WE'VE MOVED!! You can now find us at Sunshine and Spoons!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Winners of the 850 and 1000 Fan Contest!

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest at Annalie's Baby Boutique! I used random.org to select two winners of the 31 who entered and the winners are.........

Leanne Mclenaghan
and
Jeremy Keim

Congratulations! You have each won a $15 gift certificate to Annalie's Baby Boutique. If you would each contact me at annaliesbabyboutique@yahoo.com, I will send you a code that can be used on my website (www.annaliesbabyboutique.com) or you can use them on Facebook by giving me the code when you place your order.

Tuesday Blog Hop

Trying out my first Tuesday Blog Hop....

The Adventures of My Family of 8 Tuesday Blog Hop

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Annalie's Baby Boutique 850 and 1000 Fan Giveaway!

I promised my fans we'd do a giveaway when we got to 850 fans. This past week, we've reached 850 fans and then kept going to over 1000!! Because we've surpassed two milestones, I will be giving away two $15 gift certificates to my store to two lucky fans! All you have to do to enter is click on this link and tag yourself in the picture that comes up. On Tuesday, February 15th, I will use random.org to select two winners from the tagged people in the picture. I know there is a limit on how many people can be tagged in one photo so, I will check back periodically and will upload another picture if the first one is full.
Thank you and good luck to all my wonderful fans!!


*Giveaways and promotions are only open to individuals over the age of 18
*Facebook states that we need a 3rd party to run giveaways and promotions, this blog is our 3rd party.
*Giveaways and contests are in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to Annalie's Baby Boutique and not to Facebook.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Super-Easy Cookies

I know I'm posting twice in one day, but I wanted to share this recipe with you. These are super easy to make, soft and chewy, and there are a ton of variations you could do with these.

First get all your ingredients together...it's going to take a long time and you'll probably have to make a trip to the store because there are SO many ingredients in these. Ready for the list? Okay, here goes. Boxed cake mix, tub of whipped cream, and one egg. That's it. Think you're up for the challenge?


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all three ingredients together. I made mine with lemon cake mix today, but I've used strawberry, chocolate, and yellow cake mix. Go crazy and use whatever type of cake mix you happen to have on hand. You can also make these with yellow cake mix and add some flavoring such as peppermint or root beer. After they're cooled off, you can also drizzle some melted chocolate on top for some extra flair.
Drop by the teaspoonful into a small bowl of powdered sugar and gently roll to coat. I use a spring loaded ice cream scoop to make it easier to make uniform balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies show cracking on top.


Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!




Facebook Giveaways and You Know You're a Mom If....

Facebook recently unveiled some new rules that state that you can't have giveaways or contests on Facebook anymore. I don't want to bore you with all the legal jargon, but basically, I can post information about a giveaway I'm having, I just can't ask anyone to sign up for it on Facebook or post the winner on Facebook until I've emailed them first to notify them. From now on, I will be doing my Annalie's Baby Boutique giveaways or comment games in one of two ways.

1. Use a third-party for entries. For example, I can post a picture of an item I'm giving away on my Facebook page. Then to enter, you just click on a link I have posted with the picture and enter your name and email address there. I can then generate a number using random.org and count down to that entry as the winner.

2. I can post details about the giveaway here on my blog and people can use that information to enter it on Facebook without having it posted as a giveaway. For example, if I have a tagging contest (you tag yourself in a picture I post for the giveaway and then I pick a winner from the people who are tagged in the picture), I would post the information here along with a link to the correct picture. You would then follow the link to Facebook, tag yourself, and that would be it!

Okay, boring info blurb is out of the way...how about some fun stuff? Here goes!

You know you're a mom if....
1. You see a child about to hurl and, instead of jumping 8 feet away from said child to avoid being puked on, you automatically stick your hands out in front of the child's mouth to catch the vomit. And you don't even flinch.

2. You hear a little voice yelling from the bathroom, "Mommy, come see my poop!" and rather than yell back, "Gross!! Why in the world would I want to see you poop?!?", you race to the bathroom to admire and congratulate your child on their big accomplishment in the potty chair.

