Today is a little bit different...but awesome different!
Today I have the privilege of introducing you to Penny, the winner of the Special Mama Giveaway, and her family.
When you "meet" Penny and her family, I think you'll be just as excited as I am that this very special mom is going to get a day to focus on herself and just have fun!
And after your introduction to Penny and her family, I am so excited to show you what else Penny is getting (in addition to the $1000 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale shopping spree)!
Because y'all.
It's good.
I shopped with Penny on Tuesday (AND WE HAD A BLAST!!!), so I didn't have time to write my MEN TELL ALL recap. So sorry! I promise it will be up tomorrow!!
Shay and I got some serious air time and it was SO MUCH FUN!
And FYI, Carter was ALL ABOUT me being on t.v. for like 3 whole minutes.
And then he was all "Why do we have to watch mom on t.v.? SHE'S RIGHT HERE!"
Seriously.
#thanksforthesupport
;)
I do want to thank ALL OF Y'ALL for the sweet comments out there in blog land, facebook, and instagram! I wanted to respond to each and every single one of you, but it was totally overwhelming (in the best possible way)!
THANKS EVERYBODY!!!!!
So this is how it started with our Special Mama:
Penny's friend Martha (who is also a special needs mama) nominated Penny, which I think is so sweet. She could have nominated herself (which would have been perfectly fine!) but she nominated her friend instead. These moms of special needs kiddos are so used to being selfless, and this is just another example.
Here's what Martha had to say:
Hi there,
I saw your post about nominating a special needs mom.
There are so many moms of special needs children that are so deserving, thank you for doing this.
I would like to nominate Penny Howard. She is mom of three beautiful children. Her middle child, Harper, has a condition called CDKL5. It is very rare only 600 cases worldwide have been diagnosed. Harper at 6 weeks old started to have uncontrollable seizures. She would have over 100+ seizures a day. She is 5 years old now, and Penny has been on a crusade to raise money for research for CDKL5. She started a non-profit and donates all of the hard-earned money that she raises.
Unfortunately the damage to Harper’s brain has left her unable to speak, unable to eat, unable to maintain sitting, among the many basic things she cannot do like other 5 year olds.
Penny and her husband do all they can for their children, just like any parent. But the daily challenges they face, mean giving their all and more.
Thanks! Martha
MARTHA! Thank you for nominating Penny!
Here's what happened next:
I contacted Martha to let her know Penny had won (Martha was THRILLED!) and then Martha put me in touch with Penny for us to make plans for our shopping day! When I spoke to Penny on the phone last week, she was so excited about the gift card and shopping, but she was also excited to raise some awareness for her daughter's condition, CDKL5. So, I asked Penny to send me any information she was comfortable with about herself, her family, and CDKL5 so y'all could get to know her a little better.
This is what Penny had to say about CDKL5.
. CDKL5 is a rare, life-threatening, non hereditary genetic disorder. There are approximately 600 diagnosed cases worldwide. Those affected suffer from intense difficulty to control seizures, sensory issues, gastrointestinal and cardiological difficulties, visual impairment, scoliosis, along with severely delayed developmental growth.
Penny hopes to make a difference in the lives of children who are needing a voice. And she hopes that bringing awareness will help others to find a cure.
Penny also says this: It's not always about CDKL5, Seizures, or Disabilities!
Sometimes it's really just about LOVE. I have come to understand that all children have a need to be their person in their own right and not be defined by siblings or abilities, but simply be allowed to be who they are and who they will become.
Here are some pics of Penny and her family!
That's Penny on the top left, wearing what she says she wears most days: jeans and a tee.
Ain't nothing wrong with that Penny! But, I'm excited to help you find some clothes you are excited about that help you to feel great!
The picture on the bottom left is Harper with Dustin, Penny's hubby. Penny said this about Dustin:
He is my husband of 12 years, friend of 19 years, and the best dad! Without him this house could not function and neither could I. Isn't that the sweetest?
Top right is Lily (7) , Harper's big sister who ADORES Harper and likes to talk. :)
Middle right is Harper, their sweet 5 year old girl with CDKL5.
Harper requires constant care and attention. In one 12 hour day there are 11 reminder alarms for Harper's medication, feeding and hydration times, and interaction times. She is non-verbal and immobile but she is mentally aware, just not as physically capable without assistance. Communication requires yes/no questions. We never really know how long she'll be with us so with everyday we need to make sure that if that were her last would it have been at least an emotionally enjoyable day!
