I'm Guest Posting...

...today over on Paige's blog, The Sticky Note Addict. 

You can find the direct link to my post, here. I hope you'll check out my tips for staying focused.

For me, the school year starts on August 27th, and I'm just ready to get the show on the road already. I'm really excited for the new start, with new classes and new teachers!

Are you ready for the new school year? What do you need before you'll feel prepared?

Boys Behind the Blog #3- Just Pretend It's Thursday

I'm here, late! See, it's an issue of mine. Being on time is not my forte. But I'm going to do this post anyway because I really like Joshua's answers to these five questions. If I can still link-up, then I will. If not, oh well! No harm, no foul.

1. What would you do with $1,000,000?
- Buy you a ring, then a house.*

2. What's your dream job?
- A firefighter.

3. Who is your celebrity crush?
- Selena Gomez.

4. what is your favorite sports team?
- Angels.

[via]

5. What was your AOL/AIM screen name back in the day?
- I never had one.

Previous Questions: Round Two

L Turns One!

Today was L's first birthday! My little bug is a year old.This day has been a long time coming, considering I landed the job with he was 10 weeks old, started unofficially when he was three months old and officially in January.

His parents celebrated his first year of life over the weekend, where as we celebrated with his friends today at a local park. Our afternoon included lunch, cupcakes, a splash pad and a tired, newly vaccinated one-year-old.

I decided to go with white cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Mostly because I don't like chocolate and L likes cake no matter the flavor. :) I used this recipe and they turned out absolutely amazing. Let's just say there are no leftovers and nothing went to waste. I ended up using store bought frosting because I was running short on time. They paired together incredibly well, something I was really worried about. 

I decided to do lunch bento box style for the kids and toddlers in attendance. Since it was at a park that included at splash pad, I figured it would be easier on all of us if everything was prepared ahead of time. For the adults, I prepped everything ahead of time and so we could grab-and-go. Mobile toddlers at a splash pad; you see where this is going. Everything served was something that The Very Hungry Caterpillar ate in the book. I went with salami, cheese, watermelon, apples, strawberries and oranges. 

I made the invitations on my computer in Word and added the caterpillar afterwards using a circle punch and a Sharpie pen. I only needed a few, so I decided to make them on my own rather than buying them on Etsy. I love the way they turned out. The font I used is called Olive Charming.

Birthday Shirt // Lunch Boxes (similar) // Silicone Cupcake Molds // Inspiration Board

*Don't forget to "like" my Facebook page!*

My Goals for Nannyhood: Blogging with a Purpose

Today prompt is: My goals for motherhood. Well, seeing as how I don't have kids, I didn't think it would be appropriate for me to write about it. So, I changed it. I am a Nanny and I have goals for my Nanny career. Here they are...

I always want the children I care for to feel safe, secure, and loved. It's my job to protect and love these children as though they are my own. I will comfort the crying baby without feeling as though it's a hassle or burden, not because it's my job, but because I want to. I will wear the babies and toddlers that need to be kept close, because that's what they need. Their needs before mine, always.

I want to lead by example. To show them kindness, tolerance, and manners through all situations. Not just the easy times, but the rough times as well. To show that even if I don't like a situation or person, that they always need to be respected and treated with kindness.

I want to be teaching, always. To take every opportunity to teach and educate every second I can. I hope that I never pass up a chance to teach L, especially during this time in his life. His brain is a sponge right now. I hope that I always take advantage of that.

To be patient. We always joke that "omg, being one is so hard!" but to them, it really is. They are so tiny and new to this earth. They are learning every moment of every day, a lot of experiences are new, and their little brains are constantly processing.

I hope that I will always live up to these goals and expectations for myself. I will always do my best and work harder to be better than I ever imagined possible.

The Craziest Saturday

Wow! Long time, no talk- eh?
I guess I needed some inspiration. Well, today I got what I ask for, even though I wish I hadn't. Because it was the craziest, most interesting and eventful day, ever. Like EVER. Add in a dash of scary and scarring, and there you go. My day.

L will be a year old on Wednesday. So, naturally, his parents threw his party this weekend at a local park. It was awesome! There was awesome food, and we got to hang out and celebrate L. Well, said park is also dog friendly, so long as the dog is leashed. My bosses have a dog, his name is Beckett, he's about 16lbs and he was their first baby. He will be six later this month. We almost always keep him leashed outside the house, the exception being to let him outside to pee or if I'm going to get something from my car. Obviously he was leashed while we were at the park.

A little while before we were going to let L dig into a cupcake, another family came into the park with their large dog, also leashed. All was well. Their kid was playing, we were hanging out, all that jazz. Fast forward ten minutes. We put L in his Bumbo and give him a cupcake. Literally two seconds after we put the cupcake on his tray, we hear yelling, yelping and growling coming from behind us.

