Saturday Spotlight: Volume 12

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight!
Sorry, Tawnya and I had some things come up last week and were unable to schedule the post but hope you'll all link up this week!

Featured Posts This Week:

10 Parenting Firsts you wish Never Happened on Unremarkable Files

I Hated Nursing on Best of Baby Lady

5 Simple Moves to Spice up your Love Life on Fresh Mommy Blog

Five Toddler Approved Activities on Sweet Turtle Soup

 Thank you to everyone who linked up this week!For those who were featured feel free to grab some bling for your blog :)

<a href="http://mitchalycia.blogspot.ca" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Spotlight" src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx142/alyciabaillie/SSfeature1.png" /></a>

 

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!

 

<a href="http://mitchalycia.blogspot.ca" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Spotlight" src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx142/alyciabaillie/saturdayspotlight1.png" /></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

That Friday Post

Wow, it's sure been awhile since I did one of these. Life is seriously crazy, exhausting, so much fun, all at the same time, leaving very little time for me on here!I am literally in bed at 8:30 every night (and I don't really mind!)  So, while I have few spare minutes, I will share a few things!

ONE

 I have been reading this book. I have never laughed out loud like this at a book before. I picked it up at the library a few weeks ago, and just a few nights ago began reading it! Seriously, it's too funny!!! Read it!

She has a blog too, and I should probably start reading it! I'm sure its just as funny as her book!!

TWO

 This week, my friend Tawnya posted this post about how to get better photo of your kiddos! So, I followed her guidelines and snapped these photos of Palmer, using natural light and capturing her in her everyday moments! 

THREE

 I'm going to share a few of my favorite reads from the past week. I haven't had much time to do blog reading the past little while, but these ones I really liked!

7 Tips for Maintaining Inner Peace - Pig and Dac

8 Things My Daughter Has Taught Me - Seven Graces

A Letter To My Friend, The Toddler Mama - Newlyweds: North

FOUR

 This week is Palmer's last week of gymnastics. I have to say, she has come a really long way from when we first started it 2 months ago. This girl can jump, roll, and hang like the best 2 year old gymnast out there! Unfortunately, we missed the sign up deadline for the next session, so we will be back at it in the Fall. 

FIVE

Have you entered the giveaway for some cute leggings from Happy Campers Kids Clothing yet?? Check out this post for details on how to enter. And, like THIS instagram post for an entry!

Happy Weekend Everyone! And don't forget to stop back tomorrow for the Saturday Spotlight. We took a break last week, but we are back this week, and can't wait to read all your great posts!!!

Shop Spotlight: Happy Camper's Modern Kids Clothing

When it comes to dressing Palmer, I am all about cute but comfortable. The majority of her clothes are comfortable and work well for everyday play, which is perfect because that is what she is doing most of her days. 

I came across this great shop and I knew I had to share it with you all! Coty at Happy Campers Modern Kids Clothing has some of the cutest little pieces for kids and I instantly fell in love with these leggings for Palmer. 

 leggings c/o Happy Campers Kids | boots (similar)

They are great quality and the pattern is too cute. They fit Palmer perfectly; they have the right amount of stretch and give all while holding their shape. And the quality of these leggings are seriously great! We have had these pants for over a month now,  and they've been through the wash several times, and they always come out looking just like they did the day we got them!

beanie | jacket | shirt 

You can definitely tell Coty has a great passion for what she does; the quality and care put into each handmade piece is outstanding.

Besides leggings, Happy Campers Modern Kids Clothing has a variety of other items to choose from; dresses, hats, shirts. I am certain you will find something you love! The best part is, Coty is generously offering up a pair of leggings as a giveaway to one of my followers!

Chose any or all of the following options to enter yourself in the giveaway:

1.Leave a comment below and be sure to check out Coty's Etsy shop.

2. Head over to my Instagram and "like" the photo with Palmer wearing her Happy Campers leggings

3. Go to my Facebook and "like" and/or share the photo with Palmer wearing her Happy Campers Modern Kids Clothes leggings.

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN TUESDAY MARCH 31

Healthy Apple Oat Bites

I am all about easy when it comes to food. I don't particularly enjoy cooking, but I do LOVE eating! So, finding quick, easy, healthy recipes are key in our house. I am a fan of apples dipped in peanut butter so when I stumbled across a post on Pinterest, I knew I had to make these!! 

These Healthy Apple Oat Bites are full of delicious healthy ingredients.

1 apple, cored and cut

2 cups of rolled oats

1 cup of natural peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)

3 Tbsp Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

Optional:

shredded coconut

honey or maple syrup to taste

Combine all ingredients in food processor. If you find the mixture to be too wet, add more oats. Roll the mixture into balls and put in fridge for 30 minutes. These freeze well too for a snack later!

From The Mouth Of Palmer: Volume 1

Palmer has exploded with words in the past few months and it has been nothing short of awesome!! We can now have real actual conversations and its pretty incredible!! Listening to Palmer talk certainly makes my heart smile, and sometimes, she says some pretty hilarious stuff. Sometimes she will say words that I didn't even know she knew, little smarty pants!!! I love that she has a way of saying things that are her own; she says it with her own little twist that so suits her personality!!

