I have to admit to being slightly guilted into inspired by Cindy's friday post on basically making memories for our kids.  First of all, I am what my husband calls the "reality police"...meaning that anytime he suggests we go do something "fun", I bring up all of the reasons it would NOT be fun for our family, yet.  Anyway, due to my previously mentioned "inspiration" I decided that I would give up our date night and turn it into a weekend of family fun...our first ever family camping trip.  My princess has been bugging us for about 2 years to do a real camping trip in a real forest, but after reading the first half of  The Shack, I have no interest in taking them into a "real forest!"  (thanks to everyone that suggested that book to a parent with a 4 year old girl about a 4 year old girl being taken from her dad on a camping trip and......etc.) anyway, this irrational new fear  of mine was the catapulting factor in my great idea of "camping at grandmas"!   It made a lot of sense really...only 15 min away, a big beautiful piece of property and the best part, running water...PERFECT!  My vision was to pitch a tent for the family, make a little fire pit, roast marshmallows, go on a mini hike, fly a kite, even go to the lake!  Brilliant, right???  Well,  it didn't exactly go as planned, which got me to thinking "maybe we aren't quite ready for real camping! So I made a little list for you all to give your family to check your camp-ability, in order to maybe avoid total camping disaster...



#10...When you have to take two cars on a 2 day camping trip only 15 min away (and you didn't even pack food)

#9...You get there and are unable to fly the kite (your only planned event) because you forgot the string, so your husband gets out his 5ft remote control  airplane (hence the extra car)

#8...You have to move the tent 3 times because your father-in-law is afraid it will kill the grass

#7...When your kids prefer to swim in the hot tub and not go to the lake

#6...Instead of hot dogs and marshmallows over an open flame, dinner is prepared by special order (father in law buys, mother in law makes) and then it is served at the dinner table while the kids watch a movie.

#5...When family time around the camp fire turns into one child knocked out because he decide napping earlier in a tent covered in spiders is not his thing. Child 2 is watching another movie, Mom is sitting on the deck with grandma, reading a book drinking a glass of wine,  and dad is watching Taledega Nights in the recliner.

#4...The only wildlife you come in contact with is a crazy huge mosquito eater on the kitchen wall and a dog that will not stop dropping pinecones on your lap to try to get you to throw them (I kinda think a bear would have been more fun!)

#3...The good intention of a family sleep out in the tent ends when child one is crying because she wants to sleep with grandma, and child two being brought inside by daddy (after daddy sends a text to mommy who is already inside, saying they are coming in because it's not comfortable!).

#2...Your early morning wake up does not come from surrounding campers but by the clanking of dad's  golf clubs being thrown in the back of his buddies car!



and the number one reason your family is NOT ready to start camping is..(drumroll please!)





#1...the only use you have for a flashlight is using it a 3:00 AM to clean up dog vomit off of your mother in laws white carpet. (yup, that really happened!)



So Im fully aware that this whole debacle was of our own doing and pretty much all of you are thinking "what the h$#%, they didn't even go camping...so, I'd love to hear about your camping fun :)...make sure to comment below and give us your scoop ;)

     My own kids must have had one of those sibling pow-wows (behind my back) and came to some kind of unanimous conclusion that they would never say one of my own (unoriginal) one liners: "Because I said so!". I used to have a picture hanging in my kitchen of a mother hen with a lot of babies under her wings and the caption read: "I'm the mommy that's why." They didn't give me grief over that one but evidently they really disliked 'because I said so.' Who knew?? I'm fairly sure when your little ones grow up they too will throw some of your mommy-isms back at you. I, for one, am hoping they do. :o)

Do you really remember the first days of having your first little monkey??? Mine are honestly a blur. I do remember cussing out my cousin in the middle of the night some time in the beginning because she told me that getting up during the night wasn't hard at all and she could barely wait to see her little one ready to eat. It was all I could do to pry my very damaged... never to be the same again... hoo-hoo out of bed only to have to fumble with a nipple shield so I could make a mess and ruin perfectly good PJ's and then end up a crying puddle with a hungry, crying baby and a husband who was probably thinking about making a run for it.  :):)



It's hard enough having to deal with hormones and emotions and a precious little monkey that you suddenly realize you have the power to totally screw up... wait, I'm hyperventilating just reliving it... OK I'm better now... What's worse though is the things people say to new moms... Here is my list of things you should NEVER say to a new mom... BECAUSE, even us veteran mom's forget and say very very stupid things!!

