Tuesday, April 21, 2015
A First Birthday Letter: To Our Last Little Baby
Monday, April 20, 2015
Baptisms, Babies and Little Black Dresses.
Let's pause for a moment and talk about that dress. That was not the initial dress I planned on wearing for the Baptism. In fact, that wasn't even the second dress I planned on wearing for the Baptism after I decided the second dress wasn't really church-appropriate.
That dress is the product of a late night (and one too many glasses of wine) spent on Rent the Runway searching for a romper to rent for Collins' first birthday coming up. On a whim, I rented that dress and figured that if it didn't fit right when it arrived that I still had two other options to choose from and really, what did I have to lose?
But then it arrived and I fell in love with it and wished that I had a dress like that sitting in the back of my closet to pull out for events that require me to shave my legs and wear a real bra. I love that dress and wearing it rekindled my love for RTR. You can use my referral link to sign up and we both receive a $20 credit to put towards future orders.
I mean really, it's a win-win if you ask me! I hate to say it but even my husband was a little disappointed when it came time to putting that dress back into the mailer bag last night...
Friday, April 17, 2015
A Laptop-Tablet Mash Up for the Modern Mom (And Giveaway!)
Before I became a mother, I had one job. That job was working as a registered nurse in an acute care setting. I juggled very few things during that time- mostly striking a balance between long hours at the hospital and keeping a happy house and husband as a newlywed. Soon enough, the fog of newlywed-ed bliss cleared and with career shifts came major life changes such as a move south and a baby on the way. It wasn't long before I became a mother and a stay-at-home one at that!
As we began to settle ourselves down with deeper roots, I tested the work-from-home waters. In addition to being a brand new mother, I also became much more dedicated toward engaging brands and businesses within my blog. Over the last several years, not only did my blog become a working passion of mine but I also launched a photography business (in addition to adding two more babies to the mix!)
Our life looks much, much different now than it did just five years ago and if you ever mentioned that I would not only be a mom of three boys but also the owner of not one but two businesses, I would have laughed and said, "not a chance!"
"Never say never," am I right?
I love every single second of our crazy busy days and I wouldn't trade them for the world. As a mom of three and business owner, it's been a difficult road to navigate. Sure there are contracts and deadlines to be met but at the same time, my family has been and always will be my number one priority. I've spent many long nights burning the candle at both ends, learning not only how to run a business from my home but also how to do so successfully and without detriment to my family. It hasn't always been easy and I'm sure I've failed both my family and a client on more than one occasion but in every instance, there's been a lesson learned and growth as both a mom and business owner.
As a mom and business owner, I'm always on the hunt for technology that allows me to transition seamlessly between roles. Whether I'm in Kindergarten prep-mode scouring Pinterest for readiness activities, in the pediatrician's office for a unforeseen fever, on the road doing some hands-on research for a brand or sitting down with a freshly swaddled newborn and her family in my at-home studio, I need to not only be accessible but also access email, apps and the Internet in a way that benefits myself, my family and my business.
The Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro is a tablet laptop mash-up that in layman's terms is "simply freaking amazing." It's ultra-thin, incredibly lightweight and boasts an incredible 6-hinge design that allows it to fold back a complete 360 degrees. Want to learn more about the YOGA 3 Pro and enter for the chance to WIN ONE? Head over here!
As we began to settle ourselves down with deeper roots, I tested the work-from-home waters. In addition to being a brand new mother, I also became much more dedicated toward engaging brands and businesses within my blog. Over the last several years, not only did my blog become a working passion of mine but I also launched a photography business (in addition to adding two more babies to the mix!)
Our life looks much, much different now than it did just five years ago and if you ever mentioned that I would not only be a mom of three boys but also the owner of not one but two businesses, I would have laughed and said, "not a chance!"
"Never say never," am I right?
