Saturday, March 30, 2013

super sunday sync #29

Happy Easter {almost Easter to you early birds}!  Leave me a comment about how you celebrate Easter and the ad-bunny will visit you!
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Welcome to Super Sunday Sync #29!

Let's welcome Diana back from Nanny to Mommy!

Rules for the "Super-est" hop ever:
1)  Link up a family-friendly post (or your homepage if it will always be decent, please not to another hop) that you think is SUPER!
2) Follow your hosts {Dawn and Kera} and guest hosts {Amy @ Consider Me Inspired and Diana @ Nanny to Mommy}, the first four links, via RSS and/or Bloglovin'.  We also appreciate (and return) any Facebook Likes, NetworkedBlog, and Twitter Followers.  Be sure to leave a comment telling us how you follow, we'll follow you back!
3)  Visit and follow the blog before you, and a few others {the more, the merrier}.  We're all looking to have more followers, that's why we're hopping, right?  Remember to leave a comment and we'll follow you back.
4)  Grab a button and put it somewhere people will see.  We'd love for this hop to really take off!  We believe it can, with your help!
Super Sunday Sync

If you are interested in Guest-hosting the SSS, please 





Don't forget to Tweet!  
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Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
...and you can link up your Twitter account HERE, at my "retro" Twitter hop! 


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who doesn't want free shipping from layla grayce?

Summer is quickly approaching and hot summer days call for some bright, happening colors! Layla Grayce can help prepare your home and garden with beautiful summer essentials! Best of all, when you shop 3/30-3/31, Layla Grayce is offering free shipping with promo code freeship.

If you love to garden then the
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Thursday, March 28, 2013

did someone ask about my next husband??? {#ftsf}

Finish the Sentence Fridays

Do you remember the rules?
If I could hang out with any celebrity, it would be...
...JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE.  DUH.  Have you read my blog?  The Hubs made fun of me because I wanted to put the Beanie Babies to bed early last Monday night so I could me in line RIGHT AWAY on Tuesday to get my copy of (the Target version) his newest album.  Well, that didn't happen.  Spring Break happened and we were up until about midnight.  I still don't have my album.  I think I'll have to rectify that tomorrow, don't you?

So, now that I've gotten to talk about my second husband, who do you want to hang out with?
...and don't forget to come back next week!  Our sentenance is:
A typical day in my life looks like..
 






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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

twitter hop 2.2

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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It's time for the Twitter hop!  Link up my friends and follow some new Tweeps!

The only "rule" here is to follow as many people on the hop as possible!  So, put your TWITTER on here and gain some new followers.






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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

TT~Meet Cady

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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Dawn’s Disaster

This is a great way for me to learn more about my bloggy friends and to help promote their blog.  So, once you're read their fantastic post, stop by their blog and leave them a note.  Tell 'em you stopped by from Dawn's Disaster :)  If you'd like to be a part of my Traveling Tuesdays, give me a holler or stop by my contact page.

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Hi, everyone! My name is Cady, and I blog over at The Bloggy Mommy. I am 33 (as of today, actually! Happy Birthday to me!), married to Joe and stay-at-home mom to Lucy, a crazy 3-year-old.

I have learned a lot in the last three years. When Lucy was first born, I thought that parenthood was a breeze. Then, she stopped sleeping all day, and I realized just how wrong I was. :) Today, I want to share some advice for those of you with soon-to-be toddlers!

It's OK to get frustrated.
Seriously. I haven't experienced anything as frustrating as raising a toddler. Lucy is incredibly independent, and we butt heads a lot. She also plays the "I don't see it!" game when I ask her to pick things up. Even when they're right in front of her! Try to take a deep breath before you respond.

Be consistent.
If you tell your child he or she can't do something because they misbehaved, stick with it. Don't give in. It can be SO easy to give one more chance, especially if your child has perfected the heart-warming smile like mine has, but if you give in once, your child will know they can succeed in getting what they want. Being consistent shows them who's boss.

Take your child on dates.
I like to take Lucy on a lunch date to a sit down once every 1-2 weeks. She LOVES it and gets so excited about it. She loves being referred to as a "lady" by the servers, and she just loves spending one-on-one time with me. And, I love it as well. Those are memories I will cherish when she's older.

Take time out for you.
It is SO hard to find time for yourself when you're a mom, but it is SO important to do so that you don't lose your mind. Take a Sunday afternoon and go to the mall, get a mani/pedi or, heck, go out one evening to grocery shop by yourself (that is seriously SO much easier without a toddler!)! Even taking an hour to get out of the house by yourself will rejuveniate you.

