Have you voted for Ella yet?

Only about a week left to vote for Ella in her beautiful babies contest! Get your votes in today! We are currently only 15 votes away from Ella breaking into the top 12, so every vote counts! And we really need your votes! Unfortunately, Ella had a lot of votes that didn't get registered because the contest administrators are having issues with the site. It is currently not registering votes from some mobile devices and tablets. If you have already voted from a mobile device and are not sure if your vote counted, please re-vote from a desktop computer or laptop!  I know this is an inconvenience, but we really appreciate it! If you have not voted yet, please use a desktop or laptop if you can. If you don't have access to one of those, please make sure that when you vote from your phone or tablet that the total number of her votes increases by one to reflect your vote! 

For full instructions and information about the contest, please click the link above to read my previous post. To go straight to the contest to vote, click here! 

Few reminders:

Like the page of the contest (Legacy Credit Union) to be able to vote (you must have a Facebook) 

Search my name (Dani Mosley) to easily find her picture if it doesn't pop up automatically

Enter an email address in the box above the vote button to be able to cast your vote

And most importantly, 

SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!! To get as many votes as we can, we have to spread the word around! You can share this blog post or just share the contest itself on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blog, etc. SHARE!!! SHARE!!! SHARE!!!

Please and thank you! :) 

Ella is in a beautiful babies contest! Let's help her win!

Click here  to vote in the contest!! 

Please click the link above to vote for Ella in the Legacy Credit Union Beautiful Babies Contest! The 12 babies with the most votes will get to go before a panel of judges to be able to compete to be on the cover of Alabama Baby and Child magazine! We really appreciate the support! When you click the link, look for the picture of Ella in her red, white, and blue 4th of July outfit. My name ( Dani Mosley) and my cousin's name (Christy Mosley Brown) will both be listed beneath the picture. The quickest way to get to the picture is to sort by "latest" and it will pop up. Make sure you "like" Legacy's page to be able to vote!

Thank you so much for taking a few minutes to vote!

You guys are the best. Seriously!

Last day of the countdown!

Happy Birthday!

The countdown is finally ending! Tomorrow is the big day. I am less than one hour away from being 26! I'll admit that this last week has had me panicking a little. I think I hit a bit of a quarter-life crisis. I started freaking out when I thought about where I thought I would be in my life versus where I actually am. It doesn't exactly match up very well. I had a completely different vision for my life actually. So when I thought about being 26 and not having hit all of the milestones I expected to have already passed by now, I went into meltdown mode a few times. But I pulled it together. Mainly because of one little girl I know. Anytime I started thinking about how things were "supposed" to be, I just focused on her. She's better than anything I could have imagined for my life.

And she also happens to be the very last reason of why I am excited to new turning 26 tomorrow. Ella. Because no matter how my birthday turns out or how many meltdowns I have when something doesn't turn out the way I expect during the next year, I know that she makes everything worth it. She brings joy into my life that would never have been possible without her. So why am I happy that tomorrow is my birthday? Because I'll be woken up in the morning (at 7:06AM) by the happiest little girl to wish me a happy birthday. And then all day she will be the one that outs the biggest smile on my face. And I know that every birthday is better because she is with me to celebrate it! 

Happy Early Birthday To Me!! 

Today's reason I am excited to turn 26

Recently, my mom came into town and brought with her my birth certificate for me to keep. I was briefly glancing over it when I noticed something that just went all over me. All of my life my mother has told me that I was born at 7:06pm on July 15, 1988. Well, in actuality, she only got most of that right. She blames it on the fact that she went through 36 hours of dry labor only to end up having to have a C-section. She says she was so delirious by that point that she didn't know which way was up, much less what time of day it was. Yes, I have heard about this birth experience more than once.

So today's reason for why I am looking forward to my birthday is because this year I get to do something for the very first time. I get to celebrate my actual time of birth, 7:06 A.M. It seems like a small detail, but I always believed I was a night baby. And everyone would always joke that that is why I absolutely hate mornings and always stay up way into the wee hours of the morning. Well, I guess we were all wrong. I am actually a morning baby!

