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"Most Votes" Photo!

Wow, girls!  You really got out the votes and made this here little contest a whole lot of fun!

The Most Votes Winner is Laura (Org Junkie) with this great photo:

I love the story that goes with it, which she shared here.

Laura's photo has garnered a guaranteed spot in the Company Girl gift book, and I daresay, a permanent place in her friend's heart.  She will also receive a copy of her photo professionally mounted on canvas.  Way to go, Laura! 

I'm going to give an honorable mention to Kym, who came in close second with this awesome photo:

Kym's site is just chock full of gorgeous photographs, and it's just plain eye-candy greatness.  Thank you, Kym!

And I forgot to announce the winner of the Curly Q Cutie, the random drawing for submissions during the contest.  The winner is Crystal W, a non-blogging Company Girl from Texas.  Congrats, Crystal!

How can I ever say thank you ENOUGH for all the wonderful photographs you all sent in!  I've looked at them again and again, and I can't help smiling all the way through!   The hardest part is just beginning...choosing the best from among them for the book.  I do not have a hard-fast date for completing the selection process, but I am anxious to finalize everything and get it published!  I'll keep you posted on progress.

Several of you have asked if you can still submit photos for consideration, and the answer is "yes!"  You may upload photos through July 15...however, with our summer schedules, please don't be offended if they are not posted to the site within 24 hours.  We'll do our best, but it may take us more time.

A special THANK YOU goes to Dawn, who has uploaded over 300 photos and kept me organized through this process!  She has been an awesome assistant and wonderful friend.  I could not do this project without her!

Bless you all!

Chocolate Giveaway!

Check out Alicia's Great Chocolate Giveaway that she's having on her blog, Momma's Musings!  Alicia creates the fabulous goodies at Fat Daddy Sweets, and she's got instructions for how to be entered in the drawing at her blog.  Heavenly!!  You deserve this.

Target Gift Card Winner

The Target Gift Card winner for posting a link to the photo contest last week is:

Kim Mills!

Kim, send me your contact information and address and I will get the gift card to you!

Thank you so much to all your girls for helping to spread the word!!

Upping the Ante: Company Girl Spree

The photos that are coming in for the Company Girl book project are awesome!  Have you seen the latest ones?  Each and every one makes me smile and go "awwwww!" as I see your faces and see the love between friends.

Now, since we want as many photos to choose from as possible, I'm going to reach deep into my own little pockets and offer up another chance to win a Most Superb Company Girl Prize:

A $30.00 gift card to Sam Moon Trading Company, the biggest bargain accessory store you will think you've died and gone to heaven when you get there online place in the world.

Think of how far $30.00 will take you when you consider:

This necklace and earring set is $ 6.95!

This little number will only cost you $9.95!

And this adorable purse is a pittance, at $19.95!  Think of how incredible you'll look with your trendy accessories!

This is a great store to go to with a girlfriend, because you spend the entire time with your mouth open, and pointing to one thing after another.  "No WAAY!"  "TOO CUTE!" and "I'm getting these!" come out of your mouth before you even know it.  I'm excited that they have an online store...go check out the merch and see if you aren't dying for a chance to win the gift card.

But there IS a catch, actually two:

1.  You must upload at least ONE photo to the contest by Friday, May 29.

2. You must mention it on your blog, twitter or facebook by Friday, May 29.  If you don't blog, etc. you may participate by telling, nay DEMANDING, your friends to go check it out.  In love :)

And then email me to let me know you've done BOTH things to be entered in the drawing.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ!!

We've gotten lots of great GROUP photos, but now we are really needing the following types of pictures: (Here are a few I grabbed quickly)

Close-ups, and good focus!



"Action" pictures: cooking, talking, sharing, doing chores, sewing, driving, helping 



Older women, and different races, ages, styles together



Representative photos:  hand holding, feet in sand, hands on coffee cups



Candid shots: I love those captured moments of laughter or silliness

There are still two weeks left before the June 7 deadline, so you could even set up your own photo shoot to get a specific shot.  Read through the text and see if you can illustrate one of the pages with something you dream up.  This is your chance to really shine!

Lastly, please remember that the emphasis is on "girlfriends."  We've had some incredible photos entered that we regretfully did not post because we didn't want to encourage more great photos we couldn't use for the book.  Perhaps we will tackle another book after this one??  After seeing this, I think we Company Girls can do anything!

