Mom2MemphisAndRuby

blog me vs. real me

2012-02-02T13:50:00.002-05:00

Blog Me isn't shy

Real Me is very shy

Blog Me says ''awesome'' a lot

Real Me says ''awesome'' a lot too...

Blog Me rarely says ''eh?''

Real Me says ''eh?'' all.the.time.

Blog Me has great skin

Real Me... not so much

Blog Me tries not to complain much

Real Me can be a bit of a whiner... lol

Blog Me likes to talk about her kids

Real Me likes to talk about her kids

Blog Me doesn't want to worry about ''numbers''

Real Me sorta does...

(I don't need a ton of followers, but I do get a little sad when I lose one)

Blog Me doesn't talk much about her day job

Real Me works at an insurance company... Monday to Friday, 8:30 - 4:30

Blog Me tries to stay away from anything too ''controversial''

Real Me definitely has strong opions on certain ''controversial'' topics

Blog Me

But just slightly different.

I'm not saying Blog Me is fake.

I am who I am... blogging is an extension of that...

But I do feel much more confident on here, than I do in real life sometimes.

Does this make sense?

Are the Real You and the Blog You a little different too?

Happy Groundhog Day

2012-02-02T07:03:00.003-05:00

It's February 2nd, and today is a BIG day!

Wow! Don't you feel so much more informed about this special holiday now!? ;)

And check out this super cute little printable I found online for the kiddies!

Happy Groundhog Day!

** update... our Canadian groundhogs did NOT see their shadow...

should mean an early Spring for us! What happened in the States?

{don't forget to enter the Valentine's Day Group Giveaway!}

Guest Post :: Meet Laura ::

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy February!

First, take a peak at the sidebar... see some new ads?

These are my rockin' sponsors for this month.

You're going to LOVE them, I promise!

Laura, from Our Reflection is here today!

Laura was my 200th Facebook "liker"... yep, I totally keep count of stuff like that!

I've gotten to know her over the past few weeks, and she's sort of amazing!

You probably know that I love photography... I dabble in it a little, and my best shots are usually a combo of pure luck AND editing...

Laura, on the other hand, is a photographer and totally knows what she's doing!
She's here today with some tips on traking portraits!
Take it away, Laura!

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Hello! I’m Laura from Our Reflection. I’m super excited about being guest posting today for the lovely Lena at Mom2MemphisAndRuby.

A little about me. I’m a full-time working mom of two amazing daughters and an admirable, encouraging husband who are my life. I am, regrettably, a bit addicted to social media. I have a constant connection Facebook and Twitter wherever I am. I love Starbucks, the colors pink and yellow, mountain biking, and listening to the piano. My new addition seems to be blogging!

When I’m not working my 8-5 or being “mommy”, I’m a lifestyle photographer based out of Monterey, California. In my mind, I am ALWAYS thinking about photography. It never ends. My brain takes snapshots everywhere I go. My photographic passion is people. Couples, families, and children. Nothing brings me more joy than capturing those unforgettable moments that will be treasured for a lifetime. Check out my photography page by clicking here.

Today I wanted to share with you some of my fav's and helpful tips when taking portraits.

1) Time of day. Its all about lighting. The best pictures will be taken the 2 hours after sunrise and the 2-hours prior to sunset. This gives everyone that natural "glow."

2) Don't go crazy buying expensive equipment but do invest in a DSLR camera. They're not to expensive these days and worth every penny. {I'm a Canon girl myself.}

3) Keep your camera with you at all times. I'm one for spontaneous photos. The ones unplanned are always the best.

4) What should I wear in my portrait? I get asked this question all the time. The clothes a person wears has a big impact on the end result of the photo. They need to be comfortable. If they feel awkward in their outfit or environment, you won't capture them looking like themselves.

5) Don't be afraid to experiment. If you're using a digital camera, the cost of errors are free. Go crazy - you might end up with one you really love.

I hoped this help you feel more comfortable with your camera. I love questions or comments so please feel free to drop me an email.

Come and and say hi anytime.

Thank you Lena for letting me visit today.
Blessings,

*******************************************************************

See, I told you she was great!

Don't forget to head on over to Our Reflection, to see my interview over there!

We're blog swapping today!

So fun!

Don't forget to check her out on Facebook & Twitter too!

Congrats to Hope A.

You're the winner of the Blog Design Giveaway!

Please email me within 48 hours to claim your prize!

Music Linkup Party {1979}

2012-01-31T09:42:00.001-05:00

Linking up for the first time for a super cool music linkup party over at Row House 14.

This week the prompt is THE YEAR YOU WERE BORN.

I quickly Googled "top hits 1979" {eesh! yes, I'm THAT old!} and came up with this list...

Whoa... 1979 was a good year!

Of all the oldies I could've picked...

I went with Da Ya Think I'm Sexy by Rod Stewart!

Why?

Because my mom likes to tell me that she used to dance around the house to that song...

HUGELY pregnant at the time {with me}!

It's a cute story.

I can totally picture my mom, 22 years young dancing around, rubbing her belly and trying to make my dad laugh!

Also, Rod Stewart is kinda awesome!

it came back in the 90's with N-Trance... lol

{flashback to high school dances! yikes!}

Are you linking up?

don't forget anout the V Day Giveaway happening right now!

Valentine's Day ♥ Group Giveaway ♥

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

Because Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and

I HEART all of you...

I have put together a sweet giveaway, with the help of some pretty cool ladies!

Winner takes ALL!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Rachael from Imagine Gnats

"The thing I actually love the most about Valentine's Day is when all of the candy goes on sale at midnight... we have a tradition of stocking up on the day after and (of course) enjoying our clearance spoils :)"

Rachael is offering a professionally printed 8x10 of her original illustration.

The winner can customize hair and skin color of the characters (examples of options shown).

Blog Shop Facebook

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Megan from AbsoluteMommy

"My favorite thing about valentines day are the colors! All the conversation heart colors!"

Megan is offering you a $20 gift card to Forever 21!

{lucky! I wish I could enter my own giveaways! haha!}

Blog Facebook Twitter

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Cerrisse from The {Posh} Daisy

"I love LOVE and Valentines Day is a special day to feel loved and give love, even though we do it everyday. Sometimes it's nice to put a little extra emphasis on making someone feel really special"

Cerrisse is giving away this super cute "I love you" charm necklace. Simple and sweet with an "I love you" post card, Eiffel tower, and pink pearl charms. Will melt anyone's heart!

Blog Shop Facebook Twitter

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Laura from Our Reflection

"What I like most about Valentine's day? That my husbands treats me like Valentine's Day is everyday and makes me realize how truly blessed I am."

Laura is offering a beautiful sparkling silver feather necklace from Forever21.

She's also including a $10 Starbucks gift card.

Blog Facebook Twitter

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Katie from Party of Four

"I love Valentines Day because

it is an excuse to make my hubs buy me something and take me out to dinner. ;)"

Katie is giving away giveaway 2 leather bracelets in the winner's choice of color!!

Blog Shop Facebook

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Selina at The Wolf And The Fox

"I love Valentines because it is an excuse to spend the whole day focused on my adorable boyfriend (also our one year anniversary is on the 12th so its an exciting time to look forward to.)"

Selina is giving away an adorable knitted headband that is sure to keep your ears nice and snuggly while keeping you stylish in the cold winter months.

Blog Facebook Twitter

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Jewelry, Accessories, Gift Cards & Art!?!

Not too shabby, eh?

Good luck!

Please show some love to these wonderful & generous young ladies!

Big hugs to them for being part of such a fun giveaway!

Mwah!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

thank you

2012-01-30T19:46:00.003-05:00

Wow... January is over.

{Mostly}

February is right around the corner

and before I introduce another month's group of ROCKIN' sponsors,

I just wanted to say thank you again to January's lovely ladies...

Sneakers Over Stilettos

The Fontenont Four

The {Posh} Daisy

Drops of Motherhood

Mama Marchand's Musings

A New View 365

Mommyhood... A Work in Progress

Little Miss Nerd Girl

Abosolute Mommy

ALSO...
welcome to all my new ~~followers~~ friends!!!!

Don't forget to enter the Blog Design Giveaway... it ends, like... tomorrow!

