Giveaway Winner!

Sorry I didn't get around to posting the giveaway winner of the FREE 25 shutterfly cards yesterday!  I did just draw the three names right now though and here they are:

(1) Mallorie over at Happy Home!!  And guess what guys?  She just had a baby YESTERDAY so go send her some well earned Congrats! Mallorie, I am SO glad you won this giveaway!  Now you can make some gorgeous Christmas cards to send out to loved ones.

(2) Katie Hale over at Hale Happenings! I'm so glad you won Katie ... in your comment you said you really wanted to win and you did! : )  Yippee!

and the last person is ...

(3) Kristen Hillger over at Baby Hillger! Guys, this one REALLY excites me because Kristen just also happens to be my best friend!!!  I PROMISE and SWEAR that these were done by a randomizer, but her number just so happened to pop up (this is the first time that she has ever won any of my giveaways)!  Kristen REALLY needs free Christmas cards because she has a 7 month old boy and is 4 months pregnant!! She has TONS of news to share! ; )

SO, to the winners, please email me at lilianateachesus@gmail.com so I can give you your Shutterfly codes.  Have a great day!

I hope to post about our Halloween later today, but wanted to make sure I at least got this post done ... after quite a few votes, I think I'll be choosing the following card from Shutterfly for Christmas this year.  We're taking our photos this Saturday and I can't wait! I wanted to say a big thank you to Shutterfly for always treating us so well!!! You guys are the best!!

Shutterfly Christmas Card Giveaway (for THREE readers!)

Last year, Shutterfly was kind enough to pay for my Christmas cards.  All my family and friends commented on how gorgeous the cards were.  This year, they've been kind enough to offer FREE Christmas cards to THREE of my readers!  It has been a really long time since I've done a giveaway, but I figured this would save each reader about $40 - 50 bucks so I couldn't !

SO next Monday I will randomly draw THREE winners.  Each winner will get a coupon for TWENTY-FIVE FREE Christmas cards of your choosing from Shutterfly.com.  To enter the giveaway do the following:

(1) for ONE entry, leave a comment telling me which design you'd order for your Christmas cards.
(2) for TWO entries, leave a comment telling me you started following my blog (or already do).
(3) for THREE entries, blog about this giveaway and leave a link in the comments showing me where you did so.

As you guys know, I love Christmas time, and I LOVE the designs Shutterfly came up with this year for the holiday season.  But I've actually used Shutterfly for a TON of other things.  I bought Liliana's birth announcements there a year and a half ago and I also make our Lacefield family yearbook on Shutterfly too.  In fact, I started our yearbook last night and they've made getting a photo book even cooler.  They have a customization feature with the cutest embellishments.  SO easy ... I'm in love.  Seriously, I know this sounds like an advertisement for them.  I'm not saying it because they've forced me to.  I'm saying it because I use Shutterfly all the time and time and time again their products come out even prettier than I expected.

This year, I'm trying to narrow down which Christmas card I want to get for us ... which is your favorite?

This one's modern and playful. 

This one's simpler, but I like how much it highlights the picture.

My favorite part about this one is the beautiful quote on the right side.  That is so true about my life!

SO, which is YOUR favorite?  Wouldn't you LOVE to get 25 of these FOR FREE?!?

Then enter the giveaway!  I'll draw on Monday for THREE readers.

(disclaimer: Shutterfly is giving me some free holiday cards for hosting the giveaway and doing this post.  Honestly though, they're the best website for affordable pretty cards anyway!)

Crawler Cover Winner!

Just wanted to congratulate Mrs. Schutt for winning the crawler cover giveaway!  She just had a baby on July 6th, so these will be PERFECT for her!

Mrs. Schutt, there were 41 entries and one of my middle school kids picked #27, so you should thank them. ; )  I'll leave a comment on one of your blogs letting you know you've won, but I wanted to give you a shout out here too!

Crawler Cover Giveaway!

A few weeks ago I ordered some crawler covers for Liliana.  They are seriously the cutest darn things I've ever seen on her!  They make her onesie outfits 10 times more adorable, they make her little legs warm, and they somehow bring out the chubby in her thighs even more.

Just look at how cute crawler covers look:

Cute grey/pink stripes!

Lots of bright stripes for Liliana!

These are the ones Daddy chose when we ordered them!

