miracle of life

I know I've been really quiet around here lately and kind of a bad blogger. 

Maybe this might help explain my absence... 

After a rough patch filled with lots of tears, prayers, and frustrations, we are SO excited to have our little family grow by one this coming summer!

Elijah is excited to be a big brother and already is asking to help feed the baby a bottle. And although I've been sick and miserable, I'm feel more and more excited to have another sweet spirit in our home.

I have been feeling a whirlwind of different emotions ever since we found out.
Happiness, disbelief, shock, overwhelmed, joy, guilt, gratitude, nervous...
But the farther along I get the more at peace I feel and know that we are blessed.

2013 was a rough one for me, partly because of this whole family planning business. Though I know our story isn't uncommon and there are many more who have been through so much more than we have, this experience has given me a greater realization that the Lord is truly in charge of all things. And that is why we must trust in Him and have faith in Him to help us through the difficult times.

There are so many things I will never ever understand in this life and couldn't understand. But I do know that it is only through Him that we can get through anything that life has to throw at us. Because He is still there for us even when we lose all hope.

So here's to life!! 
The miracle & beauty of life in all its forms. 

closet sale

i'm trying to minimize my life a bit and realized i need to start with my ever expanding closet. 

{i'm a bit of an emotional hoarder... i think items have feelings and feel bad getting rid of them} 

{plus if i have one good memory of a skirt i feel like i'm betraying it.}
{#problems}

but now that needs to change!

Adam knows it, i know it, my neighbors and friends know it... i need to give some stuff up. 

so! 

my loss is [hopefully] your gain. 

i will be selling some of my items on Instagram if anyone is interested. 

[is that overdone?]

the items will go on sale starting tomorrow at very low prices {and low shipping}.

i will also be selling some of my sister's original necklaces :) 

 so check it out!! 

and if it all goes well, i may have a little project i'm thinking about starting up... 

[please check it out????]

survey help!

my sister needs help with an English assignment and needs to survey some people. 

being the super nice sister that i am, i'm throwing the question out to you guys for help pitch in. 

if you could please answer the following question in the comments, i would REALLY appreciate it. 

okay the question is: 

do you own a pet and if so, what kind of pet is it? 

also, are you male or female [in case your username is too ambiguous for me to tell :)]?

thank you in advance for your help!!

new swaps & holiday gift guide

[that is the look of pure joy right there :)] 

i am now accepting new swaps for November! 

if you would like to ad swap, email me at mrs.robinsonblog {at} gmail.com. 

i would love to have you! 

also, don't forget to sign up for the Holiday Gift Guide if you are interested!
{free advertising!!} 

i would love to have everyone and anyone who is interested, no limit. 

so if you have a shop/talent you'd like to share or know of anyone who does, sign up with this form to be featured in the gift guide. 

i will also be emailing everyone who has signed up so far this week with the discount code to get their free 100x100 sidebar ad. 

seriously, sign up!
:) 

HAPPY SATURDAY& HALLOWEEN WEEKEND!! 

The Slash Blog

Meet Nichelle and Elise. Nichelle blogs at Vintage Wanna Bee and Elise blogs at Elise's Pieces.

They are BFFs and they think they are way funny slash, they are actually pretty funny.

Elise and Nichelle met in a Women's Organization that focused on personal growth, faith and sisterhood. After becoming besties, and realizing they blog were obsessed with blogging, they decided to create

The Slash Blog!

The Slash Blog is a sisterhood that focuses on faith, friendship, service and sisterhood.

Click here to learn more about The Slash Blog and why it's called, "The Slash Blog".

The Slash Blog is officially live as of today! Head on over to check out this new blog that focuses on and is based on friendship. Elise slash Nichelle invite you to join along with their Weekly Inspirations, Weekly Challenges, Weekly Uplifting Printables, Monthly Serviced Projects and more! Head on over to the blog, 'Join The Sisterhood', or just come by to get a smile or a laugh!

Check out The Slash Blog here:

{BLOG} {FACEBOOK} {TWITTER} {PINTEREST}

The Slash Blog is also having a "Slash Bash" in honor of the new blog launch!

If you are in Northern Utah, or Southern Idaho, Elise slash Nichelle invite you to come to this Super Awesome Blog Party! Please RSVP on the facebook event here.