1. "Oh, when are you due??" The teller at the bank forever scarred me when I walked up BABY IN ARMS as he asked when I was due... I was like When am I do you little punk???  I just spent 13 hours pushing this watermelon headed kid out!!! 


2. "Wow You Look Tired!" Do I even need to explain... never say this to anyone... EVER... it's code for you look like sh crap and everyone knows it!


3. "Don't worry breast feeding will take off your extra weight."Well maybe it did for you, but I quite literally ate everything but the kitchen sink and it didn't work for me... don't give tired, strung out mamas false hope:)


4. "Don't worry his cone head will go away..." Hey maybe I like his little pointy head... I just pushed a human out of me... A HUMAN CAME OUT OF MY INSIDES!!! His misshapen head is my badge of victory!:)


5. Look at him/her and say"Is it a Boy or a Girl...?" Seriously just don't... no matter what... don't... it could push a hormonal new mama right over the edge:) 

OK these are the things that scarred me as a new mom and I have vowed never to repeat... what crazy things did people say to you???



As always if you're looking for the perfect shower gift or just really great green baby gear for your own little monkey... check out our Earth Monkeys site... all of our stuff is made from recycled plastic bottles and folds up small enough to hook to your keys... PLUS it's SUPER affordable!!

I dont necessarily like to hear myself talk...although those closest to me may have just spit their coffee out their noses from laughter at that statement.  But it's true...I have figured a few things out in my 39 years, but I have a long ways to go!  I am amazed at the lessons that my kids teach me every day, IF I pay attention!  I got to thinking the other day about all of the crazy cool things I have learned from them. I really think that because of their simple lives (aka: I do everything for them!) that they actually have an amazing set of priorities...mainly play, laugh, eat, relax and of course do what we can to drive mommy crazy!  So back to the "hearing myself talk part"...Today, I filled my post with things YOU have learned from your children and added a few of mine at the end.  But today, if you are gonna read this, you have to add your lessons from your children under the comments below (although no one will hunt you down if you dont!)

     Call them what you want, vintage, antique, flea market, second hand, grandma’s house…. They’re all full of treasures! Some of you may scrunch your noses up at the thought of using or wearing someone else’s goods, but that’s okay because it leaves more amazing pieces for the rest of us!





There is something exciting and glamorous about wearing a piece from “yesteryear”!!! If it’s not the idea of owning a piece of history that gets you, then maybe it’s the fact that you’ve found a piece no one else has… what’s better than owning a one of a kind!





So the next time you pass an antique shop, a yard sale, or charity shop, I dare you to stop in… once you find your first score it’s an addiction from there!

Here are a few styling and purchasing 

*Wearing Vintage: The best way to wear your new treasure is to mix it in subtly with your modern day look. Example: A vintage cuff pairs perfect with your trendy stackable bracelets or try a vintage clutch in place of your over the shoulder bag!





*Embrace the Hunt: Thrift stores consistently carry of-the-moment trendy pieces, but be ready to shop around. Be patient, it’ll be worth it once you find what you’re looking for!





*The Price is Right: Check over the item you’re looking to purchase… if it’s tattered and needs a little pick-me-up you may be able to work with the shop owner over the price. If the piece is in good condition or a known brand name, chances are you have a true vintage piece on your hands. The price tag may be high, but chances are it’s a third of the price of something in a department store.





*Be Creative: Upgrade a 1940’s coat into the latest trend by changing out the buttons, turn a small brooch into a hair pin or pendant, re-finish outdated furniture, or use old saucers as cute jewelry organizers. The possibilities are endless!





