Lets BEE Friends with Julie!

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Bruna

Hey Friends! It’s Friday and I’m happy to be host to yet another bloggy friend today for my weekly link-up #LetsBEEfriends.

Today’s guest is the first BEE Friend feature of the year and I’m excited to share with you that I have Julie from Balancing Mama hanging out with me today.

Julie is “wife to smarty-pants engineer Steve and mommy to spunky Amelia”. She was recently the featured blogger via the SITS girls! Check out her SITS Day post for a bit more about her blog and why she is a BalancingMama. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her via Twitter.

Now, let’s get to know her!

So happy to be here as a guest today. I am Julie, aka BalancingMama. As any mom can relate, my life is a constant attempt to balance many things at any given time. I am mom to 3 ½ year old precocious Amelia, a wife to a sweet and hard-working husband, a part-time employee in an advertising agency, a Facebook addict, iPhone junkie, and blogger. My DVR is filled with Disney princess movies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and a few Christmas specials I was able to catch this season. Sometimes I am a shopper. Always, I am a friend to those who hold a piece of my heart.

I have learned a tremendous amount about myself, my life, and motherhood in general over the past few years. Here are a few mommy facts that caught me by surprise:
Other mothers can be your best friends. Or sadly, sometimes your worst enemies. I absolutely gravitate towards my mommy friends these days. 99% of my conversational topics are related to my child or my life as mom, and these friends “get it”. They understand why my house looks like a Toy-R-Us explosion. They don’t bat an eyelash if I have dishes on the sink and crumbs on the counter. They do not judge my at-home attire. In fact, they match me quite perfectly. However, I also see a lot of moms judging one another. Criticizing. Gossiping. Treating others with an “I do it better than you” attitude. This hurts my heart because I truly believe we should band together as a mighty mom force. All kids are different. It is okay for mothering to differ as well. We are all making our way through this busy and complicated world – in our own way.

Working from home is much harder than it sounds. Every time I explain my part-time work-from-home schedule to a working person, they sigh. They wish they could have such a great deal. It all sounds so perfect… right? So I thought as well. But working from home? It is usually exasperating and always challenging. I rarely finish a task uninterrupted. I cannot take any important phone calls. I try my hardest to generate quality work for my boss and my clients as I sit, stand, sit, stand, assist, fix snack, search for toys, work a bit, turn on a show, sit, stand, sit, stand, etc. It is an exhausting day! At least at the office, my coworkers can take themselves to the bathroom. They even fix their own lunches!

Biceps, baby! Oh yes, many areas of my formerly small body have transformed into mush. The scale shows a number that I have never seen before. I could do without most of my new shape, but one new physical trait is not so bad: great arms. A child is a perfect gradually-increasing weight. We lift them in and out of the car, help them up and down the stairs, and on and off a chair. We play, cuddle, and wrestle. I have some serious biceps these days! And yeah… I kind of love them.

What surprises have YOU experienced throughout this amazing parenting journey?

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like. Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends! The linky will remain open all weekend.

Let’s BEE Friends with … Bianca!

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Bruna

I’m excited today because I’m being host to a special guest. The coolest part is that she’s a local gal right from my very own backyard. Her name is Bianca and she’s the CEO of the blog, Bits of Bee.

I like her for many reasons. First because she’s brunette and super beautilicious. When you see her photos you’ll see what I mean. Second, she has the most adorable little kids. They obviously take after Mom. Last but not least, Bianca is Canadian and everyone knows just how sweet and friendly us folks can be. Eh?

If you don’t already know Bianca, you should subscribe to her blog. You can also seek out her friendship on Twitter where she’s known as @bitsofbee.

In the meantime, stay awhile, sit back and read 10 Things about Bianca right now!

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I’m BEE-yond excited to be hosted by Bruna from Bees With Honey for #LetsBEEFriends this week! When I started my blog (only 5 short months ago), I did a search on Twitter to see if my handle had been taken. I came across Bruna, a fellow Bee who is also from my neck of the woods, and I’ve been a devoted follower ever since!

Here are 10 random things about this Bee that you may not know:

1) I’m allergic to chocolate. Even a chocolate chip will put me in the hospital.

2) I was adopted. Twice. Once when I was 5, and again at the age of 21. Same mom, different dads.

3) I am Macedonian, Irish, African, Swedish, and German, but I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Vancouver, BC. I’m Canadian, eh!

4) I met Princess Diana in 1986. I was in a dance recital she attended during her visit to Expo ’86. She complimented me on my performance and gave me a rose.

5) I’m a career mommy of two with a full-time job as a Marketing/Sponsorship Manager for a major league sports team. I love my job even though I’m secretly not a big sports fan.

6) I have a 9 year old Dalmatian who is constantly mistaken as a 9 month old puppy.

7) I’m a crazy carnivore. Some say I have a meat tooth.

8) My best friend and I were once so caught up in a conversation, we didn’t realize we were being held up at gun point.

9) I can speak French fluently, yet I refuse to do so.

10) I grew up telling people that I was named after Bianca McJagger. It wasn’t until my teen years that I realized that it was Bianca, MICK Jagger’s wife whose name I was given.

That’s me in a nutshell! Through my blog I try to share advice, quotes and anecdotes from a career mommy of two, but I tend to get a little off topic sometimes. Check it out and let me know what you think! Bits of Bee

Let’s BEE Friends with … Germaine!

