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		<title>Build ‘Em Up: Confidence in Motherhood</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/21/build-em-up-confidence-in-motherhood/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/21/build-em-up-confidence-in-motherhood/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10951</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post isn&#8217;t going to be about the mommy wars. It&#8217;s about confidence. And when we have confidence, we&#8217;re not part of the mommy wars. We can&#8217;t feel attacked. As my mom always said, &#8220;No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.&#8221; I think with access to social media, all moms are exposed [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/build-em-up-composite_21.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10952" alt="build em up composite_2" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/build-em-up-composite_21-800x571.jpg" width="560" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>This post isn&#8217;t going to be about the mommy wars. It&#8217;s about confidence. And when we have confidence, we&#8217;re not part of the mommy wars. We can&#8217;t feel attacked. As my mom always said, &#8220;No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.&#8221;</p>
<p>I think with access to social media, all moms are exposed to more ideas and parenting ideas than ever before. And I think it&#8217;s natural to feel threatened when we see an approach that&#8217;s different than the one we took.</p>
<p>I know, for me personally, as a new mom, I felt extremely threatened when I felt like someone was doing it differently than I was. And then I&#8217;d get defensive when I&#8217;d see someone criticize the way I was doing it.</p>
<p>Most of this is due to social media. I had to stop reading a lot of blogs. If there was a blog that triggered negative feelings in me, I stopped reading it. Because the mom who was writing the post? She loves her kids.</p>
<p>And those negative feelings that were triggered? Are my own problem.</p>
<p>The mom I see doing any part of motherhood differently than I do? She loves her kids just like I love mine. And there&#8217;s really no right or wrong way. As long as our kids are safe and healthy and loved? That&#8217;s all that matters.</p>
<p>My friend, Ellen, told me once that when we have strong emotional reactions to something, it&#8217;s usually a sign that something inside of us is unsettled.</p>
<p>When I feel threatened by what another mother is doing, that&#8217;s because of something that I feel insecure about in myself. It&#8217;s my own heart issue.</p>
<p>I know that my boys are happy and healthy. And most importantly, I know that my boys are loved. I&#8217;m doing my very best to show them the love of Jesus every single day, and lead them to the Lord. I pray that each decision I make every day is made in love. I pray for guidance and pray for the Lord to speak through me.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m not a perfect mother. My kids aren&#8217;t perfect kids. I&#8217;ve had to learn my way through their young little lives. All of my choices haven&#8217;t been the absolute best ones. But they were the best ones in that moment. And I had to learn through it.</p>
<p>But I have always loved my boys, and have always tried to do what is best for them and best for our family.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s okay that my friends don&#8217;t mother exactly as I do. Their decisions for their families aren&#8217;t an attack on me. They have nothing to do with me.</p>
<p>Feeling confident in my motherhood decisions and tuning out the negative thoughts and feelings goes a long way.</p>
<p>Most importantly, I have to remember that His grace is enough. It is through His grace that I can move from one day to the next and feel confident in my decisions.</p>
<p>But mostly, I feel confident in His love for me.</p>
<p>*Link up with Jennifer, Kelly, Courtney, and me and share your story! </p>
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		<title>brain dump and catch up</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/20/brain-dump-and-catch-up/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/20/brain-dump-and-catch-up/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 23:12:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[brain dump]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10930</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I feel like I&#8217;ve got so much to say, but not enough for a big blog post! 1. The boys&#8217; Peter Pan extravaganza was this weekend and it was so much fun! If I can get my act together I&#8217;ll blog about it this week. This may have been my very favorite part of the [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I feel like I&#8217;ve got so much to say, but not enough for a big blog post!</p>
<p>1. The boys&#8217; Peter Pan extravaganza was this weekend and it was so much fun! If I can get my act together I&#8217;ll blog about it this week.</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3167.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10944" alt="IMG_3167" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3167-800x800.jpg" width="504" height="504" /></a></p>
<p>This may have been my very favorite part of the party!</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_9564.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10945" alt="IMG_9564" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_9564-800x532.jpg" width="560" height="372" /></a></p>
<p>2. My parents were here this weekend for the birthday party. Having my whole family together for the weekend was fantastic. I really can&#8217;t think of anything better. I love this picture of my mom and Hayes on FaceTime on Mother&#8217;s Day. It&#8217;s so hard to be 800 miles away from my parents, but technology makes it a lot easier.</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3105.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10936" alt="IMG_3105" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3105-450x800.jpg" width="360" height="640" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>3. Walker was here last week, too, and the boys loved playing with him! We had a Bojangles picnic outside in the yard and really loved the pleasant temperatures last week.</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3162.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10943" alt="IMG_3162" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3162-800x800.jpg" width="560" height="560" /></a></p>
