Friendly Reminder: Teething Bling Giveaway Ends Tonight

Just a little reminder if you haven't entered the Teething Bling Giveaway, you can enter here.  Contest ends tonight at 11:59 pm!

New Giveaway:Fresh Blooms Onesie

CLOSED!  Congrats #18 Alice!!!

On my daily browse through Etsy, I came across Fresh Blooms' Shop.   I immediately fell in love with her adorable onesies!  Fresh Blooms has simple, adorable items, all created from high quality fabrics and materials.  Custom orders are welcome and is open to new ideas from all of you! 
The winner of this giveaway will be able to choose from the following:

These super affordable onesies make the perfect baby shower, new baby gift, or Mother's  Day gift to yourself and your little one!

***How to enter (mandatory):

Visit Fresh Blooms' Etsy shop at and comment below about what item is your favorite.

***For an additional entry become a follower of my blog.  If you already follow just comment that you do!

Please leave your email when you comment. Contest will end May 14th at 11:59 pm. Winner will be choosen through random.org and will be contacted via email! Good Luck!

So much to learn

I am still working on my photography.  I took photography in high school and even won first place at a district photography show.  I knew everything about manual cameras.  That was then.  I am clueless when it comes to our new camera.  I read the manual, read up about it on line and take gazillions of picures.  My husband is great with photoshop but I still haven't had him teach me yet.  I am hoping to get a few classes in this summer whilie I am off.  I also hope to get a new lens in the next few weeks.  I hear that makes a huge difference.

If anyone has any photography tips they would love to share, I'd love to hear them! 

Meetup Monday

Last week was my first week doing Meetup Mondays. Each Monday, you will have the opportunity to add your blog to our blog roll. This is going to be a great way to make some new bloggy friends and to hopefully expand your readership! I want to say thank you to the 8 blogs who participated and hope as time goes on we will get more and more every week. So grab my button, and welcome your new friends!

<a href="http://www.justanothermomday.blogspot.com"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i219/agrip76/coffee.gif" /></a>

The rules are simple:
1. Add a link to your main blog (or most current post)
2. Leave a comment on the blog above your name in the list.
3. Visit as many blogs as you can and leave comments and follow if you like.


If you are participating, please comment to let me know what you do to "wake up" in the morning. For me it's a hot shower and my Dunkin Donuts coffee.


So sit back, enjoy a cup of coffee, (or five) and enjoy each other's blogs.

I know you are all asking, " Who is that sexy lady in the green sweater with Marky Mark?"  Yep that's me, circa 1990.  My one brush with fame...probably my last.

I was thinking that I haven't really posted anything about myself. I read a lot of other blogs and love when they post little facts about themselves.  I helps me relate more when reading, a little more personal. So I'd thought I'd share five random facts with you.  Interesting or not, it's me.

1.  I was a dance minor in college.  I dream of dancing at Disney World when I was younger and on Broadway when I was older.  I dislocated both knees in college and I had to stop dancing.

2.  I am am terrified of bugs.  All kinds....even ladybugs.

3.  I cry.  Over Everything.  I cry for movies, songs, cards, puppies.  I cry when I think about Jack growing up and about my husband and I growing old.

4.  I don't like cake.  Actually I really don't like dessert.  But I love chocolate chip cookies.

5.  If I could have any job, I would be on the Today Show, like Ann Curry or Matt Lauer. 

And that is my husband.  I am crazy about him.

There are days I wish I could stay at home and not have to work. I would get to spend my days with Jack and not have to worry, the house would be cleaner, and we would eat nicer meals.  In a perfect world that would be the case. But honestly, I feel that work gives me balance. It makes me truly appreciate every moment I have with him. It keeps me sane and is teaching me to become more organized and able to handle stress.  And as strange as this may sound, I think I may be a better mom this way. 

Every evening after work my husband and I say to myself "It seems like Jack has grown so much since last night!"  And as he grows, I say to myself, "This is my favorite stage so far".   I am sure as Jack keeps growing, I will say this many MANY more times.  But for now, I will say, this is definately my favorite time.

Yes I love the newborn stage.  The tiny hands and feet,  the way he laid on my chest all night, the newnesss and amazement of it all,  the way he "needed" me.  But as he has grown, there have been so many other things that I love. 

He is such a big boy now.  I love how when he sits by himself he has this look of amazement, a look of  "I can't believe this is happening!"  I love how he is no longer crabby (for the most part), from the minute I get home from work until the minute he goes to bed.  This time is now filled with playing and laughing and enjoying all the new things there are to enjoy.  I love watching the look in his eyes when he sees something for the very first time. I love that he looks to me when other people are around, making sure he is safe, and that he reaches up for me when he is playing. 

Jack may not be tiny, or lay on my chest at night or comfort anymore, but he still needs me. Working or not.  That's what I love.  I am enjoying every second of it.

New Giveaway: Teething Bling!

CLOSED....congrats Kait!

You know when you're wearing a necklace and your baby pulls on it and tries to eat it?  I do.   I have had two chains break in the past month becasue of this.  I had  heard about this "teething bling" and wondered how it worked.  Well Smart Mom Jewelry sent me a necklace to try out for myself. 

I have to say it's a great product.  Not only does it look stylish, but you can let your little one bite away and not worry about ruining your expensive jewelry.  The winner will have the choice of the following colors. 

You can view these and many other colors, and styles, as well as keychain and bracelet teethers.  These make great shower, new mom, or Mother's Day gifts!

