So - theres no denying it was a stressful day... The boys & I dont get out much... and when we do, it seems like its always crazy... And trick or treating? with about 10 other people and 8 toddlers?

Yeah... no dice...

Zavery wanted to eat the candy as soon as he got it... and would throw a fit if he didn't get to... Izzaq wanted to run at the front of the pack and NOT hold hands... and it was just too much to handle without zaq being here. But, it wasn't all bad... not at all... in between all the drama and the meltdowns we had alot of fun cute moments...
The boys & Maddie all sitting down for lunch...

Playing Piano...

snuggling with Maddie after their nap...

The photoshoot at the park... *oh you just wait... itll be FAB!*


But the best best best part of all...
was we pulled into the driveway... and I gave them once last chance to Trick or Treat... I loaded them into the stroller and we walked around until izzaq said he wanted to go home... and we loaded up on more candy... they each had a piece... and stood and took photos for me. It was SUCH a nice end to the day... and reminded me... no matter how dramatic they can be... and how much of a pain in my rear... im still a lucky lucky lucky mama... They may be a handful... but theyre damn cute when they wanna be... ;) Hope everyone had a good Halloween...

Note to Self Saturday: Halloween this year... Tricks, not treats :(

YAY for stress!! Can we say EPiC FAIL!? Big plans for today - Clearance Halloween shopping... hanging in San Diego with Beki & Maddie & the boys... Nap time... RockerByeBaby photo shoot... & trick or treating! So far its 2pm and not off to the best start. I swear its like every time i try to plan something fun to get out o the house there is some major meltdown... today? Two meltdowns. Meltdown #1 started when we got to Target. ALL i wanted to do was sneak in and snag the Monsters Halloween Bathroom set. We have 3 bathrooms in the new house and only one with any decor... so me, being a cheapskate... thought the monster setup would be perfect for the boys... it comes with the curtain, rug, towels, wash clothes... and then there is a basket I want to use for towels.. and a candy dish that I want to use for soap! It'll be so cute!! Well, I walked in with the boys in cart... speed walking... with Beki & Maddie behind trying to get in and out asap... *cuz i know how my boys roll and long target trips are NEVER good...* Well, before I even found the curtains, Zave was in hardcore meltdown mode... like... to the ExTrEmE... so after about a minute of chucking anything at him that it looked like he wanted... I said fine, no treats... were outta here. Pulled EVERYTHING out of the cart... their special Halloween toys and candy and off to the car we went... Bluh! Now i have to go back tomorrow and jut HOPE that its still there... After that little debacle we headed to Beki's for some lunch... Super cute little house she has here :) The boys carried on to destroy her clean living room & playroom (like kids tend to do with toys) Not a big deal... unil Izzaq pulled out a movie that he wanted to watch... and while trying to get it out he snapped it in half... awesome... fail number two of our fun day... So after that we ate some PBJ, playd some more... and then zave hit his limit... it was time for a nap. After only abou 30 seconds of fighting it... zave curled up in the playpen and let it happen... IzzaQ on the other hand... wasn't gunna bow to the man so easily... It his fun Trick or Treat day... weve been practicing for days! And there was no talk on nap in all of the Halloween practice... The kid threw tantrm after tantrum... and after a couple *deep breath buddy, deep breah* he calmed down... of course only to start up again... he snuck out of the room twice... pulled the cat by the tail.. opened Maddies jewelry box.. he would just not give it up... finally after 40 minutes he fell asleep with the other kids... I started this when he fell asleep... And here I am finishing and hes back awake... so hopefully an hour nap will cut it. So far this Halloween has been a huge lack of treats... and an abundant amount of tricks pulled by my kids... I really hope the shoot goes well, and we can move on to a fun night of Trick or Treating. Cuz right now, I gotta say im ready to throw in the towel... On a plus note... I hear I may get my first real Mexican burrito tonight ;)

More Favorites today!! STOOPIDGERL!

OMG OMG OMG - i just got the most awesome package in the mail from my girl kim @ StoopidGerl on etsy. We did a Trade last week... I traded her this awesomely amazing blanket & skullie set & a burp rag...

and from her a picked a few prints for my soon to be amazingly decorated office... *see this post for more details about that* Well, when I got the package, not only did i LOVE LOVE LOVE the prints, but she sent so many little extras too!! buttons, a necklace... stickers.... a charm and more. She totally made my day.





My next tattoo project is going to be a Japanese Kawaii sleeve... really bright colors, cute skulls, music notes, etc. And Im totally gunna save some of these little stickers for inspiration. :) Il always on the lookout for new ideas! Thanks again Kim, your totally the best!! Will be posting more photos soon of the finished office! Well, hopefully soon, lol

Favorites Friday: Unicorns & Yeti's (some mature content)

Why pick just one theme... when I could pick two... This weeks theme was picked with the help of my girl Glam, and inspired by the tshirt in slot number 5 :) Thanks for peeking!