Thank you, Girls, for your participation and enthusiasm!  Won't it be awesome to see OUR PROJECT on the shelves at Barnes and Noble, making people smile and treasure their "own "Company Girls!  I'm excited about the possibilities, and am convinced that every single woman in the world will want to have a copy to give to a friend.

What's a Company Girl?

“Be my Company Girl!” one of my little red-headed girls
would say to the other. 
The invitation usually came with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.

It was their way of saying, “Keep me company!”

It didn’t seem to matter if it was a trip to the potty or a trip to the playroom,
the sisters had their own way of communicating.
 
Wherever they were going, whatever they were doing,
it was going to be better with a Company Girl along.

I can still picture them,
with their eyes sparkling and their legendary scarves flying.
 
Company Girls.

Over the years, the phrase “Company Girl” became one of those family-speak phrases

 that is special to our small band of five.

 Sometimes my husband asks me to be his Company Girl
on a trip to the home improvement store. 

And I like having a Company Girl in the kitchen with me while dinner is cooking.

Household chores always seem to go faster,
a walk to the mailbox is more enjoyable,
and even a run to the grocery store is much more adventuresome
with a Company Girl along.

The invitation to be a Company Girl is our inside way of saying,
“I like your company, and I want you to be with me.”

It requires nothing of the invitee but to Be There.

Be along for the ride.

Sit in companionable silence.

Enjoy a laugh.

Share the experience.

I’ve learned something about friendship
 from those two red-headed girls and their quaint little phrase.

They taught me that almost everything in life is better when it’s shared. 

And I learned that there are Company Girls everywhere. 
You just have to discover them.

Sometimes you meet someone
and know instantly that she would make a perfect Company Girl.

And sometimes you have to know someone for a very long time
before you realize that you’ve become Company Girls.

Company Girls come in all shapes and sizes.

Sisters often make excellent Company Girls.

So do mothers.  And mother-in-laws, sometimes.

A childhood friend makes a bona fide Company Girl,
because she sees you as a hop-scotch friend
and not as the wrinkled lady you are becoming.

A Company Girl doesn’t have to be exactly like you.
 You can disagree on politics, religion and
whether or not your shoes should match your purse,
and still be Company Girls.

A Company Girl can be much older, or much younger than you,
because age doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this kind of friendship. 
Same with skin color and family background.

If you are lucky enough to have a Company Girl,
you know you can count on her voice at the other end of the line.
Her name is on your speed-dial.

A Company Girl actually cares when you are searching for the perfect hairstyle, 

but won’t mention if you are having a Bad Hair day.

A Company Girl will tell you if you have something between your teeth,
or some type of undergarment showing where it shouldn’t.
I think that pretty much goes without saying.

If you ever need someone to sit with you in a doctor’s waiting room,
a Company Girl will do it and not make you feel guilty for asking.

Once, when it came time to put our old dog to sleep, 

a dear Company Girl came and took her to the vet for me

 and then sat with her while she died.
 She knew I couldn’t do it myself, and I’ve never forgotten it. 

Some Company Girls are like that.  They just know.

A Company Girl friendship transcends time and space. 
You can pick up right where you left off,
even if it’s been years since you last saw one another.

Even if you don’t live close, or rarely get to see each other because
your kids play sports and you’re always in the car,
being Company Girls means that you share something special.

It means you aren’t pressured to be high-maintenance “BFF’s.”
(Best Friends Forever).
You can simply enjoy being with one another....as little or as often as you get to. 

It means that spending time together is a gift, not an expectation.

It means that listening is more important than talking.

That riding along is better than driving by yourself.

And it means that friendship is measured by understanding and kindness,
and the ability to see the best in each other.
Even on your worst days.

Sometimes I think I’ve missed out
 on some good Company Girl experiences because I’ve been too busy. 

It would have been easy
to pick up the phone to chat for a minute, or grab a cup of coffee with a friend,
but I’ve often had more “pressing” things to do.
 And I assumed others would be too busy, too.
 I didn’t want to interrupt.

I regret taking so long to discover what my little girls knew
before they even started kindergarten. 

That a Company Girl is found
 with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.

It doesn’t cost anything to have one, and it doesn’t require a pedigree to be one. 

You simply have to be willing to take a chance on friendship,
extend an invitation and then...well. 
Then see what happens. 

Keep your heart open and your hand ready.

Because you just never know when you might look up and realize
that you are somebody’s Company Girl already.
Or that the Company Girl you’ve been looking for has been near you all along.

Just clasp a hand, give a smile and enjoy the ride.

