crazily normal: February 2015

28 February 2015

Saturday Spotlight: Volume 9

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight!

Featured Posts This Week:

The Reality of Motherhood by ILLY Who
My 31st Birthday Wish List by The Adventure Starts Here
Starbucks Copy Cat Coffee Cake by Brand New Mommy Blog
This is How to Respect Women & Create an Empowered Birth Culture on Glam Granola Geek

Thank you to everyone who linked up this week!

For those who were featured feel free to grab some bling for your blog :)

If you're new to the link up and wonder how you can be featured, it's simple;

1. Grab a button and display it in your post or somewhere on your blog, this will bring more participants and give us a better chance at featuring GREAT content and finding new bloggers to follow.

2. Link up any post (or posts) from the past week. All kinds of posts welcome :)

3. Read and comment on at least one other linked up post. We really want for this link up to be a place where you can find and interact with new bloggers alike!

We hope to build community through this link up and look forward to getting to know you.

*Disclaimer: by linking up you give permission for your images to be featured on the Saturday Spotlight. All images will be credited to you of course.

So what are you waiting for? Grab the button and link up your best post(s) below!

An InLinkz Link-up

26 February 2015

9 tips to better sleep

This past week I have really struggled with getting in good, quality sleep, which makes me sad because I LOVE SLEEP! I chalk it up to working night shift, which is a whole different problem I have, but I went on the hunt for some tips for getting a better sleep.

1. Sleep is not something you really have control of in your life, so stop letting it worry you. The more you worry about your sleeping habits, the more it will drive you crazy and the less sleep you will get!

2. Set yourself a bedtime for every day. Just like you have an alarm to wake in the morning, set aside a time to wind down and head to bed. This will help your body to regulate its sleep schedule. This may be difficult some times (especially with shift work like me) but aiming for the same time to hit the sack every night will help you.

3. Have a warm bath or shower. Not only will it relax you, the drop in body temperature when you get out will help you to drift off more quickly. It will help to make the room cool! The cool temperature helps your body to relax and function in a more calm state.

4. Turn all the lights out. Even the crack of light under the door can disturb your sleep. Turn out hallway lights, TVs, computers…anything with a light that you may see while trying to catch some ZZZZ’s.

5. Avoid using your phone/tablet/laptop in bed. Not only does the blue light emitted from electronic screens disturb your sleep pattern, it can also prevent you from getting those precious ZZZ's. If you want to read before bed, opt for the newspaper or a book.

6. Find the pillow that is most comfortable for you and your sleeping style! You may need a different pillow than your partner if you are a back sleeper and they are a side sleeper. Figure out which works best for you! Make sure to find one that is comfortable and supportive.

7. Avoid caffeine after dinner. Simple.

8. Stop concentrating on what you need to do tomorrow, or the craziness that was life today and just breathe. Take nice slow deep breaths to clear your mind and put your body in a relaxing state.

9. There is no such thing at catching up on missed sleep. So you only slept for 5 hours last night? Napping isn't your answer, it will only further inhibit your sleep tonight. Keeping your body in a regular sleep schedule is your answer.

Do you have any go-to tips for getting a good nights sleep?

25 February 2015

Being a Working Mama

I have said it before and I'll say it again, working full time is difficult, and throw a child in the mix and it is nothing less than challenging. Yes, I know there are many, many parents who work full time, and I'm sure they feel the same way. Feel like you are missing out of exciting things. Missing out on watching your child grow and learn. Missing out on part of their lives.

I sometimes struggle with the fact that there is, essentially, someone else raising my child; someone else instilling values in her. Obviously, I trust our day home provider and I trust that she is teaching Palmer values and respect, however, I know that some of them may be different than ours.

I am lucky enough (??) to work shift work and still get chances to spend days at home with Palmer. Work weekends and know that she is at home with Daddy. Work nights and don't miss out on events.

It is still difficult.

It's still hard to wake up that little bit earlier, get Palmer up at 6:20am, and drop her off at the day home while I head off to work. I feel terrible getting her up that early, but it has become our routine. Do I feel sad that she is spending her day with someone else? Sometimes, yes. But I also know that I have to work to provide the best for her.

I have never questioned me working. I know I need to work and I actually like to work. I like my job, but I equally like leaving at the end of the day. I like being around other adults, but I love coming home to my baby. But, I know being at stay at home mom isn't for me. It is a hard job, being at home with your kids all day. Yes, you can plan fun activities and do fun things, but then there are tantrums, house work, nap time struggles, the physical and mental exhaustion. I don't want to feel that. I don't want to associate those negative feelings with Palmer. Do I feel those towards my job? Heck yes. Its a hard job, being a nurse. But when I am done work there, I leave it there and come home to my family; something I couldn't do if I stayed at home.

So, finding the balance between mom life, wife life and work life, yes it is hard sometimes. Its hard to juggle at times. Finding time for more stories, laundry, date nights, alone time - challenging but so worth it. I am a mother. A wife. A nurse. I love all my jobs, even if it is challenging at times.

So, here's to the working mamas. The stay at home mamas, and all the mama's in between! You are all superheros!

and, for a great read on Stay At Home Mama's, check out my girl Kristy's post!

24 February 2015

5 blog posts I'm loving lately

If you've been following along with me lately, you will notice I am lacking in the posting department. I have been left feeling absolutely exhausted at the end of every day and barely have the energy to drag my ass up the stairs, let alone pound out a post or two. Besides that, I have been lacking inspiration, so I need to muster up some more of that too.

I have fallen behind on my blog reading, but I wanted to just share with you a handful of my favorite reads from the past week or so.

ENJOY!

