Hair Photo A Day? Count me in!

I thought this would be fun. I started the #photoaday in February, didn't do so well. 

In March, I did much better but still missed a few days here and there.

Now I've set a goal for April. I even placed a challenge with a friend who would be the first to miss a day. So far its day 9 and I haven't missed one yet! Here's the official calendar. 

Join in with me! Follow me on Instagram HERE or by user name @_laurahernandez.

This month, besides the random "photo a day" calendar, Fat Mum Slim has also come up with #hairphotoaday. This is what she has to say:

Here's something to make you feel warm & fuzzy: Next month, on April 27th,Pantene and Seventeen are coming together to host the first-ever National Donate Your Hair Day, which will benefit the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program. They'll be encouraging people to cut and donate their hair so that they can create free, real-hair wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

The Pantene Beautiful Lengths program was created in 2006 and since then they've received more than 311,000 donations from men, women and children and have been able to create thousands of wigs for female cancer patients. Pretty good stuff, right?

So, last month Pantene in New York approached me about the photo a day lists I've been creating and asked if I'd like to create a Hair Photo a Day list for people to follow in the lead up to National Donate Your Hair Day. I said yes, of course. Then together with the talented Christina from Hair Romance we created the list. Here it is:

Starting on March 29th worldwide, Pantene would love for you to take a photo using the daily prompt as inspiration and share on whichever platform you like {Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, your blog, Tumblr, Pinterest etc} and use the hashtag #HairPhotoaday. This is a little different to the photo a day lists that I've created in that the date of the month won't coincide with the list number. You'll just start taking photos and follow the list.

Isn't this a cool idea!?

Comment below if your currently or you're just starting to play. 

Follow me then include your Instagram user name so I can follow along. 

Easter Craft & Starbucks Giveaway!

Back in February, I won the Valentine's Day giveaway from Absolute Mommy.

She sent me a Starbucks card in a paper cup with the most adorable DIY drink wrap.

My daughters we're dying to make them and Easter just happened to be the next holiday

So here's what we created....

Supply List:

Felt Sheets

Easter Shapped Felt Stickers

Crazy Cut Scissors

Hot Glue Gun

Bag of Jewels

Velcro Strips

Didn't they turn out just adorible!?

To celebrate Easter, I'm giving away two of them

each containing a $5.00 Starbucks Gift Card!

The first TWO entries are mandatory,

after that complete more entries to increase your chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Casey Wiegand... Artist. Wife. Mama + GIVEAWAY!

My name is Casey Wiegand, I am a freelance artist, wife and mama. 

I love painting and sharing our life through my blog...where you can 

expect pieces of my perspective on life, faith, kids, marriage, with touches of art, 

creative inspiration, projects and things I love along the way. I have two little ones 

in the hopes of lots more and am married to the love of my life :).

Aiden is a major snuggle bug. I don't know if it's because for the past (almost) 2 years I have snuggled him constantly or if it was already in his nature but he loves to be held, snuggled, tickled, hugged, kissed...all things wonderful.

Some nights he is extra extra loving.

 Like tonight. 

I went in to put him to bed and both arms instantly wrapped tight around my neck, holding on for dear life and then came the kisses! Countless kisses all over my cheeks.

Then came my tears. 

The hot tears streaming down my cheeks. Oh the love. Sometimes I just can't squeeze tight enough. I stayed in there till he fell asleep and he never let go. 

I have an incredibly sensitive spirit. It's both a strength and a curse. I tend to get my heart broken often.

Then I started to think....if something happened to me, could others love my babies the way I do?

Would they know?

Would they know the big things like schedules. What Aiden will and won't eat. His favorite toys, his own little language. His bath routine. His favorite shows & songs to dance to. What about Ainsleigh? when she eats, the noises she makes when she is tired vs hungry. What makes her laugh.

Then I think...well what about the little things.

Would they know that when Aiden pulls your eye to his cheek he wants butterfly kisses. 

Or that when he runs to the kitchen rug & sits down, he is ready for a pretend picnic.

The countless things I know about them. 

What about the nights. Would they get up with him 10 times each night and hold him till he slips into slumber.

Please say yes.

It actually makes me weep. 

There is a great hope in Jesus. He loves my babies more than I ever could imagine. 

More than me. Impossible to imagine really, but true. And no matter if I am here or not, they will be loved greatly.

Open hands Casey, open hands.

"When a woman has a kingdom heart, she has an active understanding of what matters most to the heart of God. She lives in the balance of passion and contentment. She learns to love well, give without regard to self, and forgive without hesitation. The woman with a kingdom heart may have a duffel bag full of possessions or enough treasures to fill a mansion, but she has learned to hold them with an open hand. Hold everything with open hands. I don't think we are ever allowed to grab hold of anything or anyone as though they matter more than the kingdom of heaven. When you hold relationships with open hands, then people come in and out of your life as gifts of grace to be cherished and enjoyed, not objects to be owned and manipulated. And then when you hold your dreams with open hands, you get to watch God resurrect what seemed dead and multiply what seemed small."

