Swago: Holiday Shopping Edition Is Back!

The holidays are here and the online rewards site Swagbucks has a smart and fun way for you to earn and save while you spend. 

Swagbucks is hosting another round of Shopping Swago! What is SWAGO you ask? It's a bingo-inspired promotion run by Swagbucks, a website that rewards you with points (called SB) for completing everyday online activities. You can redeem those SB for free gift cards. If you've never used Swagbucks, participating in SWAGO is a great introduction to the site and an easy way to earn a good amount of points quickly.  



Click here to get started! 

Here’s what you need to know to get your 300 SB ($3) Bonus (and don’t worry, you don’t have to make a purchase to complete a pattern):

• Shop Swago will begin on Monday, December 18th at 9am PT/12pm ET, make sure you hit “Join” otherwise you won’t get credit for completing the action items. Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete.
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
• You have a limited amount of time to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value - up to 300 SB - enough for your first $3 gift card.
• Once you’ve achieved a pattern the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
• The game ends Friday, December 22nd at 12pm PDT/3pm EDT. So make sure to hit “Submit” on the pattern you wish to submit. If you don’t hit “Submit” before the game ends you won’t receive your SB bonus.
  
  Also, if you sign up through me this month, you'll get a $10 rebate when you make your first purchase via Swagbucks Shopping! You can activate it in the "Swag Ups" area of "My Account"

Huge Cash Back deals during the Swagbucks Green Monday Sale!

You can earn money while saving it during Green Monday! The Cashback Shopping site Swagbucks is offering big cash back - 2x or more - at a number of different stores today only. They're also offering big payouts on a varieties of different deals and offers from companies that would make great gift ideas. Get great deals without waiting in lines or even leaving your home! 

If you're not familiar with Swagbucks, they offer cash back in the form of points when you shop. Then you can turn those points into gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Target, or PayPal cash. You can also earn points for discovering deals, watching videos, answering surveys and more!  

Click here to take advantage of the cash back, just create your Swagbucks account when prompted (it takes less than 30 seconds) and then you're all set! 

As a special bonus, if you sign up through me you get a 300 SB ($3) bonus when you earn your first 300 SB before January 1st! This site's a great way to extend your shopping budget, especially around the holidays!

Get more free gift cards for the Holidays from Swagbucks during December's Swago with Spin & Win (US)

The digital rewards site Swagbucks is offering big payouts during their December "Swago" promotion starting Monday, December 4th at 9am PT and running until Monday, December 11th! Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster. Here are a few tips: 

• Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores!
   
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
   
• You have until 12pm PT/3pm ET on Monday, December 11th to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
   
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
• Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will be available all throughout Swago and you have until 11:59pm PT on Monday, December 11th to use all your spins. 

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 500 SB bonus, which is enough for a $5 gift card from the retailer of your choice.  

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if you earn 300 SB before the first of January, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

Get exclusive Swagbuster deals on your favorite stores, offers, and gift cards

Running now through December 3rd, the cashback shopping site Swagbucks is running a series of exclusive "Swagbuster" deals that offer increased cash back (in the form of SB points) at stores, when buying gifts cards, and big SB payouts when you discover offers from different companies. You can take all of the points you earn from these deals and redeem them for gift cards from places like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, or PayPal cash, helping you extend your holiday budget further! 

The deals change every few hours, and you can keep track of what's available by clicking here. You need a Swagbucks account to take advantage - fortunately it's free and takes less than 30 seconds to sign up. PLUS, if you sign up through me you'll get a bonus 300 SB ($3) if you earn 300 SB before December 1st!

Huge Cash Back deals during the Swagbucks Cyber Monday Sale!

You can earn money while saving it on all your big Cyber Monday purchasesThe Cashback Shopping site Swagbucks is offering big cash back - 3x or more - at over 120 different stores today only. They're also offering big payouts on a varieties of different deals and offers from companies that would make great gift ideas. Get great deals without waiting in lines or even leaving your home!

