A Lil Dash of Diva

Pass it Forward!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:28:00 +0000

I am so so super excited to be part of this new project, Pass it Forward brought to us by Ashley of The Shine Project!

Pass It Forward was designed to get people to do little things, everyday, that makes an impact on the community around them. Pass it Forward is designed around a card. Each card is given a unique ID number. Lets say we're at McDonalds, and I decide to pay for the person behind me in the drive through. I'd give the cashier the card, and tell them to pass it along to the next car when the give them the food that has been paid for. I then go home and log into the website that was on the card, and find my unique ID number. I log into it, and add my information... My first name, city, and a description of what I did....Let's say the person behind me was you, you would pass it forward to someone else, and then would go home and do the same thing. From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.

I think this project is so great and will have the potential to really impact people's lives. Everyone gets so involved in what they personally have going on that we often forget about other people who might be going through something that is bigger than anything we have ever had to deal with and maybe, just maybe paying for their gas or groceries or even just a coffee will be the thing that let's them know they are not forgotten or alone. That might be the very thing that gets them through that tough time.

Thank you Ashley for letting me be part of the launch of this project!!

Don't Forget Meeee!!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:57:00 +0000

Just making sure everyone has seen my new blog address and is following me via linky followers or through your RSS feed!

You can find my new blog here, please make sure you follow me on the new blog!

Making The Switch

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:10:00 +0000

So I've been giving this a lot of thought and have decided to make the switch to Wordpress. I would love it if you all would follow me over to my new blog A Lil Dash of Diva. All of my content is already switched over and I will be posting there, but will keep this blog for a while and post reminders to catch me at the new address.

Also, you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Furbaby Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:06:00 +0000

I've decided to link up with the ever fabulous Mrs. Monologues today for Furbaby Friday!

My furbaby, Summer Grace Elizabeth Thomas. Summer is a pure-bred Boxer who is almost 2 years old. Her birthday is coming up next month! Last year for her 1st birthday we got her a doggie cookie from the specialty pet store. This year I am totally getting her a doggie Sprinkles cupcake!

She thinks she's the Queen of the backyard, clearly.

Waiting for her girl to get out of school, she's so excited to see Hannah!

Watching Mama do her hair and makeup..mama make me prettiez too?

I laugh every time I see this picture. I love that snarly face!

This was taken shortly after we had first gotten her. She loves to snuggle Daddy and her girl.

I love my Summer baby ♥

The Nail Files

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:59:00 +0000

I am linking up with Tara and Vicki once again for The Nail Files! This is one of my favorite link-ups because I love love love nail polish and manicures. This week has been a bit crazy for me so I just finished my manicure this morning so I'm a little late with my post this week. But here we go!

I used Sally Hansen Xtreme wear in Twisted Pink and the Sally Hansen Salon Effects strips in Wild Child with Essie top coat

I was surprised how easy the strips were to use and I absolutely LOVE the look of them!! I just hope they last longer than a day or two, so we shall see!

Friday Confessional...

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:56:00 +0000

I Confess...I couldn't sleep to save my life last night. I don't know if it is the sty on my eye or my allergies or the fact I just couldn't get comfortable but I had the worst time trying to sleep last night. So I got up when Sean got up to go to work at 5 am. Boo. This is going to make for a very long boring day.

I Confess...I haven't worked out like I should since my doctors appointment on Tuesday. It's a control thing. He told me I need to double my efforts so I stop all together. Yep. That's helpful. Sheesh.

I Confess...I have a couple of facial piercings that I have been considering taking out if it will help me land a job. I love my piercings though and don't want to take them out!

I Confess...I usually think I'm gonna die halfway through my workouts, but when I finish them I feel amazing and so proud of myself. I set these goals for myself like doing 47 minutes of yoga and strength training first thing in the morning. I start off slow and work up to a peak and then cool back down to finish over the course of those 47 minutes. So when I am at the peak of the workout usually during my second plank I feel like I am gonna collapse and die...and when I don't I'm amazed. Then once I have finished the second downward dog I know I am in the home-stretch so I can't give up now. That is a great feeling.

I Confess...I have been seeing my dream car everywhere now that I had it for that one day last week. All these people out there driving around in my dream car and rubbing it in my face that I don't have it yet...that's not very nice people! ;)

I Confess...This is my 500th post!! Go me!

Confession is good for the soul, so go link up your own confessions with Mamarazzi!

Processing...

