And the winning comment was...
Congratulations Emily Robison! I hope you enjoy creating your personalized stickers!
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September 30, 2010
~*~Winner!!!~*~ Pear Tree Greetings Halloween Stickers
A big thank you to everyone who entered my first Pearista giveaway for Pear Tree Greetings! The winner of the Halloween Personalized Stickers is...
And the winning comment was...
Congratulations Emily Robison! I hope you enjoy creating your personalized stickers!
And the winning comment was...
Congratulations Emily Robison! I hope you enjoy creating your personalized stickers!
Tagged Again
You may remember the little Tag! You're It! game that I played over here last week. I hope you enjoyed learning a few interesting facts about me. I was recently tagged again by Lolo at Crazy About My Baybah. This time I have to answer 8 questions, and pick 8 bloggers to ask 8 of my own questions to.
I have to admit that I actually enjoy this game. Yeah, it is kind of like a chain letter, and it really won't hurt my feelings if I tag you and you don't play along. I like playing, though, and I hope my wonderful readers like learning more about me.
So here goes. Here are the 8 questions I have to answer:
1. If you had an evening alone, what would you do?
Sigh. I would probably be on the computer. Or maybe I would catch up on a couple shows that are recorded on the DVR. Would you believe we are still watching shows from last season?
2. What is your favorite thing to do with your family?
I love our weekends in the back yard! We all have so much fun playing in the pool, and on the swing set. I really cherish the time we spend as a family. I know that as the kids get older, it won't be as easy to entertain them, and they probably won't want to hang out with us as much anyway.
3. Who is your hero and why?
I can't say that I have a hero. Does everyone have one? There are some really awesome people in my life, and I could name a bunch of them that I look up to, but I don't really have a hero.
4. What is your favorite style of music, singer, or group?
The bad thing about playing this game multiple times is that it may get a little repetitive. I answered a similar question last week. I like a lot of different music - pop, country, hip hop and some rap. I really like songs that mix in a couple different types of music like Ride To California by Paper Tongues. This is such a cool song!
5. Where is the one place you always spend more money at then you planned?
Gymboree. Without a doubt. I love that store! I will go in there to get a birthday present for someone, or one outfit for my kids, and I walk out with a bag full and a higher balance on my credit card. I just can't help myself!
6. What is your favorite picture that you took?
This was a tough one. Nothing really came to my mind as a "favorite" picture so I started scrolling through our Picasa albums and came to the sad realization that I don't have many pictures of my three favorite people together. So I'm going to go with this one. I love it!
7. What is your favorite hobby (other than blogging)?
Wait, there are other things to do in life besides blogging? Really? Name one. Wait, you better not. Because I will probably get addicted to that too and I'll really never get any sleep then!
8. How has your life changed in the last 10 years?
See that picture above? There is your answer. Brian and I have been together for 11 years this October. Our lives sure have changed. We used to stay out late and sleep in. We used to have money. We used to do whatever we wanted and there was no schedule. Life sure is different now, but I like the difference. In fact, I LOVE the difference. I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, more money might be nice. :-)
Here are the 8 awesome bloggers I am tagging this time:
Victoria @ Adventures in Mommyhood
Gina @ The Ish Blog
Heather @ Family Friendly Frugality
Lindsay @ A New Breed of Mom
TerriAnn @ Cookies & Clogs
Jennifer @ Life Is A Sandcastle
Stephanie @ Life of a Twingle Gal
Heather @ Acting Balanced
And here are your 8 questions: (yes, I used the internet again this time)
1. What was your favorite class in high school?
2. What is your absolute favorite TV show? (Just one, please. Can you do it?)
3. Do you have any weird habits? If so, what?
4. Do you wake up easily in the morning, or require coffee, exercise or something else to get you going?
5. What kind of qualities make a person a good friend?
6. What is an experience you have had that you couldn't stop laughing?
7. Have you ever met an internet friend in real life?
8. What was your first job?
Those should be some fun ones, right? Let me know when you answer so I don't miss your posts. Have fun!
I have to admit that I actually enjoy this game. Yeah, it is kind of like a chain letter, and it really won't hurt my feelings if I tag you and you don't play along. I like playing, though, and I hope my wonderful readers like learning more about me.
So here goes. Here are the 8 questions I have to answer:
1. If you had an evening alone, what would you do?
Sigh. I would probably be on the computer. Or maybe I would catch up on a couple shows that are recorded on the DVR. Would you believe we are still watching shows from last season?
2. What is your favorite thing to do with your family?
I love our weekends in the back yard! We all have so much fun playing in the pool, and on the swing set. I really cherish the time we spend as a family. I know that as the kids get older, it won't be as easy to entertain them, and they probably won't want to hang out with us as much anyway.
3. Who is your hero and why?
I can't say that I have a hero. Does everyone have one? There are some really awesome people in my life, and I could name a bunch of them that I look up to, but I don't really have a hero.
4. What is your favorite style of music, singer, or group?
The bad thing about playing this game multiple times is that it may get a little repetitive. I answered a similar question last week. I like a lot of different music - pop, country, hip hop and some rap. I really like songs that mix in a couple different types of music like Ride To California by Paper Tongues. This is such a cool song!
5. Where is the one place you always spend more money at then you planned?
Gymboree. Without a doubt. I love that store! I will go in there to get a birthday present for someone, or one outfit for my kids, and I walk out with a bag full and a higher balance on my credit card. I just can't help myself!
