Fresh Mommy Blog: July 2012

The Week, in iPhone Photos

Otherwise known as Hump Day Dump...

Welcome to our tradition here on Fresh Mommy Blog... on Wednesdays, when I try to be wordless, I'm just going to dump the previous week's photos from my phone. A little piece of where we've been and what we've been up to. And the resulting collage? Well, I think it speaks so much more than I could. Welcome to Hump Day Dump, we'd love to have you join, whether it's one photo or many, phone pics or camera pics, wordless or not!

All of my photos were taken on an iPhone with the instagr.am app. If you want to find me, I'm on instagram as TabithaBlue. For more fabulous Wordless Wednesday memes, check out Project Alicia, Better in Bulk and Wordless Wednesday

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And here are a few of your #PROJECTlipstick photos that caught my eye today! (If you're on Instagram, we have an amazing, fun and flirty project going on this week... and there are prizes too!) Check out this post for details. We hope you join in, we've seriously been having so much fun with it this week.

Oh and a sneak peek at a couple of the prizes we've rounded up for #PROJECTlipstick!

DIY Potted Herb Makeover

This is a super simple answer to the ugly faux terra cotta pots that herbed plants usually come in. Since I didn't want a strange orange color glaring at me every time I walked into the kitchen, I had to find a quick and affordable solution.

We all know that I love chalkboard paint, and use it whenever I get the chance, like for this easy kid's table makeover or this fun countdown calendar. So for this project, I grabbed my trusty ole' can of chalkboard spray paint from the garage... yes, it's lasted through all of these projects.

After purchasing cheap pots from the store (I think they were just over $1 at TJ Maxx), I thought the chalkboard paint would allow for many different uses. By keeping the herbs in their original pots, I can switch them out quickly if my momentary green thumb decides to change color, or if I want to give the painted pots a different use at a party or gathering.

1. Gather supplies... Pots and spray paint.

2. Spray away. My little helper got the project started.

3. Let dry, add potted herbs and chalk it up!

I love the look this adds to my kitchen, and the fact that I can really write whatever I want to on there... like "eat me" if I'm feeling particularly sassy. And for parties? Well, since I left the original plants in their containers and just dropped the whole thing into my new pot, the options are almost endless, they can be used to hold utensils, to serve snacks, as a container for ice, etc.

Total cost of project, since I already had the paint = $2.75.

Chalk and I, we make great friends.

Monday Morning Addendum

Instead of rambling on this morning, I thought I would announce that's Brayden's First Birthday Bash made a splash over at the always amazing Hostess With The Mostess this weekend, so check it out here. If you're EVER looking for party ideas, this is one magical place.

And also... #PROJECTlipstick is officially on! I started this morning. There's still time... and you don't have to get in everyday to be eligible for the great prizes we're rounding up this week!

Happy Monday, friends! xoxo

Enjoying the Detour:: Sunday Citar

"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery even while on a detour."

We're in the midst of summer's blaze, and these days it seems the best place to take up residence is in the water. Of course staying indoors in the cool, calculated breeze of air conditioning is another much-used alternative, but even then, the crisp call of water beckons. Normally I'd be riding my bright and sunshiny unicorn right into the water with my littles, splashing and jumping. Summer is when I dwell in the pool, when I remain in the ocean far past the prune.

I'm just going to be honest and raw here for a minute, not that I'm usually reserved, but here goes... I can't get in. It's flipping' hot and I can't swim. Who knew that a miscarriage brings with it a good three weeks ban from submersion in water? This mama didn't. And overall, I've been doing very well, but this one little fact, and the perfect timing in the middle of summer, has my kids crying for me to get in with them... and serves as a daily reminder of our loss.

So today, I floated around on a tube with my rear in the air feeling like a hot air balloon hovering the surface. But my kids were happy... and I was cool. We might be on a slight detour, but I'm certainly enjoying the scenery along the way. Even if my floating in the middle of our pool like the sad, injured turtle at the aquarium that we refer to as "Bubble Bootie" isn't the most enjoyable scenery for anyone else in the water.

