him he loved it when he had his window open because she could hear him play. From then on, he would open his window when he practiced.

Kelly Ann - I’ve played since a very young age… not by reading music, but by ear. My brother took lessons and would spend hours learning a new piece. I’d watch and listen to him daily and then I’d sit down and figure out how to play it, myself. Drove him NUTS! My youngest, who is 7 years, enjoys playing. He doesn’t take lessons… he just has a book and a really long strip of tape I’ve put on his keyboard so he know’s what key goes with which note. His favoirte is Jingle Bells. We hear it year round!

Lindsey - Love it! My mom made my sisters and I take lessons for years. There was a lot of crying, whining and gnashing of the teeth at practice time. Now we enjoy playing!

asnipofgoodness - Oh my goodness, she is terrific!! I can’t believe you feel bad because only 2 of your children can play!!!!! We have a big ol piano that we have moved 4, count them 4, times and guess how many of us play?????? big ol fat zero, that’s how many! One son can pick out a few, but he has never had lessons. Of course, all that moving kinda sorta explains the lack of lessons. Well, at least that’s my story 🙂 and I’m sticking to it!!

Kirsten J - I wish!!! My mom has our piano – my sister was the one who took lessons – and she offered it to us, but my husband (who is not musically inclined at all…) said we don’t have room, which is true, I guess. But. My daughter decided to take up flute this year, in 6th grade. I figured, “fine, okay, we’ll give it a go”. And I took her for at 30 minute “getting to know your flute” lesson. ummm….the guy came out with her and pulled me aside and told me he’d never, in 15 years of doing this, had a kid pick up the flute and get it like that. I’m kinda scared!

tiffany gardner - love it. my 8 year old son is taking piano right now. he struggles with the practicing part too. i took as a little girl and remember the timer on the oven for my practice time. life in full circle. life is beautiful.

Sarah P - I’ve played since the 2nd grade. I am now 33 and still play for fun and in my church. I absolutely love it. All three of us girls took lessons growing up. I remember all of us going through a phase where we HATED practicing. I think that’s completely normal. My mom always loved hearing us play when she was working around the house or cooking dinner. I plan on teaching my little ones how to play. Then we’ll see if they want to continue. I figure it doesn’t hurt to expose them to it!
By the way, love her little tongue sticking out in concentration! She’s adorable.

Kimberly - BUT, can she play ‘Ode to Joy’ on the DS?

Jacci - “you’re so versatile” 🙂 love it.
I think it’s WONDERFUL they’re taking lessons. I’ve always planned on mine taking… well, maybe planned is the wrong word. Because, we still haven’t bought a piano, ha ha. My oldest is 11. It’s kind of now or never time. I’m hoping maybe Christmas this year.
I saw the piano in some craft weekend pics and thought, “Hey, I didn’t know they have a piano” and wondered if anyone ever played it. Cute, cute, cute. And very fun.

Kelly - My kids don’t play yet. My middle boy has been wanting to take guitar lessons for a long time now. We were just talking about it again last night. We were also just talking about photo bombing last night. Weird.

Kim Elks - Oh thank Goodness! I thought I was the only one dealing with a child who dreads practicing piano!! Its a struggle every week. We love listening to her play and when you said it fills the house…that is sooo true!

Meg's Mom - I want you to know that when we went to Brandon Woods Macy, Talby and Annie played a song or two on the piano in the foyer. They all had a song memorized and played well. It was nice. A couple of people came out of their apartments to listen.

sara @ it's good to be queen - now take a picture of me playing my ds! ha ha ha!!! that’s exactly something one of mine would say. 🙂 i have two in piano right now. one likes it and practices on his own. the other throws himself on the floor and throws an ever lovin fit about it. but i still make him do it…at least for now……we’ll see. it is so much work for the mom!!

Jill - I am with you! I want my children to play and play well but…maybe just learning to read a little music is aspiration enough? Mine all play an instrument…a couple of them rather well..and a couple of them…well…you KNOW.
I took piano as a child… HATED IT THEN…but have said to my mother many times since…THANK YOU!
Love that tongue!! ADORABLE!

sarah - We have been blessed with a free piano too. It was my uncles and he didn’t want to move it. We have yet to be blessed with the money for piano lessons, but that will come soon.
I’ve taught the kids what little I remember. They can play Heart and Soul together wich does melt me just a bit.

Shairee - I love your pictures! Sometimes I just forget to take pictures of the everyday things!! My 13 year old plays the flute & piano. My 11 yr old plays the guitar (classical) & piano, my 9 & 6 year old play the violin and I am learning how to play the cello!!! The coolest thing about being able to do this (bc I totally hear you – it’s THE mom…) is that I found an aaaaamazing lady that plays 22 instruments!!!!! She teaches 7. So it’s a “one stop shop” for us. I love the music in our life and all that we are learning from it!! What an amazing blessing!!

Seriously Sassy Mama - My daughter got a guitar for Christmas from her papa, and I cannot wait to get her lessons. I have fond memories of my dad playing and my sister and I dancing in the kitchen. He still plays, but it is my girls that are dancing in the kitchen now!

Jenny Joy - Annie: “Now, take a picture of me playing my DS.”
You: “You are so versatile.”
Me: “BWWWWAAAAAHAAAA…”
You are such a good momma.

Han - I stick my tongue out when I concentrate – I get it from my Grandma who used to do it as well 🙂

Linda - Love your family video’s they are so fun to watch. Yesterday my 2 year old daughter watched your girls sing “baby” like 10 times. Its her favorite song. it so true that the piano is like the family soundtrack. Music is so important in our live. My husband and I both play. And felt that are kids needed to at least try. I think its important that they learn to appreciate it even if its not their thing. So 2 of my 4 kids play with one still to get her opportunity! Thanks again for sharing your life with us readers.

Rebecca - I love how you described the kids playing piano in the background of the other daily activities as a soundtrack of your life. How true that is! Our oldest plays piano and I LOVE to listen to him practice and play. And I love to listen to our 2 youngest bang out a song here and there too.

colleen from Alabama - I do play the piano. My mom was a piano teacher for over 40 years but of course i didn’t take from her:) I took for 10 years and i am so glad i did. I play for the 4 & 5 yr old choir at church and it is my JOY! My kids (9 & 11) are taking and it is painful most days to get them to practice. My girl(11) just started playing the saxophone this year in band and she says the piano has really helped her with a new instrument! She just made cheerleading and is trying out for volleyball so piano may be on the out for her next year:( My boy(9)just wants to play the drums and guitar so we are probably going to quit piano altogether next year. I am thankful that they have that foundation though!

