Write Drunk. Edit Later. -- Edgar Allen Poe
This quote was obviously from before texting.
Word of advice readers - Don't drink & text. There is no edit button once it's sent. <3 That's all I got for today. Happy Tuesday ya'all.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Write Drunk.. Edit Later!
I just read a quote that made me giggle....
This quote was obviously from before texting.
Word of advice readers - Don't drink & text. There is no edit button once it's sent. <3 That's all I got for today. Happy Tuesday ya'all.
This quote was obviously from before texting.
Word of advice readers - Don't drink & text. There is no edit button once it's sent. <3 That's all I got for today. Happy Tuesday ya'all.
Monday, July 30, 2012
The Next Step?
I find myself at a point in my life, wondering, what is the next step?
I have a wonderful husband, beautiful daughter, nice home, reliable car, etc. I have a great job. (And let me tell you a secret, I do not have a college degree...) For shame!! Right?
I know I am beyond blessed. And I am very very thankful! Don't get me wrong, but here is why I want to know, what is the next step!?!? What path am I heading down? I see a few options ahead of me.
One of my favorite paths. Nye Beach - Oregon
So here's the back story.
In early April, my work announced an upcoming merger. Here we are nearly 4 months later, and I still do not know if my job will continue once the merger closes at the end of this month. It's nerve-racking to say the least.
My daughter adores her teachers and loves the daycare we take her to. That makes it only slightly easier to be away from her all day. At nearly $7,000 a year, that is a huge expense!
My little business is growing. Not as fast as I would like, but it is. I would need to be processing about 10-15 orders a day to make it my day job, and I get about 10-15 orders a month. I've been thinking about opening up a website so my items will be available for purchase off of Etsy as well and expanding our product line, but that requires investment.
And then, there is the thought, if my job does not continue into the merger, should I try to find a work from home position? I know they are available in my industry, but I am just not sure how few and far between they are...Is it possible to have a work from home professional job, whilest caring for a 2 year old?
So here I am... Wondering what the next step to take is....
I have a wonderful husband, beautiful daughter, nice home, reliable car, etc. I have a great job. (And let me tell you a secret, I do not have a college degree...) For shame!! Right?
I know I am beyond blessed. And I am very very thankful! Don't get me wrong, but here is why I want to know, what is the next step!?!? What path am I heading down? I see a few options ahead of me.
So here's the back story.
In early April, my work announced an upcoming merger. Here we are nearly 4 months later, and I still do not know if my job will continue once the merger closes at the end of this month. It's nerve-racking to say the least.
My daughter adores her teachers and loves the daycare we take her to. That makes it only slightly easier to be away from her all day. At nearly $7,000 a year, that is a huge expense!
My little business is growing. Not as fast as I would like, but it is. I would need to be processing about 10-15 orders a day to make it my day job, and I get about 10-15 orders a month. I've been thinking about opening up a website so my items will be available for purchase off of Etsy as well and expanding our product line, but that requires investment.
And then, there is the thought, if my job does not continue into the merger, should I try to find a work from home position? I know they are available in my industry, but I am just not sure how few and far between they are...Is it possible to have a work from home professional job, whilest caring for a 2 year old?
So here I am... Wondering what the next step to take is....
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Things to Know About Being a Parent & Having a Baby...
My daughter is only 27 months old, but I have already learned so much from pregnancy and being a parent.
As an expectant parent you are overwhelmed by all theannoying helpful, well-meaning advice from family, friends, co-workers, and best of all random strangers on the street. Ya know, by the 3rd trimester, I was ready to just be a hermit. Don't you dare touch my belly. Seriously, stranger danger! Why would you think it is socially acceptable to touch a strangers stomach simply because they are pregnant. Really? Realllllyy!?!?
35 Weeks Pregnant with my daughter. Late March 2010.
I've came to the conclusion that the things I have learned have helped me as a parent, but they might be entirely useless to the next Mama. Every child is different. Every parent is different. Here is what I have learned:
1.) Whether or not I had an epidural is none of your business. Whether you did or didn't, doesn't make you any better or less of a mother than me. Whether or not you do or don't have your child at home, in a hospital, with a mid-wife or doula, none of my business. I won't judge.
2.) "The Happiest Baby on the Block" book was worthless to me. Might be a savior to you. Never know.
3.) You may break down and let your child eat gold fish crackers for breakfast to avoid a meltdown on a Monday morning where you are already running late for work. This does not make you a bad Mama. And anyone making you feel like it does needs to mind their biz-ness.
4.) So many of the items you are told you need to be "ready" for your baby, are frankly, not necessities. Seriously... our commercialized society has told us we "need" "need" "need" and baby items are no exception. Crib with sheet? Diapers? Clothing? All needed. Wipes warmer? Bottle Warmer? Yeah, never used them.
5.) Letting your child fall asleep in your arms each night may be your method of choice, while others might use the cry it out method. Neither is better than the other. Do what works for you. I choose to cuddle my daughter each and every night.. so sue me. I enjoy that time. So does she. Don't hate.
As a reader, if you are a parent already, you know too well what I am sayin'. But we all have one thing in common... Nothing can compare to the love you feel for your child. Your perfect child. Your child will be the cutest, smartest, and no other will compare.
My baby April 2010 - 3 days old.
As an expectant parent you are overwhelmed by all the
35 Weeks Pregnant with my daughter. Late March 2010.
I've came to the conclusion that the things I have learned have helped me as a parent, but they might be entirely useless to the next Mama. Every child is different. Every parent is different. Here is what I have learned:
1.) Whether or not I had an epidural is none of your business. Whether you did or didn't, doesn't make you any better or less of a mother than me. Whether or not you do or don't have your child at home, in a hospital, with a mid-wife or doula, none of my business. I won't judge.
2.) "The Happiest Baby on the Block" book was worthless to me. Might be a savior to you. Never know.
