Guest Post

Guest Post for Emmy

This was my guest post written for EmmyMom.

One of my favorite magazines I get in the mail is Food Network.  What can I say, I love to cook.  So the night that the May 2013 magazine showed up at my door, I dove right into it to see what new and interesting things I could find.  Flipping through every page, reading it’s contents, I made it to page 32 and this is what I saw… (dun dun dun)

shared on instagram that night (Boomerbear)

Wow, this hit a spot with me.  Now… I am absolutely no pro (although I’d love to be) but one of my favorite things to do is to photograph my food at restaurants number 1 and secondly a lot of times I will write a review on my thoughts about that particular restaurant if I haven’t written one previously.

Honestly, that’s great publicity for your restaurant in my opinion.  Free advertising, because you’re not paying me anything (yet, call me… lol).  The first review I wrote was last June for a Cajun style restaurant in my area.  I wrote the review, posted it on their facebook site and they loved it.  In fact, the next time I went in and from there on out the owner has remembered me.

So, I pondered what I read in the magazine for a while and then kind of let it be.  Since then, I’ve still photographed my food, still written my reviews, but been a little leery at the same time.  Now I live in, as I always joke, podunk Missouri, so obviously not NYC or LA, but I still wonder if at some point someone is going to get on to me.  I absolutely hate getting in trouble.

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Lauren’s Guest Post

When I was younger I couldn’t wait to grow up.  Why?  Because I could decorate my own house.  I remember looking at all those magazines – Southern Living, Women’s Day, etc – and they had all those BEAUTIFUL houses decorated for the holidays like so:

And I had wonderful ideas that I would be able to do these crafts.

My stockings would be placed on the mantel and would either be rustic chic or very cowboy country.

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Guest Post – Kenzie

A Guest Post I wrote for Life & Lemons Make Lemonade blog
So lovely readers of Life & Lemons make Lemonade, how many of you know me? {crickets}  Really?  Sad… I think.

But it’s your lucky day because Kenzie asked me to introduce myself and my blog to you.  And I thought fabulous… then I got the worst case of writers block imaginable.

I kind of wanted to set myself apart from the other This is me, This is my blog posts and…. Nothing.  There’s the obvious, my names Nicole, I blog at Life’s a Beach.

I have a husband, a {step}daughter, 3 dogs and some horses.. but how fun is that?

So first off, let me start by saying I love Kenzie and I’m so glad she found my blog… not sure how but I won’t question it.  I’m just glad she did.  We’re friends now, even if she doesn’t claim me :).

Then Writer Block hit again.  Which you would think for as much as I like to talk, I wouldn’t get that… so I sat here and hummed and heed and yawned and drew and thought and slept and ok I really didn’t do all of that but I thought and thought and thought…  And this is what you get…

The Five Reasons Not to check out my blog.

Wait… did she really just type that?
Sure did…

1.  I’m married and crazy about my husband.  Our life isn’t always perfect but it’s A-Ok for us and I’m not afraid to share the weird every day adventures we’ve had.

2.  My dogs are weird.  I’m not afraid to share that either; like the night I was woke up at 4am with them running across the roof of my house.  The next morning I’m sure the neighbors thought I was crazy when I was chasing them while throwing shoes in a dress while trying to leave for work… btw, shingles and bare feet are NOT a good combination!

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Lauren of Modern Day Wife

So I have a treat for you today, you aren’t going to have to read my blabberings. ha!  Have you met Lauren?  We’ve taken over each other’s blogs today.  Read about her here, then go to her blog and read my answers to the same questions; you didn’t think I would leave you hanging did you? 🙂  Yeah I stole them from her and answered them myself.  I’m cool like that!  So without further ado, I want you to meet Lauren!
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Hi “Life’s a Beach” readers!
I am one of Nicole’s brand new sponsors so I am excited to introduce myself 🙂

I’m Lauren and I blog over at The Life of a Modern Day Wife!

 

Getting to Know “Modern Day Wife”…

 

 

1. Describe yourself in 10 words or less
Energetic, kind, wife, passionate, driven, fun, caring, organized, writer & professional 

 2. What made you get into blogging? And inspired your blog name?

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Grandma Jo’s Banana Bread

So Earlier this year I was on a mission to find the best banana bread recipe.  I was trying all different kinds and having issues.  Then Lourie directed me to her Grandma Jo’s banana bread.  I can tell you I haven’t looked back since!

I asked her to share with us, so Lourie, take it away!

A family favorite, this is another one from my Grandma Jo. I don’t know how long it lasts in your house, but in mine it only lasts about a day. We all love bread and well banana bread is just plain yummy. And it smells good too.

Grandma Jo’s Banana Bread

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped walnuts (I don’t use the nuts so the amount is up to you)

In a small bowl smash bananas and set aside.

Cream butter well. Add sugar and cream together with butter thoroughly. Add eggs one and at a time and mix well. Stir in crushed bananas. Add dry ingredients. Pour into greased bread pan and bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Stick a toothpick or cake tester in the center to see if it is done. I usually end up turning my oven off at 45minutes and then leaving the loaf in for another 15.

