Warrior Queen

Warrior queen is a movement made up of girls who want to be themselves and are proud of it. We are strong individuals, filled with self-confidence and realize not only the potential they have, but the potential in every girl out there to overcome the harsh eye society has put on being a girl. We're over being told we have to look a certain way, act a certain way and do certain things to succeed in life.

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Workout Haters Anonymous [Guest Post From College With Love]

Today's meeting of Workout Haters Anonymous (WHA) is now in session. Our topic will be your favorite workout excuses. Who'd like to speak first?

Hi, my name's Raewyn and I hate working out.

This is the dialogue running through my head right now because all I can think of are excuses as to why I absolutely  cannot, for any reason work out. Let's face the reality - I'm bad at staying motivated and listening to my dialogue.

Don't get me wrong, I love the results. I love the accomplished feeling I have after working out, especially when I'm working out with a friend. In the past few months I've had a blast discovering better ways of continuing to work out (i.e. I'm more of a dance / yoga / fitness class person than the girl you'll find pounding the pavement. It just isn't my thing...maybe I don't get endorphins the way other people do. Here are my favorite workout excuses. 1. I'm making healthier decisions. That count's, right? 2. Wearing heels to work counts as calf exercises, right? 3. I'm serving tonight, so I will just run around the restaurant acting like we're really busy! 4. I have a really fast metabolism, so I can eat this 1,000 calorie burger. 5. It's easier to eat food at [Insert Fast Food Place]. 6. We went to Ohio State - We walk everywhere!  7. I forgot my fitbit, so I won't be tracking it anyway 8. Warrior Queens love themselves as they are 9. I didn't charge my mp3 player. 10. I don't work out. Aaaand now let's think about how silly all of those are!! I should be making healthier decisions and applauding myself for them, not using them as an excuse to be unhealthy...Okay...the heels one, I actually semi-believe to be true...When I serve and it's slow I definitely stand around on my phone instead of running around the restaurant...fast metabolism or not, that burger is not doing anything positive for me...It is easier to eat at fast food places, but I could get a salad...I don't walk everywhere anymore. I want to, but I do something else instead...I bet if I truly tried to work out I would feel those mothereffin endorphins and my body is reaping the benefits even if I don't see the numbers...loving myself as I am and wanting to make myself feel better go hand in hand, Warrior Queens...My mp3 player is my 2nd weakest excuse...and the weakest? The flat out refusal to work out.

Now that we cleared the air...today is a new day. Time to get crackin'! P.S. Did I happen to mention that one time when I had a 24 Hour Fitness pass my friend and I told this guy we couldn't go to the beach because we were working. The two of us decided to go to the gym and were happily ellyptical-ing until we saw him there (he was a personal trainer). We then hid behind the machines, laughing hysterically for 2 minutes before peacing out to get 99 cent cupcakes down the street. Total Gym Time: 10 minutes. Cupcakes: 1 Raewyn: 0 from Blogger http://ift.tt/1ODjeGi via IFTTT

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Bumpdate: 13 Weeks

We are in the second trimester!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This past week I had both my ultrasound (for screening) and my monthly check up. Iman got the day off work to go with me to the ultrasound. When we walked in the tech said it could go quickly or take awhile depending on our baby...who did not want to cooperate! 

That was okay with me, we ended up with so many pictures and getting to watch for a long time. The baby was wiggling and kicking and after awhile settled down and would just shake its leg...just like Iman does! (Do heridtary leg shakes happen that early? lol) 

Then at my doctor's appointment she said everything was going great and I got to listen to the heartbeat again!

Baby

How far along?

13 weeks!  Finally we're in the 2nd trimester!!

Gender?

Like 7 weeks until we find out! 

How big are they?

On Tuesday, the baby was averaging 2.3 inches, however the baby would not stop curling up and wiggling, so she had a hard time measuring the CTR.

Iman was taking pix of the tv screen

Changing Momma

Have you started to show yet?

Yes, although it is still a small bump. 

Weight gain?

On Tuesday I was 125 (still) and Wednesday 128, sooo I'm just going to say not much.

Maternity Clothes?

Yes! I started wearing my maternity pants to work and they are SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE

Stretch Marks?

Nope!

Belly Button In or Out?

Still normal!!

Please excuse the selfie stick, no one was home to take my picture!

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

I ate In N Out twice in one day...so I would consider that a craving now. 

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Cooking the other night made me nauseated, but I ended up just needing to burp REALLY loud. bahaha

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Happier this week, but still irritable.

Movement:

Not that I can feel, but dang was that baby moving in there on the ultrasound.

Sleep:

Iman is so sweet and switched sides of the bed with me and I have been sleeping much better!

What I Miss:

I miss staying up late with friends on the weekends. 

Other Symptoms:

None

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Getting to see the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat!!!!!!

Looking Forward To: 

Our next appointment (though no ultrasound) and showing more :)

Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Word of 2015

Last year I began with the goal of being more intentional, without actually saying it. In the moment I've always tried to be more aware of my time with others and truly enjoying my time with each person I am with. Of course, sometimes it gets difficult when emotions and technology get in the way.

Everyone's always called me "the queen of technology" and have often given me a hard time for spending so much time on technology. This past year, I opted for more days where I left my phone at home. 

With that in mind, I still spent my year overwhelmed and in survival mode. This year, I want to make a conscious effort to live with intention. 