Bottom right is their son Seth. Seth was their "COMPLETE SURPRISE!" ;)
Seth is 10 months with a short term goal of emptying everything he can open and then walking away!
And here's a couple of other pictures of Miss Harper.
How precious is she?!? Look at those pigtails! :)
These should just give you an idea of my family. We are who we are :). Despite our circumstances, we make an extra effort to make sure all our kids enjoy activities. My husband and I are a stronger couple because of it.
Here's some more of what Penny sent me:
I am so excited about our upcoming shopping experience!! It's like I'm watching TV and wishing that could be me.....BUT NOW IT IS ME!!
Day one: Speechless! I had no clue I was even nominated for anything at all by my friend and special needs mom herself, Martha. Martha, I don't even know how to begin to thank you! My heart is full and I have the BIGGEST HUG for you next time I see you....in my new clothes!
Day two: Undeserving! Why me? Who am I that I deserve this? There are so many moms who could use this experience. I am not special.
I'm just a mom doing what every other mom is doing....the best they can.
Day three: I'm right, No, I don't deserve this...I have been BLESSED with it! And I am happy about it! I've been married 12 years and all but two of those years I have taken back EVERY Christmas gift my husband gave me even though I knew I wanted it because I felt like the money could be better used on something else we needed rather than what I wanted. I will take the opportunity and I will benefit from this in more ways than just the obvious shopping spree complete with personal shopper. It will be an emotionally beneficial experience. I will have a new blog to follow so I can nominate some amazing women for the next give away and I will have made a
new friend to share Harper's story with.
Day four: It's time to assess what I have! I want to make the most of this experience. I am a mom, I represent this family, my daughter's non profit and I need to present myself better. I need to take better care of me yet still be me.
Harper's first year of life I spent 2 days in the hospital every month for neurological monitoring. After that we were in the hospital at a minimum of once a year for a minimum one to two week stay due to illness. With Harper's compromised immune system a minor cold leads to pneumonia and other respiratory difficulties. The clothes I worried most about where appropriate pajamas for hospital wear and my best pair of jeans were pajama jeans! :)
After the blur settled we were able to establish a routine which includes therapies for Harper, home school, non-profit events, and an annual business conference focused on epilepsy.
Basically, clothing was the least of my concerns and the most difficult to contend with. I am a mom so I MUST be comfortable and modest! I hold and carry my children so fabric must be comfortable for kids as well as me. As a mom of a child with special needs, I am a therapist and need to remember I spend much of my day performing transfers from floor to chairs (body parts meant to be covered must stay covered regardless of activity).
Penny, thank you so much for giving us all a peek into your very busy life and for letting us get to know you a bit. I know that getting to know you will make it so fun for everybody to follow along on our shopping trip!
I absolutely fell in love with you and your sweet hubby, and I know the readers will too!
Penny sent me lots of pictures of items in her closet so I could get an idea for her style and what her current needs were.
Even if I were not getting to shop with you Sheaffer, this closet assessment was beyond necessary and an eye opening experience. Appearance is important. Not for superficial reasons but because you are a representation of who you are, and of your family.
SO, like I said....PENNY and I went shopping yesterday and we had a flipping blast!!!!
We met at Northpark in the shoe department at 10:00 and we shopped like crazy until 3:30!
Make sure you come back Friday to see the shopping trip!!!!!!
Some Up and Coming Things Penny would
like y'all to know about:
*
Penny's oldest daughter Lily came up with a LOVE DAY (basically a play day at the park that didn't focus on Harper's therapies or her organization). Being the sibling of a brother or sister with special needs is rewarding and teaches compassion and love, but it's also very difficult and requires lots of patience on the part of the sibling. Penny and her family like to celebrate Lily (the oldest daughter!) as well! Their second annual Love Day is on July 15th at 10am at The Fields of Carrollton. Please come meet Lily, Harper and Seth and play at the park and on the splash pad.
Info is HERE.
*
On July 31st Harper will participate in the National America Miss Leadership Pageant. This is not a beauty pageant. Harper is participating at her request, which is absolutely amazing that she has developed enough communication skills to make this choice. AND she had to qualify like every other 4-6 year old in her little Mrs Princess category by answering yes/no questions to the judges, and introducing herself, which she can now do thanks to her digital eye gaze computer. Again this pageant is legit, no make up under the age of 13, no fake hair or teeth allowed. You are required to look age appropriate. The pageant is designed to aid in developing confident women into future leaders. Everyone is invited to cheer Harper on for Free on the night of July 31st at 5pm.