1. To The Mom Who Thinks Shes Not Enough // The Deliberate Mom

Photo credit

2. Scaring My Son Into Obedience // DIZMommy

3. A Little Boy Grew Up // Pig and Dac

4. Instagram: Behind The Pretty Pictures // All Of Life's Little Adventures

5. What It Means To Be A Lady // A Touch Of Grace

21 February 2015

Saturday Spotlight: Volume 8

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight!

Featured Posts This Week:

7 Signs YOU Need a Timeout Instead of Your Child on Pig and Dac (Photo credit)
What We Wore// Mama + Babe on Much. Most. Darling.
5 Easy Tops to Becoming A Better Blogger on A Fresh Start
An Open Letter to the New Stay-at-Home Mom on Seven Graces

Thank you to everyone who linked up this week!

For those who were featured feel free to grab some bling for your blog :)

If you're new to the link up and wonder how you can be featured, it's simple;

1. Grab a button and display it in your post or somewhere on your blog, this will bring more participants and give us a better chance at featuring GREAT content and finding new bloggers to follow.

2. Link up any post (or posts) from the past week. All kinds of posts welcome :)

*Disclaimer: by linking up you give permission for your images to be featured on the Saturday Spotlight. All images will be credited to you of course.

So what are you waiting for? Grab the button and link up your best post(s) below!

An InLinkz Link-up

17 February 2015

Rustic Pickle and Little Jaimes Gray & a Giveaway

Today you guys, I am teaming up with two local shops to bring you a fantastic giveaway! I absolutely love both of these products; the adorable headband and these rockin' pants!

I came across the Rustic Pickle on Facebook a couple of months ago and quickly became obsessed! Kristine makes the cutest Harem pants you ever did see! She began making them when she couldn't find any locally for her own three kids. These ones fit perfectly and the fabric is amazing. These pants are great to be dressed up or dressed down. I love that they are so versatile and perfect for almost any occasion. Palmer wore these for her 2nd birthday party and danced her little heart out in them!

Then, not long after finding Rustic Pickle, I found Little Jaimes Gray. Since these two shops are closely linked, they compliment each other very well! Raegen at Little Jaimes Gray started her business not long after her daughter was born as she struggled to find cute, comfy headbands for her. So, she thought what better way than to make her own. She bought herself a sewing machine and got started! I'm glad she did because this headband is to die for! I love the thick band. And that bow! I'm swooning over it! I love that it is a different look from other headbands we have too! And the material is so soft and comfy.

RUSTIC PICKLE

F A C E B O O K | I N S T A G R A M

LITTLE JAIMES GRAY

F A C E B O O K | I N S T A G R A M

And the best part it, you can win some!!! One lucky winner will get to choose a bottom from Rustic Pickle and a headband from Little Jaimes Gray! And, if you are a boy mama, no worries! You and your little can be matching with a mama headband and some pants for your little! These two have you covered! Now, all you have to do is follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter below to enter!! Share THIS post on Facebook for an additional 2 entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

14 February 2015

Saturday Spotlight: Volume 7

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight!

Featured Posts This Week:

Time Saving Blog Tools on Mommyzoid
Words Of Wisdom on Zabie Love
I'm a Parental Wuss on Pardon My French
My Husband Didn't Take My Last Name on Belle Brita

Thank you to everyone who linked up this week!

For those who were featured feel free to grab some bling for your blog :)

If you're new to the link up and wonder how you can be featured, it's simple;

1. Grab a button and display it in your post or somewhere on your blog, this will bring more participants and give us a better chance at featuring GREAT content and finding new bloggers to follow.

2. Link up any post (or posts) from the past week. All kinds of posts welcome :)

*Disclaimer: by linking up you give permission for your images to be featured on the Saturday Spotlight. All images will be credited to you of course.

So what are you waiting for? Grab the button and link up your best post(s) below!

An InLinkz Link-up

11 February 2015

Shop Spotlight: Urban Cowgirl Designs

If you've been following me at all over the past year and a bit, you will have seen these Urban Cowgirl Designs headbands in multiple photos (see here and here). Urban Cowgirl Designs is a local shop who creates the most beautiful top knot headbands and infinity scarves. If you haven't already, you MUST go check her out!

She integrates modern prints with fabulous design for the best product around! And, how cute is her packaging? A total eye catcher. You can definitely tell she puts love and passion into what she does!

Linnden reached out to me a while ago to offer Palmer some new knotted headbands from her 2015 collection. Of course we accepted. These headbands are the softest, cutest things. Palmer wears them almost daily. I love the way they fit and I love they way they look!

I promise you, once you have tried her stuff, you will become obsessed! Make sure to follow her at the links below for the latest updates and the newest prints! You won't regret it!!

AND!!! There's more! Linnden has graciously offered all my readers 20% off for a week starting today with the code:
CRAZILYNORMAL

U R B A N C O W G I R L D E S I G N S

F A C E B O O K | W E B S I T E | I N S T A G R A M

7 February 2015

Saturday Spotlight: Volume 6

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight!

Featured Posts This Week:

(From Left to Right Photo Credit)
Friday Favorite: Memories on While I Wait
Dear Pregnant Mom on Mommyzoid
French Press Mornings: a #simplygreycoffeetour on Simply Love

10 Reasons Blogging Ruined My Life on The Deliberate Mom

Thank you to everyone who linked up this week!

For those who were featured feel free to grab some bling for your blog :)

If you're new to the link up and wonder how you can be featured, it's simple;

1. Grab a button and display it in your post or somewhere on your blog, this will bring more participants and give us a better chance at featuring GREAT content and finding new bloggers to follow.

2. Link up any post (or posts) from the past week. All kinds of posts welcome :)

*Disclaimer: by linking up you give permission for your images to be featured on the Saturday Spotlight. All images will be credited to you of course.

So what are you waiting for? Grab the button and link up your best post(s) below!

An InLinkz Link-up