6. What is your favorite picture that you took?
This was a tough one. Nothing really came to my mind as a "favorite" picture so I started scrolling through our Picasa albums and came to the sad realization that I don't have many pictures of my three favorite people together. So I'm going to go with this one. I love it!
7. What is your favorite hobby (other than blogging)?
Wait, there are other things to do in life besides blogging? Really? Name one. Wait, you better not. Because I will probably get addicted to that too and I'll really never get any sleep then!
8. How has your life changed in the last 10 years?
See that picture above? There is your answer. Brian and I have been together for 11 years this October. Our lives sure have changed. We used to stay out late and sleep in. We used to have money. We used to do whatever we wanted and there was no schedule. Life sure is different now, but I like the difference. In fact, I LOVE the difference. I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, more money might be nice. :-)
Here are the 8 awesome bloggers I am tagging this time:
Victoria @ Adventures in Mommyhood
Gina @ The Ish Blog
Heather @ Family Friendly Frugality
Lindsay @ A New Breed of Mom
TerriAnn @ Cookies & Clogs
Jennifer @ Life Is A Sandcastle
Stephanie @ Life of a Twingle Gal
Heather @ Acting Balanced
And here are your 8 questions: (yes, I used the internet again this time)
1. What was your favorite class in high school?
2. What is your absolute favorite TV show? (Just one, please. Can you do it?)
3. Do you have any weird habits? If so, what?
4. Do you wake up easily in the morning, or require coffee, exercise or something else to get you going?
5. What kind of qualities make a person a good friend?
6. What is an experience you have had that you couldn't stop laughing?
7. Have you ever met an internet friend in real life?
8. What was your first job?
Those should be some fun ones, right? Let me know when you answer so I don't miss your posts. Have fun!
September 28, 2010
Wordless Wednesday: Thank God I'm A Country Boy {Linky}
I want to see your Wordless Wednesday posts! Link up below! And for more Wordless Wednesday fun, check out The Florida Hogans, Angelica's Awesome Adventures and Shibley Smiles. Happy WW!
The Great Soccer Debacle
Who wants to see my soccer star?
At least that is what the picture makes her look like, right?
I have mentioned a few times that I recently signed Rylie up for soccer and embraced my "soccer mom" role. Well, Rylie isn't exactly embracing her role. She just doesn't want to play.
Her first practice was the same day as Bryce's party, so I wasn't able to go because I was at the park setting up. When all of the kids from our team showed up at the party (all of the families are our friends and we all signed up together) I was told we were re-naming our team to "The Whiners". I guess all four of them stood there and whined the whole time and didn't want to play. Whew, at least it wasn't just my kid!
The next weekend was their first game. Rylie wanted no part of any of it. Neither did her bestie Rihanna. They wouldn't even go out on the field. I tried everything I could think of to get her out there (including running around out there in my flip flops with her) but nothing worked.
We talked about soccer all last week after that fiasco to try to get Rylie excited. We even bought her a goal for the yard and let her practice. When Saturday morning came, unfortunately Bryce wasn't feeling well, so he couldn't go and I had to stay home with him. Rylie wanted her dad to take her. They got back home before the game was even supposed to be over. Apparently Rylie did get out on the field some during practice. She kicked the ball a few times and then she and her BFF Rihanna decided they would have more fun goofing off...
And playing Ring Around The Rosie...
They're lucky they are so cute! It makes wasting my money just a little bit easier. ;-)
So much for soccer. Maybe she is just too young? Or maybe it is because of all of the "Go so-and-so" yelling that goes on? I don't know. But I can't force her to play, nor do I want to. Brian doesn't want to go back anymore. I would love nothing more than to have my lazy Saturday mornings back, but I wonder if we keep going back if she will eventually play???
I'm linking my post up with Taming Insanity for Word Up, YO, since the word of the week is debacle, and that is just what we have experienced with this soccer nonsense! I really hope to participate in this more often. Fun!
At least that is what the picture makes her look like, right?
I have mentioned a few times that I recently signed Rylie up for soccer and embraced my "soccer mom" role. Well, Rylie isn't exactly embracing her role. She just doesn't want to play.
Her first practice was the same day as Bryce's party, so I wasn't able to go because I was at the park setting up. When all of the kids from our team showed up at the party (all of the families are our friends and we all signed up together) I was told we were re-naming our team to "The Whiners". I guess all four of them stood there and whined the whole time and didn't want to play. Whew, at least it wasn't just my kid!
The next weekend was their first game. Rylie wanted no part of any of it. Neither did her bestie Rihanna. They wouldn't even go out on the field. I tried everything I could think of to get her out there (including running around out there in my flip flops with her) but nothing worked.
We talked about soccer all last week after that fiasco to try to get Rylie excited. We even bought her a goal for the yard and let her practice. When Saturday morning came, unfortunately Bryce wasn't feeling well, so he couldn't go and I had to stay home with him. Rylie wanted her dad to take her. They got back home before the game was even supposed to be over. Apparently Rylie did get out on the field some during practice. She kicked the ball a few times and then she and her BFF Rihanna decided they would have more fun goofing off...
And playing Ring Around The Rosie...