3.) You may break down and let your child eat gold fish crackers for breakfast to avoid a meltdown on a Monday morning where you are already running late for work. This does not make you a bad Mama. And anyone making you feel like it does needs to mind their biz-ness.
4.) So many of the items you are told you need to be "ready" for your baby, are frankly, not necessities. Seriously... our commercialized society has told us we "need" "need" "need" and baby items are no exception. Crib with sheet? Diapers? Clothing? All needed. Wipes warmer? Bottle Warmer? Yeah, never used them.
5.) Letting your child fall asleep in your arms each night may be your method of choice, while others might use the cry it out method. Neither is better than the other. Do what works for you. I choose to cuddle my daughter each and every night.. so sue me. I enjoy that time. So does she. Don't hate.
As a reader, if you are a parent already, you know too well what I am sayin'. But we all have one thing in common... Nothing can compare to the love you feel for your child. Your perfect child. Your child will be the cutest, smartest, and no other will compare.
My baby April 2010 - 3 days old.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Shake It Baby! Operation Fit Mama: Shakeology Review
Beachbody is known for it's great fitness videos, i.e. P90x, Insanity, TurboJam, etc. But have you heard of Shakeology?? Here is what Beachbody has to say about Shakeology.
The next thing that impressed me was that I used our "Magic Bullet" to mix my drink since it was early in the morning and I was the only one in the family awake yet. I didn't want to bust out the mac daddy blender. Shakeology really does blend evenly! Even in the Magic Bullet! No chunks of powder. That's a definite plus in my book! As a meal replacement, I think it also passes the test. I was not starving by lunch time and felt just as satisfied as when I ate my usual breakfast. I haven't used it long term to attest for it's aiding in weight lost, lowering cholesterol, etc. But did notice they offer a 30 day money back guarantee, even if the bag is empty. So there really isn't much to lose! Interested in trying Shakeology? You can visit Beachbody.com to find out more and order yours!
Shakeology isn't just a protein shake, it is total nutrition. Shakeology contains over 70 ultra-high quality ingredients to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet.
What's in it? * Protein from whey, which is highly absorbable, gives you 8 amino acids that help you build muscle, lose weight, supoort brain function, and keep your skin and bones healthy. * 23 vitamins and minerals to support optimum health. * Antioxidants to boost the immune system and help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heard disease, heart attacks, blood pressure, and stroke. *Phytonutrients to support immune function and have anti-inflammatory properties. Many phytonutrients have antioxidant properties as well. *Prebiotics and digestive enzymes to support digestive health. Shakeology works to ways when taken daily. It helps your body gently eliminate toxins while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. It will also reduce cravings, help you feel more energized, keep you full, and it is scientifically proven to reduce "bad" cholesterol levels by an average of 38%Ok, so I was given the opportunity to try Shakeology. And I was pleasantly surprised. I'm a follower in the sense that my husband is very into nutrition, and he does a lot of research. His protein drink of choice, Syntrax has thus been my protein shake of choice. I don't venture far off the beaten path, but I had always been curious about Shakeology. So, the thing I was most surprised about Shakeology when I first really looking into it is that, it is also GMO free, casein free, gluten free, corn free, honey free, MSG free, shellfish free, yeast free, peant free, excitiotoxin free, penicillin free, synthetic vitamin free, and artificial sweetner free. I love that it is vegan. And the no MSG, GMO or artificial sweetners is great. But for someone who is very allergic to penicillin, I found it scary to think that Shakeology boasts their "lack of" penicillin. Are there really nutritional supplements out there that do contain something I'm very allergic of? You bet your buns I'm going to look for that on labels now! The Shakeology I tried was the Chocolate and it was very yummy! I mixed mine with about 3/4 cup fat free milk, 3 cubes of ice, and a handful of fresh ripe raspberries. It didn't smell vitamin-ee (is that a word?) like many supplements. It also didn't take artificial. I'm used to nutritional supplements not tasting that great, so this was impressive.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Winners Announced! Are you one of them?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Emails are going out momentarily to notify the winners. Thank you everyone for participating!
Emails are going out momentarily to notify the winners. Thank you everyone for participating!
Linky Party: Getting to Know You...Vacation Style!
Hello friends! I am co-hosting a Getting to Know You this week with Cat! Thank you Cat for letting me tag along! =)
Welcome back to the Getting To Know You linky-party! Your co-hosts this week are
Cat from Stuff I Love
Ricki from Adventures with Rogue Baby
Here's how it works:
1) Copy the questions below.
2) Fill them out - be creative, we want to see the real you.
3) Include some photos if you like.
4) Grab the button to share so everyone can link up.
5) Check out a few new people and make some friends!
I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!
1) What has been your favorite vacation?
2) What was your most exotic vacation?
3) What was your worst vacation?
4) What is your craziest vacation story?
5) What is your dream vacation?
6) If you could vacation with any 3 celebrities, who would you take?
7) Who is/are your favorite people to vacation with?
8) What is the best gift that someone has brought you back from a vacation?
9) What kinds of vacations did you take as a kid?
My Answers:
1.) What has been your favorite vacation?
Definitely, Hawaii! My husband and I went to Hawaii in July 2006. It was so much fun. Would love, love, love to go back!
2.) What has been your most exotic vacation?
Let me stop you right here, and tell you. We haven't been on too many vacations. In the 10+ years we have been together, we have been to Hawaii once, and had several mini-vacas to the Oregon Coast, so the remainder of this is going to be quite boring. You can stop reading now. You have my permission.
One of many hikes on the Oregon Coast. Not exotic.
3.) What was your worst vacation?
I honestly can't say I have had that bad of a vacation, since I haven't had many. When I was 11 or so, my sister and I flew to Arizona to visit family over winter break, and our bags got lost, and we didn't have our clothes most of the trip. Guess that counts as my worst vacation experience. Guess I should count myself blessed.
