Meet Some Sah-weet Ladies!

Hello, March!  March just happens to me one of my favorites months of the year.  Why?  Well, my daughter was born in March (Geez!  It's already been a year?!), and my birthday is in March.  I'm turning 26, and birthday's still never get old.  I still look forward to them like I am 10 years old.

Another reason March is so great, is I have some FAB ladies for you to get to know.  My sponsors this month are pretty sweet!  Have fun getting to know their wonderful blogs and shops!

Hi! My name is Lindsey, and I share my life, loves, and handiwork in my little corner of the blog-o-verse     "Out Of Alabaster".  When I'm not chasing around my speed-crawling daughter, Selah, I am busy creating silhouettes for my Etsy shop!

I feel honored to create each portrait, and get  special sense of satisfaction knowing they will be treasured for years to come. I cherish the sneak peak at God's creation as I outline every perfectly crafted feature. Silhouettes showcase the little double-chins, adorable button noses, stately foreheads, and gorgeous curls, so that you can remember them forever. Out Of Alabaster silhouettes are classic heirlooms with  modern twist, and have been featured on Style Me Pretty, Babble, and Prudent Baby.  Hop on over to the shop and take  look, I'd love to create portrait for you :) 

If you would've told me years ago that my 27 years would bring me 8 years in Los Angeles, two beautiful children (one amazing little girl who is turning 5 this year and a strong and smiley 3 month old son!), a rock n' roll playing/tv show coordinator boyfriend, I'd be driving a minivan, have an iced americano addiction, 5 tattoos, be certified as a holistic nutrition counselor, and have resume to be proud of, I'm not sure I would have believed you. What a blessing life is! Cheers to another year full of surprises! 

My blog is: La Inspired Mama, sharing what inspires and writing some of my journey along the way!

Hi, I'm Mary from The Sugar Mountain.  I love blogging and sharing all of the pretty & not so pretty (but most pretty) things that happen on our mountain. :)  I aspire to one day be a writer (you know, in a real job-like way) and be a doula (google it), and run a resturaunt from a food truck- donuts, anyone?   But not to get to far ahead... these days I'm staying extra busy loving on two little babes (ages 2 & 4) and a stong man with a great heart.  Oh, and on the side I have a little business selling hand-made, fair-trade jewelry that empowers third world artisans.  Life is sweet on The Sugar Mountain, so come stop by!

I’m Tricia and I blog at Mama Marchand’s Nest.  New-ish mama to our daughter, N, and witty wife to the hubs,.  I write honestly about mamahood, marriage, faith, fashion, health, and a little bit of just about everything else.  Lifestyle blogger? Yes, that’s me!  Come join me while I navigate this life as a woman with many passions including jewelry making, baking, organizing, chai, and blogging, of course.  My Etsy shop, Mama’s Nest Designs, is filled with new & upcycled handcrafted jewelry and every piece is made with love.

Twitter

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"Hi, I'm Noelle! As a 20something woman and wife, my blog has always been about sharing my journey into adulthood. Marriage, life, and the things I love (like music, health and crafting) have dominated my posts since I started it a year ago. But my little blog took an interesting turn recently when my husband and I found out that we're expecting our first child in September. :) Now I'm entering that crazy world of pregnancy and mom blogging! As a first time mom, I'm completely winging it. I hope you'll come share some of my story, laugh at my mishaps, and share your own experiences and advice with this soon-to-mom."

These Mountains Are Mine

*If you would like to partner with She Breathes Deeply and sponsor in April, please see my "sponsor" page.

Simplify + New Blog Design

"A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think."

 -Eleanor Roosevelt 

Well, hello new blog design.  My husband is a graphic designer, and we have been working together to create a whole new look for "She Breathes Deeply."  I say "we", but really he put all the leg work into this design.  I merely said "I like this" or "I don't like that."  So, the biggest thank you and XOXO to my husband for all his hard work.


I decided that it was time for a new look for "She Breathes Deeply."  Life is turning a chapter, and I want my blog to represent, and signify that.  My daughter is turning one... I'm officially beginning to teach Christian Yoga this Sunday... I'm giving up some things, and focusing my efforts on other things...  Life is changing, and I am appreciating it.


Lately, I have felt Jesus just asking me to simplify.  I'm afraid I am one of those "I can do it all!" type of women.  Yet, in reality, I am not.  This lesson of simplification seems to be one I have to learn over, and over, and over again.  I keep trying to do more, while God asks me to do less.


Yesterday, as my husband was finishing up putting the final touches on my blog, he turned to me and said, "It's funny how much work it takes just to simplify."  He, of course was speaking of my blog design.  But, how true that is in life as well.  I think it takes a whole lot more to live simply, than to live a life full of "go-go-go."  Living simple entails being still.  And as it would seem, in this very busy "more is more" society; being still is a lost art form.


