Friday Faves + A New Blog!

We made it through the week - and actually, this one seemed to fly by.  Maybe it was because of Labor Day?  Regardless, I'm not complaining because by now you should know that the weekend is my favorite part of the week.  But really, does anyone not like the weekend?  I didn't think so.

With my revamp of Blogger Love, I've started to realize how many of my daily routines include products and things that I love using.  Here are just a few from this week:

Symphony Bars.  I used to work at a pharmacy in high school, and this was the only chocolate they had.  I ate a lot of them, and forgot how delicious they were until recently.  On a whim I picked one up and devoured every last bite!

Yes to Grapefruit Cleansing wipes.  I keep these in my bedside table for when I forget (or am too lazy) to actually wash my face.

Peach Green Tea Lemonade from Starbucks.  So sad that they have deemed it "fall", and I cannot get this anymore.  Until next summer Starbucks!

Favorite Quote.  If this one doesn't sum up my current life, I don't know what does:

Favorite New Blog: Beauty in the Mess, written by Megan.  Megan has lived in many areas (most fascinating - Mexico!) and writes about "the little things", her adventures with her husband, and has the cutest pug!  Fun fact - it's also her birthday today!!  You can follow along here: Bloglovin' || Instagram || Twitter

Want to share your favorites this week?  Link up below and share your favorite posts, products, tips and tricks!

An InLinkz Link-up

Blogger Love (with a twist)

It has been ages since I've hosted a Blogger Love link up - which makes me sad because it is one of the highlights of my week.  Thank you to those who kept up with your posts! 

Over my unintentional break, I found myself thinking a lot about how I want this space of mine to look and feel.  One aspect I wanted to switch up a bit was Blogger Love.  I enjoy sharing my favorite posts with you all, but I also wanted to be able to share other "loves" of mine without posting every single day about one thing that catches my attention.  I'm still thinking of a great name (ideas welcomed!) but Fridays from now on will be Blogger Love + everything else.  It might include makeup, tv shows, drinks, recipes - you name it, it will appear during some Friday in the future.  I should also add that nothing that appears here will be sponsored - just purely items or things that I have been loving lately.

This is also still a weekly link up!  Link up your "favorites" posts as well - it's really open ended.  But as always, all I ask is that you check out the other links and spread the love too.

So, let's get to it, shall we?

This week, I'm loving...

This post by Christine Everyday.  Sure, it touches on a "hot topic" - gun control (which I do have strong opinions about), but that's not the main point.  It would be hard to find someone that can't nod along while reading this.

Stiegl Grapefruit Radler.  I mean, yum!  It's the perfect summer beer in my opinion.

Amazon one-day shipping.  I have Prime for the 2-day shipping, but lately I've been noticing that if I spend a certain amount, I can get one day shipping for free!  Is this always the case and I have just been missing out?

What are your loves this week?  Link up below and share with us! 

An InLinkz Link-up

What A Week!

Well this week has been one for the books.  The kind of book you burn, because I don't want to relive it.  Of course, things could have been worse - they always can, but it seemed as though the stars were not aligned for me this week.  I'm sure one day I will look back and realize that this was exactly what was supposed to happen - but until then, vodka.

Even while things weren't looking good for me and my loved ones this week, I found quite a few posts that I loved reading.  That is one of the reasons why I love blogging - someone is always having more fun, experiencing better things, eating better food, and I can live vicariously through those posts.  So let's get to some #bloggerlove, shall we?

"The Bachelor Drinking Game" by The Samantha Life, via Venus Trapped in Mars.  I love to watch The Bachelor (but not the Bachelorette) and this game makes it much more fun.  Especially with girlfriends!

"Conversations" by Ember Grey.  Oh, how my soul needed Emily's post.  It was the perfect timing for me, and I am so grateful that she shared that conversation with us.

"20 Awesome Things" by Love the Here and Now.  Anne reminds us that sometimes, the simple things are the best things.  And to make it even more awesome?  She's created a link up for us all to share our "awesome things".  I love little reminders like this!

