House of Rose Comes to Pittsburgh! - VLOG: We're Expert Mothers

If you follow me on any of my social media...You've seen some of

this awesomeness, as it was happening!

I met Mandy, of House of Rose at BLISSDOM this past year.

We have stayed in touch and really became good friends..

 always wishing we lived in the same city!

We felt so similar and had so many of the same interests and goals for life..

Not to mention we both have 3 kids and have a place in our hearts for healing.

( her with adoption and orphans and me with domestic violence awareness)

A few weeks ago.. I get a text from Mandy:

"Hey! do you remember how long we said it would take us to get there? ummmmm we want to come visit you! lol.." She said they would get a hotel and take the 10 hour drive..

and that it was an idea she had during worship that day at church"

My response: "MANDY!!! we would seriously love it!!"

(And the crazy thing is a few weeks earlier BEN was the one saying we should invite them to visit sometime!)

So we of course decided sooner the better..

so the trip was planned for the NEXT WEEKEND!

I love having spontaneous friends like that! And because "company" was coming..Our 3 month to do list became a 1 week to do list and I was way more settled than I thought I would be at this time because of this motivation ;) Ben was thrilled with the new time frame of the to do list ;)

**It needed to get done anyways!! ;)

IT WAS SO FUN.

Seriously! It was so nice seeing Mandy again..

getting our families together. our husbands together!

It felt so natural and like we were old friends. I have to say I was soo in awe that she thought we were worth a 10 hour car trip with a vehicle full of kids...

I know how crazy road trips with kids can be!

But I am so happy that they did it because my girls were so excited for our company and still talk about their friends. ;) We had a weekend of fun.. laid back pittsburgh fun. :)

 I really feel so blessed to have found this friendship with Mandy!

And I only met her because of blogging..because I took that risk and leap of faith and went to BLISSDOM even though I only knew 1 person in real life that was going and we weren't even going together! God really works in our lives! He sees the big picture! We had both read some of the other's blog posts..but then re connected right before blissom.. and then during and after the conference became good friends.

Mandy had found my blog through shannon's story...and I really feel like shannon has helped me find a friendship that I was needing in this time of my life right now.

My husband even told me that he facebooked mandy the day after they left just to thank her for making the trip and to tell her that he saw how happy I was..and how it made him think of how since losing shannon I have found it hard to find friendships that came about so easily and effortlessly and with such an awesome connection! Right now in my life I feel like I've been blessed with a great group of women..and mandy is one of those people that inspires me and lifts me up. She is such a creative and joyful person.. and I think we, as mothers..as women, need to be surrounded by people like mandy! If you are feeling like you are lacking in that area of your life.. don't fret! E-mail me. ;) I can be your girlfriend next door.. sort of. haha. I know how it can feel lonely or stressful some days as a mother.. and having connections with other women who "get it" is important..I hope you find that here! And don't be afraid to take a risk.. it might mean you'll discover a friendship you wouldn't have had before!

We had lots of playing this weekend!

We played at the park... in our back yard...

We had pizza and lollipops for dinner! crowd pleaser here.

I made a nice big dinner for father's day.. but other than that we kept it simple and easy!

There were lots of giggling and forcing of children to take photos with over exaggerated "this'll be funnn!!" comments--trying to get them to cooperate..

they are used to their mamas so they were pros.

what did they expect? two bloggers together? we need to document this!!! haha.

I  already shared on my blog the fun little Gift Bag we surprised them with at their hotel...

I knew I wanted to do a nice detail for their arrival since they were traveling 10 hours!

Our husbands were great about taking

on the role of photographers over the weekend as well ;)

They knew that when we said "hey can you get a picture of us"..what we really

meant was "take at least 10 pictures of us."

Another perk of hanging with a blogger friend who documents everything like me.....

she turned the camera on my family! loved some of the shots she

got of sophie and micah and I!

Playground fun. Can't wait for the day when micah will

be able to sit up with them! He is ready to be a part of the action.

I really loved seeing our kids play together... It just made my heart happy! 

Because they were in Pittsburgh..we of course had to take them to the Incline!

A fun ride that takes you high up the side of the mountain and you can overlook the city!

It's beautiful. (The first photo in this post is from on the way up.)

We also went to the zoo. I absolutely love the Pittsburgh Zoo.

(It has a great membership price so we go now and don't even spend anything!)

It was also fun getting Abby, of Just a Girl and her Blog, to join in on the fun!

