As promised, this week there is a twist to our

"Queen For The Week"!
Instead of using YOUR nominations to select a Queen, I'm using this "extra week" (the 9th week in a two month cycle) to crown someone I think deserves this title!

So, this week's Queen is...

Heather @ Inich... Like Spinach!


So why did I pick Heather to be our Queen? Because Heather comments on my posts every. single. day. Without fail. And usually, she's the first to comment. And it's not just a "hey there!" comment; it's a meaty, must-respond-to-immediately comment! Heather's also been a faithful participate in just about any blog carnival I've thrown out there. In fact, she came up with the question for March's Truthful Tuesday (her question: "How did you tell DH/your family you were pregnant?")!She is exactly what a loyal blog reader should be!

So go, go NOW to Heather's blog and tell her I sent you!

She doesn't know about this yet,
so it'll be a surprise for her!

Every time I end up with an "extra" week at the end of a month (after we complete our eight week cycles), I'm going to pick one of YOU to wear the crown. I have the most amazing group of readers who make my day, and this is my way of recognizing a few of them (I could recognize you ALL, but alas, there are just 52 weeks in the year)!.

Ladies, I am currently putting the nomination process on hold. Ya'll have flooded me with enough nominations to last until MID-JUNE! I feel so bad telling nominees about the extra-long wait, so I am going to ask you to halt the nominations-- for now-- and I will start it back up in the spring once the wait isn't as long!

<a href="http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.com/" title="Confessions from a Working Mom"><img src="http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af194/iamconfessing/QueenForTheWeek.jpg" width="175" height="175" alt="Confessions from a Working Mom" /></a>

It's a giveaway... it's a coronation... it's recognition for your blog-diggity-awesomeness. Click here to read how it all began.

As my good friend Shell likes to say, I'm double triple-dipping with my Favorite Friday Features!

And you should visit my new friend,
Crystal's, new Friday Feature. It's all about
recognizing bloggers like YOU!

Moving right on to...

Friday Fragments!


My theme for this week's frags is: "The things I never thought I'd have to say... until I became a mom" (I could write a post about each and every one):

-Don't put the meatballs into your eye. Please don't put meatballs in your ear. How am I going to get that out of your hair?

-Don't lick the bottom of your shoes. They have been on the floor of the grocery store (and we shop at Walmart) today!

-Why are you smelling my socks? My dirty socks?

-Please don't wear your training potty as a hat. (At least we haven't gotten her to use it for the right purpose yet, so it's clean.)

-Ducky is not your personal chauffeur. Please, G, quit riding the dog like you're in a parade!

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Time for...


by "Foursons"!
To the work cleaning crew, who insists on cleaning the only two women's bathrooms in the entire building at the exact same time,

I understand that it is your job to clean the restrooms. And I will overlook the fact that I have found myself in the bathroom twice in the last month without any toilet paper to be found and forced to-- ah-- well, you know. I will even overlook the fact that the light in the ladies' room (the only one over the vanity) was out for the past week, leaving me to touch up my make-up in the dark (and leaving me looking like a Joan Rivers wannabe).

But I have to ask you-- BEG YOU-- to quit cleaning the only two ladies' rooms in the entire building at the exact same time of day, at the exact time I ALWAYS have to use it! I don't know if this is a C-O-N-spiracy, but it is impossible for me to sit in the control room and make sure the 5pm news goes smoothly while I am holding it in for dear life.

I thought we'd bonded over our mutual affection for the Indianapolis Colts. I guess I was wrong.

Signed,
The Girl Who DID NOT Use The Men's Room Last Tuesday

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And finally, I needed a good dose of reality this week, and I'm getting that courtesy of...

The Girl Next Door Grows Up's

I just wanted to use this opportunity to thank the amazing co-worker who has been letting me bend his ear about everything this week. He doesn't read my blog, but he can read my mind; I'm excited to celebrate with him and his wife this weekend at their baby shower (for their first!).

Oh, and this man was most definitely NOT the man who guarded the door for me as I used the men's room at work. It was NOT him. Scout's honor.

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If you're new to my blog, welcome! I hope you like what you see. Leave a comment and let me know you stopped by so I can repay the visit. And don't forget to enter my latest giveaway-- a keepsake/hand-me-down journal from Avon. You can enter on my friend Missy's blog too and double your chances!