Monday Confession

2012-01-30T06:34:00.001-05:00

I've got a little confession to make.

My hubby is a bit of a rocker... I'd like to think I am too, BUT I'm totally useless when it comes to music!

I can appreciate a good tune... but I cannot sing to save my life and my body just isn't coordinated enough to play an instrument. Whomp whomp. :(

My dream instrument would be the drums.

I think girl drummers are super cool.

How in the world would I get all 4 limbs to do something different at the same time!? Ain't happening...

There is one instrument, though.

One I'd LOVE to master.

One I think would be super cool to whip out a party & surprise everyone one with.

The harmonica.

haha!

It looks so easy {probably isn't!}

and sounds awesome!

These guys make it look cool too!

{source}

So, I may {or may not}

pick up a harmonica and try to teach myself something simple...

p.s. I also love the ukulele... so if I got my hubby one of those... we could

totally do something like this! haha

{I think looking & sounding a little dorky is part of the charm!}

Is there an instrument you want to learn?

Something you play that someone would be surprised to know?

{I actually work with a really cool chick who can play the accordion! love it!}

Happy Monday!

Guest Post :: Meet Nikki ::

2012-01-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hi, I'm Nikki, I blog over at Southern Mama with a Bad Mouth.

I was born and raised in Georgia.

As a mother I really hope to be able to show my daughter the fun of being a G.R.I.T.S. ( girl raised in the south.)

So here are a few of my favorite things about being a southern girl.

Sweet Tea.

You can't live in the south without loving sweet tea.

Mud Bogging.

LOL not in wedding dresses,

some of us country girls try to keep it classy.

(sometimes)

Our pick-up trucks.

They come in handy for more than

just hauling stuff.

There's nothing like sleeping under the stars

and by a lake.

Bonfires! Summer's special treat!

Laughing at shows like this,

then thinking that's kind of a cute idea. LOL.

Being able to rock the Mosey Oak

for any occasion.

Being able to rock the flops

10 months out of the year.

Always knowing you have someone in your family

that looks like this.

And loving them anyways.

Fried foods. And don't forget the gravy!

Sheldon Cooper : If you're interested, I also know all about frying meat that isn't chicken as if it were chicken.
(Love The Big Bang Theory!)

There you have it, My love for the south.

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Thanks Nikki!

I LOVE that you love where you're from!

We should all be proud of our roots!

Tuesday 10... coming soon!

2012-01-28T19:12:00.002-05:00

I'm sure by now most of you know Nicole over at Miss Mommy... who doesn't?
She's one of my fave bloggers, and it's not only because she's a Canadian (like me!)...
she's a total sweetie and she used to host Tuesday Ten linkies that I LOVED participating in!
She's a busy gal these days, and graciously decided to hand over the reigns over to me, and I'm stoked!!

Basically, if you're unfamiliar with the concept, on Tuesdays, you can post about TEN of anything & link up back here with me!
10 thoughts, 10 photos, 10 people...
as long as you have 10, you're good to go!

The idea is to mingle with the other bloggers that have linked up, and get to know some great people and maybe gain a little inspiration too!

Grab the button below, get your post ready and spread the word!
The first linkup will be held on Tuesday, February 7th!

I'm so excited!

See you then!

{February is shaping up to be a pretty awesome month...

did you see what will be happening on Fridays??}

Guest Post :: Tiffany ::

2012-01-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hey!!! I'm so excited and flattered that Lena asked me to be her guest!

I blog over at Breakfast with Tiffany about fashion and food and fun stuff like that.

My blog is my happy place where I can just get away and be silly and have fun. Okay, for reals, Target is actually my happy place. But my blog comes in at a very close second! ;)

If you venture over there, you'll find that I post outfits, recipes, tell you funny stories about the kids or Hubs and often I'll ask your fashion related advice or opinion. Anyways, let's get down to business, shall we?

I'm going on a cruise to the beautiful (and hopefully sunny and warm!) land of Mexico in a few short weeks! I recently asked my readers which which swimsuit I should get to take with me and subsequently decided to get both. =) So, now I have a question for y'all! Which look should I wear for the first day of cruisin'? The first look is centered around a striped maxi dress, which I really like. Especially when paired with the pink and turquoise accessories. I thought I would wear the denim shirt over the dress, roll up the sleeves and knot the hem around my waist.

Playful Stripes by tiffhaze

The second set is centered around the bright sundress, layered over the hot pink tank.

I think that the more nuetral accessories keep it from being too much.

Sunshine by tiffhaze

The third set is all kinds of crazy! =) I love all of the bright colors together. It reminds me of Hawaii, and what girl doesn't like being reminded of the most beautiful place on earth? Am I right? ;)

Hawaiian Vacation by tiffhaze

So, what do y'all think?

Which set would you choose to wear for a day of chilling and relaxing in the middle of the Caribbean?

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Let's help her decide what to wear...

even though I'm sure she'll look great in anything!

Oh, it should also be noted that I'm just a teeny jealous that she's going on a cruise,

and I'm stuck here...

in the snow.

We're Getting Friendly in February!

2012-01-28T07:26:00.001-05:00

Have a friend you'd like to introduce?
Want to feature a bloggy buddy?
Want to tell us about a 'fantasy friend' you'd love to meet?

Every Friday, Chelsea from Sunny With a Chance of Sprinkles
and I will be co-hosting ''Friendly Friday''

It's a great way for us to meet new people & get to know YOU better!

Our first Friendly Fiday is happening on February 3rd!
Hope you'll join us!

Feel free to link up anything FRIENDLY!
Just grab the button below, add it to your post and spread the word!

What's In a Name?

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

When I started blogging (nearly 6 years ago!), my posts were very sporadic and I was mainly doing it as a way to document my mommy milestones.

I never put much thought into my blog 'name.' Back then, I was lucky if I had 10 followers...

and ALL of those were friends or family.

Now that my little blog has grown into something a bit 'more' I go back & forth on whether or not I should change the name. I'm kinda kicking myself that I hadn't thought to be more creative in the first place because I don't always blog about the kids or mommy stuff... and I, admittedly, get a little jealous when I come across a really cute & clever blog name. It is after all, your 'brand.' Whether you have a shop or not, you are putting yourself out there... right?

Then I remind myself that blogging is a hobby, one that I really enjoy (& keeps me sane, I might add), but first & foremost I am Memphis & Ruby's mommy. It's my proudest achievement and I wouldn't want to be anything else. It warms my heart when I run into one of the kids' friends outside of school/daycare and they refer to me as 'Ruby's Mommy' or 'Memphis' Mommy'... those little words are so sweet.

So, although my blog name might be a little boring... my life certainly is not. I may someday switch things up on here... but for now I am happy to be known as Mom2MemphisAndRuby!

(you can call me Lena, though!)

I'm curious... how did you come up with your blog name?

Are you STILL happy with it?

Would you ever change it?

tweet tweet

2012-01-26T06:55:00.004-05:00

Ever since I got my new phone,

I've been using Twitter A LOT!

I always liked the idea of twitter, but couldn't really get into it since I wasn't always near my PC to update my status.

Big Bummer.

Sometimes I was feeling pretty clever and couldn't get to the compter... whomp, whomp. ;)

I really felt like I was missing out!

It's a great way to follow friends and keep in touch.

It's an easy way to get word out about fun things happening in your life (or on your blog!)...

what's not to love about it?

I still feel like I'm learning the ropes.

My tweets are always too long...

I'm not sure if I'm using the hashtag properly...

But it's been fun!

I found this on Pinterest (gotta love it)

and will definitely try to put some of these tricks & tips to good use!

{sorry it's so huge! I couldn't resize it any smaller, but really thought it would be cool to share!}

Are you on Twitter? Don't forget to find me and say hi!

Source: danzarrella.com via Lena on Pinterest

I'm doing it again

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last summer, I looked to you for advice when my cousin & his fiancée asked me to photograph their wedding in October...

You all encouraged me to do it, and I'm so happy I did...

It was a fabulous learning experience!

These are just a few of my favorite shots from that day...

{more photos on my Facebook page here}

They were both thrilled with the way the photos turned out, and I'm still baffled that they included me to be such a big part of their day with such little (NO) experience...

BUT

Looks like I'll be doing it again!

Another cousin has asked me to photograph her wedding

THIS JULY!