 Hope you liked our model! ; )

Are you in love with these adorable crawler covers?  Well you're in luck because when I asked Fategoddess if she would be interested in doing a giveaway, she said YES! We are giving away THREE pairs of ANY crawler covers you want!

Also, just so you know, the sizes range from newborn to to eight years old!  Also, she has some designs for both girls AND boys!

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment telling me if you have done any of the following:

(1) Go HERE and look through the crawler covers they offer and tell me ONE of the ones you'd get if you won! (1 entry)

(2) Follow (or tell me you already do follow) my blog. (2 entries)

(3) Blog about this giveaway! (4 entries)

This giveaway will last until February 24th at 5 pm.

I'm so pysched to be doing this giveaway. Parents.com named these cover crawlers as one of their 25 top things sold for babies on etsy, and YOU have a chance of winning THREE!  How cool is that?

GOOD LUCK!

Giveaway Winner Chicken Dinner! And, my day sucked, bad.

today I had a really freakin horrbile day. I'll talk about that in a second, bu in the mean time, I am so excited to announce that the winner of a soon to be custom portrait from SweetPea is ...



Well crud .. I can't get it to SHOW the number it generated, but it WAS #7 and that lucky winner WAS ...

GINA LUV who said: " i love shannon's work! I love love love everything she does. I would love to get a photo done for my mom or even one for me! or a gift for somebody! There are just so many people I would love to give a cartoon like this too! :)gina"

 I'm so excited for you Gina and I hope winning this made you smile!

As for my day ... let me start by saying that it is quite cold here.  I know it's cold everywhere, but NEGATIVE 15 is getting old.  I woke up in a rather cheerful mood though and decided that since we were delayed 2 hours, I would do a couple loads of laundry before leaving work.  I was enjoying a bowl of cereal and playing with Liliana when all of the sudden I heard HUGE amounts of water landing on my floor.  Our washing machine just RANDOMLY went crazy and our laundry room had water ALL OVER it.  Evan wasn't home because he was having an ultrasound done due to very high blood pressure.  So not only was I incredibly worried about Evan, but then this happened too?

I tried to mop it up, best I could, by getting the Shop Vac.  At the EXACT same time that this happened, I realized Liliana had taken a major poop and had to change that while water continued to fall on the floor.

Turns out one of the pipes was pretty clogged with hair and lint.  Evan came home for a little while and we attempted to work on it.  After a million mishaps, it was already 1 o'clock and going to work would have been fruitless since I had a hair appointment in very little time after that.

At least I'd have a haircut to fix things right?

Wrong.

She cut it SHORT.  I said to my SHOULDERS.  It's to my CHIN.  I was trying to cut it shorter because I've heard I look older with it shorter and my kiddos keep telling me how young I look.  That's a good thing, but not when I'm trying to be an authoritative figure.

I hate it. 

I don't usually complain about my haircuts, but this one looks so yucky and so ... well ... it's a MOM haircut!  I'm not ready for those yet guys!

So, I'm going to bed now and hopefully, by tomorrow morning, my hair will have grown a couple inches, our washing machine will NEVER do that EVER AGAIN, and most importantly, Evan's health issues will go away!

Sign up HERE for the AWESOMEST giveaway EVER! (ends tomorrow)

Guys I have to admit that I had another Baby Review post planned for today, but turns out it was beyond freezing here (as is apparently the case in 33 states) and instead of relaxing on our day off, we have been ... you guessed it ... working on the house.  It's all I do anymore!  Seriously, I haven't read a page of my book, I haven't sat down and watched a TV show with Evan, I haven't had any fun! BOO! haha. 

Long story short, no blog post about my recommendations with baby clothing.

I DID however, want to remind you guys to enter the giveaway that I'm hosting ending TOMORROW at 5 pm!  You still have a chance to win!

It's for a $25 credit to Growingsweetpea's Etsy shop.  Considering that her items cost $15 to $35 each, you could get a drawing for absolutely FREE!

Here are a couple of her drawings, just to remind you.  Remember that she makes them CUSTOM based on your photographs.

To enter:

(1) Leave a comment saying what you would want her to draw for you (1 entry)

(2) Follow my blog or let me know if you already do (2 entries)

(3) Blog about this giveaway! (4 entries)

Stay warm and go do something relaxing like reading a book by the fire.  I would love to live vicariously through all of you...now back to sorting through the kitchen.