Today, I'm guest posting over at Kerri's Klutter... but here on my blog, it's time for:

<center><a href="http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.com/" title="Top 3 Thursday"><img src="http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn287/lifeafterbc/Elizabeth/Top3Thursday.jpg"/></a></center>

This blog carnival is truly as easy as it sounds...

Each week, The (Un)Experienced Mom and I will pick a category, then ask you to share your Top 3 thoughts on it. We hope you'll play along with us!

This week, we want to know...

What are the Top 3 reasons why you blog?

I have to say, when I started blogging last summer, I was doing it merely as an outlet for all the crazy thoughts in my head. Since then, my reasons have changed...

#3) I am an HTML junkie. I love figuring out how to reformat my text, my page, my buttons. I will never be truly "tech-savvy", but blogging lets me at least think I am.

#2) It's a great way to keep in touch with my friends, particularly those who live out of state. A few of my friends from high school, even college, now read my blog; because of this, they know what's going on in my day to day life and what I'm thinking about. Between them reading my blogs and me reading theirs, it keeps me in contact with people with whom I might otherwise lose touch.

And my top reason for blogging is...

#1) You. The lovely ladies at SITS have been talking a lot about "finding your tribe" recently, and I feel like I have found a real sense of community in YOU. There are so many of you who stop by on a daily basis, either just to look or to leave a comment (or hopefully, play along in a blog carnival!); I'm making it my mission to return the favor for each and every visit! I love the banter so many of us have struck up, and hope it's a bloggy-friendship that can continue.

What are your Top 3 reasons for blogging?
Note: Only link up if you participated in this blog carnival on your own blog!

The jerk frustrating sales clerk... the "competitive" friend... the complete stranger at church... there are always those situations where we want to spout off on or at somebody, but bite our tongues. And now there is a meme that finally allows me to say what I should have, but didn't:

To the pimply, adolescent sales clerk who was a bit too inquisitive about my pregnancy test purchase:

He said: "Hey, got a bun in the oven?"

I said: "That's what I'm trying to find out." (The answer is no, by the way.)

What I should have said: "Not that it's any of your business, but I sure hope so. DH doesn't think he wants anymore children, so the only way I'm going to get knocked up is if he slips one past the IUD goalie. And by the way, practice safe sex. You're way too young to be having kids."

To the friend who turns everything into a competition:

She said: "My daughter has already mastered her alphabet and only wets in her diaper once a day. What can your daughter do?"

I said: "We're working on potty training, but G doesn't seem all that interested yet. And while she doesn't know her ABC's, she can correctly identify the letter "G" 7 times out of 10."

What I should have said: "Seeing as I work 45 hours a week, I haven't quite found the time in my week to sit down and teach a 17 month old the fine art of the alphabet... in English. However, she has mastered the Slavic, Arabic, and ancient Greek alphabets, and can also add and subject multi-digit integers... in Roman numeral form."

To the pregnant woman who stared down my talkative toddler in church this week:

She said: silent stare-down

I said: silent stare back

What I should have said: "Sweetheart, when are you due? Mid-May? Then let's see how you handle this situation in about two years. It is so obvious that you are an incredibly patient woman. Good luck, you're going to need it."

What are the things you should have said this week... but didn't?

It's no secret on my blog that I think I'm a Queen... after all, I am named for England's reigning monarch (ok, ok, I was not named in her honor per se, but we do share a name at least).

Oh, and this is the perfect
opportunity to plug "Queen For A Week",
and remind you that this week, I'm
hand-picking one of you!

In any event, I am proud to be the Queen (notice the capital "Q", no lower-case for this diva) of my castle. And although I am happily married, I could do without a rival monarch in my kingdom.

Because, even though he'll deny it...
DH is every bit as much a Drama Queen as I am.

Need proof?

Ex. 1: He is incredibly sensitive to any disturbances in bed... a la, the Princess and the Pea:


Ex. 2: Whenever something doesn't go his way, he takes his voice up an octave, reaching notes only an operatic soprano should be able to hit.

Ex. 3: He loves to gossip. He likes to say that he doesn't, but give him the chance to talk about my friends, his friends, his co-workers, our neighbors, some strangers in the grocery store, and he will just start babbling like a woman.

The thing is, I don't exactly appreciate this healthy competition for my throne. I enjoy holding the title of Drama Queen in my house. I like being able to pull out the "woman card" whenever I feel like going into hysterics and stomping my feet a little. I want to be the one-and-only-forever-and-ever-amen Queen in my kingdom.

