Mother's Day - by 5 Minutes for Mom

5 Minutes for Mom is holding a great giveaway for the lovely day of Momminess!


It's the one day we hear whispers outside our doors instead of kids barging in to ask us questions, the day that we get to gush over handmade items that we have to guess what they are, and the day we can sit back and watch our kids and see what kind of adults they might turn out to be.





Their first day of the Giveaway is a Photo contest. A photo that shows tell some sort of story of what motherhood means to you. This photo is totally optional, and let me tell you, it's hard to chose only one! But I think I figured it out!





I chose this picture of Kara and I. See... I got pregnant at 17 and had Kara when I turned 18. I was terrified, married 5 days earlier and in the hospital having a C-section. Everyone told me I'd never make it..... That she would "turn out like me".






16 Years later.....


I am proud to say, she did....





What better motherhood could you ask for, than when you can sit with your teenage daughter, have "picture" day on the couch, laugh until you cry, and have her kiss you and say, I love you!


This picture will always remind me of how truely lucky I am, that I didn't listen to them. She's the oldest of six kids, I'm the luckiest Mom alive!!

Being a Mom (What I *THOUGHT* I knew

Notes from my nest asked for a note/letter about what I know NOW about motherhood, that I didn't know before I became a mom. Having six kids over the past 16 years.. I've got a list... here are some of them.

*I didn't know baby poo could be yellow, and runny, and come out with enough speed to dislocate your shoulder if you aren't careful.

*I didn't know that they are like dogs, they will lick anything if given the chance.

*I didn't know how terrifying the words, "I don't know what is wrong" could be when it involves your child at the doctors office.

*I thought only in movies does a child say, "I love you" and fall into a coma. I also thought the reaction of the was staged.. it's not, it's real. It will stay in your memory forever!

*I thought parent teacher night was cool. I now think it's a necessary evil, and I get to start it all over again in 5 years!

*I thought only I thought my parents were stupid. NOpe... we all think that!

*I didn't think people actually failed the written test after being in line for two hours. It happens, try telling a 16 year old it's ok after THAT day! She still hasn't retaken the test.

*When all of your kids are in bed at 8:30pm, and you get some computer time, it's the greatest time in the world!

*Children are like sponges, teach them anything, they will emulate you. Even at 16, I can teach my daughter to start respecting the environment, and she will continue in her college years!

*They are the smartest and the dumbest creations.

*I cry all the time, every day, even when their friends have bad days, or have amazing accomplishments. You learn to love all children, not just your own!

Please feel free to add to these, either on your blog or on mine. I'd love to see some funny, sad, great posts out there!

ErbaOrganics- Review I had promised!

Since my daughter was born on Christmas Day, she’s taken a bath. Every single night, either her father or I bathe her and use a well known product that smells of Chamomile and lavender. We want her to associate that smell with lotion, a warm night gown and a book before bedtime. It’s been wonderful to help keep her on a nightly schedule.

Somewhere during that year, I started reading about the impurities in those products, and the fact that every night I was putting this on my daughters skin, then came along her little sister January of the next year. Having two little girls, two bath times and two precious ones to worry about, I found myself looking for an alternative that I could live with.

That is where ErbaOrganics comes into play. A company started by a husband and wife team when they had their first son, to start making eco-friendly organic skincare for moms and babies. Products like Baby Shampoo, made with aloe vera leaf juice and mandarin peel oil create a product that I can not only feel good about using, but that also smells calming enough for a nighttime bath for my two little ones.

They offer a wonderful Mommy-to-be Travel Kit ($25) that has stretch mark oil and cream, oat bath and foot and leg refresher. This would be a soothing and creative gift for an expectant mother to use before and after her pregnancy.

ErbaOrganics not only offers an alternative in baby and mother skincare, they also give back to the WorldWide Orphans Foundation with 15% donated to the organization.