(as always, click the link to enlarge... also - all items are linked up directly below)


#1) Shadovnia - A punk Rock unicorn? I didn't even know there was such a thing... and now I found this little guy and I am in LOVE... could it be any cuter with his little fishnet, leopard spikes, & Anarchy tattoo?
#2) HoldenTees - now, usually I am all up to date on the cute etsy shops, but this one is new to me... and SO cute. I totally love the yeti design... so so cute. and i have always loved shirts that feature a screen & an applique... cool texture. LOVE IT!
#3) Aimoobaroo - These might be cuteness overload... in the best way possible... can you imagine a ranbow print dress with this cute little glittery buttons!? Omg, i might just throw up rainbows, lol
#4) Plushshroom Soup- How do you up the cool factor of a Yeti? Make it a Zombie Yeti... loving the plushie buy not the Yeti? They have unicorns too:) Best of all, theyre from Minneapolis... ahh MInneapolis i miss you so, Ill be home to visit soon, i hope ;)
#5) Sir Mitchell - Not Just a unicorn... not just a yeti... but a tattoo'd unicorn being help by a yeti, while riding a vespa... can we say awesome? Yes, yes we can...
#6) LoveandaSandwhich - I remember sending the link to these little Yetis to Glam awhile beck... They are just TOO stinkin cute... 3 inches "small" and you can pick pink, blue or yellow. *mental note, i love the little nipples, LOL!*
#7) DevaniWeaver - The Unicorn Tunic... catching flack all over the blog world... well. I guess I should give my input *as if anyone really cares, haha* Would I wear it, no... but theres alot of beautiful things out there in this world that I wouldn't wear... unless its black... or white... or kawaii... or an old band tshirt (also usually black) I dont wear much... so all the people ripping her design apart should take a step back and see if THEY have style... and then see why it is that anyone cares about THIER option... cuz they probably dont, just like you dont care about mine ;) But back to the point, would I wear it? No, but can I appreciate the detail? totally. Its hand painted... and then quilted... the Dress has a nice shape... and the hair? So creative... So, lets just all back off and let the girl do her thing... p.s. wanna be wow'd? Check out this monster dress... So cool. Or the Gumball dress!? Genius... she should be making kids clothes. THAT would sell and much less dramatically, lol
#8) Funky Farm House - omg omg omg... so cute... i am in LOVE with this photo... and of course the super cute Yeti's! You can get either Blue or Pink... they're hand sewn with cute little button eyes and a pocket on the butt. CUTE CUTE CUTE!
#9)VulvaLoveLovely Alright - last but not least... for many... for me, im conflicted. Im 100% supportive being eco friendly... Im doing my best to save energy... cloth diaper... reuse, and now recycle... i use eco detergent, started shopping Organic... blah blah blah but this is one area i just can't latch on to. Now, for those of you that ARE into reusing of Menstual Pads, you need these... rainbow unicorns... on your pads... with a pretty pearl snap. my favorite part "These pads are made of soft flannel to keep your vagina warm and comfy throughout your period." haha I need a warm comfy vag.. maybe its time to try it!

Wordless Wednesday - Zave's Shiner :(

Little man tripped today... he was reaching for a movie on the bookshelf... he is SO clumsy... fell face first into the corner of the tv table... bluh.... poor guy. Right in front of me too I just couldn't get there in time... Iced it... gave him some tylenol... and some juice... he doesn't seem too bothered by it... but geesh, its huge. Guess it will make him look extra tough for his photo shoot with Beki for the store this weekend...

A Sad little Sunday Something... Sharing...

There are a million things that sometimes suck about being a mom... right? I think we can all agree... the fighting, the yelling... the cooking... the cleaning... the working... and after all of that, at the end of the day they all still need more... kids & husband alike... But, there are a million things that are great about being a mom... The love of your kids... feeling that love in someone else... and KNOWING they feel the same... that feeling of being needed and wanted... growing a child... teaching them new things and watching their little wheels turn... and seeing that excitement when they learn something new... and today... today was an all new experience. Zaq was home watching the football game & I had some errands to run... were down to just one car now so when I have an opportunity I have to take it. So I loaded up the boys... and off we went. First to the post office... Zave fussed the whole way there... and back into the car... zave fussed some more... and some more... he was on a roll for the fussiness. Izzaq was being great... its amazing how this little baby has turned into a 3 year old walking talking little man... he has so much personality... i love it.... we were having a nice little talk about the big mountains and the hot sun when we rolled up to a stop light... Now, Sun City *where the post office is* Is a retirement community. Filled with all sorts of sweet old men and women just living it up in Cali. Except for one man... At the corner of this stop light was a sad old man. My eyes filled with tears, he looked exactly like my Grandpa Brown *who passed away when I was 13 and miss dearly.* Skin tanned from the sun... wrinkly from age... with big 'ol apple cheek bones.. a scruffy salt & pepper beard... bushy eye brows and loving brown eyes. Its amazing the details that you can pick up in an instance. I swear... they were so alike that It could have been him. I guess if you believe in that sort of thing... maybe it was. He was wearing an army jacket & pants... holding a sign that said "Every Little Bit Helps." I looked back at Izzaq & said... Izzaq, see this man? He doesn't have a house. And he is hungry, so were gunna share our money with him. *im choking up just typing, geesh* So Izzaq said ok mama... lets share. So I pull up to him... roll down the window... grab a HUGE handfull of change from the car... and izzaq yells from the backseat... "HI! We gunna share my moneys with you to eat!" and he reached across the car and held out his hand... with a big smile on his face..."Bless ya Girl, Thank you" I smiled. Looked back at izzaq and fought back tears. I have NO idea why this hit me so hard... maybe because he reminded me so much of my grandpa... maybe because im just an emotional girl today... or maybe because IzzaQ is growing up... I dunno. I always try to help anyone out when I can... I donate money when I can... I donate product when I can... I donate clothes and toys to shelters... and if I have change... i give it... but this was different. It was the most rewarding moment as a mother that I have had yet... in that 30 seconds sitting at that stop light I taught a lesson to my son... Share... not just your toys when you playing... but everything... if you have enough, give to someone else... and in those 30 seconds... i realized I really have a chance to help change the world... Its more than just an opportunity to "Pay it Forward"... more than good Karma... Our world is a crazy messed up place... and i face it with my irrational fears every day. And us moms & dads really can make a difference. It doesnt matter if your black or white... a hippie or a punk... a christian or an atheist... if we all took the time to teach these simple morals and values the world would be a better place... we have the opportunity to help grow one more selfless caring and sharing person to make a difference... Thats enough rambling for my day off of blogging... I just wanted to share that with you... it was very emotional for me... I ljust want to leave you with one more thought... What did you teach your child/children today? What do you do as a mom (or dad), to instill good values in your children?