Sigh.

Do you think I could get rid of this divo by pushing him off that tower of mattresses?

And don't even get me started on my... ahem... lady-in-waiting.


I know she's just waiting for me to kick off and steal my throne.

What are some of the more "dramatic" things your husband-- or children-- do?

Forget Martha Stewart.

Or that adorable Vern Yip from "Divine Design".

You can even forget that crazy British guy on HGTV.

These days, my house looks like this:

Yup, that's my sectional sofa...
pushed into a straight line.

It's not exactly Feng Shui, is it?

The definition of Feng Shui is:
"study of environmental balance: a Chinese system that studies people's relationships to their environment, especially their home or workspace, in order to achieve maximum harmony with the spiritual forces believed to influence all places"
My home definitely meets all those criteria... right? Right???

You don't have to lie.
I know it's not. Soooooo Not.

The reason for my so-very-un-Feng Shui furniture arrangement is, of course, darling G. The result is a modified baby jail, that keeps G from running amok all over the house.

But our odd layout is having a rather unexpected affect on my chi.

You heard me right,
I said "chi".

I did a little research (really putting my journalistic skills to good use here) to find out exactly what is messing me up so badly. Basically, because I am cutting off my home's open floor plan with this broken-up sectional, the flow has been sabotaged; all the negative energy in my home is being channeled into the heart of our living space; we are all being pummeled with poor chi; in other words, we are all doomed to misery and sadness until we re-establish the appropriate flow of energy in our home.

Let me just say that I don't believe any of that...

(Well, maybe I believe a little of it...)

But really, what's more negative-- broken "chi" or utter exhaustion after telling G to stay out of the kitchen drawers for the 18th time?

I'll take my bad chi any day.

What quirky changes have you made in your home to accommodate your child/children?

We've made it through our first round of

"Queen For The Week"!

That means at the end of this coronation-- which includes a giveaway from our new Queen-- I will reveal which of our first eight Queens will win a $10 Starbucks gift card (selected randomly from random.org)!

This week's queen is...

Missy @ The Hughes Daily News!


Missy has been one of my longest running and most loyal readers; her comments always bring a smile to my face! Her first "blogaversary" is coming up in just a few short weeks... but you can read how it all began right here! One of her funniest posts is her attempt to renew her license at the DMV; c'mon ladies, we've all been there, we know what a headache that can be. Here's a little more about her, in her own words:

"Mother of 3, Wife to 1, Daughter to 2, Aunt to 15, Sister to 5, Sister in law to 5, Cousin to many!!! My husband and I have been married for almost 7 years (this March), but together 8 and a half years. I'm a homemaker and an Avon Representative. My days are full of kids, laundry baskets, as well as snotty noses and doggy kisses!"

So go, go NOW to Missy's blog and tell her I sent you!
Now, for that giveaway I mentioned-- as you just read, Missy is an Avon represenative. She's going to give away two copies of this amazing keepsake journal. I will be giving away one copy to MY readers; Missy will be giving away the other to HERS. But guess what? You can enter on BOTH of our blogs (although you will not be able to win both copies), doubling your chances of a big win!

Rules For My Giveaway:
-Leave a comment on my blog (ONE entry)
-Leave a comment on Missy's blog (ONE entry)
-Follow my blog (TWO entries)
-Add my blog button to your page (TWO entries)
-Add my blog to the blog roll on your page (ONE entry)
YOU MUST LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EVERY ENTRY, OR IT WILL NOT COUNT!

And the winner of the inaugural $10 Starbucks gift card (open only to my first 8 "Queens") is...

Queen #2-- Melissa @ Life As Melissa!

And the winner of last weeks giveaway for 12 custom made cards from "Flatten Me" featuring your child is...

Arizona Mamma!
Ladies, I am currently putting the nomination process on hold. Ya'll have flooded me with enough nominations to last until MID-JUNE! I feel so bad telling nominees about the extra-long wait, so I am going to ask you to halt the nominations-- for now-- and I will start it back up in the spring once the wait isn't as long!

<a href="http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.blogspot.com/" title="Confessions from a Working Mom"><img src="http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn287/lifeafterbc/Elizabeth/Crowned.jpg" alt="Confessions from a Working Mom" /></a>

It's a giveaway... it's a coronation... it's recognition for your blog-diggity-awesomeness. Click here to read how it all began.

