february group giveaway day!

it’s that exciting day!
my sponsors have been so generous to offer some really great prizes this month and i’m really excited to share them with you.

first, a word about giveaways.
i have seen some commentary around the blog world about giveaways and their purpose.
so i thought i would give my two cents about it for now.

the main reason i feature giveaways is to help build up my sponsors’ blogs/shops/businesses and show support for them. they work really hard on what they do and they are doing a huge service to everyone by giving away their valuable product.

i feel like that needs to be said because i feel bad when i see follower numbers and Facebook fan numbers drop after giveaways. i don’t think it’s fair to become a follower or a fan of a shop/blog just to win a prize and then stop following later.

this is about support for one another.
this is about helping one another get the word out about their product.
this is about being there for each other and making friends.
if you don’t intend to fully support a blog/shop, then please don’t enter to win their item.
it’s not fair to the shop owners as well as other people who may actually really want the item!

and that is the end of my little lecture.
please be respectful to my sponsors and show your true love & support for them!

and now without further ado, here are the items for the giveaway!

there will be one winner per item
which means there will be 17 winners!

first up,
SUBWAY ART CANVAS OF WINNER’S CHOICE from Small Bird Studios

Franchesca is by far one of the most amazing, kind, talented woman i have had the pleasure of getting to know.
i love her canvas art and can’t wait to have some of my own someday!
{when we have more wall space to hang it up}

blog // shop // facebook // bloglovin'

ONE MONTH 200X100 AD SPACE from Boysich Chic

Jillian has a great shop and a great blog! and she has incredible style!
i have LOVED getting to know her and becoming great friends.
she even sent me the cutest Gal-entinte’s Day card the day before Valentine’s.
i may have shed a happy tear or two and her wonderful kindness and for thinking of me.
cause seriously she is one of the most thoughtful people ever!
and she is a great person to work with if you are trying to build your shop/blog.

blog // shop // facebook // twitter // pinterest

PERSONALIZED HANDSTAMPED NECKLACE from Sebastian Design

Jessica is one of my best friends and she is the very talented owner of Sebastian Design.
she makes these gorgeous hand-stamped necklaces that can be personalized with your own saying.
i have a few necklaces and even a personalized keychain from her and i love them ALL!

shop // facebook

EXTRA LARGE AD SPACE from Sea of Blooming Dreams

Erica is so incredibly patient and kind and seriously one of the cutest girls i’ve ever met!
she has been really great to work with and really goes above and beyond to help your business grow.

her ad comes with the option to be included in a sponsor intro post, end of the month sponsor question, link mentions, and the option to do a guest post/giveaway. which means LOTS of opportunities to get your name out there!

blog // shop // twitter

DOUBLE ROSETTE HAIR CLIP from J&M’s Eye Candy

if you haven’t checked out Kristine’s shop you need to RIGHT NOW!
she has beautiful headbands and earrings and really great prices.
i’m in love with so many that i’m pretty sure if i could, i would spend our next paycheck just on stocking up on headbands and clips from her shop.

blog // shop // facebook // twitter // bloglovin’

ONE MONTH LARGE SPONSOR SPOT from Gentri Lee

Gentri is an AMAZING girl inside and out!
it has been an enormous honor to be her friend and to get to know her better.
she loves everyone and is truly one of the kindest people you will ever meet!

blog // facebook // bloglovin’

ONE FREE PILLOW COVER from The Guest Room Closet

Mary Kate never ceases to amaze me with her talents.
her pillows are gorgeous!!
and they haven’t hit the store yet so you can be one of the first people to have them in your home.
but seriously, i can’t get over how adorable these pillows are.
i will take 8 please! :)

blog // shop // facebook // twitter

ONE MONTH LARGE AD SPACE from Jenni.Austria.Germany

really, i don’t think i can adequately express my love for Jenni.
when i grow up, i hope i’m as funny and witty and cultured as she is.
i’m seriously jealous of her life! :)
i have loved working with her and getting to know her!

blog // twitter

FREE COUPLE/INDIVIDUAL PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION from Hidden Beauty Photography

Rachel is only 16 years old. 16 YEARS OLD!!!
and she is an INCREDIBLY TALENTED photographer!
her images are absolutely stunning and each one is better than the last.

