Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Twice as Posh

Hey fashionable mamas!
This is for you.
BK is always dressed to the nines {she is my greatest assessory after all}, she definitely has a much better wardrobe than myself. I dress her like the little diva that she is, everything in her closet is something that I would wear myself. I dress her to be cohesive with mine and Stephen's style.
Dressing little ones to be little divas or studs can get really expensive. So what if there was a place you could go to find fashionable baby or kids clothing in one place? At lower prices?
So Kaitlyn & I teamed up to create something super fantastic.
And, Twice As Posh was born.
I wanted to create a marketplace of posh, chic baby and children's clothing.
(I may have created this idea out of purely selfish desires...)
Twice As Posh is a place for you to buy and sell fashionable kids clothing.
The cool thing is, is that it will be run completely through a central instagram account.
Anyone can buy from Twice As Posh!
If you want to sell items, all you have to do is email me to get approved. Once approved, you will have the password to the Instagram account.
The only requirements to buy or sell is that you must have your own personal instagram account and be able to use Paypal.
When you want to sell something, you just snap a picture, include your personal instagram handle (so we know who is selling), and you're all set!
Other mamas can comment when they want to buy something and then you deal with them directly. There is no catch, no fees and no middle man.
I really just created this because I wanted there to be something out there like this - and now there is!
So go follow @twiceasposh on Instagram and spread the word!
If you are interested in being considered as a seller, please email me!

 

The Great Abyss

Y'all I promise that I have not fallen off the face of the Earth. My Internet has gone kaputz and Verizon has yet to fix it. Boo.Hiss. So all of my interwebing has been done via my iPhone. 

I will be back tomorrow. Even if BK and I have to hole up in Starbucks for awhile tonight. 

Also, I am working on something really big and really fabulous with Kaitlyn over at Wifessionals.com So be on the look out for the debut of Twice as Posh soon! 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Samantha Styles Shoes

Hi Brooklyn State of Mind friends! My name is Samantha and I blog over at Hooah and Hiccups!

Brandi is sweet enough to let me say hi today and..ask for your help and votes!! A few months back, Onlineshoes.com contacted me in regards to a Blogger Styling Contest! Of course, I was ALL over it!



How it works: myself and three other bloggers each received the same pair of shoes. We were all told to style it our own way and then the public would be voting on who styled the pair of shoes the best!


So here's how I styled them! 






The Naya Shoes are absolutely adorable! Not to mention they're super comfortable and perfect for shorts and a tee, a maxi dress, or really any casual look you want to pair them with. My Bubba Bear has been giving me a run for my money recently and these shoes are comfortable enough for me to chase him around! 


I also love that they are made using eco-friendly materials; cork, bamboo and chrome-free leather are among the materials used. 

So now I need your help!! These shoes are totally down my fashion alley and I hope that you love how I styled them; enough so that you'll vote for me to win!


Want to win a pair too? You can enter to win a pair on the voting page after you VOTE (preferably for me :))

So please, vote here! Leave me a little comment if you voted... I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and help! Love you ALL!



In case you missed it... VOTE HERE!

 

 






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Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Dear Princess

Sweet Brooklyn Grace,

It is so hard to believe that you have been on this Earth for just 14 short months. Some days I have trouble remembering a life without you. Every day that passes just continues to get better, your personality is quite amazing and you constantly put a smile on my face. 

Lately you have become enamored with Disney Princesses. Whenever one comes on tv you get incredibly still and quiet, like you are mesmerized. It's very much the way your dad and I feel about you. We are just consumed with love for you, sometimes it is almost overwhelming. There is nothing that we wouldn't do for you. It is truly the greatest joy in the world to get to watch you grow. 

I love you so much. 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Sunglasses & Starbucks Giveaway

Today I'm so excited to join up with some fabulous ladies for a fantastic summer giveaway. Lets face it, sometimes we just have rough days or even lazy days and just need a little extra something to cover up and a strong cup of coffee. Hence, the Sunglass & Starbucks giveaway from Simply Clarke & friends. My sunglasses are my go-to accessory when dashing out the door without make-up, looking a hot mess. 

