All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 30

 

Day 30 – it's Christmas Eve! post a photo of what's under your tree this year! 

 This is what our tree looked like on Christmas Eve! So pretty and all aglow. We read little man the Night Before Christmas and tucked him into bed. What a special tradition to start with him! We hung up all of the stockings and Santa visited during the night. At 13 months, he's still not really "into" opening gifts, but we had fun! I look forward to year after year of him being more involved with Christmas.

So the "All About Me in 30 Days" event has come to an end. It was a lot of fun for me and I am so glad that I took part in it! I hope that you all have enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about me and I look forward to getting to know you all a little bit more in the next year! Thank you so much for reading! 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

-CLOSED- EcoMom Review & Giveaway: Eco Cup Ceramic Hot Drink Cup

 

Can I just say that I <3 EcoMom. I love shopping from the EcoMom website and I know that whatever I buy there is safe for my home and my family. 

EcoMom recently sent me the Eco Cup Ceramic Hot Drink Cup to review and I just l-o-v-e it! My hubby's reaction was so funny when I opened the package from EcoMom- I was just pulling it out from the wrapping and my hubby got so excited and burst out with, "You got me a re-usable ceramic mug?!? How did you know I've wanting one for so long! That's awesome! Is it my Christmas present?" Poor hubby. I had to confess that I didn't know that he had been wanting one and that it wasn't his Christmas present, that it was for a review! Well, either way, he is happy that we have one now!

Meet the Eco Cup:

Hello. I am the Eco Cup. I'm Not a Paper Cup. I am a single-walled (non-thermal) porcelain cup with a silicone lid and sleeve. I hold approximately 16oz and come with a brown or white sleeve. I am 3.5" in diameter and 6" tall. I am also microwave and dishwasher safe.

I take my Eco Cup with me everywhere! Seriously, I even use it in the house. I am notorious for pouring my first cup of coffee and being so pre-occupied with little man for so long that I forget to drink my coffee. (Bad mommy, I know... I mean, I can barely function without coffee) So, then when I sit down to drink my coffee, it's cold. Ewwy. Cold coffee is not yummy. Lately, I've been putting my morning coffee in the Eco Cup Ceramic Hot Drink Cup and the lid keeps it much hotter for longer! Yay! No more cold coffee! It is also super easy to take along in the car or to the park (it fits perfectly in my strollers cup holder) and it is so nice to have a reusable mug to take to the coffee shop!

The perfect "going to the park" accessory!

Now, one thing I will say about the mug. It has a warning on it to not pick up the mug when it is full of a hot drink without the sleeve on it. They are 100% correct. The ceramic mug gets very hot! So you will want to make sure that you put it on before putting your hot drink in it. 

"WARNING- CUP CAN BECOME EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH WHEN FILLED WITH HOT BEVERAGE. DO NOT USE WITHOUT SILICONE SLEEVE ON CUP."

Also, since it isn't seal-able, you will want to be careful that your little ones don't knock it over or reach for it to grab it. Little man is notorious for trying to grab mommy's coffee cup and sometimes it's like we're playing the keep-away game.

I love that EcoMom is constantly introducing new products to their site. I feel good about shopping there because I know they sell safe, eco-friendly and high-quality products. I also love the things that I can learn from their site! Here are some other fun tid-bits about the EcoMom site:

•  When you spend $50 at EcoMom, you get FREE shipping!
• EcoMom has amazing daily deals at deep discounts. You can sign up for the daily deal here.
• They also have a blog that has more information on green products and advice, parenting tips, ideas and crafts.

Overall, I love my new Eco Cup. It sits right next to my coffee maker so I can use it every day. I love having it to use at coffee shops rather than a paper cup that gets thrown away, because every little bit helps! 

Interested in picking up a treat for yourself? Or do you have someone in mind who you know would love this mug? Or perhaps your New Year's resolution is to add some new "green" habits to your life? You can BUY the Eco Cup Ceramic Hot Drink Cup for $9.99 at EcoMom.

