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Taking expensive ideas & turning them into my own ideas!

{ iPad Mini Giveaway!!! }

by Filed Under: blog love, free, freebies, giveaway, ipad, ipad giveaway, ipad mini 2 Comments

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9 // 10 // 11 // 12
13 // 14 // 15 // 16
17 // 18 // 19 // Me

Just a few rules before we get this par-tay started

*You must complete all the mandatory entries or you will be disqualified.
*Please make sure you give additional info where asked- it makes it easier to verify when you win 🙂
*Please see all the terms and conditions on the Rafflecopter.
*It’s not mandatory, but you may want to thank some of the lovely ladies above for hosting this awesome giveaway!

And of course do all the entries you can to increase your chances, I won an iPad mini in December from a blog giveaway so it really is possible!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


{ What I Wore… }

by Filed Under: boots, fashion, ootd, skinny jeans, stripes, style, what i wore, what I wore Wednesday 260 Comments

I’m loving all things striped right now! It’s such a fun way to add some spunk to your wardrobe! It’s easy to dress up, wear casually or even for running errands in! For today’s outfit, I paired my black and white striped shirt with gray skinnies, a skinny polka dot belt, gray boots and silver accessories.

{ Shirt: Old Navy, Gray Skinny Jeans: Gap, Boots: Go Jane, Skinny Polka Dot Belt: Old Navy }

pleated poppy

STYLELIXIR Style Sessions

{ Nothing “Sweeter” }

by Filed Under: cupcakes, ombre, ombre icing, Valentines, Valentines day 23 Comments

What’s “sweeter” than making something sweet for the ones you love?! How about some healthier, Valentines cupcakes! By healthier, I mean omitting the oil used for 1/3 cup of apple sauce. Prepare your cake according to the box for the remaining. Another fun tip, pour the cake batter into a measuring cup to perfectly dispense into your cupcake liners! Easy- peasy.. I did this with the baby on my hip 😉 The cupcakes came out perfect! Also, came up with using a butter knife to remove the hot- out-of- the oven cupcakes without burning your fingertips! I know, I’m full of tips today, ha!

For the icing, I attempted an ombre frosting, as well as, chocolate. Here’s what I did for the ombre: I put vanilla frosting and vanilla frosting I added food color to, to make it a pink-ish color, to a snack-size ziploc and lightly “squished” together. Cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag, this is now your piping bag! The icing isn’t completely mixed, this causes it to create the ombre effect! The first cupcake turned out perfect!! With a cranky baby on my hip, it was a little hard for me to continue with the others, so I simply mixed the icing creating a pink. I sprinkled on some heart candies and voila, something sweet for the kids and hubby 🙂

Sharing this project on these fabulous sites!

{ Spring Porch Inspiration }

by Filed Under: flowers, porch decor, Spring, Spring 2013, spring porch inspiration 10 Comments

I am so ready for Spring, how about you? Since we got the house in late Spring, I didn’t get the chance to plant in my flower beds last year, so I’m dying to add some color to my yard this year! Not only do I want my yard to be in tip-top shape, I want to create an inviting porch for my guests to enjoy when they arrive! Here’s what I’ve came up with for a little inspiration…

Some of the flowers I plan on planting this year will be dahlias, hydrangeas, and ranunculus. What are your favorite flowers?

{ Fun- Kid Valentines }

by Filed Under: DIY crafts, diy valentines, kids craft, kids valentines, Valentines, Valentines day

Valentines Day is a fun day to show those you love, just how special they are to you! Usually we just buy and prepare store-bought Valentines for Christian to pass out at school. But, this year I wanted to make it a little more personal and make our own 🙂

I found the perfect “tag” cards, $1 for 8 of them, at Michaels. I bought two packs since my son has about 20 kids in his class. Each pack of tags came as a dual card, so I simply cut them in half to create two cards! I had also ordered the cutest heart washi tape from PYP, but you can order a similar one here. I created a personalized design using PicMonkey and printed them onto the cards. Each card says ” You rock!! Happy Valentines Day, From Christian”. I love all the different, funky fonts you can use!! Christian has decided to give pop rocks as the candy! Perfect for our “theme”! I cut a small piece of washi tape and fish-tailed each end and added it to the bottom of each card.

These were around $2 for the 20, you can’t beat that!!

Sharing this project on these lovely sites!

