General Post | MommyMandy l California Mom Blog

New FTC Guidelines for Bloggers

New changes are here on how bloggers run their blog, the most recent is now the FTC requires bloggers to post if the content is sponsored, press sample or what not at the Top AND Bottom of every post.

I already have a disclosure policy but now that isn’t good enough. At the end of every post that is sponsored/review I include :

But now I have to have something at the top too! I came up with these cute buttons.

Press Sample - I receive a product to test out or to share a promo on my blog.

Sponsored Content - I receive some kind of payment to share the content of the blog post.

May Contain Affiliate Links – From time to time I post about products and use affiliate links. These links help me earn money from click through.

Nothing here is changing except that I now have to include these at the top of any sponsored/review/giveaway post. all my opinions have always been my own and will continue to be so. I do not write anything just to say something nice.

I will still continue to use my wording at the bottom of my posts, sometimes the wording is different depending on what the representing PR company wants. Some of the companies I work with also require me to include their own FTC compliant image stating it is sponsored content and I will continue to include that.

Thanks and I hope you don’t mind the changes to the top/bottom of posts.

Amanda March 26, 2013 General Post FTC 3 Comments 3,583 views

Our Week in Pics (week 54)

It seems the weeks just flu by! He we are in another week! Crazy!!!!

This week was gir scouts, softball , dance, girl scouts, ballet, play dates, and we are officially done with Snowboarding!

Now we start Softball!!!! I made the mistake of not putting sunblock in the diaper bag. Shelby and I got fried!

Shelby decided to finally try taking steps!

Amanda March 23, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby 4 Comments 646 views

First Birthday Event!

I am so excited to partner with Jennifer from MomSpotted on a really fun First Birthday Event! We both still can’t believe that Sawyer and Shelby are one!!!

We are kicking off this new adventure and new year with a fun event! We have all the greatest products to celebrate a first birthday!!!

Come back April 1st for some great giveaways!!!

Below are just a few of the awesome companies we can’t wait to share with you!!

Amanda March 22, 2013 First Birthday, General Post 4 Comments 994 views

Our Week in Pictures (week 53)

This past week was a whirlwind of craziness! We had so much fun at Shelby’s Birthday Party, then we had dance, girl scouts, dance and to finish the week Thinking Day with Girl Scouts.

We even drove our to Los Angeles to Olvera St. just to find Mexican and Chile (like) outfits for the girls for Girl Scouts.

The girls also had Snow Boarding! I would rather be constantly on the go than sitting at home bored out of my mind!

One thing new I noticed with Shelby is that when she sees someone eating and she wants food she says “mmmmmmmm”. It was so funny to see her today look at a pregnant mama and say “mmmmmmm” to her lol!

Amanda March 16, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby 4 Comments 599 views

Our Week in Pics (week 52)

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY SHELBY!

This week on Saturday Samantha tried out for softball and loved it! She can not wait to start!

Sunday Shelby turned ONE!!!!

Then we sent a few days with sick kiddos! Sarah was sick and Shelby has been sick off and on this week and is cutting two molars! That makes teeth nine and ten!

Thursday I noticed a THIRD molar so that makes tooth 11!!!

Friday we had a snow day and then we started a new week!

Amanda March 10, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby week in pics 7 Comments 1,039 views

Fun and Easy Rainbow Cake

I made Shelby’s smash cake for her one year photos and it was a lot of fun to make! The Omnomicon has a fabulous step-by-step Rainbow Cake tutorial which I used and the cake came out great! The frosting on the other hand, tasted great but was droopy and we had to keep the cake in the freezer so the frosting wouldn’t fall off the cake. Not sure if I did it wrong but non the less the cake was perfect for the photos!

Below is all the ingredients needed for the cake. instead of the egg and oil you replace the soda. he soda made for a really yummy moist cake! The jello is for the frosting so you really don’t need it unless you want to make the frosting too.

Just mix the cake mix and soda together!

You will have a total of approximately 64 ozs. I split it all as evenly as I could into six different bowls. It was about 1 and a half cups total in each bowl. I used regular food coloring and the colors were bright and perfect.

When you have all your colors then you can start putting them into your GREASED cake pan!!! I used 3/4 cups of each color, but you cna do it any way you like depending on if you want more of one color than another.

If you started with red on your first cake, start with purple on your second so when the cakes are done they are opposite!

Since you used soda, you should cook it about 6-8 minutes longer! Also, when it’s done I noticed the cake was stickier than other cakes, so be careful on how you let it cool down! I used a non-stick bake liner and it stick like crazy!!!!

I did keep the cakes in the freezer so that it would be easier to frost in the morning!

I didn’t share the frosting because quite frankly I was not a fan of it. But if you want to try it out you can at Rainbow Cake tutorial.

Amanda March 7, 2013 Food & Recipes, General Post 19 Comments 3,427 views

Happy 1st Birthday Shelby

I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Shelby is ONE! I am sad she is not labeled a “baby” and is now a “toddler” but she is still a baby!

