All the Joys Blog

Liebster Award

April 9, 2014 | 2 Comments

Picture this – last night, about to fall asleep, I am going through emails. I see an email from Anne that she nominated me for the Liebster Award. And then this morning I see an email from Beverly saying that she nominated me for the Liebster Award as well. The what??!! After reading their posts, I learned that this award is given to new bloggers, nominated by bloggers. What a great idea – every blog was once small, and this is a great way to show other bloggers that you appreciate and are interested in what they have to say.

The rules – share 11 facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions from the blogger that nominated you, and nominate 11 bloggers. Easy peasy!

11 Facts About Me

1. I have studied abroad twice – once in Japan during high school, and once in London during college. Japan really opened my eyes to the world, London was really fun (cider at each meal? Ok!) I wish I could still speak Japanese as well as I did then. (it was my major for a few years too!)

2. I have lived in Minnesota and Illinois, but my heart will always be in Iowa. If I could figure out a way to convince my husband to move back, I’d be there already. I’m a Midwest girl and Hawkeye for life!

3. I hate coffee, including the smell.

4. I have an overwhelming sense of needing to help every animal I see. Can’t go in to shelters, can’t watch the commercials, help me if I see a stray. I try to help when I can through donations to our local shelter, but it kills me that its “not enough”.

5. For six months during our first year of marriage, the hubby and I lived apart. I got a job in Chicago quicker than expected, he stayed in Minnesota until his company closed. Probably the worst six months ever.

6. I have two sisters – one older and one younger. My younger sister is technically my “step” sister, but I feel like she’s been there my whole life.

7. I know that my dog, Charlie, understands me better than some people. His cuddles can cheer me up in an instant.

8. Becoming a mother is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. Most days it is challenging, but when E hugs me after a long day and says “I just love you, mama”, it makes it all worth it.

9. I have never broken a bone.

10. I used to sew my own Barbie clothes in elementary school.

11. It’s amazing that I write all day at work, then choose to write more for my blog. I’ve always loved writing.

Here are Anne’s questions for me: (I went with Anne’s questions because she sent them first!)

1. Why did you start blogging? I have always read blogs. Mom blogs, style blogs, celeb blogs. I always wanted to share what was on my mind too. I saw a post by Beverly about starting a blog, and thought to just go for it. So glad I did!

2. If you could have coffee with any blogger, who would it be? Probably Shannon from Life after I Dew. I feel like we have a lot in common, and I love her sense of humor.

3. What’s your favorite season and why? Summer, hands down. Pools, sunshine, late nights on the patio with a cold beer, it can’t be beat.

4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Hopefully still in Chicago, maybe a new neighborhood in a house with more room. Maybe with a few more puppies

5. What’s the best vacation you ever went on? Tough one. If studying abroad doesn’t count, I’ll go with St. Thomas two years ago. It was our first trip without the kids and we went with our best couple friend. A week of the beach, drinks, a private boat for one day – pure bliss.

6. You have a free night. Do you go out or stay in? Depends on the night. If the girls are with their grandparents overnight, we’ll go out (so we don’t have to wake up in the morning!). I do love lounging at home watching movies with the hubby as well.

7. What was the last book you read? So sad I don’t even know! I think it was Harry Potter?

8. What’s the first piece of advice you would give to a new blogger? Just go for it! Reach out to bloggers that inspire you and soak it all in. Write what you want, not what you think others want. Be yourself.

9. Cat or dog? I think we’ve established that the answer is dog!

10. What’s your favorite food? Tough one. Mexican or pizza.

11. What is your best childhood memory? Luckily, I have a lot. I was blessed with a happy childhood. One thing I will always remember is the summer we got a Nintendo. My older sister and I would race downstairs in the morning because the first person there could be Mario. We’d play for about an hour, then disappear for the day playing in the neighborhood. We’d come home for change for the ice cream truck, eat dinner, go to bed and do the same thing the next day. Ahhh to be young and carefree again!

11 Questions for my Nominees:
1. What is your favorite color?
2. What’s the last thing you do before falling asleep?
3. What is your dream vacation?
4. Do you ever wish you had a different name? What is it and why?
5. What is your biggest fear?
6. What are you most grateful for?
7. If you could redo one day in your life, which day would it be?
8. What is the hardest part about blogging?
9. What is your favorite tv show?
10. Word Association – what comes to mind with the word “comfort”?
11. What is your life-long dream?

And my nominees are….

Anne at Love the Here and Now (Thanks for the nomination!)