I love every single second of our crazy busy days and I wouldn't trade them for the world. As a mom of three and business owner, it's been a difficult road to navigate. Sure there are contracts and deadlines to be met but at the same time, my family has been and always will be my number one priority. I've spent many long nights burning the candle at both ends, learning not only how to run a business from my home but also how to do so successfully and without detriment to my family. It hasn't always been easy and I'm sure I've failed both my family and a client on more than one occasion but in every instance, there's been a lesson learned and growth as both a mom and business owner.
As a mom and business owner, I'm always on the hunt for technology that allows me to transition seamlessly between roles. Whether I'm in Kindergarten prep-mode scouring Pinterest for readiness activities, in the pediatrician's office for a unforeseen fever, on the road doing some hands-on research for a brand or sitting down with a freshly swaddled newborn and her family in my at-home studio, I need to not only be accessible but also access email, apps and the Internet in a way that benefits myself, my family and my business.
The Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro is a tablet laptop mash-up that in layman's terms is "simply freaking amazing." It's ultra-thin, incredibly lightweight and boasts an incredible 6-hinge design that allows it to fold back a complete 360 degrees. Want to learn more about the YOGA 3 Pro and enter for the chance to WIN ONE? Head over here!
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Buying / Trying / Reading / Watching
It's been a long time since I've written a guest post for a fellow blogger but when E, from over at Teaching Sam and Scout, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to fill in for her while she loved all over her fresh baby girl.
E has recently launched a new series on her blog "Buying, Trying, Reading, Watching" and it's such a fun and easy-going series to read and participate in. Head on over there today to see what I've been Buying, Trying, Reading and Watching lately and be sure to follow along in the series! You can see a sneak of what I've been buying lately, down below!
Buying :: Oh let's just say what should really be said here and that's "what haven't I been buying lately?" There's just something about the change in seasons, especially the transition from Winter to Spring, that always has me shopping for new pieces, often of the bold and bright variety, to breathe new life into my closet. This month not only did we celebrate Easter but we'll also be celebrating the baptism of our Middle Little and Littlest Little. You just name the occasion and I'll go out and buy a new dress for it- and although I intended to wear this Lilly Pulitzer shift for each of the celebrations, ultimately I ended up purchasing this number from Nordstrom too and even though it's sleeveless, I think I'm set on wearing it for the boys' baptism. See what I mean about bright and bold colors?
Unfortunately, the desire to breathe new life into closets doesn't just end with me. Anticipating cool nights on the beach and the boat this summer, I ordered these striped half-zips for each of the boys during the recent JCrew Factory sale as well as some new t-shirts and shorts to get them through the start of the summer. In much less exciting news, we also had to purchase a new dishwasher this month which further solidified my status as "Officially Grown Up."
E has recently launched a new series on her blog "Buying, Trying, Reading, Watching" and it's such a fun and easy-going series to read and participate in. Head on over there today to see what I've been Buying, Trying, Reading and Watching lately and be sure to follow along in the series! You can see a sneak of what I've been buying lately, down below!
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Step Into Summer with Target Baby
Monday, April 13, 2015
5 Thoughts on Baby-Wearing from a Reformed Baby-Wearer.
Recently I started wearing Collins in a ring sling from Rockin Baby. When I first started, it was my first experience using a ring sling and although it took a few YouTube videos to get it just right, I've been a smitten kitten ever since (and judging by his face up there, you can tell he's loving it, too!)
So what's so great about Rockin' Baby, you say? Well, for every sling purchased, they give away a Hero Sling to mothers who are in desperate need in Haiti and Kenya. That's also pretty amazing, if you ask me.
I really like the Rose of My Heart reversible fabric sling because it keeps my baby close and my hands free. I also love that it's the perfect pop of floral among a very testosterone-heavy household. Easy to slip on and adjust with just the tug of the fabric, I like to keep my sling in the car and use it when I'm out running errands, such as pick-up and drop-off from pre-school and running into the grocery store.
The folks at Rockin' Baby love to give and to help others so much that they've offered to give away the very same Rose of My Heart sling to one lucky ILYMTC reader!
You can enter below using the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
I received a sling free of charge from the kind folks at Rockin' Baby.
All thoughts expressed are my own. Additional compensation was not received.
