I was sitting here re-reading my blog because I couldn’t think of anything to post. Do you ever do that? Just read your blog? I don’t know why I do that. I guess I’m just a proud little blogga-mama. *rolling eyes at self*

Then I remembered it was Friday and I usually close my oh! ho! ho! contests on Friday! So, here we go, the winners of my last contest of the Christmas season…

Wait.

I don’t want to randomize it. Let’s think of something fun to do.

How about something with my Christmas tree?

Oh, I know! I’ll pick two ornaments off the tree.

How about this one…

And this one…

Now, search around for any numbers. You know, a serial number, a lead paint #, or even a year…

Ah, yes!

The year 2004.

Let’s see….let’s read it backwards and get 4002. Oh, 4002 people didn’t enter? You mean even with all the times I’ve re-read my blog, it still hasn’t been read 4002 times? Oh, well. Let’s eliminate the zeros then. How about number 42…

America at Fulmer Fam!

Now, one more…

Hmmm….y2k. Let’s see…let’s just elimiate all those 0′s and get #2…

Cory from My World by CJ!

(and if you don’t like the way I picked the winner, well, I don’t think the random-number-generator-thingie could have been more random than that.)

Congrats! I’ll be emailing you ASAP, but if you read this first, just send me your snail mail address!

Thank you so much to everyone who played along with my contests! I’m honored you stopped by and read my little posts. I pray your Christmas is filled with His love and joy; and that the coming year is your best yet!

Merry Christmas!

(and yes, you can take down that little oh! ho! ho! button in your sidebar now!)

Guess I Should Announce The Winners, Huh? is a post from: ohamanda.com
Happy New Year! Here are some of my favorite resources to help you make the most of 2012! One Bite At A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, an ebook by Simple Mom!
Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule, finally get your house under control!
E-Mealz, online meal-planning with shopping lists! {20% off with code SKINNY when you choose one of their healthy menus}
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Thanks to the UPS store and $13 stinkin’ dollars, Melissa got her Chocolate Beach gift basket today! Go check it out…you’ll even get to see the sisterchickie’s autographs!

Oh, and Staci blogged our sisterchick party. She got better pictures than me (thanks to the gift I gave her!).

Just a Little Chocolate Linky Love is a post from: ohamanda.com
Happy New Year! Here are some of my favorite resources to help you make the most of 2012! One Bite At A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, an ebook by Simple Mom!
Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule, finally get your house under control!
E-Mealz, online meal-planning with shopping lists! {20% off with code SKINNY when you choose one of their healthy menus}
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Luke 2
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire… All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home…He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Did you just read that story or skip over it because you’ve heard it so many times? I know it’s tempting for me to just glance at it. It doesn’t seem that exciting. It’s the word-picture that matches the manger scene on your end table. It’s the obligatory story read before opening presents. But do you ever stop to read it and wonder? Wonder why things happened the way they did? Why Mary? Why Joseph? Why the shepherds? Why Bethlehem? Why a manger?

Growing up, reading the Christmas story so many times and hearing sermons preached and lessons taught, I knew Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem because God prophesied it long ago. It was like a sign. You know a little check to mark off so you can make sure this Jesus guy is really the Messiah. And I’d always heard the angels told the shepherds about Jesus first because they were humble fellows–that’s who Jesus came for–regular folk. Personally, I’ve always thought the angels went to the shepherds first because they were the closest to the stable. You know, because after a journey through time and space, they were too tired to travel any further. Ahem.

Then I began to read some books by Brock & Bodie Thoene. If you aren’t familiar with Brock & Bodie Thoene, you are missing out on a significant experience in your life. They are prolific fiction authors–not just fun chick-lit or amusing stories. They are real historical researchers who have written several series based on God’s chosen people. Their series range from the Great Depression in the United States, the Holocaust of World War II, the rebirth of Israel and their current series, the history of Jesus on earth. I can honestly say, no other books have influenced me the way these books have. (I have so much to say about them and their books, but that will have to wait. I’m reading one right now, so when I’m done, I’ll be back to gush.)

Now they’ve got a new series of mini-books (try 83 pages) that answer the big…well, little questions about Jesus. Little questions that have big answers! There are three so far: Why A Manger?, Why A Shepherd? and Why A Crown? I picked up Why A Manger? a few weeks ago and read it last night. To say it was good is an understatement.

Each chapter answers one of the questions I had above. One of my favorite questions was “Why Bethlehem?”

They explain that Bethlehem is the place where the Temple sheep were born and raised. These were the sheep that would be chosen and bought by people to sacrifice and atone for their sins. The sheep of Bethlehem were thought to be holy–because they were set apart for a holy purpose. These sheep were raised by shepherds to be sacrificed for the sins of the Israelites.

