I WON!!!!

 A couple of weeks ago, Janet Forrest held a giveaway on her blog,Tattered 'n Worn. The winner's name was drawn from those who commented on her posts. The prize: a copy of "A Little Bird Told Me" from Melody and Kathy Ross of Brave Girls Club. I have been receiving daily messages from the Brave Girls Club for a couple of years now, and I can't begin to tell you how uplifting and encouraging these messages are. Very often, they are so exactly the words I need to hear, I am super excited to have won this book!!
I met Janet through Kelly Rae Roberts' e-course, Flying Lessons, in summer 2011, and since then we have decided that  we must surely be twins, separated at birth. So, a great big thank-you and a hug from me, Janet, for hosting this giveaway. And a great big thank-you to Brave Girls for finding and sharing the words that girls of every age need to hear, everyday!!! I love you guys!!

I won't let myself read it just yet. I want to thoroughly enjoy it, and right now I am up to my eyeballs in wrapping, baking, cleaning, shopping, and shoveling manure. I want to savor it with feet up and a cup of tea, or feet up and a glass of wine, or feet up in the bathtub. I want my first time to be special. Ha! 
Anyway, if you aren't familiar with Brave Girls I can't recommend them enough. We could all use a few words of encouragement, right? 
I almost forgot. I'm meant to be giving you reasons for joy (not so easy in recent days). but here you go. Today's joy:  Cream cheese potato soup, bubbling in the crockpot, and making the house smell like heaven. Bumping into an old friend while running errands. Gathering  with other horse crazy "girls" at friend Margaret's house last night.
Wishing you joy, in this last week of holiday preparation. Wishing you fudge that sets, and biscuits that rise, and an infinite supply of transparent tape. XO.