tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59077024736954566582024-03-18T07:29:56.631-04:00A Little Bolt of LifeMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-7105505341901680832015-03-13T01:16:00.002-04:002015-03-13T01:16:39.006-04:00High Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li style="text-align: left;">I seriously can't believe how big Charlotte is getting! In the past few weeks she has learned a handful of words, can respond to questions (with her actions) and is now properly using a fork?! I love how she learns something new everyday!</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">In case anyone was worried, Milo is still getting attention. It's not always when he wants it, but I think he's slowly learning that after Charlotte goes to bed, he gets us to himself. You can tell it's his favorite time of day....being held like a baby.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Charlotte has discovered Minnie Mouse this week and I can't handle how sweet she is when she gives that over-sized stuffed animal a big squeeze as if they are best friends.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Alex and Ani released a Disney Vacation Club bracelet that sells out within hours. This was the second release and I missed it again! Lucky for me, I found someone who bought two and sold me her extra. Talk about my lucky day! Most people are selling their extras on ebay at over $100, so you can only imagine how happy I was to hear she would give it to me at retail! </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">I've always wanted to try my hand at the fun vinyl letters that you see everywhere now. If I can't embroider it, I should sticker it, right?! So my mom gave me her old Cricut machine to give it a try. I haven't had time to test it out just yet, but you better believe I'll be busting this baby out over the weekend.</li>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-36492654314917592042015-03-12T10:45:00.000-04:002015-03-12T12:41:45.024-04:00Be Our Guest - Dinner ReviewExactly 180 days out from our trip, I called Disney Dining in hopes to get a reservation at the elusive Be Our Guest Restaurant. This is one of Disney's newest restaurants which means it's THE hardest to get a reservation for. Of course, knowing that it's so difficult to get in, only makes me want to eat there more. Lucky for us, there was one reservation left and it was for our last day in the parks (I still find it ridiculous that they are booked 180 days out by 10am).<br />
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I truly had no idea what to expect. I felt like I had won the lotto just by getting a table. But since I had 180 days before I would actually be inside Beast's Castle, I forced myself to lower my expectations for fear of getting disappointed in the whole experience.<br />
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It was finally here. The day of our reservation! We couldn't have planned it better as we had the first reservation of the day. Sure, it was senior citizen's dinner hour, but it allowed me to get some great shots of inside the restaurant before it filled up!<br />
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The restaurant has three dining rooms (it's quite amazing that they book up every day), the west wing, the ballroom and the rose gallery. We ate in the ballroom where snow falls right outside the window.<br />
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Now it was time to order. Since we had just ran the half marathon that morning, and we were so excited to have gotten this reservation, we decided to go all out. We started with a bottle of wine (which was a <b>must</b> considering this is the only place you can get alcohol in Magic Kingdom) and a meat and cheese tray. For our entrees I got the strip steak with Pommes Frites (fancy word for french fries) and I think they were the best part. The cooked them in truffle oil which gave them such a unique flavor. Rachel ordered the sauteed shrimp and scallops that came in a puff pastry which was also very good.<br />
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In between dinner and dessert, the Beast made his grand entrance into the ballroom and then on to the throne room to meet and great guests on their way out from dinner.<br />
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We were going to just try the grey stuff for dessert, but after seeing all the other options from the dessert cart, we had to get two desserts.<br />
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Since part of the experience was meeting the Beast, we couldn't leave without partaking. We made our way to the throne room and stood in line for about 15 minutes before it was our turn to take a picture. We had a little magical moment when I dared Rachel to sit in his chair while the people in front of us were taking his picture. When he heard of what was happening, he tried to keep his composure until the people in front of us were gone. Then it was our turn for a picture, but first he had to brush off his seat to rid it of Rachel's "germs". He then sat down and claimed back what was rightfully his.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Probably one of the best moments of the trip!</span></div>
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All in all I would say to definitely try and get a reservation at Be Our Guest Restaurant. While it is one of the more expensive places to eat, I found the food to be very good. I loved that the menu was different enough from other Disney restaurants so you didn't feel you were eating the same things. The ambiance of the restaurant was also amazing. They definitely got all the details right. I also loved that fact that you could order a bottle or glass of wine in a park that it's forbidden in! Lastly, the experience with the Beast is one you can't get anywhere else.<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-3581085706874580962015-03-09T00:00:00.000-04:002015-03-09T00:00:06.210-04:00Back on TrackMondays don't get the credit they deserve. Everyone is always complaining about how awful they are, but to me I see it differently. Mondays are good for one thing...a fresh start. With the snow melting, the sun staying out later and temperatures feeling like spring means it's time for my fresh start and to get my butt back in gear. I've been so lazy about so many things this winter, but that's all going to change starting today.<div>
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The half marathon I ran (mainly walked) two weeks ago proved that I was more out of shape than I thought. It also reminded me that I do enjoy running (when I'm in shape) and it's time I make it work as a mom. For the past year, Charlotte has been my excuse, and to be honest she's been the best excuse, but it's time to do this for me, no excuses. </div>
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Running isn't just about what it does physically to my body but mentally as well. When I'm exercising regularly, I find that it reflects on all aspects of my life and makes me a happier wife, mother and employee.</div>
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So to start, I have set a few goals for this week: To drink more water (anything will be an improvement from before when I was drinking next to nothing), pack my lunches (no more gorging on sit down lunches with friends or raiding the vending machine when I'm too busy to go out) and to run at least three times this week (now that it stays light until after 7pm I really have no more excuses).</div>
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If you're like me and need to get back on track with your diet and exercise, stop talking about it and just do it! I'd love to hear about your plans and progress along the way, so be sure to leave a comment so we can encourage each other. Here's to a fresh start!</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-72616802620799645132015-03-02T11:15:00.004-05:002015-03-02T11:15:52.015-05:00Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2015I can't believe its been a week since I ran my second Disney Princess Half Marathon (DPHM) and my third half marathon ever! The last time I ran the DPHM was in 2012 and I was pleased to see the improvements they've made to the weekend in just three years. runDisney certainly knows what they are doing with these races!<br />
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After driving through the night, we arrived first thing Thursday morning to hit up the expo at opening. Things went super smooth at packet pickup with basically no lines. There was still plenty of merchandise to purchase and all the lines were organized and moved fast (which is important when you have other things to do like play in the parks!).<br />
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Beer at 10am on vacation is totally acceptable, right?!</div>
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With the expo crossed off our list and the race not until Sunday morning, we had a few days to enjoy Disney. We did all sorts of fun things like dinner at Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review, drinks at the Polynesian, meet and greet Elsa and Anna and carb loaded at Mama Melrose the night before the race!<br />
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We laid out our outfits and called it an early night on Saturday, after a senior citizen's dinner (4pm reservations), to get our beauty sleep sleep since we were waking up at 2:30am! We figured we would get plenty of sleep as long as we were in bed before 8pm. Mission accomplished!<br />
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We waited less than 5 minutes before a bus arrived at our hotel (I think it helped that we were at DVC resort so there weren't as many racers). Lucky for us, the low that night was in the 50s so it made the long walk to the start bearable. We were prepared this year with cheap sweat suits from Walmart to wear while we waited for the race to start and even for the first few miles. You can just shed that layer whenever you want and they have people along the side of the course picking up the clothes to donate to charity. Easy peasy!<br />
