The Haute Single Mama

I'm backkkkkk!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:20:00 +0000

It has been FOREVER since I've blogged, but I've been getting the itch again. I'm not sure if anyone still cares, but whatever!!

So here's the snapshot of what I've been up to:

Graduated nursing school
Passed the NCLEX (first try, 75 questions) and am now an official registered nurse.
Switched boyfriends. I call him PharmMcDreamy. He's a pharmacist. I like him a lot.
Got my first RN job (way back in January) and it's going well. Not my dream job, but definitely a valuable experience.

I have a lot more to say, so there will be future blog posts. I've missed this!!!

Win a Stash! #Clothdiapers

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 22:32:00 +0000

It is time to Win A Stash!

Welcome to the first of many great events hosted by Kerrific. We are super excited to be part of this event where each month one lucky winner will win a stash of items to help make their life easier, greener, and more fun. This month we are giving away a set of 12 newborn sized diapers and a wet bag in gender neutral colors. These are pocket diapers and each comes with a newborn sized insert. The diapers are designed to fit babies 12 pounds and under. The diapers feature snaps for easy adjusting and a secure fit. There isn't a better way to start your new baby out than with a cloth diaper stash of their very own.

Make sure you stay tuned to hear about all the future Win A Stash events hosted by Kerrific.

*Giveaway is open to US & Canada only. Prize is sponsored by participating blogs.*

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RedWeek Timeshare Rental Membership and CASH Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 05:55:00 +0000

Hey guys! I'm still alive, but without a laptop... So just barely. Luckily I can still post from my phone, so I can sill help host this giveaway brought to you by my BFF Alyssa at Giveaway Overload!!!

Details are below; have fun and I'll be back with uh, some non giveaway posts soon. Swearsies.

Photo credit: RedWeek FB page

Review/Giveaway by Giveaway Overload

If you've ever been on vacation you know how the expenses can add up quickly. Between the travel costs, the hotel, the food, and the entertainment it can get a little overwhelming. What if there was an easy way to cut those costs without jumping through several hoops? Keep reading to find out!

A little-known alternative to renting a hotel is to rent a timeshare. Did you know that you can rent a timeshare for up to 50% less than hotel rooms? When timeshare owners can't use their available weeks they rent their timeshare out. This is a win-win situation for everyone involved because the owner makes a profit and the renter saves money. RedWeek.com is an online timeshare marketplace that connects timeshare owners with potential renters and buyers. From their website:

Now a leader in the secondary marketplace, RedWeek is the largest, most reputable online timeshare marketplace with more than 1.5 million registered users and an A+ Better Business Bureau rating. Timeshare owners and travelers alike come to RedWeek to read our exclusive resort ratings and reviews, access our detailed resort information, and of course browse the thousands of timeshare rental and resale postings or advertise their own timeshare for rent or sale.

There are many ways in which renting a timeshare can preferable to renting a hotel besides the savings. Below you can see an example of the spaciousness available in a timeshare. No more cramped hotel rooms with no privacy. Timeshares also come with fully equipped kitchens. You can save potentially hundreds of dollars making your own meals rather than eating out three times a day. Eating out with small children can be quite the ordeal, and finding them something healthy to eat just compounds the problem. We all like to eat out on occasion, but being able to buy and cook your own food on your schedule can be very convenient. How many times have you had to wake up early and get everyone dressed just to go out and get breakfast?

Photo credit: RedWeek.com

My husband and I are planning a trip to Las Vegas this fall. We used to live there and we have lots of friends and family that we haven't seen in almost three years. I've been searching for a good place to stay because I am uncomfortable imposing on friends for an extended period of time. One timeshare I looked at was Tahiti Village. One of the biggest benefits to renting a timeshare in Las Vegas is you don't have to walk your children through a smoke-filled casino to get anywhere. Even without a casino there is a great list of amenities.

Photo credit: RedWeek.com

I really like that there are nearby amenities listed. Usually you can find a list when you get to your hotel room, but knowing beforehand is very helpful, especially if you plan on doing a lot of walking. Timeshares are incredibly family-friendly. Many not only have pools, but have hot tubs, whirlpools, lazy rivers, kiddie pools, and water pads. Arts and crafts classes are common, as are community BBQs and ice cream socials.

Visit RedWeek.com to browse timeshare locations and amenities. You can browse by location or attraction including kid friendly and pet friendly options. With the purchase of a yearly membership you can contact owners to get started on your budget vacation!

RedWeek has generously offered to give away a two-year membership to one Giveaway Overload reader! That's a $29.98 value! In addition, Giveaway Overload has teamed up with Haute Single Mama, Shoes, Fashion, Fitness, and Roasted Beanz to give the winner $40 in PayPal cash to use on your vacation! Enter to win on the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

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Giveaway Overload received a one-year membership in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are that of Giveaway Overload. Please see Giveaway Overload's Disclosure Policy for more information. Haute Single Mama is not responsible for awarding the prize.

Pinterest Love Follow Page!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:17:00 +0000

Follow all 3 pages for a valid entry.

Facebook Follow Page #2!!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:36:00 +0000

iCandy Stroller Giveaway!!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 03:29:00 +0000

I am so excited to partner with Megan from Behavioral Child to bring you this amazing giveaway! I've heard great things about these strollers - trust me, you want this prize! Have fun entering and good luck! Xoxo!

