Is this week over yet???

I've been asking this question everyday this week.

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I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water the last few days.  Squish has decided that she's going to 'Party Party' at night time...like the good old days. 

{Okay, so the 'good old days' were only a few months ago, but when your kid doesn't sleep at night for the first 4 & 1/2 months of their life - causing you to run on 2 hours of sleep everyday, while going to work full time - your time seems to mash up all together.}

I'm at my wits end again, and don't know how I survived those first few months at all.  The last couple of nights I have caved and let her sleep on my chest a couple nights, and then last night she got to sleep in the bed next to me.  I'm hoping it's just a combo of a growth spurt & teething...that's a big hope.

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Work has been hectic...mostly because I want to crawl under my desk and take a nap.  I'm in the process of getting everything restructured, caught up, and ready to go...for someone else to take over. 

Yes, that's right...I'm leaving work.  I will officially be at home with Squish starting September 7th {okay, so that's technically a Saturday...but the 6th is my last day}.  I'm excited - nervous - anxious - frustrated by this decision.

Things haven't been working out.  I put in for a promotion, was denied that promotion...but was still doing all the work of another person...put in for part time, denied that, and ended up deciding that I'm needed at home.  My milk production has suffered, because they are NOT supportive of my pumping schedule {even though I clock out for this}.  I'm losing sleep {long before Squish started to be up all night again} because I've had to add a couple MOTN pumping sessions to compensate for the lack of milk during the work day.  When I get home from work...it's go go go. I don't feel like I take the time to enjoy Squish {or B-Real}.  I'm so consumed with what needs to get done for the next day, that I'm not really living in the moment...I'm trying to rush through.  Then my weekends are spent catching up on all the stuff that needs to get done throughout the week, but that doesn't.  I don't take the time to enjoy my family on the weekends then like I should be doing. 

I'm salty about what transpired at work, but I know that I'm better off in the direction that I'm going now.  I can focus on my family, enjoying this precious time with my daughter, and can focus on my own business. 

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There is lots coming up in the next month also {I can't believe it's the middle of August...really?!?!}...

September kicks off the Subscription Reviews - starting with food...nom nom nom!

I'll be posting a couple reviews in the coming week that I feel should be done before hand.  For every review post, I will also be posting other things as well. This isn't a 'review blog'...but I'm grateful for the opportunity to review these items.  Who doesn't like coming home to a bunch of fun packages??

There will be a 40 Bags in 40 Days adventure starting in September also. I can't wait until Lent to start this program, it must get done before the holidays! ha!  My house looks like a tornado hit...a tornado by the name of Squish!  It's time to do some purging!

Next month there will be plenty of DIY projects {I've got a list started that I want to tackle from Pinterest}, recipes, shop news, and much more.

You can see Pinterest ideas that I've already completed here.

Thanks for sharing in this adventure with me!

Welcome to My World...

...it's a pretty exciting world indeed!

I know there is an 'About Me' section, but I thought I would do up a little post that was a little more in depth.

So let's play 20 questions { Scratch that...ain't nobody got time for 20 ?'s } 10 questions, shall we?

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What are the basics?

My name is Jessica {  you can call me Jess...but NOT Jessie. ;)  }.  I'm 31 years old, live in a small farming community in Ohio, and share my life with an amazing partner named Jeff { a.k.a. 'B-Real' }, our fluffy hippie cat Oliver, and our newest addition Alexandria Grace { a.k.a. 'Squish' }.

What do you do?

This is kind of multi-faceted question for me.  My day job is working in the office of a construction equipment manufacturing company.  My dream job { and passion } is creating children's items, adult accessories, and home goods for my shops here and here.  My newest gig is being a FTM, which I love...and never realized would be the best job in the world. ;) 

What is your passion?

Being creative.  Being a new Mom. 

What are your shops all about?

Nutshell Farms is handmade home goods, pantry { edibles } items, adult accessories { hats/scarves/etc. }

Nutshell Farms Kids is handmade children's items such as: hats, scarves, toys, blankets, and room décor.

What is your 'Mama Style' like?

Well, this is going to sound pretty "crunchy, granola" to some of you...but here goes. I breastfeed, we cloth diaper, I make {almost } all of Squish's food, we are a selective vax home, I baby wear { well, I did when she would actually let me }, and we plan on homeschooling.

So, yeah...you will occasionally see some posts on here about the CD'ing, and baby food making.

{  * I do NOT discuss our vaccination choices with anyone, even family. *  }

What do you do for fun?