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I noticed that this year the corals were easy to find and organized. They had volunteers at the entrance to each coral checking bib numbers to keep them even and manageable. The start of each coral began with fireworks which is always magical so since we were in coral I we got to watch lots of fireworks before it was our turn. The race started at 5:35am but we didn't cross the start line until 6:00am.<br />
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Considering I didn't train AT ALL I was quite happy that I ran as much as I did during the race. Of course, we stopped plenty of times to get pictures since in 2012 we didn't stop once which we instantly regretted. My goal was to finish in the upright position, have fun and take plenty of selfies! As you can see, I think I accomplished just that!<br />
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Since the lines were 30 minutes long for each picture, we decided to skip the lines and take selfies instead!</div>
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One of my favorite parts is running under this underpass with a super fun DJ wearing giant Mickey gloves blasting music. This is about mile 4 and the perfect place to get pumped!</div>
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My face as I'm about to run through the castle....to say I'm excited is an understatement.</div>
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Quick! Let's take a picture with the castle behind us! If only the selfie stick was smaller, I would have been able to get some better pictures, but the old fashioned way works too! </div>
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Passing through the castle and who was there to cheer us on?! Kristoff, Anna and Elsa! </div>
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Around mile 9 I was running out of gas, but these little inspirational signs helped.</div>
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For some reason, this sign just cracked me up, had to make Rachel take a picture since she was dressed up as Belle!</div>
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Truly dead at this point, but we were on the homestretch! Mile 12!</div>
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Just feet before the finish line was Mickey and Minnie, I couldn't resist. The perfect way to end the race!</div>
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By 9:30am we had run 13.1 miles. So now what?! Go to Magic Kingdom and play in the parks...after a shower of course! </div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-70830183331013829562015-02-20T00:00:00.000-05:002015-03-08T23:24:10.796-04:00High FiveI know I've been MIA this week, but so many things have thrown me off my normal routine! Monday was a holiday, then we had a snow day on Tuesday and Wednesday I left for Disney World to <strike>run </strike>walk the Disney Princess Half Marathon! But don't worry, even if my blog is looking sparse, you can always see what I'm up to on my <a href="http://www.intagme.com/alittleboltoflife/">Instagram</a>.<br />
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<ol>
<li>So excited to show you our costumes for the Disney Princess Half Marathon! We finally got the finishing touches done today and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out!</li>
<li>As part of all my crafting projects for the race, I thought I would try my hand at a MagicBand bow. I thought they added to our awesome race day outfits!</li>
<li>Charlotte had her first experience with a balloon....it's the little things. Of course I couldn't help but snap this little selfie of her playing with her balloon and our matching duck faces. Again, it's the little things. :)</li>
<li>We have been so lucky to have a baby that isn't really picky when it comes to food. But I must say, she definitely favors fruit over meat, that is until now. We went out to lunch and she demanded that she eat a hamburger slider. </li>
<li>This picture just cracks me up. When Charlotte sees herself in the camera, instead of smiling, she makes this face.....such a ham!</li>
</ol>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-30770433201417567812015-02-13T00:14:00.002-05:002015-02-13T00:14:40.917-05:00High Five for Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<ol>
<li>Like most people in our area, we took advantage of the beautiful weather we had last weekend. We had so much fun playing outside and now that she's at an age where she can play on a play-set, it's even more fun!</li>
<li>I went to lunch at a local resort this week and it was amazing! The library was my favorite room with wall to wall bookshelves full of books to borrow and this luxury Monopoly game. I could have spent hours just sitting by the fire, sipping a glass (or two) of wine and playing board games.</li>
<li>I took some much needed time off my little side business of embroidering, but am slowly getting back into it with some special requests for friends that have come in this week. I especially loved these little Frozen ears I did for a friend's upcoming trip!</li>
<li>Charlotte was styling in her gold moccs and bow that I couldn't resist snapping a picture. Of course within 5 seconds of the bow being placed on her head, she decided it needed to go. </li>
<li>With Valentine's Day being tomorrow, I just had to share this little applique design I did for another friend. I liked it so much, that I made a Valentine's Day shirt for Charlotte just like it!</li>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-41029627561939035772015-02-12T00:09:00.001-05:002015-02-12T00:09:56.116-05:00Easy and Fun DIY Valentine's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEhIDShyphenhyphenVZZ5Iw7jpGdhEIJuTIosM8okjdtPxpKHg92QWBuGbMYXp8yLPNYOeVSAmnbSP3GOez-ijzFNf3_qj2J__6NYv2OvKZIUfG6ss5373_AnEziNadIyfF29iPGRTwJErRbj5Gv8P/s1600/IMG_2814+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEhIDShyphenhyphenVZZ5Iw7jpGdhEIJuTIosM8okjdtPxpKHg92QWBuGbMYXp8yLPNYOeVSAmnbSP3GOez-ijzFNf3_qj2J__6NYv2OvKZIUfG6ss5373_AnEziNadIyfF29iPGRTwJErRbj5Gv8P/s1600/IMG_2814+(1).jpg" height="640" width="490" /></a></div>
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Even though this is Charlotte's second Valentine's Day, it is our first experience with buying Valentine's for her friends at daycare. I wanted to do something that all the little kids could enjoy but at the same time stay out of trouble with their parents. Most of her classmates are under 3 so candy would not be a good option. My friend offered to order me rubber ducks since she would be doing the same thing for her daughter's daycare. So, rubber duckies it was.<br />
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Now that I had a dozen Valentine themed rubber ducks, it was time to come up with a cutesy way to package and distribute. To the Pinterest machine! I stumbled across Formula Mom who came up with this idea!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94L1HQdeXpzC2dxSTCIs8sKJMFXVhHkESV5ePPcd-7m8mPKBmdviinu1fh6tgePd4gzrxEGXXlwt1gR8ye88RPwyhGM734S_bAp3ISRHVdZhtLT9Z1rTFKxhb9fjgivYOB0BzoiCX9nSH/s1600/IMG_2812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94L1HQdeXpzC2dxSTCIs8sKJMFXVhHkESV5ePPcd-7m8mPKBmdviinu1fh6tgePd4gzrxEGXXlwt1gR8ye88RPwyhGM734S_bAp3ISRHVdZhtLT9Z1rTFKxhb9fjgivYOB0BzoiCX9nSH/s1600/IMG_2812.jpg" height="442" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>What You'll Need:</u></b></div>
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Rubber Ducks - <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/mini-valentine-rubber-duckies-a2-32_81.fltr?prodCatId=550222">Oriental Trading Company</a></div>
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Scissors</div>
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Tape - double sided is best</div>
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<a href="http://formulamom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Lucky-Duck-No-Candy-Valentines-Printable.pdf">Free Printable</a> from Formula Mom</div>
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Card stock paper to print on</div>
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Fancy pen to sign them with</div>
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Simply print out the design on card stock paper (they will print 2 per page), then trim the edges. Have your little one sign the card now before the duck gets in the way, unless of course they can't write yet and in that case you will sign the card. Then tape the duck to the center of the Valentine and that's all there is to it! Handmade Valentine's in less than 30 minutes!<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-31533693687088136802015-02-11T00:11:00.002-05:002015-02-11T10:47:49.502-05:00Pretty, Comfortable and Functional - WIWW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I apologize yet again for the poor quality of these photos as I'm still using my iPhone since my DSLR camera charger is MIA. Maybe by next week we'll be back in business!<br />
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Multi-functional outfits are a must for me these days since I go from Mommy mode, to work, to errands then back to mommy mode, with no time in between to change clothes. I managed to wrap all of my favorite things into one outfit by keeping it pretty, comfortable and functional.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui2fP4E9fZYzRinMhMTkPJdXL2Jo4ug8cm_wYkutdtdMbAKbG9W_zAJL2p0EPwDsCPNapXtldC54o1855LXDs7SAki9bOIjGRIlsI_s4gYIh__crIF5rr-WFaOdJ8voXf_pE02WJBxGPP/s1600/FullSizeRender+(26).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui2fP4E9fZYzRinMhMTkPJdXL2Jo4ug8cm_wYkutdtdMbAKbG9W_zAJL2p0EPwDsCPNapXtldC54o1855LXDs7SAki9bOIjGRIlsI_s4gYIh__crIF5rr-WFaOdJ8voXf_pE02WJBxGPP/s1600/FullSizeRender+(26).jpg" height="640" width="434" /></a></div>
