What is on all of your minds?

Hey everyone I just wanted to see what you'd like to see me post about!  I know my following is still small as I am new to blogging, but I would still love reader's input! If you would like you can find my blogs on Bloglovin'. I really like that site as it is an easy way to find cool blogs to follow by category. I love craft and food blogs so that is what I have been reading a lot of lately.


Thanks

--Bree

Happy 21st to Me!

On this day 21 years ago, this girl right here was born! (Well, yesterday since I just got around to posting this!). Here are some facts about me so you can all get to know me a little better!

• My middle name is Michelle, and believe it or not, it's after my father. It's a French thing!
• I have some pretty cool Irish ancestors. My 3x great uncle John P. Holland invented the submarine. That is pretty cool if you ask me! There are also two authors in my family's past: Tomas and Sean O'Crohan. They were from Great Blasket Island, Ireland. Tomas' book is called The Islandman, and Sean's is called A Day in Our LIfe.
• I am a quarter Danish, very Irish, pretty French, got a little Portuguese in the mix plus a few others...
• I have traveled to 25 states and to Canada. Hoping for Denmark very soon!
• I could sit on real estate sites all day... I know, I'm weird.
• I could eat mac 'n cheese everyday for the rest of my life and never complain!
• Thrift stores and tag sales are my favorite kind of shopping!
• I suck at crocheting but I love it. One day my basic skills won't be so basic! 
• I have a dream that one day I'll own my own thrift store, or an Etsy shop. I want to do something that incoorporates my favorite things.
• I share my birthday with 5 other people that I know. One being my future mother-in-law and the other actually being born yesterday!

Enough about me, what about you?

P.S. Sorry this is coming a day late! As it was my 21st birthday my family took me out for a few drinks and I fell asleep the second I got home!

Trying a Washington and a Candy Appletini!

Meet Scott!

Scott and I have been together for a year and a half. Believe me when I say we move very fast. We met in October 2013 and by the end of November of that same year, we were engaged. It was a beautiful, and surprising proposal. I knew it would sound crazy to others that we hadn't known each other long, but we didn't care. We were (and still are) in love! He is a very passionate and loving man and I'd love for you all to know a little about him!

• My hubby was born and raised in New York! He doesn't have a serious accent or anything. He's from the capital region so it isn't that fun Long Island accent that may have just popped into your head. But there are some things he says that I'll make fun of him for. (i.e. Plaza, Aunt, Right, Talk, On) I know they are totally random words but he says 'em funny!
• He was in the Marine Corp. Currently wants to become a police officer for our local area. Very proud of him and his accomplishments!
• His birthday is just 4 days after mine! Maybe some of you can leave a comment wishing him a happy birthday sometime this week. (Its this coming Monday!)
• His dream cars are the Nissan GTR and the Acura NSX..all he ever does is talk about which one he wants more some day lol. I hope for his sake in the future he can somehow have one!
• He is the second oldest child of 7 children. Six boys and one girl! 
• He has lived in three states and loves to go to Vegas and Bermuda.
• He is insanely talented lyrically as well as with the guitar and piano. I keep hounding him to make a YouTube channel because everytime a song comes on the radio he makes the most hilarious parodies out of them!
• Last but not least, he is an amazing father! Having all of those younger siblings was good practice for the real thing, huh?

Thats All For Now,

--Bree

My Blog Got A Facelift!

My blog was looking pretty drab all week as I just started this new one. I finally found a template I liked and figured out how to apply it to my blog! Hopefully with this new look my cute redesign will get my posts taken more seriously as a new blogger.

Basically this post is a shoutout to www.bloggercandy.com. If you want the direct link to how to download my current template/background, visit:

www.bloggercandy.com/2014/05/23/fancy-free-3-columns/

Stop by every week for new posts from MommaBell! And don't forget about my other blog dedicated to all things beauty- Bree's Beauty!

Have a sparkling day, all!

--Bree

Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts For Him & Her!!

Sometimes we forget... or we just put it off until the last minute because some of us are, well.. you know, professional procrastinators! ;) Either way it is time to get our lazy butts in gear and get started preparing for Valentine's Day! Here are a few ideas for him and for her that may inspire you this V-Day :)

For Him:

• Send him some chocolate covered strawberries from Edible Arrangements.
• Buy him a box of chocolates.
• You could buy him some nice cologne to wear on your dates.
• Get him a MAN CRATE. They have so many different kinds. Go to: http://www.mancrates.com They have the coolest gift ideas for guys here. You can't go wrong.
• Just like men get women fancy lingere, get him some nice boxers, or get funny cheesy ones to be silly but sweet.
• A nice watch. Doesn't have to be super expensive.
• Make a box filled with pictures, old movie ticket stubs, love notes, etc. Decorate it!
• Make love coupons! <3
• Leave post-it's all over the house with "I love you" written in a bunch of languages or with different reasons why.
• For very last minute, go to the grocery store and get some fixings for a really nice dinner-for-two in. Use some mood lighting with some candles and have some cupcakes for later and pick out some rom-coms to watch on the couch together!
• Have an indoor picnic! Set it up in your living room. Lay down a blanket and surround yourselves with candels as you both enjoy some wine and some grapes to feed each other with. Or ya know. Whatever other food ya want to eat haha.
• Creative spin the bottle for two. 
• Go out or stay in and share a milkshake.
• Go to Things Remembered and have something there engraved.
• Go to http://www.wordsearchmaker.net

