This past week I was featured in a series called “Motherhood From Every Angle,” from one of my fellow mommas and an amazing lifestyle blogger Beauty and the Binky. I loved being part of these series and being part of a great group of mothers who share their stories and experiences as a mom. Some times we can all be caught up in the right and wrongs of parenting that we realize there is no such thing as right and wrong. Ever child, every mom, every family is different, but there is one thing that stays the same and that is the love and pride they have for their child. Here is an excerpt of the introductory part of the interview:
I had the pleasure of taking the interior photos for my sorority sister and interior designer Jamie Lynn Naugle of Jamie Lynn Designs. This was a beautiful space in one of Midtown Houston Lofts. I loved all the little details she added into making this a beautiful yet masculine living space for the owner. Continue reading “Jamie Lynn Interior Designs”
This past month I’ve been really busy lately launching my own photography business. Like the blogging world and anything new you venture out to, there’s always a learning curve and making mistakes is just part of the learning process. I’ve been lucky enough to have met some amazing people who have helped me grow and develop in the photography world. It’s not as easy as it looks and there is always so much to learn in photography. Having a great support system in this industry always helps you stay positives when you have your ups and downs. Continue reading “Good Vibes”
This privacy policy sets out how Dawn P. Darnell uses and protects any information that you give while using www.dawnpdarnell.com Continue reading “Privacy Policy”
With fall coming up, cozy and comfortable is the way to go for this mama. I am a sucker for soft three quarter sleeve statement shirts, and I couldn’t help my self when I saw this fun shirt from the Buckle. Continue reading “When in Doubt Work it Out”
5 Tips I Learned From My Sephora Makeover To Get A Picture Perfect Look
Last Friday I had my first ever makeover from Sephora. I finally got to use my gift card I received for my birthday, and I was so glad I was able to get the full makeover experience. Normally I am a mascara, lipgloss kind of girl, but this time around I wanted to learn how to get the natural air brushed look without looking like I caked on makeup. When it comes to makeup I’m no expert, but I love trying new things, and experimenting with new trends. Emily my makeup artist was so sweet and great at explaining what she was doing. Though I’m still not quite there in doing flawless makeup like she did with me, I did learn a couple of cool tricks and tips I thought I would share with you.
Hey guys, so I stumbled upon this amazing salad recipe when having family dinner with my in-laws, and boy is it addictive. Now it definitely isn’t for everyone as my husband is not too fond of it, but I can’t get enough of it. Continue reading “Mediterranean Tomato Salad With A Kick!”
Lately I have had some of my friends ask me about my secret to loosing all my pregnancy weight. So how did I do it? How did I loose all 35lbs of my pregnancy weight? Well first let me give you a little background of myself before I got pregnant.
Three years ago I moved to Florida to pursue my career. I was unhealthy, I drank, I ate whatever I want, partied till the light of day, and was in the worse shape of my life. Moving to Florida gave me a wake up call, and I decided to pursue a healthier lifestyle. I gave up drinking, eating out, and even entered myself in a bodybuilding competition. I was probably the fittest I had ever been in my life.
Like most mom’s I want the best for my child, especially when it comes to what I am feeding him. I’m a big advocate in making baby food, not only because of the health benefits with less preservatives, but also because you save tons of money by doing so. An individual container of baby food cost at least $1.50. If you feed your baby 3 times a day for a whole month it would cost you roughly $126. But making your own baby food would save you at least $100 a month. Below I will show you how I make baby food in bulk for the week, using the products below. Consult your pediatrician to make sure your child is ready for whole foods. We started when Jayden was 4 months after getting the ok from our doctor.
Ingredients:
I am a big fan of frozen veggies and fruits. They have a great selection of ready to steam veggies from peas, to broccoli, to mix blends that make great baby food. I like to blend veggies and fruit together for taste. Apples and bananas are easy fruits to blend and works well with veggies. It’s honestly personal preference and what your baby likes. Usually for every bag of veggies I mix two apples.
Directions:
1. Set out bag of veggies and let it thaw out.
2. Once thawed out blend veggies and fruit separately (I use a Nutribullet for all my blending needs)
3. Combine in large tupperware
The smaller tupperware is how I measure out how much to prepare for each meal. I fill 75mml of blended baby food and warm up in microwave or bottle warmer. I mix the food with a scoop of formula and two spoonful of rice cereal for a thicker consistency. The rice cereal is optional, but I like it because it is filling . One bag of veggies usually last him a week.
So for all you Mom’s who want to save money, save time, and give your baby the best, try it out, and let me know what you think! And if you love this simple and easy tip share it with a friend!
This month I partnered up with DesignR to promote a positive self image and encourage a happy healthy lifestyle with clothing made for the active style conscious woman on the go. Their motto “Embrace the Turtle”, and “Be comfortable in your own shell,” really speaks to the idea that getting fit is not a race. Everyone’s journey is different, and fitness looks different on everyone. It is not a quick fix. It doesn’t happen over night. It is a every day choice to be healthy and happy and loving yourself every step of the way. Fitness is a way of life.
There are so many benefits to making fitness a priority in your life, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. As a wife and mother, here are my top 5 reasons why I make fitness a part of my life:
1. It lowers my stress levels. As Ell Woods put it, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” I know my husband can appreciate this lol.
2. It is something I do for myself. After a long busy day of working and taking care of my family, it’s nice to take 30 minutes for myself to workout. It gives me time to myself where I can wind down and do something to improve myself.
3. It pushes me mentally to be stronger. There are many times where my body wants to give up, but my mental strength has pushed my body where I never thought it could.
4. It strengthens my faith. When all else fails and I feel like giving up, my faith has been the number one factor to keep me going. Believing in something greater than myself has helped me in my fitness journey.
5. And last but not least it gives me confidence in myself. All the factors above contribute to added confidence in my life. I can look in the mirror and know I can make a difference. I have all the right tools God gave me to improve myself daily.
A healthy lifestyle is a happy lifestyle. And fitness has helped me become a better person, a better wife, and a better mother.
Don’t forget to check out the details of my outfit below, and make sure to stop by DesignR and checkout all their cute and comfy active wear!