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Bruna

I don’t know what it is about Fridays but I love them.

My work week goes from Monday to Wednesday, so really, Wednesday is my Friday. Still, I love it when the end of the week approaches and I do because it marks the beginning of the weekend. Who doesn’t love weekends and getting time to spend with family?

But before we get to the weekend, lets first meet or get to know yet another potential bloggy friend through my Lets Bee Friends link-up!

Today’s guest was easy to choose. I love her weekly link-up on Wednesdays because it allows me to capture and share special moments and people in my life through photography. It’s called, Picnesday!

Germaine is the fabulousa female behind the blog, Kiddothings. She has taken up a special place in my heart as I have grown to get to know her and love her. She’s kind, genuine and a supportive friend. She always leaves me sweet comment love on the blog. I love linking up my photos with her every Wednesday and you will too. Join in. Everyone is welcome!

If you don’t already know Germaine, you should definitely add her to your friend list. You can find her on Twitter as @Kiddothings or subscribe to her via her blog, Kiddothings.

But now, let’s see what she has to say to us down below!
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Thank you so much Bruna for sharing your beautiful bloghome with me today. It’s such an honour and a thrill to be featured on Let’s Bee Friends! You have been so supportive of me and my blogging that I can’t thank you enough. You are a true friend.

Hello there! I am Germaine, a SAHM to two children, a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl. For me, motherhood has been, to a great extent, about imparting values and life’s lessons to my kids. I often find myself trying to pass on the principles and traits that would help them grow up to become good people and have a fulfilling life. While I was mulling over what to write, I thought about coming up with a recipe that I’d like to pass on to my kids. I’m nowhere near being a good cook but if there’s a recipe that I hope they will keep and pass it down through generations it would be this – my Recipe for Life.

Here’s what you’ll need…

Big Dreams

Dream big and have goals. Add spice to something sweet if you must. It may taste funny or it may just become the next hottest creation. And with those dreams and goals, pursue your passions. Nothing is worse than living your life aimlessly and doing something you don’t enjoy.

A load of Hard Work.

Don’t be lazy. Use elbow grease to stir up a dream. Nothing comes without effort. Work hard towards achieving those goals you have set for yourself and you will be rewarded in the end.

Heaps of Self Confidence & A Positive Mind

Be true to yourself and know that you are special in every way. Cook up a storm in life’s kitchen and believe that it will be a success.

A wealth of Gratitude & Humility

Always be thankful for your blessings and be humble. If you have been given everything you need to make this recipe work, appreciate them and be grateful. And being thankful is not just a feeling of appreciation for our blessings, it is also about sharing your blessings with those less fortunate. Give your neighbour a piece of that pie you baked!

A generous amount of Patience

Patience is a virtue that will carry you far and prevent you from ‘boiling over’. It will help you stay calm when the occasion calls for it and help you find the answer to life’s many questions.

Oodles of Fun and Laughter

The secret ingredients to sanity. In all the seriousness of life there should be a good healthy dose of humour and absurdity.

Lots of Love & Respect

And for a deliciously fulfilling life, have and show love and respect for yourself, your God, your family and humankind.

Mix well and let simmer for life.

Best served with your favourite dessert.
Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity Bruna!

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like. Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends! The linky will remain open all weekend. CHEERS !

let’s BEE friends with … Lisa

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Bruna

I think it’s safe to say that everyone’s favourite day of the week is Friday. Not only does it kick off the start of the weekend, it also kicks off #LetsBEEfriends here on Bees With Honey!

Today’s guest is none other than Lisa from The Schwartz Chronicles.

I love Lisa because, not only is she Canadian, she’s just a hop, skip and jump from me. Crazy that we haven’t met in person yet but do not fear, my friends, we’re going to in less than two weeks. Lisa, along with a few other local gals, are getting together locally for what we’ve come to call, The Mother of All Tweet-Ups!

Let’s meet Lisa … the girl next door to … Me!

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Thank you to Bruna for inviting me to be a part of Let’s BEE Friends. I did a little happy dance when I found out I was going to be featured. The Let’s BEE Friends Hall of Fame is filled with bloggers that I love, so I am honoured to be in their company.

My name is Lisa. I am mother to Sarah (4.5) and Jack (2.5), wife to one Captain Canada. I write a blog called Schwartz Chronicles that I started in May 2010. I had just finished reading Lift by Kelly Corrigan. In her book, she talks about how the average person only “knows a handful of stories from before middle school” and that most people “barely know ten stories from childhood.” Those comments resonated with me. I want my kids to have childhood memories and lots of them. Schwartz Chronicles has become part of operation memory maker where I record the highlights, lowlights and everything in between of our life. My hubby’s (a.k.a Captain Canada) photography hobby has become a passion and I shamelessly use his photos on my blog. Our memories are being created not only through my words, but also through his photos. You know what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Ten Things About Me:

I am a teacher. I work three days a week and teach first grade. I always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I started teaching swimming lessons at age fifteen. I love my job and I enjoy teaching my own kids. Sometimes, I even teach my hubby a thing or two.

I love hotels. Some people say home is where the heart is. I say home is where you don’t have to cook or do laundry. If there is a fancy white robe involved, even better.

Feel the burn. I love a good workout. I judge the quality of the workout by how difficult it is to walk up and down stairs the next day.