Megan, who blogs at Behavioral Child and Megan Blogs, was a guest of the CBS TV show The Talk when Dr. Gadget was on, and among other things, she was given the iCandy Cherry stroller, in the liquorice color. She is giving it away to one lucky, random winner.

This British-made stroller is very popular in Europe and is sold only in exclusive stores here in the US. Its retail value is $400.

{Disclaimer/Disclosure: I have not used this stroller so I can’t vouch for it. I have it in its original/new packaging and will ship it to the winner in the exact same condition. So essentially, I’m re-gifting it The Talk has no idea what I’m doing with it, nor would it probably care. By entering this giveaway, you agree to indemnify me, The Talk, and iCandy from any responsibilities of all issues arising from the receipt and use of this prize. Thanks for participating and good luck! - Megan Broutian}

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Simple Service Project - #Champions4Kids #SpinbrushCFK Follow Through!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 23:28:00 +0000

Today we finished off our Champions for Kids Spinning into Action Spinbrush Simple Service Project by donating the Arm & Hammer Kids Spinbrushes we bought the other day to a local charity near and dear to my heart, Dixie Care and Share. We were able to donate one pink and one blue of the Spinbrushes seen here:

I loved these because they could be personalized depending on the child who was able to benefit from them. When a family is in that kind of situation, I think it would help to have something that's really "theirs" - even if it is just a simple toothbrush.

I chose this organization because it has been a staple in my community for... well, ever since I can remember. As a child we had food drives for Dixie Care and Share, and just last year local artists recorded a Christmas CD where all the profits went to this charity. I was shocked to find out that this was done because they were at risk of having to close their doors forever!

When I visited to make my donation, I was surprised at how many services were offered. I knew a shelter existed (seen above), but I had no idea they had a pantry as well. There are bread, pastries, and fresh produce that are literally free - no intake process or screening is needed. Anyone in need can sign in and get food they need for their family.

There is also a small stockpile of trial sized hygiene products that are available with no intake process as well - these are perfect for someone who just needs to get by for a little bit.

The more extensive pantry (below) requires an intake process, but I was amazed at the variety of nutritious food there was. Everything from cereal to salad dressing, if you need it they probably have it. Again, this is restricted to those who have gone through a screening process to show they really are in need - but what a blessing for those who truly do need some help!

Talking to the employees and volunteers, they were all so nice, helpful, and non judgmental. I was able to learn that the majority of their donations are private donations - how cool is that?! There is a box outside for nonperishable goods:

I went pretty early in the morning and it had already begun to be filled!! How amazing!!!!

I'm so glad that the Spinbrushes we were able to donate will be use. They use full sized hygiene products like that primarily in the shelters, from what I understand, and I'm sure they will go to good use. Luckily our state's Medicaid program has excellent dental care available for children who qualify; even so, that doesn't replace daily brushing!!

Find out if you have an organization like this in your community - sometimes when we're lucky enough to have everything we need, we don't think to seek out places like this that do so much good and receive little recognition.

You can follow #SpinbrushCFK through the following social media venues:

Champions For Kids:

Twitter

Facebook

Spinbrush/Arm&Hammer:

Facebook

Twitter

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Champions for Kids #CBias #SocialFabric. All opinions are honest and my own, and we really had a fabulous time learning about the resources in our community and how to help.

Spin Into Action Simple Service Project

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 23:07:00 +0000

Being a single parent, it's so hard when you worry about whether your kids are going to get what they need. The budget is tight, you try to prioritize, but sometimes... things just don't happen that way. I've been so blessed to have people step in and help when I needed it most - often unasked.

That's why I was so intrigued about the SIMPLE Service project Spin into Action from Champions for Kids. According to their website:

Over 19% of children ages 2-19 have untreated cavities. A child’s complete

preventive dental program should include fluoride, at least twice-daily brushing,

wise food choices, and regular dental care.

Oral care can be one of the most overlooked things - when there's a problem, it's expensive and sometimes you just can't afford it. This is why prevention is key. Making sure kids have access to a toothbrush all the time can be a fight! I know Eli loves to play with his, drag it around with him.. and yep, lose it! This can lead to not getting his teeth brushed that night... and what if I didn't have the money to replace it the next day? What if I had to wait two weeks or a month for my next paycheck?

I chose a couple of Spinbrushes from the #SpinbrushCFK project to a local charity, Dixie Care and Share. They almost got shut down earlier this year because of lack of funding and donations during the recession. Luckily, fundraisers were held and it was able to be saved, so I want to take every opportunity to make any contribution I can to this amazing organization. Although it isn't much right now while I'm in school, every little bit helps.

You can be a part of this great service project - start by getting involved online! Follow Champions for Kids on Facebook and Twitter, and join Arm and Hammer Spinbrush on Facebook and Twitter as well!

What Happens During Childbirth?

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 16:53:00 +0000

Most of us (especially moms who have given birth) know the stages of labor, and what happens pretty much on a basic level. In nursing school we go over the physiology and danger signs, as well as various complications that may occur and how the physician may choose to deal with them.

But for the first time ever, a woman labored IN AN MRI MACHINE. What the what?! I guess this happened quite awhile ago, but they're now just releasing the MRI footage. It is absolutely fascinating! I tend to support natural birth, but whoever this woman is deserves a medal for agreeing to this. This kind of imagery may help to prevent and better deal with complications in the future.

What do you think? Huge step forward, or too much?

