Saturday, July 31, 2010

Toddeling Toddler!

I can't believe this is happening! My little Squish is on the move. While I couldn't be more proud of him, I find myself wondering where did my squishy little baby go who first fit so sweetly on my chest? Time slow down, let me enjoy these moments more! Squishy, Mommy and Daddy love you so much and are overjoyed with all you are accomplishing these days! Walk with purpose little man! Just watch out for the bumps in the road!

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Friday, July 30, 2010

The Weekend Has Arrived!!

HRH Mommy over at MforMommy kindly presented me with my first blogger award. I received the Blogger Buddy Award, and it truly made me smile! Thank you Blogger Buddy!


I won’t lie; breaking rules isn’t really my forte, so I am to share 7 things about myself:

  • I hate Odd Numbers, so while it isn’t totally breaking the rules I will only be sharing 6 things. (Yes, I know. OCD and I are working on our relationship.)
  • I absolutely adore tomatoes. They are my all time favorite food.
  • I’m a sucker for mind-numbing TV shows, and anything baby or wedding even though I have already done both. (The Hills, The Secret Life, Say Yes to the Dress, Baby Story, Deliver Me…)
  • You will never find me eating Mayo ever; the fact that I am even typing it now makes me want to gag!
  • I was a college athlete. (Springboard Diving)
  • I would love to have 4 children, but have yet to get the Hubs on board with that one!
So that is me in a nutshell. Thanks again for my first blogger award! Woot! Woot!

I am passing this award on to:
Crazy about My Baybah
One + One = Three
Our Life with Prader-Willi Syndrome
Exploits of a Military Mama

These are all wonderful mamas with beautiful babies! Even though they lead pretty different lives from one another, they are all kind women and great mamas! Make sure you check them out and say hi!


Have a great weekend, Squish and I are planning on enjoying the slightly milder heat, and getting some things done around the yard!

Head over to my Hop To It link for some Saturday Surfin’ hook-ups.


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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Bee Funny Friday Follow ~ 2nd week!

Family and Life in Las Vegas




 
I am so excited to announce that Family and Life in Las Vegas has teamed up with Crazy About My Baybah  to create our own Friday Follow!! We have loved linking up to other Friday Follows so much, we decided to create our own. We are calling it Bee Funny Friday Follow, because being funny is what it is all about!! Basically in addition to posting the Bee Funny Friday Badge, we ask that you also post pictures and/or stories about something funny that happened during the week. Something fun to get the weekend started.

Here are a few simple guidelines we would like you to follow:
1. Add a main link to your blog weekly.
2. Follow the hosting blogs in the # 1 and # 2 spots.
3. Post pictures and/or stories on your blog about something funny that happened during the week.
4. Put our Bee Funny button in your post to share the fun.
5. Visit as many blogs as you can, and let them know that you are there from Bee Funny Friday Follow. Follow the ones you like, and we are sure you will get follows back.
6. But most of all, Bee Funny! Because Beeing Funny is what it is all about!


Bee Funny is open to family friendly sites ONLY, all others will be deleted.

Bee Funny!
This may be more sweet than funny, but too cute not to share!  They are meeting up to start their own cloth diaper butt gang!
What is funnier than a neked baby in a basket?  He seriously loves this laundry basket!  I think we are going to have to buy Auntie Kim a new one...

So is it funny or sad that I have missed two recycling pick-ups in a month, leaving me with a ton of recycling in my garage?  Hey it's only another 2 weeks til the next pick-up!  (to be fair they came before 6am this week...)



Don't forget to enter my EcoMom Giveaway!



 























Check out MforMommy's Friday Faves and share yours to be featured in her Friday post!














New Friend Fridays

FriendlyFridayButton

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Toddler Talk Thursdays - First Edition (Books)

Toddler Talk Thursday




Family and Life in Las Vegas 
 


Welcome to the  first week of Toddler Talk Thursday! Family and Life in Las Vegas got together with Lolo from Crazy about My Baybah, and we decided to create Toddler Talk Thursday as a place for moms and dads of toddlers to come together over a weekly topic and share ideas, go-to toys or products.  Not to mention it is a great way meet other bloggers of toddlers. Topics will range from Dinner Dos and Disasters, Books, and Bedtime. I encourage you to join in, share what works for you, as well as your toddler’s likes and dislikes.