I have a memory like an elephant. I am not keen to be compared to an elephant for any reason, but the truth is I have a crazy memory for useless bits of information. Things like what I ate for dinner on this day last year or what I got for Christmas when I was twelve may not be that useful, but are all stored in the vault.

Chick flicks and picnics. I love sappy movies and romantic comedies. I eat up all the smultsey parts. Early in our relationship, I convinced Captain Canada that the movie Honey with Jessica Alba was a basketball movie so he would watch it with me. I also am a huge fan of picnics. Put those two things together and you have a match made in heaven.

I am a traditionalist. I love family traditions. Those little activities that you do year after year. To me, these are where memories are made. I want my kids to look back fondly on birthday breakfasts where they get to eat the sugary cereal of their choice. I want them to remember with delight that night each December when we pack up a special snack, bundle up and drive through the darkness, oohing and ahhing over the twinkling lights and fancy decorations in our community.

Cyber chick. I take great pleasure in researching products, hotels and destinations on the web. It always amazes me what you can learn using Google. I also have a strong affection for my iphone, twitter and reading blogs.

Sweet treats. I love sweet treats. Dessert is my favourite meal of the day. Did I just say meal? Oops, that was my inside voice. The only thing better than one cookie is two cookies with butter cream icing slathered in between. Thank you Mrs. Fields. I love you.

Mindful. For the last three years, a few of my close friends and I have followed along with Ali Edwards and pledged one little word. Instead of new year’s resolutions, we pledge a word to live by, to inspire us for the year. My friends and I meet monthly to create crafty things, talk and taste. While our conversations centre around our families and our jobs, it often comes back to our words for the year. I treasure these monthly meetings. These women are my friends and they inspire me in many different ways. My word this year is “Move.” The idea that I want to be mindful of moving my brain and moving my body as well as moving forward and being a better person. All of these things go hand in hand with being happy with who I am and the life that I am living. I hope that my mindfulness inspires my own kids and the life they lead, especially as they get older.

Family. What can I say? My family is everything to me. I feel blessed to be married to an amazing guy who accepts me for who I am and supports me as I try to be a better person. I have two beautiful kids that I love to bits, even if sometimes, they can be a pain in the butt. My favourite days are Saturdays and Sundays when we go on all kinds of adventures together

Thank you Bruna for inviting me to be a part of Let’s BEE Friends.

I look forward to connecting with new friends and discovering new blogs to visit.

Happy Friday!

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like. Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends! The linky will remain open all weekend. CHEERS !

let’s BEE friends with … Marina !

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Bruna

Give me a F.R.I.D.A.Y !
What does it spell? Umm, … You know what I’m talking about!

Time for the Let’s BEE Friends weekly link-up.

Up at bat today, I have Marina from the blog, Miss Marina Star! You can also find her on The Twitter as @MissMarinaStar. Go follow her!

When Marina is not taking care of her two kids full-time, she also works as a Registered Nurse 2-3 nights a week AND she’s married to a wonderful man.

Marina blogs to “vent frustrations, discuss her imperfections and insecurities and to brag about her successes“. What else are blogs for <wink>?

Today, Marina gives us a sneek peek at the woman behind the blog by sharing with us 1o things about herself.

Let’s get to know her!

I was so thrilled when Bruna asked me to participate in her Let’s BEE Friends linkup. She has been a wonderful supporter of my little corner since I first opened my blog up to other bloggers. I count her as a friend and am so very happy that she wanted to share her space with me.

I love lists, but find it difficult to make them about me. Trying to sum myself up in a tidy package of ten seemed overwhelming at first. Hopefully, I’ve done justice to this sweet meme and given those who don’t know me a reason to wonder why we aren’t bloggy friends yet.

10 Things About Me

1. I love to travel. Elijah and I have visited Mexico, Amsterdam, Belgium and Ireland as well as taken several road trips across the United States. It’s something I have a passion about; seeing new places and learning about it’s history and people. Some of our greatest moments together have been shared in places far from home and I love that about our life.

2. My maiden name is Christmas. And yes, it would have been funny had my parents named me Mary, and no, I wasn’t born on Christmas. Growing up with such a festive surname definitely made my life interesting and while I was sad to give it up in order to become an Ogden, I don’t miss the ridiculous questions that inevitably came with handing over my credit card while shopping in December.

3. I have had a lifetime of careers already. These include:

Food server at nursing home

Kenny Roger’s Roasters Drive-Thru Gal

Movie theater: concessions, box office, projectionist and asst. manager

Housekeeper and front desk for Grand Canyon Lodge

Netscape (remember them?) customer service

Live-In Nanny

Russian Linguist

SGML Coding for Airplane Manuals

Marketing Coordinator for a full service architecture/engineering company

Registered Nurse

I believe that with hard work and a willingness to learn people can accomplish anything. Often, I didn’t have any specific experience in the particular job I was applying for but I always did my best and tried to perform my duties with integrity. I think that’s what’s made me capable of doing things beyond my education or experience.

4. I’m not afraid to speak my mind. Sometimes that comes off as rude or insensitive, but it truly never is my intention. I was taught at a very young age that silence is agreement, therefore I have a difficult time being silent when I disagree. I am not one to nod and go along with an opinion simply because it would be uncomfortable to speak up. I also think that people appreciate knowing where you stand, so long as you are willing to respect other opinions and ideas.