she is giving away a free photography session (single or couple) and a free 8x10 print.
you must be in the Tooele or Salt Lake City, Utah area {or have a way of traveling there} to win this giveaway.

blog // facebook

ONE MONTH SMALL AD SPACE from Let It Be.Beautiful {formerly My Unrehearsed Life}

Ashlyn is absolutely beautiful and so is her blog!
she has such a positive outlook on life even when she is extremely busy going to school.

she is giving away a small ad space valued at $3 that includes a possible guest post.
great way to get noticed!

blog // facebook // twitter

$15 MICHAEL’S GIFT CARD from Our DIY Diaries

Our DIY Diaries is an awesome blog with lots of DIY projects and tips!
i went to school with Jen {of the famous Jen, Laryssa & Courtney who run the blog} and she, as well as the other girls, are seriously some of the most crafty and creative girls i know!!
they have this eye for seeing great projects and finding beauty in rugged, torn up items that i’m pretty sure i’ll never learn.
so instead i live vicariously through their blog!

they are giving away a $15 gift card to Michaels {my heaven on earth!} for all of your own crafting needs!

blog // facebook // twitter

ONE MONTH MEDIUM AD SPACE from Aunie SAUCE

Annelise of Aunie SAUCE is a truly incredible person!!
she is so fun, beautiful, positive, kind, and oh so inspirational!
her blog is about a lot of different things including fashion and how she’s overcome some of biggest trials.
she is definitely someone worth getting to know better!

she is giving away a medium 200x150 ad space for one month

blog // facebook // twitter

$20 SHOP CREDIT from Sew Beastly

i absolutely love Citlalli’s shop!
she recently sent me this clutch in green and i’m totally obsessed!
everything about it is beautiful and is really great quality.
i’m even positive that it would live up to life with Elijah!
and with a $20 shop credit you can get something amazing of your own!

blog // shop // facebook // twitter

ONE MONTH LARGE AD SPACE from Our Reflection

Laura has a great blog that all women can relate to.
you can tell that she just loves life and wants to help others love their lives as well.
and she really is a great friend and supporter no matter what!
it’s been an honor getting to know her better and becoming friend.

her large sponsor spot comes with a 200x200 ad space, group feature post, group giveaway, and Facebook & Twitter mentions.

blog // facebook // twitter

A SET OF SMALL JOURNALS from Aleks Handmade

Aleks has a crazy adorable shop that i really adore.
i love all her headbands especially and am jealous everyday that i don’t know how to make them.
today, Aleks is giving away a set of journals to keep in your bag or with your scriptures for your personal study or what have you. i am always carrying around little notebooks and pads of paper that aren’t nearly as cute as these. so i would love to have something like this to write my thoughts down constantly!

Aleks is also incredibly generous and is offering all Mrs. Robinson readers a 15% discount to her shop!
just use the code MRSROBINSON15 for the discount that only lasts until March 7th so hurry hurry!

blog // shop // facebook // twitter

ONE MONTH 200x150 AD SPACE from Finding the Beauty in the Ordinary

do you know Heather yet? cause if you don’t you should!
she is amazing and truly one of my biggest inspirations.
she never ceases to amaze me with her kindness and love for others.
today, she is giving away 200x150 ad space! and after working with her for a few months, i know for a fact she is incredible to work with and oh so so so nice!!

blog // facebook // twitter // bloglovin'

ONE MONTH LARGE AD SPACE from Live.Laugh.Love.

Cassie is by far the sweetest girl i have ever met!
when i’m having bad days, Cassie is right there encouraging me, emailing me, reaching out to me, and just all around blessing my life. it has been such an honor to know her and work with her!
she is giving away a large ad on her blog and you will absolutely LOVE working with her!

blog // shop // facebook // twitter // bloglovin’ // pinterest

GOOD LUCK!!

enter below
:)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

:::p.s. i’m now accepting sponsors for March and stuff… so yeah…. email me.

now i know my ABCs

oh yeah.
my son is freaking adorable! in case you needed reminding :)      

some things to note:

1 this is a total “for the grandparents” video so i won’t be offended if no one else cares about my son. but you should care cause he’s awesome and literally the most beautiful/cutest kid around. which is a fact not being biased.