I hope you'll join the link up this week and share your favorite posts by other bloggers!  Grab the button if you'd like and link up below.  If you use Twitter, tag @allthejoys so I can follow along!

An InLinkz Link-up

So Fall Happened + Friday Faves!

I can't believe that September is almost over and October is around the corner.  I guess this means I have to officially accept that Fall is here, even though I wish it would be summer forever. (side note - why do we live in the Midwest again?)  There are a few things about Fall that I like - that is, when I have no choice but to say goodbye to summer!

- Cool sleeping weather.  I love sleeping with the windows open while I'm all cuddled up under 5 a blanket.

- "Fall smells".  I love cinnamon, spiced apple, creamy nutmeg - smelling candles and home scents.

- Fall television. Even though Big Brother ended last night (too predictable this season!), Series Premiers are all around this week.  Scandal, Red Band Society, How to Get Away with Murder, and a few others are gracing my DVR and I couldn't be more excited!

Before we get to this week's favorites - a quick update.  A few weeks ago, I wished for a good result with some things that were going on with my pup, Charlie.  Well friends?  Charlie doesn't have cancer.  He doesn't have cancer!  To say I'm grateful is an understatement!  He officially just has a pimply, cute, lovable face!  Thanks for all of the well wishes and prayers - they worked!

So, on to this week's favorites:

"Fall Favorites" by Amy at Set Free.  Amy just recently got me in to essential oils - and I am hooked, even though I haven't received my starter kit yet!  I have been doing a lot of research on them and can't wait to see what they do for my family.

"Blogger Men Tell All" by Becoming Adorrable.  Tim blogged once, with some bribing, interview style.  I love reading other posts interviewing the men behind the blog, so I'm really excited for this link up!

"Going Natural: Makeup and Cosmetics" by Notes from a Newlywed.  Amanda gives great reviews on natural products?  Did you know that 60% of what you put on your skin gets absorbed in to the body?  I didn't either - but it totally freaks me out now that I know.  Especially since I can't pronounce 98% of the ingredients of products I use.  I am slowly making the switch to natural products.  If you are thinking of the same, Amanda's post is a must read.  The Florkens were also part of this link up, and their post is a must read as well.  I can't wait for the next in the series!

What were your favorites?  Link up below and share!  Please grab the button and visit some of the links below.  Just a reminder: If you link up, please post at least one link to a blogger other than yourself to share the love!

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm off to Minnesota this weekend.  It's normally a 6ish hour drive, but with two littles I'm looking at more like eight.  Good timing though - I'll have plenty of time to read your faves!  Happy Friday!

Lovin' It

Wasn't that a tagline for McDonald's?  Or maybe it still is?  Oh well, I'm borrowing it for this week's faves.

"Blogging 101: Choosing to Offer Sponsorships" by Love the Here and Now.  I know that Anne makes my list frequently, but this one was perfect timing for me.  Accepting sponsors is something I've been toying around with for awhile, and I love how Anne outlined everything that goes in to it.  If you are a blogger and are thinking about accepting sponsors, you need to check out Anne's post!

"Its in these moments..." by Southern Komfort Blog.  Religion isn't something I talk a lot about on this blog, but I loved Kelly's story of God's moments.  It really was a good reminder that things are always really happening for a reason.  I needed to read her post at the moment I did!

"Come Back Please" by Not Entirely Perfect.  This was an awesome trip down memory lane!  I remember all of these snacks from the 90's, in addition to Clear Pepsi and Clearly Canadian.  WHY did Clearly Canadian ever go away??

"Tools: What You Need to Start DIYing" by Tattered to Taylored.  If you've seen me on Pinterest lately, you've seen my new obsession with everything DIY.  We can blame my friend Jess on this.  I have a major itch to go thrifting, find something "eh" and turn it in to something amazing!  Taylor's suggestions on tools to start with is perfect.  You don't need a lot, and her suggestions seem like things I could actually use.