The only bad part? I have no idea how I am actually going to make myself get up that early in the morning to be able to celebrate the actual moment of my birth! But I better figure it out since I have been off by 12 hours every other year. This is my first year to get it right!

Have you ever found out something about yourself that surprised you? Share below!

The countdown continues...

I'm back! After a few very busy days and some issues with internet going out so I couldn't post, I am back to play some catch up! Here are all of the past few days' reasons why I am looking forward to July 15!!

Well, I never said I was perfect! 

Day 4:
Presents!!!! No explanation needed because everyone loves gifts! :)

Day 5:
Because 26 means I am finally a true adult! 25 is about the last big birthday one has before getting into the "decade birthdays" like 30 and 50, so 26 means no more messing around. I have to actually be a grown up! That is scary and exciting at the same time!

Day 6:
Because Ella is just as excited about my birthday as I am! Every time I tell her that my birthday is coming she starts to clap and laugh. And then she gets even more excited when I say that birthdays=balloons!!! Honestly, I think she has me beat in the enthusiasm department. Even I'm not jumping up and down with excitement, well at least not in front of people.

Day 7:
Because I am already thinking about the food and cake that comes along with birthdays! That alone is enough reason to be happy it's your birthday. I don't know whether KT will take me out to eat or cook dinner at home, but I know that it will be delicious either way. Although, the Melting Pot does sound pretty yummy right now...


Anyone else's birthday coming up? What are your plans? Looking forward to reading the comments!! Maybe I'll get some great ideas for what I want to do for mine!

Happy 4th of July!!

 

Hooray! It's Independence Day! It's day to remember how fortunate we all are to live in a country where we are free! And it is especially a day to remember all of the brave men and women that have fought for that freedom. And since we live in a country where we are free, we get to celebrate with BBQ and fireworks! Yay! So Happy Birthday America, I'll drink one for you!

Luckily, KT got to get off work early today, so we are about to grill some ribeyes and get ready to head out to watch the fireworks show, Thunde on the Mountain, here in Birmingham. It's our first time to see it and it is supposed to be a pretty spectacular show. Here's hoping!

Earlier today I was trying to think of my favorite Fourth of July memory, and I came up with the time we spent the 4th down in Orlando visiting my uncle, aunt, and cousins. We went to a high school football stadium that evening to watch the Universal Studios fireworks show which was happening across the street. And it was fantastic! Definitely my favorite fireworks show that I have seen. I'm really hoping that tonight's show delivers! I know Ella will be completely entranced. I expect a lot of "MOMMY!!! MOMMY!! MOMMY!!" and finger pointing at the sky while she watches it.

My baby in her runway pose!

 

What are your plans for this evening? Catching any fireworks shows? What are some of your favorite memories from past 4th of Julys? I look forward to reading all about it in the comments!



Also, today is Day 3 of "Why I am grateful to be turning 26! (Okay, so actually it is Day 4 but I was lazy and didn't post yesterday! My bad!)
Today's reason:
When thinking about my age, I don't ever really focus on a number as much. I focus on how I feel. And since having Ella, I feel like I am getting to relive my childhood all over again. I get to see everything from her point of view and that allows me to enjoy things so much more. So I am happy to know that even though I am turning another year older, I feel like every experience is brand new again. Having her also makes me spend the majority of my day laughing, which definitely makes me feel like a child! So bring it on 26 because thanks to Ella, I have no fear of getting OLD!!

What makes you feel young again?? And when you think of age, do you see it as a number or a feeling? Let me know!!

Day 2 of Why I Am Grateful to be turning 26!

