Iron Birch Coffee Table GIVEAWAY

We have been absolutely thrilled with the beautiful custom furniture and equipment built by Iron Birch for our new office space (check out the full office tour HERE!), and I'm so excited to be giving away a coffee table to one lucky winner!

One of you will receive this gorgeous metal coffee table (well, we're keeping ours, thank you very much, but you'll get one custom built for you, in exactly this design!). It is all metal, so sturdy and durable, and I love the design -- rustic and charming, yet sleek and modern.

Deveren, the owner of Iron Birch, is crazy talented both as a designer and a metal worker -- in addition to the coffee table, he also built our beautiful office sign, Jeff's jaw-dropping office desk, and all of our traction equipment.

And to give you a glimpse of some of his other designs, this coffee table was built from a set of vintage drafting drawers, topped with weathered barn wood. I saw this one in person at Deveren's shop, and it is, if possible, even cooler in person.

This dining table is so cool I can hardly come up with an introductory sentence worth of its magnificence. Love it.

Enter to win a custom metal coffee table from Iron Birch just like the one we have in our office by using the Rafflecopter below! The giveaway will run from 2/18 - 2/24, when a random winner will be chosen. Giveaway is open to residents of the continental US only. Good luck!

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Lily Jade and London Bridges Giveaway!

I just wanted to pop in real quick and give you a heads up about a fantastic giveaway happening on my Instagram right now!

I teamed up with London Bridges (a local designer here in Utah who I met at the farmers market over the summer--she sews the most adorable and comfortable baby skirts and mommy + me matching dresses), and Lily Jade (makers of the best diaper bags ever ever ever ever ever) for this giveaway. The winner will get a matching mommy + me dress set from London Bridges, as well as the Rosie bag from Lily Jade!

Head to my instagram to enter to win!!!

Lily Jade bags are truly game changers, and I could not love them more. And I'm so glad I got to meet Holly from London Bridges--I bought Darcy two skirts from her over the summer, and she gets so many compliments on them every time she wears them. They're darling, plus so comfy and perfect for busy little legs to play in. And her new mommy + me dresses are so cute and fun.

I also did something for this giveaway that I've never, in the history of my 5 years of blogging, done before.

I worked with a professional for pictures.

I'm sure the difference from my typical post photos is obvious . . . 

  

My friend and new neighbor Carrie is the photographer behind Ivy & Stone, and she helped me out with these pictures. And it is a testament to her great talent that there are any pictures at all where we look decent, because I'm sure we were probably the worst clients she has ever experienced.

I was super duper awkward (unsurprisingly) and Darcy was not interested. She literally shouted at Carrie every time she noticed her lifting the camera to take a picture. "No! NOOO!!!!" I honestly thought we wouldn't end up with a single usable picture between Darcy's attitude and my winning combination of photo day stress and typical awkwardness, but somehow we ended up with so many great ones! Thank you, Carrie :-) You can visit her site HERE, and follow her on instagram HERE.

Running Update + Racing Laces

"Hm," you're thinking, "I wonder why Rachel hasn't breathed a word about running since the half marathon in June?"

Well, the good news is that I had a blast doing the half and couldn't wait to sign up for another. The less good news is that I started having some pretty bad plantar fasciitis pain almost immediately after the race, and ended up needing to take quite a few weeks off. Kind of a bummer since I was so pumped and excited after the half.

But what can you do? My feet were saying to take a break, so I did. And I was surprised, actually, by how much I missed running during those weeks off.

After taking a few weeks off and taking better care of my legs and feet, I'm feeling so much better now, and have started easing back into running over the last few weeks with some shorter to mid distance runs a few times a week. It feels so good to get back out.

^ someone was very eager to join me for pictures, and came up with most of these poses/action shots on his own. A bright future in blogging, I'm sure.

Besides just sitting around and resting and self-medicating with plenty of chocolate and Diet Coke, I took a bit of action to get the plantar fasciitis out of the way. I bought a roller ball that I've been using daily on my arches, get massages focusing on my legs and calves as often as I can manage, focus on stretching my calves and feet after each run, and I swapped out my regular shoelaces for Racing Laces.

