Anyways...

However, whether you run a summer camp program or your just a staff member of a summer camp program, these tips and tricks will help you make sure you keep all the children in your staffs care accounted for and it decreases your chances of losing a child (unfortunately it does happen).

1. Always have each staff member keep a roster of the children in their group. I created a roster template that had spots for the staff members name, the date and slots to write the childrens' names. Each staff member would write the children's first and last names on their roster that was in their care for that date. Also, if a kid leaves early have the staff member mark it next to the kid's name.

A few weeks ago I saw this recipe on the Chew and I tweaked it to work with the ingredients we had on hand at the time. This time I tweaked it a little more and I love the way it came out even more! My husband even said it is on top of his favorite dishes list.

With school coming to a close, many parents are trying to figure out what to do with their kids for summer so I thought I would put together some things to question and consider when choosing a summer camp for your child to attend.

When considering a summer camp to send your child to the first thing you need to consider is what type of camp will they go to. Will they attend a specialty camp that will help further develop their hobbies such as dance camp, football camp, etc? If so, are those camps in session all summer or for only a few weeks? Or will they go to a childcare camp that lasts all summer long?

I have had this dress for years and have used it in numerous types of occasions. I  wore it to my graduation, our gender reveal party, etc. and now it's on my radar to wear for my first Mother's Day. I love that this dress has this beautiful sleeve and back detail. 

For my first look I went with the obvious and paired the dress with wedges (perfect for spring and summer) and a statement necklace. I love how a statement necklace alone can transform any outfit.

My second look was toned down a bit by trading the wedges for cute sandals (a more casual but still cute option for spring and summer)  and adding a simple pendant necklace. Although my accessories are a little more simple with this look, doesn't mean my outfit is simple. The detailing on this dress is more than enough and becomes the focus.

My final look takes this dress down a few notches and makes this look more casual but still like I put effort into it. I don't know about y'all but I've been watching this trend and have been skeptical of it but I think I like it. Dresses are so comfy (but don't get too comfortable that you aren't sitting like a lady) and pairing them with tennis is kinda genius. 

Which is your favorite look? Are you a dress fan? 

One inspiration that has been in my head for a few years now is painting furniture but I have yet to bite the bullet. Maybe I'm late on this trend but I always see a ton of pieces painted white and now other colors although I am more attracted to the white painted furniture than anything. About a year or so ago I started debating about painting the buffet cabinet I received from my grandmother.


I was having a major debate because I love the white furniture in so many other people's houses but this piece I have is an antique. And yeah I know the distress trend is hot right now as well and I love that trend too but what I also love is a good piece of dark wood furniture. While I may jump on the trend to paint other antique furniture in my house (like maybe the dining table), I am leaving the heirloom pieces alone and honestly they look better as is. 

All this to say I am taking longer to decorate my house for two reasons; the biggest reason: budget. And the second is I want to be sure I decorate our house to my mix-match style that fits our home. What looks good in your home may not look good in mine and vice versa so I wanna take it slow but manly because I don't have the money. Just keeping it real.

What is your home decor style? Do you lean to one style or are you a hot mess like me and love a mixture of this and that?

This post is sponsored by ModCloth 
but all opinions and ideas are my own. 

Treat her to a relaxed spa day. Watch the kids and allow her to enjoy a manicure and pedicure and a haircut without the worry of the baby crying or little Jimmy and Jill fighting over a chair. It'll be so nice and refreshing for her to truly focus on herself.

Spoil your mama with some jewelry. A small pair of studs are so simple yet timeless (and she doesn't have to worry about baby Charlie pulling them out her ears).

For Gild Measure Earrings

Gift her with the latest trendy clutch to keep her in style because let's get real we would love to carry something else besides a diaper bag all the time!

Bestie Unto You Clutch in Rainbow (also available in black)

Heck do all three and than send her to lunch with her best gal friends while you hubbies watch the kiddos so they can have actual girl time without having to direct a circus.

And most importantly, make the mama in your life feel appreciated and loved (even more so than you already do) for all she has sacrificed for your family.

What do you plan on getting for the special mama in your life?

I decided to continue remixing my current wardrobe and making it work for me with my new role as a nursing momma. I talked about buying nursing camis and button ups to make nursing easier and they certainly do BUT you can still wear regular clothes and nurse your baby just fine! 

I wanted something that was simple yet pulled together and this shirt makes it so easy to do just that and by pairing it with a nursing cami underneath I was able to nurse Little Love without showing any belly. 

