Tag: blog posts | Baby Doodah!

Turn It Up Tuesday – #66

Posted on December 22 by Jillian416 • 4 Comments

Welcome to the 66th week of Turn It Up Tuesdays! We had an amazing week last week…and it’s all because of all of you!

Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy, excited, energetic…and having fun! Link up your favorite posts (old or new) and meet some awesome bloggers in return! Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, recipes, mommy moments — anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly. We want to laugh, be entertained, be inspired, and have a good time!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

Are you interested in having your blog or website featured on Turn It Up Tuesdays? Do you want to offer a discount to Turn It Up Tuesday linkers?
Then, sponsor Turn It Up Tuesday for a month! Click here! It’s only $5 for an entire month!
We’re accepting sponsors for 2015!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for December!

(from the top – left to right)

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly co-hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis. We’re now accepting guest hosts for January and February.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Jillian chose Handmade Glittery Clear Glass Ornaments – Monthly DIY Challenge from Making It In the Mountains. “I chose this post because I love how beautiful the ornaments turned out. They’re beautiful and sparkly!!”

Angie chose Holly Leaf Christmas Tree Skirt DIY from Purple Hues and Me. “I never used to like silver Christmas trees but with this beautiful purple holly tree skirt & the dark purple ornaments – I’m now wishing for a silver tree!”

April chose 25 Awesome Bloggers Every New Blogger Should Follow Part 1 from Afro-Chic Mompreneur. “As bloggers we are always looking for resources to make us better bloggers. Nancy has compiled a great list to start using immediately!”

Natasha also chose this post. “One of the best things about blogging is the community itself. Bloggers are just so incredibly friendly and helpful. It’s so great to see this great list Nancy compiled – it really shows how helpful and friendly bloggers really are!”

This post also received the most clicks.

Ce Ce chose The Best German Chocolate Cake Recipe from Little House Living. “Great, non traditional Christmas dessert recipe for the holiday!”

Mari chose Shameless Decisions. from Sequins in the South. “I loved the bold honesty and share of learning experience. Anyone can be a mother or father but not everyone can be a great mom or dad. Changing our behavior to be better parents is always a wonderful step in the right direction. Our kids didn’t ask to be born.”

Nancy chose Handmade Gifts for Guys: DIY Home-Roasted Coffee Tutorial from Busy Being Jennifer. “Loved it because it was about a gift for our special men, during the holidays it can be all about the kids and mom. It was refreshing to see a special post for the great guys in our lives.”

Rebeka chose Stressing Over Christmas Traditions!! from Stuck In Your Rut. “This post spoke to me. I’ve struggled with keeping traditions, incorporating traditions, and making new ones of our own with our kids. This year was no different because I just want to do EVERYTHING. It was a gentle reminder that you can’t and shouldn’t try to do it all.”

Jessica chose Teaching Kids to Take Responsibility from Life from My Laptop. “This post was so greatly needed, especially with what is going on in the world nowadays. I feel that it is our responsibility as parents to teach our children early on how to take on full responsibility of their actions. We make them better people when we do and hopefully gain a lot of respect from others :).”

Tiffany chose 7 Tips to Being a Better Stay-At-Home-Mama from Seven Graces. “I think Kristy gives a great list of tips and ways to make sure that you are at your best even when you are at home. It can be easy to fall into a rut when you’re a SAHM but with these scriptures and tips it’s just as easy to get out of it!”

Chelsea chose Raspberry Mojito Recipe from Hairsprays & High Heels. “Mojitos are my drink of choice, and it’s so refreshing to see something that’s not cranberry or peppermint! It’s the holiday season and these raspberry concoctions are a nice twist on the usual ‘red and green’ festive drink. Love it!”

Silvie chose Red Velvet Popcorn from Lou Lou Girls. “I chose this as my favorite because in my house we love anything red velvet. The recipe is easy to follow and easy to make and sooooo delicious! I will also be making this yummy treat for the gift baskets I’ll be giving this Christmas!”