4.) What is your craziest vacation story?
Hmm, don't really have one. Craziest vacation moment... My husband and I took some friends with us to Leavenworth, WA for Oktoberfest. For those of you who don't know, it's this tiny Bavarian town set among snow capped mountains. Oktoberfest people, is amazing fun. We get there, and the first night we go to have dinner, and our friend asks the waitress for a Miller Light. You know one of those scenes where the outsider walks into an old west saloon? Yeah, you could hear crickets...
Yeah, not anything super crazy or exciting, so sue me! Or better yet, offer me a free vacation so I can go have some crazy adventures!
5.) What is your dream vacation?
Definitely kayaking in Fiji. Staying in one of those little huts right on the water.
6.) If you could vacation with any three celebrities, who would you take?
You know, I'm not really that into celebrities. I'd rather bring good friends or close family. Unless it was a celebrity who was super generous with their money that would pay for our entire vacation...
7.) Who are your favorite people to vacation with?
My husband and daughter for sure. I love at this age that she is so curious about everything! Can't wait to take her to the zoo, OMSI, etc.
Playing at the ocean
8.) What is the best gift someone has brought you back from a vacation?
My aunt brought me back a super cool ring from Europe when I was young. I wore it for years until the band wore down and broke.
9.) What kinds of vacation did you take as a kid?
Seriously, this has made me realize, I severly lack in the traveling department. As a child, we often traveled from Idaho to the Washington Coast... Huge, I know! I do fondly remember going camping up in Canada at Kootenai Lake, and going to the Ainsworth Hot Springs.
I did get to go on one very special vacation with my Grandma and Grandpa when I was 14 or so. We flew into Reno, NV, drove through Carson City, Virginia City (ghost town), visited Yosemite National Park, and then met more family at a cabin on Twin Lakes, in Eastern California.
Ricki from Adventures with Rogue Baby
Here's how it works:
1) Copy the questions below.
2) Fill them out - be creative, we want to see the real you.
3) Include some photos if you like.
4) Grab the button to share so everyone can link up.
5) Check out a few new people and make some friends!
I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!
<div align="center"><a href="http://babystuffilove.blogspot.com/search/label/Gettingtoknowyou" title="Getting To Know You"><img src="http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee435/mrscat206/Gettingtoknowyou150.jpg" alt="Getting To Know You" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
Getting To Know You: Vacations
1) What has been your favorite vacation?
2) What was your most exotic vacation?
3) What was your worst vacation?
4) What is your craziest vacation story?
5) What is your dream vacation?
6) If you could vacation with any 3 celebrities, who would you take?
7) Who is/are your favorite people to vacation with?
8) What is the best gift that someone has brought you back from a vacation?
9) What kinds of vacations did you take as a kid?
My Answers:
1.) What has been your favorite vacation?
Definitely, Hawaii! My husband and I went to Hawaii in July 2006. It was so much fun. Would love, love, love to go back!
2.) What has been your most exotic vacation?
Let me stop you right here, and tell you. We haven't been on too many vacations. In the 10+ years we have been together, we have been to Hawaii once, and had several mini-vacas to the Oregon Coast, so the remainder of this is going to be quite boring. You can stop reading now. You have my permission.
3.) What was your worst vacation?
I honestly can't say I have had that bad of a vacation, since I haven't had many. When I was 11 or so, my sister and I flew to Arizona to visit family over winter break, and our bags got lost, and we didn't have our clothes most of the trip. Guess that counts as my worst vacation experience. Guess I should count myself blessed.
4.) What is your craziest vacation story?
Hmm, don't really have one. Craziest vacation moment... My husband and I took some friends with us to Leavenworth, WA for Oktoberfest. For those of you who don't know, it's this tiny Bavarian town set among snow capped mountains. Oktoberfest people, is amazing fun. We get there, and the first night we go to have dinner, and our friend asks the waitress for a Miller Light. You know one of those scenes where the outsider walks into an old west saloon? Yeah, you could hear crickets...
Yeah, not anything super crazy or exciting, so sue me! Or better yet, offer me a free vacation so I can go have some crazy adventures!
5.) What is your dream vacation?
Definitely kayaking in Fiji. Staying in one of those little huts right on the water.
6.) If you could vacation with any three celebrities, who would you take?
You know, I'm not really that into celebrities. I'd rather bring good friends or close family. Unless it was a celebrity who was super generous with their money that would pay for our entire vacation...
7.) Who are your favorite people to vacation with?
My husband and daughter for sure. I love at this age that she is so curious about everything! Can't wait to take her to the zoo, OMSI, etc.
8.) What is the best gift someone has brought you back from a vacation?
My aunt brought me back a super cool ring from Europe when I was young. I wore it for years until the band wore down and broke.
9.) What kinds of vacation did you take as a kid?
Seriously, this has made me realize, I severly lack in the traveling department. As a child, we often traveled from Idaho to the Washington Coast... Huge, I know! I do fondly remember going camping up in Canada at Kootenai Lake, and going to the Ainsworth Hot Springs.
I did get to go on one very special vacation with my Grandma and Grandpa when I was 14 or so. We flew into Reno, NV, drove through Carson City, Virginia City (ghost town), visited Yosemite National Park, and then met more family at a cabin on Twin Lakes, in Eastern California.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
29 in year 29
Hello Friends!
Erin over at Living in Yellow posted a pretty cool post today. The 26 things she'd like to do in year 26 of her life and then, she decided to open it up to a link up! Sweet! I love when people come up with interesting content for my blog for me. Nothin' better!
So, I will turn 29 in October, so I decided to do my 29 in 29, since I don't have enough of 28 left to get the job done. So here goes!
1.) Take our daughter to the zoo. Probably Oregon Zoo, or the one in Seattle.
2.) Run in a 5k.
3.) Hit 250 followers on the blog.