I am still wearing my maternity jeans because this momma still has extra fluff. #noshameinmygame #reallifemom

I hope you were able to gain inspiration and realizing you don't have to purchase a whole new wardrobe after baby even if you are a nursing momma. I would recommend only investing in a few nursing camis and nursing bras (I have two camis, one bra and two night time bras) but other than that use what is in your closet and make it work for you! And don't feel you have to fit into your regular jeans or shirts right away. It's not realistic and it will take time to get your pre-pregnancy body back (don't forget it took 10 months to put it on). 

Another tip: If you are really tight on budget like we are, use some of those gift cards from your babyshower to purchase nursing bras or camis. I felt guilty at first but realized it benefits the baby as well so go head girl!

Side Note: Ignore my horrible posing, I might get it one day but for right now forgive me and give me pointers if you have any! It's no secret I am in need of it. And to think I use to want to be America's Next Top Model as a teenager. Psh.

A few months ago, I shared some ways to bring in a little extra money. One of those ways was selling items on eBay and since that is where I bring in most of our extra income I decided to expand on what type of items I sell and what my monthly profit has been looking like to give y'all a general idea.

1. Clothes - this is the biggest category of items I try to sell. They range from brand new never worn items with or without tags and used clothing that is name brand and in good condition. The reason why I only sell name brand on eBay is because buyers are looking for a good deal on brands they love and typically you can't get much for clothing items that are not of a popular brand. For example, I have sold an H&M shirt, Under Armour clothing items, Nike, Kenneth Cole, etc.

2. Shoes - the shipping cost on shoes is high because they weigh so much and most times require you to do Priority shipping. I charge the buyers for shipping but you must know the exact weight of the item to determine what you should charge for shipping. I don't have a postage scale so it's kind of a hassle but I do plan on getting one so I can get better at charging the correct amount. I have cut into my profit numerous times by undercharging for shipping. This is one of the highest profit items though so it's worth trying to sell shoes as long as they are in good or better condition.

3. Hats - I really thought this item would be the fastest selling item yet I only sold 2 hat out of the 7 I had listed for the past two months. Hoping they sell soon though as I made some adjustments to their listing!

4. Watches/Activity Trackers - these items are the quickest and highest bidding items I have sold. People go into bidding wars for these items, I guess because of the fitness trend right now. 

Before listing an item, if I do not know their worth I try to find the exact item on the stores website. If the item is new with a tag, I try to get the actual value amount. If the item is new without a tag, I try to get at least half the value or more (this is where setting the item as an auction item comes in handy). If the item is used than I typically go with eBay's suggested starting bid price and hope I get numerous bids. Sometimes I do research the eBay site for similar items that others have sold to get an idea of what buyers are willing to pay.

If an item doesn't sell I relist it, sometimes at a reduced price depending on how desperate I am to get rid of the item. For example, I have a pair a KSwiss shoes I'm trying to sell and I have the bid starting at $30; I noticed I get watchers and a lot of views but no one has placed a bid so after relisting it numerous times I now dropped the starting bid to $20. We will see what happens. Sometimes you just have to be patient for the right buyer to come along.

So how much profit have I made these last few months? Well I have had good months and I have had really slow months. I can't make a living off eBay but it helps having extra cash here and there. 

November - $43.54

December - $80.25

January - $284.69

February - $159.45

March - $8.01
April - $56.40 and counting

I determine my profit by subtracting shipping cost, shipping materials (I buy these in a bundle as needed), eBay fees and PayPal fees from my sell price. I have created a spreadsheet in Excel to help keep me organized and calculate my profit for me.

I hope these tips and tricks helped you out and you were able to get a realistic view into how much profit a regular person makes selling stuff around the house.

What do you do to make extra cash? Do you keep account of your profit? If so, do you have an excel spreadsheet or do you do it by hand?

We really started imagining what this little person would be like, what parenthood would entail. But I never realized how hard it would be in these first few months. I knew about the frequent feeding, the loss of sleep, the endless diaper changes but I wasn't warned about the endless crying, at least it seems like it's endless. 

However, that crying means she's here. This child we dreamed of, we talked about, we planned and tried to have for years is here. Yes, she is needy and I am having to sacrifice more of myself then I ever realized but before I know it, she won't need me. 

There will be a time when she no longer needs to hear my heartbeat to calm her.

There will be a time when she no longer needs to feel me (and smell me) laying next to her.

There will be a time when she no longer needs me to hold her.

There will come a time when she is so interested in exploring the world around her that I can't keep her still long enough to hold and hug her.

There will come a time when she leaves the nest to start her own family.

So in this tough season of being a new mom to a newborn, I want to savor every little moment including the hard ones because there will come a time when she will no longer need me.

I love you sweet girl.