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:06:00 +0000

So I've decided that the hardest part of going through all this infertility stuff is realizing that I am the problem. I am the thing that has been preventing us from having a second baby for all these years. Now, granted I can't control the fact that I have PCOS, but I can control (or at least try to control) my weight gain/loss. Is it harder to control weight when you have PCOS, yes definitely. You gain extra weight because of it and you have to try twice as hard as the next person to take it off. But I shouldn't have let that be an excuse for so long.

I've really been thinking about what the DR said the other day and while he is right about a few things I also think that because he doesn't know me, had never met me before, has never seen my previous medical records that some of what he was saying were assumptions on his part and that is what pisses me off. I'm overweight, yes. Anyone who looks at me can see that. However I have said it before and I will say it again that just because you are thin doesn't make you healthy just the same, being overweight doesn't make you unhealthy (totally).

I workout almost everyday for more than 2 hours. I am very active. I count calories and watch what I am eating to make sure that I am making healthy choices vs just what's quick and easy. I do not have any weight related health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure or things that are typically associated with overweight people. I am healthier than a lot of people half my size or less. But because you can see my size it is assumed that I sit around all day long eating cookies and ice cream and just being lazy.

That makes me want to scream!! Am I making progress on my weight loss, yes slowly but surely I am. But I feel like it's not happening fast enough for anyone else to see the outside progress I am making. I know that I see changes in my body and people who are close to me can see the changes, but I feel like for everyone else they just look at me and see my size and make all of their judgments about me right there without digging any further and that bothers me, a lot.

So I'm trying to figure out what I can do differently to make my workouts more effective, what I can change in my diet to fuel my body better. I have a really good friend who is going to school to be a nutrionist and she is already a yoga instructor and personal trainer. She has agreed to help me come up with a meal plan and workout to get things heading in the right direction faster. I am so grateful for my friends and family who are so supportive and encouraging to me. I know it would be so much harder if I didn't have a great support system, so to all my friends and family THANK YOU!!! If any of my readers find yourself in a similar position but don't have the support system, send me an email or leave me a comment and I will be happy to support you and encourage you! ♥

Oh, How Pinteresting!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: pogotown.com via Miguel on Pinterest

Source: happymoneysaver.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Source: hair.allwomenstalk.com via Kylie on Pinterest

This is Real Life, Y'all

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:24:00 +0000

So I had my initial appointment with the Reproductive Endocrinologist (fertility specialist) today. I gotta be honest, I was so nervous...maybe nervous isn't the right word, I was anxious. I was having trouble breathing because of my anxiety about it. I knew going in that he wouldn't be telling me anything I didn't really all ready know today.

We talked about my history, Sean's history. We talked about what my cycles have been like over the last 10 years. We talked about my weight being a factor in my infertility. Yeah, that was fun. Look, I'm not trying to fool anyone, I am overweight. A lot overweight. I know this and everyone who looks at me knows this. I am trying to change it every single day when I get up and I work out doing yoga and strength training and later in the day when I bike my ass off biking 13.1 miles several times a week. I am counting calories, I am making good food choices and making wise decisions on portion control. So I knew he was going to bring up my weight and that we would have this discussion. Didn't make it any easier though, let me just tell you.

After those discussions, we talked about where to go from here. He wants to do an ultrasound with blood work to confirm his suspicion of PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) which he believes is the biggest part of my infertility. As part of this course of action I am to double my efforts on losing weight because he wants me to drop another 30-40 lbs before we start a treatment plan with fertility meds or anything. So I am going to be taking Metformin, which is used to treat PCOS and it can help you to lose weight.

I don't necessarily feel any better about my issue after this appointment, but I certainly don't feel any worse. I am still processing to be honest. I don't know what will happen over the next 3 months. But I am going to really make an effort to lose the weight he has asked me to lose but I am keeping my mindset on continuing to lose weight because its healthy for me to do that not because it might help me get pregnant. I can't focus on getting pregnant and losing weight to make that happen unless I want to just lose my mind.

So don't be surprised if you see a lot more posts about my weight loss and working out and everything around here! That is gonna be taking up a lot more of my time as I try to really focus on losing 30-40 lbs in 3 months!

What a Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:46:00 +0000

I'm linking up with Neely from A Complete Waste of Makeup today. We can blog about anything at all, no particular topic!

So my topic is my week last week, thank God I had all those guest posts already planned because let me just tell you...it was a crazy week!

