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Showing posts with label For Mommy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label For Mommy. Show all posts

8 Tips For Taking Better Pictures With Your Smartphone


You never want to miss that once in a lifetime picture, but it's not always convenient, or even possible to carry around your digital camera everywhere you go. Luckily the technology found in your smart phone can be as advanced if not more so than a lot of cameras on the market, so there's no excuse for not getting amazing shots on the go.  It just takes a few adjustments, a little know how and some practice.

Mandala Sky Giveaway

Its no secret that I love supporting local Canadian businesses.  Not only does it out money back into the canadian economy, right at the family level, but the quality is usually much higher than comparable products from "bigger" companies, because their still made with love and care.

That's why I'm so excited to share Mandala Sky with you.

Are You A Damage Criminal?


I have always been an experimenter with my hair.  I love to try out new styles, cuts and colors.  I could not count the number of looks I have worn, and I’m pretty sure I have represented every single color rainbow at least once.  To this day, my mom still won’t let me forget the time I put my super long hair up into a ponytail and chopped it all off to my ears.

The Mommy Wars are Alive and Well


As I sit here to write this, my eldest daughter is at school.
My middle baby is asleep upstairs, tired out from a morning of hide and seek with me and the cat.
My little baby is beside me hiccuping and laughing, even though he should be sleeping.
He doesn't do much of that any more.  Little does he know how much he'll regret fighting naps like this, when hes thirty, and wants nothing more than to take a daily nap.

My babies, they are my life.

If I never do anything else with my life other than to do right by them, I will be proud.
They are the reason I am awake at three in the morning worrying about the state of the world.  They are the reason my Kobo is now full of parenting books and sleep books and baby cook books. They are the reason I doubt myself and my decisions so deeply sometimes that I want to cry.

Soy Mocha Latte

I love coffee, i always have. Its a running joke in my house that I'm slowly trying to replace all the blood in my body with straight up caffeine.  I'm usually a simple double double girl, and I'm usually running my coffee maker at least twice a day. Lately though, all the ads and talk about fall inspired fancy coffees has me wanting to break out of my coffee slump comfort zone.
I started with lattes, or at least my simple home made version of them, and i really like them, but then I found this recipe and its like my eyes have been opened!

Soy Mocha Latte
2/3 cup soy milk ( i use unsweetened Silk)
1 short espresso extra strong
1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1.tsp sugar
whipped cream (optional)

Heat the soy milk in the microwave until its steaming ( mine took about 1:45, but this microwave isnt exactly top of the line) add espresso, chocolate syrup, sugar and stir well. Top with whipped Cream.

Thats it, it takes less than three minutes and is oh so yummy!
Enjoy

My thoughts on World Breatsfeeding Week

Did you know that this week August 1st - 7th is World Breastfeeding Week?

I am very glad that this week exists. Im glad that there are people out there fighting for the rights of breastfeeding mothers. Im glad that this week has brought up discussions about whether or not supplying brand new moms in hospotals formula without them asking is the right thing to do.  Im happy to see the pride that mothers are taking in their breastfeeding relationships, but at the same time I have seen some people taking it beyond pride into something closer to "smug-ness". 


I am a huge supporter of breastfeeding, IF IT WORKS FOR YOU.   I am proud to say that i was able to breastfeed both of my girls for a total of over 20 months, but it wasnt easy. When Vanessa was 4 months old she was diagnosed with failure to thrive, and i had to start supplemeting formula, and taking supplements to help boost my supply. It didnt really help me though, and by the time she was eight months old, she was fully weaned from breastmilk.
I missed our breastfeeding relationship once it was over, but i have never felt guilty about making the decision to give her formula.   I am constantly coming across what has been labelled as "the mommy wars", and i find myslef thinking about how were all so quick to judge other peoples decisions.In my experience though, the world isnt black and white, and what works for me, may not work for you, and vice versa. 
So while were all taking the week to support breastfeeding families, I want to take a moment to just send out a huge hug to all the mommies in the world, whether they formula feed, breastfeed, cloth diaper, babywear, work, stay at home, whatever.
Kudos to the moms, who do what they do because it is whats right for them, their baby, and their families.