Niki - I wish someone played piano in our house. The soundtrack to our life most of the time is the theme music from Mario Brothers wafting from a Nintendo DS someone was playing and left running after they went on to the next thing!
My daughter is picking up the guitar, so maybe that sound will someday take over as the music of our lives! 😉

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hello monday….my back hurts.

i am sore from running after a two week break.
why in my back though?  ugh. 

how was your weekend?
i feel like it was a little too busy for my taste.
not any hanging out.
just go go go.
and if i was not going….i was thinking about what next?…where was i?….where is that thing?….just one more load of laundry….oh don't forget that….

that stuff will weigh you down you know?
your sleep isn't even good cause your brain is just on overload.

oh well….it's over now and it's monday.
a new week.
a BIG week.

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annie made the cheese part of our lasagna this weekend.
it is my favorite meal.
it just IS.

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how about some winners from last weeks giveaway??

for the SpunkyFluff sign……

You're killin' me smalls

Posted by: Mae | February 22, 2012 at 01:13 PM

 

for the 31 BiTS necklace…..

Wow. I can't believe those beads are paper? I loved the waverly necklace the best, until I saw the 87 cuff. LOVE that bracelet. Might have to save up and get it! Empowering women to live life and kick a** at their profession = awesome. Who knows how many lives have been changed by this!

Posted by: Jenn | February 25, 2012 at 12:32 AM

 

email me at cdduerksen@yahoo.com with your address ok?
🙂


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lauren had a volleyball tournament on sunday.
it's always fun to watch her play.
she seems happy when she's out there.

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my little girls were cracking me up last night at bedtime.
 
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oh that justin bieber….he is pretty special.

please enjoy this lovely performance of "Baby Baby" complete with my 10 and 7 year old rapping Ludacris, a very messy bedroom, giggling, baby dolls and iguanas and two very cool rock star sisters.
sometimes the bedtime stalling technique they have is pretty darn cute.

that iguana was definitely lip syncing……

i gotta get movin' on my monday list.
it is going to be a WEEK of lists.

and i am nervously gearing up to ROCK my body on thursday.
i feel like i should have kept quiet.
i hope you don't really expect much for a "plan" since i am not a nutritionalist, a fitness guru or anything remotely
athletic but i will tell you what my thoughts are….and what i am going to do for the weeks of march.
i guess.

i am making it up as i go along.
(that was probably pretty obvious)

have a great day today.

 

Lisa Currie-Gurney - I LOVE HOW ANNIE KEPT LOVING ON HER BABY WHILE BELTING OUT A JUSTIN BEEBER SONG!!! SO ADORABLE. SWEET SISTERS!
HUGS FROM MY HEART

Heidi Jo the Artist - Oh and I missed the 31 Bits giveaway…such an awesome cause though and am seriously considering the 87 Cuff. Early bday gift to myself!? I like the yellow necklace too that was for the giveaway. When I was a kid we made beads and necklaces like 31 Bits, not as pretty though…because yeah I was a kid. 😉 Have a great afternoon!

Heidi Jo the Artist - Back pain sucks! I usually have it at least once a week from jogging. 🙁
Lasagna is one of my favorites too! My husband’s not so much, so thinking of trying some different cheeses in it next time around.
Love the iguana puppet, just love puppets in general! How fun are your girls; love kids. 🙂

Jena - My boys….6 and 4 are also fans of Justin Bieber. They caught this video of your girls and loved it. Watched it a couple times. And then decided they wanted to do their own. We have a snow day here in Minnesota, so it was perfect timing to goof off. You can see it here if you like….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGDciHGS5_Q
🙂 Happy Leap Day!

Kristin S - I love how Annie protects the baby from the iguana!
Fun captured moment. AND every little girl’s room looks like that. so fun they share!

Victoria - Hope your back is better!
You sound just like my Mom. She always said she loved to hear us practice the piano too. 🙂 I am sure we drove her crazy whining about practicing and messing up at the same spot in a song, but she loved it.

Whitney - I seriously just “lol”ed at my desk!
I remember those days with my younger sister!

Stephanie - That video was hilarious! That is a common occurrence in our house as well but instead of sisters it is my daughter and son. They love the Biebs! My son ,Landon, is 6 and the only part of the song he knows is “and I was like, Baby, Baby , Baby oh, like Baby, Baby, Baby nooooooo…” and he sings it over, and over, and over…..
Anyway, love the videos! So fun! 🙂

amy h - Hi, Meg! I’ve been enjoying your blog for a while. (-:
I noticed in the comments lots of people said they have back pain when they run. I’m a massage therapist/former athlete/full of shenanigans and I do have a suggestion if you’re dealing with lower back pain: Stretch your legs! Stretch your glutes (butt)! Stretch! Stretch! Stretch!
A lot of low back pain is caused by pelvic tilt and by stretching the hamstrings, quads, and piriformis you can alleviate a lot of the pain. I like to do most stretches from the floor against a wall because that gives good support for your back. Hold each stretch for a few minutes.
1.Sit with your butt close to the wall with your legs straight up against the wall. You can increase the stretch with a strap/towel around the ball of your foot. You should feel this in your hamstrings.
2. Scoot away from the wall about 6 inches and bend one leg and put your foot flat against the wall. Cross your other ankle over the knee of the foot against the wall. Hold. Adjust the intensity of the stretch by being closer or further from the wall or placing a pillow under your butt. This should feel AMAZING for your hips. Hold as long as you want and switch legs when you’re ready. You should feel this across your butt-specifically your piriformis.
3. Place both feet flat against the wall. You want to keep your back as flat as you can on the floor but this should give a good stretch to the low back and you may feel it in your hip flexors.
4. Move away from the wall…stretch your quads by sitting on the floor with your legs apart (typically to stretch hamstrings and adductors) and bend one leg back-heel to hip area. Lean away from your bent knee and you should feel a good stretch.
Hope that helps with your back pain!
(-:
amy

Jennifer - I have two “little” girls (11 1/2 and almost 10! Where does the time go?) and my two hate, or pretend to hate the Bieb. Also they wouldn’t be caught dead rapping, so that was the most awesome thing ever to see your two cutting loose having fun. They are absolutely adorable! Thanks for sharing.

nicki - 1. My back always hurts first when I go back to running too, in the lumbars. 2. I REALLY hope that Mae gets her SpunkyFluff sign with that quote! Classic. Well, to me. 3. Your girls crack me up! My daughter would get along just swimmingly w/them, even if she’s only 3. 🙂 keep rockin!

lacey poag - i know your March plan is going to ROCK…it is now going to be my plan too…so make it great! march is my bday month…the perfect time to rock this 30 something body…bring it on, cute Meg!

