tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22408657852946423792024-02-19T01:31:59.282-05:00Thou Shall Not WhineMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.comBlogger432125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-85395390045994574732013-10-11T22:30:00.001-04:002013-10-11T22:31:07.783-04:00Children's Claritin Back to School Allergy TipsEveryone is well into the swing of school now, and the Fall has arrived in many parts of the country. With the changing of seasons comes the dreaded allergy symptoms for moms, dads, and kids alike. Does your family suffer from allergies? We do. And it is no fun. Joey and I both have terrible allergies at peak seasons. Luckily, I am a member of the Children's Claritin Mom Crew, and they help me byMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-60096319889654666162013-10-05T23:01:00.001-04:002013-10-05T23:01:02.100-04:00A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The ForumWell, we weren't exactly on our way to the forum, more like our house, but the title just struck me as I decided to write this...
After my last blog post I figured it was time for something light hearted, and Olivia provided the inspiration for just that as we walked home from my sister's house this evening.
My children wear Crocs 75% of the time all year round. And I love it. However, these Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-79986254228114734682013-10-04T03:35:00.001-04:002013-10-04T03:35:31.130-04:00Losing ItI've officially hit rock bottom. I have a secret... -I've been a sleep-deprived, grumpy, impatient monster of a mom for 3 months now, and I can't bear it any longer. With children well past the infancy stage of wakeful nights it is frustrating to me that my 4 year olds have such horrible sleep habits that I would gladly trade them in for newborn twins that wanted to be breastfed every 45 minutes Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-16573585729703088232013-06-28T11:55:00.000-04:002013-06-28T11:55:13.016-04:00My Last Day of School PostThis is a long post.... you've been warned.
Today would have been Joey's last day of Kindergarten. He would be moving up to 1st Grade in 10 days. (year round school... no summer break) But it's not his last day. In our house it's just another hot day in North Carolina. It has taken me 7 months to get the courage to publicly share what I struggled with mostMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-39451314226892608772013-06-24T08:51:00.001-04:002013-06-24T08:51:29.002-04:00What I made: Father's Day EditionMy husband and I usually keep things simple when it comes to exchanging gifts with each other. We are a family of 5 on a teacher's budget, so spending money on frivolous gifts for each other when the holidays roll around has never been super important to us. We love simple things: going out to eat as a family (even if it's Chick Fil A!), taking a trip to a new park, or just hanging Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-19353683555826485262013-05-28T10:53:00.000-04:002013-05-28T10:53:10.251-04:00Giveaway Time!If you haven't already "liked" my Facebook page for my business, now's the time to do it! We are having our biggest giveaway yet!
This is a very trendy style right now, and simply perfect for summer! It also makes a great gift!
Don't want to wait to win? Head on over to my Etsy Shop to purchase one of these ready to ship styles for just $28!
 Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-53068947103852777692013-03-21T12:32:00.001-04:002013-03-21T12:32:30.071-04:00Kid UpdateI realize I rarely use this blog for what it was once intended for. Having a blog helped me in those early days of motherhood when I felt like I was going to lose it if I didn't at least laugh about it. It was a fun way for me to channel my thoughts, share my pictures, and share new products and info from time to time.
However, I still really enjoy writing, and I have always been Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-61894735365096120002013-03-20T20:32:00.000-04:002013-03-20T20:32:00.430-04:00The Croods Giveaway -Dreamworks Animation and General MillsAs a mom, I can't help loving some of the movies that my kids love. And in my opinion, Dreamworks Animation has yet to disappoint me or my kids. While some of these movies came out a few years ago, my children are just getting to the age to appreciate them. Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and Shrek have hilarious, lovable characters, and these movies are included in our regular Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-84414713947355980032013-01-14T16:38:00.000-05:002013-01-14T16:38:53.799-05:00Bugaboo's Closet Etsy Shop GiveawayI'm so excited to share this fun giveaway with you! And yes, this is me shamelessly self-promoting my very own Etsy Shop, Bugaboo's Closet.
A little about my shop: I try to create timeless styles that can be worn for multiple seasons and years. The dresses I feature in my shop are designed to last. I use high-quality fabrics, and notions, and each item is handmade with lots of love.
My friendsMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-9433250061655269532013-01-11T10:22:00.000-05:002013-01-11T10:22:55.968-05:00Crayola Giveaway WinnerCongratulations to post #4, Brittney who said, "my daughter would love these!! we have a ton of crayola stuff and it all gets
used." I've sent you an email, please get your shipping info to me ASAP. I hope you and your daughter love the new Crayola products!
*Sorry for no Random.org picture... Blogger isn't letting me upload this AM.*
Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-24934255525311208742013-01-08T10:09:00.000-05:002013-01-08T10:09:14.198-05:00Crayola Review and Giveaway
Over the holidays, my family and I had the opportunity to try out some great new products by Crayola. With 3 young children, Crayola is a household name in this house. In my opinion, they make great age-appropriate products that keep moms in mind. (i.e. not so messy!)
The products we got to try were the Digital Light Designer and Marker Airbrush. Both of these Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-42749690024830123122012-11-25T21:10:00.002-05:002012-11-25T21:11:40.383-05:00Announcing: Bugaboo's Closet, my New Etsy ShopSadly, this blog has been quiet for about a month. Did I give up on the C25K? Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. OK. Yes. I did. Running freaking sucks people, and if you say it doesn't, you're lying. Do you hear me? LYING.
