We Won!

So this is kinda fitting seeing that I just wrote about being married to a basketball player yesterday.  I am sure all those girlfriends and wives of athletes can relate to this.  Their games are so much more than just a game.  Sure the crowd is cheering along and would love for them to win.  But if they don't, they go home and get on with their lives.  We, however, go home to a husband who is bummed out and having to think through how this affects his next week at 'work.'  I have heard of teams that get fined if they loose, but our coach's particular poison is practice.  If you loose, you practice harder and longer and more often.  Which means a very tired, worn out husband.  So winning takes on a whole new meaning to us women who live this crazy life.  And I have met a few in bloggy land. (hey guys!)

So last night was an incredible game.  They were playing the number one team in the leauge and were winning most of the time.  Then toward the end there were some guys who can't play defense (we won't call any names here *cough* jorge *cough* ben)  and of course my husband had to pick up the slack and fouled out.  So we are down by 2 with 14 seconds to go.  The ball is being passed around and everyone is stressed.  Especially me.  This entire time I am praying/thinking 'Okay Lord.  I know you can do this, I know you can get this win for us.  But I also know that if you don't, you are still a good and perfect God.  And why would you when in this entire stadium there are probably 4 people who might give you glory, myelf and Lavar included.  Why does this little game matter.'  And then I thought, 'maybe just to show you, Natalia.'  And then the ball was passed outside to Seb who had missed the last game winning 3 point shot, and BAM!  He hit it.  With 2.6 seconds to go he hit the short and we were up by 1.  WHAT!  Praise the Lord.  To seal the deal, someone got fouled and we won by 3.  It was like God spoke directly to me.  'I care about the things that matter to you, Natalia.  I care about the things that I gave you a passion for.  You matter to me.'  It was an incredible epiphany and I learned a valuable lesson.  Although God doesn't have to and won't always win games for us, He ultimately wants what is best for us.  And I feel like He thought it was best last night to give me a reassuring 'hug' in a sense of His ultimate, never-ending love.  And what a way to learn a lesson!

Sorry for the long post with no pictures!!  I wanted to take one and then got caught up in all the excitment.  But praise the Lord we won and Happy Easter to everyone!

My Life in France ~ Being Married to a Basketeur

Good Morning everyone!  If you haven't entered the giveaway, you can do it now! I will wait for ya! Just go here.  Okay great, thanks!

Today, Friday, I am continuing the series about our life in France.  It is a crazy life, I will be the first to admit it, and it definitely needs installments to fully explain.  Actually, I dont' think I could ever fully explain our craziness!  So just little picture windows is perfect.  

Today I am secretly excited about this little section. hehe  Because, as I am sure most of you are, I am proud of my husband!  So I thought I might write about what it is like to be married to a Basketball Player, or a Basketeur, as the French call it.

This is my husband.  Are you scared yet?  It's okay, he is kinda scary.  He likes it that way.   

His mean mug

When we got married and moved to Brest, France (get get cities with the funniest names!) I had no idea what was in store for me. All I really knew about this life was what I experienced in college, which was just from a fans point of view. Oooohhhh boy is it different.

So.  Awesome things:

~ He is home a lot more than he would be with a 9 to 5 job.

He can take Tae to practice sometimes

There is a game to go to every other weekend

Since we live in France, road trips are never longer than 2 days.

Most all other basketball guys are super cool and laid back

This means late nights and sleeping in, until, of course, Tae started school. No more sleeping in for momma.

~ We are getting to travel the world.

~ My son speaks two languages. Awesome.

~ Lavar is always in tip-top shape.  I think he has 3 percent body fat.

He always gets hacked like this. They rarely call it. Refs here - whole other post!

Not so awesome things:

~ Lavar is always in tip-top shape.  Although I am not heavy, I am not in tip-top shape.  You would think this would motivate me... notsomuch

~A lot of other basketball payers cheat on their wives.  It is a bummer stereotype, but unfortunately true.  Since Lavar and I are the more 'stable' of most bunches, we know things we don't really want to know, ya know?