For Her:

• Edible Arrangements.
• A flower boquet. Doesn't always have to be roses. Could be her favorite flower or just something you picked out special for her.
• Cook her a dinner with a nice dessert. Maybe even do the dishes for her. Trust me, she will love and appreciate it.
• Have flowers and chocolates delivered to her work or school and make her feel special!
• Write her a poem or love letter. Better than any material gift!
• A gift card to the spa or salon.
• A jewelry box with or without a little something inside.
• A promise ring. Or a beautiful necklace.
• Buy her a new dress and lay it out with some shoes and jewelry you want her in. Leave a note next to it saying be ready at this time. Take her to a place where reservations are required and make the night feel elegant and fancy for the two of you. It will be a night to remember!

So there you have it lovebirds. Have fun...but not too much fun! Maybe some of you will get some November babies out of the deal, haha!

Love,

Bree

A Great Gift for Valentine's Day!

Hey Everyone!
 
   Shutterfly has been sending me crazy gift cards and coupons lately and I decided to take advantage. I recently got two free 8x8 photo books from the company. It's pretty fun getting to piece all of the photos I chose together to kind of tell a story of how our relationship has progressed since the beginning. Valentine's Day is on the 14th and my hubby's birthday is two days later on the 16th. I thought it would be really nice to make him a book full of pictures of us from the very beginning of our relationship to the present. I know he will absolutely love the idea and I can't wait to give it to him!

   I may end up doing another photo book for his first Father's Day filled with sweet pictures of him and Nora!

   Right now Shutterfly is having a V-Day sale where you can  save 50% on hard cover photo books and save 30% on everything else they offer. The sale ends Tuesday, February 10th and all you have to do is enter the code: SWEETSALE. And for orders of $39 or more, you can get free shipping by entering the code: SHIP39 .

   My hubby Scott and I are trying to keep our V-Day simple this year. It is a very busy week for us. His mother and I share a birthday on the 12th, two days later is Valentine's Day, then two days after that is his birthday! Can you believe we almost got married on the 18th?! What a week that would have been on top of all of that!

Have A Good One!

--Bree

How to Pack Your Hospital Bag

This was fun for me. I love to pack well in advance for things and be prepared for anything. However, I didn't even have my hospital bag with me when I went to the hospital! I was sent from a routine weekly checkup with my OBGYN by ambulance to the hospital due to severe preeclampsia. I had no time to go home and grab it. But at least I was already packed and all my hubby had to do was bring it to me. I wouldn't go overboard on what you pack. Unless you know you may be staying a bit longer there is really no reason to go crazy. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know ahead of time that I'd be stuck in the hospital for a week...
So I had a little toiletry bag stuffed inside of my duffle bag. Here is what I packed.

Inside of my toiletry bag:
-Toothbrush
-Travelsized toothpaste
-Travelsized mouthwash
-Hair ties and bobby pins
-Chapstick
-Tinted BB cream
-A little eyeshadow/eyeliner
-Travel Sized shampoo and body wash
-Body sponge
-Deodorant

Inside of my duffle bag:
-2 changs of clothes for hubby and I
-2 changes of pj's for hubby and I
-Sports bras/Nursing bras
-A pack of fuzzy slipper socks
-A cute hospital gown ordered online
-2 pairs of slippers
-Extra pair of shoes
-Cell phone charger
-Tablet & charger
-A good book
-Crochet (I was finishing off the border of the baby blanket I made for my girl)
-A folder with my insurance information inside
-Clothes for the baby to come home in
-Pack of diapers and wipes
-A towel and washcloth
-Hair brush
-Wallet w/license
-The maxiest of maxi pads!

*It never hurts to bring a little throw blanket or a pillow of your own just to make yourself feel more comfortable.
*A folder is a great idea to bring along. I cannot tell you how many handouts and other forms/documents I got while being admitted. My folder held insurance information, prescription sheets I needed to get filled, a reciept and instructions on my free breast pump I got through my insurance (just talk to the hospital's lactation consultant about how to get one!), instructions on how to use a sitz bath, charts showing you how to preform CPR on a newborn after we took a CPR refresher from one of the nurses and a bunch of other things like newborn care tips, etc. Just trust me on this one ladies.
*Bringing a notebook with you is a great way to document the experience. Write to your little one on that special day and share it with them when they are older! Or bring your camera and a charger!
*If you can find a peri bottle around anywhere I'd recommend getting one. Though I had trouble finding one anywhere, the hospital did provide me with one. That is very nice to have right after giving birth.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below!

--Bree