Eek!

Although I do feel more prepared, and having been through it once I've learned a trick or two...

I'm just naturally nervous by nature and afraid I'm going to screw something up!

Luckily, I have signed up for a digital photography course that starts this week and runs for 5 weeks... and I'm hoping to get new camera before the big day as well.

I Will Be Prepared.

I'm going to kick this wedding's... you know what! Ha!

I know I have more than a few readers that are professional photographers, any tips again would be greatly appreciated! Wish me luck!!

My Ink

2012-01-23T10:11:00.000-05:00

I am ''tattooed''

(not nearly as much as I'd like to be, but... that's another story!)

And if you're curious about MY ink,

please visit the lovely Sweta & her blog where I was featured recently!

(don't forget to check out Christy's super sweet gest post happening here today too!)

Guest Post :: C.Lee ::

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am Christy Lee and I blog over at C.Lee

My blog is all about joy.

The joy I feel since becoming a mother,
finding myself again through fashion and learning,
joy in God and in life's little moments.

To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others.

You need to accept yourself.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

I remember being young and looking at older kids, High school kids, and thinking they were so big and had the world figured out. Then I got in High school and I thought I knew EVERYTHING.
Which I obviously didn't.
Fast forward to having kids. I am a mom now. Most certainly "grown up" right?
Now I am 28 with three precious kids in my care.

PAUSE.
Could life just stay this way forever?
I am enjoying getting older.
Shocked?
At first when I thought this I shocked myself as well. The reason why I am enjoying getting older is because I grow more and MORE comfortable in my own shoes.

I figure out who I am more with each passing day.
Not what the crowd likes {like when I was in High school} but instead what I like. I feel confident in the things I do. Like the way I mother my children.
When I had my first child I asked everyone's opinion on everything.
What does this cough mean?
Are they developmentally at the "right" stages?
What should I be feeding them?
Not now.
I trust my motherly instincts. I am sure about the decisions I make for them. I am comfortable in my mother shoes.
I trust myself.

I feel confident in myself to take risks.
When I was younger I had a "style". Clothes that were "me" and I stuck to that. Now I feel like I can play around more.
Try new things without worrying what people think of me.
Isn't that great?!
When you can let go of worrying about what other people think? I know that the older I get the more I will grow and change.
Change is good.
I like growing into my shoes.

I would love for you to journey with me and share your stories along the way!

Every Thursday I host a link up party titled "Share your joy".

Every week I am so touched by the things that are linked up and I read.

Sometimes they make me laugh out loud and sometimes they pull so hard on my heart.

It is one of my most favorite days of the week.

I would love to have you come over and share your joy and life lessons with me!

Hopefully I will see you soon!

XOXO

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Thanks Christy for stopping with this beautiful & inspiring post!

Isn't she the best?

I am so incredibly happy to finally have her on the blog!

I hope you enjoyed her post, and will stop by her blog and

follow if you don't already!

She's amazing!

Happy Monday to all! Have a great week!!

The Winter Warm Up Linky Party

2012-01-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome!

Our rockin' Winter Warm Up Linky Party is finally here!

Please join me and my awesome co-hosts

Katie from Party of Four,

Jamie from Awesomely Awkward,

and Cerrisse from the Posh Daisy

with your "coolest" winter posts!

Link up your warm & cozy outfits, yummy recipes, winter crafts or anything else winter related

and join in on the fun!

Please make sure to visit others that have linked up too...

it's a great opportunity to find new blogs & make new friends!

We'll keep the linky open for a week, so please spread the word!
We'd love to see what everyone has been up to this winter!

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Funnily enough, even though I'm hosting a Winter link up party...
I hate Winter.
I'd like to say it's a love/ hate relationship, but there's not a whole lot I like about it!
{true story, we considered "Winter" as a baby name, but decided against it ONLY because we thought we'd give the kid a complex if she heard "I hate Winter" all the time! haha}

Actually, there is one thing I like about winter.
It's a good excuse to wear a cute sweater.
Every year I seem to get stuck on a particular piece in my wardrobe.
This year it's my yellow cropped sweater.
It's almost perfect...
I just need to figure out the right way to wear a cropped sweater! Ha!

These photos are typical weekend wear... cute sweater, cords, comfy socks...

Okay... there is more thing I love about winter...
HOT CHOCOLATE!

Check out this yummy Frozen Hot Chocolate recipe I found through Pinterest...
Looks delish!

6 half-ounce pieces of high quality white chocolate
2 Tbs half and half
1 envelope store bought hot chocolate mix
1 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Place the white chocolate pieces and the half and half into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minutes, stopping to stir half way through. Continue to heat until melted and smooth. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a cup and top with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

{source}

Silly Saturday

2012-01-21T13:19:00.002-05:00

Today is a busy day, no time

{at least not right now} for a "real" post...

But I saw this a few weeks ago and literally LOL'd

{well, it was more of a giggle... it's usually the simplest things that really make me laugh!}

Don't forget to enter the Blog Design giveaway HERE... and if you can't wait to see if you've won, Brooke has a great sale going on over at Design Space... check it out!

52 linked: breakfast

2012-01-20T06:24:00.003-05:00

This is NOT what breakfast is suppose to look like.

I never wanted to be "that" mom who gave her kid sugar-filled cereal to start off their day.

But life happens.

Do my kids love english muffins, pancakes, fruit & yogurt?

Yes.

Do they "want" any of these healthy alternatives?

Usually.

But sometimes they don't.

And sometimes I just don't have the time to argue with them.

It doesn't help that my kids hate eating first thing in the morning...

and during the week between the time they wake up & the time we leave, this is usually the simplest solution.

It's a treat. A bribe almost.

As a mom I need to know they've had "something" to eat before I send them off!

They both get very healthy & nutritious snacks & lunches at daycare and at school,

{I pack a pretty healthy lunchbox!}

so it helps ease the guilt of when days start off with a breakfast like this!

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Linking up with some amazing ladies for this week's "breakfast" theme

52 linked

Please follow the link and check out what their interpretations of the theme this week!

The Winter Warm Up Linky Party

2012-01-19T12:30:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that The Winter Warm Up Linky Party debuts on Sunday!

I will be co-hosting a really fun link up PARTY with Katie from Party of Four,

Jamie from Awesomely Awkward, and

Cerrisse from the Posh Daisy!

Link up your winter crafts, recipes or outfits... or share a story of a favorite wintertime hobby!

You get it... ANYTHING winter-related goes!

That's over 1000 potential followers between us that will be checking out YOUR blog!

This event will go up on all four blogs on Sunday, January 22nd and will run for a week!
The more people that know about it, the more people that can come visit you!

Spread the word!

Cant wait to find some new blogs and see what you have been up to this winter!

January Sponsors { pt III }

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

And last, but not least,

my final 4 sponsor for this month!

Check out everyone else HERE and HERE!

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Hiya!

I'm Katie and I blog over at Party Of Four.

I'm a coffee drinkin', Florida sunshine lovin' momma to two boys. I love to blog about all the randomness in life and when things are colorful and happy. If you come visit me sometime you may find a new recipe, some makeup tips or just what I did over the weekend. My Etsy shop is where you can find a headband or two or a few hand painted subway art signs. I hope you come visit me some time, I'd love to meet ya!

Blog Shop Facebook

Use code MOM2MEMPHIS20 for 20% off anything in the shop!!

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I started The Fontenot Four as an outlet for me to write about the blessings in my life. The good stuff. Nothing negative. I figured if I focused on the positive for a change, it might really help me. It has. What was just a little blog that my husband and I read {along with a very small handful of others - close friends mostly} became a tiny bit bigger after I did a guest post on a friend's blog. Just a little bit. It's been a few months since I wrote that post. In that time, I have been totally inspired by some wonderful bloggers. I decided somewhere along the way that I could really use my blog to help people. Our family has been through so much. I thought maybe something I write one day could help someone who is going through a similar situation. I'm still just a little blog, but I've met some really amazing women - many of whom, like me, are not afraid to share their faith. I love to blog about the blessings in my life, my faith, the occasional book review, recipes from time to time, musings about my family, and so on.

