Magic Mike

Is anyone else planning to see Magic Mike? If you are on the fence this video might change your mind. And don't worry Erik, you are still cuter than Channing Tatum! :) 

Best iPad Apps for Toddlers

Harper is only 21 months old but he thinks and acts like he is two.The kid mastered my iPhone and iPad months ago. We had a few incidents with the iPhone (cracked screen, scuffed sides, food stuck in the home button) but the cell is still alive. I don't let the iPad out of my sight when he plays on it. He swipes the lock screen, goes straight to his folder, and starts playing his games. He mastered some of the games the first day he played them. I stay pretty entertained when I watch him on that thing. It amazes me how fast little ones pick up on technology. I think he could teach my parents a thing or two.

We have tried out a TON of kiddie apps. If we are riding in the car and Harper is screaming, I am more than happy to purchase a new app to keep him quiet. Some apps are better than others. I decided to make a list of my top 9 iPad apps for 2-year olds.

1) Peekaboo Barn
Inside a little bouncing barn, friendly farm animals are waiting to pop out and surprise your little one. This is the first app I purchased months ago on my iPhone. Harper still loves it and plays with it all of the time. It taught him how to say a few animal names and he loves making the animal noises when they pop out of the barn. One of my all-time favorite app purchases. This has provided me with hours of silence.

2) Farm 123
Harper loves farm animals so this was another big hit. After playing with this app he gets really excited when we count with him. The interactive features are fantastic and it is a great tool to teach kids how to count. They'll have hours of fun playing with cheeky farm animals: chasing them, putting them in the pen, and giving them a good wash!

3)  Moo, Baa, La La La! 
This is one of Harper's favorite books so I was excited to see it in the app store. The electronic version is SO COOL! This interactive book app has all the magic and appeal of a traditional pop-up book. Harper loves to hear individual words spoken aloud when they are tapped and hear the animals sounds. He likes to play with it again and again!

4) Dr. Seuss's ABC
The Huffman house loves Dr. Seuss. And I love this app! It is a great app for reading and alphabet practice! It is perfect for younger children still learning their alphabet. o promote reading in young children, individual words are highlighted as the story is read and words zoom up when pictures are touched.

5) PBS Kids Video

This app is my FAVORITE FREE app for kids! If I can't find a good show on TV for Harper I pull out the iPad and open this app. PBS KIDS Video features more than 1,000 videos from over a dozen top PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! television series, including Curious George, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Sesame Street and Wild Kratts. Think Netflix for kids but it is FREE!

6) Curious George at the Zoo for iPad

Is your child curious about animals? Harper sure is! And he loves Curious George so this app purchase was a no-brainer. The graphics are fantastic! Children can explore the zoo using a beautiful, interactive, 3D pop-up menu and listen to lively audio narration by the Man with the Yellow Hat. For 99 cents, this is a steal!

7) Starfall ABC's 
This is hands down Harper's favorite app. It seems very simple but he loves it and he started sounded out letters within a few weeks of playing with it. It is really helping him learn to make new sounds. This app allows children to see, hear, and interact with letters and sounds in words, sentences, and games. I think this app really teaches children phonics and how to read and write! 

8) If You're Happy and You Know It
Honestly, I wasn't thrilled with this app when I first download it. The graphics are mediocre in comparison to the other kiddie apps. But Harper is obsessed. This is one of his favorite songs to sing with us. So he plays the app, claps his hands, and laughs!  Each page presents an activity to see, touch, interact and even dance to. 

9) Potty Time with Elmo
Harper has an obsession with Elmo. Nana and Papa gave him a rock n' roll Elmo for Christmas. Now he smiles anytime he sees his fluffy red friend. I'm not sure if this app will have the same effect on other kids but Harper absolutely loves it. I think it will come in handy when we start potty training. The Potty Time with Elmo app is a fun way to ease the transition from diapers to big-kid underpants.

Cutest iPhone Case EVER! GIVEAWAY

When I finally purchased an iPhone, I had to get a cute case for it. I found the aqua vintage camera iPhone case (below) and I fell in love with it. I've had it for several weeks and it works like a charm. People always stop and comment on how cute my case is. Since I do photography, my clients always LOVE it. I purchased it from an amazing Etsy store, Red Tile Studio. If you have an iPhone you have to check it out. They have a TON of adorable designs to choose from. I really want one of the chevron cases next. 

They also make incredible wooden art blocks. I think these would look incredible on a shelf or hanging on the wall. They have a ton of really cute animal ones that are super cute for a nursery!

