Giveaway Link-Up 7 and Life Lately

first vacation meal had to be five guys / first day on the beach and logan had a blast throwing sand into the ocean...goofin off a little and finally got to wear my new favorite shirt - in love / could have watched these two for weeks, so much love for and between the two of them it makes my heart hurt sometimesfirst (of too many) baseball game of the season for us. at least this one was all for pleasure / best ice cream ever. trust me! almond joy at two scoops on anna maria islandthe only family picture of the entire trip with a screaming child in the stroller and papa checking his phone. i'll take it / airport stuff. like waiting and chasing and sitting cute for about 2 seconds.we get bored and take pictures of ourselves at least once a day / look mama, we're right there!a lot of this sort of behavior is going on around these parts lately, this one wasn't connected to screaming and tears though / a little bit of lightening up the hair was done recently as well. at home, by me for the cost of a box of bleach :) #imcheapkisses for the most annoying, happy birthday singing, stuffed toy to ever exist / a little bedroom painting project leek and kale tart that tastes oh so yum but will give you the ferocious fumes. you were warned! / SNOW again. pretty? yes but we are sooo over it!Now onto the weekly biz...

Giveaway Link-Up 7

- Please only link up giveaways, you may link up giveaways that are not yours because you think they are just so rad and need to be shared!

- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

- Come back next Friday to link up again.

- Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you!  

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Disclaimer: The Forge is not responsible for content linked in this widget or prize distribution. This link-up is simply a collection of third party giveaways which are not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by The Forge. 

giveaway link-up 6 and life lately

obsessed with nemo / precious moments that are all too rare lately / best buds / still an avid reader / soup on cold and dreary winter days / obsession no.2: nugget / saying our last goodbyes to a great grandfather who will be painfully missed / wearing comfy layers / giving in to "the white one"who can say no to those eyes? 

out to buy his very first potty / smile / no luck yet! / comfortable ankle boots / waiting in the car with a sleeping babe / mixing some patterns / shopping / "just because" flowers from my man / two in hats

after a nap / detecting pee in the bath, j/k / my favorite weenie ;) / peeking / favorite outfits / new to us chairs for the dining room / never ending snow and coffee / progress on the instagram wall front / sharing the bed with his girlfriend ;) 

Happy Friday everyone! Time to link up all of your fabulous giveaways :)

Thanks for linking up, have fun and make sure to enter a few as well. 

Giveaway Link-Up 5

- Please only link up giveaways, you may link up giveaways that are not yours because you think they are just so rad and need to be shared!

- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

- Come back next Friday to link up again.

- Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you!  

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Disclaimer: The Forge is not responsible for content linked in this widget or prize distribution. This link-up is simply a collection of third party giveaways which are not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by The Forge. 

do the pattern mix & giveaway link-up 5

Pants: Gap Outlet, T-Shirt: UO, Plaid Shirt: Old Navy Men's, Leather Jacket: Mango, Boots: Hunter  

We've had a pretty mixed week this week. It's been freezing and we didn't get to leave the house much. Instead we had a fire going almost every day, drank lots of tea and coffee while catching up on some shows like House of Cards and Sherlock. I highly recommend both!!
Jason has been taking a lot of road trips for work over the last couple of months and even though it helps me prepare for when he's gone even more, during baseball season, it also makes things so much more difficult.

When he's home we work together like a well oiled machine. We split up chores, making meals and taking care of Logan. We don't make charts or plans or anything, it just happens. It's simply the best feeling in the world to have my little family home, watch them play and learn from each other.
Sharing so many of the milestones and simply breathtaking moments that parenthood has brought us is like pure gold.

However, when he's gone, I pressure myself so much more, trying to do the work of two. I catch myself loosing my cool with Logan a lot more, especially now that he seems to be testing his limits (and mine) every 5 minutes. I seriously bow my head to all you single mamas out there!!

On top of everything else, Jason's grandfather's health has taken a drastic turn for the worse over the past week and he may not make it through the weekend.
So for now I am trying to set all of my lists and to-do's aside and take the weekend to be with and support my family.

Wishing you all a much happier weekend to enjoy :)

Giveaway Link-Up 5

- Please only link up giveaways, you may link up giveaways that are not yours because you think they are just so rad and need to be shared!

- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

- Come back next Friday to link up again.

- Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you!  

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Disclaimer: The Forge is not responsible for content linked in this widget or prize distribution. This link-up is simply a collection of third party giveaways which are not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by The Forge. 