Elaine chose Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas with Ribbon from Fynes Designs. “So many great ones. This is my favorite because I am looking for cute ways to dress up my presents.”

Tina chose DIY Toile Christmas Ornament from Anastasia Vintage. “What a great craft!!So elegant and simple, I really love this fabric it’s beautiful.”

Stacey chose 25 Handmade Ornaments to Enjoy Creating from Earning & Saving with Sarah Fuller. “So many wonderful and easy ideas, that would be great to do with the kids. I made dough ornaments with them, when they were younger. Maybe it is time to make some new ones for years to come! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Yolanda chose Dream Big-Vision Board 2015 from The Mompreneur 2013. “I selected this post because I am gearing myself up for 2015. What will the upcoming year hold for me? Will I accomplish big things? Not if I don’t have a vision, or plan, for the future. This post gave me a great idea of a little self-reflecting project for the next week.”

Rhonda chose Wrapping Up your Christmas Baking Gifts from Fynes Designs. “I love making baked and home made gifts for Christmas. I just made a huge batch of Christmas Crunch and love the idea of using jars with ribbons in my gift baskets versus the cellophane bags. Nice touch.”

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

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And the Best of the Best is…

.25 Awesome Bloggers Every New Blogger Should Follow Part 1 from Afro-Chic Mompreneur

7 Tips to Being a Better Stay-At-Home-Mama from Seven Grace

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

As the Best of the Best, you win free ad space on Epic Mommy Adventures for 30 days! Please showcase the badge below with pride on your blog!

Please send an e-mail to Natasha at 1EpicMommy@gmail.com and she will provide you with all the details for the free ad space!

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So now that you’ve met our hosts and co-hosts, and our Featured and the Best of the Best…

let’s get started!

*Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

*Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

*Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

*Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

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Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week!

**Disclaimer: Adding your link to this link party gives permission to Epic Mommy Adventures, along with co-hosts, guest hosts, and participants of Turn It Up Tuesday, to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features, roundups, etc. with an explicit link back to the original source.**

An InLinkz Link-up

Interested in reading all of our favorite posts on Turn It Up Tuesdays – past or present? Or do want to know if your post was featured before we go live next week? Follow Natasha Peter’s board Featured on Turn It Up Tuesdays! on Pinterest.

Filed Under: All About Me, Link-Ups

Toddler Sleep Regression – Why Your Toddler Wakes at Night

Posted on November 3 by Jillian416 • 16 Comments

Toddlers like babies can have spurts of time when they wake up several times a night. Not knowing what to do, can be frustrating

When you’re pregnant, everyone reminds you to sleep now, because once the baby arrives you won’t be able to do so. Then, once the baby is here, people check-in or offer to watch the little one so that you can catch some zzzz’s. If you’re like me, when your baby was an infant, you were able to exist on very few hours of sleep and not feel like a zombie. You were just used to it, though when it was offered, I took the help!

However, what you may not be prepared for, is that around 18 months your child can revert back to their non-sleeping ways, to what is called toddler sleep regression, leaving you feeling like you’ll never sleep a full night again. It can be frustrating, but there is an end in sight and remind yourself, this, like every other stage it is ONLY temporary.

Why Your Toddler is Waking Again

Around 18 months toddlers can begin going through another round of sleep regression. Some infants and older babies experience sleep regressions at other stages, but when you hit those toddler years, you’re not through yet. It really is too bad that more pediatricians don’t warn parents that this occurs. I had NO idea until it happened to us and I started googling.

There are so many things that could be causing the sleep regression, here’s what to look for so that you can love and support your little one