They're lucky they are so cute! It makes wasting my money just a little bit easier. ;-)
So much for soccer. Maybe she is just too young? Or maybe it is because of all of the "Go so-and-so" yelling that goes on? I don't know. But I can't force her to play, nor do I want to. Brian doesn't want to go back anymore. I would love nothing more than to have my lazy Saturday mornings back, but I wonder if we keep going back if she will eventually play???
I'm linking my post up with Taming Insanity for Word Up, YO, since the word of the week is debacle, and that is just what we have experienced with this soccer nonsense! I really hope to participate in this more often. Fun!
September 27, 2010
Kidorable {Review & Giveaway}
When you see the word "Kidorable", what comes to your mind? If you said adorable stuff for kids, you are absolutely right! Kidorable has the cutest products!
"Kidorable delights both children and the adults who love them by transforming everyday, functional kids accessories into objects that excite their imaginations and enrich their lives at play. From rainwear to backpacks to knitwear and towels, Kidorable speaks to the precious spirit of childhood."
I was so excited when I found out I was going to get to review some of Kidorable's great products! It was quite difficult to choose which products to check out, because everything is just so cute. I knew we wanted to try out a Rain Coat and Rain Boots, since here in Florida it rains just about every day during our super-long summers. I sat down at the computer and let Rylie look through all of the different styles Kidorable offers, and she ultimately decided on The Fairy Collection for her coat and boots. While we were looking at the Kidorable website, she spotted the adorable backpacks for kids and just HAD to have one of those too. Lucky for her, we were also able to receive a backpack from The Fairy Collection.
When the box came and I told Rylie it was a surprise for her, she couldn't wait to open it. The first thing I pulled out was the rain coat. Not only are these products cute, they are high quality too! The rain coat is very thick. No water is getting through it! It is lined on the inside and seems soft. Rylie said it was very comfortable. The rain coat came with a cute hanger for storage. The boots are also very nice. They, too, are thick so they can be splashed through puddles repeatedly. I ordered Rylie's normal sizes and the jacket and boots both fit her perfectly.
It just so happens that when we received the Kidorable items, it was raining outside. So we set out for some pictures and puddle fun.
Unfortunately, it wasn't raining all that hard, so the puddles were few and far between. Rylie did notice a small one and took off to jump in it.
That picture is a little blurry, I know, but you can see how cute the back of the rain coat is!
After we came in from playing in the rain, Rylie realized that there was still something else in the box that we hadn't looked at...her backpack! She played with that most of the weekend and wanted to take it everywhere with her. It is a perfect size for her too!
I am so glad I discovered Kidorable! I simply love these products! They are cute and functional. There are so many different styles offered at Kidorable.com, and I am sure you will find something your child will love! While you're over there checking out all of these amazing products, make sure you sign your little one up for the Kidorable Birthday Club to receive a free gift for their birthday!
~*~Kidorable is giving one of my readers an umbrella of their choice!!!~*~
Mandatory entry: (This must be done in order for any optional entries to count) Check out all of the adorable clothing and accessories that Kidorable offers and come back and tell me something that caught your eye.
Optional entries: After you make the mandatory first entry above, you can get one extra entry (unless stated otherwise) for each of the following (please leave a separate comment for each):
* Follow @Kidorable on Twitter (leave your user name)
* Like Kidorable on Facebook
* Leave the following message on Kidorable's Facebook wall:
I am entering to win a Kidorable umbrella from The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too!
* Follow my blog publicly with Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)
* Like The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too! on Facebook (leave your first name and last initial)
* Follow @thelifeofrylie on Twitter (leave your user name)
* Tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting this tweet and leaving me the link to your tweet (you can tweet daily for an extra entry each day):
I want to #win a super cute @Kidorable umbrella from @thelifeofrylie! http://bit.ly/cUl3uL #giveaway
* Post my button on your sidebar or your blog roll for TWO extra entries *It must be the NEW button with the link to my new domain* (leave me two comments with a link to where I can find it)
* Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post for THREE extra entries (leave a link to your post in three separate comments)
Giveaway will end on October 12th at 9:00pm EST. The winner will be chosen by random.org. I will notify the winner by email within 24 hours, and you will have 48 hours to respond. If no response is received within that time frame, I will pick another winner. Please leave your email address or make sure it is in your profile so I will have a way to contact you. I will announce the winner once they have been confirmed. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only, 18+ years old.
Disclaimer: This opinion is my own. I received the products pictured in my review at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. A big thank you to Kidorable for providing the giveaway prize!
September 26, 2010
Sunday Funnies And Other News
Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far. I haven't had too many funnies lately (more like things that are NOT funny), but I do have a couple of giggles to share with you today.
Rylie has this new thing where she asks "Do you know why...?" Last weekend I had to take Cosmo to the vet for his annual visit. Rylie wanted to go with us. So we're driving there and she was in the backseat singing and giggling and just having a great time. She said "Mommy, do you know why I'm happy?" When I asked her why she said "Because I'm excited to go to the doctor." I wish she got that excited when we go to her doctor. She will also say things like "Do you know why I'm crying?" I think it is funny that she now wants us to ask her "Why?" rather than asking us that question a million times each day.
Rylie has a love for lip gloss. She simply calls it "lips". I have a tube of Burt's Bees in the kitchen for emergencies (I don't go anywhere without that stuff) and now she has a tube of chap stick and a tube of lip gloss on the counter with it. When she says she wants her "lips", she usually wants to put all three on. One day she decided to apply her lip gloss to half of her face. Brian told her if she kept doing it he was going to take it away from her. She did it again and he took it. So the next time I let her put some on she said "I have to put it just on my lips or daddy will take it!" She's a quick learner, at least.