Note To Self Saturday: Just go with it...

So today started out with WORK WORK WORK... Then I got sidetracked because yesterday StoopidGerl & I started talking about a trade... She wants a Midnight Snack Blanket & Skullie... Hmmm for me? Well, her prints are friggen AMAZING... so it was no doubt the were going to grace the walls of my office... Well, ironically StupidGerl & I BOTH have an obsession with the Midnight Snack fabric... So I thought perfect! Ill take that fabric and make curtains to match her "sweet" prints! Too cute... One thing led to another and I caught myself up in her Photo Stream... She did the Wreck this Journal last year... photographed it along the way... and I was AMAZED... i started doing it too but mine is NO WHERE near as cool as hers... it has totally inspired me to start back into it again. Too much fun... Well, by those photos I was inspired yet again... Some way... I want to blend that awesomeness of the candy prints... with maybe some future crafty prints? Well, that lead me on a hunt for more fabrics... I fount an AMAZING Alexander Henry polka dot (notice polka dot backgrounds in the photos...) and the coolest friggen swatch pack of multi colored scissors!! All of the colors tie into the prints & the midnight snack... Am I crazy? Or a friggen design genius... maybe a bit of both. But what I want to do is since the scissors are a size 10x10... In one panel Alternate one giant 20x20 square of midnight snack... and underneath one 10x10 of the scissors... and one 10x10 of the dots... then the opposite underneath that row... then on the right side... do the 10x10 rows at the top... with the big 20x20 square of midnight snack... Then of course... to top it all off, Im gunna get some big funky vinyl letters that say "Sew Sweet"... I am SO friggen excited I can't even begin to explain...

I have been putting off decorating the office because the inspiration just hadn't hit me yet... but lemmie tell ya... its here now... and its happening ;)
THANKS KIM!! YOU ARE AMAZING!

p.s. please dont steal... I watermarked this graphic in hopes that you wont.

FAVORITES Friday: Lime Green & Black

This is my favorite part about blogging... I actually find myself looking forward to doing it... yay! And, it seems like people appreciate the feature on a popular blog as well... so I guess its a win win!



#1) CABfayre: Ummm..... can we say awesome? I dont even know what else to say... seriously... skulls... lime green... black... a little bling... chains... CHAINS!? im in love...

#2) Divokc: @StuffByXtine was part one of decision for the Lime & Black theme this week... so no doubt we had to get her in here! And look what I found! Super duper cute little lime & black argyle halloween magnets!! Free shipping on all Halloween items! Get them quick!

#3) DanzingZebra: Everyone remember the VooDoo Jack giveaway we did way back when? Well they are still EASILY one of my favorites... I STILL have this soap and it gets used all the time... its lasted forever, great stuff... and still makes my diamond all sparkly :)

#4) ANORIGINALJEWELRY: This really might be my new favorite etsy item... I get SO overwhelmed when I look for jewelry on etsy so I usually just DONT. There is too much and its all the same. But this little skull jumped right out at me and screamed... *HEY! YOU LOVE ME* and it was right ;)

#5) RockyTheZombie: My girl Rocky was part 2 in the lime black decision... and her green is a little dark, but she more than deserves a spot in the favorites list today :) If I had to could... I would say I have like...... 8 Rocky shirts for the boys? And i have 4 paintings up in the play room... yeah... i'm probably her biggest fan... I think in 5 years all her shirts will be screen printed and she will be a million year... it could happen. Her stuff is THAT great.

#6) StrawberryCremeKat: While fumbling through Rockys shop... I ran across another store that featured this SUPER rad necklace... I just had to add it in. I LOVE the squishy fake grapes... makes me think of my great grandma... but in a really cool, high fashion, pinup-y kinda way, lol

#7) AForestFrolic: Im a big fan... she has the CUTEST stuff... the best photos... an amazing blog... really, im just blown away by her talents with PAPER! Can you believe the little details? She is the perfect shop to go to when you wannt get some retail therapy... you can buy a ton of things... spend like $10 and find a great use for all of it!

#8) Wonky Rocket: How cute is this shop... well, besides just plain friggen adorable... I think, we need to get them to do a review & giveaway here at the blog... what do you think?Maybe we should all send them a message that says, PLEASE DO A REVIEW/GIVEAWAY @ THE ROCKERBYEBABY BLOG! :)

#9) Stoopidgerl: I heart her... were twitter buds... and facebook buds... and shes having a baby! So everyone go buy something from her shop so she can come buy a ton of stuff from me for the new baby ;) But really, how friggen cool is this skull necklace... she has one in turquoise too and I was just blown away by her creativity... Did you also see how rad her photos are?? Shes like the perfect etsyier... great stuff... great photos... and look at that... almost 2,500 sales... why? Because shes a rock star.



One more important favorite I wanted to mention... www.MiracleDiapers.org

I would LOVE it if some of my many MAMA readers could help out... old diapers... new diapers... money... whatever you can share. They will greatly appreciate it... Ill make a deal with you... If you DONATE 1 Diaper OR $5 to their paypal... I will send you a set of two booger bashers for free. Just Leave a comment here with proof of your donation.