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Boots, tights and cardigans are my everyday winter essentials. But throw in some pretty jewel tones and a skirt with an elastic waist, and I'm in heaven. For whatever reason, I feel like I can conquer the world and can actually <b>live</b> in this outfit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMr93QgtGdr99tEbjo-EJK5J9ITdW-E3N6TrFIMpzhlIMv2EvJMjrYAbmszqnRnKifF39S4rxvgMF3zCpmWwonqAy8ZTJQtQkExwvN7XSl4zEvH-QrJuxCoDksaZLYtL-7MegIOyqco7W/s1600/FullSizeRender+(27).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMr93QgtGdr99tEbjo-EJK5J9ITdW-E3N6TrFIMpzhlIMv2EvJMjrYAbmszqnRnKifF39S4rxvgMF3zCpmWwonqAy8ZTJQtQkExwvN7XSl4zEvH-QrJuxCoDksaZLYtL-7MegIOyqco7W/s1600/FullSizeRender+(27).jpg" height="640" width="382" /></a></div>
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Linking up with Lindsey @ The Pleated Poppy for WIWW!</div>
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<a _mce_href="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/blog/" href="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/blog/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img _mce_src="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wiww125.png" alt="pleated poppy" border="0" src="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wiww125.png" height="125" width="125" /></a></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-71819312949394769602015-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-30T00:00:00.577-05:00High Five for Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5uHDvuS06JQmI58vFSwz_9tx0dJVlutzjdKu4PVuU4o7ZGbaKNN47sHO2qedAVL9cB2WbDDbr19TdpqBsD7saw0N1OCO6UJcgir2PmrqdpdV04xWMy4H5iGHkTk0Brdy_t2bS4a4GaL5/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5uHDvuS06JQmI58vFSwz_9tx0dJVlutzjdKu4PVuU4o7ZGbaKNN47sHO2qedAVL9cB2WbDDbr19TdpqBsD7saw0N1OCO6UJcgir2PmrqdpdV04xWMy4H5iGHkTk0Brdy_t2bS4a4GaL5/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li>We had so much fun last weekend just by staying in and playing around the house. Listening to Charlotte giggle uncontrollably is one of my favorite parts about being a mom. In that moment, nothing can be wrong. All my worries, fears, anxiety and stresses disappear and I get to laugh with this little girl.</li>
<li>My (new) selfie stick came! My husband got me a selfie stick for Christmas and it broke due to the weight of my phone (stupid iPhone 6 plus). So I sent an email to their support department and they sent me a new and improved one that was meant to hold the phone, and guess what?! It's PINK! </li>
<li>This little girl needs to seriously stop growing up! She drinks out of cups with straws and doesn't even need me to hold it for her!</li>
<li>How stinkin' cute are these?! I've been eyeing gold moccasins since before Charlotte was born, but when I saw these little beauties with bows on them I just knew they were for me (er, I mean Charlotte)! <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/BriellaBo">BriellaBo </a>does such a nice job making these! Oh and if you use code JAN15 at checkout by Jan 31st, you get 15% off your order!</li>
<li>I don't think I've mentioned it on here yet, but next month my friend and I are headed to Disney to run the Princess Half Marathon! (I know what you're thinking, "OMG, I had no idea you were even training!" Unfortunately, I haven't, but it will still be fun right?....this should be interesting!) Here is a start on my costume, can you guess who I'm going to be?! Stay tuned for the tutu! </li>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-32616087471573525822015-01-29T00:38:00.000-05:002015-01-30T13:51:51.037-05:005 Things That Helped Us Survive The First YearWhile I was still pregnant with Charlotte, I remember my sister-in-law telling me that a baby only needs three things: a safe place to sleep, a car seat and clothes to stay warm. It was just the thing I needed to hear after wasting too many nights stressing over what brand of bottles and bibs to put on my registry. She made me realize that at the end of the day Charlotte would have her basic needs and survival is the only thing that matters. I know that sounds dramatic, but sometimes that is the best you can do until tomorrow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivme1kxjC_goyoQb9sJDU-YZJtbrtSrMVXK_V7YuWcXSLfoZnEkSXXMJPikVTtsEyeRx-5_POip8gICLD2udizJ2k51nE7b-PDv-Ak-rn_isRoVG9Iit0_yz84MQsKd3G_vMHWNj02_HR3/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivme1kxjC_goyoQb9sJDU-YZJtbrtSrMVXK_V7YuWcXSLfoZnEkSXXMJPikVTtsEyeRx-5_POip8gICLD2udizJ2k51nE7b-PDv-Ak-rn_isRoVG9Iit0_yz84MQsKd3G_vMHWNj02_HR3/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="640" width="590" /></a></div>
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Now that we have been parents for a year, I thought I would share some of the things that we couldn't have survived without. The funny thing about every single one of these items is they never made it on our registry, they were purchased in an attempt to solve a problem. Hopefully these items will help other first time parents get a little more sleep so they can enjoy the first year for all the fun that it brings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrnPiZ7NI_e48d8PtvlNXYga7Ucg8fuadfzwjeP9ZlXqp1QV4qBzjUYHrH-D4qUq5_8fjF2ZWFOIgfCLw-cA6zGo-4UotTglCNQsryYzkb6rwzEb_V_xSy16yC0IiMX038z9X_eZiUN18/s1600/15263603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrnPiZ7NI_e48d8PtvlNXYga7Ucg8fuadfzwjeP9ZlXqp1QV4qBzjUYHrH-D4qUq5_8fjF2ZWFOIgfCLw-cA6zGo-4UotTglCNQsryYzkb6rwzEb_V_xSy16yC0IiMX038z9X_eZiUN18/s1600/15263603.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>1.</b> <a href="http://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-newborn-rock-n-play-sleeper/-/A-15207259?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&LNM=15207259&CPNG=Baby&kpid=15207259&LID=9pgs&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=15207259&kpid=15207259&gclid=CjwKEAiArqKmBRCOj_qfmuqinnYSJAAkAYwGtYt-LfF_8zaN5MBVzEL4QgNGU3HdhTg4mO2FcaaadxoCvnDw_wcB">Rock-n-Play by Fisher-Price</a></div>
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This turned out to be the best money we spent in the first few months of Charlotte's life. We quickly found out that sleeping completely flat was painful to her, so we tried putting her down in her bouncy seat and it was the longest stretch of sleep we got. It didn't take us long to realize we needed the Rock-n-Play as a safe place for her to sleep in at night.</div>
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We kept her in this in our room for about three months. It was portable enough to bring around the house wherever we were, it vibrated which would instantly put her to sleep and it was at the perfect height by my bed so if she woke up, I could easily rock her back to sleep just by stretching my arm out next to me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1utKzxNS3VhtCkmLhuPtfVvRkIjc9Pp059bPew-lL_wej-xqrdwSocQgWW34aEthqfFCPiFp1S5V5tdkUx3j_Bi5YLB3CRHDhI6yTq6yiixfBrfAw9-rCf5FtePJjOLH7iZzbN4O6xhu/s1600/11765216763446p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1utKzxNS3VhtCkmLhuPtfVvRkIjc9Pp059bPew-lL_wej-xqrdwSocQgWW34aEthqfFCPiFp1S5V5tdkUx3j_Bi5YLB3CRHDhI6yTq6yiixfBrfAw9-rCf5FtePJjOLH7iZzbN4O6xhu/s1600/11765216763446p.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>2.</b> <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/buy/sound-and-light-soothers/cloud-b-gentle-giraffe-plush-sound-machine-with-four-soothing-sounds-7373-zz-3819672">Giraffe Sound Machine by Cloud B</a></div>
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Moving Charlotte from our room to her crib was harder on us than it was on her. We were so worried she would know we weren't there and would wake up crying. We were wrong. But to help in the chance she did wake up, we got this little Giraffe that makes white noise and sings lullabies. You can put it on for 23 or 45 minutes. We have only changed the batteries once and we've used it every night for the past 10 months. We traveled quite a bit with Charlotte during her first year, so being able to bring this little giraffe with us everywhere we go has helped create a familiar sleep environment for her.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKCUTUaope-FkiOln0y_nps8EzCu-mFC_jq5zJunZQUx6iKHwjgHOasDUThY9iTaHXXem2_mQr1IzSDk_82_jWynpTRvnxWj1OMpvjPD_tHU0mNMfZjWqBKoYnu29eJwqIfEOMPTDWj8h/s1600/motorola-monitor-new-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKCUTUaope-FkiOln0y_nps8EzCu-mFC_jq5zJunZQUx6iKHwjgHOasDUThY9iTaHXXem2_mQr1IzSDk_82_jWynpTRvnxWj1OMpvjPD_tHU0mNMfZjWqBKoYnu29eJwqIfEOMPTDWj8h/s1600/motorola-monitor-new-edit.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>3.</b> <a href="http://www.target.com/p/motorola-digital-3-5-video-baby-monitor-mbp36s/-/A-14086054?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&LNM=14086054&CPNG=Baby&kpid=14086054&LID=9pgs&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14086054&kpid=14086054&gclid=CjwKEAiArqKmBRCOj_qfmuqinnYSJAAkAYwGR6G5n3WB9ZKNiQlu904Pce98IxaO1d68z4jhm_EOWBoCEnPw_wcB">Motorola Video Monitor</a></div>
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There are a lot of different schools of thoughts on video monitors and whether they are good top have or not. Some people think it's lazy, but for us it has been a huge help. We both are sound sleepers and have to keep ours and the baby's door closed at night so having a sound monitor is a must. However, the video part has helped us assess if she's truly in distress or not. I know I should know her cries, but sometimes in the middle of the night it's hard to think clearly. Being able to just look over and watch her try to go back to sleep has eased my mind on many occasions. Often when she wakes up she doesn't cry, so it helps us determine when we need to go and get her and when she is content on having quiet time in her crib.<br />
