Introducing... Shabby Apple

You may have noticed a couple of new ads on my sidebar.

Over there ----------------------->

Just below your beautiful faces.

Welcome to the blog, Shabby Apple!

There are two reasons their products are perfect fit for my little ol' blog.

1. Maternity dresses

WHY didn't I know about this cute little number when I was a working prego lady?
Would have been perfect for the office.
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2. Dresses for little ladies

So cute!

Love this too! Fun spring colors.

A BIG percentage of my blog traffic comes from folks looking for pregnancy info and folks looking for baby info. (Surprise, surprise.) That's exactly why I became a Shabby Apple affiliate. (Wish I had known about their maternity line when I was prego!)

Of course, you can find tons of products on their website. Aside from maternity wear and kiddo clothes, you can find dresses, skirts, swimwear, workout gear, accessories, shoes and even gifts for the home. Right now, they are offering 20% off. Just use code NEWYEAR at checkout.

Happy shopping!

As a Shabby Apple affiliate, I receive compensation for products purchased through links provided on my site. I am not compensated, however, for my opinions. The opinions expressed this post are mine, all mine.

Monday. FUNday?

It's a brand new week, y'all! My baby girl let me sleep a little later than usual on this fabulous Monday, so I'm feeling pretty optimistic about the week ahead.

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Did y'all watch the season finale of Kourtney and Kim Take New York? I didn't watch last night, so don't tell me what happened!

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Will Kim and Kris reconcile their differences? Will Kourtney and Scott ever sleep in the same room again? I am on the edge of my seat.

Oh... Wait...

SPOILER ALERT: Kim's already divorced, and Kourtney is prego.

Why am I watching this train wreck?

(And, yea, I am still ashamed of my weird Kardashian-watching ways. Embarrassing!)

I know y'all seen the sh!t people say series on YouTube. E'rybody is doing it these days, and some are definitely funnier than others. The "Sh!t Nashville People DON'T Say" is pretty dang hilarious.



You should also watch Sh!t Sorority Girls Say. Oh.Em.Gee. Prepare to LOL.

Happy Monday, Friends! Hope it's FABULOUS!

Elena's First Year: Week 36

Growing up waaay too fast!

Friday = Happiness

The sun is shining, and it's Friday. What more could a girl ask for?

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I definitely suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). When it's cold, rainy and dreary outside, I turn into a hot mess of a human. (A-dirty-hair-pajamas-all-day-may-or-may-not-shower-kind-of-person. Not cute.)

Who's ready for spring???

In other news...

My mom is watching Elena today. I slept until 10:15 this a.m.

10:15.

And I don't even feel guilty about it.

I desperately needed to re-charge my mommy batteries.

I think I may go to a store this afternoon and try on clothes. In a fitting room. All by myself.

I probably won't buy anything, but it will feel so good to go into a normal fitting room (not the handicap fitting room) ALL ALONE.

And -OH YEA- I wore another pair of pre-prego jeans yesterday. A whole size smaller than the last pair that fit. (If you follow me on Twitter, you already know.)

Yea, that was a shameless Twitter plug. (Follow me! And help me figure out what the heck I am doing!) I swear, every time I try to compose a tweet, I feel so stupid.
 
"Am I doing this right? Will anyone care what I have to say? What is a hashtag? Who am I to think I can create a trending topic? Why am I even doing this?"

Over-thinking it? Probably.

Speaking of Twitter, I really want to follow ALL of the Kardashians. And y'all already know how I feel about the Kardashians.

Good Lord. I should probably read a book.

Welcome to 2007

My friend Will knows how to keep it real.

I joined Twitter yesterday.

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When I "announced" my Twitter handle on Facebook, my dear friend William replied, "Oh Lord. Welcome to 2007."

It's true. I'm a little late to the game.

And not the fashionably late kind of late.

It's the kind of late that proves I am super lame. And a total bandwagon-jumper-onner.

Eh.

Anyway, I'm still figuring out the whole Twitter thing. If you want to follow along: @MelindaSCollins.

So far, Twitter is yet another distraction from laundry, cleaning, cooking and all the other things I'm supposed to do as a stay-at-home mom.

(And, yes, every single time I mention Will on the blog, I will always, always, always link back to this post.)

Happy Feet

Attention mother-bears: After searching high and low, I finally found a pair of boots that will stay on Baby Girl's feet! If you have a small baby (pre-walker), and you live somewhere that gets cold in the winter, you need to add these little boots to your baby's wardrobe.

