Sponsor Spotlight

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As a licensed esthetician I always find it hard to find my favorite skin care and makeup lines all in one place. However, Apothica has solved this problem. They carry amazing brands like Boscia, Colorscience, Eminence (I LOVE their masks. ) and many more! I spent a good hour browsing their site (aka filling my cart up) the first time I discovered it and all I can say is you will not be disappointed.

Chia Seed Coconut Pudding

When I told my husband yesterday that I was going to make a really yummy raw chia seed pudding he said, "Sounds gross...can't you make regular pudding?" Nope I had my mind set. Raw (non regular) Chia seed pudding it was! It was DE-LICIOUS

Did you know that chia seeds have more antioxidants than blueberries? The lady at the health food store told me this...I googled it and she was right! Pretty impressive. They are also known to increase energy and help ward off hunger. Love that.

What you will need:

• 3/4 cup of raw chia seeds

• 2 cups of almond milk. If you want to make your pudding sweeter you can use vanilla almond milk.

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup of unsweetened finely shredded organic coconut. If you want to make it sweeter use sweetened coconut.
  

Pour the chia seeds in a mixing bowl and add all of the ingredients.

Mix everything together. You will begin to notice the chia seeds taking on a more jelly like texture. Wait five minutes or so and mix again until you have a pudding like consistency.

That is it! Your done. Simplest recipe ever.

You can either enjoy it room temperature ( I prefer it this way) or let it chill in the fridge.

This is by far the easiest and healthiest little treat that I have ever made. It was light, not too sweet and the prefect after dinner treat!

So what did the husband think?...When he hesitantly took his first bite he looked at me and said, "Hmmmm NOT bad." He ended up eating a whole little bowl of it and even had a suggestion for next time (yeay a next time). He suggested I add pureed strawberries or blueberries. Great idea as a matter of fact.

Skin Care Tip Of The Week *Probiotics for better health and better skin*

I have mentioned before that your skin will communicate with you if things are not working as good as they should be on the inside.

Probiotics can help restore your internal health. When you are healthier on the inside this will naturally improve your skin.

What are probiotics?

According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are living bacteria that, in the proper amount, offer a considerable health benefit to its host (YOU). There are billions of “friendly” bacteria in your gut that are beneficial to your health and they are similar to the bacteria in probiotics.

If you consume a large amount of meat, dairy, artificial sweeteners or have taken a large amount of antibiotics...you are most likely getting "backed up." Not a fun feeling!

When you are properly digesting your food and your immune system is functioning at an optimal level your skin will look younger healthier and more vibrant!

Probiotic benefits

• Promotes better digestion
  
• Improves liver functions
• Can help ward off colds and the flu
  
• Can help treat and prevent yeast infections
  
• Increase energy

You can purchase probiotics at almost any health food store. You will find them in the refrigerated isle. You can also purchase them here. The one that is shown above is my favorite brand!

If you have any questions regarding this post you can either leave them in the comment section and I will reply under your comment or you can email me.

How To Take a NON Perfect Family Photo

How to take a NON perfect family photo in just three easy steps. These pictures are the only family pictures that we have from our trip to Tennessee. Fantastic.

Step 1) Ask a stranger who obviously has no clue how to operate a camera to take your picture. Disregard the fact that I had to explain he had to look into the little hole to take the picture. No biggie right?

Step 2) Make sure you have a "No review policy." I usually have to review each photo and we end up taking it a million times until I decide I like it. Ian asked if during our trip I did not review any photos until we got home. I agreed.

Step 3) Don't worry if you notice the picture taker is aiming kind of low...and when he says, "PERFECT" trust him...

Our picture taker said, "Your husband is tall. Let me take one more...just in case." This is attempt #2...perfect haha!

I think Ian has a great lower face.

This one will have to do! At least you can see all of our heads in this one. I am sticking with my reviewing each picture rule from now on :)

Have you entered the braided clay bracelet set giveaway yet? If not you can enter here.

Home Sweet Home

We are home! Tennessee was a beautiful (humid) state but I have decided with the beach, snow and the wine country all in one place...there really is no place like home!

I have ALSO decided that I HATE flying. I don't know where this anxiety of flying came from... I used to be fine. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have a little bambino now.

I was so worried that Max was gonna freak out on the plane and he was perfect! He bounced on my lap and played with his little stuffed dinosaur the whole time.

It was ME who was freaking out! Ian told me (to make me feel better I think) that John Madden has not taken a plane since the 70's. He travels around in an $800,000, 45-foot luxury coach fitted with everything from sauna to gourmet galley...UMM sign me up! When we do decide to take a Europe trip I guess I will have to get over it (maybe take a Xanax or two). Until then I am all about road trips.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Giveaway **Braided Clay Bracelet Set**

Without my readers (YOU) my blog would not be successful. I want to say thank you to everyone who reads my blog and follows along as I continue this fun journey.