Watch it for yourself!

Single Mom on Food Stamps

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 06:23:00 +0000

I'm just going to say it.

I'm on food stamps.

And Medicaid.

Since the day my ex husband put me and my 37 week gestational age baby who had just gotten discharged from his NICU stay 2 weeks prior, I've been using YOUR TAX MONEY to pay for food for myself and my son.

It has also paid for every medical checkup and sick visit Eli has ever had. It's paid part of the medical bills I've incurred as part of my clinical depression and PTSD which resulted from my baby dying, my other baby being sick in the NICU for 45 days, and my husband cheating on me and abandoning me.

It has been a blessing. A true blessing. But lately I've seen these ecards going around Facebook and Pinterest:

I don't have any of these things besides the iPhone - I tan naturally outside, I'm not allowed to have fake nails as a nurse even if I wanted them, I don't have any tattoos. Sometimes I do have a fresh mani-pedi - that I did myself, while my child was asleep, with a selection of nail polish that I've been collecting over years. I'm sorry that it bothers you that I like to have some color on my nails, but let me remind you that a median price for a bottle of nail polish is about $7. If I use that color 10 times over the lifespan of the bottle, that's costing me $0.70 for that mani/pedi you're so offended by.

I do have an iPhone. For the first year after I got divorced (while I was on food stamps!!!) I had a crappy prepaid cell phone. Once I managed to make it into nursing school, though, we had required apps. They gave us an iPod Touch (and by "gave," I mean paid for with our special nursing fees that are added on top of tuition). Many of the required apps for school need an internet connection and I was finding that it was impractical to need to have WiFi every time I needed to look up a drug or study for a test, and I decided to purchase an iPhone. Judge me if you want. I didn't buy it to have the latest and greatest - I bought it because as a single mother, finding study time is hard enough and the iPhone is a great tool to be able to study on the go. Plus also? I didn't/don't pay for my iPhone with YOUR TAX DOLLARS. I pay for it with student loans, which I will have to pay back once I am graduated.

This one is almost funny. I do get to shop as much as I want - at thrift stores. Because you know, it takes awhile to find something presentable to wear when you're sifting through shit other people didn't want. As for living off child support, that's a complete joke. Every dime of my child support goes to childcare while I'm in school, and I have a balance left over after that. It doesn't pay for any of my child's clothes or activities or haircuts or any living expenses. It pays for daycare. That's it. I will admit that my state is generous in its food stamp formula - I get $367/month for me and E. That's $12/day... $6/day each.. $2 per person per meal. So while I do have enough to feed us, it's not as if we're eating steak and lobster every day. Just to clear that up.

I do have a nice pocketbook. I have this awesome one that holds all my cards and my *gasp* iPhone. It was $6 on clearance at Target. Do you know what else I have? I have two Juicy Couture handbags and a Coach Patchwork. I hardly ever carry them anymore, because of judgement like this. Those were bought for me as gifts by my ex husband while we were married and we had the money to do so. They're not in great enough condition to sell for any significant amount of money, and as all I got in the divorce was my personal belongings (no furniture, no dishes, no appliances, no shared property whatsoever) I feel justified in keeping these. They're mine, and I didn't buy them because you were buying me food with YOUR TAX DOLLARS. They were gifts, from a time when I wasn't on any assistance at all. I don't think that makes me a shitbag.

I'll end with this one:

This one shows some common sense. No one knows how I came to be on food stamps, just like no one knows how I got my iPhone. They don't know that over the summer I'm "donating" plasma twice a week to pay the bill. When I first started getting child support, I would hoard all of it in my wallet, terrified of losing it and not sure if/when I would get more. So I'm sure people judged the girl on food stamps with all the cash in her wallet. She must be playing the system, right?

Right.

Cloth Diaper Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:39:00 +0000

E isn't quite potty trained yet (I'll have to explain that in another post) so we're still loving our cloth diapers! My washing machine broke awhile ago and I had to 'sposie him for like two months. It totally killed me remembering how much it cost! Thankfully I got it fixed and we're back to our single mama budget friendly cloth! In celebration of that I decided to join the Fluffy Fourth of July giveaway. It's Rafflecopter so it's super easy to enter! Have fun!

Welcome to the Fluffy Fourth of July sponsored by Gnome’s Naturals and hosted by Life With Levi!
Whether you’re just starting out using cloth diapers or already a fluffy pro, this giveaway prize offers something for everyone.

One lucky winner will receive the ULTIMATE cloth diaper stash starter pack, valued at over $415!!!
This amazing prize prize pack includes:

THREE ones & twos All In One Diapers
ONE AppleCheeks Bamboo Little Bundle
ONE AppleCheeks Microterry Little Bundle
TWO Tots Bots Easy Fit or Tini Fit Diapers
TWO Rumparooz G2 Pocket Diapers or Little Joey Newborn All In Ones
ONE Bummis Beautiful BASIC Kit
SIX Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers
ONE Bummis Super Snap Wrap
ONE Bummis Super Lite Wrap
TWO Snappis
ONE AppleCheeks Storage Sac Pail Liner
ONE M Monkey Foot Designs Wet Bag for when you're on the go.
ONE KalmSkin Travel Size Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Stick
ONE Bag of Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent
ONE Clean Cheeks Wipes Concentrate
ONE 6 Pack of AppleCheeks Cloth Wipes
ONE Mini Shower Diaper Sprayer
ONE Pack of AppleCheeks Flushable Diaper Liners