Company Girls simply know:  Life is better when it’s shared.


© Rachel Anne Ridge 2008
www.homesanctuary.com

Facebook Flair! Thanks, Aimee!

Look what fellow Company Girl Aimee made for facebook!  Awwww, she's so creative!

If you want this flair, go ahead and grab it from my page.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/profile.php?id=622190628

And, if you're not already a facebook friend, I hope you'll join me there.  I've got a group started, "Company Girls," (what else??) and I'd love to have you be a part.  Getcha some flair and join the group!!

I'll be posting Today's Small Thing a little bit later than usual today, due to an early meeting.  I'll check back in with you around noon (CST).

Congratulations Babychaser! Her new baby's here!!

We want to welcome Babychaser's newest little "Small Thing," a girl born on Friday afternoon at 2:28.  She weighed 6 pounds, 10.4 ounces and is 19 inches long.  She is reported to be soooo cute! (I have it from a reliable source!)

Babychaser is a loyal Company Girl and mom to a 15 month old son.  With two wiggley small people to keep after, she will REALLY earn her blogname!  We are excited for you, girl!  Your adventure continues!!

Pop on over and congratulate her on their wonderful new arrival!  And then ask her what she's doing making bread today....she's supposed to be resting!!  Silly girl....

Pray for Jennifer A.

Sometimes people cross your path and you just know it's for a reason.  Jennifer A. is one of those people.  She's a new Company Girl and she emailed me a bit of her story.  Jennifer is a mom of 4 little ones, and has been recently diagnosed with cancer.  In the midst of this devastating situation, she writes,

My new reality drives the point home that I want to live with intention.  I want to choose what I do and how I spend my time to best maximize my family and myself.  I don’t have the strength and energy to waste my time on those things not important to me and my family right now.  My strength and energy is a true commodity as my health declines.  I love my children and my husband and our home is where it all happens.  If I can make my time count for them and for me I am a successful woman.  I may not have all the “To do’s” off my list each day as I physically can’t do it all, but I make sure to cross the important ones off first.  I would challenge everyone to do the same.

Her love for her family just radiates through her words.

Would you please pray for Jennifer?  I am asking for God to miraculously heal her body and remove the cancer.  I am praying for her family as they go through this very difficult time.  Let's believe in the power of God to do a miracle for her.

Jennifer is not a blogger, but if you would like to email her, just send your note to me and I will forward it on to her.

Thanks, my sweet Company Girls!

Please pray for...

Tiffany (southernsass) has asked for prayer for her daughter, who is very sick.  You can get the information at her blog.

Also, please remember Marsha's daughter (and son-in-law and baby) in Kenya, during a very dangerous time in that country.

Is it "Boatload" or "Buttload?" Either way, button troubles abound.

Update:

Melissa at Breath of Life told me I needed to "close" the original code below, so it should work now. And Heather at Graced by Christ sent me THIS code (so cool) that you can cut and paste.

<a href="http://homesanctuary.typepad.com/rachelanne/2007/12/cmon-be-a-compa.html"><img src="https://homesanctuary.typepad.com/company-girl4.jpg"></a><br />

********************************************

Are you having trouble pasting the Company Girl button into your sidebar? Apparently some of you have been having a "Boatload" of button trouble.  Let's see if this code will work:

<a href="http://homesanctuary.typepad.com/rachelanne/2007/12/cmon-be-a-compa.html"><img src="http://homesanctuary.typepad.com/company-girl4.jpg"></a><br/>

Try copy/pasting it into your post or sidebar.

If that doesn't work, here is a photobucket code that I sent over to Marsha by email and she was able to access it and make it "clickable". Check it out on her sidebar! It looks great on her black background...so classy, just like us.

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z209/rachelanneridge/?action=view¤t=company-girl4.jpg

I have spent some time at Scribbit, trying to figure out Michelle's helpful advice.  Her online tutorial helped me get the button onto my own sidebar, but I've had trouble typing the code into a post so you can copy and paste it.  On a sidenote, Michelle does some really great craft/art projects and I'm totally impressed. If I hadn't spent so much time learning how to make a button, I might have had enough time to make one of her cool things.

BloggingBasics101 is another source for help.  I appreciate these ladies for sharing their wealth of knowledge....I feel so indebted and yet I still can't quite figure it out!  Feelings of gratitude and failure, all wrapped in one.

I'll get over it if I wake up and find out that either of the above links actually worked! Please let me know so I can still have time to get my Christmas shopping done!