Started the week off on Monday feeling good, nothing stressing me out. Monday nights are my new night for BFF night so my BFF, Cat came over after she got off work to hang out and have dinner. We made cheeseburgers on the grill and had sweet potato fries with them, yum!

Then we roll into Tuesday. Hubby had the day off from work so he took Hannah to school while I stayed home and got somethings done around here. When he got home he decided to take Summer THEE dog to the dog park, which she loves. Again I stayed home and got a few more things done around here. I noticed that when he got home, he didn't pull the car into the garage all the way and I went out to see what he was up to. Red flag numero uno was he had the hood up and there was about a gallon of water on the ground under the car. I asked if everything was ok and he said it was fine. Not a problem. Ok then. I went back inside and got on the stationary bike and knocked out a half marathon (13.1 miles).

A couple of hours later it was time to head to cheer. We all get in the car and start driving the few miles to the school where cheer practice is and the car smells terrible. Like boiled and burned water. Red flag dos. I say to hubby are you sure the car is ok? He says yes its fine, don't worry. If you say so...

Hannah has cheer practice and Hubby and I sit around waiting an hour for it to be over. We head home and get less than a mile when the red light comes on and tells us the car is overheating. Great. We get another mile and are at a stop light when the car has steam coming out of the engine. Oh boy. We get to the last light and we have to turn...we are literally 2 blocks from home and the car starts sputtering, steam is pouring out of the hood now. Hubby gets us home, opens the hood of the car and smoke just billows out.

We call our friend the mechanic and he says it sounds like the radiator. Could be a hose or the radiator neck, but most likely its the radiator itself. Fabulous. We have one vehicle in our family. Hubby has to work at the ER the next 2 days and I have carpool the next day. Awesome.

We get in touch with my dad's mechanic since our friend can't help us out with this one because he has to work too. So my dad gives us the name and number of his mechanic who is also a Phoenix Firefighter. Thankfully, he has Wednesday off if we can have the car towed up to his place he can look at it, get the parts ordered on Weds but won't be able to fix it til Friday when he is off shift again. So, Wednesday morning thankfully the other mom who I share carpooling duties with was able to take Hannah to school and bring all the kids home in the afternoon. I spent all day dealing with getting the car towed to the shop, getting a rental car for 2 days, getting AAA so that we don't have to pay $100 again to be towed 11 miles.

This is the first rental they gave me. Hate it. I know for sure I will never buy a Chevy HHR. While it looks cute and all, it is cramped and you can't see clearly out the tiny windows. I swear I thought I was gonna hit a pedestrian. I took this car out to get frozen yogurt with my daughter and to go shopping with my friend. It did the job but I wasn't in heaven....until we took it back and I saw my dream car on the lot of the rental place. I was getting back a refund from the first rental so I asked how much it would be for my dream car for 1 day. They smiled and told me it would be $60 for the day. I looked at hubby and he said to do it, that would be my Valentine's day present. EEEK!!!!

So I drove off the lot in my dream car...a Dodge Charger. OMG. I thought I was gonna die. This car is amazing. It has tons of room in the front and back seats so that even my hubby who is not a small man was comfortable in the passenger seat and in the back seat. The trunk is huge, it has speed and is friggin HOT to look at. We took it all over town and then went to pick up our car from the shop. I literally had a perma-smile on my face the entire time I was driving this car.

That night we went out for a nice dinner as a family and then Mama got to go out and get her hair cut for the first time in forever. I didn't have much taken off, just some long layers and bangs. But it was long overdue!

We got up and did some grocery shopping yesterday and then sadly I had to return my dream car to Enterprise. Sad face. All I can say is that I will one day own my dream car and I cannot wait for that day!! lol

Valentine's Swap Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:42:00 +0000

It's almost Valentine's Day and of course, I couldn't resist joining the Valentine's Day swap hosted by Tara, Celia and Meg!

I was partnered with Mary Nevin at Serenity and Style for this swap. After exchanging a couple of emails I got to shoppin' for Mary Nevin and got her a couple of nail polishes, a lip gloss and one of those chapstick like egg thingy bobbers...

I had gotten one for me and loved it so I decided to get one for her too!

Now, for what she sent me!!

Score! I know I have mentioned before how Almond Joy is my favorite candy so she sent me one along with a fabulous gloss and cuticle cream. I had never tried the Cover Girl gloss before, but after using almost everyday this week I love it. I had also never used the Burt's Bees cuticle cream but love that too!