4.) Expand "The Rogue Baby" shop beyond Etsy.
5.) Payoff debt. 3 year plan to be debt free baby! Gonna stick to it!
6.) Finish our remodel on our house. Cannot wait for the master bedroom redo.
7.) Go to an IMAX movie.
8.) Go to an Oregon Ducks game.
9.) Reach my goal weight!
10.) Learn to make eggs benedict.
11.) Go kayaking more often.
12.) Re-learn to sew! So many pinterest projects await my regaining this ability.
13.) Focus on family time. My daughter will only be this young once.
14.) Read my bible daily.
15.) Put together an emergency preparedness kit. Seriously, been meaning to do that forever and keep procrastinating.
16.) Organize my filing cabinet, ha ha, yeah, this is the least likely to happen of all.
17.) Get my crafting / shop space more functional. Crafting room makeover / overhaul.
18.) Celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary somewhere special (Sept. 2013)
19.) Buy more shoes! A girl can never have too many.
20.) Try brussel sprouts. Weird, right? I've just never tried them. Hear they are awful, but how I can possibly turn 30 not knowing the taste of brussel sprouts!?!?
21.) Read a book from cover to cover. No biggie you say? Well, it is. Since my daughter was born, I have yet to accomplish this.. says the girl who once read all 4 Twilight books in a row in under 72 hours....
22.) Take our daughter to see airplanes. She loves "Pair-Planes". I would love to take her to an aviation museum!
23.) Grow a garden. Zucchini, tomatoes, strawberries, etc. Next summer!
24.) Finally get the windows tinted on my car. Owned it for 3 1/2 years, and each summer I say I will, and I never do.
25.) Take our daughter to see snow this winter. It's something I took for granted growing up in the Northwest, but here, we don't see much of it. Will be a blast to take her to the snow to play.
26.) Spend my first night ever away from our daughter. I know, I know, it's gotta happen someday. Cut the cord Mama!!! I think it will be tougher on her than me at this point.
27.) Do something drastic with my hair. Warning: this may occur sooner... I am getting very anxious for some change.
28.) Have movie marathon weekends! Star Wars, Back to the Future, The Lord of the Rings, etc. How fun would that be?
29.) Go camping more often!
Erin over at Living in Yellow posted a pretty cool post today. The 26 things she'd like to do in year 26 of her life and then, she decided to open it up to a link up! Sweet! I love when people come up with interesting content for my blog for me. Nothin' better!
Disclaimer: Gonna apologize for lack of photos right now. I've been freaked out lately by all the talk about getting sued for using images on your blog that aren't yours, so I will have to sift through my thousands of photos on our laptop to find ones that fit this post.
So, I will turn 29 in October, so I decided to do my 29 in 29, since I don't have enough of 28 left to get the job done. So here goes!
1.) Take our daughter to the zoo. Probably Oregon Zoo, or the one in Seattle.
2.) Run in a 5k.
3.) Hit 250 followers on the blog.
4.) Expand "The Rogue Baby" shop beyond Etsy.
5.) Payoff debt. 3 year plan to be debt free baby! Gonna stick to it!
6.) Finish our remodel on our house. Cannot wait for the master bedroom redo.
7.) Go to an IMAX movie.
8.) Go to an Oregon Ducks game.
9.) Reach my goal weight!
10.) Learn to make eggs benedict.
11.) Go kayaking more often.
12.) Re-learn to sew! So many pinterest projects await my regaining this ability.
13.) Focus on family time. My daughter will only be this young once.
14.) Read my bible daily.
15.) Put together an emergency preparedness kit. Seriously, been meaning to do that forever and keep procrastinating.
16.) Organize my filing cabinet, ha ha, yeah, this is the least likely to happen of all.
17.) Get my crafting / shop space more functional. Crafting room makeover / overhaul.
18.) Celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary somewhere special (Sept. 2013)
19.) Buy more shoes! A girl can never have too many.
20.) Try brussel sprouts. Weird, right? I've just never tried them. Hear they are awful, but how I can possibly turn 30 not knowing the taste of brussel sprouts!?!?
21.) Read a book from cover to cover. No biggie you say? Well, it is. Since my daughter was born, I have yet to accomplish this.. says the girl who once read all 4 Twilight books in a row in under 72 hours....
22.) Take our daughter to see airplanes. She loves "Pair-Planes". I would love to take her to an aviation museum!
23.) Grow a garden. Zucchini, tomatoes, strawberries, etc. Next summer!
24.) Finally get the windows tinted on my car. Owned it for 3 1/2 years, and each summer I say I will, and I never do.
25.) Take our daughter to see snow this winter. It's something I took for granted growing up in the Northwest, but here, we don't see much of it. Will be a blast to take her to the snow to play.
26.) Spend my first night ever away from our daughter. I know, I know, it's gotta happen someday. Cut the cord Mama!!! I think it will be tougher on her than me at this point.
27.) Do something drastic with my hair. Warning: this may occur sooner... I am getting very anxious for some change.
28.) Have movie marathon weekends! Star Wars, Back to the Future, The Lord of the Rings, etc. How fun would that be?
29.) Go camping more often!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Do U Love Me? Do U Love Me? Nowwww..that..I...cannn...bloggg???
(To the tune of.. Do you love me, now that I can dance?)Ok, now in all seriousness... Who wants to sponsor Adventures with Rogue Baby in August?
End Song.
I have some paid options through PassionFruitAds available in my sponsor tab, but I am always interested in ad swaps, guest posts, reviews, etc.
From July 1 until now, my Facebook fans have increased from 379 to 519! Twitter followers from 79 to 118! If you too are an "up and coming" newer blog, I'd love to work with you and cross-promote!
Ok, in all honesty, I suck at self-promotion. Like me or don't. Be my bloggie friend or not. It's not that I don't care.. I do. I love all my sweet readers! I just suck at talking myself up! But I love talking about all of you!!
