Sunday, November 30, 2014

A Letter to My Son

Often I find myself simply going through the motions; the everyday routine.
Wake up, cook breakfast, playtime, cook lunch, work work work, come home, clean the house, lay down.
Like clockwork, I rarely miss a beat. But some days, I think about it too much. I think about how much I'm simply participating and not truly enjoying the moments we spend together. And in those daydreams, I think of all the things I wish I could do and say.

1. I love you.
     I say it every day, a million times a day, You hear it non-stop. But you will never understand how much I truly mean it. I love you, with my whole heart. I would give my all for you. The day you were born, my life changed for the better. You are everything to me, and without you I could not survive.

2. I'm sorry.
     I sometimes take our time together for granted, Sometimes, I'm too tired to play cars or too busy to finger paint. I strive to be a super-momma, but super-momma is also a super-wife, super-cleaner, super-cooker, and super-worker. Hopefully you'll be a super-son and understand.

3. No one can replace you.
     Yes, momma and daddy want more children. That does not mean we love you any less. Consider the idea of "Big Brother" a privilege; it means you were wonderful enough that we wanted a mini-you.

4. Always put God first.
     As you get older, there will be many temptations. With every decision you make, remember to put God first. He is Our Creator; He is Our Father. Try to please Him in everything you do. He will never forget you, and you should never forget Him. You will never grow to old to pray to Him.

5. You will always have a home.
     Everyone makes mistakes, and that's okay. If we never made mistakes, we could never learn any new life lessons. No matter what path you decide to travel in life, we will always be there. We will support you, we will guide you. We will love you through the hard times. As a parent, it is my job to love and protect you until I leave this Earth, and I always will.


Friday, November 28, 2014

Homemade No-Bake Cinnamon Ornaments

It's time for the holidays! And I've been brainstorming Christmas crafts that are adorable, memorable, and (most importantly!) kid safe. Finally I stumbled upon the perfect idea.. Homemade ornaments!

What you will need:
     - 1/2 cup Cinnamon
     - 1 cup Flour
     - 1/2 cup Salt
     - 3/4 cup hot water

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until the combination becomes dough-like. Knead the cinnamon salt ball with hands. After a few minutes you will have a large ball of dough.

Use cookie cutters to make your favorite shapes. Press down firm enough and remove excessive dough. I used a pencil to create small holes just big enough for twine or string.


After you have your desired shapes, I recommend transferring the ornaments to a paper towel for drying - paper towel will help soak up some of the moisture during the drying process!And speaking of drying, these bad boys will have to dry for 24 hours before you can hang them! About halfway through, be sure to flip the ornaments over so both sides will dry evenly.



After about 24 hours, you should have this adorable ornament that makes your entire home smell delicious!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Coping With A Chemical Pregnancy

When I saw the faint line on the pregnancy test, I could hardly contain my excitement. I immediately sent a picture to my husband. "Do you see it, too?"
Over the next few days, the line grew darker with each test I took.

And then, all of a sudden, I started bleeding.

My husband tried to calm me down. He rubbed my back, he gave me Tylenol for the pain, he let me cry on his shoulder.. I knew there was no reason I should be bleeding so heavily, unless something was wrong.

The next morning, I visited our local walk-in clinic. They broke the news.
  
"CHEMICAL PREGNANCY"

I had no idea what it meant, but that it hurt. Not only physically, but emotionally. The flood gates opened and I cried like I have never cried before. WHY ME?
  1. It is not your fault.You did not cause this. There is nothing you could have done to prevent it. Chemical pregnancies are only so common today because of the convenience of at-home pregnancy tests. If we had not been trying for a baby, I would not have taken an early test, I wouldn't have gotten an early positive, and I would have simply thought it was time for aunt flow.
  2. It does not mean you are unsuccessful.If anything, a chemical pregnancy should reassure you, instead of tearing you down. No, the fertilized egg did not attach. However, the egg was successfully fertilized. Your eggs are still doing their job and so is your husband's sperm.
  3. It still hurts.In medical terms, it is not "technically" a miscarriage. But if you have a confirmed chemical pregnancy, you know the heartbreak. For a few days, there was a fertilized egg in your body and that fertilized egg was your baby.
So, when does it get better? With time, all wounds heal. It is best to find a way to help cope with your chemical pregnancy.

  1. Pick out a name.
    To some people I've talked to, this seems to be very hard to do. However, picking out a name for your lost child during your chemical pregnancy can help relieve the pain. It helps put a name to the bond you had for just a short time.
  2. Buy an angel.
    This seems to be the most common coping choice. You simply buy an angel to sit on your dresser or somewhere in your home. You can find one of my favorites here. It includes a precious poem on the bottom of the figurine.
  3. Plant a rosebush.
    Sometimes giving something else life and nurturing another living thing can help ease the sorrow of your loss. Planting a rosebush seems to be the most fitting comparison: it's delicate and it is beautiful, just as the child you lost.