5. I have no relationship with my mother. None, zip, zilch, nada. I don’t even know where she lives. I am 34 and last saw her (briefly) when I was 20. My parents separated when I was five; my mother left my four brothers and I with my father. We had sporadic contact until I was about 13. That year my father remarried and my mother disappeared. This absence has colored my life significantly, especially in regards to motherhood, but I don’t feel sorry about it anymore. While no one can truly replace a lost mother, I am blessed to have women in my life to fill-in when needed.

6. I love pajamas. I have a variety of pj sets in various seasons and holiday patterns. Nothing feels better than changing out of your clothes and putting on a comfy pair of pjs. A friend once remarked that that’s probably the main reason I went into nursing because wearing scrubs is a lot like wearing pajamas.

7. I enjoy a good meal. I don’t care how much it costs, but one of my favorite things is eating delicious, expensive mealss. It’s something Elijah complains about, but I can’t help it, I’ve got expensive taste!

8. I love teen chic flicks and TV shows. This can easily be traced back to the fact that we didn’t have cable when I was in high school therefore I missed all the teen shows of my youth. I’m currently playing catch-up on things like Buffy and making up for lost time watching the latest and greatest of the CW. It’s one of my guiltiest pleasures.

9. I’m an avid reader. I used to focus mainly on the classics, but have since been introduced to some amazing modern writers. I keep all the books I’ve loved and am loathe to loan them for fear of not getting them back. It’s a waste to not let them be read by others, but I love being surrounded by the books I’ve read and dream of having a small reading nook just for that purpose. Also, I’m not too keen on the new e-reading fad. I prefer a hardback, solid copy to cherish.

10. I’m not a very good driver. I’ve never been at fault in an accident, and I’m not deliberately reckless, but I do run over curbs and get lost frequently. When I got my new car I bought the wheel warranty just so Elijah couldn’t get upset when I wrecked the sidewalls. Because of this, I would never think of texting while driving. I have a hard
enough time when I’m just singing along to the radio!

So there you have it. Ten things about me that I didn’t even realize until I finished this list! Thanks again to Bruna for inviting me to spend today with her.
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And now, link-up a post from your own blog. Use the linky below.
Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like.
Be sure to leave them a little comment love. ♥

Oh! Don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends!

let’s BEE friends with Kirsten!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Bruna

F.R.I.D.A.Y.

You couldn’t have come any sooner!

I’ve been patiently waiting for Friday this week because I’m super excited for today’s guest feature.

Her name is Kirsten and she’s the be all and end all of The Corner! If you don’t already know her, read her or tweet with her, you’re going to love her and especially more-so after reading her sweet words today on Bees With Honey.

In three words, I love her.

She’s real, kind, supportive, positive and happy. What’s not to like about all that?

I’m so honoured she agreed to be apart of #LetsBEEfriends.

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Kirsten from The Corner

I’d like to thank Bruna for inviting me here and giving me a chance to introduce myself to you. If you’re here then you know Bruna and are aware of how wonderful, amazing, interesting and terrific she is.
I feel so proud to be her friend.
Proud to be here today.

So, first things first, my name is Kirsten, Kir for short and I write at The Kir Corner.

My blog started as an infertility blog back in 2005 when I was desperately trying to get pregnant. Since then it’s been not only an infertility blog, but an in-vitro blog, a pregnancy blog, a parenting of the “two cutest twin boys in the whole world” blog and more recently a mommy/I just might be a writer/ oh I’m a wife too blog. Oh and I work Full Time outside the home. WHEW.

The corner that I write in is a happy, chaotic mish mash of the happy chaotic mish mash that is my life right now. I hope when you’re done reading these 10 interesting things about me, you come and visit me over in the corner and stay awhile. (I LOVE NEW FRIENDS)

You know what’s interesting?
People will ask you to tell them something about yourself and if you’re not thinking about it you can come up with 2 or 3 things that you believe define you. Yet once you start writing them down, really thinking about who you are, you could fill pages of notebook paper. All of a sudden you are forced to pick the 10 things that you feel will make you amusing, entertaining and real to the people reading it.

Let’s see how I do, shall we?

10. I am a HOPELESS ROMANTIC. I have buckets of empathy, love and romance coursing through me and I am sucker for a good line, “You had me at Hello. “ *sigh* or a sweet welcoming smile. As a lover of words and quotes I often find myself completely lost in a good love story, movie or book. I like that about myself.

9. I am a Law & Order Addict. I have loved this franchise since its inception and have been known to say to members of my family “We cannot leave yet, there is a marathon on.” Maybe it’s the vanilla of the stories or the “ripped from the headlines” places they take me without being too graphic or over the top, but my heart belongs to one TV show ahead of all the others I love (and I DO LOVE my TV & DVR) and it’s L&O.

8. Do you have a quirky thing about you? I do. I hug books. If I love something I hug it and so when I am reading a good book or just finished one that changed me (as they often do) I have been known, on occasion, to hug that book (Or my Nook now) to show it the love it had given me.

7. I’m extremely opinionated. I don’t like to show that on my blog, in fact I stay far away from expressing my range of emotions about certain hot button topics there, but ask my long suffering husband, I have a ton to say about lots of things. (Maybe I should have become a lawyer after all???? ) and because we commute an hour to and from work every day he is normally the one that gets the brunt of my ranting. *Have soapbox will stand on it*.