This week’s topic is Books. We all know that reading is an essential part of your toddler’s learning and development. But what do you do if your Toddler doesn’t show any interest in books other than reading them?

I recently had the brilliant idea of combining Tubby Time with some Story Time. (I am sure I wasn't the first, but it was new to me!) During Tubby Time Squishy is playing in a confined area, where he is free to look at the pages as I read them, or just listen to me reading. I don’t get the book ripped out of my hands, or thrown across the room. Instead I have found I get a child who is actually listening to me read. I have had success with this every time we have done it. Don’t get me wrong, there are certainly times during the day where we read and he is free to turn the pages at will, and grab the books away from me. But I wanted to be sure he had some quite reading time too!


Squishy’s current selections for books include:

What are your toddler's favorite books of the moment?
How do you find time to squeeze in quality reading time?



If you want to be a part of Toddler Talk Thursdays, just follow these simple steps:
1. Follow the Toddler Talk Thursday Hosts (The Hosts are in the first two spots!). And if you would like write your own Toddler Talk Thursdays Post with the current weeks topic and answer this weeks questions.
2. Link up your blog name and URL with our Linky. (You only need to add your info once for it to be seen on all the blog hops.)
3. Grab our Toddler Talk Thursdays and include it in a post about the event on your blog.
4. Go to as many blogs on the Linky Tools as you want and Follow them. Be sure to tell them you are from Toddler Talk Thursdays!
5. It is common courtesy to follow back any followers you have gained from Toddler Talk Thursdays!

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First Ever Family and Life in Las Vegas Giveaway!!

Some of you may remember the post I did just last week about EcoMom’s amazing deal on their EcoPass. If you need a refresher – check it out here, and then come on back for a fun product review and giveaway!

I recently had the opportunity to review one of the amazing product carried by EcoMom. EcoMom is committed to making eco-conscious living easy, affordable, and rewarding, with education, support, tools, and products.

When the box was delivered to my doorstep, Squishy and I opened it together. He loves boxes! We were pretty excited to see a Plum Organics Sampler that had a package of Plum Organics Pumpkin/Banana baby food, 4 Tots Organic Mish Mash, a box of Plum Tots Organic Apple and Carrot Fiddlestix, and a Boon Spoon attachment!


My Review

Disclaimer: This is my 100% honest opinion which may be different than yours. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

I have to tell you, EcoMom lives up to their commitment of making eco-conscious living easy because these make life as a mom easier!

The Plum Organic Pouches are very portable. No more worrying about homemade food spilling in the diaper bag, ice packs, glass breaking, or back splash when opening the package. Simply twist and serve!!

The Boon Spoon is an amazing addition to the Plum Organics. It comes in its own carrying case, and all you have to do is twist it on! Perfect for Mom’s who are on the go!


Plum Organics are a diaper bag must have when we go anywhere.
Yummy!
Like this, see?!
Wow! That is really easy to use!!

Squishy loved the Mish Mash Tots Organics too! We even decided to freeze a couple and take them to go when we were out and about. After about 2 hours they were the perfect slushy 100% all fruit snack. (I even enjoyed one!)

The Plum Organics Baby Food and Tots Mish Mash aren’t just for babies and tots. You can use them to cook with; they make wonderful additions to banana bread, muffins, or pancakes.

Plum Organics offers products from the highchair all the way on up to the lunch box. There is a lot to choose from. Including but not limited to the Plum Tots Organic Apple and Carrot Fiddlesticks. Squish must have thought they tasted great because he wanted more! It is so nice to have such a convenient and healthy snack from my Toddler!
So Yummy I need one for each hand!

On the Squishy Approved Scale; EcoMom and Plum Organics gets a rating of
Extra Squish-able!

Who likes EcoMom and Plum Organics?
Me! I do! I do!

What I love most about EcoMom is that they are here to make my life easy, and I don’t have to cut corners on my family’s health to do so. Recently I purchased their EcoPass. The EcoPass is $99 per year you get 15% off on every purchase AND free shipping on EVERY order regardless of how much you buy. Let's break that down. It comes out to $8.25 per month, $1.90 per week, or $0.28 per day. This can easily pay for itself in as few as 4 orders. Could they make it any easier?