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Another huge benefit for us is being able to sit downstairs and watch TV or do work without constantly worrying if she's ok. She has a habit of sleeping with her blanket by her face (it's the only way she'll sleep) so being able to check on her periodically without going into her room and risking waking her up has been a lifesaver<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_i18YOGu6wtGNUlVbiVbR-gxZGU47UDdXqh3F2IrPTIIVluFDL-G9SLE9wUp3dFgjqkK6shgMr3oh43Uswz2I_yjOEl8DGZVjRtSpDQ_W86_YkBFUOmWs7gdRkXwO1n0e3LCk7ltfrB77/s1600/veggie_spinach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_i18YOGu6wtGNUlVbiVbR-gxZGU47UDdXqh3F2IrPTIIVluFDL-G9SLE9wUp3dFgjqkK6shgMr3oh43Uswz2I_yjOEl8DGZVjRtSpDQ_W86_YkBFUOmWs7gdRkXwO1n0e3LCk7ltfrB77/s1600/veggie_spinach.jpg" height="352" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>4.</b> <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/buy/sound-and-light-soothers/cloud-b-gentle-giraffe-plush-sound-machine-with-four-soothing-sounds-7373-zz-3819672">Buddy Fruits</a></div>
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Now that Charlotte is off formula, we have to always be prepared with a snack in case of a meltdown. A bottle used to solve everything, but now we have to be more creative. My mom discovered these little Buddy Fruits at the grocery store one day and we haven't been without them since. They are easy to throw in your purse or diaper bag for a quick snack, plus they have more nutrition value than cereal or puffs. I think Charlotte just likes being able to hold it on her own.</div>
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<b>5. Family</b></div>
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It's not a product, but probably the most important factor to surviving our first year as new parents. We seriously could not have done this without our family. Whether you use them for advice and moral support or to help when you need a little break, having family and friends willing to help is the only survival tool we need. At the end of the day, there is always someone to listen to you rant about the hard times, but even better, they are there making memories with you along every step of the way.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-86461392258545921772015-01-28T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-28T00:00:05.999-05:00Confident and Classic City Chic - WIWW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I must first apologize for the quality of this week's pictures. My camera charger is missing and I've officially killed the battery, so these pictures were taken with my phone. If I still don't have my charger by next week, maybe I will do a What I Wore Wednesday post using my selfie stick! Yep, you read that correctly, I have a selfie stick and I'm not ashamed to admit it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHB_VK4KoXy3CGy6Vozp-yg1W-sYGmGOunjVqKYxPayfFwc3Jued8DJsd9icmujrOK_9q_k2phsDHGxwFZKHbBRAO38fl2yF22nGhEWqivdaSj0dSxP526Hv3QcoqfsmXvYBtYqOMFr02/s1600/FullSizeRender+(15).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHB_VK4KoXy3CGy6Vozp-yg1W-sYGmGOunjVqKYxPayfFwc3Jued8DJsd9icmujrOK_9q_k2phsDHGxwFZKHbBRAO38fl2yF22nGhEWqivdaSj0dSxP526Hv3QcoqfsmXvYBtYqOMFr02/s1600/FullSizeRender+(15).jpg" height="640" width="410" /></a></div>
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So there I was, out for one of the first times since having Charlotte and I came across this poncho at Ann Taylor on the clearance rack. It wasn't like anything I've ever bought, but when I tried it on, the transformation was instant. I no longer felt insecure or frumpy; I felt stylish and chic! Needless to say, this little gem went home with me. And now over a year later, I still find it to be one of my favorite pieces especially on a day when I need a confidence boost!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAM5d0tv5QZItn60MfhZyhXYJ3XIE1g21KuOsEa9QrrkQ8ULwVe7fNEQXq0-PT7lTOOufTfYA-xSVudk_mTvLuexbelkbIgWWxlMm2XfDREGb2-zwDDwhEapkTG-G3P70UJXD7QOrVzBM/s1600/FullSizeRender+(18).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAM5d0tv5QZItn60MfhZyhXYJ3XIE1g21KuOsEa9QrrkQ8ULwVe7fNEQXq0-PT7lTOOufTfYA-xSVudk_mTvLuexbelkbIgWWxlMm2XfDREGb2-zwDDwhEapkTG-G3P70UJXD7QOrVzBM/s1600/FullSizeRender+(18).jpg" height="640" width="378" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Outfit Details:</u></b></div>
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Poncho//Ann Taylor</div>
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Black Jeans//White House Black Market</div>
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Heels//old</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoXWTkNmDm56saAC-31hyphenhyphenvvw0BI-rq2ZQBX-4FwI3Ez3ksaFhqKfFiOZmcXaOeBRC3aZZvjCUvPbA0bBAKMlyZqNT-6xEQBBIljw2Y7ZuSuLeyT6lwypkM8RttuT4uMj9QUsZlFTDw4-e/s1600/FullSizeRender+(19).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoXWTkNmDm56saAC-31hyphenhyphenvvw0BI-rq2ZQBX-4FwI3Ez3ksaFhqKfFiOZmcXaOeBRC3aZZvjCUvPbA0bBAKMlyZqNT-6xEQBBIljw2Y7ZuSuLeyT6lwypkM8RttuT4uMj9QUsZlFTDw4-e/s1600/FullSizeRender+(19).jpg" height="640" width="352" /></a></div>
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I can't help but feel like Mary Tyler Moore when I wear this outfit which for some reason raises my sass level tenfold (I feel bad for my colleagues). Regardless, we must all have an outfit that makes us feel a million bucks no matter what the day throws at you. This goes to show that you don't always have to be super dressed up to feel fabulous. </div>
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What is your go to outfit that makes you feel on top of the world? Do you wear it enough? I challenge all of you to dig out that outfit, article of clothing or even accessory and wear it this week to give yourself a well deserved ego boost!</div>
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Linking up with Lindsay @ The Pleated Poppy for WIWW</div>
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<a _mce_href="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/blog/" href="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/blog/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img _mce_src="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wiww125.png" alt="pleated poppy" border="0" src="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wiww125.png" height="125" width="125" /></a></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-61646243668543341102015-01-23T11:47:00.002-05:002015-01-23T11:47:43.081-05:00High Five for Friday!I typically don't miss a High Five for Friday post, but last week was beyond my control. Our entire family came down with a terrible stomach bug. The only good thing about bugs like that is they are usually gone within 24 hours. Needless to say, I missed my high fives. So to make up for it, I am doing one big high five to cover the last two weeks. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybVUqrLZKW6rf0AXr1G5rPngl-wm0T9kp8VrJThzpaGXfm9PAChsdc4lR0hVt2DNnMlxlsHHmssDxgONjrLSgw3UyLWv0ZeFRZ4PeWh04j-K6bwbG0VZeIIgd5BvLRHAeL_4ZNrT8UR4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybVUqrLZKW6rf0AXr1G5rPngl-wm0T9kp8VrJThzpaGXfm9PAChsdc4lR0hVt2DNnMlxlsHHmssDxgONjrLSgw3UyLWv0ZeFRZ4PeWh04j-K6bwbG0VZeIIgd5BvLRHAeL_4ZNrT8UR4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li>Charlotte enjoys feeding herself at dinner, but I think her favorite part of dinner is licking the plate. She started this little trick the other night and I just HAD to document it.</li>
<li>We of course had her 1 year check up last week and just as I was trying to take a picture of her stats, her little fingers crept in. Maybe it's just me, but those two little chubby fingers sneaking in just cracks me up!</li>
<li>I've shared this picture on <a href="http://instagram.com/alittleboltoflife">Instagram </a>and in her <a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2015/01/charlottes-1st-birthday-and-baptism.html">Birthday post</a>, but it's still one of my favorites right now. The pure joy on her face can make a bad day instantly better.</li>
<li>Here is another one of my favorites. Charlotte insists upon brushing her teeth whenever she sees me with a toothbrush. She will fuss and cry until I give her hers.</li>
<li>I made this perfect little Disney decomesh wreath for Charlotte's birthday and I've decided that it will now be my everyday wreath.</li>
<li>One of my wardrobe staples as of late is this amazing onsie by <a href="http://www.onepiece.com/en-us/womens/jumpsuits/traditions/lusekofte-onesie-navy">OnePiece</a> (don't worry I got mine on super sale!). It's made of sweatshirt material, so no static and doesn't have feet, which makes it absolutely perfect. As soon as I get home, I change into this for the evening. Can we say obsessed?!</li>
<li>This is a little snapshot of how my mornings go. When I'm trying to get ready, she insists on being as close as humanly possible to me. It makes doing my hair with a 400 degree flat iron interesting to say the least. </li>
<li>On Monday I spent the afternoon making food for the week. I cannot say enough how much this helped us this week. I managed to make chicken pot pies, chili, cornbread and baked ziti. </li>
<li>One of Charlotte's birthday presents was this awesome little talking chair complete with a remote control on the armrest. From time to time I will catch her watching TV in it and suddenly she is no longer a baby!</li>
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It's going to be a nasty weekend with rain/snow/sleet so you will find my family in their jammies all day tomorrow and I can't wait! Have a great weekend and stay dry!</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-15763410528745853212015-01-20T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-20T00:00:02.469-05:00Easy Mini Chicken Pot PiesNeed dinner in 30 minutes or less with little clean up?! Then this is the perfect dish for you. My mom made these for us a few months back and I loved how easy they were. You can come up so many different variations by just swapping out an ingredient here and there,the possibilities are endless!<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yCEGW8COqyC1LZGHhpNBp0P7vO5LOyer1Ce1MrwfgpdyIwikorNDfDlJjbZPGHvUeuhnzDokn-dUxIRDkRma4YTd4IwKXFe4M8HJD6K3a-dHJ6N9vYuS_JPC6LsVE5QKWi1MPcgA6yzI/s1600/IMG_2392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yCEGW8COqyC1LZGHhpNBp0P7vO5LOyer1Ce1MrwfgpdyIwikorNDfDlJjbZPGHvUeuhnzDokn-dUxIRDkRma4YTd4IwKXFe4M8HJD6K3a-dHJ6N9vYuS_JPC6LsVE5QKWi1MPcgA6yzI/s1600/IMG_2392.JPG" height="640" width="508" /></a></div>