It seems like yesterday we were taking her newborn photos.

She is not walking yet but is standing on her own for a few seconds at a time. The other day she even tried to take a step forward but she fell down. I think she gets nervous standing on her own.

Words she can say are: mama, dada, Sarah, Sam (Saaaa), hi, Abby (Abba)

Shelby can clap and give high fives. If she sees anyone else clapping, either in person or on TV she joins in. She waves and says hi.

We had a really fun photo shoot to mark her one year and I am so glad we did!

What a wonderful first year we have had with her and I look forward to this new year!

Amanda March 6, 2013 General Post, Shelby Kid's Birthdays, MONTH, Monthly Milestones 5 Comments 1,433 views

Our Week in Pics (week 51)

This was the very last week before Shelby turned one! ONE!!! How is it possible that it has already been a year?

This week we took Shelby’s one year photos and had a blast! I made the smash cake and we LOVED the photos!

The girls had Dance, and daddy thought it would be fun to give Shelby her own croissant!

Thursday Sarah had a pinning ceremony for girl scouts! (love her troop and the leaders are a.w.e.s.o.m.e.!!!)

Friday was snowboarding and I got some fantastic photos of the girls boarding! Sarah even went up the lift and had a blast coming down with her friend Jessica! (aren’t they adorable?)

This was our super fast week!

Amanda March 6, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby week in pics 4 Comments 857 views

Our Week in Pics (week 50)

Wow!! 50 weeks! So crazy to think Shelby is 50 weeks!

This week we were super busy with Girl Scout cookies, a snow storm, snow day and lots of organizing, Dance and School. I love being on the go!

Shelby is standing alone more and more and tries to take tiny steps!

We are also busy planing Shelby’s Birthday Party!

Amanda February 23, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby week in pics 6 Comments 922 views

Eleven Months Old

February 3rd, 2013 Shelby turned 11 months old! As a mom this was hard because we have one month until she turns one!!! How can she possibly be almost one?? How did these past eleven months fly so fast?

Eleven months we moved back to California and in the first week Shelby learned two new words. “Abby” and “Sarah”.

At 11.5 months Shelby finally learned to go feet first to get off our bed. We have a very low bed so it was a good way to teach her how to get down from things. She also is standing on her own a little more and tries to take steps. She wants to walk but I think she is still scared to.

We weighed and measured Shelby and she is around 30 inches and 20 pounds.

Amanda February 21, 2013 General Post, Shelby MONTH, Monthly Milestones 12 Comments 976 views

Our Week in Pics (week 49)

This weekend Shelby hit 50 weeks! Crazy how fast the time is flying! We all had a busy week with ballet, visiting GG, Cookie Booth Sales and Snowboarding. We were on the go all week and it felt like what I am used to doing every week! Shelby started saying two new words too! “Abby” and “Sarah”!

Amanda February 18, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby week in pics 4 Comments 688 views

Our Week in Pics (week 48) Happy 11 Months Shelby

This week Shelby turned 11 months old!!! I haven’t done her monthly pics yet because of the move.

Yes we moved back to California. There was a lot of reasons why we did and it had nothing to do with not liking Texas. We LOVE Texas and hope to go back at some point in our lives.

Not a lot of photos this week since we were busy packing and moving. We did head down to San Antonio on Sunday to take our friend Mike sight seeing. He flew in from Cali to help us move.

Friday was a snow day so we spent a lot of time reading for Reading Olympics.

Amanda February 9, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby 3 Comments 708 views

Our Week in Pics (week 47)

The last week of January was busy and then I was sick with bad allergies!!! It was horrible. I was lucky to have hubby around to take care of Shelby and I.

We did a lot of traveling around Austin and did the whole “sight seeing” thing. We visited with my brother and sister as well.

The girls started Snowboarding lessons and they loved it! They are also busy with reading Olympics and selling Girl Scout Cookies!

Amanda February 9, 2013 General Post, Samantha Sarah, Shelby No Comments 325 views

Wordless Wednesday: Till Next Time Texas

Making the long trip back to California.

Texas you were good to us, minus the scorching heat during the Summer. My girls had a blast making new friends, Sarah learned to ride a bike. Samantha had her first Choir Solo and I believe found a little piece of what her heart loves.
Shelby crawled and grew so much.
Hubby and I grew closer like we wanted and I was able to spend a lot of time with my sister.
While there are many reason we are making the long trip back just know we loved Texas and will miss it like crazy!

Amanda February 6, 2013 General Post Wordless Wednesday 6 Comments 735 views

Ten Months

When ever she firsts sees anyone she waves and says Hi. I open the door and she instantly says hi.

We weighed her at 19 pounds 4 ozs and 29 inches tall! She loves to cruise along furniture and dance! She hates her crib and whenever we put her in it she screams bloody murder!

Shelby’s hair is growing in like crazy too!

We are slowly giving her more and more food to try but we still have to put it in small pieces.

Everyone says I spoil her and give her everything she wants, but you can’t really spoil a baby and eventually she will out grow it!