Right now they are offering the EcoPass as a lifetime pass instead of the annual pass. That is a huge offer! This is for the month of July only!! So hurry up and buy yours now! {SBBL516} This code is good for 15% off.


The Giveaway

Jody (CEO and Co-founder of Eco-Mom) has generously offered a $15 Gift Card to one of my awesome readers! ~ You can use this on ANYTHING at the EcoMom site!!
This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada

How to win:
Please make sure to leave your email in your comment, or I will not be able to contact you about your win, and will have to choose another winner.
I will be checking each entry to the best of my ability, but honesty is appreciated!

Mandatory Entry:
Head on over to the EcoMom website and tell me what you would spend your Gift Card on if you win! You must also be a follower of Family and Life in Las Vegas as well. Please leave one (1) comment saying you have done both of these things and what you would pick.
(This is the only mandatory entry. The other entries below are EXTRA.)

Extra Entries:
(Please enter a comment for EACH entry. So, if it says that an entry is worth 3 entries, please leave 3 separate comments.)

1. Follow me on Facebook (3 entries)
2. Follow EcoMom on Facebook and tell them I sent you! (2 entries)
3. Follow @ecomomCEO on Twitter (1 entry)
4. Go and purchase the EcoPass from EcoMom and earn (10 EXTRA ENTRIES!!!)
5. Subscribe to the EcoMom newsletter (2 entries)
6. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, leaving the link in a comment. (2 entries)
(You can tweet once per day for extra entries!)
7. Grab my blog button and place it on your blog. Spread the word! Leave a comment with the link. (2 entries)
8. Blog about this giveaway and leave a direct link to it! (5 entries)
9. Make a purchase from the EcoMom website (AND use my code!{SBBL516}) during the time of this giveaway and earn yourself (6 extra entries!!!)
10. Vote for me on both Top Mommy Blogs & Picket Fences (please be honest and actually vote) (2 entries per day, you can vote once a day. Just leave two comments each day you vote)


Giveaway will end August 11th at 10pm PST.
Random.org will select the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond; otherwise I will select a new winner.

Just don’t think you can wait?? Head on over to the EcoMom website today and purchase away!

~Don't forget to use my code {SBBL516} at checkout to receive your 15% off discount!!!~


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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A less than Wordless Wednesday

Well if you know me at all you know I can't resist a good caption for my pictures!  So enjoy.  We had a nice day full of lots and lots of playing.  While we did miss the storytime at the library do to a certain someone sleeping in, (no complaints here!!) I did get 2.5 things on my to-do list done, so I am rounding up to make it 3!  :)  Happy Wednesday!!  

Bet you didn't know they shipped babies too!!
(Disclaimer, no babies we actually shipped in the taking of this picture!)

Okay Mom!! I am ready to send to Daddy!!

Kellan wants to be sure you are going to stop back tomorrow and enter our first ever giveaway!
Don't make him give you the side-eye twice!  LOL


This is a new Blog Hop for me.  I guess you would consider us a newer greenie!  I look forward to learning tips from others and continuing our adventure into clean and healthy living!  Thanks for stopping by!

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Rambles on a Tuesday

Mommy needs a timeout.  I posted 3 blog entries for Monday!  That is just crazy!  Tomorrow (well I guess it is today) I am going to focus on my to-do list.  If I don't accomplish at least 3 things on it, I will not be allowed to return on Wednesday.  And I have to return on Wednesday because I am planning on posting my first ever giveaway!

Today Kellan started clapping for the first time!  I couldn't be more proud every time my little Squish every time he does something new.  I finally get why Moms always feel the need to brag about their children.  BK (Before Kellan), I would smile and nod.  AK(After Kellan) I get excited over every little thing, and want to tell anyone who will listen. 

Feel the same way?  Check out my Messy Messy Squish, clapping for the camera so we could send it to Daddy for him to see too!



In addition to working on my to-do list, Squish and I are hoping to make it to story time at the Library.  It is supposed to be rainy tomorrow here, (yes, it does rain in Las Vegas), but sunny or not, reading books is always a great way to spend the day!