Now, I am not talking about being lazy.  Living a simplistic life is quite the opposite from being lazy.  It is a constant discipline to be able to wisely weigh out choices of what should and should not take up space in our lives.  I'm talking about having the wisdom from Jesus to know when to let go of things in life that are just weighing us down.  Even though I may want to try my hand and doing it all, I cannot.  Once again, I am reminded that HE is God, and I am not.


It is really hard for me to not to try to do it all.  Being a mom, a wife, trying to do some part time work from home, blog regularly, teach yoga, keep up with friends and family, try to keep a clean home... and the million other I attempt my hand at daily... It is overwhelmingly exhausting.


...and I hear the Lord speak to simplify, and let go.





So, last week I took a hard look at my life.  I re-prioitized what I believe God is calling me to do right now.  I let go of somethings during this season, and openly embraced other things I believe I am supposed to be doing.


...And I wanted my little blog to signify this simplicity.  Hence, the simplistic blog design.  We are still under construction a bit (my sponsor set up will look a lot "cleaner" and orderly in a couple days).  But, I have added some new content to my "About", "Christian Yoga", "Tattooed Mama", "Friends", "Sponsor", and "Contact."

Have a wonderful, wonderful Monday, friends.

P.S. If you are looking for final "Mom Walk Challenge" it will be posted next Monday.  

Tattooed Mama

I am a tattooed mama, and proud of it!  I get questions about my tattoos, so I thought I would talk about them a bit here.  

(Me in all my 14 week pregnant glory, showing off my tattoos!  Note- this is an old picture!  I am not currently pregnant! Ha!)

I hope to soon start working on a half sleeve as a tribute to my husband and daughter.  Currently, I have five different tattoos.  Here is what I have so far:

Beloved:

"Beloved" was my first tattoo I got when I was 19 years old.  This will forever be one of my favorite tattoos.  The word "beloved" is very significant to me because it is what my name means (beloved by God), and part of my daughters name (Lily Beloved).  Obviously, I had no idea that "beloved" would be apart of my daughters name when I had it tattooed on me almost 7 years ago.  But now, that tattoo is even more significant to me because it reads a part of the name of the dearest little girl in the world to me.

Song of Songs:

Song of Songs 8:6 reads, "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame."  "Song of Songs 8:6" was the second tattoo I had done.  I love this verse.  I wanted this tattoo to be a tribute to my future husband (even before I ever met him!).

Stars:

The third tattoo I had done was four stars down my arm.  A friend of mine and I had these tattoos done. 

"Cousins Jumeau" :

My cousin Erin and I grew up watching Marilyn Monroe's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."  While this may have not been the most wholesome of movies to grow up on, we had a running joke about "Diamonds are a girls best friend" for years.  And so, we had matching tattoos done with a diamond and script that reads "Cousins Jumeau" (twin cousins in french.)  We chose that phrase because we looked very similar when we were younger.

"Elle Respire Profondement" :

This was the last tattoo I had done, and probably my favorite.  Elle Respire Profondement means "She Breathes Deeply" in French.  I always get a raised eyebrow from people after I explain what my tattoo says.  It was significant at the time of having it done; signifiying a new time in my life.  It has also become even more significant to me now that I teach Christian Yoga, because yoga is very much about deep breathing!  I love this tattoo, and will never regret it.

Like I said above, I get a lot of questions and comments about my tattoos when I am out in public.  I don't mind it at all.  I find that most of the time, people are just curious about them.  I know tattoos aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I love my tattoos.  My husband (whom is tattoo-less) has often remarked how he loves my tattoos, but doesn't even notice them anymore.  They are just another part of my skin, and I love having them... and plan on getting several more.  

I don't worry about regretting them.  I have had them for several years now, and I don't reget even one of them.  Even though I wouldn't go out and get a couple of them again, they signify a chapter in my life, and I would never dream of having them removed.  I feel like they show a part of my personality, and a history of where I have been.  That is why I don't freak out about getting more tattoos, or questioning if I will regret them.  The tattoos I will get, I will look back on later in life and smile at the time of life that I had them done.

...And yes, they do hurt some to have done.  But, then again, I have gone through childbirth, and they are nothing in comparison to that!  : )

Happy tattooing, Mamas!

Having Fun + Marriage

Man, life gets busy.  My husband, Kyle works two jobs, while I stay at home with Lily.  I am so thankful for how hard he works to provide for his family.  But, let's face it: between him working two jobs, me taking care of everything on the home front, paying bills, running errands, cleaning house, keeping up with friends, trying to get sleep at night... it doesn't leave a whole lot of time for us to be "us."

When Kyle and I first were married, we both had lost our jobs right before the wedding.  It was hard being without work the first year of our marriage, but it was also such a blessing.  We spent COUNTLESS hours, just hanging out; talking, laughing, and dreaming.  We seriously would stay up until 4am in the morning, just talking and and dreaming out loud.   I cherish that time so close to my heart.  I really got to know the man I married.  We became best friends and soul mates during that season.  We laid a foundation for our marriage in the Lord that is unshakable, that will last for a lifetime.