Lazy Saturday


As different as every mommy is, theres one thing we can all agree on. Lazy days,the kind where you can just kick back,relax,and let the world fly by, are very few and far between. Im not talking about the days when you spend your time cleaning, cooking, and running errands and yet it still seems like nothing gets done. Im talking about thebtimes when nothing gets done ON PURPOSE.
It is now almost lunch and I have done nothing. Me and the girls are still in our jammies and my only plansbfor the day is a whole lot more of the same. Even the baby is on it!
I love days like this.

Dont Carpe Diem

I recently read an amazing blog post by Momastery.

We've all been there, out shopping, or at the bank with a screaming baby, a crazy toddler, and about three seconds of patience left before we say screw it, and either sit down in the middle of the lineup and cry, or run screaming from building. Of course that's when some well meaning older lady or gentleman will tap you on the shoulder, tell you how beautiful your family is and that you should Carpe Diem.
I try to remember to savor the small moments, I do, but its not always possible is it? Sometimes entire days can go by in a blur and before you know it the kids are asleep and you realize that even though you were with them all day, you really didn't DO anything with them, you didn't stop to smell the roses, and you certainly didn't Carpe much Diem.
So the mommy guilt begins to seep in.
This is a great read for every mommy out there who lives a busy life, who has more to do in a day than to stare lovingly at her children for hours on end soaking up every. last. second of their childhoods. I actually printed it off and out it up in my kitchen.
Enjoy.

Braids, must have braids!

Is anyone else reading the Beauty Department? Can I tell you how much I love it?
Its yet another of my Pinterest finds.
I am inept at hair. My hair lives in a ponytail, a plain boring uninspired ponytail. If i want to get a little fancy, i may even sidepart it. Then I found The Beauty Department and my eyes were opened to a world of braids, buns, twists, waves and combinations of them all.
Unfortunately I have a dirty little secret.

I don't know how to french braid. You're shocked right? I knwo , I should have warned you that a revelation was coming.
I have tried a few of the tutorials and although i seem to be following the directions, i never end up with the smooth glossy even braids they show, more like a strange bumpy mess.
but Im getting better, and I keep trying.
One of these days I am going to post a picture of the perfect french braid i put in my own hair.
Until then, Im probably going to stick to my ponytail though, with one of these thrown in every now and then to break it up,
because that ones actually pretty easy =)

Mommy Wars

I recently came across this article on the Bump and I wanted to share it with you.
As moms, we've all heard our parenting skills being questioned or even criticized at one point or another. (Hey, it's practically a rite of passage.) But while some comments might be easy to brush off, others sting a little bit. Maybe it was your mother-in-law's "sage" advice at the family barbecue, warning that you’re swaddling too tight; or what's-her-face from Mommy and Me class preaching the wonders of Cry It Out and how you've been spoiling baby with too much attention. No matter what kind of unsolicited advice, snarky comment, or off-the-cuff remark has been hurled your way, chances are it’s left you thinking the same thing: Maybe you’re not really that good of a mother after all. Find out why we all fall victim to the mommy wars and how to win the next battle.

Read the entire article here.





Valentines Day - Etsy Style

With Sophie's birthday, Christmas and New Years behind us, its time to start looking forward to the most romantic day of the year, Valentines day. Here are a few valentines Day Etsy finds that are just irresistible!


True Love Burlap Pillow with Embroidered Wedding Date


Something of Love -- Valentine's Day Monster


Cream colored infant crochet beanie hat with detachable red gerbera daisy


I Love You-Amour-Je t'aime-Valentine Red Eco Felt Pillow-14x14 inch


Valentines Day Heart Soap

Happy Shopping
Jaymi

OMG OMG OMG

I want.
I want.
I want.
If the new Bugaboo Donkey is as amazing as my chameleon, I think it may just be the perfect stroller.