Needless to say, I'm craving the bend of the calendar pages that breathe out fall and pumpkins and spice. To be completely transparent, I wanted to blast Christmas music around the house a couple of days ago, and then reminded myself that pumpkins come first.

While the heat rages on, so does our swimming... and popsicle breaks, and the constant line of pool towels drying in the sun and my flying acrobat girl.

And my little two year old is catching on quick. My little swimmer boy, I call him.

It's time to get your happy on. Happy Sunday Citar!

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I would love to have you join the Sunday Citar inspiration and have all of us come to your blog to read what quotes inspire you! Simply write your own post on your blog, link within your post to my blog, and sign up with the linky below, leaving your name and the link directly to your Sunday Citar post. Just click here if any of that sounds confusing. There you'll be able to get the complete rundown, as well as learn how to link back to my blog if you don't already know how. Take a moment a visit at least three of the participants around you... you'll be glad you did!

#PROJECTlipstick... Pretty Lips, Poppin' Colors and Fab Giveaways

"Just look at all of this," she said as each fresh tube marked the back of her hand in random streaks of color. My eyes were on the road as I weaved my way home, dinner and children were waiting and we were hungry, but I still caught a glimpse of Champange and Rose, Berry and Plum, Peach Shimmer and Coral... all colors in the bottom of her purse, barely touched. Hardly used.

"I buy these with high hopes for myself, and then never use them."

I think this about sums up most of us, tubes of lipstick rolling around the bathroom drawer, hidden in the cabinet and among the mess of crayons, coins and tissue in the bottom of our purses. Colors we've maybe never even used or hardly tried.

And I think it's time for a solution.

So this weekend, round up your stockpile of sticks, creams and glosses... clean out your handbags, rifle through those messy drawers, whip up an easy batch of this DIY lip scrub to prep your pout and get ready for #PROJECTlipstick!

Starting on Monday, July 30, Bri and I will post a photo each day, a self portrait, while wearing one of our rarely used, need to be seen lip colors. A tube or pot of pigment we rounded up from the dark corner where it was hiding and we'll hashtag the photos on Instagram and Twitter with #PROJECTlipstick... and we invite you to do the same!

Together we'll all find new colors to fall in love with and others that totally bombed. We'll clean up, slim down and perk up our arsenal of lip shades. And another bonus? It'll actually help me to wear make-up this week, because I think this past week I made-up myself about a total of two times.

Next Friday, we'll share some of our new faves and the colors we're happy to part ways with, as well as share some of our favorite photos by YOU (with links). And on top of it all, we're putting together a sweet giveaway, a totally rad bundle of our favorite lip loves for our favorite photo of YOURS shared on either Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #PROJECTlipstick.

Get ready girls and be prepared for lots of compliments all day on the fun colors you'll be sporting! We hope you'll give this a go.

Find Tabitha on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Find Briony on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

This Week, in iPhone Photos

Otherwise known as Hump Day Dump...

Oh The Places We Go

There are times when life seems to be buzzing at full speed, where mornings begin with a leap off of the bed and end with sleepy bodies falling into it. And then there are times when the very air we breathe seems to slow and as the rhythm of our inhales and exhales fall into line, so do we... and not necessarily because there's any less to do or fewer places to go, but because we decide to really see what's around us. That's easy to do when traipsing the streets of Chicago, breathing in the scents of Garrets popcorn or the corner hot dog stand or when taking in the sights of Times Square at night and the constant buzz of New York City. But the little things, the in-between times I like to call them, are just as important.

Last week, our normal, regular weekly jaunt to the market was the perfect place to take a long breath and let our bodies rhythm sync with it. Little hands raced to fill baskets with vibrant colors. My list quickly became a cart filled with fresh goodies. And the way these two danced around the market, in a tango of grab this and fill that, was a beautiful cadence.