steppin' out & blogger partyin' it up.

two posts in one day?  new record.

i wanted to hurry it up & get this out there before i passed out of exhaustion.  actually, that's probably exactly what i'll do as soon as i hit "publish."  friday night was a blast.  i was really on the fence about going to the pnw blogger's meet up right up to the last minute... until mandy & jill told me they were coming to get me regardless of what i decided.  sometimes it's just easier to stay at home & get a good night's sleep, ya know?

in the end i'm super excited i made it.  i got to see some of the faces i know & love from the bloggy world, some for the first time & some for the 20th time.  so many of these girls have become some of my closest friends & good times are ALWAYS had when we get together.

first things first?  as soon as we rolled into portland & got out of the car, steppin' out pictures were taken.

{linking up with my girl mandy, over at harper's happenings.  

don't worry, she appears in this post later.}

apparently i'm still shoving this 30 weeks-prego-body into a whole slew of non-maternity american eagle stuff.  this outfit was all about comfort... jeans, t-shirt & flats.  and comfortable i was.

the party was bumpin.  and by that i mean there were like 10 of us pregnant girls among the fifty bloggers at the party.  that's a crazy ratio, yo.  we hung out & ate some food & mingled & lots of laughs & hugs & snorts were had.  actually, that was mostly just me snort-sniffing mandy's face {bottom left}... i don't know either.

we somehow managed to fit six of us into one hotel room.  two double beds & a queen air mattress & four out of six of us were impregnated.  that's gotta be some kinda record, right?

first thing in the morning it was all about finding a legit breakfast... and mother's bistro in downtown portland did NOT disappoint.

{pictured bottom right:  jill, chelsey, me, melissa, mandy & emily.  also, lauren, pictured top left, was there too!}

mmmm, breakfast food.

and that was our adventure.  i'm so happy to have met so many amazing girls through this little internet world of blogging.  i have spent countless hours im-ing, texting, & hanging out with the ladies sam calls my "internet friends."  there is never a lack of things to talk about as we all have a million things to say about our kiddos, our husbands & our lives away from those things.  no one judges when you carry on your conversation while facebook-status-updating, instagramming, or tweeting & in fact, that's usually what we're all doing when we're together.  because we're bloggers.

{all photos in the post are courtesy of mandy... thanks for letting me be lazy with the camera for once & allowing me to steal all yours!}

steppin' out: it was ladies night.

i warned you guys there would be a post about my blogger meet up, what i didn't warn you about was the bazillion pictures that would be forthcoming.  but c'mon, we're bloggers.  it's what we do.

and by "what" i mean get together, talk & laugh loudly in a restaurant, mill in a mass to the yogurt shop, gather in the middle of the mall & laugh & eat yogurt like little girls {where are all the cute boys at??}, take pictures of each other doing weird & random things all while tweeting/facebooking/instagram-ing every second of it & then making our way across the mall to F21 to try on hats & clothes & eventually get yelled at for taking pictures.  i guess F21 is against a whole lotta free advertising from about 14 blogger-girls.  whatevs.

needless to say, fun was had.  many laughs {to tears!} were had & i was reminded how much it hurts to wear four inch heels from one end of a mall to the other but also how fun it can be to act like a crazy person in a herd of like-minded mamas.  the girls i'd met before became even closer friends & the ones i met for the first time have now been upgraded to "real life" friends as opposed to "internet" friends.  so that's something.

here's the rundown on the night & of course some pictures for a "steppin' out" post with harper's happenings which i haven't done in AGES.  hopefully this is the beginning of a resurrection of those posts.

i don't know how NOT to stand like mary katherine gallagher in front of a camera.  it's so awkward!