Beverly at Halfway to Fearless (Thanks for the nomination!)

Ashlen at A Diamond with Sapphires

Laura at Mice in the Kitchen

Jenny at Dancin’ with a Dolly

Lisa at Girl Meets Box

Ashley at Afternoon Espresso

Shannon at Life After I Dew

Jenny at Love My Randomness

Kate at Life as a Stay at Home Wife

(Jaimen – this spot is reserved for you – start that blog already!!)

A BIG Thank You to Anne and Beverly for the nominations! Be sure to check out these blogs as well!

Wine Country Weekend

April 8, 2014 | 2 Comments

Oh, you thought I meant California? I wish – that one is still on my bucket list. This weekend my husband and I went away with four other couples to New Buffalo, in southern Michigan. It’s about an hour away from Chicago, far enough but also close enough in case we needed to come back for some reason. It was our first weekend away since A was born – nine months ago – and much needed. Saturday we hired a driver to take us to four wineries and a brewery. I had fun at each, but one winery stands out as the winner of the weekend – Gravity.

The location itself was beautiful – on a hill, nice views, quiet. For once the weather in the Midwest cooperated and we hit 50 degrees and a full day of sun! We were greeted by Ollie, the “winery dog”, so of course I instantly fell in love and began thinking of ways to take him on the bus home with us. (Don’t worry – he stayed at Gravity.)

Their tasting set up was great. For $10, we each chose four wines to try that came with a pairing – either cheese or chocolate. Honestly, I would have paid the $10 just the cheese or chocolate, but the wine was an added bonus. I ended up buying a bottle of Ollie’s White (and no, not just because it was named after my newest puppy love). I’m no wine expert by any means, I just know what I like, and this was fruity and crisp and just perfect for a summer day.

The hubby and I

Ollie!!

We had a great weekend pretending we were in college again, and will probably be paying for that all week, but it was worth it! I’m always looking for places to go for quick weekends – what are your favorite spots in the Midwest?

#Loveyourflaws

April 3, 2014 | 1 Comment

We’ve all been there. You look in the mirror and see things about yourself that you don’t like, almost immediately. If you haven’t, I am seriously jealous and proud of you at the same time. It’s easy to see our “flaws”, or what society tells us are flaws. Skin, hair, body shape, the list goes on and on and on.

Recently, Lorde posted on her Twitter this picture, with the caption “I find this curious – two photos from today, one edited so my skin is perfect and one real. Remember flaws are ok”.

This got me thinking. My first thought was “Yes! I love it when celebrities show that they are normal people too!” Then I started thinking about what my edited photo would look like, and what would be “fixed”. It made me think that yes, flaws are ok, and they tell a story about who you are. Raising girls makes this issue even more important to me, as I never want them to grow up disliking something about themselves, but to have love for who they are and how they were made.

So I challenge you to look at your “flaws” and come up with a reason why, in fact, they can be a positive thing. I’ll go first.

The dark circles under my eyes show that I might not get a lot of sleep these days. But that’s because I have two littles that sometimes keep me up, and I am thankful for the fact that they make me a mommy.

My skin tone is uneven, I have sun spots and permanent freckles. These show that when I was younger, I really didn’t have a care in the world and could spend my summers by the pool lounging with my friends.

I have a popped capillary on my left cheek that is permanently red. This happened while giving birth to my oldest, E. Every day I see it can remind me of the day I become a mother.

My body shape… well… that’s not in the best shape it’s ever been in. I’m a little lumpy and definitely saggy, but I was chosen to carry two babies, and with that comes extra body weight. While I might not like the way it looks these days I am thankful that my body was able to do that.

I’ve always thought that my eyes were too deep set, and wearing a lot of eye makeup makes me look like I have a black eyes. I inherited these from my father, and I love seeing pictures of his parents (whom I’ve never met) and love seeing that I look like them. It’s a piece of his family history that will be with me always.

So, I challenge you to begin looking at yourself in a more positive light and remember that if you look a little further, you can learn to #loveyourflaws. Share yours with me on twitter !