Racing Laces are a brand new product created by some good friends of ours who offered to send a few pairs for us to experience. Our friends discovered elastic shoelaces while training for competitive races, but were disappointed by the elastic laces they found on the market--low quality, flimsy laces that stretched out and were useless after a few workouts. So they created their own sturdy, heavy duty, high quality elastic laces that can stand up to some serious use (and after wearing mine for a few weeks, I can confirm that they have held up awesomely without stretching out or losing their spring at all!).

So what's the point of using elastic laces?

For me, the most appealing aspect was adding comfort to runs by allowing my shoes to expand and stretch while I run. Traditional laces don't have any give, so your shoes are fairly rigid and can put pressure on your feet, leading to pain and injuries. But Racing Laces relieve this pressure and allow the bones in your feet to move more naturally, so they can help prevent common running injuries like plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and even stress fractures.

Also awesome is the easy-on, easy-off factor, and knowing that your laces won't ever come untied, even during long distances or obstacle courses (hello Spartan racers).

And I am kicking myself--kicking myself hard!!--that I haven't bought Forrest a new pair of sneakers yet to show off his new pair of Racing Laces. He's been overdue for new shoes for months, and I was hoping to show off his kicks complete with Racing Laces that he'd be able to take on and off by himself without help . . . but life being what it is, I ran out of time, so he's stuck with his crummy Velcro shoes for a little longer. But that's another little tip to remember . . . they're great for kids' shoes, and will get your little ones ready for school faster since they won't need help tying shoes.

If you're a runner or an athlete of any sort, I think Racing Laces are absolutely worth checking out, especially if you've dealt with any kind of foot pain or want to make sure you're doing everything you can to prevent it. And right now, you can enter to win a pair for yourself on Racing Laces' instagram page! Head HERE to enter.

And to wrap this post up, I made you a special treat. Forrest was so excited to jump for photos. I couldn't resist compiling them into a little gif. Enjoy.

WIN the Blog Hop Crochet Along Afghan!

Today kicks off the final giveaway of the Blog Hop Crochet Along! We have pieced together all twenty of the bloggers’ squares from our crochet along into one beautiful afghan that one of you will win!

Most of these squares were actually crocheted by their designers and then mailed across the globe to be put together - this pretty afghan is truly a collaborative effort!

Thanks to all of our bloggers for participating:

Whistle & Ivy, Fiber Flux, Gleeful Things, Loop San, Dream a Little Bigger, Little Monkeys Crochet, One Dog Woof, Maybe Matilda, Hopeful Honey, and Persia Lou!

 

This giveaway ends 1/14/15 at midnight PST and is open WORLDWIDE! Enter in the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

 

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Big Awesome YA Novel Bundle Giveaway (R.C. Hancock and Janette Rallison)

If you love to read—or if you love someone who loves to read—this one’s for you.

I have a big, awesome, reader-riffic giveaway today, and the timing couldn’t be better. Whether you want to keep all this YA goodness to yourself and spend your Christmas break snuggled up with a pile of books, or wrap them up and give the perfect gift to a bookworm friend . . . it’s going to be a very merry Christmas, either way.

My brother-in-law Ryan is the author of An Uncommon Blue, a brand new young adult fantasy novel coming out December 9th (it is currently available for pre-order).

About the book:

In Télesphore, the glowing color of a person’s palm determines their place in society, and touching hands with another mixes those colors permanently. For the first sixteen years of his life, rugby star Bruno Nazaire hasn’t had any trouble keeping his hands to himself. But when a Green boy sneaks into Blue Campus to get Bruno’s autograph and is attacked by a guard, Bruno falls into defense mode. And kills the guard. Whether or not the slaying was accidental, the rule of law has not been challenged in fifty years and the Steward is determined to make an example of Bruno.

That is, if he can catch him.