I was not compensated in any way for the Avon book giveaway. The winner of this giveaway will be selected using a random number generator. U.S. residents only.

I am mixing up the order of some my favorite Friday blog carnivals today (I didn't get to all of them... but next week is a new week!!!)...

Leading off...

by "Foursons"!
Dear 19-Year-Old-Hostess-Who-Obviously-Didn't-Notice-My-Barely-There-Top,

When DH & I visited your restaurant last year for Valentine's Day (with my parents-- Thank You, Lord-- paying the bill), we enjoyed your food. We enjoyed your liquor. We enjoyed the atmosphere. But I particularly enjoyed the roaring fireplace that heated up the dining room, making me feel oh-so-comfortable in my LBJ ("little black dress", not Lyndon Baines Johnson, for those of you keeping track).

This year, DH & I decided to return to your humble establishment, hoping for a repeat performance. In fact, we were hoping for an even better experience, considering we would be paying the tab ourselves. So when we arrived (on time, I might add; a feat not easily accomplished by a couple with a toddler at home) for our romantic dinner, I was more than just a little put off when the 19-year-old holier-than-thou hostess seated us in the far corner of the "party room" of the restaurant a gazillion feet from the fire. A gazillion feet from the bar. A gazillion feet from where anyone would notice how smoking hot I'd managed to get myself on just 12 minutes of prep time on a Friday night after work.

There was no one sitting in EIGHT (yes, I counted) of the booths & tables closer to where all the action was. There weren't little reservation cards on their tables like there was on mine. I'm not sure if you thought I wanted to sit in the back of the restaurant, in a drafty corner by the window, with only a raucus party of 16 college students celebrating someone's 21st birthday to keep me company (oh, and DH too, naturally). I'm not sure if you thought fluorescent lighting (as opposed to firelight) was more flattering to my skin tone. I'm not sure if you thought a full bottle of wine would heat me up from the inside out, helping me to forget the air conditioning must surely have been on. I just know you copped an attitude when I asked to move.

But when DH made the same request 10 minutes later?

Well, then you just batted your eyelashes at him and said, "Well certainly, sir."

You tart.

Next Time I'll Be Dining Somewhere Else,
Elizabeth

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Batting in the #2 hole (sorry for the baseball references, but I'm told that pitchers and catchers began reporting to spring training this week... so I'm not entirely "off")...
Friday Fragments!


-This is the first Friday in a MONTH that it hasn't snowed. Thank goodness. I am counting down the days to spring (perhaps explaining my baseball-themed allusions today?).

-G started a new round of swimming lessons this week at the local Y. She began her swimming career last year around this time. So far, she has yet to master the freestyle, backstroke, or butterfly. I am furious and will be demanding my money back.

-My last fragment was a farce. I used to teach mommy-baby swim lessons when I was in high school and college. I know that most kids don't manage to learn the strokes until at least three years old (again, joking...).

-Joining us in our swim lessons are, once again, three of G's "best friends" (ok, actually they're three of my best friends-- not the babies, their moms!). I met two of these amazing women at a breastfeeding group at our local hospital when our kids were literally days old (our kids are just three weeks apart). I met the third a short time later at a library story time session. We all took swim lessons together a year ago when the kids were teeny tiny, and are doing it together this time around too. I'm looking forward to each and every class; not only to teach G some important water safety skills, but also for some girl gab time. I'm sure our instructor just loves having us in class!

-And while we're on the topic of sports, DH & I are loving the Winter Olympics. A week ago, I would have told you I wasn't interested in all the cold weather sports. I don't know what it is-- maybe it's the fact that we've had so much snow around here lately, or just the good old American competitive spirit-- but DH & I were SCREAMING OUR BLOODY HEADS OFF during the Nordic Combined. Who even knows what the Nordic Combined is in the first place??? We do... at least, now we do!

*****************************************
And batting clean-up, it's Kailani's...


Apparently, I did this meme wrong last week. While Kailani asks us a question every week, it's up to us to come up with our own, unique question for our own blog. So, I'm asking...

What's your favorite Olympic sport, winter OR summer?

Why isn't there a "spring"
or "fall" Olympic Games? Don't
those seasons feel left out?

This is an easy answer for me. I grew up in the pool (hence, G's swim lessons and my former career as a water safety instructor), and actually have a few former teammates who went to the Olympics. In fact, one girl even won several medals at the 2000 and 2004 summer games. So, I pick swimming!