That's all the diapers AND accessories you need for 18 diaper changes!!
Gnome's Naturals is a cloth diaper and natural parenting store owned & operated by Lori Whitlock. As a mom of a toddler, Lori is always searching for great natural products for herself and her family. When she finds products that she loves, she sticks with them. Lori created Gnome's Naturals to share those products with you. As a cloth diaper blogger, Lori has tried almost every cloth diaper on the market and strives to carry only the best of the best.
In addition to some well known brands that Lori loves, Gnome's Naturals also carries work at home mom (WAHM) made items in the store. Make sure you check out the WAHM Spotlight section for products that are handmade by moms in North America. Lori is a huge proponent of moms supporting moms and she hopes that by retailing some mom-made items, she can help support them financially as well.
If you’re new to cloth diapering, Gnome’s Naturals offers several different cloth diaper trial packages. Beyond cloth diapers, Gnome’s Naturals also carries a great selection of baby carriers, baltic amber teething necklaces, breastfeeding products, and more.

Ready To Win?

Just enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below.
All entries are optional – be sure to come back often to complete the daily entries, since the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win!

Giveaway open to residents of the US & Canada. Contest ends Friday, July 6th.

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Radio Rebel for Movie Night, plus Cloud Dough Craft!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 23:57:00 +0000

Today I was babysitting the bf's kids while he was at work - a full 12 hours - and we had to find something to do! What better than a movie?!

The Disney Channel Original Movie Radio Rebel just came out to Redbox, so we reserved that from my iPhone (I had no idea they had an app! You can also follow them on Twitter and "like" them on Facebook!) and went to pick it up while we were there getting flour to make Cloud Dough.

I've seen great things about Cloud Dough on Pinterest - the recipe is just flour and baby oil - but I didn't have any baby oil around and I didn't want to buy some just for this, so I poked around the internet a bit and found that olive oil was an acceptable substitute.

So we trotted off to Walmart - a very different experience with 3 kids than it is with one. Good thing we found this nifty cart:

After we got home with our ingredients and our movie, 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of olive oil later we had this:

It was like wet beach sand - perfect for sand castles. The kids wanted it more doughy, though, so we added a bit more oil to see what would happen. They mixed it in themselves (and obviously my iPhone camera lens got a bit smudgy in the process!)

For some reason they liked this better, and they made a ton of their favorite things with it. A ball, a cake, a robot, quick sand (?!) and a bunch of other things. While we were doing it and watching the movie, we talked about making our favorite things and how it's important to always be ourselves, just like Radio Rebel says!

The kids loved the modified cloud dough, and liked the movie. The scenes with music held their attention most - I think ages 3, 6, and 9 may have been a little young for this one. It was perfectly appropriate, but not an attention grabber for that age span. You can see my full review and #CouchCritics score on their website!

It was a great activity though. For the full blow by blow, see my Google + Story!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric. All opinions are honest and my own.

Why is Disney Pixar BRAVE Rated PG?

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 05:13:00 +0000

It's finally here! Disney Pixar's Brave hit theaters today. The trailers and previews have been floating around for quite awhile and I was so excited to see it!

I was super surprised to see that it was rated PG - not that that's a bad rating, it's just not what I've come to expect from Disney Pixar films. I didn't think too much of it though, since it was Disney, and went ahead and took E and my boyfriend and his kids (so ages {almost}3, 6 and 9 were present).

E was absolutely enthralled with the 3D effects. As has become the norm, there was a short at the beginning that was just amazing, called La Luna. I was really worried about how he'd be at a movie, since the last time ended in him running up and down the aisles and us ultimately leaving about 30 minutes in, but he was glued to La Luna the entire time. He loved wearing his glasses and kept looking at me and making his surprised face at me every time something was "floating" in front of us. That being said, since it was a 7:00 movie and he hadn't napped, he was out like a light about 20 minutes into the actual movie. I have to admit I was a little grateful for that; he's getting better, but I still don't know how he'd do with a full length film!

These guys add humor and fun - they
were the highlight of the movie for
the 6 year old girl!

The older kids were really excited to see the movie - they are predominantly Scottish so they felt a sense of pride that this movie was about their "heritage." It kept them entertained the entire time and when we left they were raving about it. The 6 year old girl was a fan of the silly parts, and the 9 year old boy loved the archery and the action in the movie.

Everyone in our party loved it, and they are all pretty young... so why the PG rating?

Some of the scenes in the movie are really pretty scary. I know I jumped a couple of times (of course, I'm a pretty jumpy person), so if your child is particularly frightened by movies I'd wait a bit for this one. The kids I took have all been exposed to lots of movies and did just fine, but for a sensitive child it may be too much.

There are some pretty intense scenes with the bears - like this one!

As for what I thought of the movie, the moral of the story was excellent. I also have to admit -I teared up several times. The dynamic of the mother-daughter relationship is very relatable and beautifully portrayed. I really loved how Merida was such a strong character - she is the hero of the story and not the damsel in distress. The 3D effects were breathtaking- I just loved how they enhanced the movie but weren't gimmicky at all.

All in all, this is a fabulous movie, and one that I would highly recommend (especially for moms and daughters!). Just be sure that your little ones are up for a little bit of action - if they are, they'll love it!