Out of the blue your sweet sleeping child, will no longer sleep through the night and it is a struggle to get them to nap. Sound familiar? If not, you’re a lucky one! Many parents report that their child was sleeping through the night at 11+ months and then BOOM all of a sudden you’re up multiple times a night with your little one.
Could your child be physically uncomfortable? Such as an ear infection or perhaps their 2 year molars growing in. If so, this could be the culprit for the lack of sleep.
Another sleep disruption could be night terrors.Your child’s brain is growing and developing at a rapid rate, which means their imagination can begin to run wild. If they see a scary image on TV, that could then live on in their dreams and wake them from a deep sleep.
What about at home, are there any major adjustments happening? Did you just move, or did you change day cares? Anything that disrupts a toddler’s normal day to day can really throw them off their schedule, which can lead to lots of unhappy nighttime wake ups.
Separation anxiety has resurfaced. Believe it or not, separation anxiety can hang around until a child is 5+ years old. The fear obviously changes, but it still exists. Around 18 months to 2 years, toddlers can start to worry about being left alone or with a stranger. Again, this can lead to those middle of the night call-outs.
Finally, there may just not be a simple explanation. There are just periods of time that a toddler wakes up and doesn’t want to sleep, you’ve gone through your list (and checked it twice) and nothing fits. This just means that you need be there to love and support your toddler, and hopefully catch some zzz’s on the side.

Losing sleep day in and day out can be really difficult on moods and outlooks on life. Just take a moment and remind yourself that this is temporary and it will pass. Be patient, surround yourself with loving and supportive people, and remember you are not alone.

Stay tuned for future posts in regards to toddle sleep regression regression – How You Can Sneak Quick Naps In and How to Survive Toddler Sleep Regression.

Looking for more information on this subject? Check out this post from What to Expect: Toddler Sleep Regression or Progression?

Your turn!

What other reasons do you have for toddler sleep regression? Please share in the comments below!

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Filed Under: Emmett, Family

Turn It Up Tuesday – #54

Posted on September 30 by Jillian416 • 4 Comments

Happy Turn It Up Tuesday!!

Hey everyone! I’m really excited this week because we’ve been having some amazing posts linked up and then shared across all of the hosts blogs. It is bringing in some serious traffic for our partiers! I’d love for you to join us – because we are all always looking for a new blog to follow and read. Alright, I’m off! Here’s to a great week!

This is our last week celebrating Turn It Up Tuesday’s birthday/anniversary this week! And we are so happy to have you back here with us (or for the first time) to celebrate…and connect…and grow!

Thank you so much for joining us last week – the posts were absolutely amazing!

If you haven’t already done so, please enter to win the Turn It Up Tuesday birthday giveaway! We have co-hosts and guest hosts (past and present) joining the fun! Make sure to enter below to win!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Tara from Anything and Everything

“Welcome to Anything and Everything! I am a wife to an incredible and talented graphic designer, a mom to a new baby boy, and to another baby of the four-legged variety. Here you will find everything ranging from DIY projects, food and drinks, kids stuff, and anything in between. With my zest for life and my husbands passion for design, we are never at a loss for unique and entertaining ideas. I try to update this blog as often as possible, so be sure to visit often for more adventures! Sit back, relax, grab a beverage, take a look around and enjoy!”

Stop by and check out her blog…it’s definitely a great read!

Are you interested in having your blog or website featured in this spot? Then, sponsor Turn It Up Tuesday for a month! Click here! It’s only $5 for an entire month!
We’re accepting sponsors for 2015!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for September!

(from the top – left to right)

This is the last week for our September guest hosts – we thank you all for enjoying the fun this month…and we hope to see you back soon!

Interested in being a guest host or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly co-hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis. We’re now accepting guest hosts for November and December.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

baked-chocolate-pumpkin-cake-donuts

Mila chose Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Donuts from A Dash of Sanity. “The best recipe in the world.Why? Because of these two words :pumpkin and chocolate! Nough said ;)”

Silvie chose Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti from My Turn for Us. “It was so hard to choose one post to feature because we had so many great ones. I have a weak spot for Alfredo sauce, so I just had to try this recipe! I loved the flavor and how easy it was to put together. Everyone in the house loved it!”

Jillian chose What You Can Learn in the Lobby Before Job Interview from Earning & Saving with Sarah Fuller. “I chose this post because everyone can always brush up on their interview skills and this has some great tips for being prepared before even going into the interview.”