Little Boogaweezin Giveaway & Giveaway Link-Up 4

Today I have something very special for you, something that is also very near and dear to my heart. My wonderful friend Jen, whom I sadly haven't met in person yet but hope to someday very soon (oh internets... the amazing people you make me miss in my daily life), is launching her baby&toddler clothing line, LITTLE BOOGAWEEZIN today!!! 

I met Jen on Instagram and it felt like we just instantly connected. Her little boy Dylan is such a cutie and seems to have this sweet spirit that reminds me a lot of Logan. A few months ago, Jen started posting pictures of the most adorable onesie designs that had me instantly hooked and wanting more. 

I was ready to buy each and every one. 

With a ton of reinforcement from the Instagram community and I am sure from her friends and family as well, she finally decided to turn this hobby into a business. 

Jen's designs are hand drawn and then screen printed onto quality onesies and t-shirts for littles.

Logan's onesie touches my heart every single time he wears it. I know Jen has put a ton of love into the creation of these designs while drawing ideas from motherhood and the love and admiration she has for her son Dylan.

I am so happy for Jen and admire her for taking this big step into small business ownership. I know she is passionate about bringing fresh designs with a handmade quality to you and the little people in your life. 

Here is what Jen has to say about Little Boogaweezin in her very own words:

Half mom / Half son.

Together we make up Little Boogaweezin, a baby and toddler 

line of hand drawn, screen printed designs. He inspires and I draw.

What first started as a creative outlet while being at home with 

my son has now become a little online shop where we can share

our designs and celebrate all the precious little boogaweezins 

in the world!

You can find Little Boogaweezin here:

WEBSITE  www.littleboogaweezin.com

TWITTER  https://twitter.com/BoogaweezinKid

FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Boogaweezin/367746689973548

PINTEREST  http://pinterest.com/boogaweezinkid/

To celebrate the launch of the Little Boogaweezin website and shop today, we are giving away a onesie to one lucky winner :)

The winner will choose from the following 3 designs and also have the choice of sizes 3-6-9-12 or 18 months.

To enter, simply do the following:

1. Follow Little Boogaweezin on Instagram (if you don't have Instagram, follow them on Twitter or Facebook instead).

2. Follow The Forge via GFC (google friend connect)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway open to US&Canada residents only! Winner will be drawn and contacted via email. Winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn. Good luck! 

Now link up your own giveaways as we do every Friday :)

Giveaway Link-Up 4

- Please only link up giveaways, you may link up giveaways that are not yours because you think they are just so rad and need to be shared!

- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

- Come back next Friday to link up again.

- Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you!  

giveaway link-up 3 and week in review

Oh man, I am so behind this week... It's just been really busy and J is out of town for work again this weekend, so I just couldn't find the time or energy to get anything up on the blog. You ladies know how that goes right?
I am so sleepy sitting here today trying to prepare this week's posts. Logan is spending the day with his grandparents so my to-do list is growing exponentially by the hour and what I really should be doing is take a nice long nap...
Instead I'll just write a a bunch of posts, set up giveaways, clean up my desktop and phone, respond to emails, finish a few diy projects, take a shower and dye my hair...

One thing I have to get off my chest though before all of that, is that I am so so grateful to all of the amazing bloggers and businesses out there that have made it possible for me to host so many amazing giveaways over the past month!! I am so happy to see a few sponsors return and blown away by how generous and genuinely nice you all are :)
I was in a bit of a weird blogging phase after coming home from Germany, where I felt a little lost and uninspired. Having you trust me with promoting your businesses and blogs really helped me get back on track.

Thank you also to you who have been linking up giveaways as I am trying to get this link-up out there.
Please continue to do so and I would be ever so grateful if you shared it with your readers as well :)

PS: Only 2 days left to enter the $50 Jeg Boutique Giveaway!!

PPS: How freakin' frustrating are bloggers random formatting glitches?? But really!

Giveaway Link-Up 3

- Please only link up giveaways, you may link up giveaways that are not yours because you think they are just so rad and need to be shared!

- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

- Come back next Friday to link up again.

- Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you!  

friday giveaway link-up 2

Bits and pieces of the week:

I got over my first cold of the season, thanks January!
Then I passed it on to Jason who is now suffering severely. He's a man ;)
We got snow and mostly stayed home, painting, cuddling and of course eating. Like cheerios off the couch and such.
We practiced our utensil using skills which are getting better and better each day.
I joined Vine and made a few very amateur videos. Like the one of how I make my quinoa breakfast bowl.
I bought 5 packages of blackberries for $1 a piece!!! Deal.
Logan and I went to the toddler-parent workshop at the library and then to Target where I wore my name tag through the entire store. What? You don't do that?
We shopped for some new clothes because Logan just won't stop growing. Slow down!