"Past and Future
Miracle Diapers was founded in Oregon in January of 2005 to fill a need. There were many families who wanted to cloth diaper their children for health, economical, and environmental reasons but could not due to financial restrictions. Due to the overwhelming response, Miracle Diapers decided to to open two more chapters by the end of that year. Now, under new management, Miracle Diapers is now in our fourth year of service and looks forward to expanding even further.

Our goal is to someday have representatives all over the United States. Through this we hope to not only be able to serve thousands of families in need, but to be able to educate the public on today’s cloth diapers and therefore helping cloth become more mainstream."

"For Monetary ($) donations, please click here!,"
I just send them $5 its really easy and takes just a few seconds....

Another way to donate... Buy from Rockin Green Soap! "For every purchase of a 90/180 load bag, will donate $5 dollars to Miracle Diapers. "


"If you would like to donate , and you do not live in the area of one of our local drop off locations listed below, please send packages to:
Miracle Diapers Headquarters
23945 Franz Rd., Ste E, #126
Katy, TX 77493

Sending a package?

Donations: Please include a list of the items you are donating, your name, address, and an email address in your package as well as a note stating that it is a donation."

Thirsty Thursday: My own little concoction...

Another Thirsty Thursday is among us... and after the days zaq & i both had yesterday... it was DUE time for a drink... So this has been my new favorite... cocktail lately... and I came up with it quite randomly, btu I gotta say its FANTASTIC... And did i mention its pretty too?



So... maybe thats not my exact photo I got it from Napoleon Place... but it pretty much looks just like that... but the orange is on bottom & the red secret ingredient is on the top. YUMMM... its 12:30 too early for another? Probably... Now a name... a name... lets call it... The RockerByeBoozin', lol I think that works nicely... Heres how you can make it... PLEASE make it... drink it.... love it... but if you take this recipe... Give credit where its due ;)

The RockerByeBoozin'
For an 8 ounce glass...
Fill with ice...
First, add 2oz. Vodka (I like SKYY)
I like to do the vodka first because then the other ingredients mix it up without having to stir...
Next, add 2oz. Orange Juice...
now here is the kicker ;)
Finally... fill to the top with DIET (or regular) CRANBERRY SIERRA MIST
And garnish if you feel it necessary!

I promise it is AMAZINGGGGG... I have been buying the Cran. SM on sale when I can since its seasonal... You can get it at walmart right now for .88 for a 2-liter bottle.
Try it out and tell me what you think!!
Whats your favorite home made cocktail recipe?!

Wordless Wednesday - Clearance shirts!

Hey guys! So we did a big custom order with our logo and they print just wasn't as big as we had hoped... So we are selling them at a MAJOR discount of just $10 and free shipping... $20 off from what the normal regular price is. They are 100% organic cotton with water based inks. Totally eco friendly...
I have:
2: size 6-12 months...
1: size 12-18 months...
3: size 18-24 months... SOLD OUT!!
Leave a comment here or send me an email if you want one! They will go super quick so Im not listing them in the shop...

New Giveaway! 2 ties from RokGear! You pick...

GIVEAWAY FROM ROKGEAR!

Looking back at my wedding, there is NO DOUBT that RokGear was the biggest thing to "tie" it all together... (get it... lame pun, sorry, lol) I really went out of my way to blend both the classy and pretty w/ the punk rock.. And from what everyone has said... I did a great job. But one HUGE aspect what the guys' ties... Skull & Damask print on red ties (zaq's was on white). They were PERFECTION!
See?!?


Weren't we a sexy group!?



Both my guys & girls in black... with each just a pop of red... they looked phenomenal.
Classic... simple... and sexy... LOVE IT!

Alright, alright... thats enough blabbing and picture sharing... Everyone knows how much I love RokGear :) Now let me tell you about all the reasons why...
#1: They have been printing ties since 1995, OMG! Now thats dedication & Experience...
They started etsy just over a year ago and are totally "Rok'n" it...
#2: No clip art... You not gunna find the graphic to these ties floating on Photobucket...
"You will not find our neckties or designs on any department store shelf, we do not wholesale if you purchase a Rokgear design, necktie, t-shirt a print in general, It is directly from our Burbank Studio.
Not that we don't get hundreds of offers from vendors wanting our items, at RokGear customer service is all about the "Customer" and we can't rely on a third party vendor to take care of our customers." <-- thats friggen amazing... you guys rock.
#3: THEY'RE ECO FRIENDLY!! "Water based ink screenprinting contains neither PVC nor phthalates making them an environmentally friendly choice. Water based ink ingredients are non-toxic, lead-free and do not contain any heavy metals. As such, they are safe for use on infant clothing, underwear and swimsuits."
#4: Options... sooo many options... Pick your color... pick your size (length and width... ... ... ... ;) ... pick your print... the combinations just go on and on and on... theres something for everyone...
#5: even more combinations... You can choose from Silk tie or Microfiber. We chose microfiber for the wedding. Its super easy to clean... the colors are just as great... still had a beautiful shine... and they're cheaper! For us it was a GREAT investment...
#6: The right size for everyone... On average an 8" tie may fit a boy up to about 2 or 3 years old, an 11" tie up to about 5 or 6 and a 14" up to about 10 or 11. For adults... A standard necktie is 3.75" wide at it's widest point and 57" long.
#7: They love RockerByeBaby, too.... ;) http://www.rokgear.com/Featured-Etsy-Shop.php
...
I could go on and on about all the amazing things coming out of RokGear... but you just have to see for yourself... And yes of course... one of you will get the chance to win... not one, but TWO MICROFIBER TIES... of your choice... You can choose one of two things... Either a matching father/son set... (1 adult tie & 1 kids tie... ) or two kids ties... You choose the size... color... and print... Pick your color from this amazing list... And shop till you drop on the website and etsy shop to see ALLLLLL the amazing print options ;)

To win... Go to the RokGear etsy shop... or the RokGear Website. In a comment... tell me your ultimate print & color choice... and why you want to win! The winner will then be contacted for a final decision on size, set, etc. How excited are you?? I gotta say, Im TOTALLY jealous... i would LOVE a matching skull & damask set for my boys... *wink wink* NOW GO COMMENT!!