Speaking of sweet bloggie friends... Vanessa from over at Cutiful made me my fantastic new signature. And I absolutely LOVE it. She is so insanely talented. Seriously... If you haven't checked out her Etsy Shop, you really should. You will find stuff like....
Thanks again Vaness for the lovely signature. I no longer look quite as blog-ghetto!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Blog Hop - Weekly Wrap-Up Volume 2
Hello There! Another week has gone by, and boy was it a busy one!
I am so happy this week to have Vanessa from Cutiful as my co-host! Be sure to go check her blog out and say hello! (P.S. She's on my sidebar as well! And if you haven't seen 'em yet, she makes the cutest "quiet books"!)
The rules are pretty simple. Link up your weekly wrap-ups. Of course, the more positivity the better, but hey, I know we all have those bad weeks! At a loss for your format? Try 5 positives and 1 negative that sum up your week.
Please link up your posts below, follow the host and co-host(s) and put a button on your sidebar or in post if you have room. =)
So here is my week, in a nut shell.
I am thankful because:
1.) Week one of getting back in shape is in the books, and I have lost 3 pounds! Yay me! Wish it were more, but it's a start!
2.) I added some adorable new items to my shop, such as....
Oh yeah, and the model. Yeah.. she's my everything. I love that kid more than she will ever know!
3.) I got my replacement Diamond Candle in the mail. It smelled amazing, and the ring was far more tolerable!
4.) I had the best experience ordering from The Ribbon Retreat. Ordered Friday 7/13, received Monday, 7/16. Can't get much better than that. And all the supplies I bought were adorable!! Seriously, no compensation here.. but if you are a crafter, definitely go check out The Ribbon Retreat for your crafting supplies. Not just ribbon, they have fabric, buttons, embellishments, etc. and at great prices!!!
5.) Family time at the coast. Priceless!!
I am so happy this week to have Vanessa from Cutiful as my co-host! Be sure to go check her blog out and say hello! (P.S. She's on my sidebar as well! And if you haven't seen 'em yet, she makes the cutest "quiet books"!)
The rules are pretty simple. Link up your weekly wrap-ups. Of course, the more positivity the better, but hey, I know we all have those bad weeks! At a loss for your format? Try 5 positives and 1 negative that sum up your week.
Please link up your posts below, follow the host and co-host(s) and put a button on your sidebar or in post if you have room. =)
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.roguebaby.blogspot.com" title="The Weekly Wrap-Up with Rogue Baby"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/Ricki8597/Untitled852258-1.jpg" alt="The Weekly Wrap-Up with Rogue Baby" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
So here is my week, in a nut shell.
I am thankful because:
1.) Week one of getting back in shape is in the books, and I have lost 3 pounds! Yay me! Wish it were more, but it's a start!
2.) I added some adorable new items to my shop, such as....
Oh yeah, and the model. Yeah.. she's my everything. I love that kid more than she will ever know!
3.) I got my replacement Diamond Candle in the mail. It smelled amazing, and the ring was far more tolerable!
4.) I had the best experience ordering from The Ribbon Retreat. Ordered Friday 7/13, received Monday, 7/16. Can't get much better than that. And all the supplies I bought were adorable!! Seriously, no compensation here.. but if you are a crafter, definitely go check out The Ribbon Retreat for your crafting supplies. Not just ribbon, they have fabric, buttons, embellishments, etc. and at great prices!!!
5.) Family time at the coast. Priceless!!
Friday, July 20, 2012
A Giveaway - Because I have the BEST Readers & Bloggie buddies!
So two super awesome things made me realize, I definitely have the best readers and blog buddies out there!
#1 - I reached and exceeded 100 followers on Twitter. No big deal you say? I say, for someone who is self-proclaimed Twitter illiterate, it's a huge deal!
#2 - I met and exceeded 500 fans on my Facebook page.
This means so much to me, to see my dream (my little shop and blog) growing! Thank you all for reading, shopping, and supporting my little dream!!!
Thank you also to the wonderful ladies who so graciously decided to help me make the giveaway just a little sweeter!
$10 credit to TheRogueBaby on Etsy
SHOP FACEBOOK TWITTER
$10 credit to TwoShadesOfLovely on Etsy (with free shipping) from Two Shades of Lovely
BLOG FACEBOOK TWITTER PINTEREST SHOP
1 month Feature Ad Space at Simply Just Lovely
BLOG TWITTER FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM
2 Months Small Ad Space at Mom2MemphisandRuby!
BLOG FACEBOOK TWITTER PHOTOGRAPHY
1 Month 200x200 Ad Space at Let Them Eat Cake
BLOG FACEBOOK TWITTER
a Rafflecopter giveaway
#1 - I reached and exceeded 100 followers on Twitter. No big deal you say? I say, for someone who is self-proclaimed Twitter illiterate, it's a huge deal!
#2 - I met and exceeded 500 fans on my Facebook page.
This means so much to me, to see my dream (my little shop and blog) growing! Thank you all for reading, shopping, and supporting my little dream!!!
Thank you also to the wonderful ladies who so graciously decided to help me make the giveaway just a little sweeter!
There are some super sweet items up for grabs!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, July 16, 2012
You Must Dress for Success & Shoes Come First!
There's an old saying, "You must dress for success." Wanna know where I want to succeed? Here comes the same old story.
I want to reach my goal weight. Broken record much? I'm sure many of you can relate.
This means so much more to me than just a number though. I want to be able to run. I want to be able to go hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and keep up with my husband!
I don't want to be the Mom who was never in pictures over the years, because Ihate am embarrased of the way I look. I have come to the realization, it's far over due for some change.
I've taken the first step in the process. Admitting to myself I have a food addiction, of sorts at least. I eat when I'm bored. No, not celery or something healthy. Nope, give me bread or pasta or chips. Ya know, the stuff your body turns into fat in t-minus zero seconds.