In my spare time, I do a little knitting. Just simple little things. A few months ago I decided to open up a little Etsy shop {emphasis on little!} called "Knitted Simplicity". Among other things, I sell cotton wash cloths, headbands, scarves and reusable coffee sleeves in the shop.

Blog Shop Facebook Twitter

Use code MOM2MNRJAN for 10% off anything in the shop!!

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Hi there! I'm Brooke.

I'm a blogger and newly turned blog designer. I started my blog almost a year ago to do a photo a day for a year, well that didn't happen! LOL But so much more did! I'd love you to stop by and see my CCL {crazy cat lady} moments, the things making me happy, blogging tips, tutorials and so much more!

Blog1 Blog2 Facebook

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My name is Jess & I am the workings behind Drops of Motherhood. I am a young,somewhat crafty momma who writes about everyday life with a toddler, while working, going to school, and planning a wedding. I am still a newbie when it comes to blogging and have learned so much from my amazing bloggity friends. Stop on by and see what craziness is going on in our lives!

blog shop facebook twitter

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Thanks again to all my sponsors this month for being so freakin' awesome!!

A big 'ole pat on the back!

2012-01-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for 2012 is to be smarter financially...
We don't have a ton of debt, but it's there...

We don't make a ton of money either...
the downfall of working for a small company in a small town, I suppose
(but it has it's perks! so I stay! lol)

As many of you know. I love shopping. I was a natural-born shopper.

I can shop in a mall or in thrift store. I can shop online or at at yard sale.

I even love window shopping!

I love a good deal.

And when I took an honest look at my spending habits... I was really shopping a lot.

Sure, it was probably only $5 here & there. Sometimes $20... very rarely would I buy myself something that costs more than that. $19.99 is my magic number... that number you never feel guilty spending... do you have one?

I'd pick up some tights... maybe some nail polish.

''Ooooh, is that adorable necklace I've been eyeing 25% off!? I must be a sign!''

Of course, I was also spending a lot on the kids.

They do not NEED any more toys.

Especially after the holidays.

And Ruby really doesn't not NEED any more dresses!
The girl's wardrobe is better than mine! ;)

All this to say that it is now January 18th.

I'm 18 days into the new year and I haven't bought myself ANYTHING!

I haven't bought anything that we didn't ''need'...

so bascially, the only thing I've spent money on is food, bills & gas!

Boring, yes.

But...

It feels good!

And it's been easier than I thought!

This is why I'm patting myself on the back today.

I think I sorta deserve it!

(This is where the old me would have 'treated' myself to something...

but I won't! Not this month! Haha)

January Sponsors { pt II }

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Again this month, I am honored to have such a wonderful group of ladies as my official sponsors!

I am featuring them over 3 days...

check out yesterday's sponsors HERE and check back tomorrow for the next four fabulous sponsors!

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Hey Mom2MemphisAndRuby fans! I'm Lacey, the blogger behind Little Miss Nerd Girl.

I love Lena's blog because it's cute, she's cute and her kids are cute (I like cute things).

I'd love for you to hop on over to Little Miss Nerd Girl and join me in my adventures as a stay-at-home mom, wife, full-time student, and wannabe crafter and baker. I promise to do my best to keep you entertained. Oh! And I've also started to dabble in a little blog design - so if you're willing to be a guinea pig for me and let me make you a couple of buttons or banners, just let me know!

Blog Facebook Twitter

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Stuff I Love is a little blog where I can share with you the stuff I love, stuff I don't love, book and recipe of the week, feature shops/charities/blogs and the occasional giveaway. I also added three weekly and one monthly link up parties. Thanks for stopping by!

Blog Facebook Twitter

Mimi Baby Boutique sells handmade jewelry and accessories. Most items are one of a kind, but we also have customizable pieces and do 'ground up' custom orders as well. 50% of our profits are donated to charities which change quarterly.

Blog Shop Facebook Twitter

Use code FEATURE for 15% off anything in the shop!!

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Hello! My name is Ashley and I blog over at Mommy... AWork In Progress.

I married my high school sweetheart and almost

five years later we have two little ones. On my blog you will find the

serious, the silly, and everything in between. I even "attempt" to be

crafty and share some of my favorite recipes too. Stop in and say hi.

I love meeting new bloggers!

Blog

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Hello Mom2MemphisAndRuby fans!

My name is Amber I am a clothing and accessory hoarder, I take an unhealthy amount of photos on a daily basis. Most importantly though I am a Mama to Ethan and Peyton. I love the blogging world, and meeting new bloggy pals. I hope you will come over to Sneakers Over Stilettos and have look into our life and check out my other blogs as well!

Blog Facebook Twitter

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Aren't they adorable?

Stay tuned tomorrow for the last {but not least!} of my wonderful sponsors!!

More Me

2012-01-17T15:36:00.001-05:00

Linking up with Lovely Little Rants

for her 5 Things Linkup

I always enjoy these types of linkups I can share some random/ weird stuff about me that you may or may not care about... BUT you'll know me a little better than you did BEFORE you read it, right?

ONE

I hate driving. Especially in the city. And at night... and when it rains. Mostly I hate driving somewhere for the first time. I like ''knowing'' ahead of time where I'm going. I don't trust the GPS or whoever is with me to give me the right directions in the right amount of time. I don't want to hear 'turn left here' 10 seconds before I need to turn left, y'know?

TWO

Beyoncé really, really, really gets on my nerves. I annoy myself when I start singing along to her music... I wish it wasn't so catchy!

THREE

My sister is my best friend. She's 7 years younger than me, but she's one of the most important people in my life. I couldn't imagine going a day without talking to her. We bicker & argue a lot. In some ways we are sooooo different, but it works! She's not only the bestest sister ever, but also a wonderful aunt to my kids... they adore her!

FOUR

Cry Baby is one of my favorite movies ever.

FIVE

I don't know what my husband's middle name is. We've been together more than 15 years... haha! To be honest, I don't think he knows what it is either. I *think* it might be Joseph....

Is there anything about YOU we should know!?

Don't forget to show a little love to my lovely sponsors!

Check out where I'm from over here...

and enter for your chance to win a blog design package with this GIVEAWAY

January Sponsors { part I }

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Again this month, I am honored to have such a wonderful group of ladies as my official sponsors!

I will be showcasing my sponsors over the next few days, so stop by again to check out the rest of them!

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If blogging doesn't save me NOTHING will... I'm going to be honest about motherhood, parenting, and life.

I'm also going to be sarcastic, sometimes funny and sometimes hearbreakingly honest.

So joing me on my journey of rediscovering that woman formerly known as Megan, who now is exclusively Mommy.

Blog Facebook Twitter

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I'm Nikki I have been blogging for a year and a half now.

I started blogging to share my writing and pictures with everyone.

I have kept blogging because of the amazing people I have met and I love sharing my experiences with other young mothers and wives, in hope that I can help someone.

I blog about my everyday life, being a mom to my amazing two year old daughter Skylee and a wife to a hard working man and going to work and taking care of the house.

I do have a really bad mouth and that shows on my blog.

Truth is I cuss more on my blog than in real life.

It's hard to keep a bad mouth with a two year always listening.

Blog Facebook Twitter

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I'm just me, with A Lil' Dash of Diva trying to stay true to myself.

I love all things fashion, beauty, sparkly and pink! I write about gardening, parenting, beauty products & tips, caregiving, weight loss and everything in between. I'm a stay-at-home mom with a passion for photography. My family and I live in The Valley of the Sun (Phoenix, AZ).

Blog Facebook Twitter

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Hi, we are Cerrisse Wood and Dotti Higley.

We are mother and daughter and co-owners of the Posh Daisy.

We create fun chic jewelry and accessories.

We live in Saint George Utah and love the rugged surroundings. Cerrisse married her best-friend and has a darling, busy, bundle of energy, son named Jaxon. Dotti married her high-school sweetheart and has five children and four grandchildren! She also moonlights for a non-profit housing developer when she isn’t creating new accessories. Cerrisse is a homemaker and is the driving force behind the Posh Daisy.

Not only do we work together but spend a lot of time laughing! It doesn’t get any better than that.

Blog Shop Facebook Twitter

Use code Daisylove to save 25% off any purchase in their shop!!