If you're not familiar with Swagbucks, they offer cash back in the form of points when you shop. Then you can turn those points into gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Target, or PayPal cash. You can also earn points for discovering deals, watching videos, answering surveys and more!  

Click here to take advantage of the cash back, just create your Swagbucks account when prompted (it takes less than 30 seconds) and then you're all set! 

As a special bonus, if you sign up through me you get a 300 SB ($3) bonus when you earn your first 300 SB before December 1st! This site's a great way to extend your shopping budget, especially around the holidays!

Hormel Gatherings Party Tray

*I received free product in exchange for my honest review*

I don't cook because I enjoy it.  I cook out of necessity.  So when it comes time to contribute to get together and pot lucks I tend to take the easy way out and buy premade things.

This thanksgiving was no different.   I picked up a Hormel Gatherings Party Tray to bring to my thanksgiving family gathering.  With pre cut cheese, meat and crackers (individually wrapped for freshness) it was so simple.



These would be so easy to use for any sort of big group gathering, like tailgating, new years eve etc...
I didn't open the packages ahead of time just in case it dumped in the truck (although unlikely since the lid is pretty durable) but they were easy to open and set out once I got there.

I got distracted by the girls so I didn't get a picture until it was nearly gone, but the fact that it was nearly gone means it was good right?  Who doesn't love cheese and meat?  Apparently nobody likes olives though.



So lesson learned, next time get the olive free one.  I would totally get a Hormel Gatherings Party Tray again.  The convenience of my time is worth the extra cost.  Plus I know that my kids would be all over me if I tried to make my own tray.  And by keeping them sealed up individually I can say nope, sorry!  Haha.

I bought my tray at Meijer but to find a retailer near you check here.

For more information check out  Hormel on facebook

Get Big Cash Back during the Swagbucks Black Friday Sale!

The Cashback Shopping site Swagbucks is offering big cash back at over 120 different stores all throughout Black Friday weekend. They're also offering big payouts on a varieties of different deals and offers from companies that would make great gift ideas. Get great deals without waiting in lines or even leaving your home! 

If you're not familiar with Swagbucks, they offer cash back in the form of points when you shop. Then you can turn those points into gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Target, or PayPal cash. You can also earn points for discovering deals, watching videos, answering surveys and more!  

Click here to take advantage of the cash back, just create your Swagbucks account when prompted (it takes less than 30 seconds) and then you're all set! 

As a special bonus, if you sign up through me you get a 300 SB ($3) bonus when you earn your first 300 SB before December 1st! This site's a great way to extend your shopping budget, especially around the holidays!

Get exclusive Swagbuster deals on your favorite stores, offers, and gift cards

Running now through December 3rd, the cashback shopping site Swagbucks is running a series of exclusive "Swagbuster" deals that offer increased cash back (in the form of SB points) at stores, when buying gifts cards, and big SB payouts when you discover offers from different companies. You can take all of the points you earn from these deals and redeem them for gift cards from places like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, or PayPal cash, helping you extend your holiday budget further! 

The deals change every few hours, and you can keep track of what's available by clicking here. You need a Swagbucks account to take advantage - fortunately it's free and takes less than 30 seconds to sign up. PLUS, if you sign up through me you'll get a bonus 300 SB ($3) if you earn 300 SB before December 1st!

The Pre-Black Friday Holiday Sale!

As a pre-Black Friday warm up, Swagbucks is offering big cash back for shopping online at several of your favorite retailers right now! Just go to this page to see all of the deals available and get the jump on your holiday shopping.

In order to take advantage of the cash back, just create your Swagbucks account when prompted (it takes less than 30 seconds) and then you're all set! Your cash back comes in the form of SB points, which you can redeem for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, or get PayPal cash! 

As a special bonus, if you sign up through me you get a 300 SB ($3) bonus when you earn your first 300 SB before December 1st! This site's a great way to extend your shopping budget, especially around the holidays!