<p>3. Hudson had a soccer game last week and received his very first trophy. He was so excited! He has really done a great job this season and has learned a lot about the game. It&#8217;s been a big commitment for all of us, but I&#8217;ve loved watching him improve and get more into the game. And he loves seeing all of his friends.</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3151.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10941" alt="IMG_3151" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3151-600x800.jpg" width="420" height="560" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3142.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10940" alt="IMG_3142" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3142-800x600.jpg" width="560" height="420" /></a></p>
<p>And the sweet little JV team of 1 and 2 year olds cheering on their brothers and sisters from the sidelines!</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3138.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10939" alt="IMG_3138" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3138-800x600.jpg" width="560" height="420" /></a></p>
<p>4. I finished Scandal. I watched Season 1 and Season 2 from start to finish in about a week&#8217;s time. And then I was able to watch the finale the night it aired. And now I don&#8217;t really know what to do with myself. I am missing Olivia Pope! If you haven&#8217;t watched Scandal, do it this summer! I even got KK hooked and she watched the whole thing, too. Watch it now!</p>
<p>5. I&#8217;m trying to find a new show to watch with Todd this summer. Maybe House of Cards on Netflix? I feel like we&#8217;ve seen everything else!</p>
<p>6. The second floor of our house is being framed name. It&#8217;s so exciting to watch it all come together. I am going to answer all of your questions about it in a blog post. I currently have a large white farm sink sitting in Nana&#8217;s garage. The sink was one of our big &#8220;must haves.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3159.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10942" alt="IMG_3159" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_3159-800x600.jpg" width="560" height="420" /></a></p>
<p>7. We haven&#8217;t booked our summer vacation yet and I&#8217;m itching to pull the trigger to get back to Isle of Palms!</p>
<p>8. Our Sunday School class had an indoor picnic yesterday after church and then we had a big family game of kickball. It was so much fun! I was on &#8220;Hayes duty,&#8221; but Hayes just wanted to be in the outfield with his Daddy. He was so excited to get to be a part of the team.</p>
<p>9. Todd and I went to the Carrie Underwood concert a few weeks ago and had the best time. This was our second time to see her and she is just as amazing as ever. She belts it out all night long and looks absolutely stunning. I just love her!</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_2752.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10947" alt="IMG_2752" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_2752-600x800.jpg" width="420" height="560" /></a></p>
<p>10. I love this side-by-side comparison of Hayes in the first week of school and in the last week of school. I can&#8217;t believe how much he has grown up!</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_31281.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10946" alt="IMG_3128" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_31281.jpg" width="428" height="428" /></a></p>
<p>11. Don&#8217;t forget about Build &#8216;Em Up tomorrow. We&#8217;ll announce more topics soon because we&#8217;ve loved keeping this going and connecting with so many of you! Tomorrow&#8217;s topic is all about our parenting differences and we should be confident in motherhood.</p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/build-em-up-topics1.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-10931" alt="build em up topics" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/build-em-up-topics1-800x533.jpg" width="560" height="373" /></a></p>
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		<title>Yellow Friday Shopping Event from The Chirping Moms</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/17/yellow-friday-shopping-event-from-the-chirping-moms/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/17/yellow-friday-shopping-event-from-the-chirping-moms/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 09:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10925</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A couple of my favorite &#8220;mom bloggers&#8221;, Courtney and Julia from The Chirping Moms, are hosting a really fun event this weekend called &#8220;Yellow Friday.&#8221; You can read all about Yellow Friday here. The event starts today and runs through Sunday. Some of your favorite small businesses are giving discounts this weekend with the yellow Friday [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center>A couple of my favorite &#8220;mom bloggers&#8221;, Courtney and Julia from <a href="http://www.thechirpingmoms.com">The Chirping Moms</a>, are hosting a really fun event this weekend called &#8220;Yellow Friday.&#8221; You can read all about <a href="http://www.thechirpingmoms.com/2013/05/preview-of-yellow-friday-spring-fling.html">Yellow Friday here</a>. The event starts today and runs through Sunday. </center><center>Some of your favorite small businesses are giving discounts this weekend with the yellow Friday coupon code! </center><center>So read below to find out where to shop! </center><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
SHOP YELLOW FRIDAY at </b></span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.thechirpingmoms.com/" target="_blank">The Chirping Moms</a>!</b></span></center></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hox1orU3Fiw/UZQ9ijjfelI/AAAAAAAAIEs/QJNZ33ZtDHM/s1600/photo+2.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hox1orU3Fiw/UZQ9ijjfelI/AAAAAAAAIEs/QJNZ33ZtDHM/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" height="400" border="0" /></a></div>
<p><center><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></center><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