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If you're new to my blog, welcome! I hope you like what you see. Leave a comment and let me know you stopped by so I can repay the visit. And don't forget to enter my latest giveaway-- a set of 12 custom made cards featuring your child from "Flatten Me"!

It's time for another rousing edition of...

<center><a href="http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.com/" title="Top 3 Thursday"><img src="http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn287/lifeafterbc/Elizabeth/Top3Thursday.jpg"/></a></center>

This blog carnival is truly as easy as it sounds...

Each week, The (Un)Experienced Mom and I will pick a category, then ask you to share your Top 3 thoughts on it. We hope you'll play along with us!

This week, we want to know...

What are your Top 3 favorite TV shows?

Well, other than my TV market's #1 rated local newscast (aka, the show I produce on a daily basis!), this is a toughy. I try not to watch a lot of TV when I go home for the day, because... well... my life IS television! But I do have three shows that I consider appointment TV:

#3) Sportscenter. Yes, I am every man's dream (except DH's). I must watch at least 30 minutes of this show every day, particularly following a win by my Duke Blue Devils. I love to revel in the highlights from the world of sports. DH hates Sportscenter (seriously, what man hates Sportscenter???), so I usually end up watching this in the mornings, before G wakes up for the day.

#2) 30 Rock. And I'm not just being a homer here (the show airs on my station). I think Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are just about the funniest comedic pairing since Lucy and Desi. And don't even get me started on Tracy Morgan's character or that zaney Kenneth... Unlike Sportscenter, DH & I watch this show together every single Thursday night. Well, except tonight. It's on a two week hiatus because of the Winter Olympics.

And my absolute favorite TV show is...

#1) Glee. C'mon, if you've been with me for a while and read this post, or this one, then you know I'm obsessed with that show. So obsessed, in fact, that I know there are only 54 days until it returns on April 13th (note to other Gleeks: it will air on Tuesdays in the spring). In the meantime, I'll spend a ridiculous amount of time rocking out with G to my favorite songs... thinking that my life would suck without Glee...



What are your Top 3 favorite TV shows?

We now interrupt today's regularly scheduled post (don't worry, I'll publish it next week) for this announcement...

I should not be at work today.

But for some insane reason,
I am.

WHY, you ask, should I have called out sick this morning for a mental health day? To quote the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Let me count the ways".

Reason #1: G woke up 40 minutes earlier than normal this morning, meaning I had to wake up 40 minutes earlier than normal this morning... And ended up skipping my shower in the process. So I felt gross to begin with.

Reason #2: As if not showering didn't leave me feeling nasty enough, Ducky puked not once, not twice, but three times in the hour before I left for work. ON THE CARPET. Do you know how hard it is to clean up dog puke from the carpet? Double gross.

Reason #3: G scratched my face as I was changing her (wet, soiled, disgusting) overnight diaper. She managed to cut me so deep that even a healthy dose of foundation and cover-up did not, in fact, cover it up. Well, at least now I actually LOOK like I've been through a combat zone.

Reason #4: This one takes the cake. I backed up into the Nanny's car on my way out of the driveway this morning. NICE. We had just been talking about whether or not I should pay her to be on "stand by" for certain days next month. She said no; I said yes (she's way too generous with her time and talents). After this episode, I am most definitely going to be paying her that little extra.

Reason #5: I forgot my key for the back door at work in my other purse, meaning I had to stand at the door to my station and pound on it until someone decided to come let me in. Which they did... Five minutes later, laughing at me for looking so harried.

This all happened before 9:30am.

Feel badly for me. Feel very badly for me. Leave your pity comments below.

I'm not gonna lie...

I am obsessed with Pottery Barn.
From their furniture to their bedding to their knick knacks, I am in love with absolutely everything that company does...

Well, almost everything...

You see, I can't afford anything in that store. (Not true-- I did purchase candle there, once, but about $24; I've never burned it... I can't afford to!) So instead, I attempt to furnish my homes with odds and ends from cheaper different stores in hopes of pulling off the Pottery Barn look.

And now, finally, somebody is giving me the credit I deserve!


All day, "Homebody Holly" is hosting a Pottery Barn knockoff party... it's your chance to show off your stylish side. I've been looking forward to this for WEEKS!

