Link Love 2/21/2014

Primal Fudge -- I asked on Facebook for a recipe that uses cocoa powder but was not brownies. Someone recommended this, and oh my gracious. Simple, decadent, and virtually healthy :-) I used natural peanut butter rather than almond butter, and I doubt my Hershey's cocoa is considered high quality cocoa powder, but it was still delicious.

Authenticity, Honesty, and the Stay at Home Mother -- "God doesn't call us to authenticity. He calls us to ask for prayer and accountability where we struggle with sin. He calls us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. And He commands us to be holy, even as He is holy, because without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). Hunter Boots, KitchenAids, and Hudson Bay blankets should be authentic. Christian wives and mothers should be holy, because holiness is the defining mark of an authentic believer in Jesus." I have had this article marked for reading for a couple of weeks now, and honestly, it was the kick in the pants that I needed this morning. As soon as I finish this blog, I'm changing out of my pajamas!

Star Wars Toys in Photos -- Really cool photos of Star Wars toys. What more could you ask for?

Books to Read before They Hit the Movies -- I do not endorse these books, but if you need some ideas for your reading list, this is a fun place to start. I am personally excited about Unbroken, which is one of my favorite books by an outstanding author!

Prayer of Hannah blog

I have been reading Prayer of Hannah since the original authors starting posting a few years ago. I was honored to be asked to join their "team" last year, and have been greatly blessed by these ladies in the process. Though we are spread out literally across the world, I count them as dear friends. The Prayer of Hannah blog was just redesigned, and I would LOVE for you to check it out. We are kicking off our redesign with a fun giveaway! So hop on over to the blog, enter the giveaway, and let us know what you think! If you are POH reader, be sure to grab our button as well.

E's photo shoot

One of my dear friends came by on Saturday to take pictures of Eleanor. We kep hoping E would fall asleep so we could get cute sleeping baby pictures, but E wanted to stay up and hang out. Kim's pictures still turned out great! I will probably post a few of my favorites in another day or two, but here is a link to Kim's blog post about our latest pride and joy. Thanks so much, KD, for the wonderful pictures! And please, check out all of her blog, including her other photography, recipes, and so much more :-)

Swagbucks

You may have noticed that I have new page on the blog called Swagbucks. I have been using Swagbucks for over a year now, and through accumulating said Swagbucks have been able to redeem them for over $100 in Amazon gift cards. Frequently my friends ask me to explain how Swagbucks works, and to share tips, which is why I created a page with that information. Please don't hesitate to ask me any questions! For full disclosure, you should know that if you sign up with this Swagbucks link, I will be awarded as many Swagbucks as you earn until you reach 1000. Referrals are the easiest way to earn prizes!!

Today is a great day to join Swagbucks if you have not before. They are offering 30 Swagbucks to those joining for the first time, and if you enter JoinIn2010 (case sensitive) as your Swag Code today, you will be awarded an additional 30 SB. This is a great way to start out! Check it out, ask me any questions you have, and join Swagbucks--it's the search engine that pays!!

A few items of note

1. It is very hard for me to do, but I am trying to get rid of some of my fabric. I just don't have time and space to do everything before Finnling #3 arrives! So, I have fought the tears and gone through my stash :-) You can see what I am selling here. I am not trying to make a huge profit--I simply want to make a little of what I spent on the fabrics!

2. Today is Friday, and that means it is MEGA Swagbucks day. If you are already a part of Swagbucks, be sure to search today because the 'bucks are given away in higher denominations. If you have not joined Swagbucks, you should do it! Earn points for searching the internet, and redeem the points for gift cards and other goodies. It's hard to beat :-)

3. If you haven't entered your guess for our baby poll, please do that here. I love reading everyone's predictions, and I can't wait to find out who has the closest guess! I haven't entered one myself yet...I am just not sure what I want to predict yet :-)

4. I am having a Thirty-One Gifts home party in ten days. If you live in the area and are interested, I would love for you to attend! Just email me for more information. If you do not live in the area, you can view the catalog here AND place an order through my party. I love the thermal totes and lunch bags...and the zipper bags...and the demi purse...okay, there is just a lot to love in this company. Check it out!

Two websites to check out

While you wait for me to upload the pictures from my camera (!), I thought I would recommend two websites for you to check out.

My handsome husband Nathan just launched his own personal website, which includes a blog, his teaching and speaking schedule, and information on his writings. It is a great way to keep up with what he is doing, and see how the Lord is using him at Southeastern and other areas.

As many of my readers know, one of my favorite blogs is Prayer of Hannah. I am blessed to know most of the godly ladies who contribute to this blog which has been such an inspiration to me over the years. Recently they asked me to join the blog as a regular contributor (I have written guest posts in the past). I am honored and thrilled about this opportunity, and pray that I might glorify God through being a part of this blog community. You can see the posts I have written here.