Thanks to Tara, Celia, and Meg for hosting this fabulous swap and thank you to Mary Nevin for my awesome gifts!!

Weight Loss Progress....

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Happy Sunday Lovelies!

Wow, after a week of guest posts I am refreshed and ready to get back to blogging! I needed a few days off, but that is a whole other post!

This week was a rough one but I did manage to work out 4 days last week. I did 2 half marathon's, biked 13.1 miles on 2 different days. I did yoga and strength training 4 days and I did Zumba one day! I am really happy with my workouts but the scale definitely did not show all my hard work, which means I need to figure out a better food plan.

I can feel myself getting stronger and I feel a difference in my body - that means more to me than seeing the numbers on the scale go down. I don't want to lose weight to be skinny, I want to lose weight and get fit to be HEALTHY and strong.

Source: tumblr.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

Here are my progress pics and stats for this week, week 6:

Weight loss - 0

Inches loss - 3

I'm off to clean the house and then go out for frozen yogurt with my mom and my daughter, what are you going to do to make today count? Go be healthy and happy today and do something you love!

Clever Pink Pirate!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

I asked my good IRL friend Sara from Clever Pink Pirate to share with all of us some great date ideas on the cheap for Valentine's day and she obliged! Thanks Sara!!!

Valentines Day is here and some couples go all out with the chocolates, flowers, balloons and fancy dinners but this girl could really care less. It's not that I am completely against sharing in a romantic holiday with millions of others, I would just prefer to do something a little more personal and a little more simple. Also, my Fiancee and I are on a strict budget so I have been brain storming a few ideas that we could do together. Today I am happy to share these ideas with all of y'all.

A Nice Dinner at Home. This doesn't have to be another boring night of spaghetti. My friend Sara at MomEndeavors.com shares how to do a cute heart shaped pizza for the whole family with heart shaped pepperoni here . If you are looking for a little bit of a fancier dinner for you and your lover, check out the fondue recipes I found on AllRecipes.com here. Try eating dinner out back under the stars for a little romantic ambiance.

Movie night - in. If you haven't stopped by a Redbox, you are really missing out. It's a buck for a one night rental, you really can't beat that. Combine that with some dinner at home for a romantic night in.

Make a coupon book. I hope these aren't cliche just yet because I still think they are adorable. Create a coupon book with nice or naughty) things for you and your lover, to give to them to redeem when they wish. You can do a search on the internet or check out this one I found you can print out, so cute! Coupon book!

Plan something for the future. If you aren't into the whole "Valentines" day thing but don't want to seem like a grumpy cupid, make your lover a card and include a Groupon deal to use in the future. Everyday sites like Groupon feature deals from adventures such as balloon rides to classes like pottery classes.
Plan a little naughtiness. Okay we're all adults here. Skip buying dinner or a present and buy yourself (or your woman) some lingerie or maybe a little more and plan a special love attack after the kids go to bed ;)

Okay so spill it, are you into celebrating Valentine's day? What ways do you make it more personal or save money?

Sara Blake is the mom of two and owner and creator over at CleverPinkPirate where she shares her adventures in living the frugal crafty life. From cheap recipes to quick crafts she shares tutorials and an insight into her clever life. You can also follow her at @CleverPirate on Twitter.

Guest Post - Ashley

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

via pinterest

Next Monday is a big day for me, it is the kick off

of our

Relay for Life

celebration!

Last year i was asked why I relay...

I really had to think about that, do a lot of deep soul searching.

I relay for research.

Plain and simple.

My cousin lost her battle with Acute myeloid leukemia the year she turned 16,

but she was also a part of something huge.....

She was involved in a clinical trial of Gleevec in kids,

Gleevec saves so many lives now.

She got it....

My dad, when he got his Terminal diagnosis,

did he lay down and die??

Absolutely not.

He enroled in a Clinical trial for a drug that was supposed to shrink tumors.... and it did for a while. He continued to hope and fight.

My dad got it......

Now I come back to why I relay...

What these to amazing fighters taught me,

without research nothing will change.

Every cancer will be just as

deadly,

just as

nasty,

So maybe i will use my misfortune and loss

to help someone else not have it quite so bad....

I will give unto others,

myself.

I relay to honor the ones who gave their bodies to help others

even when it may not have helped themselves,

Relay

for

RESEARCH!!!

Relay

For

LIFE!

This year my goal is $5000

I am a long way from it.