Extra entries?? But of course :)
EACH ENTRY MUST BE LEFT IN A SEPARATE COMMENT TO COUNT!!!!!

#2) Follow us here on (blogger) - Leave a separate comment for being a (old or new) follower on our blog.

#3) Follow/Tweet us (Twitter) - Leave a separate comment for being a follower and TWEETING about this giveaway on Twitter... If your already a twitter follower of ours, TWEET about it for an extra entry anyways :)Just be sure to leave us your Twitter name so we can check up!

#4) Write a blog about this giveaway and link back to this review. Leave an extra comment with the link to the blog.

#5) Buy something from ROK Gear! Tell us what you got!

#6) Fan US on Facebook...

#7) FOLLOW THEM ON TWITTER!! @RokGear

#8) Heart/Favorite their Etsy shop!! Spread that Etsy love!

#9) Go Bump this etsy thread! http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6327857 Then come back here an comment for an extra surprise entry!!

GOOD LUCK!
Alright... thats like... #8 entries possible... now get on it.


Once more... *The Rockin Green giveaway is STILL going on until Oct 22... KEEP ENTERING!*

A Sad little Sunday Something...

Sad mama...
hubby is gone for the weekend... I just had WAY too much work to do... and with crabby babies, decided to stay home. I have bouncing back and forth between babies & the sewing machine for 24 hours... got about 4-5 hours of sleep, MAYBE... And just wanted to take a little time out to blog. While I brewed yet ANOTHER pot of coffee in 24 hours...

Ya know - I may be an anxious, overwhelmed spaz 90% of the time... Trying to jugging my growing store... a clean house... happy children... and a... well, um... lets say a satisfied husband... It doesn't leave much time for happy & relaxed reflectionBut the other 10%... like this last hour... I can still sit back and realize im a very lucky girl. The boys took a crappy nap... but today I didn't care...I went up there... snuggled with Zave... we giggled... pretended to sleep & snore and then... pop up & *RAWR* and scare IzzaQ... it was fun... I got sweet texts from ZaQ... saying he missed me and hoped my day was going well... Can you believe after 4 years we still miss eachother? My ADD brain jsut flashed to the movie Super Bad...
*Evan's Mom (Stacy Edwards): "You gonna miss each other?"
*Evan: "No. Miss each other? No, thank you. I don't-- I don't miss each other."
*Seth: "Yeah, I'm gonna cry myself to sleep everynight."
*Evan: "Me too."
I Knocked out some orders & the LIttle Peanut Boutique bunch as well... etc. etc. etc. overall a good day... and its not over. But it was mainly good for one reason... because I let it... Sometimes it is SO hard just to let yourself have a good day... I know it sounds silly... but usually its the stupidest things that can ruin it for me... Pizza on my carpet... Ants in my garage... bad naps... fighting kids... and after all that... all it takes is one comment from zaq... spoken in the wrong tone to make my head spin... and then after HIS long day, he will come home and im just a bitch... he didnt ask for it... and he didn't do it... Its not like he called Izzaq and said, "hey dude... be sure to mess with your mom today... its not like she does anything around here," lol *at least I hope he's not!!* So yeah, my point is... i gotta learn to roll with it better... shit happens... and you just gotta get over it. Cuz lets face it, it could totally be worse... Which brings me to the inspiration of this post... A article I came across today on twitter... It is me 100%... over caffinated... over anxious... and over-bitchy, lol
*sometimes... not always i promise... but mostly...*

SIPPY CUPS ARE FOR DOUBLE FRAPPUCCINOS By: Dani Klein Modisett:

"His jacket and backpack are so dirty he looks like a homeless person," my husband said to me on the phone after dropping my son off for the school bus this morning.

Then I hung up on him.

I'd just sucked down the last sip of my daily double breakfast cappuccino (you know, for the calcium) and was perhaps a little prickly. Mommy needs some inspiration to wake up lately and I'm finding espresso beans are exactly the right bait to lure me out of bed with a smile on my face. Not without it's price though, like I said, caffeine makes me a little "sensitive," a little trigger happy with the feelings of persecution and rage. Not necessarily in that order.

My husband claims he didn't mean his observations about our ragamuffin as a criticism, but that's how I heard it.

Sure, my ego was swollen and tender from caffeine and warm milk, but isn't it the mother's job to make sure her child looks cared for by keeping him and his stuff clean? Given that, and I do take that as a given, the question is how do I do all that requires and work and make sure all the teachers get cards for their birthdays, and do volunteer work at my son's school, and remember to feed the bunny, not to mention clean his cage?

Am I whining? I hate whining. I hate when people like me who have enough money to put food on the table and keep the heat on and have two healthy children and a spouse they still occasionally find attractive and for some even more perplexing reason still finds them attractive starts complaining about volunteer work or thank you notes. Just. Shut. Up.

