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)
God’s very creative and beautiful colors, getting to have a fire in the wood stove, seeing the leaves swirling in the wind, and making a hearty soup for dinner are some of my favorite things about fall. Thank you for your very generous gifts that you are giving away. So sweet of you!
In the fall, I love that the grey skies roll in along with the rain, and a dear friend/sister can go outside for a walk, or run, and fresh air. Her eyes were injured in a lighting accident.
Fall is my favorite time of the year…the colors of the trees and Starbucks caramel apple spiced cider!
I love the beautiful, vibrant colors-the perfect reminder that we serve a God of detail who delights in our pleasure in Him. Let’s face it-He did not have to make it look so beautiful, but He blessed us with that gift!
One of my favorite things about fall is when it gets cool enough to wear scarves. I love them!!!
My favorite thing about Fall is going to all the UGA football games with my grown children. It is special time we devote to them without the grandchildren. You know any time the grandchildren are around, they get all the attention. All the gifts are great and I would treasure anything that comes from you.
Cheryl Davis
I am from Oregon so our fall is beautiful! The many hue’s of orange, red, and yellow in the leaves is amazing. You can not drive down the street without being awestruck by God’s artistry in creating this season. I also enjoy having a nice pot of something on the stove just simmering away while it fills the house with mouth watering smells. It is a great time to huddle indoors with my family in front of a fire and spend time together. I just love fall!!
I love fall here in Colorado!! I love the change of crispness in the air, and the beautiful fall colors of our trees in the mountains!! The aspens turn a beautiful gold and driving through the mountains is one of the things we enjoy doing each fall. We also go to Estes Park and watch the elk bugling for mating season. Fall brings out the spice candles and scents, the baking of pumpkin breads and bars, and the soups, chilis, and stews simmering in the kitchen. I love this season!
I love the crisp Fall air, the vibrant Fall leaves because it reminds me of our wedding day (Oct 30, 2004), the pumpkin spice lattes, my kids jumping in piles of leaves and snuggling by the fire with anyone who lives in our home. My favorite season and orange is my favorite color!
My favorite part of fall would be the beautiful colors God has blessed is with across the land. All of the yellows and reds, orange and browns…they just make me feel all warm and happy inside! The cozy jeans and sweatshirt weather along with a nice hot bowl of chili!! Love, love, love it!!!
The thing I truly love about fall is the beauty that comes from the change of seasons and what it speaks to me about the majesty of God. I love bonfires, smores, snuggling in a blanket with my kids, and just hearing the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet. Pumpkins, hayrides, and amazing apple cider… Fall is truly my favorite season, the one I enjoy the most with the Lord 🙂
Fall… I love sitting cozy on the couch with my family watching football
In front of a blazing fire.
What a fun, fun opportunity! All of you ladies at Living Proof Ministries are absolutely precious!!! Being in Phoenix, Arizona my favorite part of fall is that it is cooling off enough that people start getting outside and socializing. Between family walks, taking the kids to the park during the daylight (without having to slather everyone in SPF 100), and then of course, pumpkin scented and flavored everything! Have a wonderful weekend and I’m already looking forward to our March conference!
Fall is my favorite season and love it here in Missouri! I really feel God in all of the beauty of the leaves, sunsets, and fall colors! 🙂
Joyce Grimes here from north west Florida. Fall welcomes celebrations, my anniversary, son’s, grandson’s & daughter’s birthdays.
I love the crisp cool air that Fall brings and the building excitement and anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas, filled with family, friends and gifting the love of Christ to strangers.
We travel to TN every fall and take in the amazing beautiful colors God displays in His creation!
I love to watch God show off in glorious living color!
Happy Fall ~ Love Ya’ll
Erin Valdes
First of all, it’s my 14th wedding anniversary today…so I LOVE that about fall! Celebrating with my best friend is my favorite highlight:)
FALL! No more sweating(I would say perspire,but in my case its just pure sweat…:) and make up that actually stays in place for more than five minutes.Hair that does not look like I just got out of the shower.Love fall….foods,boots,and crisp days.Fall to me is God shouting….when you have been craning for whispers for so long.