 

2. he really does know the letters. but LOVES saying “I” and “Y” so he gets hung up on those. thankfully we took this video a little before he became too obsessed with “I” and started refusing to say any other letters (even though he knows them and it’s so so so cute!)

 

3. my favorite is his “Q, R, S, T, U, V” which i’m sad he didn’t do very well in this video. but he’s still the cutest kid ever so i’ll let it slide. :)

 

4. k but seriously, this video makes me smile and want to kiss that little boy over and over again because he’s the cutest thing around!! i mean listen to his little voice!! i die!!

 

 

 

 

peace He brings

   [Adam edited this picture all cool and colorful-like and i think it’s pretty cool! he’s a cool guy :)]

yesterday i played a violin duet in church after not touching a violin for over 3 years.
to say i was terrified is an understatement.

about an hour before i had to get up to play, i started completely freaking.out.
i had practiced
and practiced
and practiced
for two weeks, going over again and again each note and rhythm.
saturday night i finally felt pretty good about the song and thought that maybe i could pass it off well.
come sunday morning, panic completely took over.

Adam had to help me calm down and breathe.
i felt all the symptoms of another panic attack coming on and was certain i would either throw up, pass out, or both.
what in the heck did i get myself into??

right before i played, i prayed fervently to feel at peace and to be able to perform well.
i prayed that the congregation would be able to feel the Spirit through our song.
i prayed that i would be able to use the talents that the Lord has given me to glorify Him.

then came the few opening measures.
and i screwed up.

my confidence completely crumbled, i started shaking non-stop barely able to turn my pages, and it took all my power not to start crying on stage.
i failed. i failed my partner. i failed the accompanist. i embarrassed all of us. no one would think of me the same again.

when i was done, i hurried off stage, sat on the back bench, hid my face, and cried.
Adam gave me quick hug and said some encouraging words but then had to take Elijah out in the hall again since he was crying.
so i just sat there alone trying hard to just become invisible.

[later, a good friend saw that i needed my husband, went out and played with Elijah so Adam could come back in and sit with me and make me feel better. i will be forever grateful to that friend for seeing a need and willingly & lovingly filling it!]

what happened later has strengthened my testimony in my Savior.

i KNOW i messed up. and i know i messed up bad. i’m not just trying to be humble or anything. it didn’t sound as well as i had practiced.
so why did no one seem to notice?
not Adam, not Dorothy, not Curtis, not Melissa, not Amber, not Arissa, not Paul, not Paige, not Kaja, not Cyndi… no one.
even the most musically talented people didn’t notice the blatant mistakes i made.

instead, so many of my close friends told me how strongly they felt the Spirit during the music.
how they felt the Savior’s love through the message of the song.
and how they felt the overwhelming peace of the Spirit in their hearts.

when they came up to tell me this, each time i started to cry.
i knew that i messed up. i knew that it didn’t sound perfect. i felt so ashamed for trying and then failing.
but when they told me how the song made them feel, i knew it wasn’t because of what i did or how i played.
it was because of the Lord.

maybe i didn’t play as well as i would’ve liked. and i know i’m definitely not a concert violinist by any means.
but in that moment it didn’t matter.
the Lord took over and His love filled the room.
there was peace in the chapel at that moment.
the Spirit was felt very strongly to all who listened.
the song did glorify Him and we felt of His love.

it wasn’t me at all.
it was all because of the Savior.

thinking about that last night just really hit me.
it made me appreciate the Lord even more and the blessings He has given me.

yes, i’m nervous to ever play again in front of people.
but i know that when i do what the Lord has asked me to do, even if it’s just playing one small, 3-minute musical number, He will bless my life and other people’s lives in wonderful ways.

He knows us. He knows me. He knows what we need to do to be happy and bring peace into our lives.
i know He is real. i know He is my Savior. i know He blesses my life every day.
and i know He was there in that meeting yesterday, sharing His love for all of us.

February Favorite Post Link-Up

It's the fourth month of the favorite post link-up! This month there are a couple of new guest hosts joining the mix that will have the link-up on their blogs as well to spread the love even further throughout the blogging community. Be sure to check out their blogs to find out their favorite posts this month!