She is the sweetest and so glad I discovered her through Mandy!

Our husbands already exchanged numbers to play tennis! Can't wait to get our families together..I randomly bumped into her at target a couple days ago! crazy.

Saturday night we had our sitters come over and watch all the kids so we could have a double date night! We took them into the city..had dinner at Atria's in the

stadium and then walked the bridge into the city and grabbed

dessert at Olive or Twist. Cute place.. amazing desserts.

It was such a nice night.. took pictures on the bridge.. had GREAT conversation.

And now.. a little Expert Mothers Spoof...

for your enjoyment.

Mandy and I created this video to share how skilled we are in parenting.

Are your children as well behaved as ours?

One of the fun parts of getting together with blog friends..

was seeing the instagram feed come to life ;)

I feel like Mandy and I both try to share "real life" on our blogs in a positive way...

And after our fun and crazy weekend adventures with our kids together we

felt like we wanted to share how it went down..through video.

And also here's some shots of when we were trying to get "blog post" photos.

We just ended up laughing and going with it. ;) REAL LIFE.

The last day they were here we celebrated Father's Day with our amazing men..

by giving them a chocolate cake (cake boss) of their dreams.

Mandy was so sweet and gave me a cute going away present.

The Art is now in my kitchen. :)

We were so sad to see them go! But excited for

the next time we get our little crews together!

You should stop over and say Hi to Mandy at House of Rose...

she is posting her visit recap today too!!

Check back next week for the "official" video we created for you guys!

It was fun to make it..and even more fun to watch the outtakes. we are ridiculous.

If you've had starting a blog on your heart..or wanting resources..

you won't want to miss that post!

iPad App Love- English POP - VLOG

I'm a big fan of our iPAD. The girls got one from santa this past year...

and it has been a lifesaver! They love to play games together on it..or put on music and have a dance party. I sometimes let sophia play on it during her "quiet time" while sienna naps.

And it has made making dinner a possibility some nights

when I didn't think anything but pb&j's were a possibility.

I've posted about my girls' Favorite iPAD Apps Before...

And I'm excited to add English POPS to the list!

CJ EDUCATIONS, creator of English POPS, saw my girls playing another game they created (Play123) and got in touch with me to see if the girls would like to try out a new app that they just created! It's not available yet..but will be soon! I'll keep you posted on the details because my girls LOVED it.

Here's a video sharing more on the English POP App!

The graphics in the app are so cute! and the music is fun and playful.

There is a series of interactive stories available to download.

Their favorite was the Polar Bear learning to say thank you.. the Hippos saying excuse me.

The ones we tried out all seemed related to manners and learning important words/phrases.

There is a I loved how the words pop up that are being read...

and it's very interactive. It can auto read..or you can record yourself reading the parts!

She had fun making the monkey character tell the story with her voice. :)

What are some of your favorite apps??

This has been the go to one when I let them play on their iPAD.

And our 8 hour car ride monday to grandma and grandpa's is going to be a lot smoother with this new app. I might have packed oreos as bribery as well. ;)

Thanks CJ EDUCATIONS for letting us try out the app early!

Can't wait to hear when it hits itunes!

VLOG: Smart Grocery Shopping Made Easier + $100 Visa Giveaway from SHOPPERK

I have to admit...I'm still perfecting the art of grocery shopping and meal planning.

And now with another baby in the mix, my time to spend on this task is limited.

I'm always getting bored with the meals I make and am wanting to find new recipes to try.

I usually end up looking through pinterest to see new recipes to try...

and then get distracted by DIY projects before I actually end up

adding those recipe's ingredients to my grocery list and checking for deals.

And don't even get me started on wanting to spend less at the grocery.

I know I'm not alone on that!

I couldn't resist this new company's proposal to be one of the first to have a look at their new App. SHOPPERK is all about making Smart Shopping Easier.

After using the Shopperk App I realized it makes finding recipes easier, with big yummy photos and search options... and offers big savings all in one place by showing you deals from stores in your area...on a bunch of items but also on the actual items on your grocery list from the recipes you chose! genius.

Here's a video I made to give you an idea of how it works!

ignore my dorkyness. Micah makes an appearance for about 3 seconds

before that teething wiggle worm wanted to go play.

I'm curious to see if you would use something like this!

If you are interested put your e-mail in and you'll be one of the first users.

$100 Visa Gift Card
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
The giveaway will end May 7th.
A winner will be chosen via random.org and e-mailed!
Put your e-mail below as an entry! Good luck!