Alicia @ La Famille - your girls!!!! too much fun! 😀

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - hey! i needed that tonight. thank you for the smiles.

Chris - love the video – the lip synching iguana is classic!

rae - that video is cracking me up! i can’t decide what i like better, the iguana lip syncing, or annie pointing to the baby doll when she sings “baby.” hilarious.

Elizabeth - Oh that video makes me miss my sister! We ALWAYS were doing stuff like that…. Iam sure your girls will be best friends forever.

Amanda - I forgot to mention…about your back hurting from running. Mine always hurt when I used (yes used) to run. I found that yoga 2 or 3 times a week really helped.

Amanda - That video is so cute. Annie has some major rapper hand motions there. My 11-month-old son was dancing to the video too. He thought it was quite funny.

amy jupin - dear talby and annie,
i hope i can come to kansas with my mom next time she comes.
then we can play in your pink room.
and i saw your video of you singing with the iguana.
bye.
anna jupin

casey - I LOVE annie’s hand gestures (c; So cute! Made my night!

julie - Dying over the iguana. Dying. Best Bieber cover ever.

Tami - Can’t beat Justin Beiber. Love that they know all the words even the rap part. Your posts always make me so happy! thanks for that!

bread and jam - I’m with you on the back thing. I’ve been running regularly for two months and MAN! It feels like every bone in my back is hurting. But in a good way (she lies).
I really wanted that sign.

Lisa - It’s funny how creative kids can get, especially when trying to drag out bedtime!

iralee henson - oh what cuties!!!!! and um am i the only one wondering why volleyball shorts gotta be so stinkin short?!?!?!

Mindy Harris - “i will be making it up as i go along”
u r my kinda gal.

happygirl - Thanks for the video. It made me smile and since I’m home with a crummy cold, I needed the smile. Rock on sisters.

Midwest Magnolia - Melissa Lewis - Your week sounds like my weekend! Thankful for this new week. THanks for sharing the lasagna recipe. Looks simple and yummy. I’m saving and giving it a try!

Angie - I saw this (http://www.alannahrose.com.au/blog/alannah-rose-party-%E2%80%93-wrap-me-in-rainbows-the-party/) today and couldn’t help but think of your blog!

amber - We love your lasagna too:). And…your girls are too fun! My own 4 year old bedtime staller would agree;)…thanks for sharing.

mollie's mom - Video is beyond cute… Lauren looks like a beast at volleyball… someday you will miss dashing off to HS sporting events… I do… my duaghter was a HS runner and still runs post serious injury and maybe it is your shoes or more stretching needed ( that’s what the runners say – the mom in me thinks your back might hurt because you do soooo much – lol)… the lasagna looks delish and I’m happy for the sign winner but sad because I want one of those signs so I guess I’m saving some mad money for that LOL!!! great post!

Christy - Love it! They are so much like my girls:)

Hannah - cutest video ever…but the best part is how annie keeps looking so sweetly at her baby….she is going to be a wonderful mother one day…:) keep up the running!! i never considered myself a runner until my crazy friends convinced me to sign up for a half marathon that is THIS WEEKEND! it’s my first race EVER…should i have started with something shorter?? 😉 but yay to a girls weekend! happy monday!

ginny - love the video!

Tessa - My favorite part of the video is when Annie keeps stopping to check on her baby. So so cute! It is hilarious how she is singing and giggling, and then she will stop to look down and make the sure the baby is okay. LOVE IT!

Sarah - My back always hurts from running-at least I remember it used to when I was running-which hasn’t been for 10 years? 🙂 Your lasagna always looks SO good. Can’t you start an Etsy lasagna shop?

Marianne - That lasagna looks great! I have never thought about mixing the cottage cheese/ ricotta with the shredded cheese. How can I be so dumb? It makes so much sense. I always spread them separately cause I’m a weirdo.
That iguana puppet is awesome.

amy - YUM on that Lasagna
Boo, on that no plan part 🙂
I can relate, to that brain always goin,
and FUN, to the singing Lizard

Sarah Wolfe - Is THIS what girls do? I never would have known 🙂 So cute.

angela - I love how she is holding a baby doll while rockin’ out to the song! Hilarious!
The lasagna looks amazing! Why have I never thought to mix my cheeses together instead of layering them? DUH!
P.S. The comment about Lauren seeming to be happy when she’s playing did not go unnoticed. Amazing how moody they can be at that age but let their guards down when they are enjoying themselves. How well I remember those ages!

the whyte house - i feel your back pain! mine hurts on the left-middle side. i drive from west wichita to east to go to the Base and the drive alone kills it. i noticed my back hurting a lot when i first starting jogging, but i think it’s gotten better/stronger over time. keep pushing on!

Laura Lee - we have been doing some home improvements around here so I feel you on the too busy weekends! I am almost happy for Monday lately…. almost.

Lori Austin - That video cracks me up. Thanks for the smiles today. 🙂

monica - oh my goodness those girls are just silly ! my little one was rocking back and forth ( this is her dancing )while they were singing. she loves looking at all of your children’s pictures and pointing and saying ” pretty babies ” .

Kerri - Meg – LOVE your blog and how you keep it REAL. Have been a follower for several years.

Jenn - No way I won that necklace? Amazing! First time giveaway winner here :). Thanks and I will email you. Ahhh Justin Beiber. My three year old calls him Justin Beaver. He also told me that he and his best friend Kalli were both planning to marry Justin Beaver. I think Kalli was his first choice but since she loved Justin… So did Olaf :). Funny babes.

AshleyAnn - I would totally stall bedtime too if I could rap like that.

Melissa - My two little girls, 5 and 16 months just watched the video of your girls with me and they were both dancing like crazy – it was too cute! My 5 year old said “I wish Sissy would hurry up and sing so we can do that too!” of course Sissy can sing Twinkle, Twinkle but I think she meant “cool” songs. We are Taylor Swift fans over here, have not done the Justin Beber thing, yet I should say. They are still young enough to have to listen to country with me, but Big Sissy still found a favorite (Taylor Swift) and knows the words to all of her songs. Anyway, I just had to tell you how cute it was to see my girls dance along with yours – and that Lilltle Sissy cried ” Again!” when it was over. So cute!