Ministar Fur Bootz via Target

These boots don't look very cute in the above photo, but they're actually pretty adorable in "real life." They're made of a very soft leathery material and super furry inside. Perfect for winter. The best part: they stay on Elena's feet! (It's nearly impossible to find shoes that actually stay put!)

See...

So cute, right?

These little boots will set ya back $20, which (in my opinion), is a great deal for a pair of baby shoes that your baby will actually wear.

And, these little boots come in dark brown and tan, too. So, they're also great for baby boys.

You're welcome.

For spring, I have my eyes on these little cuties...

Sperry Top-Sider for Baby via Bloomingdale's

I have no idea whether the baby Sperrys are worth the $30 price. But, oh my gosh, they're so stinkin' cute. (And I am sooo ready for spring!)

I assure you, the folks at Target don't know who I am (despite the fact that I spend a pretty large chunk of our annual income at their fine retail stores), and I was not compensated to say nice things about their products. I found the Ministar boots on a whim one day, and decided to give them a try. They're fabulous, so I thought I'd let you know! 

Elena's First Year: Week 35

Elena is eight months old!

Barre Class: My New Favorite Workout

The other day, I mentioned I was planning to try one of the latest and greatest exercise trends: the barre workout (barre combines yoga, pilates and ballet).

Well, I attended my first class yesterday. I stretched. I posed. And I demi-pliéd my little heart out.

I totally looked like this... Totally. Hair, thighs and all. Pretty fabulous.
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It was harrrrrd.

But it was so much fun!

I was sweating within the first five minutes, and by the end of the hour-long class, I was drenched.

It felt goooood.

In fact, I am still feeling the "goodness" today.

Big time.

Like, everywhere.

My arms, legs, abs, fingers, ears toes. Yea, I'm a bit sore. Apparently, it was a pretty good work out.

I'm going back tomorrow.

And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that.

Well, I probably won't go that frequently. (It's kind of expensive. Like $18-$20 per class, depending on the package you purchase. So I don't think I'll be able to do barre class three times every week. Boo.) But I will incorporate barre into my regular exercise routine. Maybe two days of running, combined with one day of barre. We'll see.

If you're looking for a fun way to exercise, I recommend it! There are are many barre-inspired exercise programs out there. Just Google "barre, your city" to find something in your hood.

And, as usual, the opinions in this post are my own. I was not compensated in any way to say positive things about barre class. Tried a free class. Loved it. Wanted to share my experience with you fine folks. That's all.

Happy Friday!!!

Trend Watch: Polka on Polka

Polka dots, that is.

Been seeing them everywhere lately, and apparently the coolest way to rock dots these days is to layer them. Like, little dots on your shirt, big dots on your skirt. Or, a big dot top with a little dot scarf.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

You get the idea. (And, yes, I watch KLG and Hoda. Don't hate.)

I don't know if I'll wear any dot-on-dot ensembles anytime soon, but here are a few polka pieces I could easily add to my wardrobe.

ModCloth "Afternoon Bubble Tea" Dress

ModCloth "Dots Amore" Dress

Old Navy's Pintucked Top

J. Crew "Natasha" Top

NY & Co. Polka Dot Scarf

Banana Republic Dotted Wool Scarf

Loft "Ink Dot" Cardigan

Nine West "Ambitious" Pump

Banana Republic Dot Pencil Skirt

White House Black Market Dot Ruffle Shell

Aren't polka dots so fun? My friend Ashley is obsessed with all things dot, so this trend is perfect for her!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday, friends! Hope you're having a great day so far...

I'm loving that a fellow mommy blogger has made her fun hobby into a book! (You go girrrrl!!!) Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've seen Mila's Daydreams. It's one of the most creative mommy blogs in the blogosphere (not to mention one of the coolest ways to photograph a baby). Now her super fun photography is a bedtime book.

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And, P.S., Adele says she used a cheap-o point-and-shoot digi-cam to capture the amazing photos of her daughter. Not a fancy-schmancy SLR. How's that for inspiration?!

I am loving New Girl on Fox. Zooey Deschanel is so cute and funny. (And, yes, that's how she spells her name. I Googled it to make sure I spelled it correctly! Who knew?) Not to mention, the script writing is punchy and awesome. Makes me feel like I'm in on the most hilarious inside joke ever.

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I am loving the "Aunt Carol" dance video on YouTube. I originally saw this on Ellen, and it totally made my day! Prepare to smile...

Of course, I am loving my sweet girl (even though she woke up at 12:15 a.m., 4:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. today... Mama is tiiired).

Yea, I posted this photo already. But she's just sooo cute!

What are you loving today? Link up, here.