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Mama Marchand’s Musings is a lifestyle blog about the life of this creative mama! I write, honestly, about the ups and downs of mamahood, marriage, friendship, health, food, and fashion, with a little bit of dry humor and insight thrown in. I also own the Etsy shop, Mama’s Nest Designs, and it’s filled with jewelry made with new and upcycled elements!

Blog Shop Facebook Twitter

Use code MOM15 for 15% off anything in her shop!!

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Don't you just love the diversity of people you can become friends with through blogging?

So, go on now & check 'em all out!

Another group of wonderful gals will be on the blog tomorrow!!

Man Candy Monday :: WM ::

2012-01-16T18:09:00.003-05:00

Wentworth Miller.

ooooh...

Yum.

To be honest, before, I never really gave him a second glance.

Not that he is isn't obviously super adorable, but because he seemed much too clean cut & too pretty for me. I like a manly man... the scruffier the better!

I'm sorry, but I cannot stand when a GUY is PRETTIER than me! lol

Howerver...

since the hubs & started watching Prison Break on Netflix,

little Wennie has grown on me.

Big time.

Wentworth Earl Miller III was born on June 2, 1972

in England and raised in Brooklyn. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English Literature.

In 1998, I noticed him in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer... he was in the freaky swim team episode in 1998, if you're a Buffy fan, then you'll know what I'm talking about!

In was in a bunch of other movies & TV shows... but he hit the big time in his role as Michael Scofield on Prison Break!

Seriously, I have no idea why I waited so long to watch this show!?

Me loves!!

So, what do you think... Is Wennie a hottie or what!?

Linking up with Join The Gossip for

I'm having Breakfast With Tiffany!

2012-01-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm guest posting over at the lovely Tiffany's today...

Poor thing is home in bed with a stomach bug!

Glad I was able to help her out on the blog today...

Hope she feels better soon!

February Sponsor Swap

2012-01-16T07:15:00.000-05:00

Monday already... ick.

Our weekend really flew by!

I wish I had some exciting recap, but truth be told, it was freezing here and not being much of a winter person... we pretty much stayed inside.

I did some cleaning, we watched movies, built forts, painted & played dressed-up!

Even our kitty wanted in on the action! ;)

Throughout the week I will be highlighting some lovely ladies & their blogs... you won't want to miss it!

I have an awesome & diverse group of ladies sponsoring me this month!

They rock!

If YOU would like a chance to sponsor Mom2MemphisAndRuby in February...

it's pretty easy, and FREE! ;)

Each month, I will be offering 8 sponsor swap spots...

these will include a mention in the group sponsor posts and you are welcomed to guest post or host a giveaway at any time.

For this, I simply ask that you send me a 100x100 button, and grab one of mine for your blog!

To be fair, these will be given to the first 8 people to contact me about sponsorship!

I will also be offering two 200x200 ad spots on a monthly basis... these will be reserved for "winners" of the ad space giveaways I'll be hosting and will include a SOLO feature, as well as a mention in the group post & an opportunity to guest post or host a giveaway.

I promote my sponsors not only on my blog, but on my Facebook page & Twitter as well!

I believe blogging is a community, and I'll do what I can to help you gain exposure for your little spot in our blogosphere!

Email me if you're interested in sponsoring OR if you have any questions!

A Painting

2012-01-15T08:39:00.001-05:00

Santa brought Ruby an easel this year, and she's been using it almost everday!

She's our little artist. Our free-spirited one, for sure.

{notice the lack of clothing! haha!}

She takes creating something very seriously, but she's really just the silliest thing!

This is her latest masterpiece.

"It's you, Mommy! She has green eyes!"

Melt my heart!

Isn't it adorable?

No matter how many of these stick-figure-blob-thingies my kids make, I cannot get enough of them!

A mess is a mess for a little while, but these paintings will last forever!

Linking up with Kristine over at The Foley Fam for her first Sunday Funday linky!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

It's -24c right now... that's nearly -34c with the wind chill!

Brrrrrrr!!

New Look and a HUGE Giveaway!

2012-01-14T09:14:00.001-05:00

Along with a new year... comes a new look!

I enlisted the talents of my bloggy friend Brooke to give Mom2MemphisAndRuby a complete makeover!

I was lucky last year to have won a custom blog design by the uber-sweet & amazing Shay Bocks, and she did a wonderful job!

But... my moods shift.

A lot.

Last year I wanted my blog to have a very simple, clean look...

Seeing as my posts were usually 'colorful' enough, I wanted the rest to be very minimalist. I was super pleased with the design Shay gave me. It was EXACTLY what I wanted.

Check out the "before" pic...

Surprise!
This year my mood shifted again.

I wanted something more colorful AND less cluttered... so more tabs under the header, less stuff on the sides (can you tell by the words I'm using, I have no idea when it comes to real blog-lingo), I wanted cute links to all my social networks and an overall more rockin' vibe.

My blog is a reflection of me.

I am, honestly, a simple girl... but I can be a little wild sometimes!

So, here it is!

A bit of both! Isn't it fab!?
I think it rocks... but it's still cute.

I'm so in love with it!

Brooke is going to give one lucky reader a makeover too!

Up for grabs is her Blog With Flare Package

(a $125 value)

* custom header & coordinating background
* coordinated font throughout
* three column layout
* custom sizing of text
* text and border color coordination
* 5 custom sidebar labels
* navigation bar custom labels
* labor, revisions {within reason} and installation

Are you a new blogger looking for a little something to spice up your blog & get you noticed?

Are you like me, and just need to switch things up?

Here's your chance!!

It's my first time using Rafflecopter too!
Not sure why I waited this long!
Lots of ways to enter, the more you share the giveaway, the more entries you'll have!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

just one day

2012-01-13T13:12:00.005-05:00

Emma Stone looked like this at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards...
and I love her entire look... the hair, the makeup...'swoon'

Could I please be her for a day?

Just ONE day, wearing THIS outfit.

I would be a happy girl.

That is all.

The Nail Files { two }

2012-01-13T07:05:00.000-05:00

I'm a nail polish freak!

Ever since I stopped biting my nails (horrible habit), it's become a bit of an obsession!

Apparently, I'm not the only one crushing on nail polish these days either...

Last week, fabulous but evil & my vickilicious life hosted their first Nail Files linky and it was a hit!

Sunday evenings are my favorite time to paint my nails!

{I usually do them during Once Upon A Time commercial breaks!}

Last Sunday, I chose a fun color to start the week...

OPI's Conquistadorable

To be honest, I might not have picked out this shade myself... is it pink? Is it red?

It's a bit "wilder" than I usually go... but the lovely Selina over at Wolf & The Fox sent me this shade in a nail polish swap, and I love it!

I've worn this shade all week... it's Friday now and there are a few chips, but nothing that can't take me through the rest of the day! I love when I can wear a color all week!

linking up with

I'm also thrilled to announce the winner of the Party of Four Giveaway!

{and this is pretty freaky since it's actually Friday, the 13th today...}

Don't forget to link up your Bloglovin' pages HERE

and sign up for an awesome Art Swap HERE

{just grab your camera, some paint, a brush or whatever! you do not have to be a professional artist to sign up! get artsy with me!!}

hugs

2012-01-12T15:07:00.007-05:00

(source)

What started out as a promising first week back to school, isn't panning out too great.

We've had a rough couple of days with Memphis, and I'm beyond frustrated.

So many people are invested in this little guy, but nobody seems to be able to really, truly help him.

At least not yet.

We're hoping for another meeting with the psychiatrist asap...

keep your fingers crossed that we can get in sooner than the end of February!!

In the meantime, how 'bout a virtual hug?

and don't forget to check out this post for a recap on all the fun stuff

happening on the blog right now!

memories made { a Disney Live recap }

2012-01-12T06:30:00.000-05:00

Our Ruby loves princesses.
She adores anything pink & sparkly, really...
which is funny because she's also one who loves to get down & dirty...
as long as she's wearing a skirt & her tiara! ;)

For her 4th birthday, my sister bought her a ticket to go see Disney Live and

3 of her favorite Disney princesses were brought to life...

Snow White

Cinderella and

Beauty & the Beast

She got decked out in her finest princess gear...

...and had a great time eating cotton candy and taking in the show!

We all had a great time, actually!
It was a girl's afternoon out with my sister, her daughter and my mom.