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekly Photo Challenge: Faceless Portraits

This weeks theme of Faceless Portraits I find both fun and challenging. Fun because I remember one of my favorite shots was because I slipped while taking a photo and the persons head got cut off. It ended up being one of my favorites from the session. Challenging in the sense of creativity, but that's also what I love most about photography.

Every week a guest judge will choose a 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winner.

Here's what you could win this week!

1st Place PRIZE
Sling with Neoprene Laptop Pocket

2nd Place PRIZE
Hanging Toiletry Bag

3rd Place PRIZE

Bamboo Notebook & Pen

Here's how to enter:

• Created a post on your blog and include ONE photo submission for this challenge.
• Include the Our Reflection Photo Button 
• You can also link through your Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest, etc., Just be sure you include the link www.our-reflection.blogspot.com within your post.
• Submit the link to your post using the InLinkz button below. You must submit the actual photo link {permalink}, not just your website URL. 
• You can submit your photo at any time during the challenge. The deadline for this weeks submission is  Sunday, April 8th, 2012 at 11:59pm {PST}. 
• Winners will be announced Tuesday, April 10th, 2012.
  

Please remember to follow your host via GFC.

Check out other photo link ups and leave comments. Don't be shy!

Spread the word! Grab a button and add it to your blog.

Tweet or Facebook about the Link Up.

<div align="center"><a href="http://our-reflection.blogspot.com/" title="Our Reflection Photo Challenge"><img src="http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g383/_laurahernandez/photochallenge-2.jpg" alt="Our Reflection Photo Challenge" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Interested in being a guest judge? Email me at momsgonnasnap@gmail.com

Meet & Tweet Twitter Hop + Giveaway

Last weeks Meet & Tweet was a HUGE success!
It's official this will be a weekly Hop.

Follow your host:

Laura @ Our Reflection

This week's co-hosts are:

Salena @ A Little Piece of Me

Lena @ Mom2MempisAndRuby

Miriam @ Into the Deep End

Rosie @ Craftbotic

Evanne @ Simply Fabulous

Lauren @ Tippee Canoe 

***Want to be a future co-host? Email me at momsgonnasnap@gmail.com***

The Rules

1. Follow your hosts

{They are the first 7 in the linky and they WILL return the favor.}

2. Follow at least 3 new people via Twitter

{Or more! Introduce yourself... Its a great way to make new friends!}

3. Spread the word!

{The more the merrier! Grab a button and add it to your blog, 

Tweet or Facebook about the link up.}

<div align="center"><a href="http://our-reflection.blogspot.com/" title="Our Reflection"><img src="http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g383/_laurahernandez/MeetTweet-2.jpg" alt="Our Reflection" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

One lucky link up person will WIN a FREE a solo guest post on Our Reflection blog during the month of April!

Drum roll please....

Last weeks Meet & Tweet winner is Ashley from Mommy...A work in Progress.

Congratulations! You have 48-hours to claim your prize.

Please link up your Twitter account below 
{not your blog}

Photo Challenge Winners: Spring

This weeks link up is a very special blogging friend, Lena from Mom2MemphisAndRuby!

Interested in being a guest judge?

Email me at momsgonnasnap@gmail.com.

Here are Lena's top picks...

1st Place WINNER: Great Contradictions 

This reminded me of a shot I could have taken of my own son. I love the "free-spirited" feeling in the picture and kites have always reminded me of Spring!  I think it embodies this week's theme perfectly!

2nd Place WINNER: Jess Velarde

This is one of the most stunning & effortlessly beautiful shots I've seen in a long time.  

The lighting, the colors, the flowers... perfection!  

3rd Place WINNER: Regi Create

Cherry blossoms in bloom!  Everything about this photo reminds me of Spring and a fresh new beginning!  

It's a beautiful photo, the colors are amazing!  Great shot!

If your photo was in the top three, CONGRATULATIONS! You rocked it this week!

Winners please contact me at momsgonnasnap@gmail.com.

Lena choose next weeks photo theme to be "FACELESS PORTRAITS!"

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Read here to see how it works to be considered a winner.

Link up opens this Friday morning so be ready!

A little secret, those first to link their photos get major hits.

Stuck on a Deserted Island with what?

This weeks link up made me think. What are 10 things I would want with me on a deserted island. I wouldn't consider myself high maintenance but if I could have anything, why not anything.

My family. I couldn't live without them. 

Bible. 

Mountain Bike

An Awesome Tree House

A Camera

Fire!

A garden filled with fruits and veggies.

A Satellite Phone

My Favorite Mexican Restaurant

A boat to get me home!

 I kinda feel like I broke the rules with my list, but I didn't see any rules.

So if I was stuck on a deserted island, I'm not sure if I'd ever want to leave!