Also, EcoMom has generously offered a 15% discount to my readers to use on your first order at EcoMom - just use code SBBL636 at checkout for 15% off your order! (This discount code is good until December 31, 2010 ...so get shopping!) 

  

-Or-

You can enter to WIN a the same mug I received from EcoMom! One lucky reader will win their very own Eco Cup Ceramic Hot Drink Cup to use and enjoy drinks from.

  Here's how to enter:
Mandatory Entry:
 

*This mandatory entry must be completed for the rest of your entries to be valid. I will be checking/verifying your comments, if you say you signed up for something or did something, you do need to actually do it for it to count as an entry*

• You must my publicly follow my blog via Google Friend Connect AND visit EcoMom and tell me what other item you love from their site!

Extra Entries:

•  "Like" EcoMom on Facebook and let them know that The Little Hedgehog sent you. (2 entries)

• Follow EcoMomCEO on Twitter and comment here with your Twitter ID (1 entry)

• Sign up for the EcoMom newsletter (2 entries)  

• Add my button to your blog and leave me a link (2 entries) 

• Follow me on Twitter: @lttlehedgehog then, comment here with your Twitter ID to get your entry. (1 entry) 

• Tweet about this giveaway. Comment with a direct link to your tweet so I can see it to get your entry!  You may use this tweet or make up your own:  Enter to #Win an Eco Cup Ceramic Hot Drink Cup from @EcoMomCEO and @lttlehedgehog http://bit.ly/dJUJFw {Ends 1/7} #green #eco #giveaway  (1 entry per day)

• Sign up to receive the little hedgehog emails via feedburner and have your subscription verified. (2 entries)

• Blog about this review/giveaway. Be sure to include a link to this review/giveaway. Comment with a link to your blog post to get your entry! (2 entries)

Don't forget to put your email address in each comment so I can get a hold of you if you are the lucky winner! If I cannot get a hold of you, I will have to draw another winner! Also, I will check to make sure that the winner filled out the mandatory entry.

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

I'll accept entries until Friday, January 7, 2011 at Midnight PST. I'll select a winner using random.org's random number generator, then email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email and if I don't get a response, I will have to choose another winner. Again, make sure you leave your email address in your comment!

*EcoMom will be emailing the winner’s gift certificate item to them directly.

Thank you to EcoMom for providing me with the opportunity to host this review and giveaway at no cost to myself. The item was sent to me free of charge for review and has not influenced my opinion of the product. I have sought to give my honest opinions and experiences on this product. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Thank you again to EcoMom for sponsoring this review and giveaway!

All About Me... In 30 Days! Day 29

Day 29 - a picture of something you want to do before you die...

“Every man dies – Not every man really lives.” ~ William Ross

I would love to live in Italy for at least a year before I die. I would love to soak in the culutre and the lifestyle there!  I would love to learn the language, go to the market for foods, learn to cook the foods and to sit and enjoy my life with my hubby and a good glass of wine. La vita è bella!

Hubby and I could even get around on our own little vespa!

 

All About Me... In 30 Days! Day 28

Day 28 - your hopes, dreams, plans for the next 365 days...

I hadn't really thought about my resolutions for the next year yet. But, since we're on the topic...

• My hopes: That I will remember to be present in every moment with my little man. Whether he is just flipping through a book or trying to climb on me or even if he is shrieking in my general direction. My hope is that I am actively there with him in those moments. I know that it is impossible to be there every second of every day (because mommy does need a potty break, or a moment for coffee or food or just a breather for some silence). But my greatest hope is that I will be there to play with him, talk to him, listen to him and watch him grow. The first year has gone by so quickly and I know that the following years will fly by just as fast, so I want to cherish the time I have with my little man. The same applies to my hubby, especially since he travels for work. When he is home, I hope that I remember to take advantage of the time that we get together and to be thankful of the time we do get to spend together.