This month's hosts include:

Ashley from After Nine To Five / Megan from And Here's To You, Mrs. Robinson

Tricia from Mama Marchand's Nest / Andi from The Hollie Rogue

My favorite post of the month is:

{again I cheated a little…}
I loved all of the National Marriage Week posts

JOIN US BELOW!

 

 

If you're interested in hosting, please send Ashley an email at afterninetofive@gmail.com and she will get in contact with you when we have an opening!

Inspiration

this is one of my favorite talks from General Conference.
although Elder Wirthlin has since passed away, his legacy and his messages live on and still teach us how to truly be happy today.

i have found great peace in this message and i hope you will too.
to read the whole talk, go here.

 

Saturday Favorites

[shirt: INC, thrifted; skirt: vintage, thrifted; belt: thrifted; necklace: c/o Sebastian Design; shoes (not pictures): Forever 21, on sale $7]

Adam thinks that skirt is weird. but i’m totally and completely obsessed with it.
i try to push the limits with it all the time. i’m pretty sure i wore this skirt and my red pants the most for the 30x30 under $30 challenge
{besides my jeans of course}.

and now,
here are my favorite links from this week!

let me tell you something. the girl that made this amazingly delicious looking cupcake is 14 years old.
Kiana is girl behind Kiana Bates Baking, a baking blog that will make your mouth water!
so take it from me, don’t read it when you’re incredibly hungry. like i am right now. because i’m seriously about to start licking the screen if i keep looking at the cupcake.
check out all her different recipes here.

i LOVE this post by Hollie from Hollie Takes Notes about the blogging world. it’s such a GREAT reminder about the remembering the real reason you blog and to stop making it this impossible “game.” seriously.
i could say more about how frustrated i get with the blogging community but i will maybe save that for another time… {maybe}. Hollie has encouraged me to be more honest about it.
if you are blogger, small or big or medium or whatever!, you NEED to read this post!

this Hearts Party that Beth threw for her kids is adorable!
i can’t wait until Elijah is a little older that i can do fun things like this and he’ll actually understand it.
she did such a good job and is incredibly creative!

[via]

i love this table makeover that Jen from Our DIY Diaries did. it’s beautiful!!
now i’m determined to find some old beat up table at the thrift store and make one for myself.
{or have Jen do it for me :)}

i have been really loving Gentri’s Esthetics series she’s been posting each week. i have learned a lot about how to take better care of my skin and hopefully get rid of these stupid pimples that never.go.away!!!

seriously. i die. can Kate’s prints be any cuter???
i may or may not look through her shop once a week and swoon over each one.

this post from Melanie makes me excited for spring and going to the park for picnics.
can i have everything in all of those pictures please??

first of all, Courtney is amazingly crafty. second of all, look at the cute cd cases she made!! we have so many loose cds in our drawer that this would definitely make our drawer look more colorful and lovely.

 
this paper rose wreath from Ami is awesome!! it looks straight from a magazine. and is really easy to make so i can’t wait to make one myself!

 

that’s it for my favorites this week.
what are some of your favorites from the week? i’d love to check them out!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

:::p.s. i’m thinking about changing my sponsorship options…. but am 1. lazy, 2. scared, and 3. indecisive. so if i decide to, be on the lookout for that :)

Pass It Foward & SHINE ON

i am sure you have all heard of Ashley, the owner of The Shine Project
i mean seriously, who hasn’t??
this girl is amazing! 
she is determined to change the world one good deed at a time and i know she will get it done.

Ashley has outdone herself again with a new project to help encourage people to see how far one small act of kindness can go.
it’s called Pass It Forward.

you know those Liberty Mutual commercials that show how one good deed motivates others to do the right thing for someone else?

 

i love those commercials and i love the message behind them.
but i always wondered if that really happened.
if by doing one small act of kindness, it would really spread around so quickly.

well, Ashley wants to make sure others really do SPREAD THE SHINE and show love to one another.

here’s the description of the Pass It Forward project in Ashley’s own words:

“Pass It Forward was designed to get people to do little things, everyday, that makes an impact on the community around them. Pass it Forward is designed around a card. Each card is given a unique ID number. Lets say we're at McDonalds, and I decide to pay for the person behind me in the drive through. I'd give the cashier the card, and tell them to pass it along to the next car when the give them the food that has been paid for. I then go home and log into the website that was on the card, and find my unique ID number. I log into it, and add my information... My first name, city, and a description of what I did....