I've also allowed myself to indulge far too often in alcholic beverages. Beer distributors should be required to list caloric value on each bottle. A typical Saturday night for me of beer or other adult drinks could easily equal 1000 or more calories! What?!?
I've got a ways to go. I have a number in my mind. A number I haven't weighed since middle school. I'm 5'2" and according to most BMI calculators, {brace yourself folks}
_________________________I AM OBESE __________________________
and I should weigh: between 100-126 pounds. My goal: 120 pounds. That means, I have 55 pounds to lose! Yikes! I'm going to leave it up to ya'all to do the math on that one. I refuse to actually document my starting weight in numeral format.
So, back to the dressing for success.... I went to the store today to pick up some new running shoes. I ran last night. 2 miles in fact. But my heels are killing me today! The Adidas running shoes I have are not cutting it. And I felt new shoes were in order. I wonder how these beauties I bought will work on the treadmill?
Aren't they cute? Maybe when I lose the first 10 pounds, I'll buy myself some new workout clothes to match!
I want to reach my goal weight. Broken record much? I'm sure many of you can relate.
This means so much more to me than just a number though. I want to be able to run. I want to be able to go hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and keep up with my husband!
I don't want to be the Mom who was never in pictures over the years, because I
I've taken the first step in the process. Admitting to myself I have a food addiction, of sorts at least. I eat when I'm bored. No, not celery or something healthy. Nope, give me bread or pasta or chips. Ya know, the stuff your body turns into fat in t-minus zero seconds.
I've also allowed myself to indulge far too often in alcholic beverages. Beer distributors should be required to list caloric value on each bottle. A typical Saturday night for me of beer or other adult drinks could easily equal 1000 or more calories! What?!?
I've got a ways to go. I have a number in my mind. A number I haven't weighed since middle school. I'm 5'2" and according to most BMI calculators, {brace yourself folks}
_________________________I AM OBESE __________________________
and I should weigh: between 100-126 pounds. My goal: 120 pounds. That means, I have 55 pounds to lose! Yikes! I'm going to leave it up to ya'all to do the math on that one. I refuse to actually document my starting weight in numeral format.
So, back to the dressing for success.... I went to the store today to pick up some new running shoes. I ran last night. 2 miles in fact. But my heels are killing me today! The Adidas running shoes I have are not cutting it. And I felt new shoes were in order. I wonder how these beauties I bought will work on the treadmill?
I did really buy these! I couldn't not buy them. $98 Jessica Simpson shoes for $19.99, yes, I think I will!!But I did find some running shoes too, that I am equally excited about.
Aren't they cute? Maybe when I lose the first 10 pounds, I'll buy myself some new workout clothes to match!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Blog Hop - The Weekly Wrap-Up - Volume 1
Hello there!
I've co-hosted some uh-mazing blog hops with some great gals! {Like the Tuesday 10 with Mom2MemphisAndRuby and That Friday Blog Hop with Let Them Eat Cake. But never, have I taken on the task myself.
I don't know about you, but I tend to be a pessimist. Left to my thoughts, I can dwell on the bummers of day to day life. I find it helpful to reflect on the day / week/ month and try to focus on the positives.
Introducing.... The Weekly Wrap-Up!
The rules are pretty simple. Link up your weekly wrap-ups. Of course, the more positivity the better, but hey, I know we all have those bad weeks! At a loss for your format? Try 5 positives and 1 negative that sum up your week.
Please link up your posts below and put a button on your sidebar or in post if you have room. =)
So here is my week, in a nut shell.
I am thankful because:
1.) Hooray for 500+ facebook fans! That seems like a pretty big milestone to me. So much so, I'm organizing a super fantastic giveaway that is going to go live this Friday!
2.) Super Hooray for 100+ Twitter followers. For a gal who is still mostly Twitter illiterate, this seems like a pretty.big.deal.
3.) I worked out today, for the first time, in a long time. I'm fairly active in day to day life. Taking BooBoo for walks in the stroll, etc. But I'm talking 2 mile run on the treadmill type working out. Note to self: Felt great. Need to do that more.
4.) I successfully avoided processed food for the entire week and stuck within my meal plan, for the most part.
5.) My little dream. My little shop is starting to grow. Yesterday, I had record numbers of views to my shop and a nearly record day on sales. I love to see all my hard work paying off.
I coulda done without:
Realizing that what I weigh, right now, at this minute, is what I weighed at 9 months pregnant. No excuses. Something.has.got.to.give!
Now, I want to know. How was your week? What are you thankful for?
I've co-hosted some uh-mazing blog hops with some great gals! {Like the Tuesday 10 with Mom2MemphisAndRuby and That Friday Blog Hop with Let Them Eat Cake. But never, have I taken on the task myself.
I don't know about you, but I tend to be a pessimist. Left to my thoughts, I can dwell on the bummers of day to day life. I find it helpful to reflect on the day / week/ month and try to focus on the positives.
Introducing.... The Weekly Wrap-Up!
The rules are pretty simple. Link up your weekly wrap-ups. Of course, the more positivity the better, but hey, I know we all have those bad weeks! At a loss for your format? Try 5 positives and 1 negative that sum up your week.
Please link up your posts below and put a button on your sidebar or in post if you have room. =)
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.roguebaby.blogspot.com" title="The Weekly Wrap-Up with Rogue Baby"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/Ricki8597/Untitled852258-1.jpg" alt="The Weekly Wrap-Up with Rogue Baby" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
So here is my week, in a nut shell.
I am thankful because:
1.) Hooray for 500+ facebook fans! That seems like a pretty big milestone to me. So much so, I'm organizing a super fantastic giveaway that is going to go live this Friday!
2.) Super Hooray for 100+ Twitter followers. For a gal who is still mostly Twitter illiterate, this seems like a pretty.big.deal.