My entry into today's blog hop isn't so much a craft-- it's more a way to decorate! I love the "shabby chic" look PB is so widely known for. When we remodeled our family room two years ago (this room used to be painted Granny Apple Green... ick), I wanted to decorate it with all PB goods. One trip to the store, and some serious sticker shock later, I realized that was out of my price range. So I went to HomeGoods, Linens&Things, Bed, Bath, & Beyond, and even my own attic in search of adorable, affordable knickknacks to use in my home.

This is what I came up with:

The breakdown:
-Set of stars: $10 for three (third not pictured; I actually think it's lost somewhere) at BBB
-White flowers: $0.99 for the bunch (this is only about half) at Old Time Pottery
-"LOVE" Sign: $7.99 at Burlington Coat Factory
-Set of mirrors: $15 for three at BBB
-Picture frame: $5 at Target
-Ceramic statue: A wedding gift I found stashed in my attic
______________________
TOTAL COST: $39

Not bad, huh? More than two years later, it's still a look that I love. Sometimes, I rotate other objects in and out to keep it fresh, but even those other odds and ends are frugal finds. This part of my living room really reminds me of a PB catalogue... even if you don't think so, just lie and tell me you agree, ok?

Do you have a decorating or design creation you want to show off? Head to Homebody Holly's to link up and play along!

In this corner...
Weighing in at (oh wait, my mother would kill me if I revealed her real weight) ??? pounds...
At 58 years old (she's proud of her age, so that's ok)...
It's G's Grama!!!







And in this corner...
Weighing in at (ok, maybe it was a bad idea to include this physical statistic for a couple of middle-aged women)...
Also at 58 years old...
It's G's Nanny!!!

No! Never!
G's Grama & her Nanny are not locked into an all out war!

G's Nanny... as in "sitter"... has been with us for over a year now. She does not live with us; she is not a licensed au pair. She is just a wonderful woman who we found through a wonderful website who takes amazing care of our daughter, as if she were her own.

But my own mother... well... she lives in Ohio, hundreds of miles away from her only grandchild. And, she is NOT insanely absurdly obsessively jealous of the Nanny.

Round 1:
First Words
G has shown quite the early flair for talking... gee, I wonder who she gets that from? From G's earliest days, my mom has NOT been trying to bribe coerce G into saying her name before anyone else's. Realizing that a baby's mouth is constructed to say hard consonants like "D" and "K" before soft consonants like "G" and "M", my mother asked the whole family to start referring to her as "Cookie". This approach definitely did NOT work, especially once my mother introduced G to animal crackers (which G calls "Cookies") during our summer vacation to the beach. So, even though G easily mastered all words starting with "D"-- which includes her Nanny's name--

--Round 1 goes to my mother.

Round 2:
R Is For Routine
Maybe you haven't noticed... but I am, well, I am NOT a bit OCD. Oh whatever. Anyway, that applies to G too. Ever since I went back to work last January, I've had her on a routine that really seems to work well with everyone's schedule. The Nanny has always stuck to this routine, written in a solid hand on the refrigerator white board. My mother, on the few times she's come down from Ohio to babysit, has NOT "accidentally" wiped off my clearly written instructions, claimed she "forgot" what they said, and allowed G to stay up until 10pm just having fun. Nope. Not MY mother!

--Round 2 goes to the Nanny.

Round 3:
The Giver
My mom is a notorious over-spender at Christmas time... at birthdays... at half-birthdays... at Easter... I think you get the picture. She spoils her only granddaughter (oh, all right, and her only daughter, too) rotton. But we did NOT have to raise the Nanny's Christmas bonus just because we knew she was going to spend half of it on her "client" anyway.

--Round 3 is a tie.

So it comes down to...
Round 4:
What's In A Name?
My mother picked out my prom dress. She picked out my wedding dress. And she did NOT pick out G's name years before she was born... heck, I think my mom came up with it even before DH & I were married! Obviously, I did NOT love her suggestion and use it on my firstborn. And although G is not NOT (no double negatives intended) named after my mom, I can't help but think of my mom when I say my daughter's name.

--Round 4 goes to my mother.

My mom wins the fight!
But this isn't a competition. How could it ever be? She's my mother... G's grandmother... she's as much a part of us as we are of her.

Do you have two people in your life who compete for your (or your children's) attention?

I hope you're having as much fun with these giveaways as I am!

The winner of the Jurlique Baby "Spa" Giveaway Package is entry #52 (out of 68!)...