I want my pregnancy and the first few months of my child's life intentional. I want my marriage to be intentional, with less pointless arguments. I want to evaluate and think, "What is my intent with this argument?" I want to be intentional in my jobs and career. I want to be intentional in following my dreams - that's why I signed up for the #fireworkpeople master class!! I want to be intentional in my relationships and friendships. 

I plan on checking in with my intentions weekly, although as it becomes more of a habit and everyday life, I want to restart my #DoGood52Ways challenges, though they won't be as fun without my partner in crime. Maybe you'll want to do this with me? Instead of posting on the blog each week, I will be posting on Instagram and sending a reminder email. If you would like to sign up to join me, go here! 

To begin my journey with intention, I am (once again) attempting to keep a clean house, purging and packing. I know that when I have a cleaner space I am less distracted (less irritable, which is difficult these days) and more productive. My time is important, by being intentional with cleaning, I am valuing my time.

What is your word of the year? Are you striving to be more intentional? I would love to hear about your journey :)

Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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2014: Overwhelmed

2014 has been a year. Not necessarily bad, but not entirely filled with greatest days ever. I wouldn't say any year is worse or better, but that it is a year. A year I am overwhelmingly grateful to have lived. That's the word I would use to sum up 2014: overwhelming. I was overwhelmed with:

2014 brought me my husband, tons of baby family members, our sweet pup, our own bun in the oven and so many new friends. I lost my grandfather and my beloved childhood dog Crash to heaven. I've lost some friends to drifting apart. I've learned a lot and got through apartment drama, friend drama and my mom's cancer diagnosis. Some days I blogged twice a day, every day a week and some days I couldn't bring myself to this piece of serenity. I planned amazing events, attended amazing events and made amazing colleagues. Stories have moved me to tears and some to laughter. My heart has soared and filled. I learned a lot about myself, what I consider to be "ok" in the world and things that bother me. I have eliminated clutter from my life - though that is still a work in progress. I have big plans for 2015. Last year's goals were quickly forgotten as the year progressed. They are still my goals, but they got pushed aside as I focused on more immediate things. Luckily, Iman and I are working on some things that should make our lives more efficient and fuller in 2015. I can't wait to real my word of 2015 :) Last year I picked a picture that I thought summed up each month. Here is 2014!

January:

Babies sum up my January 2014. I want to say within that month 4 babies were born into my life. I began the month co-hosting this adorable baby boy shower, which is actually my most pinned post ever. 

February:

My Februarys are always crazy, and this year was no exception. I absolutely adored this shirt we designed, and my blog post about Self-Love. I think I wrote the most posts I've ever written this month, including guest posts.

March:

March was my bachelorette and bridal shower and they were so, so amazing. This picture is with some of my girls. My amazing friend Britney (on the right) planned the entire shower herself. 

April:

Duh. April. Wedding. Emotions. So.Many. Emotions.

May:

This picture may have technically been the last week in April, but May was pretty lowkey. We packed up and moved. Our honeymoon in Holland was definitely the highlight. Oh and my tattoo...which...see below..

June:

June is always crazy and fun because it is our birthday month. I think this picture totally sums it up though because I am literally jumping for joy. Photo cred: Jess Angeles from Jess Loves This Life

July:

July was a lot of time in Vegas, a wedding and this baby shower!! I absolutely love throwing parties and baby showers, especially! 

August:

August brought our roommate and so many fun times. This is also the month that I went on anxiety medicine. My niece was born as well :)

September:

September began with the worst week of my life. The rest of the month wasn't horrible, but it definitely left a mark on me. 

October:

I love this picture! October was relaxing and I had a lot of fun getting pumpkins from a real farm. Then we painted them together. October is also when I got pregnant! (But I didn't know it)

November:

November we found out we were pregnant and desperately attempted to keep it a secret all month long. Thanksgiving we spilled the beans! Also, I slept most of this month. 

December I spent less time taking pictures and more time living life. We actually didn't take any pictures on Christmas besides my bumpie. Instead, we lived each moment, hopefully with intention. I've been able to finally see my friends that I haven't seen since summer. 

How was your year? Are you doing a year recap? I'd love to see your posts, share them below!

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Fresh Produce Delivered to my Door? I'm in!

I am absolutely horrible at eating my fruits and veggies. To be honest, I get most of my daily fruits from my trips to get a smoothie or acai bowl from Jamba Juice or Juice it Up! So when I remembered that my mom used to get Farm Fresh to You, I realized I should probably try it out.

Farm Fresh To You is made up of local farms in Northern and Southern California. They pack up various organic fruits and vegetables and deliver them directly to your house, apartment or, even, office building. Not only is Farm Fresh to You healthy, but it is fast and convenient. You will receive a box every week, on your doorstep between 8pm and 8am. The delivery window is at night, to ensure your box is delivered while you are home. If you're sleeping, it's much better to leave your box outside in a cool-er night than in the hot day. Signing up is easy, especially with the refer-a-friend program! If you follow this link, you can begin to fill out the form - which first verifies that you live in a delivery area. Don't forget to use my code: RAEW5859

I didn't know that you could choose different box types, and then customize your box a few days before it arrives. Because I am so bad at cooking regularly, I opted for the "No Cooking" box, which is full of ready to eat fruits and veggies, as well as a few veggies that cook up relatively quick. I was sort of skeptical about customizing my box, because I wanted to be surprised by it's contents, but I'm such a picky eater I knew I should customize it. That process was easy yet again. I checkmarked the items that I wanted and unchecked the items that I didn't want. You  can even add extra stuff to the package - like organic apple sauce or almond butter. I added both of those to my box, and anxiously awaited it's delivery. Of course, me being me, they ran into a problem delivering my box to me! My apartment office say they accept any packages for us, so I naively thought things would go smoothly. Because you need a key to our gate, I opted for them to drop off at the leasing office. My management told them they could not accept an open container of food. I understand why, but it was still super frustrating. Luckily, Farm Fresh To You was super quick, efficient and awesome about it. They sent me a couple of emails giving me a few options - including mailing them a copy of the key to the gate. I didn't want the food to get delivered and someone take it, so I opted to change the address to my mom's. Less than a week later, a new box arrived at my mom's house.