Things are of course different now.  And that is okay.  We've entered a new season in our marriage- one that we may not have endless hours to hang out and talk like we used to- but we are still growing.  It is frustrating to have to really fight for "just us time."  But, it does make the moments we are together even more sweeter.

When life is busy like it is, it is so easy to begin to feel like roommates, instead of a married couple who is very much in love.  We both have our responsibilities and commitments, and things constantly requiring our time.  I jokingly sang "Strangers In The Night" to Kyle one night (he didn't appreciate the joke as much as I did.  Oh, well.).

Through this busy season, I've come to realize how important it is to have fun with your husband- even through all the craziness.  I have a tendency to get so wrapped up in my "to-do's" sometimes, that I forget to have a sense of humor, and just have fun with him.  Thankfully, my husband has this incredible child like spirit, that can make anything; any task, or any responsibility just plain fun.  (One of the reasons he is such a great dad!)  Kyle often reminds me that life is too short to be all wound up tight.  Thank God, for Kyle.

So, in efforts to keep our marriage growing and having fun, we consciously made a decision to do fun things together on the weekends.  We try to reserve most of our weekends for just family time, just because we don't see each other all that often.  During the weekends after we put Lily to bed, we pop a bunch of popcorn, break out some chocolate bars, and watch our favorite shows together.  Every once in a while we have my mom watch Lily, so we can go out and get some coffee and talk- just the two of us.

Occasionally, we will just get in the car on Sunday's and drive.  I know, I know... How 1950's is that?  A Sunday drive?!  Yes, Kyle and I are old souls.  But we are okay with that, and we love our Sunday drives.  We drive through the countryside, and just dream out loud about someday owning land, and a home full of our kids... A place where he gets up in the morning to watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee in hand... A place where I have my "nook" where I write books for a living.  It's fun stuff to dream about.

Regardless of where life takes us, or what we do, or even how busy life gets... I know I have the absolute love of my life by my side; ready to take on whatever life throws at us, or where ever God leads...

Chevron Inspiration

Whew.  What a day.  What a week.  I'm brewing a cup of peppermint tea, and sitting down to find some inspiration for my tired mama brain.  

I cannot get enough of Chevron print, as of late.  To begin with, I am a huge pattern girl, and Chevron has been my favorite, lately.  I simply cannot get enough of it.  Here is some pretty inspiration I have found today...

This necklace is perfection:(source)

I would forgo my no earring policy (because of grabby baby hands) for these lovlies:

(source)

Swooning over these prints for my kitchen:

(source)

Gawwsh, my living room needs this:

(source)

This print would be lovely in my daughters nursery:

(source)

This bag is adorable:

(source)

Have a very happy, of what is left of a Tuesday, friends.

The Mom Walk Challenge: Week 3

(source of print)

Happy Monday!  How was your Mom Walk week?  It is gorgeous outside today, so baby bean and I broke out the stroller, and we walked two miles.  I am such an outdoorsy person, and I am ready for this winter to be over so I can be outside walking more.  I swear I could live outside... except I hate bugs.  

(A picture from one of my walks.)

Here is the "Mom Walk" blog topic for this week:

Post a picture from one of your mom walks. 

That's it!  Simple and sweet.  Enjoy God's beautiful canvas of the outdoors, and make a memory by taking a picture.  

...And there you have it.  Link up below if you are joining in!

Twitter: #themomwalkchallenge

Happy Mom walking!

Sponsor She Breathes Deeply In March!

Sponsor SheBreathesDeeply.com in March!  

Get the word out about your blog, store, or Etsy shop by sponsoring SheBreathesDeeply.com!

March is going to be a big month for She Breathes Deeply: 

I am going to have a whole new re-branding and look for She Breathes Deeply, new weekly and month features, a challenge, plus much more.
Sponsor Info:
X-Large Ad- $50 includes a two paragraph write up (with picture) in my sponsor highlight blog once a month, plus a spot on the top 4 of my sponsor column on the front right side of my blog during the entire month of March.  I will host giveaways for XL sponsors.

BEST VALUE: $135- Everything above for three months.

(Only 3 more spots available.)

Large Ad- $35 includes a one paragraph write up (with picture) in my sponsor highlight once a month, plus a spot on the sponsor column on the front right side of my blog during the entire month of March. 

BEST VALUE: $95- Everything above for three months. 

(Only 6 spots available.)

Medium Ad- $25 includes a one paragraph write up (with picture) in my sponsor highlight once a month, plus a spot on the sponsor column on the front right side of my blog during the entire month of March.

BEST VALUE: $70- Everything above for three months.  

(Only 8 spots available.)

Small Ad- $12 includes a one paragraph write up (with picture) in my sponsor highlight once a month, plus a spot on the sponsor column on the front right side of my column during the entire month of March. 

BEST VALUE: $30 Everything above for three months.

(Only 12 spots available.)