If you would like to get involved, have questions, want to say hello, have a funny joke, or have a charity or organization you would like to see on The Slash Blog, you can send an email to The Slash Girls at:

theslashblog@gmail.com

a word about sponsorship

with the packing, moving, unpacking, getting everything set up that we need to survive, Adam starting school & a new schedule, helping Elijah adjust to a new place & routine, me trying to adjust… i’ve decided i will not be accepting any new sponsors** for August.

i have realized lately as we are trying to get ready to move and still make time for family how time consuming blogging & sponsors can be.
i feel rather neglectful of my family lately trying to maintain everything.

i know once we move and get settled i will want to be spending the most time with my family to help us all get adjusted to the new environment and schedules.
and because i will be spending time with them, i know i won’t be able to have the adequate time needed to really help sponsors grow their businesses.
i don’t want them to not get the help they deserve.

so for everyone’s sake, i’m taking a break from new sponsors for the time being.
i hope you can understand.
i’m grateful to all those who have sponsored me in the past and all the friends i have made.
i hope that once things settle down i’ll be able to find a good balance to my life to be able to accept sponsors again.

 

** i will still be honoring those who have won ad spaces or who we have discussed ad space before i decided to stop accepting sponsors. so no worries there! i just won’t be accepting any additional ones at this time. thanks!

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.

RevolutionizeHer Launch

 
i am so excited to announce the launch of the new & improved RevolutionizeHer community!
when Ashley and i started RevolutionizeHer we had big, big dreams for it.
but it felt like the last couple of months those plans started falling through.

so we had talked it over for a long time and brought our ideas together to create a new interactive community that is built around the everyday woman who is looking for a place to share her story of following her dreams. it is for the wives, mothers, students, or working women. it is for women who are aspiring to be better in all aspects of life. for women who are learning to love themselves and be comfortable in their own skin.

i hope you take the time to go check out the new website and join in on the discussions!
you can also follow on Facebook & Twitter.
and be sure to find me over at RevolutionizeHer and say hi!

RevolutionizeHer changes

Back in November, Ashley from After Nine to Five and i teamed up to launch a really awesome website called
RevolutionizeHer.
We had lots of big hopes & dreams for the website and for the most part they came true.

But if you have been following along, you have seen many changes with RevolutionizeHer as we tried to embrace the purpose that we dreamed of when this blog first began. Some changes worked, some did not. in the end, they never quite brought us to where we hoped the community would by at this point. which led us to a decision in regards to the community's future and where we wanted it to go.

Due to the success that the Better Blogger Network has already seen, we have made the decision to switch RevolutionizeHer over to a Ning community website as well. This type of site allows for easy communication, a central location to ask and answer questions, and a way for all members of the site to interact with one another in a way that this blog has not allowed for in the past. Our hope from the beginning of RH was to create a sense of community for women wishing to live out their dreams as well as a place to discuss those aspirations with other like-mined individuals - and we think that this is going to be the best way to do this.

We need your help!

We're looking for a small group of women that are interested in helping us achieve your goals as we make the transition. Currently we are seeking bloggers, forum moderators, and social media/marketing gurus. If you're interested in helping us out and getting in at the beginning of our newest endeavor, send us an email and we'll get back to you within the next week with more information.

Whether you're a shop owner, an entrepreneur, or a woman with a dream . . .
we hope you'll join us on our new journey!

 

seriously guys.
it’s going to rock.your.world!!

Rex Lee Run

this is for all you Utah readers!

 

President Rex E. Lee was a law clerk for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White, the United States Solicitor General, and the 10th president of Brigham Young University from 1989-1995.
on March 11, 1996, he died at the age of 61 after battling with lymphoma.

each year, the BYU Cancer Research Center holds the Rex Lee Run in President Lee’s honor with all donations going towards cancer research.

there will be a 5k for $15
and a 10k for $20
[$5 additional for registering the day of the race]

you can register either at the booth in the BYU Wilkinson Student Center from
March 12-16 from 10am-3pm
or you can register online at
REXLEERUN.BYU.EDU

i’m trying to convince Adam to have us all walk run as a family
[and get the okay from doctor because of the accident]
so if you are going to go, let me know and maybe we’ll see each other!

for more information you can go to the Rex Lee Run website

look, mom!

i’m in the paper!! 

the lovely Hayley from The Newlywed Pingrees interviewed me for the school paper about blogging & sponsors.

first of all, what a huge honor!!
Hayley is so amazing to work with and i felt so special that she would ask little ol’ me to help her with an article about blogging. AND she is incredibly patient because i totally spaced setting up a meeting with her one day when Eli was being a little terror.
so thank you thank you Hayley for everything!!

when Hayley told me the paper was published, i looked at it first thing and just couldn’t stop grinning!
i made Adam pick up a copy at school and he said he lovingly talked me up to his friends in class cause he was so proud of me. :)

basically, it was awesome!
thank you again, Hayley, for making it possible!
you will be a GREAT journalist someday!!

you can read the full article here.