What were your favorites from this week?  Share below!  Please remember: If you link up, the post you link must contain at least one post written by a different blogger than yourself.  Click around and find some new blogs to love, and grab the button if you'd like!

I'm off to do a whole lot of nothing much this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it.  It will be capped by dinner with my besties, so I really couldn't ask for much more!

An InLinkz Link-up

Too Many to Choose!

Again this week, there were so many good posts out there!  And so many more I'm sure that you will share with me.  I look forward to Friday's for many reasons - but finding new blogs shared by you is one of them.  (And having my husband home for two days and sleeping in is up there)

"The Past Has Passed (It's Time to Twirl)" by Ember Grey. If you read one post from this past week, read this one.  It's all about finding the one thing that pushes you along.  I'm sure Emily's post is going to make a few lists this week!

"Perspective - Get Some" by The Florkens.  YES.  Even when things seem awful and you can't go on, someone has it worse than you.  One of my favorite quotes: "Right now, someone is praying for the things you are taking for granted."  This post speaks to that, and is always a good reminder.

"I Was Scared to Have a Boy" by The Contented Wife.  Chelsea spoke about what I was thinking when I was pregnant with both A and E.  I don't know how to "do" boy things!  Secretly, I was afraid of having boys.  But, after reading her post, it struck me - a mother's bond is unbreakable, no matter the sex of the baby.

"What Are Your Twitter Habits?" by Seriously Sarah?  Confession: I never used Twitter before having this blog.  I have a personal account, but never really went on it, and only followed celebrities anyway.  Sarah's tips are good to have!  Did you know that if you reply to someone, you can use a period before their handle?  Then it shows up in your feed!  (If I understood that right, haha!)

"2014 Fall Trends for Your Sun Sign" by Simply Sun Signs.  I loved this post - Desiree breaks down the trends for Fall by your sign - what you should wear, or what you would be most comfortable in.  I love horoscopes and learning more about myself so I loved reading this post as well.

So, what were your favorites?  Link up below and share with us.  A few rules: Please link to at least one other post (not written by yourself) to highlight another blogger - share the love!  Use the button if you'd like and click around to find some other new-to-you bloggers!

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

I hope you all can enjoy a three day weekend - be safe saying "goodbye" to summer!

Finally Friday

Friends - it's been such a long week!  After my weekend of nothing last weekend, it was hard to get in to the swing of things.  Plus - Tim had work events both Wednesday and Thursday nights, so I had a few long days this week.  Today is a "normal" day - so Tim will be home after work and we don't have any plans for the night.  I can't wait to see him!

#BloggerLove has quickly become one of the highlights of my weeks.  I really enjoy seeing the blogs you all recommend, and I've found a few new faves from your links.  Of course, it's always nice to share the love and highlight other bloggers here too!  So, let's get to it.

"Confessions: 100th Blog Post Edition" by The Kay Times.  Krystal always has the best confession posts because she is so honest and keeps it real for us.  Her gifs are hilarious and always include at least one housewife - my fave!  Plus, let's not overlook the fact that this was her 100th post! 

"#samanthaslastdoedown" by It's All in the Details.  Samantha went to Nashville for her Bachelorette Party and had the best recap!  I am planning a girls trip in October with some friends, so I was seriously taking notes.  After commenting, she even sent multiple emails with more suggestions.  So sweet.  Except now I wish it was October.

"On Opinions, Ice Buckets and Saying No to Fear" by The Rachael Way.  Rachael said what I was thinking.  I think the Ice Bucket Challenge is becoming annoying.  Not because of the effect it is having - which is amazing, but because of the people only dumping water on their heads.  Why don't we save the water and donate, as well to a charity that we truly believe in?  I was nominated and donated to the ALS organization as well as two others.  I grew up in the non-profit world (my Dad has run one for 35+ years) and my entire professional career as been in non-profits, so I get it.  Maybe that's why it bothers me so much.  Oh, and the fact that I personally knew someone that passed away from ALS and some "challenges" I see on facebook make it look like a joke.  Ok, rant over.  (Thanks Rachael for giving me the strength to go on this rant!!)