Anj - Totally with you on the march healthy thing! I was thinking the same thing too, then when I read your other post about it i was like, ‘well if meg’s doing it then I fer sher better do it too!’ Yay for peer influence 😉 It’s about time I stopped thinking about how I want to exercise more regularly and eat well and all the ways to do it and how fab i’d like to look and just DO IT ya know?!?! good on ya, I’ll be cheering you (us, haha!) on!!

Jen - The Lasagna looks YUMMY, the lip syncing iguana is Super Duper…

Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft - Oh my goodness.. Cutest video ever. 🙂 I let my 3 and 4 year old watch this and Lauren (3) yelled “ANGRY BIRDS!!!” which had me confused, until she pointed out that your girls have an Angry Birds poster on their wall, haha. Ps I love how Annie yells “STARBUUUUCKS” Haaa. Thanks for the smile, girls. 🙂

Annie - Meg, your back is probably sore from running because your hamstrings are tight, give them a stretch, it may help. Good luck with your running 🙂

Meredith Salmon - Meg,
For your busy household, I just found this website called Cozi Family organization. It took a day or two to import stuff, but I love it. I have two boys and I am tired of being the holder of schedules. It is links to you android, iphone or blackberry. You can e-mail yourself your weekly schedule to print and you can check a single persons or sports schedule. Check it out. I am running again as well. Good luck.

Beth - Oh Meg D., that video made me laugh because my daughter and son jam out to Justin too. I love how Annie keeps tending to the baby….so real. Thanks for sharing.

4 Fab Franklins - Hey Meg…after your color run post I actually went to the gym yesterday and ran! I know it may not seem like a lot to some people, but this old gal has been sitting around all winter doing…well, not a lot. Also, made your Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were soooo good! Hence, the running!
http://4fabfranklins.blogspot.com/2012/02/best-ever-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Thanks for the Boost!

seriously sassy mama - Girls are so much fun. My three love to sing and dance. Cut your calories, and move. Make your exercise fun! Good Luck! It is working for me so far!!!!!!

Laura Phelps - what? no plan?
I am expecting a full on blogger fitness video. With meal plan.
Ways to fit fitness into your blogging lifestyle…
get on it….

Katie - That lasagna looks amazing! I’m going to have to check out that recipe 🙂 I’m also a runner and I notice that sometimes my back gets sore too. Nothing else though. I’m starting to think it has something to do with poor form or something… let me know if you figure it out.

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31 bits

**************************************************************************
you know i have a heart for africa.
i hope you know.
and with my friend pam moving there this year i have thought about africa every single day.
it's true.
well today i am talking about 31BiTS, a lovely company that is also from africa.
and i pam would love it.

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i love 31 Bits jewelry.
it's made IN africa by african women who are being empowered out of poverty with income from 31BITS.

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i love that the jewlery i wear can have a POSITIVE outcome for someone else.
that is so totally cool.
it's helping out in a tangible way.

      


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all these beautiful faces make me love this cause and company even more.

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31b
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i love all of it.
so many bright colors….so pretty all together….happy happy jewelry!

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the ladies at 31BITS sent me this necklace to give away to one of you!!!

it's called the Waverly and it's BRAND NEW from their spring line.

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Go to their website and read about their company.
read about the women who make the jewelry.
read about the progam and all the amazing work that is going on.

Go to their shop any time in the next 30 days and use the code  MEG20  and you will get 20% your purchase!

i am going to do a little shopping for sure!

there is so much i would like to have in their store.
but really i want to go to uganda and meet the women!
i would love that.

to enter to win this necklace today….leave a comment with your favorite piece from their shop.
it will be tough to chose.

mine would be:  87 cuff   and   Meadowsweet   and   Aurora  and   Sprout.   

what's yours?

**************************************************************************

Kiki Dee - Love the Sprout but it’s so hard to choose! They are all such beautiful pieces! Wonderful cause!

Ashley - Love the Meadowsweet necklace!

Krystal Johnson - Love the 87 cuff and the waverly- but love them all!

Faith Buss - LOVING the Timber colors. What a cool company!

Ruth - Love the Mayfair necklace…and the Prim Rose bracelet…but more than that, love what these necklaces represent.

Jamie - The Cypress bracelet is my favorite!!

Heather R. - Love all the pieces. Picked up Sprout and Cypress. Thank you for spoiling us with a coupon code! 🙂

Gevay - I love the Meadowlark necklace. It is all so beautiful though.

meredith - ohhhh, it’s so hard to choose! i love orchid loop (necklace) and pixie row (bridal)!
they’re all so pretty 🙂

Amy - 87 cuff for sure. What a wonderful site! Thanks for telling us about it.

mollie's mom - I understand your heart for Africa. I have a heart for Haiti(http://madebymolliesmom.blogspot.com/2012/01/not-crafty-post-im-afraid.html)
I have purchased some of this jewelry from Uganda. I love the idea and the jewelry. A couple of years ago I gave every female on my list a wonderful necklace from Uganda! Everyone loved them and that they helped a woman and her family who were struggling to survive. Great post – I think it’s time for some new jewelry for Spring… 🙂
marcie

whitney f - I LOVEEEEE Orchid Loop!!!! Gorgeous necklace!!

Courtney - What a great site! I love so many! I would pick the Cypress, Meadowsweet, or 87 cuff.

suzi failing - 87 cuff
just love it
and your blog!!!!
suzi

Alise - I love the cypress and the heart behind this ministry. 🙂

Tihana - oh whisper zest is so pretty 🙂

Joy - So hard to choose! I think gypsy or 31 Cuff. I don’t know… too hard!

Michelle - Beautiful jewelry. Reminds me of the Beads for Life party my friend and I hosted last year. These women are so beautiful and talented. Can’t wait to check out 31Bits.

Farrah - Oooh! Waverly, Humming Burst, and Timber! What a fantastic mission!

Kathy Eller - Love love love this company and their mission!! I have always thought of their jewelry as a little funky…there is some really classy stuff on that site!!
love the Willow Knot Bridal!!

Melissa - I love the 87 cuff also- so great!

Heidi - I love the bella necklace!

Katie - I have a friend who is a missionary in Gulu! It’s amazing how God is working through so many different people.
I love the Glory Fringe Necklace. The leather is great.

Karenth - I love the Laurel Locke!

Dani - Love Gypsy! I thought it was a ring at first, which would have been awesome! The Daphne bracelets are great! I need one in all colors.