FabFitFun Box – Spring 2014

April 2, 2014 | 2 Comments

I think I have a problem. I’ve recently rediscovered subscription boxes, and I’m obsessed. Years ago, my sister got me a Birchbox subscription as a gift. I liked it – but honestly, sort of forgot about it once the gift ran out. That is until a few months ago. I thought to myself “remember when you used to get makeup sent to your house to try out? That was fun”. Then I thought “Let’s do it again!” And that’s when my shopping spree of subscription boxes happened. (PS I promise that I don’t talk to myself like that, unless maybe I’ve had too many glasses of wine)

The first box to arrive was Giuliana Rancic’s FabFitFun Spring box. To say I was excited would be an understatement… I couldn’t wait to open it! Here’s the breakdown, and my honest thoughts on each product (I was not paid for this, these are my opinions. Believe me, if I had been paid I would have started blogging a long time ago!) –

1. Merrithew Zenga DVD (paired with #3) retail $28.94.

As far as yoga goes, the moves aren’t too difficult. I do wish that the dvd was a bit more engaging and entertaining, and that the workout was quicker. Thanks to the littles, I usually only have about 30 minutes to do anything – including eating, showering and cleaning up.

2. Cult Gaia Turband, retail $48
This is not my style what-so-ever. I can think of a lot of other things to spend $48 on. Going in the “up for grabs” box. (More on that later!)

3. Merrithew Stability Ball (paired with #1)
I made this separate because I feel like the ball is so small it is going to pop every time I use it. I know that the point is to have it be small, but if you are like me with not much muscle tone, this ball is anything but stable feeling.

4. The Better Chip Spinach and Kale with Sea Salt, retail $1.99
I’m not going to lie, upon first glance and sniff, I was not excited about these chips. But for the sake of this review, I ate one. Then I ate the whole bag. They were so good! Crunchy, salty, didn’t taste like kale, so so good.

5. Level Naturals Shower Bombs, retail $7.99
Theses were nice. They gave off a nice scent (tea tree oil and eucalyptus) and made my bathroom smell amazing. For a second I actually thought I was somewhere other than hiding from the littles trying to take a quick shower. I’m happy to have three left!

6. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Invisible Spray, retail $25
I was pretty bummed to see this. I tried a sample size of this about a year ago and was not impressed. I guess I could try it again, but most likely this will be given away too.

7. Dermasuri Deep Exfoliating Mitt, retail $19.99
I would never pay $20 on my own for this. Who has time to put on a mitt and actually exfoliate your entire body? I’ll keep this around in case I ever get a bad spray tan, but it won’t make the daily shower routine.

8. Kai Perfume Oil, retail $48
This made the whole box for me, I love the smell. It reminded me of the old school Bath and Body Works scents, my favorite was gardenia. I loved that smell and was so angry when it was discontinued. This is just as good, if not better. And I love how it’s small and can easily be taken with me.

9. (Not pictured) Cover FX SPF 30 Protection Primer, retail $38
Another winner! So much so that it didn’t even make the picture, but had already found a permanent spot in my makeup organizer. It goes on smooth, isn’t oily, and really keeps my foundation in place allll day, which is no easy feat with a baby that loves to cuddle. The SPF is just a nice little bonus.

Bottom Line – Overall I loved two products, liked a few and only really disliked the headwrap and dry shampoo. I’ll wait for the next box, due out in Summer. Everything deserves three chances right?

Up next is Ipsy and Stich Fix!

Hi, I’m New Here

March 31, 2014 | 4 Comments

I have a confession. I’ve never been the “new girl”. Like, ever.

Preschool happened. Everyone is new, and let’s be honest, you were more interested in what was for snack on any particular day than who you were sitting next to. Everyone was your friend in preschool.

Kindergarten through 5th grade was all of the same kids for me. I made my core group of friends and we travelled through the trials of the 80’s together. Perms – three to be exact, huge bangs, the horror of the day that schools banned our slap bracelets, loads of neon… I could go on and on and on.

In middle school, three elementary schools formed in to one. We were all in our awkward preteen stages but had the comfort of the kids from the years before with us. We all remember middle school and how uncomfortable it was, right? While navigating dating for the first time, first kisses, the whole new world of fashion – holey jeans and Doc Martens – I still had my group of friends that I had always had.

High School was a combination of a few middle schools, and again, we had our friends from middle school until we formed new friendships.

I was fortunate enough to go to college only thirty minutes from home – Go Hawkeyes – and in turn, a good majority of my graduating class went there as well. Of course I branched off fairly quickly, but while meeting new people I always had my friends from high school. I rushed a sorority that a friend in my dorm recruited me for, so I already knew people going in to that as well.

While entering the professional world, four of us were hired at the same time. We were all the “new ones”, together. I really never have been “new”, on my own. Until now.

So now I am new, so so so new. It’s a weird feeling for me, but here’s another confession – I kind of like it.