For the Love of Swap...

Posts to read, friends to meet:




Sara made some changes recently that have brought greater motivation and happiness to her and her family.  She's also in love with thrifting!  Her boys, Owen & Alex, are totally sweet.
Lish is afraid of snakes and has been rejected by multiple body piercings.  She has a lot of heart, and she'll show you how to wear yours three different ways.  I can totally relate to her frustrations here.
Beth takes pleasure in the simple things in life.  She recently shared a few thoughts on less-known social networking sites.  Have you read "The No Brainer Wardrobe"?  Beth has a great review here.
Melissa just bought the hottest shoes I've ever seen.  She knows how to make a puffy coat look good.  And the lady knows how to braid!
Sarah encourages me daily, for that I am very thankful!  She knows how to share a good word!  Have you ever been on a Daniel Fast?
Audrey is one photographically talented lady!  I love Disneyland.  All about her!
Elizabeth shares why we should celebrate everything.  She asks why do you blog? And answers too.  Did I mention she can make sunshine?

Interested in swapping with me?  Visit my sponsor page or email me for more info.

Lovely Sponsors {part 2} + Ad Space Giveaway!

I'd like to introduce you to a few more friends and sponsors for January! As I mentioned in my previous post, I asked these ladies a difficult question this month:

"If you could sit down for dinner with any three people {past, present or future?} who would you choose and why?" 

I asked this question because it is the most interesting question I have ever been asked on a job interview. When I asked why the interviewer had asked me it, he explained that you can learn a lot about a person's character, interests and heart by the answer to the question. I think you will find that reading their answers with this in mind will be very insightful!

Connect with Amanda here:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Etsy

If I could have dinner with any three people, this is who I would choose:
1. My grandpa. My mom's dad specifically. He died when I was about 5. I know that he wasn't perfect, but I'm certain that we would have had a special bond if he had lived longer. I would have definitely been a grandpa's girl.

2. The band Lady Antebellum. They are one of my favorite bands to listen to. I've seen them in concert one time, and you can just tell how very talented they each are, and I would love to hear their stories (and music, duh).

3. This one I'm going to cheat a little and say I would love to have dinner with my husband!! It sounds silly, but he is in school full time and working full time. Some weeks I feel like we never see each other! We are in desperate need of a date night, and dinner would be a great place to start :)

Connect with Carly here:

Blog ~ Pinterest ~ Twitter ~ Instagram: carlyskinner

If I could sit down to a nice dinner with any three people, I would choose my three great grandmas that I had the privilege of knowing. I grew up with them as a part of my life and all three of them passed in the past 10 years or so. I have so many fond memories of them and I wish my husband was given the chance to know them like I did. Family is so important to the both of us and I know he would have absolutely loved them. I know they would be so proud of the woman I have become and I would love to sit down and tell them all about my life...my husband, my job, and my son who will be here SOON!

Connect with Kirby here:

Baby G Blog ~ Personal Blog ~ Parents for Occupy Wall St.

If I could have dinner with 3 people I would have it with 

1) My Great Great Grandmother. I've become infatuated with this woman as of lately. I've been doing a ton of family history research at the Brooklyn History Museum this year and it's been like I've re-connected with so many people (even if they are all not alive) particularly her. I bet she would have been a blast to hang out with, why wasn't I born a 100 years ago? 

2) My best friend Helen who passed away 5 years ago. I miss her and wish I could tell her about everything I've done in my life, she would be proud, she "is" proud I feel. 

3) F. Scott Fitzgerald. He's my man.

Connect with Nicole here:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

(I didn't want to not include the lovely Nicole from Real Life Reality, but haven't received her answer just yet…so maybe you should go ask her on her blog??)  :)

I'm just loving the answers to these questions!

In conclusion, here is the answer to who I'd love to sit down for dinner with now:

"My daughter Zion at age 30…It would be amazing to see a glimpse of her future self and hopefully see that she turned out okay with me as a parent, lol.  I think I'd really like the chance to sit down with Jesus (and one day I will have that experience)…I don't think I would question him at all, I'd just want to be in his presence and enjoy his company…to know him more, to hear his laugh.  Lastly, I'd like to sit down with my mother around the time she became pregnant with her first child, so that I could encourage her and tell her how much her daughters will love her, and to never lose touch with them."