Amy - I big puffy heart LOVE this cause! Their jewelry is so fantastic! I would be proud to wear any of it! I love the bright and cheery Waverly as well as the beautiful Glory Fringe. Thanks, Meg! 🙂

Ashley - Love the Mayfair!

emmeline - hmmm – rockhopper or crushed jewel – but it’s hard to pick! gorgeous stuff!

ang - Cypress and the 87 Cuff!!! LOVE them!!1

Jessica P. - I love the caramel dust necklace! It’s so beautiful!!

Leslie DuRant - What a cool way to help and wear beautiful jewelry!!!! My favorite is the meadsweet in aqua!!! Aqua is my new favorite :}}}} I bought two purses from a market in Charleston, S.C. that were made in Africa. They are beautiful too!!!! I love the giveaway necklace in mustard. It is georgous too!!!

Preethi Narayan - I like Acorn layers and orchid loops!

K - MEADOWSWEET for sure! Everything is LOVELY!

K - OOOH! Love ripple, 87 cuff and a few more! All gorgeous!

Anna Marie - I really like the simple and classic look of the Meadowsweet. My sister’s birthday is in 2 weeks. I think she would love the teal color.

Allison - Are you kidding??? I love them all…thank you so much for introducing me to this cause and this site…I can see many purchases for myself and for gifts in the future!
I never win anything so I went ahead and ordered myself a Meadowsweet necklace in the teal…so pretty! Thank you so much for the code!

Lynne - I want one of everything. What great gifts these will make. LOVE the 87 cuff, but my fave is the yellow necklace(seriously) that is the giveaway. It’s not on their site yet. Thanks for the giveaway-what an awesome company!

Elizabeth - Oh my goodness, what a great company! I love all their bracelets! especially sprout. and thicket and 87, oh my is that the most perfect summer bracelet or what? Thanks for hosting this giveaway and showing off this awesome company! xoxo

Andrea Jeanne - Hard to choose — I like the Cypress bracelst the best (I think!)

Christy - Mayfair…so pretty!

Bobbie - I love the waverly. Seriously the muslin (I’m guessing?) part is so clever and cute!

Denise - I love the Riverbed necklace.

Deb A. - Everything is beautiful. I love the meadowsweet necklace! Such great choices though! Thanks for the chance to win!

nicki - I must agree, the very best would be to meet these talented women face to face! But many thanks for the giveaway…I love the Waverly, Orchard Bunch, Daphne’s, and Meadowsweet. 🙂

shara - i love the bella necklace! (which is also my daughter’s name 😉 everyone at my church has a 31 bits necklace and i’ve been totally wanting one too.
but i REALLY love this one! my favorite color!!!

ko. s - I love the Feather Blu bracelet. Gorgeous items!

Amy - Gorgeous! I love the one that you’re giving away most! I’m going to Uganda this summer! So excited!

Lauren Fortney - love this company!!! how awesome. my favs are the gypsy and the 87 cuff. beautiful…all of it!

Ani G W - I like Thicket and Gwazy Twist. Both are bracelets. I also like the 87 cuff too!

Michele - I love the Rockhopper…so lovely! =0)

Amber Fussell - Hard to choose because they are all so beautiful and different. I love the Mayfair and the Meadowsweet!

April R - Wind-spark Bridal – white for me and the forget-me-not bracelet for a friend and my daughter
wow…the unique beauty of the smiles of those women…wow
and thanks for sharing this…did I say “wow” already?

Lorie - My sister bought me one of their necklaces a couple years ago for Christmas. I LOVE it. So colorful! I think my favorite is Orchard Bunch (necklace), but I’m totally in love with the one you’re giving away. Who wouldn’t love gray and mustard yellow. Thanks for the opportunity!

Happygirl02 - i LOVE the 87 Cuff. Great colors.

Rebekah - The Waverly is amazing – I would choose the blue!
What an amazing company. Thanks for sharing!

Meg Hansen - Meadowsweet or Sprout. But honestly, they are so gorgeous. All of them!

Heather E - LOVE the Sprout and Gwazy Bloom bracelets! What a great cause to support!

Lisa - wow! just. wow! can the world be any more amazing?!
it really is so full of amazing and inspiring people.
can’t pic a favourite!
beautiful photos. beautiful story. beautiful hearts.
xx

Renee - if i win your giveaway, i’ll get the teal “meadowsweet”
if i don’t win, i’ll get the yellow 🙂
i hope i win. because then i can buy one and get one for free!

Julie H. - This is a bit random but I was curious where you found your gray polka dot material that you used for the back drop of the necklaces. I’m looking for something just like that to make for my baby’s bedding. I appreciate your effort to let me know. Thanks!

Kristin S - I’ve seen paper beads before but these are really pretty and more vibrant. Thanks for sharing!

Hannah - i love the one you’re giving away! what a beautiful business!

Stephanie - So many beautiful pieces, I really like the Hazel Belle bracelet.
Thanks Meg!!

ranee - i love the watson braid bracelet…what a great organization…thanks so much for sharing! i just might have to buy some gifts here!

Melanie - Like you, one of my favorites is the 87 Cuff! 🙂

LibraryGirl62 - Aurora, Orchard Bunch, 87 cuff…to start 🙂

Donna - I love the Crushed Jewel bracelet. Although, truthfully, I love everything in the shop!

kristy - I love The Waverly! But Whisper Zest would be my second favorite. What a fabulous company!

Ronda O. - Gypsy! These designs are beautiful!

Barbara Smith Wilke - I think I love meadowsweet best…. but they are all gorgeous. what a great idea.

Meaghan - Wow! those are all so pretty! I am going to use your code to buy the Orchard Bunch for my dad’s girlfriend. Personally, my favorite is the Willow Knot!

Kasey - I love the Gwazy Bloom bracelet!

Sarah - I would love the light pink sprout bracelet! 😀 I love all their stuff. So pretty!

Amanda - what an awesome business for these women!! so inspiring.
I’m actually going to Uganda this June 🙂

Michael Ann Anderson - I love the 87 Cuff! I am glad you introduced me to this fabulous company!
Mike
mike69361@gmail.com

Melissa - The yellow waverly, the meadowsweet in all three colors or the gwazy bloom bracelet, I loved the color combo on that one! What a great shop, thank you so much for sharing it, I will be purchasing from there for sure!

Liz - I really like it all, but the orchid loop may be my favorite!