I had such a wonderful response on these bracelets that I have decided to give away the set. I love creating and the fact that I get to share my creations with you the reader makes it even more fun.

How you can win the set:

• You must be a follower of Delighted Momma. Leave a comment below telling me you follow.

For additional entries:

• Mention this giveaway anywhere else you like. Leave additional comment(s) telling me where you mentioned it
  

• Follow me on Twitter

**You can have up to four additional entries**

The winner will be chosen via random.org within a week.

On a side note: We are packing up and heading back to California! Ahhh seriously there is no place like home.

Guest Post *i heart this blog*

I love when I come across a blog that completely inspires me and makes me want to work on areas in my life where I may be slacking a bit..ahem the style department. Natalie has motivated me to go through my closet and actually put together complete outfits. She is a Mom who is rockin it and I want to dress just like her...but with my own little twist of course!

Without further Ado (according to Mr. Webster its Ado not Adieu. I learn something new every day) let me introduce you to today's guest...

Hello Lovelies! I'm Natalie (you can call me Nat), of i heart this blog. Let me kick things off by telling you how excited I am to be here! I was thrilled when Lindsay asked me to guest post because, well, she is totally amazing! Not that I have to tell you that. You're here aren't ya?!

This is actually my first crack at being a GP'er, so *fingers crossed* I hope that I make Delighted Momma proud. She kindly suggested that I talk about my style ...which is basically the equivalent of asking me to eat a ridiculous amount of chocolate! I'm more than happy to oblige.

Like Lindsay, I have a wee one. A girl who is 14 months old. And since taking on mommy-hood, I've taken on de-puzzling the puzzle of how to dress fashionably and yet functionally. Gone are the days of my 'standing only' jeans and my 'can't raise my arms above my head' jackets. So what are my current, mommy-friendly wardrobe essentials? Let's explore, shall we...

1. Flat Shoes

Now, if you're like me and read a lot of fashion blogs it's easy to be seduced by sky high heels and begin to feel like flats are for fuddy-duddies. Fight these feelings. Most of these chicadee's are not mommas. Flats are comfortable, come in a million styles and colours and enable you to slip them on with no hands (a necessity when carrying a child, a gianormous purse, a coffee and keys). I usually opt for various black and nude pairs, but lately, I'm totally loving loafers. Other than being comfy and very now, these treads are readily available at thrift stores.

2. Silk Blouses

I blogged about my love of this staple recently. You can hit up any retail store for a large selection of blouses in a range of prices OR you can try a thrift shop and spend pennies for a one-of-a-kind find. Button ups, tees, tanks – bold and bright, or soft and ladylike – the options are endless. Silk is chic and adds a polished touch to any outfit. I can play in the dirt wearing jeans or destroyed cut-offs (another Natty-Nat staple) and then stop at the grocery store on my way home and not feel like a hobo. And spillage? (Because you will be spilled on, cried on, thrown up on, etc). It's no big thing when your top only cost a few dollars.

3. Accessories & Nail Polish

I've always been an accessories girl. Vintage, thrifted, cheapies or gifted, accessories help fuel my sense of self (which is important when discovering a new 'mom' identity). My go to pieces are long necklaces, big chunky rings, large watches and bracelets. I avoid dangly (and enticing to pull) earrings and anything sharp or scratchy.

On to nail polish. I'm possibly the only girl (please tell me I'm not), who put a considerable amount of thought into what nail polish I would be wearing while giving birth. Afterall, there generally are a number of people down by your feet during the process and then there are all those cradling-your-new-baby photos. No matter what shape or stage of life you bod is in, nail polish seems to be the one thing always fits. I love dark-darks, reds and neutrals...with a dash of metallics.

I could ramble on about my love of jeggings (the perfect crawling-on-the-floor pant), large purses (no diaper bags for this girl!) and cardigans (they can a. add warmth, b. cover a spill, c. be used as a blanket), but I think I've used up my GP'er real estate.

What are your wardrobe essentials (mommy-friendly or otherwise)? How did I do with my first crack at guest posting? I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for reading and big thanks to Lindsay for having me! OXO Nat

Vacation Skin Care

Ahhh the humidity is making my skin freak out! I am breaking out like crazy. BUMMER...and I forgot to pack my favorite mask. I made a little trip to our hotel's spa yesterday and picked up a "Warming Hungarian Herbal Mud Mask." Sounds like it means business right?! I loved it!

My top two vacation skin care must haves are sunscreen and a good mask.

