Mommy Monday #BlogHop + Giveaway {48}

Welcome to the Mommy Monday Blog Hop. 

We are thankful you are here. 

Please hop around and support one another.  

 We cannot wait to read what you're sharing this week :)

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Follow Mrs. AOK

Mrs. AOK, A Work in Progress

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Follow Lisa

The Squishable Baby

Twitter Pinterest Google+ Facebook Instagram

   

Follow Tiffany

MrsTeeLoveLifeLaughter

Twitter Pinterest Google+ Facebook Instagram

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A Bilingual Book Giveaway

    Written in French and English, your children will enjoy the adventures of baby Enzo and family! Each book ends with a very important life lesson.  

Entry-Form

  ****   Just a few Hop Guidelines
1) Follow all your co-hosts. Leave a comment for us on the post and we will know you are a new follower and we will follow back.    

2) If you want our button, feel free to grab it from up top! Just remember, more buttons going up means more exposure for all of us!

 

3) Have you heard how dynamic Pinterest is for blog traffic? Try to pin posts you like! You can even start by pinning the link up before and after yours! THE CO-HOSTS PIN OUR FAVORITES HERE.

4) TWEET about the Blog Hop:  
Tweet

 
****   The hosts select bloggers to be featured in the Mommy Monday Blog Hop each week. Next week it could be you!   Drum roll please!  
   
You Might Be a Military Spouse If… 
Pressing In and Pressing On

 

6 Ways to Make Summer Reading Fun  More Than a Coupon Queen

 

Is Our Parenting & Teaching in Crisis? 

Brainstorm  

Definitely very well deserved. If you have been featured on the Mommy Monday Blog Hop, please grab a button and display it proudly!  
<a href="http://squishablebaby.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://squishablebaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/i-was-featured-on-the-mommy-monday-blog-hop-button.jpg"/> </a>   ****  

Are you interested in co-hosting the Mommy Monday Blog Hop? 

Please fill out the form and Tiffany will get in touch with all the details. Note: We are switching two week schedule. So, now, co-hosts will host for two weeks. Make sure you fill out the form, so we can add you to the schedule!

  If you have questions, please contact Tiffany here: Mrstee {at} mrsteelovelifelaughter {dot} com  
****   Without further ado...   get the InLinkz code  

Ch Ch Ch Changes…

There are a lot of changes going on. I'm changing things up here on the blog, and in my own life. The Sorry, Not Sorry Social is changing too. If you were wondering where the Sorry, Not Sorry Social linky is, we're taking a break. We are coming back with some changes. I think you'll love the works in progress.
Also, if you haven't already heard the wonderful news….

 Courtney had the boys!! Go show her some love, please. XOXO

I May Never Be Polly….

Have you ever seen Along Came Polly? I LOVE that movie!!! Sadly, in real life, I'm not Polly. I would have to say I'm more like Rueben (Ben Stiller).

Yes, I worry. I tirelessly worry. It's a joke that I should be an insurance adjuster, because I see what could go wrong, just like Rueben.

The onset of my symptoms began 13 years ago in a small shady apartment.  I was peering at a little oval that would foretell my future.  The oval displayed a faded pink line.  Yes, I was indeed pregnant. Worry came over me; the hot feeling of worry.  I thought, "Oh dear, can we do this?" "Can I let another person's life depend on ME?"  Annnnnd if we are being completely honesty, I was worried about what my parents were going to say once my boyfriend (my husband) & I told them. That was just the beginning.

My worry grew stronger over the years with countless colds, fevers, bumps, bruises, asthma attacks, a tick bite (when I watched my child looking for signs of lyme disease for days) or that time my daughter had the flu during the swine flu epidemic and she seemed lifeless, and I couldn't do anything to take her pain away.

All those things sent me into a new prognosis of worry, which far exceeded the scratch of an RX pad.  I was in full on Worry Warrior mode.  I wore my worry like a badge of honor, saving kids from what could go wrong.  And then the summer of 2012 shook me.
I was emptying the dryer when I heard a bang so loud that I still hear it today.  The bang was followed by a cry, that I feel right this minute as I type. My son fell and hit his head on a drawer that wasn't closed all the way.  There was SO much blood, I couldn't tell if he lost his eye.  Thankfully he didn't but he did have a whole in the middle of face.

I had to react, I had to set aside my worry as I rounded up the kids and drove off to the ER panicked. My son was stitched up.
Sidenote* Because worry was all over my face the Doctor thought it would be best if I waited outside while they stitched-up my baby.  Stupid worry.
That wasn't it for the Summer of 2012, a few short days later my daughter fell off her bunk bed ladder, again I heard a loud noise followed by a cry.  She fractured her ankle, and once more I was faced with rounding up the kiddos and taking them to the ER (because you know things never happen when Papa is home).  That was the year I developed the fear of noises of course, further catapulting my worry.
I hear a noise now, and I worry.  I've created all sorts of scenarios of what that noise could've been and wait for the cry to follow, or sprint to the noise.

This year my worry for my children and adapting socially was heightened with our move from Chicagoland to South Carolina. I worried about the transition, making new friends, and fitting in.  My eldest took the move here the hardest.  My oldest is 12 and that alone is enough for me to worry.  She was sad, she missed home, and her light wasn't as bright.  I worried.
She slowly began to make new friends. I was eager to hear the new names she spoke from her happy lips that smiled as her light began to brighten.
Yet, there I was thinking… I cannot wait for softball to startup.  Yes, me, the Worry Warrior who fears noises, bumps, bruises, blood, cries for help, amongst various other things, could not wait for softball season to begin.