I think I enjoyed the show *almost* as much as the girls did!

I wish I could have captured the look in their eyes when Goofy first hit the stage (he, along with Minnie, Mickie & Donald were narrating the stories)... priceless!!!

If you have a daughter and she loves to be a Princess, I hope she'll get to see the show too!

Ruby is still talking about it, and I think it'll be a memory she'll have forever!

{she looks a little crazy here... I think it was all the sugar she had just consumed!!}

three things

2012-01-11T16:11:00.001-05:00

3 Awesome Things

are happening on my blog right now...

1. Party of Four GIVEAWAY

you can win 4 gorgeous headbands... and a girl cannot have too many of those, am I right?

Giveaway ends tomorrow... don't miss out!

2. Art Swap

I have always thought of myself as more of an 'art lover' rather than an 'artist' but I am getting artsy and co-hosting this unique swap with Amber over at Sneakers Over Stilletos

It'll be fun! We'd love to get at least a dozen bloggers in on the fun!

3. Bloglovin' Hop

Join me, Little Miss Nerd Girl & My Adventures Through Mommyhood

and link up your Bloglovin' accounts!

Great way to keep track of your favorite blogs, especially with GFC on it's way out!

Whatcha' waiting for? Get in on the fun!

Bloglovin' Hop

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have joined forces with

My Adventures Through Mommyhood,

and Little Miss Nerd Girl

and we have come together to bring you a Bloglovin' Hop!

With Google Friend Connect on its way out, a lot of us have created Bloglovin' accounts as another method to follow our favorite blogs.

If you haven't set up an account and claimed your blog yet on Bloglovin'...you should!

Then come back here and link up! :)

We only ask a few things:

-Follow each host via Bloglovin'
-Take a look at the other blogs linked up and follow at least 3 (or more, if you like)

-Spread the word! Grab a button and let others know about the hop!

In return, your three co-hosts will do their best to follow each link left here as soon as possible, so you are guaranteed at least three new followers.

Anyone interested in an Art Swap?

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Are you as big of an art fan as we are?
Amber from Sneakers Over Stilettos and I are co-hosting a bloggy art swap!

Amber:

I love art. I have it all through out my house. And I have all different kinds of art. Beside the pieces that I made myself I love the couple of pieces that I collected from other bloggers.

I have the ''let it be'' print from Scenic Glory

Girl print was made by Ashley from illuminated {he}art

As far as I know this kind of swap has not been done before. I would love to see a lot of bloggers take part.

Lena:
I've always been an art lover. In high school I really enjoyed poetry and painting, but over the past few years I have began toying around with photography as an art form, and it's been amazing!
Around my house, you can find these pieces...

Prints by Carissa Rose

This is probably my favorite piece.
We got it from a homeless man on the streets of Montreal... we only had a few dollars change in our pockets but he wouldn't let us leave without it.
It is painted on, what I think, is an old cupboard door.
There is a hauntingly beautiful self-portrait on the other side as well... I hangs in our bedroom.

Creating art can be anything from creating a digital print, painting, making a sculpture, to taking a beautiful photograph.

Art is one of those great things that anyone can make. Everyone has their own vision of what makes art, art. That's the best part of it!

If you would like to take part please comment on either blogs before Janurary 15th, and make sure to leave your email address!

Monday Giveaway :: Party of Four ::

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hiya!

I'm Katie!

I'm a wife, momma, blogger {over at Party of Four}, shop owner, wanna be photographer, coffee creamer lover and a whole bunch more. I'm a small town country girl with tattoos, that is in love with all things handmade.

I blog about my kids, living in Florida, makeup and all the random things in life.

I hope you come by to visit me some time. I love meeting new people!

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Isn't she adorable?

I've gotten to know Katie better over the last few weeks, and I adore her!

She's so sweet & funky & cool...

and today she's offering my readers a chance to win

4 gorgeous headbands from her shop!

Mandatory Entry

Be a follower of Mom2MemphisAndRuby and Party of Four

{1 entry}

Extra Entries

Like Mom2MemphisAndRuby on Facebook

Like Party of Four on Facebook

Add Party of Four to your favorites on Etsy

Share this giveaway on your blog or Facebook

{1 seperate entry for each}

Giveaway ends Thursday, January 12th at midnight

A lucky winner will be announced Friday morning

Good luck!

{p.s. I'm taking part in a group giveaway over at her blog today too... check it out here}

Sponsor Love

2012-01-08T14:40:00.003-05:00

I am so happy to have such a diverse & amazing group of ladies & their wonderful blogs as sponsors this month!

Not only are they sponsors, but new friends and a big reason why I continue to blog!

I think the most amazing thing is watching bloggers supporting each other... and these ladies seriously rock!

A big thanks to....

Sneakers Over Stilettos

The Fontenont Four

The {Posh} Daisy

Drops of Motherhood

Mama Marchand's Musings

A New View 365

Mommyhood... A Work in Progress

Little Miss Nerd Girl

Abosolute Mommy

I will be featuring them more in depth as the month goes on so keep your eyes peeled!

In the meantime, head on over to their blogs and check out what they've been up to!

An Award

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'd like to thank Ally over at Love Parish for bestowing upon me the Kreativ Blogger Award!

The Rules

1. Link back to the person who gave you this award

2. Complete the form below

3. Award 10 other blogs and let them know in a comment or email

4. Share 7 random thoughts about yourself

Form

1. Name your favorite song:

Here Comes the Sun by George Harrison

2. Name your favorite dessert:

Apple Crisp

3. What ticks me off:

Bad/ reckless drivers

4. When I'm upset I:

Can't sleep & I get very anxious/nauseous

5. What's your favorite pet:

Dogs are the cutest, but I'm partial to anything that doesn't 'slither' around

6. Black or White:

I love the crisp & cleanliness of white... I wish I wore more white, but I'm a bit of a klutz, and I rarely make it through a day wearing white without staining it somehow!

BUT I love black & white together... classic combo!
My new phone case is WHITE... love it! ;)

7. Biggest Fear:

Something bad happening to my kids

8. Every attitude:

Every day is a new day with endless possibilities!

9. What is perfection:

A day where I don't have to repeat myself or raise my voice... at all!!

10. Guilty pleasure:

New shoes, Diet Dr. Pepper, Prison Break {on Netflix} and nail polish

10 blogs I'm Awarding
{I'm cheating and picking 10 new-ish followers of my blog...
it'll be fun to get to know them better this way!}

7 Random Thoughts About Me

1. Before I had kids my shoe size was 8... now I'm a 9

2. I was totes addicted to Buffy the Vampire Slayer {I own the series on DVD}
3. Blood doesn't bother me, but the sound of bones cracking is unbearable
{even just someone cracking their knuckles makes me shudder!}
4. When I was younger, people use to say I looked like Juliette Lewis and/ or Anna Paquin...
I didn't appreciate the comparisons back then, but would LOVE to be compared to either now! ;)
5. I don't drink
6. My middle name is Margaret
7. I have a turtle named Milo
8. My husband is Frech-Canadian, but we only speak french to each other when we don't want the kids to know what we're talking about
{except, they're getting pretty good at French now... dang it! haha}
9. I have a younger brother & sister
10. I grew up on a farm, but I'm no country girl! ;)

The Winter Warm Up Linky Party

2012-01-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

This is gonna be huge!

I will be co-hosting a really fun link up PARTY with Katie from Party of Four,

Jamie from Awesomely Awkward, and

Cerrisse from the Posh Daisy!

Are you a good cook? Link up that warm meal you made last night!!

Are you super stylish? Link up the cozy {but cute!} outfit you rocked on your date the other weekend!

You get it... ANYTHING winter-related goes!

That's over 1000 potential followers between us that will be checking out YOUR blog!

This event will go up on all four blogs January 22nd.

What we'd love from you guys now is to grab this button and put it some where on your blog so that others can see it and link up too! That way this can be really big & really fun!!

The more people that know about it, the more people that can come visit you!

Spread the word!

Cant wait to find some new blogs and see what you have been up to this winter!

The Nails Files { one }

2012-01-06T06:50:00.000-05:00

A fabulous new link up hosted by fabulous but evil & my vickilicious life... how could I NOT participate!?

Nail polish is a guilty pleasure of mine, and I own a ton of different shades & brands.