Or if you just have a chevron obsession, check out this cute set of notebooks:

Best part!? Red Tile Studio is giving one of my lucky readers their choice of iPhone case! All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment with your favorite item from their Etsy store.

For extra entries like them on Facebook!

I will pick a random winner with random.org at the beginning of next week. GOOD LUCK!

Winners Announced!

I hope you all had a fantastic Father's Day weekend. Erik was out of town for most of the weekend. His old band Florez played at a wedding in Michigan. They had a blast but we sure did miss him. 

Speaking of missing my hubby... I want to take a second to vent. Years ago, Erik lived in NYC when he was modeling with FORD. I still worked and lived in Nashville, TN. We were married at the time. It was really tough not seeing him for weeks at a time. Apparently during that time I posted something on my Facebook page that stated how I missed him and that I couldn't wait to see him. I don't remember this exact post but I am sure it happened. If you love your husband and he lives in a different state, I really hope any wife would miss them. Apparently that statement offended someone because their husband was in the military and they didn't think I was being sensitive to the wives with husbands deployed. I am sorry but that completely baffles my mind. Anyone can miss someone, it doesn't matter who they are or where they are. If you love someone you are entitled to miss them regardless of their situation. Shoot, I miss Erik when he is working all day and if I want to post on my Facebook wall, "I miss Erik, I can't wait to see him tonight" then I can. And that statement shouldn't offend ANYONE. I think it is very admirable to be a military wife and honestly I would have a really hard time if my hubby was deployed. I am sure I would miss him and be scared to death. But I would still understand and appreciate the fact that other wives miss their husbands even if they are gone for a single day. With that being said, people really need to stop looking into and dissecting each other's posts on Facebook and they need to worry about their lives rather than everyone else. Personally, I think if you have an issue with someone's posts on Facebook then you should remove them from your friend list. It just makes you look caddy if you go around and complain about other people's Facebook statuses to folks. 

This week Erik is in Austin, TX and guess what.... I miss him! I haven't had a chance to visit Austin but I hear it is an incredible city. Next time I want to go with Erik.

AND now for the good stuff! The winner of the TieTry giveaway is:

Kim S. Beaty! 

AND the winner of the Southern Tide swim trunks giveaway is:

Sandi H.

Please e-mail me at JaimeNHuffman@gmail.com to claim your prize. CONGRATS!!!

And tomorrow I am giving away my absolute favorite iPhone case from Red Tile Studio! You are going to LOVE it! Pretty much the cutest Etsy store EVER! 

Big Scare

The worst call I received was when my sister called and told me my mom's cancer metastasized and she only had a few months to live. I was at dinner with Erik and had to get up and leave. I think Erik paid the bill real fast and ran after me. That was tough.

Yesterday I received my second worst call ever. I was in Greenville and kept getting calls. I was finishing up a photo shoot so I ignored them. My phone didn't stop ringing so I finally grabbed it. My dad was on the phone and informed me that Harper had a really bad fall and might need to go to the emergency room.  I almost threw up. My sister was babysitting Harper at our house. I called her. She was hysterical. Harper was screaming bloody murder in the background and all I could make out was "a lot of blood" "I am going to call 9-1-1" and "his tooth went through his lip." I could have passed out right then and there. I told her to try to stop the bleeding and call me back. I booked it home. Pretty sure I was driving 90mph, ran three stoplights, and drove down the median when I hit a bit of traffic. Not smart, I know but I was worried sick and all logic was out the window.

By the time I made it to Jenna and Harper there was still quite a bit of blood. He kept sticking out his little lips like a duck and he was screaming. I grabbed him and help him close and he just starred at me yelling, "Mama, mama, mama." My heart was shattered into little pieces. The bleeding eventually stopped. He didn't have to get stitches because the major cut was inside his little lip. But there is an indention on the outside of his mouth where the tooth punctured. We observed him all night to make sure he didn't have a concussion. I slept next to him and Jenna woke up every few hours to check his breathing. It was a rough night.

Today I kept him home from daycare. His lip resembles Mick Jagger. But he looks super cute. I think it is going to heal up just fine but I am going to take him back to the doctor next week and make sure there is no sign of infection.

When I think about a mother loosing their child it is really hard to comprehend. The grief and sadness I felt when my little man was hurt is unexplainable. It sucked! It was way worse than anything I have experienced in my life so far. My heart goes out to those parents. I really can't imagine how hard that would be. Parenthood sure is tough. And I know it is going to get harder. I pray my child slows down a bit and I don't receive any more of those phone calls ever again.

