Happy New Year! Time For A Giveaway!

Happy New Year!! 2014 is here! I figured I'd celebrate by offering you all a giveaway. I recently received this digital Braun Forehead Thermometer as part of a social media campaign for Influenster. I loved it. It came right on time because as some of you might remember Savannah got really sick recently. 

I was checking her temp every 30-45 minutes. This thermometer was so accurate and easy to use. It was such a blessing to have it and know that I could trust the readings.

 Here was one of Savannah's reading from when she was sick. Very high. I love that the thermometer has a color code. It's green for the safe zone, yellow for a mild temp and red for a kid down situation. (or woman or man down should you find yourself ill)

There is a $10 rebate offer available through the website so if you don't win the giveaway check that out. 

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Happy New Year!

This is us tonight. The reality not the fantasy...





- posted from my chic iPhone

It's Our Anniversary! Celebrating 8 Years...

It's hard to believe that I've been married for eight years already. Whoa. Time is flying. I don't talk much about marriage or my husband here. Mainly because I feel like we're so incredibly normal (in a good way) that there really isn't much to say that would be overly entertaining. 

You might remember I told you a little bit about how we met in college and got married before I even graduated. (i graduated the following semester) He had already graduated from school and joined the Army. I was 21 and he was 25. Crazy, right?

After our wedding I went back to school for my last semester and he went back to Virginia to finish his training. I remember driving to see him on Thursdays after school. I didn't have class on Fridays so we'd get three days to hang out. I'd stay until Monday morning and I would haul butt to make it back in time for my eight AM class. Very crazy. So many speeding tickets. 

It was all worth it though. Since then we've moved four times and welcomed two beautiful babies into our lives. Here I am below pregnant with Savannah (and newly natural). These years have flown by. We have our fair share of disagreements like most people. However, I think what makes us work is our ability to laugh at everything. I also think that keeping additional people out of your business helps too but I'm really trying to keep this post light…

So. Raise a glass for us tonight. Eight years down. Forever to go...

Preschool at Home: Learning Sight Words

Now that the holiday season is over we are getting back to our routine. Slowly but surely. For Christmas Savannah received a literacy set that focuses on sight words. I will share the set and my review on it in a separate post. It came with DVDs and books. We've started using it but I want to use it a little more before I do a review here.

Anyway. While we were watching the video and reading the books I was trying to think of other ways to get her to recognize her site words. Part of learning to read is recognizing these words without having to figure them out. Since repetition is everything  I thought it would be fun to make large flashcards that can be used in several different ways. This way, not only is she learning to recognize her words but she's also having fun. Double win. Go me.

In this particular picture I put the words down on the floor, called out a word and had her bring the word to me. She really enjoyed this. Savannah thought it was so fun to look for words. She starts a literacy class in a couple weeks and I can't wait to see her turn into a little reader.

The kit that she received for Christmas says that you can start as early as 15 months. When Sav was that age I was teaching her the baby book of 100 words. It didn't include these type of sight words but I think I will start early with BabyM. When you know better, you do better, right?

What do you think about this idea? Have you started doing sight words with your little one?

Ask Away Friday w/ Carissa from Green Eyed Lady Blog

I haven't done Ask Away Friday in a few weeks. I'm not sure why. Maybe I've been busy with the kids being sick and getting ready for Christmas. Anyway. When Carissa asked me to be her partner this week I was very excited. I enjoy her blog so much. Her daughter, Emma, is the cutest! Check her blog out to see the questions I had for her…

1. How was your Christmas? What did you all do for the Holiday?
Christmas was great! We hung out around the house all day. After we opened gifts I made breakfast. Once breakfast was done we played with all of toys the kids received. We put together puzzles, played board games and watch movies. Very low-key.

2. I love how you incorporate fitness into your blog...for someone that has to get it ALL THE WAY together in 2014, what are 3 things that can give me a kick start to losing weight and getting back healthy?
For some reason I feel the need to throw out a disclaimer here, LOL!! I am not a doctor, dietician, physical trainer or nutritionist BUT I do like to eat right and I am slowly starting to add workouts to my daily routine. My advice would be to drink lots of water (and green tea), eat as clean as possible and try to workout for at least 30 minutes everyday for the first 22 days. They say it takes 22 days to form (or break) a habit so hopefully you'll start hitting a stride by day 23. Good Luck! Oh. And join the #OperationSnapback movement going on at Baby Teems.