6. I adore shoes. Yes, I love fashion and clothes as much as the next girl, but I truly adore shoes. The one interesting thing about my adoration is that 99% of the shoes I own and wear come from Payless. Most people don’t believe me, but their styles, range of sizes and designers is a good fit for me. I always say I would rather own 3 pairs of shoes for $50 than just one pair. I have been known to splurge once in a while but the truth is that I can always find what I need to make me feel pretty under the yellow and orange sign. Hey Payless…call me!!!

5. My other love, CUPCAKES. I recently wrote about my comments being cupcakes in blogland. How they are a tiny piece of a bigger CAKE that we all share. Their frosted sweetness is how I see myself most of the time and because they can be decorated to celebrate the individual you are and still be the same underneath (just like all of us) they remind me of basic human kindness and diversity.

4. I am an abuse and infertility survivor. Like everyone there are parts of my childhood and later my adulthood that I wish I could make better when I remember. NO regrets, just a place where I am sad it happened, but happy that I made it through. I talk about my infertility journey quite a bit on my blog, but have only touched on my journey through domestic abuse in superficial terms. I am slowly coming to terms with being able to write about it and free myself (and hopefully my siblings) from it.

3. I was recently talking to a friend about how I get to the party late on a lot of things, from shows I watch to movies I see, to fashion and books I should read. I’m also a huge failure at things like Weight Watchers. The reason, I hate people telling me what to do. If you tell me “you really should read this!”, “Omg you don’t watch……..??”, “PURPLE is all the rage this season, you know?”, chances are I will not read it, not watch it and be caught dead before I put purple on this fall. I don’t well with society telling me how and who to be, because I like to know that my opinions are my own, for better or worse.

2. I am first and foremost, an optimistic person. I get down and have pity parties for myself on occasion but the truth is that I can normally see the bright side of things. The silver lining. The rainbow through the rain. This might annoy many people (and I’m sure it does) but when I find myself feeling things like despair, hopelessness or doubt, I give myself and my life a pep talk. It doesn’t always work, I don’t always get back to GOOD in a few seconds, but eventually I know that me being here matters and so do you.

1. How do you pick this last one? These are in no particular order so it’s not like I am one of these things more than I am the other….that’s what so great about being a woman today. I can be so many different things and like a favorite pair of jeans, they fit. I can dress them up with sparkly tops and heels, I can dress them down with practical shoes and a warm sweater, they can carry me through the seasons of my life and make me comfortable. Maybe that is my last thing, that I am not 10 things or 100 things, I am just me, always reaching to add one more thing to the list of moments that define me.

Thank you Bruna, so much for allowing me to be here today.
It was fun writing this list and you humbled me by asking me to share this space with you today. I can’t thank you enough for that. Xo

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The rules:

1. I ask that you follow me.

2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.

3. Link up your favourite post from the week.

4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.

5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥

The linky can be found down below and will remain open through the weekend.

let’s be friends with Amber !

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Bruna

It’s Friday and time for Let’s BEE Friends!

Are you ready to meet or get to know another blogger?

Ready to link-up one of your own favourite posts or a post you think didn’t get enough comment love?

The rules:

1. I ask that you follow me.

2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.

3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)

4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.

5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥

The linky can be found down below and will remain open through the weekend.

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Today, we get to know Amber from her blog, Stressed Out Mom. Amber writes mostly about her life but focuses on her journey through Motherhood.

“My life can be a little crazy at times and insane.
But it’s my world. Welcome to it.“

Besides being a wife to her husband of 12 years, Amber is also a Mother to three beautiful children of which two are girls and one is a boy. She definitely has her hands full!

I met Amber via Twitter where she goes by @31_Amber_31 and have gotten to know her through the lovely comments she leaves on my blog. Amber is a sweetheart and so fun to talk to on the Twitter. I just had to have her as a guest on Bees With Honey and today is the day.

Now, let’s get to know Amber!

10 Things About Me

Wow! I am so beyond excited that I get to be here with ya’ll today. I mean happy dance excited. Before I get started I just want to say thank you to our lovely and awesome Hostess Bruna for the invite to share a little about me with ya’ll.

Thank you so much.

I am way beyond honored.

My name is Amber Charleen. However around my house you are more likely to hear me called by my other name…Mom.

My husband and I have been together since we were 14 and 16 years old. We are working on our thirteenth year of marriage while raising our three awesome children. We have a nine year old son, seven year old daughter and our baby who is six.

Hmmmm….Well I guess it’s time to get our feet wet and jump right into what makes me Amber.

I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do here. I’ve always had a bit of trouble when it comes to the “Things about you” kind of post. However I thought this might be the fun way to go because it would get me thinking.

1. I am a dreamer. When I was seven, my Gramma told me that my dreams were as big as the Texas sky. For as long as I can remember I’ve always been a dreamer. I’ve never had a small dream that I didn’t turn into a big DREAM. Walking through a store with me is an adventure as a result. When I see certain items I add them to my dream land.

It’s just who I am.

2. I am TERRIFIED of baths. Yup you read that right. Baths freak me out in a major way. One of the hardest things for me as a Mom was giving baths. In every nightmare I have somewhere in there you’ll find a bathtub. You see I’m not crazy or anything. Really I’m not. I grew up out in the country. The sticks as most people called it. During the winter the bugs would crawl up through the pipes and make their winter home in the bathtub. Top that off with the fact that my Mom wasn’t the best house keeper when it came to the tubs and you get me: A person who has to give herself pep talks to even take a shower.