An Uncommon Blue is exciting, it’s creative, it’s fast-paced, it’s original, it’ll keep you on your toes . . . and I have 4 lovely copies to pass along to you, all signed by the author (well, make that 3--I’m keeping one for myself). Learn more about Ryan and Blue at his website, and be sure to like his facebook page to keep up with his writing news.

And to up the ante, I’ve also got 4 more young adult novels to add to the mix.

I received a few of Janette Rallison’s books for Christmas one year when I was in high school, and was so excited to meet her in person when she gave a guest lecture in one of my English classes at BYU. I’m already familiar with her ‘good clean fun’ romantic comedy novels, and I’m looking forward to reading her fantasy novels, written under the pen name CJ Hill. Ryan mentioned becoming friends with her in his local writers’ group, so when she heard I’d be giving away his new book, she let me have 4 of her books to give away along with it—all signed. We’ve got:

Slayers:  Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And, in this novel from C. J. Hill, they’re smart: before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it—these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights and must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?

Erasing Time: When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that's so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can't go back home. The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The same government has implanted tracking devices in the citizens, limiting and examining everything they do. Taylor and Sheridan have to find a way out of the city before the government discovers their secrets.

Just One Wish: Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman will do anything to fulfill her little brother's only wish before his frightening cancer surgery. The trouble is, he wants a certain superstar actor to pay him a visit. Annika has only a few days to drive to California and convince the celebrity to come home with her. On a seemingly impossible adventure that includes paparazzi, bows and arrows, and one enormous snake, Annika learns a few lessons about family, love, and having her own wishes granted.

How to Take the Ex out of Ex-Boyfriend: Boyfriends are supposed to be loyal, caring, and handsome. Giovanna’s boyfriend, Jesse, has perfected the last two. But when her twin brother, Dante, runs for student body president, Jesse doesn’t support Dante, choosing to campaign for his opponent instead. Shouldn’t the fact that Jesse is Giovanna’s boyfriend count for something? So Giovanna dumps Jesse and becomes Dante’s campaign manager. But as the political debates heat up, Giovanna begins to regret breaking up with Jesse, and realizes that maybe her decision wasn’t the political strategy she should have used.

Learn more about Janette and her books at her website!

I’m so excited for you guys to experience these fun, engaging, creative authors for yourself, and get your hands on their work! One lucky winner will receive the big awesome 5 book YA bundle—An Uncommon Blue plus 4 Janette Rallison titles (all signed)!

Two additional winners will each win one signed copy of An Uncommon Blue!

Enter using the Rafflecopter below! Giveaway open to US only—I apologize, international friends! Blame the dang expensive post office, not me.

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Chunky Scalloped Cowl Crochet Pattern (and yarn giveaway!)

I don’t think I will ever, for as long as I live, get tired of wearing scarves and cowls. They have so much going for them—they’re an easy burst of color or pattern or texture to amp up an outfit, the perfect transition pieces to carry you into or out of cooler weather, and if you crochet (or knit!) they are so quick and easy and inexpensive to make yourself. Lion Brand  invited me to take part in their #scarfie project (selfie + handmade scarf = scarfie!) by sharing a photo of myself in a scarf I made, and it was the perfect push to do something I’ve been meaning to do for a few weeks anyway: get myself all set for fall with a new cozy cowl. And this one I came up with is peeeerfect, if I may say so myself.

I love me a scallop, that’s for sure. I toss them on just about everything (baby blankets, hats, tops), so naturally I couldn’t resist making myself a scalloped cowl. It had to be done. And I was happy to do it.

I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (color: Grass), so it was very fast to work up (there are only 10 rows here, people), and my cowl is so thick and warm and chunky. Perfect for chilly fall days.

I’d like to take a little minute here to predict that it will take my dad about 12 minutes from the moment I post this to call me with a triumphant I told you so!!! because after yeeeeeeeears of mocking him for pairing denim pants with a denim/chambray top, I’ve crossed to the dark side and I have no regrets.

On to the pattern! Feel free to add or eliminate chains for a looser or more snug fit (just chain in multiples of 4), and add or eliminate rows to make your cowl ‘taller/shorter.’