{yes i was really enjoying touching mandy's belly that much}

here's everyone, from left to right:

amanda, jill, chelsey, chelsea, fiona, melissa, mandy, me, ashley, mandy, emily, stephanie & kiara.

oh what F21?  i guess we got a few shots in before we were scolded.  winning.

can't wait to do it all again with this group of crazy fun ladies!

i'm not completely failing, right?

so we got our tree this week.  yay!  but... i still feel like a christmas 2011 failure.

i have no idea what i'm getting sam for christmas & we don't even know exactly what we're getting parker.  shouldn't i have christmas lists up the wahoo by now?  i find that i get most excited for christmas when i have great gift ideas for people.  when i have all these fun surprises up my sleeve for the big day & i'm just super excited for it to come already so i can watch their faces as they see how awesome & thoughtful i am.  {yeah i know, it's all about me!}

but... this year?  i got nothin.

also?  i haven't taken parker to sit on santa's lap {you want me to wait in line how long??} & i haven't watched a single christmas classic.  i haven't baked any christmas goodies, we didn't get christmas cards out, my holiday crafts are laying around half finished & parker needs a christmas suit.  obviously.  we didn't go to any christmas parades, parker didn't perform in any christmas pageants & i didn't go caroling at an old folks home.

so you know what i have to do, right?  yup.  make a christmas bucket list.  it means i have just over a week to kick my christmas season into high gear & get some christmas spirit up in here.

here goes:

•  christmas shop for sam & parker.
•  get parker a christmas outfit.
•  get parker's picture with santa.
•  finish my holiday projects.
•  bake something delicious & give it away.
•  watch my christmas favorites {including but not limited to:  a christmas story, the nativity, charlie brown christmas, muppet christmas carol, how the grinch stole christmas {the old school cartoon one.  obviously.}, & elf.}
•  drive around & admire houses who go way too overboard with their christmas decor.

that should suffice.

but don't get me wrong... i have been listening to christmas music non-stop, i've drank my weight in peppermint hot chocolate & we got together with friends to make gingerbread houses this week.  so all isn't lost.  i just like to go pretty all-out, ya know?  i mean c'mon... it's CHRISTMAS!  it's only the best holiday of the entire year.  so, no big deal.

lastly, i am kinda excited about one little thing.  this little blog has officially reached 1,000 followers!  it's like an early christmas present.  so none of ya'll go unfollowing today, ya hear?  i want to do something fun to celebrate.  perhaps a giveaway sponsored by yours truly?  stay tuned.

until then, just enjoy the lights on my little christmas tree.  who finally got put up halfway into the month.  that means it should be good til... say, mid january, right??  i'm sure sam would love that.

i'm here, but i'm over there!

ever wonder what i do all day?  you & sam both.

a day in my life is being featured over at The Domestic Wannabe today.  I photo-journaled my day from morning to bedtime & posted it on the internet.  so go have a look!  tell ashley i sent ya, & let me know what you think.

{check out the rest of my day HERE.}

but before you go, vote maybe?

now accepting July sponsors!

hey friends!

another month has come & gone.  bring on julyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!  {i hope in your head you imagined me saying it like oprah... because i was.}  no, seriously, bring on july.  around here {the pac-northwest} it's a known fact of truth that summer doesn't start until after the forth of july.  so i'm pretty freaking excited about this coming month.

and you should be too.  which gives you all the more reason why you should become a totally cool awesomely spectacular sponsor of this here little blog.  july is gonna be filled with not only lots & lots of p-ray cuteness {per the uge} but also all kinds of bbq's, playdates, & other awesome summery events. i can just feel it.

so let's do this.

our traffic is consistently climbing.  here's a snapshot:

800+ pageviews a day
720+ followers through GFC
280+ likes on facebook
470+ followers on twitter
140+ followers on pinterest

think you might be interested?  you totally should be.  here's what you do.

1.  pick out your ad size.

2.  email me to reserve your spot.

