10 on 10

Some how I always miss you and I will probably never actually post you on the tenth cause thats crazy business and I don't think I'm that legit... 

So here was my Monday

1. Morning always begins with coffee and its always Starbucks. 2. I still had a lot of pumpkin and an over ripe banana - so banana pumpkin chocolate chip bread happened. 3. Put away all the dry diapers. 4. Wash more diapers.

5. Mondays My mom comes to visit us - they played. 6. I did a quick blog post. 7. They played some more and My mom got to read to Hayden.

8. Diapers washed & then drying. 9. Grocery shopped in the store and not online for the first time in 3 months. 10. Nap time with Daddy while Mommy was away.

Inspire

The awesome scrapper/blogger/mama Stephanie Howell inspired me by her post last Monday to not care what I look like but to just take a darn photo! 

Its important to capture this time and not just of Hayden but me too 

and this little picture warms my heart 

So how about you - just take the picture!

Linking up at Life Made Lovely Mondays

Yum- oatmeal chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

So my friend Jess told me about her idea to do start a linky party (group of people linking to another blogger with theme of post) about things that you've pinned on Pinterest . What?! Such an amazing idea right. As a person that invited all my friends into Pinterest I have an excessive amount of pins and have I done anything with them... Um No. So now was the time to bake, cook or create and boy was it hard to decide which to do. I ended up choosing to bake

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

... What a mouthful!

Left: Pinterest cookies Right: My cookies

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

• Mix ingredients in order given.

• Drop by tablespoons on an ungreased cookie sheet.

• Bake for 13-15 minutes and remove from oven. (Cookies won’t look completely done) Let them sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing onto a cooling rack.

  Ingredients:

• 1/2 cupButter

  1. 1/2 cupWhite Sugar

  2. 1/2 cupBrown Sugar

  3. 1/2 cupPure Pumpkin

  4. 1 wholeEgg

  5. 1 teaspoonBaking Soda

  6. 1/2 teaspoonCinnamon

  7. 1/2 teaspoonPure Vanilla

  8. 1 1/2 cupsFlour

  9. 1/2 cupQuick Oats

  10. 1/2 cupChocolate Chips

I halved the original recipe since I only had 1 stick of butter, which ended up making 18 cookies. I sent some to a friend for her birthday and sort of ate the rest. They were delicious and gooey and fluffy! Next time I will make more and only things I would do differently are add more oats and use chocolate chunks instead of chips.

Best part about Jess's link-up is that it is only once a month, how easy is that! So go and check out all the other fun and yum projects people are linking.

October

- Loving this months computer wallpaper calendar from Free People

- I'm throwing a girls get together this month involving Crafts & Cocktails and have decided I want to host one every season. So excited for the fun time that will be had. 

- Halloween: not that we really celebrate it but its Hayden's first fun holiday and she will be dressed up as a zebra! 

- Hello rain! I'm so happy that we are finally having fall weather, its my fave.

- I've been crafting again but this time to start a business!? I felt the need to craft and have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Shop name: Little Bitty by Emj and I will be selling hair accessories for women and girls. Only problem is deciding if I want to start on Etsy and then switch to Big Cartel or just start on Big Cartel or just be on both. Either way I need to create graphics or find someone that can do them for free/cheap cause I'm on a budget.. and I'm not sure what I want to do for that.. Any ideas for me? 

Bluum

Have you heard of Birchbox? Well there is a new kid on the block, literally. Sort of. 

Meet the Bluumbox. Bluum is the same concept as the Birch - except for Mom & Baby. 

For those that don't know what the heck I'm talking about at all... Soooo you sign up for a subscription and around the 15th of the month you get a box full of surprise items and samples. 

Birch = luxe cosmetics samples - Bluum = assorted samples and full size items for Mom & Baby

Birch box just had their one year anniversary and Bluum box just launched. I decided I had to try it out and also gifted a 3 month subscription to a pregnant friend.

What's in it?