So, where else would Jesus, the Lamb of God be born? He had to be born in Bethlehem! Not just to mark off a qualification for Messiah, but to be a picture to everyone who met him. To be a symbol and a fulfillment of God’s real plan!

And who got to meet Jesus first? Not just any old shepherds! Not just some regular old guys! THE shepherds! The shepherds that raised the sacrificial lambs! The shepherds who knew more than anyone what this sacrifice meant! Raising a little lamb from birth and then sending it to the slaughter—for a bunch of dumb, wicked people! Oh, what those shepherds understood about sacrifice! What it must have meant to them! They were the first ones to meet the Lamb of God, because they were the ones who would really understand.

WOW. Isn’t that amazing? Isn’t God cool?! Each chapter of this little book has insight like this. I won’t give away the answer to “why a manger”, I’ll let you read it for yourself. (Just know that it made me cry.) Because for this last installment of my bloggy Christmas, I’m giving away Brock & Bodie’s book Why a Manger? to two winners. Just leave me a comment and you’ll be entered to win!

Now, my prayer for you…

I remember how it felt the hours and days after Lydia’s birth. I was emotional, tired and overwhelmed. I remember how my husband acted when holding our newborn baby. I remember the nurses wrapping my daughter in a swaddling blanket. I remember the friends and family that came to ooh and aah over my child.

What would it have been like to know that a miracle baby was in your arms? That the one who had planned His own coming, His own sacrifice, His own resurrection, was cooing in your arms? I don’t think they could understand. They hadn’t read the story a hundred times like we have. They were experiencing it, living it!

I pray the same for you. I pray during this Christmas season you experience the miraculous birth of the Lamb of God in your life. The Lamb that was born in the only place he could be born, among the sacrificial lambs of Bethlehem. Born in the little town of Bethlehem as reminder that The Lamb would grow up to die in your place, just as the lambs in the fields had been born to do.

Merry Christmas!

(ps–If you haven’t read anything by Brock & Bodie, GO OUT AND BUY SOME NOW! They are my absolute favorite! And if you start reading their blog, be prepared–it’s amazing!)

CONGRATS TO OUR WINNERS! 

oh! ho! ho! the last. is a post from: ohamanda.com
Happy New Year! Here are some of my favorite resources to help you make the most of 2012! One Bite At A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, an ebook by Simple Mom!
Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule, finally get your house under control!
E-Mealz, online meal-planning with shopping lists! {20% off with code SKINNY when you choose one of their healthy menus}
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We had such a good time at our party. Have I mentioned how much I love my sisterchicks? However, if this post displays my fatigue, then I’ve done a good job. I think I’ve stayed up until midnight (or later) the past 3 nights. I’m not young enough to do that anymore! Since when did I get old?!

Last night, our spread was well…it was a spread. Everyone was supposed to bring 2 appetizers and a dessert. What were we thinking? Do you know how much food that is?! I made these Uh-mazing bacon covered crackers. How dumb does that sound? I found them at Pioneer Woman Cooks and then on Paula Deen’s website. You just need to make these the next time you need comfort food. OMG. I also made jalepeno poppers wrapped in bacon. I have no idea why I was so inclined to pork fat. We also had Paula Deen’s chicken fingers, crab rangoon, baked brie, a salad, pinwheel sandwiches, veggies, spinach pastrie things, dips, cheese and gobs of dessert. I gained 5 pounds at least.

While we were waiting for Mandy (there’s her hip self above) to arrive (her mama forgot to show up for baby-sitting! uh-oh!), we scoured your entries and after some intense discussion…ok, not intense, but we really did weigh them all thoughtfully…we chose…

Melissa from Melissa’s Idea Garden!

Melissa actually had 3 gift baskets described and 2 she had even given before. One was for her best friend who had some marital problems and the gift basket included some work gloves to let her know she’d help her “dispose of the body”. Well, that really stuck with us—something a real sisterchick would do! lol!

We also have to mention Jen’s hubby who does a themed stocking for her every year at Christmas. If I had an honorable mention prize–he’d get it! (Lots of oohing, aaahing & “how sweets” when we read that one!)

So, just as a recap, here are my chickies modeling off your prize, Melissa!

K-doggy Dog and the amazing beachy-type-bag from Knitty Professor!

Staci and the Moose Munch! YUM.

Beck Beck and the Vera Bradley book cover. (She’s modeling how it works, you know, in case you’re not sure.)

And Mandi holding the cornerstone of our gift, Chocolate Beach by Julie Carobini!

(Mandy wasn’t here yet, so she didn’t get in the modeling biz. Sorry, Mandy!)

Now, back to our party…

There were gifts. Oh yes, we had gifts! Just look at all the gifts!!

Our gift-baskety-theme was…well, each other. We had to buy a gift specifically for that person. Although everyone’s was great—I like the gift I received best! (Who doesn’t love a gift focused on themselves?!) Kristen gave me a homemade-amanda-basket! And just wait till you see it! If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you will realize how great she did!