Bryce is a pig! That isn't that funny in itself, but I'm just not used to having a kid that eats more than I do. (I've heard that it is a boy thing???) He loves carbs, though. If he sees a carb on anyone's plate (macaroni, mashed potatoes, etc.) he won't eat anything else off of his plate until he devours everyone else's carbs first. Like the other night when we were having meatloaf and macaroni and cheese (the yummy white cheddar variety). He scarfed down all of his macaroni before I could really even start eating. And when I say scarfed, it was more like inhaled. He saw my macaroni on my plate and started pointing to it and banging on his tray. He then proceeded to eat a couple scoops of mine, some of Brian's and even some of Rylie's until there was no more macaroni in sight. Yeah, then he ate his meatloaf too. Piggy!
Speaking of Bryce's eating habits, the other night he had finished his dinner and acted like he wanted more, so I cut up some watermelon (his favorite) for him. When he saw me walking over with it, he started clapping! It was so funny. Well, after a few meals of this "clapping" I finally realized that he isn't really clapping, but actually signing "more". Duh. He just doesn't have his fingers together like you're supposed to so it looks more like clapping.
And you want to know what is NOT funny?
It is NOT funny when your kid barfs in his bed and rolls in it all night. Really, Bryce?!?! Yesterday morning we were rushing around trying to get ready for soccer and then a birthday party while the kids were still sleeping. We heard Bryce in his room giggling and playing so Brian went in to get him. All I heard was "OH MY GOD!" Bryce had puked and apparently slept most of the night in it. It was all over him! It was crusted in his hair, his ears, and all over his pajamas, not to mention his bedding. Brian headed upstairs straight to the bath tub. To make matters worse, when he took off his diaper while Bryce was standing up, little turds came rolling out everywhere. What a fun way to start the day! Not. He didn't throw up again, so I have no idea what that was all about. He does have a bit of a cold, so maybe he had some post nasal drip that he gagged on? Or, maybe it has something to do with this rash that has suddenly appeared on his torso? He had vaccinations Friday, so who knows??? I hate these mysterious baby illnesses.
And in other news...
Rylie can spell her name and knows the name of the street we live on. Whenever Mama comes over, she teaches Rylie all of this fun stuff. I guess that is the retired teacher in her. What should we work on next?
Oh, and Brian has a new job! I mentioned briefly in Five Question Friday how he lost his job last week and got another one in just a day and a half, and now he is basically enjoying two weeks of paid vacation. Lucky duck. Apparently he is damn good at what he does, and had offers coming in as soon as he put the word out that he was available. I am so thankful for that since the employment market isn't that great these days. Life around here wouldn't be so great if he remained unemployed.
Have a great week everyone!
Rylie has this new thing where she asks "Do you know why...?" Last weekend I had to take Cosmo to the vet for his annual visit. Rylie wanted to go with us. So we're driving there and she was in the backseat singing and giggling and just having a great time. She said "Mommy, do you know why I'm happy?" When I asked her why she said "Because I'm excited to go to the doctor." I wish she got that excited when we go to her doctor. She will also say things like "Do you know why I'm crying?" I think it is funny that she now wants us to ask her "Why?" rather than asking us that question a million times each day.
Rylie has a love for lip gloss. She simply calls it "lips". I have a tube of Burt's Bees in the kitchen for emergencies (I don't go anywhere without that stuff) and now she has a tube of chap stick and a tube of lip gloss on the counter with it. When she says she wants her "lips", she usually wants to put all three on. One day she decided to apply her lip gloss to half of her face. Brian told her if she kept doing it he was going to take it away from her. She did it again and he took it. So the next time I let her put some on she said "I have to put it just on my lips or daddy will take it!" She's a quick learner, at least.
Bryce is a pig! That isn't that funny in itself, but I'm just not used to having a kid that eats more than I do. (I've heard that it is a boy thing???) He loves carbs, though. If he sees a carb on anyone's plate (macaroni, mashed potatoes, etc.) he won't eat anything else off of his plate until he devours everyone else's carbs first. Like the other night when we were having meatloaf and macaroni and cheese (the yummy white cheddar variety). He scarfed down all of his macaroni before I could really even start eating. And when I say scarfed, it was more like inhaled. He saw my macaroni on my plate and started pointing to it and banging on his tray. He then proceeded to eat a couple scoops of mine, some of Brian's and even some of Rylie's until there was no more macaroni in sight. Yeah, then he ate his meatloaf too. Piggy!
Speaking of Bryce's eating habits, the other night he had finished his dinner and acted like he wanted more, so I cut up some watermelon (his favorite) for him. When he saw me walking over with it, he started clapping! It was so funny. Well, after a few meals of this "clapping" I finally realized that he isn't really clapping, but actually signing "more". Duh. He just doesn't have his fingers together like you're supposed to so it looks more like clapping.
And you want to know what is NOT funny?