Brave is rated PG by the MPAA for "some scary action and rude humor." I was kindly invited to attend a press screening of the movie, but was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are honest and my own. All media materials belong to Disney-Pixar.

Win a Stun Gun from Alyssa at Giveaway Overload!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 19:21:00 +0000

Alyssa here... I'm so excited to be joined by some wonderful ladies for my 2,000 Facebook Fan Giveaway! I appreciate the support I receive from you all, and as a little thank you I'm giving away a stun gun! My blog is still young (but growing) and I'm looking forward to getting to know you in the future. Feel free to interact on my blog with comments (I love them!) Also, please visit these gals and say thank you for helping make this giveaway possible!

Zoe's Printable Coupons Tianna's Coupon Cafe

ELITEMAMA Sugar Mama's Sweet Bowtique

Wrap with Jolene Lynchburg Coupon Mama

Mom's Freebies To Sew With Love

Our Wolves Den Freesocial2011

Bargain Hound Oh My Goodies

The Dollar Monger Crazy Latina is Crazy 4 Coupons

The Halton Mom The Miracle Momma

Haute Single Mama

In addition to blogging I am an Independent Damsel in Defense Rep. I sell a range of personal protection items including stun guns, pepper spray, personal alarms, and security on the go. As a woman and a mom it is important for me to feel safe and to know that I have options when it comes to protecting myself and my family. I really do believe in these products and the aid they can give in protecting yourself. However, I always, always encourage my customers to seek additional self defense training to make them more comfortable with carrying a weapon and knowing how to use it. You have to know how to use it for it to be effective. I have had the opportunity to take a self defense class, and I plan on seeking further instruction in the future. Remember that the best defense is staying out of a potentially dangerous situation to begin with.

The prize will one "One Your Knees" stun gun in the winner's choice of color.

The 'On Your Knees' features:

3.5 Million Volts

LED Flashlight

Easy To Hold Design

Rechargeable (Wall Plug Included)

4-8 Milli-amps Depending On Battery Charge

Here's the important stuff you need to know: The giveaway will run from 6/17/12 @ 12:01 AM EST until 7/1/12 @ 12:01 AM EST. Giveaway open to U.S. residents 18 yrs or older only.

Stun Guns cannot be shipped to CT, HI, MA, MI, NJ, NY, RI, WI, Annapolis, MD, Baltimore, MD, Baltimore County, MD, Chicago, IL, Denison/Crawford County, IA, Philadelphia, PA or Washington DC.

If you live in one of these areas you will be given a prize of equal value. It's kind of a bummer that you can't have a stun gun in those areas, but all of our stuff is pretty awesome so you're not missing out on much! (Do I sound old when I say 'bummer'?)

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dating Thus Far

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:01:00 +0000

So I went on my first post-divorce date in December. I know, it's been a long time and I'm just now dishing. Sorry bout that.

Anyway, luckily I chose an amazing guy to go on my first date with. We had a great time, and continued going on dates, and decided to be exclusive about a month later. Like boyfriend and girlfriend. Squeeeee!

It was great. But then... it wasn't so great. I still have a lot of residual issues from my marriage, divorce, and baby loss. A lot of issues. Some of these issues were affecting our relationship - so we're "taking a break" for the summer.

So I'm wondering, can I ever really get past these? The trust issues and the "pessimist" philosophical bend? I'm always waiting, preparing, anticipating the next nightmare and how I'll get through that. I'm still in survival mode.

How does one get over that?

I'm hoping to work that out at therapy, but if anyone has any personal experiences with that, I would be very open to and grateful for advice!

P.S. I apologize for the hideousness of my blog. I was trying to fix it and then realized I am totally incompetent and got a real designer to do it. So it should be fixed in a couple of weeks ;)

Why, hello there!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 03:02:00 +0000

Hello there old friends!

It's been awhile since you heard from me.

I did manage to make it through ~~hell~~ second semester of nursing school. Barely, but I hung on. It was literally the worst semester of my life. Although I got to do some really cool skills during clinicals which was way better than first semester.

Anyway, they say 3rd semester isn't as bad, so I'm hoping and praying that's true. Meanwhile, I'm taking the summer off with E (yay!) This endeavor is pretty tricky financially, but I think I'll be able to pull it off.

I've been dating a bit since school got out. More on that later.

I've decided to use this summer to freshen up - physically and especially emotionally. I've been in overdrive ever since E was born - NICU to divorce to nursing school - and I have 2.5 more months to just chill. I've been to a few therapy sessions, and I've been trying to go to yoga. I've been having a hard time due to some depression creeping back in, so we'll see if therapy can help with that.

So I'll be keeping you posted on the fun new recipes I'll be trying, the more serious therapy-after-douchebag-husband info, and what I'm studying during my final summer before I become an RN!

xoxo

New Year's Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:28:00 +0000

I'm not a huge fan of New Years Resolutions. I love the idea of a fresh start, but for me January 1st isn't that. My fresh start tends to feel more like August, when the new school year starts.

Regardless, in 2009 I wrote this post detailing my goals for 2010 and the next decade {which obv includes 2011!} I was reading through it and I'm really, really proud of how far I've come. You can read the post if you want to know what all of my goals were, but I'm going to reiterate the ones I've accomplished and the ones I'm resetting for this year.