Here’s the gift before I opened it:

CUTE!

And here it is after:

She painted me an adorable snowman plate (wearing a purple scarf), she made a giant round scrapbook entitled “The ABC’s of Lydia” (I almost cried!), a totally cure advent calendar made from mittens (filled with gifts for Lydia!), a homemade ipod cozy with a chick on it, some truffles (where are those things?) and a purple scarf (courtesy of etsy). DO YOU LOVE IT?? I do. (0h, and there was a purple bracelet, too. But I think Lydia confiscated it already.) Thank you a million times, Kristen!

Oh, and one more prop for Kristen, look at what she made each one of us as a gift:

A cool little circle accordion sisterchick scrapbook. So crafty! (oh, yeah, that’s me by the way. I don’t usually look like a deer in the headlights either.)

OK, enough gushing, I won’t put you through every minute of our party. (But I will say, we surfed some dating sites and it was rather comical. Oh, and we made Mandy a blog! Once she posts a few I’ll link to her so you can say hi!)

Alrighty then, that’s all I’ve got. Tune in tomorrow for THE LAST AND FINAL (THANK GOD) week of Oh! Ho! Ho!

The Sisterchicks Have Spoken is a post from: ohamanda.com
Happy New Year! Here are some of my favorite resources to help you make the most of 2012! One Bite At A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, an ebook by Simple Mom!
Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule, finally get your house under control!
E-Mealz, online meal-planning with shopping lists! {20% off with code SKINNY when you choose one of their healthy menus}
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Let’s get right into it shall we? We’re into the sixth week of thecontestthatneverendsyesitgoesonandonmyfriend and there’s just no need for an introduction!

One of my favorite Christmasy traditions is about ten years in the making. My 5 best friends (my sisterchicks) and I have a Christmas party. We go to someone’s house, bring some food and exchange presents. And maybe throw in a game or two. We always have a food theme–fondue, chili, casseroles, etc. (This year is tapas!) And our gifts are always a themed gift basket. I absolutely adore gift baskets–or themed gifts. (I usually try to theme my gifts for my whole family. One year we did all books–audio books, travel books, kids books! This year I wanted to do an etsy Christmas. Les wasn’t too pshyched about that one.)

Anywhoo. Where was I ?

Oh yeah, our sisterchickck gift baskets. (I should say “basket” because really, they get so big, they just explode into a giant gift! We graduated from actually sticking them in a basket long ago!) This is so fun—we literally talk about these all year. Here are a few of my faves:

• Movie Theme: I did Psycho. I included the movie, a towel, some cute shower curtain hooks and a very large knife–all nestled inside a hotel’s ice bucket!
• Color Theme: I chose pink. Then titled it, “Real Girls Love Pink.” I gave a pink candle, a pink purse, pink chocolate–all pink girly stuff!
• Rooms of the House: I did the kitchen—a big salad bowl with matching tongs, a salad dressing mix carafe and some other stuff that I can’t remember. All I know is I still wish I had that bowl for myself!

Well, our sisterchick party is THIS WEEKEND at MY HOUSE! Oh my goodness, I have so much to do. I really want to tell you about my gift–but well, my chickies read this blog. Sorry. This year, we drew names and we’re doing a gift basket specifically for that person! I can’t wait! I’ve been thinking about mine for months!

So, I want to share in the sisterchick love by giving away a themed gift basket! Now, settle in, because gift baskets need some ‘splaining!

The title of my basket? (Yes, it has a title.)

CHOCOLATE BEACH.

Are you so excited? I am!

Here we go…gift #1:

A few weeks ago, a real live author, Julie Carobini contacted me about giving away a book for oh! ho! ho! (I started reading her blog because she’s a first time author and I’d love to be her! Well, apparently she has read my blog, too! *blush*) Of course I was ecstatic and I had been wanting to do a themed-gift prize but couldn’t think of a good one. So, Julie’s book is our theme cornerstone!

I read this book a few months ago and I loved it. How could you NOT when the title is CHOCOLATE BEACH? It’s a fun chick/mom-lit book about a mama who…well, here’s the publisher’s review:

Bri Stone has it all: the man of her dreams and their surf-ridin’ teenage son, a chocolate-loving best pal, an adorable beach bungalow, and a kicky job as a Southern California tour bus host. She also has a few things she didn’t ask for: a know-it-all friend, a snobby mother-in-law, and a Fabio-meets-Dilbert boss. All three of them seem eager to share their strong opinions and suspicions about Bri’s relationship with her husband, Douglas. When Bri’s rose-colored glasses crack after she finds evidence that Douglas has grown tired of her carefree ways, she resolves to win him back. Can Bri reinvent herself–and recapture his heart?