I forgot to customize that box, so I was indeed surprised by it's contents. Nevertheless, our tummies are very happy with the results. I did receive ONE item that I know I will never eat, but my dad was really excited to receive them along with his Christmas gifts. (Radishes, I've just never figured out how to like them).

Broccoli, my favorite

Radicchio and Lettuce

Carrots!!

Radishes

Naval oranges, apples, pears, kiwi and a lemon - for my lemon water!

As you can see my box was filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables. The boys and I are very excited to take these healthy snacks to work - especially with our roommate attempting to be vegan. Of course I can't get over how affordable it is for me to get local organic fruits and vegetables. We've tried going to the farmer's market, but I always end up spending way more on less food. My mom used to get the boxes a few years ago, and I was always excited to see the different things she would receive - like romanesco broccoli, which I had never tried but is absolutely delicious!! If you're looking for an easy, efficient and healthier way to get your fruits and veggies for you and your family, follow this link and use my code. RAEW5859 You can also click on the banner below. Did I mention you get $10 off your first order??

USE CODE: RAEW5859

function ourUrl(){var url=encodeURIComponent(document.URL);var one='http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/add_services?promocode=UkFFVzU4NTk=&source=';window.open(one+url,'');}

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Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Weekly Wishes #17

I have really been slacking on my goals and to-do lists. I have just been making goals and then forgetting they exist as I go through the motions of daily life. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm having fun - it isn't a horrible thing - just not very productive with my goals and ideas. I'm hoping to be better in the next year. I'm not going to berate myself for not sticking to my goals, but I am trying to find a way to be more accountable. When I was in high school I was so productive because I would take the sticky notes with lines on them and put them in my planner with my assignments. I can't even remember what my last weekly wishes were, but let's guarantee that I didn't get them all done. Life's just been crazy. I'm back to craving stability. But what I've learned since the last time I felt that way, is that I can actually create my own stability. I never realized that we could do that. #LifeLessons. So in creating my own stability - for myself and for my family - we  can thrive. I've lived more in surviving mode than thriving mode in recent years. Oh, it has been filled with the most wonderful moments, but as a whole, my mentality has been to survive.

So, to end 2014, here are my weekly wishes. 1// Clean out my car and pick up the apartment again. 2// Make real progress and launch the WordPress.  3// Finish our thank you cards. That's it. Simple things that are also incredibly complex, especially for me and my personality. I know that having a clean home and car will make my life easier and better. I know that having my WordPress, I will feel like I am working more toward my future. I love this blog, and this blog is not disappearing, but I have been wanting it to morph and haven't had the drive or energy and that has pushed me away from blogging. Also, those thank you cards...I mean...it's been almost a year...those need to be sent out!! What are your weekly goals? I'm linking up with Melyssa for Weekly Wishes! Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Bumpdate: Week 12

I'm not going to lie, when I was just a blogger (not a wife, or a mommy-to-be), I would get giddy about other's bumpdates. I always knew I wanted to post them, even though they really have little to do with my Warrior Queen blog. Well, actually, let me take that back. They have tons to do with it! I'm a woman (hear me roar) and this is how my pregnancy is going. This is who I am. This is me embracing my womanhood and all aspects of me. Duh, that's what being a Warrior Queen is all about. Alright, now that I cleared that up with myself, I am excited to post my first ever bumpdate. The baby ages a week every Thursday (does that mean I conceived on a Thursday??) so, Friday's are the perfect day. Plus I like to just mosey around on Fridays so less serious posts are wonderful.

In typical blogger fashion, I scoured the internet for some fun questions to answer and I found these at Always Katie (who is just a few weeks ahead of me!) Also, maybe I love bumpdates so much because I get to answer survey questions and anyone who was friends with me on MySpace and Facebook know I have a PROBLEM. Also, when my Xanga was up, that thing was covered in surveys..

Baby

How far along?

12 weeks!  It was a nice little Christmas present :)

Gender?

Our appointment is officially set for February 20.

How big are they?

According to my mom's phone (she has an app, how cute is that??) The baby is the size of a lime. All of my apps (obsessed, much?) say lime or "large" plum. Basically, 2.5 inches? 

Changing Momma

Have you started to show yet?

YES! Which actually sparked a lot of debate at all of my Christmas festivities on if there are two in there...I mean, twins run in BOTH of our families. Maybe that "yolk sac" in the ultrasound pic is a second baby? Which led Iman to panic that one baby is less developed than the other. I just laughed. One or two there's no changing what's going on in there! Also, maybe my belly is just big because I have no room for a growing uterus in my teeny body??

Weight gain?

So, this one always confuses me because I think I've gained 3 lbs since I found out I was pregnant, but I never used to weigh myself regularly. A few weeks ago I was 129, but last night I was back at 125 so I'm thinking the bloat was on? 

Maternity Clothes?

Yes! I got my first maternity bra and I love it (Iman says it looks like an old lady bra) and maternity work pants. I'm mostly living in maxis, yoga pants and leggings, but I did get a maternity Christmas dress that I wore yesterday that is BEAUTIFUL

Stretch Marks?