3. What are some of your goals for 2014? And how do you keep track of them(write them out, keep them in your phone on a special app) how do you hold yourself accountable?
In 2014 I want to be more patient with these kids (mainly Sav and her case of the 3s). I want to get into great shape. And I'd love to work some personal writing projects that I've been putting off. To keep up with my goals I put them on our family's "big board". It's where all things important to the people that live here go.

4. What was your favorite blog post from 2013?
Hmm. That's a tough one. I would say that I really loved my series on Thanksgiving and I also loved adding videos to the blog. Check some of my videos out on the Chic TV page.

5. Its a few of us bloggers that are turning the big 3-0 at the same time...what are you looking forward to most in your 30's?
Going to Vegas. I have never been. I am also looking forward to living fearlessly. For some reason I associate being authentically you without fear of what others will think with turning 30.

6. How do you plan to bring in the New Year?
Hahaha, I plan to ring in the new year right here at home. We might have champagne and food if we decide to stay up. If not, I'll be ringing in the New Year getting some beauty sleep.

7. You know I have always admired the "Homeschooling with Savannah" where did you get your lesson plans, or your ideas?
Thank you! It's a big mix. I get some ideas from Pinterest and some ideas from Sav's teacher. A lot of what we do is done on the fly though. I make up stuff as we go. Like the paper plate snowman that we made was something that I came up with that morning during breakfast.

8. What would you do if you had a "day to yourself"? 
I would get a mani, pedi, facial and massage. Then I would get something really amazing to eat, cuddle up in my bed and watch TV all day.

9. Its your turn to plan date night, but it cant be a traditional date night...what do you plan?
Oh gosh, LOL! I think a scavenger hunt or an Amazing Race type date would be fun. My husband is competitive and he would really like something like that.

10. What do you love most about living in Texas?
I am going to be honest here, LOL!!! I really love the friends that I have here and that's probably about it. I am an East coast girl and I always will be. I like having four seasons and being able to find yummy Chinese food when I want it. I also miss being in driving distance to family. Of course we could drive back home but an 18 hour car ride with two kids is not my cup of tea at all.

I had a great time linking up with Carissa. Don't forget to swing by her place to see the questions I had for her and see the cuteness that is baby Emma.

Ask Away Friday is a link up hosted by Penny from The Real Housewife of Caroline County.

REPOST: The Mom Gene

Originally posted October 2, 2012...

The "Mom Gene". I saw this story on Good Morning America online after my parents told me about it. They said the story made them think of me and that I should check it out. Did any of you see this? I wasn't sure what to make of it so I had to watch it a couple times. Apparently researchers at Rockefeller University believe that some women are born with a "Mom Gene" that gives them the instincts they need to be good mothers.

I'm not sure if I totally believe that some women are born with a "Mom Gene". I do however, believe that some women are just more maternal than others. Some women are just better with kids than others. I think the way this issue was covered made it seem like women without this gene are bad Moms, or maybe not as good as their Mommy peers. There is a wide range of Moms out there. I talked about that a little in my post about the Smother Mother.

When I was a little girl I knew I wanted to be a Mom, but it certainly wasn't my life goal. I think that I am pretty good and patient with Savannah. I naturally transitioned from a working woman to a stay at home Mom without any problem. Does that mean I have the "Mom Gene"? If a woman chooses not to stay at home, loses patience easily or sends their kid to Grandma's every weekend (cause y'all know that those Moms exist) does that mean that she doesn't have the gene? I always thought that once you became a Mother that instinct to nurture just took over. Even if it's just to do the basics and nothing else.

I'm still trying to form an opinion about the "Mom Gene". I don't quite know what to think of it. I'd like to think that I have it, but I honestly wasn't mommy focused until I got pregnant. I baby sat my younger brothers as a teenager and no one died so I guess I was pretty nurturing then too, right? Does that mean this ability was always in me? What do you think about the "Mom Gene"? Do you think you have it? Do you know anyone who clearly does not?

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Mommy Style: 12232013

Since this pic got a such a nice response on IG & FB I figured I'd share the details of what I'm wearing.   The hat is from Target. The sunglasses are Tommy Hilfiger. The scarf is from Express and I'm wearing a burgundy Express dolman sleeve sweater.

The weather here has been so nice. It's been in the upper 50s to low 60s. Loving it.