Today is the second day in the countdown to my birthday, July 15!
And there are plenty of reasons why birthdays are something that should always be celebrated! A lot of people, mainly women, never want to admit their age so they don't want to make a big deal out of birthdays, but I feel like we earn our age and we should be proud! So embrace your birthday! Just feel all of the wisdom bestowing itself upon you the moment you turn another year older! ;)

Reason #2 of why I am grateful to turn 26:
Birthdays are days that get to be all about you!!! And once you become a Mom you basically forfeit all other days, so you gotta enjoy to couple you have left, which are pretty much just Mother's Day and your birthday. So I am looking forward to getting to sleep in, have meals catered to what I want to eat only, and getting to spend the day any way that I choose (and no one can say anything because it's my birthday!!). This may be a bit of a superficial reason, but I'm just being honest! :) A day where Dani is the Queen sounds perfect! Here's to being selfish on your birthday!

Well, hey there July!

Wow, can you believe it is already July?!? I can't! But I am pretty excited about it since this happens to be one of my favorite months. Why, you ask? Because it's my brithday month!!! That's right, I will be the big ol' 26 on the 15th of this month. And I honestly think this is one of the few years that I haven't given much thought to my birthday, which is definitely unusal for me since I believe birthdays should be big deals. But due to some negative things that come along with this birthday, I haven't been looking forward to it much this year. In fact, I have actually been dreading it. Well, all that changes now! I can't do anything about those negative things (which do not even deserve the space on my blog being talked about!), so no point in being down about it. Instead, I am going to spend the next two weeks until my birthday celebrating by listing all of the reasons I am grateful for turning 26!



Today's reason:

I am grateful for turning 26 because the alternative to being here to turn 26 is...well..you know. And that would be pretty crappy :) Even if this isn't the most exciting birthday it sure beats the heck out of not being here to see it. I'm alive, I'm healthy, and I have a great, loving family. This birthday is looking better and better already!


What are some of the reasons you look forward to birthdays?? Share in the comments below!

Book Review Tuesday: Partials by Dan Wells

This week's book is Partials by Dan Wells. Read on to learn whether or not you should check this dystopian novel out.

Partials by Dan Wells

            The market is saturated with dystopian novels right now. Actually, some would say it is super-saturated. Yet I can’t seem to stop picking them up in the bookstores. Well, that’s not entirely true. I don’t just happen to pick them up and become interested. I actively seek them out. I research ahead of time the best dystopian novels out right now. I think it’s safe to say I have a problem. I recently found out about Partials by Dan Wells, and I am very glad that I did.

            Partials is the story of a teenage girl determined to find out what the government has to hide. It is set in 2076 after almost the entire population has been wiped out by “Partials,” which are essentially human being knock-offs. They look like humans, think like humans, feel emotions like humans, but were manufactured by the government to fight as our soldiers in war. But the Partials brought war upon human beings, and released a virus that reduced the population to only several thousand immune people and caused any baby to die immediately after birth. Kira decides to make it her mission to cure RM and prevent the human population from ending completely; however, she learns that things are not quite what they seem when it comes to the Partials.

            In my opinion, one of the best aspects of this novel is how well it convinces the reader that this fictional reality could actually happen. Everything is very scientific, which really forces the reader to focus on what is happening in the story. I love a story that makes me think about things that I have not thought about before, and Dan Wells really made me question whether our society’s reliance on artificial intelligence could be our downfall. On the flip side, despite the novel’s depth, it does not become tedious to read. I could still follow along with the plotline and the science of it was not so complicated that it became overwhelming to understand what the characters were talking about.

            The character of Kira was another reason I thoroughly enjoyed Partials. She is essentially the character we all hope we would be in this situation. She is caring, intelligent, and not over-confident about her abilities. She fights the system, but still does not always know what choice is the right choice. One of the ways that other novels become too cheesy is that they become too bogged down in the romance side of the story. Kira has a romantic interest, but it never becomes the focal point of the story. I appreciate that, especially in a dystopian novel. This novel also has quite a few twists and turns that really leave the reader wanting more. The sign of a great book is one that you just literally can’t stop reading, even if it is 3am. And Partials definitely delivers that.

            Overall, read Partials. Between the action, science, and foreboding sense of potential reality, you will be salivating for the sequel, Fragments.

What did you think of the review? Have you read Partials? If so, what did you think? If not, are you thinking about reading it now? Any other dystopian novels that you would recommend? I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below!

Click here to check this book out on Amazon.