Origami Owl Independent Designer- Meilyn Steele Review & Giveaway

I love this company, I love the products they sell, and I love the message. Origami Owl was originally created by a 14 year old girl who wanted to save up to purchase her own car. It has since grown to include thousand of women who are able to run their own businesses by selling Origami Owl necklaces and charms. 

I was first introduced to Origami Owl at a friends party at her home. I actually purchased a locket for my moms 50th birthday and included a charm for each of our family members. Thats one of the things I love about Origami Owl, each locket tells a story, the necklace I credited for my mom told a story of love and family. I also purchased a locket for my cousin recently and added a few charms I knew were special to her, she has since added more charms and made it a totally custom piece. 

I was super excited when I became in contact with Meilyn and the thought of me having a locket of my own started. I told Meilyn a few things about myself and my life and I feel like she was able to put together a wonderful "story" for me. 

My locket includes my boys birthstones, a family heart, a wedding ring and a tree of life dangle. I also have the silver ball chain and the medium silver locket. 

Not only is there room to add addition charms they also offer plates for the inside and tags or additional dangles. The possibilities are endless. You could customize per event, holiday, or color. The offer silver or gold ( and I just saw a sneak peak they will soon have black living lockets )

They offer charms from occupations to greek letters to animals and causes. There is no way you will not be able to find a handful of charms that pertain to your life or someone close to you. This would also make a excellent mothers day gift!

I recently wore my necklace to my birthday dinner then was able to wear a couple days later to a children's birthday party. This necklace can be both casual or if you are dressing up you can add or remove dangles to make more on the fancy side. 

I love the idea of putting a picture in the background

This is my real life necklace action shot, thank you to my
hubby the photographer who cut my head off ;)

How would you like to start your own Origami Owl living locket story???? Meilyn is offering one lucky reader their own medium silver locket with a 16-18 ball station chain! This would be a great gift to treat yourself to, or to give as a mothers day gift... Make sure to check out Meilyns Facebook page and if you are interested in more information on how you can become a Origami Owl rep yourself send Meilyn a message. You can also contact Meilyn if you are in the Orlando or surrounding area if you would be interested in hosting a party. That is a great way to earn free jewelry and hostess exclusives. If you are interested in purchasing directly from Meilyns website and having it shipped to your home visit her website at Meilyn.origamiowl.com.

You can also become facebook pals at

https://www.facebook.com/owlmeilyn?fref=ts
which is one of the giveaway requirements.
Dont forget to let Meilyn know you heard about her from Nu and Nugs Adventures. :)

Thank you for visiting and thank you to Meilyn for the wonderful new Origami Owl living locket. 

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Aj's Custom Jewelry Review and Giveaway

 I can't believe we are already into April, this year is flying by... Not to mention Mothers Day is right around the corner!

I would love my family names, initials, monograms, sayings, or special likes (shamrocks for Nu and giraffes for Nug) on every single piece of jewelry I own. AJs Custom Jewelry can do just that, and at a affordable price. Not to mention Grandmas eat that stuff up!

In their shop you will find custom hand stamped stainless steel and sterling silver jewelry to celebrate the blessings in life. 

Some examples of their amazing work

I love you to the moon and back necklace $20.00

Angel wings  necklace $15.00

Set of 2 hand stamped cuff bracelets $44.00 (one for mom, one for grandma)

Mother hand stamped necklace $24.00

Starfish hand stamped necklace $22.50

Double ring mom/grandma hand stamped necklace with birthstones $24.00

There are so many different options I'm sure you could find one for your family. Angela can also add charms, birthstones or pictures, just ask if you have a special request. 

Check out all the options at their etsy.com site HERE

Now for our beautiful necklace!!!

This is the Personalized Family Tree hand stamped necklace. $18.00

I love this necklace so much and get so many great complements every time I wear it!

I love the fact it fits Dad, Mom, and my 2 littles ones names all on one necklace. The family tree in the center completes it nicely :)

How would you like to receive a $25 credit to AJs Custom Jewelry?? Just in time for Mothers Day..

Check out the rafflecopter below and please preform all tasks you click done, winners will be checked for compliance.

Thank you so much to AJ's Custom Jewelry for the amazing necklace and for providing one of Nu and Nugs fans a customized necklace of their own. 

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Once Upon A Story Review & Giveaway

Im a huge fan of individuality, especially in little boys! Maybe its the fact that I have a house full of blue, but I feel like most stores don't quite get "cool" for boys. Not a huge fan of skulls and that seems to be the majority of the mass produced "cool clothes".  My boys have distinct likes, little bro loves giraffes, try buying that at the local store. Now that big bro is the big FOUR he's into big boy things like ninjas, star wars, lasers and jumping from any stationary object. 

When I came across Once Upon A Story I was super impressed. Alison is also a mom of 2 boys so I feel like she totally "gets it"! Not to mention her photos are GENIUS!!! each picture tells a story of the shirt it is featuring (not to mention her model is super photogenic, I mean seriously that kid needs to be on T.V or in magazines)

Check out some of these awesome Tees featured at her etsy.com shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Onceuponastory

Being a cardiac nurse, I totally LOVE this one!