The other dog that was there snapped it's leash, and attacked Beckett, with the intention of killing him. Going for his neck, snarling, the whole nine yards. After the longest, and scariest 20ish seconds of my life, they separated the two dogs. It literally took seven people to peel that dog off Beckett, most of whom were grown men. That's how intense and aggressive the whole situation was.

IT WAS SCARY.

After it was over, the other dog's owner was incredibly rude about the entire situation. Not only that, but she didn't leave the park immediately. Like, are you shitting me? Anywho, we are all very blessed that Beckett (and everyone involved) is okay, for the most part. Beckett had no broken skin and was acting normal, albeit nervous, after the ordeal was over. My boss' mom got scratched by the other dog. I'm sure there will be several people and one pup who will be very sore tomorrow.

After it was over, J told me that the leash the dog was on was not thick enough for a dog of that weight. His words were something along the lines of 'the two dog's leashes should've been switched, Beckett could've used that one'. Yeah, mhm.

That my friends, is what I call an irresponsible pet owner. To not have proper supplies? Oh hayl no. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was there who is scarred from that event, including Beckett. We will see how he reacts to large dogs in the future. After he's had time to heal, mentally and physically.

After that, L devoured a cupcake and took a nap.
Oh, the life.

Why didn't anyone say something!?

We've all seen this picture. The one where the Prince of Cambridge is being put in the car by his Royal papa. This is the picture that is driving me, as a CPST, absolutely nuts.

[via]

I understand that they were in a rush. That they are Royal. That they were just trying not to mess up in front of the many, many reporters outside the hospital. But they did. They didn't properly secure their son in his carseat. Carseats in England (and most other countries) don't have chest clips. but he isn't secure and the straps are so incredibly loose. Not to mention that he is still swaddled.

If I were William, it would've been my first priority. Because, you know, nothing like your mother dying in a car crash to make you more aware and cautious. But he didn't and it hurts my heart. I wish that someone in the hospital would've corrected their mistake. I wish they would've read the manual or chosen to be educated before the Prince's birth by a carseat professional. 

But alas, what's done is done. I hope they have learned from this mistake. We shall see. 

20 Chore Tuesday! [3]

Last week I didn't participate. Womp womp.

THIS WEEK:
Sell:
- Kokadi Mandalina Ice wrap
- Easycare #25 WCRS
- Corso Como boots
- Bluetooth headset (if I can find it)

Computer:
- Put Kim pictures on CD
- Put Abby birthday pictures on CD
- Organize and delete pictures
- Find Fall babysitting jobs
- Post child care ad

L's 1st Birthday:
- make invites
- mail invites
- make shopping list
- order ugly copy of VHC
- wrap gifts

Cleaning:
- clean desk
- prints receipts from email
- clean out diaper bag
- car wash
- mop room
- clean S' car seat base

Must do all the things! I really hope that by the time this goes live (writing this on Saturday night), at least a few of the things will be crossed off the list. Especially the things pertaining to L's birthday. It's just three short weeks away!

Emily is traveling with her family right now, so there is no link-up, but I need to keep myself accountable!

If I Could Turn Back Time: Blogging with a Purpose

I'm having a lot of fun linking up with Becky of From Mrs. to Mama for this series! These prompts are really making me think and are producing some really great posts. This week's prompt is "If I could turn back time and do some thing over..."

It's not widely known, but Joshua and I dated for a few weeks before we really started dating. He asked me out in late October 2009, and I broke it off a few weeks later. I did because I was scared because I know it was real, even at that moment, just a few weeks in. I would go back in time, I wouldn't have broken up with him. I thank Him everyday that we were led back to each other a few months later and have been together ever since. Our anniversary is January 11, 2010. :)

Wow, that was really short. But that's the only thing in my life that I would go back and re-do. I loved my high school years, and am loving where I am in my life currently. Working more and going to school less has led me onto this amazing career path. Without it, I would've never found out about the things I'm most passionate about; like baby wearing, natural birth, cloth diapers, and breastfeeding. The path my life has taken, has allowed me to become more aware of things that I would've never been exposed to before. I would never wish to take that away from myself.

Past link-ups in this series:
Week 1 // Week 2 // Week 3 // Week 4 // Week 6

Family Fun Weekend

A few weeks ago, my cousin decided on a whim she was going to spend a week out here in Cali. And that she did. :) I haven't seen her in a few years so it was nice to get to hang out with her. The next time I see her will be at her big brother's/ my cousin's wedding next year!

We planned a few really fun days! We spent all day on Friday at Disneyland, went to bunch on Saturday morning, then went to the Angel's game and saw Billy Currington perform afterwards! It was amazing, and so fun.

Here are some pictures from our weekend. Happy Saturday!