"A Letter to New Moms" by The Rambling Llama.  A million times yes.  Melissa hits the nail on the head with this one.  There's so many things about motherhood that you can never read about or learn until you experience them!

Don't forget if you are linking up: Make sure your post includes at least one link to another blog from this week.  If you tweet, please use #bloggerlove!  Have a great weekend friends!

An InLinkz Link-up

It's a Great Friday!

It's Friday again and I couldn't be happier this week.  We don't have any plans, which hasn't happened in a really long time.  No travelling, nothing set in stone - just time to hang out as a family.  I needed this!

This week's favorites were hard to choose from.  Each week I am finding more and more blogs that I love.  This is good and bad, and only bad because my bloglovin feed is out of control.  As soon as I'm caught up, there are new posts to read!

"A New Idea" by Not Entirely Perfect.  Not only did I figure out that Stephanie lives in Chicago too, but her dog's name (Hawkeye) tipped me off that she went to Iowa as well.  Her new link up is a great idea too - monthly goals, based off of a category that is provided in the beginning of the month.  I love how you can make this your own - and I hope that it helps me tackle more of my 101 in 1001 list.

"Lazy Guide to Eating Healthy" by Jade and Oak.  I've already admitted to being lazy, but also wanting to be healthier - so this post was absolutely written for me.  I can actually use Jackie's tips and apply them to my every day life!

"Fall 2014: New Shows I've Got My Eye On" by Becoming Adorrable.  It shouldn't be a secret by now that I love tv, and my DVR.  Fall is exciting because of all the new shows and return of my favorites.  Becca reviews some new shows for this fall - and I'm excited about "Stalker" and "Manhatten Love Story". 

"Free to Be" by Ember Grey.  Emily writes what I've always felt, but was unable to say.  Why do we let our jobs define who we are?  We are free to be whoever we are, and it's not defined by what we do day to day.  This post was a good reminder to "just be me".

"I Met Brad and Angelina" by Dancin' with a Dolly.  First of all, this post would be amazing if it were true.  But that's just it - it's a post reminding us that not everything we read online or see on tv is real.  Before making decisions and judgements, do the research and find out the truth behind what you are seeing and reading.  Couldn't agree with Jenny more!

 If you want to link up this week, here are the guidelines - share at least one post by another blogger that you loved from this past week, so you can participate in as many Friday link-ups as you'd like. The link-up closes Sunday night. Grab the button too! Also, don't forget to click around below and check out some new-to-you bloggers!

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy Friday!

This weekend is a crazy one for me, but I couldn't skip #bloggerlove - there were so many great posts this week!

"The Blog Auction" by Helene in Between.  Little known fact - when Tim and I go to charity events, you can always find us at the silent auction tables, and we always go home with something. I like the thrill of it - and this is such a fun idea!

"So You Want to Take a Barre Class" by Meet @the Barre.  I took years of dance when I was younger, and it's something I've always wanted to get back in to.  My sister just started doing barre classes in St. Louis and I have been itching to try it.  Amanda breaks it down and makes it seem a lot less imitating.  Anyone in Chicago want to join?

"All of the Information" by Venus Trapped In Mars.  I always thought that this slice of the internet wasn't read by anyone I know in real life.  I mean, I don't use my full name, so how could they find me?  It's probably a lot easier than I think, and Sarah breaks it down.  If any of you know me in real life, show yourselves!!

"Find Your Blogging Soulmate" by Emily Finta.  I've said before, I'll say it again - I've found some great friends from blogging.  I love this idea - fill out a quick survey, and Emily will find you a great match.  Win win for finding new friends and blogs to read!

"Virtual Assistants - Paying for Comments" by Seriously Sarah?.  Sarah is so right with this - at what point do you need to have others commenting for you?  Doesn't that take away from your blog, make you less personable?  Couldn't agree more!  For the record, I don't know any bloggers that do this, that I'm aware of, but I'd be pretty upset if I was chatting with an assistant.

