Merry Christmas from Mrs. International & Her Family

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season.

May God continue to bless each one of you.

Mrs. International Shannon Devine and her family

Hot Gloves for Cold Weather

The Christmas lights are up, the snow is falling, and pretty soon we'll be waking up early to de-ice our windshields and salt the sidewalk.  As much as we hate to admit it (except Jen, because she is actually a crazy winter lover), the chilly winter weather is fast approaching.  Don't get stuck fumbling for your keys in the bitter cold, or shivering as you try to drive your car with the ice cold steering wheel!  Keep your digits free from frigid temps with a warm and soft pair of gloves or mittens.  Know someone who needs a little warming up?  A great pair of gloves or mittens can be really handy (pun intended) and would make a really cute gift or stocking stuffer this holiday season.  And, speaking of gifts, don't forget to comment on today's post for another chance to win a prize during our 12 Days of Christmas Gift Promotion!!

Black and elegant, these gloves from Anthropologie are the perfect pair to shield your fingers from the winter chill.  The pearl and jewel embellishments are very retro chic, perfect for your dressier occasions or if you're just feeling fancy.

These teal gloves from Modcloth are bright and fuzzy, perfect for keeping your hands warm and dry on a brisk winter morning.  Plus, not only are the lightweight and practical, they are adorable with their sweet ruffle detail on the cuff.

Beads and bows are just so classically girly that we can't help but adore these Milly gloves. Available in 3 colors, these wool gloves are as warm as they are charming!  Also, bows kind of remind us of Christmas, and, well..if the glove fits..

Send a text or keep your fingers?  Is this what our world has come to with the advent of the iphone and the touch screen?  Well, lucky for you, we just might have found a stylish solution.  Avoid the risk of frostbite with these dainty and super colorful gloves. These pretty gloves are fashion friendly and have a special touch pad on the thumb and ring finger so you'll never have text while glove-less again!

These cute knit gloves from Urban Outfitters remind us childhood fun with their bright gold color and bit of sparkly glitter.  Best of all, these gloves are super thick and warm, with a furry lining to keep your fingers extra cozy.  Let the snowball fights begin!

You'll be saluting in style with these gray military inspired gloves.  The gray cable knit pattern is classic and understated, but the three rows and gold buttons give these gloves just the right amount of personality that we think will pair perfectly with some black boots and your navy blue pea coat.

Planning ahead for some serious blizzards?  We suggest a great pair of gloves like these by Dakine.  Sure, they may be bulky and unattractive, but gloves made for winter sports are waterproof and are particularly designed to keep your hands completely warm and dry for hours!

And, finally, is it a glove? a mitten? It's both! The perfect marriage of glove and mitten, the "glitten" gives you the dexterity of gloves and the warmth of mittens all in one. Target seems to have the largest variety of colors and styles, but you can really find a pair of these pretty much anywhere these days.

Baby, it's cold outside.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year I wasn’t able to go home and be with my family. Luckily for me, I grew up in Richmond until I was 15, & my “second family” still lives there! They invited Sebastien & I down for the holiday!

I have known Brittany since I was 4 and she was 3 – that means we have been friends for almost 23 years! (Yes, I used to be a blonde!)
 

Our moms are best friends too, which makes it even more special. When I started pageants, Brittany started as well. The 4 of us have traveled the country together competing, watching, judging, and directing pageants. I had my mom scan some of our old pictures from a scrapbook, so the quality isn’t amazing, but I wanted to share with you our younger days together!

Even though this Thanksgiving wasn’t spent with my biological family, sometimes friends can be family too, & I am lucky I have them so close by!
 
Ashley Smith

National Adoption Month

November was a busy, yet rewarding month. Two definite highlights include celebrating 30 years with the National Council For Adoption and Halle-Grace’s 3rd birthday! What an honor to be part of an organization that continues to make adoption an option for so many who desire to build their families though the miracle of adoption.

Adoption is the sweetest thing I’ve ever known…and being “mama” to Miss Magic…there are simply no words to describe the JOY in my heart! I am forever blessed!  Celebrating Halle-Grace’s 3rd birthday was so much fun!

Thanks again Cynthia (Mrs. NC International) for playing the role of Mary Poppins, you were Practically Perfect in every way

And a BIG thank you to Juliana (Teen Miss International) from Miss Magic, she loves her birthday present! She is such a girly-girl!

Even though November has come to an end, my goal of spreading awareness does not end! If anything, the need has become more apparent and my work will continue!

To end the month of November, National Adoption Month, I will be reading adoption related books to children at the public library during their story time.

The books I’ve selected to read include some of my favorites that I have purchased for Halle-Grace. They include:

* I love you like Crazy Cakes
* Finding Joy
* Tell me again about the night I was born

And two of Halle-Grace’s favorite books I will share as well….

* Cinderella
* God knows all about Me

Until next post, remain blessed.

Shannon

PS - This link is a great video slideshow of the Gala - I think you'll recognize a few familiar faces!