Nope!

Belly Button In or Out?

So this one makes me laugh. I have an outtie to begin with, though it has gotten much more inward as I've grown older. So it's in...or as in as it's ever been...but still kinda out.

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

I crave random things, randomly. In N Out is a weekly staple. I eat spicier food now, too.

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Don't hate me, but I have felt nauseous a total of ONE day of my pregnancy. It was last week and I think it's because I waited to eat and took my prenatals on an empty stomach. Besides that, I just feel blah after eating, and gag whenever I cough too much...that's awkward.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

I would like the happy hormones please! I keep getting REALLY mad, which I never get mad so that is fun. Definitely irritable. 

Movement:

Not that I know of! Though I have been feeling weird feeling things but everyone says I shouldn't feel the baby yet.

Sleep:

I am starting to feel less tired (surviving without naps!) but sleep still sucks. I am learning that it is much easier to fall asleep on the couch than in our bed. And if Iman gets into bed after me, it always wakes me up and then I can't get comfortable. 

What I Miss:

I miss trying different cheeses and DRINKING! Not like heavily drinking, but we always do some slight drinking at the holidays - er, by slight I mean we do a trivia game that involves shots...this year they did RUMCHATA and I had to sit and watch. Also, why is everyone drinking cider near me. BAN the cider. Luckily, Jimi keeps buying me Martinelli's. Such a sweet roommate.

Other Symptoms:

None! Whenever people ask how the baby is I always end up saying something like "doing it's thing." It's still hard to believe I'm pregnant since I don't have any symptoms.

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Getting to see all of the family I hadn't seen yet so they could love on the baby bump! 

Looking Forward To: 

Ultrasound on Tuesday, doc appointment on Wednesday  and picking a date f or my maternity boudoir photoshoot!! I met with my photographer friend today :) 

________________________________________________

I'd also like to introduce you to another sponsor of mine!! Sara owns and runs a beautiful shop called Maidens of the Pacific. 

She begin by learning screenprinting and was inspired by folk designs and mermaids. Her designs are her interpretation of Pacific folk art. For now, she sells online, but Sara dreams of turning Maidens of the Pacific into a commercial shop and local cooperative.

Of course, I'm always interested in what motivates people to create, so I asked Sara where she gets it all from. She says that the ocean inspires her everyday. 

While she mostly screenprints shirts, Sara also loves to paint and work with fibers and wood. 

I can't get over her gorgeous designs (which you may have seen me sharing on FB and Twitter this past month!) Here are some amazing pictures: 

Check out Sara's website // instagram // pinterest

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Bumpies, Life, Giveaways and Sponsors

Somehow two weeks has slipped away from me, again. They seem to be spent in a blur of work, sleeping, and nagging things that happen just to attempt to stress me out during the holidays / my pregnancy. I hope I'm learning how to deal with it well!!  I am officially on winter break, so the posts are going to pick up, and I have plans to launch the Wordpress switch at the beginning of the new year!! #Icandothis. Not only is it about to be the holidays and I have teaching off (and just the restaurant job) but I'm almost into my second trimester and I have been told my energy will return. OH YEAH!  Just in case though, I plan on blogging a ton during the holidays and build up some backup posts, something I've always been bad at...ah well.  So here's a little life update: 1. I'm almost done with holiday shopping, but not holiday baking! 2. Our apartment is actually clean, and I got an awesome discount on a cleaning service. 3. We went to a wedding last week and Iman got me the most scandalous dress...that was 3 sizes larger than I've worn in the past. #bodylove 4. Bella's been going to training classes and is making tons of progress.  5. and the biggest news of all...my mom's tests all came back clear of cancer!! She had her last chemo session and starts radiation in January (as a precaution). But as of now, she is clear, clear, clear!!!! Thank you for all of the support for my mom during  this hard time! Your warm wishes, cards, and gifts have really helped us to stay positive during this rough time!!  I'm planning to do bumpdates on Fridays, now that I'm about 3 months in. So, here's the first one! 

I'm sort of jam-packing this post with things that are all over the place, but....sometimes it has to happen.  I agreed to another giveaway with Elora from Transcendence Designs before I knew I would be exhausted and pregnant. :P She has been an awesome partner throughout the months, so be sure to check out my review of her gorgeous jewelry.  Like a ton of people, I'm a big lover of Starbucks and we thought it'd be a wonderful gift to give away a $25 Starbucks Christmas Giftcard. And you can do plenty with $25. ;)

  The giveaway is hosted by The Grand Adventures of Me, Be a Warrior Queen, Cassandra M's Place, Jen's Blog of Random Thoughts, A Gayle Force, My So-Called Chaos, and Sky Envy! They're great blogs to follow, covering a variety of things like other giveaways, product reviews, fashion, and travel. Great fun! 

  The giveaway is very simple. Just follow through the simple entries, and you get more chances in the drawing! It is appreciated if you comment and let us know you're following, etc.! We're thrilled to see you here! 

  So without more ado, let jump into the party! Everyone enjoy! The giveaway ends December 24th, at 12:00 a.m.

  Enjoy yourselves!

a Rafflecopter giveaway ___________________________________________ I'd like to introduce you guys to one of my awesome sponsors this month! Tiffany is from The Mommy Glow, and I must admit, her sponsorship couldn't come at a better time for me! I love reading all about her mom posts - when in the past I was not as into mommy blogs because I didn't have a kid!

Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Bloglovin' // Google+ // Pinterest

Tiffany began blogging like a lot of mom bloggers - to document her daughter's life. Of course, like all of us she was immediately addicted as she watched her blog grow. The Mommy Glow is filled with life moments, tips and tricks, and things that they love. Not only does Tiffany have her blog with tips and tricks, but she also has an amazing app called A Mommy App! "I am absolutely passionate about providing content that is useful and helpful to other moms. Because, let's be honest, motherhood can be hard. Sometimes you just need to know the easiest way to get something done or you need inspiration to know that someone has been there and done it before you. Whatever that may be (pregnancy, potty training, breast feeding, party planning , gift ideas ,meal inspiration etc.)" In addition to blogging, Tiffany likes to craft and read in her spare time. Which led me to my next question...how in the world does she balance it all? "It isn't easy. My husband and kids are my main priority so I try to do my extra stuff when they are napping (or working for my husband) or after they go to bed. I sometimes have to lose sleep to get it all done but I don't mind. I like to take some days and weekends from everything media related when I get to feeling overwhelmed or close to burnout."

And of course, to get to know her a little more, here are some random facts. 

"3 random facts about me that make people go "huh"?" . 1.) My sister and I married brothers and had babies weeks apart...twice. Our kids are double first cousins. 2.) I graduated from nursing school with both my husband and my Dad (he was 57!) 3.) I have 2 sets of twin nephews! 8 nephews in all!!"

So if you sound like Tiffany would be a great friend (and a great read) like I do, here are my favorite recent posts:

Essentials for Breastfeeding

Positive Body Image or Lack Thereof

Why Not Giving Your Kids Everything Is a Good Idea

And her totally awesome holiday posts, in case you're in a crunch!

The Ultimate Gift Guide Resource

5 Christmas Items Kids Can Interact With And Mommy Won't Stress Over

Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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The Ultimate Holiday Giveaway

I'm in the process of writing this totally awesome blog post about body image and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, but life and pregnancy exhaustion got the best of me once again. I was supposed to post it this morning...and now it's 10 PM Cali time. But I didn't want you to miss out on this totally awesome giveaway I'm a part of, so here I am just stopping by with some goodies.

Your Hosts (Left to Right, Top to Bottom)

Aimee | Britt | Cheryn | Asharae | The Calligraphy Kitten | Lauren | Copycat Crafts |

Raewyn | Stephanie | (not pictured the 900 mile blog)

Up for grabs we have: -  Some extra shopping cash in the form of a $25 gift card to either Amazon or Etsy (Winner's Choice). Provided by Britt of The Pinnacle Project. -  Gorgeous custom hand-lettered holiday print from The Calligraphy Kitten. Be sure to check out her other work too! Provided by local Phoenix artist, Olivia. -  A darling journal set to record all your wishes, hopes, and dreams for 2015. Provided by Lauren of My Passion Journey. -  More shopping cash in the form of an Amazon or Paypal gift card (again, Winner's Choice). Provided by Copycat Crafts. - Stunning Fine Art Print by the amazing and talented husband-wife photography team Grain&Compass. Provided by Asharae of This Wild Season. -  Say hello to glowy skin with SeaSource Detox Spa Foaming Sea Salt Scrub from Arbonne. Provided by Cheryn of Ruby Square. -  Take your writing skills for a spin with an opportunity to Guest Post for a super inspirational blog. Provided by Raewyn of Be a Warrior Queen. -  Promote yourself with free ad space with two of the most lovely bloggers in all the land! Provided by Aimee of This Darling Day and Stephanie of Stephy Shoots. - Deck the halls with your choice of photo print from the newest (greatest) photographer collaboration team around. Provided by 900 miles blog. a Rafflecopter giveaway Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

from Blogger http://ift.tt/168RENY via IFTTT

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Weekly Wishes #16

Last week I had every intention of coming by my blog every day. Every. Intention.

Technically, baby's first picture with Santa!

If you follow my Instagram, you'll notice that I had one of those "home disasters" that plague us all. Last week, Southern California got more rain in two days than it had all year. Of course, this would be the time that a major pipe would burst in my kitchen. Luckily, it was our roommate's day off, and he noticed the flooding. I shudder to think how bad it would have been if no one had been home, and Bella had been in her crate getting flooded on. Poor puppy :(

Wednesday became a whirlwind of moving animals around, arguing with the apartment and getting a hotel. Thursday almost followed in a similar suit, except I was allowed back in our apartment and we didn't have to move any animals. On Friday, I had to move Bella from my mom's house to my dad's apartment, because the 3 dogs were exhausting my mom who had chemo on Weds. Bella decided she didn't like my dad and tried to eat him, so later that night we had to bring her back to my mom's. On Saturday, we weren't allowed in our apartment for them to dehumidify it. Now it's Monday and they still aren't here repairing the hole in our floor... Besides that, my weekend looked like: working at the restaurant, Brunch with Santa, a lovely blogdate at Creamistry in Irvine and some QT with Iman.