Fun, right? It was! And it should be because Julie’s fun. (Seriously, who stalks her own books? and her favorite authors? Or takes her kids to see American Idol?) Plus, the characters are forever eating chocolate. Next time, I hope she includes the recipes! (Oh, Julie’s 2nd book is called Truffles by the Sea. YUM. It’s out in February!)

Now onto gift #2…with a title like CHOCOLATE BEACH, you just must have chocolate! So, I went to my favorite chocolatey store to pick up some chocolate for you! And I came home with Harry & David‘s Moose Munch Confection.

If you haven’t had Moose Munch, yet, well, you just haven’t lived. It’s the yummiest caramel popcorn, then a few of those yummy caramel popcorn pieces dipped in chocolate along with cashews and almonds. There’s all kinds of versions–dark chocolate, peppermint and my favorite, dark chocolate cherry. Could I say yummy a few more times?

Gift #3. Here she is folks, the wildly popular Vera Bradley! I’ve got the cutest little book cover in the peacock fabric. This thing would be perfect for your favorite paperback, a journal, a calendar or even a photo album. And considering this chocolatey-beachy theme, that’s what I’ll do, use it as a photo album. (Maybe I could put some cruise pictures in there?)

Gift #4. What else would you need on the BEACH while eating CHOCOLATE and reading your new favorite book? How about a lovely beach-type-bag?!

Do you love this? That pattern just makes me happy! My friend (yes, I’ve actually met her before!) Jen from Crafty Daisies makes the most fun stuff and has it all for sale (hint, hint) in her etsy shop! So, I’m excited to make this bag the official “basket” in our gift-basket!

OK, I know that was long. When I’m tired, I get wordy. (What am I saying? I’m always wordy!) So, in a nutshell:

YOU COULD WIN A BUNCH OF STUFF.

All you have to do is write a post about a themed gift—-either a fun giftbasket someone gave you or the best themed gift you ever gave, or maybe one you’d give if you were a millionaire. I don’t really care, the rules are extremely loose on this one. But the fun part is my sisterchicks and I will be judging them at our party on Saturday, the 15th. (I guess we’ll choose the most creative, or just which one we like best. I’m pretty sure, they’d all be up for some comment bribery, too.) We’ll live blog the winner and then after we all sign the card, your Chocolate Beach present will be in the mail! (I haven’t really told them all we’re doing this. But it is at my house, so I guess I get to choose the entertainment!)

Just write your gift-basket-themed-present post on your blog, sign the Mr. Linky below with the link to that post (not your whole blog). Make sure you link back to me, so everyone can share in the gift-baskety-linky goodness!

And thanks again to Julie Carobini for donating her book Chocolate Beach and for inspiring this fun prize! Make sure you check out buy her books and visit her blog!

oh! ho! ho! the SIXTH. is a post from: ohamanda.com
Happy New Year! Here are some of my favorite resources to help you make the most of 2012! One Bite At A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, an ebook by Simple Mom!
Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule, finally get your house under control!
E-Mealz, online meal-planning with shopping lists! {20% off with code SKINNY when you choose one of their healthy menus}
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It’s Friday, December 7–the day I’m announcing my Ornament Photo Tag winner! It’s also Pearl Harbor Day and most importantly (to me) is my Dad’s birthday! I’m taking him out to lunch today–maybe I’ll bring my camera and blog about it. (I know, you can hardly wait!)

So, in honor of this 7th day of December (and because random.org picked it) our winner is #7–LEIGH from My Adventures in Mother-land! I met Leigh from OMSH’s Color Me Happy Swaparooni. We became honest to goodness friends, too! (I mean sending presents to me will always do that!) But guess what? She’s having her second son on December 21! So, this Hallmark gift card will be a combination Oh-Ho-Ho-Christmas-Birthday-Congratulations-Glad-We’re-Friends prize! Plus, she did write a great ornament post. Go check it out. Congrats, Leigh!

(Oh, and did you check out my mom’s entry in the photo tag? Well, if you do, you’ll see a very retro ohamanda picture. It’s a pretty sweet post, too!)

Thanks for posting all your ornaments. I love hearing and seeing the special parts of your life! And don’t forget next Monday begins the 2nd to last week of Oh! Ho! Ho! Can you believe it? I know, it’s the never-ending contest. But next week YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS. It’s going to be a very yummy, entertaining and stylish giveaway. And if those clues aren’t big enough here’s one more—the prizes rhyme with shmocolate, vooks and Bera Vradley! WOO-HOO!

Happy Oh Pearl Ho Birthday Ho Harbor Day! is a post from: ohamanda.com
Happy New Year! Here are some of my favorite resources to help you make the most of 2012! One Bite At A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, an ebook by Simple Mom!
Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule, finally get your house under control!
E-Mealz, online meal-planning with shopping lists! {20% off with code SKINNY when you choose one of their healthy menus}
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