They are also a MUST HAVE for summer...duh! :) Personally, I love my Kate Spade ones, but have my eye on the Tory Burch ones in the pic below! 


Here are the ladies that are bringing you this awesome giveaway; make sure to go show them some love!


1. Marquis // 2. Kayln // 3. Danielle // 4. Laura // 5. Mikaela // 6. Lauren // 7. Rachel // 8. Sybil //
9. Gayle // 10. Brandi // 11. Sarah  // 12. Chania // 13. Sara // 14. Dara

ENTER AWAY MY FRIENDS




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Citrus Chicken Salad

I feel like Summer is the season of the sandwich. Our family is always super busy, whether we're headed to the beach or Busch Gardens or just scrambling to make a quick lunch after a long morning in the backyard. That's where the sandwich comes in, because it's fast + easy to make + and super tasty. 

Now I'm a chicken salad girl, I just feel like there is nothing better than a fresh chicken salad. Since we grill out a lot when the weather gets nice there is almost always leftover chicken to be used. So here is my tried and true recipe. 



Citrus Chicken Salad

2 grilled chicken breasts, shredded
1 rib of celery, finely diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 lemon, just the zest
1/3 cup mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Add/subtract mayo to your preference. Sometimes I squeeze in a quarter of the lemon juice as well, it just depends on how lemony you want it. Feel free to toss in some grapes too. I usually alternate between batches when I add them in.

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Friday, May 3, 2013

So You Had a Baby... Now What

I'm linking up with the fabulous Kaitlyn over at Wifessionals for part of her baby series. 


Today they're discussing bringing a baby home and surviving the first few weeks. We got discharged from the hospital on a Friday, Brooklyn was two days old. 


Our first weekend home was actually really nice. My dad and Stephen's mom both brought food, and Stephen was home with me as we got acclimated to being a family of three. Then Monday came and S had to go back to work. I was terrified. I was also sick. I had ten long months to get accustomed to the idea that I was having a baby, but now I had no idea what in the hell I was supposed to do. Here are my tips for your first few weeks at home.

-Relax. It is scary knowing that you are in sole control over the precious life of your little one, but I promise that it will all be ok. Take a deep breath. Take it moment by moment. Your mama intuition will kick in and you will know what to do.
-Process. Having a baby is a massive life change, give yourself some time to take it all in. You might have some baby blues, you will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be emotional. All of that is totally normal.
-Create a routine. Initially baby will sleep a LOT. Maybe you will nap some, maybe you won't {it's ok if you do though}. You can get yourself into a routine even if baby isn't. Blog during the first nap, prep dinner during the second. Set yourself up for some future normalcy.
-Enjoy. Babies grow so so so fast. Treasure every coo, every gassy smile, every tiny cry. You will blink and your baby will have changed tremendously. So it's ok if you sit on the couch and watch tv just holding your baby for hours. It's ok if some days you dont shower until your husband gets home. Time goes all too quickly, enjoy this while you can.

Most of all just know that whatever you're doing is okay. The first few days I was in shock, and I cried a.lot. I cried over how blessed I was, I cried over how beautiful my daughter was, I cried because I scared. I cried over everything. Eventually my shock went away, I felt more in control and I was able to venture out. Just know that every baby and every mama is different, so take things as they come for you. Your baby will just be happy having you there.

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I also want to introduce you to two of my fabulous sponsors Katie and Katy! They are chatting a little about their spring plans.




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Summer Beauty Essentials + A Giveaway

The weather is changing, and as a result so is my beauty regime. I have super dry skin, so when the weather gets warm I have to keep it {and myself} as hydrated as possible. Not only do I wear less clothing during summer months, but I wear less makeup as well. My summer beauty products are a bit different than my winter ones. Here are my warm weather go tos:

summer beauty


-Chapstick! Ack, I die without it. Like my lips get sunburned and peel. Sometimes they resemble the black death. It's gross but true. This lemon Eos is my jam.
-Moisturizer. I still use my old faithful Clinique. I've been using it since high school, but why mess with what works right? It doesn't irritate my skin and it keeps me nice and hydrated.
- Blush. This and mascara are pretty much the only makeup that touch my face from May to October. I love Office Hours by MAC so so much. It is peachy and a bit shimmery and absolute perfection with a tan.
-Perfume. It's hot outside = sweaty people. Need I say more?
-Moroccan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner. The perfect product to keep my ocean and pool affected hair from turning into a monstrous affro. Fact.