Bugaboo will introduce the Bugaboo Donkey: the first mono-duo-mono convertible stroller for kids and goods. The Bugaboo Donkey can easily – in three clicks – be converted from a full-sized mono to a full-sized side by side duo and back again to a mono. All with flexible and multiple storage space. This makes it suitable for your first child, your second child, or both and for twins. And even in full duo position, the stroller is still compact.

  • The Bugaboo Donkey has been designed to meet two key parental needs: increased storage space and the option to convert from a mono to a side by side duo stroller for parents with two young children or twins.
  • The greatly increased storage space - an expandable side luggage basket and under-seat basket - allows parents to carry all the goods they may need whilst on the go. The Bugaboo Donkey can be expanded and downsized again in only three clicks.
  • In mono configuration the Bugaboo Donkey is 60 cm wide, which is the same width as the Bugaboo Cameleon.
  • In duo configuration, with only 74 cm it’s the narrowest (luxury) side by side duo stroller.
  • The Bugaboo Donkey will be available during the Spring of 2011 in the USA, UK, Netherlands and Spain. We expect further roll out in other countries later that year.
  • The Bugaboo Donkey is the latest addition to Bugaboo’s portfolio which further includes the Bugaboo Frog, the Bugaboo Bee, and the Bugaboo Cameleon.


Wonderful Video

Motherhood is tough, and it can be scary. My first few days as a new mom were some of the most wonderful, emotional, terrifying, and rewarding days of my life. I made mistakes. Lots of them, and I learned from them, but I lives in an almost terrified state for the first few weeks, so scared that I would make a mistake with the tiny life that had been put in my hands.
If I could go back to the first few days after Sophia was born I would tell myself to not be so afraid, and to trust myself and my instincts to know what to do.

There's a video that has been making rounds of the internet for a few weeks now, it shows real moms and the advice they would give if they could go back and visit themselves in the first few days after their babies birth. Its beautiful and honest and I agree with all of it.



Whats advice would you give if you could go back?

Spring Clean


Now that spring cleaning is well under way, and were all feeling s little better, with memories of winter slowly fading from our minds, it’s the perfect time of year to clean out your makeup bag. Most makeup is only designed for a shelf life of a year, and after that it will start to break down, and besides being a little gross it wont look so hot anymore. The best part about spring cleaning your makeup bag? You now you have a great excuse to go shopping.

Cleaners and Moisturizers
These should be good for a year, or so. To make them last longer just be careful about how you apply them, your fingers or your face should never come into contact with the top of the bottle, as this can contaminate its contents, instead apply creams to a q-tip or sponge, then apply to your face.

Sunscreen:
Sunscreens should be tossed at the end of every season, after that they wont be effective. Since you should be applying sunscreen every single day, a bottle shouldn’t last you longer than a season anyway. Tip: Keep your sunscreen by your door in an easily visible place, that way you’ll be more likely to remember to put it on before you leave the house.

Self Tanners:
There are mixed messages about how long self tanners can last, most say two, but I wouldn’t keep them more than one because the color can break down. You don’t want to turn a shade of orange more suited to fruit than skin.

Foundation: Cream foundation is good for about a year, mouse foundation for about 9 months.

Powder Compacts: The power itself can be good for up to two years, if stored separately from the puff, puffs should be either cleaned or replaced about once a month. If you store your puff inside of your compact the shelf life is closer to six months.

Eyeshadow: Powder eye shadows will last indefinitely as long as they are kept contaminant free. Creams are good for up to a year if kept the same way.

Eyeliner: Eyeliner pencils can be kept forever as long as you sharpen them before or after each use, you can also wipe them down lightly with alcohol every few weeks just to be safe. Liquid or cream liners last closer to a year if kept properly. Tip: Always have two clean liner brushes available so that no double dipping is required in your eyeliner tins.

Mascara: Mascara should be tossed after 3-4 months, no matter how much it costs!

Blush: Powder blush, the same as powder eyeshadow, cream blush, the same as cream eyeshadow.

Lipstick and Lipgloss: Both can last up to two years

Lip liners: Same as eyeliner pencils, the bacteria is removed when you sharpen, so sharpen often and it should last you several years.