Chunky Scalloped Cowl
Uses just over 1 ball of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick (or another super bulky weight yarn of your choice!) (I used roughly 120 yards total)
N hook
written in US crochet terminology

ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
sk: skip
st: stitch

Ch 56 and join to first ch with sl st to form a circle (make sure your chain isn’t twisted!)

Row 1: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join to top of starting ch with sl st. (56)

Rows 2-8: Repeat row 1. (56)

Row 9: (Do not ch!) *Sk next st, work 5 dc in next, sk next st, sl st in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Fasten off.

Row 10: Join yarn with sl st at opposite end of cowl at the seam. Working in the free loop of the foundation chain, repeat row 9. Weave in all ends.

Top: Walmart // Jeans: Ross  //  Boots: c/o Sole Society

If you make this cowl, I would love for you to share a picture on my facebook page, or tag me in an instagram shot of you wearing it. And make sure to use the #scarfie hashtag when sharing your fall and winter scarf/cowl projects!

Would you like a chance to win Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick to make this (or another!) cowl for fall? Yes, I thought you might. Two winners will get two balls each—perfect for making yourself a cozy fall scarf. Enter using the rafflecopter below! (giveaway open to US only)

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I was compensated by Lion Brand for this post and project, and received free product to work with. Thank you for supporting/tolerating Maybe Matilda sponsors who help make posts like this possible!

Picky Eating + An Enfagrow Giveaway!

Have I ever mentioned that Forrest is a picky eater? (The correct answer is yes. Yes, I have written about his pickiness a thousand times and you would probably love nothing more than for me to stop whining about it. But since his picky eating is an ever-present, looming annoyance in our lives, I’m just going to keep going on complaining until, I don’t know, he finally chokes down a vegetable.) Since he seems to delight in making my life more difficult by being unbelievably picky, I was happy to explore supplementation options with Enfagrow for this sponsored post as a way to get some important nutrients into his system.

The sad part about his eating habits is that I am convinced he’s not actually picky. He loved and devoured eeeeverything I offered him right up until his terrible twos stage set in, and I think those little wheels started turning and he realized food was a battle he could win, one small aspect of his life he could be completely in charge of. I couldn’t force him to eat, so turning up his little nose at 99% of the foods I presented to him became his way to assert himself and gain some control. I’ll never stop thinking back fondly on those long-ago days when he’d wolf down anything I placed in front of him, then enthusiastically sign for ‘more’ . . . homemade Thai dishes, vegetable-packed soups, food in every color of the rainbow. *wistful sigh* One of these days, he’ll come around and realize his mom isn’t nearly as bad of a cook as he thinks.

Until then, I’m just trying not to turn our kitchen table into a battleground. I don’t know what the ‘right’ approach to handling picky eating is (if there is one), but my theory has been that he’ll try new things when he’s ready. I do everything I can to give him tasty, healthy options without catering too much to his pickiness, and I figure he’ll eat when he’s ready. For breakfast and lunch, I give him meals I know he’ll enjoy--toast and peanut butter sandwiches made with my homemade wheat bread, fruit, deli meats, crackers, nuts--but when dinnertime rolls around,  I make the meals I want to make without worrying about whether or not he’ll eat them (and I include a side dish or two I feel pretty sure he’ll enjoy, like grapes or wheat rolls). And if he chooses to go to bed hungry instead of eating what I put on his plate, that’s his choice to make.

I feel like he eats a decent amount of food throughout the day--I certainly don’t worry that he’s hungry or underfed--it’s the quality and variety of food he eats that makes me a bit nervous. If it were up to him, he’d eat nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and donuts all day, perhaps with few apple slices tossed in. I’m a little concerned that he isn’t really getting the sort of nutrition a  growing body needs, so I was more than happy to try out some Enfagrow when they offered recently.

One nutrition factoid that caught my interest was Enfagrow’s emphasis on DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is a building block in the brain, especially since most brain growth growth happens during the first 3 years of life. DHA is particularly hard to get into your toddler since it’s most prevalent in foods that the average toddler isn’t going to come near with a 10-foot pole (like fatty fish), and most toddlers aren’t getting nearly the recommended amount of it. And since Enfagrow’s toddler drinks have DHA (as well as other important nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, iron, and even prebiotics), I like the idea of using it to supplement Forrest’s picky, narrow diet to make sure he’s getting the nutrition he needs.