3. I don’t eat meat. It’s not a “Meat is murder” thing. Most people assume it’s because my Father was a meat cutter for most of my childhood. Nope not at all. I support all the meat eaters of the world. For me not eating meat has to do with my own personal health. Meats fine and from time to time you’ll find me having a nice medium rare filet migon. So ya it’s differently not a meat is murder thing with me. Not at all.

4. I’m the mother of a special needs child. My baby girl had a rough entry into this world. A c-section gone all kinds of wrong. They used the vacuum on her several times before the surgeon threw it against the wall breaking it. Most people when they hear the vacuum during a c-section they give me this look of horror. It was horrific. My baby girl has a mild form of cerebral palsy, a heart condition, seizure disorder and Aspergers. Her life has been filled with many challenges but she is a fighter. My daughter inspires me on a daily basis.

5. Someone once found my blog by doing a search for “Dirty girls.” I’m pretty sure they were very disappointed when they got to my site and discovered the reason they found me was because I love mudding. I have often said “If you aren’t getting muddy you aren’t having fun.

6. I was in a car accident that changed my life forever. It’s been two years since my accident and we are still in the middle of health and legal stuff. Since the accident I’ve spent more time in the hospital then at home with my family. You know you are there a lot when you walk in the doors and hear “Hey, how’s it going Amber?” from more then one staff member.

I am lucky that I am still alive. Thanks to some of my injuries I have been fighting death left and right. It’s like I’m in a relationship with death. It wants me, it wants me bad, I flirt with it but right when it thinks it has me, I bounce back. It’s a relationship I would really like to get out of.

7. I LOVE TATTOOS! This is something most people find shocking about me. I once had someone go on and on about how “good” people don’t have tattoos. How only the so called “low” lives had them. I let the person dig himself a nice big hole and then I excused myself real quick to my bedroom. When I came out I was wearing shorts. He was still running his mouth about how evil tattoos were and the kind of people that had them. Now everyone but him knew that I had tattoos. Once he took a breathe I asked him what he thought about me. His response was how I was a great person. How I was active in our Church and so on and so forth. His girlfriend then said “Even though she has tattoos?” That day he learned a lesson about being ignorant.

8. I use to weigh over 250 pounds. Seriously I did. It took a lot of hard work but I now weigh 135. I am so thankful for the weight loss. I don’t even want to know what my life would be like now if I hadn’t lost all of it. My advice for those trying to loose weight is to keep your eye on the prize. Find a partner to help you along your journey and never give up. Sure you will have times where you will stumble and fall but get up, dust yourself off and don’t wallow.

9. I LOVE Photography. My Nikon is part of me. Before my accident you never saw me without it. After my accident it took over a year before I could use it again. It was like seeing an old friend the first time I was able to pick it up and take that first photo. I love taking photos so much. I love being able to look back and see my children grow through those pictures.

10. Family. My family is the most important thing to me. They help to make me well … Me. I can’t imagine my life without them. They are my everything. When I think I don’t have anything left I think of them. I think about how my children are my reason to keep fighting. My children are my reason for living.

Well, I guess that’s it. I have enjoyed being here and sharing a little about me with ya’ll. Over the past year I have really enjoyed reading others post here. It’s just so awesome to me to be here now doing the same.

Happy Blogging!

let’s BEE friends with Stasha!

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Bruna

Friday.
How I love thee.
You allow me to feature a blogger I love to read.
Her name is Stasha and she’s from North West Mommy.
She’s like the girl next door.
A good friend.
A creative writer and photographer.
Let’s get to know her better.

The rules:

1. I ask that you follow me.
2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.
3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)
4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.
5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥ !

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post and will be kept open all weekend!
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1. Stasha, share with us where you live and how you pass your days.
I live in a small town, on a medium island in a big state of Washington. I consider myself to be an idler, because for most part I do nothing. And that keeps my son and I very busy. We spend our days out and about, exploring and wondering. Which is what I think most people choose to do around here. Three times a week my boy goes to preschool and my dog and I go to the farm where I ride a beautiful Arabian called Vizon. That is probably the only firmly scheduled activity in my life at the moment. Simply because me riding means my son needs to be in someone else’s care.

2. When and why did you start blogging?
My brother in law had a blog many years ago when he moved to Seattle from East coast. Husband and I used to read it as a way to stay in touch when we lived abroad. Then one lonely March evening I felt like pouring my soul out and set up my blog. I know most will not believe me, but I never read blogs before I started blogging. You could say I make up for that now. My Google reader is in triple digits every day.

3. Describe your life up until the point you became a Mother. What did you do career wise and how did you pass your time?
I always wanted to travel and fly. I had a great job right out of high school, but all the money I made was spend on vacations abroad. On one of my travels I stopped in Dubai as it just started booming. One thing led to another and by the end of summer I had a job as a flight attendant in the Middle East. I flew for seven years and loved every minute, every flight, every destination. On my days off my girlfriends and I were mostly laughing on the dance floor or sitting under the palm tree by the pool. It truly was a charmed life.