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<b><u>What you'll need:</u></b></div>
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Cooked chicken (1-2 cups)</div>
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Cream of chicken soup (1 can)</div>
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Frozen mixed vegetables (1-2 cups)</div>
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Grand biscuits (1 can)</div>
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Preheat your oven to 375. Now begin cooking your chicken and vegetables. I used frozen, precooked chicken strips and frozen vegetables and simply microwave them per the instructions. Once cooked, combine the chicken, vegetables and cream of chicken soup in a bowl and stir. </div>
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Set your mixture aside and take your biscuits and flatten them out to about 5 1/2 inches in diameter (be sure not to make them too thin). Then place them in your greased muffin pan so that about 3/4 of an inch hangs out on all sides. Once the biscuits are in place, simply fill 2/3 of the way with your mixture and fold over the remainder dough on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. </div>
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Not only are these great for a quick dinner that everyone will love (even your kids!), but I find them perfect for lunch on the go; just grab one and reheat in the microwave!</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-35324855594215132472015-01-15T08:33:00.001-05:002015-01-15T08:33:29.588-05:00How to Clean Your Flat Iron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUWdXV0cN36g7pWo8AY-sMpoo67XbN-HXhl3FBYeOpCgUeBcUlkWK53hwIrXe5-XEIfvwCMOQlEPkGJxr2v2C9RhV_cm7-zBfe2ikCmf33p0fyJ37CMlMgY13hdLaMDZYBypqn3zYmnwo/s1600/IMG_2324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUWdXV0cN36g7pWo8AY-sMpoo67XbN-HXhl3FBYeOpCgUeBcUlkWK53hwIrXe5-XEIfvwCMOQlEPkGJxr2v2C9RhV_cm7-zBfe2ikCmf33p0fyJ37CMlMgY13hdLaMDZYBypqn3zYmnwo/s1600/IMG_2324.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I know I can't be the only one who has a gunky flat iron. After all, we all use product of some kind or another when styling our hair. After a few months you may end up with a flat iron that looks like this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6oYNzuL9TCDnwDr57mgNIsCv7A0pyEMJvghKCDhl-kiCjTWkf_rp0kk7chPjgoIXMfN1Rm5NqbmORTA4q-G4BGJPjQocMg_EdKp2C-mQyqHBzUz9FTkgkSvtwUSq_YGjsSTpotL_569h/s1600/IMG_2318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6oYNzuL9TCDnwDr57mgNIsCv7A0pyEMJvghKCDhl-kiCjTWkf_rp0kk7chPjgoIXMfN1Rm5NqbmORTA4q-G4BGJPjQocMg_EdKp2C-mQyqHBzUz9FTkgkSvtwUSq_YGjsSTpotL_569h/s1600/IMG_2318.jpg" height="400" width="372" /></a></div>
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Oh, yours isn't this bad? Don't judge me, Mine is months and months of caked on hair product and it needed to be fixed. After all, this was my beloved Chi! After some searching, I came across multiple sources that say baking soda and hydrogen peroxide will clean that gunk right off. That has to be better than the bobby pin I was previously using!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWazH79dMFHY10XMCLC22jesdkz09T-4-1bGT7ArwlzNg930TQjfX1hbUJMEJ0N7I_UtKHuXP-6JYUMdVVgzH_e6W0AZSIyYWCHfO8EITCp08pRlQzItiDBv4G1rE4pMkuWBTyxYmR1ah/s1600/IMG_2319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWazH79dMFHY10XMCLC22jesdkz09T-4-1bGT7ArwlzNg930TQjfX1hbUJMEJ0N7I_UtKHuXP-6JYUMdVVgzH_e6W0AZSIyYWCHfO8EITCp08pRlQzItiDBv4G1rE4pMkuWBTyxYmR1ah/s1600/IMG_2319.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
<b><u>What you'll need:</u></b></div>
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Hydrogen peroxide</div>
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Baking soda (1/4 cup)</div>
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Dirty flat iron<br />
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Simpy mix the hydrogen peroxide with the baking soda until you have a think paste. You will only need a small dash of the hydrogen peroxide so as not to make it too watery.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGWjfZ4BHoccjTDMOUFUvq3SowhjI-S_rbPkxQ6UYoJLVWuX3moF5UYPqomXJA0ohtQ-7PF7b_aRwPYrTh55UrPDMPN4og6_QJX01hwF7Wb31la1ur0ptMG8RMp7r_-ewnwbIzS6bw7z4/s1600/IMG_2320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGWjfZ4BHoccjTDMOUFUvq3SowhjI-S_rbPkxQ6UYoJLVWuX3moF5UYPqomXJA0ohtQ-7PF7b_aRwPYrTh55UrPDMPN4og6_QJX01hwF7Wb31la1ur0ptMG8RMp7r_-ewnwbIzS6bw7z4/s1600/IMG_2320.jpg" height="400" width="360" /></a></div>
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Once it is good and mixed, you can start to coat the metal plates of your flat iron with the mixture. As soon as it is good and coated, walk away for about 10 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4BremnIGZ3oTqEmD62JxQKDV0AVo0E5VHYCw3OLCRAuqXCrnGscYH-kpkFPOZ7dIj-Cm6n95_EFQw2F2_XGUdXs1Klm8FK8UamlXoAt8OhN3O6Neal6juobfpLPTB4QVF7vy6_aBOcSJ/s1600/IMG_2321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4BremnIGZ3oTqEmD62JxQKDV0AVo0E5VHYCw3OLCRAuqXCrnGscYH-kpkFPOZ7dIj-Cm6n95_EFQw2F2_XGUdXs1Klm8FK8UamlXoAt8OhN3O6Neal6juobfpLPTB4QVF7vy6_aBOcSJ/s1600/IMG_2321.jpg" height="371" width="400" /></a></div>
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When you come back, wipe off the mixture and rub the excess into the flat iron with your finger a sponge or even a toothbrush. You can use anything to get the remainder of the mixture off as long as it doesn't scratch the metal plates of your flat iron.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJduwOQhBK1H_1PPd9yuN8mEk7MRwnJMq4f-hysDpB-AG1lVU1Bs5YuI0A97sPg3pjkU5V3YkDQCz3oTvv6VSsL23902IM8o_VOJQpBuV_qeK2BswcB8cB4oEGDzFwOWlBZvpyINHNd2UG/s1600/IMG_2323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJduwOQhBK1H_1PPd9yuN8mEk7MRwnJMq4f-hysDpB-AG1lVU1Bs5YuI0A97sPg3pjkU5V3YkDQCz3oTvv6VSsL23902IM8o_VOJQpBuV_qeK2BswcB8cB4oEGDzFwOWlBZvpyINHNd2UG/s1600/IMG_2323.jpg" height="400" width="363" /></a></div>
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And there you have it, in about 15 minutes you have a nice and clean flat iron. I can't wait to use it!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-87279912003455699562015-01-13T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-13T00:00:04.300-05:00Charlotte's 1st Birthday and BaptismI promise this will be the last post on the topic. But I wanted to share some of the details of Charlotte's 1st birthday party. We kept it small and simple as I didn't have time to plan a huge elaborate party and kept it at just family, however I did manage to add a few fun details that I thought I would share with you!<br />
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As you can see in the title of this post, we grouped two celebrations into one. We decided since everyone has been busy and we've put it off for a year now, there was no better time to get Charlotte baptized than on the same day of her party. This way we got away with just one party and limited the travel on our family.<br />
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The day started early with Charlotte's baptism and then everyone came back to our house to celebrate. The only downside of this master plan was the fact that I didn't take into account nap time, so that made things a little difficult, but not unbearable. Here are just a few pictures of the baptism.<br />
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When it came time to do the party, even though it was small, I still wanted to have a theme and to do a few things around the house to decorate for the day. I was hell bent on not having another Minnie Mouse themed party, but unfortunately I couldn't avoid it. Don't get me wrong, you all know I love Disney, but sometimes it's fun to do something a little different. The reason I ended up going Minnie was because I wanted to do something special with all the monthly updates. After all the work I've put into those throughout the year, I wanted a way to showcase it. And since they were Minnie Mouse themed I figured to just run with it. Also, I happened to walk into H&M last week and found the perfect <a href="http://instagram.com/p/xfZ3wRGFhH/?modal=true" target="_blank">Minnie Mouse party dress</a>, so the rest just kinda fell into place.<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-81564037030389140912015-01-12T00:04:00.002-05:002015-01-12T09:14:08.014-05:00Charlotte's 12 Month Update<div style="text-align: center;">
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I would be lying if I told you I was going to miss these updates. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved tracking Charlotte's progress, but it became such a tedious chore. From making her shirt, to getting her to cooperate for the pictures (you will see that this month we only got a few) to editing and posting them, there were many a tears shed (not just from her). OK, I'm being dramatic, but you get the point. </div>
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I do find this last month update a little bittersweet, but I'm excited to see what the next chapter brings. We will always have these progress pictures to look back on for years to come, so even though I'm closing the book on them, they will always be there to serve as a precious memory of her first year.</div>
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<b>Eating:</b> The big difference here is we are no longer on formula! She officially switched over to whole milk about 2 weeks ago and we haven't had the slightest issue. To be fair, we are still warming it a little and giving it to her in a bottle, but this week we plan to wean her off the bottle all together. Wish us luck!</div>
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She continues to be a good eater with really no pickiness. She favors some foods over others but still manages to eat everything on her plate. Right now she's really into bananas, green beans and blueberries. She's not a huge fan of chicken or beef, but will eat it once the other favorites are gone.</div>