Can any of you commiserate with me on the topic of raising a picky eater? (I sure hope I’m not the only parent out there rolling her eyes daily while her child insists he hates something totally innocuous, like pasta or chicken.) Enfagrow is giving away one gift package to one of you, which includes one Toddler Transitions can (21 oz.) and one Toddler Next Step Natural Milk Flavor can (24 oz)! If you’re the mom of a picky little eater, it could be a great way for you to feel a little more at ease about your child’s nutrition and development, and make sure they’re getting nutrients and DHA.

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me about your picky eater and why you want your toddler to try Enfagrow! The giveaway will be open till October 11*

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND D.C. 18 YEARS AND OLDER ARE WHO ALREADY HAVE INTERNET ACCESS AND VALID E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Promotion begins 9/30/2014 at 12:00 AM PST and ends at 11:59 PM PST on 10/11/2014. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Official Rules, eligibility, prize descriptions and odds disclosure are available at http://www.thesitsgirls.com/sweepstakes-official-rules/ . Sponsor: Mead Johnson & Company, LLC, 2400 West Lloyd Expressway, Evansville, IN 47721.

I received compensation and free Enfagrow for this post. Enfagrow would be happy to help you with your question. Please contact them at 1-800-BABY-123

Do more, the kids are okay. (2-Camera Video Monitor Giveaway!!!)

You've had the experience of trying something new, then wondering how you ever survived before that thing came into your life, right? Me, too.

My KitchenAid mixer, for example.

My Shiseido eyelash curler.

Jeggings.

And now, to be added to the list of Didn't Know This Was a Necessity Until Now: video monitors for my babies' rooms.

I've always wanted a video monitor, thinking it would make life a tad more convenient. After a whopping week of owning two video monitors--one for each kid's room--I can barely even express how much easier and happier and more convenient it has made my life. I know, I'm totally gushing and it's probably obnoxious, but I am dead serious, and I can't help myself.

Take a gander at the Levana Keera monitor set, my new pride and joy and source of great parenting peace. I'd guess every parent has found themselves in that frustrating situation of hearing a noise coming from the baby's room while baby is supposedly sleeping, and doing the awkward back-and-forth shuffle outside the door where you creep up and listen and wonder if the baby actually needs your help? is something actually wrong in there? or can you go ahead and do whatever thing you've been looking forward all day to doing after the baby has been put to bed and trust that baby is okay and doesn't need anything? Yeah, I've been there. Soooooooo many times, and it drives me nuts when I desperately want to just relax, or read, or crochet, or do whatever it is I've been waiting all day to do, but instead I sit there worrying about every little peep I hear coming from the kids' rooms, wondering if they need something, or if they're feeling okay, or if a kidnapper is prying their window open right now to abduct my precious babies and drag them away to join a cult in the mountains (seriously, these are real concerns I have had when hearing noises come from the kids' rooms. Always the rational one.). I love that I can literally look into their rooms and check on them without having to creep up the stairs and eeeeaaaaaase their creaky doors open and risk them seeing me and having a full meltdown if I want to make sure they're doing all right.

A few weeks ago, Darcy and I both caught a little stomach bug. It didn't last terribly long, but it was a rough couple of days when we both felt gross and nauseous. Well, here's where one of the Keera's coolest features would have come in handy. The monitors can be put into "peep mode," where it basically sleeps until baby makes noise, causing the monitor to light up and alert you that something's going on. I sure would have liked one of these monitors when Darcy had that stomach bug, because then I would have known to head into her room at whatever point in the night she woke up, puked all over her crib, and went back to sleep. Seeing as I didn't have this monitor yet, though, the poor thing marinated in her own yuckiness until morning (this is one of the rare situations where I wouldn't mind a baby crying for help in the night. Forrest also had a habit as a baby of throwing up in his crib and not bothering to cry about it. So gross.).

