Mama Bear Lena {interview + giveaway}

do you guys know Lena from Mom 2 Memphis and Ruby?
because if you don’t you are sorely missing out!!
i should know because i have been on the other side.

okay, confession time for you, Lena!
i have been following Lena’s blog for a while.
i can’t remember how i found it… but i know i have been reading it for quite a while.
i have seen her on Facebook and Twitter, all popular and nice and chatting with everyone.
i have read her posts and seen how cute her kids are, how much fun she has, how cute her clothes are, how far reaching her presence was, and of course how incredibly inspirational she is!
i think maybe i commented a couple of times but i always just kind of kept my distance.
i was completely intimidated by Lena because i thought i was for sure not cool enough to be in her circle.

fast forward a few months, and i feel like a total idiot & pansy!
guys, Lena is the most down to earth, incredible, inspirational woman i have ever met!
she is oh so kind, so supportive, and so very understanding.
working with her this month and being able to email with her has made me feel like we have just always been friends. no need to feel intimidated or nervous her.
we are just very good friends from the beginning.
and i love that about Lena! 

she can make everyone feel like a good friend from the moment you talk to her.
i feel so silly waiting for so long to really talk to her especially when she has been such a positive influence in my life. i feel truly blessed to get to know her and am so honored to have all of you get to know her a little more today as well!

so without further ado, here is a little more about Lena!

   

1. How would your friends describe you?
Shy & Trustworthy

2. What is the biggest lesson you've learned about living a happy life?
That no matter what your problems are, if everyone threw their problems in a pile, you'd probably pick your own again!  I think we're all given exactly what we should be able to handle. As long as my family is healthy and happy, nothing else matters!

3. How did you start your blog & shop and why?
I started when my son was born and would post sporadically about his milestones and life as a new mommy... a little over a year ago, it became more of a hobby and a great way to meet new friends!

4. What inspires you?
My kids. Without a doubt the most interesting people I've ever met!

5. What would your totem-pole animal spirit be? 
Definitely a bear. I can relate to the "mama bear" analogy!  ;)

6. What are some of your favorite items in your shop or blog posts [with links] and why? 

I like posts about my kids...
Ruby, for a day
Memphis, for a day

And I like this recent one about punk rock daddies:

I think these really showcase who I am!  I also have fun with fashion posts... like this one: Proud Outfit Post and this one: Funky Pants

7. How do you define success?
Being content is the most important. To be able to do something you love, is the highest achievement!

8. What advice would you give to new shop owners/bloggers? What did you wish you knew when you first started?
I wish I knew more about social networking and linkups when I first started.  It's so amazing to put yourself out there and meet people.  

9. What is a talent you have that you wish you used more?
Photography!
I just started a new blog (Lena B Photography) and I'm hoping it'll force me to take & post more photos!

10. What are your goals for the future {long and short}? Do you have anything you want to change?
Basically, my goals are to keep going with what I'm doing... pay off some debt, buy a home of our own. Maybe make some extra money from my hobbies (photography, blogging, etc.).  Learn to sew!  Open an Etsy shop!

There's nothing I would change! I'm really enjoying my journey!

 

blog / facebook / twitter

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i mean really, she’s awesome right??
and the posts she shared are some of my absolute favorites as well and i definitely think you need to check them out right away!

AND A GIVEAWAY

Lena is so kind that she also giving away this gorgeous scarf and a 200x100 ad space

 

--enter below--

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dove Visible Care Body Wash Review

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i have absolutely loved it so far and have already seen a change in my skin tone and feel.

i have really dry, itchy skin and in the summer it.is.the.worst!
i have always been embarrassed to show my skin {especially on my legs} and have everyone see my dry patches and rough skin.
i never had that perfect smooth skin that everyone else seems to be blessed with.
even with lotion, it took a lot of time and effort to try and get that touchable skin.
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it has been a big relief so far!

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i am able to do something for myself {as small as it seems} to make me feel better for the day.
and feel better in my own skin. 

i feel good afterwards.
i feel refreshed and ready for the day.
even if it’s the only thing i was able to do that day, it makes me feel good for the rest of the day!

be sure to check out Dove’s website for more information on their new line of body wash.
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which Dove® product would you love to try?
what are ways that you get some “me” time every day?

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the fields were frozen over, so we moved to Arizona

[that title is not the truth {the fields frozen over part. though in the winter it is true. and i could go on some symbolic referencing of the phrase but i won’t}. i just really love that song from FUN. you can listen to it here.]

in two weeks we will be packing up all the belongings in our tiny 500 sq ft apartment, say goodbye to our Provo home of the last 6 years, cry a little lot, and make our way down to Glendale, AZ where we will be calling it home for the next 4 years.

[via QA Designs, you can get free printables here]

Adam is going to Midwestern University Dental School and i couldn’t be more excited for him!
after a frustrating application process the last couple of years, he was accepted into one of his top schools and we both can’t wait to start {and finish} this next leg of our journey.
[the finances of it all is a different story… i cried when i saw the numbers. heaven help us…]

even though it is an exciting new endeavor, it’s very bittersweet for us.
as much as i absolutely love Arizona & pretend to hate Utah, i actually am really sad & scared to move away.

i have grown to love this {not so little} Utah town and have had many amazing experiences.
i met some of my absolute best friends here.
i became an independent adult here.
i met my husband here.
i had my baby here.
i graduated from college here.**
we had our first little home here.
i learned what i’m truly passionate about here.
& i found myself and true happiness here.

there have been many nights where we have joked [slash: been totally dead serious] about staying here instead.
i know many tears will be shed as we load up the big truck with our mismatched belongings.

but AZ is pretty cool too!
and we will be moving with some of our best friends too so that will make the transition easier.
although i’m a little worried that maybe i have a very romantic, unrealistic memory of Arizona and once we move i will realize it’s actually not that great and instead is insanely, deathly hot and unlivable.
so here’s hoping AZ lives up to my {high} expectations!

wish us luck
as we try to teach Elijah not to take everything out of the boxes that we just packed up!

and any Arizona readers?
i may need helping remembering how awesome Arizona is despite the fears of chasing a 2-year-old at the park while i slowly melt to death and Elijah gets a bad sunburn then i pass out from heat stroke and then no one knows who we are cause we have no friends so they take Elijah away to child protective services (after they catch him running down the street alone) and i lose my memory for a few days from the heat so i can’t tell them about Adam being in school and Adam comes home and has no idea where we are and it’s the worst.thing.ever!
{i have a very vivid imagination, fyi}

**so those posts are super old. can you tell by how little the pictures are and probably worse writing? {well who am i kidding, my writing is still bad} bad form.