It is NOT funny when your kid barfs in his bed and rolls in it all night. Really, Bryce?!?! Yesterday morning we were rushing around trying to get ready for soccer and then a birthday party while the kids were still sleeping. We heard Bryce in his room giggling and playing so Brian went in to get him. All I heard was "OH MY GOD!" Bryce had puked and apparently slept most of the night in it. It was all over him! It was crusted in his hair, his ears, and all over his pajamas, not to mention his bedding. Brian headed upstairs straight to the bath tub. To make matters worse, when he took off his diaper while Bryce was standing up, little turds came rolling out everywhere. What a fun way to start the day! Not. He didn't throw up again, so I have no idea what that was all about. He does have a bit of a cold, so maybe he had some post nasal drip that he gagged on? Or, maybe it has something to do with this rash that has suddenly appeared on his torso? He had vaccinations Friday, so who knows??? I hate these mysterious baby illnesses.
And in other news...
Rylie can spell her name and knows the name of the street we live on. Whenever Mama comes over, she teaches Rylie all of this fun stuff. I guess that is the retired teacher in her. What should we work on next?
Oh, and Brian has a new job! I mentioned briefly in Five Question Friday how he lost his job last week and got another one in just a day and a half, and now he is basically enjoying two weeks of paid vacation. Lucky duck. Apparently he is damn good at what he does, and had offers coming in as soon as he put the word out that he was available. I am so thankful for that since the employment market isn't that great these days. Life around here wouldn't be so great if he remained unemployed.
Have a great week everyone!
September 25, 2010
Relax & Surf Sunday - September 26th
Welcome to Relax & Surf Sunday, with your hostesses The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too! and Shibley Smiles! This is a great blog hop for everyone to make new friends! You can find some new blogs to check out, and also get your blog out there and gain some new followers.
Here are the rules...
Wait, there are no rules! That is the whole point behind "Relax & Surf". We just want you to relax, and surf around as much as you want to. You don't have to make a post. You don't have to post our button. You don't even have to follow us. Of course we hope you like our blogs and will want to follow us, and we WILL follow back! Just add your blog to our linky at the bottom of this post, and visit as many blogs as you would like to. If you decide to follow a new blog, make sure you leave them a comment so they will know you are following them.
Each week we will randomly select one blog from the previous week's entries to be our featured blog for that week. If that blog happens to be yours, you will get a cute little button to display on your blog, and you will also get the #3 spot for that week!
Our Featured Blogger this week is Caring for Our Blessings!
I am a wife along with a freelance writer and book reviewer. Caring for Our Blessings began as a way to share our family's journey toward sustainable living as well as occasional helpful tips along the way. I also write about the growing interest in creation care and some family or personal tidbits. If you have some time, please stop by and leave a comment. Enjoy your Sunday surfing!
Link up below and have fun! Thanks for stopping by!
This linky will be posted every Saturday night at 9PM EST. Please link to your blog's main page only.
Saturday Playdate - Karen At Home
Welcome to another fun Saturday here at The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too! Today's playdate is with Karen from Karen At Home. Karen is an absolute sweetheart who I have had the pleasure of meeting through this blogging addiction of mine. She has an adorable little girl named Jillian, who always looks so happy in all of the pictures I see of her. When she isn't taking care of her sweet little girl or working her part time accountant job, she is decorating their beautiful home. She has some mad decorating skills! I
When you're done reading her post over here, go check out Karen's blog. Leave her some comment love, and give her a follow if you like what you see (and I think you will). For now, though, let's get on with this playdate and have some fun!
I have had the pleasure lately in getting to know LeeAnn over at The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too. She is such a sweetheart and the Mom of two adorable kids. She is also the host of the "Saturday Playdate" series where I love reading about other amazing Mommy Bloggers. I also realized after reading one of her Saturday playdate posts that I have never been on a playdate before, real or virtual!!!! So I got up the nerve to ask LeeAnn and here we are!
I am so excited that we are actually having this playdate at LeeAnn's house. She lives in Florida and I couldn't be happier spending my Saturday in The South where the weather is always sunny and warm!!! I have brought my homemade salsa and chips along with a pack of Corona Lights and some limes. I thought a cold and refreshing Corona would be perfect for a sunny afternoon in Florida!
Let me start by introducing myself, my name is Karen. I have been married to my wonderful husband, Jeff, for almost five years. We have actually known each other for ten years and met sitting across the corporate cubicle wall from each other. We are both number crunchers and work for the same company today, just in different buildings. We live in Cleveland, Ohio and just welcomed our beautiful daughter, Jillian, into the world in December 2009. Our daughter is the reason that I believe in miracles. We endured a long journey of infertility and miscarriages. There was a time where I never thought I was going to be a Mommy and had given up hope many times. We are just so blessed to have her in our lives. She has given us so much joy and hope. We just couldn't be more blessed. I am loving life right now as a new Mom and love sharing her cute face with my readers!
I have been blogging since September 2006. At that time, my husband and I had just begun our journey in starting a family. We were also currently on the hunt for a new home and I thought what a better time to document all of the exciting changes that lay ahead of us. I never realized what a fun and exciting world of blogging was until I started to receive comments on my posts. I would click on the comment which would bring me to a new blog. I would read a post on that blog and find even more bloggers through that post from those comments made. One click on those comments leads you to other blogs. You start to see familiar faces after awhile, who is following who, and who knows who. It's rather quite addicting! I meet new people every day who I would have never met if I had never created my blog.