3.  send me your ad to display.  don't have one or do you need it resized?  no worries, we'll get it figured out.
4.  wait for july to roll around so you can see your pretty button on this here little side bar and your blog/shop/website featured in my posts!

i look forward to working with you & getting your shop/blog/website more traffic!  let's do this.

how about a way to support us that costs nadda?  click twice.  now you're my fave.

playdating - blogger style.

did you know there is a crazy amount of bloggers here in the seattle area?  true story.  and last friday p-ray & i got to get out of the south-sound & meet up with a bunch of them up at kelsey creek farm.

per the uge, it was a blasty-blast.  don't judge the day by parker's face in this picture.  he's just mad because i interrupted his play time for a picture.  he becomes more & more like his dad everyday.

here's the cast:

andrea, griffin, & michael {post-chocolate pudding face}  ---  amanda & reese {also-post-chocolate}

amanda & elliot  ---  rowan, melissa, & stella

mandy & harper  ---  corbin & jill

after some time at the playground we took a walk around the farm to see the animals.  i don't know if you know this about me, but animals are kinda a big deal... to me.  and now you know.

after twenty minutes of pointing the animals out to parker & trying to explain to him that he should be really really excited too, we headed to the grass for some snacks.  did i mention we got lucky & had amazing weather?  seriously, it was perfect... rain really woulda messed things up.  so seattle, i owe ya one.  no wait, i don't.  it's may & that was how it should be... ok, we can still be friends.

after a lunch of cheez-its, frosted animal crackers, & pretzels {ok, that was just me} we headed back for more playground time.   parker totally felt like one of the big kids since he got to hang around the stumpy-thing & look cool.  he pretended to be really into it so no one would notice he was actually stuck there.  someday he'll walk... i think.

anywho... it really was a good time.  we got to meet a bunch of these guys for the first time & i hope we do it again soon.  it's so fun to get together with people who you already "know" & have lots & lots to talk about.  seriously, when bloggers get together, we have a lot to say.

in other news, i have kinda decided to be a bit more relaxed with my blogging.  in other words, parker has been waking up at seven am lately & that doesn't work too well for my night-owl blogging tendencies.  so i've been opting for my bed around eleven o'clock instead of my computer til one am.  and honestly?  i have reconnected with my bed... eight hours of sleep is gooooooood.

and guess what?  a good life on facebook now has 197 fans!  :::cheers & applause:::  you should check out the facebook page for additional pictures & post-reminders & also because i will do a happy dance when we reach 200... mmm, k?

and lastly {i promise}  today is the last day to vote for us to be in the top 25 baby journals on circle of moms.  we are hanging in there around number 13 but it'd be pretty sweet to get a little boost down the finish line.  would ya mind clicking the pretty little button & giving us the thumbs up?  i'll be your best friend.  virtually.

thanks for all your votes guys... i'm sending you big virtual hugs, i swear.

join us for vloggin' vednesdays!

we got an amazing reaction from our first vlog last week!! thanks everyone,  you made my day week month.  we had such a blast participating in hot vliggity vlog vednesday & it turns out everyone had so much fun it's now been made into a regular thing!  check it out.

        

       

themes are set for each week so that we can all be on the same page & check out each other's vlogs. fun, right?  current dates & themes are:

march 9:  "rooms in your home"
-show a room {or rooms} in your house.  totally your opportunity to pull an mtv cribs up in here.

march 16:  "q&a day" - vlog questions
-why did you start blogging?
-if you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
-what is the biggest personal change you have ever made?

march 23:  "guilty pleasures."
-we know you got 'em.  let's hear about 'em.

march 30:  "how-to"
-share a how-to video.  we all like learning new stuff, right?

linky party will be hosted by don at adeline's daddy.  join us!!
{mine will most likely be up later today... check back, yo.}

we're so excited!

why you ask??  well, mostly because p-ray & i just got done taping our very first vlog.  and also because i was actually showered & tooth-brushed for it.  but mostly, we're just excited for the vlog.

it'll be up tomorrow... it's exciting, & scary.  i've never made a video of myself & posted it on the interwebz before.  it's a bliggity bloggity first.