So there it is!  If you want to link up this week, here are the guidelines - share at least one post by another blogger that you loved from this past week, so you can participate in as many Friday link-ups as you'd like. The link-up closes Sunday night. Grab the button if you'd like to! Also, don't forget to click around below and check out some new-to-you bloggers!

An InLinkz Link-up

   

A Joyful Week

I had a great week - some things developing at work, tonight I am going out with some girlfriends (one of which hasnt had a drink since her baby was born... TEN months ago!) and Saturday we have a wedding.  My awesome mom is driving in from Iowa to spend the night with our girls so Tim and I can have a night away.  I love weddings for this reason - a date night, with all our friends, and no planning required!

THANK YOU to everyone that linked up last week for Blogger Love!  I loved reading all of your posts and found a few new blogs to follow from your great suggestions.  I hope you all found some new bloggers as well.  Is it just me, or were there a number of great posts this week?  I could definitely post more than five.  Something must have been in the water.

"When Life Doesn't Feel Right" by Seriously, Sarah?  While reading this post about Sarah's struggle with Cervical Dystonia, I could feel her emotion through my computer screen.  It was a tough read because of that, but I have so much respect for her to put her feelings out there for everyone to experience.

"Don't Try So Hard" by The Florkens.  I'm pretty sure that this post will make it on to some other lists, as it should be.  The Florkens are hosting a one-time link up with others for all of us to show ourselves without our hair or makeup done, but all natural.  It's an amazing idea, and I want to participate... just need to convince myself to go for it!

"You are More than a Number" by Love the Here and Now.  Ok, so I know that I feature Anne most weeks - but she seriously gets me.  This post was written for me, I swear.  I was just feeling down because I was having a "feel bad for myself" day.  Tight clothes = check. Hungry because I'm trying to "diet" = check.  All because of the moment I had stepped on the scale earlier that day. Anne reminded me that its not what that number says, but how we feel.  Thank you Anne!

"Summer Camp" by The Taily Day.  Oh how I related to this post.  I went to summer camp every summer, until the year my parents sent me to a three week long camp.  It basically scarred me for life - maybe a story for another day - but I loved remembering some of those moments via Taylor's post.  Plus, she was in Iowa - lots of love for Iowa of course!

"The One Thing: A Sister's Love" written by Katie, featured on Ember Grey.  I was blown away at the writing skills of Katie at just 16, as she lay awake in her sister's hospital room.  I had never read her blog before, but that short exerpt from her teenage diary hooked me instantly.  Seriously, go read it.

Want to link up and share the love?  Just a few guidelines - share at least one post by another blogger that you loved from this past week, so you can participate in as many Friday link-ups as you'd like. The link-up closes Sunday night.  Grab the button if you'd like!  Also, don't forget to click around below and check out some new-to-you bloggers!

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Favorites - A New Link Up!

Today's Friday Favorites is an exciting one for me because it is the first time I am making it a link-up!  I love finding new blogs and thought this would be the perfect way for all of us to find some new reads.  I know that there are a lot of Friday link-ups, so the rules for this are simple - share at least one post from this week that you loved.  That way you can combine content and still share with the rest of us.

Let's get right to it -

"GOMI Monster...." by My Cup of Sparkle.  Let's be honest - if you are a blogger, you at least spent a few minutes on a certain thread this past week.  It's easy to get sucked in to this, but this post reminds me to just let it go and move on!

"That Awkward Age" by Dancin' with a Dolly.  YES.  This describes me perfectly.  I feel like I am stuck in between the fun, partying age and the older-middle age.  My weekends are torn between wanting to go out with friends, and wanting to go to bed at 9pm.  This post described me perfectly!

"Leslie Loves" by Martin Manifesto.  Leslie's post is dedicated to the Nordstrom anniversary sale.  I put myself on a "no-spending" rule for July, so I'm living vicariously through her post for all of the things I wish I was out buying!