3.) I worked out today, for the first time, in a long time. I'm fairly active in day to day life. Taking BooBoo for walks in the stroll, etc. But I'm talking 2 mile run on the treadmill type working out. Note to self: Felt great. Need to do that more.
4.) I successfully avoided processed food for the entire week and stuck within my meal plan, for the most part.
5.) My little dream. My little shop is starting to grow. Yesterday, I had record numbers of views to my shop and a nearly record day on sales. I love to see all my hard work paying off.
I coulda done without:
Realizing that what I weigh, right now, at this minute, is what I weighed at 9 months pregnant. No excuses. Something.has.got.to.give!
Now, I want to know. How was your week? What are you thankful for?
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Rogue Baby Sale & Diamond Candle Update
I woke up this morning to over 450 fans on Facebook. Last I checked, we were at 475 and rising! Thank you all for the continued support!!! In appreciation, today only, use code 450FANS for 20% off in the Rogue Baby shop. Use the "shop" tab above to visit the store and see what goodies we have for sale.
And a quick update on Diamond Candles. I was given a code for a free candle, I just had to pay the $5 shipping. So I have a "Gingerbread Latte" on it's way to me. I will post "round 2" of Diamond Candles when it arrives. I am optimistic the scent will be better. There are so many great reviews on their site and repeat customers. I think they do have something good going on. And here's to wishing I get a cuter ring. ;)
And a quick update on Diamond Candles. I was given a code for a free candle, I just had to pay the $5 shipping. So I have a "Gingerbread Latte" on it's way to me. I will post "round 2" of Diamond Candles when it arrives. I am optimistic the scent will be better. There are so many great reviews on their site and repeat customers. I think they do have something good going on. And here's to wishing I get a cuter ring. ;)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Ring Reveal: Diamond Candles
So last Sunday, I posted about receiving my very first Diamond Candle. I was so excited to receive it. The concept of this product is genius! Each of these soy candles has a ring inside. Yes, every candle has a ring inside! It's best described as a cracker jack box for adults. And I admit, there is a certain amount of value to that sheer anticipation.
The rings vary from $10 costume jewelry pieces up to $5,000 geniune gold and diamond pieces. I realistically knew the odds of getting the $10 costume jewelry piece are pretty high. But some of them I'd seen online were still pretty cute. And besides, there is a swap site for trading out your Diamond Candle rings that don't fit you or aren't your style. That site can be found here.
So, we left off with my candle having burnt for less than 2 hours or so. I'd say it takes about 4-6 hours to see the foil pack visibly. On a side note, after all that time, not much scent is coming from the candle still, and it definitely doesn't smell like coconut to me. Maybe a bland vanilla at best? And you can only smell the scent if you are hovering over the candle. Kind of disappointing. Being a die-hard Bath & Body Works Wallflower fan, and most recently Scentsy fan, I expect a good strong scent. Not give you a headache scent, but enough to smell it from 10 feet or so away when it's been going for awhile.
In fairness, I contacted Diamond Candles regarding the lack of scent. The Q&A on their page regarding lack of scent indicates this:
So I emailed Diamond Candles yesterday, letting them know I followed their suggestion. Okay, only 2 days, but still.... I'm not really buying the whole scent blind thing. I have not yet received a response from them, but am hoping to soon and will keep you all posted.
But you're really here to find out what great ring I got, right? Well, as I suspected, and as my luck usually goes. I got possibly one of the cheapest and ugliest I've yet to see! But my 2 year old thinks it's pretty cool.
I'm not sure if the "manly class ring" look or the plastic rhinestone stone is worse. But it was still a fun experience. And in all honesty, I will probably try Diamond Candles again. Definitely a different scent. And hopefully my luck will be better next time around. And at the very least, the jar is nice. I have plans for repurposing it when I'm done with the candle, but that is for another day.
The rings vary from $10 costume jewelry pieces up to $5,000 geniune gold and diamond pieces. I realistically knew the odds of getting the $10 costume jewelry piece are pretty high. But some of them I'd seen online were still pretty cute. And besides, there is a swap site for trading out your Diamond Candle rings that don't fit you or aren't your style. That site can be found here.
So, we left off with my candle having burnt for less than 2 hours or so. I'd say it takes about 4-6 hours to see the foil pack visibly. On a side note, after all that time, not much scent is coming from the candle still, and it definitely doesn't smell like coconut to me. Maybe a bland vanilla at best? And you can only smell the scent if you are hovering over the candle. Kind of disappointing. Being a die-hard Bath & Body Works Wallflower fan, and most recently Scentsy fan, I expect a good strong scent. Not give you a headache scent, but enough to smell it from 10 feet or so away when it's been going for awhile.
In fairness, I contacted Diamond Candles regarding the lack of scent. The Q&A on their page regarding lack of scent indicates this:
I can't smell my candle, what should I do?
Last Updated: May 21, 2012 04:29PM EDT
First check and blow the candle out and light a completely different scent for 3 or 4 days and then come back to the candle that you believe is having the issue. Light it, go into a different room and then come back about 30 minutes after you first light it. This should take care of it for you as our noses can become 'scent blind' to scents we get used to and not notice them anymore.
If after that you still can't smell it have someone else verify that there is no smell and then get in contact with us. We stand behind the quality of our products and if there is literally no smell we want to know about it and make sure you are taken care of. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority.
So I emailed Diamond Candles yesterday, letting them know I followed their suggestion. Okay, only 2 days, but still.... I'm not really buying the whole scent blind thing. I have not yet received a response from them, but am hoping to soon and will keep you all posted.
But you're really here to find out what great ring I got, right? Well, as I suspected, and as my luck usually goes. I got possibly one of the cheapest and ugliest I've yet to see! But my 2 year old thinks it's pretty cool.