~ He stays up late (practice is at night) and sleeps in and takes naps during the day.  Don't worry, I asked other players' wives to see if this was normal.  It is. Dang, can't get mad.

~ We are never settled in one spot.  It is kinda fun, but hard to be integrated.  That is why I love you bloggy friends!  I can take you wherever I go!

EDIT: I forgot to mention earlier how much this guy eats.  For breakfast he eats 12 pancakes, big ones, a slice of meat, and 3 eggs.  He eats a big lunch and two dinners.  Yes, two.  This is definitely on the not so awesome list because it is tough to keep up!

A few tidbits about our lifestyle:

Lavar signs contracts for 10 months at a time. We would like to change this and sign for longer, but you gotta take what is out there. 

Therefore, for 2 months out of the year (it has been longer), we don't have jobs.  Lavar is not American and cannot work in the states, and we can't live in the Bahamass because there are no basketball opportunities for him there. 

Each year in about July, we find out where our new location will be.  Lavar leaves first to make sure all is well where we will be, and I usually follow within a month. 

We have lived in Brest, Boulazac, and St Etienne.  Lavar lived in Austria by himself because he got a job a little later than expected and I couldn't fly to go with him because I was pregnant with Eli.

Lavar wasn't able to be there for the birth of our second little boy, Eli, but he was on skype the entire time!!  LOL the nurses said 'well there is a first time for everything!'  Does that confirm our craziness?

So there you have it.  A little window into our life as a Basketeur, a femme de Basketeur, and the little guys who travel the world with us.

Although it isn't the easiest life all the time.  We don't have the same security that others do.  I wouldn't change it for the world.  We are getting to experience another country and culture to the fullest.  We are able to do things together as a family that we would otherwise never be able to afford.  And my husband is living his dream.  How could we ask for more?

I think next week I might talk about living in an intercultural, interracial marriage. It might be a doozy, because our marriage sure is!  (in a good way, of course!)

If you missed last weeks, you can click here.

And thanks for all the love and encouraging comments, I really appreciate it!  Have a great day!

Meet Rebecca ~ & my first {GIVEAWAY!!}

Hi everyone!  I would love for you to meet my friend Rebecca.  You might already know her because she is so awesome and because she hosted my first giveaway last week!  Well if you didn't get a chance to meet her, here's your chance!

First off, she lived in France last semester in college, how awesome is that?? 

She just got engaged three days ago!!!  Congratulations!!

She has an awesome etsy shop, Your Girlish Whims, full of beautiful handmade jewelry.  This is one of my favorites she just made:

She shows the tutorial here

She has an awesome linky party she just started three weeks ago and already she has over 150 link ups each week!  You go girl!

Ain't she puuuurty!?  Oh and do you like her earrings??  Yep, she made them!  {so talented!}  And because she is so super nice, she wants to give them to one of you!

Check 'em out!

*love*

I love them because they are so creative and I haven't seen anything like them! 

So if you would like to win these one-of-a-kind earrings here's whacha do:

{Required}

~ Be a follower of Ma Nouvelle Mode and My Girlis Whims (separate comment for each)

{Additional}

~Heart her Etsy shop, Your Girlish Whims, and leave a comment telling us your favorite item (separate comment for each)

~ 'Like' My Girlish Whims on Facebook

~ Link up to her par-tay, yesterday or next wednesday (separate comment for each link up)

Alright, so you have a ton of ways to win these beauties!  So get busy ladies!

Winner announced next Thursday!

Easter Subway Art

Okay, so I am a little behind on anything Easter, whoops!  I didn't really decorate here, because we are moving in a just a bit and I don't want to make more so that I have to pack more, ya know?  (If you are wondering why I am moving, stay tuned Friday for more of my story)  So last week sometime I made some Easter Subway art.  It was fun!  I can't wait to do more.  Then I spent a little time trying to figure out how to make them printable and gave up.  I just got tired of trying.  But I didn't want to not link them!  So here they are.  I wonder if you could still print them, I made them 8x10.  I don't have a printer, otherwise I would try it.  Sorry folks.  But if you have a printer and would like to try it, let me know if it works!  They are yours for the taking.