Try ShopPerk for Yourself

                                                                           

My Sister's new line with Target: BUMPED by BLANQI- My Postpartum Miracle Worker!

This is it!!

The post I've been teasing you about for over a month!

Excited to finally share with you the new

BUMPED by BLANQI Line that my sister, Valerie,

and her best friend, Sabina, just launched exclusively at Target.com!

My sister and sabina are the founders of BLANQI and created a maternity support tank...

I loved my BLANQI..wore it all through my pregnancy with Micah.

Even documenting my growing bump in it each week.

But after I had him I always wished I had something similar to my BLANQI to help smooth me out and make me feel pretty! (I'm 5 months postpartum) I was not the only one!

Valerie and Sabina heard our plea and created not only a new maternity cami, but a Postpartum one..at a more affordable option to their original line. only $34.

It's for sale on Target.com. I'm wearing the Black Nursing Cami size S/M in these photos.
I also have the black M/L :) (Pants from Kohl's. Top from H&M. Shoes from Target)

Check out my video review below!

I decided to include the dorky outtakes. for your viewing pleasure. haha.

Visit Target.com to see their line!

So proud of my sister and Sabina.

BUMPED by BLANQI Postpartum Nursing Cami- Black or Ivory $34.99

BUMPED by BLANQI Maternity Support Cami - Black or Ivory $34.99

Couple key things about my BUMPED Cami:

1. It's a soft light material.. very breathable...tight enough to make you feel secure and slim..but not restricting. wicks away sweat.

2. The straps feel invisible! there are two thin soft straps on each side

and they don't dig into your shoulders at all... comfy.

that was one of the first things I noticed. so many times tanks that are made to smooth you out are too restricting especially in the straps and chest area. this one is under the bust for easy nursing so you don't even have to worry about being smooshed there.

3. It helps smooth me out as I work towards losing the baby weight. It is SO easy to give yourself a hard time about your body after you have a baby...having garments that help you feel good about yourself as you work towards your goal is important.

4. I found myself, even as I lost weight from nursing, still wearing baggy big clothes because of some bumps here or there.. but once I put my BUMPED cami

on I felt like I could wear those tighter fitting shirts again!

Like I said in the video, BLANQI asked me to find some great blogging mamas to try out the new line. I rounded up a great group of girls, both maternity and postpartum, and they will be sharing their video reviews every day for the next couple weeks! a couple a day! So you will be able to check out what they think about it..how they wear it.. AND enter their giveaways!

(A BUMPED by BLANQI Cami and Target Gift Card!)

 Lots of baby bumps and postpartum mamas out there...so go check them out.

I'll be linking them up all week on The Busy Budgeting Mama Facebook Page.

Follow me on Instagram if you don't already to see a pop up giveaway...

win one for you and a friend!

Thank you val and sabina for

looking out for us postpartum mamas.

Toddler Logic-Where Babies Come From.

This time last year.... we found out we were pregnant with Micah!

We were at my cousin's wedding. I was a bridesmaid.

Big Irish wedding on St. Patrick's Day!

It was a FUN weekend.

I remember the night of the rehearsal dinner putting my dress on and just being confused.

Even with going to the gym almost daily to run...my tummy was popping out!

I had thought I was pregnant for a week or so but 2 tests were negative.

I finally was like...no way...something is up! haha.

So the morning of the wedding ben walked from our

hotel, in the city, to a drug store and picked up a test.

It was POSITIVE!

And here we are...

in a hotel room(it was a double room) with my sister and her family..

everyone is coming soon to do hair and makeup.

We couldn't hold it in and waste the chance to tell our family in person!

My plan was to only tell our immediate family and wait to tell my cousin, the bride, and everyone else another day... but my sister val spilled the beans. ;)

We first told sophie...and her reaction was priceless.

sienna...not so interested. my purse was more fun.

Love how Sophie's first response, besides excitement, was

trying to figure out how the baby got in my tummy.

I know a lot of mamas loveeee being pregnant.

I am not one of those mamas.

I get sick. have contractions for months

(even going time-able for weeks before baby!)

BUT... the one part I love and miss from being pregnant is the baby movements.

It seriously is incredible. Especially when you look back and watch... 

I am looking down in my lap at Micah's sweet face and am still

in shock that he fit in my belly! haha. He tried to escape a lot.

All of the pain and uncomfortableness of being pregnant is so worth it.

especially when you look back at moments like this....