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<b>Sleeping:</b> Nighttime sleeping still goes really well. She's super easy to put down and will stay asleep until 7 or even 8 in the morning! Lately we've struggled simply because she is teething again and it's no joke! We were really lucky that up until now, teething has been a breeze and never seemed to bother her. Unfortunately this next set of teeth have her really bent out of shape. She's woken up a few times in the middle of the night screaming.</div>
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Napping is a different story. She naps well at daycare, but on the weekends we have a hard time getting her to stay down for longer than 45 minutes. I think it has something to do with how bright her nursery is compared to the pitch black nursery at daycare. When in doubt though, we take her for a little car trip to run errands so we can at least get her to sleep for a few minutes here and there.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">This past month, Charlotte has really showed us her personality. I'm not sure if we should be worried or proud, but this little girl has quite a strong will. When she wants something, she's very emphatic on getting it and the same goes for when she doesn't want something. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">Right now she's really into any toy with wheels or that sing. Which lucky for us, is nearly every toy she has! She likes to snuggle (on her time, of course) and will shake her head no at everything. She loves crawling up the stairs, which is good for us considering we have so many, and she still gets her feelings hurt when we say no.</span></span><br />
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Check back tomorrow where I'll be posting all about her first birthday/baptism party.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">In the meantime, check out all the other month updates here:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/02/charlottes-1-month-update.html" target="_blank">1 Month</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/03/charlottes-two-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558206"></span>2 Months</a><span id="goog_129558207"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/04/charlottes-three-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558210"></span>3 Months</a><span id="goog_129558211"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/05/charlottes-four-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558213"></span>4 Months</a><span id="goog_129558214"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/06/charlottes-five-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558216"></span>5 Months</a><span id="goog_129558217"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/07/charlottes-six-month-update.html" target="_blank">6 Months</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/08/charlottes-7-month-update.html">7 Months</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/09/charlottes-8-month-update.html" target="_blank">8 Months</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/10/charlottes-9-month-update.html" target="_blank">9 Months</a><br />
<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/11/charlottes-10-month-update.html" target="_blank">10 Months</a><br />
<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/12/charlottes-11-month-update.html" target="_blank">11 Months</a></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-44496259565227372502015-01-09T10:29:00.000-05:002015-01-09T10:30:21.707-05:00High Five for Charlotte's Birthday!Today is a big day for our little family....it's Charlotte's birthday! This year has brought us so much joy with our little girl and we can't wait to celebrate her on Sunday with our families. But for now, I will continue with a recap from my week! Happy Friday, y'all!<br />
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<li>I couldn't resist. Apparently you can now play<a href="https://archive.org/details/msdos_Oregon_Trail_The_1990" target="_blank"> Oregon Trail online</a>! Yes, my friends, it is the <b>real</b> deal. I was so excited to play until of course Charlotte died from dysentery....</li>
<li>As I mentioned before, today is the day! Charlotte is 1! This was the best picture we were going to get this morning in her birthday outfit for daycare (she hates the hat). Don't worry, Monday there will be a full update!</li>
<li>Believe it or not I wasn't going to do a Minnie Mouse themed birthday and then I saw this dress at H&M, I had no choice! Isn't it the most perfect party dress?!</li>
<li>We had our first snow day of the season and even though Charlotte has technically seen snow, this time she was far more aware of the white stuff and spent the morning just looking out the window and pointing.</li>
<li>I can never resist a good Lilly sale and these two items were just too perfect to pass up! </li>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-38025532763514533242015-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-06T00:00:00.841-05:00Big Girl ShoesOne of my many New Years Resolutions is to blog more regularly. I let myself get too busy with a number of things this fall and it was time to say goodbye to some things so I could focus on the things I really love. Now that it's been a few months, I feel like I've found my balance again, so I'm back at sharing my everyday musings with you here in my little corner of the internet.<div>
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Now to catch you up. Charlotte's birthday is on Friday and in case you've missed it, she's already walking! These past few weeks, she really got the hang of it and seems to be nearly running away from me now! I used to just put socks on her but with winter here and her needing to get a better grip on the hardwoods, we thought it was time for some good shoes. </div>
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The first battle is finding the right size. After about 5 attempts at shoes that didn't fit, I was fed up and wanted to get her fitted so we could know her size once and for all. Our local mall has a Stride Rite store, so we thought that would be a good place to start. It was super easy, they measured her foot and told me what kind of sole she needs for her current stage in walking and showed me to that section. From there, we found a shoe that would go with most things and that was on sale. (Stride Rite makes good quality shoes, but unfortunately they aren't very budget friendly considering the shoes only last a few months because your baby quickly outgrows them.)</div>
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Once Charlotte picked out her shoes, we tried them on and let her take them for a test run. They wanted to make sure her foot was in there properly and that she had no problems walking in them. In every other shoe we tried before Stride Rite, she would wiggle out of them so easily because we could never get her foot in them properly. It turns out we were buying them all way too small!<br />
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I think it's safe to say these were a hit! Unfortunately I don't think I will be able to buy Stride Rite's very often due to the price, but I definitely recommend them as one of your baby's first pair of walking shoes because you can be sure you are getting a good quality, sturdy shoe that is sure to fit. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*These opinions are 100% my own and I was not paid or reimbursed in any way by Stride Rite to write this post</span>. </div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-69010544217077076092015-01-02T10:26:00.000-05:002015-01-02T11:57:24.750-05:00High Five for 2015!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First high five of 2015! I can't wait to see what 2015 brings. I already know it's going to be a fun year watching Charlotte go from a baby to a little girl. </div>
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<li>My view on Christmas Eve. Wee enjoyed a nice quiet Christmas Eve at home starting new traditions for Charlotte's first Christmas.</li>
<li>Big news! Charlotte starting walking! We took her to Stride Rite this week to get fitted for big girl shoes. I really can't believe how fast all of this is happening!</li>
<li>On New Year's Eve we went to dinner with my parents and I caught my dad and Charlotte coloring together. Moment's like that just melt my heart.</li>
<li>Milo hasn't been part of a high five in a while so I thought I would share this picture of him in his Christmas tie. He's been doing really well with Charlotte and I think has even started to like her a little bit (it only took a year).</li>
<li>Our little almost one year old has such a big personality! I got a faux fur scarf for Christmas and she proceeded to snatch it from me, wrap it around her neck and pose (this comes way too naturally). I have a feeling her teen years will be interesting!</li>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-71159473975955541872014-12-31T11:22:00.001-05:002014-12-31T11:23:29.190-05:002014 RecapHow are we already done with 2014?! It has been a year that I'll never forget that gave us so many new memories and firsts for us as a little family.<br />
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Starting in the top left corner, follow along as I recap the highlights from each month. Warning: baby overload! (Sorry that I'm not sorry!)<br />
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<b>January </b>- On the 9th we welcomed our first baby into the world, Charlotte Noel. She was born at 11:52am via C-section and weighed a whopping 9lbs 12oz and 21.5 inches long. Best. Day. Ever!<br />
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<b>February </b>- While I was still on maternity leave, Charlotte took here first trip to Disney World at just 6 weeks old! Yes, I'm aware we are completely crazy.<br />
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<b>March </b>- Charlotte loved her first St. Patrick's Day with her mom and dad. We managed to still celebrate the holiday by having green beer and watching TV in the comfort of our own home.<br />
