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happy birthday to you…

By Nicole · Comments (4)

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

To my dear friend Stephanie,

Yesterday you turned the big 3-0 (and I, of course, missed it…), but consider this your virtual (albeit belated) birthday card.

Why dedicate an entire blog entry to a friend’s birthday? Well, because if it weren’t for you I probably wouldn’t have this blog. I remember those cold winter mornings on the Cienega track, you sharing this new world you had discovered called “blogging” and me just socking in your knowledge. You were always most willing to share.

Then it was on to San Francisco, to the first conference for both of us. BlogHer. You were very newly (and secretly) pregnant and the plane ride…well, it wasn’t your favorite. But as always, no one knew because you carried yourself with grace and a smile. As always.

I’ll never forget the Saturday morning we just happened to stop by your garage sale and standing under your mesquite when you told us your plans to give every day. Though part of me was shocked, it was no surprise either. Giving is who you are.

Now your are (almost) a mommy to three, just like me. I don’t think that I know anyone more in love with her children. You are kind, loving, patient, plugged in, protective. Every girl should have a mom like you.
So now that you’re thirty (and one day), how does it feel? I’m sure you’ll look back one day and think this time a blur. I too was pregnant with my third when I turned thirty…chasing, wiping, feeding, cleaning, rocking…oh, those years see lifetimes ago now. Honestly, that birthday was a blur. Enjoy these days; there is nothing like them and they will be gone in a flash. I know you will.And though the days and weeks go by and we don’t always have time to connect, I’m so glad to call you friend.

I look forward to celebrating more milestones with you, my friend.

Happy 30th.

If you haven’t visited Stephanie at Metropolitan Mama (really??), now would be a good time. While you’re there, show her some birthday love.

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our summer staycation at jw marriott starr pass

By Nicole · Comments (1)

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

Last year, my dear friend Stephanie of Metropolitan Mama and Give Every Day blessed (and surprised!) me and my family with a 25,000 point credit with Marriott’s Reward Program. What that translated into was a free night at the JW Marriott Spa and Resort at Starr Pass here in Tucson a week before I headed into surgery.

Marriott’s free rewards program allows you to earn points for every night you stay. Points can be earned in a variety of other ways when traveling. You can redeem your points for free nights at over 3,400 locations throughout the world.

We stayed for two nights over the 4th of July weekend. It was the first time we has been to Starr Pass and it was absolutely amazing. Our room (when we were in it) was clean, beautifully decorated and quite. We had a balcony with the best view in the entire resort. The landscaping was emmaculate. Every person we were in contact with ended our conversation with “It was my pleasure…” Customer service is obviously a priority here.

The kids enjoyed the lazy river and waterside.

I enjoyed lounging by the pool and drinking my strawberry margarita as I floated in the inner tube.

We ate at “The Plunge”, a pool-side, full service restaurant, and visited the Starbucks several times. But the big hits were the 3 pools and ordering snacks and drinks pool-side.

Our weekend ended with a spectacular fireworks show on the greens, positioned directly outside our balcony. No kidding. It was amazing. And as if that werent enough, God decided to put on His own fireworks show about an hour later with a nice big monsoon storm…complete with lightning and a deluge of rain. It was our lucky weekend.

If you are in or traveling to the Tucson area, I highly recommend staying at the JW Marriott Starr Pass. But be prepared to pay a pretty penny for the amenities, food and extras…they’re not cheap. It was a little bit of sticker shock for this city employee salary family. Having said that though, you can get some amazing deals during the off season (August – December)…we’re talking $139 a night! That’s a sweet deal.

So thank you, Marriott, for a wonderful experience. And most of all, thank you, Stephanie, for choosing us to be the recipients of this amazing and generous giveaway. It was just what we needed to end the Summer right!

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Giveaways from the Heart: BondiBand

By Nicole · Comments (2)

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Lookie here…

I cant wait until it cools down to sport my new Wicking Hat from BondiBand out on the trail.

I got a loving surprise from my dear friend, Metropolitan Mama, as part of her SLY awards. Know about those? Its Stephanie’s twist on the traditional giveaway model. She blesses the socks off of her victim, offers her readers the opportunity to get in on the giveaway, and promotes a hand-picked company or service all at the same time.

There’s another piece to this SLY award, but I’ll hold off on that until I have pictures and stories to accompany the post.

(PS. Have you seen the big announcement on Steph’s blog? Oh my, its a doozy. And honestly I’m still reeling, for purely selfish reasons. Sniff Sniff.)

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Don’t Miss This Bloggertunity: A Giveaway

By Nicole

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

UPDATE: The winner for this giveaway is #28, Heather! Congratulations. You can still take advantage of the 15% discount. Simply purchase the eBook here and enter the discount code: ‘mamasave15‘ at checkout.

Have you always wondered what “RSS” means, but where too afraid to ask?

Do you want to start approaching companies for product reviews or advertising on your blog, but not sure where to start?

And do you have a vision for your blog to make an impact on your community and your world and need a little motivation and guidance?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you’ll be glad you happened upon this post.

My good friend Stephanie from Metropolitan Mama has just recently published her first eBook, Bloggertunity: A Mom’s Guide to Blogging.

In this 85 page book, Stephanie gives you simple but thorough step by step directions on creating a successful blog. The book is available for $19.99, with 20% of the proceeds going to World Vision, a humanitarian organization that is dedicated to building a better world for children effected by poverty.

I mentioned Steph’s book last week in my Stroll Around the Blogosphere and guess what? She has been kind enough to offer a 15% discount to the fabulous readers of The Pixel Boutique! Simply purchase the eBook here and enter the discount code: ‘mamasave15‘ at checkout.

And? You also have a chance to win a free copy! One reader will be randomly selected for a download of the eBook.

Here’s how to enter:

Tell me in a comment below, what one aspect of blogging totally baffles you…a concept that alludes you. Or…if you’re a smarty and know everything, what blogging tip would you like to share with other bloggers?
For extra entries, tweet about this giveaway up to once a day and leave a separate comment for each tweet.
Giveaway ends Friday, Oct 2 at 11:59 p.m.

Take a Stroll With Me: Week 7

By Nicole · Comments (3)

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

I’m so excited to share a very special announcement about my dear friend and bloggy mentor, Metropolitan Mama. Her first ebook has just been released and it is goooood!

Stephanie has been blogging since 2007 and shares the wisdom she’s learned over the years. The information in this book is pertinent, practical and extensive.

If you are concidering starting a blog and have a laundry list of questions, this book is for you.

If you are a new blogger and would like to take your blog to the next level, this book is for you.

And if you are a blogger looking to monetize your blog but aren’t quite sure how to approach companies and PR agencies, then this book is for you.

So what I’m saying is…if you are a warm blooded humanoid, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.

As a blog designer I get asked so many questions about basic blogging practices…”What is a blogroll?” “What is an RSS feed?” “What blogging platform should I use?” Stephanie does a superb job answering not only basic questions but overarching, general ones as well.

Its a must read for bloggers, so Go. Check. It. Out!

The Basics of Blogging