Hello chocolate hazelnut ice cream with cookie dough in a brownie bowl made before my eyes

Last week's goals: 1// Clean my apartment and bedroom so we can get a Christmas tree. Super grateful to our apartment complex for fixing our flooded apartment in a timely manner *sarcasm* I'm still waiting for them to come fix it...with all of my stuff shoved around out of the way of the burst pipe.  2// Get said Christmas tree and decorations. I'm going to again blame my apartment on this one! With my apartment a wreck, I am not bringing in a tree! 3// Get through my days without being totally exhausted!!  Yes! I didn't take a nap all week - and not because I didn't have time, I didn't feel the need for one!! My wishes for this week: 1// Tie up some loose ends. I have some "housekeeping" things to figure out like insurance, lab tests,  some things to mail, lessons to learn to teach my students, and studying for my server training. 2// Memorize the dishes at my restaurant. I start server training on Friday! 3// Clean my apartment?  4// Decorate??  5// Have a talk with my apartment's property managers. I've been documenting everything (including hour/minute phone calls) and I am going to take it to the property managers to show how poorly this situation was handled. 6// Purchase things at the dollar tree to craft into gifts! How was your weekend? What are your goals for this week? Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Love, Marriage and then the...BABY CARRIAGE?

So, this makes for the official, official announcement post. I've been alluding to it in the past few posts but here you go...

Please ignore my bad posture, this was before going to bed last night and I was tired and yeah...who am I kidding, I suck at holding my neck where it's supposed to be. My chiro hates it. Anyway, I'm 8.5 weeks and I'm pretty sure my belly is pretty big...after eating all day and stuff. The week before Halloween I had an inkling that something was different, but I thought maybe it was because Aunt Flo was coming to visit. But she was late...by a week. We were planning on drinking and I've always been paranoid about having a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome so I took a test. Well, more specifically, I peed at work, bought a test and attempted to pee when I got home but was all peed out. (I've decided that's a real term). So then I chugged a ton of water. Peed on a stick aaaand...it said YES! I actually got the ones that said yes because I wasn't messing around (as opposed to my many, many dollar store prego tests in the past when I was on birth control and being paranoid). So I took another! And there we were with two +Yes tests in front of us...right as our friend came over! That night we attempted to hide it but it didn't go over all that well. Our roommate had recently bought me a full pack of cider and kept asking why I was only drinking orange juice. Iman was bursting and I just knew he was going to spill the beans so we texted our parents at 2am. We aren't the people who really wait to tell secrets. We're really big blabbermouths, so people slowly began to find out. Our roommate and our part-time roommate (aka my best friend who stays over every week) found out with cards. Our best man and his wife found out when Iman's dad was on the phone with her and said "I'll probably come down to see you when the baby comes!" Most people we tried to wait until we knew how far along I actually was. Let me tell you... I wasn't sure if I should go by my last period or if it was longer because I'm crazy! So they did a bunch of blood tests and I waited a week and a half to find out that they could do an ultrasound. Which was another week later! #thesuspensewaskillingme Seriously, I knew nothing about getting pregnant before I got pregnant, including any terminology and what my hormones levels meant. So much research!

In the picture she printed, our baby looks like a venus fly trap, so I much prefer this one. Though I think that is the yolk sac and the baby.

As soon as we saw that little baby at the ultrasound...oh my gatos!! What a crazy little thing! It's just chillin in there all tiny with a huge uterus all around it!! Then the tech played the heartbeat and I'm pretty sure Iman and I cried. I know I teared up...he probably won't admit it but he wouldn't stop talking about it after. We went out and bought a baby Eagles jersey because #duh and paid extra to make sure we'd get it by Thanksgiving, which luckily we did! Last Wednesday, I took it to my dad's side of the family and told all of them. Then on Thanksgiving we told the rest of Iman's family - which was really entertaining. We sort of suck at being the centers of attention - unless we're being crazy - so we were awkward and people didn't get it at first. Then his aunt asked to take our picture...

Which she promptly posted on Facebook, not realizing we hadn't announced it yet. About five minutes later she came up to us and said "Oops, I posted it on Facebook..." I think it's absolutely adorable that she was so excited and we couldn't be mad. We're still planning on taking some jersey pix with our little venus fly trap's jersey in a few weeks. But there you have it. I'm due July 9, so we'll have a nice middle of summer baby which works out with my work schedule and maternity leave. Ahhhh!! Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Weekly Wishes #15 + Habit Talk

Well, now that I'm back in action. It seems that my last Weekly Wishes was also my last habit post. Once again I'm counting November as a failure. But, today is December, which means it is a new month, and a new chance to make habits and wishes realities.

Oh also, today is Rabbit. I know I probably haven't explained Rabbit before, and it will probably not make much sense, but we'll give it a shot. When my brother was in 1st grade, his teacher would have a competition every month. On the first of the month, the first student to remember to say "Rabbit" to her would get a prize. Somehow, that bled into our family life and into the lives of friends. We don't have a prize, just bragging rights, but it becomes a vicious competition between us all. My brother has sense stepped out of the game (since he likes to sleep and always lost). So, now that you have a weird little tidbit into my life, here are my habits from the past two months:

Two months ago for the Make a Habit, Break a Habit I wanted to attempt no poo, wash my face daily, and wear lipstick more often.  I succeeded in all of it, but then failed at face washing and lipstick wearing in November. I was sick or tired too often to keep it up. I stuck with no poo all through November, however I noticed some crazy issues that have caused me to switch back to shampoo, though it is organic and close to chemical free. My pregnancy hormones have wrecked havoc on my hair going from too dry to greasy depending on where I was at in my no poo schedule. I'm too exhausted to figure it out, so I will just try again after I have my baby! Last month, I wanted to focus on breaking the habit of leaving a mess. I failed at that one miserably. Hello exhaustion! I'm hoping to work on it again soon in the coming months. I also wanted to make the habit of taking my vitamins daily! I succeeded! This is probably because I have to take them for the baby!! This month, I want to focus on something small - since I'm sleeping a ton I don't want to go all crazy. So I will keep attempting to clean things up, but my habit to make is a bedtime routine! I want to have a bedtime routine that includes QT with Iman as we're getting into bed. Sometimes we fail at going to bed together, but I think we could work something out, so that we have some time together before bed. My wishes for this week: 1// Clean my apartment and bedroom so we can get a Christmas tree. 2// Get said Christmas tree and decorations. 3// Get through my days without being totally exhausted!! What are your goals?