I swear we went to other parts of the parks besides Cars Land. These just happen to be my favorite pictures. By the way, we grabbed fast passes for Radiator Springs Racers first thing in the morning. Our return time was between 3:30-4:30p. When we got there, the normal line was TWO HOURS long. Holy crap, y'all. I don't even think we waited 20 minutes. 

We tried to buy wrist bands to go down onto the field, but they were sold out. Boo. We got to the box office at 7:45p and they sold out a 7p. We just wanted to see Billy! My favorite part of this picture is the two couples dancing off to the side of the crowd. He performed at least eight songs, including Hey Girl, Must Be Doin' Something Right, and my personal favorite, Don't.

July Cara Box Reveal- Nautical

I am so incredibly excited to share my July Cara Box with you. The theme for this month is Nautical, which is right up my alley. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know it's one of my favorite things; from anchors, to navy & stripes, to all the crustaceans!

Desirée from Macke Monologues was the one to send me my box this month. After emailing back and forth all month, we realized we lived in the same general vicinity of Southern California! She definitely nailed this one, you guys. It was SO amazing and fit my needs and wants perfectly.

Here is an excerpt from the letter she wrote me:
"On your next nautical trip I hope your Cara Box has all you'll need for a perfect time:
- some reading material as you cruise about.
- plenty of nautical inspired snacks to keep you full.
- a spill proof cup in case the waters are choppy.
- nautical inspired nail polish to show off your bare toes.
- sunblock and lip balm to shield yourself from the sun.
- fun note cards to help pass the time as you lounge.
- and a cute bag to tote it all in."

Without further ado...

I love everything Desirée included in my box! I totally already have those note cards but I'm so glad she decided to include them. I almost bought some when I was shopping for my buddy! The Chips Ahoy are gone and the Cracker Jacks have been opened. I just couldn't help myself. I'm not going to the lake again until Labor Day, but I'll definitely be bringing everything that's still around (aka, not the snacks) with me. Thank you so much, Desirée! 

To see what I decided to send by partner, Ashley, go check out her blog. Ashley and her husband recently adopted the most adorable baby girl, Ellie. They live on a farm in Washington with horses, chickens and goats, how stinkin' awesome is that!?

If I Could Be Anything in the World: Blogging with a Purpose

If I could be anything in the world, what would I be?

1. I would be a IBCLC. I see it all the time, those who give up on breastfeeding because they don't have support or encouragement. I want to be able to be there for new moms. To encourage, support, help and educate so that they can make it to and possibly exceed their breastfeeding goals. I'm currently working on general education classes so that I can transfer to SDSU and complete their program.

2. I would be a family woman. A wife and a mom. Being a full-time nanny is way different than being a mom, obviously. But I feel like it's given me a sense of the challenges of motherhood. Not gonna lie, I totally think I'd rock motherhood. ;)

3. A Newborn Care Specialist through NCSA. This is in the works, too. :) It's a shorter online course, but there is an end test that I have to pass, as well as having to complete 1800 hours of care with ONLY 0-3 month olds within two years. I'm super stoked about this. :)

I'm completely thrilled to be making my dreams come true and to be "grabbing life by the horns". 

If you could be anything in the world, what would YOU be? 

The Boys Behind the Blog #2

Today I'm linking up with Mallory and Stephanie for the second link-up in the Boys Behind the Blog series. I don't normally do this many link-ups in a week, but this one is monthly and I just couldn't pass it up.

I missed the first one of these, but I look forward to having more of Joshua's presence on my blog, and hearing his answers to these questions! After writing on my blog for a long time and only mentioning him in posts, I decided to decided a post entirely to him called All About J.

1. What celebrity would play you in a movie about your life? 
- Jim Carrey

2. What is your dream car? 
- A Bugatti Veyron

(via)

3. Do you have any tattoos? What, where, why?

- I don't have any tattoos.

4. Boxers or briefs?

- Boxers or boxer briefs.

5. List three random facts about yourself...

- I'm funny.

- I like to shoot.

- No matter how much he sleeps he's always tired.*

*The second fact was as far as we got, I'm adding in the last one. :)

Happy Thursday! :)

Shooting Saturday!

As mentioned in this post, Joshua and I went shooting on Saturday with his step-dad and little brother. Of course I brought my camera and got some awesome shots!

J just finished building his AR-15, so we had to take it out for a spin. A big issue for me with shooting is the kickback of whatever weapon I'm using. I feel like I have less control of the weapon when it's really big, so I choose smaller caliber weapons to use.

J's gun has the same kickback as a 20 gauge shotgun, which is what I normally shoot with, so I was super excited! The only difference is that it was suuper loud. Louder than I was expecting but not as loud as some of the weapons that other people we're using! By the way, the ear protection we used that day totally sucked. Time to invest in the legit stuff. I'm totally asking for a pair for my birthday next month!