To enter this givewaway, please do the following:

1.  Visit Smart Mom Jewlery and tell me your favorite product.

****For an extra entry leave a comment telling me what your ideal Mother's Day would be. 

My ideal mothers day?  Sleeping in, going to breakfast and spending the day with my husband and Jack and maybe fitting in a pedicure. 

Please include your email with each comment.  Contest ends May 5th at 11:59pm.  Winner will be choosen by random.org and notified by email. 

Jack says Good Luck!

Everything but Ketchup

So Liz over at A Belle A Bean & A Chicago Dog. gave me her Chicago Dog award.  Being from Chicacgo I was SO excited.  What is the Chicago Dog Award you ask?  According to Liz..."The 'Chicago Dog: Everything But Ketchup' award salutes bloggers who have what I find to be just the right mix of ingredients...without any ketchup. Witty, smart, sassy & true-to-life! Sprinkle on a little sarcasm, and you've got yourself a true Chicago Dog award winner". 

Those not from Chicago might not be aware that Chicagoans would NEVER, EVER put ketchup on a hot dog. 

Liz asks that we pass the award on to those who we think are also worthy. 

I have picked two blogs that I read daily. 

The first is Tater Tots and Jello who has a neverending amount of crafts and creative ideas for your home, and family.  Hopefully soon I will attempt to make of few of the items she has shown in her blog.

The second is Mommy and Molly  she is new mom of adorable Molly and is also very knowledgable in the blog world.  She has started "The D-list" which I think you should check out.

Check those out, I hope you enjoy. 

Esty Shop Giveaway Ends Tonight

Just a friendly reminder that the giveaway for your choice of earrings from etsy shop ArtWark ends tonight at 11:59 pm. 

You can enter by clicking HERE !

Meetup Mondays

I HATE Mondays. I hate that feeling I get when I wake up. I hate that I am usually running late on Mondays. I usually don't have time to get my coffee and usually forget to make lunch. What would make my Mondays better I asked myself? How about a way to meet other people and find other blogs!

And so Meetup Monday has begun! Each Monday, you will have the opportunity to add your blog to our blog roll. This is going to be a great way to make some new bloggy friends and to hopefully expand your readership. Also, please grab my button to the left for Meetup Mondays!

The rules are simple:
1. Add a link to your main blog (or most current post)
2. Leave a comment on the blog above your name in the list.
3. Visit as many blogs as you can and leave comments and follow if you like.

So sit back, enjoy a cup of coffee, (or five) and enjoy. I would also love to hear from you what you do, working or not, to make your Monday's easier.  I could definately use some help. 

Stay Tuned....

I hope you are all having a great weekend, back to work tomorrow!
Tomorrow I am also starting a new way for you to get your blog seen, and hopefully meet some new people!

I'm having a party...and you're all invited

I love having people over, but let's face it; I have absolutely no energy lately and our place is never clean enough. I thought I would try the next best thing to hosting a party at our place; hosting a party on my blog – a Stella & Dot Trunk Show!

What's great about this kind of party, is that it saves you from all the awkwardness of the typical jewelry/food/romantic toy party. You know those parties that you have to go to for your friends? The ones where you show up, have some food, drink some wine, and feel like you have to buy something..for friendship's sake?

This Stella and Dot Trunk show is SO not that. Instead you can sit, eat snacks, drink wine, and browse fabulous jewelry all from the comfort of your couch! (or bed/desk/kitchen table). The best thing..I'll still like you whether you buy something or not.

Stella &; Dot has been in the jewelry business since 2008, featured in some great magazines and has many celebrity customers. They have some great Mother's Day gift ideas; below are some of my favorite pieces....

I really can't choose a favorite, I love so many things on this site.  To join the party and shop for some amazing jewelry just click on this link:

Stella & Dot Trunk Party

Enter Amy N for hostess name and it will take you to the shop. You will have until May 7th to shop and place your orders, have fun shopping!!

Could it be?

Jack has finally decided to sleep though the night!  I hope I am not jinxing myself by posting this.  One thing that has helped him is his rainforest musical toy in his crib. 

About two weeks ago, I woke up one night to the sounds of therainforest music playing and Jack laughing.
"Did you turn it on?" I asked my husband.
"Nope". 

He somehow learned how to turn it on by waving his arms around until he "hits" the on button.  I laid there for a few minutes until the music stopped to check on Jack.  There he was laying on his side fast asleep.

This has now become his middle of the night ritual. 



Hey whatever works, right?

New Friend Friday!

I found  New Friend Friday though other blogs and had to take a look.  I love it! What a great way to meet new bloggers and friends!   The Girl Creative hosts NFF and I think you should check out her blog and join with me!


I hope you all have a great Friday!

Six Months...and Lessons Learned

Can it really be six months already? I still see Jack as this tiny, new, beautiful baby, yet I know he isn’t. He is growing so fast into a little man. So much has happened in six months. I have learned so much about myself, so much about life.

I learned that I am a much better mom than I thought I could ever be.  I have learned the true meaning of "teamwork" by having a great husband who helps out so much around the house. I have learned that spit-up and poopy diapers are just part of my day now.  I have learned to admit when I need help and to also accept it.  I have learned to “not sweat the small stuff”. 


I have learned that not always having a clean house, or a gourment meal for dinner is okay.  I have learned that having a child is the most amazing experience I will ever have, and that I need to enjoy every single second of it…before I know it my now six month old will be leaving for college.
Most importantly though, I have learned, it's not about me. 

I can only imagine what else I will learn over these next months, and years.

I would love to hear from you.  What are one, two or 100 things you have learned as a mom?  I love reading your comments!