SURPRISE!

We are so excited to announce that Olivia is going to be a BIG SISTER!

I feel like I've known forever and we are finally sharing our secret!  The first trimester really wiped me out, hence the absence on the blog! There were so many times I wanted to share our news because I felt guilty for the lack of posts, but I'm hoping to feel better very soon as I'm in the second trimester.  My due date seems to be going back and forth between April 23 & 28 (Olivia's birthday!) so I'm getting a 16 week ultrasound to check the growth.  Super excited about that because we can find out what the baby is! Currently, the baby is measuring 13 weeks so that would be consistent with the first due date. Another surprise is that my twin sister is also expecting her second baby and we are due ONE day apart (or four with the second date)!!! How crazy is that?!  The girls were born 8 weeks apart so this may be a Father of the Bride situation this time where the family slides back and forth between hospital rooms ;)  I'm so happy to be sharing the experience with her again and even more happy that we both have toddlers.  Aka...after the fourth meltdown of the day, lip gloss on the walls and no nap ninjas, we can text each other with emojis and phrases like "kill me" with full understanding on the other side... of course those feelings are only here and there ;) 

Anyway, I have some fun giveaways coming up that you won't want to miss and I'll be sharing more details of our baby news soon!  So excited to share with you XO 

Books We Love || Inspirational Nursery Rhymes

Hi friends! Today I'm excited to be sharing Inspirational Nursery Rhymes with you. Jackie was kind enough to send us three books from their collection, complete with an adorable tote!  Olivia absolutely loves books, so much so that she'll request to read more and more books one after the other...esp at bedtime ;) The books are perfect for teaching life skills to young children such as responsibility, giving thanks and believing in yourself.  

It's so important to read to children and its so nice to read stories with background meanings that little ones can relate to.  Olivia was so excited to read them with me and even requested to take them into her bed to read after she napped.  The illustrations are super cute and definitely relatable...especially the above preview about sharing.  Toddlers & sharing don't always mix so this is a great model for them ;)

{via IG: @inspirationalnurseryrhymes} 

Be sure to check them out on Instagram @inspirationalnurseryrhymes and their website here. We're off to go read more! Enjoy your Friday XO

Lately

How is it October already?! The summer has flown by and now the fall weather is quickly approaching (which I love) and it's been a whirlwind.  We had such a great few months and I'm looking forward to the holiday season starting up.  I feel guilty I've been absent lately but I have a lot of exciting things coming up for October that will surely make up for it ;)

While I settle back into a normal fall routine (tutoring, toddler classes...things that don't involve hanging around enjoying summer breeze) I wanted to share what we've been up to lately (@thebirdsnestblog)...

Looking forward to catching up with all of you soon! XOX

Blogger Meet & Mingle || Command and Pamper

It's Meet & Mingle day! Every week I'm sharing some of my favorite girlfriends and their blogs.  This is a great opportunity to see who's "behind the blog" and to get to know other bloggers.  Today, I'm so happy to share Sam from Command and Pamper with you! She's a girl after my own heart on the topic of cupcakes and reality tv ;) Hope you enjoy getting to know her more with all of her answers to some fun behind-the-blog questions!

Your blog name & it’s significance 

My blog is Command and Pamper. I wanted to think of a clever way to incorporate my unique last name into my blog's name. So Command is my last name (jealous? hah) and 'Command and Pamper' is a good phrase to describe my way of thinking! Be tough, but loving!

   

Tell us a little about your family 

I am married to my complete opposite and it's amazing! Dan and I have been married for about a year and a half now. We just had our son, Maddox in April. How cliche, but he is seriously the light of my life. Seriously, what did we do without this little ham in our lives?!

 

Currently in my shower [favorite beauty products]... 

I am loving Tree Hut's Coconut Lime Body Scrub right now. And I swear that it has faded my stretch marks in only a month! It smells delicious and I haven't gotten sick of it yet. Normally very fragrant body products get old really fast for me, but not this one! 

I never leave the house without... 

The diaper bag, packed with everything under the sun. I am always so afraid that I am going to need something while I am out and not have it. Helllooo 4 pacifiers, just incase he drops one, I lose one AND a crazy monkey on the loose in Target steals one. Yeah...and hand sanitizer! 

First thing you do when you have 5 minutes to yourself... 

Instagram!! I just recently started my blog/Instagram account and so I am always trying to connect with new people out there. Wink Wink @commandandpamper 

Favorite cupcake...

Cupcakes are my second favorite food, only to be outshined by donuts! My favorite flavor is lemon with raspberry frosting. So mouth watering! 