I also love that I can use the microphone on the monitor to talk to the kids--an amazing feature. I did not realize before using a video monitor that Forrest spends an awful lot of time wandering around his room, collecting toys, and reading books before falling asleep. And when he starts heading toward his door to attempt an escape, or is just being too loud, I can talk through the monitor to him to tell him to lie back down or keep the noise level to a dull roar. So convenient.

This all boils down to less fretting over every little noise I hear, less worrying about whether they are safe and happy up in their bedrooms, and more relaxing when bedtime rolls around. More reading. More getting-my-feet-rubbed-while-watching-reruns-of-The-Office with Jeff. Because there is less creeping up the stairs to try and listen outside their doors. I can do more knowing that they're safe.

I really hope you are one of THREE lucky winners who will be getting a monitor set, because it will make your life so much more stress-free and peaceful. Go ahead and enter below. Best of luck to one and all. (Follow Levana on Facebook to keep up with their news.)

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Levana. The opinions and text are all mine.

Mother’s Day Treasures and a $500 RedEnvelope Giveaway!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of RedEnvelope.

A brief list of some of the things I might do in a typical day for Forrest:

- Wake up at 6 AM sharp (always on the dot—always) and talk him down from his morning tantrum/hysterics/deep sorrow, as his brain only knows how to wake up in one mood, and it is utter devastation.
- Assist him on the potty, which might not sound too graphic, but brother does not comprehend a thorough wipe job (and somehow wiping after a potty #2 seems so much more disgusting than wiping after a diaper #2).
- Take him out for a walk to the playground so his growing body can get some exercise.
- Comfort him after the heartbreak that is leaving the playground.
- Prepare him a variety of healthy meals, which he frequently chooses not to eat.
- Listen to him whine and moan and complain about the healthy meals I prepared, and beg for donuts instead.
- Make a visit to the library so he can enjoy story time and choose books for the week.
- Read said books over and over and over and over and over ad nauseam.
- Clean up mess after mess after mess after mess after mess created by his zillions of fun toys, then listen to him sob at the store because I said no, I would not buy him yet another action figure or little racecar.

The list could go on. And on. And on. And we won’t broach the topic of the things I’m giving up (willingly! happily! but still—they are certainly a list all their own) so he can just exist, and be paid/provided for, and so I can be at home with him every day.

And then, a few days ago, we had this conversation (think of the list! remember the list! #neverforgetthelist):
Me: Forrest, do you know how much I love you?
Forrest: A whole lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot!
Me: That’s right.
Forrest: But do you know how much I love you?
Me: How much?
Forrest: Just a little bit.

And then, in case I didn’t fully grasp it, he reiterated, “I just love you a little bit.”

Yes, I know, he loves me, yada yada yada, but still. STILL! The injustice! The unfairness of it all! I think I deserve a really nice Mother’s Day gift, don’t you? (And seriously, don’t we all?)

This photo gallery frame set from RedEnvelope is doing the trick quite nicely.

I filled it up with beautiful memories—our wedding, becoming a family of 3, and now as a family of 4 (which still boggles my mind . . . do you ever really get used to the idea of having created humans?). I love walking by and seeing it there, displaying some of the happiest and proudest moments of my life with some of my very favorite people. It made a perfect Mother’s Day gift—a way to celebrate the journey to becoming a mother, and the kids who made me a mother.

If you aren’t familiar with RedEnvelope, you will find so much to love there, and I truly, honestly, really do encourage you to check it out to find a perfect Mother’s Day gift (either for yourself or a woman who has made a difference in your life). Their products are stunning, quality, and unique, and many have personalization options which of course makes for an awesome, heartfelt gift. I found so many things I just loved and wanted either for myself or to give to my own mom and grandmas.

And let me tell you, finding this on your doorstep? Totally makes a lady’s day, before it’s even opened.

Want to find out what kind of mom you are? Take the quiz and find out exactly which RedEnvelope gifts are perfect for your mama personality!