I met my husband through a friend. It was one of those “sophisticated” set ups, where you don’t quite realize you are actually on a blind date. But it worked out. I never planned for married life or family, though I knew if it ever happened my career would be over. Luckily what I have now is so much better then I ever imagined.

4. Tell us about your weekly meme, Monday Listicles.
Everybody loves Listicles, mostly because the name makes them giggle. I love making lists, most of my life decisions were made by jotting down pro’s and con’s. Early on into blogging I started writing lists about why my kid is cool or why I though my dog had it good. After consulting Wikipedia on a certain subject I came across the name Listicle. It is a word that describes an article written as a list. So every Monday I dedicated my post to a list. A few guest posts followed and then a great bloggy friend wrote a list on the same subject I did and posted it on Monday too. All of the sudden I was hosting a weekly meme.

Monday has become my favorite day of the week. I look forward to reading everybody’s lists and comparing our thoughts and views on the subject. Beyond everything else I am flattered how much effort and thought goes into presentation and writing of these lists. They are incredible collections of articles from all corners of the blogsphere. I feel privileged to have them on my blog, looking pretty all linked up. My favorite part about Monday Listicles is seeing how EVERYONE who links up reads other lists. We have in a way become a group of friends, supporting each other and enjoying spending time together. Cannot asks for more then that!

5. On your blog, you write about The Good Life. Tell us what that entails to you. What makes your life so good?
I suppose I could write a list about it. But it would be too long. Essentially there is nothing wrong in my life. I am so grateful for that. The relief and joy that comes from knowing that every day is predictably good makes it a pleasure to wake up to. Some people say a lot has to do with the attitude. I am not sure. All I know is I am happy.

6. Besides blogging, what else do you enjoy doing? Any other passions or hobbies?
Honestly I like doing anything and everything. I like a challenge, exploring new things, having lots of hobbies. I get very passionate about something and peruse it until I get good at it. Then I seem to move on. I was the same in my childhood. My grandfather used to say I was “Johnny try it all” . There are not many sports I have not done. Past few years I slowed down. I played golf almost until the day I gave birth, but not much since. I spend most of my free time at the ballet studio last year, but none this year. If you asked me what I could not imagine my life without right now, I would have to say my camera and my horse. I just got a license to work as a photographer and I really look forward to sessions with friends and clients. But at the end of the day you might see me sit on the beach, whale watching for hours. There is nothing wrong with doing nothing sometimes.

7. Besides blogging, what else do you enjoy doing? Any other passions or hobbies?
When I used to fly i was often told I look like Helen Hunt. I liked that. So if she is available, she can consider herself hired. I don’t think my husband resembles her “Mad about you” co-star Paul Raiser though. Neither does my dog resemble Murray. Shame really, that was a great combo.

My lovely man fancies himself a bit of Mr. Big and since they both like the finer things in life and cigars I suppose I will have to say Chris Noth. Clearly my movie will have to be set in New York…

8. Favourite drink? Ice-cream flavour? Dinner meal? Breakfast meal? Lunch meal? Snack? What’s your one guilty pleasure – food, that is?
I truly love food. All food. I enjoy tasting new things, my husband’s home made meals from scratch and anything sweet. My guilty pleasure wold be never saying no to anything I fancy eating. I wake up hungry. My breakfast is always the same, granola with yogurt and fruit. I like my latte and cookies. I love eating a good, hearty lunch. And a nice dinner. Whenever I finish eating, I must have dessert. I start shaking otherwise. And for most part it has to involve chocolate. As for ice cream, I indulge in Ben and Jerry’s more then I should. That happens to be my long life dream. To have a flavor named after me. It is my main motivation for becoming a successful blogger. So they call me form Vermont and let me design an amazing, over the top ice cream called THE GOOD LIFE. Perhaps Helen Hunt can be in the commercial?

9. If your friends had to describe you using only 3 words, which words do you think they would choose?
NEVER ON TIME. It is not my fault really. But since I have become a mother I am running perpetually late. Anybody meeting us at the park or waiting for us to arrive for a play date should start at least 10 minutes later then we agreed on. My son is away with the fairies and there is always some bits and bobs he has to finish up before he is ready. My aunt is the same, so I suppose it skipped a generation with me and has effected my kid double.

10. Biggest mistake of your life? Best thing that has ever happened to you other than meeting your husband and becoming a Mother?
I am not impulsive at all so I don’t think I ever made any mistakes I regret. My life is a string of events that have shaped me and led me to here, today. So I suppose everything in a way has been a good thing.

let’s BEE friends with Natalie!

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Bruna

Can you guess what day it is today?

Is Friday your answer?

Well, you’re right and it’s time to link-up for Let’s BEE Friends and meet my featured blogger.

The rules:

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post and will be kept open all weekend!

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Today’s featured blogger is non other than Natalie from Life on the Mama Track. If you’re not already her friend, you should definitely introduce yourself to her on Twitter where she’s known as @MamaTrack. You can also just visit her blog and see how wonderfully sweet and smart she is.

Natalie was recently featured over at Just Be Enough with her story titled, Embracing Our Realities, where she talks about Mom Guilt.

After having her son, Natalie returned to the work force only to realize it wasn’t where she wanted to be. “After a lot of sole searching, she decided to stay home with her son and practice law on a part-time basis“.

She hasn’t looked back since.

Let’s get to know Natalie a little more …

1. Besides blogging and being a Mom, what else do you do? Please share.

You mean there’s something besides being a blogger and a Mom? Really? I thought that was all there is.