"Show Life you Have a Thousand Reasons to Smile" by The Kay Times.  Krystal had some pretty crappy things happen during her week, but her attitude towards it all was inspiring.  She actually did what I try to do each day - find the positives!

"A Little About Me" by Knock on Wood.  I love a good Q&A to learn new things about people.  Amanda even throws in some good jokes here and there which made me wish there were more questions!

I can't wait to see the blogs you loved this week.  Link up below and have an awesome weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday friends!  This week has been really busy celebrating A's first birthday and getting ready for her party tomorrow.  The best kind of busy!

This week was a good one in blogland - lots of posts that I loved reading.  Let's get to it:

"Like A Girl" by Ember Grey.  Emily shares an Always commercial (yes, the pads) about what it means to do things "like a girl", and how it should mean strong and confidently.  With two little girls, this hit me hard.  I want them to grow up being confident in who they are, and believing that they can achieve anything.  If you have daughters, nieces, cousins, siblings, etc. please watch this!

"Total Blog Move" by Helene in Between.  Hilarious.  Based of of Total Frat Move, Helene calls out all of us bloggers that have ever done one of these.  (Guilty!)

"I'm Rich and So Are You" by The Florkens.  It's so easy for me to measure my happiness with material things.  (Case in point - we are saving for a new house but I just really really wanted a ring with the girls' birthstones on it.  I know - wah wah!) Kate reminded me that I am already so rich - with non-materialistic things, but with love and joy.

"Wishes for My Daughters" by Love the Here and Now.  Anne writes about things that she wants her three daughters to know while growing up.  I could have written the same thing.  Maybe I'm emotional this week with my "baby" turning 1, but this one struck a chord with me.  Great life lessons!

"25 Beauty Tips and Tricks" by A Hundred Tiny Wishes.  Tabitha compiled her favorite tips and tricks - some of which I had never heard of before.  I tried #5 - totally works!

Guess what??  Ashley from The Grits Blog is designing me a button for Friday Favorites!  Yes, that means that sometime in the near future you too can share your fave posts from the week. I hope you'll join!

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday Faves - Happy 4th!

First and foremost, Happy 4th of July everyone!  I hope you all have a safe and fun holiday.  'Merica.

I really missed not writing this post last week, and I had a lot of faves last week.  Sometimes I hate that my real job gets in the way of this fun job!  On to this weeks faves!

"Be the Match" by Northern Belle Diaries.  Lisette talks about the importance of registering to be a bone marrow donor.  For some cases of cancer, a bone marrow transplant is the only chance at survival.  Unfortunately, some people never find their match.  When I first experienced that, I signed up right away.  Why wouldn't I give marrow to someone and save a life?  The registration is super easy too.

"Work Life (Hanging in the) Balance" by The Adventures of Bug and Boo.  Totally relate to this one.  Rebecca writes about the fine line between being a working mother and a stay at home mother.  It's a constant battle and it's so nice to know that others feel the same way!

"40 Reasons to Celebrate Today" by Love the Here and Now.  I love that Anne married her high school sweetheart.  And I love even more that you can see how much in love they are!  I would like to think that I could write 40 reasons why I love my husband, some days it's hard. :)

"Pretty Little Beauty Swap Sign-up" by Southern Beauty Guide.  If you saw my post about my last Beauty Swap and liked the idea, Chelsee and others are hosting another!  Check it out and sign up - it closes July 12.

"Epic Fails" by Notes from a Newlywed.  I love that Amanda isn't afraid to share moments that did not work out as she had planned - takes some courage!  I mostly love that I found another fan of Big Brother.  It's my favorite show and I look forward to it every summer!

So there you have it, for this week.  Again - enjoy your long weekend (hopefully!) and be safe. 

Friday Favorites Round 4

I am really enjoying writing these posts every week.  While reading blogs all week, I am constantly thinking "Ooooh, this one is great - I'm definitely adding it to my Friday Favorites post." But, then I always end up with more than five.  You ladies are too good at this!