Christmas Morning 2012 VIDEO

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day!

Here's a video of ours.. A fun awesomely exhausting day. :)

God Bless you and your loved ones!
Hope you enjoy this video..
the beginning starts a little shaky.
I love having these videos to look back on!
The end is full of some too
adorable for words singing and dancing... hehe.
(to prevent skipping: pause and let the video load a bit before watching through)

Christmas morning

is hard work!! ;)

VLOG: Baby Book- 33 Weeks Bump

BLANQI Mama

33 Weeks!

Today I scheduled all of my remaining

doctor's appointments... only 5 left if I go full term!

Something new this week.. sensitivity to smells.
I made dinner in the crock pot and I seriously couldn't
handle the smell our house filled up with!

BUT.. it actually was delicious. haha. Wierd.

I have been going to the Physical Therapist for my back/pelvic/leg pain...
(It's hard to know where it's coming from.) But today they really worked on my sacrum..
and I left feeling amazing!! That REALLY really helped.
Still sore..but saw an improvement. I'll take it.

I keep talking about how active the baby is..
I got some of the little baby kicks and punches on video a
couple days ago so you could see what I'm talking about!
Stretch marked belly and all!
This baby bump is very loved.. my 2 yr old Sienna gets
so excited when she sees the baby move..
It's been fun seeing our big sisters experience the pregnancy. :)

VLOG- 3 Little Reasons why I can fall asleep w/eyes open..

I have 3 little reasons of
why I can fall asleep with my eyes open.
1. sophia.
2. sienna.
3. baby in my belly.
with their powers combined....I'm exhausted. :)

I made this video last night because I wanted to remember this moment in our life...

The girls are growing up so fast.. And through my cloudy sleep deprived vision..
I don't want to forget any of this. hehe.

I can't wait to watch this a few years down the road and
remember how little and sweet they were! :) (Wedding material...haha)
(sound cuts off at end..I'll go back and fix it later..no time now!..reasons stated above.)

I love their ages right now.. (2 & 4 in august)

Although sometimes, as posted above,
 I feel like I'm asleep and awake at the same time..

Ben and I went on a date the other night..

and the topic of conversation was..

"I am sooo tired."

"Me too"

"Are my eyes open or closed?"

"Let's go home and sleep"

"we are lame"

Here's how we have been keeping busy...

I'm sure doing a lot of the same things as you!

we go for walks and play outside a lot.
**play outside is code for wear them 
out till they can barely walk to the bath tub and then put them to bed.**

We play around in the house a lot.
making as big a mess as possible....
something about a clean room that these girls are just drawn to destroy.

we run errands and play around pittsburgh..
aka we go to target and playgrounds.

We announced this week we are expecting!

Thanks for all the congratulations and love.. we are so excited.

I love sharing this pregnancy with my girls..they read to the baby bump..sing/play the "flute" to the baby bump.. cuddle with the baby bump..

play tag with the baby bump.. (it's a very one sided game.)

We had our first ultrasound for Baby #3..

I'm 5 Weeks and 5 Days.

It's early to do one but they ordered it to figure out a more exact due date.

November 24th! (give or take 4 days)

It was so cool..seeing the movement from the heart beat.. amazing.

so in love already. the girls love the baby too.. 

Sophia and Ben are convinced it's a boy..

I keep trying to tell Sophia that it COULD be a girl..but she says no way..it's a baby brother.

She even argues her case with random strangers.

I guess I have 9 months to work on this.....;)

PARENTING FAIL- We got the girls all ready and off to the Zoo...

only to discover the ticket booths closed because Spring Hours don't start till end of March..

.even though IT'S OFFICIALLY SPRINGGGG.

So we took them to Chuck-E-Cheese to redeem ourselves.

Who needs vegas?! chuck-e-cheesing it up people.

Product Love - Target and all their Mari Mi Products!

check out the party aisle.. I love it all.

Sophia's one busy mama.

Her kitchen is cleaner than mine....... don't judge.

NAP TIME- Sometimes Sienna wakes up before Sophia does...

I think it's her goal and life mission to wake her sister up from the minute she realizes she is awake and sophie is sleeping. little rascal.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Off to help with a High School Retreat with my husband.
Please offer up some prayers for us.
the girls are coming too... so....pray....haha.
it's going to be awesome though. really excited..and hoping the nausea lets up so I can function a bit more.. But I know it's going to be a powerful weekend no matter what!