Beautiful Scenery

How many of us actually stop to look at and appreciate your scenery? The backdrop of the mountains or the waves rolling in on the ocean shore. I rarely take the time to appreciate the scenery but during my 18 hour car ride for my move, I had nothing but time to appreciate the surroundings! The wind turbines in Southern California to the desert of Arizona- its all so beautiful and is rarely appreciated!!! Your homework for this weekend- go to your neighborhood park, the lake, mountains, bike trail, wherever is near you and just appreciate the scenery! Even ten minutes will change your prospective and leave you with that warm fuzzy feeling!

Moving

This blog has been quiet hasn't it?? I apologize for the lack of writing, we are getting ready for a state to state move! Leaving later today. My honey and I have been running around saying goodbye to friends and family, it's been really hard to say the least. Not to mention baby A and I somehow got sick so now we both feel like utter crap on top of needing to get everything taken care of and ready go! Lots of work.

This Love is Ours Boutique is now closed and will reopen with a BANG on July 1st! New inventory will be added along with a complete makeover of the shop! We will be sponsoring two giveaways in July- one with an awesome blog www.brunchwithmunch.blogspot.com and another with Miss Free Bee on Facebook!

I will be MIA for the next few days I'm sure but I will try my hardest to keep you guys updated!! I will be posting "closet organizing" tips for your closet and some other fun things!! Also stay tuned on the blog for fun recipes!!!!

My Noncraft Obsession

If there was a rehab center for bags I should probably have a front row seat. I've always been something of a bag whore but this obsession worsened when I discovered Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bags. My good friend K had a "French Gooseberry Cosmopolitan Carryall" and when I laid eyes on it I HAD to get one!!!!! I started off with just one, then it quickly moved to two and three. Before I new it I had FAR TO MANY. What started off as a humble collection of three turned into a ridiculous obsession of four bags, two clutches, two wallets, two powder room cases and a train case. The middle photo shows you my "starter collection" if you will, and the last shows you what my collection built up to and the first reveals my crack head collection that I have accumulated. Sorry to have done it in such a confusing order but blogger decided it didnt want to upload the pictures correctly! UGH! Now, in all fairness I did give the yellow wallet to my sister in law because she liked it! Don't judge me.

Tugging on my Heartstrings

A friend of mine named Candice (also a blogger, check her out at www.brunchwithmunch.blogspot.com) wrote a post today about her new no cell phone rule. Her post mentioned that she has come to realize how much time she spends on her iPhone while she could be spending time with her little man. As I read her blog, I was silently agreeing and My heart was sinking as I realized, wow, I could use a no cell phone rule as well. For the last hour I have been reading where the inspiration for Candices no cell phone rule stemmed from and I have sat here choked up and broken hearted as I realized that everything this blogging momma has said has been utterly true. Please go look at the blog www.handsfreemama.com and take the time to read some posts. Especially if you are a mom (or a dad). As I read the things that were written I realized that I DON'T want to be a technology consumed person and it has completely broken my heart to know that I've spent the last 8 months of my sons life paying attention to my phone and my iPad when I could have been spending those extra moments paying attention to him. This is my personal vow to be "hands free" at moments when my son is not napping. With the exception of taking phone calls from my mother, my fiancé and those who I feel need to have contact with us during those times, my phone will be left in the diaper bag or somewhere in the house and the iPad will stay in the basket by the couch until my baby's bedtime. Please read the posts on www.handsfreemama.com, i guarentee within 10 minutes your perspective will change drastically and you will be making your own personal vow. I am signing off to go do something that I never do....cosleep, because I feel as though I need to hold my son a little bit longer and a little bit tighter tonight. I suggest you do the same...

Shopping Scores

Everyone LOVES a good score, right? I mean who doesn't love to spend as little as possible and come home with some amazing clothes. Today I decided to hit up my local Marshall's and holy cow did I score. For less than $200 I came out with four pairs of pants, two purses, three shirts an a pair of sandals. You would think that for such a steal that I got a bunch of no named brands but in fact I was able to score Joe Jean Shorts for $40, Jessica Simpson Sandals for $25, two Duex Lux purses for $40 each and a pair of Levi jeans for $5!!!! Yes, you saw correctly- FIVE FREAKING DOLLARS. Total score right? After my score at Marshall's I decided to check out TjMaxx and found the cutest sign that I totally couldn't justify buying so instead I took a picture of it for you to see! I also scored two awesome cook books, one of which is a "kids food" cookbook and I thought that it would be fun for baby A to be able to pick out food that he likes (when he's much older of course) and he can help me make whatever he picks out! I strongly believe that kids should be helping out with in the kitchen, I feel that it instills good values and helps them have a bigger appreciation to the food that is being put out in front of them. Also it helps them evolve their taste buds and be more experimental with what they eat! Anyway, I love everything that I bought today and totally think that you should go check out your Marshall's and TJMaxx too and comment below on what your amazing finds were!!