Top three baby items you’d recommend to new moms 

 -A sleep sack because it's so convenient and not to mention safe! 

 -A good stroller that your family can grow into if you plan on having more kids. We are kind of kicking ourselves for not investing in the nice double stroller when we know that we are going to have to get one soon anyways! 

 -A sound machine. Maddox now associates sleep with hearing the lullaby that plays for him at night. It's amazing! 

Currently obsessed with… 

The show Odd Mom Out on Bravo! Any show an relates their "downstairs business" to the sound of stirring mac & cheese is going to get my views all day! 

Top three meals you make for your family 

 -Chicken Pot Pie Bake 

 -Broccoli, cheese, bacon and potato soup 

 -Chicken Mac and Cheese (They all sound really healthy right? Recipes to come on the blog soon!) 

Favorite blog & why...

I love @britneymunday. She is hilarious and, even better, REAL! 

Like I said, I just recently started my blog and I love getting to know other moms through their's and seeing their crazy lives! Check mine out and follow me on social media, I might smother you with baby pictures but I swear you won't get sick of them!

Social Media Links:

Command and Pamper Blog 
Instagram 
Pinterest 
Bloglovin'

Thank you so much for sharing a slice of your life with us, Sam! I just love learning about who's behind the blog...so fun, right?! Be sure to pop over to her blog and visit her social media links and follow along! 

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If you'd like to be featured for a Meet & Mingle, please contact me at thebirdsnestblogger@gmail.com.  Feel free to grab a button while you're here. ;)

Journey Five || Grey Striped Diaper Bag

Hi friends! Have you shopped at Journey Five? So many cute items!! I received their Grey Aztec Diaper Bag and love it.  First of all, anything with stripes is a keeper for me and the cover Aztec design adds a pop of fun pattern. 

There are a total of 10 pockets, which is really important to me to keep everything organized and I love that most have a magnetic snap.  

You can wear this bag as a backpack or a messenger bag.  Backpack = hands/arms free and thats a big plus! The straps are removable if you aren't a backpack type of mama (or dad), which is a good option for other days as well.  

Being lightweight is so nice when you're carrying around kids, toys, and everything under the sun with you so the durable canvas material is great, as well. 

Journey Five also features more bags such as the Black Elizabeth's Striped Diaper Bag, Chic Chevron XL Bag, and the Double Chevron Diaper Bag all of which are so cute!  I also love their tops for the fall.  These are a few of my favorites: Kayla Floral Raglan , Navy Striped Bib Tunic , and their Long Sleeve Lace Blouse.  

If you follow Journey Five on Instagram (@journeyfive), they always post great deals that you can purchase directly from IG (hello, mama time saver) and always great customer service.  Be sure to check out their website as well, www.journeyfive.com.  Thanks so much, Journey Five, for our new diaper bag! 

Blogger Meet & Mingle || Amy Coral Blogs

It's Meet & Mingle day! Every week I'm sharing some of my favorite girlfriends and their blogs.  This is a great opportunity to see who's "behind the blog" and to get to know other bloggers.  Today, I'm so happy to share Amy from Amy Coral Blog  with you! Hope you enjoy getting to know her more with all of her answers to some fun behind-the-blog questions!

Your blog name & it’s significance

Hey! I am Amy and I blog over at Amy Coral Blog. My blog name is my first and (one of) my middle names. I wanted something simple and represented me. So Amy Coral Blog was born! 

Tell us a little about your family. 

I am engaged to the love of my life, Brock. He is the perfect person for me and I adore him immensely. We have two daughters, Kinsey, who will be 4 in September, and Bree who is 3 months old (WHAT?!). Kinsey is what you would call a "threenager"; full of attitude and challenging us on a daily basis. But she is an awesome little firecracker. Bree is easy-going like her daddy and I can't wait to see her little personality grow! I am the oldest of four kids and we live right around the corner from my parents! 

Currently in my shower [favorite beauty products]...

Honestly, my shower is so boring. I don't use anything special. I keep it simple with Herbal Essences, Proactiv, and Dove soap. I use grapefruit essential oil in the shower every day so I guess that would be my favourite. 

I never leave the house without...

My iPhone, wallet, kids (haha, I did have to throw the obvious in there), diaper bags, snacks and water. 

First thing you do when you have 5 minutes to yourself.

Enjoy the silence. Before I had two littles, I never fully appreciated the sound of silence. Now sitting in silence is a much deserved treat! 

Favorite cupcake

Let's be honest here, I won't turn down any kind of cupcake.

Top three baby items you’d recommend to new moms.