Have your child help around the house.
Lucy may be 3, but she already asks to help wash dishes simply because she spent time watching us do it. She loves to get up on a chair and "help" us. We also have her pick up her toys and put her clothes away. Teaching her to do simple chores now will hopefully result in her being more of a help as she gets older.

Read.
We are avid readers, and we knew from the beginning that we wanted to pass our love of books on to our daughter. We not only read to her every night, but we also read to her throughout the day. And, it's already paid off. I've caught her sitting on her rocking chair in the middle of the day reading, and she has a pile of books on her bed that she reads every night. I hope that love of reading will never go away.

Rock your child in the middle of the night.
One of my best memories is of going into Lucy's room late at night, getting her out of bed (and somehow not waking her) and rocking with her. It's the little things like that that you will never, ever forget. These years go by so fast, so make all the memories that you can!



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Monday, March 25, 2013

inspired tuesday

You guys are so awesome! We had 34 blog posts linked up. I am so happy to see this blog post start to take off. So much great posts out there!

I think I may have missed commenting on a couple of your blogs this past week. I am so sorry if I did, but I did stop by everyones blogs.

This week we have two featured Blogs

The first featured blog is Just call me Petty. The last few weeks she has been linking up her Make A Difference Monday posts where she features charity's and other organizations that make a difference. You should really stop by and check them out!

Our second featured blog is A Rural Journal. Last week Nancy shared a beautiful picture with some lovely words, as well as some awesome textures.

What is Inspired Tuesday?

Each Tuesday Not So Ugly Ducklings hosts Inspired Tuesday along with two awesome co-hosts Dawn's Disaster and Peanut Butter and Jelly, where we offer up a free printable with some encouraging words.
Me and my co-hosts believe that any post written can inspired someone else, whether it is a personal story, a photography, a recipe.. whatever, so I invite everyone to link up their posts no matter the topic.

The rules are simple:
1) Follow Not So Ugly DucklingsDawn's Disaster and Peanut Butter and Jelly  in any way of your choosing.
2) Follow this weeks featured blog(s).
3) It would be nice if you added the Inspired Tuesday button to your post, or even just a link back to the link-up.
4) Try to visit others and be inspired!
That's it.
Here is the button if you would like it:

<div align="center"><a href="http://notsouglyducklings.blogspot.com/" title="Not So Ugly Ducklings"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh540/sommerfugldesign/inspired-tuesday-button_zpsa22cc19f.png" width="150" alt="Inspired Tuesday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
This weeks free printable:


You can download this free printable from HERE









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Saturday, March 23, 2013

super sunday sync #28

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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Welcome to Super Sunday Sync #28!
Rules for the "Super-est" hop ever:
1)  Link up a family-friendly post (or your homepage if it will always be decent, please not to another hop) that you think is SUPER!
2) Follow your hosts {Dawn and Kera} and guest hosts {the Mommies and Ashlea}, the first four links, via RSS and/or Bloglovin'.  We also appreciate (and return) any Facebook Likes, NetworkedBlog, and Twitter Followers.  Be sure to leave a comment telling us how you follow, we'll follow you back!
3)  Visit and follow the blog before you, and a few others {the more, the merrier}.  We're all looking to have more followers, that's why we're hopping, right?  Remember to leave a comment and we'll follow you back.
4)  Grab a button and put it somewhere people will see.  We'd love for this hop to really take off!  We believe it can, with your help!
Super Sunday Sync

If you are interested in Guest-hosting the SSS, please 





Don't forget to Tweet!  
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...and you can link up your Twitter account HERE, at my "retro" Twitter hop! 


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Get the Word Out! 99¢ Sale on Select Cards at Cardstore + Free Shipping! Valid on Invitations, Announcements, Save-the-Dates, and Party Thank You's! Use Code: CCE3323, Valid through 3/31/13, Shop Now!

Friday, March 22, 2013

my wedding album ~ only 6 years later

So, it's a good thing that I'm an affiliate for BLURB.COM!  A few weeks ago, they sent out an offer for a free book.  Who could pass that up?  This one was SO free, I didn't even need to pay for shipping.  Awesome.  Especially since our wedding photographer bagged out on us 3 days before 07/07/07!  Lucky for us, a family friend is a landscape photographer and offered to take our pictures (he was A LOT cheaper, too!  Only cost us an SD card)!

Back to the fab-o offer...I was stunned when the offer came through, but thought, "what a good time to get a wedding album done."  And I did.  Here's the cover:

I thought the book turned out fab-o.  I brought it over to my parents to show them, and they both thought it was for them!  I don't think so!  It took me 5.5 years to get this sucker, I'm not just handing it away.