Prima ballerina (or something like that)

A pretty big chunk of my childhood and teen years took place at dance class. From the time I was four until I was 18, at least three nights a week were spent tip-toeing at ballet, jazz, modern or tap classes. Dancing was by far my favorite hobby as a kid, and my days as a "serious" dance student are some of my fondest childhood memories.

May 1987. Yea, pretty adorable.

I'm going back to ballet class this week. Well, sort of.

A studio in Knoxville is finally offering barre classes for adults (one of the biggest exercise trends in the country right now). The best part: Barre 3 classes are FREE for the first week! (Click here to see the schedule and register for free classes. And check them out on Facebook to sign up for their email list.) The concept is very cool: ballet barre, meets yoga and pilates. This is SO up my alley.

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It's is going to be amazing.

Right?

Well, at least I hope it will be amazing. (My thighs may be in for a huge reality check!)

I have been lonnnging for an exercise regimen that's fun, creative and relaxing. Sure, I've been running at least three times per week lately (yay for 2012 goals), but running only gets ya so far. Unless you're a great runner. Then it gets ya kind of far. I am not a great runner. Not to mention I hate, hate, hate the atmosphere of a typical gym. All that meatiness in one building is just too much for me.

Anyway... Did I mention the first week is FREE? Sooo excited! I'll definitely let y'all know how it goes.

Wrinkle Remedy

Remember that time I suddenly noticed that my face was covered with lines, wrinkles and sunspots?

Embarrassing, right? I mean, WHO KNEW the importance of wearing anti-aging cream at a young age?! Not this girl.

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Since I am not (yet) brave enough to try botox (several readers and friends suggested it after I wrote about the topic), I decided to try a topical cream. After doing a little research, I purchased Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Moisturizer.

I based my purchase decision on:

• Ingredients
  
  • Must have retinol! Apparently, if a moisturizer doesn't include retinol, it's just fancy face lotion. Retinol is essential for wrinkle repair. (I'm no scientist, this is just what I've read on numerous websites.)
  • Must have sunscreen! Sun damage causes skin problems. It's a fact. That's why it's so, so important to lather on the sunscreen year-round. (Yes, I am guilty of tanning myself to leather in my younger years. Lesson learned.)
• Price
  
  • I am kind of cheap frugal when it comes to beauty products since you never know what really works. I wanted something in the $20-$30 range. Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Moisturizer sells for about $15 on Amazon. I paid $20 for mine at Target.
• Brand
  
  • Brand loyalty runs deep with me, especially when it comes to beauty products. I am always afraid to try new brands due to skin sensitivity. (Breakouts? No Thank you!) I have used Neutrogena's basic oil-free moisturizer since I was a teenager, so I felt pretty confident that I wouldn't have a crazy skin reaction with the Ageless Intensive product.
• Product Reviews
  • I dug deep into product reviews (in my price range) to ensure I was getting something that would garner results. The Ageless Intensive moisturizer had great reviews. It's rated 3.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Not too shabby for an inexpensive wrinkle cream!

The result: satisfied customer. I've been using the moisturizer for almost four months, and I've definitely noticed a difference in my skin.

 Before:

After:

 Annnd, one more:

Can you see the difference around my eyes? I've definitely noticed a difference.

Pros:

• My skin feels smoother and less blotchy.
• Noticeable difference, particularly in the "crow's feet" area.
• Wearing SPF 20 everyday! Woo-hoo!
• Price ($15-$20, depending on the retailer)

Cons:

• No real difference with deep forehead lines (but the results in other areas make up for it). Honestly, I'm not sure there's any topical treatment that can make forehead lines disappear. Boo.
• The product gets kind of gunky around the cap. I often have to wipe it clean with a tissue before using.

Overall, I'm a pretty happy camper.

However, my next purchase will be different...

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Currently listed for less than $20, Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Daily Moisturizer promises even faster results with its accelerated retinol formula. It also ups the SPF factor to 30, instead of 20. Annnd, it was rated a 2011 "Best Buy" by the Today show.

According to Today:

"This product came out in January of this year and contains a fast-acting version of retinol, a powerful wrinkle erasing ingredient. You'll see visible results after a week."

A week??? Yes, please. You can read the full article here.

So, there ya have it, friends; what worked for me (so far), and the next step in my quest to restore my face. Fun, fun.

I must also mention that I was in no way compensated for this post. I purchased the Neutrogena product all by myself, with my very own cash-money. All of the opinions in this post are mine, all mine. In other words: The fine folks at Neutrogena do not know me or compensate me to say nice things about them. I just happen to like their products and wanted to share my experience with you.