My answers are so different than when I had that interview! {P.S. I didn't get the job…it came down to me and one other person…and it was my DREAM job, or so I thought, at the time.}  :)

Hey guess what!? I added a few entry options to the giveaway!!!  Wouldn't you just love more chances to win that shiny 200x300 button featured on the top right corner of my blog?!  Well, here is your chance!!!  Good luck!


[You need to view this post on www.baxtronlife.com in order to enter the giveaway! Thanks!] a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lovely Sponsors {part 1} + Ad Space Giveaway!

I'd like to introduce you to my friends and sponsors for January!  This month, I asked these ladies a difficult question,

"If you could sit down for dinner with any three people {past, present or future?} who would you choose and why?"  

I asked this question because it is the most interesting question I have ever been asked on a job interview.  When I asked why the interviewer had asked me it, he explained that you can learn a lot about a person's character, interests and heart by the answer to the question.  I think you will find that reading their answers with this in mind will be very insightful!

Connect with Kristina here:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Email

When Courtney asked me this question, my mind immediately went to my grandma. She died when I was 11 years old, of Lung Cancer, from second hand smoke inhalation, while working at the VA as a nurse. She was 56 years old. Since that time, there have been countless times I've wished I could see her and talk to her or have her share a bit of my life. When I graduated from high school, when I went to college in the next town over from where she and my grandpa used to live, when I got married and with the birth of each of my children. I'd also love for her to see how much her family has grown! I've longed to share these moments with her and hear her perspective on my life and the choices I've made. I miss her, and with each passing year, I wish more that I had known her for more than 11 years. She is the person I would love to have a meal with. Outside of my immediate family, she is the one that I remember most as having a good understanding of who I was and what made me tick. I treasure all my grandparents and am so thankful for the fact that I'm blessed to know them as an adult, but somehow I feel I was cheated with the time I had with my Grandma Wiley. 

I know Courtney asked about three people, but honestly, other than maybe great people like Mother Theresa or Mary Magdalene (I would love to hear more about her life and her perspective and story of Jesus!) my grandma is the one I want dinner with the most! I'm so thankful that we both shared that hope in Jesus and one day, I will be able to have that dinner with her! I hope she's cooking, too! 

Connect with Ronni here:

Blog ~ Disney Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Email ~ Pinterest ~ BlogLovin

Matt Smith. He plays the current incarnation of The Doctor on Doctor Who. I'd love to pick his head regarding his experiences on that show and others. OR David Tennant, who played the 10th Doctor on Doctor Who. He'd been a Doctor Who geek all his life. He seems fun and silly and an awesome dinner companion.

Michael Jackson. He was SO talented and larger-than-life, but he was also silly and seemed like a lot of fun to be around. I think having him at the table would keep us in stitches and also keep any awkwardness at bay.

Sarah Dessen. She's my favorite author. I want to be like her. Her books capture the heart of teens in contemporary settings (no vampires in her novels!), and what I love about her is that she is down to earth and not afraid to share her insecurities with her readers. She has no problems telling us that she wonders if she's a hack. But she isn't. She's a great author and I love her books.

Connect with Jo here:

Blog ~ Etsy ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Audrey Hepburn, Amelia Earhart and my daughters great-grandmother.  They are all three remarkable women and it would be an evening full of questions.

Connect with Joanna here:

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest 

1. John F. Kennedy - mainly because it'd be kinda cool to meet a president. And if I were gonna meet one, I'd want it to be him. (runners up: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama)

2. Bettie Page - because I used to be obsessed with her back in the day and her story is pretty cray!

3. Tina Fey - because she is smart, talented and most importantly, funny! I'm in the middle of reading her book, Bossypants, right now and it's high-larious!

Such different answers right!? Can't wait to share part 2!

Before I go, I thought it would be fun to share the answer that I gave during the interview:

"Madonna, because she is a pop culture icon, and I wanted to be her when I was younger.  Abraham Lincoln, because of his courage to go against the popular culture and stand up for what was right.  And lastly, my Grandma Kris, {she died two weeks before my train was to depart for a long overdue visit to her in California} so that I could just spend one last time enjoying her company."

My answers are different now though!  :)  I'll share them with you in part 2!!  Hey guess what!? It's that time again!!  Anybody feel like having a nice shiny 200x300 button featured on the top right corner of my blog?!  Well, you can win it, by entering below!!  Good luck!