3. You don't even bother to put away the mist vaporizer, vicks, puke bucket, or tylenol between colds/flus because you'll just be getting them out again in a week.

4. You don't bother to put away anything in your house anymore because the kids will take everything out 3.8 seconds after you've cleaned.

5. You are getting used to barriers in your life...the babygates in every doorway, safety locks on all the cupboards and drawers, toys strewn across the floor, the exersaucer or infant swing in the middle of your living room, the children who seem to be right where you were going to step, etc.

6. Insults from an adult are maddening, insults from a 2 year old are adorable...does "Mommy, your tummy is squishy like a pillow!" ring any bells?

7. People can tell what age your kid/kids are just by looking at you.
Infant: Spit-up on shoulder, baby food in hair, orajel in your purse, constantly swaying gently even when you're not actually holding the baby. If this is your first child, you'll probably have a "deer-in-the-headlights" look for at least the first several months.
Toddler: Chewed-up graham crackers on your sleeve, shifty eyes due to watching a perpetually moving child, 4 books and 7 articles on potty training in your purse, a tendency to overuse the word "no"
Preschooler: An extra set of clothes for the inevitable potty accidents stashed in your car, your purse, at the grocery store..., Dora the Explorer stickers all over your back, the only writing utensil in your purse is a broken orange crayon.
Grade School: You are proud of your newfound skills in building popsicle stick forts, you actually look somewhat well-rested because your child is now sleeping through the night, but hasn't started staying out all night yet.
Teenager: You apologize to your parents for being so rebellious as a teen because you know what they felt like now, you walk into the grocery store and kiss the floor because your new-driver-teen begged you to let them drive you there, the food you buy at the grocery store is consumed less than a day after putting it in your cupboard.

8. You go through several changes of clothes a day due to someone leaking through their diaper, throwing up on you, or having a potty accident...and the worst part is that some of those potty accidents aren't the potty training 2 year old but the mother who gave birth twice and whose bladder just isn't what it used to be.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Happy Birthday from Elmo



My baby girl is 3 years old now! We had a fun party for her with family and a few friends. She looked especially cute in her tutu set and her pillowcase dress I made her. Of course, with all the excitement, there was one accident on her part, about 15 minutes after she put on her tutu set. She was pretty upset about it, but we just put her back in her pillowcase dress which she's been wearing before and went on with the party. I was kind of hoping to hold of on Barbie dolls as long as possible because to be honest, I really hate stumbling over naked Barbies. My 3 year streak is done.  Princess received not one, not two, but SEVEN barbies for her birthday. She was ecstatic, I was wondering if it would be acceptable for me to hot glue their clothes on.













We entered a reading contest at the public library a while back and won hands down. Not that we're that good or read that much, but we were the only people who entered. Sad, huh? Anyways, we won a ticket to go see Sesame Street Live in a city about 2 1/2 hours from where we live. Never one to turn down something free even though it meant buying tickets for the adults and spending gas and food money to get up there and back, we decided to go for it. We left Little man with my sister and my mom, my nephew, Will, Hubby, Princess, and I all went. The kids had a blast. Their eyes about popped out of their heads when Elmo came out. Naturally, I had to make them clothes for the occasion. Will got a Cookie Monster shirt, and Princess got a Elmo shirt, sparkly hearts tutu skirt, and Elmo hair clippies. BTW, not to put a plug in for myself, but they can all be purchased at annaliesbabyboutique.com Hehe.
We almost didn't go though because it was so. freaking. cold. that morning. We had to leave pretty early to get there by 10:30 am which is when the show started. When we got up at 6:30, it was -19 with a windchill of -33. Chilly! We decided, however, that it was worth risking frostbite and possibly freezing to death if we broke down in the middle of nowhere (not really an issue because we traveled on a main highway with lots of traffic the whole way there and had three cell phones between the five of us, but for the sake of dramatics...) Hubby's driving skills in the big city leave something to be desired, something called SAFETY. I think I almost wet my pants several times on the way there. We're little country folk who apparently are under the impression that Minnesota nice extends to big city driving ("Ummm, honey. That truck is NOT moving over for you. Perhaps you should not merge right n.....*Screams*") But we made it and I was incredibly thankful that Hubby came because if I had been driving, we would've come home with massive dents in the van and possibly some hospital bills.

