Small Things Are Big Things

Continuing with our (sometimes) yearly tradion here is the year in review… (see 2008 here)

January:

Annual trip to Arrowhead with the Everys. Kiddos first time sledding!

I discovered Stringbean Company (which is happily/sadly going out of business), and made mini cookies. I was just getting used to the idea of being preggers with #3!

  

February:

Cora Jane turned 2 at Chick-fil-a, I gained perspective and celebrated our milestone 5 year wedding anniversary…

 

March:

Went to Palm Springs in honor of our 5 year anniversary, had a night hike.

 

April:

We came out with our Summer Lid, Easter and the Lip Dup to Our Lips are Sealed with my blogging friends!

  

May:

We launched MOMday Morning, Eli started baseball (which he is good at, but hates), and we hosted a “baby shower” for The Horizon Pregnancy Center instead of a traditional baby shower… because we literally have it all!

 

June:

Went on trek at Tanaka Farms at 37 weeks preggers in thousand degree weather. Oh and had Cyrus Daniel! We didn’t know the gender so finding out after that long horrible labor was such a thrill! He was the ugliest baby I have ever seen! REALLY!

   

 

July:

I turned 30, we flew our family to CO and I got to stand next to my beautiful cousin as the maid of honor in her wedding.

August:

Cyrus wrote a blog post, The OC Bloggers Ball and our annual Pageant of the Masters date in Laguna.

 September:

The Just Spotted awards, Walking with Dinosaurs at the Honda Center and Eli turns 4 with a party at the Ocean Institute’s Tall Ships Festival!!

  

October:

We BOOed our neighbors, then got a BOO back, we went to LEGOLAND had Halloween and had a cover story at OC Family!

 

November:

Pinkalicious birthday party and the launch of our Real Men Wear Pink tee, our family photoshoot with Kristen for the Xmas card, and I’m thankful!

 

December:

We did our first annual Holiday gift guide, San Diego trip with some of our closest friends (post coming soon) sans kiddos, Christmas Eve and our annual New Years Eve party!

Looking forward to an even more exciting 2011!!

“From the mountains to the sea Southern California is the best place to be!!”

~Kara-Noel Lawson

Mountains…

We have an annual tradition of going snowboarding on my husband’s birthday every year. Um… maybe I should clarify. We have an annual tradition of my husband going snowboarding on his birthday and I make hot cocoa at the lodge. I’ve always wanted to learn how to snowboard, but an ex-boyfriend tried teaching my by taking me to the top of the mountain then leaving me there. I had to get tobogganed down with another girl whose bf had the same idea. (Reason 364 why that relationship didn’t work out!!) I’m jaded for life about snowboarding though my hubby says he is a better teacher.

Anyway, I’ve just discovered www.SkiForFree.com. Here’s their bio:

SkiForFree is dedicated to providing you the lowest price on lift tickets. At SkiForFree.com, we guarantee that you will never find a better deal on single day lift tickets anywhere on the internet. Our mission is to provide you an easy and enjoyable shopping experience while providing you lift tickets to quality ski resorts. At SkiForFree.com, we not only give you huge savings on lift tickets, but actually FREE lift tickets. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, as we give away free lift tickets every day.

Follow them on twitter & Facebook for deals. Here’s a lil’ deal from them to you…

We’re offering a season-long lift ticket promotion for Mt. High, 50% off!  Go to skiforfree.com and use promo code: SLED1 for 50% off lift tickets!

Sea…

This Saturday is the third annual Underwater Parks Day at SEA LIFE™ Carlsbad Aquarium! You know how all things pirate (i.e. ships, ocean, fish) are huge in our house, so I think this will be right up our alley! I think the highlight for us will be the 11 am dive show in SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium’s Shipwreck Gallery. Using an underwater communication mask, a diver will give a child-friendly presentation from inside the Lost City of Atlantis a.k.a. the Aquarium’s 200,000 gallon ocean display.

AND local artist, Teresa Espaniola, known for her unique works using found objects and beach trash, helped to create the Happy Habitat Mural. Kiddos will add their own sea creatures to a large ocean mural.

Underwater Parks Day at SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium takes place from 10 am to 4 pm and all activities are included in the cost of Aquarium admission – $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $13 for kids 3 to 12.

 

Happy Thursday!

Remember in my New Years Resolution post I said we would be flashing back for some Lid-Tastic posts? Here’s the first one! We REALLY do wear our Lids all the time around here and of course I’m always snapping pix but somehow they just don’t make it to the blog… till now!