[You need to view this post on www.baxtronlife.com in order to enter the giveaway! Thanks!] a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Spotlight: Annie from Letters to Mo!

I am so happy to introduce you to a fantastic lady I've been getting to know over the last couple of months! Annie won my Extra Large Feature Ad Giveaway for January! :)

I'm Annie. I curse too much, I can throw down in the kitchen, and I love the Muppets more than any 32 year old woman should.

I write Letters to Mo, which is a modern day baby book for my 10 month old son, whose name is not actually Mo! I started my blog when I was pregnant as a way to document our lives together. Sort of love letters for him to read as he grows up. I blog about our adventures (big and small), living as an interracial family and typical mama stuff- though I draw the line at posting about poop!

This is Cash, aka Baby Mo, and yes, he really is the cutest baby in the universe.

One thing I don't blog about is parenting advice. So instead, I'll give the anti-parenting advice here.

Here is a list of things moms should never say to other moms.

1. My baby has never had formula. Not even one drop.
I'm a total breast-feeding advocate and breast-fed Cash until he was 8 months old. Even I know this is a stupid thing to say. By all means, have a love of breast-feeding, that's awesome. But don't imply that formula is just atrocious.

2. Giving birth is the most natural thing in the world.
Maybe. Maybe not. Confession time- I used to be an advocate of natural childbirth. Until I actually went into labor that is! After suffering a series of health complications my doctor and I chose to have Cash via a scheduled c-section at 37 weeks. Between the undiagnosed gestational diabetes, the preeclampsia, high blood pressure and a 10 pound 8 ounce baby being born 3 weeks early, there didn't seem to be much natural about my birth! Not everyone can (nor should) have an awesome natural birth, and there's nothing wrong with that.

3. I would never let someone else raise my kids.
My daycare provider no more raises Cash than your kid's second grade teacher raises him. Not everyone wants to stay home. Not everyone can stay home. Don't make them feel insecure or bad about that.


4. Why aren't you breastfeeding?
I've had strangers at Target ask me if I'm breast-feeding. It always throws me off, like, "why is this your business?". It just sets up women to have to defend their choice or makes them re-live all the struggles they had.


5. You know, you really shouldn't do _____.
A few days ago I posted a picture of my 10 month old son sleeping in his crib, with his head propped up by a pillow. A "friend" immediately messaged me warning me all about SIDS and letting me know how dangerous it was for him to be sleeping on a pillow. What she doesn't know? Cash has a lot of breathing problems and the doctor recommended he sleep elevated. You never know the full circumstance with someone's family. So stay out of it.

6. Did you use IVF?
A friend of mine from high school has twins. She is asked often if she conceived naturally or used fertility drugs. By strangers. By family members. In what world is this your business?

7. What do you do all day? (to a stay at home mom)
Every Saturday I have Cash all day while my husband works. During that time, I wrangle a 10 month old, fold laundry, cook, take care of pets, pay bills, have play-dates and in the middle of all that, try to remember to shower and eat. If someone asked me what I do all day while taking care of Cash I would want to punch them. Hard.

8. Formula is so much easier than breast-feeding.
Umm....duh. Breast-feeding is hard. I even had it really easy with no problems for either Cash or I, and guess what, it was still hard! Don't remind me of how difficult it is. I know that already.

9. You are spoiling him!
I've been told I'm spoiling Cash because of everything from breastfeeding him to not doing cry-it-out, to holding him "too much" to giving him a cookie. On what planet can you spoil a 10 month old?

and finally....

10. Is she adopted?
Yes, people really ask this. Cash is a beautiful mix of both his White mama and his Black daddy. But in our society, he is seen as Black. So when I'm out with him, people assume that I'm the nanny or that he is adopted. In the first month of Cash's life I was asked three times (by strangers) if he was adopted.With all my crazy post-birth hormones, I felt everything from rage to extreme sadness. I dyed my hair a dark brown so we would look more alike.

So there you have it, stuff you should never, ever, ever say to other mamas. Really it's all about supporting each other for our choices. We have it hard enough as mamas without tearing each other down.

Annie

Letters to Mo~ Facebook~ Twitter

Guest Feature: Kristina from City Corporate to Suburb Mama

It's an honor to be guest posting over here on Baxtron{Life}!