Okay, so I just came across the cutest blog.  I was really intrigued by the creativity of her weekly Mommy Memo One Liners!

The Mommyhood Memos
Basically you write a post with your own Mommyhood memo one-liner beginning with: “You know your life has changed when…”
So forgive me if this is awful, but it is my first try...

"You know your life has changed when spending time in the backseat of a car is for nursing and not necking!"
(Not that I have ever made out in the back seat of a car...)

Tuesday Tag-Along
BWS tips button

Welcome to all the Tuesday Hoppers!  I can't believe how many awesome blogs there are out there!  I had been living under a blog rock when I was still private!  I am happy to be meeting so many other fellow bloggers!  Happy Tuesday to all!

Oh, and if you get a chance, stop by my other blog. It is a place for breastfeeding mamas to share their stories!  I am FINALLY posting a story of my own today!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Missing Bob.

Kellan has been asking for Bob all day.  (The Hubs name is Rob, but instead of Dada, Kellan took to calling him Bob... too cute if you ask me!)   While it is super cute, it also makes my heart hurt.  I love my husband's job, I just wish I could have my husband here with us all the time.  Some days are harder than others.  Today is one of those days!  We love you Bob!  We are always thinking of you and you are always in our hearts.

I realize I have posted a ton lately, but when I stumbled into a photo challenge by Two Moms Made a Photo Challende, and when I saw the topic I knew I had to enter. 


I am not a good photographer by any means, but I do love taking pictures.  I love this picture.  It is right up there in my top 3 pictures of all time!  This is the Hubs saying goodbye to Kellan the night before he left.  I am surprised I was able to take the picture at all. 
To the Hubs:  MMAFI&B

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Menu Plan Monday



One of my major goals now that Kellan is starting to eat what we eat is to start meal planning on a regular basis. While my husband is out of the country, I am pretty lucky to have my sister-in-law Kim living with me and doubly lucky because we have very similar tastes in food.

When grocery shopping I have major issues with overspending, in that I don’t always check what I have in the house. I also tend to cook more than we need, and really am not a fan of leftovers.

So when I saw that Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie was hosting a menu plan Monday I decided I needed to link up. She offers wonderful tips, and I am hoping it will help me to meet my two main goals in meal planning:

1. Sticking to a list while in the grocery store.
2. Offer my family healthy meals organic meals that fit within our monthly food budget.

I plan on including both my meal plan for the week as well as my grocery list. Here goes nothing!

Meal Plans

Monday
Ranch Turkey Burgers on Sandwich Thins
Offered with tomatoes and cheese
Side(s)
Organic Frozen Mixed Veggies
Sweet Potato Fries

Tuesday
Chef’s Salad
Side(s)
Quinoa and Brown Rice w/seaweed

Wednesday
Leftovers/Fix Your Own Dinner Night

Thursday
Greek Chicken
Side
Lemon Broccoli

Friday
Make your Own Pizza night (using Flat Outs)
Possible toppings
Turkey Pepperoni
Red Peppers
Mozzarella Cheese
Tomato Paste
Olives
Leftover Chicken from Greek night
Feta Cheese

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
BLTs
Side(s)
Organic Green Beans (Frozen)
Fresh Fruit Salad


Grocery List
Bacon
Black Olives
Organic Spring Mix Lettuce
Ground Turkey
Tomatoes
Feta Cheese
Flat Outs
Organic Red Pepper
Organic Seasonal Fruit
Bread
Diet Coke/Caffeine Free Diet Coke (I know – it’s a bad habit…)
Soy Yogurt
Almond Milk
Yo Baby Yogurt
Total Weekly Allowance $50

**Everything else on my menu is already at my home.

Wish me luck! I hope we stick to this list!!

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Sunday, July 25, 2010

Weekend Re-cap & Monday Hop Love.

Crud, is it really almost Monday again??  I just don't know how it sneaks up so fast?!  (Weeks passed by this quickly when I was pregnant...) I swear I can't ever get enough done on the weekends.  Not that my weekends differ too much from my weekdays, but I do have a list of projects to be done, and never enough time to do them.