I like to do creative things, try new recipes/patterns/etc., visit with family & friends, and enjoy our time together with Squish.  We love going to the lake house in Northern Michigan...it's so relaxing up there.

If you could live anywhere in the USA, where would it be?

Either Northern Michigan, or Oregon. 

What are these "shenanigans" that B-Real gets into?

Unicycling, dirt bike trail riding, plane flying, chess enthusiast.  He also dabbles in wine making, gardening, raising chickens, and wants to learn how to sail.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

 

Hopefully, I'll have finished my RN degree, working in a wonderful oncology center, raising Squish { and possibly another child }, working on creating our dream home with B-Real, and living as simply and naturally as possible.  I want to make lasting meaningful memories for my child(ren)...just like I have from my childhood.

 

 

What will we see on this blog?

 

You will find tutorials, recipes, product reviews, giveaways, random ramblings, and snippets into our lives here at Nutshell Farms.



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Well, I hope you've enjoyed getting to know me a little better.  If you ever have any burning questions, please feel free to ask.  I'm usually an open book about most things.

Hog-Washery & Cuteness & Fun Adventure

I've been telling myself all day that it's Tuesday - which it's not. It's Wednesday...and it's dreary...and I'm tired/stressed/crabby/want to be snuggled up with my little Squishy pants at home right now.

I could play for hours with her on the floor, just rolling around.

Oh, and she's crawling now...YAY!!

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Tomorrow is August...YIKES!! How did it get to be August already?!?!? I'm behind, as usual! I'll be finishing up some last minute stuff for the photo shoot/mini sessions this Saturday (stay tuned this weekend for some sneaky peeks at the awesome set ups), then hopefully meeting up for some drinks or a play date with my high school 'mommy' friend Lindsay! Woot Woot!

This weekend is going to be a good one, this week however is another story. We are in the "negotiation" stage of figuring out my hours for work. They say they need someone full time (I call hog-washery), and I think it would be fine for me to work 3 days a week.

This morning upon dropping off Squish at her 2 day a week (non-familial) babysitter, I was informed that we'll need to go to full time status with her or lose her as a babysitter. BAH! I don't want to pay a babysitter for 5 days/week...it depletes my already dismal paycheck to ridiculously low wages, but I don't want to lose her either. I guess we'll have to see if they are going to let me work part time, or if I'll be with Squish everyday. I could honestly live with the latter.

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Coming soon...Subscription boxes!! This deserves another 'Woot Woot'! I have already received notice that a few are on their way to me. :)  I'm stoked!

 

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I have this idea...which is drawn from this site's fantastic idea. So I want to start doing this amongst my own blogging friends, make new blogging friends, and possibly get my non-blogging friends in on this. Who doesn't love getting fantastic items in the mail.

 

Basically it will follow the same style guidelines as the Cara Box Exchange rules.

 

Each person will sign up for a specific themed gift box each month. I'm on the fence on the value, although $15 seems do-able for most, plus you would have shipping costs on top of this.

 

Can be purchased or handmade items (which I love the idea).

 

You would get the chance to meet some great people.

 

Win - win, right?

 

So...anyone in for the adventure?? I'm thinking this would start in October or November.

 

Thoughts, comments, poo-poos? ha! 

 

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To cap off this dreary Wednesday post...let's infuse some cuteness!

 

 

 

 

 

 



You're Welcome! ;) 

 





The boxes are comin'...

That's right folks!! We've received word that a couple of the subscription boxes are on their way to our doorstep!! YAY!!

I'm super excited about doing these reviews!

Can you tell?!!?!

So...here's the DL on what is going to be happening 'round here. We're going to be reviewing monthly subscription boxes, with a new "theme" each month.

Starting in September, you'll be able to access our reviews of the hottest trend...subscription boxes. Basically (if you live under a rock and don't know about these glorious things), each month a company will send you a box full of wonderful products to try out. Some of these companies give 'points' for reviews of the products onto their websites, or offer coupon codes, etc.

Most of these companies though have specific style boxes that they send out (i.e. food, eco-friendly products, baby/child items, makeup, etc.)

Here is the line up of boxes for each month:

September: Food

October: Baby - Child - Mama

November: DIY & Handmade items

December: Home goods, Party supplies, and Women's products

January: Fitness

February: Men's products

March: Beauty & Hair products

April: Pets

We'll have individual postings about each box, then at the end of the month we'll have a posting about which box won the award for best box that month...and then we'll also be doing reviews on the individual products within the boxes themselves. There will also be some video reviews for the boxes on our YouTube channel...bear with me peeps, I'm getting it up and running over there. :) 

Okay kids, that's all for now!