Yvonne - Hi Meg…this is Yvonne, I found your blog from “stumble upon” and I love your blog too much! I finished reading all your posts, inclusive of archives until the 1st day you started blogging in 2007 ….all finished in 3 days.
I love the story of your family (yes and Waffle too)
I love the funny pictures of Annie with her butt shown and jumping on the trampoline
But most of all, I love the verses written by Talby on the wall. I love the verses sewn on Talby and Annie’s pillows….and all that you have shared about Jesus 🙂
Love from a far far away land,
Yvonne

Laura Phelps - always so lovely coming here…all you hear and read in the news is BAD…NEGATIVE…what is wrong with the world…
this is refreshing…to see THE GOOD in people
to see people helping
reaching out
educating
loving
all good stuff.
thanks for sharing this!
prayers for your trip to Uganda…(I feel it…:-) )

Tracie - I love the layered look of the Aurora! So pretty and I could get the look without actually getting my necklaces tangled!

jen smith - so hard to choose but i love the feather blu bracelet.

Stephanie Carroll - LOVING the aurora!!

shelli - oh wow. ok. LOVE the glory fringe necklace and love. LOVE. gypsy bracelet…thanks for the opportunity to win and opening my eyes to this beautiful shoppe.

Tracy - They’re all beautiful, but I especially love the Aurora!

Jessica - Love 31Bits. I have a couple of their pieces already & I wear them all the time. I really like the riverbed this time around!

Christy - I love it all, but I particularly love the Sprout. It’s something I would wear all the time.

Gerri - 87 Cuff…Love, Love, Love. Thanks for sharing Meg, I love this and I’m going to share it with all my jewelry loving friends.

Becky J - Butterscotch is my favorite necklace..may these dear African women be blessed…Brrrr, everyone keep warm out there today!! 🙂

Lindsey - Wow! Thanks for intruducing us to this business! Love, love, love everything about it. I love the 87 cuff also, also the Orchard Bunch in all three colors. Gift ideas for so many friends and family!

debi brown - 87 cuff is beautiful and so are all the women of 31 bits!

Becca - OH my goodness….those ladies’ smiles are radiant and it is obvious how happy people can be without much…..I noticed this when I visited Tanzania to hike Kilimanjaro. The hardest workers were the happiest of all Tanzanians, while the people who were dishonest and wanted to make a dollar without lifting a finger seemed defensive and angry. I do love Africa and wish to explore it more….helping teach, take care of children or volunteering in some way. I spent the last year mailing children’s clothes (that I gathered from the gymnastics school where I work) to children at an orphanage in Moshi that I visited. I love getting pictures emailed to me of the kids wearing the clothes. I show them to the kids at the gym to inspire them to have a giving heart and to know that it IS possible to make a difference. Like these women, who are making a difference in their own lives…..that is the greatest lesson anyone can teach! Sorry for being wordy but I also share in your passion for Africa……oh yeah…I like willow knot bridal….

Halley - Love the idea of empowering women! I love the Glory Fringe necklace and the Cuff 87 bracelet. Thanks!

Stephanie - They are all absolutely amazing…..the product, the cause, the women. I am loving the necklaces that are in the bridal category.

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - The Aurora necklace is perfect for any outfit…whether over a plain Tshirt or your best Sunday dress. I love this company and have always wanted to find a store that carried their product so I could see it in person. The discount code may seal the deal for me:)

Julie Wearmouth - Meadowsweet in apple red! Love it! Fantastic company with an awesome purpose.

Virginia Bibler - such a beautiful cause! and such beautiful jewelry…loving the orchard loop and the orchard bunch! thanks for sharing meg….pinning now!

Jessica @ MyArdentLife - I really like the Orchid Loop! Definitely hard to choose just one, though! Great giveaway!

Anna - Beautiful jewelry and beautiful cause. I love the willow knot necklace and the gwazy blue bracelets.

Lisa Shay - meadowsweet – yellow!
These are stunning.
what a fabulous business. love.love.love it!

julie - Love the Blossom Bridal in grey and Sprout!!!!! Another great giveaway for a great cause. You are just awesome!!!

jenni - That is funny, I swear I did not even look at your choices until I had made mine but I definitely love Aurora and 87 Cuff

Katie g - Love the 87 cuff bracelet too.

Peggyrice@gmail.com - I’m so happy you updated your “happy things” side bar. Makes me happy. My daughter’s third grade theme is Africa this year. I’ve emailed her teacher all the links to 31bits and I’ve volunteered to help throw a “house party” at their school in Paris. Love all of the pieces! Thanks for sharing.

Aimee - Oh yay! I love companies who work with women in this manner. One of my favorites is Sseko Designs. Do you know their sandals? I LOOOOVE mine so much!
31 Bits has gorgeous jewelry. I may have to buy myself some for my birthday. 🙂 My favorites are Glory Fringe and Pixie Rowe – Bridal (who says you have to be a bride to wear it?). 🙂

Jenn - Wow. I can’t believe those beads are paper? I loved the waverly necklace the best, until I saw the 87 cuff. LOVE that bracelet. Might have to save up and get it! Empowering women to live life and kick a** at their profession = awesome. Who knows how many lives have been changed by this!

Stephanie - I love the Waverly necklace! Love it!

Rebecca W - hmmm i’d love to go order one…..went all the way to check out…but shipping to canada is $25. that’s INSANE!!!!

Melinda - I love the Waverly and the Orchid Loop! Wonderful web site and cause. I will share with my friends and family to spread the word.

Jodi - I love the colorful 87 cuff!!!!

Erin - Meadowsweet is one of my favorites. How do you choose?! There are so many great pieces.

Christy K - I love the Sprout and the Puddle Wrap! Wonderful cause and beautiful pieces! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!

Cindy - They are all beautiful! Love the Willow Knot, the Gwazy Twist, the Prim Rose. Even their names are beautiful! I sent one of their necklaces to a friend last year for her birthday and she absolutely loves it! She says she gets compliments on it all the time…which in turn gives her the opportunity to share their story 🙂

Chandra - I like the Heritage long.

Caitlynne - I love the aurora! I think it would look so pretty with a sun dress in the summer!

Audrey - I love the Willow Knot! all of them are too pretty to choose just one, my favorite bracelet is the laurel locke

Becky Joyce - Love this company. And I love the orchid, mayfair & aurora. Who am I kidding?! I love them all!!

Angela - They are all so beautiful, but if I had to choose I would say either Whisper Zest (light grey)or Camellia (grey or fuschia).