Let's say the person behind me was you, you would pass it forward to someone else, and then would go home and do the same thing. From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.”
{www.spreadtheshine.com}

i’m really excited about this project and all the potential good it has.
i can’t wait to start SPREADING THE SHINE!

what are some ways you would Pass It Forward?

 

check out The Shine Project
blog shop facebook

putting me first

  

Ashley from After Nine to Five and i are hosting the Living the Right Life series to share how we are making changes in our lives to bring true happiness and joy. we also are opening it up to all of you to link up your own thoughts and feelings of how you are living the right life for you!

i have said before how i’m really bad at saying no.
i want to be nice.
i want to be liked.
i want to be the easy going, loveable person.

but in all honesty it makes me unhappy.
not because i don’t like helping others,
but because i’m putting other people’s wants and needs ahead of my own.

i was watching Up All Night last night
{please tell me you watch that show! because it is HI-larious!}
and Will Arnett’s character always says yes to people even when he absolutely hates it because he just feels bad.
because he just wants to be nice, they get roped into sharing their daughter’s first birthday with their neighbor’s kid who they don’t even really like.

by the end *spoiler alert* he learns to speak up more and not let people put their smelly feet next to the cheese.
{you have to watch it to understand. and even then you should really be watching it already}
he then said how good it felt to just say no.

the whole situation really hit me because i can relate to it all.
i understand wanting to speak up but being too scared of what others would say about me that i stay quiet.
but yesterday i decided to be honest and open and say “i can’t do this” instead of grinding myself into the ground. and oh my gosh did it feel good!!

instead of stressing about sponsors and posts and giveaways and emails and dishes and vacuuming and even putting on make-up, i turned everything off and read to Elijah.
then we played hide and go seek
then we had a dance party
then we {or he} jumped on the bed
and i loved on that coughing, teething, snotty-nose little boy and it was wonderful!
[until he made me do the same thing over and over and over and over….and then threw the remote at me… and knocked our herb garden to the ground….then we had to cut off the games and eat graham crackers cause i only have so much energy/patience!]
[and that list isn’t meant to seem like i don’t play with him every day. it’s just yesterday was an especially tiring day]

i realized yesterday how much i need to nourish myself physically & emotionally if i hope to be good at anything!
i can’t be a good blogger if i don’t feel good.
i can’t be a good friend if i don’t feel good.
i can’t be a good daughter & sister if i don’t feel good. 
i can’t be a good mother if i don’t feel good.
i can’t be a good wife if i don’t feel good.
i can’t be any of the things i want to be if i exhaust myself to it’s limits.

i realized people understand and care instead of judging me when i decide to take care of myself.
{all my sponsors are AMAZING! just saying.}
i realized i am more patient with Elijah and Adam when i take a personal time out.
i realized i am kinder to myself when i am honest with how i am feeling and take a break every once and a while.
i realized life goes a lot smoother after adjusting my expectations and not pushing the limits.

i want to challenge you all to take 15 minutes, an hour, a day, a weekend, or longer to just focus on yourself.
focus on what you need and what you want.
think about what would make you feel healthier & happier {realistically} and make the improvements you need.
try not to push yourself and say no.

this is honestly one of the hardest things for me to learn to do.
but i know that my life will be so much happier if i can make it a better habit.

what are some things you do to take care of yourself?

<a href=”http://www.afterninetofive.net/categories/living-the-right-life/”> <img src=”http://www.afterninetofive.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/LTRL-Bttn.png” alt=”" /> </a>

The Rules of Inheritance

i had the opportunity to read The Rules of Inheritance for the BlogHer Book Club.
and let me tell you, don’t read this book if you are easily emotional like me.

The Rules of Inheritance is a memoir by Claire Bidwell Smith.
it is a incredibly emotional and moving book about how Claire lost both her parents and a very good friend to cancer {before she was even 30} and goes through the grieving process.
after the death of her mother, she is thrown into this turmoil of trying to make sense of everything and figure out who she was without her mom.
it’s a really captivating account of a very troubled young girl learning how to cope with traumatic loss.