Now because it's Friday, it's time to link up all your giveaways from the week. Thanks to everyone who linked up last week and of course everyone who entered a bunch of awesome giveaways :)

Please keep spreading the word about this so that more people will link up their giveaways, even if you just hit that little "tweet it" button after you submit your link. Thanks so much!

Giveaway Link-Up 2

- Please only link up giveaways that you are hosting on your own site or that you are sponsoring on another blog.

- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

- Come back next Friday to link up again.

- Giveaways only please!

- Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you! 

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Disclaimer: The Forge is not responsible for content linked in this widget or prize distribution. This link-up is simply a collection of third party giveaways which are not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by The Forge. 

some truth about giveaways and a link-up!

source

Today, I want to talk about giveaways for a bit. Yes, I am serious ;)
Over the last few months I have won several awesome prizes, including a pair of Sorel boots and a pair of Blowfish heels, simply by entering a few giveaways here and there. Don't worry, I do not spend hours and hours entering giveaways, (who has that kind of time anyway) and maybe I was just lucky these few times, but I still wanted to share my experiences today. Plus, there is a little surprise coming at the end of this post so keep reading, I'd really appreciate your support :)

Giveaways are funny things sometimes because some of them draw great attention and hundreds or thousands of entries, while others don't get much recognition at all.
That is certainly due to the prizes that are being offered, as well as the readership and reach of the hosting site.

I have hosted a few of my own giveaways here on this blog of mine and some of them have been quite successful, while others just seemed to get lost somewhere in cyberspace. That is a bummer for me but especially for the blogger or business who is graciously sponsoring the giveaway.

But here is the thing, getting the word out about your giveaway is the hardest thing. Social media helps and if your giveaway sponsor is willing to promote that is a great plus as well. I have also found several giveaway link-ups on some larger couponing/deals oriented blogs. They never really brought anyone to my giveaways though, probably because it was next to impossible to even find the linkup list on these blogs. Sometimes it was quite the information overload that was posted there. Sometimes, no matter how hard we as bloggers work to promote it, a giveaway (though quite awesome) does not get the attention aka entries it deserves :(

I understand that some of you are out there in bloggy land to read post and look at pretty pictures and not to enter giveaways, so if you feel bothered by this sort of post, I understand that. Some might find it too much to have to follow a blog in order to enter a giveaway or they don't feel like they have a chance at winning anyway. Just remember that bloggers and sponsors are putting in a lot of time and effort to make these things happen!

There are certain giveaways that get blown up so big, your chances of winning become incredibly small and it's very discouraging to even enter them. However, there are also so many smaller blogs out there that are hosting giveaways for amazing things, that don't get much attention at all.
That is such a shame because your chances of winning are so much better there.

So, after thinking about it for weeks now and even though I am hesitant because I am a pessimist and always fear for the worst, like you guys thinking this is ridiculous and never coming back here...
Yeah, you see I am just a little crazy.

Long story short, this week marks the very first Friday Giveaway Link-Up.

This will be the place for all of you giveaway hosting bloggers (big and small) to link up and most of all enter each others giveaways! Enter a couple each week and I promise you, you will not only start winning but you will also find new blogs and friends along the way. Remember, you can't win the lottery if you never buy a ticket ;)

Now bear with me as I figure out this linky business since I've never done it before.
I would also love to hear your feedback on this. Yay! or Stupid?
Should I spend the money and have a linky list hat includes images? Any feedback is welcome!

Thank you all so much for linking up and I would LOVE you even more if you shared this new link-up on your blogs or social media :)

GIVEAWAY LINK-UP 1

Please only link up giveaways that you are hosting on your own site or that you are sponsoring on another blog.

Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

Come back next Friday to link up again.

Giveaways only please!

Please, please, please link back to me from your giveaway post or sidebar, or share in some other way.

Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you! 

<div align="center"><a href="http://theforgestyle.blogspot.com" title="The Forge"><img src="http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa388/babesandsages/150x150button_zps3fcaab6e.jpg" alt="The Forge" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

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Disclaimer: The Forge is not responsible for content linked in this widget or prize distribution. This link-up is simply a collection of third party giveaways which are not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by The Forge.