Let's Go To College & Help Along The Way!

Do you go to college? Do you think the price of your books can get ridiculous? Well fret no more my friends, because you can now rent your books from Campus Book Rentals and save up to 90% off when you do!!!!  

Sounds awesome right! Well it doesn't stop there.. When you order the textbooks you need you get free shipping to you and then back, 30-day risk free returns, highlighting is okay, flexible renting periods, and one of the best things is that they donate to Operation Smile with every textbook rented! Now we're talking! Here are some examples of pricing.

$79.95
Save 69% off
Your total: $24.93

And that my friends isn't even the most you can get off! So go now and rent yourself the books you need to further your education. It's worth it my friends!

Now what is operation smile? Only one of the most amazing charities out there. This team is committed to forever changing lives of children by correcting cleft palate  facial deformities. All the more reason to rent your books from Campus Book Rentals! Click here to start renting!

I Am In Love With Kintage!

I want to share with you a fun little shop called Kintage.

Last month I won a giveaway from Little Chief Honeybee and part of my prize was a $50 shop credit to this lovely shop! I couldn't decide on what I all wanted to get with the entire prize so I only got one dress to start out with. I am absolutely in love let me tell you. I am actually going back the the website tonight to order some more dresses. They also have some really cute accessories!

Please, please, please go check out this amazing online store. You won't be disappointed! 

Munchkin Mania!

Just thought I would throw up a little update for you guys since. Here is some videos of my little stud.

Hope you have a great weekend! 

Blogger Advisement...

It's nearing the end of April and this means that we're wrapping up the sponsors. I may not have some of these sponsors in my sidebar at the moment (due to some switching around) but they still mean the world to me and I would like for you to check them out! 

This month I asked my sponsors to answer one question for me. That being, "What advice would you give new bloggers?" And this is what they said...

Felicity @ Pursuit of Felicity

"My advice for other bloggers is to be patient, honest and open to new friendships. :)"

Jenna @ I Never Really Told You

"My advice to new bloggers is to build relationships through commenting and participating in "link up's". You'd be surprised at how many people you meet this way. It's a great way to find people who have similar interests and to reach a wide range of bloggers."

Danielle @ Framed Frosting

"My advice for new bloggers would be to get involved. Sign up for Twitter and follow other bloggers and they in turn will usually do the same. Also, be sure to get involved in link parties and blog hops to get yourself out there. Once you have dedicated readers, make sure you reply to their blog comments and interact with them -- show them you care!"

Melissa @ Living Holland

"I'm a fairly new blogger myself. I think it is important to stay true to who you are in real life. I don't blog to make myself look cooler than I really am. I blog about my real life as my blog is for me and about me. "

Autumn @ The Pickled Poppy

"My advise to new bloggers is to just be yourself and try really, really hard not to compare your blog to everyone else's! That for me has been the hardest thing. Just have faith in what you are doing and don't let others change you!"

Meg @ The Kissy Pearl

"I would tell new bloggers to stay true to yourself! Write about what interests you and what you care about. Don't create a fake image for your blog just to get readers! If you write about what makes you happy, I am sure that there are others that feel the same."

Lauren @ Tastes Like Love

"I still feel like a 'new blogger' as my blog hasn't yet hit the one year mark, however I noticed a significant change in my blog traffic & readers when I started to comment more on other blogs. Be the reader you'd like to have. So read all sorts of blogs, give genuine comments - not just one word comments, and button swap! And most of all, focus on your blog, not the success of other blogs."

Dondi @ Dondalee's

"My advice for a new blogger would be to just write about your interests and the things you love and don't worry so much about how many people are following you or how perfect your blog looks. Stay true to who you are and everything else will fall into place."

So go forth and visit some of my lovely friends & enjoy the advice!

10 Reasons Why I Blog

1. Venting. I'd like to say I'm this perfectly happy girl all the time, that has no concerns or stresses in my life. With all honesty on the table though, most of the time I'm a complete wreck! Venting to my readers has first of all gotten my emotions off my chest so I can push them to the back of my mind and second I love to hear what readers have to say about it. I get new perspectives and different ways to handle tough situations.

2. Meeting Rad, New People. I love how creative the people in the blogging world are. I learn so much stuff and have gained some pretty amazing friends through my bloggy home.

3. Finding a Passion. I have to say that my love for graphic design and html manipulation has really sprung up since I started blogging. I've learned how fun it is and how 'easy' it is to learn. Thank you Google and YouTube! I would love to be able to find a job doing something that includes these things.