"Liliana teaching the docs of the house"

When I changed the name of my blog from "Happily a Law Mama" to "Is there a Doctor in the house?" someone suggested my little tag line be something about Liliana teaching the docs of the house.  They told me that children would end up teaching you so much.  I put it there, mainly because I thought it sounded cute.  I didn't know how true it would be.

Yesterday was a very stressful day.  I have so many things going on and feel like a failure for not completing them all immediately.  I have a full time job, I have a daughter, I have a house to prepare for sale, I need to buy a new house, and I have a job to look for.  God forbid I would want to include some other things in there such as spending time with my husband, working out, and reading.  But I do want to include those things.  I have always made time for at least the first two and I refuse to give them up.   However, I was stressed beyond belief yesterday.  We had a realtor come to the house and while we don't have to make any HUGE changes to it, there are of course a million little things that need to get done.  Ok, maybe not a million, but there are honest to god about 100.  Packing everything after work is tough when all I want to do is spend time with Liliana and Evan.  Not to mention I come home exhausted from work (those 8th graders have tons of energy in case you didn't know) and after work I usually workout which only leads to my being more tired.

So yesterday, I came home and was talking a million miles a minute to Evan.  I was telling him all my concerns and expressing my exhaustion.  When I got home, Liliana had just gone down for a nap.  I kept being stressed and talking about it was just making me worry more.  Then, Liliana woke up.  Evan brought her to see Mommy and all of the sudden, I smiled.  My daughter taught me that I need to CALM DOWN.  My daughter taught me to SMILE.  She is so beautiful and so delightful.  How could I have forgotten all the beautiful things in life?

Then later in the evening, the stress started piling up again.  We started packing up our DVDs and our board games and I realized that only those two things took over 20 minutes.  How would we accomplish the rest before we put the house on the market in 3 weeks?  As I was thinking this, Liliana was sitting down and went on to all fours.  She hadn't done this on her own yet, so naturally, I let out a squeal!  Then ... she CRAWLED a couple movements to try and get my cell phone.  I started hugging Evan immediately.  We both saw her first crawl and it was SUCH a special moment!

I can't believe my baby girl is already crawling.  What a big big girl!  And in those two moments I realized, it'll all get done.  The other stuff isn't what's important.  The important thing is having family moments such as what we had last night where we both catch Liliana's firsts and proclaim with joy about her wonderful she is, because she truly is wonderful.

P.S. Isn't it hilarious that she didn't crawl for one of the THOUSAND toys that people have bought her?  Nope, she crawled to a PHONE!  Kids ...

P.P.S. I can't believe that my email box wasn't FLOODED with emails yesterday for people wanting to win my giveaway.  Guys, it is an awesome one if I may say so myself and so far, only 10 people are in the running.  Your chances of winning at that rate are ridiculously awesome. Click HERE to read about it and enter for a chance to win!  The giveaway ends on February 2nd, so you still have plenty of time.

GIVEAWAY time!! Trust me, you'll want to win this one.

I ordered Evan's Christmas gift in October.  I had known for MONTHS what I wanted to give him.  I found an etsy shop from Growing Sweet Pea.  Her blog is the CUTEST.  What this etsy shop is all about is the sweetest custom cartoons you've ever seen.  For such a reasonable price (ranging from $15 to $35), you get a one of a kind gift such as:

How about a sweet adorable picture of you and your sweet someone?

 Or how about a picture of Daddy with his new bundle of joy?

Not a fan of black and white?  She does color too!

So, for Christmas I told her I wanted a picture of Evan swimming with Liliana.  As you guys know, Evan is an amazing swimmer (All-American), so swimming with Liliana has already become very important to him.  She looked at quite a few pictures of Evan and Liliana and within a couple weeks look what I got in the mail: 

Isn't this possibly the most ADORABLE thing you've EVER seen?  Needless to say, Evan LOVED it.  In fact, he told me it was quite possibly the best gift I've ever given him.  He has been SO protective of it and immediately went to buy a frame so it wouldn't get bent in anyway.  

Want another view?

Isn't this sweet?  LOVE IT!

After Christmas, I contacted the artist just to tell her how pleased I was and you know what she did?

She is doing a GIVEAWAY just for you guys! 

