Ladies! I think a Friday afternoon deserves a celebration. We’ve almost made it through the entire work week! Woo hoo! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is always the hardest part of the giveaway because we’d love to gift all 3,911 of you, but alas, we cannot, which I guess is what makes a giveaway so fun. With that said, join me in celebrating our SIX beloved winners for this fabulous giveaway. Believe me when I say we here at the office are coveting each of the gifts and almost threw a fit when we realized we couldn’t enter the giveaway ourselves. We love fun stuff like this just as much as you do!
So, without further ado, congratulations to…
Grand Prize Winner: Cara Koski
Second Prize Winner: Ansley DuRant
Gift number 3: Victoria Gelberg
Gift number 4: Kim Tipton
Gift number 5: Anne Dailey
Gift number 6: Leslie Wood
If y’all would please email me (Lindsee) at [email protected] with your mailing address we willl get these prizes to you ASAP. We love y’all so very, very much. Thanks for playing along. Hope you each have a beautiful, fall weekend!
DEAR SIESTAS! THE MERE THOUGHT OF YOU IS MAKING ME GO ALL-CAPSY.
It has been FOREVER and then some but I have been thinking about you. I know I haven’t been in this here blog-space much recently but I can assure you that I’m still at LPM. My days are full since I’m working and going to school part-time. AGAIN. Yes, again. Somehow even when I vow to walk away for good, I end up right back in the classroom in some capacity. This time around I’m working slowly on a M.A. in Biblical Languages at Houston Baptist University. When I’m not researching something for a project at LPM, I’m taking a Greek class in the Septuagint and a Hebrew readings class in the Joseph narrative. Oh, and how could I forget to mention Winston Jeffrey Fitzpatrick?! A little over a year ago Colin brought home a baby rottweiler and our life has never been the same since (even when I desperately want it to be!). Winnie is SO, SO bad but we love him madly.
Here is W posing in my dining room. Or demanding a filet mignon cooked over medium, I’m not really sure.
Here he is again furious about having to wear his birthday hat:
But really, enough about us.
I want to talk about YOU and a fall giveaway we are doing because we love you and appreciate you.
Now, I should mention at this point that if you are one of those people who is SO OVER all the talk about pumpkin-flavored anything, then you will want to run for your life.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.
Do I have a faithful fall remnant?
This weekend we had our first legit “cold-front” here in Houston. It was even down in the forties one night. Glory be! The crisp cold air in my lungs got to me in the best way possible and, of all things, I wanted to cook. There’s just something about fall that always brings me back to the kitchen. Nothing better than listening to a little Norah Jones or The Civil Wars with the windows cracked open, cool breeze dancing through the house, while a chili or stew simmers on the stove. I thought just maybe fall might do the same for some of you so the grand prize winner will get a red Le Creuset signature round dutch oven (red not orange like the one on the box).
I love it passionately and do not want to let it go. I even enjoy posing with the beloved dutch oven:
The second prize to be claimed is a $100 gift card to Pottery Barn because, let’s be honest, Pottery Barn during the fall season is heaven on earth:
Gift number 3 includes an amazing decorative pillow, fall flower arrangement, and Hill Country Home candle.
Gift number 4 includes a fun little clutch from Anthro, a scarf, several pairs of boot socks, and some gorgeous MAC makeup in fallish colors.
Here is Lindsee modeling the scarf. Love her and she can work a scarf better than anyone I know:
This MAC stuff is tough to photograph but fantastic (includes three eye shadow kits and two lipsticks in shades of Russian Red and Viva Glam III).
Gift number 5 has a bunch of fun stuff: Cook’s Illustrated Fall Entertaining magazine, kitchen towels, mulling spices, Hill Country Home candle (again this is one of my faves!), autumn cupcake decorating set, beautiful engraved silver dish, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin bread mix, and more.
Gift number 6 comes with a fun autumn welcome mat, potpourri, decorative kitchen towel, and my favorite ever mulled apple cider candle. DIVINE.
Here is Mom sorting out all the gifts. Isn’t she cute?
So dear friend, for a chance to win one of the six prizes, please leave a comment with your first and last name and tell us something you love about fall.