Softball is the game my daughter loves to play.  Softball is the game I love to watch her play.  It's the sport that is just more than a game.  It's that sport that fires her up and turns up that light.
She has a refreshing confidence when she plays.

When she hits the field she becomes the wall.

When she is in the dugout she's amongst her extended sisters who root each other on, building bonds over sunflower seeds and softball cheers.

When she's on the field she's fueling the fire in her little sister, who also wants to be on that field just like her big sister.  

When she's on the field although worry somewhat is still there, it's slightly muted because I know she is happy.
She is brave on the field doing her thing.

I may never stop worrying. Hell let's be real I WILL NEVER stop worrying. Nonetheless, I don't want my worry to infringe on my children's happiness, and what makes them the confident rays of light I want reflecting on me.
Rueben can be taught new tricks.

Mommy Monday #BlogHop {47} #Giveaway

Welcome to the Mommy Monday Blog Hop. 

We are thankful you are here. 

Please hop around and support one another.  

 We cannot wait to read what you're sharing this week :)
<a href="http://squishablebaby.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://squishablebaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Mommy-Monday-Blog-Hop.jpg" /></a>    

   

Follow Mrs. AOK

Mrs. AOK, A Work in Progress

Twitter Pinterest Google+ Facebook

   

Follow Lisa

The Squishable Baby

Twitter Pinterest Google+ Facebook Instagram

   

Follow Tiffany

MrsTeeLoveLifeLaughter

Twitter Pinterest Google+ Facebook Instagram

  ****

An Awesome Giveaway

 

  Enter below to Win a combination of 9 amazing children's picture books and first chapter books! US only. Giveaway ends 11:59 PM EST tonight, so make sure you enter.  

Entry-Form

  ****  

Just a few Hop Guidelines

1) Follow all your co-hosts. Leave a comment for us on the post and we will know you are a new follower and we will follow back.    

2) If you want our button, feel free to grab it from up top! Just remember, more buttons going up means more exposure for all of us!

 

3) Have you heard how dynamic Pinterest is for blog traffic? Try to pin posts you like! You can even start by pinning the link up before and after yours! THE CO-HOSTS PIN OUR FAVORITES HERE.

4) TWEET about the Blog Hop:  
Tweet

 
****   The hosts select bloggers to be featured in the Mommy Monday Blog Hop each week. Next week it could be you!   Drum roll please!
 
A Place to Lay Your Head - FTSF 100 lbs. Countdown

 

Help Eradicate Childhood Cancer with Duckprints Momma Lew Blog

 

A Poem to Mother MacDonald's Playland  

Definitely very well deserved. If you have been featured on the Mommy Monday Blog Hop, please grab a button and display it proudly!  
<a href="http://squishablebaby.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://squishablebaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/i-was-featured-on-the-mommy-monday-blog-hop-button.jpg"/> </a>   ****  

Interested in co-hosting the Mommy Monday Blog Hop?

 

Please fill out the form and Tiffany will get in touch with all the details.

  If you have questions, please contact Tiffany here: Mrstee {at} mrsteelovelifelaughter {dot} com  
****   Without further ado...   get the InLinkz code

*My* Favorite Color Swap Reveal

I'm not quite sure if I've shared my favorite color here before, in the event I haven't, you're about to find out. I took part in The Favorite Color Swap hosted by Chaotic Goddess Swaps,  The GCSwaps ladies chose Sarah from The Rooster and the Sunflower as my swap partner.

Sarah and I quickly began to learn more about each other through blog visits and emails.  Sarah is newer to blogging so please go show her some love. Sarah blogs about her life with her husband and precious daughter. Also, you can see what I sent Sarah here! 
What did Sarah send me? GOODIES!! Not just any goodies, GREEN goodies!

Happy Snail Mail! I was so happy to receive my box filled with all these fun green goodies. Sarah stuffed most of my goodies in a cute bikini bag.  This cute little bag will come in handy for my days on the beach; I've actually been looking at more of these bikini bags on Etsy. If you know me, you know I LOVE COFFEE and Sarah hooked me with a new green recyclable coffee tumbler.  Another thing I love RECYCLABLE anything.  Besides loving the color green, I love living green :)

Don't you just love my new scarf!?! Me too.

Great minds think alike, Sarah and I both had mani/pedis on our minds for our swaps :) 

I cannot wait to try out my new foot scrub, manicure kit, and nail polish (the polish matches the scarf perfectly).

Sarah also sent me a notebook and pens.  It was such a pleasure to swap with Sarah. Please don't forget to check out Sarah's blog The Rooster and The Sunflower as well as the other Favorite Color Swap Linky. 

Sorry, Not Sorry Social {38}

Welcome to the Sorry, Not Sorry Social! 

We hope to grow your social media and blogging friendships ;) Please linkup below and follow the three people before you, as well as your hosts.    

Thanks for linking up! 

Please spread the word, sharing is caring ♡

Tweet

Courtney @What's Up With the Wilhelms

Mrs. AOK, A Work In Progress

This week we're happy to have Bea, from This is Motherhood co-hosting with us.
Bea blogs about her life as mother to her adorable son Wolfy.
Please make sure check out her blog and give her some comment love.

You can follow Bea here
Blog, Bloglovin, Twitter

All right, let's get this party started!! 

Get social!

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