Archives For stuff i love

BUMPED by BLANQI

When I was pregnant with Kenzi and heard about the Blanqi maternity tank, I really wanted to try it. But it just wasn’t in the budget. I couldn’t bring myself to buying something that expensive, just to help me feel better. That’s what moms do, we would rather buy our kids ice cream instead of something to help with our horrible back pain! So when they announced they were teaming up Target to launch a more affordable line, this made me squeal! 

 

The Bumped by Blanqi line offers both a maternity tank and a postpartum nursing/smoothing tank.
Can I get a hip, hip hooray?!?! These retail at Target.com for $34.99. Worth every penny! I have heard fabulous things about the maternity tank too although I can’t personally say how it works.

A few of my favorite things about my Blanqi: 

*Sucks in my flabby postpartum belly (especially my “muffin top”. I ate a lot of muffins while pregnant.)
*The straps are super comfortable and don’t dig into your shoulders
*I feel more comfortable to wear “normal” clothes instead of just my husbands t-shirts!
*The under the bust cut is perfect for nursing mamas
*Stretchy, breathable fabric!

I HIGHLY really recommend this tank for postpartum!! It’s a must have!

I’m thrilled to give one away AND a $25 Target gift card!
Enter below and hurry and go get yourself and awesome Bumped by Blanqi Cami!

Bumped-by-Blanqi

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have three princesses in my house. Three! And if I get my way we might have a couple more (I always get my way!). Being a girl mom is a joy and an honor, but it’s also a HUGE responsibility. A scary, scary responsibility. We live in a world where beauty is distorted. If a woman is secure in who she is, it’s a very rare thing. Even a woman who is secure in who Christ says that she is, still struggles with all the world throws at her. This terrifies me in raising tiny ladies.

I pray everyday that my girls will grow up in a home that beauty isn’t defined by the world’s standards, but by God’s standards. I want my girls to be little princesses our the Most High, and their beauty in Him be what shines the brightest.

Because what little girl doesn’t want to be a princess? To wear sparkly dresses, high heels and a crown. It’s just in our DNA as women to want these things. My girls never see me running around in a tutu and twirling, and I didn’t even have to teach them that. Since they could walk, they wanted to twirl. They want to be beautiful. To be princesses.

I look forward to teaching my girls about outward beauty, and letting them discover their own style. It will be so fun! As women, I think it’s really important to take care of ourselves and be feminine. But teaching the difference between worldly beauty and a beautiful heart is difficult. Very difficult.

When we received our Tommy Nelson My Princess Bible Purse, the girls were thrilled. Another thing to make them pretty! Zoey carried it around with a giant grin on her face, so proud of her little sparkly treasure.

princess-bible-purse book1

This precious book teaches the fruits of the spirit in a practical way that even my tiny humans can understand. It gives examples to understand like that gentleness is how we treat the baby and love is that warm feeling when mommy gives us a kiss. It’s even shaped like a little purse and velcros shut with a carrying handle. Perfect for any little princess!

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

I’m so thankful for wonderful books like this to help me teach my little princesses how to have a beautiful heart! One lucky reader will win their very own My Princess Bible Purse for your little princess! Enter below to win!

What fun ways have you taught your kids about the fruits of the spirit? 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Confession: I’m not a book reading mama. Someone gave me a certain baby book (we won’t go naming names) when I was pregnant with Jessi and I remember sitting to read it and actually laughing out loud. Basically, it wasn’t for me. In no way do I think using “methods” are wrong parenting, it’s just not my style.

I’m an instinctive parent.
A heart parent.
I go with the needs of each of my kids, and do what my gut tells me.

But that doesn’t mean I had all the knowledge. I still use google on so many occasions to ask “why does my baby’s poop look like that” or “is it normal behavior for my toddler to stash goldfish in my shoes”. You know, the typical things all parents wonder.

Even after 3 kids, it’s a new experience each time. All three of my babies had different needs, different sleep schedules and there were always different concerns. It’s like a brand new adventure each time around.  

When Jessica told me they were writing The Baby Companion, I was so excited. The idea of bringing medicine+faith together was brilliant! Instead of a book telling you how to parent your children, it gives the facts and ways to pray over yourself and your child through each step of that first year.