With this language explosion comes some pretty funny stuff and the beginning of my From The Mouth of Palmer series:

• Anytime she needs to say thank you, its so much more than that....  "Taint you soooo much"

• We were sitting on the couch before bed, and I hadn't even mentioned bedtime yet and Palmer looks up at me and says "I not tired, Mommy."

• She was in the Dollar Store with Mitchell's mom. She had asked Palmer if she wanted some juice, or a few other things. Palmer kept saying no, until she found a little notepad and stickers. She grabbed it and said "Nan, I need this."

• Palmer spilled a little bit of water on the floor and when I asked her who spilled the water, she replied with "It was Weafy."

• She's got a little attitude sometimes and when I ask Palmer to do something, sometimes I get a "talk to the hand" hand and she says, "No. I dote (don't) want to."

• If I am busy cleaning or trying to make supper and she wants me to sit and read her a book it's "MOM. Sit down."

• The lady at the bakery in the grocery store gave her a cookie the other day and she said to me "Dat was nice fo her, mommy. Wight?"

• She over heard a conversation between Mitchell and I, and she started saying "bullshoe."  Yes Palmer, it's bullshoe!!!

• She will randomly request for us to play "Shay It Off"

• "NO, dat's bad. It's mine." when Leaf is sniffing at her toys.

• "I do it." anytime she wants to do it herself.

• "You so siwwee (silly)" whenever someone does something funny.

• Sometimes I whistle at Leaf for him to come inside so Palmer puts her fingers to her mouth life I do and says "WEEEEET"

• And, anytime Bubble Guppies is over, she requests more with "Mo Bubble Duppies, peese."

There are seriously a million more and I have started to write them down. I want to give her a book of all her funny sayings when she is older and will appreciate the hilarity in them!

Saturday Spotlight: Volume 11

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight!

Featured Posts This Week: I Breastfeed my 20 Month Old...and What?
Finishing a Farmhouse Table Pottery Barn Style

Thoughts and Tips on Instagram

5 Lessons Learned From Being a Mom

Thank you to everyone who linked up this week!

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

<a href="http://mitchalycia.blogspot.ca" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Spotlight" src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx142/alyciabaillie/SSfeature1.png" /></a>

 

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!

 

<a href="http://mitchalycia.blogspot.ca" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Spotlight" src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx142/alyciabaillie/saturdayspotlight1.png" /></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

A Day In The Life: A Working Mama

I have been wanting to do one of these posts for awhile now, but I felt that doing a post that was our days off was not a true reflection of what our daily lives are actually like! Since I work full-time outside the home, the majority of our days are spent like this:

5:33am - Alarm goes off. Both Mitch and I are up and getting ready for our day. He has been starting work at 6:00am.

6:08am - Wake Palmer, get her ready for her day. Stop off at the potty, and get dressed.

6:16am - Let the dog out. It's a nice day, so he will stay out all day.

6:18am - Starting to get Palmer ready to get out the door. Nearly everyday is a fight to get a coat on, shoes, and get out the door.

6:22am - Out the door. Thank goodness, because it is often a much harder task than this, and often times we end up running late and I HATE feeling late!!

6:28am - Drop Palmer off at the dayhome. 

6:44am - Arrive to work and get myself organized. 

7:00am - Work day starts.

9:45am - Break time. 

12:30am - Lunch time. Eat my lunch, browse my phone.  

3:24pm - Home time. Thank goodness!!! The first day back after a few days off is always hard!

3:45pm - Pick-up Palmer from dayhome

3:49pm - We start the drive home. Palmer usually requests "Shay It Off" so we rock out to T. Swift!

3:55pm - Get home. We head out to check the mail, then we plop down our bags and get some snacks started.

4:03pm - Palmer does her usual "chore" of feeding Leaf.

4:06pm - We enjoy snacks outside because it is gorgeous outside!

4:08pm - Slight meltdown because Leaf helped himself to her Teddy Graham cookies

4:10pm - Meltdown over, we enjoy the weather and play outside for awhile!

4:46pm - Start to make supper and we play games and read while we wait for Daddy to get home. 

5:42pm - Daddy's home and we eat supper!

6:02pm - "Mmmm, dood (good) suppa"

6:04pm - "I don't want suppa"

7:02pm - Palmer and Mitch play; they make puzzles and read books while I make a quick batch of muffins.

7:22pm - We enjoy "smoonies" (smoothies) and our freshly baked muffins.

7:35pm - Bath time. Sometimes it's a fight, other times she get so excited. Tonight was a fine. Mitch does this while I take Leaf for a walk. The weather was great, so the walk was refreshing!

7:42pm - Palmer picks our her own jammies, socks and a diaper. She's got this routine down!

8:05pm - Palmer picks out one book (she usually negotiates 2 or more, and of course, we fall for it every time).

8:07pm - Goodnight kisses and hugs. We say "i wuw you" and Palmer gets tucked in for the night.