Shoot Away – Guest Post

Have you met my friend EmmyMom?  She’s a photographer, a mom and a truly great person.  I love looking at her photos on her blog and reading her stories.  She has a weekly mem about Proud Mommy Moments.  When I was looking for guest bloggers, I knew she was one I wanted and I wanted a post about photos.  Like I said, she’s a photographer and she takes great photos.  What can I say :).  Ok EmmyMom, take it away!
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I am a blogger and a photographer so I have this really bad habit- I document everything.

From the food I eat

To the laundry I despise

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Megan’s Trip – Biloxi, MS – Guest Post

While I’m here living it up… or something like that, I asked my good bloggy friend Megan to share a post with you.  Have you met Megan?  She blogs over at Mackey Madness about life, being a nurse, her husband etc.  She’s super cute.  Check out what she has to say about a lovely vacation she took with some of her friends pre-wedding and then go check her out too! Take it away Megan!

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Hi there friends! I’m Megan and I blog over at Mackey Madness.

That’s my husband and I. Isn’t he a cutie?!
With Nicole headed off on vacation soon, I wanted to share a little trip from the last time I went to the beach. In SEPTEMBER 2010. Well, we actually went to Jamaica last year, and they have a beach, but let’s pretend that didn’t happen right now. : ) Right before our wedding, my four best friends and I took a little bachelorette beach trip to Biloxi, MS. It’s not a huge beach town and it’s certainly not as pretty as the Florida beaches, but it’s close to where we live and it’s considerably cheaper. And hey, that works for us!

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How-to Cut an Onion without Tears

So anytime hubby is in the kitchen cooking and needs an onion, he generally asks me if I can come cut them for him.  I’m not sure if it is my contacts or what, but I don’t generally cry when chopping onions.  Oddly enough, I think it’s fun!  Back in 2010 I ran across a post-Stef did about chopping onions and not crying so I thought I’d have her share this wonderful tip again.  So Stef, take it away!

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Hi, again!  It’s me, Stef from Too Much To Do So Little Time again!

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These Are a Few of Jill’s Favourite Things – Guest Post

Ok so have you met my good bloggy friend Jill?  I don’t know why but I always want to call her Jilly and she told me I could :).  She’s this totally awesome Canadian friend I met in the blogisphere a long time ago. Poor Jill gets hit up with all my random US vs Canada questions but she humors me and tells me things!  She has this really cool series she does every now and again called The Single Girl Files {I must confess until now, I always thought that said flies… oy! I need a vacation!}  Be sure to check her out, and now:  Here’s Jill
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Hello, lovely readers here at Life’s A Beach!

My name is Jill, and I blog over at my own little corner of cyberspace, Jill’s World!

I’ve been blogging since 2006 – but for the first few years, the only people that read or commented were my close friends & family.  Nicole was one of the first “Bloggy Friends” that I made, one of the first people who I didn’t already know IRL to comment & get to know me – and she is near & dear to my heart!

When she asked me to put together a guest post for her while she’s enduring Finals Week and then off on vacation (lucky, lucky!), I decided I would share with Nicole’s readers just a few of my favourite things!

Here we go…

1. My cup

It looks a lot like this.  My friend Lindsay bought it for me – we work in the same office, and it seemed that she and I were both breaking or accidentally spilling our water glasses far too often.  So she picked us each up one of these “grown up sippy cups”, and I just LOVE mine!

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Destressing Your Life – Guest Post

Hey Guys.  We’re on finals week. {pray for me please}  This has been a pretty stressful semester, so after my final today I took the rest of the week off for some rest and relaxation!  I’ve asked a sweet group of gals to help me out and write blog posts for this week, and to start things off is the beautiful Janna from Perception is Everything.  I hope you make her feel welcome and definitely check her blog out!and by the way, I wrote Lindsay a guest post while she’s on her honeymoon, please check that out 🙂

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Hi Y’all!I am happily visiting from Perception Is Everything, and it is very nice to meet you!

Since Nicole is going from a stressful beginning of the week (finals…bleh), to a much deserved vacation, I will share my de-stressing tips!

First, you must handle stress as it comes, and I’m talking from the inside out.
When I know I am going to be stressed I take all my usual Vitamins and Supplements, PLUS extra Vitamin C. The last thing you need is to get sick during or after your stress.  I would tell you what I take, but you need to take what’s right for YOUR body. If you would like to know what I take feel free to PM me 😉 I do advocate Fish Oil, though. It REALLY helps when I am stressed.
To really feel good from the inside out, you need to feed your body with GOOD fuel. Fried food is only going to make you sluggish and blah, so max out your vegetables and fruits, eat the proper amount of carbs, have an adequate amount of protein, watch your sodium intake, and also cut out sugar.  I’m not saying to cut out everything, because you will shock your system, but if you can at least cut out fried food and simple sugar- you will feel great and not have to survive on energy drinks and coffee.  I drink coffee in the morning, but other than that I ONLY drink water and fresh tea.
I know you are all thinking I’m crazy right now, but I am living proof that this works.  I have NEVER felt better in my life.  I love that I rarely get sick, I’m never over tired, and I’ve LOST WEIGHT without even trying…I bet I got your attention with that one!
Secondly, and probably the most obvious, DON’T Procrastinate!
I know this sounds easier said than done, but I got so tired of being stressed in college, that I actually started getting my stuff done early.  I won’t harp on it, because you won’t do it until you decide to make a change in yourself, but like making healthy choices- it will change your life.

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