I'm getting cranky a little cranky. Latte anyone?"

Quoted from: http://www.momlogic.com/2009/01/coffee_high.php#ixzz0UKYn34NY

That last paragraph is the best... if you skimmed, go back and reread the last part, lol This made my day... I hope it made yours as well... Do me a favor? Try to enjoy the rest of your Sleepy Sunday... *Now that I took up all your time with this blog* But really... Appreciate the little things, at least try... Remind yourself that (like right now) dodging baseballs at the face can be fun while blogging... not just stressful... and like earlier... IzzaQ asking me if I wanted to see his Poopies! Thats not just stinky & gross... Its good! Cuz this time they were in the potty!! AND not hiding under my kitchen table! yay! See... theres always a positive spin... Just gotta look for it... Check there... buried under the laundry pile... No? There in the dirty dishes? Hmmm... it must be next to the trash still waiting to be taken out ;)

Favorites Friday: Black & White

mmmmm yummmm. black & white...
This takes forever to do but its my favorite part about blogging :)

*click to enlarge the photo*




#1 - The Eli Monster: Huge fan... I have her Nautical Star diaper... but this one TOTALLY needs to be added to the collection... cuz well, theres a skull and i love skulls ;)

#2 - Small Threads: Ya know those crappy generic skull suits you can get @ walmart around halloween time? Yeah... well... this is NOTHING like that... Its a 3 piece set.. and takes her over 10 hours!! "This fabulous costume was pieced together by hand with babies comfort in mind."

#3 - Platipuses:Theres no denying it... Plats is one sexy bi-atch... Shes got style... class... a hot a$$... haha her shop slogan is... "Curvy hoes ♥ killer clothes" I love it... almost as much as I love this fur lined hoodie... Keep Rockin girlie...

#4 - MTCoffinz: Too sexy! Too sexyyy!! Nothing like hot chicks, stripes, and tattered tutu's to start the day... MT is the QUEEN of tutu's and someday im totally gunna have one...

#5 - Kadashii88: OMG... back when I was cool i would have TOTALLY worn this... Im not anymore... hubby is lucky if I get dresses at all, lol But if I ever am cool again, and can spend my days lookin hot and sexy and NOT in pj's covered in oatmeal... i will TOTALLY be buying this cuff ;)

#6 - RockItDesigns: Thanks god im pretty........ need I say more? hahaha Awesome... witty... bitchy... damask... black & white... CHEAP... yeah... perfection

#7 - CreativeBridal: A girl after my heart... why didn't i see this when we got married!?! Serisously... Jack + Black and White Stripes = True love... Check out the matching garter too!

#8 - StellarCheri: Guitars... Skeletons... what more could a girl ask for? Seriously though... i LOVE this shop... you have to check it out... I would wear/use everything in it... the prices are TOTALLY affordable and the work look great... I have my eye on that Misfits bag too ;)

#9 - MEandREEKIE: Last but in NO WAY the least... I am Totally blown away. These shoes are AMAAAAZING!! This shop has been open a year and only 24 sales!! Lets help her out... EVERYONE needs to buy these shoes... Brooke, that means you too... they also come in pink ;)

Switchin things up... NEW GIVEAWAY! Rockin Green Soap!

As my son would say...
GEEZE LOUISE!!!
its busy around here...
And yes yes yes, Tuesday was supposed to be the new giveaway...
but alas, I failed...
but good news...
ITS GOING UP RIGHT NOW!!

This weeks giveaway is for all of you stinky, dirty punk rockers out there...
Be it stinky people with sensitive skin... hippies that are good to the earth...
or us cloth diapering mommies that are a little of all 3 rolled into one...
Rockin Green is just what you need.


Any of you that read my blog know a few key things about me...
#1. Im becoming like... 50% hippie...
just 50% because if I was 100% hippie, i think husband would file for divorce...
#2. Ive started cloth diapering...
#3. I love anything with a skull and crossbones on it.

And all of these things make me LOVE ROCKin Green Soaps...
Why else do I love them?
"Rockin’ Green is:

* Dye free
* Comes in several yummy scents (& an unscented version)
* No fillers
* No enzymes or optical brighteners
* 100% Phosphate free
* Vegan
* Great for sensitive skin
* Easy rinsing formula
* Approved for military use
* Works wonders on microfiber stink!
* Perfect for cloth diapers
* HE compatible
* Reusable packaging
* Great for all water types
* Economical at .13 cents a load!"

Now, I started using two different samples of detergents at the same time...
not the same load, duh... just trying out two different diaper soap brands...
the first one... whom i will not mention here :(
was SOOOOO overwhelmingly potent with smell hubby said he couldn't even breathe...
*dramatic, maybe... but it was pretty intense*
Not to mention... it was irritating Zaverys little... junk?
Then there was Rockin Green... sweet subtle scents...
A perfectly frothy sudz up in the wash...

And after a good cold pre-rinse & then wash with Rockin' Green...
The diapers came out fresh... and clean...
The second time around I used it as a pre-rinse first...
then a soak with a few scoops full...
and then the wash.
It worked GREAT! The diapers were SO clean...
and super super super absorbent from getting all the gunk out.
CHeck out this video for proof!