Becoming a mom can be scary, whether its your first or twenty first time. After having my second, I really understood there is no such thing as cookie cutter parenting. My girls were so very different. And then 7 weeks ago we added girl #3 and she is her own tiny person as well.

babybook

I love that The Baby Companion talks about all the things such as immunization, sleep training, breast vs bottle. We need to know our options as moms so we can make the best educated decision for our family. But for me, the most big part is the heart. Learning how to pray over my babies and what I should be looking for in my own heart as a mom who has just gone through the incredible difficult journey of becoming a mom. That’s what I need {but the medical stuff is super awesome too, duh!}.

Want to know the REALLY cool part about The Baby Companion?? I was asked to share a bit of my story to go in the book. There are stories from all sorts of moms sharing their story to make sure us as moms know we aren’t alone. Maybe you are an adoptive mom, a military mom or have a child with special needs. Or maybe you are like me and have your babies really close together! There are short stories of encouragement+grace throughout the book!

I hope if you choose to read any baby book, you choose this one. 

How about I share with you my little story from the book?

mystoryTBC The-Baby-Companion

Go here to purchase your very own copy!
To celebrate the release of the book, I’ll be giving away two copies of The Baby Companion this week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hello vegetable lovers!! I’m back with another great Veggie Tales movie that I’m thrilled to share with you. “The Little House That Stood” just released last week, and as usual our friends at Veggie Tales knocked it out of the park. This DVD contains The Litlte House that Stood, a new silly song from Larry “Happy Tooth Day”, and The Good Egg of Gooseville. These shows are based on some of our favorite fairy tale stories, bible parables, and teach great lessons.

TheLittleHousethatStood

In The Little House that Stood, 3 little pigs have come to Cabbageville looking to build houses. We learn that the important part of building our houses, is to build it on a firm foundation. Kinda like how we should build our lives on a firm foundation in Christ!

In The Good Egg of Gooseville, Mayor Humpty Dumpty is who everyone brings their problems to. He is literally cracking under the pressure and can’t handle it anymore. We find out if he totally breaks under it all, or if others can reach out and help.

I have an INCREDIBLE giveaway for you today. One lucky reader will win this GIANT prize pack of Veggie Tales goodies. Can you say Easter basket for your little one?? Whoa, my girls would go crazy to get this!!

Enter below to win!!

image001

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We are a music loving family. That’s no big shocker. But as a music family, we are also very picky about our music (thanks to daddy for that!). So when it comes to kids music, it’s usually the stuff that makes you want to throw up in your mouth. We were never big on lullaby music for our kids, because let’s be honest…most of it is annoying!

Thankfully when Jessi was a baby, she calmed the most to Coldplay and John Mayer. Go figure. Totally her mother’s daughter. But Zoey loved lullaby tunes. So I was so excited when I learned about Cradle Rock! These are the coolest lullaby records you will ever hear! What a fun way to expose your little one to fun music that also soothes them!

cradlerock_header

 

Cradle Rock was created by David & Amanda Williams, who came up with the idea after listening to their baby’s music through the monitor. They got tired of the same old “twinkle twinkle little star” and wanted to create something they wouldn’t mind hearing all night long! I’m so thankful they did!

Go check out their web site all all the awesome albums they carry, and be sure and enter to win this pack below!!

Cradle-Rock-Dec-Release-Collage

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I haven’t been very good about keepsakes for my kids. Since we have our babies SO close together, it’s one of those things I’ve sacrificed. They don’t have baby books I’ve written in for them, that’s basically what my blog is for. I take millions of pictures, and I hope that tells their story. I did make a first year book for Jessi and plan to make one for Zoey (when I get around to it and am not pregnant for a day or two).

I always love finding really great and simple books to pass down to my girls. I have a few books that my mom has given me that were mine as a baby, and I hope to be able to do the same for my kids. Recently, I was introduced to this precious book from Thomas Nelson that is filled with verses, stories, songs and journal entry space. It’s simple and adorable for your little ones to look at, but for parents to fill in for their little ones to have later.

1400315611.jpgLullaBible by Stephen Elkins

I’ve loved reading the stories and verses as I prepare to give birth to my third precious girl. I’m reminded what a blessing and joy she is, and praise God for His goodness in creating her so perfectly inside of me!

This book makes a great baby shower gift, or keepsake for you to pick up for your little one! It comes with a lullaby cd, and is just a perfect addition for your nursery!

What’s your favorite lullaby you remember from your childhood, or do you have a special song you sing with your little one? Leave a comment telling me and you will be entered to win a copy of the LullaBible courtesy of my friends at Tommy Nelson!