If you are camping or taking a more rugged outdoorsy vacation then I would switch out a mask for facial cleansing cloths.

What are your vacation skin care must haves? Please share!


On a side note: Poor Max completely freaked out when he saw tar faced Mommy! He was running all over the hotel room saying "Mamaamaamma." So I took it off and reapplied it when he went to bed. :)

Dont forget to enter THIS giveaway and THIS giveaway if you have not already!

Giveaway! *GemSprouts*

Today's giveaway is hosted by GemSprouts. All of their unique products make a positive contribution to the environment. They also donate a portion of every sale to Conservation International. I love this shop and I support them %100.

GemSprouts are beautiful little ecosystems that fit in the palm of your hand and you wear around your neck. Each little plant is inside of a clear eco-capsule that is made of recycled plastic.

GemSprouts is offering a $10 credit towards any one of their real living plant necklaces.

How you can win a GemSprouts real living plant necklace:

• You must be a follower of Delighted Momma through GFC
  

• Visit GemSprouts and leave a comment telling me which real living tiny plant necklace you would like to win

For additional entries:

• Mention this giveaway anywhere else you like. Please leave an additional comment(s) telling me where you mentioned it

• Follow me on Twitter
  

The winner will be chosen via random.org within a week. Good luck!

Giveaway! *Jamberry Nail Shields*

The nail shields I tried. LOVE them.

Who likes when their nail polish lasts twice as long as a regular manicure, does not chip AND looks amazing in the process? I DO!!

I recently discovered Jamberry Nail shields and let me just say this is genius. With Jamberry Nail Shields not only does it look like a professional did your nails but they only take about 15 minutes to apply. SOLD!

Today's giveaway is hosted by Jamberry nails. They are giving away a nail shield set of your choice to a lucky one of YOU.

How you can win a Jamberry Nail Shield set:

• You must be a follower of Delighted Momma through GFC
  

• Visit Jamberry and leave a comment telling me which nail shield you would like to win

For additional entries:

• Like Jamberry on Facebook

• Mention this giveaway anywhere else you like. Please leave an additional comment(s) telling me where you mentioned it
  

• Follow me on Twitter
  

The winner will be chosen via random.org within a week. Good luck!

A Little Hello From Nashville

We have arrived and HOLY cowsss it is HOT and humid! Ian is working pretty much the whole time so me and max have just been exploring (getting lost) and enjoying the beautiful Opryland hotel. This place is HUGE..too bad I cant leave a little trail of crackers so I know how to get back to our room each time we leave. Ian is off to a meet and greet party and Max and are off to the gelato shop downstairs. Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Giveaway #1 starts tomorrow!

Things That Make Me Say Yeay

A beautiful quote spray painted on a wall.

Max making friends with his shadow.

My freshly baked Amish friendship bread. The ten day process that began with this starter batch was totally worth it. It was DE-licious!

I am just gonna say that being a Mom is the best thing in the world and I love this rambunctious little guy more than words can even explain. He was eying a beach ball that was in the corner ha!

Brie cheese and salami (and wine duh) with the Hubby Do...he would die if he knew that I actually told other people that I call him Hubby Do. I hope he is super busy at work at does not read this :)



Tomorrow we are headed out for a week long little vaca...well its actually a work trip for Ian but me and Max plan on having a grand ole time! I will be doing updates via Twitter. If you want to know where we are headed and what we are doing...hey you might not care and I am totally fine with that, but if you do... you can follow along here.


On a side note: I have some AWESOME giveaways coming up next week!

DIY Braided Clay Bracelet

Yes I am obsessed with polymer clay. Its such a fun material to work with because if you mess up... you just mash it all up and start again. Today's DIY is a spin off of this project that I did a little while back.

What you will need:

• Polymer clay
• Razor blade

Knead the clay with your hands to soften it up.

Using the palm of your hand roll out three long tubes.

Mash the top of the tubes together and begin braiding.

Using your own wrist as a guide determine how long you want to make your bracelet. Use the razor blade to slice off the remainder.

Connect the two ends and gently mash ( I cant think of a better word so mash it is) the two ends together.

Bake for 25 minutes at 245 degrees.

I decided bright yellow was not very "fall" so I switched it out for bronze.

Have a little wrist party and make as many as you want!

If you want to see more ways to create with polymer clay you can check here here and here.

Goals

I hate to do lists. They stress me out. I get super OCD if I don't complete a task and all day long I freak out about all of the things that I am not crossing off.

I think this stems from when I was a kid and on Saturday mornings we woke up there was a GIANT LIST (okay maybe 6 things) of chores that we had to complete before we could do anything fun. Now that I am a Mom myself I don't totally disagree with this but it was not something that I said Yipppie to each Saturday morning.