A) The Drooly Bib by Wry Baby - not only is this bib shaped like drool but it has a special inner layer to catch and not let drool seep through the other side. Genius!
B) Itzy Ritzy Snack Bag - I love these and had planned on buying some and will buy some more for us. A much better alternative to the regular plastic snack baggie, this one is reusable/washable plus bpa free. I got the cute whale but they have other options.
C) Episencial Soothing Cream - For eczema and itchy/dry skin, this cream is smooth with a super light natural scent and has helped soften the baby bumps on Hayden's face. Made for the little one but adults can use as well. Made in the USA. (4 oz tube, um hello full size item!)
D) Bum Boosa Bamboo Baby Wipes - Not that drastically different than the 7th Generation wipes we already use, slightly scented.
E)  Magnet illustrated by Mimia Johnson - Nice little treat for the kid
F) Apothederm Stretch Mark cream - I'm out of the stretch mark stage but will try to use on remaining stretch marks.

I love how simple things like a package can make your day..

Linking up at Life Made Lovely Mondays

Weekend Plans

Over this past weekend Hayden & I flew down to So Cal for our first ever blogging conference - Blog Sugar!

A what?! 

Yes, you read that right and yes those do happen. A lot of them actually. 

I've always thought it would be fun to go to one and then I heard from Jess and Kim that they might go to this one. So I asked if me and the little lady could tag along and we did.

So the weekend adventure began on Saturday...

First Hayden and I got dropped off at SFO by my sweet and wonderfully helpful mom-in-law. Everything went very smoothly, too smoothly because we got checked in less than 15 minutes and then had nothing to do for 2 hours while we waited to board our plane. During which Hayden decided to wake up and play but made great friends with the airport security guys. Flight there - fed her, a little fussy, then passed out. I even did for a little bit.

We landed and were picked up by the girls and then headed to late lunch at Cafe Rio with everyone else staying at Julie's house plus the lovely Drew B and baby Kennedy. Cafe Rio was super yum - kinda a mix between Chipotle, Baja Fresh and Coldstone (they sing when you ask for extra things I think). After lunch we went to my second coffee love - Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. I got their summer special blended drink - Honeydew Melon.

After settling in a little bit at Julie's gorgeous house. The speakers headed to dinner at Andrea's house and we headed to Fashion Island, met up with some other bloggers and ate at Cheesecake Factory. Love their new "Skinny" menu! I had the chicken samosas.  Once back at the house we chatted some more and eventually went to bed.

The big day... Sunday!

While planning our trip the girls had the genius idea for us all to go to Dry Bar. Who doesn't like to get primped and pretty a little bit plus one less thing for me to pack.

It was really fun to experience. I love me some relaxation and I think Hayden did too! She sat on my lap quietly observing the process. My girl doing my hair was really sweet and patient since I had baby with me. They serve complimentary drinks (I had flavored water) and have a chick flick type of movie playing plus fun music.

Some girls got their makeup done after that but Kim and I went to Barnes & Noble so I could buy a copy of Mollie Makes and then headed to grab a bite to eat. Jess then met up with us and we headed for Blog Sugar!

...

and then we arrived!

I was hot and someone little spit-up all down my back. Good thing I brought another shirt! So our time didn't start off that great plus I know events like this involve mingling but I'm horribly shy in these situations and feel like a loser. Hay-baby and I headed to the bathroom and saw all this adorableness on the way.

I was really excited for my sessions though!


I chose :
1. Sarah Markley - Carving Out Your Space: Finding your unique niche in blogging while connecting with your readers
2. Lindsey Cheney - The Juggling Act: Learning to balance a successful business , family and self
3. Julie Carson & Jeannett Gibson - Blogging For Good: Using your blog for a greater good


I have been transformed, inspired and really encouraged by all my sessions and by keynote speaker Meg Duerksen. This weekend came at just right time, things have already been shaking up over here in content and even more will be changing once I get all my ideas down on paper. 

p.s. Don't wear a chiffon shirt while breastfeeding, you will get milk on it and have spots... Now I know!

Pictures provided by Kimberlee Grover aka A Cuppa Kim plus a couple from the iPhone :)