I have always loved the fall ever since I was a little girl walking home from school and kicking my way through the foot-deep leaves. It was like walking through a rainbow. I’m now in the “fall” of my life (63) and still adore seeing the change of seasons here in North Idaho even though I’m not kickin’ with as much vigor as I used to. Many years ago, I remember learning the basic biological fact that the chlorophyll in a tree colors its leaves green but when the temperature grows colder, the chlorophyll decreases and other colors emerge. I’m sure others could explain it more scientifically, but every time I see a leaf of brilliant orange or red or yellow, I like to think that’s God’s way of telling me that the older I get, the chlorophyll of my (sappy) youthful follies and indiscretions have ceased and the vivid colors of kindness and compassion and His agape love can now emerge – the colors He always meant me to display are being more fully revealed in the “fall” of my life (2Corin. 4:16). Color me foolish, color me giddy, and color me still childlike after all these years as I thrill to see His beauty displayed in the gorgeous simplicity of an autumn leaf.
Kim Beechem, Center, TX
What I love about fall…EVERYTHING…the cool, crisp weather, the chance to wear warm clothes, soups, and pumpkin recipes! My favorite season by far!
Kim Kern, from Kansas City, Missouri. I LOVE LOVE LOVE fall! It’s one of my favorite seasons! here are my top 5 reasons I just love fall: 1. College football ( Missouri Tigers of course!). 2. The leaves this year here is Missouri have been breath taking! My favorite is when they turned this golden yellow color; sooo beautiful. And I can’t forget about the mums, love them! 3. Pumpkin patch and hay rides with my two boys! (5 years and 14 months), and Last but not least 5. Starbucks pumpkin spice latte; it’s like fall in a cup! 🙂
I love the smell of fall most of all. There’s just something in the air that is different, isn’t there? You can smell the smoke of leaves and fireplaces, of course, but there is that special something I think God gives us just for the thrill of it. As a Deep East Texan, I cherish the coolness of fall and get ecstatic over beautiful fall foliage like we had last year. I love pumpkins and spice and trying new recipes. The thrill of Thanksgiving around the corner with Christmas on its heels. Early morning Bible Study outside enjoying every moment, knowing the bad weather will keep you inside before too long. I love everything about fall, I guess.
I love the colors of the leaves. I am in awe of the reds, yellows, oranges – oh, then when the sun shines on them – WOW! God is in every THING and that gives me so much joy. Joy I wouldn’t have when the rains come. God is hope, and that hope reminds me that spring is coming!
Happy Fall Beth and Melissa – xoxo
The fall is definitely different here in southern California than other parts of the country. When the temperatures drop into the 60’s and 70’s, the sandals are put away and the sweaters come out. I love the cooler weather and the smells of soup and homemade cheese bread in my kitchen. Having girlfriends over for dinner and laughter is one of the best ways to spend a fall evening.
I love red trees! And yellow trees! And orange trees! But most especially deep maroon trees! 🙂
Elvira Born
I love the beautiful sunsets that happen almost every evening in fall , way up here in northern Alberta. I have so many sunset pictures!! Reminds me again and again of God’s faithfulness and how beautiful he is! Also love the smell of fall!!
Hi, I LOVE fall because of the scripture Ecclesiastes 3:1, where God says ” To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven”, even He loved the seasons and I especially think so because of the way the leaves change to those magnificent colors and then fall to the ground and make everything sooooooooooo colorful. He could have made it so that the leaves would just drop off the trees, but He didn’t. It also means there is a coming of a fresh start, a turning over of a new leaf, if you will, which is totally the Lord, always giving us another chance to “turn over a new leaf”….I just love Him sooo much!!!!!
I love boots and butternut squash and having cool enough days to turn the oven back on.
Fall means Football!!!!! My son plays for the Baylor Bears and I love everything about the college football season: tailgating with our football family, road trips to out of town games, and cheering our team on-no matter what the final score is.
There is nothing like being able to see in color during the fall season. Just to soak up the beautiful colors on a nice country road while sipping on some hot apple cider. Being able to enjoy a bonfire and roast marshmallows over a bonfire. It’s also so nice to be able to walk inside the home to a nice cozy fire! Oh, there’s nothing like the fall!
Best thing about fall??? Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate or Mocha at Starbucks!!! 🙂 Also, cool crisp mornings, the smell of fires in a fireplace at night, and gloriously colored leaves on trees!!! 🙂 thanks for the giveaway!!