Now that you know a little about me and what brought me to this playdate, I want to write about something that I am extremely insecure about and that I am sure would be rearing it's ugly head if this were a real life playdate. I have never really admitted this before on my blog so here it goes. I am insecure about my age. I am a first time Mom at the age of 35. Being a first time Mom and talking with other first time Moms is a constant reminder of our age difference. Most women are experiencing the first joys of motherhood in their late twenties/early thirties where at 35 I should be on child number two or three. It is very rare that I find someone in their mid-thirties who just had their first baby. I try not to get caught up in the age difference so much but it's hard not to. When I meet a new Mom, I instantly feel myself wondering how old she is. Will they still think I am cool and want to hang out with me knowing that I am 35? Is that nuts? What goes through your head when you meet other Moms? What are your insecurities? I am sure we all have them and that one is mine. Now that I put myself out there, hopefully you still think I am cool and will want to come back and play with us!
September 24, 2010
Weekend Win It - September 25-26 {Linky}
Welcome to Weekend Win It! This is a great way to spread the word about your giveaways, or find some great ones to enter! And remember...you don't need to be a blogger to enter these giveaways! All you need to do is know how to leave a comment. It's that easy!
I have a few great giveaways going on right now!
Nicolet Photography is a great shop on Etsy by a fabulous photographer. One of my readers will win one of her beautiful prints. Check out my Nicolet Photography giveaway for your chance to win!
I'm so excited to be running my first giveaway for Pear Tree Greetings! Pear Tree Greetings is the best place for all of your stationery needs. This month you can enter to win Halloween Personalized Stickers in my Pear Tree Greetings giveaway.
UPrinting.com is giving one of my readers a 24x36 Vinyl Banner! You can personalize it any way you want for your next celebration. Enter to win at my Uprinting.com giveaway.
I always find the coolest giveaways over at Thanks, Mail Carrier! Right now Xenia has one for this great "muck-free" lunch gear by Citizenpip. Cute, right? To enter to win, check out the Citizenpip giveaway at Thanks, Mail Carrier.
No, that isn't me in a bathing suit. Oh how I wish! That is a picture of the Envy Push Up by Voda Swim. Right now you can enter to win one over at Shibley Smiles. Check out Colleen's Voda Swim giveaway for your chance to win!
I am a huge fan of Britax! I don't think I would ever buy a different brand of car seat. The B-READY is another awesome product they make. It is a modular stroller with over 14 different configurations. Right now you can enter to win one at The Shopping Mama's Britax B-READY Giveaway!
Pillow Pets are loved in this house! In fact, they are loved in a lot of Rylie's friend's houses too since we have gotten them for them for birthday gifts. Right now you can enter to win one over at The Bragging Mommy's Pillow Pets giveaway.
Bryce is just about done with his high chair, and I would love to get him one of these great miSwivel Feeding Chairs by The First Years. For your chance to win one, check out the First Years Feeding Chair giveaway over at Born 2 Impress.
What are you waiting for? Head over and enter these great giveaways now! And if you are hosting a giveaway (or twenty), please link them up below! I would love to find some other great giveaways to enter! Please come back and let me know if you win a giveaway that you found at Weekend Win It.
Have a great weekend!
*Please enter giveaways in this format: Blog Name - Giveaway - End Date. Thanks!
Vinyl Banner From Uprinting.com {Giveaway}
Have you ever come across a product and thought "man, I really could have used that a couple weeks ago"? Well that is what I'm thinking right now. I recently came across some cool vinyl banners at Uprinting.com, and I wish I had found these before Bryce's birthday. What better way to announce a celebration than a big vinyl banner? Luckily I know about these affordable banners now and I will definitely have one for our next event!
UPrinting.com is a leading online printing company that provides high quality printing at the most affordable prices! From business cards to calendars, and even wall graphics, they are a great source for all of your printing needs! With Uprinting, you will get fast turnaround time, and the ability to proof your design with no upfront fee. You will even find templates to use for some products, just in case you are like me and need a little creative help.
~*~Uprinting.com is giving one of my readers a free 24x36 Vinyl Banner w/ Grommets!~*~
Mandatory entry: (This must be done in order for any optional entries to count) Check out all of the great printing services at UPrinting.com and come back and let me know which service you may use in the future.
Optional entries: After you make the mandatory first entry above, you can get one extra entry (unless stated otherwise) for each of the following (please leave a separate comment for each):
* Follow @UPrinting on Twitter (leave your user name)
* Like UPrinting.com on Facebook
* Leave the following message on UPrinting.com's Facebook wall:
I just entered to win a 24x36 Vinyl Banner at The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too! Enter for your chance to win here - http://bit.ly/barSyV.
* Follow my blog publicly with Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)
* Like The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too! on Facebook (leave your first name and last initial)
* Follow @thelifeofrylie on Twitter (leave your user name)
* Tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting this tweet and leaving me the link to your tweet (you can tweet daily for an extra entry each day):
I want to #win a 24x36 Vinyl Banner by @UPrinting from @thelifeofrylie! http://bit.ly/barSyV #giveaway
* Post my button on your sidebar or your blog roll for TWO extra entries *It must be the NEW button with the link to my new domain* (leave me two comments with a link to where I can find it)
* Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post for THREE extra entries (leave a link to your post in three separate comments)
Giveaway will end on October 8th at 9:00pm EST. The winner will be chosen by random.org. I will notify the winner by email within 24 hours, and you will have 48 hours to respond. If no response is received within that time frame, I will pick another winner. Please leave your email address or make sure it is in your profile so I will have a way to contact you. I will announce the winner once they have been confirmed. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only, 18+ years old.