Claire Bidwell Smith is seriously an amazing author. sometimes a little rough but always heartfelt. 
i love how raw, honest, & transparent this book was.
she really lets you into her thought processes and you almost feel what she felt.
multiple times i found myself totally losing composure even once while i was waiting in the doctor’s office.

i highly highly recommend this book.
{i think i have said this about almost every book. but seriously. they are all so good!}
[i would warn you though that there is some foul language at certain parts to be aware of.]
but this book really gave me perspective about my own life and relationships and i truly would recommend it to everyone.

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

30x30 under $30: day 13

    
[top: Macy’s clearance gifted, sweater: Forever 21 sale long time ago, pants: thrifted, shoes: Target clearance, Fairy Tale ring: c/o My Remedy Design, green ring: Claire’s clearance]

so now day 13 of the 30x30 under $30 challenge!
and can i just say…i love my red pants so much!
{thank you, Kelsey, for making me buy them at the thrift store.}
i’m always trying to find new things to wear with them and push the boundaries a little bit more.
like wearing this tunic top tucked into them.
the only problem with the top is that because it’s so long and flowy i feel like it makes me look pregnant or something.
[hence why i didn’t post the profile shot i took]

and isn’t that ring from My Remedy Design amazing?
i’m a total sucker for a good statement ring.
and Jillian has lots of great rings to choose from in her shop.

i feel like i should say some more witty and worthwhile things but my brain feels like pudding right now.
so intead, tell me what your favorite wardrobe pieces are lately?
how do you change them up?
what are your favorite types of accessories?

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

how we celebrated George Washington

 

we celebrated President’s Day the most American way possible:
being lazy, going shopping, eating sushi & junk food, and pretending we can actually afford expensive things.

the American dream!

it was actually a really fun day with the little family!
i have been trying to soak up as much family time as possible when Adam has any free time since he is at school so much right now {12 hours}. and it is only going to get busier.
so me and Elijah totally monopolized Adam’s attention as much as possible instead of letting him study this weekend. hopefully he’ll still do well on his test… but i know that Elijah and i will appreciate the time Adam spends with us doing the little things forever!

and we really didn’t do much at all. just knocked off a few to-do’s:
go to Costco {best sushi!} and go to Lowe’s to try and start a little herb garden.

by the way, going to home improvement stores is pretty much one of my most favorite things to do ever!
i love walking around and picking out things that i want my future house to have.
it won’t be for a long long long while but it’s fun to dream!

Elijah loved it too!
we went to look at all the lights and he couldn’t stop staring.
he had on this cheesy grin the whole time just in awe.
he actually cried when we had to move on to a different part of the store.
seriously. he threw a fit because he couldn’t look at the light anymore!
guess that will become a more frequent field trip for him when we need to get out of the house.

and don’t let that picture of him passed out in the car fool you!
he slept for 10 minutes and then when we got home was running around until he finally crashed for his first nap at 5:00pm. crazy kid!

even though we didn’t really do anything extravagant for our three-day weekend, it was still honestly one of the best days i had with Adam.
i love being able to spend time together no matter what it is.
and i realized that while it would be fun to go on a trip or spend lots of money on some BIG memory, it’s the accumulation of little memories that makes life worth living.

i know i get jealous a lot when other people get to go out and do fun and crazy things.
sometimes i feel really trapped because of finances and the fact that we have a little kid which limits our options.
i know Adam has heard me cry many many times over what i felt like were “missed opportunities” and not being satisfied with what we have right now.

but yesterday it just kind of hit me.
so we just went to Lowe’s instead of going to a cabin for the weekend.
so we just have our tiny apartment and don’t even have a balcony for a garden.
so we don’t have a lot of extra funds to go out to eat at a real sushi restaurant.
yes it would be nice to have all those things
and i’m sure there will still be those times where i wish i did have all those things.
but i can make the best out of my situation now!

i can be happy.
i can find the joy in the little things around me.
i can appreciate the time i have to spend with my husband just lounging around eating root beer floats.
i can find happiness in seeing Elijah discover this world that i forget is wonderful sometimes.
i can show love in small, every day gestures.
i can learn to truly be happy with my life.

i feel like this post is a lot of rambling. and i really don’t even know where i’m going with it.
just a big jumble of thoughts i guess.
that is something i definitely love about having a blog, being able to get out my thoughts and write down my memories so i can look back on it when i need a reminder.
and having a blog has also really helped me appreciate the small moments in my life more.
a lesson i definitely have needed to learn this past year!

------------------------------------------------

also!
if you took this survey and entered the giveaway,
go here 
to see if you were one of the winners!
winners must email me to claim your prize.

GlassesUSA.com

[my goofy glasses]

i have had to wear eyeglasses since the 3rd or 4th grade.
at first, i really wanted them because my sisters had them. i thought they made me look so grown up and pretty.
uh, yeah.. pretty?? don’t know what i was thinking there.

but then after having to wear them forever {and wearing them right now as i type this}, i realized how incredibly dorky and ugly glasses can be.
let’s just say, i went through a really really LONG awkward stage and my glasses DID NOT help me!

and not only did my eyeglasses perpetuate my never ending awkwardness, they also weren’t cheap!
so if i broke a pair i was either stuck with them taped or having to settle for some goofy cheap pair for a while.
which currently is the case so i hardly wear my glasses in public.

but then, it seems the glasses predicament has changed.
enter GlassesUSA.com!

GlassesUSA.com has really cute AND affordable eyeglasses for men and women!
they offer a 110% lowest price guarantee and 100% satisfaction guarantee.

you can order glasses online easily with lots of different options and great customer service reps if you need help.
what is also great about GlassesUSA.com is that you can afford different pairs of glasses for different occasions without breaking the bank.

for a glasses wearer like me, it’s nice to know that there is help to make glasses fun and affordable again!

and if you need new glasses, GlassesUSA has some great discounts going on right now for online eyeglasses!
you can take 20% off your entire order of $80 or more AND get FREE US shipping with the code: FS20
you can also take 10% off any order or prescription glasses with the code: Blog10.

so be sure to check out GlassesUSA for your new pair of glasses
and keep up to date with any new offers and discounts by following them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/glassesusa)
and Twitter (@GlassesUSA).

happy glasses wearing!!
remember, it’s cool to be four-eyes
:)

you can see how the glasses look yourself with this cool new virtual mirror!! it allows you try it on and test out different looks of the glasses. pretty neat, huh?!

“horthies”

when we went to go pick up our glass flowers form the art studio at Thanksgiving Point, we saw a bunch of ponies right by the fence on the side of the road.
we pointed them out to Elijah, who is a HUGE lover of all animals, and he got so incredibly excited.

once we started to drive away from them, he started crying because he couldn’t see them anymore. so we decided since we really didn’t have anywhere to be to pull over and go visit with the “horthies” as Eli says with his little lisp.

as you can tell, he LOVED it!!
it was the best 10 minutes of his life!
unfortunately, his mommy is lame and a total wimp and cut the fun short.
{1. Utah is tricky and your should always bring a coat even if you don’t think you should and 2. the horses were giving me weird looks and i thought they were going to bite me. so yes, i’m a big baby.}

as we were walking back to the car, we noticed lots of other pens with animals in them.
so we decided to walk into this little barn and ask them what this place was.
{and that is exactly how Adam asked: “What is this place??” so smooth like that.}

apparently, it’s a whole working farm where you can pet & feed lots of different animals, watch them milk the cow, and go on a pony or wagon ride all for $5!
Elijah was getting really tired and hungry at the time so we didn’t want to try and push our luck with him, but we are already planning on going back and checking out all the different animals soon.

seriously, how did i not know places like this existed??
i can’t wait to take the E-monster back and have him check out the farm and ride a pony.
he will freeeeeaaaakkk!!!
it’ll be awesome!!

and seriously. doesn’t that little smile just melt your heart??
how could you say no to that?!

what do you like to do with your kids?
are there other awesome places around that we should go check out?
also, check out Adam’s awesome scruff!! he’s really proud of it so if you want, you should definitely compliment him on it. :)

 

:::p.s. Elijah’s hair isn’t cute and shaggy and wavy anymore. he got a haircut and now looks like he just stepped out of boot camp. it breaks my heart. i don’t even want to talk about it.