I honestly did not intend to give up on the whole "I'm gonna be a runner" thing -even though it does totally suck, it just kinda happened. Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-48651464522453360832012-11-25T20:20:00.001-05:002012-11-25T20:30:02.881-05:00Pinypon Party Sponsored by MommyParties
Recently I was chosen to host a party featuring some great new toys for little girls. Pinypon toys are so much fun to play with, and come with lots of neat little accessories to mix and match. I am not exaggerating when I say that my children have played with their new Pinypon set and dolls for hours, long after the party was over. Here are some (not so great cell phone Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-85255400319132548072012-10-27T23:11:00.000-04:002012-10-27T23:11:53.311-04:00C25K -The Mom's Perspective: Week 3
Week 3 of my Couch to 5K Running Program started about 2 and a half weeks ago. Sadly, I have yet to move on to Week 4. I can explain...
Week 3, Day 1:
Oh My God, this was hard. As I said last week, going from running for 90 second stints to 3 minutes feels like mission impossible. And it kinda was. I'm not gonna lie, I had to walk the last minute when I Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-88895266463890394992012-10-27T22:29:00.002-04:002012-10-27T22:29:57.082-04:00Kroger Gift Card WinnerCongratulations to Post #15, Kristi, who said, "I would love to stock up on Cheerios." Well, now she can. Kristi, I sent you an email so please check your inbox! Thanks to every one else who entered. I really appreciate y'all reading my blog! (yea, I said y'all... deal with it.)
Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-14559771002853973392012-10-19T16:30:00.000-04:002012-10-19T16:30:02.054-04:00Sibling Love?If you've had the privilege of spending time with my family you'd notice within just a few minutes that 2 out of 3 of my children do not get along very well. This is not a new phenomenon. Not a stage that they will eventually grow out of. (although I pray that they will) Put frankly, for one reason or another, Joey and Katelyn just don't like each other.
Sad? Right.&Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-34077785622668345312012-10-17T06:52:00.000-04:002012-10-17T06:52:00.526-04:00C25K -The Mom's Perspective: Week 2Well, I'm happy to report that Week 2 was a success. I actually did all of my running inside on the treadmill at the Y during week 2. While I thought I liked it better during Week 1, I'm now ready to get back outside. (And by outside I mean after dark when my neighbors hopefully won't see me.) Running on the treadmill is sooooo boooooring! Regardless, here's a quick recap:
Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-15353251836783928202012-10-16T21:43:00.001-04:002012-10-16T22:04:38.861-04:00Kroger Buy 5 -Save $5 Event with GIVEAWAYAttention Kroger shoppers! Grab a cart (or two!)and head to your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for the Kroger Buy 5 – Save $5 Event! From October 14th through October 24th (RIGHT NOW!) purchase 5 participating General Mills products, and receive a coupon for $5 off your next shopping order.
If you combine this promotion with Kroger's sales and manufacturers coupons, you're looking at Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-4331821553094687222012-10-11T06:46:00.000-04:002012-10-17T00:04:33.122-04:00New Updates Are Up!I finally got around to updating my sidebar with new pics and bios of the kids. Aren't they adorable? ;) Here's a new picture of them all together, from last weekend's trip to the corn maze:
And yes, I realize none of them are looking... but I kind of like it that way. This is how they are when I'm not bribing them and/or screaming at them to sit together, smile, andMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-40024142380269680662012-10-10T20:25:00.001-04:002012-10-16T21:56:36.620-04:00C25K -The Mom's Perspective: Week 1, Day 3Week 1, Day 3:
I have to admit that I surprised myself when I decided to go out running a 3rd time. It wasn't easy, but I did it. It had been 4 days since my run on day 2, and that made it especially hard to motivate myself. If you are thinking about doing this running program, I highly suggest not going more than 1 or 2 days in between runs, as the longer Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-20400045553177694552012-10-09T14:26:00.000-04:002012-10-16T21:56:36.617-04:00C25K -The Mom's Perspective: Week 1, Day 2
Week 1, Day 2:
I realize my last blog post left you with a bit of a cliff hanger... I'm sure you were all laying in bed awake at night wondering if in fact I put on my running shoes again. I know, I'm tricky like that. Well I'm about to reveal some BIG news: I did. I ran a second time. And here's my step by step account of how it went. (pun intended... get Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-20051291227016870072012-10-07T23:34:00.001-04:002012-10-08T00:11:24.917-04:00Couch 2 5K... The Mom's PerspectiveWell it's no secret that I'd like to lose some weight. I've struggled with it for some time now, and am finding it harder than EVER now to drop a few pounds. Weight Watchers worked for me 6 times before in the past, and it sort of worked for a while for me earlier this year, but I got impatient and quit. Also, we really had to cut back spending when Ron unexpectedly needed a newMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-84098639781946224132012-09-27T14:35:00.003-04:002012-09-27T14:39:10.090-04:00The Pledge Of Allegiance in SchoolDoes your kid's class say The Pledge of Allegiance in school? I was proud to discover that my kid's does!
And yes, he's usually shirtless when he's not at school where a full set of clothing is required. ;)Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-66102088278636051182012-09-15T12:09:00.001-04:002012-09-15T12:09:45.780-04:00LeapFrog Touch Magic Rock 'n Learn PartyRecently I was given a great opportunity to introduce my kids and some friends to a few innovative toys from one of my favorite kid focused companies, LeapFrog. LeapFrog toys have been in my house since Joey was an infant, and they've always been a hit with my kids. My kids love learning, playing, and making music, so the new LeapFrog Touch Magic toys were sure to be a hit.
When the Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2240865785294642379.post-40285099051939468112012-09-09T12:05:00.002-04:002012-09-09T12:05:56.631-04:00There's No Love Like Her LoveI rarely write about the conversations I have with the girls, and I find that I'm usually sharing the things that Joey says.... because, let's face it... the kid is hilarious. I'm pretty sure if I had the time I could write a blog post a day filled with the funny things that Joey says.
However, I'm on here this morning to share some sweet little girl love. Olivia and I were hanging Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047353377825946208noreply@blogger.com1