Making the book took about an hour, only because I had so many picture to choose from.  It was a great experience and if I ever get a chance to do it again, I totally will!  It's time for you to make yours now, head on over to blurb.com.  Guess what?  They gave me a promo code to share with all of you great readers.  When you are asked if you have a promo code, enter DESIGNMYBOOK and you will get 20% off the Designer Book style.



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**Sponsored by blurb.com

*Fine print: Get 20% USD, AUD, CAD or EUR off your Blurb Designer Bookify product total up to $150. Offer expires March 31, 2013 11.59pm local time. May only be used once per customer and on books created by you. May not be combined with any other coupons, volume discount or applied retroactively to previous orders.

stella & dot accessories!


Stella & Dot has taken Hollywood by storm with celebrities and editors adoring Stella & Dot's boutique style jewelry and accessories line! Elizabeth Banks, an actress, producer and director, has been spotted wearing the Stella & Dot Medina Bib Necklace on multiple occasions! Add this necklace to a summer dress or with a shirt and jeans. Carly Rae Jepsen was seen accessorizing with the Spring Awakening Necklace while posing with Seventeen magazine. This beautiful necklace is perfect for spring! Shay Mitchell looks stunning in the Pegasus Necklace and owns several Stella & Dot pieces. Be your own celebrity and flaunt Stella & Dot's couture style. Happy Accessorizing! 


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Thursday, March 21, 2013

one time I was bored out of my mind...

Finish the Sentence Fridays

Do you remember the rules?
One time when I was bored out of my mind, I...
...didn't do anything fun or exciting.  I am a very boring person, so this sentence is hard for me.  I've literally been looking at this one for a month and still have writer's block.  So, today, I'm copying Kate and writing about something related but different.

When I'm bored out of my mind, which doesn't actually happen all that often {here in the land of Beanie Babies}, I eat.  I eat lots of crap.  Seriously, my stomach turns into a pit that won't fill up.  I get embarrassed when this happens at family gatherings.  Oddly enough, I'm not embarrassed that I'm BORED, but that I am eating SO much.  Here's a typical "bored-family-gathering" day for me:

*Breakfast - whatever people are eating, unless it really sucks, then I'll eat left over potatoes, if there aren't any of those, there's bound to be a can of soup somewhere
*Snack #1 - something healthy, it is still morning, after all
*Snack #2 - because people don't eat near close enough together
*Lunch - whatever is planned, unless it's gross, in which case I'll have one of the breakfast alternatives or a sandwich
*Snack #3 - because it's only been about 30 minutes since we had lunch
*Snack #4 - this is a good one, because the Beanie Babies are sleeping, so it can be decadent and I don't have to worry about sharing...like my stomach needs more at this point
*Snack #5 - probably a "light" assortment of chips and dips
*Dinner - this was planned by the hostess and hopefully doesn't involve too much pork, but if it does, that's ok, because there's still time to snack
*Snack #6 - something salty, because there;s Dessert to come
*Dessert - something sweet, duh
*Snack #7 - usually during a rip-roaring game of Mexican Train, Canasta or another card game, or board game (if it's the side of the family Kate is on).  This snack is generally prolonged with multiple refill opportunities, which I take advantage of...
*Now, I am can go to bed.  Fully full and {not} looking forward to another day of eating with my family.

So, what are some of your favorite snacks, maybe I'll try one or two out at the next family gathering!

Don't forget to come back next week.  Our sentence is:
If I could hang out with any celebrity, it would be...





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mabel's labels promo



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**Sponsored by Mabel's Labels

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

I'm bringing back the Twitter hop

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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So, who says three hops a week is too much?  Not me.  I love hops to much I'm doing up another one (the fourth).

As some of you know, my new addiction (besides Diet Coke) is Twitter.  So, I'm starting up a Twitter hop.  I did a short lived one awhile back, but stopped it because it seemed so many people had Twitter link ups already on Thursday.  Well, I'm not going for Thursday, because I post my #FTSF that day.  If you haven't linked up to that yet, stop on by tomorrow evening!

The only "rule" here is to follow as many people on the hop as possible!  So, put your TWITTER on here and gain some new followers.






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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

TT~Meet Janine (Co-Hostess of #FTSF)

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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Dawn’s Disaster

This is a great way for me to learn more about my bloggy friends and to help promote their blog.  So, once you're read their fantastic post, stop by their blog and leave them a note.  Tell 'em you stopped by from Dawn's Disaster :)  If you'd like to be a part of my Traveling Tuesdays, give me a holler or stop by my contact page.