• My dreams: That hubby and I will continue to dream up future vacations! Traveling is so important to me andI want to continue to dream up new adventures with him. Whether we are discovering something new to do that is local to where we live or if we are dreaming up our next vacation plans, I never want those dreams to stop. My dream for this next year is that we will work on plans for our next big vacation to Europe. I want to go with hubby and my family again and I really, really, really want to take little man! Our last trip with our family before hubby and I had little man was such an amazing vacation and I want our little man to see new countries and cities, experience other cultures and foods, to have his cheeks pinched by Italian "mamas" that we don't know, to try gelato, to play on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower, to see the soft, brown Swiss cows with their big bells around their neck and whatever other mischief and adventure he might run headlong into. My dreams have always included traveling and I loved including my hubby in those dreams and now I can't wait to share those dreams with our little man.

• My plans: That hubby and I will continue and maybe even finish our home improvement projects! We have painted every room in the house except the office and my plan is to have that room painted in the next year! My plan is also to tackle our yard and get some new plant is the ground and (keeping my fingers crossed) a retaining wall in! My plan is to get pictures of our family printed and hung in our stairway, to get large prints made from our last trip to Europe and get them hung in the living room and guest room. I would also like to get back into the swing of couponing more diligently to help cut back on our monthly expenses. Ooooh, I have so many plans that I could make my head spin with all of the things I want to accomplish. One things at a time though and I am sure that I will get more things checked off my list that I even thought I could. Even looking back at this year, I am impressed by the things that hubby and I have done!

But, as it is quoted, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray..." So, I will do my best and remember to always have a back-up plan and a deep breath and a smile for when things don't go quite as expected. Whatever the next year brings our family, I am excited for it and am so blessed that I get to have another year full of adventures, surprises, love and fun with my hubby and little man.

 

All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 27

Day 27 - a photo of someone you could never imagine your life without...

Well, I have two "someone's" that I could never imagine my life without:

All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 26

Day 26 - a photo of where you live...

Ahhh...sunny Southern California! I love living here! Last week it was 80 degrees! Now it's cooled down and is raining, but still, 80 in December....kinda crazy! I love warm weather though. I am a flip-flop and tank top wearing girl and I just thrive in the sunshine! I am definitely happiest when the sun is out and shining on my shoulders. 

This is the entrance to our housing community. It's the perfect tree-lined drive...just like I've wanted since I was a kid!

This was actually taken a few short days before we bought our home. Now there are some new palm trees and grasses growing in the front yard.

This is the view of the mountains (and other homes) from our master bedroom

I feel that we are so blessed to have a house to live in, make our own and raise our little man in. I could have never dreamed that hubby and I would have a house of our own (especially when we got married 5 years ago and the housing market was skyrocketing!), but every day, I am so thankful to come home to our "home sweet home."

All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 25

Day 25 - your worst habit...

I think my worst habit is that I twirl my hair. When I don't put my hair up and out of the way, I am constantly finding a little strand and twirling away. Sometimes I even do it subconsciously and realize later that I've been twirling my hair. I've been doing it for about as long as I can remember and I'm pretty sure it's hereditary, since my dad did it when he was a kid too! But, the big difference is, that I still do it! I'm not exactly sure why I do it, but it just feels relaxing a soothing to me. Maybe it's kind of like a security blanket that is constantly with me! I think the worst was when I used to do it in school, (especially in college) my teachers probably thought I was bored out of my mind, but I usually didn't even realize I was doing it.

On days when I have my hair up all day, I love to take my hair down before bed and take a couple seconds to twirl my hair- it's just so soft and feels so relaxing! I try so hard to not do it when I am out in public, it can't look all that appealing. But, I'm pretty sure that I will continue to twirl my hair for as long as I have hair that is long enough to twirl! I doubt that it is a habit that I will be able to break. 

I'm really interested to see if our little man will twirl his hair or if I will pass the habit along to any future kiddos!

All About Me...In 30 Days!

Day 24 - a recipe...