Do you (or someone you love) deserve a RedEnvelope gift this Mother’s Day? Well, how ‘bout that, it’s your lucky day! THREE winners will be receiving a $500 RedEnvelope gift card! Enter using the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway will be open on Wednesday April 30at 12:01am PT and end May 7, 2014 at 11:59pm PT. Good luck to one and all :-)

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And while you’re waiting to find out if you’re a lucky winner, how about making things painfully obvious to make sure you get exactly what you deserve? Download this and email it to the person of your choice with a link or links to what you want from RedEnvelope this Mother’s Day. You’ve earned it!

I’d love to hear, what are you hoping to receive this Mother’s Day? What RedEnvelope treasure do you deserve? And please tell me I’m not the only mom out there with an ungrateful little booger. A precious, loved, adorable little booger . . . but an ungrateful booger nonetheless.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of RedEnvelope.

WIN a Lily Jade Designer Diaper Bag {giveaway!!!}

You know of my love for Lily Jade. They are the perfect blend of quality, style, functionality, easy organization . . . I love love love my bag and I’ve used it nonstop since it arrived on my doorstep. It is wonderful, and everything a mom (or anyone who needs a great bag with great organization) could wish for.

Here are some of the ways I’ve been wearing—and loving—mine:

Sooooooo, do you want one? How does the Caroline in Red sound?

That little image probably gives you everything you need to know, but in case you want more detail, here’s how it works:

1. Follow both Lily Jade AND Maybe Matilda on Pinterest.

2. Create a NEW BOARD named #lilyjadestyle.

3. Fill it up with images that represent Lily Jade Style to YOU! Your board MUST include the giveaway image above, and 4 pins EACH from lily-jade.com AND Maybe Matilda.

4. COMMENT on the original giveaway image pin on Lily Jade’s board with the link to YOUR #lilyjadestyle board so we can find you and check your board out!

5. We’ll pick our favorite board to win the Caroline in Red!

Happy pinning! Can’t wait to see everyone’s #lilyjadestyle!

Build-A-Bot Robot Puzzle Kids Game {and giveaway!}

We’ve got something of a couch potato on our hands. Forrest loves TV, and to be honest, I don’t completely hate his little addiction—it was actually incredibly helpful immediately after Darcy was born, when I really did not have the time or energy to entertain him. He’d sit on the couch enjoying a movie while I took a nap with the baby or nursed her (endlessly . . . doesn’t it seem like newborns never stop eating? I know I’m not supposed to admit it, but the newborn stage is nooooot my favorite. I’m so glad we’re past it now.).

Anyway, now that things are normalizing a bit, I’m trying to cut back a tad on his TV time. He is not terribly happy about it. But for pete’s sake, the kid has so many awesome toys, we have a nice backyard for him to play in, and it seems a little silly for him to think he needs to spend hours with Curious George every day.

This little game was a fun way to distract him from the TV and get him doing something creative and imaginative instead. Dora from Paul Street Shop shared her Build-A-Bot puzzle sets with us, and we had such a fun time playing with them.

Dora designs adorable robot printable PDF playsets (including seasonal bots for St. Patricks Day, Valentine’s, and Halloween)—the robots are each separated into 3 parts, and kids can match them up, rearrange them, and design their own robots by mixing and matching the pieces. I love the creative potential here . . . they were a fun way to talk about colors with Forrest, work on matching, and let that imagination run wild.

We glued our puzzle pieces to wooden craft tiles for a sturdy puzzle game, but you can do whatever you’d like with them . . . laminate and add magnets to stick them to the fridge, print them on cardstock and play a matching memory game, put velcro on each one for a travel game or to keep kids busy (and quiet) at church.