They charge by the clay at the shotgun range, so we use two shooters to avoid wasted clays. He's my favorite person to pair up with, obviously. :)

Have you ever shot a gun before?
By the way, I just made my blog a Facebook page! You can "like" me here for the time being, as a social media icon is in the works. 

20 Chore Tuesday! [2]

Just like last week, I'll be linking up with Emily today for 20 Chore Tuesday. I'm loving this link-up, and find that my Tuesdays are incredibly productive because of it. I've been trying to find my link-up "groove" without going overboard, and think I've found the perfect balance for me!

Last Week: 

Food

1. Eat lunch.

2. Eat dinner before 7p. I ate at about 7:30p...

3. Run to the grocery store.

4. Feed L Turkey Dinner for dinner at 5:30p.

5. Cook chicken & green beans.

House

6. Load dishes in the dishwasher.

7. Clean living room.

8. Sweep.

Personal

9. Clean out car.

10. Get a car wash.

11. Write BWR post. Didn't ever happen. Taking a break I guess? 

12. Pay for MommyCon Portland. Not yeeet.

13. Buy babywearing bag. Haven't deposited the check.

14. Check movie times. J did this. 

Work

15. Figure out new daily log. 

16. Packing list for babywearing playdate. We didn't go.

17. Wash diapers.

18. Go to the library. 

19. Order L birthday invitation. I'm thinking about making them now, I only need three.

20. Make a grocery list.

This Week:

Errands:

1. Target.

2. Old Navy.

3. American Eagle.

4. Active.

5. Post Office.

6. Bank.

7. Boot Barn.

Work: 

8. Try to go to playdate today. 

9. Sweep.

10. Meal ideas.

11. Email MB activity ideas.

12. Plan school time. 

13. Stuff cloth diapers.

Personal:

14. Clean desk.

15. Put away laundry.

16. Read 100 pages of July book club book.

17. Post items on eBay.

18. Meal plan.

19. Work out schedule.

20. Catch up on blog posts.

I'm really hoping to get this all done today! This week is busy and full of exciting things!

What's on your list today? 

Busy Weekends

This weekend has been one of the most jam packed weekends I've had in a very, very long time. Like probably the busiest weekend I've had since around the holidays. That means that all the blog posts that were supposed to get written, didn't.

It all started on Friday, the day I worked two and a half hours. After those few hours were over, I headed down to the OC Fair to help out my alma mater's agriculture program (also known as, FFA) get ready to show their lambs. This week is market week, so it's a crazy, exciting, chaotic, busy time for those kids and their animals. Friday was also opening day. Holy traffic, you guys. It took me way longer than it should've to get parked and in the gate. I stayed until 5p. Got home around 6p. Left for J's moms around 8p.

Saturday, we went shooting after we (of course) had to go to Bass Pro Shop. Joshua recently finished building his AR-15, so we were dying to get some rounds in. It was freakin' awesome! We also went clay shooting at the same range. Of course, I took pictures! I also didn't take my computer to J's mom's house because I was only going to be there for one day. Rookie mistake.

Today (Sunday) I spent the entire day at the fair grounds, with BFF (Kimberly) helping the steer kids. My day is approaching 18 hours long with only two, fifteen minute cat naps. I know, I should really go to bed already. My lips got sunburnt and I have a newfound farmer's tan. How fitting. :) But it was, and is always, such a thrill to be a part of that group!

My meal planning post was supposed to go live today. I haven't even shopped for the week, nor decided what I'm going to eat. My Blogging with a Purpose post may not go up tomorrow, if at all, although I'm hoping I can squeeze it in during one of L's nap times. This week is another crazy, weird, irregular week. With more fair days, more work, and a visiting little cousin. Please bear with me during this organized chaos called my life! :)

Timi & Leslie Dual Bag: A Review

About a month ago, I pulled the trigger and bought a new diaper bag. I finally decided one the Timi & Leslie Dual Bag because it was marked down an extreme amount. Unfortunately it's not available for purchase on their site right now. I wrote about my first impressions on the bag here. While I liked it a lot at first, and it got us through a trip to the San Diego Zoo that included a blowout and lots of hills.

But now? I'm just not loving it. It might be perfect for some people, but that just wasn't the case for me.

Pros
- It has lots of organizational components and pockets.
- The print is SO cute!
- Includes stroller straps and messenger strap.
- Was able to fit a lot of things inside.

Cons
- The messenger strap was too short for me to use while babywearing. This was the ultimate deal breaker. I wear my bags cross body if I'm wearing and will be walking for a while (i.e. the mall).
- Dual pockets.
- Thin profile didn't allow me to lay anything flat in the bottom, everything had to go vertical.
-Could only fit two cloth diapers, one in each inner pocket.

That being said, the hunt for the perfect diaper bag is still on. 

What diaper bag do you have? Do you love it? Have you written about it? Share with me in the comments!