In 2010, I wanted to lose weight. What I actually did? Was regain all the weight I had lost on the "Divorce Diet." I was stressing out about school, so what did I do when I studied? Ate. And ate. And ate. Mindlessly. So that was a total bummer. I am happy to say that in 2011, I have re-lost all of that weight and am still working on losing more. So yay! A year late, but I'm doing it. I feel fabulous.
I wanted to get good grades. So I could get into nursing school. Done and done. As above, it obviously came at the sacrifice of my waistline but you know. It was worth it.
Enjoy E. I totally was glad that I took the time the summer of 2010 to just be a mommy. It was great.
Get divorced and enjoy being single. My divorce ended up being final this year, in 2011, so that didn't happen in 2010. But? I have been single since March and I'm just now starting to date, so I think I had awhile to adjust to being single and enjoy just worrying about myself. Mission accomplished.

The goals I set for the next DECADE seemed so ambitious at the time and I'm surprised to have finished a couple of them!

Graduate. I obviously have not done this yet but I am well on my way. Two more semesters to go and I'm an RN. I've totally got this and it WILL happen this decade. In fact, it will happen by the time I write this post next year.
Move out of my mom's house. Done and done. I am so grateful that she let me stay there for as long as she did but I love having my own place. Love love love. I'm so grateful that I can afford to do it. It's nothing fancy but I'm in love with it.
Take care of me. I can only say I halfway accomplished this one. I did take care of me, but I was pretty lost in single motherhood and nursing school. I have lost some of the weight I wanted to lose, but I'd like to make more time for "me" time.

That was it. Those were all my goals for the entire DECADE. Aiming low, much?! I have so much more self confidence in myself this year it's astounding. I have accomplished so much. I haven't worked out my new resolutions for this year yet, but I'm going to figure them out and a post will follow. I've missed blogging so much! I hope you guys still enjoy reading. Xoxo!

I hope each and every one of you have had as blessed a 2011 as I have and that 2012 will be even more so!

Year in Review - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:04:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

I haven't been around for awhile :( Blogging has kind of gone by the wayside in light of... well... nursing school.

But I was thinking about the post I wrote on New Year's in 2009. It was especially cool because it covered a whole decade, but this year was pretty exciting so I thought I might use that format to let you guys know just what an awesome year I had in 2011.

So here it is: 2011 in bullet points.

Started getting child support in February. Yay! {We separated in Oct 2009. That's how long it took. CRAZY.}
Divorce was final in March - I was a single woman again!
In March I also applied for the super competitive nursing program. Eeep! I was so nervous!
I found out I had been accepted into the nursing program on my first application cycle in May. Squee! All my hard work for the previous two years doing prerequisites had payed off.
June, July, and the first half of August were lazy and wonderful. I took the summer off of school and just hung out with E for the first time since he was 5 months old. We did swimming lessons and spent a lot of time in one of those little plastic kiddie pools in our backyard.
Nursing school started in August. We got iPod Touches at orientation and I met all of my amazing classmates. They are now my BFFs and I love them to death. I will be super sad not to see all those amazing faces every day once nursing school is actually over.
In October, I moved out of my mom's house after having lived there for two years. I am so appreciative of everything she did for me, but goodness is it nice to have our own space. I rent a tiny little one bedroom casita/mother in law apartment. It's small but perfect for just me and E.
During clinicals in November I met a boy. A seemingly good one, which I no longer even believed existed. I'm still testing him but so far he's passed, and has been very patient with my scrutiny.
December marked the end of the first semester of nursing school. I am officially 1/3 of a nurse, and I'm freaking excited about that. Two more semesters to go and I will be completely capable of supporting myself and E - not grandly, but comfortably.
Tonight I have New Year's date. E is staying the night at my mom's so I can stay out late and not have to worry about picking him up at like one in the morning. I'm super excited. This is the same boy I met in November... I really like him. There may be pictures and a relationship status update coming up on Facebook in the next couple of days.... keep your eye out ;)

So yeah. After a pretty rough DECADE? 2011 treated me extremely, extremely well. I am so grateful and feel so blessed. I'll miss you, 2011, but I'm excited to see what 2012 brings!

What about you guys?! I'm so behind on everyone. Comment or link me to your posts with your year in review! Pretty please?

Blood Transfusion

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:12:00 +0000

In the skills lab, we've been learning how to do blood transfusions. It's really very simple - for the most part, just like running a regular IV, just with a few extra bells and whistles. And of course, a million more risks.

One of which is hyperkalemia. Your blood cells are just full of potassium, and when blood is transfused, some of those cells burst, releasing way too much potassium into the plasma.

Before B died, she received a blood transfusion. I have no idea when, or how much. She was hemorrhaging from her lungs. That's all I know. When we were finally allowed in the room and they told us that they had done everything and she still wasn't getting better, that was one of the things the neonatal nurse practitioner said.

Her potassium levels are so high... so high her heart will slow down, down, down until it stops.

Asystole.

We let her die before that happened. When we made the decision, though, her heart rate was already in the 60s. The alarms kept going off. {120-160 beats per minute is what is normal, if you're not familiar.}

I don't know how high her potassium levels were. I wouldn't have understood it if I had known. I didn't understand anything, yet they put the decision of her life or death into my hands.

Every new thing we learn about that I was first exposed to that night takes me back. Makes me second guess whether I made the right decision. Because really, I made that decision with hardly any information. I had medical advice and that was all. No background knowledge to speak of.

Someday, I want to see her chart. I want to know what happened before they let us into that room.