Maria Burke - Wow, they are all so beautiful! I LOVE the meadowsweet – love all the colours together, but if I had to pick, I think I reeeealy love the yellow. I agree with another commenter – wish they had some African women modeling the jewelery.

amy jupin - those ladies have such happy smiles!
the necklace is so cute but my fave is aurora or maybe hazel belle.
and the website and advertising is soooo cute too!
you have such a good heart, meg.

Southern Gal - I love the Aurora or the Honeyglow…I think. 😉

sandi - 87 cuff and nectar loom both bracelets. as well as several of the necklaces and other goodies. seriously, everything is gorgeous and would match well with anything in anyone’s closet. great give away.

Alison K - the waverly! It’s awesome! What a great company and the jewelry is amazing! I think I may buy a few birthday presents. Love the idea of giving while gifting 😉

Nicole - It’s so hard to choose! Everything is beautiful!! I do love the 87 Cuff. I’m into large bracelets and cuffs right now.

Trudy - I love everything about this!! I love the Willow Knot-Bridal. I think I’ll buy it even though I’m already a bride for 12 years! 🙂

Elise - waverly! in blue – love that!
thanks for sharing this awesome company!

Julie L. - Loving the Mayfair necklace – gorgeous tones! Amazing company and product.

Stacey - Ripple is my favorite!

Tina Jacobsen - I love Glory Fringe and Buttercup Necklace!! Beautiful jewelry from amazing and beautiful women!!

allison - That necklace is gorgeous! I would love to have it!

Jennifer - I love the Mayfair. Beautiful!

Mary - Love that waverly necklace – those mustard beads and the cotton neckline!

Michelle - love the Glory Fringe necklace & 87 bits bracelet…so beautiful!

Mindy Harris - i like the sprout bracelet!

kristi - I love the laurel locke bracelet, but so many of them are beautiful! hard to pick a favorite

Janelle - The Waverly piece is uber gorgeous! I have a very similar necklace from The Apparent Project in Haiti. I’m actually waiting for a box of their beads so I can help promote them!

Jennifer - I love the 87 cuff…

Wendy - Ooooo … so many happy things! I like the Laurel Locke bracelets.

ashley :) - i love the mayfair, meadowsweet and the willow knot – bridal. and by love, i mean, will be purchasing. tough decision which one! i cannot wait to share this site with my friends and family!!

Amber - Love this company! My favorites are the 87 cuff and the willow knot necklace!

Christyn - I love the Willow Knot- Bridal and Caramel Dust.

Tracy - What a wonderful cause! I love the cuff bracelet.

Stephanie campbell - Meadowsweet and blossom bridal. Love that cream bracelet.
What a great company!

Jolene (Homespun Heritage) - ~Yes, Meadowsweet is beautiful~ I like too many of them to find just ONE favorite, though!

Megan B - I quite like the Meadowsweet necklace. They are all gorgeous, though. Great cause!

Connie Krebs - What a beautiful line made by beautiful women! I am in love with the jewelry and how simple and attractive the website is. I believe my favorite is The Apple Drape. I am organizing a flash mob for Africa this summer and will definitely keep this company in mind!

Katie Sawrie - They are absolutely beautiful! I love the ‘Glory Fringe’, it would go perfectly with anything. This is a perfect place to use in the future for gifts!

Jenna - Hi Meg,
I am a huge fan of your blog and everything that you support and stand for. I think that what you are doing everyday is just amazing. I am a long-time reader of your blog but this is my first comment…ever! I am getting married in August and with that typically comes a honeymoon. Through reading your inspiring blog posts and by following a life long dream we will be honeymooning in South Africa! I love this post and think that it is an amazing and unique company and business model that more people in the world should strive to create. You are a wonderful person and I just love reading your blog. I truly hope that you get back to Africa soon!
Oh, and of course my favourite product is the bridal necklace Rosy Posy (too cute!)

Kristen - What a great organization! Reminds me a little of ten thousand villages. I loved reading some of the women’s stories. My fav necklace (other than the one being given away) is the Rockhopper. The blue totally stood out to me. Thanks for the giveaway and letting us know about such a great organization…I know where my go to gift site will be from now on!

Danelle - Beautiful! I love the 87 cuff.

Annette - Like them all. Prim Rose bracelet my favorite. What a good cause!

Arlene - Such a good cause! My favorites are the Waverly and Ripple =]

bread and jam - I love all of the bracelets. But the 87 Cuff is my absolute favorite. It’s okay that you like the same one. We’ll just have to decide who gets to wear it on what day. So we don’t look like losers, matching and all.

erica - i love glory fringe! what beautiful jewelry!

Dawn Eshnaur - I absolutely love the Sprout bracelet! Because of your blog, I have ordered numerous things from them! Most of them I have kept, but I have shared as well. I actually wore some of my bracelets to work yesterday! I love what they are doing!

ginny - i love gypsy!

tiffany gardner - feather blu = beauty

Sarah - I love all of it, Caramel Dust would my favorite…actually meeting the women in person would be a lifelong dream achieved. So beautiful.

Suzy - Meg,
I love Cuff. What a great idea. People are amazing, aren’t they? Thanks for the chance to win and for spreading this news to all of us!

Jamie - I really like Riverbed.

Tanya H - This is awesome! I love Rockhopper, Timber and Camellia. I love the things you share with us!

Trista - I like the rockhopper. I also love that my purchase will help empower other women! Love that. Thanks for sharing Meg!

Rhonda Fendt - Amazing story… amazing womem! Thank you for sharing. I really like crushed Jewel and Riverbed

Emily a la Blog - Waverly is my favorite. I miss Uganda and those beautiful smiles.

Elizabeth gleason - Ohh I want one… I came back from animal kingdom in Disney and they had all sorts of necklaces and I opted for an African cookbook. So glad you shared the web address. It was meant to be!

Becky - I’m not getting married, but I love the Powdered-Tangle necklace!

Karen - I LOVE acorn layers, meadowsweet and the 87 cuff. HAPPY. LOVE this.

Morgan Echtenkamp - What a neat cause and awesome jewelry! My favorites are Willow-knot and Powdered-Tangle.

Lindsay F. - I love 31 bits! My faves are Meadowsweet, Orchid Loop & that 87 cuff!

Tracy - ~caramel dust~

Ashley - 87 cuff and Pixie Rowe are amazing. And Meadowstreet.

Melissa - They are all beautiful and unique, but I think the glory fringe is my favorite!

Amy - I think the Sprout bracelet is just beautiful! What a wonderful company and way to bring hope and change to someone’s life! Thank you for sharing!