{ MC: Refueling Your Mom Tank! }

by Filed Under: being a mommy, ME time, mommy panel, The Mom Connection Leave a Comment

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.
Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.
If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!
Coming on February 16th, we will discuss:
What are some ways you engage your children while you prepare meals?
Now on to this week’s topic!
How do you refuel your mom tank?
Here is what Mom Connection shared:
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Welcome! I’m Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest just turned 4 and my baby is 17 months old. This is how I refuel my mom tank:
Being a SAHM, is the best job in the world! I feel so blessed to spend this time with my babies. However, there are days when my husband comes home and I am running out the door to the gym, to scrapbook with friends, or to hit the occasional happy hour with girlfriends. I think it is very important as moms to not neglect your needs or push them to the side. You need to make that time for yourself! As a mom you spend all day giving and giving. You need to replenish that tank! A full tank keeps everyone happy and the key is having a supportive husband and family who is willing to help with the kids. If you aren’t that lucky look at swapping or trading babysitting with a neighbor. You must, I say MUST make that time for yourself. By doing this you will be the mom God created you to be! Another, saving grace for me is MOPS! I love MOPS. They have childcare where I know my children are safe while I get to spend the morning chatting with my friends. MOPS and working out has kept my mom tank full. It is amazing how a good workout helps me walk calmly back into the circus act that I call home. Click here to read more ways and suggestions to keep that mom tank full. It is very important to find things you enjoy and make time for them.
Hi! I’m Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I’m a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 4, 3, and 20 months. This is how I refuel my mom tank:
Ah, the mom tank. Refilling it is one of my favorite past times! 😉 I have discovered a few activities that really do it for me, and I try to be consistently loyal to those activities. I started studying Tae Kwon Do about 14 months ago, and have gone 3-5 hours per week since! I have definitely struggled with my guilty moments for the time I spend working out and the babysitters required during those hours, but in the end I know how incredibly healthy it is for me, both physically and mentally, and how healthy it is for my children to see me doing something good for myself. After a workout, I am ALWAYS energized, happy and SO ready to be back home with my family. In addition to this, I have a few other favorites: baking, blogging, bi-monthly date night with my husband, a few post-bedtime television shows, and the occasional game of Words With Friends. The mom tank is so incredibly precious and important… nothing runs well if it is empty. I think many moms feel that they are doing more of a service to their family by sacrificing the things they would love to do for themselves. But I’ve learned the truth is that, more often then not, mommy guilt controls our “me” time. I wrote a whole post about it here {link to http://twoindiapers.com/2012/09/im-declaring-war.html;}. But as one lovely lady commented on the post, Satan knows where we’re most vulnerable {when it comes to our littles} and attacks us through guilt. I feel very strongly that doing something to refill your tank is vital to being a good mother! One last tip… I have discovered that putting “your” time into the family schedule really helps! My children have a sense of which days and times I work out, and they have it in their little mental routines. They just know that, unless someone is sick or we have another activity to attend, this is where mommy will be. If this just means that every Tuesday afternoon, babysitter so-and-so comes over for 2 hours while you _______ , then so be it and the kiddos will adapt.
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My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1). This is how I refuel my mom tank:
I love this question! For me, the only thing that keeps me sane is having ways to “refuel that mom tank.” And I would say my number one activity to do that is TIME with my girlfriends! Just last night I went out to dinner with two long time friends and it was so much fun to have adult conversation and enjoy eating! We laughed so hard. Granted, we spent a lot of time telling stories about our kids, but we also had adult conversation. Spending time with my girlfriends is one of the highest priorities in my life. I get together with a group of friends from high school every month. I attend Mom’s Night Out with the Local Moms Club once a month, I attend a book club (when I am able) and try to schedule other outings here and there with my girlfriends. My husband is supportive of these nights out because he knows they keep me sane. And it gives him good quality time with our children. Additionally, two times a year I go away for a full weekend. I have been going to the mountains with a group of my sorority sisters from college for the last five years (with the exception of two years ago when I was on bedrest in the hospital!) During this time frame there have been numerous babies born, and not everyone is able to make it every year, but we all make it a very high priority. I look forward to it all year. We pick the dates for the next time before we leave so that we all can plan. I also do at least one other girls weekend with other friends at some point – usually in the Spring. These two girls weekend charge me up like you would not believe. Every mother, working OR stay at home needs these getaways! You have to take time to take care of YOU or it becomes awfully difficult to be the best at taking care of the little ones!
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My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 21 months and Christian 6 years). This is how I refuel my mom tank:
A little bit of rest, relaxation and getting into the word is what gets me going again! A good nights sleep can make a world of difference! Some night’s I’ll go to bed early, around 9:30, even if it makes me feel like a grandma! I wake up the next morning feeling revived! If I’ve had a long day, I’ll spend the evening doing whatever it is I enjoy! Whether it be flipping through a magazine, watching my favorite show or a relaxing warm bath. Taking the time doing things for myself makes me feel better, naturally! 
At least once a week, I ask my husband to watch the kids during the day just so I can get some “ME” time. It’s not much, but it’s enough to make a difference! I might just run to a few stores by myself, go window shopping or head to a couple of places I’ve been wanting to go to. Just getting out and not having to tug my favorite little ones around, is a nice feeling! Even though after a few hours, I’m missing them like crazy! It’s so important to me to have “ME” time. It keeps me on track with my kids, husband and home life. It gives me time to think and let go of anything weighing me down. Reading the Bible is something I want to do more often. Just hearing the word gives me relief, so uplifting and encouraging!
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My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I’m the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months). This is how I refuel my mom tank:

When I had my fourth child, my oldest wasn’t yet in Kindergarten. I had four kids all at home with me, which was quite exhausting and depleting of my “me” time. There wasn’t a second of the day that I wasn’t needed in some way, shape, or form. Some evenings when my husband would walk in the door, I’ve given him a high five and drive to Sonic just to get out of the house for a bit.

Now that my older two are in school, I usually have an hour during the day I can take to recharge a bit. For me, refueling my mom tank usually equates to alone time. Especially alone time doing nothing….like watching a talk show or reading a magazine….or just laying down. I think every mom knows that to be your best self as a mother and wife, you have to take care of yourself first. And luckily, I’ve never had issues with that. I always hear moms say they put themselves last, and that seems so counterproductive to me. Yes, my family is my top priority, and that’s why I make it essential to make sure I’m in a good place mentally and emotionally to be there for my kids and husband. When my mom tank is low/empty, everyone suffers. Besides having sporadic alone time during the day, I also schedule frequent girls nights, bunco night, book club, etc (thanks to my awesomely supportive husband, I’m blessed to be able to do these activities). I’ve found that yoga really helps with the stress of motherhood, too….now only if I would take my own advice
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Your Turn:

How do you refuel your mom tank?
Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!
Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

{ Meet Natasha… }

by Filed Under: blog feature, independent jewelry designer, jewelry, Origami Owl Leave a Comment

{about me}
Hi. My name is Natasha and I am an independent jewelry designer for a company, Origami Owl.  I fell in love with this product for this reason. I am a 25 year old teacher with a passion for inspiring people and making a difference. I love all things fashion and décor. Sunshine makes me smile, and happy commercials make me cry. I first encountered the O2 line, when I went to a jewelry bar with my aunt and could not believe how cool this product was. I fell in love with the idea of telling my story with jewelry. Their “make and take” concept made me want to know more. I needed to be apart of this new trend in customized jewelry. I have been a designer for 4 months and I am having so much fun. This line has given me so much joy.

{about O2}
Origami Owl is a fun way to share your life story, passion, or a cause. From time to time, there is a product that comes out and speaks for itself. This is one of those products. It is a simple concept that engages people with its “build your own locket” method of designing a locket that tells a story.  It is your own personal story.  It will never get old because it is your story.  Even as life and stories change, your locket can change with you.  New additions are always being released and they will always complement what you already have, allowing you to further build up your story even more. Origami Owl Jewelry is more than a necklace… it’s something that touches people’s hearts.

To check out the products, or order, please click HERE!

What I Wore…

by Filed Under: fashion, leopard print, loafers, style, what i wore, what I wore Wednesday 14 Comments

Are you a fan of animal print? I love leopard! I found these leopard loafers and had to have them! Super fun way to add some spunk to your wardrobe! Today, I added them to a business casual- style outfit. Camel colored skinnies, white button up, black sheer camisole and black blazer. What do you think? Paired with red nails and some pretty red lips?!
{ Skinny Jeans: Old Navy, White Button Up: Forever 21, Black Sheer Camisole: White House Black Market, Black Blazer: Forever 21, Leopard Loafers: Target }
STYLELIXIR Style Sessions
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Fotini Roman, Farmhouse Chic Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com