We were lucky enough to receive a shirt for each of the boys! I told her a little about us, and each boy, and she surprised us with 2 perfectly matched new tees.

We made a science center trip this week and I figured this would be a great chance to show off our Once Upon A Story wear.

Yes hes that cool! Cape and ninja shirt showing off his
awesome moves (he also had a sword in his back)

Big Bro got a super cool ninja shirt!

Little Bro got a giraffe shirt, goes great with his new
giraffe TOMS shoes.

Little Bro checking out the Dinos.

Thank you Once Upon A Story for the awesome new shirts!!!
If you would like to check out all Alison's great designs visit her etsy shop HERE and you can become facebook buddies HERE!


And.......... Yes great news, Once Upon A Story is hosting a giveaway!!! She is offering one winner a tee of their choice (up to $25 value)

Check out the rafflecopter below for details and please only click done on the tasks actually performed, just to be fair to others ;)

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Home Gym Re-Do

We had a spare room that we loveling call "the cat room" this is the spare room that the litter box and everything else we do not want to look at seems to land.. It has housed 3 elderly Chihuahua's in their final days and recently our kitty tucker in his final days. We are now down to 2 kitties and a room with no purpose. This was also one of the last white walled rooms. We knew for sure that the carpet HAD to go!.

We decided to turn it into a home gym. 

We had a elliciptal machine and a weight bench, both lived in the garage and neither had gotten much use. Theory is, get it out of the hot garage, + TV = get skinny!

step 1 - removal of crap

my handsome handyman - the husband
step 2 - paint paint paint

Step 3 - fresh paint, new TV, remove carpet!!

Hubby patching the nail holes from the carpet instal

Heres where things get serious! We knew the carpet HAD to go and we didn't want to spend a lot of $$$ on new floor. So my suggestions was to pain the concert.. Hubby needed ALOT of persuading on this one. His choice was rubber mats  but with a price tag of over $300 I convinced him to try this first. Originally I was convinced I wanted to do grey floor with chevron stripes butttttt you will see in the final it didn't quite work out that way. 

Patchwork on the concrete

Hubby had the genius idea about putting the litter box in the closet with a doggie door!!! No smell at all!!! Good job love!

Wifi cables and wires all have a home in this mounted shelf, we can also
keep gloves and misc small work out equipment.

Taaa Daaa! Finished product! And the reason the chevron stripes were out! Found these amazing
 rugs on clearance at lowes for $30 each!!!!

Also doubles as boys craft storage room.

The Lullaby Leaf Review & Giveaway

The Lullaby Leaf is a amazing, hand stamped jewelry store with so many beautiful products, you might find it hard to pick a favorite! We were lucky enough to win one of her awesome bracelets and I was able to talk her into a additional bracelet for a giveaway!!!

My bracelet reads "You Make Me Happy When Skies Are Gray" This is near and dear to my heart because no matter what mood or craziness is going on with my youngest, I can softly sing this song and it seems to calm him and turn him into a little snuggle ball ;)

Our giveaway bracelet is from one of my favorite artists, making 2 trips to Jamaica with my husband this one also takes me to a place of white beaches, steel drums and red stripe, it reads "dont worry about a thing because every little thing gonna be alright" Irie! The golden bird is also a nice touch..

If you feel like doing some jewelry drooling visit

The Lullaby Leaf on Facebook!!!!

or on etsy.com The Lullaby Leaf.

Her designs are smart, clever and cool!!!

Like this "giving tree" inspired necklace

And this DMB inspired bracelet! (another one of me and

the hubs favorites)

Such a cool shop!! I could litterly go broke ordering from Lindsay and the Lullaby Leaf!!

Would you like to win a Bob Marley Wrap Bracelet?? Check out the rafflecopter for details :)

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Nugs first Haircut

So its a tradition in our family to take the boys to get their first hair cuts at Disney. Last Sunday (which was both St Patty's day and Nus actual birthday) we went to Disney along with my sister and Bro-in law. We also have waited till the boys were about 2 to get their hair cut. Since next monday (April 1st) is Little bros actual birthday we figured it was time..

.....................BEFORE..................................................................................AFTER.............

Such a good little man, YouTube train videos help

They give you a hat with "my first haircut" and a certificate and of course your little cut locks.

The barber shop is located in Magic Kingdom on main street. There always seems to be a wait, I hear you can make appt.. Girls can also get "pixie dust" or coloring. 

I also wanted to thank My Little Beauty Queen for B's St Pattys Day shirt!!

Handsome boy!

He just got a little trim, mainly to get hair out of his eyes, the back didn't get cut too much to leave his little baby curls.. Cutting their hair is such a hard thing to do! I feel like each haircut ages them so quickly...

Birthday Boy got a trim also ;)

Flash Back to Big brothers first cut! Lots more hair and not as happy about the cut as little bro.
The R2D2 helped though