Do y'all change your beauty products with the seasons?

And in honor of beauty products I have a super sweet giveaway. My friend Meghan is a Perfectly Posh consultant, and sent me some fabulous products to try out. I had never heard of them, but I quickly fell in love. Their bath bombs rival Lush for half the price, and their soaps smell heavenly. But the product I loved the most were the face masks. They arent your typical mask where you slather it on your face and have to wipe it off. It resembles a baby wipe in texture and has eyes, nose, and mouth holes and you lay it on your face. Works just as well {if not better} but you dont have to deal with the mess! Today I'm giving away two! Enter below to win!

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Thursday, May 2, 2013

Long Distance Love


This week we found out that the husband is going to be traveling quite a bit for work the next few months, he's gone for twelve days in May and almost all of June. Now we live in a very military heavy area, many of my closest girl friends are navy wives and some of my very best Biffles {Samantha & Kaitlyn} are army wives, so I do not take my time with S for granted. I'm trying to go into it really positive, because being a Negative Nancy doesnt get you any where and I know that S is a little anxious about leaving us as well. We're going to try and have a few date nights before he leaves and a few more when he is back for the two weeks before leaving again. I'm also going to try and tackle a bunch of Pinterest ideas that I've saved. And more than likely this blog is going to get LOTS of love, not to mention BK is going to be smothered in affection. I'll be doing anything to keep busy, which shouldnt be too terribly hard with a toddler running around.

What would you do with your free time? I'd love some suggestions, anything from Pinterest ideas to recipes to mommy daughter dates. Or any ideas to keep the spark up long distance with S.

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I also wanted to introduce two of my fabulous sponsors Nicole and Alexa as they talk about what they are looking forward to most this Spring. Arent they the cutest?




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April Cara Box

Serious y'all this week has been the busiest week ever! And as a result I am so sad about how slack I've been, I mean I didnt even reveal my Cara Box yet. If you don't know what the Cara Box is you most definitely need to check it out. It is the most creative and fun way to meet new blogger friends.



Cara Box





This month the fabulous creator herself, Kaitlyn, had me for the Cara Box. And lets just say that her box definitely did not disappoint.
Look at how spoiled I was!

Can we talk about how Little Miss BK made out this month? She had one of those Plum pouches open in approximately 2.5 seconds, and I can say that How Romantic is officially her new favorite book. I think we've read it 100 times and she carries it from room to room. 


Brooklyn helped me plant the cilantro and the strawberry & I cant wait for the first little buds to pop up. S bought me bigger pots for them yesterday.


That bottle opener went straight into my beach bag, I felt it was only appropriate, and the Luna Bar went straight into my belly! Thank you Kaitlyn for supplying the day's snacks. 

May's Cara Box sign up is open for like one more day so hop to it, you wont regret it! 

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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Finding My Passion

Yesterday I had a job interview, my first interview in five years. To say I was nervous is a complete understatement, I mean I legit had an anxiety attack on Monday. It wasn't just that I was going to be interviewing for the first time in f.o.r.e.v.e.r, it was so much more than that. It was the idea that I would be leaving BK, that BK might be going to a preschool full time. She is smart, she is so ready for the interaction, BK would totally rock preschool. I would probably be the one suffering from serious separation anxiety.  Is my little mama heart ready to give up my time with her? I mean I know it has to be done eventually, it's just wondering if "eventually" is right now.

And, to be completely honest I really fear failing. Putting yourself out there is hard. I don't think anyone truly enjoys feeling vulnerable, and that was exactly how I felt going into the interview. I fear failing. I fear still not knowing exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life.

So I survived the interview. I dressed up. I got some quality adult interaction. And it was good. I might not get the job, but I'm ok with that. And you know what, today I have another interview and this one I am actually really excited about. Wish me luck!


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