Ann Parsell - Very pretty and love that it’s helping other people. I’m loving that meadowsweet and waverly-drawn to the yellow!

Tracy Sheehy - Oh I am so excited about this ministry. We just found out this week we have a court date to adopt our son from Uganda. We will be heaind there at the end of March!! I love the Acorn Layers necklace but they are all beautiful!

Grace - I love the 87 cuff, so colorful!!! Thanks for sharing, such a great company!

Jermaine D. - Wow, they have really transformed paper bead jewelry and come up with super unique designs! I really like this one you are giving away and the mayfair necklace and watson braid bracelet!

Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft - Wow.. I am speechless! What an amazing company!!
You were right, it was hard to pick. 🙂 I think my favorite is Meadowsweet – Any of the colors.
Everything is beautiful! Especially the meaning behind it all. <3

Sarah Morgan - I love all of their jewelry – it is so beautiful. I love the meadowsweet necklace..

Gabrielle - All beautiful pieces but I’m loving the 87 cuff!

Vicki - I love the Gypsy cuff! so pretty. Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m going to spread the word for sure!

Tami Veer - I love the teal and yellow Meadowsweet!

lu - Beautiful pieces and a beautiful cause…love 87 cuff.

Regina - Prim Rose bracelet. 🙂

amber@SAHM's musings - Love companies with a purpose. I think the Meadowsweet necklace is pretty!

Ana G - The Bella necklace is very pretty:) Thanks for the chance to win!

Shawna - Really beautiful! My favorites are the sprout bracelet and riverbend necklace. Lovely.

Yby5 - What choices and how spectacular they all are! I do love the Glory Fringe necklace, Meadow Sweet necklace and the Starboard bracelet…I can think of so many people that I would buy them for too. I would proudly where any piece and spread the word. Thanks for the chance.

Jennifer - LOVE the Felicity bangles! Will be taking advantage of the discount to support this amazing organization.

Katie - I think the Meadowsweet is pretty adorable, but really, ALL of their jewelry is gorgeous! Would love to win the Waverly!

Lucy F - There are so many wonderful things on 31 Bits! I love the Camellia-Bridal necklace and the Laurel Locke bracelets!

Nichole - I’d have to go for Sprout. I own two of their pieces currently, totally awesome. People love them, so I like to spread the word.

Michelle Whitlow - How cool!!! I love to see stuff like this! So great that these ladies can make a difference 🙂 I looooove that necklace…the bracelet…oh.my.word.

Jackie - Loving the Mayfair!

Yolanda - Glory Fringe or Humming Burst…lovely!!

stephanie - My favorite is probably the Waverly that you have on the blog, but I also love the Mayfair. The yellow really is pretty and it’s not a color I ever wear.
I’m so glad you highlighted this company … I have heard of it, but kept forgetting to look it up! I’ll definitely be remembering it next time I need a gift!

Emily - I would sport the 87 cuff every.single.day. of the summer. I think I may have to go shopping. It’s for a good cause, right?

Mandy - LOVE Willow-Knot – Bridal!! Gorgeous!

Brittany - So pretty, I love that they have wedding stuff! My favorite would be pomegranate or 87 cuff. Thanks for sharing, these will make great gift ideas!

Hannah O - sprout and glory fringe! amazing.. thanks for sharing!

Ashley K - I really love the Aurora. But there are so many to choose from. what a great cause.

Hannah - Meadowsweet I think:)

Cheryl E. - L.O.V.E. 31 Bits!
L.O.V.E Rue
L.O.VE. Timber
L.O.V.E. Mayfair
L.O.V.E 87 Cuff
L.O.V.E. their misson!!

Tessa - I love the Meadowsweet necklace in teal or the Daphne bracelet in yellow. Wow – love the jewelry! I am adding this to my birthday wish list! 🙂

katie - 87 Cuff is my absolute favorite! I love your blog. If I were even one bit crafty I would totally want to be at your craft weekend!!

Andrea Siebert - i love everything…and the waverly :o)

Annie - WOW WOW WOW! What an amazing group of women. What a beautiful collection! Thank you for shedding light on such a wonderful cause. How to choose a favorite? Glory fringe, Mayfair, Willow Know Bridal necklace and the Blossom bracelet are simply stunning pieces. I love your blog.

Amy P. - Love these! My favorites are the orchid loop necklace and the 87 cuff. But everything is beautiful!

lalalovely lindsay - i love the meadowsweet necklace! such great choices though! thanks for the chance to win!
lalalovelylindsay.blogspot.com

happygirl - Pretty. I heard they made these from old magazines. I think this is worth supporting. 🙂

Esther Sam - I love the caramel dust necklace, it is by far my favorite!

Kristie B. - I like the 87 Cuff. Looks like it would go with anything and is a good conversation starter!!!

Dani - I LOVE the wedding collection! So perfect.

marlie byrd - beautiful creative talented women of uganda! mine would be waverly meadowsweet hyde thicket and i love 87 cuff!!

Robin - It was tough to choose, but I love the Meadowsweet too.

She Loves Life - Wow, everything is beautiful at 31 Bits! My favorite (other than the Ripple Necklace) is the concept that you can help empower other women out of poverty while they are doing something to nuture their creativity AND everytime you wear one of their beautiful pieces it reminds you to think beyond yourself to these beautiful women in Uganda.

Rebecca - How do you choose one? They are beautiful. Thanks for the discount code….I love Willow Knot and it loves me!

Susan Lanthrip - Love Rosy Posy Bridal! Beautiful pieces and a beautiful story.

Seriously Sassy Mama - Orchard bunch, crushed jewel, meadow sweet….who am i kidding I love all of them. I found this shop about a year ago. I love their stuff.

Courtney R. - The Willow Knot Bridal Necklace – BEAUTIFUL!

Amanda - Besides the Waverly (which I adore), I really like the Rosy Posy necklace and the Felicity Bangles in the bracelets!

sara @ it's good to be queen - i love 31 bits and i love the powdered tangle. 🙂

Naomi Williams - I love the meadowsweet — all 3 colors TOGETHER! Gorgeous! Love this company…wish they had some african women modeling the beautiful wares…

Sarah Wolfe - These are all so pretty. I like the one you’re giving away 🙂

melanie - Is it bad luck to be one of the first to comment? 🙂 I love the MeadowSweet and OrchardBunch necklaces and the 87 cuff as well. This is great for me as I am allergic to metal. Thanks so much.

Anne-Marie P. - I like a lot of it, but I think glory fringe is my favorite! What a great cause!

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