Please make a donation,

Help me save lives.

Please share this post,

the link to my page,

anything.

Sponsors!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:26:00 +0000

Hello my lovelies!! I am really excited about this month, lots of really fun stuff coming up including a bunch of guest posts and possibly a giveaway. To get things started for February I am excited to share with you guys my new sponsors for February!! You are gonna love them!

I am Amber, I like to dress up everyday, take an unhealthy amount of photos on a daily basis, and I am a Mama to Ethan and Peyton. I never meant to become a blogger, it started as something to do when I was bored. Before I knew it though people were reading and loving my blog. I love that this whole world kinda fell into my lap. I hope you will come over to Sneakers Over Stilettos and see a little more of what kind of adventures we have.

Blog Photography Blog
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My name is Laura Hernandez. I am a passionate lifestyle photographer based out of Monterey, California where I’m born and raised. I’m married to the most amazing man in the world and we have two beautiful daughters.

In my mind, I am ALWAYS thinking about photography. It never ends. My brain takes snapshots everywhere I go.

I am, regrettably, a bit addicted to social media. I have a constant connection Facebook and Twitter wherever I am. I love Starbucks, the colors pink and yellow, mountain biking, foot massages, listening to the piano and everything vintage. My new addition seems to be blogging.

My photographic passion is people. Couples, families, and children. Nothing brings me more joy than capturing those unforgettable moments that will be treasured for a lifetime.

It’s my hope you’ll grab some coffee, soak in some inspiration, and a glimpse of my life.
I thank God everyday for blessing me with this incredible life.

Blog Facebook
Twitter Bloglovin'
Pinterest Instagram

♥ My name is Rebecca ♥
I’m a mother, wife, artist, working full time. I am all about being open-minded. I'm a very shy person in person until I'm comfortable around you then I'm a social talking freak :) I love things that have to do with art, astronomy, astrology, paranormal and history.
My favorite saying is "Cancel My Subscriptions because I'm so over your issues." - From the tv show Popular

I am obsessed with:
♥ Scary Movies
♥ The Tudors
♥ Marie Antoinette
♥ Coach Bags
♥ Blogging
♥ Facebook

The list can go on. I’m a very crafty and creative person, however, I seem to never have the time to do any of that and I wish I did. I have a full time job working as a digital cartographer/graphic artist.

I currently live in Florida though I have lived all over the place. Thanks to my mom & dad being in the Army. I got to go places where otherwise would have only been in my dreams.

Google+ Twitter

Facebook Blog

Hello all! My name is Nichole, I am the owner of Just Another Blogger Mom and Better Dips Gourmet Dips . I am 27 years old. I am married with two young boys {5 and 3} I originally started by blog as a 365 photography project & it ended up turning into a place I enjoy coming to to share my ideas, stories, and so much more!! I would love for you to come check out my blog... I follow back all new followers!!

Facebook Twitter
Google+ Blog

Hi!! I'm Kimberly aka Lush Deez, the voice behind Lush Lounge. I’m 22 years young, always dreaming, planning and making goals. My blog is about me, my adventures & my weird Nor Cal life. On my blog you can find inspiration, recipes, reviews, fitness, my cat ginger, loving and enjoying life!

Blog Twitter
Facebook Pinterest

Sara Blake is the mom of two and owner and creator over at CleverPinkPirate where she shares her adventures in living the frugal crafty life. From cheap recipes to quick crafts she shares tutorials and an insight into her clever life. You can also follow her at @CleverPirate on Twitter.

Guest Post - Nikki B

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:20:00 +0000

HI! I'm Nikki over at Dancing in the Raine where I write about anything and everything that comes to mind. I currently have a series on Monday's called "Working Girls" featuring bloggers and their careers. Our lovely host, Chrissy, will be making an appearance March 5th.

I talked about my current career here but it is by no means my dream career.

When I was 5 I wanted to be

When I was a 10 I wanted to be

When I was 15 I wanted to be

When I was 20 I wanted to be

When I was 25 I wanted to be

Over the years, add a little bit of this

And this

And now at almost 30 I think I want to be

Ultimately, I would love to be

I'm all over the place when it comes to careers because I'm not sure I want to be 'stuck' in one forever. Someday, I'm sure I will finally settle on something,

Thanks so much Chrissy for having me today!

*All images via google images

Guest Post - Lena

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Hello friends!

I am so honored to be visiting Chrissy here today!