Eleanor is 4 (a month ago...)

My big girl turned four a month ago and I should really get to her update.  Whoops!

I asked her a few questions to see her answers.  :)
What is your name? Eleanor Rose Urban.  My teacher knows that

How old are you? 4 still

What is your favorite color? Green. go green! and I love pink

Favorite animal: Flamingo

Favorite tv show : Paw control (that's what she calls Paw Patrol)

Movie: Sleeping Beauty

Book: The flamingo book

Friend: Sydney

Activity with mom: Go on the ferris wheel.  We've never been on one.  But I know about ferris wheels because I saw one before. 

Favorite activity with dad: listen to the handclap song

Any other thoughts:  I liked my cake from my birthday and the ice popsicle and thank you.  

She's about 34lbs and 40 inches tall.

Still doesn't consistently sleep through the night, like she wakes up every single night and comes to my room.  She either climbs into the pack n play if it's set up, or the floor bed (a pile of blankets on the floor).

She loves to eat vinegar noodles (plain noodles with butter and red wine vinegar), cheese sticks, popcorn and fruit snacks

She loves watching movies, painting and the swing.

She is stubborn, hilarious (facebook friends can attest to this one), sassy, kind, helpful, and I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

Happy (late) 4th birthday Eleanor!!

Get more free gift cards during November Swago with Spin & Win

The digital rewards site Swagbucks is celebrating Thanksgiving early with another big "Swago" promotion starting Monday, November 6th at 9am PT and running until Monday, November 13th! Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster. Here are a few tips: 

• Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores!
   
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
   
• You have until 12pm PT/3pm ET on Monday, November 13th to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
   
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
  
• Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will be available all throughout Swago and you have until 11:59pm PT on Monday, November 16th to use all your spins. 

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 500 SB bonus, which is enough for a $5 gift card from the retailer of your choice.  

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if you earn 300 SB before the first of next month, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

The 2017 Swagbucks Holiday Sale!

Swagbucks is offering double cash back at dozens of different stores (like Macy's and Target) during their 2017 Holiday Sale. Just go to this page to see all of the deals available and get the jump on your holiday shopping. There are 

In order to take advantage of the cash back, just create your Swagbucks account when prompted (it takes less than 30 seconds) and then you're all set! Your cash back comes in the form of SB points, which you can redeem for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, or get PayPal cash!

As a special bonus, if you sign up through me you get a 300 SB ($3) bonus when you earn your first 300 SB before December 1st! This site's a great way to extend your shopping budget, especially around the holidays!

Are we at the end of nursing?

Mallory is 21 months.  I weaned Eleanor at 22 months so I think we are getting to end stages of nursing.

I've recently dropped our morning nursing session leaving us at two (nap time and bedtime) and although she wakes up and asks/whines for milk every morning I can usually distract her.  I do however miss the morning session because it allowed me to lay back in bed for a little bit.

I have mixed feelings.  On one hand it is the one thing that ONLY I can do for her.  One the other hand I have been constantly pregnant or nursing or both since January of 2013.  Since I got pregnant with Eleanor I have not had a single day where I have just been able to take a medicine without thinking if it's safe or just not have to worry about how what I do to my body is going to effect my girls.

I am planning a girls weekend right before Mallory turns 2 so I want to be done nursing/pumping then.  It was annoying having to deal with that and transporting milk through security and pumping in a dirty airport bathroom when I did it last year.

Generally though, while sometimes annoying having to plan around nursing I love it.  I love knowing that I'm giving my daughter nutritional benefits (while not her main source anymore it still has benefits) & a sense of stability and routine.

I love the way she snuggles into me when I nurse her, and her eyes get having and she drifts off to sleep.   Often I wish that I hadn't set the nursing to sleeping precedent but those are some of my favorite moments. 

I think there is nothing wrong with full term nursing but I know that nursing Mallory as long as I have isn't the norm.  I also know there is nothing wrong with people who choose not to nurse or not as long.  So I've never felt people question my choice to nurse as long as I did, and even if they did it's still my decision so no pressure.