Father's Day Gift Guide 2012 - Southern Tide

Another great gift for Father's Day is an awesome pair of water shorts ! Father's Day falls in the middle of the summer so I think any sort of summer clothing is a great present. I bought Erik a pair of Southern Tide water shorts last year. He LOVES these water shorts. They are nice and vibrant without having a loud pattern on them. The small skipjack design is a great touch.

Erik's not a huge fan of the swim shorts with flowers or surf board designs. I'm glad I found something he likes. These water shorts even come with a little "aqua pocket" which is a water resistant wallet that protects all of your valuables when you are swimming. Erik kept his license and some cash in it at the beach and it stayed nice and dry. What a smart idea!

One lucky reader will win this for their dad or hubby! Trust me, they will REALLY REALLY love you for these!

To win this awesome gift for your dad, Follow my blog and enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Father's Day Gift Guide 2012- TieTry

It is getting close to Father's Day so I want to do a week of blogs highlighting the perfect Father's Day gift. I came across this company and I think it would make an awesome present for dad! The company is called TieTry. Think Netflix for ties and you get TieTry. It is founded by two longtime friends, tied (no pun intended) together through college and law school in Alabama! 

This company is PERFECT for the man in your life that has to wear a tie to work every day. Or even the dad that needs an occasional tie during the month. With TieTry, it is possible to wear thousands of dollars worth of designer ties per month for a low monthly fee. It is designed to keep a man's wardrobe fresh while saving them money.You can borrow ties from TieTry for as low as $11.99 per month, cancel anytime, and they take care of the shipping. 

If you browse their ties, you will see that they offer many big name brands. They are committed to promoting up-and-coming regional brands because they love their authenticity, and endeavor to support local economies. By subscribing to TieTry, you’ll be helping start-up brands and you’ll have access to a variety of unique ties you previously might not have been exposed to.

Here is a clip from The Today Show's review of Tietry: 

Best part?! One lucky dad will win a 3 tie subscription for 6 months. That's a $120 value! 

To win this awesome gift for your dad, enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Palmetto Wedding Photography

I am excited to announce my collaboration with the incredible photographer, Josh Norris! We officially started our own wedding photography business, Palmetto Wedding Photography! Please check it out and "like" our page. We can't wait to be a part of your special day!

Josh Norris is the photographer that took all of the beautiful photos of me, Harper, and Erik. He has such a talent! He can make everyone feel and look beautiful. I'm excited to work with him. I know he is going to help me learn and grow as a photographer. 

Here are some photos from the first shoot we did together. Kelsey and Allan are getting married in a few months. Last week, we shot their engagement shoot in Greenville, SC. They were so fun and easy going. We can't wait to capture their big day! 

We are running an introductory special for Palmetto Wedding Photography! The first 5 brides will receive an all-inclusive wedding package for $2,200. This includes bridal, engagement, and wedding coverage with two photographers, web gallery, and a high resolution disc with all of your images. We would like to give a big thank you to the first three brides we booked over the weekend! We feel so blessed to be a part of your big day! E-mail me at JaimeHuffmanPhotography@yahoo.com for inquiries, questions, or to book us for your wedding. Please spread the word! 

A Quick Trip

We made a quick trip to Charleston over the weekend. Every time I go there, I want to stay! It is such a beautiful city. I love everything about it (except the road construction work, I swear they are always working on a main road when I am in town). We made our way to Poe's for lunch. A Charleston trip isn't complete without a trip to Poe's for burgers and tuna tacos. We took Harper to the beach. That kid is a water baby. He has no fear. He wanted to run right into the waves. My sweet sister came along on the trip. She is such a huge help with the little man! Harper loves his Auntie Jenna!

Jenna & Harper

On Sunday we had a photo shoot on a gorgeous boat. I was the photographer and Erik was one of the models. It was an absolute blast! The weather was perfect and the boys managed to catch two massive red fish. Then we hit up Isle of Palms for dinner and ice cream. We went to the public beach before dinner but it was gross! There was liter all over the beach and the crowd was pretty rough. People were straight up smoking pot on the beach at 7:30PM with hundreds of babies and children around. It was really sad to see the beach like this. It used to be so nice. I'm not sure what happened to that area. Has any one else noticed this problem? 

Harper and Erik

I want to head down to Charleston again this coming weekend. My friend Brooke has a bridal shower in Charleston and my other friend Sarah has a baby shower in Columbia. I'm trying to coordinate a trip so I can make it to both of them. Fingers crossed I can figure it out!

Best Proposal Ever!

This is incredible! I think it is so sweet that so many of their friends and family were so invested in the proposal. You know you have an amazing community if they are all willing to work their butts off to make you smile. Yep, I cried BEFORE he proposed.