My name is Lena, and I blog over at Mom2MemphisAndRuby...

a blog about my life & my kids with a little fashion & fun thrown into the mix too!

I have to admit, guest posting is a hoot... but I NEVER seem to know exactly where to start.

Chances are a few of you follow me already, but for those of you who don't know me at all...

well...

I'm 32.

I thought my thirties would totally freak me out...

but so far, so good!

I have 2 kids.

Motherhood hasn't always been easy, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Our son is our little professor... a future "mathlete" I'm sure...

and our daughter is a total DIVA. Anything pink, sparkly & shiny is sure to make her day!

I am married to a rock star.

Okay, not "really"... but sorta.

Music is his life, so it's mine too. It's how we chose to name our kids...

Memphis in honor of Elvis & the birthplace of rock 'n roll, and Ruby Ramona is our little punk baby!

I work in an insurance company.

BORING!

But the stabitlity is great, and the commute couldn't be better (literally across the street from home/school/daycare)

I have tattoos, and piercings.

I want more.

This was me getting my last one... nearly 2 years ago! I want another one!

I love nail polish and colored tights.

{I've worn a different pair of tights at least two or 3 times a week since the colder weather set in!}

I'm Canadian...

so yeah, it's been cold here for a while now!

We actually live in a small farming community in Quebec...

it's where we grew up, and where we decided we wanted to raise our kids.

It took a little getting used to again after moving back from the big city...

but we adjusted, and it's great!

I'm currently addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper and "Prison Break."

We didn't watch it when it was actually on TV, so we've been catching up on Netflix, and it's totally awesome. I LOVE it! I'm only nearing the end of the second season, so no spoilers please!!

and Diet Dr. Pepper is just so yummy!!

So, there you have it.

That's pretty much me... in a nutshell.

I hope you'll stop by the blog and say hi!

I have a bunch of fun stuff planned for February!

Thanks again, Chrissy for letting me hijack your blog for a day!!

Guest Post - Valentine's

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Today's guest post is from my friend Nikki over at Southern Mama with a Bad Mouth! Thanks so much Nikki!!

Hi I'm Nikki. I blog over at Southern Mama with a Bad Mouth.

Being that Valentines Day is right around the corner and that's all about mushy love and crap. I wanna share some things that I love.

Promise I'll won't make it too mushy for y'all.

Android.

My tablet and my phone.

I love them every much.

oh yeah and cupcakes!

I love my some pretty make-up.

I can't go a day without putting on something.

So true!

I have to eat me at least 2 bowls a day!

My blog.

and my bloggy friends.

Y'all keep me going sometimes.

Thanks!

Tattoos.

I love love love them.

Just wish I had the money for more!

I take donations! LOL.

Holy Pink Batman!

I have had a love affair with pink for some time now.

The hubs knows if he buys me something pink,

I'll be happy for days!

Now in true Valentines Day Fashion

....

...

....

I love this man right here.

This will be our 4th Valentines day together!

I love him from the bottom of my heart.

I don't show him as much love as I should.

He's amazing.

He works so hard and deserves a hot dinner every day and to be greeted at the door with me in something sexy holding a drink.

Hahaha Maybe one day.

Happy Valentines Day People!

Guest Post - Laura

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Laura Hernandez from Our Reflection! I'm a blogger, a full-time working mom, photographer, and wife to an amazing husband and two beautiful daughters. I'm really excited about swapping blogs with Chrissy today! Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to guest post here today.

With Valentine's day right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share a little about our "loves". Being a photographer I love to share everything in pictures.

1. My first love is God. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8

2. My Family. My Life. My Everything.

3. Photography. Here are a few of my personally taken favorites. You can view my entire collection on my blog Laura Hernandez Photography.

3. Music. Especially the piano. I want to lean to play someday. "Music says the words we're to afraid to speak out-loud."

4. Bikes. If you know our family, you know we take our bikes with us everywhere.

5. Starbucks. I have a weakness. Non-Fat Peppermint Mocha weakness.

These are my little "loves". Thank you Chrissy for letting me share today!

You can come visit my blog here! You can also "Like" me on Facebook, Follow me on Twitter and Bloglovin. I love meeting new people and making new friends.

Blessings,

Guest Post - Art

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

I'm so excited to have Amber from Sneakers over Stiletto's guest posting for me today, y'all are gonna love her!

