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"How I Shine" Fridays {Link Party}

Heyyyyy everyone! Welcome to the link party hosted by Ashley at The Shine Project! 

Today I'm posting my experience with this week's challenge to pay a compliment to someone! 

[the original challenge was to do this EVERY DAY this week, but since I just learned about this on Wednesday, I'm making the most of it!]

[image source]

This challenge is not something that was necessarily DIFFICULT for me, seeing as how I'm usually told that I compliment people TOO much! However, that's usually on a shallow level of "Oh, I love your shoes....your necklace is so nice...LOVE your new hairstyle!"

So I decided to pick something I don't usually do, but that I KNEW would have some sort of positive impact on the person receiving the compliment, as well as making MYSELF feel good!

The result? My PADRE!

[Isn't he just GORGEOUS?? ;-) I think I might be a little biased!]

I decided I would send my daddy a text message in the middle of his work day and let him know how much I love him! 

See, the thing is that my dad has 6 children...I'm the 2nd oldest. It's a LONG story, but I'm kind of the only one who cares for him. I'm sure my siblings care for my dad and love him, but I'm honestly the ONLY one who forgives him for anything and doesn't hold a grudge toward him or IGNORE him!

I'm also the ONLY one who NEVER asks my dad for ANYTHING...just for his LOVE!

My dad and I have a VERY strong connection...we are 2 of the same kind!

So to text him in the middle of the day and tell him how much he means to me...well that's something that brightens his day! He LOVES his children! 

And to know for a FACT that I have made my dad's day just a LITTLE bit better...well that just makes me SMILE! 

[PLUS I get the added benefit of him writing back to tell me he loves me too!]

So...what compliment did you give to someone who deserved it?

Did you tell your loved ones how much they mean to you today?

**I'm linking up to Ashley's "How I Shine" Fridays! Go there and check out the other posts that are linked up to read about someone else's experience with this week's challenge! Don't forget to check Ashley's blog on Monday to see what next week's challenge is!**

The SHINE Project {Inspiration}

Helllloooo my favorite bloggy readers!
 Today I have something EXTREMELY special to tell you about:

The SHINE Project

I came across this blogger while reading through my blog crush Ashley S.'s blog posts at Little Miss Momma. [LOVE that woman...she is SOOOO beautiful, both inside & out!!]

The more I read, the more ANXIOUS I was to hop on over to this pretty lady's blog!

The author of this blog is Ashley LeMeuix.

[photo by Ashley LeMeuix]

She is a VERY beautiful lady...with an even MORE beautiful heart!

She has created the Shine Project on her mission to inspire the world...which inspires ME!

Here's a little bit of info from her blog about her mission:

"I have decided, that now is the time to excel in life.

Now is the time to be better than I have ever been,
and to accomplish things that I never thought I'd be able to do.
As I reach my goals, 
I want my 'light' and happiness to rub off on others.
This is what The Shine Project is all about:
Going out of your comfort zoneto bring light to those who need hope.
The Shine Project emulates love, sacrifice, and
CHANGE."


Ashley has committed herself to showing random acts of love and kindness.
And she's recruiting help along the way.
I've already decided to participate in the project.
Hoping that this will enlighten me along my path of life and make a difference.

Ashley has also created these LOVELY necklaces to remind you of your goals along the way...


[photos by Ashley LeMeuix]
They are available for purchase at a GREAT price....she even has a few different options available that you can customize! Check out her Shine Necklaces page on her blog for more info on ordering!
[These necklaces are SUPER cute and $1 from each purchase goes toward the Shine Project Scholarship Award, which will be awarded in January 2012 to an inner city high school student for their college education!]

I'm ready to show my LOVE and let my light SHINE through....are you??
Ashley put it into words PERFECTLY:
"From creating, to dressing in a way that brings out your personality,
The Shine Project allows us to do little things in our own lives to make us feel GOOD!"



[Grab one of these pretty buttons on Ashley's blog!]


**Check back here tomorrow for my post on the weekly challenge linky party, "How I Shine" Fridays, which is hosted by Ashley!**

Stressed or Depressed?? {Home Life}

So I'm not sure what it is with me lately, but I sort of feel as though I've been on an emotional roller coaster. 

I'm fine one day, kind of angry another day, and full on sad the next. 

It's been crazy, and I'm not sure what to do about it. 

I could say I'm stressed, because with me not working and the honey's job only BARELY covering the bills, I have SOOO much to worry about. 

There are days when I'm not sure if we will even have anything to eat for dinner. 

[It's a good thing my brother is in school and he receives free breakfast and lunch, because that way I can make sure he is being fed throughout the day. As for me and Tim, well, food is nearly OPTIONAL in our case. I don't even worry about eating during the day and just enjoy whatever there is for dinner. Tim usually eats something at work, due to potlucks, his friends taking him to lunch, or whatever else. It's been pretty rough.]

I've been filling out applications for jobs, but it seems as though NO ONE will hire me. 

I just don't know what else to do, except keep my head up and wade through the muck as best as I can.

Anyway...I need to get out of this emotional rut.

I used to be this SUPER happy, always fun to be around, kind of person.

Now...well, now I don't feel like I'm ANYTHING like that person anymore.

I snap at people for no reason.

I get aggravated and annoyed VERY easily.

I don't communicate with others as much as I would like to.

I just don't like the person I'm becoming.

The saddest part is, I'm VERY good at hiding my emotions from other people.

My friends NEVER know how horrible I feel.

And if they ask, I just say I'm not feeling well that day. Or that everything is fine.

I just don't want them to be burdened with MY emotional roller coaster. 

They have their own lives to deal with.

I know that's what friends are supposed to be for, but I feel like I always ask too much of them.

So I don't ask them to listen to my problems. Anyway, it's not like they can solve them for me!

I just wish I could be normal again. I want to smile and have a good time again.

WITHOUT worrying about if my bills will be paid. Or where our next meal is coming from.

I want to enjoy the precious moments life has to offer and know that I didn't waste ANY of them.

I just want my life back. I want to be ME again.....

Happy St. Patty's Day {Giveaway}

SORRY, THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

Hey there my lovely readers! How is everyone's St. Patty's Day going? I hope you're having a BLAST!

Well, today I come with GREAT news!!! We're having our FIRST giveaway here at Little LightUps! Isn't it EXCITING?! Want to know what the goodie is?? Take a look below:

Isn't it ADORABLE?! This headband is a shamrock with a "gold coin" button center on a black elastic headband. I handmade it myself! Oh, you didn't know I make hair accessories? Well that's going to change today! Here's how this giveaway is going to work...

You will receive 1 entry for each of the following:

*Follow this blog by clicking the "Follow" button in the left sidebar

(leave comment with your Google username/email address)

*"LIKE" my Facebook page: La-La-Lucky Hair Accessories 

(leave a comment stating that you "liked" the page)

*Go to my Etsy shop and add it to your favorites: La-La-Lucky Hair Accessories Etsy Shop

(leave a comment stating that you added it with your Etsy username)

*Leave a comment telling me which hair accessory is your FAVORITE

(you can view them in my Etsy shop or on my Facebook fan page)

*Write a Facebook post telling your friends about this giveaway & tag my Facebook fan page in it

(leave a comment stating that you did)

*Tweet about this giveaway & mention my Twitter page: @ebaity07

(leave a comment with your Twitter username)

RECEIVE 2 EXTRA ENTRIES!! Write a post on your blog about this giveaway and link back to THIS post! Leave a comment with the link to YOUR blog post about the giveaway!

Easy peasy right?? Well, get going! This giveaway will end tomorrow at 12pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org's Random Number Generator. GOOD LUCK FRIENDS!!