 

:::p.s. i don’t “make bank” at all. in fact, i don’t make any money having sponsors on my sidebar. they are all free sponsor swaps. just to make that clear :)

the truth

in the mornings, i usually turn on the Today Show and catch the segments
{which i honestly don’t know why… i’m really starting to resent that show. but i digress}

one segment they have [which is my opinion is the worst one] is called Today’s Professionals where they talk to a panel of “professionals” consisting of a lawyer, a businessman, and a doctor. Basically, they just ask them for their completely biased opinions and take it as fact since they are “professionals.”
{can you sense my disdain?}

anyways, in one particular segment, they talked about recent studies and research showing an increase is sex and pornography addiction among men especially but also women. the reporter then asked the question,
“do you think sex and pornography addiction is a real problem?”

the doctor adamantly said yes. the businessman said it was a scam.

he is absolutely wrong.
and pornography and sexual addictions are very, very REAL.

back in October, i told you about a new Stronger Marriage post i was working on about the harmful effects of pornography addiction and showed you this wonderful video.

well, i finished it. two posts actually.
and they will both be published this week.

the first one is here called
The Pornography Problem: Prevention
in this article, i explain how the actual physiology of the brain is changed and warped just as if a person was addicted to drugs. i also give tips on how to prevent and guard yourself and your family from the dangers of pornography.

the second one will be published on Thursday.

i want you to know that i worked hard {and prayed hard} on these articles. i did my best to present this information in a motivating & loving way.
it was honestly one of the hardest articles i had to write.
and i pray my message comes across well…

i hope you take the time to read them. and i hope in some way they are able to help you or someone you love.

read the first article here.

friday announcements

here’s a few features that i was involved in if you would like to take a gander :)

1. Couple Talks Before Marriage:
new Stronger Marriage blog post! what are some things you think should be discussed before you get married?
check it out here

2. Seven Day Push: Goals
read about my new goal lately over on the Seven Day Push blog
{are you following yet??}
what are some of your goals?
check it out here

3. Whimisical Poppysmic Sponsor Feature
check out Chrissy’s cute blog and you can read a little bit about me :)
check it out here

4. 400 Follower Giveaway
and don’t forget about the big giveaway going on right now!!!
you win one of 7 prizes!
enter here

 

a little bit of light reading over the weekend yes??
i hope you check it all out!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

RevolutionizeHer: a dream come true

right now, my emotions feel all over the place.
gratitude
humility
encouragement
pride
love
BLESSED

i once briefly announced how i have had the beyond amazing opportunity to work with Ashley from After Nine to Five and be her intern. and honestly, this opportunity turned into an even great blessing than i originally thought.

for past couple of months, i got to witness Ashley’s dreams come to life as she put together this incredible website to help support and encourage women to follow their own dreams!

RevolutionizeHer

when Ashley asked me to help her out with this project, i would get goose bumps just thinking about it. i have dreamed for a day where i could work alongside great & inspirational women and hopefully help others as well. it was like Ashley knew exactly what i had longed for and kindly let me be a part of it.

i don’t have a business nor do i feel creative, crafty, or artistic enough to start one. i help out my sister with hers but i only handle the business side of it. so working with all of these incredible women who are self-employed and starting their own small businesses was really intimidating at first. but i’ve always wanted to write & help inspire women.

and that’s the beauty of RevolutionizeHer. 
it is not just about business, it’s about helping one another!
it is a resource, a community, of thoughtful, inspirational women who are doing everything to follow their dreams. dreams of starting businesses, crafting, painting, acting, writing 
all dreams big & small

i hope you take the time to check it out. and more importantly, i hope you follow the stories the writers have to share each day.
and i hope that in some small way, this wonderful project helps you to reach your dream!

about the blog {taken from the website}:

rev·o·lu·tion·ize
(rev-uh-loo-shuh-nahyz)
Verb: To bring about a revolution in; effect a radical change in

RevolutionizeHer is a community built around every woman who is self-employed, or hopes to be soon, and is looking for a place to share her story. Whether it be to celebrate her successes, work through her struggles, build up an idea, get or give advice—whatever it may be – this is what RevolutionizeHer is for.