So... here are some of my faves from this week:

"Stalker Fail" by Dancin with a Dolly.  You know how I love a good celebrity story.  Jenny is inching her way in to Khloe and Kourtney's life and I can't wait to hear the details of their first meeting!  (So what if it takes awhile?  Good things come to those who wait, right?)

"Engaged" by Ember Grey.  I mean, come on.  These two are so cute I can hardly stand it.  And those photos?  Beautiful.

"Firsts of the Date Kind" by Adventures of Bug and Boo.  Ok, so obviously I'm a sucker for love stories.  Rebecca shares her first date (that never ended) with her now-husband.  She knew from day one :)

"You Know You're From a Small Town If..." by Halfway to Fearless.  Maybe it was because I spent the week in Iowa, but Beverly's post made me smile.  I love life in a smaller town and would probably leave Chicago for one if my husband was up for it.

"Finding My Voice" by Hey Kerri Blog.  I love that Kerri is saying that she's just going to be herself.  She might swear, she might write what she wants - take it or leave it.  It's easy in this blogging world to lose your "voice", but I loved the realness of this post.

What were some of your faves from this week?  Do share - finding new blogs makes me happy.

Friday Favorites + Giveaway!

It's Friday again!  Weeks are just flying by.  Today my husband is off to Canada for a week of fishing.  Sounds lame to me but he goes every summer!  He thinks he is going to write a guest post about his trip when he comes home.  We'll see about that!

Now on to this week's favorite posts.  I love highlighting the posts that made my week, and hope that you find some new blogs to follow in the process.  Plans to make this a link-up are underway, so watch for that too!

"My Humpday Confessions" by Dancin' with a Dolly. I love these confession posts!  I especially loved hearing that I wasn't the only one that uses bribery with my children.

"This Stage of Life" by The Florkens.  Kate writes about her current stage in life, and it made me reminisce and look back at my "stages", as well as look forward to what's up ahead!

"The List June 2014" by The Grits Blog.  Not only did Ashley redo my blog design (obsessed!) but she shares her fave beauty items.  Pretty sure I need the Smashbox BB cream like yesterday.

"Coffee Cups are for Coffee!" by The Kay Times.  Another confession post!  I totally agree with Krystal on using coffee cups for only hot drinks.  Plus, she uses the best gifs in her posts, every week!

"Shop My Closet" by Hello Rigby.  Jenn has a great idea here - a place for bloggers and non bloggers to swap clothing.  Interested?  Fill out her google doc on the post.  I can't wait to see this come to life!

Don't worry... now on to the giveaway.  I've teamed up with some great ladies to give one of you lucky readers $200 in paypal cash!  That's a lot of makeup, or shoes, or anything you choose to spend it on!  Please check out these lovely ladies and fill out the rafflecopter below.  Good Luck!

From left to right: Rebekah at A Girl Awake // Gretchen at That Mama Gretchen // Anne at Love the Here and Now// Kasi at Birch Juice // Meagan at All The Joys // Beverly at Halfway to Fearless // Logan at Logan Can // Leslie at Martin Manifesto // Jamie at The Growing Up Diaries // Mandy at A Sorta Fairytale // Rebekah at Lipstick and Lullabies



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Friday Favorites - Blog Love Round 2

It's Friday again - whoo hoo! 

Last Friday I shared my favorite posts by others that week.  It was so much fun to write that I knew that I had to do the same this week.  I hope you all check out these lovely ladies and what they had to say:

The Southern Thing: How to Spot a Blogger.  Hilarious!  Most of my friends and family don't know about my blog - or so I thought.  After reading this, it might not be as secret as I was thinking!

Marry Mint: Rainy Weekend Fun.  Amanda lives in Alaska and I love seeing her pictures.  This post was about her family's trip to the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center.  It would be so, so amazing to be that close to bears and moose!