4. Getting The Word Out. I may not be able to make my voice be heard to many people, but even if I can spread the word to one person it makes me feel happy. I am currently involved with The Bully Project, Red Thread Movement, and Charity:Water.

5. Keeping Family Up To Date.  I live across the country from my family, but they are always in the know because of this blog. Letting them into my life was the main reason I started blogging.

6. I Take More Pictures. I love to write, but who wants to read something that doesn't have any pictures? It has really motivated me to capture all the little moments.

7. Learning. Again with the creativity in this blog-o-sphere! I'm a crafter at heart and bloggers tend to go nuts with tutorials it seems. It's just amazing how the size of my to-make list has grown. Mom blogs have also taught me about how to be a better parent, including tips on how to get your kids involved with everything.

8. Giveaways. Who doesn't like to get free stuff? I know I do! This is one thing that always seems to be going on. It's also a blast to host your own. Even if it's just for a sponsor spot!

9. You Can Make Money. Google has an ad network, BlogHer is a paid advertising site, and there are even communities like Clever Girls who will sponsor and compensate you for your writing. How cool!

10. Keeping Memories. It's like a virtual scrapbook. You can edit pictures and design the entire look of your website while writing all your amazing memories down. It's also easy for people to find and enjoy right along with you!

Why do you blog? 

Keep Calm and Carry On {Current Crush}

Wahooo! It's that time of the week again.. Time to join up one of my bloggy besties, Danielle, for her linky party all about what I've been crushing on this past week. So what is it that I've been obsessed with? These quote/prints...

Now go link up tooo! Just click on that there button! You'll have fun and get great ideas for your next crush! :)

For My Night Owls!

My in-laws are here, my in-laws are here!! I'm so super excited to be spending time with family again I don't even know how to handle myself right now!

Logan's parents flew up to Washington today to stay and visit with us until Monday, so this is kind of a excited/I may be MIA for the week post?  Anyways... Tonight we went to dinner at a local restaurant called Flyer's, and while we were there Tina took this spectacular picture of my little family. This is seriously the second 'family picture' that we have. Logan isn't a big fan of cameras you see.. So since it turned out so nice I thought I would share! :)

I hope you all have a good weekend and stay tuned for more fun!

Goody Bag Winner Alert!!!

Congratulations! I have sent you an email! 

The News! :D

To all of you lovely followers/readers... I would like to introduce you to my most recent addition to my bloggy home. It is my newsletter, woo-hoo!!! If you are interested please sign up below to receive fun emails from this here blog!

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Email Address *

Email Format

• html
• text
• mobile

Thanks so much guys & enjoy! 

5 Things I Love About My First Born {Listable Life}

1. How his nose wrinkles when he's happy. He always seems to do this. Even when meeting new people he'll look at them, examine for a moment, and then break out a big goofy grin while squinting and wrinkling his cute little button nose! I just can't get enough of that face!

2. His personality. Yes he may be a bit of a stinker and drive me nuts at time, but he already has his personality and I love it! It's who he is and I wouldn't change it for the world!

3. How he dances. Whenever he hears even a bit of music he will start bouncing up and down and swaying. He has so much fun just dancing around by himself.

4. His hugs. For example, last night when I was about to put him down for bed he hugged me for about 10 minutes just hugging and rubbing my arm. He already knows how to comfort his mama!

5. His love for the outdoors. It makes me very happy to see that my son would rather play outside and get dirty than sit in front of the tv all day. I love it! If only the weather would cooperate!

Heather's Story

Today is a very special day on my bloggy home. Why? Because I get to introduce you to one amazing lady. Her name is Heather and here is her story... 

I remember it as if it was yesterday. November 21, 2005, I heard five words that would change my life forever: “You have malignant pleural mesothelioma.” I was a new mother with a three and a half month old baby girl and felt like my world had come to an end.

My emotions were divided between facing one of life’s greatest fears and realizing that I was strong enough to endure. Succumbing to a life threatening illness was not an option.

I was fortunate enough to receive a referral to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston with Dr. David Sugarbaker, a leading mesothelioma doctor. It was Dr. Sugarbaker who gave me optimism that I would live long enough to watch my baby grow, even with grim statistics about mesothelioma.

During this time, I read a statistic that only two percent of mesothelioma patients live longer than five years after being diagnosed. It did not take me long to decide that I would be one of the two percent who lived. My determination to beat this cancer gave me the courage to fight everything that came my way.

The next year, I endured everything that mesothelioma did to try and stop me. My left lung and lining surrounding the tumor was removed during a major surgery. My baby girl was six months when I had this surgery and she was 1,900 miles away. My parents kept my daughter while I was in the fight of my life.