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<b>April </b>- Easter was spent with family in Richmond but not complete without a trip to visit the Easter Bunny!<br />
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<b>May </b>- Daycare was an easy and natural adjustment thanks to an awesome in-home provider. Charlotte enjoyed spending the warm days outside on the giant water slide at daycare and of course my heart melted when I got this little picture.<br />
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<b>June </b>- We have a local farm (Burnside Farms) that plants flowers to pick during the spring and summer months. It is such a cute place to stop and take pictures too. Charlotte of course picked her flowers in her Lilly!<br />
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<b>July </b>- We spent the 4th of July down at the river with my parents and my in-laws. It was such a fun weekend complete with boat rides, a cornhole tournament and of course fireworks.<br />
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<b>August </b>- The whole family showed their Notre Dame spirit during one of the big rivalry games.<br />
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<b>September </b>- We went back to Disney World where Charlotte was completely enamored by the characters (unfortunately that was short lived). It was also an exciting month where my husband got a callback to the American Idol Auditions. He didn't make it any further in the process, but it was such a cool experience that not everyone gets to say they did.<br />
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<b>October </b>- Charlotte's first Halloween was a success. At the last minute I decided to craft a <a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/10/diy-olaf-costume.html" target="_blank">DIY Olaf costume </a>for her and then stumbled upon this perfect Ana costume for me.<br />
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<b>November </b>- We went back to Burnside Farms to take some pumpkin patch pictures. Charlotte was scared of the pumpkins at first but eventually warmed up to them.<br />
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<b>December </b>- Our 4th and final trip to Disney for the year (we had annual passes, don't judge) was so much fun! We got see the Christmas lights and watch the lights dance at Hollywood Studios.<br />
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In just a few days, we will be celebrating Charlotte's first birthday and I can't believe all the memories we've already made in just one year. I'm sure this next year will be even better!<br />
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We have no plans for New Years Eve, but I'm actually looking forward to a nice quiet evening in. Sometimes it's more fun to drink a bottle of champagne on the couch while watching the ball drop with the ones you love. Here's to 2015!!! Happy New Year!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-90836625157437134392014-12-24T11:00:00.000-05:002014-12-24T11:00:10.197-05:00Charlotte's First ChristmasI know it's been a while since I last posted, but like everyone else, I've been busy with the season! Since this is Charlotte's first Christmas, I find myself experiencing a lot of firsts as well! Standing in the toy aisle agonizing over the perfect gift for Charlotte, making sure she has Christmas jammies, a Christmas outfit (a dressy church one AND something she can spend the rest of the day in), and of course hunting down the ever so popular (and sold out nearly everywhere) "Twas The Night Before Christmas" book to read tonight. Let's also not forget the cookies and milk for Santa!<div>
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I know I sound like a crazy person, but I don't get a do-over on Charlotte's first Christmas so I want to make sure we do it right. Sure, she won't remember this but I'm a believer in starting traditions day one. I want to be able to look back one day and show her pictures of all her Christmases and to see that even her first Christmas was magical.</div>
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So from my family to yours, we wish you a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas! </div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-32377646776189441162014-12-17T23:50:00.000-05:002014-12-17T23:50:22.973-05:00Mickey's Not So Merry Christmas PartyYep, you read that right, Mickey's <b>Not So </b>Merry Christmas Party. A few years ago I posted about <a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2012/12/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party.html" target="_blank">Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party</a> in Walt Disney World and how great it was. Unfortunately, just two years later, it seems as if everything has changed....for the worse. It pains me to have to write this about my beloved Disney, but I only hope to help those of you who are planning a trip and can't decide if this is worth the extra money or not.<br />
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As I've written before, this is a special hard ticket event that requires extra theme park admission. Over the years I've gone to so many of these parties and I love them so much that I welcome the extra cost. One of the biggest advantages of these events like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party in the fall and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in the winter is that they advertise the crowds to be much lighter. This could not have been more wrong in our instance last week. I had never seen the parks so crowded which made for a not so magical experience.<br />
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Normally when the party starts at 7pm, it is more crowded than usual because they are trying to get the day guests out of the parks while the party goers are all arriving. Normally this influx of crowd lasts about an hour and then things start to calm down. This year, that never happened. Unfortunately, when it is that crowded it makes all the other special activities incredibly hard to experience. For instance, they serve cookies and hot chocolate at various places throughout the park for free. But because of the crowds, we found ourselves waiting in line for 20 minutes just to get these treats.<br />
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When it came time for the castle lighting, parade and fireworks it was hard to find a spot, but if you did, those three events were well worth the wait. After all, Disney certainly knows how to set off some fireworks and put together an unforgettable parade.<br />
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We spent the rest of the night fighting crowds (and the cold) until we couldn't deal with it anymore. The wait times for rides never seemed to go down which made us just want to come back another day when it would be less crowded to ride those rides.<br />
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The only picture I got of the parade. Look at all those people! </div>
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Does this party offer unique experiences you can't get on any other night in the parks? Sure, but it comes at much too high of a price. Go to Magic Kingdom any other night and you will see the holiday decorations and be able to ride rides without too long of a wait. Things you get at the party you can't get any other time: Snow on Main Street, unlimited hot chocolate and cookies and a special fireworks display and parade. My recommendation is this, save your money and hop on over to Hollywood Studios to enjoy the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. At least there you get a light show of choreographed Christmas lights without having to buy a special ticket. Not to mention it snows there too! And unless you plan on eating $70 worth of cookies, stay back and enjoy the lighter crowds while everyone is at Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very (Not So) Merry Christmas Party.<br />
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Pure joy as we strolled down the streets of the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights!</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-88915545579552362922014-12-15T00:00:00.000-05:002014-12-15T00:00:10.941-05:00Charlotte's 11 Month Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know I'm almost a week late on this update but since we were in Disney World during her actual eleven month milestone, I decided to wait until we got back so as to keep all the updates uniform (ridiculous, I know).</div>
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<b>Eating:</b> Over the last few weeks, we've been giving Charlotte less formula. We didn't purposefully cut her back, it just sorta happened due to her eating at least three meals of solid food a day. We give her water all day so I think that keeps her from wanting the formula. I can't believe next month we will be able to ditch the formula all together!<br />
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We also started giving her a tiny bit of juice now and again. We love how much she loves water, so We've been hesitant on giving her juice, but after she stole her cousins sippy cup a few times, we decided the deed was done and it wouldn't kill her to have juice every now and again. So far she hasn't shown preference over one or the other, so that's good!<br />
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<b>Sleeping:</b> Absolutely nothing has changed on this home front (thank goodness). She is such a great sleeper at night, going to bed at 7pm and waking up between 6-7:30am. We still struggle with getting her down on the weekends for a nap, but that doesn't bother me since she sleeps so well at night.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg328hrkcfmwWj_WI6WcC885VaNMdmbB9jGZ0GkrMhUujBJFbFWpD880Bl18BD_QZnkZxGzg8R-WzMpMVenaDxEV9AWs2Ap_6Tsc2bDfM_7RrP34MyJKuOa3IjcNl_yzezEzSkJUDCjiNlX/s1600/11months2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg328hrkcfmwWj_WI6WcC885VaNMdmbB9jGZ0GkrMhUujBJFbFWpD880Bl18BD_QZnkZxGzg8R-WzMpMVenaDxEV9AWs2Ap_6Tsc2bDfM_7RrP34MyJKuOa3IjcNl_yzezEzSkJUDCjiNlX/s1600/11months2.jpg" height="640" width="452" /></a></div>