Unsolicited Advice:
When your kids have to eat breakfast or snacks in the car, have them help you make cereal necklaces to wear. That way you don't have to worry about cereal all over your car.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Jeremiah 29:11

I was going to write a happy-go-lucky, humorous post today. And then I poured my heart out to my best friend in an email and realized that I just can't do happy right now. I can't do depressing either though because that would mean I'd probably talk about some things I'm just not ready to tell the general public. What I can say is that, I would appreciate prayer. And while you're at it, I wouldn't turn down a housekeeper, cook, personal trainer, or a million dollars either. I'm just sayin'.

I've tallied up my receipts for supplies for my boutique for, dare I say it...tax purposes. In doing so, I've come to the conclusion that I need to make more sales. So, if you wouldn't mind, while you're sending that housekeeper over to my place, how about checking out my boutique and suggesting it to your friends (or enemies, I'm not picky)? It can be found at www.facebook.com/annaliesbabyboutique and will soon be found at www.annaliesbabyboutique.com when I can find the time and know-how to finish designing my website.

Unsolicited Advice:
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Not so much advice as hope.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Please. Just. Sleep.

I had such grand plans for today. I was going to finish the crib sheet and start working on the crib skirt for a bedding set I'm making for a customer. I was going to clean my incredibly messy, craft and laundry strewn, maze of a house. I was going to put away everything I got on my "restock the house" shopping trip on Tuesday. I was going to work on some laundry. After last night (and two other similar nights in the last week and a half), my plans have changed. I have zero motivation for doing anything, except napping.  Little Man couldn't sleep last night. He didn't have a fever or seem sick at all, he just screamed. All. Night. Long. He sounded like he was seriously in distress, but I could not find a way to alleviate it. We tried feeding, changing diapers, changing cloths, swaddling, unswaddling, rocking, crying it out, tylenol, orajel, music, bouncing, and even a scolding. Nothing worked. By 5 am, when he woke again after 15 blessed minutes of sleep, I handed him off to Hubby and said, "I'm done." Hubby decided it would be easier to care for Little Man in our bed so he plopped him in between us and let him scream. I was so tired, I rolled over and passed out despite the very unhappy baby beside me. At 6:45, Hubby woke me on his way out the door to work and lo and behold, Little Man was sacked out in the bed beside me. I have no idea how Hubby got him to do it, but he was practically comatose because he was so tired.
If this were just one night, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but in the last several weeks, I haven't slept well because either someone is sick, teething, or just restless as night. This was also the third night in 9 days time that I was up literally all night. The first time was when I caught the flu, the second was when Little Man had the flu, and the third was last night for which I still can't find a reason.

Anyways, both kids are napping and I think I'll join them.

BTW, my blog has its own Facebook page now! If you're wondering why, it's because I follow other blogs on Facebook and I like seeing whenever they post something new without having to look them up again to check.
Look me up! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supermommy-Blog/181409978554570?ref=ts If you wouldn't mind helping me get to 25 likes so I could get a vanity url instead of having such a long link, that would be greatly appreciated. :)

Monday, January 3, 2011

Sing a Little Song

I didn't try to do it, but somehow both of my kids ended up with signature lullabyes. These are songs that I started singing to them when they were newborns and somehow they kind of stuck.

Princess's song is "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins from the Tarzan soundtrack.  I don't really know how she ended up with this lullaby, it just kind of happened.