*Off the Beaten Path: Because vintage has become so popular, some of the well known or large city shops can get picked over quickly. Some of my best finds have come from hole in the wall locations! The next time you’re out of town visiting family check out their local antique shop!





Last but not least, *LOVE the piece you’re buying! Make sure it’s something you’ll wear and not just tucked away for “someday”. Be realistic about repairs and please, WASH your new purchase. ;)









Check out my Bohemian Jones Facebook page for my latest one of a kind, limited edition, and vintage jewelry and accessories!  (and of course for all of the inspiration us mama's need to spruce up those not so stylish moments!)



What kind of treasures have you found in unexpected places???  Let us know in the comments below!

And please remember to share us with your friends!  We appreciate you!

{Photo By: Maria Alexandra Photography}

What do you do when you realize the REAL you sucks??? We laugh and talk and cry a little here and there about being punched in the gut or slapped across the face with perspective... But have you ever been blind sided by a dump truck that ran you down and then backed up over you?? So much so that when the damage is done you look at who you are and what you've done and can't do anything but cry and be broken.... and eat.. seriously I need a T-shirt that says, "Help I'm eating and I can't stop!" The past 4 days I've eaten enough to feed a small country because I'm an emotional eater... those 4 pounds I lost when my throat hurt so bad I couldn't eat... well, they've found their way back and are now riding comfortably on my jiggly backside!!



I am a verbal vomiter... I am... I think it's genetic because my mom suffers from the same disease. I say the wrong thing at the wrong time, I think I'm being funny ...when I'm not and I think people always need to hear my passionate opinions... when they don't. And let me tell you, it's a hard road to recovery when you're a verbal vomiter. It's a road filled with apologies and broken pleas for forgiveness. Up until now I've never really seen the intense repercussions of being a "V.V."... up until now I've either had friends just tell me I'm full of crap or roll their eyes when they think I'm not looking and chalk it up to me being me.



I keep replaying recent events in my mind and wondering what it is that makes me act so foul sometimes... and what it is that keeps me from forgiving and being able to move on when I feel judged and hurt.



The hard part about being a "V.V." is when you're wrong... and then you put yourself out there to admit your immaturity and horribleness... when you plead with a broken heart after learning how much you offended a friend... and then you're rejected and further humiliated. The problem is you were the one who was wrong first so you don't get to whine and cry and say how hurt you are by the humiliation you feel... you just have to suck it up... you have to realize this is a consequence for your immature, thoughtless words... heart broken and emotionally empty, you have to chalk it up to the fact that the "real" you just sucks sometimes...



I stand up and preach that we all need to be "real"... that God loves us for who we are right now, ugliness and all... and that we should love, accept and have grace for one another too, and it's true... but what do you do when you realize there are large parts of the "real" you that just suck. That part of me... the part of me that really sucks... wants to say screw it all... I don't need this drama in my life, I have enough on my plate... I want to be who I am and not have to tip toe around people. BUT the big girl in me, the me that loves God with all that I am and knows what He says about grace and forgiveness for others and ourselves... says I have to do the right thing. I have to love and grow and repair damaged relationships. It's so difficult it hurts my core, I hate  the feeling of being humbled, judged, reprimanded,  and insulted... and I hate it even more when it's justified. But honestly, I'm stubborn and passionate and extremely hard headed so unfortunately things like this are almost the only way for me to see how desperately I need to grow.



For me, now all I can do is start chipping away at this ugly side of myself... Consciously try to verbally vomit on people less. To bite my tongue until it bleeds if I need to... to go back to the kitchen where it all started... humbled, humiliated, embarrassed and broken and start growing the parts of me that don't suck as much. In doing this I'll just have to hope and trust that grace and love can rule over everything... that forgiveness and peace can trump hurt feelings and stupid words.... that I can give my friends the benefit of the doubt and not act on what I think they're thinking... and that they will do the same for me. How many times will I have to pull these big girl panties up before I stop and think BEFORE I speak???



If you're brave enough share with us a time that you've had to be a big girl and pull up those panties and do the right thing... when you really didn't want to??

And one more thing..we love to hear your stories and comments below...and could you share us with your friends?? We love ya for it!!