We love you so much,
Melissa
(Lindsee not pictured here ONLY because she was out of the office when we snapped this photo)
I love EVERYTHING about fall. I love football and crunchy leaves and fuzzy socks on cold nights and apple spice candles and cider. I love cute boots and scarves and the cool air. I love the state fair in October and traveling to the mountains for the holidays. I love decorating for Halloween, then for Christmas. I love the pumpkins, the gingerbread, and all the trees changing colors and getting decked out. Did I mention I love fall?? -Laura Moore
My favorite things about fall is the changing weather/leaves. And heck, the extra hour of sleep we’ll get this weekend. Just keeping it real. 🙂
I love fall! One of my favorite things is Fall Break, because my girls get to come home from college.
One thing I love about Fall is getting to come home from college and the first thing I see is my sweet southern Momma in the kitchen cooking up something tasty while listening to Beth Moore sermons on cd. The entire house is decked in Autumn decor & the house smells like a pumpkin pie! I just love it!
I love Fall in Pennsylvania where I live. The stiffling heat of Summer is over and as I watch the leaves in the trees slowly turn into the colors of Autum I feel refreshed. It is time to think of warm soup, hot chocolate, Mums and pumpkins to decorate the front porch. Fall is a time to prepare mentally for the cold, gray days of Winter. But, not before Thanksgiving, when my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren come for the feast. We are very thankful for the blessings of the Lord.
Fall is my FaVoRiTe!! I love the colors, the crisp air, anything pumpkin, fire in the fireplace and hot tea! I love football, tall boots, cute jackets and stew in the crockpot!
Oh, how I love fall! God made this season extra special. Cool, clear nights with bright stars and the low hanging autumn moon. The smell of burning leaves. Pumpkins and mums on porches. Holidays… Family. Football. Cooking all that good comfort food. Quilts. Oversized sweaters and boots. Spiced apple cider. Having a thankful heart for all God’s wonderful blessings.
I’m sitting here looking at our yard and all the gorgeous red and orange and yellow leaves, one of the many things I love about fall! The apple cider, apple donuts (I live near a place called Apple Hill). I love sweater weather and flannel sheets! I love cozying up with my littles and watching movies with cocoa! And I love the gray sky! It makes me happy because I know that I get to do all of the things listed above!
I absolutely love fall. Not only are the leaves beautiful as they change colors, but it is wonderful to break out all of the warm sweaters that have been put away for month. It can be awesome weather for one of those sweaters when it is not quite cold enough to need my winter coat. I also love it when my kids are excited about the season. Of course, there is the Halloween candy hunt, but we also celebrate 4 birthdays in the fall.
My favorite things about fall are the cold, crisp air, beautiful, clear blue skies, multi-color leaves and the taste of fresh apple cider. Fall also means that the end of the year is coming to a close, snow will soon be in the air and it will start my next favorite season, winter. 🙂
I LOVE Fall in Denver. Nice cool days but still warm enough to wear shorts. Beautiful gold, yellow, and orange trees and a fantastic view of the snow-capped mountains. I spend all my free time outside soaking in God’s beauty.
Amanda McMillan
Living in San Diego, we don’t really get to experience Fall the way other parts of the world do. I will refrain from complaining as we are blessed with the most temperate climate in the world.
With our imaginary Fall comes a chance to wear boots and scarves (when it drops below 70, we celebrate the fall weather). What I love most about this season though, is the way it gets darker early… for some reason it beckons me to spend more time just being with friends – by a fire with a cup of cocoa. I love the friendships of Fall.
I love the beautiful colors, building a fire in the fireplace, making (& eating) soup, and getting together with our family.
Oh my goodness! The baking! The house is finally cool enough to make it enjoyable 🙂
Julie Peterman
At the top of my list are the bright orange and red trees, football and making pumpkin desserts!
I love everything about fall. I love the crisp, cool air, the crunch of leaves under my feet, the beautiful colors, the smell of wood burning in the air, the gray-blue skies, wearing sweaters and socks, making chili, halloween, and Thanksgiving. I feel more alive when autumn comes. I wish there was somewhere I could move to where it is fall year round.
When the fall chill hits the air I start baking and making soup! So far I have made butternut squash, chili, cream of broccoli and carrot, curry lentil, and tomato soup. I have baked blackberry pie, monkey bread, and bread. It will be time to go on a diet in January!
Kim Pace – I love pulling out the cool weather clothing.