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Showing Gratitude: TWLOHA

I hope everyone in the states had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! We had a busy and awesome one...you'll probably be hearing more about that on Monday. Or perhaps you've already seen the news on Instagram. oops! :) I am already overwhelmed by the response of our friends and family. As you probably know, I try to practice gratitude on a daily basis, not just on Thanksgiving. I know many of us are like that, but sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day and our gratitude can slip. Not only that, but other things can slip. Getting caught up in the day-to-day and the things that bring us down can lead to anxiety, depression and more. I know I talk about my anxiety disorder often, but I am truly grateful for all of those people and organizations that have helped me to cope with my anxiety. I have also mentioned To Write Love on Her Arms on my blog many times before, but today I wanted to express my pure gratitude for this organization. I've never suffered from depression, suicidal thoughts or drugs; but many close to me have.

 I remember the first time I found out a friend of mine was self-harming. All I wanted to do was help her, but I had no idea how to do more than offer my love and support. Then I was introduced to TWLOHA. TWLOHA began in 2006 with a story. You can read that story here. The slogan To Write Love on Her Arms went viral through the rock music community. I think the first time I saw it was on the lead singer of Switchfoot in a concert photo. Then, when I went to Warped Tour, I learned more about it. TWLOHA always has a tent at Warped Tour, and I've been lucky enough to do an interview for Hollywood Music Magazine in the past.

One of my favorite parts about TWLOHA is that it isn't a non-profit that only goes in one direction or for one cause. TWLOHA mainly focuses on bridging the gap between treatment facilities and individuals who need it. To me, the fact that TWLOHA is prominent in a community that sorely needs it (and for the most part has been seen as outcasts) means the most to me. Every year, they do TWLOHA days, where people have written "Love" to show those suffering from addiction, depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts that we are there for them.

Yay old cell phone photo!

In the past, I have also done a fundraiser at Lazy Dog and dreamed of being a TWLOHA intern. (which only fell through because I would miss my graduating semester's finals and be unable to graduate).

This picture is from my TWLOHA fundraiser. Ironically, it is my only picture, and it was overtaken by cats thanks to my friend's love of cat bombing photos. Also, yes, I realize that I am kissing my table. I am weird. 

I am beyond excited for the movie that is coming out in 2015. It further tells the story of Renee, which is something that has always spoken to me. As I've mentioned, I have not used the services of TWLOHA, but I believe that doing what I can for TWLOHA is a big part of the WQ movement for me. It doesn't necessarily mean it is for everyone, but it is important to me.

"I cannot be replaced because no one has my thoughts ,my love, or my ways to change the world." - Raewyn

If you'd like to join TWLOHA and do what you can - check out their street team! Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Sponsor Spotlight: Hello Neverland

Today I want to introduce you to Kenzie from Hello Neverland. She's such an inspirational blogger; I'm sorry I've kept her to myself until now! She is creative and positive. Kenzie's posts fall on a broad spectrum - blog tips, The Writer's Guide, living intentionally, DIY...you name it, she's got something that is going to inspire you!

R: What motivates you? 

K: I love seeing what other people can create when they have support and resources--people do amazing things under the right circumstances! I strive to be that source of information and encouragement as much as possible, because the world needs more awesomeness. You never know who you'll influence just by being kind and helpful. 

R: What made you start Hello Neverland?

K: Honestly? Boredom. :) Way back when, it was just something to do. But it's grown and evolved into something I love (and hope others do, too!). 

R: Where do you think Hello Neverland going in the future? 

K: I've got big plans for a few ebooks, expanded service lines, etc. But it'll go where it goes. I do my best to drive the boat in the right direction, but sometimes you have to go with the flow, too. 

R: What is your biggest accomplishment? 

K: Surviving the first four months of motherhood. That shizz is hard.

R: What is your biggest goal?

K: Eventually I'd like to work for myself. It's a long way off still, but it's what I think about every time I sit down to write. The independent makers, writers, and coaches out there are the people I admire most. It's a new world out there, where nontraditional self-employment is a much more viable possibility for many more people. That's exciting! Kenzie's popular and recent posts:  The Recipe for Outstanding Creative Productivity Intentional Check-In: November The Writer's Guide

Follow Kenzie: Blog // Bloglovin' // Facebook // Twitter //

Instagram // Pinterest // Google+ // Etsy

What are you waiting for? Go check her out! Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Life Lately + A Giveaway

I know technically, I don't owe anyone an explanation for my absence, since this is my own slice of the internet, but I don't want anyone worrying about me. I'm okay! I'm great actually!! 

You know when you get sick and get behind on everything and then you're trying to just tread water and not drown in chores? Yeah, that's been my life for the past month. I got sick around Halloween and can't quite beat it. 

This time of year California hates me. The Santa Ana's start blowing and my sinuses get all crazy. Then I get a cough and all I can hope is that this year I'm not down for the count until February like I was last year. That is brutal!!

So with my sickness, increased work hours (over 40) I pretty much come home from work and sleep. I did laundry for the first time in a month. That was awesome! With the holidays coming up, I will be having more time off work (like this whole week) so hopefully I can schedule a bunch of posts and get back into the swing of things. 