Luvn Life!
Congrats! You have 48 hours to email me with your contact information. Once you do, I'll get your prize in the mail! The sooner you email me, the sooner your gift set will be shipped out.

Now on to this week's giveaway...


It's a set of 12 personalized cards from "Flatten Me". You see the beautiful little face on that little cupid? Yup, that's my G! The winner of this week's giveaway will be able to create a set of cards (envelopes included) featuring their child. There are dozens of cards to choose from, including a ton of new spring/Easter themes that have just come out!

Here's How To Enter:
-Leave a comment on this post
-Follow my blog (new and old followers!)
-Follow Julia's blog (she's got a great giveaway going on right now, too!)
-Follow me on Twitter: @IAmConfessing
-Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a comment with the link
-Grab one of my blog buttons (I've remade my "main" button!) to add to your home page
-Add my blog to the list of blogs you display on your home page
You must leave a separate comment for each entry, or it will not count!
This giveaway-- and all the giveaways throughout February (unless otherwise noted)-- will run for exactly one week; so that means this contest ends Saturday, February 20th at 11:59pm.

I'll announce the winner next Sunday, when the NEW giveaway posts!

GOOD LUCK!

I was given a complimentary set of 12 custom-made postcards and envelopes for the purpose of this review/giveaway. The winner of this giveaway will be selected using a random number generator. U.S. residents only.

This week, our

"Queen For The Week"!

is also our Queen of hearts!

This week's queen is...

Lisa @ This Mommy Works!


As the title of her blog implies, Lisa is a working mom. But don't let that title fool you-- her job definitely comes second after her role as "mama". Her two little girls are budding artistas-- literally-- taking on everything from ballet to "self-painting" (you must see these pictures!). What struck me the most about Lisa, though, is how alike she and I are... even down to what our mothers said to us about the birth of our daughters. Here's a little more about her, in her own words:

"Hello! I am Lisa, a wife of 5 1/2 years and a mother of a very sassy 3 ½ year and an almost 2 year old that is always calling out for her “mama”. You would think that all of this, plus a full-time job as a Financial Analyst, would be enough. Wrong. I also like to throw a little photography in the mix, lots of scrapbooking, playgroups and so much more. In fact, my husband refers to me as a “fly on s*&!” because I never sit down and have self-diagnosed myself with being a little on the OCD side. That’s the way I like my life… busy, busy, busy!

I’ve been blogging for a little over a year, but just recently started this new blog. I am fascinated by all of the talented women (and men too, I guess) that are out there! I love that I’ve found a place for me to express my joys (and frustrations) about being not only a mother, but a working mother. I don’t get to talk on the phone much, so I guess you could say that my blog is how I communicate.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for crowing me as the Valentine’s Day Queen! What an honor!"

So go, go NOW to Lisa's blog and tell her I sent you!
Lisa is our SEVENTH Queen For The Week-- meaning next week, I will hold a random drawing for our first $10 Starbucks gift card. Woo hoo!

Ladies, I am currently putting the nomination process on hold. Ya'll have flooded me with enough nominations to last until MID-JUNE! I feel so bad telling nominees about the extra-long wait, so I am going to ask you to halt the nominations-- for now-- and I will start it back up in the spring once the wait isn't as long!

<a href="http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.blogspot.com/" title="Confessions from a Working Mom"><img src="http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn287/lifeafterbc/Elizabeth/Crowned.jpg" alt="Confessions from a Working Mom" /></a>

It's a giveaway... it's a coronation... it's recognition for your blog-diggity-awesomeness. Click here to read how it all began.

I was given a complimentary "Twilight Ladybug" from Cloud B for the purpose of this review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own and wholly genuine; I will never promote a company I do not support.
Last week, I casually mentioned we'd found a new nighttime toy to help G get to sleep...

I was overwhelmed by how many of you asked for details on the identity of that toy...

So, here it is:


She is the "Twilight Ladybug" by Cloud B...

Ladybugs come in several colors-- red, orange, yellow... some have spots, others don't... some even refer to them as ladybirds. But no matter what you call them or what they look like, just about all cultures consider them to be lucky.

And luck has definitely been a ladybug in our house over the past two weeks. Ever since this ladybug joined our family, she's soothed G to sleep each and every night. At first, I was skeptical (highly skeptical) that such a fun nightlight could calm-- not excite-- G. Bedtime has been a struggle in recent weeks, particularly with her recent colds. But rather than rile G up at night, being able to look at the Ladybug's stars projected in one of three colors (red, blue, or green) on her ceiling has helped her fall asleep!