Dora is giving away 3 full sets (that includes ALL of her build-a-bot packages) today! Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below, and in the meantime, you can use coupon code MATILDA15 to get 15% off any purchase from her shop through the end of the month. Swing by and say hi on Dora’s blog, check out her etsy shop, and like her shop page on Facebook to stay in the loop.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking like a mom…or not {JP Lizzy Diaper Bag Giveaway!}

{We have a winner! Congratulations to Cee Shelton!}

I’d like to take a moment today to remind everyone of the reality of the daily life of a stay-at-home mom. I think many of you are rowing this boat right along with me, so this will sound all too embarrassingly familiar. And to those of you for whom this doesn’t ring humiliatingly true: have patience with your poor weary sisters and please do your best to not openly laugh when you spot us in public. You definitely can’t miss us.

My brother’s birthday was Friday (or Saturday? or some mysterious non-day between the two? I never know when to celebrate his leap year birthday), so Forrest and I spent the morning making cupcakes for him (with plenty of spoon licking along the way—don’t tell my brother that one of the main ingredients in his birthday treat was saliva). After we finished up, got the kitchen cleaned, diapers changed, teeth brushed, bag packed, and errand list written, I fed Darcy and we headed to Walmart to pick up a few things.

( ^ this ridiculousness is what happens when you enlist your husband to help take blog pictures, then listen to his pose suggestions. He’s a regular Tyra. He actually told me to make it “fiercer!” while he photographed. I’ll spare you the picture he snapped after giving that command.)

You know how people joke about the type of customer Walmart tends to attract? They are referring to me. Because when we got back home, I realized that not only did I have a gigantic drip of chocolate cupcake batter working its way down the front of my shirt (it had been white, pre-cupcake-making, so I managed to destroy a shirt plus draw maximum attention to my sloppiness with my black and white batter/shirt contrast), but I had also forgotten to clip up one side of my nursing bra after feeding the baby, resulting in a unique asymmetrical silhouette with one boob hoisted up to a normal height while the other one dangled at a droopy “grandma forgot her bra again” level.

Heaven forbid I use this blog as a way to fool people into thinking I’ve got it together. Never forget as I bombard you with the very best pictures I managed to take that I have wandered through Walmart dripping cupcake batter with breasts askew, sporting under-eye bags the size of Texas and dragging two grouchy ragamuffins in my wake. I doubt it will be the last time I do so.

Top: Walmart // Jeans: Ross // Belt: came with a skirt // Boots: gift // Bag: c/o JP Lizzy

Needless to say, now that you know I’m walking around looking a hot mess a good amount of the time, you won’t be surprised to hear that any chance to look less “mom-ish” is embraced with open arms. That’s why I’ve never had an actual diaper bag—I’ve generally thought they look very “mommy,” so I’ve just bought big purses and made them do. Sometimes they functioned well as a purse/diaper bag combo, sometimes not. But I’ve been willing to put up with any potential inconvenience for the sake of not toting around a bag that screams I am a mother of young snot-covered children and in case you need to borrow a wipe or spare diaper or baggie of smashed 2-month old raisins, of course I have them right here.

I was sent this cute diaper bag from JP Lizzy and can now say that yes, diaper bags really are more convenient than just a big purse. And I love that I don’t have to sacrifice style for convenience here—it’s trendy and fits into my style and doesn’t scream I’m a mom!, but it definitely makes carrying around all the kid and baby stuff so much easier. Plenty of pockets both inside and out, made with easy-to-clean wipe-able fabrics, and—my favorite feature—two inner pockets that are perfectly shaped to carry bottles or juice cups or, if your kids aren’t into that, a water bottle for you. (The choice of beverage you carry in your drink bottle is up to you—I won’t judge.)

(I will never stop laughing at the hilarious sight that is Darcy in that gigantic puffy snow suit. It wasn’t even that cold outside when we took these pictures, but I think I’ll keep stuffing her into this outfit as long as I possibly can for the pure joy of seeing her practically immobilized by that huge lumpy getup.)

Want a JP Lizzy bag of your very own? They’re giving away a diaper bag (winner’s choice!) to one of you today!

To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post. For an extra entry, head over to the JP Lizzy blog and comment on my guest post there, too!

(Giveaway open to US only. I’ll randomly select a winner from the combined commenters on this post and my JP Lizzy guest post on Tuesday, March 11. You can also follow JP Lizzy on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to keep up on their latest news and cute styles!)