Swago: Shopping Edition Is Back! (US)

The holidays are close and the online rewards site Swagbucks has a smart and fun way for you to earn and save while you spend. 

Swagbucks is hosting another round of Shopping Swago! What is SWAGO you ask? It's a bingo-inspired promotion run by Swagbucks, a website that rewards you with points (called SB) for completing everyday online activities. You can redeem those SB for free gift cards. If you've never used Swagbucks, participating in SWAGO is a great introduction to the site and an easy way to earn a good amount of points quickly.  

Click here to get started! 

Here’s what you need to know to get your 200 SB Bonus (and don’t worry, you don’t have to make a purchase to complete a pattern):

• Shop Swago will begin on Monday, October 23rd at 9am PT/12pm ET, make sure you hit “Join” otherwise you won’t get credit for completing the action items. Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete.
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
• You have a limited amount of time to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value - up to 300 SB - enough for your first $3 gift card.
• Once you’ve achieved a pattern the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
• The game ends Friday, October 27th at 12pm PDT/3pm EDT. So make sure to hit “Submit” on the pattern you wish to submit. If you don’t hit “Submit” before the game ends you won’t receive your SB bonus.
  
  Also, if you sign up through me this month, you'll get a $10 rebate when you make your first purchase via Swagbucks Shopping! You can activate it in the "Swag Ups" area of "My Account"

Get more free gift cards during October Swago with Spin & Win

The digital rewards site Swagbucks is celebrating the fall with another big "Swago" promotion starting Monday, October 9th at 9am PDT! Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster. Here are a few tips: 

• Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores!
   
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
   
• You have until 12pm PT/3pm ET on Monday, October 16th to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
   
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
  
• Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will be available all throughout Swago and you have until 11:59pm PT on Monday, October 16th to use all your spins. 

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 500 SB bonus, which is enough for a $5 gift card from the retailer of your choice.  

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if you earn 300 SB before the first of next month, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

Lipsense from Red Gate Beauty

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are my own.  

I'm not a makeup wearer.  I prefer comfort over fashion.  As a stay at home mom, I don't often need to put in an effort.  That makes me sound like a bum-I sort of am though.

But Eleanor is in preschool and I don't want to be the frumpy mom at pickup.  You know- I want to be the cool hip mom

So I decided to give Lipsense a try.  Lipsense is lip color that doesn't come off.  Or so the claim is.  

I don't know much about applying makeup but it seems pretty easy.  It's a few steps, but each is necessary to ensure the colors doesn't flake or peel. 



Step 1: Prep - Clean/dry lips and shake the bottle to allow the color to mix well

Step 2: Apply color- swipe one thin layer in one direction.  Let dry (10 seconds or so) and repeat 2 more times (3 layers total)



Step 3: Gloss - This helps seal in the color. 

Spoiler:  This stuff is a game changer.  Like I actually will wear Lipsense and that inspires me to put on eye shadow and mascara.  And then of course that makes me put in an effort with my hair as well.

Making sure to mix properly and keep your layers thin helped the color last longer.  I made this mistake and the layers were to thick initially and the color didn't last as long as I'd imagined it would.  Once I did those things it stayed much longer.  Also keep glossing all day.  Before eating or drinking especially. 

I am loving seeing how people mix and match colors and create these totally new looks and I've already curated a list of colors I want to try (anyone want to get me a Christmas gift?).  Apple Cider and Strawberry Shortcake are at the top.  Pinks are not a color I'd ever have seen myself wearing but I love how I feel when I wear them.

If you are interested in purchasing Lipsense or learning more check out Red Gate Beauty. 

Swagbucks Halloween Sale

Now that Halloween is almost here, Swagbucks has increased cash back at a big group of their Halloween-related stores, so you can earn cash back while getting costumes, decorations, and more for the end of the month. Just click here to see the deals, and sign up for Swagbucks (if you haven't already) to start earning cash back in the form of SB points, which you can exchange for gift cards or PayPal cash. 