Everyone has their own way of dealing with these events. If you have any suggestions of things that may help a couple in sorrow, or if you have used any methods to cope with the loss of a child, please feel free to leave a comment. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Resource Natural Spring Water

How do you #refreshwithresource?

Recently, I received a free sample of Resource in the mail from Influenster and I thought to myself "what an odd sample to receive." Truth be told, I'm a Dr. Pepper girl. I chug Dr. Pepper, so I set the bottle of water to the side and finished looking through the box.

A few days went by and then I saw it sitting in the fridge. Ice Cold. And all of my Dr. Peppers were still in the box, on the counter. So I grabbed it and decided to take it with me to work.

The Pros:
-it has naturally occurring electrolytes
-it doesn't taste like "city water"

The Cons:
-it still tastes like water

I have to admit, I would have really loved this water if maybe it was flavored. But I do have to say that I have decided to drink more water after finishing the bottle supplied to me by Influenster!

Happy Water Drinking!

Baby Orajel Natural Review

As the momma of a teething toddler boy, teething remedies such as tablets and gels are a necessity in our home.
That's why I was thrilled to find out I had qualified for the Baby Orajel Naturals mission from Smiley360!
This homeopathic nighttime formula is composed of four ingredient
-calcarea phosphorica (supports dentition)
-chamomilla (for irratability)
-coffea cruda (for restlessness)
-passiflora incarnata/passion flower (for restlessness)
When I placed a pea-sized amount on my son's gums, it took about 10-15 minutes for his fussing and hand-chewing to stop. Within the next hour, he seemed to grow tired and went to bed shortly after. Although I don't believe anything in the formula "put" him to sleep, I do believe it helped to relieve the pain in his gums so that he could rest.
Overall, this is a great formula to use! It takes about as long as other Orajel formulas to show effective results, but I feel as though it's the best to use for nap time or bed time.
I received Baby Orajel Naturals FREE for testing purposes from Smiley360.com      

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Moda VoxBox

I'm a little late posting this, yall!

But guess who was selected for the #ModaVoxBox from Influenster.com? 
THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE.
& I am so loving this box.
For the trendiest girls alive, this box comes with bottled water, lotion, lipstick, lip liner, mascara.. Seriously, what's not to love?

Check out all the items from the Moda Voxbox!
-Rimmel London Sacndeleyes Rockin' Curves Mascara ($5.49)
-Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick ($6.99)
-Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lip Liner ($5.99)
-Puffs Soft pack ($1.99)
-Hair Food Moisture Hair Mask ($14.99)
-Swiss Miss Simply Cocoa ($2.29)
-Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer ($5.99)
-Resource Spring Water ($1.49)

I received all of this FOR FREE for testing purposes from Influenster.com!  That's over $40 worth of products for free!

Head over to Influenster.com; write reviews and get rewarded!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Dean's List VoxBox

MAIL TIME!

What do we have here? The new Dean's List VoxBox from Influenster.com! YES. This is only the package I've been most anticipating since I received the emailing confirming my position in an upcoming campaign! And now it's here! Let's take a look, shall we?

Master List:

  • Luden's NEW Watermelon and Blue Raspberry Throat Drops
  • Pilot FriXion Clicker
  • Sinful Colors Nail Polish - No Text Red
  • Softlips Cube
  • Airheads Bites
  • Kiss Looks So Natural Lashes
  • Playtex Sport Fresh Balance

As soon as I cut open the box, I was greeted by all of these awesome freebies! I have seriously never seen a VoxBox stuffed so full of goodies!

 Each item in the Dean's List VoxBox is definitely useful; some more than others.

Can I throw out there that these ink pens are TO DIE FOR. And this nail color? It's totally the color of my high school alma mater's team - GO REBELS!

The false eyelashes are useful, but under different circumstances.. like maybe if you've had one hell of a night and still need to look the part for class! or maybe if you're wanting one hell of a night!

Overall, I'm super thrilled about this box and I can't wait to dig my nails in and start trying out all of my FREE goodies!

Thanks, Influenster!

Be sure to stay tuned for item reviews from yours truly!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Smiley360: o.b. Procomfort review

I love it when I open the mailbox and there's a package waiting for me! A few days ago, I received my first tangible mission from Smiley360.com, a full-sized 40 count box of o.b. Procomfort tampons for FREE. I was so excited! As soon as I got inside, I grabbed the closest knife and cut it open.


My first thoughts? Attractive. Seriously, how many times have you grabbed a box of feminine products and it looked this pretty? Don't worry, I'll wait! 

