the day after (and the winner!)

First, the picture - I have a pile of images that need to be properly named and filed, and picked one completely at random. More of my favourite white and green combination!

I had so much fun reading your birthday memories after yesterday's post! Thanks for sharing.

My favourite, and the winner of some of my soap (can you tell I haven't decided what to send yet?) is Austen! This was her comment:

"The year I turned 29 my sister arranged a big surprise party for me. As part of the distraction plan, she shipped me off for a visit with a friend, a visit which included an hour-long hike around the edge of Lake MicMac. (At the end of January. It was frigid.) Eventually my friend dropped me off at home and I rushed inside, ripping off my boots and jacket and making a beeline for a hot shower, yelling to my sister (who I figured was somewhere around the house), "Honey, I'm home and holy god, I'm freezing my ass off!" By the time I screeched to a halt in front of them, sweater off and shirt soon to follow, the two-dozen-odd people hiding in my living room were laughing too hard to yell "surprise." (Funny how the hot flush of embarrassment can warm you up in a hurry!)"

I think it's probably my favourite because a similar thing happened to me, which Konstantina mentioned in the comments. A surprise birthday party was waiting for me, and I entered our then-apartment with a yell of "Geez Louise, I have to pee!" On my way to the bathroom, past the doorway where everyone was lurking, some movement caught my eye and I nearly jumped out of my skin with a shriek that would have woken the dead. It was hilarious!

So, Austen, e-mail your mailing address to grahamsherrie [at] yahoo [dot] ca, and I'll send you some loveliness in the mail!

the last blogaversary giveaway winners

I'm home, the babe is bathed and in bed, and I'm ready to choose some winners! Thanks so much for the stories - I enjoyed reading them.

The local winner of the stainless steel kitchen organizer thingy is Ingrid, who found an ulu (an ulu!) at an almost-yard-sale. That's definitely an odd find.

And the non-local winner of three bars of soap made by moi is TC who wrote the funniest 'heard' comment:

"From someone (namely myself) who values books too highly, and obviously spends too much time reading them rather than working on his math skills.

SIGN: All books one dollar.
TC (with four books in hand): Will you take five dollars?

My bartering skills get rusty over the winter."

I'll get your prizes to you nifty winners post-haste - TC, please e-mail me with the types of soap you'd prefer. Thanks to everyone, and have a fine weekend!

one day left for the last September giveaway!

Don't forget to comment on this post before I get home from work tomorrow and have a chance to select the winners (around 5:00 PM Atlantic). If you're local, you can win a lovely brushed steel kitchen organizer thing, and if you're non-local, you could win three bars of my wickedly fantastic soap!

The Creative Family by Amanda Soule giveaway

I bought this book a few weeks ago, and love it. It's an overused word, but it's inspiring. Full of great ideas of projects to do with little ones, and more than that, how to foster creativity in daily family life. Phillip even loves it, and says "Baby!" over and over when he sees it. I love this book, and you can read a fantastic interview with the author and have a chance to win your very own copy over here at Simple Mom. Good luck!