My battle continued after surgery. I had to spend the next several months going through mesothelioma treatment, radiation and chemotherapy; I was fortunate to be with my daughter, whose name is Lily, through this tough time. I continued to be sick during her first year of life. However, the love and support from family and friends helped to maintain a sense of normalcy for my daughter.

Family and friends near and far joined us to celebrate two spectacular miracles. They helped me celebrate my daughter’s first year of life. My family and friends also helped me celebrate the end of my battle with mesothelioma cancer. Within 11 months, I completed my last treatment of radiation and made a vow to stay cancer free.

Spending a year of my life battling cancer and the years afterward have taught me many life lessons. First, I do not take anything for granted. Having cancer has helped me look at life differently. Small things definitely mean a lot more to me now. This experience has also taught me what life is truly for: We are here to live.

This experience also gave me an opportunity to meet some amazing people. The names of these people will remain forever carved on my heart. These people fought the same battle I had. Some did not make. Others are loved ones who cared for people who had to fight mesothelioma. Still, there are many warriors who continue to amaze me with the passion and tenacity to overcome.

It is because of these amazing people that I want to raise awareness about the life threatening dangers of mesothelioma. The world needs to know that this cancer is more that a television commercial. It is a real, life-altering disease that affects real people.

Today, I continue to life fully, savoring every moment as a precious commodity. Even when days are not so good, I can always find something for which I am grateful. Certainly, this is what life is really about.

I Need Your Help! :D

Okay guys this is crucial! Well maybe not life threatening, but in the fashion/beauty department I need help! 


This is what I look like today...

Besides the lipstick this is about how I look every day to be honest. Every. Single. Day.. And here are the products that I use to do this...

1. Chagrin Valley's Whipped Squalane Face & Eye Mousse
2. E.l.f. Powder Brush
3. Almay Smart Shade, Smart Balance Pressed Powder in 010 light
4. Covergirl Copper Shimmer Eyeshadow
5. Almay Eyeliner in 01 black
6. Almay Dial Up Mascara in 020 black
7. Maybelline Wet Shine Fusion in 90 Very Cherry
8. Bonnebell Lip Lites in Cherry Berry Kiss

Now as you can see these are just drugstore brands and they live up to that. I need something better. Something that makes my skin look flawless and shine-free. Makeup that I enjoy to wear. The problem is that I don't know where to start! So please, please, please help me and let me know what you think are the best products out there!

Thank You To, Shartreuse Studio Photography & When Shutters Click!

I have totally forgotten to do thank you posts for these two shops and I feel terrible! So here I am showing of my photography skills, ha! I hope you enjoy and check out these great shops! 

 From Shartreuse Studio Photography I received these amazing calender prints! I am absolutely in love with them and am planning on doing something fun when the year is up. The pictures are so beautiful, aren't they?

Natalie from When Shutters Click blessed me with not only this pretty necklace but also two key chains. I was just too lazy to take them off my key ring. I love, love, love how she makes these little trinkets into things you can share!

It's Time For A Break!

Hello lovely readers!

I just want to let you know that I will be going on a little vacation for the rest of the month or so. My husbands parents are coming up to Washington to visit us and I just need some time to think of where my life is headed.

This being said I will be changing out my sponsor bar today (sorry for the inconvenience) and starting just sponsor swapping. You can do this while I'm gone and your ad will appear right away! I have updated my Sponsor Swapping page so you can do this.

I will however still be posting about the giveaways that are currently running. For the winners, the prizes will be sent out all at once for my convenience so I'm sorry if there is a wait on your pretties!

Have no fear I'll probably sneak some posts in since I'm totally addicted to my home on the web. Maybe I'll redesign or something? Just thought I'd let you know that I may be a little MIA for the rest of the month!

Love you guys lots!

My Goody From Oaxacaborn!

Good morning everyone! How is your Sunday going so far? Hope it's spectacular! On my blog lately you will have seen all the thank you posts that I have been writing lately. What can I say... I've been one lucky girl in the giveaway department lately! Hm, I should have bought a lottery ticket.. Just kidding! Anyways. I want to share with you something else that I received. This cute little owl headband from Oaxacaborn. Isn't it the most adorable thing you have ever seen? Bentley thinks it's so amazing and loves to play and look at it when I have it out. Plus I am in love with owls so this was a perfect prize to win! Now go click on that link that I put above and have fun looking around this cute shop! :)

WINNER!!!

And the winner of my 50 Followers Giveaway is Rosie Q!

I have sent you an email and will be waiting for a response within 48 hours! 

Congratulations! :)

Pretties From People I Adore!