I thought I'd share 4 easy steps to be a healthier you this new year, while still saving money! Because let's be honest, it's that time of year again,. Time when we reflect and often when we all resolve to "lose those extra pounds" or be a better steward or "eat better" or __________ you fill in the blank.

As good as our intentions are, it's also very easy to lose motivation, forget the resolution or just fall back into those habits we want to break. I know I'm guilty!

But, I wanted to share with you a few things that you CAN do for you and your family without taking major steps and that will also probably save you some money or cost little to no money at all to implement.  

Here they are:

Make your own yogurt.  That might sound complicated, but as you can see here, where I shared how easy it is, you will find that it can be done! Not only is it so much better for you than store-bought yogurt that has so many additives and sweeteners, it's also so much cheaper! When you figure that organic yogurt on sale can range from 75-99 cents per cup, it's easy to have that add up! Especially if you have kids that like to snack on yogurt too! I dare you to try it!

Stop using your microwave.  This is something that started in our home with the ringing in of the new year. I've stopped using plastic in the microwave, since giving my challenge back in the fall, but I now know I need to give it up completely. It's so easy to pop things in the microwave, but I get excited thinking about how much healthier our food will be for us  without the use of the microwave! and this tip is completely free!

Make your own lip balm.  I've found that lip balm that is organic or "all natural" is rarely cheap! If you're lucky, you might find some on sale, but it's still too much for me to justify buying most of the time. Making your own lip balm is the easiest thing! and it's so much cheaper. All you need is some coconut oil and beeswax. Beeswax can be easily bought on amazon.com and Trader Joe's now sells organic coconut oil for less than $7! That's the  cheapest I've found and this will make you a TON of lip balm! When I make it, I usually use 1/2 cup of oil and 1/8 cup of grated beeswax. Melt together over low heat and then pour into the container of your choice. I have some old lip balm containers I just recycle for on the go and the rest I put in a small jar to just dip my finger in when I need it. Best of all, I can also use this for little Lucas' skin (our 10 month old who has bad eczema) to keep his skin moist. If you want, you can even add your favorite essential oil for a bit of a scent. I've added chamomile to mine and I just love it!

Make your own on-the-go snacks.  Especially because we're mostly grain/gluten free in our home now, having snacks for on-the-go can get super expensive, super fast! It's amazing the variety of gluten-free options there are out there, but they don't come without a hefty price! So, most of the time, I make all our snack foods. Most recently I made Larabars. If you've never had larabars, they are naturally gluten free and usually involve just a couple ingredients. Truly my kind of "make-it-yourself" recipe! on Thursday I made them for the first time and they were the easiest things! Here's a link to the simple instructions I followed: make your own larabars.

These are just 4 of many baby steps you can take to be healthier, while still saving money this new year! I always find that if things are easy enough, I'm much more willing to do them again and again! I dare you to try even just one of these. Then, please stop by my blog and tell me how it went! 

Happy New Year!

Thanks Kristina for this awesome post on starting the New Year right in simple but highly beneficial ways!!  You are by far the most dedicated person I know in adapting a simple and natural lifestyle with ease and finesse!  I can't wait to see what new things you do this year!




GOING ON NOW:





 

Guest Feature: Carly from TexasLoveBirds!

Hello Life with the Baxtrons readers! I'm so glad to be back here, posting on Courtney's blog (click here to read my previous post). Courtney's in-laws are currently in town enjoying the celebration of the New Year (celebrating in NYC...I'm jealous), so I'm glad to be here helping take care of the blog while she enjoys family time.

As today is New Year's Eve, and the end of 2011, I'm excited to share the top three things that I'm most looking forward to in the year 2012:

#1 Gunner Moments
There is definitely no question that I'm most looking forward to moments with my son. If you aren't a reader of my blog you might not know that I am 32 (almost 33) weeks pregnant. Gunner is our first child, so in just a matter of weeks we'll be learning about and embracing those newborn moments for the first time. We cannot wait to see his face, hear his cries, hear his laugh, and learn all about him.




#2 Seeing My Husband Become A Daddy
Cody is an amazing husband, I think he's the best, but I cannot wait to see him as a Dad. I think it will be amazing to see him grow and change, and I cannot wait to share and love our son together.