Yellow Friday, Spring Fling edition, has FINALLY arrived!</b></span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All shop deals are revealed below.  In the next few hours, keep an eye on the blog   for follow-up posts  with more information about each shop and details on their deal.  All deals will run through Sunday at midnight. There are LOTS of great deals at fantastic stores.  If you have any questions, feel free to email the chirpingmoms@gmail.com. We are so excited to bring this fun shopping extravaganza to you!</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>EVERY shop is using the same code:  <i>yellowfriday </i></b></span></center><center style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"></center><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnneRiggsDesigns" target="_blank">Anne Riggs Designs</a>:  Spend $50 in shop and get a free set of 25 makeup/facial pads AND mesh laundry bag, value $16</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBBQPantry" target="_blank">The BBQ Pantry</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.baxterandbeatrice.com/" target="_blank">Baxter &amp; Beatrice</a>:  25% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thebeaufortbonnetcompany.com/" target="_blank">The Beaufort Bonnet Company</a>:  15% off </span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/carlymegan" target="_blank">Carly Megan</a>:  25% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://dolphinorganics.com/" target="_blank">Dolphin Organics</a>:  25% off sunscreen and aloe based lotion</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/theideaboxkids" target="_blank">The Idea Box</a>:  25% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/preppypapergirl?ref=shop_sugg" target="_blank">LB Originals:</a> 25% off plus gift when you spend over $100</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://thelittlecrane.com/" target="_blank">The Little Crane</a>:  10% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.londontimesfashion.com/" target="_blank">London Times</a>:  30% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveBubs" target="_blank">Love Bubs</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/messykidsdesigns" target="_blank">Messy Kids Designs</a>: Buy One Shirt, Get Another One 50% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mis-tee-v-us.com/" target="_blank">Mis-Tee-V-US</a>:  25% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MissMonogram" target="_blank">Miss Monogram</a>:  15% off and Free Bow when you spend over $100</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MissyMadeWell" target="_blank">Missy Madewell</a>:  25% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.oliviaandowen.com/" target="_blank">Olivia and Owen</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PoshPrincessBows1" target="_blank">Posh Princess Bowtique</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRecycledBin" target="_blank">The Recycled Bin</a>:  &#8221;Spend More, Save More&#8221; deal&#8230;see detailed post for more info!</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/RefinedInspirations" target="_blank">Refined Inspirations</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/RufflesandTwirls" target="_blank">Ruffles and Twirls</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://shopsilaboutique.com/" target="_blank">Sila Boutique</a>:  15% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/simplydarrling" target="_blank">Simply (Darr)ling</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.smockyourtot.com/" target="_blank">Smock Your Tot</a> Website or <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SmockYourTot" target="_blank">Etsy Shop</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SmockYourTot" target="_blank">Facebook</a>:  20% off</span></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><br />
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		<title>Wednesday mish mash</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/15/wednesday-mish-mash/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/15/wednesday-mish-mash/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10912</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[1. Today is Hayes&#8217;s last day of school. I can&#8217;t even talk about it without getting a lump in my throat. I have loved his sweet teachers and his little classmates. Every week, three days a week, for three hours a day he has excitedly entered his little classroom, greeted his teachers with enthusiasm and [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>1. Today is Hayes&#8217;s last day of school. I can&#8217;t even talk about it without getting a lump in my throat. I have loved his sweet teachers and his little classmates. Every week, three days a week, for three hours a day he has excitedly entered his little classroom, greeted his teachers with enthusiasm and was loved on all morning by these sweet ladies. It was a wonderful year for him and I&#8217;m sad it is coming to a close.</p>
<p>2. I&#8217;ve been addicted to watching Scandal. The first season is only 7 episodes, and I plowed through them. I&#8217;m halfway through season 2 already and I&#8217;ve filled up my DVR with new shows this week because I only want to watch Scandal in the evenings. It&#8217;s so good!</p>
<p>3. The boys&#8217; birthday party is this weekend, and I think I&#8217;m ready for it. I&#8217;ve not done a whole lot of crafting, but I have lots of fun Peter Pan props and decorations. I&#8217;m just excited for them to have a day to celebrate and play with their friends!</p>
<p>4. My brother has been here since Friday. Uncle Walker is so much fun and my boys just love being around him and playing with him. We&#8217;ve gone to the zoo and played in the yard a lot. Even Boudreaux is happy to have him around.</p>
<p>5. We got a cookie cake for Mother&#8217;s Day. Is there anything more wonderful than a cookie cake?</p>
<p>6. I loved all of your questions for me, and I&#8217;m excited to have some new blog post ideas!</p>
<p>7. I&#8217;ve been working a little bit on a loose &#8220;summer schedule.&#8221; Of course I want the summer to be low key and lots of fun, but I always want to have a little bit of structure to our day so my boys know a little bit about what to expect. I&#8217;ve got some ideas for fun things for Hudson and Hayes to learn and play while having fun! And some different ways to be intentional about making the most of our summer.</p>
<p>8. This post is short because I have to go watch another episode of Scandal. I can&#8217;t help myself!</p>
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		<title>because when he’s ready, I’m there to listen</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/13/because-when-hes-ready-im-there-to-listen/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/13/because-when-hes-ready-im-there-to-listen/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[boy mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faith and family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10903</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On the way home from church last week, Hudson started talking to us about Sunday school. Sunday mornings in the car usually involve lots of voices talking over each other. We turn down the music so we can try to pick up on at least one thought from one of the boys. And it&#8217;s rare [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On the way home from church last week, Hudson started talking to us about Sunday school.</p>