Hello A Lil Dash Of Diva readers. I am Amber I blog over at Sneakers Over Stilettos. Chrissy recently wrote a post for me while I was working on a fashion project. Her post was photography related on why she loves living in Arizona. So sticking with a similuar theme I thought I would show some macro photography shots I took a little while ago.

I love macro photography, the details that a 100mm f/1.2 lens can pick up is just amazing! Investing in a 100mm lens can be pricey. I was forunate enough to be gifted one. There are lots of ways to achieve the macro look with out giving up a lot of money. A 50mm lens and a teleconverter will work, and there also adaptor rings on the market like these ones that will convert a lens into a macro. Just make sure to get the right brand for your camera.

Before I started my photography business, on rainy days I would just fill my need to take photos of something by taking shots of random things around my home. When ever it rains or snows my son Ethan loves seeing Mama scamble to get outside on our deck and get some photos of the rain, or hail, or in this case snow!

I was intriqued by the shape of this bowl. Thats my favorite thing about photography, everyone will see something different as unqiue or interesting.

I took this shot because I was curious what sugar looked like really up close. I also thought that the colours would make for a nice piece of art.

My dog Prada loves to sleep, she has what I think to be the sweetest little nose. This is probably my favorite macro shot I have ever taken.

These little flowers and moss grows around our townhouse every year. I love the lines that my lens picked up. The texture in these shots always makes my heart melt a little when I look at them.

Well I hope you liked seeing a little bit of how I view the world. Which most of the time is looking at those little things that a lot of people will just walk by. If you would like to see more of my photography and Mama-hood adventures I hope you will wander over to Sneakers Over Stilettos and see what kind of things we get into!

Thanks Chrissy for having me guest post. Loved filling in for you! xo

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Dirty Secret Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:41:00 +0000

I know if you are like me, you like to tell yourself that no one is really paying much attention to you and how many times you leave the house in your crocs or with your hair dirty cuz you didn't feel like washing it the day before. We all have these dirty little secrets.

Nobody really needs to know about those times we run errands in our pajamas, or that recipe we tried that totally bombed or the mess we hide in the hallway closet, or how our kids NEVER seem to listen to us...

Let's face it! Nobody is perfect!

We all have our ''off'' days and Lena, Megan and I want you to spill your dirty secrets with us on the last Saturday of every month!!

We're calling it Dirty Secret Saturday and we really hope you'll link up with us!

Grab the button below and spread the word!

Let's keep it real, and support each other through our good AND not so great days!

Don't forget, the last Saturday of every month come link up with us for Dirty Secret Saturday starting February 25th!!

Weight Loss Progress...

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:04:00 +0000

Happy Saturday lovelies! Here we are again another weight loss progress post. I gotta be honest, I slipped up last night. It had been a rough day and I had a massive toothache and I wanted comfort food. Really the worst thing to eat late at night, especially the night before a weigh in. McDonald's fries. Yep. Not proud of my choice, but if I am going to be successful the first step is to always be honest about what I did right and what I did wrong. I'm not making excuses, I absolutely made the choice to eat those fries knowing full well I shouldn't have. Anyway, it is what it is and hopefully I will make a better choice the next time I'm in that position.

So, here are the pics for the week.

LBs lost - +.04
Inches lost - 0

Today is a really busy day for us, but I am going to make an effort to get out and do something active with my family. Get out and do something healthy!

Friday Confessional

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:33:00 +0000

I Confess...I love my 'me' time while Princess and Hubby are at school and work.

I Confess...I'm so anxious to get our tax refund back so we can get caught up on some bills. I hate being behind.

I Confess...I'm looking to go back to work at least part time so Hubby can go to nursing school...but I really don't wanna go back to work unless it's something I know I will love.

I Confess...I've been a bad blogger this week! Only a couple of posts this week..I'm such a slacker! haha

I Confess...what I would really love to do with our tax return is go SHOPPING! lol

I Confess...my house needs to be cleaned yet here I sit blogging away.

What do you have to confess this week? Go link up with Mamarazzi!

The Nail Files

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday, my lovelies!

I totally missed last week's Nail Files, but I made sure to get it done for this week! Go link up with Tara and Vicki for The Nail Files and show off your pretty nails.

I used Sinful Colors - Easy Going and a Sally Hansen nail art pen in neon pink.

Favorite Things Swap!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Thomas) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:14:00 +0000

I am sooo excited to be taking part in Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap! If y'all know anything about me, you know I love me a good swap! I'm so excited to put a fabulous package together for another new friend through this swap.