The sale is going through October 31st, and if you sign up through me, you'll get a 1000 SB rebate ($10) after your first shopping purchase through Swagbucks!

Get $3 when you sign up for Swagbucks during "Three for Fall"

If you haven't tried Swagbucks before, you can get a bonus $3 for signing up during October as part of their Three for Fall promotion. Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching, watching videos, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, or PayPal cash. 

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a $3 bonus! Here's how: 
1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before 11/1/17. You'll get a $3 (300 SB) bonus for it! 

3. If you want even more bonuses, you'll get a $10 (1000 SB rebate) bonus for making your first shop purchase! That's in addition to the SB you earn for every dollar you spend. 

That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned enough to cover Eleanor's dance tuition

$200 Million by the numbers

The digital rewards Swagbucks just hit a major milestone – they have given their members over $200 million in cash and free gift cards since 2008! I use Swagbucks all the time to get free gift cards doing stuff I already do online, like shopping, answering surveys, watching videos, discovering great deals, and searching the web. To demonstrate how big a number 200 million really is, here are some fun facts:

Join Here!!!

$200,000,000 Swago PLUS Spin & Win

The digital rewards site Swagbucks is nearing $200,000,000 in cash and gift cards given back to it members. Since 2008, they've rewarded members for things we all do online, like shopping, watching videos, discovering deals, answering surveys, and searching the web.

$200,000,000 is a huge number, and to celebrate they're holding a "Swago" promotion starting Monday, September 11th at 9am PDT! 

Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it. Here are a few tips:

• Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores!
   
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
   
• You have until 12pm PT/3pm ET on Tuesday, September 19th to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
   
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
  
• Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will not be available to use until 9AM PT/12PM ET on Tuesday, September 19th and will end at 9AM PT/12PM ET on Thursday, September 21st.

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 500 SB bonus! That's enough for a $5 gift card in their Rewards Store to the retailer of your choice. 

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if 300 SB before the first of next month, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

Sign up for Swagbucks in September

All throughout September you can earn big bonuses at Swagbucks, a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching, watching videos, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, or PayPal cash. 

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a $3 bonus! Here's how: 

1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before 10/1/17. You'll get a $3 (300 SB) bonus for it! 

3. That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned paypal money to buy all the cloth diapers and wet bags!  I also love getting target cards because the dollar spot there owns me! 

Growing Girls

My kids are growing up. I know that's a duh statement but really they are.

Mallory is this talkative, ambitious, determined little toddler. We are still slightly locked in to that afternoon nap limiting flexibility but it's not a cycle of eat sleep play repeat anymore. I'm probably going to beginning the weaning process this fall.

That alone is a shot in the heart. I'm not one of those nurse forever girls but that's fine if you are. I nursed Eleanor until 22 months.

Maybe it's me clinging to those last moments of it being the one thing only I can do for her. Not to say that it's just for me because nursing in the second year still has her reaping lots of benefits. 

Then there is Eleanor. She's my thoughtful, generous, clever, silly girl with a occasional streak of sass. She constantly makes me laugh but also makes me take a pause in the business of life when she asks for mama snuggles. I tell her she's never allowed to grow up and when she says she has to I make her promise to always give me hugs and kisses. Even when she's a teenager. Especially when she's a teenage but that's a post for another time because slow time time.

She's starting preschool next month. 3 days a week for 3 Hours. I'm dreading the constant running around and loss of freedom but mostly knowing that our time is coming to an end. For nearly four years it's just been us (aside from Mallory joining obviously) every day and now I have to share her and send her into the world and hope she thrives. 

Everyday I feel like I take to many pictures and videos on my phone but I need to have something to look back on.  Moments are fleeting and my memory will fade but those pictures and videos will capture that time in life when my girls weren't all the way grown up.