But I'm afraid. Really, very afraid. I know too much now. I'll know if errors were made, or if I made the wrong decision. If I could have had them do something, anything, to save her life.

I looked up the number for medical records at that hospital just the other day. I haven't called it yet. I want to get her records sent to me - I don't know how long they keep them readily accessible {probably a long time, but still}. I'm nowhere near ready to read them, though.

Maybe when I graduate. Maybe when she would have turned 5. That's a nice round number.

When she would have turned 5, I'll know how to save a life. I'll be able to see more clearly that vague, vague line where enough is enough. I'll know for sure if her medical team - and if I - did everything, everything. I think we did, but I'm afraid. So afraid that we didn't.

ABE 2.0 Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 05:58:00 +0000

The winner for the Eco Baby Prize Pack is Lindsay! She was comment #37! Yayayayay!!! Congratulations Lindsay!

Thank you so much to everyone for participating in ABE 2.0! It was so much fun!

Nursing School - Orientation!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 06:31:00 +0000

Today?

Awesome.

I couldn't sleep last night. The countdown clock I've had on my desktop ever since I applied to the nursing program (counting down until the latest date we would find out our admissions status, and then counting down until, well, today!) read: "FINISHED!" Just like that in all caps. SQUEE! I got E's diaper bag all ready (emphasis on the diaper - I took like 8 or 10 cloth diapers to daycare with him so I don't have to remember them every day), cleaned out my purse, opened up all my new pens and pencils, and was so overwhelmed by my books that I decided to just leave them all in the box. Finally at midnight I showered so I wouldn't have to in the morning (mornings and I don't really get along), looked over the student handbook again (we were told to read it before we came to orientation) and went to bed.

I managed to roll out of bed at a decent time (6:30, I think? Maybe 6:45) and thankfully my alarm didn't wake E up, so I got to do my hair and makeup alone! I honestly don't remember the last time that happened. So it was great. Everything went smoothly; I knew what I was going to wear, and E woke up at the perfect time - maybe a tad late for when I wanted to leave - but woke up happy and he was super excited once I told him we were going "bye-bye in the car."

I was really worried about how he'd transition to daycare - we have a new daycare provider this semester and I honestly wasn't too sure about her yet. I mean obviously I was sure enough that she was a good and qualified caregiver, or I wouldn't have let him go there at all, but I just didn't know whether I loved her or not. When we got to her house I finalized some paperwork with her; meanwhile, E got down and started running around like he owned the place. I was amazed. After about 30 minutes I told him that mommy was going bye-bye to school, and that he was going to stay and play. He started to cry, but the daycare provider told him to say bye-bye, which he did, and then immediately diverted his attention to their family dog. It worked like a charm, and she said the only other time he cried was when she took the crayons away because it was lunch time! He had a really hard time transitioning to daycare last semester; it's amazing the difference 6 months can make at this age.

So I went off to orientation! It was great to be at the nursing building and not on the main campus - there are more parking spaces than cars, so no spending 20 minutes trolling for a good spot. I was amazed at how quickly I got parked and in the building. I was a little earlier than I had anticipated being, but it was fine. I sat in the front row because I'm cool like that, next to some super nice girls that I got along with well. Double yay!

We did boring things - went over paperwork and other things that I assume most of us already knew since the information was readily available on the website. But then the bombshell came, out of nowhere.... we were each getting an iPod Touch!!! What?!?!?!?!

Turns out that this is the first semester they're trying to integrate technology into the program, so they're testing it on us. I don't mind... except that I just bought one. I wish I would have known, but I'm still totally psyched that their use will be not only tolerated but required in classes and clinicals. YAY! The one they're providing is only an 8 gigabyte - the one I bought is a 32 - so I'm having a hard time deciding what to do. I *have* to use the one they provided for clinicals - they took our serial numbers and stuff. So selling the 8 gig and keeping the 32 isn't an option. I can return the 32, but *sigh* all that space! Or I can keep both, but how selfish and excessive is that?! Sigh. I knew I had a bad feeling about buying one for a reason!

Anyway, they gave us all our iPods, and then we had our pictures taken for our program IDs that will get us in to clinicals and stuff. My hair had seriously wilted by this point so I'm kind of afraid to see that picture. Oh well.

And that was it! I picked up E and he had been having a blast at daycare. He was happy to see me but wanted to stay and keep playing ;) I can't explain to you how happy that made me; there's so much guilt associated with taking your child to daycare (at least for me) and it makes my heart sing to know that he likes it. That I'm not a bad mom for taking him there. That he enjoys the social interaction and change of scenery and doesn't spend the whole time worrying because I'm not there.

I have my first "real" class tomorrow morning at 9 am! I started the reading (90 pages) for the first lab we have this week and got about 2/3 of the way done with it. I'll finish it and start the reading for Lab #2 tomorrow night. Eeeek! So much to do already and we haven't even been to a class!

On that note... I'm going to bed. I got out of the shower right before I sat down to write this post, and I think my hair is dry enough to not soak the pillow :)

A Blogtastic Extravaganza 2.0 - Eco Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:24:00 +0000

I didn't participate in A Blogtastic Extravaganza last year but I had so much fun entering all the giveaways that I really wanted to be a part of it this year! I was so happy to be one of the blogs chosen to participate!

I have a great prize package full of my favorite products that have helped me become more eco friendly and save money at the same time!