Another Target Morning

It isn't even 9:00am and I have already succeeded in spending over $90 in baby food! Usually I make my sons food compliments of my baby bullet but since we are going to be so busy in the next week and a half I decide to just hit up the baby food aisle and spend a small fortune on prepared food for my little mister. I did a happy dance when I found the Pumpkin & Banana purée and literally bought out the store. I must have about 10 pouches sitting in my bag! I can't decide who likes the flavor better, me
or my son- it smells SO good! People always give me weird looks when I say whether or not it tastes good as if I wouldn't try what my son eats! Pfffffftttt

50 Shades of Mmm Mmm Mmm

Those who know me know that I am an avid reader. Those who don't know me will learn by reading this post that I am an avid reader. I recently read a trilogy that I haven't been able to shake. Fifty Shades Of Gray was the book that leaves you wanting more and the book that you can't put down no matter how hard you try. I started by reading a sample of the book from Amazon on my iPhone one night and immediately bought it. The next day the first book was finished. Book two took me a couple days to get through due to a very fun trip to Disneyland with my family, however, even in Disneyland I was still thinking about how I wanted to go back to the hotel and continue to read the damn book! Once book two was finished, book three was done a day and a half after that. I LOVED them. I did some research, and of course by research I mean I went to google, typed in fifty shades of gray and started looking at the websites and I learned that this book has been appropriately dubbed as Mommy Porn. Oh my is it mommy porn.

Fifty Shades is about a girl, Ana, who is in college and meets sexy CEO Christian Gray and ends up in his f*cked up sex crazed world of excitement. The books are written very casually and are extremely quick to get through. Even those who I know who hate to read for fun have blown through these books at record time. If you havent read or havent heard of these books I would jump on them quick! Not only will you love them, your husband/fiance/boyfriend/booty call will love the mood they're putting you in! GET ON IT! (no pun intended).

BFFs

Does anyone has a friend like this? I sure do! If you do as well, what animals would you be? Comment below :)

That Awkward Moment

When you're baby starts crying at 7am on the dot waking you up from a good dream. Baby A, why do you not chose to wake up at 9?! Even 8 would be appreciated!! I'm in a tired induced coma until the coffee stops brewing. Yes, I said BREWING. Whoa 1990s! Where the hell is the Keurig? Calm down, take a deep breath, I do have a Keurig! I just enjoy making a pot of coffee. Something satisfying about hearing it brew in the morning and beep at me when it's done- ok,
so that's a lie. The sound makes me want to pee and I hate having to wait but it tastes stronger fresh from the pot than it does straight from the pod. But I guess mornings aren't THAT bad....as soon as I see that gorgeous smiling face creeping up from his crib he melts all the ugly from my frost bitten heart. And then I giggle at his pjs. Ever notice how silly baby pjs are? First off, footies are amazing and although they DO make them for adults, I feel like they're just socially awkward and unacceptable- I mean, you don't see footies at Victorias secret, Macy's or Fredericks. At those places you find the sexy silk nightgowns and even the cute and playful pj pants, but never footies. Even if I was ok with the thought of wearing footies, I still wouldn't because they're so not as cute as baby ones!!!! If there isn't a giraffe on my hip or bears on my feet it's game over. Not up for discussion.

Hot Pink, Navy & Nautical

I LOVE hot pink, navy, and white. Especially when they're put together. I love all things nautical and think that hot pink and navy should marry each other. I didn't realize until talking to my BFF/Soulmate who is an obsessive blog reader that Hot Pink & Navy were "in" right now. I guess I am following a trend by loving them but I don't care! So I've decided that making navy an hot pink and nautical things for my store is an absolute must! So that's what I've done...a preview for what is to come July 1st....

