It's my party and you're invited!

Guess what happened on June 3, one year ago, on this very blog?

I wrote my first post and entered this strange, bloggy universe.

So this is a celebration week where I want to revel in the fun and friendships that blogging has brought me, and spread a little love and sunshine.

I'm going to give away something every day and since we know my oldest son rigs the drawings he does (okay, he doesn't but it's so strangely coincidental), I'm going to give the random number generator a shot for these drawings this week. I'm also unveiling a NEW LOOK on Wednesday, my official bloggiversary, and spotlighting some of my favorite blogs every day.

Now, for the first giveaway. . . it's nothing fancy, but I thought I'd revisit some of my favorite things I've blogged about over the year since I started and share them with you, my old and new blog buddies.

My first two giveaways are odd stuff that I thought would be kind of fun. The first is a little bit rummage sale style but with a bit of rubbing alchohol, we'll be good to go. You're going to either see this giveaway and think, "Ugh," or "Makes perfect sense."

I've mentioned an obsession with cosmetics several times on my blog, from Bare Minerals skin stuff to MAC colors. I've long been in search of the perfect nude shade of lipstick. I've ended up with several shades of lipstick that are nice, but not nice for me. Each has been worn exactly once with no luck...except for maybe that's lucky for you. I'm going to wipe those lippy sticks down with some disinfecting alcohol and send them to a lucky winner who wants them rather than just pitch them in the garbage can (they're nice and the idea of the waste makes me cringe!).

The second things I want to give away are definitely among my favorites: copies of books I've read, enjoyed, and want to share with you. My books are spilling out of their bookshelves and off of my nightstand so that means I have to find them new homes and I can't ever just bag them up and drop them somewhere. I have to personally place them with their new owners. I understand that this is totally nuts, but let's just call it part of my charm. Anyway, if you win one and then read and enjoy it: TELL A FRIEND and then go buy something else from one of these great writers and enjoy it, too:

First, we've got an identity theft thriller that will quite frankly freak you out and keep you turning the pages. Josi is such a good writer and one of the first authors I discovered when I started reading LDS fiction again.

This is a fun, happy book with lots of laughs and a great protagonist. This will definitely make you snort out loud several times.

For all you Darcy lovers, Shannon Hale's book will set your hearts aflutter with "What if...?"

A debut novel from an author whose blog I've recently discovered and enjoyed. This is exactly the kind of book I would have searched high and low to find when I taught 8th grade so I could give it to my students to read. Multi-faceted characters, non-cliche portrayals of family relationships, realistic growth in those characters and relationships. Cool cover!

So....how do you win? Since this is just for fun amongst friends, I'm not requiring any linky love or anything like that. This truly is just about sharing some of my favorite stuff with you guys, so all you have to do is make a comment letting me know you want to be entered. That's it.

Check back every day because I'll also be giving away some of my favorite treats, snacks, recipes, office supplies, bath stuff, AND....naming privileges for a character in my current work-in-progress which now has a very good shot at being published, too.

Anyway, each day's drawing ends at midnight my time (Pacific) and I lag behind pretty much ALL of you so that should give you plenty of time.

Thanks for making this such a fun and fulfilling year!

*The pecan praline fudge and copy of My Fairy Grandmother are both in the mail as of 9:30 Monday morning.