#3 Completing My 24x24
My birthday is January 2nd and this year I will be turning 23. I've just recently compiled a 24x24 list..a list of 24 things I'd like to do before my next birthday when I turn 24. This is my first year to compile a list like this and I'm really excited about it. I've never been big on New Year's resolutions but I guess this list is pretty close; except, the goals are more specific and not super broad.

If you've never stopped by my blog, I hope you do for the new year. I would love for you to join in and read about our adventures as new parents and to check in on my progress of my 24x24 list. I'd absolutely love to hear from you and have you stop by.

Happy New Year, y'all! x

Carly, thanks so much for sharing your top 3 for 2012. I know that I personally am looking forward to your journey into motherhood…and can't wait for you to meet your little boy. I love your 24x24 idea as well. I will definitely be following that. Thanks again for this post!



GOING ON NOW:





 

Guest Feature: Melissa from My Soul is the Sky!

Hey! I'm Melissa from My Soul is the Sky and if you haven't seen my blog yet come check it out.

  I've got an assortment of hairstyle tutorials you should come see!

The Double Braid inspired by Rachel McAdams is one of my favorites!

 

I've got a few other tutorials that you can find over on my blog so you should come check those out too!

Be sure and let me know you stopped by!

Thanks Courtney! for having me guest post on your lovely blog!

Melissa's blog is one of my favorite reads.  I am a huge fan of her "Copycat" series, and as you can tell, this lady knows how to braid!!!  Thank you so much, Melissa, for blessing my enthusiasts with this post!!!




GOING ON NOW:






 

Meet My Friends! {part II}

I'm so happy to introduce you to more of my friends today! All of these ladies I have come to "know" through blogging … please visit them and say hello!

Blog ~ Etsy ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Imprintalish is a lifestyle blog with a focus on raising my two little guys. It is loaded with photography and pretty finds. I share crafts, tutorials, tales of mommyhood and everything in between. Living with two little men and one big man can be tough and a constant balance struggle, but I wouldn't change a thing! I'd love for you to stop by and join me in my creative quest for balance as a WAHM!

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Hi, I'm Sara. I am a stay at home mom to my 2 sweet/ornery boys, and wife to my amazing husband. My blog is about our everyday fun, along with my addiction to taking pictures, thrifting, coffee, and all things homemade. My 3 men are my everything. Stop by and say hello!

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

A blog about life: home renovation, recipes, New England places, craft projects & more!

Blog ~ Google+ ~ Pinterest ~ Etsy

My blog is about the boy and our adventures in life, he is our first child. We have learned a lot so far in the first 19 months of parenthood, but I'm sure we will have plenty more to learn once number two joins us this Spring three months before the boy turns two!

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

When Kyle and Elizabeth met almost seven years ago, it was head-over-heels, heart-pounding, life-changing love. But the years have brought storms, too. Love is the adventure is their attempt to document the head-over-heels love, the life-changing storms, and the heart-pounding (and the not-so-heart-pounding) adventure.

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Etsy ~ Pinterest

On the Fontenot Four, you'll find me writing about my walk with Christ as I live life as a wife and mother of two girls - one of whom has multiple special needs and who is medically fragile.  My quest is to be able to find the blessings in our everyday life, which is often fraught with great difficulty.  I also write about the blessings and joys in my life - my family and life events.  Every now and then I'll be a little random!  But my main goal is to share my trials and the blessings that have come out of them in the hopes that it might touch someone and help them in some way.

Blog

My blog is about life; adventure, fun, hair, and fashion!

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

The travels of a first time parent and all the many roadtrips that we endure as a family, whether funny, sad or just day to day experiences. Also featuring recipes, craft tutorials, Etsy, Pinterest, giveaways, reviews and anything else I can roll into a great post.

Blog ~ Etsy ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Hi. I'm Jordan Marie, mother to Scarlett-Marie Sue aka Letti, girl friend, blogger, writer, photographer, blog designer, cloth diaperer, breastfeeder, crafter, work from homer.. you name it, I have my thumb in it. On our blog, holding on to the little things, we blog about just about everything from recipes, to tutorials, to almost-daily "hello"s. We have some great new blogging blogger tips, our little 4-1-1 on cloth diapering, great photography of Letti, and SO much more.  We hope you brew yourself a cup of coffee or mix up a some hot chocolate, pull up a chair, and get lost in our little world. Letti was born St. Patricks Day 2011, and the light of our world.  She is super smart, and adorable and has the best personality. xojo&letti