Oh giveaways.. how I love them dearly! It seems that I have been on a winning streak these past few weeks, and as you know with every item that I receive I do a thank you post for the lovely people who send these pretties to me! This week I have gotten some lovely items! 

From Yellow Bird, Yellow Beard I got a shop credit in the giveaway I won. With that credit I got Bentley these adorable fabric alphabet magnet. Let me tell you these are the most wonderful things ever! I love how big they are unlike the little plastic ones that once thrown, they're lost forever! I would recommend these to anyone with toddlers! Also visit Janee's blog. She's quite wonderful! 

 Next, I received this cute little cheetah print hair bow from Sproos. It also doubles as a pin so you can put it on a bag! Awesome right! I cannot wait to put an outfit together for this accessory!

 Lastly, I got this amazing jewelry from Your Girlish Whims. Isn't the sheet music charm necklace to die for!? It is so darling and it hangs a little lower which is a nice switch for me! I also got the Gold Flower Earrings. Now normally I don't wear dangly earrings much since I have a  year old who likes to pull on shiny things, but when I saw these my inner girly-ness said I had to get them. I wore them the same day I got them and love them!

Now please, please, please go visit these shops and look around. Buy yourself something pretty or some fun toys for the kids! You won't regret it, I promise! Thanks again to all of the people who have blessed me with these gifts. I love them!

April Sponsor Goody Bag Giveaway!

Do you know what time it is? That's right... It's giveaway time peeps! I'm so very excited to host another giveaway this month! It's so amazing to have fellow bloggers put in little goodies for you all to receive! 

Here is what's in this little goody bag...

 From yours truly I am including a 2 month Large Ad Space! A $20.00 value! How freakin' cool is that!? Pretty rad I tell you since you'll be getting tons of love becoming my new bloggy bff! Plus a $5.00 shop credit to Pure Trinkets, my brand new shop!

 From the amazing Stephanie over at Infinite Life Fitness, you will receive a coupon for a FREE Jamba Juice.. Can you say yummmy?

From my amazing friend Danielle, you will receive a 250x150 medium ad space which is an $8.00 value!

From Jenna over at I Never Really Told You...  you will receive a classic pearl headband and 2 springtime rose bobbys from her shop, Doe Eyed Dear Shoppe. How cute are they!

From Meg over at The Kissy Pearl, you will receive a Large Ad Space (320x200) for one month! This is a $15.00 value!

So that's pretty awesome right! Tons of fun and pretty prizes for the winner to enjoy! Now go ahead and use my Rafflecopter widget to get as many entries as you can and have fun! Winner will be announced April 26th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Life...

You know that feeling when you wake up and you just know something is going to make your day horrible? Well welcome to my life!

I want to apologize in advance if this gets too 'down'. I'm just needing to vent today for some reason.

It always seems that everything has to go wrong in my life. Plus having no motivation on some days (thank you depression) just sucks the joy out of everything! I kind of feel like a melting blob on occasion... Having depression problems and having a bullheaded side to me not wanting to take any medication just adds to the stress of everyday life as a young mother and wife. 

Let me give you an example... Try having a 1 1/2 year old scream, run, and tear your entire house apart while you are trying to be level headed on a day that has black clouds blurring your vision. Yup, some of my life in a nut shell.

Marriage is another thing.. You go into it being all in love and think everything is going to be fine when BAM out of no where comes bills, apartments flooding, and a messy house. 

All of this compiled on top of each other just screams DISASTER! 

I am done venting now.. Thanks for listening... xo

"Um, hello I just reached 100 followers!!!"

I have to say that my excitement is through the roof right now! I don't even know how this happened... Me, little Katlyn has 100 followers on Twitter!?

For me Twitter was a hard social network to get involved with. No one that I know in real life uses Twitter. It's all about Facebook. I started up anyways, thinking that I could meet more blogger friends in the process.. Well TA-DA!! I'm just going to keep jumping up and down, kay? :)

Now if you follow me on Twitter you probably would have seen the tweets saying that I had giveaway's locked in my brain for every big step that I reach in my blogging/social media career. Well this is one of those times my friends! So I am going to add to my week of giveaways! (Hint, there's one on the 20th tooo!) 

For one of you lucky followers I will be giving you some more of my handmade goodies! Woop, woop! This time instead of a necklace you will be receiving a Baseball Bracelet, which is one of my all time favorites AND something that I have not shown on my shop yet... A Giraffe Rosette Headband! I know they don't really co-inside with each other but I just thought I'd give away one lucky winner the chance to have some of my favorite things! 