An amazing group of writers have teamed up for this project to share their stories on how hard, yet rewarding, being self-employed can be. These women are passionate about what they do and hope to encourage you to pursue your dreams of self-employment (if you aren’t already). And more importantly, show you that you are not alone.

authors:
Ashley / Megan / Liz / Margot / Casey / Tricia / Heather / Joanna / Ilana / Diana / Katy / Aubrey / Jordan / Kristina

 

also, as a side note, didn’t Ashley do an AMAZING job with the website design??? seriously when i saw it for the first time i just couldn’t stop looking at it. she’s talented, that one!!

some announcements

i have been trying not to spam the blog too much with announcements and keep it focused on blog posts and content. so instead i have been spamming my facebook page and twitter :)

but i understand that not everyone has joined the facebook page or is on twitter {why??}
so i wanted to list a few announcements and features that have happened this week that maybe you haven’t heard about yet!

first, Stronger Marriage posts!
there are three new ones since I last posted about it
1. Combating the Threat of Overscheduling here
2. Marriage Rituals here
3. How To Increase Intimacy here

i’ll try to be better at posting about these updates on the blog! i keep forgetting to make updates over here.

second, Seven Day Push post!
i wrote a post on the Seven Day Push blog about Defining Your Success.
{i write for the blog every Thursday so be sure to check that out}
you can read this week’s post here

third, blog features!
i was featured on two great blogs this weeks
Alana’s blog here
and Holly’s blog here
be sure to check them out and visit the other sponsors!

and finally, The Shine Project giveaway!
don’t forget to enter to win a beautiful SHINE necklace from Ashley over at The Shine Project
her necklaces are gorgeous AND they are for a good cause!
enter to win here

i think that’s it for now…

have a very happy & relaxing weekend!!
{and check out those links!}

Stronger Marriage blog, guest posts, & a giveaway winner!

this is one of those annoying,
mass announcement
type posts.

sorry.

but i got stuff to say and i realize maybe not everyone is a fan on my Facebook page where i usually announce this stuff
[maybe you should be one!]

1. there is a new Stronger Marriage blog post up called
Intimacy in Marriage
check it out, here!
{do you agree? do you disagree? do you have additional insight? be sure to weigh in!}

2. i failed to announce that i wrote two guest posts yesterday:
one for My Happy Thought here
and one for The Creative Coastie Wife (formerly Confessions of a Newlywed) here.
check them both out!

and 3. i picked a winner for the 300 follower/Rhi’s Designs giveaway!

the winner is……

#1: Kimberly W.!
congratulations Kimberly!!

HUGE thank you to all who entered!
i feel so blessed to have some seriously amazing readers
:)

AND if you would still like a necklace from Rhi’s Designs, be sure to check out the shop
and use the coupon code MRSROBINSON15 for 15% off your entire order!

and that is the end of my little public service announcement!

300 follower giveaway!!

{better late than never, right?}

my little bloggity-blog reached 300 followers this week!!
i feel very blessed and humbled that so many people care about what i have to say

though i truly believe the number of followers doesn’t determine your success as a blogger,
it is still a very significant milestone!

i am so grateful to all who read my blog
follower or not!
it is because of you that i feel motivated & encouraged to continue sharing my story

i am so grateful for the friendships i have made through my little blog
and for all the meaningful comments and emails i have gotten from all my new friends!

and i believe that the fact that even one person reads my blog is what
truly matters!

so thank you, thank you to you!
i couldn’t ask for better readers!
:)

as promised on my Facebook page,
i wanted to have a giveaway as a big THANK YOU to all who have supported me through this journey!

today, i am giving away the Pink Lady Skeleton necklace from Rhi’s Designs

   

to enter:  (one comment)
1. check out the Rhi’s Designs Etsy shop here and tell me what your favorite item is!

additional entries: (leave a comment for each entry)
2. become a follower of And here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson
3. become a follower of Rhi’s Designs here
4. like my Facebook page here
5. like Rhi’s Designs on Facebook here
6. follow me on Twitter here
7. if you have an Etsy account, add Rhi’s Designs to your favorites here
8. share this giveaway on Facebook/Twitter/blog and be sure to tag me
(can do this once a day!)

so there you go!
8+ ways to enter!