<p>Sunday mornings in the car usually involve lots of voices talking over each other. We turn down the music so we can try to pick up on at least one thought from one of the boys. And it&#8217;s rare that Hudson just starts telling us a story spontaneously.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve heard from other boy moms that the day will come when my boys will stop talking to me. They won&#8217;t open up anymore. The day will likely come when they&#8217;ll come back around, but between now and then, there will be a day when they start keeping things to themselves.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ve learned with Hudson that it usually will take us <em>doing</em> something with him to get him to talk about his day or to tell us what is bothering him. We&#8217;ll work puzzles and he&#8217;ll open up. Or we&#8217;ll be throwing the ball and he&#8217;ll talk about his day. He has used these opportunities to tell us when someone did something funny or when someone hurt his feelings.</p>
<p>On this particular day in the car, Hudson started telling us about his friends in Sunday school. I&#8217;d ask him about someone and he&#8217;d say, &#8220;He&#8217;s a nice boy&#8221; or &#8220;she&#8217;s a nice girl.&#8221; Very simple.</p>
<p>I asked him about another child in his class that day and he said, &#8220;No, she&#8217;s not a nice girl.&#8221; And I said, &#8220;Oh no. Why not?&#8221;</p>
<p>And very matter-of-factly, Hudson said, &#8220;Because she said I was ugly.&#8221;</p>
<p>My heart sank. How could we possibly have a child who is old enough to deal with something like this?</p>
<p>Todd and I locked eyes, and Todd said to Hudson, &#8220;Well, what did you say to her?&#8221;</p>
<p>Hudson smiled and very innocently said, &#8220;I told her that I&#8217;m not ugly. I&#8217;m a nice boy.&#8221;</p>
<p>It was so simple. And in Hudson&#8217;s mind, &#8220;ugly&#8221; means &#8220;not nice.&#8221; Because that&#8217;s how we use the word at home.</p>
<p>I know that I can&#8217;t protect him from everything, but when his sweet little voice insisted that he was a nice boy, I started to cry. My heart broke. I was wearing my sunglasses and Hudson couldn&#8217;t see my tears, but Todd reached over and grabbed my hand. I&#8217;m sure he was wondering what in the world was wrong with me.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t want my boy to have hurt feelings. But I loved his sweet, quiet confidence.</p>
<p>We know that kids say all kinds of things to hurt each other&#8217;s feelings, and I know that Hudson will do the same to someone someday, if he hasn&#8217;t already.</p>
<p>We&#8217;re praying that we will raise brave kids who can face the day and face their peers with confidence.</p>
<p>In that moment, we didn&#8217;t get all deep with Hudson. We told him that we were sorry that his feelings had been hurt, but we were proud of him for not fighting with her and for telling her that he was, indeed, a nice boy.</p>
<p>And just as quickly as it started, our conversation ended. Hudson started talking in his funny made-up language that he uses to try to make Hayes laugh, and all the loud noise in the car started up again.</p>
<p>Maybe that day will come when he stops opening up to me. Or maybe it will be just like it was that day, where Hudson runs in to tell me something really important, really quickly, and then he runs out to do more &#8220;important&#8221; things.</p>
<p>No matter what happens, I&#8217;ll always be there to listen.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>the reasons I celebrate</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/12/the-reasons-i-celebrate/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/12/the-reasons-i-celebrate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 May 2013 10:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10908</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have some funny thoughts about Mother&#8217;s Day. I know it&#8217;s just a Hallmark holiday and it&#8217;s not to be taken too seriously. So we don&#8217;t really take it all that seriously in our house. There are cards, and my kids&#8217; teachers were sweet enough to help them make some handprint gifts for them to [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have some funny thoughts about Mother&#8217;s Day. I know it&#8217;s just a Hallmark holiday and it&#8217;s not to be taken too seriously. So we don&#8217;t really take it all that seriously in our house. There are cards, and my kids&#8217; teachers were sweet enough to help them make some handprint gifts for them to give to me. Those are really the sweetest things about the whole day.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t take Mother&#8217;s Day very seriously until I look at my children. And then I am overcome with emotions about what it means to be <em>their</em> mother. I am the one that is celebrating because Hudson and Hayes Carroll are <em>my</em> boys.</p>
<p>And what an incredible gift that is.</p>
<p>I am not a perfect mother. I lose my temper. I snap at them. I don&#8217;t always give them my undivided attention. I could stand to play with them more and there are many times when I wish I could hit a &#8220;mute&#8221; button at our house.</p>
<p>They are not perfect children. They don&#8217;t always obey and they don&#8217;t eat all their vegetables. Or, really, any vegetables except green beans. They throw tantrums in public over silly things. But they are my boys.</p>
<p>And it&#8217;s when I stop, and look Hudson right in the eyes while he&#8217;s grinning at me and saying, &#8220;let&#8217;s pretend to tickle each other and both laugh&#8221; that I see every little piece of joy in that moment. In his grin and his bright brown eyes that are smiling at me. Smiling at me because I&#8217;m looking straight at him.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m so thankful for his grace. Hudson has taught me the true meaning of grace. As I&#8217;ve messed up and as we&#8217;ve both navigated this journey together. He&#8217;s my first and I&#8217;m his only mama. He trusts me and he&#8217;s the one that taught me how to trust myself. He made me a mama. I anxiously tip-toed and second guessed my way through so much of his short life. And we eagerly awaited each new milestone, almost in an effort to check the box to move to the next box.</p>
<p>He is full of sweetness. Full of wit and hilarity. And I love so very much that we have inside jokes. I&#8217;m not sure how it&#8217;s possible that Hudson has grown up so fast, but I am no longer looking forward to his new milestones because I want time to stop.</p>
<p>Then there are the moments when I&#8217;m busy folding laundry and watching the news, and I finally notice that Hayes has been running circles around me just trying to get me to look at him and laugh at him. So I look up, and we both give our biggest fake laugh, and I tell him that he is so funny. And he says, &#8220;I did it, Mommy!&#8221;</p>