8:15pm - Palmer's in bed. Mitch and I relax for a short while, watching TV and catching up on each others' days. Then its time to do a quick toy pickup and tidying of the house.

8:17pm - I hear fake cries coming from Palmer, and realize Mr Elephant is sitting right in front of us on the coffee table. How could we have forgot Mr. Elephant???

8:45pm - I get in the shower. There is something I love about crawling into bed after a hot shower!

8:56pm - I let the dog in for the night and hope that he is satisfied with staying in all night. 

9:03pm - I quickly browse through social media, finish up the last couple points on this post and make sure my alarm is on, to start this day all over again tomorrow!!

#hemphearts With Manitoba Harvest

I am always looking for easy, nutritious ways to "enhance" my food. We try to eat healthy most of the time, but sometimes with our busy schedules, making supper or healthy snacks is the last thing on my mind. So when I was given the opportunity to review Manitoba Harvest's Hemp Hearts, I jumped at the chance to try them out.

What are hemp hearts, you ask? They are a natural protein, made from the most nutritious part of the hemp seed, the heart. It is packed full of omegas, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. My favorite thing to add them to is my yogurt, for the extra protein and added texture. They are also good on cereals, salads, and so much more!

Manitoba Harvest has a whole list of recipes to choose from here! 

I like that they are versatile and are packed full of goodness and nutrients and are a super simple way to get in the added protein I may be missing. With 10g of protein and 10g of omegas per serving, you can't go wrong! These hemp hearts are vegan-friendly and non-GMO, which is ideal for some people!

To find more great reviews, use the hashtags #hemplove #hemphearts and #sweatpink

So, wanna try them out?? Perfect, because Manitoba Harvest along with the Sweat Pink Team are offering up one to giveaway to my readers!! (Canada and US only).

Follow the prompts in the rafflecopter below, winner will be chosen Friday, March 13!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was given a package of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts to review, but as always, all opinions are my own.

Saturday Spotlight: Volume 10

Welcome back to the Saturday Spotlight! 

Featured Posts This Week:

5 Things You Can Do To Feel Good After Birth by Best of Baby 
DIY Toddler Placemats by Polka Dotty Place
8 Ways To Own Your Life by Pig and Dac
To The Mom Who Thinks She's Not Enough by 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 :)

<a href="http://mitchalycia.blogspot.ca" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Spotlight" src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx142/alyciabaillie/SSfeature1.png" /></a>

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! 

<a href="http://mitchalycia.blogspot.ca" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Spotlight" src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx142/alyciabaillie/saturdayspotlight1.png" /></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Fun Stuff Happening

Hey everybody! Get excited, because today we are helping our friends at Pretty Providence celebrate their 3rd blog birthday with an amazing $450 Target Gift Card Giveaway! Who doesn't love Target.. am I right? I personally could spend way too much time and money there if I let myself! Such a guilty pleasure, that store! Well one lucky winner will feel no guilt over their major shopping spree, can I get a woot woot?!

We have some of our seriously amazing blog friends helping us bring this giveaway to you today, and it wouldn't be possible without them, so how about some quick introductions?!

Pretty Providence || Mandy's Recipe Box || Housewife Eclectic || The Things I Love Most || Simply Vicki ||Redefined Mom || Brunch with Joy || Feel Great in 8 || One Creative Mommy || My Mommy Style || Meg O. On the Go || Moms Without Answers || Meet Penny || My Life as Maya || Crazily Normal || Hawthorne and Main || A Cup Full of Sass || Snapshots and My Thoughts

Okay, now let's get down to the goods! All you have to do to enter is follow the prompts on the rafflecopter below, and this one is so easy ! I mean, who doesn't love some great new friends to follow on Instagram?! a Rafflecopter giveaway Good luck everybody! We hope YOU win ;)! Be sure to check back at Pretty Providence because they have tons of birthday posts and 5 live giveaways up to celebrate their blog birthday this week!

The Last One

Bittersweet moments are those that have gone never to return. Moments of realization that your child is growing up so quickly, right before your eyes; before ever realizing the last time was over.  

Unable to recall moments gone by. 

Moments slipping through your fingers before ever realizing it was gone. It's not until the time has passed that you recognize the moment has left forever. 

It saddens me that I let these moments slip by. My heart aches to remember that last time I held my girl as an infant. Before she could walk or talk. Before she was a tornado of a toddler. Before she got big.

I don't remember the last time she fell asleep in my arms, rocking her back and forth.
Or the last time her tiny little body nestled just perfectly into the bend of my arm.

It's like I close my eyes, only for a minute, and the moment is gone.
It slips away. And without even knowing it, it was the last one.

Its not like the "firsts" that come. Those are ones you will always remember. They are expected. It's the unexpected of the lasts that are the hardest.
The way they creep up on you, without you even knowing; without you even realizing it for days, weeks, months after. 

I know new memories will be made, with new firsts, and new lasts approaching much too quickly. That is what life is. I wish I could remember them just a little better.