About Me

Hello, and welcome to my attic! I am a WAHM (work at home mom) of two. I have a tween son and a baby girl who are the joys of my life. I worked as a third grade teacher for ten years at a private school before joining my hubby in our eBay store Donny Dixon's Attic.


I am also a book junkie.  Although I haven't had as much time to read recently because my days have been filled with all things baby and middle school homework. 

I started blogging to feed my book habit.  I love to blog about great reads, my family, and the things that I love.  


I hope you'll grab your favorite beverage (mine is Mountain Dew), put up your feet, and stay awhile.

Wordless Wednesday: Easter Baby

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit Five Minutes for Mom. You can also share your W/W post in the linky below.

I've Got a New Way To Blog

You may have noticed that things have changed around here. Especially yesterday when the blog was looking a bit wonky.

When I found out that I won a blog design from Jacqui at Wacky Jacqui's Designs, I was so excited! While I loved my sunflowers, I was itching to try out something new.


I used my birthday money (thanks to my in-laws!) to purchase an istock image and Jacqui ran with it. And I love the final product!

Jacqui has some mad skills! She can do designs for Blogger and Wordpress. And her prices are really reasonable for all of the features that you receive.  So if you're looking for a new design, or just need to add a few touches to your blog, you should check her out! She made the process very easy and had everything installed all in one afternoon. You can check out some of Jacqui's designs here.  You can also find follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

You know that song from Sesame Street..."I've Got a New Way to Walk, Walk Walk...." Ever since I saw my blog, this popped into my head except it was changed to "I've Got a New Way To Blog, Blog Blog..." (Can you tell I've been around a baby a lot?)

So, what do you think about the new look?

Donny Dixons Attic Promo: Buy 3 Get 1 Free

Are you looking to update your spring/summer wardrobe? Now is a great time to check out the selection of skirts, skorts, shorts, capris, dresses, skirts and more at Donny Dixon's Attic. We also have Juniors, Maternity and Mens clothing. And right now, we have a super saver coupon. Buy 3 items, get 1 Free!

coupons by freecouponmaker.com

Coupon Code: May 2011
Offer Expires: May 31, 2011

Winner of the Rebecca St. James CD Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered the Rebecca St. James CD giveaway. The winner according to Random.org is:

 #12 TaMara

Congratulations!  I will be emailing you soon for your info.

Have You Heard of MyBlogSpark?

If you are a blogger, you will definitely want to check out MyBlogSpark. It is a fun program that gives you the chance to get the inside scoop on the latest products and sample them for yourself. You can also host giveaways and connect with other bloggers through their events.

There are some great opportunities coming up nationwide as well as in the Washington, DC area.

It's easy to sign up! Just provide your email address and they will send you a survey to find out a little about you in order to send opportunities that will interest you.

To find out more, click here.

Disclosure:  I received no compensation for this post; all opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Can You Do This?

Taken at Ringling Brothers The Barnum And Bailey Circus

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit Five Minutes for Mom. You can also share your W/W post in the linky below.

Rebecca St. James Album "I Will Praise You" Giveaway Ends Tonight

Just a reminder, the Rebecca St. James CD Giveaway ends at Midnight Tonight!

Low entries!

You still have time to enter here.

Aloha Friday: Gas Woes

Here is how Aloha Friday works from Kailani's blog An Island Life:

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.



While running errands yesterday, I paid $3.69/gal at the pump. It was better than the $3.79/gal I saw at other stations. But still, YOUCH!

My Question For You This Week: How much is gas where you are?

Winner of the Boogie Wipes Giveaway

Thank you to all who entered the Boogie Wipes Giveaway! The winner according to Random.org is:

#34 Sadie

Congratulations!  I will be emailing you soon for your info!

Wordless Wednesday: Tiger Cage at the Circus

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit Five Minutes for Mom. You can also share your W/W post in the linky below.

Mama Got Into The Jelly Beans

Yesterday was one of the longest days I've had since the Attic baby was born. Even longer than when I was getting up every two hours to feed her when we came home from the hospital. For some reason, she was incredibly fussy the night before and would only sleep if she was being held. Every time I tried to put her down, she would instantly wake up and cry or scream. It was exhausting. I finally was able to climb into bed at 5 am only to be awoken by the 6:30 alarm telling me it was time to get my son up for school.

To cope with my lack of sleep, I drank a couple of Mountain Dews. That got me through the first half of the day. But I was dragging towards mid-afternoon early evening. So I did what I told myself I wasn't going to do:

 I opened up the bag of Starburst jelly beans that I bought my son for Easter.

Yes, you read me correctly. I ate my son's Easter candy. Now I'm going to have to go out this weekend to fight the crowds and buy him some more. Good thing I hadn't bought his Easter bunny yet or I might have demolished that too.

The things moms do to get through the day!

Aloha Friday: What Have You Been Up To?

Here is how Aloha Friday works from Kailani's blog An Island Life:

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.



This week has been a busy one for me. I've been blog hopping, attending twitter parties, listing on eBay, helping with my son's homework, and trying to get caught up on things around the house. I'm so glad it's almost the weekend! I'm hoping to find some time to just chill and do nothing.

My Question For You This Week: What have you been up to?

Wordless Wednesday: Feeling Yawny

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit Five Minutes for Mom. You can also share your W/W post in the linky below.

Review of God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren

About the Book:


When a charming polar bear cub climbs into bed one night, she asks her Mama a very important question--one that little "human cubs" often wonder about, too: "Where did I come from?"

As Mama bear tucks her youngest cub under the quilts, she gently, tenderly, and reassuringly communicates the message loving parents everywhere (bears and non-bears alike) want their little ones to hear: "We wanted you very, very much, and we are so very glad because--"God gave us you."