Disclaimer: This opinion is my own. I am receiving a Vinyl Banner from UPrinting.com for hosting this giveaway. No other compensation was received. A big thank you to UPrinting.com for providing the giveaway prize!
Five Question Friday - September 24th
Hip hip hooray! It's Friday! Can you tell it is my off Friday? It has been one of those weeks. Man, I seem to have a lot of those, huh? There was a full moon, so we had our share of tantrums for a couple of days. Is it weird that my daughter is affected by the moon like that? Oh, and then there was the day that my husband lost his job. No worries about that, though, since he already has a new one and now basically just gets a two week paid vacation. Lucky duck! So we're both home today attempting to get some stuff done around the house. Fun.
Does anyone have any fun plans for the weekend? We are going to a first birthday party for an adorable little girl tomorrow. First, though, we have to go to Rylie's soccer game. Hopefully she will actually play this time! (I'll have more on The Great Soccer Debacle coming soon.) Other than that, we'll just be goofing off. I love the weekends!
Are you ready for some 5QF fun? Check that out, two days in a row of random questions about me! Aren't you excited? If you want to play too, head over to My Little Life and link up!
1. If you could speak with a different accent, what would it be (i.e Australian, Scottish)?
Australian! I love the way they talk!
2. Can you fall asleep anywhere? (i.e floor, couch, deck)
Um, yeah. I have "narcoleptic tendencies" (diagnosed with a sleep study) so I have no problem falling asleep. Just ask my husband. We will sit down on the couch to watch TV and five minutes later, I'm out.
3. Do you use public restrooms? If so, do you sit on the toilet?
Yes. And yes. I have the bladder of a two year old, so public restrooms are usually a must for me. If they have those paper seat covers I will use those, but if not, I just wipe it off. Gross, maybe. But no worse than trying to squat and peeing all over the toilet seat and possibly yourself.
Using public restrooms has gotten to a whole new level of disgusting now that I have a potty trained toddler. I swear that kid has to go to the bathroom every five minutes when we're out eating. Of course she has to touch everything too. I'm surprised her hands aren't raw from all of the sanitizing wipes I use on her!
4. If you were stuck in an elevator for 24 hours, what celebrity would you most want to be stuck with?
In honor of the Grey's Anatomy premiere last night, I'll go with Eric Dane. Do I really need to give you a reason?
5. Where did you & your significant other go on your 1st date?
Pleasure Island! Well, if you can really call it a "date". There were a group of us that always hung out together, but that was the night I decided to snatch up my now wonderful husband and keep him all to myself. So that is what we consider our first date.
Don't forget to stop back by after 10PM EST tonight for my Weekend Win It giveaway linky, where you will find some great giveaways and you can promote yours! Come on over on Saturday for Saturday Playdate. Then come back on Sunday for Relax & Surf Sunday, where you can link up your blog and hop around on your own terms, with no rules!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Does anyone have any fun plans for the weekend? We are going to a first birthday party for an adorable little girl tomorrow. First, though, we have to go to Rylie's soccer game. Hopefully she will actually play this time! (I'll have more on The Great Soccer Debacle coming soon.) Other than that, we'll just be goofing off. I love the weekends!
Are you ready for some 5QF fun? Check that out, two days in a row of random questions about me! Aren't you excited? If you want to play too, head over to My Little Life and link up!
1. If you could speak with a different accent, what would it be (i.e Australian, Scottish)?
Australian! I love the way they talk!
2. Can you fall asleep anywhere? (i.e floor, couch, deck)
Um, yeah. I have "narcoleptic tendencies" (diagnosed with a sleep study) so I have no problem falling asleep. Just ask my husband. We will sit down on the couch to watch TV and five minutes later, I'm out.
3. Do you use public restrooms? If so, do you sit on the toilet?
Yes. And yes. I have the bladder of a two year old, so public restrooms are usually a must for me. If they have those paper seat covers I will use those, but if not, I just wipe it off. Gross, maybe. But no worse than trying to squat and peeing all over the toilet seat and possibly yourself.
Using public restrooms has gotten to a whole new level of disgusting now that I have a potty trained toddler. I swear that kid has to go to the bathroom every five minutes when we're out eating. Of course she has to touch everything too. I'm surprised her hands aren't raw from all of the sanitizing wipes I use on her!
4. If you were stuck in an elevator for 24 hours, what celebrity would you most want to be stuck with?
In honor of the Grey's Anatomy premiere last night, I'll go with Eric Dane. Do I really need to give you a reason?
5. Where did you & your significant other go on your 1st date?
Pleasure Island! Well, if you can really call it a "date". There were a group of us that always hung out together, but that was the night I decided to snatch up my now wonderful husband and keep him all to myself. So that is what we consider our first date.
Don't forget to stop back by after 10PM EST tonight for my Weekend Win It giveaway linky, where you will find some great giveaways and you can promote yours! Come on over on Saturday for Saturday Playdate. Then come back on Sunday for Relax & Surf Sunday, where you can link up your blog and hop around on your own terms, with no rules!
Have a great weekend everyone!
September 23, 2010
Tag! You're It!
A couple weeks I was tagged by Torie at Life with Rylie to play a little game. I'm supposed to answer her questions, and then tag five more people and give them questions to answer. Fun!
Here are the questions Torie asked me...