My Morning

My morning started off pretty eventful (well, dull to most, eventful to me). It started by going to the happiest place on earth! TARGET! I LOVE TARGET. It's like crack for moms. You can't go in for one thing because you'll come out with a million and more often than not I end up with something-if not multiple something's- for my son. Today, we purchased little people! My son is a very special boy because today he got to take home Batman and the Joker. It added to his collection of Superman and Green Lantern. He likes to chew on them and I like that they are small enough that I can stick them in my cleavage for safe keeping when they're not being used as a teether. Since all four characters are men I feel as though it is safe to assume that they too enjoying being held for safe keeping between my girls. Whilst on my voyage through the happiest place on earth (again, not Disneyland, the happiest place on earth for MOMS), I decided it was 100% necessary to throw the Barnums Animal Crackers Lilly Pultzier Edition in my cart. Why? Because the box is pretty and pink that's why. Nevermind that animal crackers taste like cardboard now that I'm in my adult years! If the box is pink it's going in my cart. Next I headed to the grocery aisle where I for some reason decided to buy CRAP. Cherry Coke, yes please! Cookie dough HELL YA! My healthiest purchase was a bottle of Smart Water. After my field day at Target, Baby A and I headed to the Starbucks drive through. Mmmmmm iced mocha. The woman in the drive through was not on her A game this morning as far as customer service goes but I let it slide because I just wanted to get my mocha and to get the cranky butt in the back seat home for his morning nap which was already an hour overdue. I smiled to myself as i looked at my mocha and my front seat passenger, my beautiful CAKE by Petunia Raspberry Clutch. Even though I looked like a frump in my teeshirt, jeans and messy ponytail, I felt like a million bucks with my clutch and my coffee. As soon as I got home and baby A went down for his morning nap it was time to break out the Little People! I took baby A's collection outside for their photo shoot and back in to be sanitized and ready to be drooled on. Like I said, eventful morning!

Selena

Has anyone seen the movie Selena? I just caught th mr of it on Lifetime and it never fails to tug on my heart! She was so young and so beautiful! I have watched the movie a million times from the time was little to now and I still key (or want to cry) every time the movie ends. Am I the only one who feels like this or am I just PMSing?? Someone reassure me.

Instagram

I've had instagram for a while now and I go through phases where i don't use it at all and then I go through phases (like tonight) where i just cannot stop freaking posting! It's a little ridiculous. If you aren't already, you should follow me. You can search by my username alex_thisloveisoursboutique. Follow me!!!

Going Public

If you're reading this then you already know I've taken the blog public! I'm an Internet addict (even though I kind of suck at it...) there are many ways that you can follow me and reach me! The Blog: Facebook: Etsy: Instagram: alex_thisloveisoursboutique Email: thisloveisoursboutique@gmail.com I'm pretty sure I could not be easier to get ahold of. Geez. So now that the blog has gone public I am excited to say that I will be maintaining this blog at least 5x a week, but probably more. As a SAHM (stay at home mom, for those of you who are not acronym savy), I will have down time. I am not guaranteeing that it will be. Lot of down time but I will try to make my posts as exciting/dramatic/informative/witty as possible. So enjoy, laugh at me and pass my blog URL along to your friends. Follow me, peas.

A Boutique Sneak Peek

I promised myself that I wouldn't post any sneak peaks until mid June but I've been working so hard and I'm bursting at the seams!!!! So here is a blog exclusive sneak peek :)

New crocheted earwarmers, crocheted baby headbands, flower & feather headbands, bow hair clips, flower bobby pins, bow bobby pins & much more! This isn't even a fraction of what is in store!!

Chapter One

I did it! I took the plunge and created a blog! This isn't my first blog- yes, I know, I am a blog whore...cheating on the blog whose domain name I can no longer remember. HOW DARE I! I created it back before I got pregnant, got pregnant and well, you know about pregnancy brain. If you don't know about pregnancy brain, well, I'm sure you know about "blonde" moments. Or brunette moments, or redhead moments. Regardless of the color of your hair we've all had them. Anyyyywhooooo, I think I should tell you a little bit about me since you are taking the time to read this. I am a mom to a beautiful little boy and as cliche as it may sound, being a moms the most amazing and rewarding job in the world. He is my everything and I couldn't imagine my life without him or how I survived 20 years without knowing him. Yes, I am a young mom. I will turn 22 on June 3rd (I expect "happy birthdays", so don't forget). I am engaged to an amazing man. He proposed December 15, 2011 and we will get married September 15, 2013. I can't wait!! I am a business owner (kind of). I sell my crafty creations on Etsy, and this blog will be centered around my shop (as well as my life, my obsessions and anything els I feel like writing about). My shop is called This Love Is Ours Boutique and you can check it out at and The shop will be closed from May 25-July 1st to accommodate my move and reconstruction of the shop. I'm about to take a hug plunge, I'm a native Californian and am a soon to be Arizonian. So if you are in Arizona and you see me sweating my figurative balls off, be sure to say hi. If I'm dying on the sidewalk of heat stroke please make sure my son has some water and shade. I am a woman of many materialistic obsessions. Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bags, BumGenius Cloth Diapers, OPI Nail Polish, Mac Makeup, Urban Decay Makeup, Books, Magazines, my iPad. The list goes on. What are your obsessions? Comment below and maybe you will be an enabler :)