 

i just wanted to say THANK YOU again for everything!!
i’m excited to see where this blog will go in the future
and hopefully you will all stick with me!
:)

 

 

(not part of the giveaway but would you be so kind to vote for us?? it means so much!)

some matters of business

i have a few announcements i wanted to share so i thought i’d do it all at once.

brace yourselves.

first, i want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all the kind comments on the last two posts!! i swear i have some of the most incredible readers! you are all so kind and supportive and
i cannot thank you enough!!
thank you for welcoming mine and Jessica’s story with open arms and being nothing but kind and encouraging as we share something very personal to us.
(i tried to reply to each comment individually but some of the comments didn’t have their emails linked. i will try to find another way to get a hold of you :) )

second, i forgot to mention yesterday on the blog (but i did announce it on facebook and twitter!) that i had the wonderful opportunity to guest post over on Jennifer March’s lovely blog! If you haven’t checked out her blog you should!! Jen is one of the most influential people i’ve ever come across. all the money she receives from sponsors she donates to “Bite Back” to prevent and treat malaria. it’s such a great cause and i’m so happy to be a part of it.
so definitely check out Jennifer March!

third, there is a new Stronger Marriage blog post about marriage after baby!
[kind of goes perfectly with the other posts this week, yes?]
so you should also look at that post and let me know what you do to keep the relationship healthy and the romance alive even after you have a baby!
check it out here.

fourth, don’t forget about the Feed Your Soul Art giveaway!! it ends tomorrow night at midnight. Harmony is an amazingly, talented artist! you should definitely check out her work and enter to win one her beautiful prints for your own home.
giveaway here.

and last, but certainly not least, i have the amazing opportunity to be an intern for Ashley from After Nine to Five! Ashley contacted me last week asking if i was willing to help her out with her business and blog. i felt beyond honored and couldn’t believe i would be able to work alongside Ashley. Ashley is an entrepreneur and designs jewelry, prints, websites, e-books, e-courses, and basically a million other things!! she is truly amazing and it a great example of following your dreams. i will be helping her with some behind the scenes work and learning more about this “blogging business.” i feel so blessed to work with Ashley and feel like this experience will help me fulfill my own dreams!
here is my little intro post if you’re interested.

 

so that’s some of the things that have been going on this week!
i hope you check out some of those links if you get a chance
:)

sponsor love: part 2

please welcome some more special ladies! 

shop//facebook

 

blog//facebook//twitter 

 

blog//facebook//twitter//pinterest

 

blog//facebook//twitter

 

blog

 

blog

sponsor love: So, Hi!

please welcome a new sponsor this month,
Rach from So, Hi!

LOVE HER! 

her blog is so fun, quirky, lovely, inspiration and she’s only in high school!!
YES! high school folks!
isn’t she amazing?!

basically i wish i was as cool as her when i was in high school…. but i wasn’t. so moving on.

here’s a little bit about, Rach

Where are you from?
I am from a super duper small Midwest town in the middle of no where, there are cornfields and windmills. Stereotypical midwest. It's super boring, but I am thankful to be brought up in a small town, I can see that my values were morphed because of this. And everyone is always looking out for everyone else, and I think that that is a great thing. But, if you read my blog...you'd see that I'm a city-girl just waiting to break out. ;)
{Holla Midwest!!!}

5 fun facts about yourself:
1. I am a high school senior this year, yes, young...but i'm very wise for my age people tell me. I am planning on going off to school to major in Speech Pathology. I am intrigued on how you can help people from 1-101 with just one job. :)
2. I am a fashionista/beautista/makeupista. I am just interested in making everyone look hot...the right way. 
3. I have a cat, and her name is Big Mama. Why? Because she is too big to be called Little Mama. 
4. I love my life, and I never let anything get me down. I know that I have a good life and I plan to take advantage of that as long as I can.
5. I have a crazy family, I am also in love with an amazing guy whom I have been with for 3 years, and my best friend is baller.

What is your blog and how did you get started?
My blog is of a wide variety because my interests are of a wide variety. It's primarily a beauty/lifestyle blog with randomness thrown in like advice, food, and just the adventures of a spunky high school senior. 
I actually got a blogger account back when I was in 8th grade...for no really reason actually. I think I did like 3 pointless posts and stopped. I really started my blogging adventure last October probably, I just felt like I had so many idea's that I wanted to share with people and I just loved showing everyone my idea's and tips. I also kind of wanted some of the girls at my high school to get a wake-up call about looking like a clown with all of that make-up put on wrong. ;)

wonderfully wonderful girl!!
WELCOME RACH!

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