What have you all been up to? I'd love to hear about it in the comments (or on Twitter!) I still have all of my ideas from before planned (and now a bunch more.,..the ideas, they never stop!) 

I've also been mustering up some time to work on the WordPress. I'm hoping to transfer over in the beginning of the year and launching a whole bunch of stuff. Can you say rebranding??

Here are some cool pictures from my life lately: 

There's been a lot of In N Out eating...

  Bella's had some fun adventures and playdates. Today she has her first puppy training class!

My nap buddies!!

Told you I've been doing a ton of awesome stuff... #boringlife

Actually, things should be picking up shortly! So many awesome ideas swirling in my mind :)

To show my appreciation for you guys, here's an awesome giveaway I'm a part of with Transcendence Designs, an Etsy Shop! Isn't the jewelry gorgeous? If the name sounds familiar, that's because I reviewed a pair of amazing copper earrings from Transcendence Designs back in September! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway   Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Why You Should Care About Voting

Has anyone been thinking about the election this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the results, turnout, etc. No, this post is not about my political beliefs - though if you know me, you know they are pretty strong. Instead, I prefer to talk about why I think it is important to vote - and how I think we totally and utterly blew it this election.

I've always been one of those people who absolutely embraces the rights she's been given. I try my best to be aware of rights and of the rights that I believe in that are being denied. I've always tried my best to be aware and to stay involved. In high school, I used to register people to vote. I couldn't even vote yet, but I wanted to make sure other people were voting. In the 2008 presidential elections - my first election - I manned a booth on the Ohio State Campus registering voters. These things matter. Many people have many opinions - including the opinions that our vote's don't actually count. Yes, voting is complicated. We don't technically get to choose where our electoral votes go - directly - and we do have input in popular. However, we do get to pick the people who make those electoral decisions for us. Hence why midterm elections can be so important. Not only that, I think that voting for the props and measures are so important because those are going to affect your daily life. It might be difficult for you to wrap your head around foreign policy and world politics. Luckily, we can appoint people to deal with that for us. If anything, though, you should be voting for your props and measures. I can't say it enough. It's your chance to speak up about your community, your state and your life.

I'm not sure if I am so political because of my lifetime as a feminist, or if it is because of the friends I hung out with in high school. But I am grateful for the education that it has given me. Thousands of people fought the constitution for me to be able to vote  - a non-white (because I'm not fully white), woman who does not own property. Don't you see how far our country has gone...because people have voted!! I must admit, this election year I was not as prepared. I left a lot of spots empty on the ballot - yet another right that I have. I was sick before the election, so I only had time to research our props and measures, not the people. I don't like to vote solely based on the political party I am the closest to, because there may be someone who will let me down. I prefer to look at their campaign, history, etc. Speaking of campaigns, they are getting out of control. No wonder voter turnout was down this year - it is extremely difficult to shift through all of the B.S. that is put out there in the world. I don't blame you for feeling overwhelmed. Generally, I try to do a non-biased breakdown on my blog, and hope to do that for you in the next two years. I don't care which way you vote, just please...rock the vote!! Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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Anastasia Amour + #ProjectPositive

I have not been on top of my A game since this school year started and that is seriously starting to bug me!! I hate leaving days without posts and days without time to read other blogs. It makes me the saddest. What makes up for that, is keeping up with Anastasia Amour! Anastasia's been on my sidebar all month, and I must admit, I let out a girlish squeal when I saw that she wanted an ad on my page. Excuse my blog crush, but I can't help but gush about her. First of all, she's a warrior queen through and through. Anastasia's blog is all about loving yourself! I mean, hello, that's part of being a Warrior Queen!!

What first caught my eye about Anastasia is #ProjectPositive. She's actually about to jump-start round 2 at the beginning of next year (seriously, it's closer than you think) and I can't wait to jump on board. If you want more details you can go here. You might be wondering how Anastasia started her blog. Like most of us, it came out of a love for writing - and a desire to have her own slice of the internet. "I've always been a writer, and starting a blog was something that I had on the backburner for a verrrrrry long time (5 years - yep, that's some serious procrastination!). During that time, I experimented with other platforms such as Tumblr and Blogger, but never really found the platform for me. I had all these thoughts swimming around in my head but they weren't clearly defined and I knew that I wanted to have a defined pathway for myself before I started. So when I finally gathered my thoughts and worked out how to carve my niche, I started - and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made!" Just like me, it took her awhile to figure out where she wanted to go with her blog. I feel as though we're soul sisters or something! Maybe we'll have to do something collaborative in the future ;) Not only does Anastasia have #ProjectPositive but all of her blog posts kick you in the teeth with passion. Seriously, this type of passion can't be faked!! Here are her most recent posts...not even her "top" posts, just the most recent to give you an idea of how motivating this girl can be. Seriously, she should be my best friend andItotallyrealizeImgushingbutIdontcare. What happens when friends and family are unsupportive? How we police girls' bodies and why it's a problem Why we need to stop trading authenticity for approval                      Have you checked out Anastasia's blog yet? Seriously, get your booty over there. There are afterall...big things in her future. Don't believe me. Here are her words: "The future of AnastasiaAmour.com is HUGE! I don't want to spill the beans right now, but there are some pretty major things coming up that I can't wait to show you all! You'll just have to wait and see ;)"

Blog // Bloglovin' // Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // #ProjectPositive // Etsy Check out one of our featured Warrior Queens:

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