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Blogging for me, Janine from Confessions of a Mommyaholic, was truly a way to share with my life as a stay at home mom to my two beautiful and crazy little girls.  Yes, I am a mom two little girls, who are 16 months apart.  Emma is on her way to 4 years old in July and Lily is almost 2 1/2 years old.

I am a truly a mother nowadays first and foremost, even though I am so much more (a wife, a teacher by trade, an overall good-natured/warm hearted woman), the role of mother is the one thing that really has defined me.

But how did I become the mother I am today?  Well, that wouldn’t have been possible without having a very wonderful and loving mother myself.  My mom is truly my rock and my best friend.  She is always there and is the first person to help me with anything, especially with my own girls.

A Little background though of how it all began.  Growing up, my mother gave up everything she had for us.  She was a business woman and worked on Wall Street before giving birth to me, but at 7 1/2 months pregnant she quit her job and never looked back.  She was even offered her old job back by her boss who adored her on more than a few occasions, but passed, because she wanted to be present and there for us.

There isn’t anything my mom wouldn’t do for us (my brother, who is 6 years younger and me).  The woman deprived herself just so we would have and she also made sure to be there when we got home from school, whether it was to help with homework, make us a snack or just a shoulder to lean on if we needed.

When I was a little girl, I loved this.  But don’t get me wrong, as a teenager, I secretly wished somedays she would find a part-time job and let me be, but thank god she didn’t because I was a hell-raiser from the word, “Go!”  and probably would have made some really bad mistakes had she not been there to catch me!

That said, I can only hope that I can be half the mother she was to us and that someday my girls will look at me and feel the same as I do about my own mom.  Also, today just happens to be my mom’s birthday.  When I was asked a few months back to guest post for Traveling Tuesdays, I asked Dawn if I Could do something special on here for my mom and Dawn immediately gave me the go ahead.  So this post is dedicated to my loving and supportive mom and also wanted to use this guest post to wish her a very, Happy Birthday to let her know how much we love her.

So, thanks mom for being you and Happy, Happy Birthday!!!


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Do you want to be a part of #TravTues?  Email me and I'll get you on the calendar!  The last two Tuesdays in April are still available.  Give me a shout!  dawnsdisaster {@} gmail {.} com


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Monday, March 18, 2013

inspired tuesday

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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Welcome to another week of Inspired Tuesday. This week we have two featured blogs!

First up we have this photo that Marissa from A Journey Called Life shared.
Click the image to see also the words she shared in her post.

Our second feature is from Bi Ti from the blog Prêt-à-Vivre. They shared a wonderful post about San Francisco. What to see and do there, and shared some beautiful pictures! Here is an example of one. Be sure to click on the image to have a look at the original post.
Last week I think we had a record number of people link up. This week lets try and hit 30!

What is Inspired Tuesday?

Each Tuesday Not So Ugly Ducklings hosts Inspired Tuesday along with two awesome co-hosts Dawn's Disaster and Peanut Butter and Jelly, where we offer up a free printable with some encouraging words.
Me and my co-hosts believe that any post written can inspired someone else, whether it is a personal story, a photography, a recipe.. whatever, so I invite everyone to link up their posts no matter the topic.

The rules are simple:
1) Follow Not So Ugly DucklingsDawn's Disaster and Peanut Butter and Jelly  in any way of your choosing.
2) Follow this weeks featured blog(s).
3) It would be nice if you added the Inspired Tuesday button to your post, or even just a link back to the link-up.
4) Try to visit others and be inspired!
That's it.
Here is the button if you would like it:
<div align="center"><a href="http://notsouglyducklings.blogspot.com/" title="Not So Ugly Ducklings"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh540/sommerfugldesign/inspired-tuesday-button_zpsa22cc19f.png" width="150" alt="Inspired Tuesday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

And this weeks free printable:
It can be downloaded from HERE





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tiered sale from the tea collection

Have you heard about the Google Reader going away?  Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?  I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one.  So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'.  I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC.  So, any help is appreciated!  Thanks!

Follow on Bloglovin
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Fabulous sale alert! Starting today through Thursday, March 21stTea Collection is offering you the chance to choose your discount. The more you buy, the more you save! Stock up on comfortable and durable pants for boys. Mix and match adorable girls' tops and bottoms for endless outfit combinations. Just be sure to add select styles, noted with the attached badge, to your cart. Don't miss your chance to take advantage of this amazing sale from Tea Collection! Happy Shopping!


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**Sponsored by the Tea Collection