Friday, April 10, 2015
When The Last First Year Ends...
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Sleep In A Jar... Thanks to Garnier!
I haven’t slept through the night since 2009.
Deep down I wish that I was kidding but the reality is I truly haven’t had a solid night of sleep since shortly before the birth of my first baby, which was four and a half years ago. At first it was because I was hugely pregnant. Then it was because I had a newborn and a very hungry newborn at that. That hungry newborn turned into a toddler who experienced night terrors and, before I knew it, I was pregnant again and thus began a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation.
Pregnancy insomnia, newborns, toddlers with a penchant for chilled water at 3am, babies who act as if their crib was filled with hot lava, and little big boys who just “didn’t wanna” sleep in their beds have all been the root cause for lack of sleep around these parts. Oh, and don’t forget the dog! Some nights, he’s just as guilty with his wet nose and direct access to my face.
Lack of sleep is not a good look on me. It ages me far more than my thirty-one years and three boys under the age of five do. It accentuates my crow's feet, dries out the skin around my eyes and my forehead and draws even more attention to the dark circles that have nestled in quite comfortably beneath my eyes. There’s a saying that goes, ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead” and sadly enough it’s become my mantra. Until that day arrives, however, I’ve decided just to fake it ‘til I make it.
So as not to scare off little children, my barista at Starbucks, fellow moms in the preschool pick-up line and my favorite bag boy at the local market, I’ve begun equipping myself with an arsenal of beauty products that help give me the appearance of the well-rested nights I only dream about. From elixirs to creams, concealers to oils, I have tried them all and the latest addition to my "Let’s Pretend I Slept Well" repertoire is the Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream™ Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Night Cream by Garnier.
Infused with key botanical ingredients such as lavender essential oil and enriched with rare plant extracts and adenosine that promised to have me waking up refreshed and radiant, I jumped aboard that train. With hyaluronic and hydroxyl acids known to boost cell turnover and intensely hydrate, causing wrinkles to appear less defined and skin to appear younger and firmer, I wasn’t only riding that train, I was driving that bad boy.
Having relatively sensitive, finicky skin, I’m often picky about what I’m slathering on my face before hitting the hay. Products that I’ve tried in the past have either been too thick, too greasy or too slow to absorb, leaving my face feeling slimy, icky or too “full” of product.
After just one night of using Garnier's Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream it was as if a true miracle really did occur. My skin felt softer and tighter, and there was a visible reduction in the dark circles beneath my eyes. I really did look as if I had gotten much more sleep than I had and I didn’t experience any of those negative reactions when applying the cream before bed. Very light, it goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. If only this cream could pour my children drinks and rub their backs at night, then I’d really be golden!
Until then, I’ll stick with applying the cream each night before bed. Although it has only been less than a week since I’ve started using this cream, I look forward to seeing additional visible results in the coming weeks.
I’m also eager to try out a similar product--the Garnier Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream: Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream, an innovative gel-cream texture that combines the hydrating power of a cream with the light refreshing feel of a gel to visibly reduce signs of dark circles, bags and tired looking eyes.
I’m also eager to try out a similar product--the Garnier Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream: Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream, an innovative gel-cream texture that combines the hydrating power of a cream with the light refreshing feel of a gel to visibly reduce signs of dark circles, bags and tired looking eyes.
If used together, it surely sounds like these two products could have me looking like I slept for days! Oh, now that’s the stuff my dreams are made of!
Can't get your nightly beauty sleep? Garnier has you covered with prizes that will make you look like you didn't miss a wink! Enter the Sleep With This Sweepstakes now for the chance to win Garnier's Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream, a Westin Heavenly® Bed and more. Plus receive a $1 coupon* to try Garnier's Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream out for yourself. Enter daily for a chance to win a Miracle Sleeping Cream product prize package!
Do you plan to try Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream™ Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Night Cream to help fight wrinkles and the signs of fatigue? Tell me in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card!
Entry Instructions:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
- Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 4/8/15 – 5/10/15.
Be sure to visit the Garnier brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!
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