It is worth $25 towards any thing you want her to draw for you guys, whether it be a sport, a sweet portrait, or well ... anything!  I am SO excited for whomever wins this giveaway.  If you send her pictures, she will customize it JUST FOR YOU.

I just think these kinds of gifts are THE BEST: personal, sweet, custom, and PERFECT.

SO, how do you win?

For 1 entry, visit either her ETSY SHOP or HER BLOG and tell me what you would have her draw for you.

For 2 entries, follow this blog!


For 4 entries, blog about this giveaway and post the link in a comment below.

This giveaway will last until February 2nd at 5 when I'll do the drawing and announce the winner!  Make sure you give me an email address in which to contact you if you're the lucky winner!

Wow, THAT Just Happened ... AND, Winner of the Giveaway

 First of all, let's go with the winner of the giveaway from CSN stores! 



I don't know how to make the Result appear, but it was #29 and you guys are just gonna have to take my word for it mmmk?

Congrats to mamipdx!!  You WON!  And, you said you would spend the $65 on a safety booster seat, so of course this brand new Mommy is THRILLED to hear you'll be spending it for your own baby's safety and it'll be used for something you'll use ALL the time!  Expect an email from me soon and an email from CSN soon as well!  CONGRATS GIRL!

As for the OTHER part of this title...

um...I have a job.

Yeah, that just happened!  Before you think I'll be teaching, that's actually not what happened.  Believe it or not, it's with a law firm!  I got a call from a law firm at 4 o'clock today.  The attorney said that my ex-boss highly recommended me and that he needed someone to do work for him.  I NEVER applied for this.  I had no idea what was going on for the first 30 seconds of our conversation.  Once I gathered that he wanted to interview me, I calmly thanked him for the opportunity for an interview, but told him I had just had a baby and had not taken the bar.

He was TOTALLY cool with that.  And, said "can you come in NOW to see the office?"

Me: jaw drops, while I'm huffing and puffing..."well sir, I just finished working out, so you would not want to see me or smell me right now.  Can I shower first?"

After my shower I realized "shit shit shit...I haven't even attempted to fit in to my suit!  What if I don't fit in to my pre-pregnancy suit?"  Well suckas...let me tell ya something.  That stuff zipped and I looked FAAABULOUS, all lawyerly and stuff. 

Forty five minutes later, I was at the law firm getting a tour and within 30 minutes of being home, he called me, offered me a full time position and VOILA!

I'm BEYOND psyched about having a job.  You guys don't understand.  We've been thoroughly broke FOREVER.  Those loans were only going up and up and up.  And while the pay is surely not going to make us rich any time soon, and no this isn't a teaching position, this is AMAZING.  It will pay for our living expenses and a bit more, and it'll be using my degree, which of course is great too.  The boss also seemed positive on giving me more job opportunities if I ever do decide to take the bar.  Really, this is a win/ win situation.

ONLY downside.  I start Thursday.  On my birthday. 

"Happy Birthday Cristina!  Now get your cute little booty to work."

Want $65? Welcome to my first giveaway!

A couple weeks ago, CSN stores emailed me interested in doing a giveaway.  Personally, I'm not a fan of blogs that only do giveaways.  But, then, they told me to take a look and this website is pretty fabulous guys.  It pretty much has EVERYTHING, from a platform bed, to Rachel Ray cookware, to diaper bags!  

After looking at the website, I told them I would LOVE to give my readers a gift certificate to buy whatever their hearts desired and they answered with a $65 gift certificate offer!  Um.... yes please!

CSN stores has over 200 stores to choose from AND free shipping!  Why leave home to shop?

If I were able to win this giveaway, here are some of the things I'd want:

Cute shoes!

This cute little tent for Liliana to play with when she's older!

This gorgeous Kitchen Aid dutch oven!

So, do you guys want to win a $65 gift card to win some of these amazing items? 

Here's how to do it:

(1) Go to csnstores.com and leave a comment here telling me what you'd get with the $65 (1 entry)

(2) Follow this blog and leave a comment telling me you're doing so (or already do) (2 entries)

(3) Blog about this giveaway on your blog, leave a link to this blog on your post, and leave a comment on this post letting me know you did this (4 entries) (yep, that's A LOT of entries!)

 (Note: I will be checking your blogs to make sure you fulfill this part)

This giveaway will last until October 12th at 5 pm!  Good luck!  I can't wait to announce the lucky winner! : )