Have fun guys! xo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Versatile Blogger Award

Eeepph!! I'm so overjoyed right now! I cannot believe that Rosie over at Craftbotic nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award! I just want to thank Rosie from the bottom of my heart for this. It means so much to me! I seriously jumped around with joy when I saw the email saying I was nominated!

I am also excited to be passing this award on to fellow bloggers who I adore. Here is some information that you all need to know!

The Rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Include a link to their blog
3. Select 15 blogs/bloggers that you have recently discovered or follow regularly.
4. Nominate those 15 for the Versatile Blogger Award
5. Share 7 things about yourself
6. Share this set of rules in your post
7. Inform each nominee with a comment on their blog.

So here are the 15 blogs/bloggers that I nominate for this awesome award...

Meg @ The Kissy Pearl

Angie @ Lariats and Lavender

Felicity @ Pursuit of Felicity

Deanna @ Delirious Rhapsody

Roxy @ Grrfeisty

Hayley @ Hayley'sWorld

Jenna @ I Never Really Told You

Melissa @ Living Holland

Rebecca @ My Girlish Whims

Paige @ Pink Lemonade 

Kendall @ Songbirds and Buttons 

Janee @ Yellow Bird, Yellow Beard

Ashlee @ The Purple Pomegranate

Breanna @ The Thing About Joy

Melanie @ Slightly Smitten

Please go and check out these lovely ladies! They are truly wonderful gals! 

Now for the interesting stuff.. 7 facts about me! 

1. I'm a craft-aholic! I drive my husband nuts with all the little fix ins floating around our apartment! I have actually just centralized my stash into one cabinet. Go me!
2. I'm also addicted to the internet. It causes problems in my marriage sometimes since I'll be typing all night after Logan comes home. I just love my blog and followers so much! :D
3. I have a new goal to run my 3 1/2 mile circle every night. I did so well yesterday and it was only the first day!! I felt so amazing and energized afterwards that it really built up my motivation to do it more often.
4. My guilty pleasure is watching Rugrats with my son every morning! 
5. I really enjoy taking Bentley to daycare. I may miss him like crazy but he is in love with going there and playing with his little friends. It amazes me that they get a 15 month old to sleep on a cot for nap time! Ha-ha.
6. I want to stay in the great state of Washington. I think it's absolutely gorgeous here, and there is so much to go do and see that I pretty much have no reason for going back to farm town Wisconsin. Besides seeing my family more often that is.
7. I drive a Chevy Equinox and love it!!!! 

Thanks again Rosie for nominating my little blog. I can't tell you how much I am loving you right now! If you guys have any more questions or concerns feel free to comment, email, or tweet me! 

5 Things I Wish I Had The Guts To Do {Listable Life}

1. Go Skydiving. I don't really think I don't have the 'guts' for it... It would be getting my husband to participate with me! :)

2. Get a corset piercing. Okay, so I don't want to do my back... I was think more along the line of either up my side or on my wrist. I'm just scared of all the surface piercings being done within a small region at the same time.

3. Putting myself out there more. I wouldn't say I'm anti-social. I wish I could interact with more people though. I just need to find people who are true and not judgmental all the time.

4. Reach for my dreams. I know I can do this! I just need to take the initiative to find a job, enroll Bentley in daycare, and apply for college classes.

5. Go to Africa. I really want to do this. I want to volunteer and go help kids there. I just can't see myself jumping on a plane and leaving behind my family for months. Maybe when I have teenagers? We shall see.

Please link up with me! It's fun I tell you! 

I Reached 50!!! + Giveaway

Hello all you lovely readers! Sorry I was so MIA yesterday. We were having a house inspection and I just didn't feel the need to sit in front of the computer for hours on end, haha! Anyways... This post is a little spur of the moment post + giveaway!

I guess I haven't really been noticing my GFC grow as much as it is, but I just saw this morning that I have reached 50!! Awesome, right? It still feels pretty Pre-K to me since everyone I follow seems to have a bagillion followers. I have to start somewhere though!

So this is a little thank you to all of you who have started and always have been following me! If you did not yet hit that join this site button, do it! You won't be disappointed! 

I am offering up one of my necklaces for one lucky follower to enjoy! That means that it is MANDATORY that you are a follower in order to enter this giveaway! Please follow the rest of the Rafflecoter to get lots of other entries! 

The necklace you will receive will be the Blue Raspberry Ruffle Necklace! Cute right? It is handmade and unique. I hope you enjoy! 

For all of you as an extra bonus enter the promo code '10FORFANS' to get 10% off at Pure Trinkets!

Love all of you guys and thanks so much for supporting my blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway