Christmas of 2009 was pretty much awesome. My mom bought me an iPod Nano which I totally wanted, but didn’t expect to get. Come on, I’m 22 years old (or was at that time), and have three younger siblings who still live at home.

Was. Not. Expecting. It.

My iPod almost instantly became like another child to me. I was able to fill almost all 8GB worth of storage in just two days. What? I love my music!

You can imagine the heartbreak I felt when I pulled my sweet baby out of the bottom of the washing machine one cold day in February. Devastation. Instant tears. Cursing. I pressed all of the buttons, fully expecting it to do nothing but secretly hoping it loved me almost as much as I loved it.

Nothing.

Please Note: You should completely submerge device in rice.

More tears followed.

Depressed, I told co-workers the next day of my tragic loss.  Someone mentioned putting it in a bowl of uncooked white rice to absorb the moisture.

Preposterous!  Could it really be that easy?

Pffft, nope.  I waited a week. Two weeks.  Four weeks.  Eight weeks.  Periodically, I would push the “on” button, hoping my poor iPod would spring to life.  Every single time, my heart would break again.

Finally, I just left it in the bowl of rice and forgot about it.

Until I was cleaning my desk at work out yesterday, and found my computer cable at the bottom.  (I used to charge my iPod while at work so I could cling to some sanity while doing my job).  Another crack in my already fragile heart, I put the cable in my purse, fully intending to take it to my mom’s house so that they would have an extra (since my three younger siblings all have iPods).

It wasn’t until Ariana decided to take the cable out of my purse that I remembered it was there.  Eh, what’s the harm, I thought to myself as I plugged it into my computer and headed for the kitchen.  Letting out a deep sigh, I picked my iPod out of the bowl of rice, and went back to my laptop.  There was no way this was going to work, and really, I knew that I was setting myself up for the final heartbreak in this sad sad story.

If I were to tell you that I didn’t hold my breath while I plugged the cord into the device, I would be lying.  An eternity seemed to pass after it was connected.  Then………

THERE WAS LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, my iPod lives!!!!!  I jumped up and down in excitement holding the little device to my chest, squealing with excitement like a little school girl.  On the verge of happy tears but still a little apprehensive as to whether it would actually work, I wasted no time downloading the newest version of iTunes to see if all my music was there and if my iPod would play.

I am happy to report, my friends, that it does!!!  After sitting in rice for approximately seven months, my iPod is fully functional!  There are a couple scratches on the inside of the screen, no doubt water damage, but it doesn’t seem to (at this time) cause any issues.  For now, it is just cosmetic damage.  Other than that?  It is the same, sweet iPod that my mom bought me for Christmas!

Moral of the story?  Don’t put your iPod in the washing machine.

Secondary moral of the story?  If you screw up and get your iPod wet, PUT IT IN RICE!!! IT REALLY WORKS!! (and really, this should work with any electronic device)

All my life (or as far as the memory goes) I have wanted a little girl. A baby to dress up, doll up, play house and barbies with, and put makeup on. You know, all that fun stuff that Mommys do with their little girls.

Ya’ll I took this to the next level. 

When I found Cutie PaTuTus, it was all over.  I became obsessed.  People, these are tutus.  For your infant, baby, toddler, school-aged kids, and beyond!  And not only that, but they come in different themes, and complete outfits. 

That’s right, they have shirt and tutu combos. 

I purchased this set for Ariana’s first birthday.  I absolutely adore pink and zebra print together, and this was tutu cute to pass up!

The best part? The pom poms inside of the tutu!  The signature pom poms sure do add a little twist to take these already adorable ensembles to the next level.  Never fear though, the pom poms are securely sewn into the tutu itself, so you never have to worry about them coming loose and becoming a choling hazard. 

These adorable outfits are perfect for a 1st birthday, your daughter’s dress-up box, or just to wear for fun.  With over 30 different tutus in her shop, and the option to pick your own colors for your tutu, there is something for every little princess or fairy out there.

But wait, there’s more…….

What about your little boy?  Cutie Pa Tutus aren’t really just tutu-makers.  Oh no, you can also get personalized super hero capes!  In your choice of red, blue, or pink (hey not all little girls want to be princesses and fairies), your child’s initial will be put on the back of the cape.  Too cool, right?  I personally bought Konnor a cape (which I have yet to get a picture of – soon, I promise) and was absolutely thrilled with the quality of it.

Accessories are available as well!

Do you need a magic wand for your tutu?  How about a mask to go with that super hero cape?  Even a tutu for your daughter’s favorite doll – Cutie Pa Tutus does it all!

I know, I keep going on and on, and I apologize but there is one other thing I have failed to mention.  Amanda, the owner, creator, and mastermind of the Cutie Pa Tutu line is one of the sweetest people ever!  She holds her client’s satisfaction in the highest regard, and makes sure that you (and your little one) are 100% satisfied with your order. 

So really, head on over and check out all that is offered at Cutie Pa Tutus.  I promise you won’t be disappointed!

*I purchased a tutu from Cutie Pa Tutus at a discount in exchange for my review of their services/products.  All views are strictly my own, honest opinion*

*All photos shown in this post are owned by theJAKAfiles & JakaFiles Photography.. Please do not copy any pictures w/o the written consent of the owner of these pictures*

Ever since I had Konnor, I have never been at the top of the priority list.  Purposely putting myself after others, I don’t often have the newest clothes, the coolest phone, or other spiffy things.

Yesterday, I bought a laptop.  Four hundred dollars of something just for me!  After purchasing my new Toshiba, I am feeling the normal guilt that I feel after buying something for myself.

After battling with myself, “oh that $400 could have gone here or we could have done this,” I took a step back.  No, really, this was a good investment.  With Justin on the computer as much as he is, I need this. 

What do I need a laptop for?

Well I really need it to keep up on JAKA365, which is my photo blog.  If you haven’t seen it, check it out!

But I also need it to keep up with this blog.  If I have the desire to start reviews, the need for my own computer is pretty obvious.

More than anything, though, I wanted my own computer so that I could access the internet when I wanted to.  My phone’s internet isn’t fast nor reliable, and to be honest, typing with a Blackberry isn’t fun.  Haha.

So here she is.  My new computer.  Nothing grand.  Nothing fancy.  Nothing to drop your jaw over.  Honestly, though, I don’t need any of that.  Just something simple to blog and edit photos with. :)

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

In December it was announced that General Mills would be reducing sugar in their cereals ever more than they already had been.  They committed to reducing the sugar in their cereals to less than 10g per serving!  *goes to look in pantry*  Now, I can tell you that we have other brands of cereal (that are not General Mills) and not one of those cereals have less than 10g of sugar per serving.