Perfect for bedtime, naptime, storytime or anytime, God Gave Us You provides a valuable opportunity to build children's self-esteem every day and assure each one that he or she truly is a welcomed, precious, and treasured gift from the Lord.

About the Author:

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 30 books, with more than 1.5 million copies sold. She just finished writing a Colorado historical trilogy (the first book, Breathe, Sing and Claim), and has begun a teen series called River of Time (Waterfall, book 1, comes out in February 2011).

Lisa’s time is split between managing home base, writing (including a fair amount of travel writing), consulting and freelance editing (with a little speaking here and there). She’s married to Tim, a liturgical sculptor, graphic designer and musician. They have three kids–Olivia (15), Emma (12) and Jack (7).

You can find out more at her website.

About the Illustrator:

Laura J. Bryant studied painting, printmaking, and sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She has illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books, including God Gave Us You, Smudge Bunny, and If You Were My Baby. Laura lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Learn more at her website.

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

Other books in the series:

God Gave Us Two

God Gave Us Christmas

God Gave Us Heaven

God Gave Us Love

God Gave Us The World

God Gave Us So Much – a limited three book treasury 

My Review:

This is a sweet story that helps parents talk to their little ones about where they came from on their level.  Its message is simple and is told through a cute Polar bear character that children can relate to.   I love how the mama cub repeats that her child is special and was chosen to be in their family!  It clearly explains to curious toddlers and preschoolers how they came to be without giving complicated details.   I have already begun reading this to my infant.  This is definitely a book you will want to add to your library and pass on to your children. (I would recommend this for biological families; if you are looking for a book that is for families who have adopted, there is also a book in the series called God Found Us You. )  I can't wait to read the other books in the series!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Rebecca St. James Album "I Will Praise You" Review And Giveaway (Closed)

Rebecca St. James' new album I Will Praise You hits stores tomorrow April 5th.  It is her first studio project since 2005 and is well worth the wait!

I have been a Rebecca St. James fan for a long time.  I love her beautiful voice, her personal testimony, and how she has been a wonderful role model for young women.

Her latest album is a collection of worship songs that she calls "her most personal recording to date."    She co-wrote 5 of the 10 songs on this project.
"Shine Your Glory Down", the first radio single, was co-written with Jason Ingram(Tenth Avenue North's By Your Side).  She also covers Jennie Lee Riddle's When The Stars Burn Down (Blessing and Honor, "I Will Praise You").

I love the Celtic flavor to "The Kindness of our God" and the beautiful lyrics of "You Still Amaze Me."   These are songs that will touch your heart.  Rebecca's voice reflects her sincerity and passionate desire to bring others to a deeper relationship with God.  It is an album that I will continue playing during my quiet times .

Rebecca said, "Listening to the songs now that the album is completed and thinking on the meaning of some of the lyrics—themes like joy in the midst of pain, God redeeming challenging seasons in our lives, surrendering all to Him, opening our hands, how He’s making all things beautiful in His time, I realize the very threads that run through I Will Praise You are all very poignant and personal to me through the journey of the last five years of my life.”


Rebecca explains her song "Shine Your Glory Down."

PREVIEW:


You can preview Rebecca's album and share it with friends and family at Rebecca's Listening Party.  To find out more, you can connect with Rebecca on her Website, Twitter, and on Facebook.


BUY IT:
You can also purchase it on Amazon.


GIVEAWAY:  One of my lucky readers is going to win an "I will Praise You" CD!


Required Entry: (don't forget to leave your email address if it's not in your profile)

Preview Rebecca's album at her Listening Party and tell me which song is your favorite.


(If the required Entry is not done, your extra entries will not count)


Extra Entries: (leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

1.  Follow my blog publicly on Google Friend

2.  Subscribe to my blog via email on Feedburner

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

3.  Follow me on Twitter (leave username)

4.  Tweet about this giveaway and leave a direct link to your tweet  (one tweet per day). You can copy and paste the following tweet:

#Win a Rebecca St. James CD from @atticgirl76 Ends 4/18  http://bit.ly/g80UDU #giveaway #contest

5.  Grab my button (leave URL where it's posted)

This giveaway ends:  Monday April 18th at 12:00 Midnight EST and is open to US Residents 18 and older only.  Winner will be chosen randomly, emailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or another will be drawn.  This prize will be directly shipped from the sponsor.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Welcome to The Ultimate Blog Party 2011 #UBP11

Happy April Fool's Day!

If you are visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party, welcome! Thanks for stopping by!

This is my 3rd year participating. This is a fun way to connect with other women, discover some great blogs, and to win some fun prizes!

New to the fun? You can find out more about the party here.



Let me tell you a little about myself...

(I know it's not New Year's, but this was the only photo of me with a party hat that I could find)

-I am a Work at Home Mom of two wonderful children.  I have a son who is 11 and a 3 month old daughter.

-I co-own an eBay store with my hubby called Donny Dixon's Attic. We sell new and gently used name brand clothing, shoes, accessories, and other unique items.

-I am a book junkie.  Although I haven't had as much time to read recently because my days have been filled with all things baby and 7th grade homework.

-I started blogging to feed my book habit.  I love to blog about great reads, my family, and the things that I love.   I've recently branched out to review fun family-friendly products like this:

Enter to win a Rebecca St. James CD.

Oh, and did you know that you can win a prize from my store?  

Drop by 5 Minutes for Mom's prize page and you can enter to win a $25 gift certificate to spruce up your spring wardrobe!    The prize page entry form is here.  And be sure to follow @ddixonsattic to find out who the winner is.


You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook.


Leave me a comment with your blog link so I can drop by.  And enjoy the party!