I prefer goals. I think goals and daily to do lists are two totally different things. To me a goal is something that I will strive to achieve and I am more likely to complete and accomplish. Its less pressure than a to do list in my opinion.

A few weekends ago Ian and I started discussing weekly goals and I thought it would be a great idea to actually write them down and place them on our fridge. That way it would not only be a good reminder but it would help keep us both accountable. So far so good!!

My weekly goals:

• Get ready for trip. I tend to do everything last minute and since we will be gone for an entire week I have to get organized and packing!

• Run 4-5 miles Monday-Friday. I am doing a mud run in a few weeks and really need to step up my game. BIG time.

• Make yummy/more thoughtful dinners. I tend to do everything on a bed of lettuce. Let me explain...I will make chicken..on a bed of lettuce. Shrimp..on a bed of lettuce. Veggie stir fry..on a bed of lettuce. You get it. Last weekend Ian had a mini meltdown and said, "NO more salads!" Geeesh okay Mr. Hungry Man got it. Noted.

Ian's goals for the week:

• Exercise daily.

• Low stress. I asked him what that meant and he just looked at me..Ya I can be a little bit much sometimes I am aware of this.

• Go to bed before 9:30.

Does anyone else write down their weekly goals or are you a daily to do list kinda person? I would love to know!

Skin Care Tip of the Week *DIY revitalizing seaweed mask*

For an hour facial I charge anywhere from $65- $80. Depending on skin type and specific skin care concerns I always include a facial mask.

Not everyone has the time or budget to fit in a facial so today I am going to show you how you can incorporate a little spa treatment at home. Although I do not use this exact home recipe on my clients I DO use it on myself and I LOVE the results...Plus its only a fraction of the price you will pay at a spa. Yeay for YOU!
Benefits of a kelp (seaweed) mask:

• It is super high in vitamins and minerals
• Helps tone and moisturize the skin
• Soothes inflamed skin
• Can help open up clogged pores
• Helps to remove toxins from the skin

What you will need:

• Kelp powder. You can find this at your local health food store in bulk.
• Aloe vera gel. I prefer to use aloe squeezed straight from the leaf to avoid any weird preservatives.
• Distilled water

How to make your own seaweed mask:

• Mix 2 tablespoons of kelp powder with about 1 tablespoon of water. Mix until you have a paste.
• Add the juice from one aloe leaf.
• Mix everything together.
• Apply to face and leave on for about 15-20 minutes.
• Remove with warm water and pat your face dry. Follow up with a moisturizer.

Your skin will feel SO soft and refreshed! Don't worry if someone says you look a green swamp creature... as my husband likes to say. It is TOTALLY worth it :)

If you have any questions regarding this you can leave them in the comment section and I will be happy to answer.

If there is a specific topic or skin care concern that you would like to learn more about please let me know. You can mention it below or send me an email. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Sunday Thoughts

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Have a wonderful Sunday! I have a super fun skin care post coming up tomorrow :) Cant wait to share.

Things That Make Me Say Yeay

You are never too old for birthday cupcakes. These did not disappoint. Vanilla butter cream delicious-ness.

The birthday dinner that Ian made me. I am not gonna lie I was pretty impressed. AND he even said "Wow babe, making dinner and watching Max at the same time is really hard." Yep thank you very much..I agree :)

A friendship bread starter batch given to me by my sweet friend on my birthday. Its a ten day process and each day you need to give your dough a little love and add new ingredients. On day 10 you make the bread and you give four friends a sample from the starter that made it! That is why it is called the "friendship bread." Love the whole concept and idea.

Fresh grapes from the farmers market. The most delicious grapes that I have ever had in my life!

Our wine club package arrived and this always makes me say yeay!

On a side note: I have received quite a few emails regarding this post. Don't worry friends... I was being sarcastric and I know it is a scam but I really appreciate everyone who thought I won a large sum of $ and was going to send in my personal information...thanks for looking out :)

Thrifty Momma Thursday

A leather bound journal. All of the pages are blank...

...except for the very first one. It says, "Just when the caterpillar thought its life was over it turned into a butterfly." I absolutely love it. I have been looking for a good journal/notebook to keep all my blog ideas and inspiration in and this is perfect.

Handcrafted wooden goblets. I loooove them.

This Egyptian-esque necklace. It just might be my new favorite thrifted piece of jewelery .

Thrifting Tip:
Thrifting is either hit or miss. Every time I go I do not leave with a bundle of amazing treasures. I have noticed that when I go with the intent to find some spectacular item is when I leave empty handed. I think the best way to thrift is to have no expectations at all.