Cathy chose If we knew what we had from Just a Touch of Crazy. “So true! Too often do we not appreciate what we have until it’s gone! I love the how a song touched her heart, as I often feel the same way about songs! We tend to often think the grass is greener in someone else’s family but in reality, through the mess of day to day life….our families truly are a blessing!”

Meghan also chose this post. “I love this post. There are so many days when we get so busy, that at the end of the day, I can barely remember what we did. It is so important to just stop once in awhile and take notice. See what you have in life and smile.”

Cathy chose Healthy Recipe: Carrot Cake Bites from Luv a Bargain. “Sherri takes the amazing flavors of carrot cake and combines them with almond butter to create a most delicious carrot cake bite! I love carrot cake and almond butter and I just can’t get enough of this great sweet treat!”

fiesta-tuna-salad-sliders

Mari chose Fiesta Tuna Salad Sliders from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us. “Meaghan’s slider with the Ciabatta bread looks amazing. I love Tuna and just the variety she added looks tasty and healthy for sure. I love the tomatoes and red onion mix with mayo. Can’t wait to try this for sure.”

And because Mari is absolutely fabulous and we love having her here, we allowed her to include a second favorite:

Mari chose Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins from Budget Girl. “Now Chelsey and the Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins! Omg I can just see myself in front of the tv with glass of milk, watching a great program and taking a bite out of that moist muffin. Yes buying the ingredients tomorrow!”

Stacey chose Halloween Wreath {hack} from Home. Made. Interest. “Halloween has always been my favorite time of year and if I could go all out…I would definitely hang one of these on every door in my house! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Kelly chose Bacon wrapped Pork Loin stuffed with Prosciutto & Provolone from Home. Made. Interest. “The combination of flavors sounds delicious…”

Yolanda chose Friday Favorites – I Love the 80’s from Krafty Cards Etc. “I selected this one because I’m a 80’s baby, and reading this post gave me a great flashback. Man I LOVED a lot of the shows this blogger posted. It really bought me back to when TV was feel-good, and great for the whole family to enjoy together!”

Natasha chose Clash of the Couples from 100lb Countdown. “I am soooo looking forward to reading this book. I absolutely adore Crystal, and I love all of the writers that I’m seeing on the list. Thanks for sharing April!”

10-Things-2-682x1024

The post with the most clicks is 10 Things Only Moms Understand from Goofball Mommy.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

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And the Best of the Best is…

0020

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins from Budget Girl

baked-chocolate-pumpkin-cake-donuts

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Donuts from A Dash of Sanity

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

As the Best of the Best, you win free ad space on Epic Mommy Adventures for 30 days! Please showcase the badge below with pride on your blog!

Please send an e-mail to Natasha at 1EpicMommy@gmail.com and she will provide you with all the details!

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And now for our anniversary giveaway…

Happy Birthday TUT (1)

(from top left and clockwise)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
So now that you’ve met our sponsor of the month, our hosts and co-hosts, the Featured and the Best of the Best, and our anniversary giveaway…

let’s get started!

Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

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Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Interested in reading all of the Featured Posts on Turn It Up Tuesdays? Or do want to know if your post was featured before we go live next week? Follow Natasha Peter’s board Featured on Turn It Up Tuesdays! on Pinterest.

Filed Under: All About Me, Link-Ups

Fitness Fridays – #5

Posted on July 11 by Jillian416 • 5 Comments

Can you believe with in our 5th week of Fitness Fridays?

All I need to do is get through today, and I will officially be on vacation for 12 glorious days!! I’ll be busy on some of those days, but there will also be plenty of relaxing. I deserve it!

Alright, let’s get down to business, first things first, I’d like to thank Hanna Lei for linking up last week. I’m really digging her blog. First of all the layout is simple, and I love that. It looks so fresh and clean and is easy to follow. Secondly, her posts are relevant and fun to read. I’m a big fan of the post she linked up about Sports Bras and a Confession (go ahead and click there, I’ll wait).

You can follow her on: Instagram, Bloglovin’ or Pinterest.