I first learned about Cloud B when my mom purchased a white noise machine (cleverly disguised as a plush sheep) from them when G was an infant; we've used it every single night since. In fact, when the noisemaker in that Sleep Sheep went haywire about six months in, we called the company and they sent us a brand new one at no cost. This is a company with a proven track record of amazing customer service, and I whole-heartedly endorse BOTH of the products I own from them.

Now, the folks at Cloud B are extending you an offer, too! They're going to give you free shipping on all orders over $49 dollars between now and Feb. 26th. All you need to do is use this code at check-out:

CFWM210
I was given a complimentary "Twilight Ladybug" from Cloud B for the purpose of this review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own and wholly genuine; I will never promote a company I do not support.

Why do I love Fridays?

Because of the massive number of amazing blog carnivals!

I missed out on some of my favorites last week, including...
Friday Fragments!


And boy, did I miss out last week... because Mrs. 4444s awarded me her:


For this frag from two weeks ago:

-Despite my own tip of the day more than two weeks ago to make your dinner reservations for Valentine's Day, I haven't made my OWN dinner reservations yet. At this rate, we'll be having a romantic dinner at Hardee's.

You'll all be happy to know,
DH and I did eventually make our
reservations, at our favorite place!

This week, all my frags are "Valentine's" themed:

-While we're talking about love, let's talk about bromance. Yes, that's "romance" with a "B" in front of it. I'm pretty sure DH is having one... with my co-worker! DH has never really had a best friend outside of his work since we moved here a few years ago, but ever since he and one of my co-workers started getting together for regular poker games, it's "J" this and "J" that at our house. Should I be worried?

-Speaking of co-workers, one of mine is celebrating her 5th wedding anniversary today with her husband! DH & I will celebrate our own 5-year anniversary in the spring; we'll be going away (leaving G for the first time overnight!) for a full week. We're stoked. But if we're talking about milestone marriages, then I have to mention my parents. This year will mark 35 years together for them. They are such an amazing example of what love, commitment, and sacrifice in a relationship are all about. Thank you so much for setting a wonderful example!

-Last weekend, DH & I took G to an indoor "bounce" playground. It was fabulous, and even though we spent a lot of the time dodging much-older children, G had the time of her life. We'll definitely going back. And the next time, I'll remember to change my socks before we go. Somehow, I completely forgot to exchange my fuzzy, pink, bedroom slipper-socks for athletic socks before leaving home. The worst part? I didn't realize I was wearing my bedroom socks until we got HOME! I probably looked like such a dork.

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I had so much fun doing this next meme for the first time last week, I had to try it again!

by "Foursons"!
Dear Stylist-Scissorhands,

I appreciate your patience with me as I sat down in your chair and told you I had no idea what I wanted to do with my hair. I understand that customers myself are the bane of your professional existance... but between a troublesome toddler and a maniac dog, my overwhelming job and my devoted husband, when do I have time to think about personal style?

But when I told you that I wanted to go "a little shorter", I didn't mean Carol Brady short. Layers and all, I look like Florence Henderson circa 1971. It's not a flattering look for me. Even worse, I cannot get my hair into a ponytail now without my flyaway bangs falling back into my face.

So the next time I tell you I'm not sure what I want to do with my hair, do me a favor: just take off a quarter of an inch and give me a nice blowout. I promise, I'll leave you a bigger tip.

Your Not-So-Happy Customer,
Elizabeth

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And in the spirit of trying something new, I'm doing Kailani's...


Kailani's asking us:

If you were a teacher, which subject would you teach?
This one's easy! I have my undergrad in history, and for a long time, I planned to teach high school level history & civics. I had a grand dream of treating my high school students like college students; giving them more liberties in class, and teaching them through example what a true democracy is. It didn't even take me a student teaching position to make me realize that my vision was never going to happen with 15-year-old students.

Over the years, I've taught dance classes and swim lessons... but despite my college major, I've never set foot in a high school since the day I graduated for ANY reason!

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If you're new to my blog, welcome! I hope you like what you see. Leave a comment and let me know you stopped by so I can repay the visit. And don't forget to enter my latest giveaway-- a Jurlique baby bath set valued at $72!