I was so excited! This product was right on time, since Aunt Flo decided to make her visit, and I was totally prepared. Granted, I automatically figured these tampons would be just like any other same old tampon, but as soon as I opened the package, I was wrong!

o.b. Procomfort tampons are made with fluid-lock grooves and silk-touch that help prevent leaks and discomfort. They also have no applicator. I repeat, they have no applicator. I'll let y'all do the math for that one. No applicator can be amazing, but it can also be horrible, depending on your own preference. I liked the fact that there was no bulky, plastic, not-so-gentle applicator.

The wrapping for each tampon? I'm neutral. It's design is very sleek. I kind of enjoy that it isn't packaged in bright, cheerful colors. Because, let's be honest, this part of every woman's life is not cheerful. Minimalist. Conservative. Me-likey.

As for absorbency, I did a real life, first hand test. And I am pleased to announce -
I love these tampons! 

They are comfortable. Once inserted, you cannot feel them. No matter how much you move around - I used these during an 8 hour work shift - they do not cause any discomfort and they do not leak! Yay!

And if receiving these awesome tampons weren't enough, I also received 10 coupons for $1.50 off to share with family and friends! Looks like I'm going to be someone's favorite person after sharing the wealth of comfortable and protective tampons!

If you haven't signed up for Smiley360.com, head over there now! More samples await, just follow the link below!
http://h5.sml360.com/-/1wu0 Smiley360 SignUp
http://h5.sml360.com/-/7d4r o.b. Procomfort coupon
Happy Smiling!

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

PinchMe Tuesday!

How many people love free stuff? I do, I do!
If you're like me and love getting free samples, why haven't you visited PinchMe.com?

Every couple of weeks(on Tuesday), they release new samples at 12pm EDT and when you log on, you add everything you can to your cart before the samples run out! 
Just kidding, I usually only add samples to my PinchMe box that I know I'll use. 

So, in honor of today being PinchMe Tuesday and new samples being released in only ONE HOUR, I thought I'd post about my most recent PinchMe box! 

Master List:
  • (1) Sinful Colors Nail Polish
  • (2) 1 ct Wet Nap Antibacterial Wipes
  • (1) 2 ct Allegra Allergy Relief sample
  • (1) Allegra Allergy coupon ($2 off)
  • (1) Gevalia House Blend Coffee sample
  • (1) Gevalia Coffee coupon ($0.50 off)
  • (1) Beyond Meat coupon (free package)
  • (1) Studio Ink greeting card (not pictured)
I'll be the first to let you know that this site is extremely competitive. When you log on, exit everything else in the browser. So many people log on at once that it slows the system down and takes forever and a million years. 

As soon as you are able of seeing the samples, scroll through them and add the one you're wanting most - these samples disappear quick and if you add each one as you go, you might miss out on your favorite item. Once you add an item to your box, the item is reserved for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes are up, you have to fight for it all over again.


My favorite sample from the past PinchMe box? Sinful Colors nail polish, of course! This item (in a variety of colors) has been available in the past few PinchMe samples and I'm hoping for more today! If you're a nail polish junkie like I am, this is perfect. You get free nail polish in gorgeous colors to try out! How awesome is that??

It's almost time for PinchMe Tuesday to begin! Only 40 minutes til the samples are released! 

Happy Pinching, y'all!

Monday, September 22, 2014

John Deere First Birthday Party!



Anyone who knows my family knows that my son is obsessed with anything that has wheels on it, but most importantly... HE LOVES TRACTORS.

So when trying to decide what to do for his party - like two weeks before the day! - we thought and thought until finally I had the perfect idea. John Deere!


I had everything planned. I ordered balloons, ribbon, invitations, napkins, and everything imaginable for my little man's special day. I reserved a barn at our local park, personally handed out every invitation, and even decided I'd be super-mom and make his own cake.

The night before his party, I stayed up til 3am making teeny-tiny little adorable cupcakes to make his tractor cupcake cake.

yes, these are funfetti! my favorite!

So when I woke up at 8am to a child screaming in my ear, I was so overwhelmed. Luckily, my super-awesome big sister showed up at my house and saved the day!


Seriously, at one point, I just stood in the bathroom and cried. My husband called me ONE HOUR before his party to inform me he had told his parents and friends the wrong time.

So, we ditched the swanky reserved barn and opted out for our tiny little apartment.


Can't you tell Mr. Eli had a good first birthday?



Sunday, June 22, 2014

About Me

Hey y'all, I'm Harlie. Wife of an amazing man; mother of an incredible little boy.
Hailing from "Small Town", Tennessee, I'm a little opinionated, a little traditional, and a little set in my ways.
I hope y'all enjoy! God Bless!