*this is NOT my video I borrowed it form YouTube*
Rockin Green is really the only Cloth Diapering detergent you will ever need.
Dont believe me? Ask my friend Brooke... she blogged about them too!
And guess what... you get to try it out for free!
Heck yes... I said ffffree!
Well, one of you anyways...
One lucky winner gets a Big 'Ol Bag of Detergent...
45 regular loads... 90 HE loads

Pick your strength... and your scent...
Choose from Soft Rock or Classic Rock...
and your favorite scent...
*I tried Buttercream & Monkey Snacks, yum!*

How do you win?
Duh, you know the drill... comment to win!
Tell us WHY YOU WANT IT & What scent you would pick.

Extra entries?? But of course :)
EACH ENTRY MUST BE LEFT IN A SEPARATE COMMENT TO COUNT!!!!!

#2) Follow us (blogger) - Leave a separate comment for being a follower on our blog.

#3) Follow/Tweet us (Twitter) - www.twitter.com/RockerByeBaby Leave a separate comment for being a follower and TWEETING about this giveaway on Twitter... If your already a twitter follower of ours, TWEET about it for an extra entry anyways :)Just be sure to leave us your Twitter name so we can check up!

#4) Write a blog about this giveaway and link back to this review. Leave an extra comment with the link to the blog.

#5) Buy something from ROCKin Green! Tell us what you got!

#6) Fan US on Facebook...

#7) Fan THEM on Facebook...

#8) FOLLOW THEM ON TWITTER!! @RockinGreenSoap

Alright... thats like... #8 entries possible... now get on it.
As always -
Thanks for reading and good luck!
Amber

Favorites Friday: Black & Red

Look @ me... Two weeks in a row!!
WOO HOO!


#1: Knittopotamus - Skelanimals... you need both. I bought one of each in black for my boys and they HAVE to have them to go to bed now... (see below )

#2: A custom RockerByeBaby dress... *insert shameless plug here* I love this dress... and I want a girl so I can have one, lol

#3: Custom Purse by Brooke Van Gory Designs I dont have this one exactly... but I am very lucky to be the owner of one of Brooke's rad bags...

#4: Just Like Dad black and red SKull Tie Father/Son set by RokGear... we didnt have these EXACT ties for the wedding... but close. and EVERYONE loved them... they were a HUGE hit.

#5: Skull & stars Longies from Wild Child for Babies... Id tell you to go buy them, but you cant... I just did while searching for new favorites, lol But check out her other stuff here. P.s. I am a HUGE wild Child fan for cloth diapers... I have 3 and they're my favorite.

#6: Christmas is coming... and if I didn't already have a stocked mantle of Nightmare before Christmas stockings... this skull one by PieDoughProductions would be there for SURE!

#7: omg, can i say LOVE!?!? cuz well... yeah... friggen love... i am going to HAVE to get this oven mit by Get Thready... not even a question.

#8: Always been a big fan of the competition... Born2BeeWild... theres no denying it... they rock... and this shirt is to die for...

#9: Easily... the cutest fabric pins in the world by CraftyCrafterson

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY = PREGNANCY MAGAZINE!

Click the photo to zoom up & Read it!

Our feature in Pregnancy Magazine!
Check it out!
And for the all minky bedding... click here!

Bonus Blog: Manic Organic

So I know its supposed to be my lazy day...
but i couldn't resist.
Yesterday Zaq & I went grocery shopping with the boys...
And i have made HUGE changes in the way that I shop...
Like I said - im trying to be more eco-friendly... and Green... and Crunchy....
and all of those kinda of things...
It started with little things I could do around the house... electricity... water...
and then diapering... Cloth @ home...
and the Green disposables diapers when were out or for nap & bedtime...
Then I started buying Organic as much as I can.

Well, for zaq its hard...
We have all been eating non-organic food forever and were still alive...
why stop now? And spend a ton of extra $ in the process?
...not really his thing, lol...
And alot of other people out there feel the same...
Im quoting an article I found here.
" Many people are aware that food grown according to organic principles is free from exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides, but that is only one small aspect of organic agriculture. A larger part of organic agriculture involves the health of the soil and the ecosystem in which crops and livestock are raised. Why should a consumer care about agricultural techniques if an organically cultivated green pepper looks identical to a conventionally grown pepper?
The answer is multi-faceted, but simply stated, an organically cultivated pepper will be healthier and more nutritious than a conventionally cultivated pepper. By growing in a living soil where microbiotic activity constantly breaks organic matter and solid minerals into nutrients a plant can use, an organically cultivated pepper plant always has exactly what it needs to grow, from germination to fruit set, and the plant will be healthier throughout its lifespan than a conventionally grown pepper plant."
Still not completely sold? Maybe some of you are... but probably not most...
The price chance in items can be pretty huge sometimes...
Conventional Grapes cost around $2 a pound... Organic grapes sometimes costing up to $5.
Bananas that usually cost .29 cents a pound... may cost .50 a pound...
Its not easy... but there are ways to make eating & shopping organic more affordable.
Here is what I have been doing so Zaq and I can meet in the middle...
We used to buy all "brand" food... supplies... etc.
The first and probably most financially changing thing we did was start shopping @ Costco.
I can buy a 3 pound container for Organic Mixed salad greens for $2.95-$3.95
One time we even got a 3 pound shell of Organic strawberries for $5!!
I once went into target to find Strawberries - my only option were non-organic...
1 lb. for $6 Thats insane!!
So yes, Costco... they also sell the Eco-diapers we like @ Costco.com 170 diapers for $40...
rather than 62 diapers for $20 @ Target...
Costco is great when you need to do the one BIG shop...
spend a couple/few/four hundred dollars and store up for the month...
the savings are HUGE.
Anyways... back to my real point... shopping organic.
In no way do I buy everything organic...
but for the kids I try pretty hard to make positive changes...
In my shopping cart:
Organic Mac & Cheese...
Organic Ravs
Organic Lettuce (Romaine Hearts)
Organic Grapes (my favorite... never want to eat regular ones again)
Organic Yogurt (YoBaby w/ DHA) <-- love this stuff...
Organic Waffles
Organic Oatmeal
Organic Carrots
Organic Celery
Organic Bananas
and a bunch of other random things...
I buy when things are on sale... and some things I just buy that I love...
YoBaby and Organic grapes will ALWAYS be in the cart/fridge...
Im just trying to do better things for them...
with maybe a small sacrifice of my favorite brand for myself...
while not spending any more of hubbies hard earned money than we usually do...