Details are HERE.
Last but certainly not least....
September 12 is the Run4Hope at Andy Brown Park East in Coppell Texas. The run benefits seizure research and awareness. They are still seeking sponsors, volunteers and participants. Its their biggest event of the year. There will be lots and lots of awesome door prizes, it's a Family Friendly Fun event, and pets and kids are encouraged to attend. The run bags are stuffed with awesome goodies. Virtual Run Options are available as well, which means you can get your swag bag and stay in bed while still supporting Epilepsy! We have a goal of at least 1 virtual runner per state so share this info with family and friends everywhere!
Click HERE for details and to sign up!
Please e-mail Penny directly at thehowardhouse@yahoo.com if you have questions!
Also, if you have any questions about Harper's condition or the foundation created in her honor, again feel free to e-mail Penny directly at thehowardhouse@yahoo.com
She and her husband are very open about Harper's condition, her therapist, and her treatment, and they would be happy to answer any questions you have!
And wait!
At the last minute, Penny found a file with these next pictures in them, and they were just too beautiful not to share!
find awesome photographer HERE!
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SO NOW THAT WE'VE MET PENNY, I KNOW YOU ALL WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS
VERY SPECIAL MAMA IS GETTING!!!
In addition to the $1,000 shopping spree to Nordstrom, she is actually getting MUCH more!
I called on some of the smaller retailers I work with on a consistent basis to see if they would be willing to participate, and they were so excited to come on board. I also had lots of readers with boutiques ask to participate! I am of course THRILLED to give all of this to
our very deserving mama!
Here's what else Penny got in her Special Mama prize package:
A Monogrammed Barrington Bag
$165 value
If you've read the blog for longer than a minute, you know that I adore Barrington Gifts and their bags. They are always so good to me AND my readers....and special mama winners....and teachers....etc.
When I contacted them to see if they'd be willing to provide Penny with a personalized bag, they didn't hesitate!
So Penny gets to choose any St. Anne tote she wants from the new monogram collection!
She can pick the pattern, the colors, and the monogram style!
SO FUN!
Thank you Barrington!
(If you want to order something for yourself, use the code PTMTSAVE10 for 10% OFF your entire order! Go HERE and have fun designing your personalized bag!)
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A $100 Gift Card to Accessory Concierge
Y'all know I love Accessory Concierge jewelry and the women who own it and work there!
Well, they are giving away $100 worth of jewelry to Penny!
Penny, I highly recommend the brass ladder necklace as a wonderful basic that jazzes up even the most basic of outfits. And I adore all of their tassel necklaces! THIS one is my favorite.
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Free Family Session with Narci D. Photography
$295 value
How cool is this!
Penny and her family are going to get a FREE FAMILY SESSION with my friend Narci!
Click HERE to get to Narci's site.
Click HERE to look at some of Narci's work!
I love that Penny is going to have a professional photograph of her sweet and wonderful family!
Here are a couple of gorgeous pictures I pulled off of Narci's site...
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2 PAIRS of LEATHER EARRINGS from Nickel and Suede
Nickel and Suede is a handmade leather jewelry company that specializes in lightweight leather earrings that are truly life changing. Their leather earrings allow women to wear large earrings without the weight or discomfort that usually comes with big jewelry. Leather earrings are soft, flexible, light as a feather, and are easy to dress up or down. Nickel & Suede carries gold, silver and other metallic leather earrings that look like metal, but feel like air. Their earrings also come in a a large variety of on trend colors and prints, made of leather or suede. Nickel and Suede also makes and carries a large variety of leather cuffs including their leather wrap cuff, leather slit cuff and leather fringe cuff. AND all of Nickel and Suede jewelry is handmade in the USA.
Click HERE for the shop.
Click HERE for their facebook. Click HERE for their instagram.
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Erin Condren Life Planner
You know my friends at Erin Condren wanted in on this!
Penny gets to choose a Life Planner for herself!!!!
Penny, you are going to LOVE it! The Life Planner will help you stay on track with therapies, doctor's appointments, and the rest of your everyday life!
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2 T-Shirts from Counting on Hope
My awesome friend Candace from Counting on Hope (last year's Anniversary Sale Special Mama) has donated two tees to Penny who will get to pick two t-shirts from Candace's blog and shop.