I'm not sure if the "manly class ring" look or the plastic rhinestone stone is worse. But it was still a fun experience. And in all honesty, I will probably try Diamond Candles again. Definitely a different scent. And hopefully my luck will be better next time around. And at the very least, the jar is nice. I have plans for repurposing it when I'm done with the candle, but that is for another day.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Guest Post: DIY iPhone Case by Rebecca from Let Them Eat Cake
Ok folks, you know I don't even own a smart phone, but I understand, most of you probably do. Rebecca has been kind enough to come share a super cool tutorial with us today. She happens to be one of the many fantastic ladies hanging out on the sidebar this month! - Ricki -
Hey guys, my name is Rebecca and I blog over at Let Them Eat Cake. Today I am sharing with you how to make your own custom iPhone case in just minutes. It's super easy and the best part is, you can change it up whenever you want! So here is the tutorial:
So I totally am a picky person when it comes to so many things. Such a purses, cases for my phone, etc.... and of course, I needed a new case for mine. All the cases I liked were either way out of my price range or just not available. I knew there were people who came up with ways to create your own and for cheap. And was I right!
So I totally am a picky person when it comes to so many things. Such a purses, cases for my phone, etc.... and of course, I needed a new case for mine. All the cases I liked were either way out of my price range or just not available. I knew there were people who came up with ways to create your own and for cheap. And was I right!
I ran into a little site after doing some web searches called Mags Rags To Riches and found she had a tutorial there on making your own! Awesome. So I decided to finally give it a try today.
Her original post for this is found HERE and of course, her photos look so much better then mine.
Sucky thing is when you only rely on your phone as your only camera, then need to photograph your phone...what is a girl to do? So I had to try the best I could and use my webcam on my laptop. So I apologize for the horrible shots in advance that I tried to clean up a bit and edit to make them a bit more likeable. Oh well, you get the gist of it anyway.
So here is what I used:
Scissors
Pencil
iPhone
Scrapbook Paper {from Michaels}
Clear Backing Case
I then turned the paper over so the back was facing up and traced around my phone in the exact shape of the curves and all
Next, I cut the paper with the scissors and put the paper inside the clear case to trace around where the back of the camera lens would be
I then just cut at first around the circle but it was not working as well as I wanted it to so I then just took Mag's advice and cut a big square around the whole shape
Eh, it's not too shabby for a first attempt. I may re try and prefect the back camera area since I have plenty of paper left {which by the way only cost me $0.20} so I can afford to screw up and play around. And the best part, I can switch out the back now as often as I want and to any special occasion as well. How perfect is that? Thanks Mag for the great idea.
Thanks Rebecca! Feel free to stop by any time!
P.S. Stay tuned for my "ring reveal" tomorrow!!!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Jumping on another band wagon....
Sometimes jumping on a band wagon is a good thing.
I reluctantly joined Twitter a couple months ago, and am still working on getting the hang of that. So for all my Twitter followers, thank you for putting up with me!
The newest craze I recently gave into is Diamond Candles. I'd love if they were paying me to post this, but they aren't. This is my straight up opinion. I'd love if they sent me a couple free ones too, but I digress. =)
I have been fascinated by the idea of Diamond Candles for some time now. When I was little, my mother would buy Treasure Candles. Are those still around? She'd burn them on a paper plate, and as the wax melted, treasures would surface. They.were.awesome!
I am excited that my very first Diamond Candle arrived today!!! I purchased the Hawaiian Coconut scent. Just started burning it and not much scent yet. Was really hoping for a yummy coconut smell! My only big complaint is it's burning so slowly, but guess you can't complain about the long burn time, right?
I got a great deal by buying a voucher on Plum District. $25 for a candle regularly is a bit of a splurge for me, but did you know, each Diamond Candle has a ring inside? Varying in value from $10, $100, $1000, even $5000? That sounds pretty sweet to me!
You can check out Diamond Candles here. There were so many tasty scents to choose from that I had a hard time, but I am very much a sucker for anything coconut.
So far, the candle has been burning about an hour, and I ampatiently impatiently waiting for the foil wrapper to be visible so I can pull my ring out!! But while we wait, check out some of the gorgeous rings others have gotten from their Diamond Candles here.
Stay tuned for my "ring reveal."
I reluctantly joined Twitter a couple months ago, and am still working on getting the hang of that. So for all my Twitter followers, thank you for putting up with me!
The newest craze I recently gave into is Diamond Candles. I'd love if they were paying me to post this, but they aren't. This is my straight up opinion. I'd love if they sent me a couple free ones too, but I digress. =)
I have been fascinated by the idea of Diamond Candles for some time now. When I was little, my mother would buy Treasure Candles. Are those still around? She'd burn them on a paper plate, and as the wax melted, treasures would surface. They.were.awesome!
I am excited that my very first Diamond Candle arrived today!!! I purchased the Hawaiian Coconut scent. Just started burning it and not much scent yet. Was really hoping for a yummy coconut smell! My only big complaint is it's burning so slowly, but guess you can't complain about the long burn time, right?
I got a great deal by buying a voucher on Plum District. $25 for a candle regularly is a bit of a splurge for me, but did you know, each Diamond Candle has a ring inside? Varying in value from $10, $100, $1000, even $5000? That sounds pretty sweet to me!
You can check out Diamond Candles here. There were so many tasty scents to choose from that I had a hard time, but I am very much a sucker for anything coconut.
So far, the candle has been burning about an hour, and I am
Stay tuned for my "ring reveal."
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Where I'm at Wednesday...
I'm gonna keep this post short & sweet, because I have family in town! Yup, my Dad, Step Mom, Little sister, and Little brother are here!
But where am I in the bloggy world? I'm over at the Red, White, and You - Follower Fest! Be sure to go check it out and link up if you want to meet some fantastic bloggers.
But where am I in the bloggy world? I'm over at the Red, White, and You - Follower Fest! Be sure to go check it out and link up if you want to meet some fantastic bloggers.
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