Today, I share with you my TOP THREE shades...

these are the ones I love the most, and wear most often!

Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure is my most favorite brand. It is easy to apply, doesn't chip and they have tons of awesome shade at affordable prices!

Essie is my newest obsession,

and of course, you can't go wrong with OPI!

...here's me wearing Essie's "over the edge"

What's your current fave shade? Brand?

Are you a nail polish junkie too?

If so, join in on the fun!!

and, p.s.
have you seen this great giveaway over at A New View 365?

My buddy Brooke is designing "location" blog buttons... a button we can all have on our blogs letting our readers know were we're from! It's a fab idea {thanks Nay!}, but she needs help choosing the "winning" design.
Go on over & vote.. get your entry in & it also counts towards a custom designed blog button giveaway entry!
Spread the word!!

The {Posh} Daisy Giveaway :: Winner ::

2012-01-06T06:29:00.001-05:00

I love announcing winners!

The lovely hand-stamped love necklace goes to...

Congrats, girl!!

We're all very jealous!!

{please contact me asap to claim your prize!}

A big thank you to my lovely sponsor, The {Posh} Daisy for such a great giveaway!

A Mommy's Journey

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is just a little peak into my thoughts on being a mommy. Enjoy!

Things I’ve done as a mother….

I've had to Google "what to do if your kid eats dog poop" (true story)

I've had to pull over on the side of the road, climb into the back seat and nurse my hungry baby

I've watched entirely too many episodes of Dora the Explorer, The Wiggles & SpongeBob SquarePants (actually, I really enjoy SpongeBob & having kids has given me a really good excuse to watch it more! Ha!)

I've sat up all night with a sick kid and have actually told them to just throw up on me as a last resort to keep the mess contained (sorry, sometimes parenthood is gross!)

I've been known to lock myself in the bathroom {or gone into a walk-in closet} to make (or take) an important call

I've held a tarantula & a python to make my son happy

I've had to throw out a perfectly good tube of lipstick because my daughter got into it & most of it ended up on the bathroom walls

As a mother, I've also experienced…

A never-ending supply of hugs & kisses

A cluttered fridge full of pictures & drawings & random creations I'll treasure forever

Total 100% unconditional love

Uncontrollable laughter & giggles

A refreshing take on life.
Through the eyes of a child, everything is so magical & new to them and it reminds you that nothing is to be taken for granted

You see, I can without a doubt, say that parenthood has been a wild ride!

It hasn't always been easy, but becoming a Mommy has been the absolute best thing EVER. I wouldn't trade in a single moment (actually, I'd take back all the times they were sick or not feeling well… those moments still break my heart every.single.time). I think, as mothers, we can agree that no matter how hard, or strange, it gets... we wouldn't have it any other way!

I'm sure my little munchkins we'll bring me on many more mommy-adventures and I'm ready!

Bring it on!

{Linking up with Elf House Chronicles & Black Tag Diaries}

Wednesday Giveaway :: The {Posh} Daisy

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Cerrisse & Dotti from The {Posh} Daisy are back with a great giveaway!

Don't you just love this Hand-stamped Love Necklace!?

{retail value,$18}

It's adorable, and all of you deserve a chance to win it!

They have also graciously given my readers a discount code to use for 25% off!

Just use Daisylove at checkout!

Mandatory Entry

* Be a follower of Mom2MemphisAndRuby AND The {Posh} Daisy blogs

{one comment, please}

Extra Entries

* Like Mom2MemphisAndRuby on Facebook

*Like The {Posh} Daisy on Facebook

*Add The {Posh} Daisy to your faves on Etsy and leave a comment

telling us your favorite item from the shop

Good luck!

Giveaway ends tomorrow night,

a winner will be announced Friday morning!

Names {{a repost}}

2012-01-03T17:55:00.002-05:00

Today is my last day of holidays and I spent it being very, very lazy!

I even *almost* napped this afternoon, and that NEVER happens! haha

I hate going a day without posting, so I thought it would be fun to pull out a guest post.

This is one I did for Katie over at Punkin' Heads & Dooda Loo's a few months ago.

It's explains how we came up with our kids names, and for all the new followers {hi!!}, I thought it would be a fun one to share again!

{If you've already read this one... sorry!

But as a consolation, I have a little treat scheduled on the blog for tomorrow!}

*************************************************************************

Of all the the things I've done as a parent... naming my kids seems to be what I am most famous for.

At least, around the little town I live in! ;)

You see, I live in a small farming community in Quebec, Canada (and if you're wondering... I am fluently bilingual! Bonjour!), and although there are naming trends that come & go and people aren't exactly shying away from giving their kids 'unique' names, I seemed to have a picked a couple of names that have been well received by friends, family & strangers!

My son Memphis was named in honor of Elvis... or more specifically, ''Rock 'n Roll.'' My husband threw it out there before I was even pregnant, and even though I LOVED it, I still went ahead and bought a ton of baby name books and searched online for hours & hours... until I realized that nothing compared to Memphis... it was different, withouth being weird, meant something to us and flowed well with the middle name I had already chosen (Mitchell). It was perfect. It's also a lot of fun seeing people's reaction to his name. And he loves when he hears his name in a song (and there are quite a few about Memphis!)... I think he already knows that his name is special... and that makes me really happy!

Ruby, on the other hand, is a name we've loved for a really long time. Early on in our relationship, baby names came up, we agreed we both loved the name and if we were ever blessed with a little girl, it woud be a shoe in! Except by the time we were expecting her, we had grown tired of it... well, not 'tired' but I think the novelty had worn off since we'd only ever talked that THAT name forever. So, we started a new list. Winter was a top contender, as were Ramona, Madden and a few others...

The day we found out we were having a girl, we literally just looked at each other and said ''Ruby!'' It just felt soooo right. We paired it with Ramona... a tribute to our favorite punk band, The Ramones.

Ruby is such a sweet name. I think it's ''cutesy'' enough for a baby, but ages well. Ruby is a classic. It's not nearly as uncommon as Memphis' name, but so far she's the only Ruby in town! I'm happy she won't be referred to as ''Ruby L.'' throughout her school years. I was always the only ''Lena,'' but my sister was one of, at least, half a dozen Amandas... I just didn't want that for my kid.

All in all, I am really happy with the names we chose for our children. I sometimes wish I could have more babies so I could give them fun & interesting names too... but for now I'm content helping Ruby pick out names for her baby dolls (if she had her way they'd all be called Pretty Princess Unicorn or something like that!).

I'd love for you to share your naming stories! I could talk baby names all day long!

totes

2012-01-02T19:52:00.004-05:00

The second day of 2012 has come & gone...

I'm still on holidays {back to work on Wednesday} and really looking forward to getting back into a normal routine {or as normal a routine you can have as a working mom with 2 kids, a hubby, a cat, turtle, household & little ole' blog to look after!}...

I was thinking today that I needed to spice things up a little on the blog... I have a few ideas & some are currently underway! My first, and strangest idea, is a "word"...

You know, something I could slip in every now & then that is totally "me."

I'm leaning towards "totes." As in "totally."

It's been a fave since we saw I Love You, Man awhile back.

That line cracks me up everytime!

We say it around the house constantly & even the kids have picked up on it!

{cutest thing ever... listening to your kids have a conversation with each other and slip "totes magotes" in... so cool!}

{actually, almost everything Paul Rudd says in that movie is hilarious}

So, what do you think?

Cool, right?

Totes! ;)

And don't forget to head on over to The {Posh} Daisy's new year celebration giveaway

one lucky reader is going to win 15 awesome prizes... FIFTEEN!

I'd totes be entering if I wasn't included in the giveaway! ;)

{haha, okay so "totes" might take a little getting used to!!}

Also, a big thanks to the ladies who I tagged the other day that are joining in on the fun!

It's a great way to get to know our fellow bloggers better...

and I'm loving the Fridge Art linkups too! Keep 'em coming!

I Stayed Up Late!

2012-01-01T10:51:00.001-05:00

I rang in 2012 with these guys...

Source: movies.netflix.com via Lena on Pinterest

I'm totally hooked... 7 episodes in, and I could've watched more!

I decided to head to bed around 1:00. I totally forget to watch the ball drop!