What’s not to love about fall? Here in Tennessee, its gorgeous! God really shows off His handiwork. Wish I could post a picture. This year something unique and once in a lifetime happened in the Smoky Mountains. While the leaves were at their peak, a huge snow came. What a beautiful, breath taking sight!
I love the colors of the fall leaves, my traditional trip to the apple orchard with my daughter, football, the smells and tastes of delicious food, the first frost, and so much more! Oh, and did I mention, my youngest son was born on October 24th? He just turned 21! I’m incredibly blessed and grateful for him!
I love the colors of the leaves and more than anything else I love FOOTBALL! I love watching my boys play and I love the Green Bay Packers!!! OOh…but we can’t forget the Honey Crisp apples!!
Hello!! Lisa Gaska here. I LOVE fall, it is such a beautiful season. The colors, the cooler temperatures, witnessing the season changing…love it!! {and I have a fall birthday!}
With the cooler weather comes the leaves turning gorgeous colors. Running in fall is a much more enjoyable experience because the air is so crisp and clear! I do love fall!
I love fall for the beautiful fall foliage, college football, and this fall I’m excited about the arrival of our first child. A sweet litt girl due Dec 10th!
I love the colors of the leaves, the smell of the cinnamon and pumpkin in the kitchen and the extra excuse to spend more time with family.
I love Fall (and Spring!) because it is not only beautiful with all the colors changing, the weather, to me, is PERFECT. Not too hot and not too cold! And it is the perfect time to start all the smells of baking! Also Fall brings with it a normal, although usually busy schedule…kids are back to school, home group starts back up, just feels securely routine.
Have a great day!
Connie Best
I LOVE THE SMELL OF FALL MOST OF ALL!!
I LOVE FALL because its the time for friends and family to come together for the 3 F’s … Fun Fellowship and Food!!!
I love fires in my fireplace and cooking all kinds of yummy stuff in my kitchen. I love pulling out my tall frye boots. I love pumpkin pie.
Some things I love about fall? The beautiful changing leaves are my favorite. Although in Wyoming all the trees have lost all their leaves by now. And being a rancher’s wife…fall bulls sales are a great excuse to get away for a little vacay! We are out of town for one right now!
Fall is my favorite time of year and favorite colors…wearing sweaters and boots, starbucks pumpkin spice latte’s, baking pumpkin bread, peanut butter crunch, chocolate dipped holiday cookies….the holiday fun of family gatherings. Last but not least, my hair does better in cool weather!
I live in the midwest so I love the fall leaves and colors. I also love it because it’s sweater weather and I can wear my frye boots!
Tami Kinkead
The smell of fall, here in NC! The leaves, the fresh chill in the air…oh, how I love fall. It’s a beautiful season 🙂
Emily Meyer – I love Fall because it is the start of my favorite time of year…the Holidays. I have family all over the states and they fly in for one of them. Also, lighting a fire in the fireplace and snuggling on the sofa with my family. I pray as I do every year, to not get swept away by the commercialism of this time, but take it slow and enjoy the people around me.
This fall is Turning out to be a very difficult. One bright spot is Bama Football! Roll Tide! I also love when the temps drop and my two little ones(5 and 7) and I get all snuggly under the covers and watch a movie together. There is also the fair with caramel apples and funnel cakes, and especially the glee on my kid’s faces. Wow, all these blessings during a very hard time! Praise the Lord!
Tracey Staley. There is not one thing I don’t love about Fall. The smell of homemade soup in the kitchen, my daughter’s Spice coffeecake before church, the gorgeous leaves, the crisp air. God outshines Himself in this season of thankfulness.
Tall boots, pumpkin flavors, and precious babies all dressed up are my fall favorites!
My favorite things about fall are pumpkin lattes and Cowboys’ Football!
I love getting out all the warm fuzzy blankets and snuggling with my family!!!!!!
Fall is my FAVORITE season because living in the Colorado mountains, we enjoy some of the most awe-inspiring scenery ever. When these gorgeous mountains light up in all shades of yellow, orange, and red it can literally bring tears to my eyes as I reflect on God’s wonder. Also I love fall because it’s the time of year I go on my weekend retreat with my mother-in-law, which is always a blast and such a bonding time for us. We’ve been doing it for 12 years and we leave for this year’s retreat tomorrow!