Saturday we woke up and headed out to meet some other mommy's for our Saturday Strolls.  Kellan was still a little off, but well enough to venture out.  And thankfully so, I love these stroller walks; they help clear my mind.  Since it is a million degrees (okay 115) out we are meeting at the mall. After a wonderful workout Kellan got two new pairs of shoes from Payless.  He is up to three steps now, and using his walker everyday.  I don't think it will be too long before he gets it down.  The rest of Saturday we pretty much hung low.  I suppose I should have worked on my to-do list, but playing with a much happier and not so crabby Kellan seemed much more appealing!  (Did I mention the other things keeping me from accomplishing my to-do list is a severe case of procrastination, and a sneaky little smile from my Squishy that causes me to lose time...???)

Mama's little Drummer Boy!
Being Silly is what Squishes do best!
Trying to be sneaky and drum on the glass...
Haha!  It's MINE!
What should I do now that I have it??
Okay, I will just be cute!
(Notice his Big Boy shoes??)

Today since the little man was finally feeling better my SIL, (who lives with us) the Squish, and I all headed out to the Mall.  I mean what better way to beat the LV heat than in and air-conditioned building that screams for you to spend your money.  We bought some frozen fat-free yogurt, and were walking around when I saw they had opened up an eye-brow threading place in the mall!  I was in desperate need of some attention in the eyebrow department so I took a chance and went for it.  For $11 + tip I was able to have my eyebrows nicely shaped.  It didn't take too long, and didn't hurt too bad, but best of all I wasn't all red and swollen afterwards.  I definitely plan on going back.  Kellan hammed it up with every lady he saw!  Such a big flirt my baby is! 

Welcome to all the new followers I have gained over this past week.  You really know how to make a woman's entrance back into the world of blogging a lovely one!  I appreciate all the comments, and look forward to following you back and getting to read into your slice of life!

Monday Minute

1. Who is your "what-if" person?
(What-if person being what if I married this person or am now in a relationship with "this" person)
Honestly, once I met The Hubs, this wasn't ever a question in my mind.  I have dated others and wondered what it would be like to be with someone else instead, but all those questions stopped when I met Rob.  He is exactly what I would hope for in a husband.  Sure there are days were I am find myself frustrated, or laughing at him, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  Cheesy, I know.  But I love him, and together we made the most amazing little man ever!! 

2. What is your nickname?
In grade school I was Emie.  I am often referred to as Em, and I like to refer to myself as crazy.  My husband calls me Monkey, because he says I have monkey-toes... I am not a fan of that NN though.  :P


3. If you could choose how you died, how would you like to die?
If it was sooner rather than later?  Sleeping next to my husband, and cuddling with my Squishy.  If I live til I am old and spent, peacefully in my sleep, hopefully still next to my husband.  I want to die first, I love him too much to live without him.  (Gee, that was kinda depressing...)

4. If you could have named yourself, which name would you have picked?
If you ask little me, I probably would have told you Samantha.  But thankfully, (no offense to you Samantha's out there), I didn't name myself.  Samantha just doesn't fit me.  IF I had to pick a new name for myself tomorrow, and it couldn't be Emily, maybe Evelyn??  But I am happy with Emily.

5. Who were you named after or for what reason did your parents choose your name?
I am pretty sure I wasn't named after anyone.  If I was a boy I would have been Andrew.  My mother just liked the name Emily.  I think she picked a great name!

To see why we chose the name Kellan, click here.

More Monday Hop Love



 
mingle mondays button
 



 Just in case you aren't a follower - take a minute and check out this post from The Lady Bloggers Society.  It really struck a chord with me, and I hope it does you too!
 
Happy Monday!!

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Absolute Favorite ~ Photo Contest

So Chelsey over at The Paper Mama is hosts a weekly photo contest.  Since I am obviously a sucker for pictures of my Squishapillar, I thought it would be fun to enter.  This week's theme is Absolute Favorite.  While it is a tough choice because I like different pictures for different reasons, I have to go with my Strong Man Squishy picture.  I still laugh when I see this one.  In fact I think this picture is so stinking cute, I challenge you not to smile at it!!



The Paper Mama

Also Welcome to those visiting from Sunday Blog Hops!




Sunday Strolling Blog Hop

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