happy march, friends!
xo


i get so excited when i see your votes! not even kidding.

ch-ch-ch-changes & winner winner chicken dinner.

you might be asking yourself what parker is so deep in thought over in this picture.  i'm pretty sure he's trying to decide whether or not he likes the changes to the blog.  can you tell what's different?  i'll give you some hints... header, buttons, columns.  to start with.  let me know what you think!

and i just realized i was a slacker in posting the Taylor Joelle giveaway winner!  it was random.org's pick number 26....

congrats brittani!

and you guys?  my iPhone is still sitting in a bed of rice drying off from last night's watery incident.  i haven't tried turning it on yet because i'm afraid if it doesn't turn on, all hope will be lost.  at least right now i have hope.  but the important thing is that i actually survived through the day without it!  i didn't know it was possible.

and now i'm off to pack for hawaii.  happy sunday!


sunday would be happier with your vote. i promise!

the part where you ask me stuff.

so i may or may not have mentioned that we were headed to hawaii soon.  cuz ummmmm, we are.  in like, three days.  AHHHH!!!  obviously i won't be doing blog posts per the ushe, but i don't want it to be all crickets in here either.

so here's my idea.  YOU:

that's right.  you guys... meaning, my friends, family, readers, & bloggity friends... yup.  all-y'all need to ask me stuff.  i will try to pick a question a day while we're on vacay & answer it on ze blog.  along with a hawaii picture.  mmmmk?

keyword:  try.  it's hawaii, people.

there is nothing off limits, but i do get to pick what is answered & what isn't.  & i will post who the question came from... unless you want to be anonymous.  that's fine too.

leave your questions either here in the comments or email me at:

in other news:

i think parker's nursing days are numbered.  we've been having biting issues {with those four sharp little teeth} which makes feedings stressful, painful, & traumatic.  because of this stress, i think my supply has tanked & is going away.  today was the first day parker had formula & it was waaaaaaayyy harder on me than i had anticipated.  he, however, guzzled his bottle & seemed satisfied to finally have a full meal.  

nine months of nursing is pretty good, right?  please leave your positive formula-feeding-feedback in the comments.  i thank you in advance.


and? i thank you in advance for your vote. thank you!

friday = blog baby playdate day.

i had such a blast at our bloggy moms girl's night out a while back, that i jumped at the chance to meet up again.  i loaded p-ray up in the car & drove an hour north to meet up with not only some of the same moms, but their super cute babies too.  it was so. much. fun.

it was so funny to see these little kiddos running around in real life.  when corbin came walking up to me, i couldn't help but blurt out something stupid like, "corbin! you really do exist!"

these guys are just as cute in person too.  here's the lineup:
{profile pics borrowed from a sorta fairytale. thanks mandy!}

{corbin}                  {ellie}                     {stella & rowan}                  {bennett}               {parker}

we had this grand idea to line up all the babies & get a cute picture of all of them in a row.  yeah, didn't go so well.  corbin was all over the place doing his own thing, rowan was feeding parker snacks & he wasn't exactly liking it {check out that bottom left picture. sad day!}, ellie was putting the moves on bennett & he wasn't feeling it, & stella... well, she actually did pretty good.

the babies all got a little stir crazy, so we headed outside for a stroll.

this lineup went much better.

parker & corbin reaching for each other.  parker's clearly rolling his eyes about all my picture taking.

playing with the new camera.  i love these shots of jill & corbin, & stella & melissa.

i can't say enough good things about all these girls & their babies.  i've had so much fun both times we've gotten together & leave each time excited for the next meet-up!

however, i wouldn't have been so excited if i'd known this was ahead of me:

awesome. seattle. traffic.  it took us two & a half hours to get home.  the picture in the middle shows me going 0 mph.  suh-weet.

definitely worth it though.  can't wait til next time!


all this blogging is definitely worth it for votes from my favorites.  two clicks & i love ya for it.