Click HERE to see all the tee choices.
Click HERE to follow Counting on Hope on facebook!
Their child's superhero shirt gives me a lump in my throat every single time I see it. It has the cute kid shaped superhero on the front, and on the back it says:
Sometimes superheroes live in the hearts of small children fighting big battles.
And if you see in the upper right corner, after many requests from parents, Candace and her hubby created the adult version that has the figures and the saying on the front of the shirt. It's precious.
Special mamas, special dads, and special kids all need these shirts!
(If you want to see Candace's shopping trip last year, click HERE!)
Here I am in my Different Not Less shirt and my Autism Awareness baseball tee! LOVE both of them. There's also a Warrior Mom tee in the baseball style that is super cute!
Again, click HERE for all tees!
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Bee's Knees Loft $100 Gift Card
Bee’s Knees Loft is a small-batch online clothing boutique that has been coined as “Affordable Anthro”. BKL products reflect our philosophy that the most important accessories that a woman can put on each day are kindness and confidence. We help provide the clothing she puts over those accessories to be classy, timeless, fun and unique.
Click HERE to look around on their online store!
Click HERE for their facebook page. Click HERE for their instagram.
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Stella and Dot Prize Package
I had a sweet reader who sent me some things to give Penny from Stella and Dot.
Thank you Kim!!!!!
If you need to place a Stella and Dot order, please consider ordering from Kim HERE!
She has her own personal trunk show set up right now, so if it asks for your host, just write in Kimberly Kaufman.
Check out all of the new arrivals HERE!
See below to see what Kim sent to Penny!
Those earrings on the right can be worn on the lapis side or the gold side! It's like 2 earrings in one!
And how much do you love that pouf?
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Earrings and Necklace from Diamonds are Evil
($186 value)
Diamonds Are Evil is an Austin-based laser cut jewelry, accessories and home décor line that creates architecturally-inspired designs using only ethically sourced and sustainable materials. The jewelry is made from their signature layered laser cut wood techniques, and features accents of natural brass and black leather. The goal was to create a brand identity that, at the very least, started a conversation about the origins of what people value and wear. They conduct all of the design and production in-house in their South Austin studio.
Click HERE for their shop.
Click HERE for their instagram. Click HERE for their facebook.
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PRINT AND CREDIT FROM EMMA AND THE BEAN!
Emma & the Bean is an Etsy shop owned and operated by a special ed teacher turned entrepreneur / stay-at-home mama of two baby girls - Kate (the Bean) and Emma. They create personalized burlap prints and handmade gifts to celebrate life's most cherished moments. They take pride in offering you eco-friendly, 100% natural burlap gifts that can be customized for your family, friends or for yourself!
Click HERE to shop. Click HERE for her facebook. Click HERE for her instagram.
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Gift Package from Eden's Door
Eden’s Door is an online boutique of handmade wreaths and personalized items. We also carry carefully selected home and gifting items.
Owned and operated by Libby and Danielle, Eden's Door is your go-to for year round gifts and home decor. Our business began with handmade wreaths and has grown to include personalized gifting items and carefully selected home decor. We offer a broad selection of styles. Always on trend and always fun. Best of all, we love being able to provide those personalized touches that make things extra special for our customers.
The collage below shows everything they gave to Penny! Awesome!
Click HERE for the shop. Click HERE for facebook. Click HERE for instagram.
Click HERE to find them on Etsy.
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Monogram Necklace from Savvy Clothing
Savvy is an on-line women's boutique with a classic, feminine style that
infiltrates today's style mixed with timeless pieces for your wardrobe.
We look for quality products and fabrics at a fair price that will stay
on trend but allow the customer to feel they can invest in their
wardrobe and wear the pieces for years to come. Our goal is to help our
clients find an outfit that they love and show their confidence from the
inside out.
Click HERE for the website. Click HERE for their facebook page. Click HERE for their instagram.
Click HERE for the pendant necklace that Penny is getting!
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THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO DONATED THESE ITEMS TO HELP CELEBRATE PENNY!
Make sure you all come back here on Friday to see our Shopping Spree at Nordstrom. I'm telling you, it's going to take a bit for Nordstrom to recover. We were shopping machines!
And come back tomorrow for my recap of
The Men Tell All!
xoxo,
Sheaffer :)
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