Flashing back almost a year…

It was February 8th I was about 20 weeks preggers and craving Juice it Up everyday (Cora was just shy of 2!). I would order Just Peachy for me (sometimes the Lava Flow) with protein powder and a Strawberry wave split in two for the kiddos.

I love that Cora Jane’s Lid goes so well with her outfit!

 

I can’t forget about Eli… He was Lidless but still cute as a bug!

(Thanks for flashing back with me!!)

 

Don’t forget to enter MOMday Morning!! A free Lid AND $100 cash can be yours!!

Mondays I like to share something I got. We all like to share a good deal, splurge, unique find or fun activity. If you got something awesome (or lame) recently and blogged about it, be sure to leave me a link to the post in the comments!If you want to win something awesome, enter MOMday Morning!

 

One package of green army men = $1

One package of brown army men = $1

Watching Eli play with them = PRICELESS

Are you catching the precision placement of these things?!!?? 

And of course the army guy around here love pirates!!

It’s a New Year. 2010 is over and I have to say mine was pretty great! Is it just me or do you feel replenished and renewed just because of the calendar date?? Did you make resolutions?? I did! Are you keeping them. I am… so far. But I really kept it simple so I would.

Whether you’re feeling invigorated or depleted you have come to the right spot because today is MOMday Morning!!

What does that mean to you??? (you’re thinking)

Well, let me tell ya!

We introduce you to an awesome new blogger (we feature a new one every month)

AND an awesome blogging community (we feature a new one every month too!)

AND you can enter to win an Eli’s Lid!

AND $100 CASH!!

Do you feel refreshed?

Good, then read on… (and tell a friend!)

(If you want to read our heart behind MOMday Morning click here!)

 

You can watch this 1.5 minute video with the guidelines (and see how lame I sound)…

MOMday Morning Guidelines from Kara Noel Lawson on Vimeo.

This month we are featuring the BabySteals site/Facebook community!

I came in late to the BabySteals band wagon! And once you hop on you won’t want to get off… REALLY!

Everyday they feature a new {AWESOME} product for a deal… well, better than a deal… a STEAL. Get it!?!!

In fact, today (at 9am CST) they are featuring us!! Check it out!!

But that’s not what makes BabySteals a MOMday Morning worthy community – it’s their super duper interactive Facebook page!

Have a problem getting your lil’ one to nap? Want a recommendation for a teething necklace? Or just show off your deals… I mean steals?? Look no further than the 82,500+ Facebook fans! Yes, you read that correctly 82,500+ people are popping on FB to chat all things mom and baby!

You have to become a fan!! (like, now!)

  Our featured blogger is Kelly from According to Kelly.

She’s a marathon running, crafting, OC gal! And she is just as great in person as she is on her blog. But I let her tell you…

What do you blog about?
I blog about my real life adventures as a cherry coke drinking abstaining, crushed ice loving, world-traveling, bike riding, apron wearing, snowboarding, fabric obsessed, marathon training, sparkle skirt wearing, surprisingly shy triathlete, REAL orange county housewife & mama of 3, with ADD crafting tendencies & an MBA degree. But that’s not all…I also blog about living, visiting & dreaming about Orange County on my family-friendly guide to the OC – Just Spotted.
Three words to describe you and your blog…

hmmm. This is hard!
not-so-super-mom?
naturally-blonde?
totally-awesome?
hot-gun-challenged?
wannabe-triathlete?
cupcake-baker-extraordinaire?
dr.pepper-lipsmacker-lover?
4 Favorite Posts…
New Year’s Resolute-Nots
Coming Out of the Closet
Officially a Marathoner
Creating Heaven in a Jar

Follow Kelly on twitter here!

Live in the OC? Check out her OC family guide, Just Spotted on Facebook!

Wanna SPARKLE???

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Now for the giveaway-of-love!

Remember what’s up for grabs???

One awesome Lid AND $100 cash!!

  

How to win… (open to all US residents)

Main entry (mandatory): Leave a comment with a link to your favorite book! (Yeah, book! I’m in a Fall reading mood and I’m hosting the giveaway so I’m the boss!)

So you want extra entries??

I don’t blame you!

These prizes kick a&$!!

~Follow Blessed Nest, B.Y.O.G., Eli’s Lids, BabySteals or Kelly on Twitter or let us know you already do. (1 entry each)

~Tweet the following about MOMday Morning. (1 entry every day!)