<p>Yes, my sweet Hayes. He is the one that got me to relax as a mother. He&#8217;s the one that showed me that I don&#8217;t have to walk around with tension in my shoulders as I wait for the next new motherhood moment that will challenge me. Hayes is the one that has made us all laugh and lighten up and just enjoy each day for what it is. And we aren&#8217;t always anticipating the next big milestone. I&#8217;m not second-guessing myself.</p>
<p>I know that perfection is unattainable. We&#8217;re soaking up each day in a new way.</p>
<p>Maybe that&#8217;s how it always is the second time around.</p>
<p>So, today, on this Mother&#8217;s Day, I am thankful for the mama that my boys have helped me to be. And I pray daily that I can grow and show them the way to the Father.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>reads for your Mother’s Day weekend</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/11/reads-for-your-mothers-day-weekend/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/11/reads-for-your-mothers-day-weekend/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 May 2013 20:15:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weekend reading]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10899</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[All of my featured posts for this week  are related to Mother&#8217;s Day and the love for our mothers and our children. And some of the lessons we&#8217;ve learned as mothers and children. Why Mother&#8217;s Day Is For the Birds from A Holy Experience- Goodness, I loved this post. I think one of my issues [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>All of my featured posts for this week  are related to Mother&#8217;s Day and the love for our mothers and our children. And some of the lessons we&#8217;ve learned as mothers and children.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/05/why-mothers-day-is-for-the-birds/">Why Mother&#8217;s Day Is For the Birds</a> from A Holy Experience- Goodness, I loved this post. I think one of my issues with Mother&#8217;s Day is that it can feel so forced and like such a Hallmark holiday. I truly don&#8217;t need a day for my children to celebrate me. It makes some people hurt and makes some feel great, but we all know the truth. And the truth is that being a mother is far from perfect, and no holiday is going to change that. I&#8217;m so thankful for His grace and His goodness, to get us through! And I&#8217;m so thankful for the opportunity to raise my children that He blessed me with.</p>
<p><a href="http://the-things-im-learning.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-truth-about-step-mothering.html">The Truth About Step-Mothering</a> from The Things I&#8217;m Learning- Anna has the sweetest heart. You should absolutely be reading her blog. She wrote a fantastic post about what it means to be a &#8220;step mother&#8221; to her boys. I&#8217;d love for you to read it.</p>
<p><a href="http://courtneydefeo.com/mothers-day-is-for-everyone/">Mother&#8217;s Day Is For Everyone</a> from Courtney DeFeo- I just love Courtney&#8217;s heart for moms and for kids. This is a beautiful post about how Mother&#8217;s Day may be so hard for some and so joyful for others. And I love the sweet words she wrote to her girls.</p>
<p><a href="http://homewiththeboys.net/when-i-think-this-mom-gig-is-hard">When I Think This Mom Gig is Hard</a> from Home With the Boys- Erin wrote a great post about perspective and the ways we can think of other mothers around the world and how we can support them through Compassion International.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/05/so-god-made-a-mother-when-the-giving-tree-is-really-the-giving-mother/">So God Made a Mother: When The Giving Tree is Really The Giving Mother </a>from A Holy Experience- Another post from Ann Voskamp this week, but this one just gave me chills. I loved the way she described mothers and the things that mothers do and the ways that mothers give. It&#8217;s a beautiful post.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/05/top-10-favorite-skinny-mothers-day.html">Top 10 Favorite Skinny Mother&#8217;s Day Brunch Recipes</a> from Skinny Taste- As always, Skinny Taste has the best low-calorie recipes and this list has all Mother&#8217;s Day recipe ideas.</p>
<p><a href="http://inmyblondelife.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-advice-take-damn-photo.html">My Advice: Take the Damn Photo</a> from Classy and Fabulous- Sarah wrote the sweetest to-the-point post about why it is so important to just get in the picture with our moms and our kids. Take pictures! You won&#8217;t regret it.</p>
<p><a href="http://shullfamily.blogspot.com/2013/05/fifty-two-shades-of-shay-blogging.html">Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Blogging</a> from Mix and Match Family- Shay put together a great list of tips and advice from some amazing bloggers. If you are interested in blogging or growing your blog, this is worth checking out. I was honored that she included me in that list.</p>
<p><a href="http://theaverittfam.blogspot.com/2013/05/build-em-up-coming-unglued.html">Coming Unglued</a> from The Averitt Fam- Sweet Jill linked up with us for Build &#8216;Em Up and I just love her wisdom and insight for how to handle those moments when we come unglued.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The<a href="http://www.herkentucky.com/2013/05/happy-mothers-day-from-herkentucky.html"> Her Kentucky blog </a>is hosting a really neat link up for you to share your story of Mother&#8217;s Day. They&#8217;re inviting everyone to share the joy and the sorrow and to simply share what Mother&#8217;s Day means to you.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>in the interest of Pinterest</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/10/in-the-interest-of-pinterest/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/10/in-the-interest-of-pinterest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 19:09:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10896</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You know what I don&#8217;t understand? I don&#8217;t understand the assumption that everyone who is on Pinterest is also into crafts. Or likes to DIY. Or likes to cook meals from scratch. Or has a desire to turn herself (or himself) into the perfect, crafting, gourmet meal-cooking, DIY-er. Isn&#8217;t Pinterest just a virtual, uhhhh, pin [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You know what I don&#8217;t understand?</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t understand the assumption that everyone who is on Pinterest is also into crafts. Or likes to DIY. Or likes to cook meals from scratch. Or has a desire to turn herself (or himself) into the perfect, crafting, gourmet meal-cooking, DIY-er.</p>
<p>Isn&#8217;t Pinterest just a virtual, uhhhh, pin board? Isn&#8217;t it just a new way to bookmark things we found on the internet that we like and want to come back to?</p>