These Aden and Anais swaddles. We were gifted ours and I am totally in love with the colours, a house cleaner for the first few months, and COFFEE. 

Currently obsessed with…

I have a lot of obsessions. With a two month old, sleep is my current obsession. ;)

But actually if I think about it, lately I have been obsessed with Instagram. I am constantly on there schooling through my feed for any kind of inspiration. There are a lot of amazing people on there! 

Top three meals you make for your family. 

Meatloaf, spaghetti, and balsamic chicken. All so easy and favourites around here! 

Favorite blog & why. 

I would have to say either Little Baby Garvin. She writes about motherhood on such a relatable level, and her posts and pictures are always creative, fun and inspiring. I also love Tawnya over at Little Adventures Blog. She's real, inspiring, and such a nice girl that you can't help but like her. 

Social media links:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/amycoral

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmyCoralBlog

Twitter: www.twitter.com/_amycoral

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/amycoralxo

Blog: http://www.amycoralblog.blogspot.ca

Thank you so much for sharing a slice of your life with us, Amy! I just love learning about who's behind the blog...so fun, right?! Be sure to pop over to her blog and visit her social media links and follow along! 

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If you'd like to be featured for a Meet & Mingle, please contact me at thebirdsnestblogger@gmail.com.  Feel free to grab a button while you're here. ;)

Blogger Meet & Mingle || Sami Rae Writes

It's Meet & Mingle day! Every week I'm sharing some of my favorite girlfriends and their blogs.  This is a great opportunity to see who's "behind the blog" and to get to know other bloggers.  Today, I'm so happy to share Samantha from Sami Rae Writes with you! Hope you enjoy getting to know her more with all of her answers to some fun behind-the-blog questions!

Your blog name & its significance


Hello! My name is Samantha and I'm the author behind Sami Rae Writes! As I struggled to name my blog, I finally decided to go with the childhood nickname I received from my father (who is one of my major support in this) and what I've always loved to do. That's how Sami Rae Writes was born! I love it because my blog is truly about getting my written voice heard and I can write about anything throughout my different journeys of life.

Tell us about your family

I married my first and only boyfriend at the age of 19 in May of 2013, and a year later in June our precious son was born. These two boys truly run my world and keep me on my toes! I am blessed to be a stay at home mommy and housewife and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Currently in my shower [favorite beauty products]...

Currently in my shower is some pretty cheap beauty products. I use Suave Professionals products for my hair and Bath & Body Works body wash (they just had one of their big annual sales!) Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done

I never leave the house without...

I never leave the house without my child. Seriously! Being a stay at home mom means dragging my son around everywhere I go, but I enjoy it. I also never leave without my cell phone or my wedding ring. If I'm halfway to my destination and realize I forgot to put my ring on, I will literally drive all the way back to get it. The significance is very important to me!

First thing you do when you have 5 minutes to yourself

When I (finally) get five minutes to myself, the first thing I usually do is eat. There's something about eating food without a child in your lap begging for some that makes food taste ten times better!

Favorite cupcake

My favorite cupcake is any cupcake! If it's homemade, even better. I have a major sweet tooth so dessert is the way to my heart!

Top products you'd recommend to new moms...

If you're a new mom, I definitely recommend investing in an automatic baby swing. It will be your lifesaver in the early months! Also invest in a baby carrier. I recommend a Tula but honestly whatever works for you is best. Being able to carry a baby hands-free is awesome. Lastly, get some reusable nursing pads! I know it's technically not for baby, but it's because of baby! Don't spend tons of money on disposable nursing pads every month like you do diapers, just buy (or make) a pack of reusable ones and there you go. They truly are a lifesaver when your newborn (or any newborn) cries in public.

Currently obsessed with…

 I'm currently obsessed with DIY projects. There's not a crafty thing that I haven't tried this year!

Top three meals you make for your family

The top three meals I make for my family are:

 - Salsa chicken breast (cover chicken with taco seasoning and salsa and bake. So easy!)

 - Pesto Chicken Pasta

 - Turkey Tacos

As you can probably tell, I love chicken!

Favorite blog & why 

My favorite blog right now is Unveiled Wife. Jennifer is so encouraging and reminds me to pray for my husband and marriage every day. But honestly, I like to read so many blogs because we're all unique and have something different to offer to others!

Social Media Links:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Thank you so much for sharing a slice of your life with us, Samantha! I just love learning about who's behind the blog...so fun, right?! Be sure to pop over to her blog and visit her social media links and follow along! 

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If you'd like to be featured for a Meet & Mingle, please contact me at thebirdsnestblogger@gmail.com.  Feel free to grab a button while you're here. ;)