Peaches in Missouri: An Interview with Philip. I love a good interview with the husbands.  Amanda's husband did not disappoint!

Helene in Between: What Your Blog Name Says About You.  So funny, and for me - so true.  According to Helene, "I am excited about life and want to share that with others. I am a die hard Starbucks addict and use emoticons frequently. I always see the silver lining unless you get a flat tire. Then all hell breaks loose. I like to take photos looking into the distance. Pinot Grigio is my drink of choice." ALL true, except for the Starbucks.  I hate coffee! :(  (see what I did there?)

Love the Here and Now: The Perfect Blog Planner. Don't worry non-bloggers, this is totally customizable to fit any need.  I might have ordered two - one for the blog, and one for my family.  I cannot wait for them to get here.  Anne also has a discount code - and it's still valid! 

Check these posts out and let me know if you loved them as much as I did!  Last week I had some interest in making this a link-up.  Any others interested?  I love finding new blogs and this is the perfect way.  Let me know and I'll make it happen! :) (one more emoticon for good measure!)

Friday Favorites - Blog Posts

Happy Friday Everyone!  We made it.  Today I am sharing you with my favorite posts from other bloggers this week.  Every day my Bloglovin' feed is full of great content.  Here are just a few of this weeks' faves:

1.  "28 Things No 20 Something Wants to Hear" by Taylor The Daily Tay.  I mostly liked this post because I was there not so long ago, and remember thinking the exact same things.  The best part?  I'm past (most) of these!  Reading this list made me laugh - and picture the person who said the exact same thing to me.

2.  "Grateful Heart Monday" by Emily at Ember Grey.  Emily wrote a beautiful message about kindness, a tribute to her grandfather.  Also read The Road to Saying Goodbye, about her grandfather.  This was so beautifully written that I had to stop and dry my eyes more than a few times.

3.  "Every Now and Then" by Anne at Love the Here and Now.  Anne reminds us that sometimes, "more is more", and to really enjoy the moments with loved ones.  Plus, she always has a great quote for her posts, and this one did not disappoint.

4.  "Chicken Finger..." by Elisabeth at My Cup of Sparkle.  Want to read about a horrible first date?  Here it is!  This post seriously had me cracking up, but also feeling bad for Elisabeth at the same time, what a charmer!

5.  "Couponing for Dummies" by Amanda at Notes from a Newlywed.  I love saving money and Amanda's tips were spot on!  I've been on the Target kick for awhile now, but learned a few new tricks that I've already started using - like Ibotta and online survey sites that reward you!

I'm linking up with Amanda at Meet at the Barre for Friday Favorites.  Have an awesome weekend everyone!

Friday Favorites, Pinterest Style

We all love Pinterest, right friends?  I have a confession to make - back when Pinterest was "new", and you needed an invite to use it, I was obsessed.  Like, ended up with over 6,000 pins and 67 boards obsessed.  My best friend at work (before she left me, sob) and I would spend hours pinning - it didn't help that we shared an office and would just send pins back and forth.  I still love to find new favorites.  Here are some of my faves from this week:

Organizing Tip: This is one of those "why didn't I think of that?" moments.  Baskets in the pantry - of course!  My pantry easily becomes cluttered and I always buy things that we actually already had, I just couldn't find it!

from Interior Fun

Quote: My best friend from high school, also the person I went to Vegas with, sent me this quote.  It sums up our relationship perfectly.

Decor: I am going through a decluttering phase, which in turn made me throw out our bathroom shelves.  I am loving this bathroom decor and am hoping to incorporate some pictures in to ours as well.

from 320 Sycamore



 

Necklace: No description necessary.  I need this.

Wedding Date! from MyBelovedandCo

 

Kids Activity: Now that E is out of preschool for the summer, I have been looking at fun activities to keep her entertained.  I love this easy craft.  Toilet paper rolls, peanut butter and bird seed.  Voila!

There you have it - my favorite things this week.  What are you loving?  Let me know your Pinterest name so I can check out your boards too.  Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend everyone!