1. What does a normal day look like for you?
I don't even know what "normal" is anymore. When you have two toddlers, there is always at least one surprise each day. :-) Most days around here look pretty crazy, that's for sure.
During the week Brian and I get up and get ready, then we get the kids up and get them dressed, teeth brushed, hair brushed, backpacks loaded and we're out the door around 7. Geez, that already sounds exhausting, right? I drop the kids off at school and head to work. I leave work around 5:30, go pick the kids up and usually Brian has dinner ready when we get home. Yes, he is awesome, I know. After dinner we usually play outside until around 7 and then it is bath, brush teeth, read a story or two and then bed time for the little ones. Once the kids are in bed I usually blog for a bit, and/or we watch some TV. I try to get in bed by 11, but that doesn't always happen.
Since, as you can see, we don't get much time with the kids during the week, the weekends are all about them. Rylie now has soccer on Saturday mornings, so those mornings are usually as nutty as the week day mornings. After soccer, though, they are usually more relaxed. Unless we have a birthday party or some other plans, we hang around the house a lot playing (inside and outside) and swimming. It has been a really fun summer!
2. If you could have any career, what would it be (other than staying home with kiddos)?
I have to say that I actually like what I do. I'm an accountant. No, I don't do taxes or auditing. I just do corporate accounting and for the most part I enjoy it. But I guess if I could do anything I wanted, I would open a doggy daycare. What could be more fun than playing with dogs all day?
3. What is your favorite type of music, if any?
I like pop, country, hip-hop and some rap. I like music from the 70s and later. The CDs I used to make are a mixture of everything. I jump around different stations on Sirius when I'm in the car, but other than that, I don't really listen to music all that much.
4. What is the best compliment you have ever received?
I love hearing good things about my kids, especially when someone tells me I am a good mother. I take pride in my children and being their mother and I love when someone else recognizes that.
I'm going to tag these 5 awesome ladies...
Dawn @ Born From My Heart
Wee Mason's Mom @ Adventures of Wee Mason Man
Amanda @ Alligator Lane
Michelle @ Flying Giggles & Lollipops
Nikki @ Mommy Oblongata
And now for the hard part. I am horrible at making up questions like this. So I have a confession to make...I cheated. I looked up random questions online. Here goes...
1. What is your most embarrassing moment?
2. What do you do for fun?
3. If you were an animal, which would you be, and why?
4. If you could know one thing about the future, what would it be?
Have fun!
Here are the questions Torie asked me...
1. What does a normal day look like for you?
I don't even know what "normal" is anymore. When you have two toddlers, there is always at least one surprise each day. :-) Most days around here look pretty crazy, that's for sure.
During the week Brian and I get up and get ready, then we get the kids up and get them dressed, teeth brushed, hair brushed, backpacks loaded and we're out the door around 7. Geez, that already sounds exhausting, right? I drop the kids off at school and head to work. I leave work around 5:30, go pick the kids up and usually Brian has dinner ready when we get home. Yes, he is awesome, I know. After dinner we usually play outside until around 7 and then it is bath, brush teeth, read a story or two and then bed time for the little ones. Once the kids are in bed I usually blog for a bit, and/or we watch some TV. I try to get in bed by 11, but that doesn't always happen.
Since, as you can see, we don't get much time with the kids during the week, the weekends are all about them. Rylie now has soccer on Saturday mornings, so those mornings are usually as nutty as the week day mornings. After soccer, though, they are usually more relaxed. Unless we have a birthday party or some other plans, we hang around the house a lot playing (inside and outside) and swimming. It has been a really fun summer!
2. If you could have any career, what would it be (other than staying home with kiddos)?
I have to say that I actually like what I do. I'm an accountant. No, I don't do taxes or auditing. I just do corporate accounting and for the most part I enjoy it. But I guess if I could do anything I wanted, I would open a doggy daycare. What could be more fun than playing with dogs all day?
3. What is your favorite type of music, if any?
I like pop, country, hip-hop and some rap. I like music from the 70s and later. The CDs I used to make are a mixture of everything. I jump around different stations on Sirius when I'm in the car, but other than that, I don't really listen to music all that much.
4. What is the best compliment you have ever received?
I love hearing good things about my kids, especially when someone tells me I am a good mother. I take pride in my children and being their mother and I love when someone else recognizes that.
I'm going to tag these 5 awesome ladies...
Dawn @ Born From My Heart
Wee Mason's Mom @ Adventures of Wee Mason Man
Amanda @ Alligator Lane
Michelle @ Flying Giggles & Lollipops
Nikki @ Mommy Oblongata
And now for the hard part. I am horrible at making up questions like this. So I have a confession to make...I cheated. I looked up random questions online. Here goes...
1. What is your most embarrassing moment?
2. What do you do for fun?
3. If you were an animal, which would you be, and why?
4. If you could know one thing about the future, what would it be?
Have fun!
September 22, 2010
~*~Winner!!!~*~
A big thank you to everyone who entered my Costumes4Less.com giveaway! The winner is...
And the winning comment was...
Congratulations to The Florida Hogans! I can't wait to see what costume you pick out!
Be sure to check out my current giveaways at the top of my right sidebar for more chances to win cool stuff!
And the winning comment was...
Congratulations to The Florida Hogans! I can't wait to see what costume you pick out!
Be sure to check out my current giveaways at the top of my right sidebar for more chances to win cool stuff!
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