Keeping Your Diet Clean and Healthy Can Be Hard

If you read my blog frequently, you know that I’ve struggle with Binge Eating Disorder. For a long time I had no idea what it was that I was dealing with, and I assumed there was no way of overcoming it. Thankfully I was wrong!

I started writing about it on my blog, doing research, reading everything I could get my hands on about the disease and realized that with hard work, I could beat B.E.D.

It has been a long slow process, and I still occasionally find myself craving junk, but for the most part, I am now able to ignore those feelings, and fuel my body in healthy ways. You’re probably wondering what has helped me get to this point, right?

My Tips to Keep Your Diet on Track

1. Hard Work and Dedication – There’s a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that resonates true here.

[Tweet ““Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty. -Theodore Roosevelt”]

There are so many times when I’ve reached for junk food, and had to talk myself out of actually eating it. Telling myself that isn’t how I lead my life now. I am conscious of my decisions! It is a constant struggle, happening multiple times a day, but each day it gets easier to tell myself no and to enjoy the fresh food I bring from home.

Eating better and fueling my body appropriately is well worth it. I have been feeling amazing and so positive! I feel like I’m on top of the world. 🙂

2. Surrounding Yourself with Supportive People – This is HUGE! I have several people in my life that I trust entirely, and that I feel 100% comfortable with. I share everything with them, every single success, and every single downfall.

For instance, when I ran an errand in the middle of the day and managed to come back without stopping at McDonald’s or any other fast food place with a drive-thru.

To some people that may seem insignificant, but to a food addict, being able to go out on your own, and come back without junk is one of the biggest accomplishments you can have. Having someone to share that with, that understands how HUGE that is, and celebrating with you is one of the biggest things that will help you through this.

3. Drink Shakeology – Okay, I know you probably think this is a cheap shot, added for a sale. But I swear to you, that it is not. I simply want to share what has worked for me.

I’ve been drinking Shakeology for a month now. In the beginning I didn’t notice even the difference and I really thought that all the hype was just that, hype. However, now a month in, I realize it isn’t. It has been life changing!

Prior to drinking Shakeo, when I’d think of a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder, my mouth would instantly water (I’m being 100% truthful). Now, a month out, when I think of those foods, I think of all the grease and fat involved and how awful it made me feel. That type of thing NEVER phased me before, I didn’t care what was in the burger or that my blood pressure would raise and my fingers would swell, I just wanted the burger. A bad food day to me now, is something like a salad or turkey sandwich at Panera.

I’m not touting it as a miracle drug (it’s not), but the different nutrients and herbs involved truly help stave off cravings. And it is now clinically proven to…

So yes, I’m smitten with Shakeology and I’m not afraid to scream it from the rooftops, so that everyone knows it.

I haven’t had a binge in 4 weeks!!!!

I want that to just sit there a second, because it feels amazing. I’ve never gone more than a few days, even on previous diets.

If you would like more information on Shakeology, you can email me at jillianokeefe1022@gmail.com or check-out the Shakeology website.

Those are my 3 tips that I proudly standby and support!!

Now Onto the Goals

Amount of Weight Lost

I’m happy to share a success with you…

I lost another 2.2 lbs!! Bringing my grand total to 7 lbs, which means I can get my manicure. 😀 I think I’m going to wait until my nails are a bit longer, though. I just trimmed them and they wouldn’t look very pretty painted so short. I can’t wait!

Exercise Goals

Last week I set a goal to continue with the 21 Day Fix and workout with it 6 times and then 2 additional workouts of running or biking.

COMPLETE! Boom! I sure did do six days of 21 Day Fix workouts and 2 run/bike workouts. I am on FIRE!

Next week I am going to stick with the same goal – six days with 21 Day Fix and 2 run or bike workouts.

Food Goals

Last week, I stated I wanted to continue with the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan and Shakeology. Another success to share, I ate on point and followed the meal plan perfectly, with only 2 handfuls of m&ms all week. Goodness it feels good to share successes!

I’m going to stick with the same program because it is working and I’m not bored.

Okay, that’s enough from me for today. 🙂 Be sure to share you posts with us in the link-up below. We love featuring new blogs!