<p>I have about five three-ring notebooks in storage full of recipes I&#8217;ve torn out of magazines and home decor ideas that I love. Pinterest is nothing new. It&#8217;s just more organized and was invented by really smart people.</p>
<p>And the assumption that we should actually be doing the things we pin? That pressure doesn&#8217;t make any sense to me either. There are no <em>rules</em> with Pinterest. We just pin what we like. And sometimes we revisit it and sometimes we don&#8217;t.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m not a crafter. In a way I kind of want to be a crafter because I think my kids&#8217; grandparents would really appreciate it. But I&#8217;m just not.</p>
<p>And I&#8217;m not a DIY-er. I prefer to find an idea I love and find someone far more talented and qualified to do it for me. We&#8217;ve saved ourselves lots of fights, arguments, and trips to the hardware store.</p>
<p>But, boy, do I ever have some amazingly talented friends who can DIY and could probably have their own television show! (Emily and Hudson, I&#8217;m looking at you!)</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s the thing. Pinterest isn&#8217;t the problem. I love Pinterest. I love to see ideas I love all in one spot. I love to save ideas for supper right there on my <a href="http://pinterest.com/blueeyedbride/foood/">FOOOOOD pin board </a>so I&#8217;m not searching the same blogs over and over again for dinner ideas.</p>
<p>This shouldn&#8217;t be making us feel inadequate. If you don&#8217;t like to craft, don&#8217;t craft. The crafting mamas aren&#8217;t superior to the non-crafting mamas. And the cooking and baking mamas aren&#8217;t superior to the stylish mamas who look to Pinterest for fashion inspiration.</p>
<p>We&#8217;re not looking to Pinterest to validate us. We just look to Pinterest for inspiration as we try to exercise our different talents. Or just look for something new to fix our family for supper. (There are plenty of crock pot recipe pins on there. These aren&#8217;t gourmet recipes that are being pinned, friends.)</p>
<p>So, here&#8217;s the thing. Pinterest isn&#8217;t a tool used to measure our abilities to parent or maintain a loving home. And if it&#8217;s not used for anything <em>serious</em>, can&#8217;t we just use it for fun? Without pressure?</p>
<p>If you want to put cute little faces on your kids&#8217; pancakes, go for it! If you want to create cute little tags for teacher appreciation gifts, then do it! If you&#8217;re like me, and want to throw big children&#8217;s birthday parties and baby showers every year, then have fun with that!</p>
<p>And if you like to pin and never do anything with your pins, that&#8217;s great, too!</p>
<p>Happy pinning, friends!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Lyndsey’s weight loss testimony</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/10/lyndseys-weight-loss-testimony/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/10/lyndseys-weight-loss-testimony/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 11:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10888</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today, I&#8217;m turning over my blog to my dear friend, Lyndsey. I met Lyndsey about three years ago and she was instantly one of my favorite people. She is a great friend and a fantastic mom to her two beautiful girls. She and her husband, Adam, live in Georgia and are die-hard Auburn fans. But [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Today, I&#8217;m turning over my blog to my dear friend, Lyndsey. I met Lyndsey about three years ago and she was instantly one of my favorite people. She is a great friend and a fantastic mom to her two beautiful girls. She and her husband, Adam, live in Georgia and are die-hard Auburn fans. But they still graciously hosted our family when we came for the South Carolina vs. Auburn football game in 2010. Love that Lyndsey!</em></p>
<p><em>She is sharing her post-baby weight loss story with you all today, and I&#8217;m so excited about what she has to say! So, take it away, Lyndsey!</em></p>
<p><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-09-at-4.58.32-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10892" alt="Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 4.58.32 PM" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-09-at-4.58.32-PM.png" width="543" height="416" /></a></p>
<p align="left">Maybe you heard about it on Twitter. Maybe you saw some before/after pictures on Instagram. Maybe you randomly heard someone talking about it at the gym, grocery store or even church.  Or maybe you haven’t heard anything about it yet. What is<i> IT</i>? ADVOCARE. And whatever the case, I am here to tell you about how that one word has changed my family’s lives.</p>
<p align="left">But before I do, let me introduce myself. My name is Lyndsey. I am a 30 year-old, stay-at-home mom to Addison (3) and Nora Clark (4 months) and wife to Adam.  You might (or might not) remember me from <a href="http://fluffyfashionablefamous.blogspot.com/">All Things Fluffy, Fashionable &amp; Famous</a> or maybe <a href="http://mcmommydaze.blogspot.com/">McMommy Daze</a>.  Maybe you follow me on Twitter or Instagram? LyndsAU is my name. Yes? No?  Either way, I used to blog often about fitness, weight loss and health. Some might describe me as a “freak” when it comes to this stuff. I have done and tried IT ALL.</p>
<p align="left">My weight and health/fitness journey might sound familiar to some. After college I did some 5-10 pound yoyo-ing.  Then I got married and gained the “newlywed 15.” In September 2008, I decided to <a href="http://fluffyfashionablefamous.blogspot.com/2008/12/ask-and-you-shall-receive.html">do something about it</a>. I lost 20 pounds by January 2009. I didn’t do it the healthiest way, but at the time, I. DID. NOT. CARE.  Then in February 2009, I got pregnant. Gained almost 70 pounds. Eventually, I lost 60 of that 70 and was back in pre-pregnancy clothes and happy as can be.  I got pregnant again in October 2011, 13 weeks later on December  6<sup>th</sup>, <a href="http://mcmommydaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/our-loss.html">we lost that baby</a>. I had already gained 10ish pounds, then Christmas hit, and I gained another 5 or so. And three months later I was pregnant again. Gained 60 pounds. So there I was, December 2012, 80 pounds from where I needed to be, er, where I was used to being.  I had no energy.  I was so unhealthy.  And SO <i>SO</i> far from pre-pregnancy clothes.</p>
<p align="left">Enter Advocare’s 24 Day Challenge. My Journey.</p>
<p align="left">Our church hired a new associate pastor back in August and I have become great friends with his wife Hannah. For a couple of months I heard her talk about Advocare and the success they had with it. Her husband lost 30 pounds in two months and she lost 15. SOLD! So I finally began asking some questions.  I was ready for a change. Ready to try something different.  But nervous at the same time. Afraid of failure.</p>