The winner of my ABE giveaway will receive:

One 2-pack of Tiny Bites Food Shears
2 "Regular" style Bamboobies reusable nursing pads
One 45/90 Bag of Rockin' Green Soap
One JoeyBunz Insert
One Pooter's Organic One Size Pocket Diaper
$20 Gift Card to ThanksMama
$20 Gift Card to SweetBottoms Baby Boutique

YAY! That's a lot of eco friendly, money saving goodness right there.

Mandatory Entry:

Follow my blog via GFC (sidebar!) (+1)

Additional Entries:

Follow me on Twitter (+1)

Tweet about this giveaway (including link!) and leave permalink to tweet (+1, up to 3x/day at least one hour between tweets.) Suggested tweet: "Going green and saving green - Enter to #win products to do both from @HauteSingleMama during #ABE2! #clothdiapers http://bit.ly/qUYHoO "

"Like" on Facebook:

Me! Haute Single Mama

Thanks Mama Cloth Diapers

SweetBottoms Baby Boutique

+1 entry for each sponsor that you "like"!

I'm doing this the old fashioned way, so please leave a comment on this post for each entry you complete (and please send me an invite to Rafflecopter if you have one. Seriously.) US only, please. Good luck and have fun entering all the other ABE giveaways!!!

*Please be sure to either have your email visible from your Blogger profile or leave me your email or Twitter name in your comment so I can find you if you win! Please be especially mindful of this now that I opened it up to anonymous comments :) Leave me some way to contact you!

Tiny Bites Food Shears - Review

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:15:00 +0000

When I first found this product, I was intrigued. Food cutting scissors?! I'm not a chef, so I don't have all the bells and whistles in my kitchen. But this was something I totally had to try.

From the day I opened the package, I found a MILLION uses for those babies. The most used? Cutting up grapes. I always worry about E choking on grapes, but it's nearly impossible to cut them into decent sizes using a fork and knife! The Tiny Bites Food Shears made it take no time at all - snip, snip, snip, and DONE.

I was super surprised at how sharp they were. They cut up chicken and steak! I was amazed. It is so much easier than using a fork and knife to try to get those tiny toddler sized pieces.

The reason that these shears serve their purpose so well is that they were invented by parents of toddlers!! Imagine that! Ed and Anila designed the shears with their own toddler meal adventures in mind, and blessed the rest of us in the process. These have honestly been a lifesaver for me. Look how much more safe and toddler friendly meals become with the Tiny Bites Food Shears!

Photo from www.TinyBites.com

Don't worry if you didn't win your Tiny Bites during ABE; they're available at a retailer near you!

BlogHer 2011

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 07:04:00 +0000

I totally went.

I didn't talk about it much here because - well, let's face it, I just haven't really been blogging - and also because I was always just teetering on the edge of being able to save enough money to do it.

But I did it! I saved, I went, and I'm back. It was so much fun that it has taken me until now - 4 days after I got home! - to post about it. I've literally been recovering all this time.

My BFF and BlogHer roomie Katie summed it up extremely well - to be honest, a lot of it is a complete and total blur. I was so nervous/excited that I only slept for 2.5 hours the night/morning before I left, and I had an eight hour drive to San Diego. I made it though, and from then on it was nonstop fun. Staying up late, getting up... well, early for how late we had stayed up the night before... and party hopping. We skipped too many sessions and probably tried to go to too many parties. But it was amazing.

I loved meeting some of the people I talk with daily in "real life."

I loved the parties. Rooftop parties in the city. Who gets to do that?!

I loved the swag. So much swag. Too much swag.

I'll post more on those topics later - with pictures, I promise - but for now? I'm totally saving my pennies for BlogHer '12 in NYC!

ABE 2.0 Sponsor Spotlight - BabyKicks

noreply@blogger.com (HauteSingleMama) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:03:00 +0000

I just recently got to try a BabyKicks diaper, and I have to say... I'm hooked.

The fit is a little bit different than diapers I'm used to.. it snaps differently, so it took me a little bit of time to get used to it. Once I figured out how to get it to fit right, I loved it!

The best thing about them in my opinion? is the insert.

Look how trim that is!

They are a hemp/cotton blend and they are SO trim, yet so absorbent. {Side note: did you know that hemp has antimicrobial properties? Me neither! Amazing, right?!} My favorite use for them is under clothes that just look a little funny with the fluffier butt - you can't even tell there's cloth under there. I love a fluffy butt just as much as the next cloth diapering mom, but sometimes it makes E's pants look too tapered and just kind of... weird. Anyway. They make super great doublers for night time too - they add hardly any bulk so it's not like you've got this HUGE double stuffed diaper.

At $5 a pop they're seriously a steal. Since they're made of natural fibers, you can even use them right against baby's skin with a cover - I haven't tried that yet, but I really want to! That would be sooo much trimmer than prefolds! {Plus, the one con to the BabyKicks diaper - and seriously it is the only one - is that the pocket is a little narrow so it's hard to make the hemp insert lay flat when you're stuffing it. I saw a post on the BabyKicks Facebook page addressing this - they say you can just plop it on top of the diaper and use it that way! I haven't tried it that way yet but I plan on it!}

I really heart this company and their products - I will definitely be adding some JoeyBunz to my stash!

BabyKicks sponsored a portion of my giveaway package for ABE 2.0. I was not sent any product to try; my experiences were based on a diaper I already had. I was not compensated in any way for this post; all opinions are honest and my own.