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