Sponges and Puffs: Sponges should be replaced every single week, no exception. Velour Puffs can be washed with your makeup brushes.

Makeup Brushes: Good brushes like good friendships can last forever, as long as you nurture them. Brushes should be washed with a gentle baby shampoo once a week or every two weeks, and them dried standing handle down. If you think your brush has been contaminated you can also rinse it in rubbing alcohol.

Tools like Tweezers, Eyelash Curlers and Sharpeners: Metal tools should be cleaned after every use, especially tweezers. To clean them just soak in rubbing alcohol for two minutes and rinse.

Now keep in mind, these are all just guidelines, you know what your products should look, smell, and feel like, if it’s off, don’t use it. Also how you store your products will determine how long they last. The bathroom is the absolute worst home for your products as the heat, and humidity will break them down. Keep your makeup in a cool dark, easily accessible place. I keep mine in my top dresser drawer.

Happy Cleaning

Jaymi

Preggo Planner Giveaway


I have never been a super organized person. I have missed more appointments and meeting than i care to admit because I have a habit of writing important dated and times on scarp paper that I promptly lose. Add pregnancy brain and I am a hopeless mess. When I was pregnant with Brendon I even managed to miss my glucose test because I couldn't find the gas receipt I had written the appointment info on.
I was recently given the opportunity to review a Preggo Planner by Braelyn Bounty Bug. Its the perfect solution for someone like me, all of the information you need is right at your fingertips, along with a place to write my weight gain "shudder" and other information. Also, it has checklists and packing lists and even an area to write out your birth plan! Its also a binder with snap closures so I can add any extra information I want. Now, finally I can have all the information I need right where I can find it.
It even appeals to the fashionista in me, because its available in three different designs.

Heather – the mother behind it all – has been generous enough to offer one of my readers a Prego Planner of her own! Whether you are planning for a baby, pregnant, or know someone who is expecting, this contest is for you

How to enter:
Visit Braelyn Bounty Bug, and tell me which planner you would choose. Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile!

Extra entries (leave an extra comment for each):

  • Follow Braelyn Bounty Bug on Twitter (@BountyBug)
  • Follow Modern Housewife on Twitter (@modern_wife)
  • Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
  • Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL
  • Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to the Prego Planner website – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
  • Let me know - would this be something you'll use yourself, or will you give it to someone lucky that you know who's expecting!
Ends: April 3rd at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org and contacted by me. If I don't hear back within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!
Lindsay

The awesome people over at Mommy Appleseed have offeres Modern Housewife readers an awesome discount, Use code HOUSEWIFE25 at checkout for 25% OFF your entire order!

I am so in love with their skinny jeans and plaid top!
Lindsay

Flerville Giveaway



Modern Housewife will be giving away one of these awesome tote bags to three very lucky winners. Spring into Spring and Summer with this hip and fashionable bag great for parents on the go. As you shed your winter gear, this bag is the perfect size! Since this bag looks like a nice handbag, you can use it long after your diapering days!

To enter simply leave a comment on any post you'd like, comments will each be assigned a number and the winner will be chosen Sunday April 3rd via random.org.

Happy Chatting.

Parenting Giveaway



From the executive producers of the box-office hit Parenthood, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), comes the story of the colorful and imperfect Braverman family - four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches, and joy of being parents. When Sarah Braverman (Graham), a financially strapped single mother, returns to her family home she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia), who are privately dealing with
their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings - sister, Julia (Christensen), and brothers Crosby (Shepard) and Adam (Krause) - all struggling with issues of their own, it’s clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life.

CityTV is offering Modern Housewife readers a chance to win a $200 prize pack to celebrate the launch of their new soon-to-be hit show ParentHood tonight.


The prize pack consists of:

Citytv sweater & t-shirt
Citytv baseball hat
Citytv scarf & toque
Citytv laptop bag
Citytv leather notebook
CityLine Mug & glass nail file
BT Mug
Pens/Pencil


To enter leave a comment telling me what the best parenting advice you've ever gotten is. A winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday March 9th.