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This month her little personality has really begun to show. She is still such a good baby but lately a little temper has emerged. She finally learned the tone in my voice when I scold her as well as the word "no" and absolutely hates it! I told her "no" when she tried to grab my sunglasses and she screamed as if I had just snatched a bottle from her mouth. Then she starts to flail her arms and repeatedly screams "ne ne ne ne". I have no idea where she could have got this little temper from! ;) Again, if that's the worst of our problems right now, then we can't complain.</div>
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She did so good while we were in Disney last week. She loves being in her stroller and will even take naps in it. She handled the car trip to and from Florida like a champ and we are so grateful for such a fun and easy going baby.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfJKzwDLmz8b5efzkFUwVsqitUGTAoyKc1Wz_H5lyl3nRmlfHT9LleyB3ayrglNE2iNcS0Q4o3Fl2dwTGVjYkXlO43s_HQ14rs0nouORakyqDZyq2yxRqKoWlh4U6-1-CgpcAFi7D2rwe/s1600/11months4.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfJKzwDLmz8b5efzkFUwVsqitUGTAoyKc1Wz_H5lyl3nRmlfHT9LleyB3ayrglNE2iNcS0Q4o3Fl2dwTGVjYkXlO43s_HQ14rs0nouORakyqDZyq2yxRqKoWlh4U6-1-CgpcAFi7D2rwe/s1600/11months4.1.jpg" height="554" width="640" /></a></div>
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Even if she doesn't always cooperate for my photos, she still manages to crack me up Like this most perfect diva photo! It's as if she's saying, "No more pictures please, Mommy!"<br />
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I can't believe that in less than a month Charlotte will be turning one! I seriously wish I knew where the time went. I'm so happy I did these monthly updates even if they were a pain in the butt to get her to sit still and keep her bow on. Being able to look back and see how much she's changed month after month is pretty awesome. <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">Check out her other month updates here:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/02/charlottes-1-month-update.html" target="_blank">1 Month</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/03/charlottes-two-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558206"></span>2 Months</a><span id="goog_129558207"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/04/charlottes-three-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558210"></span>3 Months</a><span id="goog_129558211"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/05/charlottes-four-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558213"></span>4 Months</a><span id="goog_129558214"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/06/charlottes-five-month-update.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_129558216"></span>5 Months</a><span id="goog_129558217"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/07/charlottes-six-month-update.html" target="_blank">6 Months</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/08/charlottes-7-month-update.html">7 Months</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/09/charlottes-8-month-update.html" target="_blank">8 Months</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/10/charlottes-9-month-update.html" target="_blank">9 Months</a><br />
<a href="http://www.alittleboltoflife.com/2014/11/charlottes-10-month-update.html" target="_blank">10 Months</a></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-47162855331177976742014-12-05T11:20:00.001-05:002014-12-05T11:20:22.773-05:00H54FI'm not going to lie, my posts are going to continue to be sparse until after the New Year. We have soooo much going on right now that certain things have had to take a back seat, this little blog being one of them. I promise I'm not going completely rogue, just only posting when I have time or something blog worthy to write about. <div>
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In other news, WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD TONIGHT! I'm so excited for a full week away from the real world to visit my happy place! Not to mention, there will be Christmas decorations and lights everywhere! It seems like it's been <b>forever </b>(Ok, forever to me is three years) since we've been able to visit during the season!</div>
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Enough of that....let's get to the best part of my Friday! High five time!</div>
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<li>Charlotte went to visit Santa for the first time with her cousin and I think it's safe to say neither of them cared for the jolly old man in the red suit. This picture needs no words....</li>
<li>Just in time for our trip to Disney, these little magnets came in the mail. I love that they even sent two so we don't have to fight over who's car it goes on. Yes, I'm going to be that girl with a DVC magnet on my care...feel free to judge.</li>
<li>Charlotte's favorite thing is the phone. Not the phone locked, it has to have pictures on it. She likes to swipe and scroll through pictures of herself and on occasion she takes a selfie. I have a feeling we are going to be in big trouble in 15 years or so.</li>
<li>This week has been crazy for a number of reasons so when my friends surprise me with gifts that I haven't had time to make for myself, I get so touched. This picture is an iPad case that attaches to the headrest for Charlotte. Since we are driving, I had mentioned needing a way to attach the iPad to the backseat so we can keep Charlotte entertained. Then my brilliant friend came up with this design and surprised me with it one day at work. It's absolutely perfect and I can't wait to use it!</li>
<li>As I was packing a few nights ago, I told my husband that I was so mad at myself for not having the time to make cute family shirts for our trip. He of course told me it wasn't a big deal, but to me it really was. So you can only imagine when another great friend of mine took it upon herself to make shirts for our family for our trip! The crazy thing about this is she doesn't even have an embroidery machine. She did all this by hand! </li>
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I think it's safe to say that I have some of the best friends and family a girl could ask for. When life gets crazy, it's so good to know that there are people who want to help (without even being asked!). I hope everyone has a great weekend, and I'll be thinking of you in sunny, warm Florida!</div>
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.thelaurenelizabeth.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Elizabeth for H54F</a>!</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907702473695456658.post-64458872327473837652014-11-24T00:08:00.001-05:002014-11-24T00:09:05.857-05:00Baby's First Christmas OrnamentIf you've had a baby and are like me, then most likely you have a few mementos from the hospital just lying around. You tell yourself you will scrapbook them one day, but let's be real, how are you going to put those precious little hospital hats in a photo album? More importantly, who has time to do all of that?<br />
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After some extreme Pinterest-ing, I found the perfect way to showcase Charlotte's hospital bands and hat.....make an ornament with it! Imagine of all the other fun ornaments you could make with other precious items/memories you have lying around the house begging for a home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGQLr2o3JAbrFqBKFuCtirTSq2OmuTNbDEDnxLDfnDVU0oXybDd-4j3PmrosrhEOvZxOBmuXNufXVBQPInE8BjfNiiDKbj_P3A1HoGmbPXlI6Qy0M9RCDNJP23yKWwJ4Poqv0WmxzXk_b/s1600/FullSizeRender+(8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGQLr2o3JAbrFqBKFuCtirTSq2OmuTNbDEDnxLDfnDVU0oXybDd-4j3PmrosrhEOvZxOBmuXNufXVBQPInE8BjfNiiDKbj_P3A1HoGmbPXlI6Qy0M9RCDNJP23yKWwJ4Poqv0WmxzXk_b/s1600/FullSizeRender+(8).jpg" height="640" width="534" /></a></div>
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Clear plastic ornament (got mine from Michael's for $1.75)</div>
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Ribbon</div>
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Hospital hat</div>
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Hospital bracelets for both baby and parents</div>
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Any other special keepsakes from the hospital</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2wVJB3LwFo2SL5weIr6IAhPyqF3jFRnJ0vXgD9LeWqXWLR0-n9yMpfbOQoHrS1rrQL1zbEkPVe5-U24PSiAICEE_JuS3bReW4HJ5AuTOZyaVptuFgEqa2YLiVuCpAVjvzZ34iyeLK5XC/s1600/FullSizeRender+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2wVJB3LwFo2SL5weIr6IAhPyqF3jFRnJ0vXgD9LeWqXWLR0-n9yMpfbOQoHrS1rrQL1zbEkPVe5-U24PSiAICEE_JuS3bReW4HJ5AuTOZyaVptuFgEqa2YLiVuCpAVjvzZ34iyeLK5XC/s1600/FullSizeRender+(5).jpg" height="576" width="640" /></a></div>
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Simply take the top off the ornament and begin filling it with all your precious mementos from that special day. Arrange them how you want (this could take a while if you're anything like me), and pop the top back on. Now, tie a ribbon around the top or even write on the outside, and voila, you have the perfect Christmas ornament to remember that very special day by.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJi40DXzPcnVTSOBk7XIeIhUkdRxzyjNPuyQD6pKqNZPVLXJw9DbUc0p0p5kKON_eLIVM7f_RttzAweHK5Vx-rwVDZnS81eiwgnOzLNgP_eg6MAx5C1gRkPR_4HOcg_uQnWEHmZa9lhRy/s1600/FullSizeRender+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJi40DXzPcnVTSOBk7XIeIhUkdRxzyjNPuyQD6pKqNZPVLXJw9DbUc0p0p5kKON_eLIVM7f_RttzAweHK5Vx-rwVDZnS81eiwgnOzLNgP_eg6MAx5C1gRkPR_4HOcg_uQnWEHmZa9lhRy/s1600/FullSizeRender+(6).jpg" height="484" width="640" /></a></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08155923917421484716noreply@blogger.com3