No, seriously, I’m also a lawyer. I work part-time (about 10 hours a week) for the same firm I’ve been with for most of my career. Before my son was born, I was preparing to make partner at that firm. Now that dream is on hold, and I work almost exclusively from home, while my son is asleep.

2. Tell us about your family? Spouse. Kids.

I’m married to a wonderful man, another lawyer who also happens to be a former dude rancher, substitute teacher, landscaper, cow milker and member of the U.S. military. We have one son, a 26 month old who is active and adventurous. And talkative. He says completely zany things and is very sweet, with a pure heart.

My husband and I are expecting our second baby in late November. And, no, we don’t know this baby’s gender. After finding out our son’s gender, we thought this would be a once in a lifetime surprise.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we have two little terriers. They are absolutely adorable and have no discipline whatsoever. They weigh about 15 pounds each, and it is my son’s deepest desire to ride them like ponies.

3. When did you begin blogging and why? What was the inspiration behind the name for your blog?

I started blogging in March of this year. I was looking for a place to express myself and to chronicle my adventures with my son.

The inspiration behind my blog’s name, Life on the Mama Track (or Mama Track, for short) relates to my progression from a lawyer on the partner track to my work-at-home status. I really struggled with my decision—I felt like it was against everything I believed in—but I hated being away from my son more. Finally, after a lot of agonizing, I put my ambitions away and made the decision to “mommy track” my career. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

4. I heard, through the grapevine, that you attended a very prestigious university. Tell us where you went and what it was like being a student there.

I went to Harvard Law School and loved it. I met many of my best friends there and learned a lot. It was such an eye-opening and exciting time in my life—we felt like we would change the world and could do anything.

The funny thing is that, before I started blogging, I never discussed where I went to law school in personal conversations. Obviously, it’s a great thing professionally. But people have a certain set of expectations about what a Harvard lawyer is like, and it isn’t always positive. Because of that, I generally steered clear of it in my personal relationships.

But when I started Life on the Mama Track, I realized it was a huge part of my story. I worked really hard to build my career, and I think it helps people understand why the decision to walk away was so hard for me. It’s part of who I am.

5. What have you learned and enjoyed the most from being a blogging Mommy?

I love the camaraderie of mom bloggers. It’s like having a whole sisterhood there to hold your hand when you need it and cheer when you succeed. And, like any sisterhood, they are full of helpful advice.

6. If we were to peek into your bedroom, what items would we find on your bedside night table?

An elephant lamp (LOVE it), a broken alarm clock (who needs a working alarm clock when you have a toddler?), a baby monitor (to catch my son before he embarks on his adventures), and my iPhone charger (horrible feng shui but I can’t live without the thing).

I used to have books there. But what mom has time to read books for pleasure?

7. What is the #1 thing that attracted you to your spouse? What would HE say is the #1 thing about you that he found attractive when you first met?

So I met my husband at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. And actually, what attracted me to him was that he was cute. But he was talking to my friend first, so I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to him. Until he shared his yard of beer with me. And then he helped me find a bathroom. What more is there?

I think what attracted him to me was my pink feather boa. I mean, seriously, what man doesn’t like a woman wearing a pink feather boa?

8. Are you a casual yoga-wearing, pony-tail sporting Mom OR are you a follow-all-the-trends and dress-up more Mama? Explain.

I think there’s a place for both. As a pregnant mama, I’m definitely casual more often than not. But otherwise, I do make an effort to wear trendy clothes and shoes.

9. What is your favourite, all-time movie ever? Same question for a fiction book you’ve read. In the past or in the present.

Honestly? I love 50 First Dates. It’s such a happy romantic comedy. And completely ridiculous.

My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. I have a degree in English literature, and I’m a nut about 19th century British lit. I also adore the Harry Potter series.

10. Who, in the entire world, could you say you admire and why?

My mom. She’s awesome. She is completely selfless and loves her children with everything she has. And she’s a mean cook.

Bonus: If there was one thing you were given the power to change about government, locally or world, what would that one thing be? Explain.

This is a tricky one because I live in Washington, D.C., and there’s a lot I would change. But if I have to pick one? In the U.S., I’d like to see more government support of families. For instance, our family leave is nothing like that of Canada or much of the developed world. There are lots of companies that don’t offer ANY paid maternity leave. If we supported families and moms more, I think our whole society would be stronger.

lets BEE friends with Kelly!

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Bruna

TGIF.

It’s Friday, baby! Time to meet our featured blogger and link-up our favourite posts from the past week.

Are you ready?

Let’s BEE Friends!

You know the rules but if you’re new, let’s review!

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post and will be kept open all weekend!
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Kelly from Dances with Choas is a full-time, stay-at-home Mom to two beautiful children, The Tackler and Lil Diva. She’s also a devoted wife to her loving husband, a.k.a The Daddy.

Kelly says she writes ” in an effort to keep the few strands of sanity that my children have yet to bludgeon into early onset Mommy Brain”. She has been a Stay At Home Mom since her son was born in February 2007 and dreams to someday be a paid writer.

Kelly is a sweetheart and I have had the opportunity to chat with her on Twitter. We have been at a few #winepartychats together and she has always been one of the nicest gals on the block.

I am more than thrilled to have her as a guest on my blog today.

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