Win $100 #cash & Eli’s Lids just by sharing a book http://bit.ly/fujJpY  @BlessedNest @BYOG & @ElisLids #giveaway

~Become a fan of Blessed Nest, B.Y.O.G., Eli’s Lids, or BabySteals on Facebook or let us know you already are. (1 entry each)

~Do a Facebook status about MOMday Morning with a link to this post. (1 entry every day!)

 

For every extra entry, be sure to leave a separate comment on this post! i.e. If you follow Blessed Nest, B.Y.O.G. & Eli’s Lids on twitter leave 3 separate comments!

For more detailed rules go here.

***Giveaway open 1 week (plus a few days for fun)! Ends MOMday (Monday) January 17th 9:00pm PST***

Thank you for serving, loving & nurturing us throughout the years.

 

Coming soon here at Eli’s Lids: The Blog…

Hot Hubby’s 30th Birthday Party here.

Finally a post about Cy’s natural birth!

Recap of this crazy thing I’m going with Funky Polkadot Giraffe.

Guest posts from our new health writer and our party planning queen.

Hot Hubby says it’s a “funny coincidence” our dishes keep breaking since I declared my hate for them (and desire for fiestaware).

I call it FATE…

 

We celebrated with our annual New York New Years Eve Party over at Back to Work Dad’s house…

If I look tired it’s because I was. It was only about 8pm but I have the sniffles (something in the OC air?) and my nose was/is draining like a faucet.

The traditional kiddo shot…

A cute thing: Cora Jane is very into My Little Pony (thank you Nannie!!) and Pinky had to be buckled in… (can you tell she put on her Lid by herself?)

Entertainment: Ralph (husband of Brave Little Duck) brought a sword to open the champagne. I know, it was pretty bad a&$! I’ve heard he hires out for weddings…

 

 

I also made an appearance at the hottest shin-dig in the blogsphere. Try not to be jealous when you read Marcy’s (The Glamorous Life) party recap – Thanks for coming. You are the life of the party

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New Years Resolutions…

There is something about the fresh new date on the calendar that makes people want to change things. I’m not sure why but I feel it too. Though I can’t remember the last time I made a New Years Resolution. I’m the type of person who needs to make resolutions everyday. Broad proclamations like, “I will lose 30lbs this year,” just doesn’t work for me. I have to be specific and renew my resolutions each morning.

Here are some of my personal goals…

1. Lose 1lb (30 times!)

2. Cook more from scratch (everyone who knows me is crying from laughing so hard)

3. Continue to read at least one book a month

4. Schedule at least one playdate a week with people we don’t usually see!

5. Host friends for dinner every other week

6. Fold the laundry (this would be a dream come true for Hot Hubby)

7. Keep being intentionally silly with the kiddos!

Here’s what will be happening here at the Eli’s Lids blog…

1. A new series called The Lazy Aerobic Instructor. I’ll be featuring guest writers and products with tips on how to be healthy as well as my journey to lose the baby weight from Cy… though since he’s 6 months it should be classified as Kara Noel weight!!

2. AMAZING party tips from my friend Kristen who throws the best parties in Orange County. What? You don’t believe me. Just wait… you will!

3. Flashback Lid posts of all the cute Lid pictures I didn’t post last year. (bad me)

4. A Kids in Lids segment featuring the pictures Lid Lovers from all over have sent in. ADORABLE! (Send me pix or post them to our Facebook Wall and you could be featured too!)

(Clockwise from top left: Me and my guy Cy, the family after the Christmas Eve service, Cora Jane at El Torito Grill after the service in her headband bow I made that morning, the kiddos in front of Rudolph – our car has a nose and antlers thanks to Nonno, Eli in his tie, my boys in their matching ties I made that morning – I wanted cream and black stripes but there was none at the fabric store.)

We got home, put the kiddos in their matching PJs then “made” cookies for Santa.

 

Try not to be jealous of my mad cookie baking skills…

(Scoop of Pillsbury Cookie Dough with one Pillsbury pre cut Christmas dough squished on top.)

We closed the evening by reading about Jesus’ birth from Luke 2. 

This is probably my favorite Christmas tradition, it’s also the sweetest.

2009

2008

During art time I noticed Eli was doing 2 dots above the belly button…

I asked what they were and he said, “Buttons, like the ones you feed Cyrus with.”