Friday Favorites - Links I Love

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  1. Like I think most women, I'm always trying to manage it all and be successful.  These are good tips on how successful women make the most of their time (everyone only gets 24 hours in a day) (businessinsider.com)
  2. Beautiful artwork and super cool speed painting videos (lovemaegan.com)
  3. Took some of these photos to my last hair dresser appointment, love the results. Great cut with movement but not in need of a lot of styling. (popsugar.com)
  4. White is so in as summer is upon us. But ever wonder what to wear underneath so you're not sharing too much?  Answers here (and usually you can't wear white under white.) (yahoo.com)
  5. For us very pale-faced people, an easy add to your morning face routine that will gradually give you a summer glow. (Sephora.com)
  6. Its 2015.  Its about time Barbie got with the program and diversified.  (cnn.com)
  7. Ok, this may seem like the weirdest, but after reading the article, I'm considering the face shaving. (Note, the image is deceptive. There is no shaving cream involved.)(popsugar.com)
  8. Always looking for décor tricks to take things up a notch.  14 tips for that here. (yahoo.com)
  9. In honor of Father's Day, a cute compilation video of dads who dominate at parenting. (youtube.com)
     

Thankful Thursday - It Takes a Community to Share the Love...

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Disclaimer: Sponsored post. Click here.

While we made a conscious decision to start our family, nothing fully prepares you for the reality of when your baby is born.  You'd think 9+ months of growing a human inside you would do something to help you prepare for the change your world is about to take, but really it doesn't.  Every security you had in life now feels uncertain when you have a new, helpless human being you are completely responsible for.  Life is full of unknowns, and factors we have no control over. And when its only you, or you and another adult partner, if bad things happen, it sucks, but you'll deal.  Once there is a baby in the picture, your decisions and their consequences no longer are just about you.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

We are very lucky that we have family (relatively) close, and good friends that would help us out if something dire or tragic ever happened.  But not everyone has that support system.  And then life happens and families find themselves in circumstances they never dreamed of, and parents are faced with the horrible nightmare of not being able to put a roof over their child's head.  Fortunately there are programs out there that try to help.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

Huggies, the diaper brand, has launched a "Spread the Love" campaign, using social media and the ever-favorite selfie to encourage people to nominate a community program that could benefit from a $2,000 donation from them.  Just upload a selfie of you and your little one to Instagram or Twitter, tag it with #UltraHug, and nominate your project of choice.  It can be a fundraiser for a specific event or effort, a non-profit, a school, a community park, playground or rec center, etc.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

I'm nominating Family Promise of Orange County.  This is a program that is designed to help those families that life has seriously challenged, to get back on their feet. They believe that no child should have to sleep in a car or under a bridge (I couldn't agree more), and that every family deserves a chance to be whole and have a roof over their head. Sometimes it takes a community to provide for a child; Family Promise is the community doing just that.  I can't think of a better way to spread the love than helping families in need.  If my family found itself in hopeless circumstances, I would be eternally grateful for a program like this one.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

I know there are so many worthy projects and causes out there that could benefit from a little extra cash - take a minute to capture a moment with your little one, and nominate a worthy cause. Don't forget the tag: #UltraHug.

 

Web Wonders

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Ok, they may not be complete wonders, but here are some fun finds from the web this past week:

 
 
  1. Sometimes I feel like I have never fully recovered from pregnancy brain.  I'm going to have to start implementing some of these daily habits to make me smarter. (Mydomaine.com)
  2. There is such beauty and diversity in the world, even in just one family. This mother shares images she captured of her daughters. (Yahoo.com)
  3. Pet peeve of mine: badly hung wall art. Here's how to do it right in your space. (yahoo.com)
  4. I'm always on the hunt for small space storage ideas. These built-ins are harder to implement in a rental, but still some good ideas.  (apartmenttherapy.com)
  5. "My strong body image was a direct result of feeling validated by society."  An honest look at body image I could relate to. (huffingtonpost.com)
  6. Since it costs an arm and a leg just to get in, its good to know you can get some free stuff at Disneyland. I'm definitely asking for the map next time we go. (buzzfeed.com)
  7. If you're going to spend on pricey skin care products, be sure you are investing properly. (birchbox.com)
  8. Another life-hack that I'm a fan of: DIY/green ways to organize your life. (buzzfeed.com)
  9. Anthro does it again, though out of my price range so I'll just drool from here: I don't think you could feel anything but pretty in this dress. (anthropologie.com)

 

Friday Favorites - Links

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Sharing some amazing/fun things I found on the web this week.  Happy Friday! 

Top Row, L-R

Middle Row, L-R

  • Loving all the greenery and natural elements in this interior tour.  Inspired for my own home decor to use more plants. (abeautifulmess.com)
  • A trip down memory lane: a look back at our technology from 10 years (only 10 years) ago. Remember what you had? (huffpost.com)
  • You don't have to be a parent to appreciate that kids say the darndest things. (huffpost.com)

Bottom Row, L-R

What great things did you stumble across out there this past week?

 

Friday Favorites - Check these out

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Another TGIF has arrived.  For everyone headed to Coachella this weekend, have fun and be safe and stay hydrated (supposed to be in the 90s).  For the rest of us, have fun and be safe as well doing whatever fun your weekend holds.  And if you have a few minutes to browse the web, may I introduce you to a few blogs that I enjoy on a regular basis (I check them out pretty much every day as part of my Bloglovin' feed.)

blogfaves.jpg
  • Lace and Locks - by Kim Le.  This is a fun one for me to follow and share because Kim Le is a girl I know from high school.  She is now a super talented  wedding/engagement/boudoir photographer and an entrepreneur, with her own online boutique and this style blog for petite women.  I'm about a foot taller than her, so we're dressing for different body types, but I totally appreciate her sense of style and she has great taste.
  • J's Everyday Fashion - by "J".  This style blog is for most of us. Most of us have budgets, very practical, less than even 3-digit budgets.  Even with 20% off sales, most of us can't afford a $500 dress.  J takes high fashion/deisnger looks and styles her own version with affordable pieces, and she shows how she keeps to her budget and invests in versatile pieces.
  • Style by Emily Henderson - by Emily Henderson.  If you ever watch HGTV then you might recognize the adorable Emily Henderson.  She has a great home makeover show that I loved.  She has a fun personality and it comes through in her design.  Her blog is fun and inspires my home décor ideas.

And to wrap up the week, a flashback Friday image to make you smile from exactly one year ago: silly faces with mom and a bald Little Dude.