I’m a traditional girl. I love traditions, and now that I’m a mom I thrive on them. This is my third Christmas celebrating my favorite holiday with my kiddos, and I just adore creating our own family traditions to celebrate Christmas. My girls are BIG readers. They may only be 1 and 2, but seriously they spend half their day reading books. We are creating quite a Christmas book collection, and they learn SO much about Christmas through them.

Their favorite thing to do is crawl up on the couch and sit as close to each other as possible and read. It’s adorable.

IMG_1296 IMG_1362

Being a Tommy Mommy, I get to read lots of new books with my girls! I was thrilled to get this new book called “One Wintry Night” by Ruth Bell Graham. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a boy lost in a snow storm and he learns about Jesus on his journey. Although this book is best for kids ages 4-7, I know it will be loved by my girls for many Christmases to come!  This is a great book to curl up on the couch and read together as a family. Such an incredible take on the story of the birth of our Savior!

1400321166.jpg

I encourage you to add this book to your Christmas book library!
You can purchase the book here, or enter to win one today!!

Simply leave a comment and let me know one of your favorite Christmas traditions and you’ll be entered to win a copy of this book!


Hair is a big deal to me. If you haven’t noticed, I have a TON of it and do my best to take good care of it. The past few years of prenatal vitamins have done a lot to help out with that, but it doesn’t end there! I’m always thrilled to learn about new products that will make life easier for this busy mom. If I can have a product that makes it look like I was just at the salon, when in all reality it’s been months…then I’m on board!

I’m thrilled to share the Fekkai Hair Product line with you, and tell you about a great Holiday offer they are running! With less than a week until Christmas, I know some of you are still trying to decide on some stocking stuffers. They are offering 10% off your total order and a complimentary exclusive holiday headband with $50 purchase.

styling_fam

They have great lines of shampoos, conditioners, styling products, treatments and more!! I’m a big fan of products that calm my massively thick hair and help protect it from the insane amount of heat I put on it. They have some great straightening balms and anti-frizz sprays that will do wonders for your hair if you are queen of the flyaways like I am!

Get over to the Fekkai today and take part of this great offer they have going on!! Get those orders in quick to get your goodies for Christmas! Don’t forget: 10% off your total order and a complimentary exclusive holiday headband with $50 purchase (while supplies last)  Promo Code: HEADBAND. You also get free shipping with a $50 purchase! 

images

In a total of 44 months, I will have spent I will have spent approximately 30 of those pregnant. It’s been a crazy 3 years! That means a WHOLE lot of maternity clothes. It’s been fun to try out new things and new ways to show off my belly.

Seraphine Maternity has quickly become one of my favorite maternity clothing lines.

I was thrilled to try out this gorgeous cable knit sweater dress. Since I pretty much live in sweatpants and my husband’s tshirts every day, it’s so fun to step out of my comfort zone a little and play dress up. This dress is so incredibly comfortable though! It’s practically as good as wearing sweat pants anyway!

And these leggings? Oh, don’t even get me started. The first time I put them on…it felt like I had just stepped into a giant tub of butter. They. Are. Amazing. The most comfortable things I’ve ever worn. They make me feel pretty even when I’m a giant pregnant woman. Yes, even then.

Seraphine1

Seraphine2

Seraphine3 Seraphine4

Cable Knit Dress is on sale right now!!!
Black Bamboo Leggings – Go buy 3 pair right now. You won’t regret it.

**********
Disclaimer: I was sent these items from Seraphine to review, but the thoughts are totally my own! Thank you Seraphine for the gorgeous clothes and for making this forever pregnant Mama feel pretty!

Wanna know a secret?? I have something REALLY fun in the works for 2013. I don’t want to TOTALLY spill the beans on what I’ve been working on lately so I’ll be announcing what I’m up to in a couple of weeks!!

I’m soooo excited about what is ahead for 2013! 

Ummmm for now, how about some free Christmas Printables??

Enjoy!!! 

Christmas Print 1       Christmas Print 2

 DOWNLOAD “EXPECTED JESUS” PRINT      DOWNLOAD ISAIAH 9:6 PRINT

Christmas Print 3   Christmas Print 4

DOWNLOAD LITTLE CHRISTMAS PRINT           DOWNLOAD GREAT JOY PRINT

And, just for fun here’s an iPhone lock screen for you!

iphone-4-screen     iphone5-screen

<– iPhone 4/4s  || iPhone 5 –>
Click on the image to get the full size to save!