<p align="left">After much discussion and research, a lot of hesitation and some skepticism, my husband Adam and I took our first 24 Day Challenge in February 2013. Within a week, we knew these products were legit and the skepticism we once felt was far gone. We had insane energy and felt better than we had in a long time.  With inches melting away and over 20 pounds lost between us (in the first two months), we were convinced! After our 24 Day Challenge was over, we continued using the products and even added some new things to our daily regimen.  Two months later, I am here to tell you, we LOVE Advocare. We believe in these products. To date I have lost 13 pounds and 3 inches on my waist. I have lost more than 10 inches overall and have dropped two dress sizes. I am not back to pre-pregnancy weight or pants yet, but I am close. And I am staring those size 8 jeans in the zipper and shouting “I WILL HAVE YOU ON MY BODY SOON!” (<i>Wait, that sounds bad. Oh well, you get what I’m sayin’</i>).</p>
<p align="left">So what exactly is this Advocare and the 24 Day Challenge?</p>
<p align="left"><a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/default.aspx">Advocare</a> is a reputable company that has been around for 20 years. It’s a world-class nutrition company specializing in health and wellness, weight management, vibrant energy and sports performance. Drew Brees is the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Company/Spokesperson.aspx">National Spokesperson for Advocare</a> and there are other <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Products/Endorsers/default.aspx">endorsers</a> out there whose names you would recognize. Advocare has a <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Products/SciMed/">Scientific and Advisory Medical Board</a> that uses their knowledge and experience in the fields of medicine, nutrition and science to ensure that all Advocare products are formulated with the highest quality ingredients based on the latest scientific research. I encourage you to read through and check out the website, as it is filled with valuable information. And if you can find two minutes and 54 seconds watch the video on the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/24DayChallenge/Default.aspx">24 Day Challenge</a> website. It explains everything really well.</p>
<p align="left">The <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/24DayChallenge/Default.aspx">24 Day Challenge</a> is a great way to jumpstart your weight loss journey and begin to manage your eating. It’s 24 days of focused, intentional weight management. It consists of two phases. The first 10 days is the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/24DayChallenge/cleansePhase.aspx"><b>Cleanse Phase</b></a>. The products you will take (Herbal Cleanse, OmegaPlex<sup>®</sup>, and AdvoCare Spark<sup>®</sup> Energy Drink Mix), along with a healthy diet and exercise help to rid your body of toxins and prepare your body to better absorb nutrients. This isn’t the kind of cleanse where you drastically reduce calories or consume only liquids – this is the beginning of a healthier lifestyle.  Days 11-24 is the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/24DayChallenge/maxPhase.aspx"><b>Max Phase</b></a>. During those two weeks you’ll give your body the best tools to achieve optimal weight loss results. You will take three products (Metabolic Nutrition System &#8211; MNS<sup>®</sup>, Meal Replacement Shakes, and Spark) that work together to provide you with sustained energy, appetite control, core nutrition and overall wellness. Upon completion of the 24-Day Challenge, you can continue to take these products every day as part of a healthy lifestyle.</p>
<p align="left">You can eat on the 24 Day Challege. But, what?</p>
<p align="left">It’s not easy. Denying yourself the things you love is tough. But this is definitely the most doable program that I’ve tried.  But let me add, this is not a calorie counting, track your points type program. Even on the cleanse, you get to grub! The products you take keep you from craving all the things you want and without the jitters or heart rate elevation that happens with some metabolic stimulants. I went the entire 24 days with NO soft drinks, coffee, little to almost no carbs, sweets (except Extra sugar-free gum-my lifesaver for my sweet tooth) or sauces. Instead I fueled my body with lean meats, fresh fruit and (some frozen) veggies, almonds and egg whites. Holy moly at the egg whites. You can have complex carbs but I stayed away from those for the most part. Occasionally I did make baked sweet potato fries.  As a snack or “dessert” sometimes I would have a brown rice cake with peanut butter.</p>
<p align="left">Around day 8 or so, I really wanted to give up and have a pizza. Like extra cheese and garlic butter sauce pizza. But the temptation was short lived. I pushed through. It was great having a partner to do the challenge with. Adam was a champ and lost 12 pounds himself. Also, the daily headaches he used to have, disappeared during his 24 Day Challenge. I am sure there were times he cursed me under his breath and rolled his eyes, but he was a great support system. There was no cheating going on in the McCurry house during this challenge. I was like Staff Sargent Lyndsey.</p>
<p align="left">So you want to order, yes? <i>GREAT!</i></p>
<p align="left">There are two ways you can order. You can order as a retail customer from my <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Store/default.aspx">website</a> or you can become a <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/BecomeMember.aspx">distributor</a> and get a 20% discount (and can work your way to a 40% discount). The distributor fee is $79 but for that fee, you get $50 worth of products. You have the potential to earn money as a distributor and I can tell you more about that if you’re interested. There is HUGE potential here. My associate pastor and his wife (my friend, Hannah) got into Advocare just to lose weight. They became distributors just to get the discount. Next thing they know people are asking what they are doing, etc and two years later they are making about $66,000 a year! It&#8217;s crazy! Sounds unreal and gimmicky but it’s not. These are godly people that God has absolutely blessed through this business! They have a real heart for missions and serving and that is their driving force in their journey.</p>