{but I did update my Facebook & Twitter statuses with a Happy New Year message...

so I wasn't completely anti-social!}

Best wishes from our little family to yours for a wonderful new year!

TwentyDozen is going to rock!

Source: google.ca via Lena on Pinterest

Show Off Your Fridge Art ~ Linky Party!

2011-12-31T11:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my first linky party!
The idea for this came to me because my kids are into coloring BIGTIME lately...
and what happens is our fridge becomes cluttered with drawings, pictures and crafts of all sorts...
and I love it!

I have to be honest, before I had kids I really disliked the look of a cluttered fridge...
now I can't stand the look of a bare one!

It makes me smile just thinking about how proud my kids are when they put up their new creations

If your fridge looks anything like mine, link up and show off what your little artists have created!
If you don't have kids, but your fridge is cluttered with love notes (awwww!), recipes or a funky magnet collection... feel free to join in on the fun!

Grab a button at the bottom of the post and spread the word!

Today I'm featuring a drawing by Memphis...
he drew this at the after school program!
We have titled it "Crabs"

I think he did a great job! I was surprise at his "subject"... not sure why he decided to draw crabs, but he was very proud! Love it!

Can't wait to see what you guys have on your fridges! ;)

*************************************************************

OOTD :: Casual Friday ::

2011-12-30T14:44:00.001-05:00

It's Friday afternoon, the long weekend is just a few hours away, and the office is DEAD...

so I snuck into one of the bathrooms to shoot a couple 'outfit of the day' pics... Yes, I'm THAT bored! ;)

Black Sweater Vest: Walmart

Old tee: ? Old jeans: ?

New earrings: Payless and Comfiest flats EVER: Payless

Have a great (and SAFE) weekend!

Don't forget to check out my brand new linky party... I'll be getting it up either this weekend OR early next week! ;)

Tag!

2011-12-30T07:12:00.000-05:00

I've seen this around, and Nikki over at Nikki Darlin' tagged ME! Yay!

It looks like fun, so here it goes!

1. Post these rules.

2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.

6. No stuff in the tagging section about "you are tagged if you are reading this." Legitimately tag 11 people!!

Random Stuff About Me

1. I'm always afraid the cops are "out to get me."

{even though I am a very good girl and have never even gotten a parking ticket! ha!}

2. I'm addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper

3. I gained nearly 80 lbs during my first pregnancy

4. I've seen Bob Dylan, Britney Spears and The Beastie Boys in concert

5. I'm naturally blonde, but my eyebrows are black

6. My kids were born exactly 2 years, 2 months & 2 days apart

{I'm thinking "2" should be my lucky number!}

7. I love playing Scrabble

8. The year he died, I did a speech on River Phoenix in high school

9. I always put a little bit of sugar {or honey} in my tea

10. I have a hard time saying "no"

11. I don't like raw tomatoes... but LOVE cooked ones

Questions From Nikki

1.What's your favorite TV Show

...of all time? Six Feet Under

2. Who would you say is your hero

I admired anyone who overcomes diversity or a challenging situation and still has a positive attitude!

3. How would you describe yourself at 18?

"Fresh" ~ ready to see what the world had to offer

4. What's your favorite cartoon

I like watching Spongebob Squarepants with the kids

5. Where is your dream vacation and why?

I'd love to travel to Europe... my grandmother was born in Wales, so I'd like to visit there someday

6. What's your favorite book and why?

I have a lot of favorites... most recently, I really loved The Hunger Games trilogy.

7. What are you most scared of?

Death

8. What's your favorite thing about blogging?

Getting to meet her people

9. What/Who got you started in blogging?

Years ago, my best friend had started a blog... so I started one...

but I didn't really get into it until earlier this year!

10. If you could buy one ting without having to worry about the price, what would it be?

A house!

11. What are you wearing right now? No cheating! LOL.

White & blue striped pajama bottoms, and an old Ramones t-shirts... I just woke up! ;)

My Questions For You

1. What was your favorite holiday memory this year?

2. If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be & why?

3. What's your favorite fast food/ take-out order?

4. What is your worst habit?

5. What is your least favorite household chore?

6. What is the last thing you bought for yourself?

7. If you could change your name... what would it be?

8. Have you ever had any supernatural encounters?

9. What is the ONE blog you MUST read every day?

10. Share you favorite joke!

11. Best advice you've given or received about blogging is...

The 11 People I've Tagged

1. Cerrise at The {Posh} Daisy

2. Megan at Absolute Mommy

3. Brooke at A New View 365

4. Amber at Sneakers Over Stilettos

5. Rachael at Imagine Gnats

6. Ashley at Chickadette

6. Tiffany at Breakfast with Tiffany

7. Jill at Jill's World

8. Lisa at Organized Chaos

9. Katie at Party of Four

10. Lacee at Mommas Like Me

11. Lacey at Little Miss Nerd Girl

OOTD :: Cropped ::

2011-12-29T08:55:00.002-05:00

Today's outfit is my very first attempt at wearing a cropped sweater!

I decided to pair it with a denim skirt, a beige tank, colored tights & boots...

Epic fail? Nice try? Looks great?

Can I wear a mustard sweater with magenta tights & brown boots!?

Opinions, please!

Sweater: G21 (Walmart) Denim skirt: Old Navy

Tank: ? Tights: American Apparel

Boots: Payless Ring: Chewelry

Necklace: Lilly Queen

time

2011-12-28T15:18:00.001-05:00

At the ripe old age of 32, I have finally accepted the fact that time speeds up the older you get.

There is no way around it.

There is no pause button… or rewind.

{bummer!}

I have always treasured the moments I have with my friends & family, but I am making the extra effort now to stop and enjoy the little moments… even the really little ones.

My kids will only be this little ONCE.

We don"t plan on having any more...

We may, in a moment of insanity, try again someday… MAYBE… but for now, this is it.

Our family is complete!

Every day, I want to hold them closer (and tighter!), give them more kisses, tell them how much I love them… because there will come a day when hanging out with Mom & Dad won’t be "cool" anymore… Gasp! I’m still in a bit of denial here…

my kids will totally want to hang out with me forever, right!?

{source}

I also want them to spend more time with their grandparents.

Many of my favorite childhood memories are the times I spent at my grandparent's cottage. Oh, the stories I could tell! My grandma was a real hoot, and we all miss her very much. It saddens us that she never met any of her great-grandchildren (she’d have 6 now!)… But her memory lives us through us and I tell my kids about her too.

My kids have 3 living grandparents and a great relationship with each one.

It's so special!

{source}

This post wasn't intended to be morbid. We all know we aren't going to be here forever (I have a really hard time getting my head around that most of the time), but with so many news stories lately about people being taken from us "too soon"… it's just a reminder to slow down a little, if you can…

Make memories with your friends & family, and don't ever forget that each day is a gift.

Can you believe how fast 2011 just flew by!?

Let's teach our kids to take is slow sometimes too. Kids nowadays seem to have so much on their plate and are rushing around just as much as we do!! It's okay to stop and be silly.

Be a kid… for as long as they can!!

Linking this thought up with

a look back {pt.1}

2011-12-28T06:51:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite posts I wrote this year...
If you're a newish follower, it's a fun way to catch up!

It's always amusing to look back at what I've been up to on the blog!

Why I Love Little Blogs

My guest post for The Momma Bird's Thankfulness Series

How to Talk to Little Girls

(this one didn't get any response... but I was proud of it! lol)

My Free Crappy Portrait

Adventures in Thriftin'

Fashionable Momma feature over at Sneakers Over Stilettos

and these Eff Marry Kill linkups were fun (here & here)

****************

I may be back with more... I'm having a great time looking back at what we did this year!

(don't forget to check out what I wore for Christmas!)

WIWW... a repeat dress for Christmas!

2011-12-27T19:30:00.002-05:00

For Christmas I wanted to look cute & be comfortable... After trying on a ~~ton of~~ few dresses, I chose a dress that has been featured on WIWW before... have I mentioned that I LOOOOOVE it!?

Decided to make it a tad more casual & fun with a bright pair of tights...

and slipped on a pair of new booties...

and this is What I Wore for Christmas!

{the tights were a gift from my best friend... she knows me so well!}

What did you wear for Christmas this year!?

Linking up here