"You'll Be In My Heart"
Come stop your crying
It will be all right
Just take my hand Hold it tight

I will protect you
from all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

For one so small,
you seem so strong
My arms will hold you,
keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart, always




Little Man's lullabye is "Baby Mine" from the Dumbo soundtrack. Yes, I know that both of the kids' songs are from Disney movies, but seriously, they're cute songs. Turns out that Allison Kraus (awesome bluegrass musician!) redid Baby Mine and it's so beautiful when she sings it. I think he got this song because he cried SO MUCH when he was a newborn and the first line addresses this "issue". Whenever I would sing this song to him, he'd settle down and listen to me and I would actually bond with him a little which was hard to do otherwise since he screamed nonstop. Also, the lines in the bridge ("All those same people who scold you, what they'd give just for the right to hold you.") meant a lot to me too because quite a few people, from the nurses to the hospital to complete strangers, were frustrated by his screaming and told me that they were glad he wasn't their baby. Although he was so difficult at first, I LOVE him and that precious baby boy means the world to me.

Baby Mine
Baby mine, don't you cry.
Baby mine, dry your eyes.
Rest your head close to my heart,
Never to part,
Baby of mine.

Little one when you play,
Don't you mind what they say.
Let those eyes sparkle and shine,
Never a tear,
Baby of mine.

If they knew sweet little you,
They'd end up loving you too.
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for the right to hold you.

From your head down to your toes,
You're not much, goodness knows.
But you're so precious to me,
Sweet as can be,
Baby of mine.

All those same people who scold you,
What they'd give just for the right to hold you.

From your head down to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows.
But you're so precious to me,
Sweet as can be,
Baby of mine.
Baby of mine




Unsolicited Advice: After opening Christmas gifts, box up a lot of your kids' older toys and stow them in a closet or spare room for a few months. The kids will be so enthralled with their new toys that they won't even notice them missing and when you do get them back out, it'll be like Christmas all over again.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Please Welcome Veruca Salt to the Family

Princess has been driving me BONKERS for the last 8 months or so. She used to be so sweet, obeyed really well, went right to sleep at night and naptimes. Not anymore!

Frankly, if I saw a child whining and throwing the types of fits that Princess constantly throws, I would wonder why the parents didn't discipline better. I really have to learn not to judge without knowing the whole story.  Princess has turned into one of those whiny, screaming, "Gimme NOW!" kids I always dreaded. And it's not because of lack of discipline. Lately, time-outs, removal of privileges, and spankings are all common occurrences at our house. I keep telling myself, "It's just a phase, it's just a phase, it's just a...Princess! For the 11th time today, stop pouring the milk carton out on the floor!!!"

I was venting about this to a friend the other day and she responded by asking me how much quality time I really spend one-on-one with Princess. I shrugged it off. I mean, I spend time with her every day, she's not in daycare and we're constantly together. But then I started thinking. I remember before Little Man was born and and I quit my job at the B&B to babysit four mornings a week. This meant that Princess was no longer at her cousin's house every day of the week while I worked and instead, was able to come with me when I babysat. I saw this as a wonderful change, she saw a change. Having spent so much time at Will's house ever since she was a tiny baby, the sudden change was devastating for her. She was pretty crabby and hard to manage for a while until she finally adjusted several months later.

Last May, just as Princess was getting used to my new job situation, I had Little Man. Who refused to eat, sleep or stop screaming for the first several months. He took up ALL of my time at first because he was so difficult, and I was unable to do much with Princess other than throw some food on the table at mealtimes. Not only was she not getting Mama's attention anymore, but she also had to listen to a screaming baby. Many times, she would either cover her ears, tell him to be quiet, or just run into her room and hide out in there.

Little Man finally started turning into an adorable happy baby around 3-4 months. Incidentally, this was when I also started my at-home online boutique which sucked up a lot of my time. While I still think this has been a good move for me and my family, it meant that I still didn't have much time for Princess. Now that I've got an inventory made up, I'm not as busy with that as I was before and I'm able to do more with Little Man. However, she isn't able to switch off her terrible behavior just because things are better. From now on, I plan to spend a little time each morning, while Little Man is napping, giving all my attention to Princess. Hopefully, after about a year of doing this, she will snap out of it and turn back into the sweet, loving child I had before.

Unsolicited Advice:
No matter what you have going on in your life, remember that your children will grow up quickly. Be sure to enjoy every stage (even the bad ones!) because it won't last long and soon they'll be moody teenagers who hate us.
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