<p align="left">Adam and I didn’t sign up as Advocare distributors to start a business or make any money.  That actually scared me a little because I am not a “salesman” in any way shape or form.  I mean talk about anxiety, that will cause me to need about 3 Xanax <i>real quick</i>. It’s totally out of my comfort zone and I just had no interest in trying to get people to buy these. I can talk to folks all day long, but the minute I begin to feel like they <i>THINK</i> I am pushing something on them, I want to VOM! We really just wanted the discount on the products. But with the results we have seen, people are asking us what we are doing, and we are sharing our story. In less than two months, we worked our way to Advisor, just simply by sharing our journey with friends and family. We didn’t have to “sell” the products, the results we saw sold the products for us. We are still new to the business and learning every day.  Slowly but surely we are now hopeful to build a business because we are so passionate about these products and helping others better themselves.  I have watched so many people change and transform how they feel and better their health with Advocare and I have heard personal testimonies from so many whose lives have been dramatically impacted financially. People are paying off debt, saving for mission trips and building personal savings for their family’s future.</p>
<p align="left"><a href="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-09-at-4.58.12-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10891" alt="Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 4.58.12 PM" src="http://blueeyedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-09-at-4.58.12-PM.png" width="277" height="417" /></a></p>
<p align="left">So, I am inspired. Inspired to share Advocare with you.  Inspired to push myself out of my comfort zone in order to help others feel better, get healthier, gain energy and maybe even build their own business.</p>
<p align="left">What do I order?</p>
<p align="left">Really, only you can know! A short conversation with me, and we can figure this out! But if you are looking to lose some weight and you are committed to doing that, I highly recommend the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=99050&amp;id=A&amp;flavor=b">24 Day Challenge Bundle</a>. With that you pick your shake flavor (Chocolate is SO good) and what Max Pack you want. MNS Max 3 is energy and appetite control. MNS Max E is energy and MNS Max C is appetite control. You pick what YOU need more. I did the MNS Max 3 because I needed both.  If you just need some energy you could just order the Max E and some Spark.  There’s so many different products for different things. I would LOVE to talk with you to see what you might want and/or need.</p>
<p align="left">Personally, my FAVORITE product is the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=A2096&amp;id=TS&amp;flavor=L&amp;size=C">Spark</a>. Y’all, it’s like liquid energy. Seriously. And it’s packed full of nutrition and really helps with mental focus.  It has 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients and is only 45 calories. And did I mention that it’s SUGAR FREE? Well, it is. And it’s good too. A close second, is the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=T1361&amp;id=TS&amp;flavor=a">Meal Replacement shakes</a>. They are delicious and so filling. Tastes like a chocolate milkshake! I have one of these almost every day for breakfast.</p>
<p align="left">What’s the cost of this thing?</p>
<p align="left">As a retail customer the <a href="https://www.advocare.com/130211114/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=99050&amp;id=A&amp;flavor=b">24 Day Challenge</a> is $190.25 (plus tax and shipping). It breaks down to $7.90 a day (plus food).  But the way I justified this to myself was I won’t be getting Starbucks, running through Chick-fil-a or going to Sonic for a Route 44. And I won’t be eating out much during the 24 days because to me it just isn’t worth it to try to figure out what I can and can’t have.  If you sign up as a distributor and get the 20% discount from the get go, the cost is $152.20 which breaks down to $6.34 a day.  But again, maybe you don’t need/want to do the 24 Day Challenge, or maybe you don’t want to invest that much at first, I say try one or two products to see if you are SOLD like I was. One MUST try is the Spark. I promise, you will NOT regret that purchase.</p>
<p align="left">CONTACT ME</p>
<p align="left">If you have any questions or are confused by anything I have said (which there’s a slim chance since I am kinda rusty at this blogging stuff) please feel free to email me at LynzAU @ gmail dot com.  Sometimes these discussions are better had over the phone and I am game for that too. Just email me and we can set up a time to chat.</p>
<p align="left">Okay, I think that about covers it.</p>
<p align="left">I am thankful that Erin allowed me to be a guest blogger. It’s been fun. I am thankful I got to share about something I am truly passionate about, helping others get healthy and feel GREAT.</p>
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		<title>Questions?</title>
		<link>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/09/questions/</link>
		<comments>http://blueeyedbride.com/2013/05/09/questions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 18:42:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Blue-Eyed Bride</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blueeyedbride.com/?p=10885</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This week and the next few weeks are a little wild. We&#8217;ve been bouncing from activity, to meeting, to church, to dinner, back to church, around town, and home. It&#8217;s just that time of year when everything&#8217;s coming to a close. We&#8217;re winding down with preschool and getting excited for the summer. And I definitely [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This week and the next few weeks are a little wild. We&#8217;ve been bouncing from activity, to meeting, to church, to dinner, back to church, around town, and home. It&#8217;s just that time of year when everything&#8217;s coming to a close. We&#8217;re winding down with preschool and getting excited for the summer.</p>
<p>And I definitely drive by the new house at least once per day. They recognize me as the &#8220;lady in the black car&#8221; by now, so I don&#8217;t think they&#8217;re alarmed anymore.</p>
<p>After nearly six years of blogging, sometimes I come to a little stand still when it comes to content. And with the busyness of this end-of-the-year season, I need your help.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve done this two or three times before, but I&#8217;d love to open up the comments to your questions. Anything you want to know about, and I&#8217;ll try to answer it. (Within reason, of course. It&#8217;s a personal blog, but we do have some boundaries.)</p>
<p>I may space out the answers over a few weeks.</p>
<p>So, let me know what you&#8217;d like to know!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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