I LOVE this cookie recipe! It is from Ocean Spray and I usually see it in magazines in the corner of an advertisement for their dried cranberries around the Christmas season. I love to make this recipe, eat these cookies and sometimes, I will even share these cookies. I am actually making them this weekend! Some of my girlfriends and my mom are coming over for an "Ugly Christmas Sweater and Cookie Bake-n-Swap" party! Fun, fun, fun! I'm sure I will have picture proof of our "ugly" sweaters to post after the grand event!

Now the only change I make to the original recipe, is that I swap out the white chocolate chips for semi sweet chocolate chips...since I'm not a white chocolate fan. :)

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

 

Enjoy!

All About Me...In 30 Days (Playing Catch Up)

Sooo....I have some catch-up to do with the All About Me event. I had set up some to post while I was gone, but I still managed to get behind! But, now I should be all caught up!

Day 22 - a photo of your wedding/future wedding plans...

 May 28, 2005 - We got married in a beautiful, billowy tent with with about 80 family members and friends there to celebrate with us.

Day 23 - a photo of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently...

Well, this has been more of an impact over the past year. Our little man has made a huge impact in our life...having him has changed so much in our lives. So many new experiences, joys and yes, even frustrations have happened over the past year and I know there is so much more to come. Every day, hubby and I get to soak in all of the "new-ness" as little man is learning and doing so much. Our love for each other has grown and our hearts have grown and filled with love for our little man. He is such a blessing and although our life has changed from being just the two of us to a family of three, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday

This past weekend, my best friend and I got to have a girls weekend! We had so much fun together! This was the first time I was away from my little man overnight...I was gone for 3 nights! Luckily hubby was there to have some "man time" with our little guy. He sure does love his "da-da" but I sure did miss my boys! I had a wonderful and fun time, but I was happy to come home (to an amazingly clean home too...maybe I should leave more often...haha!). I got a little taste of what it is like for my hubby to have to leave for work all the time...man, it was breaking my little mama heart to leave my baby boy. I don't know how he does it, but I sure am thankful he is such a hard working hubby and provides for us. I am a lucky mama.

 

All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 21

Day 21 - a hobby of yours...

Does collecting cloth diapers count? Haha! Just kidding...kinda. I think hubby thinks I am collecting them for my hobby! ;) But, I do think that while that may be one of my hobby's, I really love taking pictures. I love when I get to take my big, digital Nikon out to play and take tons of pictures! I love taking pictures of little man, hubby, nature, places we go, things we do... oh, it's just so much fun! I may not be "professional" or have much schooling in photography (or editing them, haha!), but I sure do have fun with that camera and looking at the world through the lens. Taking pictures of memories is definitely my favorite hobby. :)

All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 20

Day 20 - a talent of yours...

 

I think I'm pretty talented at saving money actually. I have been a stay-at-home-wife since shortly after hubby and I got married. It started as something to do while he was away traveling for work, then I got more into couponing and looking for "good deals" and I realized how much money it was saving us (and how much fun I was having). So, then I think my hobby blossomed into a talent! I love using coupons and seeing how much I save on grocery bills. I love using online coupon codes and getting great deals on things shipped to the house! I love a good deal and I love hunting for them too! 

Things have hit a bit of a lull since little man was born. At first, I just didn't have the time or ability to juggle a newborn, diaper bag, clipping coupons and coupon binder. Now, I think I can slowly start to up the ante of my couponing talents. I may not use the same coupon binder, but I can still go into the grocery store armed with an envelope of coupons that I'll be using!

Haha! This shirt made me laugh...little man may need one of these!

I <3 coupons!

All About Me...In 30 Days! Day 19

Day 19 - a picture of somewhere you’d like to travel...

Bora Bora!

...and I would like to stay in a bungalow over the water, if that's not too much to ask!

 Oh, how I would love to add Bora Bora to the list of places I've been! It seems like such a romantic getaway. Someday I'll make it there with hubby...maybe for a second honeymoon!