What's In a Year?! {and a giveaway}

In one year we've gone from this:

to this:

to this:

to THIS--Our new "Normal"

A lot can happen in a year, huh?

One year ago today, I got a wild hair....

Not the kind I was talking about the other day....sick....

I thought to myself, "Katie...why not start a blog?!"

And before I could sensibly talk myself out of it, OR ask my husband if he thought it a good idea.....it was done...and the "Baby Factory" was born. {sorry for the lame pun}

For some reason, my 20-something week pregnant-with-twins self thought I had something to document....something to offer the blog world....or maybe it was just to de-lurkify myself. Or D) All of the Above.

I must say, this year has been just about as ridiculous as they get from blogging to our 1st baby's 1st birthday, to making him a big brother a month later, to spending 16 days in the NICU to becoming a SAHM......my head is spinning and my stomach churning recounting the madness and the blessings.

It's hard to wrap my little brain around the fact that 85 of you publicly claim to "follow" this crazy blog.....let alone all of you who say "I read your blog all the time" but don't actually "follow".

AND.....I never ever dreamed that my blog would "brand" me....
...like for instance...
"Hey, that's Katie from the Baby Factory over there".....are you kidding me?! I am a normal person with a silly blog! Haha! That is awesome!

I am humbled by your interest in my life, boring as though it seems to me. And I thoroughly enjoy the comments you leave me. If you ask me, blogging is WAY better than Facebook.

SO...To thank you all for a great year....and commemorate a c-razy year...

....I'm having a "Blog-o-versary" giveaway!

I told my sweet hubby that for my blog-o-versary I was gifting myself a laptop....

...to which he promptly laughed in my face and said ...."your WHAT?!"

....Soooo maybe next year, honey??

Okay, back to the giveaway....

A 12 Oz Bag of Smokey Row Coffee, Good Morning Blend

Smokey Row is a beautiful little coffee house we have here in my town and they sell their own coffee blends....trust me...you want to win this!
{we'll do tea if you hate coffee}

AND

2 Dutch Letters from Jaarsma {YARS-ma} Bakery 

A lovely Dutch bakery here in our little town. Again, a great find.

To Enter:

1) Leave me a comment on this post
{even if you've never commented before}

2) Become a follower {if you are already a follower...your 2nd entry is automatically entered}

 For additional entries {this is for those of you who are competitive}:

Go back in my archives and leave a comment on any post through July 2009.

{I think I'm really askin' for it with that....but we'll see how it goes}

Entries will be received in order and a winner will be selected at random {using Random.org} at midnight on Friday the 22nd.

Thank you all for one great year of blogging. It has been so fun and you have all encouraged me with your sweet comments and crazy blogging awards *blush* and encouragement through the 'uncomfortable' times of twin pregnancy!