I love fall because I see it as a season of rebirth. While others focus on the trees & flowers dying, I see the world & us cocooning / hibernating & getting ready for our transformation. If anyone is where I am with God ~ I am going to be one amazingly beautiful butterfly. Fall is what the word cozy was created for ~ much love to all!
The color’s of fall give us a brillent season of beauty right before the bleakness of winter. I love that about Fall, its perfect timing. It is also a great time to make pots of soup and have family over.
The best things about fall are first the slight temperature change. Since I live in Florida we dont get much of a fall season but any day you can put on a little sweater and not have your hair frizz due to humidity is wonderful! I also love fall because of the yummy fall Starbucks drinks, the anticipation of the holidays around the corner and getting to be with loved ones, the dark rich colors and home decor and the super cute fall clothes. Fall is by far my fAvorite season.
I love the Fall colors, the colors that God created, the way the sun shines through the trees when I drive down a country road and the crisp air that isn’t quite too cold yet but comfortable enough to want a warm bowl of hearty soup! I write this with the images of what just happened in my home state region…the wrath of Sandy but the mighty power of God that endures through out it all! While my home was only affected by no power for little over a day and a neighbor’s tree uprooting into our backyard just missing my husband’s truck (which is his living) by inches, there are so many that won’t recover from this for days, weeks, months or maybe even years. If I was to win anything, I would make sure it goes to someone that has been directly affected…believe me, that I will be able to because I’m sure that my home church will be teaming up with other churches to help (last yr with Irene, we did clean up with Samaritan’s Purse, so I’m sure that may be the case again)! It’s all for the Glory of God, so by sharing his love, even if it’s a gift for someone that has lost material things, it’s showing his agape love to someone that may not know the Lord and his sacrifice for us! I have my warm soup, I want to share with someone that doesn’t!
I love AUTUMN!
1)Three of my BOYS are born in this season.
2)I get to cuddle with my honey on the bleachers and watch two of them play FOOTBALL.
3)SOUP. I get to cook and eat soup (drives these same boys nutty, but I love soup!)
4)And the occasional CHILI, although a precious older sister told me at the grocery store upon learning the shelves were empty of chili seasoning, “that’s ridiculous, it’s not even chili season yet.” (When, is her chili season I wondered, since it is so obviously the rest of towns?)
5)The COLORS….God’s creativity is never more obvious to me then in the Fall.
6)PUMPKIN. I love the stuff. We’ve had pumpkin pancakes twice (again to the dismay of my boys!)
7)COTTON RIDES (we switched from hay when I was in high school). Not much softer than hay, but very southern.
8)CORN MAZE AND PUMPKIN PATCHES…..I love taking all my boys, but now mainly my younger 3.
9)FALL FESTIVALS. How fun are these?
10)APPLE CIDER!!!
Honestly, I could go on and on. Like I said…..
I love Autumn!!!
(and I’d love that pot in that wonderful Pumpkin color!! Where’d you get it??)
Blessings!!
I love fall because it brings so much joy to my friends and family. It’s a season of fellowship and holiday planning. And, best of all, it’s “favorite sweater time!”
Christen Damante – My most favorite thing about the autumn is the cooler, crisper weather. After the hottest of summers here in Phoenix, we welcome the 60s and 70s with open arms, and a hot cup of coffee! 🙂
My favorite thing about fall is the cool, crisp air! That, and I get to wear hoodie sweatshirts!
I love fall because it means snuggle time with my little men and my MAN (and early bed times), s’mores on the back porch, and sneaking pumpkin or sweet potatoes into every meal!
Love Fall in all it’s splendor, leaves changing and leaving a beautiful display! Your driveway yard, parks, an array of colors so lovely. The crisp in the air relieving us from the heat of Summer, oh yeah God knew what he was doing when He created my favorite season of all, Fall
What I love about Fall is the brightly colored leaves glimmering in the warm sunshine with their vibrant hues of gold, burnt orange and reds against the backdrop of a lake. I love the faint smell of leaves burning and squash soup cooking on the stove. I love the sounds of leaves that have fallen from their branches rustling and crunching underfoot. My most favorite part of Fall is the beginning when Beth and Travis do their simulcast. It is a tradition for me to partake in the Worship and the Word on a warm September day. To God be the glory. Great things He hath done.