Easter Spiritual

Easter fun

This is the first one I made.  It looks a little busy to me.  But I think the more I pratice, and I intend to, I will get better.  I hope you guys like them! 

Oh and you are gonna want to check back tomorrow.  It is my VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY here!!  YAY, I am so excited!! So stay tuned to see what you can win!

I am linking this up to my linky parties here and Eisy Morgan's birthday bash party too.  Maybe I will win something.  I never win anything!  Goooooo me!

Have a great day!

Feather Headband

Hello friends!

I have had a bizarre morning.  First of all, customs had my new iPad and I didn't think I was gonna see my pretty little baby for a while.  But then this morning, someone knocked on the door, then rang the doorbell (I'm coming, I'm coming!) and it was our package guy!!!  "J'ai une petite colis pour vous."  OUI, Merci!!  I was so excited.  It is my new iPad.  I can't wait to play with it a bit more and see all the fun things it can do!

The rest of my bizzare morning was spend frustrated on the computer because it was so stinkin' slow and getting nothing done. ugh.  Having a little whiney baby.  Not fun.  But things are looking up, computer hasn't been too bad and I have a craft for you!

I am actually going to link this with Eisy Morgan linky party.  She is having one today for anyone who has recreated one of her looks.  Mine isn't entirely a recreation, but I got the inspiration from her, so I am linking!  Here we go:

I had a headband already and I had the flower thingie.  It was kinda boring and I liked the way Ashley used the flowers.  So I decided to spice mine up a bit.  I took some feathers left over from some earrings I made and hot glued them to the back of my flower.  You could use anything. Ashley actually used felt which is awesome, but I didn't have any.  I got the size I wanted with the headband and hot glued that.  I suppose you could sew it too, but I don't have a sewing machine, so glue gun it is!

Then I added some white feater for some mroe color and depth.  And I glued it to the headband.  How easy is that?? 

What do you think?

In addition to Eisy Morgan's birthday bash linky, I am linking up to my usuals!  And don't forget, I still have my linky open for a few more days!

Have a great day!

Sponsor Opportunities at Ma Nouvelle Mode

Advertising opportunities at Ma Nouvelle Mode!!!

Here is the best part!

Because I am new and just getting into all this, for the rest of April, your ad spot will be FREE!!!!  Yes, you read that right, your spot with be free!!  I have a limited about of space for each section, so it will go by first come first serve.  So e-mail me if you are interested manouvellemode{at}gmail{dot}com.

If you don't have a button these sizes or would like me to make one, I don't mind doing that as well either!  So just hit me up!  But remember, this offer will end shortly, so get in while you can!

Projects in Progress Linky #5

Happy Monday!  I move in three weeks!  Ack!  I will be needing a few guest posters, if anyone is interested....  e-mail me!!  And I have some other exciting stuff going on, so stay tuned!
Projects in Progress Linky #4!  Can you believe it, I have already been doing this for 4 weeks, yikes.  Last week was our biggest yet with 21, whoop whoop! 
So here are some features from last week!

We have Lesley at So Fabulously Flawed who showed us how to make a blank canvas a cute canvas in no time!  And cheap.  And easy!  I am all for it!



Then we have Melanie from Lucky 7 Designs who showed us how she took her old wood shutters and turned them into a shabby chic design for a bedroom.  Super cute and I love the color she chose!

Now is time for this week!  Link up all those projects ladies, we want to see what you're working on and how ya did it! 

1.)  I would love it if you were a follower of Ma Nouvelle Mode.  If you already are, awesome!  If not, make sure you drop me a note so I can say hi!2.)  Link up your blog post, not your blog so we can go directly to the post.3.)  Make sure you check out at least a few other blogs and show some comment love.  The more the merrier!!4.)  Grab my "Projects in Progress!" button and post it on your blog, linky page, or sidebar so others can join along!