The reason Im posting today is I would LOVE to hear how you mommies do it...
How do you shop? Where do you shop? Do you buy organic?
Everything Organic? Some things Organic?
Where are best deals... Coupons?
and how can you help me take even bigger steps towards an organic lifestyle.

Note to Self Saturday: Cloth Diapering = Daddy FAIL

Note to Self: When daddy says... "fine... cloth diaper, but im not touching them"
he means it...


This man... this strong handsome man that I call my husband...
hard working... tough guy... rock star... are all words you could use to describe him...
oh and I forgot one more... pansy...
when it comes to cloth diapering he is a TOTAL pansy...
When he first found out that i wanted to try my hand at cloth diapering...
he was in NO way interested...
but why would he tell me no?
It saves him money on disposable diapers...
and I got all the cloth diapers from the giant giveaway i did.
I already had them to review... why not use them regularly.
It was a win-win...
Well, so I thought...
When he said, "fine... cloth diaper, but im not touching them"
He meant it...
The man has not changed ONE single cloth diaper.
Not even a pee diaper!!
IF Zave is wet and needs a change...
I get this..."TG the baby needs changed and he has one of those stupid diapers on" and he giggles...
awesome... so I stop what Im doing... change the diaper... smile... and carry on.
If its poopy... you'd think there was a comedian in the room the way he snickers at me...
GEESH! Its just a diaper!!!
Naturally, to avoid this i would just use regular diapers when he is home...
We use the eco friendly disposables @ nap & night... Not a big deal...

But to me it is... Im trying really hard to be eco-friendly...
and cloth diapering has become really important to me...
Im not giving up that easily.
Were sticking with it...
Well, I am at least... he wont be... lol
Its good for Zave... its good for the environment... and lets be honest...
his litty squishy butt is so dang cute!
I know there are more of you with husbands who hate the idea of cloth diapering...
I hear about it quite a bit...
Chime in! Id love to hear your stories...
Hopefully some of you have good news... like... eventually you convert them!?
Haha... yeah..... well, a girl can hope right?

To finish this post I had to dig up the awesome photo that we took for Barley & Birch

One of our most favorite Eco friendly shops out there...
Stay tuned for some secret plans in the works...
hmm... a collaboration of Barley&Birch with RockerByeBaby????
It just may be ;)

I feel like a failure...

Ya know - with all the hard work Ive been doing around here...
I really feel like a failure.
Ive been busting my bum in the store, like always...
Ive been trying to set aside extra special learning and play time with the boys...
We've been going on the occasional walk, bike ride... and or trip to the park...
Making sure the house is nice and clean every day when hubby comes home...
and been cooking yummy, well, usually yummy dinners...
but even after all that... something is dragging on me...
what is it you ask? This blog...
And Brooke... your BLOG has really been rubbing it in...
(Keep up the good work girlie, it rocks!)
I know I know... I have awesome reviews right?
Great prizes!? YAY!
But I always want more out of it...
every time I build myself up to REALLY start blogging again...
I end up letting myself down.
But i REALLLLLY wanna do it.
So Im gunna give it on last big push...
If you remember I had started little themes...
Tuesdays are gunna be the new Review/Giveaway days...
Wednesdays are the popular "Wordless Wednesday"...
Thursdays were "Thirsty Thursdays" where I share an awesome cocktail recipe!
Fridays were "Favorites Friday" where I do a pretty little collage of my favorite etsy items...
Saturdays were "Note to self Saturday" Where I share something dumb I did that week...
and sundays & Mondays ... well... those are just lazy days...
So here it is folks... Im back in the game...
PLEASE feel free to give me a nudge on twitter (@RockerByeBaby) Or facebook...
and remind me to blog... :)



FAVORITES FRIDAY:

#1: PinkyToast: Art + Dolls I LOVEEE this print. I designed an entire bathroom with this as my inspiration. Maybe I will post a photo for my Wordless Wednesday :)

#2: AkumuInk: I have been in LOVE with their shop since I found it... forever ago. i WILL be buying someday... A few... because its too hard to choose just one :)

#3: Its no secret that Im a HUGE Smarmy fan... and when you pair together Polka Dots & PInups... with some Smarmy sass... its always good stuff.

#4: A total FAVORITE of mine from Shrinkle... i LOVE this dress... Way too broke for it... but its so damn hot!

#5: Sweet Skull Necklace by Ticklebean... I need it... not want... NEED

#6: MrsTattooedGeek - Ive always been a big fan... and I TOTALLY wanna try out this Sugary Sweet Sugar Skull Candle

#7: Who can resist these Neon Brass Knuckles from GetYourButtons? I know I cant!

#8: Now this beauty by Artistamuerta needs to be hanging above my fireplace...

Last but not least...
#9:These to DIE for... Day of the Dead... Sugar Skull studs by Wicked Minky that my friend Beki showed me today :)

Thats all folks! Enjoy... and give their shops some "hearts" n lovin!