The anticipation of the holiday season starts when I open the closet and pull out the fall decorations… I know not long we will be celebrating Emmanuel ~ God with us. Amazing to ponder His very near presence in a year of sorrows and struggles, joys and triumphs.
Thank you for your encouragement!
I love the beautiful colors of Fall trees and pumpkin everything!!! 🙂
Saturday I am having my annual cousins lunch. I have it every year. My grandma had 2 sisters and they are all in heaven now. I have all the girl cousins to lunch and we have wonderful fall foods and re connect, because we have a wonderful tie that binds us.
Love fall here on the West Coast of British Columbia! The crispness in the air, cozy sweaters, salted caramel latte, first puzzle of the season, and the fireplace on! We’re mourning the loss of our hockey season, and trying to whip up some interst in the nfl.
I love the Thanksgiving. It is the only day each year that my DH and his siblings have a big holiday party together. I was an only child and he has 6 siblings. When everyone comes with kids outlaws and inlaws there is a potential for 50 people to show up. It’s a big potluck held in the family business (garbage)building. They pull out all the trucks and wash down the floor. The little ones have a place to run and ride their little scooters or whatever. No throwing toys allowed as there have been one to many near misses .LOL. I make the ham and two DSIL’s make two turkeys. The rest bring sides and dessert. It’s just the whole experience that sets it apart.
I love the many many pumpkin recipes I must make and only make in the fall!!
I love the sound of the heater kicking in for the first time of the season. Strange, I know. Fall = Cozy.
I feel best during the Fall season. Not too hot and not too cold. Love it. Also, that dutch oven would fit my kitchen fall colors perfectly.
Carma Dutra
Fall is wonderful for more reason than one! I enjoy fall for the sunshine and cool breezes. I love the way the leaves become so unique, each standing out in their own way bearing its own bold color. The way both the air and the leaves become crisp, awakens so many senses! I love the rainy fall days too, when the weather demands for a cup of hot tea or cider and a snuggly blanket. Beyond the lovely fall weather changes, I love the fall because that is when I get to have both my physical and spiritual birthdays! Fall is truly a blessing and a wonderful way to look forward to what God has planned!
I love the fall…mostly for football and especially for Thanksgiving. My fall decorations have been up since Sept. 1, so I could enjoy them longer. I love Thanksgiving because it is all about family, food and fellowship….without any presents!!
P.s. I luv the pics of your dog, Melissa.
I love sweater weather, the fireplace, blankets for laps in the evenings, the smell of apple and cinnamon…and the breathtaking beauty of the leaves, and then the first snow! Love it, favorite of all seasons!
The thing I love about fall here in Las Vegas(and there is not much of a fall here) is all the bushes around our church (Central Christian Church) bloom with little flowers that are the greatest shade of purple. There is more little things that are fallish here, but the one I love the most are those suddenly purple bushes.
Leticia Pitts
For many years fall represented a time of sadness for me. However, as God brought healing and restoration into my life, fall has now become a joyous season. I love everything fall especially cooking and baking. But more than anything, this time of year brings with it the anticipation of the holidays being just around the corner. The excitement of knowing that we will soon be gathering with family and friends and creating lots of new memories is almost more than I can stand.
I love fall because it is the coolest time of the year for our “family weekend”. Not too hot or too cold, but just right to play outside without mosquitos or “no see ums”.
I love that God colors our world with the changing of the leaves, and the sunrises and sunsets are just amazing.
Your dog cracks me up-especially the furious face.
What do I love about fall? Hot spiced cider, pumpkin bread, hot cocoa with marshmallows, early evenings with my honey-man, snuggled under a warm blanket, working on our Bible studies. His, a study of James, mine, Beth’s study on Revelation.
Your dog cracks me up-especially the furious face. Thanks for sharing!
Marita Reese
Fall is my favorite season! I love the colors, the crisp air and the wonderful fall foods … squash, chili, warm bread, apple crisps. It just puts me in an energetic mood. 🙂
What I love about fall… many things but one thing came to mind as I was walking down the hall of a high school tonight…. new school supplies. Just makes me happy.
I love this fall because it brings me home to Minnesota to be with my family after serving in ministry in Europe for the past 7 years– I also love hot cocoa weather, and curling up in my Grandma’s old sweaters!
(And can your adorable dog PLEASE be one of the prizes?!)